Read this.

And the comments.  All of them.

It's a war that, in retrospect, we never should have started. Oh, sure, we had the best of intentions going in; there was a perceived threat to our society, plus the do-gooder angle of people who needed saving to make us feel better about ourselves. Sure, we might have to curtail a few civil liberties for the duration, but that's the price of security in time of war, right?

Forty years later, we are still an occupying army, people's rights are still getting trampled, and you have a harder time buying good cold medicine than you would the meth they're afraid you'll make with it. They would rather an innocent person writhe in pain than risk somebody getting high.

Seriously, the War on (Some) Drugs has done more damage to the fabric of American liberty and the Bill of Rights than any other single factor, shows no sign of letting up, and yet bring this fact up to any Law 'n' Order Republican and they just snort and dismiss the issue with "Libertarians just want to smoke pot."

Nuff said.

The suicide of open borders

Unlike many of my libertarian brethren, I support a seriously restrictive immigration policy and strong border defense.  I've expounded upon this before, but Nelson Hultberg attacks the subject point by point and you should all go read it now.

The illegals streaming into our country today have no grasp as to what freedom and its requisites are. To make matters worse, many of them are brazenly anti-American with an arrogant sense of entitlement already built into their personalities. They are bringing with them the political and cultural assumptions of their country of origin. And those assumptions are that the state is meant to take care of them. Unlike earlier America, we now have a state that will cater to those assumptions. This is the flaw in the rationale of open border advocates. The quality of immigrants that flows to a welfare state country will not be the same as that which flows to a laissez-faire country. For this reason alone, any influx of immigrants to our nation must be severely restricted.

But as the Founders knew, even in a laissez-faire country immigration must always be restricted. Today’s unbridled welfare state merely makes restriction all the more mandatory. In fact it makes restriction a matter of national survival.

The flippant libertarian retort to this dilemma, that “all we need to do then is just get rid of the welfare state,” is naïve and irresponsible. Open borders is not a rational policy even for a free, laissez-faire country. Moreover, the welfare state will require 50-100 years to phase out. If present immigration trends continue, in a half-century Mexicans and Central Americans (and their socialist assumptions) will have overrun the entire southwest and much of the midwest. They will be the majority voting block in the country. Thus all libertarians do with their flippant advocacy is confuse the populace, which allows collectivist bureaucrats and corporatists to continue bringing in larger and larger swarms of illegals. Rationality is needed here, not flippancy.

Seriously, if you still don't get the point, you really have no grasp of what liberty requires.  Put your dogma on a shelf and start using some of that logic stuff.

Does the Thug Regime worry about you?

See how many of these categories you fit into:

1. Those that talk about "individual liberties"

2. Those that advocate for states’ rights

3. Those that want "to make the world a better place"

4. "The colonists who sought to free themselves from British rule"

5. Those that are interested in "defeating the Communists"

6. Those that believe "that the interests of one’s own nation are separate from the interests of other nations or the common interest of all nations"

7. Anyone that holds a "political ideology that considers the state to be unnecessary, harmful, or undesirable"

8. Anyone that possesses an "intolerance toward other religions"

9. Those that "take action to fight against the exploitation of the environment and/or animals"

10. "Anti-Gay"

11. "Anti-Immigrant"

12. "Anti-Muslim"

13. "The Patriot Movement"

14. "Opposition to equal rights for gays and lesbians"

15. Members of the Family Research Council

16. Members of the American Family Association

17. Those that believe that Mexico, Canada and the United States "are secretly planning to merge into a European Union-like entity that will be known as the ‘North American Union’"

