Strike The Root Blog

Most people would agree that the government giving gifts to a small number of corporations is wrong. It falls outside the powers and thus the rights of the US federal government, and thus it is also unconstitutional, for those who think there’s any value left in that document.

The problem with doing something wrong is that it often generates even more wrongs. Now that my money has been stolen to reward AIG’s failure, the US house of representatives has felt the need to selectively punish the same corporation it wrongly gifted. In passing the bill that taxes select AIG bonus recipients at a confiscatory 90% rate, 328 ignorant congressmen violated Article I of the constitution twice.

Most people need to be reminded what section 9 of article 1 says: “No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.” A bill of attainder is, per Wikipedia, “an act of legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them without benefit of a trial.” An ex post facto law is a law that “retroactively changes the legal consequences of acts committed or the legal status of facts and relationships that existed prior to the enactment of the law” (per the same source).

Ex post facto, really? Yes, the bill would make the 90% tax on AIG retroactive to December 31, 2008.

This is a solution that pleases a very angry and very dangerous president. For those willing to defend Obama’s actions, imagine the havoc for which this precedent paves the way. Think about a Bush-like predecessor, perhaps. Do you want this person arbitrarily gifting favorite companies, or arbitrarily punishing companies that have fallen out of political favor?

There is no justifying either the bailout or the punishment. “But, we had to bail out AIG and these companies…” Well, no. By allowing AIG to succeed, we reward failure, and instill a system that will create larger and larger corporations. That should be frightening to even the socialist left who likes the idea of government control over corporations.

Instead, AIG and ilk should have been allowed to fail, or better, do whatever it had to in order to figure out how to survive. The outcome? Lots of people would probably have suffered. Better “lots” than “all.” But what positive might have come out of this? Perhaps ingenuity from some of the bailed out companies, cleverness that would have enabled their survival and advanced our survival skills in the face of severe economic problems. Perhaps the failures might even have signalled the end of monstrous corporations like AIG, begat by a widespread lack of trust in them; this failure might have led to the rebirth of small, competitive financial firms with little political power. I know who would be happy with that!

The cynical, conspiracy-theory side in me says that all of these events are scripted. From failure (long predicted by sensible economists) to bailout to revenge, it’s all about granting the monstrously bloated US federal government even more power over you.
Too bad for all of us that a petulant Obama will likely get his way for a while.

Pennsylvania’s liquor board will be sending their employees to training in order to teach them how to be friendlier and more well-mannered. This will come at a cost of $173,000. I like to think in terms of how many tax slaves that a given stupidity like this one requires. A bit of searching reveals that the average Pennsylvanian pays $4,463 per year in state and local taxes. Doing the math, then, there are 38 people whose full tax burdens are taken by the state of Pennsylvania in order to ensure that government workers learn how not to be rude, i.e. so that they learn what it takes to run a real business instead of a true, pure monopoly that succeeds only by force.

Well, it’s probably not that they’re too stupid, but rather that they just don’t care. Absent competition, “civil” servants are allowed to be anything but. It’s not like they’ll ever be put out of a job.

Government has no business running liquor stores. End of story. If you live in a state (like Pennsylvania or Virginia) stupid enough to insist that only the government can sell you liquor, demand better, or just move.

Where? I’m still searching:

Collectivism-on-the-Mall….

….and ancient, comical writings on the Capitol wall:

The state gets serious about keeping recruits in line:

Looking for healing. She touched his robe!:

A sense of urgency. Get them while they last:

A few lucky ones are able to escape the clutches of US crusaders:

Burying the dead of wars long past- a job never finished:

Confusion. The Emperor defends the free market.…

….but still reassures the bankrupt dinosaurs:

Keep them busy doing something. Obama‘s job policy:

Obama’s centurions aim to keep The Empire alive:

Together again? And you thought she was finished?:

Joe the Plumber has had enough:

Some jackboots try a more folksy approach….

….to keep tyranny from becoming tiresome:

Three smiling gangsters:

Wall Street’s new rallying cry- “Ain’t too proud to beg:”

Babbling Bobbleheads:

Lined up for the firing squad? Not yet, but be patient:

Is JoMac headin’ for a fall?

B.O. collars a female to draft:

Cheney gets fixed up at a special hospital:

Some folks out there have a clue:

Even busy tyrant wanna-be’s take the time for a booty call:

Despite the shepherd’s record of failure, there’s still plenty of sheep to shear in Your America….

