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Libertarian
Commentary on The News
March , 2010By Nathan A. Barton © 2010 10 weeks into 2010! We are seeing more and more examples of stupid government tricks, but some fresh thoughts that lend us hope for the future. As many of this week's stories hint, things are going to get worse for a while, but a new day of liberty is not all that unlikely. Federal-Local Tyranny - Nanny State FEMA's new flood maps go too far, some cities say Seattle Times New federal flood-plain maps to be released in coming months redraw areas across Western Washington most likely to be inundated by a 100-year flood. From Kent to Chehalis to Sultan, officials say a flood-plain designation will come with stringent development rules and will require property owners to purchase flood insurance that could cost thousands of dollars each year.' The entire program is useful but ultimately counterproductive, since it in effect subsidizes people who are stupid enough to build in a floodplain (including coastal areas subject to flood tides and hurricanes) and encourages them to rebuild. But because the work done by the FEMA and its contractors is often shoddy, it also punishes people needlessly when they are NOT in a floodplain and FEMA or a contractor (or a bank's contractor interpreting the work of a contractor) incorrectly places a property in a floodplain. And it can be pricey: $5000/year for a house appraised at $200,000 in one location I have personally worked on. New Religions: global warming Global warming doubts could hamper [sic] climate legislation Christian Science Monitor "A recent poll suggests that high-profile controversies regarding climate science are weakening public confidence in the validity of global warming, And that could endanger congressional efforts to pass climate legislation. In 2008, 71 percent of respondents said they thought global warming was happening, while 10 percent thought it wasn't. This year, only 57 percent thought global warming was a reality, and the number of doubters increased to 20 percent, according to a poll conducted by the Yale Project on Climate Change and the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. ... The poll also asked respondents whether they think global warming is caused by human activities, natural environmental changes, or both. In 2008, 57 percent said it was caused by human activities. This year, only 47 percent think so." [editor's note: Oops, now they don't even have a "majority" to wield over the rest of us, despite doing everything from faking data to outright lying - SAT] (03/08/10) Yes, "endanger" is a lot more accurate than "hamper" - fortunately. But 57 percent is still way too high on the P.T. Barnum scale for my comfort in a society where people apparently believe that science should be settled by democratic method and not the scientific method. Theft by government TN: State may tax hotels for free breakfast Tennessean "The so-called complimentary breakfasts at many hotels in Tennessee have stirred the appetite of state revenue officials. The state wants to tax the lodging businesses for the food that they offer as free breakfasts as part of their room rate. The budget-strapped state hopes to get an estimated $1 to $2 million for its coffers from the sweet rolls, coffee and such that hotel patrons enjoy at no charge from the Smoky Mountains to Graceland. The proposal, pending in committees in the General Assembly, is to collect tax on the food at the prevailing sales tax rate in the county involved -- up to 9.75 percent. State officials stress that the businesses would be taxed and not the hungry patrons." [editor's note: Cute! So the hotels get to eat the tax (or more likely add it to the room-rate?), or stop serving the freebies? - SAT] (03/08/10) Oh, please, give me a break. How stupid do these people think we are? First, these idiotic bureaucrats KNOW that the cost of the breakfast is factored into the overall room rent charged. Second, they KNOW that it will be passed on - and probably as an act of protest, directly and explicitly - to the customer. I cannot believe that this is the same state that is also expected to pass a constitutional amendment outlawing the income tax (state level only, mind you). Third, with the insane tax rate (9.75% sounds like Europe, not the US!), we can expect massive fraud: a cup of coffee and a stale Little Debbie Fudge Round will no doubt be "valued" the same $7.99 as a Denny's Grand Slam goes for - convenience, don't you know - so that the $2 million is stolen "legally." Elections 2008 - Stupid government tricks WI: ACORN registration workers charged with felony voter fraud Fox News "Five Wisconsin residents, including two who worked for community organizing group ACORN, were charged Monday with election fraud relating to the 2008 presidential election. State Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced felony charges against Maria Miles, Kevin Clancy, Michael Henderson, Herbert Gunka and Suzanne Gunka. Miles