It yielded a response from his liberal progressive regular:
The language of government/citizen partnership persisted for several decades until Ronald Reagan recast the partnership as paternalism. Reagan simply denied that complex, impersonal systems often outstripped individual will and understanding. The essential conditions of social and economic life had not changed, he insisted; Americans could master them, as always, by "common sense and free choice" if government only got out of the way. This reversal set the tone for his successors. Clinton, somewhat reluctantly and Bush II enthusiastically agreed that government intervention eroded individual autonomy--or, turning Roosevelt on his head, did not protect individualism but hampered it.
See, the old American individualism of Emerson and Whitman died with the industrial revolution. Poof! Surely you have read enough history to realize that essential fact. Economic self-sufficiency vanished into our heroic past. Dependence on large, impersonal economic arrangements became the rule and the national government became a force that could allow individuals to achieve some meaningful freedom.
You are trying to revive an archaic past that cannot possibly function. Marx warned that our alternatives were socialism or barbarism. Since you don't like to use the s-word (--the real kind, not the totalitarian travesty--), let's just say that our alternatives are a democratically energized liberalism or a banana republic.
My response:
Long before there were these "impersonal" social and economic systems (that he now touts as the only hope of the future), spontaneous order was an effective problem solving model. And it still is.Things get done faster with a select number of individuals who volunteer their time, money, and/or services.
When an outside force seeks to manage and direct interpersonal relationships, things get bogged down with bureaucratic red tape. When a bureaucratic beast that is out of control and morally reprehensible, it's purpose is tainted with self interest and richly teems with fallacies, red herrings, and other forms of BS. Nothing gets done without a favor being attached to it.
There is no way that this system can effect a better outcome. No @#$%&!! way. Time after time, we can pick a task; time after time, normal people can do a better job (at almost anything), than the government.
But Ducky may be right about it not functioning very well right now. It's because people in this day and age, want the government to take care of them, rather than having to rely on themselves. They would rather surrender their freedoms to make certain choices, in exchange for security. In other words, they trade freedom for easy gain. While it may be termed gain, it is quite expensive.
Sad but true. No responsibility, no freedom. Just dependence and obedience.
I will add:
Back in 400 BCE, a man named Chuang Tsu was a proponent of spontaneous order, before it was known as such. One of his more prominent quote used by libertarians:
"Good order results spontaneously when things are let alone."
This is the basis of the free market concept. And while there needs to be some regulation due to those who will certainly take advantage of liberties and freedom, the controls established should minimal, not be overly burdensome, and should directly address the problem that the regulation is designed to prevent.
In the case of Henrietta Hughes, we see the theory fully realized. Government failed her and used her only as a prop for propaganda. A private citizen was responsible for helping her far faster than any government assistance.
It is believed by many that Obama wants the press conference so he can control the news cycle at the 100 day mark, when media outlets do their usual grading of a new President's performance. Naturally, he doesn't want to leave it to chance and especially will not want the top-rated Fox News punditry to prevail in the debate.
He doesn't want it known that in a little more than three months' time, this is just some of what he has accomplished:
Presided over the largest expansion of federal government in history.
Racked up well over a trillion dollars of debt, making sure that your children and grandchildren get their start in life, in the hole.
Cozied up to Latin American dictators, who have a history of demonizing the US and capitalism. Shook hands and beamed bright smiles at Hugo Chavez in the process.
Bowed and kissed the ring of the Saudi monarch.
Thoroughly embarrassed the US in Britain and France.
Appointed one of the most corrupt and unethical cabinets in US history. Gave us Tim Geithner, a tax cheat, to run the Treasury Department. Gave us Janet Napolitano, clueless, inept, and incompetent to to run Homeland Security.
With all of these accomplishments, no wonder he wants to control the news cycle.
Congratulations to the entire Obama team for putting us on the road to failure in record time.
The swine flu has many people in a panic right now and to some to degree it's easy to see why. Anytime there are deaths from an outbreak of some illness and talk of a worldwide pandemic, it's going to cause some apprehension.
