Tyranny v. Liberty

A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

The wording of the Second Amendment is often questioned: The pointed reference to a "well-regulated Militia" led to the Supreme Court’s decision that the Second Amendment promised a collective right, not an individual right. But that precedent has been shattered.

On June 28th, the Supreme Court ruled in McDonald v. Chicago that the Second Amendment does indeed guarantee the right of individuals to keep and bear arms for their own protection. This decision, coupled with 2008's D.C. v. Heller, represents one of the most critical triumphs for individual liberties this century.

Gun-fearing leftists claim to be advocating for your safety and well-being. But the entire foundation of their argument is faulty. Why? Because guns actually keep people safe.

If you were a common criminal - bear with me here - and you wandered into somebody's house to steal stuff, only to have someone point a gun at you, would you bother? Probably not.

Research has consistently failed to show that gun control helps at all. Miguel A. Faria - who is actually a neurosurgeon, not a pundit - wrote about how strict gun control laws harmed Britain while gun ownership helped America:

Violent crime is steadily coming down in American cities, despite the fact that there are more guns in America than ever before… and record numbers of citizens carrying permits for concealed firearms… To make matters worse for British citizen disarmament… crime has steadily increased in Britain in the last several years.

And furthermore, according to the CDC only 0.3 in 100,000 people died because of "accidental discharge of firearms" in the United States.

Taking guns away doesn't keep America safe. And it certainly doesn't keep them out of the hands of criminals. As my favorite blogger, Doctor Zero, observed, "'Gun-free' cities like Chicago produce bumper crops of bullet-riddled corpses."

When the founders talked about a "Militia," they meant that the people could freely build a network of trust and help keep each other safe. With guns. They also meant that an armed populace could keep a tyrannical government at bay. It's about time the Court recognized that.

This quote is falsely attributed to Thomas Jefferson, but it sums up the issue perfectly: "Where the people fear the government there is tyranny. Where the government fears the people there is liberty."

I don't know about you, but I'm all for liberty.

Candidate Profile: Rick Barber

Running for: House of Representatives, Alabama District 2

Primary: Took 28.51%, runoff scheduled July 13

Notable Endorsements: Liberty First PAC, Iraq Vets PAC, iCaucus, Pamela Geller (Atlas Shrugs), Erick Erickson (RedState), Michael Johns (founder of National Tea Party), Alabama Tea Party Express

Background: Raised in Texas. Became a door-to-door salesman and lawn mower as a child. Joined the Marine Corps in 1995 as an information technology expert. Honorably discharged in 1999. Started a small technology business and is now the Corporate Vice President of a large technology firm. Started a second small billiards business. Joined the Tea Party movement in 2009. New to politics. Married with one daughter.

Issue Breakdown:

• Abortion: From his website: "I am pro-life. Period." Couldn't have said it better myself.
• Agriculture: Will advocate for rights of landowners and farmers
• Card Check: Opposes
• Economy: Recognizes the importance of small businesses, will oppose tax increases, will attempt to shrink Washington and stop wasteful spending
• Education: Believes in school choice, higher standards, and tuition tax credit for private school and homeschool families
• Energy: Opposes cap and trade, questions global warming "science," supports diversification and use of natural resources
• Healthcare: Supports Rep. Tom Price's reform bill that increases state competition, reduces restrictions, and gives patients more say in their plans
• Israel: Supports Israel as an ally and wants to keep it safe
• Immigration: Supports enforcement of immigration laws, wants immigrants to speak English
• Marriage: Between a man and a woman
• Second Amendment: Member of the NRA, supports right to bear arms
• Taxes: Supports FairTax
• Term Limits: Supports
• Welfare: Will seek reform and incentives for recipients to find work

My Assessment: If you ask the media, Rick Barber is the Tea Party poster boy, just another right-wing nutcase who hates everything. A recent Washington Post headline read: "GOP candidate talks to dead presidents, invokes Holocaust." The lefties are disgusted by the anger Barber portrays in his commercials. And granted, there is a risk of alienating viewers with an ad of such emotional magnitude. But isn't he right? Shouldn't we be angry? Shouldn't we have "gathered our armies" - whether metaphorically or otherwise - a long time ago?

