We Used to Call Them Bums

Now we call them "state workers."

Austin recently hosted a Rally For Robbery attended by state dependents:
“More than 1,000 people from across Texas are in Austin Wednesday morning to protest state budget cuts. They rode in on buses from El Paso to Dallas, south to Houston and everywhere in between.”

I guess you could consider it encouraging that only about a thousand people turned out to rally to sustain state parasitism out of a population of 25 million. But this small group of miscreants have an amazing amount of influence, particularly since their message is passed on repeatedly by the state regulated media.

I find it disturbing that people are so dependent or feel so entitled to other people’s wealth that they will travel hundreds of miles to yell and scream to maintain their handout. I also find it interesting that these are people with state “jobs”- yet they have the free time to travel on a “work” day. Or they are so poor that they need assistance- yet they have the money for bus fare and travel.

“Jobs are on the line; my job is on the line, her job is on the line, all of our jobs are on the line today.”

Try working a job in the market place, sir where your job is “on the line” every day! It’s called the Real World. If you don’t satisfy your customers and make a profit your job disappears! It’s called competition. Your job, however, is financed through coercion and political brutality. We can’t be sure if your job produces anything useful because it is immune to the natural, peaceful forces of the market place. If your job was worthy and actually providing a useful service, people would be more than willing to support it voluntarily. Since it has to be financed through force and theft, I would have to suspect that it is not worthy.

What you see here are the absolute dregs of humanity, all congregating to demand their special favors and who feel they have some divine right to live at the expense of others. Watch these roaches, rodents, and other creatures of the Parasite Class scurry and clamor for their handouts while insisting that the Productive Class has some divine obligation to pay for them! This motley collection of educrats, union thugs, sex molesters, child abusers and common thieves represent the flotsam of the human race. Why do we tolerate them? Isn’t it time to let this debris sink into the depths of their own spiritual squalor?

Quotes of the Week

From the Light:
“Freedom is a true human value; the whiny emotion-driven mythology of 'social justice' rammed down everyone's throats at the point of a gun is not.”
Garry Reed

“The top of America’s political and economic hierarchy, those who depend on this system of war, cannot afford to see this for what it is. The murder of civilians thus becomes something to explain away rather than lament. The human cost is like all of the other costs, that is, not born by those who benefit from this enterprise of death.
Free market anarchism is constructed on the simple idea that no one ought have aggression at his disposal to achieve his ends, that voluntary interaction is the proper norm for human beings. War and the economic program that lives on it are the ultimate obverse of that idea, where the parameters of human relationships are determined by the continual need to assemble killing machines.”
David D'Amato

“The ugly truth of the matter is that we now have two authoritarian parties (or ‘wings’ of the same unitary party) vying for power. Power over anyone they can get their hands on. The reasons no longer matter much – only the effects. And the bottom line is if you are among the declining few who still believe in such strange and unusual notions as a government that protects your property rather than takes it, that defends your liberty rather than systematically destroying it – well, then you don’t have a dog in this fight – either as a motorist or citizen. Democrat or Republican – ‘left’ or ‘right‘– they’ve got us coming and going.”
Eric Peters

“One thing those of us who love liberty regardless of who attacks it can recognize is that the two statist coalitions in America, the left-liberals and the right-conservatives, are intellectually bankrupt to the core. This should give us hope, because there are limits to what even Americans can swallow in terms of cognitive dissonance.”
Anthony Gregory

“Why are soldiers treated so differently? Why do they get a pass on committing or supporting those who commit murder and mayhem?”
Laurence Vance

“At a time when the decentralization of social systems has taken on great importance, it is timely to consider the advantages that could arise from a more localized – perhaps even individualized – source of electrical power. A principal benefit arising from both a free market system and the private ownership of property – concepts that are corollary expressions of each other – is that both individual liberty and social order are maximized when decision-making authority diverges into independent persons, rather than converging into centralized elites. A major problem with institutionalized systems – particularly the state – is that the adverse consequences of their actions are multiplied, exponentially, as the range of their activities is increased.”
Butler Shaffer

“The genius of the state is that it gets us to voluntarily, without pay, to stand up for it, and to deter, damn, and defriend not just the people who challenge its presumed authority, but to heartily reject both ideas and factual information that challenge the state’s façade of moral certitude, and its mask of justness.”
Karen Kwiatkowski

