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Libertarian
Commentary on The News
February 08, 2010By Nathan A. Barton © 2010 Welcome to February! Mark Steyn, that irrepressible Canadian expatriate, has an interesting commentary posted at Freedom's Phoenix as of Monday. I agree with his analysis of the First Citizen's "message: More Washington, more microregulation of every aspect of your life, more multi-trillion-dollar spending, and no agreed rules in a game ever more rigged against you." This has been the message of the last year, and there is no reason to see it any better this year. Monday Union wars U.S. Attorney Reviews Call for Probe of SEIU Activities with White House, Congress CNSNews.com Federal prosecutors are reviewing a request for an investigation into whether Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), violated the Lobbying Disclosure Act with his frequent visits to the White House and with members of Congress in 2009. Americans for Tax Reform has written to acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia asking for a probe. Does anyone seriously expect this to go anywhere? Especially when the support staff, if not the investigators themselves, are likely to be members of SEIU or its close sister, AFGE. Stupid government tricks - new religions: global warming SEC Ruling Requires Companies to Tell Shareholders If Climate Laws Are Bad for Business CNSNews.com A new SEC ruling by would require corporations to inform their shareholders about the business risks and potential impacts of climate change legislation, environmental regulation, and international climate treaties. The ruling marks the first time the SEC has required companies to make such information available to shareholders, and one fiscal conservative told CNSNews.com the ruling will benefit investors. At first this seems counterintuitive, until you understand that this is intended to be nothing more than another way for the enlightened to preach the gospel of global warming to its intended victims: to put fear into those who are wicked enough to own shares in evil, carbon-producing companies and thus drive their value into the nether regions, while encouraging the weak to submit to the dark side. Mama's Note: Not to mention the fact that these "risks" and "potential impacts" are simply not known, by any stretch of the imagination. More nutty preemptive "law" to be used as a bludgeon by those who pretend to know. Stupid government tricks - Congress in action Congressional Salaries Should Not Go Up Until Federal Spending Is Under Control, Hatch Says CNSNews.com While the Congressional Budget Office reported last week a projected $6 trillion total in new national debt over the next 10 years, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) told CNSNews.com that lawmakers' salaries should not go up until Congress does a “really good job of getting budgetary spending under control.” Where, oh where was this attitude for the PAST 10 years? And for that matter, this isn't much of a sacrifice on his part. Rather, how about NOT PAYING Congress until they start doing their job right? Mama's Note: Well, what IS "their job?" Far as I'm concerned, they have no legitimate function, so it would be impossible to fulfill that condition for my money. East Asian front China Fumes Over Taiwan Arms Package, Even Though Fighter Planes Are Missing CNSNews.com Even without the F-16s, the U.S. arms package for Taiwan announced on Friday drew an angry response from China. Defense officials announced a suspension of military exchanges with the U.S., which had just resumed in July after an earlier suspension. China clearly has mixed emotions right now - they have an awful lot of paper (electrons, really) that might be made very worthless very quickly if they push too hard on the US, but they really want to do the same thing to Taiwan that they've done to Hong Kong, and the US isn't making this easy for them. Islamic wars - Persian front Islamic Revolution Anniversary May Bring New Clashes in Iran CNSNews.com Next week’s anniversary of Iran’s Islamic revolution is shaping up to be a key indicator of the opposition’s resilience. Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, leaders of the opposition’s “green movement,” have “invited” supporters to display an “extensive presence” on Feb. 11. Persia is continuing to push and show its contempt for the West, hoping to irritate the West into an over-response which will make the rest of the Ummah realize that Persia is the natural leader. Therefore, the more opportunities the opposition gives the leadership to beat up, jail, and even kill resisters the better; especially since it helps thin the ranks of the opposition. Congress in action Sen. Schumer: ‘I Met With Lou Dobbs’ To Discuss Immigration Reform CNSNews.com Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), chairman of a Senate subcommittee on immigration, said Congress is moving forward with immigration reform and that he personally had met with former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs to discuss the issue. One can scarcely imagine the degree of security this summit meeting required, for an American Senator to meet with such a hardened, evil enemy of the state like this to discuss such an issue. First Citizen - Congress in action Obama Student Loan Proposal Met with Skepticism from House GOP CNSNews.com President Obama's proposal to expand a little-known student lending program was met with skepticism by Republicans on the House Education and Labor Committee. Obama wants to expand the program as well as change its terms, making it more generous to student borrowers – especially those who work for the government. This is a perfect example of the First Citizen's agenda to micromanage every aspect of American life: how much easier it will be to ensure that only the "right" deserving people get college training! Of course, it will also help ensure that the brain drain from business and industry to government will accelerate - government employees would get their debt forgiven after 10 years of government service. It therefore ensures that the government employees will enjoy every bit of welfare that the government can offer. Mama's Note: Or not... Many of the best minds are now being home schooled. I'd hazard a guess that most of them will not be tempted into government jobs, and many will never accept any government "loans" to start with. Tuesday Congress in action Hoyer: Balancing Budget ‘Further Ahead Than I Want to Plan’ – Opposes Congressional Pay Freeze CNSNews.com House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) rejected the idea of continuing a congressional pay freeze until Congress can balance the budget, saying that it would take “a long time” until the budget might be balanced – too long, he said, for Congress to go without a pay raise... It is VERY VERY hard to be civil and NOT contemptuous towards someone with a incredibly stupid and asinine remark like this, isn't it? When people make statements like this, it is pretty obvious that a carrot and stick approach won't work - and that is what the pay raise would be - carrot and stick both. Mama's Note: This would be hilarious if it were not so
sinister.
