Liberally Speaking

By William L. Garvin

“A man who chooses between drinking a glass of milk and a glass of a solution of potassium cyanide does not choose between two beverages; he chooses between life and death.  A society that chooses between capitalism and socialism does not choose between two social systems; it chooses between social cooperation and the disintegration of society.  Socialism is not an alternative to capitalism; it is an alternative to any system under which men can live as human beings.”  Ludwig von Mises

The leading Democrat candidate in the latest Ohio and New Hampshire polls isn’t even a Democrat!  It’s Bernie Sanders, an Independent and self-described “democratic socialist” who thinks the United States should be more like Scandinavia.  We too should have free college, free grad school, free childcare, guaranteed income, guaranteed retirement and of course single payer government run healthcare.  In typical liberal fashion, he’ll finance it with more taxes on the rich, on corporations, estates, and financial transactions.  He wants another trillion dollar stimulus package for infrastructure and cares nothing about increasing the national debt or “running out of other people’s money.”  Despite all this, more and more Democrats prefer him to Hillary the Inevitable who two-thirds of the people polled regard as a “liar”, “dishonest”, and “not trustworthy.”  About one-third of those polled will vote her anyway because she also promises free college and because she’s a Democrat.  Incredible.

Liberally speaking, it’s important to be compassionate.  We must show compassion for polar bears, for trees, for spotted owls, for Cecil the lion, for transgender persons, and for undocumented workers, formerly known as illegal aliens.  However, that compassion does not extend to the harvesting, butchering, and sale of unborn baby parts.  Naturally Nancy Pelosi decries the videotapes of Planned Parenthood’s pathetic and barbaric practices as fake even though she hasn’t seen them.  In her world, whistle blowers should be protected unless one of her campaign donors is being exposed.  And PP gives lots of money…to Democrats.  Incredible.

Liberally speaking, there should be an inviolable wall of separation between church and state…unless that church’s religious figure believes in open borders, climate change (formerly known as global warming), opposes the death penalty and castigates “unbridled capitalism.”  Such a figure will be welcomed with open arms, invited to the White House and given free rein to address Congress.  Naturally, liberals have no problem with the First Lady wearing a $2,300 dress to meet the Pope though they waxed apoplectic over a $990 blouse worn by Ann Romney.  Incredible.

Liberally speaking, inconsistency is a trademark.  Of course, Kim Davis should resign her position because she wouldn’t issue same sex marriage certificates because it conflicted with her faith.  At an LGBT “gala fundraiser,” President Obama opined that gay rights (not enumerated in the Constitution) were more important than religious rights (specifically enumerated in the Constitution).  However, when Ben Carson said he would not support a Muslim for the presidency if that candidate held sharia law superior to the Constitution, liberals were incensed and subjected him to the predictable media lynching.  Such inconsistency requires them to ignore the treatment of women, the treatment of homosexuals, the sex trafficking, honor killings, mass execution of Christians, and the sexploitation of children commonly found in Islamic countries.  In fact, a Green Beret is soon to be kicked out of our army because he pushed down an Afghan police commander for sexually abusing a young boy and beating his mother when she complained.  Incredible.

Liberally speaking, President Obama can pontificate about his “moral outrage” that millions of children are “just one mosquito bite away from death.”  It is important not to remember that it was liberal policies and the phony scientific support for Rachel Carson’s SILENT SPRING that restricted the use of DDT that had decimated the mosquito population and nearly eradicated malaria.  It is important not to ask whether it is a moral outrage to burn corn for fuel (ethanol) while millions are starving.  It is important not to ask whether it is moral to deliberately drive up the costs of electricity and fuel when that has a disproportionate impact on the poor.  It is important not to ask whether the concerns about crony capitalism should extend to all those popular “green energy” companies that are still inefficient, expensive and frequently corrupt.  Liberally speaking, only conservatives should be asked those questions.  Incredible.

Meanwhile back at the White House, Barack is telling Vladimir “My red line is ‘Assad must go.’”  Vladimir is telling Barack “You’re full of liberal borscht.  I will build army bases, airfields and seaports in Syria with my pals Bashar and Hasan (Iranian president) while you are leading from behind.”  Liberally speaking, it’s another great foreign policy deal.  Really incredible…and really stupid.

