Defend your rights! Sign up for GOA Legislative Alerts and alert yourself to what the politicians want to do to your 2nd Amendment freedoms!
Quite possibly the best organization around for defense of your 2nd Amendment liberties, this site has a listing of your Senators and Congressman dating back to the Clinton Administration, and includes individual votes from every representative on many if not all gun-related votes within this span of time!
>>1 As if being the best friend of boomsticks is the most important parameter. Still, this is the kind of site I want, but with more than just a meagre "Lawgivers or GTFO"-focus. Make no mistake, I'm pro-gun, but I think it is really lame that some freedom-loving people accept anti-gay, anti-feminist and/or anti-choice candidates just because they want their guns safe.
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Anonymous2006-07-07 9:42
>>4
Feminists are female equivalent of chauvinists and there's good reasons to hate them. I'm pro-choice, gay and pro-gun, but I'm not pro-feminist and certainly wouldn't vote feminist ever.
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Anonymous2006-07-07 13:54
>>1
I came to the conclusion long ago that there are no anti-gun nuts here at 4chan, you need to go somewhere else to recruit as you are pretty much preaching to the choir
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Anonymous2006-07-07 15:09
America -> high crime-rate.
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Anonymous2006-07-07 15:54
>>4
You don't understand I guess. In the United States, the libertarians will never win an election. You can vote for them, but they'll never win. If you are pro-gun, and serious about it, you have no choice but to accept the "package deal" known as the Republican party, unfortunately.
Course, you can vote libertarian if you want... (I do) but don't whine when the dems win and pass all kinds of bullshit gun ban laws, and have America bend over and get ass raped by the U.N.
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Anonymous2006-07-07 16:05
>>4
It is the most important aspect. Self-defense and gun rights are non-negotiable issues. They are natural rights all humans are born with. A government that violates these rights is intolerable.
Anyhow, if we send a message to the rest of America (including the dems) that we don't want any more of this bullshit gun control, and that we just won't vote for anti-gun candidates anymore, the dems will likely change their party to be pro-gun. They do want to get elected, after all.
Take notice of the fact that the democrats have tried to change their image to be more pro-gun recently, such as John Kerry with his hunting episode to try to keep pro-gun people from voting against him in 2004.
People are starting to realize America is a pro-gun nation, and they are starting to conform to the publics' wishes on this issue. If we keep up the pressure on this issue, I predict a major shift within the Democratic party.
While the libertarians are certainly a minority party right now in the United States, I don't think they will simply never win. All we need to do is reaffirm a Bill of Rights, individualist, and self-reliant culture in the United States, and the libertarians will gain popularity.
>>8
The reason you will never win an election is because there aren't enough libertarian voters. People who would normally vote libertarian will vote republican as you say because they know their vote goes to waste if they vote libertarian. It would be possible to have a shift in power towards libertarian but while its happening the Dems would snatch up the election and pass sweeping bans on everything from guns to artificial sweeteners.
>>18 Those stats are a bit misleading, look at the list of comments below.
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Anonymous2006-07-11 4:42
No gun control, period. I don't give a fuck what the crime rate is.
If people didn't have guns, they'd just use something else anyways.
The dirty little secret behind gun control is that it's completely illogical.
If someone really wants to kill someone, and they can't buy a gun, what's stopping them from just using a knife, baseball bat, hammer, pipe, or any other makeshift weapon?
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Anonymous2006-07-11 5:26
>>20
A gun is a sure killer, with any other weapon, you can just run away.
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Anonymous2006-07-11 5:27
>>20
Nothing. Reason for gun control is fear. Ultimately it's fear of people rising against goverment. Often masqueraded as public safety measury.
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Anonymous2006-07-11 5:29
>>21
Yeah right, try to run away from a car. Run away from axe man who invades your home. Besides you can run away from gun too. Average robbers gangbangers are really bad shots.
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Anonymous2006-07-11 5:36
>>21
Yeah, because you don't have any right to protect and defend your property, home, family, and land, do you? Just run away!
Ha ha ha, self defense rights? What kind of radical conservative are you? We can't have that now...
>>25
Yes, I'm sure all your homies use bows and arrows.
Another point -- Guns are made especially for killing people. Some other weapons have uses other than that... some, at least... like kitchen knives...
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Anonymous2006-07-11 10:03
>>26
Oh shit you forgot hunting. It's kinda crappy to hunt with just bows and airguns. Anyway guns themselves kill no-one. It's always people who kill people. Typical motives for murder are revenge and other disputes meaning that they're easily prevented by not being an asshole. Amount of murders that could happen to anyone is very little and about 95% of them can be prevented by having common sense ie. going to slums is stupid idea.
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Anonymous2006-07-11 14:45
I think we should invest more in defenses, walls, road blocks, infra red sensors, chemical sensors in water supply, metal detectors, camouflaged machine gun nests, motion sensing claymores, rooftop snipers with infra red cameras.
