This could almost drive me to vote Libertarian...

[brett636]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25751775

Now, lawmakers quietly are talking about raising fuel taxes by a dime from the current 18.4 cents a gallon on gasoline and 24.3 cents on diesel fuel.

So lets get this straight. We are told our high consumption pace of oil needs to drop, and with the high prices of oil today we do so. Now our government is crying that we aren't using enough gasoline to help pay for the road construction projects they feel we need therefore they are looking into raising the federal gas tax? Why is it when the government faces a shortfall in money they can't make do with less, and instead force us to work with less money in our pockets? The democrats want us to be government paid slaves, and the republicans refuse to grow in a spine in facing the crisis of a federal budget out of control. Its depressing that we are have to deal with ignorance, stupidity, and no real solutions coming from the very people we elected to help solve these issues. Our government reps need to get this through their thick skulls that if they empower the people to solve their problems they will do so. Empowering the government even more through more useless regulation or out of control spending does nothing to fix our problems today or in the future.

 

[wkmac]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25751775



So lets get this straight. We are told our high consumption pace of oil needs to drop, and with the high prices of oil today we do so. Now our government is crying that we aren't using enough gasoline to help pay for the road construction projects they feel we need therefore they are looking into raising the federal gas tax? Why is it when the government faces a shortfall in money they can't make do with less, and instead force us to work with less money in our pockets? The democrats want us to be government paid slaves, and the republicans refuse to grow in a spine in facing the crisis of a federal budget out of control. Its depressing that we are have to deal with ignorance, stupidity, and no real solutions coming from the very people we elected to help solve these issues. Our government reps need to get this through their thick skulls that if they empower the people to solve their problems they will do so. Empowering the government even more through more useless regulation or out of control spending does nothing to fix our problems today or in the future.

Quick, someone call Master Yoda and Obie-Wan before little Anni here goes over to the Dark Side!


Brett,
Thanks for the link and I understand the frustration. I did notice one litle sentence in the article that caught my attention however. I highlighted one section for effect.

lawmakers quickly concluded — with a prod from the construction industry — that having $9 billion less to spend on highways could create a pre-election specter of thousands of lost jobs.

Now in this day and age of Gov't by Lobby, what exactly was this prod? I know there are issues with our infastructure, our own State did an audit of bridges and the results identified many issues but these bridges were also on State and local roads so not under direct jurisdiciton of the "Highway Trust Fund" in which the federal tax goes. Our State has a State gas tax piggybacked BTW but you can bet our senators and congressman will be spreading the gov't cheese thick as they need to if this issue comes up in their campaigns.

Was the lobby concern over the conditions of our infastructure or was the real concern over the earnings per share and the threat of lost jobs was just a cover?

The whole Merchantile State is so corrupt to it's core you just have to be this completely cynical these days and in all honesty, that's sad and it's really sad for us and our children and grandchildren.

On another cynical note (I know, I can't help myself) I also read this.

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain and former Democratic candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton called for a 90-day suspension of the federal fuel tax

Is this a signal of bi-partisanship? Is there hope that the problem is so obvious that both sides agree? If you believe that, then read this.

Barack Obama, the likely Democratic nominee, opposed the idea from the beginning and the White House gave it a cold shoulder.

Well it does mean bi-partisanship but seems both Obama and Bush are on the same page on this one.

The Truth? My bet is that in both the McCain and Clinton campaigns they heard or picked up on something Obama said in regards to this issue that he either was committed to his position or held something that locked him in. In this day of political trickery, both Clinton and McCain were free to take the opposite side first off knowing this plan was not going anywhere but also understanding the freebie it would get them with voters in light of high gas prices. It was all about what I call "No Cost Politics" and thesse guys play this game all the time.

Did you not ever wonder why the politicians promise you the Sun, the Stars and the Moon during campaign season but once in office you never, ever get what was promised? In the view of PT Barum, we're all just a bunch of suckers!

 

[diesel96]

Welcome to WKMAC's LIBERTARIAN RECRUITING OFFICE.......please leave your guns , bibles, w-2 and IRS forms at the door. Marijuana, Mexicans, Blacks, and Gays welcomed. Just looking for a good few men and women to screw up the election again. BTW......Coming soon...offices opening in Berkeley.

