Really?
There have been more than a few followers of Christ Jesus (and many who follow the Law of Moses) who have objected vehemently to the actions proposed by The Donald’s DOGE and his eeevviilll henchman or alter ego Elon. Actions to cut USAID providing assistance to millions around the world. Actions to scrub Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid rolls of liars, cheats, and dead people. Actions to cut the bloated payroll of the FedGov.
Continue readingThe German defense minister proves the old adage, the hit dog barks. That seems to be the case in Muenchen (Munich) last week, at the big “security conference.” When US VP Vance accused European nations of “destroying democracy” and feeding lies while denying truths, and taking away the liberties of their people – while expediting the invasion of those nations, Pistorius threw away his prepared speech to tell Vance “this is not acceptable.” Not the status of the European Union nations and others, but for Vance to speak out boldly against their perversions.
(To libertarians, including us here at TPOL, these are not “perversions” of course. At least not as far as the government ruilers: this is business as usual. Lies, tyranny, authoritarianism, denial of rights, and other actions are what governments do.)
Continue readingAs we near the end of the year AD 2024 (but continue to live in AL 248), let us look again at what huge amount of freedom we have in these Fifty States – provided that we beg one or more governments to let us enjoy that liberty.
As Tom Knapp recently pointed out in a comment on a recent commentary, the one thing that we do NOT owe government is the money that they steal from us in the form of income taxes, excise and sales and service taxes, and all the other ways we are robbed blind. No, we owe government a lot more.
This is an old graphic but worth looking at and discussing:
Keep in mind that this is a generic, 50-State version. Still, it is a dozen – even a Baker’s Dozen with the last point in white. Some (or possibly all of these) may not be true in certain American States. Fortunately, because we still live with a remnant of a federation established with a federal system and limited government, there are exceptions. Let’s go through the list.
Continue readingIn the past we’ve seen “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (TDS), by most Democrats, many Republicans, and a fair number of libertarian (or at least libertarian-leaning) types. But now perhaps we have a new, more virulent version: call it Trump Defiance Disorder (TDD).
Symptoms? “If The Donald is for it, I’m against it.” No matter whose idea it was before, if Trump 2.0 speaks favorably about something, dozens of politicians and celebrities and certainly anyone with a Regressive political point of view will bend our ears and fry our eyes with the reasons why this is more evil (eeeviiilll!) than anything since, oh, at least Adolf Hitler. If not Kaiser Bill or Robert E. Lee.
This anti-MAGA madness is not just limited to the Regressives, of course. There are many in public office who are labeled Republicans and some who used to be called blue-dog Democrats. And a good many sitting judges and upper- and mid-level bureaucrats. (The implications of DOGE have no doubt swelled their numbers.) And some political libertarians also suffer TDS or TDD.
And it is also rife at the local level, as this example from SW Colorado shows:
Continue reading… and fake money, at that. Right?
This chart from nationaldebtclock.com sends shudders of fear through our bodies.
The website has recently added the DOGE clock; tracking the money that DOGE has proposed striking from the FedGov budget. Most of this seems to be of the “not really justified” category rather than the outright fraud, corruption, and worse types of money.
But the other numbers are equally scary. Not just the $36 trillion “national debt” – who can really comprehend that? The debt per capita, though, and the debt per taxpayer? Wow. How many American taxpayers (assuming we are talking income taxpayers) actually make $323K a year – even before taxes? Not many: USA Today claims that the average American’s income is just over $59,000 per year. Which means that each taxpayer’s share of the federal government’s debt is more than five years’ income on average!
Continue readingDare we breathe? Is it possible that years of bloody war might come to an end?
The Donald seems to think so. Do we believe him?
Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social
I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects. We both reflected on the Great History of our Nations, and the fact that we fought so successfully together in World War II, remembering, that Russia lost tens of millions of people, and we, likewise, lost so many! We each talked about the strengths of our respective Nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together. But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin even used my very strong Campaign motto of, “COMMON SENSE.” We both believe very strongly in it. We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now. I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful. Millions of people have died in a War that would not have happened if I were President, but it did happen, so it must end. No more lives should be lost! I want to thank President Putin for his time and effort with respect to this call, and for the release, yesterday, of Marc Fogel, a wonderful man that I personally greeted last night at the White House. I believe this effort will lead to a successful conclusion, hopefully soon!
