Rational Nation USA

Here you have it folks, the real truth. The socialist/statist left, the champions of the working man, blocking the extension of unemployment benefits to none other than... the working man and women. The Senate failed Thursday to extend benefits programs for laid off workers. The house on the other hand passed a bill that would have extended for one month the program so lawmakers could decide how to address the issue in the long term. The Senate, while trying to follow suit was not successful in  overcoming the strong objections of Senator Jim Bunning, Republican Senator from Kentucky. Senator Bunning would not support the bill on grounds that the additional  ten billion outlay would increase the Federal budget deficit. Senator Bunning's position is this;  rather than adding an additional ten billion to the  deficit we use money from the yet unused portion of...

I am reminded of Pinocchio as I read Ms. Speaker's statement on how she is running the most ethical and honest Congress in history. Three observations; 1) She is delusional with her view of her stewardship, 2) She is as narcissistic as her Leader in Chief, and 3) she is clueless when it comes to ethical behavior, or should I say the lack of it. Ms. Ethics of the House, Her Speakership Pelosi has, at least for now determined she will not ask for Mr. Rangel's resignation from the chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee (of course this is to give time to find a way to plausibly do nothing). The Democratic power base will take whatever action it can to protect one of their own. Pelosi is merely using delay and stalling tactics in hopes this will either blow over, or they can find a way to justify his lack of ethical behavior or else assign responsibility to someone other than "good ole Charlie." Frankly t...

Well well, we see that the esteemed (choke) democratic congressman from the state of New York, Charles Rangel  finds himself in hot water once again.  According to the House Ethics Committee he accepted leisure trips to desirable locales (the Caribbean) paid for by... none other than corporations. No doubt wishing to secure Mr. Rangel's political favor and influence. Congressman Rangel is the object of several ethic investigations as noted in the Wall Street Journal, brief excerpt below. The ethics investigation is one of several targeting the activities of Mr. Rangel. The committee is also looking at whether Mr. Rangel filed inaccurate forms with Congress disclosing his personal assets. Last summer, Mr. Rangel updated his personal-financial-disclosure forms for the past few years, revealing more than $500,000 in assets he hadn't before made public.   The new committee action is sure to increase pressure on Mr. Rangel to give up his chairma...

Stumbling through the internet jungle if you will looking for something to further expose the far left wing fringe element I ran across the following Ed Schultz gem. Telling at the very least. And to think this is the very crowd that accuses conservatives of being hate filled. Time to get a life Eddie boy. Via: The Radio Equalizer

After Thursday health care summit two two things are clearer than they were prior to the summit. And both tend to favor the republicans. First,  it was clear republican had either been essentially been shut out, or ignored by democrats over the past year. The republicans were able to debunk the allegations that they are just saying no for the sake of saying no as they put forth reasonable alternatives to the democratic health care plan. Second, the power drunk statist democratic President and democratic congressional leadership will force health care through congress using the "nuclear option", or the process known as reconciliation, to push a bill through with a simple majority senate. Here is  what the President had to say in his closing remarks; "I’d like Republicans to do a little soul searching to find out if there are some things that you’d be willling to embrace that get to this core problem of 30 million people without health insurance, and dealing se...

As President Obama convenes his Health Care Summit today I wonder if there will be mention by anyone  of the current situation that has developed in England. Apparently the NHS is under investigation for failing to provide poper care to patients. As a result of this 1200 people are no longer among the living. Excerpts from a British news outlet; Up to 1,200 patients died unnecessarily because of appalling care Labour's obsession with targets and box ticking blamed for scandal Patients were 'routinely neglected' at hospital Report calls for FOURTH investigation into scandal Not a single official has been disciplined over the worst-ever NHS hospital scandal, it emerged last night. Up to 1,200 people lost their lives needlessly because Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust put government targets and cost-cutting ahead of patient care.  But none of the doctors, nurses and managers who failed them has suffered any formal sanction. Remember, Britain's health care system ...

