So when was America reallly, truly awesome?

SupraWes wrote:

ddavidv wrote: It's probably boring to most people, but if you don't study history and how the country was founded you won't grasp the reasons people (like me) are very upset about the last, oh, 15-20 years or so. The rate of acceleration towards socialism has really picked up. We've now got an extremely dangerous recipe with a way-far-left president coupled to a far-left democratic (oxymoron) House and Senate that can pretty much ram anything they want through.

You started off making a great point and then you shot yourself in the foot with the partisan comments. Obama is not far left, Hillary is and that's why she lost. Palin is so far Right she will never win either. I think the spying and monitoring that the Bush Whitehouse brought us is a far greater leap towards socialism than an optional govt. run healthcare system. It's obvious they cant "ram" anything they want through as they already seem to be buckling under the pressure from the gun toting town hall yelling nutjobs.

There is SO much inherent, simplistic WRONG in this that it helps explain why there is SO much HATE.

Obama is ideologoically sympathetic to the left, but ran as a "moderate" and was elected; his policies are not aligned with his constituent's expectations.

You're right about Hilary Clinton, which is why she is Secretary of State and not the President.

Who knows about Palin; she's retired from active politics and is old news - the hint here is to "move on".

Stating that health-care reform is being derailed by "the gun toting town hall yelling nutjobs" is a good example for why "hate" exists"

There's always room in the middle, but too many believe their opinions are superior to those who disagree - and are unwilling to recognize the differences and work towards a compromise.

The "no compromise" attitude helps lead to the "hate" preception. That's a sad commentary for a country that has excelled on "compromises" since 1776.

Ive heard woodstock was pretty awesome.

Best time to go back-in-time to? Easy one -- the 50's! IT was the best time to be a suit wearing, middle management, three martini lunch swizzling, crash your car into a tree and buff out the chrome, oh wait and stop at the Rex-all on the way home for some "little helpers" for mother, kinda guy!

The 50's was also the best time to be a hot rodder. Hot rodding, drag racing, everything was all being born right then! Talk about being grassroots............EVERYONE was grassroots in their automotive pursuits. No one was trying to be retro, trying to create cars with patina, being a ricer meant absolutely nothing (it might have meant you liked Chun-King chinese food :-). Everything was new and exciting.

I think it was a simpler time, less complicated. About the only thing to be worried about was that the Russkies were going to drop "the bomb" on us............but what the h3ll -- all you had to do was duck and cover, right?? And we were taking care of things, just like now, sending folks to Korea to stop the red threat, domino effect, whatever! Aren't commies and Taliban interchangeable?

Yeah, make no mistake, going back in time to something like the 50's sounds nice..........you'll just have to check your antibacterials, your antidepressants, your silicone implants, teh intarwebs, and your satellite TV at the time machine portal.......

I do like living in the age that I am -- at least we have some of the modern conveniences that they spoke about in the 50's, like computers........but can someone tell me where my robot butler is? And does he have the keys to my flying car :-D

Kidding aside, I think this is a great age to experience. We have ups and downs, goods and bads, just like every other generation has. Is life more complex than it was 50 years ago? Absolutely.............and I bet folks in the 50's waxed nostalgic for a simpler time of, say, the roaring 20's.............

And you just know, some 30 or 40 years from now there are gonna be a bunch of folks that are yearning for a more nostalgic, simpler, less complex time...........like say the early 21st century! Wonder if they'll have flying cars and robot butlers by then???

/ramblin'-mode-off

1988 We got the M3.

1988 We got the M3.

Trumped - 1967 Camaro Z/28.

mtn wrote:

SupraWes wrote: You started off making a great point and then you shot yourself in the foot with the partisan comments. Obama is not far left, Hillary is and that's why she lost. Palin is so far Right she will never win either. I think the spying and monitoring that the Bush Whitehouse brought us is a far greater leap towards socialism than an optional govt. run healthcare system. It's obvious they cant "ram" anything they want through as they already seem to be buckling under the pressure from the gun toting town hall yelling nutjobs.

Good grief, who has liberal bias??

I'm not partisan. I'll admit to conservative leanings when we're talking about government intrusion, but on social issues I'm left of center. But to say that Obama is not far left is really sticking your head in the sand. Hillary is a heavy hitting progressive, but Obama IS further left than she. You need to look at his history, not at his recent rhetoric.

