The Governor of South Carolina intends to reject bailout funding – at least partly – comparing the endless deficit spending spree to Zimbabwe-style lunacy.
Upon his public stamen, the usual howls of excoriation began from Democrats, labeling his position as “racist” since, apparently, Zimbabwe remains mostly black.
Concerning Zimbabwe, reluctant as we may be to compliment a dictator who prefers to be addressed as "Comrade," we are compelled to do so in the case of Robert Mugabe. He officially refers to homosexuals as "perverts who do not deserve civil rights."
In his words, "Let the Americans keep their sodomy, bestiality, stupid and foolish ways to themselves. Let the gays be - gay - in the United States and Europe, but they shall be sad people here."
How about that? What an interesting proposition – the left needs to defend someone on the basis of one protected quality while they proceed to deny others their protectedness.
What a dilemma for a committed liberal…
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Public Safety?
Boston.com reported Monday that an 82-year-old woman was strangled to death when her scarf and hair became caught in an escalator. According to staff of the Boston Globe, many people simply walked past the ghastly tableau, refusing to get involved. Among the few good Samaritans who desperately tried and failed to free the woman from the escalator was Larry Fitzpatrick. He was quoted as saying, "All we needed was a box cutter, knife, even a nail clipper, but we had nothing available."
One of the reasons none of these passers-by had a knife is because Massachusetts, and presumably the city of Boston, have strict laws governing the carry and possession of knives, or certain types of them. They are not alone. Many if not all municipalities have such laws. In some cases, these laws are carryovers from the age of the duel, but in most cases, they are simply the work of invasive governments telling you what you can have in your pocket on a day-to-day basis.
Public safety, my ass. Intrusive laws kill people. This is more dangerous than actual crime.
One of the reasons none of these passers-by had a knife is because Massachusetts, and presumably the city of Boston, have strict laws governing the carry and possession of knives, or certain types of them. They are not alone. Many if not all municipalities have such laws. In some cases, these laws are carryovers from the age of the duel, but in most cases, they are simply the work of invasive governments telling you what you can have in your pocket on a day-to-day basis.
Public safety, my ass. Intrusive laws kill people. This is more dangerous than actual crime.
Rx
End all earmarks.
Every appropriation must be the subject of a single-topic bill.
All bills must he heard publicly and subject to roll-call vote.
Every appropriation must be the subject of a single-topic bill.
All bills must he heard publicly and subject to roll-call vote.
Citizenship
Recently another case regarding Electee Obama’s citizenship was denied by a Federal judge, citing the fact that his citizenship had been thoroughly discussed by voters online and through MySpace and Twitter. Since he was elected, it must have been put to bed.
Several questions arise:
1. Since when was Twitter judged to be evidence?
2. No one would print anything that wasn’t true, would they?
3. Why doesn’t the Electee have to comply with the law?
4. When did voters come before the Constitution for the United States?What do you call someone who relies on Twitter? A twit.
Several questions arise:
1. Since when was Twitter judged to be evidence?
2. No one would print anything that wasn’t true, would they?
3. Why doesn’t the Electee have to comply with the law?
4. When did voters come before the Constitution for the United States?What do you call someone who relies on Twitter? A twit.
2A 4eva
It’s time to fish or cut bait. As predicted here, the Obama administration intends to put a new Assault Weapons Ban (AWB) on the fast track. Those of us who believe in the Constitution of the United States and our inherent right to protect ourselves, our families, and our property, will soon be forced to choose between our beliefs and support for a corrupt, liberty destroying government. In short, in their eyes, we will become criminals.
Attorney General and race-baiter Eric Holder erroneously believes a new AWB would stop the flow of guns into the hands of drug smugglers in Mexico. If he can’t, with all the power of the state, stop the flow of drugs into this country, can he really believe an AWB would keep firearms out of the hands of millionaire drug cartels who have no regard whatsoever for the current laws? Yet his plan is to attempt to end unrest in a country he bears no responsibility for by cracking down on our liberties here in the US. Wouldn’t a closed border do the same thing?
The fact is, Mr. Holder cares not if criminals have guns; he just wants to make damn sure those who love liberty are totally disarmed and unable to protect what little property they have left! Soon we will hear from the state that those who possess firearms are somehow latent racists.
The coming economic storm created with the "bailout" mentality now infecting our elected morons and the lapdog media, which the Heritage Foundation predicts will bring on 85–95 percent confiscatory taxes visited on the producers in our society, obviously has those in power concerned. The Obamatrons know that with that rate of taxation social order will disappear, and history proves masters prefer their slaves unarmed. Be very sure - the tax revolts will be violent if those rates are attempted.
Many wonder out loud what those in the feral services will do, when, not if, the government moves to confiscate those nasty black guns from American citizens. If they have taken the time to reflect on their oath in which they swore to uphold and defend the Constitution, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, the answer should be obvious. Any enemy of the Constitution should immediately become the enemy of those sworn to defend it. Nowhere in the oath is a commitment to support the government.
Many also wonder if there will be a "defining" event that will precipitate the call for total confiscation, a false-flag operation or another mass public shooting of civilians, perhaps even children, by a mentally unstable individual, heavily into prescription drugs.
Pelosi even stated that gun legislation would wait until the circumstances were right. What could she possibly have meant by that?
Attorney General and race-baiter Eric Holder erroneously believes a new AWB would stop the flow of guns into the hands of drug smugglers in Mexico. If he can’t, with all the power of the state, stop the flow of drugs into this country, can he really believe an AWB would keep firearms out of the hands of millionaire drug cartels who have no regard whatsoever for the current laws? Yet his plan is to attempt to end unrest in a country he bears no responsibility for by cracking down on our liberties here in the US. Wouldn’t a closed border do the same thing?
The fact is, Mr. Holder cares not if criminals have guns; he just wants to make damn sure those who love liberty are totally disarmed and unable to protect what little property they have left! Soon we will hear from the state that those who possess firearms are somehow latent racists.
The coming economic storm created with the "bailout" mentality now infecting our elected morons and the lapdog media, which the Heritage Foundation predicts will bring on 85–95 percent confiscatory taxes visited on the producers in our society, obviously has those in power concerned. The Obamatrons know that with that rate of taxation social order will disappear, and history proves masters prefer their slaves unarmed. Be very sure - the tax revolts will be violent if those rates are attempted.
Many wonder out loud what those in the feral services will do, when, not if, the government moves to confiscate those nasty black guns from American citizens. If they have taken the time to reflect on their oath in which they swore to uphold and defend the Constitution, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, the answer should be obvious. Any enemy of the Constitution should immediately become the enemy of those sworn to defend it. Nowhere in the oath is a commitment to support the government.
Many also wonder if there will be a "defining" event that will precipitate the call for total confiscation, a false-flag operation or another mass public shooting of civilians, perhaps even children, by a mentally unstable individual, heavily into prescription drugs.
Pelosi even stated that gun legislation would wait until the circumstances were right. What could she possibly have meant by that?
Speeches
The fifth-grader-in-chief gave a State of the Kremlin address in which he outlined his vision for the communist worker’s paradise he envisions when he intones “hope.” “Change”. Damn scary ideas, if you ask me. More taxes, more gummint control, more power, less of anything you or I need.