Congress has the power to balance the budget almost immediately, just
not the will to do so. And, however long it took, I seriously doubt
that any of them are in danger of going hungry or losing their home
without a pay raise. The whole idea is silly to start with, because it
would require the congress to impose this penalty on themselves! Sure
thing...
First Citizen - Theft by government Bait
and switch, eh? Of course, by now the new car smell has worn off this
Administration, so they are not tied in any way whatsoever to promises
made back in ancient times (like 2008) and are in it for what they can
rob the population blind of.
Congress in action - Theft by government Promises, promises - so lets see the GOP come up with a list - starting with "A" for Agriculture (Department of) right through "Z" (Zero Population Growth, Institute for; Zoology, American Academy of). I dare say that pressed to it, he couldn't even come up with $10 billion worth of programs to cut for fear of his constituents and hope for this year's elections. Mama's Note: Everyone knows I'm no fan of the US
Constitution,
but it would be a place to start. How about matching the stated purpose
of each federal program and office with those functions specifically
authorized by the constitution. For some strange reason, I can't find
the FDA, DEA, EPA, BATFE, FBI, CIA, TSA, Education, etc., ad nausea. First Citizen - Theft by government I suppose that
in the long run, he is right. The actions of the past twenty
years,
especially of the last year, have virtually guaranteed that the current
government of the United States will not be around very much longer, so
that all its spending - not just its wasteful spending, but the other 1
or 2 percent, will be cut.
First Citizen - Crash of 2009 Obviously
in counting dollars, but in real, adjusted for inflation dollars, too -
indeed, he is spending and borrowing more more in real dollars than was
done for WW2 when the fate of a world hung in the balance, as the next
story relates.
First Citizen - Crash of 2009 I
have to compare the FedGov to the dirty stinking drunk in the gutter,
or sprawled on the bench in the park - he can see no farther than the
next bottle of rotgut and the next blotting out of mind and
thought.
In the same way, the current Triumvirate can see nothing other than a
constant cycle of spend-tax-borrow, hoping (they can't even pray, you
see - no faith in a higher being than themselves in government) that
they will not live long enough to see the time when the last bottle
falls empty to break on the concrete.
Crash of 2009 - Stupid government tricks Since
everyone else wants to compare this to the last "Great Depression" -
why don't we do the same thing. Honest historians and economists
know
(and sometimes whisper) the truth about the 1930s - that Hoover's and
Roosevelt's policy and the actions of the insanely stupid majorities in
both houses of Congress made the Great Depression both far deeper and
last much longer - and dragged the rest of the world down with the US:
leading to the deaths (by violence or prematurely from starvation to
long-term malnutrition to overwork) of scores of millions around the
world. As more than a few people have been predicting for the
last two
to five years, we are NOT over the hump, we are NOT off the hook - the
worst is probably yet to come.
Nazgul - victimology What
it will really take to overturn this is a flat refusal by juries to
convict, in cases where the evil of this law will otherwise result in
innocent people being hung or imprisoned for life, and we can expect a
lot of people to be wrongly punished before that happens.
