Panem et Circenses
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
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"In modern usage, the phrase "Bread and Circuses" is taken to describe a populace that no longer values civic virtues and the public life. To many across the political spectrum, left and right, it connotes a supposed triviality and frivolity that characterized the Roman Republic prior to its decline into the autocratic monarchy characteristic of the later Roman Empire's transformation about 44 B.C."
SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_and_circuses
"Roman politicians devised a plan in 140 B.C.E. to win the votes of these new citizens: giving out cheap food and entertainment, "bread and circuses", would be the most effective way to rise to power." SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_and_circuses
If the above strikes you as being frighteningly like America today, in my opinion, you would be correct to be concerned and yes, frightened.
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| ROME'S CIRCUS MAXIMUS |
How else does one explain the Obama Administration's exponential increase in welfare and food stamp rolls in America. How else does one explain the sudden presidential executive order awarding certain illegal aliens the right to remain in the US and even provides a pathway to citizenship.
It's bread and circuses. Obama ain't from Rome but he sure as heck IS from Chicago (or, at least, he SAYS he is!) and -- all things considered -- the pols from Chicago could teach the ancient Roman pols a thing or two about manipulating the voters to win an election or to stay in office once they secure it in the first place. The Romans were no slackers when it came to stealing elections.
I have often thought that America in decline parallels ancient Rome in decline.
It is striking, at least to me, how accurate those in politics are who assess the electorate's intellect. It infuriates me that the political left, especially, tends to see the ENTIRE electorate as dumb and stupid, wandering mindlessly, and just waiting to be told what to do. Then we have an election, as in 2008, and the results prove the left was absolutely correct in that assessment! The democrats played the American electorate in 2008 as if were a Stradivarius. And they are doing it again. But this time -- the violin is out of tune.
One of the advantages, or disadvantages, of a long life is that one lives long enough to see history repeat itself -- over and over and over again. It never fails to surprise and disgust me at how easily fooled the general public is when politicians run a con game on the electorate with great success time and again.
Nothing much changes in politics. Names, faces, dates change -- but the tried and true tactics never change -- because the voter, especially in America, is (sad to say!) basically dumb as far as how our republic is SUPPOSED to work. Explaining that the US has a constitution is, for them, some sort of ethereal concept that has no equal in their consciousness. Oh, they've heard about it, seen snapshots of the parchment page on TV, heard quotes from it, but -- they've never actually read it. And they, sure as heck, have never studied it.
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| FREE! |
With the Obama Administration, the constitution is an afterthought, a speed bump, a temporary impediment to be overcome with whatever means necessary.
If you like Obama's governing by fiat, or executive order, then you'd best be prepared for a cloudburst of new decrees from the man who would be king of America should we be so unfortunate as to have him reelected.
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| NOT FREE! |
The left not only THINKS you're dumb -- they KNOW you are dumb, and they KNOW, beyond doubt, that they are far superior than you in intellect and by some celestial right, it is they who should be caring for you, as one would a simple-minded child. For the political left THAT is the NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS. They believe that Providence would have commanded it so, had God had all the facts. (Yeah. There are a few on the left who actually believe in the existence of a god.... gender neutral, of course. While I'm at it -- the small "g" was intentional.)
So far as the bread and circuses for America is concerned, my deepest worry is that it will work. Like the free cheese giveaway with people lining up down, and around, city blocks to get a hand-out of a huge block of cheese -- I am sorely afraid the beneficiaries of the bread and circuses actually believe, like the cheese, that it is free. The left is counting on that.
The taxpayers of the United States paid for that "FREE" cheese. EVERYONE will have
to pay for the "free" bread and circuses. The currency to be exchanged is freedom. Just freedom. That's all.In the end, bread and circuses did not save Rome -- and it will not save the United States. It will, however, hasten our demise. Just as the Roman Empire eventually broke up into numerous countries, the United States will certainly do the same.
If you are sick and tired of being played for a fool then you have roughly a dozen weeks to pay attention to both sides of the argument and decide which side is playing to the lowest common denominator amongst us and which side actually thinks you are not a simpleton and that you have the ability to think for yourself.
Mr. Obama has already told you that you had nothing to do with making this country great. Government did it -- not you. He made a mistake. He accidentally revealed what he and the left actually believe.
Romney KNOWS you did it because he was out there helping build the country along side every other working American and not in some ivory "think tank tower" improvising ways and means to force America to adopt socialism and Marxism.
America desperately needs this election to be not just a remission from the cancer of socialism -- but a cure.
I was thinking the other day that the two "R's" in the Romney-Ryan logo could just as easily stand for "Rescue and Restore." I would urge you to think of this election as a mission to rescue America and restore America to her place of greatness.
The bells tolling America's death knell are growing louder. But we can silence those bells by replacing Obama and Biden with Romney and Ryan -- and handing control of the US Senate to the republicans in November.
There is an old expression that says: "It must be dark before you can see the stars." Well, it IS dark in America and yes, we CAN see the stars of freedom and liberty piercing the shadows cast by socialism and Marxism. If America resets her compass, takes a new bearing, and maintains her heading toward those stars, we will find our way through this present darkness into a new day with all the promise afforded us by all the Americans who went before us and dared to "build it themselves."
We can FIX this! Lets get 'er done!
J. D. Longstreet
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