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The Timelessness of C.S. Lewis: 'tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive'

2013-11-13T14:25:00.001-07:00

Via My Old Man, from C.S. Lewis's essay anthology "God in the Dock" (1948):

My contention is that good men (not bad men) consistently acting upon that position would act as cruelly and unjustly as the greatest tyrants. They might in some respects act even worse. Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell of earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be 'cured' against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.

(Emphasis added)

It's tough to make common cause with Progressives, for the libertarian ends I support (for instance, to legalize marijuana), when they fail to see any problem with the i-legalizing of things like soda over a certain size, or banning trans fats.

It's not helped by certain of my progressive friends, who call themselves libertarians (for contrarian, not principled, reasons), who believe their support for pot legalization and their 'why can't we all just marry who we love' attitude towards same sex marriage makes them libertarians.

Their position on these issues is buttressed by their support for an out and out expansion of the nanny state--especially Obamacare.

When confronted with the inconsistency of their position on these and other issues of the day, they (I kid you not) tell me, 'well, Obamacare is [editorial insert: not yet] as bad as the Iraq War, so there.'

These are the people who elected Barack Obama to a second term.

Sorry, buddy, wanting to be able to smoke your pot legally and thinking that your friends ought to be able to get gay married does not make you a libertarian--at least, not when you also think government should expand its services and increase taxes to support that growth.

That just makes you a liberal. Or a progressive. Which label you prefer makes no difference to me.

God Bless America - Remembering 9/11

2011-05-01T22:35:00.003-06:00

More than anything else, 9/11 prompted me to start this blog. I haven't been regular in posting, but it's only appropriate I publicly express my gratitude to our servicemen and women, President Bush, President Obama and all others who gave everything to bring OBL to justice.

No apologies here, folks. I'm glad and grateful he is dead.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Thanksgiving: Washington & Lincoln

2010-11-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

President Washington:

City of New York, October 3, 1789

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanks-giving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th. day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

President Lincoln:

It has seemed to me fit and proper that [our blessings] should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at mattlybbert at gmail.com.

The Election of Ronald Reagan, 30 Years On

2010-11-04T20:46:00.002-06:00

via the WSJ Political Diary:

Birth of a Revolution

Thirty years ago today Ronald Reagan won the presidency. Few elections have had the monumental economic and foreign policy consequences of the one held on Nov. 4, 1980.

In the decade before Reagan's election, the economy had faltered worse than at anytime since the Great Depression. The stock market lost almost half of its value, mortgage interest rates hit nearly 20% and the inflation rate topped 14%. The word "stagflation" -- high inflation and high unemployment -- entered the lexicon. After the full implementation of Reaganomics -- lower tax rates, less regulation, control of government spending, the taming of inflation -- the economy boomed. Eight million jobs were created over the next decade, and the economy grew at 8% per year.

I asked Reagan biographer Craig Shirley, author of the new book "Rendezvous with Destiny," about the significance of the 1980 election. "Reagan understood what few other politicians of his era did," said Mr. Shirley, "and that is that intellectualism and wisdom are with the American people and not the elitist ruling classes. Reagan and the populist conservatives he led made the elites uncomfortable because they were a threat the existing order. Common sense is intellectualism." Arthur Laffer, Mr. Reagan's chief economist, told me: "Reagan had three priorities and he never deviated from them: cut taxes, slay inflation, and win the Cold War."

One of the Gipper's greatest legacies was the Reagan Revolution, which gave birth to a modern-day conservative movement that continues to thrive three decades later. Tuesday's victory for Republicans was a result of stitching together the Reagan coalition of free-market advocates, social conservatives, Reagan Democrats and independents. Reagan said during the 1980 campaign that "all of our problems . . . are in direct proportion to the overspending in Washington." That sounds a lot like what today's Tea Partier say about Mr. Obama and his $2 trillion spending spree.

"Ronald Reagan was a Tea Partier before the phrase was coined," said Mr. Shirley, "because he knew what the Founders intended, and that was for power to flow upward and not downward."

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Be The Tsunami: Today Is The Day

2010-11-02T08:04:00.004-06:00

Bret Stephens: Not the Ones We've Been Waiting For

(via Ace)

Remember, vote only if you intend to vote Republican.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Remember: 4 Days

2010-10-29T06:15:00.001-06:00

(Slublog! via Ace)

Do something, Be the Wave!

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Send Home 'Senator Ma'am'

2010-10-28T04:36:00.002-06:00

It's tough to say which Democrat Senator I dislike most. No, that's not true. It's definitely Harry Reid. So much for tribalism.

Senator "Ma'am" isn't far behind. Ditto Patty Murray. Or enemy of free speech himself, Russ Feingold.

Fortunately, it looks like at least two of those four will lose their job next week. With a little bit of work, maybe we can send home all of them.

