Littlestuff Weekender-8-20-2011

Congress is on recess (when they’re in session, it’s called abscess). Following his Midwest, small-town “listening” tour, President Obama is roughing it at Martha’s Vineyard, and the Supreme Court of the United States is on summer break. I long for those days of years ago when there was no 24-hour news cycle, no internet, no electronic media….just cracker-barrel and fireplace politics. Even when they are vacationing, we can’t escape their perfidy and lack of reasoning. The bureaucracy churns on…grinding out one after another of restrictive regulations with nary an oversight. Almost daily new elements of Obamacare are revealed…each more offensive than a previous one. People like you and I need a breather….just some time on the front porch or the back forty….relaxing and slowing the spinning sensation in our minds. This is not just a media-driven phenomenon. It is a natural outgrowth of huge government. Just when you believe you can hit the “pause” button, some little bureaucratic mole in some little bureaucratic agency in some little bureaucratic office in some little bureaucratic cubicle decides that CDL drivers’ licenses is a good idea for farm equipment operators. Huh? Needless to say (but I’ll say it anyway) the Shinola hit the fan with a resounding “splat.” Two cabinet Secretaries, Transportation and Agriculture, backtracked and equivocated faster the Obama’s weak denials that he’s responsible for this economy. As for now, 14 year-old farmboys will not need a CDL to operate the John Deere. As for now….for the moment…until we’re no longer watching….as for now.

Here’s thought (I average about 3 per week): School starts soon. Let’s “school” our career politicians. The GOP presidential race has blunted some of the “fear and trembling” that elected officials SHOULD be experiencing. The debt-ceiling battle has ended for this term (same old result---lose and claim victory), and with the recess focusing on the race, we cannot let Congress amble along without adult supervision. I’m still perplexed about why the GOP House doesn’t de-fund or repeal noxious laws and let the Senate and the President defend them….I think I get it….RINO’s on committees. Aha! Eureka , I have found it (literary redundancy). Speaking of committees……

The “Super Committee” which was a product of the debt-ceiling “compromise” is an absolute abomination. Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) is the ONLY committed budget-cutter of the twelve. Others may “lean” that way but have spotty records. The Democrats are all political appointees which means that the President will break ties…..I’m encouraged and hopeful, aren’t you? (sarcasm). The committee is unconstitutional, unworkable and amazingly stupid. Boehner and McConnell call this a victory for fiscal sanity. We should send the DEA and the FBI to their offices to find out what they’re smoking.

The wheat harvest appears to be under projections based on early numbers. August is “ear shooting” month for corn, and the final predictions are all over the map. The Chinese have been purchasing corn at an unprecedented rate which will certainly impact prices. A less-than-expected harvest would place more upward pressure on corn prices. Haven’t studied the soybean crop, but anecdotally, the crop looks promising (August is “pod-filling” time) although the plants appear shorter than is normal. That is not necessarily bad because plant energy could be directed towards fruit rather than stalk, but harvesting could be more difficult because combines do not like to eat dirt to get the lower pods.

Research informs us that a significant portion of our younger demographics get their political news from “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart on the Comedy Central cable network. If you haven’t seen his analysis of the Ames, Iowa, Straw Poll, you should see it.

http://youtu.be/3EY5Ofcxjs0

Our Tuesday and Wednesday radio shows resume this week (took last Wednesday off). Tune in if you can, or pick up the podcasts. Tuesday and Wednesday, 6:00pm-7:00pm, 1370 WSPD, Toledo, Ohio.

www.wspd.com

Monday’s column is “Life Choices.” It may not be one of my best, but it is one of my most passionate.

Have a great remainder of the weekend. Enjoy your family and a local festival.

Charlie

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

Do Something

The main stream media talking heads have consciously and deliberately ignored Congressman Ron Paul’s lofty finish in the Ames, Iowa, Straw Poll. When they do stoop to mention him, it is done derisively based primarily on his response to a Thursday night debate question. He was chided, and then asked about his position regarding the acquisition of nuclear weapons by the Iranian government. Dr. Paul, in essence, responded that we (the United States) should do nothing. He went on to state that starting another endless war with a nation that has no meaningful air force or capable missile delivery system would be folly. Media eyebrows were lifted, heads were shaking the negative, and Congressman Paul’s platform opponents chuckled. “There’s that crazy old guy suggesting that we not intervene. What’s wrong with him?”

