Articles tagged as

Liberty

Facebook Doodlings – in which I may have called out Lloyd over at TreeHugger

Well, I do go over to TH from time to time, and even leave comments.  Well, there was a post by Lloyd (“90 by 50 plan could reduce New York City’s emissions by 90% by 2050“), someone that doesn’t always take kindly to Conservative or Libertarians assaulting what seems to be an Environmental Communitarian mantra.  The Urban Green Council wants to make it mandatory that buildings meet their standard of reducing their carbon footprint by 90% by 2050.  This will absolutely require massive expenditures by private owners – probably enough to bankrupt more than a small percentage.  And knowing how this works, they will use Government to make it happen.

Private Property?

So, I could not help myself – I left a comment for the author, Lloyd:

” there is no need for floor-to-ceiling glass” – Ah yes, THE phrase that marks a Liberal. We so declare that in our eyes, you should not want to “need” it, so we’ll pull a Bloomberg and just regulate it out of existence.

If you are looking for a firm foundation, when you see such a phrase, ask yourself: Since when did someone’s Freedom become limited by someone else’s selfish sense of “it has to be needed first”?

Freedom should always. just. be.  “Need” need not apply when talking about Freedom.  Thus, I was surprised, he actually responded – but the nuance did not surprise:

Read more

Notable Quote: Lord Acton on Rights of Man and America

Europe seemed incapable of becoming the home of free States. It was from America that the plain ideas that men ought to mind their own business, and that the nation is responsible to Heaven for the acts of State–ideas long locked in the breast of solitary thinkers, and hidden from Latin folios–burst forth like a … Read more

Internet Doodlings – Tree Hugger commenter Bussdriver87 wants a Peoples Government or something…

Well, I have been absent from Tree Hugger (the Greenie Communitarian with Fascist leanings site) for a while so I figured it was time to pay a visit.

SideNote: due to the Great Diaspora / Banning by TH of those willing to challenge their “Green Come First” religion, it has been OUR great benefit that “C.dog e. doG” and “Cris P. Bacon” have become tremendous commenters here – again, thanks guys!

At “Should We All Be Working a Four Day Week“, an architect decided to put her firm on a “5 days work in 4 days” schedule.  Great!  If she’s the owner and wants to do that, she should have the Right to do so (as long as no laws are abrogated).  They also had a poll asking what folks thought  about a 4 day work week (e.g., yes, no, other).  I left the following for the original downer premise (emphasis mine):

We are working’ 5 days in 4’ week because how we live as individuals has consequences for everyone else. The way we live now has created many problems: scarcity of resources, scarcity of jobs, climate change, wealth discrepancies and many wasted lives. These are all escalating problems which are not being addressed by the institutions of power: Governments, Banks, the Multinationals have too many vested interests in the current system to be the agents of change.

for the architect:

Why should it be up to OTHER entities (“Governments, Banks, the Multinationals have too many vested interests in the current system to be the agents of change”) to make such a decision for YOUR company?

You made it for your’s – good for you. If employees like it they will stay; the converse if they do not. Push the decision making down to the lowest granular level – if you can make and win the argument, congratulations! To have those “Power Entities” make the decisions for others is summed up in one word: “tyranny”.

Blaming it on others or other entities is a cop out – especially when one has made the right decisions and done the hard work to be in a place where they are able to make such a decision.  I figure that some might not like the longer days but some might really like always having 3 day weekend but one didn’t (emphasis mine):

Read more

Guest post by NH State Rep Jane Cormier – “Bad Bill of the Month”

Bad Bill of the Month

HB 135 Bill Sponsored by Rep. Stephen Shurtleff, Merrimack 11

HB 135 STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE….

1. Eliminates the provision allowing a person to use deadly force anywhere he or she has a right to be. (If you are in a dark parking lot, just be ready to run, I guess…)

2. Amends the definition of non-deadly force. (The bill amends by removing, “The act of producing or displaying a weapon shall constitute non deadly force.”)

3. Repeals the provision granting civil immunity for the use of force in certain circumstances.  (Be careful about showing your gun in a possibly dangerous situation or you could be in serious trouble…?)