Funniest moment of the speech: He attempted to claim he didn’t believe in bigger Gummint. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. Couldn’t stop laughing on that one. I believe he really just keeps saying anything that pops into his head because he likes the echoey sound between his ears.
Public reaction to the screed was divided, except for the 243 Democrat Party employees polled by Big Media in order to provide them with the “85% public approval” rating they needed to counteract the Electee’s recent slip in the American Idol standings polls.
Funniest moment of the speech: He attempted to claim he didn’t believe in bigger Gummint. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. Couldn’t stop laughing on that one. I believe he really just keeps saying anything that pops into his head because he likes the echoey sound between his ears.
Public reaction to the screed was divided, except for the 243 Democrat Party employees polled by Big Media in order to provide them with the “85% public approval” rating they needed to counteract the Electee’s recent slip in the American Idol standings polls.
Conservatism Redux
Although not intended to be primarily a political paper, we have certainly been so lately. And since there will obviously never be a shortage of material to comment on as long as Communists hold power, today we will take up a different perspective on the battle for America’s future.
Conservatism, if defined by its alleged representatives in the Republican party, has made some key mistakes. The ideology of conservatism has long been viewed passively – as a p0hilospohy of maintaining the status quo, reacting to changes with opposition, and attempting to impose fiscal and legal restraint whenever new initiatives have been proposed.
The main problem with such an approach is that it is always reactive, leading to the inability to protect every inroad made by encroaching liberalism.
In fact, the republican party has lost its conservatism since Reagan, becoming instead a “me too” party of lite liberalism and supporting the same big-state nanny policies that liberals do – with the differentiation being that “our’ version would be more efficient and less costly. Sort of a slower burn on the forest fire.
In a world gone stark raving mad with government, this approach is wholly inadequate to the task of preserving our rights and liberties under the onslaught of “good intentions”.
It is time that conservatism redefined itself as an active force for the preservation of rights and liberties. Not a support group for the corrupt corporate infrastructure, nor a liberal-lite slow burn.
It is time that conservatism was a thrusting, powerful force for “Hope” and “change” – the real versions.
Several key things need to happen in this country:
1. Repeal of useless, unconstitutional, and bad law. Remember the Commander’s third dictum: Lex malum, lex nulla. (A bad law is no law). Acorn proves this. So does the current border policy. And the Commander’s corollary: When everything becomes illegal, then everything is legal again. We are headed straight back to 1860 on the current road.
2. Reinstitution of a strong, valid currency. ‘Nuff said.
3. Elimination of the welfare state and the federal bureaucracy of education. Education reform should be a primary goal, with emphasis put on freeing the schools from the government-support mode, returning instead to private education and local control of curriculum. And a classic foundation of education based on the trivia. Don’t know what that is? Wonder why…
4. Restoration of constitutional government and laws, federal distribution of powers, and Bill of Rights enforcement.
5. Strict interpretation of constitutional matters coupled with strict delineation of governmental powers.
A conservative ideal that pursues this course would find that popular support occurred from a grass-roots level, rather than being a sort of public policy announcement on a local PBS station. To win in today’s environment, we must be the alternative, not the imitation.
No one ever liked naugahyde. Everyone loves quality leather. Remember red vinyl car seats? Let the liberals fill that role.
Conservatism, if defined by its alleged representatives in the Republican party, has made some key mistakes. The ideology of conservatism has long been viewed passively – as a p0hilospohy of maintaining the status quo, reacting to changes with opposition, and attempting to impose fiscal and legal restraint whenever new initiatives have been proposed.
The main problem with such an approach is that it is always reactive, leading to the inability to protect every inroad made by encroaching liberalism.
In fact, the republican party has lost its conservatism since Reagan, becoming instead a “me too” party of lite liberalism and supporting the same big-state nanny policies that liberals do – with the differentiation being that “our’ version would be more efficient and less costly. Sort of a slower burn on the forest fire.
In a world gone stark raving mad with government, this approach is wholly inadequate to the task of preserving our rights and liberties under the onslaught of “good intentions”.
It is time that conservatism redefined itself as an active force for the preservation of rights and liberties. Not a support group for the corrupt corporate infrastructure, nor a liberal-lite slow burn.
It is time that conservatism was a thrusting, powerful force for “Hope” and “change” – the real versions.
Several key things need to happen in this country:
1. Repeal of useless, unconstitutional, and bad law. Remember the Commander’s third dictum: Lex malum, lex nulla. (A bad law is no law). Acorn proves this. So does the current border policy. And the Commander’s corollary: When everything becomes illegal, then everything is legal again. We are headed straight back to 1860 on the current road.
2. Reinstitution of a strong, valid currency. ‘Nuff said.
3. Elimination of the welfare state and the federal bureaucracy of education. Education reform should be a primary goal, with emphasis put on freeing the schools from the government-support mode, returning instead to private education and local control of curriculum. And a classic foundation of education based on the trivia. Don’t know what that is? Wonder why…
4. Restoration of constitutional government and laws, federal distribution of powers, and Bill of Rights enforcement.
5. Strict interpretation of constitutional matters coupled with strict delineation of governmental powers.
A conservative ideal that pursues this course would find that popular support occurred from a grass-roots level, rather than being a sort of public policy announcement on a local PBS station. To win in today’s environment, we must be the alternative, not the imitation.
No one ever liked naugahyde. Everyone loves quality leather. Remember red vinyl car seats? Let the liberals fill that role.
Coward?
I'm a coward?
The racist defines everything in terms of race – from either side.
One of us is a racist. And it’s not me. Ready for that face-to-face??? Hmmmm????
The racist defines everything in terms of race – from either side.
One of us is a racist. And it’s not me. Ready for that face-to-face??? Hmmmm????
Ethics
The Obama administration and the new Congress are quickly handing over to Republicans the same "culture of corruption" issue that Democrats used so effectively against the GOP before coming to power. Freshman Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., is only the latest embarrassment.
The political mess for the Democratic Party, however, isn't Burris' conduct alone; it's the pattern that has developed so quickly over the past few months.
· Burris now admits he tried to raise money for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who authorities say sought to sell President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.
· The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is the subject of a House ethics investigation. It's partly focused on his fundraising practices for a college center in his name, his ownership financing of a resort property in the Dominican Republic and his financial disclosure reports.
· Federal agents raided two Pennsylvania defense contractors that were provided millions of dollars in federal funding by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.
· Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal charges, including allegations he schemed to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder.
· Tom Daschle, the former Senate majority leader from South Dakota, abandoned his bid to become health and human services secretary and the administration's point man on reforming health care; and Nancy Killefer stepped down from a newly created position charged with eliminating inefficient government programs.
· Both Daschle and Killefer had tax problems, and Daschle also faced potential conflicts of interest related to working with health care interests.
· Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was confirmed after revealing he had tax troubles.
· Obama's initial choice for commerce secretary, Bill Richardson, stepped aside due to a grand jury investigation into a state contract awarded to his political donors.
