tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post3653923790499794717..comments2023-10-14T08:23:14.641-07:00Comments on The American Energy Crisis: Eurozone No More?A Quaker in a Strange Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15425198389944137571noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-22584246942816495982010-04-23T09:20:22.996-07:002010-04-23T09:20:22.996-07:00Stephen I meant. Not steven.Stephen I meant. Not steven.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-71678134573181556062010-04-23T09:17:45.350-07:002010-04-23T09:17:45.350-07:00Stephen's comments and story jive with my pers...Stephen's comments and story jive with my personal experience. People wave to me--everyday now, from Amish to neighbors I don't know. <br /><br />My mother got stuck alongside the road here--and had 4 people stop, within an hour (the only 4 people who drove by that hour) to help get her out.<br /><br />Loneliness certainly doesn't exist in the country or the city, and some people find nature to actually soothe their sense of aloness--whereas living in the hustle bustle surrounded by people, yet often not talking to them, makes them feel more lonely--not less.<br /><br />-MeiyoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-6001071359842395482010-04-23T09:16:51.439-07:002010-04-23T09:16:51.439-07:00Yrs ago they changed the township charter and said...Yrs ago they changed the township charter and said that we have to register equipment for tax reasons and livestock numbers for total amount allowed per acre so we could be assessed on our tax bill. Funny thing happens every yr though; the township forgets to assess taxes on equipment because half the township is farms. The people that move here do not run for local elections or even come to township meetings, leaves us open to not report or enforce crappy laws. The Subdivision voters that push for this crap take one farm and turn it into a 150 homes and they don’t want people to have animals or equipment lowering their property values. One indication of the dichotomy is that our township now votes about 55% to 60% democrat, but all of the commissioners are republicans.<br /><br />Steven that story says it all. I know every family on my road. I grew up with their kids and Hunted their land.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-60452148369830527172010-04-23T09:02:40.909-07:002010-04-23T09:02:40.909-07:00(Begin Mitchell quote:)
An acquaintance in a near...(Begin Mitchell quote:)<br /><br />An acquaintance in a nearby town, newly transplanted to Vermont from northern New Jersey, visited his town clerk to register to vote. <br /> "I live on the Swamp Road," my friend volunteered.<br /> "I know that," replied the clerk.<br /> "You <i>do</i>?"<br /> "Bought the old Irving place, didn't you? Looks like you're fixing to spruce it up a bit."<br /> "Yeah."<br /> "See where you fixed some shutters. Put a new wood stove in old Irving's fireplace. Hear you bought a brand new refrigerator too."<br /> At this point, the newcomer felt vaguely disturbed. He'd been unaware he was a guppy in a goldfish bowl. He cleared his throat and said he'd come to register to vote.<br /> The town clerk reached for a spiffy new quadruplicate form that the State of Vermont has produced recently to streamline voter registration. Multi-colored, pressure-sensitive carbons with questions about date of birth, place of birth, place of prior registration - all a person might expect. First, the clerk administered the Freeman's Oath; then he uncapped his pen to fill out the official form.<br /> "Last name?"<br /> "Adamson."<br /> "First name?"<br /> "Roger."<br /> "Middle initial?"<br /> "D."<br /> The town clerk entered this onto the application, bearing down hard so as to penetrate through all the copies. Blue for the voter, white for the town's records, pink to be sent to the registrant’s previous polling district - to remove him from its rolls - and yellow to report the decision of the Board of Civil Authority regarding the citizen's application. Now however - having merely entered my friend's name - the clerk tore off the original copy of the form and handed it over to Adamson. "There, that's for you." he said.<br /> "Wait a minute," Adamson protested. “There’s eight more lines to be filled out, here.”<br /> “Ayup. But they don’t make no never-mind.” The clerk took the three pressure-sensitive carbons of the state’s form, and he tossed them into the nearest wastebasket. “That’s what we do with those,” he said.<br /> “Now,<i>wait</i>!” In his hand Adamson held a form that had his name on it, period. The fancy copies lay with used Styrofoam coffee cups and sundry office waste. “First you don’t complete this form – then you throw your copies in the trash! What’s going to happen to me when I come in here to vote?”<br /> “Beg pardon?”<br /> “How are you going to know who I am?”<br /> “Oh – don’t worry about that!” The town clerk smiled disarmingly. “<i>We know who you are!