Fifty Years Ago

We were taught that the coming of the Kennedy administration was that of a new generation, a new way of looking at the world, and understanding differently history that was now cosigned to the ash heap. It was a new beginning, and despite the death of JFK we would go on to remake the world with a new face. And I was only six years old when John Kennedy was killed! It was quite a lot for me to take in.

But take it I did. It was all one world now, we were the greatest in that world, however, so we Americans were to keep the baton and see to it that the world didn't fuck things up. Apparently, that was our job.

JFK, in his inaugural address to this new world, let every person listening know; the United States would see to it that if they made a mess, we would clean it up. And that communism was another economic system, that if it would only join hands with Americanism, other worldly wonders, like peace and scientific advancement, and all the other good things governments could provide were only a handshake away. Collective cooperation was the secret to keeping peace between free and unfree worlds. He promoted freedom, as that was his duty as president. But he gave a nod and a wink to those who enslaved their people.

But what I wanted to get to was something, the ONLY thing most people remember from the speech in 1961. "And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for country".

Growing up and hearing those words made me kind of proud. Of what, I was sure that it was to be an American, to be selfless, and giving to the world. Growing up results (thankfully) in being grown up. And so many years ago, I read those words, tossed them around in my salad bowl of a head, now filled with newer ideas based on timeless philosophies, and wondered what the hell was he talking about. Don't ask anything of your country, but be sure to ask her what you can do for her. I mean, whaaaaa?

In the old years, we were never allowed to criticize JFK. OK. He was assassinated, a martyr, and then, of course a saint. Time usually takes most saints down enough notches so that we can examine just why we got talked into the saint thing anyway. And so it was with John Kennedy. After his fall from grace, most of us would never canonize a politician again (this is what is happening with President Obama and his ouster from his brief fling with sainthood).

Today, we who have tv will see JFK and those words repeated more than the thousand days he spent in office. And I will still need someone to explain them to me.

The Shooting

This week everyone is saying everything they can so that they can point all of their fingers at the political ideology who drove this guy to the event, helped him load the gun, and kill six people (including a nine year old girl and a retired conservative judge). It is as if the idiot pundits, particularly the left, but all of those trash talkers, wait for something like this to happen (or a terrorist event, or bombing a Federal building and such) so they can step up and say "told you"! I TOLD YOU! WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?
Listen to Rush Limbaugh, and go immediately to the front of the line to kill and maim. That's what the haters want, no?

I would from time to time have discussions with folks about libertarianism and Ayn Rand, just to name a couple of specifics. Time after time seemingly intelligent people would bray at the very mention of her name, and call her a fascist, Nazi, and all around bad girl. These same people, who mostly love government more than they could ever love another human being would take my beliefs about liberty and libertarianism, and how I would like to see them incorporated into a free world and twist my words into hate speak. I never spoke hate in my life.

The Tea Party, conservatives, libertarians, and assorted allies are in agreement about one thing above any disagreements on details they may have. They all want smaller government, less force and threats of violence, which is the only way the state gets what it wants and survives to live another day to get it some more. We, especially we libertarians, have philosophically renounced the use of force to achieve political goals. We participate in government, in the democratic process, as a compromise, to avoid anarchy, which does lead to true fascism.

Back to Ayn Rand. Fundamental to her philosophy of life was that the initiation of force was immoral. That force was only justified in response to its prior initiation and only in its proper proportion. So the next time you hear some nut go off about how the anti-government wackos are dangerous, remember we are the ones who believe in the constitutional limitation of government, maximization of freedom, and one day, not in my lifetime, I'm sure, bringing about a society that does not have as its core value the use of government as the Godhead of civil society.

Please remember. Only government has a monopoly on the legal use of the initiation of force and violence. That is what we want to diminish. We are the ones who want to lay down our guns, and bring about a truely free state of the people.

We want a government small enough so that we are not terrified by it.

Joe

New Congress Is Read Constitution...Flees In Horror!

