Recently in Big Government Category

Now that the US Congress, in its infinite wisdom and cowering cowardice, has apologized for slavery, the ugly head of reparations is appearing on the horizon again.  Many hyphenated-Americans of color, being spurred on by the likes of Revs Sharpton and Jackson smell more free money.

As the descendent of an Italian family who emigrated here in 1915 and a taxpayer, I say you're going to have to fight me to the death to get a nickel out of me.  Like every American alive today, neither I, nor my family had a thing to do with the enslavement of anyone or anything.  We did not own slaves; we did not sell slaves.  We did not transport them into or out of this or any other country.  My grandparents never even knew what a slave was.

So those hyphenated-Americans of color with their hands out might want to consider something:  their ancestors were sold into slavery by their own countrymen.  That's right folks; Africans hunted down and sold other Africans into slavery.  What a shock huh?  Black on black crime was happening long before there were ghettos in America.

Americans did not bring the slaves here.  The Brits, the Spaniards and French did it all by themselves.  

Let me go out on a limb here.  I'm going to suggest that those hyphenated-Americans of color look to Africa, England, Spain and France for their reparations.  Seems fair to me.  Maybe Somalia could kick in a few bucks in between readings of the Koran and killing Christians.

Let me go out on an even bigger limb.  Every hyphenated-American of color ought to get down on their knees every morning and thank God (yes, I actually used the word God) that their ancestors made their way to America.  Even if they were forced to come here.  

As evil as slavery was (and still is as practiced by those peace-loving Islamists), descendents of those subjected to slavery here have had more opportunity to succeed than any minority anywhere in the world.  Just think what their lives would have been like if there was no slavery.  They could be living a palatial existence in Darfur or Ethiopia, huddled under a mud bed, in a mud hut hoping that some crazed band of roaming madmen, armed with machetes, doesn't come into their humble abode and cut their arms off.  Yeah, that's sounds like a good alternative to living in America watching your big-screen HDTV.

The American taxpayer has, and should have made every attempt to level the playing field.  We owe it to EVERY American, no matter their color, the chance to pursue their dream.  But it's not up to us to guarantee that their dream comes true.  We've made reparations many times over.  Since the 1960s, we've had The Great Society, Affirmative Action, welfare, food stamps, and an untold number of government programs, loans and grants that have more than made up for this country's part in slavery more than a century and a half ago.  

It's time those hyphenated-Americans of color take responsibility for their own destiny and stop laying blame on the shoulders of others who bear no responsibility for their success or failure.  You want to know who is to blame for your condition?  Look in the mirror.

Except for a miniscule number of truly disadvantaged; that born with physical or mental defects, each of us comes into this world with the same tools. What we do with those tools depends on us.  

Not all of us are Einstein, but we all have the capacity to learn.  We all have the capability to succeed if we rely on ourselves and not others.  The government has not, and never will end poverty.  It only exacerbates the problem.  You only need to look no further than New Orleans.  The hyphenated-Americans of color have been mired in poverty for over a century in spite of government handouts designed to pull them out.

Thomas Jefferson once said, "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

It's a shame that the only Jefferson many Americans can quote is George.

What was once viewed, as one of the most sacrosanct right of every American -the right to own property - seems to be under siege from the very institutions the citizens depend upon to protect those rights.

Few noticed (and it did seem so far away), when other municipalities and state governments started to use the power of "eminent domain" to seize private property. Hey, in some instances "a case might have been made" that it was a good idea to force unwilling sellers to give up their property for "the public good"!

Unbelievably, here in Orange County Florida, we are looking at our own "shot across the bow" and the private property debate is a "game afoot". "County Leaders", wish to coerce an unwilling owner to surrender property that was tamed, settled and farmed by their ancestors nearly 100 years ago. This property is not some "ill gotten gains" stolen from the public. Instead, it was property fairly purchase by early pioneers who had the determination and grit to survive the hardscrabble life, and lean times - pre air conditioning, pre automobiles and pre insect repellant!

Purchase and acquisition of property by willing sellers and buyers is not at issue. Instead, it is the power of government to compel an unwilling sale or worse yet; condemn and confiscate private property that should have every resident uneasy. For today it is someone else "stuff", tomorrow it may be your house, your car or even your MP3 player that must be taken for the "greater good". All of us should be ill at ease with the notion that "property can be taken for community reasons from unwilling sellers". This taints the legacy that belongs to all Americans and aides and abets those that wish to "abolish all private property."

