In a recent commentary, we noted the famous quote about democracy usually attributed to Sir Winston.
In November 1947 Winston Churchill delivered a speech to the U.K. House of Commons. He made a memorable remark about democracy, but he employed the prefatory phrase “it has been said”. Thus, he signaled that the remark was already in circulation. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:1
Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time; but there is the broad feeling in our country that the people should rule, continuously rule, and that public opinion, expressed by all constitutional means, should shape, guide, and control the actions of Ministers who are their servants and not their masters.
Obviously, whatever his public statements, Sir Winston did not really believe this – not because he was a supporter of the British Monarchy and Imperialism, but because of his actions as PM, in which political opinion – when not actually molded by His Majesty’s Government – was routinely ignored.
Continue readingReturning to a subject we have touched on more and more, we see more evidence across all Fifty States and especially in the District of Criminals that the black robed judges – at all levels – consider themselves to be the true rulers of these States, and indeed, overpowering above not just every government at any level, but the people in toto and individually.
Some of the most recent evidence comes from the great State of Wyoming. It is, overall and despite many blemishes, one of the freer States in our Union. But as recent articles in Cowboy State Daily show, it is a judge-ridden State like most of the rest. It seems that half of the articles appearing over the last week or so featured some action going on in court – regardless of the activities involved.
Things like school funding, hunting, fishing, property taxes, driving down the highway, voting, buying and selling food, getting medicine, and hundreds of other daily activities by millions of Americans are fair game for judges. Who jerk people around daily and for weeks and months and even years.
Continue readingPolitics and political troubles, like other forms of war, distract us from real-world problems that can and do harm and even kill us. While many are man-made entirely, others are natural events. Natural? Yes, but influenced and modified (made worse) by humans.
But not necessarily all of them. Despite the screams from various groups, not every weather-related problem or disaster is the fault of humans. Or even of governments.
The recent massive number and size of tornadoes and thunderstorms in many of the States are an example of that. So are the recent massive amounts of precip in Texas and New Mexico. (And the droughts in many areas, we remind everyone.)
Continue readingNewsweek, one of the pitiful remnants of the print mainstream media, just before Independence Day published an article telling us that polls show that more Californians than ever (44% of those polled) want independence from the United States.
Here at The Price of Liberty, our first thought is “good luck, have fun, goodbye.” Oh, and don’t come crawling back when your mess gets even worse.”
Who would be better off if California were to secede, or be kicked out of the Union? We argue that despite the big hole in the economies of the remaining 49 States, the other States would be the primary winners. Much better off. Especially given how many people would flee California if that were to happen. (See the observation at the end of this commentary for some thoughts on that.)
We warrant that under its current powers-that-be, California itself would be far worse off: With the core cities already approaching the economic and social conditions of some of the worst Third-World urban areas, this move would speed up the collapse of California. Led by the very “elites” who have worked so hard to create the modern situation.
Continue readingToday is Bastille Day. On this day, in 1789 (235 years back), a mob stormed the prison in Paris, the Bastille, to liberate a grand total of seven prisoners, none of them actually there for significant political reasons. Another “crowd” (mob) also attacked the Hotel des Invalides to get at the weapons stored there.
Today, as “le 14 jullet” and “la fete nationale” Bastille Day is the “national day” (NATO term) of the French Fifth Republic (since 1958).
The contrast between the “national days” and patriotic holidays of France and the United States is severe and educational.
We point out that both national holidays are in essence hypocritical: the ideals and conditions that led to the original events celebrated are still touted but in reality, lost in history.
But the great differences between the events so long ago (1776 in the States and 1789 in France) are reflected in not just the character and society of the two entities, but in their history and prospects for the future.
Continue readingAs the Summer Violence Season (SVS) is apparently upon us for 2025, here are some quotes to think about. Lovers of liberty generally tend to be lovers of peace and prosperity. We want to treat others as we want to be treated; we eschew aggression, both physical, moral, and implied, against others because we don’t want to be aggressed against!
But as a certain science fiction writer once said, lovers of liberty are “small-mouthed pacificists.” We don’t start “rumbles” or “riots” but we see the need to end such things. To defend ourselves and others against aggression. And against tyranny, which can be characterized as “organized” or “official” aggression.
We also recognize that rhetoric is often more palatable than the actions of the persons making the speeches. And that it is easy to succumb to temptation to justify our own aggression (and that of others) as being defensive and moral in nature.
“We fight not for glory, nor for riches, nor for honour, but only and alone for Freedom, which no good man lays down but with his life.” –Declaration of Arbroath, Scotland, 1320
“War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse. A man who has nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance at being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.” –British philosopher John Stuart Mill
“Whoever attentively considers the different departments of power must perceive, that, in a government in which they are separated from each other, the judiciary, from the nature of its functions, will always be the least dangerous to the political rights of the Constitution; because it will be least in a capacity to annoy or injure them.” –Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 78, 1788
“[T]he only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments.” –Benjamin Rush, On the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic, 1806
the The passing of the former One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) combined with the shocking claims by the DOJ and FBI regarding the infamous, deceased Jeffrey Epstein, combined with mass efforts by various parts of the judicial system, the Woke and other anti-Trumpers – and the media – have brought The Donald back into the (metaphorical) firing line.
Efforts to impeach him have gone nowhere. Although GOP types suspiciously are retiring/resigning from Congress narrowing the tiny Republican majority in the House of Representatives, so far there are not enough votes to get articles of impeachment, and Speaker Johnson both remains in power and in The Donald’s good graces. (We do wonder, now and then, at the real reasons that so many of these GOP representatives are hanging up their hats. Is it “influencers” who have replaced the old German Dritte Reich custom of shortening the lives of deputies? A “kinder and gentler” type of pressure? (At least kinder than what now seems to be the practice in today’s Russia and Ukraine. One wonders.)
As a result, various and sundry conservatives, Trumpistas, and even a few Libertarians have rallied to his defense. One of those is the popular (and assuredly hated) Victor Davis Hanson. He recently wrote this:
With all due respect, Mr. Hanson, following many of the precedents set by Obummer and Uncle Joe would definitely make The Donald an Autocrat. If not an outright authoritarian Tyrant. This isn’t much of a defense of the man.
Continue readingContinuing to look at the insanity of the Pandemic Panic and the lockdown over Beer Flu (COVID-19), we ran across this cute meme from 2020.
Today, every few days we see another bait-click headline on the mainstream media news sites warning us that another “spike” of some variant of COVID-19, bird flu, swine flu, measles, etc. In Texas, in Florida, in the Central African Republic or wherever.
But what is particularly notable? The epidemic of stupidity continues to climb in numbers and impact across the nation and the world. Not just in DC, but in every State capitol. And indeed, most county seats and provincial headquarters around the world.
It is not just that the pitiful excuse for an education system and the rise of Woke insanity are causing this. No, it is because we are (as a nation and culture) cultivating idiocy. In large part by tolerating it. Especially among the so-called elite. Not just the Hollywood and Nashville and Manhattan elites, but the medical professions and the politicians. And the bureaucrats.
And the voters, even as we hear the clamor for more and more “democracy.”
Think on these things!
The Price of Liberty 
Be eaten… or shoot… or be?
Government stupidity is always with us: An incredibly strong argument for why human, mandatory government is dangerous, immoral, and to be avoided. Or put down.
Consider Yellowstone National Park. And visit this story in Cowboy State Daily.
To put it simply, the old government ban on carrying (open or concealed) weapons for self-defense has been overturned. You can legally have a weapon on you in national parks: the FedGov was forced to follow the Bill of Rights. At least partially.
The problem? Stupid laws.
Continue reading →