Archive for the ‘Liberty’ Category
Robin Hood vs. Good Samaritan
Commenting elsewhere in a discussion among typical conservative culture warriors, lamenting the state of our culture regarding the abortion and gay marriage issues, I offered the following, which is probably worth memorializing here:
If I may be permitted to comment on these issues from a political perspective, I would like to point out three intertwined faulty premises, underlying all of these morality controversies in our national body politic.
- The first is collectivism – the faulty premise that the needs and wellbeing of this amorphous thing we call ‘society,’ trumps those of its individual members.
- The second is altruism – the faulty premise that looking out for oneself is bad, and sacrificing oneself for others is good.
- The third is democracy – the faulty premise that a majority has the moral right to impose their will upon a minority.
Mixed together, this is one toxic brew, which has been used to poison the minds of most sheeple in America, whichever side of the Incumbrepublocrat duopoly they find themselves on. One cannot assert the primacy of the collective, without trammeling the rights of its individual constituents. Then, if the model for governing that collective, is either the Robin Hood of the Left or the Good Samaritan of the Right, the individual citizen is regarded as merely a vassal.
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Fairies, Witches, Fords, and Chevys
Effective communication, to exchange ideas and discuss points of view, requires that we share the meanings of the terms we use. That is a challenge in this modern Orwellian world, where key words are being redefined every few years, to connote the near opposite of their previous meaning. It is particularly difficult, when a perfectly useful term becomes so loaded with emotional baggage, that minds snap shut at its very mention.
The term ‘atheist’ simply means ‘godless,’ which itself is a somewhat loaded term, only meaning ‘without a god.’ It is not a ‘belief’ as some would have it; but rather a disbelief in the existence of deities. To move the negative’s position, by saying, “An atheist believes God does not exist,” has no more profound effect than saying, “Joey believes there is no such thing as a Tooth Fairy.”
That in no way, makes Joey’s skepticism regarding the existence of fairies, into a ‘belief system.’ Nor does it put the onus on him to prove there isn’t, even if 3/4 of his acquaintances still believe there is, and really wish he would not display such disrespect for their cherished beliefs, by publicly challenging them. After all, they have personally experienced money magically materializing under their pillow; so they ‘know for a fact’ that it is real, and this gives them great comfort.
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Rethinking Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade is bad law, which should be overturned on Tenth Amendment grounds. Those most vocal in both the defense and condemnation of it however, frequently seem not to understand the implications of their goals. A case can be made that achieving those goals, by either side, would produce unintended consequences the opposite of what they seek.
As a retired sterile hermit, the incessant abortion controversy ought to be utterly irrelevant to me. It mercifully would be, except the insufferable PC moralists insist on inserting it into national political debate, where it has no business whatever being an issue. Politically Correct and Piously Correct activists alike, muck up our electoral process, by forcing candidates to publicly pronounce their personal moral position, on the question of a woman’s right to abort an unwanted pregnancy.
My natural right to dismiss this issue, as inconsequential here in my hermitage, is under constant assault by these busybodies. Years ago, I analyzed all the shopworn arguments from both sides, and carefully thought through my own position on the matter. None of the constant bickering since, has changed it one iota, nor is it ever likely to. I suspect that a majority of Americans, who are not dogmatic ideologues and are equipped to think for themselves, would generally agree with me.
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In Defense of Newt
My more ideological correspondents, conservative and libertarian alike, are frequently confounded by my attachment to reality, which purists tend to misconstrue as pragmatism. It is difficult to pin an ideological label on me, other than perhaps laissez faire capitalist. Since I desire nothing of government, but to be left alone, to live my life as I choose to live it, as a peaceful neighbor trading with others on a value for value basis, unmolested by altruistic busybodies, I don’t fit the mold of most ideologues. Individual Liberty being my highest ideal, were government not a necessary evil, I would be an anarchist. I must admit that the notion of a life devoid of politicians and politics is rather appealing; but since individual Liberty is actually enhanced, by a minimal level of law and order in my community, I can’t abide anarchism,.