That way people can have guns and if they feel scared they can go somewhere safe.
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Anonymous2006-07-11 23:56
>>25
Yes.. and guns have uses other than murdering people as well. Such as protecting yourself, keeping the government out of your face, or just shooting stuff up in the backyard.
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Anonymous2006-07-12 0:30
>>25
Not exactly. Assault weapons are made especially for killing people, most other guns are just made as shiny metal penis substitutes.
You see 4channers all over the place talking about how much they know about guns (even though most of them get all their "live-fire experience" from Counter-Strike or similar games). Being vehemently pro-gun without a justifiable reason that has any salience to their own life just makes them feel tough, probably compensating for a lack of athletic ability or something. You have to train/study/work in most cases to gain any kind of physical prowess or power amongst most of society. With a gun, you just have to go to Big 5 and buy one along with a box of ammunition, then wait for a week.
Most of these pro-gun types on this board probably live in neighborhoods where gun crime isn't even a problem. They just see Jack Bauer carrying one and think it makes them tough to be in support of owning one, despite the fact that most of them will never need one, much less own one, and if so, ever learn to actually use one correctly (assuming that they have enough money for one at all, even after saving up their allowance).
>>26
With a gun, you're much more likely to kill someone or wound them on an impulse, in a heat of passion.
How is hunting a sport when you use a gun? No animal can run faster than a bullet. It's a joke. Even Ted Nugent uses a bow and arrow for sport hunting, and look at how many guns he has. Now if killing an animal means whether or not you eat that day, then by all means, use one. In that case, consider the gun to be another example, albeit a skewed example, of humans' development of tools to facilitate the gathering of food.
Gun ownership isn't going to go away anytime soon. Why are people so afraid that this right is being threatened? Crying over some stupid law about penis substitutes, how tough does that make you?
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Anonymous2006-07-12 1:55
>>29
I'm pro-gun, because I don't enjoy trading freedoms for security. We have already done enough that shit. Oh and I do live in area where rural gun-crime is no problem that's benefit of free society. You can choose where to live provided you got money or acquire the property by some other means such as I did through inheritance. I happen to also own several pistols and rifles which I regularly shoot. Been shooting targets, since I was child. I like guns, cause I find them mechanically interesting and fun to shoot. You can never be too prepared to defend yourself either. Oh and Counter-Strike sucks.
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Anonymous2006-07-12 1:56
>>30
Scary typo, lol@"rural gun crime", well you figure out what I really meant. Shouldn't be hard.
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Anonymous2006-07-12 3:03
All I have to say is this: (haven't read the thread lol)
Liberals weaken the 2nd amendment.
Conservatives weaken the 1st, 4th, 8th, 9th, 14th, and 15th.
I'll take the first option.
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Xel2006-07-12 3:06
>>32 You don't have to mention that ou haven't read the thread. Now all the conservatives and faux-libertarians are going to bite into that and not let go. But I'm with you.
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Anonymous2006-07-12 3:48
>>32
Why choose from lesser evil and greater evil? Why not choose libertarian? If you think your vote is lost, remember that so think thousands of people. If all of those who support libertarian agendas voted for libertarians democraps and republicants would be in bad trouble.
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Anonymous2006-07-12 9:16
>>32
Why vote for someone who weakens any amendment? What are you? A pussy?
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Anonymous2006-07-12 20:43
I vote for people, not political affiliation.
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Anonymous2006-07-12 21:44
>>36
So why vote for someone who weakens an amendment? Don't you like the 2nd amendment?
I can see where you are going, it's just that I don't think it's realisitic to say that liberals as a whole weaken the 2nd ammendment. The governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer, is considered a strong supporter of the individual's right to own firearms. Russ Feingold is a bit more mild, but he does believe that the right is an individual right as opposed to a collective right (as many supporters of gun control say). Even Howard Dean is actually not a big fan of gun control - Vermont actually has the most lenient conceiled(sic) carry laws.
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Anonymous2006-07-12 23:13
>>32
Thing is, the second amendment is more important than all the others.
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Anonymous2006-07-12 23:32
>>39
Not really. First is most important, but without second you can't protect your rights for first one. Combination of first and second amendment is inarguable required basis for truly free society. Too bad neither democrats nor republicans truly care for them. Libertarians do, but people lack balls to vote third party.
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Anonymous2006-07-12 23:36
>>40
Mostly true. However, the right to self-defense is natural, and inalienable. To restrict firearms is to restrict that right. I vote 3rd party, but common, the Republicans are better than the Democrats.
The democrats will just sell this country out to the U.N. if they get elected. Imagine what might have happened if the democrats had won the last two elections, and we didn't have John Bolton to tell the U.N. to fuck off for us?
Very possibly global gun control.
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Anonymous2006-07-13 0:08
>>32
But the Republicans not only support the 2nd Amendment, they are capitalist and support capitalism.
I'd take the Republicans over the Socialist dems anyday.
