Public-private partnerships?

Posted on 2017-04-03 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

One of the many ways in which people seek to “reduce” the corrupt power of government is to restrain government agencies by reducing their workload through contracting out, thus reducing government direct employment.  It sounds good, but its a nasty business.

A basic “biblical” principle of “be not unequally yoked” is generally applied to marriage.  But the concept seems equally applicable to business relationships (partnerships, employment, and clients and customers).  And especially to political and governmental relations. Although this is a religious concept, does it not apply as well to lovers of liberty? I submit to my readers that indeed it does.

Consider, for example, the very popular idea of “public-private partnerships” in which various government entities and agencies enter into agreements, (short or long term) relationships with one or more private business entities (usually but not always corporations or limited-liability companies of some sort). Continue reading →

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A taste of his own medicine

Posted on 2017-04-02 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

It seems that the media, Tranzis, “libertarians,” and a whole host of folks are attacking Veep Mike Pence. His behavior and his ideas are inexcusable, and suitable for making fun of, criticizing, and using to show what a worthless and despicable piece of scum he is.

What could possibly cause this reaction?  Is it his playing second fiddle to The Donald?  Is it the new administration’s carrying on the terrorist war on terror in the Middle East?  Is it the evil of approving the Keystone XL pipeline application?  His casting a deciding vote to consent to appointing that eater-of-children Betsy deVos to the Secretary of Education job?

No, none of these evils are enough to raise the ire of the people screaming (and texting and tweeting and twittering and snapchatting) about Mike Pence of Indiana right now.

It is because he has some ideas (very decidedly strange ideas for 2017)  about the obligations he has to his wife.  And tries to live up to them.

First off, it is bad enough that all he has is a wife – and has only had just the one.  Not a husband, not a dog, not TWO wives (preferably at the same time, but even sequentially would be better than THIS!), no paramours, lemans, mistresses, pretty-boys, or anything else.

But! Continue reading →

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More war in space

Posted on 2017-04-01 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

Can government preserve itself in space?  Can the “new frontier” be more reliably controlled than the frontier of the Old West or the Seven Seas for centuries?

Among other things, it is a matter of scope.  Which is one reason that liberty, freedom, survived as long as it did in the American West and a few other places (like the Gobi and Sahara and the Outback and Amazonia).  (Open space is not an absolute guarantee of freedom, as Siberia and the Northwest Territories demonstrates, but that is another discussion.)  The vastness of space even just here in the Solar System is a daunting challenge to government control.  (You might not be able to hide in space, but it can be pretty hard to get to you.)

Indeed, governments have always had a difficult time keeping control of wilderness and frontier areas – with or without technology.  For millennia, governments could not “keep the peace” even a few miles out to sea.  You could see the ships of smugglers, pirates, rebels, and just ordinary folks for leagues and leagues, but… Catching them was a very different matter. Continue reading →

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Did You Ever Wonder…

Posted on 2017-03-30 by MamaLiberty

By MamaLiberty

Did you ever wonder why the most dysfunctional, irrational, irresponsible people so often believe that they know – and should control – what is best for everyone else?

Why so many people seem to think that responsibility for what they “feel” rests on others, and they are some sort of victim? Ah, and the rest of the professional victims of our failure to read their minds or cater to their every whim.

Why politicians and bureaucrats talk so much about government and “public service?” All I can think of when I hear that is what the bull does to “service” the cow. And he isn’t asking for her opinion either.

Why people line up around the block to mail their tax returns/payments on April 15, seemingly without much protest? I guess the lines are shorter now with the internet… but really. Why so many gripe at an increase in the cost of living, but don’t consider how much  taxes of all sorts contribute to that cost. Why is the high cost of food the farmer or grocer’s fault? Continue reading →

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It’s stupid – but is it government’s business?

Posted on 2017-03-28 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

Should it be illegal?

The Atlanta Journal-Constition tells us that in Georgia, bureaucrats are telling a couple what name they can NOT give their child. “An Atlanta family is at odds with the state over their right to give their daughter the last name of their choosing. Elizabeth Handy and Bilal Walk, claim that Georgia officials are refusing to grant their daughter — ZalyKha Graceful Lorraina Allah — a birth certificate. … State officials, however, said the child’s name… does not fit the naming conventions set up by state law. They say that ZalyKha’s last name should either be Handy, Walk or a combination of the two.”

First off, let’s note that these parents are incredibly stupid, giving this poor baby girl such a ridiculous name. They are saddling her for life with constant misery; a life of constantly having to spell her name out for people, for trying to fit her name into everything from employment applications to contracts to buy anything. And to stereotyping; regardless of her race or ethnic background she will be prejudged and probably identified as a ghetto-dwelling urban Muslim black. I suspect that she will have to fight and get most people to call her Grace or perhaps Lorrie (Lori) or Lorraine, all common girls’ names. Her names will be an especial burden if she turns out, for example, NOT to be a graceful woman. And she may find that a lot of people are very offended at her last name.

