[quote=SK in CV][quote=Allan from Fallbrook]I would point out that, in spite of our not always having a big-ass military, we haven’t hesitated to use force to advance our fortunes and this goes all the way back to policies such as Gunboat Diplomacy and Manifest Destiny. We’ve been a going concern from the jump (the original iteration of “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” was “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Property”) and we’ve always liked that particular mix of policy and bayonets.
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I found that bolded part fascinating. I’d never heard that before. It made me laugh. And head straight for google. Where I found this.
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SK: If you want to have some real fun, Google Smedley Butler (USMC). In terms of American colonialism and exploiting resources for American use, this guy was like Zelig during the period 1910 – 1930s. Later in life, he essentially recanted and detailed how he ran a “government racket” for years.
Personally, I always wondered why there isn’t a single mechanic, or farrier, or shopkeeper who signed the Declaration of Independence; rather, they’re all members of the landed gentry.
