Comments on: The people of Michigan explain why America faces so many serious problems

By: thepopulist

thepopulist — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 23:58:37 +0000

Some good commentary here:

Sorry to toot my own horn, but try this essay:

…

By: fabiusmaximus2000

fabiusmaximus2000 — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:06:08 +0000

pw001 — Do you have any references on the late Empire’s inability to recruit Roman citizens for the Legions? I have long been curious about this, but never did any research to find an answer.

By: pw0001

pw0001 — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 14:25:25 +0000

The late Roman Empire employed foederati - auxiliaries from the border regions - because the average Roman citizen had “other priorities” than the military. Indeed, referring to them as “barbarians” was just another way of expressing contempt for those who were too foreign and ill-educated to do proper Roman jobs and stupid enough to join the military. The average Roman citizen at this time thought that his incredibly privileged situation was his by right alone, without any need to exert himself to maintain it.

Of course this is not a viable long term attitude. And so when the money ran out, and the Huns started pushing South Alaric marched the Roman border army - the Goths - to Rome and sacked it.

By: fabiusmaximus2000

fabiusmaximus2000 — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:49:03 +0000

We all know why we employ illegals — they are less expensive. But we don’t enlist them in our Armed Forces, let alone rely on them for the bulk of our military forces. Rome did the *opposite*. Turned their own people into serfs, and hired foreigners for their military.

By: maximilliangc

maximilliangc — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:42:05 +0000

“I do not understand why the late Roman Empire recruited barbarians.” FM

I’m not saying it’s so, this would be purely speculation, but consider the manner in which the USA employs Mexican immigrants and illegals. Ask yourself why ? Answer your own question perhaps ? Max

By: fabiusmaximus2000

fabiusmaximus2000 — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:02:15 +0000

I do not understand why the late Roman Empire recruited barbarians. The Empire was largely demilitarized, with the Legions a tiny fraction of its population. Why could they not recruit citizens? Perhaps foreign mercs were cheaper (the late Empire was often broke).

As for the draft, perhaps we would need fewer soldiers if we abandoned our Imperial ambitions. For example, we still have 2 brigades in Germany, apparently because they cannot protect themselves if Russia invades.

By: maximilliangc

maximilliangc — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:54:47 +0000

” I think we need to restore the draft.”

Yeah, right !

OR, or, we could simply drop the notions of bogus wars of conquest, including the GWOT, and start concentrating on our own issues, taking responsibility instead of blaming the Middle East for everything, and anything, and minding our own bussiness.

I know that’s crazy talk. MaX

By: rogelio007

rogelio007 — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:40:25 +0000

The Roman people also grew tired of serving in their own military and hired foreign mercenaries to do that for them. The United States military has recently considered significantly increasing recruiting non-United States citizens to make up for personnel shortfalls. Myself, I am no fan of the United States of America’s all-volunteer military. I think we need to restore the draft.

By: fabiusmaximus2000

fabiusmaximus2000 — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:08:53 +0000

I agree. For a powerful example of this, see Christian Meir’s biography “Caesar.” He describes how by the Roman people grew tired of governing themselves, perhaps finding the burden to great to bear. Inevitably, strong men came forward to take this load from the people’s backs.

If we will not govern ourselves, it is foolish to complain about the decisions of the elites who do so.

By: maximilliangc

maximilliangc — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:21:04 +0000

As someone who benifits for experience both within and just outside the USA, and looking objectively. If I were to choose one way to characterise the current situation, and what’s causing this decline across the board, it would be this.

The failure to take RESPONSIBILITY for one’s own decisions, destiny, and the conciquences.

I’m convinced that in a hundered years hence, when scociolgists and historians study the rise and fall of Pax Americana, that will stand out clearly as a root cause amoung the underlieing difficulties that brought this about. MaXimillian