The most insidious form of Tyranny.....

...is done in the name of Liberty.

Longer post to follow. It's still percolating in my head.

:-)
Josh

It can't happen here! We're America!

You (the you in general) can justify anything with the words, "It's for your own good/protection."

Decisions made out of fear are rarely good decisions.

My last name is Kruschke. Pronounced Crewsshh-ka, but I've never pronounced it that way. I pronounce it Crush-key. My grandad Thought that it would be a good idea if it sounded more American during WWII.

http://www.foitimes.com/

http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/_/dict.aspx?word=Espionage+Act+of+1917

If you don't think it can happen in the U.S., think again.

:-(
Josh

Family

A man and a women do not a family make.

Because with out loving discipline all you have is a group of arguing bickering idiots.

Family members loving and supporting one another to be the best me possible.

Whether or not the family parental figures are male male, female female, male female, or a single parent.

With out love any one of those combinations suck.

Hmmmm...,
Josh

Weak / Strong

There are Strong and Weak people in this world. I'm talking in ability and skills, i.e., we all have our strengths and weakness.

One side believes that we should help the weaker among us become stronger.  This way they can compete and hold their own. 

The other side believes we should place limits on and weaken the strong, so that they can't take advantage of those weaker than them.

One side weakens the whole, and the other side strengthens the whole. 

A difference noticed between protests and rallies.

Protests are usually a force of destruction, to stop something or pulling something down.

Rallies are usually a force for coming together, for rebuilding and recharging.

A difference in mindset.

Hmmm...,
Josh

What someone does will tell you who they are.

Someone wiser than me said, "What you believe is not what you say you believe, but what you actualy do."

Now I just need to remember who.
:-(

Integrity......

If you say you are for limited government and liberty and then run to the government everytime some one or group doesn't do what you want or approve of (to forces them in line), do you have any?

Where the Founders went wrong....

with the US Constitution.

They allowed the US Constitution to be defined out side of itself.

They should of been implicit and clear within the document as to what was intended.

Leaving it up to an outside court or the Federalist Papers to inform us, the people, what was intended.... mmmmmm not such a goog idea.

All that was needed to destroy The Constitusion was to change in the publics eye and in the courts what it means.

My 2 cents,
Josh

Warning!!!!!

I keep hearing, "That if we don't kick Obama out of office The Republic is dead."

This is crap. Not that he isn't doing a lot of damage, but let's look at it this way, "Who would of been president if he would had of lost the first time?"

Answer, John McCain.

We (the country and Tea Party) would still be a sleep; No Tea Party, No public debate on *the debt* or returning to founding principles and limited government. Just some of us still bitching at big spending RINO Republicans and getting shit on by our own party.

If Mit or Perry do win, are they going to talk a good game while still growing government to further political ambitions? Just slowing the bus down on it's trip over the cliff.

Are we going to go back to sleep thinking we have won?

I would rather have Obama in office than some RINO Populist.

I would rather control the Senate & House than the Presidency.

My 2cents,
Josh

Is it to late?

Read "We Are A Divided People".

By T.L. Davis

Bureaucracy Defined

If insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results, then...

A bureaucracy is defined as where you fix multi-dysfunctional systems by adding another overarching layer.

Government Insanity.

Sigh...,
Josh

FEMA a study in what not to do.

Does this make any sense?

"Now here's where the bureaucratic red tape comes in. Under FEMA regulations, the tornado shelters are considered "temporary" -- only necessary while the schools are being repaired and the students are in the trailers. When the schools are rebuilt or repaired, FEMA rules state that the federal government has to get rid of the shelters.

That can happen three ways:

1) The schools can buy the shelter from FEMA (about $375,000);

2) The schools can find a buyer;

3) If neither 1) nor 2) is feasible, FEMA will give the schools more taxpayer money to demolish the shelter and haul away the debris."

Mmmmmmmmmm.....

Bacon

Shhhh..... I'm going to tell you a secret....

Come closer... a little more.

