If the federal government should overpass the just bounds of its authority and make a tyrannical use of its powers, the people, whose creature it is, must appeal to the standard they have formed, and take such measures to redress the injury done to the Constitution as the exigency may suggest and prudence justify.—Alexander Hamilton
According to the body of the United States Constitution, there is one area where our government is required to protect us and can protect us: national defense, period.
But now I am must make a confession to provide some context for my viewpoint. I am a Hamiltonian Federalist (I have even visited Hamilton’s gravesite; yes, I am a true believer). After my introductory blog, you might find that hard to believe, but truly, if the Federalist Party existed today, I would be a card carrying member.
Hamilton believed in a strong central government and so do I, but strong and centralized should not be confused with big and intrusive. Like Hamilton I believe that the original Constitution, sans Bill of Rights and other amendments, was, in its strict construction, the perfect vehicle for creating just the right size of Federal government. A Goldilocks’ government: not to strong and not to weak, but just right.
That Government was simple. It was neither pretentious nor paternalistic. It provided for the common defense. It apportioned the taxes from the various states. It was as Utopian as a government could be in this earthly existence.
The Constitution was a fence that kept big government contained and individuals protected. Then, due to fear, fear that we continue to nurture, amendments, progressive idealisms, and judicial decisions broke through the Constitutional fence that protected the individual from intrusive government. Soon we the people found ourselves at the mercy of big government once more. Part II: The Big Lie.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Down With Big Government in Four Parts
The one permanent emotion of the inferior man is fear - fear of the unknown, the complex, the inexplicable. --Henry Louis Mencken
This country was founded on a healthy suspicion and reasonable loathing of big, intrusive government, so how have we come to a place where our government is now exponentially bigger and more intrusive than that government we fought to free ourselves from? The answer is: FEAR.
This gargantuan government was fed on fear. Fear of spoiled food=USDA. Fear of bad medicines=FDA. Fear of failing banks=FDIC. Fear of terrorist attacks=Homeland Security. You see the pattern.
Some event, isolated or systemic occurs; we fear; politicians feed our fears; new government program (with its regulations and taxes) is created. I know. You truly believe that such institutions are necessary and so did I, but on further scrutiny I believe I was brain washed into believing it is so and believing that these institutions protect me. They do not. They only protect me from taking personal responsibility for my own life.
I now believe that government institutions are the opiates of the masses and that if we really are intent on freeing ourselves from the big and intrusive Federal Government we need to reprogram our belief that the government can protect us. Next-- Part I: I Believe.
This country was founded on a healthy suspicion and reasonable loathing of big, intrusive government, so how have we come to a place where our government is now exponentially bigger and more intrusive than that government we fought to free ourselves from? The answer is: FEAR.
This gargantuan government was fed on fear. Fear of spoiled food=USDA. Fear of bad medicines=FDA. Fear of failing banks=FDIC. Fear of terrorist attacks=Homeland Security. You see the pattern.
Some event, isolated or systemic occurs; we fear; politicians feed our fears; new government program (with its regulations and taxes) is created. I know. You truly believe that such institutions are necessary and so did I, but on further scrutiny I believe I was brain washed into believing it is so and believing that these institutions protect me. They do not. They only protect me from taking personal responsibility for my own life.
I now believe that government institutions are the opiates of the masses and that if we really are intent on freeing ourselves from the big and intrusive Federal Government we need to reprogram our belief that the government can protect us. Next-- Part I: I Believe.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Measure Honor
Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught. --J.C. Watts
I know that the old SPEW has been rather spew-less of late, but that’s because I am a reactionary blogger and I just haven’t felt the need to react. Not that we should let our guard down, but until the liberal left makes an overt move, it is fruitless to comment. I have been asked to comment on the “don’t ask don’t tell” controversy, but I don’t really feel qualified since I am not a member of the military. However, since I am rarely any more qualified on other subjects, I will say this: I have no problem with any honorable person serving in the military regardless of gender, religion, race or sexual orientation. The word honorable is the key.
Past history and recent past history prove that the military is typically incapable of determining who is honorable and who is not, hence the Fort Hood shooting among other tragedies. So it is more important that the military carefully scrutinize every recruit without concern for political correctness in order to determine rather or not the candidate is honorable. And if the candidate is not honorable, the military must be steadfast in denying the candidate access to a military career regardless of gender, religion, race or sexual orientation.
Also a short-ish comment on the Westminster Kennel Club Show. Yea for the Scottish terrier! (I am completely biased since we used to have one named Jocko Bon Barberry. What interesting little souls they are.) But ,even more YEAs to the broadcasters of the dog show. It was almost impossible to tell that protesters attempted to disrupt the show because neither the cameras nor the commentators brought them the attention they so crave. Their protests are petty, inane and baseless and they deserve no forum. Good for USA Network for not giving them one.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
God Bless Gridlock, God Bless Checks and Balances, and God Bless the Republic!
