True, at some point one must flee for one's life and one's freedom.
That said, sometimes it is better to stand your ground and fight the Fascists instead of run.
Especially when the place where you are standing is becoming a mecca for anti-fascists
OK.
Let's go ahead and about half the Legislature are the really bad, "nanny state" legislators think that passing laws really is the solution... and that the other half are simply willing to whore themselves and use fear tactics to get re-elected.
Either way, it makes a hell of a lot of sense for people in favor of PERSONAL CHOICE (or, if you prefer, "parental choice", when it comes to minors) to take control of the Legislature.
That's what we're doing here in New Hampshire. The first of us "early-movers" are running this November. We also keep a detailed Report Card of every member of the legislature, with a letter grade from "A" to "F", so we know which are the ones that already are pro-Freedom, and which are the bastard busybodies that need to be thrown out.
Quoth "netsetboy": The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. These people are just going to far...!
Oh, you finally noticed, that, eh?
Yes, the US Constitution is really quite shocking in that it would make the government hamstrung and inefficient -- if they spend their time worrying about this "Goddamn Piece of Paper", they'll never catch the Bad Guys in time!
Of course, that was the intent -- make it so freakin' clear as day that the government should not be efficient, should be thwarted in its natural desire to run roughshod over the citizenry.
But what percentage of the US population is even vaguely aware of the rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights? How many even understand the difference between the fact that these rights are stated to make them clear to all, not to "grant" them?
The dismal answer, of course, is: not enough to make a damn bit of difference. Despite 35 years of the Libertarian Party trying to wake people up to the issue, the erosion of liberties in the US has continued apace. If things keep going as they are, the us will be a Fascist state (if it isn't already).
People of the United States! Realistically, you have two basic options!
Keep doing what you're doing, and going where you're going -- to a wierd mix of Fascism (Republicans) and Socialism (Democrats) and a tiny, impotent group of Libertarians
Concentrate the free-thinkers in a State that still has some vestiges of a Culture of Liberty
I found the analysis of "social network analysis" in this post to be interesting.
Of course, since I work at a really big database company, I would imagine that by some paranoid metrics, I've touched the software that touches pretty much every other human being in the civilized world. I, and a few thousand of my closest peers, are "supernodes!"
Hi Tony!:)
Oh, and hi Sam, and Jiri, and Rahul, and everyone in Bangalore, folks in the SF Bay, folks in the UK, and Pete (oh wait Pete's gone..., no not that Pete, the other Pete...)
But you see... I am a capitalist. And a Libertarian:)
Read the pointed-to page for rationale on why this is pro-everyone's Freedom, but in a nutshell: a) Property either means something, or it does not b) The business owner does not run the business for the convenience of those who freely agree to work for him c) Jobs are created by people, and as such those people who create them must distribute them
Otherwise you have the perversion of police coming, with guns (or other weapons) to implement the "social good"... by force. Even if every worker and every customer in the place approves of the smoking.
Oh wait... they're there by their free choice. Nobody is holding them at gunpoint. It's you who brought the guns in... "for everyone's good".
Please, stay the hell away from New Hampshire. We don't want you here. Crawl back to whatever hell-hole Socialist paradise you live in.
mosch wrote: Since when is gambling a problem?
It's entertainment with an attached fee. And like every other form of entertainment in the history of man, some people do it too much. Sucks to be them, but let the rest of us have our fun.
Amen, brother.
The thing is, officious busybodies who are willing to use force to get their way (by passing immoral "laws") don't ever stop with one issue. Once they've forgotten that Government is an immensely powerful tool -- the monopoly on the use of force -- then they use the tool to solve problems that ain't really there. Like adding useless enhancements to fundamentally simple programs.
On the flip side, if there is a fundamentally Liberty-oriented culture, mindful of the proper small role of government force, this similarly tends to protect everyone's rights.
Case in point was the Smoking Ban in New Hampshire --- that didn't happen, thanks to legislators willing to say things like "market forces should dictate the rules, and that smokers have rights, too"[mp3]
There is a very active resistance to Real-ID here in New Hampshire. We came within a whisper of passing a law (HB1582) that would have explicitly rejected Real-ID; there was an incredibly passionate speech on the floor of the House of Representatives: here's the video
In addition, there was a large rally at the NH State Capitol; here is that video.
Unfortunately, our State Senate pulled some extremely underhanded parlimentary tricks to kill HB1582; all the gory details (and sound bites from the Senate) are here.
