Oregon’s 3rd district hopefuls met again this last Saturday night for a second debate. Delia Lopez, the only Republican running this year, did not participate, but Jeff Lawrence, the Libertarian candidate, put his candidacy in the spotlight with his participation. Lawrence was matched up against Michael Meo (PGP) and John Sweeney (D) in what proved to be a better debate than the first, even if the attendance in this debate was less than that of the first. More on that later.
The banter between Lopez and Michael Meo (PGP) during the prior debate certainly featured its share of amicable sparring, but this debate was a little more heated. The back and forth between Lawrence and Meo was respectful and professional, but the ideas of the Green party and the Libertarian party are so totally divergent that when they started taking on each other’s statements in riposte, one could feel the tension mount in the audience. To add to that stressor, this debate’s topic was health care reform. What’s that you say? A Libertarian and a progressive arguing welfare? Load the rifle, Mabel! We finally got ourselves a good ol’ fashioned political shoot out!
CONTINUE READING
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Inactive!
I'm not writing a lot now because I'm helping Jeff Lawrence with his campaign in Oregon's 3rd Congressional district. Jeff is a lifelong Libertarian who has never held public office, is not a career politician but who is willing to sacrifice his very awesome career in order to take a principled, freedom-oriented approach to Washington.
I'll write more as we progress in the campaign building process. Right now I'm building his campaign site. You can go check it out at www.votejefflawrence.com but I'll warn you right now, it's not done! I hope to have it up and running by Saturday night in time for the 2nd debate.
Wish us luck and stop by to check up on us. Don't forget you can join Jeff on facebook as well and root for him there!
Thanks so much!
I'll write more as we progress in the campaign building process. Right now I'm building his campaign site. You can go check it out at www.votejefflawrence.com but I'll warn you right now, it's not done! I hope to have it up and running by Saturday night in time for the 2nd debate.
Wish us luck and stop by to check up on us. Don't forget you can join Jeff on facebook as well and root for him there!
Thanks so much!
Monday, April 12, 2010
The master/slave dialectic, Part 1: The Münchausen Politic
Since when did the line: "This is for your own good" ever win anyone over?
"Hey kid, you've just been drafted to go to battle in a far away jungle in an undeclared war! Don't worry, it's for your own good."
Yeah. That worked.
No it did not. It started an entire subterranean movement that grew into an explosive counter-culture. Hippies, right? Of course, not all of the protesters against Vietnam were love, peace and Jesus freaks. A ton of them were embedded in college campuses around the nation. So while your uncle "Star Trip Infinity" was in the park dancing naked for chakra oneness, your soon-to-be-congressman was "sitting in" the Dean's chambers at Penn. Or Harvard. Or Berkeley. Or Wherever.
No one was going to tell these brats what was for their "own good" and what wasn't. These were the days of Kierkegaard and Niechze. Be damned all that Fascist Nixon crap. Right?
Right. And then what happened?
They grew up. These hippies actually grew up. They thought they won the Vietnam war. Ask them, they'll tell you they won it. They will. They finished college or left the nudist colony and got jobs. Gub'ment jobs. They became lawyers, politicians, doctors and teachers. Oh yes. Teachers.
And what did these ex-hippies and zen-love-age-of-aquarius rejects teach you?
"Wear a sealtbelt."
"Wear a helmet"
"Wear another helmet."
"Eat tofu"
"Use plastic bags and save a tree."
"Use paper bags and save a...uh...an entire planet"
"Smile for the CCTV"
"Stop smoking"
"Unless you're the master."
"Or this master."
"Stop drinking"
"Unless you're this master."
"Or any master."
"At least don't drink and drive"
"Unless, yeah, you're the master."
"And don't eat and drive"
"And don't talk and drive"
"Actually don't drive at all, take mass transit"
"Don't watch "X" news channel."
"Don't listen to Rap"
"Don't listen to Rock"
"Don't watch Charlton Heston movies, he's evil."
"Guns are bad. Hence the Charlton Heston thing we said before."
"Knives are pretty bad too."
"In fact, don't defend yourself at all."
"Don't pray. Unless you're a congressman and are forced to do so at the beginning of each day."
"Pay your taxes. All of them."
"Don't make fun of people."
"You may make fun of people that do not like taxes. That is ok."
"Wear yet another helmet."