Can you hear me.... of course you can't; I'm typing this.

Ok, here goes, the secret to life is... a little forethought, self-discipline and action.

Now go forth be happy and multiply!!!

This has been a TToJ Public Service Announcement.

Evangelistic Atheist Piss Me Off.

As one atheist to another, shut the f*** up. I really hate when someone tries to push their beliefs onto others.

This pisses me off.

It would be something if 'they' made it mandatory that you had to stop and prey in front of it, now that would be something.

Why or what makes Dave Silverman think he has any moral authority to even have an opinion as to what goes on at or into the 9/11 memorial. Is he part of the 9/11 families or one of the 9/11 emergency workers? If not, shut the f*** up.

I really wish people would go and look at what Thomas Jefferson actualy said about a wall between church and state.

Atheist like to quote what is called "The Establishment Clause" - "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." But, they conveniently forget the next part of the First Anendment, "...or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

Dave are you saying that religious people can't apply for government grants? Should we then take out all religious references in the Smithsonian? Are you trying to censor what happened after 9/11? Just because you don't agree with what some religious people did after 9/11 doesn't give you the right to negate what they did. As soon as you limit, because of government involvement, when and where someone can prey or practice their religion you are using the government to prohibit the free exercising thereof. Just as the government has no business tell you when to practice or not practice religion, neither is it any of yours.

Sigh...,
Josh

My take on Personal Responsibility again.

Note: This is a repost of one of my first posts. I have edited it and placed somethings in bold.

     What is Personal Responsibility? To me these words mean taking ownership of ones own actions. I will not expect nor is it anyone else’s duty to take care of me! I will not whine or blame others if things do not go as I plan.

The first responsibility of the individual is to oneself, now this might sound selfish to some, but if you think about it; it’s really not. If you take care of yourself first you’re not a burden on your family, society or anyone else, and you can help others in times of need. Now this doesn’t mean putting yourself first at the expense of others.

Let me give you an order of importance to the responsibilities in your life. Your first responsibility is to your self then family, friends, acquaintances, local community and the world at large.

Now you might be asking why family isn’t first. Let’s say you put your family first and give everything to the family. Say a family member needs some money, so you just go into debt to get the money, because you’re not worried about yourself. Now you get so far in debt that you can’t pay your own bills. You are now a burden to your family.

If you had kept your responsibility to yourself in minded, and said, “How can I help this family member support himself, so we can both prosper?” You would be keeping this principle in mind.

So, if the individual is strong then our families, friends, acquaintances, the local community and the world at large will be strong.

Now there are things that happen that are out of our control. Let’s say, a natural disaster comes along and destroys my house. It’s not everyone responsibility to insure that I get my life back exactly like it was before. It is my responsibility to plan for the future and part of that future is uncertainty and Mother-Nature. It’s my responsibility to ask myself, “What could happen and what should I do if it does?” and plan accordantly.

We can band together to help each other start over, but it’s not mandatory. I do believe in teamwork. You wouldn’t ask a teammate to do something and then stand around doing nothing with your handout? Teams work together to accomplish something for the benefit of the group. If, you do have to accept someone’s help don’t fall into the trap of always relying on others. You should try to do things yourself first and if you really can’t do something then ask for help; while still doing what you can yourself. You will be surprised at what you can accomplish on your own. No freeloading, after you recover from what ever you needed help with pay those who helped you back in full; plus a little extra. There should be no free rides.

If you do rely on the government and others to take care of you, you are weakening are society, because you will put-off doing things waiting for someone else to take care of them.

So, if something bad happens pick your self up, dust yourself off and start building your life over.

There are no guaranties in life, so plan accordingly.

We deserve the government we elect.

I'm really getting tired of paying for other people's stupidity.

Thomas Jefferson Quotes

God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty.... And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

- Thomas Jefferson

Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others?

- Thomas Jefferson

Of liberty I would say that, in the whole plenitude of its extent, it is unobstructed action according to our will. But rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add “within the limits of the law,” because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual.

