I am so sad at viewing the posts here lately - as well as responses to some of my /others posts

[ConcernedCanuk]

.
.
.

The USA has to make some serious changes.

Quickly.

The world is watching the Empire fail,

As all Empires do.

It's called

"HISTORY"

And there are many nations that would like to see the USA fall flat on their ass.

NOT sorry that I am a citizen of one of a country that concurs.

But one more Government down there that lets the Iraqi genocide but the people responsible get off free, and continues the Global Dominance thing?

Then the USAmerica becomes the biggest Terrorist Threat to the World in my mind

The USA is already the only country that I know of that can hurt Canada more than anyone else.

And the USA (in my weak Canuk mind) seem to not care about whom they hurt.

AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN!

I blame the (non) voters

[Warpy]

1. Don't hold your breath

Governments are reactive and generally don't react drastically until people are ready to overthrow them.

[bdamomma]

22. ready to overthrow them??

that comment holds true.

[Donnachaidh]

2. well, this is what we've become

Remember, American Idol has just come back on. :eyes:

[MADem]

3. The country that can "hurt Canada more than anyone else" is CANADA.

Go camping until the election is over. You'll feel better.

[shenmue]

4. More stereotypes per acre than could be made by machine...

Nice post-- into sweeping generalizations at all?

This is from a Canadian, whose country came about as part of the last days of the British Empire.

It's sad, really. You wind up hating all Americans for something most of them can't even control.

[ConcernedCanuk]

15. I do NOT hate USAmericans, but I hate what they are allowing their leaders to do to the World.

.
.
.

I do not wish the average USA citizen ill or harm.

Some here have decided to "read into" what I said.

I am not surprised.

I want the "Empire" part of the USA to fail, as in it's global presence and "superiority" as some see it.

Taking a multi-trillion dollar War-Machine into an invasion and occupation of a tiny country doesn't impress me as superior - I'm more inclined to think of it as cowardice as attributed to a bully,

Taking on the weak and poor with a gang of thugs well financed and armed.

That ain't exactly what I call brave.

And I'll repeat for those that need me to make it quite clear.

I do not hate, nor do I even dislike USAmericans.

BUT I SURE HATE THE USAMERICAN EMPIRE.

Got it?

[INDIA]

5. "NOT sorry that I am a citizen of one of a country that concurs."

Could you re-phrase that sentence so that it makes sense? I can't understand what you're saying. Your sentence structure and grammar are pretty bad.

You WANT the "empire" to fail? A failed United States would basically mean a worldwide economic depression, which would be even more severe for you in Canada, one of our closest trading partners. Not to mention the chaos and violence that would follow the most massive power vacuum in world history.

I THINK that's what you're saying. And it's pretty stupid.

[whosinpower]

10. Not really

There ARE other markets. Yours may be the biggest - but, confidence has been shaken to the CORE of your economy's ability to repay debt. So, it all becomes illusion, fostered by credit - and extended by foreign nations who actually produce marketable goods.

So - your right - the world is headed for a HUGE NEVER BEFORE SEEN MARKET CORRECTION OF THE KIND THAT IS MIND BOGGLING IN DEPTH. But - you(not you personally)brought this on yourselves under the thought that because you are #1 - no one would stop lending you money. That you military is the biggest and baddest on the planet - no one would question your market practices. That will only go so far.

And I think this may ultimately be a good thing. I mean it is scary as hell, and no one, I mean no one knows what will happen next - any bankers I know up here in Canada are very very very cautious - this is uncharted territory. But perhaps, if the worlds largest consumer cannot afford to pay for goods and services - then perhaps the world needs a radical change of priorities on what is real, and what is important....not just investing in a bunch of useless stuff, or the biggest, baddest or best on the block mentality.

And insofar as massive power vacuum.....uh......you brought it on yourselves. Why should we wring our hands in despair - or even worse - prop up a failed system? We would find markets elsewhere. And you get to pay off your debt. And the world will continue to turn, regardless of whether or not the USA is #1.

[INDIA]

11. Cheerlead the fall of the USA all you want. And if it happens...

you can watch your standard of living go straight to shit. Canada relies heavily on the United States, and vice versa. If Canada failed tomorrow, the USA would take a huge hit as well, although not as big. Why does most of your population live within an hours drive of the U.S. border if you think you're so independent?

