Boxes

Boxes in the ground?

What a score that is.

Waiting for the horses drawing caissons,

but the rest of the family is already scattered around.

.

Stones of the mothers.

Stones of the fathers.

Stones of children who died too young.

And stones turned black with soot.

.

Where are the trees?

Where are the roots?

The grass is dead and dying,

and there are no new green shoots.

.

It's a dark day for the dead and dying.

Though some things glow at night.

When the cemeteries are full of stones.

It is too late to set things right.

Christopher H. Holte

Ron Paul's Fourth of July demagoguery

Ron Paul writes [http://www.ronpaulchannel.com/editorial/rons-blog/ron-pauls-independence-day-message/]:

"July 4, 2014 – Remember: The Declaration of Independence served notice to a tyrannical king that the “the good people of these colonies . . . declare” their right to be “FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES.”

Source: http://valendale.deviantart.com/art/Scumbag-Ron-Paul-Meme-432078186

He along with other cons have been beating a drum of accusations that the current President is somehow acting like a "king", but he's not. We aren't being ruled by a ruler we didn't elect from London. We are being ruled by ourselves with an elected President presiding over the government.

"The colonists had had enough authoritarian government and were not going to put up with it any longer. The crucial question that we must ask ourselves is: what would the Founders think of what we tolerate from our government’s abuse of our liberties today?"

Yes, we should not tolerate abuse of our liberties today. Folks like Ron Paul claim that we are being spied on too much, and they are right. But most of that spying is on behalf of owners of intellectual property, giant businesses and banks, and folks wanting to stick their noses into our womenfolks bedrooms. So yes our founders might have some problems with our massive spy apparatus, but would they focus on the King or "parliament". In their day the enemy was the parliament, corrupted by and owned by the King, but passing the tyrannical laws that treated American colonists like second class citizens. Now it is women and minorities who are treated this way.

"My bet is that, not only would they be shocked, but they would be ashamed as well."

And mostly by Ron Pauls allies in the Tea Party movement who have their rebellion precisely backwards. They would be aghast at the rise of giant monopolies like the Oil/OPEC monopoly, Defense industries, and Tea Party people.

"An argument can be made that liberty is in greater jeopardy today than it was in 1776."

And yes, from the Republicans. And I agree:

"Hopefully soon we will have enough support to send a loud and clear message to Washington for establishing TRUE LIBERTY in our land." - - -

--- by kicking out demagogues like his son and the Tea Party. Meanwhile, he seems to me to be inciting rebellion and insurrection against the constitution and for the sake of Giant Conglomerates like those of the East India Company whose favors sparked our revolution. Instead of boycotting monopoly Tea, he's instigating these folks to mix it with Jim Jones coolaid.

Source: http://www.ronpaulchannel.com/editorial/rons-blog/ron-pauls-independence-day-message/

Tyranny -- John Locke

Tyranny

John Locke defined tyranny as:

"199. As usurpation is the exercise of power which another hath a right to, so tyranny is the exercise of power beyond right, which nobody can have a right to; and this is making use of the power any one has in his hands, not for the good of those who are under it, but for his own private, separate advantage. When the governor, however entitled, makes not the law, but his will, the rule, and his commands and actions are not directed to the preservation of the properties of his people, but the satisfaction of his own ambition, revenge, covetousness, or any other irregular passion."

Falling In Love Anew

Falling In Love anew

I fall in love a little more with you every day,

you who smile a bright smile and lead me to learn something new.

And you who cry a little bit, because you are passionate for your loves.

And you who love someone so much, that you risk everything for their touch.

.

What else can I do beyond fall in love with you?

I can share a momentary smile, and maybe something new.

I can love you a little while, and cry when you go away.

And I can love you so much that I tremble at your touch.

.

And I can love you from afar, just as you are.

There is nothing really new, except every moment anew.

And we are passing forests frightful, with shadows tall and long.

But when we walk together hand in hand, we see mountain giants strong.

And realize that all this world is grand, and with love we won't go wrong.

Chris Holte

The real right to property is contingent on "reason" -- Locke

Introduction

I was astounded when I read numerous articles that claimed to found their arguments on John Locke, and then compared them to what he actually said. The difference was astounding and the deception goes back centuries, definitely to Edmund Burke [See the article: "Edmund Burke Versus John Locke"], but probably further back as well. So far reading him carefully I've found that he basically makes a very modern case that:

Related articles:

Rights come from below: John Locke's exegesis and what it tells us.

Folks don't realize that it was John Locke who first translated the concept of "civitis" as "commonwealth."

The Concept of Commonwealth as antidote to Tyranny (and essentially introduced a new refinement to the concept).

Memorial Day

Ah memorial day, when the flowers grow fat on graves,

and we remember our loved ones in pain and grief,

made sharper by the bright sun in sharp green relief.

I don't know where they have gone, but they are gone.

A stone added to a pile on top of cold stone is a sad substitute

for seeing your smiling face once more.

You were in my heart, but then you left out the door,

and into that cold hole that is in my heart,

and in this cold earth. Ashes in the hearth.

And shuttered windows where once the colored curtains hung.

Why did my light songs turn into heavy dirges?

And the weight of your memory, lies over once easy motives and urges.

I could write Hallmark Cards. Now I write memorial markers.

Christopher H. Holte

Progressive Taxation principles and Piketty

Thomas Piketty wrote an extraordinary book called "Capital" which I didn't really appreciate until I started digging into it. His analysis accepted the definitions of those with wealth and power, and so when I first heard about the book I thought he was defending our current system. Doing this actually allowed him to skewer many of the myths and "zombie ideas" that have been driving progressive economists crazy for more than 30 years. It turns out he's teaching principles that I do believe in, just he's not coming at them by the expected route.

He's quoted in interview with PBS (see: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/inequality-will-worsen-in-america-unless-pikettys-rx/) here: