archived: 1 - 7 May, 2005 Back Next
JAY GREENE
“Deadwood Act”
Junkie: Jay Greene’s letter below was sent to a friend in response to the Florida legislature’s recent enactment of a new law broadening the right of self-defense – to “meet force with force.” The Florida law obliterates historic criminal law doctrines that outside of one’s home, a person must “retreat” if reasonable. An excellent synopsis of the law can be found here: -- Washington Post
Green’s humorous analysis underscores the societal changes that the radical Republican right envisions for America.
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Think you've hit on something . . . when you say:
In case you didn't notice it, the NRA in claiming victory because of Florida's new law and has proclaimed a national campaign to get other states to follow suit (I think they are all blue states that have similar legislation under consideration)."
In these days of stripped down government, why even try to support expensive police departments - all those overlapping jurisdictions, wasteful duplication of equipment, etc? Instead, let’s have Democracy of the Gun - the show Deadwood is very big these days and there are other savings to be made - why pave streets?
I like the Deadwood look, sartorially, all tweed jackets and rough pants stuffed into great looking (albeit muddy) boots, and with the right legislation we could all walk around with pistols in great looking holsters (casual types prefer a 44 stuck in the waistband).
Settling disputes and grudges would be expeditious (and eliminate costly litigation – and insurance! No company in its right mind would insure anybody) and people are willing to accept the regrettable tradeoff of collateral damage to persons and property - think of all the money we're saving! And getting the minimal government we want and need.
It would put the funeral parlor trade right out of business. The tradeoff here is a somewhat greater allocation of public land for Boot Hill, but Deadwood shows how miscreants (not victims, a sissy word; the fact they lost means they were miscreants; that's the Justice of the Gun) are disposed of: quick burial in a hastily dug grave or the cadaver devoured by swine penned up right on Main Street.
Deadwood's denizens would never accept the use of the word - too highfalutin - but this is whole new paradigm for free men in a free society. What the hell do we need gummint for anyway, except to beat up other countries weaker then we are, and tax the poor so the rich live better - isn't that why men fought and died?
Once again you have discerned the future with complete clarity.
ERIC COX
“Clinton – First Presidential Election”
For several years I have been threatening my conservative friends with eight more years of the Clintons. If Hillary wants the nomination, it's hers for the asking. Senator Frist can get the GOP nod with some effort on his part, because Republicans tend to nominate party leaders, such as Daddy Bush and Bob Dole. Hillary's political skills are of a high order; she is very popular with Democratic leaders and, according to various Gallup polls, is the most respected woman in the nation. And Senator Frist is a pleasant Southern gentleman and a running partner of mine twice when we arrived at the local track at the same time. He, a marathoner, can outrun me. Of late, however, the media have been giving him a hard time because of his embrace of theocratic issues.
The pregnant question is who will win three years from now? My view is that if Democrats had an issue more than being against Republicans, they could win. Republicans did well with fighting communism and once, fiscal responsibility. Today they do well politically with lowering taxes.
Democrats need an issue beyond just being against Republican measures. I'll mention several I think would work, if they were presented as a major campaign theme with skill and determination. As a backdrop, it is well to recall that Ross Perot, as an independent did well with his lectures on economics combined with a tad of protectionism.
I'll list two such issues, namely environmentalism and our indefensibly high child poverty rate.
It is well known that President Bush has trashed environmental protection. Not too well know is that protecting the environment has conservative underpinnings. A reason relates to philosophy--the notion of a fiduciary relationship to the earth is violated if we leave our children a partially depleted planet with fouled air, unclean rivers and oceans, and destroyed forests. Public opinion polls demonstrate strong public support for environmental issues. The pregnant question is whether Hillary would embrace this issue and run hard with it.
Another good issue for Hillary to embrace is the disgraceful fact that the richest nation in all of history has about twenty percent of its children consigned to poverty, by far the highest proportion of any developed nation. And many of those kids go to bed hungry. Yes, Democrats could run on a platform of cutting child poverty in half and offer programs to realize this goal,
All Democrats could copy the success realized with the Republican Contract for America in which GOP candidates ran under this banner showing voters a development unusual among political parties, namely that they had their act together. Democrats could do the same under the banner of a Contract to Save America, with either the theme of saving the environment or saving our children as the main thrust.
CHARLES GREGORY
“I Am Their
Leader”
Junkie: Some Republicans follow TPJ. Charles Gregory is one such reader, who sends quips occasionally to enlighten the day.
Gregory submitted the following in response to Gene Barber’s letter to Howard Dean. On that note, Chairman Dean has not responded to Barber.
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Aha, Stephen, you Dems find use of:
"There goes my group; I must hurry after them, for I am their leader."
Some of us grassroots Republicans (not patronizingly) chuckle over that periodically :-)
Robespierre, was it?
JUDITH BARLOW PORTER
“Interesting”
I found the LEUTISHA STILLS’ article "Where Is It Christian?" especially interesting.
Junkie: So did a lot of TPJ readers, Judy. Stills is being published in a number of web publications across the United States.
Stills is an example of the talented individuals within the Democratic Party who have positive ideas not only for the Party, but the United States. TPJ encourages all readers to keep those ideas and vision for America coming.
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Last Update: 03/23/2006