Congress To Bush: "Bite Me!"

In a show of unbridled fiscal irresponsibility and hubris the US Senate passed (77-21) spending bill that has as much pork as Big Bob Gibson's in Decatur, Alabama and in doing so risks the non-threat of a Presidential Veto from George "I Never Met A Bill I Didn't Sign" Bush. In a fit of fiscal nanny-statism the electorally invulnerable Senators went on a spending spree and gifted the victims of government taxation with a $109 Billion bill.

Will Dubya veto this? Doubtful. He hasn't vetoed anything else while he's been playing tiddly winks in the Oval Orifice. This bill will just be one more chance for him to practice signing his name, again. The fact that the Senate passed this bill is a sure sign that they are counting on the complete ignorance and gullibility of the people who will go out and vote on November 2nd. Like electoral lemmings they will head to the booths and "do their duty" and pull their little levers, be they Red or Blue. The Senators, due to the nature of the American voters are the Congressional equivalents of Supermen and Women. They are bullet-proof and we will see that fact play out in November (for those facing re-election).

And, not to be outdone the House passed a bill authorising $7.4 Billion for "Port Security". Inspired by the events they have seen on "24" the House ran to spend non-existent funds to safeguard our ports from "terrorists". Of course there's nothing in the legislation to protect us against the wily Chinese who happen to run our West Coast ports, eh? As much as I despise the War on Drugs I want these people tested! Right Freaking Now!

We are not money trees to be shaken down whenever you asshats want to go shopping! E-Friggin'-nough already!

"Let them march all they want, as long as they continue to pay their taxes."-Al Haig

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Libertarian, Republican, Democrat, Senate
Politics, Congress


In Other Good News

Porter Goss finally resigned as head of the CIA. I can't help but wonder what kind of Black Bag uber-Republican will be appointed by Bush to replace him? Maybe they'll shift Donald Rumsfeld over to fill the slot. That should make things more interesting in Gitmo than they are now, huh?

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CIA, Porter Goss


On The Liberty Music Front

The guys over at Hammer of Truth posted a link to a Maryland based band called "The Federalists". These guys really remind me of the Ramones, in a way. The sound is definitely punk, (which I don't mind) and the album is a free download. Definitely worth a listen! I've paid for worse music and this at least fits the bill for my Liberty oriented music movement. These guys do a good job! Now if they can just get on iTunes!

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iTunes, Music, The Federalists

So, I Was A Bad Citizen

I didn't go out and vote in the sham primary election yesterday, despite calls from my favourite local candidate. And you know what? I really don't feel bad about it. Oh, I thought about going out and doing it...for about 2 minutes. Then I regained my sanity, turned up the radio in the 4-Runner and got over it. Instead, I mowed the homestead, murdered some dandelions, gave my youngest a ride on the mower (she loves "driving" the lawn tractor), tried a new Root Beer and felt at peace with the world. Life is good.

Would going out and voting in the tax dollar funded primary have made a bit of difference? Nope. I don't vote for Republicans or Democrats, just as I wouldn't cast a ballot for a member of the Communist or Nazi Parties. Ever. By not participating in their dog and pony show, which cost the people of this state 10's of millions of dollars, (if not more) that could have been better utilised (or returned) I cast a ballot for "None of the Above"...my favourite candidate.

There were no Libertarians on the ballot, in any way shape or form. No issues. Nothing to even inspire me to waste a minute of my time and give someone else the satisfaction of having yet another drone citizen person do their "civic duty". Judging by the results I saw in my local paper this morning the primary went exactly as I figured it would. Anyone who had even let the words "fiscal responsibility", "eminent domain" or "small government" slip from their lips got tossed to the side, as the Brownshirts rank and file got out and did the bidding of their party leaders. Incumbents were overwhelmingly returned to office or given the nod to run again in the fall. It's rather to hard to work up any enthusiasm when duh masses are content with the status quo.

