Category Archives: Liberty

Scott Walker: Wisconsin Recall

Posted on June 5, 2012 | Leave a comment

On almost double the volume today Intrade has Walker at 93% and going away …

Maybe the good people of Wisconsin really do understand that what he did has helped the state save money and save jobs.  Let’s hope so.

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Posted in Elections 2012, Government, Liberty

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Scott Walker: Wisconsin Recall

Posted on June 5, 2012 | 2 comments

Tonight is Wisconsin Eve.  The whole nation is watching the freakin’ Cheese Heads to see which way they’ll go.  Tomorrow is the recall election of Governor Scott Walker.

We all know the issues, we’ve all listened to the talking heads from both sides and most likely, we’ve all made up our minds.  I know I have; it was over before it started.  But what interests me is not only who SHOULD win, but who WILL win.

And I think I gotta give the edge to the Democrats.

The unions are going to be out in full force.  They’re gonna have every member from Green to Bay out shaking voters from anywhere they can find ’em.  Walker’s going away in the polls, but Barrett has the built in “feet on the street.”

I give it to the Unions by 3 points.

Sigh.

 

 

 

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Posted in Elections 2012, Liberty, Politics: National

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Government Regluations: New York Soda

Posted on June 1, 2012 | 8 comments

By now we’ve all heard about Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to ban large sizes of drinks that are high in sugar or calories.  This would include soda, energy drinks and sweetened teas.

New York City plans to enact a far-reaching ban on the sale of large sodas and other sugary drinks at restaurants, movie theaters and street carts, in the most ambitious effort yet by the Bloomberg administration to combat rising obesity.

The proposed ban would affect virtually the entire menu of popular sugary drinks found in delis, fast-food franchises and even sports arenas, from energy drinks to pre-sweetened iced teas. The sale of any cup or bottle of sweetened drink larger than 16 fluid ounces — about the size of a medium coffee, and smaller than a common soda bottle — would be prohibited under the first-in-the-nation plan, which could take effect as soon as next March.

This has to be a clear cut example of what the government CAN do, but what it SHOULDN’T do.  There’s no question that American are getting bigger and becoming obese at alarming rates.  There is no question that eating/drinking less garbage and working out more often would greatly contribute to reducing this problem.

However, at some point, there has to come a time when the government oversteps its bounds.  Are we really ready to accept living in a state where the state can dictate such personal freedoms?  Perhaps we are.  We already accept the fact that we can’t smoke in certain places.  We acknowledge and accept that the government can dictate seat belts and motorcycle helmets.

As much as I’m appalled at the regulation of soda-pop, I am equally sure that most of our citizens will accept it and we can just chalk it up to another example of people eschewing personal liberty in the name of removing any semblance of personal responsibility.

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Posted in Government, Idiots on Parade, Liberty, Life, Politics: National, States Behaving Badly

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Snips And Snails And Puppy Dog Tails

Posted on May 31, 2012 | 4 comments

The word out of Texas is that we have a Planned Parenthood employee assisting a mother in mapping out a plan on what she should do if her child is a girl instead of a boy.

Now, to be clear, I don’t care if the employee knew or didn’t know she was being filmed or set up.  The reaction is what I’m interested in.

If you support abortion, that is the ability of a mother to choose to have or not have the “thing” that grows in her, can you reasonably support a law that bans that mother’s choice based on the future sex of that “thing?”

I don’t think you can.

An that begs the question.

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Posted in Liberty, National

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Wisconsin: Recalling Governor Walker

Posted on May 30, 2012 | Leave a comment

We all know the story. The elections of 2008 led to the elections of 2010.  And the 2010 elections were of epic proportions.  Republicans on the federal and state levels dominated and it ushered a new world order in many governing bodies.  Here in North Carolina we see the first republican controlled senate and house for the first time in  more that 100 years.  And in Wisconsin, we see a republican governor, a republican senate and a republican house.

Some excellent things were about to happen.

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Posted in Liberty, Politics: National

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Free Market: Airplane Style

Posted on May 22, 2012 | 7 comments

How many times have I been flying and need to get off that plane to make my gate?  Plenty.  And how many times did I muse, “I’d pay $50 to be that first guy off?”

Again, plenty.