ALTHOUGH, if a democrat came forward who supported ALL personal freedoms, including, and most importantly, the right to bear arms, I'd give him my vote.
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Anonymous2006-07-13 0:12
>>40
tHE WHOLE CONSTITUTION IS ABOUT PREVENTING tyranny (caps..), so how can tyranny be prevented if it is physically impossible? With today's technology more than ever it is much easier for tyranny to thrive, you need huge industrial complexes and resources to create a military even as simple as north Korea's or some gunmen in Somalia. With gun control the civilian population can be neuterred making it impossible for the tyrant in charge to ever be overthrown, let alone for whoever overthrows the tyrant not to be a tyrant himself.
I knew all the internet libertarians were going to go after me when I made that post. I don't care, because libertarians are silly silly people.
(in before more complaining by libertarians and silly fantasies that 3rd parties will make a difference)
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Anonymous2006-07-13 1:39
Also, I shall say this: The 2nd amendment was written in a time when the armed forces of the United States was composed entirely of local militias. The militia is a thing of the past; the 2nd amendment is obsolete.
>>44
I'd take a libertarian over a liberal anyday.
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Anonymous2006-07-13 2:34
Heroine, cocaine, marijuana, and many other drugs are illegal in the US. The US government is involved in a "drug war" to end the drug trade. And yet, in a 5 minute walk, I could buy a huge amount of drugs. Gun control laws in the US will be as effective as the drug war. If we outlaw guns, only outlaws will own guns. Drugs and guns are an unfortunate part of our culture, but laws won't change that.
Yes, because we live in Nazi Germany where the government is going to come and arrest us all for things we didn't do, and we need assault rifles and RPGs to fight back.
Jesus Christ. I never thought I'd be saying that. George Bush and the Republicans are the worst thing to happen to our nation- actually, scratch that, the people who vote for them are. But my point is, I am fully aware that the Bushites are ruinign America. They're turning it into a theocracy, putting religion above reason, silencing anyone who dissents, using mob tactics in politics, doing everything despicable to get more power and more money, but you are even crazier. Apparently, in your world, we're in a constant battle with DUH GOBERMENT and their going to TAKE ALL OUR RIGHTS AND THROW US ALL IN CAMPS and if, GOD FORBID, we have background checks for buying firearms, then we're all FUCKING DOOMED.
You gun nuts are the craziest of the lot. Even crazier than libertartians.
"Yes, because we live in Nazi Germany where the government is going to come and arrest us all for things we didn't do, and we need assault rifles and RPGs to fight back."
When it comes to gun control you think everything is ok and tyranny will never happen so there is no need for the general public to own guns.
"Jesus Christ. I never thought I'd be saying that. George Bush and the Republicans are the worst thing to happen to our nation- actually, scratch that, the people who vote for them are. But my point is, I am fully aware that the Bushites are ruinign America. They're turning it into a theocracy, putting religion above reason, silencing anyone who dissents, using mob tactics in politics, doing everything despicable to get more power and more money, but you are even crazier."
But when it comes to Republicans, the absolute worst thing is happenning and america is hurtling towards tyranny.
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Anonymous2006-07-13 14:46
I'll defend the 2nd amandment if they bring back the old boards
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Anonymous2006-07-13 16:59
>>48
Why you trust goverment so much and more importantly why you're against 2nd amendment? You'd feel right home at UK or maybe even that wouldn't be enough for you and China would be better... I hope you're some crooked politician or NSA agent, because I don't want to even think people like you exist in America.
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Anonymous2006-07-13 19:57
>>51
Hope alone does not change the world around you.
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Anonymous2006-07-13 20:29
>>48
You seem to forget the Japanese concentration camps made in the good ol' USA during WW2.
If I was a Jap about to be thrown in one of those, you bet I would want a good old AK-47 (full auto of course) to fight back.
You fucking liberals need a history lesson before you shoot your mouth off.
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Anonymous2006-07-14 1:03
>>48
No they aren't. Clinton and the Clintonians were.
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Anonymous2006-07-14 1:29
>>54
What you need to realise that it's not Republican nor Democrat thing. Both parties have police state dreams which in concept are totally similar. If you want freedom don't vote either party.
You didn't catch my point: America is going downhill, yes, and pretty fucking fast, but it won't get to the point where we actually need to fight off the military or other government agencies to keep our liberty. That would be a justifiable reason to hoard guns and such, but the argument that we need assault rifles to fend off common street thugs is ludicrous.
In case you didn't realize it, since you missed my last point: I'm not against gun ownership, I'm just against the kind of insane lack of regulation the NRA wants. If you want to buy a firearm, you better damn well have a clean background check, you better sit through a waiting period, and so on. And you sure as hell aren't getting assault rifles. If you think you need a handgun to protect your home from burglars, then by all means, purchase one, after you have passed several checkpoints.
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Anonymous2006-07-14 4:12
>>56
I see, but could you tell us why do you fear tools? Was some of yours friends killed with gun or are you just crazed paranoid who wants goverment security?
