You may have heard talk about making soda ineligible for purchase under the SNAP program (food stamps). Among others, the HHS Secretary (RJK Jr. points out the problems with such consumables. We don’t think he considers them to be “food.”)
Oddly, a number of supposed pro-Trump influencers suddenly began arguing against the idea on social media. “This is government overreach! People’s choices shouldn’t be dictated by government! Even Donald Trump enjoys his Diet Coke!” Of course, it comes as no surprise that anti-Trumpers, especially of the Transzi (Regressive) persuasion, would object to limiting the use of welfare funds. But some so-called libertarians also seem to be critical.
This was a dumb argument: if you’re going to use stolen money to make your purchases, at the very least those purchases will have some strings attached. Boo hoo. (And I would bet that The Donald buys his own Diet Coke. After all, he is donating his paycheck and not accepting it.)
But then it suddenly became clear why these influencers had all been pushing this bad argument: they were actually being paid to.
The commentary published the evening of the 28th (Wednesday) was an incomplete (and untitled!) draft that got mixed up on our computers. We apologize for that, and have posted the correct and final version of that.
For those who don’t want to go and wade through 940 words, in summary: The Donald had a campaign promise to reduce federal regulations and the size of the bureaucracy. While the number of bureaucrats and agencies have gone down slightly, there has been no massive or even serious gutting of regulations. The regulatory nanny-state is still alive, well, and apparently growing stronger.
Why?
There are many reasons and factors involved, but we think that a major problem is the permanent bureaucracy: the Deep State. They and their allies in the judicial system, media, and Congress are fighting tooth and nail to keep this from happening. Trump 2.0 appears to have a better understanding of the challenges than Trump 1.0 but still seems to underestimate and inexpertly tackle those people and their attitude and power. This may be intentional on his part (the negative view) or simply due to the power of the entrenched powers-that-be.
We cannot tell whether he is a shill for the so-called elite. But that should not deter us from pushing back against the nanny-state and against the incredible burden of regulations and enforcement in all levels and types of government.
“Proclaim liberty throughout the land and to all the inhabitants thereof.”
This last several weeks have seen much of the Fifty States – especially the Southern States – subject to cold, ice, and snow that have messed up everything for a lot of people. In some cases, the weather forecasts were right on target. In others, they got more or less misery. We are told more is coming!
People in different places, of course, react differently. As we Americans are still a mobile lot, in many cases, newcomers to an area found out that not just the weather but customs and the response to the weather are also very different. This article, from Cowboy State Daily is a neat look at that:
Whatever is blamed for the bad weather, the tendency is to believe that it has never been this bad. (When you actually look at the historical records, you find the intensity of these temperatures and storms is uncommon. But the broken records are often only a few decades, or perhaps a century, old.) People have been conditioned to expect conditions to get worse. “Everything is going downhill! Everything is turned upside down!”
But it is more than just expectations that vary. It is a systemic problem.
FedGov regulations: supposedly implementing statute law, and supported by policies and guidelines. And an incredible burden on Americans and anyone doing business with Americans. A key feature of The Donald’s 2024 campaign: to get rid of as many as possible. Thereby liberating Americans from the growing tyranny and totalitarian behavior of the FedGov. So… where are we on that? How many pages have great big Xs drawn across them?
What do we see? Not much. So we ask why? Not what was intended? Hidden agenda? Some other reason?
Now that we are a year into Trump 2.0’s regime, we should ask (again and again) what is going on.
As lovers of liberty, we of course seriously applauded The Donald’s campaign pledge to roll back regulations. Even if it was too little, too late. Certainly much to be preferred over what Cammie would have done in a hyper-Woke Obama 4th administration, which seemed to be inevitable if the election of 2024 had gone the other way.
There was a great deal of hype and fond hopes being shared a year ago. Big promises, even some welcome political appointments, and more. Was The Donald really going to fling that round stone into the forehead of the Deep State?
Definitely, getting rid of tens of thousands of regulations would be a good thing.
Unfortunately as in other promises made, the way The Donald and his surrogates and deputies are going about it is depressing. Indeed, there are few good things that we can say about their effort.
So much so, that we ask, what was the real intent? Was it really to liberate Americans, their families, and companies from the heavy hand of the bureaucrats? Or was it just another example of the politicians’ rhetoric not matching (or even trying to match) reality? We are fairly certain that the default setting for politicians at all levels of government is lies and more lies. Is this because of the incompetence of Trump appointees? Or a victory of the very-strongly entrenched people and powers of the Deep State, the Permanent Bureaucracy? Are they sabotaging the effort? Or is the effort really just eyewash?
