Treason!

Submitted by Bill St. Clair on Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:12:56 GMT <== Politics ==>

L. Neil Smith at The Libertarian Enterprise - Neil's take on the NDAA.

On Thursday, December 15, 2011, the 220th anniversary of the Bill of Rights, members of the United States House of Representatives betrayed their oaths of office and voted overwhelmingly to follow in the felonious footsteps of their criminal accessories in the Senate, by attempting to pass the so-called "National Defense Authorization Act".

This act, among other obscenities, allows the military—who will also be betraying their oaths—to kidnap and "indefinitely detain" any American citizen on American soil or anywhere else, for any reason they wish, without due process under the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, or a thousand years of precedent under English law which is at the core of our legal culture. It is, in fact, a stab at terminating the rule of law in America, and with it, America's unique civilization.

There are many things that can be said of this event. One wonders why the cretins, criminals, and crazies in both Houses bothered to wrap it up in false respectability, rather than simply continue to let the state rule by decree, which it has pretty much been doing anyway, under the splendid excuses provided by the events of September 11, 2001.

But why do you suppose I said "attempting to pass" in my initial paragraph? Because one thing is absolutely certain: the NDAA is not the law, since it contradicts a higher law—the highest law of the land—the first ten amendments of the Constitution, commonly known as the Bill of Rights. Americans have fought and bled and killed and died believing—often falsely—that they were preserving the Bill of Rights. The current crop of politicians can't conceive of such dedication to an idea. It's what frightens them witless, spitless, and shitless about Muslims, or anybody else (gun and religion "clingers", for example) willing to offer their lives in the defense of a "mere" concept.

I sent the following letter to the editor:

Neil was much too nice about the NDAA in last week's edition. Yes, he used the word "treason", a capital crime, in his title, but then he talked about trials and life imprisonment. We all know there will never be any trials. But the recorded votes seem sufficient evidence to me. So if we are to take those responsible to task, we're going to have to do it ourselves. Seems to me that it should now be open season on every congress critter who voted for this abomination, and on Mr. Hope and Change for signing it. Targets of opportunity all.

I doubt I'll encounter any of these vermin in the flesh, and if I do, I may well chicken out, but I hope hundreds of free men and women WILL have the opportunity and the spine to do what's necessary.

See http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll932.xml for the list of representatives who voted for the bill (283 to 136) and http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=1&vote=00230 for the list of senators (86 to 13). I'm willing to give the non-voters a pass, but I'm surprised that Ron Paul did not vote.

Here is a list of the traitors (yes, I perused the House's list of members to assign party and state to the representatives):

Senate: Akaka (D-HI), Alexander (R-TN), Ayotte (R-NH), Barrasso (R-WY), Baucus (D-MT), Begich (D-AK), Bennet (D-CO), Bingaman (D-NM), Blumenthal (D-CT), Blunt (R-MO), Boozman (R-AR), Boxer (D-CA), Brown (D-OH), Brown (R-MA), Burr (R-NC), Cantwell (D-WA), Carper (D-DE), Casey (D-PA), Chambliss (R-GA), Coats (R-IN), Cochran (R-MS), Collins (R-ME), Conrad (D-ND), Coons (D-DE), Corker (R-TN), Cornyn (R-TX), Enzi (R-WY), Feinstein (D-CA), Gillibrand (D-NY), Graham (R-SC), Grassley (R-IA), Hagan (D-NC), Hatch (R-UT), Heller (R-NV), Hoeven (R-ND), Hutchison (R-TX), Inhofe (R-OK), Inouye (D-HI), Isakson (R-GA), Johanns (R-NE), Johnson (D-SD), Johnson (R-WI), Kerry (D-MA), Kirk (R-IL), Klobuchar (D-MN), Kohl (D-WI), Kyl (R-AZ), Landrieu (D-LA), Lautenberg (D-NJ), Leahy (D-VT), Levin (D-MI), Lieberman (ID-CT), Lugar (R-IN), Manchin (D-WV), McCain (R-AZ), McCaskill (D-MO), McConnell (R-KY), Menendez (D-NJ), Mikulski (D-MD), Murkowski (R-AK), Murray (D-WA), Nelson (D-FL), Nelson (D-NE), Portman (R-OH), Pryor (D-AR), Reed (D-RI), Reid (D-NV), Roberts (R-KS), Rockefeller (D-WV), Rubio (R-FL), Schumer (D-NY), Sessions (R-AL), Shaheen (D-NH), Shelby (R-AL), Snowe (R-ME), Stabenow (D-MI), Tester (D-MT), Thune (R-SD), Toomey (R-PA), Udall (D-CO), Udall (D-NM), Vitter (R-LA), Warner (D-VA), Webb (D-VA), Whitehouse (D-RI), Wicker (R-MS)

