Category Archives: Liberty

Wisconsin Collective Bargaining Law: Upheld

Posted on June 14, 2011 | 3 comments

This just in:

Madison – Acting with unusual speed, the state Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to all but end collective bargaining for tens of thousands of public workers.

The court found a committee of lawmakers was not subject to the state’s open meetings law, and so did not violate that law when they hastily approved the measure and made it possible for the Senate to take it up. In doing so, the Supreme Court overruled a Dane County judge who had struck down the legislation, ending one challenge to the law even as new challenges are likely to emerge.

More thoughts later tonight.

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Posted in Government, Liberty, Lobby/PAC, Politics: National

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NY Democrats Get It Right On Abortion

Posted on June 9, 2011 | 6 comments

I often hammer the Left.  And for good reason.

However, I don’t work hard enough to hammer the Right when they are wrong or praise the Left when they are right.  [hee hee].

I wanna work on that, and so, to this end, I support the pro-choice legislation introduced by the 2 NY senators.

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Posted in Liberty, National

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The Middle Class – Part II

Posted on June 6, 2011 | 4 comments

The middle class. The Great MC.

What is it, how is it defined? Is it growing? Shrinking? Is it, more importantly, being exploited by the rich and the powerful to enable their largess?

Is Obama right? Is it true, in fact, that the folks-the “Us”- are being used and manipulated in some grand game to keep the rich richer?

For me, the rhetoric needs substance; needs some form of validation. There has to be some means by which the idea has a backdrop to judge the truth. There has to be a definition of the middle class that we can use to see if, in fact, what is being said is true. Or not true. And for me, it comes down to two things:

  1. The earnings of the middle class.
  2. The life style, or things, that the middle class can buy.

So, let’s take a look:

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Posted in Economy, Liberty, Middle Class, Politics: National

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Too Much Government Regulation

Posted on June 3, 2011 | 8 comments

Think government isn’t broken?

Think government can fix all our problems?

Even if it can’t fix ’em ALL, folks STILL think that government can generally do better than the public sector can do.  Why this is true baffles me.  Some folks claim that corruption reigns supreme in the private sector and is therefore blemished.  Other folks think that profit reigns supreme in the private sector [and I think it does] and THAT makes the system inefficient.

Whatever it is, the idea that government can “do better than the private sector is one of the deepest misguided beliefs in human thinking.  The government CAN’T operate more efficiently than the private sector.

And here is proof via Coyote Blog.

For a few years, Mike Haege’s sister lived in north Minneapolis. He knows the neighborhood at least a little bit, and when a tornado tore through the area on Sunday, May 22, he took notice.

On the news he saw trees strewn about lawns and streets. Then inspiration struck. He wanted to help. His schedule for Monday, May 23, was wide open. And, since he operates Custom Cut, a tree trimming business here, he figured his services could be put to good use.

Now check this out:

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8 Comments

Posted in Government, Liberty, Politics: National, States Behaving Badly

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Philadelphia Cops vs. The Citizen

Posted on May 22, 2011 | 6 comments

Woe to the citizens of Philadelphia if you are acting within the constraints of the law AND the cops don’t like know that law.  At least that’s the message from the cops when it comes to citizens excercising their right to carry a gun.  In full sight.  With a permit.

You see, it seems that cops in Philly are able to decide their own laws OR they don’t feel the need to know/abide by laws on the books.

Consider Mark Fiorino and his recent run in with the law:

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6 Comments

Posted in Government, Liberty, Politics: National, States Behaving Badly

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When You Bed With Leftists Expect Leftist Reactions: California and Facebook

Posted on May 19, 2011 | 9 comments

Zuckerberg.  Facebook.  Obama.  Taxes.

When you’re “cool with that” make sure you’re really REALLY cool with that.

Cause if you ain’t, life is a bitch!

California SB 242, proposed by Sen. Ellen Corbett, would force social networks like Facebook to allow parents access to their child’s account(s) and, more importantly, force all privacy settings to their maximum level by default. Parents can request that images or text be removed from any social network page “upon request … within 48 hours upon his or her request.”

Here’s the interesting part: any social network failing to perform these duties will get hit with a $10K fine per incident.

LOL.  I mean; LMFAO!

10k a pop.  Can you imagine what the folks at facebook.com are thinking as they read this news?

The details are incredible.  The chance of fraud unreal.

I just hope that Facebook can learn a valuable lesson here.

When you deal in the gutter with Liberal Leftists, expect those Liberal Leftists to ACT like Liberal Leftists!