18. Members of the American Border Patrol/American Patrol

19. Members of the Federation for American Immigration Reform

20. Members of the Tennessee Freedom Coalition

21. Members of the Christian Action Network

22. Anyone that is "opposed to the New World Order"

23. Anyone that is engaged in "conspiracy theorizing"

24. Anyone that is opposed to Agenda 21

25. Anyone that is concerned about FEMA camps

26. Anyone that "fears impending gun control or weapons confiscations"

27. The militia movement

28. The sovereign citizen movement

29. Those that "don’t think they should have to pay taxes"

30. Anyone that "complains about bias"

31. Anyone that "believes in government conspiracies to the point of paranoia"

32. Anyone that "is frustrated with mainstream ideologies"

33. Anyone that "visits extremist websites/blogs"

34. Anyone that "establishes website/blog to display extremist views"

35. Anyone that "attends rallies for extremist causes"

36. Anyone that "exhibits extreme religious intolerance"

37. Anyone that "is personally connected with a grievance"

38. Anyone that "suddenly acquires weapons"

39. Anyone that "organizes protests inspired by extremist ideology"

40. "Militia or unorganized militia"

41. "General right-wing extremist"

42. Citizens that have "bumper stickers" that are patriotic or anti-U.N.

43. Those that refer to an "Army of God"

44. Those that are "fiercely nationalistic (as opposed to universal and international in orientation)"

45. Those that are "anti-global"

46. Those that are "suspicious of centralized federal authority"

47. Those that are "reverent of individual liberty"

48. Those that "believe in conspiracy theories"

49. Those that have "a belief that one’s personal and/or national ‘way of life’ is under attack"

50. Those that possess "a belief in the need to be prepared for an attack either by participating in paramilitary preparations and training or survivalism"

51. Those that would "impose strict religious tenets or laws on society (fundamentalists)"

52. Those that would "insert religion into the political sphere"

53. Anyone that would "seek to politicize religion"

54. Those that have "supported political movements for autonomy"

55. Anyone that is "anti-abortion"

56. Anyone that is "anti-Catholic"

57. Anyone that is "anti-nuclear"

58. "Rightwing extremists"

59. "Returning veterans"

60. Those concerned about "illegal immigration"

61. Those that "believe in the right to bear arms"

62. Anyone that is engaged in "ammunition stockpiling"

63. Anyone that exhibits "fear of Communist regimes"

64. "Anti-abortion activists"

65. Those that are against illegal immigration

66. Those that talk about "the New World Order" in a "derogatory" manner

67. Those that have a negative view of the United Nations

68. Those that are opposed "to the collection of federal income taxes"

69. Those that supported former presidential candidates Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin and Bob Barr

70. Those that display the Gadsden Flag ("Don’t Tread On Me")

71. Those that believe in "end times" prophecies

72. Evangelical Christians

Now, do remember that these terms are interpreted by paranoid statists.  Think that maybe we shouldn't get all chummy with the Muslim Brotherhood?  You're #8(intolerant toward other religions!) and #12(anti-Muslim!), not to mention #36(exhibiting extreme religious intolerance!). 

Have more than a couple of boxes of ammunition?  Do you own a gun at all?  Then you're 26(you fear impending gun control or weapons confiscations(not that they'd ever do that, right?)!), 27(in a "militia movement"(whether you actually are or not)!), 38(you've "suddenly" acquired weapons), 50(a "survivalist"), 61(you "believe in the right to bear arms?"  What a whackjob!), and--no matter how sparse your ammo cabinet may be--you're most definitely 62(engaged in "ammunition stockpiling").

Think America is a sovereign country, with the right to make her own laws and decide who comes in and who doesn't?  WHOA.  There's pretty much half of those points.  If you believe in God, particularly the Christian God, there's the other half.  And if you fit in even ONE of these categories, however far they have to reach to put you there, you are considered a "potential terrorist."

If you're an actual Constitutional American, the American government is scared shitless of you. 

Repeat:

If you're an actual Constitutional American, the American government is scared shitless of you. 

Let that sink in for a while.

As for me, I took this as a "How American Are You?" quiz, which someone who knows how to make online quizzes should totally do.  I disregarded those categories that the Thug Regime would put me in by association, and just checked those that I proudly fit into.  My score?

