1 May God bless Texas!

2 Also  ....  FRACKING.

3 Why, it's almost like government spending misallocates capital. Or something.

4 http://tinyurl.com/bj88ser

5 Wow, it's almost like liberals don't learn from actual experience, or something. Also, if Gov. Brown in California had any brains in that bald head, he'd ask Perry to come over and show him how to run his state.

6 Yeah, but Illinois is kicking our ass in murders and corruption.

7

Just visited Texas, where I have significant investments. Locals and family have a hard time understanding how bad things are in many parts of the country. Texas is doing pretty well all things considered.

 

Course like I always  say, Texas has only made one really big mistake and that was about 168 years ago.

8 For wont of pain medication a Republic was lost.

9 Unemployment at 6.2%. Imagine what they could have done if they doubled spending!

10 Also, if Gov. Brown in California had any brains in that bald head, he'd ask Perry to come over and show him how to run his state. For a fee.

11 "Texas Slashes Spending and Somehow Their Revenues From Taxation Go Up"

**

The Deuce!!

12 Our Little Barry told Boner we don't have a spending problem.  Obamacare solved that.

Srsly.  Steven Moore interview with Boner in the WSJ (dammit...forgot linky).

13 Supposed to be a /snark tag in #9.

14 Lies, anyone who knows anything know that you can't cut taxes and see revenue go up.  It's a lie, a fascist rethuglican lie!

15 Remember when Paul Ryan tried to point this fact out to Joe Biden during the debates?



Biden to Ryan:  "Oh, so now you're John Kennedy?!"



Clown.

16 Things aren't too bad here in Texas, but I still wouldn't want to be looking for a job in this market.  I can't imagine what it's like elsewhere.

17 Maths,  how does it fucking work?

18 Oh TN, please take note, I love stories about the success of Texas.

19

Further   suggestions  for Texas (from   a  proud  Texan):

1.  Get rid of the margins/franchise  tax.   No  taxes  to  open  up a business.

 

2.  Lower  property  tax rates  (this  is   really   at the county  level   but  mandated  from the stupid  public  educaiton  funding  system).

 

3.  Lower  sales  tax  rate   to  5%.

20 Me fail economics? That's unpossible!

21 Just think if we kept the political pirates in DC to say 90 days a year in session without A/C or heat. 

22 That's okay; we just have to somehow get through four more years of this. Of course, then we have to make sure we don't elect another left-wing lunatic who campaigns on GIVING ALL THE THINGS!

*faceplant*

23 On a steady diet of pain medication and Wild Turkey and I still kick California's ass!

24 But but but but taxation and government spending are all about "fairness" and "neighborliness"! It's not about them having more, it's about you having less.

25 For Texas!

Note they also had a huge increase in new businesses (many from California) which positively affected their revenue.

26 Here's the link to the Steve Moore interview with Boner.  TFG really is Bidenesque.

http://tinyurl.com/akqrpta

27 Oh, and don't forget - no state income tax.

28 SPEND ALL THE THINGS!

29 Further suggestions for Texas(from a proud Texan):
1. Get rid of the margins/franchise tax. No taxes to open up a business.

2. Lower property tax rates (this is really at the county level but mandated from the stupid public education funding system).

3. Lower sales tax rate to 5%.

Posted by: SH at January 07, 2013 04:56 PM (gmeXX)

-------Ditto!

30 Texas   now   has a  taxing  problem.  We are taxing  more than we need.   Pretty   soon  politicians  will  want to start using that money.  You know for the children.   Time  to stop taxing so much.  First thing I would do is get rid of franchise  tax.   Texas   should  encourage  all businesses to come to Texas and operate  tax free.

31 But but but but taxation and government spending are all about "fairness" and "neighborliness"! It's not about them having more, it's about you having less. "...and he told the genie, `I want you to kill my neighbor's cow.'"

32

Lets let Bill Whittle explain how this whole Texas thing works....

33 Texas > Taxes.

It's math!

34 But the evil Texans allow fracking.  

35 Oh yeah? Well my state leads the nation in feckless fat-assed Rino's and Snookies.

36

"....as the nation lurched out of the Great Recession."

 

Eh?

When did this happen?

 

We "lurched out of the Great Recession"?

I must've missed that.

 

37 Ace just isn't going to let me lean on that lamp post in my pinstriped suit, flipping my trillion dollar coin.

38 The problem I have with Texas these days is there aren't enough Texans there anymore.

39 SPEND ALL THE THINGS!

BAN ALL THE OTHER THINGS!

40 King Barry: You cannot cut your way to prosperity!!!!

41 Witchcraft! Sorcery! Impure! Defiled!

42 Texas slashed spending and is collecting even more in taxes.

This is still a problem. If tax revenue is still going up, then taxes haven't been reduced enough. Government needs LESS of our money, not MORE.

43 Note they also had a huge increase in new businesses (many from California) which positively affected their revenue.

Posted by: marcus at January 07, 2013 04:58 PM (GGCsk)

---- Yes, but unfortunately they import Cali libs

44 Why oh why can't Perry debate again?

*sigh*

45 Imagine how well we would be doing if we didn't have to feed the occupying troops still here after the Northern war of aggression.

46 Krugman cites himself in that article claiming no economic effect.
I thought he couldn't get any more hacktastic.  But Apparently I was wrong!

47 But Texas didn't build that!

48

I've  noticed  that whenever  you  talk  about the  success of  Texas   with   liberals,  they always  bring  up two  things:  (1)  Texas  just  has a  lot of oil,   and  (2)  Texas  doesn't spend on social services.

 

To which  I reply,  why doesn't  CA  exploit  its natural  resources  in the same way?  And  why does  Texas provide better social  services than CA  when it spends  less.

 

This  lesson just goes out the door with liberals.   No  comprende.

49 Obviously it is the federal spending from the stimulus that has improved the economy of Texas.

50 Yes, but unfortunately they import Cali libs

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at January 07, 2013 05:00 PM (R8hU

Trust us that does NOT work out well.

51 Fear not, Obama has what it takes to drag Texas down.  As will be seen in the next four years... and then the eight of whoever wins the epic beatdown between Moochelle and Shrillary.  You know that is how it ends, right?  We will nominate Jeb or some other squishy moron and lose yet again.

And after the Supreme Court has been packed with fresh young communists to replace the old ones and one or two of our guys the deal will be sealed.

52 Yes, we all know this.  Even lefties know this.  They just don't give a shit because all they want to do is take. your. stuff.

53 @35  Don't go dissin' Snookie.  I give you...Snookie Couture:

http://tinyurl.com/9w8m4v9

54 @43:  not necessarily.  They definitley import Cali jobs, but how many teat-suckers in Cali will want to leave their liberal Mommy-State to come to machine-gun-lovin' Texas??

55 Texas   also   has a  legislature  that  meets  every  other year for  90  days.   Who'd  of  thunk  that limiting  the amount of  time  legislatures  spend  in the  state  capital  could  make a difference.

56 But but but does Texas give free birth control? Without that the whole state will collapse

57

Knock on wood but I have not seen the effects of Obama like others have in the mostly Blue areas of the USA.   The mall parking lots and the resturants continue to be full in Houston.  Construction continues and the Dems in city government continue to try to spend as much or more than we take in.  

 

Situation normal.

58

"This lesson just goes out the door with liberals. No comprende."

 

 

Yep. Just like my mother in Texas thinks more spending on education would mean a better education 'for the children'.

59

what a load of crap, perry is running the state into the ground. we need romney. he's the most electable candidate and is severely conservative!! move to Texas asap governor romney!!

60

Once again,  the SCOAMT doesn't care about spending, doesn't care about debt, doesn't care about unemployment.   All he cares about is the destruction of America.  

