The die is cast...

[bergall]

It is said that there is a life cycle for all nations:

1. from bondage to spiritual faith;
2. from spiritual faith to great courage;
3. from courage to liberty;
4. from liberty to abundance;
5. from abundance to complacency;
6. from complacency to apathy;
7. from apathy to dependence;
8. from dependence back into bondage.

Certainly we emerged from bondage in the 1770's and 1780's.
We became uncannily courageous from the late 18th century
into the late 19th century; we explored this vast wilderness and conquored it and defeated all comers who sought to thwart our manifest destiny. Our love of liberty developed this into a great nation on the world stage thru business, wealth, military prowess, and adherence to our founding principles. These qualities carried us thru 2 world wars and Korea. Coming home from the European and Pacific theatres of operations, we were still in a wartime economy and enjoyed the abundance of manufacturing jobs,
a vibrant business in international trade, material posessions, and the ability to realize our potentials as providers, embarking on a qualitiy of life unmatched in the civilized world. But people get complascent when the living is easy, or when assistance can be had without too much effort. Certainly, in the 70's 80's and 90's, the voter turnouts at elections were indicative of people's disinterest in the governance of their country, as long as they could be fat dumb and happy. This 'disinterest' descended into apathy, where people could not tell you who represented them in D.C., they expected their checks every week or twice a month and cared nothing else except that which affected them immediately and directly.

In 2008, we 'officially' entered into the 'from apathy to dependence' state. It was not a literal choice to be sure, but this nation of apathetic, disinterested people voted in a government which promised to do all things for all people. Times were tough...people were TIRED of the daily, day-to-day struggles of life and wanted to be taken care of by the government. Their corporations were taken over by the government, private business was regulated and salaries capped, and bonuses discontinued. We now give as much money BACK to the government as we are allowed to keep after the fruits of our labor have been realized; this under the guise of doing one's fair share. Money is being redistributed (some say stolen) from those who work for it, to those who just want it and are prodding government with their hands out and their mouths open. We have reached the 'dependence' stage, or are precipitously close to the brink, where companies which cannot fail are bailed out, where personal irresponsibility and incorrigibility are rewarded with low-rate adjustable mortgage loans, where the government (via taxpayer funded mandates) provides health care and in so doing takes over the medical practices of millions of doctors and nurses and determines who lives, dies, what may be consumed for optimal health-care dollar value. We are just a short hop from 'dependence', completely. We can turn back the plunge but for how long ? Our own system bears the seeds of our own destruction because surely when we are allowed to indulge ourselves in class warfare and race-based preferential treatment, when we may vote ourselves largesse from the public treasury and a large segment of the population is unaware of the source of that largesse, can we endure ? There are those among us already raising the hue and cry warning of impending bondage once again, by a corrupt and power-grabbing government which is allowed to persue it's goals against it's own people thru the use of police, military, and the government elected by the very people who stand to be subjugated.

Are those 8 'laws' immutable and incorruptible or can they be
'changed' if we decide to keep this republic ?

[NCOutdoors]

Originally Posted by bergall

Are those 8 'laws' immutable and incorruptible or can they be
'changed' if we decide to keep this republic ?

I think we're on track to complete all eight. What is to stop us? Other than a small percentage of people (like many on this forum) who believe that government dependence will slowly strangle the country, most people in this country are completely ignorant of the danger. We're witnessing the economic collapse of countries in Europe and will follow suit.

[RobertSubnet]

We're witnessing the economic collapse of countries in Europe and will follow suit.

Not to sound like a survivalist nut case, but keep the freezer full of meat and a stock pile of ammo. If there is an economic collapse, some pretty unpleasant things are bound to happen.

[sachiko]

Originally Posted by RobertSubnet

Not to sound like a survivalist nut case, but keep the freezer full of meat and a stock pile of ammo. If there is an economic collapse, some pretty unpleasant things are bound to happen.

A freezer full of meat might not be of much value in a general collapse of our civilization. I would put more stock in developing the ability to survive in a very thinly populated area, like Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and a plan for getting there.

Viewing footage of the riots and looting after partial break downs of the social order tells me that you want to get yourself and your family as far from urban centers as possible.

[RobertSubnet]

you want to get yourself and your family as far from urban centers as possible.

Yes that is also true

[bergall]

a freezer full of meat will rot when they cut the power....JERKY however, has a much greater shelf-life. A bunch'a MRE's will help as well.....there will be LOTS of folks foraging over the countryside for livestock, wildlife, horses, etc. Civilization is a thin veil covering our base tendencies and you WILL need extra ammo....

[Knightia]

Need even more -extra even? And fuel, water etc?

Good post.

Im stayin home... to much to carry...

I think i been desiring & trying to get as far far away from all urban centers a long long time now. Could still be a lil further out - but not to much- if we where there be only 2 of us- and a lot of nothin.


Did i ever mention - i never said i wasnt paranoid *& or anti social?

[Knightia]

Cattle & cow pies( lotsa speedy goats & rodents and various other eatable critters) across the lil back road & in the back yard- low mtns to- to the south- the side with the most windows into the semi underground- semibunker- i mean our house

2 frezzers full of this & that - enough cans to build a mini great wall, a few creeks, ponds & a river within a mile.

[hillbillyhunter1]

a freezer full of meat will rot when they cut the power....

Jerky would do, as you state. Also, I'd recommend canned (just like with garden vegetables, etc) meat. It has a very long shelf life and is very delicious.

[bergall]

Originally Posted by hillbillyhunter1

Jerky would do, as you state. Also, I'd recommend canned (just like with garden vegetables, etc) meat. It has a very long shelf life and is very delicious.

Canned stuff....yes....I remember some 'institutional' sized cans of spam in my mother's house when I was a kid....that stuff lasts forever and it ain't half bad with powdered eggs and day-old bread with the guv'mint cheese. (I kid you not).

But the point is, that things get pretty basic when the power's cut and the supply lines are interrupted. A swimming pool can be a bathtub or a 40,000 gallon personal reservoir that needs defending. This all seems quite farfetched, until you go back into recent history to see how we descend into barbarity and savagery when the chips are down; New Orleans after Katrina and Los Angeles after the Rodney King incident are 2 prime examples. What we call civilization is just a thin veneer... Stockpile those bullets too...they'll help you defend what you got.