· While the Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm William Lynn as deputy defense secretary, Obama had to waive his ethics regulations to place the former defense lobbyist in charge of day-to-day operations at the Pentagon.
And all in 30 days. Stunning!
The political mess for the Democratic Party, however, isn't Burris' conduct alone; it's the pattern that has developed so quickly over the past few months.
· Burris now admits he tried to raise money for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who authorities say sought to sell President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.
· The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is the subject of a House ethics investigation. It's partly focused on his fundraising practices for a college center in his name, his ownership financing of a resort property in the Dominican Republic and his financial disclosure reports.
· Federal agents raided two Pennsylvania defense contractors that were provided millions of dollars in federal funding by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.
· Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal charges, including allegations he schemed to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder.
· Tom Daschle, the former Senate majority leader from South Dakota, abandoned his bid to become health and human services secretary and the administration's point man on reforming health care; and Nancy Killefer stepped down from a newly created position charged with eliminating inefficient government programs.
· Both Daschle and Killefer had tax problems, and Daschle also faced potential conflicts of interest related to working with health care interests.
· Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was confirmed after revealing he had tax troubles.
· Obama's initial choice for commerce secretary, Bill Richardson, stepped aside due to a grand jury investigation into a state contract awarded to his political donors.
· While the Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm William Lynn as deputy defense secretary, Obama had to waive his ethics regulations to place the former defense lobbyist in charge of day-to-day operations at the Pentagon.
And all in 30 days. Stunning!
*SNORT*
The police officers who stopped Oklahoma City motorist Chip Harrison and confiscated a sign from his car told him he has a right to his beliefs, but the Secret Service "could construe this as a threat against President Obama," according to the incident report released this morning.
The sign, which read "Abort Obama Not the Unborn," was returned to Harrison later that day, the report said.
Police spokesman Steve McCool said this morning that the sign was taken in error, and Oklahoma City residents should not be worried that their First Amendment rights will be violated.
The sign, which read "Abort Obama Not the Unborn," was returned to Harrison later that day, the report said.
Police spokesman Steve McCool said this morning that the sign was taken in error, and Oklahoma City residents should not be worried that their First Amendment rights will be violated.
Market Woes
On Nov. 4, after Barack Obama clinched the White House, the market closed at 9,625.28.
In mid-morning trading today, the day President Obama signs his massive Generational Theft Act into law and a day before he unveils a massive new mortgage entitlement, the Dow dropped to to 7,606.53.
Now, imagine if President Bush had presided over a 2,000-point stock market tumble in the same time period.
Just saying…
In mid-morning trading today, the day President Obama signs his massive Generational Theft Act into law and a day before he unveils a massive new mortgage entitlement, the Dow dropped to to 7,606.53.
Now, imagine if President Bush had presided over a 2,000-point stock market tumble in the same time period.
Just saying…
Odd Couple
With Kirsten Gillibrand keeping two rifles under the bed and Chuck Schumer being so anti-gun, Schumer and Gillibrand have to be the Senate's oddest couple.
Congressthing McCarthy chimed in that she “does not criticize legally-owned guns”. Oh yeah?
Ask the guy from Valley Stream.
Congressthing McCarthy chimed in that she “does not criticize legally-owned guns”. Oh yeah?
Ask the guy from Valley Stream.
9/11 Revisited
It is time we look seriously at Osama Bin Laden’s own explanation for the 9-11 attacks: he spent half a million dollars funding the operation, in hopes that Bush’s response would ruin the country.
Alas, by Osama’s standard, Bush has succeeded splendidly. So far, America has paid with trillions of dollars, a broken economy, a nearly collapsed military, and a socialist president who appears to be intent on finishing the job.
All for $500,000. Not bad.
Alas, by Osama’s standard, Bush has succeeded splendidly. So far, America has paid with trillions of dollars, a broken economy, a nearly collapsed military, and a socialist president who appears to be intent on finishing the job.
All for $500,000. Not bad.
Economic Realities
It is clearly time to educate people on economic realities, as we prepare to spend a trillion dollars on pork and another trillion helping the bank buddies get richer. No, don’t worry, the congressional outrage yesterday was just for YouTube. Business as usual will be restored today. Except of course, the government will have a whole new level of meddling to do.
How do recessions end? That is the question. The obvious answer, one that everyone is struggling to implement, is that they end when business/industry obtains capital, invests in growth, hires new workers, and the overall level of consumption rises again.
IN order to demonstrate how this works (and does not work), let us adopt, for the moment, the conceit that you are all now truckers. You have been working for a shipping company, and had the bright idea of going out on your own some day. You have been investing your money and you now have the downpayment available to buy yourself your own truck and make the leap (this is analogous to businesses who have been accumulating investment capital). For you to liquidate your investments to buy the truck subjects you to a massive capital gains tax. Obama wants it to be 39%! Therefore, your ability to make your investment is hampered and you have to subsidize the government before you can do it.
An intelligent approach would be to eliminate the capital gains tax. By allowing all the money to be invested, you might actually be able to buy a better truck – or heaven forbid – 2! And hire an employee yourself to drive the second one! The money would be immediately put into the economy, to serve its multiplier function, you would be in business, and the microeconomy is helped. This scenario can play itself out in the macroeconomy solely by setting constitutional tax policy.
Contrast this approach to the current administration’s. They want to remove your investment money from you, launder it through the feral bureaucracy, and then give it to someone who didn’t earn it – say – an experimental windmill maker. Without accountability or risk of failure, there is no guarantee that money builds a windmill. They just come back next year saying “we need more money”. And they will get it – other than welfare reform, when did any program ever get repealed?
So why should we participate in the money laundering? Especially when the answer to the recession is so simple?
How do recessions end? That is the question. The obvious answer, one that everyone is struggling to implement, is that they end when business/industry obtains capital, invests in growth, hires new workers, and the overall level of consumption rises again.
IN order to demonstrate how this works (and does not work), let us adopt, for the moment, the conceit that you are all now truckers. You have been working for a shipping company, and had the bright idea of going out on your own some day. You have been investing your money and you now have the downpayment available to buy yourself your own truck and make the leap (this is analogous to businesses who have been accumulating investment capital). For you to liquidate your investments to buy the truck subjects you to a massive capital gains tax. Obama wants it to be 39%! Therefore, your ability to make your investment is hampered and you have to subsidize the government before you can do it.
An intelligent approach would be to eliminate the capital gains tax. By allowing all the money to be invested, you might actually be able to buy a better truck – or heaven forbid – 2! And hire an employee yourself to drive the second one! The money would be immediately put into the economy, to serve its multiplier function, you would be in business, and the microeconomy is helped. This scenario can play itself out in the macroeconomy solely by setting constitutional tax policy.
Contrast this approach to the current administration’s. They want to remove your investment money from you, launder it through the feral bureaucracy, and then give it to someone who didn’t earn it – say – an experimental windmill maker. Without accountability or risk of failure, there is no guarantee that money builds a windmill. They just come back next year saying “we need more money”. And they will get it – other than welfare reform, when did any program ever get repealed?
So why should we participate in the money laundering? Especially when the answer to the recession is so simple?