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Anonymous2006-07-14 5:05
>>56
Thank god the republicans won in a landslide.
Guess what? The assault weapons ban expired, and crime went down, LOL!
Stupid liberals said there'd be blood in the streets.
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Anonymous2006-07-14 5:34
>>56
"And you sure as hell aren't getting assault rifles."
Actually, you can. I'm happy too, I think I'll get one.
Why should you not be allowed to have an assault rifle?
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Anonymous2006-07-14 6:08
>>59
There's no reason that you shouldn't be allowed to own an assault rifle, or a machine gun, for that matter.
If you are worried about getting shot, just get a concealed carry permit so you aren't defenseless.
In Israel, a while back, a gunman pulled out a machine gun in a crowded area, and started to open fire. He managed to hit only one person before another from the crowd pulled out a pistol and shot him dead on the spot.
Gun proliferation is the answer to shootings. Disarming people just leaves them defenseless to criminals and terrorists alike.
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Anonymous2006-07-14 6:18
>>60
True, but remember that you can go too far with gun proliferation. IE. background checks are nice thing, but gun registry is useless bureaucracy and can be dangerous(like any goverment operated registry). Current US system is fine except NFA should be returned to it's original state.
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Anonymous2006-07-14 6:18
>>56
Exactly, it won't get to that point because there are 200 million guns in circulation and no politican wants to risk his cranial-ocular cavity trying to start a coupe.
I agree that there should be some degree of gun control just like there is control over the chemicals needed to produce explosives, biologically hazardous microbes etc etc.. but most of the ideas for gun control presented are absolutely absurd and I disagree with practically all of them.
Case in point...
The idea for gun free zones to me at first seems like a good idea, however the politican's idea is to have a metal detector at a door.. That's it. If someone wants to use his gun maliciously how in fuck is that going to stop him? I think maybe the term gun-free zone is a little ambiguous. I prefer the term gun-resistant zone. If you want a zone truly free from gun-crime you do what the army has figured out. Erect 2 layers of concrete walls seperated by 10 metres, each topped with barbed wire and an armed guard at a single entrance and 3 or 4 concrete observation towers, the whole complex surrounded by 100 metres of featureless ground. Unless one of the guards goes psycho you should be fine.
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Anonymous2006-07-14 6:33
>>61
What you are saying sounds pretty good, up until this:
"Current US system is fine except NFA should be returned to it's original state."
What do you mean by the NFA should be returned to it's original state?
I'm not disagreeing with you, I'd just like to know what you mean.
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Anonymous2006-07-14 6:56
>>63
Well, no machine gun ban and end of import bans etc. Lots of stuff they have changed, since 1934.
I think automatic rifles (like the auto version of the AK-103 for example) should be entirely legal.
We should get rid of all these dumb bans. The 1934 ban was put in place largely because of the escalation of crime due to prohibition. It's silly to still have it now, as prohibition has ended, and the crime rate has returned to a reasonable level.
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Anonymous2006-07-14 7:48
>>65
True. We already have background checks on federal level. Only non-convicted law-abiding citizens can buy gun legally.
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Xel2006-07-14 9:06
>>66 No self-defense for you, marijuana-smoker. Thanks to them goodoldboys on the hill you have less rights than rapists and manslaughters when we're done with you.
...
Then again, the left operates on a completely unacceptable level from a philosophical standpoint. I guess one can limit ones vote towards candidates on a federal level, instead of going for probabilities. Scrutiny and discussion with your governors and mayors, demanding sound policy.
But when it comes to presidential elections and who has senatorial/congressional majority, you're boned either way, one can just hope that the package of malaise and partisan stupidity one has iinflicted on the nation does as little damage as possible. Elect Bush, your children get mercury death. Elect Kerry, guns get attacked and crime goes up.
Libertarian ideas about the free market seem naïve and cowboyish, but considering how badly American zeitgeist is going, a fresh start would be useful. Maybe mercantile ideas do cause a healing process that liberate people, and maybe they will make sure that the companies they hire for infrastructure do their business wholefully. We need more candidates like Perot, and less partisanship regarding issues like gay marriage, Gaza and abortion. failing that, I hope America falls to its doom via some cataclysm, because you can't go on like this. Clinton and Bush have been the worst presidents ever together with Nixon, Hoover and Carter. WTF?
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Anonymous2006-07-14 10:41
>>67
The problem is there is no alternative to vote for who has a shot at victory.
It has been said to death, no matter who gets elected, freedom will suffer.
I am just going to vote libertarian anyways, and support IRV if it ever makes it to the ballot.
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Xel2006-07-14 14:58
>>68 Isn't there some New York fellow who appears at least *a little* acceptable? Then again, he may not run for office...
Can you give me any sane reason to have an assault rifle? Now, compare that to the danger that an assault rifle presents. Simply keeping an assault rifle presents a danger to people. Assault rifles are dangerous, and without a compelling reason for civilians to own them, they should not be allowed to be sold to civillians.