I don't see Barber as an extremist. Maybe his ads are a little provocative, but that's arguably just a rookie mistake. Barber is an ordinary guy like you or me. He's created two successful businesses, started a family, and realized that he doesn't like where the government is going. He's new to politics, but he - and many other people - think he has something of value to contribute.

He was the ultimate underdog, making it to the runoff despite the odds being against him. And since opponent Martha Roby won over 48% of the vote, the odds may still be against him. Even if Barber doesn't win this time around, I hope he sticks around.

In His Words:





On the Web: Website / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube

Latin is NOT dead!!

As someone who took Latin for seven years in middle school and high school - and loved it - I feel obliged to share this video. To everyone who thinks Latin is boring, dead, and useless:

The Right Victory

This Tuesday, conservatives claimed exactly the victory they needed. November 2010 is looking more and more promising. If we can win Nikki Haley, we can win anything.

Haley’s opponents pulled out every lie they could think of. They insulted her marital loyalty, her faith, and even her race. They called her a liar and a "raghead." The media reported from their altar on high that a win was unlikely: there were too many strikes against her. They all but abandoned her.

But we proved that petty lies and smear campaigns won’t dupe us. We aren't gullible fools waiting to be preyed on by politicians and reporters. We are better than that.

It's just like Nevada. Legal Insurrection summed up the Reid-Angle war thus: "Sharron Angle only has to tell the truth about Harry Reid to win. Harry Reid has to tell lies about Sharron Angle to win." The same analysis works for the South Carolina race. In spite of the untruths propagated by Haley's enemies, voters came out to support her because of her conservative principles.

In her victory speech, Haley said:

To our friends in the media across this state and across this country who are analyzing what this victory means and what barriers this may have broken, I will tell you there might be some truth to that. But this is so much more than that. This is a story about determination and a story about a movement. This is the movement about the idea of government being open and accountable to the people.

And she’s right – this isn’t about breaking barriers. At least not the barriers they mean. This is about a new conservative movement.

We want solid conservative values that won’t waver once bitter runners-up, thrill-seeking bloggers, and the blamestream media come in full force. That strength of conviction America so desires is exactly what Nikki Haley showed us. She didn’t get distracted by rumors and falsehoods – she dismissed them and went right on back to policy. She believed in herself, Sarah Palin believed in her, and we believed in them both.

The elephant sure does look pretty in pink.

Candidate Profile: Allen West

Running for: House of Representatives, Florida District 22

Primary: August 24

Notable Endorsements: Sarah Palin, Vets for Freedom PAC, Liberty First PAC, Republican Campaign Majority PAC

Background: Raised in Georgia. Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel. Masters in Political Science, and Military Arts and Sciences. Taught high school for one year. Awarded numerous military honors. Now lives in Florida with wife and two daughters. Ran against incumbent Rep. Ron Klein in 2008 and lost.

Issue Breakdown:

• American Exceptionalism: !!!
• Capitalism: Believes in free-market principles and individual accountability
• Economy: Wants to transition to flat tax and redefine the tax code, support small businesses with tax cuts and incentives, stop government spending, end porkbarrel spending
  
• Energy: Wants to explore alternative energy sources to become independent
• Healthcare: Opposes ObamaCare, pledged to repeal it
• Immigration: Will enforce Constitutional mandates regarding illegal immigration, supports Arizona bill
  
• Israel: Committed to friendship with and support of Israel
• Military: Believes in strong defense, supports staying on the offensive to fight terrorism and other military threats, will grow and modernize the military

My Assessment: Allen West is quintessentially and wholly American: he worked hard to make a better life for himself, without the government's interference. Born without wealth in an urban environment, he learned to make his way honestly, diligently, and on his own. He served honorably in our military for years, and his success in life has catapulted him into the public eye. I've been unable to find a recent poll, but - especially after his endorsement from Sarah Palin - I think he has phenomenal chances.