We must admit that there has been a reduction in the number of bureaucrats. And the number of new bureaucratic regulations and “guidelines.” Even some at the State level, and not just the FedGov. And there have been a few regulations repealed or changed.
After the recent attack on the Cities (Southern Baptist) Church in Minneapolis on Sunday, the Rapid City Post put out this story.
Many people chimed in to support this idea.
Christian leaders urge protecting worshippers’ rights after protesters interrupt service
Several faith leaders are urgently calling for protecting the rights of worshippers while also expressing compassion for migrants. That’s after a group of anti-immigration enforcement protesters disrupted Sunday service at a Southern Baptist church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Trey Turner leads the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention to which Cities Church belong. He says churches should “provide compassionate pastoral care” migrant families affected by immigration enforcement, but “the sanctity of our houses of worship” must be respected too. The U.S. Department of Justice says it opened a civil rights investigation after a group of about three dozen protesters walked into the church during the service, loudly chanting. (Full Story)
This of course contrasts with the weak-as-dishwater response by thug Walz to the attack:
But the behavior of Walz, Ellison, Frey, or whoever (including the “protesters” who invaded the meetinghouse), do not justify or demand more laws or calls for more government action “protecting the rights” and “sanctity of our houses of worship.”
For one thing, we don’t need new laws – we need to get rid of most we have.
Secondly, who thinks that such “protesters” (rioters? insurrectionists? patriots? resisters?) are going to obey such a law anyway? Just as we know that criminals do not obey gun control laws, we cannot expect people to obey laws protecting “places of worship” – especially not when they believe that their actions are justified in opposition to the claimed tyranny of ICE.
Third, anyone who depends on the cops or whatever government agency to protect themselves against a home invasion or an attack on their business or meetinghouse is not being very wise. As the saying goes, “the attacker is seconds away, the cops are minutes away.”
Fourth, religious assemblies have just as much right to defend themselves as a family in a private home or a business owner in their store. Yes, even in Woke Minnesota. Although we cannot count on governments to actually recognize this, more and more. There are, indeed, some States that ban weapons of self-defense in “houses of worship.” And there are religious groups who practice (or at least preach) absolute pacifism. But that is their decision; government should not have the power to override their freely-made choice, no matter how much risk it creates for them.
Fifth, consider DC’s and Saint Paul’s record on upholding the right to assemble, the right to free speech, and the right to worship (serve) God in accordance with their conscience. Frankly, it is pitiful. So, would yet another law really do any good? Would enforcing this law be any better than the current situation?
All this said, we suspect that the politicians in Minnesota, both DFL and GOP, will pass some sort of feel-good legislation to “prove” that they care. Because that is the way politicians are.
Another week, another killing by ICE agents in Minnesota. Is this getting to be a routine?
We are told (accurately or not) that ICE is detaining a dozen times more border jumpers in States like Texas and Florida than in Minnesota. But the protests and obstructions seen in Minneapolis-Saint Paul do not seem to be taking place in places like Houston, El Paso, Tampa, Panama City, Fort Worth, etc.
Why?
Obviously, in the eyes of many, it must all be the fault of Evil Orange Man (who is now more white-haired than orange-haired, we note). Clearly, he is exercising his “usual” vicious temper and vengeful anger against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for daring to run against G-d’s anointed leader. So why not California, home of dear Kammie? Oh, right; she’s just a woman, and therefore beneath consideration by Old Evil Formerly-Orange Man.
Seriously, many libertarians (both “right” and “left”) believe that The Donald (with his equally evil minion, Kristi Noem) is turning Immigration and Customs Enforcement into a national police force. The accusations flow unceasingly. Others point out that the tactics and even the strategy of the Trump regime are brutal and authoritarian. And claim that DHS and other agencies are spouting propaganda, lies and false claims.
Most people would consider it a civic duty, and even an act of Christian love, to call 9-1-1 when they see an accident, someone injured, a car off the road, or other emergency. For some people, this would of course be in addition to offering to render help immediately.
But should it be a crime to decide NOT to call 9-1-1?
*Use link above picture; photo does not have active links.
The case pushing this family was not an accident or injury: it was acidosis, and they say their son’s girlfriend saw him in acute distress and failed to call for medical assistance. The doctor said that his life could have been saved if dealt with promptly.