Historically, Americans are “doers.” When we have confronted a problem or a barrier, we have leapt to action and corrected it. Sadly, today, when we face a perplexing issue, we spring into action and demand that the government “do something.” This attitude resembles the night-time cries of a two-year old asking Mommy and Daddy to get the monster from under the crib. Neither cry for a solution is based on reality. There is no monster under the bed, and government is notoriously incompetent and costly. So we come to Iran….controlled by the mullahs and fronted by that little wacko…they are building a nuke. On at least two separate occasions their developmental progress has been drastically damaged…by computer hacking and by the untimely deaths of key project engineers. Nevertheless, the politicians, the media and some of the people plaintively cry, “Do something.” When Iraq was supposedly amassing and improving weapons of mass destruction, President Bush did something. We’re still there, and our people are still dying because of roadside bombs, booby traps and lethal insurgents.  

Many people, public and private, have expressed dismay or revulsion with Dr. Paul’s stance toward Iran. They animatedly remark that the Iranians (their leaders) want to destroy the U.S. of A. so we cannot, we must not allow them to possess a nuclear device. They appear to have forgotten that the Soviet Union threatened to “bury” us, and they had a massive nuke arsenal (many components of which are floating on the world-wide black market). China has nuclear weapons. North Korea (no friendly chums there) is armed with the bomb. We ourselves presented the Islamic-based government of Pakistan with nukes to offset Indian development, and many of the Pakistani leaders are bloodthirsty fundamentalists. So given the myriad of potential threats from around the entire globe, doesn’t it seem more reasonable to perfect the defensive shield that President Reagan started and subsequent presidents have allowed to wither? Given that the threats are so numerous and varied, a comprehensive defensive posture with massive retaliatory capabilities is much more sensible than attacking a country without an air force and negatively disrupting the region more than we have done so far.

Although Congressman Paul’s critics are dismissive of his position, none of them have countered with a comprehensive plan for dealing with Iran other than the one that has been a failure for thirty to sixty years. Yes, that’s true political and media leadership. Government must “do something” even if it is the same failed wasteful policy of the past several decades. They appear to suggest that another 20 or 30 year war with significant loss of life, multiple guard and reserve deployments, and trillions of taxpayer and BORROWED dollars is the right way to go. You see, they’ll be “doing something.” Yes, they will be doing everything other than their constitutional duty. They will waste so many of our resources—human, financial—while allowing our defensive system to degrade further. As Einstein so pithily observed, “insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result.”  We have danced this dance since the end of World War II….and here we are queuing up for another round on the floor. 

Knowing that a hornets’ nest is hanging in a backyard tree is one thing. Poking it with a stick is something else. Dr. Paul’s views about adherence to the Constitution and his dismay with the Federal Reserve’s mismanagement of our monetary system are widely known and are becoming more popular. People are beginning to understand that our fiscal and financial houses are in disarray. They are beginning to recognize too that there must be some limits on government, or it would become too large and too oppressive. Those were the reasons for devising the Constitution in its final form---preserve individual liberty by curtailing government intervention in our lives. It is from his constitutional principles that Dr. Paul rejects imperialist behavior by our elected officials. Give Congress or the Administration the authority and power to conduct “police actions” or warfare at will and the people’s ability to restrain an out-of-control government is dangerously eroded. Despotic regimes have used war and perceived threats as rallying points to unite the people around the government and to thwart opposition within the nation. Why should our professional career politicians be any different? “Wag the Dog” was a fictional film with a realistic scenario.

Bottom line for me as I review the GOP Presidential Primary field is that ONLY ONE candidate has taken his oath to the Constitution seriously enough to stay true to it. Only one candidate has been willing to stand firm on principle while being ostracized and ridiculed…even when time has proven that he was correct regarding the monetary system and constitutional abuses. Only one candidate does not reflect the “American Idol” version of slick career politicians that have led our nation to the brink of collapse. Voters can find multiple reasons for supporting or rejecting a particular candidate. I pray and hope they think it through….I have. It’s time to “do something” to stop the madness. Doing the same old things in the same old ways will not get the job done.