Words cannot explain how completely I agree with and enjoy this man. Every time he opens his mouth, he says something that is exactly in line with my personal and political values. West knows what America is and what it should be. I almost wish I lived in Florida just so I could vote for him.

In His Words:











On the Web: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Flickr / YouTube

Recommended Reading

A few weeks ago as I was passing through my library, the word “Constitution” caught my eye. This is what I discovered:


Now, I’m not a fan of graphic novels. I don’t read manga – ever – and I don’t think Maus should have been assigned in my 9th grade English class. But this book was really, really interesting.

The creators, Jonathan Hennessey and Aaron McConnell, do a remarkable job of summing up the exquisitely complex Constitution using only comic book panels. In just under 150 pages they describe the historical context, controversies, and major court cases surrounding each provision of the Constitution. And they do it without favoring one side or another: with each amendment or article in question, they describe its current and past interpretations, then list different groups’ objections in a refreshingly nonpartisan manner.

While I was initially a little disappointed that this book didn’t include the actual text of the Constitution, it’s thorough enough that I don't mind. Hopefully this book will attract younger readers – who, God knows, probably haven’t read the Constitution – and encourage them to get interested in American history and politics.

Amazon has some viewable pages.

Candidate Profile: Marco Rubio

Running for: Senate, Florida

Primary: August 24

Notable Endorsements: Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Paul Ryan, Jeb Bush, Dick Cheney, Jim DeMint, Rudy Giuliani, Rick Santorum, Eric Cantor, National Right to Life PAC, Family Research Council Action PAC, Associated Industries of Florida, Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida, Steve Forbes, Conservative-Republican Alliance, Irish-American Republicans, Luis Fortuño (governor of Puerto Rico)

Background: Son of Cuban immigrants who fled from Fidel Castro’s regime. Lived most of his life in Florida. Obtained juris doctor from University of Miami. Served as city commissioner. Served in Florida House from 2000-2008 and was Majority Whip, Majority Leader, and Speaker of the House. Helped lower taxes, improve public schools, and shrink government. Chaired the House Select Committee on Property Rights. Traveled the state seeking people’s ideas on how to strengthen Florida and converted many of those ideas into laws. Practiced law, taught, and chaired a PAC.

Issue Breakdown:

• Abortion: Pro-life, supports mandatory ultrasounds
• Card Check: Opposes
• Constitution: Strict constructionist
• Economy: Opposed the stimulus package, supports balanced budget amendment and line-item veto, has formulated a plan to cut government spending
• Energy: Supports exploring alternative energy sources, wants to create jobs in the (private) energy sector, opposes cap and trade
• Immigration: Opposes any form of amnesty, wants to secure the border, opposes the Arizona law in fear that it will put officers in “an incredibly difficult position”
• Schools: Is passionate about rigorous curriculum and performance-based accountability
• Second Amendment: Supports individual right to bear arms
• Stem cell research: Opposes embryonic, supports adult
• Taxes: Supports tax cuts (especially for businesses), elimination of death tax and capital gains tax, wants to streamline the tax code

My Assessment: Young, but not inexperienced, Rubio is a prime candidate for the Senate. Although a recent Rasmussen poll stated that he and Crist are tied, Rubio’s conservative record will, hopefully, pull him back to the top. Born to Cuban immigrants and raised in a modest, hardworking family, Rubio embodies the American Dream. And in an administration that no longer believes in that Dream, candidates like Rubio are all the more captivating.

I fully support the Arizona bill, but I suppose I can understand his reservations. As far as I know that's the only place we explicitly disagree. After researching him, I don't find Rubio quite as appealing as Adam Kinzinger or other candidates, but I still think he can do good things for Florida if he wins.

