Most transparent White House ever…?
Police chased reporters away from the White House and closed Lafayette Park today in response to a gay rights protest in which several service members in full uniform handcuffed themselves to the White House gate to protest “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
People who have covered the White House for years tell me that’s an extremely unusual thing to do in an area that regularly features protests.
A reporter can be seen in the YouTube video above calling the move “outrageous” and “ridiculous.”
Freedom of the press seems to be just a fond memory. Wouldn’t it have been great if the press had put up a tiny bit of resistance, instead of just being herded away to the sheep pen. Bahhhh!
Hmmm, no comments from Uncle Dave or Dallas? I bet they would be spitting blood if this happened when Bush was President, but with The Messiah leading us, they are mighty quiet.
@bobbo, the pragmatic libertarian, #1
Didn’t you once call me a Lie-bertarian once, you 2-faced, double-tongued, liberal d-bag?
#22–BBoy==I’m sure I did. Libertarianism covers many subjects all with the general theme of keeping the government out of our lives as much as possible.
When it comes to freedom of speech, assembly, protest I believe those freedoms are near absolute–the actions of the Park Police here being a violation of those rights and the MSM really should mount a campaign in their own self interests to get behind and reveal what was “in play”–as should the public if you have the time and ability to do so.
While not absolute, I most often find myself calling people LIEBERTARIAN over tax policy which is quite different from speech. I’ll bet you are one of those LIEBERTARIANS who think of taxes as involuntary servitude? And it is==but it falls on the Laffer curve that you might want to discuss with Benji. Too little taxation is bad, too much is bad, somewhere in the middle is good. When you argue bluntly that all taxation except for police protection for your property that you have amassed over the years, you are too far to the left of the curve==the LIEBERTARIAN “screw you, I’ve got mine” side.
LIEBERTARIANS as a rule are retarded thinking they made themselves all by themselves and should not be taxed to “help” anyone else when what they short sightedly don’t realize is that in very real paplable PRAGMATIC ways, when you help others, you are still helping yourself. don’t even need to be christian to see the benefits of public education, health, and so forth.
So BBoy==tell us, just how retarded are you?
1st amendment?! Har!
Don’t question Authority Slave.
# 17 Cap’nKangaroo:
‘#16 May I suggest listening to several episodes of John C Dvorak and Adam Curry’s podcast “No Agenda”.’
No thanks. I tried and made it through 80 or 90 episodes until I couldn’t stand it any more. Adam is just too crazy, and not in an entertaining way.
You know, our postal carrier put a piece of our neighbor’s mail in our box — it’s all Obama’s fault!
I like the cops hat, looks like some 2 bit dictatorship coustume, note the height.
Coincidence… I Think Not!
I guess Rockefeller told Kissinger to tell Obama to tell those slaves to shut up.
Can’t have cannon fodder disrespecting the government’s ‘authoritie’ by protesting, and grown up Cartman really showed those reporters who’s boss.
As usual, I blame the people for letting it happen.
They’re sheeps because…well, just look at them! They’re fcking huge! It’s not wonder all they can’t really stand for what they’re actually living.
See this citizen, now he’s standing up for his right in a country that doesn’t want to give it to him. That’s courage, that’s guts, that’s wanting something so bad that fcking Americans can only talk about nowadays, that you’re going to stand in front of tanks….fcking TANKS.
And these fools can’t stand their ground with this cop? Fck us.
Ops, the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-nXT8lSnPQ
22, Bobbo,
Because Libertarianism is about maximum personal liberties so long as your pursuit of it is not at the expense of someone else.
Government caps this pursuit. There is an obvious conflict of interests.
“Pragmatic Libertarian” is nothing more than saying you cannot pursue maximum personal liberties due to the “no one is an island” mindset. Therefore you choose socialism or whatever agreeable label you choose as the flavor of the day (i.e. Pragamatic Libertarian in this case).
I agree the Park Police are not protecting the natural born rights of the citizens. However it seems like the MSM likes to spindoctor as much controversy as possible when their favorite is in the White House. There’s no reporting now from the MSM… it’s all editorializing and the masses are led to believe that editorialized “news” is objective.