and Clancy worked for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now and are accused of submitting multiple voter registration applications for the same individuals, including each other, to meet voter registration quotes imposed by the community organizing group." (03/08/10) Too little, too late. This not only does not make a bit of difference two years later, but it becomes another defense for the organization once known as ACORN - they will claim that they were defrauded by the accused people, just as much (or even more) than the state and electorate was. And I suspect that the punishment for this will be minimal - perhaps some probation and "useful public service" - like voter registration drives? I didn't check, but I bet Van Hollen is up for reelection this year and needs to burnish the old vitae! First Citizen - Health care panic Obama: Time to debate health care over CNN "President Obama on Monday tore into private health insurers for recent rate hikes, taking a more aggressive rhetorical turn as he pushes for final congressional passage of his top domestic priority. Obama repeated his assertion that the plan under consideration includes the best Democratic and Republican ideas. The time for debate has ended, he argued. Congress 'owes the American people a final up or down vote on health care. It's time to make a decision,' he told an enthusiastic crowd at Arcadia University near Philadelphia." (03/08/10) Well! For once, I agree with the First Citizen - at least a tiny bit: the time for debate is OVER - it is now time to drop the entire subject and get the FedGov OUT OF OUR HEALTH CARE!!! Smart voters, for a change! Switzerland: Voters reject "lawyers for animals" measure Edmonton Journal "Switzerland boasts laws to protect goldfish from being flushed down the toilet, but on Sunday voted against assigning lawyers to abused creatures. Just over 70 per cent of voters voted 'no' and 30 per cent voted 'yes' in a referendum on the issue, according to results released the next day. Sunday's referendum, initiated by the Swiss Animal Protection (PSA) group, would have obliged all cantons to name a lawyer for animals during judicial proceedings. Such representation has been compulsory in the Zurich canton since 1992, but a 'yes' vote would have extended the right to the other 25 mini-states." (03/08/10) Zurich, of course, is to Switzerland what San Francisco is to the US. But the reason to comment on this is to note the incredible contempt that the Mainstream Media (represented by this Canadian paper) has for the Swiss. "Mini-States?" Five Canadian provinces have a million or fewer residents (and I suspect this includes deer, cattle, elk, moose, and caribou). Canada has all of 33 million people and can't defend itself - Switzerland with under 8 million people can defend itself and its liberty - even against its own internal enemies - quite well. Congress in action Stupak 'Remains Optimistic' He Can Work Out Abortion-Funding Language to Save Health Care Bill CNSNews.com Rep. Bart Stupak, a pro-life Democrat from Michigan, “remains optimistic” that he can work out language with House Democratic leaders on federal funding of abortion, the main sticking point in getting a health care bill to President Obama’s desk. Stupak said on Tuesday he had “meaningful discussions” with two leading House Democrats, and more are planned for later in the week. Too many people are willing to sell their birthright for a bowl of cold, stinking pottage, and Stupak is just the man to close the deal. Health care panic 55 Percent Think Obama Should ‘Start Over’ on Health Care Reform, Poll Finds CNSNews.com A Rasmussen Reports survey found that 55 percent of Americans think Congress should throw the current health care plan out and start fresh, suggesting that President Obama’s demand that Congress pass his reform proposal has failed to sway the public. The poll of 1,000 likely voters, which was released on March 5, found that only 37 percent of Americans think Congress should continue to build on the bill Democrats have been debating among themselves for nearly a year. How about throw it out and DON'T start over? Congress in action Sen. Inhofe: Basis for Senate's Ban on Drudge Report Was Bogus; We Encourage People to Visit Drudge CNSNews.com “We would encourage people to continue to use Drudge. That’s a great source,” Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) told CNSNews.com Tuesday after his staff on the Environment and Public Works Committee received an email informing them that the Senate Sergeant at Arms believed the Drudge Report and whitepages.com were responsible for infecting Senate computers with viruses. The Sergeant at Arms advised Senate personnel not to visit those Web sites. Any excuse to deny someone the truth, or the ability to speak freely. Islamic war - Persian front Giving Iran a Seat on U.N. Rights Council Would Legitimize Its Brutality and Encourage Other Violators, Iranian Says CNSNews.com An Iranian whose fiancée was killed during