 

[wkmac]

Ah D, I'm hurt. Why did you attack me like that? I thought we was buds? Oh I know. It was this wasn't it?

Barack Obama, the likely Democratic nominee, opposed the idea from the beginning and the White House gave it a cold shoulder.

and then I went over the line and said this:

Well it does mean bi-partisanship but seems both Obama and Bush are on the same page on this one.

Well it is true, I mean Bush and Obama do agree on this issue and that's not the only one either.

Robert Scheer at Truthdigs is a longtime liberal democrat if you will with lots of bona fides to prove it and he expressed this about your ObamaBoy.

At this point, I throw up my hands and plead with the candidate who I hoped would be that much-needed agent of change: Please prove me wrong.

Sounds like he's was all behind the great one so what happened?

Barack Obama is betraying his promise of change and is in danger of becoming just another political hack.
Yes, just like former maverick John McCain, who has refashioned himself as a mindless rubber stamp for the most inane policies of the miserably failed Bush administration. Both candidates are embracing, rather than challenging, the fundamental irrationality of Bush’s “war on terror,” which substitutes hysteria for rational analysis in appraising the dangers the country faces.

OOOPS! You gonna trash him too for saying exactly what I said?

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20080722_obama_on_the_brink

You could go find out if he belongs to some obsure, out of the norm religious belief and try and play that up. Have you been reading the Neo-Con playbook AGAIN? D! I thought you knew better. Hey, Scheer is jewish so for schitts and giggles, why don't you play up the jewish conspiracy thing byt this time from the left!


Or is it starting to nah on your gut that come November you will be placing your vote for a neo-con waterboy just as deep inside you know that is what Bill Clinton and his lovely wife really were?
1998' Iraq Liberation Act ring a bell? Regime change? Who first said Saddam had WMD? Who was about the bidness of nationbuilding for Global Democracy? What party was Woodrow Wilson? What party gave us and used the nuclear weapon? What party gave us WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam and now we plow deeper into the Carter doctrine and maybe just maybe he and your democrat friends are the root behind the Middle East and it's the republicans coming in to finish what your party started. You guys started the Global Empire and now you attack the other side for doing what you guys started? To me, it comes out as nothing but pure jealousy. I want my power and I want it now! Sounds more like a 2 year old temper tantrum to me.

You guys hammer and bang on Bush and friends until the cows come home but when one of your own (Kucinich, God bless his naive liberal little soul) sez let's put up or shut up with impeachment, let's set things right, your "PARTY" throws him under the bus and drives over him as they go running for their rat holes with Queen Pelosi leading the way! Yesterday's hearings were nothing more than Democrat party grandstanding to allow both sides to get facetime on C-Span and your side was even dumb enough to give Barr a place in the forum. Really it was a smart move in doing PR for Barr in the hopes he'd impress and pull votes from the Red State ranks in his own Presidential bid. It was also a democrat "throw it back in your face" since Barr was the main cat in the Clinton impeachment process. And you criticize the neo-right for it's own brand of political opportunism!
NOT!

You guys like your so-called political opposites (more like fellow travelers if you ask me)are just mad because we (left and right paleo's who are waking up together) dare overturn the moneychanger tables in the temple and won't stop till we rip the veil from your holy of holies! Now you're mad because more and more people are starting to realize you guys are really just another Pharisee. Hell, everyday that goes by Obama's co-opting the Neo-Con global plan as his own so I figured it was just accepted fact and I never realized we were still suppose to keep it secret. Sorry, you never sent me the memo on this.


The real irony here is the Bushees should be rejoicing to high heaven as they've won. Their own global policy ideal has been mainstreamed to the point that Obama himself is adopting it but they are so wrapped up in mindless, brainless Cults of Personality, that they can't see the forest for the trees. They can't see that their own Bush ran against global democracy and empire in 2000' only to cave in the moment he walked in the door and got the playbook from Bill. If Osama bin Laden made a strategic blunder, it was 9/11 which gave the excuse needed to release the Dogs of Wa.... Empire!


