I was forwarded this earlier and felt like sharing....
So, we are going to pass health care reform that....
1. Was written by a committee, the chair of which admits he doesn't understand it.
2. Was passed by a Congress that has not read it but exempts itself from it.
3. Will be signed by a President who has not read it and who smokes.
4. Will have its funds administred by a Treasury Department headed by a Treasury Secretary who fails to pay his own taxes.
5. Will be overseen by a Surgeon General who is obese.
6. Will be financed by a country and a citizenry too much in debt already.
Makes sense to me.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Liberals Celebrate America In Decline
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-11-21/why-america-must-learn-to-bow/?cid=topic:mainpromo1
President Obama has twice bowed to foreign leaders- once in Saudi Arbia and then again last week in Japan. Why is this so important? Because President Obama and his "Blame America" socialist pals want nothing more than to see the U.S. humbled and brought down.
Obama campaigned against "Cowboy" diplomacy and wants nothing more than to put the US on equal footing with other nations. The problem is, he's putting us on equal footing by cutting off our own feet, knocking us down. Remember his Apology Tour this summer when he went around Europe apologizing for anything and everything the US had ever done?
Presidents are supposed to keep America strong and use our hard-fought superpower status as a position of strength in negotiations, not apologize for it and let nations walk all over us.
This president is will only continue to make us weaker on the world stage and his bowing to foreign leaders is symbolic of that weakness.
President Obama has twice bowed to foreign leaders- once in Saudi Arbia and then again last week in Japan. Why is this so important? Because President Obama and his "Blame America" socialist pals want nothing more than to see the U.S. humbled and brought down.
Obama campaigned against "Cowboy" diplomacy and wants nothing more than to put the US on equal footing with other nations. The problem is, he's putting us on equal footing by cutting off our own feet, knocking us down. Remember his Apology Tour this summer when he went around Europe apologizing for anything and everything the US had ever done?
Presidents are supposed to keep America strong and use our hard-fought superpower status as a position of strength in negotiations, not apologize for it and let nations walk all over us.
This president is will only continue to make us weaker on the world stage and his bowing to foreign leaders is symbolic of that weakness.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
A New Paradigm
There have been pivotal moments in the history of the United States during which the political landscape is forever changed. Examples include the reign of Democrat-Republicans from Thomas Jefferson through John Q. Adams which lead to the emergence of our first populist president, Andrew Jackson and the Democratic Party. There was the rise of the Whig Party followed shortly by its fall and the rise of the Republicans with Abraham Lincoln at the head of the ticket.
In the 20th Century the names of the parties stayed the same but their platforms shifted dramatically. For instance Southern Democrats kept their party racist while Republicans led on civil rights. Then the parties seemingly switched positions in the 1960s and Southerners left the Democratic Party for the Republican while in the North we have witnessed the gradual decline of social moderates in the GOP.
Here in the early 21st Century I wonder if we are at another pivotal moment in the political life of our country. With big government Democrats seeking to nationalize health care (1/6 of our economy) and Republicans searching for a direction after President Bush's spending spree and multi-front wars, perhaps we no longer are a left vs. right nation. Perhaps the new question we should be asking ourselves is, "Do I favor a large federal government or do I favor a federalism in which power is shared at the local, state and federal levels?"
Our Founding Fathers clearly favored the latter. Our republican form of government only works when those we elect to represent us are closest to us and held accountable by us. The 10th Amendment to the Constitution clearly reinforces the restrictive main body of the Constitution in which the powers of the central government are enumerated. The 10th Amendment limits the scope of the federal government's authority to only those powers specifically listed within the Constitution.
The Founders knew that for our system of government to work most effectively the federal government must be balanced with the power of the states and the people who grant their consent to be government at the expense of their own freedom and liberty.
The question we should be asking ourselves is not whether we are liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, but rather do I believe in an all-powerful federal government or do I believe in liberty and freedom?
One of the most important underlying principles of our form of government is that we, the people, consent to surrender a portion of our God-given freedom and liberty over to a government with limited powers. Through the 10th Amendment we surrender only a portion of our liberty.
Reclaim your freedom! Reclaim your liberty! Unless we, the people, speak up our own government will slowly become the government of King George III of Great Britain.
In the 20th Century the names of the parties stayed the same but their platforms shifted dramatically. For instance Southern Democrats kept their party racist while Republicans led on civil rights. Then the parties seemingly switched positions in the 1960s and Southerners left the Democratic Party for the Republican while in the North we have witnessed the gradual decline of social moderates in the GOP.
Here in the early 21st Century I wonder if we are at another pivotal moment in the political life of our country. With big government Democrats seeking to nationalize health care (1/6 of our economy) and Republicans searching for a direction after President Bush's spending spree and multi-front wars, perhaps we no longer are a left vs. right nation. Perhaps the new question we should be asking ourselves is, "Do I favor a large federal government or do I favor a federalism in which power is shared at the local, state and federal levels?"
Our Founding Fathers clearly favored the latter. Our republican form of government only works when those we elect to represent us are closest to us and held accountable by us. The 10th Amendment to the Constitution clearly reinforces the restrictive main body of the Constitution in which the powers of the central government are enumerated. The 10th Amendment limits the scope of the federal government's authority to only those powers specifically listed within the Constitution.
The Founders knew that for our system of government to work most effectively the federal government must be balanced with the power of the states and the people who grant their consent to be government at the expense of their own freedom and liberty.
The question we should be asking ourselves is not whether we are liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, but rather do I believe in an all-powerful federal government or do I believe in liberty and freedom?
One of the most important underlying principles of our form of government is that we, the people, consent to surrender a portion of our God-given freedom and liberty over to a government with limited powers. Through the 10th Amendment we surrender only a portion of our liberty.
Reclaim your freedom! Reclaim your liberty! Unless we, the people, speak up our own government will slowly become the government of King George III of Great Britain.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Where are the Democrats?