>>Gun proliferation is the answer to shootings.
That's like saying knife proliferation is the answer to knifings. Nuke proliferation is the answer to nuclear war. Jesus Christ, are you really that stupid?
>>Exactly, it won't get to that point because there are 200 million guns in circulation and no politican wants to risk his cranial-ocular cavity trying to start a coupe.
It won't get to that point because the Religious Right has figured out that it's so much easier to create tyranny by subtle means. Spread talking points throughout the media, use debate tactics that bring everything down to emotional catch-phrases, use phrases like "Support the troops" and "Why do you hate America?" to silence any dissent, etc. My point is that guns are useless against the tactics they are using to create tyranny. And if you want to use guns to fight back, then the police and the army are ready and willing to stop you. Weapons are obsolete as the method of protecting liberty, so I see no compelling reason for minimal gun control.
>>I agree that there should be some degree of gun control just like there is control over the chemicals needed to produce explosives, biologically hazardous microbes etc etc..
That's exactly the way I see the issue of gun control. Guns are extremely dangerous tools, like chemicals that can be used to make explosives. But guns do have legitimate purposes. Obviously the police and armed forces need them, and I'm not against hunting. But because these tools are so dangerous, they must be controlled.
>>70
What's sane reason for you? I can think numerous reasons to own assault rifle. Can be training if you're military or militia type guy, collecting or just plinking & target practice. IMO all those are sane reasons. Besides assault rifle isn't more dangerous than your average semi-auto rifle. Infact in the hands of madman full auto fire might be disadvantage as you're not likely to hit anything if you just spray and pray. I can see your point and understand you. You want security. We want freedom. People are different.
You may not have intended do, but you actually went a long way in convincing me with your remark about security and freedom. I've always, always said that freedom trumps security. Perhaps I am applying a double standard. I'll have to think about it.
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Anonymous2006-07-15 2:47
It is really fun to spray someone's ass with rock salt. Buckshot is good too!
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Anonymous2006-07-15 3:14
>>75
All meaningful laws boil down into freedom and security in the end. Some laws maybe safeguard to freedom, but typically laws are safeguard of security and they infringe on freedom. Not just on gun rights.
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Anonymous2006-07-15 9:11
>>77
I agree. All the more reason to support the libertarians, or for that matter, parties willing and wanting to downsize the government.
Yeah, because being ruled by corporations is so much better than the government.
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Xel2006-07-15 13:33
>>79 Stop shouting Orwell the minute that comes up. The problem today is that the capitalist circle are forming some kind of suspended elite, but that isn't possible in a free economy. Plus, new enterprises that are closely linked to their consumer block can't get up to dumb shit, because then there would always be a more honest company for consumers to go to. Plus, if states get more control over respective laws and regulations, states like California, Florida and others will thrive and Texas, Utah and the others will turn into mercury-infested shitholes with poor education and infrastructure. Everyone will get their dues, crime will go down and people like Halliburton will no longer be able to overthrow and extort other countries with the US military. This is, of course, the best possible scenario. But hey, you'll get yourself a tax break.
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Anonymous2006-07-15 14:09
>>79
Wrong, keeping coorporations seperate from the government is better than being ruled by coorporations who pay off the government or being ruled by a political party which also controls the economy.
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Xel2006-07-15 14:53
>>81 Exactly. We might as well leave most of the jurisdiction to the consumers, considering you have shit in your meat and mercury everywhere anyway. If the free economy leads to you being incapable of defending your interests from the corporations, then at least you get what you deserve.
BWAHAHAHAHAHA. And exactly how would a free economy prevent this from happening?
>>new enterprises that are closely linked to their consumer block can't get up to dumb shit, because then there would always be a more honest company for consumers to go to.
That is true. But that's not what we have in today's economy. Today we have the megacorporations like Sony, which produces everything from movies to gadgets to phones to video games, and Viacom. Viacom owns MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, Spike, Comedy Central, and Paramount pictures. And GE. General Electric owns NBC and Universal Studios. Disney owns Touchstone, Miramax, Pixar, ABC, and ESPN. Any company you can name is probably owned by a larger company you've never heard of.
These companies are untouchable by the general public, because there is no possible way for a large enough group of consumers to organize enough to make an impact on their profits. Meanwhile, the megacorporations have enough resources to spend in advertising and lobbying to keep things going their way.
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Xel2006-07-16 4:03
>>84 My issue is; how would a free market change that? I mean, Halliburton and the gang would no longer be able to infest the white house and take tax money (that isn't used on reconstruction, BTW), but how much would change, considering you're not going to see that many Americans suddenly trying to stake a claim or make an enterprise.
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Anonymous2006-07-16 7:22
how is regulation tantamount to denying a right?