Ron Paul, the libertarian leaning republican representative from Texas, and a candidate for his parties 2008 presidential nomination proving again he is one of the few republicans with ideas worth serious consideration. His brand of fiscal conservatism and non interventionist foreign policy is the right prescription for our nation at precisely the right time. He touches on some issues that should be important to Americans of all political persuasions in the following short interview with Judge Napolitano. Representative Paul,  appearing at CPAC's 2010 conference had much more to say on the values of limited government, liberty, non interventionist foreign policy, and fiscal responsibility. His libertarian principals continue to gain ground nationwide. With Paul as spokesman for these principals it is certain the movement will continue to grow. While it unlikely he will mount another campaign in 2012 for his parties nomination...

h/t Patriot Post

The GOP has been suffering from that slow and debilitating political disease called progressivism. And the premier standard bearer of the current Republican progressive movement is... none other than the 2008 Republican candidate Senator John McCain. I have the highest respect and regard for the Senator's service to this country during the Vietnam war. His courage and ethics during this period of his life deserve the utmost admiration. And I want to make that point perfectly clear. However, somewhere along the way following his initial election to the Senate, and earning the nickname "the Maverick of the Senate"  John McCain went soft, and he went left. As Michelle Malkin points out in her article entitled...  "Attention GOP: John McCain is the problem" ... Senator McCain is no conservative. He has a record during the Bush Administration of being a bona fide progressive. Following are examples of McCain's progressivism:...

I have read Beck and I have read Levin. In the solitude of the study they both make compelling points for the conservative cause.  I have listened to Beck and I have listened to Levin. Early on they both caught my attention, and they both were as compelling in audio as in print. But something happened. Beck, perhaps due to his shooting star, or perhaps because of his belief in his own star personality became the showman. Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against showmanship. It can be very effective in the proper setting, and in the proper venue. However, when presenting the case for a political cause, movement, or philosophy , it seams a lot more effective, at least to this interested party to show and maintain  sincerity. It simply lends more credibility to the argument. Playing the part of the showman (or clown) just... well, I suppose give the feeling of being at a show... or circus. View here Mark Levin's audio on Beck's ...

On a personal note Rational Nation USA must go on record and state I like Mike Huckabee. He is the kind of gentleman I could have an enjoyable dinner and a few drinks with. He is personable, and judging by his Sunday interview with First Lady Michelle Obama very magnanimous. And I might add a fair bass guitar player. His politics are, however a slightly different matter. Huckabee was very specific in his criticism of CPAC 2010. It seems to this very interested party his problem with this years gathering is primarily the result of a positive change within  the conservative/libertarian movement that threatens the established old guard within the Republican party. Following are a few excerpts taken from Politico that this writer believes clearly supports my argument: Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee blasted the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday as outdated, nearly corrupt and unrepresentative of the conservative ...

Rational Nation US has been running quotes of the week for going on the eight week. Generally they have been well received. They were not designed to elicit comment. Nor were they intended to generate negative or positive political references. Quotes of the week were merely intended as a fun diversion for me, and for my readers to use as they see fit. On a personal note I have always found quotes that have real value as stimulus for individual thought, and how each might relate to the present. Quotes from wise and knowledgeable people, either living or dead, offer value to the present and future. There is apparently at least one individual who runs a Radical Perspective blog who has taken Rational Nation USA to task if you will for running quotes of our Founding Fathers and Ayn Rand. In essence his comments are specifically meant to bring into question my intelligence, but I suspect his intent is also to marginalize our nations history to some...

As an independent conservative , and one who has only followed the CPAC conference minimally, I was pleased over the announcement Ron Paul was the top vote getter in the CPAC straw poll  field of eleven . However, I was puzzled by the boos erupting from the crowd. After a few brief moments it hit me. Boos were coming from those entrenched in the Republican Party establishment. The power structure of the party that has held control of, and was responsible for many of the failings of the out of touch current Republican party hierarchy. While it is unlikely the seventy four year old Ron Paul will be a serious contender for the 2012 Republican nomination, he represents real conservative and libertarian principals. Principals not unlike those that fueled the conservative movement during the sixties and seventies. A movement that included Bary Goldwater, William F. Buckley, and Ronald Reagan. Modern conservatives were a...

Since you stopped in, and Saturday is Rational Nation USA post day at Conservative Firestorm , take a link on over and catch RN USA's take on Michelle Bachmann's speech at CPAC. You might be surprised at what you find. Honestly though, keep an open mind. As conservatives we are required to do so. To all, have a wonderful weekend. Normal posts resume sometime Sunday. Unless I find a way to have more fun and excitement. Like that will happen!

