Overgovernment, Puppy & Kitty Dept.

You thought the nanny state had run out of ridiculous ideas? Colorado legislators are now regulating the sex lives of dogs. Never mind dealing with a projected $600 million budget shortfall. A law that just went into effect this month addresses the pressing concern of our authorities over the sex lives of dogs. That’s right, our legislature is now mandating when (and rather) dogs are spayed or neutered.

In the Speakout section of the RMN (Wednesday January 14th) Georgia Cameron spelled out from an animal rescue professional’s perspective just why this latest law is bad policy, pointing out the negative effects on animal’s health, increased administrative burden on rescuers and prospective adopters, and increased costs to nonprofits, government oversight, and therefore taxpayers at large. It’s a thoughtful, well-reasoned, and articulately argued critique of one particular legislative overreach.

I’m just here to point out how silly it is that the legislature even poked its snout – er, nose – into this whole business in the first place. And speaking of more pet-related legislative silliness…

From the same people who find it a horrendously onerous burden for presumably sentient (at least they walk upright) human beings to present identification in order to exercise the most sacred duty of citizenship: voting (ref. “Bill to require photo ID when voting fails”, RMN 23 January 2009, p. 18) comes a new demand that cats carry some form of ID (tags, implanted chips) on their –er, persons – at all times.

That’s right, like the AmEx commercials of old, kitties – don’t leave home without it. The mind’s eye conjures up legions of itinerant identity-checking inspectors wandering the streets in a scene from the old Soviet Union, marching up to cats and barking out “Propusk!” (papers). “Mrrrowr?” No ID? Well, it’s off to the kitty gulag with you, my fine furry feline friend…

Actions show who really cares in US

Mr. Obama encouraged us to all be part of making America better. I can get behind that because I am a compassionate conservative, and that’s what we do. Liberal-minded Arthur Brooks, in his 2006 book Who Really Cares, documents that conservatives, from sea to shining sea, give more than liberals in volunteer time and charitable contributions. Here is a review of the book.

Mr. Brooks begins by “discussing and dismissing the implicit notion that you are ‘more or less compassionate simply because [you] support taxing wealthy people’ or are ‘dissatisfied with the adequacy of government social programs’.”

He then draws his conclusion from 10 data sets, making four main points:

1 - The four forces in American life primarily responsible for making people charitable are “religion, skepticism about the government in economic life, strong families, and personal entrepreneurism”.

2 - Conservative principles are most congenial to the four forces of charity.

3 - Liberals, who often claim to care more about others than conservatives do, are personally less charitable.

4 - Policies that displace (crowd out) personal charity are harmful to the nation because charity is good for the giver.

The next time someone wants to demonize or criticize a conservative, remember these facts about compassionate conservatism and helping others.

So yes Mr. President, I will support you by continuing to offer my time and resources to help others.

Colorado Dems flunk basic econ

As Obama pledges to use taxpayer money to hand out cash and prizes in the name of jump-starting the economy, Colorado Democrats seem to be taking notes. But perhaps they should start taking a basic college economics course. Their chosen model just won't work. A quick read through the daily papers and opening day remarks by the state's leading Democrat lawmakers revealed their plans to increase government regulation and taxation, two actions all but guaranteed to worsen the state’s economic prospects.

Here’s just a quick sample of their plans. Democrats want to mandate new business regulations. Rep. Mark Ferrandino, a Denver Democrat, is introducing legislation to force banks to give loan defaulters a “temporary timeout” to renegotiate their loans. Rep. Andy Kerr of Lakewood hopes to force businesses to grant a week of unpaid leave so parents can go to school events.

The trouble with these nice sounding ideas is that they will increase government intrusion into private businesses and increase costs that are in turn be passed on to consumers.

Democrats also want to increase the size of government. Only the state’s projected $604 million budget shortfall restrains their ambitions. According to the Rocky Mountain News, a $13 billion price tag for start-up costs is the only thing stopping some Democrats from moving forward with a socialized medicine scheme.

Even so, Rep. Mary Hodge of Adams County thinks a smaller version is doable. Never mind that government takeover of healthcare is a prescription for long lines, escalating costs, deficit spending, and loss of personal freedom.

