Liberty Relearned

Coverage and summary of the Defeat the Mandates DC march. The rally was organized primarily by outspoken critics of the mandates, Doctors Robert Malone and Peter McCullah.  It was MC'd by J.P. Sears, a very funny libertarian comedian.  Some of the main themes of the rally were:  The freedom to choose how best to prevent, treat, and overcome a potentially serious disease. Censorship of views, studies, and data that don't fall in line with the Fauci doctrine. The vaccines are not as effective as we were led to believe, especially when it comes to the Omicron variant.  Natural immunity is real and can be better than artificial immunity provided by vaccines. Healthy children, in particular, should not be forced into taking the vaccine. Side effects from the vaccine while rare, are real and can be quite serious, even deadly. Also, the fact that Americans just don't like to be bossed around.  (1/23/22) For more info visit: https://defeatthemandatesdc.com/

LR Podcast notes: A Tale of Two Leaders A Quinnipiac poll released on January 12th showed President Biden’s Approval rating at just 33%. His approval ratings have been plummeting since the Afghanistan pullout debacle. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Glenn Youngkin was sworn in as Virginia’s 74th governor. He won on a platform in many ways diametrically opposed to that of the President’s party. Biden’s top-down approach to government stands in stark contrast to Youngkin’s grassroots approach. The president demands obedience from American citizens. He wants mask and vaccine mandates. He’s sicced the DOJ on parents who disapprove of leftist ideology being foisted on their children and who’ve chosen to speak out forcefully against them. The Biden regime wants you to associate these people with domestic terrorists. Far from terrorists, Youngkin sees them as concerned parents sick of leftist indoctrination, moreover, they are a key constituency. One of his first executive orders was to forbid mask mandates in public schools within the Commonwealth. Biden wants the government and teacher’s unions to determine school curriculum and Youngkin wants parents to have the chief say. One stands for an authoritarian approach of mandates and the other the libertarian approach of empowering VA households, parents, and individuals. One enjoys record disapproval, one enjoys a mandate from the people. Which vision for America should prevail, will prevail? Further reading: Biden approval rating in Quinnipiac poll drops again — to 33 percent -New York Post Virginia Gov. Youngkin’s day-one executive orders include investigating Loudoun County officials, CRT ban -Fox News

In part one of the 2021 year in review, we covered a lot of ground including: The Jan 6th Riot and its fallout, the resulting escalations in the war on free speech, and the inflation bomb.  In this part, we're going to cover more major topics covered by Liberty Relearned online and on the podcast including: The Biden agenda aka "We the Government" or "Build Back Broker" or "Buy Votes Better".  The Afghanistan debacle and its central figure, Gen Mark Milley.  Also, I talk about some of the things that scared me the most in 2021, the rise of authoritarianism and collectivism. 

At the end of 2020, we had high hopes that 2021 would be a darn sight better.  In some ways it was, but in many ways it wasn't and often things went sideways. This podcast covers many of the major events of 2021.  We had the unfortunate events of January 6th that have been used to justify the marginalization and sometimes downright persecution of Republicans, conservatives, and just about anybody not willing to toe the leftist line. The war on free speech was in full swing in 2021, and the left and their allies used the opportunity to settle scores and take out the competition. Wokeness, the idea that supporting preferential treatment for some groups at the expense of others is a virtue. Companies continued to give in to the woke mob and preach divisive theories such as CRT. The backlash was big, and wokeness was rejected time and again in elections around the country. Inflation was and continues to be a big problem. In 2021, multi-trillion-dollar spending bills became a thing.  Looking forward to next week, we'll cover Critical Race Theory (CRT) in greater detail, as episodes and blog postins on that subject were by far the most popular.  We'll also talk more about the debacle in Afghanistan and cover some basics of conservatism.   Until then,  Stay happy, healthy, and Free!-- JP Mac

Last year in my Christmas message, I wrote these words: “These are dark times, both literally and figuratively... Jesus is the light, brought into a dark world, and as they say, it's always darkest before the dawn. It's certainly dark in the world and in our country today. We have an epidemic, which has brought not just the death of people, but the death of liberty as well. Our Republic is in peril, states across the country have abandoned their allegiance to the Constitution, the following of which they now see as optional. Some of those same forces have plans for this country that would basically mean its end. They believe that in its ashes they can build a new country, their Utopia, not in His image, but their own.” So, where are we one year later? We still have an epidemic, but one which appears to be on the verge of dying out. In most countries, your chances of dying from COVID are down, and surviving it is up. When it comes to the loss of our liberties, we struggle to regain many that were lost, but gradually have seen many restored. In the U.S., The Constitution is back after going MIA briefly following the election of 2020. Those who strive for a godless Utopia have been met by an ever-increasing opposition and the societal momentum of their movement has stalled. It's stalled because it has caused misery, not happiness and its false promises are, if not being rejected, are at least being met by skepticism. In the closing days of 2021, there are signs that the light has started to vanquish the dark. Just as the Nativity signaled the beginning of a decades-long process of renewal and ultimate victory over death, so too is there the slight hint of a nascent resurgence of those who would bring His light in our world. Have a happy and healthy Christmas! 

When we think of good, we have to consider the question of Good for Whom?  Society today, especially the left thinks in terms of the collective good.  Where the theist bases what's “good” as what's pleasing to God, the secular philosophers have tended to replace God with society.  Asking what is good for society.  This moral framework, based upon altruism (refer to Ayn Rand for additional insights on this) is the negation of one's own self-interests in favor of society.  Though the altruistic approach seems good on the surface, even to theists, especially Christians, upon further reflection on how this value actually plays out in the real world, one can see the cracks in the secular altruist's argument.  Mainly, how do we define what is good for all of society? We as individuals, cannot determine what is best for society, for we can never have a complete enough picture of what society most needs, at least not to a moral certainty. Moreover, is the simple fact that no individual can act on behalf of society. Is there any evidence that history provides us that leads us to conclude that society is a worthy proxy for God when determining matters of morality?  Which society was worthy of such a distinction?  The Ancient Romans?  The Mayans?  20thCentury Europe? Altruism seems good, even Biblical, but cannot serve as a code of ethics. The problem with altruism isn't that self-sacrifice is bad, it's that it allows society, not the individual, to make the call on who is required to sacrifice their own best interests and why. Society is the majority, and altruism makes one's actions subject to the need of the collective.

“Some of the time...” has ended. “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer.” ― Abraham Lincoln Ah, the timeless wisdom of Abe Lincoln!  (That does put a new perspective on the Latin phrase:  “In vino veritas,” but I digress.) The American people haven't been given much in the way of real facts, at least not by the legacy media, but they are aware that they've been feed lies and nonsense. They know for instance, that CRT and so-called “Anti-racism” as it's been taught to them and their kids is just racist claptrap, and are now on the lookout for it in their schools and places of business. They don't know if “Build Back Better” is better, but they do know that you can't spend trillions of dollars and not cause inflation.  They know that they were lied to about Russian collusion, Kenosha, and Jussie Smollett being the victim of a hate crime. What else have they been lied to about? They wonder. Now, when they hear the Democrats shrieking about Trump, Republicans, conservatives, and so on, being a threat to democracy, they will be far less willing to accept such statements as anything more than hyperbole. If the recent elections in Virginia and elsewhere are any indication, more and more average Americans are breaking free from the leftist's spell. Another quote attributed to Lincoln is this: “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” The Democrats are finding this out the hard way. They will fall way short of 'all the people',  and 'some of the time' ended in November of 2021, if not before for a lot of people, and continues to end, day by day for others. Now, let's continue on with that great Republican tradition, and have some real facts...and a beer.

Examining the data from worldometers.info showing the patterns and general trajectory of the COVID 19 pandemic. Which strategies worked? Which ones didn't? Where does Omicron fit into all of this?

