Good Constitution Day Morning!
1. Question – Does it seem to you that Americans are more interested in a 24 hour McDonalds than food, health, education, finances and how our government was intended to work?
2. Thought – I mention all this because many of these carefully devised safe-guards have been brazenly ignored in recent decades, with presidents and the federal government usurping authority reserved to the states, ignoring the Constitution when it limits the scope of governmental action, getting into wars without proper congressional authority, politicizing the courts, and so on. These offenses have been committed by Democrats and Republicans, progressives and conservatives, although the most flagrant violations are by Democrats and progressives who increasingly don’t even pretend to feel inhibited by the Constitution. As a result, we have a Leviathan state, far from limited government the Founders envisioned. The government that was set up to protect our rights has in many cases become a danger to our rights. (AMERICA Imagine a World Without Her by Dinesh D’Souza)
“If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” (James Madison)
AND: The Overton Window is one tool to use in measuring the likelihood of success for policy change. But IMO its only a measuring tool. The skill lies in how we move a concept from ‘unthinkable’ to ‘acceptable’. This is how culture’s change. What is interesting is when we have activist judges and/or a President willing to govern/rule via Executive Order. In these cases there is a much narrower or shorter graduated scale necessary for moving a concept. Its a simply a stroke of the pen. Real world examples: Gay Marriage decided by five folks wearing robes; Iran Nuke ‘treaty’/agreement signed despite congressional disapproval. These concepts moved from unthinkable/unacceptable directly to policy with little transitioning.
I hate to see the Lefties leave your address book. These are the very folks needed to challenge various Thoughts and to make the Conservatives think even harder. Its a loss.
1. Question – What’s right? To be perfectly honest: You doing all the legwork on things informed people like myself have neither the time or the insight to produce such thought provoking material.
2. Thought – NFL opened its season last night. Patriots and Steelers. Both team’s # 1 running backs could not play due to substance-abuse. Anyone who thinks marijuana and PED’s aren’t rampant in all pro sports are off their “John” Rocker! I liken suspensions in the NFL to speed traps: Everybody is speeding but ‘red cars’ get pulled over ‘just b/c’ and ‘stupid is as stupid does’ gets pulled over for being, well, stupid (any player who has weed in their car/system during a stop they didn’t anticipate or a test they did anticipate). The other issue is domestic violence and the NFL seems to finally moving in the right direction. As for New England…something really stinks up there and liken them to banking scandals as all their little ‘tricks’ add up to institutionalized cheating.
2A. Thought – It’s been 14 years since 9/11. What’s wrong? We don’t think like Israel: Profile and act on suspicions, patterns or blatant signs someone (lone wolf) or some group is on the verge of
acting out. The same is true for unstable individuals in the U.S. who go on shooting sprees. The signs are there and the end result was often highly plausible. None are easy but it has to happen.
2B. Thought – Overton window? Its like The Book of Revelation: Lukewarm which gets vomited out! Pick a side ie; hot or cold but riding the middle = stand for nothing and fall for anything.
AND:
The Overton window seems to be very small these days???? In Northern California right now, enemy territory, thank god there’s some good wine here. Next three days Dr. John McDougall’s Advanced Study Weekend, hope to hear some good speakers. Sold our house, a lot of good memories.
Don’t text and Drive….I just try to call my friends and family on the landline when I get home, real voices:)
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