Why aren't Americans screaming in the streets about what is happening to our country?

Question

There is no disputing the facts that the war with Iraq is by Constitutional measurements illegal. Habeas Corpus has been done away with and there is talk of stopping "Free Speaking and thinking"..Children are denied health care and teachers have to bring supplies to school. Our roads and bridges are falling down and our national debt is off the charts, and yet the media rarely mentions these things. Why are we allowing this adminsitration to do this to us? Why do we allow Congress to vote for these things. I'd bet most people do not know that now we can be arrested and thrown in a jail and shipped to Egypt and tortured, or killed, and there is nothing we can do, and no one would know where we are or why. Why aren't we screaming Impeachment in the streets? This will stop future administrations from going this far again. Your thoughts?

Answer 1

Some friends and I were talking about this the other day. And we being all in our 50s and 60s we discussed what people would have thought back in the 60s, 70s and 80s about what is going on now. This is what we came up with.

If you told the average person on the street back then that;

1.Cameras would be watching you on the street at your work and at the air ports; they would have laughed at you.

2.If you told them that all their phone calls would be monitored and recorded they would have called you crazy. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071111/ap_o...

3.That you would be searched at airports, they would have called you paranoid.

4.That thousands would be held with out a trial or due process of law, they would have called you nuts.

5.That the USA would have secret prisons and would allow torture and even commit torture, again they would call you a nut job.

6.That the Supreme Court would deicide who won a presidential election; again disbelief.

7.That we would invade a sovereign nation who didn’t attack us; they would laugh on that one.

8.That the White House would leak the name of a CIA agent; again they would call you nuts.

9.That we would have to have an I.D with a tracking chip in it and that we would have to have a passport to get back into the USA. Etc, etc; again disbelief.

Then we concluded that if you had these things occur back then, you would have had millions of people take to the streets and demand impeachment. As the general public back then would never have tolerated such a fascist police state. Just look at the millions who took to the streets over Viet Nam.

But now many Americans are spineless cowards, who care more about video games, iPods, than freedom.

However I’d be willing to bet that sooner or later Joe Q public will have had enough. And then the sh*t will hit the fan!

Lol some funny answers. Habeas corpus Is not dead? You might want to check out his link. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15220450

It’s truly incredible how naïve some of the people who answered your question are! Thank God some of them like you see the truth!

I guess this shows how well the "powers that be" can brain wash the public to believe what they want them to.

And as far as congress aproving the Iraq war, ahem...We had troops over there in combat BEFORE congress decided anything!

And why didn’t we attack Saudi Arabia where most of the terrorists came from? And how about the Downing street memo? http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/

You just might want to read that people!

Answer 2

Can't see the forest for the trees.

Answer 3

denial, apathy

they can still pay their bills and watch tv, so they don't really notice what's going on

Answer 4

None of what you say is true.

The Constitution has nothing to do with foreign affairs.

"Talk" about anything is "Free Speech" and your complaint about it is illegal.

No child is denied health care (name one, ......just one.....LIAR!)

If you engage in terrorist activities, you can be treated mean.  Get used to it.  Most of us agree.

There are NO GROUNDS for impeachment.

You are mad and are RANTING.

Please move to a better country, if it is so bad here.

There are plenty of people south of the border that will WILLINGLY  take your place.

Answer 5

You need to calm down; it's not as bad as you portray. We need to focus on replacing the current administration with one that will get our fiscal house in order, conduct foreign policy in a manner than engenders respect, not disdain, from other nations, and protect constitutional rights of citizens while being vigilant against terrorists.

Answer 6

Many of us are-but if your not in the upper highest income level our govt. isn't listening. If us poor middle class people get too outspoken & it was up to GW we'd be thrown in jail!!! Blue collar people don't stand a chance at the present time. They just want us to work harder -longer!!

Answer 7

Sorry, but the war was constitutionally authorized.  There's nothing in the Constitution that says exactly how "war" must be declared, other than Congress does it.  Congress authorized Bush to use force in Iraq.  That included most of the Dems.  All nice and legal like.  Heck, the Dems keep funding it, year after bloody year.

I keep hearing about Habeas Corpus being suspended.  When?  What US Citizen or legal resident has had their Habeas Corpus suspended?  Can you name even one?

