Thursday, July 26, 2012

A Nation of Wannabe Sovereigns

I was reading Why I'm Leaving America, by Michael Fielding.

I think part of the problem is that some people confuse the meaning of "representation" and "sovereignty".

Representation means that someone acts on the collective will of some group; in our country, the majority group. Representation means that sometimes you don't get your way, because you're outvoted, but you at least have a chance to say your piece; and someone who has to listen.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Legitimacy of Government

I had a long argument (in the comments) with "Chris" (not able to find out his last name easily) at http://www.informationliberation.com. The topic was legitimacy of government.

Don't know if you agree with any of my arguments, but I think it's interesting to see some of his. His are echoes of Lysander Spooner, among others.

It's interesting because these are beliefs held by a broad segment of so-called conservatives and libertarians; beliefs which are really anarchic in nature. Specifically, that no government is legitimate. More specifically: Taxes are theft, any regulation of business whatsoever a violation of the Constitution, and any interference with personal desires, anathema.

I'm inclined to think their anarchy might not be too bad, if everyone agreed, but what it really winds up being is a recipe for rule by the strongest--rule by whoever has the biggest gun.

That is: Their free society would wind up as one of complete oppression, for everyone including most of them.

If you want to see how extremist some of the views out there are, consider that held by Randi Shannon who has quit her race for U. S. Senator, to declare herself as Senator of the "Republic for the United States of America", an organization which holds that it is the only legitimate government of the United States.

This is not a joke, folks: She is dead serious; and so is the organization she's joining.

If you want to know why I left the Republican party, it was because of people like this.

Worse, if you don't agree with their conspiracy-theory view of the way "government really should be", it is you who are insane.

Consider comments made last month after Chief Justice Roberts joined the Supreme Court majority to rule "ObamaCare" Constitutional. Until now, Roberts was their fair-haired boy. But there had to be an explanation why Roberts would do something so unbelievable, so Michael Savage suggested that it was due to Justice Roberts' mentality being slowed by epilepsy medication he is taking.

See? No matter what they believe, if you don't agree: You are insane.

Monday, July 9, 2012

It's Only Illegal When the Wrong Side Benefits

From Brad Blog, we have Unsealed Ballot Bags in WI Recall's State Senate 'Recount' Suggest Fraud, Charge Republicans.

Seems as how the Republicans are all up in arms, sure that there is vote fraud, because there are a number of irregularities in a Wisconsin election.

There's a funny thing about this, though. Last year, in a Wisconsin election, many of the same irregularities occurred. The Republican authorities argued that those irregularities meant nothing; just irrelevant details.

I guess whether there are really irregularities or not, depends on whether or not the Republicans are winning:

  • When winning: "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil!"
  • When losing: "Ka-BLOOEY!!!"

Once upon a time, there was a principle in this country that the law was the law, no matter who was winning or losing. Now it depends on which party is winning or losing.

Is that a good thing?

Saturday, July 7, 2012

"I'm Allowed to Rob You?" Rubbish.

I just watched part of the "I'm Allowed to Rob You" presentation by Larken Rose. (I had to give it up when it reached the point of total inanity.)

It is total rubbish.