Porkulus
The porkulus passed the houses in a stunning display of mass stupidity. Then, to add insult to injury, the “Democrats” claimed to have made it a monumental example of cooperation. What, with themselves? Golly gee, Beaver, I agree with me?!?!?!?!?! This is what Obama’s new bipartisanship looks like? A boot – smashing someone’s face – forever? Oh, wait, that was “1984”. Sorry. How could I have confused the two?
And don’t even get me started on Chuck Schumer’s half-witticisms.
Hey, though, the stimulus bill isn't as bad as we had expected -- it's much worse.
Instead of merely creating useless, make-work jobs digging ditches -- or "shovel-ready," in the Democrats' felicitous phrase -- the "stimulus" bill will create an endless army of government bureaucrats aggressively intervening in our lives. Instead of digging ditches, American taxpayers will be digging our own graves. Define again for me how increasing the size of government is a stimulus, please???
There are hundreds of examples in the 800-page "stimulus" bill, but here are just two.
1) The welfare bureaucrats are coming back. Their particular brilliance was to pay women to have children out of wedlock. Remember -- subsidize something, you get more of it; tax it, you get less of it – so of course the number of children being born out of wedlock skyrocketed. By the way, these economic relationships are not just contrarian ideas for liberals to debate about – they are natural laws that always function regardless of your ideological opinion.The 1996 Welfare Reform bill rolled back welfare payments (first time eva!). Despite liberal howling and foot-stomping, removing the illegitimacy payments immediately led to less illegitimacy. As proof that that welfare reform was a smashing success, a few years later, Bill Clinton started claiming full credit for the bill. So now Pelosi/Obama’s great wisdom will pay for states to increase their welfare caseloads by paying unwed mothers to sit home doing nothing.
2) Bureaucrats at Health and Human Services will electronically collect every citizen's complete medical records and determine appropriate medical care. Rationing, anyone! In the best health care system in the world, with endless choices from free clinics to prestige care, the government will somehow manage to create a shortage. Sounds like agricultural policy (you know, in a world where third-world nations are starving and we produce 10 times what we actually need, the government pays farmers to leave lands idle. That sort of thing).
Judging by the care that the State Department took with private visa records last year, that the Ohio government took with Joe the Plumber's government records, that the Pentagon took with Linda Tripp's employment records in 1998, and that the FBI took with thousands of top secret "raw" background files in President Clinton's first term, the bright side is: We'll finally be able to find out if Bill Clinton has syphilis -- all thanks to the stimulus bill!
Don’t forget - HHS bureaucrats will soon be empowered to overrule your doctor. Doctors who don't comply with the government's treatment protocols will be fined. That's right: Instead of your treatment being determined by your doctor, it will be settled on by some narcoleptic half-wit in Washington who couldn't get a job in the private sector. And a brand-new set of bureaucrats in the newly created office of "National Coordinator of Health Information Technology" will be empowered to cut off treatments that merely prolong life. Sorry, Mom and Pop, Big Brother said it's time to go.
Liberalism is a death cult.
And don’t even get me started on Chuck Schumer’s half-witticisms.
Hey, though, the stimulus bill isn't as bad as we had expected -- it's much worse.
Instead of merely creating useless, make-work jobs digging ditches -- or "shovel-ready," in the Democrats' felicitous phrase -- the "stimulus" bill will create an endless army of government bureaucrats aggressively intervening in our lives. Instead of digging ditches, American taxpayers will be digging our own graves. Define again for me how increasing the size of government is a stimulus, please???
There are hundreds of examples in the 800-page "stimulus" bill, but here are just two.
1) The welfare bureaucrats are coming back. Their particular brilliance was to pay women to have children out of wedlock. Remember -- subsidize something, you get more of it; tax it, you get less of it – so of course the number of children being born out of wedlock skyrocketed. By the way, these economic relationships are not just contrarian ideas for liberals to debate about – they are natural laws that always function regardless of your ideological opinion.The 1996 Welfare Reform bill rolled back welfare payments (first time eva!). Despite liberal howling and foot-stomping, removing the illegitimacy payments immediately led to less illegitimacy. As proof that that welfare reform was a smashing success, a few years later, Bill Clinton started claiming full credit for the bill. So now Pelosi/Obama’s great wisdom will pay for states to increase their welfare caseloads by paying unwed mothers to sit home doing nothing.
2) Bureaucrats at Health and Human Services will electronically collect every citizen's complete medical records and determine appropriate medical care. Rationing, anyone! In the best health care system in the world, with endless choices from free clinics to prestige care, the government will somehow manage to create a shortage. Sounds like agricultural policy (you know, in a world where third-world nations are starving and we produce 10 times what we actually need, the government pays farmers to leave lands idle. That sort of thing).
Judging by the care that the State Department took with private visa records last year, that the Ohio government took with Joe the Plumber's government records, that the Pentagon took with Linda Tripp's employment records in 1998, and that the FBI took with thousands of top secret "raw" background files in President Clinton's first term, the bright side is: We'll finally be able to find out if Bill Clinton has syphilis -- all thanks to the stimulus bill!
Don’t forget - HHS bureaucrats will soon be empowered to overrule your doctor. Doctors who don't comply with the government's treatment protocols will be fined. That's right: Instead of your treatment being determined by your doctor, it will be settled on by some narcoleptic half-wit in Washington who couldn't get a job in the private sector. And a brand-new set of bureaucrats in the newly created office of "National Coordinator of Health Information Technology" will be empowered to cut off treatments that merely prolong life. Sorry, Mom and Pop, Big Brother said it's time to go.
Liberalism is a death cult.
Change
The biggest river of horses#!t yet to come out of the Electee’s blowhole was heard last night during his “We have to pass the pork and create an irreversible catastrophe NOW NOW NOW to prevent an irreversible catastrophe!” speech.
Among the notable (notorious?) moments:
· He bragged about getting Congress to produce a package with no pork, yet boasted it will do good things for a Hoosier highway and a downtown overpass, just the kind of local projects lawmakers lard into big spending bills.
· He passed over the introduction in the bill of a national health care records database and administration, something that has been shouted down by constituents every time it has been introduced on its own. So why slip it in the back door now?
· He claimed that only government could fix the situation, neglecting to mention that government was the cause. He fails to understand that government is a disease masquerading as its own cure.
· He continued to attempt to blame the problems on the conservative ideas utilized under the Bush administration. Except nothing conservative was ever done under Bush. If socialism didn;’t work under Bush, why would more of it work now?
· He claimed to have no pork in the bill. While there are no "earmarks," as they are usually defined, inserted by lawmakers in the bill, some of the projects bear the prime characteristics of pork - tailored to benefit specific interests or to have thinly disguised links to local projects. So we didn’t pork it up with additions, we drafted the pork in from the start? Change you can believe in.
The most snort-worthy, guffaw-inducing moment came when he intoned in Buddhist-type incantations: big pause - “No one is above the law” – big pause (again waiting for nonexistent response, like at the inauguration – even the liberal press corps couldn’t bite on this red herring). The man who appointed the Cabinet of Criminals and Clowns stated that no one was above the law? Puhhhleeze.