BTW: For the record, I'm not voting for Barr as the more the campaign progresses, the more beltway comes out in him. But then after Harry Browne, Washington life got the better of them. I've not voted libertarian since 2000' although I do agree with the ideal of 18th century classical liberal thinking that in 21st century we may have labeled by the term libertarian. It's appearing more and more to many that this may be a bad habit that is in severe need of being broken.

The last sentence at this link speaks pretty much where I'm at with the beltway libertarian party for the last several years.

does that mean the LP is counterproductive, or just obsolete and irrelevant?

It's the latter.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/022138.html

Sonny Landham is another political figure wanna-be from the Predator movie. Sonny played the big Indian character in the movie and played Billy Bear in 48 Hours. Also the blogger called Landham a US Senate candidate in Kansas but he's actually running in Kentucky against McConnell as I think he's up for re-election. If Hollywood keeps insisting on running it's own for political office, when are they gonna run SpongeBob-SquarePants?


I still love ya dude! Should we pretend to come out of the closet just to drive Tie nuts and give him the willies!

LMFAO!!!!!!

 

[diesel96]

Ah D, I'm hurt. Why did you attack me like that? I thought we was buds? Oh I know. It was this wasn't it?

I know I should have put a smiley face, or a wink,wink on that ribbing. But seriously, is Cheryl paying you to shed light and channel your informed rants and expose us for what we are?

Don’t get me wrong, though. I’ve got nothing against informed dissent. In fact, it’s critical if this whole “government of, by, and for the people” thing is going to work. Look no further than Kennedy/Vietnam or Cheney/Iraq to see why lack of dissent is bad. But that dissent can take the form of that one politician in session who shoots down everyone else’s ideas without ever offering a better idea. Thats on par with whining.

And indeed, there are parts of Libertarianism that are actually good and make sense, if kept within reason. Foreign policy, fiscal and constitutional reponsibility. There really are a lot of cases where we (and, by extension, the state) ought to lean on the side of leaving people alone. Behaviors that don’t hurt anybody shouldn’t be criminalized. Even self-destructive behaviors needn’t be criminalized or regulated. No, it’s not so much Libertarianism that’s the problem, it's their reluctance to offer solutions for society’s problems, because that might involve a bit of government, and government is a waste, right.

Remember that ole' girlfriend you had growing up, who, whenever you suggested “Let’s do X,” no matter what X is, they didn’t want to do it, but when asked what they want to do, they say “I don’t know.” They’re the ultimate nic-picking nay-sayers. They never have to take any blame when things don’t work, because nothing was ever their idea, and they opposed all of everyone else’s idea. They can avoid accountability for any and all problems.

BTW...What's with the movie Predator pregnating the country with Libertarian and Repulican-lite politicians who marry democrats? Were you an extra in that movie?
<----Jesse "the body" Ventura
<-----Arnold "Get to da choppa" Schwartzanegger
<------Sonny "the big knife wielding Indian" Landham

 

[wkmac]

I know I should have put a smiley face, or a wink,wink on that ribbing. But seriously, is Cheryl paying you to shed light and channel your informed rants and expose us for what we are?

Don’t get me wrong, though. I’ve got nothing against informed dissent. In fact, it’s critical if this whole “government of, by, and for the people” thing is going to work. Look no further than Kennedy/Vietnam or Cheney/Iraq to see why lack of dissent is bad. But that dissent can take the form of that one politician in session who shoots down everyone else’s ideas without ever offering a better idea. Thats on par with whining.

And indeed, there are parts of Libertarianism that are actually good and make sense, if kept within reason. Foreign policy, fiscal and constitutional reponsibility. There really are a lot of cases where we (and, by extension, the state) ought to lean on the side of leaving people alone. Behaviors that don’t hurt anybody shouldn’t be criminalized. Even self-destructive behaviors needn’t be criminalized or regulated. No, it’s not so much Libertarianism that’s the problem, it's their reluctance to offer solutions for society’s problems, because that might involve a bit of government, and government is a waste, right.

Remember that ole' girlfriend you had growing up, who, whenever you suggested “Let’s do X,” no matter what X is, they didn’t want to do it, but when asked what they want to do, they say “I don’t know.” They’re the ultimate nic-picking nay-sayers. They never have to take any blame when things don’t work, because nothing was ever their idea, and they opposed all of everyone else’s idea. They can avoid accountability for any and all problems.