The UN is in scare mode. Europe is advising its citizens to avoid the Americas, Russia is screening all flights coming in from the same. But the U.S. is basically yawning. Why?
The confirmed U.S. cases included 28 at a private high school in New York City, 11 in California, six in Texas, two in Kansas and one in Ohio. Only one American case has led to a hospitalization.
(Emphasis mine)
That's right, only one case has been hospitalized so far. Despite the deaths reported in Mexico, none have occurred here. This is most likely due to the very poor medical care in Mexico. If one cannot stay hydrated or have access to Tylenol for high fevers, there is a much greater risk of severity.
So, be on guard. But let's not take this too far like the UN, Europe, and Russia are doing. If you get it, treat it like any other flu.
Stay away from others, stay hydrated, and monitor your fever. It will run its course eventually. Remember that a little fever is good. It is a natural infection fighting response by the body. It will kill the virus faster, if you allow it. Most physicians won't get too worried if it is kept below 101 degrees. Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and plenty of water are the keys to keeping fevers under control.
(If you want to have something to worry about, let it be something like this.)
I respect the earth because it is my home. My little portion of it has been entrusted to me for the days I am here, so I do whatever I can to preserve it. It's only right. I have to drive to work and various other places, but I do it responsibly. I use energy and eat food, but I do not waste. It does irritate me when I see others do it purposefully, without any regard as to how precious either commodity may be someday.
If there is any one thing I would consider a pet peeve, it would be littering. Maybe it's because I am old enough to remember the Lady Bird Johnson ecological campaign of the 60s, Every Litter Bit Hurts and Don't Be A Litter Bug. I do not accept any excuse for anyone throwing trash around outside, especially when (in this day and age) there is a trash can nearly everywhere you go.
But, time has worn on. Things have improved. For the most part, I think there is much less trash lying around than when I was younger. It's not perfect, there are still some smug jerks who are self-absorbed enough to think they are above the rest of us. But overall, it's not as prevalent in most areas, as it was before the awareness was raised.
Still, there those who are hell-bent on keeping the ecology movements alive. They have done this by politicizing these issues and by allowing their organizations to be infiltrated with Marxist ideologues -- along with corporations that stand to make a killing in sales from wind turbines and other "green" technology. They want everyone to believe that we are in dire straits and time for life on the planet will be greatly shortened, if we do not allow them to set policy.
So, hows that for a mixture? Anti-capitalists and capitalists joining together to empower themselves. Ironic, isn't it?
Speaking of irony, I happened upon this post a few days ago. It was put up as a sarcastic commemoration to Earth Day and I recommend you take a look at it. It takes us all down memory lane, to some things said to commemorate the first Earth Day in 1970. Consider these gems:
“We have about five more years at the outside to do something.” • Kenneth Watt, ecologist
“Civilization will end within 15 or 30 years unless immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind.” • George Wald, Harvard Biologist
Funny how we hear the same thing now. It's as if it were written 40 years ago.
We only have a few years left.
Time is crucial.
We MUST act now.
Blah, blah, blah.
We hear it so much, many of us are already numb to it.
All of this translates to: "GE is ready to market its "green line" of products and time's wasting. Hurry before their stock takes a bigger hit." Never mind that the CEO is primarily responsible for GE's woes, let's keep manipulating the public as a smokescreen.
Anyway --- like I said, I do my part to take care of the planet. I just don't lose contact with reality while I am doing it. I do it privately and quietly, without public fanfare and I do not denigrate others who don't. I have found it best to lead by example, which is all anyone can do without becoming an annoyance to others.
George Carlin didn't get too bent out of shape over it either. Remember that this is Carlin and there are some salty words in this:
Overall, the message is clear. He didn't think the crap put out by Al Gore (and associates) was warranted, he just didn't mention him by name. But we do here.
Recently,the Goracle spoke the usual Gore-speak to Congress and many of those louts ate it all up.
How many of them, do suppose even heard what the man said?
