Free In Idaho!

So, the coffee is made, my Sweetie and the dog are both asleep here on the couch beside me, so it’s time to do some Saturday morning reading.  Let’s see…

Fiscal baloney.  Yup.  Reason has “Five Lies About The American Economy“.

How can the American economy keep getting worse under the intensive care of an interventionist economic team almost universally praised for its brilliance? The answer may be that the Obama administration is dealing with a fictional economy, one that bears little resemblance to the economy the rest of us inhabit. And when the difference between fact and fiction becomes too apparent, they just make stuff up.

The American people don’t want it. But Obama doesn’t care. IBD has “Why The Health Bill Makes No Sense“.  But really, who needs 15 reasons?  The American people have said NO.  That oughta settle that.

Health Reform: So it’s come down to this — desperate Democratic leaders strong-arming members on the worst bill ever before they go home to explain to constituents why they decided to commit political suicide.

I was at the Sheriff’s yesterday getting my CWL renewed. A lot has changed in the years since I was there last.  Then it was a small desk tucked away in the back of the drivers license office.  Today the weapons permit desk has been moved out to the main lobby, and made much bigger. There are now two ladies working it because, let’s face it, they’re doing a lot of business. At 11am there were five or six folks behind me and two ahead of me. Only a couple of these were renewals, so the ranks of those carrying concealed is growing daily. Here’s a short article with some good tips for those just beginning.

So select the size of your pistol first and foremost, and base it on what you need in order to carry it 24-7, 365 days a year (all the time).

Something to think about, concerning the differences between libertarians and conservatives (esp neo-conservatives). Is Libertarianism Real Conservatism? Give this a read, see what you think.

Considering their new, radical definition, it’s easy to see why Rush and other mainstream conservatives don’t consider libertarians part of their movement — because they’re not. And while it remains to be seen how the irreconcilable differences will play out between limited government libertarians (whose numbers are growing) and big government neoconservatives (whose ideology still dominates), let there be no more ignorance about which philosophy is truly more alien to the historical American conservative movement — and let there be no further delusions about which philosophy was most responsible for creating it.

Did you know that 36% don’t pay any taxes at all now? Actually, when you think about it, it’s worse than that. How many of those 36% actually get cash payments _from_ the government? Spreading the wealth. If you tried to open a restaurant and fed 36% of your “customers” for no charge, how long could YOU stay in business? Here’s a couple of interesting charts on who pays taxes these days.

Well, enough of that.  It’s getting light out.  Time for some fresh eggs and bacon, then load some rifles in the truck and head for the range.  Hope you all have a great day!

From NRO today

Stupak notes that his negotiations with House Democratic leaders in recent days have been revealing. “I really believe that the Democratic leadership is simply unwilling to change its stance,” he says. “Their position says that women, especially those without means available, should have their abortions covered.” The arguments they have made to him in recent deliberations, he adds, “are a pretty sad commentary on the state of the Democratic party.”
What are Democratic leaders saying? “If you pass the Stupak amendment, more children will be born, and therefore it will cost us millions more. That’s one of the arguments I’ve been hearing,” Stupak says. “Money is their hang-up. Is this how we now value life in America? If money is the issue — come on, we can find room in the budget. This is life we’re talking about.”

My emphasis. Democrat death panels for babies… truly evil.

The Idaho Automatic Weapons Collectors (IAWCA) will be holding their first shoot of the year this Saturday.  The St Paddy’s Day Fun Shoot is, as the name says, a get out and shoot fun time, to blow off the cobwebs, so to speak.   As usual, shooters and spectators are welcome.  Range fee will be $20 for IAWCA club members, $30 for non-members.  Spectators are free.  You don’t need a full auto for this shoot either.  There will be both full and semi weapons, old military bolties, and probably a few high power rifles as well.  Among the usual “interesting targets” this year will be a pick up truck.

The event is this Saturday, March 13th.  Registration and set-up begin at 10AM, a mandatory safety meeting will begin at 11:30, and the first “commence firing” command will be given at noon.  Once again, the Black’s Creek Rifle Range just south of Boise will be the site.  Come on out!  See how long that pickup lasts against a couple belt-feds and a bunch of shoulder fired machine guns.  What else do you have to do Saturday, clean the garage?