Call Me Senator from RightChange on Vimeo.

Don't let this opportunity to Be the Wave pass you by--get involved.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Remember: Be The Wave

2010-10-21T09:48:00.003-06:00

(via Slublog @ Ace)

Join here.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Remember November 2nd

2010-10-06T16:36:00.002-06:00

Be a part of the wave, not the trash that gets carried along by it--GOTV. You have two options, really: 1. do what you normally do and remain uninvolved, but complaining about the direction/state of the country OR 2. Do something. Like make some calls, do some canvassing, drive people to the polls.

The link I provided is to call people to encourage them to vote. Don't stop there. Contact your local GOP party chair (Google it) and volunteer to help. If you really believe, as I do, that we need to elect conservatives to Congress, do something more than just talk about it.

I'm in London and as a result, am somewhat limited in what I can do to become a part of the wave. So, for my part, I commit to calling 40 people, per day, until the election. Each day I'll write up a post about my experience.

What will you do?

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Remembering 9/11, Nine Years On

2010-09-11T02:14:00.001-06:00

Check out this memory of 9/11, written by my sis-in-law, and watch the Youtube video below.

Never forget.

Also, "Allahpundit's" remembrance of his experience on 9/11 is brilliant.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Taking Back Congress

2010-09-06T17:25:00.002-06:00

Wanna get involved and help turn a few Democrat-held seats into Republican ones?

Check out 40 Seats, a website that has identified the most likely districts to flip this fall and helps to organize people in those areas to aid the cause.

Here's a little bit about the group:

40 Seats is a Political Action Committee (PAC) aimed at returning a conservative majority to Congress in the 2010 election. 40 Seats strategy is to target the most vulnerable liberal incumbents and focus resources on winning those races. 40 Seats fosters volunteerism and connects volunteers with the critical Congressional races closest to them.

Though OL&L readers hail from all over the globe, most of you are from NY, DC, and the Western United States. Know that all of you--including those in NYC--are close to a seat with a vulnerable Democrat incumbent.

If we are to return a conservative majority to Congress, we must translate our enthusiasm into votes and the only way to do that is to organize and get out of the vote. Don't leave it up to your neighbor or your grandma. Get involved. If you can't knock doors, make phone calls. If you can't help transport voters to the polls, blog. If you have trouble putting together coherent sentences, get on that Twitter and do it 140 characters at a time.

Oh, and follow me. Like many of you, I have precious little time to blog like I used to. So I post my thoughts as succinctly as I can on Twitter. It's a great tool for political organizing and keeping up-to-date on all the latest news. Even if you don't intend to say anything yourself (though I'm betting you'll get sucked in), following is a heck of a lot of fun.

We have a chance to have a once-in-a-century change of fortune in the House this year. Don't sit on the sideline and miss out.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

"I Love What I'm Getting Out Of You, Blue Cougar!"

2010-09-02T13:21:00.001-06:00

(via Ace)

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Who's Extreme?

2010-08-19T00:50:00.003-06:00

(via Hot Air)

It's been too long.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

James Crabtree's FT Article: The Rise Of A New Generation Of Mormons

2010-07-09T18:42:00.003-06:00

Much the best mainstream article I have ever read about the Mormons ever.

you may have to register, or something, to be able to see it

(h/t Matt L.)

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Blessed Independence Day

2010-07-03T21:00:00.003-06:00

After Christmas and Thanksgiving, I miss family, friends, and country most on the 4th of July--given that this is, naturally, my 3rd favorite holiday.

Similar to those two holidays, Independence Day causes me to pause and reflect and give thanks for those who have gone before and given so much that I and those I love may be free.

I am grateful to the Founders, pictured above, who laid out the principles on which rest this, the greatest of all countries, ever. I am also grateful to those who have fought to defend her and our principles--in wars past and present.

In addition to the Declaration of Independence, may I suggest that you read Calvin Coolidge's Speech on the Occasion of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It is brilliant.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Chris Christie For President

2010-06-21T17:01:00.001-06:00

If I'm not going to blog regularly (and given research demands, I'm just not), the least I could do is post the occasional video of New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

What Do You Think Matters More To President Obama?

2010-06-11T07:45:00.003-06:00

Freedom or his international popularity?

Fouad Ajami:

There is no guarantee that categorical American support would have altered the outcome of the struggle between autocracy and liberty in Iran. But it shall now be part of the narrative of liberty that when Persia rose in the summer of 2009 the steward of American power ducked for cover, and that a president who prided himself on his eloquence couldn't even find the words to tell the forces of liberty that he understood the wellsprings of their revolt.

