What is the biggest threat to Americans today?

[ColbertWatcher]

[gateley]

1. You have a lot of good options --

But could you (in a nutshell) explain privatization to me? I don't feel as though I really understand it. Thanks.

[ColbertWatcher]

12. What is privatization?

I guess a good example may work instead of trying to put it into words (which I can't find right now--maybe someone else can?)

Halliburton in Iraq is a good example. The military used to do stuff for themselves (they were self-sufficient). But, once Rumsfeld figured out what Eisenhower was talking about when he said to be wary of the "military-industrial-complex", he started to funnel taxpayers' monies to contractors, like Halliburton and Blackwater.

Privatization is also when companies buy water rights away from municipalities (cities, counties, etc) and then sell them back to the people.

As far as I'm concerned, the biggest danger about privatization is that they're not held to the same standard as the public (or government) entities they've replaced.

Hope that helps.

[gateley]

13. Perfect. Got it. Thanks! nt

[Donnachaidh]

2. where is *all of the above*?

you need to have that button as well.

[ColbertWatcher]

6. You can just pick other and post "All of the above" just as you did. n/t

[DebJ]

41. GOP = all of the above. n/t

[ColbertWatcher]

42. Except Iran and Al Qaeda. n/t

[DebJ]

57. They are working on bombing Iran, is what I meant. Are you sure

the GOP is not equal to Al Qaeda? Al Qaeda helped them to get the facism they drool for.

[ColbertWatcher]

61. I think the GOP used Al Qaeda...

...the same way they used communists: to keep people scared.

[Wizard777]

68. No they just used Al Qaida. Poppa Bush is their former employer.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

3. The Bush junta

hands down, the biggest global threat to life as we knew it.

[Tim4319]

4. America

[Marblehead]

5. globalization

which is like privatization but the whole world is screwed

[BlooInBloo]

7. The American electorate.

[B Calm]

8. Unchecked, Unregulated, Predatory Capitalism

[underseasurveyor]

9. Our own government

Mostly the gop but Dem's are more and more culpable with each passing day.

[IDemo]

10. Other - Peak Oil

[Aqaba]

23. Yep. Its amazing how many people don't understand this.

[Jade Fox]

11. Monopoly Capitalism......

Also known as Corporate Rule, late Capitalism (I think), etc. When Corporations are all powerful, free markets a joke, and political institutions receive their marching orders from the Corporations.

What we need is some really good, new, effective anti-trust legislation. And, yes, I am dreaming.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. You mean it's not Fidel? How about Grenada? Hugo?

Well, I'll just say politicians, in general, pose more of a threat to the world than any other perceived "threat". They never seem to fail to come up with "solutions" that efficiently screw, kill, starve, or maim, everything in sight.

"When politics enter . . . government, nothing resulting there from in the way of crimes and infamies is then incredible. It actually enables one to accept and believe the impossible."

"In . . . politics people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from other non-examiners, whose opinions about them were not worth a brass farthing."

"The government of my country snubs honest simplicity, but fondles artistic villainy, and I think I might have developed into a very capable pickpocket if I had remained in the public service a year or two."

"Right here in this heart and home and fountain-head of law this great factory where are forged those rules that create good order and compel virtue and honesty in the other communities of the land, rascality achieves its highest perfection."

Mark Twain

[gateley]

15. Ok - apathy.

If Americans weren't apathetic, some of the issues you list probably wouldn't even be issues. If we'd been involved and responsible for our country and the planet, I don't think things would have gotten as bad as they are now.

[burythehatchet]

16. The political center/the enablers

[Toucano]

17. Integrity of elections. n-t

[zeemike]

18. Other

The military industrial complex, the same we were warned against by Ike.

[Turbineguy]

19. Greed and stupidity.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

20. Corporatism, plain and simple.

[Initech]

21. The biggest threat to America is Americans.

We keep electing these stupid politicians who really dont give a fuck based on one issue: "WHAT??? THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO RAISE TAXES????".

Hell, George Carlin nailed it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M5Xm5RYTRY

[Karenina]

22. Seconded.

[BlooInBloo]

25. Hrmph. I see how you are now!

:p

[bemildred]

36. Yeah, all the real threats are internal.

"We have met the enemy, and he is us."

Worrying about al Qaeda or Communism or Drugs or whatever won't get you far when you government is run by self-serving morons to start with. And "we" elect all these self-serving morons.

[NashVegas]

76. Idiocracy

It's as if critical thought has been taken out behind the shed, at dawn ...

[Faux pas]

24. Other-Ignorance, Greed, Racism.

[NotThisTime]

26. How about All of the Above & add Getting a Decent Education in there... we're a nation of low

information citizens....

[azul]

27. bankruptcy, from the profligate war economy without end: Fool's Empire.

The insane war on peace and progress:
-------------

The Mega-Pentagon: A Bush-Enabled Monster We Can't Stop

By Frida Berrigan, Tomdispatch.com. Posted May 28, 2008.

~snip~

The attacks of September 11, 2001 decisively ended that debate. The Bush administration promptly declared total war on every front -- against peoples, ideologies, and, above all, "terrorism" (a tactic of the weak). That very September, administration officials proudly leaked the information that they were ready to "target" up to 60 other nations and the terrorist movements within them.

The Pentagon's "footprint" was to be firmly planted, military base by military base, across the planet, with a special emphasis on its energy heartlands. Top administration officials began preparing the Pentagon to go anywhere and do anything, while rewriting, shredding, or ignoring whatever laws, national or international, stood in the way.

http://www.alternet.org/story/86573/

[LWolf]

28. All of the above except for Iran and Al Qaida. nt

[tjwash]

29. Deregulated oil and energy companies.

nt

[live love laugh]

30. The Republicon media and Election theft. n/t

[ThomWV]

31. It is the Propoganda - because of it you never have any idea of what is true and what is not

No statistic can be trusted, no history can be trusted, nothing firm on which you can base an opninion.

[ColbertWatcher]

37. Good point. n/t

[Muttocracy]

32. ignorance in all forms. nt

[roamer65]

33. The Bush Crime Family.

[The Gunslinger]

34. Wages - lower......cost of everything - higher

There will be a breaking point sometime.

[Phoonzang]

35. The end of the Mayan calendar.

Or....the GOP-Corporate alliance... ;-)

[caseymoz]

38. The economy might be fighting gravity now, but don't expect it to last.

I think that President Obama is going to face the worst economy since 1929.

:hangover:

Let's work to make sure it's not compounded by any President named McCain.

:hurts:

[BlooInBloo]

39. Chuck Norris.

[tuckessee]

40. The looming Police State.

No one has ANY rights in a society policed liked an occupied nation.

The militarization of police and exlposion of laws combined with mindless enforcement has taken us to the edge.

[Truth4Justice]

69. Too many needless laws, corrupt police officers and justice deptments, patriot act, 9/11 lies.......

I could go on and on.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

43. Those in control of the media. The power/money brokers.

[Hekate]

44. Bush, Cheney, and the Corporatists. nt

[BlueIris]

45. I voted for the coming economic Armageddon.

:scared:

[TexasObserver]

46. Who tries to kill democracy in America every two years?

The GOP, that's who.

They have made keeping down the number of legitimate voters the centerpiece of their campaign schemes.

[varelse]

47. Other - ignorance - of the worst stripe

When politics are considered "off limits" for discussion, but everyone is talking non-stop about the latest events on "American Idol" and that's perfectly acceptable, it's clear that this isn't "passive" ignorance, but rather deliberate ignorance.

[baldguy]

48. The fascist corporatocracy

[The Stranger]

49. NEOCONSERVATISM.

[mnhtnbb]

50. Home grown stew: one part corporate owned media; one part uninformed

and uncaring electorate; one part greed and Machiavellian tactics of the oligarchy.

Mixed together you get a country losing its soul.

[ColbertWatcher]

67. Can you get that on a bumper sticker? n/t

[hiphopnation]

51. americans

we have seen the enemy...

[hiphopnation]

52. alternatively

see the response directly above mine, which sums up my view on this nicely

[Kip Humphrey]

53. The Rapturists (i.e, the perpetual second coming of Christ end-the-world-now true believers)

The fact that a bunch of them hold power in the Air Force and over our nuclear arsenal scares the crap out of me!

[The2ndWheel]

54. Cheap and expensive energy

[datasuspect]

55. ourselves

we as a people are basically twisting the ropes for the corporations and the corporate sponsored government to hang us with.

[maveric]

56. The gutting of our public education system.

And the dumbing down of our populace.
The NCLB systems teaches our kids how to pass tests, and thats it! No science or history! Creativity is not allowed.
They are grooming the next generation to be compliant worker-bees who follow orders and dont ask questions.
I'm seeing a lot of this with many young people who graduate HS with virtually no knowledge of true history or science, and are content with their technological toys and retail outlets.

[ColbertWatcher]

70. I have to agree. n/t

[backscatter712]

58. The Bushies.

They're a cancer upon America.

[Lorien]

59. Ignoring climate change. Uninhabitable planet= no other issues. n/t

[Pushed To The Left]

60. The modern conservative movement.

They will do whatever it takes to win..legal or otherwise...and are masters at manipulating people into voting to hurt themselves.

[Darth Lenore]

62. All of the above, plus...

...late stage capitalism, and the American government.

[EFerrari]

63. Corruption of the federal government. n/t

[Arnold Judas Rimmer]

64. The corporate presstitutes

liars, every one.

[travelingtypist]

65. Legal/structural causes

The rest are symptoms.

