Rational Nation USA

By: Bastiatarian My family and I watched Frank Capra's classic film Meet John Doe last night. As a huge fan of Capra, Gary Cooper, and especially Barbara Stanwyck (the greatest of the greats), I've seen it many times, but it seemed to have new meaning last night in the context of our current political climate and the current administration. I noticed particularly the similarities between the John Doe Club concept and the Tea Party movement. Both are grass-roots movements unrelated to parties, both are reluctant to have any connection with politicians, both focus on individual initiative, independence, and voluntary community cooperation, and both are the targets of corrupt politicians and other members of the power-hungry elite. One of the key quotes from the film is For every John Doe movement these men kill, a new one will be born. Here are two clips that embody much of the message of the film. If you haven't seen the film (you should repent and watch it...

By: Bastiatarian Today, primary elections are being held in the State of Arizona, my state of residence. I'm not participating. I'm a firm believer in voting, and I believe that the United States has been deeply harmed by the refusal of otherwise decent people to vote. So, why am I not making the short drive to the polling place today? Because I'm not a member of any political party. Now, you many say "But, Bastiatarian, Arizona has an open primary. You don't have to be a member of a party to vote in it." My response would be something like this. Let's say you are the member of a family. As a family, you have a variety of important decisions to make, whether it is the family budget, your place of residence, your recreational activities, etc. Now let's say that one of your neighbors decides to walk into your home and tell you what he wants you to do with your family budget, your place of residence, or your recreational activities...

Image: James Cameron by the Left Coast Rebel This morning I wrapped up a Daily Caller piece that I had been working on since last night. It parallels my previous Daily Caller piece on effective global warming rebuttal and works in various angles on leftist James Cameron as well. Here's an excerpt: “Avatar” is returning to theaters — this time in an even lengthier form — but the movie’s creator seems intent on once again mocking the very people that have made his success possible. “Titanic” film director James Cameron quickly went for the oft-traversed intellectual low road of ad hominem attacks, recently attacking skeptics of global warming as those of piggish DNA. “I think they’re swine,” said Cameron to the American Renewable Energy Day Summit in Aspen Sunday night. Laughingly, Cameron piggishly proclaimed “swine” just moments after receiving eco-ovations from the environmental Aspen crowd. Why? He had praised a documentary that extolled the evils of a proposed h...

By: Bastiatarian In a 2004 interview , Barack Obama was asked a number of questions regarding his religious beliefs. His answers, however, give us less insight into his theological stance than his psychological condition. It's not a pleasant sight. At one point he is asked "Do you pray often?" His response? I think I have an ongoing conversation with God. I think throughout the day, I’m constantly asking myself questions about what I’m doing, why am I doing it. An "ongoing conversation with God" that consists of "asking [himself] questions." By itself, that statement could, with a little stretching, be chalked up to mere incomplete communication of an idea. However, later he is asked "What is sin?" His response clarifies the philosophy behind the previous quote. Obama states that sin is: Being out of alignment with my values. Now, the values that he is speaking of may be the teachings of the Bible, Christianity, his pr...