Guard Dog

Do you really, and being a history teacher too, not see the symbolic difference between the White House and the military base? The first thing he cuts is people's access to the symbolic center of their government, not his vacations, not his jetsetting, not his bloated stuff. It's like he's saying the government belongs to me, not to you. I'm the King, and you have no business in my palace. That's not how a leader of a free people acts. Really sometimes the things you say just amaze me. No kidding, and now they are saying he can kill us right here on our own soil.I think Lincoln set that precedent (well, really Washington during the Whiskey Rebellion if I recall my history right). Anyway, don't see anything wrong with killing terrorists, as they're considered enemy combatants. I don't think the leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula should get any protection from his citizenship once he took up arms against the country he's technically the citizen of. The problem WoD is that Americans are entitled to due process from our government. Especially on our own home soil. Simply declaring me a terrorist because my politics are opposed to the president's does not make me one. Calling me an insurgent because I'm well armed does not make me one. I'm not talking about killing foreign combatants in a combat zone far away. This whole thing is about killing Americans right here in the USA. The only reason they've backtracked (sort of) is because of public outcry. The Obama admin is very serious about securing this power for itself. The tragedy of that whole thing (The whiskey rebellion) was it was over money and control. And Madison's mad dream of the government controlling the economy with his "Bank of the Unites States". The US government is never more dangerous than when it wants control over something it does not have. The only protection we as citizens have is to keep it's scope and ability to usurp contol of things limited.

I didn't mean regulate the rights of citizens, more the protection of citizens from abuse and the protection of the rights of citizens. I mean if that was left up to the states in entirety, you'd still wind up with pre-civil rights era south trumping and griping about how "those dastardly liberals" keep moving down there and trying to agitate to change the system. If you keep having the same attitudes and thought processes perpetuated, very little will change. I'm typing this on a tablet so forgive me if I keep it short. The biggest threat to the rights of citizens IS government. They are not it's protector in any real way because, generally, rights represent limits to government. If another individula or entity infringes on your rights in any way there are legal protections, criminal and civil. It's a lot more vauge when the government does so. I'll repeat what I've said before. the largest most powerful corporation in the world could not take one penny from my checking account unless I consented. The smallest government right here in Shelby County Tennessee could seize all my financial assets, sieze my home, take and kill my dogs, and throw me in jail. And if they did so erronously or unjustly it is still incumbent on me to fight back and they have more than enough financial power to ruin me in the process. Who should be really be afraid of Calax?

RIP Guard Dogs Computer . I built her in 2008. Now two HDDs, three video cards, two OS's and more hours of Fallout, NWN, Oblivion, Morrowind, DA & Total War than I could ever count, she has left me. She won't boot up, wont read the HD (it's good, it posts up in another old PC I have). Soooo laptop time. Thanks for the informed opinions everyone, time to pick one.

How are these not great virtues? How do you expect to get any work done if all you do is build walls around yourself? I have an interesting question for you guys, which one of the founding fathers do you feel you relate closely to? I tend to find Benjamin Franklin the most appealing, with quotes like this speaking out to me: But I believe all of them, with their very diverse beliefs, play a key role in the creation of our country. Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson, hands down. This quote is for you Hurlie: "Moderation in temper is always a virtue, moderation in principle is always a vice" Thomas Paine And my personal favorite "Society in every state is a blessing but government even in it's best stage is necessary evil, in it's worst stage an intolerable one"

He is just such a one. His posts regarding the Second Amendment and gun control laws make it entirely clear that he's very much akin to Sowell's "anointed", Levin's "statist", or Codevilla's "ruling class"--take your pick. ROFL.... wait I gotta catch my breath. Hey Calax, you're a member of the ruling class, all your problems are solved... who knew all this time you spent working so hard you were really running the show! No seriously Tsuga Calax is a good guy and smarter than most here. He is a little left of center for sure but he is consistent and intellectually honest about why he thinks the way he does. I'm not familiar with Codevilla but Thomas Sowell I do know and he is one of the most brilliant men alive today. And he was NOT talking about guys like Calax in his book The Vision of the Anointed. I know, it's on the bookshelf behind me right now. Now Calax's professors at ISU that are reinforcing his political leanings, that is another story.

@Hurlshot: I can dismiss Bidens comments and well as those of the Congress Critters as political rhetoric. But that memo from the DHS I can't just wave off. Nor should you. That is a real policy from a real branch of the government and coupled with Holders comments earlier this week I would not just say "Oh it will never happen". I do consider myself a student of US History and I can think of numerous times that the rights of citizens have been trampled, ignored or abused. I certainly hope this will all pass and we will be none the worse for it. I'm far from certain though. This really isn't just about healthcare. I know that's the point now and the main topic of this discussion. What this is really about is two different and mutually exclusive visions of what this country is and where it is going. @Calax: "Others think that the Feds should have significantly more power when it comes to regulating trade, crime, and the rights of citizens." Calax, that is the single most frightening thing I think you have ever said.I truely hope you are not one of those who think that. They DO NOT get to regulate our rights because our rights do not come from them. They day they do is the day we are finished as a free nation. The rest of your point is good though. There are those who do think we need to evolve as a nation. But do you think evolving into a nation that is less free is a good thing?