The man proposes reality-based solutions to the environment without massive amounts of regulation and government control. You'd think he'd get a standing ovation. But instead, they demonize him. How dare he disagree with the Democratic Party's solution? No Republican or Conservative could ever have a better plan, because it would reward rather than punish. It would use positive reinforcement, rather than negative. This would keep the government out of the equation more.
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
Politicians always come to mind when thinking about these age-old words from Aristotle's mentor. If you have ever watched a hearing of a House or Senate committee, you likely have noted the bombastic statements that are presented as questions. It's because these people love to hear themselves talk, despite the fact they have little to say. And what they do have to say, usually has already been said.
But if you have ever been in the company of true wise men or women, you will note that very few will speak unless it is pertinent to the topic and they have some insight, which may have not yet been revealed in the course of the conversation. True wisdom manifests itself quietly, but surely.
This weekend, we look at the sequence of events that detail a movement out of cynicism and despair, into one of optimism and hope. In this case, hope is not a slogan. It is a true theoretical concept that really can exist once people make the conscious decision to pursue it, it really will exist. But relax. There will be no rendition of Melancholy Baby on this blog, anytime soon.
Have you ever met someone that has succumbed to the allurement of negativity? Usually, they breed more negativity and bring others down with them. These are people who really do complain when there is no rain. This is not to say it's a bad thing, when crops suffer under drought conditions. But there are people who would be content to have it rain everyday, so they can sleep their lives away.
This 1992 song describes this particular presentation of depression and apathy, and does so very well. The lead singer is from Lafayette IN, he died of an overdose back in 1995. I guess no one close to him paid much attention to the lyrics he wrote:
I believe there are cases where there are certain physiological causes to depression and despair, to include chemical imbalances in the brain. But in my opinion, there are far too many cases misclassified as such. In situational depression, medication is not indicated. No amount of added chemicals will do the trick here, it all comes down to problem-solving skills.
The first step to dealing with this is, accepting the fact that there are some things that can be changed and others that clearly cannot. Knowing the difference between to the two is imperative, if a person is to have any chance of rising out of the gloom and doom. If there is any question of how best to proceed from here, I recommend doing an inventory because there are some things that everyone just knows:
Once we discern which things belong in which category, it is then we can turn to the things we are able to change and control. By discarding the worries of things we cannot affect, we are free to concentrate on things which we have personal power to correct, things we can improve.
In this process we must be prepared to do another inventory. We must look at options for solutions. But before that, we have to know and understand what it is that we really want or what is important to us. We have to ask ourselves to prioritize things in an order in which there is a realistic chance for success. Much of this will based on personal values.
In short, we have to know and understand just what it is we want and can reasonably expect from life:
In our quest for inner peace, we may have done all of this and still be found lacking something. Knowing what we want is only half of the journey. To complete this voyage, we must examine and reexamine our motives and intentions. It is at this point, we must know why we want something. We must be willing to lay it all down, and count it out to ourselves:
It is my belief that those who seek the right things, for the right reasons, are people who find the greatest sense of fulfillment. They are the ones who can dig themselves out of temporary situations, which are not always under their personal control and set a course for personal growth and enrichment. These are they who can resist being in a state of apathy, despair, and avoid the magnetic pull of those who cannot. Misery loves company and they who love misery seek to weigh down those of us who don't.
But even if you think all of this is a bunch of psychobabble which you have absolutely no use for, these really are some good tunes. So give them a listen.
I know that many have told me I am cynical. Tis true, I cannot argue.
But how can I help it when the overt incompetence surrounds us so tightly? Anyone that has the slightest bit of abstract reasoning abilities can plainly discern we are living in a very mad world right now. It is compounded by the fact that there is a culture of paradoxical value systems. Right has become wrong and wrong has become right, on one side of the coin. On the other side, we still have some people who are desperately trying to speak sensibly. But they are being shouted down and labeled offensive hatemongers.
