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There is only 1 situation where your only choice is to deal with a single entity for your needs: When that entity IS the government

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that we should limit the powers we surrender to government, whoever they happen to be

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I'm not sure the present economic system is going to be salvageable. However, I trust they will be able to hide the problem with a little razzle dazzle for another decade or few. They'll be able to do that until the cracks are too big to cover up, and it all faw down go boom.

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You presented corporations as a nearly omnipresent controlling force on the lives of the people who lived under its dominion, with complete monopoly and control of production and distribution of wealth. Able to enslave the populace with unreasonable demands and reward structures that leave resistance as a futile option. In a world where this premise is true, the corporation is a government. Not by and for the people, but essentially a dictatorship.

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The function of government should be to ensure civil liberties. But we all know that governments exist who do not have this as a goal.

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Corporations exist in their current form as a byproduct of our current government's laws. Laws exist to support the corporation, right down to the creation of corporate 'personhood.'

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Originally posted by Niki2:
This gun thing has really got me bothered. First there was the guy at the Obama event last week carrying a handgun--now I see he's been tied to Arizona milita groups:

Gun toter at Obama rally tied to Arizona separatist groups



The man who brought a gun to President Barack Obama's town hall meeting on Tuesday is a former Arizona resident with ties to an extreme right-wing group that calls for "resistance...against unconstitutional or illegal behavior by government officials."

William Kostric, 36, formerly of Scottsdale, stood outside the New Hampshire meeting on healthcare with a gun holstered at his thigh and holding a sign proclaiming that "it is time to water the tree of liberty."

The quote, often referenced by militia members and those in separatist movements, refers to Thomas Jefferson's famous call for vigilance: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of tyrants and patriots."

Records show that Kostric is a "team member" of the Arizona chapter of We the People Foundation, which has a stated goal of "returning America to it's founding principles."

On its Web site, We the People's founder, Robert Schulz, says: "Our recent initiatives have focused largely on questioning the federal government's abuse of its Constitutional powers to incur debt, tax labor, create currency by fiat, conduct war and police the peace," We the People says on its Web site.

While the group maintains that it is not concerned with politics or personalities in office, Schulz is a proud supporter of the birther movement (those folks who believe that Obama wasn't really born in the United States and shouldn't be president) and We the People joined a lawsuit challenging Obama's presidency based on his citizenship.

Kostric could not be reached for comment Wednesday. But records show he recently moved from Scottsdale to New Hampshire.

Kostric's My Space page is replete with paeans to militia groups.Among his heroes, Kostric lists Randy Weaver, the anti-government separatist and end-time believer whose wife and son died during a shoot out with FBI agents at Ruby Ridge.


NOW, while having breakfast this morning, I hear about this one:

Man Carrying An Assault Rifle And Pistol Outside Obama Event



(Late update: CNN now reports that there were two men carrying assault rifles, reportedly AR-15s, outside President Obama's event in Phoenix.)

A man was seen carrying an assault rifle and a pistol outside the VFW Convention in Phoenix where President Obama spoke today, a local newspaper reports.

Local police said it's legal under Arizona law, but two officers kept close by him.

"If we need to intervene, we will intervene at that time," said Detective J. Oliver.

The man, who gave his name only as "Chris", was asked why he was armed. "Because I can do it," he said. "In Arizona, I still have some freedoms."

Apparently the man giving the interview was also carrying a pistol

There's something wrong here, and it's discomfiting. A friend asked me why we didn't see this during Bush's term; of course the answer is easy. If anyone had tried, they'd have been whisked off to Gitmo or someplace and never heard from again. Just show's ta go 'ya, in my opinion, who the real "dictator" was around here recently (yes, I'm biased; bite me!

It bothers me, with the racism still evident in all that's happening with the birthers, the deathers, the town halls, etc., the fact that militias are on the rise, and all the anger and upheaval the state of the economy and nation has brought about...It worries me.


Together we are more than the sum of our parts

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Originally posted by dreamtrove:
... but there's a very reall threat and it's right on your doorstep and I'm not sure you even see that it's there.

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Originally posted by SignyM:
There is one large unfilled function, which is: WHO performs the "work" which can not efficiently generate a profit, or which cannot be installed competitively? For example, roads. There is no way to efficiently generate a profit from roadbuilding.

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Because roads would be built by multiple entities (whether it is city/state/federal or competing businesses) the driver would be faced wtih a welter or toll booths

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... theoretically, one at the end of his/her own driveway!

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Another example: water distribution. It would be extremely expensive to have three, four or more distribution companies install competing pipelines.

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Originally posted by pizmobeach:
Although... I'm encouraged to hear Glenn Beck's ratings/viewership is down.

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Originally posted by Wulfenstar:
Piz,

It was a joke...

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theoretically, one at the end of his/her own driveway!

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