Coming Soon?

Not long ago a very prescient philosopher/economist uttered the following, which rightly should be emblazoned in the mind of every liberty loving resident of this fair land: "A government can never do just one thing". Whatever the motive for taking what appears to be a single action to address a so called "problem" the unforeseen will eventually emerge bearing its attendant consequences. A glaring and painful example of this natural law is the XVIth Amendment to the US Constitution (enabling the federal government to levy taxes directly on the citizens without being apportioned among the several states) whose proponents in the early years of the 20th century were attempting to address budgetary shortfalls in the operation of the Federal government . The top marginal tax rate on income in 1913 was 7% on incomes above $500,000.00 . In terms of purchasing power, 500,000 1913 dollars is the equivalent of several millions of 2008 dollars.

All of this is merely intended to illustrate that the original intent of the first income tax legislation to fund operations of the federal government has morphed into the leviathan of todays federal budget which includes transfer payments, subsidies, bailouts and foreign aid, not to mention the financing of questionable military adventures on a global scale.

During the debate on the recent "Patriot" Act, Homeland Security and electronic "eavesdropping" issues many on the conservative side of the political spectrum who were anxious to facilitate the "War on Terrorism" tarred the opponents of such proposals as unpatriotic and "soft on terrorism", including in these catagories such diverse opponents as civil libertarians and far leftists. This, even though the latter two groups have vastly differing motives for their respective positions.

As a member of the libertarian group which posited objections to aspects of these acts which negatively impacted individual liberties, ΛΕΟΝΙΔΑΣ was occasionally mistakenly lumped by some into the far leftist camp which favors any action which weakens our society viz its enemies and whose aims are to erect a new collectivist society on the ashes of our individualistically oriented one.

With the militarization of law enforcement agencies which began during the middle to late 1960s and the widespread adoption of SWAT teams by even the smaller law enforcement agencies across the nation, our political "leaders" have accumulated the tools to suppress and bring to heel ANY opposition group which it can designate as "terrorist" (does the term Waco ring any bells?). What specific threat did those people pose to society?

Make no mistake, those of you who would entertain thoughts of resisting the impending collectivism by "civil disobedience" to the regime about to assume the reins of power on 20 January 2009; You will be branded as "terrorists" and be quashed with the tools you so cheerfully provided an administration whose policies you concurred with. I suggest you consult the white refugee farmers (who survived) of the former Rhodesia now Zimbabwe, concerning the fate of those who obstruct the policies of empowered collectivists.

Any who doubt the intentions of the soon to be installed collectivist regime in the nation's capitol should be aware that the implementation of a disciplined and regimented "youth" organization has been high on the agenda of all former and present totalitarian regimes. Such "voluntary" groups would include Hitler Youth in national socialist Germany, Young Pioneers in Soviet Russia and the Unión de Jóvenes Comunistas in Cuba.

Beware the government that bandies about such terms as National and Community "Service". They conjure up visions of involuntary servitude.

We are truly about to experience "interesting times".

UPDATE 10/11/08 08:27 EST: If you read nothing else today read THIS!

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