The first step down into the real world, out of the cannabis cloud inhabited by the typical purist anarchist, lands one among the libertarians. These are the folks, typified by most of our Founding Fathers, who view government as a necessary evil, which must be kept to an absolute minimum, consistent with maintaining peace, law and order, and unimpeded free trade among freemen. Our Constitution, as originally written, is the epitome of a libertarian manifesto. As designed, it contains not one word regarding what a citizen must or must not do; but is entirely a constraint on what we will or will not permit government to do.
The Incumbrepublocrat Duopoly
I have heavily edited and rearranged my 2008 “Incumbrepublocrats” essay, and thought I ought to throw it up front here for critique:
Incumbrepublocrats: n. A cabal of incumbent ruling elites, organized into a duopoly called Republicans and Democrats, to fool complaisant sheeple into believing they have a choice, of shearers and shepherds. (aka: iRats)
As an independent swing voter and militant moderate, I am becoming increasingly disgusted with both caucuses of the Incumbrepublocrat Party. We used to laugh at the notion that the Soviet Union only had one political party, and their citizens were only allowed to choose from a slate of competing Communist Party members. Their candidates might differ over how best to achieve the Party’s goals, but Communism itself was not permitted to be questioned. Our two-party system was touted as infinitely better. Really?
At this point, I truly fail to see the difference. Communists and Incumbrepublocrats are both monolithic cabals of ruling elites, organized into a duopoly of nominal Left/Progressive and Right/Conservative caucuses. The only real differences between the caucuses, is the speed with which they move toward implementing a totalitarian, centrally controlled, Marxist nanny state, and minor disagreements over how much of our money to confiscate, and where best to spend it to buy votes.
Why Live in a Salad Bowl
I have added my latest entry as an essay, as I hope to carry on an extended discussion to develop the idea of giving the ‘Occupy’ movement what it seeks, and allow the Federal government to go ahead and collapse now, rather than waiting for the financial collapse that is now unavoidable in the near future. Please read it and join me in kicking around the idea, which I think has real merit. ◄Dave►
Poignant & Profound
Don’t miss “What Have I Done” at the shutupnsing blog. E.g.:
How in the world can we sit in a movie theater, follow and comprehend the mind-numbing twists and turns of a movie like Inception and yet be completely oblivious to the plot of the very simple and straight-forward movie we’re actually starring in ourselves? Especially when we’ve all seen the same movie before?
…and:
How many times have we heard people say, and said ourselves looking back on the pure evil that manifested itself during Hitler’s rise to power, “How could the German people have allowed this to happen? How could they not have seen this coming?” Well when people are out of work, hungry and demoralized they tend to lend an ear to the promise of jobs, food and…hope and change! I would also ask you how are the Obama Youth Corp, Code Pink, AFL-CIO, SEIU, ACORN, NEA, AARP and today’s Democratic Party any different from the Hitler Youth (HJ), League of German Girls (BdM), German Workers Front (DAF), National Socialist People’s Welfare (NSV) and the various Professional Organizations that served very effectively as Hitler’s propaganda arms?
It is short, read it all. What else can we do to wake people up, if it is not already too late? ◄Dave►
Chew On This
This is really thought provoking:
No wonder Iran got so indignant about this latest lie, which had some of our politicians beating war drums. When do they start inciting Patriots to do criminal acts they are fully prepared to do if necessary; but sincerely hope will never be necessary? There are a lot of angry folks out here in flyover country, who could easily be enticed to join a false flag operation to take back our country from the Marxists in the White House.◄Dave►
Suicidal Superpower
Any who have read my old “Dark Ages II” essay, or ever pondered the implications of Mark Steyn’s, “America Alone,” will understand why this is my next read. From a Drudge Report Exclusive, profound quotes from Pat Buchanan’s new book, “SUICIDE OF A SUPERPOWER – Will America Survive to 2025?” :
Introduction: Disintegrating Nation
“As the faith that gave birth to the West is dying in the West, peoples of European descent from the steppes of Russia to the coast of California have begun to die out, as the Third World treks north to claim the estate. The last decade provided corroborating if not conclusive proof that we are in the Indian Summer of our civilization.”
