Rational Nation USA

by the Left Coast Rebel A Howard Zinn primer: " Let's talk about socialism. I think it's very important to bring back the idea of socialism into the national discussion to where it was at the turn of the [last] century before the Soviet Union gave it a bad name. Socialism had a good name in this country. Socialism had Eugene Debs. It had Clarence Darrow. It had Mother Jones. It had Emma Goldman. It had several million people reading socialist newspapers around the country. Socialism basically said, hey, let's have a kinder, gentler society. Let's share things. Let's have an economic system that produces things not because they're profitable for some corporation, but produces things that people need. People should not be retreating from the word socialism because you have to go beyond capitalism ." ---Howard Zinn, Madison, Wisconsin 2009 Can anyone here say how many died in the 20th century for the notion of a kinder, gentler society that 'shares...

By: Pamela D. Hart Around July 9th, Blogetery , a WordPress platform used by more than 70,000 bloggers, was shut down and its members were told by the web host, BurstNet , that service was terminated at the “request” of a law enforcement agency. The mystery is, WHICH agency made this request and WHY? Then approximately 5 days later iPBFree terminated its service with no explanation. There is speculation running amuck that Blogetery violated copyright laws, was posting child pornography, and also that some of its members were engaging in terrorist activities, like an al-Qaeda hit list and how-to tips on bomb construction. Another enigma, WHICH speculation is accurate? A spokesperson for the Recording Industry Association of America said it had no involvement with the termination of BurstNet’s shut down and a spokeswoman for ICE said, “While ICE's Internet piracy enforcement efforts are still very much ongoing, we were not involved with the action." A spokesperson for the Motio...

By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA I have maintained my pledge to generally keep the debate of religious theocratic philosophy, with all the sordid details with respect to human suffering that are part of it's history, off the pages of this sight. I can no longer do so. The proposed construction of a Mosque near Ground Zero, and the rush by the progressives to argue in support of its construction, leads me to delve into the issue, and provide a reality check for those in favor of any such construction. Just to set the record straight, because the progressives who read this will otherwise undoubtedly call me a right wing  Bible thumping fanatic, I am a believe that religion, or the lack thereof is a deeply personal issue. If there is one issue I agree with the progressives on it likely would be the issue of religion and its place in society. But I digress. The attack on the United States of America on September 11, 2001 was an a...

By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA The industry in which I work is entering it's busiest and most hectic business cycle. I welcome this fortunate circumstance as it signifies the company I am employed with is healthy and continuing to provide employment in my local area. Positive events can occasionally have a downside which is generally short lived.  In my case (at this point in time) the downside is limited time for my blogging activities.  Due to the pressures and restraints on my time content from me will be lighter and likely more sporadic for the next six to eight weeks. It is often said it seems there isn't enough time in the day to accomplish everything. This certainly holds true for me today. I want to thank all my contributors, the Left Coast Rebel , Western Hero , Old Fashioned Clarity , The Oracular Opinion , and The Humble Libertarian   that have provided much awesome content at Rational Nation USA. You guys have...

by the Left Coast Rebel A reader sends breaking news and asks a question. In the LC R mailbox: Lawyers have reached a tentative deal to settle ethics charges against Rep. Charles Rangel. If approved by the House ethics panel, the deal would stop public hearings on alleged ethics violations . The buck stops no where with these guys - what do you think ? I simply wrote back, "every infringement stacks up to more electoral losses for the Democrats in November." To expand upon this - perhaps a public trial would not be as damaging for the Democrat party and leadership (and potentially at the ballot box in November) as yet another smoke-filled-backroom-attorney-power-broker-deal is. I recall similar antics played out during the train-off the-tracks Republican congress and we all recall how that turned out. Charles Rangel cutting a deal to avoid a public trial may just incite more anger from independents, Tea Partiers, libertarians, moderates and conservatives than the ruling clas...

By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA I suppose it was to be expected. Judge Susan R. Bolton, a former President William Jefferson (no resemblance to President Thomas Jefferson) Clinton has struck down key provisions of Arizona's immigration law. Judge Bolton's actions are consistent with the typical disregard the statist has for the will of the people in general, and the rule of law specifically. What has just occurred is s federal judge thumbing her nose at not only the citizens of the state of Arizona, but at all Americans who in majority support the Arizona law. In fact several states have been considering actions of their own to effectively control illegal immigration to their states. The federal government, by consistently and methodically failing to enforce immigration laws created the reason Arizona acted, and why other states have been considering similar measures. The ACLU, one of America's most progressive collectivist bodies is soli...