Idaho joined Montana and Tennessee with its own version of a “Firearms Freedom” bill yesterday.  The Idaho Statesman reported

The House State Affairs Committee Thursday approved a bill that would make firearms manufactured and sold in Idaho exempt from national gun laws. That could include federal regulations requiring background checks on gun buyers.

The Spokesman Review had a bit more detail, particularly about the legislator’s intent to challenge the Federal government’s power

(Rep)Harwood told the committee, “This is automatically going to end up in a court case, that was the object of this bill. It’s not to control guns, it’s not to do anything, it’s to change. … To tell the state of Idaho we can run our own commerce, that’s what this bill is about.” Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, told the panel, “We want to take this to court, we want to create a controversy, and that’s where we’re headed with this. And Idaho will be part of a grander scheme.” The bill then was approved on a voice vote, with just two “no” votes.

The comments at the two papers indicate there are a number of folks who don’t understand the bill is about the struggle between the States and the FedGov, not primarily about guns. They don’t seem to care about the constitutionality of Obamacare, the ridiculous expense of the auto company takeover bailout, or the lack of actual job creation for Idahoans in such “pet politician projects” as the Mayor Dave Bieter Memorial Downtown Boise Trolley Car To Nowhere… but let a Republican Representative from a small town in North Central Idaho come to the table with a Firearms Freedom Bill and the bleating class are fairly vocal.

From an interesting article about today’s Supreme Court hearing on the Chicago gun case, today’s quote is from lawyer Alan Gura

“Nobody has a legitimate reason to fear a faithful interpretation of the Constitution, and nobody has any legitimate reason to fear effective and complete protection of civil rights,” he said. “There are people who do fear what they might perceive to be a bad case following from the decision in McDonald, but the fact a future court might make an erroneous decision is no excuse to make an erroneous decision in this case.”

Hear, hear. (my bold, by the way)

The funniest reply email I’ve read in a long time.  The Dutchman responds to a request by the SPLC.  Guess what his answer was?

(warning: coffee snorting ahead)

Hmmm… CNN, eh?

Fifty-six percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday say they think the federal government’s become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. Forty-four percent of those polled disagree.

Well, with Obama’s approval rating below 50%, and Congress’ rating at 18%, is it any wonder that even CNN is beginning to find a majority of citizens who are more than just a little wary of their government? After all, a supermajority of Americans wants Congress to either scrap the current “healthcare” bill and do nothing (or at least start over), yet the leadership of the majority party is planning to pass it anyway using cheater’s rules and a one vote majority. That’s kinda threatening.

Most Americans are being negatively affected by the economy, yet the government is spending money it doesn’t have, on credit, so recklessly that even the Chinese recognize there is a problem. Yeah, that’s rather threatening as well.

Adding a new dimension to the term “talking points”, the same Administration that castigated Republicans for their “talking points” has set up a “how to call talk radio” webpage. Not even Richard Nixon at his most paranoid thought of using the gullible elements of the American public in such a way. Do you find that threatening?

In perusing some of the left side blogs I find some head scratching going on, and many people questioning “what has the government done to threaten anyone?  I don’t understand where this poll is coming from, the Bush administration was threatening but not this one” blah blah blah.  People, read what the poll was about.  Has the government gotten so large and powerful as to be an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of its citizens?  It didn’t ask what rights you’ve lost, or when your guns were taken away, or anything else.  It simply asked if the government has gotten big enough to be a threat.

Is the government big enough to try to mandate what a citizen must buy?  Is it big and powerful enough to mandate that you participate in its retirement ponzi scheme, which, by the way, would land a non-governmental schemer a long prison sentence?  Is it big enough to punish you for saying or doing “the wrong thing”?  Is it big enough to take away your property and give it to someone else?  Is it powerful enough to demand that sports figures or the CEO of a foreign company go before a kangaroo court to testify and apologize?  Is it powerful enough for an unelected agency to mandate rules and regulations for businesses and citizens alike?  Is it so large now that few even talk about trying make it smaller anymore, they just argue over who gets to steer?

Only 56 percent of the folks answered yes.  That may seem like progress, until you think about it.  But if only 56% recognize the size and power of Leviathan, well, I find THAT threatening.

