Happy New Year!

I can't believe it's been 10 years since I sat in my bunker with plenty of provisions and waited for Y2K to erupt.

Not a bad decade all in all. Here's my top 20 memorable moments in no particular order:

1. I got engaged.
2. I got married.
3. I got laid off 3 times.
4. I started a blog.
5. I bought a house.
6. I bought two cars.
7. I had probably about two dozen kidney stones.
8. I gained weight.
9. I lost weight.
10. I built a large retaining wall.
11. I have a son who I not only love, but like as well.
12. I wrote a book.
13. I rewrote a book.
14. I had my mom live in my living room for eight weeks.
15. Had a good cat...who died earlier this year.
16. I have an awesome wife (who I purposely don't mention on this blog).
17. I got to be part of a podcast that is rapidly growing in popularity.
18. I went to Yellowstone National Park.
19. Got to visit NYC before 9/11.
20. Went to Washington DC and saw everything possible.

So c'mon 2010...let's see what you got.

See you next year everybody!

Healthcare Bill

Merry Christmas America. I hope you like crap.

Meet Gary Johnson

This post sort of reminds me of one I made several years ago about Ron Paul.  I ran into Congressman Paul in the Commons House Office building in DC while visiting my congressman (Jay Inslee) and told Mr. Paul that if he ran for president, I would support him.  He laughed and then punched me in the face while DC Police tazed me repeatedly (I made up that part) but I only meant it as a compliment because I liked him so much but I knew he was not really electable.

Even among his relative popularity (New York Times best seller list, on Jay Leno, huge rallies) it was more about educating people about the role of liberty in their lives and exciting people about things that make this country awesome....like true tolerance, personal freedom and responsibility, and uh...junk like that.  But Ron is a congressman.  He has never governed.  While idealistic and provocative, some of his ideas don't always translate easily into action.  People want action, which makes non-intervention a challenge when so much of the action needs to be rolling back the harm that has been done over the years.

Allow me to introduce to you Gary Johnson.  Gary Johnson was governor of New Mexico for 8 years.  He ran as a Republican in a state that is largely Democrat dominated.  He governed in a border state and promoted immigration.  He lowered taxes.  He left the state government with fewer employees than when he started without firing a single one.  He reduced the priority of enforcing silly and expensive drug laws.  He's a normal guy that has to force himself to sound like a politician.  He angered his own party and was called “America’s most dangerous politician”. He is a libertarian. For me personally I agree with Gary Johnson more than I do Ron Paul on a number of key issues.

Gary Johnson is interested in running for president.  He has written a book and started a public advocacy committee which is customary when you're trying to raise your name recognition while pretending you’re not running for president.  Sadly, with all the early primaries you have to prepare for the next election before President Obama and his family celebrates their first Christmas in the White House.  So it has begun.

I plan to support Governor Gary Johnson for president if he decides to run and I don't care if he is able to win or not.  Lots of people run, but only one wins.  It’s been shown over and over again that many of those who lose, can make a larger impact than those who win. 

I've already stated that I believe President Obama will be re-elected no matter what happens in 2010. For me, the important thing is to put someone on the national stage who can give America confidence in freedom again.

Federal Mandates

Where in the laws of our republic is the Federal Government granted the power to mandate an individual to purchase anything? Just wondering.

I'm not sure what passes for weird anymore

Ben Bernanke is man of the year.

Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

Palin rises to the national stage and quits the job that got her there.

The country will go bankrupt if it doesn't take over the healthcare industry.

Hillary Clinton has all but disappeared.

We use stealth drones over a country that has no radar...but people can see them.

Maybe it's just me.

Hey Mr. President

I'm still anti-war. Remember when it was cool to be against the war...ya know...until YOUR guy became in charge of it?

Where is the anti-war left these days? Turns out they've found that war can be useful, hell...maybe even fun when you're wing of the political spectrum is leading the charge.

What I heard tonight was a guy who thinks the world is a better place when we use force of arms to spread democracy. I heard that our country is safer when we impose our military might on over a hundred countries on the planet. I heard Woodrow Wilson, Harry Truman and yes...George W. Bush.

Hey Mr. President! Your aims in Afghanistan are a fool's errand. It may not be fashionable anymore to tell people that our country is less safe when we over extend our military presence in the world but I'm going to keep doing it. It may not be popular to tell people that we can't force democracy and freedom on people...that liberty must be fought for by the people who seek it...but I haven't changed my mind.

I will tell every fool that voted for you (and I know plenty of them) that you all can send YOUR children to fight in Afghanistan, but you will not send mine. Many an empire has come to end fighting in that land for no good reason. I love my country too much to see American lives and treasure going to waste there.

Hey Mr. President, bring our soldiers home.