The Rule of Law We’ve lost the original definition of “Rule of Law.” Republicans abused it badly during the Clinton impeachment trials, but both parties bear responsibility for the perversion of this important concept. Hayek gives us the classical definition: “Government in all its actions is bound by rules fixed and announced beforehand--rules which make it possible to foresee with fair certainty how the authority will use its coercive powers in given circumstances and to plan ones individual affairs on the basis of this knowledge." He explains that the Rule of Law should not be ad hoc, but it should be “the rules of the game,” predictable and understandable, allowing free people to exercise their rights while refraining from violating the rights of others. No exemptions for government or for special groups. No leeway for arbitrary exercise of power by bureaucratic fiefdoms. The tax code alone violates this principle. We Are Here 70 years ago, Hayek descr...

by the Left Coast Rebel Yesterday evening I had a little free time. I decided to write up another op-ed and I got published again at the Daily Caller! Here's an excerpt from my article : From California to New York state, Arizona’s illegal immigration law has been making headlines. In what is perhaps a last ditch effort, the state chose to enforce border security and stop criminality that comes with undocumented immigrants. But last Friday residents thousands of miles away in New York witnessed something similar but quite different: an aggravated, disheveled, undocumented senior citizen . 70-year-old Representative Barney Frank, (D-MA) was heading out to New York’s Fire Island. The New York Post reported that the Massachusetts congressman failed to contain his exasperation when a ticket clerk at the local dock rejected his request for a $1 discount ferry fare to the island. Frank did not possess the necessary Suffolk County Senior Citizens ID to take part. Something quite fascinat...

by the Left Coast Rebel B.K. Griffith just pointed me to this video from Mike Church of the Mike Church show: Several LCR readers have consistently insisted that I listen to the Mike Church show. Being that I have not tuned in and don't have a subscription or satellite radio, this is actually my first foray. Mike Church explains the background of the video: Introduction from Mike Church - This movie was a collaborative effort between the Rev. X and me. The goal was simple: ALL Republicans profess to crave, no covet! a new Gipper as the Party’s nominee. It should go without saying that said nominee should actually BELIEVE in Reagan’s core beliefs and his guiding principles. Many people cite the 1964 speech Reagan gave on behalf of Barry Goldwater as his finest, which is why it has come to be know as “The Speech.” In The Speech, we hear Reagan referencing our Founding Fathers, The Constitution and limited self government. We also hear his warnings about keeping Social Security as i...

A lack of prudence, combined with an erosion of our natural rights, is killing our culture and our nation Prudence: 2.  caution with regard to practical matters; discretion. 3. regard for one's own interests. 4.provident care in the management of resources; economy; frugality. ( Dictionary.com ) Anyone who's ever had an arm in a cast knows what happens to the muscles in that arm:  They atrophy from disuse. Prudence has suffered a similar fate due to the progressive cast our government has encased our lives with.   A dense encrustation of laws that legislate our every activity down to the last iota leave us no discretion to reason things out for ourselves.  Safety nets that turn into hammocks, bailouts, and lawsuits that reward stupidity have practically eliminated the need for prudence. We careen about with no care for the consequences because lawyers can justify our behaviors based on fairness and special pleading for special categories, we can...

by the Left Coast Rebel What to do you do with a failing car company with failed ideas, inferior products, crushing union-pension 'legacy' costs and a business model that is just plain outdated? Well you take over the company , supersede contract law, don the company Government Motors and with leftists and Obama at the helm you make things like --- Since you are paying for it, at least it's pretty, no? It's called the 'Volt' and it's all yours for $41,000 and $44,000 for the 'loaded' model. It gets worse though. Not only does Obama own the Volt, Government Motors is touting the new electric car's price tag as quite a bit less than $41,000 "because a federal tax credit of $7500.00 applies to it." So essentially you have a ludicrously overpriced 'electric' car that can go 40 miles on electric power after which gas-powered generators kick in (?!?!), is being heralded as a landmark and is bought and paid for by you and me. Color me...

