SnakeRiverLib

The mantra now is: "If you vote third party, you are not only throwing your vote away, but you will give Hillary the White House".  Of course, that was the mantra in 2008, and 2012.  Along with every other election.  We were told to pinch our noses, and vote. I should be very clear, people should vote, and support, their candidate of choice.  Like Trump?  Good, vote for him!  That is how we are supposed to act.  I am not writing this to you. I am writing, as I am not thrilled with Trump.  I am, of course, less thrilled with Hillary.  I am tired of settling for a candidate, simply because we can't let the other one win. What if I feel that voting for Trump is settling for the lesser of two evils?  It is still evil, and we will reap what we sow. I was thinking about this, when something came to me.  As conservatives, we are to the GOP what the blacks are to the Democrats.  a solid voting block.  Don't freak out! ...

I thought I would post my paper from my American Government Class.  The essay was on how to restructure a government if we could. So here goes.    I was trying to think of a way to approach this subject.  I can't even project something, without putting it into context.  For that reason, I have created a hypothetical scenario, where the ability to restore the government to its origins, with amendments to account for the unseen concepts that have developed.  I will address the specific changes in the Epilogue. The type of government I would want to set up could not be accomplished by an individual or even a group.  The way I decided to do this was through the eyes of the Chief of Staff of a newly elected Libertarian President.  I know, not realistic, but that is the closest I can come to effecting change in the nation.  My preferred form of government is the form that was established by the Founding Fathers, but with safeguards built i...

If you remember "All in the Family", The opening song had a verse referring to Hoover.  Of course, we have had Hoover, on and off, since Hoover.  Yes, that would include the Reagan years.  President Reagan truly tried, but after 50 years, A scalpel is not required, a meat cleaver is.  Now don't think that I have gone heretic, but when it comes to examples for a true conservative leader, you really do need to go to Calvin Coolidge.  Actually, today, he would probably be considered a libertarian.  Laissez-Faire is probably gone for good.  Government keeping hands off, what a  dream.  Funny how progressives always want the government out of the bedroom, but want it everywhere else, with cameras IN the bedroom. One of the side effects of Obamacare, which I guarantee that no one expected, is that with such high deductibles, people are actually starting to price health care, and shop around.  As this continues, the health care market will re...

Another, non partisan crossover post.  Don't worry, plenty of red meat here.  So let me begin by talking about taxes, and slavery. When the colonies rebelled, it was because taxes that equaled less than 10% of income were levied against the colonists.  Much, much less.  The number varies, and the more or a "professional" type you were, the more the taxes were.  So, they had an armed revolution because of those taxes, and, granted, other things.  I guess that I should include that the "shot heard round the world" was due to the British marching on Lexington and Concord to confiscate their arms.  But mostly "taxation without representation". Today, in some states, between federal, state, city, and other taxes, you can pay OVER 50% of your income to the various governing bodies.  OVER 50%!  Maybe even more than 60%.  Is it any wonder people are leaving those high tax states? I was reviewing for the lesson in Sunday School this week. ...

This one is not easy for me to write, but I think that it is important. Before I begin, I see no outreach by the Trump people to conservatives.  I strongly suspect  that it will not happen.  He seems to think that he is conservative, and so if one doesn't support him, then that one is the problem.  Of course, it would  be hard for outreach to be meaningful, anyway, as he turns on a dime when it comes to policy. So, it would be next to impossible for Mr. Trump, to convince me to vote FOR him.  And I know that many voters feel the same way.  It is no surprise that many of the candidates are now warming to him, maybe sucking up for a VP or cabinet post, I don't know.  What really shocked me was Paul Ryan (R-WI).  He is the highest ranking elected Republican official.  Speaker of the House.  And, in my opinion, he has NO business airing a lack of endorsement for the GOP nominee. I get that Mr. Trump has upset a lot of people. ...

So, I have been mulling over last night's campaign ending defeat for Senator Ted Cruz.  I have been pointing out for months that Donald Trump is no conservative, but thought at least an olive branch.  Not even such.  He accused Ted Cruz of having 5 affairs on the campaign trail.  He accused Ted's father of conspiring with Lee Harvey Oswald on the Kennedy assassination.  He called him Lyin' Ted. I guess I should concede before going on that the Donald did indeed admit that he only pushed the Kennedy conspiracy to help sell issues of the Enquirer, and he didn't actually believe it, which was the opposite of what he said the day before.  There. So, what does Senator Cruz do?  Many feel that Reagan's endorsement, not of Ford, but of Conservatism, may have doomed the Ford re-election.  Who knows.  He is young, and may have more opportunities in the future.  He is caught in a bad way, If he endorses Trump, he will lose support of the conse...

I know this location is not the one I normally write regarding spiritual or religious things.  This is a definite crossover post, and will not be partisan.  I promise. When the signers of the Declaration of Independence wrote that all men are endowed by their creator with certain, unalienable rights, this, I take literally, and in fact, the doctrine of my faith is very clear on this.  The greatest gift to us from God, is our agency, or our ability to choose.  We were given this gift to choose between good and evil and to learn to choose good.  This gift is so great, that our Father in Heaven willingly offered His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, that we can live with Him again.   The Founders were well read, and I think that they understood this. So, after that religious lesson, what does it have to do with politics? To be free is more than being able to do whatever you want.  It is to be secure in your property, and your person.  Gov...