Thursday, March 31, 2011

"Social Justice" is the Antonym of Justice


Burt Prelutsky writes about his recent speech at a Rotary Club lunch, after which he says this truism:
I said that justice is justice, whereas "social justice" is code for one set of rules for the rich, another for the poor; one set for whites, another set for minorities; one set for straight men, another for women and gays. In short, I pointed out, it's the opposite of actual justice.
And so it is.

We're from the U.N. and We're Here to Help You


Eritrea to U.N.: Take This Aid And Shove It
In a stinging rebuff to the United Nations and its anti-poverty efforts, Eritrea, one of the poorest countries in Africa, has told the world body that it wants out of its long-term development agreement because the U.N. makes the problem worse, not better.

The reason, given in a January 26 notification letter from the country's powerful Finance Minister, obtained by Fox News, is that "aid only postpones the basic solutions to crucial development problems by tentatively ameliorating their manifestations without tackling their root causes. The structural, political, economic, etc. damage that it inflicts upon recipient countries is also enormous." In other words, the government argues, U.N. aid does more harm than good.
Liberal policies always do more harm than good, however well intentioned.

Opacity is the New Transparency

The president accepted a transparency award in a closed, undisclosed meeting.
President Obama finally and quietly accepted his "transparency" award from the open government community this week — in a closed, undisclosed meeting at the White House on Monday
This is the essence of Obama's presidency: transparency is opacity, up is down, right is wrong, good is evil.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Above the Law


Members of Congress rack up unpaid ticket fines.
According to a Roll Call survey of vehicles parked on Capitol Hill and at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, as of mid-March, lawmakers were carrying at least $15,000 in outstanding tickets — ranging from expired meters to speeding camera violations — and potentially thousands of dollars more.

Three-quarters of those tickets, worth about $11,500, were in default at the time of the survey, having gone more than 60 days, and in some cases years, without payment.
Obeying the law is so... proletariat.

Open Letter to Chicago Legislators




Where guns are outlawed, only outlaws have guns - and they know it and take full advantage of it.

America Now Standing Against Good and Encouraging Evil?




I stand with Israel.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Quote of the Day

"Nation-building was bad enough. It would seem that Barack Obama is now into caliphate-building. It's almost as though Obama might believe he's the 12th Imam."

--Rush Limbaugh
Entirely within the realm of possibilities.

Monday, March 28, 2011

The Monkey Wrench in the Works


Neal Boortz hits on what I think is the biggest problem this country faces in trying to bring America back from the brink: here.
Union members, government workers and Democrats are also aided by one other group of people. These are the people who will tell you very loudly that the government needs to cut spending, but who will raise unholy hell if the government tries to cut spending on the program or an issue that is personally important to them. There are a lot of corn farmers in Iowa who will tell you that absolutely the government needs to cut spending, but who will work very hard to defeat any candidate who ever proposes cutting up one penny from the asinine ethanol subsidy program. The attitude of the typical American is clearly that the government should cut spending, but that the government shouldn't even think about cutting spending on any program that is in any way important to them. It is always somebody else's government spending program that needs to be cut.
How do you reach them? It's the age old problem - let go, and blessings come to you. Hold tight and lose it all. It goes against the grain of human nature.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

He Like to Spend the Money - Your Money


The Most Open and Accessible Administration in American History


What a joke. Vice President's staff lock journalist in a closet for hours during a fundraiser to stop him talking to guests.
After 90 minutes he was allowed out to hear Biden and Nelson speak for 35 minutes, before being taken back to the closet for the remainder of the event.
Why would you allow yourself to be put in a closet? And then go back in? Was only one journalist at the event? Where were the rest of the journalists?

This is just too weird.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

U.S. Government Smugging Guns into Mexico


And blaming the 2nd Amendment. This is a radio interview with NRA's Wayne LaPierre:


"Because the Obama administration looks like they're trying to cover it up. The justice department is trying to spin it and ATF is at war with themselves over this and the American public needs the truth."

--Wayne LaPierre

Friday, March 25, 2011

Hey, Thanks...


