The Libertarian Party of Manatee County is geared up for the 2016 election year!
We're expecting a veritable deluge of angry, disillusioned voters, and we're going to give them some place to go.
We'll be reaching out to energize the current Libertarians in Manatee county to be ready to greet, embrace, comfort and educate the angry masses as they watch the clown show going on in Washington.
Be ready!
We're even going to have the Freedom Festival in October, just before the election, and we need to be on the spot making connections and relationships that will last far beyond the election.
That's how we win. We talk to people in their time of anger and need, and show them a better way.
Please join us and be part of the "live free revolution".
Friday, March 18, 2016
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Welcome to the Revolution
Some of us can pinpoint the exact moment we knew something was desperately wrong with our Country, with our two-party political system. For others, it's not so cut and dry. The feeling of discontent grew slowly, rising from time and again feeling unrepresented by our leaders. This sad realization was spawned by the bi-partisan passage of legislation like The Patriot Act and the NDAA's Indefinate Detention Clause, that we knew were in direct conflict with the Constitution on which this Republic was founded. When one looked at the actual voting records, the line between right and left, Republican and Democrat, is largely non-existent. One used to depend on the right to keep the fiscal end of government in check, and the left to protect our individual liberties. Neither are any good at either of those things anymore. Both sides consistently vote for higher taxes and regulations, more deficit spending, and if they can manage to swindle away our individual liberties along the way, you can always count on them to do exactly that.
I had always been a registered Independent, only changing my party affiliation a few times over the years to vote in primaries. I changed my party affiliation to
the LPF after the 2012 RNC Convention in Tampa, where I witnessed the real hands of power at work, changing rules on the fly to keep Ron Paul's delegates from being seated. I was furious. I was sick to my stomach. I wondered what country I lived in. Certainly it was no longer a government composed Of, By and For the People. I was pissed off. Although I had identified and aligned myself with the Libertarian philosophy and platform for several years, it took that incident to spark me to change my registration. Interestingly enough, it still wasn't enough to get me to get me involved, that would take a little while longer.
For the next year I read and I researched. I really started paying attention. My government became more brazen and unapologetic. I lamented to anyone who would listen and got even more angry. New agencies were growing in their scope and power to restrict our civil liberties; the TSA, the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA. Our local police forces started resembling combat teams, loading up with excess military gear from the Pentagon for use in our hometowns. With these realizations, I became more and more fearful of my own government. The IRS was outright criminal in the targeting of political groups. The mass survellience by the NSA, collecting digital profiles on virtually every American in direct violation of the fourth amendment to our Constitution. The Federal Reserve, which is a private banking institution, continued to perpetuate unsustainable monetary policies. The list goes on and on, and continues to grow by the day. My last shred of confidence in the two-party system was completely and utterly annihilated that year. I knew without a doubt the American People were being enslaved, and blatantly sold out to the corporate oligarchy over and over and over again. I felt angry. I felt betrayed. I felt scared. Mostly, I felt helpless to do anything about it. I felt like giving up. I had all but given up.
I had been toying with the idea of attending a meeting of my local LPF affiliate for about 6 months before I actually went. Like most people, I had a slight reluctance to new things, new ideas, new people. I was also new to political activism. The last campaign I worked on was Ross Perot's Independent bid for the Presidency in 1992. I was just 23 years old. I really had no idea what to expect.
The first meeting I attended was in June of 2014. I immediately knew I had found a home. This small group of intelligent, driven, like-minded freedom lovers were to change the course of my life in many ways. It wasn't long before I was asked to step in and fill the vacant Vice-Chair position. This was a big step for me, after all, I'm a libertarian, I just want to be left alone to my personal pursuit of happiness. There comes a time in life when you have to do more than be left alone to insure that. For me, that time had come.
With the midterm election cycle in full swing and an incredible candidate for governor to campaign for, our local affiliate held 8 campaign-specific events over a four month period. Our membership grew. Our active members and volunteers grew. Voters for Adrian Wyllie grew. Manatee county ended up garnering almost twice the state average for Adrian Wyllie. Some precincts showed numbers just shy of 10%. That is an amazing accomplishment for a third party candidate. This is what we are now capitalizing on and moving the message of Freedom into the future for Manatee County, the state of Florida and beyond.
With each meeting and event I have participated in, my resolve to make a difference for my children and grandchildren has grown deeper and more passionate. The strides we make as an organization by steadily bringing the message of The Libertarian Party to our community will be the catalyst of real, lasting change for our futures. To be able to present an alternative voice to a populace that has lost faith in our system, like I had, is incredibly gratifying. To be able to inspire others to stand up and take action is even more exciting. This is exactly what is happening, and with every new member, my faith grows. With every new party registration changed to LPF I know we are that much closer to making a big dent in a corrupt system. Each day that goes by I know we are that much closer to delivering our lives back into our own hands, precisely where they belong. If you are here and reading this, Welcome to the Revolution. It's time to take a stand.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
County Chairman Jim Fallin and Secretary Char-Lez Braden at StarBucks on 14th and Cortez working to ban Redlight camera's in Manatee county officially launch "Club Redlight Manatee".
Monday, January 7, 2013
Bring Your Gun And Clean It Night!
I
will have three safety experts on hand: Former USMC Rifle Instructor,
Former Army Sniper Instructor and Former Manatee Sheriff Detective.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Random Ramblings
I admit, I'm a news junky. I love watching the news. My TV is always on Fox News, and when I have time, I love reading the New York Times. How many people out there watch Fox News and read the New York Times? Not many, unfortunately.
The reason Fox News blows away the other news networks is because it is more in-tune with the American population than it's competitors. I'm always in favor of free market competition, and I'm glad we're a center-right country, but I really wish more people would watch MSNBC, and better yet, Al Jazeera.
I've been watching Al Jazeera English for a little over a week now (ever since #Jan25), and yes, their journalists and interviewees range from disliking America to outright hating us. Kind of like MSNBC is with Republicans, and Fox News is with Democrats.
Herein lies the only caveat of being a free society. We're free to watch what we please, and free to not watch what we don't want to see.
If you only watch Fox News, you'll have a much different view of America than if you only watch MSNBC. If you only watch Al Jazeera, you'll have a much different view of America than if you only watch American stations.
