Rational Nation USA

When I first started blogging four years ago, I firmly believed that most of the rigid/delusional thinking in politics was on the right; the far-right, specifically. I mean, how could I have NOT gotten that impression; Hannity, Limbaugh, Robertson, Falwell (God rest that miserable bastard's soul, huh?)?..................................................................................................But, I'm telling you, now that I've been doing this for a while, I can tell you, unequivocally, that there is just as much predictable partisanship and lunacy on the far-left (at least in the frigging blogosphere, I'm saying) as there is on the far-right. I mean, just in terms of policy, I'm saying - just as the far-right wants to solve every societal problem with a tax-cut, the far-left wants to solve that same societal problem with a new government program and/or a buffering of an existing one..............................................................................

Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Where Objective Truth Resides America. The American flag. Liberty. Freedom from tyranny and oppressive government. The inalienable right of all men and women to live their life as they see fit, in so long as they respect the same rights inherent in others. The right to opportunity for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender. Recognition that with the liberty and freedoms enunciated in our Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States comes individual and personal responsibility to ensure their continued existence for all posterity. The belief that our republican form of government was instituted to ensure the protection of the minority against the potential tyranny of the majority. The understanding that government is but a necessary evil, put in place only as a watchdog to insure that the rights of each individual is respected and protected in so long as they do no injury to the inalienable r

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Given it is a holiday weekend, as well as a rather slow day with respect to any real noteworthy political items, I decided to visit the Ludwig Van Mises Institute . Looking for something of interest on economic theory and or policy I found this video on Keynesian predictions. The subject matter starts just past the five minute mark.

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Rational Nation USA is not a supporter of a Palin run for the presidency, often taking heat from the Palinistas. With respect to the forgoing video clip all that need be said is SPOT ON! Continue to spread the message of liberty and fiscal responsibility Sarah, and get behind a true libertarian/conservative candidate that can drive national debate in the direction it so desperately needs to go. Cross posted to the Left Coast Rebel Via: Memeorandum

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism I continue to be amused by the irrational hatred progressives have toward any and all things Rand and 18th century classical liberals held to be valid, which is to say true. One would think progressives would be the first to defend the individual against the immoral tyranny of a collective mob, which is to say the unrestrained power of the state. Present day progressives, as well as neo-cons, rather than defending the individual and standing strong for liberty, the liberty each and every individual regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender has the right to enjoy, place their "faith" in the state to determine what is best for each individual based on collective reasoning. They either fail to grasp the contradiction or they recognize it and simply use it both as a shield and a sword. Each individual can make up his or her own mind on whether Rand and 18th century enlightened and rational think

Can somebody please explain to me why Todd Bertuzzi is still playing hockey? No, wait, let me rephrase that. Can somebody please explain to me why Todd Bertuzzi isn't in prison?.................................................................................................For those of you who don't remember, Mr. Bertuzzi committed one of the most vicious cheap shots in the history of a sport that, well, let's face it here, has a long and bloody history of them. It took place March 8, 2004 and the victim was a player by the of name Steve Moore. Specifically, folks, Bertuzzi skated up from behind Mr. Moore (who never saw him coming) and clocked him in the right temple, knocking him out immediately. And that, God damn it, was just the frigging punch. The landing, in which Mr. Moore's head bounced several times like a coconut - THAT was what did the major damage (three fractured vertebrae in the neck).....................................................................

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism The President of the United States of America, and leader of the "free world", {such as it is} has completed his six day juggernaut through the "Islamic Spring" {yeah right! Whatever that means in English} and socialist Europe. Our president was greeted with great adulation and reverence. It was as to be expected from the deteriorating economies of socialist Europe. One stand out however was Lech Walesa , leader of the Polish Solidarity movement and first President of Poland after it gained liberty from the ex Soviet Union. Recognizing the stench of socialism {aka communism} he declined the invitation to meet with the U.S. President . Perhaps those who are experiencing the love fest of Obamaism ought to consider the experience of one who actually lived through, and fought the tyranny of socialism. My 59 year educated guess... the world will continue to remain enamored of the America

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism A four part interview with Thomas Sowell on economics. His book,  Economic Fact And Fallacies provide the basics of the interview. Discussion of race makes up a fair share of the interview. Sowell, as is so often the case, is spot on. He no doubt will have the left fit to be tied.