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

Cloudy Transparency

Secrecy is an elusive concept. Some secrets are housed deep within our individual minds and never shared with others. Actions that involve behavior are often relegated to lockboxes of secrecy because of shame or fear of embarrassment. People who seek to reform their lives and begin anew may jealously guard the secrets of their pasts. Secrets are preserved and exposed. They are devised for a number of reasons and revealed for other compelling purposes. Secrets often cause their possessors to behave in odd ways….jumpy, fidgety, defensive. Not all secrets are destructive. Some closely held information protects others from pain and suffering. Others prevent harmful elements from gaining the upper hand.

Government secrecy, especially in a republic, is another can of worms. In our Republic the power is vested in the people (in theory) so if governments withhold information, they may be guilty of hiding information from the true decision-makers and stakeholders. Most of us can agree that some secrecy is needed for national security purposes or to protect lives of undercover information gatherers in foreign locations (spies). Governments at all levels are hesitant to willingly share non-security essential information with the people. While I find the Freedom of Information Act a sometimes petty annoyance and disruptive tool of the socialists, it has prompted some incremental candor from the halls of government. Its promise however, is much greater than its effectiveness. Many governments or agencies simply stonewall when they do not wish to comply with an FOIA request. So once again we have government ignoring its own mandates although once in a while the Act allows some insight into the internal workings of Big Brother, and “We the People” have the opportunity to react to Government’s over reaching.   

Another facet of government secrecy isn’t secrecy per se, but is the practice of passing legislation that is vaguely written and allowing the bureaucracies to design and implement the rules. The secrecy angle arises because as we track the legislation through the process, we have no clue regarding its ultimate application. The outcomes and impact remain unknown during the public phase of the bill, but the final resolution of the bill’s effect is constructed in the darkened corridors of the bureaucratic maze. Because bureaucrats have no restraints, the rule-making process continues onward for ever as they discover new and more restrictive mandates burrowed within the legislation….and sometimes between the lines of the bill.

The reason for my addressing this topic was the recent chain of events surrounding “Seal Team Six,” the Special Forces Command credited with dispatching Osama bin Laden. More recently, several members of the elite unit were killed when their helicopter was downed in Afghanistan. Special Forces represent the most effective military tool this country has. Since the early days of the Army Rangers, the Green Berets and the original aquatic Seal units, the Special Forces units have become the most effective and lethal small-unit fighting forces on the planet. Our general military capability is often praised as the best and most effective in the world. That may be true, but our politicians and feckless military leaders have not utilized the armed forces with any degree of competency. As a result, the U.S. record in prolonged military conflicts within the past half-century is an abysmal one. Special Forces, on the other hand, operate silently, forcefully and quickly. They represent a tactical force that strikes violently with lethal intent. As an integral component of our national defense particularly in the context of active terror groups seeking to harm us, the Special Forces and their capabilities are critical tools. So why on earth are our political leaders “outing” Seal Team Six?

Both President Obama and Vice President Biden publicly acknowledged ST6 in public statements. Obama went to Ft. Campbell to “personally” thank them, and attempted on other occasions to single them out for special mentioning. Obviously the purpose for such lavish attention being paid to a super-secret unit was to generate political capital for the Obama administration. They’ve had minimal success and sought to ride the valor of a brave group of warriors for political points. At the same time, however, they have firmly placed targets on the backs of this elite group, and have stupidly informed every crackpot and terrorist on the globe that the unit is based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Once in a great, great while….candor and transparency are dangerous and deadly. Please look at the website for Ann Barnhardt who believes the Obama Administration is complicit in the deaths of those Seals who were killed when the helicopter went down…   www.barnhardt.biz

It is starkly illustrative that an administration that hides so many things from the American people is so cavalier about the lives and families of our warrior class. Some secrets are worth keeping. Some secrets must be kept. As with so many actions of the Obama Administration, we aren’t certain if its stupidity, incompetence or treason that motivates them and drives them. They cannot exit the White House fast enough to satisfy me.