To improve education, Rep. Karen Middleton of Aurora suggests that we should increase government bureaucracy by creating an "Office of Dropout Prevention and Student Reengagement." State Rep. Debbie Benefield of Arvada wants the government to guarantee every student has access to a high-quality teacher. I’m guessing parental choice isn’t what she has in mind rather the creation of yet another government teacher training program or teacher salary initiative. On the welfare front, legislation is poised to create an “Economic Opportunity Task Force” (at least it’s not a blue ribbon panel) to develop a “strategic, integrated and comprehensive plan to help lift families out of poverty.”

Bear in mind that every dollar spent on state bureaucracy is one not spent by entrepreneurs to create jobs, charitable organizations to provide real help, or individuals to invest in their own future.

Democrats think they can create jobs, stimulate growth, and generate prosperity through the creation of more government programs, hand-outs, and regulations. Unfortunately, they missed the lessons of the 20th Century, subtle as they were, like the Great Depression, 70's stagflation, and the collapse of centrally planned economies.

“There are severe limits to the good that the government can do for the economy, but there are almost no limits to the harm it can do,” observed Nobel laureate economist Milton Friedman. The direction sought by the majority party this legislative session points to darker days ahead.

Krista Kafer is a Denver-based education consultant, frequent cohost on Backbone Radio, and regular columnist for Face the State.com, from which this is reprinted by permission.

BHO steers US toward Eurosocialism

As Barack Obama is about to be inaugurated as America’s 44th President, a huge question mark hangs over the future of American society and, by extension, over the future of freedom in the world: Will a majority of the American people turn their backs on individual responsibility, free enterprise and the Constitution and follow in Europe’s Socialistic footsteps, or will they remain true to America’s exceptional heritage and destiny? As they make their fateful decision amid talk of Big Government entitlements, bail-outs and deficit spending, I would strongly urge them to ponder the penetrating analysis which Barry Goldwater made of the effects of the Welfare state on individual freedom in The Conscience of A Conservative almost fifty years ago:

“The currently favored instrument of collectivization is the Welfare state. The collectivists have not abandoned their ultimate goal – to subordinate the individual to the State – but their strategy has changed. They have learned that Socialism can be achieved through Welfarism quite as well as Nationalization.

They understand that private property can be confiscated as effectively by taxation as by expropriating it. They understand that the individual can be put at the mercy of the State – not only by making the State his employer - but by divesting him of the means to provide for his personal needs and by giving the State the responsibility of caring for those needs from cradle to grave.

Moreover, they have discovered – and here is the critical point – that Welfarism is much more compatible with the political processes of a democratic society. Nationalization ran into popular opposition, but the collectivists feel sure the Welfare State can be erected by the simple expedient of “free” hospitalization, “free” retirement pay and so on… (…)

I do not welcome this shift of strategy. Socialism-through-Welfarism poses a far greater danger to freedom than Socialism-through-Nationalization precisely because it is more difficult to combat. The evils of Nationalization are self-evident and immediate. Those of Welfarism are veiled and tend to be postponed. (…) The effect of Welfarism on freedom will be felt later on – after its beneficiaries have become its victims, after dependence on government has turned into bondage and it is too late to unlock the jail.”

Judging by Goldwater’s 1960 impeccably conservative standards, Big Government in a country like France has spread so much wealth around to build a Welfare state of its own that French society often feels like a gulag.

As Barack Obama’s term as President of the United States is about to start, calls for philosophical and political restraint within the GOP sound irresponsible, if not cowardly. Due respect for the democratic process should not be mistaken for acquiescing in America’s destruction as an exceptionally freedom-loving country.

As in 1964, 1980, 1984 and 1994, it is time for Conservatives to stand up and be counted.

Note: “Paoli” is the pen name, er, nom de plume, of our French correspondent. Monsieur is a close student of European and US politics, a onetime exchange student in Colorado and a well-wisher to us Americans. He informs us the original Pasquale Paoli, 1725-1807, was the George Washington of Corsica.