So here we go down another rabbit hole – activity is more important than effectiveness. Big gummint got all de answers. And while we are at it, we will increase the key parts of totalitarian subjugation: education, medical records and care, taxes, redistribution of income, and gummint control of industry. If we hadn’t seen this before in Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela, Germany, and Cambodia, you would almost think there was a plan.
Change. You’d better believe it. Or else.
Among the notable (notorious?) moments:
· He bragged about getting Congress to produce a package with no pork, yet boasted it will do good things for a Hoosier highway and a downtown overpass, just the kind of local projects lawmakers lard into big spending bills.
· He passed over the introduction in the bill of a national health care records database and administration, something that has been shouted down by constituents every time it has been introduced on its own. So why slip it in the back door now?
· He claimed that only government could fix the situation, neglecting to mention that government was the cause. He fails to understand that government is a disease masquerading as its own cure.
· He continued to attempt to blame the problems on the conservative ideas utilized under the Bush administration. Except nothing conservative was ever done under Bush. If socialism didn;’t work under Bush, why would more of it work now?
· He claimed to have no pork in the bill. While there are no "earmarks," as they are usually defined, inserted by lawmakers in the bill, some of the projects bear the prime characteristics of pork - tailored to benefit specific interests or to have thinly disguised links to local projects. So we didn’t pork it up with additions, we drafted the pork in from the start? Change you can believe in.
The most snort-worthy, guffaw-inducing moment came when he intoned in Buddhist-type incantations: big pause - “No one is above the law” – big pause (again waiting for nonexistent response, like at the inauguration – even the liberal press corps couldn’t bite on this red herring). The man who appointed the Cabinet of Criminals and Clowns stated that no one was above the law? Puhhhleeze.
So here we go down another rabbit hole – activity is more important than effectiveness. Big gummint got all de answers. And while we are at it, we will increase the key parts of totalitarian subjugation: education, medical records and care, taxes, redistribution of income, and gummint control of industry. If we hadn’t seen this before in Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela, Germany, and Cambodia, you would almost think there was a plan.
Change. You’d better believe it. Or else.
The Finest...
As long as we are on the subject of animals, another thought has come to mind – if you will indulge… we will shift from the sublime to the gorblimey. In more definable terms, from the mundane to the magnificent.
In 1973, an event happened that rocked the sporting world to it’s collective heels. The event was so rare as to qualify as a singularity. We may never see it’s like again.
The event? Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby. And won it in a way that did not merely defeat the field – but erased them. (As in: Which horse did Secretariat beat? WHO CARES?)
Although he went on to capture the triple Crown, the Preakness and the Belmont were mere afterthoughts compared to the running at the Derby. The Derby is a 12-furlong race – a furlong being 1/8 of a mile. Somewhere in the middle of the race, Secretariat, having adopted a stalking horse position early, broke for the lead and began pushing up the leader. The pace, already fast, became in the words of the announcers – suicidal. The leader faltered and Secretariat took the lead.
Then an amazing event! Another horse challenged at the already breakneck speed. Secretariat wore him down and dispensed with him. At the penultimate turn, Secretariat had it won. Handily.
Then it happened. IT. Happened. Yes, it.
Secretariat sped up. He began to pull away rapidly from an already fast race. You saw it as a disturbance at the corner of your eye – and then your attention shifted. The video of this race shows it well – and like great books, does not suffer for being enjoyed over and over. He just kept speeding up. (“Oh yeah? Watch this!”)
At the line, he had a 31-length lead over the next horse. The camera pauses for a moment on empty track. 7 seconds of silence. Then the other horse comes into view.
The crowd was alternately stunned, silent, weeping, yelling crazily. Jack Nicklaus, the golfer, had held a Derby party. During the race, he fell onto his floor on hands and knees, pounding the floor, and yelling. His guests were mildly discomfited, I am sure.
In retelling the story afterwards to his friend, a broadcaster, Nicklaus stated: “I am not sure why I did that.”
The broadcaster responded: “Because you have spent your entire life seeking perfection. And you finally saw it.”
Secretariat won all his races in the remaining short career he had left, but was soon retired to stud because he was just too valuable to risk injury. He earned crazy money at stud for 16 years. Towards the end of his senescence, he developed laminitis, a highly painful hoof condition (imagine carrying 1400 pounds on your ingrown toenails) and had to be put down.
I dislike the term vet, preferring to call them what they are: Doctors. In fact, they are uberdoctors, being able to treat patients that cannot communicate. An autopsy was performed by one of these doctors, who discovered that Secretariat’s heart was twice as big as average (an average equine heart weighs 9 pounds). The doctor remarked that it was easily 1/3 bigger than the largest he had ever seen. Not pathological or deformed – all the valves and chambers were correct – just bigger.
Certain lessons may occur to you.
One is given too few chances to observe perfection, but they do come. The Berlin Wall fell. The concentration camps were liberated (If you want to see perfection, go to your library and obtain the films made when the Army entered the camps and liberated the survivors). And Secretariat ran like nothing had ever run. Why? Probably because he could – and we could not.
If he had been asked, he probably would have echoed Eric Liddell: “I feel God’s pleasure when I run.” Liddell felt he had to explain the connection.
Secretariat would have thought it was a stupid question.
In 1973, an event happened that rocked the sporting world to it’s collective heels. The event was so rare as to qualify as a singularity. We may never see it’s like again.
The event? Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby. And won it in a way that did not merely defeat the field – but erased them. (As in: Which horse did Secretariat beat? WHO CARES?)
Although he went on to capture the triple Crown, the Preakness and the Belmont were mere afterthoughts compared to the running at the Derby. The Derby is a 12-furlong race – a furlong being 1/8 of a mile. Somewhere in the middle of the race, Secretariat, having adopted a stalking horse position early, broke for the lead and began pushing up the leader. The pace, already fast, became in the words of the announcers – suicidal. The leader faltered and Secretariat took the lead.
Then an amazing event! Another horse challenged at the already breakneck speed. Secretariat wore him down and dispensed with him. At the penultimate turn, Secretariat had it won. Handily.
Then it happened. IT. Happened. Yes, it.
Secretariat sped up. He began to pull away rapidly from an already fast race. You saw it as a disturbance at the corner of your eye – and then your attention shifted. The video of this race shows it well – and like great books, does not suffer for being enjoyed over and over. He just kept speeding up. (“Oh yeah? Watch this!”)
At the line, he had a 31-length lead over the next horse. The camera pauses for a moment on empty track. 7 seconds of silence. Then the other horse comes into view.
The crowd was alternately stunned, silent, weeping, yelling crazily. Jack Nicklaus, the golfer, had held a Derby party. During the race, he fell onto his floor on hands and knees, pounding the floor, and yelling. His guests were mildly discomfited, I am sure.
In retelling the story afterwards to his friend, a broadcaster, Nicklaus stated: “I am not sure why I did that.”
The broadcaster responded: “Because you have spent your entire life seeking perfection. And you finally saw it.”
Secretariat won all his races in the remaining short career he had left, but was soon retired to stud because he was just too valuable to risk injury. He earned crazy money at stud for 16 years. Towards the end of his senescence, he developed laminitis, a highly painful hoof condition (imagine carrying 1400 pounds on your ingrown toenails) and had to be put down.
