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From: b645zaw@utarlg.uta.edu (General Boycott)
Subject: Re: Death of America
Summary: Just because it's animate, doesn't mean it lives
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41
Keywords: Zombo Vamp Roboid Borg Gore
Organization: The University of Texas at Arlington

>Assuming such central control methods were able to persist very long
>you'd be right. I'm fascinated with just how short-lived the Soviet
>Union was in comparison with other "empires," thinking in 100 to 500
>year typical `life-spans.' USSR: lets just round off and say 75 years.


        I'm not so sure on this one.

        I have an interesting book here, which shows a high
  correlation between government debt and government change in
  South America, during the 1930s and 1980s.  Extremely interesting.

        The years 1930-1934 saw a majority change in governments,
  from democratic to dictatorship.  1982-1987 saw another widespread
  change, from dictatorships to democracies.  There's a high correlation
  to the *amount* of government debt.

        The higher the debt, the  better your chances of getting
   a new boss when it busts.  I'd put the U.S. in about the .7
   range of getting a new boss soon.


>borrowing. Kinda like being on drugs. At least 43 million Americans
>believe this can continue. I'm asserting the nation has overdosed,
>couldn't stop credit-spending if it wanted to, is running rampant like
>a crazed-addict on PCP -- and should be put out of it's misery. It's


       A recent article in the WSJ showed ( what struck ME ) as
 a totally awesome increase in home mortgage loans.  Total borrowing
 has almost DOUBLED in the past TWO years.  Incredible numbers.

      Yet I keep hearing that "consumer debt" has decreased.
      Heheheheeh.  Almost as good as "The Recovery".

      HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!  As IBM blows away another 25K ( I predicted
    20K two months ago ), GM blows away another 18K ( I predicted
    20K two months ago ), DEC blows away 7 or 8K ( I predicted
    25K, but the night is young ), and Boeing blows away 2.5K (
    I didn't have the courage to make a number, just that there
    would be "a-shootin'. :) )


>"Nations" come and go, merely as a matter of politics. "Countries"
>remain. Others will disagree with the distinctions, but I hope I've
<communicated my point. "Give 'em line."


       HOLY CHRIST!  I thought that *I* was bad.  :)


I've sketched an appealing alternative for myself and believers in
the non-institutional communities thread, and yes I recognize that it
obviously doesn't extend to the nation, or the country at large. Though
it may be possible for an academic community, or some other "with a
focus greater than the nation can muster," to establish itself as an
alternative inside the system as well.

>My material needs are meager though. I'll gladly forego whatever the
>government offers as a bribe. If I had six kids, a mother-in-law,
>and a wife -- no doubt I'd need a lot more material, and I'd be a
>Democrat.


       Hmmm.  I can see a trend here.  I wonder how many others there are?



>Shall I go back to poetry?


         Only if you want to confound the *government* watchers.
Xref: sparky talk.politics.misc:64403 alt.rush-limbaugh:11712