Arbitrary, Capricious, and Discriminatory

By William L. Garvin

“On principle, the success of our democracy depends on the rule of law.  And there is no public official that is above the rule of law.  Certainly not the President of the United States, but neither is the Rowan County clerk.  That’s a principle that is enshrined in our Constitution and in our democracy and it’s one that obviously the courts are seeking to uphold.”  Josh Earnest, President Obama’s Press Secretary

Is our nation governed by the rule of law?  There is ample evidence to the contrary.  For the rule of law to be effective, it must be applied in a consistent, fair, and impartial manner.  When laws are applied or not applied in an arbitrary, capricious, and discriminatory fashion, it breeds contempt for all the laws and for the enforcers of the laws.  The catalyst for this discussion came about when Kim Davis, a democratically elected Democrat, refused to issue marriage licenses to homosexual couples in Rowan County, Kentucky, citing her religious convictions.  Subsequently, to the delight of liberals everywhere, the court ordered her jailed for contempt.  Why the court didn’t just order the county to print up new license forms without her name as a “reasonable accommodation” is a subject for another time.  However, the hue and cry from many corners was that Davis should be fired, impeached, or forced to resign if she could not perform the duties of her office.  If this standard were to be consistently applied, we would have a dearth of office holders.

For instance, regardless of your views of California’s Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment legally enacted by California voters defining marriage as between a man and a woman, Governor Jerry Brown and Attorney General Kamala Harris refused to defend it in court.  President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder refused to defend the Defense of Marriage Act, a duly enacted law by congress.  Exacerbating the situation, Holder even counseled and encouraged state AG’s that it was unnecessary to defend such laws in their states.  Holder also refused to prosecute the New Black Panther Party though even the leftist Southern Poverty Law Center had labeled them a hate group.  The Obama administration has failed to enforce immigration laws and has even failed to fully implement Obamacare with his incessant executive orders.  By the Rowan County standard, all these officials should resign.

Then there’s the “abuse under the color of authority” by the IRS perpetrated by Lois Lerner and her staff.  In a blatant abuse of power, her unit arbitrarily, capriciously, and discriminatorily targeted Tea Party and other conservative groups.  Subsequently she obstructed justice by crashing her computer destroying emails and refusing to be accountable to congress and the American people.  So what happened?  She received a bonus and was allowed to retire with full pension and benefits!  As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton easily bested the Lerner shenanigans.  In a flagrant lapse of judgment, she compromised national security by setting up a private email system and server, refused to turn over material, destroyed thousands of emails, and wiped her server clean.  As a former member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, there is no doubt that she knew the principles of classification whether marked or unmarked.  Despite her capricious and foolish rejection of national security for personal convenience and control, many acolytes will vote for her anyway.

Hopefully we’ll see a new president that takes the time to consistently stand a little more forcefully for our military and our civilian first responders.  Hopefully he or she will condemn any group that chants:  “What do we want?” “DEAD COPS!”  “When do we want it?” “NOW!”  Don’t forget the recent paean to incivility: “Pigs in a blanket, fry ‘em like bacon.”  Incomprehensibly, the “Black Lives Matter” spokesman said it was all done in jest and good humor.  Other than politicians, who else would be able to get away with such claptrap especially in light of the recent ambushes and executions of police officers?  Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at “black privilege” and the ability to flaunt laws, rules and regulations, decorum and common decency with impunity.  Of course if you do, be prepared to be called a racist even when you sincerely believe that all lives matter. 

Democrat Smoke and Mirrors

Dear Editor,

It's mildly humorous to read the preeminent name-callers complain about name-calling!  Efforts to blow smoke and "prove" the economy is doing great are equally laughable.  When the Obama administration launched its reign, the national debt was $10.6 trillion; now it's $18.4 and still rising.  GDP growth for this year is an anemic 2.0 percent and continues the slowest recovery ever from a depression.  Income inequality has increased under this administration and the official poverty rate is 14.5%.  Only 63.4% of the population own homes, a 48 year low.  The labor participation rate is 62.6%, another 40-year low.  Over 93 million have dropped out of the labor force entirely.  They crow about jobs "created or saved" but millions more have been forced into part time positions.  Wages are down and net worth is down so it's no wonder that food stamps and other types of government assistance are up to record levels.  Naturally, they want to talk about anything other than Democrat policies and this Democrat administration's failures.  Unless you're looking for more of the same, be very careful with your vote next year.  After seven years, it's time for them to stop living in the past and take accountability for the present.

Sincerely,

Bill Garvin