But I’ve changed my mind about something, partly because of the location change, and partly because of the changes I’ve seen in the political environment.  And so, here I am on this not-blogged-on-very-often site writing a post.

I’ve voted for the big L candidate in every presidential election since I’ve been old enough to vote. Say I threw my vote away if you want, but isn’t it really throwing your vote away to vote for someone you don’t really want in the office? I always voted big L for two reasons. First of all, TN was always going to go for the Republican candidate, even when the Democrat candidate claimed to be was from TN. Secondly, I always saw the two big choices on the ballot as a “lesser of two evils” situation. I didn’t see much difference between Clinton/Bush, Clinton/Dole, Bush/Gore, Bush/Kerry, or McCain/Obama.

Actually, there was a bigger difference that last time around, but living in TN made me feel I could still vote my true conscious without contributing to our demise.

I still think we’re in a lesser of two evils situation. But I think the space between the two evils is wider than it’s ever been. Maybe my perspective is skewed because of the polarization, and maybe that’s by design. It’s hard to tell.

But now I live in a swing state.

Actually, you don’t even have to go over there to get the goods. You can subscribe right here.

Feel better?

Ok, I’m going to have to ask some of you to be honest with yourselves for just a second…wasn’t this really a completely partisan reaction? I mean, I understand not wanting your kids to be indoctrinated by socialists. Seriously, I do.

I just don’t get why you think that isn’t happening in public school every day. The ironic thing to me is that President Obama’s speech was all about personal responsibility, yet his policies are not. But if you are about personal responsibility, why does it hurt for your kids to hear about it from The President, whether he walks the walk or not?

“But it was about the lesson plan, not the speech.”

Really? How much do you know about the lesson plans that are being implemented on a daily basis? Do you approve of all of them? Are you sure they are even being implemented?

Sorry, but from where I sit that’s just grasping at straws.

What a lot of people on the right don’t realize is what actually happened–you guys got distracted by something almost completely benign. You became so worried about what may be said in a 10 minute speech that you forgot to keep your eye on the real issue–possible passage of legislation that will all but enslave your children and grandchildren in the name of “free” health care.

That’s the real shame. You were gaining ground in your fight against a dangerous dragon, but stopped for a whole week to put on a blindfold and chase a mosquito.

Please pick your battles more wisely in the future.

Besides that, this kind of stuff makes you guys look an awful lot like Democrats. Not good.

Whatever ends up being passed it will suck.

I don’t think anything will pass. At least I hope not. I’d like to see the market for HSAs opened up to lower deductible insurance policies first. If people had to shop for the first $2k or so they spend, every day health care costs would most likely drop quickly.

You wouldn’t know it by reading this blog, but I’m actually a silver lining type guy on most things. There is an upside to gov’ment health care that we shouldn’t overlook–with the unavoidable rationing and inability to get treatment on demand, people may actually start taking better care of themselves.

• The gov’ment spends time and resources to develop a program to help a struggling industry by giving away “free” money (bad enough).
• The companies in said industry spend time and resources to participate in the program on advertising and compliance.
• *Shock* People actually want free money, and they participate.
• Gov’ment freaks out because something it decided to do is working exactly as you would expect it to–a rare occurrence.
• Gov’ment decides to suspend program, once again changing the rules of how the economy works.

Don’t get me wrong…I’m happy to know that one more subsidy is being axed. Tell me again how we can have stability in a system with unstable parameters.

Is there a publicly traded company that makes wood burning stoves?

What are we going to do about the inevitable deforestation that will take place when people switch to wood burning stoves so they can afford to stay warm? Won’t that mean fewer trees to absorb greenhouse gases?

What’s the over under on how long it will be before they announce that the earth is cooling thanks to this historic legislation? I’d place the line at one year, and I’ll take the under, because I’ve already read that may be true.

Lately I’ve been posting over at scottadcox.com for the most part. The posts there are shorter, more snarky, and even less on topic. I’ve had less time to write anything lately. And quite honestly, anything I think has been written by someone smarter and more literate than me, so it’s easier to just link to them!

You can head over there and subscribe, or just follow me on Twitter, which is killing blogging. Or maybe you are enjoying the silence. That would make sense too!

“Libertarian leaning commentary from Knoxville Tennessee” probably won’t be located in Knoxville for too much longer, so now is as good of a time as any to begin the transition.

I still plan on posting here every now and then, but the post you are currently reading is going to remain at the top of the page. Anything new will be posted beneath. This blog and all of its archives will remain indefinitely for posterity and revenue!!!!

Not bad for a guy I’ve often slapped in the back of the head and called Space Monkey on multiple occasions.

Besides the obviously great job he’s done turning what once was an eyesore into a useful and attractive space, I love is that he’s renaming it The Taggart Building. Personally, I would have gone with Roark Towers, but The Fountainhead influenced me more than Atlas Shrugged.

Click over for the video of the news story. I’d embed it, but WBIR has auto-play on their videos.

Whether you’ve read his speech from Atlas Shrugged or not, it’s worth reading the whole thing (again).

When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion–when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing–when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors–when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you–when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice–you may know that your society is doomed. Money is so noble a medium that is does not compete with guns and it does not make terms with brutality. It will not permit a country to survive as half-property, half-loot.

…

Blood, whips and guns–or dollars. Take your choice–there is no other–and your time is running out.

That last line sounds like it came out of a rap song. I’d love to hear Eminem rap the whole speech.

A member of the Republican National Committee told me Tuesday that when the RNC meets in an extraordinary special session next week, it will approve a resolution rebranding Democrats as the “Democrat Socialist Party.”

Seriously? Are they smoking crack? That’s all they can come up with?

It follows logically that they should now rebrand themselves as the “Repbulican Socialist Party” because all they seem to do is look at what the Democrats do and figure out how they can “Republicanize” it.

I was fearful that the backlash in 2010 was going to give Republicans a false sense of security. I was afraid it would make them feel like they really did have support of the people without changing much. I guess that won’t be an issue, because if this is all they can come up with, there won’t be much of a backlash.

Here are some better ideas of what they need to change. Forget “rebranding” anything. Choose any one of these issues,  hammer it, and you’ll get a lot further than you will by calling the kettle black.

• Abolishing, or at least establishing Congressional audit of, the Federal Reserve. Support a move to a commodity backed currency.
• Support repealing the 16th Amendment and institute a flat tax, Fair Tax, or (better still) nothing
• Repeal the 17th Amendment
• Fight any proposal to nationalize/bailout anything with a unified voice

Here’s an example of what Republicans should be saying to us right now to win us over. Instead, they are just confirming our suspicions…

These people truly are too stupid to hold public office. And that, my friends, is saying something.