Trans World Airline (TWA)

Pacific Southwest Airline (PSA)

Aloha Airline

American Motors Corporation (AMC)

Packard Motors

Nash Motors

Kaiser Motors

Studebaker

Hudson Motors

De Soto (autos)

Edsel

Geo (autos)

International Harvester

REO

Stutz

Willys Motors

Montgomery Ward

Security Pacific Bank

Kaiser Steel

I suspect many readers are too young to even remember some of those names, but we’re talking about some big hitters: national flag-carrier airlines; auto manufacturers; a national retailer with both stores and mail-order catalogues (what we did in pre-internet days!); a steel manufacturer. That list could be a lot longer, too, with shipping lines, railroads, and others.

What do they all have in common? They’re all defunct. Bankrupt. Out of business.

In many cases, there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. How will the industry survive? The world is coming to an end! This was particularly true when the major airlines – Pan Am and TWA – tanked.

Does anyone even remember those companies anymore, let alone miss them? When was the last time Pan Am crossed your mind – if ever? Are you sorry you can’t order from Monkey Ward anymore? Do you even care?

The reality is that since the Industrial Revolution companies have come and gone with great regularity, victims of mismanagement, financial insufficiencies, changing technology (bought any buggy whips lately?), skilled competition, general market forces… many and diverse reasons. And whenever one of the Big Ones goes, there’s a lot of ink given to possible consequences – generally portrayed as being “terrible” – and in a little while the world adjusts and we move on.

It’s a lot like dropping a rock into a still pond. There’s a splash and some ripples, but in a few moments the water stills, and life goes on.

This changed when Lee Iacocca conned the Feds into bailing Chrysler out of bankruptcy a few decades ago, and we’re now seeing the upshot: general panic and the government taking over private industry, the first significant steps down the road of fascism. Instead of the rock dropping into a pond, this time someone stuck in the business end of an outboard boat motor and turned that sucker on. The waters aren’t at all close to stilling.

In a healthy economy and free society, there’s no company “too big to fail”, because if there’s a NEED for that company’s product or services, some OTHER company will step in to take up the slack and fill the vacuum created by that company’s failure. If that failing company is in such bad shape that it can’t bail itself out, even with the assistance of bankruptcy court, it should be allowed to disappear.

Is Michael Steele REALLY this incompetent? But I digress.

I’m going to save them a lot of time and gasoline.

What we're seeing is the transformation of the GOP from a party of small government principles to one simply concerned with garnering power to itself. By definition, "small government" has little power. The GOP is now more concerned with using the cudgel of government to advance its own agenda -- much of it in the social arena -- and is thus willing to throw its "avowed" principles to the wind.

Further, it's ALSO transforming and redefining those so-called "principles".

Why is gay marriage a national issue? Why was Terri Schaivo a national issue? Why is the fight against abortion a national issue? Those are rightfully state issues. Why did virtually all of the GOPer congresscritters vote for the original "bailout"? Why did Bush impose NCLB and Scrips for Seniors? Why is a FISA court even possible in a free country? Why do we have a Patriot Act? Why did the GOP go along with "affordable housing for minorities"? Why did the GOP back amnesty twice? Why does the GOP concede any credence at all to the Altar Of Gore?

I can go on like that all day.

So, instead of having one statist party and one small government party, we have two statist parties intent on imposing their conflicting views of social issues on the country at large, and jockeying for the power platform from which to do it.

Let’s take a look at some history, which speaks VERY clearly on the subject. 1980, 1984, 1988, 1994: campaigns based on strong traditional conservative principals, in clear contrast to “modern” GOP “planks”, and landslide wins.

1992, 1996, 2006, 2008: campaigns built on squishy "moderate" offerings, and the GOP gets its butt kicked.

2000 and 2004: a candidate hiding his essential "moderate" nature eking out squeaker wins against arguably THE most incompetent opponents since Dukakis, in which the gun issue played big both times.

Which is exactly why the Dems are avoiding that issue like the plague nowadays.

