The Government That Governs in Balance Governs Best

Interesting post, Jay. The classic argument of small government vs. large government, and central power vs. states’ rights is one of the arguments that has shaped our nation. Now, since you have approached this from the economic libertarian/local autonomy viewpoint, let me take this one on from a socialist viewpoint.

First and foremost, I feel that traditional arguments are not accurate. Jey, you yourself exposed one of the great hypocrisies of the small government movement, namely, a small government endorsed by libertarians would have no say over issues like gay marriage, abortion, stem cell research or other things that “small-government” conservatives wish to control. It takes a big government to regulate these sorts of things. Thank you for taking the intellectual high-road and acknowledging states’ rights over abortion, rather than calling for a national ban.

Conversely, traditional champions of big government want it to avoid issues like national security, personal morality and other things, despite giving it the resources to deal with them. In my mind, both ideologies are touted, but neither is strongly followed in America.

I stand apart from both extremes, and I do not hoist up the banner of either large government or small government. Both have legitimate points in certain instances. For example, large government can be an excellent force for bringing about civil rights and mobilizing resources, as was evidenced during the New Deal. Simultaneously, Reagan-esque small government reinvigorated America by trimming back on the burgeoning mass that was the Great Society.

So, where is the appropriate balance? Small-government concepts like “liberty until proven otherwise” and rational spending have to be adopted. Without critical checks like a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget, reforms to make earmark sponsorship public and a line item veto, it is not possible to have clean government. I applaud welfare reform and other legislation that emphasizes that citizens must be working and contributing positively to society in order to reap its benefits. It is on these grounds that I like fiscal conservatives. At the very least, they recognize the basic notion of fiscal responsibility, i.e. don’t spend more than you make, and ensure that money spent is spent wisely.

That being said, I do not consider myself a fiscal conservative. I consider myself a fiscally-responsible leftist. Although I argue for spending controls, and like any other taxpayer want to see my money spent wisely or not at all, I also want to see my government grow bigger and obtain more resources. I fully support measures to institute a national maximum wage, mandatory cooperatives in place of capitalist enterprises (a.k.a. all businesses owned equally by the employees) and other really leftist economic ideas. Bottom line: I’m not a capitalist. Hence, for me to call myself a small-government advocate would be ridiculous. Still, I believe in rational spending.

Socialists are not all pro-choice, pro-affirmative action, dovish, pro-Soviet loonies. Some of us really are mainstream with most issues; we just have serious problems with capitalism. Socialism isn’t some crazy left-field group of Ned Lamont fans. It’s an economic, political and social ideal. We believe that every person should have the same basic rights, the same basic economic opportunities and inclusion into society. We also believe that government needs to be a force for good. Is that really so off the beaten path?

Mark Twain, Susan B. Anthony and Jack London were all American socialists. Socialist International, the world’s largest political organization, is a collection of political parties that feel that socialism is an acceptable alternative to capitalism. Among other parties, it represents majority parties like Tony Blair’s Labor Party in Great Britain, the Spanish Socialist Worker’s Party, the Portuguese Socialist Party, the African National Congress (Nelson Mandela’s South African party), the Socialist Party of Chile and the National Democratic Party (Egypt). It also represents the main opposition parties in Greece, France, Israel and other countries.

Why am I talking so much about socialism in a post about small government versus big government? Simply put, I feel that socialism is the marriage of the best parts of both concepts, when properly carried out. Admittedly, the left in America is notoriously irresponsible, fiscally-speaking. In other nations, however, it is the left and socialists who have built healthy economies by cutting out waste and corruption. With correct balance, socialism can bring the fiscal responsibility so badly needed, and so strongly advocated for by conservatives, while still strengthening healthcare, education, the environment, workers’ rights, personal liberties, income equality, clean government, social inclusion and labor standards.

Without a strong socialist movement in America, that draws its roots from people like Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Eugene V. Debs, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Mahatma Gandhi, Mikhail Gorbachev and Nelson Mandela, rather than Stalin, Lenin and Castro, I think Americans will be sorely disappointed in their search for government big enough to help them and government small enough to earn credibility. With a strong socialist movement in America, it just might be possible to see Roosevelt-Reaganism come to life.

Open Letter to Senator Lieberman From Hillarynow.com

Matt recently met Mr. Bob Kunst, head of Hillarynow.com, a political advocacy group supporting Hillary Clinton for president in 2008. Following Senator Joe Lieberman’s primary loss on Tuesday, Mr. Kunst sent the following letter to both the Senator and Blue State Observer.

Dear Joe Lieberman:

I was at your headquarters on Tues. in Hartford and did 25 media interviews as Pres. of Hillarynow.com, which has gone to 136 cities, done 842 news interviews and 4 t.v. ads for Hillary Clinton in ‘08.
With bad advice, Hillary ‘had’ to endorse Lamont, which may cost her dearly, but that too may change based on new info, and the new crisis taking place by the hour.
However, we at Hillarynow.com are supporting you in the general election, and we have no conflict in this issue.

While I was watching the returns, Mr. Lamont made a critical statement in his acceptance speech, which I feel his is ‘Waterloo’, and that of the Democratic Party’s. He said: “I don’t fear ‘negotiating’… with the terrorists. I was shocked at the stupidity of this statement, and all who are embracing Lamont, may soon regret it.
I knew at that moment, that his campaign was doomed, and then yesterday, with the “Big One” terror threat to take down 10 planes from England to the U.S., temporarily averted and 24 captured, with perhaps another 25 still out there still free….. you were quoted in today’s Atlanta Journal- Constitution from A.P.: “This should serve as the latest, most serious evidence that we are in a war against a brutal enemy that intends to attack us over and over again in the most indiscriminate way.” Mr. Lamont was ignored.
Sen. Reid echoed the Left’s takeover of the Dems. by blaming Bush for Iraq as the ‘rallying cry for international terrorists’, and Sen. Kerry: “This exposes the misleading myth that we are fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them here.”

Of course all of this ignores the fact that Israel, which bought the ‘land for peace’ negotiating insanity of the very forces behind Lamont, have paid in blood for the wars they got instead, both in Lebanon and Gaza, not to mention the anti-semitism and anti-Israel, and pro-Hezbollah and pro-Hamas aspects to the Lamont campaign, festering throughout the Democratic Party to their own demise.

If G-d forbid Israel didn’t exist, and we were out of Iraq, would that stop these maniacs? Only a fool in denial, would agree that America and the West would be any safer or any better than now.
I know because I get the same hate letters you got for the war, directed at Hillary, as Hillary has also supported the war, and I got that hate mail as well and will send you some examples. Also we have been attacked for supporting you.

The point of all of this is that when one talks of ‘negotiating with terorrists’ who are determined to kill you, the ‘peace’ forces actually become the ‘more war’ forces, since the Islamic Nazis see any talk or giving up of territory as ‘weakness’, and when you give them an inch, they take an arm. They are committed to death, while we are committed to life. Two totally separate forces, and we can’t negotiate with those killers, and their religious jihad, and global Muslim mania to take over the planet, and return Allah, which means going for Armageddon.

The Democrats haven’t a clue. Israel knows better than anyone that “From Hitler to Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, Iran…that the Holocaust continues” and it’s very life is at stake now and why it must fight back. America is still ‘going shopping’ ,a la Bush two weeks after 9/11, and barely understands this conflict.
You and Hillary needs to ask all Americans to sacrifice in this War against Islamic Nazis, and to educate the nation and world at what is really at stake in all of this.

I’ve seen ‘millions’ literally in the last 3 years of activism on behalf of Hillary and know without question, even before yesterday’s ‘event’ ,that the #1 issue is: National security and defense and an offensive attack upon Islamic Nazis terrorists to get them before they get us.

I’ve written it 303 times already, and the Dems. refuse to deal with this issue on everybody’s mind.
While the Dems. hide from this issue and by default give it back to Bush, he too is remiss on this, while talking a big line regarding it.

For example, only a ‘unity’ nation can really defeat the Islamic Nazis, but Bush on 10 occassions, via “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell” anti-gay ‘politics’, has now dismissed the 10th Arab interpreter, we desperately need, because that person was gay. Instead of this dangerous emergency being addressed by everyone to stop the potential crisis we all face, Bush pursues more gay-bashing and sexual profiling as his priority.

Instead of all of our limited police and resources devoted to going after these mass murderers, we have too many worried about who’s having sex in the bushes, prostitution and getting high.

All of this the usual politics to cater to the Republican Right Wing, so totally at fault at polarizing the nation on these issues, while many are on target regarding the Islamic Nazis.

Isn’t this too much on how the roles have switched?

Even if one hates gays, to take these professionals out of the picture only endangers the rest of us and I’m sending you an e-mail on this to take to task Bush just on this matter, that is not only wrong, but hurting the whole effort to stop these Islamic Nazi fanatics.

You need to use this in your campaign of enlightenment for us all. Bush must stop this terrorism against American gays if we are to defeat the real enemy out there, and only a unified country can do it.
While Lamont wants to ‘negotiate’, let’s open a real issue here and real debate on Iraq.

For years the Dems. have focused on Bush being wrong, and ignoring what to do now that we are there, but to ‘cut and run.’

At first Bush takes out Saddam Hussein, a Sunni dictator, and in the worst of politics, has now replaced him with Al Maliki, a Shiite dictator, in bed with the religious fanatic, Sadr, in Iraq and the “Little Hitler” in Iran, also Shiites.

This gang has fostered the civil war in Iraq, and threats to Israel’s survival, and is supplying missiles etc. to Hezbollah via Iraq and Syria, and also with Hamas, with Al Qaeda also a factor, in the global terrorism attacks.
None of this is part of the debate that if we leave Iraq and give the victory to Iran, plus the oil, that this would be a global monopoly to Iran to blackmail the whole world’s economy….and then to escalate Israel’s destruction, and that ONLY means coming after the U.S. and the rest of the West.

We are in WWIII and in such denial of it, while the Islamic Nazis are very clear about our collective decodence and unwillingness to fight them back, but on a very limited and ‘political’ level. Israel, on the other hand, does it differently and it’s costly both in public opinion and in Israeli lives, and others as well. Israel has no choice, and we must back Israel’s effort that is taking the brunt in this WWIII, on behalf of all of us.
In reality, neither do we have a choice, except that we have the ‘appeasers’ in the Dem. Party giving the enemy solace and purpose, and once they are through using the ‘peace movement’, those that helped them will be next, as it was in the Holocaust in WWII.

Assimilating with the enemy might buy some time, but in the end, we are all ‘infidels.’

I enclose an article regarding the Aug. 22., date below in which a major horror may take place, and yesterday’s airplane scenario, that were avoided, might be a prelude to more awful things to come.
I urge you to read this and understand its meaning and expose it fully. We have to understand what is at stake here.

With the Dems. blaming everything on the U.S. and Israel and ignoring these Islamic Nazis, the public at large will NOT trust the Democrats with the reigns of power in these very dangerous moments.

Therefore I see your campaign, and even Hillary’s, as one of “Unconditional Surrender” of these terrorists, versus the Ayatollah Lamont approach of “Negotiating a surrender to the terrorists”, which will never fly to any thinking person, regardless of party affiliation.

I am proud that you as a Jew,and person of conscience, went South by bus, to open our country against the racists, KKK and Nazis here at home, as Jews also gave their lives in this civil rights struggle.

Yet, African-American, Rep. Maxine Waters, couldn’t even vote against Hezbollah, and then we have Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and others in there for Lamont, who is more Republican and not historically involved with this movement. In fact, this anti-Israel force is taking on the racist energy of the Nation of Islam and sees the Middle East conflict as Jews being white and Arabs being dark and therefore needing to be supported by the blacks.

A ‘right vs. wrong’ picture here is totally dismissed, let alone a vengence against you because you didn’t support a ‘quota’ system for ‘affirmative action.’

On the other hand, voters in Ga., threw out an anti-semitic, anti-Israel, Rep. Cynthia McKinney, who is black, on the same day that you lost the Dem. primary. Perhaps Ga., is far more ahead of Conn..

I am convinced that the extreme Left takeover of the Dem. party by Lamont, etc. will backfire, and that you in this 3rd party effort will prevail and possibly set the tone nationally for this 3rd effort, and why you have been shunned.

But you must distinguish between yourself as the ‘patriot’ and demand ‘unconditional surrender’ as we did with the Germans and the Japanese in WWII, while Ayatollah Lamont’, the ‘appeaser’,is willing to ‘negotiate surrender’ to the Islamic Nazis, that will only mean more war for all Americans and all the West and all Israelis and all who are ‘infidels’, which means, NOT Islamic Nazis.

This in effect is the campaign for all candidates in all parties given what is going on.

Joe, in driving South from your event, I did another 9 media for Hillary’s ‘bust’ showing in NY’s “Museum of Sex” on Aug. 9, with my sign: “Seek Abundance-Hillary ‘08-and Win-Hillarynow.com” and while we believe in her, she too makes mistakes, and we know the anti-war gang will never support her, no matter what, anymore than they would you and with as much venom.

In driving South, I listened to all the ‘talk shows’ on radio, and KNOW without question, that the public is never going to support Democrats who are soft on terrorists and the Islamic Nazis.

In fact one caller to a show in N.C., recommended the “Pork Bomb”, to pour pork oil on all of these Islamic Nazis, who won’t be pure any longer, in their attempts for 72 virgins for every Jew and Gentile and ‘infidel’ they kill.

The grassroots knows, and even the host on this show was openly critical of Bush and his ‘politics’ regarding Iraq and not really fighting this war either. Both Dems. and GOP were roundly criticized and it was refreshing to hear and gave me hope.

You’ve fired your staff. Hire us to help you. We know the formulae, and we are activists on behalf of our beloved country, not the party, which just doesn’t get it. When Dems. purge anyone in the party who doesn’t share their version of this ‘political correctness’, that will only produce more war, and more violence, they are as guilty as the Republicans playing their ‘loyalty’ games. When Dems. retreat to the passifist mentaltiy that prevails, as well as to those who actually support both Israel and the U.S. losing and being attacked, this party had better get a massive wake up call, and why your campaign and victory in November is critical for the nation and this party.

The point is that the Dems. and so many Americans don’t recognize this as a war, while the terrorists do.
The fact that I heard on 4 occassions yesterday,in 4 differenct cities, that they believe that what happened yesterday regarding sabotaging the planes, was set up by Bush to help you and defeat Lamont, should best illustrate the insanity behind the Lamont campaign.

But then 25% of the public believes that Bush also did 9/11.

All wars cost casualties, and Israel isn’t purposely targeting them while Hezbollah cowardly hides behind civilians to attack innocents in Israel, as much as those who wanted to take down 10 planes, with a potential of many thousands of innocent men, women and children, to also be killed, for their’ politics’.

I believe if you focus from these aspects, you will have the respect and support of folks from all parties to come back to support you in November and beyond. Let us help you.

We have already established an Independent Democrats of Fla., (IDF) for the last several years that is registered with the Sec. of State in Fla..

Again, this isn’t about you, but about saving America and Israel and the West, and our freedoms, with yourself as the vehicle of truth about all of this.

Our campaign for Hillary is: “It’s about U.S.” ….with Hillary the vehicle.

The debate on Iraq is so limited and you need to be the ‘teacher’ on what is at stake now in the ‘Big Picture.’
“Is Lamont willing to leave Iraq and give over Iraq and its oil to Iran, bent on destroying Israel and the U.S.?”
THIS IS THE ISSUE!

America will NEVER allow this to happen, and will never put the Dems. in charge, if this is their agenda, which is Ayatollah Lamont’s agenda, and the Left’s who purposely can’t see the forest for the trees.
We’re hoping that Hillary will soon see the light on this as well, and let Lamont hang on his own.

