Finished Thomas E. Woods Jr’s “Meltdown”, the play by play of financial disaster and political folly in the just passed 2008.  I’ll report on that properly when I’ve got the time.

But, one idea that hit me like a snowball, in what should be the calm, brownish winter of Global Warming -( Not), needs be spoken.

Capital, money, is both a measure of the economy and its crucial, central commodity.  It’s the idea behind the idea of the Munificent Destiny that I’ve stumbled upon and worked for almost 20 years.

In the 1600s, an English day laborer, working liking illegal immigrants outside 7-11 or as Biblical day workers, worked every day he could to earn the money for his wife to make bread the following day.   His life time earnings were less than 100 Lbs Sterling, if I recall rightly.  When that man came to Virginia after time as an indentured servant, a transported criminal after his term (like my ancestor John Bowden), a freed slave or just an individual worth the wages of perilous passage, he could work 15 acres by himself – with his family, and earn 150 Lbs Sterling in one year.  Until the land gave out.  In one year in Virginia,  one man could provide for his family what took his entire life in England.

The effect was mind-boggling freedom.  Unexpected riches beyond the dreams of common folk.  Freedom of opportunity tied directly and inextricably with economic choice.  Right here in Virginia.  Freedom to work hard and earn or not.   For your family or not.

So, here is the epiphany.

Money is today like 15 acres was in the 1600s and 1700s.

Money is a measure of gain.  But, it is also the commodity – like land – that creates wealth.  But, don’t dismiss wealth creates wealth as an aphorism.  It speaks to the harm politicians visit on America – and our Virginia.

It takes money to make money.  Right.  And money can be worked just like the land – although  a lot less sweat is involved, but the same anxiety – to make money.  Gain.

This means we, the People as sovereigns of our governments, should make very sure that capital is taxed only once.  Ever.

And, all that President BHO has done to tax, punish, steal capital from – any business, any sector, any person, any corporation – is fundamentally, completely, morally and fiscally … WRONG.

Now is the time for all good pols to see what they can do to NOT kill capital, but let it grow.

For thee and me, all whom we love, and who call themselves Virginian – or American.

The genius that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr applied in the U.S. Civil Rights movement hit several key points.

• Invoked Natural Law.  MLK invoked the same Natural Law arguments made by the Founding Fathers.   When the legitimate government – all branches – exercise illegitimate power – or, today, unConstitutional power – and immoral power, then legal government is acting illegally.  It is the responsibility of individual men and women to decide to obey or resist.
• Used Non-Violence.   MLK saw the effectiveness of Gandhi’s use of Non-Violence as a tactic with operational – as  motivational – and politically strategic consequences.  In its application, he knew his culture and his neighbors well.  If the Civil Rights protests had used violence, they would have been met with overwhelming violence.  MLK knew how a white minority kept control of a black majority in so many counties across the South throughout slavery and segregation times.   Consider how the ‘hot summers’ of the 60s didn’t happen in the South.   Watts started it off – in Los Angeles – and was followed across the North.   Even the rioting that followed the MLK assassination in 1968 was more limited in the South.  Prudently so for the those days.
• Provoked Over Reaction.  MLK was more in the mode of Christians during the persecutions under Roman Emperor Diocletian than Gandhi.  Because the people watching what was happening were sensitized Western Christians and Jews, not the divided oriental culture kaleidoscope of the Indan sub-continent, the state sponsored violence struck a chord.  It was far from the violence of Diocletian.  It was far from the Czar’s Cossacks riding down protesters.  But, in our place and time for America, it was way too much violence because people wanted to pick their own seat on a bus.  Or sit at a counter for a sandwich.  Or, vote in an election.

We should recall that the Civil Rights movement was called “civil rights”, not “Negro” or “Minority” rights.  This is important, because it points to the sad epilogue of Civil Rights.

Civil Rights were demanded for black Americans to have all the same individual rights as every other American.  That Civil Rights Movement was victorious by 1965.  It took a decade to pull it all together through elections.  But, the Civil Rights struggle was over – and a victory for all Americans.

What followed was fundamentally wrong.   We still suffer as a Nation, and as individuals, because an important, good movement became a bad business, a political special interest serving a constituency kept in servitude, and an arm of the insidious Political Correctness.  But, I’ll list the laments on another day rather than sully the father with the sins of sons.