More facts: the percentage of the electorate that is registered as Democrat has been pretty stable for a while at about 35%. The percentage registered as Republican – which used to be about equivalent – has fallen dramatically, to the point where right now it’s at about 23%. Meanwhile, the percentage of “Decline To State” and “Independent” has risen by about the same amount the Republicans have lost. Coooooo-INCIDENCE? I don’t think so.

More numbers: In the 2008 election a bit less than 120 million people cast votes. According to the 2000 census (the latest data available) there were 193,376,375 citizens of voting age in the population (an obviously low number currently, as it’s a sure bet the population has increased). That obviously excludes illegal aliens and others not eligible for the franchise. Let’s eliminate another TEN million – being generous – disqualified for other reasons, such as being felons. That still leaves about 183 million eligible voters. Here’s a link to the census data: here

The last link in this chain of logic is that all of the reliable polling data I’ve seen clearly shows that over 60% of those in the populace who have been polled self-describe themselves as “conservative”.

So, based on the data, 63 MILLION voters sat it out. Given that the GOP percentage of eligible voters has fallen while the Democrats’ percentage is stable – and that so many self-identify as “conservative” – logic dictates that the majority of those 63 million voters who could have been motivated to vote at all would have voted GOP… IF there’d been a traditionally conservative truly Reaganesque candidate to vote for.

What does all this mean?

It’s patently obvious that as the GOP has abandoned Reaganism/Goldwaterism and tracked Left in accord with the “California Strategy” of seeking the mythical and non-existent “uncommitted” independent demographic, by abandoning their core professed principles while being driven by an agenda set by their supposed opponents, they are concurrently giving up hope of winning elections in any meaningful fashion. As Truman noted: “Give the people a choice between a Democrat and a Democrat, and they’ll choose the Democrat every time”. Why vote for The Pale Imitation when you can have The Real Thing?

The more the GOP tracks Left accommodating the agenda-setting of the radical leftists, the less relevant to the debate the GOP becomes, until it ultimately and deservedly -- and perhaps quickly now -- goes the way of the WHIGs.

Long overdue, in my opinion.

Last night I watched a 20-year-old flick named “Escape From Sobibor”, Sobibor being one of the Nazi death camps, and the flick being based on actual events. I couldn’t help but wonder – as I watched people being off-loaded from the trains family by family – how things could get to the point that people would allow their entire families to be rounded up by the Nazis.

But then, I recalled my history. Germany wasn’t always a tyranny. But post-WW1, inflation and taxation rose to such dramatic levels that unemployment was the order of the day. A barrelful of Deutschmarks to buy a loaf of bread. People were desperate. So… they ignored the Weimar Republic and its Constitution, incrementally and ultimately leading the entire country into the morass we know so well.

Further, it even reached the point where discipline within the death camps was imposed by the “kapos”, Jews who enforced Nazi discipline simply out of sheer self-interest.

I think this is the truly salient point about the Founders’ phrase that our government operates with “the consent of the governed”. The WW2 Germans allowed the Holocaust to develop, but it wouldn’t have been successful without the tacit and unwitting cooperation of its victims, through a deluded and ultimately misplaced faith in a political system that was obviously failing. Had those Jews and other persecuted minorities simply had the guts to take one German soldier each with them, killing that soldier by whatever means necessary, the Holocaust would have stopped by attrition alone of German soldiers, if nothing else.

Wouldn’t YOU have pulled the trigger rather than watch your innocent family marched off to the death camps?

For those who say, “It can’t happen here”: It already has! Native-born Americans of Japanese ancestry were marched off to concentration camps during WW2 for nothing more than being born of Japanese ancestry. They were deprived of their goods, their property, their liberty, and their rights. Look at Wounded Knee. Point out to me one example – just ONE – in human history where it hasn’t happened, either imposed internally or externally. There are NO such examples.

The simple fact is that no government is eternal. They ALL ultimately are replaced. All we can do is try to stave off the inevitable for as long as possible.

