September 30, 2012

August 24, 2012

  • “The Devil” on Politics

    Anyone who’s been following politics abroad might have noticed that American politicians seem to view British policies as worth copying by the Congress – the Romneycare-Obamacare thing isn’t an isolated incident.

    “Progressives” have been yammering away since Lyndon Johnson for victim disarmament (“common sense gun laws”) and nationalized / socialized “single payer”  health care, while “conservatives” apparently see the British Empire as worthy of emulation.

    For example, the recently-required graphic labels on cigarette packs have a precedent in British “law” in that their Health Secretary claimed the “authority” to micromanage cigarette packaging and advertising back in 2009.

    The British political scene mirrors the American scene in another way in that there are a few libertarian bloggers who are sick of this bad-cop-worse-cop routine from ” ‘both sides’ of the aisle.” For example, “The Devil” sounded off on this very issue of tobacco regulations –


    The power to “dictate the colour of cigarette packs, their shape, the trademarks displayed on them and any labelling” was handed to the Health Secretary solely back in 2009.

    And you poor fucks think that we live in a democracy.

    The consultation on this matter – just like the “consultation” on the display ban – is simply a democratic fig-leaf: the government simply wants to pretend that it is, in any way, answerable to the people.

    Anyone who believes that our democracy is in any way “representative” is an idiot.

    Successive governments have passed what your humble Devil called “mini-Enabling Acts” for years: the NuLabour government may have been the greatest transgressors, but that hasn’t stopped the Freedom Coalition making full use of those functions.

    When you are a disgusting authoritarian bastard, why would you not?

    No, “The Devil” isn’t Jesus’ nemesis from the Christian mythology – he’s just a pissed-off Brit of the libertarian mindset, who also enjoys a smoke on occasion. He updated the post I linked to above:


    The intention was to highlight the fact that successive governments have quite deliberately attempted to neuter Parliament, and remove themselves from democratic oversight.

    But, surely, we have the right to throw these bastards out – that’s the point of democracy, is it not?

    Well, yes and no. As you might have noticed – if you have taken an interest in politics over the last few decades – the ratchet only seems to go one way, i.e. in the removal of our freedoms. And I don’t give two shits about the colour of the rosette worn by the scum who do so.

    So, if Lansley has the power to impose plain packaging on tobacco, then he will do so. And the next government will not remove that power.

    If you doubt what I say about the freedom ratchet, simply compare the Coalition’s liberties-championing rhetoric immediately after the election with their actual record in government.

    So what about it, Americans? How can we say that we’re freer than the Brits when politicians on this side of the Atlantic behave in just the same sort of cretinous, dishonest chicanery?

    Didn’t Obama promise in the 2008 election to shut down the prison at Guantanamo Bay, and to have the DEA back off from medical-marijuana clinics in states that passed those sort of referenda?

    What sort of “limited-government,” “fiscally-restrained” Republican signs off on anything resembling Medicare Part D? Heather Wilson used it as the centerpiece of her 2002 re-election campaign to the U.S. House, and George Bush signed it into “law” with enthusiasm.


    Copyright © 2012 Mike Blessing. All rights reserved.

    Produced by KCUF Media, a division of Extropy Enterprises.
    This blog entry created with gedit and Notepad++.

June 7, 2012

  • “Accomplishments” and Candidates

    Current mood: excited

    If nothing else, please forward this on to someone who can use this information.

    Sylvia Bokor [ http://sylviabokorcomments.blogspot.com/ ] wrote:

    The word “accomplishment” refers to an action that results in a value, offers a benefit or enhances the enjoyment of life. It is an accomplishment to learn to play the piano. It is an accomplishment to be able to provide for one’s family by earning a living. It is an accomplishment to create a lovely garden.

    It is not an accomplishment to take from those who earn their living and give it to others. That’s called looting.

    It is not an accomplishment to force men to waste their time filling out paperwork, or to force them to take actions over which they have no say and with which they do not agree. That’s called enslavement.

    It is not an accomplishment to pretend you have done work you have not done, to make false statements, or to make claims to property that is not yours. That’s dishonest. It’s called cheating.

    If the Left’s intention in publicizing Obama’s “accomplishments” was to show how wonderful Obama is, they miscalculated. The lists actually show the extent to which his Administration has violated individual rights, throttled businesses, straight-jacket banking operations, interfered with overseas investment, intruded upon private enterprise compensation practices, established offices of soviet-style czars to harass and control hundreds of business activities.

