Tags
Or, happy All Saint’s Eve!
I’ll keep this very short.
Here’s some hilarious advice for little bugger beggars.
Here’s a warning.
Here’s something in between.
Rick McKee.
Cheers!
31 Saturday Oct 2015
Posted Other Columns
in≈ Comments Off on Happy Halloween
Tags
Or, happy All Saint’s Eve!
I’ll keep this very short.
Here’s some hilarious advice for little bugger beggars.
Here’s a warning.
Here’s something in between.
Rick McKee.
Cheers!
29 Thursday Oct 2015
Posted Legal/Political Columns
in≈ Comments Off on An Empire Not A Corporation
Tags
America, Articles of Confederation, Constitution, corporations, District of Corruption, Empire, faith, freedom, law, Pat Buchanan, politics, republic, The People, United States
Pat Buchanan wrote a great book – A Republic Not An Empire, (2002). I wrote this piece to answer something which troubled me from time to time. There is a theory out there in internet-land the United States is a giant corporation. It’s based on the same whimsical thinking that drives lottery sales and horoscopes.
Contrary to what you may read on Facebook the United States is not a corporation. Your birth certificate is not a stock certificate. You will not get rich by cashing in on the national debt. You might go to prison or worse but no money will come of it.
I’ve seen this enough to respond. It’s really a minor issue but I thought I should address it. I see the posts on Facebook from time to time. Posts like this:
The UNITED STATES of AMERICA is a corporation.
“The UNITED STATES of AMERICA is a corporation.Go to the UNITED STATES CODE (note the capitalization, indicating the corporation, not the Republic) Title 28 3002 (15) (A) (B) (C). It is stated unequivocally that the UNITED STATES is a corporation.”
I did look at the law; not what it says or means. The mis-cited law only has to do with the government hiring attorneys for debt collection and similar purposes. See: 28 USC 3002. Boring, yes; Constitution shattering, no.
The theory also revolves around The District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871, 16 Stat. 419 (1871). Yet, all this law did was regulate the governance of the District of Columbia. Such is one of the very few explicit powers granted Congress by the Constitution, Art. I, Sect. 8, CLS. 17.
Never have I met anyone in person who openly espoused this theory. And, I visit with quite a few conspiracy theorists. Should you meet such a person, humor them – unless they try to involve you in a scheme to collect on your shares or something. That road leads to prison or the poorhouse.
It’s a scam. Google.
Here’s a more in-depth look at the claim: Text of the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871, The Daily Render, 2009. That’s really not worth reading and not worth quoting. It does shed light on the theory though. Why conceive of such fancy?
It seems simple. We do face some major problems today with “our” government. The theorists posit the U.S., in a state of disarray, bankrupted itself out of existence. In the place of the old republic those 19th Century geniuses left us with a national corporation. You, by birth, are a stock holder citizen and entitled to some vast sum of money based on the current national debt.
While the root rests on some disturbing truth, the rest is rubbish.
Some people really believe all of this. Part of the faith comes from a real realization that something is fundamentally wrong with America today. Part is based on tv-induced naivety and ignorance. Part on greed
This does not make sense economically. In order to cash in your “stock” – if everyone did, the only solution would be to print so much more funny money the currency would be worthless. So much for your shares. This fanciful belief makes the real problem even worse.
Let me briefly explain what the U.S. really is. The nation, following the too good success of the loose Confederation, was formed into a Constitutional Republic. Allegedly the rights of the free people were protected and the powers of the new government limited. Somewhere we fell off the wagon and those ideas were reversed. Both the authorities and the people were corrupted.
Today, the Constitution is an ignored artifact stuck away in a museum. Buchanan’s book aside the U.S. has degenerated into Empire, now approaching the late stages thereof. It’s an Empire without an emperor. Specifically, the political power is uneasilly split between ochlocracy (mob rule) and oligarchy (rule by the elite). The elite keeps the mob happy with handouts and spectacles and the mob keeps re-electing the elite. Cozy if crazy.