"Don't go to the circus."
"Don't wear fur."
"Don't wear leather."
"Don't watch Bill O'Reilly. He eats children and uses their skin to make leather."
"Do not have children. The world is overpopulated and Bill O'Reilly can only do so much."
"These are not the dittoheads you're looking for."
"Glenn who? I never watch that show and neither should you and to prove it we're going to reintroduce the media fairness doctrine"
"And while we're at it, we'll pass some Net Neutrality. Gotta cover all the bases, as it were."
"You're a racist. Because we say you are."
"Say: All white people are racists. Three times before going to your multiculturalism class at the local community college."
"Fill out your census and tell us if you're aracist white person."
"Don't use coal power, it has been evil since 1906."
"Don't use wind power or you're a murderer."
"Don't build your own water receptacle."
"Just kidding, go ahead and do your rain dance."
"Don't burn in your backyard...or do...because we refuse to tell you when you can and can't do it so that we can ticket you and gain access to your property."
"Say: Bush lied and people died three times before you lay you down to sleep."
"Don't fart."
"Don't breathe."
"At least don't breathe in marijuana."
"Unless you have a medical marijuana permit. Or unless we decriminalize it. Then you'll see our full force of arms!"
"Say: Obama lied and the people loved it three times before you turn on Keith Olbermann.
"Go to work. And only go to work. We like workers. They unite and stuff."
"We don't, however, like big business, or small businesses either for that matter, so good luck going to work. Get some of that wealth we're spreading around at your Social Services Outlet store."
"Did we already say 'don't own a gun?' Ok."
"Don't go hunting. It requires a gun."
"Don't go fishing either."
"In fact, don't do anything."
Oh, we could go on and on and on. And you love it. You're a democrat. You LOVE these rules, rules are awesome! It's not because you would ever behave irrationally and do something silly like talk on the phone while driving, is it? Nah, you would never do that. You need these laws to protect yourself from other evil people out there. Don't you? That's what your ex-hippie Master told you, isn't it, slave?
Slave.
You're a slave. And you relish your bondage.
If you love all these laws so much you can thank your Democrat mentors for them all. Every one of them. You see, they don't trust YOU. Masters don't trust their slaves. That's how it works. Their main job is to get you to trust them. Their secondary goal is to get you to talk your brothers into loving bondage too! And they've done it, slave. They've convinced you to like most of these laws, they've convinced you to spread the word of Greater Good totalitarianism haven't they?
But what about the few laws up there you think are silly. There are a few aren't there? I mean, you're not really a fascist are you? You don't think you are. I don't think you are. I bet there are a number of silly little things up there you loathe. Net neutrality. It's for your own good. But I know you hate it. Censorship? It's for your own good. You're not a racist, are you? Or has your master convinced you that you are by now? It's for your own good. The Greater Good.
And it won't stop there. The list will grow. And it will grow. And it will grow. And so will their ability, these ex-hippie fascists, to make you love your chains, and to make you help them put chains on your brothers.
You are your brother's keeper. Your brother's slave keeper.
"Hey kid, you've just been drafted to go to battle in a far away jungle in an undeclared war! Don't worry, it's for your own good."
Yeah. That worked.
No it did not. It started an entire subterranean movement that grew into an explosive counter-culture. Hippies, right? Of course, not all of the protesters against Vietnam were love, peace and Jesus freaks. A ton of them were embedded in college campuses around the nation. So while your uncle "Star Trip Infinity" was in the park dancing naked for chakra oneness, your soon-to-be-congressman was "sitting in" the Dean's chambers at Penn. Or Harvard. Or Berkeley. Or Wherever.
No one was going to tell these brats what was for their "own good" and what wasn't. These were the days of Kierkegaard and Niechze. Be damned all that Fascist Nixon crap. Right?
Right. And then what happened?
They grew up. These hippies actually grew up. They thought they won the Vietnam war. Ask them, they'll tell you they won it. They will. They finished college or left the nudist colony and got jobs. Gub'ment jobs. They became lawyers, politicians, doctors and teachers. Oh yes. Teachers.
And what did these ex-hippies and zen-love-age-of-aquarius rejects teach you?
"Wear a sealtbelt."
"Wear a helmet"
"Wear another helmet."
"Eat tofu"
"Use plastic bags and save a tree."
