What Freedoms Have Been Lost

[Lord Bitememan]

I frequently post this comment to claims that "our freedoms are being stripped away," and it usually makes for some good debate fodder. So, I put the question to the forum as a whole:

What freedoms, if any, that we enjoyed in the year 2000 do we no longer enjoy today?  

[Lord Izaran]

I don't know an exact list, but I know it is long.

However, a few I do know are labeled below:

-Restrictions on Free Speech
-Government ownership of companies

And some more I am sure.

What happened to limited government?

Every model of limited government has thrived, every model of authoritarian government has failed.  

[Lord Bitememan]

Lord Izaran

-Restrictions on Free Speech

Could you elaborate on those please?

Quote:

-Government ownership of companies

Could you elaborate on how this translates to a lost freedom?  

[Kingthor2282]

Some freedoms we no longer have the luxury to enjoy...healthcare, freedom of speach, and the ability to light up a pipe in our own homes (deosn't apply to all but it is still a freedom, no?)  

[Lysander the silent]

There are a lot of restrictions on how people can run businesses and,as a result, businesses have a hard time hiring and creating wealth for those who want jobs. In addition, the government has allowed for unions to basically extract their dues from worker's paychecks even when any given individual might not want to be a member of said union. To conclude my argument, The restrictions Government placed upon the businesses supposedly "protects workers" actually hurts it (especially because of the economic situation). Oh, and in addition, unions can be broken up with trust-busting laws already on the books, just fyi.  

[Kyo the III]

In places even religion is being put down. My mother's friend's daughter was suspended from her school for blessing her food  

[jesus_with_a_gun]

Slowly but surely, most of the things we enjoy will be stripped. I mean sure, the fact that I can't smoke in a bar may not seem or even be that big of a deal. It also is probably safer for me to have car insurance, but I no longer have the freedom to risk it.

A huge chunk of them aren't even individual freedom. Federal government steps in, takes away another job that state and local government used to do. I'm all for the power of the state. The major problem with our current system, as seen in California was, when they legalized medical marijuana and had stores, the federal government could step in and arrest them. Just saying, what's the point in passing the law if feds can step in and give you the finger.

Most of us won't even notice the small changes, but their happening, just because it's not big, doesn't mean it doesn't matter.  

[Rainbowfied Mouse]

To name a few

1) Ability to quickly go through airport security
2) Phone conversations not being listened in on
3) Not fearing what you might have in your medical records, email, and financial records that would make you perceived as a terrorist
4) Collective bargaining in the public workplace (Wisconsin only)  

[Tsukasa wave]

america needs to shape up but honestly i don't see that happing any time soon..... sadly >.>