The Great American Illusion

Not to get too much into political philosophy, but isn't this the opposite idea from "The Noble Lie" (it's been years since my POLI-SCI days, so forgive me if I don't get this exactly right). Though there are many noble lies, in the US we've got a big one: "All men are created equal." In a lot of ways, this just isn't true--historically it was certainly not true (ie, slavery, women, etc.). Regulations and laws exist, often times, to preserve this equality. The idea that freedoms clash is pretty basic democracy (ie, your right to punch air ends where my nose's freedom to exist starts). Then again, maybe you mean something more specific. In which case, you should probably elaborate.

Hi gewcew23, It is clear that the government is manipulating americans, i dont't really think that president in America is elected with democracy. The government can be misused,and the dangers a dishonest government poses. There were obvious parallels to be drawn about the unwinnable war in Vietnam and the unwinnable war against the terrorists. Do you really think that the U.S. military, or the government can't find Osama Bin Laden , or they don't want to find him because they didn't reach their goals, to put their hands on oill. Bush's government is the most corrupt and dishonest government America's ever had. The Iraq war, most of the time the does not even dominate the front page of the paper or the lead story of the news. Sometimes, the whole news broadcast barely mentions it. The government has decreed that the media can not show body bags. There have been hardly any pictures of the wounded soldiers, although this war has seen less deaths and more mutilations than any others, due to the advances in body armor and medicine. We read about the IEDs,and how they are blowing up army vehicles right and left,but how often have you seen a picture of a blown-apart vehicle ? The media is greatly restricted in what they are allowed to show, and the excuse is national security. But I believe the reason is that if we aren't forced to see the war, then we are not forced to face that ugly truth.

Yep, the Liberals/Statists/Progressives/Socialist/Communist/Democrats believe the American people need to be "regulated" for our own good because they think we are to damn stupid to be capable of making our own decisions. 0bowmao and this corrupt Congress is just the latest in the push to change America into a communist country by these elitist morons. Massachusetts should have been a wake up call for these idiots... because America is a center right country, and we don't want their version of communism.

But, freedom means choosing. What if they is only one kind of car, how would you choose between walking or riding a bike. I don't mind the choices being regulated but not the point of over regulation. I can choose not to respond to this discussion but being told I have to is not freedom at all.

Food safety regulations have nothing to do with freedom of choice, IMO, and that is the only reason why certain food items would not be approved for sale. We also have the freedom to buy items outside of a market that has not been officially "approved"...for instance the fresh vegetables and boiled peanuts I bought earlier from a roadside stand. They didn't come from an "approved" farm either.