More from Spokane

Yesterday the McCain campaign organized a walkout of the convention when they began losing on parliamentary procedures on the floor. Toward the end of the convention they no longer had any functional majority or coalition so they walked out. This was also organized by many GOP leaders as my own county chairperson was involved as she was heard clearly telling people in the row in front of me to get people to walk out. We began recording the events on video and a sergeant of arms tried to stop us saying it was against the rules. We quickly got a ruling from the chair that there was no such rule and I informed the man he would be on YouTube. The McCain campaign and delegates didn't leave the convention facility mind you...just the room. They wanted to end the convention by breaking the quorum.

We had a count of the remaining delegates that included the organized Ron Paul campaign that stayed and the meeting was allowed to continue as a quorum was achieved. Once this was ruled the McCain campaign began spilling back into the convention room. While they were scrambling to their seats we quickly passed an anti-war resolution. TAKE THAT ASSHOLES!

The Washington State delegation will have about 4 delegates and 11 alternates to the national convention. Again, TAKE THAT ASSHOLES.

More stuff later including pictures and junk. I went to Silverwood Amusement Park today in Northern Idaho and rode rollercoasters all day. I'm fully amused.

Hello from lovely Spokane

What a busy couple of days. I'll give you a summary of what has gone on.

1. Had a strategy meeting with the Ron Paul delegation (about 600+) and we discussed our strategy for communication on the convention floor. During one of the the speeches there was a huge applause and a guy sitting three people to my left sat down and his sidearm (looked like a Glock 21) fell onto the floor and spun around about 5 feet from chair. You'd think panic would ensue but at a Ron Paul rally everyone just laughed and said, "secure your firearm dumbass!" I also laughed. If this had happened at a Democrat convention much pants wetting would have taken place.

2. The convention floor today showed that we didn't have a majority until alternates were seated. They hurried through much of the business before we were able to seat our alternate delegates. The end result of several closes losses on rules, and credentials. While our numbers were large the Ron Paul delegation did not capture a single victory. Oh well.

3. I spent some lengthy time with a congressional candidate from my district talking to him about free trade. I asked him if he was for free trade or if he believed in a protectionist policy. He immediately shot back an answer of "free trade! free trade!" So I asked him how he interpreted free trade. He said he was willing to have free trade with any nation as long as it went both ways and that he would not be willing to trade with non-market economies to protect our industries. He must have thought I was stupid since he just told me he was a protectionist after all. I can assure you he doesn't think I'm stupid now.

4. I was almost on TV but a vote to end debate had passed just as I was at a microphone. I'm sure both people watching the proceedings on TV were cheated.

5. I was not elected delegate to the national convention.

Somehow God sits a religious right whacko next to me every time at these conventions. This morning I spent 3 hours sitting next to the most obnoxious, argumentative, and hateful person I've sat next to since the last time I was at Mr. Evil's house. (ha ha)

I've found a few rogue libertarians in my discussions with many delegates and candidates at the convention so far. It's refreshing to talk to other libertarians and they agree with me in that we don't know how much more of this GOP stuff we can take.

Will post again and will have photos of me in a shirt and tie even politicking with right wingers.

I'm heading outside now...it's warm and pleasant here in Spokane.

Tah!

Dumb Republicans

Redundant you say?

One irony that was missed on several in attendance at my county GOP convention was that it was held at Henry M. (Scoop) Jackson High School.  Jackson of course was a Democrat US Senator from the state of Washington for many years and ran for president in 1976.

I was sitting at a table full of Republicans at our lunch break and I mentioned how funny it was that Republicans were meeting at a high school named for a Democrat.  Three of them I was sitting with all said the same thing:  "He was really a conservative though."

My heart sank a bit because these delegates and Republican activists have truly forgotten what a conservative is.  I asked them, "In what way was Scoop Jackson conservative?" and their reply was again in unison:  "He supported the military!" they all said.

That's it?  That's all there is to being a Republican anymore is just supporting troops, wearing flag lapel pins and putting a yellow ribbon magnet on your car?  That's it?

I asked them what they thought about his protectionist trade policies and his backing of LBJ's "Great Society" legislation.  All of them looked at me blankly.

I remember reading in a biography of Barry Goldwater how infuriated the Arizona senator was at how Jackson would make speeches mocking Goldwater for his claims that government intervention made the lives of Americans worse, not better.   That's conservative?

Jackson was a warmonger, a trade protectionist, voted to restrict trade to non-market economies, pro entitlement, and pro foreign aid.  He represents much of what is wrong with the Bush administration as many of Jackson's acolytes have been involved in the  Bush administration including former Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz.

Truth be told that over the years the terms liberal and conservative have come to mean different thing.  Now, liberal means socialist and conservative means to conserve your own power.  Neither means to protect freedom anymore.

A note about this week

I'll be heading to the Washington State GOP Convention in lovely Spokane this week.  I will be in Spokane for pre-convention junk including getting my credentials...hoping they aren't challenged.

I've heard rumors that John McCain is going to be at our state convention and if I get a chance to meet him I'll pass what happened...maybe even a photograph...who knows.  He'll likely charge me for the picture since his campaign is pretty much bust.

Anyway, I'm taking my laptop and I've called ahead to make sure Spokane has access to the Internet and I've been told they do.  I will do my darndest to blog on the junk going on there as I get the opportunity.

Also, I was put on a slate of delegates for my congressional district as an alternate by the Ron Paul delegation.   My further involvement in the GOP afterward will be determined greatly on what happens this weekend.

On a side note I was asked where I disagreed with Bob Barr and why I would not right now give an unqualified endorsement...so here it goes:

• I'm not for securing the border, I'm for enforcing laws and making immigration easier...not harder.
• I'm against the Fair Tax (national sales tax) as a solution.
• Marriage should not be a Federal or State issue and to hide behind federalism is not an answer. 
• I'm for an immediate pullout of troops from Iraq and a signal of foreign policy change to the world that if you step in it...you get a stick and scrape your own shoes...we're done.
• I'm for a hard asset based competing currency where citizens could hold in their hand something of value to protect their savings from debt-based monetary inflation. 
• I will not endorse another candidate besides Ron Paul until my involvement in the nominating process is over.  I have signed a pledge to do just that.

Stay tuned, will have more this week.

Barr - Root

I watched the LP Convention over the weekend and witnessed a pretty fun convention and heard several great speeches. Mary Ruwart remained my favorite through and was near victory but lost to Barr on the 6th ballot. Apparently Wayne Allyn Root's delegates (who were released after the 5th ballot) supported Bob Barr 2 to 1 over Ruwart giving Barr the eventual nomination.

In a surprise however Root was nominated for VP and won on the 2nd ballot. You see in the LP the presidential candidate does not pick his runningmate, the convention does. The nominee does however get to give a preference if he wishes to address the subject but traditionally this is not done.

The combination of Bob Barr and Wayne Allyn Root may produce the wealthiest and most well connected campaign since Ed Clark's 1980 run. Root is well established with the media and is connected to several insiders on both parties. Barr is well connected in Washington DC and is also connected to the beltway. Barr and Root will have access to the media that Michael Badnarik only dreamed of.

Congratulations to the LP for selecting a couple of strong freedom lovers...even if they aren't purists.

Colorblindness - Racial and otherwise

I am colorblind.

Ever since the moment when I explained to my parents that I understood traffic lights I have known that I was colorblind.  My explanation contained what I had observed:  That you stop on red and go on white.  White?  The fact that anyone considers a green light green is still puzzling to me.

Throughout life I have stopped paying attention to color as a distinguishable feature.  I do not shop for clothes without help and I do not wear anything that I'm not already sure goes together.  I do not see in black and white.  I'm not completely colorblind as I see all primary colors clearly, but secondary colors and muted tones are not describable.  Like the chart below, I have no way to identify or give a name to what I see.

 

Colorblindness is how many describe an ideal society when it comes to racial identity but I should warn you in advance.  Like any disability you have other senses that become more sensitive.  If you strive for colorblindness then your other senses of bias and unfair discrimination will become stronger.

My mind has given up long ago thinking of color as anything important.  When I see clothes, product labels, signs and yes...people, my mind pays very little attention to this detail.  As if through my inability to make it useful my brain has completely stopped using it as a factor. 

Instead, culture becomes my dividing line.  Where colors may be a factor of choice for some I would rather divide people along other lines.  Pick-up truck driving people, Country Music listeners, introverts, extroverts, quiet people, rednecks, poor, privileged, spoiled, victim-minded, loud people, time wasters, selfishly driven, and the list goes on and on.  My senses along these dividing lines are very strong and my mind begins sorting people out before I've been with them very long at all.

None of these distinctions have necessarily divided people according to good and bad, but rather into safe bins where later I can sort them even further.  It occurred to me that there is some inherent human need to divide people according to convenience and race is probably the easiest and laziest way to do it...though thankfully I am not afforded that luxury. 