Its name is "Omicron". It's the reason you'll still need to wear a mask at work and in school in 2022.  It will be the desperate need cited for getting small children vaccinated.  It's the reason you have to stay home for Christmas again this year (and don't even think of New Year's). It's the reason why you'll be getting a fourth shot in about five months. It's the reason your compliance will continue to be mandatory in 2022, the year you thought you'd finally be free of COVID.  If you live in the formerly free country of Australia, it will be responsible for lockdowns 473 thru 842.  If not Omicron, it will be the next variant. When the name Omicron fades from the headlines, as Delta did, it will be replaced. Thanks to COVID, we're all going to find out how many letters there are in the Greek alphabet. A recent article in the NY Post tells of this new COVID-19 variant. If the short, yet well-chronicled history of the COVID pandemic teaches us anything, is that news of the Omicron variant will be exploited as a reason to administer (read sell) more vaccine doses.  It will be used as justification for all sorts of limits to our freedoms, even as the Western world grows sick, not from COVID, but of things like vaccine mandates and COVID apartheid. All across the globe, people are taking to the streets against the quarantine of the non-sick, forced medical treatment, and general infringement of human rights in the name of fighting a disease that the vast majority of people who've contracted it have recovered from. The expert class has so undermined their credibility that many now simply tune them out, even if they happen to be right. Again, it must be said, there will always with this disease be an excuse for authoritarian behavior on the part of our leaders, many of whom have a caviler attitude towards the rights of others.  This patronizing and oftentimes detrimental treatment will continue for as long as we let it.

Last week, I read and then discussed an excerpt from a Victor Davis Hanson piece, "Trickle-down Bidenism".  In it he talks about the many crises occurring in the United States during the ancient Biden Administration. He wonders if the Democrats and just inept or if the damage being done is intentional. Unfortunately, the audio quality of last week's podcast was not that great (gremlins!).  The topic I think is too important to just let go, so I decided to revisit it this week. This time, the audio quality is much better so again, my thoughts (familiar to some of you) on the topic...  Evil or just plain bad? In an article for The Independent Institute, Victor Davis Hanson blasts the Democrats and especially President Biden for the growing number of crises in America since he and his fellow Democrats took power in Washington in January. In it, Hanson asks the rhetorical question– “Does the Biden socialist cadre who engineered these self-induced calamities have any clue about the damage they have done to America? Or do they believe the chaos is tolerable collateral destruction to achieve an otherwise unattainable socialist paradise?” Although it is generally good counsel to not attribute ill-intent to what can just as easily be attributed to incompetence, the way the Democrats have governed gives us cause to wonder. Included is an excerpt from Victor Davis Hanson article: Trickle-Down Bidenism (Please read the whole thing, it's worth it.) So are the leftist Democrats in power really just inept or is all the destruction being caused to our society and economy just a price to be paid to achieve the collective Utopia they seek?

Evil or just plain bad? In an article for The Independent Institute, Victor Davis Hanson blasts the Democrats and especially President Biden for the growing number of crises in America since he and his fellow Democrats took power in Washington in January. In it, Hanson asks the rhetorical question-- “Does the Biden socialist cadre who engineered these self-induced calamities have any clue about the damage they have done to America? Or do they believe the chaos is tolerable collateral destruction to achieve an otherwise unattainable socialist paradise?” Although it is generally good counsel to not attribute ill-intent to what can just as easily be attributed to incompetence, the way the Democrats have governed gives us cause to wonder. Please read the Victor Davis Hanson article: Trickle-Down Bidenism for his thoughts.  So are the leftist Democrats in power really just inept or is all the destruction being caused to our society and economy just a price to be paid to achieve the collective Utopia they seek?

This past Tuesday, Americans across the nation said “no” to the divisive progressive Democrat agenda.  Most notably, Governor-elect  Glenn Youngkin, who ran a race focused on education and the economy defeated one-time governor, Terry McAuliffe.  The election turned on one issue primary, the question of who should decide what Virginia kids get taught in school, teachers or parents.  McAuliffe said teachers, parents said “wrong!”.  While kids in the Commonwealth were home last year attending classes at home, parents got a rare close-up glimpse into what was their kids were exposed to in school including elements of racist CRT doctrine, and graphic depictions of sex not just in sex-ed, but in school board approved literature. The wave of conservative and GOP wins across the country have been widely seen as a repudiation of the Biden Administration and the policies of the extreme left, including defunding the police and excessive government overreach when it comes to COVID policy, especially the vaccine mandate.  The leftist indoctrination taking place in our children's classrooms was merely the straw that broke the camel's back for the voters in Virginia and elsewhere.  (Here's are Excerpts from Buck Sexton's November 3rd article in Townhall.com that highlight some of these election implications.) This is the first election since a series of disastrous ones that saw the Republicans lose the White House, then two Senate seats in Georgia. Since then, the Biden Administration has been faced with one disaster after another-- a slowed-down economic recovery from COVID, a disastrous pullout from Afghanistan, inflation, and now shortages of many imported goods. The GOP wins in VA and school-board elections across the country are a serious blow to one of the Left's sources of strength, our education system.  Without control of the public education system, they cannot indoctrinate our nation's youth with their woke values.

Halloween is a lead-in to All Souls’ Day. Will the “soul” of the American ideal be one we lament in the future? Will 2021 be the year that future historians will cite as the Republic’s death? Halloween may be a scary day but 2021 may mark the beginning of a scary era for this country. The rise of authoritarianism, inflation, collectivism and shortages should scare the average American, and if the left has its way, will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. It’s not too late to turn back, but will we? Tuesday, Nov 2nd is All Souls Day. It is also Election Day. How we celebrate one may affect how we celebrate the other. Four real things that scare me this Halloween: Shortages.  This is a man-made catastrophe. When you pay people to not work, this is what you get.  Not enough people designing, making, transporting, and selling things.  The three major causes:  Lockdowns, disincentives to work, vaccine mandates. Inflation.  Another man-made catastrophe.  Like the shortages we're experiencing now, Inflation can be traced to the government's interference in the normal economic cycle.  It's a combination of money given and not earned, and money created to monetize public debt.  Inflation is the most regressive of taxes. Authoritarianism.  The alarming rise in authoritarianism in Western democracies is just that, alarming. It can come from a benevolent place, a patronizing attitude toward common people.  It can come from a sinister place, a sadistic need to control others and delight in their misery. It is condescension made into governmental policy. Utopianism requires tyranny to overcome the basic human need to exercise rational self-interest. Collectivism. This ranks #1 on this list because the other three, Authoritarianism, Inflation, and Shortages can all trace their roots to its implementation.  “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”  -Socialist slogan. Collectivism rejects the notion of individual rights and sovereignty. Communism, socialism, and fascism are all forms of collectivism. Because they run contrary to human nature, these forms of state collectivism require authoritarianism to keep them alive. Inflation and shortages are common real-world byproducts of collective economic practices, especially socialism.

I'm not going to pick on Alec Baldwin here.  I'm sure he's genuinely beside himself with grief and remorse.  I will say that people who believe that guns kill people and not as the saying goes:  "Guns don't kill people, people kill people," will have a hard time understanding that they can be one of the "people" in that saying when they are around firearms.  When it comes to death and injury due to firearms, intentional, or unintentional as in this case, the problem is always the thoughts, belief, and understanding that is the problem. Many on the left, have divorced the gun's actions from human actions.  When you do that, things like gun safety become mere abstractions.  They don't realize that it's not the gun that's unsafe, it's the handler of that gun that is either safe or unsafe.  #2A #gunsafety Gun safety is a conservative value. 

When the left/Democrats accuse the Republicans of doing or being something, i.e. racist, fascist, etc, they themselves are guilty of it. They ALWAYS project their faults on others, and there are NO exceptions, even when they accuse Trump and other conservatives of being fascists.  Anyone who's studied historical fascism can see that the left increasingly is showing fascistic tendencies. I would define fascism, based on history (as opposed to propaganda) As: 1. Authoritarian 2.  Collectivist, and 3.  Micromanagement of business, as if the government served on every board of directors.  They believe in the supremacy of the state and the needs of the state (collective) over the needs of the individual.

America is a divided country. Most of that division is deliberate. The far left has adopted a divide and conquer strategy. They pit rich against poor, black against white, male against female, vaxxed against the unvaxxed, etc. From their own mouths, they have declared that the system needs to be burned down and built back better. They believe a collectivist Utopia will spring from the ashes of Western Civilization. Towards that end, they have exploited existing tensions between various factions, and where there were none, they invented them. This has left America in a Cold Civil War, and one the Biden Administration has recently turned up the heat on. Ordinary Americans who have decided to speak out against elements of this divisive ideology, particularly Critical Race Theory (CRT) being taught in schools. School-board meetings have been the venue in recent months for impassioned, sometimes even heated comments being made by concerned parents, exercising their 1st Amendment rights to air their grievances at school-board members and other local officials. Recently, the head of the DOJ, Merrick Garland, has ordered the FBI to monitor alleged incidents of violence and intimidation. This is a move that is seen by many as an aggressive overreach on the part of the federal government into what should be local matters. This move is likely only to exacerbate the existing tensions between the left and the right. The left has over decades, and increasingly, been using higher education and the public school system as indoctrination centers.