They like big, expensive, intrusive, nanny-state government at all levels. Saves them the trouble of thinking and accepting responsibility for themselves. I hold out little hope that there will ever be any substantive change, at any level in this country. The "slippery slope" away from liberty and freedom has become a cliff and the lemmings are rushing, full tilt down the slope to the edge, careless of those they are trampling or carrying along in the rush.

Now that this is over and the yard signs are coming down the whores candidates can start gearing up for the November elections. If there aren't any worthy Libertarians on that ballot, I figure there'll at least be some leaves that need collecting, a little girl who needs swinging or a Root Beer that needs tasting. All in all a better use of my time.

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Libertarian, Politics, Election, Indiana

So, Just Who Is The Evil Empire?

Ronald Reagan said it was the Soviets. George W. Bush said it was an International Triumverate that included Iran, North Korea and the nation formerly known as Iraq, (apparently known now as Neuvo Vietnam, Quagmire or Chaosistan) and called the "Axis of Evil". I think a sadder and more truthful answer to that may be found in the words of the renowned Southern philosopher Pogo, when he said, "We have met the enemy and he is us."

I cannot help but come to this conclusion given the facts that lie in plain sight. I wasn't against the initial War on Terror that went after Osama and his ilk. On 9/11 I remember turning to my father, as we sat in the ICU Unit waiting room while my mother was dying and saying, as I watched the 2nd plane slam into the WTC, that it was a terrorist attack and that someone was going to pay dearly for that crime. And they should have. With a rational leadership in this country Osama and his ilk would all be taking dirt naps right now and we wouldn't be embroiled in the beginnings of what looks to be shaping up to become a new World War, one being instigated by our own government.

When we "liberated" Iraq it should have been painfully obvious that we had not only lost our way, but were lashing out in the wrong direction. Contrary to the Bush administrations protestations that this would bring stability to the region we see that it has done the opposite. Terrorism has escalated in that region and around the globe and Iraq is far from stable and could very well be looking at a new Iran/Iraq conflict, as Iranian troops are reportedly massing along the border, conducting raids in Kurdistan. The "government" in Iraq is just a corrupt, inept extension of what it was before, except these people have the blessing and annointing of the US and even links to Shiite Iran, by many accounts.

Iraqi Army recruits are voicing their displeasure at being sent away from their provinces, families and homes. I can't say that I blame them, either. In a country embroiled in sectarian fighting, daily acts of terrorism and chaos I would be loath to travel far from my home and loved ones, as well. Add to this the prospect of a war between the 150,000 American troops and gods only knows how many Iranians and their allies and there is no reason to expect an Iraqi Army to perform as commanded. It won't be their fight, will it?

The international community, led by the US is at this moment debating the fate of Iran and taking the decision to use force to bend them to their will, all because they fear Iran may someday create a nuclear weapon with uraniun which Iran says they are enriching as a nuclear power source. The IAEA issued their report last week and sent "diplomats" scurrying to craft a new policy with which to bludgeon Iran into submission.

The worst part of this debacle is that the Bush Administration has managed to place itself in the role of Nuclear Terrorist by threatening the use of nuclear weapons in any conflict with Iran. The Iranian's, logically enough have now called for the UN to sanction the US for its violations of UN treaties and international law. Honestly, I cannot say that I disagree with them on this. We are the only country which has ever used nuclear weapons in a conflict and now we have an administration in command which seemingly wishes to use them again, or at least the threat of them as a political lever. That is a textbook definition of terrorism by any sane persons standard.

All the posturing and bully boy attitudes on all sides are likely leading us to a place from which it shall be hard to retreat. With the "leaders" of the two major teams in this conflict being adherents of apocalyptic religious fundamentalism, the US and millions of others are being forced into a global game of chicken with Iran. There can be no winners in a game such as this and the harm it is doing to our country is going to be difficult to recover from. When the US starts to look and sound like the USSR it becomes clear that communist doctrine may well have won the Cold War, after all. We are becoming the new Evil Empire for the 21st century and it is an ugly, ugly thing, folks.

An American Hegemony backed by threats of nuclear annihilation is repugnant to every concept that this country was founded upon. The fact that so many people out there are seemingly supportive of this, (lead by the voices from their radio's) speaks volumes about the state of our "union" and its sanity.