House Democrats promised to reform Congress after the Republican scandals. Now Democrats are hiding out instead of investigating whether Congressmen benefited from VIP loans from Countrywide. Loans that you and I probably could never get.
You see, both the Democrats and Republicans are corrupt machines with designs for big government. No matter which of the two parties you elect, they will do all in their power to benefit themselves and their party by creating more and more federal programs to benefit their special interests.
Libertarians have only one interest- the Constitutional freedoms guaranteed to us. That means smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.
Monday, October 12, 2009
White House Escalates War of Words With Fox News - Political News - FOXNews.com
White House Escalates War of Words With Fox News - Political News - FOXNews.com
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The left and liberal media continue to falsely paint Fox News as somehow a radical, right-wing news organization. The Pew Research Center's analysis of the 2008 campaign shows quite the opposite. It is CNN and MSNBC which are blatantly unfair, unbalanced and partisan in its news coverage.
The left, intent on its goal of creating a socialist state where individual thought is suppressed and the state controls every aspect of our life, wants nothing more than the restriction of our freedom of speech and the freedom of the press. And so they attack Fox News as being conservative and deny its reporters access to the president (not until at least 2010, The White House now says).
Our liberties are being crushed faster than ever by this far, far left government. We must speak up for our Constitutional liberties and rights before it is too late. We need to support the Libertarian Party in its fight for our liberties and freedom as it battles a Democratic Party intent on a socialist government and a Republican Party intent on pushing its conservative moral values on us through big government policies. The point is, the GOP is not the answer. The GOP wants big government too. Just look at what they did under President George W. Bush and a GOP Congress.
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The left and liberal media continue to falsely paint Fox News as somehow a radical, right-wing news organization. The Pew Research Center's analysis of the 2008 campaign shows quite the opposite. It is CNN and MSNBC which are blatantly unfair, unbalanced and partisan in its news coverage.
The left, intent on its goal of creating a socialist state where individual thought is suppressed and the state controls every aspect of our life, wants nothing more than the restriction of our freedom of speech and the freedom of the press. And so they attack Fox News as being conservative and deny its reporters access to the president (not until at least 2010, The White House now says).
Our liberties are being crushed faster than ever by this far, far left government. We must speak up for our Constitutional liberties and rights before it is too late. We need to support the Libertarian Party in its fight for our liberties and freedom as it battles a Democratic Party intent on a socialist government and a Republican Party intent on pushing its conservative moral values on us through big government policies. The point is, the GOP is not the answer. The GOP wants big government too. Just look at what they did under President George W. Bush and a GOP Congress.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Competition and Accountability in Education
As I've mentioned in previous posts, I believe the U.S. Department of Education is unconstitutional and should be abolished. But beyond the Constitutional issue education is also an intensely local issue. Parents in each school district know best what types of schools best suite their children- not a bunch of bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Department of Education's budget doubled under President Bush from $33billion to just under $70billion. Wayne Allen Root asks in The Conscience of a Libertarian, "Anyone think that education improved by double? Anyone think our kids are twice as smart? Education is failing precisely because the federal government is involved." President Obama has thrown another $130billion in stimulus money for education on top of the $70billion baseline budget- that's $200billion for education! Throwing money at teachers unions will not solve our problems when teachers are basically given tenure regardless of performance of their students.
Want more evidence federal involvement in education is the problem? Root points to an international study of industrialized nations' 15 year-old students: "Out of 30 industrialized countries, U.S. students ranked 25th in math and 21st in science." The Department of Education has been around since President Jimmy Carter. Lotta good it's done.
The right path is to abolish the Department of Education and return education to the state and local level.
In the October 12 issue of Fortune there is an interview with the head of New York City's public school system, Joel Klein. Mr. Klein is a graduate of New York public schools, Columbia University and Harvard Law School. Before taking over NY schools in 2002 he had never worked in the field of education.
Joel Klein has been a catalyst for change by injecting crazy ideas like accountability, competition, autonomy and leadership into each local school. His changes are bringing about results. For instance in 2005 the drop out rate was 22%. Last year that had declined to 14%. The graduation rate in '05 was 47% but spiked to 61% in 2008.
The key to his success has been giving each principal the authority to make independent decisions as to how he or she runs the school, including extended days, extended weeks, community engagement and more. In short he has empowered them and provided them the leadership training they need to be successful.
Teachers are now being paid differently based on results in their schools, the need to send better teachers to schools most in need and the subject matter they teach (science teachers should be paid more then physical education teachers). Additionally, he is firing people who do not produce results and even closing entire schools that are failing.
We need to seriously look at implementing real-world principles of accountability, competition, leadership, choice and autonomy into our education system if the U.S. hopes to compete in the global economy of the 21 century. Otherwise we will quickly be overtaken as an economic power.
The U.S. Department of Education's budget doubled under President Bush from $33billion to just under $70billion. Wayne Allen Root asks in The Conscience of a Libertarian, "Anyone think that education improved by double? Anyone think our kids are twice as smart? Education is failing precisely because the federal government is involved." President Obama has thrown another $130billion in stimulus money for education on top of the $70billion baseline budget- that's $200billion for education! Throwing money at teachers unions will not solve our problems when teachers are basically given tenure regardless of performance of their students.
Want more evidence federal involvement in education is the problem? Root points to an international study of industrialized nations' 15 year-old students: "Out of 30 industrialized countries, U.S. students ranked 25th in math and 21st in science." The Department of Education has been around since President Jimmy Carter. Lotta good it's done.
The right path is to abolish the Department of Education and return education to the state and local level.
In the October 12 issue of Fortune there is an interview with the head of New York City's public school system, Joel Klein. Mr. Klein is a graduate of New York public schools, Columbia University and Harvard Law School. Before taking over NY schools in 2002 he had never worked in the field of education.