"Use paper bags and save a...uh...an entire planet"
"Smile for the CCTV"
"Stop smoking"
"Unless you're the master."
"Or this master."
"Stop drinking"
"Unless you're this master."
"Or any master."
"At least don't drink and drive"
"Unless, yeah, you're the master."
"And don't eat and drive"
"And don't talk and drive"
"Actually don't drive at all, take mass transit"
"Don't watch "X" news channel."
"Don't listen to Rap"
"Don't listen to Rock"
"Don't watch Charlton Heston movies, he's evil."
"Guns are bad. Hence the Charlton Heston thing we said before."
"Knives are pretty bad too."
"In fact, don't defend yourself at all."
"Don't pray. Unless you're a congressman and are forced to do so at the beginning of each day."
"Pay your taxes. All of them."
"Don't make fun of people."
"You may make fun of people that do not like taxes. That is ok."
"Wear yet another helmet."
"Don't go to the circus."
"Don't wear fur."
"Don't wear leather."
"Don't watch Bill O'Reilly. He eats children and uses their skin to make leather."
"Do not have children. The world is overpopulated and Bill O'Reilly can only do so much."
"These are not the dittoheads you're looking for."
"Glenn who? I never watch that show and neither should you and to prove it we're going to reintroduce the media fairness doctrine"
"And while we're at it, we'll pass some Net Neutrality. Gotta cover all the bases, as it were."
"You're a racist. Because we say you are."
"Say: All white people are racists. Three times before going to your multiculturalism class at the local community college."
"Fill out your census and tell us if you're a
"Don't use coal power, it has been evil since 1906."
"Don't use wind power or you're a murderer."
"Don't build your own water receptacle."
"Just kidding, go ahead and do your rain dance."
"Don't burn in your backyard...or do...because we refuse to tell you when you can and can't do it so that we can ticket you and gain access to your property."
"Say: Bush lied and people died three times before you lay you down to sleep."
"Don't fart."
"Don't breathe."
"At least don't breathe in marijuana."
"Unless you have a medical marijuana permit. Or unless we decriminalize it. Then you'll see our full force of arms!"
"Say: Obama lied and the people loved it three times before you turn on Keith Olbermann.
"Go to work. And only go to work. We like workers. They unite and stuff."
"We don't, however, like big business, or small businesses either for that matter, so good luck going to work. Get some of that wealth we're spreading around at your Social Services Outlet store."
"Did we already say 'don't own a gun?' Ok."
"Don't go hunting. It requires a gun."
"Don't go fishing either."
"In fact, don't do anything."
Oh, we could go on and on and on. And you love it. You're a democrat. You LOVE these rules, rules are awesome! It's not because you would ever behave irrationally and do something silly like talk on the phone while driving, is it? Nah, you would never do that. You need these laws to protect yourself from other evil people out there. Don't you? That's what your ex-hippie Master told you, isn't it, slave?
Slave.
You're a slave. And you relish your bondage.
If you love all these laws so much you can thank your Democrat mentors for them all. Every one of them. You see, they don't trust YOU. Masters don't trust their slaves. That's how it works. Their main job is to get you to trust them. Their secondary goal is to get you to talk your brothers into loving bondage too! And they've done it, slave. They've convinced you to like most of these laws, they've convinced you to spread the word of Greater Good totalitarianism haven't they?
But what about the few laws up there you think are silly. There are a few aren't there? I mean, you're not really a fascist are you? You don't think you are. I don't think you are. I bet there are a number of silly little things up there you loathe. Net neutrality. It's for your own good. But I know you hate it. Censorship? It's for your own good. You're not a racist, are you? Or has your master convinced you that you are by now? It's for your own good. The Greater Good.
And it won't stop there. The list will grow. And it will grow. And it will grow. And so will their ability, these ex-hippie fascists, to make you love your chains, and to make you help them put chains on your brothers.
You are your brother's keeper. Your brother's slave keeper.
Friday, April 9, 2010
AFL-CIO TOP GOON Lies on camera
Here is the Examiner article on what transpired at the Kennedy school yesterday. The video is as follows:
Here are 4 videos from the day in question. Tell me, do you see Trumpka in any of them? Anywhere? He said he heard the N word being thrown at John Lewis. I see Lewis, and a ton of protestors...but where is this Trumpka goon?
Here is a video with very clear sound, can you hear the N word?:
Here is MSNBC convicting Tea Partiers of Racism with absolutely no proof whatsoever:
Here, a mindless debate over the spittle incident...still...no...union...thugs...like...anywhere!
Here are 4 videos from the day in question. Tell me, do you see Trumpka in any of them? Anywhere? He said he heard the N word being thrown at John Lewis. I see Lewis, and a ton of protestors...but where is this Trumpka goon?
Here is a video with very clear sound, can you hear the N word?:
Here is MSNBC convicting Tea Partiers of Racism with absolutely no proof whatsoever:
Here, a mindless debate over the spittle incident...still...no...union...thugs...like...anywhere!
Efreet consulted: 2010 MLB Winners Now Known
No talking, just the facts:
American League
AL EAST:
NL EAST
American League
AL EAST:
- Sox 104
- Rays 90
- Yankees 90
- Jays 72
- Orioles 70
- Twins 85
- Indians 81
- Tigers 71
- Royals 70
- Sox 70
- A's 98
- Mariners 84
- Rangers 81
- Angels 81
NL EAST
- Braves 91
- Phillies 90
- Marlins 78
- Nationals 71
- Mets 70
- Cards 103
- Brewers 90
- Cubs 88
- Pirates 67
- Reds 66
- Astros 66
- Giants 90
- Rockies 85
- Padres 80
- Dodgers 80
- Diamondbacks 75
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Grown'ps
So, Tim Burton's Alice is a hit. So what? I'm not going to see it. I'm done with Mr. Burton and his stinky band of merry catastrophers.
I'd rather talk about Lewis Carroll, but that gets all wacky--wocky--whatever.
Whatever...
I could talk about Cobain, then we could all get together for a cry.
Sorry, no. That's what shotguns do, they go boom.
I'm thinking of a certain WWII vet I knew when I was a child; thinking, reasoning and doing childish things. Maybe you knew this guy. Maybe he was the guy down the street, maybe he was your grandfather or someone's parent. Could have been your parent, I don't know. He was the guy that did a weekend's worth of gardening before brunch on Saturday and spent the rest of the weekend in a lawn chair by the garden, watching, waiting, listening. For what, I don't know. He said very little with his mouth. He spoke Biblical proportions with his eyes.
I am thinking about this man today. I don't why. Just am. The immaculate tool shed is what I'm thinking about, really.
The disdainful nonchalance we held in our youths for the traditions of our betters is a sick, sick thing. And that we allowed every exterior influence to reinforce our little tantrummy rebellions is a tragedy.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
There's some Burton in that, some Cobain, and definitely some Carroll. Or maybe there's just the golden haze of memory's pristine tool shed.
That's all.
I'd rather talk about Lewis Carroll, but that gets all wacky--wocky--whatever.
Whatever...
I could talk about Cobain, then we could all get together for a cry.
Sorry, no. That's what shotguns do, they go boom.
I'm thinking of a certain WWII vet I knew when I was a child; thinking, reasoning and doing childish things. Maybe you knew this guy. Maybe he was the guy down the street, maybe he was your grandfather or someone's parent. Could have been your parent, I don't know. He was the guy that did a weekend's worth of gardening before brunch on Saturday and spent the rest of the weekend in a lawn chair by the garden, watching, waiting, listening. For what, I don't know. He said very little with his mouth. He spoke Biblical proportions with his eyes.
I am thinking about this man today. I don't why. Just am. The immaculate tool shed is what I'm thinking about, really.
The disdainful nonchalance we held in our youths for the traditions of our betters is a sick, sick thing. And that we allowed every exterior influence to reinforce our little tantrummy rebellions is a tragedy.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
There's some Burton in that, some Cobain, and definitely some Carroll. Or maybe there's just the golden haze of memory's pristine tool shed.
That's all.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Jeff Lawrence, Libertarian
Debating the Economic Meltdown-by Jeff Lawrence
Delia Lopez (R) is sponsoring a debate on Saturday with Democratic candidate John Sweeney and Green candidate Michael Meo. Had I participated, I would have focused on the role that government intervention played in the meltdown. You see, people and companies, including financial institutions, act rationally and consistent with the rules of the game established by law. If the rules are lame, the outcome is lame. With respect to the meltdown that was triggered by the housing bubble, here's my cut with a few edits from my friends.