Libertarian Party Convention - May 22-26

Do you want to see a real nominating convention?

There are about a dozen (big L) Libertarians that read this blog and this is for them...the rest of you pay close attention.

The LP has a choice this year.  To nominate a Conservative that believes in Federalism (Barr) a media savvy outsider that is really a Reagan Conservative (Root) or an actual libertarian. (Smith, Ruwart, Kubby)

The choice to outsiders always seems obvious.  You pick the guy with the greatest name recognition but as Michael Badnarik proved four years ago, you don't need name recognition to get as many votes as Ralph Nader.  What you need is a fairly organized 50 state party.

I'm fulfilling my ethical obligation to not be involved in the nominating process of the LP because I am a delegate for the GOP.  My involvement as a Republican is simply to promote liberty and the vehicle matters less to me than the principles I care very deeply about.

If I was involved this is how I would break down the field.

Mike Gravel - polite applause and then escort him out of the convention hall.

Bob Barr - To his credit he has worked in the LP for about 3 years and has grown to love liberty.  I like him but his old drug warrior ways make me uneasy.

Wayne Allyn Root - He makes me want to initiate force.  (A few Libertarians reading this are laughing at this inside joke)  If Root is nominated I will likely write-in Ron Paul.

Steven Kubby - I like him though he is too much of a Marijuana candidate.  Kubby is an American hero for civil liberties and I admire him greatly.  He is also perhaps uglier than Gary Nolan.

Dr. Mary Ruwart - Mary is a libertarian in the mold of Harry Browne.  In the convention I would vote for her on as many ballots as her name appears.

Daniel Imperato - Not exactly a libertarian.  He's a wealthy international businessman who would get the endorsement of Bloomberg if he were to be nominated.  I can't see that nomination happening.

There you go...where else are you going to get this kind of coverage on a convention that hardly anyone is going to watch on TV?

More stuff later...including another podcast with a prize inside.  Stay tuned!

Medicated Blog Post #8

Jenna Bush got married.  I know about her dress, the song she and her father danced to and about the band that played at the reception...too bad the news services couldn't get me reliable updates on the earthquake in China.

I blow holes through Kleenex.  Don't like using paper towels.  New solution:  Bath Towel.  Ew.

Bob Barr sort of reminded me of Ed Clark in his speech announcing his candidacy...though Barr is no 'low tax liberal."  I recognize fully that none of you understand that reference.

Prince Caspian comes out this week.  I always liked this particular book in the Narnia series.  These short books were really made for the 1 hour and 40 minute movie.

I found a 24 hour pharmacy where I can get sudafed as it is required to sign for it here...you're never out of sudafed until after 8pm...it's how it works.

People have asked me to blog on Obama's pastor but I have little to say about it really.  Most people I know don't agree with their pastor 100% but still support them.  It's normal.  Obama attends that church for political reasons...the same reason McCain (who is an Episcopalian) attends North Phoenix Baptist Church.  He attends there because it's a big church and he can be seen among many evangelicals to make him look more conservative.  It's politics people...remember that.

None of you bit on me stating that Hillary and Obama will not bring the troops home.  Which is why all those of you who email me encouraging me to vote for Obama should shut up about it.

LP Prediction - Bob Barr, Wayne Allyn Root and Mary Ruwart in three ballots...again many of you don't know what I'm talking about.

I had a dream I was on a boat with a friend.  The boat was rented.  I hate boating.

Ugh.  I'm going to go blow my nose.

Aid to Natural Disasters

Seen the news?

It's terrible!  Thousands of people trapped by flooding without clean water or food.  Their leaders had warning but did very little to help their people prepare and now these same leaders are standing in the way of help arriving.  Absolutely unacceptable.  Am I talking about New Orleans or Myanmar?

The government of Myanmar has seized shipments coming into the nation and has decided to distribute the relief themselves (feed their police and military) even though they lack the experience to work with water and sanitation.

Here is the score:

Governments take tax dollars from their citizens and force them to donate to a military dictatorship that is doing little to prevent their own citizens from dying.

Libertarian lesson: 

Governments are not capable of charity because they are instruments of force.

I would even add the example of the greatest humanitarian relief project in the history of the world was done to project political will rather than humanitarian need...which was of course the 1948 Berlin Airlift.  Myanmar is neither strategic nor important to enough international governments to motivate a general political will to help them.  The government aid will only go to their corrupt government while scores of private charitable organizations and their armies of volunteers struggle on the ground to help the people.

Remember the ozone?

Remember that thing?

That thing that mysteriously surrounds our globe and protects us from the sun?  That thing...do you remember that thing?

When I was in elementary school I went through Jimmy Carter's then new ecology indoctrination and learned about how the lifestyle of my selfish parents was going to destroy the world because they were destroying the ozone layer.

Everything contributed to the demise of the layer.  You name it.  Spray-on Deodorant, shaving cream, the production of normal household items, dog farts, and whatever else you can think of.  I'd come home so mad at my parents for living the way they did.  Sure they loved me but not enough to keep the ozone layer and prevent our world from entering into another ice age.

Scientists were wrong.

People tell me this in response:  The science is so much better now.

Many scientists have come forward and said they were caught in a craze and they had the evidence to understand that industrialization was a blip on the screen compared to the real main culprit of ozone depletion...volcanoes. 

So Al Gore says that the last Cyclone that killed at least 50,000 people was the result of global warming and I can imagine all the kids rushing home to dispense some bullshit accusing statement on their parents for killing people in 3rd world nations.  Now who will make their running shoes?

By the way...Chile has had some huge volcanic activity lately so don't be surprised to hear about some more ozone depletion in the future...but it won't be linked to the volcano...like someone with really bad gas they'll blame it on you or the dog.

And don't worry...when I'm proven right I'll be happy to remind you of this post.

Collateral Damage in the Drug War

Timothy Garon had advanced Hepatitis C and needed a liver transplant to survive.  Because he was very sick his doctor prescribed medical marijuana to him to alleviate nausea and abdominal pain and also to stimulate his appetite.

Now while waiting to see if he could get on the list for a transplant he was denied because he was a marijuana user.  A user with his doctor's blessing in accordance with Washington State Law.

Swedish Hospital in Seattle agreed to reconsider if he would avoid marijuana use for six months and enroll in a 60-day drug treatment program...but these same doctors also agreed that his liver disease was too advanced for him to last that long anyway.

He died yesterday.

Who would win in a fight? - #3

Fonzie	James Dean

The battle of the leather jacketed stars which includes Wisconsin native and high school dropout Fonzie (Arthur Fonzarelli) and the Rebel Without a Cause Jim Stark (played by James Dean.)

Don't expect any knives or heat to be present at this fight as they're both troubled young men who can get a girl but typically shy away from a fight.  I'd expect some creative tough talk from these two guys that will end in an eventual marshmallow fight.

Comments are open now...declare your winner!

Hillary and Obama will not bring troops home

The UK announced last week they were stopping their pullout of Iraq due to an escalation in violence there.  How long will it take for Britain to be able to completely pull out of the country? 

Obama and Hillary have different timetables for leaving the country but neither one have made it a policy to leave the region so whenever violence increases...we're more likely to stay.  Unless there is a policy change and an overall move to a foreign policy that is committed to engaging with the world through non-military means...we'll stay in places where we have no legitimate business.

It was also announced today that the US troop death count hit a 7-month high in Iraq...which only proves (in the minds of Bush and McCain) that we have to stay there because if we don't fight them there, we'll fight them here.  I wonder if anyone has ever considered that our enemy may try the same strategy?

More to come.

McCain the Uniter...uh...whatever

Since being involved with the GOP nominating process I've discovered that in my area the GOP has been largely fair and accepting of Ron Paul delegates (ie - newcomers) and have not universally singled them out as unacceptable. 

That said there has been an ultimate qualifier as to if a delegate is seriously considered.  Will you support the nominee?  They don't even use his name...they just call him "the nominee." 

McCain just received 72% of the vote in Pennsylvania and 27% decided that both Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee were worth a vote even if it didn't mean anything.  McCain doesn't seem to be a unifying figure at least at this point in the campaign.

So I have a question to McCain supporters:

Do YOU support the nominee?

I'm sick of your type badgering me and others about our loyalty to John McCain when his own supporters don't even bother to vote for him, put up a yard sign or canvas a neighborhood.  Look I understand that you want him elected because of the whole "he's better than Hillary or Obama" thing but c'mon.  There is more to supporting a candidate than simply saying you'll support him.  Why is McCain's campaign broke while Ron Paul still has millions in the bank?

Over a year ago an obscure Texas Congressman said he would run for president.  He was invited to the debates but was rarely given more than 4 minutes of face time.  He was marginalized and only mentioned in any press coverage with the qualifier of "long shot" and his supporters made him a national figure.  Everyone knows who Ron Paul is today.  We supported him. 

