RANT: “Plastic pitchforks”? DOn’t think so.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2009/04/astroturf-part-2.html

Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Astroturf, Part 2
Hank Kalet

*** begin quote ***

Thomas Frank knows about Republicans and populism.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123975925509119297.html

*** end quote ***

MY RESPONSE:

“Plastic pitchforks”?

I don’t think so. Admittedly I don’t know. It too could be another gigantic conspiracy.

But, I think not. For the first time in American history, the current generation in power is seeing — a lower standard of living for the next one, a dumbing down of “graduates”, and a net loss in their savings and earning power.

It makes me mad. It makes them mad. And, it scares the dickens out of everyone.

The political class, instead of providing leadership, has run around like chicken little spending money we don’t have to feather their own nests, reward their friends, and punish their enemies. Once again, the rich and powerful had their losses made good from the public treasury. Little people lost their 401ks and became the butt of late night comedian jokes about 201ks. At least, they noticed.

And don’t forget employment. We’ve gone from the 50’s America where it was possible for a high school student to earn a living wage on one salary to now, where to wage earners is barely enough to pay the taxes and stay solvent. Never mind live comfortably.

Astroturf?

I don’t think so.

And, it flows back into huge gooferments that suck up money like a vacuum cleaner. With bureaucrats that whine about 5 and 10% annual raises, lifetime health care, and artificially fattened pensions for their “lifetime” of “service”.

I think the “tea parties” are the undercurrent of political unrest that will make VietNam look like a walk in the park.

imho, but then I’m just one of those extremist vet that Nepaolitano and our version of the SS — Homeland Security — is watching out for. Got news for them, they could see a problem until it bites US in the A double Q!

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INTERESTING: Carla Howell delivered this speech on April 15, 2009 at the TEA Party Event in Boston

Thursday, April 16, 2009

The Forgotten Truth About the Original Boston Tea Party –
and Why We Desperately Need It Today
Written by Carla Howell and Michael Cloud

Carla Howell delivered this speech on April 15, 2009 at the TEA Party Event in Boston:

*** begin quote ***   

“I did NOT come here to Protest.

“I did NOT come here to try to change the minds of Democratic or Republican officeholders in Washington – or on Beacon Hill.

“I came here to change politics in America – just like the American Patriots who gave us the first Boston Tea Party.

“The Original Boston Tea Party was NOT a Protest.

“Let me say that again: the Original Boston Tea Party was NOT a Protest.

“The Patriots did NOT just hold up signs, give speeches, and complain.

“The Patriots stopped British ships from unloading Monopoly British Tea – their version of AIG.

“The American Patriots blocked the collection of taxes.

“That is why the Boston Tea Party mattered – and why we remember it today.

“Because it was direct political action, not just protest.

“And it was action that made government smaller.

“Those great American Patriots realized that what they said and what they wrote – changed nothing.

“But action changes everything.

“Not just any action. Action that shrinks Big Government.

“They were right!

“Deeds, NOT just words.

“Direct political action, NOT just protest.

“Action that moves us forward, that moves us closer to small government – NOT the no-win strategy of holding the line, or just opposing more Big Government.

“This is the lesson of the first Boston Tea Party.

“Now it is our turn to live the lesson.

“Let me ask you a few questions.

“Do you believe that the Wall Street bailout is insane?

“Do you believe that the massive federal government borrowing is hurting your business and your family?

“Do you believe that government is too big?

“Do you believe government debt is too high?

“Do you believe government spending is too high?

“Do you believe taxes are too high?

“Now let me ask you the questions inspired by the Original Boston Tea Party:

“Are YOU willing to take political action?

“Are YOU willing to END the Big Government Insanity – and start voting to make government smaller than it is today?

“Are YOU willing to vote against every Big Government candidate – in every election?

“Now here’s the really hard question: Are you willing to vote against them even when you hate the other Big Government candidate more?

“Are you willing to vote FOR small government candidates and FOR small government ballot initiatives?

“Most political candidates who tell you they’re against Big Government, who tell you they are for ‘smaller government’ talk your way — and vote the opposite. They vote for tax increases, debt increases, spending increases, and more Big Government programs. They vote for each year’s higher government spending. Their votes raise your taxes.

“The only way we can protect ourselves against these phonies and fakers is to ASSUME THAT EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL IN AMERICA IS GUILTY OF VOTING BIG GOVERNMENT – UNTIL OR UNLESS HE PROVES HIMSELF INNOCENT by showing you his voting record. By proving to you that he voted small government while in office.

“Are you willing to vote against every officeholder who refuses to show you their voting record?

“To reclaim the American Dream, we must vote out every Big Government officeholder in our federal, state, and local governments. Every one. Democrat AND Republican.

“But we must NOT stop there.

“We must vote FOR candidates who campaign for, promise, and vote to reduce and remove today’s Big Government social and economic programs – and GIVE BACK EVERY DOLLAR SAVED TO THE TAXPAYERS.

