Sunday, July 29, 2012

Yahoo News Periodic Updates, July 29, 2012

On occasion, I consolidate comments I’d attempted to post in response to articles appearing recently on Yahoo News. I share my comments with you here hoping to reach an audience immune from Yahoo’s periodic attempts to block or censor. My posts are written as if I actually were the US President. As is my usual custom, if I open with a quoted item, that’s from the article itself.
I hope you enjoy all twenty-three of these mini-essays.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ONE:

"My [Romney’s] understanding is the policy of our nation has been a desire to move our embassy ultimately to the capital (Jerusalem)”… Actually, that’s wrong and he knows it – or else he’s simple beyond belief.

His claim that [the timing of] moving our embassy to Jerusalem would be up to “the government of Israel” is jaw dropping. What nonsense! At any time over the past two decades, if the US had quietly asked the Israeli government “Is it okay with you if we move our embassy to Jerusalem and recognize that as your capital?”, the Israelis would have leapt at the chance. Does Romney think we’re so stupid as to believe otherwise?

That’s almost as good as, “I’ll base my foreign policy decisions on what the commanders on the ground have to say.” Talk about the tail wagging the dog – in both cases.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Maybe Romney will bend over backwards to make the Zionists happy by building a summer home for his family in one of the illegal West Bank settlements. OMG, how far will this guy go?”




TWO:

I overheard Romney telling his staff how to vet the VP potentials. He said, “Among other things, be sure they commit to denying their past income tax returns to the public.”

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“For surely it wouldn’t look too good if his VP was that transparent and he wasn't.”




THREE:

[This is in reference to the shooting in a Colorado theater during a showing of the latest Batman movie.]

"He was diabolical, demonic," [Governor] Hickenlooper said. "… He wanted to take away…”
With all due respect to the Governor, there’s no way he knows anything about what Holmes “wanted [to do].”

As for “diabolical, demonic,” well…of course there is such a thing as demonic possession. And there’s such a thing as government experiments in mind control. And, before the Yahoos beat me up on that last bit, there’s such a thing as just plain crazy. But…given the extent and duration of the gunman’s preparation, I wouldn’t be so quick to label him PLAIN crazy.

As for the mind-control possibility, it might be worth looking into the fact that he was one of six on his campus who got a federal grant in neuroscience. How did he get the grant? Was an interview required? If so, with whom? Was he a participant in any experiments or have contact with researchers who ran secret experimental programs on campus? Does the DOD or CIA have any contracts with this university?

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“As far as the Joker is concerned, I think Holmes (especially around the mouth) looks more like the Guy Fawkes mask worn in the movie V for Vendetta.”



FOUR:

“Kenya would get eight ‘Raven’ unmanned aerial systems…” You know what’s going to happen, don’t you? Those Ravens, or at least their technology, will end up in enemy hands. And then they’ll be used against us. This Kenyan connection is just part of the US’s attempt to ingratiate itself with yet another African military. And that’s part of a larger plan to re-colonize Africa. And to think, we have a black president making major contributions to such an effort. The irony!

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Africa for Africans. Kick out all foreigners, for they’re up to no good.”




FIVE:

Could there be anything to this rumor: Romney is becoming a tad remorseful about the negative effects of what he did during his Bane years. So he decided to put a plaque on his desk if he beats Obama. No, it’s not the one that says, “The buck stops here.” It’s the one that says, “I would rather lose than win like – that.”

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Remorse rarely runs that deep.”



SIX:

Kim Ding Dang Dong [North Korea’s God King] will never be secure in office as long as others have the power to award him titles (or demote him). He’ll have achieved the highest earthly glory if he can promote/demote himself. [Now there's a goal worthy of pursuit!]

The article, when it mentions “…as he makes key changes to the million-man force,” doesn’t bother to say what those changes are.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“I laugh at this silly little punk.”


SEVEN:

It won’t matter if Romney outspends Obama 10 to 1, if (and it’s not that big an “if”) Obama’s ads are creative enough. For instance, some spoofy material with Crispin Glover (or a Herman Munster look-a-like) starring as Mitt. Or maybe Dean Winters doing his shtick as a “Mayhem like me” Romney. Stuff like this can go viral and render as irrelevant the need to spend on advertising.

[Personally, I like the seemingly inoffensive tag line: "He's a Mormon and, yes, it matters."]

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Remember: Humor is the key. If you can people to laugh at your opponent, it won’t matter if in reality he can actually walk on water.”




