28 April 2005

To Thine Own Self Be Cruel

It has been suggested that I had ought to outline what things I support if I am going to go casting aspersions on arbitrary other agencies. That would establish the persona and quantify whatever credibility the author may have. Actually, I have been thinking of doing just that. I don't however know of an apropriate (or easily portable) label that describes what I beleive in.

I'll just take it from the top then, shall I?

I beleive in God; I was raised as a Midwestern Baptist. I'm not particularly devout, and certainly not evangelical in practice.

As a scientist, why do I beleive in God? My life's experiences have brought me to the conclusion that a God must exist. I do beleive [ARGH] believe that it is the ultimate vanity to think that "my" god is different from "their" god. I have heard this philosophy described thus: "There is one god, he has many faces." Furthermore, I believe that in the hereafter, Stuart Copeland will sit at the right hand of the Almighty (
Neil Peart ).

Politically... well, I'll call myself a Libertarian-leaning
Centrist until I find a better label. I agree with the Libertarians up to a certain point. That point is where the extreme "Constitution in Exile" Libertarians live. I may tend to agree that the Federal Government is too excessive and overreaching, but I believe that we need the regulatory agencies (such as the EPA) that the "Exile" Libertarians would like to do away with.

Libertarians firmly believe in personal freedoms. I believe in the lowest common denominator; the human animal is consistently self-serving and in general will take advantage of any absence of regulation.

Abortion/Gay marriage. These two subjects are not related, but are treated the same in my philosophy. There are those who favor Constitutional amendments to ban either. My belief is based on the document that precedes the Constitution. The signers of the Declaration of Independence cited "...certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." If you as an American accept this as a guiding principle, then you also have no right to impede, hamper, stigmatize or castigate anyone else's "pursuit of Happiness," whatever the goal or object of their happiness may be. Live and let live, what other people may want to do is none of your damn business.

I also believe that the legislature and its system of checks and balance in the federal government has become flawed in modern times. The President should not have allegiance to any political party in the legislature. Explain to me please: how can Emperor W possibly be impeached (I'm not saying here that he should be, I am saying that the framers of the Constitution intended for impeachment to be a normal process when neccessary) when a majority of the legislature support him as his fellow Republicans?? What was intended as a representative government has degenerated to two warring factions of political idealogies that simply can not (and sometimes has no intention to) function in the best interest of its constituents.

I believe that Social Security was a wonderful idea. It works; it may need a little tweaking to work better (be properly funded), but it does work.

If any Constitutional amendment is necessary, then I believe it should be amended to allow the legislature explicit authority to create, oversee, and dissolve when neccessary, Federal regulatory agencies. The Constitution, as it stands, authorizes congress to regulate commerce between states and with other nations, as well as regulation of the military, and all monetary policies.

I believe in government and corporate transparency... and....

I believe that my knees are burning?
They are both physically warm to the touch. Damn, I haven't even done anything today. I suppose its more to do with actually being idle. At work I've been walking as much as 10 miles in eight hours, up from the typical 6 miles. So I guess its the sudden relative exertion followed by relative inaction. Not to mention I didn't feel the need to take my after-work knee-related "dietary supplements". How amusing would it be if this is a kind of withdrawal?

Survey says this blog entry is over.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Furthermore, I believe that in the hereafter, Neil Peart will sit at the right hand of God. He's that good.

Will grant this one since Keith Moon disqualified himself by overdosing.......

the human animal is consistently self-serving and in general will take advantage of any absence of regulation.

Granted


Abortion/Gay marriage....The signers of the Declaration of Independence cited "...certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." If you as an American accept this as a guiding principle, then you also have no right to impede, hamper, stigmatize or castigate anyone else's "pursuit of Happiness," whatever the goal or object of their happiness may be. Live and let live, what other people may want to do is none of your damn business.

Ok will give you this one on the gay marriage one, but how does this apply to the murder of an unborn child? I think the abortion question has to boil down to when do you believe the soul is created. Does it come into existance at conception? Or does it wait for birth? Or does it need to earned, through good deeds or simmilar?

Note if the 3rd question is the correct answer that does a number on the whole concept of murder.

Also how can states/the feds justify charging a killer of a woman in the first trimester as a double murderer is the deceased could have walked into the killing palace an had the little on vacuum out with no consequence????

KarlMonster said...

Regarding drummers, I have heard "X is great!" multiple times. X = Keith Moon, John Bonham, even Marky Ramone. I may be biased with Copeland, but he makes fabulous use of what would otherwise be sparse and muted drum tracks in songs like "Message in a bottle". I think that makes Copeland an easy call for. Again. Bias. Maybe.

Anonymous said...

I just came across your blog about Emotional Intelligence to complete my work on the subject. Thanks for your thoughts!