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

Cusp of Collapse

The mass media have not adequately covered the increasing numbers of flash mobs and their assaults on innocent victims. All across the globe from the bullet-riddled Arab Spring to Great Britain to Madison, Wisconsin plus Cleveland, Philadelphia and more, violent mobs are terrorizing neighborhoods, cities and entire nations. I am old enough to remember the turbulent ‘60’s here in the United States. Violent anti-Vietnam war demonstrations and racially-charged uprisings seemed to occur with alarming regularity. The assassinations of JFK, MLK and RFK had the effect of pouring gasoline on the glowing embers of discontent. The intervening half-century of statist growth has nourished the sense that government provides the essentials of life, but government provision requires confiscation from others and therein lays the tension that we note today.

We are balanced on the cusp of collapse…social collapse, financial collapse, and moral collapse. Our insatiable hedonistic appetites have allowed government to consistently over-promise and under-deliver. Our unquenchable desire for Nanny State solutions to our self-created problems have conditioned us to look to the government for remedies despite its pathetic record of incompetency and inefficiency. Our fruitless quest to escape personal responsibility has motivated us to transfer our freedom and our accountability to a bloated bureaucratic system that consistently worsens the problems and limits our liberty. Profligate spending by governments at all levels, by addle-headed citizens who MUST have it all, and union demands for owning the pie of prosperity have all been major contributors to our decline. Mythical magical “hate crimes” have mysteriously appeared in the pantheon of actionable behavior as police, prosecutors and juries have suddenly acquired the ability to read minds and totally comprehend aberrant human behavior then apply additional penalties to an already heinous crime. Diversity and multiculturalism are celebrated as the means for division rather than inclusion and integration. Governments grow larger, and our personal freedoms are fewer. Government’s means and justifications for observing and tracking citizens are proliferating. Chaos reigns, and confidence wanes.

With evidence of collapse on so many levels all around us it is difficult to focus our energies and our problem-solving skills on one particular area of concern. Each time we laser in on a perplexing issue, another one pops up to seize our attention. It’s like playing whack-a-mole when each swing is critical and dare not be off target. At some point our heads feel as if they’re mounted on swivels as the numerous moles continue to surface all around us. If you’re a regular reader of this column, you’re aware that the major premise of my writing (preaching) is that the fundamental issue that underlies all the chaos, all the madness and all the danger is the notion of our individual liberty. My greatest fear as we attempt to grasp the vexing problems that confront us is that the breakdown of society will lead to greater government control and further loss of our freedom. As the nation disintegrates, the people will clamor for order and predictability, and the governments at all levels will deliver. Remarkably, the people will turn to the greatest single cause of the chaos for remedies…..just as they….and we have done for our entire human history. It was the Nation of Israel who turned their backs on God that led to their Egyptian captivity, and they molded the golden calf after He led them out because they believed they had been abandoned in the Wilderness. We are just like them. When times get tougher, we’ll go back to the golden calf of government while forgetting how He has liberated us. We might forfeit our freedom for false security of despotic tyranny.

Liberty is the common denominator underlying each cusp-positioned, collapse-directed element of our national structure. Free people who can live their lives as they choose without harming others or their property will voluntarily seek a harmonious social order or withdraw into hermit status. Free people who do not have to support an overspending monstrosity of government will use the wealth developed by their labor, their skills and their creativity to invest, to innovate and to improve their communities. People who are free may be less inclined to beat the system or to outwit the “man.” The pressure to engage in immoral behavior to escape the strictures of an overbearing state apparatus and an “uptight” populace may lead to more awareness of the value of upright living.

Is liberty the cure-all for everything that ails us? Of course not, but it is the basic component and catalyst for forging a new beginning. Each person’s value will be determined by his or her contribution to the liberty of others. If you examine the Founding and Framing documents and the discussions that surround them, you will discover that liberty…the quest for liberty, the thirst for liberty…preceded independence, nation formation and political structure. Liberty was the foundation then, and if we wish to rebuild, restore or renew our nation, it must be the cornerstone again. Unless you believe the notion that freedom is much too quaint for the 21^st Century….then we are doomed.

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