America was not suppose to be a superpower.

[Cascadian]

Our founding fathers, when they created this country, never intended for the United States of America to be a superpower. We weren't suppose to be in alliances nor take over other country's sovereign lands. What the founding fathers intended was a country more like Switzerland. Unfortunately, America ended up becoming a modern day Roman Empire.

I suppose we had at some point had the best intentions to do good in the world particularly during the First and Second World Wars but even before all of that we were throwing are weight around from driving out the Native Americans from their lands, conquering Hawaii, picking a fight with Spain and taking their colonies which some are still under U.S. administration. I honestly do not think people like Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, and George Washington would have approved of these things and I am sure they are turning in their graves to what is happening now under the Bushites.

The America they invisioned was a powerful, prosperous, yet non-aligned nation. A nation more than happy to trade and have good relations with other countries but not intervene in the affairs of those countries. A country that welcomes newcomers. A country that respects and protects the privacy of it's citizens and allows every aspect of freedom and yes tolerance. Takes care of it's own when things get rough. Unfortunately, that has not really been the case. We have created a great idea and the potential of real greatness and turned it into what is fast becoming a mockery of what we are really about. It is sad when you think about it.

It is still a great country but I think we can do better than what we have been. It is not too late to change but time is running out on the "great experiment".

John

[Teaser]

1. Talking about what our "founding fathers" intended is foolish

There is no such thing as original intent. Each of the men involved in creating this country had a vision, and those visions did not always (or didn't even often) overlap.

We are what we are, and that is a superpower.

[ret5hd]

2. well, i guess that ends THAT discussion.

[bigmonkey]

4. I love discussion-killing assertions like that.

Love in the sense of "can't stand".

[Teaser]

6. Your problem, not mine.

nt

[400Years]

7. They did "overlap" significantly otherwise we would have never had

a republic.

Talk about broad statements.

[Cascadian]

3. These men did have vision!

Otherwise, we would not have this country. It would be only Canada, Louisiana, and Mexico. I think these men thought far in advance.


John

[unblock]

5. too bad our foolish founders couldn't predict 9/11

more than two centuries of freedoms are simply no match for 19 people (now dead) with box cutters.
our brief experiment in democracy, which survived many wars before, brought to its knees by a gang (now dead) with box cutters.
democracy simply cannot function in the face of such overwhelming forces.

:sarcasm:

[K-W]

8. Jefferson purchased the Louisiana territory

The founding fathers were not by and large against US territorial expansion. In fact many of them made a great deal of money because of expansion.

[mondo joe]

9. And women and blacks weren't supposed to vote.

Your problem is you are trying to divine intent, and hold up that intent as the unwavering standard no matter how much the circumstances change.

What instead is accurate - and more troubling - is that the Constitution has been gutted of the checks and balances the founders established, and which the United States has not legally amended to be altered.