Rational Nation USA

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Libe rty -vs- Tyra nny Rep. Ron Paul - Republican Presidential Candidate I read with great interest Ron Paul's recent statements in Iowa with respect to the 911 attacks on America by Islamic extremists and their primary motivation. Nowhere in candidate Paul's statement did I see where he justified the attacks that resulted in the death of 3,000 plus Americans. What I did read was a rational analysis of what motivated the attackers and why they were so motivated. Call it thinking outside the confines of a restricted and often myopic view of reality. In other words Paul is saying first seek to understand the motivations of a dangerous extremist group and then seek to effect ways to change their reality. IE: Perception. Because perception is reality to all people who perceive. Those who perpetrated the 911 attacks on America were monsters, and they deserved to face a full and justified...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny Rick Perry , the new "hot" candidate of the Tea Party , has intrigued me since he hit the national scene and declared his candidacy for the republican nomination for President. Mr.Polish has been selling himself as the conservative alternative to President Obama and business as usual in DC. But is Mr. Polish really a conservative with proven bona fides? Me thinks not. In fact as my research progressed it became clear Mr. Polish is much more the big government profligate spender and corporate kinda guy {read corporate whore} than I originally suspected. Some of Mr. Polish's most severe critics actually come from the fiscally conservative right. A right I willingly take credit for being a part of. What I find most befuddling is how anyone with a modicum of understanding of what true conservatism is can be fooled by Mr. Polish. Given my skepticism of Mr. Polis...

Ron Paul is considered by many to be a flake (myself included at times). But he was 100% right about one thing, folks. The fellow totally predicted the housing/financial crisis. Here is a portion of his direct testimony before the House Financial Services Committee on September 10th, 2003 (forewarning us on the destructive consequences that an unchecked Fannie and Freddie would eventually level on the U.S. economy)............: "Ironically, by transferring the risk of a widespread mortgage default, the government increases the likelihood of a painful crash in the housing market. This is because the special privileges granted to Fannie and Freddie have distorted the housing market by allowing them to attract capital they could not attract under pure market conditions. As a result, capital is diverted from its most productive use into housing. This reduces the efficacy of the entire market and thus reduces the standard of living of all Americans. Despite the l...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny Adam Smith has been caricatured by some as endorsing greed, much as his modern counterpart Ayn Rand has been by today's political left. The truth is neither were advocating a society driven by greed. Rather both advocated a society driven by rational self interest . Which is to say a free and open market economy. Both Adam Smith and Ayn Rand would likely find the American political, economic, and social system of today anti rational. Rational self interest dictates that not only do you work for prosperity for yourself and family but also for society at large. Individuals, businesses, and government must grow to understand this, and act accordingly if the country is to ever return to economic stability and real national prosperity. Today corporatism and crony capitalism are systems that benefit the few and often reward the most unworthy. In doing so capitalism, as well as...

Click To Enlarge With their debt ceiling agreement, Congress touted the nearly $1 trillion in spending "cuts" as a sign they were ushering in a new era of fiscal responsibility. But is this really the case? In addition to the spending reductions, the deal included a spending cap on discretionary outlays. Putting a cap on how much the federal government can spend? Sounds reasonable. But what good does a spending cap do if Congress just ignores it and spends more? And even if they did operate within the cap, where does it get us if the spending cap just increases from year to year? Indeed. h/t: Bankrupting America

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny It is being reported the FLOTUS has spent million on holiday and vacation getaways in the last year. Most of course on the public's dime. Sounds a bit like Royalty to me I must say. Now before the uber liberals, who seem to find nothing even remotely questionable with anything the FLOTUS does, let me say I fully understand her desire for the finest. After all the lady does have looks. She exudes fashion. One can say she exemplifies class. Hell, there are probably millions who think the POTUS is a pretty lucky guy. Did I forget to mention the FLOTUS has intelligence, and no doubt can engage with the best of the intelligentsia and the political powers here at home, as well as around the globe? Here, for your reading amusement are some excepts from Mail OnLine : The Obamas' summer break on Martha's Vineyard has already been branded a PR disaster after the couple ar...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny Received via e-mail from a Rational Nation subscriber... We just couldn't resist publishing. Enjoy! Two Alligators were sitting around talking, and the smaller Alligator turned to the bigger one & said, 'I can't understand how you can be so much bigger than me. We're the same age; we were the same size as kids. I just don't get it. 'Well,' said the big Gator, 'what have you been eating?' 'Politicians, same as you,' replied the small Gator. 'Hmm. Well, where do you catch them?' 'Down the other side of the swamp near the parking lot by the Capitol' 'Same here. Hmm. How do you catch them?' 'Well, I crawl up under one of their Lexus cars & wait for one to unlock the car door. Then I jump out, grab them by the leg, shake the shit out of them and eat 'em! 'Ah!' says t...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny CBS NEWS - The latest posting by the Treasury Department shows the national debt has now increased $4 trillion on President Obama's watch. The debt was $10.626 trillion on the day Mr. Obama took office. The latest calculation from Treasury shows the debt has now hit $14.639 trillion. It's the most rapid increase in the debt under any U.S. president. The national debt increased $4.9 trillion during the eight-year presidency of George W. Bush. The debt now is rising at a pace to surpass that amount during Mr. Obama's four-year term. Mr. Obama blames policies inherited from his predecessor's administration for the soaring debt. He singles out: "two wars we didn't pay for" "a prescription drug program for seniors...we didn't pay for." "tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 that were not paid for." { Read More } Indeed the Obama a...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny As a conservative/libertarian I cannot help but be amazed by the progressives inability to accept the truth that the past can indeed teach society something of value. Perhaps this affliction stems from the desire for rapid uncontrolled change and the desire to do something, or anything, just to be able to say they supported something. Whether it works or not is not the primary concern or issue to the radical element(s). The same can be said of the radical element(s) on the right. Being a student of history, and drawing from the wisdom of patriotic American intellectuals from prior generations, I found the following quite interesting as well as spot on. From the playbook of Classical Liberalism: "Without justice being freely, fully, and impartially administered, neither our persons, nor our rights, nor our property, can be protected. And if these, or either of them, are...

By: Pamela D. Hart Here we go again! Obama wants to stimulate the economy and create jobs with…yep you guessed it, STIMULUS! And we know how well THAT worked in 2009! Those Shovel Ready jobs weren’t as shovel ready as they expected, we found out two years later, although, those of us on the Right knew they weren’t, but hey, why listen to us, we only wanted jobs created by the private sector, not TAX dollars. And that’s what Obama is proposing now…or so the “leaked” info says. According to the information “leaked” to the press , once President Obama returns to the White House after his vacation, he’s going to propose targeted tax breaks for companies that hire, mortgage relief for struggling homeowners and infrastructure deals…um didn’t we do that in 2009? Wasn’t that part of the almost one trillion in so-called stimulus? This is déjà vu! And it’s going to be déjà vu all over again with results. We NEED private sector jobs, NOT jobs created by tax dollars. Even Jan Sch...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Consevatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny After what seemed a never ending fiasco {debate} over raising the debt ceiling and deficit reduction {spending cuts} the Congress and the President produced results that could allow both sides to claim a win. Well a partial win anyway. And the United States triple A rating was lowered to double A plus. A downgrade that will cost the tax payers of the nation in future years. So what is the actual reality behind all the hoopla? From Bankrupting America : The months-long debt ceiling debate ended abruptly and just in time as Congress reached an agreement to raise the limit and cut nearly $1 trillion in spending. But is it really fair to call those spending reductions cuts? A closer look at the numbers reveals that the agreement doesn’t actually cut spending from current levels, but merely slows the rate at which spending increases. Check out our latest infographic below where w...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny Polling results are interesting. They provide a snapshot of the public's opinion with respect to the perceived job performance of the President. The President's approval ratings are on a decided southward slide. With the nation's dismal economic performance and high unemployment following the stimulus package and bailouts it is no wonder his approval rating is tanking. WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, who political experts say will need a win in Pennsylvania to retain the White House, dipped to 35 percent approval among the state's registered voters, according to a Muhlenberg College poll released Friday. The results come on the heels of a bad week in polls for Obama that showed him first dropping to 39 percent nationwide in Gallup's daily tracking poll. Then another set of Gallup results Thursday showed only 26 percent of Americans approve of how Obama ...