New religions - global warming So, the demagogues are in the dressing rooms spraying their throats to get ready for the big mob in the streets scene, while the stable boys get the white horse ready backstage... Mama's Note: I read a lot of "comments" sections after articles, and contribute to quite a few of them. What I've found interesting in the last month is the drastic reduction in comments promoting or defending AGW in any form. The tit they got caught in the wringer must really hurt!Islamic war - Persian front Welcome on board, Mr. Mottaki - a LOT of us have never taken her seriously, except to avoid having her in charge of anything important - why do you think we don't object much to her being Secretary of State? Mama's Note: Well, I object... strongly. If there was such
a
thing as justice, she'd be cleaning toilets at a women's prison. I'd
even contribute to her upkeep there. Former Iranian President Says Nuclear Program Is ‘Irreversible’ CNSNews.com Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, the former Iranian president and current chairman of the the Expediency Council, an advisory body, said Iran’s nuclear program is “irreversible.” He called it a “symbol of national resolve."... Irreversible can have a LOT of meanings... not all
of them good for Iran. Iran's Leader: Feb. 11 To Be ‘Demise’ of ‘Capitalist System’ CNSNews.com Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Feb. 11 would mark the demise of “the liberal capitalist system,” adding that its champion, America, was on the decline and that Iran and its Islamic Revolution were on the rise 11 Feb is the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Persia - but this crack about the "liberal capitalist" system is gnawing at me. Does he mean "liberal" as in - give generously to help earthquake victims in Haiti, tsunami victims in India and Indonesia, survivors of Islamic attacks on Bloody Tuesday and in Mesopotamia and Canaan and Afghanistan? And does he mean "capitalist" as people who invested in the means to produce trucks and automobiles and highways that need petroleum that his country has and can sell instead of just a few motheaten rugs and speciality meat dishes? Look, Mr. Ah-need-a-job, if not for those evil "liberal capitalists" (although I prefer the term "libertarian free-marketer"), Islamic nutcases like you and your ilk wouldn't have planes to fly into buildings, television, radio, internet, and printing presses to spread your filth; or even the medicines and foods that kept you alive as a child and today. The only reason the Communist states survived for as long as they did is because of a world economy and market system created by those evil types which made it possible to get what they were incapable of producing for themselves: luxuries like that food and medicine and transportation systems and communications systems. Mama's Note: Well ok, Nathan, if you want to use that label. All of those good things happened IN SPITE OF the mercantile/government controlled pseudo capitalist system that is now in place. So if that evil system dies, by any name, I'll be glad. Unfortunately, I don't really think that will happen by Thursday. Health care panic Va. Senate bills say no to requiring health insurance Washington Post RICHMOND -- Virginia's Democratic-controlled state Senate passed measures Monday that would make it illegal to require individuals to purchase health insurance, a direct challenge to the party's efforts in Washington to reform health care. Oh dear, oh dear. More defectors from the Tranzi cause - and right next door, too! Perhaps it is time to nationalize the Virginia National Guard to clear and occupy Richmond again? Wednesday First Citizen - theft by government New Government Employees Swell Ranks Washington Times The Obama administration says the government will grow to 2.15 million employees this year, topping 2 million for the first time since President Clinton declared that "the era of big government is over" and joined forces with a Republican-led Congress in the 1990s to pare back the federal work force.Most of the increases are on the civilian side, which will grow by 153,000 workers, to 1.43 million people, in fiscal 2010. How many jack-booted thugs do we need? That is about 1 in every 200 Americans - or to put it another way, since Feds get paid well above the national average salary, that is about 1% of your and my paycheck for them - not counting expenses such as rent, $700 hammers, travel, etc. And as the next story shows, the First Citizen added (literally) insult to injury when telling the rest of us to tighten our belts so that we can cough up more to pay these folks. (I must add that I was reminded that the First Citizen DID promise to create new jobs!) Mama's Note: The important thing to help people realize is
that
NO government employee, anywhere, doing anything at all, is actually
producing anything but debt - while they often actively destroy the
ability of others to produce anything either! Too many people seem to
think they are productive simply because they also pay taxes. Only the
creation of real products, physical things, from raw materials or
recycled stuff can actually produce new wealth. That's why it is so
important for our economy to be built on that sort of industry, with
efficient use of our natural resources. Government employees are
inevitably parasites on that economy. First Citizen Indeed? Maybe the First
Citizen's "date nights" with the First Citizen's Consort should start
with a quick trip to Blockbuster and Taco John's - and perhaps the
wisdom of going to Copenhagen to shill (unsuccessfully) for Chicago
should be questioned. And perhaps all these presidential visits
to
various places would be cheaper if done using a surplus bomb disposal
robot with a nice portrait and a good internet link for video and
audio? Set the example, sir, set the example. Oh, and speaking of