 

If one wants prosperity and relative freedom, come to the  southern states and enjoy it while you can.

61 5 Wow, it's almost like liberals don't learn from actual experience, or something. Posted by: nerdygirl at January 07, 2013 04:54 PM (4Xhue) If they could, they wouldn't be able to stay on the left. Seriously, this is one of a thousand examples of inability to cope with a 'reality bitchslap," it's all about Doing The Wrong Thing Because Things That Work are a Tool of The Man!

62 To which I reply, why doesn't CA exploit its natural resources in the same way? And why does Texas provide better social services than CA when it spends less.

This lesson just goes out the door with liberals. No comprende.

Posted by: SH at January 07, 2013 05:02 PM (gmeXX)

Do they respond like by liberal  scrunt SIL?  You saw that on the internet or Fauxnews so it is a lie.

63

Yes, but unfortunately they import Cali libs

 

------

 

This   is  my  biggest  fear.  

64 Situation normal.

Posted by: polynikes at January 07, 2013 05:03 PM (m2CN7)

 

 

But, but, you have no zoning laws in  Houston.

 

 

 

The horror!

65 Austin=Berkley. Sad, but true.

66 I love the word ginormous. And pie.

67

Posted by: Coloradoans Who Done Been Californicated. at January 07, 2013 05:02 PM (v9Cj5)

 

 

No sheet.

68 In a perfect world, Rick Perry would be starting his first presidential term this month.

69

Photo on Drudge:

Why is Spock in the photo with that scrunt ?

70

Posted by: Tex Lovera at January 07, 2013 05:03 PM (wtvvX)

 

 

--- Quite a few as well as other blue state imports. It has been happening since the 70's

 

71 MATH!!!!

72 "Further suggestions for Texas"

My suggestion? Peacefully secede. Time for the Republic of Texas.

Quite seriously. Do it. The USA is a sinking ship. Time to hit the lifeboats. When you count the unfunded liabilities in the federal system, the US is in hock for an amount of money that exceeds *global* GDP. Two hundred trillion bucks, give or take a few. This is a nationally unsurvivable level of indebtedness.

America has failed. America is over. It's time to recognize that, and time to plan ways to salvage the best of what worked in the old America, to be re-used beneficially in America's successor states. Texas seems to be off to a good start in that respect. Limited government, free enterprise and an armed citizenry. Build on that foundation.

As for the US coming to the end of the line, it's not like it is the first time in history that a formerly powerful and prosperous country has fallen apart. It's unfortunate, but it happens. It has happened repeatedly and often in the past. Learn from history. And plan ahead.

73 Slashing spending is part 1. Part 2 is to slash regulations. Warren G. Harding did both AND slashed taxes. The result was prosperity and the national debt being cut down in size.

74 69- Holy hell WTF is that behind granny McBotox??

75 But but but does Texas give free birth control?
--
Warning: Failure to use birth control properly can result in pregnancy.

76 What's   really  sad  is that  instead of  following  the Texas  model,  the country is following the California  model.   The US could  be just like  Texas.   It  could  have  low taxes,  less regulation,   exploit its natural  resources.   And  it could have a booming economy  with more tax receipts to spend.   But  ...  alas.

77 Alex I love ginormous too

78 (m2CN7)But, but, you have no zoning laws in Houston.The horror!

Posted by: Meremortal, time to slutdrop the GOPe at January 07, 2013 05:05 PM (1Y+hH)

 

Heh.  Admittedly that does lead to a very ugly I-45 corridor and some other areas of Houston.   At least our strip clubs are zoned away from schools and churches.

79 Word

80 Austin=Berkley. Sad, but true. But no LA or San Fran.

81 66 I love the word ginormous. And pie. Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Team Stompy. at January 07, 2013 05:05 PM (VtjlW) Here, have a ginormous pie: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/giants/pumpkinpierecord.htm

82 Slightly O/T, but...

I must say that I stand in awe of Obama and his political acumen and abilities.  He has done more in four years to destroy a Constitutional Republic that has existed for hundreds of years than I ever thought possible, and the free lunch crowd (expecting the "tragedy of the commons" to be a fable, not a reality) voted to give him four more years to finish implementing the remaining details that stand in the way of totalitarian control of America.


I am now really looking forward to meeting many of you like minded people in the camps comrades!

83 "BAN ALL THE OTHER THINGS!"
===============
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

84 Yes, but unfortunately they import Cali libs Knock on wood, IÂ’m trying to help even that out. Hopefully, more later!

85 74. Looks like Spok or Sarek to me

86 "I must say that I stand in awe of Obama and his political acumen and abilities."
===============

Yeah, he really is amazing, in his own terrible way. He's the anti-Reagan.

I still can't believe he won. I'm still in shock about it. Just imagine all the damage he'll do with four more years.

87

Nah -- can't cut ssspending.  Gotta ssspend on -- um -- important government ssstuff.

Posted by: John Boehner

88

55 Texas also has a legislature that meets every other year for 90 days. Who'd of thunk that limiting the amount of time legislatures spend in the state capital could make a difference.

 

I remember when Perry proposed doing this in Washington, DC.

 

The ruling class on both sides were aghast at the prospect...and set out to vilify Perry after that.

Of course, it didn't help that he had some poor debate performances.

 

But there are so many people who make a living out of having a full-time legislature in Washington...that it has become a big industry.

The pundits, pollsters and lobbyists all depend on it.

And they will sabotage anyone who suggests limiting it to 'every two yrs.'.

 

89 Seriously,  Perry   fumbled   badly,  but  its  possible  he could run again.   My personal  feeling is that  he will not,  but  I could definitely   see  him  as   a  running  mate  depending on who wins  the nomination. 

90 I am now really looking forward to meeting many of you like minded people in the camps comrades! The only camps in Texas will be holding pens for shipping blue staters back.

91 Most Texans are facing the same issues that the rest of the country is, we're just in the position that our State government is not compounding the problems.

92

Posted by: polynikes at January 07, 2013 05:07 PM (m2CN7)

 

 

I grew up in Arlington. It had 5,000 pop when I was 5,  now it has about 350k. Lots of zoning laws, and lots of ugly anyway.

93 Or Sybok, "Let me feel your pain."

"Get away from me you Harry Reid pederast!"

94 Heh. Admittedly that does lead to a very ugly I-45 corridor and some other areas of Houston. At least our strip clubs are zoned away from schools and churches.

Posted by: polynikes at January 07, 2013 05:07 PM (m2CN7)

 

Damn it. You know the best strip clubs with the best girls used to be right next to the high schools and jr. highs.

 

I denounce myself.

95 93 Or Sybok, "Let me feel your pain." --- Why does God need a starship?

96 89 Seriously, Perry fumbled badly, but its possible he could run again. My personal feeling is that he will not, but I could definitely see him as a running mate depending on who wins the nomination. ------------------------------ He has a really good record, I was devastated when the dude fumbled out of the gate so badly. I was really REALLY pulling for him, just not pulling hard enough I guess

97 I haven't been there yet, but I love Texas. There should be a country just like it called Texas.

98

My suggestion? Peacefully secede. Time for the Republic of Texas.

 

I'm not sure how that would happen, seeing as we have a very large contingent of libs here as well and TFG carried Harris county in the recent horror show.

99

Houston  is  the  poster-child  for  why  zoning  laws  are bad.   Of  course  prosperity and  middle-class  affordability   don't   really   appeal  to a certain  set.   So   for  them,  Houston  is everything that is wrong. 

 

Of  course  because  we have  no  zoning, we don't have the racial  tension, the corruption,  or the  crime.

100

I saw something the other day that said that  if Houston was a country, it would have the 30th highest GDP in the world.

If the Oakies and Lousianans were to come with us on the way out, I'm saying we could do the OPEC thing and really ball.