In His Words:







On the Web: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Flickr / YouTube / Ning / RSS

Make No Mistake: Obama Floundered in the Oval Office

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling severely underwhelmed by President Obama’s flaccid response to the Gulf oil spill. He took advantage of a prime opportunity – speaking from the Oval Office – and wasted it by saying exactly what he’d been saying all along. There was no plan, no decisiveness. In fact, there wasn’t much of anything at all.

A recent poll stated that half of Louisianans think President Bush did a better job with Hurricane Katrina than Obama is doing with the oil spill. While Bush’s response wasn’t perfect, so far Obama hasn’t done much more than sit around with “experts from academia” who provided “ideas and advice,” not action. He exploited the disaster for a potentially approval-boosting photo op, snapped collecting tar balls on a Louisiana beach. Obama said, “The one approach I will not accept is inaction.” But 58 days after the spill, still nothing definitive has been done.

Obama has been spoiled by the Left-dominated Congress, sitting back and letting them carry out his agenda for him. This oil spill is the first time he actually has to act for himself. And he’s floundering under the pressure.

The speech was full of hyperbolizing (the worst environmental disaster ever?), demonizing BP, and reiterating lifeless promises. (And by the way, Mr. President, you don’t need to punctuate every single syllable with a gesture. We get it. You’re angry. You already illustrated that by kicking your rhetoric up a notch. By the way, how’s that ass-kicking coming?)

And after all that, Obama only met with BP for 20 minutes this morning – just enough time for another photo op.

I’ll give him some credit. He tried. And this time, his emotions seemed sincere. He wrapped up the 17-minute speech with an uplifting, religious hope (real hope, not Hopey-Changey hope) almost Reaganesque in texture. Obama gives the appearance of having everything under control… Now let’s see if he really does.

The POW Flag

Just visited the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas. It was by far the most informative museum I've ever been to - so much so that there's no way you can absorb it all in one visit.

One exhibit in particular struck me, especially since tomorrow is Flag Day.

Paul Spain, Joe Victoria, and Eddie Lindros were ordered to burn the American flag that was flying over an air base at Del Monte on Mindanao in 1942 to prevent its capture by the Japanese. Before the flag was destroyed they decided to remove the 48 stars and hide them. For the next 42 months the three men were moved to several different prisoner of war camps and eventually taken to Japan on a "hell ship." During this time they concealed the stars in their clothes, barracks, and a steel factory. In the days before their liberation, they sewed together a new flag using a rusty nail for a needle, an old sewing machine, parachute material, and the stars that they had saved. The new flag was flying over the camp when American troops arrived on 7 September 1945.

Candidate Profile: Adam Kinzinger

Running for: House of Representatives, Illinois District 11

Primary: won Republican primary (Feb. 2) with 63.67%

Notable Endorsements: Susan B. Anthony List, Sarah Palin, Liberty First PAC, Mitt Romney’s Free and Strong America PAC, Vets for Freedom PAC, Tim Pawlenty, National Federation of Independent Business, Gary Dahl (State Senator), Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times

Background: Born and raised in Illinois. Defeated Democrat incumbent on McLean County Board at age 20. Opposed elected officials’ pay raise and Internet taxation on local businesses, facilitated greater citizen participation in local government. Was reelected. Joined the Air Force in 2003 and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Was awarded the United States Air Force Airman’s Medal for saving a young woman’s life by wrestling a knife out of her attacker’s hand. Also awarded the National Guard's Valley Forge Cross for Heroism. Should he win the election, Kinzinger will be serving his country in two ways: continued service in the Air National Guard and representation in the Illinois House.