by: Joe Hagstrom It struck me as not just ironic but hilarious that the same outfit that downgraded U.S. Government debt thinks it needs to downgrade state and local governments credit because they won't be getting enough borrowed money from Uncle Sam. The fact is we're all on the government teat to some degree or another. Screaming about government debt and then complaining because our states or municipalities don't get enough help from the Feds is hypocritical and disingenuous. Quite frankly, anyone who complains about debt without the willingness to sacrifice their own goodies, whether it be an interest tax deduction on a home mortgage, or the closure of a military base or reduction of airplane orders. Or a grant to help pay for an exhibit at the local museum. Whatever, you need to shut the hell up. Editor's Note: Joe is a left leaning blogger who maintains a rational perspective. He brings to the table a realistic view that is more often than not worth con...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny Seven of the top ten wealthiest members of Congress are democrats. An interesting bit of information I suppose. At the end of the day what is the practical usefulness of this information? I mean really. Other than it explains perhaps why they really show little concern for the true voice of the people. Roll Call - To determine the richest lawmakers, Roll Call adds up the minimum value of total assets reported by each Member on their annual financial disclosures and subtracts the minimum liabilities. Percent change refers to the change since last year's disclosure forms. An asset valued at $5 million to $25 million is counted at the lesser amount, as is a liability valued at $1 million to $5 million. You can visit previous editions of 50 Richest lists here. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) $294.21 Million Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) $220.40 Million Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass....

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny Bad news for the President just keeps coming. It seems the more he does the worse it gets for the Chief Executive Officer. GALLUP - A new low of 26% of Americans approve of President Barack Obama’s handling of the economy, down 11 percentage points since Gallup last measured it in mid-May and well below his previous low of 35% in November 2010. Obama earns similarly low approval for his handling of the federal budget deficit (24%) and creating jobs (29%). What puzzles me is why anybody believes the President or the government is, or should be, in the business of creating jobs. Other than the bureaucratic ones requird to run Leviathan. In a capitalist system it is the job of the producers {businesses} to produce the products and services demanded by consumers. It is the job of government to create an environment in which competitive businesses can prosper. Having said the a...

Due to pressing issues content at Rational Nation will be limited for the foreseeable future. I thank all readers of this humble blog for their continued readership. While posting will be limited and sporadic for sometime, regular blog activity will resume when time allows. Thank you, Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny                For The Want  Politicians With Integrity Rick Perry . Another in a very long line of so called fiscal conservative republican candidates that promise to "take America back." Of course his candidacy will be packaged with the usual hyperbole, half truths, and pandering to the power brokers that control the parties agenda. Party politics as usual. I'm thinking, right. Here we go again. We are living in historic times. Not only are the dynamics of our nation changing, the dynamics of the whole wide world are changing as well. Perhaps this change requires a new brand of conservative/libertarian thinking. So you ask, exactly what does the foregoing mean . Well  for starters... Thinking that is both conservative, yet outside the box Realizing that there is indeed room to significan...

 Barbara Jean Carpenter            1934 - 2007 It has been four years since you had to leave Mom. And, it is true that with time the pain of losing a loved one lessens. Yet there is never a day that passes without you entering my thoughts. I often find myself thinking back to those days, now long past, when your quiet strength, and steady hand were always there helping guide me into adulthood. You lead all your children by example. And by your example we became better people. It helps to talk to you Mom.  Even though you can't answer I suspect you are out there, somewhere in the vast universe, keeping an eye over us all. I know a part of you resides in me. I miss you Mom, and I love you. Your Son August 14, 2010 is the third year of our beloved mother's passing. Our mother was the pillar of our family's strength. A women who never complained about her troubles and was always there to support us in her ...

1) The law of unintended consequences. 2) The law/point of diminishing returns. 3) The fact that when you subsidize something, you generally tend to get more of it. 4) Nuance/complexity/vicissitudes. 5) Compromise. 6) The "double-edged sword". 7) Pragmatism. 8) Open-mindedness. 9) The fact that we don't have political enemies but political opponents. 10) Cognitive dissonance. 11) Doubt. 12) Dialectical thinking. 13) Humility. 14) The fact that hyperbole (Bush is Hitler, Obama is Hitler, etc.)/"true believing" can often be destructive. 15) Perspective-taking. 16) The need to NOT take oneself so seriously. 17) Self-deprecation. 18) The fact that unfettered spinning tends to make a person look moronic. 19) Contingency awareness/the limitations of human knowledge/multi-causality. 20) Friendships based upon things other than politics. 21) Impartiality (the fact that "your person" doesn't always win the debate)/the need to sometimes give cre...