“When humanity begins to understand that authority is an inalienable individual attribute—as is the self-responsibility that is the natural result of possessing such a natural endowment—only then will we finally emerge from the long dark age of government and begin the renaissance of human freedom.”
Tzo

“Hearing criticism, many people whose being is associated with the nation-state respond by asserting the value of the military and expressing support of it. A person indoctrinated into a supine patriotism of flag-waving and blind support of the state and its wars will naturally rally to its defense against criticism, because their person has been lost or diminished as a result of the indoctrination. They have submerged themselves into the state. Freeing them from these beliefs requires patience and continual exposure to ideas of freedom, peace, and government to which they are unaccustomed.”
Michael S. Rozeff

“Human nature and the structure of reality itself doesn't change. Only the gizmos we use change. We can become poorer or we can become richer. But the fundamental facts of how the world is built are immutable. Things are scarce but the possibilities for economic creation are infinite in a world of trade, boundaries, law, and private innovation.”
Jeffrey Tucker

“As the Hobbesian experiment we call ‘the state’ polarizes along the lines of its own contradictions of ‘left and ‘right’ authoritarianism (Hobbes, meet Hegel!), anarchism emerges not as antithesis, but as synthesis. When the state runs short of convincing fictions (‘constitutionalism,’ ‘dictatorship of the proletariat,’ ‘fuhrerprinzip‘) to disguise those contradictions and stands weakened, near collapse over the pit of its own digging, it is anarchism we invariably see approaching, shovel in hand, ready to bury the failed experiment and turn, with humanity, to new ones.”
Thomas L. Knapp

“In the real world countries that have a greater degree of economic freedom also tend to have more personal freedoms, progressive social values and gender equality. But this is not how liberals would like to see the world. They dislike reactionary social values, and they dislike capitalism and economic freedom. So naturally they put the two together to please themselves.”
Mike P.

“The only solution to the dangers of life on this little ball of dirt is vastly improved technology, and vastly increased wealth. You will arrive at those things most quickly through a completely free and unregulated society. Mankind’s destiny is – or should be – literally in the stars and on other planets. We’re not going to get there if fear and hysteria dominate on this insignificant little planet where we’re trapped right now.”
Doug Casey

“There is a brutal but inevitable and poetic symmetry to the fact that the people of the United States, who show little or no empathy for or even awareness of the intense suffering, mass murder and ecocide that their government visits upon other members of the human family, are now faced with the economic collapse of their own country due to 100 years of military imperialism, and the impoverishment of their own children as one of the fruits of their incessant violence against other human beings and the earth.”
Dana Visalli

"When men hire themselves out to shoot other men to order, asking nothing about the justice of their cause, I don’t care if they are shot themselves."
Herbert Spencer

*********************************************************************

From the Darkness:

“You have to recognize that I don’t think you win this [Afghanistan] war. I think you keep fighting. . . You have to stay after it. This is the kind of fight we’re in for the rest of our lives and probably our kids’ lives.”

Gen. David Petraeus

“We’re not leaving Afghanistan prematurely. In fact, we’re not ever leaving at all.”
Defense Secretary Robert Gates

"My personal view is that once you’re involved, you have to recognize that the prestige of the United States is at stake. If Gaddafi stays on, he will think he fought the mother of all battles — against the United States. It will be damaging to us just as our demeanor in Somalia was damaging, the situation in Lebanon was damaging and that will embolden others of his ilk.”
Donald Rumsfeld, promoting still another never ending war

"It's not America's role not to be out and about nation building [in Libya] and telling other countries how to live."
Sarah Palin, apparently forgetting “America’s role” of nation building in Iraq and Afghanistan

“That’s how the international community should work – more nations (with) the United States right there at the centre of it, but not alone, everybody stepping up, bearing their responsibilities. We believe that the world is more secure and the interests of the United States are best advanced when we act collectively.”
B. Obama, promoting collectivist murder

"This bill is about fairness, it is about leveling the playing field. The bills are about removing the unfair competitive advantage that out-of-state e-retailers have over Texas retailers who comply with the law."
Texas State Rep. Elliott Naishtat, introducing a bill that would require Internet retailers to collect state sales tax if the company has a connection to Texas

"I think high-income earners would work well into the 50% tax rate. That would certainly help balance the books going forward."
Bill Gross, founder of PIMCO