- Thomas Jefferson

The Art of Compromise as practiced in Congress.

There's a man who thinks he can fly. To prove that he can he plans on jumping off a 50 story building. His friend thinks he's crazy, so he yells up to him, "I'll jump with you if you meet me halfway."

:-)
Josh

P.s. to the last post.

If you made plans requiring this new car without making a back up plan in the event I can't follow though on said car, at worst you're an idiot; at best you were being naive.

:-(
Josh

Calvin Coolidge

It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones. – Calvin Coolidge

Perhaps one of the most important accomplishments of my administration has been minding my own business. – Calvin Coolidge

Thinking about Thinking.

Have we as a nation lost our ability to think for ourselves?

Our we at the point, that without an authority figure to tell us what the correct answer is or what to do, we wouldn't be able to figure-out something on our own?

Hmmm...,
Josh

The Family

Families (However you define them) and extended families are going to be what save this country.
People banding together to get through the tuff times ahead. Used to be that your parents took care of you when you were young, and you were expected to return the favor in their golden years.
In this coming together, we are going to have to keep 'Personal Responsibility' in the forefront of what we do.
There are no truly helpless people. Everyone has something to offer or some skill; even if it's just their mind (Stephan Hawking).
No freeloading, everyone's got to pull their own weight and be compensated for their contributions.
This isn't the socialist model where you do this out of the goodness of your heart. Everyone needs to be recognized and compensated for what they bring to the table.
I'm almost at the point where I think we should follow John Galt, and band together in our own communities (Amish Style. Well maybe not so luxury deprived.), but if the Federal Government is left to run amuck, how long would that last.
The only way it worked for Galt was he kept it secret.

Something to think on,
Josh 

Good lazy, Bad Lazy.

We are lazy by nature. This not nesisarily a bad thing. Unless you're a masochist, who really wants to work harder than they need to?
But this laziness can be used for good or evil. I break it down into being good lazy or bad lazy.
One can cause you to work harder and expend more energy than if you had just did what ever it is that you are trying to avoided. Everyone knows someone who works hard at doing nothing.
The other one can be used to make life easer, and by another name is called efficiency. But at what price?
The only way to really tell the difference is look at the results, the consequences, of what we are doing to try to make our lives easer.
Bad lazy, sloth if you will, is the trap that governments use to enslave their people.
Why would you want to take care of yourself if the government says they will do it for you?
Why should I work to better my station in life, when I can get the government to take from the haves to give to the have-nots?

What would our pioneering forefather think of our pursuit of the easy life. For certain things in life there is only one correct way of doing them, and it isn't always the easiest.

My 2 cents,
Josh

Let's Go Team!

Follow the links.

Found these great posts in my wanderings.

Thanks Blue,
Josh

This one's going to get me into trouble....

Please read the whole post before you start yelling at me.

I'm against obortion period.

I believe the way I do for two reasons.

1. I believe a new life is formed at conception, and...
2. I believe this is an avoidance of consiquense issue.

To the first point. From a purely scientific point of of view; as soon as, the egg is fertilized by the sperm there's a unique genetic code produced. From a moral and philosophical point of view this life has potential that I feel should be respected and given every opportunity to thrive.

Some like to look at this as a woman's health issue that because this new life is dependent it's environment i.e., it's mothers womb, that just like another appendage or organ that can be removed if it threatens the mothers life. By this logic up until natural birth happens you can end this life. Childbirth is not an inherently safe endeavor. Even perfectly healthy seeming birth have gone horribly wrong resulting in the death of the mother, child or both. There are no guaranties in life.

More in the definition of life as being or only starting after the new life can survive on it's own out side of the womb. By this definition then none of us are a live you take us out of our environment we all die. Can you live on the bottom of the ocean, or in deep space.

On to point #2. We as a country, I feel, spend an inordinate amount of time avoiding the consiquense of our actions and decisions. I feel that men and women, it takes two to tango, are not taking the consequences into a count when they participate in the act of creating a new life. That is what sex is it's a really fun activity with a very specific outcome intended by nature. We use it to show affection and for bonding, but from a biological standpoint that's not what it was intended for.

