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Showing posts from November, 2011

On George W. Bush and War Criminality 1

Saddam Hussein attempted genocide on the Kurds. He invaded not just one but two of his neighboring countries. He repressed and brutalized his people to the tune that has rarely been chronicled in recorded history. And he continuously thumbed, with impunity, his nose at the U.N. I guess what I'm trying to say here, people, is that it's not exactly like we invaded Denmark or something....................................................................................................Now, was it necessarily a wise thing for us to have invaded Iraq and attempted to instill democracy there? I would personally (and, yes, vociferously, too) say, no. We had the son of a bitch well contained and could have battered him around as needed. Couple that with the fact that a) Iraq was multi-ethnic pseudo country with intractable hatred and b) Hussein was basically the only buffer that the Sunni countries and Israel had against Iran and, no, no sir, I really don't think that i

Martin Luther King, Jr., on Communism

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Cross-posted at the Left Coast Rebel As I continue to plug along with my undergrad studies, consumed by work and schoolwork, once in a while I come across something amazing. For example, my entire weekend has been dominated by a 10-page paper on Martin Luther King Jr., particularly his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" essay that he literally wrote from the not-so-comfy confines of a Birmingham jail cell. Look it up . I wasn't particularly excited to write about diving into the topic, nevertheless the choices were bleak - "Letter" or Barack Obama's post-nomination speech. I loathe Obama in every sense of the word so opted for MLK. To compare Obama to MLK? Oh the humanity... Good : research has led me all across academia and I have found some extremely interesting things. For example, I read a 20-page essay by a professor that just happens to be an expert on MLK and Alexis de Tocqueville as well. I mean, she was quoting Tocqueville . My jaw dropped and hit the fl

Thoughts For Tomorrow... and the Day After, etc.

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny The Thanksgiving Holiday, and the long weekend that accompany's it for many draws to a close tonight. With its closing comes the Christmas holiday season,  and the many stresses associated with the Christmas holiday. Add to that the economic stress, political polarization, and brinksmanship that is so commonplace in America today and it is a wonder we haven't split at the seems. But it is still early. Perhaps it will be the eventual outcome. Rational Nation USA,   while maintaining the sites core beliefs , has recently reached across the seemingly great divide that separates today's liberals and all others in hopes of  finding common ground. Unfortunately there are few amongst the liberal camp that are interested in extending the same in return. For those of you who have,  you know who you are. I tilt my head in appreciation. Many on the conservative side are guilty of the same that I have seen on the lef

Tea Party Is Not So Different From OWS... So Sayeth Obama

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny   So we can draw our own conclusions. Indeed there are some valid concerns the OWS had in its beginnings. As the movement progresses,any similarities with the Tea Party protest have been lost in the muck of irrationality. OWS has degenerated into a unguided and directionless movement against whatever anyone chooses to believe it is. Quite typical of the hard left and hard right. Sad, truly sad. The saddest of all is the President's and the Democrat's apparent whole hearted support of the movement. Even given the visual confirmation as to the movement's dark side.

Planned Parenthood of NYC and LifeNews.com Bring the Abortion Debate to Thanksgiving Day Dinner

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny {updated 6:00 PM} I read with some amusement the article in LifeNews.com entitled " Planned Parenthood Gives Tips to Promote Abortion at Thanksgiving ". The article was linked to Planned Parenthood of New York City and was intended to vilify those who have a pro choice position on abortion. The gist of the LifeNews.com article was to claim Planned Parenthood of New York City was coaching supporters "how they can push abortion on their guests at the Thanksgiving dinner table." Which is why I found the article amusing as well as intellectually dishonest. Coming from a family with a wide range of views on most issues, likely true for most families across America as well, I really cannot remember having the debate over pro-choice versus pro-life at Thanksgiving dinner. Ever. Admittedly the timing of the Planned Parenthood of New York City's " Talking Turkey: 8 Easy Steps for Discussing Repr

Say it Often Enough.......and, WOW, You're Kidding?