A trip to the grocery store I got into my SUV, the same size as a large car, but designated as a truck to get around CAFE standards. Burned gas made more expensive in part by Biden's war on fossil fuels Found some items in low supply or out of stock because of supply chain disruptions due to Covid policies paying people to stay home and not work. Waited longer in the checkout line because unvaccinated workers were fired due to Biden's vaccine mandate.  Protecting the vaccinated from the unvaccinated??? Really? More on this later* Paid more at the checkout due to inflation, inflation due to man-made shortages, and out-of-control deficit spending. And the Democrats in Congress want to spend trillions more! * You have two workers...  One with some immunity to COVID due to vaccination, another, unvaccinated, but with superior natural immunity due to a recent case of COVID.   The immunized gets to keep their job, no problems.  The other must submit to weekly COVID tests or lose their job, despite having natural immunity. If neither poses a significant risk to others, and the only appreciable difference is the presence of a vaccine in one of their systems, why does one have to jump through hoops to stay employed?

Let's Talk About Gen Milley General Mark Milley, current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is no stranger to controversy. He is the top-ranked military official who presided over the most humiliating military failure in modern American history-- the disastrous Afghanistan pullout that ended with hundreds of Americans left behind in enemy-controlled territory, subject to being used as hostages. Before that, he famously publicly showed regret for walking from the White House to Historic St. John's Church in a show of solidarity against the BLM rioters who attempted to burn it down the night before. Then, he spoke of the need to keep the actions of the military distinct from those of the civilian government. Less than a year later, according to reporting, he seems to be much more comfortable with blurring, even erasing the lines between military and state. According to Michael Ginsburg, writing for the Daily Caller in an article dated September 17th, 2021: “Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are demanding the full transcripts of two phone calls held by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Chinese Central Military Commission Gen. Li Zhuocheng. During the calls, first made public by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa of The Washington Post, Milley reportedly promised Li that the U.S. would not strike China and that Milley would warn Li if they did. The calls were reportedly conducted Oct. 30, 2020, and Jan. 8, 2021...” If the account given by Woodward and Costa is true, then Gen Milley would be a traitor to the United States. Upon such an action, he would also be guilty of treason. These are accusations not lightly made against a senior serving US general. We don't know if things when down the way that Woodward and Costa claim, but Gen Milley needs to answer these accusations directly. There is evidence-based upon reporting by various news outlets, including by U.S. News back in January, that Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D, CA) spoke to Gen Milley about disarming then President Trump: “The Defense Department's top officer on Friday confirmed he had spoken with Nancy Pelosi about President Donald Trump's powers as commander in chief but in a carefully crafted statement distanced the Pentagon from any attempts by the House speaker or other congressional leaders to strip the president of his authorities. 'Speaker Pelosi initiated a call with the chairman," Col. Dave Butler, a spokesman for Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, tells U.S. News. 'He answered her questions regarding the process of nuclear command authority." – Paul D. Shinkman, US News and World Report, Jan. 8, 2021

The left's abusive relationship with democracy "Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom... The subjection of individuals will increase amongst democratic nations, not only in the same proportion as their equality, but in the same proportion as their ignorance." ~ Alexis de Tocqueville If there is one thing the Democrat Party has taught us is that democracy by itself does not equal freedom. A democratic society is not the same as a free society.  Democracy only produces freedom if freedom is on the ballot. For the left, democracy is a means to an end.  As Democrats shrilly shout “democracy!”  and claim that events like January 6th, 2021 were an assault on democracy, they fail to realize that the vast majority of the crowd that day was protesting in favor of it.  In fact, their central grievance was that democracy had been trampled on during the election and needed to be set right, and were calling on Congress to do that by not allowing electors to be accepted from states where America's electoral process had been hijacked by the Democrats. What the Democrats can't accomplish by democracy, they're perfectly willing to accomplish through the courts, unelected bureaucrats, and even by force (read terror). The KKK, Antifa, and BLM are all groups the Democrats have directly or indirectly employed for this purpose. For the left, the purpose of elections is to give their seizure of power an air of legitimacy, not to increase individual freedom. This is what de Tocqueville was warning us about.

The following are excerpts from President Biden’s “Vaccine Mandate” speech of September 9, 2021: “…This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated. And it’s caused by the fact that despite America having an unprecedented and successful vaccination program, despite the fact that for almost five months free vaccines have been available in 80,000 different locations, we still have nearly 80 million Americans who have failed to get the shot. And to make matters worse, there are elected officials actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19. Instead of encouraging people to get vaccinated and mask up, they’re ordering mobile morgues for the unvaccinated dying from COVID in their communities. This is totally unacceptable. Third, if you wonder how all this adds up, here’s the math: The vast majority of Americans are doing the right thing. Nearly three quarters of the eligible have gotten at least one shot, but one quarter has not gotten any. That’s nearly 80 million Americans not vaccinated. And in a country as large as ours, that’s 25 percent minority. That 25 percent can cause a lot of damage — and they are. The unvaccinated overcrowd our hospitals, are overrunning the emergency rooms and intensive care units, leaving no room for someone with a heart attack, or [pancreatitis], or cancer..." He continues, using explicitly divisive rhetoric: "...My job as President is to protect all Americans. So, tonight, I’m announcing that the Department of Labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or more employees, that together employ over 80 million workers, to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated or show a negative test at least once a week…” “…Let me be blunt. My plan also takes on elected officials and states that are undermining you and these lifesaving actions. Right now, local school officials are trying to keep children safe in a pandemic while their governor picks a fight with them and even threatens their salaries or their jobs. Talk about bullying in schools. If they’ll not help — if these governors won’t help us beat the pandemic, I’ll use my power as President to get them out of the way…” Wow! In one paragraph, Biden goes full authoritarian, shredding both the concept of Federalism and the separation of powers according to the Constitution. For a member of the party always screaming– “Democracy! Democracy! Democracy!” he doesn’t sound like he’s very into democracy here, does he? ...Also: As we remember the events of Sept 11, 2001, let's not forget what happened, both the good and the bad. It was an alarming, traumatizing day, another day that will live in infamy.  It was also a day that turned into days, weeks, and months that saw America shine.  American exceptionalism was on full display during that memorable period.  For a brief time, we set aside our differences and all became just Americans. Keep that in mind as a goal, a unified America, a country fitting the vision of our Funders. As we fight the scourges of CRT, wokeism, cancel culture, this is the kind of unity we fight for. E Pluribus Unum. 

The Afghanistan Debacle and why it matters. It has provided our enemies a tremendous windfall in advanced armaments. “The Taliban has seized US weapons left in Afghanistan worth billions — possibly including 600,000 assault rifles, some 2,000 armored vehicles, and 40 aircraft, including Black Hawks, according to reports. The US gave the Afghan military an estimated $28 billion in weaponry between 2002 and 2017 — including seven brand new helicopters delivered to Kabul just a month ago. The war chest also included the supply of at least 600,000 infantry weapons — including M16 assault rifles — as well as 162,000 pieces of communication equipment and 16,000 night-vision goggles. In just two years from 2017 to 2019, the US gave 7,035 machine guns, 4,702 Humvees, 20,040 hand grenades, 2,520 bombs and 1,394 grenade launchers, The Hill noted, citing a report last year from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). “Everything that hasn’t been destroyed is the Taliban’s now,” one US official told Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity.” Excerpt from NY Post article from Taliban has billions in US weapons, including Black Hawks and up to 600K rifles Creates a potential hostage situation that could dwarf the Iran hostage crisis. (In 1979 Iranian militants took over the American embassy in Tehran and held them for 444 days.) The White House claims that between 100 and 200 Americans were left behind in Afghanistan. Every one is a potential hostage and bargaining chip to be used by the Taliban to gain monetary and other concessions Endangers Afghan Christians, women, and gays Undermines our standing in the world, especially with our allies and with Taiwan. “Several MPs said constituents, particularly former service personnel, had been in contact, with “heart-rending” stories of friends and former colleagues in Afghanistan who were now in immediate danger, piling pressure on the government to act faster to help save them. Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the foreign affairs select committee, said he was “extremely angry” at Biden’s criticism of Afghan soldiers, calling those troops “incredibly brave” and saying the US withdrew “like a thief in the night” with no proper handover. The former Treasury minister Huw Merriman, who chairs the transport select committee, called Biden a “total blithering idiot” for blaming Afghan forces. “Makes me wonder if he is the Siamese twin of Donald Trump. Tony Blair left us with this mess and we did not try hard enough to clear it up,” he tweeted. Another former minister, Simon Clarke, said it was the end of an American era. “The more you reflect, the more you realise the speech [Biden] gave last night was grotesque. An utter repudiation of the America so many of us have admired so deeply all our lives – the champion of liberty and democracy and the guardian of what’s right in the world,” he said.” --Excerpt from The Guardian article from 17 Aug 21 article: UK politicians decry Joe Biden’s defense of Afghanistan pullout

