Times have changed........

[nomosendero]

And what happened to that culture & that World Power?

Well, let's see: after about five hundred or so years as the dominant power in the area, it started a decline. However, because of its strength and vitality, we still read the classics today. Right up to the first few centuries after Christ, Greek was a common tongue for the area and was the language of the New Testament because everyone could speak Greek. 1000 years as a force in the neighborhood? Not bad.

Rome? Well, using Plutarch's somewhat apocryphal dating for its foundation until the last remnant of the Roman Empire was taken by the Ottoman Turks took just over 2000 years. Not a bad record as well. They gave us religion, law, medicine, and a second common language throughout the region which, somewhat modified, is still spoken in many countries today.

When we reach those milestones, then we'll have something to talk about, won't we?

All cultures rise and fall. If you look, the quote I gave was from 400 or so BC. It took another 500 years for Greece to lose influence in the area. Maybe things were not so bad as Plato thought?

Yes, they had a good run, I never said it was short, but the point remains & of course influence & World Power are two different things. And of course it is a no brainer that World powers as huge & dominate as Greece & Rome would not topple quick, but they did & moral decay had a hand as anyone can see. Other World powers who di not make such a get so entrenched fell faster & easier, but for the same reasons. The same could be said for us as far as predicting when we will fall. It may look like we are going downhill fast, but maybe not, I and no one else here are Prophets. We may teeter for awhile, but I suspect in this much faster paced World it won't take as long. Yes, the World powers fall & we know why, it is moral decay & collaspe/weakness from within that will allow our enemies to finish the job. The comparison remains valid regardless of an
unknown timeframe.

[nomosendero]

Actually, the Socialist Democraps are up to their eyeballs in Corporate prostitution now, both parties do plenty of that. And look at the big money prostitutes in the looney left like Soros. Then of course the Hollywood fruitcakes & big labor, yea, all big bucks. This old idea of the Socialist Democraps being for the "working man" is lunacy!!!

I agree that the Libertarians or Moonies for that matter would be better than the Socialist Democraps, but I looked into that party & they are way too left for me, but to each his own & they deserve a shot anyway. I would like to see the Constitution Party or as they are called here in AR the Tax Payers party get a shot too, but I don't see it happening.

Nabob, maybe we both will have a chance to vote for people & a party that we would be proud of, different though they may be,
but with the current structure, it will be most difficult.

[nabob]

Yes, the World powers fall & we know why, it is moral decay & collaspe/weakness from within that will allow our enemies to finish the job. The comparison remains valid regardless of an unknown timeframe.

When Plato was speaking about how things are in such decline, it still took over 500 years for Greece to be supplanted as the power in the Mediterranean and another few centuries after that before Greece was completely out of the scene.

The point is that every generation talks about how things are so much worse than they were "back in the day" but if we are on a nearly millennium time frame, as Greece shows or a two millennium time frame as Rome shows, maybe things are not quite as bad as we think. I'd like to think so, anyway. I sure hope things aren't as bad as they seem!! Just a bit of historical perspective on an age old complaint that, it seems, each generation has made at one time or another. I don't disagree that moral decay is the root of both culture's decline.

I sure do hope that at some time in my life, I'll be able to vote for a party that fields a candidate that I can be proud of but like you, I doubt it would happen. I'd be glad to vote for the Constitution Party candidate but realistically, I know the chances of such a person leading a government are slim and none. Too much money and power wrapped up in the two party system and people who vote "strategically" - against the party they would least like to see running things. I don't know if there is anything that can be done about it. Kinda depressing.

[nomosendero]

Yes, the World powers fall & we know why, it is moral decay & collaspe/weakness from within that will allow our enemies to finish the job. The comparison remains valid regardless of an unknown timeframe.

When Plato was speaking about how things are in such decline, it still took over 500 years for Greece to be supplanted as the power in the Mediterranean and another few centuries after that before Greece was completely out of the scene.

The point is that every generation talks about how things are so much worse than they were "back in the day" but if we are on a nearly millennium time frame, as Greece shows or a two millennium time frame as Rome shows, maybe things are not quite as bad as we think. I'd like to think so, anyway. I sure hope things aren't as bad as they seem!! Just a bit of historical perspective on an age old complaint that, it seems, each generation has made at one time or another. I don't disagree that moral decay is the root of both culture's decline.

I sure do hope that at some time in my life, I'll be able to vote for a party that fields a candidate that I can be proud of but like you, I doubt it would happen. I'd be glad to vote for the Constitution Party candidate but realistically, I know the chances of such a person leading a government are slim and none. Too much money and power wrapped up in the two party system and people who vote "strategically" - against the party they would least like to see running things. I don't know if there is anything that can be done about it. Kinda depressing.

Indeed on both counts!!!

[buffermop]

Damn the video games. It all started with PacMan and now look at what we got to poison our young minds.

[jh45gun]

Yes Nabob in a lot of cases some folks have no idea what is going on when voting. Wnat is worse a lot of the election board workers are not too swift either.

[beemanbeme]

Just like xxx monkeys pounding on typewriters will write Shakespear.  The more voters, ill informed or otherwise, the better.  As it is now, so few people vote (despite what the pols say, that's the way they like it) that all a pol has to do is suck up to a couple of special interest or single issue groups and they are elected.
I think voting should be mandatory!  And I think campaigning, prelims and all, could not begin before say 6 months before the elections.

[powderman]

Our county had only a 51% turnout. The Sheriffs race was decided over one vote, ONE vote, out of about 8,500 cast. My wife and I differed on whose vote tied it, and who broke ithe tie. POWDERMAN. POWDERMAN.