Munchiez

There are so many personal liberties that have been slowly eroded. A lot of these under the guise of "security" enabling large defense contracts and more government power. A few real examples of our personal liberties that are being eroded bit by bit are: NSA spying and data mining on personal information (all under the fear mongering of big government cronies and defense contracting lobbyists, Restriction of movement domestically (Real ID act now changing the way we fly domestically, rendering many state drivers licenses invalid, and requiring a passport or Real ID to be used, Freedom of speech has been hit little by little as well. Now there are "free speech zones" in cities like New York, Boston, LA, etc... where you have to request permission to hold rallies. Another big one is militant police. Following last year’s protests in Ferguson against police brutality, the Pentagon’s 1033 program has faced intense scrutiny for arming local police with high-powered military gear, from armored vehicles to battle regalia. This program has emboldened SWAT teams and other local police — paramilitary wings of law enforcement armed to the teeth — to increasingly raid the homes of private citizens. It may not seem obvious to many, but our rights as man are being attacked from all angles of government. I have been reading many books on the Enlightenment period by authors such as Thomas Paine. One of my favourite ones by him is "Common Sense" and "Rights Of Man" both of which were written on revolutions in countries. "Common sense" in relation to the American Revolution and "Rights Of Man" to the French Revolution. In both books the message is familiar. Government has gone too far. The analogy of a frog in boiling water is appropriate here. We don't actively see our liberties being stripped immediately, oh no, we must get comfortable first! Little by little and bill by bill are these things accomplished. As the great Thomas Jefferson once said "Tyranny is defined as that which is legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry." In many cases this has proven to be true. An example that irks me a bit is how we are lectured about our firearm rights and usage, when on the flip side we see militant police going on shooting sprees of their own, and killing people left and right enforcing the state laws. We see agents, people who are originally intended to defend our rights and freedoms, not taking the job of restricting and squashing them. Speaking of economic liberty, well, that's been going down hill since the creation of the criminal entity that is the Federal Reserve Bank. Our devalued, fiat paper money, is now on the brink of tipping over. Unsound monetary policy is the #1 killer of strong nations. In regards to the question of "What are liberty values?" or "Why does Ron Paul have special preference over liberties than other candidates? It's simple. He follows the constitution to the word. Verbatim. Ensuring that any policy he supports or creates does not interfere with the natural right of citizens, economic rights, and world rights as he is anti interventionist. All I see now are bought by corporation political talking heads, except that of Donald Trump. I understand, to the world and many people it may seem weird. Some may ask "How can you say your freedoms are going away, look at all you are allowed to do" I simply nod and try to explain it the best I can, in my perspective of it all. It's been a journey for me to research and educate myself on these issues, as well as keeping up to date with these things. I remind others that in no way am I saying my country, The United States Of America, is a bad land. Nor am I stating that we are completely enslaved or destitute. What I am saying is that I am concerned about our future. I am worried that one day, continuing on this rocky and unstable path we are on, that we will soon fall.

I take it you liked Ron Paul, right? He is a true liberty hero. I look up to him a hero of true freedom and fiscal knowledge. It is a shame people are too thick that they won't see that this is a clown show in the states. I hope we don't run into the ground.

Well my friend, I do agree with some of what Trump says. You made me chuckle when you said you are a social liberal and fiscal conservative, that's where I was at one time before I discovered Libertarianism. Now, some things socially liberals do not get or are compatible with liberty. On the conservative side there are still those who have non compatible views on liberty. So you are absolutely correct when you say that the two party system is a sham, and indeed it needs to be exposed that these politicians have been bought for by big corporations and such. Trump doesn't rely on anyone to fund his campaign. That's one thing I like about him. He doesn't owe anything to anybody except the promises he's made to the American people. I think Trump needs a little refreshment on liberty values though, I love his outstanding support for my gun rights, but his ideals for house to house searches for "terrorists" and high government force is a bit disturbing. That being said, If Cruz does not get the nomination, and I am sad saying he probably won't, I will more than likely look at Trump or Rand Paul. I still am angry that our nation was dumb enough to miss three opportunities to elect his daddy, Ron Paul, who would've been the most liberty loving, non interventionist, and fiscally responsible person for the job. I like to give credit where it is due. Trump has taken advantage of the system, but I would have done the same thing too. According to people close to Trump, he is genuinely not a racist man. I think the issue with his whole "Keep muslims out" is too simplified and appeals to common voters who, are scarily uneducated or have the ability for higher level thinking, and they rally behind it. As for building his wall, I can see where he is going with that, perhaps a wall is not needed. Simply cut overly wasteful government entitlement programs for illegals. Our country needs to support our citizens who have worked so very hard their whole lives, payed years in taxes, and built this nation. We do not owe them ANYTHING. Thus, that would cut down on the need to come here illegally, and push for legal immigration reform. Come to the U.S, pay taxes, and help contribute. No more hand outs anymore. That's it for now. I'd be keeping my eyes on either Cruz, Paul, and Trump. Other than that, I am not excited about this election much. It seems like a reality TV show at times, in part by Trump hate and tensions by the media.