Joel Klein has been a catalyst for change by injecting crazy ideas like accountability, competition, autonomy and leadership into each local school. His changes are bringing about results. For instance in 2005 the drop out rate was 22%. Last year that had declined to 14%. The graduation rate in '05 was 47% but spiked to 61% in 2008.
The key to his success has been giving each principal the authority to make independent decisions as to how he or she runs the school, including extended days, extended weeks, community engagement and more. In short he has empowered them and provided them the leadership training they need to be successful.
Teachers are now being paid differently based on results in their schools, the need to send better teachers to schools most in need and the subject matter they teach (science teachers should be paid more then physical education teachers). Additionally, he is firing people who do not produce results and even closing entire schools that are failing.
We need to seriously look at implementing real-world principles of accountability, competition, leadership, choice and autonomy into our education system if the U.S. hopes to compete in the global economy of the 21 century. Otherwise we will quickly be overtaken as an economic power.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
US Should Sell Stake in Citi
It is time for the US government to sell its stake in Citi and get the heck out of the private sector.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/33162400#
http://www.cnbc.com/id/33162400#
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Health Care Mandate Sparks Constitutional Debate - Political News - FOXNews.com
Both the Democratic and Republican Party platforms are full of ideas that have no basis in the Constitution. Our personal liberty has been trampled upon decade after decade. Slowly but surely the size and power of the federal government expands deeper and deeper into our lives. The more power it gets, the more power it wants.
Our Founders knew that they must limit the size and power of the federal government. We must return to those principles or we will continue to slowly but surely slip into socialism.
Health Care Mandate Sparks Constitutional Debate - Political News - FOXNews.com
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Our Founders knew that they must limit the size and power of the federal government. We must return to those principles or we will continue to slowly but surely slip into socialism.
Health Care Mandate Sparks Constitutional Debate - Political News - FOXNews.com
Posted using ShareThis
Monday, September 28, 2009
Libertarian Party Introduction
Here is the link to the Libertarian Party website's issue page. Check it out.
http://www.lp.org/introduction/what-is-the-libertarian-party
http://www.lp.org/introduction/what-is-the-libertarian-party
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
National Endowment for the Arts must GO!
Regardless of which party is in the White House, it is time to end the National Endowment for the Arts. After latest flap in the Obama Administration's attempted use of the government/tax payer dollars to indoctrinate Americans into his liberal policies, the WH is now trying to avoid the same mistake it made with the lesson plan for school children.
The better plan which will save taxpayers millions of dollars is to stop government funding of the NEA altogether- and it will prevent the misuse of taxpayer dollars to push a political agenda using taxpayer money- OUR MONEY.
End the NEA!
The better plan which will save taxpayers millions of dollars is to stop government funding of the NEA altogether- and it will prevent the misuse of taxpayer dollars to push a political agenda using taxpayer money- OUR MONEY.
End the NEA!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Health Care Mandate is a Tax
Thank you, George S. No matter how many different ways you try to spin it, if the government charges you a "fee" or other surcharge, it is a tax upon you.
Friday, September 18, 2009
ROSMY Empower Youth 40k Continued
Reggie Gordon, CEO of the Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross, took time out of his schedule to film this spot for our Empower Youth 40k annual campaign.
Thanks to the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation each dollar raised (up to $40,000) will be matched by a challenge grant. Check out the website for the campaign at www.rosmy40k.org.
Thanks to the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation each dollar raised (up to $40,000) will be matched by a challenge grant. Check out the website for the campaign at www.rosmy40k.org.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Empower ROSMY Youth
ROSMY is a youth service agency in Virginia that provides support and advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. ROSMY's Institute for Equality trains social service providers and educators on how to effectively work with sexual minority youth.
ROSMY's annual campaign launched on September 13 and we are looking to raise $40,000 in 30 days to meet our Parsons Foundation challenge grant.
If you are interested in supportin our youth and helping us beat our goal, please go to our special website, http://www.rosmy40k.org/.
http://www.rosmy40k.org/
ROSMY's annual campaign launched on September 13 and we are looking to raise $40,000 in 30 days to meet our Parsons Foundation challenge grant.
If you are interested in supportin our youth and helping us beat our goal, please go to our special website, http://www.rosmy40k.org/.
http://www.rosmy40k.org/
Monday, September 14, 2009
http://www.cnbc.com/id/32843085
http://www.cnbc.com/id/32843085
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Should we be surprised that an Obama proposal lacks clarity? The role of the government should be minimized in future crises. Markets should be allowed to work and companies should be allowed to fail. That will help curb future risk. Government bailouts only send the signal that corporations can push the envelope too far because the consequences will be limited by Big Brother.
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Should we be surprised that an Obama proposal lacks clarity? The role of the government should be minimized in future crises. Markets should be allowed to work and companies should be allowed to fail. That will help curb future risk. Government bailouts only send the signal that corporations can push the envelope too far because the consequences will be limited by Big Brother.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial Board
The past few days the RTD Editorial Board has published some great comments. In one editorial they take the Republicans to task for complaining about Creigh Deeds and the Washington Post's use of Bob McDonnell's 20 year old thesis. Wasn't it just two months ago that the GOP was digging into Justice Sotomayor's past to call her unqualified for use of words like "wise latina" in previous speeches? Way to call them out, RTD.
In today's paper they call out the inconsistency of GOP and Democratic ideology with regard to crime and punishment. Democrats are generally against the death penalty and long jail terms for drug crimes, arguing that neither are deterrents for murder and drug dealing. Republicans argue for both capital punishment and laws like three strikes and you're out for repeat drug offenders because they claim that these laws help lower murder rates and drug crimes.
Yet both parties fail to remain consistent to their principles when it comes to hate speech. Democrats generally champion hate speech laws like the Matthew Shepard Act which will extend "protection" to gays in an already long list of protected classes for crimes motivated by hate. The GOP, otherwise tough on crime, generally opposes hate crime laws.
