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Friday, November 09, 2007

A thinking delima

We have been working outside a lot lately. Dealing with the issue of winterizing the homestead. Most of it is things we put off during the summer, things that must be done now, before the cold settles in. You tend to do these things automatically. your mind begins to wonder, and you get stuck thinking about things, that maybe you shouldn't be thinking about. Lately, however, I have been thinking about the Presidential Primaries. I know I shouldn't be, I can't even vote in them because I am an Independent. But those of you that get to, will cause me to decide between the two candidates, and I can only hope that one is the one we need. I realize that I could claim I am something that I am not so that I can vote in the primaries, but I can't. I am conservative in some issues, and liberal in others. I can only hope for a third party candidate, maybe a libertarian?

I have watched the debates, I have watched the interviews, even my NONAIS yahoo group sends things around about them. And I find myself so disappointed, and sometimes even uncomfortable with the people that are running. Most of them no nothing about agriculture. And from the responses that we have received about NAIS, all but one, on both sides of the party lines, are proNAIS, even if they don't seem to understand it, or our fears. The one that isn't for it, is for other things that I am against. What am I willing to give up? Nothing. I will admit that. I am not willing to give up any of my civil liberties just to be able to cast a vote. ~sigh~ There are so many issues out there that will impact me and my family personally.

And then I found this, here:

On the fourth day of July, in 1776, a small group of men, representing 13 colonies in the far-off Americas, boldly told the most powerful nation on earth that they were free.

They declared, in terms that still are radical today, that all men are created equal, and endowed with certain inalienable rights that government neither grants nor can take away.

In the Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers sought to demonstrate to the world that they were rejecting a tyrannical king. They listed the “injuries and usurpations” that contain the philosophical basis for our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

One point of consternation to our founding fathers was that the king had been “imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.” But 230 years later, taxation with representation has not worked out much better.

Indeed, one has to wonder how Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin would react to the current state of affairs. After all, they were outraged by mere import tariffs of a few pennies on the dollar. Today, the average American pays roughly 50 percent of their income in direct and indirect taxes.

In fact, most Texans will not start working for themselves for another week. Texans, like most Americans, work from January until early July just to pay their federal income taxes, state and local taxes, and the enormous costs of regulation. Only about half the year is spent working to pay for food, clothing, shelter, or education. It is easy to simply blame faceless bureaucrats and politicians for our current state of affairs, and they do bear much of the blame. But blame also rests with those who expect Washington DC to solve every problem under the sun. If the public demanded that Congress abide by the Constitution and pass only constitutional spending bills, politicians would have no choice but to respond.

Everybody seems to agree that government waste is rampant and spending should but cut—but not when it comes to their communities or pet projects. So members of Congress have every incentive to support spending bills and adopt a go-along, get-along attitude. This leads to the famous compromises, but the bill eventually comes due on April 15th.

Our basic problem is that we have lost sight of the simple premise that guided the actions of our founding fathers. That premise? The government that governs least is the government that governs best.

When we cut the size of government, our taxes will fall. When we reduce the power of the federal bureaucracy, the cost of government will plummet. And when we firmly fix our eyes, undistracted, on the principles of liberty, Americans truly will be free. That should be our new declaration.

This is copyrighted, and I shouldn't have copied more than 20%, but I wanted to share the entire thing. I will remove it, if asked, nicely.


Can you say massive crush? I saw an interview with Ron Paul the other night. He was talking about how he was against certain things, yet he respected other's opinion in the matters, and he would consider them. He also said that the Constitution of the United States was what lead him. He is not willing to give up any of our civil liberties so that we can feel falsely security. My NoNAIS is pushing him. However he is running under the GOP. But when he talks, it seems like the Rebublican he represents are the real ones {almost used the word traditional, but I didn't want too much confusion} Back in the day, Rebulblicans were for the people, like the Democrats are today. I found this incredible article, with this line; Republicans turn out to be not really Republican, and Democrats turn out to be not really Democrats: both sets of politicians operate together in a hazy and confused middle ground defined by special interest groups. Read the entire article here>>>

I guess I need to go ponder my politacal views while I patch up the barn, clean up the garden, and wrap up anything that really shouldn't freeze. But if you could, enlighten me a bit. Explain to me what is good and glorious about your canidate, I implore you.

