Tag: Your Government Doesn’t Love You

The Republicans’ “Pledge” to America

So the Republicans released their “Pledge” to America [Warning: It’s a PDF]:

With this document, we pledge to dedicate ourselves to the task of reconnecting our highest aspirations to the permanent truths of our founding by keeping faith with the values our nation was founded on, the principles we stand for, and the priorities of our people. This is our Pledge to America.

Sweet they’re making Ron Paul the head of the Republican Party and allowing him to make policy? HELL YEAH… wait what? That’s not what’s happening? What the heck are they doing then? What do you mean read the entire document? Shit.

Cut Government Spending to Pre- Stimulus, Pre-Bailout Levels

But we were still in a deficit before the stimulus packages were approved. That won’t fix the financial problem in this country at all.

Cut Congress’ Budget

Yeah, I’ll believe that when I see it.

We will ensure that bills are debated and discussed in the public square by publishing the text online for at least three days before coming up for a vote in the House of Representatives. No more hiding legislative language from the minority party, opponents, and the public. Legislation should be understood by all interested parties before it is voted on.

So now you’re stealing Obama’s lies (remember he said all bills would be posted online 72 hours before he signed them, still waiting on that Obama)? What you should do is fight to ensure all bills will be read aloud in both houses. That will ensure everybody knows everything in the bill and most importantly cut the length of these bills down because nobody wants to read a 2,000 page document out loud. An added benefit would be any 2,000 pages bill would take so long to read a new house and Senate would probably be in and have to start the reading from the top again ensure it never gets voted on.

We will require each bill moving through Congress to include a clause citing the specific constitutional authority upon which the bill is justified.

I actually like this. Of course it’ll be a cold day in Hell before this requirement is actually made of bills.

We will prevent the government from importing terrorists onto American soil. We will hold President Obama and his administration responsible for any Guantanamo Bay detainees they release who return to fight against our troops or who have become involved in any terrorist plots or activities.

You’ll prevent our government from “importing” terrorists? Really? Please explain in detail how you will accomplish that. Also I love how the Republicans say they are going to adhere to the Constitution but keeping people held in a secret prison in Cuba without trail is somehow OK.

There is real concern that while the threat from Iranian intercontinental ballistic missiles could materialize as early as 2015, the government’s missile defense policy is not projected to cover the U.S. homeland until 2020. We will work to ensure critical funding is restored to protect the U.S. homeland and our allies from missile threats from rogue states such as Iran and North Korea.

Wait were’ going to fund a missile defense program because the Iranians may have intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) someday? I guess the fact Russia has enough ICBMs to wipe out all life on Earth several times over wasn’t motivation enough huh? Maybe we should also realize we still have enough nukes to do the same and that threat prevented Russian and America from launching so I’m betting the same threat will work just fine on little old Iran. There I just saved you a boat load of money on chasing a program that has been in the works since the Cold War and never came to fruition. You’re welcome.

So let me sum up their “pledge.” The Republican Party will continue doing what they have been doing while stating they’re going to do something else instead. How are they different from the Democrats again? Oh that’s right they’re not.

This is why I’m a libertarian.

We’re Moving Up in the World

Uncle notes that us gun owners are moving up in the world. How do we know this? Well is seems second amendment rallies make lists of terrorist-related threats:

Metcalfe’s annual Second Amendment rally, which attracts gun owners from across the state, was mentioned in an April bulletin to state Homeland Security officials by the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response, a York-based nonprofit paid $103,000 by the state.

Remember kids standing up for your rights guaranteed by the laws of your country is a terrorist activity! Only a terrorist would demand that their rights, guaranteed by the country’s own laws, be respected.

Down the Memory Hole

So our Department of Defense (DoD) decided to do a book burning at the taxpayers’ expense because some content irked them off. The publisher apparently didn’t see the possibility for infinite revenue though. Instead of publishing more copies of the book for the DoD to purchase Bruce Schneier informs us that the publisher has reached an agreement with the DoD. The agreement involves removing all the “offending” material from the book. What a poor business decision.

Climate Something or Other

If at first you don’t succeed change the name of your target and try again. Just as corn syrup is changing it’s name to corn sugar and Blackwater changed their name to Xe global warming climate change is getting a name change to climate disruption. As with most thing involving climate something or other Borepatch has a good writeup about how a certain staffer in the Obamessiah’s administration came up with the glorious idea of doing the name swap.

I’m not a rocket scientist but I believe if your crusade lacks so much popular support and scientific backing that you have to change the name twice to drum up fear you should find something else to make money on. It seems people don’t really want to jump on the carbon credit scheme and climate something or other isn’t scaring many people anymore. Just give up and find another scam already.

Canadian Will Keep Wasting Millions of Dollars

Every Day, No Days Off informs us that our friends up north have decided to keep wasting millions of dollars on a point long-gun registry. This is both a blow to the civil rights of Canadian as well as a boon from criminals whom ignore the registry anyways and know any slight inconvenience for citizens self-defense is a convenience for crime.

An Old Fashion Book Burning

In a bastion of free speech an expression no such thing as a book burning can take place:

The Defense Department is attempting to buy the entire first printing – 10,000 copies – of a memoir by a controversial former Defense Intelligence Agency officer so that the book can be destroyed, according to military and other sources.