The GOP is currently following what I call the “California Strategy” of meandering Leftward in pursuit of some undefined, mythical, and frankly non-existent “uncommitted moderate” demographic. The ultimate destination of that road – as we can clearly see here in Commiefornia – is a place where the term “Republican” doesn’t mean a single thing that’s different from the term “Democrat”. The political hacks from both parties are simply seeking a sinecure at the public trough, the state’s bankrupt due to confiscatory taxes and social engineering government programs in which BOTH parties are complicit, we have a Governator who – in most states – would be considered a liberal Democrat, and the state’s going to Hell in a handbasket.

Yet the GOP in this state advocates open primaries in an effort, as they cheerily admit, to “broaden their appeal” and “lessen the influence of ideologues”… meaning conservatives, of course.

The same discussion is taking place now at the national level, and if you’re happy that the entire country will end up as Commiefornia as a result of this delusional strategy, then don’t bother reading on. We’ve seen how well this “plan” works, both in the quality of the candidates and other hacks the GOP is fielding – McCain, Steele, Snowe, Collins, Specter, Giuliani, etc. – and in how successful they’ve been lately, as evidenced by the results of the 2006 and 2008 elections. This is still a right-of-center country, as the polling constantly affirms with over 60% of those polled classifying themselves as “conservative”, yet the GOP blindly staggers along denying that reality as they chase “moderates” in hope of stealing them away from the Democrat party. It makes absolutely no sense at all to me. There’s a whole pizza sitting on the table, but they’re completely obsessed with stealing the one slice the Democrats are already scarfing down.

But I digress. The first issue centers on the fear expressed by those opposed to same-sex marriages – and hope expressed by gay activists – that such marriages performed in State A would have to be recognized by State B under the purview of the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution.

I think this idea is completely unfounded. Here’s the applicable Federal statute enabling the Clause: 28 USC §1738: Such Acts, records and judicial proceedings or copies thereof, so authenticated, shall have the same full faith and credit in every court within the US and its Territories and Possessions as they have by law or usage in the courts of such State, Territory or Possession from which they are taken.

In other words, your conviction in Ohio for Felony Murder will be recognized as such in Kansas. You may be extradited from Illinois to face the kidnapping charge in Oregon.

However, the same status does not attach to marriage licenses issued in a state, any more than it does to any OTHER license issued by a state. Some examples:

The various states have different requirements for CCW (concealed firearm) licenses -- if they issue them at all -- and don't recognize each other’s licenses unless they've entered into reciprocity agreements.

Here in Commiefornia, when you move into state you have 30 days to get a new driver’s license issued by this state, at which point your former state’s license is no longer valid, and you CAN AND WILL get a ticket for continuing to use it. Same thing with your car registration.

You have to pass the Bar exam in each state in which you want to practice law, and get a license for that state.

Your PI license is only good in your home state.

Your license as a building contractor is only good in the issuing state.

Doctors have to be certified and licensed in each state in which they want to practice.

There are probably fewer licenses that are universally recognized than there are that are state-specific. Licenses issued by the Federal Government itself, such as pilots’ licenses and medical certificates, passports, things like that, are the only universally accepted documents/licenses I can think of, though there may well be a few others.

Each state is free to deal with the issue independently. Here in Cali, Prop 8 clearly and simply states -- and amends our state constitution to reflect -- that in Cali the only marriages recognized are between one man and one woman. Which specifically means we won't recognize same-sex marriages from other states.

So, I wouldn’t worry much about same-sex marriage spreading unwillingly like the swine flu. The states will determine this issue on an individual basis, as is right and proper under the doctrine of States’ Rights.

Oh… and that OTHER issue I wanted to address?

The weather was blustery for Southern Commiefornia: at 4:15 PM when I arrived; the thermometer in my car said it was 58 degrees, and WHOA! Was it windy! We’ve had the Santa Anas blowing for a few days, now.

 

    

 

 

   

 

  

 

 

 

 

A great time was had by all. Nothing like sticking your collective thumbs in the collective eyes of the political hacks in Sacramento and Washington, DC!

 

 

I’ve often thought a person’s taste in entertainment can speak volumes to their world outlook, philosophy, and political ideology. Some examples occurred to me.