examples, could you do something about this next story? Stupid politician tricks Mama's Note: Oh dear... didn't they read the fine print? If you "host" something like that, it means you get to pay for it. Silly fools. Politics 2010 Democrats imitate Chicken Little The Politico On the eve of the first National Tea Party Convention, the Democratic Governors Association blasted a dire fundraising e-mail to supporters, warning that the loosely organized movement has become a “truly dangerous” political force....“Can you imagine the havoc they would wreak if they took office en masse?” Turrentine continued. “If they had their way, how many states would even stay in the U.S.?” Shucks, we could only hope! I guess the Democratic Party doesn't like competition in the "truly dangerous" category. Mama's Note: Not sure what would be accomplished in the long run. I understand that Sarah Palin's speech was extremely underwhelming. IF she's the best they have to offer, oh well. And I have not heard Ron Paul mentioned as being there. Wonder why not... I suspect that the Democratic governors have nothing much to fear from this outfit. Islamic war - Arabian front Americans in Yemen Put U.S. on ‘Heightened Alert,’ Report Says CNSNews.com U.S. officials say a “significant threat” could come from American citizens, some of them ex-convicts, who traveled to Yemen, and the threat has put federal law enforcement on heightened alert. “Most worrisome is a group of as many as three dozen former criminals who converted to Islam in prison, were released at the end of their sentences, and moved to Yemen, ostensibly to study Arabic,” a Jan. 21, 2010 report by the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says. Nice, huh? This should be good for more executive orders and laws regarding "papers, please" - how about advance application to be able to travel to Yemen or a dozen other countries? Crash of 2009 - Stupid government tricks Grassley to Geithner: Making Stimulus Permanent Would be Like Turning a 'Pet Gecko' into 'Godzilla' CNSNews.com Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday that the deficits the federal government will run in the foreseeable future are “alarmingly high,” but said the administration still would like to make some provisions of the stimulus bill permanent. But the top Republican on the committee, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), balked at the idea of more stimulus spending. No, Mr. Grassley, this is no gecko - this has always been a rampaging T-Rex, so even if you are right about the Godzilla part, you failed 18 months ago to chop off its tail and toes when it started out. Let Geithner play at "classic British understatement" all he wants - this is "suicidally and insanely high" deficit spending, and the so-called "economic growth" is just inflation. African collapse - Islamic wars U.N. Chief’s Comment on South Sudan’s Independence Stirs Anger CNSNews.com The United Nations has moved quickly to quell anger resulting from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s reported remark that the U.N. would “work hard to avoid a possible secession” of southern Sudan in a referendum scheduled for next January. People in southern Sudan said Ban should not take a stance on an issue that the people of Sudan alone should decide. So, will Ban use UN troops to force people to vote the way they want, or just to keep them from even voting? Or will he use UN bureaucrats to stuff the ballots, glue on the hanging chads, and hack the computers? Mama's Note: Indeed... what possible reason could the people of southern Sudan have for not wanting the heavy handed theft, lies and murder the rest of the Sudan "enjoys" under this - or any other tyrant. Perhaps they've figured out they don't need such a "government" and would rather live on their own. What a concept! Why, the UN simply must stamp out all that freedom nonsense at ONCE! Home front - Tranzi tricks Chicago Media Ignore Lech Walesa's Visit, Endorsement of Conservative Republican in Governor’s Race CNSNews.com Lech Walesa, a Nobel Laureate and former leader of the Solidarity trade union in Poland, went to Chicago last week to endorse a conservative Republican in the gubernatorial primary race, but the local media largely ignored him. The near-blackout by the media occurred despite the fact that 1 million people of Polish nationality live in Chicago, making it the city with the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw -- and despite the fact that Walesa himself was the first post-Soviet president of Poland, after helping to topple 50 years of Soviet occupation. Wow! A trade-unionist endorsing a conservative? Must be disinformation. Culture wars - dissing religion Obama Adviser Stands by Statement That Pope Benedict XVI is 'Hurting People in the Name of Jesus' CNSNews.com Harry Knox, an adviser to President Obama’s Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships said Pope Benedict XVI is “hurting people in the name of Jesus” by opposing condom use to stop the spread of AIDS in Africa. I'm sure this is nothing to compare to what he, the First Citizen, Rahm Emanuel and the rest say in private. Mama's Note: Well, it might even be true - if condom use were the ONLY way to prevent AIDS. Actually, I've heard rumors that AIDS can't spread if everyone keeps their pants on... But the fact that someone, even one as well known as the Pope, says something... doesn't force a single person to actually follow the advice. Honesty - government-ruined/theft-funded schools Study Supports Effectiveness of Abstinence-Only Message CNSNews.com The “abstinence-only” message to reduce teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases actually works, according to a scientific study released Monday by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The details of this study and the method it was conducted are quite fascinating, and if there were any justice in things like this, it would cause the current administration to stop attacking "abstinence-only" programs. At least in Pennsylvania, they definitely DO work. And the school and author of the study are far from right-wing, fundamentalist type places, as well. If more studies were as honestly and meticulously done as this one was, we'd have a lot better info on a LOT of issues. Still, the FedGov (indeed, ANY government) has no business teaching sex in any school, any place, any time - no matter what the exact contents of the classes are. Health care panic - Congress in action Rangel: Lawmakers writing compromise health bill Abilene Reporter News “Leading lawmakers hoping to revive President Barack Obama’s stalled health care overhaul have started writing a compromise bill, but it’s unclear when the legislation will be ready for votes, a top House Democrat said Tuesday. The measure would change the massive Senate-approved health bill to what bargainers from the White House, Senate and House agreed to last month, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said in a brief interview.” (02/02/10) http://tinyurl.com/ylfp8zp Mama's Note: So, we'll "compromise" and just cut off one finger or toe at a time instead of all at once. Such a deal. Islamic war - Persian front Ahmadinejad proposes prisoner swap for US hikers ABC News “Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday proposed a swap of Iranians in U.S. prisons for three American hikers being held in Tehran. Ahmadinejad said in interview with state TV that there were ongoing negotiations about exchanging the hikers for several Iranians jailed for years in the United States.” (02/02/10) Later in the week, the US (well, Mrs. Clinton) rejected this. I wonder if Ah-need-a-job bothered to ask the Iranians in the US jails if they really wanted to go home or not? Stupid government tricks - Culture war US military chief: Gay ban should go Wall Street Journal “Adm. Mike Mullen, the nation’s top uniformed officer, made a strong appeal for allowing gays to serve openly in the military, a shift that highlighted the Pentagon’s growing support for lifting the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ law. Adm. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee he believed the ‘don’t ask’ restrictions — which require gay troops to keep their sexual orientation a secret — could be eliminated without harming military morale, recruitment or readiness. With the comments, Adm. Mullen became the highest-ranking military officer to ever endorse repealing the restrictions, a source of controversy within the Pentagon since they were put in place by the Clinton administration in 1993.” (02/02/10) http://tinyurl.com/yga2clj Mama's comment: What's he smoking? Nathan's thoughts: If there was ever a proof that the senior flag officers are too political, this is it. Never mind what the troops in the field have to say about it - the people in Mesopotamia, Afghanistan, and even in Korea and the Sinai and Bosnia will tell you (off the record, lest they be court-martialed to make Adm. Mullen's point) what this would do to the morale not just of the military but of their families; and you can BET it would hurt recruitment, and with people failing to reenlist and extend active duty, readiness will be in the toilet. Does Adm. Mullen think that the First Citizen and the Administration Tranzis will think more highly of him, treat him more respectfully, for publicly taking this position? Our right to defend ourselves - State sovereignty UT: State takes a stand against federal government, but will it stand? Salt Lake Tribune "Fueled by a deep resentment of the federal government and Tea Party fervor, lawmakers advanced a pair of bills Tuesday aimed at enabling Utah to opt out of national health-reform efforts and federal firearms laws. Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, would exempt firearms manufactured and sold entirely within Utah from any federal regulations, including criminal background checks and bans on certain types of weapons and ammunition." (02/02/10) The headline is bogus - advancing these bills does not mean that the Legislature will pass them or that the governor will sign them: just that the chances got a bit better. But even for Utah's conscript fathers, the FedGov holds some serious cards in their favor, and many will not want to cross DC like this. Others don't want this - the Salt Lake Gentile Mafia controls many seats, and its liberal (Tranzi) wing WANT FedGov control, just like they did when the cannon of Fort Douglas (named for Illinois Democrat Stephen Douglas) performed overwatch over Temple Square and ZCMI, and when Congress violated its own constitution by removing religious liberty from a territory as a condition of being admitted to the Union. Mama's Note: I've been engaged in conversation about this and the various state secession movements for several weeks. I don't understand why anyone would trust the state government any more than the feds, even if they were truly prepared to quit sucking on the federal tit. State and even local governments actually have far more control of our daily lives and property - up close and personal sometimes. Theft by government - Euro-troubles German regime to buy stolen Swiss bank data Rediff [India] "The German government will buy stolen data of about 1,500 German tax offenders holding secret bank accounts in Switzerland offered by an informer for Euro 2.5 million on lines of a similar deal two years back for account information from Liechtenstein. ... The Swiss government warned Germany that buying 'stolen information' would have consequences for the relations between the two countries and said it would refuse to cooperate if the German government went ahead with its plans." (02/02/10) Does this mean that the assassination teams are rehearsing in virtual-reality settings of Berlin to take out Merkel herself or at least the financial leaders of the Bundesrepublik? Mama's Note: Put not your trust in princes, or Swiss bankers either. Thursday New religions: environism EPA biofuels guidelines could spur ethanol production from corn Washington Post "The nation's farmers got a big boost Wednesday when the Obama administration issued new biofuels guidelines that could open the way for large increases in the production of corn-based ethanol. The Environmental Protection Agency said new data showed that, even after taking into account increased fertilizer and land use, corn-based ethanol can yield significant climate benefits by displacing conventional gasoline or diesel fuel. The new renewable-fuel standard issued by the EPA drew criticism from some environmentalists as well as oil industry representatives, who accused the Obama administration of catering to farm interests." (02/04/10) The First Citizen's ministers have not the slightest interest in "catering to farm interests" but do have a vested interest in continuing to destroy our economy. Notice that this is not a challenge to the oft-made claim that ethanol produced from corn uses more energy than petroleum, just a claim that the ethanol reduces greenhouse gases and therefore prevents or reduces global warming. Mama's Note: Of course, if we had a free market, the production of corn would increase to meet the demand and the price would be whatever it was... but with subsidies and mandates come a warp in the market. The results are that corn, and things made from it, are now much more expensive because government manipulates the price and the supply (they are not under any constraints). In addition, some of the increased production that has occurred has replaced other, non subsidized crops, which causes