Where did it all go wrong?  That is the subject of this week's podcast. I'm not talking about Afghanistan.  The Afghan exit debacle in this case is a symptom, not the problem.  (If you want to know what went wrong there, go back and listen to last's week's podcast where I talk about how and when the situation in Afghanistan went FUBAR.)  I'm talking about where, and more precisely--  When did this whole march towards the leftist dystopia we have today get set into motion?  The short answer is 1913 when Woodrow Wilson was inaugurated president of the United States.  The how and why are more difficult to answer. 1913 is when among other things, the federal income tax was initiated, among a host of other progressive measures that have been building upon one another until this day. 1913 is the year when American statism became a thing. The Independent Institute (not affiliated with this podcast) put a pretty good article on the subject entitled: 1913: The Final Days of the Old Regime in the United States  Now in 2021, where are starting to see the disastrous results of the statist/leftist program. Statism, by its very nature, brings about authoritarianism. No collectivist form of government, be it socialism, fascism, or communism can exist without an authoritarian government. Under COVID, formerly free countries like Australia and New Zealand have thrown off any tendencies on the part of their governments towards liberalism and have chosen, mainly out of fear, to take the authoritarian route. The idea of "democratic tyranny" seems like an oxymoron, yet here we are. Leftists Democrats in the US are trying to install this collectivist, authoritarian state here.  (BTW, If you happen to live in Australia or New Zealand, your voice is needed.  Please contact this podcast and leave a voice message, or email me at: JPMac@LibertyRelearned.com  I'd love to hear from you if only to hear your horror stories of COVID tyranny.)

The Afghanistan Debacle We went there back in 2001 after 9-11 because that is where Usama Bin Laden, leader of Al Qaeda was spending most of his time training terrorists. We wanted to capture or kill Bin Laden We wanted to deny Al Qaeda the use of Afghanistan as a base of operations. We deposed the Taliban US and Coalition forces supported a newly created Afghan government President Trump promised to pull our troops out of Afghanistan Troop presence was reduced to approximately 2500 US servicemen, plus several thousand of our NATO allies. The original plan was to leave by May 1, 2021, before the fighting season began (roughly May-October) When President Biden was elected, he changed to target date to depart to Sep 11th for the symbolism of it. The new date became August 31st at the height of the fighting season, when Taliban fighter strength would be at its max. On July 1, 2021, the US abandoned Bagram Airbase, the major airbase in Afghanistan (a move later to prove foolish) Further reference: Why did the United States Abandon Bagram Airfield? National Review, 8/18/21 Soon after we abandoned Bagram, the Taliban started a major push to retake the country. By Aug 14th, the Taliban had taken over the country, precipitating a crisis of Americans, Afghan allies, and others struggling to flee the country from the airport in Kabul, where the last vestige of US and allied forces remain The Taliban have warned those fleeing the country to be out by the Aug 31st deadline. There are thousands of Americans currently stuck in Afghanistan.

COVID 19 measures Lockdowns proved counterproductive in many instances Drove people indoors, during the first wave most of the cases in NYC were people who were locked down Unintended consequences include: Social isolation, depression, increased drug abuse. Most masks don't afford much protection against COVID-19 KN95 masks afford the wearer the most protection, but only if properly worn Simple cloth masks, bandanas, and dust masks are only useful in protecting others, not the wearers. Some are next to useless, acting only as a psychological balm. Vaccines are an imperfect solution. As we accumulate more knowledge on the effectiveness of the different vaccines, the evidence seems to be moving in the direction that we'll find certain vaccines are best for some people, but not for others. If a vaccine is said to be 95% effective by the maker, that means it's 5% ineffective. We need to know who is in that ineffective group. Most of us aren't doctors but... Most conservatives will tell you that vaccines are worth serious consideration, but the decision should be between you and your doctor. COVID 19 response Brought out the best in some people Medical professionals and other first responders made a heroic effort, often making do with barely adequate supplies of PPE. This was especially true during the initial wave of the pandemic. The private sector stepped up and retooled to fill the need for things like PPE and respirators. Often, they volunteered their services. Very few times was the Federal government forced to dictate to companies what to produce in their factories. Ordinary people made great sacrifices with very little guarantee they would pay off. Brought out the worst in people and governments. Strict lockdowns were ordered for the first time in history, healthy people be quarantined. Scant evidence exists that prolonged lockdowns do more good than harm Lockdowns and travel restrictions, by their very nature, are repressive. Given people's license for political leaders to dominate populaces, bordering on the sadistic. Keeping loved ones from attending their sick relatives and attending funerals Specious edicts by overbearing officials that cannot be backed up by science, like controlling what items stores can sell or travel between homes in the same state or Provence. Some officials curtailed or eliminated certain basic human rights such as the free exercise of religion, freedoms of speech, and association with alarming ease. Using COVID as an excuse to circumvent the Constitution and change voting laws to favor a particular party and possibly facilitate fraud. Some people, motivated by fear have tended to become abusive against those that show reluctance to use masks or become vaccinated Many have resorted to bullying against the “vaccine-hesitant” stereotyping them as uneducated, science deniers, or stupid. Their actions are counterproductive. They fail to understand or empathize with people who are reluctant to take a vaccine. They assume what motivated them, fear, would motivate any reasonable person. They discount real concern about side-effects, even though knowledge of side-effects also comes from science. They fail to understand that some people prefer to make an analytical decision rather than an emotional one. The right data, rather than scorn, derision, or shame is what will ultimately inform their decision. COVID won't be eradicated. There will ALWAYS be another variant that the power-hungry can exploit the fear of and use as an excuse to control others. We must eventually choose between mask mandates, lockdowns, and other disruptive measures in perpetuity, or learn to live with COVID as we have myriad other potentially dangerous diseases.

If you haven’t listened to the Liberty Relearned podcast in a while, I really hope you’ll listen to this one and the last. All of the major topics I’ve discussed since the inception of the podcast will be covered in a planned multi-part series. I’d like to think that the ideas I talk about are of value to the listener. I deeply value the opinions of my readers and listeners so I encourage you to share your thoughts on this episode. Your feedback is the primary way I know to make the necessary improvements and adjustments, plus I want people to feel free to add their own thoughts to what I say — Thanks. J.P. Mac. Fiscal responsibility as a conservative value. American conservatism may differ from that of other countries, but ideas of fiscal conservatism are the same everywhere. All federal spending in the U.S. currently is deficit spending. It is funded by either: Selling debt, usually to foreign countries like China, giving them leverage over our economy. Printing money. This causes inflation. A fiscally responsible nation gets to choose its destiny, fiscally irresponsible nations end up at the mercy of other nations, or simply disappear. American exceptionalism is real. The achievements of America are unparalleled in human history and are not to be dismissed lightly Building the Panama Canal, sending men to the moon, heck we even sent cars into space! Pax Americana. You would trust some other nation with superpower status? When America prospers the world is safer and also prospers. American ingenuity, sparked by capitalism and the free market is responsible for many of the modern conveniences we take for granted. Morality is necessary and matters. Is very poorly taught, even by the religious experts whose job it is to teach morality. Is dualistic in nature. Morality is supported by the twin pillars of life and liberty (free will) For believers, God's greatest gifts to mankind were life and free will. Everything starts with life, and its edification Free will is what sets humans apart not just from the animals, but the angels. Even in a secular ethos, such as Ayn Rand's Objectivism, life and free will are keys to moral behavior, and neither should be sought without consideration for the other Exercising free will at the expense of life is unethical, but so so is pursuing life at the expense of free will. Pursuing rational self-interest does not mean never sacrificing for others, it means sacrificing for others must bring us happiness because of our love for those we sacrifice for.

The lessons I hope you've taken from this Podcast so far: The ability to define conservatism, especially as it applies to American conservatism The belief in our Founding documents, and their underlying principles: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. All men (and women) are created equal The Rule of Law "The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen." – Dennis Prager A working concept of rights. “[Human beings] are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” – the Declaration of Independence Positive vs. Negative rights Positive rights demand others do for us Negative rights are what no man has the moral authority to curtail without due process All rights are individual rights Rights vs. Privileges. Rights do not require permission to be exercised. Privileges must be earned or maintained. This entails some sort of exchange between the granter and the recipient. Bigotry is not just exclusive to bigotry against race, nationality, or religion. There is also political and ideological bigotry. In the U.S. “Trump Derangement Syndrome” is the most prevalent form of political bigotry today. Bigotry against people who want the freedom to choose what's best for them and their families when it comes to COVID. They are called “science deniers” because they are open to scientific information other than those approved by the government and the mainstream media. They know there are bona fide experts, peers of the approved sources that see different data or interpret data differently. COVID bigots demean people for wanting the right to make their own decisions, and not be forced into taking actions like being vaccinated or wearing masks. Unable to process the libertarian position for what it is, it is dismissed as ignorance or selfishness They conflate libertarians with “anti-vaxxers” Personal note: I detest leftism. In fact, I believe it's evil, does that make me a bigot? I do not hate people on the left, only their beliefs and certain actions they take in accordance with those beliefs. People are redeemable, even if they hold irredeemable beliefs. We are all human beings and must treat each other as such.

The long-suffering people of Australia are once again being subjected to tyrannical restrictions of their individual freedoms in the name of fighting COVID. A recent AP article describes the recent protests of the COVID restrictions.  What's missing in the article?  Any mention about how the people of Sydney and other cities are made to suffer because of the revocation of their rights to free speech and assembly. Are these people selfish, foolish, or do they just want to be free to make their own decisions and make a living by the sweat of their own brow?  While some restrictions to help ensure the health of the people might be in order, these restrictions do not come without a price.  What is the proper balance between the need for freedom and the need to keep people healthy?

The LR mission explained.  To engage in civil, enlightened debate on what political direction is best for the United States, promote a better understanding of conservative/libertarian principles, and effectively express them to others in a thoughtful and insightful way.  Liberty Relearned’s goal is to help bring back liberty as the chief American value and to counter the misleading and destructive rhetoric of the far-left in America.

What Makes American Conservatism better than any other way?  Pt II. Dedication to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. What is the alternative?  Death, servitude, and the pursuit of pleasure. Life and liberty are the two pillars of ethical life. History shows us that as the two grow in tandem, human life improves. When either is suppressed, the human condition suffers. Compare N. and S. Korea or East and West Germany. Happiness increases as it is shared, pleasure is finite. The left believes in power and control over others, conservatives believe in self-determination. Most notably, the left believes they must control the flow of information, with the idea of controlling how you think. Conservatives believe the free flow of ideas and information is key to human development. In order for a person to act in their rational self-interest, they must be informed.  Who do you associate censorship with?  Probably the Nazis, and other fascists, the Soviet Union?  What free society engages in systemic, government-sponsored, or endorsed censorship?  It is self-evident that censorship is incompatible with a free and prosperous society. Leftist, collectivist doctrines be they Marxist, fascist, or modern progressive, gain power by the doctrine of divide and conquer, hence their reliance on CRT, antisemitism, and of course, Marxist class warfare. The purpose of all of these is to pit one group of people against another. American conservatives believe in E Pluribus Unum, from many, one. They believe that all men are created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights. Which do you prefer, one nation, under God, indivisible or one at war with itself, with those who sowed the seeds of division the only true winners? Perhaps the best commercial for American Conservatism are the anti-communist demonstrations currently in Cuba, where people have taken to the streets waving the American flag.  They're not waving the EU flag, the BLM flag, or the Soviet flag, they're waving the American flag, knowing full well the ideals of liberty and freedom it embodies. Truly oppressed people recognize that the ideals held by American conservatives are intrinsically pro-freedom, anti-oppression.

What's the difference between American conservatism and the left?  Power to the individual (conservatism/libertarianism) vs. power over the people (collectivism/progressivism) The pursuit of facts vs. the control of information Natural Rights vs. rights determined by the government or the elites.  The conservative notion of democracy as one legal voter, one vote vs. the left's concept of getting the "correct" result of an election through any means The left's notion that the ends justify the means vs the conservative notion that only just means create just ends.  Collectivist governments and authoritarianism vs. conservative governments and individualism. 

What was America really founded upon? Who are the true heirs of the American Revolution?  To hear it from some people, you’d think that America was a terrible place with a terrible history with few redeeming qualities. Some of their points are valid, but they do not give a balanced perspective on our nation. Our Founding Fathers were men of wisdom and courage who sacrificed much and were prepared to give, even more, even their lives if necessary for us to gain our independence. That spirit of sacrifice, of putting liberty and freedom above our own lives and fortunes carries on to this day. No country has done more to further the cause of liberty than the United States. Our influence is global, literally, we’ve helped rewrite atlases, we’ve helped oppressive countries disappear and be replaced with more liberal ones. From freeing black Americans from slavery to freeing other nations from tyranny and oppression, America has always taken a lead role. We make and do cool stuff, like build the Panama Canal and send cars into space. We help the less fortunate in our own county and across the globe. Even when it comes to countries that we don’t exactly see eye-to-eye with politically, we offer them help in their time of need. In short, there is an awful lot to be proud of if you’re an American. That doesn’t mean we ignore the bad, or not continue to correct injustices, it means that our positive contributions and achievements far outweigh the negative, and for that, we should be proud.

"Nothing can corrupt and disintegrate a culture or a man’s character as thoroughly as does the precept of moral agnosticism, the idea that one must never pass moral judgment on others, that one must be morally tolerant of anything, that the good consists of never distinguishing good from evil.” -- Ayn Rand We've all heard someone ask:  “Who are you to judge me?” or some variant of that question.  It's a defensive question usually asked by someone who reasonably expects to be judges harshly by their peers for some ethical or moral transgression. It's safe to say that someone secure in the notion that society or their peers would judge their actions favorably, is not going to pose this rhetorical question. A good retort to that question might be:  “Who are you that you are above judgment?” If we respect our peers, we respect their judgment, which sometimes means respecting unfavorable judgment.  While we reserve the right to reject their judgment, we cannot with integrity refuse to acknowledge their judgment.

Ayn Rand saw collectivism in all its forms as an impediment to human rights. "The good of society" cannot be the basis of rights, since society is merely a collection of individuals, and so the only proper rights are individual rights.  When we base rights on what is good for society, that begs the question:  Who speaks for society?  Throughout history, such people who claim to speak for society inevitably turn out to be tyrants. You have a few, even a single person, deciding what is good for the people.  Rand thought that people ought to decide for themselves, based upon rational self-interest. While on the subject of rational self-interest, John Locke had this to say: "Any single man must judge for himself whether circumstances warrant obedience or resistance to the commands of the civil magistrate; we are all qualified, entitled, and morally obliged to evaluate the conduct of our rulers. This political judgment, moreover, is not simply or primarily a right, but like self-preservation, a duty to God. As such it is a judgment that men cannot part with according to the God of Nature. It is the first and foremost of our inalienable rights without which we can preserve no other." ~ John Locke

How did we get to the point of passing trillions of dollars in new spending while already $28T in debt? The $6T for “infrastructure” and new entitlements the President is proposing, just for the next budget, would be a nuclear inflation bomb. In addition to that, he wants to commit America to trillions in international aid over the next few years. In her book, The Virtue of Selfishness, Ayn Rand explains how leaders with a collectivist mindset can justify such lusty sums for pet projects and public largess even though we are experiencing record inflation partly due to previous enormous spending. It comes from altruism, paired with a neurotic lack of self-esteem in a leader or among lawmakers that fuels the need for ever more spending on “the public good”. It is based upon the need to feel good, rather than actually doing good. The cost to the individual is not weighed in this calculation, as the collective is more concerned with its benefit and that of its leadership than that of any individual, save that of the decision-maker him or herself. Rand explained the motivations of such people playing fast and loose with the wealth of others: “Humility and presumptuousness are always two sides of the same premise, and always share the task of filling the space vacated by self-esteem in a collectivized mentality. The man who is willing to serve as the means to the ends of others, will necessarily regard others as the means to his ends. The more neurotic he is or the more conscientious in the practice of altruism (and these two aspects of his psychology will act reciprocally to reinforce each other), the more he will tend to devise schemes ‘for the good of mankind’ or of ‘society’ or of ‘the public’ or of ‘future generations’ —or of anything except actual human beings.” What's with fully vaxxed people still wearing masks in stores?  Who are they doing it for and based on what information?