The U.S. government arranges for guns to be smuggled into Mexico and then proceeds to use, and allow the use of, the excuse that guns are being smuggled into Mexico to try to further curtail our 2nd amendment rights. See here, here, here, here, etc.

No Hand Wringing Here - Just "Git-R-Done!"


Badass of the Week: Hideaki Akaiwa < That link is the sensationalized version, complete with raw language. News reports can be found here, here and here.

Hideaki donned scuba gear and dove into the tsunami waters to search for (and rescue) his wife and mother.
Surrounded by incredible hazards on all sides, ranging from obscene currents capable of dislodging houses from their moorings, sharp twisted metal that could easily have punctured his oxygen line (at best) or impaled him (at worst), and with giant f-ing cars careening through the water like toys, he pressed on. Past broken glass, past destroyed houses, past downed power lines arcing with electrical current, through undertow that could have dragged him out to sea never to be heard from again, he searched.
I saw this posted at Improved Clinch a few days back, just now got around to posting it myself. It's a great story.

Making Sense of the Senseless


Thursday, March 24, 2011

That Which We Call a Rose, by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet


And that which we call a war, by any other name is still hell.
"I think what we are doing is enforcing a resolution that has a very clear set of goals, which is protecting the Libyan people, averting a humanitarian crisis, and setting up a no-fly zone," Rhodes said. "Obviously that involves kinetic military action, particularly on the front end."
Obviously.

There are conditions under which war is a honorable, however this is not one of those times. Everything is wrong here, it is a mistake, starting with the fact that no one wants to take the lead.

Overthrow the United States of America...


From within. Please take 40 minutes out of your day to hear what they are planning to do - it will effect you directly and you don't want to unknowingly help them. This is not a theory, it is happening. Clear explanation in the video.



Media reaction? Mostly silence. Rush Limbaugh's reaction here.
"Is this not a form of terrorism this guy is preaching?"

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

How All Home Invasions Should End


Well, except for the pink pistol part.

Armed Beauty Queen Fatally Shoots Intruder in Florida Home Invasion
When a burly ex-convict forced his way into a posh Florida home last week, he had no idea what awaited him -- a 25-year-old beauty queen with a pink .38-caliber handgun
Her fiance doesn't know when to keep his big mouth shut, though.

Here's to Redd Foxx




You Just Dumb, Son, You Just Dumb


Socialism (is) for Dummies

Leftists like to think of themselves as clear-thinking realists who are sensitive to nuance and irony. In reality, they are like little children who regard fairy tales as non-fiction. For instance, they champion socialism even though the past hundred years have proven time and again that it doesn't work in practice the way it does in theory. On the contrary, in every country where it has existed, it has inevitably led to loss of liberty, widespread poverty and mass murder on a scale that has no parallel in human history. Point out this obvious fact to a liberal, and once he gets done calling you a greedy, heartless, bloodthirsty reactionary, he'll insist that we haven't yet seen true socialism. Actually, we have, though. We've seen it in the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, in China, Cambodia, North Korea and Cuba.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Bumper Sticker

"Only criminals, dictators and democrats fear armed citizens."

Are You OK With This?

Obama is allowing a Brazilian company to drill and store oil in the Gulf of Mexico but has shut down American companies from drilling. Petrobras gets permit for U.S. deep waters

Washington has given Petrobras America Inc. permission to start oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico, a regulator said.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement gave Petrobras approval to use a floating production storage offloading facility at its Cascade-Chinook project in the Gulf of Mexico.

The approval marks the first time FPSO technology will be used in U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

The oil and gas project is about 165 miles off the coast of Louisiana in 8,200 feet of water. The FPSO has a production capacity of 80,000 barrels of oil and 16 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.
I'm not OK with that. American companies should be drilling in American waters.
One of the things about Petrobras that I want to make clear ('cause it's a little bit confusing): The regime, the Obama administration has given permission to Petrobras to have a floating underwater storage facility in the Gulf of Mexico that will hold 80,000 barrels of oil and 16 million cubic feet of gas. A floating underwater storage facility. No worries about leakage. No problem. We have to shut down our Gulf drilling because of a fire on board a rig. But we okay a floating underwater storage facility. Well, since it's a Brazilian company which has gotten heavy investments from George Soros, apparently there are no possible risks to the environment here. It just seems like all the obstacles that this administration seeks to place in people's way happen to be in the way of the United States.

