We have passed the point at which they could win. In that sense, we've already won this.
BUT the mop up is going to hurt badly. And I get the feeling the world shifted on Saturday. And the left has no idea. So they're going to push. And things will get bad.
But the only way out is through. Prepare and be not afraid.
I'm a little less optimistic, even though I know things have been bad before, i.e., I'm old enough to remember odd/even days for getting gas and the pictures of the downed choppers in the Iranian desert. But the public's reaction to Covid has set me back in ways I never imagined. Half the population, hell, more than half, cheering on the rollback of civil rights and many demanding even harsher measures. All for something most of us would have never noticed were we not hearing about 24/7.
We've had it good for 30 years or so. What's that expression? Hard times make strong men, strong men make good times, good times make weak men, and weak men make hard times. I'm pretty sure we're in step 4 right now. Not sure what hard times await us, but I fear for my 20 something daughters.
The debt problem requires realizing that we aren't getting out via Laffer Curve magic. We had a trillion dollar deficit under Trump before COVID-19 hit. Without government cuts in the Ron Paul or Karl Denninger range, we need to do some serious "revenue enhancements."
How about taxing imports as much as we tax domestically produced items? How about taxing long term capital gains as much as ordinary income? How about a tax on old copyrights? No pay? Work goes into the public domain. You might see Disney making a hard right turn after that one.
Indeed, look at all these woke billionaires. Why do they do left wing virtue signalling? Answer: they are under-taxed. For a Silicon Valley unicorn starter, Double Taxation is a myth. Just look at how many years Amazon ran with zero profits while growing like gangbusters. And here is another question: has Warren Buffet actually produced anything? Or is he just a kick-ass rent seeker? Ditto for George Soros.
Tax them. Tax them until they start quoting Ayn Rand in agony.
1979 -- that’s what the past few months have been reminding me of. History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme (as they say). So many similarities between 2023 and 1979.
Here a just a few:
-- A weak and out of touch president -- -- a weak president --> Carter allowed Khomeini to leave exile in Paris to enter Iran and foment a revolution (later the US embassy is stormed and hostages are taken)
-- high inflation, high energy prices, and very high interest rates
-- Soviets invade an adjacent country (we had Russians do that last year)
Fortunately, enough people came to realize that things were so far askew that they needed to vote in Reagan. It took several years to begin to correct things but it did happen.
The last paragraph made me feel like I was listening to a fireside chat. Get a good night's sleep and recharge for tomorrow. I'd take you over FDR any day.
It's fair enough, to feel tired, and sad. OK. But power through that, if you possibly can! As you so eloquently say, "The various organs of gaslighting have lost credibility. The press can still rally the folks who agree with it, but it’s largely lost the ability to mislead people who don’t, and it’s rapidly losing the ability to bully its political and ideological opponents. " Hands up, all of those who want to be bullied and misled? Oh, no? Bueller? BUELLER?!!
I hope the next revisionist jurisprudence victim to fall is the 1st Amendment Establishment clause house of cards, in light of Joseph Story's commentaries, Rehnquist's dissent in Wallace v. Jaffree, and the judicial legislative history malpractice perpetuated by Everson and originating in US v. Reynolds.
I consider you a model citizen. You have used your many gifts for the good of this world. I only know of you through your writing and public speaking, but I always learn from you. Thank you for teaching in so many ways.
Counselor, Army guy here. It's ok to be tired, good to admit it and address it. Love the positive attitude, there is always something that can be done - now you've got us looking for it on a personal level, at a local level (think global, act local). Time to man up and drive on!!
“How many libertarians does it take to change a lightbulb?” “Only one, but you have to get him to show up.”
Heh...(tm) The version I remember from when I was fighting in the political wars (Trads versus Libs), the punchline was, "None, the market will take care of it!" :-)
Very encouraging. Light at the end of the tunnel, etc. Perhaps we are riding a pendulum rather than accelerating down the slippery slope. And you helped!
The political will in Washington to change course doesn’t exist in enough people there to make a difference. “We’ve” created a nexus of incredible power over the past one hundred and ten years; accordingly Washington attracts narcissistic sociopaths and psychopaths from all over the world. They’ll be incredibly difficult to dislodge peacefully.
So I don't think we can start there. Here are a few ideas.
We have passed the point at which they could win. In that sense, we've already won this.
BUT the mop up is going to hurt badly. And I get the feeling the world shifted on Saturday. And the left has no idea. So they're going to push. And things will get bad.