If we as an individual decide that we are not ready for the responcibilty of raising a child you have two options. You can not participate in the activity i.e., intercourse, and not participating is the only 100% effective birth-control method. Or, you can gamble with other less effective birth-control methods. If you lose the bet; you can except the consiquense by having the child and raising them to the best of your ability, you can take partial responsibility have the child and put them up for adoption(probably the hardest of the choices) or you can avoid the problem and have an abortion.

This last option is the one I see most of taken, and it has consequences of it's own. The possibility of regret. Those around you might look at you differently. I know I would.

Do I believe the government should be involved funding or regulating this as a helth issue; no. The governments job is to have a legal definition of when life begins and enforce it across all laws.

I'm to much of a coward to get into the abortion after a rape discussion. For onething this is a decision I will never have to make. I will put forth three points for consideration age of the victim, their mental state a the time of the decision to abort or not and the unborn had nothing to do with the offense.

My 2 cents,
Josh

Note: I wrote this post so there would be no confusion between my stance on this issue and what I stated in the previous post.

Stuck in the middle and What do we really believe?

I'm about as much of a Libertarian as you can get. I want as small and as unintrusive a government as possible.
So I'm stuck between two opposing forces that want to run my life. The left wants to tell me how to spend my money, and the right wants to tell me how to live my life. Both feel I'm to stupid to figure this out for myself and that the government needs to force me to do the right thing.
I don't believe a government should be involved in any type of social safety net that this allows us to become bad lazy* to not have to think about or plan for the future. Why should we the government will take care of us. We no longer feel the need to take personal responcibilty for our lives the government will do that for us.
Used to be that if we fell down our family, our church or a local charity** was there to help us pick ourselves back up so we could stand on our own two feet. That is if we even bothered to ask for help.
We used to have a pride in our ability to pick ourselves up and start over. We didn't need no stinking help. We could stand on our own two feet. Our forefathers would of been ashamed of how far we have fallen. How we can't get off the government crack that is our "entitlement" system. This system that slaved ourselves to.

You can not be truly free if you rely on other to take care of you.

On to the other side there our those who feel they have the right to tell me how to live my life and who I can love. This is the one that is a little more insidious of the two, because they cloak what they want as doing it for my own good or trying to save my soul. Who can argue against that. They just have the best intentions, but what do they say about the road to hell. To me this is just more bad lazy think. If you can't win over people in the court of public opinion, just in act legislation that will force them to act as you wish.

Now to the second part of the title. If we, and say we because I have side with the right, because our stated beliefs line up the most. If we say we believe in personal liberty and small government, why do we grow the power of government and restrict choice when it gets us something we want?

So again I ask, what do we really believe?

*A post to follow on good lazy and bad lazy.
**A post to follow on turning to Family, church or local charities instead of the government.

I'm not who I think I am or who I want to be.

Am I acting in concert with my stated beliefs?

Am I who I want to be?

Do I reflect in my actions the best of me?

Do I mask insecurity with a persona confidence and competence?

Do I even know who I want to be?

What do I need to do to be a better person?

Why do I poke and challenge people's beliefs?

Why do I ask so many damn questions?

WTF People.

I was watching The O'Reilly Factor, the other day, and he talked about a Gallup Poll that asked this question:

Should the government redistribute wealth by heavy taxes on the rich?

NO. 49%
YES. 47%

Of those that said yes.

Democrats. 71% (No surprise here.)
Independents. 43% (Pick a side)
Republicans. 28% (WTF)

Women. 52%
Men. 42%

Whites. 41%
Nonwhites. 64%

April 7-11, 2011
1,077 adults, MOE +/-4%

We as a Nation have become some lazy SOB's.

Warning!

This Blog is now going to be my bitch box.
I fear that the only people that are going to read my blog already agree with me, so here's the deal, if you know someone that needs to hear something I post send them a link, copy, crib or steal anything you want.
If nothing else happens with this blog getting things off my chest will be a good thing.

