All That Is Necessary

Random Snippets Of Insanity

Just some random thoughts on what is going on in the USA today.

1.  We know for certain where there are billions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of natural gas IN the USA, yet we refuse to drill.

2.  We are tens of trillions of dollars in debt yet we are adding trillions to it every year with no end in sight.

3.  Every government program ever started has cost far more than planned and resulted in worse performance than private industry, yet we are about to put 20% of the economy, and our health, under government control.

4.  We know who causes 99% of all terror in the world, yet we refuse to profile.

I think that is enough for right now.  I can only take so much stupidity in a day.

What Is Your Gut Telling You? - And I Ain't Talking About Diet

I could list dozens of headlines from today, yesterday, the day before that, etc., that paint a pretty bleak picture of our reality today economically and socially.  And I mean BLEAK!  From the horrendous economy, to run-away growth in government power and control, the housing crash, islamic terrorism, nations dying economically like Greece........you get the picture.

My gut is telling me this will not end well.  How about yours?  This is not reveling in doom and gloom theories.  This is looking at all that is going on today and thinking about the possible paths the USA and world will take. 

My gut is telling me a lot of voters will demand the government "do something".  Of course, it is the government that caused all this in the first place.  The rise of liberalism to power in the 1960's began the decline of America.  

My gut is telling me that the world will not choose wisely.  Instead of more freedom and liberty, they will choose command and control.

My gut is telling me there are entities out there that are actively seeking our destruction, and have been for decades.  Again, not conspiracy theories, just human nature.

My gut is telling me that as an average Joe, I am not at the top of any pecking order if things go bad.

My gut is telling me I should get better prepared for anything that might come because nobody else will do it for me.

My gut is telling me this didn't have to happen.

My gut is telling me to never forget what the collectivists have done to the USA.

Hope Springs Up In Some Interesting Places

Central and South America are not exactly places I think of when I think of freedom, liberty and the American Dream.  Yet, Costa Rica seems to be one such place.

Costa Rica elects 1st woman president in landslide

"Costa Ricans have elected their first woman president as the ruling party candidate won in a landslide after campaigning to continue free market policies in Central America's most stable nation."

Check out that sentence again.  Do you think it is just a coincidence that Costa Rica follows free market policies AND is the most stable country in Central America?  No, it is not a coincidence. 

".....most Costa Ricans were reluctant to shake up the status quo in a country with relatively high salaries, the longest life expectancy in Latin America, a thriving ecotourism industry and near-universal literacy."

Ya think maybe some other countries in the area might learn something?  Probably not, and that includes the collectivists in the USA.

Well, anyway, it is nice to see free markets getting some use somewhere.  Lord knows we don't have them here anymore.

Socialism Is Quite Popular Among Some People Who Might Call Themselves American (But They're Not)

New Gallup poll came out.  38% of "Americans" have a positive view of socialism (defined as a centrally planned economy in which the government controls all means of production).

I put the word American above in quotation marks because I believe ANYONE who has a favorable opinion of socialism is not an American.  At least not MY America.

The breakdown is as you would expect.  Among democrats 53% like socialism.  Among republicans 17% like it.  I guess that would be the percentage of RINO's in the party.

Look at the poll results for yourself in the link.  It is sad that so many people who live in this country like the failed policies of the continent most of our ancestors left.  They are well on the way to getting their wish unless we stop them this November.

I leave you with this quote from Samuel Adams which I have used before.  It proclaims loudly how I feel about the so-called socialist "Americans".

"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace.  We ask not your counsels or your arms.  Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."

Or, in my owns words:  "Get the Hell out of my country you stinking moochers, looters and crybabies."

Hmmmm.  Samuel Adams does seem to have a better way with words.

Why Has Survivalism Grown So Much?

