Thoughts on Allegations of Selfishness

Image credit: Microsoft

One of the most effective tactics for making someone feel guilty (presuming they have an active conscience) is to accuse them of being selfish.

This works particularly well as a progressive closing salvo against free markets and low taxes... at least, it tends to hurt my feelings and shut me up, because "I'm not selfish" isn't much of an argument.

So I've been thinking about that accusation and honestly evaluating my motives for advocating lower taxation and less government restriction and regulation, and my thoughts have solidified into these grounds:

A healthy respect for each individual's natural rights: Life, Liberty, and Property (the fruits of our pursuit of happiness).

This respect leads me to the following conclusion:

Rights, Sociability, and Hate

An article linked from Trying to Grok has opened up a whole (long) line of thinking for me. The statement that particularly caught my attention appeared in the author's original op-ed:

I want Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Marxists, Independents and anyone with a halfway decent idea that doesn't incorporate hate.

"That doesn't incorporate hate."

Here's part of my comment at TTG, as a springboard to further thought:

People can have hate, regardless of their political leanings.

But when it comes to ideology, which seems more "hateful":

a) Regardless of your feelings, you may not violate Person X's rights, nor may you join with others to do so in a collective fashion; or

b) Regardless of your feelings or actions, if you have a material or immaterial advantage over Person X, then Person X may individually or collectively violate your rights to eliminate that inequality ?

"Hate."

In this world, there are a number of things we can't force other people to do - eating, sleeping, and potty training among them.

We can't forcibly change someone's opinion, and we can't force others to feel love - or not to feel hate.

We have to figure those things out inside ourselves.

But as a species, that's been hard for us to accept.

Good, Plain Talk

This video touches a lot of subjects; the part I find essential is the socialism part.

The more eyes we open to the evils of socialism, the better off we will be.

Where talking heads have stereotyped anyone with a conservative viewpoint (and Rush Limbaugh, specifically) as being "Hitler," they're becoming Hitler. This guy loses me around 6:45, but pointing out political, societal hypocrisy and misdirection as directly as he does is very gutsy. (huuuuuge h/t: Alfonzo Rachel at Big Hollywood)

Moveon.org: Tool of Oppression

Wow. Walt Minnick, "the other Representative" from Idaho (meaning: the Representative from not my district, but Idaho's other Congressional district; although I put it in quotes because he's also the only one of four Federal representatives who ran on a Democratic ticket, and I know some people get really bugged by that, LOL...), voted against Obama's fascist Stimulus bill.

Yes, he disagreed with the Democratic Party "leadership" on a bill. (He didn't even disagree with the basic - I believe, flawed - principle behind it, but rather its untargeted implementation.)

How DARE he, right?!?!

Walt Minnick is doing a great job upholding responsible principles in an oppressive, establishment-oriented environment. For two big votes now. That's hard. And it's even harder for someone who happens to have a "(D)" by his name because of the political machine in Washington.

But he doesn't toe The Party Line! Therefore, the hard left has targeted him. I'm not sure how far the machinery ties extend, (although I have a hypothesis), but moveon.org has gone after this good, decent, responsible man simply for not falling in line with the other party zombies.

Exhibit 1: This ad, which has been all over Facebook for DAYS now:

Exhibit 2: This Google sponsored ad in my Gmail account.

It might be hard to read, and I tried to make it a little bigger so you'd be able to read it, but it says the same thing: "Minnick voted no on jobs." But this time, it tells who sponsored it: moveon.org.

Oh, outrage! (I'd say "oh, joy," but I try to avoid sarcasm.) A dishonest, irrational organization is targeting "not-my" representative because he's voted his constituency and his conscience.

Fortunately, everyone I've talked to is thrilled with him. But we need to gear up to support him against the establishment machinery, because he's on moveon.org's radar now.

He's not a Party Man.

He's not a communist.

He's not a group "conservative," either.

He's independently-minded.

He's exactly the type of representative we need in our Capitol.

And moveon.org is the enforcer of thoughtcrime, of party-man socialist conformance - 'free thought be banned.'

(No, I'm not a prude: I would say "damned" in this highly-appropriate instance, but I figured my play on it fits even better.)

Commie Cowards

The Senate has passed their version of the "stimulus" bill.

Open Letter to Senators and Representatives:

I hold each one of you elitist cowards who voted, "aye," individually accountable to me for the loss of my family's freedoms.

I hold each one of you "aye" votes accountable to me for sabotaging my country's prosperity.

And I hold each of you "ayes" accountable to me for your utter contempt and disregard for the Constitutional restraint of government delivered us by our Founders, replacing it with a fascist corporate oligarchy.