“America is disintegrating. The centrifugal forces pulling us apart are growing inexorably. What unites us is dissolving. And this is true of Western Civilization….Meanwhile, the state is failing in its most fundamental duties. It is no longer able to defend our borders, balance our budgets, or win our wars.”
Malleable Morality
Troy and I have been having a debate in the comment section of his The Slope Just Got Slicker post below. The discussion is getting deep, and worthy of a new thread on ethics. Those not following the debate may want to catch up at the link above; but for setup, Troy had said:
None of these events can be defended on any rational basis. … If we allow ourselves to sink to the level of our enemies, what point is there in defending ourselves rather than simply joining them?
Deficit vs Debt
Brother, Can You Spare A Trillion?: Government Gone Wild!
Whenever a politician mouths the phrase, “reduce the deficit,” he is being condescending, lying, or both; because he knows the difference and is counting on us to conflate the terms debt and deficit. Read the rest of this entry »
Hollywood Exposure
I must admit that I had never heard of this lady. I have only ever known one lady named J9, whom I usually refer to as Saint J9; so at first, I thought she might be famous for more than just putting up with a sometimes mercurial blogger named Troy. It turns out she was a star in a popular TV series called ‘Northern Exposure,’ back in the early ’90s, when I either didn’t own a TV set because I lived on a yacht in Hawaii, or couldn’t get CBS at my cattle ranch in the Sierras when I did.
In any case, Janine Turner has penned an op-ed for the Washington Examiner that nails Hollywood hypocrisy:
In Hollywood, they think America is inherently bad, a world embarrassment, even as they gorge themselves on the American dream.
Hollywood is a surreal and pretend world whose way of life is actually ruthless free enterprise — it is called show business, after all. Hollywood is where stars, movie producers, writers and agents actively seek glamour, money, power and fame; where they covet fast cars and face-lifts and fly in private jets. They drink fine wines and insist on free spirits. They are the ultimate connoisseurs who insist on living liberty at large.
Yet somehow, the inhabitants gag at the very thought of capitalism going on elsewhere.
For another conservative’s perspective on what it is like to have to live in such a miserable place, read the rest at: ” Living amid Hollywood hypocrisy.” ◄Dave►
Palin v. Obama? You Betcha!
This has to be the most brilliant Machiavellian strategy I have ever encountered. I so want to discover that it is her idea, which she is floating through Joseph Farah, the editor of World Net Daily:
If Sarah Palin ran as a Republican candidate in a crowded field, she might win. Then again, she might not. She would be a late entry. Much of the big money needed to win is already committed. She would add some excitement to the GOP race, but she might not stand out all that much.
Only one Republican is going to get to face off with Barack Obama in 2012, and I can hardly count the number of contenders for that opportunity right now. She’d be a frontrunner for sure, but her tea-party base is already eyeing other candidates.
However, there is something Sarah Palin could do right now that would be truly radical – and, at the very least, bloody Barack Obama so badly he wouldn’t have a hope of beating the Republican nominee.
What’s that?
Brace yourself for a crazy idea.
Sarah Palin should reregister as a Democrat and announce her intention of seeking the Democratic Party nomination in 2012 over Barack Obama!
Go read the the whole article and then add the following data to your thoughts about it:
Amnesty by Fiat
Gov. Jan Brewer has been censored by Facebook, and has asked that her message be propagated. I am happy to oblige:
After I posted the following statement and photo yesterday, Facebook censored the post and removed it because the photo apparently violated their “Facebook Community Standards.” Before it was removed, it had received over 10,000 likes and comments.Regardless, I’m reposting the photo and statement. I think many of you will agree with me – - Obama’s backdoor amnesty plan violates American standards of following the rule of law and the US Constitution.
Please click “like” and share with your friends.
The Obama administration cannot get its amnesty schemes through Congress, so now it has resorted to implementing its plans via executive fiat. There’s simply no other description for today’s announcement that the federal government will not pursue the deportation of individuals who are in the country illegally but meet certain criteria.
Invisible Government
Troy’s comment to my Gonzo Journalism article caused me to remember a book I read years ago, entitled “Invisible Government.” I couldn’t recall the author or even how long ago it had been written, so I googled it. It produced two extraordinary documents that I just had to share here.
