Random Thoughts for May, 2014
Robert A. Hall
Killing entry level jobs through minimum wage hikes to
please the unions. Increasing energy costs by blocking keystone, blocking
drilling, blocking fracking, killing coal. Blocking trade agreements that
increase jobs. Increasing healthcare costs through Obamacare. Taxing people
because they can't afford health insurance. Taxing cigarettes $1 a pack more,
used mostly by the poor. Killing school vouchers to help poor black families send
their kids to good schools at the behest of teachers unions. All part of
Obama's #WaronthePoor.
A civilized people has no moral obligation to be plunged
into darkness by allowing civilization to be replaced by a barbarous tyranny
rather than respond in kind to the savagery of the barbarians attacking it. The
"Marquis of Queensbury" boxer is almost always going to be eviscerated
by the eye-gouging, groin-kicking, ear-biting thug.
If you are going to hold innocent people in chains, or
slaughter them, it's usually necessary to convince yourself and your followers
that the "others" are somehow subhuman, or, in the Nazi's phrase for
non-Aryans, untermensch, and do not
have the right to be treated fully human as you should be. This is how Jews,
Blacks, Asians, Gays and, of course, Whites in circumstances where they, to,
are hated by other ethnic groups (try walking through a South Chicago black
neighborhood at 1:00 AM), are demonized based on group memberships they have no
control over (or, in the case of religion, was culturally inculcated at an
early age and hard to resign from). Every society and tribe has had this in
their DNA. Only western civilization and our maligned culture began to preach
the "brotherhood of man," --and not that long ago historically
speaking. Not that the climb from the mire has been easy or is over, but at
least we have been trying. There are, however, adult individuals who voluntarily
resign from decent humanity by joining groups or taking actions that are based
on evil, using other people to gratify their lust for power and wealth. These
would include Nazis, slave-holders, communists, Jihadists, serial killers, rapists,
violent criminals, terrorist who murder the innocent, including children, to
make political points, violent white (or other color) supremacists like the
Aryan Nation thugs, drug cartel or drug dealers who destroy lives for profit
and, alas, a host of others. It doesn't change the harm they do to the innocent
to say their minds were warped as children, or make some other excuse to
absolve them of personal responsibility. As we used to say, "Some people
just need killing--that's why we have Marines."
I used to worry that I'd turn 70 and feel old. Now with my
lung transplant challenge, I worry that I won't turn 70 and feel old.
I didn't think the Bundy Ranch standoff in Utah was over when the feds pulled out. The
reported racist comments by Bundy reinforce that, though as usual the media
edited out his positive comments about blacks and Hispanics, because they
didn't fit the media's narrative to demonize him. Can't have people making up
their own minds. Bundy should know when you cross the Big Government, you and
your kids can end up dead. See Wako and Ruby Ridge. Big Government liberals
automatically see the government as right in this case. There are arguments,
especially that Bundy doesn't own that land and, like Obama buddy Congressman
Charlie Rangel owes big bucks to the government. I think he's legally in the
wrong. If Bundy's claim predates the Federal Government, then the Indians'
claim predates his. Limited Government conservatives, like me, were likely to
come down on the ranchers' side. There are arguments. The "protect the
turtles" argument stinks when Senator Reid-connected lobbyists reportedly
want the land for a solar project, which is no better for the turtles than, say
Reid's home, which is also reportedly in tortoise (Yes, I know the difference)
land. The lobbyist angle needs a full airing, let the chips fall where they
may. May be just a rumor, but with Washington ,
also suspect there are hidden motives.
A recent study says that even casual use of marijuana causes
brain abnormalities. Like, I suppose, confusing progressive visions with
reality.
Conservatives believe in the individual worker bee. Liberals
believe in the hive. As long as they have a favored place in it.
While I was in the VA hospital, several nurses I had met last
time came by to visit me, just to say hi and see how I was doing, though not
assigned to me. Don’t know if they think I’m a good guy or too old to be a bad
guy.
Petty minded people are usually sticklers for rules
My friend and brother Marine John Payne tells the story of
walking point for a patrol in Vietnam .
He came to a rice paddy and jumped into the muck, wading through the excrement
and mud. A couple of the new guys walked down the paddy dyke, staying dry and
clean. And one lost a foot to a toe-popper mine. The lesson is that the easy
way or short cuts not always the best or safest ways.
You don’t think the media is biased? I was listening to ABC
News in the hospital, and the reporter said: “President Obama turns his attention
to the most important issue of the 2014 midterms, voting rights and the people
trying to suppress them,” thus framing the issue the liberal way, reporting
opinion as fact. Who decided it was the most important issue—the public? I
don't think polls show that. Only a few words could have made it unbiased:
“President Obama turns his attention to what
Democrats say is the most important issue of the 2014 midterms, voting
rights and the people Obama claims are trying
to suppress them. Republicans say they
are trying to suppress voter fraud, not voting rights.” This tells the
viewer there are two sides to the issue, and they can make up their own minds,
not think what the media tells them to think.
