I think Orlov makes a very good initial point: the USSR collapsed because the people didn’t buy into their system and weren’t willing to keep it going. It made no difference to them since they knew that there was no way keeping “the system” was going to better their lives. The problem with the USSR was that nobody ever really bought into “the system” to begin with. Under Lenin and Stalin, the “consent of the governed” was given under duress. Under Khruschev, the fear began to fade, and under Brezhnev, when people stopped being scared they realized they just didn’t give a damn.
Americans have a different history. We always cared. The issue is whether or not we still do. I am no longer willing to make any voluntary sacrifice to a federal government that only lies to me, steals from me, and to the extent it ever notices me, wants to make me subservient to and dependent upon it. I, who once considered myself a great patriot, find myself more and more aligned with my former Soviet counterparts.
And that’s a bad thing.
American’s still care very much. We just only make up 50% of the population of our forner nation. Ooops, Sorry now it’s 49%. Tick Tock.
” I, who once considered myself a great patriot, find myself more and more aligned with my former Soviet counterparts.
And that’s a bad thing.”
Indeed it is Henkster. I’ve been there and am doing more or less what you are.
In my patriotic days I thought the government was made up of a group of patriotic guys who put the country first.
Then, with Bill Clinton selling vital military, industrial, and trade secrets to the Chinese I woke up with a thud.
It’s disillusioning to discover your leadership is as crooked as the Soviets and Chinese.
I still support the troops and include them in my prayers. However, the politically corrected, establishment groomed perfumed princes tend to bring my last meal up to the barf level.
Now my belief is that since the government itself is so corrupt as to not care for its infrastructure—meaning us, the doers and producers, then I’m not interested in the government as it now stands.
The nation is important to me, and I will support it to my last breath.
But the country is my neighborhood, small town, county, and state. The further these people are from my neighborhood the less inclined I am to support. And, outside of the few 10th Amendment activists in our state of Washington’s legislature inspires absolutely no respect or loyalty.
George Washington was right: Don’t become entangled in foreign wars and conflicts.
Thomas Jefferson was right: Congress, and not some foreign banks should control our currency.
The study of American history is reviving. When we get more parellel with the Founders the more patriotic we shall all be.
We have a long way to go. And Orlov is right, no matter who has the stones to publish his work.
Write on, Dmitry.