(09-15-2023, 02:38 PM)Caldrac Wrote:

(09-15-2023, 02:27 PM)mikesez Wrote: You're describing two extremes.  On one end, (A), a dictator with secret police operating without rules.  On the other, (B) judges making rulings on a pure rules-based, deontological, written rules only system. America has never been A.  But it has also never been B. Introducing more human judgement and subjectivity doesn't immediately take you from B to A.  Especially when you were never at B in the first place.

Is it an extreme or an eventual reality? The United States has been a scale of trying to delicately and politically balance all of that out. As, in reality, most countries have had to endure one of those two extremes in most cases. Ours is a little bit more flexible, a little bit more civil, far from perfect, of course, but still a bit better than most.

I think, again, you have to look at it with these extremes because we're dangerously close to falling apart and into these said extremes. As we continue to see these looney tune characters positioning themselves and buying themselves into the political arena, into the law making sectors of our democracy. They increase their power and influence. 

We're in a lot of trouble now as it stands today. Again, how far do we need to go down this road before we see where it ultimately leads? How long do we need to keep letting these little fires build up before it's Rome burning all over again?

A exists in this world.  North Korea is at A.  Everything is done at the whim of the party, no fixed rules, no social advancement.  Then you have China and Russia, which are almost at A, but ordinary citizens can exist in a rules based system as long as they don't cross the interests of the unaccountable high government officials.  But B doesn't exist in this world.  We are closer to B than to A. It's good for you, and for me to be concerned about us devolving into A.  Because A is possible.  We should fight against it, fight for unpopular people to be treated fairly.  But we're not going to turn into China or Russia anytime soon, regardless.  Power in the US is just too decentralized.

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