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What would a US "Police State" look like?

Kepler

Kepler

Si certus es dubita
People should ask themselves from time to time, what would an American police state look like?

Not to try to fit the current situation to it -- that would be absurd as, for example, we will not be arrested for having this discussion. But what at the core is a police state, and how would an American version be different given our history. Would it be explicit, like Germany, or would it retain the empty trappings of a representative system, like Rome under Augustus? Is there a critical test to decide what side of the line we're on? Is a police state by definition excluded by a democratic political system, or is an "elected police state" -- even, a voluntary police state -- possible?
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

Funny. On Fox News every day is an Obama police state. Is what your proposing different?
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

Kepler said:
People should ask themselves from time to time, what would an American police state look like?

Not to try to fit the current situation to it -- that would be absurd as, for example, we will not be arrested for having this discussion. But what at the core is a police state, and how would an American version be different given our history. Would it be explicit, like Germany, or would it retain the empty trappings of a representative system, like Rome under Augustus? Is there a critical test to decide what side of the line we're on? Is a police state by definition excluded by a democratic political system, or is an "elected police state" -- even, a voluntary police state -- possible?
Click to expand...

A police state is an effective martial law, whether or not they choose to use the name (and obviously they won't in order to sell it). Sure, there may be "elected people" to present to the sheeple, but the people really running things are "appointed", whether at the pleasure of elected people, or by lobby (i.e. corporations buying candidates). The elected person will be the "fall guy", who will take the blame for everything, driving the sheeple to want "change", when in all reality, nothing's actually changed; all of the appointed folks are still there. Media will be used to divide the populace and have them fight amongst each other to make sure they're less of a threat. All the meantime, FEMA camps will gather the sheeple and sort them into one of three groups, and I'll refer to them by colour: Green (they fully accept the police state and will abide by it without question, or the police state has a use for them, perhaps as a snitch), Yellow (Does not accept the police state yet, but may be re-educated through thought or labour), and Red (Cannot be re-trained or has no further use; left to be executed).

The critical test is if you can identify whether or not what is happening in this country is either a police state or the makings thereof.
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

Sad truth that most people don't care about the form of their government as long as they are OK.
Have a job
chance at upward mobility
Food on the table
availability of goods
safety for self and family
ability to do things without undue interference
freedom to practice their religion

Have that and most folks will roll over.
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

Will this police state have free health care? If I quit my job will they support me via welfare? Can I buy booze on Sundays? I need more details before I submit to such an idea.

Also, as soon as they try to take away guns or gun rights wouldn't their police state end?
 
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Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

JF_Gophers said:
Will this police state have free health care? If I quit my job will they support me via welfare? Can I buy booze on Sundays? I need more details before I submit to such an idea.

Also, as soon as they try to take away guns or gun rights wouldn't their police state end?
Click to expand...

Despite your obvious jest, the government (through the media complex) shoves ideas like those down people's throats, and then uses them as bargaining chips with the sheeple with them (the sheeple) not understanding what it truly costs in the long run.
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

FlagDUDE08 said:
Despite your obvious jest, the government (through the media complex) shoves ideas like those down people's throats, and then uses them as bargaining chips with the sheeple with them (the sheeple) not understanding what it truly costs in the long run.
Click to expand...

Do you have any idea how much effect you lose when you continually call people with whom you disagree "sheeple" or "the sheeple" all the time? You've made yourself into a complete mockery, likely with many people who are even sympathetic to some of what you say.
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

St. Clown said:
Do you have any idea how much effect you lose when you continually call people with whom you disagree "sheeple" or "the sheeple" all the time? You've made yourself into a complete mockery, likely with many people who are even sympathetic to some of what you say.
Click to expand...

I could care less how people perceive me. The fact of the matter is that the general populace of the country has been dumbed down so they have the attention span of 140 characters, an incredibly short term memory, and the gullibility of a flock being sent out to pasture. If you're offended by what I type, don't read it. I will tell it like it is, and use whatever means necessary to make sure the point gets across.
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

FlagDUDE08 said:
Despite your obvious jest, the government (through the media complex) shoves ideas like those down people's throats, and then uses them as bargaining chips with the sheeple with them (the sheeple) not understanding what it truly costs in the long run.
Click to expand...

