What makes America exceptional

Let's get one thing straight. The Founding Fathers were not saints or prophets, and I suspect that they would be the first to admit it. But they were smart enough to not trust each other with too much power, so they sent up a system of checks and balances.

SCOTUS ruling on Obamacare

The decision written by Chief Justice Roberts isn't surprising, it's baffling. He said that the Constitution allows the mandate to obtain insurance because it is a tax. Did he take legislative intent into account? Many of the Representatives and Senators who voted for the Affordable Care Act insisted that it was not a tax. If we take them at their word, either it was their intent that it was not a tax or they were misinformed about their own intent.

Blog Admin Note: Were doing a mid Summer's night Sweep of the LPAC blog

Since its been two years since I last tinkered with the blog it is taking a bit to get it back up to par; however I am trying to do it thouroughly all in one weekend, below is the list of local blogs that we still have that had provided still working links prior. If you know of any other blogs or newsfeeds or social networking feeds we should link to regarding the political and social life line of Allen County, Indiana and for that matter North East Indiana. Please leave the information in the comments section below.

Thank you very much for your consideration of this matter regarding our service to the Community.

Blessings Along The Journey,
MRev. Kenneth White, Jnr.
Vice Chair, LPAC
(fmr Secretary 2008-2010)

Local Blogs

• A Citizen's Guide To Indiana
• Advance Indiana
• Berry Street Beacon
• Democratic Party of Allen County
• Fort Wayne News
• Fort Wayne Observed
• Fort Wayne Politics
• Indiana Barrister
• Indy Tax Dollars
• Left in Aboite
• Opening Arguements

Apparently today we wont be doomed to repeat our future as fellow Hoosier, Chief Justice Roberts, brings a moderate twist to the federal Affordable Care Act's teats!! Is it time for We The People to suckle up?

Finally the Court shows some maturity and finesse, passes "ObamaCare" but with a few twist and turns, that everyone will be bitching over til the sun comes up next week. If you notice Republicans and Democrats stopped calling it ObamaCare just to try to not give the President credit through the up coming election cycle if it passed the Courts scrutiny and review, which is priceless politicking at its best. We as Libertarians, the principled party and educated minority, shouldnt switch to calling it ObamaCare - as a pointe of contention or disdain, because then we are just pandering to the lowest common denominator, rather than elevating the entire populous to a legitimate conversation and debate. Even as a Libertarian I am glad the Affordable Care Act passed the Supreme Court scrutiny the way it did.

From Chief Justice John Roberts:"The individual mandate cannot be upheld as an exercise of Congress's power under the Commerce Clause,..... That Clause authorizes Congress to regulate interstate commerce, not to order individuals to engage in it. In this case, however, it is reasonable to construe what Congress has done as increasing taxes on those who have a certain amount of income, but choose to go without health insurance. Such legislation is within Congress's power to tax."

Its been three long years .... and I was reminded as I write this of that first blog post I wrote in 2009 supporting Universal Health Care, boy did that piss off everyone. Why dont you take a gander back with me (all though I must caution my personal blog is NSFW) or at least watch this clip from Star Trek Deep Space 9's episodes "Past Tense part 1 and 2" above to get the basic jist.

Apparently today we wont be doomed to repeat our future. I posted this in one of my comments on my facebook page regarding the passage of the Affordable Care Act but I just had to share (*the same way tween gyrls or bois gush over Bieber, etc.*) this quote by Patrick Cervantez with someone and you were the closest fair minded Libertarian, Democrat, Republican, Green, or Independent I could jump up and down with and squeak by:

"The funny thing is that The Supreme Court redefined the mandate as a tax. So the Republicans let a tax pass in the Age of Norquist. I really didn't care fort the mandate, the fact that people don't have to worry about getting dropped due to preexisting conditions, keeping companies from raising premiums for no reason, and being the fact I'm twenty and can stay on my mom's insurance for another six years is a godsend seeing as the job market isn't being all that kind to my demographic."

..... ?Do you realize that based on the way the SCOTUS ruled? .....
!!REPUBLICANS AUTHORIZED A TAX INCREASE!!
by proxy that includes Mitt Romney too as it was his State model that they used.

*gives a lookout for Grover Norquist running for the nearest ledge*

That means that their NO NEW TAXES pledge to Norquist is null and void (as it should have been in the first place, as such things are Constitutionally questionable) or now the Tea Party has to vote all of them all out, otherwise they are hypocrites to their own standards and practices. *nener nener nener*.... Let us see how fast the excuses pile drive this election cycle forward and who stays and whom goes bye bye.

Does this ruling leave you misty eyed or angry? Its time to try the Libertarian guy! Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson is our candidate for President of the United States of America ..... We may not agree on everything especially the Affordable Care Act but you will know where we stand!! And boy do we Libertarians know how to stand and deliver!! Also check out our many other candidates for you to consider this election cycle Rupert Boneham for Governor , and Andrew Horning for U.S. Senate....among many other local and State General Assembly positions.

Today is the 200^th anniversary of the start of the War of 1812. This was the first time that Congress had ever declared war. The reason for the war was American sailors were being kidnapped by the British Navy. Somehow the war effort came down with a case of mission creep and the American people were told that Canadians would greet us as liberators.