Westerns

Favorite Actors

Conservatives go for Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, Robert Duvall, Mel Gibson, Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart.

Political Movies

For conservatives it’s “Manchurian Candidate”, “Absolute Power”, “Charlie Wilson’s War” (in spite of Julia Roberts).

War Movies

We Righties dig “Blackhawk Down”, “The Longest Day”, “We Were Soldiers”, “Patton”.

Romantic

Conservatives go for “The Wind and the Lion”.

For libs, “Pretty Woman” is quintessential: Julia Roberts as a hooker, landing a rich CEO.

Less than a month after the deal was finalized, the state Legislative Analyst published findings on 13 March (report) that the tax hike “will fall short of the assumptions in the budget package by $8 billion. Consequently, the Legislature and Governor will need to adopt billions of dollars in additional solutions in the coming months to bring the 2009–10 budget back into balance.”

“Solutions”? What does that mean, exactly? Well, according to that Austrian cretin Kennedy-Schwartzenegger, it means more taxes, stupid. What did you think it meant? Spending cuts?

Then on 27 March, some more cheery news here. Due to overly optimistic projections of California’s share of the Federal “stimulus” by our bonehead governor and other state officials – Treasurer Lockyer and state finance director Genest – on top of all of that, we’re yet another $1.8 billion short, so now there’ll be a personal income tax surcharge going into effect. According to the article, that last $1.8 billion will “cost a family of three making $80,000 about $100 more each year”, so do the math. Forty-two billion, plus $8 billion, plus that last (for now) $1.8 billion.

Oh, and I shouldn’t overlook the good news in that article: “Nearly $1billion in program cuts will also go forward.” Yippee! We’re $52 billion in the hole, but those bastards in Sacramento are going to actually cut one measly billion in spending! And, of course, what are the SOBs in Sacramento upset about? Those damned spending cuts, as picayune as they are: “Lockyer… said he was particularly troubled by the elimination of dental benefits and reduction of in-home workers' salaries.”

Well, boo-frikkin-hoo, you liberal moron.

We are the highest-taxed state in the nation, and as I’ve pointed out previously, any and all of the alleged “middle-class tax breaks” in the federal “stimulus” bill have been eaten up by this state tax increase, and then some.

What little discussion there’s been about cutting spending has centered around programs that actually benefit the state but have emotional impact with voters: cops, firefighters, libraries, etc.; all in a cynical attempt to make this Draconian tax increase less repugnant to the electorate.

NO discussion about cutting programs that help illegal aliens, nor that would roll back the crushing onus of the obligations to various state employee unions: SEIU, California Teachers’ Association, prison guards. These burdens are horrendous, but somehow sacrosanct, as if immune to renegotiation. We have the highest-paid teachers in the country, and the dropout rate in LA is through the roof. Makes me get all warm and fuzzy when I remember Reagan firing all the air traffic controllers.

The political hacks in Sacramento are obviously completely incapable of acting responsibly like adults. The only solution that I consider viable is for this state to file for bankruptcy in Federal court. That would allow a federal judge to duly restructure our financial burden and debt, including invalidating all extant union contracts with government workers. That alone would bring us back into solvency.

It wouldn’t be a violation of states’ rights, because the state itself would be initiating the action. Of course, that would take a realistic evaluation of the problem by the very same pinheads that created it in the first place, and an admission that they’re incompetent and/or venal.

During the election it became clear that McCain and Obama differed very little on the substance of their proposals, only really quibbling on details of execution. Both believe in the idea of “bailouts” and “stimuli” – McCain even “suspending” his campaign to skydive into DC to “save” the original pork-bloated “bailout” – as well as other major issues like amnesty, cap-and-trade, and some form of government “healthcare”.

This has become even clearer since the election as McCain has voiced his support for Obama’s various initiative proposals. Again, some minor quibbling about earmarks, but overall he supports Obama’s approach.

What does this tell us? First, that had McCain won we’d be going down pretty much the same road Obama’s taken: soaring taxes amidst a crumbling economy, skyrocketing financial commitments by the government, with massive deficits looming. With a Republican in the Oval Office and the Democrats controlling Congress, both parties would be taking their usual political cover by pointing at each other as being to blame for the problems.

