Speech is either free from restraint, or it isn't.  There is no middle ground.  We (you, I) either defend free speech, or we don't.  Again, there is no middle ground.  And sometimes defending free speech, means defending those with whom we disagree.

Personally, I do not believe in bi-partisanship.  You either believe in something or you don't.  In fact, I believe the "bi-partisanship myth" that Washington and its politicians spew is mere propaganda, designed to allow politicians to get away with legislating against the will of their constituents.

The reason I bring this up, is because defending the free speech of those we oppose, is NOT bi-partisanship, and shouldn't be confused as such.  Free speech is about liberty. And when a little bit of speech gets muted, all of us (even if we disagree with said speech), lose a little more liberty.

CHEERS!

Today is the 75th anniversary of the repeal of the failed social program known as prohibition!

In 1919, with the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, the government outlawed the manufacture, sale, and transportation of "intoxicating liquors." By 1933 however (ratified on Dec. 5), the government was forced into submission, thereby passing the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, which repealed Amendment Eighteen.

The classical liberal tradition of self-government, rule by law instead of man, has been relegated to but mere fantasy over the past 100 years.  Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, wrote in his Kentucky Resolutions:
"In questions of power, then, let no more be heard about confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief with the chains of the Constitution."
Concurring, James Madison in The Federalist stated:
"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree."
The classical liberal spirit of America, that held superior the liberty of individuals and communities to control their own lives, and who learned the valuable lessons of history, holding an inherent distrust of government and its politicians ... has slowly given way to the myth of government as the Supreme Authority.

The United States of America, now having the largest government on the planet, has all but thrown our Declaration of Independence in the garbage, making Washington D.C. our new King.

With the ever-expanding the powers of the executive branch, along with the refusal of Congress to even consider the law of the land - the Constitution of the United States of America - it is no longer debatable ... we are officially traveling the Road to Serfdom.

So tonight, gather up your family and friends, and together enjoy the drink of your choice!  Talk about the implications of liberty lost, and then commit to each other to take positive action in the fight to restore liberty once again!

But don't forget to beware those pesky Neo-Prohibitionists!

The Constitution of the United States of America
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, ...

Having banned the traditional school bake sale, the Food Nazi's are livin' large in California (and all across the nation too)!  Read here, from the New York Times (emphasis added):
The old-fashioned school bake sale, once as American as apple pie, is fast becoming obsolete in California, a result of strict new state nutrition standards for public schools that regulate the types of food that can be sold to students.
The Piedmont High water polo team falls woefully short of these standards, selling cupcakes, caramel apples and lemon bars off campus in a flagrant act of nutritional disobedience.
"Before, it was the chips, the Hostess cupcakes, the Little Debbie doughnut sticks," said Ginger Gray, the director of school nutrition for the Kenton County School District in northern Kentucky. Now, only pure fruit juice and low-fat or skim milk are allowed. The district's most popular dish is whole-wheat stromboli made from scratch, Ms. Gray said, adding that she leans toward foods that families can cook at home. "You're teaching them habits for life," she said.

That's right folks!  No longer is it up to the parents to teach their kids, nor the teachers, nor even "a village" ... it takes regulation baby ... REGULATION! Laws, enforced by government (aka the barrel of a gun), are the new paradigm in "teaching."

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Six things conservatives get wrong, and consequently advance Leftism.

1.  Big Government is Big Government.
As Thomas Jefferson acutely noted, "The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground".
Virtue plays an important role in both society and human development, but can it, or should it be legislated?  My answer is that unless something causes you harm, it does not pertain to law.

Let's look at internet gambling as an example.  There may be a moral case against gambling, and yes, it can certainly be destructive to the individual engaging in it, but does that give you the right to use government force against it?
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act has turned ordinary adults into criminals while setting a precedent that can easily extend into censorship of religious and political topics as well. Also, it has turned banks and internet providers into quasi-government institutions by requiring internet providers to identify gamblers, and for banks to block all transactions with gambling websites.
You may be against gambling, so then don't gamble.  When you start telling others how to act, it can (and most likely will) come back to haunt you.

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