Michael Badnarik

Michael Badnarik is running for Congress in the 10th District in the state of Texas. He has raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars in his high profile campaign in what will be a 3-way race against both an incumbent Republican and a Democrat.

I'm encouraged whenever I see someone who overcomes odds and has success no matter what obstacles are put in front of them. In my own life I can be derailed so easily when things don't go the way I expect.

The Libertarian Party spends a great deal of money on simply getting ballot access rather than campaigning. Different states have different laws and in many cases once the requirements are fulfilled, lawsuits with the two major parties follow draining an already small supply of funds.

Badnarik came off the momentum he gained from his presidential run in 2004 (that earned about 400,000 votes) and began a run for congress. He already has three billboards up and paid for through the election and more money is rolling in from contributors all over the country. He has outpaced the Democrat for fundraising despite the fact that he doesn't receive money from PACs or from a national party organization.

I'd love to see another Republican ousted from congress and this time replaced with Michael. I don't agree with Badnarik on every issue, though I appreciate anyone who stands up for the law of the land.

Badnarik's website is found here.

Hitting a wall

April is my blogging wall. I fought my way through part of it but I realized this happened last year too. My mind is too scattered to throw out anything complete so I'll just throw some tidbits out here and you can just use them for dinner conversation.

The weather has finally cooperated and I did stuff outside last weekend. I love sunny days.

When I ride my motorcycle, young girls smile and wave...by young I mean early 20's. If you're a parent of a girl you should let them know that just because someone is riding a motorcycle, that does not mean they're mysterious or hot. It does however mean they are paying less out on gasoline.

Had some emails recently asking me if I've read the Gnostic Gospels and what I thought of the Da Vinci Code. Yes, I've read some of the Gnostic Gospels and have studied first Century Gnosticism. The vote to accept the current canon of writings as scripture was not close as the movie and book state. While a good story, what the book calls 'facts' resemble an Oliver Stone style weaving of historical conspiracy. I personally believe that Jesus shot JFK from the grassy knoll.

I had some money set aside to go on vacation, but I sent it to the IRS instead. If you're currently receiving any federal money (school grants, medicare, etc..) then I hope you're enjoying my money. Maybe next time just ask for it or have the decency to rob it from me directly. That would be refreshing.

I have a buddy in Iraq that I'd like to see come home. Take care Alex.

I've resurrected a short story for my book that will finally bring it to the finished product.

There may be a future podcast. Short, funny, informative...and you'll get to hear how lame my voice is. Not political either...probably something quirkier...it'll be fun I promise.

My Verdict for Zacarias Moussaoui

Zacarias Moussaoui is on trial for being the 19th hijacker. He has fully admitted his role in the plot and has shown no shame or regret for the 9-11 act of terrorism.

Everyone I know has hoped he gets the death penalty for his involvement, though I do not.

No, this isn't some liberatarian principled position on the role of the state when it comes to handing out capital punishment. I think he should be innocent on the grounds that he is insane.

I think we should say to the rest of the world that anyone who thinks like Zacarias Moussaoui is insane. He should be sitting around in endless group therapy sessions with other crazies discussing his feelings. Everytime he cries out for Jihad they load him up with brain numbing drugs and discuss new therapy options.

If we kill him I suspect the world will see it as a move of revenge. If we keep him alive and in one of our mental hospitals then Moussaoui's worldview is marginalized and will be right up there next to shooting President Reagan to impress Jodie Foster. It puts him in the proper category of a 'nutbag' which is what he is.

Personally when i was little I liked Jodie Foster, but I probably would've just pulled her hair to get her attention. I'm old fashioned that way.

New Aroma

The bathrooms where I work have a new wall-mounted citrus air freshening device.

It's not bad. Now the bathroom smells like a bowl of egg salad with a tangerine twist.

Have a 'Good Friday' and a Happy Easter.

-tracy

You say Illegal Immigration, I say Social Security solution

Apparently we're too chicken to reform Social Security.

I sat in my own Congressman's office and discussed the matter while he and his Sr. Congressional Aide hemmed and hawed. Well here is a way to help the failing Social Security system that even my chicken congressman can get on-board with.

The problem with Social Security is in that it is a pay-as-you-go system. The first ones into the system paid next to nothing but got the full benefit. Everyone afterward pays more and gets about a 1:1 ratio in return. In the future recipients will benefit even less. Basically it's a government operated pyramid scheme.

