Constitutional Libertarianism

Constitutional Libertarianism

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

My christmas wishes for the U.S.

This is my Christmas wish list for the U.S.  Yep,  I know  I am wishing hard on some of these things, but, if you're gonna wish, wish big, right?

1) There should be a legally mandated balanced budget every year. 


Oh yeah.  Amend the Constitution, tell those folks that they CANNOT spend more than they bring in.  Period.  Not only that, but there should be no new spending until "old" spending issues are resolved.  Yes, this still leaves the issue of Congress feeling they need to raise taxes all the time to get the new money to equal out increased budgets. I'm not perfect , but it's gotta be a start.

Personally,  I am all in favor of replacing the current tax system with a national sales tax in addition to mandated balanced budget.   They can make likely more money this way while still being charged to spend less.

2) There should be more "hand up" projects than there are "hand out" projects.

No, I am not suggesting that new projects be created when some of the existing hand out projects could easily be amended.  Far too much money gets spent on giving food and resources to people instead of encouraging them to get it for themselves.

I suggest that the government should expand small business training and investment to help people become self sufficient instead of being suspended in a stagnant job market.    More money is generated by small business than by individuals. 

3) Change give away programs to "fishing pole" programs. 

Instead of giving people money for clothes, food and whatnot, help them to get sewing machines and tools instead.  Get classes out there to teach sewing and other skills that promote self sufficiency instead of promoting end product consumerism.  Not only will it allow people to get more for their dollar spent, it will teach them skills that might be applied in the marketplace.

Plus, these tools and classes can be "paid for" by the things produced by  the recipients in training.  Sewing class and sewing machine recipients can pay for it by making things that can be used in other areas.  Saving money in government spending elsewhere.  I mention sewing a lot here, but this can be applied to most any skill set that can be taught and provisioned for.

Now honestly, these things probably should be done at the state level.  However  I know and you know, there are folks that will make sure the federal government is spending money on these things.  We might as well turn that spending into something useful, right?

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Wikileaks, freedom fighters or greedy opportunists?

The discussion about WikiLeaks has been polarizing.

Many are calling Assange and his website heroes while others call them shameless crooks.

Personally, I don't think it is a matter of whether the U.S. government was rude or polite or secretive, etc.. in their files.  I am certainly not the person to defend unscrupulous behavior on the governments part.  That's another story entirely.

The point of this is that the documents were stolen.  They were knowingly and intentionally stolen.  After being stolen, they were given to a group who had something to gain by making the information public.  What to gain, for a wanna be "journalist"?  That is reputation.

As with any stolen items, if a thief steals something then turns it over to a "fence" or someone else to sell or use it for gain, the 'fence' is just as criminal as the theif for knowingly and willingly using the stolen goods for gain.

That's what it boils down to for me.

You can argue semantics and argue philosophy and you can even argue intention.  The point is, if Assange and WikiLeaks were true "journalists" as they would have us beleive, they would have refused the stolen information and mounted a legitimate investigation of their own, knowing something was to be found.

They didn't do that though.  They took what they knew was ill-gotten and ran with it to benefit in terms of profit (money taken in from advertising and begging for donations from like-minded people increases in such circumstances) and reputational gain (again among like-minded people who don't care how it happens, just as long as it does.  Even though they seem to be the first to complain when the same tactics are used against them.)

 I find Wiki-Leaks and Assange guilty of dealing in stolen property and lacking journalistic integrity.

They deserve what they get.