I'm convinced every Libertarian goes through a moment of Enlightenment. Something happens to us where suddenly our eyes open to an entire world outside of the box we have been living within our entire lives.
Wisdom is a powerful weapon. To the politicians, we are all "Useful idiots". Politicians create chaos to keep us occupied, so we don't go digging around for information they don't want us to know. Fortunately, the Democrats and Republicans each have their idea of what you should and shouldn't know, and they are almost always inversed. That's why I enjoy the New York Times and Fox News, because it's usually hard to believe the story they are reporting is actually the same story.
The situation in Egypt is much different on Al Jazeera than it is on Fox News or MSNBC. Which one is telling the truth? None of them. They're all spinning the events to their target audience. Fortunately, by watching all three, we can use our own judgement to infer the real story, a talent sadly lost on most people.
We know most people are Libertarians who simply haven't realized that fact yet. So how do we convince them? Well, I don't think we can. It's a lot like hypnosis, it only works if the subject wants it to work. Until they have been Enlightened, they will have no desire to leave the comfort of their box.
If you know of someone who is passively-active in politics, ask them to do you a favor. Say you're doing a research project, and ask them to watch two nights each of Bill O'Reilly and Chris Mathews. On the first night, have them write down only positive things about the show. What they liked, what they agreed on, and so on. Then on the second night, write down only negative things about the show.
For a select few, this one simple task will be enough to lead them down the path of Enlightenment towards Libertarianism. For the rest, their results will be extremely revealing, and you will be able to use their answers to try and help them along the journey of Enlightenment.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Libertarians Call for Democrat Party Chair Karen L. Thurman to Step Down
The Libertarian Party of Manatee was amused to see Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer announce his resignation because it likely represents no change at all, and even if it does mean a substantive change in the Republican Party it very likely won't be one in the direction of liberty if recent history is any guide.
In his resignation latter Jim Greer cited "the conservatives" as a prime reason for his leaving. It is important to note that when Jim Greer says "the conservatives" what he really means is "those few Republicans that are sick of people like me, Charlie Crist, John McCain and all the other democrat lights who only oppose big government spending when we're not the ones doing it."
OK, so that's what he says, but his own people say his lack luster efforts at fund raising and dubious party spending are the real problem.
Either way, he should go.
While the GOP is doing some house cleaning it should also do some soul searching, and perhaps some reading of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and lpf.org for good measure.
The only bad news is that we have to wait until February 20th to actually see him depart. Talk about the longest exodus you've ever seen.
What does all this have to do with the Democrat Party Chair and why are we calling for her to step down? Solidarity. The Republicans and the Democrats share so much in their ideology that she should immediatley step down, as well as resign her position in the US congress, to help show her GOP tax and spend friends that she hasn't forgotten them.
So please, call Karen L. Thurman at 850-222-3411 and ask that she please step down.
In his resignation latter Jim Greer cited "the conservatives" as a prime reason for his leaving. It is important to note that when Jim Greer says "the conservatives" what he really means is "those few Republicans that are sick of people like me, Charlie Crist, John McCain and all the other democrat lights who only oppose big government spending when we're not the ones doing it."
OK, so that's what he says, but his own people say his lack luster efforts at fund raising and dubious party spending are the real problem.
Either way, he should go.
While the GOP is doing some house cleaning it should also do some soul searching, and perhaps some reading of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and lpf.org for good measure.
The only bad news is that we have to wait until February 20th to actually see him depart. Talk about the longest exodus you've ever seen.
What does all this have to do with the Democrat Party Chair and why are we calling for her to step down? Solidarity. The Republicans and the Democrats share so much in their ideology that she should immediatley step down, as well as resign her position in the US congress, to help show her GOP tax and spend friends that she hasn't forgotten them.
So please, call Karen L. Thurman at 850-222-3411 and ask that she please step down.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Splitting the vote: another myth.
I'm so sick and tired of hearing how voting for a Libertarian only takes votes away from Republicans. What tripe! I'm here to proclaim loud and proud that the Libertarian party is not populated entirely by disillusioned Republicans.
What hubris to just assume that Libertarians are nothing more than an angry fringe faction of the Republican Party.
Libertarians are from all walks of life, and we have one solid core that no other party, large or small, can claim. We hold the principles of freedom as the highest values for a political party.
Democrats have embraced socialism. This is incompatible with the principles of freedom.
Republicans won't stand up for individual rights. This is incompatible with the principles of freedom.
There are millions of people who see this dichotomy and have decided to make the choice to do something different. Many of them toss their hands in the air, falsely believing that there is no way to break the stranglehold of the two parties, and register as an independent.
Others register with the Libertarians. Don't think for a moment they all came from the Republican party; as if the Libertarian party was some sort of refugee camp for beaten down Republicans.
Perhaps it is wishful thinking? Perhaps those who spew such drivel believe that if they say it enough it must be true, and thus by saying it they can adopt the Libertarians into the GOP orbit by default.
I'm here to tell you, DNC, that your voters are far more disillusioned than the GOP of late. The GOP has suddenly grown a backbone. Being the underdog is what they know best, and they are suddenly good at it again. But the Democrats around the nation are now looking at the ruin their elected officials are trying to foist on the nation and they are asking themselves not only "what have I done?" but "what the hell do I do now?"
AND THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY IS HERE TO HELP!
We are the party that millions of democrats are looking for, and we're getting our message out.
We're coming for your disillusioned voters who yearn to be free. Discount us at your own peril.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Nanny State Belts Citizens
Today the forces of the nanny state took another step in Florida.
Yes, the new "seat belt" law is now in effect. It is now legal for the cops in Florida to pull you over and issue tickets for no other reason than because you are not wearing your seat belt, and I say, what the hell is wrong with these people?
No, not the idiots who don't wear seat belts, and not even the idiot cops who might enforce this law, but the idiot law makers who passed such a stupid law.
If I'm not wearing my seat belt and the worst happens, who is injured? I am, and no one else. So why then does the government think it has the right to tell me not to do admittedly stupid things that hurt no one else?
It thinks it has this right because it has been sold a lie. The lie is that the government exists to protect the people from all threats. The truth is that the government exists to protect people from external threats only. Things we choose to do to or with ourselves are our business.