Mama’s Note: I very much agree that names are no business of the state, in any case. If these parents are indeed Muslim, I can’t see how they would want to use the name of their “god” that way, and if they are not, some actual Muslims may well take such umbrage that the child would be in serious danger. The term “stupid” doesn’t begin to cover the insanity of this whole thing. Continue reading →

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Protecting Children

Posted on 2017-03-27 by MamaLiberty

By MamaLiberty

Have you ever gone through your home, office, garage, store rooms and considered how many things are marked with some version of: Keep Out of the reach of Children.

I just noticed such a warning on a new bag of potting soil. I’ve seen countless others on things I’d never dream of giving to children, and thousands of things children might well use every day, or even once in a while. I don’t have any children around now, so I don’t usually pay much attention to such warnings, but a recent conversation in comments here brought the issue to the front. So, I have a few questions.

Are “children” a homogeneous tribe with identical (or even greatly similar) attributes and vulnerability? That is simply not true, of course. Is chronological age an absolute measure of intelligence and ability to deal with the vast variation of challenges and dangers in this world? Not at all true either, though too many people seem to accept that and refuse to consider the more complex alternatives.

So, who are these “children,” and why should there be any universal prohibitions on their use and handling of so many things? None of us would simply hand a razor blade to ANY person we thought might harm themselves or others with it… so their chronological age is just one of the considerations. Continue reading →

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Is Trump Nuts? Does it Matter?

Posted on 2017-03-26 by MamaLiberty

by L. Reichard White
lreichardwhite@yahoo.com

Does Mr. Trump really have serious psychiatric problems as increasing numbers of shrinks are suggesting?

Since in their DSM- 5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders), the Mental Health Guild has classified just about every possible combination of human emotion and behavior as a psychiatric disorder, they can certainly find Mr. Trump—along with the rest of us—has conditions they would gladly treat but not necessarily cure. For a nice fee, of course.

They suggest he’s grandiose, antisocial, narcissistic, and paranoid etc. And, since an Australian study found that 1 in 5 CEOs are psychopaths, we can probably add that and/or “sociopath” to the list.

And they say he’s deceitful and tells lies, so far, at least 129 of ’em. And counting. Well, DUH! That IS how politicians get elected after all. And most of the folks who manage to get a shot at the position are quite accomplished at it. Continue reading →

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“Earth Hour” starts tonight. Yawn.

Posted on 2017-03-25 by MamaLiberty

The winner for Earth Hour every year since 2003  – North Korea. Odds favor them to be the winner again this year. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Earth Hour: A Dissent
by Ross McKitrick

“Earth Hour” starts tonight. Yawn.

Every year at Christmas, many newspapers reprint “Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus“, this excellent essay by Ross McKittrick should be repeated on every blog on every observance of Earth Hour. Copy, paste, and share it widely. Better yet, turn on all your lights to celebrate, as Ross says below.

The whole mentality around Earth Hour demonizes electricity. I cannot do that, instead I celebrate it and all that it has provided for humanity. – Ross McKitrick

Continue reading →

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When are we going to learn?

Posted on 2017-03-25 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

The end of the world is upon us.  A dozen or more children could have been killed, as Columbine 2.0 (or Sandy Hook 2.0) was narrowly avoided by a vigilant and expertly trained and experienced preschool teacher.

Or so a family member opined, tongue firmly in cheek, when told of the incredible events in an Illinois school.  A four-year-old pre-school boy terrorized his school and endangered the community by having a “shotgun bullet” in his pants pocket.  One that he picked up from the ground when out with his grandfather hunting.

So Bearing Arms reports. It turns out that the “shotgun bullet” was a spent (you know, EMPTY) .22-cal shell casing.  One of millions [try billions – trillions! ML] found on the landscape of American communities for more than a century.  One more harmful to a bird accidentally swallowing it than a room full of four-year-olds. Continue reading →

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Really?

Posted on 2017-03-25 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

Every day that goes by, more and more Americans become more deeply entrenched and brainwashed into believing what they’re told by their boob tube (television), newspapers, magazines and propaganda-spreading websites, like WebMD, Forbes.com and Slate.com. People become more paranoid and outright delusional about infectious diseases, a Trump Presidency, food allergies and domestic terrorism.”

So says NewsTarget. In an article about 10 “so-called” conspiracy theories that alternative media proved true.

Except, that isn’t true. Not just their opening paragraph (above) but the list of the ten “conspiracy theories.” Indeed, none of them are “theories” and you usually don’t consider doing business as usual (in government or its crony-capitalist partners) as being “conspiracies.”

It is simply the powerful, in government and money, mutually feeding on each other, doing what they’ve always done, controlling (or at least trying to control) what everyone else does, fighting in various ways for a bigger slice of the pies of power, influence, wealth, and all the other things that their perverted hearts desire. Continue reading →

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