To think that there are people who actually believe they are smart enough to charm their way into the hearts and minds of people who hate our guts. It wouldn't be so bad if there were a minute possibility it would work. In fact, I cannot think of a time when such hostility has ever been successfully resolved by appeasement, certainly not with any long-term positive outcomes. Bring this up at a dinner party where liberals are being seen in public and you will find yourself being demonized for not being on the right side of this argument, and fast.
There's a new bogeyman lurking in the closet, and this one isn't imaginary. Us. One out of three children aged 6 to 11 fears that Ma Earth won't exist when they grow up, while more than half—56 percent—worry that the planet will be a blasted heath (or at least a very unpleasant place to live), according to a new survey.
It's not idiocy for the results of the survey, but for the lack of proof from these claimants. I wonder if any of the posters at this site, think it would be helpful to publish a link to the actual survey, to review the samples, the methodology, and the usual things an intelligent person would use to decide whether the study was a good one, or not. But on the chance that it is a good study, how can we claim we are surprised when these masters of the error are advancing scare tactics, to promote their weak and faulty claims?
It's so difficult to imagine this is what the founding fathers had envisioned when they drew up the blueprints for this nation. Somehow I cannot fathom that this is what they had in mind. The men that sought to protect its citizenry from the overreaching control of government would be astounded to see how insidiously liberties have been stripped from Americans, for no other reason but for government control. Feelings have been elevated above common sense.
I tell you, and I am not exaggerating. We are a little less than a generation away from the biggest farce of a culture, we will ever see. This world may never recover completely if this madness is not stopped along with the liars, who are perpetuating these dangerous myths.
Orwell had it so right. Only his timing was just a little off in his prophetic metaphorical analysis.
It's not looking good for Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd right now. Here is a report that illustrates just what a quandary he is in.
...He currently enjoys a disapproval rating of 58%. Although Congress as a whole is quite unpopular, few senators can count on such dismal ratings.
As if the 58%-disapproval rating is not bad enough, a recent Quinnipiac University poll shows Dodd trailing former GOP Rep. Rob Simmons by 16 percentage points. In other words, if elections were held today, the Republican Party would take over Dodd’s senate seat. National Republicans have already announced they will pour more money into the race, and the state’s Republican Party has sent out several emails blasting Dodd.
Disapproval ratings of 58% and currently running 16 percentage points behind a Republican in a liberal northeast state is not a position a long term senator wants to be in. I know it's a long time until the election, but I can be quite sure fighting an uphill battle is not exactly an ideal situation. This may get other Democrats in the state interested in a primary battle against a powerful incumbent, something that is rarely successful.
John McCain is about to find out what a primary race is, it looks like he has a GOP challenger to his seat.
Chris Simcox, the founder of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps and a prominent figure in the movement to clamp down on illegal immigration, will be announcing tomorrow at an event on the Mexican border that he's resigned from the group to run in the 2010 Senate primary.
The Politico article is from yesterday, so we can expect the announcement today. For those that cannot wait, here is Mr Simcox's website and here is a video you may want to watch, to see his claim to fame:
Maybe this is why McCain has been trying to distance himself from Sarah Palin lately. We all know he isn't exactly the most conservative member of his party and his platform is not well-received by many who were forced to support him, in this last Presidential race (mainly by default). He is not going to be able to out-conservative his opponent.
Wouldn't it be funny if she were to do some campaigning for Simcox?
The point here is this, no matter what they want us to believe, any incumbent can be beaten. It's looking very much like Dodd can be turned out of office and don't tell Chris Simcox has hasn't a chance against the powerful McCain. He thinks he can win. And with the dissatisfaction many have with McCain these days, he just may have a chance.
McCain is Democrat Lite, Simcox can isolate conservatives and win them over, if he plays it right and can raise a little money. Dodd is a hypocritical and crooked politician, who deserves to work in a used car dealership. If no Democrat can muster support to run against him in the primary, this one will likely go to the GOP next year.
How about you and your officials? Democrat or Republican, it makes no difference. This is not about parties. Both are out of touch right now. This is about getting rid of the career politicians who have made a huge mess out of this nation and are trying to make you believe they are the answer. This isn't about a catchy slogan, this is about real change.