In contrast the John McCain supporters don't even refer to him in name...they refer to him as "the nominee" and promise a vote for him but I doubt that many of his so-called supporters will encourage others to back him.  McCain's delegates don't even show up to the county conventions as seen here, here, here and here.

So let me make a simple and practical suggestion:

If you're not going to support him, then don't ask me to.  When you see this turd of a candidate floundering next October, don't look to me as the problem...don't look at the dreaded Ron Paul people as the reason John McCain can't get above 45%.  If he's doing better by Fall then I know  you will have started to get more serious.  When I see a John McCain blimp in the sky I'll know you mean it and not just holding your nose while pulling the lever.

In the meantime just stop the third degree and get your own campaign started...maybe others will join when they see you mean it.

Earth Day - How I saved the planet

I was rudely awakened this morning by migrant workers using 2-stroke engine powered blowers.  The sound was bad enough but I just couldn't stay in bed knowing that their caustic exhaust was warming the planet with every passing second.  I jumped out of bed and got my solar powered calculator and quickly figured what I owed in carbon offsets because after all...they were my gardeners. 

I ran out on to my front porch and yelled in my best Spanish for them to stop.  "Please amigos, this is Earth Day!" I shouted.  If ever a day existed to thank mother earth it was this glorious day.  Seeing me they snickered.

It was one thing to wake me up and to disrespect my plea.  It was quite another to destroy my planet while doing it.  I ran out and grabbed the blower from one of them and hit him over the head with it.  The other worker witnessed the full force of my wrath and he ran away.  I poured out the 2-stroke gas and oil mixture into the mouth of the passed out gardener.  His dead body would process fuel in an earth friendly way.  Sure I killed a man, but I did it for mother earth.

I took a cold shower making sure I didn't use any natural gas and got ready to ride my bicycle to work.  I knew I would be able to pedal fast and stay focused since the shower stopped me from thinking about sex and other non-earth-friendly activity.

An old Volvo was in front of me at a stop light.  Smoke was pouring out the exhaust as I noticed it was a Turbo Diesel model.  I decided to dismount my bike and talk to the driver.  Maybe he hadn't heard it was Earth Day.

"Friend, you seem to have a lot of exhaust there.  Care to pull over and let me give you some information about where you can buy some carbon offsets?"  I said to him in a friendly tone.

But this man was not to be reasoned with and I could tell he shared the same earth killing attitude of the gardener that made me late to work because I had to drag his body around to the side of my house to deal with later. 

"Get back on your bike there granola head."  The man said while chuckling.

"Sir, there is no need for name calling, I'm just trying to help you pay respect to the planet on her day of honor."  I replied.

"Fuck off treehugger!"  He shot back while throwing a piece of litter from his car into my face.

The nerve!  I tried to help him understand how he can impact the environment and he responds by littering.  I could take the disrespect and I could take name calling but the litter was just too much.

I gently picked up the piece of trash he had thrown in my face and I reminded him that littering was not only illegal but very disrespectful to the planet.  Then I took the piece of paper and I jammed it back into his face.

"Maybe your trash will take that smirk off of your face planet hater!" I shouted at him.  I took the small tire pump I had tucked into the back of my very tight and sexy bike pants and I bludgeoned him repeatedly until I was sure that he would not be able to pollute any longer.  I reached in and turned off the motor so that his car would stop its assault on the atmosphere. 

I stood there looking at the blood trickle from the several puncture wounds I had made in the side of his head and face and I couldn't help but think how much Earth Day inspired me to make a difference.  It's true, one person can make a wonderful impact if they just look for opportunities.  It's shameful that this only comes but once a year.

I'm but one person, but I can make a positive impact on behalf of our home and mother:  Earth.  Hopefully you found inspiration in this testimony of the small part I played in saving the planet.

Look Mom! I'm a Republican (part 2)

I attended a delegate meeting hosted by my county GOP.  The meeting was short, orderly, and very much a mutual admiration society.  Libertarians have been accused of being a debate society rather than a political party and in that same context I'd compare the GOP (at least my local brand) as more of a country club.

I love talking to both Republicans and Democrats because I find myself explaining things to them in ways they've never heard.  You see, once you bring a discussion from a standpoint of liberty they realize that you're neither liberal or conservative...but something else.  The man I talked to today recognized it for what it was.

I spoke to a man who is absolutely for a national ID card.  His argument is that citizens have limited rights for their privacy and no right to anonymity.  What he thought would be his trump card backfired and he asked me, "Why don't you want an ID card, what do you have to hide?"  My answer surprised him.

I have plenty to hide I told him.  The details of my life are my own because I own my life.  He had no right to know the private details of my life anymore than he has the right to use my house without permission.  What belongs to me belongs to me.

He brought up the straw-man of identity theft (staying curiously away from the subject of finding illegals also known as Mexicans) and said that the safety of our society depends on being certain who everyone is.  I asked him if he was sure who I was, after all I was only wearing a name tag.  He conceded he didn't know for sure and then I continued by asking him that if I was misrepresenting myself in this conversation and I was not who I said I was...did he have a case against me?  Could he claim damages?  He brought up identity theft again and I explained to him that the real crime is theft which government should always prosecute to the highest degree.  That government should protect the property of all persons (citizens and otherwise) against the fraud and force of others. 

He then admitted that my argument was the first one he ever heard that made some sense and felt like he needed to rethink his own view some and then added...you sound more like a libertarian to me.  To my point perhaps I had misrepresented myself. 

Congratulations moron, you're officially an object lesson.

My Personal Earth Hour Experience

Earth Hour.  Sixty minutes of sitting around in the dark.  One complete hour of not using any electricity.  No computers, no appliances, no televisions or stereos.

Google showed their commitment by making their page black instead of white as if they were virtually turning out the lights.  Cities from all over the world were participating and kids in public schools in the  United States were being indoctrinated to harass their parents until they submitted and agreed to participate.

I also participated.

Conservation in general is something I like quite a bit.  I am someone who strives to use less packaging, drive fuel efficient vehicles that also have an ultra-low emission rating.  I'm what many here in the stupid Seattle area would consider to be green, but I'm not really.  I'm a conservationist.  I hate waste.  Earth hour was something I could get behind even though I knew fully that it would make no difference.

I lit candles,  lots of them.  I had a hand-cranked radio that I listened to.  I played a word game with family.  All devices were off (except a few later that I forgot were on...whoops) and turned off my porch light.  It was basically like living in the 1890's.

When it was all over I turned my front porch light back on but nothing else went back on...at least not right away.

The end result was nothing though and that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.  Liberal do-gooders always plan these types of things and focus greatly on the experience rather than any measurable difference.  I knew this going in so I had no high expectations but I did still gain something by it.

Like wilderness hiking and camping it is good remind oneself that you have the ability to live simply, minimally and if need be...with bare essentials.  The act of being prepared and self-sufficient is an element that most liberals probably didn't consider because it's very...well...libertarian really.

Playing a board game by candlelight proved nothing.  It did give me one more excuse though to live as minimally as possible at that moment.  I consider that a worthy reminder that everyone needs... at least once in awhile.

Election Boredom is Officially Gone

Grump properly chastised me for being impractically bored with an election that was shaping up to be memorable.  I conceded to him that the election drama was very interesting and anything but boring...though the candidates themselves have brought so little substance that it's really hard to get particularly excited about them...perhaps I expect too much, I dunno.

Obama and Hillary look like they will take their campaigns into Denver and participate in a brokered convention where super-delegates will decide nothing more than who can better beat McCain.  That's it.  Nothing else will be a factor.  Whoever has perceived momentum will get the nod and the total delegate count will be meaningless.  If the Democrat nominee loses in November it may be the last brokered convention you see.  Pretty cool huh?

The Republican convention in Minneapolis will need to be a week-long infomercial reintroducing us to McCain and helping us forget George W. Bush.  How you can honor your party's president for 8 years and brush him aside at the same time will be tricky and worth watching.

The Libertarian National Convention looks to be heating up finally.  The Ron Paul Revolution set things back for awhile as many in the party vacated LP campaigns to help Ron.  Wayne Allyn Root (professional Vegas Oddsmaker) and Bob Barr (as well as Mary Ruwart) look to be in hot contention and will also go into a brokered convention.  Gavel to gavel coverage will be on CSPAN if you have the stomach to watch this.  Frontrunners in this party are impossible to predict.

John McCain - What the economy ordered?

Consider this a personal counter-point to my observation back in November that his campaign was over.  Hear me out.

John McCain has in many way represented the new age of the Republican Party.  The man entered the senate taking the seat of an aged, bitter, and often angry Barry Goldwater.  In terms of personality the people of Arizona replaced their senior senator with another bold, angry and straight-talking man in John McCain...but McCain is no Goldwater and I've described his seat in the senate as an unfortunate downgrade from that of ol' AU H2O.