At the certain risk of antagonizing the intractable and emotional left further (and oh how I love it) I have decided to revisit the recent Supreme Court decision with respect to free speech and campaign finance law. Having covered this in an earlier post  I decided to endeavor to find additional rational arguments (note I did not say emotional) that would lend further perspective and light on the subject. After visiting several sites I found perhaps one of the most compelling arguments I have yet heard in support of the Courts decision. Here are a few short excerpts: "The ruling threw out limits on corporate "independent expenditures" on campaign advertising — the case in point being a hatchet-job documentary on Hillary Clinton produced by a non-profit corporation called Citizens United. Government censorship of political documentaries certainly seems to violate the very sinews of the First Amendment. "Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech...

Yesterday's senseless and violent suicide plane bombing of the IRS building in Austin, Texas by a mentally unstable Individual is reprehensible and should be condemned by all rational thinking individuals.  What is unfortunate is there is a tendency by some on the left to assign a relationship between this lone and sick person to the Tea Party Movement specifically and conservatives and libertarians generally.   Rational Nation USA, an  independent conservative  blog  condemns this cowardly act of deranged extremism.  In no way does the individual responsible for this act represent my views nor the views of any rational Tea Partier, conservative, or libertarian . The attempt by the left to draw a connection is ludicrous and defines the extent some on the left will go to in an attempt to disparage those who hold differing and legitimate political views. I direct you to the following l...

With the people of the United States held hostage to competing political ideologies, and the nation drifting from a lack of  real executive leadership, it is understandable why so many believe we are becoming a nation that cannot be governed by the system left us by our nations framers. I admit to occasionally wondering myself if this just might be true. However, on better days, when not questioning the very desire of our nations will to retain our liberties, I know it is simply a bogus thought engineered by those who would advocate for a stronger authoritarian approach to government. The system devised so painstakingly by men by far more intelligent and enlightened than any in government today has stood the test of 233 years. Successfully.... and in the process allowed the people to create the most influential, prosperous, and powerful nation in thew world. To do required a belief in principals found in our founding documents and wise and steady l...

Does this sound about right. If it doesn't then we are most assuredly in deep trouble. The cause is right. The time is now. Do We The People have the will? It is time for action and those to timid to take it...well...think about the alernative to taking action. And for those who may feel this is to "colonial", and I could name at least one, tough nuts. Those are my words and I stand by them.

Until such time as the progressives in congress finally realize government can not create real jobs and lasting prosperity, that only a robust and vibrant private sector can... and until such time as the so called conservatives in congress realize that government can not deficit spend our way to prosperity (remember GWB) we will remain in seriously troubled financial waters. It is time that rational, level headed AmericanS, start to elect rational, level headed Americans to congress and hold them accountable for results. Real results that will point the country in the direction towards fiscal sanity and responsibility once again. It is high time the days of the special interests and corrupt political machines lose their death grip on America. Only We The People, through patriotic concern for our rational self interest and that of our Nation, can accomplish this. Now is the time. The question is, do we have the will? One thing is fairly certain, it won't be ...

The following is a repost of an open letter I wrote five months ago explaining my rationale for defining myself as a " true independent conservative ."  Out of this letter came my  Conservative Manifesto . While I have dropped the adjective true, as its use is subjective, the essence of my self described " independent conservatism" remains intact and defines my politics if you will, and my basic philosophy of governance. On the heals of recent accusations made with respect to my principals and beliefs by one who objects to my individualism I felt it appropriate to run this again. I am sure the person who referred to me as a "Brown Shirt", and a "Right Wing Reactionary" among other false identifiers still won't get it. And the purpose is not to try and change the mind of this individual. It is to hopefully reinforce the principals that I believe made this nation the greatest on earth. And now, "An Open Letter To My Fath...

This sign without a doubt signals the current mood of the country. The people are angry, mad as hell to be more precise. Career politicians who have held office for many years are electing to retire. Recognizing times are a changing, and fearful of loss at the polls, they know their useful days are behind them. What an incredibly great thing for the nation. A significant part of our national problem is the corrupt and unethical congressional  politicians and leadership on both sides of the political divide. Replacing these retiring pols can only strengthen our country. Yet the change must run deeper than just replacement of a few retiring lawmakers. The national electorate needs to retire lawmakers en mass and replace them with honest and independent thinkers. Men and women who are not owned by the political machinery and special interests. Individuals that place principal and ethics above politic...