Another article about the upcoming Supreme Court handling of the Chicago Second Amendment (and Fourteenth Amendment) case.   This is Alan Korwin over on the AmmoLand site.

Is Chicago obligated, under the 14th Amendment, to honor and respect your rights? It says no, it can do as it pleases and screw your rights, just like other abhorrent petty tyrants currently running loose without nooses in the United States. (FWIW, Illinois, Maryland and New Jersey filed briefs supporting Chicago, a total of three arguing against RKBA rights.)

I say, along with a huge chunk of this great country, that the states should be as totally bound to protect and safeguard the rights you have as an American citizen as all government should be. (38 briefs were filed in defense of our rights, including one by 251 congressmen and 58 senators). I go a bit further and say the bigots who have been denying and repressing your rights all this time belong in prison, but we’re not likely to go that far. This time.

That’s a pity… time seems to be running out these days.

What’s so hard about calling Obama a socialist?  He is.  We were flipping channels the other night and got to see O’Reilly drawing his silly line around the word socialist, and we thought he looked like a fool.  But then, it was O’Reilly, so what did we expect?  Brits and Europeans know it when they see it and they don’t have the same problem calling what it is.

I have a lot of respect for Bill O’Reilly, but to a Brit who has seen his fair share of socialists and lives in a socialist country run by a self-described socialist party by a self-described socialist prime minister who has taken over for another self-described socialist prime minister, it is puzzling why self-described independents like Mr O’Reilly are doing backflips in an attempt to avoid the obvious fact — President Obama is quite clearly a socialist.

All these verbal gymnastics that are used to avoid stating the obvious may be rather humorous for someone watching from over the Atlantic, but for Americans, such delusion is a very serious matter. It is important, not just for the American right, but for the American people as a whole, to realise just exactly who it is they have elected to office.

Time grows short. America isn’t perfect, and never has been, but what it is becoming is a nightmare. I had an octogenarian friend this past summer tell me he was glad he didn’t have to live through what I and his kids were going to see…

I heard Bob Brinker this past weekend talking about the plans that are starting to surface in Washington D.C.  Some wonderboy has seriously floated the idea that the government should take your 401k and in return give you a promise to pay you when you get old.  This subject came up before, in October of 2008 if I remember correctly.  And hmm.  Where have we heard that bright idea before?  Oh yeah, Social Security.  Now that’s security for ya.

What is wrong with the people in government today?  What is wrong with the American people?  It is NOT the government’s job to assure that the guy down the street has enough money to retire on by stealing some of yours.  Using the government’s guns to steal from one citizen in order to give it to another is theft.  Pajamas Media has an article on the subject this morning.

Unfortunately, the Republicans are little better than the Democrats with regard to respecting your rights to your own money. Republican Congressman Paul Ryan has proposed his own “Roadmap” to “reform” Social Security, where you could divert some of your Social Security money into a nominally private individual account. But you couldn’t invest your money as you saw fit. Instead, if you met certain eligibility requirements (set by the government), you would be allowed to put some of your money into special accounts (approved by the government), to be managed not by the private investment service of your choice — but by the government.

In his Newsweek interview, Ryan claimed that his plan “unapologetically applies our nation’s founding principles — individual liberty, limited government, and free enterprise — to the challenges of today.” But his plan does nothing of the sort. In fact Ryan openly admitted to the New York Times, “I make a lot of concessions here to the left.” As with the Obama administration’s plan, under the Ryan plan your money wouldn’t really be yours to do with as you wished. Instead, you could only do with it what the government permitted.

If Republicans truly wanted to respect the principles of individual liberty and limited government, they would respect Americans’ rights to save or spend their money as they wished. The government’s job is not to somehow guarantee a fixed standard of living to all retirees but instead to protect individual rights — including each person’s right to enjoy the fruits of his labor and his right to plan for his retirement according to his best judgment.

Both the Republican Party and the Democrat Party begin with the belief that everything in America belongs to the government, so government can determine who gets to do what and who gets to have how much. That goes for food, money, and property. Take a look at the death tax if you don’t believe me. The argument is not against the government stealing part of a dead man’s estate from his heirs, it is only about how much of it they will take. It’s an immoral confiscation, but nobody seems to care. Same with Social Security, and apparently, the same will soon be the case with your 401k.