Anonymous electronic activism and expression to protect one's identity and family is much different than being an empty suit. by the Left Coast Rebel I just picked up this post via Anti-Republican Culture . Howard Towt, writing out of Colorado, says it quite nicely: Tim Daniel, the inspiration behind Left Coast Rebel (and a supporter of this blog), recently had a post in The Daily Caller . The article displayed Tim’s understated “can you believe THIS!” style of writing, and yet it was significant for another reason. Tim published it with his name and photograph. Why is this significant? It is because our culture supports the idea of Republicans being continually “ under siege .” We accept Republicans having shoes thrown at them, eggs thrown at them, speeches drowned out , and cars vandalized . Our culture simply shrugs and continues with the idea that Republicans deserve this treatment. It makes a difference. It intimidates us. We hesitate. That’s why this has been an intere...

By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA You know what? After posting a piece essentially chastising Andrew Breitbart  for his premature release of an edited video of Shirley Sherrod's address to the NAACP as shoddy journalism, and casting doubt on his credibility 9a piece I firmly stand by) I find Sherrod is not above being dishonest. The American Spectator has an excellent and well researched piece on this matter. Published today, 7/26/10 it demonstrate that Shirley Sherrod is not above lying to further the cause of the progressive collectivist movement. Please don't forget that racism is the most vile form of collectivism and it appears that the left, Shirley Sherrod included, has no problem playing the race card to advance their agenda. Note the following excerpts from the American Spectator article: In her speech, Ms. Sherrod says this: I should tell you a little about Baker County. ...

by the Left Coast Rebel In the past year and a half I have blogged on and off about far-left director Oliver Stone . Much like useful idiot communist sympathizers Sean Penn, Danny Glover and dozens of others out of Hollywood, Stone typically doesn't dissapoint when he finds himself in the headlines. Call it a spontaneous Team America -moment when it happens. And an easy topic to blog about too, since he is such a deranged loon. On cue, the recent Hugo Chavez ' documentary ' (read love fest) that Stone shot perhaps pointed to a new level of moonbattery, even for the half-Jewish communist director. Oh, did I mention half Jewish? Here's why, via Newsbusters : Director Oliver Stone belittled the Holocaust during a shocking interview with the Sunday Times today, claiming that America's focus on the Jewish massacre was a product of the "Jewish domination of the media." The director also defended Hitler and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and railed agai...

I got into an argument with an old friend and fellow lifetime NRA member over that organization’s support for campaign finance legislation that restricts free speech in exchange for an exemption for itself. Good on the NRA for defending our Second Amendment rights. Bad on them for squashing the First Amendment in the process. Things really got heated when I excoriated our NRA for toying with the idea of endorsing Harry Reid . Reid Voted for the Brady Bill, Erik Erikson reminds us .  Politico explains how politics in America makes such bedfellows possible: First, Reid has a fairly favorable lifetime rating from the NRA. And then there’s the $61 million for the Clark County Shooting Park, earmarked by Reid, which led Wayne LaPierre, chief executive officer of the National Rifle Association, to call Reid “a true champion” of the Second Amendment at an event commemorating the opening of the 2,900-acre park in April. ( Politico ) So Reid bribed the NRA with $61 million ...

By: Bastiatarian I've been a subscriber to Bernard Chapin's YouTube channel for a long time, and if you aren't familiar with "Chapin's Inferno," I would recommend starting at the earliest videos and working your way through all 402 installments. He's both perceptive and entertaining, and he has a haircut just like mine. The two most recent installments address the issues of race and white guilt, and express well essentially what I would say on the subjects. As Bernard states, race and emotion have nothing to do with the determined opposition that people like me have toward Barack Obama and others of his ilk. Race and emotion are 100% irrelevant. When somebody starts vomiting out the "Racist!" meme, you know that he or she has completely conceded the argument. I have never oppressed anyone of any perceived "race," and I have seen no evidence that any of my ancestors back at least a couple of centuries ever owned...

By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA The newest ICON of  progressive collectivist thought, none other than former comedian (retract... still a comedian) Senator Al Franken addressed a convention of liberal bloggers and activists  Saturday evening. He implored the left to "fight to stay in power in the mid term elections." Okay, I have absolutely no problem with this. However was it not just the other day that Kyra Phillips and John Roberts of CNN were calling for restraint and regulation on conservative bloggers? I guess censorship is just fine if it applies only to conservative rational thought. Progressive collective thought , which is almost always based on emotion rather than logic is just fine, and therefore need not be censored . Go figure. Franken, warning of catastrophic disaster ( my words)  should the progressive collectivists lose control of the Congress had this to say: "If Republi...