I’ve said before this country has owners – banks, insurance companies, and other well-connected entities. But their ownership is less like a corporation and more like a plantation. The mob plays the part of the slaves, stupidly trading their sacred freedom for false security and debased entertainment.
What to do? The corporate angle is too good to be true. Don’t believe it. Instead, believe in yourself and put your faith in a Higher Power. Whatever its form, if enough of us ignore the government long enough, it will go away.
28 Wednesday Oct 2015
Tags
America, anarchy, banksters, Congress, debt, decline, economy, Federal Reserve, government, IRS, law, money, President, taxes, The People, voters, Washington, Zombies
Before he goes John “Boo-Hoo” Boehner has one last trick up his sleeve. It’s just in time for Halloween too. Speaker Dearest has been working hard with his best friend, President Obama (TWO parties, remember), to raise the debt ceiling.
If only. Google.
The potential treat for this season is that the government is all but broke. Without more debt it will have to shut down at least temporarily. That would be a blessing for the masses but it will not happen. The monied interests need the government operational so they can continue to loot the carcus of our economy.
Congress has money, yes. This year has seen record tax collections from both individuals and corporations – over $3 Trillion. Such a number would seem enough to finance anything. Anything except our corrupt beyond hope political and financial elites, that is. Printing more paper money is their only hope. As they have slammed into the statutory cap on borrowing once again, they must vote to raise the cap. They will.
As usual a few dissenters give the pretense of debate over the matter. It’s an act well scripted. They say they will hold up next year’s budget over the debt. They won’t. This year they have side lies to entertain the people. Funding of Planned Parenthood is another holdup. Rest assured the rats of the Potomac care no more about children than they do fiscal responsibility. All just an act in the weary play of American Decline.
Little of this makes the news. Paul Craig Roberts just, again, explained why – the U.S. media is but a puppet of the state and its owners. They report the truth in nothing. Not our wars. Not our money. The World Series, yes. Anything of substance, no.
Your favorite candidate, whomever that might be, is silent too. They’re too busy talking about themselves and each other at present. Should the debt or budget come up they will only have platitudes. Their stated plans are a continuation of the status quo. Bernie Sanders Claus is the exception. He wants to give everything away for free. That means even more debt and spending. It makes no sense. Then again, the voters are not known for reasoning ability. A guy promising goodies from the sky just might be their man. No difference.
Whoever of this latest pathetic crop gets the job will do exactly as he’s told. The Banksters and the Treasury beaurocrats must have more money to keep the smoke and mirrors economy running just a little while longer.
Faced both with imminent collapse and the prospect of angry, hungry, zombie-like idiot voters at their doors they are out of magic tricks. Spending cannot slow for even a day. The Federal Reserve cannot raise interest rates. The slightest breeze could now topple their house of cards. And, don’t laugh. You and I live in that house.
Only more debt, ridiculous spending and more of the same will prop up the system – for a while. Eventually the bell shall toll.
Were an omnipotent and benevolent being with governing super powers to directly intervene, the solution would be so simple:
Rather than making a show, boasting to impeach its chief criminal, the IRS could just be abolished. Relieved of taxation the people could keep their money. By abolishing the Fed and its monopoly on funny money, the cash the people keep would have actual value.
Starved of funding the government would really close down – for good. This would free the newly enriched free people from war, regulation, taxation, jail threats, airport strip searches, bad medicine, toilet tank size restrictions, marriage mandates, travel and trade restrictions, gun laws, labor laws, electoral cycle bullshit and a host of other horrors.
Those other people, the ravaging zombies, could be placated by feeding them the newly unemployed and utterly worthless mass of politicians, beaurocrats and central bankers. A collective burp later and all memory of the past corruption would erased.
Dawn shall come. Google.
Ah, for a quick and happy ending. No super being will show up. Things will go on. The end and the solution will not come quickly. But, come it will. Some day all the things I just hypothesised will come to pass in one way or another. Rome will burn and fall. Freedom and intelligence will return. Then, it will be happy.