Now, follow the money. Who benefits from this stupid situation? Two groups. First, the authorities that will be collecting the money from these fines stand to benefit directly. Second, the insurance companies that should now see a drop in the avoidable injury claims as more people are coerced into wearing seat belts. Who is missing from this group? The riders! The riders are not going to benefit from this usurpation of their natural right to choose.
This is because the riders no longer have a choice in the matter and so any gains in safety they might enjoy are negated by the coercive methods used to procure them. Without choice the benefits accrue to others, in this case the state and insurance companies.
So the next time you wear your seat belt, see it for what it really is, a device of your own personal subordination to the government and the insurance companies who bought them.
Yes, the new "seat belt" law is now in effect. It is now legal for the cops in Florida to pull you over and issue tickets for no other reason than because you are not wearing your seat belt, and I say, what the hell is wrong with these people?
No, not the idiots who don't wear seat belts, and not even the idiot cops who might enforce this law, but the idiot law makers who passed such a stupid law.
If I'm not wearing my seat belt and the worst happens, who is injured? I am, and no one else. So why then does the government think it has the right to tell me not to do admittedly stupid things that hurt no one else?
It thinks it has this right because it has been sold a lie. The lie is that the government exists to protect the people from all threats. The truth is that the government exists to protect people from external threats only. Things we choose to do to or with ourselves are our business.
Now, follow the money. Who benefits from this stupid situation? Two groups. First, the authorities that will be collecting the money from these fines stand to benefit directly. Second, the insurance companies that should now see a drop in the avoidable injury claims as more people are coerced into wearing seat belts. Who is missing from this group? The riders! The riders are not going to benefit from this usurpation of their natural right to choose.
This is because the riders no longer have a choice in the matter and so any gains in safety they might enjoy are negated by the coercive methods used to procure them. Without choice the benefits accrue to others, in this case the state and insurance companies.
So the next time you wear your seat belt, see it for what it really is, a device of your own personal subordination to the government and the insurance companies who bought them.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Republicans to Ban Tobacco!
"Sen. Tom Coburn, who is also a medical doctor, is calling for an outright ban on the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products."
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/coburn_tobacco_ban/2009/06/05/221915.html
Leave it to the Republicans to advance the nanny state while pretending to be the champions of individual freedom!
How long is it going to be until the government is told that it does not have the right to tell people what they can and cannot do with their own bodies?! The answer is, however long it takes us to tell them.
Tell your government, right now, that you're sick of the nanny state. The government does not know what is best for your, and even if it does, it does not have the right to enforce its ideals on your life. If you want to smoke, then here in the land of the free and the home of the brave why the hell are you not allowed to?
Who is this feel good senator to tell the whole of America that they cannot smoke tobacco?
What's next? Drinking alcohol?
OH MY GOD.
Have we not had enough of prohibition already?
If you outlaw cigarettes, only outlaws will have cigarettes. I'm tired of the these elected fools helping prop up organized crime. What is this, some sort of organized crime stimulus package? Wouldn't surprise me if the man gets kickbacks from Colombian tobacco lords (or at least, he will be getting them)
STOP THE MADNESS NOW.
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/coburn_tobacco_ban/2009/06/05/221915.html
Leave it to the Republicans to advance the nanny state while pretending to be the champions of individual freedom!
How long is it going to be until the government is told that it does not have the right to tell people what they can and cannot do with their own bodies?! The answer is, however long it takes us to tell them.
Tell your government, right now, that you're sick of the nanny state. The government does not know what is best for your, and even if it does, it does not have the right to enforce its ideals on your life. If you want to smoke, then here in the land of the free and the home of the brave why the hell are you not allowed to?
Who is this feel good senator to tell the whole of America that they cannot smoke tobacco?
What's next? Drinking alcohol?
OH MY GOD.
Have we not had enough of prohibition already?
If you outlaw cigarettes, only outlaws will have cigarettes. I'm tired of the these elected fools helping prop up organized crime. What is this, some sort of organized crime stimulus package? Wouldn't surprise me if the man gets kickbacks from Colombian tobacco lords (or at least, he will be getting them)
STOP THE MADNESS NOW.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
What's wrong with this picture?
And now, a dramatic reading from the Constitution, Article I:
No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Drugs and Freedom
Looks like our overlords in the DNC are showing once again how anti freedom they are, and how conflicted in their philosophy.
It's ok to remove an "nonviable tissue mass" (otherwise known as a developing baby) from a woman's body (called choice), but that same woman cannot smoke a joint!
What is wrong with this picture?
I'll tell you, hypocrisy.
The Democrats (and the Republicans too most of the time) want to control you, and damn the consequences. Never mind that the war on drugs is a complete failure. Ask any DEA agent and he will tell you that the availability of drugs has not gone down despite the billions of dollars spent on it.
That means the DEA is an employment program! Which is bad enough, but if we're going to hire people why not have them do something useful like build roads or damns or paint houses or something, ANYTHING, other than run around pretending to be either 007 or urban combat teams terrorizing the hell out of people are hurting no one.
Whoa, wait a moment! Did I say drug users are hurting no one? Good point, alcohol users are hurting people and so we should outlaw that too. Yes, some people will abuse drugs and hurt others, but most of the time they only hurt themselves. We have proved that interdiction is a failure, and so now the only thing left is to clean up the mess since we can't prevent it. It's against the law to abuse someone else, so let that stand and lets get on with life.
FREEDOM means the ability to chose to do something or not. The DNC does not trust you to make the right choice, so it is going to make it for you.
Now, help me tear down the nanny state!
It's ok to remove an "nonviable tissue mass" (otherwise known as a developing baby) from a woman's body (called choice), but that same woman cannot smoke a joint!
What is wrong with this picture?
I'll tell you, hypocrisy.
The Democrats (and the Republicans too most of the time) want to control you, and damn the consequences. Never mind that the war on drugs is a complete failure. Ask any DEA agent and he will tell you that the availability of drugs has not gone down despite the billions of dollars spent on it.
That means the DEA is an employment program! Which is bad enough, but if we're going to hire people why not have them do something useful like build roads or damns or paint houses or something, ANYTHING, other than run around pretending to be either 007 or urban combat teams terrorizing the hell out of people are hurting no one.
