Is overthrowing the government a good idea?

 

 

Contributor opinion.

Roman Emperor Neron burns the city of Rome and soon after gets overthrown.

 

Catherine Haig.

 Catherine Haig.

“My question is Countries all over the world are suffering from the depression that took America by storm in 2008. We had a fiscal breakdown and now Arabic countries are rioting, Greece flooded their streets, Countries all over the world are fighting their governments because the people are unhappy with their elected officials.

My question to the rest of my writing staff and you would be – Why doesn’t America stand up and demand excellence from it’s Senate and House who is constantly at odds with our current President? What will it take for Americans to overthrow our own government?”

Responses:

 

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Michael Callaghan.

“I have one answer. every person have a point to make and i do not think the overthrow of a government that is put in place by the voters would help anyone other than the ones that do not agree with freedom.

The freedom to vote the freedom to ask Q&A’s the freedom to be able to talk to others and the Freedom to disagree with your Government.  you can only false change By the voting Box.”

 

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Mich E. Kabay.

“We don’t riot in the streets because our situation is nowhere near as bad as in countries where the majorities are disenfranchised, oppressed, humiliated and even tortured and killed in numbers that are unthinkable in our country. We have alternatives to violence.”

One of the responses to the deadlock caused by right-wing fanatics who swore to make Obama a one-term president [1], is to ensure that the Republican Party goes down to a massive defeat in upcoming federal and state elections. Time is on our side: the Republicans are losing ground, increasingly appealing primarily to old white men.[2]

Are you disgusted by the obstructionist, racist misogynists in Congress? The  sheltering the ultra-wealthy who have bribed them into supporting policies directed against the interests of the majority of the people in our country? Get active! Join the progressive movement actively: support Democracy for America[3], the ACLU[4], the HRC[5], the NAACP[6], NOW[7],CREDO Action[8], The Nation[9], The Progressive[10], MoveOn[11], Emily’s List[12], 21st Century Democrats[13],…. you get the idea.

Sign petitions that represent your views. Phone, email and write your congress critters on specific topics.[14] Don’t be passive. Don’t give up. Go to political meetings and ask tough questions. Go to the offices of your representatives in person and express your views clearly, politely and firmly. Don’t accept condescension and superiority: these people are supposed to work for US, not for the tiny minority that pay for their campaigns.[15]

On your Facebook page, SHARE updates from the organizations you support. If you have your own Website or blog, post links to the organizations that represent your political views. When you read a valuable article with political implications, post the link so your friends and readers can use it.

When you meet neo-fascists who spout the lies they have learned from FOX News[16], challenge them with facts. When you read lies and distortions in blogs, commentaries, newspapers, magazines — challenge them and include specific references to reliable sources that bring the errors into focus.

When you read about demonstrations, marches, parades that focus on your values, participate. Carry a US flag to stop the right from appropriating OUR flag as if it’s THEIR flag.

If you like bumper stickers, put some on your car. There are some wonderful ones around; my favorites include “QUESTION AUTHORITY,” “SUPPORT OUR TROOPS — STOP USELESS WARS,” “PROUD TO BE A FEMINST,” and “GAY MARRIAGE DOESN’T SCARE ME — NO HEALTH CARE DOES.”

Don’t sit back and let someone else change the government for you: let’s do it ourselves. Together. Now.”

 

David Merkel

David J. Merkel.

“Dumb question.”

 

Baldr Odinson.

“Thankfully we in the United States have a democratic government, and thus an “overthrow” isn’t necessary.  Rather, every four years we have a chance to change our government through the legal election process.

The bigger question is when Americans will grow tired of the extreme partisanship and obstructionism that is happening, particularly at the federal level, but also at the state level.

The Republican party, in particular, has engaged in open obstructionism, even when the goals of the President and Democrats seem to match theirs (for instance, opposing parts of the Heath Care for America Act that had originally been proposed by their own party, which the GOP challenged over and over) or when the opinion of the vast majority of their own constituents match that of the President or Democrats (such as the recent bill for universal gun background checks, which was supported by 90% of Americans, that failed due to GOP threat of filibuster).