So much for America being a bastion of free speech and expression. I’d say at least it’s going to cost them a lot of money to censor this book but it’s our taxpayer money so it’s actually costing us a lot of money to censor ourselves.

A Slight Bias

The Supreme Court is going to be hearing a case in November dealing with California’s ban of “violent” video games to minors. A story making the rounds today is that 72% of adults approve of such laws. Anybody who has been in the gun rights scene long enough recognizes a bias survey when they see it.

In this case an advocacy group called Common Sense Media (their name of course being doublespeak as they lack common sense) were the ones who commissioned the study. Taking a look at their web site I think their mission page says a lot:

We believe in media sanity, not censorship.

Please tell me the difference between sanity and censorship. Censorship is censorship regardless of how you look at it. Trying to rephrase it as “media sanity” is a lot like rephrasing war as a policing action.

We believe parents should have a choice and a voice about the media our kids consume and create. Every family is different but all need information.

They believe parents should have a choice but also believe California’s law banning the sale of “violent” video games to minors is hunky dory. What if a parent is OK with their children playing “violent” video games (my parents for instance had no problem with me playing Doom or Duke Nukem 3D and I didn’t turn into a blood thirsty killing machine).

We believe that the price for free and open media is a bit of extra homework for families. Parents need to know about the media their kids use and need to teach responsible, ethical behavior as well as manage overall media use.

The price of freedom is always personal responsibility. This statement is one of the few I can say is correct. Parents need to know what their kids are doing and determine if they feel it is appropriate. If my memory serves me I believe that’s actually a parents job. Providing a mechanism for parents to learn about different types of media is good. On the other hand:

We believe appropriate regulations about right time, right place, and right manner exist. They need to be upheld by our elected and appointed leaders.

Doublethink alert! How can an organization be for the right of parents to make informed decision and also in favor of government telling parents what is right? Making informed decisions is the exact opposite of something in authority telling you what you will do. This right here is the ultimate problem they want parents to make specific decisions, not informed ones. You no longer have choice once a law is enacted besides obey or break said law.

If there is a law banning children from playing “violent” video games (as there are laws against children smoking cigarettes) for instance a parent no long as the choice to determine whether or not their child can play “violent” video games.

This organization is biased. Cases are different on a child by child basis and parents have to know what their children are doing and if they find it appropriate. For instance Common Sense Media state:

Media violence is especially damaging to children under 8 because they cannot easily tell the difference between real life and fantasy, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology

I never had any such problem as a child. I knew that shooting Dr. Wily’s robots in MegaMan 2 was fantasy violence. When I watched Transformers I understood Optimus Prime sending a laser blast through Decepticon scum was fantasy. Other children may not be able to determine such things though and in that case the parents need to make a decision on whether to allow their kids to play or watch such things. Making a law just fucks everybody over and gives the government more power to determine how you will live you life.

Licensing Toy Guns

Australia is going for the gold today as they’ve landed on this site’s front page twice. New laws are being pushed in Australia that will require toy guns be licensed as real ones. Oh, and because there is no limited to stupidity this law will also involved other things:

The proposed changes will also impose restrictions on the ownership of laser pointers, tougher penalties for selling items such as crossbows, bullet proof vests and knuckledusters without the appropriate licence, and stricter rules on firearm storage. In certain circumstances, religion will be a lawful excuse for carrying a knife and police who take their service-issue firearms home will be exempted.

Be careful with those dangerous laser pointers, you could put somebody’s eye out with it. We also must appreciate that the police are like you and me only better so they are exempt from this legislation.

Everybody Stop, Taser Time

For your exhibition I present item number 151 in abuse of Taser by police officers. Man man fell down some steps at the front of the house an injured himself. His wife called the paramedics whom arrive, administered treatment, and left. As they were leaving they were greeted by a couple cops storming into the house and telling the injured man he was coming with them to the hospital:

The deputy tells McFarland he is going to take him to the hospital because he may be suicidal.

“We want to take you to the hospital for an evaluation, you said if you had a gun, you’d shoot yourself in the head,” the deputy can be heard saying.

McFarland says it was just hyperbole. He was tired and in pain.

The deputy orders him numerous times to get up or else.

“Stand up, put your hands behind your back or you’re going to be Tased,” the deputy says.

McFarland keeps refusing.

McFarland pretty much did what I’d have done, explained the remark was hyperbole and kept sitting. I guess I’d have also requested the police to remove themselves from my property in a kindly way. Well the police decided the passive resistance to their authoritah was violent enough to require the use of a Taser. Of course as with any police officer on a power trip with a Taser they keep telling the man to stop resisting as they’re actively Tasing him. How much less resistance can you get and convulsing on the ground uncontrollably? The whole time the wife was begging the police to stop and even explained that her husband had a heart condition.

At the very least these officers should be tossed into prison for attempted murder. Personally I believe the wife would have been well within her rights to shoot the officer with the Taser under the laws of self-defense (which generally extend to loved ones). Of course had she done that she’s spend the rest of her life in prison because you can’t shoot a police officer in self-defense, they’re above than you, me, and the law.