The only people talking about stopping "Free Speaking and thinking" are the nutjob leftists that think Bush is the next Hitler.  Your rights to speak and think freely are in tact.  There are no secret police coming to round you up.

Children are not denied health care.  There are gov't programs in place that already cover most poorer kids.  Bush is merely opposing expanding those programs to more well off families that are able to obtain medical insurance on their own.  Even the Dems example families already had S-CHIP and were able to afford medical insurance if they chose to make that a priority.

Schools have always been in trouble the last 35 years or so.  What group ALWAYS stops meaningful reforms?  If you want to scream in the streets, start screaming for vouchers so you can send your kids to any school you want, instead of the little gov't indoctrination centers that you have no choice in the matter.  You know, the schools that no matter how much more funding they get, they still do a worse job than before?

Our roads and bridges are fine.  Besides which, most are handled by state or local governments.  Go talk to your city council or county supervisors if there are too many potholes.  I don't recall seeing fixing potholes in the Constitution anywhere.

National Debt has grown, but is no bigger as a percentage of GDP (a very common measure) then it was in 1996.  It's grown, but our economy and tax revenues have grown likewise as well, to the point that servicing the debt takes less percent of the federal budget then it did in 1996.

You can't be arrested and flown off to Egypt.  At least not without full due process.  Of course I'm assuming you are an American citizen or legal resident of this country.  Can some roadside bomber picked up in Afghanistan?  Yes.  Why on God's green earth do you want to give foreign terrorists and enemy combatants full US Constitutional rights???  Please show me where in the US Constitution they should be given such.

Stop throwing your little temper tantrums and exagerating beyond all reason.

Answer 8

1. Children aren't denied health care. The bill that the President vetoed would have extended that free medical care to the children of parents who earned up to $83,000 a year. Hardly the working poor.

2. Habeus Corpus hasn't been suspended. Those held at Guantanamo were illegal combatants as defined in the Laws of Land Warfare (Geneva Conventions) and, in previous wars, would have been summarily executed after capture.

3. I don't know about your jurisdiction. In Nevada 91% of tax revenues which go to public education go to the payment of salaries and benefits. Any other business with that high a percentage of salary expense would be out of business.

4. The military operations in Iraq were authorized in Public Law # 107-243 by the Congress. Well within their constitutional authority contained in Article One of the Constitution. So, I dispute your contention that it is unconstitutional.

5. Nearly a trillion dollars has been allocated for the upkeep and maintenance of roads and bridges, including revenues derived from the Highway Trust Fund. The trouble lies with the "ear marking" of those funds by members of the Congress to bring a little pork back to their districts. That's not the fault of this or any previous administration.

5. You need to get a new media source other than broadcast and cable TV news. They exist to draw a crowd, so they can sell stuff during the commercials.

Answer 9

I agree with Tony.

As long as most folks are eating,keeping their houses, and gas doesn't go higher than $8 per gallon, nobody will cause any real problems.

Answer 10

'Cause it would look pretty weird and strange :)

Answer 11

Because somehow we  have adopted a form of political correctness that says you cannot criticize your government without being branded a traitor or an extremist.

I'll give you an example.  Its fairly obvious to anyone who has studied the reports including the 9-11 commission report and studied how that commission was formed and under what rules it operated, that we were lied to in regards to 9-11.  Its probable based on the lies you can discover and the effects of the attack (primarily who profited) that 9-11 was an inside job.  It was either perpetrated by our government or by interest allied with our government and with the cooperation of our government.

Now watch the response of my post and see if their isn't a negative reaction.  

case in point.

Answer 12

Because Americans are complacent and lazy.  No one cares about health insurance for children, until their kids don't have it.  No one cares about the war in Iraq, until their 18 year old child goes off to war with only 8 weeks of training.  Americans have this illusion floating around in their heads that, "no matter what, my country is the greatest".  They never go anywhere, never see anything, never participate.

I'm not a Repub, or a Dem, but anyone who wants to see change in 2008 should vote for Ron Paul.  Search for him on youtube if you don't know about him yet.  He is the only candidate that is running currently that actually has a plan, and I am certain will stick to it.  He is consistent, is a DR. so he actually has smarts, unlike some.... He will reform social security, I am only 26, but I already worry that I will never be able to retire.  He wants to do away with the IRS even, has anyone ever wondered WHY we get taxed, BECAUSE we work??