“I’m interested in a vote authorizing military action [against Libya]. The president said he’d welcome it and I think it would be helpful. It’d show public support for the effort. And that’s always useful.”
Sen. Mark Levin, a week and a half after the Libyan war had already begun


“If it had been my call, I wouldn’t have gone into Libya. But the reason I voted for Obama in 2008 is because I trust his judgment. And not in any merely abstract way, either: I mean that if he and I were in a room and disagreed about some issue on which I had any doubt at all, I’d literally trust his judgment over my own. I think he’s smarter than me, better informed, better able to understand the consequences of his actions, and more farsighted. I voted for him because I trust him, and I still do.”
Kevin Drum of Mother Jones

Willie’s Sentence- Sing For Your Freedom

You’ll recall that Willie Nelson's body and weed were seized by meddling, intrusive, agents of the state back in November. But being kidnapped, caged and robbed by the terrorist US government is apparently not enough for the state’s idea of “justice” to be served. He must now suffer still more indignity. It seems that a west Texas prosecutor and judge has decided that Willie “can resolve marijuana possession charges if he agrees to plead guilty, pay a fine and sing ‘Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain’ for the court.”

The attitude of this judge and prosecutor/persecutor is so characteristic of our self-appointed state rulers. We mundane citizen/slaves are merely livestock and circus animals, on this earth exclusively to work and perform at the state’s perverted pleasure. "Come on boy, sing a little tune for me and I'll forgive ya!" If Willie was a black rap artist and ordered to "sing a little tune," the race hustlers would be screaming, "Racism!" And rightly so.

Hopefully Willie will refuse such an arrangement, But if not, I would challenge that “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” is just too sentimental. This authoritarian blowhard doesn’t deserve a song glorifying the emotion of human intimacy. May I suggest to Willie some more appropriate song titles to serenade this robed clump of human debris:

“Down With Big Brother”

“Hey, Big Brother”

“She Got the Gold Mine, I Got the Shaft”

“Masters of War”

“Compared to What?”

“For What It’s Worth”

“Won’t Get Fooled Again”

“Eve of Destruction”

“American Idiot”

“Fortunate Son”

“Long Dark Night”

“I Can’t Take It No More”

“A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”

These are a few tunes that come to me off the top of my head. And if the judge doesn’t like it, Willie should tell this sick, power mad, illegitimate "judge" to take her court and her crying blue eyes and stick them where the sun don’t shine.

And I don’t mean in the rain.

Quotes of the Week

From the Light:
“The fact is that just as the U.S. government imposes its will on me and you, no matter what we want or say or think, the U.N. is just another government imposing its will upon us or others, as it sees fit and as it can. A government created by national governments is still a government.”
Michael S. Rozeff

“By drawing on coercion to (directly or indirectly) compel individuals to pay for things that they would never pay for in a society without those constraints, the state functions on a principle quite opposite to statists’ cherished ‘efficiency.’ Its whole system is founded on the theft of productive energy for purposes that the aggregate of free exchanges would never choose. It hinges on the capacity to externalize expenses and losses on the human livestock of productive society while directing profits to a favored few beneficiaries.”
David D'Amato

“For more than a century after the American Revolution, the United States was a genuine beacon to mankind, a haven for the downtrodden, and a true (if horribly inconsistent) champion of liberty and human rights. During that period the U.S also became the wealthiest nation the Earth has ever known because it fostered non-coercive, civil society by keeping coercive government small and restrained. Now our government is huge and frighteningly unrestrained; coercion and centralized control have largely replaced liberty and the organic, decentralized decision-making that society needs to function properly. Love and freedom are being pushed out of American life in favor of cruelty and tyranny in a modern blend of corporatism, fascism, and coercive socialism.”
Glen Allport

"For advocates of 'social justice,' the notion of 'rights' is a mere term of entitlement."
Ben O'Neill

“Now, the State is an institution of compulsory government, an institution of territorial monopoly in which the agents of the State have been given authority over the rest of the population. The State’s agents are not given authority through voluntary association or contract or the consent of those over whom State authority rests, but by compulsion. The State’s authority is enforced not by the Rule of Law but by the State's own self-assigned officialdom and armaments, and threats of aggression.”
Scott Lazarowitz

"When they lack moral authority, they simply create it out of thin air. Politicians and bureaucrats equate morality with legality. If something is legal, it must be just... and if it's not legal, they'll pass a law or resolution making it legal... and hence just.
This is the way they operate-- using regulatory technicalities to wrap themselves in a blanket of righteousness in order to execute their agenda."
Simon Black