This government is broke, not just financially, but morally.  The stock market bubble and the real estate bubble were simply symptoms of a dysfunctional economy overseen by a dysfunctional and corrupt government.  I have read some speculation that the retirement account takeover is a last ditch attempt to keep the whole U.S. Treasury system afloat.  Fine.  You and I can do nothing to stop them or to change it.  But please folks, take steps to protect yourself.

Ever have one of those mornings when your eyes pop open an hour earlier than normal?  You lay there in the dark, trying to convince yourself you don’t need to go down the hall to the little room, and you don’t need to get up yet, and you really wanted to sleep in till 6, and…

then your Sweetie says, “Are you awake too?”

Yeah.  One of those mornings.  The dinky dog wasn’t happy with us for waking him up at 4am, and it was too early to wake up the chicks, so we made a big pot and started watching the news.  Oh what a surprise, the soap opera is still going on.  Hmmm.  Wonder what’s on the internet?

CPAC is getting a lot of press, at least on the right side of the web.  So in the midst of all the good and happy talk, it’s essential that someone remind us that the current crop of GOP politicians is the same old pack of, uh, crapweasels politicians that have been there and got us here.  Anyone remember the “Medicare Prescription Drug Program”?  David Paul Kuhn reminds us over at Real Clear Politics

The drug bill episode also included its share of Democratic double standards. Democratic leaders like Harry Reid lecture Republicans today about obstructionist tactics. But Democratic leaders attempted a filibuster and murkier parliamentary maneuvers to kill the Medicare bill.

This is why the drug bill captures both parties’ hypocrisy. It explains why we have millions of conservatives more aligned to the Tea Party movement than to Republicans. It’s why we have more independents than Democrats or Republicans. It’s why a recent CNN poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans want a major third party.
…
Americans crave leaders from both parties, who will sit down together and take the hard stands.

But until those leaders emerge, we will likely suffer the fiscal hypocrites. A Democratic president who said “I don’t” believe in big government in the same 2009 budget address that heralded the return of big government. And we will suffer the Republicans who lecture, “do as I say, not as I do” about spending, without recalling what they did and what they said.

Yes, that quote goes easy on Republicans, but go read the article, there’s plenty of tar and feathers to go around. And while JD is getting plenty of good press right now, it’s good to remind everyone he’s got history too.

Speaking of hypocrisy and being disconnected from the will of the American people, have you heard the one about Obama and bipartisanship?  How about the one about Obama being against cronyism?  Then there’s the bit about understanding health care costs.  Whooboy, it’d be funny, except so far he’s getting away with it.

The Obama administration’s apparent intention to use the “budget reconciliation” process to try to advance its proposed health-care overhaul has shined the spotlight on why it, and the federal government as a whole, should not control what will soon be one-fifth of our economy. Simply put, the president has repeatedly emphasized three problems that must be addressed, while pursuing a course of action that would exacerbate all three. 

Did you hear that the National Enquirer may be up for a Pulitzer for breaking the John Edwards story? I know, me too. But hey, if AlGore can win an Oscar for horsefeathers, and Obama can win a Nobel for nothing, it’s fitting that the Enquirer win a Pulitzer for gossip. Wonder if Matt Drudge has a feeling or two about that? You really didn’t expect any Climategate stories to win, did you?

Speaking of Climategate, despite the fact that sports and gossip is getting all the press right now, the fallout from the exposure of the global warming hoax continues to increase, this time in that nasty marriage of convenience between politicians and big corporations.

It’s hard to tell right now which part of global warming policy is in the fastest free fall — the economics, the politics or the science. The politics seemed to be winning the race yesterday. At least five major U.S. corporations have pulled out of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, an agglomeration of business and green groups lobbying Washington for climate legislation. High on USCAP’s agenda is a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions.

The withdrawal of BP, ConocoPhillips and Caterpillar from USCAP is widely seen as another sign that cap and trade, which would allow corporations to buy and sell emissions credits, is losing ground politically.

OK, that’s enough coffee for now. The light is on in the chicken house and there is a light dusting of snow on the deck. Think I’ll start the fire, then head for the kitchen… there’s a bunch of fresh brown eggs in the fridge, a hunk of ham left over from dinner the other night, and some cornbread muffins we made last night. You folks have a great day too.