Quote Originally Posted by Lucid_boy View Post
This is semantics, who cares if it 'has never been an empire in the classical sense' it is still an empire. Our methods are just more sutble now. It does not matter that we are "better" or "worse", the fact of the matter is that we ARE. As for your statement that Corporations don't really effect legislation, that is ludicris. For example look at all the laws that have been passed in america simply to benefit insurance companies! Also, look at the law that recently passed that stated that every citizen had to purchase converter boxes for television sets, there was no real need for that except to line the pockets of the communications corporations! Also, look at what we are doing in Iraq! We invaded a soverign country that had NEVER attacked us, removed it's leader, and are currently controling it's territory. Isn't that virtually the same as what the spanish did to the aztecs in the 16th century! The only difference is that we havn't enslaved the local populace.

To deny that America is an Empire is to deny that the sky is Blue.
seriously? So many people keep forgetting that Iraq breached the cease fire agreements we had. You know, the one from the Gulf War when we kept them out of Kuwait? And they wouldnt let UN inspectors in to check out certain areas. Its not like we blindly ran in, we gave them plenty of opportunities to avoid war. (although I agree the war could have been handled better)

The US may be whats known as an economic empire, but that is not even close to the same as the empire you are describing. You know what happens to an economic empire? The exact thing that is happening to the US right now, it loses influence with the times, especially once its currency gets weaker.

Your statement about the cable boxes, I agree with though. That was stupid.