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What are you doing to "Obama-proof" your future?


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And who was John Browning's biggest customer? Who bought the bulk of the M1911s, the M1917s, the BARs, and the Ma deuces? You guessed it, the US government. Without that customer Browning's name would not be nearly as well known. As far as I know, Eugene Stoner only designed military weapons. Again, without government contracts would we even know his name? How many of the firearms manufacturers would exist if it weren't for government contracts? Innovation was driven by developing the products that the customer (the government) wanted.

 

Hal

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Hal,

You are missing the point. They were civilians working for themselves or corporations. There was no guarantee the government was going to purchase the weapons. Stoner worked for ArmaLite, he designed the AR-15. Yes, the government purchased plenty of them, but that's not we are talking about. We are talking about inventions.

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Yah, all this partisan squabblin'. Sign that the country has run its course. We'd rather behave like three year olds or African banana republics carin' more about our own "tribe" of politicians than about the nation. Or the truth.

 

Sad to say, the intelligent conservatives I reckon have all left the Republican party and the neo-con movement. Rush bloviatin' at CPAC I reckon is a sign that they're finished. Thank heaven. What we need these days are some intelligent, truthful, respectful conservatives to work with some intelligent, truthful, respectful liberals for the good of the nation. I consider the president to be one of the latter. I'd like to find some of da former in politics.

 

I reckon there's a role for government, but not as large as it is currently. Common defense, community infrastructure, basic research. I appreciate the folks who want to use government as a vehicle for charity. As a Christian, I care a lot about charity to those less fortunate. The problem with lettin' the government become the purveyor of too much community charity is that it leads more to graft and callousness than to love of neighbor. Just like police forces, eh? Law enforcement is a necessary community service, but too much law enforcement spendin' leads to corruption and loss of liberty.

 

As for Brent's list of ostensibly government-free products, I can respond to some:

 

The light bulb... yah, I think so.

the telephone... nope. Not any of the ones we use currently, anyways.

Automobiles... nope. Not any of the ones we drive currently, anyways.

Airplanes... nope, ditto.

Machine guns... nope, ditto.

Iphones... nope. Transistors were developed and commercialized on government grants with public money. So was a fair bit of da cellular build-out, with a lot of NSF and DOD research behind it to boot.

Beer, Wine, Coca-cola... yah, for sure. Though I reckon a fair number of those microbrews we drink got some SBA assistance gettin' going, and the domestic wine industry benefited pretty heavily from farm subsidies.

Gatorade... nope. Development by four faculty at the University of Florida workin' in tenured positions on the public dime.

The Chicken Sandwhich (Chik-fil-A)... nope. Restauranteurs got their start mostly on clientele from the Hapeville Airport in Atlanta, a large public-works project.

Baseball, football, etc. ... in these days of tax abatements and community fundin' of stadiums? Yeh must be jokin'!

 

 

Not sayin' that's the way it should be, mind. But it is the way that it is. Private investors tend only to commit money to new ventures when there's a clear road to relatively short-term profit. Basic research as well as a lot of practical development of more novel or

risky ventures has been more of a government task. GPS is a good example - a huge and diversified modern American business group created entirely by government R&D.

 

There's plenty of room to find fault with Obama's proposed budget and plans, eh? It needs the input of intelligent, patriotic, respectful, conservatives. I see Obama askin' for that input. Smart guy. One thing's for sure, though. Incompetent government is a real hazard. I'm happy to see some glimmers of improvement on that score.

 

Beavah

 

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Beavah,

Read the frickin' post:

 

"All that initiative, innovation, and invention was done without the government."

 

The government wasn't there funding the projects when any of those were born. Well, maybe Gatorade, but the funding could have come from athletic boosters, for all I know. And you can twist it all you want about the Iphone, but I don't think Apple was working on a government contract at the time.

 

On the contrary, let's look at machine guns. Since the government outlawed civilian design and manufacturing, the US hasn't produced one that met with any success. The government killed the initiative, innovation and invention. Now we have to buy the best designs from foreign corporations.

 

BTW, your lecture is no different than the "partisan squabblin'" you accuse us of. If you don't like it, scroll on by.

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I do not consider our Government one founded for great eleemosynary purpose, this government was established as the agent of the States in their foreign relations, and as an umpire between the States in their relations to one another, not to dispense charities to the indigent, nor to establish workhouses or houses of correction for the vicious within the States. Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, Secretary of War of the United States, US Senator, US Representative, Colonel - U.S.A.

 

How the original vision of our Republic has changed . . .

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It is a good quote on the early vision of the American republic in my opinion. Especially relevant from one who sought so hard to save that vision over the course of several decades.

 

He was one of America's greatest statesmen. He held an impressive array of legislative, executive, and military offices.

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Mississippi left the union. Why would one of its citizens remain loyal to the United States? I would have done the same thing. I would do the same thing if my state left the union today.

 

I quoted a famous American statesmen and you have found a way into making this another Civil War thread . . .

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I don't think it is that big a leap given that the "famous American statesman" in question was the president of the Confederacy. His state may have seceded but he chose to seek and accept a leadership position contrary to the oath he swore as an officer in the US army. That is treason.

Hal

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He took an oath to the "Constitution of the United States," not the United States. Big difference. When the Constitution was violated and his state was no longer in the union it was his duty to leave as well.

 

In the past I have held a military commission. I would have done the same thing. Like Robert E. Lee I could not fight against my home, my friends, and my family.

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With respect to Obama-proofing, my concern is that I may agree with many of his economic efforts, but I VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE with his social policies of promoting abortion and homosexual marriage and I will fight these.

 

This work has already started. I'm writing monthly letters of complaint to the White House and my representative. I'm putting money into candidates and organizations. Abortion is a horror and an evil and barbaric in several dimensions; homosexual activity is a form of sexual perversion.

 

It's energized me, albeit in a negative way. Perhaps I was too complacent before.

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Several folks keep stating that Republicans / Conservatives need to cooperate and work with Presdient Obama and the Democrats to get this country back on its feet. Mr. Obama promised bipartisan efforts.

 

But it has become clear that by bipartisan cooperation, Mr. Obama means "The election was in November, we won, now get over it". I don't think non-Democrats in government were allowed to have any meaningful input into any of the recent legislation.

 

So, of course they are screaming. And yes, they are getting just what they dished out when Republcans were in the majority. They were equally adept at onesideness. The difference today is that a majority of Americans bought into a promise of "meaninful change". But what we are seeing instead is just more of the same.

 

Change is what this country needs. But we are not seeing it now as promised. And I don't see it on the horizon from either one of our current political parties.

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