27 Tuesday Oct 2015
Posted Other Columns
inThis is another off-subject post which crept in this morning. Yes, it interrupted my cleaning of the backlog but it’s worth it.
I get up early each day and read a lot of news and commentary. To keep sane I always read the funny papers (in print or online). Frequently, they are the best part of a newspaper. Here are four of my favorites:
Often criticized as too self-referential, its just funny as heck. Good commentary on people.
An old favorite.
Puts the Z in zaney.
If you work a 9 to 5, Dilbert speaks to you.
Read, laugh and have a great day.
Dilbert. Scott Adams.
25 Sunday Oct 2015
Posted Other Columns
inTags
articles, blog, books, drafts, Perrin, perrinlovett.me, procrastination, writing
At least one of my readers is a professional firefighter. Firemen know what a backdraft is – a serious threat to them when fresh oxygen rapidly enters a fire thus causing an explosive eruption of flames.
I face nothing so dangerous behind my keyboard. However, in place of backdrafts I have back drafts. Semantics? No. When I hit the “publish” button for this feature I will still have 66 draft articles in the hopper. Some of them go back to the beginning of the blog. Some are works in progress (some more actively working than others). Some are obsolete. Some I have forgotten about and need to re-evaluate. Others, I don’t know what to do with.
By the way, this post you’re reading is NUMBER 300!!!!!
Party Time!! Google Images.
Okay, where was I? The drafts. Every week I scan newsworthy events, mostly legal and political in nature, which fit with my ideology and themes. I then craft articles for you. Of course, I also write wholly original material. I do updates like this. I’m now hawking books for sale. All this puts a damper on cleaning out the old draft backlog.
What am I to do? Likely, I will keep on keeping on. But, I pledge to speed up some of those best drafts for publication. An axe needs be taken to others. Some may need to simmer a little longer.
Sixty-six is a substantial number. I hate the idea that I hold anything back which might entertain or educate. I don’t want to be selfish.
Thanks again for reading. Post 301 is coming soon!
24 Saturday Oct 2015
Posted Books For Sale
in≈ Comments Off on Kindle Version On Sale Now!
I am pleased to announce The Happy Little Cigar Book is now available for Kindle! I also must confess two errors on my part (I am Perrin…). First, under my own description I say the book will “war the heart” when I clearly meant “WARM the heart.” I made the correction but it obviously takes a little while to show up on Amazon. Oops. Second, I wrote this book with the paperback version in mind. I have never made an e-book before I knew nothing about the formatting. As such, the Kindle version is a little off – still very readable though. I will fix that foible as soon as I can figure it out. The content is crystal clear though. Think of this like that postage stamp with the backwards airplane; it’s going to be a collector’s item!
Please click on the book here and buy a copy:
Please leave me a (good) review and rating (5 stars please). I am working on a bio page for Amazon now. The paperback version (awesome design AND format) will be along sometime next week!
Thanks,
Perrin
24 Saturday Oct 2015
Posted News and Notes
inTags
America, anarchy, blog, English, freedom, government, greece, Liberty, Natural Law, Paul Craig Roberts, Perrin Lovett, Rome, security, The People, The West, William Wallace, writing
Down along the left-hand side of this article and all others on my site a reader will find a list of words. Seventy-five words to be exact. These are the most popular descriptive terms or “tags” found here at the blog. I recently increased the number from 50.
You, dear reader, may have noticed some of those terms are larger, others smaller. The larger the word the more times it has appeared in my writing here. Should you click on one, all the columns featuring that term will pop up. No, these terms do not appear on the simplified mobile version of perrinlovett.me. If you’re on your phone just scroll to the very bottom of this page and click on the regular web tab.
Of the larger search terms one of the biggest is “The People.” I mention these mysterious folk on a very regular basis, especially in my legal and political works (the majority). Who, exactly, are “the people?”