Speaking of which, this father MLK, shouldn’t be deified by this singular holiday.  We should have a Civil Rights Day – and it should be called Civil Rights Day.  If a single person should be named in national holidays, then such recognition should be given on CHRISTmas Day and George Washington’s Birthday.

Life.

These men are why we have Lee-Jackson Day

It’s Lee-Jackson Day 2010.   Next years starts the 150th anniversary of the War of Northern Aggression.  More attention will  likely come this way on this day.  But, for now it is state holiday in the Commonwealth of Virginia to be ignored for the most part.   And, the only holiday hated and feared by many.

Politicians flee. Liberals disdain.   Bigots bay.  “Presentism”  poltroons pretend to pontificate, but piddle in prevarication.  Self-hating Southerners whine.  The history-challenged, PC-infected, government-school indoctrinated half of our voting population sit in their confused, apathetic, and unengaged stupor.

Then, there is us.  Virginians who honor history.  Virginians, especially including new Virginians, who share a common claim to bequeathed greatness.  We all are adopted heirs of great ideas, great valor and a powerful legacy.  We see virtue in simply being a good Virginian.

Finally, there are we few – a minority – in our home state who share family ties and oral history in a personal connection with the soldiers who served under Lee and Jackson.  We take a unmerited pride in the unearned, accident of our birth that graced us with the genetic material imbedded in our bones, blood, heart and mind from the best of brave soldiers, fierce patriots, and devout Christians.  We yearn to live up to their legacy.

Our Southern soldier ancestors honored Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.   The wives, children, widows, orphans, kin and neighbors of Lee and Jackson’s soldiers knew Lee and Jackson were sterling men.  Among the greatest Virginians who ever lived.  Good Virginians honored great Virginians with this holiday.

My veteran GG-Grandfather Holland’s son named two of his sons – Robert Lee and Thomas Jackson.  The son of a Southern soldier felt compelled to honor his father with names of old commanders in his father’s fight.  So did many others.

Lee and Jackson earned their honors that reach down to my generation and my children’s and their childrens’.  If I live long enough, all my grandchildren grow up knowing why we have pictures of Lee and Jackson in our home.

The first sign of Republican Incumbent Protection (RIP) season, otherwise known as Spring 2010 came early.  In the midst of this serious winter of bruising cold and brutal unemployment, a gay campaign-like flyer was delivered to my “Bowden Household.”  It’s stamped “public document, official business” and “This mailing was prepared, published and mailed at taxpayer expense.” 

This glossy flyer announced that Cong. Rob Wittman (R, 1 CD, VA) was in favor of Motherhood, the flag, and apple pie.  By golly.  The detailed wording indicated he has a ‘prescription’ (catchy, huh?) for health care reform that favors choices, quality, access at rates you can afford and brings down the costs.  Wow.  Where do Virginians find politicians with such bold ideas?

Imagine if our Representative actually listed ways to achieve his Health Care Reform.  Telling the voters ‘how to’ reform.  Specifics.  Instead, he asks Seniors inane, multiple choice questions about how satisfied are you, what is the biggest problem, and do you support cuts to Medicare.  As if the answers provide guidance for any reform. 

Rob’s one policy initiative is to co-sponsor a bill to establish a commission to develop recommendations to reform tax policy and entitlement benefit programs.  Really.  Appoint a committee?  The Democrats are grabbing for more than 1/6^th of the economy and unprecedented, unconstitutional interventions into business, the private lives and personal freedom of Americans with over 2,000 pages of diktats.  So, Republican Rob Wittman is up for appointing a bi-partisan commission to come up with recommendations on what to do someday. 

When?  Two or three years after billions of dollars are taxed out of the economy, millions more jobs are killed, much of the quality and availability of healthcare are diminished?  After the Constitution is totally shredded on the altar of socialist rhetoric, fascist intervention, and democrat demagoguery?  What good will come out of blue ribbon panel of socialist Democrats and statist Republicans?

Will one recommendation be to return healthcare to the states – where it belongs Constitutionally?  Not a chance.

Does Rob not have any idea, whatsoever, to do for healthcare legislation?  Other than “we should be expanding access to healthcare.”  Does that mean more people on federal healthcare programs?  Since he is ‘concerned’ about cuts to Medicare, how does he plan on funding Medicare as it bankrupts the Nation?   Is that up to the commission to figure out, too?

Unbelievable.  These are serious times in Virginia and across America.  It shouldn’t be the silly season for career politicians. 

