Littlestuff Weekender-5-14-2011

Littlestuff Weekender-5-14-2011

It’s an honor to be speaking in Austintown today at the “Rally for the Constitution.” My topic is “Why Liberty?” It’s a topic that I use often although the content changes based on current events and the awareness of the audience. The bottom line is that liberty should be the primary criterion for all of our political action. We don’t want to drive out big government weenies only to have a new set of Nanny Staters.

Our radio program, “Eye on Toledo,” continues on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6:00pm to 7:00pm on 1370 WSPD ( www.wspd.com ). Coming soon a once-a –week segment called the “Liberty Link” wherein we interview leaders from NW Ohio liberty, patriot, 912 and Tea Party groups so that disgruntled citizens can learn who to contact to become involved.

Frosty truly enjoys splashing in the pond when the weather gets warm, but….he does smell like a wet dog.

Coming your way on Monday will be “Four-letter Words.” I think you’ll find it thought provoking.

The original date for the debt ceiling showdown was supposed to be Monday, but Little Timmy, the Treasury Secretary from Oz, has found a way to put off the day of reckoning until July. Does the term “mythical money” mean anything to you? He is transferring money from government employee pension funds to fund our wasteful spending. A significant portion of those pension funds were contributions by the EMPLOYEES! In other words…the feds are stealing private funds to fund their waste. Next up: 401K’s and IRA’s. Be wary.

It pains me to write this, but our government lies to us…continually. As an example, take the rate of inflation as calculated by the feds. The clowns leave out fuel and food when they factor the impact of inflation on the “market basket.” That’s no big deal if you don’t drive, run your lawn mower or …eat. Similar issues exist with their “unemployment rate.” As you are aware when unemployment funds expire for out-of-work people, the government assumes that they have stopped seeking work. Therefore they are no longer considered as unemployed. So, when the stated figure is 9%, you can assume that the real figure is 15% or greater. Another government lie.

A 14.3 Trillion dollar debt can be paid off at $100 million dollars a DAY in ….392 years. The more Congress dithers and diddles, the longer it will take to do the job. The monstrous task is why we cannot allow the debt to become larger, and why we must reduce spending. The most effective way to reduce spending is to radically shrink the size of government. Congress must stop pussyfooting and get on with the job at hand. Think about 392 years…how many generations is that? Our nation was founded 224 years ago. Our career politicians should be indicted for dereliction of duty.

At least once per week I decide that I’m tired…too tired, then Congress or “What’s his name,” the President, or the courts does something stupid…something that limits my freedom, and I get angry. So I keep on fighting back when I would rather spend more time working on my little Pat-Ch of Paradise or playing golf or woodworking. Those idiots in government are too stupid to realize that they are radically ticking us off when we would rather do other things. They are forcing us to pay attention to what they are doing. They are forcing us to stay involved. They are forcing us to resist the insanity of their actions. They are forcing us to oppose them. They are forcing us.

Anyone with a bit of common sense knows that before a problem can be solved, it must be identified and defined. We all know that our nation is in deep trouble on a number of fronts. Clearly our financial situation for the government and for many citizens is precarious at best and near collapse at the worst. Our liberties are systematically being eroded as governments grasp one straw after another to address “problems”…. Some of them real issues, others contrived to allow the government to seize more power. The largest disconnect in this whole scenario is that governments will not face the truth and honestly tell us the real truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. As a result, more and more people distrust and despise the government at all levels. Because of this development when governments actually tell the truth, the people do not believe. It’s a merry-go-round of lies, half-truths, cynicism and skepticism, and everyone suffers.

May is nearly half gone. Enjoy the remainder. Work for freedom. Live for liberty, and be vigilant.

Comment:   cearlwriting@hotmail.com     or   www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com

Spring Cleaning

A reader and friend sent an email to me about how a group of lab monkeys reacted over time when faced with cold reality and obstacles. The moral of the story was that the monkeys learned their behavior from the experience of other monkeys, and if one wants to change the mind-set in Congress, the whole group has to be turned out. If voters fail to remove incumbents in a wholesale fashion, the returning legislators will infect the newcomers with their “this is the way we do it” attitude. Our nation doesn’t have the luxury of ample time to slowly transform the mentality of career politicians.

