Post #183
Subject: AN ENDORSEMENT
Barack Obama is going to win the presidency. While the end of the current era of Republican mismanagement may be good news in many respects, this is no cause for complacency for anyone concerned about American liberty and America's place in the world. Senator Obama, despite his eloquent call for reform, has demonstrated that he, like other politicians, is ever ready to trim his sails to gain a few votes. A vote for Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party would be the best way to tell President-elect Obama that the American people are serious about real change in Washington.
Sen. Obama's rhetoric is uplifting and positive, but the Senator who showed genuine foresight and courage in opposing the Iraq war spent most of the primary season edging away from his initial tough stand. Will he order the troops to exit Iraq? Will he bring them all home, or simply shift them from Iraq to another foreign country?
Similarly, it would be hard for Sen. Obama not to be an improvement over the Bush administration on civil liberties. However, here, too, Sen. Obama has demonstrated his willingness to trim under pressure.
President George W. Bush violated the law when he ignored both the Constitution and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Congress should have held him and his appointees accountable for their law-breaking. Moreover, telephone companies that aided and abetted executive branch law-breaking should have been left liable in the courts.
Yet, Sen. Obama folded, backing a "compromise" that gave the administration most everything that it wanted. No individualized warrants or evidence of law-breaking is required to authorize government spying on U.S. citizens' phone calls and emails. No administration officials paid the slightest cost for engaging in illegal conduct. No private firm suffered the slightest inconvenience for helping the government violate their customers' constitutional rights. This was the moment for Sen. Obama to prove that he possessed a true dedication to civil liberties, and he failed.
Of course, we all hope that, as president, he will feel freer to stand up for American liberties. But there also will be voices advising him to use the executive powers so freely expanded by his predecessor. Will he be strong enough to resist this Siren's Song? No one knows, but one thing is known: If freed from the limiting forces of public awareness and involvement, President Obama would follow a long line of presidents who talk of enhanced individual liberty, but practice a policy of increased government power.
In other words, the best way to encourage Sen. Obama, if he is elected president, to follow the straight and narrow is to actively and clearly demonstrate that we, the American people, are concerned both about our civil liberties and his commitment to protect them. The way to do that is to vote for Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party.
Only one party has consistently stood up for the Constitution and against expansive executive power: the Libertarian Party. Only one party has consistently demanded a quick and full withdrawal from Iraq: the Libertarian Party. Only one party has demanded that all administration officials, legislators, and bureaucrats be held accountable for violating the law or the Constitution: the Libertarian Party.
Sen. Obama's impending big victory will tempt liberals to relax and celebrate. Yet the time of greatest danger will be the transition, when Sen. Obama will be deciding on who to appoint and what direction to take. The best way to safeguard our liberties is to let him know that his election victory comes with an important "but"--in the form of a strong showing by Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party, who have placed the protection of American liberties and America's reputation in the world at the core of their campaign.
- by Bob Barr
* * *
http://www.bobbarr2008.com/
OK, I don’t like Bob Barr for his involvement in the impeachment of President Clinton. I think it was waste of time and money when the outcome was preordained.
I’ve got to wonder: Is he really a Libertarian or just a Republican in disguise? For example, he cites the Constitutional right to own a gun and to hunt. Show me “hunt’ in the Constitution! :p
But, overall, though….
Friday, October 31, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Post #182
Subject: Putting America first….
My Mom saw John W. McCain ranting and raving on TV yesterday, and she called him “unseemly.”
I couldn’t agree more
For the sake of the country, for the sake of your ability to work with the next President, for the sake of your own reputation, please, Mr. McCain, just stop. Stop the name-calling, the lies, the smears, the innuendos, the whispering-campaigns, the stirrings of hatred.
You never stood taller, Mr. McCain, than in 2000 when you denounced the dirty tactics of the George W. Bush campaign. Now, you’ve sunk to the same level.
This is NOT an endorsement of Barack Obama. But, whether ya like ‘im or ya don’t -- and I don’t, learn to love ‘im!
On a personal note, Windows Vista is bad. Ya’d think that with each generation of Operating System, ‘puters would get easier and easier to use. But NO -- it has taken me three [3] days to set up my Elisha Cuthbert desktop, and I still have NOT figured out how to get rid of the advertising that covers Elisha’s face. I do like the added security, but it’s now a pain to just ‘surf. Since ya figure that most Vista users are upgrading from XP, ya’d think they’d leave alone the thangs from XP that work well -- to shut down in XP, ya clicked the button clearly marked “shut down;” in Vista, the button is NOT marked at all….
Oh, why couldn’t McCain spread a lil’ of Sarah Palin’s wardrobe allowance my way? :p
Subject: Putting America first….