In many cases, the Republican party has even opposed plans that would benefit their core constituents (such as improvements to veterans benefits).An effective government requires the ability to compromise, debate, and cooperate.  Ideological obstructionism is dangerous to the welfare of our nation.

The American people need to understand this, demand reason and compromise, and to vote out those who repeatably engage in extremist and obstructionist behavior.”

 

Claude Nougat.

“Yes and no. I hope Americans NEVER go in the street to overthrow their government, it would be a sign that democracy is kaput in America!

When Greeks go in the street, in fact, they are NOT throwing out their government, it’s not a revolution, it’s simply a protest.

When Egyptians invade Tahrir square by the hundreds of thousands and stay camping there for weeks, it’s something totally different. And much closer to a revolution.

I suspect Egypt is still groping for a way to establish a democracy, they haven’t got there yet. Morsi was a huge disappointment, he didn’t realize he was supposed to be the President of ALL Egyptians, not a local chief to advance the power of the Moslem Brotherhood. What a pity. He really messed up a historic occasion to establish a real democracy in Egypt!”

 

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John Stanton.

“The risk level for taking to the streets particularly for the middle classes–those with apparently steady jobs and some benefits is extraordinarily high. Further, as the attached shows, capital is so entrenched in every part of our lives that to protest/overthrow means throwing away a job.

The political leaders we have are just an extension of powerful economic interests–witness in the attached JP Morgan’s role in SNAP and how they got there and which politicians shares in JPM jump.

Then there is Sallie Mae. And don’t forget about groups like Equifax. The entire system we exist in is interlocked, interconnected and monitored, if need be, down to the individual. It is easy to call for revolt, but not so easy to get out in the street and do it I figure.”

 

Catherine Haig.

Catherine Haig.

“I am beginning to think that our American history is a bunch of lies. What has happened to America’s independent spirit? The very same guts and glory type of attitude that prevailed when we, as a people and a country stood together against enemies from afar. These enemies include the tyranny of other powerful countries that we managed to escape their clutches; England, France, Germany. The list goes forward and forever for eternity.

So in World War 2 our fathers and uncles fought bravely and won the war. I had an uncle who was in every major conflict in that war. His travels included beating back the Japanese, the German’s and helping the French on the ground. He was a hero but he died an alcoholic and his life was a mess because he had seen hell and lived through it.

How did we get into WW2? No one wanted to participate in this war because it didn’t involve us. Only 30% of the people in the late 1930’s wanted to fight Hitler and the atrocities happening to the Jews and in fact no one wanted to fight Hitler at all…no one until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The President at that time, Roosevelt, was said to have intercepted a communication to Japanese subs that they were planning on this bombing. What he did was dare them to try, which they did and after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 60% of our country enlisted in the war.

The same tactics were used to get America involved in “freeing Iraq” from the clutches of Dictator Saddam Hussein and then the murder of Kaddafi. President G W Bush, Jr. used the same tactics to involve us because he and his administration knew that if America was attacked on American soil, Americans would react and react violently.

What will it take for Americans to overthrow our government – Hell to freeze over because Americans are used to being lead. They vote now against the “angry white men” like Mitt Romney who would sit back and watch this America build companies whose workers live, work and sleep at the job. That’s Mitt’s America and no one wanted that.

So we voted for the “other guy” because the white was a mess and he was a contradiction for America. Obama made sense until he didn’t. Until we realized he was worse than the guy before with his drone attacks and allowing the NSA to spy on Americans for the good of America? Really? How does that work?

Whenever I am in NYC and I look up at a light that is stopping me from walking forward to the next block I see a camera. It moves with me, it scans the crowds of rushing commuters running on their way to jobs they hate and I wonder who is watching.

I know really and it’s some poor schmuck who could not get a job working elsewhere who is watching the rest of us American and tourists hoping we screw up. I mentally give these cameras my middle finger because this is NOT the America I grew up in. Or is it? Were we always torturing our captive prisoners? America was always this vindictive? Are we as petty as other countries when it comes to “our secrets” Are Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden traitors or are they heroes?

America was built on the blood of England’s poor and wretched prisoners; much like the country Australia but I think Australia is doing much better because they would never take the crap that the American Federal Government would dish out. They would stand against them and fight to the death to achieve their end which is freedom of speech, of life and liberty.