I dislike the term vet, preferring to call them what they are: Doctors. In fact, they are uberdoctors, being able to treat patients that cannot communicate. An autopsy was performed by one of these doctors, who discovered that Secretariat’s heart was twice as big as average (an average equine heart weighs 9 pounds). The doctor remarked that it was easily 1/3 bigger than the largest he had ever seen. Not pathological or deformed – all the valves and chambers were correct – just bigger.
Certain lessons may occur to you.
One is given too few chances to observe perfection, but they do come. The Berlin Wall fell. The concentration camps were liberated (If you want to see perfection, go to your library and obtain the films made when the Army entered the camps and liberated the survivors). And Secretariat ran like nothing had ever run. Why? Probably because he could – and we could not.
If he had been asked, he probably would have echoed Eric Liddell: “I feel God’s pleasure when I run.” Liddell felt he had to explain the connection.
Secretariat would have thought it was a stupid question.
Departures and Filigree
Well, the furry prognosticator predicts 56 more weeks of winter. We are certainly ready for the vernal warming.
As long as we are on animal notes, we were amused to observe the behavior of canis in the presence of equus this weekend while feeding equus his periodic treat of carrots.
The representative of canis is a Dalmatian of 35 pounds with severe wannabe Alpha tendencies – she is noted for attempting dominance over dogs 2 and 3 times her size. Gently, of course, at first. However, she was substantially overmatched by equus this weekend, an ex-track, ex-jumper thoroughbred of approximately 1400 pounds. During the feeding, she repeatedly attempted to stretch up to see this gigantic relative (the Indians of the North American continent called horses “God Dogs” when they were reintroduced to the land by the conquistadores) and investigate his presence. Her mannerism was clearly demonstrating her flabbergastation at the appearance of such a giant.
Her attempts to establish dominance: 0.
Amount of attention horse paid to dog: 0.
Such bemused toleration might be observed when an uncle deigns to teach something to a young nephew.
Afterwards, dog was splayed upon the back seat in a manner suggesting she had just been to a rousing charismatic church service and had an epiphany. Exhausted, happy, and awed.
We share her awe. Equus in his natural element is a magnificent creature, and their speech to each other is AWESOME!, carrying over acres clearly, at distances where human shouting would disappear. A particularly fine thoroughbred reaching about eight feet at the head was in the turnout pen, strutting around and engendering covetousness in all who observed. Other fine horses were scattered about in preparation for a show, wearing their fine blankets with gold braid (one looked like General Grant in Navy with braided gold epaulets). The musculature! The coats! The intelligence! The beauty!
There are many fine animals on the globe. Elk, Moose, Lion, Elephant. All have appeal – and shortfalls. The rough stock bull of the PBR is magnificent and regal in his presentation, but ultimately still bovine. In our humble opinion, horse surpasses them all. Not the least reason is the relationships humans can develop with horses…
Truly, if one considers dogs the guardian angels of this world and its inhabitants, then horses are the gods themselves. And we are permitted to walk amongst them.
As long as we are on animal notes, we were amused to observe the behavior of canis in the presence of equus this weekend while feeding equus his periodic treat of carrots.
The representative of canis is a Dalmatian of 35 pounds with severe wannabe Alpha tendencies – she is noted for attempting dominance over dogs 2 and 3 times her size. Gently, of course, at first. However, she was substantially overmatched by equus this weekend, an ex-track, ex-jumper thoroughbred of approximately 1400 pounds. During the feeding, she repeatedly attempted to stretch up to see this gigantic relative (the Indians of the North American continent called horses “God Dogs” when they were reintroduced to the land by the conquistadores) and investigate his presence. Her mannerism was clearly demonstrating her flabbergastation at the appearance of such a giant.
Her attempts to establish dominance: 0.
Amount of attention horse paid to dog: 0.
Such bemused toleration might be observed when an uncle deigns to teach something to a young nephew.
Afterwards, dog was splayed upon the back seat in a manner suggesting she had just been to a rousing charismatic church service and had an epiphany. Exhausted, happy, and awed.
We share her awe. Equus in his natural element is a magnificent creature, and their speech to each other is AWESOME!, carrying over acres clearly, at distances where human shouting would disappear. A particularly fine thoroughbred reaching about eight feet at the head was in the turnout pen, strutting around and engendering covetousness in all who observed. Other fine horses were scattered about in preparation for a show, wearing their fine blankets with gold braid (one looked like General Grant in Navy with braided gold epaulets). The musculature! The coats! The intelligence! The beauty!
There are many fine animals on the globe. Elk, Moose, Lion, Elephant. All have appeal – and shortfalls. The rough stock bull of the PBR is magnificent and regal in his presentation, but ultimately still bovine. In our humble opinion, horse surpasses them all. Not the least reason is the relationships humans can develop with horses…
Truly, if one considers dogs the guardian angels of this world and its inhabitants, then horses are the gods themselves. And we are permitted to walk amongst them.
Whaaaaaa?
The camel’s nose under the tent – and introduced by – wait for it – a Democrat.
New Hampshire State Rep. Delmar Burridge, D-Keene, is sponsoring H.B. 37, a bill providing for execution by firing squad for anyone who causes the death of another person by use of a firearm while engaged in the commission of a felony – an offense that would be considered capital murder under Burridge's plan.
Current law includes murder of judges, law enforcement personnel, murder for hire, some drug-related homicides and rape-murders as capital offenses, but Burridge is seeking to add homicide during an armed robbery, or other felonies committed with a weapon, to the list – excluding such criminals from the standard death by lethal injection.
Uh, huh. No slippery slope here. Let’s execute gun owners….
New Hampshire State Rep. Delmar Burridge, D-Keene, is sponsoring H.B. 37, a bill providing for execution by firing squad for anyone who causes the death of another person by use of a firearm while engaged in the commission of a felony – an offense that would be considered capital murder under Burridge's plan.
Current law includes murder of judges, law enforcement personnel, murder for hire, some drug-related homicides and rape-murders as capital offenses, but Burridge is seeking to add homicide during an armed robbery, or other felonies committed with a weapon, to the list – excluding such criminals from the standard death by lethal injection.
Uh, huh. No slippery slope here. Let’s execute gun owners….
Change. Hope. (We hope the change works?)
"We all know how we got into this economic mess. We spent too much, borrowed with abandon, and acted like the bills would never come due. So what's the prescription for getting out? Spending more, borrowing more, and acting like the bills will never come due."
— Steve Chapman, Reason Online.
— Steve Chapman, Reason Online.
Confirmationas
Well, Hillary was confirmed. Napolitano confirmed. Geithner confirmed. Holder is expected to be – wait for it – confirmed. The assault of the unqualified, unethical, and the criminal continues unabated.
Apparently, to be disqualified under a liberal administration, you must murder and dismember a child on camera at high noon on the parade ground with the marching band passing by playing a nude version of “Stars and Stripes Forever”. Then, maybe.
Revolting.