Whoa, wait a moment! Did I say drug users are hurting no one? Good point, alcohol users are hurting people and so we should outlaw that too. Yes, some people will abuse drugs and hurt others, but most of the time they only hurt themselves. We have proved that interdiction is a failure, and so now the only thing left is to clean up the mess since we can't prevent it. It's against the law to abuse someone else, so let that stand and lets get on with life.
FREEDOM means the ability to chose to do something or not. The DNC does not trust you to make the right choice, so it is going to make it for you.
Now, help me tear down the nanny state!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Credit where Credit is Due
Freedom lovers,
Governor Charlie Crist vetoed the raid on the concealed carry weapons (CCW) fund.
He did it to shore up his image as a conservative.
He did the right thing.
Thank you governor.
Everyone else should thank him too:
Phone number: (850) 488-4441 or (850) 488-7146
Fax number: (850) 487-0801
Send your email to the Governor at this address:
Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com
IN THE SUBJECT LINE PUT: THANK YOU for your VETO of the CW Trust Fund Sweep
Governor Charlie Crist vetoed the raid on the concealed carry weapons (CCW) fund.
He did it to shore up his image as a conservative.
He did the right thing.
Thank you governor.
Everyone else should thank him too:
Phone number: (850) 488-4441 or (850) 488-7146
Fax number: (850) 487-0801
Send your email to the Governor at this address:
Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com
IN THE SUBJECT LINE PUT: THANK YOU for your VETO of the CW Trust Fund Sweep
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Arlen Specter - Rino to Dino
Today Pennsylvania's "Republican" U. S. Senator Arlen Specter became Pennsylvania's "Democrat" U. S. Senator, and nothing changed.
The Senator claimed it was for philosophical reasons, and the Republicans were dismayed to their core, but why should they be? It was for philosophical reasons. The reason being, he has a better chance (in his mind) of maintaining his position in the Senate as part of the current ruling class.
All other talk is pure rubbish, because there is no significant philosophical difference between the GOP and the DNC. Oh the GOP claims it, but lets check the record:
* Massive government spending: Check
* Assaults on every liberty we have: Check
Oh sure, Bush thwarted federal spending on some fetal stem cell research, and the DNC wants to close Guantanamo Bay, but otherwise their are no differences.
Where then, I ask, does this leave the voters of Pennsylvania? Are they going to now find a "real" Republican to put up against Specter in 2010? And would it matter even if they did? A "real" Republican would just be another lip service RINO that would ride the crest until winds of politics blew a different direction.
This is all because the Republican and the Democrats are not rooted in any sort of principles. Their only concern is the acquisition of power, and once acquired, the maintenance of it. what they do with this power is use it for more of the same. They care nothing for the people the pretend to represent and serve.
Now, lest anyone point their finger at me and scream "Hypocrite!" let me explain that I know a thing or two about changing parties. I was a life long Republican, until November 5th, 2008. I have already well documented my reasons for leaving the Republican party, but unlike Specter I did not just jump to a party that better suited my re-election prospects. I moved to a party that walks its talk. Specter did not move to a philosophy that better suited his personal beliefs, he simply switched mascots
The people of Pennsylvania now have one more very visible reason to see the dysfunction that is in their elected officials. Many of them voted "for change", and now they have a golden opportunity to see that the only change they have received is more of the same under a different mascot.
One can only hope that the voters of Pennsylvania, now twice betrayed, once by President Obama being more of the same, and now by Specter being more of the same, will stand up and demand real change. Change that puts liberty first. Change that demands freemarket answers to economic problems. Change that removes government from our personal lives.
Pennsylvania, now is the time to demand the Libertarian party.
The Senator claimed it was for philosophical reasons, and the Republicans were dismayed to their core, but why should they be? It was for philosophical reasons. The reason being, he has a better chance (in his mind) of maintaining his position in the Senate as part of the current ruling class.
All other talk is pure rubbish, because there is no significant philosophical difference between the GOP and the DNC. Oh the GOP claims it, but lets check the record:
* Massive government spending: Check
* Assaults on every liberty we have: Check
Oh sure, Bush thwarted federal spending on some fetal stem cell research, and the DNC wants to close Guantanamo Bay, but otherwise their are no differences.
Where then, I ask, does this leave the voters of Pennsylvania? Are they going to now find a "real" Republican to put up against Specter in 2010? And would it matter even if they did? A "real" Republican would just be another lip service RINO that would ride the crest until winds of politics blew a different direction.
This is all because the Republican and the Democrats are not rooted in any sort of principles. Their only concern is the acquisition of power, and once acquired, the maintenance of it. what they do with this power is use it for more of the same. They care nothing for the people the pretend to represent and serve.
Now, lest anyone point their finger at me and scream "Hypocrite!" let me explain that I know a thing or two about changing parties. I was a life long Republican, until November 5th, 2008. I have already well documented my reasons for leaving the Republican party, but unlike Specter I did not just jump to a party that better suited my re-election prospects. I moved to a party that walks its talk. Specter did not move to a philosophy that better suited his personal beliefs, he simply switched mascots
The people of Pennsylvania now have one more very visible reason to see the dysfunction that is in their elected officials. Many of them voted "for change", and now they have a golden opportunity to see that the only change they have received is more of the same under a different mascot.
One can only hope that the voters of Pennsylvania, now twice betrayed, once by President Obama being more of the same, and now by Specter being more of the same, will stand up and demand real change. Change that puts liberty first. Change that demands freemarket answers to economic problems. Change that removes government from our personal lives.
Pennsylvania, now is the time to demand the Libertarian party.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Obama, the Special Olympics and Perspective
I've seen the video. Obama said his bowling is something like watching a Special Olympics athlete.
Then the world went nuts about that comment.
We have the DOW in a tailspin, government spending at an all time high, the Federal Reserve going nuts, all threatening to drive inflation into the stratosphere, and we're worried about a something this stupid?
And to make it worse, the "offended" group hasn't cried fowl.
The only people "defending" the "offended" group are the hard left liberals with nothing better to do. They are the economic equivalent of those who moved deck chairs about on the Titanic. They can't imagine doing anything constructive.
Then the world went nuts about that comment.
We have the DOW in a tailspin, government spending at an all time high, the Federal Reserve going nuts, all threatening to drive inflation into the stratosphere, and we're worried about a something this stupid?