“We really should have re-elected The Chimp to a third term. The latest Decider is no different – and much less entertaining.”
Eric Peters

“Given that governments are both motivated by a perverse goal - power, not profit - and driven by individuals who, necessarily, are inspired by force rather than voluntary exchange, it is little wonder that nations periodically undergo sea changes in the form of revolutions, civil wars and social and political upheaval. Left unchecked, all governments inevitably descend into pure sin. Even the most lethargic, apathetic citizenry is likely to stand up and declare that "enough is enough" eventually. The only surprising thing is that it doesn't happen with more frequency and to more welcome cheers.”
Joel Bowman

“Don’t forget that the bombing and killing of Koreans was done in the name of a ‘police action‘; American troops killed people in Kosovo — and other places — as ‘peacekeepers; while other military action — e.g., current Libya — in the name of Humanitarianism.’ The Strategic Air Command — which has unloaded millions of tons of bombs on other countries — tells the world that ‘Peace Is Our Profession.’ Such corruption of language is engaged in to comfort Boobus — the collective dullard who actually loves war; relishes war — provided it’s called something else.”
Butler Shaffer

“At the end of the day, all government mandates are enforced at the end of the barrel of a gun, and that scares the hell out of everyone, as it should. But if we truly believe we are free then we have to start acting like it. It’s time we cared about something bigger than ourselves. It’s time we stopped living our lives in fear.”
Don Cooper

*****************************************************************************

From the Darkness:

“We share the view that Iran’s activities in the Gulf, including its efforts to advance its agenda in neighboring countries, undermines peace and stability.”

Queen Hillary, whose own “agenda” includes bombing Libya [So just who has Iran bombed?]

"First we protect [Libyan] civilians and destroy his Gaddafi’s military capability. And then we help other remove him indirectly, presumably. Though I, unlike the president, would not rule out ultimately having to go in with peacekeeping and nation stabilizing forces. And I wouldn't be surprised if we do that at the end of the day."
Bill Kristol [Of course "we" doesn't include Chickenhawk Billy]

“Conscription, when everyone is called to serve, has powered some of our nation's greatest military victories, including WWII. The need for a draft is not a condemnation of our current military force, but a strong belief in equality and that the sacrifices needed to maintain a vibrant economy should be shared by all.”
Rep. Charles Rangel, still pushing his Universal National Service Act

“The United States will join in a multilateral fight for democracy and humanitarian aims when it is in the nation’s interest and when the locals are involved and desire US participation. In short, the Anti-Bush Doctrine.”
Mother Jones Magazine [Obama Doctrine = Making war and killing people for "humanitarian aims."]


"I have always said, heard, that it would not be strange that there had been civilization on Mars, but maybe capitalism arrived there, imperialism arrived and finished off the planet."
Hugo Chavez

“Gold has no valuation, no metrics, no commercial use. It’s the world’s most respected ponzi scheme.”
Dan Dicker, veteran commodities trader, quoted by CNBC.com

“When I received that [Nobel Peace Prize] award, I specifically said there was an irony because I was already dealing with two wars. So I am accustomed to this contradiction of being both a commander-in-chief but also someone who aspires to peace.”
B. Obama, a man content with his Orwellian contradictions

“What's needed is a federal law requiring all retailers selling goods in any state to collect and remit sales taxes to the home state of each customer. A Main Street Fairness Act has been introduced repeatedly over many years, but is now needed even more desperately by state governments facing massive deficits."
Nathan Newman, Huffington Post, whining about Amazon not paying state sales taxes.

“We're clarifying, as we’ve said repeatedly, that the effort of our military operation is not regime change, that as we actually say in this readout, it’s the Libyan people who are going to make their determinations about the future. We support their aspirations, their democratic aspirations, and have stated that Gadhafi should go because he’s lost their confidence.”
Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser [So how is bombing to help get rid of a dictator NOT about regime change?]