My Mom saw John W. McCain ranting and raving on TV yesterday, and she called him “unseemly.”
I couldn’t agree more
For the sake of the country, for the sake of your ability to work with the next President, for the sake of your own reputation, please, Mr. McCain, just stop. Stop the name-calling, the lies, the smears, the innuendos, the whispering-campaigns, the stirrings of hatred.
You never stood taller, Mr. McCain, than in 2000 when you denounced the dirty tactics of the George W. Bush campaign. Now, you’ve sunk to the same level.
This is NOT an endorsement of Barack Obama. But, whether ya like ‘im or ya don’t -- and I don’t, learn to love ‘im!
On a personal note, Windows Vista is bad. Ya’d think that with each generation of Operating System, ‘puters would get easier and easier to use. But NO -- it has taken me three [3] days to set up my Elisha Cuthbert desktop, and I still have NOT figured out how to get rid of the advertising that covers Elisha’s face. I do like the added security, but it’s now a pain to just ‘surf. Since ya figure that most Vista users are upgrading from XP, ya’d think they’d leave alone the thangs from XP that work well -- to shut down in XP, ya clicked the button clearly marked “shut down;” in Vista, the button is NOT marked at all….
Oh, why couldn’t McCain spread a lil’ of Sarah Palin’s wardrobe allowance my way? :p
Friday, October 17, 2008
Post #181
Subject: Re: Fwd: 57 states??
An e-mail I got….
* * *
What's in the heart comes out via the tongue!
From a radio show yesterday.....
'Hey, folks, you want to tweak the Drive-By Media with me right now?
You are aware, probably, that Barack Obama lost his bearings recently and said that he was going to campaign in all 57 states.
You heard this? And everybody chalked it up to, 'Well, he's tired.'
You know, this is a Dan Quayle moment. I mean, Dan Quayle goes out there and misspells 'potato,' and we still hear jokes about it.
Barack Obama says he's gonna go out and campaign in 57 states, he was just tired, you know, it's been such a long campaign, he's been so many places, he probably thinks there are 57 states.
Well, I have here a printout from a web site called the 'International Humanist and Ethical Union' . And here is how the second paragraph of an article on that website begins.
'Every year from 1999 to 2005 the organization of the Islamic Conference representing the 57 Islamic States presented a resolution to the United Nations Commission on human rights called commbating.'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_of_the_Islamic_Conference
Obama said he's going to campaign in 57 states, and it turns out that there are 57 Islamic states.
There are 57 Islamic states.
So did Obama just lose his bearings, or was this a more telling slip, ladies and gentlemen?'
KEEP IT GOING, FOLKS!
WE NEED TO PRAY FOR GOD'S WILL IN THIS ELECTION.
* * *
Yep, God is gonna lay the smackdown on John McCain for abandoning his first [1st] wife, the woman who waited for him for five [5] years while he was a prisoner, for a floozy. :p
The point being, be careful what you wish for -- NOBODY knows God's will....
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/57states.asp
If ya don’t wanna vote for Obama because of ignorance, please don’t hit “Fwd” on every Nutty e-mail. And please don’t hid your ignorance behind God.
Subject: Re: Fwd: 57 states??
An e-mail I got….
* * *
What's in the heart comes out via the tongue!
From a radio show yesterday.....
'Hey, folks, you want to tweak the Drive-By Media with me right now?
You are aware, probably, that Barack Obama lost his bearings recently and said that he was going to campaign in all 57 states.
You heard this? And everybody chalked it up to, 'Well, he's tired.'
You know, this is a Dan Quayle moment. I mean, Dan Quayle goes out there and misspells 'potato,' and we still hear jokes about it.
Barack Obama says he's gonna go out and campaign in 57 states, he was just tired, you know, it's been such a long campaign, he's been so many places, he probably thinks there are 57 states.
Well, I have here a printout from a web site called the 'International Humanist and Ethical Union' . And here is how the second paragraph of an article on that website begins.
'Every year from 1999 to 2005 the organization of the Islamic Conference representing the 57 Islamic States presented a resolution to the United Nations Commission on human rights called commbating.'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_of_the_Islamic_Conference
Obama said he's going to campaign in 57 states, and it turns out that there are 57 Islamic states.
There are 57 Islamic states.
So did Obama just lose his bearings, or was this a more telling slip, ladies and gentlemen?'
KEEP IT GOING, FOLKS!
WE NEED TO PRAY FOR GOD'S WILL IN THIS ELECTION.