And to make it worse, the "offended" group hasn't cried fowl.
The only people "defending" the "offended" group are the hard left liberals with nothing better to do. They are the economic equivalent of those who moved deck chairs about on the Titanic. They can't imagine doing anything constructive.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Let the testing begin!
Well,
Now that the world believes Barak Obama is the President, the testing of his mettle has begun in earnest.
The North Koreans are going to test their longer range missile.
The Iranians are full speed ahead in their nuclear program.
The Russians laughed in his face at his (ridiculous) offer to pull back the missile defense system deployed in Eastern Europe.
AND NOW
The Chinese think they can harass our navy ships.
The worlds now holds its breath to see if Obama will be like his democratic predecessors, Clinton and Carter, both totally unprepared to deal with international bullies, or if he will man up like Reagan and Bush, and the man he pretends to be, Lincoln.
We should hold our breath too!
Should the Obama Administration show the characteristic Democratic weakness then we could be in for a very bad four years. Couple that with the economic disaster the Democrats are heaping upon us and it might be the saddest chapter in this great nations history yet.
And we're not off to a good start either.
The Obama administration has thus far managed to offend our most stalwart ally, the United Kingdom, and has shown its proclivity to appeasement by trying to buy off the Palestinians in the Gaza strip rather than letting Israel really clean house.
It makes me sad to think that the only thing that will keep this country "safe" is nuclear weapons. But once again our technology may be the only thing that can offset the otherwise fatal policies of liberal leaders. Let us hope the fools in Washington don't manage to disassemble them all before a leader that is willing to actually defend our interest is installed.
Now that the world believes Barak Obama is the President, the testing of his mettle has begun in earnest.
The North Koreans are going to test their longer range missile.
The Iranians are full speed ahead in their nuclear program.
The Russians laughed in his face at his (ridiculous) offer to pull back the missile defense system deployed in Eastern Europe.
AND NOW
The Chinese think they can harass our navy ships.
The worlds now holds its breath to see if Obama will be like his democratic predecessors, Clinton and Carter, both totally unprepared to deal with international bullies, or if he will man up like Reagan and Bush, and the man he pretends to be, Lincoln.
We should hold our breath too!
Should the Obama Administration show the characteristic Democratic weakness then we could be in for a very bad four years. Couple that with the economic disaster the Democrats are heaping upon us and it might be the saddest chapter in this great nations history yet.
And we're not off to a good start either.
The Obama administration has thus far managed to offend our most stalwart ally, the United Kingdom, and has shown its proclivity to appeasement by trying to buy off the Palestinians in the Gaza strip rather than letting Israel really clean house.
It makes me sad to think that the only thing that will keep this country "safe" is nuclear weapons. But once again our technology may be the only thing that can offset the otherwise fatal policies of liberal leaders. Let us hope the fools in Washington don't manage to disassemble them all before a leader that is willing to actually defend our interest is installed.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Liberal Knife at our Throats
A few days ago I happened to be listening to Rush Limbaugh, and he made an offhand comment about an author named Saul Alinksy. I'd never heard of the man. I did a little research and found his book "Rules for Radicals" and thought, what the hell? I ordered it from Amazon.com. It arrived. I began reading.
The first chapter of the book holds this paragraph [emphasis his]:
Indeed he is right that this the low road, for it leads through hell and can get no lower.
But, thankfully, he is wrong in his last sentence. There is another way. Indeed, he has deluded himself into a accepting something that cannot be. He asserts that the experience of men will lead them to this conclusion, but he ignores that the experience of men is essentially self-centric. People can not be expected to "share" (under threat of harm) forever. Eventually they will devise a mechanism for their deliverance.
The avoidance of the low road is to devise the deliverance beforehand. Lucky for us, we know the way. The road to freedom and prosperity for as many as possible begins by resisting the extortion and defiance of the threat.
The road to freedom and prosperity for as many as possible will be paved on the backs of those few who will organize the resistance and push those who would menace us into "sharing" back.
It is no wonder that the so called radicals of the 1970s failed so miserably! If this is the height of their intellectual achievement then they would have been much better off staying home. It is sheer sophistry to think we could extort morality out of men at large for those doing the extortion would be amoral.
This is ultimately why I am optimistic, not merely hopeful, but confidently optimistic that we are on the verge of a great awakening in the United States. The people know right from wrong. They know that "sharing" under duress is wrong, and they will not tolerate it for long. Even the benefactors of such ill gotten gains will be unhappy as their appetites will grow beyond the governments ability to feed. Then the real clash will happen, and those who have spent their lives learning how to produce, manufacture, serve and work will sweep aside those who can hardly be bothered to even learn to read.
Most Americans, young, old, rich, poor, northern or southern, want nothing more than to be left alone to live their lives in relative peace. The government will be unable to accommodate this, and true anger the likes of which has not been seen in decades, will emerge.
No manufactured crisis or government orchestrated market collapse will be strong enough to hold back the will of the people who still yearn to be free. They will easily identify the chains that hold them (I'll make sure of it) and they will cast them off, and with those chains they will bind the serpent that is Socialism and once again cast it into the abyss from which it crept.
These things are unavoidable. The socialists know it, which is why they try so hard to rush all their programs. They hope that by stampeding things into place they will either be proved right, which the laws of economics will not allow, or they will so entrench themselves that they cannot be removed, with the law of numbers will not allow.
The harder they push, the stronger the backlash will be.
How could anyone not be optimistic in times like these? The future of conservative thought is brighter than ever for it will be showing us the way out of the darkness that the socialists are bringing.
The first chapter of the book holds this paragraph [emphasis his]:
I believe that man is about to learn that the most practical life is the most moral life and that the moral life is the only road to survival. He is beginning to learn the he will either share part of his material wealth or lose all of it; that he will respect and learn to live with other political ideologies if he wants civilization to go on. This is the kind of argument that man's actual experience equips him to understand and accept. This is the low road to morality. There is no other.His road to morality is nothing more than extortion. Those who own material wealth must give to those who do not, or else.
Indeed he is right that this the low road, for it leads through hell and can get no lower.