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Anonymous2006-07-16 15:25
I've already solved this SOCIALSIM IS BET4R THAN CAPITALISM CAUSE IT STOPS PEOPLE POISNNING YOUR HAMBUGRGERS LOLZ issue on that "argument i hear ad naus from liberals" thread 4chan deleted as they are communists.
A totally 100% free economy where no one pays no tax and no one gets arrested for lying and using bad practices is stupid and no capitalists agree with it. They believe the econmomy should be taxed to fund the miulitary to prevent invasion, the police and the courts to preserve justice, just like Adam Smith said.
So we have a free economy that pays tax to preserve justice as much as any socialism would, now liberals like to say RICH PEOPLE GOING TO BRIBE TEH GOVERNMANT AND MAKE THEM TURN A BLIND EYE. Sure, this is possible, but no system of govenremnt can avoid it 100%. It's like asking everyone to never lie cheat or steal and if you think socialism can stop people from ever lying cheating or stealing please say so, so people can see how stupid and naive you are. You need to keep the economy and the government seperate to prevent corruption, not the other way around. Socialism is the equivalent of recruiting gangsters into the police. Capitalism doesn't stop the gangsters bribing the judges, but it's a hell of a lot better than the judge being a gangster himself.
So which system is better for the economy? Well we know that a market economy is more efficient than a communist economy, because people only spend their money in succesful businesses which provides an incentive for businesses to create high quality low cost products and services and to avoid any criticism from the free press and they have to do all this whilst competing with many other businesses trying to do the same thing. No institution is capable of planning such a complex changing economy.
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Anonymous2006-07-16 15:47
>>87
Ironically, rich corporations have almost total control of goverment in social democracies such as Sweden and Finland. Much worse than in America.
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Anonymous2006-07-16 17:47
omg, what newbs.
You know why the 2nd amendment exists don't you? in 1776 a gun was a source of food(hunting) and a means of self defence in the abscence of adequate law enforcement, and with a hostile environment(indians, animals, etc etc.) to boot.
If you need to hunt to subsist, go get some fucking food stamps.
If you see the right to bear arms as insurance against government oppression because we can stage a civil uprising, having effective weapons, think how ineffective a militia would be against military trained personel/equipment. How many people in our current society are trained with a rifle? You really think the presence of guns in our homes allows us to put together a militia with any hope against our own military? It worked in the past because the military was little more than men with their rifles in fancy coats. These days a militia would simply be slaughtered. You'd do better to stage a peaceful protest. Leave the guns at home.
Self defence? You mean, if a robber comes into your home? why not sell that gun and get yourself a home security system and some insurance? Give up your vigilante justice for a 5 to 10 minute response time from a police officer? Most robbers DO NOT bring a gun with them due to the huge difference in sentence for armed vs unarmed robbery.
Or are you defending yourself from premeditated murder? Expecting to anger someone enough to make them want to kill you? Why not just stop sleeping with his wife instead?
Or a total madman breaking into your house and threatening your life? come on now, what's the likelihood of that? Way more likely you're gonna forget the safety and your sons gonna blow his leg off.
Guns in family households are more likely to kill family members than they are to kill intruders, but that's beside the point.
The point is that this right to shoot people on your lawn stopped making sense ages ago with the advent of a competent law enforcement system, and the abscence of hostiles in our backyards(no more hostile indians...). Now the presence of fire arms in homes engenders violence rather than protects the inhabitants.
GTFO of the 1800s, newbs. Or do you just think it'd be fun to kill someone, should the 'opportunity' arise?
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Anonymous2006-07-16 18:15
>>89
Hoplophobic gun grabber propaganda. 2nd amendment had NOTHING to do with hunting. It was solely intended to be safeguard against tyranny and it still works. I'm not really in mood for ranting, but look up gun related topics here and you will see truth.
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Anonymous2006-07-16 21:38
>>89
There are like 25000000 quotes by figures who fought for independance and the rights of man who oppose gun control. These people were partisans who realised there would have been no chance of them winning if general american public didn't have any guns and saw how desperate tyrants and tyrant-lovers were to disarm the populous.
Perhaps the reason you have ignored this point completely is you are a tyrant lover? Or you're a troll.. Either way I'm right.
"Can you give me any sane reason to have an assault rifle? Now, compare that to the danger that an assault rifle presents. Simply keeping an assault rifle presents a danger to people. Assault rifles are dangerous, and without a compelling reason for civilians to own them, they should not be allowed to be sold to civillians."
You know, it's really obnoxious to make the argument that an average civilian should do this or do that, live this lifestyle this way, or that. Seriously, maybe someone just fucking wants one? Why you ask? Why do people think smoking is cool? Why do people like ice cream? BECAUSE THEY FUCKING DO.
Just because you can't understand someone elses' liking of something, doesn't mean the reason for them having it isn't there. Many people can't understand people's interest in things. My parents can't understand my interest in politics at all, nor can many other people. Just because YOU don't see a reason, doesn't mean there ISN'T one.