Libertarians vary in how much taxes need to be eliminated. IMHO, taxes are a necessary evil within the constraint of our Constitution for necessary things. Policies of social programs and redistribution of wealth are NOT necessary.
Ooops. I forgot to close a block quote. Sorry.
#31
Hey, I like how you indented your quotes…how can one noob do that? I don’t want to have to resort to what Bobbo does…
The0ne-the almighty son-of-a-bitch that likes to have fun at DU
======== and love to use these dashes because I know it’s stupid but continue to do so anyhow.
======== so for the record I am again stupid for using the dashes, thank you.
Oh you guys want more I see…well… ===== you can have ==== more ==== if you like === but I think ===== I am ===== definitely ===== infringing on ===== Bobbo’s right ==== or ownership of the === use of the retarded ==== dashes.
#30–Guyver==thoughtful challenge, thanks. You didn’t label your points (T-1 will surely upbraid you for that when he learns how to indent) so I will take them as they appear.
#1–I agree. I find your application of the concept “maximum” to be unbalanced and unworkable–in a word==not pragmatic so I think my terminology is logical and appropriate. You do think in extremes though==if its not Maximum LIEbertarianism then its Socialism???? Can you find in area between those extremes?
#2–At least you do try to moderate the effect of Maximum LIEbertarianism with the dull recognition the theory does conflict with other people exercising their rights. I think you just give lip service to this concern though==because I could adopt the same definition you use as my pragmatism is limited to how a society of libertarians can maximally succeed.
#3–There was too little reporting of civil liberties violations with the BushCo reporting as well. The worst example: pre screen audiences for all Bush events with “Free Speech Areas” fenced off half a mile away==as if the entirety of America was not a free speech zone. But we mostly agree the MSM is not worthy of its First Amendment Rights. They have devolved into cheer leaders and stenographers.
#4–Tax Policy. Here you are wrong showing your LIEBERTARIAN foolishness. The US Constitution is not set up to be an exercise in libertarianism. It is an exercise in democracy providing for the GENERAL WELFARE. Maximum foolishness is workable only in very simple thinly populated societies==ie, primitive. When you pack people together, liberties are lost. When you refuse to recognize this reality, you make yourself irrelevant.
#5–Tax Policy No 2==again, its not about what is “necessary” but rather what is deemed appropriate by the consent of the governed operating in their own self interest. You got outvoted. So do I on quite a few issues but I haven’t blinded myself in infantile quests for what wouldn’t work even if it got voted in.
#6–”Libertarians believe that you should not hinder people in their pursuit of happiness” /// Well, I agree. It is the sad libertarian who would find excess taxation to be a bar to their pursuit of happiness. Suck it up.
#7–More Tax Policy. Again==you lost that vote. Suck it up. We could quibble about what “charity” means. Social safety nets, public services can be thought of as charity or not as you wish. Once you realize their is social utility in these programs you can argue about their scope and funding. When you deny their untility at all, you make yourself irrelevant.
#8–”This country did not become great through socialism.” /// Define great and how we became that way? Calling any activity other than unfettered rapacious capitalizm “socialism” is dull witted.
In conclusion, it would be “nice” to say that we just have different values we want to see reflected in society, but it is more than that. Any reasonable analysis will show that YOUR theories implemented as you post simply won’t work. Silly to champion something that has a few good sound bites but that in reality simply won’t work. I for one don’t want to live in a highly stratified society filled with unnecessary suffering just so a few can have the illusion of being free behind their guarded gates and wall towers.
@bobbo, #23
Unlike you, I don’t derive my liberties from what is allotted to me by some higher power, be it god, the government, or some other fictional entity. My liberties follow logically from the fact that I OWN my body. No one else can tell me what I can SAY, DO, GO, etc as long as I don’t infringe on someone else’s person or property.
