What if?

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Has anyone besides me ever wondered how much better this already great nation would be if it were run by common folks? What do I mean by common? You know, plumbers, carpenters, farmers, teachers, welders, etc. I mean the kind of people who know what it is to struggle or even do without!

How many of our senators, congressmen/women state or federal have come from humble begginings. How many of these know what it's like to perform back breaking work all day for the subsistence of their families. I submit very, very few.

What of our President. Does Mr. Bush? Although a seemingly moral man, does he know what its like to tell young children there isn't money for what ever triffle they're currently asking for. I doubt it. Mr. Bush's 2 girls grew up the same way he did with all the comforts that financial ability can bring.

It is my belief that this wonderful nation would be even better if those making the decisions regarding the taxing of income and its ultimate expenditure were COMMON MEN. For it is difficult to care much about the little man when you are completely unable to understand his plight.

Last, do you know what freedoms are slowly but surely being taken away from you by federal legislation? You should. Make an effort to stay abreast of what your government is doing with your freedom. The US Constitution is being treated as a mere dying gasp for air instead of the living breathing document it should be. Your Bill of Rights is being compromised daily. Soon if Americans do not wake up and take a stance your freedoms will be explained to you by a One World Government. Perhaps the United Nations.

Let us instill in our children a sense of patriotism and national pride. We should be concerned with nationalism not globalism. Moreover, we as a nation and individuals should seek out the one true God and his son Jesus Christ. For it will not be until we have repented as a nation and seek him out that we will know peace.

PoePoe

-- PoePoe (rpd932@yahoo.com), February 27, 2002

Answers

teach kids to be patriotic, as the Gov takes away our rights? doesnt make sense,,

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 27, 2002.

I agree that some of these people do not understand being really poor. But many have worked there way up. Why is it that if you are finacially secure, people think that is a character flaw???? Just wondering! If you are perceived as "rich" people just don't like it, or try to take advantage of it.

As to the nationalism or globalism issue, I don't think we can stick our heads in the sand!! Maybe when a trip around the world took months/years that was possible, but today??? No way. We must be concerned/interested in all people around the world, because what happens there affects us too.

I do not feel God loves Americans more than Italians, or Iranians. I believe he looks for good in all people in any nation on this Earth. He did after all create the entire Earth, not just North America.

I am not "overly" patriotic for that reason. I do appreciate the benefits of living in this country. I greatly appreciate the sacrifice that so many men and women have made that we might have the freedoms we enjoy. I obey all laws, I pay all of my taxes on every penny we earn, I respect the land, the air, and the water, trying to minimize my impact. But I don't think that God loves us more than anyone else!

As a reference I put forward Acts 10: 34-34

"Then Peter opened his mouth and said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respector of persons: But in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." KJV

As Christians, God expects us to be loyal to him first, have a world- wide love for our brothers and sisters, and this love should be so obvious that we will be known, simply by that love we have for one another.

Just another way to look at the issue!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), February 27, 2002.


I would love to see people with more of a commom man attitude in government, most politicans are lawyers to start with; and we all know that lawyers have a lot of ground to cover before they gain our respect.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), February 27, 2002.

I've always believed that the congressional branch of government should be like the draft. You get a number, when it's called, you go to Washington for a two-year stint as representative from your district. You get paid your usual salary, live in a dorm with the others, no other perks. You might get a real moron once in awhile, then a pretty level-headed person next go-round. Could it be any worse than we have it now? Senators would do it the same way, except they represent the whole state, not the district. Men and women, voting age and up. Sure would change alot of things when John Q. Public knows he has to go back to his hometown after 2 years and face his peers

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), February 27, 2002.

Coming from a state where we do have many senetors and congress men who are farmers and the like it is pretty peaceful. However on the other hand, our Governor, former BTW champ, navy seal, has done some disastrous things. He seems to be a common as they come! He has cut $400 million in state funding for public schools, wants to do away with MA, but he thinks the state can afford to build yet another stadium. I voted for this man because we needed a governmental shakeup, this is over board.

This country was originally run by people from all walks of life. Maybe we have become too large of a country to be governed the way are now!?

Susan

-- Susan In Minnesota (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), February 27, 2002.



Stan that's just it! The fact that our government is taking away our freedoms is exactly why we need to teach our children to be patriotic. I don't mean american patriots as much as I mean freedom patriots. George Washington and the like did not wake up one day and decide to rebel for no good reason. The colonists were being repressed and taxed without representation by England. Do you feel like you are being adequately represented in Washington?

Melissa, I think you misunderstand me. I do not ascert Americans as the chosen people or favored my by Almighty God. For I know my bible well enough to clearly see his chosen people are the Jews as Jesus himself is a Jew. Further the bible does teach tolerance to this extent, "Love the sinner hate the sin". Additionally, there are several other versus from the word of God (old and new testament) which clearly indicate that God wanted the Israelites to be nationalists not globalists. WE ARE TO BE IN THE WORLD NOT OF IT. On this point I agree with you. We must be interested in what is going on in the world and to the best of my recollections have been i.e. WWI, WWII, Korea, VietNam, Kuwait and any number of other black- ops or police actions where our service men and women shed blood to keep communism or facism in check.

