We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.
Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]
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When Generalissimo de Havilland introduced the ‘comments’ facility on this site, I made a promise to myself that I would never tailor any of my articles to pander to the likely responses that such a facility makes possible. It is a good rule; sort of ‘publish and be damned’ only without the regency swagger.
However, I intend to make an exception in this post and this post only because I know that what I am about to say will attract a whole raft of predictable admonishments from those you of with a Phd in ‘Stating the Obvious’. So here is an FAQs section which I strongly recommend you read and absorb before proceeding further.
- Yes, I know that the Republicans are not libertarians.
- Yes, I realise that Republican policies can be just as damaging to liberty as Democrat ones.
- Yes, I know there are some good Democrats
- Yes, I am quite sure that the Homeland Defence Department will prove to be every bit as sinister as it sounds.
- I am generally indifferent to political parties
- Yes, I am still a libertarian.
That said, there are many things in this life which bring me untold pleasure: the love of my family, the affections of a good woman, watching Chelsea win the FA Cup, a stimulating evening with close friends and a large rump steak with English mustard are all among them.
But, last night, I would merrily have swapped all of those in return for the intoxicating, enervating, memorable, boundless joy of watching the American socialists get shoved through the electoral meat-grinder and turned into hapless, hopeless, abject little patties of self-pity and recrimination.
As the results flooded through in the wee early hours, I squealed with shameless glee, I punched the air in triumph and I even managed to earn a complaint from my downstairs neighbour after waking her up at 5.30 in the morning by marching around the lounge to the lockstep of ‘Semper Fidelis’ blaring from my CD player. Yes, I got that carried away.
I laughed, LAUGHED like a drunken buccaneer at the sight of the BBC newsanchor announcing the Republican victory, looking as if she had just been f*cked with a dead cat. It was more than celebration, it was revenge. I love the smell of the BBC being napalmed in the morning.
As you may already have guessed, I have temporarily suspended my animus towards parties of state because as someone (I can’t remember who) once said it isn’t always a choice between the good and the bad; sometimes its a choice between the bad and the even worse. Well, in my book, the socialists come under the category of ‘even worse’, so I’ll throw whatever muscle I have behind the other guys, though they may be merely ‘bad’. If I was an American, then the Republicans are not what I would want, but what I want (what I really, really want) is simply not on the table, so I’d take the best I can get.
So, thank you President Bush for making this Englishman very happy. Your country is the engine of Western civilisation and, right now, whatever else it may or may not be, it is not in the hands of the left.
On any reading, that is profoundly good news, and I am not so proud that I cannot jump down from that lofty fence, wipe the splinters from my raddled posterior, and give credit where it is so richly due.
While on one level it made little difference to me (someone as LP as a coalminer was Comm… er… Labour) which of the other American parties won seats, I must admit to some glee at watching the effect of Republican victory on UK correspondents. They are visibly shaken by the implications and I thought it great fun.
Channel 4 News had Michael Moore on for the Democrats and Laura Ingraham for the Republicans. She did rather well, but Mr. Moore had the last word:
“No wonder they win, they look better than us.”
I wonder what would have happened if such a really harmless joke had come from the lips of a liberal or a conservative rather than a Leftist?
Political Correctness is not a matter of what is said; it is a matter of who says it. The annointed are “allowed” freedoms of speech unavailable to the hoi polloi. Had it been myself on ITV news, making the same remark, I would be pilloried for it.
Do not get me wrong: I am not castigating Michael Moore for this remark. I am merely pointing out there is an inherent asymmetry and illogic to the Left’s position on Freedom of Speech. The fact is, I agree with Michael Moore. Laura Ingraham is better looking than he is.
Smarter too.
Election day is upon us and those of you who live in Taxachussetts have an incredible opportunity: YOU can end your State Income Tax and keep your hard earned $3000 a year out of the greedy and wasteful hands of the crooks who govern you.
Vote YES on Proposition 1 to end the Massachusetts income tax.
If you have found the two turkeys the Democrats and the Republicans are running for Governor simply too much alike and too much to stomach: VOTE YES for Carla Howell.
