Conservatism beyond ballots

Vanity ^ | 6-30-15 | RKBA Democrat

[RKBA Democrat]

We've all seen the news of the past week or so. It's been grim. It started with our elected kleptocrats deciding it would be a cool good idea to eviscerate the middle class through expedited trade authority. The hits just kept coming with the 9 unelected political hacks on the supreme court deciding first that the law doesn't mean what it says with regards to socialist medicine, and then following up and constructing new laws and privileges from whole cloth with regard to homosexual "marriage." For dessert, they decided that the Texas infanticide prevention law needed to be blocked.

This week, although more grim than usual, is just the latest in the ongoing political and cultural war against conservatives and traditional American values. While we have been arguably winning the electoral battles (2014 was a banner year for the gop) where are the attendant spoils of victory? Where is the conservatism? It isn't there. Moreover, conservatism in governance has been completely lacking for the better part of a generation. No, what we conservatives have received in exchange for our votes, our efforts, and our treasure is a government whose size and scope has grown exponentially over the last 30 years. At what point do we decide that the strategy of electing a new and improved set of kleptocrats doesn't work and isn't going to work? "It'll be different this time" isn't a plan; it's the mantra of a battered wife.

Grim as our current reality might be, I'm optimistic for conservatism. Not because of electoral politics; that's nothing but a black hole of villainy and despair. No, I'm optimistic because we might be at one of those points where there is at least an acknowledgement that what we're doing isn't working, and where something new might be given a chance.

What I propose as something new is very simple on the surface, but much more complex in reality. What I propose is that instead of throwing more money and more votes and more resources at a corrupt political system is that we live and act as conservatives AND start looking for ways around caesar. You see living as a conservative is in my view it's own reward. It's a better life. So why not live it and be someone that others will want to emulate?

On the surface, living conservatively this is easy to accomplish. But in reality it is more complex now because of the incessant interference of caesar and his edicts. So the second part of looking for ways around caesar as necessary. I like to call these SOLUTIONS; something that the political class is very short on.

Let me give you a small example of what I mean with regard to obamacare. Obiecare is a disaster and we're probably stuck with it for now. We could spend our time on yet another attempt to repeal it accomplishing nothing. Or perhaps we can instead acknowledge that the economics of obiecare don't work and never will work, and allow its own contradictions to bring it down....with some gentle shoving from conservatives. So why not look at alternatives? Ways around obiecare? There are plenty of loopholes. The health sharing ministries being a huge one. In case you aren't aware of them, there 5 that operate on Biblical principles. They treat healthcare in a fashion very similar to the Amish: they share the bills and pray. The ministries are EXEMPT from the obiecare tax penalty tax. They also don’t contribute a dime to obiecare or its allies in the insurance industry. There are other SOLUTIONS such as manipulating income to hit the sweet spot for the thresholds so as to just get a catastrophic care plan. Oh and of course we should share what we learn. That's another conservative value.

So in summary, what I'm suggesting is that conservatives act as Conservatives, as Christians, and spend time trying to craft solutions that get around caesar. So long as we limit ourselves to the alternatives and strategies proposed by those who have a vested interest in our defeat, we will lose. Further, we shouldn’t expect government to come swooping in to correct problems that we ourselves are capable of dealing with. How is that different from what liberals do?

[yetidog]

It is all about organization. If conservatives acted together in unison, they could bring the entertainment, sports, network television and large gay-friendly corporations to their knees. They could also creatively adjust income and significantly reduce taxes. They could do educational outreach to schools, the military etc. In other words, they could (and should) organize, protest and push back big time.

[familyop]

Here's a solution. Look carefully at the dialogue in the following thread.

Scott Walker, Set for a Bigger Stage, Faces G.O.P Revolt in Wisconsin
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3306277/posts

Bear with me here. Which constituencies are sucking up big debt/revenues while doing whatever they can to crush any attempts to start new, small manufacturing shops without high flooring costs (e.g., leases at local "industrial parks")?

Heavy Hitters: Top All-Time Donors, 1989-2014
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php
American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees $60,949,129 [Democrat] 81% [Republican] 1%”

Planners, inspectors, other regulators, fire departments that take "impact fees," local real estate and property tax interests (zoning against new, small rural manufacturing shops), teachers, administrators and instructors who don't want "males" at work, like-minded social workers, psychologists, government-connected services owned by homos, global corporates owned by the same,...

One thing that has become very clear over the years, is that such socialist interests don't want to see men and heterosexual families at work and prosperous.

The only candidate proven to cut spending to such interests is Scott Walker, and he was born right here, in the U.S.A.

The less money and time the domestic enemies have, the less influence that they'll have in politics. We've been trying to nominate lying politicians who funnel big government cash flow to them for too long--some even with public school teachers as immediate family members. Those politicians are the ones making promises that are too good to be true. They're con artists.

Cut the big government spending at every level including state and local. Only then, will you see much new manufacturing production on U.S. soil.

[familyop]

"What I propose is that instead of throwing more money and more votes and more resources at a corrupt political system is that we live and act as conservatives AND start looking for ways around caesar. You see living as a conservative is in my view it's own reward. It's a better life. So why not live it and be someone that others will want to emulate?"

Great thinking, by the way. I already showed you the Wikispeed project. Search for info on the Locost 7 (sports car), and have a look at that. Enter Locost 7 as two keywords but without quotes. There are books, and there is information around the Net.

Every technical learning experience is a step towards freedom. Feel free to post any links that I've posted before about other open source projects and the like.

[MNDude]

All I know is we can ever give up. People who gave up: WWII French, Jews in WWII Germany, citizens of Nanking.

People who never gave up: Pro-Life movement, Muslims, the queers.

