No what makes us great is the fact that we tollerate disagreement and listen to and implement ideas from all parts of the political spectrum.
Except we don't any more... that's the whole point. When was the last time a statist listened to and implemented ideas to let those of us who do not wish to live under a nanny state to do so? And yes, I know the opposite is true... I'm not willing to listen to or implement ideas about individual liberties and privacy being antiquated notions that stand in the way of a New World Order.
We used to have a system where the two opposites served to pretty much cancel each other out. But now we have a swinging pendulum, and each stroke reaches higher and higher on each side. We were on the "Republican" swing, and wound up with PATRIOT-USA, Military Commissions Act, TSA, etc. Now the pendulum may be wildly swinging the other way, and give us more Socialism, more gun bans, and more leftist policies. Maybe a counteract to that will be another "Republican takeover" that will result in even more excesses.
The Founding Fathers of this country purposefully did
not form a democracy. But a lot of the insulation between "the people" and government has been removed... the "popular vote", weighted by large and growing cities, is giving us more and more of the tyranny of the majority. Those of us who wish to be left alone cannot do that any more in the United States... we
must take part in the taxation, restrictions, regulations, and loss of privacy required for social programs we do not want or support.
I'm not saying everyone has to get off of the train, but I am saying that those of us who want off should be able to get off. If we pull the rope and the train doesn't slow down, I think it's perfectly acceptable to break into the control room for long enough to get off. After that, let the train go where it will.