The Baby Boomers generation is far too large to receive benefits from the rest of us because frankly they outnumber us. Too few of us to pay for too many of them means a financial problem that even Bush can predict.

So how can we fix this problem? If only we could artificially increase the number of younger workers in our population to help even out the disparity in the size of our respective generations.

If only there were people just streaming over our borders willing to work and could be eligible candidates to help pay into the Social Security system.

If only that could ever happen. (wink wink)

Income Tax time

I don't mind paying taxes, but I do resent the Income Tax.

You can read what I've written about it here: Taxing your Survival

Let me take a minute to just say some stuff while we're all thinking about the Income Tax this time of year. (same reason I write about sugar plumbs during Christmas)

This country does not need an income tax.
Our federal budget is 2.7 Trillion dollars.
We don't trade with enough nations.
The new medicare prescription drug plan cannot be paid for without printing more money.

Taxes rates will have to be raised at some point in the future to swallow the girth of what our government is spending. And once they do that you'll see that they'll talk of short term surplus revenue but won't buy back a single bond on which the debt was funded.

In other words it will be like winning the lottery and instead of paying off your credit cards, you open up new ones.

I know I'm sick of it but my question is:

When are you gonna stop putting up with this sh*t?

Reuters is kinda dumb sometimes

It seems like every article they have on the subject of Iran includes a similar sentence to the one that follows:

"The United States and Israel have consistently declined to rule out military action against Iran if Tehran fails to resolve the nuclear dispute through diplomatic means."

I guess my question is this: Who in the history of the world has ever removed the far off possiblity of the use of military action from a negotiation?

What are Israel and the United States to be expected to say to Iran? According to Reuters something like: "Okay, if we can't convince you to give up your obvious attempt to make nuclear weapons then I guess we'll be forced to speak ill of you in our public speeches until you give up your evil plans."

My plan would be to aggressively negotiate all while increasing trade with them. Fill their society with so much of our crap that when their leaders cry out for the death of Israel the average Iranian on the street is like "Sure, death to Israel but what I really want to know is when does the next season DVD of 24 come out?" We win when they become a nation that only yearns to care about meaningless crap.

The so-called Immigration debate

This whole thing being called an immigration issue is really just a smoke screen for what is the real issue:

In general we don't have an immigration problem, we have a problem with Mexicans and people from other Central American nations running across our southern border and living in the United States using our public benefits while not paying any federal taxes.

What I love about this issue is that it points most Americans toward the cost of benefits. Yes, there are some that hate foreigners in general and Mexicans specifically but most people just look at what it costs and that is the source of their disgust. This makes me happy.

This is because these undocumented/illegal aliens shouldn't cost us anything. And oh by the way...neither should most American citizens. The fact that much of your wages are taken and given to someone else should really annoy you but we've collectively grown numb to this reality because as long as 'everyone is paying in' we may as well get something out of it. Now that some are benfiting and not paying the 'unfair' siren goes off in everyone's head. (My siren has long since broken from overuse but that's obvious)

We really only have two solutions:

1. Get these illegal/undocumented folks to start paying their fair share

2. Or give them zero benefits whatsoever.

May I suggest we try both?

Also, this whole thing of Mexicans performing jobs that Americans won't do...big myth. It's more like Mexicans will perform jobs that Americans won't do that an undocumented person will do under the table. Americans will do all sorts of service and entry-level jobs but not while the salary market is artifically dropped by the droves of workers who are willing to earn far less for the opportunity to work while undocumented. (keep in mind that undocumented means paying no taxes...think about that while you're making out your check to the IRS this month)

The agency that our Mexican friends are to go to for documentation is also the same agency in charge of deporting them. Is it any wonder that most aren't interested in becoming documented? Most are just biding their time until they've been given some sort of status here with a relative guarantee of being able to stay.

The Declaration of Independence stated clearly what I believe to be true. That the pursuit of happiness is unalienable and not a right given by men or government. These undocumented folks are proving that their desire to seek a better life needs no endorsement by governments or men. We must document them or remove them by force. I think it's obvious which choice we can stomach as a society.

I've been working out of town

so I haven't blogged that much.

I'm back now and ready to go...except I have to go clean up cat barf right now so I'm not as ready as I thought. Check back.