Well, they didn't run for the hills, but it must have been very uncomfortable for so many of our Congress-people to hear of this unusual sounding document that actually puts a little crimp in their massive monopolistic powers (remember that government is the only institution in the world with a legal monopoly on the initiation of the use of force).

But they sat still and listened to the strange man up front reading them instructions on how to behave. Some Goddamn nerve, huh? The liberals were thinking "whatta we do now" now that they were "reminded" (learned for the first time...is better) that they had just taken an oath of office that enumerated their powers. What the F...! (Family blog...sorry you freaks who like it when I use the F word, but I'm gonna spread my liberty seed far and wide and broadcast it to the world of the little children awaiting the wondrous words of liberty). If I have time, that is. I just didn't feel like using F right now, ok?

Now, what is this mysterious oath that Congress takes before they are awarded the keys to the treasury by Bob Barker? Before they can "ask" the Federal Reserve to buy some more paper from China, print up some T Bills, and sell the same pieces of paper back to the Chinese? Pretty good con, yeah? Just ink up that paper with lots of zeros and the foreigners come a runnin'. We're the Fuckin' United States Of America, and our bonds, notes and bills are backed by the full faith and credit of the same said Fuckin' United States Of America. Sorry about the fuckin', kids, but Daddy felt it was too important and wanted to make his point clear.

The oath: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

The originally oath taken by the first Congress was " I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States". No promise to defend the government, or foment war and revolution ALL over the world. Nothing in there about anything, except defending a piece of paper that once was so clear in its intent to guarantee the rights of man that are awarded by God.

They were so confident back then that the men entering the first Congress understood the Constitution, that they didn't even feel the need of God to back them up on this one. He was in the wings in case Alexander Hamilton caused a fuss, but they went about their business in 1787 without the explicit word of God (Almighty). Could either one be more simple? I know that probably half the people we elect are as dimwitted as the people who elect them. But there are lots of us out here who do not consider the Constitution a Talmudic tractate, and is awfully clear in the enumerated powers of the government. Baby, you're on target here. It is THE GOVERNMENT that is restrained by the constitution. Not the people.

So...112th Congress, I salute you, pray that the Tea Party doesn't run out of old bags to keep the lid on the most explosive kettle of fish in the whole wide world; The United States Congress.

Now we must pray.

Joe

New Year...Oh Dear

I went to sleep at eight o'clock on New Year's eve last Friday night. I know all about this New Year's business. They get you to stay up late, watch Dick Clark drool out the count-down, then try to force feed you ham and eggs, notwithstanding whether or not you care for them. I happen to like them (notwithstanding my Judaism) and notwithstanding that I know I am annoying you with a certain little word that shall not go repeated.

I woke up the first day of the year, said to myself " big goddamn deal", and went back to sleep to have sex with this giant black woman who I have never seen before. God, man! What would you do? I may not respect the new year, but sex dreams come rarely, and I like my sexy dreamboats (is that guys? I am confused so much since I turned twenty). And sexy dreamboats is what I shall have.

Regrets? Yeah, I regret just about everything I've ever done, and they will soon walk me up the stairs to the gallows that they are now constructing outside my bedroom window. I believe they are for me and my many crimes, but they could be for my neighbor Herman, who has failed to pay his toilet tax two years running now. But my regrets are many. I regret that I failed miserably to get my fair share of women in the seventies when the worst thing you could get was...caught. And then in the eighties, even though I'm not Gay, Aids scared me off of the bosoms and purses of ladies for a while. Now, in my advanced state, wearing my skin cancer hat to hide from the sun and my greying hair simultaneously, I seem to be more invisible than ever. HA! If I ever was invisible, just think of the great and wondrous crimes I could commit with impunity. And I'm not even sure what impunity really means. But I would have to remember not to wear any clothes, as you're only invisible when you're naked; as everyone knows. The gallows shade grows larger. But so does the lotto pot.

Sleep well, my pretty thang.

Joey