--Rush Limbaugh
And I'm sure there will be no leaks, too.

Where are the Massive War Protests?


John Hawkins has 7 Questions for Liberals About Obama's Libyan War
It seems like it was just yesterday when we had an "imperialist warmonger" in the White House who was going to be replaced by a peace-loving Democrat who promised "hope" and "change" instead. It's funny how that worked out, isn't it? We still have troops in Iraq, we've escalated the war in Afghanistan, and now we're bombing everything that moves in Libya. Yet, the same liberals who were protesting in the streets and calling George Bush a war criminal have mostly been meek and quiet about the fact that the President they supported has been following in George Bush's footsteps.

So, the obvious question is, Did you lefties believe ANY of the crap you were spewing about the war on terrorism before Obama got into office?" If so, maybe you could answer a few questions prompted by the things liberals were saying during the Bush years.

Watch Glenn Beck


Mar. 21, 2011: Good vs. Evil

Honestly, I can't think of a more important show to be watching. You will not understand the news watching the main stream media.

Allen West: Sick and Tired of Political Gamesmanship/Manuevering


Sunday, March 20, 2011

It's Not Just Me


European governments "completely puzzled" about U.S. position on Libya
Inside the foreign ministers' meeting, a loud and contentious debate erupted about whether to move forward with stronger action to halt Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi's campaign against the Libyan rebels and the violence being perpetrated against civilians. Britain and France argued for immediate action while Germany and Russia opposed such a move, according to two European diplomats who were briefed on the meeting.

Clinton stayed out of the fray, repeating the administration's position that all options are on the table but not specifically endorsing any particular step. She also did not voice support for stronger action in the near term, such as a no-fly zone or military aid to the rebels, both diplomats said.

"The way the U.S. acted was to let the Germans and the Russians block everything, which announced for us an alignment with the Germans as far as we are concerned," one of the diplomats told The Cable.

Clinton's unwillingness to commit the United States to a specific position led many in the room to wonder exactly where the administration stood on the situation in Libya.

"Frankly we are just completely puzzled," the diplomat said. "We are wondering if this is a priority for the United States."
Emphasis mine.

Friday, March 18, 2011

An Incredible Story of Bravery and Sacrifice


Fukushima Fifty on 'Suicide Mission' Send Haunting Messages to Family Members
No one doubts the bravery of the Fukushima Fifty — those workers who have chosen to ignore radiation warnings and continue trying to restore stability at Japan's damaged nuclear reactors. The 180 rotating workers are anonymous and hailed as heroes. But new details of their heartbreaking ordeal are coming to light as family members receive haunting messages detailing their mission.
Shouldn't it be the Fukushima 180 though, give them all credit.

On Japan, Our Friends




Doing the President's job.

Donate to the Red Cross: Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief fund

or through Amazon

Another amazing video:

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Control


The administration that doesn't care a whit for private enterprise wants a new copyright law crackdown.
The White House today proposed sweeping revisions to U.S. copyright law, including making "illegal streaming" of audio or video a federal felony and allowing FBI agents to wiretap suspected infringers.
They seem to be very interested in anything that will give them more control over the proletariat.
Democratic politicians tend to be a bit more enthusiastic about the topic. Biden was a close Senate ally of copyright holders, and President Obama picked top copyright industry lawyers for Justice Department posts. Last year, Biden warned that "piracy is theft."
I'm not promoting piracy, it's just interesting what this administration takes interest in.

Incredible Tsunami Footage


Relentless.

Obama Needs to Step Down


President Obama’s Trivial Pursuits
The Middle East is afire with rebellion, Japan is imploding from an earthquake, and the battle of the budget is on in the United States, but none of this seems to be deterring President Obama from a heavy schedule of childish distractions.