On the other hand, the other politicians, Tranzis and others, and the establishment media seem to want the bloodshed to continue. For example, the latest idiot to occupy Number 10 Downing Street (the UK Prime Minister) wants to send Brit troops to the Ukraine. Supposedly only if there is a ceasefire. The Ukrainian dictator (elected or not) wants to keep fighting Russia, and therefore continue to get his own people killed for what? Not only that, but he wants NATO (and especially the US) to send troops as well as more weapons, ammo, supplies, and especially money.
Trump may be a thug and an idiot – and a dictator elected by a bunch of racists and fascists. But he seems willing to try and restore peace. Something that is generally a good thing, no?
Particularly if it avoids expanding the war, and if it means even a little bit more liberty for a lot of people.
As we all long for more moisture, less bitter cold and wind, and signs of spring!
Several of the staff of TPOL made their annual pilgrimage to Utah – not to Salt Lake City or any sacred site or ground, but to the annual Damage Prevention Seminar helping engineers, contractors, and owner-operators of buried utilities to avoid destruction, injury, and death when digging up things. More about that later, but it brings to mind what is going on in DC right now.
Digging up things is important. People (individually and in criminal cabals (like government)) bury things that they don’t want to be seen. Things that they don’t want changed – and sometimes don’t want found. Governments are experts at this.
We were reminded of safety constantly as we made a four-day round trip of just under 1600 miles across the Northern Great Plains and the Central Rockies. Snow and ice plagued us going down to the Red Rock Country, and Wyoming’s almost constant winds were worse than usual as we returned. Safety – as most of us know – is no game.
Even in politics.
Continue readingSeveral of us here at TPOL have been chided by family and friends because we “hate” public schools. Of course, it is difficult to briefly explain to someone the failings, risks, and consequences of public schools – or as we more accurately call them: government-run, tax-funded (GRTF) schools. (And when particularly irritated with them, “government-ruined, theft-funded” institutions. Especially when people assume that (a) being opposed to GRTF schools is hatred of them, the teachers, the parents that send their children to them… and sometimes the children themselves.
We here at TPOL do oppose GRTF schools – very much so. To some people, our opposition may seem to be so strong as to constitute hate. But one of the many reasons we opposed these institutions in out of love. Love for the children who are sent to them and endure them. Love for the parents of the children. Parents who often feel they have no alternative and who are fearful about both their acceptance in their community and the fate of their children. Teachers (and administrators and other staff) who are trapped in a vicious system. And of our communities and nations who are so damaged by the results of the current system.
So let us look a bit more at why we believe that the public education system – including the GRTF – are a real and present danger and to be avoided and the good Lord willing, abolished.
Continue readingYes, the FedGov has colonies – other than the Fifty States they try to make little more than colonies or administrative regions or districts (a la France). They are generally in three types:
a. De facto colonies where the FedGov calls the shots directly: through USAID, some military entity, or
b. indirectly through bribes, blackmail, or something similar done to the native rulers, or
c. a US territory or commonwealth situation in which there is a direct and official link between DC and whatever: Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, etc. And the Virgin Islands.
U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan, Jr. speaks harshly about the territory’s gun control policies . So he is calling for completely redoing its gun laws. In at least, a good way: to make it easier for all the good burghers of USVI to lawfully keep and bear arms. Never mind that it has long been established that the rights protected by the US Constitution (not established by it) are rightfully those even of the inhabitants of the territories, not just the States.
Bryan was asked recently by a newspaper how the government can address illegal guns coming into the territory. His answer was pretty surprising for a Democratic politician. (He’s a local guy, and it is interesting that the USVI is not a Democratic stronghold. He defeated an incumbent Republican in a runoff election in 2018. (Remember that date.))
