tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post1051519002090985922..comments2024-03-28T14:32:19.334+00:00Comments on Who Would Have Believed The Singularity Would Be So Stupid?: The Obama Era And The Crushing Of DissentPastoriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-34998998755307858572009-05-31T13:25:51.463+01:002009-05-31T13:25:51.463+01:00If GWB had, in essence, forced the closure of car ...If GWB had, in essence, forced the closure of car dealerships, would the media have given him a pass? Wouldn't they have cried "Hitler!" or something?<br /><br />I note that the media speak so offhandedly about what's happening to GM and Chrysler. For pity's sake, GM has been nationalized.Always On Watchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08192688822955022541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-46874352009043493812009-05-31T11:42:03.505+01:002009-05-31T11:42:03.505+01:00The mechanism ..."That Memorandum instructed the O...The mechanism ..."That Memorandum instructed the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review the initial 60 days of implementation of the stimulus lobbying restrictions, to evaluate the data, and to recommend modifications. "<br /><br />Where are the people with standing (lobbyists and those who support them) to battle this?<br /><br />Someone who is going to be screwed anyway needs to take this to court. Someone like ... the American Pharmaceutical Association. No way they come out ahead in the next 4-8 years no matter what. But by having the recovery acts declared unconstitutional for restraint of free speech, they can not only put dent in their own potential demise, they can do a great patriotic service. I mean what good is Eli Lilly in a nationlaized single payor health system with fixed prices for their products, in which THEY paid for the research? Why would they pay for any more? Why not manufacture it in, say, Uruguay, or Goa, or Burkina Faso, or anywhere decreased labor costs can give them more profiit for a year till the loophole closes ..<br /><br />Someone like that has NOTHING to lose.<br /><br />Maybe the closed dealers should band, hire lobbyists and violate this executive fiat on lobbying then challenge.Epaminondashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04811906954763827459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-52659754948624618142009-05-31T10:58:21.031+01:002009-05-31T10:58:21.031+01:00Anonymous said...I would rather have my property t...Anonymous said...I would rather have my property taken than be incarcerated for my political beliefs, personally.<br />---<br />Either way they have taken a part of your life.SamenoKamihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02520614271345413014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-85081314356937016062009-05-31T07:25:28.852+01:002009-05-31T07:25:28.852+01:00I'll be there waiting. Guns knives ammo plenty of ...I'll be there waiting. Guns knives ammo plenty of Wild Turkey.<br /><br />I think I may have an old MRE or two down there. . .midnight riderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18438029111428393889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-74043940421925539962009-05-31T07:06:49.398+01:002009-05-31T07:06:49.398+01:00I think we need your WT more than ever.
Meet you ...I think we need your WT more than ever.<br /><br />Meet you in the bunker.<br /><br />RoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-3317928355720103682009-05-31T06:18:07.859+01:002009-05-31T06:18:07.859+01:00Alright goddangit now you've gone too dang far...Alright goddangit now you've gone too dang far.<br /><br />Stealing my Wild Turkey!<br /><br />Heck, all you got to do is drop by & I'll share some :)<br /><br />So what do either of you (or anyone else for that matter)(Yeah, I know that's asking for it) think of this idea that we've stepped beyond, or are about to step beyond, fascism?midnight riderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18438029111428393889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-30164961900274736152009-05-31T05:57:12.264+01:002009-05-31T05:57:12.264+01:00The only things one could do to me that would be c...The only things one could do to me that would be conceivably worse than stealing my business would be to rape my wife or daughters, or to kill me, my wife, or my daughters.<br /><br />Prison pales in comparison, if it is for a limited period of time.<br /><br />Even a lifetime would be conceivable for me, if I could write, and have my writing preserved.Pastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-25809232567565245862009-05-31T05:55:11.758+01:002009-05-31T05:55:11.758+01:00Ro,
As per your suggestion, I will read Liberal Fa...Ro,<br />As per your suggestion, I will read Liberal Fascism.<br /><br />However, you and I simply disagree. My property comes before my time on this. If someone steals my property, I will will give my life for it. That is more than my time. <br /><br />I think stealing a person's business is one of the worst things you can do.<br /><br />But, hey, I'm an entrepreneur at heart. So, I guess I'm biased.Pastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-8268549858571758222009-05-31T05:48:16.811+01:002009-05-31T05:48:16.811+01:00I would rather have my property taken than be inca...I would rather have my property taken than be incarcerated for my political beliefs, personally.<br /><br />This adminstration will do both before it is all over (if it ever is over).<br /><br />I do suggest picking up a copy of Liberal Fascism if your summer reading list is not too full already. I read Levin's book and it was very good. Goldberg's book, which I read in April 08, I think, really explains why and how liberal thought(or "progressive" thought) has always been at the root of modern totalitarian movements.<br /><br />Including the repressive regimes of FDR and Wilson. <br /><br />Oh, and the non-prosecution of the voter intimidation squad? I bet you a shot of MR's Wild Turkey stash (!!) that the New BPs are the "core" of the new "Obama Youth Brigade."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-50984374456292609222009-05-31T05:13:59.315+01:002009-05-31T05:13:59.315+01:00Certainly, Ro, you and I are not on different side...Certainly, Ro, you and I are not on different sides. However, my point is, the destruction of 789 businesses is far worse than the arrest of one, or even ten, person/persons for what amount to petty crimes.<br /><br />789 businesses deleted from the face of the Earth destroys the life of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people.