So how could John McCain be what the doctor ordered in terms of economic growth?  John McCain has one strength in terms of positions that he has remained absolutely pure on in his long political career...and that is free trade.

Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were very similar in terms of trade protectionism.  Bush even went as far as adding tariffs to foreign steel, but for as little as McCain understands about economics (like not knowing who was on the president's working group on markets) he does understand one problem that has hurt the economy of this nation and is probably the only remaining resource that is not strained for federal receipts:  Trade.  His position on free trade and uniform tariffs is so good it could trump his otherwise ignorance on the subject of economics.

The United States simply does not trade with that many nations.  Our greatest export is U.S. dollars and fewer and fewer countries are accepting it as reserve currency as it buys fewer and fewer marketable commodities. 

The next president that opens trade and controls the growth of government (reducing its size and scope will simply be a pipedream at this point, but one in my view that is still worth having) will restore the dollar.  Could it be John McCain?

Podmess #2

I talk about what party politics can be like inside the convention and go on to describe a conversation I had with a very conservative evangelical Christian woman at the convention. I talk about hippies and a couple of movies I saw recently and rehash my disappointment in the Seattle Aquarium...did I mention I talk about hippies?

Okay, so click here to listen to the best dumb podcast on the Interwebs.

Bob Barr to inherit Ron Paul Revolution?

Bob Barr announced the formation of an exploratory committee (people to count fundraising money) for a possible run for the Libertarian Party nomination.  I like Bob Barr to a degree but he is no Ron Paul and hasn't earned the right to even sit in Harry Browne's now empty wheelchair.

What I like:

• Bob Barr understands the true spending problem
• Wants to eliminate the IRS and repeal the 16th Amendment
• Has already worked with both parties to overturn or rewrite much of the Patriot Act to restore civil liberties
• Is now very against the war in Iraq and nation building
• Is against pre-emptive war

What I don't like so much:

• Bob Barr is for the Fair Tax as a replacement to the Income Tax
• He is strongly for securing the border (I disagreed with Ron Paul on this also)
• Bob Barr voted for the war initially

You may like him.  Obviously since I'm such a high roller Republican now (ha ha) it is impossible for me to endorse him but given the list of candidates currently seeking the LP nomination, I'd have to name Barr my clear favorite.

Look Mom! I'm a Republican

So I told you back in February that I attended my local GOP Caucus and was elected a delegate to the county convention.  We were able to win the Caucus for Ron Paul with a moderate amount of organization.  But the real test would be what would happen at the county convention.

I live in what is probably the 3rd largest county in Washington State in population.  The 1st Legislative District has many precincts that are heavily Republican.  The entire convention was nearly 800 delegates.  How would our organization stand up to these kind of numbers?

Of the 140 delegates comprised in my district we had the duty of electing only 24 delegates to the state convention which will be in lovely Spokane in late May.  Was there even a chance any Ron Paul delegates would make the cut in a district that was actively black-balling anyone in the rEVOLution?  I ran for state delegate and gave this simple, small speech that included these words:

I believe in limited government.  Government that is only large enough to protect rights that are accorded to us as individuals and not people groups.  I believe in protecting our economy with sound money...

These buzzwords were heartfelt and deliberate.  I meant to say that you may think of me as a conservative since most of you probably thought Milton Friedman was a conservative and Ludwig von Mises was a classical composer... and if you're smart enough to understand what sound money is...then you're probably already a Ron Paul supporter and will want to vote for me.  I won on the first ballot and I'm off to Spokane.  Not exactly a great reward but will make the blog more interesting.

I will cover some of the rest of the experience from the convention in an upcoming podcast as some of this story telling can only be done in front of a roaring fire.  Look for it soon.

The Seattle Aquarium - Nature's Toilet

This weekend I visited the Seattle Aquarium.  I will not tease you with my opinion of it and will just state it bluntly.  I'd rather look for living creatures in my downstairs toilet than visit the Seattle Aquarium again.  If you visit Seattle, please STAY AWAY from this so-called attraction.

The aquarium expects you to fork over an admission cost of $15 for an adult to get in...and it doesn't take long once you're in to wonder why you ever bothered.  You're greeted with a large entry hall that has a large wall tank toward the back.  You'd expect a breakdown of what you're looking at inside the tank somewhere or even perhaps using some multimedia headphones with some slick voice like James Earl Jones telling you what obscure mollusk you're looking at but basically  you're left with just a big boring tank of fish and junk.  Wow.  Where do I get a refund?  Well wait...maybe it gets better.

Head down a hallway and a large part of the area you're standing in is dedicated to things that live in a tide pool.  The aquarium itself is built on Pier 59 in downtown Seattle so most of what you're seeing in this large area is stuff that's probably living beneath the facility itself.

Here in this tide pool area you can touch the living creatures.  I watched one poor starfish get pawed over by several different kids in a span of five minutes.  I'm sure if the creature is able to think and feel at all it wishes for death every moment.  I know I was.

A circular "doughnut shaped" tank contained Jelly Fish and a propelled current within moved the jellyfish through past the watchful eyes of many.  I was finally seeing something interesting until the person I was with pointed out one small problem with the exhibit.  All but about two Jelly Fish looked dead.  I told myself they were probably sleeping and moved on...and looked at the similarly sleeping Octopus. 

SHARK!  Finally something cool.  The six-gilled shark which is native to Puget Sound.  The wall had a cutout of the creature showing its size so you could measure yourself up against this impressive creature.  Hanging from the ceiling was a full-scale model of the shark...wow big teeth...now where is it?  Hmm, must be around here somewhere.  As you're looking around you see that you're standing next to the shark exhibit.  It's a mock-up of an underwater research lab containing three empty chairs facing some monitors looping footage of sharks.  That's it.  Wanna see a shark?  Then go to some other aquarium because AT THIS AQUARIUM THEY EXPECT YOU TO PAY 15 BUCKS TO SEE AN EXHIBIT OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO LOOK AT SHARKS...not the actual sharks themselves.  Bullocks.

The Orca (Killer Whale to non-northwesterners) exhibit was similar and my expectations were already being flushed down nature's toilet far enough to know that I'd probably only be looking at a picture of a whale...something I could do on any website.  Here let me replicate the whale exhibit at the incredible Seattle Aquarium:

There you go...free of charge.  Keep your $15 and stay away from this absolutely worthless aquarium.

People! - upon demand - UPDATED

The blonde guy is Larry Norman.  To build on Grump's warning...please do not drive or operate equipment after watching this video.

UPDATE: I misspoke when I said that this was The Animals...it was in fact The Zombies. Forgive me for the mistake but I was escaping sniper fire and had to scurry away to an awaiting vehicle.

 

Podmess?

Are you ready? Many of you have heard my voice in person whether it was across a table with a sandwich in my mouth or in a public speaking event where I've droned on about things like Financial Management Software, Libertarian politics, and on occasion Theology. I plan to do a podcast as time allows and when certain current events just demand an audio approach. Have fun and would appreciate feedback as well.

Click here and enjoy the best 15 minutes you'll ever get from me.

Wow, our next president will suck too.

Hillary's experience is vast...though it appears that most of it only exists in her head.  This is a person who has wanted to be president for a long time and got a taste of it from the all important position of first-lady.  I'm not afraid of Hillary like some of you weirdos that email me but I will say this:  Yawn.

Barack Obama has been a member of a church that practices something called Black Liberation Theology.  It's a social justice church that emphasizes the gospel through social justice.  There are many churches like it though this one is not in the National/American Baptist Model where the civil rights movement is rooted.  I still don't believe Barack Obama is a racist...and so what if he is?  Will the republic be a little less off if the country's prison population began to more closely match our nation's population?  But seriously I would be in definite error if I didn't at least say this about Barack Obama:  Yawn.

John McCain...whatever.  Goes to Iraq while the other two are fighting and then the sheeple polls are reflecting that he seems more presidential.  Let me give you all some advice.  Go get some Myspace pages and begin chatting to each other and leave the grown-ups to handle the republic...okay?

Voting for any of these three will only encourage them.

Who would win in a fight? #1

Dick Cheney	vs	Pope Benedict XVI

 

Begin voting...NOW!

Okay, you made me do it.

Canadians, progressives, liberals, and statists listen up.  I'll explain this once.  After this you may only expect my replies to include the most dismissive hand gesture that I can think of at the time of its reading.

The 2nd Amendment:

A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.

The intent of the 2nd Amendment is not a matter of my opinion or yours.  It is chronicled quite nicely in the writings of the founding fathers as they attempted to give evidence for the need of a constitution.  Its intent is clear and to confuse it is merely a function of attempting to change its meaning to fit your own sensibilities.

The amendment states an intent to preserve (not grant) the pre-existing right of "the people" to keep and bear arms.  The word "people" was used in the Bill of Rights as a careful way to exclude slaves as the word "persons" was too inclusive.  We have thankfully cleared that up through additional amendments to our founding document.  Look at the other amendments and ask yourself if the Fourth amendments "...right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and affects against unreasonable searches and seizures..." is a right for a people group or a right of an individual citizen.  Could this be more clear?