Answer 13

You are in COMA Sons of Guantanamo

Answer 14

I AGREE.  I am so fed up with the nonsense that I am asking God to be Jesus Christ.  I even changed my name.

What you see now has existed in one form or another since humans began our journey on this planet.  Despite Christ's efforts, we have yet to catch the hint.  I figure if I do what Jesus did over several lifetimes, then maybe we'll get the message:  there is no separation between us and God.

Take the very bold step to help me fix the world by asking Jesus Christ to enter my body and guide it, he will know who you are talking about.  I don't think that there is another person in the world with the name and intention of Starte Christ.

Ask God for guidance if you think that my intent is malevolent.  Look for the answer to be anywhere.

Answer 15

it aint just in US, Canada has lost its way, the UK also, the "West" is morally bancrupt being run corpofascists, the ruling elite is the problem, they have to be turned out, run out, kicked out.  North America is on a slippery slope, and at the bottom is a pile of s h i t, and our kids are being sold out by us their parents because we aint doing a thing about it.

Answer 16

Because the police will shoot to kill

Answer 17

Some of us are.  We are working for RON PAUL.

By the way, Congress cannot "authorize" a war.  They can DECLARE it.  When they had the chance to declare war, none of them did.

The Constitution does not give Congress the authority to delegate its authority to the Executive branch.  

The Constitution also gives Congress the power to coin money and regulate the value there of, and it also says that no state shall use anything but gold and silver for a legal tender.  Congress did not have the authority to create the Federal Reserve in 1913 to print debt notes to be used as legal tender.  READ THE CONSTITUTION.

Answer 18

Ignorance is bliss

Answer 19

Do you think that becuase you write there is no disputing and the word fact it makes it true?

The war in Iraq is not illegal. Iraq violated 12 UN resolutions as well as the cease fire agreement they signed with us at the end of the 1st Gulf war. Congress voted and approved the war as per the constitution, Thus it is legal.

Habeas corpus has been done away with? how did you come up with that? Are you talking about Gitmo? Those are not American Citizens so they are not under the US Constitution.

Remember It starts off "We the People of the United States" Then It goes on to say  "establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity" Notice it says To Ourselves and Our, As in We the people, not everyone everywhere.

the people in gitmo are not afforded the Geneva Convention as they did not fight under a state's military not did they wear an uniform. They are enemy combatants and terrorist.

Did you know there was billions of dollars available to inspect and repair bridges when the bridge fell and killied all of those people. but the person in charge of scheduling those inspections just didnt do it?

Did you know that out of the 9 million children reported without healthcare 6 million of those qualify for the current aid plan to give them healthcare, but their parents are either to lazy or uniformed to apply for it. So that is 6 million children who were denied healthcare by their parents not thier goverment.

You say teachers have to bring supplies to school, I am assuming you are trying to point out a lack off funding. Yet somehow with so little funding these schools find the money to fund programs where birth control pills are handed out to student all of the way down to 11 years old.

as for the roads falling apart I spent most of the summer and part of the fall sitting in bumper to bumper traffic waiting though delays from lanes being closed from all of the road repairs they were doing.

My though is you need to stop renting the micheal moore movies and actually put the effort in to look things up from factual reports, from reliable sources. If you did this you would know the was was legal and justified even if you dont agree with it, that is different that it being illegal. you would know many children go without healthcare becuase the parents fail to file. You would understand the geneva convention only applies to actual military personel and non combatants. I could go on but I think you will continue to be spoon feed your information from sources without checking them

RACHEL T. try posting facts if you are going to be so judgemental of others please.

No one goes off to war with 8 weeks of training. Bootcamp is 8 weeks long in some branches 13 weeks in the Marine Corps, Then each person goes to their MOS training (school that teaches them their actual job in the military) Like infantry school, communication school and so on. Many of these last 2 months to a year. Then they are sent to their units and they only deploy when that unit deploys. It might be right away or it could be another year.  So contrary to what you say no one goes to war after 8 weeks of training.

Second you said "Americans have this illusion floating around in their heads that, "no matter what, my country is the greatest". They never go anywhere, never see anything, never participate."

Sorry to burst your bubble, but my opinion is formed after being in over 40 other countries and living in 7 different countries ( I currently live both in the US & the UK) and fighting in two wars. So I think I qualify to have an informed opinion.