But, thankfully, he is wrong in his last sentence. There is another way. Indeed, he has deluded himself into a accepting something that cannot be. He asserts that the experience of men will lead them to this conclusion, but he ignores that the experience of men is essentially self-centric. People can not be expected to "share" (under threat of harm) forever. Eventually they will devise a mechanism for their deliverance.
The avoidance of the low road is to devise the deliverance beforehand. Lucky for us, we know the way. The road to freedom and prosperity for as many as possible begins by resisting the extortion and defiance of the threat.
The road to freedom and prosperity for as many as possible will be paved on the backs of those few who will organize the resistance and push those who would menace us into "sharing" back.
It is no wonder that the so called radicals of the 1970s failed so miserably! If this is the height of their intellectual achievement then they would have been much better off staying home. It is sheer sophistry to think we could extort morality out of men at large for those doing the extortion would be amoral.
This is ultimately why I am optimistic, not merely hopeful, but confidently optimistic that we are on the verge of a great awakening in the United States. The people know right from wrong. They know that "sharing" under duress is wrong, and they will not tolerate it for long. Even the benefactors of such ill gotten gains will be unhappy as their appetites will grow beyond the governments ability to feed. Then the real clash will happen, and those who have spent their lives learning how to produce, manufacture, serve and work will sweep aside those who can hardly be bothered to even learn to read.
Most Americans, young, old, rich, poor, northern or southern, want nothing more than to be left alone to live their lives in relative peace. The government will be unable to accommodate this, and true anger the likes of which has not been seen in decades, will emerge.
No manufactured crisis or government orchestrated market collapse will be strong enough to hold back the will of the people who still yearn to be free. They will easily identify the chains that hold them (I'll make sure of it) and they will cast them off, and with those chains they will bind the serpent that is Socialism and once again cast it into the abyss from which it crept.
These things are unavoidable. The socialists know it, which is why they try so hard to rush all their programs. They hope that by stampeding things into place they will either be proved right, which the laws of economics will not allow, or they will so entrench themselves that they cannot be removed, with the law of numbers will not allow.
The harder they push, the stronger the backlash will be.
How could anyone not be optimistic in times like these? The future of conservative thought is brighter than ever for it will be showing us the way out of the darkness that the socialists are bringing.
Monday, February 9, 2009
A Little Rebellion Now and Then - A Conservative's Perspective
There’s an old saying that seems to hold more truth in it the more time that passes. Don’t ask where it came from, probably a humorist of the caliber of Will Rogers or P.J. O’Rourke, but definitely not Jon Stewart, because it’s actually witty and a bit insightful. At any rate, it says that “Politicians, much like diapers, need to be changed often and for the same reasons.”
Looking around, it’s not that hard to see why somebody would say that. Once upon a time a person lived two different lives. The first would be life before politics, a life dedicated to whatever career or profession they had set their sights on. Often times they would be successful, rising above the others in the same field, other times they would be Harry Truman, but regardless they would have life experience under their belt, knowledge of something besides the Capital Beltway. They ‘d have wealth of successes and failures to claim as their own that would perhaps give them a wisdom and a degree of foresight that would help them in the tasks that were there in front of them.
Then they would have their political lives.
The truth is that the Founders, they perhaps never saw a profession rising out of politics. The Constitution, it would carefully crafted for that exact reason. Two years in Congress, six in the Senate, four in the Presidency, perhaps someone would return for another term or perhaps they would seek a higher office, but the entire framework would be devised that no one man might find himself elevated above others, spending their life in public office to the exclusion. Having seen and felt the effects of those who ruled believing they had a divine right to sit in the seat of the mighty, they wanted to spare the people from the inevitable corruption that it would seem to breed.
There, even by the first President precedent would be set for generations to come. Without a doubt George Washington could have found himself as the President of the Republic for the remainder of his years, and yet it would be a temptation that he would not yield to. Even as France began brief republican experience across the ocean, it had to be seen as truly remarkable, that which Washington did in that singular act of refusing to serve a third and possible a fourth term, fading off into the sunset. Lesser men would find the same too difficult to refuse.
In the over 150 years before the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was passed, limiting a president to two terms in office, only one man Franklin Delano Roosevelt, would break that tradition handed down since Washington.
Looking around, it’s obvious that the Founders, they were on to something there…
Let’s face it, we have, in recent years, come to see the rise of perhaps some of the most corrupt and immoral leaders to rise from the ranks of this Republic to assume the roles of leader, leaving many to wonder where the system has gone wrong.
In recent years we have watched as one Governor would resign amidst a sex scandal with high priced prostitutes, another arrested while trying to sell a Senate Seat and impeached for a host of other crimes, now standing trial in Illinois, yet another still finds himself under investigation for a host of pay to play scandals in his own state, a mayor sentenced to time in prison for obstruction of justice, two men elevated to Cabinet posts despite a history of tax evasion, only one who would withdraw his name, congressmen hiding FBI money in their freezers, another congressman now tied to a lobby firm raided by the FBI, this on top of his other questionable dealings, and a host of other scandals and dirty deals that have either gone unnoticed or forgotten about because they just cease to shock us anymore. The list, it just seems to go on and on and on with no signs of letting up any time in the near future. There are good and decent legislators in Washington and around the nation, those who view their service for the sacred trust that it is, and yet they are largely forgotten, as the host of others seem to take this perpetual perp walk to the podium to give their election or re-election speeches or to say, whoops I messed up or it really wasn’t me, I didn’t do anything wrong.
There we are left to wonder, are there any more Mr. Smith’s left in Washington?
Yet as frustrating as it may be, or as difficult as it may seem the responsibility is squarely placed on our shoulders as the electors. As much as the founders perhaps tried to protect the people from the abuses that we have now seemed to grow accustomed to amidst our current political climate with the rise of the career politicians, it won’t do it all of the time. There, these politicians, these so called leaders, they flourish and remain in positions of power and esteem because we allow them to remain there, despite having the instruments at our disposal to remove them from the place of honor that they now find themselves in.
There it must be the role of the enlightened citizen to hold their leader to account and to refuse to allow for them to degrade and sully the office that they hold, it is the role of the enlightened citizen to show the courage and the fortitude to struggle to remove them from their office when they have been so inclined to denigrate it for personal gain or wealth, seeking to do their business, with little regard for the people’s business.
