Apr
30
Don’t Let the Door Hit Ya’…
Filed Under Uncategorized | 5 Comments
… where the Good Lord split ya.
On Tuesday, RINO Senator Arlen Specter switched parties to become a Democrat. He cited the fact that the GOP had moved too far to the right, had become too intolerant of moderates, and that he was ”…not prepared to have my 29 year record in the United States Senate decided by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate.” Am I the only one that finds it wrong that an incumbent politician refuses to subject himself to voters?
This will give GOP challenger Pat Toomey a clear path to the Republican nomination to challenge Specter in the general. Pat Toomey is a former member of the House of Representatives and headed the Club For Growth after losing to Specter in the GOP primary in 2004. I have followed Toomey’s career with interest, and the Club For Growth (of which I am a member) was one of the organizations that I researched and eventually led to me leaving the Democrat party . I was already planning on supporting and donating to Toomey’s campaign, and will be doing so with even more enthusiasm now.
The reactions to this defection have been pretty much as one would expect. Conservatives have echoed my sentiments above, while moderates have seen it as another red flag of the waning GOP.
Moonbattery: “Only by ridding itself of the lowly likes of Specter will Republicans reemerge as the party that can rebuild the country by upholding the principles that made it great.”
Rush Limbaugh: “This Arlen Specter business. Maybe I’m outta touch. I am stunned at the way the political class, both Republicans and Democrats, are dealing with this defection of Arlen Specter to the Democrat Party. It’s almost like a religious leader abandoned the religion, which is not the case. We got rid of some dead weight.”
RedState: “A “moderate” Republican, Specter has long been at odds with mainstream Republicans on spending and life issues, as well as several other positions.”
R. Stacy McCain: “Exit lying. One less member of the Senate Republican “Jellyfish Caucus.” Specter reminds me of the high-school slut trying to sleep her way to popularity — a weak reed, blown by the shifting winds. The fact that the national GOP apparatus lined up behind this venomous crapweasel in 2004 is all you need to know about what a worthless waste of time the national GOP apparatus was during the Bush/Mehlman era.”
If Al Franken (D-MN) is seated in the Senate, the Democrats will have a filibuster-proof majority. Many see this as opening the door to an avalanche of big-government liberalism that could have been avoided had the Republicans been able to keep Specter. The question I have is this:
What the hell else can they do?
Now don’t get me wrong. Card check, universal health care, and cap-and-trade are all disastrous proposals. But lets not forget what Specter has already done. Specter voted for Obama’s $787,000,000,000.00 ’stimulus bill.’ It is the single most expensive piece of legislation in U.S. history. What exactly are we keeping this ace in the hole for? To sponsor, “A resolution honoring the important contribution to the Nation of the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on its 150th Anniversary”??? Some more of Specter’s highlights, from Ed Morrissey at Hot Air:
What did his Porkulus vote tell us about his core values? He doesn’t support the social-issues positions of some conservatives, nor does he support fiscal constraint and responsibility. I’m looking for any corner of a Republican tent that could possibly cover where Specter stands, and I’m not seeing any. Taxes? He voted to water down the Bush tax cuts. Judges? Specter went along with the Borking of, well, Robert Bork. Specter in 1990 opposed parental notification on abortions — not consent, but notification.
In an op-ed in the New York Times, fellow ‘moderate Republican’ Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine bitched and moaned:
IT is disheartening and disconcerting, at the very least, that here we are today — almost exactly eight years after Senator Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party — witnessing the departure of my good friend and fellow moderate Republican, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, for the Democratic Party. And the announcement of his switch was all the more painful because I believe it didn’t have to be this way.
…
There is no plausible scenario under which Republicans can grow into a majority while shrinking our ideological confines and continuing to retract into a regional party. Ideological purity is not the ticket back to the promised land of governing majorities — indeed, it was when we began to emphasize social issues to the detriment of some of our basic tenets as a party that we encountered an electoral backlash.
It is for this reason that we should heed the words of President Ronald Reagan, who urged, “We should emphasize the things that unite us and make these the only ‘litmus test’ of what constitutes a Republican: our belief in restraining government spending, pro-growth policies, tax reduction, sound national defense, and maximum individual liberty.” He continued, “As to the other issues that draw on the deep springs of morality and emotion, let us decide that we can disagree among ourselves as Republicans and tolerate the disagreement.”
So how is voting for TARP and the stimulus advocating ”restraining government spending, pro-growth policies, [and] tax reduction,”?