By the way you didnt list how you came to conclusion! What are your experinces that make you qualified to weigh in. I only ask becuase you expect others to qualify their opinion.

I have been to everything from developed countries to 3rd world countries, UK, Russia, Iraq, Kazakhstan , USVI, BVI, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Japan, S. Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Haiti, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Latvia, Netherlands, Okinowa, Mexico, Canada, Bahrian, Bulgaria, Geece, Finland, Dominican Republic , France, Guam, Ireland, Italy, Jamacia, Jordan, Kuwait, Philippines,  Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Tunisia, Wake Island, Turkey, Egypt

With having visited all of these places and having lived in many of them, I do find America the greatest nation in the world.

By the way Rachel, have you ever wondered why when a house catches fire, the fire department shows up and puts it out ever wondered why when a crime is commited the police are there to take care of it, Ever wonder why you put your garbage in cans behind your house and one day a week it magically is gone? ever wonder why when you get in your car and drive there are stop signs, stop lights, and pavement?

The answer is becuase we pay taxes.

BEED: you should consider your list again.

4.That thousands would be held with out a trial or due process of law, they would have called you nuts.

Did you forget what we did to the Japanese Americans during WW2? that has already happened just before the time you were stating people would think it was nuts.

By the way did you and your friends also think "if someone told me some group of people would hijack planes and fly them into heavily populated buildings what would you have said'? I think the answer would have been "that is nuts"

Answer 20

This question was posted an hour ago, and has elicited more than 20 responses.  Some responses are quite lengthy and passionate.  But no one has found the question "interesting" enough to check that box..

I think this manifests a general public apathy.

Actions speak louder than words.  People are more interested in giving their opinions, than doing anything about it.

Answer 21

Screaming in the streets?? Well if you mean that literally than no thats a horrible idea!!! What will that do besides making a complete incredible idiot out of yourself. Protest are honestly wastes of time because all does is get you thrown in jail

Answer 22

My grandfather used to say that you can do almost anything to Americans as long as you don't hurt them in the wallet.  Money seems to be the most important thing to Americans and as long as we aren't in a full-flown economic recession, then we seem to be able to tolerate anything.  Sad, isn't it?

Answer 23

fear

Answer 24

Everyone keeps denying weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.  Well, what the h**l do you think Sadaam Hussein used on his OWN people?  Thousands died!  Do you think they just stopped making them?  And, do you think they would hesitate using them on Americans?  Our freedom has NEVER came free.  We need to fight wars to win them.  Not p***y foot around and be "politically correct"  THAT is why the war is STILL going on!  We cannot convert everyone to Democracy!  That is like converting everyone to ONE religion!  We need to keep OUR country safe.  All these people that are crying about gun control, and the war?  What will you do if this terrorism, and suicide bombers, militias etc come to your town?  Go ahead and try to TALK yourself out of getting killed.  Don't choose that moment in time to seek protection from someone with a gun who has demanded their second ammendment while you cried in the streets about  gun control, and humanitarian rights.  These will be the same people screaming and asking why their government wasn't there to protect them.  The pure truth, is that we became too complacent, and that is why we are where we are.  We were a democracy during Hiroshima!  What has changed?   We need to start looking out for #1.  By pushing Democracy on everyone else, and through our greed, we have become a secondary nation.  All other nations play on our "political correctness"  When is all this BS going to awake the sleeping Giant that once was the US of A?

Answer 25

Rant,rant,rant.

Answer 26

Some are:

Answer 27

Because most of have healthcare, and don't want to pay for other people's healthcare.

Most of don't care about teachers buying things they need to teach because they don't work weekends, holidays, or all of summer.

Most of us aren't terrorists, don't support terrorists, and wouldn't talk to terrorists on the phone, so there's very little that chance we'll ever have our phone calls tapped, our mail read, or be thrown in jail for aiding terrorists.

Answer 28

Most American are comfortable numb believing that they are living the American dream...

Answer 29

You are amazingly ignorant, alarmingly mislead and very irritating. But feel free to scream in the streets if you like so that you will be easier to identify from the rational intelligent people around you.

Answer 30

As you mentioned, there is a lot on our plates, but the reason we don't is because there's no reason to.  Some groups demonstrate and most times it's civil.  As Americans we are a resilient people, and we will get through this together.