As discussed in part 1, in modern Euro-American societies (and in the Communist world), colonialism is as great a sin as racism, white supremacy, and misgendering people. Past and present. Maybe worse than some of these.
As with racism and misgendering, forcing the abandonment of names is an important aspect of demonstrating political correctness and our disdain for the “evils” of the past. We see this constantly. We posted this cartoon as an example of this kind of false teaching.
Such wrong views do not take into account that there are many facets to such activities in the past. Current hot-button issues (Greenland, Iran, Taiwan, to name a few) make it a good idea to examine this more. So let us continue to look at the long history of colonialism and mis-naming, as demonstrated by the history of the area now generally called Palestine.
Today, the Israelites, who (in their Exodus) invaded Canaan (after they escaped from slavery in Egypt) are branded as colonialists. (Yes, we understand that most modern Israelis and Jews cannot demonstrate their genetic ties to those people from 3400 years ago, but they do largely continue the traditions and heritage bequeathed by Moses and the Prophets, including constant rebellion against G-d.) They destroyed or drove out of the land many of the various Canaanite nationalities or tribes, took over or built new cities, and established a new system of government. But many of the old inhabitants remained in control of various areas of the land, some as powerful or more powerful than the Israelites.
Four hundred years of a loose confederation of Israelite tribes followed. In which they fought and were sometimes subjected to rule by other powers, and even fought among themselves. Then they established a kingdom officially uniting all twelve tribes, which lasted 120 years and was called Israel, after their common ancestor. And controlled, dominated virtually all of Canaan, for a short time. (The exceptions were the Philistine pentapolis and the Phoenician city-states.) And even extended control over much of ancient (and modern) Syria. The nation was Israel: the land continued to be called Canaan. Today, this nation is condemned as “imperial” and colonial, as the remnants of the Canaanites from 400-500 years earlier were either assimilated, driven out, or destroyed.
But tyranny led to division: a split between North (still using the name of Israel) and South (two tribes calling themselves Judah, the larger and dominant Israelite tribe). These survived, sometimes tributary to great empires, for another 400+ years in Canaan. But first, the North and then the South polities were conquered and forced into exile. The North was conquered by the Assyrian Empire, which scattered most of the northern Israelites across the empire. Where they were assimilated by various peoples and lost their identity. Assyria sent in settlers (colonists) to that area of Canaan. The South, in turn, was defeated and forced into exile and a form of slavery by the Neo-Chaldean Empire: Babylon. But they retained their national identity and religion. After the Neo-Chaldean regime was conquered and annexed by the Medes and Persians (who had actually rebelled against the Chaldeans), the new regime allowed the captives and their families to go back to Canaan from what is today Iraq and Iran.
As Assyria had done, Babylon had sent in colonists to repopulate what became known as Judea. The returning Judahites (Israelites; Jews) drove out or wiped out the mixed, generally polytheistic previous colonists. (For which the Jews are now condemned, yet again.)
After centuries of Persian rule, in which the Jews were allowed considerable autonomy and their own culture and religion, along came Alexander. He was not destroying the Persian realm, as so often he is depicted. Rather, he took control of the Persian Empire, expanded it, and began to inculcate it with Macedonian/Greek culture and religion. And colonists. His untimely death resulted in his Macedonian successors dividing up the short-lived domain.
They continued to pursue Alexander’s program of Hellenization: replacing other systems with Greek ideas, and they were clearly colonizers. Once again, Canaan became a battlefield where two of the dynasties of his Successors fought for control. The Ptolemies of Egypt and the Seleucids of Syria brought in more colonists and (by modern standards) were both colonialists and imperialists. Over more than a century, the Seleucids won control. And strongly suppressed Jewish culture and religion. So the past Israelite/Jewish colonists now became the downtrodden “natives.”
Which led to a revolt against this colonialism: a war of independence, in fact, by the Judeans. Led by a family with the nickname of the Maccabees – the Hammers. And Judea was, after nearly 450 years, again an independent nation in Canaan. And began expanding in imperial fashion. This included the forced conversion to Judaism of a brother people: Edomites, descendants of Israel’s brother Esau.
They also had severe internal problems, as did their former colonizers, the Seleucids. Which resulted in Roman involvement, meddling, and intervention. And ultimately, annexation. First, as a client kingdom (King Herod), and after his death, his kingdom into several tetrarchies, and ultimately Judea itself was directly under Roman rule. It is pictured in the popular mind as being an oppressed and bitter nation that rose up finally in AD66 in rebellion. Only to be crushed and rise again a few decades later, and yet again before being totally destroyed and scattered. This belief fails to understand the importance of the Jews to the Roman Empire: commercially, administratively, and militarily. And the reality that the “Roman-Jewish War” was actually a Jewish Civil War, which Rome intervened in and ultimately resolved.