Fun facts about the war:

The garrison at Fort Wayne was attacked by Indians allied to the British.

Allen County is named after Colonel John Allen, a member of the Kentucky state legislature and state militia who was killed in the Battle of Frenchtown in what would become Michigan.

Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics for a piece he called “The Defence(sic) of Ft McHenry”. This would later become “The Star Spangled Banner”.

The War of 1812 was the last war in which the US endured a ground invasion by a foreign army.

Thanks Again Democrats For Such A Wonderful Evening With Zach Wahls! Oh and BTW Welcome To Fort Wayne

 So after the Zach Wahls Live event at the Embassy Theatre, which was totally phenomenal and beyond any expectations - even though only about 250 people showed up, I decided to follow such a profound experience with this extraordinarily humble young man, with a treat that I hadnt had since I last went on an a cross country rescue mission four years ago....A Wendy's BIGGIE Frosty.

Yes you heard me correctly all 44 ounces of creamy like fake chocolate drink mix that is slightly frozen and made to look like a milkshake. For those whom dont remember, BIGGIE Drinks they were the first 44 ouncers way back in the day, they cost the same as two medium FROSTYS put together in one hugnormous cullinary fiscal coupe. It was like having your cake eating it and then taking the rest home to munch on ..... They didnt have it.

What do you mean they dont have BIGGIE Frosty's anymore?

Not only do they not have BIGGIE Frosty's They dont have BIGGIE ANYTHING anymore. Mayor Bloomberg already got his wish but it wasnt for health reasons it was common market forces dictating profits/losses and capital cost as well as supposedly a consumer base not partaking of said larger portion sizes. The recession and self preservation probably has something to do with it too.

One of the first known steps for market preservation is for companies to reduce quantity rather than raise prices they will always default to one before the other. You can see it in small ways especially if you are as tight with a buck as this ghetto redneck queen can be. Gravy Train used to be 18 pound bags for $7.50 now it just went down from 17.6# for $8 to 16. Diaper Wipes used to be in containers of 250-300 for $4 now you are lucky to get 216 diaper wipes for $4.50 (Dollar General). You see it in Ice Cream all the time, its gone from a gallon to a half a gallon to a quart and a half all in three years time. ....I am to the pointe that Im just going to spend my money on an Crofton 1.6 quart Ice Cream Maker from Aldi and tell the rest of the world to milk my goat if they want some.... Even now Aldis has increased their cow juice prices from 1.79 to 2.29 a gallon. Market preservation works but there comes a time when consumers need to see the price increase to understand the true value of the food they are consuming and/or wasting rather than the convenience of the same size container at the same price even if there is less in there to begin with. Ignorance is not always blissful.

Anyway back to my depressing news about this now large 20 oz. FROSTY for $2.36: Do you realize that our economy has changed so much without us realizing it that this large Frosty is technically 2-4 oz. smaller than what used to be a medium for almost the same cost as a previous medium. So not only am I getting ripped out of 4 ounces of fake milk ice product and Im now prohibited from enjoying a larger size or BIGGIE size if my heart so desires to do so.

And that is the difference between the other two parties Republicans want the same or less product for less money while Democrats want you to have the same amount that your father had but still pay the same amount or slightly more and neither one want you to know let alone listen to you complain about getting screwed sideways. Libertarians want you to know that your getting screwed either way and they know how not to screw you or anyone else over or under.

So are we better off now than we were four years ago or 8 or ten or 12 or twenty? Yes we are but we still havent learned the lesson to pay attention to not just what we consume but how we consume it or that occasionally it will try to consume us. Remember that please when you take a look at whom is right not just for the next four years of our Country's future but whom will best position us to succeed to the pointe where we can fully restore the value and accessibility of the BIGGIE Frosty to the marketplace of ideas.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The previous was an excerpt from a personal post on my facebook page and has been edited for space personal content and a concise communication of ideas. If you wish to review the original entire commentary please click the link directly above and be aware that it may not be suitable for all readers.

Memorial Day

On this day we acknowledge the least desirable byproduct of poor international relations. There isn't a single, sane soldier, sailor, or airman who wants to be honored on this holiday when his service ends instead of in November. The best way to honor our war dead is by keeping their sacred status as exclusive as possible, and by preserving at home what they fought for abroad. By the way, don't the recruiting ads mention something about freedom?

Gary Johnson ad

Who cares about Secret Service and hookers?

Prostitution is a crime in 49 states. It would be perfectly reasonable for a government employees to be disciplined or terminated if they did commit such a crime. However, the agents involved in the recent so-called scandal were NOT in any of those states when this incident occurred. Prostitution is not illegal under federal law, nor is it illegal under Colombian law.

The only argument that I have heard so far for firing these agents is they could be subject to blackmail. But that same argument was used to discriminate against gay men in law enforcement and the military. When a unmarried federal employee visits a prostitute in a place where it is legal, it would be my guess that he's more worried about losing his job than social ostracism. The fact that he could face termination is the one thing that makes him vulnerable to blackmail.