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism From the mouth of one who lived the Muslim terror in Lebanon, Bridgette Gabriel. Are you listening America?

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism The President, who was away from his office when the bill extending the Patriot Act was due to expire used the "auto pen" to sign S.990. Representative Tom Graves (R-GA., recognizing the President had technically violated Article 1 Section 7 of the Constitution {is this a surprise to anyone?} has written a letter asking the President to confirm he actually had read the bill prior to its auto pen signing. The applicable wording of Article 1 Section 7 as it applies to this concern reads as follows: "Every order, resolution, or vote to which concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him him..." Below is a reproduction Representative Grave's letter. As the bill was passed into law on Thursday May 2

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism The following time lapsed video is amazing. There are few words than can describe just how awesome it is. The following from POPSCI . ...The video below was captured by Stephane Guisard and Jose Francisco Salgado at the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile’s Atacama Desert. And it might make you cry. What makes this time lapse particularly amazing--because we’ve all seen plenty of time lapse videos of the night sky--is the four telescopes in the foreground. Watching these instruments work against a black background would be endlessly fascinating on its own. Unfortunately you won’t be able to pay them too much attention. Because damn, what a sky. Via: Memeorandum

By the Left Coast Rebel This video, taken two days ago on the floor of the House of Representatives, reminds me of Dr. Paul's, " could it all be a bad dream " must-watch speech made during the nadir of the financial crisis. Ron Paul asks, Who would have ever thought that the current generation and Congress would stand idly by and watch such a rapid disintegration of the American republic ? Every single one of Ron Paul's predictions have come true for this country. It's about time we start listening and turn the tide back. Or is it truly the last straw? Cross posted to LCR and Libertarian Patriot .

By the Left Coast Rebel As our government continues to deficit spend, what, 40% of every dollar?, the bill that is yet-to-come comes with a state and federal combined price tag of 62%. Sure sounds like a European socialist basket case economic scenario, doesn't it? Hello, 1970s : If the Democrats' millionaire surtax were to happen—and were added to other tax increases already enacted last year and other leading tax hike ideas on the table this year—this could leave the U.S. with a combined federal and state top tax rate on earnings of 62%. That's more than double the highest federal marginal rate of 28% when President Reagan left office in 1989. Welcome back to the 1970s. What's that giant sucking sound? Business headed to Europe and other tax-friendlier nations, is what it is: What is particularly worrisome about this trend is the deterioration of the U.S. tax position relative to the rest of our economic rivals. In 1990, the highest individual income tax rate

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of American Conservatism There is absolutely no question that if this nation elects to continue on our current irresponsible and unsustainable fiscal path raising taxes on everybody will be become a necessity. Video: Of course Stockman is speaking from the perspective of a true progressive. He, like all progressives simply believes in the right of the federal governments to confiscate the fruits of every individual's labor to whatever level the government deems necessary to support its spending habits. It does not matter how irrational those spending habits may be. If this nation simply closed tax loopholes for the very wealthy and large corporations, implemented a fat tax system, ended government subsidies to corporations {corporate welfare}, reigned in the MIC {military industrial complex} spending to only what is necessary to defend this nation and our true allies, discontinue global foreign welfare, eliminate duplicit

by: Les Carpenter Rational nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Israeli Prime Minister to "Speak the Unvarnished Truth" for Peace Prime Minister Netanyahu speaks the simple truth. The reality is the Palestinian leadership has always refused to accept Israel's right to exit and in fact pursued a policy of terrorism against Israel. Read more on The Prime Minister's remarks prior to his speech to a joint session of Congress May 24th. Israeli Prime Minister Gets 29 Standing Ovations in Congress, Sends Message to White House More on Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech to a joint session of Congress May 24'th . It looks to be shaping up that Mr. Obama may want to consider a realistic approach to finding  a {workable} solution to the Palestinian Israeli conflict.  Other than a return to the pre 1967 lines. Via: Memeorandum