Seductive ideology takes over Jan. 20

The modern political persuasion called Liberalism can be compared to a beautiful seductive temptress. Alluring and destined to feel good for a while, but after a fling with this wily ideology one is left realizing that the intoxicating goddess was more like a cheap prostitute. This seducer of the mind and soul leaves one intellectually and spiritually bankrupt, and infected with a life long hatred of tradition, morals and values. The Liberal or Progressive ideology is definitely a feel good political philosophy. As the Bible so wisely warns us to resist the temptations of the flesh so must we resist the emotional temptation and seduction of modern Liberalism. Liberalism is full of great sounding ideas such as inclusion, acceptance, dignity, equality, social justice, human rights, and diversity. It seduces the naive and the idealist with its promise of compassion and tolerance. Who doesn't want peace, harmony and justice? Who doesn't want to feed the hungry and house the homeless? Such simple sentiments stir the hearts of the masses. It is a slippery slope philosophy that sucks one in with statements that are hard to disagree with but the Utopian dreams lead to social engineering, the nanny state and the abandonment of common sense.

Its taint touches every issue. It begins with calls for responsible pet ownership but soon leads to an animal bill of rights, pet guardianship and the picketing of KFC. Legitimate condemnation of brutal attacks based on hatred leads to homosexual high schools, same sex marriage, and gays in the military. Sympathy for the plight of migrant workers somehow compels us to accept and support the millions of illegal immigrants filling our schools, hospitals and prisons and the accompanying multi-billion dollar tax burden. The call for celebration of other cultures is revealed to be a mere mask fueling the fires of racial and class divisions. This dismantling of Western civilization continues unabated under the guise and tutelage of smiling bureaucrats.

Far too many people inclined to the conservative cause have been lured into compromise and eventual abandonment of their creed by the siren's song. It is a trap too easily sprung upon the unwary, uneducated and even the occasional weary veteran of the culture wars. Overwhelming in its pervasiveness and unending in its preaching it is a difficult ideology to stand against. For those in politics or the public eye it becomes even more difficult. Principle is abandoned for practicality. Cooperation becomes compromise. Public relations become political correctness. And the path of least resistance leads to surrender.

There is no doubt that behind the appealing bumper sticker slogans and picture perfect ideals there is a sinister agenda of massive government regulation and control of our daily lives. It is an agenda that shreds the moral fabric of society. One that seeks to destroy nationalism and sovereignty, promote internationalism and globalism, and carry out its own jihad on tradition, authority, respect and all things Christian. Its idea of acceptance leads to perversion, compassion to idiocy, inclusion to self-destruction. The shrill cry of tolerance, tolerance! no matter what the cost or how absurd it may be is the mating call of this ideological temptress. It demands the complete suspension of judgment with no regard for consequences or the damage caused to society.

The ultimate goal seems to be some Frankenstein cross between the state of California and the modern day public university. The enshrinement of the immoral, uncontrolled immigration and massive government giveaways of California combined with the speech codes, white guilt, political correctness, and ideological intolerance of college campuses. A frightening vision to say the least but one that is being successfully foisted upon the American people and wholeheartedly adopted by the elite of media, education, entertainment and popular culture. The seductress has been successful in her conquests but the ugliness that lies behind the mask of compassion is slowly being revealed.

We have seen the daily attacks upon the Boy Scouts, the Ten Commandments, the pledge of allegiance and heterosexual marriage. The institutions, symbols, and traditions that have been the heart of the American culture and society are under constant assault as they are dismantled one by one.

Environmentalism, humanism, feminism, anti-capitalism, multiculturalism and all the allied isms of the Left are among the greatest threats to the Republic since secession tore it apart in a bloody civil war. These ideologies are perhaps even more insidious for they seek not to separate themselves from the rest of us but seek to conquer us. Not just physically but emotionally, mentally, culturally and spiritually as well.

The Liberal ideologies that seek to destroy the dream and vision of the Founding Fathers deserve to be ruthlessly fought, exposed and defied at every opportunity. Beneath the thin veneer of civility lies an iron fisted philosophy that wages an unending war on all that is good, holy and moral. It is a topsy turvy view of the world where wrong is right, God is mocked, perversion is normal, infanticide is liberation and the profane is praised. They have had their chance to shape our culture. The results have been disastrous with the American family paying the price. There is still a glimmer of hope if the lies of the Left are exposed for what they really are and the American people choose to flee from the lair of the temptress.

David Huntwork is a conservative activist and freelance columnist in Northern Colorado, where he lives with his wife and three daughters. You may view his bio and past columns at http://DavidHuntwork.tripod.com.