And although our military/foreign policy has overstepped in the past, our power has been (overall) beneficial to the world. I can assure you that Canada wasn't going to defeat the Nazis, Imperial Japanese, or keep the Communists in check and out of Western Europe. Every year since WWII, as U.S. military power and diplomatic influence has grown, there have been less wars, less casualties, and the world has become a more peaceful place. It's true. The 24 hour ultra-hype news cycle would have you believe otherwise, but the wars and violence of today are nothing compared to when there was no big dog on the block. And how effective would the UN be without the US? They'd need new headquarters for starters...

[whosinpower]

12. Actually.....

I think the world was safer when there were two superpowers - one against the other in a stand off. After the Soviet Union fell - then the US became the sole superpower - and the result has not been a peaceful utopia - but one superpower vastly overextending itself while the world wrings its hands because they figured the US model would not fall to corruption, greed, power as most empires inevitably fall to. We were wrong, I guess - and while I make no apologies to our standard of living - I will not kowtow to your bluster.

We live a couple of hours from the border - BECAUSE IT IS WARMER. Not because we have a love affair with the americans, or their trade.

I don't want the US to fail. I want them to be fair, accountable and reasonable. This has not been the case - and now you may face a comeuppance. I will likely face one too - but I will not apologize for saying that you had it coming to you - your government screwed up big. Accountability still means something. And I will not condone propping up a failed model. I do not like that it failed, but it did. I do not like that the US constitution - something to be admired and upheld, has been utterly trashed and ignored - but it has.

My god, how far have you fallen, where the value of torture is debated and condoned by the highest office of your nation, where invading an innocent nation under false pretenses has NOT led to any, ANY accountability to your leadership, where illegal spying is made legal, and immunity granted to those who do the spying. And when that 3 trillion dollar unjustified war impedes your nations ability to get credit - I say - so be it. If that is what it takes to make the US wake the hell up, and clean its house - then that is how it must be. Perhaps that is the only way - americans can't seem to do it on their own - their leaders are warped, corrupt corporate cronies - and they don't listen to the people. And I feel badly that many many many innocent citizens will be harmed and under tremendous strain. And I don't want that to happen - but the bill comes due - and the world should not have to pay for your illgotten war either.

[INDIA]

16. "I think the world was safer when there were two superpowers"

You think wrong. Two giants funding proxy wars against each other all over the world (Korea, Vietnam, Africa, Afghanistan) does not make the world a safer, more peaceful place. Plus the real and very scary threat of nuclear war that existed back then? Remember the Cuban Missile Crisis? The world is better off with a sole, westernized superpower.

[CJCRANE]

24. "Westernized superpower"?

Which "Western values" does the Bush-Cheney administration uphold?

:shrug:

[INDIA]

26. Relative to the Soviet Union. Or a possible Chinese communist superpower.

Bush/Cheney are our lowpoint of the last 60 years, yet are still better than a Soviet Union, or a Communist China. Western style democracies generally get it right. The last 7 years were a fuckup that will soon be corrected.

[Canuckistanian]

14. As a Canadian, I agree, both logically and grammatically

Out two countries are like mountain climbers and you're the one on top, setting the pitons and holding the rope.

If you fail, we'll be pulled down eventually, because we're tethered together economically.

And seriously, Canadians DO have good English teachers.

[INDIA]

17. And I absolutely LOVE Canada and Canadians.

Well, the one's not cheerleading the fall of the US anyway!

[ConcernedCanuk]

20. Read post 15 - I see you don't "get it" yet - the EMPIRE and the USA citizens are not synonymous

.
.
.

But much of the world will not see that distinction.

Looks like some of them are USAmerican citizens.

Insult the "Empire" is insulting the citizens?

Get a grip.

[Canuckistanian]

27. OK, OK, I get your point

My point was that the USA and Canada are inextricably linked, economically.

You cannot expect the US to fail and not feel any effects yourself.

[ConcernedCanuk]

29. "You cannot expect the US to fail and not feel any effects yourself" - I agree 100%

.
.
.

People went broke, towns suffered, industries downsized over the lumber debacle

Same over the Mad Cow insanity

And so on

But we survived.

US could put a Cuba-style embargo on Canada, but even then we would survive. New markets would be found over time to sell our resources/products.

But seeing as we are the largest provider of energy to the USA . . .

actually has me concerned.

We see what they do to a country half-way around the globe

Sometimes I wish I didn't even know.

