On Going Galt

Let me clear this up for you idiots.  You are not John Galt.  You don’t have any creativity.  You won’t be missed if you leave society, and you won’t last outside of it.  Besides, in case you pants-pissing whiners missed it, this isn’t a stupid novel by a reactionary anti-Soviet asshole, it’s real life, and in real life people like you are a minority and the rest of us have already seen through your garbage.

I know you’re convinced, with the fervor of a flagellating zealot, of your perfection, your superiority, and your irreplaceability in society.  But let me break it to you: you’re not unique little snowflakes.  You’re ignorant, cookie-cutter children with overly-common skills.  We can replace you with people who don’t believe destructive, selfish bullshit.  In fact, I propose we do that anyway - if you won’t follow up on your toothless threats on your own, we’ll make you.

Read This Because It's Correct

From Pandagon: Galtin’: The Bow-Out Gang

Whiny objectards and losertarians think that they're John fucking Galt. This comment by MikeEss sets things straight:

If the spirit of John Galt is best embodied by the upper echelon of Wall Street, the clueless leaders of Detroit, the proud men and women who are attempting to outsource every job in America except the very bottom, maids, janitors, and gardeners, or the very top; if those people represent the best of America, then it seems like we really do need to hear the squeak of the tumbrels as they carry the “worthy” to the center of town to be executed.

I know it offends the delicate sensibilities of the overclass to hear such things, especially from the proles, but this shit just can’t go on forever without repercussions.

You treat people like animals and sooner or later those animals are going to show you what being an animal is all about...first hand…

If they want to live in a dog-eat-dog third-world hell hole, where there are only two kinds of people — the ultra-rich and the ultra poor — there are plenty of them around. There’s no reason to make America into another one.

You don’t like it here, get the fuck out.

OTOH, if you are a person who appreciates that the labor of all people is worthy of respect, regardless of what labor entails, then maybe we can work something out.

Maybe the person at the top should only make 20-times the wages of the person on the bottom, instead of 500-times. Maybe you could support Universal Health Care instead of fighting it tooth and nail. Maybe you could begin to understand that taxes are not some arbitrary punishment for being rich, but a cost we all pay for the privilege of living here and enjoying the fruits of American society and infrastructure.

If you can’t handle that “socialism”, then Get. The. Fuck. Out…

The Cult of Paul

The Podium: One Libertarian's View

Perhaps it's my Libertarian leanings that forces me to continuously speak in regards Presidential Candidate Ron Paul. I'm not sure, perhaps it is because I am a denizen of the internet, and as pretty much ALL of his support comes from people who spend a great deal of time online, I see it thrown in my face more than any other candidate. I'm not really certain. However, I've come to an interesting conclusion I'd like to share with you, dear readers.


Paul's followers are cultists. Now I don't mean that in the humorous, "Oh you!" way, I mean, quite literally, Ron Paul supporters are in a cult. After this rather terrifying thought came to enter my mind a few weeks ago, I made it a point to begin watching various Paul supporter hot spots online. What I've seen is mind-numbing. Individuals who go beyond avid support of a candidate, far beyond.

These are individuals who have built a boogeyman from the media to explain why "Dr. Paul" is doing so poorly, that the evil media conspiracy is actively trying to keep Ron Paul from being president, that they're lying about his numbers about his support, that they don't give him equal coverage to other candidates because of this, instead of the fact that he simply isn't pulling numbers to be viewed as a contender.

The media isn't interested in covering a long-shot who is considered by most on both sides of the political spectrum to be a nutjob. Let alone one who's base seems to consist of internet junkies and conspiracy theorists.

The lengths that these individuals are willing to go for the candidate is insane. Talk in some cases of open, violent revolution if he doesn't get the nomination and then the presidency. An insatiable need to put their 'savior' in the faces of everyone, because surely they want to come to know 'the truth' as well. The fact that they honestly believe themselves to be more enlightened than the rest of us monkies, because they follow Paul. I've seen them talk about how they're 'awake' now, and that it's good to be getting Paul out there, so others can 'wake up' as well.

All in all they have the markings of a cult.

A savior who is put on a pedestal, who can do no wrong - in the case of the newsletters the amount of jumping done to try to explain away the facts was overwhelming - finally in some cases actively working to delude themselves, saying they must have faith, and so forth.

The attacks upon non-believers. I've been labeled by these people a traitor, un-american, and various other insults because I have no desire to support Ron Paul. I don't agree with his platform, I don't think it's good for America, and I think his brand of crazy needs medication. Threats are common with this group, talk of physical violence.

Forceful 'conversion' if all else fails. Talks of revolution against the United States to force their will if Paul fails. (Mind you they refuse to accept that, still again, deluding themselves that they will win in a brokered Republican convention).

Their devotion to Ron Paul is nothing short of religious, and fundamental at worst. The sooner the Republican nomination is awarded, and Paul's army of trolls find their way back under the bridge, the better.

//Phage Out.//

The Podium: One libertarian's View.

This week/whenever I do one of these. Ron Paul.

As as a Libertarian, I've had people make the assumption I would support Ron Paul. After all he's a former Libertarian candidate for president, a principal supporter of smaller government, and lower taxes. What's not to like for someone of a more conservative fiscal slant, such as myself?

Answer: Quite a bit.

While I shall not lie to our dear readers, neither about my political leanings, nor my ideas in the forum of economics - I for one cannot, will not and encourage everyone out there NOT to give two rat's asses about this man. An economic view that I agree with means nothing in the face of the proposed destruction of this nation's social structure. Nor do I accept this fear that has became rampant of our economy being on the brink of complete desolation - unless of course we elect our man Ron! No sir, sell that crazy elsewhere.