101 torquewrench @ 72 made: Texas can't secede.  We already have the precedent that attempting to do that justifies a total war of destruction, with special attention on maximizing civilian misery.  And if anyone doesn't think Obama would be as cruel and unrelenting as Lincoln you don't know your petty tyrants.

There is only one way to secede from the US.  If you can join the WMD club on day one.  WMD with the focus on MASS.  Enough to create MAD and deter agression.  Good luck with that since you can't start until you drop out of the US and Obama won't be giving any of us as much time as he is giving Iran.

102 How about a short science fiction novel called the Lone Star Planet?

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20121/20121-h/20121-h.htm

103 but vaginas were outlawed in texas, so... win win?

104 My suggestion? Peacefully secede. Time for the Republic of Texas. I'm not sure how that would happen, seeing as we have a very large contingent of libs here as well and TFG carried Harris county in the recent horror show. Thunderdome?

105 You guys rail against the MFM but when they set up one of out guys in a phony debate to make him look bad you believe every bit of it.


You deserve a "moderate" candidate because that is what you will get every time when you believe anything that comes out of the Republican leadership and the MFM.

106

@98

 

Barely, and gee I can't think of one reason why Barry would do so well there...

107 Most Texans are facing the same issues that the rest of the country is, we're just in the position that our State government is not compounding the problems.

Posted by: 2nd Amendment Mother at January 07, 2013 05:11 PM (L4CWX)

 

 

--------------------------------------------

 

 

Same thing here in OK.  Since we've been all repub in our state government, we hardly even know they're there.  It's fucking wonderful.

 

It's the fed encroaching on us that's fucking up a lot of good things.  

 

I'm with the  person upthread that suggested secession.  It may be our only hope.  The country is irrevocably divided.

108

Just   to  play  devil's  advocate,  Houston  also  brings   the  country   Sheila  Jackson  Lee.   The horror, the horror.

 

Ace -  time to   get  on the  Ted Cruz  bandwagon.   He  could be  a  good one.

109 Chuck Hagel: There Is “Not One Shred Of Evidence I’m Anti-Israel”… If by evidence you mean a bunch of dead Joos under your bed, well maybe not, but.... Advocates for Israel have a variety of policy disagreements with Hagel, but one of their biggest concerns may be his frank and unflattering public assessments of their work and role in Washington. “The political reality is … that the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here,” Hagel told former Mideast peace negotiator Aaron David Miller in a 2006 interview. It's not Israel but the Joooos

110 the only state that could conceivably secede is alaska, then hawaii, then Maine. Texas ain't going nowhere

111 And Captain Kirk, why does TFG need two 747s?

112 I had a garage door man replacing my opener a couple day ago who had just moved here from Colorado.  Lots of emigration to Texas.  I'm hoping its mostly hard working conservative minded people.  I told him he did good work considering he was from Colorado.

113

Why is Spock in the photo with that scrunt ?

 

That's not Spock. It's Exidor.

114

Apparently Texas is one (or maybe the only) few states that still teach math, history, and economics in school.  Good for them.

Obama asserts that the US Government does NOT have a spending problem.  Pelosi schemes for another trillion in "Revenue".

These people are a cancer.  There isn't enough wealth in this nation to do what they want to do.  They will try anyway.

115 If you haven't realized that  the vast overwhelming majority of the money
we spend is to service the politically connected and ingratiate the politician to their clients - the voters. Maybe you should pay a little more attention.

The Laffer curve is real man.

116 "...let's just keep agitating to spend trillions and trillions on bullshit and mint some gimmick $1 trillion coins."

Anyone still think Cloward-Piven is not being instituted at the Federal level?

117 So much evil crammed into that one picture at Drudge.

118 Red State do not need to secede.  Hold an Art V convention and kick the blue States out.  

119

@101

 

We could just use the WMD the US has here. You do realize not only do we have stores of that, but they also dismantle older munitions in Amarillo. Plenty of WMD, delivery systems, and personnel available.

120 You guys rail against the MFM but when they set up one of out guys in a phony debate to make him look bad you believe every bit of it.


You deserve a "moderate" candidate because that is what you will get every time when you believe anything that comes out of the Republican leadership and the MFM.

Posted by: Vic at January 07, 2013 05:16 PM (53z96)

 

 

----------------------------------------------

 

 

Agree.  What happened here during the primaries was digusting.

121 @118, now that's an awesomly awesome idea. You won the internet today

122 Cut taxes, tax revenues go up... You can't explain that!

123 Or better yet, since we no longer follow the Constitution at the demand of the Democrats, all the Republican governors get together and vote to expel the Blue States,

124 98 >My suggestion? Peacefully secede. Time for the Republic of Texas.


I'm not sure how that would happen, seeing as we have a very large contingent of libs here as well and TFG carried Harris county in the recent horror show. Posted by: Velvet Ambition


A foreign exchange program where libs could be exchanged for conservatives in other states, with similar jobs, could work.

125 So?  Obama isn't raising taxes to bring in more revenue.  He's raising them to make things more "fair."  He's said it himself.

Our president is a died-in-the-wool class warrior and he's going to hurt society's producers whether it increases revenues or not. 

In other words, he's a fucking lunatic.

126

 

107 Same thing here in OK. Since we've been all repub in our state government, we hardly even know they're there. It's fucking wonderful.

 

I know, Soona...I hesitate to even brag about it, for fear of jinxing it.

 

127 I had a garage door man replacing my opener a couple day ago who had just moved here from Colorado. Lots of emigration to Texas.

And those people will vote for the same policies that drove their home state into the ground.

128

Posted by: Soona at January 07, 2013 05:17 PM (1hr+f)

 

We were thinking about asking you to join us in our secession but that game Friday night gave us second thoughts about what you could bring to the table.

129 Red State do not need to secede. Hold an Art V convention and kick the blue States out.

Posted by: Vic at January 07, 2013 05:18 PM (53z96)

If only this could be done.

130 118 Red State do not need to secede. Hold an Art V convention and kick the blue States out. Please from your lips to gods ears. Nothing would make me happier. The republic of California, making it on it's own. Oh please yes.

131

A couple of days ago, Krugman was explaining to his loyal sycophants why minting a trillion dollar coin was a bad idea. 

What changed in two days time?

Just more Krugman hackery.

132 Aside from being an open borders nut, Perry has been the best GOP politician out there* He's even making teachers in texas teach from books that are not 100% anti-american. the fuq? is that even legal? *=too bad the loon couldn't speak well during the primary debates** **=too bad Mr. Generic Republican, T-Paw dropped out like a bitch.*** ***=too bad that Mitt decided to coast through the finish line**** ****=too bad the GOP can't do anything about voter fraud***** *****=not that that exists, you loon. right?

133 If only this could be done.

Posted by: DiogenesLamp at January 07, 2013 05:21 PM (bb5+k)


The only thing stopping it from being done is getting the States together to do it.

134 We're minting a coin down here in Texas too, just like Timmy G.  On the coin face it says "The 2nd Amendment let's me shoot tyrants in the face"

Its worth 100 New Texas Republic Dollars. 

135 I love Rick Perry. .. ahhh.. swoon.

136 The ultimate deliciousness would involve tricking the liberals to eject the red states.

137 And those people will vote for the same policies that drove their home state into the ground.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at January 07, 2013 05:20 PM (SY2Kh)

-----

Locust Liberals.

138 All the more reason for SCOAMF to not want to lower taxes. It might help.

139 I wonder if the Texas legislators actually read their bills before they pass them (unlike the incompetent, self-serving, corrupt, lazy bastards in the US Congress)?  That alone would be enough to highly recommend Texas to me.