</i>”<br /><br />Urban folk are known to complain, from time to time, about the anonymity in which they’re forced to live the great bulk of their lives. Daily transactions with shopkeepers, grocers, waiters, bus drivers, public servants of every stripe, mechanics, bakers, banker, barber – all have a faceless quality. Even neighbors, inhabitants of the same apartment building, pass like strangers in the hall every day for years. Lamentable? Listen: there’s something to be said for anonymity.<br /><br />(End of quote.)<br /><br />Mitchel's essay goes on from here to show that it's hard to be anonymous and lonely in the country. I wish I could type it all in.<br /><br />Anyhow, every urban to rural transplant needs to read this book. http://www.amazon.com/Moving-Upcountry-Yankee-Way-Knowledge/dp/089909031Stephen B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00746137367376861899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-52516770012696079932010-04-23T08:57:48.860-07:002010-04-23T08:57:48.860-07:00As for "loneliness" in the country, I th...As for "loneliness" in the country, I think back to what urban person-turned rural VT sheep farmer and writer Don Mitchell, in <i>Moving Upcountry</i> once said about the subject, something to the effect that it's not possible to be anonymous in the country. People in a smaller town see you coming and going, what you're doing in your yard, what you voted for at the last town meeting (in New England anyhow.) This versus in the city, where one can live in an apartment or condo surrounded by people, and nobody need ever know you, who you are, what you do, etc.<br /><br />In one of his essays, he coined the term "omnimity" versus the common idea of anonymity. It was written in the 1980s, first for <i>Boston Magazine</i>, but it still holds true. I suppose one can be lonely anywhere, but you'd be surprised at how hard it can be to remain alone in the country versus the city.<br /><br />(continued in next post)Stephen B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00746137367376861899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-31278280161471449702010-04-23T08:51:07.951-07:002010-04-23T08:51:07.951-07:00I love "Idiocracy". You are right; thos...I love "Idiocracy". You are right; those bastards were in there chocking the chicken while banks were leveraging to the tilt. I heard that when the SEC went to investigate Madoff some of them brought resumes Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-85976413318469812382010-04-23T08:42:58.311-07:002010-04-23T08:42:58.311-07:00No one has mentioned the SEC--porn usage finding, ...No one has mentioned the SEC--porn usage finding, mentioned now in many media sources. So the 'watchdogs' of wallstreet--were busy watching porno at work, were not talking one guy here--but many people. Don't they have filters on their computers for such things?!! Good to see Tax money well spent, paying for large salaries to pervs who can't wait till they get home to look at porn!?!<br /><br />Stories like this are nearly surreal, the future is looking more like it will go the way of the movie Idiocracy--methinks :)<br /><br />-MeiyoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-34266809523658039392010-04-23T08:35:40.267-07:002010-04-23T08:35:40.267-07:00Steven B. Great post
As you point "Rich peop...Steven B. Great post<br /><br />As you point "Rich people moving in and "taking" the land, taking it out of traditional uses especially and turning it into office parks, malls, people bringing all their demands for high taxes and fancy services, posting land, closing land to access, getting local officials to close even nearby public land to access." The township I live in has more than doubled taxes in ten yrs to pay for the indulgences of the people that move in from the suburbs of Detroit (Livonia, Plymouth, Canton and Ann Arbor. We now have a grocery store within five miles no matter what direction with attached strip malls. I do bemoan the loss of the way of life I had growing up. The difference was amazing. My town went from mostly indigenous population growth to a massive influx of suburbanites. It was not unusual for half the kids on the football team to be the kids of dad’s that played yrs past when I started playing in 7th grade. By the time I left the High School the shift was already evident. I started 1st grade with around 125 kids in my class and finished high school with 350. You could see the difference in the parking lots. All of my friends growing up had old trucks and cars they worked for and the kids from suburbs had Lexus, BMW and one even had a Ford GT. A lot of these were the so called Limousines liberals. They wanted to live in our area for the peace, beauty, low crime and fled the high taxes and then when they get here voted for repeal of the Hyde amendment (taxes under it could not grow faster than rate of inflation.) You hit it on the head.