Of course, you don't put yourself into the opposite end sheeple that puts nebulous ideas like that out there. The same sheeple that make us think that having some kind of healthcare available to everyone is the short cut to communism. Post all you want, but not sure how you fix that reputation to take your posts like this.
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

FlagDUDE08 said:
I could care less how people perceive me. The fact of the matter is that the general populace of the country has been dumbed down so they have the attention span of 140 characters, an incredibly short term memory, and the gullibility of a flock being sent out to pasture. If you're offended by what I type, don't read it. I will tell it like it is, and use whatever means necessary to make sure the point gets across.
Click to expand...

See, that's the thing. Your point is completely nullified when you throw in these ad hominem labels/attacks. And you clearly care at least a little otherwise you wouldn't be so prolific in posting to political threads. Your actions belie your words.
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

alfablue said:
Of course, you don't put yourself into the opposite end sheeple that puts nebulous ideas like that out there. The same sheeple that make us think that having some kind of healthcare available to everyone is the short cut to communism. Post all you want, but not sure how you fix that reputation to take your posts like this.
Click to expand...

This is the exact reason why critical thinking and the execution of concepts is removed from today's classroom and replaced with rote memorization of concepts. It's because they don't want sheeple to be able to realize the flaws of the system. Sure, you can say that a system is used in Europe, but it's actually quite easily fallable.

I could care less about reputation. If you want me to post a certain way, it might as well just be you typing it.
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

Kepler said:
People should ask themselves from time to time, what would an American police state look like?

Not to try to fit the current situation to it -- that would be absurd as, for example, we will not be arrested for having this discussion. But what at the core is a police state, and how would an American version be different given our history. Would it be explicit, like Germany, or would it retain the empty trappings of a representative system, like Rome under Augustus? Is there a critical test to decide what side of the line we're on? Is a police state by definition excluded by a democratic political system, or is an "elected police state" -- even, a voluntary police state -- possible?
Click to expand...

Not sure how many A Wrinkle in Time fans are here....there was a recently-discovered three-page section from the manuscript that Madeleine L'Engle excised from the published version as too didactic that explained how the dark planet Camazot could come about anywhere once people become willing to give up personal liberty in exchange for security.


Didn't the police state in Fahrenheit 451 also evolve gradually over time?



To a certain extent (e.g., Nixon's "enemies list", and a few other examples that are too recent to allow for sober discussion), we already have laid the groundwork for a police state in the US, in that various government bureaucracies already can be (and have been) used to make a person's life miserable. The text of some laws are written so badly that nearly every person in this country is already violating a law or two every day, and is merely not prosecuted. The laws and the apparatus are already in place.


Just because people can express opinions without fear of prosecution does not by itself indicate the absence of a police state, it may be that the totalitarian regime allows people to blow off steam verbally in order to keep them in line by other means. We all complain about how complicated the income tax returns are, yet we all dutifully file them anyway.


It seems that the better question may not be whether the US is a "police state" (which you have not defined....), it might be more how far along the road are we already, and can we do anything to reverse it?
 
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Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

According to the weird kid I went to high school with who posts stuff on Facebook, it's going to be like what happened to Boston after the Marathon bombings.

In other words, the police will roam the town, everyone will be forced indoors. How society, the economy, and a country are supposed to run while being completely shut down I have no idea, but his rambling made for some fun reading.
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

Edina, MN.

Well actually...a US police state could never hand out that many speeding tickets.
 
joecct said:
Sad truth that most people don't care about the form of their government as long as they are OK.
Have a job
chance at upward mobility
Food on the table
availability of goods
safety for self and family
ability to do things without undue interference
freedom to practice their religion

Have that and most folks will roll over.
Click to expand...

Obama will be gone soon and you'll be free again.
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

FreshFish said:
It seems that the better question may not be whether the US is a "police state" (which you have not defined....), it might be more how far along the road are we already, and can we do anything to reverse it?
Click to expand...

Dr. Richard Day said, in 1969, that we were quite far, and that there is nothing that can be done to reverse it, hence why he "felt safe" giving the speech he did. Twenty years later, Dr. Lawrence Dunegan released the speech, Dr. Day was murdered by the government, and that means that there may still be a hope. Heed his warning, and we may yet protect freedom.
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

I suppose, if you are a Democrat, a police state would look like the Bush administration, while if you are a Republican, it would look like the Obama administration, eh? :(
 
Re: What would a US "Police State" look like?

FreshFish said:
I suppose, if you are a Democrat, a police state would look like the Bush administration, while if you are a Republican, it would look like the Obama administration, eh? :(
Click to expand...

Actually, that is one of the tactics of the police state: Divide the populace.
 
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