Riding Around in a Drunk Man's Car

Secession fever has apparently hit Texas! 

  Bumper stickers like the one above are actually showing up in impressive numbers.  This one is courtesy of TexasSecede.Org.  I was reading this story and the comments on MSN.com.  It had been linked to Drudge Report, but also had MSNBC followers reading it, too.  So you had two distinct groups writing comments; one of which was amusing to read.  Those not in favor of the idea were writing some of the most unintentionally humorous stuff I'd read in a long time.  Here's a comment that kinda summed up the liberal viewpoint:
  "If Texas secedes from the US, then Texas must shoulder for itself the responsibilities of all of the US Government Agencies on which it now relies. Perhaps they should appoint a Texan who can read to check into what it will cost the citizens of Texas to replace the services those agencies provide, such as the FDA, USDA, Army Corps of Engineers, National Guard, to name a very few of very many."
You just can't make this stuff up.  So many of these agencies are overstaffed, overpowered, agenda-driven, and cost way too much.  It's one of the main reasons that secession is such a great idea.  Sure, some of the things these agencies do are necessary.  But much or all of each one of them should be eliminated.  You ask how secession would be paid for...well here's your biggest starting point.
  With this said, let me ask you a question.  Would you like to be forced to ride around in a drunk man's car?  If you're sane, you wouldn't.  Well, that is a good analogy of what it's like for a responsible person to be forced to submit and live your life in the failed and dangerous world of liberalism and big government.  You know the big crash is coming; just not sure when.  It's mindless to just keep waiting for that moment to happen when there's a chance to get out of that car.  Secession is that chance to say "I don't want to jump off the cliff with the other lemmings."  I promise you that secession can and will work.  And all those things that are wrong with America CAN be fixed!  If you think the US government is leading us into eventual financial and moral armageddon (which they are), this is now the only way out.  If you're tired of your values and your religion and your hard-earned savings being attacked, this may very well be the only way.  If you're afraid your children and grandchildren won't have the opportunity you did, this may be the only way. If you're tired of your tax money going to parasites and an out-of-control government, this may be the only way.  If you think the media is against you at every turn, this may be the only way.  If you really want things fixed, and get liberals out of your hair once and for all, this may be the only way.
  So, as an average person like yourself that truly cares for everything decent and right, and wishes to preserve it, I am BEGGING you to open your eyes to the consideration of secession!  Forget the strategy and discussion for a moment.  What I can promise you is what you see in California, Illinois, and Detroit will happen in Oklahoma and Texas, too.  Liberalism is plague to all man; and it spreads easily among the weakest of our citizens.  I don't know how long the window of opportunity will last, but I know the longer we wait, the deeper the hole we must dig ourselves out from. 
Take care,
Marcus

To Blog or Not To Blog

   It is obviously apparent that just because you have a blog, it doesn't mean anyone will read it.  And this one definitely isn't being read much at this time.  That's okay, though.  I'm not doing it for personal attention, and I may not be ready to aggressively publish the blog, anyway.  You see, I really am just an ordinary guy, and hold no illusions that the thoughts in my head are special or more interesting than what others say.  I don't even know a single politician.  This is more an exercise in organizing my beliefs and learning how to write properly.  If you are reading this, please understand the only agenda I have is finding a way to preserve what is or once was right with this country.  I really love America, and I want my daughter to grow up with the same freedoms I have taken for granted since childhood.  That's about it...nothing else. 

Why Conservatism Didn't Sell in 2012

Note:  Not every post will be directly related to secession.  Sometimes it's helpful to discuss what got us into this situation in the first place.  On occasion, I may focus on another of my passions.  Finally, there will be times I just don't wish to be serious.  Today, I want to talk about the latest elections...so bear with me.