With all 435 Members of the House of Representatives up for (re) election plus a third of the Senate in 2012, the task is a daunting one. The first problem is finding candidates who are knowledgeable, energetic and willing to take on the status quo. In addition, rookie candidates must raise adequate funds and dedicate one year of their lives to non-stop campaigning. It becomes a brutal obstacle course, but with the state of the nation at stake, one would hope and pray that patriots step forward. Once those who are willing to tackle the monumental task of running for office have been identified, it becomes absolutely necessary for patriots, liberty groups, Tea Parties and their like-minded associates to commit to knocking on every door, raising funds and seeking out campaign opportunities for the candidates. Merely begging someone to run and then leaving them to their own devices for success is a fraudulent approach to restoring the political structure. Recruit, endorse, support and work…and work…then work some more. The same formula will work for the state General Assembly. In Ohio we have 99 House seats and 33 Senate districts so that means that in 2012 all House seats will be “open” and half the Senate.

If you’re doing the calculus, you’ll note that some liberty-patriot groups will have to do “double duty.” In Ohio, for example, each Congressional district will contain approximately six (6) state house slots and one or two state senate races. The activists within a given Congressional district should co-ordinate and divide responsibilities and emphasis. The theorists of warfare and football recommend finding the opponent’s weakest point, then attacking and exploiting it. The nature of the political beast, however, changes the strategic plan from a directed one to an all-out assault across the entire front of action. This approach will require massive people power and tons of money. If any district or area of the state falls down and fails to uphold their end, the two old parties can divert resources from the weakened area into other more competitive races. It is vital, therefore, for the sweeping effect to succeed that every liberty or patriot group and every active member be immersed in the effort.

So why call this piece “Spring Cleaning?” In Ohio and many other states the candidate filing deadline is earlier than normal because of the advanced primary dates next year. December 7^th, 2011, is the filing date for partisan office in Ohio for the 2012 General Election. That date is a mere 6.5 months away. If candidates must be recruited, now is the time. If others have decided to run, build the team and design the plan for victory. The cleaning of the Congress and the General Assembly must begin this spring. If it doesn’t, the eventual candidates and supporters will be at a significant disadvantage. I’ve participated in and coordinated campaigns at all levels…earlier is better. So, apply your thinking caps, Patriots, the time for a clean sweep of the system is now…or never. Despite their legendary thick-headedness, politicians will recognize a threat when it affects them personally. If the liberty movement is not up to speed, the politicians will win and then devise methods for limiting the input of citizens…self-protective retribution.

Come on, 21^st Century Paul and Paulette Reveres, mount your steeds and sound the alarms. The membership must be awakened from their slumber and assembled on the village green. The Turncoats are coming!!! They must be confronted and defeated, or we should prepare to live in tyranny. The door of opportunity is not a swinging door. When it opens, we must charge through…and not look back.

Tomorrow we’ll review the “Cleaning Supplies” that we’ll need to sweep out the old political class.

Comment:  cearlwriting@hotmail.com     or     www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com

Cleaning Supplies

When the time arrives for Spring Cleaning, an ample collection of the proper supplies is essential for completing the task. If we begin with the floors, we’ll need carpet cleaner and floor wax. Our political parallel is the candidates. In order for our clean sweep to be successful we must have capable, principled and informed candidates. While some of the conspiracy theories floating around the internet may have validity, they will not resonate with the electorate at large and may reduce our candidate’s status to a punch line for a political joke. For example, Dr. Ron Paul has solid reasoning and constitutional foundation for his positions yet the media and political class demean and marginalize him at every opportunity. Our candidates will lack Dr. Paul’s experience and savvy so they cannot afford the luxury of appearing “too far out there.”

Principles of constitutional government, individual liberty and property rights should be the cornerstone of every candidate’s campaign. Examples of egregious violations of each principle should be researched and saved into the mental arsenal for use in debates, speeches and general conversation. It should be noted that a candidate who runs on “cutting spending” cannot be fully trusted. Consider that we have a theoretical budget of $1000 of which we borrow $430. Cutting spending could mean that we spend $999 and borrow $429. The candidate must be committed to constitutional principles that are defined by the enumerated powers.

The walls and windows represent the structure between the floor and the roof. The volunteers who work with the candidates to achieve victory are the links between the candidate and good governing. Every solid congressional candidate should have a minimum of 125 dedicated workers to provide the manpower for a legitimate door-to-door campaign. Personal contact remains the best method for winning voters, and volunteers who represent the candidate are a powerful surrogate. The potential congressperson will need another group of volunteers for “bird-dogging’ appearance opportunities, scheduling, driving the candidate, answering phones and making calls, and all the various and sundry tasks that a well-oiled campaign requires. People, people, people are needed. If the Tea parties, Liberty groups, Patriot organizations and 912 projects cannot or will not supply the necessary personnel to conduct a credible campaign, then we may as well spit into the wind. We’ll continue to get the spineless big spenders we obviously deserve.