(Thanks to Bill St. Claire for posting the link to Baghdad Burning).

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Libertarian, Iran, Bush, Politics

New Hampshire REAL ID Opponents Make The News

As if the fine people of New Hampshire hadn't already made this bit of news in the Libertarian Blogosphere already. But, it truly warms the heart and gives you a modicum of hope when you see anti-REAL ID news in a major format like the Washington Post. Now, if we can just get more people motivated to fight this monstrosity we might just stand a chance against ever strengthening police state in this country.

When we have states like Indiana, which go forth and adopt the REAL ID standards far ahead of their implementation date it bodes ill for those of us who wish to remain free and unencumbered by internal passports. I found it interesting that the article in the Post mentioned New Hampshire Senate President Theodore L. Gatsas' (R) concerns:

....said he's worried about what will happen if the rest of the country doesn't follow New Hampshire's lead and his state's residents suddenly need a passport to get on domestic flights.

Perhaps someone should point out to the good Senator that, under the RID Act his fellow New Hampshirites(?) will have to present their National ID to board anyway, just as they do now, by secret Executive command.

He fails to think of all the good that will come of Federal denial of access. If they are forbidden to receive government assistance, such as Medicare and Social Security then the people of New Hampshire will have the right to not pay into those ponzi schemes systems. Denial of access to federal systems was the stick for this travesty just as fear and runaway nationalism were the rotten carrot. That and unfunded promises of money for states that lined up and did as they were told.

My state has the misfortune of having a Bush crony and former staff member as governor, so you can be sure that Indiana sat up and begged like the good red dog it is. Perhaps this event in New Hampshire will inspire heretofore silent Libertarian candidates to find their voices and speak out against REAL ID before its cancerous tendrils have gained a terminal grip upon us. I have little hope of seeing that, tho.

Kudos to the stalwarts of the Granite State! I wish there were more like you who embraced the "Live Free Or Die" motto, we'd be much better off.

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REAL ID, Libertarian, New Hampshire, Politics

Bush As Tyrant

I really hate it when a piece of news breaks on the weekend, too many people never see it and it is picked up by very few ancillary news organs. This is the case with a piece by Charlie Savage at the Boston Globe, which I happened to find originally in the Indianapolis Star, (a Midwest Gannett cage liner), on Bush and his Executive signing statements which serve to establish a de facto tyranny in this country. He has used these statements to circumvent Congress, our Republic and the law at least 750 times, serving to further the destruction of the Republican form of government which we supposedly have in this country.

Everytime he has set pen to one of these statements he has set himself above the law and spat in the face of Congress, the Courts, The Founders, The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the people of this country. Yet, too many people refuse to recognise the depravity of this administration and look at what George Bush is doing.

Yes, there are cries from certain corners to impeach Mr. Bush and there can be little doubt that he is deserving of it for his actions. But, Mr. Bush is also guilty of rendering aid and comfort to the the enemies of our country, its way of life and its form of governance by his continued destruction of the Republican form of government gifted us by our Founders. When one sets out to seize power in such a way that the very fabric of our nation is torn asunder, then the charge should not be something minor, as impeachment would lay upon the man. An Executive may be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanours but that may serve only to have them removed from office. Is that truly a just verdict for anyone who has damaged the very core of our nation and laid the groundwork for tyranny? Impeachment, something unlikely given the makeup of the Senate should be no more than a prelude to strip Executive Immunity from the officeholder in question; prior to being tried for the greater crime of treason.

Look to a list of some of his usurpations and tell me, in all good faith that he has not recreated many, if not most of the same complaints which our forefathers cited in our Declaration of Independence. If you cannot see them then I suggest that you have fallen victim to propganda and government school indoctrination. If these signing statements fail to anger you then you are probably part of the problem and not the solution.

"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you and may posterity forget that ye were once our countrymen."-- Samuel Adams

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Bush, Politics, Libertarian, Republican
Movment of the Libertarian Left