Can we "keep our republic"?

More political commentary here...

Just as a sidenote, I know my political thoughts may be stressful to some who might disagree, but I know what I think is not "mainstream", so feel free to disagree. I'm not writing to compel people to agree with me. So, whatever. I'm just saying. So don't get mad at me, ok?

I told you so. I mentioned earlier in the year that if we elected a dud in the primary, the Republicans would be toast. Not that I denigrate John McCain's honourable service to his country, but he is really not a political maverick. He's not conservative, and his economic solutions are more of what got us into this mess in the first place. I'm not upset he lost. I am disappointed to be getting a socialist president (not to mention one who doesn't seem to think babies are all that important) but maybe this will be the kick in the pants that Republicans need to get their act together.

Now let me tell you what I really think. The political system in this country is destined to slide into tyranny as things stand today. We would be much better off with the same system our Founding Fathers first conceived, but since we are no longer a people whose lives are based on absolute truth and morality, our government based on the Constitution can't last. Here are a few quotes I found from John Adams:

"The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People in a greater Measure, than they have it now, they may change their Rulers and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty."

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

It's disappointing that our liberties are disappearing. But let's keep reminding each other that this world is not our permanent home, and God is still in control. He is the One who holds the sparrow, and He will certainly take care of His people. I'll remind you, and you remind me, ok?

Wendell Berry, and Election complaints

Just popping in the post a link to an article by Rod Dreher of the Dallas News (also author of a great book, Crunchy Cons). Mr. Dreher says this article could be titled Wendell Berry 101. I really like Wendell Berry, so that's why I'm posting this link.

And now, allow me to complain about this stupid presidential election. What a waste of time, money and energy. Do you realize our nation has been in campaign mode for almost two years? I'm sick of the whole thing, so here is what I propose:

1. Let's have candidates announce their candidacy no sooner than August 1 of election year. Earlier announcements will disqualify the candidate.
2. Candidates may not shirk the duties of their current job while campaigning. Weekend campaigning only.
3. Primaries for all states will be on the same day, sometime at the beginning of September.
4. No party conventions allowed.
5. One debate will be held between the candidates from each party, not just the top two parties. This debate will be moderated by Joe the Plumber or someone chosen randomly from the phonebook, and shall occur no earlier than the beginning of October.
6. CNN shall suspend all operations from August through November.
7. Candidates shall fill out a form answering specific questions so people will know where they stand on specific issues. This will be on paper, not on video, in order to cut down on evasive responses and soundbite/applause-oriented one-liners. The results of this survey shall be published widely in newspapers, on the internet, and in fliers to be made available at each county's board of elections.

OK, how much money would this save? How much time? If the time and money could be devoted to noble causes, what could be accomplished? I suspect we would all be surprised. Thank you, I feel much better now.

This 'n That

Lots of items on my "radar" right now.

I've been following the news on the MRSA infections, trying to figure out what's happening with that. The best I can come up with is: keep your immune system strong, cover up your cuts when you're out of the house, and wash with plain soap and water often. It sounds like the underlying causes of this superbug are antibiotic over-usage and anti-bacterial cleaning products.

Toys from China: why should we even mess with stuff from China anymore? Unfortunately, you can't just choose items from other countries easily, as sometimes there is no choice. Such a high percentage of anything you find in any store is from China that it's hard to avoid. But when there is a choice, why not buy products made elsewhere? I have even found myself (when there is no choice) questioning whether or not I really "need" that item anyway. (Reminds me of that VeggieTales where Bob asks Larry how much stuff he needs to be happy. Larry's reply: I don't know! How much stuff is there?!)

And on the election front: once again I'll reiterate that the Republican primary this winter/spring is the "big one". If we elect a dud for the Republican nominee, we might as well say Hello Hillary. I hear people talking about how if we don't nominate and vote next November for someone like Giuliani, we are guilty of splitting the vote and making it possible for the Democrats to win. Personally, I think they have it backwards. If people insist on a RINO for the Republican nomination, then they are the ones guilty of forcing us to split the vote. I liked this article by Dick Armey that I just read this morning. I am still likely to vote for Ron Paul. I think that actually following the Constitution is probably the only way our out-of-control spending and liberty-crushing ways can be stopped. A lot of Christians are coming out in support of Mike Huckabee, and I do like the way he stands on the social issues, but he is not nearly the supporter of liberty that Ron Paul is.

That last paragraph makes it sound like I am some kind of a political nut. I really don't think THAT much about politics. But when I do, I like to cut to the chase.

A Timely Conversation

I was going to write about something fun today, like transfats or GMO's or similar, but I've got to interrupt my regularly scheduled blogging for some commentary on the evil events that took place on the Virginia Tech campus yesterday. Leave it to WorldNetDaily to provide some fabulous coverage and editorials concerning what happened. Here are a few:

How to Prevent Next Massacre, by Joseph Farah
You're Dead, I'm Healing, by Dennis Prager
Needed: More Americans with Guns, by Andrew Longman

People once again are clamoring for more gun control laws, but no one seems to have noticed that what the murderer did was already against the law. Laws didn't stop him from committing a crime. But gun control laws did prevent responsible people from defending themselves and other innocents. One person with a concealed carry permit in that engineering building could have prevented several dozen deaths. In fact, the killer may have reconsidered his plans if he knew there would likely be armed people in that building.

I think it is a tragedy that so many young men today are only being trained in violence through R-rated slasher movies and video games; and not in a healthy, responsible, manner, such as through gun safety courses and a constantly attentive father who teaches them to channel their "violent energies" for defending innocent people. Would it not have been good for someone so trained to have stopped the killer yesterday? Instead, what we have is a society that overwhelmingly values complete non-violence, which opens up the door for evil to violently conquer. And why not? There are no good guys to fight back. This belief is why I would never make it in the Amish community. That and my love affair with electricity.

I currently know of at least one responsible person we see regularly at a weekly gathering of a large number of people who has a concealed carry permit. Personally, I feel safer in this gathering of people knowing that he is there. Let's say you could choose between two classrooms in that Norris building in which to be a student: one completely unarmed, and one with a well-trained concealed carry permit holder who was "packing heat". Which would you choose?

This is a controversial topic, I know, but if you decide to leave a comment to this post, please at least leave a real first name. I won't take anonymous comments on this post. I assume my opinion is in the minority, but I won't mind if anyone has a well-organized opinion on the contrary they'd like to post. I'd just like to know who's writing it.