  In the months leading to the November 6th elections, it was obvious there was lacking a certain enthusiasm on the Republican side of the aisle. Notice I did NOT say the conservative side; I said Republican. Oh, there were some high points; but mostly the message getting out wasn't exactly going to rally the troops. Repblicans didn't win out because conservatism wasn't explained and articulated properly. Let's start with Mitt Romney; the prospective leader of the party.
  Governor Romney never was and never will be a true conservative. Do not get me wrong...on a personal level, he is a fine man. There is no question about that. But you don't become governor of Massachusetts by having a conservative streak. Looking back, he was nearly the worst candidate possible at this time to wrest the presidency from Obama. He got the republican nomination because he wanted desperately to be president. It would be a crowning personal and family achievement. He was well organized in the primaries, well funded, and he knew how to work the system to his benefit. Plus, he knew how to go for the jugular when in a tight race with republicans. That was because his opponents were not going to aggressively challenge him on his personal wealth or business background. Romney also avoided any scandal or unforgiveable misstep. But the causes for his success in the nomination did not serve him well in the general election.
  If you weren't in a swing state, you really didn't see much of Mitt Romney. He got about two minutes on the evening news; but wasn't really ever presented in a positive way. The aggressive Romney in the primaries turned into the passive Romney against Obama. He wanted to stay above the fray; and not get into any discussion about what he was going to do specifically. The only thing we knew is that he would sign a law that ended Obamacare before it could get off the ground. I keep wondering if this was his idea; or that of his campaign staff. I'll never know for sure, but observation suggests it was some of both. Governor Romney to me here in Oklahoma was asking for my vote simply because he wasn't Obama. There wasn't a whole lot else being said.
  You see, you cannot just say you're going to cut taxes and spending. You have to say why you need to and provide details of how you're going to do it. You have to present a picture of what things will look like if it is not done, and one of what it will be if it is. And you gotta really believe it and be passionate about it. That's what I didn't hear and see. The conservative message of limited government and taxes will win every time if you have the right person saying it. He or she has to be articulate to be sure. But more important, you need to be passionate in your conservative beliefs; and not afraid to say something that will be chastised by liberals or the media. They're going to try to crusify you no matter what you say. Just the fact that you're not a liberal democrat will be all the justification they need. When the 47% comment Romeny said in a speech to donors came out, it was a golden opportunity for him to strongly explain exactly what he meant; and why an entitlement culture is so destructive to our country and to individuals and families. No...he just ignored it and hoped it would blow away in time.
  When the democrats attacked him with accusations he didn't pay any taxes in the past 10 years; he should have immediately confronted the lie and turned it around on them. Andrew Breitbart (rest his soul) made a career out of turning around an accusation into an opportunity to embarrass his accuser. Exposing democrats as liars would have been more beneficial than hiding his tax information. Romney paid a relatively low effective rate on his taxes because they were on investment incomes rather than income from employment. Plus, he donated a lot of money to charities. Then...and this is a big one...why on earth didn't Romney say he would release his taxes one hour after Obama released his college records? That opens the door to suggest Obama has something to hide. Romney had to know that Obama has something huge in those records that he doesn't want people to know about. He could have just implied that there was possible fraud; which there very well may be. I guarantee this is what the democrats would have done. Romney wanted to play a gentleman's game; and if he had passions, he wasn't going to show them. At least not until the debates. Mitt Romney could have finished off Obama if he had stayed as aggressive in the second and third debate as he did in the first. But he chose to play it safe and likeable. It was astonishing to watch.
  I think Governor Romney was also afraid to truly confront Obama. There were just lines he wasn't willing to cross.  Was it Obama’s likeability or ethnic makeup?  Probably both.  I find it amazing that so many people really like Obama.  He’s conducted some of the most underhanded schemes ever imagined in politics.  He leads a party inherently corrupt, and his campaign was filled with lies and scams.  But they still like him.  I could write about this for a week, and I still wouldn’t understand it.  You’ve got to believe there is some truth that the belief in liberty and freedom has been overrun by entitlements and a false sense of security.  It's sad to watch, but doing nothing will only make the inevitable worse.
Take care.
Marcus