House: Ackerman (D-NY), Adams (R-FL), Aderholt (R-AL), Akin (R-MO), Alexander (R-LA), Altmire (D-PA), Amodei (R-NV), Andrews (D-NJ), Austria (R-OK), Baca (D-CA), Bachus (R-AL), Barletta (R-PA), Barrow (D-GA), Bartlett (R-MD), Barton (R-TX), Bass (R-NH), Benishek (R-MI), Berg (R-ND), Berkley (D-NV), Berman (D-CA), Biggert (R-IL), Bilbray (R-CA), Bilirakis (R-FL), Bishop (D-GA), Bishop (D-NY), Bishop (R-UT), Black (R-TN), Blackburn (R-TN), Bonner (R-AL), Bono Mack (R-CA), Boren (D-OK), Boswell (D-IOWA), Boustany (R-LA), Brady (D-PA), Brady (R-TX), Brooks (R-AL), Broun (R-GA), Brown (D-FL), Buchanan (R-FL), Buerkle (R-NY), Butterfield (D-NC), Calvert (R-CA), Camp (R-MI), Canseco (R-TX), Cantor (R-VA), Capito (R-WV), Capps (D-CA), Cardoza (D-CA), Carnahan (D-MO), Carney (D-DE), Carter (R-TX), Cassidy (R-LA), Castor (D-FL), Chabot (R-OH), Chandler (D-KY), Cicilline (D-RI), Cole (R-OK), Conaway (R-TX), Connolly (D-VA), Cooper (D-TN), Costa (D-CA), Courtney (D-CT), Cravaack (R-MN), Crawford (R-AR), Crenshaw (R-FL), Critz (D-PA), Crowley (D-NY), Cuellar (D-TX), Culberson (D-TX), Davis (D-CA), Davis (R-KY), Denham (R-CA), Dent (R-PA), Deutch (D-FL), Dicks (D-WA), Dingell (D-MI), Doggett (D-TX), Dold (D-IL), Donnelly (D-IN), Dreier (R-CA), Duffy (R-WI), Ellmers (R-NC), Emerson (R-MO), Engel (D-NY), Farenthold (R-TX), Fincher (R-TN), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Fleischmann (R-TN), Fleming (R-LA), Flores (R-TX), Fortenberry (R-NE), Foxx (R-NC), Franks (R-AZ), Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Gallegly (R-CA), Garamendi (D-CA), Gardner (R-CO), Gerlach (R-PA), Gibbs (R-OH), Gibson (R-NY), Gingrey (R-GA), Gohmert (R-TX), Gonzalez (D-TX), Granger (R-TX), Graves (R-MO), Green, Al (D-TX), Green, Gene (D-TX), Griffin (R-AR), Grimm (R-NY), Guinta (R-NH), Guthrie (R-KY), Hall (R-TX), Hanabusa (D-HI), Hanna (R-NY), Harper (R-MS), Hartzler (R-MO), Hastings (R-WA), Hayworth (R-NY), Heck (R-NV), Hensarling (R-TX), Herger (R-CA), Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Higgins (D-NY), Himes (D-CT), Hirono (D-HI), Hochul (D-NY), Holden (D-PA), Hoyer (D-MD), Hultgren (R-IL), Hunter (R-CA), Inslee (D-WA), Israel (D-NY), Issa (R-CA), Jackson Lee (D-TX), Jenkins (R-KS), Johnson (R-OH), Johnson, Sam (R-TX), Jordan (R-OK), Keating (D-MA), Kelly (R-PA), Kildee (D-MI), Kind (D-WI), King (R-IA), King (R-NY), Kingston (R-GA), Kinzinger (R-IL), Kissell (D-NC), Kline (R-MN), Lamborn (R-CO), Lance (R-NJ), Landry (R-LA), Langevin (D-RI), Lankford (R-OK), Larsen (D-WA), Larson (D-CT), Latham (R-IA), Latta (R-OK), Levin (D-MI), Lewis (R-CA), Lipinski (D-IL), LoBiondo (R-NJ), Loebsack (D-IA), Long (R-MO), Lowey (D-NY), Lucas (R-OK), Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Lungren, Daniel E. (R-CA), Manzullo (R-IL), Marchant (R-TX), Marino (R-PA), Matheson (D-UT), McCarthy (R-CA), McCarthy (D-NY), McCaul (R-TX), McCotter (R-MI), McHenry (R-NC), McIntyre (D-NC), McKeon (R-CA), McKinley (R-WV), McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), McNerney (D-CA), Meehan (R-PA), Mica (R-FL), Miller (R-FL), Miller (R-MI), Miller, Gary (R-CA), Murphy (R-PA), Neugebauer (R-TX), Noem (R-SD), Nugent (R-FL), Nunes (R-CA), Nunnelee (R-MS), Olson (R-TX), Owens (D-NY), Palazzo (R-MS), Pascrell (D-NJ), Pastor (D-AZ), Paulsen (R-MN), Pearce (R-NM), Pelosi (D-CA), Perlmutter (D-CO), Peterson (D-MN), Petri (R-WI), Platts (R-PA), Poe (R-TX), Pompeo (R-KS), Price (R-GA), Quayle (R-AZ), Rahall (D-WV), Reed (R-NY), Rehberg (R-MT), Reichert (R-WA), Renacci (R-OK), Reyes (D-TX), Richardson (D-CA), Rigell (R-VA), Rivera (R-FL), Roby (R-AL), Rogers (R-AL), Rogers (R-KY), Rogers (R-MI), Rooney (R-FL), Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Roskam (R-IL), Ross (D-AR), Ross (R-FL), Rothman (D-NJ), Runyan (R-NJ), Ruppersberger (D-MD), Ryan (R-WI), Sánchez, Linda T. (D-CA), Scalise (R-LA), Schiff (D-CA), Schilling (R-IL), Schmidt (R-OH), Schock (R-IL), Schrader (D-OR), Schwartz (D-PA), Scott (R-SC), Scott, Austin (R-GA), Scott, David (D-GA), Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Sessions (R-TX), Sewell (D-AL), Sherman (D-CA), Shimkus (R-IL), Shuler (D-NC), Shuster (R-PA), Sires (D-NJ), Smith (R-NE), Smith (R-NJ), Smith (R-TX), Smith (D-WA), Southerland (R-FL), Stearns (R-FL), Stivers (R-OK), Sullivan (R-OK), Sutton (D-OH), Terry (R-NE), Thompson (R-PA), Thornberry (R-TX), Tiberi (R-OH), Tsongas (D-MA), Turner (R-NY), Turner (R-OH), Upton (R-MI), Visclosky (D-IN), Walden (R-OR), Walz (D-MN), Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Waxman (D-CA), Webster (R-FL), West (R-FL), Westmoreland (R-GA), Whitfield (R-KY), Wilson (D-FL), Wilson (R-SC), Wittman (R-VA), Wolf (R-VA), Womack (R-AR), Yoder (R-KS), Young (R-AK), Young (R-IN)