I get the ‘big-tent’ strategy. I believe in it. As a small ‘l’ libertarian and registered Republican, I get that there must be diversity of opinion. None of our goals will be realized if we don’t win elections and forge coalitions. But there must be some core brand that the GOP can offer voters. There must be a point where a line is drawn. Specter is not a ‘moderate Republican.’ He is a centrist Democrat, or a liberal. If you cannot offer a compelling, base-line philosophical reason why you are a Republican and not a Democrat, then get the hell out.
Apr
29
Make-Work Courtesy of the Stimulus
Filed Under Liberalism | Leave a Comment
Its great to see the stimulus money changing the way the fundamentals of free-market capitalism are perceived by the youngins in Boston. From TJIC:
So we’re going to teach kids that a “job” isn’t a mutually beneficial transaction where you deliver value to a willing buyer in return for cash, but we’re going to instead teach them that a job and a paycheck is an unearned benefit that you get for backing the right political horse.
Apr
27
Back on April 9th, Communism Now! was brodcasting from North Carolina and hosts Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez interviewed writer Chris Kromm. The show focused on the way the recession had impacted the economy of the Carolinas, North Carolina in particular. After criticizing South Carolina governor Mark Sanford for opposing the stimulus bill and initially refusing to take any funds, they then began to get fiscally conservative.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And your state has also, obviously for years, been known as a military-friendly state, and the presence of military bases there has a huge impact on the economy. And with the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, has that been one of the few bright sides, in terms of employment opportunities for the state?
CHRIS KROMM: Yeah, well, as much as you can say that depending on the military for your economy is a bright side.
Kromm added later (emphasis mine):
But yeah, clearly, and this is another way in which—it’s just kind of part of the fabric in many communities in the South, that the military is just part of it. And I think that’s—what people don’t quite understand is, people sometimes assume that Southerners just have a more conservative bent and embrace the military. I think it has more to do with the fact that many of them depend on the military. I know I have lots of relatives who are in the service or are connected to it somehow, and it’s just part of the way of life here. And I think that’s what people have to understand. And until you give people economic alternatives, ’til you find a way out for these Southern states being so dependent on the military, that’s where you’re going to find these situations where these states seem to embrace the foreign policy agenda, where I think in reality they don’t.
Hasn’t it been the conservative argument that welfare does not help the poor because it makes them dependent on the government rather than on themselves? That government spending crowds out investment in more productive areas? That people come to support a particular group of people or a political party not out of ideology but out of rational self-interest?
When South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn (D) insinuated that conservative governors like fellow South Carolinian Sanford were racist because they opposed funding that would in fact bog their states down with mandatory spending expansions, did Kromm object? As he explained in the quote above, “…until you give people economic alternatives, ’til you find a way out for these Southern states being so dependent on the [government program], that’s where you’re going to find these situations where these states seem to embrace the [domestic] policy agenda, where I think in reality they don’t.” By this logic, is Kromm a racist because he wants to cut off funding for the state?
I wrote earlier about the apparent clash of beliefs about government intervention by liberals. I referenced these inconsistencies from Americans United for the Separation of Church and State:
Here’s an excerpt from the Faith-Based Initiatives section, a policy most notably supported by George W. Bush but also by Barack Obama:
Americans in need of social services, such as welfare support, job training, emergency shelter and food/clothing supplies, should be able to get the help they need without being pressured to take part in religious activities. “Faith-based” initiatives, which propose turning the provision of social services over to religious groups, threaten individual rights and could lead to taxpayer support of religious ministries.
Bingo. Citizens on the taxpayers dime should not be in an indoctrination camp where they are forced to subscribe to a certain set of beliefs in exchange for aid.
I then used this argument for the separation of church and state to advocate the separation of economy and state, warning that this
argument could very well apply to President Obama’s plans for “national service,” which has yet to really be defined. The moral hazzard also exists for whatever kind of “green jobs” Obama wishes to create. Will we really be helping youths and those out of work? No. Their economic livelihood will become linked with that of the state and the re-election of certain officials. That is not empowerment. That’s slavery. As I said earlier, “Citizens on the taxpayers dime should not be in an indoctrination camp where they are forced to subscribe to a certain set of beliefs in exchange for aid.”
Government intervention harms the entity they are trying to assist by making them dependant on the government. Government aid may, at times, help a person or company get back on its feet, but it never ends there. They are indebted to the state and when faced with a decision between their own interest and those of the state, cannot bite the hand that feeds it.
We can get into the debates about spending, welfare, federalism, and defense another time. All I’m looking for here is consistency. Do government handouts foster dependency? Is this bad?
The answer to both is yes.
Apr
24
Reaction to Tea Party Protests
Filed Under Economics | 2 Comments
Hello readers. Sorry I haven’t been around as much as I’d like, as I’ve had a lot going on and this time of year is ordinarily very busy for me. Last week the Tea Party protests were held all over the country, protesting the massive spending and fiscal policies of the federal government. As I worried earlier, my job prevented me from attending the local Tea Party in Tampa, but I was there in spirit. For those who couldn’t attend, Moonbattery gave a great roundup of protests.
