"The social contract exists so that everyone doesn't have to squat in the dust holding a spear to protect his woman and his meat all day every day. It does not exist so that the government can take your spear, your meat, and your woman because it knows better what to do with them."  Dagny at Ace of Spades

My favorite founding father

In 1816, Thomas Jefferson wrote: “To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, the guarantee to everyone the free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it.”

Seems about right

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/8197617/German-man-castrates-teenage-daughters-57-year-old-boyfriend.html

 

"I received a phone call anonymously that my daughter was involved with a guy 40 years older than her. You said you couldn't stop him – so I did.

"I saw it as my duty as a father."

 

Off of Facebook

Yesterday I deactivated my Facebook account. I had tried to use Facebook to publish my thoughts and comments on modern society. Being as ubiquitous as it is, I like Facebook's ability to connect and share. But the format was limited. anything more than a paragraph or two gets overlooked, and most people on Facebook don't want political, economic, or legal commentary. They want Farmville, pictures of friends and famliy, and more light fare.

One of my concerns with Facebook is the tremendous amount of personal data that they collect and store. I may go back and reactivate my account sometime. It may even be soon. But I need to get back to creating more thourough and developed analysis and commentary.

Blogger is it for now, but I have privacy issues with Google too, so who knows.

Mobile blog post via text.

So you want to be a lawyer

Too funny.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMvARy0lBLE&feature=player_embedded

 

Some of my favorite lines:

 

I want to be a lawyer.  “Why would you do that?”

 

“So you were pre-med and you got a C in organic chemistry?”

 

I love the Constitution.  “if you say it is a living breathing document, I may kill myself.”

 

“Listen, there are like three lawyers in America who argue Constitutional issues.  They all went to Harvard and graduated in the 1970’s. Do you have a time machine to go back to the 1970’s?”

 

The Constitution is so amazing.  “You are going to make me take all my Ambien at the same time.”

 

It must be fascinating to help poor people with their legal problems.  “What is fascinating is that you will be one of these poor people”

 

“Do you plan to get married?  Do you also plan to get divorced?”

 

“Were you aware that you will be spending three years in an environment that in no way, shape, or form, prepares you for anything remotely resembling a law career?”

 

“You realize that all of them are guilty right?  All of them.”

 

What about the guy who was hours away from execution when a DNA test cleared him?   “Science cleared that guy.  A lawyer put his ass in prison.” 

 

 

 

For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.

I heard Spencer Hughes on the radio yesterday talking about class envy and populism.  He made an analogy between being healthy and being rich.  Basically, if you are sick, you don’t sit around wanting the rest of the world to get sick.  Most people just don’t do that.  Instead they strive to be healthy.  Everyone can be healthy.    One persons health does not come at the expense of another’s sickness.

 

Yet with class and wealth, is it popular to demonize “the rich”.  I hear so much of this talk now that is scares me.  America is the land of opportunity.  People come from all around the world for economic opportunity that we offer.  Yet, “the rich” are accused (falsely) of not paying their fair share.  It is popular sentiment that if someone is rich, it must have come from exploitation of the poor.  I don’t buy this.  I believe that we should admire and respect individuals that have achieved financial success.    We can all be successful and we don’t need politicians and policies that divide us and drum up class envy.

 

 

Private enterprise vs. Government entities

I recently moved and so today I did change of address for all the accounts

All my banks, credit cards, utilities, and memberships with private companies were easy to change online.

I had to call my health insurer, but the process was easy apart from a 5 minute hold.

There were two entities that I was not able to update my address.

The DMV, although they had an online change of address, their database wouldn't take my address because the zip code was just added in 2009. So it seems that the government moves slowly.

Then I called the tax collector. They laughed at the idea that I could get my upcoming bill sent to the new address. The wheels were already in motion for the tax bills to be sent in 17 days, which is understandable. But rather than change my address in the system, their advice was to just update the address on the payment envelope. The lady suggested it would be a good idea to do it on both semi-annual coupons so that by next year the bill will most likely get to me.

So to me, this typifies the responsiveness and efficiency, and I mean lack thereof, of Government. Governments don't have to be responsive to their 'customers' because they enjoy monopoly status.

It neither picks my pocket or breaks my leg.

‘It neither picks my pocket or breaks my leg' is a Thomas Jefferson quote I just heard.  Tom said it in response to religious freedom; "But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket or breaks my leg."  (Notes on Virginia, 1782)

I say it applies to my overall government philosophy.  "Stay out of my wallet, and stay out of my private life" is a slogan I've been saying for years now.

Our founders were skeptical of Government because they had all experienced tyranny.  The Republic they established was a gift of liberty and freedom that we are relinquishing with our reliance and dependence on a big government and entitlement programs.