THOSE commodities to be in short supply which raises their prices. All in all, the average consumer loses all the way around. Islamic war - Home front U.S. Must Rethink Policy of Deliberately Allowing Terrorists into U.S. for Surveillance Purposes, Says Intelligence Vice Chairman CNSNews.com The vice chair of the Senate intelligence committee said the United States needs to rethink its existing policy of sometimes deliberately allowing people on the Terrorist Watchlist to board airliners and enter the country so they can be covertly tracked for intelligence-gathering purposes. “I think we got to be a lot more careful who we let in to watch,” said Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.). If ONLY this were a case of "come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly" but we know better. Mama's Note: Oh brother, sounds like a sick joke... considering who all is on their "terrorist" lists, they wouldn't know a real one if they saw one. Islamic war - Home front Christmas Day Bombing Attempt Should Have Been Wake-Up Call for Obama Administration, But It Wasn’t, McConnell Says CNSNews.com Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told a conservatives group on Wednesday that the Obama administration has a “blind spot” when it comes to fighting the war on terror. He also said that treating terror attacks as a law enforcement matter has put the wrong person -- Attorney General Eric Holder -- in charge of waging the war on terror. It may SEEM to be a blind spot, but these folks are too smart for that - if it is a blind spot, it is an induced one that they cultivate. Of course, this "war on terror" garbage IS garbage: like a war on landmines (which actually is taking place). But this Administration does not want to battle Islam, and does not want to battle such "faithful allies" as the Saudis and Pakistan and others that support the Islamist terrorists. Mama's Note: That works for me. I don't see any need to do "battle" with any of them unless they attack us... which they are not. First Citizen ‘We Need to Find Our Way Back to Civility,’ Obama Says at National Prayer Breakfast CNSNews.com President Barack Obama preached politics – the importance of “civility” in the public square and finding common ground – at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Thursday. He mentioned health care several times. Obama, at Prayer Breakfast, urges civil debate President Obama lamented the "erosion of civility" in the nation's political debate, telling an audience Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast that there is a growing sense that "something is broken" in Washington. Compare this to the quotes we can dredge out of memory from members of his administration, and his supporters, and ask WHO has eroded civility. For all the caustic comments of the talk-show hosts of the neo-con and conservative side (on the right), a single left-wing (excuse me, "progressive") talker (Ed Schultz, to be specific) has taken on the challenge of being more abrasive than all of them put together. With the Homeland Security secretary, White House staffers, and the likes of Mrs. Pelosi and Mr. Reid and their snide, bitter, and cutting commentary and name-calling, the Administration and the Tranzis don't need the GOP or Conservatives or Libertarians to keep on breaking more and more of DC, do they? Mama's Note: If someone is clearly lying to me, stealing my property and planning to kill me, I don't care how nice they talk! As I've said before, "If they don't want a civil disturbance, why in heck don't they quit disturbing us?" Stupid people tricks First Openly Gay Episcopal Bishop Says St. Paul Was Condemning Homosexual Acts by Heterosexuals CNSNews.com In a section of his New Testament letter to the Romans dealing with God’s admonitions against same-sex relations, St. Paul was actually writing about heterosexuals who engage in same-sex acts and not homosexuals, said the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the first openly homosexual bishop in the Episcopal church. What is there about progressives that so warps their understanding of the plain written word? I notice that he conveniently ignores the category of "bi-sexuals" - and apparently condemns the "transgendered" to eternal damnation as well. With this kind of commentary, is it any wonder that his fellow Episcopalians question the sincerity of his claimed belief in the Bible or in its Author? True, he fits right in with the powers-that-be today: the politicians treat the Constitution in the same way as this man treats the Bible: nice, but not terribly important. Of course, many politicians treat the 2-4% of the population that is homosexual as the "new master race" so this should go over well in DC. Congress in action - Pie-in-the-sky - First Citizen Republicans Rebuff Obama Administration’s Plan to Spur Lending to Small Businesses CNSNews.com House Republicans are rejecting an Obama administration plan to use re-paid bailout money to jump-start lending to small businesses. Republicans said the administration should follow the law and use the money to pay down the national debt. This can't be right - Congressmen are telling the First Citizen's ministers to obey the law? Of course, this is just a minority of a minority, so I don't think we have to worry that obedience to the law will become a feature of our modern society. Mama's Note: Hmmm, just how can the national debt be paid down with stolen money... actually not even existent because it is "borrowed," therefore to be stolen from future generations - plus interest. It's all smoke and mirrors, mere bookkeeping scams anyway. It matters not at all what he does, because the whole charade is coming apart. All he really has to do is leave everyone alone to mind their own business... but you know that's never going to happen. Home Front ICE Official: Work-Site Arrests of Illegals ‘Down From Previous Years’ CNSNews.com A top official in the Obama administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency said the move away from work-site raids has reduced arrests of illegal aliens and led to the release of many of those who had been detained. David Venturella, acting director of ICE's Office of Detention and Removal Operations, said ICE has changed since President Barack Obama took office. This appears to be that strangest and rarest of beasts in 2009-2010: a campaign promise of the First Citizen that might be taking place. Mama's Note: Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Nazgul - Europe's fall Attempt by Netherlands to Comply with U.N. Resolution on Iran Nukes Is Discriminatory, Court Rules CNSNews.com As the international community grapples with Iran’s continuing defiance over its nuclear activities, a European government’s attempts to keep nuclear know-how out of Iran’s hands has fallen foul of the law. A district court in the Dutch capital, The Hague, ruled Wednesday that a government regulation excluding Iranian students from nuclear studies and facilities was discriminatory. I suppose that this makes a kind of bizarre warped sense in a post-modern nation; since no Netherlands citizen can assume to have any sort of sense of loyalty or patriotism towards Queen and Country, much less God and Church, then the court is content to assume that citizens of other nations share that same contempt and attitude towards their own nation and religion, and therefore it is unfair to assume that they will use their knowledge and skills against the land and neighbors where they gained them - even when their native country has made it clear that the duty of its citizens is to do just that. Congress in action A Message from Congress: No One Questions Our Authority CNSNews.com In the history of the United States, Congress has never forced individual Americans to buy any good or service. That would change if the health care bills approved by either the House or Senate ever became law. CNSNews.com has been asking members of Congress: Where does the Constitution authorize Congress to force individuals to buy health insurance? The various answers are presented here... This, a summary of the questioning CNS News has done over the past couple of months, is a damning indictment of our Congress and its betrayal of the Constitution, but more, of the liberty and freedom that the Constitution was created to protect and nurture. Too many of them see their powers as totally unconstrained by anything except for the dubious limits of elections which they themselves seek to corrupt and warp into an exercise in farce. Friday Crash of 2009 Market gains erased as fear grips investors Washington Post Fears about financial crises in the wobbling economies of southern Europe and an unexpected increase in U.S. jobless claims sent global stock markets reeling Thursday, posing new challenges for the European Union and the U.S. economic recovery. Long predicted, the index dropped back below 10,000 for the first time in 9 months. Indeed, the spring thaw may be starting earlier than thought, which leads me to wonder if it might also be even deeper. Unemployment is also climbing - again. So much for another set of promises of the current Administration. The obvious observation is, indeed, that it is the actions of the current Administration that has CAUSED these latest tumbles. Shades of 1933-34. Congress in action House votes to revive pay-as-you-go budget rules Washington Post Congress agreed Thursday to revive the pay-as-you-go budget rules that helped wipe out massive deficits and balance the budget during the Clinton administration, although the new version includes a long list of exceptions that would permit Democrats to add at least $1.5 trillion to the nation's tab... All the sizzle and none of the calories - or protein or anything else. Like it does to so many other things, Congress has turned the "solution" into a mockery. Whatever the claims or actual proof of morality of the individual members, as a group Congress has the morals of a crack whore looking for her next fix. Congress in action GOP budget bill gets president's attention for bipartisan effort Washington Post Rep. Paul D. Ryan says he is determined to make sure the Republican Party is viewed as "the alternative party, not the opposition party." I suppose that this is a laudable goal, but quite unobtainable. Until the Republican Party is able to rid itself of the 99% of the party leadership that make up the screaming but ignored conscience of the crack whore (see above story), it won't be able to be an alternative to anything, like the mob hitman who goes out of his way to avoid hitting a dog in the street. Politics 2010 Fractious first Tea Party Convention gets underway Washington Post NASHVILLE -- The grass-roots movement that exploded across the nation last year in revolt against President Obama's economic policies and health-care agenda reached a critical milestone Thursday as hundreds of conservative activists converged here for the start of the inaugural National Tea Party... Welcome, oh "leadership" of the Tea Party Movement, to the Dark Side. Capes over here on the right, retuning your light sabers can be done right here. Just as the "leadership" of the LP has been accused of becoming what the party was established to fight, over a 30 year period, so now the grassroots protest movement of the past two years has seemingly done the same in less than a tenth of the time. Islamic war - Home front - First Citizen's ministers Gibbs Says He'll Check 'Timeline' to Find Out If Obama Knew in Advance That Underwear Bomber Would Be Mirandized CNSNews.com White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said he did not “have the timeline” and therefore did not know at Thurday's press briefing whether President Barack Obama knew in advance that Miranda rights were going to be read on Christmas Day to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the terrorist who tried to detonate a bomb on Northwest Flight 253. "I'll go back and look at the timeline," he said. "Those decisions were made, as you know, by the Attorney General, by the FBI, and done so in conjunction and in accordance with agencies throughout the government." What difference does it make? And what will ensure that Gibbs is going to tell the truth? Mama's Note: They're doing what they do best... straining out the gnat and swallowing the camel. Islamic war - Home front Homegrown Jihadists Will Mount Attacks Against U.S. Each Year, Intel Director Says CNSNews.com Dennis Blair, the U.S. director of National Intelligence, in his annual threat assessment presented to the Intelligence committees of the the House and Senate, said that "sporadic" attacks against the U.S. from homegrown jihadists are expected to occur each year, but only a small portion” of the planned attacks will develop into full-scale violence. What, do they have to sign up on a schedule, first-come, first-exploded or something? And maybe some kind of a drawing or lottery to see which ones will be "full-scale