Is America any different then Saudi Arabia?

[OzzyKP]

Re: Is America any different then Saudi Arabia?

Originally posted by Vesayen
What is the purpose of goverment, in your opinion?

Is it to protect the "rights" of the individual, as defined by the society?

Yes.

Originally posted by Vesayen
You *COULD* run for office or try to form a political movement but without massive financial or political backing, you are doomed to failure.

Well I am one of those few who actually IS leading a political movement here in this country. Your point is right, but misleading. Of course you need massive financial and political backing to be successful. But that's like saying you need legs in order to win a foot race.

You CAN come from obscurity to get massive financial and political backing if you work hard enough. It certainly isn't easy, I know that first hand, but it is absolutely possible. I fully expect it'll happen for me, and things are already starting to fall into place. Its just a matter of time. I'm not some blue blood elite either. I don't have powerful family or personal connections either to money or politics. I'm just a regular joe, but I'm working at it. And things are building.

We've gotten good press coverage, and some politicians are starting to take note (among them Hillary Clinton actually), it'll take time, but it'll happen.

The American Dream is still alive in this country. Its only problem is that people have turned cynical and refuse to believe.

[Ming]

You tell em KP... Some wish to give up and not even try... You are a classic example that people can make a difference. Some are just too lazy, and all they can do is whine like stuck pigs.

This is a simple troll... if it was a real discussion, it would have compared SA to many other countries that have similar problems... not the US. Just some more US bashing... just a troll.

[mrmitchell]

Has that ever happened? Google a list of our presidents, they are without exception, independently wealthy(from lower upper class, to ultra CEO level rich)-this is obvious and rather basic.

Bill Clinton was not born independently wealthy. He had to use his brilliant mind to get where he is today, and he did.

But even Bill started near the bottom, IIRC his first political office was attorney general of AR.

[Last Conformist]

Originally posted by mrmitchell

Bill Clinton was not born independently wealthy. He had to use his brilliant mind to get where he is today, and he did.

Didn't Reagan, too, come from a fairly modest background?

[mrmitchell]

Didn't Reagan, too, come from a fairly modest background?

Actually, yes, Reagan too...

And Carter...

Nixon? All I remember about his childhood is that he was a Quaker...

Johnson was another brilliant man born to a poor Southern background...

Eisenhower made his career first in the military, but it doesn't seem as though he was independently wealthy at birth either...

Kennedy and the Bushes are the only Presidents in the last 50 years that were born "with a silver spoon in their mouth".

[Guynemer]

2.4/10

[Proteus_MST]

Originally posted by Ming
They have far less control over their goverment than we do... I bet the majority of people is SA would change their government...

I agree
and bet the western world wouldn´t like the way the SA government would change if the majority of the citizens living there were able to decide about the SA Government.
I assume religion would play a major role in the newly elected government

[Ming]

That would be their choice... And at least it would be that... a choice! We do have a choice in this country, so the comparisons are silly at best.

[Proteus_MST]

You can compare them
and the result would be that the acerage citizen in America is better off than the average Citizen in SA (although of course, america is also a big step away from some kind of ideal government [but all current governments are, although the swiss seem to be closer to some kind of ideal government than other countries ])

[Ming]

Yep... I don't claim that the US government is prefect or the best. Yeah... compare, fine. But to claim they are similar is just silly... obviously, more "real" education is needed by those that think they are similar.

[Sprayber]

Originally posted by Ming
Yep... I don't claim that the US government is prefect or the best. Yeah... compare, fine. But to claim they are similar is just silly... obviously, more "real" education is needed by those that think they are similar.

I was thinking a little more time devoted to getting out and making a difference than posting trolls on poly

[Ming]

Originally posted by Sprayber


I was thinking a little more time devoted to getting out and making a difference than posting trolls on poly

The sad part is... some may actually believe the troll

[Guynemer]

As one of the more liberal Americans on the OT, I find it nigh-impossible to believe than anyone could possibly truly believe this troll without some underlying severe mental illness.

[Dauphin]

Do the "Where would you choose to live?" question, and that will prove its a troll.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by mrmitchell

Actually, yes, Reagan too...

And Carter...

Nixon? All I remember about his childhood is that he was a Quaker...

Johnson was another brilliant man born to a poor Southern background...

Eisenhower made his career first in the military, but it doesn't seem as though he was independently wealthy at birth either...

Kennedy and the Bushes are the only Presidents in the last 50 years that were born "with a silver spoon in their mouth".

Nixon was probably born poorer than Clinton. His family was VERY poor when he was a kid.