EIGHT:

"Do we believe in an America that is great because of government or… because of free people…?" So asks Romney, to which I answer:

“You can’t really separate the two as polaristically as you’re doing. Government can’t do anything without the support of the people. And people by themselves can’t do anything without rules, without a structure that best focuses their creative energy….”

As for the US being created by “God’s will,” Romney would do well to consider these words from the Declaration of Independence:

“… all men are created equal [and] are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

In short? The Creator endowed us with [God-given] rights, but it was only by means of the “consent of the governed” that our particular form of government was established by “the consent of the governed.” The US might very well have been Divinely inspired and Divinely protected, but it was most certainly NOT Divinely created. Romney, as a quasi-Christian and therefore familiar with the concept of free will, should know this.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“There’s a great deal of danger in speaking imprecisely in an attempt to rouse the rabble, for the rabble becomes drunk with the prospect of being able to egg their leader on to greater depths of folly.”




NINE:

“Harry Reid… has vowed not to put [Ron Paul’s “Audit the Fed” bill] to a vote.” Translation? One man can stop the rest of the Senate from voting. I keep telling you, the only way to stop these kinds of tyrannies of the minority (another being the filibuster; and yet another, the presidency itself) is to replace our current Constitution. Google for more info: Cross-Sectional Representation Steven Searle.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Time to move on, people.”




TEN:

"This bill would ... jeopardize the Fed's independence by subjecting its decisions on interest rates and monetary policy to GAO audit”… What you mean, Old White Guy who’s been “serving” for 30 years (term limits, anyone)? The Fed would still be independent but it’s the RESULTS of its decisions that would be audited. Now if We-the-Sheeple didn’t happen to like what such an audit would turn up, then the Fed might be more sensitive to popular pressure the next time it makes its decisions. That, however, doesn’t threaten the Fed’s independence as much as threaten its impunity.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Even though Steny Hoyer is trying mightily to deny transparency, I can see right through him.”




ELEVEN:

[At this point, I’ll insert a shameless self-promotion – that you scroll down to read the blog I posted yesterday entitled, "How I killed the Second Amendment."


To all of the supporters of the Second Amendment (and to the NRA, in particular), I direct this question: Why not lobby for private citizens to be able to own bazookas, RPGs, tanks, fighter aircraft, etc? Don’t we have the right to bear arms? Those are arms, right? If the intent of the Second was to enable citizens, as a last resort (of course), to rise up against a tyrannical central government, we surely can’t do that with low-level shootin’ irons, now can we?

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“If our high tech weaponry had existed at the time the Constitution was written, surely Thomas Jefferson et al would have thought nothing of the average citizen being able to keep a bazooka under his bed – just in case – right? Right?”



TWELVE:

Tearless,

I refuse to let the dead (the Founding Fathers) continue to rule the living (that’s us). Too much has changed to make our Constitution meaningful any longer. And, no, merely amending it won’t work. The whole thing’s got to go. I developed, back in 1976, a suggested replacement based on Cross-Sectional Representation. If you’re not too close-minded to do a little reading (gasp!) google these words for more info: Steven Searle Cross-Sectional Representation….
  
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“I get a good laugh out of people who claim the Constitution can’t be replaced.”




THIRTEEN:

Cheney is NOW saying he doesn’t “think [Sarah Palin] passed that test…of being ready to take over.” Presumably, Cheney had figured that out from the get go. So why didn’t he come out publicly and condemn the choice before the GOP confirmed her nomination at the convention? Suppose McCain had won and then died in office. Then we’d have someone whom Cheney doesn’t “think” is ready to take over. Or…maybe Cheney didn’t bother to sound the alarm because he knew McCain would lose.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“It must be nice to know such things in advance or not care who ends up taking over.”




FOURTEEN:

[This is my response to Happily Retired, who had written:  “And Oba...manure will go down the history being the most inept, stupid president.”]


Well, Happily Retired, if what you're saying comes to pass, what will that say about the people who elected him - especially if he wins a second term? Aren't we the ones who rallied round the Chief since the end of WWII and usurped the Constitution by embracing the concept hailed by both parties - the Imperial Presidency? Everybody seems too eager to ignore the fact that it’s the Congress that’s supposed to be pre-eminent, which is why that’s the first branch the Constitution defines (under Article I).

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“If Obama is, as you claim, so ‘inept, stupid,’ then why hasn’t the House even brought up the possibility of impeaching him?”