Look, folks, I'm not a big fan of Fox News, either (Sean Hannity, Neil Cavuto, and Fox and Friends, especially). But when Politifact says that Jon Stewart's claim that "Fox's viewers are the most consistently misinformed viewers in the country" is false, then what? Do we simply disregard it, as many on a bevy of liberal sites are presently doing? Or, OR, do we take it up a notch and say that Politifact has in fact become PART of the conspiracy, this grandiose right-wing conspiracy? I don't know, folks, what do YOU think that we should do?.......................................................................................................P.S. Obviously there's a third option. The third option would be for all of us to realize that there is more than an ample amount of sorry crap to go around, and that ALL of us should in fact be better consumers of information (skeptical, in other words) Not that this is a theory that will ever take off, of

Happy Thanksgiving

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny First Thanksgiving A hearty wish to all... Have a healthy and Happy Thanksgiving from Rational Nation USA . As we enjoy the blessings of this day let each and every one of us reflect on how truly fortunate we are to live in a land where liberty remains a reality and we can be thankful we are Americans. At least for a moment put political interests aside and wish our First Family the best as the President faces the challenges that confront the leader of the free world on a daily basis.

Facts About RomneyCare

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Major h/t to fellow blogger RightKlik for producing this informative video. Lets make it go viral by sharing it on your site, Facebook, and Twitter. More here and here ,

Poll: Voters Want ObamaCare Overturned by the Supreme Court

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Given the unconstitutionality of the individual mandate it is not surprising voters want the Supreme Court to kill ObamaCare. Classical liberals and Libertarians especially understand the dangers of the individual mandates at the federal level. USA Today A new poll shows that most voters want the Supreme Court to overturn President Obama's health care law, with opposition and support falling largely along party lines. Overall, voters oppose the law by 48%-40%, according to the Quinnipiac University survey. Democrats support the Obama health care effort by 70%-19%, while Republicans oppose it by 86%-8%. The Quinnipiac survey found independent voters opposed to the law by 45%-38%. Of course, voters won't decide the fate of the health care law in the Supreme Court -- that's up to the justices, and they are likely to make a ruling by late June. Whatever the court's ruling, health care figures to be

The Confusion of Classical Liberalism -vs- Conservatism

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Thomas Jefferson, arguably one of America's foremost "Classical Liberals." Given the reality that many, if not most today haven't a clue what the term Classical Liberalism actually means in the historical reference the following is an apt definition and explanation of the term. { Ludwig von Mises } 1. Liberalism The philosophers, sociologists, and economists of the eighteenth and the early part of the nineteenth century formulated a political program that served as a guide to social policy first in England and the United States, then on the European continent, and finally in the other parts of the inhabited world as well. Nowhere was this program ever completely carried out. Even in England, which has been called the homeland of liberalism and the model liberal country, the proponents of liberal policies never succeeded in winning all their demands. In the rest of the world only parts of the liberal p

The Super- Committee's Failure... Politics as Usual... And the MIC

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s -Tyranny Supreme Commander , Allied Forces WW II. President of the United States of America 1953 - 1961. A man of reason by choice. A man of war by necessity. Ultimately a leader with vision. Fast forward to today. It seems our nation continually finds itself involved in conflict across the globe. Conflicts that in the final analysis have largely been by choice. The United States spends more on the "defense" of our nation than the the total of the next seventeen nations who follow us in military spending . The eighteen countries with the largest military budgets. See table below for actual dollar amounts. It is clear that the United States has willingly assumed the role of "world policeman" and "protector of those in need of support." The cost to our nation has been staggering. Now to the point of this post. The "Supercommitte" that was given the responsibility of finding 1.2

Ron Paul Surging in Iowa and New Hampshire

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Ron Paul for President - 2012 Ron Paul is gaining steam. It now appears, based on polling in both Iowa and New Hampshire he has crossed the threshold and therefore should be viewed as a serious contender. It is within the realm of possibility Mr. Paul could take first or second in both states. Ron Paul will now perhaps get the respect and exposure from the networks he so richly deserves. His message has been consistent. The only real constitutionalist in the republican field he is clear in his positions on limited government, curbing the MIC, the Federal Reserve, crony capitalism, corporatism and so much more . Brent Budowsky of The Hill has an excellent analysis. There are now multiple polls that show Ron Paul has gained support and has a legitimate chance to come in first or second in Iowa and New Hampshire. I would now call Ron Paul one of three front-runners in both Iowa and New Hampshire alongside Mitt Romn

