Guns, Guitars, and Geekdom
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Me and the World
More government control...oh geez
Judge Sonia Sotomayor could walk into a firestorm on Capitol Hill over her stance on gun rights, with conservatives beginning to question some controversial positions she's taken over the past several years on the Second Amendment.
Earlier this year, President Obama's Supreme Court nominee joined an opinion with the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that Second Amendment rights do not apply to the states.
A 2004 opinion she joined also cited as precedent that "the right to possess
a gun is clearly not a fundamental right."
Why? Why should the government not allow me to protect myself? I've enrolled in classroom training, field training and had to pass a law-enforcement shooting test in order to obtain a carry concealed permit. I am a law-abiding citizen. I just do not believe (with all my heart) in leaving the fate of my family up to the police. When you need the police, they're 5 minutes away. 5 critical minutes.
What are we gaining by taking my firearms away from me? Yes they're dangerous. Yes accidents happen. Fact of the matter is most shootings are criminal shootings, not people carrying to protect themselves. Guess what, people die in car crashes every day. Why don't we outlaw cars and all ride horses?
Disarming the good guys doesn't fix the perceived problem.
The problem with guns is perception. The perception portrayed by the media and special interest groups (typically liberal).
There have been few genius leaders of this country...most were the founding fathers...here's what a couple had to say about this matter:
George Washington: "Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the people's liberty teeth (and) keystone... the rifle and the pistol are equally indispensable... more than 99% of them [guns] by their silence indicate that they are in safe and sane hands. The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference [crime]. When firearms go, all goes, we need them every hour." (Address to 1st session of Congress)
Thomas Jefferson: "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined or determined to commit crimes. Such laws only make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assassins; they serve to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." (1764 Letter and speech from T. Jefferson quoting with approval an essay by Cesare Beccari)
Additional Limericks
"Guitar"
There once was a man with a guitar
Who wanted to be a rock star
My dream's now dead
It went to my head
Now I live out of my tattered old car
"Rome"
There once was a Caesar Julius
Not to be confused with Octavius
Until that day
"twas Stabbed away
By his good 'ole buddy named Brutus
"Hockey"
I skate, I skate, I skate right past
Maneuvering the puck away from the glass
But let it be known
If you're in my zone
I'll knock you out straight on your ass
"Algae"
My pool has what's know as algae
Green and brown and all icky
I dumped in the shock
Grabbed the chlorine stock
And will scrub from here to eternity
There once was a man with a guitar
Who wanted to be a rock star
My dream's now dead
It went to my head
Now I live out of my tattered old car
"Rome"
There once was a Caesar Julius
Not to be confused with Octavius
Until that day
"twas Stabbed away
By his good 'ole buddy named Brutus
"Hockey"
I skate, I skate, I skate right past
Maneuvering the puck away from the glass
But let it be known
If you're in my zone
I'll knock you out straight on your ass
"Algae"
My pool has what's know as algae
Green and brown and all icky
I dumped in the shock
Grabbed the chlorine stock
And will scrub from here to eternity
Why Can't We Just Let Ford, GM, and Chrysler die?
So here we are; the day after Chrysler and Ford went to Nancy Pelosi's office to beg for more taxpayer money because they're going under.
The premise is "we have really cool, green, [insert latest socially-hip term here] cars in the pipeline but just need more money to deliver them"
"Oh and we don't want our people to lose jobs"
Where to begin...
1. This is socialism...again. Asking the government for money (my money and your money)...again.
2. The American auto industry is a dollar short and a day late. They will die, and we just need not prolong that death because we'll be in the same boat next year with them - that is, giving them more money.
3. Regarding the jobs, what is this? A charity organization? The people need to adapt, retrain and move on. We've done it since we were fish in the water and moved to land. No reason why we can't do it now.
The premise is "we have really cool, green, [insert latest socially-hip term here] cars in the pipeline but just need more money to deliver them"
"Oh and we don't want our people to lose jobs"
Where to begin...
1. This is socialism...again. Asking the government for money (my money and your money)...again.
2. The American auto industry is a dollar short and a day late. They will die, and we just need not prolong that death because we'll be in the same boat next year with them - that is, giving them more money.
3. Regarding the jobs, what is this? A charity organization? The people need to adapt, retrain and move on. We've done it since we were fish in the water and moved to land. No reason why we can't do it now.
Let's be sensible this Nov. 4th
** Please understand that what you're about to read is NOT IN ANY WAY a pat on my own back, but rather I am telling you about pieces of my life that lead me to where I am politically **
I work hard. I worked hard for everything I have ever owned and done. My parents raised me to believe that nothing's free in life and you can't get rich quick. My mother, a single mother, was also the best role model for work ethic that I have ever known.
