:: KipperCat :: =^. .^=

:: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 ::

:: posted by JRH ::

Restored rights for felons?

In a post over on Alphecca, among the comments is one by AndyA. suggesting that felons who commited non-violent felonies such as political corruption or financial mismanagement should have their rights restored (so they can vote and own guns among other things). A simple reason comes to mind: The loss of rights is one of the consequences of committing a felony. It is one of the things that sets felonies apart from misdemeanors. In this era of plea bargaining, probation and parole, it is often the only thing.

Labels: Civil Rights, gun control

:: -- JRH 3/25/2009 10:19:00 AM [+] :: (0) comments
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:: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 ::

:: posted by JRH ::

Tomorrow Belongs to Who?

I woke up the other day with a tune from "Cabaret" running through my head: Tomorrow belongs to me". You know the one. Starts out as an ode to springtime, promise and hope and ends as a Nazi marching song with the verse:

O' Fatherland, Fatherland show us the sign,
Your children have waited to see.
The morning will come when the world is mine,
Tomorrow belongs to me

I wondered why that tune was in my head and then I realized I was hearing different words:

And now, a new Leader has given the word,
The world has been wanting to hear,
"We are the change we've been waiting for"
Tomorrow, it seems, is here.

And then I knew why:

A charismatic speaker who attracts throngs of dedicated, even fanatical followers that go away from his speeches enthralled, excited and motivated to follow wherever he leads but not a damn one of them has a clue what he was really talking about doing or how he planned to do it.

The identification of a prosperous segment of society as greedy profiteers and the cause of all of the nations (or even the world's) ills -- ills to be cured by the confiscation and redistribution of the wealth of that segment.

A plan for national recovery and progress that appears to be based on the nationalization of major industries and financial institutions along with the harnessing of individuals into collective actions to achieve goals defined by the government. Individuals must set aside their personal goals as pursuit of personal goals are greedy and selfish (unless the personal goal involves overcoming a perceived hardship inflicted by the greedy profiteers. Then it becomes a national duty to help). H.R 1388, recently passed by the house includes a plan to set up a "volunteer corp" and consider a mandatory service requirement (read more commentary here). It also refers to uniforms to be worn by volunteers and a "National Civilian Security Force". Hmm...will the shirts be brown or black, I wonder?

All of us being told to get out of the way and get in line or get run over...or rounded up. When voluntary (i.e. unpaid) service is mandatory, that used to be called slavery.

I expect a new energy policy that supports railroads for mass transit. I'd think about investing in cattle car futures but I'll probably be riding in one soon enough. Things move faster these days. A lot has changed in 75 years. I wonder what a 21st century Kristallnacht looks like? Do they still make Zyklon B?

Labels: Civil Rights, Politics

:: -- JRH 3/24/2009 01:05:00 AM [+] :: (0) comments
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