 

Senate gets rich on insider trading...

Welcome back law review editors ... need an article? - ProfessorBainbridge.com: "2004 study of the results of stock trading by United States Senators during the 1990s found that that Senators on average beat the market by 12% a year. In sharp contrast, U.S. households on average underperformed the market by 1.4% a year and even corporate insiders on average beat the market by only about 6% a year during that period. A reasonable inference is that some Senators had access to – and were using – material nonpublic information about the companies in whose stock they trade."

Birthright Citizenship

The amendment is a ruse. The answer lies in border security and a legal immigration system that functions to assimilate prospective citizens.

I heard that the US is the last developed nations to still offer birthright citizenship.

SOME MODERN COUNTRIES THAT RECENTLYENDED THEIR BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP POLICY• Canada was the last non-U.S. holdout. Illegal aliens stopped getting citizenship for their babies in 2009.• Australia's birthright citizenship requirements are much more stringent than those of H.R. 1868 and took effect in 2007.• New Zealand repealed in 2006• Ireland repealed in 2005• France repealed in 1993• India repealed in 1987• United Kingdom repealed in 1983• Portugal repealed in 1981

I still think the problem of anchor babies can be dealt with by Congress without an amendment.

Improv team turns little league game into a big league production

Big screen jumbotron, NBC sports announcers, Goodyear blimp all secretly brought in for a little league game.  Pretty cool experience for the kids.  Nobody but the league commissioner knew this was going to happen.

 

http://improveverywhere.com/2008/04/07/best-game-ever/

 

 

 

RE: taxpayer funded abortions

13 Democrats withheld support for the health insurance reform until they were assured that no abortions would be paid for with taxpayer money.  To appease these concerns, the president signed an  executive order prohibiting taxpayer funding of abortions.   Throughout the process the president called skeptics and doubters of these assurances demagogues and fear mongers.   Yet, as many suspected, there was a high probability that abortions would be covered all along:

“The Pennsylvania Insurance Department announced at the end of June that the federal government had approved $160 million to set up a high-risk insurance plan for thousands of Pennsylvania residents with pre-existing conditions. Though the announcement made no reference to abortion and the policy itself says "elective abortions" are not covered, the National Right to Life Committee claimed it would cover abortions in almost every circumstance. 

"What their plan actually does is say if it's legal, it's covered," said NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson. "Abortion ends up being covered if it's not explicitly excluded." 

 

 

Where are you Stupak?  Calling Senator Nelson.   Are you prepared to speak up now that you have been double crossed.  If this PA situation isn’t rectified immediately the American people will see that you sold out the country for an empty promise. 

 

This issue transcends abortion.  This issue shows that laws have been passed on false pretenses.  That our president is willing to stab members of his own party in the back.  That he is perfectly content to demonize his opponents with legitimate concerns.     

 

Abortion is not popular.  Tax-payer funded abortion is despised, as many who personally do not object to abortion understand that forcing everyone to pay for them is wrong.    I wonder what the reaction will be when people realize they were lied to about such an unpopular issue?

 

 

Barack Obama 9/9/9 to joint session of Congress: “no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.”

 

 I hope he meant it.

Eric Holder's Racial Preference

I think people will be disturbed when they come to see Eric Holder’s blatant racial bias.  Our justice department is not supposed to be partisan or racist. 

 

Eric Holder’s withdrawal of convictions against the New Black Panthers who intimidated voters in the 2008 election is an affront to justice and to the civil rights leaders that fought for equal rights.  Martin Luther King’s dream was not a nation where armed black militants stood by the voting booths intimidating whites.   It wasn’t right when blacks were intimidated in the past, but the solution is not to turn the tables.  People who are aware of what Eric Holder and his Justice Department are doing on this case are disgusted.  An Attorney within the DOJ has resigned in protest.  Here is a video of the crime.  The video also includes the gentleman’s call for racial genocide.  Nice guy.  Glad to know the Justice Department is protecting him.

 

Now there is talk of a Federal investigation into the shooting of Oscar Grant.  Yesterday a BART police officer was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the shooting.  He will spend years in jail as a result of being convicted by a jury of his peers,  but that evidently is not enough.  I am waiting to see what happens here.  If Holder attacks this officer with another charge, then I believe it is a racially based prosecution.  The state criminal justice system has functioned properly.  From my perspective, we should not second guess our law enforcement officers.  The video in this case to me demonstrates that the officer was not enraged or out of control.  The calm manner in which he discharged his weapon makes me believe he made a serious mistake about the weapon in his hand.  While my opinion is irrelevant, the officer was judged by a jury and found to have been guilty of manslaughter.      We don’t need the Fed’s to come in an deliver justice.  This isn’t Mississippi in 1965.  The officer wasn’t acquitted by a rigged jury.  It was a close case even though it was documented on video.  The jury verdict should stand and the Fed’s should stay out of it.