I saw a TV show displaying fake circus sideshows and thought
it was the Internet of its time
My first shower after my surgery on Aril 11, they decided I
was too shaky to be in alone, so they assigned the Health Tech (CNA) to help. There
are a lot of male techs, but she was 21 and cute. I understand she is now on
disability for PTSD after seeing me naked.
Government bureaucrats: Killing fleas with hammers since at
least the Roman Empire .
The NAACP is no longer a civil rights group, just another Democrat
Party special interest group like teachers, trial lawyers or government union
employees. They have, for example joined the Democrats condescending and racist
view that blacks, not being as smart or competent as whites, can’t get photo
IDs. Nothing is as ironic as NACC requiring blacks to have photo IDs to get
into a rally in North Carolina
to protest photo IDs for voting, because blacks can’t get photo IDs. (This is
not to say Republicans don't have special interest groups as part of the base.
We all belong to several.)
We could clear some large issues off the table in the 2014
midterms by letting the people vote on the Keystone Pipeline, late term
abortion, affirmative action and repeal of Obamacare. But that would be too
democratic for the Democratic party.
We complain that Democrats will toss away their principles
to win elections and power, but Republicans do it was well. Republicans are
supposed to believe in separation of powers and the right of states to decide
what is best in their borders—but many would be happy to pass laws stopping
states from approving gay marriage or from allowing late term abortions.
I read about a woman who killed her boyfriend by hitting him
25 times in the face with a stiletto. When shoes are outlawed, only criminals
will wear stilettos.
Government that continues to grow eventually becomes the
Gestapo. It is always the main threat to freedom, regardless if it headed by
Mao, Hitler, Stalin, Obama, Saddam, or King George.
The White House says men there get paid more than women
because they are more experienced and work more. Isn’t that the reason they get
paid more in the private sector? The “Paycheck Fairness Act" will be used
to extort money from companies, raising costs to everyone. You will pay higher
prices for it and never know why.
If I was a business owner, I'd fire all the male workers and
hire females. Liberals say there's no difference in work quality or output and
they get only 77% of what males get in pay. So if that's all true, every
business could boost its profits by using only women. Those who discriminated
against women and kept men would be undersold by the women-only competitors and
go under. Wonder why they haven't?
No matter how fortunate you are in life, you eventually roll
Snake Eyes.
Have you noticed that compassionate liberals who believe the
country can take in, feed, clothe, educate and provide health care for
unlimited illegal immigrants rarely have a couple of them living in their homes
and providing these goods at their personal expense?
Since the 1950s, there have been many liberal-driven changes
in child rearing. It is no longer appropriate to strike a child or even lightly
spank them, and yelling or displaying anger is out, as it hurts their
self-esteem, which must be build up at all costs. Every child is special and
must be taught that. Self-esteem is given by the parents, teachers and other
care givers. It must be given freely, as requiring the child to do something
worthy of being esteemed hurts the child. Parents should always be prepared to
take the child's side against teachers and other outside authority figures in
all cases, lest the child's psyche be damaged by feelings of lack of love and
support. These are far more important than discipline. You can tell all this
has worked well, because, compared to kids when my parents grew up in the 1930s
or my wife and I grew up in the 1950s under the bad old ways, kids today are
more well-behaved, more polite, more concerned about family and others than
themselves, there are few teen pregnancies, teen drug abuse or teen crime,
school dropouts, and kids finish school better prepared for college or a life
of self-sufficiency and work. If this were not true, continuing to follow the
liberal rules on parenting would be child abuse.
Some people think I'm cheap, but it's not true. I'm very
generous--I'd give you the shirt off my back. But I am frugal--the shirt
probably came from Goodwill.
From my friend Alison: Obama
& Co. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Father of Lies.
On the way home from rehab at the VA, I saw a pickup with a
"Ted Cruz for President" bumper sticker. Brave man in Madison , WI
Internet Joke going around:
"Even duct tape can't fix stupid--but it can muffle the sound."
When a liberal like Obama discovers that the light at the
end of the tunnel is the headlight of an on-coming train, he borrows billions
of dollars from your grandkids and starts a government program to hire more
union Democrat voters to build more tunnel.
Most things aren't dangerous
unless you are stupid. Then everything is very dangerous.
I don't know what it is about a lot of old vets, but many days
the VA looks like a retirement home for the Duck Dynasty cast.
It seems to me there are only two kinds of food: Tastes Good
and Good for You. But I'm on a low salt, low sugar diet and supposed to be
watching the weight too, so I'm biased by hunger.
When they say that "Birth Control is Free" under
Obamacare, what they mean is, "You will get birth control at no cost
because we will force other people who don't need it to pay for it for you out
of the money they earned." Nothing is free in healthcare or anywhere else,
the only question is who pays.
If they were honest, the
Democrats' slogan would be, "Stand and Deliver!"
