Slideman:
You wrote:
"The politicians want to continue to leech. They make up smooth BS to keep the great middle slaving for them.
The court advisors (gov't school professors) want to continue leeching. They make up nice numbers and theories supporting the ruling elite - and their own full tummies.
The welfare/social security recipients wanna continue leeching. They chant "Amen" to the above.
The great middle doesn't wanna be cast out unprotected, so they do as told, believe all, deny truth, etc.
The palace guard is happy to kick, shoot, stomp and otherwise abuse as long as they are granted license and given an occasionaly shiny medal."
The extent to which the Gov. (Fed, State, County, Local) has come to dominate our nation is daunting. So your above quoted concerns seem likely, in large, to occur. I do differ on the rapidity, or rate of TSHTF's manifestation and the nature of the participants if it does occur. I believe that TSHTF will develop much slower that many on this Forum seem inclined to believe. It is not that I disagree with the fundamental forces causing this entropic dissolution of civil liberties. Rather I believe it is the complexity of the US and global economy/social/economic structure that will cause a rather long slide. If I am correct, the speed, that is to say a slower one, would likely alter the construct of our social and political environment resulting from "the crash". A growing awareness of Gov. greed and criminality works against their end game. I am aware that Ron Paul has expressed grave concern about the rate, aka damn fast, in which this change is currently occurring. I take that warning with heed and do not permit my preparations to be lulled into complacency by my own thoughts on the dynamics of timing.
The following is an expression of which you might be familiar. It goes, "Markets can remain irrational much longer than most investors can remain solvent". I tend to believe that the forces of power, aka Wizards of the Universe, who control finance, monetary policy and the choices of where the next war(s) will be fought (Google Samuel Prescott Bush), will prolong their grip on the wasting of our patrimony and the burying of our Republic until the last digestable drop of our sweat and tears has been drunk. While to us, the "dis-integration" of our nation/culture appears dire and in imminent collapse, the current bump (last 8-10 years of the Federal Gov. & teh FRB) induced by the gorging of hogs at the trough has been caused by "one of their kind" getting a little carried away with a more than accommodative Congress.
If I am correct, and some time remains (3-8 years at least) before the dissolution of our sovereign nation status is formally offered up to the International Socialists, then time may be on our side. Complacency will not breed an informed People, pain will. The zealousness with which the boiling water has been raised may exceed the tolerance of many of the People. I see this every day, in small ways but growing in frequency. The Wizards have faulted on the side of excess and too many people are now aware of their nature and intent.
I have chosen a small community as my gulch. I believe that we are in large part, a Nation of small communities out of which long range change (reversion) can be accomplished. Last Christmas at a family get together, two distant cousins of mine, one a retired electrician from Chicago and the other, a retired AF E-8, talked openly about the seriousness of our current conditions and the value of gold. Two years ago a local Republican Party Precinct Chairman in my community was unaware that the FRB is a private Cartel sticking it to the American People. He is now stuck, he can't go back, he knows the truth, or at least part of the truth and he is an activist.
I share JJ's view regarding the underlying support of Constitutional law by many in our military. I do not mean to say all, or for that matter most. But enough to make it difficult, and perhaps impossible, for the Wizards to call on them to betray their oaths and core beliefs. The Demographic that supported Ron Paul is very close to a military demographic, meaning young and idealistic and constitutionally patriotic.
I was not in the military but over the last few years had the opportunity to work on projects for military personnel (Army, Navy & Air Force). I was encouraged by their strength and sense of loyalty to our Republic. Unlike a foreign war where the bad guy seems "clear", the broad support of an assault on the rights of US citizens seems unlikely to me. The Nazis were clever in their plan's execution in that they chipped away at societies weak spots, European Jews and others. "They" were different and so persecution (really economic exploitation) could take place with the general society choosing to ignore "them" being taken away. It is a very different matter to face your citizens as an armed enforcer than it is to face an "enemy".
Today, the Nation's industrial/civil/ community infrastructure is so vast and dispersed, were the Wizards to come after segments of the population, they would need all hands just to observe and protect the infrastructure from attacks by rebellious citizenry and IMO, would not be able to do so. No, I believe they must keep us as frogs, slowly boiling, till their end game can take place. But the genie is out, the Gordian knot will be untied and the money that has formed the basis of their power and abuse will shrivel and die.
Along the way, I do think there will be pockets of difficulty along the way that will be harbingers. Specific areas will be "hit" like Watts and Detroit in the 60's providing a look see into the MO's that will be preferred. Look for Gov. "relief", aka inflation ala more Katrinas, as the salve with promises of change, responsible Gov. and more salve. When the salve no longer eases the irritant, look for real change. If I am correct, this time will work against them as those of us out of the pot will find it easier to assist those that are still in.
I admit, I am an optimist, actually a Planner, who has always looked to the future so I may be wrong about my timing view.
Anyway, on a lighter note, can anyone offer an opinion of whether an A-3 or an A-4 is a more versatile in the event I am overly optimistic?
Thanks for asking a valuable question.
BR/DS
INTJ