But the only way out is through. Prepare and be not afraid.
I'm a little less optimistic, even though I know things have been bad before, i.e., I'm old enough to remember odd/even days for getting gas and the pictures of the downed choppers in the Iranian desert. But the public's reaction to Covid has set me back in ways I never imagined. Half the population, hell, more than half, cheering on the rollback of civil rights and many demanding even harsher measures. All for something most of us would have never noticed were we not hearing about 24/7.
We've had it good for 30 years or so. What's that expression? Hard times make strong men, strong men make good times, good times make weak men, and weak men make hard times. I'm pretty sure we're in step 4 right now. Not sure what hard times await us, but I fear for my 20 something daughters.
The debt problem requires realizing that we aren't getting out via Laffer Curve magic. We had a trillion dollar deficit under Trump before COVID-19 hit. Without government cuts in the Ron Paul or Karl Denninger range, we need to do some serious "revenue enhancements."
How about taxing imports as much as we tax domestically produced items? How about taxing long term capital gains as much as ordinary income? How about a tax on old copyrights? No pay? Work goes into the public domain. You might see Disney making a hard right turn after that one.
Indeed, look at all these woke billionaires. Why do they do left wing virtue signalling? Answer: they are under-taxed. For a Silicon Valley unicorn starter, Double Taxation is a myth. Just look at how many years Amazon ran with zero profits while growing like gangbusters. And here is another question: has Warren Buffet actually produced anything? Or is he just a kick-ass rent seeker? Ditto for George Soros.
Tax them. Tax them until they start quoting Ayn Rand in agony.
Good stuff, Glenn.
1979 -- that’s what the past few months have been reminding me of. History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme (as they say). So many similarities between 2023 and 1979.
Here a just a few:
-- A weak and out of touch president -- -- a weak president --> Carter allowed Khomeini to leave exile in Paris to enter Iran and foment a revolution (later the US embassy is stormed and hostages are taken)
-- high inflation, high energy prices, and very high interest rates
-- Soviets invade an adjacent country (we had Russians do that last year)
Fortunately, enough people came to realize that things were so far askew that they needed to vote in Reagan. It took several years to begin to correct things but it did happen.
The last paragraph made me feel like I was listening to a fireside chat. Get a good night's sleep and recharge for tomorrow. I'd take you over FDR any day.
It's fair enough, to feel tired, and sad. OK. But power through that, if you possibly can! As you so eloquently say, "The various organs of gaslighting have lost credibility. The press can still rally the folks who agree with it, but it’s largely lost the ability to mislead people who don’t, and it’s rapidly losing the ability to bully its political and ideological opponents. " Hands up, all of those who want to be bullied and misled? Oh, no? Bueller? BUELLER?!!
The Education Industrial Complex hurt the ability to critically think. I am not as hopeful.
You’re way more optimistic than I am. But I hope you’re right.
I hope the next revisionist jurisprudence victim to fall is the 1st Amendment Establishment clause house of cards, in light of Joseph Story's commentaries, Rehnquist's dissent in Wallace v. Jaffree, and the judicial legislative history malpractice perpetuated by Everson and originating in US v. Reynolds.
I consider you a model citizen. You have used your many gifts for the good of this world. I only know of you through your writing and public speaking, but I always learn from you. Thank you for teaching in so many ways.
Counselor, Army guy here. It's ok to be tired, good to admit it and address it. Love the positive attitude, there is always something that can be done - now you've got us looking for it on a personal level, at a local level (think global, act local). Time to man up and drive on!!
Keep telling the truth. Never stop. It’s great ammunition, the best.
“How many libertarians does it take to change a lightbulb?” “Only one, but you have to get him to show up.”
Heh...(tm) The version I remember from when I was fighting in the political wars (Trads versus Libs), the punchline was, "None, the market will take care of it!" :-)
Very encouraging. Light at the end of the tunnel, etc. Perhaps we are riding a pendulum rather than accelerating down the slippery slope. And you helped!
The political will in Washington to change course doesn’t exist in enough people there to make a difference. “We’ve” created a nexus of incredible power over the past one hundred and ten years; accordingly Washington attracts narcissistic sociopaths and psychopaths from all over the world. They’ll be incredibly difficult to dislodge peacefully.
So I don't think we can start there. Here are a few ideas.
https://medium.com/@hkmincc/the-truman-doctrine-comes-home-376e507b378d
https://medium.com/@hkmincc/monstrously-overextended-fb3e6422cb39
Amen, brother.