post-election protests last year made an impassioned appeal Tuesday for Tehran to be denied a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council in elections this spring. Caspian Makan, a photojournalist who fled Iran late last year after being detained for more than 60 days, said Iranian membership in the U.N.’s top human rights body would be a “slap in the face” of other members. I know he is being politically correct, but it is brown-nosing for Makan to talk about slaps to the faces - sadly, Iran would fit right in with the current membership. The HRC is more of a support group for human abusers than a 12-step organization to get them to quit. Government-ruined, theft-funded schools Education Secretary Arne Duncan Says Some Public Schools Discriminate CNSNews.com In a speech to commemorate the 1965 'Bloody Sunday' civil rights protest in Selma, Ala., Education Secretary Arne Duncan referred to certain failing public schools in America as 'dropout factories' and places that 'seem to suspend and discipline only young African-American boys.' Well, Arne should know; Chicago public schools are about as bad as you can get and not be Detroit. But as readers of TPOL and my columns know, the REAL discrimination in public schools is against kids who like to make pictures of guns and wear tee-shirts that make people think. Mama's Note: Any child who tries to think for themselves is discriminated against. The government "schools" only purpose is to produce docile, totally dependent serfs. They are terrified of anyone who has an original thought or wishes to rule their own life. Poly-ticks 2010 Voters Trust GOP over Democrats on 8 out of 10 Issues CNSNews.com Republicans appear to be winning the battle of ideas, according to a Rasmussen Reports survey of American voters that found the GOP is trusted more than Democrats on issues ranging from the economy to abortion. Once more we are reminded why democracy is such a bad idea - false choices are bad for you, and if you can be deluded into trusting the GOP, no matter how much you distrust the Democratic Party, well, there is a a LOT of help needed. Commentary of the Day Robert Heinlein Remembered The Libertarian Enterprise - L. Neil Smith ...Heinlein taught us to accept his wisdom without becoming followers. He taught us to become, and to remain, individuals. One of Neil's best essays - from the heart. Read it and grab some fresh hope... Theft by government TN: Bill would stamp income tax unconstitutional Tennessean "The sponsor of a measure that would declare an income tax and payroll tax unconstitutional in Tennessee says it's necessary because of the poor state of the economy. The proposed constitutional amendment sponsored by Republican Sen. Brian Kelsey of Germantown was approved 7-3 in the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday. The earliest it could go before voters is 2014. Even though the state constitution already says an income tax is not allowed in Tennessee, Kelsey said the difficult economic times may prompt lawmakers to try to pass an income tax. ... He said the measure would also clarify that a city or county 'cannot enact any tax that's not specifically authorized by the constitution and the Legislature.' Kelsey said the legislation is also necessary because it's uncertain how the Tennessee Supreme Court will rule in the future." (03/09/10) Sadly, this does seem to be necessary, given the thieving nature of Tennessee politicos and bureaucrats. The fact that many Tennesseans still have gold filings and crowns is one reason that mortuaries in Nashville need to keep the places locked at night. (Thanks to Steve for this one!) Culture war: killing children Mama's Note: Given the fact that involuntary government
action is
always about control, not justice, giving them this much more power is
a very bad idea. Stupid government tricks
Nathan's
ideas: Sadly, gun rights supporters are like too many of us (including
many who claim to be libertarian) and do not see that human liberties
are closely connected, and that as soon as one is taken away, the warp
and woof are going to start unraveling. It may take a while, but
ultimately, freedoms will be lost. It is also important to note
that
this is NOT an isolated action, but part of an administration strategy
to change ALL aspects of American life.
How
stupid does the WaPo think we are - they invent a bogus definition for
"earmarks" as a strawman, so that the Congress can claim reform when
there is really none at all. This is nothing but vote buying, aided and
abetted by the mainstream media. Congress in
action Well,
as of Saturday, the GOP has kept the bill from leaving Congress, as the
Administration seeks to find some way to force it through. Congress in
action -
Crash of 2009 In
other words, this is nothing more than an opportunity for Levin to gain
power – exactly what Rangel did, and which contributed to Rangel's
corruption. Acton's dictum is once more proven, and Levin is going to
do his best to do the same thing. Congress in
action -