….Watch the Free Lunch Crowd sidle up to the always giving Federal teat:

What I would rather do than vote:

All is not well in the Land of Lehman:

Just a regular guy- Joe Six-Pack and his body guards:

Someday, the giants of freedom will walk tall among the remains of the bloody empire:

Everyone is a suspect:

Never give in and certainly don’t resort to begging:

The new dollar….

….to help you out of those sticky situations:

What ever it takes to sell the con. How’s this for putting lipstick on a pig?

The clueless search and search….

….until they find their soul mate:

The White House has time to think about breasts:

Cuba holds on to its myths:

The next financial crisis- the search for more digits:

A building on fire that doesn’t collapse? No “unusual magnetic forces” or “thermal expansion” here:

JoMac and his maniacs are feeling a bit anxious:

Pests and varmints come in all sizes and shapes:

Not to advocate violence, but someone really needs to slap this bitch:

Even the war mongering state can’t hold back the forces of nature:

What to do, what to do? The Emperor is lost in the woods:

Hide your crimes by encouraging others to read goofy books:

Any sweet, moving stories about dropping bombs on women and children?

Watch JoMac say “thumbs up” to socialism:

Watch Jo Mac have an identity crisis:

Running a con is so much more fun when done with a loved one:

The new War Wench seeks counsel from a killing expert:

Headed for the dumpster of obsolete symbols?

Take comfort, Johnny Law will dry your tears:

“Now I know the secret; there is nothing that I lack.
If I give my love to you, you’ll surely give it back.
Let it rain, Let it rain…..”

….Or is a just God pissing on, still another, false messiah:

Congress takes a close look at Bush’s bailout plan….

….and responds to the corrupt, evil minds that created it:

The Emperor and his henchmen walk away empty handed….

….But with a little sweetening (and apocalyptic warnings), the plutocrats succeed with Bailout 2.0:

Love that plastic:

It appears the American sheep are all onboard, waiting to be fleeced:

Tough economic times require looking at alternatives:

Clueless Joe vs. The War Wench. Another good reason to dump television….

….and keep an eye on your assets:

The state gets angry….

….when its subjects fight back….

….by returning fire:

A lesson for the kids- Leviathan gobbles up taxpayers:

The state aims to create more warring robots….

….rather than tactful peacemakers:

The instruments of war have a long life:

They’re ALWAYS watching. NEVER get used to it:

A new design for a worthless coin commemorating a worthless tyrant:

“What? Obama is still alive?”

Keep the faith. There’s always hope when pigs start to fly:

Ben contemplates his bailout….

….despite rampant opposition:

Henry points to fellow Americans to bail out his buddies:

How quaint. Daddy and Mommy are going off to war. Killing for the state always takes precedence over caring for your children:

US Crusaders do the killin’ and the Iraqis do the buryin’:

Down for the count. Time to wrap the corpse:

Henry the Healer looks to make things right (for some):

Banks? Time to look for a safer place for your money:

Self defense- the ONLY kind of defense:

The Emperor looks to heal a scarred land:

A symbol so tarnished and muddy, it won’t even burn:

The state finds success in protecting us from plants:

Even with the flowery adjectives, it’s still mob rule:

Passive resistance has its extremes:

Power mad- Nationalists think they can hold back a hurricane:

McCain rallies are looking eerily familiar….

….as are his supporters:

And the ceremony for the innocent victims killed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan is when?

Sometimes the state grants just a bit of slack:

Puzzling mysteries. Scientists seek the origin of the Neo-con brain:

Sarah is responding well to training:

Emotional weakness will only allow the terrorists to win:

When not busy caging you, they bully, order, and abuse:

Gustav takes the French Quarter for a ride……

….and gives another chance for the road fascists to shine:

US Crusaders find a new beat to walk….

….and gather the sheep to explain the rules:

Looking to have a quiet, peaceful dinner?….

….while watching your liberties flushed down the sewer?

Let nothing block the path….

….of making eye contact with your adversaries:

An obvious provocation….

….deserving of pepper spray:

The Paulians know what this all about:

Stay on message- Rudy and crew continue promoting 911 hobgoblins:

The Afghan killing fields continue to be productive:

Monster in the house. Someone please page J.W. Boothe:

Hey Hillary! There’s a new War Wench in town: