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Ogre's Politics & Views

May 13, 2006

$2 Billion "Extra?" Not Enough for Larry Shaw.

The Democrat-run North Carolina Legislature is a cesspool of corruption. The Democrats have run the state into the ground. However, the only answer they have to any problem they create is to demand more from the citizens. Unfortunately, the citizens of the state just keep on giving them more and more.

This year, the state collected $2 BILLION more than they anticipated. They took $2 billion from citizens more than they planned to. That's $2 billion that people worked for an earned, but were not permitted to actually spend on things like homes, food, and medicine.

So now the still-corrupt legislators meet in Raleigh to determine how they will spend this entire new $2 billion they "found." With a budget of $17.3 billion, $2 billion is a really huge amount. But to some legislators, an extra 11 percent is STILL not enough!

State Senator Larry Shaw, Democrat, part of the Democrats who rule the Senate with an iron fist (Republicans have NEVER, EVER had a majority in the NC Senate), is demanding even more money from citizens. He wants to make I-95 a toll road so he can collect even MORE money from working people. Even with a $2 BILLION surplus, this guy actually has the nerve to say:

It's the only option we've got.

Mr. Shaw, you are a moron. There are dozens upon dozens of other options if you'd open your eyes. If you would consider, even for a moment, how freedom, capitalism, and a representative republic should work, you'd see an infinite number of options.

However, I do realize that Mr. Shaw is a Democrat. He feels that he is entitled to any and all of my labor that he deems that he wants. He feels that it is his job to take money from people who work and spend it wherever he wants. He is, at least in his mind, all-knowing about what is good and what is best for me -- no matter what I think.

This is the state and the view of the Democrat party in North Carolina. I cannot understand why anyone who actually works for a living would even consider supporting this group of thieves, socialists, and redistributionists.

Posted by: Ogre at 12:03 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

May 12, 2006

A Llama Pirate

Bill, the llama, wanted to taste life on the high seas. However, his lack of opposable thumbs really reduced his value to the rest of the crew.

(Found here -- with a pirate computer keyboard.)

Posted by: Ogre at 07:02 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

How Much SHOULD you weigh?

And no, not according to the all-knowing government.

It's an interesting quiz, especially for you female readers, as it can give you something upon which to focus your anger if it's wrong...

You Should Weigh 195

If you weigh less than this, you either have a fast metabolism or are about to gain weight.

If you weigh more than this, you may be losing a few pounds soon!

How Much Do You Weigh?

In my case, it's a little bit low...

Posted by: Ogre at 05:07 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Open Container Law

Fridays I try and lighten things up a bit here. It helps to relax things and laughter is always good for the soul (or something like that). However, that time just isn't quite there yet...

That 1 Guy's post about DUI on a damn lawnmower reminded me of a question I've had about the open container law that exists in pretty much every state. This law states that if you have an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle that you will be fined. Other than for income to the state, can anyone give any logical reason at all for this law?

Government is supposed to pass laws and use it's monopoly on force to protect freedom from being taken by other people. They're supposed to only stop people from doing things when there is imminent danger to others. If I am sitting in my car with an open beer and haven't even had a drink, how is this dangerous to others?

And don't even get me started on the 0.08 crap -- that's no imminent danger, either. You have the EXACT same percent chance of getting in/being in an accident if you have a 0.08 blood-alcohol level as you do with a 0.00 blood-alcohol level. In order for your odds of an accident to increase, your BAC needs to be about 0.17...

So can anyone possibly give ANY reason (again, other than cash for the state) that it's dangerous to anyone for me to have an open container of beer in a car? Even stretching and using the left's dictionary, I can't come up with a reason. Maybe it's For The Children (TM) somehow...

Posted by: Ogre at 04:08 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

NSA "Spying" vs. Privacy

Folks, the left, which includes the media, Democrats, and RINOs like Arlen Spectre (yes, that's the way I think it should be spelled) are just going bananas over this old news (as noted by Big Lizards) about NSA "spying." Real Clear Politics talks about the civil liberties at issue here. And Michelle Malkin describes how out of touch the left is with America -- but there's one thing missing in this discussion -- reality.

You see, much of the discussion focuses on protecting this "right to privacy." I'm not completely convinced that's a right, but for this discussion, I'll accept that it is. However, you only have the right to privacy about certain things. If you stand on a street corner and hold up a sign with your name and SSN on it, you cannot reasonable expect that it will remain private.

In this case where USA Today dredges up an accusation against the NSA, there are, very clearly, no violations of privacy. They are not listening to phone conversations. Here's a comparable example:

If you walk into a store and buy something, the store will likely have a record of that transaction. They will have a record that shows a list of the things you have purchased. That's not your record, it belongs to the store. Courts have ruled over and over again that YOU do not own that record. Since the store owns the record, they can do whatever they like with it, including giving it away or selling it. There's no personal information there, just the record that someone bought a list of items on a certain time and date -- that's it.

Anyone who claims there are any violations to any right of privacy are just plain wrong on this one.

Stop the ACLU also notices that there are zero violations of the law here.

Posted by: Ogre at 02:37 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

NC Pork

And no, unfortunately, I'm not talking about the good kind -- BBQ pork.

Mark Schreiner, writing in The Star News claims that pork is

Spending on projects for someone else

I disagree. Pork is any money spent by government on anything they shouldn't be doing. And yes, this is about 90% of any American government's budget. This year, the NC Legislature will be overflowing with pork since there is a "surplus" that WILL be spent -- and spent quickly.

However, Mr. Schreiner does point out what has become of statesmen and very accurately portrays the current state of politics today:

...voters reward lawmakers who can show how much government money they can bring home to the district. Plus, pork can be political. Want to win over a no vote to your side? Just slip a special piece of pork for that colleague into a bill.

Watch any campaign of ANY incumbent politician -- you will hear them tell you how much they "brought home" to the district, or the buildings they had built, or the "programs" the funded for you, their taxpayer.

A politician who was concerned with freedom instead of socialism would instead be able to tell voters how much of their money he didn't even take to begin with.

But just because everyone else does it doesn't make it right.

Posted by: Ogre at 01:02 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Bribery with Tax $ Ruled Okay

Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood has ruled that using tax money to pay off or bribe people is perfectly legal when the government does it. His ruling had no comment on whether bribery is legal when individuals do it.

So, if you're a business, do not worry about the usual ways of making money. A new factor must be put in place -- but only if you're a large business. That new accounting category is government bribery income. Judges have ruled now that it is legal for a government to give cash to a business to lure them away from other states (in a clear violation of the US Constitution's Commerce Clause).

If you're a big business losing money, head to Raleigh and see how much money the legislature will give you -- with a surplus this year, odds are good they'll give you quite a pile!

Posted by: Ogre at 12:02 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

No Destruction of Contract Law in NC

Shockingly, the Democrat-led North Carolina Legislature will NOT interfere with basic contract law and attempt to end foreclosures in North Carolina. They did, however, agree to take more money from working people to give to contract violators (criminals).

Government has no business in this area at all. The only role government should have is to ENFORCE the contracts, not attempt to make them void! If I agree to give you $5, but then I decide not to give you the $5 because I decide I'm "poor," what should happen? In a free society, you would be free to ask government to use it's monopoly on force to enforce the agreement and get me to pay.

However, in the world of the North Carolina General Assembly, everyone ELSE should pay a couple pennies to government, government should pocket a few dollars, then you should get $2 or so, and I should get nothing. That's what happens when there's "relief" or "fixes" for "too high a rate" of foreclosures, and it's plain wrong.

If you can't pay the bill, don't enter into the contract. If you default, I should not be obligated to pay for you, and neither should the government. Oh how I yearn for freedom.

Posted by: Ogre at 11:04 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

May 11, 2006

Man-Poo

Need some?

Talk to Contagion.

Posted by: Ogre at 05:14 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

ACLU hates Law and Order

Why Isn't A Town Enforcing Their Law - The ACLU

The ACLU is watching a small town in western Pennsylvania because of its curfew law. Each night at 9:45 pm the Trafford fire station blows its alert sirens to alert teens and other children that the curfew is fast approaching. All persons under the age of 18 are to be home by 10:00 pm according to local law. But with the ACLU looking over their shoulder, the town has been reluctant to enforce their law.