The good news is, we here in the "Live Free or Die" still actively resisting this intrusion into our privacy!
The Montana resistance attempt passed the House, but died in the Senate (if FOXNews is to be believed -- YMMV!)
The New Hampshire house passed a "resistance" bill. The NH Senate votes on it next week.
It's nice that consumers would be notified when our ostensibly private data has been spilled by businesses.
But that's chump change compared to the damage that gets caused when government databases' content is lost, or unprotected.
Now, given that:
Private businesses have a huge motive to avoid losing data -- when they do, customers are free to go elsewhere (and we do!)
You're not free to "go elsewhere" when your Government loses your data
Governments are likely to have way more sensitive and intrusive data than private businesses
You typically know exactly what info, say, the credit card company has about you. You typically have no idea what info the government has about you.
No database is 100% secure, no data is 100% safe -- especially not from humans with administrative access and plenty of reasons to leak the data
Which do you trust to get IT right: a make-or-break project for a company, or Yet Another Government Project?
With all the above in mind, surely it makes sense to limit what data the Government collects, and to keep that data compartmentalized in local databases, rather than a nice, juicy, massive, single federal instance? Right!?!?!
Yet, that's exactly what is happening right now, with the "Real-ID" bill. (Here's what Bruce Schneier has to say on that).
Every single U.S. State except one has lined up like crack addicts to accept the federal money to implement Real-ID. That one State is New Hampshire, aka the Free State.
As for tech jobs in NH, Oracle Corp (where I work) has amajor development center in Nashua, NH -- I got myself transferred there from Socialist California. Check jobs.oracle.com
And of course, check the FSP NH Info page for jobs, housing, etc
http://www.freestateproject.org/nhinfo/
I not only joined the Free State Project, I moved my family to New Hampshire from California last year. I now run the Blogsite http://freestateblogs.net/ ; on there you can see a video of Representative Neal Kurk's awesome speech before the State House:
http://freestateblogs.net/node/306
Quoth the poster: If we are having a lack of new drugs and everything is being patented, are patents still constitutional?
It's worse than that. Not only do the patents stifle innovation, but the lumbering bureaucratic behemoth that is the FDA makes it incredibly expensive to bring any drug to market.
What the fuck happened to freedom of choice?
It's my body, I am the only one who can properly make the decision about what medication is "safe enough" for my circumstances. Wake up kids, the FDA is not protecting you -- think Vioxx.
If you believe, as I do, that the government simply has too much control over the ostensibly "free" market, over our bodies, and over our lives, then I urge you to have a close look at the Free State Project.
It's your only hope for liberty in your lifetime.
If you haven't yet, consider signing the FSP Statement of Intent, so if 20,000 other libertarians commit to minimizing the State Government in New Hampshire, you'd be part of the solution.
From what I can see here in NH, even with only a few hundred people who have moved early, we're already making some noticeable changes -- like killing bad laws (mandatory auto insurance, for example) and enforcing spending caps on city budgets.
With 20,000 people, I have no doubt we could reduce NH taxes to almost nothing, and make most services both private and voluntary. Hell, I bet we could get long way with even 1,000 people.
I couldn't agree with you more. Government manipulation of the markets and fiat currencies are
dangerous, Bad Things, and we all end up paying for these abuses of government power.
It's become clear to me that the vast majority of people in the US are not only unaware of the problem, they're happily contributing to creeping Socialism in this country. And the kicker is that most other countries I could see myself living in (Australia, Canada, various European states) are even worse.
Seeing as I'm in the UK, there is little else I can do
Hmmm... as I recall, George Washington and Ben Franklin were Englishmen.
Seriously, though, people from outside the U.S. can sign on as a Friend of the Project
; there is actually quite a lot that can be done, even from a relatively Socialist country (compared to the U.S.) like Britain.;-)
For the record, half my family are British. My cousin is seriously considering moving to New Hampshire and possibly applying for citizenship here. Really, who's going to move Britain in a Free direction? The Tories have become ridiculous parodies of themselves, and Labour is... well, Labour.
Quoth the poster: t's not the Government's place to tell it's population what they can, and can't play. Really, it's gone way the fuck too far.
Well... whose fault is that? Are you sitting on your butt and letting them? Huh?
Folks, please do more than just bitch on Slashdot about how restrictive the U.S. Government has become.
There is a real, active plan to make at least one single U.S. state as Free as possible. Moreover, it's a plan with actual results, in which thousands have signed up, and over a hundred free-market, free-speech, "free-Everything" activists (including myself) have already moved in and are making a difference right now.