Just ownership of any gun or useable weapon presents a danger to people. This is such fucking bullshit. My ownership of a baseball bat presents a danger to people. I could smash their head in pretty easilly with it. We should make laws prohibiting holding baseball bats around people because occasionally, some guy might go nuts and decide to kill someone with it.
You know what else we should ban? Cars. Cars cause so many deaths occur every year in car accidents, we should ban them. We should then ban violence in video games, and anything even remotely unacceptable to anyone, because, remember, the government should be able to tell you how to live your life, what is acceptable, and what isn't, what you should do, and what you shouldn't.
er. did I ignore that point? you're saying that guns in the hands of the citizens allows them to rise and overthrow their government should it be taken over by a tyrant.
I said that the gulf between a militia and the military is too broad now, compared to when the 2nd amendment was written, for such an uprising to have hope of succeeding unless the military were coming apart at the due to low morale (from subjugating the people etc).
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Anonymous2006-07-16 22:48
>>94
You also made some stupid comment about guns rights existing in that time solely to provide food or some similar horse shit.
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Anonymous2006-07-16 22:54
>>70
"Elect Libertarians and get cancer because there aren't any standards as to what companies can do with their product and lie to the consumer about."
As opposed to Socialism, or a mixed-economy, in which the corporations will just bribe out the governing body and politicians whenever it serves their interest to turn a blind eye?
Face it, in a mixed economy, or any kind of bullshit socialism you democrats advocate, whenever it suits the corporations interest to bribe out the government or the FDA (food and drug administration) to change a ruling on some sketchy or uncertain product, you'll be getting cancer in the end anyway.
The big difference, is when the FDA gives a ruling on some product, people TRUST the FDA to make a valid and noteworthy ruling. So if the corporations bribe the FDA to say something to the government-trusting populace, well.. that's worse than just laissez-faire in which it would be a direct deal between the consumer and the corporation, with no sketchy under-the-table dealings going on.
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Anonymous2006-07-16 23:05
>>94
Tell that to Russians they REALLY(not won battles, but politically lost Vietnam style) lost in Afganistan and Chechens are still strong. We are having quite problem with rebels in Iraq too. Besides in case of revolution you need to take account several things. Due to chaos(hell, most of goverment maybe dead) military can't be deployed effectively and you're deploying them against their OWN people. There is high change that military will split into different factions on situation like that.
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Anonymous2006-07-16 23:11
>>97
And not only that, your own people, in your own country. The average citizen knows his hometown better than some military conscript to just got sent there to put down some rebellion.
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anti-chan2006-07-17 4:48
"I said that the gulf between a militia and the military is too broad now, compared to when the 2nd amendment was written, for such an uprising to have hope of succeeding unless the military were coming apart at the due to low morale (from subjugating the people etc)."
Your argument is like an aborted fetus, all chopped up into little pink pieces. You're completely souless. What you are basically saying is that guns should be prohibited (even pending tyranny) because we would 'probably, most likely' fail in defending ourselves from, say, a genocide that makes WACO look like "an unfortunate series of events".
That's fucking stupid. There are some of us who would fight and die for our freedom from tyranny regardless. Don't damn everyone else because you're a cowardly piece of shit.
So what the fuck do you propose? "We're all just fucked, so let's kill ourselves now?" If corporations bribe the government under a mixed economy, STOP THE CORRUPTION, not throw up your hands and cry "Mixed economy doesn't work!"
That was exactly my point; a free market wouldn't change it and would probably make it worse. Maybe we're confused and arguing the same point.
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Anonymous2006-07-18 14:52
Me being 21 years old, I actually believe I will live to see the day that the U.S. government is overthrown by the good people. I really do.
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Anonymous2006-07-18 17:35
>>101
Oh! I see now... that's a great solution. Go tell the FDA to reverse their rulings on god knows how many things the corporations of the world have influenced their decision on. Then it will all be better.
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Anonymous2006-07-18 17:46
>>101
The FDA gives off an illusory shroud of legitimacy to the stupid public (who also funds it through their taxes) and then is essentially controlled like a puppet by god knows how many companies.
The 'pro-market' alternative is not as you say "we're all just fucked, so let's kill ourselves now".
You really don't understand jack shit about the market if you think that coca-cola wouldn't get hurt for selling toxic drinks or something to people were it not for the FDA
Companies in a free market try to make their names synonymous with quality, purity, and value. This, along with an educated army of consumers is what I propose as the solution.
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Anonymous2006-07-18 21:59
>>103
You can do it, you collect evidence and take it to a police station and press charges. If someone is stealing billiosn of $s or putting toxic chemicals into food you can charge them with corruption or conspiracy to murder.
Let's say the USA becomes a much less regulated free market, and let's say that Coca-Cola, oh, puts cocaine back into their drink. (The original formula contained cocaine, if you don't know.) For a while, people just won't realize it, and due to addiction, Coca-Cola sales go up. Then, people start to realize there is something addicitve in Coca-Cola, but the general public calls it a conspiracy theory. Coke sales continue to go up. Independent labs do tests and find cocaine in the drink. Coca-Cola uses its money and power to create a massive media campaign lampooning the testers as conspiracy theorists. A huge wave of advertising is launched. Coca-Cola uses its money to assassinate the characters of the people in the lab and finance their own studies which show no cocaine in the drink.
