Self-Entitlement, Naivete, and Socialism in America

The naivete of youth, when romanticised in tragic Shakespearean poems, is a beautiful thing. However, when that vice is used to radically change a country, leaving behind any semblance of personal liberty, it is disgusting.

I Corinthians: "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I reasoned like a child, I understood like a child - when I became a man, I put away childish things"

To celebrate support for a massive swell of childish reasoning - the illogic of self-entitlement, that we deserve something because we are, not because of what we have done - that is something I cannot do.

The scholars and philosophers who dreamed up this nation were not men of self-entitlement... they were better men than all of us. They were men who had the ability to reason and use abstract thought when formulating a solution... and they concluded that to be free from tyranny, a man had to be free to own privately, to work without punishment of success, and to actively voice opposition when oppression of his rights were upon him.

The youth of today are irrational. The youth of today are uneducated in truth. The youth of today have undone what free men have given them - with the swift mark of the pen.

Am I disappointed? Obviously. But not because "my man" lost - McCain was no perfect candidate, he was merely a stall in the lurch towards socialism... he would have undone some of Bush's Socialist policy... but it would have been nothing more than a stall for time - for people to get past the pain of Bush, and consider their liberty.

More than disappointment, I am fearful. Fearful of something my democrat wife said to me after I spent 16 hours resolving contested ballots - unable to watch the unfolding going on outside my sound-proof room: He is going to bring Unity.

Unity - at what cost.

Russia was unified under Stalin. Germany was unified under Hitler. Socialists both. (But also authoritarians both... this could be where Obama differs.)

The perception of unity under authoritarian socialism is brought about by enactments of liberty crushing legislation eliminating the ability to speak in opposition, to act in opposition, to exist without fear of oppression. This cost of "Unity" is too high.

Warning signs as the country begins to unfold under Socialist leadership:

1. The Fairness Doctrine - the elimination of the number one source of opposition discussion - call it propaganda, or a collection of free thinkers continually debating the issues and challenging the powers that be - remember, talk radio took on Bush, just as much as Clinton - Over Immigration, Bail-Outs, and even the Patriot Act - Look at Michael Savage. To eliminate the alternate media is to silence the freedom for alternate thinking.

2. National Police Force - Call it what you will (Citizen Security, Community watchmen, etc), a police force answering to the federal government undermines the sovereignty of the individual states. The enactment of such a force would be challenged in the courts, but under a new liberal court, would be held-up on principles of liberal socialism, not constructionist philosophy. Such a force is an authoritarian challenge to freedom and liberty in this country!

3. Government take-over of industry - Thanks Bush... This one is already in the works. Since the bail-out consisted of the Federal Government buying banks, smaller banks are now offering themselves for sale to the Federal Government in order to compete... The Federal Government has eliminated the ability for private banks to compete and succeed. The same is happening to other industries, such as the automakers, who are (as of this morning) lobbying Obama for a similar bail-out. Once the federal government owns the industry sector, we are all employees of the government, and where once the government worked for us, we now work for them!

4. Increased surveillance - from monitoring personal web-browsing habits, to tapping into phones - Big Brother will be watching. As I reported earlier, the infrastructure is in place to conduct constant surveillance of all citizens - and with the creation of the new digital signal in television, there is the ability to conduct constant in-home surveillance as well.

Unity - under fear for our lives - is not Unity at all... we will merely be a heard of sheeple sustaining the powers that be.

Let us hope that as the final ballots are counted, that there is a block of a super majority - our ability to make a legal stand, a procedural stand... And let us hope that the damage can be undone - both the damage from Bush, but also the coming of societal damage from Obama.

Lawyers - sharpen your wits... there should be a flurry of lawsuits against the federal government on the grounds of violating the constitution... Let's be ready!

Enough Benefit of the Doubt – Russia’s Intentions are Clear

Earlier this week, I posted back-to-back blogs regarding the situation in Georgia. Initially I wrote about Russia’s Soviet style authoritarian tendencies percolating back up to the surface in their handling of the Georgian conflict, but then revisited the article with an attempt to give Russia the benefit of the doubt. Based on the assumptions I made in that article, Russia may have had good intentions in protecting civilian life in South Ossetia.

Unfortunately, the time for Russian action and the tone of their leaders have shown their true colors, and my initial instincts were proven correct.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated earlier this week that Georgia had been “punished enough”, indicating that it was not their intention to cease hostilities against Russian peacekeepers, but destroy Georgia’s ability to defend herself entirely.

Now Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made a bold statement clearly showing the intentions of Russia – stating that the world can forget about Georgia's territorial integrity.

"One can forget about any talk about Georgia's territorial integrity because, I
believe, it is impossible to persuade South Ossetia and Abkhazia to agree with
the logic that they can be forced back into the Georgian state," Lavrov told
reporters.

If Russia intents to absorb these provinces, there may be a greater issue. If Russia intends to liberate these provinces to a free and independent state, we may be looking at a different story. Unfortunately, all signs are pointing to Russia's intention of absorbing Georgian territory, beyond the disputed regions.

It is clear that we may be fastly approaching a new war with Russia – Cold or otherwise. What would that war look like?

Russia was defeated in the Cold War by a United States who was strong, resolute, and had growing influence around the world.