This morning, as Japan's nuclear crisis enters a potentially catastrophic phase, we are told that Obama is videotaping his NCAA tournament picks and that we'll be able to tune into ESPN Wednesday to find out who he likes.

Saturday, he made his 61st outing to the golf course as president, and got back to the White House with just enough time for a quick shower before heading out to party with Washington’s elite journalists at the annual Gridiron Dinner.

With various urgencies swirling about him, Saturday's weekly videotaped presidential address focusing on "Women's History Month" seemed bizarrely out of touch.
If he had even an inkling of love for the United States he would step down now. He's way out of his league and everyday he is in office does further damage to the Republic and to the world. The people of the United states need to start demanding his resignation. And Biden right after him. At least Republicans know when to step down, Democrats never do.

Obama's Priorities


Too good to miss, this is only the 3 minute intro:



Watch the whole show here.

The Case Against Coddling Terrorists


Evil Never Fades
Can we imagine a world sixty-seven years from now in which all people will live peaceably with those currently committed to violent, hate-filled extremist beliefs held by many in the Moslem world today? If Japan is a model, the answer is yes. However, that vision can only come to fruition if those beliefs are utterly obliterated. Just as in the past, one side has to win for both sides to eventually be winners. If the side of evil wins, both sides, and all humanity loses.

Well, They're Not Democrats


Thomas Sowell writes about the failure of Republicans to point out the obvious: Blacks and Republicans
In California, a substantial black population has simply been forced by economics to vacate many communities near the coast and move farther inland, where the environmental zealots are not yet as strong politically, and where housing prices are therefore not yet as unaffordable.

With all the Republican politicians' laments about how overwhelmingly blacks vote for Democrats, I have yet to hear a Republican politician publicly point out the harm to blacks from such policies of the Democrats as severe housing restrictions, resulting from catering to environmental extremists.
I am not impressed with the Republicans performance since the last election, to put it mildly. They're ineffectual, weak and easily intimidated. There is no leadership and only a few are out there fighting the good fight.

What's the best thing you can say about Republicans? They're not Democrats.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Feeding Evil


Here are a couple of essays on a murder that got buried in the news recently.

The Other Tsunami
In much of the Arab Muslim and some of the non-Arab Muslim world today (such as Iran), "Jew" is not a person. "Jew" is not even merely the enemy. In fact, there is no parallel on Earth to what "Jew" means to a hundred million, perhaps hundreds of millions of Muslims.

Think of any conflict in the world – Pakistan-India, China-Tibet, North Korea-South Korea, Tamil-Sinhalese. There are some deep hatreds there, and atrocities have been committed on one or both sides of those conflicts. But in none of those conflicts nor anywhere else is there something equivalent to what "Jew" means to millions of Muslims.

There really is only one historical parallel, and it, too, involved the word "Jew." The Nazis also succeeded in fully dehumanizing the word "Jew." Thus, for Nazism, it was as important (if not more so) to murder Jewish babies and children – often through as cruel a means as possible (being burned alive, buried alive or thrown up in the air and impaled on bayonets) – as it was to murder Jewish adults.

The human being does not have to learn to hate. It seems to come pretty naturally. Nor does the human being have to learn to murder, steal or rape. These, too, seem to be in the natural human repertoire of evils.

But the human being does have to learn to hate children and babies, and to regard the torture and murder of them as morally desirable acts. It takes years of work to undo normal protective human attitudes toward children.

That is precisely what the Nazis did and what significant parts of the Muslim world have done to the word "Jew." To them, the Jew is not just sub-human; the Jew – and his or her children – is sub-animal.

Five Dead Jews
The animals, the killers, were a team of Hamas murderers and, when word of the murders spread throughout Gaza, candy was given out to children there to celebrate.
The Palestinians and other Muslims of like mind have become what they believe Jews are. Their raging hatred of Jews has so corrupted and distorted their psyche over so many generations that they are what they have loved to hate.

