What Purpose Does This Empire Serve?

[MrObama]

Run time: 06:49 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbQzqiejgtw   Posted on YouTube: September 04, 2010 By YouTube Member: MOXNEWSd0tCOM Views on YouTube: 309   Posted on DU: September 04, 2010 By DU Member: MrObama Views on DU: 1037

 

[Donnachaidh]

1. why wasn't this being asked during the Bush regime?

I find it ironic that Fox is *suddenly* asking questions that should have been asked when Bush was pushing to go into Iraq.

[DeSwiss]

2. Exactly.

- In fact, why not get Shrub on a video hookup and let him chime-in his answers to these questions. I'm sure the Baggerz KochSuckers would just luv to hear what he has to say.

[sasquuatch55]

8. Baggerz/ KochSuckers....Love it!

nt

[butterfly77]

3. Same thing with the rest//

of the issues,that are talked about in the media and on the net. Yes,somethings we have talked about for years but now everybody seems to be come from every damn place with every damn issue and they all want Obama to spend every damn minute on their issue.

Another thing is that many seem to try to ignore the bluedogs but now it is too late for this primary because many in the Democratic party are really bluedogs and they have been putting up more bluedogs to run against their partners the CONS.The Democratic party hasn't done shit and they don't give a damn about us they care about their own pockets.

[jwirr]

4. Keeps the world safe for multinational corporations to exploit the

people of the world.

[RKP5637]

6. Yep, that is the real answer and is consistently verifiable. n/t

[glitch]

11. and resources. Oh hell just say planet. nt

[Pharaoh]

5. Better Question is

Who does this Empire serve?

[jwirr]

7. Only the rich.

[florida08]

9. Manifest Destiny

3 themes were used to promote the expansion of the American Empire in the 19th century.

1. the virtue of the American people and their institutions;
2. the mission to spread these institutions, thereby redeeming and remaking the world in the image of the U.S;
3. the destiny under God to accomplish this work.

Thomas Paine wrote in Common Sense: We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand...

Many Americans agreed with Paine, and came to believe that the United States had embarked upon a special experiment in freedom and democracy—and a rejection of Old World monarchy in favor of republicanism—an innovation of world historical importance.

Lincoln opposed Southern sectionalism, anti-immigrant nativism, and the imperialism of Manifest Destiny as both unjust and unreasonable. He believed each of these disordered forms of love threatened the inseparable moral and fraternal bonds of liberty and Union that he sought to perpetuate through a patriotic love of country guided by wisdom and critical self-awareness.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifest_Destiny
---------------------------------------------
Definition of republicanism (in those days)It stresses liberty and rights as central values, makes the people as a whole sovereign, rejects inherited political power, expects citizens to be independent in their performance of civic duties, and vilifies corruption...

It is not the same as democracy(majority rule), for republicanism asserts that people have unalienable rights that cannot be voted away by a majority of voters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republicanism_in_the_United_States

What the hell happened?!

[florida08]

10. John Adams knew what was going on

Virtue vs. Commerce

The open question of the conflict between personal economic interest (grounded in Lockean liberalism) and classical republicanism, troubled Americans.

John Adams often pondered the issue of civic virtue. Writing Mercy Otis Warren in 1776, he agreed with the Greeks and the Romans, that, "Public Virtue cannot exist without private,.. and public Virtue is the only Foundation of Republics." Adams insisted, "There must be a positive Passion for the public good, the public Interest, Honour, Power, and Glory, established in the Minds of the People, or there can be no Republican Government, nor any real Liberty. And this public Passion must be Superior to all private Passions. Men must be ready, they must pride themselves, and be happy to sacrifice their private Pleasures, Passions, and Interests, nay their private Friendships and dearest connections, when they Stand in Competition with the Rights of society."

Adams worried that a businessman might have financial interests that conflicted with republican duty; indeed, he was especially suspicious of banks. He decided that history taught that "the Spirit of Commerce ... is incompatible with that purity of Heart, and Greatness of soul which is necessary for a happy Republic." But so much of that spirit of commerce had infected America. In New England, Adams noted, "even the Farmers and Tradesmen are addicted to Commerce." As a result, there was "a great Danger that a Republican Government would be very factious and turbulent there."<13>

[rexcat]

12. The minute the rethugs take over and start a new war...

he will be a hawk. What a f..king hypocrite.