Spring Is Sprung

And my thoughts turn to things homestead related. Getting my yard and garden in order, planting, fertilising, mulching, cutting the grass, watching the kids play outside and all the things that go along with that. The grill has been used more of late than the stove, (altho, to tell the truth the grill gets used here year round, even in the deep snow) and will continue to be the most used cookery implement in our arsenal throughout the Spring and Summer. The asparagus is up and being consumed, the first things from the garden are a'sproutin' (the heirloom French Radishes) and long bouts of yard work allow me something that is often missing. A bit of extra time to think.

Puttering about I get to thinking about all sorts of things. How the state intrudes on even the simplest of activities and infringes upon my life at every turn, was a big one this weekend. One might think that gardening and tending to your homestead would be a symbol of freedom, (it is). Growing some of your food, tending to your own yard, doing something for in the name of self sufficiency. But, even in these simple activities the intrusions just get hammered home.

The fertiliser I spread this weekend is regulated to death because of the ingredients in it. The gas my lawn tractor uses has the filthy fingerprints of the state all over it, from the draconian over regulation of oil to the onerous taxation imposed on me every time I have to purchase more. I had to pay taxes on everything I used and will use from my seeds and manure to my shovel and wheel barrow. State and federal departments of agriculture had to approve my purchases and shipping of live plants. And, despite my repeated requests many of my products were placed in the incompetent "care" of the US Postal "Service". My iTunes were taxed and regulated, from the iPod itself, my net access, computer components to the tunes in my playlist.

Taxes, regulations, permissions and so many other intrusions along the production lines that it's impossible for me to list. And that doesn't even include the book length list of things that government forbids me to purchase, like DDT for my fruit trees and crawlspace. Gods forbid some asshat from the EPA shows up after a rain and declares a puddle out back a "wetland". I can't help but feel like Peter in "Office Space" , where government is concerned.

Peter Gibbons: And here's another thing, I have eight different bosses right now.
Bob Porter: Eight?
Peter Gibbons: Eight, Bob. So that means when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.

There's seemingly no escape where Cthulhu government is concerned, but I'll keep on trying. At least they won't be able to lay an additional tax on what finally comes from my garden or the German White Bier my wife brewed up yesterday. Not yet, anyway....and, as I don't drink the latter does me no good at all.

So, someone explain to me...again...that this is a free country? Is it? Or are we just revenue sources for the government?

Technorati Tags:
Libertarian, Politics, iPod
Freedom, Gardening

Government By Reaction

Well, yesterdays raids by the Department of Homeland Security managed to net about 1000 people around the nation who may, or may not be "illegal immigrants". They also managed to arrest a number of businessmen and management employees of IFCO Systems in order to extort fine the company up to $11,000 per illegal, plus punitive "damages". This is a prime example of what's wrong with government and with the Bush Administration Executive Branch in particular, (yes, even Clinton used this tactic). Media events to placate the masses and raise the Emperors Presidents Q Score with certain segments like the so-called "Values Voters" and other rank and file Republicrats, will only serve to make a confused situation worse.

With the Presidential Nielsen ratings in the crapper and the changes going on in the White House and new costs in Iraq coming forward something needs to be done to alleviate the Bush free fall. What could be more populist than rounding up illegals and arresting businessmen? The new Empire certainly has a way with Bread and Circuses, eh? Failing to realise that there are no easy answers to this issue is what dooms us to Jerry rigged solutions that only exacerbate the problems associated with immigration, legal or illegal. Populist answers are never the correct answer, no matter how loud the crowd screams.

I watched news footage of this event last night on NBC and was amazed at calmness displayed by the Hispanic workers as they were led away by armed and armoured Homeland Security Forces and placed on buses emblazoned with "HOMELAND SECURITY" on the sides. I find it chilling when the government sends its forces out and starts herding people into transports to drives them away, as one paper put it in their photo caption, "....and it was unclear where they were taken." I doubt I would be calm under the same circumstances given the history of organisations with names like Homeland Security.

I cannot help but wonder what the families of these people are thinking right now. It is certain that not all of them come from Mexico. Some probably come from countries where people who are taken by agents of the state are never seen again, what must they be thinking now? Will they ever see their loved ones again, especially if they are just summarily expelled from this country?

Perhaps the vociferous supporters of "immigration reform" and border sealing will see this as vindication of their stance and give them cause to accelerate their pograms programs. As with most issues ruled by the sentiments of the mob these people have failed to look beyond their emotions and consider cause and effect. The old saying about scaring a small man should always be remembered when you're dealing with a segment of a society that is that smallest man. What happens when you frighten 11 million people who live in a country where the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is sacred?

Some folks were edging away from a boycott on May 1st. What might have resulted in some peaceful protests may now likely be a face off between scared people, scared and outnumbered cops and Homeland Security goons. Needless to say, I will likely be staying close to home that day and hoping that sanity, rather than fear prevails. I will hope that pandering by the Values Voters and other shortsighted people is ignored by more rational elements on all sides and that Mr. Bush someone will come out and put a halt to actions like this.