Quote of the Day

"I will bet you that the Japanese make more ground in their rebuilding and recovery sooner than we get the World Trade Center rebuilt -- and we got a ten-year head-start."

--Rush Limbaugh

Monday, March 14, 2011

Flea and Tick Control



Last month I got Madison some Advantix. She's used it before and I wasn't completely happy with it. Why? Because it doesn't last a whole month. By the 3rd week she's scratching again. I've tried Frontline and Biospot with similar and much worse results.

The only thing that I've been completely happy with using is Comfortis. It's a prescription pill that you give the dog once a month. It works like a charm but it's even more expensive than Advantix and you have to go to the vet for a prescription. It's almost $90 for 6 pills! What a racket. And the vet charges more and of course they want you to buy from them. Sorry, not happening. I'm not made of money.

So, Advantix it is. But I have to apply it every 3 weeks. And she hates the stuff. Sorry Madison, but after the first day you don't notice it.

I hate prescription medications. There are some medications that require medical evaluation, I know, but for fleas? Come on! They don't do any special tests or examinations if you want Comfortis. None.

I like that picture of Madison because she never lays on the bare floor. It's only carpet or cushions for her. She's spoiled. This picture was taken at James' birthday party, people were over and she lay down at my feet at the kitchen table.

No Can Do


Quake shakes more than Japan
Worse than the obnoxious arrogance, the political/religious movement now known as climate change, or CC, is having a corrosive effect on a human quality that has enabled us to survive and thrive on this planet – adaptation.

CC puts the focus on every real and imagined negative effect of every human action, calling into question whether anything we do can ever be right. This focus would have prevented the major inventions of the last 200 years. We were a "can do" society; CC advocates the virtues of "can't do" and "never should have done."

"Can't do" societies do not last long. Adaptation to change is the primary human survival behavioral trait. Opposition to adaptation is suicide. Blaming every natural disaster on human activity is arrogant, wrong and folly.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Japanese Earthquake 2011


Some pictures

And this video is amazing, simple as it is.



Incredible before and after photos (mouse over to change between them)

An detailed explanation of the nuclear reactor problem they are having.

Herman Cain Keynote @ Marion County, FL


Watch live streaming video from thehermancain at livestream.com

Friday, March 11, 2011

The New #&%$*@% Tone

You will die!!!!!

The F word is unbleaped once in this video but it's too good not to post.



DemocratsFleabaggers are the REAL party of hate.

Earthquake in Japan

Major earthquake hits Japan. They say it was a 8.9 and hit off the coast causing large tsunamis. This is not good.

Some video at this link.

I emailed Toshiro, he may not respond, large areas of Tokyo have no power. We'll just have to wait and see. I wonder about Mitake, too.

Google people finder - Japan 2011.

Update: I have heard from Toshiro and Chiaki and they are fine. There is no train service and the phones do not work so they cannot check on family in Mitake yet.

2nd Ammendment

An interesting monologue about your right to exist and defend your existence.



Check out the Mad Bad Voodo channel on YouTube.

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, No, It's JETMAN


The Deficit is Too Damn High


Sean Hannity interviews Jimmy McMillan, previously known as the 'Rent is Too Damn High' guy, now he's the 'Deficit is Too Damn High' guy. He is running for the Republican presidential nomination.



His solution: Pardon all personal debt - the companies already got their bailouts. Oh, and spank Obama and put him to bed.

Not bad... but I think I'll stick with Herman Cain, thanks. Herman should purchase the rights to that slogan though.:-)

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

How Satan Works




No, I don't think Van-Jones is Satan, but he's using the same playbook. I really don't believe Van-Jones would disagree with that either (although he wouldn't say it within earshot of people who would be appalled by that) as his literal playbook - Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky - is dedicated to Lucifer.
"Lest we forget, an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history(and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins — or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom — Lucifer."
The book is even recommended reading by the NEA. You know, the National Education Association, yea, that NEA.