You might even consider voting straight Libertarian, but whatever you do:
Get yo’ ass out there and VOTE YES on Proposition One!!!!
Out of sheer horrid fascination I dip into Bartcop from time to time, and look what I found just now on the Forum:
“Why don’t we send letters to the BBC begging them to expand here? At the worst, the other nets will get word of our actions. At the best, the BBC considers it, seriously. We can coordinate this action after the election.”
Well, well, well. It seems that American socialists just love the BBC. I wonder why?
So now we will see another test of George Bush’s very shaky Free Trader credentials. He rightly wants Latin America to open up its markets to mutually enriching capitalism via the Free Trade Area of Americas (FTAA) agreements… but will the USA do the same for its markets?
In order to make FTAA worthwhile, Brazil has demanded the United States open its fiercely protected sugar, steel and citrus markets to freer competition.
Analysts agree that without Brazil there will be no FTAA, and it is unclear how quickly Washington can lower key tariffs.
It amazes me how so many US Republicans who cursed every breath taken by Bill Clinton, damning him quite rightly as an unprincipled political weathervane, nevertheless just gloss over George Bush’s dismal record on liberalising world trade. Why is allowing the state to interfere in markets so as to make products such as sugar, lumber, steel and fruit more expensive to American consumers and industry just shrugged off?
The need for political support from key states, you say? Ah, I see. So you mean George Bush is just an unprincipled political weathervane, then. Gotcha.
It is not often that I pass comment upon US partisan politics. Yes I have, in the past, railed against American socialists who insist on referring to themselves as ‘liberals’, but, that aside, I tend to avoid analysis of the political battleground in the US if only because our American contributors are so much better disposed to do that than I am or ever could be.
However, once in a while I am prepared to set aside my customary reluctance and grasp that big, American bull by the horns.
On my travels around cyber-space, I happened upon a website called ‘Bartcop’. I have no idea who Mr.Bartcop is, but he is clearly a socialist and a very long way from being anything even resembling a happy man.
Mr.Bartcop also hosts a forum wherein those of a similar disposition are invited to share their thoughts and views and where I found this woefully pathetic thread.
Of course, this may not be representative of the American left in general; merely a reflection of the company that Mr.Bartcop likes to keep. But, if it is a fair cross-section, then I suggest that US Republicans have very little to worry about in the foreseeable future because these people are going, quite literally, out of their minds.
I find it rather interesting the sniper and his boy sidekick were living in Tacoma Washington and doing target practice in their backyard as recently as January. I could not be the only one who remembers there was an al Q’aeda cell training in the wilderness there. One really has to assume the authorities are looking for connections between an Islamic sniper with US military quals and a training camp in his vicinity1.
An FBI fellow interviewed by UK ITV News was certain the dastardly duo were working alone and doing this only for the money. I’m sure his statements must be as accurate and as correct as Official statements on the LAX shootings were.
There certainly is a potential venue for Muhammad to have been recruited. He was a bodyguard for Nation of Islam and that would have flagged his name but good for those who might be looking for native trouble makers. There is no need to assume Nation of Islam has any association whatever with terrorism for this to be true. If I were al Q’aeda I’d be nosing around and infiltrating this ready made army with a classic old style Communist co-opt, take-over and purge in mind.
If I were Louis Farakhan, I’d be watching my back very carefully.
I am relieved these people are in the lockup, although no where near as relieved as people in the region are. I have many friends in both areas where they were killing people. One friend’s youngest daughter goes to school 3 blocks from the Ashland Ponderosa. This is the South and I would not be surprised if he was picking her up at school the last few days… with a bit of security hardware close to hand.
Now we wait for the trial and see what connections come out in court. The State of Maryland will be seeking the death penalty and I doubt there will be any hue and cry over it.
Marshmallows anyone?
1 =“in his vicinity” out in the West should be interpreted to mean “within a few hundred miles. As they say, there is nothing out there but miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles. Well, nothing other than a lot of trees, mountains, not-so-extinct volcanoes and the odd bear, wolf and mountain lion at least.
Glenn Reynolds over on instapundit commented on this article which says pretty much what I’ve been saying although with quotes from someone more credible than I.