Over the past couple of years survivalism has resurfaced in the USA in a BIG WAY!  Go on-line and you will be amazed at the number of sites and on-lines stores dedicated to all types of survivalism.  Why is this happening?  And, interestingly, why is it primarily a "right-wing" phenomenon.

It is kind of simple, really.  It is happening because some people have lost faith in the ability of the US government to protect and defend the people of the United States.  We, since I include myself in the survivalism camp, see what is happening with our economy, our Dollar, our taxes, out-of-control and increasing(!) government debt.  We see political correctness crippling our fight against crime and terrorism.  We see the looters demanding more and more from the producers, with government help and encouragement.  We know this will not end well.

So, we are doing what any rational, thinking person would do - preparing for the worst.  It is simple self-preservation.  There is nothing sinister about it.  It is common sense.

Now, as to why survivalists appear to be mainly "right-of-center".  As I have mentioned before liberals are absolutely incapable of reasoning through the consequences of their actions.  If something sounds good or feels good, they do it.  And they do it without any consideration of what will happen because of what they do.  They are worse than children.  Even a young child will learn that fire will burn your finger after the first time.  Liberals never learn.

In a nutshell, that is why survivalism has grown so much, and will continue to grow until a rational person can see a light at the end of the tunnel.  That won't be anytime soon

Brown Vs. Coakley - This Should Be Interesting

Tomorrow could be an interesting day.  Obviously, I am hoping Brown wins by a HUGE margin.  And I am hoping that his victory will be a springboard to a landslide for individualists in November 2010.

There is no doubt there is a lot of anger in this country.  People, of all traits, who play by the rules, are sick of being slammed with crushing taxes and ridiculous government rules and regulations.  The actions of the "Imperial Congress" have made us feel like serfs, not citizens.

So, let's see what happen tomorrow.  Like I said, this could be interesting.

There Are Only Two Types Of People

Let me see if I can get my point across with any amount of clarity.  I believe there are only two types of people in the world. 

The first type is the "collectivist".  Typically these people would be called democrats, liberals, socialists, marxists, communists, etc.  They believe there should be a central form of control over all people. 

The second type is the "individualist".  The people would be libertarian, and to a lesser extent republican or conservative.  This person believes the individual is the ultimate authority over their own existence. 

I am really starting to believe people are born with their brains already wired for collectivism or individualism.  Then you get into the nature versus nurture argument.  I think it is possible that an individualist born into a collectivist family will spout the collectivist line for quite some time, but eventually his/her individualism will "come out of the closet".  Same for the reverse situation.

The problem is that you can guess which type of person gravitates towards working in the government.  (That would be the collectivist.  The individualist is more concerned with creating jobs, providing for his/her family, taking responsibility for their own life.)  These collectivists, that, to their core, believe in the power and purpose of a central government, will then proceed to help enact laws constantly increasing the power of the central government.  (Sound familiar yet?)

The individualist, busily pursuing the dream of improving his own life, and, therefore, the life of his fellow man, doesn't see the danger coming his way.  

We are seeing the consequences of this problem today.

So, I don't believe the divisions in this world should be based on gender, color, geography, religion, etc.  The only division that matters is based on collectivist versus individualist.  Everything else flows from this divide.

If you are an individualist, you are on my side. 

USA Must Curb Debt - Or Else

This headline hints at the troubles ahead due to the spending spree of our government:

Dollar Crisis Looms if US Doesn't Curb Debt: Experts

Here is a bit of the article:

"The United States must soon raise taxes or cut government spending to curb its debt, and failure to act will risk a crippling dollar crisis as investor confidence ebbs, a panel of experts said on Wednesday.

"It has got to be done. It will be done some day. It may be done with enormous pain. Or it may be done more rationally," said Rudolph Penner, a former head of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget office who co-chaired the 24-strong Committee on the Fiscal Future of the United States."

I agree with the experts" on that statement.  However, I disagree with them on the following:

"In the next year or two, large deficits and more borrowing are unavoidable given the severity of the economic downturn. However, action ought to begin soon thereafter," they said.