* * *
Yep, God is gonna lay the smackdown on John McCain for abandoning his first [1st] wife, the woman who waited for him for five [5] years while he was a prisoner, for a floozy. :p
The point being, be careful what you wish for -- NOBODY knows God's will....
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/57states.asp
If ya don’t wanna vote for Obama because of ignorance, please don’t hit “Fwd” on every Nutty e-mail. And please don’t hid your ignorance behind God.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Post #180
Subject: Who Killed Conservatism?
John W. McCain keeps saying that he is proud of Sarah Palin’s conservative credentials
Oh, really?
What conservative principle did she follow when she originally supported the “Bridge to Nowhere?” What conservative principle did she follow when she opposed the “Bridge to Nowhere” after it became a national disgrace? What conservative principle did she follow when she took that nasty evil earmark money that was for the “Bridge to Nowhere” and applied it to other projects in Alaska?
What conservative principle did she follow when she billed the taxpayers of Alaska for a tanning bed? Shouldn’t such a project for her vainity be paid for out of her Governor’s salary? A spokesperson for Palin said that the Governor uses the tanning bed as a treatment for depression. It is not important to know if Palin has a mental illness; what is important to know is that why she didn’t bill her health insurance company instead of the taxpayers of Alaska?
And the Republicans in Alaska have found Palin guilty of “abuse of power.”
Well, there ya go – “abuse of power,” a conservative credential McCain can be so proud of.
OK, I’m being sarcastic – “abuse of power” is a REPUBLICAN trait, and todays Republicans are not conservative at all.
Indeed, but maybe there is hope: http://www.amconmag.com/aboutus.html ....
Subject: Who Killed Conservatism?
John W. McCain keeps saying that he is proud of Sarah Palin’s conservative credentials
Oh, really?
What conservative principle did she follow when she originally supported the “Bridge to Nowhere?” What conservative principle did she follow when she opposed the “Bridge to Nowhere” after it became a national disgrace? What conservative principle did she follow when she took that nasty evil earmark money that was for the “Bridge to Nowhere” and applied it to other projects in Alaska?
What conservative principle did she follow when she billed the taxpayers of Alaska for a tanning bed? Shouldn’t such a project for her vainity be paid for out of her Governor’s salary? A spokesperson for Palin said that the Governor uses the tanning bed as a treatment for depression. It is not important to know if Palin has a mental illness; what is important to know is that why she didn’t bill her health insurance company instead of the taxpayers of Alaska?
And the Republicans in Alaska have found Palin guilty of “abuse of power.”
Well, there ya go – “abuse of power,” a conservative credential McCain can be so proud of.
OK, I’m being sarcastic – “abuse of power” is a REPUBLICAN trait, and todays Republicans are not conservative at all.
Indeed, but maybe there is hope: http://www.amconmag.com/aboutus.html ....
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Post #179
Subject: How about this for the using the money wisely!
Some of these figures I got in a “Fwd” e-mail are already out-dated, but ya get the point….
* * *
I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.
Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.
To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+. Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up. So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.
My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.
Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let's assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam. But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket.
A husband and wife have $595,000.00.
What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?
Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved.
Repay college loans - what a great boost to new grads
Put away money for college - it'll be there.
Save in a bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
Buy a new car - create jobs.
Invest in the market - capital drives growth.
Pay for your parent's medical insurance - health care improves.
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else.
Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back.
And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.
If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000..00 ( "vote buy" ) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.
If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!
As for AIG - liquidate it. Sell off its parts. Let American General go back to being American General.
Sell off the real estate. Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.
Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.
Sure it's a crazy idea that can "never work."
But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!?!
How do you spell Economic Boom?
I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion
We Deserve It Dividend more than I do, the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.
PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as its either good for a laugh or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 billion.
* * *
As of today, the figures I’d use are $100 billion, $500,000 tax-free for everybody. Social Security and other entitlement programs could be dismantled or seriously curtailed
Why did John W. McCain climb into bed with George W. Bush and rob from the poor and give to the rich to the tune of $700 billion? “Change is coming.” [rolleyes]
Slide over – Barack Obama joins that bed! “Change we can believe in.” [rolleyes]
Subject: How about this for the using the money wisely!
Some of these figures I got in a “Fwd” e-mail are already out-dated, but ya get the point….
* * *
I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.
Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.
To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+. Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up. So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.
My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.
Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let's assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam. But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket.
A husband and wife have $595,000.00.
What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?
Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved.
Repay college loans - what a great boost to new grads
Put away money for college - it'll be there.
Save in a bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
Buy a new car - create jobs.
Invest in the market - capital drives growth.
Pay for your parent's medical insurance - health care improves.
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else.
Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back.
And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.
If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000..00 ( "vote buy" ) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.