By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA Howard Dean, former Governor of the State of Vermont and one time Presidential hopeful has weighed in on the Shirley Sherrod issue. As to be expected he has determined that conservative, IE: rational FOX news network is a racist media outlet. The ranting bozo (remember the unhinged rant during the 2008 primary race?) has joined the chorus of progressive collectivists that have denounced FOX news. Not because they have done anything wrong, but rather because they are balanced and simply provide a perspective that the liberal government media complex refuses to consider, let alone present to it's viewers. Here is an excerpt from Dean's comments : “Let’s just be blunt about this … I think Fox News did something that was absolutely racist,” “Fox News was not blameless during this,” Dean said. “You played it up.”  “I think we need to stop being afraid of Glenn Beck ...

By: Bastiatarian Over the past few days, Tom Tancredo has been the target of a significant amount of criticism for a statement he made indicating his observation that Barack Obama was " a more serious threat to America than Al Qaeda ." I would expect such criticism from the always-frothing-at-the-mouth leftists, but much of the criticism has come from so-called "conservatives," people who should know better. I'm not sure about the validity of Tancredo's argument for impeachment. Certainly, Barack Obama is worthy of being removed from office, but I don't know how it would hold up in court, even with a common-sense individual on the bench. Impeachment is difficult, and it is difficult for a reason. From a practical standpoint, I doubt that anyone would have the integrity and the courage to convict Obama of his crimes, both of omission and commission. The important point, however, is that Tom Tancredo understands something that many people...

By: Bastiatarian My 17-year old son recently had his Eagle Board of Review and became an Eagle Scout. Although I did not advance past the rank of Star when I was a Scout, over the decades since then I have been involved in Scouting as a leader in a variety of capacities. I have also tried to encourage my own boys to live the principles of Scouting. Boy Scouts are expected to adhere to the Boy Scout Oath: On my honor, I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.   As indicated in the Scout Oath, Boy Scouts are also expected to live in accordance with the Scout Law: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. The Boy Scout Handbook elaborates on each element of the Law. A Scout is Trustworthy . A Scout tells the truth. He is honest, and...

By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA CNN anchors Kyra Phillips and John Roberts believe there should be an internet "gate keeper" to regulate the content of material posted on "anonymous" blogs. While both acknowledged the "mixed blessing of the internet" the also agreed that a crackdown on internet bloggers would be desirable. John Roberts said "There are so many great things that the internet does and as to offer, but at the same time Kyra, s you know, there is a dark side." There is going to be a point in time where these people have to be held accountable" Kyra said.  How about all those bloggers that blog anonymously? They say rotten things about people and they'rs actually given credibility, which is crazy. They'rs a bunch of cowards, they're just people seeking attention. Fail! What dear Kyra and Mr. John fail to recognize is that the constitution guarantees the right to free speech and press. Particula...

By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA Lieutenant Colonel Allan West is a man of integrity and honor that served his country  well. He is indeed a man that understands the meaning and value of unity and what it means to be an American. In his words you hear and feel sincerity and a love for the country he took an oath to protect and defend. Lieutenant Colonel West is running for a congressional seat in the state of Florida. Were I a Floridian you can bet I would be working on the ground for this man to insure his election to congress.  View his website  and familiarize yourself with his positions on the issues. Washington needs more women and men with the character of Lieutenant Colonel Alan West. Judging from the Lieutenant Colonel's  background, character, and integrity, it is possible, in fact likely he may be a rising star. We should only hope so. h/t:  The Right Scope Cross posted at L...

by the Left Coast Rebel ( Editor's Note - shameless, self-serving promotion imminent, be aware!) I decided to do it and submit it. Big, shiny, million-reader Daily Caller intimidation be damned! In about an hour and a half I wrote up a fairly decent opinion piece and then subsequently spent nearly two hours editing and re-editing the darn thing. It was a lot of work but I was proud of the final result. I've learned a lot writing so much in the last year and half and covering (typically with dismay and outrage) the body-politic around us. So please pass along my first (of hopefully many) Daily Caller pieces, it's titled, " Ringing the bell at the top: Paging Chris Christie"