By: Pamela D. Hart I just want to tell the GOP candidates currently running for the 2012 Presidency to STOP. You don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning. According to the Left, EVERY GOP candidate is a stupid jackass and should go crawl under a rock, because none of them can walk and chew gum at the same time, let alone comb their own hair! And forget about speaking! They sound like Elmo with a wad of gum and crackers in their mouth, plus they can’t pronounce anything correctly. How could any of them stand up to Obama—the genius? He’ll wipe the floor with all of them at a debate, at the same time, with both of his hands tied behind his back, his eyes closed and his mouth duct taped! We heard for years that Bush was a complete and utter moron even though he graduated from Yale. But that was ONLY because Daddy Bush purchased his grades! The man couldn’t pronounce nuclear , for Pete’s sake! Never mind that Obama mispronounced corpsman , not once, but two times…that was the telep

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservativsm There were two men, one is a realist, a statesman, and a true leader. As for the other, well, let me just say he could learn a great deal from Mr. Netanyahu. From SPECTATOR : I don’t know what strategic purpose Obama had in mind for addressing the Middle East impasse when last Thursday he made the first of a series of speeches on the subject. Whatever this may have been, that speech produced one satisfactory result. The Israeli Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, for once started to tell the west a few home truths about what it was doing. With the world’s cameras trained upon him and looking Israel’s potential nemesis in the eye, Netanyahu at last did what he and other Israeli prime ministers should have done a long time ago. He seized the moment, and used the presence of the icily immobilised President to speak electrifyingly over his head to the American people and the world about the likely ter

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism "No people will tamely surrender their liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffusd and virtue is preservd. On the contrary, when people are universally ignorant, and debauchd in their manners, they will sink under their own weight without the aid of foreign Invaders." --Samuel Adams, letter to James Warren, 1775 Progressives, food for thought.

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism "The Donald", true to his arrogant and pompous self promoting self is re-dangling the possibility of a 2012 run. The Note : ABC News' Sheila Marikar and Rick Klein report: Perhaps Donald Trump didn't really bow out after all. The billionaire business mogul phoned into Fox News' "Fox & Friends" this morning to lament the state of the Republican field. He took issue with Mike Huckabee exiting the race, saying he's sure Huckabee could win and he's still sure he could have won. Trump refused to rule out a late entry into the Republican presidential field. "Who knows if I did the right thing," he said. "I am not seeing a lot out of the Republican candidates." Asked if there's any chance he'll jump in later in the race, Trump replied, "I can't rule out anything ... [It's] vital that we choose the right person, and at

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA   Birthplace of Independent Conservatism There is nothing better than enjoying the many faces of Jazz accompanied by fine wine and a superb cigar! Well, almost. An exquisite and beautiful woman really takes the crown!!

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Ex President and Georgia peanut farmer Jimmy Carter sees himself as superior to other ex presidents . Just in case you come off your dselusional high Mr. Carter most disagree with your assesment. HOT AIR has it right. Guess which former President is Jimmy Carter’s favorite? Three guesses: Former President Jimmy Carter isn’t letting modesty stand in the way of his assessment of his post-presidential life. “I feel that my role as a former president is probably superior to that of other presidents,” Mr. Carter said in an interview with NBC News. Apparently, even Carter realized a little later how bad that sounded. He contacted NBC to amend his remarks to say that his role with a non-profit organization gave him “superior opportunities to do good.” In other words, he’s extremely fortunate that someone created the Carter Center after he left office. And who was the masked man who did that? Er

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is absolutely correct in his position to stand firm on the pre 1967 border issue. President Obama is dead wrong on this one as he throws our only democratic ally in the mid east under the bus. But no doubt the left around the world will find his pro Pan Arab, Palestinian sympathies and appeasement attractive. Whether the President's decisions are the result of his being naive, or ill informed remains to be seen. In any case it is obvious that he does not value the Jewish people. What a surprise! From Haaretz: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must accept U.S. President Obama's vision for Mideast peace if talks with the Palestinian Authority are to resume, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Sunday. Erekat's comments came in response to Israel's rejection of the U.S. president's support of a Palestinian state within 1967 b

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism It really bothers me to have to go there. I mean it really, really, really bothers me. The reason? Because no one, especially an American citizen should ever feel the need to go there. You ask, were exactly is that? To which I must reply to fight tyranny in our own democratic republic. But sadly, because of republican statists like GWB, and the current statist BO,iberty minded individuals have but little choice to go there in defense of our constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. Our Statist in Chief, after ram rodding his so called health care reform down the throats of all Americans, has saw fit to exempt his cronies from comply with the very law he and his statist cronies foisted upon all of America. I refer to " The Waivers. " that exempt those granted said waiver from complying with ObamaCare. Presently there have been over 1,000 waivers granted to Obama cronies. From The Washington