Issue Breakdown:

• Abortion: Pro-life all the way (endorsed by the Susan B. Anthony List)
• Economy: End unnecessary spending, support small businesses
• Energy: Move towards energy independence, support off-shore drilling
• Healthcare: Opposes ObamaCare, wants to allow Americans to buy insurance across state lines, tort reform, tax deductibility, opposes denial due to preexisting conditions, supports cost reduction measures
• Immigration: Secure the border
• Iran: Strict economic sanctions
• Second Amendment: Supports individual gun ownership rights
• Taxes: Lower taxes by making 2003 tax cuts permanent, implement tax incentives on investments, opposes cap and trade
• War on Terror: Favors military and political surge against Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, opposes timetables, hopes to foster an alliance with free/democratic Iraq

My Assessment: Adam Kinzinger is a sharp thinker and sharp speaker. Having served in both our military and in local politics, Kinzinger’s record of public service shows his passion for the wellness of his fellow citizens. He talks the talk and walks the walk when it comes to solid conservative values, both fiscal and social. He's an honorable man and an upstanding citizen; if I lived in Illinois, Kinzinger would get my vote, hands down.

Kinzinger took almost 2/3 of the primary vote, so his support base is substantial. And although his incumbent opponent, Rep. Deborah Halvorson, is running unopposed, I hope that the Illinoisans who have seen Kinzinger in action will come together and help him make it to the House of Representatives.

In His Words:





On the Web: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Flickr / YouTube / RSS

PS. Anyone else think he looks a little like Ben Browder?

Attack of the Mama Grizzlies

It all started when Sarah Palin blew the good ol’ boys away with her country girl twang and unabashed Alaskanness. What’s happened since then not even the queen of modern conservatism could have predicted.

The freshest, most promising faces for the GOP are female.

Suddenly Nikki Haley, Carly Fiorina, Susana Martinez, and others like them have risen from the depths of mainstream America. Dubbed the "Mama Grizzlies" in response to Palin’s recent comments, these lovely ladies have emerged from their ordinary families and ordinary lives to plunge into the political scene – making them anything but ordinary in politics.

Solid conservatives, the Mama Grizzlies are strong in their convictions and refuse to bow to pressure from either side. Even the dirtiest smear campaigns can’t shake them. Sarah Palin herself has received some of the nastiest criticism (read: "hatred") encountered in the political world. Lefties hate her almost as much as *gasp* Bush!! And yet she remains true to herself, her family, and her beliefs. Each mindless attack just makes her dimpled smile grow even wider.

And Nikki Haley, who came out ahead in the South Carolina primary last night just shy of 50%, endured multiple allegations of extramarital affairs, challenges to her faith, racial slurs, etc. And yet her constituents came out on voting day to support her anyway, seeing through the shallow games her opponents stooped to play. There will be a runoff, granted, but Gresham Barrett is being pressured to drop out of the race since he trailed her by over 20 points. And if the strength of her support base so far is anything to consider, I think she’ll take the win easily.

Like Palin, the Mama Grizzlies are fully female. They are proud to be women, wives, and mothers; they are also accomplished professionals and outspoken voices for conservatism. They are, as I like to call them, the “new feminists”: Instead of living their life in a sullen daze because they can never be exactly equal to men, these women embrace their femininity. They are proud of their womanhood, not ashamed of it. They aren’t angry to be the minority in their field. They got where they are today in conjunction with their sex, not in spite of it… But at the same time, they didn’t run "as a woman" like Hillary did. It really doesn’t matter whether they’re men or women – they speak their mind and hold firm their beliefs. They are well-rounded, happy, wholesome.

Wholesome. That’s what Washington needs.

The Mama Grizzlies are strong, they are fierce conservatives, and they are winning.


Notable GOP women:
Michele Bachmann - not new to politics, but still a Grizzly
Jan Brewer - ditto, current AZ governor
Carly Fiorina - running for CA Senate, won primary
Nikki Haley - running for SC governor, primary runoff to come
Susana Martinez - running for CA governor, won primary
Kristi Noem - running for SD Senate
Sarah Palin - obviously

Have another favorite conservative woman? Leave a comment and I'll add her to the list.