To the GOP, if capital punishment is a deterrent for murder, why wouldn't a hate crimes law prevent hate crimes? And to the Democrats, if those same laws actually do prevent hate crimes, why not support capital punishment and mandatory sentences for drug pushers?
The answer is special interest groups that donate money to keep these parties in power. Right wing religious conservatives with a social agenda dislike gays so the GOP opposes the Matthew Shepard Act. Gays and politically correct big government liberals want to stifle any and all speech that they deem offensive and against their far left agenda, even at the expense of the First Amendment.
The Libertarian Party is the Party of Principle. Freedom of speech should be protected and laws like the Matthew Shepard Act and current laws on hate crimes continue our federal government's assault on individual liberty. Murder is murder and we do not need thought police in Washington suppressing speech. I do not have to like what my neighbor is saying, but he has a Constitutional right to say it.
In today's paper they call out the inconsistency of GOP and Democratic ideology with regard to crime and punishment. Democrats are generally against the death penalty and long jail terms for drug crimes, arguing that neither are deterrents for murder and drug dealing. Republicans argue for both capital punishment and laws like three strikes and you're out for repeat drug offenders because they claim that these laws help lower murder rates and drug crimes.
Yet both parties fail to remain consistent to their principles when it comes to hate speech. Democrats generally champion hate speech laws like the Matthew Shepard Act which will extend "protection" to gays in an already long list of protected classes for crimes motivated by hate. The GOP, otherwise tough on crime, generally opposes hate crime laws.
To the GOP, if capital punishment is a deterrent for murder, why wouldn't a hate crimes law prevent hate crimes? And to the Democrats, if those same laws actually do prevent hate crimes, why not support capital punishment and mandatory sentences for drug pushers?
The answer is special interest groups that donate money to keep these parties in power. Right wing religious conservatives with a social agenda dislike gays so the GOP opposes the Matthew Shepard Act. Gays and politically correct big government liberals want to stifle any and all speech that they deem offensive and against their far left agenda, even at the expense of the First Amendment.
The Libertarian Party is the Party of Principle. Freedom of speech should be protected and laws like the Matthew Shepard Act and current laws on hate crimes continue our federal government's assault on individual liberty. Murder is murder and we do not need thought police in Washington suppressing speech. I do not have to like what my neighbor is saying, but he has a Constitutional right to say it.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Obama's Communist Apologies and Obama Student Indoctrination Plan Scrapped
Van Jones, a communist advising the president on "green" jobs (which by the way will create about 1/2 a job for each job the Cap and Trade Bill kills), has apologized for calling Republicans assholes.
Separately the president's administration has admitted they helped the unconstitutional Department of Education write school plans instructing teachers on how to get students to "help the president" following his speech to students across the country this coming Tuesday.
School systems across the country have rightly been reacting to this indoctrination with scorn and are allowing parents to opt their kids out of seeing the propaganda, which now appears to be in the process of re-work. Some school districts such as Powhatan County, Virginia, are refusing to broadcast the message at all.
Separately the president's administration has admitted they helped the unconstitutional Department of Education write school plans instructing teachers on how to get students to "help the president" following his speech to students across the country this coming Tuesday.
School systems across the country have rightly been reacting to this indoctrination with scorn and are allowing parents to opt their kids out of seeing the propaganda, which now appears to be in the process of re-work. Some school districts such as Powhatan County, Virginia, are refusing to broadcast the message at all.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Feeding the Federal Beast
Here is a link to Cato Institute blog entry on the insane salary and benefit information on federal government workers.
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/08/24/federal-pay-continues-rapid-ascent/
A constant theme of my postings has been the federal government's over-stepping of its bounds into areas that the Constitution does not permit. We should be eliminating these federal agencies and departments, lowering federal taxes and empowering states to solve these issues at a more local level.
As the blog above indicates, not only are these un-Constitutional agencies bloating the federal budget, but ALL federal employees are overpaid when compared to the average wage in private industry. The average federal wage is $79,197 as compared to $49,935 in private industry.
Big Government Democrats and Republicans grow the size of government, hire more employees and further strengthen the dependency of more and more Americans on the federal government for either a handout or a paycheck. In either case, it's our tax dollars being used to pay for it.
We need to elect (Libertarian) politicans who will seriously slash federal spending and bring federal employee wages more in line with private industry. My mother was a federal employee. Most federal employees do great work, but the facts show that most are grossly overpaid when compared to their peers in private industry.
People shouldn't enter public service to get rich. If that is your goal then private industry should be your calling. Our politicans have forgotten with whose money they are playing.
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/08/24/federal-pay-continues-rapid-ascent/
A constant theme of my postings has been the federal government's over-stepping of its bounds into areas that the Constitution does not permit. We should be eliminating these federal agencies and departments, lowering federal taxes and empowering states to solve these issues at a more local level.
As the blog above indicates, not only are these un-Constitutional agencies bloating the federal budget, but ALL federal employees are overpaid when compared to the average wage in private industry. The average federal wage is $79,197 as compared to $49,935 in private industry.
Big Government Democrats and Republicans grow the size of government, hire more employees and further strengthen the dependency of more and more Americans on the federal government for either a handout or a paycheck. In either case, it's our tax dollars being used to pay for it.
We need to elect (Libertarian) politicans who will seriously slash federal spending and bring federal employee wages more in line with private industry. My mother was a federal employee. Most federal employees do great work, but the facts show that most are grossly overpaid when compared to their peers in private industry.
People shouldn't enter public service to get rich. If that is your goal then private industry should be your calling. Our politicans have forgotten with whose money they are playing.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
A Third Way
In today's Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial pages the editorial staff comment on the sad, sad state of the Republican Party.
"The Republicans' biggest problem is not their ideology but their lack of one. Stigmatized as rightists, behaving like leftists, and ultimately standing for nothing, they're in the worst of all possible worlds," quotes the editors of another article by Christopher Caldwell, "The Southern Captivity of the GOP."
The RTD staff and Caldwell are correct. The GOP stands for nothing and everything all at the same time. The Libertarian Party literally describes itself as "The Party of Principle." What principles are those? Smaller Government. Lower Taxes. More Freedom.
Republican talk a good game, but when elected behave exactly like liberals. It is time for Amercia (and especially our media) to pay attention to America's largest third party.
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/editorials/article/ED-CALD24_20090823-165804/287875/
"The Republicans' biggest problem is not their ideology but their lack of one. Stigmatized as rightists, behaving like leftists, and ultimately standing for nothing, they're in the worst of all possible worlds," quotes the editors of another article by Christopher Caldwell, "The Southern Captivity of the GOP."
The RTD staff and Caldwell are correct. The GOP stands for nothing and everything all at the same time. The Libertarian Party literally describes itself as "The Party of Principle." What principles are those? Smaller Government. Lower Taxes. More Freedom.
Republican talk a good game, but when elected behave exactly like liberals. It is time for Amercia (and especially our media) to pay attention to America's largest third party.
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/editorials/article/ED-CALD24_20090823-165804/287875/
Saturday, August 22, 2009
A General Alarm! You gotta fight for your right to...
Without a doubt our Founding Fathers wrote our Constitution to specifically limit the powers granted to federal government and reserve them to the people and the states. Unfortunately the slow march of time has weakened the resolve of both the people and the states in defense of their liberty, thereby allowing our federal government to slowly but surely steal our freedoms.
James Madison wrote in The Federalist No. 46, “The ultimate authority, wherever the derivative may be found, resides in the people alone.” He goes on to say, “But ambitious encroachments of the federal government on the authority of the State governments would not excite the opposition of a single State, or of a few States only. They would be signals of a general alarm. Every government would espouse the common cause. A correspondence would be opened. Plans of resistance would be concerted.”
A general alarm!
Yes, a general alarm should be sounded. Correspondence should be written and spread to all the people.
“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite….The powers reserved to the several states will extend to all the objects which…concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the State,” wrote Madison in The Federalist No. 45.
Quite the opposite seems true today. The federal government’s scope of power has been allowed to expand well beyond the explicit restrictions of the Constitution. We must demand a return of our sovereignty, of our freedom, of our liberty.
How can you do this? Most immediately, contact your Representatives and Senators and tell them to reject a government health care option. Tell them to focus on tort reform as one effective way to reign in the cost of health care. Let’s start by trying to fix the current system before replacing it with a government “solution.”
Longer term I strongly encourage you to support liberty by voting Libertarian. Republicans are for big government and Democrats are for bigger government. We lose in both cases. The lesser of two evils is still evil. But there can be a third way. That is through a grassroots movement of the people to reclaim their liberty from an economically and personally intrusive federal government.
James Madison wrote in The Federalist No. 46, “The ultimate authority, wherever the derivative may be found, resides in the people alone.” He goes on to say, “But ambitious encroachments of the federal government on the authority of the State governments would not excite the opposition of a single State, or of a few States only. They would be signals of a general alarm. Every government would espouse the common cause. A correspondence would be opened. Plans of resistance would be concerted.”
A general alarm!
Yes, a general alarm should be sounded. Correspondence should be written and spread to all the people.
“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite….The powers reserved to the several states will extend to all the objects which…concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the State,” wrote Madison in The Federalist No. 45.
Quite the opposite seems true today. The federal government’s scope of power has been allowed to expand well beyond the explicit restrictions of the Constitution. We must demand a return of our sovereignty, of our freedom, of our liberty.
How can you do this? Most immediately, contact your Representatives and Senators and tell them to reject a government health care option. Tell them to focus on tort reform as one effective way to reign in the cost of health care. Let’s start by trying to fix the current system before replacing it with a government “solution.”
Longer term I strongly encourage you to support liberty by voting Libertarian. Republicans are for big government and Democrats are for bigger government. We lose in both cases. The lesser of two evils is still evil. But there can be a third way. That is through a grassroots movement of the people to reclaim their liberty from an economically and personally intrusive federal government.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Cato Institute Video on Why Big Government is Bad
Here is a great video covering why big government spending is bad for the economy. Smaller government, less taxes, more freedom. Vote Libertarian.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Virginia's False Fiscal "Crisis"
Gov. Tim Kaine and members of the Virginia General Assembly are wringing their hands worrying about the $750 million to $1.5 billion budget shortfall Kaine announced recently. "Whoa is me!" they cry.
I hate to break it to them, but there is no revenue "crisis." According to the official Commonwealth website here are tax revenues since 1997:
1997- $17,131,110,511
1998- $17,620,703,141
1999- $19,962,082,932
2000- $21,368,967,256
2001- $23,322,749,017
2002- $23,483,212,825
2003- $24,982,910,876
2004- $26,379,372,090
2005- $29,257,674,193
2006- $31,991,449,302
2007- $35,094,639,443
2008- $36,003,691,176
Budgeted:
2009- $37,634,111,885
2010- $38,321,677,698
As you can see the shortfall would take us back to 2008's $36 billion. But what is more telling is the incredible, irresponsible growth in Virginia tax revenues. Democrats and even Republicans count on us not reviewing these numbers.
Why? Because when you look at that facts you may question exactly what it is that we are getting for the extra $10 billion in tax revenue in just four years (2004 to 2008) or in the doubling of state revenue in about 10 years' time. Remember that's $10 billion in taxes from our paychecks either through income taxes or sales taxes.
The real crisis is the increase in state government spending. We need to identify the unnecessary and wasteful programs created under Governors Kaine and Warner. We need to privatize state-run liquor stores. We need to demand lower taxes and greater fiscal responsibility in the General Assembly.
Don't be fooled. The real crisis is excess government spending! Contact your delegate and state senator to demand they address the spending crisis, cut wasteful programs and lower our taxes.
Thanks to Marc Montoni for the data and thoughts behind this post.