I do however fear what could happen to the social structure of our nation under the hand of Ron Paul -not that the man has a snowball's chance - and even if elected, I doubt he could strong arm his ideas through. I am most thankful for that. However the concepts he puts forth are most dangerous, and I would like a moment to discuss just a few with you, our dear readers.

I could go on about his idea of repealing Roe v. Wade, but what Republican worth his salt in Fundy-dollars hasn't pressed that issue? Let's instead focus on his more unique ideas.
(All quotations from RonPaul2008.com)

1: "End birthright citizenship. As long as illegal immigrants know their children born here will be citizens, the incentive to enter the U.S. illegally will remain strong."

This is not only a poor idea, the concept of removing our 14th Amendment, but a DANGEROUS one. This Amendment came about because States were refusing citizenship to freed African slaves, thus preventing them from being recognized as citizens of these United States. It is dangerous to forget that we as a people have not always been so welcoming to those who live within this country - and that humanity could take a turn for that direction if allowed. I wish it were not so, I prefer the notion of self-management, but it's simply unrealistic at this point. It only takes the corrupt getting power for a few years to turn us on our heads, lets not give them the weapons necessary to screw us.

2: "Years of centralized education have produced nothing but failure and frustrated parents. We can resurrect our public school system if we follow the Constitution and end the federal education monopoly."
and
" I will veto any legislation that creates national standards or national testing for home school parents or students. I also believe that, as long as No Child Left Behind remains law, it must include the protections for home schoolers included in sec. 9506 (enshrining home schoolers’ rights) and 9527 (guaranteeing no national curriculum)."

What precisely does this mean? It means that as his voting record shows, he does not support national testing of students. Couple this with his love of home-schooling and idea that a home schooled student showed be regarded the same as a non-homeschooled student (And this is coming from someone who WAS homeschooled for several years.) and we're going to see students who are not getting anywhere even NEAR a proper education. "The stupid shall inherit the nation." Not a concept I particularly enjoy. What can I expect? His particular brand of crazy only works on the uneducated masses, so let's work to further those numbers. UGH.

3: "I have always supported the Second Amendment and these are some of the bills I have introduced in the current Congress to help restore respect for it: H.R. 1096 includes provisions repealing the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and the Federal Firearms License Reform Act of 1993, two invasive and unconstitutional bills."

The Brady Act? THE FUCKING BRADY ACT. I am personally for gun control revision, as I think it's confusing, and could be greatly simplified with a little thought to what does and doesn't work. But this? This is pure madness. How many people really need a gun RIGHT THE FUCK NOW? Think about it, there is no reason to not have a waiting period. None. It prevents people who are upset and working from rage and impulse from doing something stupid. It allows for checks to ensure that a dangerous individual isn't handed a life-threatening weapon. It's a GOOD IDEA. Insanity.

I could go on. But I'm running long as is, in short - from this (l)ibertarian's perspective Ron Paul combines the worst aspects of Neo-Conservatism with the dark-side of Libertarianism and creates a beast that should not be supported.

To steal from the War on Drugs: Just say no.

/Phage out./

Ron Paul: Racist, Insane Crapbag

A lot of self-styled "libertarians" are talking about how much ron Paul is just an incredible candidate. Usually, they see a couple of his stances (like his anti-Iraq-Occupation stance or his pro-legalization-of-marijuana stance) and are hooked, spamming forums with endless gushing about how terrific he is and how we all need to vote for him.

Like always, these people are easily-misled idiots. Ron Paul is a horrible candidate from pretty much any standpoint.

Worse yet, he's a known tinfoil-hatted "Twoofer" and supporter of so-called "patriot" movements, as well as being a racist jackass:

Regardless of what the media tell us, most white Americans are not going to believe that they are at fault for what blacks have done to cities across America. The professional blacks may have cowed the elites, but good sense survives at the grass roots. Many more are going to have difficultly avoiding the belief that our country is being destroyed by a group of actual and potential terrorists -- and they can be identified by the color of their skin. This conclusion may not be entirely fair, but it is, for many, entirely unavoidable.

Indeed, it is shocking to consider the uniformity of opinion among blacks in this country. Opinion polls consistently show that only about 5% of blacks have sensible political opinions, i.e. support the free market, individual liberty, and the end of welfare and affirmative action.... Given the inefficiencies of what D.C. laughingly calls the "criminal justice system," I think we can safely assume that 95% of the black males in that city are semi-criminal or entirely criminal.

Of course, the Ronbots are in high gear trying to deny this, saying it's all in the past, and Paul himself has had much of the proof of his hatemongering scrubbed from the Internet by any means possible.

It's too late. The Paulbots are fighting a losing battle. We liberals (those of us who don't have our heads firmly implanted between our buttocks) don't want a racist, misogynistic, paranoid, hateful douche like him in office, and conservatives don't want him anywhere NEAR the GOP nomination. Even the Freepers don't like him!

In a perfect world, people like Ron Paul wouldn't have a chance to be elected dog catcher. In this world, however, men like him can brainwash stupid, gullible losers to believe most anything.

Libertarian Troll Bingo

From punkassblog.com: Libertarian Troll Bingo

Zingerella and I have been watching the comment pile-up on Amanda’s review of “Sicko” with some amusement. It seems that the Pandagonians have been hilariously fending off a small influx of libertarian trolls. Said trolls are typing valiantly away in an attempt to make sure that health care isn’t extended to the unwashed masses. As the argument progressed, we noticed that the resident trolls followed a familiar script and shared certain similarities with previous libertarians we’d encountered.

Get your card now! I find this amusing on several levels, as I tore my hair out in frustration at the blithering stupidity of these trolls. Making light of it makes me feel better.