The militia element of the amendment is an attempt to state purpose.  You'll find this pattern throughout the Bill of Rights.  They state individual rights and describe their collective purpose.  None of these rights are meant to be collective or restricted to a people group.  There is not a single sentence of writing by the founding fathers throughout history (Including the Federalist Papers) that states that membership in an active militia is a requirement for keeping and bearing arms.

The 2nd Amendment is not a guarantee of the right to hunt.  This amendment has one purpose:  It is the intention of the federal government to preserve nature's right to protect life, liberty and property from anyone who would presume to take it.

So there you have it.  History sides with me, the Constitution sides with me, the founding father's own writings side with me and to believe you I must consider them all wrong and you alone correct. 

I won't charge you for this lesson.

Supreme Court legalizes freedom

Well how about that?

According to the Supreme Court decision on the 2nd Amendment it appears that the court has upheld the opinion that the right to keep and bear arms is the right of an individual and not a collective right.

I won't go into a discussion about my opinion on this as I've written several posts in the past on this very discussion.  I can sum up my reaction to this decision with one word, "Duh."

I have two very polite collectivists that email me regularly from a country known to many of us as Canada.  I posted a discussion about gun rights that they discovered and neither have left it alone since...and coincidently neither has offered an opinion worthy of mounting a defense.  Like playing basketball with a toddler...you can swat the ball away all day but to what end?

To celebrate this decision I'm going to go clean the weapons I have in my home and ponder in my heart how much discomfort that brings to some of you weirdos.

Tah!

A Thought Experiment

One time I presented a thought experiment to many male co-workers.  The question was:

If you had to marry another guy who would it be?

Most of the intelligent guys I worked with wanted to know where I was going with it so they turned the question around on me.  I'm okay with that...after all it was my experiment.  Here is how I answered:

Without question I would marry my buddy Eric.  We've never been in a fight.  I respect him quite a bit.  He's funny and we have a great deal in common.  I would marry him.

After they heard me answer they began listing different guys they would marry.  I'll never forget my boss at the time who said he couldn't make up his mind which two guys he wanted to marry so he asked if he could marry them both.  In my experiment I allowed that he could not only marry a guy, but two guys if he wanted.  He seemed relieved.

One guy in my department though struggled greatly with the experiment and finally said that he knew of no guy that he'd want to marry because he'd want to have a guy that looked like a girl.  When he said this everyone went quiet...and then wisely a colleague named Jason stated the obvious:  "Uh, dude...they'd still be a guy."

So I'm presenting this thought experiment to you:

If you had to marry a person of the same sex (by "had to" I mean that in my experiment conditions exist where there is no choice) or if you had to marry a pet...who or what would it be and why?

IRS - ugh

It's easy to hate the IRS. 

Last night I called them because they sent back information I gave them stating that they needed another form that contained all the information I already gave them.  Nowhere in their instructions does it mention that this other form is needed.

After talking to a few people and then finally getting transferred to a 'Tax Law Expert' their phone system hung up on me.  I'll probably try again tonight. 

Putting in your thumb and pulling out a plum

About 10 years ago my mom was feeling pretty lonely.  My dad has passed away about a year before and living alone for the first time in decades was beginning to be painful.  One Saturday she received a phone call.

The phone conversation went like this:

Caller:  We're calling from the United Kingdom, would you talk to us?

My Mom:  Who is this?

Caller:  I got a free call to the United States and my 10 year old son and I picked the numbers for your phone out of a hat.  We had your area code and picked the rest because we wanted to call the Seattle area.

My Mom:  Sure, I'll talk to you.

______________________________________________

The phone conversation goes for a little while longer and a few minutes later I pull up into my mom's driveway.  My mom kept them on the line and asked if I wanted to talk to them.  I thought it was a scam...until we talked.

The lady was a recently divorced woman raising two kids.  The younger boy was interested in the United States and Seattle in particular (music, software, etc.) so with only an area code to go with they assembled the rest of the phone number picking the numbers out of a hat...and got my mom.

Ten years later this wonderful family is still friends with us.  We've exchanged photos, stories, heartaches and celebrations.  We've exchanged wedding gifts, baby shower gifts and have spent many hours talking on the phone.

This is just one of those great feel good stories and even seems a little unbelievable...even as I type it.  I wish I had more of these to share.

The Greatest Podcast in the World

The Dave and Steve Show is like your garden variety morning radio show without unenlightening traffic reports, annoying commercials and the business stock report that no one understands.

I draw your attention to it because sometimes Steve's busy schedule takes him to other places and I have been invited on the show as an emergency spare.  Similar to the little donut spare you have in the trunk of your car...it's not something you'd want to rely on for very long but it will nervously get you by until you can get a real tire back on. 

Grump and I have talked at length about doing a show based on travel but we have yet to settle on a format.  It could be coming soon and you'd be in for a treat since Grump actually had a successful radio program at one time (he even had me as a guest) and well...I've owned a radio for years.

So go to The Dave and Steve Show and you can hear a great show and hear my dumb voice at the same time.

Larry Norman - In Another Land

I learned today that Larry Norman died.  It's okay that you haven't heard of him.  I hadn't for a long time either.  Back in the 80's someone loaned me a vinyl album of Something New Under the Son and I was afraid I would wear it out.  This was a fantastic electric blues album.  I was irritated that I couldn't find my own copy for another seven years. 

Larry has often been given the distinction as the father of the Jesus Movement but Larry was far more complex than that.  Personally I might give that distinction to groups like Love Song.  Again, I'm not pretending like you know what I'm talking about.  I'm just talking out loud for your benefit.

Larry sang anti-establishment songs, anti-war songs, songs about love, life, death, Jesus.  George Martin (Beatles director) helped direct the masterful album Only Visiting this Planet that is a 70's rock album that everyone should own.

I won't recount much of his life but I will say that if and when a biography comes out...it'll be unbelievable.

Larry had a bad heart.  His heart trouble started from a blood clot that caused him to have the first of several heart attacks.  He should've been dead years ago really.  Many fans including myself helped with medical bills.

When he moved to Salem, Oregon he occasionally did concerts.  I was in attendance for the one that was billed as his last (I went to another one a year later that included a reunion of his original 60's band People!) Larry was good enough for me to visit Oregon, something I wouldn't do for just anyone.

I spent a moment with Larry and I could tell he was tired.  His health problems were diminishing his vision and his hands were wounded from medical procedures enough that simply shaking hands was too painful. 

From his deathbed he dictated a letter that I've reread a few times and I'll include below:

I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God's hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.

My brother Charles is right, I won't be here much longer. I can't do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and finances and we will probably still need financial help.

My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside. But still it will be costly because of funeral arrangement, transportation to the gravesite, entombment, coordination, legal papers etc. However money is not really what I need, I want to say I love you.

I'd like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.

Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

Larry

Thanks for everything Larry. 

Correcting a 20 Year Wrong

1988 was my first chance to vote in a presidential election.  That November I cast a vote for George Herbert Walker Bush.  To add to that I was a delegate to the state GOP convention on behalf of Bush.  Also, I should note that since 1988 I've regretted that vote.

I later learned of Ron Paul and discovered that he ran for president in 1988 and I was eligible to cast a vote for him.  If I hadn't had my head so far up GOP establishment I would've been more aware of my choices.  I do remember seeing Ron Paul on the Morton Downey Jr. show and he was being criticized for his opposition to the war on drugs.  I knew his position made him out of the mainstream and I continued to believe that a vote cast for Bush would serve to keep our country from stepping in Dukakis.

In 1996 I discovered Harry Browne and he was the first man I was truly proud to cast a vote for.  Ron Paul had just come back to congress and during the eight years that I had last seen him on TV my own political views had gravitated toward his.  Since 1992 I had not cast my vote for any Republican until this year.

Three years ago when I ran into Ron Paul in the foyer of the Canon House office building I told him if he ran again, I would vote for him.  I never thought he would but the offer was an attempt to correct my ill-conceived vote from 1988. 

This month though afforded me the opportunity for full redemption.  Above is the photo of me casting my primary vote for Ron Paul.  And though I still regard Harry Browne as the man I was most proud to cast a vote for, my vote for Ron Paul is still a very special one...and one 20 years overdue.

A Study in Non-Intervention

This week Kosovo declared their independence from Bosnia.  The United States among a few other nations recognized the new nation and promised diplomatic support and beyond that the promise of force of arms if their newfound independence is challenged.

One of the first responses was a protest in Bosnia that resulted in a mob breaking into the US Embassy and setting a wing on fire.  You may be wondering why they attacked the US Embassy if they're angry about Kosovo...if you're a Republican you're probably thinking to yourself, "Well, they're crazy Muslims and you can't reason with them." and like so many other times when a Republican attempts to think you'd be wrong...since Bosnians are typically Orthodox Christian.