Traditional conservatives would be getting even more disgusted with McCain – if that’s at all possible – and whatever support he had would be sinking like a stone. When these policies fail – as they inevitably will, either through economic failure or the complete transformation of the US into a Euro-trash socialist state or worse (fascist-style business takeovers and TASS-style American newspapers) – McCain, as President, would be the one viewed as being at fault, as all Presidents are. That’s simply in the nature of being President. The consequence is that the next Presidential election would result in a landslide win for the Democrat that took on McCain’s re-election bid.

But what are we seeing now? The Democrats own all of this; lock, stock, and both smoking barrels!

There is no political cover to be had. The current manufactured “outrage” over the AIG bonuses is simply a government-led lynch mob; an effort to try to redirect the people’s anger away from the government incompetence and malfeasance that’s created this mess, and toward straw men. The Democrats can’t use their usual whipping boys – Republicans – so they’re trying to find new targets instead. Granted, the Republicans are just as much at fault for bringing this crisis around, but they’re pretty useless as cover because at this point they are completely out of power. Worthless as camouflage. Even liberal bastions like the LA Times, NY Times, and Washington Post are starting to criticize Obama for essentially poor performance or poor leadership or lack of follow-through or not living up to his campaign promises. Many have noted his propensity to rush out of DC to the hustings to spout hollow and meaningless platitudes whenever anything controversial looms on the political horizon. His poll numbers are starting to sink and he’s barely sixty DAYS into his administration.

THAT is the best thing about McCain’s loss. It brings us absolute clarity about the flaws of liberalism by eliminating the confusion of hiding behind party labels.

We were going to have a liberal in the White House regardless of who won, but this way the liberalism is clearly attached where it truly belongs, to the Democrat Party and Obama.

It’s up to the GOP to make note of this and adjust their strategy accordingly. If they learn the painfully obvious lesson here, and run a candidate next time with real conservative chops, they’re positioned to win by a landslide as these chickens come home to roost in Obama’s shed.

But if they continue the wastrel ways they’ve been following in recent years, and put forward more “moderate” – read that as “not conservative” – candidates, not only are they dooming themselves to perpetual minority status, but they’re taking the country right over the cliff with them.

And by “conservative”, I mean the Real Deal; not yet another bunch of pathetic, mealy-mouthed, unprincipled, lying, cynical, compromising, and disgustingly and falsely self-styled “Reaganesque” poseurs like McCain, Giuliani, Schwartzenegger, McConnell, Steele, Specter, Snowe, Collins and FAR too many others to name individually without maxing out my hard drive.

One of my favorite movies – “Tombstone” – opens with a scene in which the Cowboys, led by Curly Bill Brocious (played with gusto by Powers Boothe) gun down a wedding party for a Mexican Federale. Because, as Curly Bill states, “Y’all killed two Cowboys.” A massacre ensues in which the Federales are wiped out with the exception of the bride, groom and officiating priest.

Federale Groom (to Curly Bill): “You go to hell!”

Curly Bill (calmly): “You first.”

At which point Curly Bill draws his gun and blasts the Federale Groom. The Bride is dragged off to obvious mass rape, and the priest is killed by Johnny Ringo.

That’s how I feel about all the apologists who keep harping on how we conservatives “have” to vote for whatever dolt the GOP nominates, or WE are responsible for the “downfall of the country”.

If the country’s going to hell… “You first”.

I was particularly struck by a couple of quotes from the article:

“Besides Haas' home, protesters on Saturday also visited the Fairfield home of AIG executive Douglas Poling. They were met both times by security guards. They left letters that acknowledged some executives, including Haas and Poling, are giving up the money but that asked them to support higher taxes on families earning more than $500,000 a year.

"Afterward, the group protested at the office of AIG's financial products division in Wilton, where they waved signs and chanted, 'Money for the needy, not for the greedy!'"

Well... call me John Galt!

"Needy, not...greedy"?

