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Old August 8th 17, 07:33 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Peter W.
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Posts: 22
Default Hard-core feral softening up after 10 years

On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican.

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.

The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.

H.L. Mencken

We are all born ignorant, but we must work hard to remain stupid.

Ben Franklin

No, you are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.

Harlan Ellison

Keep in mind the WE THE PEOPLE (at least here in the US) are 100% responsible for our condition and the government we have at every level. We vote for them time, after time, after time, after time. And it is *OUR* elected officials that make every decision - purportedly in our name - as it affects our life every minute of every day.

With that in mind:

This country has a long and illustrious history of electing corrupt, ignorant, stupid or simply inept politicians to high office, starting all the way back with Ulysses S. Grant, Warren Harding, Herbert Hoover, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, G.W. Bush, to name just a few. Donald Trump is at home in that crowd at any of several levels.

Lastly, keep in mind that the Average American:

Does not have a college education, including an Associate Degree (60%).
Does not have a passport (64%).
Speaks one language – badly (74%).
Has never traveled voluntarily more than 200 miles from his/her birthplace (57%).
Has never visited a foreign country, not even Mexico or Canada (71%).
Cannot name the Speaker of the House, even today (82%)
Cannot name the three branches of government (64%)
Cannot read at a college level (83%)
Cannot read for content (54%).
60% of American Households do not buy any book in a year.
Does not believe in Evolution (42% creationism, 32% evolution, 26% no opinion).
Only 71.2% of eligible voters are registered.
Only 57.9% of registered voters voted in 2012.
Meaning that the average American eligible to vote does not vote (only 41.5% net). Not much changed in early statistics for 2016, although the change was to greater participation (48%). The Average American still does not vote.

And you think that our government is anything other than exactly what we deserve, doing exactly what we should expect it to do based on what we tell it (and allow) it to do?

This has not one damned thing to do with party, democrat, republican, libertarian, communist, green, whatever. It has to do with massive, systemic and deliberate neglect, and industrial-grade stupidity mixed equally with mil.Spec. ignorance.

Like some few Americans, I have lived and worked as a civilian in another culture vastly different from here - and I have seen how Americans are perceived in other parts of the world. You might be surprised how easily it is for other cultures to separate Americans (whom they largely respect and admire) from American Culture (continuous amazement, mixed with a varying amounts of jealousy and horror) and the American Government (poorly understood, largely disliked - much as here). Would that Americans had the same ability to separate the individual and sub-group from the various other parts and pieces of the entirety in other cultures and regions.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA