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We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Friday, June 7. 2013

Big government, out of control and intoxicated with power and money

Democratic Senator: I Wasn't Briefed on PRISM and In Fact Had Never Heard of It Until Yesterday


"It can't happen here," right?


Never, ever try to tell me that big government is benign. The road to hell is paved with the best of intentions; power corrupts; etc etc. Everybody knows this even if they hope government could be a benevolent parent to them. Our Dr. Bliss considers that notion to be a naive, infantile fantasy.


Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.


George Washington said that. He was a big-enough man to reject power and a truly reluctant public servant. Most of our so-called "leaders" are arrogant and ignorant. "Don't follow leaders, watch your parkin' meters..."


I was taught that even Karl Marx planned for the eventual dissolution of The State.


How Obama Scandals Threaten to Kill 'Good Government' - Emerging narrative supports claims that Washington is intrusive, incompetent, untrustworthy and heartless.


Duh. That's been mostly true since Woodrow Wilson. There is no "trust in government" crisis. Old-time Americans have always viewed government as a necessary evil and always subject to distrust.


When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.


Tom Jefferson said that. Well, our government seems to be suspicious of us (eg IRS, etc) so maybe this is some sort of liberty.


Breaking, via Drudge: Feds: Postal Service photographs every piece of mail it processes


1984 was not meant to be a governance manual.



Posted by The News Junkie in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects at 17:52 | Comments (16) | Trackbacks (0)

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We can maybe turn the problem of big government around with more congressmen like Rand Paul and Ted Cruz. I don't think though that there is anything we can do to prevent the economic collapse the government has already set into motion.
#1 GoneWithTheWind on 2013-06-07 19:39 (Reply)
Do they read my snail mail, too?
#2 dw on 2013-06-07 20:39 (Reply)
I think the larger problem is that more of us aren't being targeted, specifically. Which means, my surmise, that we aren't seen as threating to the established order. That's a shame. Means I'm not doing enough, by my odd and occasional comment at MF to be listed, though I may be, especially recently.

My point, though drunkenly dulled, is that we should overwhelm the model.

Though with that thought, for what particulars is NSA looking. The same as the IRS. Internal ever more threating as external. What is the point of all their looking. Perhaps we'd all feel more relaxed if we knew what the objective was.
#3 XRay on 2013-06-07 22:54 (Reply)
I think it's interesting that every CPA can give you a horror story about the IRS, but no one will speak up in public. In fact we're all like that; everyone is intimidated by the IRS. Even the national commentators put a joke in their columns about the IRS auditing them for what they're writing. Is that the way this country is supposed to work?

------------
An IRS agent goes to do an audit at a synagogue. He asks the rabbi, "Tell me what you do with the bits of left over candles."
"Well we gather them up and send them back in and they send us a free box of candles." says the rabbi.
"And what do you do with the left over wine?" asks the agent.
"We send that in too, and they send us a free bottle of wine." says the rabbi.
"And I understand you do circumcisions?"
"Of course," says the rabbi, "and when we get enough foreskins we send them in and they send us a prick like you."

Courtesy of my CPA, who shall remain nameless
#4 Colorado on 2013-06-08 00:35 (Reply)
They are the people they have been waiting for and now they are in charge.

They have built, generation after generation, the environment and infrastructure of tyranny. Obama wasn’t the first to use it; nor will he be the last because that infrastructure isn’t going away.
#5 ErisGuy on 2013-06-08 07:39 (Reply)
Americans are funny. This has been going on for at least a decade. The Bush Administration did it without a court order. Nowadays, a warrant is required, but with a warrant the U.S. government has authority under the Patriot Act to mine all sorts of data.

Glad you're finally waking up. Next thing you know, you'll discover that Google and Facebook read your posts and sell the information to the highest bidder.
#6 Zachriel on 2013-06-08 08:09 (Reply)
"Americans are funny"!

I knew it! Zac you are a Russian, right? KGB maybe. You are paid to lurk on the internet and inject your anti-American view whereever you can. It all makes sense now.
#7 GoneWithTheWind on 2013-06-08 09:49 (Reply)
We got a hint of Zach's age and/or mentality when he said the problem has been going on "for at least a decade."

Ahhh, how about centuries?

It's the denial of knowledge/responsibility that's mind-blowing. Not to mention that we are now getting our information from whistleblowers-low-on-the-pay-scale and foreign media/governments.
#7.1 jma on 2013-06-08 10:57 (Reply)
jma: It's the denial of knowledge/responsibility that's mind-blowing.

Quite so. Civil libertarians had repeatedly pointed out the problem with the Patriot Act. It wasn't a secret what powers the U.S. government was being given.
#7.1.1 Zachriel on 2013-06-08 13:14 (Reply)
Zac you miss the point by a mile. I'm sure this was simply an error on your part and not your crazy left wing bias. Let's agree that there are parts of the Patriot act that are questionable and a honest Supreme Court would declare were unconstitutional. However nothing in the Patriot act allowed the Obama administration to give informatiom it collected under the guise of fighting terrorism, to his reelection organization or leaked to the press to make his enemies look bad. This act is an order of magnitude worse then anything in the patriot act. I hope you understand this minor oversight on your part now.
#7.1.1.1 GoneWithTheWind on 2013-06-08 18:34 (Reply)
GoneWithTheWind: Let's agree that there are parts of the Patriot act that are questionable ...

Good. Glad we're in agreement.
#7.1.1.1.1 Zachriel on 2013-06-09 09:13 (Reply)
Absolutely. The congress often passes bills that are unconstitutional. The problem is that 80 plus years ago our Supreme Court was politicized and no longer performs their primary function to hold congress and the administration accountable to the constitution. Many of our social and legal problems would disappear if the Supremes would demand that laws passed are constitutional.
#7.1.1.1.1.1 GoneWithTheWind on 2013-06-09 09:28 (Reply)
The funny part was where the Americans suddenly become aware that the government had these powers, even though the extent of those powers was part of the original political debate leading up to the legislation and the renewal of that legislation. Contrary voices were often marginalized.
#7.1.1.1.1.1.1 Zachriel on 2013-06-09 09:35 (Reply)
GWTW,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anal_retentiveness

Thence the "Zackass" moniker? A troll is a troll is a ...?
#7.2 Garry on 2013-06-09 08:51 (Reply)
Big Bro looks like Ernest Borgnine --an observation i observe every time he is posted. However, just noticed, "earnest borg 9"
#8 buddy larsen on 2013-06-08 10:24 (Reply)
He be sayin', Yall will be assimilated
#8.1 Leag on 2013-06-08 15:58 (Reply)

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