Via: Someone Who Cares

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tryanny Joe Scarborough's remarks with respect to Michelle Bachmann's utterly ridiculous statements during Thursday evening republican debate are spot on. Mediaite - The morning after a big political event is always a good day for morning news programs such as MSNBC’s Morning Joe... What sets Morning Joe apart from its competition is the unpredictable, and sometimes brutally candid, assessments that often surprise. ake for example the following rant by host Joe Scarborough, who was without relent in completely dismissing the candidacy of Michele Bachmann, and the political import of Iowa as well. The nut of the comment is sure to be talked about for some time: Michele Bachmann’s first answer, Mark Halperin, was, I wish the federal government had defaulted…had defaulted a week after Americans lost, some of them, perhaps, lost half of their pensions. Lost half of their 4...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny Rational thought again prevails. It's now on the the High Court. (Reuters) - The U.S. Appeals Court for the 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta, ruled 2 to 1 that Congress exceeded its authority by requiring Americans to buy coverage, but it unanimously reversed a lower court decision that threw out the entire law. The legality of the individual mandate, a cornerstone of the healthcare law, is widely expected to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Opponents have argued that without the mandate, which goes into effect in 2014, the entire law falls. The law, adopted by Congress in 2010 after a bruising battle, is expected to be a major political issue in the 2012 elections as Obama seeks another term. All the major Republican presidential candidates have opposed it. Skip "This economic mandate represents a wholly novel and potentially unbounded assertion of congressional ...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny CNN - Palin is bringing her Constitution-draped bus to the Iowa State Fair, just 30 miles south of where the Republican presidential field will take the stage on Thursday for a presidential debate in Ames. It's not yet clear which day the tour begins, but her surprise arrival in Iowa will happen before the closely watched Ames straw poll. Palin is not on the straw poll ballot. A Gallup survey out Tuesday showed that Palin generates more enthusiasm among GOP voters than most of the candidates already in the race. And as Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour recently put it, "she could raise enough money to burn a wet mule." Her advisers have long emphasized that such star power gives her the ability to delay a decision about joining the race until after Labor Day. Palin has pointed to September as a loose deadline for making a decision about whether she will seek the GO...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace Of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny Question for the Tea Party, is it time to rethink position and strategy? Given the trending one would have to say yes methinks. Rasmussen - More voters still think the average Tea Party member has a better handle on America’s problems than the average member of Congress does, but there’s a sharp difference of opinion between Democrats and Republicans. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of all Likely U.S. Voters believe the average member of the Tea Party has a better understanding of the problems America faces today, while 34% think the average member of Congress is more clued in. Twenty-four percent (24%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) Still, that marks a 10-point drop in confidence in the Tea Party from March of last year when 52% felt the average member of the grass roots smaller government group had a better under...

Some things are just too fine for words.

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace o Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny As the chickens come home to roast... Unbelievable we have been this stupid. ( Reuters ) - Global leaders on Saturday arranged a round of emergency calls to discuss the twin debt crises in Europe and the United States that are causing turmoil in financial markets . After a week that saw $2.5 trillion wiped off global stock markets, they are under pressure to show political leadership and reassure markets that Western governments have both the will and ability to reduce their huge and growing public debt loads. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who chairs the G7/G20 group of leading economies, conferred with Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of a call planned for this weekend by G7 finance ministers and central bankers. "They discussed the euro area and the U.S. debt downgrade. Both agreed the importance of working together, monitoring the situation closely ...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny The debt ceiling/deficit reduction debate/crises is concluded. The result? Our nation avoided defaulting on its obligations. A good thing. That and the Congress & President now have the green light to spend a couple trillion plus more over the next year and a half. Not a good thing. Of course the special "super commission" is supposed to come up with an additional trillion and a half in spending cuts. Cuts both the Congress and the President will have to approve or the triggers dems fear will kick in and automatic spending cuts will occur. That's the plan at this point anyway. We'll see. The forthcoming debate over how to handle the details of "the deal" will be every bit as rancorous as the debt ceiling/deficit reduction debate just concluded. Such is American politics. We can all be relatively certain given recent history that the American peo...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny Amazing, truly amazing! h/t: Breitbart Via: Memeorandum

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny In a nutshell folks get ready for the biggest TAX increase you likely have witnessed in your lifetime. The taxing party of America will be peddling "good ole Harry's" line for sometime to come. That would be until they get the tax increases they have been salivating for since Obama extended the Bush tax cuts. The Hill Standard & Poor's decision to downgrade the nation's credit rating reinforces Democrats' call for increasing tax revenue, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Friday. In a statement, Reid said: The action by S&P reaffirms the need for a balanced approach to deficit reduction that combines spending cuts with revenue-raising measures like closing taxpayer-funded giveaways to billionaires, oil companies and corporate jet owners. This makes the work of the joint committee all the more important, and shows why leaders shoul...