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Wow! Who would have thought the socialist Canadian government would be to the right of the United States? Oh yeah, almost forgot, BHO is the leader of the soon to be Socialist United States of America. So, I guess it really isn't so surprising after all. While our dunderhead-ed historically blind president wants to roll back the borders of Israel to a pre 1967 status Canada's government is correctly calling for a settlement based on terms negotiated by the Israelis and the Palestinians... OTTAWA— Globe and Mail Update Published Friday, May. 20, 2011 3:01PM EDT Last updated Friday, May. 20, 2011 11:39PM EDT The Harper government is refusing to join the United States in calling for a return to 1967 borders as a starting point for Mideast peace, a position that has drawn sharp criticism from Canada’s staunch ally Israel. At a briefing ahead of the upcoming G8 summit in France, federal offici

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism President Obama is either high on opiates or he really does think he is above the law. The 1973 War Powers Act is quite specific and it does limit the president's ability to to spend the nation's resources at will on military action against another sovereign state without congressional approval or a formal declaration of war. As BO approaches the deadline he and his statist legal team are attempting to make the feeble case that the action in Libya is so limited it does not not require congressional approval for continuation. Here is what the president said in a letter to Congress today: ...President Obama wrote a letter to congressional leaders this afternoon suggesting that the role is now so “limited” he does not need to seek congressional approval. “Since April 4,” the president wrote, “U.S. participation has consisted of: (1) non-kinetic support to the NATO-led operation, including intel

By The Left Coast Rebel Today I wrote a fairly simple piece about former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. It parallels some of my thoughts here recently and went up at the blog section of American Thinker . From the piece : Based on the erratic endorsement and subsequent non-endorsement -- not to mention the shady character involved -- Gary Johnson has nothing to lose in losing Willie Nelson's endorsement. However, we must not allow Governor Johnson's run to be swallowed up by a media-led version of a Cheech and Chong sequel, in which all anyone cares about vis-à-vis Johnson is his stance on marijuana. Instead, we should be highlighting the former governor's untarnished fiscal-conservative bona fides. (SNIP) A President Gary Johnson would bring to the White House the same focus, seriousness, and provable results that he did from New Mexico. Nevertheless, proven fiscal-conservative accomplishments may be cast aside by the 24-hour-news-cycle, "the-more-salacious-the

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism If you have long wondered about just what it might be that is part of the the problem with America today you need look no further than radicalized progressivism. Or more accurately stated liberal fascism. One of the most glaring examples of liberal fascism I have seen recently can be found at This progressive website . It would be almost scary were it not so laughingly irrational, and shrouded in the thick fog of progressivism. The scum in Wisconsin's Senate chamber killed democracy today by voting for the controversial voter ID bill. The good people of Wisconsin are outraged, Democrats are outraged, and the fucking Nazi's in Wisconsin are on the march. They know their days are numbered so they are passing every measure they can to insure the voters of Wisconsin are tilted in their favor. This is fascism at it's finest, it's beyond despicable... { Read More } It is my guess the author

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism The President is very close to being in violation of the 1973 War Powers Act. May 21st marks the sixtieth day since BHO made the decision to involve the United States in the Libyan civil war. The act says specifically... "if the president does not get congressional authorization 60 days after military action, the mission must stop within 30 days." Washington (CNN) -- President Obama may be on the brink of breaking the law. At issue: The 1973 War Powers Act, which says if the president does not get congressional authorization 60 days after military action, the mission must stop within 30 days. The president formally notified Congress about the mission in Libya with a letter on March 21, which makes Friday the 60-day deadline. Inaction is angering lawmakers from both the left and the right who rarely agree on anything. Rep. Brad Sherman, D-California, tells CNN he believes Obama is trying

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism The thing about religious nuttery is it doesn't discriminate. I supposed that is to be expected when a belief is based solely on blind on faith lacking any connection to reason. It is likely that one day the world will cease to exist as we know it. It is equally as unlikely that when it does events will be as described in the scriptures. Yet the predictions {prophesies} keep coming every so often. And, they keep passing, every time. Fox News: ... The Rapture -- the belief that Christ will bring the faithful into paradise prior to a period of tribulation on earth that precedes the end of time -- is a relatively new notion compared to Christianity itself, and most Christians don't believe in it. And even believers rarely attempt to set a date for the event. Camping's prophecy comes from numerological calculations based on his reading of the Bible, and he says global events like the 1948