And, as is the case with me, I began to imagine a world where the seats in a plane could be offered on the open market.

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Posted in Economics, Liberty

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Voter ID Laws And Shoes And Other Foots

Posted on May 8, 2012 | Leave a comment

Today North Carolina voted on “Amendment One”.  This is the constitutional amendment that would define marriage as the union between one man and one woman.  It bans gay marriage.  In fact, some feel that the amendment is written such that it bans civil unions between men and women as well.  I’m not so sure about that, but it’s possible.

Anyway, an interesting con-flux occurred tonight.

It involves primary voting, age and fraud.  All the best election night news.

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Posted in Government, Liberty, Politics: National, Politics: North Carolina

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Amendment One: Role Of The State

Posted on May 8, 2012 | 2 comments

I was thinking about the whole debate and then the vote on North Carolina’s gay marriage amendment today.  One of the most interesting realizations was the number of liberals who voted with me today.

Think about it.  I’ve been advocating Liberty, real individual Liberty free of state coercion, for years now.  I’m as for two gay men getting married as I am for the owner of a bar refusing to serve those two gay men.  I’m as for the right to open a barber shop without a barber’s license as I am for allowing people to suffer the consequences of not obtaining health insurance.

Quite simply, I have a long standing history of advocating for the Liberty of the individual.  The Left most certainly does NOT.

The left clearly advocates for the state to intervene to feed people.

The left clearly advocates for the state to house people, to send people to college, to provide medical care and retirement.

The left is ALL about the state controlling people’s lives and restricting individual Liberty until the Statue of Liberty herself pukes.  The idea of Liberty to the Leftist is foreign and on that is despised and feared.

Why is it then, that now, in this debate, the Leftist resonates with the Libertarian?

Fascinating.

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Posted in Fun, Liberty

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Gay Marriage In NC: Amendment One

Posted on May 8, 2012 | 6 comments

 

Sadly I am afraid that Amendment 1 will pass in North Carolina.  This is the amendment to the state constitution that defines marriage between one man and one woman to be the only recognized union in the state.  I’m distressed by this outcome.  I’m distressed that a segment of the population of my state would look to restrict the liberty of another segment.

I get the arguments.  I understand that Christians may feel that homosexuality is a sin.  I get that people think the point of marriage is to generate children.  I get all that.  But even if it’s true, even if being gay is a sin, that isn’t the litmus we use to pass legislation.

I am VERY clear that taking the Lord’s name in vain is a sin.  Yet none of us would think to legislate that into law.  Again, I am sure that failing to keep the sabbath holy is a sin, yet again, we wouldn’t dream of codifying it.

The fact that a thing is, or MAY be a sin, simply isn’t reason enough to erect state laws.

With that said, in my disappointment in my state, I find the process fascinating.  There are things that a state can do that the federal government can’t.  And regulating marriage is one of those things.  A state may decide that the age of consent is 16, or 17 or 18.  That state may allow exceptions with parental consent.

Some states require blood tests.  Test to determine if the betrothed carry infectious disease.  Or are related.  States get to regulate marriage.  And though I don’t agree with that regulation, it would seem that the proponents of the amendment followed the process.  They petitioned the government.  That government listened and struck an amendment that made its way to the ballot.  And, if the polling is right, will pass.

States have the right to regulate things in a way and manner that the federal government does not.

And here is where I’m conflicted.  I certainly hope that the courts take this up and rule that the amendment isn’t valid.  We simply can’t stipulate advantage for one group of people over another.  On the other hand, the people of the State of North Carolina have spoken.  Perhaps we are obligated to live with the unfortunate consequences.

If only we had done the right thing and voted this thing down.

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Posted in Government, Liberty, Politics: North Carolina, Republicans Can Be Leftists Too

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The Free Market

Posted on May 1, 2012 | 6 comments

Man is self interested.  This may, or may not, cause concern.

In the history of all the world, man has been most prosperous when he has been most free.

Free to own property.

Free to sell his labor.

Free to sell his products.

Free to sell his land.

Only in those places where government restricts man’s ability to engage in free trade is he most enslaved.

Vote Obama.  Vote dependency.  Give away your life.

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Posted in Liberty, Politics: National

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