I hate to break it to them, but there is no revenue "crisis." According to the official Commonwealth website here are tax revenues since 1997:
1997- $17,131,110,511
1998- $17,620,703,141
1999- $19,962,082,932
2000- $21,368,967,256
2001- $23,322,749,017
2002- $23,483,212,825
2003- $24,982,910,876
2004- $26,379,372,090
2005- $29,257,674,193
2006- $31,991,449,302
2007- $35,094,639,443
2008- $36,003,691,176
Budgeted:
2009- $37,634,111,885
2010- $38,321,677,698
As you can see the shortfall would take us back to 2008's $36 billion. But what is more telling is the incredible, irresponsible growth in Virginia tax revenues. Democrats and even Republicans count on us not reviewing these numbers.
Why? Because when you look at that facts you may question exactly what it is that we are getting for the extra $10 billion in tax revenue in just four years (2004 to 2008) or in the doubling of state revenue in about 10 years' time. Remember that's $10 billion in taxes from our paychecks either through income taxes or sales taxes.
The real crisis is the increase in state government spending. We need to identify the unnecessary and wasteful programs created under Governors Kaine and Warner. We need to privatize state-run liquor stores. We need to demand lower taxes and greater fiscal responsibility in the General Assembly.
Don't be fooled. The real crisis is excess government spending! Contact your delegate and state senator to demand they address the spending crisis, cut wasteful programs and lower our taxes.
Thanks to Marc Montoni for the data and thoughts behind this post.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Obama Points to Post Office for Health Care Example
Now that I'm finished rolling on the floor laughing at Obama's horrible comparison, let me share it with you in case you missed it.
At his 104th town hall meeting of the year, Obama was asked about a government run single payer health care system. Obama responded that was not what was under consideration (although he has been a proponent all his life until, um, yesterday). In fact Obama thinks a government and private system can co-exist. He pointed to the Post Office and Fed Ex as his shining case in point.
LMAO! Are you kidding me, Obama? The Post Office is your example of an effective government run agency that co-exists with the private sector????? Thanks!
The Post Office LOST $7 BILLION last year. The Post Office is going to lose another $7 BILLION this year. The Post Office is proposing to stop delivery on weekends.
If you want government run health care, do what Obama said and look to the Post Office. That is your future. Long lines, poor service and taxpayer money down the drain!
At his 104th town hall meeting of the year, Obama was asked about a government run single payer health care system. Obama responded that was not what was under consideration (although he has been a proponent all his life until, um, yesterday). In fact Obama thinks a government and private system can co-exist. He pointed to the Post Office and Fed Ex as his shining case in point.
LMAO! Are you kidding me, Obama? The Post Office is your example of an effective government run agency that co-exists with the private sector????? Thanks!
The Post Office LOST $7 BILLION last year. The Post Office is going to lose another $7 BILLION this year. The Post Office is proposing to stop delivery on weekends.
If you want government run health care, do what Obama said and look to the Post Office. That is your future. Long lines, poor service and taxpayer money down the drain!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Health Care Debate
Health care reform needs serious debate. Lawmakers need to hear from their citizens whom they are supposed to serve.
The scenes emerging are disturbing on both sides. Those against the current reform bill need to act civilly and be respectful. Lawmakers and groups like the AARP organizing community fora need to do so in a manner that is open to all and provides for citizen input.
I think what we are seeing is Democratic lawmakers, the AARP, ACORN and union groups trying to stack the deck at these meetings and shut down anyone who objects. As a result, those who do object obviously feel like their opinions are not getting heard and so the tone becomes less civil.
What is totally irresponsible is for left wing nut jobs like Nancy Pelosi to say something STUPID like, "They are carrying swastikas and symbols like that to a meeting on health care."
Or how about this comment by Washington Representative Brian Baird, another Democrat, "What we are seeing right now is close to Brown Shirt tactics. I mean that very seriously." Nazi Brown Shirts?
What is becoming increasingly clear is the the community organizer president only wants certain parts of the community to be organized- his own community of lazy union members, socialists, and the AARP machine (not the senior citizens concerned about end of life care, just the AARP political machine). Just look at the White House blog that encourages supporters to turn their fellow citizens in and the nasty, igornant language conjuring up images of Nazi Germany. That is totally unacceptable and if it were a Republican president the media would be all over him/her.
Open, respectful debate should be the order of the day on all sides of the issue.
The scenes emerging are disturbing on both sides. Those against the current reform bill need to act civilly and be respectful. Lawmakers and groups like the AARP organizing community fora need to do so in a manner that is open to all and provides for citizen input.
I think what we are seeing is Democratic lawmakers, the AARP, ACORN and union groups trying to stack the deck at these meetings and shut down anyone who objects. As a result, those who do object obviously feel like their opinions are not getting heard and so the tone becomes less civil.
What is totally irresponsible is for left wing nut jobs like Nancy Pelosi to say something STUPID like, "They are carrying swastikas and symbols like that to a meeting on health care."
Or how about this comment by Washington Representative Brian Baird, another Democrat, "What we are seeing right now is close to Brown Shirt tactics. I mean that very seriously." Nazi Brown Shirts?
What is becoming increasingly clear is the the community organizer president only wants certain parts of the community to be organized- his own community of lazy union members, socialists, and the AARP machine (not the senior citizens concerned about end of life care, just the AARP political machine). Just look at the White House blog that encourages supporters to turn their fellow citizens in and the nasty, igornant language conjuring up images of Nazi Germany. That is totally unacceptable and if it were a Republican president the media would be all over him/her.
Open, respectful debate should be the order of the day on all sides of the issue.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Chuck Cash for Clunkers
There are many reasons why Cash For Clunkers I and Cash For Clunkers II are bad ideas, but I will focus on just one. Libertarians believe in free markets without government intervention. Cash For Clunkers inserts the government into the economy and thereby gives preferential treatment to one group of private enterprise over another group.