If Republican Representatives don’t know what to propose as healthcare legislation – or haven’t bothered to get a handful of proposals from sound Conservatives, like the Heritage Foundation – then they should resign.  Now.   Step aside and get a job in the private sector.   Create job opportunities for Constitutional Republicans to replace Establishment Republicans.   

Please quit sending insipid campaign flyers as official business and wasting our taxes on your re-election.

Convert to Christianity for Forgiveness and Redemption

If you want to make Liberals and the LeftMedia go from their usual whining, sniping, snarking to full-throated, barking moonbat crazy, do what Brit Hume did.

Suggest converting to Christianity for one of its many saving graces.  Speak the truth that another religion, Buddhism in this case, doesn’t provide what Christianity does. 

Or, try any of these.

Close prayer “in the name of Jesus.”

Speak any truth of common Christian orthodoxy – God created the universe – there is only one living, true God (manifested in three presentations).  Jesus was born of a virgin.  Jesus lived a sinless life.  Jesus died on the cross for all of our sins.  Jesus  rose from the dead.  Jesus is alive today.  If you believe that He died for your sins and rose from the grave, then you live forever with Him in Heaven.

Say Christianity is better, more wonderful, a great, personal  relationship with God and all other religions are less so – or not at all.

Say Islamic civilization is so backward compared to Western Civilization that Islamic civilizations are barbarian to us.

Say the U.S.A. is the greatest country in the world. 

Say the free market – called capitalism – is the best economic system.

Say the South is wonderful.  That the Confederate soldiers were honorable mean fighting for their just cause. 

Say Liberals are bigots.  Liberals worship the small god of self.  The public trinity of PC idols are race, gender(s) and class. 

Global warming policies are a scam. 

And on and on against any PC speech.

Try it, you’ll like it.

BHO and the Dems did it.

10% unemployment in January 2o10 isn’t George Bush’s fault.  Or the Republicans – except those who voted for any stimulus or bailout nonsense. 

A sound economic policy or a bad one will have an impact in 6 months.   We’ve only had bad ones, stupid socialist ones, so far with President Obama and the Democrat super majority.

They broke the economy.  It’s theirs.   Just like when George Bush broke Hussein’s Iraq, he bought the place.  The broken economy – and it will get worse – belongs to failed socialism.  No matter what you call it.  Or, how the Leftmedia cheers it. 

The cost in human suffering among families where their earners lost jobs and can’t find jobs is real.  The false hope of socialism causes real pain.  The false populism of fascist government intervention in business creates more failure – and payoffs to political cronies.   All this pain and suffering came with the election of a false hope.  A play-acting president who knows nothing about economics.  Whose lack of wisdom and judgment spreads to other areas – like foreign affairs.

What makes it worse, is that only some of the elected Republicans know what to do.   Cut taxes, cut spending, cut regulations, expand energy production.

The Truth will set you free.

Google “The Truth Project.”  Our Bible study is going through the Truth Project.  We had lesson 1 tonight.   Great DVD lecture.  Very engaging – even if you hated school. 

The first lesson answers why Jesus lived here on earth as a human.  Straight from the Bible.  Jesus came to testify to the Truth.  Because God, the Father, is the Truth of the universe. 

The lesson starts the history of humankind in the Garden of Eden.  Lies first contended with Truth for the minds and hearts of men.  The Bible tells the story of men choosing, time and again, lies over the Truth.  The Apostle Paul describes this preference for lies as the way of the world in the first chapter of the Book of Romans.    Men turn from the Truth because they prefer lies. 

One of the biggest lies is that “there is no truth.”

There is truth.  A truth.  The Truth.

Just saying there is a single truth about anything is controversial in America.  I shouldn’t be so.   It didn’t used to be.  And, that’s one of the big challenges for the remaining years of my life.

Virginians, and all Americans, need to state boldly and simply, there is truth.  Engage the critics.  Win the majority of minds.  Change the culture.  Re-shape American Civilization for a  new century.

Just as much of the world is being transformed by the Truth.  Christianity is sweeping across Africa and Asia.  The Protestant Reformation is sweeping across Latin America.   In fact, I read today the assertion that the most influential philosopher in Chinese culture today isn’t Confucious.  It’s John Calvin. 

As it was in the U.S. before 1962.  It’s time to learn the Truth individually.   Live transformed lives.  Share the Truth with others in lovingkindness – yet boldly.  The American generations younger than me will gain much from a more muscular Christianity. 

Seek ye the Truth.