 

Soon, the pattern will become clear.  Eric Holder is not about equal application of the law to all people.  I am starting to fear that “social justice” is a code word for something other than equality for all.     

 

Obama's recess appointment for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator

In a 2008 while speaking on the British health care system in the UK, Berwick said wealthy individuals must redistribute their wealth to those less fortunate for health care funding. Also during this speech, he told those in attendance that he opposes free markets.

“Any health care funding plan that is just equitable civilized and humane must, must redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and the less fortunate. Excellent health care is by definition redistributional.”

"No family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase." Sep 12, 2008

Joe Wilson is right.  Barack Obama lied.   

 

I saw on RedState a diary from  Veronica, who  blogged about a report done by Americans For Tax Reform who culled the governments  “List of Expiring Federal Tax Provisions 2009-2020”.    These taxes will hit my family hard.    Read the list of taxes that Barack Obama is going to let expire.  I see no wiggle room for him to parse his words.  These taxes will kill our economic recovery.   

 

“In just six months, the largest tax hikes in the history of America will take effect.  They will hit families and small businesses in three great waves on January 1, 2011:

First Wave: Expiration of 2001 and 2003 Tax Relief

In 2001 and 2003, the GOP Congress enacted several tax cuts for investors, small business owners, and families.  These will all expire on January 1, 2011:

Personal income tax rates will rise. The top income tax rate will rise from 35 to 39.6 percent (this is also the rate at which two-thirds of small business profits are taxed).  The lowest rate will rise from 10 to 15 percent.  All the rates in between will also rise.  Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will again phase out, which has the same mathematical effect as higher marginal tax rates.  The full list of marginal rate hikes is below:

- The 10% bracket rises to an expanded 15%
- The 25% bracket rises to 28%
- The 28% bracket rises to 31%
- The 33% bracket rises to 36%
- The 35% bracket rises to 39.6%

Higher taxes on marriage and family. The “marriage penalty” (narrower tax brackets for married couples) will return from the first dollar of income.  The child tax credit will be cut in half from $1000 to $500 per child.  The standard deduction will no longer be doubled for married couples relative to the single level.  The dependent care and adoption tax credits will be cut.

The return of the Death Tax. This year, there is no death tax.  For those dying on or after January 1 2011, there is a 55 percent top death tax rate on estates over $1 million.  A person leaving behind two homes and a retirement account could easily pass along a death tax bill to their loved ones.

Higher tax rates on savers and investors. The capital gains tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 20 percent in 2011.  The dividends tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 39.6 percent in 2011.  These rates will rise another 3.8 percent in 2013.

Second Wave: Obamacare

There are over twenty new or higher taxes in Obamacare.  Several will first go into effect on January 1, 2011.  They include:

The “Medicine Cabinet Tax” Thanks to Obamacare, Americans will no longer be able to use health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement (HRA) pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines (except insulin).

The “Special Needs Kids Tax” This provision of Obamacare imposes a cap on flexible spending accounts (FSAs) of $2500 (Currently, there is no federal government limit).  There is one group of FSA owners for whom this new cap will be particularly cruel and onerous: parents of special needs children.  There are thousands of families with special needs children in the United States, and many of them use FSAs to pay for special needs education.  Tuition rates at one leading school that teaches special needs children in Washington, D.C. (National Child Research Center) can easily exceed $14,000 per year.  Under tax rules, FSA dollars can be used to pay for this type of special needs education.

The HSA Withdrawal Tax Hike. This provision of Obamacare increases the additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from an HSA from 10 to 20 percent, disadvantaging them relative to IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, which remain at 10 percent.

Third Wave: The Alternative Minimum Tax and Employer Tax Hikes

When Americans prepare to file their tax returns in January of 2011, they’ll be in for a nasty surprise—the AMT won’t be held harmless, and many tax relief provisions will have expired.  The major items include:

The AMT will ensnare over 28 million families, up from 4 million last year. According to the left-leaning Tax Policy Center, Congress’ failure to index the AMT will lead to an explosion of AMT taxpaying families—rising from 4 million last year to 28.5 million.  These families will have to calculate their tax burdens twice, and pay taxes at the higher level.  The AMT was created in 1969 to ensnare a handful of taxpayers.

Small business expensing will be slashed and 50% expensing will disappear. Small businesses can normally expense (rather than slowly-deduct, or “depreciate”) equipment purchases up to $250,000.  This will be cut all the way down to $25,000.  Larger businesses can expense half of their purchases of equipment.  In January of 2011, all of it will have to be “depreciated.”

