Quotes of the Week

"Having federal officials, whether judges, bureaucrats, or congressmen, impose a new definition of marriage on the people is an act of social engineering profoundly hostile to liberty.

"Capitalism should not be condemned, since we haven't had capitalism.

"A system of capitalism presumes sound money, not fiat money manipulated by a central bank. Capitalism cherishes voluntary contracts and interest rates that are determined by savings, not credit creation by a central bank.

"I am just absolutely convinced that the best formula for giving us peace and preserving the American way of life is freedom, limited government, and minding our own business overseas.

"In time it will become clear to everyone that support for the policies of pre-emptive war and interventionist nation-building will have much greater significance than the removal of Saddam Hussein itself.

"Legitimate use of violence can only be that which is required in self-defense.

"Our country's founders cherished liberty, not democracy.

"Setting a good example is a far better way to spread ideals than through force of arms.

"The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people.

"The most important element of a free society, where individual rights are held in the highest esteem, is the rejection of the initiation of violence.

Ron Paul

A Trillion Wrongs

There is a new article on the FEE website written by Lawrence W. Reed, entitled A Trillion Wrongs Don’t Make a Right. It is a scathing review of politicians and business men alike. A short but sweet article that helps put in perspective what is truly happening in our country. However, my favorite part is his quote of a portion of Resolution No. 2 of the 85th General Assembly of the State of Indiana, passed by that state’s House and Senate in January 1947. It reads as follows:

"Indiana needs no guardian and intends to have none. We Hoosiers—like the people of our sister states—were fooled for quite a spell with the magician’s trick that a dollar taxed out of our pockets and sent to Washington will be bigger when it comes back to us. We have taken a good look at said dollar. We find that it lost weight in its journey to Washington and back. The political brokerage of the bureaucrats has been deducted. We have decided that there is no such thing as ‘federal’ aid. We know that there is no wealth to tax that is not already within the boundaries of the 48 states.

"So we propose henceforward to tax ourselves and take care of ourselves. We are fed up with subsidies, doles and paternalism. We are no one’s stepchild. We have grown up. We serve notice that we will resist Washington, D.C. adopting us."

From the news reports, it sounds like we have a few governors that may still possess such resolve.

Keep your eye on Bobby Jindal

An article on the Drudge Report today indicating that "Louisiana May Not Take Stimulus Money." Bobby Jindal is the governor of Louisiana, and "has suggested his state may not be interested in all of the roughly $4 billion allotted to it in the economic stimulus package to be signed by President Obama." Jindal said "We'll have to review each program, each new dollar to make sure that we understand what are the conditions, what are the strings and see whether it's beneficial for Louisiana to use those dollars..."

Jindal has shown signs of true conservatism, and is being called the conservative's Barak Obama. He is keeping a low profile, but is being talked about as a Republican presidential candidate for 2012.

Apocalypse Now

You know, I guess folks think that if we hear foolishness enough times and from enough sources, spoken with a clear and confident forked tongue, it will be impossible for us to resist it. I mean, I just saw a Time magazine cover with a headline declaring that we need more government to save the United States! Really? Maybe if they say that enough times, then it will become true.

Another of my favorites is global warming. What a boondoggle! Honestly, with global warming, the more times I hear it preached, the angrier I get. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, but seriously folks. I mean, the perveyors of this drivel must know that it's a crock of Pelosi. How could they not? Anyway, I just read an article by George Will providing a little perspective of global warming by the way of recent history. It's entitled Apocalypse Now? Highly Unlikely.

Quote of the Week

"Perhaps the fact that we have seen millions voting themselves into complete dependence on a tyrant has made our generation understand that to choose one's government is not necessarily to secure freedom."

"We must face the fact that the preservation of individual freedom is incompatible with a full satisfaction of our views of distributive justice."

"If we wish to preserve a free society, it is essential that we recognize that the desirability of a particular object is not sufficient justification for the use of coercion.”

Friedrich August von Hayek

Happy Birthday Mr. President

In honor of the late Ronald Reagan's birthday , February 6, I have posted the following quotations:

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

How do you tell a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin.

I am not worried about the deficit. It is big enough to take care of itself.

I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency, even if I'm in a cabinet meeting.

Inflation is as violent as a mugger, as frightening as an armed robber and as deadly as a hit man.

It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.

The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

Quote of the Week

My older brother Aaron published the following quote as a comment to one of last week's blog posts. Brilliant!

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." - C.S Lewis