When Ayn Rand immigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union in early 1926, she essentially brought with her the collectivists' playbook.  She had a thorough understanding of their worldview, philosophy, and motivations. She had an uncanny ability to cut through the propaganda and concisely depict through her writing the collectivist (read leftist) mindset.  Today, we can see the Left is still using the same playbook, as their motivations and political goals remain the same. They retain all of the moral shortcomings that Rand wrote about over fifty years ago, including when in 1964 she wrote a chapter in her nonfiction book, The Virtue of Selfishness, which is a collection of essays written by her and Nathaniel Branden that lay out the principles that make up her Objectivist philosophy.  In her chapter/essay entitled “Racism,” she accurately describes the philosophical underpinnings of what we now know as Critical Race Theory and “Anti-Racism”. In her book, The Virtue of Selfishness, the chapter entitled “Racism” immediately ties racism to collectivism.  She defines racism thusly: “Racism is the lowest, most crudely primitive form of collectivism. It is the notion of ascribing moral, social, or political significance to a man’s genetic lineage—the notion that a man’s intellectual and characterological traits are produced and transmitted by his internal body chemistry. Which means, in practice, that a man is to be judged, not by his own character and actions, but by the characters and actions of a collective of ancestors."

Memorial Day Message 2021 It's at this time of year that I reflect on those who made the ultimate sacrifice and why they did it. Moreover, what motivated the soldiers of America's past to take up arms and put their lives on the line? This, we cannot know, not in every case.  We can surmise though, that many might nod in agreement when Ronald Reagan said these words in his “A Time for Choosing” speech: “You and I know and do not believe that life is so dear and peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery. If nothing in life is worth dying for, when did this begin - just in the face of this enemy? Or should Moses have told the children of Israel to live in slavery under the pharaohs? Should Christ have refused the cross? Should the patriots at Concord Bridge have thrown down their guns and refused to fire the shot heard 'round the world? The martyrs of history were not fools, and our honored dead who gave their lives to stop the advance of the Nazis didn't die in vain. Where, then, is the road to peace? Well, it's a simple answer after all.” This was a sharp rebuke to those who suggested we should just leave Communist regimes like the Soviet Union have their way, and not antagonize them by building up our defenses here and abroad to contain their hegemony. To Reagan, and many of his generation, communism, and socialism equaled slavery-- not to a particular person, but to the state. What would the people of that era not so long ago make of the acceptance of Marxism and of collectivism we see among so many today? They would be shocked that Marxism, under the guise of Critical Race Theory, would be not just tolerated, but taught in today's military. They would be horrified at the go-along-to-get-along attitude towards Communist China, and the willingness on the part of so many to stay silent at the genocide, reeducation camps, and lack of personal privacy being perpetrated in that country, all in the name of box office receipts, television deals, and cheap labor. They might marvel at the reckless disregard the current government has for mounting debts, and their blatant attempts to bribe the people with the own money. They would be disappointed to see such a large percentage of the population blithely ignore the specter of inflation for their small slice of one multi-trillion dollar “stimulus” package after another. When those brave men enlisted in the military, would they have fought nearly as hard for the country we have now, where free speech is a privilege doled out by corporate oligarchs? Where the freedom of religion that so many fought and died for could be taken away with such ease for the cause of safetyism?... We're in the endgame now with COVID.  What will it look like?  What should happen, what will happen? The masks are off (sort of) in most of the country.  What will happen to vaccination rates as a result? 

A clip from last year's Memorial Day message. 

With the pervasiveness of Critical Race Theory (CRT) which has been used to justify leftist racism, why is it any surprise that there is the rise of hate crimes against Asians and more recently Jews? Since the early 20th Century, Communists have sought to exploit existing racial tensions in America to destabilize our society so it can be brought down and replaced with their collectivist Utopia.  CRT cannot explain poverty and unemployment among American whites or in other racially homogeneous countries.  CRT's parent theory, Critical Theory, (aka Cultural Marxism) taken to extreme such as in the old Soviet Union or in modern-day Venezuela has not solved the problems of poverty and lack of opportunity, so what makes anybody think CRT taken its logical extreme would fare any better? Is it finally time to ditch the masks and end virtually all Covid restrictions?  Who, if everyone has had a chance to be fully vaccinated, are we still maintaining the restrictions for?

What is wokeness?  How does it connect to leftism and Marxism?  First and foremost, Wokism is inextricably linked to Leftism and Leftism to Marxism. Marxism, being amoral at best, and immoral at worst, requires the veneer of virtuousness to continue on and grow after its calamitous defeats in the 20th Century. In order to survive, it required a moral component, something to give its adherents' lives moral direction and meaning as they sought to supplant the previous moral and religious foundations of Western culture based upon the Judaeo-Christian ethic. Enter Wokism.  Wokeness is the need to demonstrate one's virtue, or “wokeness” by advocating for certain causes that the Left, under the ethical framework of Cultural Marxism, has deemed worthy. In woke or cancel culture, unlike with most classical religions, there is no grace, and in the case of an individual, there is no penance to be had. The values of wokism are, arbitrary and capricious, therefore forgiveness for sins against wokism is likewise an arbitrary and capricious thing, to be given or withheld by the collective will of the woke. Accusation, judgment, and sentencing against those targeted for cancellation are performed simultaneously and immediately, there is no appeal or penance that an individual can perform to avert sentencing. Capitulation or apology, therefore, has no mitigating effect on the cancel culture mob's behavior against the accused. Cancellation is at once, both accusation, and final judgment. The true end goal of wokism, as a Marxist phenomenon is to achieve power for its faithful. That they believe (or a least espouse the belief) that following the actions prescribed by Marx and Engels in the Communist Manifesto, will result in complete destruction of what is referred to as Western Civilization, and from its ashes will arise the Phoenix of a collectivist Utopian society.

Dinesh D'Souza addresses the topic of Why Asian Americans Are being Assaulted by African Americans  Here is my take: You don't hear about violence against Asians too much anymore in the MSM.  It doesn't fit their racist narrative of white supremacy being the chief cause of all minority problems. The rise of black on Asian hate crimes destroys the premise that America has a systemic race problem. Also, critical race theory declares that if one group outperforms another group socioeconomically, that the better performing group is doing it at the expense of the lesser performing groups. If CRT is telling people this, why should it come as any surprise when its believers start committing hate crimes against Asians who, as a group, are at the top of the economic ladder in this country?  CRT teaches this must be because their status is undeserved and comes at the expense of blacks. #stopCRT CRT is of course based upon Critical Theory (sometimes known as Cultural Marxism), a central tenet of Marxism that teaches any group with more power than another group will take advantage of and victimize the weaker group. When the proletariat revolution envisioned by Marx failed to materialize, the Fascists reframed it as a struggle between stronger and weaker nations. When that didn't work out as Gentile and Mussolini envisioned, the proponents of socialism needed to come up with new struggles to stoke.  A natural one to exploit was the race struggle of blacks and other minorities in America. Modern socialism through Cultural Marxism/Critical Theory continually seeks out new "victim" groups to stoke tensions between them and the predominant group, so black against white, rich against poor, secular against the religious, etc. The purpose of all this pitting of groups against the other is nothing less than to bring down Western Civilization, which they fantasize they can replace with their Utopia, (which conveniently requires the presence of a woke elite at its top running things.)  My conclusion:  Black on Asian violence is a byproduct of decades of indoctrinating Americans with critical race theory. 

