Protesters Who Can’t Think or Spell

I’ve been observing the anger raising up across the nation at “Town Hell” meetings with a mixture of amazement, apprehension, and amusement. Now even guys with loaded guns are showing up. What develops next in our growing mob rules society may not be pretty. A poor economy can drive a lot of unfortunate consequences. A depression will drive disasters of all sorts.

One of my favorite scenes so far is some old white haired guy (like me) shouting to a senator to “keep the government out of my Medicare”. The upset old fellow doesn’t seem to realize that Medicare is a 100% government program and that the expense of his doctor’s visits, hospital stays, and assorted treatments and medications probably far exceed whatever he has or will ever pay in to Medicare.

People hate socialism but seem to be willing to make exceptions. When the government picks other people’s pockets to deposit the pickings into their pockets they think it is A-OK. Then most don’t care what type of system of government produced the money.

Where is the money coming from? Could it be that socialism is at work and a redistribution of assets is taking place? The prevailing opinion of the mob seems to be it’s not socialism when one receives the money but it is socialism when one is paying out the money. Go figure. In mid 2009, at the beginning of a depression, most Americans seem a bit confused.

My dear 86 year old mother seems to be a little confused too. She talks about how terrible and un-American socialism is than schedules another doctors visit and expensive MRI that will be paid for by Medicare. She also makes known her concerns about the future of social security just after stating that President Obama is going to ruin the country by promoting socialism. She still thinks that her SS contributions were invested so well by the federal government that her monthly check comes from something like a special never ending high yield private savings account.

But then a lot of Americans think that, not realizing that the US Treasury “borrowed” the SS trust fund’s money long ago to fund part of the government’s expenses. What is left in the trust fund is a big stack of IOU’s and new money that is paid out to old folks from younger folks contributions. Even the interest on US government’s borrowings is paid in IOU’s. I Hope the young suckers, err, that is good law abiding working folks, keep right on paying in to the world’s biggest Ponzi scheme. As a recent retiree I want my check too!

Perhaps we should look at setting new priorities as our economy enters a depression. Depressions tend to last a long time. Policing the world and dropping bombs on the people of third world nations is expensive. Now, those are issues worth protesting. But then keeping energy flowing in the right direction to keep our automobile centric lifestyle intact is a national priority as much for the Obama administration as it was for George W. Bush and his coharts. After all, as our leaders are quick to tell us, the American way of life is non negotiable. Unfortunately, neither is it substainible. If you stop to think about it you will see that it leaves us in a bit of a bind.

Anyhow, some pictures of protesters signs got me to thinking about some of the challenges we face as a nation. Be sure to closely look at the “NO” sign in the last picture. It will bring tears to your eyes – of laughter. No What?

At least some of the protesters who can’t think or spell are serving a good purpose. Everyone could use a good laugh during these hazy dog days of Summer. But keep your eyes out for the guys with no signs who are sporting loaded guns. What exactly are they protesting and how do they plan to carry out their protest, whatever it may be?

These days the secret service agents must be the most stressed out people in the world. Even though I realize that loaded guns are kept outside of the immediate “venue” the sight of multiple protesters milling around at these town hall events carrying at the ready to fire guns must be considered by the secret service and local police as at least a potential threat to the speakers.

I wonder if the gun carrying protesters ever think of the danger they are putting themselves in? One move considered as being overly aggressive could place their and innocent bystanders lives on the line. We can only hope that this protesting tactic fades away with the Summer’s heat before misfortune strikes.