August 2007 Archives

Immigrants signed up for an innovative American program called hard work and family dedication. Participants were recognized for their continued contribution to the Social Security system with no expectation of any return. Naysayers turned out in a small protest consisting of odd middling white guys and a fiery group of grannies. The grannies all admitted that their grandparents were in fact from all over the world, but the sudden megaphone blaring in a reporter's ear prevented any real explanation of their opposition to continued American immigration.

A liberty spokesman weighed in " It's great to see new Americans who appreciate the role and motivations of free markets. They'll become a powerful voice returning us to a free America." Watchdog groups like the Minute Maids are decrying this move as a loss of sovereignty. " We were here first, if our jobs go overseas and are reduced at home by cheap labor, we'll have no choice but to support collectivists if we're to keep our benefits."

Al Gore sent this one and its only date reference is Tuesday Morning. The three page missive is so boring that I could only get to the second page and I'm seriously challenged how to lampoon it. It's probably been two weeks since I got it. You don't curl up on a beach towel at the end of summer and read an Al Gore book. I'm sure some co-ed did on Martha's Vineyard working as an aid to Ted Kennedy, but not this blog hack and weekend carpenter. The basics are that the Administration lied, failed policies, Democrats gotta win next time yadda yadda yadda.

The fun part is the little bookmark like insert with a title ' The Republican Assault on Truth : Five Republican Myths that are destroying America . . . .

If you're a regular reader, the next few days could be dicey. I'm going to switch over to the new MT 4.0. Hopefully this will allow a nice new snazzy design to compliment the usual rant or rave.

I was somewhat stunned the other day to find a unique visitor count up over 3300 last Sunday. I have been actively asking sites to list us on their blogrolls and have done the same when I can. I owe Paulie Cannoli and Last Free Voice a listing at this point. I caught some grief from an old friend about the last post on Kos (he didn't comment on the blog however and got equivalent grief back) and recognize that the effort hasn't been stellar this summer. It is for a reason and hopefully that will be apparent in the next few months. Otherwise I'll take the time to thank whatever readers I accrue and welcome comments.

Markos M probably dominates the coffee house circles in SF, but his recent appearance on Meet the Press (August 12) is evidence that the Olympian style banter amongst pundits and politicians should be relegated to them and not punk progressives.

It must be nice to be able to command a legion of 90K slobbering liberals bashing the black and white line they love to think are the issues in America. Small l libertarians punished the GOP in 2006. Get over it M, politicians pander to every block of the faithful. Your crew just has more degrees and passion than common sense and reason.

There is no debate. The two parties push it into the ground every cycle. It's the fight against this that matters. Winning state and local seats is an illusion. Get it over. Legalize it. Unregulate it.

The call for '08.

so much depends
upon

a little straw
poll

glazed with
greenbacks

in the middle
of nowhere

As an unapologetic no government type of guy, I kinda think government is best served by a dictator. Not the 20th Century garden variety mass murderer, but rather the Roman conceived restorer of order and the Republic. A Republic whose citizens stake out personal and property rights and accept no other alternative. As these rights are abridged and water downed by mealy mouthed politicians whose art of the compromise guarantees nothing but there own dubious success and morphs a sentiment and emotion into every transaction of human suffering, hardened citizens need to consider a barrier to such false succor.

Napoleon was roundly elected Dictator and then crowned himself Emperor after the French people cast aside the shackles of monarchy for the Reign of Terror. History and literature have rewarded this striking event with every human interaction that requires the power of authority. Maybe not that bad. But, occasionally that same history offers a solution to human chaos in the form of genius (or clever/popular opportunist) that transcends all the previous idiocy with a tight and secure solution. Falling on the shoulders of a person whose capacity to lead is limited only by the power to commit to action and ideas with assent of a few key players. But what form would this take in an America accustomed to whining every blithering ache and moan about life and getting some form of renumeration in the form of political pork or programs ? Maybe this time he'll be in a robe and staff with long flowing hair . . . . or perhaps just an efficient committee.

