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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 56,168 Likes: 14
Campfire Kahuna
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OP
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 56,168 Likes: 14 |
Back when I was a punk I had faith in our government and the people of this land. My faith led to my experience in Vietnam and my career in aviation. Whilst pursuing that career I had the experience of witnessing the downturn and development of my growing cynicism toward the path we traveled.
In retrospect I look at the actions or lack of actions if you will, of our leadership. Truman was President when I was born. He had the means to bring the war in Korea to an immediate halt, but chose instead to sacrifice the lives of our armed forces in a manor that left us with an inconclusive outcome. He also had the option of preventing the Vietnam War with a minor exercise of penmanship, but chose otherwise.
Eisenhower was not a bad person, but his hallmark as president was doing little or nothing. Methinks he was a better General than President.
I don't think JFK was a totally bad fella, though he took a few wrong steps in the short span of his service. Both of his brothers were perfect monsters. JFK made the USSR blink down in Cuba.
LBJ? May he rot in hell. His actions as president precipitated the Vietnam war and loss of many lives, both American and foreign. He was totally corrupt. Civil Rights legislation he promoted haunts us as a growing fungus that threatens to destroy this country.
Nixon was good in many ways, but put faith where it did not belong and it led to his downfall. During those times he polarized the nation in some regards. I was branded a 'baby killer' by some queers that greeted me when I got off the big ol' jet plane on my final journey home. Small compensation was granted by the fact that my 80# duffel bag put three of them on their ass with one stroke. He ended the Vietnam war however.
Ronnie Rayguns: Did mostly good, but stumbled a few times. He made Gorbachev tear down that wall.
Bush 1: Did little other than kick a little ass in Iraq. He did understand that his generals were more functional that he in regards to executing a war and he had the wisdom to define objectives and let them roll.
Clinton: Upgraded the definition of 'Corruption" in spades.
Bush 2: Had the power to close disputes with mideast countries after 9-11 but chose instead to put us into the longest war this country has fought and set the stage for total failure. Much like his Texas buddy LBJ. Simple self serving minds won the day, America lost.
Zero? Almost made Clinton look like a good guy. Perfect azzhole that needs a short walk up to the gallows.
Trump: Was good in policies, but very polarizing in this land due to something outside the "leadership" box.
Biden: Let's Go Brandon!
So, here we are. The land is divided, our government is corrupt and demolishing our future. There is a reasonable expectation that we might wind up in a nuclear war with China, and perhaps by extension, Russia. We have raised a feckless younger generation that seems to support the idea that socialism is good, but law and order is bad. They know little about work/manufacturing/reality, and with the passing of time will present our new "leaders" for election.
I'm not able to do much more than protest this circumstance, and cannot see into the future. There was a time that I thought the outbreak of violent push back from the people would never happen here, but the perspective has changed. I think it inevitable. Question is a matter of when and what will set the spark off when we will all be blown away.
Back in the early '60's I first heard this ditty via the Kingston Trio. It was funny then, but I'm thinking they were remarkable visionaries.
THE MERRY MINUET
They're rioting in Africa They're starving in Spain There's hurricanes in Florida And Texas needs rain.
The whole world is festering With unhappy souls The French hate the Germans, The Germans hate the Poles
Italians hate Yugoslavs South Africans hate the Dutch And I don't like anybody very much
But we can be grateful And thankful and proud That man's been endowed With a mushroom shaped cloud
And we know for certain That some happy day Someone will set the spark off And we will all be blown away
They're rioting in Africa There's strife in Iran What nature doesn't do to us Will be done by our fellow man.
That is all.
DD
I am..........disturbed.
Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 60,550 Likes: 22
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 60,550 Likes: 22 |
I am MAGA.
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 8,260 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 8,260 Likes: 2 |
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Joined: Nov 2009
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,878 Likes: 3 |
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 883
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 883 |
Your mind is your primary weapon. Never let it get rusty.
Endowment Member NRA
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 9,211 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 9,211 Likes: 3 |
I'd like to slap Ragan for his beginning of the gun grab.
Trump went from hero to near zero on his part as well, although a bug piece of me says there's unfinished business on the table there....so until he dies or we get another president, I offer him hope and modest faith.
One thing to consider when evaluating presidents is what were they doing to the actual dollar.....not the federal reserve, but the actual gold standard. Every one of them who pressed the issue was either dead soon after or made a fool.
I would not buy something that runs on any kind of primer given the possibility of primer shortages and even regulations. In fact, why not buy a flintlock? Really. Rocks aren't going away anytime soon.