140

@110

 

Alaska? They have oil I guess. As far as food, maybe with fishing they could be self sufficient. Everything else, eh. Besides, how long would Vladamir let such a prize set idle next to him?

Texas has the oil as well as refining, manufacturing, agriculture, etc. Alaska does benefit because something like 12 people live there. Still, if Texas went, I think our neighbors would come along for the ride.

141 130 118 Red State do not need to secede. Hold an Art V convention and kick the blue States out. Please from your lips to gods ears. Nothing would make me happier. The republic of California, making it on it's own. Oh please yes. --- Throw in Illinois, New York, and pretty much all of New England save New Hampshire and you've got a winner.

142 **136 The ultimate deliciousness would involve tricking the liberals to eject the red states.** that's nice too. I like how the White House Petitions website is such a joke. expel the libs, no expel the cons, lolz

143 Member of Biden's Gun Control Task Force Has a Son Convicted of Planning School Mass Murder
http://is.gd/FtsCQh



MOAR THINGS!

144
You do realize not only do we have stores of that, but they also dismantle older munitions in Amarillo. Plenty of WMD, delivery systems, and personnel available.

Posted by: Jollyroger




And with that, a dozen would be novelists just found the hook for their book proposal.

145 Free markets, small govt, how do they freakin work?

146 But there are so many people who make a living out of having a full-time legislature in Washington...that it has become a big industry. The Bureaucracy Event Horizon. (See link in name. Yes, I have a blog, too.)

147 It's a weird decade when reading Pravda as being the only newspaper that makes sense... But Vlad couldn't do shit to Alaska, that part of russia abutting alaska is deserted and there's about 3 able bodied men of military age left in Russia.

148 Plenty of WMD, delivery systems, and personnel available.

...do you ship to Indiana?

149 that's nice too. I like how the White House Petitions website is such a joke. expel the libs, no expel the cons, lolz Well look living in this great republic is a responsibility, if we as states do not get our acts together and focus like a laser on social justice and womens vaginas or something. Maybe we do not deserve to be part of the republic.

150 Jollyroger @ 119:   Nukes are carefully controlled gadgets.  Just physically possessing one isn't enough to make a kaboom.  You could use the fissile materials to make one though, but that would take time.  You would have days from time you secede.  Picture if you will, a bunch of Aggies trying to assemble a nuke under severe time pressure.

And if you are building an inventory from scratch like that you would HAVE to conduct a test before anyone would believe you had mastered the tech.  Not pretty.  Not as ugly as another 'march to the sea' but something anyone should want to think about.  But options for any sort of peaceful solution are getting scarce.  Tyranny or war, where is the winning move instead picking one that sucks less?

151 All anybody had to do was listen to Waylon's Luckenbach, Texas and   follow suit.

152

And those people will vote for the same policies that drove their home state into the ground.

 

Texans   could possibly get ahead of that curve  by saying, "Why did you move here? Is  it because of your big-assed former state gubmint with all the lefties in it, high taxes, and pissing away  money? You're not going to be voting for that here, are you? We don't cotton much to that  shit around here, that's why we have a better economy than where you came from."

153 Member of Biden's Gun Control Task Force Has a Son Convicted of Planning School Mass Murder
http://is.gd/FtsCQh
Posted by: HeatherRadish™ at January 07, 2013 05:23 PM (ZKzrr)
----

**facepalm**

More evidence WE live in an alternate universe.

Soemwhere in the REAL unverse Heather & Fixer are debating on a blog that "no way shit like that happens for real".

154 any election or discourse not related to discussions of vaginas of unfuckable hags is not one worth having, you jesus freak!

155 Agree. What happened here during the primaries was digusting.

Posted by: Soona at January 07, 2013 05:19 PM (1hr+f)

 

I've voted for Perry in every election but that doesn't mean I think he's the sharpest tool in the shed.  Way before the primaries Perry had many episodes similar to his performance in the debates.  Dewhurst is good for Perry.  Perry is not bad but we have better in Texas.  He has had the advantage of incumbency. 

156 Wow HeatherRadish.  I guess the defense from TFG on Nee will be. 

"We need someone who has suffered such a tragedy like Mrs. Lizana to be on the Task Force to ensure we render an appropriate decision."

*gag*

157

@144

I was surprised myself. Amarillo is a really small airport, but security was pretty tight. Suprising what you find out from a cab driver.

 

I later saw an article (here maybe?) that the US's last largest nukes were being dismantled there and no one really knew how to do it. You think they would keep blueprints around.

158

And those people will vote for the same policies that drove their home state into the ground.

 

-----

 

That is  certainly   a  fear,  but  it  may  not necessarily  be  true.   Unlike  most  other  states,   being conservative and being  republican  isn't  something  to be  ashamed  of  in Texas.   Most   people   are  not  afraid  to discuss it out in the open.   This  does  a couple of  things.  Exposes  people  to arguments  they may not have heard in other states.   Shows  people  that  being conservative isn't  abnormal, in fact  if  most other people are, maybe I should be too --  groupthink  the other way.

 

So,   while  I certainly  worry that  liberals  will want to bring  their  liberal  dreams  to Texas,  my guess is most of  the people  emigrating  our  culturally  conservative  anyway  (or leaning that way - hey they held their nose to move to Texas didn't they)  or  small business owners  who will  tend to be pro-market. 

 

The  true  libs  will  stay  in the  liberal  states (because  they  can  afford  it)  or move to more hip cities than Houston and San Antonio. 

 

So  hopefully  we are ok.

159 **And those people will vote for the same policies that drove their home state into the ground.** in a world in which conservatives had balls (and were partially insane), red states should start refusing to accept expats from California. sort of a payback to how Cali treated the Okies, eh? payback

160
.... and somewhere in the real universe AOSHQ lets us have ampersands.


Heather AND Fixer

161 My suggestion? Peacefully secede. Time for the Republic of Texas.

Posted by: torquewrench at January 07, 2013 05:07 PM (gqT4g)

It seems like the only plausible way to survive is to cut off the parasitic/insane parts of the Nation.

162 the funny thing is how libs used to rail against reddish flyover states sucking up tax dollars. My how their tune has changed* * sort of like how they no longer care about patriotism and its relationship to deficit spending.

163

I've voted for Perry in every election but that doesn't mean I think he's the sharpest tool in the shed. Way before the primaries Perry had many episodes similar to his performance in the debates.Dewhurst is good for Perry.Perry isnotbad but we have better in Texas. He has hadthe advantage of incumbency.

 

-----

 

Perry  certainly   has  some  good  qualities.   But  you are right.  I'm  not  surprised  he stumbled.   Its  just  that in such a weak   field, you would have thought that his brand on conservatism with his record would  have  done  better.   Anyway,  it works  for Texas  and   that  is a good thing.  Whether  he  saw  which  way the wind was blowing  or  really  becamse conservative  he has  governed  in that way.   Not perfectly, of course, but good enough.  And  he certainly  understood  when and  how to exploit the Texas voter.  

164

.... and somewhere in the real universe AOSHQ lets us have ampersands.




Spock beards and WYSIWYG editing.

165 I haven't been there yet, but I love Texas. There should be a country just like it called Texas.

Posted by: Stateless_Infidel at January 07, 2013 05:13 PM (AC0lD)

One of my favorite bumper stickers is:

 "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could. "

166 .... and somewhere in the real universe AOSHQ lets us have ampersands.

And agonizers for the truly annoying and clueless trolls.

167 We were thinking about asking you to join us in our secession but that game Friday night gave us second thoughts about what you could bring to the table.

Posted by: polynikes at January 07, 2013 05:20 PM (m2CN7)

 

 

----------------------------------------------

 

 

Ah, geez.  I was hoping nobody had noticed.