I'm no fan of Bush. Was on 9/12, but that quickly faded.

The "gun toting, town hall yelling nutjobs" are about .5% of the people that actually are attending these things. The media, of course, only focuses on them because that makes for spectacular sound/video clips. Perhaps you've forgotten about all those Republican speakers that were shouted down at engagements a year or two ago by know-nothing college students? Do they represent the bulk of the Democratic party too?

If you're going to rely on TV news to shape your opinions then I can't help you. I would instead suggest you actually attend one of these town halls or public protest rallies and meet the people first hand and listen to what they are saying, as I have done. You'll realize they are not fringe crazies, but regular citizens who are not just against a health care bill nobody understands but are really finding their voice because they are just fed up that their elected officials no longer listen to them.

Hell yes I am liberal, maybe a bit more of a social libertarian, certainly not conservative ina any way at least not by the current standard.

I have not read the bill so I can't say I know much about it. A few articles that I read on google news, and the constant e-mails I get from both sides (somehow I am on both their lists), oh and I subscribe to the Whithouse Youtube channel. I don't watch any network or cable news or read newspapers, I have not even had cable for the past year, and have no plans to re-subscribe.

Frankly I have good healthcare now that is affordable to me so it really won't affect me if the bill gets passed or not. I am lucky to be a part of a large workplace that has the ability to put pressure on the insurance company to keep costs and services provided in check. Many people are not so lucky. Maybe I should be afraid that my taxes are going to go to eleventy billion percent if the bill passes, but I'm not afraid of that either.

We spent a lot in Iraq for very little in return, the middle east is still a way crazy place and their is no obvious or easy solution. Maybe a little spent at home taking care of our own isn't such a bad idea.

I am upset that a president who ran on healthcare reform as a major part of his agenda, and who was voted for by the majority of voters seems to be failing at getting any traction at all. I guess it can be compared to Bush and social security reform. Why is it that the MINORITY seem to be getting their way, that's not how our system is supposed to work? Where is the middle ground? Making false claims about death panels and the like are not constructive. Give us something better, don't make stuff up just to be contrarian to a policy that doesn't align with your own politics.

We are straying a bit off topic, but I'll continue a bit to try to clarify some of your points.

You can't be a libertarian if you believe in more govt involvement in ANYTHING. Libertarians believe less is more, sort of like Constitutionalists but without all the religious pandering.

Obama ran a campaign based on "change". He never really clarified exactly what that change was supposed to be during the election. It was quietly marketed as "anything but Bush/Cheney" which is why so many people went for it. However, if you took any time at all to look at Obama's past, you would have discovered he was faaaaar left, and not the moderate he was marketed as. So, people voted for him, because he wasn't the "other guy" who was viewed as more of the same (good bit of truth in that). So yes, the majority did elect him.

However, you are wrong that a "minority" seem to be getting their way on the health care issue. The majority (according to numerous polls) of Americans do not want socialized health care. It does not matter what is or isn't in the bill itself...they don't want the government taking control of it in whole or in part. That's it, that's the whole argument for most of these folks. Do many of them want some kind of health care reform? Yes, I think so. But not what is being proffered currently. This is why there is such a vocal outcry by the general populace. They don't want the govt doing just anything, they want something they can believe in, and govt run health care ain't it. Unless, of course, you happen to believe in cradle to grave govt entitlements, in which case you really should be living in France. Crazy sound bytes from Palin aside, most of the people I've discussed the issue with are not focusing on individual oddities. They just don't want THIS bill, period. And I concur.

Reminder: I voted for neither of the two major parties or their figureheads, so I don't have a duck in this hunt. I just call 'em as I see 'em.

America was truly awesome when i hit "add post" and didnt get a censorship warning..

America was truly awesome when i went to buy a car, and had hundreds of choices...

America was truly awesome when I lost almost everything, and with in four years, rebuilt my life and was able to buy a house on a single income, depending on no one.

America was truly awesome when even though times are tough, I can still manage to help out others a bit, who are having an even harder time than i am...

America was truly awesome when i can i jump in my car anytime i want, drive 2000 miles plus, and never have to cross a government check point, show my "papers" or get questioned about my intentions, so long as I observe some basic safety rules...

America was truly awesome when i can drive a couple of minutes, throw the kayak in the river, and boat all day long headed whichever direction suits me, for the cost of a couple of cents worth of gas to get there...