So why are these Orthodox Bosnians angry at the USA for the independence of Kosovo?

It likely has to do with the endless bombing of Bosnia and their major city of Belgrade (under Wesley Clark) during the Clinton administration.  The reason for this was to stop a genocide that was occurring where Muslims were the victims.

Let's keep score:

After Military Intervention here is what we have accomplished.

1. We helped Muslims who were victimized by a ruthless leader and consequently radical Muslims still hate us.
2. We bombed Bosnia even on their holiest day of Orthodox Easter and consequently these Orthodox Christians hate us.
3. A new nation was born out of our intervention and we promise more intervention to defend their independence...so that more people will hate us.

But remember what we've been told by both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush:  Our intervention in the world is both moral and necessary to keep us safe.  I say the score says otherwise.

Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot

I just spent the better half of a day looking at Barack Obama's issues platform and I'm really lost on where exactly the "change" is.  There must be a code in it that I don't understand but on the surface it just looks like the New Deal Part 2.  Not exactly progressive.  He talks about fiscal responsibility but the other portion of the plank uses the word "investment" too much. 

Let me explain something about investment:  Anyone who owns something or produces something can invest.  They can take the profit from their risk and invest it to provide more wealth, security, or insurance against a rainy day.  That is what investment is. 

Government cannot invest.  Government does not own anything.  Government does not produce anything.  To "invest" it must first take by force the property of productive people and then spend it by giving it to someone else.  You may call it an investment but it's really just tax and spend.  Not all tax and spend is wrong but when they couch it in terms of investment I begin to find myself trying to control a gag reflex.  As the old saying goes...don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.

So on the subject of Mr. Obama...I'm not exactly sure what the love affair with him is but if you all want him as president...I suppose we can give it a shot.  He likely won't earn my vote.

The Stimulus Package

The best description I've read regarding Bush's stimulus package comes from Bob Higgs at the Mises Circle in Houston:

Bush's stimulus is akin to filling up buckets of water from the deep end of the pool, then spilling them into the shallow end, and expecting the water level to rise.

Credit Max Raskin at the LRC blog at Lew Rockwell's site.

My Precinct Winner: Ron Paul

I just got back from my caucus.  It didn't surprise me that Ron Paul won our precinct because the Paul campaign here is well organized.

We had less than 15 people at our caucus which seems like a small amount but it isn't really since the precinct is really just our neighborhood.  Factor in that Republicans have been single-handedly flushing their platform and the US Constitution down the toilet over several decades and it shouldn't alarm anyone to learn that this number is small.

There were several Romney supporters there but once I counted votes (acting as Caucus Whip) I switched from uncommitted to a Paul supporter.  We not only won the presidential preference poll (Beauty contest that Miss Washington wouldn't have a chance in) but we also aced them out of delegates.  Here was the breakdown:

Precinct Committee Officer to convention - Ron Paul supporter

Two delegates to the convention - Both Ron Paul supporters

Two alternate delegates - Both Ron Paul supporters

Everyone else - Well let's just say they got a similar amount of time that Dr. Paul got in all the debates.  There's your lesson in blowback jerks.

Oh yeah, we also had crackers and cheese.  Yum.

Government is force - part 2

Hillary disclosed recently that she is prepared to garnish the wages (take money that doesn't belong to her) of citizens who do not buy healthcare to ensure universal care for all.  This is a brand new take on her overall idea of the role government:  Force = Compassion.  Like the old saying goes:  Those who rob Peter to pay Paul rarely hear a complaint from Paul.  Our country should be very wary of electing anyone who think socialism is still a great idea but just hasn't been tried by the right people yet.

Police brutality videos are all over the Internet and growing daily.  People being tazed, beaten and strip searched for doing terrible things against society like:

• Not signing a traffic ticket
• Refusing to be searched without cause
• Not calming down when a cop is shouting CALM DOWN into your face while pointing a weapon at you.

The Rodney King video went a long way toward making the routine traffic stop anything but routine.  Resentment was born from the frustration in minority neighborhoods where the police have been out of control for a long time.  Now the setting for these videos is largely white suburbia

This isn't a good trend and it's not a good time to be a police officer.  If this continues, law enforcement is going to see a backlash.  And if they lose middle-America as an ally people will start coming to the aid of victims of police brutality and abusive force. 

Had snow this week

It's not very common to have snow in Western Washington though I did manage to have about six inches in my yard and driveway.  I enlisted the help of a two year old to dig out my Ron Paul sign.

When you hire two year olds you have to take the good and the bad.  The good is that they'll work hard for a cup of cocoa and a handful of goldfish crackers.  The bad is that they cry and do a pretty terrible job.  (to be fair this one did a remarkable job)

The snow is gone now and our caucus is 8 days away. 

Oh maybe you haven't heard that Rudy got out of the race.  I read in the paper he is to support McCain but every time I see him speak in public he is surrounded by Ron Paul signs.  I guess being Mayor of NYC during 9/11 doesn't make you as popular as he had hoped...but he did perform a useful function in this race.  He single-handedly made Ron Paul a rock star.  Good riddance Rudy.

Ups and Downs in the news

Turns out there's more going on out there than presidential politics.  I sat down for a minute and decided to break down the news of the weekend according to good, bad, and ugly.

 

The good:

Miss Washington got 2nd runner-up in the Miss America Pageant.  You have to understand that I've watched both Miss America and Miss USA for a long time and can put this in historical perspective.  You usually had to quickly watch the beginning of the pageant to see Miss Washington and get a small glimpse of her in the introductory big dance number.  Basically Miss Washington got as much face time as Ron Paul at a Fox News debate.  Congrats Miss WA!

Ringo Starr walked off the Regis and Kelly show because he wouldn't shorten his song performance to less than 3 minutes.  His offer to get it down to 3:45 wasn't good enough so he left.  Good for Ringo.  He was a Beatle after all.

The Bad:

The FCC has proposed a 1.4 million dollar fine against ABC because of a scene containing "nude buttocks."  Sure, send our kids off to war to fight for the freedoms of others but do everything in your power to keep a naked ass from appearing on our televisions.  I never saw the episode because I censored it myself and kept my TV off.  I'd recommend it for you too.

Members of Philadelphia's Police narcotics division have complained that 'Ice Breakers' mints look too much like drugs.  Bill Katzel an activist and retired medical administrator for the federal government said:

"A better solution would have been a total recall of this product."

The Ugly:

A large U.S. spy satellite has lost power and could hit the Earth in late February or early March.  Apparently it's the size of a bus and all of its contents are going to crash and burn.  Sounds like Fred Thompson's campaign if ya ask me.

John McCain - Economic Genius

Earlier in the debate John McCain described himself as "well-versed" in economic affairs.  It turns out he doesn't even know what the committee is that Dr. Paul was asking about. Even US News and World Report went on to report that John McCain looked a bit foolish.

 

My main reason to reject the candidacy of Mike Huckabee

The ebb and flow of political shifts is an interesting thing to study.  The first Democrats called themselves Republicans (Thomas Jefferson) and they resemble more Libertarians than they do modern-day Democrats.  Republicans began as strong on centralized government (Abraham Lincoln) and then shifted toward isolationist defenders of domestic corporatism.  That description now resembles many Democrats today. 

Conservatism used to mean limited government intervention and a desire to stay out of "no-win wars" and the military adventurism of post-World War 2 politics.  Now apparently conservatism has been redefined once again.  It finds itself now for many embodied in the former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

If Mike Huckabee represents a newly remodeled conservatism then I must finally and firmly plant myself in the liberal camp.  Governor Huckabee is not worthy of my vote...or yours.

Aside from Mike Huckabee's failures as Governor which are many (soft on crime, raised taxes, corrupt government, et al) which will come out more and more in his campaign as he continues to be in contention for the GOP nomination.  His personal religious belief is my largest contention and I have more concern for it than I do Mr. Romney's.

Let me first explain that I know a great deal about Mr. Huckabee's theological background.  I've heard him speak to it and I've listened closely to the subtext of many of his public comments. 

Where Mike Huckabee goes wrong is where he actually goes against traditional Baptist teaching in his approach to government.  Early Baptists were known as Separatists.  They very much invented the terms "Separation of Church and State."  Baptists confessions going back 400 years go on at great length on how a free church must exist within a free state.  The recent edition of the doctrinal statement of the Southern Baptist Convention states in one area:  "The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work."

Mike Huckabee's domestic and foreign policy stem from a worldview shaped in pre-millennial  eschatology (end times).  It not only shapes his view of the role of entitlements and social programs but also the imperative need to protect and aid Israel.  Keep in mind that to some degree this steered Bill Clinton as well.  Though not seemingly as devout or as "traditional" in his Christian walk, Bill's foundation in faith stems from this same persuasion.  Don't lump Hillary in with him though...her background in Wesleyan Methodist theology is a whole different breed.