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Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 2,082
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 2,082 |
Good post with spot on assessments. I agree and I am a little nervous.
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 61
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 61 |
My parents took me to see the Kingston trio, I still remember that song
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 10,503
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 10,503 |
And then you get told that you have to be able to adjust to living in changing times. Because we need to be able to deal with change. Those who can't live with change get stuck in living with the past, right? All this previous B.S. is the mantra of people who want you to blindly follow them and their agenda. As in; "we're gonna destroy the system and if you don't like it, you're just living in the past". Once upon a time I barely knew what socialism was and had rarely even heard of it. Then LBJ began the "Great Society" fiasco and I often began hearing the word "socialism" as a teenager. Along with some choice words from older folks about LBJ. Oh; and I also became labeled as a "baby killer" circa 1970-71 despite not getting sent to Viet Nam in the spring of 1970 thanks to Nixon's troop reductions. At that period in time all that qualified you as a "baby killer" was being in uniform. My how things have changed.
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,324 Likes: 9
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,324 Likes: 9 |
If only we had leadership that inspired us towards freedom from government rather than this incessant pigs pushing for socialism in our country. Obama is the pig that just won't go away. What a flaming azzhole.
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
LOL
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,688 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,688 Likes: 1 |
Good post, can't argue with any of it.
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13
Campfire Sage
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Campfire Sage
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13 |
I believe Clinton was the first President to put himself before our country.
Some of his predecessors were certainly stupid. Some of them were ignorant. Some of them were poor leaders. Some of them were evil. But I think their intentions were to maintain or increase the greatness that is the United States of America. I believe Clinton and his people were more than happy to burn this country to the ground if it gained them power, influence, or money.
It's been downhill since with the exception being Trump. I think Trump did so much to expose what our federal government has become that he will go down in history as infallible. But only if patriots prevail. If not, he'll go in the books as another Stalin. Or worse...
Trump being classless,tasteless and clueless as usual. Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit. My young wife decided to play the field and had moved several dudes into my house
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 17,821
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 17,821 |
I dont fear or care if the world blows up.
If it happens it happens.
Of course it will happen......when I win the lottery, find the woman of my dreams, and have a fridge full of my favorite beer.
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,393
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,393 |
Very well wrote Dan. I feel like I’ve held my moral compass straight and steady and the country has left me behind.
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,413
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,413 |
Dan- You and I share many of the same experiences and conclusions. Thanks for a well written and thought out piece.
"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.”
Patrick Henry
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 60,550 Likes: 22
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 60,550 Likes: 22 |
I believe Clinton was the first President to put himself before our country.
Some of his predecessors were certainly stupid. Some of them were ignorant. Some of them were poor leaders. Some of them were evil. But I think their intentions were to maintain or increase the greatness that is the United States of America. I believe Clinton and his people were more than happy to burn this country to the ground if it gained them power, influence, or money.
It's been downhill since with the exception being Trump. I think Trump did so much to expose what our federal government has become that he will go down in history as infallible. But only if patriots prevail. If not, he'll go in the books as another Stalin. Or worse... The bastards have done nothing but try and pull the curtain back over themselves. But hey...Trump didn't get the wall finished so I voted for Biden or didn't vote.
I am MAGA.
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Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 9,966 Likes: 7
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 9,966 Likes: 7 |
Thye final act of patriotism of an old geezer veteran who has just heard the "You're terminal" diagnosis needs to be taking at least one politician with him. Party affiliation probably doesn't matter much! He either gets to go out while standing on a pile of empty brass, or he gets free room, board, and medical care on the government's dime for the rest of his life instead of bankrupting his family. Win/Win!
Ignorance can be fixed. Stupid is forever!
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,324 Likes: 9
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,324 Likes: 9 |
Thye final act of patriotism of an old geezer veteran who has just heard the "You're terminal" diagnosis needs to be taking at least one politician with him. Party affiliation probably doesn't matter much! He either gets to go out while standing on a pile of empty brass, or he gets free room, board, and medical care on the government's dime for the rest of his life instead of bankrupting his family. Win/Win! I'm waiting for the movie. Veteran sharpshooter finds out he has stage 4 cancer, contemplates his life, remembers the treatment he received when returning from Nam, looks around at the lying news agencies, watches the punks disrespecting their neighbors, sees the politicians enriching themselves while lying through their teeth to the American people. Decides to uphold his oath to defend America against all enemies, this time domestic. Yeah, I'd watch that movie.
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
LOL
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 28,163 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 28,163 Likes: 2 |
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,229
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,229 |
Well said,thanks for the post.
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