“The states with the toughest gun laws get the highest homicide rates. I think we should move to a place where we open gun ranges that are legal and we make it easier for people to license and carry firearms,” Governor Bryan stated. He argued that the percentage of Virgin Islanders who carry unregistered weapons for reasons of ill-intent is very small, while the majority of residents carry firearms because “they’re trying to protect themselves, or feel protected.”
In other words, Islanders are much like honest and peaceful people in the States themselves: they see a need to protect themselves and others. And apparently are just naive enough to think that they have the same God-given rights as any other American. Amazing!
But we do wish to know why Bryan has suddenly changed his mind and made this call – even though it is weak-kneed and far from giving Islanders (and visitors) all of the rights we are supposedly guaranteed by the US Constitution. That’s 87,000 residents (US citizens) and hundreds of thousands of US visitors to this tourist paradise. He was elected when The Donald was still in office, but has served most of his terms under the oh-so-benevolent hand of Uncle Joe (well, whoever was pulling Uncle’s puppet strings). So why now? Is he fearful of The Donald? Did the crime get to be too bad? Did people just plain get fed up? We’ll probably never know.
It isn’t just American colonies that may get back a little more freedom. In Illinois, a state judge has decided that it is unconstitutional for the State to require a “Firearm Owners Identification Card to allow you to have a rifle in your home. Presumably for self- and family defense. Shocking, huh? No matter how many people get blown away in Chicago every weekend.
It is disgusting: the woman involved in this case has been fighting for her liberty for eight years: siince 2017. And including not one but two trips to the Illinois Supreme Court.
Again, it is a win for liberty – if not yet the full liberty that she – and everyone in Illinois – are supposed to have. Keeping a rifle in your home (castle) is one thing, but the key phrase is “keep and bear.” And it doesn’t apply just to rifles: it applies to pistols and switchblades and swords and … yeah, even cannon and missiles and lasers.
In related news: Florida Gov announces a “Second Amendment” summer tax holiday idea.
What a ridiculous idea – being able to buy a weapon with which you defend yourself, your rights, your family, and your community without having a government tax (theft) on it. TPOL has always believed and frequently stated that taxation is not just theft but taxation of weapons (and the ammo those weapons use) is indeed an infringement on the right to keep and bear arms. Even if you buy the gun and give it to someone else.
Still, a summer without a sales and use tax on guns is better than none. Can we hope that other States might follow suit?
We can also rejoice that the US Fifth Circuit court has said that 18-20 year olds are full citizens who are able to keep and bear arms. And that federal (and State law) that prohibits them from buying and owning and carrying firearms are unconstitutional.
The ruling stated, “In sum…[statues which ‘prohibit Federal Firearms Licensees]…from selling or delivering handguns to adults under the age of twenty-one. and their attendant regulations are unconstitutional in light of our Nation’s historic tradition of firearm regulation.”
The Price of Liberty 
Why aren’t we there yet?
More and more, as we see the changes in regime since the 20th of January, 2025, we hear and read people who seem to think that paradise is nearly here. (Or nirvana, or “heaven on earth.”) And of course, we hear and read people who seem to think that the new regime has doomed America, and we are all going to die, get sent to Gitmo, or some other horrible fate.
It is easy to see how people would get excited about this. Whether they are eager and hopeful for the future. Or whether they are absolutely sure that we have a convicted criminal tyrant and dictator who is leading our entire nation and world off the cliff.
A lot of people ARE eager to leave at least the past four years behind us. Even those that hate and despise the new regime and its leader. But…
Although The Donald (Trump 2.0) has clearly learned from his mistakes in 2017-2021, we know just how hard it is to break habits. Especially bad habits, and even after a four-year break. So we see him doing some of the same things he did before – and the actual or potential backfiring of those things. Trusting the wrong people. Saying mean things. Thinking that just maybe this time, more people will look beyond the terror-promoting screams of Never-Trump. So after just 30 days, the jury is still out.
Continue reading →