violence" and which will just be sporadic? Congress in action - New religions: global warming Democrats Pushing Back Against Carbon Regulations From the EPA CNSNews.com Three House Democrats are now pushing legislation that would stop the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating carbon emissions without express permission from the Congress. “I'm proud to help sponsor this bill because if Congress doesn't do something soon, the EPA is going to cram these regulations through all on their own,” Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) said in a statement. Even Congressman can do something right once in a while - just have to ask myself what the price of this intelligent act will be. Stupid Tranzi Tricks Michael Moore Seeks Million-Dollar Refundable Tax Credit to Cover Costs of Anti-Capitalist Movie CNSNews.com Filmmaker Michael Moore has been approved to receive a refundable tax credit of up to $1 million from the State of Michigan Film Office for his 2009 documentary, “Capitalism: A Love Story.” A Republican state senator in Michigan wants her state's money back. Good luck, lady. Michigan needs that money for a lot of other things, in part because Michigan is no longer much of a free enterprise economy (even less than the rest of these united States). But knowing Michigan, this bill has exactly zero chance. Congress in action - First Citizen's ministers Republicans Oppose Nomination of Pro-Labor Union Activist to Join National Labor Relations Board CNSNews.com A Senate panel, voting 13-10 along party lines, on Thursday approved the nomination Thursday of Craig Becker to join the National Labor Relations Board, paving the way for a full Senate vote on the controversial nominee in the coming weeks. One more appointment of another Tranzi which will further consolidate the anti-business, anti-free market actions of the FedGov. East Asian front Vietnam’s Clampdown on Dissent Draws U.S. Objections, but No Consequences CNSNews.com Vietnam’s communist government on Friday was holding yet another trial of a democracy activist, despite appeals by U.S. lawmakers and a warning by the American ambassador that its suppression of dissenting views was having an adverse effect on bilateral relations. The crackdown comes at a time when the country is preparing to mark the 15th anniversary of the normalization of ties with the United States. Count back 15 years and see which "centrist" quasi-Tranzi administration in the US "normalized" ties with these Communists. If I count right, there are only four openly Communist nations left: North Korea, China, Cuba, and Vietnam (Laos is essentially an autonomous region of Vietnam). These four should NEVER be treated as anything other than the scum that they are. First Citizen - Europe's approaching fall Obama Skips E.U. Summit, Partly Because of Its Confusing Structure CNSNews.com President Obama’s decision not to attend a U.S.-European Union summit in Madrid in May has prompted some soul-searching in Europe, where many commentators believe the E.U. is paying the price for failing to resolve internal differences and improve its arcane procedures. Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip Crowley implied this week that the confusing E.U. structure was a factor in Obama’s decision not to visit Madrid. Hey, if the "smartest man ever elected president" can't understand the Fourth Reich - excuse me, the EU, what does that mean? What hope do the rest of us stupid people have? Surely this will harm his reputation with the European Tranzi elite, will it not? Islamic war - Russian front Russia Sees No Problem in Arming Iran CNSNews.com According to a Jan. 28 report from the Russian news agency Interfax – translated by BBC Worldwide Monitoring – Russia’s state-owned arms trading company Rosoboronexport will continue selling weapons to Iran because there is no international prohibition against it. A profit is a profit, if you are in a quasi-capitalistic society that developed out of a Communist regime that had undermined religion and morality for 80 years: a free-enterprise system and especially a private/semi-private capitalist system MUST have a foundation of morality and ethical behavior - even enlightened self-interest - if it is not to decay into ultimately-fatal license. This is what neither Stalin nor Khrushchev understood about western capitalism in their day: ultimately even western capitalists would not sell their communist enemies the rope with which to hang them. Apparently Russian capitalists do not have that worry? Evil Tranzi tricks - American front Chavez’s Socialist Worker Militias Swell to 150,000 in Venezuela CNSNews.com Organized by President Hugo Chavez in May 2009, the “workers’ militias” are intended to allow Hugo Chavez’s political party to assert control over key economic sectors. When libertarians and pro-gunner conservatives talk about militias, we must ALWAYS remember that a frequent (if not constant) companion to the rise of totalitarian dictatorships (as we are seeing in Venezuela) are the armed "militia" and paramilitary organizations that become a key element of suppression and terror against opponents of the regime. Stupid Legislature Tricks - Crash of 2009 - Theft by government New Mexico House Approves $300M Tax Hike Farmington Daily Herald (NM) SANTA FE — The largest tax increase package in more two decades won approval in the House on Friday, providing $300 million next year to balance the state budget. This is Richardson's folly - never mind that NM is going downhill economically rapidly, government must NOT be muzzled!  Your comments and feedback are welcome! Now PoL has its own forum at The Mental Militia! Check it out
Nathan Barton is writing from either the Four Corners or the Black Hills - two places where there is still a hope of liberty and freedom for the 21st Century and beyond. He is a libertarian (a lover of liberty) because he is a Christian; a follower of Christ Jesus, Who came to make all men free in all ways. He was born, by God's grace, a Westerner, an American; he is a Christian, and therefore a libertarian, again by God's grace and his own free will and choice. Nathan's writings and words and life seek to live up to the potential of all these things, knowing that he can never achieve perfection on this earth in any of those things, but never giving up trying. Be sure to visit my blog, Liberty's Outpost. Special Feature! Add your signature to the NEW
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