Welcome to season two of the Liberty Relearned Podcast! The President's SOTU Address aka Biden's “We the Government” speech. The target audience apparently was those who lack critical thinking skills and the economically illiterate Why was a bunch of people who have all been presumably immunized against COVID-19 wearing masks at the SOTU? The message the President was evidently trying to send was you still need to wear a mask.  He would tell you it was leadership by example. The message most people heard was:  “Immunization gets you nothing.” The real example was pointless obedience to government edicts The $4.1T in new spending. The “Infrastructure” plan.  (talked about at length in episode 51.)Congress using the same “bait and switch” language in describing it.  They're selling it as an infrastructure plan, but what you really get is about 7% infrastructure and the rest Green New Deal crony capitalism. Biden’s plan to pay for all sorts of child care and education expenses would cost according to some estimates, $1.8T. That’s on top of the proposed $2.3T in infrastructure. That’s a total bill of $4.1 trillion. To put that in perspective, the US brought in $3.46 tr in tax revenue in 2019. That means that if 100% of ALL income taxes collected went JUST to those two schemes and nothing else, $0 for military, $0 for FEMA and other emergency relief, nothing but those two items, we could not pay for them. Assuming a national debt of roughly $28 tr: If we dedicated 100% of tax revenue to pay down our existing debt, it would take about 8 years. If you believe that raising taxes on the rich and corporations would cover that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell you. This means, either Biden is an economically illiterate fool, or he thinks you are. We the Government... “Our Constitution opens with the words, "We the People".  It's time we remembered that We the People are the government. You and I.  Not some force in a distant capital. Not some powerful force we have no control over. It's us. It's "We the people." – President Biden “All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state”―Benito Mussolini The two sentiments mesh pretty well, don't they?

The Liberty Relearned Podcast is one year old!  In this special podcast, I'm replaying a variety of segments from the first year of the podcast. The outtakes cover a range of topics from COVID-19, leftism, Cancel Culture, and of course, conservatism.  Here are the clips:  Conservatism Explained, American vs. World Conservatism Explains American Conservatism and how it differs from conservatism in other countries.  Tyranny Down Under is a cautionary tale from Australia and how their draconian COVID restrictions were affecting personal liberty in that country, and what we might see here that would be similar.  From the 2020 Christmas Special, What the Founders believed- Focus on John Locke and the theory of natural rights Bring the Troops Back Home  Why did we need all those troops and a barbed wire fence around the Capitol? Political theatre.  Bigots From the first episode dedicated to the topic of bigotry.  Cancel Culture is a form of bigotry.  Bigotry Revisited What if the left applied critical race theory (CRT) to themselves? Free Speech Special (clip 1) What does the left's war on free speech say about them? Free Speech Special (clip 2) Facts vs Feelings Thanks for listening!  

In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible. Things like the continuance of British rule in India, the Russian purges and deportations, the dropping of the atom bombs on Japan, can indeed be defended, but only by arguments which are too brutal for most people to face, and which do not square with the professed aims of the political parties. Thus political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness.  --George Orwell “The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies ‘something not desirable’. The words democracy, socialism, freedom, patriotic, realistic, justice, have each of them several different meanings which cannot be reconciled with one another. In the case of a word like democracy, not only is there no agreed definition, but the attempt to make one is resisted from all sides. It is almost universally felt that when we call a country democratic we are praising it: consequently the defenders of every kind of régime claim that it is a democracy, and fear that they might have to stop using the word if it were tied down to any one meaning. Words of this kind are often used in a consciously dishonest way. That is, the person who uses them has his own private definition, but allows his hearer to think he means something quite different.” ― George Orwell, Politics and the English Language The left's assault on the English language continues, most recently with their attempt to redefine the word "infrastructure".  "Control the language and you control the debate," is an axiom in the worlds of politics, the law, and anywhere else where influencing thought is considered valuable. The left, being well aware of this has been working for decades redefining words. Terms like racist, fascist, and justice have been so far removed from their meanings as to become unrecognizable to those of us who know the original, correct definitions. They've even sought to blur the definitions of such basic concepts as male, female, and marriage. Now leftists in government seek to do the same with the term "infrastructure". How and why are they doing this?

Celebrating the landmark 50th episode of the Liberty Relearned Podcast. In this episode, we go back to basics. The point of the blog and the podcast are to remind people that liberties, once lost or traded away are very hard to get back. For the life so far of the podcast, our liberties have been under threat, particularly since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis.  It was surprising in some cases, just how easily some of our Constitutional rights such as the freedom of religion were lost.  Since then, the assaults on our rights as Americans have ramped up under the Biden/Harris administration. Recently, the President has stated that none of the amendments are absolute. Given his policies to date, it's hard to argue that he does not believe this. Certainly, the Left, in general, does not. We are reminded then how precious our freedoms are, and they are not guaranteed as some of us might have thought until very recently.  #liberty #naturalrights 

At this time last year, it must have felt like we’d never get past the pain and sorrow associated with Good Friday, and go on to the joy of Easter, at least not in our everyday lives. When we think of Good Friday, we think of Jesus’ scourging, his pain, and suffering on the cross. We think of the immense grief his mother and followers must have felt. Many of us were going through our own pain, bearing our own crosses. After a Good Friday year, we can, at last, celebrate an Easter year, a year of rebirth and renewal. We slowly return to normal, just as the world slowly returns to life in the spring. How this relates to everyone: We are in a cycle of renewal and rebirth when it comes to the COVID-19 crisis We started in the autumn of normalcy, then we entered the dark season that marked the death of normalcy and freedom. We are now entering into the spring, where freedom and normalcy are slowly coming back to life, thanks mainly to the vaccines, and of course, the return of nice weather in the Northern Hemisphere. In America and in other countries by the end of the actual spring, there could be enough vaccine availability that anyone who wants to be, will be fully vaccinated.  At that point- Who would we be maintaining the restrictions and mask mandates for? The summer will come.  In many countries, COVID deaths plummeted in August 2020. This year, with the vaccines, we could be racking up “goose eggs” in some states and countries-- days, maybe even weeks without a single death. Be cautioned!  When it comes to the chronic, existential crisis of keeping America a Constitutional Republic, we are in the autumn. With faith in ourselves and the Creator, this too shall pass. Christians and Jews have endured much greater tyranny than what some of our current political leaders have in mind for us.  Some of it, very recently.  Keep the faith, spread the Word, and endure. Even the non-religious should beware, religious freedom is low-hanging fruit for those engaged in tyranny.  All that we consider “natural rights”, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness; the First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments are in danger.

Holy cow!  I thought I knew a little about Critical Race Theory (CRT), but this paper recently put out by the Heritage Foundation written by Christopher F. Rufo totally blew my mind.  Please read this article: Critical Race Theory Would Not Solve Racial Inequality: It Would Deepen It. It's a little long but well worth the time to read. Here's a summary from the article: “Critical race theory is an ideology which maintains that the United States is a fundamentally racist country and that American institutions such as the Constitution, property rights, color blindness, and equal protection under the law are vestiges of white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalist oppression—all of which must be overthrown in the name of “anti-racism.” Ultimately, critical race theory and “anti-racism” policies would deepen racial divisions and undermine the very institutions that are essential to addressing poverty and inequality across all racial groups. Policymakers concerned about these issues should reject critical race theory and orient public policy toward rebuilding the institutions of family, work, and education, which have been proven to lift Americans of all racial backgrounds out of poverty.” As explained in the article, CRT in its ultimate form is anathema to all American Conservative thought.  The objective of its proponents is nothing less than the complete overthrow of our American way of life in favor of a race-based, fascistic autocracy with unelected leaders at its head

1940: “Never was so much owed by so many to so few" British Prime Minister Winston Churchill 2021: “Never was so much owed by so many because of so few.” Liberty Relearned Purveyor, J.P. Mac Biden's Coronavirus Relief Plan Will Probably Cost a Lot More Than $1.9 Trillion (from Reason.com, March 11, 2021)

President Biden addressed the nation on COVID-19. What did he say and what he should have said. What will the end of the crisis look like?

President Biden has a low opinion of Neanderthals and people who love liberty. Democrats love democracy, except when they don't. Cancel culture comes for Dr. Seuss, but there's a more nuanced perspective to the whole thing. Where does the left get the moral authority to cancel anybody?