Slashdot Mirror
Here's a more relevant one: the Social Security Card Burn
True, at some point one must flee for one's life and one's freedom. That said, sometimes it is better to stand your ground and fight the Fascists instead of run. Especially when the place where you are standing is becoming a mecca for anti-fascists
That's funny... not only did I leave, I don't even have to pay state income tax anymore >:)
Let's go ahead and about half the Legislature are the really bad, "nanny state" legislators think that passing laws really is the solution... and that the other half are simply willing to whore themselves and use fear tactics to get re-elected.
Either way, it makes a hell of a lot of sense for people in favor of PERSONAL CHOICE (or, if you prefer, "parental choice", when it comes to minors) to take control of the Legislature.
That's what we're doing here in New Hampshire. The first of us "early-movers" are running this November. We also keep a detailed Report Card of every member of the legislature, with a letter grade from "A" to "F", so we know which are the ones that already are pro-Freedom, and which are the bastard busybodies that need to be thrown out.
You can pass all the laws and restrictions you desire, but kids will find a way to purchase/play violent games.
So true. You know that, I know that, the problem is the legislators don't know that... and that is the immediate root of the problem.
This is a problem I and thousands of other have taken action to fix now. Not in some fantasy land, not in some unspecified future, but now!.
Come join us... or just give us a test drive.
For a good example, and a self-test to see where you lie on the plane, have a look here
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
These people are just going to far...!
Oh, you finally noticed, that, eh?
Yes, the US Constitution is really quite shocking in that it would make the government hamstrung and inefficient -- if they spend their time worrying about this "Goddamn Piece of Paper", they'll never catch the Bad Guys in time!
Of course, that was the intent -- make it so freakin' clear as day that the government should not be efficient, should be thwarted in its natural desire to run roughshod over the citizenry.
But what percentage of the US population is even vaguely aware of the rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights? How many even understand the difference between the fact that these rights are stated to make them clear to all, not to "grant" them?
The dismal answer, of course, is: not enough to make a damn bit of difference. Despite 35 years of the Libertarian Party trying to wake people up to the issue, the erosion of liberties in the US has continued apace. If things keep going as they are, the us will be a Fascist state (if it isn't already).
People of the United States! Realistically, you have two basic options!
The choice is yours!
DONT STEAL! (the government hates the competition)
Yeah, that's why I left California.
Of course, since I work at a really big database company, I would imagine that by some paranoid metrics, I've touched the software that touches pretty much every other human being in the civilized world. I, and a few thousand of my closest peers, are "supernodes!"
Hi Tony! :)
Oh, and hi Sam, and Jiri, and Rahul, and everyone in Bangalore, folks in the SF Bay, folks in the UK, and Pete (oh wait Pete's gone..., no not that Pete, the other Pete...)
But you see... I am a capitalist. And a Libertarian :)
Read the pointed-to page for rationale on why this is pro-everyone's Freedom, but in a nutshell:
a) Property either means something, or it does not
b) The business owner does not run the business for the convenience of those who freely agree to work for him
c) Jobs are created by people, and as such those people who create them must distribute them
Otherwise you have the perversion of police coming, with guns (or other weapons) to implement the "social good"... by force. Even if every worker and every customer in the place approves of the smoking.
Oh wait... they're there by their free choice. Nobody is holding them at gunpoint.
It's you who brought the guns in... "for everyone's good".
Please, stay the hell away from New Hampshire.
We don't want you here.
Crawl back to whatever hell-hole Socialist paradise you live in.
Since when is gambling a problem? It's entertainment with an attached fee. And like every other form of entertainment in the history of man, some people do it too much. Sucks to be them, but let the rest of us have our fun.
Amen, brother. The thing is, officious busybodies who are willing to use force to get their way (by passing immoral "laws") don't ever stop with one issue. Once they've forgotten that Government is an immensely powerful tool -- the monopoly on the use of force -- then they use the tool to solve problems that ain't really there. Like adding useless enhancements to fundamentally simple programs.
On the flip side, if there is a fundamentally Liberty-oriented culture, mindful of the proper small role of government force, this similarly tends to protect everyone's rights.
Case in point was the Smoking Ban in New Hampshire --- that didn't happen, thanks to legislators willing to say things like "market forces should dictate the rules, and that smokers have rights, too" [mp3]
It wasn't just "ninjas"... it was Border Ninjas!
In addition, there was a large rally at the NH State Capitol; here is that video.