    In short, they constitute a clear picture of what the Left is after: statism.

    Statism is the most corrupt of political ideas because it holds that might makes right, that men are slaves born only to serve and enrich their rulers, without benefit to themselves, without recognition of their rights, without recourse to law or justice.

    The Left’s ideas are destructive. But come November they could win if those who can fight them and should fight them refuse to fight them.

    If you are in a leadership position in a political party and you withhold money from deserving candidates who have major grassroots support, who champion de-regulation, free markets and individual rights, you are refusing to fight the Left’s destructive ideas, statism.

    If you are a voter that deplores Obama’s policies but do nothing to support those who oppose those policies, you are refusing to fight the Left’s destructive ideas, statism.

    I agree one hundred percent.

    So I take it you’ll be supporting the true Tea Party candidates in the general election:

    Gary Johnson for president – http://garyjohnson2012.com

    Jon Barrie for U.S. Senate – http://jonbarrieforsenate.com

    Anything else really is a wasted vote.

    I’ve been “Tea Party” since 1996, when I started publicly stumping for individual rights, Constitutionally-limited government and fiscal restraint in the public sector.

    Gary Johnson has been “Tea Party” in the same sense since 1994.

    Johnson spent eight years as Governor of New Mexico supporting “Tea Party” values – he kept the state in the black for all of that time, while managing to get re-elected in a state that’s 2-to-1 of the opposing party.

    During those eight years, Johnson never treated gun owners (or any other group, that I could tell) as a political soccer ball, to be kicked around from the bully pulpit at a whim.

    There’s a reason they call it the bully pulpit.

    This stands in stark contrast to any other of the candidates for the presidency that I’ve seen. Most of them like to rhetorically stomp on one group or another for political brownie points. Not so with Gary Johnson. None are as . . . presidential as Johnson.

    As for the other “big two” – both are anti-gun-owner bigots at heart, and the one who was a governor signed off on a plan to take over health care that was plagiarized on the national scene by the staff of the one who was a senator.

    The big differences between them don’t seem to be of philosophy or ethics, but of severity and priorities.

    Concerning the U.S. Senate seat from New Mexico that’s up for grabs – New Mexicans can play eenie-weenie-mighty-mo with the two socialist candidates who won the primaries last night. Or they can vote “Tea Party” by supporting Jon Barrie.

    I’ve never met Jon, but I’d like to. He’s campaigning as a Christian conservative, yet was recommended to me by a long-time libertarian who’s an enthusiastic pot smoker and atheist.

    Jon appears to be running his campaign the way a campaign should be run – by volunteers on a shoestring budget. Thus he needs all the help we can give him.

    To start, Jon needs signatures on nominating petitions to get on the ballot. For those inclined to help, he’s got the paperwork all ready to go on his site.

    That will be all for now. Thank you for reading.


    Mike Blessing / http://mikewb1971.xanga.com / Phone – 505-515-7015

    Who owns you? Who runs your life? Who should – you or someone else?
    Freedom is the answer – what’s the question?

    “If you wanna live long on your own terms
    You gotta be willing to crash and burn”
    – Motley Crue, “Primal Scream”


    Copyright © 2012 Mike Blessing. All rights reserved.

    Produced by KCUF Media, a division of Extropy Enterprises.
    This blog entry created with gedit and Notepad++.

May 30, 2012

March 7, 2012

May 31, 2011

May 24, 2011

May 11, 2011

  • Hats Off to Marilyn Steffen!

    ——– Original Message ——–
    Subject: county chair
    Date:    Wed, 11 May 2011 14:46:54
    From:    M. Steffen

    I do the best I can here. I’m not an organizer, but I do hand out DVD’s of Freedom to Fascism and the Citizens Rule book by the hundreds and did a radio interview last year at a Silver City radio station and have a 23 minute copy of the show if you would like to have a copy. I talked about the Constitution, Fully Informed Jury and Freedom Fest.
    ——– Original Message Ends ——–

    I’d like to put this interview on the LPNM site.

    I’ve passed this on via email, as well as included in the next New Mexico Liberty, and sent it on to the National Chair, Mark Hinkle.


