tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post3814269413727600918..comments2024-03-28T03:00:07.229-04:00Comments on Rational Nation USA: Rand Paul is Right, Stop the American Police State...Les Carpenterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-69251168208490152212015-06-07T22:56:48.188-04:002015-06-07T22:56:48.188-04:00You are right skudrunner. With republicans at the ...You are right skudrunner. With republicans at the head of the line leading the government away from honesty and uniting the nation. They have led the way to increased lobbying and Citizens United has been one of their crowning achievements.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-14645287278664848982015-06-07T15:56:29.609-04:002015-06-07T15:56:29.609-04:00Ah, but with that we face another question. In a d...Ah, but with that we face another question. In a democratic republic such as ours the duly elected representatives of the people are charged with establishing tax rates correct? Citizens United aside (it should be overturned) citizens by electing representatives place their trust in the collective wisdom of those they elect. So when the majority passes tax legislation we are then subject to the will of the majority and <br />required to pay accordingly.<br /><br />Remove CU, eliminate lobbyists and muzzle special interest minorities with big bucks and maybe we might figure it out.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-51381636386851248692015-06-07T15:28:11.677-04:002015-06-07T15:28:11.677-04:00I believe so, Les. But, due to the nature of taxat...I believe so, Les. But, due to the nature of taxation (which escapes the definition of "theft" narrowly on a technicality), it must be done to a level of what is only necessary to fund important government functions, and not levied in a fashion to attempt to influence the taxation victim's behavior, nor to enforce morality.<br /><br />The last thing we need is an elite class which relies on tax funds for a lavish lifestyle, alongside tax "victims" singled out for excessive taxation because these individuals, without any regard to due process, offend the sensibilities of those in power. <br /><br />Because of the nature of taxation, the money MUST be spent wisely.<br /><br />Make sense now, Les?dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-17422203538375374252015-06-07T14:59:40.455-04:002015-06-07T14:59:40.455-04:00Excellent response dmarks. Truthful beyond questio...Excellent response dmarks. Truthful beyond question.<br /><br />The question then is should citizens expect to pay for services they expect of government?Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-1341121720953578672015-06-07T14:19:47.560-04:002015-06-07T14:19:47.560-04:00Exactly, Les. It's clear to see the standard: ...Exactly, Les. It's clear to see the standard: if someone succeeds that you like, or is "on your side", they have only gotten far by their hard work and sterling character. In contrast, if you disagree with someone's policies, this means that any of that someone's success is due to corruption, nepotism, or something else morally wrong.<br />dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-5192496227535826802015-06-07T14:17:42.937-04:002015-06-07T14:17:42.937-04:00Mr. Sanders said:
"As for taking money from ...Mr. Sanders said:<br /><br />"As for taking money from you by force... Has dmarks refused to pay his taxes and thus forced the government to force him to pay?"<br /><br />That's a ridiculous question. Like asking someone "how can you be sure arson is illegal. Have you ever burned down a house and been arrested for it?" Perhaps it is indeed an attempt to divert attention from the fact that taxed money is forcibly taken from its owners. I don't think this attempt worked very well.<br />dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-76041893141931367162015-06-07T12:55:14.536-04:002015-06-07T12:55:14.536-04:00As do Rand's.As do Rand's.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-73275880997482485792015-06-07T12:38:06.052-04:002015-06-07T12:38:06.052-04:00I did not say anything about Hillary Clinton, but ...I did not say anything about Hillary Clinton, but yes, name recognition did help her win her senate seat. Although she had other accomplishments (as first lady) to stand on before going to the Senate, unlike Randal. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.usnews.com/opinion/leslie-marshall/2014/02/19/hillary-clintons-accomplishments-speak-for-themselves" rel="nofollow">Hillary Clinton's Accomplishments Speak for Themselves</a>.Dervish Sandershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13671865801885224353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-640043183166785062015-06-03T21:29:19.712-04:002015-06-03T21:29:19.712-04:00Uh, I think they lay out some requirements and who...Uh, I think they lay out some requirements and whoever meets them qualifies for funding. I don't know how that is "choosing". As for taking money from you by force... Has dmarks refused to pay his taxes and thus forced the government to force him to pay?Dervish Sandershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13671865801885224353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-16753850299333098732015-06-03T12:41:38.938-04:002015-06-03T12:41:38.938-04:00Jerry: I've long opposed government funding of...Jerry: I've long opposed government funding of elections, because the government chooses who to fund, and it means that money forcibly sto... er... taken from me ends up funding the campaigns of the likes of Pat Buchanan.<br /><br />But, given the arguments here by you and others, I am willing to consider accepting this price and trying something new here.dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-30431064776597649672015-06-03T01:30:16.044-04:002015-06-03T01:30:16.044-04:00Jerry is right on the money, literally and figurat...Jerry is right on the money, literally and figuratively. You wrote about this recently, Les, in the context of Citizens United. But even that was just a worsening of an already really bad problem, right? We need a constitutional convention to fix this problem, and the system just isn't rigged to allow it. It would take a mass movement of erstwhile apathetic little individuals. <br /><br />JMJJersey McJoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15426560061830038806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-5755027656874098392015-06-03T00:52:22.043-04:002015-06-03T00:52:22.043-04:00:-) Good points Will.:-) Good points Will.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-32245821203747306322015-06-03T00:41:32.543-04:002015-06-03T00:41:32.543-04:00Good point Jerry.Good point Jerry.