“We must vote for candidates who campaign for, promise, and vote to reduce and END government borrowing, reduce and remove government overspending and waste. Starting now. Small government candidates who will give back every dollar saved to the taxpayers.

“We must vote for small government candidates.

“We must vote FOR ballot initiatives that shrink Big Government.

“Candidates and ballot initiatives that cut orend taxes.

“Candidates and ballot initiatives that drive down today’s Big Government spending.

“Just protesting Big Government will nevergive us what we want. Voting against Big Government will. Voting FOR Small Government will.

“Every Election. Every time. No exceptions. No excuses.

“This is the ONLY way we can fulfill the promise of the Original Boston Tea Party.

“I’m Carla Howell. I head the Center For Small Government. We’re on your side. Please join us.

“Because ‘small government is possible’.”

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I’m proud to be of some modest assistance to a modern america freedom fighter. And, I’ve taken the Small Government Pledge.

http://www.centerforsmallgovernment.com/sgpledge.htm

Have you?

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200904160632.jpg


RANT: How do I acquire this “moral obligation”?

Thursday, April 9, 2009

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=93479

The moral dilemma of today’s statists
A Minority View Walter Williams
Posted: April 01, 2009

*** begin quote ***

There is neither moral justification nor constitutional authority for what amounts to legalized theft. This is not an argument against paying taxes. We all have a moral obligation to pay our share of the constitutionally mandated and enumerated functions of the federal government.

*** end quote ***

Unfortunately, I have to disagree with Professor Williams. I’m even further out on the Libertarian spectrum form him. I can refute his “moral obligation” with two words:

“Lysander Spooner”!

How is it I’m bound by what the DOWGs wrote before I was ever born?

And, that assumes that the Constitution in some way binds the gang in the District of Corruption!

Argh!

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MONEY: Leaving the American Dollar

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/g20-summit/5072484/Russia-backs-return-to-Gold-Standard-to-solve-financial-crisis.html

Russia backs return to Gold Standard to solve financial crisis

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Anything that moves the world off the US Dollar as the world’s reserve currency is going to hurt us. The Chinese alone are holding 5T$. What do they do? Obama’s deficits are 2T$ in 2009 alone. Who’s going to buy that debt?

As always, it’s posterity who is going to be left holding the bag.

What can us little folk do? Buy bullion gold coins, take delivery, and “bury” them at home as part of your “savings”. It’s the only investment option that gets you off the fiat currencies. Read about the pre-WW2 German inflation and the news reports out of Zimbabwe. It’s coming, the only question is when. Obama’s socialism and spending is going to make us all poorer, very quickly.

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INTERESTING: Counterfeit aka fiat money messes up all calculations

Thursday, April 2, 2009

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig9/shostak7.html

Would Cleansing Banks’ Balance Sheets Kick-start the US Economy?
by Frank Shostak

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Again, note that what makes the lending possible here is not money but the saved consumer goods. Money just serves here as a facilitator. Or we can say that the act of lending here is about the transfer of final consumer goods from lender to a borrower with the help of money.

The essence of credit will not be altered by the introduction of banks. Instead of lending money directly, John could now engage in lending through the intermediary. (John transfers his money to the bank. The bank lends the money to a borrower.)

Real savings determines the size of credit. What people really want is real stuff, i.e., real savings and not money as such. Hence, as long as banks facilitate credit that is fully backed by real savings, they should be seen as the agents in the transmission of wealth.

*** end quote ***

(Disclaimer: I’m an injineer that got D’s in economics.)

This little morality play about savings misses three factors that I think are significant.

The theft of money by inflation. It in effect “steals” from every dollar holder and acts as a hidden tax.

The interest rate controlled by the central bank “taxes” savings both when the rate is too high and too low.

The baker and all who consume bread are forced to “save” by virtue of these taxes.

When money is debased, all economic calculations are done with a “broken calculator”.

IMHO!

As I said I’m just a dumb old injineer!

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INTERESTING: Companies can move!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/03/welcome_to_the_new_houston_tx.html

March 17, 2009
Welcome to the new Houston, TX … Zug, Switzerland
Larrey Anderson and Otis Glazebrook

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Where does U.S. oil money go when Obama promises to punish the oil companies for excess profits? Reuters’ Sam Cage knows:

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What these socialists forget is that companies can site where ever they want. So guess what? Bye bye USA!

It’s the corporate version of a “tax revolt”. They don’t stand and fight. They run.

Unfortunately, it’s harder for real people. If I was a wee lad, I’d be off to NH with the Free State Project. http://www.freestateproject.org/ Before your “roots” harden you into the ground.

Churchill’s words echo hollow here in NJ, when do we fight? When it’s hopeless!

