"Conservatives" Embrace Tyranny

The Constitution grants Congress, and Congress alone, the power to declare war. The president cannot make that decision, and Congress cannot pass that power on to the executive branch. But that hasn't stopped Republicans from cheering on the illegal, unconstitutional, immoral war in Iraq.

Which brings me to my main point: FreeRepublic.com is a joke. Claiming to be "the premier online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web," its members usually spend their time working themselves up into a collective orgasm over the latest power-grab by George W. Bush.

Witness a few of these so-called "conservatives" bowing before their idol after his claim to be the final "decision-maker" when it comes to sending more of your sons and daughters to kill and die in his unjust war:

"Amen Mr. President."
- jveritas

"Bush rocks. These Dem's are idiots. They are putting our nation at risk for base political gain."
- GulfBreeze

"Good on ya, Mr. President! Keep it up with this new tone!"
- Miss Didi

"Keep up the pressure, Mr President! The Dems told the whole world that they wanted to lose the War on Terror when they refused to support VICTORY. The American people need to know that they want to demoralize the troops and lose the war for political gain alone. They are traitors. Period."
- ohioWfan

"I am so greatful (sic) that President Bush is the decision maker!"
- Rheo

Of course, there were a few who thought the president isn't utilizing enough of his dictatorial powers. A member going by the screen name of EndWelfareToday had this to say:

I am as far away from being a demoncrap or RINO Representative or Senator as one can be but I'll put up a plan. NUKE EM! Stop trying diplomacy. Pull our troops out. Hit Iraq with as many nukes as we can to kill every single man woman and child in that country. Tell all other countries that the civilized world isn't going to put up with their childish s*** any longer and then start dividing the radioactive countryside of Iraq between the surrounding nations to clean up and use how they see fit provided they use it in a way that is conducive with living peacefully with the rest of the world.

Anything less than this is a waste of time. There is never a real and lasting peace so long as you have people that want to kill you. One once said, "There is no peace so long as your enemy is alive." Bush and all others wishing to use diplomacy to strike a lasting peace in the Islamic world is deceiving themselves and lying to the world.

Of course this is just my opinion.

It's no wonder that constitutionalists are no longer welcome on Free Republic. It has become an idiocracy. If it wasn't so sad, it just might be funny.

Introducing Liberty Theater

There is always construction on the Information Superhighway. Fortunately, since we don't have to rely on publicly funded work crews managed by bloated bureaucracies, travel is usually enhanced rather than impeded. And thanks to innovations like Google Video and YouTube, vital information is more readily available than ever before.

So, in the spirit of freedom that is inherent to the World-Wide Web, I would like to announce the opening of Liberty Theater. This will be a collection of films and videos that seek to expose government corruption and promote critical thinking among concerned citizens.

We are starting things off with three very important films. First, we have America: Freedom to Fascism, from producer Aaron Russo (The Rose, Trading Places). This film exposes the dangers of the Federal Reserve and the IRS, and how such organizations have eroded our civil liberties and continue to pave the way for a police state. What's interesting is that this project started out as a simple quest to find the law that requires Americans to pay an income tax. (SPOILER ALERT: There isn't one.)

Next, there is the Mises Institute's Money, Banking, and the Federal Reserve, which delves deeper into the history of the Federal Reserve. With no Gold Standard, the cash you carry around in your wallet is virtually worthless. Men like Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson recognized the dangers of allowing a centralized banking system to control our nation's economy, but most Americans today are clueless. This film is an eye-opener.

Finally, we present The Future of Food. Do you take for granted that the food you consume is safe? This film "offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade." The problem is that current government policies ensure that you are kept in the dark.

I wish I could say, "Grab the popcorn, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show," but you'll most likely end up on the edge of your seat, fists clenched, yelling at the screen and spilling your popcorn all over the floor. Watch at your own risk.

Of course, the alternative - meandering through life in blissful ignorance until it all comes crashing down around you - is probably riskier. Your best bet is to stay informed.

Who Watches the Watchers?

How do you assuage the fears of those who are a bit uneasy with secret government surveillance? Why, allow a secret court to over see the program, of course:

The Bush administration has agreed to shift course and let a secret but independent panel of federal judges oversee the government's controversial domestic spying program.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court will have final say in approving wiretaps on communications involving people with suspected terror links, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Wednesday in a letter to the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Since Jan. 10, when the court began overseeing the program, at least one request has been approved to monitor communications of a person believed to be linked to al-Qaida or an associated terror group. ...

... Bush has maintained that the warrantless surveillance program's existence was "fully consistent with my constitutional responsibilities and authorities," and has said he would continue to reauthorize it "for as long as our nation faces a continuing threat from al-Qaida and related groups." He has said circumventing the FISA court "enables us to move faster and quicker."

On Wednesday, the White House said it is satisfied with the new guidelines to address administration officials' concerns about national security.

"The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has put together its guidelines and its rules and those have met administration concerns about speed and agility when it comes to responding to bits of intelligence where we may to be able to save American lives," White House press secretary Tony Snow said.

See? Nothing to worry about.

One Republican I Could Vote For

Despite my constant criticism of the GOP, I will be the first to admit that not all Republican politicians are greedy, hypocritical, power-hungry publicity whores. There is still a conservative remnant within the party - three or four people who have actually read the Constitution, have understood it, and really try to put into practice the principles of limited government and individual liberty they espouse.

One such Republican is Rep. Ron Paul from Texas. He has been a staunch defender of the Constitution and has never been afraid to stand up to the party leaders on tough issues, like the president's illegal war in Iraq.

So, you can imagine my delight when I heard that he is planning on making a run for the White House. From the AP:

Ron Paul, the iconoclastic nine-term congressman from southeast Texas, took the first step Thursday toward launching a second presidential bid in 2008, this time as a Republican.

Paul filed incorporation papers in Texas on Thursday to create a presidential exploratory committee that allows him and his supporters to collect money on behalf of his bid. This will be Paul's second try for the White House; he was the Libertarian nominee for president in 1988.

Since Ron Paul is a liberty-loving nonconformist, it's a pretty sure bet that he won't win the GOP nomination in 2008. But anything's possible. And if that does happen, I just might have to reconsider my decision to never vote Republican again.

By the way, you can read Rep. Paul's weekly column at EverVigilant.net.