Perhaps "enemy" was a poor choice of words. I posted elsewhere that disliking someone because their politics are not your politics was like disliking them for rooting for a different sports team. And you are also correct that one side is eventually going to win out because they (the majority) want something different. And I already know it won't be my side and I also know I will hate beyond words the end result. Hopefully the worse won't come to worst. Hopefully enough people will turn us back from where we are heading. If all else fails hopefully we'll just break up the country and go our own way peacefully. I would not call the US Democrats socialists. That would not be accurate, although they do have some socialist tendencies. I think Coporatists is probably closer to the mark. But one thing is for certain, their tone has changed in the past four years. Did you ever think you would hear the US DOJ proclaim the President has the right to order the summary excecution of a US citizen on US soil as long as he is satisfied they are terroists? You did last week. Did you ever think the US government would label people whose politics they disaprove of but who have comitted no crimes as likely terrorists? You did just three years ago :http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/16/napolitano-stands-rightwing-extremism/, http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60421.html. Maybe they are not my enemy, but apparently I've become theirs. As far as taxes and funding the govenment I've made it clear that I'm certainly no anarchist. We need the government to play the role it was designed to play. The trouble it it has left that far behind and now is turning up in everything.

I was looking at a MSI on newegg.com. Do you know anything about them? Some of the reviews indicated they had heat dissipation problems.

You know the finals will be right there in your hometown. USA vs Mexico tonight! Woo-Hoo. That will be a good game.

And I agreed with him on that. And I also agreed Romney would not have gained us anything. The very best I was hoping for from Romney was a four year delay in the expansion of Federal power. Or at least a four year reduction in the rate of federal power expansion. Heck he was already practically a Democrat in his political beliefs. Voting for him was me choosing the lesser of two evils. Voting for the guy who would hurt me the least. And the 62M who voted for him may not want to give up freedom but they sure voted for it. The man is not even two months into his second term and he is attacking the 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 10th Amendments with reckless abandon. Even promising to use executive action if Congress does not roll over and give him his way.

Hurlshot we ARE becoming enemies. It has already begun. One side wants the government to expand, to eliminate federalisim and for practical purposes nullify local government. Essentially to take over everything. The other side, I'm not sure what they want, but their constituents want to reduce the size of government to bring it back within the confines of the Constitution. Where do we compromise here? They are competely mutually exclusive ends. Policy may have room for compromise but fundamental philosophy and vision for the future just does not.

The truth is Wals, you are out of luck. National Healthcare is a fact in GB and it is never going away. You will never get the genie back in the bottle. That is why it is so insidious. That's why I'm opposing even to the point of breaking up the country over it. Once you have it, you can never get rid of it. That transition is forever. As for why ideas like I've advocated are not getting any traction in the US it's because the government does not want that to happen. They (the left wing at least) WANT nationalized healthcare. Like I said it is the ultimate backstage pass. They want that control over us. As you so astutely stated in the other thread it's the "many swivel-eyed bastards who indulge waking dreams of ordering people about simply for the puritanical thrill of it." that made Obama's election happen and work in his administration, including him. They are opposed to anything that gives the average citizen whom they view with a mixture of condescension and hostility, with greater freedom and autonomy. And far too many Americans, 62,154,025 to be exact said on November 7 "Take our freedom from us, just take care of us".

I've probably become more libertarian as well, although as with all "factions" the "crazies" typically make me not want to associate with them either haha. Fiscal policy drives 90% of my voting tendencies, although some things like excessive/adamant stupidity that a candidate may say regarding other aspects is not completely ignored. Having said that, I have also learned that many of my right-wing assumptions have been more fueled by propaganda than me actually carefully examining the details, especially from a pure economics perspective. As you say, it's important to still acknowledge that different opinions can exist and be viable. So you are becoming an example of what the folks in Ottawa are calling "Western Alienation"?

To tell you the truth Hurlie, I'd have much greater respect for a politician who refused to compromise rather than allow a bad law to pass or bad policy to be enacted. And these days there is is very little else coming from Washington DC.

No kidding, and now they are saying he can kill us right here on our own soil.

Big news in the WBC! Congrats to Team Italy for knoking off Mexico and kudos to the Netherlands for pulling a big upset over Cuba.

