Restoring the Republic

this is good. Read Paul Weyrich on restoring the Republic

photo test

Sarbanes-Oxley is unconstitutional

As Epstein says in his column, this act is no good.

Sarbanes-Oxley is a moral and economic atrocity. It is past time to repeal this monstrous law and start treating businessmen as American citizens: innocent until proven otherwise.

Alex Epstein is a writer for the Ayn Rand Institute (ARI) in Irvine, California.

individualists and statists from Gregory

Interesting writing from Anthony Gregory I got from a friend at work

“Capitalism” is as problematic a word as “socialism.” So problematic are they, it is accurate to say that America has become a socialist country – with policies approaching fascist every day – and also to say that “fascism” is simply a form of “socialism,” in which the state maintains the façade of “private property” in the hands of a few “capitalists.”
Is America capitalistic and socialistic? In some ways. But what most leftists, at least
the less evil ones, oppose when they bash “capitalism” is actually “corporatism.”

read the rest at the archives

Protection of Liberty

or in other words
Protecting Liberty

from Federalist Patriot
"Liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood." --John Adams

Fred wrote in a recent column in reference to illegal searches and subway inspections.
"It is curious that an entire system of constitutional protections can be dismantled just by ignoring it. I would have thought it more difficult, but it isn’t."

How should liberty be supported? I agree with Fred that it is too easy to simply ignore protections of the the Constitution that guarantee our liberty. Those protections can be ignored as words on paper.

Sowell on successful ideas

"Some ideas seem so plausible that they can fail nine times in a row and still be believed the tenth time. Other ideas seem so implausible that they can succeed nine times in a row and still not be believed the tenth time. Government controls in the economy are among the first kinds of ideas and the operation of a free market is among the second kinds of ideas."
--Thomas Sowell

Challenge: Name one successful implementation of socialism?

Submit to tyranny

The Federalist Patriot
Founders' Quote Daily
"Nevertheless, to the persecution and tyranny of his cruel ministry we will not tamely submit - appealing to Heaven for the justice of our cause, we determine to die or be free...."
-- Joseph Warren
(American account of the Battle of Lexington,26 April 1775)
Reference: Documents of American History, Commager, ed., vol. 1(99)

I find it amazing to read what these people did to fight tyranny and to what people today will submit. Dr. Warren died fighting the British because of escalating events - Stamp Act, Boston Tea Party, closing the harbor, confiscating weapons etc. What started it? Mostly taxes. One reason is the Brits wanted the colonists to pay debts from the French Indian War and thought of creative ways to do it. Paying a tax for all paper and printed items was one way they thought of making money but the colonist wouldn't submit. They called it tyranny. The method was tyranical. But what about the amount of the taxes? I am too tired for extensive reaserch but wikipedia says "Taxes applied to all forms of legal documents. The rate of these taxes ranged from a half penny on a pamphlet or one-page newspaper to fifty pounds on a major commercial contract. "

People rebelled because of a half-penny! Most people think of their income in terms of "take home pay". Imagine if the colonists time travelled to the present day and saw our silly 401k schemes and neglectful Health Maintenance Organizations all built to scam a few dollars of pre-tax money out the truly tyranical "withholdings" system we use to pay taxes. What would they think? Wouldn't they tar and feather the IRS agents, burn the president and governors in effigy? They would die or be free.

Founders' Quote 2

The Federalist Patriot
Founders' Quote Daily
"Without wishing to damp the ardor of curiosity or influence the freedom of inquiry, I will hazard a prediction that, after the most industrious and impartial researchers, the longest liver of you all will find no principles, institutions or systems of education more fit in general to be transmitted to your posterity than those you have received from your ancestors."-- John Adams (letter to the young men of the Philadelphia,7 May 1798)

I have to admit I had to read this one twice to get it. But that me all the more fond of it.

Founder's Quotes 1

Ah, the wisdom of the past. I could re-post these all day
The Federalist Patriot
Founders' Quote Daily
"As there is a degree of depravity in mankind which requiresa certain degree of circumspection and distrust: So there are other qualities in human nature, which justify a certain portion of esteem and confidence. Republican government presupposes the existence of these qualities in a higher degree than any other form. Were the pictures which have been drawn by the political jealousy of some among us, faithful likenesses of the human character, the inference would be that there is not sufficient virtue among men for self-government; and that nothing less than the chains of despotism can restrain them from destroying and devouring one another."
-- James Madison (Federalist No. 55, 15 February 1788)

I believe in the good nature of man which is why I advocate getting rid of government education and Socialism Security. We will survive and take care of things without being told to by govmint overseers.

"Smart Growth" is socialism

City planners who try to implement smart growth policies to combat "urban sprawl" are following guidelines from communist planners of 50 years ago. They are not deterred by the utter failure of communism and disgraceful living conditions produced by the communists in Europe. I am sure they think tighter rules are needed. They say to themselves, "communism is good in theory. Those guys just weren't communist enough. We can do better".

Let's give communism another chance
Capitalism is the only solution. Check out Chad's comments on this ideal.

Source: Randal O'Toole, "It's 'Smart Growth,' Comrade," Liberty, July 2005

Illinois smoking

The anti-smokers are on the loose in Illinois. They want to pass laws that no one can smoke in public places. Of course, nearly everywhere is a public place if you define it as places where the public can go. Every restaurant would be non-smoking. How lame.

Next they are going to raise taxes on cigarettes. Punitive taxes are not just. Estimates are that thousands of people will be out of work and millions of dollars lost because of these silly ideas.

Dave Ramsey gives financial advice

I like listening to Dave Ramsey's show on the radio. I don't want to give unsolicited financial advice so I will write some stuff I learned from him here on my blog.

I took some notes while listening to the Dave Ramsey show which you can get on podcast, very cool. This is the basics of his financial program. The complete program is in his book Total Money Makeover

How to get debt free!
1. $1000 emergency fund
2. Pay all debts except mortgage using debt snowball
3. Emergency fun equivalent to 3-6 months of expenses
4. Put 15% of income towards retirement
5. Save for kid's college and other future expenses
6. Pay off house

Debt snowball (step 2)
1. Determine all debts that need to be paid
2. Determine minimum payments required on all debt and balances
3. Create monthly budget (utilities, cars, entertainment etc) and allocate all extra funds to "debt reduction fund"
4. Pay off debt with the smallest balance using its minimum payment plus the debt reduction fund.
5. When that is paid off then add the minimum balance to the debt reduction fund so that it snowballs.
6. Pay off debt with the next smallest balance, adding the minimum balance to the debt reduction fund and repeat until all debt except the house is paid off.

French Joke

The AP and UPI reported that the French Government announced yesterday that it had raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide." The only two higher levels in France are "Surrender" and "Collaborate." The raise was precipitated by a recent fire which destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively disabling their military.