Yours Faithfully in Shalom,
Bob Kunst
Pres., hillarynow.com

Less government is BETTER Government

To quote the great Ronald Reagan: “Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.”

Matt wrote a nice post about his anger, and perhaps the anger of Americans, at the electoral process. I can definitely see that the American people are fed up. They are fed up with the electoral process in general but, I think that they are EVEN MORE tired of big government policies in Washington. Our national budget is at 2.3 trillion dollars. That budget is basically tended to by the President’s Administration and the congress. Do you think, does anybody think, that the congress can actually effectively look after and run the programs under this HUGE budget? My answer is positively NO! Our government has ballooned to the point where it is no longer effective, where the people are constantly short changed by spending plans that don’t work and, are shelling money out of their own pockets to support failed government programs. What could solve this problem??? Reduce and cut spending. Reduce and cut taxes. Pure and simple, that is how one achieves a smaller more efficient government. The more money Americans shell into this Big Federal Government, certain to increase if the socialists gain power in 06, the more American money will go towards a failed federal government system. I am reminded of the saying “politics is local”. The United States must focus on giving more power to the people via states rights not via more federal government programs. Elected officials at the state, county, and town level know the needs of their citizens best so, LET THEM HAVE THE MAJORITY OF THE POWER-NOT THE FEDS!!!

Recently, I watched bits and pieces of the Libertarian National convention. One of their speakers highlighted beautifully why voter registration is DOWN in the U.S. and Europe. People just don’t see the federal government, and government in general, as being the best vehicle at achieving their goals in society. While voter attendance is down and party registration is down, membership in private organizations geared towards the common good is skyrocketing- at least in Europe. People may not be voting, but they are certainly getting involved in their communities in the most efficient and beneficial way they see fit- private organizations. People are smart. They realize that no matter whom they elect in November, the federal government is still going to get bigger and the programs “guaranteed” under this government are STILL going to get worse and worse. Less people are voting today because fewer people see government as having any positive influence on the issues they care about. Fewer people see government as the answer to their problems. More people see their time, effort, and money better invested in non profit organizations rather than Washington.

Where are the grassroots movements? The grassroots movements AREN’T being carried out on a national scale through politics. They are being waged at the community level. They are being carried out at the state level. They are being enabled, not by federal government or even state government, but rather through private organizations and community officials. Where are the national referendums??? A NATIONAL REFERENDUM WOULD BE THE WORST WASTE OF TIME SINCE HOWARD DEAN. One would have a better result entrusting more power to the states. Give the states and communities (the people that can actually have a positive impact on average Americans) more power and you will see the people with more power. A national referendum is not needed.

Personally, even I see a need for the federal government to gain power in certain instances. The Patriot act was and is a GREAT idea. American government needs to continue to ensure a safe and protected homeland- president Bush’s wire tapping was a GREAT thing. Roe V. Wade should be overturned (what liberals will NOT tell you is that after this happens, the STATES will VOTE ON ABORTION INDIVIDUALLY). While in the cases above, the feds should have more power, fiscally and on most other issues, the state is a ballooned, failed mass of bureaucratic scum who’s only accomplishment is costing the American public more and more money every year…..

“All great change in America begins at the dinner table.”

Wikipedia Page

Hey it’s Kevin again, and I have some good news. BSO is going to get it’s own Wikipedia page and it needs your (our writers) help. So go here and help us build our page.

A few ground rules:

1. No blantant self-promotion. It’s against Wikipedia’s policy and we could very well get pulled

2. Only relevant info. No random tidbits and irrelevant stories about your great-aunt’s first birthday. No one cares, seriously.

3. Use proper Wiki markup. Otherwise the page is malformed.

4. Maintain a neutral point of view please.

5. I included a “writers” and “editors” section, where the writers can post a brief summary of themselves and their views. . If you do add yourself, please add yourself under the approriate section. Use your name the way it shows up in the author’s roll on the homepage.

There I’m done. Happy Editing!