Bill Of Rights Day

That time of year has rolled around once again. Today finds us looking at another Bill of Rights Day. This is a day which should be celebrated, but it won't be. It's a day when we should reflect on our individual liberties, but most will pay it no mind. Only a few of us out here in the aether of the blogosphere will even pay it homage, by mentioning it in a post or raising a glass to it.

It's rather difficult for most to work up the enthusiasm for a celebration of the document which theoretically reins in the powers of the government where our liberties are concerned. This grand old document has seen constant abuse and degradation at the hands of politicians, (both large and small), as well as the robed denizens of the courts. It's a wonder that anyone even deigns to mention it any more. Oh, sure. The press, that chosen class who strive daily in their task to tell us what we should think of certain issues, will occasionally mention their First Amendment Rights and the numerous violations of said right, but then they'll just turn around and call for the one of the other Enumerated Rights to be violated. All in the best interest of their readers, of course. Don't even get them started on the 2nd Amendment, unless you want to see wet panties and hanky wringing.

Today should be celebrated with great fanfare, fireworks and expressions of the very liberties enshrined in the venerable old document. Tonight the talking heads will appear on televisions across the nation and speak of many things. Their newly elected saviour, the economy, redistribution of wealth and myriad other topics. Nary a one will even mention that today is Bill of Rights Day. Well, I guess it's up to the rest of us to haul the weight. We'll mention it. Again and again. Until people are tired of it. Perhaps we'll mention Bill of Rights Enforcement and sound the call, now and again for the highest law of the land to be upheld without doubt or obfuscation, on a daily basis. Shoot, maybe they'd even deign to teach it in the government schools again.

Regardless of all of that, today is a day when we can take a few moments, at least, and honour the memory of those Founders who called for a Bill of Rights and then drafted it. To pay homage to the document itself and the principles it holds forth and to, once again, hold onto it dearly and do our best to see that it is upheld as it was intended to be upheld. As an inviolable shield betwixt the leviathan of government and ourselves. The BoR is not a limit on our Rights, regardless of what the politicians and their judges would have us believe.

Let us today ignore the petty tyrants and their bastard understandings of the truths of the Bill of Rights and hold our own celebrations, private or public. Let us refuse to be cowed by diffidence, ennui and the powers that be and stand proudly. Let us take a few moments of our day and re-read that Bill, refresh our current memory and validate that which we hold to be true. That we are sovereign individuals and we all possess Rights enumerated or not. Let us take a moment to remember that government has no Rights. Only the individual. And, regardless of what you may be told they may not be taken from you. You may only surrender them. Take a moment to reaffirm that you shall never surrender those Rights and will strive to enforce them when, where and how you wish. And, please take a few minutes and read it to your children. They need it just as much as we do, if not more.

Happy Bill of Rights Day.

Update: Needless to say, there are others out there writing on the subject, none quite so well as Mr. Vin Suprynowicz. Take a few minutes and read his writing on the subject. He does a great job, on this as well as many other subjects.

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Bill of Rights Day, Bill of Rights, Libertarian, Liberty

The Kings Largess

Just when we thought the tax slaves in the US would catch a break, after the Senate refused to acquiesce to the demands of the Big 3, comes late breaking word that King George may just go ahead and grant them the money anyway. Here we have yet another sign that the Republic is, if not dead, dying. The representatives of the people spoke, after hearing from the masses that there should be no further bailouts and now it looks as if the royal treasury will be tapped anyway to feed the rapacious unions that have successfully run the auto industry into the ground.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Under mounting pressure to act, the Bush administration said Friday it was ready to step in and prevent the U.S. auto industry from collapsing after the Senate refused to pass a rescue bill endorsed by the White House and congressional Democrats. The most obvious source of help was the Wall Street bailout fund.

"The current weakened state of the economy is such that it could not withstand a body blow like a disorderly bankruptcy in the auto industry," White House press secretary Dana Perino said.

Treasury spokeswoman Brookly McLaughlin said, "Because Congress failed to act, we will stand ready to prevent an imminent failure until Congress reconvenes and acts to address the long-term viability of the industry."

It is not the place of the Imperial Presidency or Congress to save every failing company. The airlines were allowed to fall into bankruptcy and restructure. They've managed to come out just fine. Allowing the market to work is what we want, not more debt piled atop the trillions of debt already accrued.

What will it take till the powers that be realise that the mechanisms are in place to insure an orderly restructuring of the auto industry? It's called bankruptcy and, if it's allowed to work the auto industry will be better off than if they are nationalised. His Majesty the King needs to be reminded that he works for "We The People", not for industry or special interests or unions. Especially, unions. This country threw off the yoke of one king. We did not do so in order to be saddled with another. George Bush said, in the past, that he believed in the free market. It's long past the time he stepped up and put words into action. Or inaction, as the case may be.

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Bailout, Politics, George Bush, Big 3

A Good Start To Every Day

They say that a good breakfast is the best way to start the day. I have a better recommendation, tho. Good news came this morning from Indiana's next door neighbour, Illinois. It looks like their criminal in chief governor has managed to go and get himself arrested by the Feds.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on charges of conspiring to get financial benefits through his authority to appoint a U.S. senator to fill the vacancy left by Barack Obama's election as president.

According to a federal criminal complaint, Mr. Blagojevich also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co., the owner of the Chicago Tribune, in the sale of Wrigley Field. In return for state assistance, Mr. Blagojevich allegedly wanted members of the paper's editorial board who had been critical of him fired.

Mr. Blagojevich also was charged with using his authority as governor in an attempt to squeeze out campaign contributions.

Mr. Blagojevich's chief of staff, John Harris, also was arrested.

Federal agents were in Mr. Blagojevich's office in the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago on Tuesday morning.

Imagine my complete and utter lack of surprise. What are the odds that a Chicago, Illinois politician is corrupt? What are the odds that any politician is corrupt? Pretty good, all in all, wouldn't you say? The fact that its Blagojevich makes this all the more delicious, if only for his anti-2nd Amendment stances. One can only wish that the powers that be would add the charge of violation of oath of office to the list of charges.

This makes 2 in a row for Illinois, given that their last governor is still behind bars for essentially the same crimes as Illinois' latest ruler. Maybe the people there will get lucky and they'll replace him with nobody. Naw, no-one could get that lucky. This is a good start, tho. Maybe we could make a new policy and arrest at least one politician per day? I'd be happy to provide a list of people to be removed from office and placed behind bars. Of course, it would clear out most of the Democrats in the House and Senate from the top down. Then we could get to work on the Republicans. Hmmm...maybe we could make the job so risky that no-one would want to do it. Ah, well. A guy has to have a dream.

Wonder what the Lightbringer will have to say about this, considering it was his seat that the governor was trying to sell? I also can't help but wonder what, if anything, he might have had to do with this and how he'll spin it to grab credit? We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

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Politics, Blagojevich, Libertarian, Illinois

Goodbye To Forry

Forest Ackerman has died at the age of 91. Those of us who have long been Science Fiction and Horror fans remember Forry from our youth when he was highly active in the genre. He helped bring us expansive series like Ace's "Perry Rhodan" and Famous Monsters of Filmland amongst many things. I always looked forward to the latest installment of Perry or Monsters when I was younger and Forry never failed to provide. His dedication to the genre introduced no small number of us to space opera and the classic monsters of Hollywood. We owed Forry an unpayable debt for that.

Forry will be sorely missed. There were very few people like him and even fewer that could hold a candle to his achievements. The world is diminished by his loss. I'll certainly miss him.

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Science Fiction, Forrest J. Ackerman