First Citizen's thugs As I've discussed earlier, and will continue to do so, today's United States Congress seems to be in the same situation as the Reichstag of the early 1930s, or perhaps the Senate of the era of Julius Caesar, in which dirty tricks, abuse, and every kind of blackmail and intimidation is used to gain and keep control of the political and bureaucratic machinery of the state. Even the WaPo is forced to admit something nasty is going on, but refuses to explain why. The question is, how many other Congressmen and Senators are also being intimidated and are NOT blowing the whistles? Massa may be a bad apple, but Emanuel is a thug, pure and simple, as his entire career and his every action as WHCoS shows. Stupid
government
tricks
Even
liberals are upset! Of course, Schmitt is not one of those people who
is going to be willing to admit that government had already messed up,
if not destroyed, the immediate potential of the settlement of space
and man's expansion into the universe. Stupid
government tricks Inflation and its causes: government regulations, the trashing of the value of the funny money we call the dollar, and the subjection of more and more of the economy by government, are the primary reasons for this, I am sure. But it is yet another example of seizing any excuse to increase power and control. Indeed, the mere idea that the FCC may be getting the $12 billion or so that they have asked for to provide wel-net-fare (TM) may have triggered some of these increases, as the companies make sure that the government is milked for as much as possible. Reservations already have "commodity cellphones" - provided as part of "treaty obligation payments in kind" by various government programs, so what else is next? For example, if high-speed internet is an entitlement (my wel-net-fare (TM)), then the government must also provide the equipment by which the internet is accessed, no? So we have welfare computers, to boot! Culture war -
killing children I
see this as another example of the growing polarization of society:
this is the statement by the Tranzis of their domination of the
culture, even in otherwise conservative states, and is intended to
discourage their opposition. Like fancy city halls and county
courthouses and big federal buildings, it is a show of power and a
subtle threat of force. Another indicator that the Democratic Party is imploding. A lot of rats are planning or actively taking steps to desert a sinking ship. Mama's
Note: And
each one should be greeted with cheers. Just need to work on getting
the rest of them to go home and get an honest job. Oh wait! They are
destroying all the honest jobs, as fast as they can.
Health care panic
Just
one more poll for the First Citizen and his ministers to ignore. But it
does encourage those who are fighting the health care garbage. "Believe"? Really, it is a demonstrable fact that most textbooks are politically biased: and not just in elementary school. I have recently started looking at some of the blatant historical "political correctness" that infests American history books (particularly about Western and AmerInd history), but all through my sons' K-12 school years, and now in their college classes, the bias in texts AND in presentation by most teachers is clear. Of course, much of this is NOT new - you can go back 40-50-60 years and see bias, just of a different sort. The control of government leads to such things. Mama's Note:
Of
course this has been going on for a long time. The miracle here is that
anyone really understands or notices it after all this time.
Islamic war -
Persian front
The
UN is a joke, and that is the way most of the world wants it - Iran in
particular is benefiting from it, just as other countries have in the
past.
Stupidity
on all three sides (the US is ABLY represented in the stupidity zone by
Mr. Biden) is, as usual, an excuse to continue to scream, rant, rave,
and fight.
Thanks to Wendy for this. Her comments:
They are brutally ruining the lives of foolish
children under the guise of protecting them. These board members must think that they are Congressmen or something! What arrogance! These people, like so many other governmental bodies, apparently believe that the electors and taxpayers have selected them to be their masters. A tyrant is a tyrant, whether "anointed by God" or made so by force of arms, or elected. Mama's Note:
Indeed,
but the parents should make a far more effective and proactive
statement by removing their children completely from the government
"schools." Nothing else is really going to have any lasting effect, or
save their children from the ongoing slave indoctrination. Government-ruined,
theft-funded schools
Like
the previous story, we can see the arrogance - local, tyrannical
arrogance - of the administrators AND the democratically-elected board
of education. Utah
beat out Wyoming AND South Dakota: Wyoming did this on Friday, but
South Dakota is just days away from having the governor sign a similar
bill; WND has a status
map posted.