[Trod Upon]

You’re right. We have to become as relentless and insatiable for liberty as the left is for slavery. In addition, we need to dedicate ourselves to making leftists’ lives as miserable and difficult as we can. Daily. If you haven’t weakened a leftist’s will to live today, you’ve been slacking.

[RKBA Democrat]

I agree in essence with your point, but note that cutting government spending at every level will not come from the sphere of electoral politics. Where reductions in spending will come from, though, Is a reduction in revenue. Or said another way, taxes get cut when they aren’t paid. Either legally or not.

I think that the way of the future is manufacturing and studying it is something people should do. I’m not optimistic though as to regulatory costs being cut. They will be cut for some, i.e. those who figure out a way around them, but that’s about it. Power never relinquishes power voluntarily.

[RKBA Democrat]

I did look up the locost on some earlier links you provided. Cool. Add onto this concept things like localized power generation, home oil refineries, etc. and that’s where things will be going. Not so much because they’re more efficient, but because they can avoid regulatory costs.

[RKBA Democrat]

Heh heh. Merely living as a conservative does that. What is the saying: the best revenge is living well?

What does a leftist really want? Control over others.

[familyop]

"Add onto this concept things like localized power generation, home oil refineries, etc. and that’s where things will be going."

...or home solar drainback heating systems, rocket stove mass heaters, small PV solar power plants, etc. There are no company power lines within several miles of me. BTW, I don't recall posting any links to the Locost 7, although I did probably post at least one to the Wikispeed project.

On taxes, when consumer spending decreases, revenues decrease. Build small and efficient.

[RKBA Democrat]

I did look it up and it is different from the car I saw earlier.

On taxes, take a look at what Greece is doing to destroy their small businesses. The only ones that can prosper or even survive are those operating under the radar.

[familyop]

"On taxes, take a look at what Greece is doing to destroy their small businesses. The only ones that can prosper or even survive are those operating under the radar."

Yes. The government there is not small enough, yet. The default process needs to be completed. Local regulations, fees and property taxes are much worse. Imagine state and local governments with no regulatory offices and too few employees to justify high property taxes.

[familyop]

The following photo of a Locost 7 can be found here.



Here's a site with info on newer, more available books and other info.

Wikipedia photo from this info page.




What's cool about them for those of us who've done such work before, is that the chassis is mostly built from small, square, mild steel tubing--lower cost than other materials and very easy for skilled welders to lay out, cut and weld (e.g., farmers of the more old fashioned and independent kind).

A frame design modified for a lower cost, more available alternative engine is needed, though, IMO. Need to finish other projects here before building a car and might build a different one anyway (mid engine design with canopy, perhaps--lots of tight curves and sudden weather up here).

The WikiSpeed car design is great with the homebuilt, carbon composite shell for someone who would design and build a decent canopy, but the aluminum frame and parts are more expensive and limiting against modifications in some ways. The big plus, is that it's been crash tested for production.

[familyop]

Here's a photo of the WikiSpeed car, as it appeared at the North American International Auto Show (info).

That configuration will run, but it appears that they didn't complete a workable canopy design.

[familyop]

There are photos of the commuter car version at the WikiSpeed site. Don't know how far they've come with a prototype for that.

[RKBA Democrat]

Now that is a way cool car. Very nice.

Is anyone doing anything at the opposite side of the spectrum? There is a need for affordable cars.

[familyop]

"Is anyone doing anything at the opposite side of the spectrum?"

I didn't quite catch your drift there. Opposite side being?

[RKBA Democrat]

Cheap, cheap new vehicle that is in kit form. Volkswagen concept.

[familyop]

Either the WikiSpeed car or the Locost 7 can be built from the ground, up, with structurals assembled and drivetrains bought used and rebuilt by the home builder. That way would require following the plans on the opensourceecology.org site for the WikiSpeed car or a couple of books and information posted to sites and discussion boards on the Internet for the Locost 7 or variants/modifications.

Either can be bought in the form of a kit or fully assembled. Both are uncomfortable in that state and might even need safety additions (e.g. lights) added by the owner or a mechanic to be roadworthy (rough sports car designs like those in the old days, made for speed and/or fuel mileage, handling, etc.). One is crash tested for anyone considering a manufacturing start, and the other must be registered by and for the individual wanting to own it.

Kits run around $20,000 for those. Home-builds for good scroungers for the Locost 7 variants might run as low as a couple thousand dollars, and the Wikispeed, around $10,000.

Have you priced new Volkswagons lately? They’re mucho expensive. I remember when they were advertised at about $1,000 around about 1970 or just before, though. Those were the days.

In this shrinking world economy of recirculating debt/revenues and hostility against the thought of any new manufacturing competition, we’ll get resources while we can. Soon, they may not be available, unless distributed economy startups (like opensourceecology.org) get much more support and learn more quickly to work like skilled blue collar manufacturing employees than student intern sons and daughters of white collar professionals.

[familyop]

I’ll put it this way on what is required to build the lowest cost vehicle or anything else with one’s own hands. I learned on my own, outside of employment, to turn a wrench the right direction, get the right torque and avoid busting knuckles without getting crushed under a vehicle. That’s one tiny part of being competent in building and repairing vehicles. And I’m getting older fast.

Only a few young folks have learned enough from me in their spare time to take care of themselves in lean times. This was not done in any kind of formal school setting. Those younger people have also learned to do a few construction tasks, make their own clothing and a few other things. They’re outside of the contemporary regime except for working in services and other typical slavery for the government-linked establishment.

They, like many other Americans, are aware that the political class is sucking up money and resources as fast as it can in preparation for dumping civilization. Most of my evil generation and the one that followed it could not hold a candle to them. My generation will be infamous in history.