First and often ignored is the fact that land use regulations in places like California and Oregon have materially impacted real property prices as they make developable land scarce. The Federal Govt. got into the act by trying to social engineer home ownership through banking regulations that lowered lending standards and increased allowable leverage. To accelerate high risk lending, the Feds stepped in with guarantees through Freddie and Fannie and mortgage insurance. Deliberately loose monetary policy created an environment of ‘easy money’ for the banks, made even easier with federal guarantees and new compliance rules designed to lower lending standards and grow leverage. Banks rationally competed for business and for high marks from their federal regulators. Builders rationally capitalized on the ‘amazing’ mortgage products available to their buyers and added cheap illegal labor to build as much and as fast as they could. Consumers and investors bought as much as they could as prices rose as all of these government interventions drove unsustainable supply and demand. Businesses and individuals acted rationally, perfectly consistent with the rules that the government had established; rules that were based on poor risk management and government guarantees.
The bubble and collapse were inevitable. Then, to make matters worse, we elected leaders who believe that more government intervention is the answer. After the bailouts, they further paralyzed the system by taking an additional trillion dollars to share with their friends and grow an already unsustainable government. Add looming tax increases and the hostile takeover of the health care system, and I'm amazed anyone is still in business. But I can tell you how producers keep going because I watched my own team perform under incredible pressure this past year. We rose to new levels of productivity to enable our collective survival. We went to bed hungry and got up early. Unlike the government, our individual livelihoods and compensation are tied to both our own individual production and the survival and performance of our company. We met deliverables and increased performance with shrinking resources through innovation and human expansion. Just like you other producers that keep this economy going, we created real value. This is how we all survive. Enterprise is sustainable. We need to let it live. To my representatives, I say please, stop the social engineering. To my friends in District 3, I ask you to please vote for real sustainability. Join me. Stand up for life, liberty and privacy. The long road back to sustainability starts with us. StandAgainstTheMachine.
Delia Lopez (R) is sponsoring a debate on Saturday with Democratic candidate John Sweeney and Green candidate Michael Meo. Had I participated, I would have focused on the role that government intervention played in the meltdown. You see, people and companies, including financial institutions, act rationally and consistent with the rules of the game established by law. If the rules are lame, the outcome is lame. With respect to the meltdown that was triggered by the housing bubble, here's my cut with a few edits from my friends.
First and often ignored is the fact that land use regulations in places like California and Oregon have materially impacted real property prices as they make developable land scarce. The Federal Govt. got into the act by trying to social engineer home ownership through banking regulations that lowered lending standards and increased allowable leverage. To accelerate high risk lending, the Feds stepped in with guarantees through Freddie and Fannie and mortgage insurance. Deliberately loose monetary policy created an environment of ‘easy money’ for the banks, made even easier with federal guarantees and new compliance rules designed to lower lending standards and grow leverage. Banks rationally competed for business and for high marks from their federal regulators. Builders rationally capitalized on the ‘amazing’ mortgage products available to their buyers and added cheap illegal labor to build as much and as fast as they could. Consumers and investors bought as much as they could as prices rose as all of these government interventions drove unsustainable supply and demand. Businesses and individuals acted rationally, perfectly consistent with the rules that the government had established; rules that were based on poor risk management and government guarantees.
The bubble and collapse were inevitable. Then, to make matters worse, we elected leaders who believe that more government intervention is the answer. After the bailouts, they further paralyzed the system by taking an additional trillion dollars to share with their friends and grow an already unsustainable government. Add looming tax increases and the hostile takeover of the health care system, and I'm amazed anyone is still in business. But I can tell you how producers keep going because I watched my own team perform under incredible pressure this past year. We rose to new levels of productivity to enable our collective survival. We went to bed hungry and got up early. Unlike the government, our individual livelihoods and compensation are tied to both our own individual production and the survival and performance of our company. We met deliverables and increased performance with shrinking resources through innovation and human expansion. Just like you other producers that keep this economy going, we created real value. This is how we all survive. Enterprise is sustainable. We need to let it live. To my representatives, I say please, stop the social engineering. To my friends in District 3, I ask you to please vote for real sustainability. Join me. Stand up for life, liberty and privacy. The long road back to sustainability starts with us. StandAgainstTheMachine.
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