 The sponsor of this bill, Rep. Steven Shurtleff, is a retired U. S. Marshall and law enforcement officer. As a “qualified retired law enforcement officer”, he is covered under (LEOSA) the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, to carry a concealed firearm in any jurisdiction in the United States. This means Rep. Shurtleff is immune from the provisions of his own bill! This bill seeks to restrain law abiding citizens from carrying under their Second Amendment rights. However, Rep. Shurtleff will have the right to carry anywhere – anytime. Hypocrisy at its finest? You bet it is. But, our story continues…

At the public hearing of the bill, on Jan. 22, according to Andrew Hemingway (recent candidate for Chairman of the NHGOP),

Read more

The real differences between Republicans and Democrats – Tyranny #2

I stumbled on this post over at PowerLine – where they had abstracted an entire post by David Horowitz: “How Republicans can win” that talks about the severe differences in how Conservatives / Republicans view life vs how Progressive / Democrats do.  Since Horowitz was heavily involved in the New Left in the sixties, he knows intimately how they think and how they act – and why they are starting to take the rest of us to the political cleaners in their religious zealotry in marching with Obama to “fundamentely transforming America.”  For this is no “this way is better / no, that way is” battle we face – as Progressives truly believe that they are in a political Civil War to beat and overthrow the Founders / Constitution vision of Liberty and Freedom in which WE get to decide for ourselves and replace it with the Progressive brand of socialism / “social justice” in which Government will provide for all our needs (er, but never mention the “strings chains attached” to allow that to happen).  I have abstracted a few paragraphs that point the major differences (emphasis mine):

…The Democratic Party has been moving steadily to the left since the McGovern campaign of 1972. It is now a party led by socialists and progressives who are convinced that their policies are paving the way to a “better world.”

This vision of moral and social progress has profound consequences for the way Democrats conduct their political battles. Unlike Republicans, Democrats are not in politics just to fix government and solve problems. They are secular missionaries who want to “change society.” Their goal is a new order of society— “social justice.” They think of themselves as social redeemers, people who are going to change the world. It is the belief in a redemptive future that accounts for their passion, and their furious personal assaults on those who stand in their way. When he was president, Bill Clinton once told Dick Morris he had “to understand that Bob Dole” – a moderate Republican – “is evil.” It is the same missionary zeal that allows Democrats to justify a campaign ad accusing a decent man like Mitt Romney of causing the death of a female cancer victim.

This should set the table.  Take Zandra Rice-Hawkins, Exec Dir. for Granite State Progress for instance (yes, a major Progressive parachuted in with the Colorado Model supported by major Progressive $$ – no native Live Free or Die in her!).

Read more

We force you to wear a seatbelt because it will save your life.

SeatBelt - its the Law!As stupid an argument as can be said as in “since you OBVIOUSLY won’t take responsibility for yourself, we shall make you take responsibility for yourself”.  And if you do not, the force of Government will take away your money (via a fine) or take away your time (with jail time).  I am glad to be in the Live Free or Die State that still, at least in this respect, has told the Nanny Staters (both those in-state and those in the Federal Govt that has tried, over and over, to bribe NH officials with our own tax monies) to go pound sand – let adults make this decision for themselves.  However, many States have not treated their citizens this way – and started the slippery slope in motion.  The slippery slope didn’t start out that way – it was first a mandate to the car companies “you will put seatbelts in cars” rather than letting the marketplace make that decision and proceeded downward from there.

And we see it happening again.  As I wrote here, gun control is merely the symptom of a greater disease – those that govern believe they rule instead.  They are all too willing to breach the fidelity of the Constitution and the Declaration that Government is instituted by men, and not Government over men (a large difference, in my mind).  Government was to protect an Individual’s Rights – and not take them away simply because there is a problem at hand.  They have faced the problem – and answered wrongly.  They see not an Individual but the collective – and proceed to solve problems from that perspective,and in many cases, throw away and walk away from the ideals on which this Constitutional Republic was born.

