Are we--the U.S.  headed down the road to totalitarianism?
488678
I don’t believe so.  However, many believe that we already live in an Oligarchy where most or all political power is controlled by a small segment of society.
35287
No, but thinking about it, could we be in Purgatory now and how we act on earth decide which way we go from here?
1023400
The answer to that is quite easy, look around America.\nWhat we are all seeing right before our eyes is what could be the beginning of the end of the America as we once enjoyed. We are selling our future to the Chinese as fast as they can buy it, U.S. world respect and reputation are at an all time low. We allow 1 corrupt political party to govern and dictate law. The president does not lead by example, he is pulled around by his nose by lobbyists and religion and lies about all his mistakes. Yeah Bill Clinton lied but no one died,\nI will leave you with a quote that rings true and no matter what your political affiliation may be just reflect on this powerful statement for a Minuit.\n\n“Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”\n\nHerman Goering
792269
Leaving Iraq would open the door to such evil that you cannot imagine it. What if the terrs get their hands on a nuke? What if they use oil to blackmail the rest of the world? What will be the fate of all the people who supported their first chance at freedom in decades? The Democrats want to cut and run from a fight for our nation's survival. We face an enemy every bit as cruel and evil as the Nazis were in the 1940s. To run from them like little schoolgirls would tell them and all our enemies around the world that we won't fight for our country, our freedom or our future. Don't you think the Communists in China would like to know what kind of stomach we have for staying free? I guarantee you they are watching all of this very closely...
652358
First things first. Capitalism and democracy are not synonomous. We do not live in a democracy in the U.S. We live in a republic. Look up the definitions in the dictionary. Second, communism and democracy in their true forms are both idealistically set up to have an equal society. Where everyone has an equal say and eveyone gets an equal share. Here's a question for you. Do you think either of those is happening in either of these countries? I say absolutely not. Bush doesn't want to liberate the world, he wants to enslave. With a one-world government they plan on taking control of every aspect of your life. Ever read 1984? Well the Orwellian tale is coming to fruition. Domestic spying, warrantless searches and cameras on every corner. And that's just the begining. So, my answer to your question is NO. Capitalism(democracy), as you put it, is not the only solution. The solution is a worldwide revolution of the mind. People need to wake up and realize what's going on around them. Then, maybe we can stop these bastards. VIVA LA REVOLUCION!!!!!!!
686740
It looks like. In my opinion America is asking for more trouble, as if it hadn't enough. America has abused its freedom and its resources to the extend that the developing nations have started hating its dominating attitude. It's already on "war" with Iran and things are hotting up to a final nuclear holocaust.
173840
Very.\n\nThe US has gotten way too conservative since 9/11. We were attacked by terrorists, that doesn't mean its time to freak out and turn the US into a Christian version of the Taliban.\n\nWaaay too uptight. \n\nThe pendulum will swing back at some point though. We won't put up with this ultra-conservative nonsense forever.
301916
To all those looking at USA and hoping it goes down, please take note that if we in the USA go down we will not go down quietly. It is not our style. \n\nWe will almost certainly take down some large fraction of the rest of the world with us. That is not a threat or even a wish, it is just realism.\n\nHope for the USA to change? Fine, I'm with you. Hope for the USA to lighten/loosen up a bit on world affairs? I don't agree, but I understand why you feel that way. Hope for the USA to go down, to fall, to fail? You are asking for one whole pile of worldwide collateral damage. So watch out.
825811
When you say 'we', what do YOU mean, exactly? Please take your communism and your rhetoric and go back where you came from. THANK you!\n\nwww.reportillegals.com
1151641
Yes.  The Project for a New American Century (similar to Nazi Germany's Reich of a Thousand Years) is a poorly conceived "plan" to ensure that the US remains a "superpower" and that all other nations are *prevented* from becoming "superpowers", both through economic and military force.  \n\nThe Nazis, however, overextended themselves by starting two wars at once (under false pretenses) and isolating themselves politically, aligning themselves with other repressive regimes, eliminating individual freedoms, imprisoning and murdering a minority ethnic group within its borders (and entering others' nations to capture such people).  The US wouldn't make those same mistakes, would it?\n\nFor anyone who is well informed (ie. they don't watch FOX or CNN but do read the independent media) this is not news, nor are the war crimes such as in Falujjah.
901306
I think we should change everything, all the time, whenever we get tired of anything at all.  How about questioning the incredible inefficiency of our style of government?  That would be a good question and someday soon when this country is a bit closer to totalitarianism I believe I will ask it.
216606
who ever is in charge will become a totalitarian GOD. Heads will roll.One world governemnt?.. there isn't a government in exsistance that can handle their own country let alont all countries.. The day we have a one world gov.. there'll be a civil war, we're almost there now
316483
It is the assumption that the USA is or ever was an Empire that will bring the fall. And yes, we, the USA, have been acting rather pompus. Rome comes to mind... \n\nI think that if we keep on at the rate we are going, our fate will follow that of the Roman Empire. (In a lose parallel...)\n\nEmpires are built by emperors. If you ask me, we made a mistake votting Bush Jr. into office. and then wtf, he was elected again!! Very suspicious if you ask me.
851320
I think as Americans all we truly want is to be treated fairly, and for the entire world to experience the peace and freedom we take for granted every day. We need a new strong leader that has the ability to convey this message to the world. We as a populace need to realize how the rest of the world views us. We can shrug it off and say we don't care what the rest of the world thinks.... but we really do. We need a new direction. To restore our "soft power", we need to be very careful about who we elect in '08.
886904
I don't think we have reached the point of no return but I do think we are dangerously close to getting to that point.  I don't pretend to be a  political expert by any stretch, just an average person so I may be wrong, but it seems to me that we are way too anxious to go all over the world to fight battles for who ever cries for help while leaving our own borders wide open.  We have terrorism going on in our own country everyday with freaks like the guy who went into the Amish school and shot 10 little girls killing 5 of them.  I don't know what the average daily number of homicides is in this country but I know that in our state capitol, the number this year is staggering.  Drive by shootings, murder - suicide and random acts of violence are nothing but homeland terrorism.  That, coupled with the horridous influx of illegal immigrants has made this a scary place to live.  I think we need to stop trying to save the world and work on saving our nation.  I completely support our troops and the work they do every day all around the world and am actually the mother of a military person but I still think we need to use our military here at home to close our borders, protect us from incoming threats and concentrate on Homeland Security.  How can we save the world if we can't save ourselves?  (you said you wanted detailed answers! :)
264840
The American Empire will crumble.  We will be to China and India in the future, as Europe is to America today.  We will no longer control the wealth of the world.  With the lose of that foothold, we will lose our ability to control other nations.  That loss of power will erode our security to a critical point because of the amount of anti-American sentiment we have (and will) build up over the course of time due to our international arrogance.\nIn short, we will lose our civil liberties, our money, our power, and our pride.  We will be a shell of what we were.
468802
I definitely agree that our society is going downhill.  Unfortunately, it agrees with history.\n\nIf you look back on all of the great societies of the past, Egyptian, Roman, Babylon, etc.  they have all crumbled for one reason or another.\n\nI hate to think that our society is on the same path but looking around it's hard not to think that way.  Our government is trying to conquer the world, politically.  The claim that other countries are wrong if they do not share our same views.\n\nThe U.S. is the lone Super Power in the world today, but China and India are making up ground at an unbelievable pace.\n\nI love America and I want nothing more than our society to flourish, not to be torn apart by our government's incompetence and inability.