The Irresponsible Wheel Gets the Compassion, I Gather

I've been working in the geriatric field for about eleven years now. And, while most of that time has been spent in the area of therapeutic rec, I have in fact done some case management duty, too. One story, in particular, stands out.................................................................................................It was an 82 year-old woman with various health concerns (respiratory problems, especially) and whose husband lived in a convalescent home (she also had two daughters but they both lived out of state). Her only sources of income were Social Security and rental income from the apartment upstairs..............................................................................................Well, to make a long story short, the people who lived upstairs were absolutely miserable. They partied heavily, trashed not only the apartment but made a mess of the outside as well, and, on top of that, didn't frigging pay their rent, either. The old lady e

At OWS ... Swank Hotels in the Picture for Some Protesters, and Leaders

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Another look at OWS and some of the forces behind it. { New York Post ) Hell no, we won’t go — unless we get goose down pillows. A key Occupy Wall Street leader and another protester who leads a double life as a businessman ditched fetid tents and church basements for rooms at a luxurious hotel that promises guests can “unleash [their] inner Gordon Gekko,” The Post has learned. The $700-per-night W Hotel Downtown last week hosted both Peter Dutro, one of a select few OWS members on the powerful finance committee, and Brad Spitzer, a California-based analyst who not only secretly took part in protests during a week-long business trip but offered shelter to protesters in his swanky platinum-card room. KYLE SMITH: OBAMA PRETENDS TO SYMPATHIZE WITH OWS, BUT PROTESTERS GET NO REFORMS, NO CANDIDATES -- NO IMPACT RABBLE RETURNS TO ZUCCOTTI TO 'DRUM' UP SUPPORT “Tents are not for me,” he confessed, when confr

The Middle Class

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny OWS got me thinking today about the great American middle class. That group of hard working and intelligent people that propelled this nation forward to become the greatest {super} power the world has ever known. Those millions of individuals that worked diligently to secure their own as well as their nation's rational self interest. Today we have a growing economic oligarchy. Then there is OWS. The dissonance, if not resolved has the capcity to destroy our nation. ( Middle Class ) A nation’s productive—and moral, and intellectual—top is the middle class. It is a broad reservoir of energy, it is a country’s motor and lifeblood, which feeds the rest. The common denominator of its members, on their various levels of ability, is: independence. The upper classes are merely a nation’s past; the middle class is its future. The middle class is the heart, the lifeblood, the energy source of a free, industrial economy, i

Gingrich and Romney in Statistical Tie in New Hampshire Polling.

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty - v s- Tyranny Republican Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich is in a statistical tie with Mitt Romney in New Hampshire. Polling data shows Romney with 30% and Gingrich with 27% support among likely primary voters. The poll has a 3.57% margin of error. The full scoop from the New Hampshire Journal . ...The latest NH Journal poll of likely Republican primary voters conducted by Magellan Strategies shows Romney and Gingrich in a statistical dead heat for the January 10th primary. If the election were held today, Romney would earn 29% of the vote and Gingrich would earn 27%. Texas Congressman Ron Paul continues to show resolve by earning 16%. Herman Cain gets 10%. No other candidate is in double digits. This is the first time any of NH Journal’s polls have shown anyone candidate even close to Romney. It also shows tremendous movement for Gingrich since NH Journal’s October survey, in which Gingrich was in third place, but at only 10%

The Formula For Avoiding Poverty

1) Stay in school (go to college or at least graduate high school).............2) Don't have a child out of wedlock.............3) Don't have a child until you reach the age of 20.............4) Don't smoke (a two pack a day habit in CT costs $15 dollars a day/$105 a week/$5,460 a year, increases health-care costs, and reduces productivity).............5) Don't drink heavily (for the identical reasons as to why you shouldn't smoke).............6) Learn to defer gratification, in general.............7) Get a second job if necessary................................................................................................P.S. According to a study cited by the March of Dimes, simply doing the first three will reduce your likelihood of living in poverty by a whopping 89% (64% vs. 7%)....It would really be interesting to see how the OWS movement would put its arms around this syndrome.

As Fiscal Responsibilty and Fidelity Goes... So Goes the Nation

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny In these Keynesian times, where spending and more spending seems to be the governments answer {and addiction} to everything, the following caught my attention. Yes it is a call for fiscal sanity and fidelity. And yes it is most assuredly a demand for accountability in government. It begs the question why are we as a nation still doing nothing to stop the hemorrhaging? ( Bankrupting America ) We all have heard the classic Washington scandal of a Congressman being unfaithful. The indiscretion usually causes a public outcry leading to a public apology and resignation. But what happens when a member of Congress is unfaithful to the economy? For decades Washington has spent far beyond its means. This overspending has saddled the country with a national debt of over $15 trillion – a point at which it is now hamstringing economic growth. And even now, as the economy begs for attention, lawmakers are unable to make things ri

Rommey Not Walking Away From RomneyCare of Massachusetts

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Mitt Romney has said rather decisively he is not waking away from ObamaCare's model, RomneyCare of Massachusetts . While admitting that his healthcare hasn't worked out perfectly he still believes it was the right thing for the Bay State. There are many who disagree and for good reason. Even given RomneyCare there seems to be a growing consensus among conservative pundits that Romney is going to be the GOP standard bearer in 2012. With his liberal Rockefeller style politics it is hard to get ones arms around just why his nomination is becoming almost a forgone conclusion. From his recent interview with Neil Cavuto. ( National Review Online ) Don’t expect Mitt Romney to backtrack on his Massachusetts health-care plan at any point this election cycle. “I am sure there are many people who have calculated, and perhaps correctly, that the healthcare plan I put in place in Massachusetts is not good for me pol

Maxine Waters Expounds on Crimes and Death at OWS Protests... "That's Life and It Happens."

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Maxine Waters. Anyone who has doubted her ability to think cogent thoughts should now have any doubt whatsoever removed. A stalwart of the "non thinking" fringe of the pandering democratic party had this to say about OWS activists turned criminal. ( CNSNews.com ) - When asked to comment Wednesday about the deaths and crimes that have occurred around Occupy protests being held across the country, Rep. Maxine Waters said “that’s life and it happens.” “That’s a distraction from the goals of the protesters,” Waters, who says she supports the Occupy movement, told CNSNews.com after an event at the Capitol sponsored by the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “Let me just say this: Anytime you have a gathering, homeless people are going to show up,” said Waters. “They will find some comfort in having some other people out on the streets with them. They’re looking for food. Often times, the criminal element will inv

Note to OWS

Look, folks, I have nothing against protesting - not even a little bit. IN FACT, I find it to be a very patriotic thing to do and something that makes us unique (just try doing it over in Syria, for example). But, really, do ya' have to frigging SLEEP in the park, accumulate all sorts of garbage there, publicly defecate, etc. (multiple reports of sexual assault, for example)? I mean, it's not as if the park existed simply for you and your indulgences. Other interests, believe it or not, DO exist; the fact that other people may in fact want to recreate there, the fact that the neighborhood businesses are being negatively effected, etc.. And, please, let me also remind you that there are a whole hell of a lot of other ways that you can make a difference these days. Organize and be tutors for inner-city kids. Work at a soup-kitchen. Volunteer at a local convalescent home (you're more than welcome to come to mine). Adopt a stretch of highway or interstate and beau

(Most) Democrats Angered by NYC Action to Clean Up Zucotti Park... and Restore Safe Clean Environment

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Occupy Wall Street. A protest movement against crony capitalism, corporatism, taxpayer funded bailout, growing income disparity, and a host of other lesser pet social peeves has finally been given the bit and bridled by Mayor Bloomberg and the courts. To which a welcome round of applause should be heard across the nation. (The Hill) New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s (I) decision to evict Occupy Wall Street protesters from a Lower Manhattan park is a blow to free speech, several House Democrats said. Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, warned that in preventing protesters from camping out in Zuccotti Park, the city has “effectively removed [the protesters’] ability to be there 24/7.” “The concern to me was that the occupiers can stay there but cannot set up permanent location, which kind of begs the question of, ‘Are they gonna have a daytime presence and then be

Sorry, In a Foul Mood

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny So, NPR, the paragon of fine journalistic reporting that it is recently aired a bit of info on Ayn Rand. As to be expected it is about as balanced as a lopsided watermelon, and as factual as calling Obama a Marxist. Driving home from work last night my thoughts were largely focused on the circus that American politics {and governance} has become. That and the fact politicians, lawmakers, bloggers, think tanks, and yes, what is considered the main stream media have lost sight of the need to present accurate data and unbiased reporting. Somehow this seems to have given way to the 30 second sound bite and two minute read. What has become a pet peeves of late is the political label game. The use of political labels has grown so commonplace they are rapidly becoming meaningless. Sure labels save time, but the downside is they quite often don't represent the truth. Especially when the label is attached to a person or a c

Maximus Hypocritus... Nancy Pelosi

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s - Tyranny Why just imagine! Nancy Pelosi made over 200% return on investment while blocking credit card reform for over two years. What a surprise. The champion of the people, a hypocrite as many of us have known all along. Big Government - Former Speaker of the House–and current Minority Leader–Nancy Pelosi apparently bought $1 million to $5 million of Visa stock in one of the most sought-after and profitable initial public offerings (IPO) in American history, thwarted serious credit card reform for two years, and then watched her investment skyrocket 203%. Skip In early 2008, Nancy Pelosi and her real estate developer husband, Paul, were given an opportunity to buy into a Visa IPO. It was a nearly impossible feat–one that average citizens almost certainly could never achieve. The vast majority of purchase opportunities went to institutional investors, large mutual funds, or pension funds. Despite Pelosi’s consistent rai

Putin May Be On To Something... HOT!

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny This from Russia. Definitely racy. Maybe the US should talk to Putin about how we might increase voter turnout ;) Mail Online - They've washed cars in skimpy outfits and torn their clothes off - all to promote the hardman of Russian politics, Vladimir Putin. Now his model army has launched its latest charm offensive - with a steamy new advert, set to techno house music, encouraging people to go to the polls for the Russian parliamentary election on December 4. In United Russia Party's latest offering, a stunning young woman, in a short dress, is seen walking into a polling station. As she is being handed her ballot paper, a young man walks up alongside, where he checks her out. She walks off towards the voting booth and closes the curtain, but quickly whips it open to pull her suitor inside. The camera looks at the gap between the curtain and the floor, to where their clothes fall - at which point the sl

Jon Huntsman... Deserving of a Second Look?

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Jon Huntsman. Another long shot republican hopeful. While not plugging him he deserves serious consideration. Not only is he the only republican candidate with foreign policy experience he is measured and reasonable. A politician with executive experience, foreign policy experience and a message that will resonate with many if he can stays in the race. Huntsman doesn't have the baggage being carried by some others in the race for the republican nomination. The Hill - Hours before the first Republican presidential debate to focus on foreign policy, Jon Huntsman released a web video to capitalize on the only issue where he has the clear advantage over his competitors. The video starts with a montage of Huntsman's opponents making inaccurate or contradictory statements about other countries, while melancholy piano music plays in a minor key. “So, yes they’re a military threat," Herman Cain says of C

Labels, The Collective, and Politics...

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Labels. A lot of people like political labels and being a part of one collective or another. Belonging to a group of like minded individuals does give a person a safe and comfortable feeling. It legitimatizes their beliefs and principles within a circle of like minded social beings. However, in choosing to become part of a collective a person often {unwittingly}places restrictions on their ability to think critically and "outside the box" of accepted "conventional" wisdom. In other words "group-think" takes over the process of thinking so that "thinking" becomes a automatic response based in part or solely on ideology. The different political parties are nothing more than collectives of people with differing political thought and ideologies with respect to government and its proper size and involvement in society. Whether you are a member of the democratic, republican, libert