does this ring alarm bells for anyone?

Question

First of all I’m an Australian, but I pay a lot of attention to American politics. This is basically because Australian politics is pretty boring, has little or no influence on the world and we generally end up doing what America tells us to do in relation to current world events anyway. While watching the current election process I noticed the great division within the American political system. Initially I thought Australian politics was bad, but like always America seems to take it to that next level. There seems to be such a huge influence on this, “us and them mentality”, fueled by character assassinations, labeling and playing the blame game. The current situation in American society reminds me of this quote said by William Durant a famous American philosopher.
“A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within. The essential causes of Rome's decline lay in her people, her morals, her class struggle, her failing trade, her bureaucratic despotism, her stifling taxes, her consuming wars”
Does this quote ring any alarm bells for anyone or is it just business as usual?

im watching fox news right now

Answer 1

Left and right have always been polarized and our current situation has only exaggerated the division.

Just bear in mind that the right is almost always right and you'll never be confused.

EDIT: What does scare me however, is the fact that so many posters to your question do not fully realize that the democrat party is actually attempting to convert our whole political system - one baby step at a time.

This week, it's Hillary and Obama protesting traditional symbols of patriotism by placing the American flag on the non-PC list.

Next year, our very borders will fall into question.

It is the left's obvious slithering moves toward socialism and globalism that are causing the right to sit up straight and really, it should have been readily recognized long ago - when Carter was in office and then, even more so when Clinton took hold.

It is these sorts of liberal icons that are placing our way of life and all our liberties in jeopardy and the supporters of these politicians are not even aware of it.

- that is scary......

Edit #2 -

The answer below mine is a great example of the left's dissemination of misinformation and slander against this president.

Gay marriage had never been socially accepted in this country. This is not something new.

Abortion has not been banned and while Bush may speak out against it, as is he right, he has not attempted to ban it.

Flag burning has not been banned and is no more of an issue than ever.

School prayer has not been made mandatory and is in fact still illegal. It is the left who is in fact trying to rid the schools of their right to lead our children in saying the Pledge - as evidenced by bills currently before congress.

Euthanasia has always been illegal and never been supported.

The war effort in Iraq had nothing to do with religion and to say that it is is an attempt to extrapolate upon, twist and slur some obscure quote made by Bush at some point or another about his personal feelings - which he is entitled to.

However, he is NOT a man diluted by religious biases, as so many would have him portrayed and persecuting him in for his personal beliefs is the height of hypocrisy and intolerance.

Pretty sad to see so many lefties stand up and openly distort the truth with so much confidence.

Answer 2

Hello to an Aussie ally. Good question and I'm glad you are a keen follower of our politics.

Republicans and Democrats have always had their differences of opinion since time and memorial, but never has it been more polarized then when Bush Jr. took office in 2000. He has been the sole reason our country is so divided right now. He is the first president we ever had to wear religion (Christianity only) on his sleeve in his policy making and try to push through extremist positions and his opposition to freedom of expression. Examples, banning gay marriage, banning a woman's right to choose, banning flag burning, making school prayer mandatory, interfering in difficult family decisions for euthanasia of a loved one. And of course the most extremist position, starting a crusade of nation building to conform to our way of life and religion (Hence the toppling of Afghanistan, Iraq and possibly soon to be Iran.) That hawkish belief and using God in his decision making is what started a new Republican sub-division to be formed. They are called "neocons" (the new conservatives). They believe that our way of life needs to be forced into other countries that are ruled by extremist religion, that Christianity is the one and only true religion, and that cultural differences cannot be tolerated in this country.

Now we have a war between these Neocons, democrats and Constitutional purists. Even worse, old school Republicans are fighting internally with the Neocons and is causing a separate divide. It is one big mess right now and more than ever we need a president that can unify us once again like Roosevelt, JFK and Reagan.

Answer 3

yes it does ring alarm bells... the problem is, too many people don't know what to believe anymore in terms of what is going on with our country, and they have grown apathetic towards the whole idea of politics. And we believe more and more that the ultra left- and right-wing people are speaking the truth because they're the loudest.

We need to relearn to be bipartisan and we need to relearn the position of compromise. Not one party bending over backwards in order to reach an agreement with the other one though...

Answer 4

We have two political parties here and neither party represents the majority of Americans. Our governments and the government controlled media, have been doing everything possible to keep the majority of Americans afraid to even speak to each other. Globalism is destroying our sovereignty, just as it is destroying every other nation on earth. We are entering a period when governments and nations are becoming little more than a public relations ploy. Globalism is the pursuit of a single world government. Feudalism is the future of mankind.

Answer 5

Don't let what you see or hear on the news fool you. America and the American spirit is just fine. You may see the bashing going on between the right and the left, but the majority of Americans are moderates, and they are a lot smarter than politicians and political pundits think they are.

Answer 6

that's what happens in the "free market of Ideas". People will disagree Politics in America has always been like this. even the founding fathers were subject to mud slinging. Most American citizens are passionate about their country that has given them a voice to speak out.

Answer 7

Y E S!! There are Americans who will not acknowledge that the USA has enemies who want to destroy this country, just like the Nazis during
WWII and as did the old Soviet Union!!

Answer 8

I do think alarm bells have been going off for quite some time . . . but no one can seem to agree on what the problem is . . . they all just know that it's not THEIR fault. It's blind selfishness with no sense of "the good of the cause"

Answer 9

Sure it does.

But the vast majority of Americans have no interest in anything other than the latest cellphone,and what Britney Spears is doing.
They have no idea of the precipice we sit on the edge of,and if they did,could care less.

Answer 10

When I hear "adults" yelling & cussing at lil kids! They normally hear my alarm "go off loudly"