FederalRepublic.net

When politicians talk education, I usually get up off my rear and go find a snack. To put it bluntly, I hate education talk. I find it disturbing when conservative pundit after conservative pundit proclaim the “liberal” education system indoctrinates young people into becoming voting, card-toting, members of the socialist movement (especially since many conservative “experts” were educated in the same system they rail against). Contradictions of the talking-head punditry aside, I increasingly find myself realizing that “indoctrination” talk is simply the wrong way to look at university education in this country.

What conservatives call “indoctrination” is what I call questioning the status quo. Educational institutions constantly ask questions and challenge the existing system for the sake of exploring its foundation and finding out why it ticks. Institutions that are conservative or traditional in nature are bound to be questioned because of their long-lasting, slow-changing nature. There is nothing wrong about exploring possibilities, even if those possibilities have long been disproven (socialism, eugenics, etc.). There is nothing incorrect about considering hypotheticals or asking why things work they way they do. Further, it is no less positive to research how the current system can be improved. Where would society be had not universities questioned the status quo in everything from social science and law to astronomy, engineering, and medicine?

The main point I’m trying to make is that university education is inherently liberal; it is of a questioning and ever-changing nature. The culture of education is such that the existing system is challenged, explored, picked apart, and assessed. And maybe even put back together, improved from its previous condition. Unfortunately, most conservatives do not often recognize this nature. In my mind, conservatives fail to recognize that blind acceptance of traditional norms or the existing system threatens society to accept the roots of tyranny de facto.

Do not get me wrong, there are some dumb professors out there who wish they could change the world with their liberal, “everyone can change” dogma, who in fact, bash traditional institutions. My advice to a student who finds it annoying: drop the class and find a different prof. or get some earmuffs. If you’re dumb enough to accept truth from anyone, you’re stupid enough to be a slave to everyone (i.e. government).

For regular readers of this blog, I haven’t written for some time. Yes, moving from Colorado to Virginia probably played a large part of why I haven’t really blogged lately. But another part is that I’ve simply gotten tired of politics in the type of environment America finds itself in today. I could rant about Obama, but I won’t. I could make the case for how wrong the GOP is, but I won’t. I could rail even more about the Democratic socialists in Congress and how they could care less about taking my money; I won’t.

The truth of the matter is this: my freedom is dying. Your freedom is dying. Our children’s freedom, quite possibly, is already dead. Perpetual debt, fiat money, central management of a $14 trillion economy, millions upon millions of pages of regulation, and ultimately, the usurpation of our Constitution, is killing this Republic and the liberty it once protected. For those on left, government and collectivism are the great arbiters in solving humanity’s problems; for those on the right, civic virtue trumps reason and individual rights. No longer are rights and immunities guaranteed to you as a member of the human race, but are given to you by government instead. Complacency brought about by pretended prosperity and an ill-educated populace have transformed the middle and upper classes into slaves of government and the poor. This is our modern America, a far cry from what the founders intended and the good-natured Republic built to perfect our Union.

What I am flabbergasted about are many things, but not so many as this: this Republic will always be a debter nation and will endure the pain and agony of being a slave to the rest of the world. As perpetual debt and unfunded liabilities continue to skyrocket, government will be forced to take drastic measures to pay for what it has already consumed. These measures most obviously, include higher taxes, more “management” of the economy, and a trampling of individual rights. The left call themselves progressives - what is progressive about taking away the fruits of my labor? What is progressive about stomping on my economic freedoms? What is progressive about casting my children’s future into the den of government slavery? The right call themselves conservatives - what is conservative about trampling the Constitution for the sake of security? What is conservative about usurping states’ sovereignty and favoring civic virtue over property and contract rights?

The ramblings of this discontent are of course, normative. They look to the ideal and wish to conform reality to the ideal. I know that is not entirely possible. Nor is it possible to tame human nature, to curb the excesses of those who would wish to control the masses. But perhaps it is quite possible to make small strides to return to the American ideal and what this Union could have been…a more perfect one. Freedom lost is not easily gained, and sometimes it takes a revolution to return it. This is not out of the realm of possibility. Intellect and reason, coupled with constitutional resistance to unconstitutional action can help reverse some of the damage past generations have brought upon this one.

Many states have already enacted resolutions declaring sovereignty under the 10th Amendment; it is now time to take the next step - to nullify unconstitutional federal laws, to reject federal monies, to reassert the power of the state and locality. Central planning and massive debt must be rejected by lawmakers as a means to increase freedom and prosperity. They (and we) must remember this Union did not create the states; the states created this Union. And if necessary, the states may act as sovereign and independent political entities in order to dissolve it.

It is a bittersweet feeling to know the sovereignty of the United States rests with its people. Whether or not the people will act to bring themselves out of slavery is another story. Even the Isrealites wished to go back to Egypt when Moses delivered them out. Time will tell whether the American people have the testicular fortitude to rise to the occasion and accept that exceptionalism that America could portray again.

Interesting video, take a look. Be advised, strong language used.

For those who have no clue about judicial philosophy or the different ways to interpret the U.S. Constitution, this video is great. Take a look and leave comments if you’d like.

For my conservative and libertarian friends, most of you would probably be originalists, while the other side would choose the always changing “living constitution.”

I’d like to offer my congrats to the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama on his swearing-in today. While I agree with next to none of Obama’s policy proposals, today is a day to be proud of America’s long tradition of welcoming peaceful transition from one government to another. Today’s commentary from the media is almost exactly what I expected; liberals rejoiced in a Democrat becoming president on the wings of unity, while conservatives trashed Obama’s policy proposals and questioned his character. Those who know me understand I cannot stand the rhetorical back and forth between liberal and conservative pundits and tend to take a more academic approach to events like these. Today was no different; looking through the rhetoric and seeing the enormity of today’s events however, I found myself proud of my country. Not because of the “change” Obama represents, but for this Union’s tradition of peaceful transition of power from one party to the next.

When looking at the “big picture” of human history, we find that peaceful transition of power is a relatively new concept. While many leaders throughout history handpicked their successors or ruled on the side of strong, standing armies, America took a different approach. Its people decided to take a new course, a course based not on the will of a king or the sovereignty of Parliament, but a path based upon the liberty of republican virtue and self-government. This experiment is still ongoing, an experiment pitting a fixed constitutional justice against man’s own self-interested nature. Though this Union has not always interpreted its constitution as it should, and though it has committed injustices in the name of liberty, this compact of states composing the United States of America has shown its resilience to renew itself time and again. For all that disturbs me about the loss of our liberties, I am truly proud this Union has transitioned and started anew.

While we should work tirelessly to bring about real change in terms of conservative and libertarian ideals, we should remember we still live in the best nation on earth. We must remember that though we differ about politics, we Americans have more that unites us than divides us. It’s back to work tomorrow, but tonight, let us celebrate our powerful tradition of peaceful transition.

For all those folks who are fed up with politics for the holiday season, this video is for you. Basically it’s the worst Christmas prank ever. I feel really sorry for the kid lolz. Merry Christmas everyone!

Since the election, I’ve dropped to the point where I don’t care much for politics. This happens in cycles, which obviously enough, is just like the market lol. Anyway, I’ve posted this vid up for a little early-Christmas cheer. Good times!

While I will be flying east to spend Thanksgiving with my special girl, I’d like you leave you a little reminder of what Thanksgiving has meant to many Americans throughout the generations. I think George Washington summed it up rather well in his Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789:

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and

Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness”:

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the Beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our national government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I don’t usually post up movie trailers, but this one got my attention. Take a look:

Don't Tell Me What to Think TRAILER (Wilkow Majority)