Well, when I put them in a column I usually have two meanings. One is prominent, primary. The other is a bit more subtle and deployed less frequently.
The first and most common usage refers to you, my readers. You and like-minded people everywhere. This site is admittedly Amerocentric. “America” is another of the largest words on my list. I happen to live amidst the ruins of the Old Republic. Many or most of my stories concern the U.S. though “The West” is also a frequent topic. I am concerned with that heritage descended of the Romans, the Greeks and the English.
I also often conjoin “people” with “free.” These are people who live in an idyllic world of liberty, the kind still romanticized by American conservatives. Others live in otherwise unfree settings but personally choose to live free. Sometimes we call ourselves anarchists. Believe it or not, this lifestyle is easier than one would imagine.
All you have to do is live in peace, largely ignore popular culture, and beware of the authorities when necessary. Sometimes playing along and humoring the stupidity of the state goes a long way. It can also be a fun game.
I digress.
The free people live in harmony with others or at least try to. They work and mind their own business. They are folks you would want as neighbors. However, they are generally the most aggrieved victims of government aggression. They are expected to shut up, pay the taxes, obey the rules, and pull the load for society.
Great is my sympathy for free people wherever they may be. Without them the horror stories I explore here would be all too appropriate. Without them my regular references to Natural Law would have no context. They live the ideals of Western Civilization. Sometimes they stumble but they are on the right path.
The other group I sometimes delve into are of an opposite disposition. Lacking most individuality and fortitude, they go along with the herd, right or wrong. Whereas the former crowd is concerned with truth and the eternal, the latter is obsessed with the here, the now, and the easy.
Paul Craig Roberts once referred to these folks, domestically, as “the shit stupid American people.” A bit cruel perhaps but generally accurate.
They are the majority – always accepting and seeking out fair masters. The free and independent minded are a small sect indeed.
For these miserable many I express scorn or weary tolerance rather than empathic support. You can always tell the difference. I use descriptive words like “masses,” “zombies,” “fools,” “sheep” and so forth. Like Roberts’s, my labels fit if uncomfortably.
I truly bear them no ill will unless or until their pitiful, unthinking indifference affects me and mine. It is my desire, in addition to informing and entertaining you, to wake these sloths from their collectivist sleep. I wish them happy freedom.
For most freedom is a frightening idea. Along with the loss of annoying management comes the loss of perceived security. Said security is always false. But, it is, apparently, very difficult to shake off.
So, there you have it. If you have made it to this end of the article you likely belong among the true and the free. If, by odd chance you are, ashamedly, of the other variety, then join us! It is really better over here.
W. Wallace understood the difference. Google.
24 Saturday Oct 2015
Posted Legal/Political Columns
in≈ Comments Off on Free Speech Free Zones
Tags
America, Antonin Scalia, Colorado, Constitution, elections, Facebook, First Amendment, Fred Reed, free-speech, freedom, government, law, McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, money, Natural Law, politics, rights, The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, The People
A long time ago the government pretended its constraint under the Constitution. It was to be neutral regarding religion. It supposedly did not treat the people like criminals unless they actually were. It begrudgingly consented to the armament of the citizenry. It allegedly allowed people to voice their opinions, even if the expressed notions were unpopular. Those days are behind us.
Today there remains but a paper pretense of freedom in America.
A Colorado judge just ruled that a political Facebook post was impermissible “free” speech.
A state judge has ruled that a Facebook post by Liberty Common School amounts to an illegal campaign contribution to a Thompson School District board candidate.
In August, the Fort Collins charter school shared with its Facebook followers a newspaper article about a parent of a student running for a board seat in the neighboring school district. Liberty Common’s principal, former Colorado Congressman Bob Schaffer, then shared the post and called candidate Tomi Grundvig an “excellent education leader” who would provide “sensible stewardship” of Thompson.
Nick Coltrain, The Coloradoan, Oct. 22, 2015.