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-44438302219984625952010-04-23T08:32:50.208-07:002010-04-23T08:32:50.208-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-29339850962836515992010-04-23T07:57:03.990-07:002010-04-23T07:57:03.990-07:00I've been watching this rural vs. suburban/urb...I've been watching this rural vs. suburban/urban thing for several years now. As others have said in some most excellent comments, this divide goes back to the early days of our country. In my observations, however, I think the divide has grown and intensified over the past decade or so especially. Rich people moving in and "taking" the land, taking it out of traditional uses especially and turning it into office parks, malls, people bringing all their demands for high taxes and fancy services, posting land, closing land to access, getting local officials to close even nearby public land to access. Of course, that's on top of all the other issues such as rich, urban people trying to take their guns via "assault weapons" bans, forcing gay marriage on them, taxing them to pay for TARP, killing their local economies so as to entice their youngings to sign up for Iraq/Afghanistan military service etc. This is but only part of the list of grievances, both real and imagined.<br /><br />It *is* funny to see, however, in light of the fact that poor, white (and black) rural folk use handout services just as much as city folk do, though a stroll through modern, getto Boston might challenge that thought a bit. At least in New England, the handout culture is still most evident in the cities.<br /><br />Having said all that, Bureaucrat, you really ought to get out of the city and suburbs some time. Get out into the *true* country and experience the people there. Your opening comments above left me breathless. <br /><br />Also, people didn't flee the country for the city when they had the chance, at least not in all cases. Many were forced by economics into moving as rural economies came under attack by governmental, taxation, and corporate forces. Even today, rural life lives in people's dreams FAR more than city living does, and that says something right there I think.Stephen B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00746137367376861899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-89264836858341344312010-04-23T06:47:33.609-07:002010-04-23T06:47:33.609-07:00anecdotal evidence for the problem with welfare. ...anecdotal evidence for the problem with welfare. One of my freinds dates a girl from this family. The Mom and Dad are both on disability for Back Problems, the dad came over to my freinds house and grabbed up a 40inch t.v. like it was nothing. He got hurt I think at one of the big three. The mother collects SSI for injuries. Back are nortoriously easy to get disability for. My freinds girl friend has her parents watch her kids for the state which they receive 600.00 a month for. They have custody over one of the other daughters kids that she gave up and receive state aid for that, not sure how much. They also receive food stamps through the federal government. Add in state healthcare and Earned Income credit for the one kid and you are talking easy 40 to 50000 a yr. They have two newer cars, a paid of trailor and building a home in northern michigan for vacation. <br /><br />Want to add that in Ypsilanti, Mi there are corner stores that except food stamps to make payments on prepaid phones and to buy gasoline. Welfare is a evil that needs to be destroyed. At least the commies killed people if they were not economically viable. :)Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-48353394263436324822010-04-23T06:12:38.899-07:002010-04-23T06:12:38.899-07:00It is interesting to note that a higher proportion...It is interesting to note that a higher proportion of minoritys live in Red states. Something like 25% to 30% minority in red states compared to 7% on average in blue states. If you look at the major cities in Red states you will notice that 80% of recipents are in the cities. This is probably partial do to just the huge populations of these areas. 80% of those receiving benefits vote democrats while the average population goes 60-40 republican.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-88921470601406092112010-04-23T05:59:13.658-07:002010-04-23T05:59:13.658-07:00Preamble to Bill of Rights, not often printed in c...Preamble to Bill of Rights, not often printed in constitutions. <br /><br />"THE Conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution"<br /><br />This was based on the Idea of State Sovereignty. This gave a way for federal government to interrupt the Bill of Rights. Let’s repeat that again “in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive should be added”<br /> <br />Very Similar to Clause in Articles of Confederation<br /><br />""Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled."<br /><br />Is was important to original intent to make sure the Bill of Rights restricted federal courts from overstepping states rights issue. It also restricted the congress from making laws denying the right of States. One of the proposed amendments by Madison was to Give Federal Judiciary the power to force states to follow their ruling. That amendment was not accepted by congress to pass along to states for vote. The preamble inserted states rights at beginning of bill of rights and the tenth inserted them at the end of the Bill of Rights. <br /><br />“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-27763393841220865422010-04-23T05:43:05.065-07:002010-04-23T05:43:05.065-07:00Meiyo,