FIFTEEN:

[The following is a response I posted to this quote by Thomas Jefferson: “"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” ]

@ Speyside_Single_Malt,

… Now let’s turn to the text of the [Second] Amendment itself to underscore how wrong Jefferson is about this:

“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.”

Let’s reword the Second so it includes what TJ calls “the strongest reason for the people to [bear arms]”:

“The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, the STRONGEST REASON being the necessity to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”

My question here is (to quote the Declaration of Independence) "self-evident" - but I'll ask it anyway: Why wasn't the "strongest reason" made part of the Second Amendment?

In one of my previous incarnations, I tried to point that out to Thomas Jefferson but – hey – he wasn’t much of one to listen once his mind was made up. Oh well!

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“In his own way, Tom Jefferson could be quite tyrannical himself.”



SIXTEEN:

The Second Amendment is the only one that gives a reason for its being. Once the reason ceases to be valid, the Amendment itself ceases to be valid. [Scroll down to the blog I posted yesterday which explains why this “reason ceases to be valid.”]

To quote the Second:

“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.”

… It wasn’t even necessary to repeal it since it had, in effect, language built in that rendered it self-repealing. That being the case, guns and ammo can be regulated like anything else the government has a mind to regulate. Of course the NRA, with its huge redneck following, will insist otherwise. Be that as it may but, Constitutionally speaking, the NRA would be wrong.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“If we had proper oversight, someone along the line could have denied to the Colorado Batman shooter the ‘right’ to build an arsenal.”


SEVENTEEN:

“…much of the public will not truly start paying attention until after Labor Day.” And that’s precisely when (soon after Labor Day, I’m predicting) that Obama will unleash a quick strike against Iranian nuke facilities.

I’ve blogged on this prediction quite extensively, but here I must add one more reason why Obama feels he must do this. As close as this race for president is, Obama realizes that he’s got to do something to prevent the GOP from taking Congress. If he can’t do that, then we’ll have four more years of the Party of No doing everything it can to deny to the Democrats any possible record of achievement as they set their sights on the 2016 election. And this time, knowing they won't face an incumbent or Biden, the GOP will pull out all the stops. You ain't seen nothing yet.

For their part, the Democrats sense that some kind of drastic action is needed to help their nationwide ticket and take the wind out of the GOP/Tea Party’s sails. Hence, the attractiveness of a strike against the Iranian mullahs. Frankly, I don’t see how Obama can resist. Anti-Iranian sentiment in this country is very high, and I can’t see even the GOP base ranting against the President for this hit – which I feel is inevitable. If Obama smacks ‘em good and quickly with no involvement of ground forces, by the time the October debates roll around, Romney will be irrelevant.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“I’m proud to post this prediction using my real name. Actually, I hope I’m wrong but I’ve got an overwhelming feeling I’m not.”



EIGHTEEN:

Back in 2007 when I ran as a third party candidate against Obama and McCain, I made the following pledge: “I will veto any bill presented to me by Congress if it has any provision for any type of aid or loan to Israel or Egypt.” Now, how is that different from this pledge made by Obama on Feb. 23, 2009: “Today I’m pledging to cut the deficit we inherited in half by the end of my first term in office?”

Obama’s “pledge” was just another non-binding oral contract made by a politician which, as everybody knows, can’t be enforced in a court of law. My pledge was one of 47 listed in my written contract (the first ever offered by a presidential candidate) which also isn’t enforceable in a court of law.

However, this was also in my contract which makes it enforceable, though still not in a court of law: “If I violate any of the terms of this contract, I will be removed from office by means of impeachment. I hereby affirm, in advance, that I will not defend myself nor authorize any other party to defend me against any impeachment activity in the House or trial by the Senate. I further agree to a speedy trial - within less than 10 minutes, if deemed necessary by the Senate.”

You can’t get much more ironclad than that – especially since I, as an independent president, would be heavily scrutinized by the Dem/Pub Congress for any contractual violation.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“But…as long as the voters kneejerkingly continue to pull the Dem/Pub lever in the polling place, we’ll never get any independents in office and we’ll never get any ‘change you can believe in.’”


NINETEEN:

“We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage”…

No, but we know better than the president of some chicken shack, no matter how much money he wants to throw into the mix.  [Better he throw his money into charitable acts that save lives, yes?] A marriage is a contract, and adults who are not legally impaired) may enter into contracts as an expression of their free will (remember what that is?). We don’t need a patriarch to foist his views upon us as to what is proper or not. That’s so Abrahamic (he’s dead, you know).