It should be noted that married men routinely lose their security clearances when they have an affair. Secret Service agents do have a tremendous responsibility and must be held to a higher standard of behavior than everyone else, and so do the men that they protect. I propose that Secret Service agents be held to the same standard as the President when it comes to morals, and vice-versa.

Before Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Parties...

The Libertarian Party of Allen County's annual tax protest has been held every year since 2005. We protested Bush's overspending, we protested Obama's overspending, and I expect that we'll be protesting the next president's overspending. This year, it will take place on Tuesday, April 17th from 5pm until we get tired and leave around 8 or 9pm. It will be at the usual spot just north of the Clinton Street Post Office.

How to reduce unemployment

As of January, the US unemployment rate is 8.3%. Our economy is recovering slowly but surely. But that figured can be improved greatly at the stroke of a pen. By giving France a portion of territory that they lost in the French Indian War, namely the state of Michigan, America can rid itself of a place with an unemployment rate above the national average. Michigan's unemployment rate is at 9.1%, which is still lower than France's unemployment rate of 9.7%. The transfer of the upper and lower peninsulas will serve to lower the unemployment rate of both countries. France has been a valued ally of the US for many years. During World War II, they generously provided their country as a place for Americans to fight Nazis. Hopefully, they'll help us out by taking the Wolverine State off our hands.

A couple modest questions

1. If employers should be required to pay for insurance that provides contraception to women, should they also pay for dental insurance that provides free toothpaste? After all, your employer shouldn't tell you that you can't have birth control. Therefore, my employer should not tell me I cannot brush my teeth.
2. This November, Democratic voters must ask themselves this: How many Iranian civilians am I prepared to sacrifice for free healthcare?
3. Should auto insurance be required to pay for new tires and brake pads? Whenever a car with bald tires causes an accident, we shouldn't blame the driver for not maintaining his car. We should blame Congress for not passing the appropriate legislation.

The latest proposal to screw up downtown Fort Wayne

There is a proposal to slow down traffic in downtown Fort Wayne. Here is the primary reason cited by the mayor:

....will improve visibility and access to businesses, provide traffic calming and encourage economic development

Downtown is already a safer place to walk than other commercial areas, such as Coliseum Boulevard, West Jefferson and Illinois Road, and DuPont. And Fort Wayne as a whole typical has less than 5 pedestrian fatalities per year. It always has been and likely always will be safer to walk than to drive in any city. I like being able to park my car, get what I need from one place, get what I want from another place, and get something to eat from a third place without having to move my car three times.
But when I am in my car, my goal is to safely minimize my travel time. Sometimes I adjust my route when there is construction, and I avoid traveling during rush hour when I can help it. So if the city intentionally slows down traffic downtown, that will only serve to discourage motorists from visiting that area.

Why the economy is improving

1. Here's a new concept for you all: regression towards the norm. It's something that can observed in almost anything that involves statistics. Unusually low numbers can be expected to go up, unusually high numbers can be expected to go down. You can expect that the 2-14 Indianapolis Colts will have a better season this fall even without Peyton Manning, and the Superbowl champion New York Giants might not do as hot. Everything goes through peaks and valleys, the economy is no different.

2. From time to time, a "new normal" arises and it takes time for businesses and individuals alike to adjust to the new normal. The economy can show growth under any POTUS.

Economics is nothing more than applied psychology. It's billions of human decisions on what to buy and sell. If these decisions were always made on a rational basis, forming economic models would be easy. So before you ask Congress or the President to fix the economy, remember that they're human too. Democracy works better than monarchy for the same reason capitalism works better than socialism: more people are involved in the decision making process.

Want to run for office?

The Libertarian Party is looking for people who share our ideals who want to run for elected office. If you can serve on a jury, you can serve in the legislature. Email me at enders.robert@gmail.com if you live in northeast Indiana and you think you can do a better job than the guys that you've been critical of up to this point.

SOPA

SOPA is nothing more than feel good legislation. Only US websites can be impacted by US laws. Digital pirates will continue to go to foreign websites like they already do. While it would be nice if other governments took responsibility in protecting American intellectual property, it's hardly our top foreign policy concern.

MLK Day

On this day, we honor not just the man, but the movement. Our nation was founded on an ideal, and with the help of men like him, the country has come closer to making that ideal a reality.

Foreign Aid

People who are not subject to a government's jurisdiction are not entitled to aid from that government. If I were President, and a foreign government asked me for money, I'd tell them to petition Congress for admission to the Union. Barring unforeseen circumstances, I doubt that government or Congress would move forward on such a thing.

If you feel that a government needs money, write them a check yourself. You probably already are providing money to third world countries every time you buy gas.

Let's be careful about what we say on the Internet

If you have new information about an ongoing criminal matter, it's usually best to share that information with law enforcement. Be advised that if this is something that you heard from someone else, without any independent verification, then it may not be something that you want to share on the Internet. Some lies can feel like facts when information is scarce. Remember when Richard Jewell was falsely accused of planting the bomb that he found at the Olympics? Before you write your next blog post or say something on Facebook, you should read what John Scalzi wrote about libel.

Some good news

For those of you who are in need of some good news.