DANG!..and I was starting to feel a little better about things...thanks a lot, (sar).

What would one expect after 100 years of Progressive anti-progress, anti-civil anti-intellectualism.

Ayn Rand warned mankind in the 1940s. http://www.informationliberation.com/...
Not enough listened and took heed. We celebrate in 2017 over the corpse of our individual rights. You are, grotesquely and sadly, correct.

Well stated SSL! What does it really take to wake people up to the reality that is upon us?

Excellent again Robert. The stupidity and prideful ignorance of those I find sharing this brief existence with me is appalling and so disappointing. I often think that our largest individual failures lies in not recognizing the myths we were taught as children about the country we were inheriting, had no historical truth as foundations. George Washington didn't chop down the cherry tree much less admit it, Abe didn't run back miles to return a penny to the librarian, you don't find babys under cabbage leaves, bunnies don't lay colored boiled eggs, and...

We as well didn't have the freeest country on Earth taken from us in 1913. We started giving it up almost immediately before the ink was dry on the parchment. We decided someone else had already done the work and the dieing. It was just too hard to get the education to understand why they did it, much less question the integrity of those that styled themselves as abler or more knowledgeable than ourselves.

We let the essential knowledge of true freedom and its Individual costs turn into whispers from denied spaces and myths of legend.

As a seeker of truth, I do so badly want to rip your arguments to shreds. But I can't -- because they're the truth. Lost its way? I'm not sure it ever really found its way. Came close a few times but never quite got totally in the right direction. Even at that, almost getting it right was so powerful that it made us the free-est, most prosperous nation in history and remains so today. But, as the saying goes, "In the valley of the blind, the one - eyed man is king."

There 2 obvious ways to clean up this mess. 1) let's expand the state until it implodes at a very fast rate, i.e., government pays all mortgages and deposits $100,000 into everyone's account. This would be an easy sell as the moochers would believe anyone that said that the government had plenty of money. 2) Layoff 80% of government workers, eliminate all of the useless Departments of Failure and return to the gold standard.

poignant point posted to facebook...kudos to those who live free in an unfree world....

Thanks Robert. That's very good.

Your mention, early on, of challenges not met...It makes me think a lot about my existence in this society. There are times I've caused trouble for standing up for those who couldn't do it for themselves. It's happening right now. One of my managers is getting fired for not getting me to go along with something that will clearly harm people. I, and those like me, are the outcasts in America now. I'll never stop standing up for the hapless store clerk, the disabled kid, the old lady.

Since the inception the country has wandered toward the collectivist realm without hesitation. I thought there were 'trigger points' that would have awakened the populace because they were too obvious. We passed each one with only minor squabbling and no resistance. I have tried for 50 years to redirect those I know without any appreciable results. Went to watch a fireworks display because it is interesting. Those celebrating the cause of independence were all protagonists of liberty. I am alone everywhere I go. I wish I knew of a place to escape to. At my age I would sell everything I own and go and be willing to scrub toilets and fold linen to survive to be free. Impossible to awaken those who would be slaves. Liberty died with a whimper not a bang and the harvest will be bitter and without end. Sadly you are right. There is nothing to celebrate.

"can souls that have all too willingly been surrendered ever be redeemed?" I believe we can abiet by armed revolution. Unless, a reincarnated Thomas Jefferson or George Washington could rise above the petty bickering of either party to bring the country back in alignment with the ideals of it's founders. But, would the current political parties would listen or put plugs in their ears?

The evil powers that run things can't have my old dino soul. I'd have to give them that.
I won't. Not ever. They've taken enough already. To hell with them.
This evening I'm going to enjoy a Fourth of July party at my daughter's house. I'm told fireworks will be shot when it grows dark.
Fireworks sheds light. Hmm . . . so do old-fashioned patriots who pop off a lot.
Where there is life, there is hope. (Ancient saying).