Do we want to be like Mexico?

POSTED BY: SignyM
UPDATED: Tuesday, August 11, 2026 19:35
VIEWED: 5399
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Originally posted by BlueHandedMenace:
Al Franken had one of the best analogies I've ever seen on how the right and left each "love" America.

The right loves America like a three year old loves their mommy. Everything that mommy does is great, and anybody who doesn't like mommy is wrong!

The left love America like an adult loves their spouse. With a respect for the qualitites, but also an understanding of the faults, and a desire to help the one they love improve, by trying to improve on the faults.

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That is an amusing quote, but not really profound or accurate. It compares the worst examples of the right to the best examples of the left. (I also think it's a bit over optimistic of the left, but I do love that attitude.)

What's more arrogant, believing America got it right with the Bill of Rights or believing you could do better? That's a trick question, those attitudes are both dangerous unchecked. Of course I think we should always strive for improvement, but we ought to be careful and think about it. 'Could be the solutions we're looking for already exist without the need for additional legistlation.

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The "left" that wants us all to live off the tit of government is the "spouse"?

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Kane, you and Rap have both made the mistake of substituting the word 'government' for 'America'. Let's substitute the right word back:

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Al Franken had one of the best analogies I've ever seen on how the right and left each "love" America.

The right loves America like a three year old loves their mommy. Everything that mommy does is great, and anybody who doesn't like mommy is wrong!

The left love America like an adult loves their spouse. With a respect for the qualitites, but also an understanding of the faults, and a desire to help the one they love improve, by trying to improve on the faults.

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There's some truth in it, I would say. It undoubtedly flatters the left, and I don't think it perfectly nails either mentality (there are more than two, for a start); but it's a decent quote.

It's not personal. It's just war.

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What's more arrogant, believing America got it right with the Bill of Rights or believing you could do better? That's a trick question, those attitudes are both dangerous unchecked.

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Well said.

It's not personal. It's just war.

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story, niki , and anyone else who continues to ramble off the path , into the thicket and over the cliff....

I'm here, standing in my original spot, still waiting to hear exactly why anyone thinks we're destined to be like Mexico.

While it's sorta funny to see the lot of you ramble on and toss about insults which have absolutely nothing to do/ the issue here, it's also sad.

But, you folks tend to get worked up over things which you know nothing about, so hope that works out for ya.



KPO

With regard to what Stuart Smalley said about America....so what ? That's an entirely separate issue to the one which was originally posted. Sure, there are ties to American exceptionalism, but I'd say that's secondary to the specific issue.

And also, the Left doesn't distinguish between Government and America. The Right does.


" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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And also, the Left doesn't distinguish between Government and America. The Right does.

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Not in this thread apparently

It's not personal. It's just war.

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Originally posted by kpo:

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And also, the Left doesn't distinguish between Government and America. The Right does.

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Except in this thread

It's not personal. It's just war.

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No, except never.


" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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With regard to what Stuart Smalley said about America....so what ? That's an entirely separate issue to the one which was originally posted.

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I'm not going to say America is going to end up like Mexico; that's pretty radical in my book, barring something like nuclear terrorism.

It's not personal. It's just war.

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Originally posted by kpo:

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With regard to what Stuart Smalley said about America....so what ? That's an entirely separate issue to the one which was originally posted.

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I'm not going to say America is going to end up like Mexico; that's pretty radical in my book, barring something like nuclear terrorism.

It's not personal. It's just war.

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Well, ok then. We agree on something.


Sig here stated we're headed that way. I merely asked for clarification. All I can say is, w/ what was posted, I think the Nov elections were a great 1st step to ensuring those fears never come to pass.


" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Sig cited

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Lots of really poor people. A few very very wealthy. No services. A culture of thievery, and corruption up the wazoo.

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as things which already exist in America and are worse in Mexico, asking if we really wanted to go that way. Although I’d have said “decrepit infrastructure” rather than “no services”, myself.

Story, you did kinda give him the ammunition by saying “Isn't it awesome how he proves our point without even realizing it?”, you know. I know what you meant, and it was HE who provided the proof, but it’s a grey area to me to say that you didn’t claim to prove anything. Just sayin’.

Rap, It was obvious from your first query, and prior knowledge of you, what you response to the initial question would be. And you did not disappoint.

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You, as well as all, should have learned what makes the United States special, long ago.

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That illustrates precisely the “mommy is wonderful” mentality that’s been mentioned, and no matter how long a thread like this goes up, there will, I don’t doubt, NEVER be any recognition on your part that America is anything BUT “special” and perfect. Or at least he America you believe in—the one that wants to go back a hundred years.

Blue, you’re right about the quote. While I enjoy it, I would call it a “caricature“, or “stereotype”, of both sides. Kind of like Kane’s pathetic

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The "left" that wants us all to live off the tit of government is the "spouse"?

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except that it’s somewhat more accurate as a generalization than Kane’s, which is just the usual inane politispeak, in my opinion. Nonetheless, you’re right Happy, in that

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compares the worst examples of the right to the best examples of the left.

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I like it, because there is enough truth in it, insofar as “the right wants to defend the status quo, while the left wants to work toward change for the better”, but I recognize it’s no more accurate in truth than Raptor’s “the Left doesn't distinguish between Government and America. The Right does.”

And yes, absolutely,

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those attitudes are both dangerous unchecked

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Something we often forget, on both left and right. “All things in moderation” as the saying goes.

Rap, I’ll answer your question

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I'm here, standing in my original spot, still waiting to hear exactly why anyone thinks we're destined to be like Mexico

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Check out the thread about the American empire...it’s all there. Those are the things we see which are leading to a decline in this country. We’re not “destined” to be anything, but thus far our leaders haven’t learned from history, and we’ve been to complacent to change the course of this country (if it could have been changed; if all empires are fated to die anyway---which I think may be true). At the present time we have many of the problems Mexico does, and they’re increasing...ergo the comparison.

On the other hand: worked up? Is anyone here worked up? Did I miss something? The only vehement one has been you, others of us have just been laughing and snarking at how your mentality seems to refuse to accept that there our “empire” is on the brink of collapse, and that we are not so “special” that we can’t fall like every other. It’s an illustration of “my country is always right”, the mommy syndrome, which we found telling...and amusing.

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Sig here stated we're headed that way. I merely asked for clarification. All I can say is, w/ what was posted, I think the Nov elections were a great 1st step to ensuring those fears never come to pass.

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Sig stated no such thing, she said “we're doing everything we can to head in that direction”. By interpreting it the way YOU did, you’re claiming we haven’t got

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Lots of really poor people. A few very very wealthy. No services. A culture of thievery, and corruption up the wazoo

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or else that having those things, and seeing them increase, we’re not in danger of becoming something less than what we were, headed for almost third-world status. I’m glad you think we’re doing

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