Absolutely Awsome Post on Off Topic

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      So I'm crusin the Off Topic Forums and I find this thread. All I have to say is, this guy is right on the money. 

    And yeah, I know it's long but it is seriously worth
reading. However, I know some wont want to so please, if you don't
wanna read it don't notify us of that fact. Thanks. 

Post:

Attention: Citizens of the United States of America

Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Conservatives, Liberals... Americans. Thank you for this moment of your time.

    It is with great sadness and a lot of thought that I come to you now,
not as a member of a political party, but as one of your brothers - an
American. I have oft said that we all want what's best for our country,
at least those of us who really hold to one of the previously mentioned
beliefs or some combination thereof, but our methods of getting there
are quite different.

    Simply put, we have all misidentified our enemy. Although we often have
differing views, our goals are generally quite similiar. Close enough
that rational people can find common ground and support each other.

    Unfortunately, there are those among us and also in positions of power
within our government that feel the need to sow discord among brethren,
causing infighting and chaos while they consolidate their power and
tighten their grip on the American citizen. I won't name names, but no
matter what your belief, you've seen them. They will try to appeal to
an extreme on one side and share a few common beliefs with that side,
so as to draw that party or group closer. They do this as their
counterpart for the other party or group does the same, and before we
know it, the average person gets drawn into the argument and finds
themselves defending something that is far more extreme than they would
normally defend, merely because the other extreme put them on the
defensive.

    These people exist in the media, in our government, and in our day to
day life, though generally I find the people in day to day life are
merely a product of those in the media and in our government.

    Quite frankly, our country needs our help. Many will say it's not
possible to make a difference. I submit that if you are one of those
people, you are incorrect. It's possible to make a difference, but it
will be small. No one man is going to change this country, it will have
to be the citizens that make it change.

    Our system of government was designed for this. Our government serves
us, we are NOT slaves to it. There are certainly those that would give
up their liberty and ability to question the government, claiming that
others know better than them how to govern themselves. I submit that
there will always be followers, but this country has millions of
leaders, and it's time we lead this country out of the hole we're in by
leading in our own small ways.

    The economy of this country is burdened more each day by more debt,
more bankruptcy, more taxes, more services, more people trying to make
a quick buck... it can't continue as it is. Perhaps there is a way to
pay for everything, but not the way it is now. Our government is in one
of the worst financial situations ever, supposedly, but I would make
the claim that it is a reflection of the mentality that has taken the
citizens of this great country. We live for debt, we live to have
things now instead of saving a measly few months to buy them.

    Brothers and sisters, we can't continue like this. Would you take out
loans to pay back loans? At some point we won't be ABLE to borrow any
more money. The average credit card debt is climbing every day, and the
credit card companies pocket the interest we pay. They give back to
society by employing a hundred thousand people at a salary that grows
slower than the interest they charge. They have created a multi billion
dollar business out of collecting late fees, overlimit fees, and the
like out of people like you and me.

    I can't blame the companies. Sure, if they didn't exist, people wouldn't be in debt, but if we didn't use them, they wouldn't exist.

    This is our fault. Not one specific group, but OUR fault as citizens.
It's the fault of the people who go into debt. It's the fault of the
people who don't pay their bills on time. It's the fault of the people
that don't push for better financial education in our schools. It's the
fault of the people that set policy at the creditor companies. It's the
fault of the people that mind their own business and don't speak out
against what it's doing to us.

    Our government reflects this by not using basic financial sense. This
is further amplified by a lot of money spent to convince certain
government officials to help out the corporations when they make
mistakes.

    Our position in the world is in jeopardy. None of us think Osama Bin
Laden is innocent, and none of us with any shred of logic think Saddam
Hussein was a good guy either. That said, we are pouring massive
amounts of money into other countries and wars without being able to
balance our own budget.

    Frankly I cannot condone this. Regardless of our feelings on Iraq and
Afghanistan, budgets are simple things. If you can't keep them in the
green, you either subtract expenditure or add income until it's back in
the green.

    Our government forgot to do this.

    Our rights as citizens are in jeopardy as well. I know that many
republicans will bristle as I say this, but I hope that you can see
that I write this in the most open and honest spirit possible. I have
no desire to make anyone bristle or get defensive. Please just consider
my words before you ignore them.

    The founding fathers of our great country gave us certain rights. I
know that we all value our rights to worship as we please, speak our
mind freely, keep and bear arms, and write what we want. I deeply hope
and feel that most of us, regardless of political affiliation, would be
willing to fight and die to keep those rights, both for ourselves and
for our brothers and sisters.

    Many of us have turned a blind eye to certain laws that have been
passed in the past few years, however. I remember President Clinton
signing an executive order stating that martial law could be instituted
during a time of disaster or emergency, suspending the Constitution.
President G. W. Bush has signed into law the Patriot Act. Most folks
think it's there to fight terrorism. Regardless of President Bush'
intentions, it does trample on some of our Constitutional rights. We
can be held without a fair trial, we can be treated as a non citizen.
Our rights regarding unlawful search and seizure are abridged with this
law.

    Recently our government passed, under the guise of spending money for
our armies abroad, a bill that consolidates more power to the federal
government, taking from the state governments the right to choose what
information is collected and stored for drivers licenses.

     Not a single senator voted against it. They should be ashamed of themselves. We should also be ashamed of ourselves for voting in such spineless excuses for human beings. How dare they do such a thing? What happened to doing the right thing?

    Quite frankly I have come to the conclusion that our government has
failed at being our servant. It has not been a good steward of the
money we pay into it, and those in power continue to try and grab up
more power.

    Well, you've read all this and you probably are thinking "yeah, but there's nothing I can do..."

You're wrong. Here is what I suggest.

1. Don't fall prey to the discord that has been brought into our midst.
Don't fall into the trap of arguing with those with different beliefs.
The more we do that, the more distracted we are to the people REALLY
hurting us.

2. Speak your mind. Just don't try and incite the other group to anger. This only hurts YOU.

3. Live responsibly. Stop succumbing to the culture of debt that we've
created. Plan for your future. If you need help understanding how,
google it or ask someone that knows.

4. VOTE. When the time comes, vote for the candidate with character.
Don't fall for the party lines trap. Don't vote for the guy that
promises pie in the sky. Vote for the man that quietly does his best to
represent what you feel is right.

5. Become involved. Run for city council. Help out a man of character
with his goal of helping to govern this country. Start small. Rome
wasn't built in a day and changing the United States won't happen in a
day either.

6. Remember that our government is a reflection of us. Don't be an
extremist. Learn to compromise. Spend wisely. Show strength of
character and honor in the things that you do.

7. Remember that our government serves US. Our government is not supposed to be our master, but instead our servant!

8. Drop the party lines. You may have more in common with republicans
or democrats than the other party, but frankly today, both parties are
a party of extremists, only there to keep us fighting with each other,
and both of us want the best for our country.

    I don't know if my speaking up will make a difference. But if it does
make an impact on even one person's life, then I did make a difference,
however small - and that's where it starts.

Good day 

^Pure Genious^ 