168

"I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could. "

 

Good   one from a former cow-orker here in FL: "I was born in Louisiana, but my parents caught me crawling towards Texas."

169

146 But there are so many people who make a living out of having a full-time legislature in Washington...that it has become a big industry.

 

The Bureaucracy Event Horizon. (See link in name. Yes, I have a blog, too.)

 

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at January 07, 2013 05:24 PM (QF8uk)

 

----------

 

Nicely said, and thorough...but preaching to the choir, with me.

 

Bureaucrats and Govt Unions are a scourge upon us.

 

170

We were thinking about asking you to join us in our secession but that game Friday night gave us second thoughts about what you could bring to the table.

 

----

 

Ouch.

171 But wait, remember that Ed Asner narrated video? Cutting spending turns cities into Detroit? This does not compute

172   166
I haven't been there yet, but I love Texas. There should be a country just like it called Texas.

Posted by: Stateless_Infidel at January 07, 2013 05:13 PM (AC0lD)

One of my favorite bumper stickers is:

"I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could. "

Posted by: DiogenesLamp at January 07, 2013 05:31 PM (bb5+k)

 

I always liked the Goode Company quote "You might give some serious thought to thanking your lucky stars you're in Texas"

173
We could just use the WMD the US has here. You do realize not only do we have stores of that, but they also dismantle older munitions in Amarillo. Plenty of WMD, delivery systems, and personnel available.

Posted by: Jollyroger at January 07, 2013 05:19 PM (t06LC)

Over at Free Republic, a few weeks ago someone speculated about what would happen if all the States went to war with each other.  The consensus?

Texas won.

174 Hmm. I think there are a number of good plots here.  Convince personnel Ft. Hood to stay put, same with bases around SA, Same with the Pantex plant, say an offer of no taxes for 10 years, use a threat of a cutoff of refined gasoline to pressure the states to leave them alone. Lots of goodness in the fiction there. Ramp up fracking and expand the ports, and refineries in the gulf to facilitate it. It could be an interesting read.

175 Cut spending cut taxes increase the speed of money. If a contraction of the money supply must happen, let it happen quickly, then off you go. When used it is successful, the problem is getting someone with the balls to use it.

176 I already have requests out with friends in TX. Trying to find a house and job near Dallas.

Looking to move ASAP.

CO was nice up until about 1997.

177

I  also   read  where  the   port  of  Houston  is primed  to  continue  to be  one of  the  leading  ports   for  North America.   Many  gulf  cities  are making similar  improvements  to their ports,  which goes hand and  hand with the expansion of the Panama Canal.  Meanwhile,  California  has invested  nothing  in their  ports.   So  while  libs  always  talk  of making investments,  Texas and other  red  gulf  states  are actually  making  such  investments.   Not  psuedo-investments  in  union benefits. 

178
The only thing stopping it from being done is getting the States together to do it.

Posted by: Vic at January 07, 2013 05:22 PM (53z96)

They no more have the guts to challenge the status quo than they did to challenge Obama's eligibility to hold office.

Till people are actually dying in the streets, nobody is going to have the balls to try it.  After that, I think it may very well happen automatically.

179

@174

 

There was a question as to the outcome? We're the American Sparta bitches.

180

Cut spending cut taxes increase the speed of money. If a contraction of the money supply must happen, let it happen quickly, then off you go. When used it is successful, the problem is getting someone with the balls to use it.

 

The biggest problem is finding someone who understands how a free market economy  should operate,  since we haven't had one in so long.

 

Then we have to find a politician who can count.

181 I think we saw how important debates are.  I'm glad we got to keep him.  $500k to $1mil houses are going up all the time in my town.  The Romney people with no conservative creds trashed him.  Now we have an autopen signing laws.

182 CO was nice up until about 1997.

Posted by: Joe Mama at January 07, 2013 05:36 PM (v9Cj5)

 

We would be glad to have you, I tell you what.  (preparing you to be Texaslingual)

183 Texas has OIL, bubbas...makes a diff.

184 We would be glad to have you, I tell you what. (preparing you to be Texaslingual)

Posted by: polynikes at January 07, 2013 05:39 PM (m2CN7)

Thanks, y'all.

< ;-)

185 I keep hearing all day that the president told Boehner that we don't have a spending problem. How can that be? Been looking for the liberal meme explaining this, so far, no luck finding one.

186 Texas has the oil as well as refining, manufacturing, agriculture, etc. Alaska does benefit because something like 12 people live there. Still, if Texas went, I think our neighbors would come along for the ride.

Posted by: Jollyroger at January 07, 2013 05:23 PM (t06LC)

I would hope all the normal states would move out as a block. I refuse to characterize them as "Red" states.  That "Red" business was just media propaganda to help Clinton during the 1992 election avoid looking like the communist bastard that he was.  Since it helped, the Media has saddled us with it. 

But seriously, I would suspect that many states would go along with it once the dying starts.  What else have they got to lose at that point?

187

@183

You're not really ready until you can make sense of the sentence "Someone tumpt that truck over yonder."

188 What else have they got to lose at that point?

Posted by: DiogenesLamp at January 07, 2013 05:41 PM (bb5+k)

Gummint Cheese?

189 .and ObamaPho!

190

Just out of curiosity, how it the Texas Gulf Coast? If I were to  contemplate a move, I'd have to be near water and seafood.

 

I enjoyed all the ads   for  that the City of Mobile (my birthplace) had on the GoDaddy Bowl last night. They highlighted defense and port operations.

191 I could see me moving to Texas.

192 187 Agree, however instead of translating "red" to communist, in my head I now translate it to "red meat" and I'm ok with that.

193 Shit. It = is.

194 Texas needs more territory.

Please invade.

195 I think the inflection point for the states will be when one or two of the bluies (New York, Cali, Ill) go bankrupt and hat in hand to ask uncle sammy for a bailout. This will (should) cause a shitstorm in the other states. Either 1) it will not be granted and the blue model slowly dies or 2) it will be and it will pit prudent states against spendthrifts at which time the prudent states will cut a path out one way or another.

196

@191

 

Muddy water, good people, a lot of fresh seafood, the occassional meth lab.

197 sort of a payback to how Cali treated the Okies, eh?

payback

Posted by: joeindc44 wonders if anyone has any advice for the GOP at January 07, 2013 05:27 PM (QxSug)

Yeah, back in the dustbowl days there was a mass migration of Okies to California. The good thing was, it raised the IQ level of both states.

198 196 I think the inflection point for the states will be when one or two of the bluies (New York, Cali, Ill) go bankrupt and hat in hand to ask uncle sammy for a bailout. --- Anyone handicapping the odds on which of those three goes bust first?

199 191 There are sections that aren't bad, but you got to look for them. I live quite a ways from there so take my opinion with a block of salt. When I've been I wasnt that impressed compared to SC or parts of Florida.  I'd stay clear of Houston and Beaumont, at least close to the water.

200 "Over at Free Republic, a few weeks ago someone speculated about what would happen if all the States went to war with each other. The consensus?


Texas won.

Posted by: DiogenesLamp at January 07, 2013 05:35 PM (bb5+k)"

If the states went to war, my first move would be to hightail it to Texas.

Momma didn't raise no fools.

201

That $1 trillion coin idea is a bit of sympathetic magic found in Amazonian jungles and Beltway dinner parties whereby the hopes and dreams of all liberals everwhere are infused into a single platinum talisman. They go through with this madness, the US economy collapses, guaranteed. Children will someday read about this in history books and say, "What? What?". Or, more likely, tribal elders will tell stories about The Fabulous Coin Of The Gods while eating smoked rat around the cooking fires among the ruins.   

202 Muddy water, good people, a lot of fresh seafood, the occassional meth lab.

Posted by: Jollyroger at January 07, 2013 05:46 PM (t06LC)

 

I was going to say muddy water also thinking about Galveston.  Further south you go down the coast the better the water gets. But probably more meth labs.