Did Coca-Cola sponsor racist training? Why are racism and other forms of bigotry wrong in the broader sense? Will America under the Democrats blow right by statism and go straight to Eco-fascism? Conservative Populism and the future of the Republican Party

The Left is waging a war against free speech. Various reasons for this are explored. Why the Left hated Rush Limbaugh (RIP), and hates Donald Trump.

Stop the political theater: Bring the troops back home (from D.C.). Stop putting people in the energy sector out of work. Stop keeping our kids from going to school. A few other things the government should stop.

Trump's legal team will argue, among other things, that the Senate impeachment proceedings amount to an illegal trial by the legislature. You won't hear the last of this even after the impeachment. While the Democrats and the media are happy to see us squabble amongst ourselves over the size of our Covid-19 relief checks, they know that we're distracted from a lot of things in the bill that we wouldn't want.

What's the Game Stop controversy all about? Does it have greater ramifications outside of the investment world? Good news (maybe) on the Covid-19 front as Johnson & Johnson gets closer to having their single-shot vaccine approved. How can President Biden manipulate people's perception of the Covid-19 crisis and how he and his fellow Democrats can call off the crisis having done virtually nothing, if and when they see fit.

The U.S. is still a republic, but it is now a stretch to call it a *constitutional" republic. How, when, and why did this happen? What was the likely real reason for having 25,000 troops, checkpoints, and barbed wire in the U.S. Capital for the inauguration? What can conservatives, and other non-leftists do to keep pressure on Big Tech, and our elected leaders to support freedom of speech and of association? What about the impeachment of Trump? Is it even legal? With all this talk of "re-educating" Trump supporters and other conservatives, what beliefs do they think need to be purged from us? Personal freedom! The Rule of Law, Capitalism?

The definition of "bigot" is given and how bigotry can refer to political bigotry. The left has an odd philosophical problem, Critical Theory, the theory that undergirds most of their ideology is vindicated trough their recent actions in a way they didn't count on. The effects of tech tyranny are discussed and how it can be fought.

We'd, Jan 6 was a catastrophic day for the republic for many reasons and on many levels. There was violence at the Capitol, resulting in 4 deaths and over 50 arrests. That ended any hope that the President could remain in office by some 1877 type deal. Even worse, the Republicans lost the Senate, opening the possibility of many radical policies being implemented. Still worse, the left is exploiting this disaster to engage in an all out assault on free speech. What can we do short of civil war to keep our freedoms intact? A few ideas are presented.

Some of the most popular episodes of 2020 are reviewed. Covered are the reasons for starting the podcast as a way of teaching conservatism. COVID-19 the proposed COVID-19 Bill if Rights. The Gen Flynn case is revisited, as well as some of the civil unrest that followed The George Floyd incident. Why it's OK to love America. Finally some things that could happen in 2021 are explored.

The end of last winter saw a very questionable interpretation of the Constitution leading to the impeachment of President Trump. The spring saw the spread of a deadly new plague ans likewise fear mongering over it. The summer saw massive social unrest prompted by the George Floyd killing. The fall of course meant election season and a lot of dubious election results. This winter will see the fallout from the election but also, more hopefully the introduction of a COVID-19 vaccine. The only way to screw it up would be to introduce intersectional politics into the prioritization of its initial distribution, which is of course how some localities have chosen to manage it. 2020 may be almost over, but we're not out of trouble yet.

The first Christmas, the real meaning of Christmas, and what the true first Gift was. A little on how the Judaeo-Christian philosophy influenced America's Founders. How fear is being used to control us, especially with regards to COVID-19.

SCOTUS has elected not to hear two critical cases that might have swayed the 2020 election results. Did they do so out of sound legal principle or out of fear? How fear of COVID 19 makes people ignore the science that should be good news for them.

The evils of utopianism. The three common tenets of utopian schemes . What a Biden mask mandate would really mean. How a vaccine can and should end the crisis.

The apparent hypocrisy of some blue state governors and mayor's is not hypocritical in their minds. Their actions are in complete integrity-- just not with the values we think. The longer we wait to stand up for our rights and the more rights we cede, the harder it will be to get them back. How meritocracies and capitalism put a lie to Cultural Marxist theory.

A quick review of the state of the recounts, and the developing Dominion software situation. Is the Durham investigation into sptgate petering out? Why that would be a bad thing. Thanksgiving in the era of Covid. Is this the last straw? What remains for us to be thankful for.

What will be the fallout from the 2020 election? What did the Biden voters want and is that what they will get if Biden becomes president. Biden voters looking for a collectivist utopia are probably ignorant of certain facts, particularly Socialism's failures in the 20th century and the reasons for them. Contrast that with the successes of capitalism and free markets that will be lost under socialism or GND eco-fascism.

Allegations of election fraud. Other races and what they mean. The republic's last firewall, the Senate.

What happens if Biden wins? What happens if Trump wins?

Robert Reich sends out an ominous tweet suggesting his desire to expose and punish Trump supporters. The final debate and some of the points the President made. How Hunter's alleged dealings in foreign countries exposes his father to possible blackmail.

ACB will be a SCOTUS justice and why the left won't be happy. Biden leaves the door open to court-packing. Hunter has created a problem for his dad, but only if enough people care about corruption.

How and why Pence won the VP debate. Points he scored against Harris on Biden's plagiarism, taxes, fracking and court packing. The Democrat's coup plans reviewed.

The President and several of his advisors now have COVID. Was the campaign worth the risk? Will Biden's risk adverse style pay off? How do the different strategies match up with each candidate's political philosophy? Will the sidelining of 3 senators due to COVID slow or hinder the ongoing effort to confirm ACB to the SCOTUS? What each side would like to see.

Why the nomination of ACB is important and why she should be appointed soon. Will Joe Biden live up to low expectations in the 1st Presidential Debate?

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died leaving a huge vacancy in the Supreme Court. How does her loss effect the balance of the Court? What does each side want to happen? How Biden could declare the COVID-19 crisis ended through clever manipulation of the media and the testing process. Could President Trump have prevented every single Covid death in this country?

Republicans vs Democrats simplified. Debate prediction: One and done for Biden. A frightening glimpse into the Democrat/Never Trumper mind.

Covid tyranny in Australia-- Is it a preview of what we might see under a Biden regime? Who gets the vaccine first and why does Harris try to sow the seeds of doubt about it?

More DNC review and review of the RNC, news on the COVID-19 front.

Joe Biden gets the DNC nomination. How will Biden fix the COVID crisis? What else does the left have planned for us should Biden win?

The mean-spirited treatment of Robert Trump's death by the left. Biden chooses his running mate. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are conservative values.

The Democrat's divide and conquer strategy, Trump the conservative, an inconvenient truth about the Second Amendment.

AOC picks a fight with a Catholic saint, Ignorance of HCQ is enforced. Ignorance about Sweden's apparent success with Covid 19 is similarly enforced.

A woman appoints herself the mask police. Are "mask Nazis" a thing on left? Leftist bigotry may now have a body count.

Non-Covid-19 teacher's union demands are examined. More differences between the right and the left.

Wearing a mask when necessary is a virtue, demanding others wear one is not. Reasons to love America.

The ID4 edition reflects on the current state America's freedom. What is behind our current loss of freedom under COVID-19.

Bigotry is defined and its different forms are explored especially the ideological and political bigotry of the left.

Injustice in Atlanta and the toppling of statues, and how police react to each.

Who should pay for the riots? How is the CHAZ situation going to be resolved? If you don't believe certain rights come from God, then from whom?

Have the demonstrations made things better? What is "systemic racism"? And: To mask or not to mask?

The killing if George Floyd and subsequent riots. Did the lockdowns contribute to the unrest? What happens with the riots post- lockdown?

How blue state leaders dehumanize us in the name of creating a utopia, and a Massege and question about how our fallen heroes might look at our current situation.

First Obamagate is discussed, the how red states reopening will add pressure for blue states to reopen, and how the concepts left vs right differ from reality.

I talk about how The Gen Flynn prosecution relates to conservatism. I discuss how Gov Murphy's plan to reopen NJ measures up to my Covid 19 Bill of Rights. American conservatism explained.

The inaugural Liberty Relearned podcast. Why LR was started and a proposed Citizen's Covid 19 Bill of Rights.