How Long Do We Have?

About the time our original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh , had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier:

'A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.'

'A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.'

'From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.'

'The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years'

'During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:

1. from bondage to spiritual faith;

2. from spiritual faith to great courage;

3. from courage to liberty;

4. from liberty to abundance;

5. from abundance to complacency;

6. from complacency to apathy;

7. from apathy to dependence;

8. from dependence back into bondage'

Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the 2000 Presidential election:

Number of States won by: Democrats: 19 Republicans: 29

Square miles of land won by: Democrats: 580,000 Republicans: 2,427,000

Population of counties won by: Democrats: 127 million Republicans: 143 million

Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Democrats: 13.2 Republicans: 2.1

Professor Olson adds: 'In aggregate, the map of the territory Republican won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of this great country. Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare...' Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the 'complacency and apathy' phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the 'governmental dependency' phase.

If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called illegal's and they vote, then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years.

This was shared with me and I thought it was interesting. I realize that we are a "republic" , at least that is what we are supposed to be. Maybe that fact will save us.

This is the stupidest bunch of drivel I have read in a long time. The sky is falling due to the fact that Bush was a lousy president, the economy is tanking and the Democrats won the day. Reactionary hysterics after losing an election. Grow up.

You`ve got at least 4 long years of this Mean.Did you guys give us any slack on W?

We will enjoy 8 years, while you are trying to talk people into voting republican again.

You still havn`t answered the question on the other thread JJ.Ignoring it wont help.

History has a way of repeating itself. I see many similarities between our present state and previous democratic societies. The difference is that we can use the failings of those past societies to prevent the same thing from happening.

quote:

Originally posted by geddon97:
You`ve got at least 4 long years of this Mean.Did you guys give us any slack on W?

And you gave us 8 years of it with Clinton. I can take it. There is no better revenge than success.

quote:

Originally posted by meanasasnake:
This is the stupidest bunch of drivel I have read in a long time. The sky is falling due to the fact that Bush was a lousy president, the economy is tanking and the Democrats won the day. Reactionary hysterics after losing an election. Grow up.

Take a dose of your own medicine ,,you are always calling names here , you are the child here .

quote:

Originally posted by Fighting Illini:
History has a way of repeating itself. I see many similarities between our present state and previous democratic societies. The difference is that we can use the failings of those past societies to prevent the same thing from happening.

Please enlighten us on the "previous democratic societies". Which ones are you speaking of which has the same general makeup as the United States? Greece and Rome lasted for many hundreds of years longer than we have even been in existance.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: meanasasnake,

quote:

Originally posted by JJPAUL:
We will enjoy 8 years, while you are trying to talk people into voting republican again.

I'm thinking you may have two.

quote:

Originally posted by Man of Means:

quote:

Originally posted by meanasasnake:
This is the stupidest bunch of drivel I have read in a long time. The sky is falling due to the fact that Bush was a lousy president, the economy is tanking and the Democrats won the day. Reactionary hysterics after losing an election. Grow up.

Take a dose of your own medicine ,,you are always calling names here , you are the child here .

You are not man or woman enough to give me a dose of medicine little fella. As for calling names - I calls em as I sees em.

quote:

Originally posted by zippadeedoodah:

quote:

Originally posted by JJPAUL:
We will enjoy 8 years, while you are trying to talk people into voting republican again.

I'm thinking you may have two.

Guessing are we?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by readaholic:
How Long Do We Have?


Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the 2000 Presidential election: [QUOTE]

No particular President was mentioned in this post. The talk is about the rise/fall of democratic governments. Personally, I'd say we are on step 7 "apathy to dependence" and headed to step 8. But like Fighting Illini said, we are still able to turn this around.

As for the other facts - you did notice that the quote said "facts" gathered by Professor Olson of Hemline University School of Law - they were from the 2000 election. That would be the after Clinton. Why did the Republicans do so well after those 8 years of prosperity??

I just thought it was an interesting read.

Queen snake,

"Greece and Rome lasted for many hundreds of years longer than we have even been in existance."

True! However, most Greek city-states were not democracies. Only Athens/Attica exibited that form of government, which was short lived.

Rome's progress from Kingdom to Republic to Empire was equally brief.

Perhaps, Helvitica/Switzerland is the most long lived.

The US constitution's unique form combined with her citizenry are determing factors as to the life of the republic.

quote:

Originally posted by meanasasnake:

Guessing are we?

Of course, as are we all. There's a chance Obama may turn out to be the greatest president in history, pull this country from the brink of devastation and transform us into an Atlantean society. I'm sure he's astute to realize that his presidency hinges on the support of congress, of which he doesn't have enough for a mandate. However, if he doesn't deliver, he may lose his most ardent supporters, and a mid-term election could radically change the makeup of the congress. For the next two years he may get nothing done at all. And it seems as though a lot of his more ardent supporters are becoming somewhat disenchanted with him.

I've been giving him credit for most of his cabinet selections; they seem reasonable, with the exception of the Hildebeest as Secretary of State. I mean, the libtards claim the world hates us already, and we put that harpy in the position of being the spokesperson for the United States.

I'm an American first, and I support the office of the President, if not being completely enamored with Obama. I've continued to say that he deserves an even chance now that he's been elected. Although I didn't vote for him in the last election, I'm hoping he'll impress me enough to earn my vote in four years. But he's got to deliver results, not more rhetoric.