As usual the armchair warriors refuse to see the myriad possibilities of their actions. Libertarians have long decried any mass roundups of "illegals" in this country, for many reasons, (despite what some nouveau-Libertarians would have us believe). One of these reasons is that, past a certain point you have the potential to throw your country into a state of internal warfare, where 11 million "illegals" versus an apathetic populace and a preoccupied military. Frighten a small man who only wants freedom and a better life and you have a recipe for disaster. Thanks a lot, Mr. Bush Mr. Chertoff. You've always had a real knack for doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. At least you and yours are consistant in your bad timing and incompetence.

Technorati Tags:
Immigration, Bush, Republican
Libertarian, Politics, News

Who's The Boss?

China is, in all likelyhood. Why else would the United States be keeping innocent Chinese Muslims locked up in the Guatanamo Bay Gulag? The US has known for a long time that these people are innocent and yet they refuse to release them, using excuses such as "There's no other country to take them". Well, here's a clue, comrades. Release them into the USA with just compensation for the segments of their lives you and your fellow tyrants have stolen in the name of your War on Terror.

Holding these people as they have been held looks bad for the US. It looks just like the communist Chinese are being pandered to by our government.

"Several countries have declined to accept the Uighurs for fear of drawing Beijing's ire."

Looks as if the US is one of those countries, eh? Cowardice in the face of adversity is nothing new for the government and bowing to their masters in Beijing seems to be de rigueur these days. It shows just how far we have come as a country when we are going out of our way to avoid angering communists. Combine this with the Supreme Courts refusal to act in accordance with the common decency and it truly shows where we're at as a country.

Technorati Tags:
China, Guantanamo Bay, Politics
Libertarian, War On Terror


More Pork From A Master Of Pork

Lott, that is...Trent Lott. Seems the good Senator wants to move the coastal railroad at enormous expense to the people who are forced to pay taxes. Who cares? It's just money, right? Not quite.
As some may know, I grew up in Gulfport, Mississippi and have more than a passing familiarity with that stretch of rail. Large portions of it pass through lower income neighbourhoods in the Biloxi and Gulfport area. Areas which have been slated by the powers that be for "renovation" for decades. Most of the people will be forced to make way for the new highway they wish to replace that stretch of rail with will have no recourse but to give in to the inevitable eminent domain seizures that will accompany Mr Lott's plan.

Replacing it with a highway will also result in an unintended consequence. The railway, as it stands now is raised up off the ground for long stretches. On average it is up to 3 feet, I would guess. This railroad track was responsible for blunting the damage that the tidal surge from Katrina wrought in Gulfport and other areas. The damage south of the track was almost total in many, if not most areas. North of that track the tidal surge damage was greatly reduced. Remove that track, replace it with a "scenic highway" and you'll not have that buffer the next time around.

Beyond the fact that this is just a huge waste of money, it is also unnecessary. I once told Trent Lott's son that I became a Libertarian in order to send folks like his dad back to their homes, where they could do no more harm to us. That still stands. As a Mississippian I can state that I am ashamed of Mr. Lott and his pork barrel ways. His constituency needs to send him back to Pascagoula so he can cease robbing the American taxpayers and replace him with someone who doesn't think the taxpayers are something to be squeezed like a lemon.

Technorati Tags:
Trent Lott, Republican, Mississippi
Hurricane Katrina, Eminent Domain

Have They No Shame?

Apparently not, at least not in the Bush White House, anyway. Having dispatched Condi Rice to drum up support for the impending conflict with Iran she landed in the African country of Equatorial Guinea to meet with their "president". Well, perhaps president isn't the correct word. Dictator, despot, tyrant...all these come to mind and none of them do justice to truth of the matter.

Seems like Condi needed a platform for a condemnation of Iran and its nuclear program, so she took the opportunity during her visit with Teodoro Obiang Nguema, dictator and world class brutality merchant. That sure makes a helluva statement, huh? My primary question is, "Why did she even go?" This is the type of person and government we should be shunning. Perhaps the Bush administration is looking for some political tips? Maybe they need a few death squads for the next "Coalition of the Willing"? Or maybesome poll watchers? Perhaps we're going to "do some business"? Stay tuned, folks.....

Technorati Tags:
Condoleeza Rice, Bush, Republican
Politics, Libertarian, Africa


On the Indiana Front

8,903 Indiana students have been victimized by Representative Mark Souder and the War on Drugs. Indiana leads the nation in denying financial aid to kids who have been convicted of a drug offence, according to a new story in the Indianapolis Star. Of course, these same laws do not apply to underage drinking, sex or anything else...just drugs. And, as we all know the drugs which make up the majority of these arrests is marijuana. Not heroin, crack, meth or Oxycontin. Most of these kids have been denied access to funding for simple possession of a weed. Way to promote that Republican agenda, Mr. Souder! Hopefully Mike Sylvester and the Allen County LP will field a candidate who can hammer Mr. Souder with this ugly fact and point up his anti-Liberty agenda and the wholesale theft of the futures of 8903 young Hoosiers . While I hold little confidence that they could defeat this man, I do believe that miracles sometimes happen!

Technorati Tags:
War On Drugs, Indiana, Republican
Libertarian, Mike Sylvester