The judge said the violation was “minor,” but that [T]he school’s action was the giving of a thing of value to the candidate, namely favorable publicity…”
A Colorado law professor, one Scott Moss, was rightly alarmed by the ruling: “I don’t buy that under the First Amendment speech about a candidate can be deemed a contribution … Is speech valuable? Yes. But that’s not a basis for restricting core political speech.”
Naturally speaking, the good professor is correct. Legally and politically, he would have been correct in the former United States. Not today. Not in modern Colorado. Not in modern, post-Constitutional America.
I warned of this in postings prior. The particular judge in this case was likely just doing his job. Rather than being a “judicial activist,” he was simply carrying out a bad law. Bad governments enact bad laws, historically. As governments all become debased, the outcome is always the same – the people are stifled. In a representative government this usually occurs at the people’s bidding. Odd, yes. Whatever Colorado election law rests at the heart of this ruling likely mirrors current federal law in spirit and/or form.
The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (“The McCain–Feingold Act”), Pub.L. 107–155, 116 Stat. 81, 2 U.S.C. 431 et seq. and blah, blah, blah (effective January 1, 2003) set new limits on political speech. This First Amendment nullifier was the brainchild of Republican Senator John McCain and signed into “law” by Republican idiot George W. Bush (who, at the time, admitted he did not understand what he was signing).
The Supreme Court later upheld the speech crushing effects of the Act in McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, 540 U.S. 93 (2003). The gist of the opinion was that as the issues were political in nature and the two political branches had approved, the Court would simply defer to the esteemed wisdom of Congress and the White House. They seem to forget all about the rights of the People and that thing … the um … the Constitution maybe? Whatever…
In his raging dissent Justice Scalia noted that modern elections were already so complex that only the well-connected and well-funded were safe to engage in them with any hope of success. He blasted the Act as limiting the speech of the people – their only remaining tangible connection to the process. So long as they comply with the Byzantine laws, the moneyed interests are free to support any candidate they choose. The little people, usually poor financially and in legal knowledge are now constrained to even voice political support. Scalia noted that of all free speech political speech is the most important in a free society.
Of course, this might matter if we still were a free society. We are not. Fred Reed succinctly nailed down the problem as to the political:
Democratic? As Stalin had show trials, America has show elections. These serve to distract the public while keeping them away from issues of importance. Who do you vote for if you want to end the wars, halve the military budget, end affirmative action, get the government out of family life, control criminal minorities who burn cities, and slap down NSA?
Fred Reed. Emphasis mine.
I love Reed’s work. This particular gem of an article concerns more than just electoral politics – it explains the pitiful state of thinking (or lack thereof) across the whole American landscape.
About the half of it. Google.
Election season is once again upon us. It’s always election season it seems. Daily, I see many of you voicing support for this or that candidate on Facebook and elsewhere. Be careful what you say lest you commit the “minor” violation of free speech. Me, I need not worry. I never support any candidate. I support freedom.
23 Friday Oct 2015
Posted News and Notes
inFriends,
I usually write 500 to 2,000 words every day. Many never leave the word processor. Others end up here for your consideration. Over the past 15 years or so I have started numerous books – some of which I have touted as “coming soon” or the like. Right now I have over 20 works in progress and in various states of readiness.
I am pleased to announce I have FINALLY published one of those works. The Happy Little Cigar Book is finished and will be available for consumption in a few days. A paperback edition will be listed at Amazon for $7.99 – a real bargain. The Kindle version will be along shortly at an even more incredible price.
Cover.
This is a small work – just 75 pages. It’s not loaded with ratings, recommendations, history or complicated reviews. It is full of information on the joys of the cigar life. Hence, the happy, little name. I’ve included just a few of the interesting stories I’ve witnessed or heard about concerning the cigar hobby.
I think you will enjoy the reading as much as I the writing. And, this is just the beginning.