Since college football players want to unionize, I assume
that players will get to chose their positions, and be selected to start, based
on seniority rather than ability. And you won't be able to dismiss a player who
breaks the rules or engages in criminal conduct without a grievance procedure
and court action.
When my printer runs out of paper, I take it as a personal
attempt to thwart my productivity.
I'm a get-it-done-now guy in an I'll-get-to-it-eventually
world.
"Many of the tall tales that have been told about this
law have been debunked," Barack Obama said of ObamaCare. They would be tall
tales like you can keep your plan, it will save families $2,500 per year, you
can keep your doctor, it will bend the healthcare cost curve downward, and it
won't add a dime to the deficit.
Tee shirt at the VA: "Old warn-out veteran. Do not
discard." And a Marine buddy, a retired prison psychologist, has a cap
that says, "Dysfunctional Veteran: Leave me alone!" Too much fun.
If you do everything you can to fight
"Islamophobia," never speak ill of Jihadists or Islamic Supremacists,
take Muslims' side in every case of stoning or FMG as a "cultural
issue," and ignore what they are doing, then out of gratitude they will
likely kill you last. Unless a good chance to do so arises earlier.
Many people wish for God-like powers, but wouldn't want any
part of God-like responsibilities.
If someone does you an injury, often the sweetest revenge is
to do them a good turn. This is not biblical, but because, unless they are
among the 2% of the population psychologists say are sociopaths, it will make
them uncomfortable and perhaps ashamed. Doing them an injury makes them feel
justified. Hard to do good when you are hurt, I know.
Businessmen are all rabid, free market capitalists, until
they find themselves in an industry that is not now viable in the free market
(like green energy), even if it once was. Then, like unions supporting
featherbedding, they are desperate for laws, regulations and taxpayer subsidies
to protect themselves from economically efficient competitors.
But it doesn't matter if it's labor, products or services, almost
everyone wants free market competition when they are buying (except for
economic illiterates who support price and rent controls), but most would like
the protection of government laws, regulations and/or subsidies when they are
selling.
A while back, a liberal friend of intellect and
accomplishment I'd sent a book by Dr. Thomas Sowell disagreed with it and
described Sowell, who is black, as an "asshole." Sowell, who grew up
poor, earned a PhD in the history of economic thought, has taught at several
major universities, and has several dozen books on economics, race, culture and
politics in print. His Basic Economics
has been translated into six languages and is widely used as a college
textbook. A pretty accomplished "asshole." But let a conservative
disagree with any policy of Obama, even absent profane name calling, and you
are a racist. The left's double standard is so broad and breathtaking they
don't notice it.
Protest all you want, but decency suggests that a public
figure's home, church and family events should be off limits, regardless of
what side he or she is on. Exception for editors who publish the home addresses
of gun owners or others they disagree with to promote attacks on them.
I, being the frugal type, use a lot of generics, from diet
shakes to vitamins. But I draw the line at generic Scotch.
With apologies to René Descartes,
I learn, therefore I am. I read
about a book a week, depending on the book and my circumstances. Mostly
history, politics or economics, but a few novels and other non-fiction end in
the net I cast. If I knew I was going to die tomorrow, I'd still want to learn
something new today. I renew my recommendation of the terrific book below, by a
liberal academic, a "Moral Psychologist," who has studied the
different values held by liberals and conservatives. Neither group is evil or
stupid, they just have different views on what is important. It has been
praised by folks across the political spectrum.
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are
Divided by Politics and Religion. By Jonathan Haidt
The list of things I think our stupid is growing in our
culture. Face piercings. Ugly tattoos. Pants worn pulled down to show the guy's
skivvies and butt. Expensive pre-torn jeans. Buying caps and tee shirts to
advertise a business at your expense. Backwards base\ball caps. And I'm not
crazy about waving my hands to get automatic toilets, sinks and towel
dispensers to work. Yeah, I know, more sanitary. When they work. But I think
the real reason is Americans are now too lazy to use the kind that takes a
small effort.
Get the collection! My
“Random Thoughts” from 2008 through July, 2013 are now collected in this book: The Old Jarhead's Journal: Random Thoughts on Life, Liberty
The Old Jarhead’s
Journal is a collection of Random Thoughts on politics and life and
Conservative Political Essays, mostly published on the author’s blog, including
the essay “I’m Tired” which went viral on the Internet in 2009, “The Hall
Platform,” “This I Believe,” and “Why I’m a Republican.” While they will be of
interest to conservative thinkers, they are collected here in book form as a
service to readers who wish to give a copy to favorite liberals and watch their
heads explode. All
royalties are donated to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.
*****
Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam Veteran who served five
terms in the Massachusetts State Senate. He is the author of The Coming Collapse of the American Republic.
http://tiny.cc/g02s4 For
a free PDF of Collapse, e-mail him at
tartanmarine(at)gmail.com. Hall’s eleven books are listed here: http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2010/07/new-book-published.html