203 There was a question as to the outcome? We're the American Sparta bitches.

Posted by: Jollyroger at January 07, 2013 05:38 PM (t06LC)

The guy from North Dakota seemed to think the Air Force ICBM arsenal up there might make them King of the mountain, but most people ignored the possibility that the conflict would turn nuclear.

204 If I moved to Texas.. it would be to the Dallas area.

205

Muddy water, good people, a lot of fresh seafood, the occassional meth lab.

 

Sounds like FL. I'd like this place better if  I had gainful employment, even part time. We had a lot of defense work here in the machine  shops  when I moved here in the late '80's  (Lockheed-Martin was the main cause of that), but  no  more.

 

Texas could annex us, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and call us East Texas. Just a thought for the coming secession...

206 "46 Krugman cites himself in that article claiming no economic effect.
I thought he couldn't get any more hacktastic. But Apparently I was wrong!

Posted by: tsrblke (work) at January 07, 2013 05:01 PM (Ssth1)"

I commented at the NY Times site that if Krugman really believes this, he should be willing to be executed if his forecast doesn't come to pass.

Yeah, that comment wasn't approved for publication, needless to say.

207 We already have the precedent that attempting to do that justifies a total war of destruction, with special attention on maximizing civilian misery. And if anyone doesn't think Obama would be as cruel and unrelenting as Lincoln you don't know your petty tyrants.


Lesson learned:  Don't open fire on federal forts and transform "peaceful secession" into "armed rebellion".    Your right to secede depends entirely on your ability to secede, part of which is to win a PR battle.   No European state was going to support the South after the war shifted into one over slavery.  

Another fun fact:   The murder of that "petty tyrant" Lincoln destroyed the moderating influences for Reconstruction.  

208 Living in TX for 6 years now.  Not to pee in the punch bowl but Tarrant County (Ft Worth) really, really likes its property taxes.  Almost passed out when I got the first bill.  Very similar house (value) in FL was about $2,300 a year - Tarrant County sent me its bill for $13,000.  My heart...

209 If I moved to Texas.. it would be to the Dallas area.

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at January 07, 2013 05:52 PM (DGIjM)

 

Yeah , as with any familiy we all don't get along. Sibling rivalry and all.  Dallas is city who would move the whole town to NYC if they thought it would make them hipper.  Ft. Worth I like.  

210 Tarrant County sent me its bill for$13,000. My heart...

Posted by: kqb29 at January 07, 2013 05:56 PM (b1NQB)

 

Holy crap. You live in a 900,000 house?

211

No, poly - $375000

 

212 No, poly - $375000

Posted by: kqb29 at January 07, 2013 05:59 PM (b1NQB)

 

I did not know Tarrant county taxes went that high.  They would only be about 6500 in Harris County or less.  I say only but I realize that is still a lot higher than you paid in FL. 

213 Texas could annex us, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabamaand call us East Texas. Just a thought for the coming secession...

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit. at January 07, 2013 05:52 PM (yiIja)

 

People are getting pretty casual talking about secession. It's been tried once before, you know. I'm guessing those who proposed and supported it the first time couldn't possibly have known how bad things would get, or have foreseen the oceans of blood and mountains of corpses that would result from it. Well, we know now, and Lincoln was right: we're either all one thing or another. We can't be both socialist dictatorship and representative Republic, and neither can we split apart. Split us into two or three warring countries and soon all there would be is a strife-torn wasteland, and eventually nothing at all.

214 Just let your imagination run wild for a bit about what Texas' economy could look like if we didn't hand over $225,390,904,000 just in income taxes a year to the Feds.....

Might I note that we've also got an unused NASA facility in Houston that we could imminent domain and more than our fair share of space geeks.  Just think how fast a private space industry could grow in Texas?

215 Yea, property taxes that high are just the government's way of reminding you that you can never actually 'own' property.  All you can do is get a long term lease from the government.  But don't you ever forget who owns everything.

But Texas doesn't have an income tax.  It is always a trade off and they are at least honest about it.  Unlike here in LA where we have the 'Homestead Exemption' so voting for raising property taxes is more of a 'lets vote a tax increase on someone else' sort of thing.  And renters, but they are either too dumb to realize it or don't care because it is government subsidized anyway.

216 "208  We already have the precedent that attempting to do that justifies a
total war of destruction, with special attention on maximizing civilian
misery. And if anyone doesn't think Obama would be as cruel and
unrelenting as Lincoln you don't know your petty tyrants."




But didn't Lincoln also have a motivated army who believed in his cause of preserving the Union and eradicating slavery? Can the same really be said of the relationship between today's military and Obama's "cause" (whatever the fuck it is beside wanton destruction)? The only people I can imagine really being excited by Obama's vision for America are people who are absolutely incapable of fighting the battle to implement that vision. These are people who can't be off of Facebook long enough to take a good shit before starting to miss it.

217 AND, the Leg only meets for a few months every 2 years. And then they leave and go back to where they came from and have to answer to their neighbors if they tried anything stupid. It limits, but alas doesn't eliminate, the amount of time spent coming up with the stupid shit politicians are always trying to pull elsewhere.

Texas-it's not bragging if you can back it up.

218 And if anyone doesn't think Obama would be as cruel and
unrelenting as Lincoln you don't know your petty tyrants.

Yeah? Lincoln out-fought and out-thought the lot of them, including your precious Robert E. Lee. You use the wretched, slave-owning Confederacy as your template, you'll get the same result.

219

Canadian here.

I have been following this blog for a number of years now.  I consider myself conservative politically.

I am curious as to what actions people on this site would suggest to tackle the fiscal mess.  If you had the power, what would you do?  In fact I would like to see a blog post on this.

There must be some creative minds here.

220 "You use the wretched,slave-owning Confederacy as your template, you'll get the same result.

Posted by: troyriser at January 07, 2013 06:06 PM (vtiE6)"

Yes, the first Civil War was fought over whether or not one man could be made to be slave to another. The second Civil War will be fought over whether the State can make a man a slave to it. As with the first, the anti-slavery side will win the second.

221

Before we have another Civil War and start killing people, it would be nice if we could find some way to stage a tax revolt. Somehow, we should refuse to pay for any more government that not only is ineffective, but uses our money to put us in chains.

222 "I am curious as to what actions people on this site would suggest to tackle the fiscal mess. If you had the power, what would you do? In fact I would like to see a blog post on this.
There must be some creative minds here.

Posted by: bwbandy at January 07, 2013 06:10 PM (65Ud6)"

The first thing would be to raise the eligibility age for entitlements in line with the increase in life expectancy. Even if you created some special categories for those in occupations which did not benefit as much from increased life expectancy, you could still delay the moment of first drawing upon these entitlement programs significantly by making just this change. If I had a completely free hand, I'd eliminate entitlements altogether, of course.

The second thing would be an immediate across-the-board-no-questions-asked spending cut which was equal to the percentage of the deficit to annual GDP. Right now, that's around 10%. Find a way for the government to do its job with 10% less than it had last year. What's that you say? Government employees don't like that idea? Who gives a fuck what they think? Do the job or get fucking fired.

223 Before we have another Civil War and start killing people, it would be nice if we could find some way to stage a tax revolt. Somehow, we should refuse to pay for any more government that not only is ineffective, but uses our money to put us in chains.

Posted by: JustLikeDavidHasselhoff at January 07, 2013 06:13 PM (wWZWw)

 

Yes, it would be nice to find a peaceful solution to these divisions ready to rip us apart. The feasibility of a citizen's tax revolt and other nonviolent, ideally grassroots means should be explored, certainly. Just don't expect any national-level politician to actually point out the unrest and hostility bubbling just beneath the surface and say, hey, gee, tensions are running a little hot right now, let's talk about it, let's find common ground. The President, for example, is no use. He loves these divisions. It's how his party maintains power. We're on our own.