If – as I fear – this is the test run of one of perhaps many attacks of disruption, how do we fight back?
I would posit we will fail utterly if we proceed with the current crime investigation tactics. They are fine for tracking down one serial killer, but are next to useless for dealing with dispersed enemy squadrons.
I suggest anyone living in a “hidden carry” state should buy a handgun with good stopping power; take training in how to use it properly and most importantly in how to make judgements about a situation; and then get your hidden carry approval.
This might not save the targeted victim, but it could make the life expectancy of the sniper after his shot considerably lower. And yes… if we have five or ten million nervous people carrying personal artillery at all times, there will be mistakes and accidents. There always are in warzones in wartime. America has not had to face this on its’ own soil since the 1860’s.
They have only opened the Maryland front so far. We can pray I am entirely wrong… but I very much fear the war will be coming soon to a community near you.
The media and bureaucrats are at least beginning to discuss the possibility of al Q’aeda involvement. After you’ve read the article come back and I’ll finish….
Okay. What is blatantly obvious in the comments? Do you see the same pre-September 11th thought patterns I see?
We are no longer dealing with terrorism that fits into the familiar tick box on government forms. We are not looking at terrorism intended to make a statement or to get prisoners released. We are not looking at terrorism as an isolated event with an isolated purpose.
We are looking at the face of 21st Century warfare.
The enemy is out to destroy our society by any means possible. They don’t need to give manifestos to the media about their purpose because the attacks are a warfighting tactic, not a statement.
If any of our readers happen to be in the right circles, please tell these officials to get their heads out of the box and start thinking WAR, not comfortable 1980’s statement oriented violence happenings.
Let’s stop talking about Motive. That’s police work. Start talking Strategy, Tactics and Objectives and how the Beltway events fit into the big picture of this World War.
I might be entirely wrong about the unfolding of this event…. but even if it is homegrown psychos this time… it won’t be the next.
Russell Whitaker sees sections of the medical profession’s distaste for accessable services for what it really is
From the “I saw this on Fox News several weeks ago but just got around blogging about it now” department, comes another tale of indignation, this time from the medical guild.
In an article transcription of a TV news feature featuring an adversarial interview of obstetrician Dr. Leon Hansen, founder of Fetal Foto versus Dr. John Hobbins, one of a stable of media medical expert witnesses who hew to the usual AMA trade unionist line.
Fetal Foto is a shopping mall medical imaging service. It’s apparently harmless, and lets prospective parents get a real head start on boring their friends with their family photo albums. Dr. Hobbins is incensed that Dr. Hansen is providing it on the cheap:
The high-tech scan, which isn’t covered by insurance, costs $60 at a Fetal Fotos facility and $280 at his doctor’s office, according to Hansen.
But the trend has angered the FDA and other critics, who argue it’s exploitative and dangerous and is commercializing a sensitive medical procedure.
“Here’s a group that’s using this wonderful technology to put bucks in their pockets,” said Dr. John Hobbins, head of obstetrics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
What really angers Dr. Hobbins and his cronies is that the bucks are lining someone else’s pockets, and in a shopping mall of all places. As Fetal Foto’s Dr. Hansen notes:
“Twenty years ago, they felt it was inappropriate to have a pregnancy test available to the general public,” he said.
Other shopping mall boutique medical success stories include adult whole-body imaging service AmeriScan, which rightfully claims to have contributed to the saving of a number of lives through early diagnosis of various ailments, e.g. male colon cancer.
The Fetal Foto business model explicitly excludes medical diagnosis – it most vehemently is not in the diagnosis or treatment businesses, by charter – but this is not what bothers the boys in the AMA.
No, what riles the unionists is that they have no control over the use of an interesting medical procedure used for non-medical purposes. They’re embittered by the fact that, after all, medical people provide services that people want, and some people are willing to take those services to what they and other “public health” gatekeepers revile as among the worst venues in the capitalist world, the modern bazaar of the American shopping mall.
After all, it boils down to tired arguments of guild protectionism and class warfare with these people. Long live the crass temples of capitalism!
Russell Whitaker
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