Susan Rice, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, declared last week that the Obama administration is looking for ways to ratify the UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child). The Obama administration's operational strategy is to appeal to peer pressure. We are embarrassed to be the only nation besides Somalia that hasn't ratified the treaty, aren't we? No. The mistaken focus is on the means, rather than the end. If there are facts about how American and Somalian children are poorly treated due to the countries not ratifying this treaty, please come out with them. Otherwise, this argument doesn't explain why we should ratify this treaty. (And by the way, ParentalRights.org explains that Somalia doesn't … [Read more...]
The “Public Option” and the People’s Government
I (Ryan, not Ben) haven’t had too much time to write up political thoughts recently, but here are a couple musings: Nutshell argument against the "public option" being touted by President Obama in the area of health care reform: As Hugh Hewitt and Congressman John Campbell were explaining as I drove home from work on Friday, if the "public option" is cheaper to corporate and government employers (though not to taxpayers), then employers will largely switch over to it. At this point, the government will be paying for health care, money will run out, and care will be denied.  (But smile – you will still be insured, along with all the others who can't get care!) Our Congressmen and Senators must not enact this “public … [Read more...]
Two Problems with Hate Crimes Laws
A hate crimes bill has passed through the US House (H.R. 1913) and is now before the Senate (S. 909). Basically, a hate crimes bill makes not only actions done against others criminal, but also the motives behind the actions. The bill in question would make it an extra crime to commit crimes against people due to a hatred of their sexual orientation (includes homosexuality, pedophilia, being normally married, etc.), or a number of other things (such as race and religion). I would like to suggest two basic problems with hate crimes legislation: 1. The hate crimes bill/concept breaks one of the fundamental principles of our country, equal intrinsic human value: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created … [Read more...]
The Power of the Purse and the Fed
A significant part of the struggle for government that is both limited and run by the people was waged on our behalf by our English forerunners. The most significant aspect of this battle was English citizens gaining the power of the purse over the Monarchy in a struggle that lasted hundreds of years. As the monarchy lost the power of the purse, the king became a servant of the People. In our day, we are risking not giving the government the power of its own purse, but the power of the purse over the people. This would naturally make the people servants of the government. Indeed, we have already taken long strides in the direction of government financing of peoples' lives through Social Security, Medicare, various Federal … [Read more...]
UNCRC: Foreign Tyranny over American Families?
(Editor's note: Welcome back, Ryan!) "Best interests provides decision and policy makers with the authority to substitute their own decisions for either the child's or the parents', providing it is based on considerations of the best interests of the child. Thus, the Convention challenges the concept that family life is always in the best interests of children and that parents are always capable of deciding what is best for children." [underline added] Unfortunately, this quote is not from a discredited radical talking about a theoretical idea. It is Geraldine Van Bueren, an original drafter of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), talking about one aspect of the treaty. According to the above-linked … [Read more...]
Perlmutter Earmarks Ahoy!
Unfortunately, Congressman Ed Perlmutter is on the earmark bandwagon. His requests for my hometown of Arvada were: $6,000,000 - Garrison St flood control $600,000 - Wadsworth Trail $1,400,000 - 56th Avenue bypass $2,600,000 - Clear Creek Overflow project These sound like fine projects that need funding, but they aren't a federal concern. Instead of using federal funds in this way (raiding our savings accounts through inflation and our wallets through taxation), Ed Perlmutter should leave us to solve local issues locally. … [Read more...]
How Much is a Trillion?
To put a trillion dollars into perspective, I decided to do a little imagining. Just suppose that you could use a 53-foot semi-trailer to represent 1 million dollars. One million dollars won't fill a trailer, but every time you see one, you know it stands for a million dollars. Now, imagine driving 12 hours per day on a road trip past a solid row of 53-foot semi trailers. This row of trailers represents 1 trillion dollars, with 1 million dollars in each trailer. Here are your approximate trip stats (based on this route and driving time): 10,000 Miles of semi trailers 3.74 Rows of trailers from LA to DC 146 Hours to drive up and down the rows 12 Days for a road trip (driving 12-hour days) up and down the rows Now that's … [Read more...]
Hello Colorado Blogosphere!
My name is Ryan Morgan and, at the kind request of Ben, I will be guest posting from time to time on this blog. A 21-year-old resident of Arvada, I was home educated and have a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (focus in general management) from Thomas Edison State College. I am a developer at a small software firm. I am a Bible-believing Christian, not associated with any particular denomination, but with an experiential belief in forgiveness of sin solely through faith in Jesus Christ's blood atonement at Calvary and His resurrection from the dead. I am a conservative first and a Republican second. I believe in limited, effective government; adequate (strong) national defense; and laws based on Biblically moral … [Read more...]