USA (RIP)

[Acolyte]

I'm not accepting  christulsa's verdict that America is dead.

If you're going to disagree with YET another of my posts, at least have the honesty to object to what I actually said.

The US died because 3-4 hrs a bunch of idiots roamed around the Capital taking selfies and posting them on the internet in their sick little "hey look at me " stunt ?

That fool sitting at Pelosi's desk. Does he realize in the federal system there is no parole ? He's screwed.

They accomplished nothing. After they were sent packing Congress proceeded and finished what they assembled for.

Another thing happened. Trump was shown the same thing that he was shown last week. He's not the most powerful man in Washington. The Senate Majority Leader is the most powerful man in Washington, save for the Chief Justice perhaps.

Everyday when I wake up I make a cup of coffee and I'll go out on my front porch. And every day the world looks the same as it did the day before. I ran some errands today. My money is still in the bank. The two stores I stopped at we're open and had what I wanted.  And I'm free to hop in the truck and go wherever I want to right now. Stock market didn't crash.

I voted for Trump twice. But his denial that he lost the election has pushed him Beyond The Pale. All this time I thought he just liked to troll democrats. But yesterday he proved his lack of integrity. The blood of the woman who was shot is on his hands. He encouraged the mob to go to the Capital and he owns it. He is a louse and I fully stand with those who want Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment.

I hope those people that stormed of the Capital realize just how strong their rights and freedom are in this country. Yesterday proved that all this big brother/great reset crap is BS. That mob doesn't realize how lucky they were to be sent packing instead of being led into buses transported to a cage.

What would happen to a mob that tries to pull a stunt like that in Beijing ? They would be burying most of them, and those they didn't kill, would certainly never be heard from again.

These conspiracy theory adherents need to realize that once a Democrat wins the election it's those Republicans turn to be unhappy for 4-8 years. Same for the last 4 years. It was the Democrats turn to be unhappy. That's the way it works and the way it always has worked.

I salute the Congress for taking care of business despite the pests. And I hope they remove Trump. That would send a clear message to Americans and the world that our Constitution is intact and above any man who thinks he's above it. We don't need two more weeks of an unfit nut case in the White House. Everything Trump accomplished will be forgotten and his legacy will be what he did yesterday.

[Non Nobis]

Non nobis does this with everyone.  She's quirky that way.

But I'm not accepting  christulsa's verdict that America is dead.

Maybe james is right about an ideal Catholic future but America has to continue to live and pray to grow into it.

Sorry for delayed response but I hate being "quirky" with "everyone" in such a way that you think you need to take note.  PLEASE EXPLAIN, how am I quirky in a way that is distracting you?

Do I disgree too much or vehemently, or am I too soft and optimistic  without a great deal of knowledge (re America), or what?

James or Chris?

[christulsa]

Oh brother.  Ok I'll pull off the band aid.  Here it comes, in one quick pull.     Since you asked...you can at times--(edit) A LITTLE BIT--scold someone, in an over motherly kind of way, on a post while at the same time not adequately understanding or clearly identifying what was actually said in the post (or the author of the post's interior intentions).  imo.      I can give recent examples, but I suspect you would suspect what those would be.  No worries, its all good.  I wonder what your Myers-Brigg is, if it is also a "guardian protector" (they like to protect the coop).  I can be "quirky" too to say the least. 

[Non Nobis]

She means well.  I think.  Kind of reminds me of my wife, a "guardian protector" according to her Myers-Briggs.

Chris, do you have a clue that since I just posted "she means well... kinda like my wife" is a little rude?  Not being a feminist I won't note that they might say it is misogynist.   It isn't just 'meaning well'  to note that "America" and "USA" are often used interchangeably in common talk.

The United States of America, the formal Nation-State by that name, that Union of states preserved by the Presidency, Congress, and Supreme Court, based on the Constitution, is DEAD.  Despite a few good men remaining in DC (Senator Tom Cruz, who I used to not like the way he ran against Trump in 2016, is one of them, a hero in my book).

Here is an analogy from history.  The moment a Monarchy as it was in France or Russia is overthrown by a radical revolution that is fundamentally anti-monarchy, then it ceases to be a Monarchy.  By comparison, the moment a democratic Republic like the USA is overthrown by a radical revolution of Radical Leftists, Socialists, and Communists, by means of a political COUP, based on a common Ideology that is fundamentally against the founding principles of the Founding Fathers, then at that moment (formally yesterday 1/6/2020, a date that will live in infamy) it ceases to be a democratic Republic.

It is only the "USA" nominally, which makes the new government going forward a new formal Nation-State.  Call it the Communists States of America, or the Banana Republic States of America.  It is no longer the United States of America.

But America still exists as a People, ie a common religious heritage, customs, language, philosophy of government, as represented by "Americans" as James said, where true Americans, by and large live in a) the South, b) the central plains states, c) the Rocky mountain states.   The West Coast and East Coast are the Communists States of America.  But really anyone in this country, in particular outside of major urban centers, who are social conservatives that believe in the original foundations, are Americans.

I'm no geopolitical expert, but it seems to me we need to focus on secession movements in key states like Texas, in the long term, with the goal one day of a new Union.  I'm told Oklahoma would likely follow if Texas seceded.  Grassroots Americans rebuilding a new nation, but rejecting the new Banana Republic outright.  THAT, Non nobis, would be a cause for HOPE.

My hope is not crystalline and easily shattered if things turn out more like you and James are predicting, more pessimistically.   I just don't know enough to make predictions.

