Who is ruining this country?

[Marduk]

I'm so sick of hearing about who is ruining this country. We all need to go back and read the scriptures. Liberals aren't ruining this country. Conservatives aren't ruining this country. Republicans aren't ruining this country. Democrats aren't ruining this country. Lobbyists aren't ruining this country. Congress isn't ruining this country. Lawyers aren't ruining this country. Illegal immigrants aren't ruining this country. Debt isn't ruining this country.

What is ruining this country? Matthew 24:12. "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." The individuals ruining this country are those who no longer have love for their neighbors. Who ignore the hungry, the naked, and the sick. Those who put love of self above God. And as long as that is the case, no legislation (or lack thereof), no law, no president, no politician, no pundit will make any difference.

/end rant

[Wisteria]

Interesting. KUER has daily followings on what the state legislature has been doing this session and while I haven't been paying especially close attention to it, it honestly astounds me the kinds of silly things that these people spend their time deciding to turn into legislation. Not all of these things, but a great many of them, are things that really should be governed on a individual basis by people making good choices. If external law is the first line of defense, something is seriously wrong with our country. It kind of reminds me of this Conference story:
[url]http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?v ... &hideNav=1[/url]

The story of interest is halfway down, especially noting this line and the victim's actual response:

“This is the kind of hideous crime that propels politicians to office on promises of getting tough on crime. It’s the kind of thing that prompts legislators to climb all over each other in a struggle to be the first to introduce a bill that would add enhanced penalties for the use of frozen fowl in the commission of a crime."

The contrast between living from the inside out and from the outside in is huge.

[oliviaik]

I would have to disagree with you to an extent. While corruption, lies, and selfishness certainly do abound, I have found that many of the worst decisions being made in our country are made by people who genuinely want to help others. In their attempt to help others, they throw out all common sense. They make decisions that will not actually help the situation at hand. Instead, the decisions temporarily put a band-aid on the wound while simultaneously giving the person cancer. I think sometimes people think a little bit too much with their hearts and not with their heads. There needs to be a good balance of both.

[Damasta]

I think that Marduk's point is that if we were all more compassionate, caring, and considerate as individuals, the country would improve regardless of who was in political power. And when we (as a people) decide to be angry, selfish, and demeaning, there's nothing the political powers can do to stop us from degenerating into debauchery. However, policy decisions do have an effect on the moral attitudes of the governed.

[TK]

I think that Marduk's point is that if we were all more compassionate, caring, and considerate as individuals, the country would improve regardless of who was in political power. And when we (as a people) decide to be angry, selfish, and demeaning, there's nothing the political powers can do to stop us from degenerating into debauchery. However, policy decisions do have an effect on the moral attitudes of the governed.

Freakonomics by Steven Dubner and Stephen Levitt touches on something related. They comment that by imposing a penalty (in their example, a late fee for picking a child up from day care late, but in this case something like a social/welfare program) on something, you actually eliminate people's guilt incentive for not performing the negative act (e.g. neglecting the poor). If we see something as already "covered" by the government, we have a decreased incentive to act to fix it ourselves. We can attempt to shrug off the need for charity by thinking that our taxes cover that already.

D&C 58:26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

... It's an interesting conundrum.

After all, it is the people that make the nation.

[FauxRaiden]

I think the fact that politicians get so butthurt is what's ruining this country.

Nobody is willing to work together anymore. There's too much dog-faced politics with people not even willing to talk to each other because they're liberal, or conservative or whatever. Reason has gone straight out the window and been replaced with jaded competition.

[Dead Cat]

Individuals may run the country,but evil Librarians rule the world.

(Sorry, couldn't resist).

[Laser Jock]

Individuals may run the country,but evil Librarians rule the world.

(Sorry, couldn't resist).

That's one of the quirkiest, most random series I've read.

[Dragon Lady]

Individuals may run the country,but evil Librarians rule the world.

(Sorry, couldn't resist).

That's one of the quirkiest, most random series I've read.

I just finished #2 and plan on starting 3 today. They make me laugh right out loud. I love them and their quirkiness.