All Democrats like Barney Frank and John Murtha should be fired. All Republicans like Dan Burton and John McCain should be fired. That's change. There is no good reason to keep re-electing people who consistently do not get it, do not understand the common man, and yet lie their asses off to convince us all that they do.
Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. I heard and read in some places that it was yesterday and by some accounts, it's a week-long commemoration. But in the grander scheme of things, it really doesn't matter as long as we pause and give some thought to it.
Yesterday, some people listening to the Jew-hating Iranian President let him know what they thought of him, by causing a minor distraction for a moment. Two people even threw something at him, with only one getting close. It didn't look to be a very dangerous object from where I was sitting, but the great thing for me was the look on his face. He didn't seem to care for it. He had a slight smile but it didn't appear to be from amusement.
Many have yet to forget that dark period in the history of mankind. Some, like this bozo, think it never happened and are determined to rewrite history. Others who were there may not be with us today. So, remembering is something we try to do, so that we may never again see the kind of evil that generation was forced to endure. It's a sad commentary that we must have this day, as it picks the scabs of the wounds of those who suffered through it. But as long as jerks like Ahmadinejad are given a platform to speak hatreds, it is badly needed.
But we don't need a day or a week to call it into our minds. We can remember, educate, and teach this anytime. For some vacation ideas for families with school age children (or adults alone), here are a couple:
The National Holocaust Museum is located in Washington DC. It always makes a good stop while visiting the nation's capital.
But for those who cannot get there and may be traveling through Indiana in the near future, there is a good Holocaust museum in Terre Haute. If you are on I-70 going in either direction sometime, you may want to take an afternoon and see CANDLES, founded by a survivor of Mengele's experiments in Auschwitz. It's not far from the interstate and would make a good educational stop on a Midwest vacation.
Some onerous bastard tried to burn it down a few years back, but it survived the fiery inferno (as did its founder in the real inferno created by the Nazis). It just goes to show that whatever evil men and women may do, the truth can and will be preserved and will prevail.
My hope is that this will never happen in my lifetime, but who knows whether or not I will get that wish. One thing is more certain. If the world is not careful, some of us who read these words today will see this kind of onslaught again. When this generation dies off, so will the freshness of this history. And I so think the tendency will be to forget or play the entire thing down, so that it becomes minimized as a real event.
Well folks, the card and letters have been piling up lately, as I have not been able to keep up with them. So, it's time to dig one out and help another poor lost soul, who desperately needs guidance to see the obvious. Here's one I found:
Dear LA,
I am in so much trouble. So much so that I am beginning to think, I am the only one who is going through this kind of a crisis. Believe me, I don't really know just how it got to this point. But this is where I am at, so you have to help me because I have nowhere else to turn.
I wrote Mustang once, but he was very mean to me. He told me to "man up" and "stop being such a little whimp". He also said things like "you made your @#$%&*!! bed now you can @#$%&*!!! lay in it". And if that wasn't hurtful enough, he then said something about PTing me until I drop. I don't think he was very helpful.
Anyway, I know you are a man that is kind, altruistic, and compassionate. Your reputation in helping people is stellar and I have the utmost confidence, in your ability to counsel people who have nowhere else to turn. So, here's my problem.
I was working for a hedge fund that has done some questionable things and lately has come under some serious scrutiny, for cooking the books (a little). To top it off, I cheated on my taxes (a little) and have started to get notices from the IRS, wanting to meet with me for an audit.
It all seems like it's all caving in on me, right now. None of this is my fault, so what am I supposed to do? How can I face my wife and children? My parents? My siblings? Will it ever end?What should I do?
Thank you in advance,
Bob In NY.
Dear Bob,
Relax.
Turn yourself in to the SEC and the IRS. They both will cut you a deal.
While this ongoing, submit your application to the Treasury Department. You are well-qualified for a position there. And remember, wives and kids just love a "government man".