Facebook to allow parents access to their child’s account(s) and…request that images or text be removed from any social network page “upon request … within 48 hours upon his or her request.

10k

$10,000

10,000 clams

per “clam”.

Go ahead Zuck, tell me how “cool with that” you are now!

9 Comments

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

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Gay Marriage: Government Is Getting Closer

Posted on May 17, 2011 | 4 comments

To be sure, there’s a lot of work to be done.  But the “state” is getting closer and closer each passing year.

We’re seeing courts rule that gay marriage is protected; is a civil right.  To restrict the contract of marriage at a state or government level is simply not consistent with the role of that state.  We wouldn’t expect governments to restrict marriage within the context of religion.  Nor do we expect the state to restrict marriage on the basis of race.

It is with that in mind that I applaud the Navy in their decision:

The Navy will allow its chaplains to officiate same-sex marriages once the military’s ban on gay marriage is officially lifted this summer, according to a new memo written by Navy’s head chaplain, Rear Admiral Mark Tidd.

…

The memo reads: “Regarding the use of base facilities for same-sex marriages, legal counsel has concluded that generally speaking, base facility use is sexuality orientation neutral. If the base is located in a state where same-sex is legal, then base facilities may normally be used to celebrate the marriage.”

Awesome!

It’s about time.

And not only did the Navy get it right on the brush strokes, but they got some details down too:

Navy marriages on Navy bases typically involve Navy Chaplains, but the memo goes on to say the chaplains involvement is not mandatory and he or she could decline to participate if gay marriage is not “consistent with the tenets of his or her religious organization.”

I firmly believe this decision is consistent with the idea of extending personal Liberty to all.  Why in the world do we think the state ought restrict a legally binding contract enacted by two adult and consenting human beings?  Liberty means Liberty.  Even if, in fact, especially when, you may not agree with the application of such Liberty.

And for the religious conservative – Should the state forbid the marriages of atheists?

4 Comments

Posted in Liberty, Politics: National, Republicans Can Be Leftists Too

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The Middle Class – Part I

Posted on May 17, 2011 | 3 comments

For a long time now I’ve been interested in “The Middle Class”, or as I call it, The Big MC™ .  What it is, what it means and how it’s been used over the years. My fascination comes from two sources; my own personal experience and then the use of The Big MC in today’s Liberal shaping of the term.

America’s greatest allure is that through the promise of Liberty any individual is able to achieve that goal of leaving the days of back breaking labor to the days of our fathers and giving a better life to our children. It is our birthright as a nation that our citizens are able to have a better tomorrow rather than a better yesterday. It’s our hope, our collective yearning, that our drive to and from the salt mines will bring better days, has framed our national dialogue.

It is both ironic and horrifying that the same should be used as a wedge to drive us apart and serve to prevent that very dream from it’s manifest.

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Posted in Economy, Liberty, Middle Class, Politics: National

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Rand Paul, Right To Health Care And Slavery

Posted on May 14, 2011 | 5 comments

What does it mean to have a Right?  What is Liberty?

The answer to that question is fundamental to our nation; to how we see ourselves not only in this world, but in this creation.

What is it that we have a Right to?  What thing, what state of being, do we own simply by being alive?  What is it that is ours BEFORE the state? What is that thing, or group of things, that belongs to us not because of the state, but in spite of the state?

For me, that answer is simple.  It’s me.  My own self.  THAT is mine before the state.

And who would argue that defending myself, legally or forcefully, is not my right?

I am sovereign to myself.  I belong to me and my labor belongs to me.

Men erect governments not to reduce this natural or divine state of being, but to protect it.  We create relationships to assist in that protection.  We do not enter into a bond to reduce those things, but to enhance those things.  In short, it is the role of the state to maximize my sovereign right to myself; my Liberty.

In that context, I do NOT have a right to running water.  Rather, I have the right to expect water to be provided in the event I enter into a legally binding contract to procure that water for an agreed upon price.

So, know that we know what the state Ought do, does this make better sense?

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Posted in Health Care, Liberty

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When Does It End?

Posted on May 13, 2011 | Leave a comment

I mentioned the other day, I like going to the YMCA The Y.  I used to go because I liked to run, swim and just kinda work out.  Now, I go mostly to feel better.

In other words, I just hit the hot tub, the sauna and the steam room.

And then I leave.

But I feel REALLY good!

But this week I wasn’t able to get my full allotment of feel good.  And wanna know why?

Government.

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Posted in Government, Idiots on Parade, Liberty, Politics: North Carolina, States Behaving Badly

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