Each legislative campaign will require twenty five or more dedicated volunteers to handle the same type of activities that we anticipate for the congressional races. State Senate campaigns would require roughly 60-75 patriots working. It’s rather easy to note that a massive number of absolutely committed people will be needed to totally transform the political culture in D.C. and the state capitol. I am not convinced that most Tea Party-type organizations have the numbers, stomach or the will to do what has to be done. If they do not, convincing future candidates to engage in futile campaigns will become increasingly difficult. The moment is now. If the walls are unstable or dirty, the building cannot be cleaned.

The capstone or roof of our building and cleaning supplies is money. There are three basic components of any campaign: money, manpower and material…the three M’s. Obviously it takes money to purchase the material, and the material is vital for the volunteers (manpower) to disburse as they go door-to-door. Despite an all out face-to-face effort by the volunteers, the candidate’s message will have to be repeated and reinforced through mass media. Most of the media outlets will be hostile toward a constitutional candidate so paid media will be needed. So, mucho dinero will be necessary to assure that the effort receives the maximum exposure. Volunteers should initiate fundraising events for candidates because, please remember, most new candidates will NOT be independently wealthy or be experienced political fundraisers. In fact, most new principled candidates will be extremely hesitant to ask for support…financial or physical. The supporters have to take the initiative. If we allow politics to be practiced as it usually is, we’ll get the politics as usual.

People committed to constitutional government and personal freedom must move out of their comfort zones. Your commitment to liberty MUST exceed your reluctance and fear. Going to meetings, attending rallies and engaging in never-ending email threads will not save our republic. Hard-core feet-on-the-ground, knuckles on doors and dollars in the kitty may work. True belief and conviction migrates from the heart and mind to the whole body’s involvement. Hope is invaluable, but it is not enough in the political universe. Work…lots of it…is required. Just do it.

Comment:  cearlwriting@hotmail.com     or   www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com

Info Control

In many respects the internet has made our lives much easier. Information from numerous sources can be instantaneously retrieved and analyzed. The flip side is that some of the material is untrustworthy, large portions of it is opinion, and fantastic mythic themes become part of the mainstream because of massive circulation throughout the web. The discerning reader must approach the reams of information with caution as he-she seeks to separate truth from fiction. The internet has provided a forum for ordinary people who are not well-connected politically to join in the national conversation. The “net” empowers common citizens to challenge the narratives of the governing elites and their lackeys, the main stream media. The digital highway, though, is not a one-way street. Government and big-government advocacy groups are frenzied participants in the digital information age.

Back in my days as a GOP activist and committed small-government conservative, I was usually dismayed by how ineffective limited government proponents were when it came to “messaging.” In my view the big spenders always controlled the narrative. It fell upon constitutionalists to disprove negatives time after time. We are not heartless. We do not want granny to die…many of us are grannies and grampies. For example the public monopoly in education has been a dismal failure, and has largely been controlled by the teachers’ unions and the leftist agenda for half a century. Yet whenever a small government constitutionalist would remind the people that education is not an enumerated power for the federal government, she or he would be ostracized as “anti-children” or as one in favor of ignorance. Although the data supported the notion that many schools were under performing and college entrance exam scores were sinking, the discussion would be targeted on conservative’s lack of concern for children rather than on the abysmal performance of many, particularly urban, schools.

Even when writing my daily columns, I fall into the trap of pessimism and defensive negativity. As a former college teacher, I envision my mission as one of education. My desire to inform my audience of issues and the underlying principles is my motivation. I do, however, slip into the critical mode rather frequently because of my long experience with politicians of all stripes and both parties who believe that constitutional government, individual freedom, and personal property rights are old fashioned concepts. I have been mystified for a long time about politicians’ failure to understand the basic appeal of limited government and personal freedom. Having served in the political realm, I can attest that many politicians are not intellectually gifted, nor are they conversant with principle. My sense is that most politicians prefer to roll with the flow, and while big government acolytes control the messages and the narratives, most political types lack the will or wisdom to change the dialogue of debate.

Thus, it is the patriot citizens who must change the discussion. When we become involved in the nuance of policies and programs, we lose because we will be arguing on the leftist and RINO turf. We must emphasize individual liberty and responsible, effective constitutional government at every opportunity. Merely speaking of smaller, less expensive government in the generic sense will not win the day. Our message, our approach should focus on the positive aspects of constitutional government and more individual liberty. Policies, programs, agencies, bureaus and laws do not matter if they do not conform to and respect the Constitution. When we are challenged by someone who states that we are woefully out of touch and behind the times, we should encourage our opponents to offer constitutional amendments and “let the people decide.” This turns their argument from our ‘regressive” attitudes toward their infatuation with democracy. We should never ask for “more freedom.” Our unalienable rights are absolute and dare not be doled out in tiny increments. If we firmly and graciously stand our ground for freedom, constitutional government and property rights, the challengers will be forced to defend their denial of those principles.

