I have found a line

During conversation in the #GBC channel the other day, Robb was explaining how things are going to run when he is Supreme Grand Exalted Pantsless Poobah of Everything He Surveys.

Among his planks: disenfranchisement of government employees - at any level of government - as they have a vested interest in the continuation of their employment and would obviously vote to continue that employment. (Conflict of interest, in other words.)

I admit, I was not able to put together a rational response, as I was too busy sputtering.

But I will say this: Robb, you have just clearly demarcated one of my lines in the sand. It's provided some interesting thoughts since.

Got a brick handy?

It's not a window.

This story sent my blood pressure right into the stratosphere.

You have the right to say anything you want. The government can't stop you. The big dude wearing a leather jacket? The one with a tattoo that says "Guns don't kill people, I do"? That guy doesn't care about your first amendment right - except that it's probably even odds he swore an oath to defend that right and has seen blood spilled for it.

You want to say stuff about his brothers- and sons-in-arms? Expect to answer up.

If I can find contact information, I'll be dropping a few bucks in the mail to Mr. Snyder, along with a note of thanks - thanks for his son, who he raised the right way, and thanks for taking a stand against these hate-mongering bigots.

Edit 3:40pm: Uncle also posted this up, but he found the link to make a donation online. (It also has an address for snailmail donations.) Even a few bucks helps.

Post box, soap box, rocks, ballot box... rocks?

Jay wrote a post yesterday outlining why he's against the string of vandalism cropping up at Democrat offices around the country. He makes a good argument, as always. Many of the commenters argue against him, myself included.

For posterity and my own reference, here is my own reply:

I'm very much of two minds on this issue. I want to be the bigger man... hell, the gentleman.

"We tried reasoned discourse repeatedly, and it failed. We voted with our wallets, our phones, our computers, our pens and paper, and yes, we voted with our ballots ... and it failed. We tried everything a reasonable man could try - and it failed. We surrendered our rights, piecemeal and with a war of words alone - and WE failed."

Makes a hell of an epitaph when the birth announcement starts with, "When in the course of human events...," don't you think?

I know - and agree - that the break-ees will Godwin the ever-loving-fuck out of this and scream "Kristallnacht! FASCISTS!" ... because the party line is that of an underdog, nevermind that it is their own legislation, incognizance, and outright ignorance that has led things to this precipice. Nevermind that it was the reigning party that committed the crimes of Kristallnacht. How many people know their history well enough to know that? They'll hear a german word, and "fascists", and make the leap all on their own - as long as Idol is on that night.

I agree with Roberta's description of the person making noise, though. A self-described threeper, but instead of leading from the front, standing in the background yelling loudly.

Jay, I will readily admit it: I am terrified of the road we are on. We have more information available to us, much faster, than anyone in human history. We have witnessed the destruction of nearly every form of government known to man, many within the last century. The system we have (had) worked well - until it outgrew itself. Now someone is trying to figure out how to go back to where we were, based on the actions of men two hundred and fifty years ago.

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." - Gen. Geo. Santayana

I cannot sign my entries "III". Perhaps "X" is more appropriate. While I won't be out there throwing rocks, I cannot condemn and may well turn a blind eye to those who do.

"[W]ith a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." - July 4, 1776

I find these words echoing in my mind and in my heart on a continuous basis. What debt do we owe our forebears, and what gift can we give our posterity?

"X"

I opened my email late last evening, and finally received a response to my email to Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY) from a couple weeks ago. As expected, it's a form-letter response. Here it is, in part:

Thank you for writing to me about the current state of our healthcare system. I appreciate your point of view and share many of your concerns. I believe that it is vital that we act now to bring forth health care reform solutions that will lower costs for those currently covered by private insurance, strengthen Medicare for seniors and allow every American to access quality and affordable health care.

Our healthcare system is currently badly broken. Over the last ten years, health care premium increases have far outpaced earned wages and forty-seven million Americans, including three million New Yorkers, are currently uninsured and an additional 25 million are underinsured. With our current economic situation, many Americans are losing their insurance coverage when they are laid off from their jobs. Even people who thought they were adequately covered with the health insurance they purchased later learn that they are not when facing a catastrophic diagnosis. This is unacceptable. No family should be one health care emergency away from bankruptcy. Congress must act to provide stability in the health insurance industry.

(It continues with some addition platitudes about affordable coverage, choice, etc etc.)

It looked, somehow ... familiar. I scrolled down my inbox a bit, and found this bit, which came from the office of Sen. Schumer (D-NY):

Thank you for contacting me and expressing your opposition to health care reform in its current form.

Our country is facing a crisis in health care. The cost of health insurance is skyrocketing, and too many New York families are caught in the middle. Like you, I believe it is absolutely unacceptable that more than forty-six million Americans do not have health care coverage. Both the health of our citizens and the health of our nation are at stake, and we must act soon.

I strongly support the creation of new “Exchanges” through health care reform, in which insurance companies could sell affordable health insurance to individuals and small businesses. In these Exchanges, a not-for-profit health insurance company, which would compete on a level playing field with existing private health insurance plans, would help to lower premiums and exert downward pressure on the premiums of existing insurance plans. Adding competition to insurance markets will help consumers by providing New Yorkers and all Americans one more choice as they search for affordable and comprehensive health insurance.

(Additional platitudes removed.)

Similar? Party line? COMPLETELY ignoring the original email which I sent? (I don't have my original text handy, but it was, in short: NO F'ING GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE. With bigger and more polite words.)

If they cannot understand why We The People are utterly fed up...

Well, elections are coming. Use them wisely. Find a candidate who will actually listen to you, whose beliefs align with yours. Work for their campaign. Donate to their campaign. Vote them in. If they take their oath and suddenly stop listening, they can start looking for a new job in two or six years.

I'll say it again: I cannot sign my entries "III" in good conscience. Not yet. But I can't blame those who do.

We won't vote on the bill...

... we'll vote for someone else's changes to the bill, thereby implying that we approved of the bill too - without ever voting on it.

Political shenanigans or Python-esque plot?

You read and decide.

Soap box (that includes the telephone box), ballot box ...