Thanks to Fellowship of the Minds for the thorough post on this little fact.
Oh, and let's not forget this — the kingdom that the first radical "won" was hell.

A Parasite Is as a Parasite Does


Union Myths
The biggest myth about labor unions is that unions are for the workers. Unions are for unions, just as corporations are for corporations and politicians are for politicians.

To unions, workers are just the raw material used to create union power, just as iron ore is the raw material used by U.S. Steel and bauxite is the raw material used by the Aluminum Company of America.

The most fundamental fact about labor unions is that they do not create any wealth. They are one of a growing number of institutions which specialize in siphoning off wealth created by others, whether those others are businesses or the taxpayers.
Unions eventually destroy the host, as many parasites do, as the coal, steel and automobile industries can attest.

How's That Wind Power Working Out For You?


Excruciating?

Life Under The Blades
When it was installed last spring, Anderson didn't think Wind One would cause a problem. For 35 years, he’s owned and operated a passive solar company on Cape Cod.

The energy conservationist in Anderson considered wind power a good principle. He wasn't alone — before the turbine switched on, Falmouth residents almost universally welcomed Wind One as a symbol of renewable energy and a way to keep taxes down.

"I was proud looking at it from this viewpoint — until it started turning," Anderson said.

But now, as many as 50 people are complaining about the turbine and the noise it makes at different speeds. A dozen families are retaining a lawyer for that reason.

"It is dangerous. Headaches. Loss of sleep. And the ringing in my ears never goes away. I could look at it all day, and it does not bother me. It's quite majestic — but it's way too close," Anderson said.
Just like every other liberal policy, it worked in theory.

Monday, March 07, 2011

Godzilla Facepalm





It's so easy! Now I see! Make it a right and everyone will automatically have it! Houses, doctors, ipods! See! Simple!

Of Libya and Secret Plans

Libya has been relatively stable until recently with Gaddafi in power and I can't imagine it will get better when he's ousted, but I won't pretend to know what course of action is best for Libya or the region. However, I do know that Obama has been on the wrong side of every conflict that I can recall, so this can't be a good sign: America's secret plan to arm Libya's rebels
Obama asks Saudis to airlift weapons into Benghazi
Actually, it's also not a good sign that your secret plan is published on the web. Just sayin.

Palate Cleanser


Ever have trouble with your camera?



Here's a video of a motorcycle hitting a deer and hardly missing a beat. Incredible.

Sunday, March 06, 2011

Obscure, Unorganized, Inarticulate

Isaiah's Job
In the year of Uzziah's death, the Lord commissioned the prophet to go out and warn the people of the wrath to come. "Tell them what a worthless lot they are," He said. "Tell them what is wrong, and why, and what is going to happen unless they have a change of heart and straighten up. Don't mince matters. Make it clear that they are positively down to their last chance. Give it to them good and strong and keep on giving it to them. I suppose perhaps I ought to tell you," He added, "that it won't do any good. The official class and their intelligentsia will turn up their noses at you, and the masses will not even listen. They will all keep on in their own ways until they carry everything down to destruction, and you will probably be lucky if you get out with your life."

To me by way of Improved Clinch

Literally and Figuratively

So, Who Is Cleaning Up the Wisconsin Capitol After Union Protests?

I guess the union people couldn't clean up after themselves, it's not in their job description.

Thursday, March 03, 2011

Video of the Week (So Far)




So how BIG was that 'Monster Prominence'?

Isn't that beautiful?

If you can't see the above video and picture just click on the links in this sentence to go to the original page.

Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Five Permanent Principles


The Bible Enshrines the Title Deeds of Western Civilization
Today, American culture is cut by a canyon. It doesn't separate whites from blacks; it doesn't separate rich from poor; it doesn't separate men from women. It divides those who regard Judeo Christian values as vital for our nation's survival from those who consider the Biblical blueprint to be nothing more than a primitive obstruction to progress. And there are blacks and whites on both sides; there are rich and poor on both sides, and there are men and women on both sides.

Theory vs. Reality

From Burt Prelutsky
The other day, I found myself thinking about two of the 19th century's most influential men. Karl Marx was born in 1818 and died in 1883. John D. Rockefeller was born in 1839 and died in 1937. So far as I know, they never had occasion to meet. But they would have been aware of each other, and each would have thought the other was a dangerous lunatic. Only one of them would have been right.

For much of the world, then and now, Marx was a benevolent visionary, while Rockefeller would be dismissed as an avaricious villain.

Still, it was Rockefeller who helped create Standard Oil, thus providing jobs, homes and oil for hundreds of millions of people here in America and around the world. In addition, his charitable contributions to medical research led to the eradication of hookworm and yellow fever.

Karl Marx, on the other hand, never did anything that helped propel a car, turn a rotor, heat a home or fuel the world's industries. His writings were productive, I suppose, but only in the sense that they helped to produce the likes of Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Castro, Che and Kim Jong-il.

I suppose if one wished to be charitable, you could credit Marx with helping to create employment opportunities for executioners, gravediggers and gulag guards.

Just for the record, Rockefeller believed in the profit motive. He was a realist and a pragmatist who understood the best and worst of human nature. For his part, Marx believed in a stateless, classless society. He believed that the only thing that prevented men from being perfect saints and angels was capitalism. He was a complete nincompoop. Which is just another way of saying that Rockefeller was a conservative and Marx was a left-winger.
I think the following quote applies in this instance:
A man may deal with theory, and miss the whole impact of the truth.

--G. Campbell Morgan
People are enamored with Marxist theory, which demonstrably doesn't work in real life, and against the Judeo-Christian way of life, which brings real and substantive blessing to the society that embraces it.

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Union Mobocracy

If you only read one thing today, make it this: Public Unions & the Socialist Utopia
But there is something deeper here than just favor-selling and vote-buying. There is something that almost amounts to a twisted idealism in the Democrats' crusade. They are fighting, not just to preserve their special privileges, but to preserve a social ideal. Or rather, they are fighting to maintain the illusion that their ideal system is benevolent and sustainable.

Unionized public-sector employment is the distilled essence of the left's moral ideal. No one has to worry about making a profit. Generous health-care and retirement benefits are provided to everyone by the government. Comfortable pay is mandated by legislative fiat. The work rules are militantly egalitarian: pay, promotion, and job security are almost totally independent of actual job performance. And because everyone works for the government, they never have to worry that their employer will go out of business.

In short, public employment is an idealized socialist economy in miniature, including its political aspect: the grateful recipients of government largesse provide money and organizational support to re-elect the politicians who shower them with all of these benefits.
The rub, as they say, is that it is not a self-sustaining system.
But the socialist utopia of public employment has crossed the Thatcher Line: the point at which, as the Iron Lady used to warn, you run out of other people's money.

Mark Steyn's take: States of the Unions
That's what "collective bargaining" is about: It enables unions rather than citizens to set the price of government. It is, thus, a direct assault on republican democracy, and it needs to be destroyed. Unlovely as they are, the Greek rioters and the snarling thugs of Madison are the logical end point of the advanced social democratic state: not an oppressed underclass, but a spoiled overclass, rioting in defense of its privileges and insisting on more subsidy, more benefits, more featherbedding, more government.

Big Unions fund Big Government. The union slices off two per cent of the workers’ pay and sluices it to the Democratic Party, which uses it to grow government, which also grows unions, which thereby grows the number of two-per-cent contributions, which thereby grows the Democratic Party, which thereby grows government… Repeat until bankruptcy. Or bailout.

And Neal Boortz:
When I think of America and the founding principles of this country, "collective bargaining" doesn't cross my mind. Thoughts of freedom, individual liberty, personal responsibility and property rights do. Do you know who might think that collective bargaining is at the core of American democracy? A collectivist, that's who. Someone who looks at people as members of a specific group, rather than as sovereign individuals. Someone who believes in group rights, as opposed to individual rights. Someone who believes that the rights of the individual must be subjugated to the rights of the mob.

And Glenn Beck puts it all together:

Beleaguered