Today, many fail to recognise that “colonialism” is a sin committed by most government entities and nations through history, and miss two important aspects. First, one year’s victim of colonialism may be the next year’s colonial power, and vice versa. And two, colonialism is not an unmitigated evil, and sometimes both defensive in nature and with great benefits to all parties. We’ll pick this up in Part 3.
On Monday, we received word that H. K. Edgerton had passed away on 18 January 2025.
While not really a household name, he was a courageous advocate for Southern heritage and rights. He was best known for appearing and marching in Confederate States Army uniform across the South and elsewhere. As a legitimate member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, born in 1948, he decried and worked against the destruction of history, the trashing of those who fought for Southern independence, and other forms of political correctness. A successful businessman and known for his kindness, he was an excellent example of the Southern gentleman.
Ironically, given his almost lifelong fight against the foolishness of government edicts and the lies perpretrated by governments, the Vietnam veteran died at age 77 due to the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine he accepted as urged by the government agencies five-plus years ago.
Although often slammed as an “Uncle Tom,” he was a chairman of an NAACP chapter in his hometown and on the board of the Southern Legal Resource Center, which offers legal support to defend against First Amendment violations, violations of civil rights, and “discrimination against advocates of southern heritage,” including Confederate Southern Americans. Including black people. He advocated strongly for what is sometimes called a “revisionist” perspective pointing out that while slavery was certainly an issue in 1860 and 1861, the secession of Southern States was far more complex than that single issue.
For lovers of liberty, Mr. Edgerton stands as an example of someone who willingly risked his life, liberty, property, and reputation for liberty. And fought against the political correctness which poisons so much of American life today. We understand that there are libertarians who reject his views and advocacy as evil and claim that he was supporting the cause of slavery. We believe this to be wrong.
Sadly, though he knew to mistrust government and those in power, his death is directly attributable to believing government-backed and sponsored medical authorities who pushed what was challenged, even in 2020 and 2021, as a dangerous meddling with the human body.
He overcame the idea of racial divisions and nonsense like reparations and suppression of historical fact in the interests of not being offensive. He understood and defended the idea that free speech, including that which offends others, is a God-given right explicitly protected in these States.
“Rare snow taking aim at Florida, Georgia could make history, triggers Winter Storm Warnings throughout weekend” (FOX). “Snow in Florida? Arctic blast to stun the South” (USA Today). “Cold front could bring rare snow to parts of Florida, including Tallahassee. What about South Florida?” (CBS). A matrix media sensationalized chemical snow storm is scheduled for the Florida Gulf Coast with an atmospheric moisture flow straight of the record warm Gulf of Mexico, welcome to winter weather warfare. The chemical snow event comes almost exactly a year after the never before recorded New Orleans chemical ice nucleation blizzard. Climate engineering operations are being ramped up around the world,
Our friend notes: Maybe mankind has found the way to hasten the second coming.
Our thoughts:
… or die trying to.
Seriously, we don’t take any stock in these sorts of claims of HAARP or chemical storms. Do people try to do weather modification? Of course – indeed Florida is notorious for that, to try and protect citrus crops. But anything beyond incredibly tiny local effects have been achieved, despite constant claims that “we’re all gonna die!”
The Price of Liberty 
More and more States “destroying” the soda-pop industry? Or something else?
You may have heard talk about making soda ineligible for purchase under the SNAP program (food stamps). Among others, the HHS Secretary (RJK Jr. points out the problems with such consumables. We don’t think he considers them to be “food.”)
Oddly, a number of supposed pro-Trump influencers suddenly began arguing against the idea on social media. “This is government overreach! People’s choices shouldn’t be dictated by government! Even Donald Trump enjoys his Diet Coke!” Of course, it comes as no surprise that anti-Trumpers, especially of the Transzi (Regressive) persuasion, would object to limiting the use of welfare funds. But some so-called libertarians also seem to be critical.
This was a dumb argument: if you’re going to use stolen money to make your purchases, at the very least those purchases will have some strings attached. Boo hoo. (And I would bet that The Donald buys his own Diet Coke. After all, he is donating his paycheck and not accepting it.)
But then it suddenly became clear why these influencers had all been pushing this bad argument: they were actually being paid to.
Continue reading →