(Drug warning: These thoughts and rantings, while perfectly true in some ways, may be affected by my use of Nyquil to overcome some nasty cold symptoms, so please look at this post through some "De-Nyquilifying" lenses. Thank you.)
In a world inundated with idiocy, spilling over with stupidity, and manacled with morons.... today I found a dim, dim ray of light shining through the darkness (as well as a fun new game called "Let's Make Alliterative Synonyms for Dumb People).
A tiny sliver of light in the Great Big Darkness Of Stupidity....
Of course, I'm referring to Texas' own illustrious governor, Rick Perry. Or, as some of us fondly call him, Rick 'Audios, mofo' Perry.
(edit) Just for laughs, try looping Perry's "farewell" over and over again. And over. And over. The laughter just never subsides!!
I've never been much of a Perry fan(Go Kinky Friedman ha ha) but I heard on the news as I drove home this evening that Gov. Perry has refused $550 million in Federal stimulus funds for unemployment benefits, mostly because the money comes with a few too many 'strings'. (No links to articles or anything tonight, just google it for yourself and you'll see)
WHAT??? You mean Perry actually told the federales what they can go do? You mean he actually asserted the Sovereignty of States? You mean he actually did something that reaffirms the idea from the US Constitution that the federal government serves at the behest of the states?? According to the 10th amendment, if the particular power in question isn't explictly given to the federales, AND it isn't denied to the states (like making their own treaties with foreign nations): then, if those two conditions are met, then any such powers in question are reserved for the States. Of course, you would never guess this amendment even existed anymore, at least since the 20th century began, as we can see from a historical perspective that the federales have been slowly concentrating power ever since the end of the Civil War...and sometimes, not so slowly (can we say "buying interests in banks", anyone?"
Oh, sorry, this soapbox appeared out of nowhere for some odd reason. Well, no sense in letting it go to waste! (Downs another shot of Nyquil for good measure...uhh, nasty green stuff)
So, just as the constitution kinda says that, if it ain't delegated to the federales, and it ain't prohibited to the states, then it's reserved for the states. And if that wasn't enough, you have the US Senate, as it was originally conceived. Before the 17th amendment, senators were chosen by the states' legislatures, not the people. The Senate served 2 purposes - longer terms than the House and election by states meant that it could serve as an impediment to the People should they get carried away by some demagogue shouting "CRISIS!! CRISIS!!!" every time he speaks. Longer terms meant they would be in power longer than their counterparts in the House, so passing fancy would theoretically be checked by the Senate. And election of senators by the state legislatures meant that the Senate also served as the States representation in Washington. That's why they each got two of them. In effect, the argument can be made that the federal government was created not just at the pleasure of the People, but also at the pleasure of the States. This is one of the major talking points we "states' rights" peeps tend to pontificate about. But of course, the 17th amendment was passed, so now the States no longer have representation in congress. Sucks for them, right?
But I digress. My point here is that Perry fired a tiny little shot over the head of the Federales today by standing up and not letting the federales dictate to Texas how we have to spend this stimulus money. Hell, it was our money to begin with, and the federales seem to think it belongs to them now.
(Oh dear Lord, please don't let him get started on how how the 16th amendment, titled "Congress Can Tax Incomes Any Way They Want And The States Can't Do S**t About It" was passed in 1913, the same year as the 17th, or "Hey States! Screw You!" amendment previously referenced)
Uhh, sorry, Nyquil and political fervor don't mix well. Anyway, Perry's actions today actually gave me a little respect for the man. He's still got a long way to go before I'll vote for him, but flipping the federales a tiny little "bird" scores mucho points IMHO. Anything we can do to reassert the idea that the feds are created at the pleaseure of the individual states and the people.
Okay.....putting away the Magic Mystery Soapbox (for now)
So like I said, this was a tiny tiny ray of light amongst the darkness of Stupid People who never took the time to learn about the Constitution and just blindly accept whatever the federales and their media cohorts spoon feed them. (Wow, I think I might have just set off a flag in the federales' monitoring systems...where's my cone of silence when I need it??)
Uhh, so....oh yeah: tiny ray of light, blah blah blah. And then this:
(Oh please, don't let him get started on the whole "astronomy vs astrology" debate. We'll be here all night...)
For those of you who glance at the daily horoscope and just laugh, this isn't meant for you. For those who use horoscopes or star charts to plan their daily and future lives....
You know what? I'm just letting that one go - to each his own, even if it makes you look like a complete and total moron (said in a cool Darth Vaderish voice, giving my opinion gravitas)
But that video - they made a song about the zodiacal signs???? With interpretive dance???
Tiny ray of light in the darkness......SLAMMED INTO OBLIVION! The stupid! It burns!!!!
Ahh, time for more Nyquil. If nobody comes after me at 2 AM, the guys in the suits and dark shades even at night, well, maybe I'll post again soon. In the meantime:
Go Rick Perry! (and I am actually serious about that. No, I mean it - it's for real! What, you don't believe me? Yeah, I know were talking about Ol' Mofo, but still....yes, I know, me praise Perry? Just accept it on faith, okay? I don't give a you-know-what if you think I'm full of it - I am proud to call him governor for the first time. EVER. Yes, I know that brings us one more sign closer to the Apocalypse, the next being when I miss a LOST episode and then DON'T catch it online the next day. Dude, give it up - I am really proud of Perry, okay, so just back off. Go read your horoscope or something.)
Dang. Out of Nyquil.
No proofing, no spell check - this is the RAW feed straight from my brain onto your screen, but without the messy organic stuff.
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4 comments:
uhhh...I know this is a dumb question...but does that mean we won't get the stimulus money??
By the way - you should take nyquil more often LOL
I thought at first Perry said that in response to not taking the bailout money. That would have been so much better.
Dee - the way i understand it is that Perry only refused the $550 million (or whatever amount it was, too lazy to look it up, too sick to care right now) that was earmarked (lol) for increased unemployment benefits. His problem with it was that the $$$ came with too may strings, and eventually Texas would be forced to keep funding the thing once the federales cut off the stimulus money. So Perry just told them to keep it.
Robin - I agree, but even the little thing he did was pretty cool. Now if he would only get up there and tell the federales what they can go do with the entire stimulus packlage.
What? You don't read your horoscope to plan the future life of yourself in an alternate universe? That's just sooohoohoooo irresponsible.
;)
Was reading in a woo-woo book the other day that Scorpios are both dark and regenerative forces. Personally, I wish I were more straight forward. ;) One or the other. . . Interesting constellation story, though. Gotta love Artemis calling in the scorpion to put the smack down on Orion for getting fresh. :P Heh heh.
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