"No one – least of all someone like myself who has experienced the existential terror of California's regular tremors and knows the big one is coming here next – would minimize the grief, suffering and disruption caused by Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami. But if one can look past the devastation, there is a silver lining. The need to rebuild a large swath of Japan will create huge opportunities for domestic economic growth, particularly in energy-efficient technologies, while also stimulating global demand and hastening the integration of East Asia. ... By taking Japan's mature economy down a notch, Mother Nature has accomplished what fiscal policy and the central bank could not."
Nathan Gardels

"We are taking the next step: We have agreed along with our NATO allies to transition command and control for the no-fly zone over Libya to NATO."
Queen Hillary, who apparently thinks the “A” in NATO stands for African

DVD Reviews

Red:
Bruce Willis plays a retired CIA agent (Retired, Extremely Dangerous) who suddenly has people trying to kill him. Seems like a perfect character and plot for Bruce. But instead of the usual wisecracking Willis we know and love, we get the laid back, soft spoken, boring Bruce. He also has a very improbable relationship with his character’s love interest, Mary-Louise Parker. The acting talents of Morgan Freeman, John Malkkovich and Helen Mirren are also mostly wasted. All in all, a disappointment.
Not recommended

Sons of Anarchy- Season Two:
The Son’s story arc continues. The feud between old and new leadership intensifies to new levels as the MC runs into numerous conflicts and seems to be losing its direction and cohesion This is that rare kind of TV series that is hopelessly addictive. You’re always ready to click on the next episode to see what happens. Now I have to patiently wait for Season Three to be released.
Recommended

The Tillman Story:
Finally, the truth about the Pat Tillman assassination is presented to the public. A disturbing look at the US Military’s deceptions and stonewalling as well as the inexcusable use of Tillman’s death as a war propaganda tool.
Recommended

Buried:
An American contractor in Iraq is kidnapped and buried alive in a box under ground. The entire movie is filmed within this box with the only sources of light being a cigarette lighter, light stick, flashlight, and light from a cell phone display. A unique, masterfully executed film that manages to keep you engrossed with the character’s predicament despite the entire 90 minute movie taking place in a box!
Recommended

American Experience- We Shall Remain:
This multi-episode PBS production looks at the 300 year history of native Americans in what would become the US. Includes narration with historical reenactments and numerous interviews with historians and native Americans of various tribes. Three centuries of white oppression, murder and theft are well documented. The timeline ends with a comprehensive look at the American Indian Movement’s take over of Wounded Knee, South Dakota in 1973.
Recommended


Last of the Mississippi Jukes:
Lots of good, live blues performances accompany this filmmaker’s look at the important history of the fast disappearing local juke joints in the south. One in particular that was still in business when this film was made is examined in Jackson, MS.
Recommended

Eichmann:
An historical drama about the capture and interrogation of Adolph Eichmann, Hitler’s key man in executing the “final solution” of Jewish genocide. Eichmann was extremely crafty during his reign of terror to assure no documented evidence existed to prove his guilt.
Recommended

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour- Season 3:
The Brother’s hair is a little longer and their program choices more daring for the show’s final season during 1968-69. The collection includes the “sermonette” by comedian David Steinberg that got the Brothers fired by CBS. Other worthy performances include The Doors, George Carlin, David Frye, Jackie Mason, Ray Charles, and Ike and Tina Turner, The final disc includes a special about comedian Pat Paulsen’s various runs for the presidency, particularly his initial effort in 1968.
Recommended

Get Low:
Robert Duval is my favorite actor. I’d watch him on screen for an hour doing nothing more than sawing a board as I know he would find some way to make it interesting. Here he plays a hermit with a dark secret who decides to hold his funeral before he dies to confess his past sins. Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek ably assist in this well written, charming independent movie based on a true story.
Recommended

Monsters:
A huge, dangerous alien life form has taken root in Mexico and is only being contained by constant US military action. Sounds entertaining enough. Except the monsters take a back seat to a slowly, developing love relationship between a young man and woman. Ugh.
Not recommended

Alamar:
This Spanish language semi-documentary follows a father and his young son as they explore a tropical paradise along the southeast coast of Mexico. They experience the simple life of fishing and living off their catch while developing that strong, unique bond that can only be created between father and son.
Recommended

Back From Hell- A Tribute to Sam Kinison:
This hour long tribute to the late comedian is chock full of great performance clips of a very unique comedy trailblazer. Includes interviews from many of his contemporaries. If you miss Sam or weren’t around to witness his intelligent outrageousness, you won’t want to miss this one.
Recommended