We can't afford to be silent anymore.

Josh

God Help Us, because We can't be bothered with doing it ourselves.

I'm not even sure if anyone really knows what personal responsibility is any more. I hear a lot of people saying they believe in it and practice it, but run to their family, pastor, charity and the government at the first sign of trouble.
I'm sorry if your retirement plan was to rely on Social Security 'Insurance,' maybe you should of planned a little better.
I'm sorry if you pissed away your health with poor life choises. Health costs go up when demand goes up.
I'm sorry if your house got destroyed or flooded, but you chose to live there. Quit whining and start rebuilding.

You are not entitled to anything in this life that you didn't work for and build yourself.

Life's tuff. We need to be tuffer.

Josh

§176. Respect for flag!

I really liked what Brigid wrote on her blog in the side bar titled "One Nation Under God."
I'm not sure if she would want me to post this as a comment on her blog, because I'm pretty sure anyone that reads her blog has already read or at least knows of the "Flag Code." I thought it might be important to go over at least section 176 of Chapter 10, Title 36. I to see it being violated all the time.
:-(

The "FLAG CODE"

UNITED STATES CODE

TITLE 36

CHAPTER 10

PATRIOTIC CUSTOMS

§176. Respect for flag

No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor.
(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.
(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
(c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.
(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.
(e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.
(f) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
(h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.
(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.
(k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.

You can read the whole "Flag Code" here:
http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html

Just some FYI for the readers,
Josh

One of Two Ways to lose a right.

I posted this comment in here:

@ bs Foot print
You ownly have the rights you are will to defend. Technically you are right as you can only lose a right one of two ways: voluntarily relinquished or at death; as murder is the ultimate violation of your right to life.

He did have two choises: he could move or file a laws suite stating that his 2nd Amendment right had been violated.

Josh

January 21, 2011 6:49 PM

On a Whim and a Prayer.

When you allow the government to give you your rights on a whim don't act surprised when they take them away on a whim.

There's a Guy named Travis Corcoran (Blogs under the name TJIC), he has a comic book website Heavy Ink Comics, a blog Dispatches from TJICistan, and another website SmartFlix.com where he rents instructional videos.
The only reason I know about this guy is that some of the blogs I follow have taken up for him and provided links to his story. They have asked anyone and everyone to put up picture with statement "I am TJIC".
"I am not TJIC" as I would not ask anyone to just make a silly statement if support, but I would put out a call to action in helping me defend my rights all the way to the Supreme Court if needed. Another reason I will not be using the "I am TJIC" picture is because you do realize the "I am Sparticus" line was a last bit of defiance after they had already fought the good fight and where about to get crucified?  If you are going to have a rallying cry or call to battle it needs to be a call to action, but as I can't think of anything better I might break down and put it up.
TJIC mad some controversial statements and got his guns taken from him. He did this in Massachusetts where you need a permit to own a gun and his permit was revoked. This is an infringement on his 1st & 2nd Amendment rights. I've said this elsewhere; Everyone seems to me to be under the impression that his Second Amendment was violated when they took his guns from him. No, he gave up his right to his guns when he consented to the condition of owner ship being that a permit was need to lawfuly own a gun and said permit was issued at the whim of the government.
He or any of us should not be surprised if at the whim of the government said permit should be revoked.

I will ask you to look into suporting and to patronize his shops; as, some have started a boycott.
I'm not sure how far he's going to take this in the courts. I would like this to go as far as possible, and I will do what I can to help.

Josh

I'm not big on whining, "Less talking, More doing," is what I like to say.

Final draft.

A New Day.

Why is it we place such importance on this day of January 1st?

Each day we wake up is an opportunity to start fresh.
Each day is a new begaining and an end to yesterday.
Each day we can say this is the day I try something new.
Each day brings a new hope that this day will be my day to shine.
Each day brings with it new opportunities and challenges.

A new day is upon us.  What will you do with it?