Now, at last, I have a firm grasp of what it takes in the publishing world. You may expect quite a few of my other books out in the near future. I have ideas yet begun. Cigars are a side issue I sometimes discuss here. Whereas my usual political ranting is a bit dark, the cigar columns are always happy and lighthearted. It’s kind of fitting this is the first book out. I’m a little overwhelmed by the position response I’m already getting on Facebook and in person.
As soon as Amazon has a functioning link, I will update you immediately. Buy multiple copies.
Perrin
21 Wednesday Oct 2015
Tags
America, Big Club, capitalism, college, communism, corporatism, debt, Economic collapse, Farnoosh Brock, government, James Alutcher, jobs, middle class, The People
If one diverts one’s attention from felons catching footballs or running for president, the signs of financial fallout and societal decay abound in America.
The middle class is broke and vanishing at an alarming rate. Forty percent of working Americans do not meet the $28,000 federal standard for poverty qualification. And, again, those are people who are working. The real rate of unemployment in this country is staggering – probably close to 20%. Those poor without jobs and those marginally employed make ends barely meet via debt and government subsidies. Almost 50 Million are on food stamps.
The government caused a lot of the problems. Fiat money backed by nothing, runaway spending, burdensome taxes and regulations, and job-destroying programs like NAFTA and ObamaTrade have filed the growth of the government, select corporations and a wealthy, well-connected few. The lower, middle and upper-middle classes have been run through the ringer.
Whole Industries are changing. Everything that can be outsourced overseas is. No jobs for us. Everything that can be automated is. No jobs. Insane levels of immigration pushes native citizens out of the labor force. No jobs.
The jobs that remain for the people are low paying, bereft of benefits, and, increasingly, temporary (permanently temporary). Those jobs too are cut whenever possible.
For years, decades the prosperity script was: go to college; get a good company job; buy a nice house; buy a nice car, and; have a family. Today, there are few corporate jobs to be had and they treat you like shit and pay you similarly. All those other things can only be accomplished by going into ridiculous levels of debt. All this is encouraged by the government and the Big Club. Theirs is a bastardized version of capitalism – corporatism – as bad for the free as communism.
Increasingly, many of the formerly normal concepts have become worthless. College education isn’t anymore. Schools used to educate young people. Now they mold them into pathetic, emotionally challenged wimps. These folks are not fit for employment or much else. And, many (maybe most, now) who do get jobs are employed in areas which do not require formal education anyway. Again, its only those lucky enough to find the jobs.
America is on edge, a time bomb waiting to go off. All that is needed is either a trigger event(s) or enough realization by the people of how had they’ve been shafted the bomb goes off. Unpleasant to contemplate.
Rather than attempt to avert the disaster our “leaders” do everything conceivable to hasten the day of reckoning. Stupidity and evil are constantly on display in D.C. and mirrored throughout larger society.
I have written about this before:
These troubles will ultimately resolve themselves. After the inevitable big national bankruptcy we will have the chance for a reset. This should include universal debt repudiation and a return to a real monetary and financial system based on the free market. If done right there will be no room or need for any government meddling.
This future fresh start is the silver lining to look forward too. Make the best of the wild ride until then.
I am optimistic about the future though maybe not the immediate future. What to do until then?
The best lesson I ever got in college came in the way of side advice from a professor, the legendary C. F. Floyd. He said, “get your life out of sync with the rest of the world as fast as possible.” If the rest of the world falls apart, you need not participate.
Unnatural and deadly. Google.
I’m a big fan of Jame Altucher and Farnoosh Brock, both of whom rail against college for college’s sake and conventional, mythical employment. See if you agree with their reasoning and if their ideas are compatible with your life.
Learn what you want to not what you “need” to. Don’t go into debt. Don’t support a government bent on killing you. Don’t sacrifice family time slaving for a soulless corporation which really hates you. Pay no heed to the entertainment/distraction industry and their efforts to blind you.
Change yourself a little and the Big changes you encounter won’t hurt as much. Be yourself. Be free.
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