People are evolving in terms of how they feel about themselves, how they feel about others, and what kinds of contractual relationships they wish to pursue with others.  Society is (hopefully) trying to keep up with these changes. And this is good as long as people really care about each other. And from what I’ve seen of the gay community, they seem to care more about each other than some of the hardcore fundamentalists who try to force their views on others.

This Dan Cathy guy, who I hope doesn't decide to run for President someday, sounds like another Herman Cain. The day that Chicken Man hears a voice from God saying he should run for president, will be a bad day for…the chicken business.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Fast food and fast theology seem to have this in common – the end result often turns out to be half-baked.”


TWENTY:

We have President Calvin Coolidge to thank for these mission statements:

·       “After all, the chief business of the American people is business.” [I’d like to see that become, “The chief business of the American people is the pursuit of spiritual perfection – that is, to become better people.”]

·       “The man who builds a factory builds a temple. The man who works there worships there.” [I don’t care much for the God of such a man who builds or of such a man who worships – which is why I’m a Buddhist.]

·       “The chief ideal of the American people is idealism. I cannot repeat too often that America is a nation of idealists.” [We have lost any trace of any bit of truth those words might once have conveyed. We have become petty and self-absorbed.]

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“So, who do you want to elect as your High Priest – Obama or Romney?”



TWENTY-ONE:

I hope Romney sticks to his guns - even if some Madam Voodoo managed to conjure up the Gipper Himself in a séance and he were to say, “Mr. Romney, tear down that wall; release those tax returns.” If We-the-Sheeple are so shallow as to let this “issue” sway our vote, then we’re dumber than a ventriloquist’s dummy.

If any law has been (claimed to be) broken, I’m sure Mitt Romney will be more than equal to the task in rebutting any charges.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Frankly? I think there’s a bit of the sadist in too many jealous people who just like to see a rich guy squirm.”




TWENTY-TWO:

·       “…giving help to struggling borrowers is also a legitimate use of eminent domain….” Stealing from the rich to give to the poor is still stealing.

·       “a city or county would sign on as a client of Mortgage Resolution Partners, then condemn certain mortgages.” This sounds like the very definition of conflict of interest.

·       “…so it could pay back the investors who funded the seizure…” Yup, that’s exactly what this is – a seizure.
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“So much for due process of law.”




TWENTY-THREE:

“…[George] Will said. "Therefore, [Romney] must have calculated that there are higher costs in releasing [his tax returns]." Or maybe Romney just decided to act within his rights by withholding these returns simply because doing so would be within his rights.

There are a lot of Americans who don’t like sharing personal information for the simple reasons: “I have a right to my privacy and it’s none of your business.” I’m starting to doubt George “the Kardashian” Will’s conservative credentials, so maybe he should publish all his tax returns.

"Come on, George, how about it? Eh? Eh? Eh? What are you trying to hide? [nudge, nudge] Come on, man, come clean. Everybody wants to know so, therefore, everybody has a right to know. Isn’t that what you’re saying? Huh? Huh? Come on, man, speak up. I can’t hear you. Say again. What was that? Stop mumbling. Why are you running away? You got something to hide?"

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Will’s statements here just go to confirm my decades’ old belief: When push comes to shove, there really isn’t any such thing as a conservative – just a bunch of conmen serving themselves.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
Founder of The Independent Contractors’ Party

“With only 100 days to go until Election Day, I don’t have much time to stave off the disaster of a Romney/Obama win; hope my campaign catches fire fairly soon."


Contact me at bpa_cinc@yahoo.com

Saturday, July 28, 2012

How I killed the Second Amendment

Introduction

I wish to claim personal credit for killing the Second Amendment, which I actually do (right here!) by means of the following words. That is, if you read this article, you are witnessing a killing in progress. Now that doesn’t mean anybody else knows this. In fact, most aren’t aware of this at all – but that simply means our lives are being governed by yet one more ghost among many.

Ignorance in the USA is truly massive. Though much evidence can be cited as proof, I’ll just offer this:

Based on a poll of registered voters conducted from June 28 - July 9, 2012, Pew Research Center found, “Six-in-ten voters (60%) are able to identify Romney as a Mormon.” In addition, 32% came right out and said they “don’t know” what his religion is. Of course, out of those 60%, it’s debatable how many actually know what a Mormon believes.

This poll is especially damning because we are, as of today, 100 days from Election Day. We-the-Sheeple have had two complete primary election cycles (since Romney had run for president back in 2008), so how can so many be so unaware of something so important?