Why is it always New England that disturbs the King’s peace?—From the musical 1776
Happy Independence Day! Independence once again has been declared from the home of the original tea party. Personally I cannot remember a brighter day since that dark day when Obama was elected over a year ago.
This is a great victory for the Republic. I do not see it necessarily as a referendum on any one issue as much as a message to Barak Obama that he is not king! Now that the people of the bluest of the blue states has elected a Republican, maybe Obama’s kingly aspirations will be put to rest and Obama will become the public servant that he promised to be.
God Bless Gridlock, God Bless Checks and Balances, and God Bless the Republic!
PS Many people have commented that they are unable to keep up with current political concerns, so here is my suggestion. If don’t have time for in-depth (and often repetitive coverage) at least try to watch The Panel on Fox News’s Special Report with Bret Baier. The Panel is made up with a variety of view points and airs in the last 20 minutes of the broadcast.
If you have time to watch one other show, then John Stossel’s weekly report on Fox Business Channel will make you think. It is broadcast several times during the week. I don’t always agree with Stossel, but he always defies accepted wisdom on a variety of subjects.
Happy Independence Day! Independence once again has been declared from the home of the original tea party. Personally I cannot remember a brighter day since that dark day when Obama was elected over a year ago.
This is a great victory for the Republic. I do not see it necessarily as a referendum on any one issue as much as a message to Barak Obama that he is not king! Now that the people of the bluest of the blue states has elected a Republican, maybe Obama’s kingly aspirations will be put to rest and Obama will become the public servant that he promised to be.
God Bless Gridlock, God Bless Checks and Balances, and God Bless the Republic!
PS Many people have commented that they are unable to keep up with current political concerns, so here is my suggestion. If don’t have time for in-depth (and often repetitive coverage) at least try to watch The Panel on Fox News’s Special Report with Bret Baier. The Panel is made up with a variety of view points and airs in the last 20 minutes of the broadcast.
If you have time to watch one other show, then John Stossel’s weekly report on Fox Business Channel will make you think. It is broadcast several times during the week. I don’t always agree with Stossel, but he always defies accepted wisdom on a variety of subjects.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Reactive Anti-Terrorism
The impact of terrorism, not merely on individual nations, but on humanity as a whole, is intrinsically evil, necessarily evil and wholly evil.—Benjamin Netanyahu
Wow, I have got to do a better job at keeping up this blog because I am tired of getting scooped. Just the other day I was saying that the so-called “Underwear bomber” was actually quite successful. Sure he did not get his bomb to work, but while he did not succeed at bringing down a commercial airplane, he was successful at making the TSA add more onerous, expensive (and useless ) layers of security measures to air travel. Two days after I expressed this, Ted Koppel was broadcasting the same sentiments in an interview…as usual, I am a day late and a dollar short.
Oh well, I still am going to comment. I am not saying that security is not important in air travel. Unfortunately it is a necessary by-product of the times we live in, however, I am tired of so-called security that has no effect, evidently, on the terrorists’ activities. Instead punishes the honest traveler. Like me, the TSA is a day late and a dollar short; never pro-acting, just reacting. There is no real safety in that.
Consider the TSA measures prior to September 11, 2001, despite considerable safety measures in place, the 9/11 hijackers accomplished their fiendish goals. It was not the lack of safety measures, but the abject lack of common sense by those who were implementing those measures. I mean what did the TSA gate security think when they saw all those men carrying box cutters, “Wow they must be going to a grocery stock boy's convention!” Well we don’t have to conject, since we have been told what those TSA gate security people actually thought, “Uhhhh, box cutters aren’t on the list of things they can’t carry on a plane, so it must be okay…” Since 9/11 we are told that the TSA has hired a better class of person. Certainly they are given higher pay and prettier uniforms, but if that makes you feel safer then, you are easily assuaged.
My concerns are these. First, that we are never proactive in our approach to terrorist threats. We are always one step behind what the terrorists are planning. This makes us increasingly vulnerable to whatever these evil people design instead of being prepared for their devious actions. Second, that most of the security measure in place are only for show to comfort the masses with little value of protection. Do you really feel safer taking your shoes off at a TSA gate? Will you feel safer now taking your underwear off at a TSA gate? (Relax they have not said they will require this…yet) Then you are easily appeased. Third, that the most effective way to fight terrorists is actively pursue them. Our money should be used in effective intelligence gathering and in effectively taking the fight to the terrorists. Then we must be comitted to follow through with that fight until the fight is done, not just until the terrorist is temporarily injured.
It’s time to enact true measures of safety, and quit reacting to what a terrorist did yesterday.
Wow, I have got to do a better job at keeping up this blog because I am tired of getting scooped. Just the other day I was saying that the so-called “Underwear bomber” was actually quite successful. Sure he did not get his bomb to work, but while he did not succeed at bringing down a commercial airplane, he was successful at making the TSA add more onerous, expensive (and useless ) layers of security measures to air travel. Two days after I expressed this, Ted Koppel was broadcasting the same sentiments in an interview…as usual, I am a day late and a dollar short.