We hear all the time that the Slippery Slope doesn’t exist – or that it will not happen.  B.S. on that – for here is a prime example of “oh it will never happen because we didn’t want that!”.  Cool, bucko, somebody else decided to drop that horizontal negative 70 degrees.

Read more

Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 – Senator Diane Feinstein’s push to disarm the United States

She unveiled her renewed Assault Weapon Ban that not only is going to hurt two vibrant companies here in NH (are you listening Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) – Sturm Ruger and Sig Sauer – but effectively render civilians unable to defend themselves in a multi-person home invasion.

“We have tried to learn from the bill. We have tried to recognize legal hunting rights. We have tried to recognize legal defense rights. We have tried to recognize the right of a citizen to legally possess a weapon. No weapon is taken from anyone. The purpose is to dry up the supply of these weapons over time. Therefore, there is no sunset on this bill,”

Once again, we see a Progressive MORE than willing to punish law-abiding citizens as if they were criminals. No mention of the REAL reason for the Second Amendment – self-protection against a tyrannical government (as Progressives cannot even begin to fathom that their policies will end up as such as they are eroding individual Liberty and Freedom.  After all, as US Senator Schumer (or was it Durbin?) said “this isn’t about the Constitution”.

Of course not, it never is, is it?

The bill has not yet hit Thomas (it was supposed to be filed and online today) but here are some details.  The list of banned firearms are after the jump.  The Low Points:

  • Manufacture, transfer, or importation of new assault weapons
  • What is an assault rifle (redefining a real military term)?  Detachable magazine.  One of the following military features:
    • pistol grip
    • forward grip
    • adjustable, detachable or folding stock
    • barrel shroud
    • threaded barrel
    • grenade or rocket launcher
  • And yes, we now have a NEW “weenie legislator legal term” – an “assault pistol“: detachable magazine.  One of the following military features:
    • barrel shroud
    • threaded barrel
    • second pistol grip
    • accepting of a mag other than via the one allowed pistol grip
    • semi-automatic (if this is a “copy” of an automatic version)

    Read more

Drinkin’ his own booze

Back in my coal mining days in southern Appalachia, there was a saying folks had: “He’s drinkin’ his own booze” and it was not a compliment.  In those days, good stuff could generally be defined as spirits that wouldn’t make you go blind and the way to tell was by putting a dibby dab in a … Read more

“I don’t know WHY anyone NEEDS an AR-15”. Wrong premise, Progressives!

True Freedom means not having to have a Need to order justify having something

assault weaponRemember that the next time somebody demands “Why do you need that?” (unless it is your spouse or your Mother – then forget what I’m saying here.  Steve is busy and I am having another one of those “paralysis blocks” that bloggers sometimes have.  Not exactly “writer’s block” (during which you can’t think of a thing to say, and worse, if you did, can’t type two words that lie together well) but a case of “there’s too much going on – what to take on first (or best) and not sound like a me-too schmuck”.  But sometimes, when in that mode, it’s like you are the shooting guard in basketball and you go into a 0 for 20 shooting run – the only way out is to keep shooting.  So, here’s a shot in the dark.

We are, as a nation, at a cusp.  The vast majority of Americans were outraged at the tragedy in Newtown.  True to form, Progressives jumped on this crisis with both feet – hey such a chance to advance a fundamental Progressive ideal – an unarmed citizenry.  After all, their belief system demands fealty to the notion that Government is there for YOU and that their Government (and make no mistake, no limited government is any Government of theirs) will take care of you.  Thus, no guns, and certainly no guns of any consequence.  You don’t need them to defend yourself (call 911) and you really don’t have to hunt (that’s cruel to animals, and besides, we grow them in that plastic wrap).  They really don’t believe in guns, even as many of these Progressive elected officials make utter fools of themselves concerning the vocabulary concerning the descriptions of firearms and accessories (we’ll let you off the hook – we’d laugh less at you if you just said “ewww, you can’t have them because they’re ICKY” than when you can’t get the basic nomenclature right).