This stems from one child. Again it is the needs of the one trumping the needs of the many. Mr. Spock wouldn't agree with this total lack of logic but that is the principle that the ACLU operates under.

Posted by: Ogre at 03:03 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Full Coffers = Empty Pockets

The reports flying in these days about the massive surplus and huge amounts of money that the state of North Carolina has collected. You will read about "extra money," "the revenue surplus," and "overflowing bank accounts."

Folks, the State of North Carolina prints zero dollars. The State of North Carolina earns zero dollars. The ONLY way the state gets ANY money is by taking it from people who DO work. There is simply no other way for the state to get money!

This "new" $2 billion is not "found money." This is $2 billion that has been taken OUT of the state's economy. This is $2 billion that people worked for and earned in North Carolina that will not be spent on food, housing, medical care, or other personal items. This is $2 billion that has been taken away from those who work to be given away to those who do not.

Remember when you read these reports. Remember when you read about the legislature spending $2 billion MORE than they had budgeted for -- they took that money.

And just because it was a surplus, don't look for them to give it back. Instead, that will increase state spending. The budget was $17.3 billion this past year. Since they "found" $2 billion, the budget will now be $19.3 billion. That's an ELEVEN and a half percent increase in government spending. That's a MONSTROUS increase -- and when the economy isn't doing so well, don't worry, the Democrat-led legislature will raise taxes -- because the budget will never again be under $19.3 billion as long as the current group stays in charge of the state.

Posted by: Ogre at 01:05 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Millions Will Die!

Quickly! Everyone must immediately send huge piles of cash to the North Carolina government! Do it now or millions will die! There will be upheaval, death, and destruction the likes of which haven't been seen since Biblical Egypt! Millions will die because government doesn't have enough money!

How will they die? By drinking contaminated well water. And no, there's not any actual evidence that there's anything at all wrong with any wellwater anywhere, but that's not important. What's important is that government isn't able to afford to test every single well in Cumberland County, so logically, according to government, everyone will die.

So, when the North Carolina government quickly spends the estimated "extra" two BILLION dollars in "surplus" this year, and then still asks for more in taxes (as the city of Charlotte is doing), realize that if you don't support those higher taxes, people will die from your selfishness.

Never, ever use the phrase "common sense" in the same paragraph as "North Carolina government." Socialist, anti-freedom, bastards, the lot of them.

Posted by: Ogre at 11:04 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

May 10, 2006

New Blog Showcase Carnival

This week's New Blog Showcase Carnival (or new showcase blog carnival, if you prefer) is now up over at Customer Servant. Head on over and see what's new!

This is a weekly carnival that showcases new blogs that have appeared in the last week. Remember when you first started blogging and wondered if anyone was reading your blog at all? Can you remember those first few readers and commenters? New blogs really do appreciate the readership and the comments -- please head on over and welcome the new writers to the blogosphere.

And if you're a new blog, feel free to submit yourself (or your blog) to the Showcase -- or submit any other new blog you find (must be less than 3 months old to play).

Posted by: Ogre at 07:28 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

New Advertiser

This week there's a new blog listed over there on the top left column, The Kibitzer. This blog is about:

The Kibitzer analyzes current events, politics and social issues among other newsworthy topics!

Regular posting rate, clean and easy-to read. Posts include basic geography for youts; the evils of the English language; and print media.

Go on over and see what else The Kibitzer has to offer -- maybe you'll find a new daily read.

Posted by: Ogre at 05:07 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Easley Offers Tax INCREASE

You might read stories that proclaim that Governor Easley is offering a tax cut -- but that's simply not true -- it's a damn lie and Easley knows it.

Let's see if you agree with me or Governor Easley.

Let's say I'm your employer. When I hire you, I agree to pay you $20,000 a year. At the end of the first year, the company is doing extremely well, so I give you a $750 bonus. After the second year, no one gets any bonuses. However, I do give you a 3% raise so your salary is now $20,600.

Review: Your salary, year 1 is $20,000.
Your salary, year 2 is $20,600.

If you think you've gotten a pay cut, then you believe Governor Easley that we're getting a tax cut this year. If you think you've gotten a raise, you agree with me that Governor Easley is lying.

You see, Governor Easley is claiming that's he's "cutting the sales tax rate." In reality, that sales tax rate is a temporary increase that was passed years ago. Each year the legislature re-authorizes, or RAISES the sales tax. Easley is proposing to cut the increase in half -- in the world of the left, increasing by a smaller amount is a "cut." In the rest of the world, a tax increase is an "INCREASE."

If you still don't get it, I'll make it real simple:

NC Budget, 2005-2006: $17,196,000,000.00
Easley' Budget, 2006-7: $18,850,000,000.00

Someone explain how I can subtract money from 17 billion and arrive at 18 billion.

But then I guess if you support the left and Democrats like Mike Easley, you don't actually expect them to be honest...

Jeff Taylor is having trouble with the language used here, too.

Posted by: Ogre at 04:08 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Fair Tax

This week, Cao of Cao's Blog brings us part 2 of her video disagreement with the FairTax. She makes some very interesting points here, and her logic should convince even the most brainwashed proponent of this hare-brained scheme to give it a closer look.

Posted by: Ogre at 03:04 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Medicaid: Easy Answer

Scott Sexton of the Winston-Salem Journal complains about the burden on county taxpayers. He complains that the county actually has to pay for it's own Medicaid when other states' counties do not.

Now, it would be one thing if he advocated getting the state to pay that burden so that the county wouldn't have to spend so much money, but no -- he'd be more than happy to spend just as much money, just on different things.

There is a very simple, but perhaps painful, solution to Medicare: just stop spending so much money. If you, personally, think that's not fair to people who need the medical care, that's perfectly okay -- YOU get together with your friends, pool your money, and buy all the health care you want (that's what I'd do).

Two facts seem to evade those who support more, more, and more spending on Medicare:

1. It is NOT charitable to give away someone else's money. Charity is when you spend YOUR OWN money, not mine.

2. You cannot have a "right" to someone else's labor. If you honestly believe that people have a right to ANY amount of healthcare, then you believe that you have a right to force other people to work for you.

Posted by: Ogre at 01:08 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Free Alaa

If you haven't heard about imprisoned freedom activist Egyptian Alaa Abdel Fatah, please do read the message below -- it's important for freedom worldwide.

Posted by: Ogre at 12:08 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Money (Mis)Management: by NC

Yet again, the NC DOT is complaining that they do not have enough money to "cover road-building, maintenance, and other transportation projects." Why? Because the North Carolina General Assembly, run by Democrats, simply do not want to build roads. Anyone who tells you different is simply wrong.

You've likely heard the axiom before of "follow the money." In the case of spending, one can always follow the money to determine where one's priorities lie. If someone spends a lot of money on their fancy car payments, they're most interested in having a fancy car. If someone spends a lot of money on clothes, they're interested in clothes. The legislature of North Carolina does NOT spend money on roads, so they're simply not interested in building roads.

The members of the Board of Transportation are asking for more money. They claim they don't have enough. They're looking at this incorrectly. Instead, they should look at how much the legislature wants them to spend, then make plans based on that amount.

Mark Foster, CFO of the DOT says, "You're not going to shut down all new construction for a year. That would turn us into a maintenance shop."

I'm sorry, Mr. Foster, that's not really your decision to make. The legislature determines spending. The legislature decides how much money you get. If the legislature only gives you enough money to maintain roads and not build them, then it's your job to do just what they ask.

Roads in North Carolina are horrible -- because that's what the North Carolina Legislature wants.

Posted by: Ogre at 11:03 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

May 09, 2006

Carnival of Liberty

This week's Carnival of Liberty is up! Go read it -- it's a compilation of posts about Liberty from across the blogosphere. Good reading each and every week (even when I forget to submit an entry myself).

Posted by: Ogre at 07:01 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

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