Pablo Escobar built more schools and hospitals than Henry Kissinger.

Eh, U-2s can fill in, if we still have a bunch of them. And inertial guidance is still pretty good. You don't have to be real accurate if you're tossing nuclear poo with multiple warheads. And drones that high up can network a pretty good distance.

What authoritarian?? You're welcome to display yourself as you wish. I would prefer that you're playing a caricature of the goofs out there.

You know you're right? The world still loves America. Tourism is way up. Business is good, where it counts. There's lots of money flowing. But it all happens over our heads. That trickle down is literally a trickle.

To me this is Obama saying, "Can't touch this".. And he's right. All the loons have completely debased any criticism. Coincidence?

...before 9/11 the NSA was basically barred from operating domestically...

That's assuming they ever abide by any rules... I would lay odds that was never the case. Hell, the Constitution wasn't seven years old when the Aliens and Sedition Act was imposed. What have we learned? That we repeat mistakes totally unawares. Then we "unlearn" it during the next hysterical "crisis".

We're cheerfully shackling unborn generations with a lousy economy...

Nonsense. If they grow any balls, they'll zero the books and start fresh. The"economy" is bullshit. Slavery is for real. The unborn better learn which is which and form a government that is not subservient to pirates.

And you shouldn't let the government define liberty. That is what you are doing when you base it on a 200 year old document written by aristocrats. The ink wasn't even dry before the authorities ripped it to shreds anyway.

I flatter myself that, as a matter of Christian faith, if this counter-factual were true, I'd've been amongst the abolitionists.

I highly doubt that. You are a follower of the culture you are in. You wouldn't have noticed the difference. Don't try to apply your present day experiences to that time period. Things don't work that way. I don't see you swimming against the stream at all. You certainly aren't now. Today you are serving the empire. You are following a radical Baptist sect, not the Christian faith. Yesterday's abolitionists are today's occupy. They are treated roughly the same.

Even then, it's still cheaper for me, and cheaper for most if they count the time lost doing extra paperwork that should be the damn bureaucrat's responsibility.

I've told you that I'm for liberty, on federal Constitutional issues.

  I wish you were around in the early 1800s. That would put you in favor of slavery as a matter of property rights. Prohibition (and the present one is far from constitutional, but it's no better when the states do it) is very similar, prison being the new slavery that it is. Arguing states rights puts you right into that camp. Qualifying liberty the way you do means you're not for liberty, except for some. You remain in favor of privilege. Try being for what's right, not for what's constitutional.

Would I not be taking the liberty from the residents of the other 56 states if I forced them to adhere to MY definition of liberty?

Heh, that's how MH42 likes to frame it also. You have a right to your liberties even if others find them morally offensive. They have no right to sanction you for it. Neither you or the state have the right to meddle with those who cause no harm to others. You must show evidence before you even attempt it.

If they don't lend the money, the US will just go in and take it, like they do for other resources they want.

It's cheaper, and you're better off just paying the fine, and wait until we get medicare for all.

Like I said, you refuse to deal with the direct, very simple question at hand that only requires a simple yes or no, nothing more.. You have not connected any dots at all, and your obfuscation does not impress. It only confirms that you are not for liberty.

Therefore, no country would be able to just print money to buy new resources.

With a strong enough military they can. That is what backs up one's currency. And that is why the US still dominates that market. That is why it is at war with the Middle East. Lead is much more persuasive than gold.

You can't piss them off too much or they'll leave you without money once you spent everything they already gave you.

That's where military intervention comes in... I mean, "liberation" from those dirty commies. Send in the drones... It will be interesting to see if the US can defeat a real army.

Besides, it doesn't matter. If the US doesn't want to pay the "debt", who has the power to force them? The whole thing is so phony, nothing more than something to fill time on the TV news to keep our minds off our stolen pensions.

Can we, you know, *learn* from that?

Yes, that's why we have to demand Medicare for all, unconditionally. Flash a card, get fixed, less paperwork, boom, done. It can be very simple and much better for everybody... except the Wall Street crowd and the government bureaucrats who make rules to justify their existence. People can still buy their own insurance if they want more channels on the cable TV in their rooms. We will all be much prosperous for it.