Shake Hands With the Devil- The Journey of Roméo Dallaire:
This documentary follows Canadian Gen. Fallaire’s return to Rwanda, tens years after he led a failed UN mission to prevent the genocide that ultimately occurred. Fallier explains in disturbing detail the futility of his mission as well as the lack of support and indifference from the UN and the “international community.”
Recommended

Romero:
Released in 1989, this feature tells the story of El Salvador Archbishop Oscar Romero, a moderate priest who was radicalized by the repetitive slaughter of his priests and congregation by government right wing death squads in the 1970’s and ‘80’s. His eloquent and courageous defense of human rights ultimately cost him is life.
Recommended

Skin:
Based on a true story, the film revolves around a black girl born to white parents due to a genetic anomaly. This takes place in South Africa during the apartheid era, so you can imagine the complications and conflicts that arise. A great story about family love and personal identity, as well as the perverse restrictions and legal categorizations imposed by government.
Recommended

Quotes of the Week

From the Light:
“Just as stock investors often confuse a bull market with genius, religionists often confuse happy accidents of history with the fruits of righteousness.”
Doug Casey

“It is ironic, but the US government’s endless promotion of 'democracy' overseas actually distorts and undermines democracy in targeted nations. The involvement of a foreign power often undermines true self-determination.”
Ron Paul

"‘Live and let live’ works only when it is not ‘live and let live at my expense.’ Faith in the politics of plunder has steadily replaced men's confidence in both versions of the invisible hand. It has therefore displaced the older outlook. The messianic state has become the do-gooder state, or the nanny state, or the caretaker state.”
Gary North

“Political activism is, at its core, a prisoner helping to build his own cage.”
R.K. Blacksher

“Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.”
Will Durant

“That the United States, the world’s most militaristic, murderous and savage death-dealer, continues to invoke the menace posed by an Iran with nuclear weapons is among the most striking and illustrative examples of statist madness. Anyone who is actually frightened more of Iran than the United States would do well to take a casual look around the Middle East and consider which of the two is spilling more blood.”
David D'Amato

“My view is that the essence of the human being while on this earth is the free human personality. Our being is tied up with freedom at its very root. Every sacrifice of freedom that arises from the pressures, domination, and coercions of family, friends, business, church, society, and state, or from our own personal sacrifice and enslavement by ourselves, destroys a portion of that being or suppresses it, thereby causing a degree of non-being. As I understand the human condition, God created us as free persons. We are free to choose good or evil. Non-being is evil. Being, which presumes freedom and actualizes freedom, is good. The free human personality, as God’s creation, is good. It is a value that is above family, friends, society, organizations, and states. Its worth is above any of these.”
Michael S. Rozeff

“The US government considers you — whoever you are, wherever you may live, and to whatever extent you aren’t its active agent — its enemy and intends to treat you as such. Your freedom, perhaps even your very survival, depend on you recognizing this fact and acting accordingly.”
Thomas L. Knapp

“Calling those who are wealthy ‘greedy,’ solely because of their wealth, or to suggest that the human drive for a better life is the same as greed, muddles our thinking. Muddled thinking is dangerous because it can lead to policies that punish both virtue and vice, that interfere with our inalienable right to pursue happiness, and lead to more, not less, poverty.
This distinction between greed and enterprise is consistent with the powerful negative implications associated with greed. Greed is a charge that implies sinfulness, a morally corrupt character, a crime against society at large. It should not be used to demonize the desire or drive for wealth, per se. Rather, it should be reserved for those who use coercion or deception to gain their wealth by reducing the wealth of the community at large.”
Charles Kadlec

“For a real [economic] recovery to exist there first has to be real political reform because it's unethical politics that have screwed up the country. No country is going to get out of a mess like this unless they abandon the idea that stealing is acceptable. It is not. Once again, it all comes down to ethics. People have been mislead and taught that stealing is OK. Simply put, as long as people are willing to accept the notion of legalized theft in the form of visible and hidden taxes, there can be no lasting solution to the mess we are in.”
Richard Maybury

“Today’s ‘enemy’ can be anyone useful to the political establishment to so label, it being the role of government officials, the mainstream media, and so-called ‘think tanks,’ to so designate. Boobus need not be convinced of any factual or rational basis for the choice of a new adversary: it is enough that he be told to adjust his thinking, and to shout ‘hurrah!’ upon command.”
Butler Shaffer