224 bwbandy-
If I were benevolent dictator of the USA I would devolve federal power back to the states. As an example-we currently have 1 Federal EPA and 50 state EPAs.

Don't forget that this is the United STATES of America. More of the money that the Feds take to redistribute would be kept in the place it was earned. The Federal income tax code would be a shadow of what it is now (40,000 pages, iirc).

DEVOLUTION!

225 Might I note that we've also got an unused NASA facility in Houston that we could imminent domain and more than our fair share of space geeks. Just think how fast a private space industry could grow in Texas?

Posted by: 2nd Amendment Mother at January 07, 2013 06:03 PM (L4CWX)

Armadillo aerospace is already there.

226 And if anyone doesn't think Obama would be as cruel and unrelenting as Lincoln you don't know your petty tyrants.Yeah? Lincoln out-fought and out-thought the lot of them, including your precious Robert E. Lee. You use the wretched,slave-owning Confederacy as your template, you'll get the same result.

Posted by: troyriser at January 07, 2013 06:06 PM (vtiE6)

Now you are just being nasty for no good reason.  You've also got some mistakes in your History.   Lincoln never expected a civil war.  Neither side did.  Both sides underestimated the determination of the other until so much blood had been shed that it was impossible to let it go.

The freeing the slaves thing was an afterthought used to justify a war that had caused so much blood and destruction.  Lincoln would have kept slavery if they would agree to end the war.  He says so in words carved into stone in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.

227 @ 206 - there is a lot of building in the chemical plants down here (Greater Houston Area - Freeport, La Porte, Texas City, etc.) right now.  Might make for some gainful employment.

228 I am curious as to what actions people on this site would suggest to tackle the fiscal mess. If you had the power, what would you do? In fact I would like to see a blog post on this.
There must be some creative minds here.

Posted by: bwbandy at January 07, 2013 06:10 PM (65Ud6)

My understanding is that any chance of tackling the fiscal mess evaporated with Romney.   Now the consensus among many if not most conservatives is that there WILL be some sort of economic collapse.   It is now not possible to stop it.

229 Posted by: BS Inc. at January 07, 2013 06:16 PM (eP0u9)



Any proposal which requires control of the Federal Government is a non-starter. We do not have control, nor are we likely to ever get another chance to control it.

230 Ah, knew it wouldn't be long before troyriser would show up with the SPLC viewpoint that secession is racism, etc.

And no, it isn't a good idea.  But neither was taking on the mightiest military machine since the fall of Rome and the plucky Rebels one that one, and thus got to write the history books about the American War of Independence.  The War of Southern Independence didn't work out so well and they didn't get to write the history.  But it was the same cause, people pushed to the wall to a point they had to fight or die anyway.  (And no, the Union troops didn't fight to end slavery, they would have revolted had Lincoln tried to use that argument.  He used that argument to stop the French from recognizing the CSA.  For domestic consumption it is was simply 'preserve the union.')

My point above is that if we do it again we must learn from history and realize the US FedGov will attempt to suppress any attempt with the utmost violence, even to the point of war atrocities against civilians.  So if pressed to the point we are forced to consider it anyway had better be prepared to deal with that problem.  A credible threat to reduce a major city or twenty to vapor would probably work as well in that situation as it did against the Soviet menace, and for the same reason.

Obama is a communist and this amendable to MAD, unlike Iran for example.  Communists want to rule this world, not seek a reward in an afterlife that as godless communists they aren't allowed to even believe in.

231 191  Just out of curiosity, how it the Texas Gulf Coast? If I were to contemplate a move, I'd have to be near water and seafood.

FYI - Texas has a vast coastal region with each area having a unique style... from urban to rural.  Galveston is laid back historic, Houston is modern, urban, Corpus is laid back recreation and so much more.  My preference is Port Isabel, small, laid back old style family and just a bit touristy.

232
"I am curious as to what actions people on this site would suggest to tackle the fiscal mess. If you had the power, what would you do? In fact I would like to see a blog post on this"

The car has flown off the edge of the cliff.
Tune into a good station and enjoy the ride.

Seriously, there are a lot solutions to fiscal mess but they all involve less "free stuff" and the America just voted against that.

233 The freeing the slaves thing was an afterthought used to justify a war that had caused so much blood and destruction. Lincoln would have kept slavery if they would agree to end the war. He says so in words carved into stone in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.

Posted by: DiogenesLamp at January 07, 2013 06:30 PM (bb5+k)

 

Is that what big Confederates tell little Confederates as bedtime stories so you don't so feel bad? Well, that's nice, but it's also patently untrue. The Whig Party was supplanted by the Republican Party because the Whigs refused to directly (politically) confront the Democrats over the expansion of slavery into the territories. Lincoln was one of those who made the transition from Whig to Republican. He was one of the first Republicans.

 

Read Lincoln's Cooper Union speech and shut the fuck up forever about his cynical intentions or his malice toward the south or his petty tyranny or any of that other neo-confederate bullshit. However, if it makes you feel any better, one of your heroes of the fucking Confederacy did manage to sneak up behind him and shoot him in the back of the head, so there's that.

234 bwbandy@221: re: how the fiscal crisis could be battled

It is a messy problem.  Cutting taxes to get growth would be a risky move even if you could muster the votes.  Yes it would jump start the economy under normal conditions but revenue would drop in the short term and with the deficit so high it just might panic the markets and make a kaboom.  Cutting spending enough to balance would be really painful with the pitiful economy.  So it is a quandry.

The key is to ignite the economy.  We have few long term problems a doubled real GDP couldn't deal with.  Social security and Medicare excepted.  So grab the missing piece first, regulation.  Set a goal of eliminating 20% of the page count of the total regulatory burden every year for five years.  No new regulation that doesn't also eliminate two pages somewhere for every page added.

Then attack spending.  Eliminate the current baseline budget process and adopt zero, not the start at zero I'd really like but start with the exact dollar figure from a year ago, no automatic rise for anything, not even inflation.  Set a goal of Congress beginning each and every day by locating and eliminating a Billion dollars from something.

Hold taxes constant.  If a real reform is politically possible do it, just as long as it is revenue neutral on the CBO's static scoring.  More revenue coming in from boosting economic activity from simplification is ok though, want that.

Convince the markets those three things were going to be happening and Atlas would stop shrugging, the recession would instant be over and jobs would start being created again.  Soon we would have plenty of money and public confidence to tackle SS and MC before they drug us back into recession.

But we will do none of those things and things will get worse.  Soon they will be beyond recovery and it will be God, Gold and Guns.

235 "Any proposal which requires control of the Federal Government is a non-starter. We do not have control, nor are we likely to ever get another chance to control it.

Posted by: DiogenesLamp at January 07, 2013 06:35 PM (bb5+k)"

While that is a fair point, I think that at some point in the near future the people who have the most to lose from the system collapsing are going to have a come to Jesus moment and realize that even the Fed's printing presses are insufficient for the printing needed to paper over the entitlement liabilities. That said, overall I do wish that all of the fiscal problems with the welfare state could be resolved at the state level. As long as there is only one issuer of currency, though, control over currency issuance will remain the crux of the matter. Without an alternative to the Fed-issued dollar, there will never be a strictly state-based solution to any of these long-term imbalances. If there were an alternative currency backed by a government with sustainable policies, the dollar would become an afterthought.

