I have written the the West is experiencing a slow-motion version of the collapse that occurred in the communist world. The contradictions of government statist policies are producing economic, political, and social crises that cannot be mitigated by the same policies that caused them to begin with.

I have often wondered that more than the failure of a communist form of government, did we become enough like them that there wasn't much distinction between the two and no need for a wall in between? Democracy is a road to serfdom for the people will vote for slavery believing they will be the beneficiaries of the proposed enslavement of the workers and builders. I think far more than 1/2 the population favors state-ism, Ayn once pointed out the difference between Republican and Democrat was practically nil, they are two sides of the same coin the only difference would be in how we will get to a totalitarian state.

I agree. The swamp is a lot larger than we really understand at this point. I never really liked the idea of the UN. People are tribal and countries are unto themselves really- and for good reason. There is no ONE WORLD, and probably shouldnt ever be. That would eliminate any chance of competition among governments to benefit their own citizens.

He is trying to undermine Trump's victory and secure his legacy. Its sick.

His legacy is a failed Obamacare, lines in the sand that he doesnt defend after drawing them, letting in unvetted syrians, and presiding over extreme violence among his own people all over and increasing racial hatred. Not to mention doubling the national debt for very minimal gain. And resetting Russian relations to the worst they have been in a long time.

Yes indeed -- the greatest theft in the history of the world.

Not even he can get inside his head.

Why stop with Pakistan?!? How about the UN, and all the countries whose worldview is 180 degrees from ours? Why support them in ANY way? Let them suffer the results of their own ideologies fully.

So did Hitler and Mussolini, Mao and Tojo and Kim and Pol Pot. Anyone who falls for that line probably needs a keeper to keep him from walking out into traffic.

TANSTAAFL!!!!!

For all of those from the nether regions, it means,"THERE AIN'T NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH!!!!! (or a "free" anything). NOTHING IS "FREE." This statement is so obvious that anyone who believes anything is "free" is lying to himself, to hide the truth that he's a thief.

I strongly suspect that Obama's remark that he
could have beaten Trump was meant to needle, not
Trump,but Hillary Clinton. (But who can get inside
his head?)

Replying to Permalink: my Reply twice went to
the wrong comment, so I am putting it here: Ain't
that the truth!

Um... I thought the dissolution of the USSR happened (and was celebrated) in June. At least it was when we were there 5 1/2 years ago, and they were celebrating the 20th. Maybe it was the formation of the Russian Federation... but it was a HUGE brouhaha, with speeches, fireworks, parties long through the short nights of late spring...

You've hit it. That's why operational and conceptual definitions are so important to the physical sciences. In this case, we had the examples, but needed someone in recognized authority to explain the examples.

Can't communicate any failures of socialism, or where we fundamentally crushed communism economically, when the big O just let Cuba off the hook.

Very good points! I would say it is important to make principles and values real to people. There's always a temptation to get lost in abstract scholastic arguments. While these are necessary, ideas and philosophy must be communicated to real people in their actual contexts in the real world!

She would have celebrated indeed! I'm surprised that this 25th anniversary is nowhere in the news.

If Hillary had won, we could soon start counting the demise of the U.S. The sad part, we still might.

Works for me.

theres got to be a lot of money hidden in the swamp that hopefully Trump will drain. He could start with 18B at year in foreign aid to Pakistan

I wasn't as worried about supporting socialism as supporting islamic terrorism and Russia, socialism is certainly another thing to not support.

I would argue that taking a $1 of oil profit from them is better than spending a $1 on military to deal with them.

IIRC the military budget was either cut or kept static during the Clinton years. The CW was over, we won, who needs a muscular military now that we can all simply sit and discuss our differences, so let's just spend it elsewhere.

That's where the "peace dividend" went.

YES. we are supporting socialism by relying on oil that they are living off of. Not to mention the relatively useless arabs who feed off the oil and then do terror to further their "religion"

Sanders let his guard down when he vehemently trashed Trump with an anger that I had not seen before out of him. He is one of the evil ones deep down.

From the article, these three points:

First, ideas have consequences.

Second, evil ideas endure because their promulgators can easily dupe the moral degenerate.

Third, one must fight bad ideas with good ideas. Good examples, while helpful, are not sufficient. (I would call examples necessary but not sufficient.) The Soviet Union, and the Comintern, endured so long because neither the United States nor the United Kingdom ever articulated a morally consistent counterpoint to them. Not until President Ronald W. Reagan, Prime Minister (later Baroness) Margaret Thatcher, and Pope John Paul II forged their alliance did something called "The West" articulate a vision of freedom and respect for life, liberty and property.

Now THAT is a tangible, supportable, excellent reason for alternative energy!