And while you think about answering me, check out these blogs that make me think.



Supernatural Christian, she makes me think about my soul and the fact that I might just be going to hell. Thanks mom.

Wheel, I know some of you are going to head over there and say WHAT!?! Abbagirl makes me think about family, friends and work ethics.

Relationalisms, The Fool {which he isn't} makes me think about everything under the sun and the Aurora Borealis.

Parlancheq, makes me think about all the silliness in the world

Ran with the devil, makes me think about how lucky I truly am.

10 comments:

Given55 said...

Thank you dear. By the way, you are a good American citizen. You look for the truth & search the soul of the man before voting. Hell? Not my daughter.

Billy said...

Aw! How sweet! You really do care! lol... humor me.

Thanks so much for the shout out. Too bad I didn't write anything "profound" today. Oh well, take it or leave it, right?

rootsong said...

I just randomly came across your blog (I LOVE the goat that's staring at me when I open your blog :) ). I just wanted to to say "hooray for contemplating Ron Paul!" I also have been blown away by his words and actions. I fall into the "Ron Paul cured my apathy" camp. I never really was extremely interested in politics or world affairs. Everyone talking about them all seemed the same. And then along comes this guy.... and I get the chills & feel like maybe there is hope for this disaster of a government! I find him so exciting, so different, so real!

So yeah, I just couldn't help but stop & say "yay!". ;) Now off to go read more of your cute goaty blog. :)

Stephanie Appleton said...

We lean to the conservative side on most issues. I love the quote you put on here. Pretty much sums up my feelings about politics in America. History does have a way of repeating itself.

We are all too self serving. We don't think about what is best for the country as a whole. We refuse to look at the big picture. We want special preferences and funding for our favorite things, but refuse to see the true cost of these things in the long run. Sometimes I think we should scrap it all, except the constitution, and start over.

rootsong said...

That is absolutely how I feel as well- people don't tend to look at the big picture! And it's so fascinating to me how the more I personally scrutinize "the big picture", the more conservative I am finding my beliefs leaning. Which is quite a shocker to this long-time, very liberal girl! I've learned so much these past few years... I guess turning 30 (3 yrs back) really did make me older & wiser. haha.

I think any move towards getting back to our roots, back to the constitution, is a fantastic thing. And I sure as heck don't hear any of the other pres candidates talking about that! Just the opposite in fact...

Howling Hill said...

My job revolves around the primary. I see all the candidates and listen to their speeches. I can sit here and type up a whole thing, but it'll be long. Send me an email with specific questions and I'll see if I can answer them.

Anonymous said...

Just because you are an independent does not mean that you cannot vote in the primary. Vote on the Republican ballot, if you like Ron Paul. I'm definitely not a Republican, but I am voting the the Republican primary, just so I can vote for Ron Paul!

Phelan said...

mom, you're welcome.

Abba, I do!

Aubrey, welcome. You're right, there could be hope.

Stephanie, exactly!

Howling Hill, thank you for the offer. But I was hoping to hear the person's voice rather then a break down of it all. I will keep your offer in mind.

#3, we do not have an opening voting primary here. I am only allowed to vote for who I have declared. My vote will not count if I walk in, as a declared Independent and vote republican. And I will not change my declaration for personal reasons. But I am glad, happy, to hear you live in a state that has open primary voting.

Anonymous said...

Interesting. I went to my dairy Sat night and there is a sign in the yard for Ron Paul. I read your blog, and you mention him, I turn on the tv and there he is at the end of an interview!! Never heard of him before this weekend! I tend to lean toward the left of the perspective, but there are many core republican views I agree with. I just haven't seen anyone in the last few years on the right side that reflects those values. Hmm...I think I'll have to find out more about this guy.

Phelan said...

Farm Mom, I had heard the name mentioned for awhile now, but the media isn't really touching on him. I heard the name and the first thing I wondered was, a porn star? hehe! He is very conservitive, but and this is the clincher, he is a libertarian, he will not forefit our civil liberties just because he dosen't agree with them. I would ncourage you to do a little more reading on him. His suppourters are a wide range of people, on his website there is a link to Homeschoolers for Ron Paul.

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