When the government steps in to provide special incentives for cars it does so at the disadvantage of businessmen and women who have risked their hard-earned capital in alternative forms of transportation. For instance, the owners of Agee's bicycle are at a disadvantage when people are directed at buying cars over bikes. Aren't bikes a more Earth-friendly alternative? Why should they suffer to benefit Ford?
Or how about the owners of the Harley Davidson outlet off Route One in Ashland? Why aren't we giving special incentives to motorcycle buyers or RV buyers? What about Segway outlets?
Think about manufacturers of mass tranportation vehicles. Shouldn't the goal be to get people to use mass transit? If demand for mass transit is weakened by the government encouraging more cars, then these mass trans manufacturers suffer too.
Free markets work best when they are free from government interference. Cash for Clunkers should be shut down because it benefits one group over the other (and because we don't have the money to pay for it).
When the government steps in to provide special incentives for cars it does so at the disadvantage of businessmen and women who have risked their hard-earned capital in alternative forms of transportation. For instance, the owners of Agee's bicycle are at a disadvantage when people are directed at buying cars over bikes. Aren't bikes a more Earth-friendly alternative? Why should they suffer to benefit Ford?
Or how about the owners of the Harley Davidson outlet off Route One in Ashland? Why aren't we giving special incentives to motorcycle buyers or RV buyers? What about Segway outlets?
Think about manufacturers of mass tranportation vehicles. Shouldn't the goal be to get people to use mass transit? If demand for mass transit is weakened by the government encouraging more cars, then these mass trans manufacturers suffer too.
Free markets work best when they are free from government interference. Cash for Clunkers should be shut down because it benefits one group over the other (and because we don't have the money to pay for it).
Monday, August 3, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
"We will do what it takes"
So says the Secretary of Debt/Treasury Tim Geithner. His statement was in response to George Stephanopoulos' question about whether the administration would consider raising taxes. Duh! Of course the will and they already have.
Remember the increase in the cigarette tax (perhaps you don't if you're like me and don't smoke)? Obama promised not to raise taxes on those making under $250,000. How many smokers you think make under that amount? A tax is a tax and an increase is an increase. Democrats will tax you more to support their lust for socializing our economy (health care accounts for 16% of GDP and they want the government to control our health care).
I have another idea. How about we shrink the size of the federal government? Did you know the Democratic house passed a bill mandating wild horse contraception at a cost of $700 million (House Bill 1018). Health care for horses. What a waste of our tax dollars! There are countless other useless programs that the federal government should not be funding. Let's start there!
Our federal government's spending is totally out of control and we should be considering cutting programs, not weighing potential tax increases.
Remember the increase in the cigarette tax (perhaps you don't if you're like me and don't smoke)? Obama promised not to raise taxes on those making under $250,000. How many smokers you think make under that amount? A tax is a tax and an increase is an increase. Democrats will tax you more to support their lust for socializing our economy (health care accounts for 16% of GDP and they want the government to control our health care).
I have another idea. How about we shrink the size of the federal government? Did you know the Democratic house passed a bill mandating wild horse contraception at a cost of $700 million (House Bill 1018). Health care for horses. What a waste of our tax dollars! There are countless other useless programs that the federal government should not be funding. Let's start there!
Our federal government's spending is totally out of control and we should be considering cutting programs, not weighing potential tax increases.
Friday, July 31, 2009
The Reality of Capitalism
Alan Greenspan, in his book The Age of Turbulence, frequently refers to a theory put forward by Harvard economist Joseph Schumpeter. This theory is call creative destruction and is explained thusly: "A market economy will incessantly revitalize itself from within by scrapping old and failing businesses and then reallocating resources to newer, more productive ones" (Greenspan, p. 48).
Throughout the first 150 years or so of our country the federal government allowed market forces (Adam Smith's "Invisible Hand" and Schumpeter's "Creative Destruction") to work through cycle after cycle. But starting in the late 1800s in reaction to the industrialization of the Western world, socialist theories like Marxism began to gain momentum in the political discourse.
One the one hand you have the Enlightenment view of the world wherein political society is created by the consent of the people for the protection of property rights. As time moved on and society advanced, distinctions between wealthy and poor grew greater or at least more clear. By the time of the Industrial Revolution, the class conflict became an issue for socialists such as Marx- the other hand. Market forces, property rights, man selling his labor to capitalist vs. exploitation of labor that must be rectified, redistribution of wealth, government intervention at the expense of property rights of a free society.
By the time of the Great Depression Marxism and Keynesianism (government intervention in economic cycles, especially troughs) became embedded in Democratic Party policy and to a lesser extend Republican policy (see Eisenhower, Nixon and Bush 43). President Franklin Roosevelt took unusual, extra-ordinary and some would argue, unconstitutional authority to create interventionist programs. These programs took taxpayer money (from the newly passed Income Tax Amendment) to re-distribute wealth, a goal of Marxism and Communism. Since the 1930s we have seen periods of regulation and de-regulation as political power and economic conditions have changed.
Our Founding Fathers, however, wrote our Constitution based on the Enlightenment ideas of Locke and Rousseau, where property rights (i.e., "pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence) are to be protected by a government bound by checks and balances. The Constitution was written such that the federal government's powers were specifically enumerated and virtually all other powers belonged to the states and the people.
President Obama and the Democratic Congress are steamrolling over the Constitutional restrictions and directly manipulating the market, preventing "Creative Destruction's" regenerative powers from bringing about a stronger recovery. As Greenspan argues in his book, the primary role of our government is the protection of property rights. The moment that the government re-distributes wealth, it takes away the fruits of our labor and hands it to someone else. The moment the government enters into private industry, it crowds our private investment and the property rights of others (GM/Chrysler vs Ford; private insurance vs. public insurance).
The reality of capitalism is twofold. First, it is dependent on a government that protects property rights and avoids regulation. Government is inefficient and incapable of running an economy (see USSR, East Germany, Cuba). Second, capitalism ain't always pretty. Markets will boom and markets will crash. Government intervention destroys property rights and individual liberties by taking from those who have risked their private property (capital investors) and redistributing those gains.