There, perhaps it’s been now over 200 years since that revolution that would give birth to this Republic, yet, as children of it, it our role to be ever determined, ever vigilant to make that stand against abuses of power, as did our forbearers.
After all, a little rebellion, even if solely political in nature, is a healthy venture.
But then just a few thoughts I suppose…
Looking around, it’s not that hard to see why somebody would say that. Once upon a time a person lived two different lives. The first would be life before politics, a life dedicated to whatever career or profession they had set their sights on. Often times they would be successful, rising above the others in the same field, other times they would be Harry Truman, but regardless they would have life experience under their belt, knowledge of something besides the Capital Beltway. They ‘d have wealth of successes and failures to claim as their own that would perhaps give them a wisdom and a degree of foresight that would help them in the tasks that were there in front of them.
Then they would have their political lives.
The truth is that the Founders, they perhaps never saw a profession rising out of politics. The Constitution, it would carefully crafted for that exact reason. Two years in Congress, six in the Senate, four in the Presidency, perhaps someone would return for another term or perhaps they would seek a higher office, but the entire framework would be devised that no one man might find himself elevated above others, spending their life in public office to the exclusion. Having seen and felt the effects of those who ruled believing they had a divine right to sit in the seat of the mighty, they wanted to spare the people from the inevitable corruption that it would seem to breed.
There, even by the first President precedent would be set for generations to come. Without a doubt George Washington could have found himself as the President of the Republic for the remainder of his years, and yet it would be a temptation that he would not yield to. Even as France began brief republican experience across the ocean, it had to be seen as truly remarkable, that which Washington did in that singular act of refusing to serve a third and possible a fourth term, fading off into the sunset. Lesser men would find the same too difficult to refuse.
In the over 150 years before the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was passed, limiting a president to two terms in office, only one man Franklin Delano Roosevelt, would break that tradition handed down since Washington.
Looking around, it’s obvious that the Founders, they were on to something there…
Let’s face it, we have, in recent years, come to see the rise of perhaps some of the most corrupt and immoral leaders to rise from the ranks of this Republic to assume the roles of leader, leaving many to wonder where the system has gone wrong.
In recent years we have watched as one Governor would resign amidst a sex scandal with high priced prostitutes, another arrested while trying to sell a Senate Seat and impeached for a host of other crimes, now standing trial in Illinois, yet another still finds himself under investigation for a host of pay to play scandals in his own state, a mayor sentenced to time in prison for obstruction of justice, two men elevated to Cabinet posts despite a history of tax evasion, only one who would withdraw his name, congressmen hiding FBI money in their freezers, another congressman now tied to a lobby firm raided by the FBI, this on top of his other questionable dealings, and a host of other scandals and dirty deals that have either gone unnoticed or forgotten about because they just cease to shock us anymore. The list, it just seems to go on and on and on with no signs of letting up any time in the near future. There are good and decent legislators in Washington and around the nation, those who view their service for the sacred trust that it is, and yet they are largely forgotten, as the host of others seem to take this perpetual perp walk to the podium to give their election or re-election speeches or to say, whoops I messed up or it really wasn’t me, I didn’t do anything wrong.
There we are left to wonder, are there any more Mr. Smith’s left in Washington?
Yet as frustrating as it may be, or as difficult as it may seem the responsibility is squarely placed on our shoulders as the electors. As much as the founders perhaps tried to protect the people from the abuses that we have now seemed to grow accustomed to amidst our current political climate with the rise of the career politicians, it won’t do it all of the time. There, these politicians, these so called leaders, they flourish and remain in positions of power and esteem because we allow them to remain there, despite having the instruments at our disposal to remove them from the place of honor that they now find themselves in.
There it must be the role of the enlightened citizen to hold their leader to account and to refuse to allow for them to degrade and sully the office that they hold, it is the role of the enlightened citizen to show the courage and the fortitude to struggle to remove them from their office when they have been so inclined to denigrate it for personal gain or wealth, seeking to do their business, with little regard for the people’s business.
There, perhaps it’s been now over 200 years since that revolution that would give birth to this Republic, yet, as children of it, it our role to be ever determined, ever vigilant to make that stand against abuses of power, as did our forbearers.
After all, a little rebellion, even if solely political in nature, is a healthy venture.
But then just a few thoughts I suppose…
Friday, February 6, 2009
Bailouts, Stimulus and Freedom
For the last weeks we have heard nothing but the specifics of one form of massive government spending or another. Be it a bailout or a stimulus package they both have two common elements that threaten your freedoms.
First, they will seriously erode the value of your dollar. Don't think that freedom and economics are not linked. Many people seem to believe there is no link, but then why was the revolutionary battle cry "No taxation without representation" so iconic? It shows the clear link, indeed, the inseparability of economic freedom and civil freedom.
Second, they both put the governments hands on massive amounts of what is rightly the private sector. We have already seen the governments sticky fingers on things. Do you think the government can make an economic argument for meddling in the compensation packages of the executives of the big banks? They don't even try. They make a social argument along the lines of "it's not proper". Who the hell is the government, specifically the President, to say what is proper compensation and what is not? And what criteria is he really using?
In both cases the problem is the concentration of power. In both cases power is being transferred from the private sector to the government. It's the age old equation of tyranny. More power in fewer hands.
Think I'm making this up? We have a historical precedence to study and consider. The public education system. The very moment a school begins to accept federal funds, for any program what so ever, the entire curriculum of the school falls under the heavy hand of the federal government.
An entire industry was corrupted by two things, free flowing federal dollars, and strings on those dollars. And what has been the result? Have American schools, which, by the way neither needed bailout nor stimulus at the time, advanced even farther ahead of the pack? Or have schools around the world made serious progress? You know the answer. The rest of the world is catching up, and government is directly to blame for slowing us down.
Another result has been the tyranny that is the National Education Association. The NEA has crushed all opposition to anything that might upset its applecart. Vouchers, crushed. School choice, crushed. Merit pay, crushed. In short, it has done everything it can to insolate itself against competition, which is the free market, which is freedom itself. The NEA is the government master of your childrens education, and by proxy, your children, and to a large extent you.
You still have the option to pay twice and send your child to a private school I suppose. Chalk one up for freedom, for the rich. The poor are stuck.