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INTERESTING: The time-honored and unchanging free-market principles needed

Sunday, March 15, 2009

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YTkzMzllNmE3MDM3NDhmMjcxZjA5MTE0OTk5NDJkODQ=

NRO BLOG ROW – THE CORNER – Wednesday, March 11, 2009

*** begin quote ***

Accordingly, conservatism will return to prominence when it uses time-honored and unchanging free-market principles to address new problems, and when it finds advocates who both are adept at communication with non-traditional audiences (e.g., why it is in the interest of African-Americans to be skeptical of abortion on demand, why Hispanic small-business people need to be wary of intrusive regulations, why Asian-Americans should fear affirmative-action-driven de facto racial quotas at the University of California, why talented teachers should not have to join bureaucratic, ossified unions, why today’s young people should not have to pay off Obama’s annual $1.7 trillion deficits, etc.) and believe in their message’s resonance, without trimming[?] for the applause of the moment.

*** end quote ***

As “conservatism” seeks to return us to the “classical liberalism” of the First American Revolution, a little L libertarian like myself can agree that it’s a good first step.

Unfortunately, for as smart as I feel the DOWGs were, and they were far smarter than I, and more courageous as well, I don’t think we can rewind the clock.

We have to take those “classically liberal” principles and move forward applying them to today’s problems.

Just as the King was rightly opposed as tyrannical, so to must we oppose the new “king” — the overpower all-encompassing gooferment.

Empowering the individual to make their own choices and bear the consequences of bad choices.

So, we have to have miniscule government. Close to the people. With it’s only mission being to protect the rights of individuals.

Argh!

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LIBERTY: Hold the ‘Catastrophe’: Obama Says He’s ‘Highly Optimistic’ About Economy

Friday, March 13, 2009

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96SP30G5&show_article=1

Obama: Economic crisis ‘not as bad as we think’
Mar 12 05:49 PM US/Eastern
By JIM KUHNHENN
Associated Press Writer

Hold the ‘Catastrophe’: Obama Says He’s ‘Highly Optimistic’ About Economy

*** begin quote ***

WASHINGTON (AP) – Confronting misgivings, even in his own party, President Barack Obama mounted a stout defense of his blueprint to overhaul the economy Thursday, declaring the national crisis is “not as bad as we think” and his plans will speed recovery.

Challenged to provide encouragement as the nation’s “confidence builder in chief,” Obama said Americans shouldn’t be whipsawed by bursts of either bad or good news and he was “highly optimistic” about the long term.

The president’s proposals for major health care, energy and education changes in the midst of economic hard times faced skepticism from both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, as senators questioned his budget outlook and the deficits it envisions in the middle of the next decade.

But Obama, speaking to top executives of the Business Roundtable, expressed an optimistic vision and called for patience.

*** end quote ***

Well, “they” have passed the PORKULOUS bill and the various versions of TARP.

Guess they have always stampeded us into giving up more of our money and our liberty.

So much for “change”. Guess I’ll just have to “hope”.

So what are they going to repeal and cut.

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MONEY: Inflation on the horizon!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

http://www.lewrockwell.com/buchanan/buchanan105.html

Pitchfork Time by Patrick J. Buchanan

*** end quote ***

Where the U.S. government usually consumes 21 percent of gross domestic product, this Obama budget spends 28 percent in 2009 and runs a deficit of $1.75 trillion, or 12.7 percent of GDP. That is four times the largest deficit of George W. Bush and twice as large a share of the economy as any deficit run since World War II.

Add that 28 percent of GDP spent by the U.S. government to the 12 percent spent by states, counties and cities, and government will consume 40 percent of the economy in 2009.

We are not “headed down the road to socialism.” We are there.

Since the budget was released, word has come that the U.S. economy did not shrink by 3.8 percent in the fourth quarter, but 6.2 percent. All the assumptions in Obama’s budget about growth in 2009 and 2010 need to be revised downward, and the deficits revised upward.

Look for the deficit for 2009 to cross $2 trillion.

*** end quote ***

I don’t know about anyone else, but I can’t afford the Obama budget!

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POLITICAL: Tax increases in a recession?

Sunday, February 22, 2009

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/21/AR2009022100911_pf.html

Obama’s First Budget Seeks To Trim Deficit
Plan Would Cut War Spending, Increase Taxes on the Wealthy
By Lori Montgomery and Ceci Connolly
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, February 22, 2009; A01

*** begin quote ***

President Obama is putting the finishing touches on an ambitious first budget that seeks to cut the federal deficit in half over the next four years, primarily by raising taxes on businesses and the wealthy and by slashing spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, administration officials said.

*** end quote ***

Companies don’t pay taxes; people do. So raising the corporate tax is essentially a tax increase for everyone; poor included.

Rich folks have the ability to defer income and shit it and even “coast”. Watch how revenues “fail to appear”!

Stupidity!

Ignores the lessons of Kennedy and Regan.

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