This is just one of several good starts: the confrontation with the
feds is still to come. I sometimes think that this tiny spark of
rebellion is going to result in a lot more hope for the future than
anything else happening right now. And I wonder just how many people
have been making neat little things in their basements and
garages. (ADDED SATURDAY: Wyoming's law has a VERY important provision: local law enforcement officials (and possibly any citizen?) can arrest federal officials who attempt to enforce federal rules and laws on Made-in-Wyoming weapons and ammo. Amazingly, Gov. Freudenthal is a corrupt Democratic politician who has (among other things) seen his own wife (First Lady of Wyoming) appointed as a federal judge IN Wyoming; he apparently decided that there was no chance of NOT having the legislature override his veto. Mama's Note:
As a
Wyomingite, I'm torn by this legislation. I see it as symbolic only,
and am concerned about possible persecutions by the Feds. As it stands
now, the manufacturer would of necessity not be able to continue as a
Federally "licensed" gun maker, and so would have an extremely limited
customer base. Remember that Wyoming only has 1.5 person per square
MILE - and not all of them will buy those guns. But I hope for the
miracle that will remove the insane Federal "laws" that are destroying
the entire industry as fast as they can. Congress in
action -
Nazgul Government-ruined,
theft-funded schools - Culture wars Government-ruined,
theft-funded schools Another
proof of the fragmenting of the Democratic Party, as well as proof that
the First Citizen's loyalty is to his Tranzi ideals and not to anything
else. The cause of “black justice” is nothing more than an excuse for
action. Congress in
action -
Poly ticks 2010 Seems to me like the GOP is not taking advantage of this little fracas properly (from their point of view). But again, I'm reminded of the little incidents that took place in Berlin back in 1932 and 1933 as the Nazis gained control. The Democratic Party may be fraying at the edges and the core, but the GOP is in nearly as bad shape – especially in Congress. Theft by
Government Normally, this wouldn't merit listing or comment, but it is not uncommon across the nation, as the Tranzi statists panic and try to find more and more money to support their habit: tax anything and everything. If not this year, liquor will be on the list next year in Maryland, along with a law requiring Santa to report exactly what he delivered down the chimney, with a fat check for 8-10% of “market value.” First Citizen Hope
and change! Also known as grabbing for straws. There will be nothing of
substance in this EXCEPT spending more money in corporate and overseas
welfare (foreign aid). If we truly wanted to double US exports,
the
first thing we'd do is cut billions of words of government regulations
that drive up the cost of manufacturing in the US. And you know
this
isn't going to happen. Theft by
government
- Congress in action The WaPo is still trying to push their garbage that this “reform” does anything at all about porkbarrel. American front Surely our ATC/radar would have detected this - and this is a long way from the coast for it to be a naval aircraft: Falcon is not only more than halfway to Laredo from the mouth of the Rio Grande, but this Falcon Heights subdivision is actually up an arm of Falcon Lake. So what gives? Stupid people
tricks Another
example of a manufactured crisis – I guess Amnesty International is
having to find something else to whip up donations with, since they
really don't want to get named in a Fatwah for crying about human
rights abuses in Muslim countries. (Notice their silence on Morroco's
expulsion of christian workers, about five stories ahead.) Congress in
action -
Theft by government What? You'd think that the government didn't already GET all the payroll records of every company in the nation – at least every company that tries to follow the law. Duh! It is called a W-2; to say nothing of the records on Medicare and Social Security “contributions.” Still, this is one more expansion of government power: Big Brother lives and grows ever bigger. Stupid
Government Tricks One more example of this Administration's casual disregard for the law. Yes, the Bush administration did the same sort of thing, but everyone screamed about it – even some of the Conservatives. Here, only the so-called “religious right” seems to be pointing it out because this is exactly what the Tranzis want. This is the rule of men and not of law. Congress in
action -
First Citizen As I've pointed out in past weeks, the Democratic Party's members are running scared, and the party may be imploding. From their point of view, not saying anything is the best thing for the Administration to do. Congress in
action -
Poly ticks 2010 Just because they didn't tell him doesn't mean that there was not a tacit agreement, either with him or with his staff - “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?” And of course, there is the difference between “ask” and “tell” isn't there? Stupid
government
tricks Of course, we can expect that the administration to lie about this, like everything else. Islamic war Morocco is supposedly a “moderate” Muslim nation, but this appears to be changing. Like Turkey (although less likely to be a major military pain in the neck), Morocco is being drawn into the wrong camp for this world war between civilizations which dominates our world situation; not as deep yet as Pakistan, but still an enemy. If only Spain had carried the Reconquista across the Straits as they had originally planned... Our right to
defend ourselves Well,
this is a surprise, given Richardson's Tranzi credentials, but even a
lot of Democrats in NM (outside the Tranzi-New Age communities of Santa
Fe and Taos and the Albuquerque metro area) are very jealous of their
right to be armed, and the political situation in NM is delicate.
With
this and action in Utah and Wyoming, this has been a pretty good week
for our right to defend ourselves. Culture wars -
Local
tyranny 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 Declaration of Independence By Robert Greenslade To Read previous Commentaries, go to the archives page and click onto the link for the week. The commentaries are linked from the weekly front pages. Please note: Information about readers is never given or sold to anyone for any purpose. Remember, however, that many people can read and recover anything posted to web sites or email unless it is carefully encrypted. Please take personal responsibility for what you post anywhere. MamaLiberty) |
Your comments and feedback are welcome! Now PoL
has its own
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