Obama: "I'm not just blaming Bush!"

This funny little piece has been making the rounds in chain emails. Thought I'd share in case anyone hasn't seen it:

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs points out, "President Obama has been forced to clean up the mess left him by Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Adams, Jackson, Van Buren, Harrison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan, Lincoln, Johnson, Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison, Cleveland, McKinley, Roosevelt, Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and George W. Bush."

LOL

Well, I got my first negative comment yesterday. It's actually quite amusing.

Here's what I wrote on YouTube in response to the tea party video I posted yesterday:

Simply beautiful. Anyone else have goosebumps?

And here's what someone responded within about five seconds:

I'm not a fascist so no I didn't sorry

Oh yeah. That's mature. Because obviously, y'know, all fascists enjoy listening to The Star Spangled Banner.

Must-Watch!

A former Marine sings the oft forgotten second verse of the Star Spangled Banner.



Anyone else get goosebumps?

The Essence of Conservatism

What does it mean to be a conservative?

A few days ago I was texting my friend Victor, and we got to talking about politics. He’s normally not the type to care much about what’s going on in Washington, but when I told him about my blog, he seemed interested. He asked me exactly what it means to be a conservative. I defined a few key issues (namely small government) pretty succinctly, trying to squeeze an explanation into one text message.

But I realized later that I had defined conservatism incorrectly. Here is what I should have said:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

That is the essence of conservatism.

We believe in the principles on which this country was created. The founders, who were ordinary men like us, are perhaps – excepting God – our greatest inspirations. We believe in their vision of a nation free from tyranny.

We believe in the Constitution, the foundation of our country. We believe that it is a set of restrictions on government activity, and that is the way it should be. It is not open to reinterpretation. It is what it is.

We believe in values like diligence, charity, and hard, honest work. We shape our lives by these virtues and strive to do well in all aspects of our lives. We believe that it is our duty to help out others in need – when we can and when we want to, not when the government tells us to.

We believe in life above all. We believe that every life – no matter how young, how weak, or how seemingly insignificant – is a miracle. We fight to preserve it in any way we can.

And while we do not smile on death or war, we believe in a strong military. Only by maintaining our strength can we bring that same strength to others. We will not accept indecisiveness or pandering to our enemies. We believe in the men and women who willingly sacrifice their lives to keep us safe. We pray for them, we cry for them, and we support our soldiers with everything we have.

We believe that all citizens deserve the great opportunities that America can give them. We will stand for neither hatred nor preferential treatment because of skin color. We enjoy the many cultures we are exposed to in this melting pot of a nation, and we hope that people can embrace both their ethnic background and their American citizenship.

We understand that this country was founded mainly by Christian men and mainly upon Christian values. Even if we don’t believe in the same God, we think it’s all right to acknowledge our religious roots. We are grateful that we have the right to practice whatever faith we see fit.

We do not believe that the government should have unlimited spending powers. We do not believe that bailing out those who fail will solve anything. Tax money should be spent responsibly, and the government should not be allowed to accrue $13 trillion in debt. We believe in fiscal sanity, in basic capitalistic principles, in spending only what we can afford.

We believe that the government’s role is to serve and protect its people, not the other way around. We elect our officials in the hopes that they will respect and protect us, not lord over us. When they disappoint us, we show up at the next election to vote them out of office.

We believe that America is the greatest country on this Earth. We believe that all Americans are keepers of freedom, and that somehow we may be able to bring liberty to other nations. We love our country.

To me, at least, that is what being a conservative means.

Memorial Day Pictures

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. Here are some pictures I took of the 9/11 monument at the Texas State Cemetery.

As you walk around the columns, each point of the star on the ground corresponds to a specific time of the day, beginning with the time of the first impact and ending with President Bush's remarks: "These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve."