Opinion: Obama still a tax-and-spend liberal

There is a long-held belief that democracies, in general, are a predictably doomed form of government.

In the year 1787, Alexander Tyler (a Scottish history professor at The University of Edinborough) used an analogy to describe "The Fall of The Athenian Republic" some 2,000 years prior:
“A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.
The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:
From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage.”

From my vantage point, Mr. Tyler’s observation has been unsettlingly predictive of the path of our own experiment in Democracy.

In my youth I studied, with gratitude and reverence, the “bondage to liberty” sequence associated with the birth of our country. I believe I have lived through the “abundance to apathy” sequence. Now, as I watch the current Administration attempt to spend its way out of a recession, push forward massive bail out and entitlement programs, and socio-engineer Government intrusion/involvement in to most aspects of our lives, I cannot help but feel that the road to “dependence” has been charted.

January 4, 2013 at 8:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Opinion: New victim of black blindness?

Pitts should direct his righteous indignation where it belongs ... at the black male demographic of our society. As long as black maleness is synonymous with irresponsibility, aggression and bravado, white society is statically justified to be cautious.

According to the Dept. of Justice, of the 12,996 murder victims in 2010:
- 77.4 percent were male
Who is getting murdered?
- 50.4 percent were black
- 47.0 percent were white, and
- 2.6 percent were of other races
Who commits murder?
- 90.3 percent were males.
- 53.1 percent were black,
- 44.6 percent were white, and
- 2.3 percent were of other races.

December 4, 2012 at 9:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Obama wins re-election

"the mess he will inherit"

How many years before the mess is considered one of his making?

November 7, 2012 at 9:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Letter: Out of balance

"Why do we the common people continue to vote against our own interests?" ... horse crap! We vote R because we have concern for our children and grandchildren's future ... you vote D because they give you things!

There is a long-held belief that democracies, in general, are a predictably doomed form of government.

In the year 1787, Alexander Tyler (Scottish history professor - University of Edinborough) used an analogy to describe "The Fall of The Athenian Republic" some 2,000 years prior:
“A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.
The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years, during which these nations always progressed through the following sequence:
From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage.”

From my vantage point, Mr. Tyler’s observation has been unsettlingly predictive of the path of our own experiment in Democracy.

In my youth I studied, with gratitude and reverence, the “bondage to liberty” sequence associated with the birth of our country. I believe I have lived through the “abundance to apathy” sequence. Now, as I watch the “escapades” of our elected representatives in Washington, I cannot help but feel that the road to “dependence” is being charted.

October 2, 2012 at 8:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Opinion: In defense of America’s 47 percent

He was pointing out that 47% would not vote for him ... becuase taht is about the percentage which is directly feeding from the state and federal government troughs in one way or another.

September 28, 2012 at 8:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

How should U.S. respond to violence?

Wounded Soldier ... as you probably well know, each of these facilities have well armed U.S. Marine Corps guards … who’s rules of engagement are directed by the President. If your “it’s a few bad muslins” theory is true, the policy should be "if they scale the 20 foot wall … the’re dead before they hit the ground."

September 14, 2012 at 1:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Gay marriage critics are old news

What I find most striking in the positions that “Progressives” take is the fundamental lack of consistency in their beliefs. This Pitts article is a perfect example!

Pitts attempts to ridicule Christians because their long held religious beliefs do not sanction same-sex “marriage”. To him they are “dead-enders who bring up the rear, fighting for the lost cause.”

This comes the day after Muslims attack the U.S. missions in Egypt and Libya (killing 4 Americans) because a film being produced in the United States was perceived to have insulted Prophet Mohammad. Our embassy’s official responses was "Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy," adding that it condemned the efforts by "misguided individuals" to hurt the feelings of Muslims and our President’s response was “the United States rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others”.

I am not a particularly religious person and, as such, have no dog in this hunt. I do, however, abhor inconsistency! My mother use to say “charity starts at home”. Perhaps the same should apply to “respect for religious beliefs”.

September 12, 2012 at 9:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

After hope and change, what’s next?

"Obama swept into office four years ago, heralding a “post partisan” era in which Republicans and Democrats would work together in solving the nation’s problems"

So much BS!

For the first 2 years of his presidency, there was a Democatic majority in both houses ... Republicans were not even invited to meeting! Obama established several bi-partisan committees, then completely ignored their findings and recommendations.

You upset with the Teaparty Pitts? You dems built it in response to your lack of cooperation.

If Obama and company buy enough votes to get a second term, it will be 30 years before a Democrat is back in the White House and 40 years before a person of color gets that job again!

September 5, 2012 at 7:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Simple truth

I hope LJW is limiting it pre-election rants to one per liberal !

September 5, 2012 at 7:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Attorneys delivering closing arguments in school finance lawsuit against state

Get your heads out of ... the sand! If you check out the few states in this country which have balanced budgets and growing economies you will see they have taken the path Governor Brownback is taking. If you examine the states which are teetering on the verge of bankruptcy, you will see that they have stayed on the course you espouse.

August 30, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )