I just want to let you know that I am just as against illegal immigration as most people, and even more than some. However, I was not impressed with the recent flyer that you sent to my house. You know the one with the guy’s hands bound with a cable tie?? Yeah, that one.

First off, I consider binding someone with cable ties to be cruel. They cut.

Second, those hands are way too pale to belong to a Mexican. I guess you were too afraid of being labeled as politically incorrect to use an actual immigrant for your picture. Hint: there are some legal ones here who could use legitimate work.

I got a flyer in my mailbox the other day about a new real estate tax the government of our county is trying to foist upon us. I believe I have already expressed that this area is growing faster than high rollers are flocking to the Wynn Las Vegas, and now, apparently, the county thinks those of us who were here from the time of Adam ought to pay for it. The tax they are trying to pass is on the sale of homes and properties, and it’s paid by the seller.

I have a couple few problems with this. First, since when did the seller pay the sales tax? This makes the tax an income tax and not a real estate tax. The state already gets it’s share of our income.

Secondly, we already pay property tax every year, and that makes this tax double taxation.

Thirdly, there are no exceptions to this tax–not for churches, not for seniors, not for anyone. Since when do we tax God? I’m laughing too hard at this idea to properly elucidate my response to this, but behind the laughter I think my main emotion is horror.

Fourthly, this is going to make it even more difficult for the working poor to afford housing in this area. Do you think the cost of housing isn’t going to rise even more if this tax is passed? Of course, I have no doubt in my mind that this last effect is the ultimate plan behind most of the decisions of the town council. The working poor make them uncomfortable, see. Which is downright laughable, since I personally know that several of them grew up without twopennies to rub together. Talk about getting above your raisin’.

Ok, I’m about done here. I’ll be voting on election day against this tax. And maybe against the idiots who put it on the ballot while I am at it. They clearly no longer represent me.

You probably know from reading this blog that I am searching out ways to spend a little time on myself. One of the ways I do that is by listening to podcasts after the boy kids are in bed each night. I’ve been listening to knitting podcasts off and on for a long time, but not too long ago, I decided to search the iTunes store for “history”. In truth, I wasn’t expecting very much, but I got a pleasant surprise. I’ve added several historical podcasts to my listening line-up, including Hardcore History, Journeys into American History, and the subject of this post, My History Can Beat Up Your Politics Podcast. I thoroughly enjoyed the previous episode comparing Vietnam and Iraq, which I listened to while ripping stitches out of my quilt. ‘ve often said that you can’t truly understand current events without first getting a grip on the past, and this podcast can certainly help with that. I see that a new one came out on the 23rd. It’s about … oh, never mind, I’ll let him tell it:

There is very little celebration of the passing of a date Sept. 17, 2007: the belated Birthday of the Signing of the Constitution. And the Federal Convention that ended its business on Sept. 17, 1787.

It seems unfortunate, since we should be celebrating the people who gave us right to speech, right to assemble, right to bear arms, etc.

Except they didn’t. When the constitution was signed, these fellows voted down a Bill of Rights. It was only later, when the plan had to be sold to the state of Virginia, that a Bill of Rights was promised.

Yet, these fellows did create the Constitution, so they are Founding Fathers, correct?

That leads to a question. Who is a Founding Father? Common wisdom would say the Founding Fathers would be anyone who helped craft the Constitution. Yet famous names such as Tom Jefferson and John Adams were not there for the convention that met in 1787 in secret to craft a new government. George Washington was there, but as the chair he was silent while debate went on. Ben Franklin was there but as an aging celebrity he took a symbolic role and his ideas of having multiple Presidents or unpaid Federal officers would not be taken seriously.

Indeed the Constitution was created by little-known names like James Wilson, Charles Pickeney, Rufus King, and William Paterson.

We address the question of who is a founding father and how the Constitution was written, and where the Bill of Rights came from.

My History Can Beat Up Your Politics is a podcast that looks into the history behind the politics of today. The podcast can be found on iTunes or at (www.myhistorycanbeatupyourpolitics.com)

Bruce has a soothing voice, and a quirky outlook. He brings a passion to a subject that many mistreat. Of course, it is a passion that I share. *grin* I guess this mean that you know what I’ll be doing tonight. Bruce Carlson and Brenda Dayne, I’ll be here around 9pm. We’ll have coffee and crocheting, ok?

One last thing–is it blasphemous if I crochet while listening to Cast-On?

I just added a new conservative blog to my Google reader, ya’ll. UrbanConservative is written by a “new breed of conservative, a Conservative 2.0. I can’t wait to dig deeper into this blog, but I had to come share it with you first.