Well it seems as if congress is at it once more - proving you can't fetch water with a sieve. Instead, congress gives us airline security legislation that provides no security. Moreover, the new airline security measures had they been in place on Sept 10th, 2001 would have done nothing to prevent the terrorist actions the following day!

Senator Daschle's assertion that you can't "professionalize unless you federalize" is completely feckless. In place of airline security, we now have tens of thousands of newly unionized, federalized, beholden to the liberalized party line, bureaucratic workers that are worth no more per hour today than they were prior to the passage of the legislation.

Furthermore, artificially manipulating increased compensation for basic tasks reduces the circumstances for those left to pay for them - actually cheating the payer for the benefit of the newly protect federal payee. To further punctuate this public swindle, one politician was quoted as saying; "these type duties are best performed by dogs!"

Federally protect employee or well trained animal, what say you? As both my grandmothers were often heard to remark; "you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear!" Or as a friend once plainly said (while viewing a cheap guitar); "you can't shine a turd."

Since the government owns nothing unless it confiscates it from its citizens via taxes, how can politicians delude themselves into thinking that they can create by fiat what they do not possess - wealth, prosperity? The only answer can be that those that pass these laws know exactly what they are doing and are complicit in legalized plunder which undermines the incentive of the population. This is done to further their own political party's agenda at the expense of the nation. Does this sound treasonous to anyone else? . For who will left to stoke the fires of "the gravy train" if everyone is already on-board expecting a free ride?

... may be coming to a neighborhood or civilization near you! These are the same old crimes - just meted out by a new overseer. Evil carried out - not by the Goths, Vandals or other Old-World looters; but, by a more heinous monster of the home grown variety -  "the Majority" inculcated with the doctrine: 'EVERYONE BORN IS ENTITLED TO EXIST WITHOUT LABOR'!

But, the new overseers are "Moral Cannibals" who proclaim that it is everyone's Birthright to receive minimum sustenance: all of their food, all of their clothing and their shelter with no effort. To further their creed the 'Overseers' have succeeded in their deception that: everyone is entitled to receive their Birthright from the efforts of others.

While these same "burden shifters" decree that PRODUCTION is not a problem - they declare the only problem is the redistribution of production profit. As the masses have demanded it - it must be made so - even if contrary to all laws of reality.

Where does the future lie? And what of the "selfish unenlightened" who dare to continue to produce, to work, to endeavor? What is to become of them and society when they realize: they no longer own the result of their own creation and ideas - that all property, ideas and result have been claimed by the Overseers - based on power granted by "the Majority" - to be redistributed capriciously and arbitrarily to those who demand it - based not on what has been earned; but, upon the creed of need.

What of a society who's masses permit this "Moral Cannibalism" to exist? When the overseer and the masses recite from the same liturgy: "EVERYONE BORN IS ENTITLED TO EXIST WITHOUT LABOR"? History reminds us that there are no actions without consequences. Q.E.D. a society that fails to follow the laws of reality will bear the consequences of those actions.

Yes - completely OUTRAGEOUS!

California energy regulators have allowed a temporary 7% - 15% electricity rate increase. This comes amid the Standard and Poors's downgrades in bond ratings to the only step above junk status.

While the dust of the much maligned - deregulation policy still settles, Utilities are hemorrhaging billions more in cash (energy expenses) than they have been allowed to collect from customers.

While deregulation is bearing the blame it is rather a two-pronged fork that is the fulcrum for this energy crisis:

1) artificial price caps in place which do not allow the utilities to charge a market rate ...
2) A policy of 'No energy Policy' save that of no search, no find, no production of same.

Looters masquerading as consumer advocates professed outrage at the temporary increase and referred to the current pricing structure as 'gouging'. While one spokeswoman gleefully indicated that 'she didn't care if the utilities went out of business'; I would urge us all to contemplate the full measure of her wish.

When Private Utility Companies are forced out of business in California, there are only a couple of options: Let the entire state grow dark and literally grind to a halt or (more likely) have the 'State' step in and take over the 'obviously failed policies of private ownership.'

Could this be the 'shot across the bow' for the rest of our nation? Environmentalist and Consumer Advocates lobby for legislation that disallows Private Sector Companies from producing a profit, then forces those same companies to continue to provide goods and services to those same groups based on need.

What does it signify when the 'motor of business' (the profit motive) is carved from the enterprise and what does it indicate about those (looters) who are willing to participate? How - in America ( you know - Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness), can it be that these plunders are allowed to roam free without the public outcry and condemnation that these criminal acts demand?