Back on the Air

  Wow...it has been a long time since I last posted.  Over three years, to be exact.  So much has happened since then; and hopefully I've learned a little on the way.  I think I should be forthcoming on why I quit posting.  My wife and some friends were concerned that in this hostile political climate; I could be punished for even discussing the possibility of secession.  So I stopped.  It might be worth noting here that since then, I've been audited twice by the IRS.  This had not happened in my entire life; as I am not a person that looks suspicious on paper.  My salary and deductions would never raise a red flag.  But facts are facts.  Then my worst fears were realized; and my mother was diagnosed with dementia in early 2010.  I have no siblings; and my father had already passed several years ago; so it fell largely on me to take care of her.  This was a life-changing event for me; and I may have finally faced up to the reality that at some points in your life; you must put aside your own plans for a period of time and dedicate yourself to someone else.  Her dementia was rapid onset; and she went downhill fast...passing away in late 2010.  It was my trial by fire, and it didn't kill me.  So I hope I am stronger for it.  Finally, the outcome of the 2010 elections gave me some hope for the future; although it was short lived.  Reality came crashing down on November 6th, 2012.
  In the past week, secession has been discussed more than any time I can recall.  Before, I simply wished to discuss the possibilities; but wasn't advocating it.  Things are different now.  I can discuss values and morality some other day.  But at the moment, I'm focused on economic realities.  Unfortunately, we're now in such a downward spiral due to the national debt that the chance of avoiding financial collapse is impossible.  We as a nation lack the fortitude to reverse our course; and our politicians seem more than willing to let us fall off the cliff.  We can't save the whole nation...it is obvious they way the populous voted in the 2012 elections.  They're just too ignorant, or too brainwashed, or don't care, or see this collapse as an opportunity.  The latter would be the political elites who are following the Saul Alinski playbook and believe collapse is their chance to introduce true marxism to the nation.  If you find that impossible to believe, then please quit reading my blog.  You're one of the ones that refuse to get your head out of the sand. 
  So my future posts will not only be discussing the ramifications of secession, they will also be addressing how to make it happen.  I surely wish there was someone smarter than me that could lay out another possibility to save this nation.  Trust me, there's plenty of smarter people.  But so far, I don't see that happening.
Take care.
Marcus

Been Gone a While

Once I began writing this blog, I started thinking about the reality of secession and the possible outcomes of attempting it. Would the citizens of Oklahoma support such a thing? Just as I was completing my sixth post, a survey was released to the media. It basically said that only 20% of Texans would support secession in their state. My guess is the number wouldn't be much higher for the citizens of Oklahoma. It sunk in that things are going to have to get a lot worse for people here before they would look at secession as a legitimate solution to the country's problems.
I'm a proactive person, and I would like to see: 1. The citizens of this country come to their senses and realize what a mistake it is to allow the liberal democrats to run our federal government; or 2. If that can't be achieved, then leave the union before things totally break down. To be honest, secession means leaving the United States of America; which I've loved all my life. Is it unpatriotic to leave this country; even if doing so means creating a new healthy union? What happens when you declare your sovereignty? There may be a great deal of bloodshed and I don't know if I have the stomach to say the ends justifies the means. I know I don't want my own family to suffer horribly, so what gives me the right to ask others to risk the same?
So the question remaining is this...can secession be done peacefully? If so, how? Before these questions are answered, one must look at the similarities and differences of today and 1861. First of all, I don't sympathize with the Confederate States of America; nor do I share their convictions. I am simply looking at the secession process they undertook, and what could have led to a different outcome. Here's a few observations:
-Southern states in 1861 did not secede due to a moral conviction or a belief that the United States was headed for economic ruin. They did it to preserve a way of life that was seen by many in the northeast and west as immoral and unconscionable. In the present day, I could easily frame secession as a way to preserve not only what is right about America, but also to preserve our economic strength and viability. Were secession possible, it isn't hard to imagine that once on our feet we would trounce the old USA in economic performance. Liberals and bureaucrats, left to their own ambitions and without a viable conservative opposition would turn the country into something that resembles California. And California is a mess approaching a tragedy that won't get any better unless the liberals and their insane policies and regulations are thrown out.
-Lincoln was a strong president and was willing to do whatever it took to preserve the union. Today, Obama is weak by any comparison. Like Jimmy Carter, he simply doesn't have the stomach to make hard choices or shed blood. It's not that he is led by a moral conviction. Rather, he would be too paralyzed by fear and indecision; much like George McClellan was in the civil war. Had he been president, I think their would have been a totally different outcome in the war between the states.
-Today, we have examples of how a country can peacefully break up if enough of the people in a region strongly support it. Latvia, Estonia and the Ukraine all offer examples of how to peacefully secede from another country (I know there's problems with this comparison).
Until worse things happen economically, I don't think enough people in Oklahoma or Texas will support leaving the union. I do believe that the policies and spending Obama has set in place will eventually lead to a sharp economic downturn. I can't say if this is right over the horizon, or years down the road. When it does happen, right-thinking people need to find the courage to stand up and say they will tolerate no more. Until then, we can expect more of the same things from the democrats that got us here in the first place.

Big trouble coming!