Why do you not think highly of Rand? I'm genuinely curious. First off, yes JFSOCC she was an athiest. That does not matter. Disliking someone because their religion or politics are different from yours makes no sense to me. It's like disliking someone because they cheer for a different sports team than you (unless they are Yankees fans, then it's ok ). Now to KP's point my problem is not so much with Rand as with Objectivisim. A purely objectivist society would literally eat itself. There has to be something of a social safety net. There has to be some limitations on capitalisim. I am a card carrying libertarain and I do firmly believe that minimizing government is necassary to maximize freedom. But cutting it back to nothing at all does anything but. A truely fair market is impossible to achive in a complete laissez faire economic system. There has to be ground rules and that requires a government to intervene and rein it in to a point. But it should be a silk leash, not the heavy iron chains we see today. Now my problem with the world today is that we have left that far behind. We are no longer concerned with ensuring equal opportunity so much as forcing equal outcome. The ulitmate result of this IS a loss of liberty. And the saddest part is people are voting their freedom away in every election cycle.

Great point. If you go by the classic definition of the word I'm the biggest liberal on the board!

You do realize that scorn is a favorite tactic of the Alinskyites and that they employ it relentlessly to real effect? I respect the office, but I have none for the current occupant or any of his ilk. I have to agree with Hurlie though Tsuga, we're all adults here. I'm sure you noticed there are very few folks on this board with a libertarian/conservative viewpoint. It's difficult enough to get some of these guys to even acknowledge an opinion different from their own exists and is intellectually viable. Don't cut you own legs out by putting them off with that kind of name calling. Besides, you can go over to freerepublic.com and get that out of your system. Well, you can... I can't. I was banned over there.

I know one too. I just saw him in the mirror when I was shaving.

What unique perspective are you guys talking about? Orogun's family is from Cuba IIRC

Driving up to Dyersburg for work in a few. Nice little town actually. One of only two bridges accross the Mississippi in TN. I find that pretty cool.

It is a sad truism that Americans are willing to look the other way on the most horrifying malfesance when it is "their guy" doing it. The Republicans did nothing to stop Bush seizing power the US Government should never have had and the Democrats wailed. Now Obama had doubled down and they are fine with it. This newest and most horrifiying that has come out is the US Attorney General stating that is is perfectly fine for the President to order the summary excecution of US Citizens on US soil by drone strike without warrant or judicial review. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/9913615/Barack-Obama-has-authority-to-use-drone-strikes-to-kill-Americans-on-US-soil.html. The President stated he would use them only to kill "terrorists" but his admin has refused to name Hamas, Al Queda, etc as terrorists. His DHS however released this little memo stating that rturn veterans, tea party memebers, anti-abortion people, and anyone who does not vote like they think we should are likely terrorists:http://www.infowars.com/homeland-security-report-lists-liberty-lovers-as-terrorists/ . I guess now I should be looking over my shoulder. Small wonder they are trying to ban "assault rifles". It has nothing to do with Sandy Hook. Do you think that man lost one minute of sleep over that? It's allbout eliminating possible resistance. Every day the news gets worse and worse on Washington's attempts to restrict freedom. How does this not come to a head at some point?

I was referring to big companies rather than just a single one, meaning that the market is their playground and now with globalization and chain stores is hard for small business to compete against the big guys. Also IIRC some of those laws were re-appealed during the Bush administration which was considered to be one of the factors in the economic collapse. Nevertheless I would also question how much can these laws be enforced since companies have zero transparency, so they could hide very well their monopoly and we'd be none the wiser. Of course that's all speculative but my initial point stands big companies have made a fissure in microeconomies which has in turn lead to the decline of the middle class which was sustained by small businesses. Glass-Stengal was effectivley repealed during the Clinton Admin and that fact had a LOT to do with the crash in 2008 and the collpase of the real estate market. But it had nothing to do with anti-trust. They (the anti-trust laws) are all still in effect and there is a list of SCOTUS decisions that uphold them. Just ask AT&T & Microsoft. My idea WOULD work and it would be fairer and most importantly freerer than the alternative. I DO NOT want the god damned government deciding if I get healthcare and when. It won't be long before they start looking into how you vote before they dcide if they want to treat you or not. You had better believe that is coming.

It's because they are somewhat insulated from inflationary swings becuase they are not tied to any currency. I actually would not reccomend buying into gold right now, it is way over priced and the longer we go without a real fiscal collpase the closer we get to a correction. It's been declining a little bit lately. I started buying when it was a little under $800. I actually liquidated a chunk of it last year to pay off my truck and pay my share of the start up costs of our company. I started buying silver two years ago and it has been steadily climbing. I was thinking about selling the whole thing and getting into real estate but that is still too unstable for me.