RoR: Forum

Ed,

If you don't mind; I'd like to rant a bit about something you touched on in your rant.

I HATE, HATE, HATE, HATE, HATE when politicians use business terms like "revenue" and "invest" to describe taxation and wreckless spending, respectively.

Why do they do this? I have a few ideas:

1. Politicians want the respectability words like "revenue" and "invest" still command. Also, the word "law" is too good, and has too noble a past to be associated with the current dictates of the U.S. government.

2. Politician's want to make the government look like a business. Despite the envy, malice, and hatred many people have of business, I think many people still admire enterprise. In this way, politicians seek to gain the favor of the few who still respect businesses.

3. Politician's want to make the government's activities seem voluntary. Since revenue is associated with businesses trading freely with one another and with the public, the government co-opted the word to disguise the ugliness that is its use of force. For example, see how Progressives appropriated the word "Liberal", when they are anything but.

4. The words sound nicer. "Revenue" and "investment" sound prudent, scrupulous, and noble. While the words taxation and spending sound crude and wasteful.

Sorry for the derail, Ed.

Also, how do you listen to NPR?!!! I used to listen to a pair of radio personalities. One day they commented on the party Barack Obama was having at the White House. They were responding to complaints (from listeners) about the extravagant spending for the party when they said something to this effect: "Hey, it's okay, let's wish him well. He is having a good time on our dime." They were being completely sincere. Talk about the sanction of the victim if they were, in fact, victims.

Post 1

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 - 10:54am

Kyle,

All good points to add here. I don't consider it a "derail" at all.

Also, how do you listen to NPR?!!! I used to listen to a pair of radio personalities.

I used to listen to a pair of radio personalities, too (instead of to NPR). They were libertarian-minded and based in Texas. As of last Friday, they are not on the air anymore, leaving me with NPR only. Curiously, one week before this wildly-popular, libertarian radio show was somehow made to "disappear" -- NPR had started an unexpected (a surprise, "off-season") fund-raising pledge-drive campaign. They don't do pledge drives in December. It got me thinking that something's afoot. Then, all of a sudden, ... bam! ... no libertarian alternative anymore.

I wonder what the sponsors of this now non-existent show would say about it. I wonder if perchance they got phone calls from Uncle Sam strongly suggesting that they stop sponsoring the show ...

Ed

(Edited by Ed Thompson on 12/12, 10:57am)

Post 2

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 - 11:13am

Ed,

If that is true (if Uncle Sam did give them a call), what does this mean for other Libertarian media in the country.

This happened in Texas of all places, after all.

It is a strange sequence of events. A fund-raising drive held before the cancelling of a radio show which held a competing ideology.

Are you suggesting that funds raised during the fund raiser were used as bribes to encourage Washington politicians to "give them a call".

I wouldn't think the politicians in Washington would need the extra incentive to squash the opposition. But, it could happen.

Post 3

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 - 11:22am

This reminds me of the attempted silencing of another "dangerous" radio personality, Rush Limbaugh.

When someone or something is said to be dangerous, I think it is important to ask: dangerous to whom/what, and how.

In an attempt to silence Rush, one person (I don't know who said it first, it was constantly repeated by the parrots) claimed that the airwaves belonged to The Public and, thus, The Public could kick Rush off the air. Now, considering the situation, it doesn't take much thought to determine just who "The Public" is.

I used to work in the "Public Parks", as the name suggests, the parks belong to "The Public" which I take to mean they belong to everyone and no one in particular since everyone and no one in particular has the choice on when to enter the parks or use the property.

(Edited by Kyle Jacob Biodrowski on 12/12, 11:32am)

Post 4

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 - 11:32am

It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.

Oh and I just heard N korea did another misslie test this morning...

Post 5

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 - 11:36am

Jules,

Have you read that book by Andrew Napolitano:

"It is Dangerous to be Right When the Government is Wrong: The Case for Personal Freedom"

It's a very good book which I recommend to everyone who is just starting out on the road to liberty. It is also a great refresher for any freedom-lover.

I don't agree with all of his premises, but he is consistent and very close to offering the best defense of human liberty.

Post 6

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 - 1:49pm

What, wha?! W&J are no more?

Post 7

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 - 5:13pm

Kyle,

It is a strange sequence of events.

I mentioned their temporal sequence not to imply causation, but instead a true correlation (a foreseen new "policy").

Are you suggesting that funds raised during the fund raiser were used as bribes to ...

No, I'm just suggesting tate funds raised during the fund raiser were used to reach out to the millions of listeners who had just lost their favorite radio show.

This reminds me of the attempted silencing of another "dangerous" radio personality, Rush Limbaugh.

Yes, I remember that time, that one brief time in history where there was political pressure against RL's sponsors.

:-)

Seriously, though, I remember the topic -- the interest in implementing censorship in America -- coming up on the floor of Congress, specifically citing Rush Limbaugh. That means that somewhere in the halls of ye' ole' Library of Congress, you can pick up an issue or volume and turn to a page containing Rush's name -- which is kinda' cool in a certain wacky way. I'm not sure I would want my name printed on those pages!

Jules,

It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.

Oh and I just heard N korea did another misslie test this morning...

Indeed. I hope against hope that there isn't a sequel fit to be called: Too Fast, Too Furious (where millions in US assault/heavy weaponry finds it way into the hands of potential enemies of this country).

Deanna,

I remember now, they serviced Louisiana as well Texas. They will be sorely missed. Heh, they always joked with the authoritarian socialists of America (what I will hereby call: the AS of A):

We will stop talking bad about you if you just "cut us in!"

Maybe they were bought off (assuming they were serious). Maybe they got a deal that they just could not bring themselves to refuse. I still miss them dearly. In the short time I was exposed to their audible confabulations, they had already grown on me. There is something about shamelessness, it is appealing to witness someone without shame -- someone with nearly-absolute moral rectitude.

Ed

Post 8

Thursday, December 13, 2012 - 7:55am

Ed,

I tuned in to Bayou 95.7 this morning and Mr. Kenneth was jabbering away. Apparently, W&J will continue in New Orleans. You can stream them, you know?

http://www.bayou957.com/Another-reason-New-Orleans-is-better-than-Houston/11375694?pid=283455

Post 9

Thursday, December 13, 2012 - 8:11am

YaY! Something to listen to that wont rot my skull! Good galt the only thing that sucks worse than being on nightshift, is having nothing to listen to other than Coast to Coast AM. Sometimes he has good guests but mannnn the PEOPLE that call in!! Well it is good for a laugh or two however it gets prettty olddddddd.

Post 10

Friday, December 14, 2012 - 5:43am