For anyone paying attention, the truth about the Tea Party movement is this:
- The Tea Parties were organized at the grass roots level; only after it caught on did some larger groups become involved.
- The Tea Parties are in essence protesting spending and bailouts - not taxation (yet). Protesters realize that reckless spending will one day lead to either high taxation or high inflation, so it is best to protest it now. Many dismissed the Tea Parties by saying no one is paying higher taxes. No shit Sherlock. But how else will you pay for all this spending, hmm?
- The Tea Parties are not GOP events - they recognize that the first bailout was under President Bush and Treasury Secretary Paulson, and it continued under the Obama-Geithner administration. The Tea Parties protested big government in all its forms, regardless of whether there is an elephant or a donkey behind it.
- From all accounts, protestors were courteous, clean, and went out of their way to respect private property and pick up any mess made.
Many did not see the Tea Parties in a positive light, including Paul Begala who referred to tax day as “Patriot’s Day”:
Happy Patriots’ Day. April 15 is the one day a year when our country asks something of us — or at least the vast majority of us.
For those who wear a military uniform, those who serve the rest of us as policemen and firefighters and teachers and other public servants, every day is patriots’ day. They work hard for our country; many risk their lives — and some lose their lives.
But for the rest of us, the civilian majority, our government asks very little. Except for April 15. On this day, our government asks that we pay our fair share of taxes to keep our beloved country strong and safe.
…
This country has showered me with the blessings of liberty. So what do I owe my country in return? Paying my fair share of taxes, it seems, is the least I can do. Thanks to President Obama and the Democratic Congress, 95 percent of Americans will get a tax cut this year. No one — not even the wealthiest 1 percent — will have to pay higher income taxes until 2011.
So why are a bunch of Fox News clowns and right-wing cranks hosting “tea parties” all over the country? The Boston Tea Party, in case the clods at Fox didn’t know it, protested “taxation without representation.” Note the second word: without. The goofballs tossing tea bags today have representation. They voted in the election; they lost.
That a bunch of overpaid media millionaires would lead a faux-populist revolt is comical. They somehow held their populist instincts in check as George W. Bush and the Republicans cut taxes on the idle rich and put the screws to the working stiffs.
Bush’s tax policies were a godsend to the Paris Hilton class, but they sent the country on the road to bankruptcy and helped ruin the economy. But now that we the people have decided to set things right, now that we’ve hired Obama to fix the mess conservatives created, now they’re protesting?
Not only does Begala shamelessly subscribe to the lie that taxes are something “our government asks,” but he decries the organic grass roots movement as a creation of Fox News to help the Republican party. Does he not remember the anguish in the Conservative movement with the bailout bill in 2008? And again, THIS IS NOT ABOUT TAXES. It is about the spending that will lead to higher taxes down the road.
No matter the criticism, here’s to the Tea Party protesters who felt compelled to get out and fight for the future of their country. Job well done.
Apr
14
3 Months at Zoominac!
Filed Under Blogging and Computers | 2 Comments
Well readers, today marks three months since my first post.
I have a lot to learn about blogging and writing, but I have made a lot of progress. While I haven’t gotten as many links as I would like, I’m sure it will come with time. Now that I have a three month supply of content, I can focus more on link and comment strategy, as well as blog carnivals. But don’t worry folks, I still want to keep getting great content up on Zoominac! Luckily, the liberals and statists of the world continue to provide great blog fodder.
To my readers: THANK YOU!!! To the family members, co-workers, friends, fellow bloggers, and passers by, thank you for taking the time to read my blog and share feedback where you have. Whether you agree with me or not, it means the world to me to know I’m not yelling at an empty room. I’d like to take the time to offer a few tips to make your experience a little more enjoyable:
- By clicking on the ads on this site, you are helping your humble blogger continue his craft (I get a small amount for each time an ad is clicked)
- Whether you’re telling me what an eloquent scribe I am, or what a moronic, mean-spirited capitalist pig I am, leaving a comment makes the blogging experience so much better! Just click the “Leave A Comment” link underneath the title to share your thoughts. And remember, when you fill out your email address, it is NOT shown publicly
- You can use the archives, categories, and search features in the left sidebar to browse for posts that interest you
- You can use the “Share This” button at the bottom of each post to tell your friends about it through social media services, or by email
- You can click the “Subscribe” button at the top of the right column to get each post delivered to your e-mail inbox or feedreader
- If you want to share some thoughts with me about a post, a topic, the site in general, or anything else, don’t hesitate to send me an email (Matt@Zoominac.com)
For any new readers, I thought I’d include a list of some decent posts so you can get a feel for who I am (besides the about page):
- Crossing Over to the Dark Side: How I Became A Conservative Republican - Part I - Part II - Part III
- Film Review of Gran Torino
- Liberal Mind Puzzle
- Change We Can Believe In!