Syrians approaching Israeli border (Photo: Reuters by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism From Ynet : Pro-Palestinian activists have formed a new Facebook group calling for mass marches on Israel's borders this coming Friday. The group – "Third Palestinian Intifada" – urges Arab activists in neighboring countries to storm Israel's borders in reaction to the recent "Nakba Day" events and ensuing casualties. Several Facebook groups urge a third mass popular uprising against Israel, and one of them sports a "Friday of response" page, bearing the date May 20. The page, which currently has 100,000 "Like's", does not however give any details on how or exactly when these marches should take place. Still, various reports in the Arab media, including in al-Jazeera, suggest that activists in Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon plan to march on the Israel's borders; and that Palestinians fr

By the Left Coast Rebel Early this week I wrote a piece about Ron Paul and defense issues that got published at American Thinker. This surprised me as it was a bit provocative and covers the taboo topic -- especially among Republican circles -- of cutting the Defense Department and realigning our priorities at home and abroad. It's my first article at American Thinker . Could you please read the piece, let me know what you think, link and comment if you can? Here's the opener and link after the excerpt: Ron Paul's Controversial Statement Exposes Foreign Policy Rift By Tim Daniel Tea party favorite and libertarian stalwart Congressman Ron Paul fanned the flames of controversy last week, stating to WHO radio's Simon Conway that he in fact would not have ordered the Osama bin Laden kill, preferring, rather, an arrest and civilian-court trial for the 9-11 mastermind. Paul's statement was met with full-throated derision in GOP circles as the

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism A excellent video that concisely expresses the danger inherent in our ever increasing out of control debt. h/t: BANKRUPTING AMERICA For additional information on the facts outlined in the video find the fact sheet here . Cross posted to the Left Coast Rebel Via: Memeorandum

By: WILL "TAKE NO PRISONERS" HART Here, folks, is another example of what I consider rank dishonesty coming from Maddow. On her first day of covering that special NY 26th race, she made a humongous deal about how the Democratic candidate was 5 points ahead of the Republican candidate in what has historically been a Republican district (she also credited the Republican's support of the Ryan plan for the situation). "Hm, that's interesting", I'm thinking............................................................................................................Of course, it wasn't until 2 hours later that I learned that there was also a 3rd party candidate in that race - A TEA PARTY CANDIDATE!!!! - a tea party candidate who has no doubt been sucking votes away from the Republican. Granted, she has since acknowledged the existence of this candidate, but 24 hours after she initiated the story!.....Add to that the fact that she STILL hasn't acknowled

By the Left Coast Rebel My favorite part of the video is at the 4:15 mark. Nick Gillespie asks National Review 's Kevin Williamson, "what's the continuing romance of socialism?" Williamson simply responds, "I think it is a form of perpetual adolescence..." This truism -- the perpetual adolescence of advocates of socialism, especially in academia and the youth -- is absolutely spot on and something that I have witnessed over and over first hand. Socialist proponents (who hide under the veil of "progressive" today) exist in a pre-pubescent fairy-tale-land of candy-pooping unicorns and government-commanded utopia. "Just give up this freedom, here, and everything will be taken care of," they whisper in our ears. Too many of us fall for the ploy. It's too bad that history is littered with the dead bodies, misery and poverty (both economically and spiritually) that socialism ushers in. It's doubly frightful that we seem to have not lear

By the Left Coast Rebel I'll never forget the 2008 election. The media Obama circus was something that even I never would have expected to witness in America, truly fit for a third world nation. One particular incident in early-to-mid 2008 comes to mind. My wife and I made a trip to the local Wal Mart to grab some odds and ends...I meandered by the magazine aisle, my jaw dropped by the spectacle in front of me: every single magazine (home decor, gossip, finance, entertainment, etc.) was plastered with Dear Leader-esque Obamamania propaganda. Here's one of thousands of examples from that time: I recall another Time Magazine cover glowingly reading, "When Barry Became Barack." Three years later not much has changed. The media has created a monster. Should it come as any surprise that he thinks he's the omnipotent Dear Leader, too? Obama's statement to a group of youthful supporters his people reveals a recent Dear Leader moment. White House Dossier (emphasis