“When it comes to history, there is only one story, always repeated: the attempt of the State to expand its power until it absorbs everything--and the people who have captured the State mostly do it because of their lust for money, but always operate under the guise of humanitarianism. This expansion invariably means people suffering and being humiliated in public. Then, always, comes revenge.
In other words, the expansion of government always results in the expansion of obscenity--shaming, humiliating, abusing and exploiting people, both abroad and at home. Unfortunately, the 'modern' minds of many do not understand common-sense concepts noticed thousands of years ago, in more cultures than one.”
Bob Wallace

“You can’t just up and change the system. But what you can do is subvert it. If enough people subvert things long enough, the system changes de facto. In order to do this, you have to stop buying into the idea that the system as such is legitimate, that it has a claim on your behavior. Subversion, sedition and sabotage. Direct action in pursuit of your goals. Not only does it get results, but it allows you to live like a human being again. You will be, if not entirely free, liberated from the wasteful trap of throwing your life away trying to convince the ruling class to go against their own interests.”
Anna O. Morgenstern

**************************************************************************

From the Darkness:

“Some islands affected by climate change have been hit. Has not the time come to demonstrate on solidarity — not least solidarity in combating and adapting to climate change and global warming? Mother Nature has again given us a sign that that is what we need to do.”

Staffan Nilsson, president of the European Economic and Social Committee, blaming the Japan earthquake on global warming.

"The human toll here [in Japan] looks to be much worse than the economic toll and we can be grateful for that."
Larry Kudlow, TV idiot

“We can't see the connections here. I'm not saying God is causing earthquakes - well I'm not not saying that either! What God does is God's business. But I'll tell you this...there's a message being sent. And that is, ‘Hey you know that stuff we're doing? Not really working out real well. Maybe we should stop doing some of it.’ I'm just saying.”
Glenn Beck, another TV idiot

"The US view is that we need to be prepared to contemplate steps that include, but perhaps go beyond a no-fly zone, at this point, as the situation on the ground has evolved and as a no-fly zone has inherent limitations in terms of protection of civilians at immediate risk."
US ambassador Susan Rice, suggesting all out war may be necessary in Libya

"I am concerned that levels of funding for our State Department and USAID partners will not sufficiently enable them to build on the hard-fought security achievements of our men and women in uniform.”
General David Petraeus, whining about proposed budget cuts for State Department, USAID and other corrupt programs

"In the most volatile regions of Afghanistan, USAID works side-by-side with the military, playing a critical role in stabilizing districts, building responsive local governance, improving the lives of ordinary Afghans, and -- ultimately -- helping to pave the way for American troops to return home."
USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, defending his organization which is under investigation for massive fraud [And they’ve done such a fine job, haven’t they? Afghanistan is certainly the most stable, well governed country I can think of.]

“There’s room for us to have reasonable [gun] laws that uphold liberty, ensure citizen safety and are fully compatible with a robust Second Amendment.”
B. Obama

"We need a plan for economic development, for jobs. The Tunisian people deserve that."
Queen Hillary, welcoming Tunisia as the US’s newest colony

"Texans don't realize the extent to which the federal government created modern Texas in the 30s, 40s and early 1950s. The federal government took us from a rural, agrarian, poor society with two-thirds of the national income, to an urban industrial society. It really did change the structure of the Texas economy."
Cal Jillson, professor of political science at SMU, perpetuating the myth that the state creates prosperity

"We [the US Marines] are here [in Afghanistan] to rebuild, but sometimes that takes destruction."
Capt. Matthew Peterson

“Attempts to undermine the legitimate currency of this country are simply a unique form of domestic terrorism. While these forms of anti-government activities do not involve violence, they are every bit as insidious and represent a clear and present danger to the economic stability of this country.”
U.S. Attorney Anne Tompkins, after successfully convicting Bernard von NotHaus, creator of the Liberty dollar, for "counterfeiting."

