Big Government: Type 2

Now we come to the more insidious big government, which I believe is the root cause of Type 1 Big Government.  It is also the force that may soon drag this country into a socialist type economy and an atheistic type of moral condition where no one has any respect for anything.

Type 2 Big Government is the concept of government that exists in the mind of those who like Type 1 Big Governments.  It is a mindset in which the individual is secondary, in which the government comes first, in which the rule of bureaucrats must be respected above the will of citizens, in which citizens exist to perpetuate the state.

Type 2 disrespects the Constitution, believing that the Constitution must be a "living" document that can be constantly changed to allow more effective and pervasive State rule.

Type 2 disrespects the Individual, upon whose wisdom the Founders based the Constitution.  And upon whose will and work the nation was born and grew great.  Type 2 believes that the State should direct work effort, commerce and belief.

Big Government: Type 1

I often use the term "Big Government" when complaining of the problems facing the nation.  In talking to FastKitty, I realised that more specific descriptions are needed, since the term can be intrepreted several ways.  So here-in my thoughts on Type 1 Big Government:

Type 1 Big Government is the way most people think about the word "Big."  It means big in size and scope.  Some examples:

Departments:  The Federal government has 16 Departments, up one this year with creation of the pretty much autonomous Consumer Protection Agency developed by Elizabeth Warren.
2010 Federal Employees:  2.78 million Civilians, 1.6 million Military, 64 thousand Legislative
New Employees since 2008:  250,000 or 10%
Code of Federal Regulations:  135,000 pages in 1998, 165,000 pages in 2011
Federal Felony Crimes:  4,500
2010 US Tax Code:  75,000 pages

Cost of Regulations to Public:  $1.75 Trillion per year
Scope:  Almost everyone and everything, thanks to overly-broad interpretations of the Commerce Clause starting in 1913.
2011 Budget:  $3.7 Trillion, with $1.6 Trillion deficit

See:  Regulation - The Hidden Tax

Socialists: 70 Congressmen Profess to be so

A lot of people have spent a lot of talk in calling Barack Obama a socialist.  I won't fight that appellation, but I can't prove it either.  But new info shows that 70 members of Congress do profess to that political theology, as listed on the Democratic Socialists of America website (from the 111th Congress, so not quite up to date):
DSA-Members-American-Socialist-Voter-Democratic-Socialists-of-America-10-1-09

Now some of them are pretty obvious, such as Sheila Jackson-Lee, Bernie Sanders, Lynn Woolsey and Dennis Kucinich.  But some may surprise, like George Miller from near here in Martinez. 

Theo Jansen: Kinetic Scuplture or Fascinating Engineering?

My sister sent me this link to Dutchman Theo Jansen who builds amazing machines that walk the beaches of Holland.  Is he an artist, a sculptor, an engineer, or just a skilled observer of the natural world?

Beach Sculptures Walk with the Wind

Fast & Furious: David Codrea's Anthology of Reporting

One of the prime investigative reporters on the F&F case has been David Codrea, the National Gun Rights Examiner, who has covered F&F from the beginning.  David has, more than most, helped to expose F&F as the major scandal that it truly is. 

David has posted a series of five anthologies of his and others reporting about F&F and related stories.  See them here:    A Journalist's Guide to 'Project Gunwalker'

NOTE of explanation by David:  “Project Gunrunner” is the name ATF assigned to its Southwest Border Initiative to interdict gun smuggling to Mexico. “Project Gunwalker” is the name I assigned to the scandal after allegations by agents that monitored guns were allowed to fall into criminal hands on both sides of the border through a surveillance process termed “walking” surfaced.

Fast & Furious: To be an Attache or Not?

I am slowly trying to get caught up on F&F happenings over the past week.  Because Congress is on vacation (and hopefully getting their butts kicked by constituents over their total failure on the total debt crisis) not too much has gone on officially.