<br /><br />I hope I am being clear.<br /><br />Think of how many people are employed by your average car dealership. <br /><br />There are Sales Managers, sales people, mechanics, estimators, drivers, car washers, secretaries, accounts payable people, account receivable people, Controllers, VP's, CEO's, marketing and advertising people, etc. etc.<br /><br />That's a lot of people whose lives are being severely effected by one fascistic decision.<br /><br />For my MONEY, that is much worse than what you are describing as having happened under Roosevelt or Wilson.Pastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-72297915774772895142009-05-31T04:50:51.079+01:002009-05-31T04:50:51.079+01:00My point was that people were jailed for infringin...My point was that people were jailed for infringing price controls. Jailed. Under Woodrow Wilson, there were a number of people in prison for their political views. US citizens. I do not remember how many, but it was not trivial. <br /><br />The book is superbly researched and shows that liberals and liberal thought hatched fascism.<br /><br />I think the dealership thing is criminal, myself. But to my knowledge, no one is yet in jail merely for their beliefs. It is not, however, far off in my opinion.<br /><br />I believe US citizens will be incarcerated for nothing more than their beliefs in what we would consider the normal Constitutional government we thought we had.<br /><br />I think it will happen within the next two years, the way things are going. And no one will read about it here, because this site, and others like it, will have been shut down as "dangerous" and "hateful."<br /><br />I have been writing, calling, e-mailing my reps, senators, etc. since February. None of them really seem to respond. None of them seem to even notice our government is becoming actively hostile to the rights set forth in the Bill of Rights. <br /><br />Or maybe they are just too scared to say or do anything. I just don't know anymore. But we do know that the only thing necessary for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing. <br /><br /> Well, I (along with many, many others) have been doing all I can for a while now, and it seems to have made no difference at all. <br /><br /> So maybe the converse is just not true - maybe evil flourishes even if good men do something. Perhaps it is a necessary but not sufficient condition (good men doing something). Maybe something else is needed. God knows I wish I knew what it was. <br /><br /><br />RoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-12888202225471843052009-05-31T03:44:29.219+01:002009-05-31T03:44:29.219+01:00Ok. I took the wrong point from the comments. Sorr...Ok. I took the wrong point from the comments. Sorry about that.<br /><br />So then, taking your line of thinking to it's extreme (and I don't disagree with you here), I'd say we've stepped beyond fascism, or are about to.<br /><br />Punish many for the actions of one.<br /><br />In America, put many out of work because their dealership owner chose to contribute to McCain, or not contribute at all.<br /><br />In Poland, if one German soldier was killed, how many Poles were punished?<br /><br />In France, if one German soldier was killed, how many French were punished?<br /><br />Now, no one in America has been killed for this kind of thing, but the core concept is the same.<br /><br />Rule by fear. Fear that the government will make you truly suffer, one way or another, if you step out of line.<br /><br />And in Germany it wasn't called fascism.midnight riderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18438029111428393889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-15431895142035720592009-05-31T03:23:18.800+01:002009-05-31T03:23:18.800+01:00That wasn't really my point. My point is that, whi...That wasn't really my point. My point is that, while it seems horrible that one person was arrested for pricing something too low, it is much worse, in terms of total impact, to put 789 businesses out of business. I mean, which would you rather have? <br /><br />And, really, which one is more fascistic?Pastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-46670540378904875002009-05-31T03:21:01.744+01:002009-05-31T03:21:01.744+01:00Pasto -- I understand your sentiment here but yes,...Pasto -- I understand your sentiment here but yes, it can get much worse than that. Far far worse and you realize it as well.<br /><br />All those dealers could have been arrested instead. not under our current law but we've gone beyond that now and are talking about where things may be headed. Especially if Obama continues to scoff at teh laws themselves, find ways to get around them.<br /><br />We've admitted he's worse than we imagined. Now we need to worry about imagining how bad he can really be and head that off before it arrives.midnight riderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18438029111428393889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-6794173451795606012009-05-31T02:35:12.269+01:002009-05-31T02:35:12.269+01:00It is pretty horrible to send someone to jail for ...It is pretty horrible to send someone to jail for pricing dry cleaning lower by five cents.<br /><br />But, is it not worse to take the profitable business away from a person who is not only profiting themselves, but also profiting the company they represent, and profiting the employees who work for them, AND profiting the local economy?<br /><br />For God's sake, could it really get a lot worse than that.<br /><br />789 dealerships were closed, and apparently the decision was made to punish political opponents with these closings. <br /><br />Imagines the economic impact of closing 789 car dealerships. All the people out of work. All the money not being made. All the families who suddenly will have trouble paying bills, sending their children to lessons, soccer, Little League, etc.<br /><br />One person arrested over dry cleaning prices, or that? Which is worse?Pastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-46703022032912134922009-05-31T00:24:03.815+01:002009-05-31T00:24:03.815+01:00I dunno - under Wilson and FDR it was pretty fasci...I dunno - under Wilson and FDR it was pretty fascistic. No one has gone to jail yet for pricing dry cleaning services five cents less than the government decreed.<br /><br />I love Levin's book, but I wonder if he has read "Liberal Fascism"?<br /><br />It can get lots, lots worse before it gets better (IF it gets better, I should say).<br /><br />RoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com