Apparently, to be disqualified under a liberal administration, you must murder and dismember a child on camera at high noon on the parade ground with the marching band passing by playing a nude version of “Stars and Stripes Forever”. Then, maybe.
Revolting.
Representative Democracy?
On his way out the door, the Pre-socializer granted $20 bil or so to Citigroup and authorized an additional $118 bil or so for unspecified “stimulus”
Meanwhile, the electee continues to assemble the most corrupt Cabinet of Clowns in the Commander’s memory…
Any hope that they will return to sound economic principles and cease the endless bailout-go-round? I thought not.
Note also that the deal was struck and the votes passed during the night. Remember the intial bailout discussion? You know, the ones where Americans like us practically melted down the switchboards saying to our “representatives” “NO BAILOUTS!”?
At that time they turned off the phones and email, ostensibly to prevent system malfunction. I.E., they disabled the system to prevent it from becoming disabled.
Now they have progressed to literally meeting under cover of darkness to do things that we attempt to refuse. They are passing their own ideas IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!
Sounds more like the Mafia than an ethical, representative democracy. But then, to borrow the Mafia’s phrase – there ain ‘t no such thing.
At least not any more.
Meanwhile, the electee continues to assemble the most corrupt Cabinet of Clowns in the Commander’s memory…
Any hope that they will return to sound economic principles and cease the endless bailout-go-round? I thought not.
Note also that the deal was struck and the votes passed during the night. Remember the intial bailout discussion? You know, the ones where Americans like us practically melted down the switchboards saying to our “representatives” “NO BAILOUTS!”?
At that time they turned off the phones and email, ostensibly to prevent system malfunction. I.E., they disabled the system to prevent it from becoming disabled.
Now they have progressed to literally meeting under cover of darkness to do things that we attempt to refuse. They are passing their own ideas IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!
Sounds more like the Mafia than an ethical, representative democracy. But then, to borrow the Mafia’s phrase – there ain ‘t no such thing.
At least not any more.
Rampant Unadulterated Stupidity
PETA has launched its most bizarre campaign yet, demanding fish be renamed "sea kittens".
PETA believes calling fish sea kittens will make sea food less appealing. It wants to change the image of fish as slimy and slithery creatures by claiming they are similar to cuter, more popular animals.
"Would people think twice about ordering fish sticks if they were called sea kitten sticks?" PETA asked on its website.
See the bizarre idea here
Didn’t we used to institutionalize the nuts?
PETA believes calling fish sea kittens will make sea food less appealing. It wants to change the image of fish as slimy and slithery creatures by claiming they are similar to cuter, more popular animals.
"Would people think twice about ordering fish sticks if they were called sea kitten sticks?" PETA asked on its website.
See the bizarre idea here
Didn’t we used to institutionalize the nuts?
The Global Warming Debate
Is over, right?
The True Believers position is best summed up as: “I wonder if your time might be better spent — and the public better served — if you were to critique policy as regards energy & conservation rather than the problems (and global warming is only the most worrisome) that stem from long-term profligate and inefficient energy use.”
And in fact, it would be more convenient for the Luddites if we accept their underlying assumptions and limit ourselves, as Vin Suprynowicz says, to “critiquing policy as regards energy & conservation.”
Just as, in 1500, it would have been judged MUCH safer to study how best to DISCOVER and DESTROY witches than to challenge whether the old crones had any demonic powers in the first place. Remember, challenging the EXISTENCE of the supernatural powers of witches was prima facie proof that the challenger was HIMSELF a witch (“warlock,” whatever), which was likely to get you burned.
Amazingly, under those circumstances, publicly expressed opinion — holding that the demonic powers of witches was real — was NEARLY UNANIMOUS! Surely they couldn’t ALL have been wrong. Ain’t sealed systems grand?
The mechanism of global warming is well established. It’s primarily solar, and has nothing to do with the tiny amount of “greenhouse gas” mankind produces. Now, light the fires on the Village Green.
The True Believers position is best summed up as: “I wonder if your time might be better spent — and the public better served — if you were to critique policy as regards energy & conservation rather than the problems (and global warming is only the most worrisome) that stem from long-term profligate and inefficient energy use.”
And in fact, it would be more convenient for the Luddites if we accept their underlying assumptions and limit ourselves, as Vin Suprynowicz says, to “critiquing policy as regards energy & conservation.”
Just as, in 1500, it would have been judged MUCH safer to study how best to DISCOVER and DESTROY witches than to challenge whether the old crones had any demonic powers in the first place. Remember, challenging the EXISTENCE of the supernatural powers of witches was prima facie proof that the challenger was HIMSELF a witch (“warlock,” whatever), which was likely to get you burned.
Amazingly, under those circumstances, publicly expressed opinion — holding that the demonic powers of witches was real — was NEARLY UNANIMOUS! Surely they couldn’t ALL have been wrong. Ain’t sealed systems grand?
The mechanism of global warming is well established. It’s primarily solar, and has nothing to do with the tiny amount of “greenhouse gas” mankind produces. Now, light the fires on the Village Green.
Cabinet
The Age of Obama - just one big, bad joke.
Al Franken. Rod Blagojevich. Roland Burris. Bill Richardson. Rahm Emanuel. Eric Holder. Hillary Klinton. Leon Panetta.
Another day, another clueless Clinton crony named to a top job for which he has no experience. These people thought Palin had no experience?:
Al Franken. Rod Blagojevich. Roland Burris. Bill Richardson. Rahm Emanuel. Eric Holder. Hillary Klinton. Leon Panetta.
Another day, another clueless Clinton crony named to a top job for which he has no experience. These people thought Palin had no experience?:
BART
If you are detained by police in 2009, fear for your life.
BART cops just executed a cooperative man in full view of cameras. The war against citizens is escalating and the “professional, armed caste” is getting bold.
Local news coverage and video here (some viewers may find the video disturbing).
From a friend: "That's a flat-out execution, no trial, judge or jury."
BART cops just executed a cooperative man in full view of cameras. The war against citizens is escalating and the “professional, armed caste” is getting bold.
Local news coverage and video here (some viewers may find the video disturbing).
From a friend: "That's a flat-out execution, no trial, judge or jury."
It’s all but official: We expect Minnesota to announce any time now that a professional Democrat clown will join all the amateur ones already in the Senate.
Since the recount has been plagued with questionable (oh, really?) vote counting, Coleman has vowed to taske this all the way and attempt to force another vote rather than endless fraudulent recounts.
In recounts, a dead heat gets decided by the incompetent voters who can’t mark a ballot properly and who would have otherwise not had a voice.
May Minnesotans get what they deserve.
Since the recount has been plagued with questionable (oh, really?) vote counting, Coleman has vowed to taske this all the way and attempt to force another vote rather than endless fraudulent recounts.
In recounts, a dead heat gets decided by the incompetent voters who can’t mark a ballot properly and who would have otherwise not had a voice.
May Minnesotans get what they deserve.
Darwinism
Recently the Commander’s ideas were termed “Darwinian” by certain members of the group. While I am completely at ease with the label, it does bring to mind an interesting idea.