- A Wal-Mart Stimulus
- American Company Successful, Liberals Aghast
- The Obama Tax Evasion Form Letter
- Gay Mexicans Should Vote Republican
- Repeating Mistakes
- Libertarianism and Mexico
- Government = Force
Apr
8
Sort of the Right Way…
Filed Under Civil Liberties | Leave a Comment
This week, the state legislature in Vermont overrode a veto to legalize gay marriage through law, as opposed to through a court decision. As a libertarian, I support legalizing gay marriage, and touched on it here. Gay Patriot hailed the veto override as being the “right way” to legalize gay marriage, writing:
While some silly gay marriage advocates see a popular groundswell for gay marriage in court decisions, the vote today of Vermont’s legislature to override Governor Douglas’s veto of legislation providing for state recognition of same-sex unions is the first indication we have that popular opinion could be turning in favor of gay marriage.
Instead of turning to courts, we should be going through legislatures. I believe that is the better way to build a consensus for same-sex marriage as this process may well have shown.
While I believe that legislation is a better means of achieving this end, I still don’t think its the best. The point that needs to be made is that government should get out of the marriage business altogether. Like it or not, when you believe that government should prohibit or allow certain types of marriage, you are basically saying that you are only married because the government approved. That is b.s., and I hope everyone realizes it. Nowhere in a charter of government should the use of force be used to regulate voluntary, private associations. If government is no longer sanctioning marriages, then there is not duty to impose certain beliefs on others with whom we disagree.
Apr
8
Conservative Protest Dilemma
Filed Under Uncategorized | 3 Comments
Hello readers. I apologize for not being able to get a lot of content up in the past week. I’ve had a lot going on, but don’t worry blogosphere, I’m not going anywhere!
As the April 15th tax day draws near, the Tea Party Movement is picking up steam to hold mass protests to the massive government spending and involvement that has manifested itself over the last six months. While I want to attend the one in Tampa:
City: Tampa
When: April 15, 5:00pm
Where:Lykes Gaslight Park, 401 N Franklin Street, Tampa, FL 33602
… I am facing the conservative protest dilemma of having to find a way to work around my employer’s schedule. Oh, to be a liberal college student without a care in the world, knowing that I am free to attend any protest I want and know my needs will be picked up by taxpayers! But alas, my individual responsibility requires I work for a living, so I am still unsure if I will be able to make it (I usually work until 10pm on Wednesdays).
I would encourage any freedom-minded citizen to attend their local event if at all able. We will be dealing with the bailouts, spending, and stimuli that the Bush/Obama regimes have crammed down our throats for decades, if not centuries, to come. If you are able, The First Conservative offered a few tips:
1. Make sure you attend. Journalists are big on making events seem larger or smaller depending upon the nature of the event. Bob Beckel, a long-time liberal stalwart and news commentator said yesterday that he didn’t believe there would be much of a turn out. Lefties don’t believe conservatives have the time to show up. (As most conservatives are employed, this is frequently true.)
2. Bring a sign. Thoughtful quips and bumper sticker-type quotes are useful, but also provide the kind of short message journalists are capable of understanding.
3. Beware of ‘plants’ in the crowd that will attempt to keep the event off-message or cause some type of trouble. Be advised that the Huffington Post – among other organizations – is recruiting volunteers to infiltrate the event.
4. Seek out the television cameras! The lefties have no problem with this. Tea Party participants shouldn’t be bashful either. Engage with interviewers as they will be seeking out the least informed put on camera. If you are prepared, get in front of the camera! Besides, going to them makes the journalists’ job easier and we all know that journalists enjoy easy work.
5. Remember that Obama isn’t giving the middle class a tax cut. 2010 will see a huge middle class tax increase. INFLATION IS A TAX INCREASE! Barack Obama and Democrats have chosen the strategy of massive spending increases that they cannot possibly pay for either through taxation or by borrowing. In 2010, when they resort to printing the money they will need for the Stimulus package and Budget bills, your dollar will be worth less on a day by day basis. LBJ invented inflation as a way to pay for the Vietnam War without a direct tax increase. Obama is following this well-worn and disastrous path. Democrats should be called on it. Inflation will hurt the poor and middle classes the most.
I’m still trying to figure out what kind of catchy sign I can make. Any suggestions? If you do, leave a comment!