America in the 21st Century has no guts so there will be little glory and more taking of our freedoms squishing our constitution and making a mockery of the greatest country in the world. I often see US Flags flying at night, torn and ragged from years of flying outside in all kinds of weather. This is not a country anymore that is proud of themselves. We are not a United States; it is every man, woman and child for themselves. No one is safe. The terrorists live next door.

America is stuck between the very good people and the very bad and there will not be an overthrow of Federal, State or City governments unless there is a ZOMBIE APOCOLYPSE. ”

 

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George Bailey.

“I don’t know what would push the American people to overthrow the government at this point.  They seem perfectly content with the way things no matter what outrages are being committed.

We have excessive spying by the NSA; IRS audits of groups for purely political reasons; secret court proceedings (FISA) with secret warrants; Federal agents busting down doors without warrants and people being arrested for things that are not even crimes.

By now, our Founders would have already been shooting.  Perhaps they are too satisfied with their bread and circuses.”

 

Jaime Ortega Simo. (Editor)

“The problem is simple.

We’re definitely not suffering any of the severe turmoils of the Middle East.  Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Bahrain, Syria… had long dictatorships and the hardship it brought for their population lasted for half a century.

These regimes fearing the preconditions of radical Islam cracked down without any “democratic measurements” the emergence of any type of Sharia-Law conditions presently observed in countries like Afghanistan.

What proves that ‘political turmoil’ between religious extremism and dictatorial regimes is Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein is that the whole country has become a religious and cultural warfare for control of the once sealed lid conducted by his infamous tyranny.

Another problem in comparing the U.S. with most Arab countries is that their citizens did not have the chance to vote for their dictators or rulers. They basically had to accept the rulers rule, yes or yes without any electoral process whatsoever! That makes a huge difference and shows another valuable point.

In the U.S. people had the choice to vote for Obama, Bush or any other president that ever stepped into the Oval Office. What I have observed is that almost all of the activist that openly protested in ‘Wall Street’ against the government do not want to admit ‘any fault or participation’ on ‘the victory of the representatives for whom they voted.’ Sounds hypocritical to me.

In fact, the real problem is that most adults of today’s generation are not realistically capable of actually understanding for what they are actually voting !

Why vote?

The danger surrounding the new generation’s role in choosing a candidate is that most vote considering popularity, friends, media pressure and nice rhetoric. The foundation of understanding the policies of the candidates they choose to elect is lacking.

And that itself is a cancer. Who blames them? Elections in today’s political spectrum are no different than a coin toss between the educated and the uneducated. But the uneducated in this country have the choice to learn, but most choose to live the credit life, and survive on a parent’s wealth. Many (not all), however, protest for equal opportunities.

Should the individual that studies an issue to understand politics have the same rights to vote as someone that votes for popularity and a nice smile without any knowledge or background? I don’t think it’s right. (Coin toss and this sounds like a Communist principle.)

The United States has a huge problem with corporate corruption and bypassing fundamental laws with lobbyists’ money. Lanny Breuer, the former U.S. Assistant General Attorney of the Criminal Division, proves such case to be true.

But it’s still a political and financial migraine, compared to the cancers most M.E. countries suffered in the Arab Spring. And it’s by no means the same situation.

Our generation is mostly to blame for this problem, not just the candidates for whom we “choose” to vote.

But okay, let’s say we now have successfully overthrown the Senate, the Executive office, the Justice Department!  Now what? Are we going to allow the protesters in Wall Street to be responsible for our financial system, international relations, nuclear programs, intelligence .. ? We would go back to the “wild wild west” without Michael J. Fox.

Anarchy would result into tribal warfare which is historically overcome by a unified army. Anarchy would make communism, radical Islam, and the oppressive Roman Catholic church look like an innocent child and would turn the world into Mad Max 2. Democracy does not exist; it is just the adaptive shadow of anarchism.

What we have is not perfect, and never will be (it will probably get worse). But it’s still realistically better than almost all other systems currently in practice. I believe certain forms of Socialism should be applied to strengthen some visible weaknesses observed Capitalism, because Socialism and Capitalism share a modern form of westernization which makes them compatible.

 

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