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...

By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA Sunday night August 22, 2010. Feeling in a funky mood. You know, that kinda night when you need to find your groove... After a long and arduous week fighting for individualism, liberty, the Constitution. Just doing what needs to be done even when your getting your a** kicked. Yeah, you'all know what I mean. Right? Kickin back now. Having a glass of fine wine with my special person and better half.. Enjoying the fine soft jazz of  Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley.  Next week is... well, another week. Enjoy!

By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA I have chosen, up until now, not to waste my time on that piece of d*g cr*p that is Micheal Moore. To say the man is unworthy of being given even a grain of respect is a huge understatement. This overstuffed butterball of American hating bile would do us all a favor if he found somewhere else to spew his useless yet dangerous  garbage. So much for the rant, no on to the point. Moore has recently came out and once again shown his true colors. He is not only calling Pfc. Bradley Manning, the traitor that leaked sensitive military documents to WikiLeaks courageous and a patriot, as well as donating to his defense fund, he is calling on his Facebook page to "LEAK EVERYTHING YOU GOT." This piece of human excrement apparently  has no idea of the danger these leaks have put our American soldiers in and possibly Afghan families. This from The Hill:   M...

By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA Campaign finance reform, stop corporations from contributing to what they view as in their best interest. Shut down the right to free speech.  Blame the Supreme Court, their recent decision (a correct one I might add for Liberty) will be the end of our republic to listen to the ObamaNation. Now let us take a look at corporate contributions to Obama's presidential campaign. Source David Drake . Donor: Goldman Sachs & Co. How Much:  $627,730 Donor: JP Morgan How Much:  $398,021 Donor: Citigroup How Much:  $393,899 Donor: UBS AG How Much:  $378,400 Donor: Google How Much:  $373,212 Donor: Lehman Brothers How Much:  $353,922 Donor: National Amusements How Much:  $352,603 Not only does Obama have Big Corporate Interests backing him, he also has an organization of money "bundlers" that out rivals his competition, both Democrat and Republican. Vo...

by the Left Coast Rebel Lots of quotable moments here: "The greatest gift to the libertarian electorate was the Obama administration." "Libertarians are treated as if they have quirky beliefs precisely because they are consistent." "To the extent that we do have a libertarian electororate - it tends to be younger people (and) it tends to be people who have a background in economics...." Reason TV, How Obama Revived the Freedom Movement: John J. Pitney, Jr. on the libertarian electorate: Cross posted to Left Coast Rebel.