Unfortunately, our State Senate pulled some extremely underhanded parlimentary tricks to kill HB1582; all the gory details (and sound bites from the Senate) are here. The good news is, we here in the "Live Free or Die" still actively resisting this intrusion into our privacy!
- One of our Senators (John Sununu) has come out publicly against Real-ID
- We are still actively working to reject the funding to implement Real-ID; see this forum
- If worst comes to worst, people are pledging not to comply with Real-ID should it comes into effect
We take privacy seriously here in New Hampshire, especially privcay from the gorram Government!The Montana resistance attempt passed the House, but died in the Senate (if FOXNews is to be believed -- YMMV!) The New Hampshire house passed a "resistance" bill. The NH Senate votes on it next week.
But that's chump change compared to the damage that gets caused when government databases' content is lost, or unprotected.
Now, given that:
With all the above in mind, surely it makes sense to limit what data the Government collects, and to keep that data compartmentalized in local databases, rather than a nice, juicy, massive, single federal instance? Right!?!?!
Yet, that's exactly what is happening right now, with the "Real-ID" bill. (Here's what Bruce Schneier has to say on that).
Every single U.S. State except one has lined up like crack addicts to accept the federal money to implement Real-ID. That one State is New Hampshire, aka the Free State.
Here's a link to some pretty cool info about how and why the NH House rejected Real-ID:
http://freestateblogs.net/node/306
As for tech jobs in NH, Oracle Corp (where I work) has amajor development center in Nashua, NH -- I got myself transferred there from Socialist California. Check jobs.oracle.com And of course, check the FSP NH Info page for jobs, housing, etc http://www.freestateproject.org/nhinfo/
I not only joined the Free State Project, I moved my family to New Hampshire from California last year. I now run the Blogsite http://freestateblogs.net/ ; on there you can see a video of Representative Neal Kurk's awesome speech before the State House: http://freestateblogs.net/node/306
If we are having a lack of new drugs and everything is being patented, are patents still constitutional?
It's worse than that. Not only do the patents stifle innovation, but the lumbering bureaucratic behemoth that is the FDA makes it incredibly expensive to bring any drug to market.
What the fuck happened to freedom of choice?
It's my body, I am the only one who can properly make the decision about what medication is "safe enough" for my circumstances. Wake up kids, the FDA is not protecting you -- think Vioxx.
If you believe, as I do, that the government simply has too much control over the ostensibly "free" market, over our bodies, and over our lives, then I urge you to have a close look at the Free State Project .
It's your only hope for liberty in your lifetime.
From what I can see here in NH, even with only a few hundred people who have moved early, we're already making some noticeable changes -- like killing bad laws (mandatory auto insurance, for example) and enforcing spending caps on city budgets.
With 20,000 people, I have no doubt we could reduce NH taxes to almost nothing, and make most services both private and voluntary. Hell, I bet we could get long way with even 1,000 people.
It's become clear to me that the vast majority of people in the US are not only unaware of the problem, they're happily contributing to creeping Socialism in this country. And the kicker is that most other countries I could see myself living in (Australia, Canada, various European states) are even worse.
That's why, 7 months ago, I moved to New Hampshire.
Have you heard of the Free State Project or Free Talk Live?
If you believe in free markets and smaller government, you should really check them out.
If he were a Real American, he'd Break the law!
Hmmm... as I recall, George Washington and Ben Franklin were Englishmen.
Seriously, though, people from outside the U.S. can sign on as a Friend of the Project
; there is actually quite a lot that can be done, even from a relatively Socialist country (compared to the U.S.) like Britain.For the record, half my family are British. My cousin is seriously considering moving to New Hampshire and possibly applying for citizenship here. Really, who's going to move Britain in a Free direction? The Tories have become ridiculous parodies of themselves, and Labour is... well, Labour.
t's not the Government's place to tell it's population what they can, and can't play. Really, it's gone way the fuck too far.
Well... whose fault is that? Are you sitting on your butt and letting them? Huh?
Folks, please do more than just bitch on Slashdot about how restrictive the U.S. Government has become.
There is a real, active plan to make at least one single U.S. state as Free as possible. Moreover, it's a plan with actual results, in which thousands have signed up, and over a hundred free-market, free-speech, "free-Everything" activists (including myself) have already moved in and are making a difference right now.
It's called the Free State Project.
Check the media archive.
"A Republic... if you can keep it" - B. Franklin
Personally, I blame the inability of people tho think critically on the United States' socialist education system.