A liberal examination

Linoge has an enlightening little piece examining the word “liberal”.

I’ve known many so-called Liberals in my life, especially when I was in undergrad, and certainly I know many today. The sad thing is, if you go by the true definition of “liberal”:

  • open to new behavior or opinions (“open minded”)
  • willing to discard traditional values
  • favorable to or respectful of individual rights and freedoms
  • favoring maximum individual liberty in political and social reform
  • non-interventionist
  • tolerant

most Liberals aren’t; in fact, I’d say they’re just the opposite.

Remember that change…

…. can also be a bad thing.

Wow. Times like we have now, and they’re just going to keep screwing middle American harder and harder.

If you voted for Obama, Pelosi, or any of those listed in the “yes” column, can you please explain to me why you did so? Can you please explain to me how their track record over the past 6-9 months is going to have a long-term positive impact upon this country? How is this behavior making anything better?

So much for promises

Remember how before he became President, Mr. Obama promised transparency in government? I guess it was a 7-Up promise: never had it, never will.

I’m not saying things were peachy before him, but he promised change and we’re not getting it.

My rainbow-farting unicorn still hasn’t arrived.

See? Socialized medicine works… we’ve got proof!

From John Farnam:

15 June 09 On socialized medicine, from a friend and physician: “I recently returned from Canada, where I practiced medicine for many years until I finally, in disgust, immigrated to the United States. The state of socialized medicine there is now even worse (if such a thing can be imagined) than it was when I left. The national government created seventeen ‘Regional Health Authorities,’ that pay no attention to provincial boundaries. Each is responsible for ‘ managing’ health-care decisions in their geographic area. When it became clear that didn’t work, the government responded by creating a health-care ‘ Superboard’ that dictates to regional boards. Government’s solution to messes it creates is, without fail, ‘more government!’ The net result has been fewer doctors, fewer nurses, but an ever-expanding army of ignorant bureaucrats, none of whom deliver any health care to anyone. Hospitals continue to be chronically understaffed, and waiting times for even simple medical procedures has now increased to the point where they are, for all practical purposes, unavailable. Who can afford it, come to the USA to get done what needs doing. The balance of Canadians tolerate this disaster, even as they watch their own family members languish in pain and die needlessly. They have been indoctrinated by the liberal media who tells them that they, as individuals, are insignificant. Only the government, and those in it, are important. Americans who look to Canada as a ‘shining example’ of socialized medicine are like investors who buy junk bonds, because their broker tells them, with a straight face, that junk bonds are actually better than blue-chip stocks. Those brokers, like socialists in Washington and the media, are no more than cheap hucksters, talking endlessly about the precious-few good points, while deliberating hiding the multitude of horrifying issues with national health systems like Canada’s. What ever happened to ‘full-disclosure?’ It’s time to shout down these lying con-men. The alternative will be a medical meltdown that defies the imagination. Believe me, I’ve seen it!” Comment: Is this what we thought we wanted? /John

See? Socialized medicine works. Medical care adminstered by the government works! We have proof! Witness Canada.

(I’ll stop being sarcastic now).

Fools learn from their own mistakes. Wise men learn from the mistakes of others.

I fear the number of fools in my nation is growing. I’d love to be proven wrong.

“I didn’t fight to protect this shit”

Read the heart-warming story of Danny Hurley, and how he got held at gunpoint and handcuffed, for taking a picture of a B-24 Liberator.

My article title comes from this part of the article:

But according to one of the crew, they had ID’d me as one of theirs, and the tower knew and tried to call it off. But once the wheels were set in motion, it could not be stopped. The pilots were pretty much cool and laughed at me and were even willing to escort me to take more shots. One old-timer gruffed under his breath, “It’s the U.S.A., not U.S.S.R. — I didn’t fight to protect this shit.” One even offered me his seat on a ride.

Don’t we all feel safer now?

An observation

Funny how the “armed self-defense” approach is A-okay at the macro scale in HI, but Heavens forfend they should entertain the notion of plain citizens being armed to protect themselves from footpads and highwaymen, ooooo nooooo.

Roberta X

Micro-stamping, well-intended but useless

Via Sebastian I’m referred to a great article by The Arizona Rifleman on why microstamping is useless. Intentions may be good, but we know what paves the road to Hell, right?

The biggest issue is that if it’s aimed to stop crime or help police solve a crime, it just won’t do that. Either the criminal will avoid the microstamped guns, will modify their microstamped guns, or use microstamping to their advantage to cast someone else into the mix — likely an innocent person — and either frame them or just cause mounds of legal trouble for the innocent person. There’s just too much risk of problem and increased cost in this, and no benefit towards the desired goal.

If you can demonstrate a way to hurt the criminals and not hurt the law-abiding citizens, I’m all for it. But when the efforts do exactly the opposite, how can one lobby for their support? unless I guess you like helping criminals and hurting law-abiding folk.

Protesting is terrorism?

Whoa. (h/t SayUncle)

I used to be a “card carrying member” of the ACLU, and while I am no longer I am still thankful they are around because while I don’t always agree with them they are certainly a vital force in keeping our country free.

Antiterrorism training materials used by the Department of Defense teach that public protests should be regarded as “low level terrorism,” according to a letter of complaint sent to the department today by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California.

“Teaching employees that dissent on issues of public concern is something to be feared, rather than encouraged, is a dangerously counterproductive use of scarce security resources, making us less safe as a democracy,” Northern California ACLU Staff Attorney Ann Brick and ACLU Washington National Security Policy Council Michael German wrote in the letter to Gail McGinn, Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.

“DoD employees cannot accomplish their mission of protecting our nation and its values unless they understand that those values encompass the right to criticize our government through protest activities,” they wrote. “It is imperative that they are taught the difference between political, religious or social activism and terrorism.”

State AG’s against gun bans

Have I mentioned how I love living in Texas?

Texas State Attorney General, the Honorable Greg Abbott, was among 23 other AG’s sending a letter to U.S. AG Eric Holder opposing any attempts at gun bans.

It’s not about guns folks, it’s about freedom. And yes, freedom of choice, and the ability to protect that freedom of choice. If you don’t understand what I mean, ask.