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Dis is offline Dis
Emperor
Las Vegas, Nevada
Feb 2000
time: 21:18
Question  Old Post 08-07-2005 15:03 Visit Dis's homepage!
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What would it take to overthrow the U.S. goverment Increase Your PM Length

No I don't have any ideas (despite what I've said in the past). Or maybe I'm just putting that disclaimer in there because of secret service internet snooping.

I've always been fascinated by revolutions. How would one overthrow a goverment the size of the United States. I just can't see it happening. Not with our state goverments to intercede. True, they don't have the power (and militias) they used to. But they still have national guard troops that are maintained by each state I believe.

As another hypothetical. What would it take for terrorists to defeat the U.S.? Essentually forcing a govermental collapse. I've often wondered about this as well.

Last Conformist is offline Last Conformist
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Jul 2003
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 15:36
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Nuking DC when alot of high fliers are in should upset it all nicely.

MikeH is offline MikeH
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 15:47 Visit MikeH's homepage!
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Finding out the president has f*cked an intern?

TheStinger is offline TheStinger
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Apr 2002
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 15:56
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Nah thats expected.

Being found giving it to an underage chicken might cause problems though

Az is offline Az
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MACEDONIA - It's the name of the sovereign country to the north of Greece
Apr 2000
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 15:56
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Some used chewing gum, a rope and a bar of soap in the hands of MacGyver.

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Prince

Jan 2003
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 16:13
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Five Surpreme Court Justices, a poorly designed ballot, and a very close election.

DeathByTheSword is offline DeathByTheSword
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 16:17
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well to overthrow a government first of all the population should want to..(e.i hating the government due to it being a police state, but in the US it will be probably about a tax raise or paying one cent more for gas ) then i think it will have to happen in the same way as in the first civil war... first on a state level...if a blood will flow between americans i will not be in a bloody coup but in a 2nd civil war...even if 1 army division would seize D.C. because of the power the states have and I also think the mind set of the american people (thinking they control who runs there country) a coup will not work

Combat Ingrid is offline Combat Ingrid
Chieftain
Satan's Majestic Empire
Nov 2001
time: 06:18
  Old Post 08-07-2005 17:18
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Finding out the president didn't f*ck that cute intern, thus casting doubts on his sexuality.

Ninot is offline Ninot
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Centre Bell
Nov 2001
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 18:53
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I find it hard to imagine how the U.S. government in its current form could be overthrown militarily, but I could easily imagine the U.S. government eventually passing laws which change its makeup so entirely that it becomes some kind of Empire or Dictatorship, and then whatever party that wasn't in power when this happens would have to overthrown it by militant means.

Patroklos is offline Patroklos
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Back home in good ole Norfolk VA
Dec 2001
time: 05:18
  Old Post 08-07-2005 20:23
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You would basically have to kill about 20 million active/reservist military members and veterans.

The military is the government, and the way it is set up it will invariably always be tied to whatever faction is in power. And that is the way a good democracy wants it.

MikeH is offline MikeH
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 21:19 Visit MikeH's homepage!
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I think it'll be quite easy. In about 3 years time. All it'd take is a decent election campaign...

Sandman is offline Sandman
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Aug 2001
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 21:20
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Revealing both Janet Jackson's breasts live on air.

chegitz guevara is offline chegitz guevara
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Jun 2000
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 21:28 Visit chegitz guevara's homepage!
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A really big lever.

Last Conformist is offline Last Conformist
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Jul 2003
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 21:58
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quote:
Originally posted by chegitz guevara
A really big liver.

chegitz guevara is offline chegitz guevara
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 22:15 Visit chegitz guevara's homepage!
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If I had the answer, don't you think I'd have done it by now?

joncha is offline joncha
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 22:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Az
Some used chewing gum, a rope and a bar of soap in the hands of MacGyver.


MacGyver

Az is offline Az
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MACEDONIA - It's the name of the sovereign country to the north of Greece
Apr 2000
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 22:56
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MacGyver

Mullets

KrazyHorse is offline KrazyHorse
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What would it take to overthrow the U.S. goverment Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Burt Lancaster and a nuclear disarmament treaty.

chegitz guevara is offline chegitz guevara
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Ft. Lauderdale, FL Communist Party of Apolyton
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  Old Post 08-07-2005 23:23 Visit chegitz guevara's homepage!
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Okay, this is how it will happen, if it happens.

#1, a party which is overtly revolutionary has to win the confidence off a significant portion of the population. This can only occur if it can prove itself useful to people, i.e., by helping them win in the various struggles we find ourselves: anti-war movements, anti-police brutality, strike support, jobless campaigns, union organizing, etc., etc.

In order for this to occur, there has to be a transformation of the various revolutionary sects themselves, a surrender of dogma and sectarianism. We also need to figure out how to win in the 21st century society, as the capitalists have ever more powerful weapons at their disposal: PR, communications, organization, training, etc. In other words, we need to figure out how to become relavent.

This is the real hurdle. Too many sects are fixated on doing what hasn't worked for the last 140 years, i.e., repeating the same thing over and over again until everyone finally wakes up one day to discover these guys were right all along. The second problem is these sects have a habit of attaching themselves to anything that occurs, but not with the goal of helping them win, but rather of seeing who they can recruit from the struggle. They have become just another set of parasites.

Assuming that this major hurdle can be cleared, and I make no assumptions that can happen, though the CPA is a infinitely small step in that direction (and I mean that seriously), the next step is to begin contesting for power in elections, proving ourselves capable of good governence, even within a capitalist system. For example, in Milwaukee, they still fondly remember the good clean government run by Socialist mayor Frank Zeidler. Vermont is going to soon have a socialist Senator in the U.S. Congress. We need to be able to do more of this. It's not enough to win struggles in the streets, we have to be able to govern as well.