Maybe they wouldn't BE so "needy" if they'd spent the time getting the education and busting their butts to get ahead that the "greedy" had done!

Instead, they want to use the governmental bludgeon to impose a $500K limit -- FOR NOW -- as being an acceptable ceiling on unpunished earnings.

I'm falling in love with Gordon Gecko all over again.

BTW, the thought occurs: how come they're not chanting in front of the homes of mega-bucks sports figures or rappers or Hollyweird superstars?

From the article:

"Mary Huguley, of Hartford, said AIG executives should share their wealth with people like her sister, who is facing foreclosure."

Hmmmm……

Maybe what we can do is set aside a designated day as "Adopt-a-poor-person day".

Everyone would be required to take on the financial burdens of someone two to three steps or more below them on the earnings scale. We could have "poor person pounds", like animal shelters, where people who've managed to greedily sock it away could go to browse various poor people and listen to their sob stories, and then maybe "adopt" them. The cutest and cuddliest would probably go first; we could maybe euthanize the others. Humanely, of course.

Naturally, spaying and/or neutering of adopted pets... er, uh, I mean ADOPTEES... would be required.

Well, over the decades I’ve been a dependable foot soldier and activist for – and contributor to – the Elephant Party, AKA the GOP, and their fundraisers (at least) can’t seem to forget that. I campaigned for Nixon’s re-election in Daley’s Chicago. I held my nose and voted for Bush pere’s re-election, “Viagra Bob” Dole, and our recently termed-out and unlamented Bush 2.

Not a week goes by that I don’t receive at least one phone call or letter – and generally much more than that – asking me to part with my hard-earned bucks to support the GOP in one form or another: the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Republican Governors Campaign Committee, the Republican National Committee, the Republican Policy Committee, whatever. These guys have more “Committees” than China has tea. You’d think somewhere in there would be a “Republican Get Back on Track Committee”, but sadly, no.

However, I digress.

The other day I received a letter from one of these innumerable “committees” that, in “recognition” of my sterling history as a GOP stalwart, offered me the opportunity and “tremendous honor” of becoming a member of the “Republican Senatorial Inner Circle”, a “select group” of “advisors” to poo-bahs in DC. What a signal honor, I’m sure.

FOR FRITZ (an update):

 

Me, in flying regalia (admittedly, some years ago)

 

A year ago, just before flying an FA/18 sim.

 

 

 

 

In my opinion, we have reached the same point in our national body politic, and in many cases at the state level also, particularly here in Leftifornia.

On the national level we had just enough votes – three from the Republican Senators – to pass the “stimulus” bill proposed by Obama. Is that a coincidence, or what? The exact number of GOPer defections necessary to bleed us for the next generation or so.

Hmmmm… I wonder if the rest of the GOPers were hiding behind those three despicable Quislings? What do you think? Three willing martyrs ready to fall on their swords?

Meanwhile, here in Leftifornia, the Assembly went through a lot of angst – joined in spirit by our vaunted Governor Ah-Nuld Schwarzenegger – in an effort to address our budget shortfall of $42+ Billion Dollars!

Needless to say, the Governator spent all of his time – when he wasn’t contemplating changing parties – chastising “fellow” Republicans (who showed remarkable solidarity until their OWN martyr - Abel Maldonado - ate his gun) for standing against tax increases. This in spite of the fact that the Austrian Poseur based both of his campaigns on a “no tax increase” pledge. Even MORE ironic is that when he spoke on many occasions last year in support of McCain’s campaign he ridiculed Obama’s proposals for tax increases in an imploding economy.

Further, it’s important to remember how this lying SOB originally gained office: during a recall election involving Gray Davis, who was voted out of office for exponentially LESS offensive problems than we’ve had under Schwarzenegger.

But… again… that was only the campaign, right? It had nothing to do with actually governing… right? Ah-nuld actually said PRECISELY that to Matt Lauer a week ago. The only thing really amazing about that statement is its unusual candor, frankly. We all know politicians lie, but they don’t usually just blurt it out in admissions like that.

Bear in mind the old saying: as goes California, so goes the country. So, is this what you want for yourself?