The Western media caters to western ideals. A lot of it is nonsense. I don't particularly like main stream media at all. I do enjoy smaller indie news reporting services and would trust, for international events, the likes of BBC and sometimes even Russia Today. I'll take first hand accounts of people on social media, at times, over the main stream media. Why? The reason is because some people who use social media as a news outlet like Twitter or Facebook are usually people who are at the location. News agencies scramble to get something on the TV and radio, whilst on the ground people can get the news out much faster via smartphones and social media. That being said, I have heard about these stories on media outlets like Fox News and NBC. However, not to the extent like I would on Russia Today or BBC World News. In regards to Russia Today, I don't feel like they're too much Russian biased to trust, after all they do locations globally. One being in Washington, D.C and in New York as well as in London. Their website and Russian only site do sometimes embellish a tad when talking about Russian superiority and military strength, as one would anticipate. Speaking of narcissistic attitudes circulating among Americans, I would say it is NOT just isolated to The United States. I've seen some of the same attitudes in Britain and in Canada. Not saying they are at the same levels of the US, but they do show some of the same "Oh it's not here so it's not THAT BAD" type ideals.

We Americans missed a perfect chance, about two times, to elect Ron Paul as president. One of the only candidates out there really, at the time of 2008 and 2012, who stood up for true liberty and has a track record to prove it. I agree with the general consensus around these forums, Donald Trump is cringe worthy, and pretty much anyone on the left is haywire. It doesn't look good when you have a Hillary Clinton being investigated for crimes running for president. It is equally embarrassing having Sanders boast his nonsense, mathematically inept, and bogus talking points stirring up the next generation of foolish youth voters. One younger voting crowd I did side with was the Ron Paul revolution, being a libertarian he remains the only person I'd really vote for. However he's done. He deserves to rest, he fought a good fight for liberty and fiscal responsibility. He wrote amazing books that taught me economics through the lessons of Rothbard and himself. So if you were to ask me who I was going to vote for this election I'd be hard pressed to give you a definitive answer. I do like Cruz, but other than that, I'm not excited for any of it.

Very true, Hillary is actually hated by many top democrats as well. I don't see how a CRIMINAL can run for office. Her crimes are going to be the end of her chances, especially with the FBI looking into her. Her chances of being indicted on the email scandal are raising every day. Hillary is responsible for the death of our Ambassador Chris Stevens in Benghazi. That alone should throw her down the block. So sad.

It means what it means. It is the battle flag of the Confederacy which has been defunct for sometime now. Nobody flies the French Fleurs de Lys up here (gold on white). Only Quebec has some of these in their provincial flag, but they are argent on azure. Basically the Stars and Bars is a symbol of the losers. Don't you think it is time to forget it and join the rest of the country? The time for this kind of defiance is long past. Mississippi needs to revise its state flag. Remember what follows hubris. It means what it means. It is the battle flag of the Confederacy which has been defunct for sometime now. Nobody flies the French Fleurs de Lys up here (gold on white). Only Quebec has some of these in their provincial flag, but they are argent on azure. Basically the Stars and Bars is a symbol of the losers. Don't you think it is time to forget it and join the rest of the country? The time for this kind of defiance is long past. Mississippi needs to revise its state flag. Remember what follows hubris. It is not time to forget it, Those who forget are destined to repeat, Mississippi does not need to revise anything, Removing the flag and succumbing to political correctness is not the solution. Political correctness is what is destroying this country, None of this was an issue until 2015 and should not be the issue it is today. I am from Florida, and have been living in Virginia for a while (back in FL now) but, I've been living in southern states all my life. I've been all over the world and all over the United States. In my town in Virginia, the once Capitol of the Confederacy, people DO fly the flag (General Lees Northern VA battle flag) because they feel a connection to the historical impact of their home. In the town I lived in, Abingdon, there were A LOT of confederate families who have lineage to soldiers who had died in the Civil War. People regularly fly the American flag and rebel flag on the same pole there. It's a historical connection, NOT a "racist" one. There is a black family in Abingdon who proudly fly a rebel flag on their porch because of their HISTORICAL connection to our area.

Ugh, Hillary. People keep wanting fake change and lies. They're so blind. There isn't going to be change. Her administration would not keep us safe. Remember Benghazi, secret emails, lies, taking foreign donations.......the list goes on. I don't trust her. The political agenda of hers is to be a better Barrack Obama, a new "newer" face of the left. This time embodied by a woman, to add to the fresh new bold era. If you speak against her you're sexist and are against silly non existent "change" there's gonna be change and it's going to come in the worst ways possible. More secrets will be kept from the American public, more tyrannical style laws will be introduced and inspired by her, and it will only continue our downwards spiral. I'm out.

I didn't personally say that. It would be irresponsible for me to say that it's just a short term thing. Larks was saying that the process of having a child physically was around obviously 6-9 months, but their lives will have potential to go on for 80+. I don't see how you would classify me in your little book as "unfit for parenthood" Quite honestly, you don't even know me, so placing me into that group is silly. HOWEVER, you did say "If you think that having a child is a six month event" but I want to be clear that Larks and I weren't saying that. That's just the physical aspect of the birth, not the lifelong consequences. I believe there was a misunderstanding here.

Wait, what? , That is a severe reality disconnect. I can't even understand how that makes sense to you. We would do better in an Arab country? That has nothing to do with what we are talking about. Besides, they don't value life there anyways, they believe that if they martyr their own kids they'll go to paradise.

4810 Anyone like to paint maps with water colors?

HATE HATE HATE BURN FOREVER FROZEN! (love, mainly because my YouTube poops have been very successful and entertaining)

My Volvo s60 was built in Belgium! Netherlands

Nah. Tonyr now?