One interesting development is that William Newell, the Phoenix agent ion charge of F&F, and who worked so hard to obfuscate his answers during the House hearings a few weeks ago, will be taking a special assistants job in Washington.  This is not the job he was supposed to go to:  ATF Attache to Mexico in Mexico City.


Given the anger that F&F has generated in Mexico in both official and and press circles, and given Newell's role in F&F, it is highly likely he would have been subject to arrest in Mexico if he had gone.

A couple moRe recent links for F&F:
Mexican Lawyer Murdered
A Fast and Furious Assault On Private Gun Sales

Exploring: CA, NV, OR and a bit of ID

FastKitty and I went on a trip of exploration last week.  We talk about possibly settling in a new place that has beauty and more space for our toys, so it was off to the big sky country of the states listed. 

We first went to Sonora, but FastKitty was quickly sure that would not be the place to live.  But she loved the trip over Ebbett's Pass on CA 4 for the mountain scenery and fresh air.  A stop in Markleeville was fun.  Then on to Minden and Gardnerville in Nevada.  We found some just-right-for-us houses in a subdivision off Johnson Lane.  We wanted the ones with separate 3-car garages and a studio and bounded by BLM land where I could ride for miles.  They had great views of the green valley floor and the mountains toward Tahoe.  We'll dream on them a bit.

Next up, we found ourselves back to Soldier Meadows Ranch for a night.  As usual, a magic place, and new to FastKitty who found it wonderful.

Tuesday morning, the rough road north to Denio was the usual adventure. Then it was a short drive to Fields where the french fry cooker was down for cleaning - drat!  So we high-tailed it to the Frenchglen Hotel for the evening, driving past the Roaring Springs Ranch on Hwy 205 under the Catlow Rim.  We even tried the south entrance to the Steens Mountain Loop, but the construction is still proceeding and we had to stop at the South Campground.  Fastkitty wants to return to this lovely spot in a camper.

In the morning, a quick trip up to the Steens Mountain top became a slow trip because the scenery is so breathtaking.  We hiked right to the top, where 6 guys were working on antennas.

Then we were off to the north via Burns and John Day, on our way to Joseph.  But we got sidetracked in Seneca, a little town just south of John Day where the Bearcat Lodge resides.  This is a motorcycle oriented place, and since I had talked to two guests on KTMs the day before, we got invited to join the front porch group for a little special rum punch.  Soon, after a tour of this unique building, which is a private residence cum lodge, we were invited to stay the night.  It was truly a unique experience and we were glad we stopped.  J.W. and his wife Carol are good hosts and the renovated rooms are each creations of their passions for cats, music and motorcycles.  Here is FastKitty at the wheel of J.W.'s Arctic Cat side-by-side in which she proved her mane.

Continuing north on the big roads we stopped briefly at the Hot Lake Springs Resort and bronze gallery in Hot Lake.  The artist seems to have created a thriving business, but we didn't much like the art.  Our goal was to see Enterprise and Joseph where several bronze foundries exist, although we were told at Hot Lake all the foundries had closed.  So we made our way through wonderful twisty roads over to Joseph and assumed our booked room at the Wallowa Hotel at the south end of Wallowa Lake.  A magical place with no phones or TV, just a nice room and very good food.

We visited Valley Bronze Gallery next day and had a lovely chat with Malcolm the manager who confirmed the four foundries are thriving still.  Instead of beating feet in the direction of home via Winnemucca, we decided that a side trip to Imnaha was in order.  It is the gateway to the Hell's Canyon lookoff at Hat Point, but we saved the winding dirt road for another time.  We did drive the gravel Lower Imnaha Road down to Hell's Gate which we found enchanting - don't let the rough road sign discourage you.  A lot of pretty, winding road eventually got us to Ontario for the night.  The next day concluded the trip with a 615 mile blast down US 95 and I 80 back to home.

Imnaha Post Office is on the list for possible closure - Sad!