Finally, a crisis of legitimacy needs to occur. This can happen because the United States is defeated in a war. It could occur because of a major economic downturn. It could occur because of a massive general strike. It could be the result of environmental collapse. Regardless of what causes it, the result will be a situation with which the government is unable to cope, and loses its legitimacy in the eyes of the people of the United States. At this moment, a revolutionary party can step forward and seize the reigns of history, if it has made itself relavent and legitimate in the eys of a large enough segment of the population, including enough of a segment of the military to ensure victory in case of civil war.

Whether or not there will be violence is up to the capitalists. In other words, there will be violence.

Lancer is offline Lancer
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  Old Post 09-07-2005 00:08
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che, you're dreaming. First you need an unpopular government, you don't have that. Hated by a fringe maybe, but that's it. Then, you need an unpopular government that has suspended the election process, otherwise they would just be voted out and people would wait until the next election rather than boosting their butts outa their easy chairs.

So, just hang out, get a job, watch the ball game and BBQ on Saturday, and wait for a president to cancel elections like the rest of us.

Sprayber is offline Sprayber

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Oct 2000
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  Old Post 09-07-2005 00:13
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The goverment has a chance to be overthrown every 4 years. I know it's not as romantic as che's dreams but it sure beats constant civil war as little people with big heads think they are the answer to everyone's problems.



(for GePap)

Patroklos is offline Patroklos
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Dec 2001
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  Old Post 09-07-2005 01:36
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quote:
-war movements, anti-police brutality, strike support, jobless campaigns, union organizing, etc., etc.


These people need first of all to be seen my 95% of the population as something other than crack pot loosers. And these people need to trancend from being overeducated students trying to feel important/get laid to people who actually experaince said problems and have a real greivance.

quote:
Whether or not there will be violence is up to the capitalists. In other words, there will be violence.


This is great. Dear capitalist, we are going to take away all your property, all your political power and franchise, take away your job, put a few of your family members and probobly yourself in a gulag, and madate you you at least say you like it. And if you say no and we come to take it from you by force, if you fight back it is you who is the cause of violence.

communits

DeathByTheSword is offline DeathByTheSword
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  Old Post 09-07-2005 01:43
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quote:
Originally posted by Sandman
Revealing both Janet Jackson's breasts live on air.


Commy is offline Commy
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Mar 2004
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  Old Post 09-07-2005 09:38
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Let's put it this way...it's not that people CAN'T take down the government, it's that people WON'T take down the government...

The fact is, the American people aren't very dependant on the government...1 out 4 Americans own a gun...and not just a handgun, many own mulitple weapons...shotguns, assualt weapons, 9 mm pistols, automatic weapons...not to mention that there are a good number of tanks and military aircraft owned by civilians...not just for show, either, but tanks fully armed with shells and 50 caliber bullets...

Add on the fact that there are 50 states all with their own governments, private armies, whatever...think about it, do you honestly think that a suburban cop is going to enforce the will of an American dictator? No, they won't, and either will most national guard units...the higher ups might, but people will stick to their own agendas, and pretty soon soldiers and cops and national guards will just say "screw this"...Americans join the military for many reasons, but they only join it because their military supports one thing: freedom. Its not even capitalism that people want and fight for, its freedom, pure freedom...

Go ahead, overthrow the government...as long as you don't restrict freedom and don't go into foreign wars, people could honestly care less who is the "leader" of their country as long as nothing drastically affects them...go ahead, raise taxes 1%, no one will care...they'll wine, complain, but they could care less, because it doesn't really hurt them at all...

Dis is offline Dis
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  Old Post 09-07-2005 12:20 Visit Dis's homepage!
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I don't know anyone who owns a tank or military aircraft (with weapons)

europeans sure have funny views of the U.S.

Combat Ingrid is offline Combat Ingrid
Chieftain
Satan's Majestic Empire
Nov 2001
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  Old Post 09-07-2005 12:45
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Some years ago, the Swedish news interviewed some American dude who was so happy he had finally managed to get a Swedish S-Tank to his private collection

Attachment: s-tank.jpg
This has been downloaded 89 time(s).

Dis is offline Dis
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  Old Post 09-07-2005 12:56 Visit Dis's homepage!
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I'm sure they put cement in the barrell. I've seen antiaircraft guns that weren't in military use. But they are rendered inoperable.

Lancer is offline Lancer
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  Old Post 09-07-2005 13:15
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The more advanced weapons and surveilance tech becomes, the less likely it is that an armed citizenry could sucessfully overthrow a government. The only hope is that the soldiers would join the revolt before firing on the people. Kent State...

Solver is offline Solver
Apolyton Duke Of Something
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  Old Post 09-07-2005 18:38 Visit Solver<br><img src=/forums/images/staff-icon.gif>'s homepage!
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What it takes to overthrow a government is the military joining the revolters. Then it's over. In Georgia revolution, the turning point was when the army special forces and a few hours later the regular army joined the revolters. In Ukraine, the army refused to follow Yanukovich's orders, and so on. In the US too, if the army sided with the revolutioners, the government would be toppled. But, that's not going to happen because the US citizens and army have no reason to be that terribly unhappy with their domestic situation.

Dr Strangelove is offline Dr Strangelove
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  Old Post 09-07-2005 18:45
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quote:
Originally posted by MikeH
Finding out the president has f*cked an intern?


Only if the intern is a boy. A teenege boy.

 
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