UrbanConservative is a Latino living in San Francisco, and he doesn’t mince words when it comes to the liberals who surround him. He covers everything from Global Warming to abortion with a decidedly rational point of view. Go read and enjoy. Tell him Cass sent you!

Technorati Tags: UrbanConservative

Let the Fourth of July always be a reminder that here in this land, for the first time, it was decided that man is born with certain God-given rights; that government is only a convenience created and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those voluntarily granted to it by the people.

We sometimes forget that great truth, and we never should.

Ronald Reagan spoke those words in 1981.

The Constitution is the document upon which our society is based. Or maybe I should say was based, and should be again based. The Constitution. The first step in the process of voting is to educate oneself. After all if you don’t know what your rights are and what the government’s responsibilities are, how can you be sure you are protected and the government isn’t overstepping? Clue: the government is way out of control, and you don’t have nearly as many rights as you think you do. Clue number 2: the rights you do have are far greater in magnitude and reach than you can imagine without understanding the Constitution.

Many people who know me think I am a Republican, and I do usually say that, because it’s much easier to explain than the bald truth: I am a Constitutionalist. What that means will surprise some of you. I believe Roe V. Wade should be overturned. But I believe it should be over-turned because deciding it was not actually in the purview of the federal government. It’s a matter for the individual states to decide. Conservatives, you need to quit clapping now, and listen to this next bit. I believe the federal government ought to stay out of the business of defining marriage. That also is a state’s rights issue. Being a Constitutionalist means that you think the Constitution means what it says. And what it says is that all matters not specifically given as being under the authority of the federal government belong to the states. That’s a lot of areas. In fact, it’s most areas.

Technorati Tags: Ronald Reagan, Constitution, Constitutionalist

I do not know what the democrats in Congress expected when they authorized the President to go to war. Apparently it was wine, women, and song, all on a bed of roses. They have second guessed, threatened, cajoled and harassed him over the war they agreed was necessary.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the President is the Commander in Chief. That’s his job. It’s not your job. Sit down, shut up and let the man get on with it.

And this, from Mr. Webb of Virginia:

These presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this president to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way. (He’s speaking of ending the war and “improper corporate influence.”)

Sir, you don’t have that authority. You sound like a bully. Your references to the military service of your family is grandstanding. But since you brought it up, I wonder how it makes your son feel to know you consider his mission a mistake. I wonder if he also considers freedom for oppressed peoples to be of less value that freedom here. I wonder if he’s smart enough to figure out that freedom here relies on bringing that area of the world out from under totalitarian regimes.
Transcript

I told you politics was coming to this blog, right? Here are a few things I’ve written in the recent past. I’m bringing over the comments as well, so feel free to jump on in the conversation
——-

So, it’s Obama and Hillary for the serious contenders from the Democrats. It’s possible that Obama might make a decent president *if* he’ll not parrot the party line, and remember where he came from.

Hillary, she’s lost her mind. The American people will never vote her into office. We have a memory, after all. That shrill wind-bag? She just oozes “I count on my money to buy me what I want, including teh presidency.” Umm, no.

My early prediction: Rudy in a bi-partisan landslide. I said we have a memory, and there’s not an American over the age of 15 who doesn’t remember his firm resolve and balanced actions as mayor of New York on September 11, 2001, and in the days, weeks and months that followed.
——-

Seems Miss Hillary has been busy already. In truth, I think she started preparing before Bill’s presidency ended. Her investigators have discovered that Barak Obama went to *Muslim school*. *Gasp, shock*. The line coming from them is that he “hid” this information, and that they have questions about whether he may not still be a Muslim.

We’ll leave the hilarity of this religious intolerance from the party of “it’s all good” for another day. Here’s the part they aren’t going to publicize: Mr. Obama’s attendance at Muslim school occurred before he was 10 years old. Yeah, they are holding the man responsible for the choices made by the child’s parents. Nor will they publicize the fact that Mr. Obama is now a Christian. I suppose that’s ok, because he doesn’t attempt to hide it.

Roaches and rats, eat their own, you know. And also apparently Democrats.

H/T: American Princess, Insight
——-

Staunch conservative Mike Huckabee is tossing his hat in the ring for the presidency. Huckabee has previously served 10.5 years as governor of Arkansas, and had a good share of controversy while in that office. He’s opposed to abortion rights and gay marriage, which make him a favorite of right wingers like me. More interesting yet, Arkansas tends to lean Democratic, but he won twice by landslide. So, what’s he got?

More here.
——-

Technorati Tags: Obama, Hillary, Rudy, Mike Huckabee