So, from their Olympus like heights of Enlightened Morality, they proclaim “You don’t NEED that!” – and they do mean it; they have no idea of why something would be important to you – and they don’t care to know.  In their worldview, where the rest of us need guidance, this is one of those supreme moments of applying Progressive Guidance (yes, upper-case chosen deliberately to show the height of Progressive Reaction of those that they have allowed to go astray for too long – they are done with “our foolishness”.

Any time you hear Liberal or Progressive (yes, you can be the former without being the latter but with the way that the New Left is hollowing out the Democrat Party, that person is seldom is a moderate Democrat) say that, here is your reposte:

So, Jackass, what does Need have to do with Freedom?

Read more

Well what do you know, there may be hope yet?

Seen over at The Corner:

So the question is, can you have a liberal, progressive America without unions? History says no. For 200 years the existence of the union movement has been wedded to the rise of democracy, to the rise of liberalism. We saw this here, in South Korea, in Spain, in Africa. But now America is moving toward an experiment with whether it can have liberalism without unions. I think the answer is no. But we’ll see.

Interesting thought.  Certainly we have seen, more and more, the major unions (especially the SEIU) forming alliances with Progressive / Socialist organization that are certainly in step with Obama’s “fundamentally transforming” the United States.  Their stated goal is to move away from the democratic Republic of the Founders and to that Progressive version of ruler-ship first begun by Von Bismarck as he rolled up the Germanic city-states into a unified Germany (and in the process, creating the foundations of the trappings of the modern welfare state to “sidestep” the real Socialists).  The unions, once focused on improving unsafe working conditions, have gone well beyond that to the acquisition of power and the enrichment of a few relative to the many.

Read more

Notable Quote – President George Washington

“We should never despair, our Situation before has been unpromising and has changed for the better, so I trust, it will again. If new difficulties arise, we must only put forth new Exertions and proportion our Efforts to the exigency of the times.” – George Washington, first President of the United States (who stepped down … Read more

It’s That Simple

I am still without power so content from me will be thin at best until further notice.  But that doesn’t mean I can’t try to start a row with 16 seconds of video. Yes, It’s that simple. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enC0eFJgmpA&feature=player_embedded Hot Air

Notable Quote: Frederic Bastiat on Liberty

God has implanted in mankind also all that is necessary to enable it to accomplish its destinies…Away, then, with quacks and organizers! … Away with their artificial methods!  Away with their social laboratories, their governmental whims, their centralization, their tariffs, their universities, their State religion, their inflationary or monopolizing banks, their limitations, their restrictions, their … Read more

View this from the phrase: “The Bigger the Government, the smaller the citizen”; Democrats gunning for a Limited Government Warrior

It looks that ‘Grok friend, Mark Warden, has been put under the gun sights of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (from Blue Hampshire, emphasis mine), an out of state Democrat organization whose only purpose is to get BIG Govt Democrats elected to State Houses (gee, and I keep hearing that Democrats are forever railing against “outside money” – until it suits their purpose like all the gay money that came in to first get civil unions passed in NH and then had that replaced by gay marriage) :

New Hampshire House District 39 (Hillsborough)
Aaron Gill (Grassroots pick)
Status: Republican Incumbent

Why this Race Matters: Unlike the New Hampshire House’s many multi-member House races, Hillsborough District 39 is a one-on-one matchup featuring Democratic community banker and Deering Conservation Commission officer Aaron Gill, who faces an incumbent Republican who moved to the state as part of the so-called Free State Project, which encourages Libertarians to move to New Hampshire in order to remake that state’s government in the image of Libertarian Party ideology. (The project targets New Hampshire, specifically, because of its relatively small electorate.) The outcome of this race could show whether conservative-leaning districts like this one are “in play” for New Hampshire Democrats, as well as whether the Free State Project’s unique brand of conservatism has staying power among normal New Hampshire voters.

Well, well, well .  For all of the fulminations by the Democrats the last few years, railing against “the banksters” (remember, the Dems were all in for Occupy Wall Street bashing the banking 1% and have always blamed the banks for causing the financial crisis).