One year on from the failed revolution in Iran, the mullahs are closer than ever to possessing nuclear weapons.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Evidence Conservatives Prefer Substance (A Lot Of It) Over Appearance

2010-06-09T00:42:00.002-06:00

We're all excited about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Yet another awesome video of him, this time taking on the NJ Supreme Court and New Jersey education.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

6 June 1944: D-Day

2010-06-06T03:04:00.000-06:00

Signatures on the ceiling of the Eagle Pub in Cambridge, UK. The Eagle was a favorite hang-out of American Airmen stationed in Cambridge. Many of these are theirs.

Another picture of the Eagle Pub ceiling. IIRC, they would "write" their signatures using a lighter--by burning them into the ceiling. The pub owner was not impressed.

My brother, Matt, in a German bunker I believe at Pont-du-Hoc, Normandy, France. August 2007.

Matt, again, at Pont-du-Hoc. Pont-du-hoc was a middle section of cliffs splitting the two American D-Day beaches, Utah & Omaha. Army Rangers, in an amazing feat of arms, took these cliffs and took out the large enemy guns firing on our soldiers on Omaha.

Pont-du-Hoc

My brother, Matt, on Utah Beach, Normandy, France. August 2007.

American Cemetery at Omaha Beach.

IIRC, Extreme right of American position (between American & British beaches). Looking back towards Omaha Beach.

French people enjoying freedom on Omaha Beach.

Remember also the Battle of Midway.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

We Were Promised Competence

2010-06-02T17:04:00.003-06:00

I don't really care for Peggy Noonan, but she's spot on about the overarching campaign promise of Barack Obama.

And then there's this, from Hot Air's Ed Morrissey:

The President has been voting 'present' for most of the first five weeks of the [oil spill] disaster. It's not as if it's the first time Obama tried to avoid responsibility for an issue or refuse to show leadership. Many of us wrote extensively about Obama's pattern of avoidance during the election -- and suggested that Democrats try Obama in a lesser executive position first, such as Governor of Illinois, before nominating him for the top spot, in order to make sure he was up for the job. . . . Only those who willingly allowed themselves to be enchanted by charisma and public relations could possibly act surprised when inexperience leads to incompetence.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Memorial Day 2010

2010-05-31T04:01:00.003-06:00

As a citizen of the freest, greatest country in history, I express my gratitude for those who throughout our history, have paid the last full measure so that we, collectively, could enjoy the fruits of liberty.

Thank you also to the many men and women--among them, some of my friends--who even now defend the freedoms I hold so dear. May we, collectively, never take our liberty, or those who defend it, for granted.

Congressman Sam Johnson, Air Force vet, on what you can do (broken link) to support the troops this Memorial Day.

Via Ace, a great video of our last WWI vet. Watch & learn.

Army vet & Yale alumnus Flagg K. Youngblood (my kind of name) has a great article up at the Young America's Foundation website (also broken link) about military service. From that piece, a few interesting stats:

At last count, the Department of Veterans Affairs found 41,891,368 Americans have served in uniform during times of war since 1775.

651,030 Americans have died in battle to protect liberty at home and abroad, and an additional 539,079 Americans have died in the line of military duty.

3,447 of the United States’ bravest have been awarded the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest tribute to military valor, since Congress authorized the decoration in 1861, per the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

At The Corner, Pete Hegseth quotes John Stuart Mill:

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse.

Remember Jason Dunham, American, Marine, Medal of Honor recipient.

There is something worse than war; there are things more important than life.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Beautiful Shot Of Qwest Field, Seattle, & The Sound

2010-05-27T16:32:00.000-06:00

From an article about Seattle's chances of hosting a Super Bowl now that New Jersey/York get one.

(via The Tacoma News-Tribune)

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

More NJ Gov. Chris Christie Goodness

2010-05-27T07:08:00.000-06:00

Which is it, Ms. Wilson? Are you in it for the money or for the love of teaching?

Mind you, my usual caveat, I'm not anti-teacher, I'm anti-teachers' unions and, indeed, unions in general.

(via Hot Air)

I don't agree that teachers are paid too little.

I do agree that good teachers are paid too little. It's because we waste so much money paying all the deadbeats whose jobs are guaranteed by the sweetheart deals their unions worked out with the government.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

And Now I'm Jealous Of New Jersey

2010-05-27T00:58:00.001-06:00

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Michael Lewis - Inside The Collapse - 60 Minutes - The Big Short

2010-05-25T02:43:00.003-06:00

Michael Lewis is one of my favorite authors. He has written two of my favorite books--Liar's Poker and Moneyball. I'm waiting on Matt to finish The Big Short so I can have my turn reading it.

These two videos--taken from the same ep of 60 Minutes--are interesting and entertaining.

[Caveat: I don't agree with all or even most of what Lewis says here. Hindsight and all that.]

Watch CBS News Videos Online

See also this column, in the NYT, by Michael Burry, one of the subjects of The Big Short on why more people--including The Fed--should have seen the crisis coming.

(h/t Scott L.)

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.