What has happened to the country I thought I was born into?

You're right. It never was. It was a fantasy you lived in.

Here is free speech in the '50's. http://www.moderntimes.com/huac/

Your wiki link is broken. Here is one that works: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_branch_of_gove... In it, you will find this line: "The administrative agencies that are funded from public money may exercise powers GRANTED BY CONGRESS." Caps are mine.

You cannot do anything about the advances in science that are going on today. They are not going to go away, but none of them would work if the average American did not allow them to. But when an entire state the size of Texas passes a law FORBIDDING the teaching of critical thinking, what do you expect?

The government is not spying on your conversations. They are keeping the same records of phone calls the phone companies do. They only actually listen in if the call is made to or from a suspect number. Why does it not bother you that the phone companies keep the same records?

No, it is not the country of the past. It never will be again. You can spend the rest of your life complaining because time has passed and the world has changed, but it won't stop it or make it go backwards.

Get off you soapbox, so to speak of course, you can still make a fool of yourself, you just need to get over the idea that you won't have to hear about it later, that you can make bigoted remarks about people you just don't like, and its going to be OK with everyone.

You have your free speech, they have theirs too.

No ones herding your views, the web alone shows you can view and spew on literally everything on earth, somewhere on the web there is a site for those who agree with your point of view, no matter how puerile.

Your wiki source doesn't come up

No Jesus in public places other than as a historical figure isn't to be interjected into government.

That's been around since the Constitution.

This country has gotten much better in many ways, for women, minorities, children. Who are being assured their rights are no less than any other humans.

You didn't know what you were born into, the good and the bad of it, you just think you do and when it doesn't meet your assumptions you think its used to be better.

It's all part of the decline and fall of the United States, in these, the last days.

See: 2 Timothy 3:1

The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people.

Ron Paul

Your parents and Grandparents, and yourself have gradually voted away all the freedoms the Founders gave U.

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." -- T. Jefferson

"The tree of liberty must be watered periodically with the blood of tyrants and patriots alike." -- T. Jefferson

Red tape and legislation makes thousands of laws each year.

greatness is he that keeps his head when all about him are losing theirs your country is still the same it will still be there when they have finished their screaming and shouting money has never served men well