I have a pack of relatives who have li...Meiyo,<br /><br /> I have a pack of relatives who have lived that way for generations...<br /><br /> Welfare is not the largest financial problem, as you point out. I think that what grates most is the moral hazard that it creates, and I'm including SSI abuse here. Economics is by far the most powerful social force. Welfare creates its own pathological culture in those addicted to it. In addition to those directly damaged, that culture passes upward and poisons the US culture as a whole. The damage is visible in many wide-spread attitudes including the general sense of entitlement that has grown throughout society.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Coal GuyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-88298036019018385392010-04-23T05:31:49.538-07:002010-04-23T05:31:49.538-07:00Dex,
Thanks for filling in a lot of the blanks...Dex,<br /><br /> Thanks for filling in a lot of the blanks for me. I am not well read in Am. History. I'm more of grazer, picking up bits here and there and organizing them in my mind. I have however read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and so much Federal law doesn't fit AT ALL.<br /><br /> One thing gives me hope, and that is there is a very large cadre of 20-somethings who feel totally screwed by big government, and are very conservative/libertarian. They look into the future an see a life of wage slavery with half of it confiscated to support those who don't work. This is pretty much unprecedented. It is amazing to see how many young Ron Paul supporters there are. The usual path is from liberal to conservative as we age.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Coal GuyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-50623298896658851902010-04-23T05:27:00.933-07:002010-04-23T05:27:00.933-07:00Ultimately, although chronic welfare be it for rur...Ultimately, although chronic welfare be it for rural or urban dwellers can be a major problem for those families/children, if not used as a temporary measure during hard times--but rather is used as a "career" of sorts.<br /><br />The additional aspect of "welfare" that has ballooned this past decade is SSI money, for mental illnesses for children. In my former job I saw many, many chronic welfare parents who were focused on getting their children diagnosed with a severe mental illness to get the monthly SSI checks. I've see many families that make sure to get all their children diagnosed with "disabilities" and bring in that 650$/per child. I have seen this in the rural areas as well--it seems to have been the new way to get income. I have seen many people that never-ever--try for a job and consider SSI their income, and become nervous when their children get older, since they will potentially "lose income".<br /><br />But as Mr. Jeffer's points out, yes White folks are the largest welfare recipients. Although, may note was just following the urban/rural issues, not ethnicity.<br /><br />Again, in the scheme of things, welfare money is still small potatoes compared to the big entitlement programs for the elderly etc--military spending, but alas people focus on welfare, as if that's the line item that is bankrupting the country--it is a problem, but by far is not in the top few.<br /><br />-MeiyoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-50395911682915867652010-04-22T21:04:14.455-07:002010-04-22T21:04:14.455-07:00One thing I just don't get is the refusal of t...One thing I just don't get is the refusal of the court to not act like the 10th amendment gets incorporated like parts of the other nine. (incorporation is based on the Idea that originally court could only interpret use of amendments to protect citizens against federal government, the 14th changed this and made citizens members of the United States and not the specific state where they reside. This is the reason that we had state churches for yrs. after the constitution was signed) By definition the 10th amendment is a amend or change of document. It took all power not delegated to federal legislature and gave it to states.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-45260640788817923392010-04-22T20:52:59.515-07:002010-04-22T20:52:59.515-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-86844911348010548272010-04-22T20:43:30.373-07:002010-04-22T20:43:30.373-07:00I think the Dems really messed up with the filibus...I think the Dems really messed up with the filibusters during Bush II of supreme court nominees. They now gave the repubs the hammer to smash them over the heads with. We will see if they cry foul, or a new gang of 14 follows.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-58999776725311483832010-04-22T20:08:04.951-07:002010-04-22T20:08:04.951-07:00Dex brings up the "original sin" case of...Dex brings up the "original sin" case of Wickard v. Filburn I would also add in Nat. Labor... vs. Jones etc al steel corp as another New Deal era case which greatly increased Federal power through the interstate commerce clause.