As you know, the people usually referred to as "Neanderthals," but preferably termed "Ancients," disappeared completely from the historical record, replaced by what we have called "Cro-Magnon," or more properly "Moderns." Although some theorize that this was an evolutionary move, the fossil record disputes the claim.
There was nobody around to tell us how this happened, but I have a theory. I think that the Moderns wiped out the Ancients by the use of the bow. The Ancients were stronger and heavier (and smelled worse, if you can believe the Sasquatch stories), but they fought and hunted at arm's length. The Moderns seemed to have developed the bow, and though the two races lived contemporaneously for a while, there is no way a rock thrower can stand up to an archer.
This is just a notion, of course. But it does support the Commander’s larger dictum that personal weapons did indeed pull mankind out of the mud and enabled civilization by “balancing the scales” – long before Sam Colt “equalized”.
(with apologies to teh Guru)
As you know, the people usually referred to as "Neanderthals," but preferably termed "Ancients," disappeared completely from the historical record, replaced by what we have called "Cro-Magnon," or more properly "Moderns." Although some theorize that this was an evolutionary move, the fossil record disputes the claim.
There was nobody around to tell us how this happened, but I have a theory. I think that the Moderns wiped out the Ancients by the use of the bow. The Ancients were stronger and heavier (and smelled worse, if you can believe the Sasquatch stories), but they fought and hunted at arm's length. The Moderns seemed to have developed the bow, and though the two races lived contemporaneously for a while, there is no way a rock thrower can stand up to an archer.
This is just a notion, of course. But it does support the Commander’s larger dictum that personal weapons did indeed pull mankind out of the mud and enabled civilization by “balancing the scales” – long before Sam Colt “equalized”.
(with apologies to teh Guru)
Nannyism
We may take heart that not all Governmental nannyism is supported. The Ohio agency director that probed Joe the Plumber’s records (just because he dared to question the eventual American Electee) resigned Wednesday in the wake of a finding that she improperly used state computers to access personal information in an effort to discredit him.
Two other officials who were suspended from their positions for their role in the computer search will also not be returning to their jobs, an agency spokeswoman said. (!)
Department of Job and Family Services Director Helen Jones-Kelley said in a statement accompanying her resignation that she won't allow her reputation to be disparaged and that she is concerned for her family's safety. "This decision comes after a time of pause, in which I realize that I continue to be used as a political postscript, providing a distraction from urgent state priorities," she said in her statement.
Translation: “I am disgraced. I am a soviet-style apparatchik of a totalitarian movement that would censor free speech. I have transgressed.”
Too right.
Two other officials who were suspended from their positions for their role in the computer search will also not be returning to their jobs, an agency spokeswoman said. (!)
Department of Job and Family Services Director Helen Jones-Kelley said in a statement accompanying her resignation that she won't allow her reputation to be disparaged and that she is concerned for her family's safety. "This decision comes after a time of pause, in which I realize that I continue to be used as a political postscript, providing a distraction from urgent state priorities," she said in her statement.
Translation: “I am disgraced. I am a soviet-style apparatchik of a totalitarian movement that would censor free speech. I have transgressed.”
Too right.
Piracy
Jeff Cooper – January, 2000:
It appears that piracy is on the rise again in South East Asia, and the issue, as you might expect, is confronted by the "authorities" with the maxim, "Don't fight back. Somebody might get hurt." Where have we heard that before? The way to combat piracy, as all of us learned back in the early part of the 17th century, is to kill all the pirates. Simple isn't it?
The Commander - December, 2008:
Pirates are capturing cruise ships, tankers, and everything they can get their hands on in the Gulf of Adan. “Don’t fight back. Somebody might get hurt.” Always such good advice.
It appears that piracy is on the rise again in South East Asia, and the issue, as you might expect, is confronted by the "authorities" with the maxim, "Don't fight back. Somebody might get hurt." Where have we heard that before? The way to combat piracy, as all of us learned back in the early part of the 17th century, is to kill all the pirates. Simple isn't it?
The Commander - December, 2008:
Pirates are capturing cruise ships, tankers, and everything they can get their hands on in the Gulf of Adan. “Don’t fight back. Somebody might get hurt.” Always such good advice.
Bill of Rights Day
December 15 is neglected by most Americans for its historical significance as the anniversary of the Bill of Rights. How much did you hear about it, except here?
Even worse, American politicians neglect the actual Bill of Rights on a day-to-day basis.
Whether or not the Bill of Rights can ever be an effective means of limiting the government is open to debate. However, the Bill of Rights does offer a fairly good outline of a free society, and it casta a strong spotlight on how far our country has strayed.
In an America with a full respect for the Bill of Rights, there would be no Federal Communications Commission regulating the airwaves and forbidding certain speech, no Federal Election Commission limiting how much Americans can donate to political candidates or what they can say in independent political ads, no Food and Drug Administration harassment of pharmaceutical and wine producers regarding their commercial speech, no federal laws that have anything to do with religion whatsoever, and no federally established "free-speech zones."
There would be no laws disarming Americans, prohibiting airlines from allowing pilots or passengers to carry guns on planes, or limiting how much ammo or what kind of firearms people can buy and own.
There would be no Patriot Act, no secret searches, no spying on telecommunications without a warrant.
There would be no civil asset forfeiture, no horrendous eminent domain abuses, no kangaroo courts, star chambers and phony hearings for the accused.
There would be no torture in America’s "terrorist" dungeons.
There would be no federal laws against starting a business without a license, buying and selling drugs, competing with the government to provide its "services" at a better cost and higher quality, or seceding from the central state.
There would be no federal programs not authorized by the Constitution: no Departments of Energy or Education, no Medicare or Social Security, no Federal Reserve or Selective Service, no farm subsidies or corporate welfare. Or bailouts.
We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?
Even worse, American politicians neglect the actual Bill of Rights on a day-to-day basis.
Whether or not the Bill of Rights can ever be an effective means of limiting the government is open to debate. However, the Bill of Rights does offer a fairly good outline of a free society, and it casta a strong spotlight on how far our country has strayed.
In an America with a full respect for the Bill of Rights, there would be no Federal Communications Commission regulating the airwaves and forbidding certain speech, no Federal Election Commission limiting how much Americans can donate to political candidates or what they can say in independent political ads, no Food and Drug Administration harassment of pharmaceutical and wine producers regarding their commercial speech, no federal laws that have anything to do with religion whatsoever, and no federally established "free-speech zones."
There would be no laws disarming Americans, prohibiting airlines from allowing pilots or passengers to carry guns on planes, or limiting how much ammo or what kind of firearms people can buy and own.
There would be no Patriot Act, no secret searches, no spying on telecommunications without a warrant.
There would be no civil asset forfeiture, no horrendous eminent domain abuses, no kangaroo courts, star chambers and phony hearings for the accused.
There would be no torture in America’s "terrorist" dungeons.
There would be no federal laws against starting a business without a license, buying and selling drugs, competing with the government to provide its "services" at a better cost and higher quality, or seceding from the central state.
There would be no federal programs not authorized by the Constitution: no Departments of Energy or Education, no Medicare or Social Security, no Federal Reserve or Selective Service, no farm subsidies or corporate welfare. Or bailouts.
We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?
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