>> ^shuac:

>> ^dannym3141:
...I would estimate that it is only within the lifespan of the oldest person on earth (less than, but whatever) that politics has become a dirty job...

Yes, because the senators of Rome were all squeaky clean.
And if you pull a "but that wasn't a democracy" shit on me, then I'll...I'll...I'll give you such a pinch!


For a given definition of dirty job. I think there's something particularly sinister about modern government as you might have gleaned

There's plenty of tyrants to speak of, but the modern way.. it's like being a tyrant without anyone knowing. They've managed to work their way up the system within the law and steal more money than they ever could outside of it. In the past, tyrants etc... it was a different world, harder to control. But i feel like they have a firm choke hold on everything now. Legally.

>> ^dannym3141:

...I would estimate that it is only within the lifespan of the oldest person on earth (less than, but whatever) that politics has become a dirty job...


Yes, because the senators of Rome were all squeaky clean.

And if you pull a "but that wasn't a democracy" shit on me, then I'll...I'll...I'll give you such a pinch!

That's not what progressive means, in this context. A progressive tax system is one where you pay a (progressively) higher rate when you have more income. What you have is a regressive tax system.

Do you happen to know what percentage of U.S. companies actually pay tax at the stated high rate? How does that compare to other countries? I know that quite a few of your companies weasel their way out of paying any tax at all, but I don't know how many overall manage this.

The ancient Roman empire also had social welfare, of a sort, increased after 122 B.C. See http://www.roman-empire.net/society/society.html for an overview. Then, as now, it was expensive to run.

The comparison is actually quite fair, except that in ancient Rome it was expected that wealthy citizens would give back to society and the idea of unbounded avarice as a virtue would have been quite foreign to them... so in a sense it's back to front.
>> ^Winstonfield_Pennypacker:

Not quite sure how comparing that to the US economy makes any sense. The US has the highest corporate tax rate on Planet Earth now. We have very high capital gains taxes (compared to global averages). Our income tax is so "Progressive" right now that the bottom 50% of taxpayers only pay 5% of the taxes. Over 75% of the Federal Government's 1.6 trillion dollar budget is dedicated to social programs for the poor.
Only way comparing it to the vid makes sense if if you contextualize it by stating that it is the GOVERNMENT that is deciding the screw the poor by the process of its own incredible incompetence, malfeasence, and mismanagement. Since only about 20 cents on the dollar comes 'out' of government versus what goes in, then yes - the U.S. Federal Government is entirely oriented around screwing the poor.
But of course, that's not what Prog-Lib-Dytes mean. To a leftist, the video means "tax breaks for the rich" ... (insert liberal talking point) et al.

Indeed, it was Hannibal's precise coordination (and his African cavalry) that allowed him to surround the Romans at Cannae, perhaps the first such manoeuvre in history (IANAH!). If he had capitalized on his early victories and marched on Rome after Cannae, he may well have taken the city. Instead he decided to dick around in southern Italy trying to convince the local tribes to join him, which gave Rome a chance to catch its breath...

"Their drills were bloodless battles, their battles were bloody drills"

What raised a smile from me about this video was the "checkerboard" formation, all I can say is that it speaks volumes from a bird's eye viewpoint in that Rome learned it's lesson from Hannibal Barca on August 2nd, 216 BC

Trivial fact:- More Roman soldiers died in one day at Cannae than American soldiers in the ENTIRE Vietnam war.

^Upvoted^

>> ^criticalthud:

This is one big reason:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=afghanistan-holds-enormous-bounty-of-rare-earths
rare earth.


I knew they has some sort of exploitable resource,but didn't know what. Usually its Oil,but that is nearly as good: some neccessity for keeping industry going and profits up.If America wants to be the New Rome and spread Pax Americana across the world,then they should follow the Roman idea through and kick back some of those spoils of war back to the homeland where all the cannon fodder comes from. Who will buy all this crap we import from China if noone has jobs? Greed will be their downfall,that and an embaressing short sightedness that hopefully won't doom the rest of us along with them.

>> ^obscenesimian:

Looks really crappy. Low budget and sort of weak.


Yeah, not at all weak and certainly not low budget. It's the most expensive series HBO has ever made to date having topped Rome which was their previous high mark.

I don't see anything too special except for the name value 'Paris' carries. It just seems like a person was testing out the slowmo featuer on his/her new HD camera. Nothing interesting is really happening or being shown.

You could have the same video of Rome, NYC, Berlin, London etc etc and it would pretty much be the same. Meh.

I'm a bit surprised something like this could come out of Fox.