We cannot borrow our way into a recovery.  It is that simple.  Another drink will not make you less drunk.  Experts never seem to get this point.

In my opinion the political leaders of this country do not have the will or desire to do what is necessary to save our economy, if it is even possible at this point, which I doubt.

Our best hope is that the democrats lose BIG-TIME in the fall of 2010 and 2012, and that the republicans truly have learned their lesson about fiscal austerity.  There will still be pain but we may survive and thrive later on.

People Will Simply Stop Flying

Have you seen the "x-ray" scanners for humans at airports?  Have you seen the detail of your body they give?  Sorry, but I am way past the point where I will fly for anything other than an extreme emergency.  The hassle is not worth it.  I have not flown for about nine years now.  Except for a possible trip to Switzerland in the future I  plan to never fly again.

I imagine a lot of people are getting to the same point.  People are subjected to incredible hassles to get on a flight.  Metal detectors, "naked body" viewings, no water bottles, lotion, shampoos, etc.  And after each successful or unsuccessful muslim attack they ad even more restrictions.

The thing is, none of it does squat!  And we will not do the ONE THING that would work.  Profiling!  Yes, profiling!  It works.  99.99999% of all the attacks that have caused us to spend trillions on fake security and hassled billions of people have been brought to you by middle-eastern muslim men.  Hmmmm.  That might give a person with even a wee bit of intelligence an idea of where to start.  Instead the TSA hassles white, blonde, pregnant women or 80 year people that can barely walk.  It has become a farce.

The public knows it is a farce.  They have been willing to put up with the hassles to this point.  I don't think they will do so much longer.  They will simply stop flying.

By the way, here is what that lovely new scanner will show:

I did not show you the guy picture.  You should thank me for that.  Oh, and if you are a 300-lb. female you will NOT look like the picture above!

Riding Out The Storm

You can be certain a storm is coming.  Or more accurately, there are storms coming.  We have the debt storm, the islamic storm, the Israel/Iran storm, the housing storm, the tax storm, the state bankruptcy storm, as well as the good old mother-nature ice, snow, rain and sleet storms.  Each may hit us by itself or all could hit us at once.

The point is, you need to be ready for ALL OF THEM.  You can always check the sidebar on the left for the survival links at The Survival Blog or The Survivalist Blog.  Both excellent.

You cannot sit back and expect to be taken care of.  That is what has gotten us into this mess in the first place.  So make 2010 the year you declare independence.  The steps are very simple.

!. Never vote for a democrat.

2. Vote for the most libertarian republican in any primary  and then vote republican in any election.  (That is just about all you can do on the "big picture".)

3. Get involved on the local level to reduce government in all forms.

OK, that is enough of that.  As in individual:

4. Get at least a months' worth of food and water to start.  It won't hurt that much if you just add a few extra cans of food each time you shop.  This is the most important step.  If an ice storm or hurricane hits that disrupts transportation you have enough food to allow you to stop, think, and not panic.  Gradually add to you stock.

5. Build up some cash at home.  Not a huge amount!  A few hundred dollars for starters. 

6. Get your prescription medicines filled as often as you can.  Your doctor will easily give you a 90 day prescription.  Refill it as soon as the label allows.

7. Live within your cash flow.  This can be tough if you are hit with unexpected bills, but keep at it.

8. Always keep you car's tank full.  Don't allow it to get below half a tank.  And keep a full five gallon gas can in your shed.  (Just make sure you rotate it by pouring that five gallons into you car every month or so and refilling it.)

That is it for now.  These basic steps will let you have time to analyze any storm that hits rather than having panic set in because you are completely unprepared.  You can build on your "starter" plans over time.  If everyone did this the whole country would be stronger and able to re-build quicker.  It really is that simple.

For more advice, hit the sites I mentioned above.  You will not believe that amount of incredible, FREE advice out there.