BTW...What's with the movie Predator pregnating the country with Libertarian and Repulican-lite politicians who marry democrats? Were you an extra in that movie?
<----Jesse "the body" Ventura
<-----Arnold "Get to da choppa" Schwartzanegger
<------Sonny "the big knife wielding Indian" Landham

LOL! If Cheryl is paying me (she's not) it ain't enough so I have to do the Big Brown thingy Monday thru Friday.
DAMN!

"Shed light & Informed Rants" Yeah, my bad for ripping into you as I know you understand we have problems out there. You know as I talk with people of all politiical stripes, deep down and in those honest moments when nobody is playing gotcha, everyone to a person is really not happy at the 2 choices we have. People are voting not "For" someone but voting "AGAINST" someone and it's both sides doing the same thing. And as for the flip flopping going on, I mean between McCain and Obama I swear I do less flipping when I cook pancakes for our family of 6. LMAO!!!!

But the flipping really isn't new at all, it's gone on probably since the first freakin election, it's just when you boil it down, neither candidate in the bigger scheme of things is that much different IMHO. When you boil it down issue to issue, there really isn't all that great of a difference.

When this happens, it comes down to catching someone doing a flip or making issue of their church or religion, saluting the flag or what they may have done as a POW. Why should the candidates learn and focus on the issues and principles when the folks hiring them "the voter" could ultimately care less about them either. If it's not framed within a 2 sentence statement or a 30 second soundbite, don't bother me dude! Wanna see the root problem in America? Everyone just go look in any mirror and there is the root problem. Until we change that, until that person stops viewing politics as Sunday afternoon sport and locked him/herself in a box where you either have to choose the Red team or Blue team, then I honestly ask, why should they ever change a thing and do anything different? Just inherit the playbook from the former guy, line up behind center and move the ball down field. All the while the owners in the suites are making out no matter who the quarterback is!

You know what the greatest election result would be that first Wednesday morning in Nov.? It's a given that a democrat or republican will win, I understand that but it would be manna from heaven if McCain and Obama split 70% and the difference be as close as Bush/Gore. I mean at worst, 36% to 34% but 35.1% to 34.9% woulf be awesome. Now what happens to the other 30%? I don't care, spread it out fairly even among the 3rd party/independent candidates. No clear winner of that vote is cool with me.

That vote would scare the ever living out of the corridors of power in Washington DC. Now they don't even have a clear majority mandate anymore and the worse part is their guy is only supported by 1/3rd of the voting population. That my friends would be as big in this day as Bunker Hill or the Boston Tea Party or better yet, it's the rebirth of the Mecklenburg Accords. You told the King, the gig is up dude! You have a contract called the Constitution with us voters so either live by it and govern by it or the consequences in the next election could get worse. That my friend is out and out revolution and I'm a firm and staunch supporter of total "PEACEFUL, NON-VIOLENT" Revolution! Your vote is your weapon so use it to kill tyrannts.

Hey man, I'm sorry I went a bit off on ya earlier because unlike some others here who IMO refuse to look deeper under the surface at what you are saying, I know we disagree on method and direction but I also know we share the same goal for a good and prosperous America where no matter who the heck you are, you go as far as your honest ,moral creative spirit and drive will take you. Nobody has all the answers for everyone as people have different lives and different needs and thats why I believe in local control so the answers to the problems can widely vary and therefore have a better chance of being a real solution instead of a boondoggle that someone else can manipulate for the sake of power or profit.

America was built when we looked next door at our neighbors, talked the problem and then created our own solutions. No, we were not perfect, even what may seem the best intentions can have unintended consequences and that's just life but America and her goodness was not built by a Flag, nor was it built by a national anthem, nor was it built by a specific political party and most of all, it was not built by the government. It was built by hard working, decent folk who just wanted a better life for themselves and their families and worked with friends and neighbors to make that life happen for them. Until we grasp that concept again, the snakeoil salesman of Disneyland East otherwise known as DC will continue to make life worse instead of better.

As for the movie Predator, good point!


I still think that electric gatlin gun was the neatest weapon. As Will Smith said in Independence Day:

I GOTTA GET ME ONE UH DEEZ!