[quote]ZEB wrote:
[quote]Bonesaw93 wrote:
[quote]ZEB wrote:
[quote]Bonesaw93 wrote:
Does anyone see this as sort of a test to gauge the public reaction and effectiveness to this?[/quote]
Yes, yes very good point. The subway transit authorities in San Francisco were on the phone with the CIA. And of course the CIA said “let’s test the public’s resolve right here and right now.” You have no idea how these things are done do you?
(Eye Roll)
What’s wrong with you? No seriously what is it? Is it just youth and inexperience or are you just dumb? Do you realize that there is no unrest out there? Can you understand that? If unemployment is 9% or so those people (or most of them) are collecting benefits. Many even turn down jobs that pay on par with what the government is handing them. No unrest there. Out of The other 8% or so who stopped looking for jobs most are either collecting welfare or on some other government program. And I might add some (it’s anyone’s guess how many) on unemployment or some other government program are also working under the table and not reporting their income.
There is no civil unrest—NONE.
Stop reading the fringe posters around here. Or maybe it’s the people that you hang out with…Eh who knows?
So just take it easy, relax and breath.
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Zeb, I’m not saying there is some great conspiracy. What I’m saying is that the topic has to be discussed at all levels of government. When people are out of work (and more people are falling off the 99 week unemployment) and fall on hard times many will look for someone to blame. Frustration can boil over into civil unrest, that’s basically all I am saying. It’s not naive to look at history and see than when people are dealing with unemployment or loss of benefits they get angry (see recent events in Spain, France, Greece…). It’s also not naive to think that the government wouldn’t gauge public reaction to shutting off cell phone service so they can consider that if they want to use the same maneuver in the future.
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That is not what you said to begin with. This was your initial statement:
What you were implying here is that it was done as a test. That statement is not only wrong but wreaks of conspiratorial thinking. And that’s why I called it nutty. I’m glad you’re backing away from it now. Good for you!
Secondly, as I’ve already told you there are not enough people dissatisfied in the country to come even close to a riot. I explained how government is coddling the unemployed. There is welfare, food stamps, HUD, and on and on. There are so many government programs that no one is doing without a meal (in fact have you noticed that the poor seem to be more overweight than those who are working) And how many unemployed are in fact working and not claiming it on their taxes - Call it double dipping. So how many of them are going to riot? Ha…they are fat and happy because big brother has redistributed the wealth to make sure that they don’t have to do anything but sign their name! No riot coming-
And the Obama gravy train only gets large with each passing week. And that train is paid for by people who are in fact pissed off, but they are not the type to riot in the street. They will donate to candidates of their choosing and try to beat Obama at the polls. Spain, France and Greece have entirely different problems at this point and there is no comparison to the US. Stop making generalized sweeping conclusions.
Also, stop watching Glenn Beck rant on about conspiracies (the only part of his show I dislike), or whatever movie had you thinking conspiracy theory. I know you’re not thinking that way right now, I just don’t want you to backslide.
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Zeb I think you took what I said and blew it out of proportion assuming I was talking about a conspiracy. That being said I can see after rereading it why you thought that. What I was implying was that they would certainly look at this situation and gauge public reaction to it for future use. This tactic could be very useful in the event of rioting. Don’t think the US doesn’t see what’s happening in other countries and just ignore it. And for the record I hate Glenn Beck. Where I will disagree with you though is in terms of the anger of the populace. I think in places like for example Detroit, you have enough people who have lost their jobs due to weakness in the auto industry that are no longer receiving unemployment. I do agree with you that the welfare state is keeping a lot of people happy though, for now. What happens when those people drop off the unemployment roles? If the bread and circus routine falls apart before the economy improves there will be trouble. The comparison I was drawing with some of the European countries is that it doesn’t take much for rioting to begin. The example with France was to point out when they moved the retirement age from 60 to 62 the people rioted. This seems to me like a very minor reason to start a riot. That is the parallel I was drawing. When people feel entitled to something (whether they deserve it or not) and government threatens to take it away or even reduce it people flip shit. I see it first hand here when schools asked teachers to pay 1.5% of their salary for health benefits. I don’t see this as unreasonable but every school employee I talk to (I know many and have some in the family) is up in arms over it.