The first, is in the CIA’s own library! Since the 1964 book posited that there was a segment of the CIA running amuck, without adult supervision, they naturally reviewed it in a confidential memo. It was declassified in 1995, and begins:
CONFIDENTIALRecent Books: Visible
THE INVISIBLE GOVERNMENT. By David Wise and Thomas B. Ross. (New York: Random. 1964. 375 pp. $5.95.)
The journalist-authors of this best-seller admit that Communist subversion and espionage pose a unique threat to the American people and their government, and they accept the necessity under certain circumstances for secret American efforts to prevent Moscow and Peking from gaining new allegiances. But they profess to believe that our secret attempts to meet the Communist challenge constitute so real a threat to our own freedoms that they must be exposed in as detailed and dramatic a way as possible. If the Soviets are profiting from these revelations, as they are, -Vise and Ross apparently think that such self-inflicted wounds must be endured in the battle against excessive secrecy.
Gonzo Journalism
Well, well, well… welcome to my world. How many remember the name Tim Adams? The election clerk from Hawaii, who revealed that it is an open secret among Hawaii election officials that there is no record of Obama being born in a hospital there? It turns out he is bent libertarian, is as cynical of the system as I am, is an English major working on his Masters, and his initial revelation was made during an undercover experiment in ‘gonzo journalism,’ to investigate what he considered to be a racist organization. LMAO 
Here is his Master’s theses, which I reckon is a must read for anyone seriously interested in this controversy:
Adams, Timothy Lee, “Discourse and Conflict: The President Barak H. Obama Birth Certificate Controversy and the New Media” (2011). Masters Theses & Specialist Projects. Paper 1071.
http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1071
WTP-02 Lucky Canada
I used to pity Canadian conservatives their plight, stuck living under the rule of a Progressive majority. It just occurred to me that we have now allowed the bastards to overwhelm us too, and the Canadians have it better than we do. More importantly, their prognosis for the future far exceeds ours. They are energy independent, better educated, and are starting to scale back on failed social programs. We have a long hard row to hoe, before we have experienced enough pain to catch up to their reality. Here is another view from the outside looking in, found in a WTP comment section of six-month-old article I stumbled across. Somebody should send it to the RNC:
Cameron D. MacKay
February 16, 2011 | 9:18 pmPaul: Thank you for the courtesy of responding to my comments. Allow me to express a few of my frustrations with what appears to be the Republican’s temerity to confront fundamental issues which are eroding America (and hence detrimentally affecting my country)
Who is John Galt?
As a welcome refresher appropriate for the mood I am in, here is a well-done, and extremely condensed, version of the core 90 pages of Atlas Shrugged:
John Galt’s Radio Address to the Nation
For twelve years you’ve been asking “Who is John Galt?” This is John Galt speaking. I’m the man who’s taken away your victims and thus destroyed your world. You’ve heard it said that this is an age of moral crisis and that Man’s sins are destroying the world. But your chief virtue has been sacrifice, and you’ve demanded more sacrifices at every disaster. You’ve sacrificed justice to mercy and happiness to duty. So why should you be afraid of the world around you?
Your world is only the product of your sacrifices. While you were dragging the men who made your happiness possible to your sacrificial altars, I beat you to it. I reached them first and told them about the game you were playing and where it would take them. I explained the consequences of your ‘brother-love’ morality, which they had been too innocently generous to understand. You won’t find them now, when you need them more than ever.
Freedom Fighting Terrorists
On a social networking site I frequent, a young lady posted a lament that the media were not referring to the perpetrator of the recent atrocity in Norway as a terrorist. She allowed that she had never heard of a terrorist before 9/11, and wondered why only Muslims are called such. I suspect that was probably about the time in her youth, when she first became the slightest bit interested in the news. Anyway, she punched one of my buttons, and this was my reply:
There is nothing new about the term ‘terrorism.’ We were fighting what we called terrorists when I was living in Rhodesia almost 40 years ago. They were Chinese communist inspired insurgents, from training camps in Zambia and Mozambique. Rather than confront our national security forces directly, they used hit & run tactics to attack white farmers, native villages, missionary outposts, etc. in the farming country.