If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!
As for AIG - liquidate it. Sell off its parts. Let American General go back to being American General.
Sell off the real estate. Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.
Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.
Sure it's a crazy idea that can "never work."
But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!?!
How do you spell Economic Boom?
I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion
We Deserve It Dividend more than I do, the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.
PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as its either good for a laugh or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 billion.
* * *
As of today, the figures I’d use are $100 billion, $500,000 tax-free for everybody. Social Security and other entitlement programs could be dismantled or seriously curtailed
Why did John W. McCain climb into bed with George W. Bush and rob from the poor and give to the rich to the tune of $700 billion? “Change is coming.” [rolleyes]
Slide over – Barack Obama joins that bed! “Change we can believe in.” [rolleyes]
Friday, October 03, 2008
Post #178
Subject: Re: 545 People
Here’s how I see it:
The Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land and can only be changed by Amendments. The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war.
George W. Bush asked Congress for something against the Constitution – he wanted the power to declare war himself. That is one to blame.
Congress passed a resolution – NOT an Amendment, mind ya – giving Bush the power to declare war. That’s 535 to blame. Well, actually, blame 373 – 156 voted “no,” and three did not vote. I guess the others did not show up for work.
How will the next President prosecute an undeclared war? Will he or she ask Congress to declare war? Will he or she ask for another resolution? Or will he or she just blissfully go ahead?
The Supreme Court let that unConstitutional act stand. That’s nine to blame. Oh, yes, I am well-aware that a lower federal court had ruled that the resolution of Congress was “absolutely binding,” but, Goodness, that is what the Supreme Court is for: to review lower courts’ rulings and decide if the ruling was correct. The Supreme Court declined to review. To not decide is to decide.
Congress gets blamed again that they didn’t immediately impeach the Weasel when he declared war by himself. Oh, yes, “politics” – can’t impeach a popular President, right? Now, Bush is too unpopular to impeach. Whatever happened to doing the right thing – “politics” be damned?
And also blame Congress for gibing a dime for that mess. I wonder if the next President will continue the practice of charging the costs of our foreign policy against our future, adding to the national debt – over $700 billion so far? Where have the fiscal conservatives – who are tooting their own horns over their opposition to the $700 billion bailout – been regarding the Iraq War?
Simply, that is why we are in Iraq, the one problem that could be our undoing. The Iraq War is not making us more secure – indeed, as long as we maintain a military presence in the heart of the Middle East, the 40-year Cold War on Terror can not begin. How can we win the hearts and minds of the jihadists as long as we are killing Arabs? At home, we are bleeding to death, sacrificing blood and treasure and our Constitution – all for the sake of the wrong approach. The truth is, we can not afford McCain’s War.
Subject: Re: 545 People
Here’s how I see it:
The Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land and can only be changed by Amendments. The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war.
George W. Bush asked Congress for something against the Constitution – he wanted the power to declare war himself. That is one to blame.
Congress passed a resolution – NOT an Amendment, mind ya – giving Bush the power to declare war. That’s 535 to blame. Well, actually, blame 373 – 156 voted “no,” and three did not vote. I guess the others did not show up for work.
How will the next President prosecute an undeclared war? Will he or she ask Congress to declare war? Will he or she ask for another resolution? Or will he or she just blissfully go ahead?
The Supreme Court let that unConstitutional act stand. That’s nine to blame. Oh, yes, I am well-aware that a lower federal court had ruled that the resolution of Congress was “absolutely binding,” but, Goodness, that is what the Supreme Court is for: to review lower courts’ rulings and decide if the ruling was correct. The Supreme Court declined to review. To not decide is to decide.
Congress gets blamed again that they didn’t immediately impeach the Weasel when he declared war by himself. Oh, yes, “politics” – can’t impeach a popular President, right? Now, Bush is too unpopular to impeach. Whatever happened to doing the right thing – “politics” be damned?
And also blame Congress for gibing a dime for that mess. I wonder if the next President will continue the practice of charging the costs of our foreign policy against our future, adding to the national debt – over $700 billion so far? Where have the fiscal conservatives – who are tooting their own horns over their opposition to the $700 billion bailout – been regarding the Iraq War?
Simply, that is why we are in Iraq, the one problem that could be our undoing. The Iraq War is not making us more secure – indeed, as long as we maintain a military presence in the heart of the Middle East, the 40-year Cold War on Terror can not begin. How can we win the hearts and minds of the jihadists as long as we are killing Arabs? At home, we are bleeding to death, sacrificing blood and treasure and our Constitution – all for the sake of the wrong approach. The truth is, we can not afford McCain’s War.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)