Tax policy is government sanctioned extortion. Pure & Simple. You can take your laffer curve and shove it. Everyone has “theirs”. They are born with a body and mind and the capacity to use those things to acquire property and sustain themselves. True, some people are born into rich families. But there are others, like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, who came from meager beginnings but built empires with hard work and intelligence, without firing a single bullet or forcing a single person to purchase anything. Instead, they mastered their craft, producing a better product at a cheaper price, and thus lifting the standard of living for all. Not to mention the vast amounts of money they gave to charities.
You reveal your fascist nature too easily bobbo. Your own quote,” I’ll bet you are one of those LIEBERTARIANS who think of taxes as involuntary servitude? And it is”. So, according to you, taxation is involuntary servitude-aka slavery, and it’s ok since it falls on some curve? Are you kidding me? You strike me as a pseudo intellectual d-bag who would justify slavery for the good of the masses, so I guess I shouldn’t act so surprised!
Public education is beneficial? That is the biggest load of bull that is forever perpetuated! If you’re poor, you live in a poor district, which has low funding for education, with high drop out rates and high illiteracy rates for those that do graduate. In middle income districts, those who can afford it send their kids to private school because everyone knows public school sucks! In high income districts, they can afford to have good public schools, and they still send their kids to private school. So to whom exactly is public education beneficial, pray tell?
Public health? What a joke. You want to let a bunch of lawyers make health policy?
Pragmatic Libertarian = Double Speak. Man, you sound like you came straight outta “1984”!
@bobbo, #33
A society of libertarianism would succeed with everyone dealing with each other voluntarily. Kind of like you do 95% of the time. You go to the store and buy something if you want, or don’t. Unlike government, which functions via coercion. Without the gun and jail, government is powerless.
The US Constitution was constructed to limit the amount of power the Federal government had over the individual States, so you’re the one that’s wrong. Why don’t you get yourself a copy and read it sometime, bobbo? Of course, a bunch of lawyers wrote it in the shadows where it wouldn’t be scrutinized until after it was done and away from freedom lovers who would’ve fought it tooth and nail, so naturally they riddled it with so many loopholes it is basically a dead letter today for all intents and purposes. That’s why you have a Bill of Rights, which was insisted upon by several states before ratification of the Constitution, to further make clear that the federal government could not infringe on the sovereignty of each state. Of course, words on paper don’t make it so, and lawyers and lawmakers are slick SOB’s. Not to mention the Supreme Court, who rule according prior judgments instead of the Constitution.
According to your point #5 – so if slavery is “deemed appropriate by the consent of the governed” aka, the majority, than it is ok to use tax money to purport it then, right? Democracy stinks. I’d rather vote with my dollar every day with the decisions I make whenever I enter the marketplace, than to have to wait every 2,4 or 6 years to vote out a so called representative and replace him with some other shuckster who doesn’t have all my interest as his sole priority. Democracy is a rip off and a mirage and a false justification for injustice.
You cannot force people to give charity. It spits in the very face of its intention. Besides, private charities are always more efficient and help more people than social government programs. It’s a lot harder to defraud a private charity because their funds are limited. Government is full of fraud because it can always tax more when its funds are depleted.
Finally, I will conclude by saying it is sad that the free market has led us to a society of coercion and extortion. The majority of people have been brainwashed into believing government is not only good, but necessary, and at worst, a necessary evil. Hopefully, more and more people will open their eyes to the lies and shed democracy much like our forefathers shed monarchies. People like Frederick Douglas didn’t spout “Give me liberty, or give me death” for health’s sake or because it sounded cool. They said it because without liberty, you are nothing but a slave, and that is worse than death. And attenuated liberty, which is all the myriad of laws do, is just a milder form of slavery, kind of like that period right after the abolition of slavery.
#34 What you preach is not libertarianism, its anarchy. If you want to see a country with no government, go to Somalia.
As for this story, it is nothing new. The Bush administration was very militant in its handling of protests and the press, regularly implementing “freedom of speech zones”. Anyone saying this is a new phenomenon has a very short memory.
#34–BBoy==what ArianeB said.
To the degree you recognize how out of touch, irrelevant, and out voted you are====must suck to be you.
Hah, hah. A new term in your honor: LIEberTARDIAN.
Whad a Dope.