 |
| The flag of the
ancient republic of Rome. SPQR is the
acronym of 'Senatus Populus Que Romae', i.e. 'the Senate
and People of Roma'. |
|
| An Open
Letter to US Senators Inhofe and Coburn. What Are You
Prepared To Do?
|
| by JD Nutt, IG Web-Editor
- Report last updated on July 31st, 2010 -
Oklahoma City, OK. |
| How Ancient Rome and the USA
Parallel each other... |
| Their are many parallels
that can be drawn from history, however the downfall of
Ancient Rome is surprisingly similar to the failing of
the USA as we know it today. What will replace the present
government after the demise of the American Republic? Will
history also answer this question? The following are a few
reasons why the Republic of Ancient Rome failed, and why
we ask the Senators of Oklahoma, "What Are You
Prepared To Do"? |
|
|
| One Reason why the Roman Empire
fell - Unemployment of the Working Classes (The Plebs) |
| Cheap slave labor in turn resulted
in the unemployment of the people of Rome who became dependent on
hand-outs from the state. The Romans attempted a policy of unrestricted
trade but this led to working class Romans being unable to compete with
foreign trade. The government were therefore forced to subsidize the
working class Romans to make up the differences in prices. This resulted
in thousands of Romans choosing just to live on the subsides sacrificing
their standard of living with an idle life of ease. The massive divide
between the rich and the poor increased still further. |
| The parallel: Illegal
aliens in the USA are the slave labor, Americans unemployed are dependent
on unemployment compensation from the government. Unrestricted trade
parallel's to NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). |
|
One Reason why the Roman Empire fell - Failing
Economy |
| The Government was constantly
threatened by bankruptcy. The cost of defending the Empire, the failing
economics, heavy taxation and high inflation was another reason why the
Roman Empire fell. The majority of the inhabitants of the Roman Empire
failed to share in the incredible prosperity of Rome. The flow of gold to
the orient to pay for luxury goods led to a shortage of gold to put in
Roman coins. Roman currency was devalued to such an extent that a system
of bartering returned to one of the greatest civilizations the world had
ever known. |
| The parallel: The flow of
gold parallel is the treasury notes held by China and other nations. The
American Government and it's treasury is in the survival mode. The CBO
(Congressional Budget Office) released a report that "a tipping point
was yet to be seen" for the American economy. According to the CBO's
latest projections, the debt could rise above 90 per cent of GDP by 2020
and reach 146 per cent by 2030 and 344 per cent by 2050. The CBO projects
net interest payments rising from 9 per cent of revenue to 20 per cent in
2020, 36 per cent in 2030, 58 per cent in 2040 and 85 per cent in 2050.
Half of the federal debt is in the public hands of foreign creditors. |
| One
Reason why the Roman Empire fell - Constant Wars and Heavy Military
Spending |
|
Constant
warfare required heavy military spending. The Roman army became
over-stretched. The barbarians, who had been conquered, and other foreign
mercenaries were allowed to join the Roman army.
|
| The parallel: US Forces
are over-extended and war in the mid east seems to have no end in sight.
Mexicans are allowed to join our military in exchange for citizenship.
Muslims in the military turn on their fellow soldiers. Remember Fort
Hood? |
| One
Reason why the Roman Empire fell - Political Corruption and the Praetorian
Guard |
| The
power of the Praetorian
Guard, the elite bodyguards of the
emperor, led to political corruption and grew to such an extent that this
massive troop of soldiers decided on whether an emperor should be disposed
of and who should become the new emperor! The story of Sejanus, who was
the commander of the Praetorian Guard during the reign of Tiberius,
illustrates the extent of their power. At one point the Praetorian Guard
sold at auction the throne of the world to the highest bidder. |
| The parallel: Greed among
our political representatives, Greed among the lobbyists, Greed among
corporations to influence government. Simply put, greed and power controls
our government and our representatives. |
| One
Reason why the Roman Empire fell - Decline in Morals |
| A
decline in morals, especially in the rich upper classes and the emperors,
had a devastating impact on the Romans. Immoral and promiscuous sexual
behavior including adultery and orgies. Emperors such as Tiberius
kept groups of young boys for his pleasure, incest by Nero
who also had a male slave castrated so he could take him as his wife, Elagabalus
who forces a Vestal Virgin into marriage, Commodus
with his harems of concubines who enraged Romans by sitting in the theatre
dressed in a woman's garments. The decline in morals also effected the
lower classes and slaves. Religious festivals such as Saturnalia and
Bacchanalia where sacrifices, ribald songs, lewd acts and sexual
promiscuity were practiced. Bestiality and other lewd and sexually
explicit acts were exhibited in the Coliseum arena to amuse the mob.
Brothels and forced prostitution flourished. Widespread gambling on the
chariot races and gladiatorial combats. Massive consumption of alcohol.
The sadistic cruelty towards both man and beasts in the arena. |
| The parallel: Decline in
morals parallel the USA since the "free love" of the sixties.
Drug and alcohol abuse thru out our society. Homosexuality and other
crimes against nature is now becoming part of the norm. Casinos cover the
bible-belt of our nation. |
| Many other parallels can be drawn from
the ancient Roman Republic, however it must be noted; The American
Republic has been lost. Let us look forward to control the coming change.
To the US Senators of Oklahoma, Inhofe and Coburn, the Independent
Gazette and the citizens of Oklahoma ask; What are you prepared to do?
Will you lead? Will you be a follower? Perhaps you'll not do anything. The
citizens await. |
|
Click here
to Contact Senator Coburn |
Click here
to Contact Senator Inhofe |
|
Washington D.C.
office:
172 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-5754
Fax: 202-224-6008 |
Washington, DC
Office:
453 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510 -3603
Main: (202) 224-4721
Fax: (202) 228-0380
|
|
|
Report Reference(s):
|
| http://www.roman-colosseum.info/ |
| http://www.cbo.gov/ |
| http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactsenatorcoburn?p=ContactForm |
| http://inhofe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=contact.contactform |