President: Barack Obama

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Government doesn't work. Never did. Never will. Can't. But there are lots of good people. Love them.

-- Bill St. Clair

The Atlanta Declaration

Every man, woman, and responsible child has an unalienable individual, civil, Constitutional, and human right to obtain, own, and carry, openly or concealed, any weapon -- rifle, shotgun, handgun, machinegun, anything -- any time, any place, without asking anyone's permission.

-- L. Neil Smith

Reread that pesky first clause of the Second Amendment. It doesn't say what any of us thought it said. What it says is that infringing the right of the people to keep and bear arms is treason. What else do you call an act that endangers "the security of a free state"? And if it's treason, then it's punishable by death. I suggest due process, speedy trials, and public hangings.

-- L. Neil Smith

A Penalty Clause for the Bill of Rights

Any official, appointed or elected, at any level of government, who attempts, through legislative act or other means, to nullify, evade, or avoid the provisions of the first ten amendments to this Constitution, or of the Thirteenth Amendment, shall be summarily removed from office, and, upon conviction, deprived of all pay and benefits including pension, and sentenced to imprisonment for life.

-- L. Neil Smith

Based on 253 journal articles, 99 books, 43 government publications, and some of its own empirical work, the panel couldn't identify a single gun control regulation that reduced violent crime, suicide or accidents.

-- John Lott, commenting on the National Academy of Sciences report on gun control laws.

Who is a libertarian?

Zero Aggression Principle ("Zap")

"A libertarian is a person who believes that no one has the right, under any circumstances, to initiate force against another human being, or to advocate or delegate its initiation. Those who act consistently with this principle are libertarians, whether they realize it or not. Those who fail to act consistently with it are not libertarians, regardless of what they may claim."

-- L. Neil Smith

(Formerly called the "Non-Aggression Principle", or "NAP")

Why Did It Have to be... Guns?

Make no mistake: all politicians -- even those ostensibly on the side of guns and gun ownership -- hate the issue and anyone, like me, who insists on bringing it up. They hate it because it's an X-ray machine. It's a Vulcan mind-meld. It's the ultimate test to which any politician -- or political philosophy -- can be put.

If a politician isn't perfectly comfortable with the idea of his average constituent, any man, woman, or responsible child, walking into a hardware store and paying cash -- for any rifle, shotgun, handgun, machinegun, anything -- without producing ID or signing one scrap of paper, he isn't your friend no matter what he tells you.

If he isn't genuinely enthusiastic about his average constituent stuffing that weapon into a purse or pocket or tucking it under a coat and walking home without asking anybody's permission, he's a four-flusher, no matter what he claims.

What his attitude -- toward your ownership and use of weapons -- conveys is his real attitude about you. And if he doesn't trust you, then why in the name of John Moses Browning should you trust him?

-- L. Neil Smith

Concise

"Tell me," I was once asked, "What do you think about gun control? Give me the short answer." To which I replied, "If you try to take our firearms we will kill you."

-- Mike Vanderboegh

Also from The Atlanta Declaration:

... like going to the bathroom, breathing, eating, sleeping, or making love, it turns out that self-defense is a bodily function one cannot safely or effectively delegate to a second party.

-- L. Neil Smith

This does not mean that "Marijuana should be available by prescription." It means that morphine sulfate should be available in five pound bags at the supermarket for a couple of bucks, like sugar... but probably in a different aisle, to avoid confusion.

-- Vin Suprynowicz

If you refuse to pay unjust taxes, your property will be confiscated. If you attempt to defend your property, you will be arrested. If you resist arrest, you will be clubbed. If you defend yourself against clubbing, you will be shot dead. These procedures are known as the Rule of Law.

-- Edward Abbey

The state can only survive as long as a majority is programmed to believe that theft isn't wrong if it's called taxation or asset forfeiture or eminent domain, that assault and kidnapping isn't wrong if it's called arrest, that mass murder isn't wrong if it's called war.

-- Bill St. Clair