I worked through high school to help pay for my own education from Sophmore through Senior years because my parents couldn't afford the costs of private school after my Freshmen year.
I paid for my own college (and will still be paying back loans for the next 15 years).
I worked a full-time job since I was 18 and went to undergrad school at night and lost the opportunities that all my friends had to party and have fun -- because of study and work.
I have put blood, sweat and tears into where I am at now (and am blessed to be where I am at now) and with exception of some cash for school books, I have NEVER accepted any help from anybody...anybody. I've lived in nice areas and in the 'hood. I have been at rock bottom and where I am now.
A few weeks ago I saw something that I don't think most people realize is for what it is. With that huge bailout (that both the Dems and the Reps voted for) we saw Socialism actually take over the Market. What a disaster! -- And I am paying for it along with every other tax payer.
I bought a home with a fixed 30-year loan that I knew I could afford, unlike so many of my taxpayer brethren. And again, I am paying for the stupid decisions of the banks AND the people who should have never purchased a home (or as much home).
I am a humane person. I am a devout Catholic. I believe in helping my fellow man -- and I do. I give hundreds of dollars a month to my church -- more than I can afford, if you must know. But I do it for basic religious beliefs that I have and will not get into.
And I am not a staunch right-winged religious zealot either. I believe in what I believe in, but do not believe in legislating morality.
And here we are...in this time where everybody feels "entitled" to something. We see this in our children -- although I am working on getting that symptom exterminated from my household. We also see this in Americans in general - home-ownership, social security, health care, welfare handouts, etc. All (the aforementioned items) are "expected" and they're "expected" at the expense of us taxpayers.
It's these people with this abstract, ignorant entitlement mentality that don't have the same level of awareness that more business-savvy folks do of economics, business, politics, globalization, etc that are voting in candidates such as Obama.
The Democrats feed into this mentality which is analogous to a positive feedback loop. They believe in maximizing government control of just about anything where you should be making a decision. If they had it their way, I wouldn't be able to own my handguns (somehow they are under the illusion that disarming the good guys will stop crime). Yet, it's OK for two guys to get married...so some things are cool, but other things aren't. And they believe in negative reinforcement - continual handouts to some and increased taxation on those that have worked hard to get where they are (i.e. me).
Everything that I have worked for is being punished by the above group to give handouts to people that don't have the same level of ambition, ethic, and desire to get me where I have gotten. My neighbor, for example, has a hurt knee and she doesn't work. She simply collects disability and has no desire or fortitude to go back to work. I am bewildered. It is people such as myself that are being punished for other people's situations. NOT THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
The Republicans are two-faced. They claim smaller government and less taxes, but I have seen neither. The Republicans have also resorted to having to use the zealots in order to get votes, making the fundamental purpose of the party less about business and spending and more about abortions and who can and can't get married. Again, I can (possibly depending upon who the Republican is) own my handguns, but two guys can't get married...so some things are cool, but other things aren't
Why?
Why can't we maximize everybody's liberty? Why can't I own my handguns and two guys can get married?
Why can't people and organizations accept responsibilities for their failures and act like adults in previous generations who had a sense of pride and didn't want to stand in line for handouts from the government. Yet heree we are with these companies and homeowners who are in over their head looking to suck from the teat of the taxpayer...sad.
Being a Libertarian is about being rational. It's about making common sense decisions. It's about understanding that we are not "entitled" to anything from the federal government except our protection and the protection of our private property.
It's about *truly* understanding how economics and business work and not jumping on some liberal bandwagon about how we need "change".
It's about letting me do what I want to do and letting you do what you want to do, maximizing our consumer surpluses, if you will.
How much of $1 taxed from your paycheck do you think actually makes it into a poor person's hand once it's made it's way through the various administrations of the government?
Now can you guess how much of a $1 donation to your church (or synagogue, mosque, temple, etc) or private organization makes it into a poor person's hand?
I am certain you can guess the latter is much greater than the first. This is where charity belongs; in religious and other private charitable organizations...not government.
We're already socialistic in nature -- and with Obama (for certain) and McCain (most probable) we'll definitely get to this place that everybody *thinks* they want to be, but all along the way we will have lost the testicular fortitude of being Capitalistic and working hard because there's true opportunity to succeed.
People need to come to terms with the fact that we all cannot be economically equal if we're going to make Capitalism work. You get out of it what you put into it. If you want to be my equal, then you'd sure as hell better put the tears, time, money, blood and sweat into doing what I've done (and continue to do) and not try and pick-pocket me along the way through additional taxation or other government-devised schemes that interfere with the Market.
Hell, my back hurts, maybe I will just collect unemployment and disability and retire...
I work hard. I worked hard for everything I have ever owned and done. My parents raised me to believe that nothing's free in life and you can't get rich quick. My mother, a single mother, was also the best role model for work ethic that I have ever known.