A few things regarding his 'what ifs':

"What if elections don't matter? What if they just provided the populace with meaningless participation in a process that validates an establishment that never meaningfully changes"



This is exactly what Augustus did when he made himself the first emperor of Rome - elections that mean nothing. Many have seen the repeated parallels between the fall of the Roman Republic and what is currently happening in America; is this another parallel?

"What if the widely perceived differences between [the Republican and Democratic Parties] is just an illusion?"



From the perspective of non-Americans, this has been the idea for a long time. The Democratic party is America's left-of-center/liberal party, but when compared to even the conservative parties in other 'western' countries, it is right-wing/conservative. There really is no choice in American politics.

>> ^NetRunner:

>> ^ChaosEngine:
Out of interest, what was the answer (both Romneys and the correct one if different)?

There's nothing in the Constitution about contraception.
That said, the controlling SCTOUS decision (Griswold v. Connecticut) says that people have a right to privacy, which bars states from trying to enforce legislation against contraceptives.
The Romney answer was essentially "I have no fucking clue, why don't you tell me what the SCOTUS said?"
And I forget if Paul weighed in, but I'm sure he'd have said "The tenth amendment says states can do whatever they fucking want to anyone," if he said anything at all.


First we need to ask "what" the constitution is in the first place before we say what is "in" the constitution...nobody seems to know what it truly is. It is a document that limits the government's ability to impose force upon people (Or impose its will--however you want to look at it...)

You cannot take our free press; you cannot take our guns; you cannot allow us to be enslaved; you cannot torture or search without warrant. You cannot arrest or seize without due process. Etc.

If it is not prohibited, then it is allowed. Think of it like, oh, the Law, but in reverse. You cannot speed on the roads. You cannot rape or burn houses. You cannot commit fraud. However, you can swindle people if you are good and lawful about it. You can defend yourself against aggression.

In other words--Universal Health Care is just fine because it is not prohibited.

But this is a double edged sword because it leaves much not covered completely to the Federal Government and States with only the people to balance them out with their morality.

If the federal and state government both said Pot was legal--pot is legal. If they say alcohol is banned, it is banned. If they say contraceptives are prohibited, they are prohibited. Period. If they made rape legal, RAPE is LEGAL. We may not like that scary thought--but that's the power, that's the force of government, even in a democracy (Adolph Hitler and his followers would have agreed, so would Rome and many other democracies.)

Sadly, dumb fucks even say the constitution only applies to citizens...even though it really has nothing to do with "The people." It cannot apply to anyone because it only applies to the State...

Now, and this is where I detach and am not a blind fanboy of Ron Paul's, he get's the constitution ass-backwards... Still, I would take his broken views and make honest men out of politicians than to propagate the election of spineless bad-guys-finish-first shit bags.

>> ^Skeeve:

I think the big issue is that, now that Americans are waking up and realizing how "free" they actually are, the powers that be are acting quickly to cement their position at the top.
It brings to mind the rise and fall of the Roman Empire; the Republic was no more but Augustus let the people believe their votes meant something, let them think the republic still functioned until, after generations, the emperors were too entrenched to be removed without violence.
It may not be too late for America, but it's following a similar course.


Indeed, though, once you had Emperors at all, the dream of Rome was dead really. Most of the history of Rome that is lauded over was in the years of the Emperors; which means our death throws might be longer than one would expect.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Oh. Right. Move along then.>> ^Yogi:

>> ^dag:
Mind your ad homs please. >> ^Yogi:
>> ^dag:
Shhh. You'll attract the Blankfist. >> ^DerHasisttot:
Some private firefighting company will quench the fire after the puppies sign the lease of the house over to the company.


That guy is such a fucking moron he should go live with all the other pigeon ghosts.


But Can't you tell I'm Insane!??!

>> ^dag:

Mind your ad homs please. >> ^Yogi:
>> ^dag:
Shhh. You'll attract the Blankfist. >> ^DerHasisttot:
Some private firefighting company will quench the fire after the puppies sign the lease of the house over to the company.


That guy is such a fucking moron he should go live with all the other pigeon ghosts.



But Can't you tell I'm Insane!??!

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Mind your ad homs please. >> ^Yogi:

>> ^dag:
Shhh. You'll attract the Blankfist. >> ^DerHasisttot:
Some private firefighting company will quench the fire after the puppies sign the lease of the house over to the company.


That guy is such a fucking moron he should go live with all the other pigeon ghosts.

>> ^dag:

Shhh. You'll attract the Blankfist. >> ^DerHasisttot:
Some private firefighting company will quench the fire after the puppies sign the lease of the house over to the company.



That guy is such a fucking moron he should go live with all the other pigeon ghosts.