As a proud  independent conservative, I am always, and forever amazed, at the virulent race baiting, and throw back the a time long gone that Keith Olbermann seems to be perpetually running from. Or could it be Olbermann is just the choir boy for the irrational liberal left in America? I don't know which it is nor do I care. Nor should anyone choosing to think independently and rationally. Here it is folk, down and right from one independent conservative . Regardless of ones skin color or ethnic heritage, irrespective of ones religious beliefs; in so long as they are truly peaceful and personal, and so long as the individual respects the rights of all other individuals equally we can get past the agenda of Keith Olbermann and his liberal conductors of the liberal orchestra. Sure, this independent conservative will no doubt be called to task by some. No doubt by the very likes of Keith Olbermann and ...

I admit it... there are many philosophical, governmental, business, and ethical issues on which the POTUS and me would strongly disagree. I would be being less than honest if I claimed I didn't wish the POTUS were a different individual. One whose governing practices and philosophy of government more closely resembled that of Founding Fathers and responsible independent modern conservatives. The reality is however just this. The people of the United States elected this man to the highest office in the land for four years. He has served as POTUS for just over one year and we are seeing Impeach Obama signs on a major highway in Wisconsin. Obviously somebody in Wisconsin certainly does not like this POTUS very much. The unnamed company, presumably a small one, has paid to have the billboard displayed for six months at one thousand dollars a month. I am sure those collecting the six thousand dollars and the sign company are all to happy to collect...

Achievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness, not pain or mindless self-indulgence, is the proof of your moral integrity, since it is the proof and the result of your loyalty to the achievement of your values.    Ayn Rand   Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men.    Ayn Rand From the smallest necessity to the highest religious abstraction, from the wheel to the skyscraper, everything we are and everything we have comes from one attribute of man - the function of his reasoning mind.    Ayn Rand   I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.    Ayn Rand   Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the right...

I have been trying to understand the attacks of late on  my very integrity by TAO at Radical Perspective. His attack seem to be more the result of my refusal to accept his premises and our obvious ... lets just leave it at differences. Rational Nation USA is a site that respects, and in fact encourages different viewpoint when honestly held and sincerely presented. A prime example and case in point is Truth 101 . A liberal blogger that Rational Nation USA has deep differences with. Yet a blogger that engenders respect and consideration of, and for, his differing opinions. In short a blogger that has class and spree-decor. The very foundation of our Republic is built upon the following: 1) a fundamental distrust of government, 2) the belief that individualism, not collectivism is the bedrock of a sound and productive society, 3) capitalism is the only economic force that generates wealth and lifts so...

"After all these years, my passion for service to my fellow citizens is undiminished, but my desire to do so by serving in Congress has waned," "There is too much partisanship and not enough progress -- too much narrow ideology and not enough practical problem-solving," "My decision was not motivated by political concern," Bayh said. "Even in the current challenging environment, I am confident in my prospects for re-election." The above words spoken by Indiana Senator Evan Bay as he announced his decision not to seek reelection to the Senate seat hes has held since 1998. Rational Nation USA would like to believe his words, and accept that he is not seeking reelection because he believes it is time to allow new thinkers to assume public office. As would be the spirit of our founding fathers. However, to believe so would be naive. The reality is that he is facing a credible challenge in the upcoming elections. He simply wishes not to go ho...

Rational Nation USA takes the time to honor a President few would argue was one of, if not the greatest President our nation has ever had. Our first President George Washington. Washington was so loved and admired by the people of his era he had it in his power to shape our Republic in a manner much different than he did. Washington could have ran for President and likely held the office until his death. To his everlasting credit he was a man of principal and knew that for the Republic to stand and grow as was intended by the Founding Fathers he  must step aside after two terms in office and pass the reins to another. Thank you Mr. President for your wisdom and love of  liberty and your country. We owe you much still today. It was not until the progressive Franklin Delano Roosevelt took the reins of power in the late thirties the tradition set in place by Washington was broken. FDR, who obviously was in love with the power the...