Rational Nation USA

The following brought to you by Bankrupting America . To give you an idea of just how out-of-control Washington's spending is, reports this morning show the U.S.'s gross debt-to-GDP ratio has surpassed 100% for the first time since after World War II. This ties an unfortunate bow on the mind-spinning debt ceiling debate that ended just a few days ago. But we wanted to put a little more humorous spin on the recent events. In our latest video, Randall (of Honey Badger fame) gives us a rundown of just how crazy Washington got over the last month. Via: BankruptingAmerica

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny This site promotes no religious dogma or beliefs. It does note however that our nation and culture has always been predominately Christian. The Constitution insures the freedom of religion, not the freedom from religion. Further the reference to "separation of church and state" is not to be found in the constitution. Rather it is from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the The Danbury Baptist Association in 1801, which can be found here and here . It took attorneys and Supreme Court Justices to find a way to incorporate Jefferson's " thus building a wall of separation between church and State " into what we have today. I fully agree that government has no authority with respect to religion. Interpreted ;properly this should mean the only role government should play is in assuring the right of ALL religious belief to PEACEFULLY practice their faith...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny Someday, this nation, all its people, and the politicians they elect to represent them will be forced to face reality. The objective truth is we simply will not be able to sustain continued growth in government programs financed through excessive borrowing. AFT : US debt shot up $238 billion to reach 100 percent of gross domestic project after the government's debt ceiling was lifted, Treasury figures showed Wednesday. Treasury borrowing jumped Tuesday, the data showed, immediately after President Barack Obama signed into law an increase in the debt ceiling as the country's spending commitments reached a breaking point and it threatened to default on its debt. The new borrowing took total public debt to $14.58 trillion, over end-2010 GDP of $14.53 trillion, and putting it in a league with highly indebted countries like Italy and Belgium. Public debt subject to the off...

There's good journalism. There's bad journalism....And then there's gutter journalism. A perfect example of the latter is an article that recently appeared in the " Huffington Post". A "reporter" there took the testimony of ONE anonymous and obviously disgruntled employee of Walmart and proceeded to do a hit-job on the giant retailer. According to this employee, Walmart has track record of donating rotten produce to food banks and then writing it off on their income tax. It's absurd, folks...................................................................................................First of all, the response to the article by people who, you know, ACTUALLY MANAGE AND WORK AT FOOD BANKS says that the charges here are total bullshit. Walmart , according to these folks, always presents their donated items professionally and none of these folks have ever had a problem with the quality. Secondly, food banks just flat-out don't acce...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny Flush with new money to spend on an array of new programs {or refurbished old ones} the President will soon be off to Chicago to do what he does best, party and fund raise fr his future political fortunes. A quick a quick look at the morning's breaking news. ABC News - Fresh off a bruising debt ceiling debate, and an announcement that the administration is pivoting back to a focus on jobs, Obama heads to his hometown Chicago tonight for a birthday-themed fundraiser at the historic Aragon Ballroom. Organizers expect a crowd of roughly 1000 supporters, who each paid between $50 and $35,800 to attend. The money flows to the Obama Victory Fund, a joint account for Obama’s re-election campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Guests will be entertained with performances by Chicago-native musicians Jennifer Hudson, Herbie Hancock and the rock group OK Go. The presiden...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Libe rty -vs-  Tyran ny I find it amusing the left has recently started calling those who advocate the principles of limited and responsible government "Tea Party Terrorists." The Tea Party may not have all the right answers granted, but they are not terrorists. I suppose we ought to know by now what to expect from the big spenders, whether they be from the repub or the dem party. As they are really one in the same. The "Tea Party Terrorists" label so freely used at many liberal/progressive sites amounts to nothing more than political hyperbole. Of the worst and most disingenuous kind I will add. In thinking about it all I've come up with what I believe to be a more accurate labeling. One that can, and does, apply to many in both parties. Although I'm sure those that it applies to would deny its truth.                ...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny It is looking more and more like the "deal" may get done. As we anxiously wait the final outcome I am reminded that "the devil lies in the details." Republicans on Sunday framed an emerging debt-ceiling agreement as largely giving them what they wanted in a debt deal. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also pushed back against suggestions the prolonged fight over raising the debt ceiling has hurt the GOP, which the White House has accused of intransigence in the talks. "I don't think we've been hurt at all," McConnell said on CBS's "Face the Nation." "The American people wanted us to do something about out-of-control spending and … the debt ceiling is going to produce what many people would believe is a complete change in the trajectory of the federal government beginning to get spending under control,” sai...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny A deal to raise the federal debt ceiling is in the works. If it goes through, many commentators will declare that disaster was avoided. But they will be wrong. For the deal itself, given the available information, is a disaster, and not just for President Obama and his party. It will damage an already depressed economy; it will probably make America’s long-run deficit problem worse, not better; and most important, by demonstrating that raw extortion works and carries no political cost, it will take America a long way down the road to banana-republic status. Start with the economics. We currently have a deeply depressed economy. We will almost certainly continue to have a depressed economy all through next year. And we will probably have a depressed economy through 2013 as well, if not beyond. The worst thing you can do in these circumstances is slash government spending, since ...