<br /><br />The sad fact is that unless we get another conservative POTUS who isn't fooled like the last few were we will never see a contender SCOTUS court. We missed are best chance with the Burger court during the free love days. It just wasn't the time to start turning back the clock then.<br /><br />An interesting side note to Wickard v. Filburn was pointed out that Filburn was trying to get caught and that over harvesting was rampant throughout the Midwest during the 40's and the federals had no hope of enforcement without local LEO help or in this case county ag agents.<br /><br />This is key to the current fight brewing as the fed has no chance without local LEO support.<br /><br />Personally I think we are going to see lines drawn soon between the States Reserve powers and the interstate commerce clause. It is already forming quickly with Utah taking back federal land and the gun laws in several states. Now Arizona and it's new immigration laws. Interestingly enough although the commerce clause can shut down the state gun laws since these laws are handled as criminal cases the States can still claim some jurisdiction.<br /><br />More evidence of the sectionalism of rural vs. urban.PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-115802154423940402010-04-22T19:42:33.441-07:002010-04-22T19:42:33.441-07:00Was not meant to be a answer Coal Guy. Just read ...Was not meant to be a answer Coal Guy. Just read your comment and got to thinking and thought is was somewhat relevant to this article. I am asuming by past post by you that you already know this.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-11690031442479531682010-04-22T19:21:39.114-07:002010-04-22T19:21:39.114-07:00I think the thing that bothers me most about what ...I think the thing that bothers me most about what is happening is the fact that originally the founders set up a system that would have worked perfectly to mitigate the worst effects of peak oil. As everyone on here points out, there is no way to hold the federal Government together with the spending needed to support it. <br /><br />Coal Guy noticed you said your daughters teacher said “don't look at U.S. History before 1865”. He is right unfortantly. Before the civil war the United states was always "These United States of America" after the war it was the "the United States of America". The civil war codified the Madison vision of a strong central government instead of the Jefferson vision of a diffused federal government. If you ever looked at the Virginia plan purposed by their delegation it was really just replacing one despotism with another. We went from an absolute view(natural law) of law to what is commonly referred to as case law. Essentially this forces the courts to follow past decisions. In the 40’s under FDR’s threat to pack the court the constitution took one final and fatal turn. The Wickard v. Filburn case. The court ruled that a farmer growing wheat on his own property and for his own use was still subject to federal production limits, though none of his wheat left the state or even his own farm. This is what has given us the expansive view of the interstate commerce clause. They used this clause now is has been used to pass the Brady bill, bank bailouts and almost everything the government does. This is why I truly think the Health bill is completely unconstitutional, but the courts will not look at intent. They will go off of previous cases. You have to realize that even though 5 on the court are strict constructionist, all federal programs not authorized would have to change from national to state administration and taxation. There is no way they reverse SS, Medicare, food stamps and just about everything except what is mentioned in article 1, section 8 of the constitution. I could see the court saying that it is not valid to place a mandate, but cannot see them reversing past decisions.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-6521910457394995232010-04-22T18:28:19.350-07:002010-04-22T18:28:19.350-07:00I am finishing up my Bachelor in Multidisciplinary...I am finishing up my Bachelor in Multidisciplinary studies. Essentially three Minors (Criminal Justice, Christian Studies and Political Science). Working my way to law school at what is known the most conservative school in American. Let you guess :) I am conservative personally (fiscally and socially), but I am an ardent Libertarian. I own a small construction company. We do concrete, block, brick and almost anything to make money. As far as history, I just have a huge collection of books on philosophy, law, history and religion that I have been reading since I was 12. In early American History there was an amazing congruence between all four of these disciplines and read everything I can find on it. Plus I am a huge fan of Amazon. I am 28 now and I have an amazing wife, a nine month old daughter and one in the bun. Plus I am a Huge Michigan Football Fan.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-90190868248502302732010-04-22T18:25:30.633-07:002010-04-22T18:25:30.633-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-61417904390291050302010-04-22T17:57:18.648-07:002010-04-22T17:57:18.648-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.com