[peace13]

6. It's interesting to hear you say this because most of my Canadian

friends don't listen when I tell them that Canada will be the next pin to fall in this conservative one world order fiasco. When Canada gave the US permission to roam the entire Great Lakes they had no dream that Canadian vessels in Canadian water would be stopped by US hOmeland 'Security'. Last week I read that Canada has given the US permission to enter Canada with war machinery if we deem it necessary. Go figure! I emailed that to my friends up north and they were upset with me. Telling me that it was nothing. I say to you, this is how it starts and it will be too late when the trucks get at the border.

People can not put their minds around the madness and that is what stops them from action. That, coupled with he fact that people are scrapping to get dinner on the table and the house payment in the mail. Some of us are working as hard as we can to keep you safe. Good luck and Peace to you, kim

[ConcernedCanuk]

21. "Canada has given the US permission to enter Canada with war machinery if we deem it necessary."

.
.
.

What a spin!

Give me and the others a link to that would you?

Canada has made an agreement that would expedite help from the USA if asked in crisis like ice storms, flood, etc.

It's amazing how things get spun, even here on a Democratic board,

and how many believe it with no credible evidence.

My original post stands,

I am disappointed(sad) with what I see posted here lately.

Yours is one of them.

[peace13]

23. I did go back and find this for you.

I won't tongue lash you if you are a big enough person to apologize. I gotta wonder sometimes.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3196809



On second thought...I will add that I hope the ice storm we help you with meets your criteria for an emergency. Why would the * administration, out of the goodness of their hearts offer to help Canada? We can't even help our own citizens. Why would Canada try to keep the meeting quiet? It is time to wake up.

[ConcernedCanuk]

28. I repeat - Canada did NOT give permission to the US to enter because the US "deems it necessary"

.
.
.

That is QUITE clear in the article referred to in the thread you pointed me to.

US has to be invited.

From the article:

"it will be up to civilian authorities in both countries on whether military assistance is requested or even used."

The above quote is found in the text below:

But Canada Command spokesman Commander David Scanlon said it will be up to civilian authorities in both countries on whether military assistance is requested or even used.

He said the agreement is "benign" and simply sets the stage for military-to-military co-operation if the governments approve.

"But there's no agreement to allow troops to come in," he said. "It facilitates planning and co-ordination between the two militaries. The 'allow' piece is entirely up to the two governments."

If U.S. forces were to come into Canada they would be under tactical control of the Canadian Forces but still under the command of the U.S. military, Scanlon added.
_______________________________________________________________________

For the curious, or those like me that don't like to chase around for links - The above is from http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=47dc5095-4da9-4faa-8464-fe01289b4b7a&k=39530

But there's no agreement to allow troops to come in

Thought it needed repeating

I'm awake ty

[peace13]

31. OK? What ever you say.

[2rth2pwr]

7. Rev Wright your pastor? nt

[ConcernedCanuk]

19. No

.
.
.

[Mike03]

8. Isn't the immense tension here a good thing? It's obvious that people

care a lot and are fighting tooth and nail to make this country better.

As much as some of us may complain about tempers, or lose our own (guilty), this is much healthier than a bunch of apathetic assholes. So I regard this fighting as a good sign.

Puzzled.

[marmar]

9. Well, blind arrogance and hubris brought down Rome....

.... Todo que es viejo es nuevo otra vez.

And maybe a better, more humble, more respectful USA will emerge from the wreckage.

[Breeze54]

13. Thanks for pointing out our angst.

I'll take that under advisement with my "people".

:eyes:

[lonestarnot]

18. Gee turdly, can we some more light over here?

:thumbsdown: :eyes:

[Zywiec]

25. Canadian politics must be pretty boring

for all the Canadians to join an American political site. I read somewhere that 15% of Canadians would rather vote in a U.S. election than their own.

Hmmm, I wonder what that means?

:shrug:

[ConcernedCanuk]

30. "Canadians are not knee-jerk partisans when it comes to American politics"

.
.
.

Interesting info regarding the vote thing

I actually found a few articles on it.

"While 34 per cent of those surveyed said they would like to see a Democrat win the next election and five per cent said a Republican, a whopping 56 per cent surveyed said it makes no difference to them whether the next president is a Republican or a Democrat.

"That's notable," Neuman said. "Canadians are not knee-jerk partisans when it comes to American politics."

Neuman noted that this indifferent response may have been partially due to the fact that the survey was done Jan. 9 to Jan. 22, when the race to pick the next Democratic and Republican presidential nominees was only just heating up.

15% of Canadians would rather vote in U.S. election: survey

Interesting.