Mythbusters to the Left's Cherished Mythology

Very good book.  Especially if you ever need factoids to arm your arguments.  Analytical, commonsense, rational Americans will love Sowell’s facts and figures.  Professor Sowell is one of the greatest minds of this generation.  Read everything he writes.   

The power of this book is showing how complexity rules.   Or, that complexity, not the devil, governs from the depths of details.  It’s an eye opener on economic myths.  Reminded me of the late Ernest May and Richard Neustadt’s “The Uses of History.”   Great book and one of the best classes I ever took.  

Sowell summarizes the four widespread fallacies as the zero-sum fallacy, the fallacy of composition, the chess-pieces fallacy, and the open-ended fallacy.   

• Zero sum is the assumption that economic transactions are zero sum.  My gain = your loss.  Or, poor people paid for tax cuts for the rich. 
• Composition is the belief that what is true for a part is true for the whole.
• Chess pieces is to imagine theorists can “arrange the different members of society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chess-board.”
• Open-ended is the failure to account that resources are inherently limited and have alternative uses. 

This book isn’t for people who feel rather than think.  Not sure it should be wasted on politicians either.

When humans act like the animals we are.

  

Saw ‘Hotel Rwanda’ tonight.  Superb acting by Don Cheadle.  I wish he would do 3 movies a year – or does he and I’m clueless?  I know I was slow on the uptake on seeing this movie.  I knew the story and thought it would be depressing until I saw end-of-the-decade reviews.  

The thought of genocide is overwhelming.  The realization that it has happened many times during my life and I did nothing,except live my life, is disturbing.  It brings me back to the same mental wrestling with the Vietnam War.   Then came the right and wrong of decisions – drug busts, discipline, AWOLs in the Army.   I came to a resolution.   What made sense – for personal resolution then – makes sense again – but remains troubling for all the tragedy of human suffering – especially children.  

I consider what is happening and realize that it is beyond my control.  I am not in charge.  If I were, I know what I would do.  Just, as I know what I would do today – at any level of power from POTUS to American citizen.  But, I’m not POTUS.  Or anyone advising him.  Or walking across the world stage.  Or, making decisions beyond my own world.  Ah.  That’s the point.  

I can influence only to the reach of my arm.  I couldn’t fix what was what in Vietnam, but volunteered to lead a platoon to do the best I could until I would be killed or wounded – which was the expectation for infantry lieutenants.  When the war was called off due to lack of interest on our side during Winter Ranger, then I applied the same logic to the Army I served in.  I could only enforce integrity, discipline, no drugs, more PT, better training, etc. in the unit I was in charge.   I could make my platoons and company in the 82nd Airborne what I thought they should be.  But, that was it.  I couldn’t control what was beyond my control.  

Fast forward 35 years.  I know what I would do as POTUS.  But, I’m not POTUS.  I see where we are in this 3rd American Civl War – ACW III and WW IV against Islamists.  But, I control only my vote and my blog.  Which is what Don Cheadle portrayed in the movie.  A man did what he could where he was.  Millions died, but one man saved about 1,200 people.   

Two readers, near peers in age, Dry Viking and Citizen Tom commented on my decade by decade review of my new years.  They had much the same sense – and emphasized in their comments how the distance between Right v Left – and apply any labels you like to the sides – split by the Vietnam War has grown and grown.  So much so, that too many angry folks on both sides talk about secession and revolution when they lose a political fight.  That is not good.  

The murderous outrages between Hutu and Tutsi are not unique to Rwanda.  Or Africa.  Or, 1994.   

The bloodiest war in our history was ACW II (1861-1865).  ACW I (1775-1783) had bitter guerilla war in Georgia, South Carolina and upstate New York.  Ugly fighting followed by the mass movement – escape – of the loyalist losers at the end of the war.  James Davidson Hunter’s book , Before the Shooting Starts, outlined the conflicts in our ACW III back in 1990.  No shooting has started – Thank You, Lord – here.   Yet.   

I wonder if Dry Viking and Citizen Tom feel as I do – wishing to be in charge to stop the nonsense with a spoken word.  And, yet, knowing we are only in charge to the reach of our arms, having the urge to participate instead of retiring from life.   Stay involved, with our short reach, in preseving our Republic to save our Commonwealth, Country and Civilization.   Be involved to fight for our freedom to practice our Christian faith – and speak it, too.   

There have been too many Hotel Rwandas in our lifetimes.   We need to protect and preserve – and push into the future – the best of the past – for all that our individual arms can reach.   

So help us, G-d.