Russia is now facing off against a United States whose people are pacifists, materialists, “Capitalist Pigs”… actually, scratch that. We are no more capitalist pigs than Karl Marx – especially when 45% of Americans are supporting a Socialist candidate promising to use force to take earned profit from an industry to distribute cash to the masses. The United States is going the way of weak and socialized Europe, and Russia smells the fear. Russia used the early days of the Georgia conflict to test the resolve of the United States and the European Union (as well as the United Nations). When it was clear that the EU was at the whims of Russia’s energy supply, the UN Security Council was little more than a group of spineless talking heads, it left the United States on the podium alone.

The United State’s first response was to send 2000 Georgian troops home, by way of US aircraft, to defend the Georgian capitol. Russian Prime Minister Putin showed his outrage by stating that the US was interfering with the resolution of this conflict (which to Putin means crushing Georgia and rolling it back into Russian territory).

Then the United States began delivering humanitarian aid to the Georgian capitol, ensuring that the people have the food and medical supplies to survive the invasion, while at the same time demanding that Russia adhere to the agreed upon cease fire.

Russia has broken the cease fire, and now threatens that they will stay in Georgia proper indefinately. The time to act is now. Lest we concede that the US has become worse than Europe, we need to use a show of force in Georgia.

The United States has over 100,000 troops, who are battle hardened, in the region. An immediate troop movement of 5,000 US servicemen from Iraq to T’bilisi, with anti-tank helicopter support, Air-force fighter jet sorties over the country to ensure air superiority, and a definitive line in the sand needs to be enacted. The United States needs to show the Russians that we are willing to defend our allies. We may not need to fire on the Russians, just assert ourselves by way of our presence - then let Russia decide which path we go down.

It is not just a show of force to the Russians, but to our allies in other countries who are under increasing pressure from Moscow (such as the Ukraine). We need to become the America of the 80’s… not the Post Cold-War wienies we have become. The United States fought back authoritarian Russia once before… We can do it again.

I have seen Rocky IV – I know how it ends… Let’s just hope the Millennials (Generation Y) paid attention in their history class and understand the reason behind the cold war. The situation may slightly different, but the foe is the same.

Millenials No Match for Greatest Generation?

The Greatest Generation... the builders of modern history. They constructed the cities that, today, are the center of our world. They constructed the entire infrastructure that makes up the United States, from unimaginably large dams, to epic sky ways bridging treacherously shark infested waters... They were even responsible for dreaming up what brought America together like nothing else... the Interstate Highway System.

The greatest generation, indeed. With no money in their pocketbooks, no roof over their heads, they took on tasks that were larger than life, under conditions that would always put your life in question.

The generation of my ancestors... breaking their back's so that their children, and grandchildren, even great grandchildren could reap the benefits of a unified society and a country ripe with opportunity.

Flash forward to the Millenial Generation (1988 - 2001). The eldest of this creed is the current college generation, entering their early twenties... faced with a world foreign to all generations that have come before it.

And unknowingly faced with challenges in excess of the Greatest Generation.

Those born 100 years ago would grow to face two world wars, a great depression, the advent of the automobile, the first flight of man, and the expansion of power and telephone throughout the country. In times of hardship, they understood community... they were willing to do what was necessary to put food on the dinner table.

Those born into the Millennial Generation have missed the cold war, been witness to economic expansion and the growth of the middle class, and little actual reality involving physical hardships (as a generation). Theirs is a psychological hardship. A generation not being allowed to grow up, not allowed to claim responsibility... a generation filled with distraction and inaction. Theirs is a generation who has been taught that government is the answer, and they are unable to see that government has actually become the problem. They are a generation raised in defiance of nationalism, instead as citizens of the world.

But what they do not see is that theirs is the generation that is going to be faced with the greatest challenge with the least amount of preparation.

While they are plagued with diabetes, weight issues, and the lack of self respect and control... and while they are more interested in the latest release of Grand Theft Auto than the Grand Unification Theory... while they are distracted from society by iPods and Wii, they do not realize that the gift given to them by the Greatest Generation is reaching Warranty.

Bridges are crumbling, sewer systems and steam pipes are exploding, urban zones are wastelands, power plants are nearing critical age... the capacity to manufacture has been shipped overseas (and that includes the ability to manufacture material necessary to repair infrastructure)

The infrastructure that has afforded the ease of life that the Millennials are blessed with is dangerously close to collapsing.

Instead of taking action, the Millennials are trained for inaction. Instead of planning for reconstruction, they demand that the government bail them out. Instead of doing something, they do nothing. Many of them will not need to hold a job before graduation from college... many will live with their parents or stay dependant on them through their mid to late twenties.

It is a generation of blame instead of responsibility... for now.

Their generation can be summed up by a song speaking to their generation:



I pose this question: Can the Millennial Generation improve on what was given to them by the Greatest Generation (and subsequent generations in between)? Do they have the resolve to ensure that the United States and our way of life is sustainable for another hundred years.

Or in the hands of this generation, are we left with a generation waiting for their opportunity instead of ceasing the opportunities at hand and making a change?

I am increasingly frustrated with the sentiment in this song, and the mentality of "instant gratification" that goes with the "have everything" Millennials.

Anything worth doing cannot be completed overnight.

Can the mentality of a generation change to embrace the challenges that are truly ahead?

Or has this entire generation befallen to the distractions that are in abundance around them?