45 out of 72.  Not bad.  And I definitely fit into 34(Anyone that "establishes website/blog to display extremist views"). 

Guess I'll see y'all in Gitmo.

Worth a thousand words

(Shamelessly jacked from BoB.)

"Affordable" Care Act?

Thousands beg to differ.  Most vociferously.

Over the last 24 hours, my inbox has been flooded with hundreds of emails. What you’ll read in this post represents a portion of them. I’m only one guy (with a fulltime job and twins) — I wasn’t able to go through every single message just yet. Some, I left out because the information was too specific and personal, to the extent that it would reveal the identity of the person who sent it. Some, I couldn’t include because they are simply (well written and accurate) editorials about Obamacare, but they don’t speak to the personal, physical impact of Obamacare on American families. Others, I just haven’t had a chance to read. I expect there will be a sequel to this post coming very soon. Thank you for your stories.

In the meantime, here are the tales of many, many, many real Americans. Share this with your friends. Every time some Statist nincompoop extols the virtues of Obamacare; every time they insist that the “Affordable Care Act” has done nothing but “help” low and middle income families; every time they babble incoherently about how Obamacare isn’t “perfect” but it’s still “better” than what we had before — show them this. Challenge them to read what is happening out there. This isn’t abstract. It isn’t academic. It isn’t a matter of ideology. It isn’t even an issue of constitutionality (although it’s that, also). This is about people. People with kids, and bills, and health problems. This is about people who can no longer afford their health coverage, their mortgages, their lifesaving medication. This is about doctors and nurses leaving medicine behind, driven away by destructive bureaucratic interference. This is about moms and dads losing their jobs so that their employers can compensate for the financial burden of Obamacare. This is about people without insurance because of Obamacare, now being fined for not having insurance because of Obamacare. This is about business owners driven to the edge of bankruptcy. This is real. We heard a lot of fantasies about what Obamacare was “supposed” to accomplish, now it’s time to talk about what it’s actually doing.

So when they say you are “heartless” for opposing Obamacare, show them why it’s heartless to support it.

They go on...and on...and on.  Insurance costs doubling, with a $3000 deductible raised to $10,000.  Doctors retiring or making plans to leave the country.  The elderly and retired, the young and struggling, being forced out of their insurance policies.  Have a barf bucket and a punching bag ready before you read these stories.

I remember the '80's, when HMOs were supposed to be the Great White Hope of healthcare.  "You can choose your doctor, your costs will go down, nothing's going to get worse and everything's going to get better."  LIES.  ALL LIES.

And you dumbasses fell for it...AGAIN.  Seriously, Obamanoids, WTF is wrong with you???  The whole thing was summed up by commenter Mike Magnus:

I think what gets lost in these back and forth arguments, lost by both sides, is that we do not have a free market healthcare/insurance system in America. Haven’t for a very long time. We have a centrally planned, government controlled healthcare system in America. Literally tens of thousands of mandates, regulations and taxes on the healthcare/insurance industry.

 Ever since the federal government took control of education, what has been the result? Increasingly expensive, declining results.

 Ever since the federal government passed and raised minimum wage laws to help the poor, what has been the result? Unemployment amongst the poor goes up and up and up.

 Ever since the federal government passed strict gin control laws in early 1900′s, what has been the result? Gun related crime skyrocketed.

 Nearly every major plan the government puts forward has serious, devastating unintended consequences. Healthcare policy is no different. For 40 years they have been imposing new mandates, taxing every aspect of the industry and regulating every decision anyone involved in healthcare makes. What has been the result? More and more people can not afford the government mandates, taxes and regulations. More and more people go without.

 And thousands of new mandates, taxes and regulations are the solution?

 When I read these comments on here I can’t help but think this main point, that government has controlled our healthcare system for 2 generations, isn’t even considered by most people.

Get it through your heads:  Government is not the solution; government is the problem.

If you're surprised...

...you really need to pull your head out of your ass.

Yep, the Greedy Old Pussies bent over and let the Dems give it to them (but not nearly as bad as the rest of us) good and hard up the fart pipe.

Again.

As if this hasn't been happening for years on end?  As if this wasn't as much a foregone conclusion as the sun rising in the East tomorrow?  The most tragicomic thing about this whole affair was the spectacle of all these folks in Conservative media hollering about "They better not cave, or else!!"  It's like these people have some sort of Battered Spouse Syndrome, where they really believe--despite every single piece of evidence pointing to the contrary--that this time it'll be different.  They'll stand their ground this time.  They won't sell us out this time.

Regular readers may have noticed my lack of posting of late.  This is because I just can't work up the energy to get angry about it any more.  We've said all there is to say.  We've warned you time and time again.  Frankly, I've grown weary of repeating myself.  I'll say it one more time: 

WE'RE NOT VOTING OUR WAY OUT OF THIS.

Just accept that, alter your strategy accordingly, and move on.

Wise words from...Sinead O'Connor??

Something you never thought you'd read on a blog written by one of those Right Wing Extremists, eh?  But--unlike too many people on both sides--I don't give a damn about anyone's sexuality, religion or political leanings when they're speaking the truth.  And Sinead is laying down some truth that young Miley Cyrus really ought to take to heart.

(WARNING:  Profanity at link)

I wasn’t going to write this letter, but today I’ve been dodging phone calls from various newspapers who wished me to remark upon your having said in Rolling Stone your Wrecking Ball video was designed to be similar to the one for Nothing Compares… So this is what I need to say… And it is said in the spirit of motherliness and with love.

I am extremely concerned for you that those around you have led you to believe, or encouraged you in your own belief, that it is in any way ‘cool’ to be naked and licking sledgehammers in your videos. It is in fact the case that you will obscure your talent by allowing yourself to be pimped, whether its the music business or yourself doing the pimping.

Nothing but harm will come in the long run, from allowing yourself to be exploited, and it is absolutely NOT in ANY way an empowerment of yourself or any other young women, for you to send across the message that you are to be valued (even by you) more for your sexual appeal than your obvious talent.

It's long, but worth reading.  How many of us conservatives are trying to get this message across to the young ladies of today?  If they hear it from someone we might not agree with, does it really matter as long as they listen?

Selco on bread and circuses

This is a man who has BTDT, and if you haven't heard of his site, get thee hence and start taking notes.  Usually, he's describing how to deal with some serious apocalyptic wartime Mad Max shit, but this may be his most relevant post as regards what's going down now.  Here.  Today.

Some of us are „too deep“ and „too blindly“ buried into the BOB, BOL, SHTF, WROL and other discussion and arguing about „what knife to have when SHTF” and God knows what else. Many think one day lights go out and darkness all around, hell breaks lose. But this only happens when governments make big mistake or nature finally gets back at us.

I believe government and corporations just turn off light slowly. Hand out pocket lights that people can see small area around them but not big picture.

When you put people slowly in misery they think it is normal. Humen get used to everything around them if they have enough time. So they take away air to breath but leave you just enough you are still alive. What I mean is that s. already hit the fan, it hit quietly and it is slowly rumbling towards us. Most people gonna realize that only when it blows up in their face.

Read and contemplate.

Posted without comment.

The belief that rules matter and that everybody has to follow them is the glue that binds a society together. It is much easier to tolerate injury when you know, deep inside, that the offender will be punished for his transgressions, no matter who he is.

But when you reach the point where you accept as fact that there are two different classes of people, those who get punished if they break the rules (you), and those who never will, regardless of their transgressions, rules very quickly cease to matter very much.

And when you know that the injuries you have suffered will never be punished by the law since your aggressor belongs to a Protected Class, then you’re left with precious little choice but to mete out the punishment yourself if any punishment is to be had at all. Also, if a certain class of the population doesn’t have to follow the rules, then why in the name of all that’s good and holy should you have to?