Before I go any further, I’d like to introduce the corpse which I’ll then proceed to dissect as I perform my autopsy. That is, here’s the Second Amendment itself:

“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.”

I encourage you to read the following, which I found fascinating and helpful in my killing of the Second:

 “The History of the Second Amendment” by David E. Vandercoy, copyright © 1994 Valparaiso Univ. Law Review:


My Autopsy of the Second Amendment

Again, I’ll state the Second in its entirety:

“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.”


Its biggest and most glaring weakness:

I highlighted in yellow this amendment’s biggest weakness: It can no longer be reasonably argued that any kind of militia – even one consisting of all able-bodied citizens – is necessary. It is not necessary in terms of defending against foreign enemies, and it is not even possible in terms of fighting against our full-time standing army (which we weren’t supposed to have in the first place but, due to the march of history, we very much have in our midst).

That part about “fighting against our full-time standing army” is very much in the spirit of the Founding Fathers. They were very concerned about the threat posed by a standing army, thinking that a well-armed citizenry could oppose such an army should it become the tool of a strong central government bent on threatening the liberty of the states and of the people in general. However, neither the organized nor the unorganized militia (defined in the next section) could possibly resist the professional and battle-hardened standing army we now have in this country.

Proposition:  The Second is the only amendment that gives a reason for its being; if that reason ceases to be reasonable, then the Amendment dies. In effect, it commits suicide by means of a built-in kill mechanism.

If this kill-mechanism wasn’t meant to do its job, then the Founding Fathers should have simply stated the Second as follows:

“The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

That’s right – the first 13 words should never have been included if the Second was meant to be timeless. My point can be more clearly understood by restating the Second Amendment by using these words:

“The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed because a well regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free state.”

Again I highlight in yellow to emphasize a point: If the “because” part is no longer valid (in this case, having been made permanently invalid due to the march of time), then the preceding part becomes invalid due to lack of sustenance.



Point by point analysis

Once more, I’ll state the Second. Then I’ll follow up with a detailed point-by-point analysis of its language:

“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.”


Point:

“A well regulated militia”


Analysis:

First, I will tackle the definition of “militia” before I comment on the full term – “a well regulated militia.” This source will give you an idea of how the word “militia” is used, legally speaking:  [According to] Title 10, Subtitle A, Part I, Chapter 13, Section 311:

QUOTE:

(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.

(b) The classes of the militia are—

(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and

(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.

:UNQUOTE.


Just to emphasize this point, it is the unorganized militia to which the vast majority of male US citizens between the ages of 17 and 45 belong. It would surprise most males in that age bracket to know they are automatically part of the US national militia.

Going back to the entire phrase – “a well regulated militia” – a question comes to mind: How can a militia be “well regulated” if it is “unorganized?” In fact, there shouldn’t be any such entity as an “unorganized militia” if our militia in its entirety is supposed to be (in the terms of the Second) “well regulated.” In fact, the term “dormant militia” should be used instead of “unorganized militia.” Furthermore, this dormant militia, in order to even approach the standard of being “well regulated,” should be subject to periodic drill and instruction in military topics.

I wonder, though, how many Tea Party types would appreciate being told they had to undergo training under the command of their state militias in order to attain the Constitutional standard of being “well regulated?”


Point:

“…, being necessary to the security of a free state…”


Analysis:

Since I’ve already analyzed the first two words, I’ll deal with “the security of a free state.” I understand that to encompass the idea of making secure the liberties of the country from domestic as well as foreign threats. The first point to make is, the militia is not necessary at all for preventing the US from being subjugated by a foreign power – our standing army being more than adequate to that task.

As for protecting our liberties, that’s something militias cannot do since the biggest threats to our liberties don’t have military aspects. Among those threats:

·       The increasing power of the Imperial Presidency – heartily endorsed by both political parties;

·       The Two Party system itself which fosters a corrupt environment inhabited by lobbyists and  unregulated campaign financing laws;


·       The dominance of corporate culture seeking its own advantages, interlinking with its counterparts in other countries to weaken our legislative control over our own affairs;

·       A judicial system which, due to its pay-to-play nature, effectively excludes the average citizen of humble resources;


·       The increasing marginalization of the power of the states – to the point where (in the case of Arizona) the locals can’t even defend themselves from foreign invasion nor count on the national government to do so (that is, from the effects of illegal immigration).

