[dubfan]

> The social pendulum in the U.S. has swung far too far towards an authoritarian police state.

My view is it's gone the opposite direction. We've neutered our police forces such that they can't even protect the rights of citizens to go about their business without being impeded by anti-authoritarian protestors, and we've accepted that as a fact of life. If this country didn't have the inertia of having the world's reserve currency and the largest industrial capacity for a crucial ~50-60 year period, nobody would invest in us given our social unrest.

[beedogs]

Maybe pick up a history book.

The protests of today are nothing at all compared to those of even 40 years ago.

[thaumaturgy]

I'm not sure which item in the Bill of Rights is the "right to go about our business" -- can you explain further?

[greensoap]

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.