Okay, maybe you’re a liberal. None of this sounds too bad. Think of this: all of the Obama “Tax Break For The Middle Class” has been absorbed here in California by the tax INCREASES in the latest state budget, PLUS some.

Additionally, it’s a regressive tax, as the sales tax increase and vehicle tax increase both are imposed categorically. Therefore, the poorer one is, the more those taxes affect their financial situation. Don’t liberals hate regressive solutions? I guess not.

See, that’s the problem with dogmatic liberalism: it spouts “principles” that don’t work in the real world, and the innocent bystanders who have to “suffer” and “sacrifice” are simply... written off. Because in the Real World there are consequences for Real Actions, and Real People have to suffer those Real Consequences – good or bad – for such policies.

Meanwhile, the economy keeps tanking, with no end in sight, and Obama & Company keep proposing bigger and bigger policy proposals and power grabs with ever-spiraling costs. Jobs are disappearing faster than liquor in Ted Kennedy’s house.

Are the American people going to put up with this? This is the key question and philosophical battle we’ve been edging toward for a long time, and in my opinion, this is a great time to have it out. This conflict has been unavoidable, because it pits two radically opposing philosophies against each other and casts the issues in a clear light.

By this happening on such a grand scale, with such far-reaching consequences clear for any and all to see, it’s engaging average Americans on a scale not seen since at least the Vietnam War; and on a gut-emotional level, too, since few are unaffected by the current economic situation.

In the midst of all this turmoil, in a great example of why our politicians seem so ridiculously out of touch and to lack any perspective, the LA County Board of Supervisors is taking up the issue of declaring a “No Cussing Week” for the county. I’m not joking; read the full article here. You can’t make this stuff up, folks. Truth is stranger than fiction. Apparently, in this era, no matter is too large OR too small to escape the attention of government.

And that is exactly the problem.

We reached a pinnacle of governmental common sense with Reagan, and we’ve been spiraling downward ever since, with the exception of a brief respite with the 1994 “Contract with America”, which turned out to be ephemeral in nature. The Democrat party charges Left, and the GOP charges along right after them, yelling “Me, too! Just a little less!”

I believe this has brought us to a real crossroads in our history, and the decision of which path we follow is going to determine the future of this country for at least generations to come. If we don’t radically change directions, we are doomed to becoming just another Euro-trash socialist country. The Fat Lady will have sung, and the lights are being turned off.

As I wrote in my “Bread and Circuses” essay a year ago, we’re following the historical arc of the Western Roman Empire towards total dissolution and decay. The one positive note I’m seeing is that there seems to be a groundswell of rebellion forming. Will it be enough? Will it be sustained, and grow? I don’t know, frankly.

But it’s time for us to be at this crossroads, and make that final determination of what our future will be. Enough of this sneaky creep to the left, with its slow but steady erosion of our rights. It’s time to face this head-on, boldly, and have that confrontation.

Neither of the major political parties is on the right side of this problem. Therefore, the only hope lies in the hands of the people themselves. They can keep expressing their outrage, and hopefully ignite some fear in the hearts of the political class. There are signs that this may be having some effect, as the GOP seems to be stiffening its political spine, and even some Democrats are starting to question Obama’s push to “redefine” America. The outrage of the people blocked the two recent scamnesty efforts.

The other requirement is that the GOP either redefines itself back to the party of small-government, fiscally responsible conservatism; or be replaced by another party that adheres to those principles. As it stands right now, it’s a party that doesn’t deserve one iota of support – either in votes or donations – from traditional conservatives.

Viewed in that light, the election of Obama, and his attempts to effectuate radical societal change, are actually GOOD things. Because they force us to have this confrontation, and attempt to stop the continued incrementalist changes to our society that are slowly bleeding our liberties and bank accounts. His election paints the problem in bold colors, impossible to miss. It allows a clarity to the debate that would be impossible if the liberal Republican McCain were sitting in the White House acting like Schwarzenegger.

A house can be so damaged in an earthquake that the only option is to tear it down and build anew. To set the fire of rebirth.