Property rights will be the most problematic because the moderate/lefty approach is to brand us as greedy people who seek to cling to our acquisitions. Perhaps the most effective counter measure may be to cite the “Kelo” decision whereby the Supreme Court ruled that people’s homes could be taken by eminent domain for corporate development. Whether big corporations or big government are guilty, the violation of property rights is harmful and hurtful…particularly when the damaged party is poor or a member of the “working class.” A positive defense may help us to turn the conversation from a defensive one to a logical offensive action

Comment:  cearlwriting@hotmail.com      or     www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com

 

Every Little Thing

An anomaly is something that is extraordinary or abnormal. In a nation of 312 million people we have a huge government apparatus which slinks into action whenever there is a freak occurrence in an attempt to regulate it or prevent it from happening again. The nature of government agencies is too attack the problem for which they were created then identify or “create” additional issues requiring their intervention. Freakish things happen, and it is not a necessary rule of Natural Law or Biblical Law that government has to ride to the rescue. Where is it written that every mishap that we encounter during the day-to-day living of our existence has to be pristine and hazard free? Because we live in a democratic republic, where and when has government been given or assumed the power to micro-regulate every facet of our lives?

When the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was created did the legislators anticipate that every aspect of food consumption and remedies for ailments (including the natural, organic ones) should be minutely regulated? Certainly we do not want our medicines to cause us harm, but many natural products are beneficial without the many side-effects that plague the artificial pharmaceutical industry. If we assume that the human made products may be stronger and more beneficial than the products of nature, shouldn’t the choice be left to the consumer…the patient whether or not to ingest or inject the artificial compounds? As long as full disclosure is available for artificial and natural products, the FDA has no valid interest in preempting the choices of consumers. Nevertheless, a growing arrogant bureaucracy feels compelled to limit the freedom of consumers in order to justify its budgetary existence…and increases.

Individual liberty requires that we exercise personal responsibility. When we implement our unalienable rights to their full measure, we may mess up or choose unwisely from time to time. Government has no responsibility or mandate to prevent our making unwise choices. By eliminating the opportunities for our bad choices government, in essence, unnaturally restricts our options. The regulatory effort to “do good” in effect does harm by curtailing our freedoms. The underlying assumption for overreaching government rule making and regulation is that government is privy to the best and most useful information. The reality is that government is constantly besieged by special interests and weirdo advocates whose efforts to direct the bureaucratic focus often result in rules that endorse unproven and unreliable methods. Big government regulation is not benignly committed to saving the citizens from drastic consequences of nefarious corporations and scam artists. The regulatory regime dedicated to identifying products, services and remedies that it approves, and forcing the people to be limited to those choices under penalty of law. If you WANT to chew dandelion leaves to ward off the heartbreak of halitosis, by what natural or supernatural right does the government deny your freedom to do so?

The Nanny may be well-meaning although something as huge and impersonal as a government agency or program has no feelings. Good intentions can never replace our freedoms. The Nanny State’s desire to control (limit) our lives so tightly may lead to the government conclusion to ban all sharp objects…just in case we might be silly enough to run while holding them. Of course, a ban on sharp things could limit our ability to fend off tyranny, too. It could become a simple little side benefit for Big Brother to consider. Government’s decisions about what may be a better choice for us may be correct. On the other hand their determinations may not be the best ones for us as individuals. Whether the government’s assessments are right or wrong isn’t important. The key element is that as reasoning individuals who have natural rights and unalienable rights assigned from our Creator, critical choices are ours to make. Government has no right or duty to usurp our rights…our liberty.

Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States assigns seventeen enumerated powers and responsibilities for the federal government. That portion of the primary legal document of our republic does not mention any little things, so why does our ineffective, inefficient government insist on regulating every little thing? I suspect that if we are compliant with the little things, government can violate the important duties with impunity. By conceding authority to regulate the small stuff we have lost our standing to challenge the government’s gross misfeasance and malfeasance when the greater issues are mishandled. We have a duty as citizens to reject the government’s overreaching into every little thing, and we must forcefully express our displeasure at government’s failure to fulfill its constitutional mandate. Rejection, resistance and restoration must be the patriots’ path.

Comment:  cearlwriting@hotmail.com       or    www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com