And the exact same thing is now happening to huge sectors of the American free enterprise system. The banks are now directly run by the government. They are effectively multiple branches of the same entity. The rules that apply in one will apply in all. This is the concentration of power at work.
Why is that dangerous?
Because there are no one-size fits all solutions to problems as diverse as economics on a global scale. Diversity has always been a safety net for the consumer. If one company fails, another is there or will be there shortly. Diversity and innovation come only from competition.
History proves I'm right too. We have far more companies doing innovation today than ever before. Those who point to the old saw of Wal-Mart putting mom and pop out of business never stop to ask what those displaced mom and pop are now doing. They had to innovate. They created new companies and new jobs. They didn't get hired on at minimum wage. Oh sure, a few proved to be unable to adapt, but the vast majority found new services to perform. And we are all better off for it. We have both now, Wal-Mart and the new stuff.
Capitalism does not concentrate power, it diversifies power.
Socialism concentrates power.
Concentrated power is tyranny.
Capitalism is freedom.
Your government is trying to buy you. Will you be bought?
First, they will seriously erode the value of your dollar. Don't think that freedom and economics are not linked. Many people seem to believe there is no link, but then why was the revolutionary battle cry "No taxation without representation" so iconic? It shows the clear link, indeed, the inseparability of economic freedom and civil freedom.
Second, they both put the governments hands on massive amounts of what is rightly the private sector. We have already seen the governments sticky fingers on things. Do you think the government can make an economic argument for meddling in the compensation packages of the executives of the big banks? They don't even try. They make a social argument along the lines of "it's not proper". Who the hell is the government, specifically the President, to say what is proper compensation and what is not? And what criteria is he really using?
In both cases the problem is the concentration of power. In both cases power is being transferred from the private sector to the government. It's the age old equation of tyranny. More power in fewer hands.
Think I'm making this up? We have a historical precedence to study and consider. The public education system. The very moment a school begins to accept federal funds, for any program what so ever, the entire curriculum of the school falls under the heavy hand of the federal government.
An entire industry was corrupted by two things, free flowing federal dollars, and strings on those dollars. And what has been the result? Have American schools, which, by the way neither needed bailout nor stimulus at the time, advanced even farther ahead of the pack? Or have schools around the world made serious progress? You know the answer. The rest of the world is catching up, and government is directly to blame for slowing us down.
Another result has been the tyranny that is the National Education Association. The NEA has crushed all opposition to anything that might upset its applecart. Vouchers, crushed. School choice, crushed. Merit pay, crushed. In short, it has done everything it can to insolate itself against competition, which is the free market, which is freedom itself. The NEA is the government master of your childrens education, and by proxy, your children, and to a large extent you.
You still have the option to pay twice and send your child to a private school I suppose. Chalk one up for freedom, for the rich. The poor are stuck.
And the exact same thing is now happening to huge sectors of the American free enterprise system. The banks are now directly run by the government. They are effectively multiple branches of the same entity. The rules that apply in one will apply in all. This is the concentration of power at work.
Why is that dangerous?
Because there are no one-size fits all solutions to problems as diverse as economics on a global scale. Diversity has always been a safety net for the consumer. If one company fails, another is there or will be there shortly. Diversity and innovation come only from competition.
History proves I'm right too. We have far more companies doing innovation today than ever before. Those who point to the old saw of Wal-Mart putting mom and pop out of business never stop to ask what those displaced mom and pop are now doing. They had to innovate. They created new companies and new jobs. They didn't get hired on at minimum wage. Oh sure, a few proved to be unable to adapt, but the vast majority found new services to perform. And we are all better off for it. We have both now, Wal-Mart and the new stuff.
Capitalism does not concentrate power, it diversifies power.
Socialism concentrates power.
Concentrated power is tyranny.
Capitalism is freedom.
Your government is trying to buy you. Will you be bought?
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Washington State Goes for Broke with DNA
I was, once again, surprised and disgusted by the ever reaching hand of government.
Some legislators in Washington State seems to want to just forget those pesky civil rights like protection from unreasonable search and seizure, so long as it solves crimes.
As long as we're going to just take DNA from everyone we arrest, lets also just arrest everyone so we'll have a nice database of it to begin with. In fact, lets also do it to newborns.
Once again we are faced with the old dilemma that just because you can do something does not mean you should. We could also attach tracking devices to everyone. The proponents say it will "solve crimes, protect people and save lives". Lets just grant that they are right. That still does not make it something we should do.
This brings up a critical point. For the last few decades those of us who value civil rights have been on the retreat. We're defending our positions, not advancing the cause of freedom. It's time to take the initiative and push back the ever reaching hand of the government. Make them understand that, if they encroach on our rights, they are out of a job.
It has gotten especially bad in the last few as people seem to think that by dropping a "few unimportant" civil liberties they will increase their personal safety. Let me clue you in on something. These measures are not about your safety, but about the establishments safety. All of these things are designed to make the establishment look busy, but do little to effectively address the issues they claim to address. They have the side effect of taking away your otherwise harmless liberties, in this case, your right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
Wake up.
Get informed.
(which will make you angry)
Then get involved.
And do it now.
Some legislators in Washington State seems to want to just forget those pesky civil rights like protection from unreasonable search and seizure, so long as it solves crimes.
As long as we're going to just take DNA from everyone we arrest, lets also just arrest everyone so we'll have a nice database of it to begin with. In fact, lets also do it to newborns.
Once again we are faced with the old dilemma that just because you can do something does not mean you should. We could also attach tracking devices to everyone. The proponents say it will "solve crimes, protect people and save lives". Lets just grant that they are right. That still does not make it something we should do.
This brings up a critical point. For the last few decades those of us who value civil rights have been on the retreat. We're defending our positions, not advancing the cause of freedom. It's time to take the initiative and push back the ever reaching hand of the government. Make them understand that, if they encroach on our rights, they are out of a job.
It has gotten especially bad in the last few as people seem to think that by dropping a "few unimportant" civil liberties they will increase their personal safety. Let me clue you in on something. These measures are not about your safety, but about the establishments safety. All of these things are designed to make the establishment look busy, but do little to effectively address the issues they claim to address. They have the side effect of taking away your otherwise harmless liberties, in this case, your right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
Wake up.
Get informed.
(which will make you angry)
Then get involved.
And do it now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