People, we're in big trouble! Obama's only been in power for three weeks and he's already a disaster of momentous proportions. The trillion dollar stimulus bill that is being rammed down our throats may turn out to be our nation's undoing. It's obvious now that Obama is a commited left wing radical; and now it's time we start taking names on who's to blame for this. I'm pissed...I mean really pissed! Twenty-plus years of welfare reform flushed down the toilet in a single signing ceremony. Do you realize it is now in a state government's best interests to increase the number of welfare recipients within its borders? Lucky us! That's part of the spending package. It's gross, it's disgusting, it is so anti-American it literally makes my stomach churn. He's seems determined to turn a bad recession into a depression. Wasteful government spending programs, increased welfare, borrowing that will take generations to pay off. Do you have any idea how long it will take to correct these abominations; if ever?
You know, deep in my heart I hoped that I was wrong about Obama, and once in office he would turn away from an ultra-leftist agenda. But unfortunately, he is embracing it with enthusiasm. I am beginning to detest this man. But he is not alone. There are others to blame:
-All the idiots that voted for him.
-The democrat scum currently controlling things.
-Specifically, Nancy Pelosi.
-Specifically, Harry Reid.
-The previous republican scum that fell back on their word to limit government.
-The major media outlets that did everything they could to get him elected.
I know this list can get longer with names like Barney Frank and Christopher Dodd, but let's keep it small for now.
Here's the big question for me. What can you do when you're sitting here in a 'red' state like Oklahoma and the citizens of other states like California and Massachusetts have completely lost their minds? I mean, our congressmen are fighting this spending bill like crazy, but the outcome is still going to be failure for conservatives. What do you do?
I have to accept the reality that this blog I write will probably have no effect on the outcome of this disaster, so writing it can't really count as 'doing something'. But something has to be done, and it needs to be really big. Something that gets the attention of the masses. A 10-million man protest march? Civil disobedience? You know, if you have a job in tough economic times, you can't just miss work to organize rallies and protests. I've never really understood how democrats/liberals can get people to show up for their protest marches. It's easy to say it's because many of them don't work, but I think it goes beyond that. I think it's a benefit of pandering to special interest groups like the unions that can quickly organize a mob of morons to show up. I don't know. I wish I knew everything, but obviously I don't. When I get enough posts, I'll start advertising this blog and hopefully start hearing from people who are more knowledgeable in certain areas than I am. For now though, it's just me.

Liberals...why?

Every conservative has to reconcile his or her relationship with liberals; whether they be family members or friends or co-workers. I was fortunate in that I have no immediate family that identify themselves as liberals. Thank God. With that said, I no longer engage liberals in any conversation unless it's unavoidable; political or otherwise. It's a waste of time, and I just don't like being around them. Here's a few reasons:
1. My blood pressure.
2. I know there are morons on both sides of the political isle, but a disproportionate number of liberals in this group are smug and actually believe they have superior intelligence. Nobody likes an idiot that thinks he knows everything.
3. No sense of what an even playing field is. They'll always load the deck on you; given the chance. To them, the end justifies the means.
4. Most can't think for themselves. That's why you hear them spew out the same silly arguments.
5. They'll whine and whine about their rights, but would be more than happy to take yours away if they don't agree with them.
6. They hate their own country and its military.
7. They don't understand human nature very well.
8. Liberals are not very happy people. Not very humorous, either (at least intentionally)
9. They prefer lousy movies with bad endings. Seriously, if you have cable TV, look at the programming for one of their favorites; like The Sundance Channel. Morbid, dreery, depressing, disturbing, disgusting...these are the things that really turn on a liberal.
10. They're not very charitable. This has been proven over and over again. Of course, they're more than happy to give other people's money for one of their 'causes'.
11. Liberals aren't exactly brave. Their idea of courage is filing a lawsuit forcing citizens to accept same-sex marriage. The only time they talk tough is when posting comments online (anonymously of course).
12. They'll ignore facts when it contradicts their 'feelings'. And their feelings get hurt real easy (thin-skinned).
13. When they can't win an argument, they will immediately start their typical name-calling...just like a undisciplined child. Their favorite descriptives: hater, hateful, homophobic, racist, bigot, bigoted, mean, stupid, redneck, backward, evil, moronic...and the list goes on.
14. Liberals are not perveyors of personal responsibility. They don't like holding themselves or others accountable for their actions.
15. The ACLU. They enjoy doing things like filing a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America to force them into accepting homosexuals for scout leaders. Name one decent thing the ACLU has ever accomplished.