Random Thoughts

1. If government is merely an extension of our personal rights why do they suppose that they have the power to limit immigration? The constitution wasn't written to grant us our rights but rather to limit the governments powers. Therefore do I have the right to tell someone where to live or where to search for work. I would argue no.
2. Could education be improved the most and quickest by making it private? After all a command and control economy doesn't work so why would we expect a command and control education system with no competition to work.

Populist Pep Rally

I know this is a few months late but with an opening line calling a presidential speech a populist pep rally I couldnt resist.

AIG Contracts

I have found the uproar over AIG bonuses very ironic. On the one hand the government handed AIG billions of dollars to honor its contracts. Then on the other hand they get all bent out of shape when AIG honors contracts with their employees. The NY Times had a pretty interesting letter from one of those employees.

Dear IRS

I saw this letter the other day. I don't know if its real or not. It would be funny if it were not true.

Dear IRS,

I am sorry to inform you that I will not be able to pay taxes owed April 15, but all is not lost.

I have paid these taxes: accounts receivable tax, building permit tax, CDL tax, cigarette tax, corporate income tax, dog license tax, federal income tax, unemployment tax, gasoline tax, hunting license tax, fishing license tax, waterfowl stamp tax, inheritance tax, inventory tax, liquor tax, luxury tax, medicare tax, city, school and county property tax (up 33 percent last 4 years), real estate tax, social security tax, road usage tax, toll road tax, state and city sales tax, recreational vehicle tax, state franchise tax, state unemployment tax, telephone federal excise tax, telephone federal state and local surcharge tax, telephone minimum usage surcharge tax, telephone state and local tax, utility tax, vehicle license registration tax, capitol gains tax, lease severance tax, oil and gas
assessment tax, Colorado property tax, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma and New Mexico sales tax, and many more that I can't recall but I have run out of space and money.

When you do not receive my check April 15, just know that it is an honest mistake. Please treat me the same way you treated Congressmen
Charles Rangle, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank and ex-Congressman Tom Dashelle and, of course, your boss Timothy Geithner. No penalties and no interest.

P.S. I will make at least a partial payment as soon as I get my stimulus check.

Ed Barnett

Wichita Falls

Caboose for President

Some people wonder about my political ideas, so in order to help clarify where I stand I’m going to take a page out of the politicians book and write a few thoughts on some issues I feel are important.

1. Immigration

I would allow open immigration. I would require a quick background check against whatever databases we have access to and if they have not commited any serious crime by all means come on in. This would stem the flow of illegal immigrants to almost nothing. The only ones trying to come in illegally would be criminals and so I would patrol the border with the unmanned predator drones which would be armed with some sort of gatlin cannon for pedestrians and hellfire missiles for drivers and sailors. The rules of engagement would be some sort of warning and if they didn’t turn around within 30 seconds we teach them about the rockets red glare / the bombs bursting in air.

2. Gay marriage

As I’ve posted before I’m against gay marriage. But more fundamentally I’m against needing a license from a government to get married. To be perfectly honest I could care less what the government thinks of my marital status. I got married to please God not Obama.

3. Building Permits

I believe a person has the right to provide shelter for themselves and their loved ones however they see fit. Building permits are an infringement on this God given right.

4. Bear arms

I believe that the right to bear arms was not written to ensure that we could go hunting. It was written to ensure that the citizens of this nation could overthrow, by force if necessary, an oppressive government.

5. Education

Education is the right and responsibility of parents. For quite some time education was provided by parents or churches. This is the way it should be. I cant believe more people don’t see the danger in having their children educated by the state. Also state education is one of the planks of the communist manifesto which ought to give one pause as to the dangers of this institution.

6. Welfare

I would end all forms of transfer payments. Compulsed charity is no charity at all. Let people give as they wish, let churches provide for their members. I believe that the governments concern for the “welfare” of others is more of a power grab than anything else. If they fund the charity they own the charity and those receiving charity.

7. Healthcare

This one pretty much falls under #6 above. If you need any more convincing just imagine going to the DMV for healthcare. Can you imagine “Oh your having a heart attack. Fill out this form, have it notarized, and come back in 3 to 6 weeks”.

8. Abortion

Abortion reminds me of the Old Testament. The only difference is in the names. In the Old Testament they sacrificed children to the false god Moloch. Today these same type of idiots want to sacrifice to the false god of Convenience. It was murder then and it is now.

9. Trade

I would allow fully open trade. If China wants to subsidize our consumers with cheaper products why not. I could get behind some blanket tariffs as a way to get rid of income taxes.

10. Taxes

I would get rid of payroll taxes altogether. I could probably be persuaded to keep the income tax but it would be a flat tax with only a standard deduction. During the transition period as I closed down all welfare payment programs I think I could still give a deduction for charitable giving to make sure that churches and charitable organizations could care for the poor under their care.

Hopefully this helps you to understand how I think. Any comments or questions are welcome.