My point is this there are very few on capital hill who come from humble begginings and even fewer who know Jesus Christ as their personal saviour.

PoePoe

-- PoePoe (rpd932@yahoo.com), February 27, 2002.


PoePoe, I think we are just like those frogs you have heard about which get stewed to death. The ones where the frogs are placed in cool water, then the temperature is brought up slowly, so the frogs are unaware of what is really happening until it is to late.

If we really wanted to see how far we have come, just reflect on the changes that have happened in the last 25 - 30 years alone. I'm only 39, so childhood memories can be a little flawed, but when I think of what we, the people, have become so used to and don't complain about . . . it is beyond comprehension.

-- j.r. guerra in s. tx. (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), February 27, 2002.


Your last two paragraphs intrigue me. I, for one, think we've come a long way as a nation in my lifetime. Surely there are many problems still and we have many things we need to do yet, but look at what changes have been made here.

Think of the Civil Rights legislation passed in 1964 and since. Think of the Title IX Amendment to the Education Act which President Nixon signed into law in 1972. Look at the positive changes those two things and their legislative offspring have fostered in our lifetimes.

As to instilling patriotism and national pride, that's fine to a point. Also remember to teach your children to question authority. We do not want to become a nation of sheep. You can love your country while questioning it's government. Unlike what many said to Viet Nam war protesters, it's not "Love it or leave it."

As to 'nationalism,' I can't recall a time or place in recent history when that was more in evidence than Hitler's Germany in the 1930's and early 1940's, though Japan experienced a great amount of nationalism at that time, too. Is that kind of nationalism really what we want here? I think not.

As to your promouncement about what we should do regarding "the one true God and his son Jesus Christ" I can only harken back to the founding of this nation and the principles of religious freedom. If one chooses Judaism over Christianity, or Muslim over Christianity, or any of the thousands of religions other than what you believe I cannot see that as a reason for the demise of our country. Someone's "one true God" may be called 'Allah' and may have no son. Can we allow that person to be a productive member of this society and citizen of this nation? I think so.

If you feel a need to proselytize, get yourself a church and a pulpit. I see now why other forums eliminated "religious" posts. They tend to be far more divisive than anything else. This is a prime example.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), February 27, 2002.


Melissa said it well. I, for one, lost a lot of my patriotism during the reign of the Clintons. Since coming to Canada, I have also realized that holding on to American patriotism can be a really big hindrance in ministering to others. Missionaries to other countries have said the same thing. As Christians, I believe it is much more important to teach our children to be godly, Bible-obeying citizens wherever they are.

-- Cathy N. (homekeeper86@sympatico.ca), February 27, 2002.

stewed frog legs,,,, sounds good

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 27, 2002.


Poe Poe- come over to the Freedom Self Reliance forum. You belong there, hope to see you!

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 28, 2002.

Gary, my my. Without saying the words your labeling me as intolerant. Say what you mean man! Ah but it is you who shows intolerance for religious viewpoints that don't mesh with your own. Your last paragraph, proofs in the pudding brother. Disagree without being disagreeable. As for question authority. That's fine except when their only driven to do so because they need a place to focus youthful energies. (Get a job, volunteer) This ran rampant during the 60's into the 70's and talk about results. Ask anyone in law enforcement or probation today. These folks are dealing with all that questioning of authority. The questioners reproduced and voila gen-x. I'm a gen-x'er and I can tell you a good many of my peers are meandering through life with little or no morals and as for ethics well most could not give you a working definition of the word. I perceive from you writing style that your bright and probably educated so I'll leave you with this. Enlightenment for the most part comes from people willing to "Get up on a pulpit" so please continue when you get the chance.

PoePoe

-- PoePoe (rpd932@yahoo.com), February 28, 2002.


I don't think posts about religion OR politics must be divisive. I wan't really at odds with much of what you said to begin with! Sometimes I have an idea that I believe strongly in, doesn't mean I dislike people who don't go along with it, but also doesn't mean I will change my mind either. I also think this forum is a fine place to say what you believe, that was the purpose, so people could discuss issues in a logical, rational, kind way. I thought you disagreed with me quite nicely!!!!!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), February 28, 2002.

There may be few christian people on capitol hill, but I beleive that God knows what he's doing. Who do you think put every president incl. Clinton in the White House? Our nations principle were based on godliness but we have become a wicked nation (II Chron. 7:14)KJV God has taken his blessing off the US. The european market is up. Ours is down.. We've lived in the land of milk and honey and took it all for granted-as a nation. Sorry to get on my soap box here-Karen

-- Karen (abbaskid61081@yahoo.com), March 04, 2002.

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