So, the DLCC (as well as the NH Dem Party) is setting this up as a Progressive / BIG Government candidate vs a Limited Govt / BIGGER Citizen legislator.  We continue to see the redefinition of the Proper Role of Government:

Read more

The kids are all right….

Just because you’re young, doesn’t mean that you have to be dumb. These kids may be young, but they’re not stupid. They know.    

Perfect timing, NH Rep David Campbell – you prove my point

I just put up this post up and it ends like this:

Our single reason why is this: he [Obama]is the single worst threat to TEA Party ideals: Free Markets (he wants Government directed markets), Constitutionally bound and limited Government, and fiscal responsibility in that Government.  These are complete opposite of the current crop of Democrat Socialists.

And that is why they fear us.

That the NH Dems are calling the TEA Party, Free Staters and 9/12ers extreme is simple: we represent and “cling” to the values and the words in the Constitution.  We are their worst nightmare as we are the Gate that stops the country’s march to complete Progressivism.  And then this came floating in:

Apparently [Democrat NH State Representative] David Campbell thinks we are a bunch of nut jobs in the NH house……The conservative “Bat-signal” is requested gentlemen.

While responding to a “Grok-signal” might be more appropriate (heh!),  we stand by our pledge: “… fly to the aid of rock-ribbed freedom loving and liberty seeking / leaning folk anywhere!…”.  So, I went and left these bon mots for Rep Dave – and an offer:

Extreme?  Really The First remark to be made is “Yo, Dave”?  Are you forgetting that in 2010, the voters (er, that would be ALL NH voters) finally had enough of the Democrat agenda and threw the majority of your butts out of the House and most of your butts out of the NH Senate, and completely out of the Executive Council.

So, wanna keep yakking about who was judged to be “extreme”?

Read more

Notable Quote(s): James Fenimore Cooper – Double Tap!

“Liberty, like equality, is a word more used than understood.  Perfect and absolute liberty is as incompatible with the existence of society, as equality of condition.” And… “If newspapers are useful in overthrowing tyrants, it is only to establish a tyranny of their own.” – James Fenimore Cooper

A reply to a commenter on Steve’s “About All that Ron Paul business…”

which can be found here concerning the RNC, delegates, Ron Paul speaking / not speaking, nomination, and the like.  His problem was not with Ron Paul but with his supporters.  I concur (having had to deal with nastiness of some even back in 2008).  So he (and I) expected some commenters in opposition and our expectations were met.

Given the set up here at the ‘Grok, I also get notification (and have to approve / disapprove) of comments inbound on all the posts.  Given that Steve’s post was almost a month old, when a comment by RageFury came in today, I spent the time reading that long comment in which much time had to have been spent.  But one line:

“I previously thought you guys were better than this…”

caught my eye and of course I had to answer:

“nor will I vote for Obama who only gets a potential 4 more years of horrible country crushing policy” and ” I previously thought you guys were better than this.”

To the former – to use that old phrase: “You ain’t see nothing yet!”  Obama has figured out that with the Senate locked up by Reid, and the House Rs cowering behind the idea that they’d be responsible for a shutdown if they even thought about growing a spine, Obama has become enamored with doing what he wants without Congress – an FDR on steroids by issuing declaration upon decree.  He has become addicted to being a dictator – he knows that he can do what ever he wants NOW and when the Courts nullify a Dept decree, the Secretary of the Dept just uses another way to do it all again (e.g., Salazar in stopping drilling in the Gulf, the NLRB’s actions, and the FCC at doing Net Neutrality by other means, just to name three).  Recent History is very much predictive of what he will do the next four – only much faster, much bigger and FAR more Liberty destroying than this first term.  You think he’s packed on the Debt thus far?  His next target, already under attack, is Liberty and Freedom and he is well on the way to destroying that.

And you, RageFury, among others that will not pull the lever for Obama’s enemy…

Read more

Share to...
BufferCopyFlipboardHacker NewsLineLinkedInMastodonMessengerMixPinterestPrintRedditSMSTelegramTumblrVKWhatsAppXingYummly