In a free market, what is to stop this from happening?
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Anonymous2006-07-19 0:57
>>106
Some guy tells truth on interbutt and then everyone knows it.
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Anonymous2006-07-19 2:01
>>106
The effectiveness of the police. Also admit that if the people putting narcotics in drinks also have control over the police it is much more difficult to reveal the truth than in a free market with a seperate and diverse police force.
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Xel2006-07-19 3:41
>>108 Just because a police force is free (which it wouldn't be in an ideal objectivist/libertarian society - it would still be organized by the state) doesn't mean that money can't get to people.
The thing is; if a slow change of government and society would occur, then perhaps the cultural situation in America would change and people would be raised to take responsibility for the only method of control they have - consumption. If that doesn't happen then anything can.
You think Nike and the gang are going to go 1984 by infiltrating the police force and staging a coup? No, America has slowly crept towards a fascist state the previous century thanks to efforts by the right and the left. And the boiled frogs didn't complain much. Slow, incremental changes towards utter control - that wouldn't be an impossibility even in a free market, would it?
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Anonymous2006-07-19 4:43
>>109 & 106
Also, in a libertarian society, narcotics would be legal anyway.
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Anonymous2006-07-19 7:23
>>110
But lying about what you put in drinks wouldn't as it would be an abuse of justice and thus liberty and libertarians like liberty.
>>109
There will always be elements of tyranny in society relative to how vigilant and intelligent the people in it are. If 50% of the US were all vicious nazis then no democratic system in existnece would stop the US from turning into a vicious nazi tyranny. This is what the constitution is for, everyone must be a pro-constitution fanatic, pro-free speech, pro-democracy. No political group with realistic ambition in their right mind touches the constitution because no one would support them. For instance if someone says "oh white people should only get 1/3 of a vote because of their racism and oppression" even black people who lost a relative to a hate crime or whatever will not support whoever said that.
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Anonymous2006-07-19 8:53
>>111
The FDA does a hell of a lot more than make sure that companies don't lie.
And, hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the companies DO lie right now on many things, and get away with it because they can just pay off the FDA and have them put their stamp of approval on the product anyway.
I think the FDA is just misleading. It's probly horribly corrupt, spends tax money, and in the end, doesn't deliver any benefit at all, since the companies can just bribe it out and abuse it and the consumers in the end anyways.
Thus, the solution I propose, is doing away with it, and just letting consumers keep themselves informed on what they are buying.
Again, keep in mind, part of free markets is integrity, and any business that wants to last a while and maintain any level of public trust will keep this in mind.
You should read an essay Alan Greenspan wrote called "the Assault on Integrity" or something. It is pretty decent, and debunks the whole "if the fda didn't exist, businesses would poison our food and we'd all die lol!" kindof attitude.
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Anonymous2006-07-19 9:12
>>112
So what happens when 1000s of kids are born deformed? How do we get assholes into prison?
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Anonymous2006-07-19 9:23
>>113
If the company didn't lie then it's their own damn fault buying such food. If the company lied then they can sue the company.
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Xel2006-07-19 14:07
>>114 Will consumer vigilance be sufficient? Coke, McD, BK, Nike, the western world wolfs it down without pause, it has become second nature. The FDA is a parenthesis in comparison to the power of ignorance and numbed senses. Erin Brokovich was an exception that confirmed the status quo.
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Anonymous2006-07-19 22:27
>>114
Don't make me lose faith in the free market. I'm going to ask you again.
So what happens when 1000s of kids are born deformed? How do we get assholes into prison?
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Anonymous2006-07-20 16:09
>>32
How do conservatives weaken the 1st? They believe that the seperation clause should be balanced with the free-exercise clause?
No, they use the free excersize clause to beat the separation clause into submission. That way they can put Gawd and Jeezus back in the government.
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Xel2006-07-20 17:50
>>118 So true. All people who revert to the meta-physical dimension as a factor in an actual debate about the actual world should have their genitals cheese-grated, their fingertips flayed and then thrown in a pool of vinegar. Get back to RL you blessed little microbes
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Anonymous2006-07-20 23:33
>>115
It's not a question of whether or not it's 'sufficient.' You are speaking thinking that your lifestyle is right and their McD's lifestyle is wrong. I'm not taking sides on whose lifestyle is better, but to say that your lifestyle is right, and that your lifestyle should be legislated on everyone else is really no different than someone of the religious right dictating that what they have faith is true be legislated upon everyone else, whether they support it or not.
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Anonymous2006-07-20 23:47
>>116
If it can be demonstrated that a company did demonstrable physical harm to people, then that is a matter for the courts to handle.