1. Corporate personhood.
2. Repeal of Fairness Doctrine.
3. Taft/Hartley.
4. Sherman Anti-Trust.

Et cetera.

[Skidmore]

66. Corruption and fanaticism of all stripes.

[countryjake]

71. Judging from another topic I just backed out of...bear hunters?

:shrug:

[Fumesucker]

72. The government..

Federal, state and local.

And not just the GOP, the Dems are almost as bad, among other things they support the drug war to an almost virtual man.

[workinclasszero]

73. The fascist republican party

Looks like they have just about met their goal of wiping out the middle class. Now if they can get their man McCain into office by convincing working class Christians that Obama is the antichrist they will complete the fascist takeover of America.

The republican party and their corporate backers like walmart are the biggest threat to American freedom this country has ever seen. And a real threat to other countries as well. The rest of the world better get down on their collective knees and pray to God that Obama and a democratic majority are elected this fall.

[RNdaSilva]

74. McCain

But, I saw another good response..."the electorate.'

[Douglas Carpenter]

75. The "War on Terror" is by far the greatest threat to America's survival

This "War on Terror" thing has the very real potential of locking America into an endless serious of unsustainable conflicts while it drives oil prices into the stratosphere thus breaking the American economy and exhausting our resources and sustainability.

Not only could this misguided policy alienate America from the rest of the world, it could quite likely create whole new generations of unnecessary permanent enemies who will be real enemies who really will want to hurt us, not phantoms enemies of propaganda.

Mark my word, the "War on Terror" could very well turn itself into an act of national suicide. And although this is considerably more likely under a Republican Administration, it is by no means completely inconceivable if it occurred under a Democratic Administrations with a Democratic majority in Congress.

Terrorized by 'War on Terror: How a Three-Word Mantra Has Undermined America

By Zbigniew Brzezinski

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/23/AR2007032301613.html

snip:"The damage these three words have done -- a classic self-inflicted wound -- is infinitely greater than any wild dreams entertained by the fanatical perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks when they were plotting against us in distant Afghan caves. The phrase itself is meaningless. It defines neither a geographic context nor our presumed enemies. Terrorism is not an enemy but a technique of warfare -- political intimidation through the killing of unarmed non-combatants."

snip:"To justify the "war on terror," the administration has lately crafted a false historical narrative that could even become a self-fulfilling prophecy. By claiming that its war is similar to earlier U.S. struggles against Nazism and then Stalinism (while ignoring the fact that both Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia were first-rate military powers, a status al-Qaeda neither has nor can achieve), the administration could be preparing the case for war with Iran. Such war would then plunge America into a protracted conflict spanning Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and perhaps also Pakistan"

snip:"The entertainment industry has also jumped into the act. Hence the TV serials and films in which the evil characters have recognizable Arab features, sometimes highlighted by religious gestures, that exploit public anxiety and stimulate Islamophobia. Arab facial stereotypes, particularly in newspaper cartoons, have at times been rendered in a manner sadly reminiscent of the Nazi anti-Semitic campaigns. Lately, even some college student organizations have become involved in such propagation, apparently oblivious to the menacing connection between the stimulation of racial and religious hatreds and the unleashing of the unprecedented crimes of the Holocaust."

snip:"In the meantime, the "war on terror" has gravely damaged the United States internationally. For Muslims, the similarity between the rough treatment of Iraqi civilians by the U.S. military and of the Palestinians by the Israelis has prompted a widespread sense of hostility toward the United States in general. It's not the "war on terror" that angers Muslims watching the news on television, it's the victimization of Arab civilians. And the resentment is not limited to Muslims. A recent BBC poll of 28,000 people in 27 countries that sought respondents' assessments of the role of states in international affairs resulted in Israel, Iran and the United States being rated (in that order) as the states with "the most negative influence on the world." Alas, for some that is the new axis of evil!"

snip:"Where is the U.S. leader ready to say, "Enough of this hysteria, stop this paranoia"? Even in the face of future terrorist attacks, the likelihood of which cannot be denied, let us show some sense. Let us be true to our traditions."

"Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter, is the author most recently of "Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower" "

[Douglas Carpenter]

82. /

[NashVegas]

77. The Scientific Study of Human Behavior

If one can fully understand it, one can control it via manipulation.

[panhead1961]

78. Capitalisim - The dismantling of the constitution

Any economy based soley on greed, willing to sell out to the highest bidder, willing to destroy pentions, willing to falsify documents putting peoples health at risk, is doomed.

What happened to the flower children taking over. What happened to the greatest country in the world leading by example?

[RB TexLa]

79. Ourselves. The urge to become isolationist and self serving

[fascisthunter]

80. Fascism Parading as Republican

I see no distinction between the two anymore and I feel a revolution is necessary.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

81. The Media.