Taxes will be raised on all types of businesses. There are literally scores of tax hikes on business that will take place.  The biggest is the loss of the “research and experimentation tax credit,” but there are many, many others.  Combining high marginal tax rates with the loss of this tax relief will cost jobs.

Tax Benefits for Education and Teaching Reduced. The deduction for tuition and fees will not be available.  Tax credits for education will be limited.  Teachers will no longer be able to deduct classroom expenses.  Coverdell Education Savings Accounts will be cut.  Employer-provided educational assistance is curtailed.  The student loan interest deduction will be disallowed for hundreds of thousands of families.

Charitable Contributions from IRAs no longer allowed. Under current law, a retired person with an IRA can contribute up to $100,000 per year directly to a charity from their IRA.  This contribution also counts toward an annual “required minimum distribution.”  This ability will no longer be there

 

 

The Barack Obama Legacy

I saw this on a comment page of a website.  It is not mine.  The argument was that the policies and conduct of Barack Obama are so destructive, that he could be a boon to the conservative movement.

 

THANK GOD FOR THE PRESIDENT!
1. He destroyed the Clinton Political Machine - Driving a stake thru the heart of Hillary's Presidential aspirations - something that no Republican was ever able to do. Remember when a Hillary Presidency scared the daylights out of you?

2. He killed off the Kennedy Dynasty - No more Kennedy's trolling Washington looking for booze and women wanting rides home. American women and Freedom are safer tonight!

3. He is destroying the Democratic Party before our eyes!
Dennis Moore had never lost a race - quit
Evan Bayh had never lost a race - quit
Byron Dorgan had never lost a race - quit
Harry Reid - soon to be GONE
These are just a handful of the Democrats whose political careers Obama has destroyed! By the end of 2010 dozens more will be gone.
In December of 2008 the Democrats were on the rise. In the last two election cycles they had picked up 14 senate seats and 52 house seats. The press was touting the death of the Conservative Movement and the Republican Party. In just one year, Barack Obama put a stop to all of this and will probably give the house, if not the senate back to the Republicans.

4. He has completely exposed liberals and progressives for what they are. Every Generation seems to need to relearn the lesson on why they should never actually put liberals in charge. He is bringing home the lesson very well.
Liberals tax, borrow and spend - check
Liberals won't bring themselves to protect America - check
Liberals want to take over the economy - check
Liberals think they know what is best for everyone - check
Liberals aren't happy till they are running YOUR life - check

5. He has brought more Americans back to conservatism than anyone since Reagan. In one year he has rejuvenated the Conservative movement and brought out to the streets millions of Freedom Loving Americans. Name me one other time in your life that you saw your friends and neighbors this interested in taking back America !

6. His amazing leadership has sparked the greatest period of sales of firearms and ammunition this country has seen. Law-abiding citizens have rallied and have provided a "stimulus" to the sporting goods field while other industries have failed, faded or moved off-shore.

7. In all honesty one year ago I was more afraid than I have been in my life. Not of the economy but of the direction our country was going. I thought Americans had forgotten what this country was all about. My neighbors, friends and strangers proved to me that my lack of confidence of the Greatness and Wisdom of the American people was flat wrong.

8. When the American People wake up no smooth-talking-teleprompter reader can fool them!
Barack Obama woke up these Great Americans! Again I want to say Thank You Barack Obama! This is exactly the kind of hope and change we desperately needed.

 

 

 

oh-so-nuanced Arab media weighs in

oh-so-nuanced Arab media weighs in

Gee, I wonder why Israel might be concerned. Have they seen this type of demonizing propaganda before? Note in these cartoons the Jews are portrayed as bood thirsty animals, complete with devil tails. Meanwhile the "peace activists" are innocents.

The ugly truth is that many people still despise the Jews and this world view is somewhat acceptable to the US liberal progressive establishment. Sure, they fired Helen, but it was not because her views were unacceptable. It was because she made them publically known and there was no cover for that mistake.

Selected exerpts: I Have a Dream Speech

I Have a Dream Speech - Full text, audio & video of Martin Luther King Jr's most famous speech, I Have a Dream / Address at March on Washington: "In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force."

Freedom and Justice:
And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

The word freedom is used 20 time.

Justice 11 times.


I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Supreme Court Rejects Ban on Animal Cruelty Videos - NYTimes.com

Supreme Court Rejects Ban on Animal Cruelty Videos - NYTimes.com: "Tuesday’s resounding and lopsided rejection of a request that it do so, along with its decision in Citizens United in January — concluding that corporations may spend freely in candidate elections — suggest that the Roberts Court is prepared to adopt a robustly libertarian view of the constitutional protection of free speech."

AWESOME