On these grounds I believe Mike Huckabee is not worthy of a free pass on his religious beliefs.  Mitt Romney has been torn apart because of the word "Mormonism" with no regard to what it means from a public policy standpoint.  It only comes up within the context of whether "southern evangelicals" will back a man who comes from a non-Trinitarian church (and the wacky holy underwear...just sayin').

A man that thinks that the "least of these" should be cared for with government intervention by stealing money from me and you in the form of taxes is neither virtuous nor holy.  A man that is willing to act on foreign policy based upon bubble gum end times theology should NEVER, EVER be elected president. EVER!

Any other reason you come up with not to vote for him is one I would probably agree with, but I thought I'd throw this out there since you probably won't read it anywhere else.

Note:  One area I will defend the Huckster was on his answer regarding the role of men and women in Christian marriage according to the SBC doctrinal statement.  He rightly pointed out where it was misconstrued and that its core directive was to teach how to love.  Just wanted to throw that in too...I can be fair sometimes.

Election News

Sadly Duncan Hunter has decided to drop out of the race for the GOP nomination.  I'm sure both of his supporters are disappointed.

 

Ron Paul finished 2nd in Nevada and flat out won Nye County.  More caucus spamming I guess.  This is how Fox News covered Ron Paul's progress:

 

Fox has set a new standard in reporting by showing us who finished 1st, 3rd and 4th.  In the rest of their reporting it looks like they refuse to acknowledge that Ron Paul is a candidate.  Similar to how Palestinian maps oddly don't show Israel anywhere.  Ron Paul is Fox News' Israel.

 

I think someone needs to ask Rudy if he plans a 3rd party run.  To quote the Beach Boys...he's a no-go showboat.

 

Later on I'm going to detail why I would NEVER EVER EVER IN A MILLION YEARS VOTE FOR MIKE HUCKABEE.

MLK Day - How I was converted

At one time in my life I was a huge opponent to a holiday honoring Dr. King.  I had several reasons that sounded good to me at the time.

1. We have enough holidays
2. Dr. King wasn't worthy of a holiday
3. Government has better things to do
4. Teachers just wanted another day off

I was driven by a rationale that stemmed from my father to a degree.  My dad had many strengths and weaknesses but among his worst demons was irrational bigotry.  By irrational I mean that his bigotry was random and inconsistent.  Personally, I don't think he tried to be bigoted or evenhanded.  He talked like he didn't like black people but had black friends to whom he was devoted to deeply.  I don't get it today, and I doubt I ever will.

I remember reading about how Dr. King had ties to the Communist party and how he was loose with women.  I heard from others in my community about how he hid behind his status as a clergyman to stir up the masses and cause chaos.  This was not what I believed necessarily but was enough evidence for me to be against any effort to honor him.

Years later I listened to some speeches by Dr. King.  I listened to many that preceded his famous 'I have a dream' speech and listened to the formation of the many great pieces that finally ended up in his signature speech.  I listened to his call for non-violence and his unwillingness to put up with the injustice that had been going on in the country for so long.  I heard in his voice that he didn't hate white people, but hated inequality.  When I heard Dr. King with my ears, my heart heard Thomas Jefferson.

The promissory note analogy from his speech rang true for me.  He knew that the age of freedom was young and new.  He knew that true equality had yet to be reached but was within reach in this great experiment of a free society.  I always heard more hope in his voice than I did bitterness.  For some reason though I heard more bitterness in my dad and in the empty logic I used to deny his life's work a day to be honored.

I don't care anymore if MLK was a communist or if he did fool around on the side.  He may very well have had several failings and personal demons, but the message of equality is larger than the people who proclaim it.  I'm glad that we have a day to honor a man that used non-violent civil disobedience to bring about change.

Plus, it gives me a day off near my own birthday.  Cool.

Pay attention to the TATA (UPDATED)

No, this isn't a Breast Cancer awareness post, nor am I trying to get you to look at the Victoria Secret Catalogue. (recently mailed to my house oddly enough)

The Tata is the new car manufactured in India which is to have a target price of $2000 (1 Lakh). If this car does meet this price point it will become a very affordable automobile for bazillions of average Indians.

If this becomes the new 'Volkwagen' of India it will be the one-and-only cause for the $5.00/gallon of gas in the United States. Get ready for it.

Oh and by the way...gold hit $880 yesterday. How are those dollars doing?

UPDATE - A clarification on this post. As for the TATA raising gas prices. India is an emerging world economy with a huge population. If the TATA becomes a car that the average person in India can afford, this will force India's demand to new heights that will be out of this world. The increased global demand will force oil prices up in the United States.

The reason for the update was that I received a few emails telling me that people in the United States would not buy a TATA and I fully agree though that wasn't the point I was attempting to make.

I've been sick

One thing the Iowa GOP caucus proved to me is that the Republican Party is searching for its soul. Only four democrat candidates managed any numbers while the rest of the field fell below 1%. In the GOP 5 candidates were in double figures. Clearly the party lacks direction and will not likely energize itself to put up much of a fight for the general election.

Back to bed...I need the rest. More later.

Carnation Killer

Now on national news the awful murder of 6 that happened on Christmas Eve is being referred to as the Carnation Killings and the murderers as the Carnation Killers.

I grew up near Carnation and at one time my family's mailing address was in Carnation. I eventually went to high school there. I've never thought much of the town frankly but it didn't deserve this distinction.

One of my early memories was of a high school girl in the Carnation area being murdered and taken from the place she was babysitting. The guy that did it was a guy that my sister went to high school with and always described as kind of "weird and scary." I was always a bit more fearful of being in Carnation as a kid because I assumed it was completely lawless. Eventually in high school I had less fear and contributed to some degree with my own style of lawlessness.

Just thought I'd give another angle to this that you couldn't possibly read anywhere else.

Holiday Season Medicated Blogpost

I can't sleep...cold medicine does two things to me. Makes me too sleepy to be functional and too awake to get a rested sleep. My cold started when my family left on Christmas...I think my niece ended up getting me sick...not sure.

I watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special a few times (on DVD) and I think Charles Schultz took a swipe at psychiatry. Lucy wanted to label Charlie Brown's fears instead of help him with it. I've not really paid attention to that scene before.

Bhutto is dead and Pakistan is under a military dictator that possesses nuclear weapons...but at least they're our allies in the war on terror.

It snowed on Christmas Day here.

I saw a guy that looked like a guy who used to be on TV...in something that wasn't very popular and not a main character. Never make the mistake of trying to explain that to someone. If they're nice they'll humor you and try to figure out what you're saying when in fact you don't even know what you're saying...and if they're not nice, well...everyone knows where that goes.

My dad got pissed at me one time because my socks were all messed up. He told me when I get new socks I should always wear each one on the same foot...essentially making a left footed sock and a right footed sock. This way they'd retain the same shape and fit better. I had this practice for a long time and my ex-wife mocked me endlessly about it. Last year I stopped the practice because I thought it was silly and then saw that my socks were really messed up again...so about two months ago I started again. This time I took a brand new package of socks and marked them with an "L" and an "R" to get them straight. Before I used to just eyeball them and always thought I knew which was which but I've come to find out that I probably was always doing it wrong. If I try to figure it out by looking without looking at the laundry pen marked letter...I'm wrong more than 50% of the time. I actually used to get frustrated that my socks were not matched properly and in reality they probably were. This no doubt contributed to a failed marriage...that...and that guy she was dating while we were married.

I'm going back to bed now.

Meaningless issues

While your dollar is tanking and our federal bankers in China continue to bankroll a war almost no one wants us in anymore, these are the issues that we're supposed to be concerned about:

Mitt Romney is Mormon. (confirmed)

Hillary is a woman. (allegedly)

Mike Huckabee doesn't have a theology degree. (confirmed)

John McCain has a bad temper. (allegedly)

Barak Obama is black. (This is mostly confirmed)

Rudy Guliani likes to fool around. (confirmed)

John Edwards pays alot of money for haircuts. (confirmed)

Dennis Kucinich saw a UFO. (confirmed)

Fred Thompson... nevermind...nobody cares.

Will Ron Paul run 3rd party?

Questions, questions.

I get a great deal of email and I respond to most of it but some of it I don't get to. In this post I'll try to answer questions asked and leave many of them without sufficient context.

Q: Did you see the girl buttrocket video I sent?

A: These videos never cease to make me laugh. The best part is where they're so surprised at the discomfort from the wick sparks...then the rocket fires and you wonder how much burnt hair and time spent explaining to an emergency room nurse followed.

Q: Do you think it was necessary for Romney to explain the role of his faith?

A: Only if he wants to be elected, otherwise no.

Q: How is your book coming along?