I just thought you should know.

Sincerely,
A US Citizen

We Are NOT All Socialists.

Excuse me, Newsweek, but I have to disagree.

I try very hard to remain somewhat level-headed on this blog, but now is not a time for calm.

"We" are NOT all socialists.

In fact, I not only take that as a slur - I take it as a personal threat.

"We" NOTHING!!!

I am not, never have been, and NEVER WILL BE a SOCIALIST. I have too much respect and appreciation for the true government our founders set up!

NEVER will I surrender the innate gifts - freedom and accountability - that our founders were guided by GOD to protect with a new form of government.

A form of government that has been co-opted and corrupted by its enemies.

The people pushing this agenda aren't even socialists anymore - they're full-out communists. Government seeks to tell us everything we can and can't do: what we can and can't say, what medical care we may receive, how warm or cool we can keep our houses, how much we can drive, how much money we're allowed to make... all to make sure that THEY ALONE have the power! While they spew their lies and fly their jets to self-congratulatory banquets! Bunch of evil, EVIL hypocrites!!! Using orchestrated class warfare to finally separate us into a class of mediocres and their RULERS.

(Can you hear the bile? It's flowing, OH it's flowing now...)

This is the perversion of everything that America can represent! And it's possible because so many in this country have been falsely educated. The LIES we've been taught have reached maturity, and I'm truly afraid for society to reap the consequences.

NO, we are NOT all socialists.

But we're all going to suffer like them, likely by a razor-thin margin of passage.

I was never a fan of collective punishment in elementary school, and I'm REALLY not a fan of it now. I would betray my ancestors' courage and my child's trust by surrendering to this media-created tide. I will fight it in EVERY WAY I can.

How DARE you, CONGRESS?!?!

How DARE YOU, PRESIDENT OBAMA?!?!

HOW DARE YOU, FELLOW CITIZENS?!?!?!?!

You would STEAL my CHILD'S FREEDOM and economic future for your own comfort and political aggrandizement?!?!

You COWARDS!

You use my tax dollars? You function the way you're supposed to.

You expect my support? You learn to READ THE CONSTITUTION.

You want my cooperation? You DON'T talk down to me like the threat you pose is some antiquated conspiracy theory, and I'm just too STOOOPID to understand reality.

But you want "socialism?" You take your evil, simultaneously namby-pamby and oppressive ideas somewhere else, and stay away from me.

Because I've read history, and I know what happens when a government gets as much power as you're trying to take.

And I will NOT remain silent while you destroy my son's future.

W00T!!!

Power to the people, people.

Looks like we've been overburdening the phone lines at the Capitol.

Now, I'm not about being angry on the phone - quite the opposite, in fact - but this sort of "telephone offensive" is EXACTLY what we need to have going on.

Keep calling!!! :-)

And on a different note, I wonder whether the infrastructure in the "stimulus" bill provides for an upgrade to the Capitol's phone bank...

Welcome, President Obama

Quite an emotional inauguration! I caught the last half hour or so and saw the swearings-in.

(And might I add, heaven help us after the "digital transition" - the consistency of the signals we receive leaves quite a bit to be desired... analog gets fuzzy; digital gets full-out unwatchable.)

Truly a historic occasion. Our morning prayer was quite tender, and it was very moving to read people's faces on TV and see a little part of what this morning meant to them.

Perhaps I'll parse his speech later, but speeches are one thing, and speculating about what he means by which phrases won't mean nearly as much as watching what he does.

May God bless him with discernment, strength, and courage... and the rest of us likewise.

Commuted!!!

President Bush commuted the sentences of unjustly-imprisoned Border Agents Ramos and Compean.

THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. You did the right thing.

(I've been on pins & needles for the last few days, and until I saw the news on Drudge this morning, I was pretty dejected about the fate of these two men...)

*happy dance*

I don't think I've ever posted the details of this issue, but it was a political case between the US and Mexico, wherein prosecutorial wrongdoing, high-level official conspiracy, and a drug cartel's lying mule's angry mommy combined to severely punish the two border agents who apprehended that mule, for administrative wrongdoing.

(You want to talk "disproportionate response?" This case is it...)

At any rate, it was a horrible, dirty case against the two, and the citizen movement to pardon them fell on deaf ears. The best we could hope for was a commutation, and here it is!

Happy, happy day!!!

[Update: I just called the White House comment line (202-456-1111) to thank Pres. Bush, and all I got was, "we are unable to take your call at this time; please try again later." Think the "thank-you"s busted the phone bank? I like that possibility better than, "we just shut it down for a while since he's leaving." :-)]

No More Goodwill?