America was truly awesome I turned on my tv or radio and had a choice of what to watch/listen too and when I want to watch/listen too it.

America was not so awesome when i went down the street, and saw cameras on the poles and found out that as a citizen i have no access to what they look at despite the fact my tax dollars were used to pay for it. America also wasn't so awesome when bills are passed that restrict or intrude in personal freedoms using fear tactics to justify them. but those too will pass, and are only ripples in the water compared to the Total Awesomeness of America, even today will all our issues. politics swing right, than left, but eventually center and we all benefit, and this is what makes America truly Awesome , even right now!

In reply to 924guy:

+99,999,999,999,999,999,999

I would have to say right now! This is all very interesting to me and I have learned more about our constitution and rights lately than I ever did in school. Granted I lean way conservative but it is truly awesome that we can stand up for what we believe not be shot on site!

924guy +

It was awesome then,,,, and its awesome NOW!!

ENJOY!!

Capt Slow wrote: I would argue that are standard of living is slipping in a big way. People of my parents generation could afford to buy a house and live comfortably on a single income. I don't think thats doable any more.

I do it.

5 kids, 2 in college. Single income (probably 2/3 of the average on this board). 12 months mortgage payments in my savings account. ABSOLUTELY NO debt, other than my home mortgage. No car loan, no credit card debt. 5 times my annual income in a retirement account. I'm 48.

The trick is DON'T SPEND SO MUCH.

SVreX wrote: The trick is DON'T SPEND SO MUCH.

e.g. When you want to go racing, don't buy a Corvette or an Elise. Get a Yugo.

It hit me on Sunday night - America was best right before wide spread use of Air-conditioning. Hear me out. Our A/C went out on Saturday and so we had windows open wide for the weekend. We heard all the neighborhood noises and I have to admit it was pretty neat. I also drove around with the car A/C off and heard the traffic, other peoples cars and music. Maybe if we all got to know our neighbors better we might be more tollerant of other views with a face behind the words.

Scott

Splitsix; I think you might be onto something there..

NYG95GA wrote:

SVreX wrote: The trick is DON'T SPEND SO MUCH.

e.g. When you want to go racing, don't buy a Corvette or an Elise. Get a Yugo.

Yeeaah, dat's da ticket!

But I can still dream of an Elise, can't I?

SVreX wrote: But I can still dream of an Elise, can't I?

I'm pretty sure Tripper will let you "take a spin" in his.

If you don't spin it too bad.....

Tripper's driving an Elise now? What happened to the Skyline?

Or does he now own a Skyline, a Sylvia, AND an Elise?

SVreX wrote: Tripper's driving an Elise now? What happened to the Skyline? Or does he now own a Skyline, a Sylvia, AND an Elise?

Yes, yes and yes. Plus several of the nicest Miatas you've ever seen.

I really hate that guy.

He must have air conditioning, too.

chaparral wrote:

4eyes wrote: 1 9 6 9 You guys have forgotten, then income tax was VOLUNTARY One person in a middle class job could buy any car made in the US, and pay all the other bills. Our currency was backed by gold in Ft. Knox, not (it's worth $20.00 for a 20 dollar bill, just because)

I suppose this was a little tongue-in-cheek. Average household income in 1969 was $7000; if you spent 6 months salary on a new car you got a Chevy Nova with one of the hotter engine options. It would be difficult for your average earner to save up $15000 for an Imperial.

Who in 69 would buy a freakin Imperial? When you could have a plymouth GTX, or Shelby GT500, or big block Chevel, or hemi-Cuda! My Mom's car was a Mercury S55, and Dad drove a Comet Caliente'

ddavidv wrote: You can't be a libertarian if you believe in more govt involvement in ANYTHING.

That sounds synonymous with anarchism, unless you're assuming that if government involvement is currently at X you cannot want the level to be more than X...which is only very slightly different to anarchism. So theoretically, if a government shut down the police, a libertarian could not want that service to be restored?

As a programmer that caught my attention because it looks like a bad algorithm ripe for abuse.

4eyes wrote: Who in 69 would buy a freakin Imperial? When you could have a plymouth GTX, or Shelby GT500, or big block Chevel, or hemi-Cuda! My Mom's car was a Mercury S55, and Dad drove a Comet Caliente'