[Non Nobis]

Oh brother.  Ok I'll pull off the band aid.  Here it comes, in one quick pull.     Since you asked...you can at times--(edit) A LITTLE BIT--scold someone, in an over motherly kind of way, on a post while at the same time not adequately understanding or clearly identifying what was actually said in the post (or the author of the post's interior intentions).  imo.      I can give recent examples, but I suspect you would suspect what those would be.  No worries, its all good.  I wonder what your Myers-Brigg is, if it is also a "guardian protector" (they like to protect the coop).  I can be "quirky" too to say the least.

Go ahead give me examples as I think I am missing them.

I seem to get pretty many thanks so I didn't think I was that bad.

I try to be conscientious of people's feelings and try not to be too sensitive myself but maybe I sometimes scold anyway.

[james03]

Sorry for delayed response but I hate being "quirky" with "everyone" in such a way that you think you need to take note.  PLEASE EXPLAIN, how am I quirky in a way that is distracting you?

Do I disgree too much or vehemently, or am I too soft and optimistic  without a great deal of knowledge (re America), or what?

Smile.  I'm just messing with you.

[james03]

Everyday when I wake up I make a cup of coffee and I'll go out on my front porch. And every day the world looks the same as it did the day before.

Many Venezuelans experienced the same thing, until their money blew up.

Many Argentinians experienced the same thing, until their money blew up.

The Christian bakers experienced the same thing, until their store was shut down.

The business owners in the blue states experienced the same thing, until their stores were ruined by the lock downs and they lost everything.

The Bundy rancher experienced the same thing, and then then the Feds took his cattle.

It's called normalcy bias.  And I think we'll even get a boom once the Biden Covid Plan works and the lock downs are lifted, and when the Biden Economic Plan pumps a few trillion into the economy, stolen from my unborn grand kids via usury bonds they have to pay off.  We got a little time.  Then have fun paying $4/gallon gasoline again.  What's that?  Crude just broke $50/bbl?  Wasn't gasoline below $2/gal. just a few weeks ago?  You know, I'd wake up, pour myself a cup of coffee, sit on my porch, then go to the gas station and fill up for less than $2/gallon.  Wait, what happened?

[christulsa]

That's called "negging" Non.  He goes into it in The Book.     And he's obviously better at it than me (judging from your reaction to my answer to your question).   (James can critique me on my response if he wants)

And no, our "hope is not crystalline and easily shattered if things turn out like [James and I] are predicting."  Not in the least.  That would be a mischaracterization of what we are thinking and feeling about the new situation.   We have to come to terms with the death of the "USA" (ie the formal federal government, which I think was pretty clear in my OP), while renewing our hope in the future of "America" as a land and people.

[james03]

I regret writing that book.  It will cause me problems.  Though I will likely spend my days as a gallivanting bachelor running free, or more like riding free, so won't need the techniques.

Non nobis is high IQ in a motherly way.  That's why we love her.

[ralfy]

It died more than a century earlier, when Wall Street bankers took over money supply through the creation of the Fed, if not earlier, when robber barons colluded with the state to control natural resources.

[GiftOfGod]

[yt]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ck_qK-EcCO0&feature=youtu.be[/yt]

There it is.

[christulsa]

I will likely spend my days as a gallivanting bachelor running free

I remember something in The Book about you thinking about jumping in the ring again.  Remember Bob C, attorney from the old FSSP parish, died a couple years ago?  His widow is a traditional Catholic, around 40ish, my wife's best friend, lives in Tulsa area, cute, youthful, fun loving.   You'd have to get used to fried rice, frequent emotional outbreaks of laughter and joy as a part of daily life, and a range of other emotions, and Tagalog.  Seriously.  She's starting dating again, and wants to meet someone like you.  She'd want to stay at home baking cookies, taking care of her man.   

[Non Nobis]

That's called "negging" Non.  He goes into it in The Book.     And he's obviously better at it than me (judging from your reaction to my answer to your question).   (James can critique me on my response if he wants)

And no, our "hope is not crystalline and easily shattered if things turn out like [James and I] are predicting."  Not in the least.  That would be a mischaracterization of what we are thinking and feeling about the new situation.   We have to come to terms with the death of the "USA" (ie the formal federal government, which I think was pretty clear in my OP), while renewing our hope in the future of "America" as a land and people.

Here I was not "accusing" you of "crystalline" hopes but saying that I don't  have them either.  I'm probably older than either of you and have a "dreamy" idea of America/(even USA) that sentimentally would tempt me to "crystalline hopes" (America/USA forever) but seeing what is happening in the country they are not realistic.

I don't know about negging and if "The Book" is James' book for guys probably won't read it.   I googled it and just know I hope I'm not doing it.   Yes for yes and No for No. Probably good to be aware of it though.

[christulsa]

Ok, Cuckoo Nest (GoG), THAT was funny. haha  made me "laugh out loud."   There might be hope for you...

[Xavier]

We Catholics believe in the God Who can and has raised the dead. Surrender everything to God, accept what He has permitted, and start anew with His Grace. That's the best thing to do imho.

As long as there are souls who love Jesus and Mary, who love God and neighbor, the Kingdom of God goes on. His Kingdom is not of this world. If we are daily growing in the State of Grace, and doing our duties of state, we are doing all that we can do, and the rest is in Gods Hands.

Change can come not only from the top-down, through changed laws, but also from the bottom-up, through changed hearts. If every Catholic would pray and work on leading just 1 non-Catholic soul to Christ and His Church per year, in 10 years there'll be 10 times as many Catholics. Conversion of hearts can also bring about the pro-life victories we desire, Lord Willing.

In the end, all things work together for good for those who love God, as the Word says, to those who are called according to His purpose. Whatever God does is for our good and whatever He wills is ultimately for the best. God can and does bring good even out of the evil that man does. We must pray and wait on the Lord for the fulfillment of His divine plan and never lose hope in Him to bring about a brighter future than the one we expect.

God bless.