Here's an interesting article over at Yahoo! - Obama souvenirs are selling pretty well.

Handmade souvenirs, no less!

Wonder if they've been individually tested and certified lead- and phthalate-free... since that's what I'd have to do after February 10th if I ever wanted to sell, say, the little beaded baby socks I sometimes make as gifts right now. (h/t: Sarah @ Trying to Grok)

Yep, Congress answered the, "somebody DO something!" cry after China sent the umpteenth batch of lead toys... and wouldn't you know it, while it's not stopping China, the Law of Unintended Consequences is still in effect! Especially for hare-brained, half-baked, rushed-through-to-SAAAAAAVE-THE-CHIIIIILDREN!!! legislation.

In a way, it's too bad that ignorance doesn't really solve problems... but since it doesn't, that article has a really good summary (although I'd apply the word, "disruptive" instead of "lethal" to phthalates).

In a nutshell, this law means that unless you can certify through testing that Product X has no lead and no phthalates, (and probably nothing else that could possibly ever be construed to be harmful, tasteless, or stinky when injected in high doses into lab rats), you can't sell it. Even if it's 100% organic cotton, like those Donna Karan Obama t-shirts mentioned in the Yahoo! article.

We still have a (teensy) chance to stop or change this law before it takes effect; please email the Consumer Product Safety Commission or see the article to to make your voice heard in rational defense of thrift stores, secondhand shops, home businesses, eBay, craigslist, and anywhere else everyday people can do business.

(BTW, this is something I've "donated my Facebook status" for ;-)

Order Yourself

In the news again: France, the UK, and Germany want a new global economic order. I believe they're also volunteering to head it up. ;-)

Part I

Angela Merkel says they "would be making an error if we were content to look solely at financial markets."

Harumph.

She deplored huge debts that governments are accumulating to spend their way out of the present crisis. But she said she recognized, for the moment, that "there is no other possibility."

Double harumph.

So she'd prefer to compound the error? Enslave us further to unwise government policy and its effects? Subject us to broader global power, since previous attempts at that have worked well enough to lead us to our current state of worry-free prosperity... really?

And would this global, not-just-limited-to-financial-markets, monster be on top of, or instead of, our individual, (corrupt), quirky governments? At least my individual, corrupt, quirky government pays lip service to my rights to liberty and self-defense.

How's this for a possibility, Chancellor Merkel: LET. IT. FAIL.

Stop trying to fix it by doing more of what created it.

Then - after the (boulder-sized) dust settles - we can deal with climbing out of the hole in reality, rather than having you grab additional global power by speculating at your idea's unlikely success.

Speculating is unstable; in fact, it's the basis for Sarkozy's Non Sequitur of the Day:

He called financial capitalism based on speculation "an immoral system" that has "perverted the logic of capitalism."

[I'll go with "speculation is bad," and "speculation is not real capitalism."]

"It's a system where wealth goes to the wealthy, where work is devalued, where production is devalued, where entrepreneurial spirit is devalued," he said.

[Yeeeess...]

But no more: "In capitalism of the 21st century, there is room for the state," he said.

[Huh? Government speculation is somehow *more* responsible than individual speculation? And let's not call it, "socialism" - it's really "New Capitalism..."]

Whatever happens, I'm standing up to retain my liberty and the potential to help myself and others around me, rather than surrender it and be forced to rely on a power-hungry committee's rationing.

Part II

I must mention this absolute gem from Tony Blair (are all former leaders now automatically on some sort of advisory board for current leaders?): "The greatest entrepreneur I had the chance to meet was passionate about what he had created, not what he had accumulated," - speaking of course, of why it's okay to create a new financial order based on "values other than the maximum short-term profit."

Heh. In other words, "hope you're enjoying working, because we won't allow you to profit!"

No profits would be fine, except that those profits allow us to pay our rent, pay our medical bills, and buy our groceries.

Order your profit-free, power-mongering, global selves around as you please, Messrs. and Madame, but do NOT expand your influence on my family.

Free Speech in Russia

After violently suppressing freedom of the press, Putin is looking to silence ALL freedom of speech in Russia.

Any criticism of Russia's government would be treason, according to a bill he's sponsoring in the Russian Parliament.

Why?

Alexeyeva said the government was pushing the law quickly to head off possible protests resulting from the global financial crisis, which has hit Russia hard.

"The people ruling the government are afraid of the reaction of its citizens to their inability to cope with the crisis," she said.

This is a very, VERY bad thing. Fear on not only the citizens' part, but also the government's, is a powerfully dangerous ingredient to add to an easily-combustible situation.