I never liked Ayn Rand because she looked too much like Ms. Galonick from first grade. She came unhinged one morning when I slammed my chair into the side of the desk. He read faster but I got there quicker. I lost my spot and edge that day. He always interrupted my readings, correcting me and making me real self conscious. My folks were confused and asked what was wrong and I told them. I was fine after that and could still keep up with in math and real world stuff like calendars. My brother and I watched over our dad's shoulder before he left for work, doing long division in first grade. I suppose that's why I got Stevie Gazebo for second grade too. Life at Alexander Hamilton Elementary School was rough when old Stevie was around, he knew everything.

He must have been one of those puzzles and mind games kids from the beginning. Probably had encyclopedias that mentioned the second world war. I just had Ba Ba Blacksheep and the Bismark on late night Saturday television. He always wore collared shirts and got to go off and take special tests that no one else did. I'm not sure what class he made it into in third grade and before the leaves turned I was outta in fourth grade and six months ahead of the kids in upstate NY. I never found out what happened to Stevie Gazebo or even remember his real name. I hope he had a good life and wasn't tossed into a cultural or corporate straight jacket, but I suspect he was.

In honor of the Yearly Kos event, I've decided to kill my account over there. It really has no value. At first it seemed a clever way to infiltrate the ranks of progressives who feel the collective shame of coercion in their lives and others. They always succeed in defining libertarians and shake us down for our inhumanity. For there's they take where we hope just not to do it. Maybe just less of it. We didn't make the deal with the warfare party. For that we shall stand forever and united. Perhaps.

Some call this little band a fool's paradise and snip and snarl that we find happiness in Obama, instead of shame in Kubby or Phillies. We're not world class because we're sub class in their estimation. Our call for the wild is too shrill and not realistic enough. We slog through the electoral mill begging for a scribble on some paper that no one but objectors care about. Whether its MoveOn or Daily whatever, they have the numbers, guns and the privilege of no guilt about it, because dem otha guys is real bad. They'll take away your Social Security and never give you health care. They'll beat it into every mind that shuffles through. Tired bored kids and teachers so a few can live large, real large. When buses are free, lunches and textbooks, let's forget about the subtle real aesthetic.

I recently joined a Yahoo Group rather reluctantly in order to facilitate, let's say company business. The idea is that 20 odd members can gather in this group and hash out ideas for presentation to a larger group eventually. The group was set up by a member who established and joined it before he/she was even appointed to the group. Pretentious for sure, but nothing to be particularly alarmed about. Apparently the group rules can provide for privacy and thus the members are assured of such privacy. In my opinion, any time you have more than three people in such a group, privacy is virtually impossible anyway.

The greater question becomes, that once rules of the game are established, is it the loudest and most persistent that win the day ? This has often been the criticism leveled at New England democracy over the years. As someone who lives within that tradition, I see it all the time. There always seems to be a retiree or advocate who has infinite time in order to press their agenda, while reasonable, intelligent people are left with the decision to risk time loss on an item they may not agree with, but will ultimately take less time or life away, even if passed or allowed by the gathered citizen representatives. What results, quite often, is an emboldened activist or cause because so few have indeed expressed their opposition or resistance. In so many ways this is why our gentle liberty roots have failed so often in the last century. Thus incremental change and creeping authoritarianism creates it own legitimacy within the group dynamic.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation sent me this spacko bumper sticker. 'I Remember Reagan' it says. Of course their looking for money to keep the lights on and keep the old Air Force One from falling on anyone. The plea starts off with;

Dear True American,

Wouldn't you like to cast your ballot for Ronald Reagan just one more time ?

Actually I never had the opportunity despite being a rather precocious 12 year old the first time. I actually was a Bush man at the time. The Voodoo economics snipe caught my young imagination. I watched all the Sunday morning shows if I could get out of Sunday school. Read Time magazine and diligently watched the evening news. I liked Bush's military, CIA and economic background enough to distinguish it against the vapid pretensions of the former governor of California. But as time rolled on and the hostages were announced free after our seventh grade lunch, he seemed better than Carter. Despite whatever the news was saying in 1982 about the recession, by 1984 I was reluctantly telling my manager at McDonald's that Mondale didn't cut it as the 'thinking man's' candidate.