Today, Congressman Barney Frank is about to lead his financial sector compensation wage limitation bill to victory in the House. Today, Congress is about to add $2 billion more to the Cash for Clunkers program- taking your tax dollars and handing it out to others, for what gain? This week, the US government became a 34% owner of Citigroup and continues to own parts of GM and Chrysler. These government interventionist, redistributive policies are squashing liberty and property rights. Furthermore, it is retarding the creative destruction necessary for capitalism to work most effectively. Finally, it is wasting your tax dollars. That is to say, wasting your income which is the property you have gained through the sale of your labor in the free (albeit, now heavily regulated) market.
Consider what government interventionist policies mean to the functioning of our economy. Margaret Thatcher said, "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."
Just look to California to see what the future will be like for the United States.
Throughout the first 150 years or so of our country the federal government allowed market forces (Adam Smith's "Invisible Hand" and Schumpeter's "Creative Destruction") to work through cycle after cycle. But starting in the late 1800s in reaction to the industrialization of the Western world, socialist theories like Marxism began to gain momentum in the political discourse.
One the one hand you have the Enlightenment view of the world wherein political society is created by the consent of the people for the protection of property rights. As time moved on and society advanced, distinctions between wealthy and poor grew greater or at least more clear. By the time of the Industrial Revolution, the class conflict became an issue for socialists such as Marx- the other hand. Market forces, property rights, man selling his labor to capitalist vs. exploitation of labor that must be rectified, redistribution of wealth, government intervention at the expense of property rights of a free society.
By the time of the Great Depression Marxism and Keynesianism (government intervention in economic cycles, especially troughs) became embedded in Democratic Party policy and to a lesser extend Republican policy (see Eisenhower, Nixon and Bush 43). President Franklin Roosevelt took unusual, extra-ordinary and some would argue, unconstitutional authority to create interventionist programs. These programs took taxpayer money (from the newly passed Income Tax Amendment) to re-distribute wealth, a goal of Marxism and Communism. Since the 1930s we have seen periods of regulation and de-regulation as political power and economic conditions have changed.
Our Founding Fathers, however, wrote our Constitution based on the Enlightenment ideas of Locke and Rousseau, where property rights (i.e., "pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence) are to be protected by a government bound by checks and balances. The Constitution was written such that the federal government's powers were specifically enumerated and virtually all other powers belonged to the states and the people.
President Obama and the Democratic Congress are steamrolling over the Constitutional restrictions and directly manipulating the market, preventing "Creative Destruction's" regenerative powers from bringing about a stronger recovery. As Greenspan argues in his book, the primary role of our government is the protection of property rights. The moment that the government re-distributes wealth, it takes away the fruits of our labor and hands it to someone else. The moment the government enters into private industry, it crowds our private investment and the property rights of others (GM/Chrysler vs Ford; private insurance vs. public insurance).
The reality of capitalism is twofold. First, it is dependent on a government that protects property rights and avoids regulation. Government is inefficient and incapable of running an economy (see USSR, East Germany, Cuba). Second, capitalism ain't always pretty. Markets will boom and markets will crash. Government intervention destroys property rights and individual liberties by taking from those who have risked their private property (capital investors) and redistributing those gains.
Today, Congressman Barney Frank is about to lead his financial sector compensation wage limitation bill to victory in the House. Today, Congress is about to add $2 billion more to the Cash for Clunkers program- taking your tax dollars and handing it out to others, for what gain? This week, the US government became a 34% owner of Citigroup and continues to own parts of GM and Chrysler. These government interventionist, redistributive policies are squashing liberty and property rights. Furthermore, it is retarding the creative destruction necessary for capitalism to work most effectively. Finally, it is wasting your tax dollars. That is to say, wasting your income which is the property you have gained through the sale of your labor in the free (albeit, now heavily regulated) market.
Consider what government interventionist policies mean to the functioning of our economy. Margaret Thatcher said, "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."
Just look to California to see what the future will be like for the United States.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Introduction
Welcome! After punishing my friends on Facebook with countless political posts I decided to finally start a web log to channel my musings.
I chose "The Raleigh Tavern" for two reasons. First, "Raleigh Tavern" is already a blog so I had to use "The" in front of the proper name. Second, the real Raleigh Tavern is located in Williamsburg and was used as a meeting place for the Virginia House Of Burgesses after Royal Governor Botetourt dissolved the assembly for protesting recent British transgressions such as the Stamp Act and Revenue Act. The tavern was a spot for Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, Patrick Henry, Dabney Carr and other patriots to organize against their oppressive government that disrespected their liberty and freedom.
The blog will be a spot for me to express my thoughts and react to current events. At times I will be quite passionate and earnest. But other times I will attempt to push your buttons and hopefully challenge your beliefs and assumptions. Above all, I hope some of these words will inspire us all to be more active in our public life. Our form of government depends on an educated, engaged citizenry. Do your part or your government will part you from your money, your property and your liberty.
I chose "The Raleigh Tavern" for two reasons. First, "Raleigh Tavern" is already a blog so I had to use "The" in front of the proper name. Second, the real Raleigh Tavern is located in Williamsburg and was used as a meeting place for the Virginia House Of Burgesses after Royal Governor Botetourt dissolved the assembly for protesting recent British transgressions such as the Stamp Act and Revenue Act. The tavern was a spot for Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, Patrick Henry, Dabney Carr and other patriots to organize against their oppressive government that disrespected their liberty and freedom.
The blog will be a spot for me to express my thoughts and react to current events. At times I will be quite passionate and earnest. But other times I will attempt to push your buttons and hopefully challenge your beliefs and assumptions. Above all, I hope some of these words will inspire us all to be more active in our public life. Our form of government depends on an educated, engaged citizenry. Do your part or your government will part you from your money, your property and your liberty.
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