Oh well, I still am going to comment. I am not saying that security is not important in air travel. Unfortunately it is a necessary by-product of the times we live in, however, I am tired of so-called security that has no effect, evidently, on the terrorists’ activities. Instead punishes the honest traveler. Like me, the TSA is a day late and a dollar short; never pro-acting, just reacting. There is no real safety in that.
Consider the TSA measures prior to September 11, 2001, despite considerable safety measures in place, the 9/11 hijackers accomplished their fiendish goals. It was not the lack of safety measures, but the abject lack of common sense by those who were implementing those measures. I mean what did the TSA gate security think when they saw all those men carrying box cutters, “Wow they must be going to a grocery stock boy's convention!” Well we don’t have to conject, since we have been told what those TSA gate security people actually thought, “Uhhhh, box cutters aren’t on the list of things they can’t carry on a plane, so it must be okay…” Since 9/11 we are told that the TSA has hired a better class of person. Certainly they are given higher pay and prettier uniforms, but if that makes you feel safer then, you are easily assuaged.
My concerns are these. First, that we are never proactive in our approach to terrorist threats. We are always one step behind what the terrorists are planning. This makes us increasingly vulnerable to whatever these evil people design instead of being prepared for their devious actions. Second, that most of the security measure in place are only for show to comfort the masses with little value of protection. Do you really feel safer taking your shoes off at a TSA gate? Will you feel safer now taking your underwear off at a TSA gate? (Relax they have not said they will require this…yet) Then you are easily appeased. Third, that the most effective way to fight terrorists is actively pursue them. Our money should be used in effective intelligence gathering and in effectively taking the fight to the terrorists. Then we must be comitted to follow through with that fight until the fight is done, not just until the terrorist is temporarily injured.
It’s time to enact true measures of safety, and quit reacting to what a terrorist did yesterday.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Quick Takes
In a world of peace, there is no freedom.—Rachel Evans Darling
A few quick takes-
A limited war cannot be won. We should have learned this in Southeast Asia. It is a lovely notion to fight just enough, but it is not possible. We are still in Afghanistan because shortly after the first successful campaign it was decided to pull back and just do a little here and a little there the result is that the enemy leaves here and there and sets up camp in places we are not fighting at. War must be decisive. Hit fast, hit hard and come home.
Bureaucracy is a dinosaur and should go the way of all the dinosaurs. It lumbers along eventually stomping any who wander unwittingly into its path. Case in point: technically federal bureaucracy is under the direction of the executive office, but a few years back, the EPA sued then President George W. Bush because he overruled them and the court (another problem) ruled in the EPA’s favor! That’s right; they sued their leader and won. G.W. got stomped. If the courts will not let the legally designated leader control his own bureaucracy, then it is time to make that bureaucracy extinct. Bureaucracy has become a black hole of tax and spend legislation, with apparently no accountability to anyone. Bureaucracy truly represents taxation without representation! Let’s get rid of 99% of it and put those people back to work in productive jobs and get their footprints off our backs.
The eyes of the Tea Baggers are fixed on the federal spenders, and rightfully so, but they need to broaden their view. It is no longer enough for," we the people" to vote out the big spenders in D.C., we need to also look closer to home. In the election of 2010, we need to vote out every piggy who stepped up to the trough. Every school board member who took federal funds, every college administrator who accepted federal grants, and every state representative who spent federal stimulus dollars should be kicked to the curb in 2010. All who spend our, yes our, money must be held accountable.
A few quick takes-
A limited war cannot be won. We should have learned this in Southeast Asia. It is a lovely notion to fight just enough, but it is not possible. We are still in Afghanistan because shortly after the first successful campaign it was decided to pull back and just do a little here and a little there the result is that the enemy leaves here and there and sets up camp in places we are not fighting at. War must be decisive. Hit fast, hit hard and come home.
Bureaucracy is a dinosaur and should go the way of all the dinosaurs. It lumbers along eventually stomping any who wander unwittingly into its path. Case in point: technically federal bureaucracy is under the direction of the executive office, but a few years back, the EPA sued then President George W. Bush because he overruled them and the court (another problem) ruled in the EPA’s favor! That’s right; they sued their leader and won. G.W. got stomped. If the courts will not let the legally designated leader control his own bureaucracy, then it is time to make that bureaucracy extinct. Bureaucracy has become a black hole of tax and spend legislation, with apparently no accountability to anyone. Bureaucracy truly represents taxation without representation! Let’s get rid of 99% of it and put those people back to work in productive jobs and get their footprints off our backs.
The eyes of the Tea Baggers are fixed on the federal spenders, and rightfully so, but they need to broaden their view. It is no longer enough for," we the people" to vote out the big spenders in D.C., we need to also look closer to home. In the election of 2010, we need to vote out every piggy who stepped up to the trough. Every school board member who took federal funds, every college administrator who accepted federal grants, and every state representative who spent federal stimulus dollars should be kicked to the curb in 2010. All who spend our, yes our, money must be held accountable.
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