    NOTES

    1. Original article

    2. Reposted –
      1. Personal blogs – WordPress / Xanga / Yahoo!
      2. KCUF Media – WordPress
      3. Partisans of the American Southwest – WordPress / Yahoo!
      4. Yahoo! group – [lpnm-discuss]


    Copyright © 2011 Libertarian Party of New Mexico. All rights reserved.

    Produced by KCUF Media, a division of Extropy Enterprises. Webmaster Mike Blessing
    This blog entry created with Notepad++

  • Completed Survey about “ABQ the Plan”

    Current mood: cynical

    My completed survey from the City of Albuquerque about “ABQ the Plan,” as formulated by Mayor R.J. Berry:

    Mayor Richard J. Berry's plan for the future of Albuquerque.

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts on ABQ the PLAN.

    Your opinion will help shape Mayor Berry’s presentation during the 2011 State of the City address to Albuquerque.

    Working together, we can make Albuquerque an even better city.

    Summary of Response

    Should we invest in our future?

    No

    Bus Rapid Transit & Route 66 Improvements

    Not Important

    EXPO New Mexico (State Fairgrounds)

    Not Important

    Convention Center

    Not Important

    Civic Plaza

    Not Important

    4th Street Pedestrian Mall

    Not Important

    Rail Yards

    Not Important

    ABQ Culture Trail

    Not Important

    Balloon Fiesta Sports Park

    Not Important

    98th Street Sports Park with APS

    Not Important

    Mesa del Sol Sports Park

    Not Important

    50-Mile Bike Loop

    Not Important

    Rio Grande Enhancements

    Not Important

    Paseo del Norte & I-25 Interchange Improvements

    Not Important

    Other Project Ideas

    Take any money left over from this year’s budget (if any) and either give it back as a tax return or set it aside for next year. Or put it towards repayment of some of the city’s existing bond expenditures.

    Get over it – this schtick about “there’s nothing to do” in Albuquerque is bunk. Take a look at the local newspapers – Alibi, Local iQ, the Journal, etc. – and you’ll see plenty of things to do listed.

    If you really want to “invest in the future,” cut taxes, cut regulations on business, and cut regulations on private property. Let us in the private sector grow the economy by getting government out of the way.


    NOTES

    1. Reposted –

      1. Personal blog
      2. The Weekly Sedition


    Copyright © 2011 Mike Blessing. All rights reserved.
    Produced by KCUF Media, a division of Extropy Enterprises.
    This blog entry created with Notepad++

May 7, 2011

  • The LPNM in May 2011

    New Mexico Liberty for May 2011

    Albuquerque Liberty Forum is a no-host dinner, with discussion of issues important to libertarians, anarcho-capitalists, extropians, and Constitutionalists.

    We’re currently meeting at the Sizzler at 7212 Menaul NE in Albuquerque (two blocks to the east of Louisiana Blvd., on the south side of Menaul), from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

    Suggestions for speakers are welcome. Speakers will have 30 minutes to make their case, then should be open to questions from the audience. Audience members are requested to ask questions of the speaker as opposed to making statements. All speakers will be considered to have consented to being recorded, including but not limited to audio or video devices, for posting to the internet (YouTube, etc.).

    ABQ Campaign for Liberty

    Facebook

    FreedomConnect

    FreedomTorch

    Myspace

    NMPolitics.org

    New Mexico Liberty

    Agenda for this event

    1. Round-robin introductions (if needed)
    2. State of the Party speech by LPNM State Chair Mike Blessing
    3. Notices about upcoming events
    4. Getting Started as an Activist

    After-event review

    What went well

    1. We stuck to the posted agenda fairly well – we didn’t get sidetracked much at all.
    2. We had a few new faces at this event – total attendance was twelve, which is double last month’s number.

    What needs improving

    The venue’s management seated us in the separate room after another group had previously reserved that same room for every Thursday. So at 7:00 PM, we had to move from that room to the main dining room, where we had to raise our voices to be heard over the piano.


    NOTES

    1. Original article

    2. Reposted –
      1. Personal blogs – WordPress / Xanga / Yahoo!
      2. KCUF Media – WordPress
      3. The Weekly SeditionWordPress / Yahoo!
      4. Partisans of the American Southwest – WordPress / Yahoo!


    Copyright © 2011 Libertarian Party of New Mexico. All rights reserved.
    Produced by KCUF Media, a division of Extropy Enterprises. Webmaster Mike Blessing
    This blog entry created with Notepad++