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-42242715310390551962015-06-03T00:02:05.340-04:002015-06-03T00:02:05.340-04:00A Republican could find a cure for AIDS and take i...A Republican could find a cure for AIDS and take in every stray puppy from the Panama Canal to the Bay of Fundy and wd would still find fault with the person. Dude is hot-wired.......And what about Ms. Hillary? She didn't get to her position out of name recognition?Will "take no prisoners" Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02315659209094683602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-4031971578221216142015-06-02T20:27:39.845-04:002015-06-02T20:27:39.845-04:00It all comes back to who pays for the elections. ...It all comes back to who pays for the elections. Congress is simply serving their masters. If you want Congress to serve the public, the public has to finance the elections. It is simple.Jerry Critterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870618647449723147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-91734357767996835902015-06-02T12:10:09.179-04:002015-06-02T12:10:09.179-04:00Regardless of "necons" or "Obama&qu...Regardless of "necons" or "Obama" the real problem lies with a congress who use fear to get elected and to pump the MIC in their districts with taxpayer money. As long as we keep idolizing the military and police, and irrationally freaking out at our own shadows, this slide to fascism will continue.<br /><br />JMJJersey McJoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15426560061830038806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-17249514082523797742015-06-02T10:02:25.119-04:002015-06-02T10:02:25.119-04:00Paul had to get some recognition and headlines and...Paul had to get some recognition and headlines and his stance on NSA has given him what he wanted. Does anyone believe the federalists are not deep in their lives and that restricting NSA does little to protect your privacy. <br />If the NSA could show they have used the information to stop any attacks it might be OK but they can't show where spying on American citizens has provided any information. They need to take the billions spent and waste it on some other non-productive government program.<br /><br />Transparency went the way of honesty, anti lobbying and uniting the country. skudrunnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07610092853412481236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-36684239981409362022015-06-02T07:37:03.972-04:002015-06-02T07:37:03.972-04:00Yeah, that's a given I suppose. State security...Yeah, that's a given I suppose. State security and state secrets trump individual privacy and liberty every time with the real statists. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Lenin's Russians, MAO's China, and the list goes on are tyrannical socialist statist governments that proved this Jersey. America, in the spirit of patriotism and nationalism, combined with fear and obsessiion with national security is marching down that statist highway with Obama and the neo cons in the lead.<br /><br />BTW, any idea what happened to the transparency promised American people by President Obama?Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-73837419059484549052015-06-02T00:26:06.447-04:002015-06-02T00:26:06.447-04:00The real statists hate Snowden.
JMJThe real statists hate Snowden.<br /><br />JMJJersey McJoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15426560061830038806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-58269706375959939132015-06-01T23:51:59.027-04:002015-06-01T23:51:59.027-04:00I'd wager that the LP will have your vote then...I'd wager that the LP will have your vote then.Constitutional Insurgenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03251746798758539951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-30380563317168282572015-06-01T19:57:08.655-04:002015-06-01T19:57:08.655-04:00Another unfounded BS statement with respect to ang...Another unfounded BS statement with respect to angering me. Either stay with subject issue or cease to be posted. It really is as straight forward as that Dervish.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-1276157006028568392015-06-01T19:47:26.926-04:002015-06-01T19:47:26.926-04:00Unfortunately in a matter of days the Freedom (yea...Unfortunately in a matter of days the Freedom (yeah right) something or the other will replace the now expired PA clauses. They will be marginally less intrusive. <br /><br />As for Rand, he likely tanked whatever small chance he had running to secure the GOP nomination. His neo con opponents are going to savage him. He's dead in the GOP methinks.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-75493323495875788272015-06-01T19:31:58.881-04:002015-06-01T19:31:58.881-04:00Unless the GOP or Democratic party produces a cand...Unless the GOP or Democratic party produces a candidate that stands for liberty, is fiscally conservative, is socially liberal and tolerant, is NOT a neo con, and properly understands the seperation of Church and State I too will vote Libertarian. Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-5725782027902753732015-06-01T18:55:32.118-04:002015-06-01T18:55:32.118-04:00I'm not aware of that happening. It's my u...I'm not aware of that happening. It's my understanding that Snowden had plans to go elsewhere but was trapped in Russia when the US revoked his passport. I don't think he ever "allied" himself with Putin. I was not sure what to think about Snowden at first either, due to some condemnation of him coming from the Left. Although I always did see him as a whistleblower. Now I also see him as a hero for what he did.<br /><br />As for Randal, while it appears as though he has <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/23/rand-paul-drones_n_3140850.html" rel="nofollow">flipflopped on drones</a> killing people on American soil, he seems solid on this issue. And he is also correct about ISIS. Better him in Congress than a Republican or ConservaDem, I guess. I can dislike him while appreciating his stand on this (and a few other) issues without too much cognitive dissonance. Although that obviously angers RN.Dervish Sandershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13671865801885224353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-2481123280096349062015-06-01T15:47:44.395-04:002015-06-01T15:47:44.395-04:00Good points. Flying Jr. I can't bring myself t...Good points. Flying Jr. I can't bring myself to trust Snowden when he chooses to ally himself with Russia's aggressive and authoritarian strongman Putin.dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.com