A: Work on the book is at a complete stop. Honestly I went to no less than 5 funerals since May...I've been writing but nothing that belongs in a light-hearted book. Sorry, I just haven't been ready yet.

Q: Where did you travel for Thanksgiving? Did you fly?

A: Spokane, Washington. No.

Q: You should do a post on police tazering.

A: I'm enraged everytime I see a person tasered because they didn't sign a traffic ticket or didn't calm down when a policeman is screaming at them to CALM DOWN and the only person in the video that isn't calm is the cop. I have a sad feeling that these types of documented incidents are going to lead to cops getting hurt or worse.

Q: What do you think will happen with the Ron Paul Revolution after 2008 has gone and someone else is president?

A: That's an excellent question. I see it breaking off in a few different directions. I see the Libertarian Party getting back the strength it had about 25 years ago. I see a more bold anti-establishment neo-anarchism coming. I see most of the people just dropping out again and staying cynical. As for me...not much will change...I've been writing about Ron Paul on my blog since it started three years ago...I'm the trend setter here.

Q: Got any plans for the holidays?

A: Trying to keep my family from being a huge source of disappointment.

New post coming soon!

Okay, I get it now

I always wondered why so many Americans seem off the deep end about world politics and the environment but I get it now. I saw ABC News on television this weekend. You have to understand that in general I haven't watched network news on television in perhaps about 7 or 8 years.

ABC News did a story about how global warming (of which the United States is the greatest contributor to) will find itself drawn into international wars because of lack of normal rainfall in areas of the world map where warlords will take over.

Also, because of global warming, there will be great loss of life and unrest in places like Bangladesh which reportedly has a population half of the United States neatly packaged in a country the size of Iowa.

You don't have to know a great deal about history to know this exaggerated report is wrong. All you really need is a memory. Back in 1972, former Beatle guitarist George Harrison held a benefit concert for Bangladesh.


Bangladesh was a country just ravished by a Typhoon that made what happened in New Orleans look like what happens in a public restroom when the toilet is clogged from a homeless person that ate too much beef and cheese at the shelter.

What is astounding to me is that in my short lifetime Bangladesh has been overrun by flooding at least twice killing about a half-million people. George Harrison's concert for Bangladesh was going on while ecologists were still promising us another ice age because we used aerosol deodorant. I'm not joking.

Bangladesh came about in 1947 after being neglected by both India and West Pakistan. Before being given the name of Bangladesh it was always called "Ya know that crappy place down south where it always floods?"

I doubt global warming has much to do with the problems of Bangladesh and I doubt the United States needs to send troops to places in the world that have an occasional drought... like say... Ethiopia where the people have only known global warming their whole existence.

So I get it now. Most of you are misinformed and have weird ideas about global politics because you watch ABC News. I can only wonder what they'll be reporting when I tune-in again in another 8 years.

John McCain - Stick a fork in him

Last night's GOP debate was pretty funny. Most telling was John McCain's attack of Ron Paul and actually seeing Ron Paul fight back. McCain was surely trying to attack Paul in an effort to win back "most-favored-maverick" status among those in New Hampshire but while Paul fought back against McCain, the good doctor launched a few attacks of his own at the man also known as "Senator Whats-up-with-your-face?"

McCain stated in the debate that they had all "...gone to Washington to change Washington but Washington changed us." Ron Paul quoted McCain and said, "That statement does not apply to me." Zing! McCain is done. In one statement those in New Hampshire saw McCain as the establishment insider that he is against Ron Paul who has been unswayed by the DC politics as usual. McCain has already been dipping in New Hampshire as Ron Paul's traditional polling numbers have climbed.

Hopefully this is the beginnings to an end of the miserable political legacy of John McCain. For Arizona the man who replaced Barry Goldwater in the Senate has been a downgrade for sure.

Best line from the debate was from Huckabee about capital punishment and "What would Jesus do?" Huck's answer: “Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office,’’ Huckabee said. “That's what Jesus would do.’’

Based on last night's debate a Rudy/Huckabee ticket seems likely in my view.

Happy Thanksgiving

This year I'm traveling a bit...should be different. We'll see.

I obviously have low expectations of this holiday.

Take care,
-t

My 2007 Reading List

My goal is to read three fiction books a year. I started late this year but I'm half done with my three books.

Books I've read or started in 2007

Fiction:

This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff - Done.
Old School by Tobias Wolff - Half Done.
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham - On my nightstand...I read the jacket blurb.

Non-Fiction:

Creeds of the Churches Third Edition, Edited by John H. Leith - I've read most or all of the 730 pages.

The Law by Frederic Bastiat- Done.

For 2008 I'm flirting with the idea of tackling Atlas Shrugged. It's kind of too long for me and I'm not sure I can tolerate Rand's nonsensical objectivist bull crap for that many pages but I may take a stab at it. Maybe The Fountainhead is shorter.

Anyone have any other suggestions? Keep in mind that I read fiction as a discipline rather than pure enjoyment because I have a considerable reading disability. The shorter the book is the greater chance I have of completing it. Anything over 350 pages will probably require you reading it to me. Please post suggestions if you have any.

Pakistan - The new Iran

In 1953 the United States backed a coup to install the Shah in place of Mohammad Mosaddeq who was the democratically elected leader. In the long memories of Iranians this caused a great resentment among their people. When the Shah was eventually overthrown the U.S. Embassy went down with it and the story of the hostages began.

Now the U.S. has backed another coup leader in President Gen. Pervez Musharraf even though he is not wanted by the people of Pakistan. When he is eventually overthrown we should expect an increasing resentment from their people against the United Stated because of our intervening foreign policy. And oh by the way...Osama Bin Laden is hiding out in Pakistan...and oh by the way again...they have a nuclear weapon.

Our policy is right now creating the very Iran we're afraid that could emerge...except it's in Pakistan.

9/11 conspiracies and other junk I don't believe

9/11 was an inside job - I distrust government but not because they're trying to hide the truth about major plots. I distrust them because they try to hide things like how much they pay for hammers and what elected officials were doing in Minneapolis airport restrooms. Government is not able to pull off anything properly when it tries. To believe this 9/11 was an inside job I have to believe that the same government that is in charge of Social Security can pull off what happened that day. I don't buy it.

Any non-Warren Commission plot to kill Kennedy - I think Oswald acted alone. End of story.

FDR Invited the attacks by Japan - He may have expected a declaration of war but I do not believe he had prior knowledge of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Why do we take tragedies in this country and blame the people we elect...just to reelected them again?

The Lunar Landing was fake - Just kidding of course it was fake.

Gerald Ford was a space alien - This one I'm completely tired of. It is a well-established fact that Gerald Ford was not and had never been a space alien. He was a robot manufactured in a secret government laboratory.

Trick or Treater Update

On Halloween 51 trick or treaters came to my door. I awarded a few of them and they will get a mention in this post.

Most Original: A giant homemade iPod. This kid was also the first trick or treater. I told him if he came with iTunes I'd kick him off my porch because iTunes sucks.

Most Entertaining: Three kids came to my door. I could identify two of their costumes but not the third. I asked the third kid, "What are you?" His buddy answered before he could with "He's a fat kid." This comment earned him a punch to the stomach. I laughed and gave them lots of the best candy for entertaining me.

Laziest Costume - The hobo. There's always at least one hobo. It requires nothing except a dirty face and your dad's old work clothes. I reward this classic half-ass attempt at a costume with good candy every year.

Pillowcasers - I had 11 of them this year. They're usually age 12-14 and are hanging on to the last year they can go trick or treating. Their costumes are lame if they even have one. Instead of a bag they bring a pillowcase and load up on as much candy as possible. They arrive at your door out of breath because they're hitting as many doors as possible. I pity them and give them good candy...as they are the most likely to egg my house.

Lamest Costume that actually took time to make - Unicorn...holy crap I couldn't believe my eyes. What a dumb costume! Here have some circus peanuts and get off my property lamer!

Weirdest Store-bought Costume - Engineer. Hardhat, vest, et al. I asked him what kind of engineer he was...his reply? "I don't know." Here have some bulk candy I found under the couch cushions.

Now with Halloween out of the way I can concentrate on Guy Fawkes day!

The folly of nation building

I was just reading a quote by this guy who used to be governor of Texas about a decade ago. I don't know who this guy is but he seems pretty sharp. Here he is quoted about how he didn't support nation building in Somalia but supported the original mission to remove their dictator. He didn't like how the mission changed from removing a dictator to something ridiculous like nation building. Where is this guy now when we need him?

Somalia Started off as a humanitarian mission and then changed into a nation-building mission, and that's where the mission went wrong. The mission was changed and, as a result, our nation paid a price. And so I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called nation-building. I think our troops ought to be used to fight and win war. I think our troops ought to be used to help overthrow a dictator that's in our -- when it's in our best interests. But in this case, it was a nation-building exercise. And the same with Haiti, I wouldn't have supported, either.