Still, just ending the 2% payroll tax holiday got a bunch of people pretty steamed at Obama. Once the Dems start talking about how much higher the SS and, especially, Medicare taxes need to go under the current configuration of those programs, it "should" be game over for them because no one in their right mind will agree to those levels of taxation to support the programs. The Medicare tax hike alone will dwarf any return to the regular payroll tax for SS. People will finally ask themselves "Just what do I get for these taxes and is it a better deal than what I could get on my own?"

236 Read Lincoln's Cooper Union speech and shut the fuck up forever about his cynical intentions or his malice toward the south or his petty tyranny or any of that other neo-confederate bullshit. However, if it makes you feel any better, one of your heroes of the fucking Confederacydid manage to sneak up behind him and shoot him in the back of the head, so there's that.

Posted by: troyriser at January 07, 2013 06:52 PM (vtiE6)

Dude, you come across as a loon.  I've read plenty of Lincoln speeches, and i'm not opposed to reading another one. Might have read the one you mention even, but i'll look it up.  For what it's worth, my family's all immigrants from long after the Civil war.  You need to let it go.

237

Okay, assume you have benevolent dictator power.  What changes would you make?  What spending would you take a chainsaw to?  In Canada if I had the power I would eliminate the Human Rights Commisions.  I would kill funding for the National Organization for the Status of Women.

 

What would you take an axe to?  Small Business Administration?  Kill all foreign aid?  What radical shock therapy would you propose?

238 But we will do none of those things and things will get worse. Soon they will be beyond recovery and it will be God, Gold and Guns.

Posted by: John Morris at January 07, 2013 06:53 PM (sCRhB)

The events are already in motion. It is already beyond recovery.  Romney was the last plausible chance at averting it.  (and I didn't like him, but I recognize his ability as a turnaround artist.)

239 "While that is a fair point, I think that at some point in the near future the people who have the most to lose from the system collapsing are going to have a come to Jesus moment and realize that even the Fed's printing presses are insufficient for the printing needed to paper over the entitlement liabilities."


I wish I could see such a rosy picture as this. From my perspective, it is too late for a come to Jesus moment.  I am thinking that an economic collapse will kill millions.



"As long as there is only one issuer of currency, though, control over currency issuance will remain the crux of the matter. "


It is this chain by which the sinking Federal Leviathan will drag down even those communities that might have been otherwise able to survive.



"People will finally ask themselves "Just what do I get for these taxes and is it a better deal than what I could get on my own?""

Posted by: BS Inc. at January 07, 2013 06:57 PM (eP0u9)

I regard these people as being in the same sort of situation as those who found themselves on the outside of Noah's ship when the rain started falling.  It is too late to have figured this out.

240
What would you take an axe to? Small Business Administration? Kill all foreign aid? What radical shock therapy would you propose?

Posted by: bwbandy at January 07, 2013 06:59 PM (65Ud6)

Across the cut pay cut for all Federal workers, percentage to be determined. Eliminate Department of Education, Department of Energy and Department of Commerce.  Eliminate public sector Unions.  Repeal the last three words of the 24th amendment. Repeal the 26th amendment. 

Eliminate Federal obstruction to oil drilling in the Gulf and ANWAR, Repeal the Hollywood tax cuts. Bring Affirmative action lawsuits against media companies for discriminating against conservatives in their hiring process.  Bring Federal Election Campaign Violation charges against Media companies for giving away free product to Liberal Democrats. 

Reign in the EPA.  Eliminate ethanol from corn.  Jeeze, I could go on for hours if I started thinking about it.

The biggest boon would be developing energy independence, and even export energy to other nations. (Which is what Canada is doing.) Yes, i'm in favor of the XL pipeline as well. 

We have to grow ourselves out of debt, and we have to reduce debt load at the same time. Even with everything a person can think of, I do not know that it will be possible to pay for all those social security bills which will come due.  I suppose one thing that might be done is to confiscate all the wealth acquired by those Democrats that raided the Social security funds over the years. (And any Republicans who abetted them too!)

241 don't let DC find out about the taxes or they would want it sent to them so obama could use it.

242 @242. I like your way of thinking. I am sure you could close some foreign military bases. Kick out all illegal immigrants. Privatize as many government services as possible. If anyone has read "The Commanding Heights" by Yergin I am sure radical shock therapy would work.

243 "cut-to-the-bone"?  Really?

You could cut another 5% across the board and nobody in Texas would know it.

244 And no, it isn't a good idea. But neither was taking on the mightiest military machine since the fall of Rome and the plucky Rebels one that one, and thus got to write the history books about the American War of Independence. The War of Southern Independence didn't work out so well and they didn't get to write the history. But it was the same cause, people pushed to the wall to a point they had to fight or die anyway. (And no, the Union troops didn't fight to end slavery, they would have revolted had Lincoln tried to use that argument. He used that argument to stop the French from recognizing the CSA. For domestic consumption it is was simply 'preserve the union.')

Perhaps you should consider why they didn't win, and didn't get to "write the history".    For instance, the rebels in War #1 were fired upon when resisting seizure of arms.   Rebels in War #2 fired the first shots when attacking and seizing a federal fort (which is not "pushed to the wall").   One was reluctantly drawn into war.   The other rashly and foolishly charged into it. 

There are ideological reasons why the South didn't win.  The Confederacy fighting for its right to secession didn't allow secession from itself.  They tied their liberty to slavery, and it's no coincidence that slavery drowned their liberty.  (As you say, the French did not recognize the CSA due to slavery.)  

As for arguing "intentions" of the soldiers, don't be silly.   Thanks to the Civil War, slavery was abolished.  That was the practical effect of the war, regardless of the soldiers' intentions.   (Though you might want to listen to the Battle Hymn of the Republic if you think abolition was so abhorrent to the North)  

If we're only allowed to judge sides by their nebulous "intentions", you should join the leftists, because they have the purest of pure intentions in setting the stage for tyranny.   They're also Democrats, like the secessionist South of old, so you should feel right at home with them.  

245 Lawmakers don't have to spend all the money Combs says is available - and chances are they probably won't. Heh, heh - that is a sentence that WILL NEVER be spoken by lawmakers in California, New York, IllinoisÂ…..etc, etc, etcÂ…Â….

246 10 Also, if Gov. Brown in California had any brains in that bald head, he'd ask Perry to come over and show him how to run his state. Nah, we will just take all the good business's from California and let them pay taxes in TexasÂ….. Fuck Brown and fuck Kalifornia

247

Perry/Dewhurst = Harding/Coolidge

Same formula, same results.... PROSPERITY!

248

Yes, but unfortunately they import Cali libs

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at January 07, 2013 05:00 PM (R8hU

Trust us that does NOT work out well.

Posted by: Coloradoans Who Done Been Californicated. at January 07, 2013 05:02 PM (v9Cj5)

 

Hey, they're not really Californians, any more than they are now Texans. We got 'em from the Northeast, and are just passing them on. Kinda like cockroaches.

249 "
"People will finally ask themselves "Just what do I get for these taxes and is it a better deal than what I could get on my own?""


Posted by: BS Inc. at January 07, 2013 06:57 PM (eP0u9)


I regard these people as being in the same sort of situation as those who found themselves on the outside of Noah's ship when the rain started falling. It is too late to have figured this out.

Posted by: DiogenesLamp at January 07, 2013 07:05 PM (bb5+k)"

Not saying you are wrong or you are right. I don't claim to know.

Me, I work in the risk management industry, so I know to always "hope for the best and plan for the worst" as a practical matter. I'm Noah, to use your analogy.

250 Since Bobby Jindal took office in Louisiana, he has slashed the number of of state employees by 19,209 - a 21% reduction. The state payroll has declined by $350,000,000. Five years after he took office, the state payroll is still 9% lower than when he took office. http://theadvocate.com/news/4627311-123/ask-the-advocate-for-jan

251 Perry would have been a damn fine POTUS.