Let's make sure that we stand up lest the same thing happen here; and pray for our brothers and sisters in Russia.

Yep, What They Said.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty published a full-page ad in the New York Times, decrying the recent anti-Mormon violence and intimidation after Proposition 8 passed in California (and similar measures passed elsewhere).

This probably means that the Times is pretty hard up for advertising revenue, but I appreciate their allowing its publication, all the same. *wink*

It's a beautiful thing when people of faith can unite to stand up for others' rights to speak and act according to their consciences; and if it continues, this cooperation has the potential to really help solve the root of a lot of our problems as a society by reorienting our priorities and encouraging civility and respect.

Here's to continuing "civil defense" of our rights!

Sexual Harassment... oh, you mean the *training*

Ever felt like you're being sexually harassed just sitting in sexual harassment "training?"

Well, this professor does (among other things), and he's refusing to attend.

He's even willing to lose his job and go to jail over it, if necessary. And I LOVE his statement:

"I have consistently refused to take such training on the grounds that the adoption of the requirement was a naked political act by the state that offended my sensibilities, violated my rights as a tenured professor, impugned my character and cast a shadow of suspicion on my reputation and career," McPherson told the Orange County Register.

Sing it, brother!!! (And I must say, he made a brilliant pun...)

More Good News from Iraq

Two more provinces handed over to Iraqi control!

I'm fairly late posting the news here, but it's GREAT news, nonetheless!!!

What Happens When You Don't Get Real Information

This woman - a daughter of former slaves - was able to vote yesterday. Her friends were more than happy to help her, and I would've done the same.

But I think I would've done more to educate her first, because here's what she had to say about why Obama's a good choice:

"Republicans don't care for the poor people," she said. "They want it all and they don't want the Democrats to have nothing."

Wow.

Where do you even start with that? This poor woman has been isolated and bombarded with defeatist, socialist propaganda for so long that she honestly believes what she's heard.

So do the majority of the people in this country, apparently. (Thanks, public schools...)

Now, I am sick of the constant Republican capitulation to socialism, and I don't consider myself a friend of the party. But I don't think that bad people in positions of power in either party want to do anything but enslave us. The socialist programs we already have, have done little but steal both property and accountability, making it harder for honest people to succeed, destroying families, and undercutting the foundation of our country.

Corrupt, power-hungry people are the ones who don't want us to have anything; and the more we rely on the government, empowering those who seek authority, the less we'll all have, indeed.

Good-night, Comrades.

I just can't filter out what to say.

This whole idea of "unity in support of our Constitution/government despite our differences" (two different things, I'd say...) is a bunch of nonsense.

I support the Constitution.

That IS my difference with our President-elect.

He will not have my support for unConstitutional policies. (Which, as I've heard them, is most of what he wants to do...)

Congress will not have my support for unConstitutional legislation.

Our government will have my support for Constitutional duties.

And I will remain civil.

Good-night, comrades.

Election Jitters

They're gone.

Up until last night, I was losing sleep over the consequences of this election, however it turns out. I knew in my head that we could survive whatever comes, but I didn't feel it.

But yesterday I decided my votes, and without getting into details, I felt good about them.

And I woke up peaceful today. It felt like a combination of some surreal experience and Christmas morning.

I voted, and whatever happens, my family will be okay. We'll keep fighting the good fight, and we'll be okay.

And Even Cindy Sheehan Has a Right to Speak (and Run)

... even though her HQ keep getting attacked.

That's just not cool. We should shut down the savages, not the candidates.

More Free Speech Issues

1. Obama boots opposition reporters from plane
   Hmm... yeah, that shows a willingness to "reach across the aisle"... not to mention a receptive attitude to different ideas from our "open-minded" candidate. Previous, SECOND shut-down effort on radio station hosting opposition here. And then there are his "truth squads."
   
2. Fairness Doctrine explained at Mormanity (and parallel drawn to religious freedom)
   Shows that - like most fascist schemes - it's not about "fairness" so much as shutting down opposition. From the article quoted in the article (in the house that Jack built):

   As Bill Ruder, an assistant secretary of commerce under President Kennedy, noted, "Our massive strategy was to use the Fairness Doctrine to challenge and harass right-wing broadcasters in the hope that the challenges would be so costly to them that they would be inhibited and decide it was too expensive to continue."

We're going to need to fight loud and hard if Obama gains the presidency, especially if Congress has a liberal supermajority. Political correctness eroded the foundation of free speech, and now this "outlaw speech" idea is being extended to attack and quash simple dissent.

Dissent - free political discourse - is what "free speech" in the First Amendment is really about; and if we lose our First Amendment rights, all others will follow.