I worked through high school to help pay for my own education from Sophmore through Senior years because my parents couldn't afford the costs of private school after my Freshmen year.
I paid for my own college (and will still be paying back loans for the next 15 years).
I worked a full-time job since I was 18 and went to undergrad school at night and lost the opportunities that all my friends had to party and have fun -- because of study and work.
I have put blood, sweat and tears into where I am at now (and am blessed to be where I am at now) and with exception of some cash for school books, I have NEVER accepted any help from anybody...anybody. I've lived in nice areas and in the 'hood. I have been at rock bottom and where I am now.
A few weeks ago I saw something that I don't think most people realize is for what it is. With that huge bailout (that both the Dems and the Reps voted for) we saw Socialism actually take over the Market. What a disaster! -- And I am paying for it along with every other tax payer.
I bought a home with a fixed 30-year loan that I knew I could afford, unlike so many of my taxpayer brethren. And again, I am paying for the stupid decisions of the banks AND the people who should have never purchased a home (or as much home).
I am a humane person. I am a devout Catholic. I believe in helping my fellow man -- and I do. I give hundreds of dollars a month to my church -- more than I can afford, if you must know. But I do it for basic religious beliefs that I have and will not get into.
And I am not a staunch right-winged religious zealot either. I believe in what I believe in, but do not believe in legislating morality.
And here we are...in this time where everybody feels "entitled" to something. We see this in our children -- although I am working on getting that symptom exterminated from my household. We also see this in Americans in general - home-ownership, social security, health care, welfare handouts, etc. All (the aforementioned items) are "expected" and they're "expected" at the expense of us taxpayers.
It's these people with this abstract, ignorant entitlement mentality that don't have the same level of awareness that more business-savvy folks do of economics, business, politics, globalization, etc that are voting in candidates such as Obama.
The Democrats feed into this mentality which is analogous to a positive feedback loop. They believe in maximizing government control of just about anything where you should be making a decision. If they had it their way, I wouldn't be able to own my handguns (somehow they are under the illusion that disarming the good guys will stop crime). Yet, it's OK for two guys to get married...so some things are cool, but other things aren't. And they believe in negative reinforcement - continual handouts to some and increased taxation on those that have worked hard to get where they are (i.e. me).
Everything that I have worked for is being punished by the above group to give handouts to people that don't have the same level of ambition, ethic, and desire to get me where I have gotten. My neighbor, for example, has a hurt knee and she doesn't work. She simply collects disability and has no desire or fortitude to go back to work. I am bewildered. It is people such as myself that are being punished for other people's situations. NOT THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
The Republicans are two-faced. They claim smaller government and less taxes, but I have seen neither. The Republicans have also resorted to having to use the zealots in order to get votes, making the fundamental purpose of the party less about business and spending and more about abortions and who can and can't get married. Again, I can (possibly depending upon who the Republican is) own my handguns, but two guys can't get married...so some things are cool, but other things aren't
Why?
Why can't we maximize everybody's liberty? Why can't I own my handguns and two guys can get married?
Why can't people and organizations accept responsibilities for their failures and act like adults in previous generations who had a sense of pride and didn't want to stand in line for handouts from the government. Yet heree we are with these companies and homeowners who are in over their head looking to suck from the teat of the taxpayer...sad.
Being a Libertarian is about being rational. It's about making common sense decisions. It's about understanding that we are not "entitled" to anything from the federal government except our protection and the protection of our private property.
It's about *truly* understanding how economics and business work and not jumping on some liberal bandwagon about how we need "change".
It's about letting me do what I want to do and letting you do what you want to do, maximizing our consumer surpluses, if you will.
How much of $1 taxed from your paycheck do you think actually makes it into a poor person's hand once it's made it's way through the various administrations of the government?
Now can you guess how much of a $1 donation to your church (or synagogue, mosque, temple, etc) or private organization makes it into a poor person's hand?
I am certain you can guess the latter is much greater than the first. This is where charity belongs; in religious and other private charitable organizations...not government.
We're already socialistic in nature -- and with Obama (for certain) and McCain (most probable) we'll definitely get to this place that everybody *thinks* they want to be, but all along the way we will have lost the testicular fortitude of being Capitalistic and working hard because there's true opportunity to succeed.
People need to come to terms with the fact that we all cannot be economically equal if we're going to make Capitalism work. You get out of it what you put into it. If you want to be my equal, then you'd sure as hell better put the tears, time, money, blood and sweat into doing what I've done (and continue to do) and not try and pick-pocket me along the way through additional taxation or other government-devised schemes that interfere with the Market.
Hell, my back hurts, maybe I will just collect unemployment and disability and retire...
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