Quotes of the Week

From the Light:
“The world is changing. Trying to use the coercive power of the state to maintain the status quo is a doomed effort. It's like trying to carry water in your hands for an entire marathon.”
Doug Casey

“Ethics are what I think of as objective right and wrong. Unchangeable regardless of the prevailing culture. Based upon the Zero Aggression Principle, and the recognition that theft and fraud are also always wrong, no matter what pretty names you give them, and no matter what ‘authority’ claims that, in this instance, they are OK, ethics stay rooted in place.”
Kent McManigal

“In no other nation do five lawyers determine what is lawful and what is not. This supreme authority of five people is both a symbol and the legal foundation of the political system that rules 310 million Americans. Yet we are so used to it that we give it no thought. We assume that this is normative: ‘the way things are 'sposed to be.’ Yet it is neither normative nor Constitutional. It is merely traditional.”
Gary North

“So praise God for the market’s ‘invisible hand‘! Effortlessly and without thought on our part, it transforms self-interest into a facsimile of genuine love. Like a newborn’s doting mother, the successful businessman anticipates and fills our needs. He’s as generous as your best friend on your birthday, selling us what we want at a good price. He overlooks our shortcomings as would a beloved aunt, happily dealing with us though there’s dirt under our fingernails or stains on our shirt.”
Becky Akers

“Our forefathers tried hereditary rule, divine rule, rule by majority, minority, by power, money and force of every stripe and style. They drafted manifestos, constitutions, bills of rights and Little Red Books. Every conceivable form of 'The State' has been given its turn. We've tweaked it, tortured it and tinkered with it for long enough. And now, after six millennia in the political lab, after countless wars and untold lives surrendered to whatever the 'cause of the day' happened to be, we see what we have for our troubles.”
Joel Bowman

“A human being must have the heart and soul, the basic morality, and integral consistency of human beings in general. These sociopaths [rulers] who routinely destroy societies and murder and steal with total abandon and spy secretly on everyone and betray and lie with total abandon are not human beings. They are more like the evil zombie erstwhile people in science fiction movies who look and talk like human beings, but are really doing so to deceive people so they can steal their lives and societies, or reprogram them as zombies through the central planning of education or brain implants, or murder them to take over their lands. They once were human beings, but they have been totally possessed by the lust for power and by greed and blood lust—the love of destruction and murder and torture and destruction of real human beings who still have human hearts and souls and minds.”
Jack Douglas

“Whenever the state finds itself in a condition of political, economic, or social instability, it will dredge up bogeymen as fear-objects with which to reinforce the herd mentality.
Butler Shaffer

“Today, democracy and all of its many accoutrements make up an extravaganza for celebrating and purifying the acts of the modern, total state. Free market anarchism simply calls for a democratic ideal wherein unchained individuals would resolve problems and come to conclusions through nonviolent channels of action. Regardless of the details of bills moving about in state legislatures, the democracy of the state will always be of the state, by the state and for the state.”
David D'Amato

"There are, of course, very noticeable differences between an addiction to drugs and an addiction to state violence. The most important difference is that drug addiction is far less dangerous. The people who smoke marijuana in their basements are far less dangerous than the statists, like Newt Gingrich, who support the due process free detention of innocent people. The people who drop acid in the privacy of their own homes are far less dangerous than the statists, like Newt Gingrich, who advocate using the coercive power of the state to violate the property rights of others."
R.K. Blacksher

“The very concept of having no rulers often encounters fears of a power vacuum – an unsustainable, dangerous situation that can only end in the re-establishment of rulers. But the rejection of authority does not mean that power is up for grabs — it means that power is widely distributed, making it harder for tyrants to usurp.”
Darian Worden

“Actually, I’m not sure why we went into space at all. There’s nothing there. I mean, that’s how you know it’s space.”
Fred Reed

*****************************************************************************

From the Darkness:

"It's a slap in the face for anyone who fought for civil rights in this country. It's a symbol of hatred and bigotry."

Adolph Mongo, head of Detroiters for Progress objecting to Kid Rock’s use of the Confederate flag during his performances. [The myth lives on.]

"Believe it or not, we love our constituents as much as you all do, and we want to do right for them…"
Haley Barbour, Mississippi Republican governor, speaking to the US House

“I strongly oppose Ron Paul. think he’s horrific. He wants us to end the War on Drugs. He wants us to end the War on Terror.”
Dick Morris

"Frankly, there is too much talk about leaving and not enough talk about getting the job done right. We will not sacrifice the significant gains made to date, or the lives lost, for a political gestures. n return, we expect the same from you.”
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, threatening NATO allies against pulling out of Afghanistan

“There is nothing radical or un-American in holding these hearings."
Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) as he launched his McCarthyite probe of American Muslims.

"You're the state [New Hampshire] where the shot was heard around the world in Lexington and Concord."
Michelle Bachman, speaking to Tea Party dolts in New Hampshire [Sorry to break it to you, Michelle, but those cities you mentioned are in Massachusetts.]