Point:

“…the right of the people to keep and bear arms…”


Analysis:

In the true spirit of the Second Amendment, this should read, “…the obligation of the people to keep and bear arms [shall be enforced].” The intention of the Founding Fathers (which it was, by the way) was to have a citizenry armed to the teeth that could resist by force any tyranny from the central as well as from local government authorities. That being the case, wouldn’t such potential tyrants be held in place by knowing that all citizens had to have a weapon and had to be trained in its use?

As for “bearing arms,” that would seem to imply that I could walk down the street and, in fact, even enter federal buildings, with a rifle slung visibly over my shoulder. What part of “the right…to…bear arms” isn’t clear enough, here?

What about the word “arms?” In order to better oppose our standing army, should defense of freedom ever dictate that choice, we must have more at our disposal than small arms. How about bazookas, tanks, land mines, armed drone aircraft, machine guns, biological weapons, hand grenades…even nuclear weapons? What better way to defend our freedoms than to have weapons of mass destruction at our disposal? [I’ll answer this question in a bit, since there is, in fact, a better way.]


Point:

“…shall not be infringed.”


Analysis:

No rights are absolute – as in the case of falsely yelling “fire” in a crowded theater not being the type of speech protected by the First Amendment. All good intentions aside, there will always be infringements on our rights. These sometimes come under the heading of public safety concerns and the state’s preoccupation with issuing regulations. Not to be overlooked, sometimes “infringements” can be imposed by how the Supreme Court cares to weigh in. And it might be reasonably claimed that levying a sales tax on a weapons purchase constitutes an infringement, since that added expense makes it more difficult to obtain a weapon. So the words “shall not be infringed” are pretty useless.



Post Mortem Analysis

Now that the Second Amendment is dead, though this is unknown by (well) almost everybody, we should contemplate the aftermath.

The timing of the death of the Second coincides beautifully with this underappreciated fact: “We don’t need military weapons to secure (and actually reclaim) our liberties.” This is something I wish the Tea Party and members of unofficial private militias would come to appreciate. If they would ever decide to rebel against (what they’d perceive to be) a tyrannical government, what would their targets be?

They should think about this, since I’m sure they don’t really want to start shooting at regular army forces (perhaps by ambush) who firmly believe they are protecting the country from extremists who threaten anarchy. Perhaps these “freedom fighters” might decide to blow up bridges or sabotage infrastructure. Think again: Innocent people might get killed and, even if these attacks were successful enough to worry the establishment, the response would be martial law and a suspension of the Constitution itself.

Any such revolution by private militias would fail, in essence, due to a lack of targets! When I see these guys strutting around among their fellow believers, all with six-shooters strapped to their hips, I can’t help but ask: “Don’t you see the futility of trying to shoot it out with Uncle Sam?”

We do have a very potent non-military weapon at our disposal, but it needs to be made most effective by word-of-mouth. It is this:

“In order to break the tyrannical power of the Two Party System (our greatest threat), we have to elect independents to office. If true, non-party aligned independents aren’t available, then we must (in overwhelming numbers and with consistency) vote the incumbents out of office, no matter who they are.”

When we make it clear that no official who is now or ever was affiliated with one of the two major parties can hope to be reelected, we will be well on our way to preparing the way for true independents to win elections. The primary goal is to deny job security to the career politician.

To put this in a personal context:

“If your Congressman is an incumbent who happens, as you are, to be a member of the GOP, vote against him in the next election. Even if this is profoundly distasteful to you, I hope you come to realize this is the only way we can shake off the yoke of the Two Party tyranny that is destroying this country. If your vote means that a Democrat gets elected, you can take grim satisfaction by voting against him in the next election – simply because he will be the incumbent.”

And that’s the point: To maintain this strategy with consistency and without exception for as long as it takes for true independents to emerge. Which they will since, hopefully, running for office under a major party label will prove to be unviable.

Hand-in-hand with this strategy is yet another:

Vote in such a way as to disrupt the primary election process. Voter turnout in primaries is always notoriously low; so much so, that independents (for example) could render the outcomes as so corrupted as to thwart the intentions of the political parties involved.

My point? We have options other than taking it to the streets – as the various Occupy movements have urged. And we don’t have to kill anybody to get this revolution well under way.


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Steven Searle for US President in 2012
Founder of the Independent Contractors’ Party

“I fail to see how we can allow any one individual to build up a personal arsenal (of, say, 16 guns) and come to believe that that will help maintain our liberty.”

Contact me at bpa_cinc@yahoo.com