Post #4727 M: Ron Paul on the Lockdown Disease; Tom Wood's Life Advice

Quote of the Day

One's first book, kiss, home run, is always the best.

Clifton Fadiman 

Ron Paul on the Lockdown Disease

 

Tom Wood's Life Advice

         

Woods on Hitler and Economics

   

Choose Life

Political Cartoon

Courtesy of Gary Varvel via Townhall

Musical Interlude: #1 Hits 1963 

 Go Away Little Girl/Steve Lawrence

 

Post #4726 M: McClanahan on Government Education; Portland and the Left

Quote of the Day

Do not speak of your happiness to one less fortunate than yourself.

Plutarch

McClanahan on Government Education

 

Portland and the Left

      

Choose Life

Political Cartoon

Musical Interlude: #1 Series 1963

Telstar / The Tornados

   

Post #4725 M: McClanahan on Personal Responsibility; DiLorenzo on 10 Things About Socialism

Quote of the Day

The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.
Franklin D. Roosevelt  

McClanahan on Personal Responsibility

Woods on Smashing the Duopoly

DiLorenzo on 10 Things About Socialism

Choose Life

Political Cartoon

Courtesy of Michael Ramirez via Townhall

Musical Interlude: The Beatles

"Real Love". This marks the end of my Beatles series. My next series will have a different twist. I'll count down #1 hits in the rock era, starting with 1963.

Post #4724 J: Blogiversary 12; the Census Again?

Blogiversary 12

I don't recall if I celebrated my blogiversary last year; I was starting a temp gig at the time. I made sure to put it into my Google calender.

We are now going through the fourth Presidential campaign during the life of the blog. I think I referenced in earlier posts I had been debating with myself for a few weeks whether or when to start the blog. To a certain degree, I wanted to pose as an independent blogger; I had been a nominal registered Republican since the late  1980's when I left the Democrats as a young professor and alienated conservative Democrat (the politicization of the brilliant Bork nomination was the final straw; I had long fumed over the progressive wing of the party that had marginalized us). I had always been a fiscal conservative, even during my liberal salad days.

But even in my more socially (modern) liberal days, I disdained political correctness; I opposed the Chicano protests while at OLL, resented being forced to attend the lecture of then an obscure speaker of color, Alex Haley. I loved academic rigor and "the Great Books" and hated being force-fed multicultural rubbish. I was (and remain) strongly pro-life. Still, I was impressed with much progressive legislation more in terms of its ideals than in its means. I didn't have an undergraduate course in economics, although I had some exposure through a social philosophy course, including Marx and Engels. I really didn't have a concept of the opportunity costs of legislation, unintended consequences, how government exacerbates underlying issues and creates moral hazard.

I had become increasingly skeptical of progressive legislation and its effectiveness, not to mention the political failures of Carter's Presidency for which I had had a personal stake, volunteering for the first and only time in his Texas campaign. Four years later, I would be standing for Ted Kennedy at the 1980 caucuses. It really wasn't Kennedy's policies, more of an identification with the ideals of his slain older brothers, John and Robert. But what really solidified my growing political conservatism was taking graduate economics courses at UH. (And they were not at all "conservative"; it might shock my old professors to know of my interest in free market economics.) At the time I was a computer programmer/analyst and looked at getting an MBA for career prospects.

(I also thought maybe it was a way of meeting single women. It was partially effective; I did date more over the next 6 years, but no serious relationship and one particularly bad one that led me to separate from Catholic Newman, my refuge of sorts from the madness of academia and its stresses, on campus around the time I started on my dissertation.) The part-time MBA program, especially for non-business school graduates, required 12 prerequisite hours (4 classes): two in economics and 2 in QMS (basically statistics). I'm fairly sure that my econ courses were totally meat-and-potato economics without any obvious political perspective. In fact, I can honestly say I don't know my UH professors' politics (don't blame them for my views :-)), except Dr. Zinkhan, my marketing prof, once cautioned me I was coming across as too strident. (Unfortunately, Zinkhan became probably my most famous former professor involved in an infamous murder-suicide in Georgia a few years back.) For the most part, I think most business school profs lean moderate to progressives in their views.

The fact is that I had liked McCain's maverick reputation and bipartisan approach; he was the clear front runner to succeed former rival George W. Bush when his mismanaged campaign came apart in 2007. I was ecstatic when he rose from the ashes to capture the nomination, battling media conservative trolls in online forums targeting McCain for early votes against Bush's temporary tax cuts, his embrace of immigration reform, and ill-fated campaign finance reforms. I had made two small donations, never did get the promised gimmick gift of a tire gauge named "Obama's Energy Plan". I did get livid over the Obama asshole behavior, which I never forgave Barry for, like when McCain tried to defer the first debate over the TARP crisis, and Obama was sneering McCain was trying to chicken out of the debate, said he could do his part on the road with a pen and a phone.

When I started the blog, I wanted to avoid the appearance of a tilt, and if my blog and tweets have shown over the years, I have blasted some views of favorite politicians and even occasionally praised the opposition and/or Trump. You can probably read some of the criticisms I had of the McCain campaign (e.g., the Palin pick, the campaign suspension, etc., I was actually surprised the populist in him didn't take the obvious stand against TARP), and you saw parts of my dismay when I publicly called on McCain to dump Palin. But for the most part I was paranoid that if I publicly criticized McCain, it might be used to hurt his campaign. Ah, the hubris of a new blogger's ego!

The blog eventually migrated into what it's become in the present; it found its own formula/niche. I'm now more libertarian than conservative, and there's a lot of older stuff that I would wince at today. Now I came to see McCain in a tougher light; the straight talk turned into soundbites, and his pro-interventionist bias bothered me.

Sure, I was hoping readership would grow more than it has, but I'm less than a year away from post #5000. And I hope you all continue the ride, to find interest in what I have to say.

The Census: Again?

I know I blogged about doing this year's census. And I'm a digital packrat, I keep hardcopies of everything, including the online census.

I don't know why suddenly I felt like I was getting targeted by incompetent Census people again. It seemed like I was getting  more than my fair share of Census ads online and on cable. Maybe just a coincidence, but a weird one.

This is probably the first time, with remote home work, that anyone has probably found me at home at Census time. Maybe these bozos have done this in the past and I never knew about it. So some older dude, not identifying himself, knocks and asks to talk to the head of the household. I honestly thought this was one of these usual sales guys trying to sell me alternative energy from BGE (local utility). I have zero tolerance for being interrupted by these guys and quickly ended the encounter as "Not interested."

But the "head of household" bit was unusual and it popped in my head maybe this was a Census dude. A few days later I came home from a grocery run to find a Census flyer on my (and also a neighbor's) door.

Dude, I already submitted my form and I can prove it. If the Census "lost" my data, not my problem! Go away for another decade.

Post #4723 M: Stossel on SpaceX and the Private Sector in Space; McClanahan on Academia

Quote of the Day

People are in greater need of your praise when they try and fail, 
than when they try and succeed.
Bob Moawad  

Stossel on SpaceX and the Private Sector in Space

McClanahan on Academia

Choose Life

Political Cartoon

Musical Interlude: The Beatles

"Free As a Bird". As we near the end of this countdown, we Beatles fans after the breakup were desperately hoping for new unreleased material, maybe some forgotten, overlooked classic. So these last two songs were special, but maybe didn't meet unrealistic expectations. Of course, whatever hopes we had of a Beatles reunion album died with John Lennon's murder. All four had decent solo success, but you have to wonder what might have been if Lennon and McCartney continued to bounce ideas off each other, how their music would have evolved.

Post #4722 M: Remy in NoMargaritaville; McClanahan on Ivy League Lies

Quote of the Day

My home is not a place, it is people.
Lois McMaster Bujold  

Remy in NoMargaritaville

McClanahan on Ivy League Lies

Towards Political Civility

Choose Life

Political Cartoon

Courtesy of Pat Cross via Townhall

Musical interlude: The Beatles

"For You Blue"

Post #4721 Commentary: Open Immigration vs. Libertarians

This is not going to an exhaustive review of split camps in libertarians over immigration. The late-life Murray Rothbard and notably Hans-Hermanne Hoppe have sought to rationalize that restrictionist regimes are consistent within the construct of a libertarian society committed to the ideas of free markets, etc. At the risk of oversimplification, the idea is that a voluntary society loses some of its identity and culture by forced occupation of heterogeneous elements.

Others, like Ron Paul, argue the lure of the social welfare state. (Hoppe rightly argues the social welfare net is a separate issue.) The basic argument is fleshed out in this quote from Milton Friedman:

There is no doubt that free and open immigration is the right policy in a libertarian state, but in a welfare state it is a different story: the supply of immigrants will become infinite.

(Note that Friedman was not a restrictionist; he specifically approved of illegal Latino immigration.)

But the line "the supply of immigrants will be infinite" is fairly generic; for example, the Trump proxy in a recent SOHO debate used it to rationalize restrictions. The idea is that the other 95% of the global population would quickly overrun the native population and transform the country to something different, without our consent.

Now first of all, I want to provide a personal anecdote that illustrates, from both directions, how unrealistic this being overrun scenario is. In 1995, I worked at a Brazilian client location in Sao Paulo for a few months (I thought it would be for 3 weeks). Among other things, I was dating this beautiful Brazilian woman. (Not bad given the fact I knew little Portuguese going to Brazil,  and my lady knew little English. I don't even remember how the topic came up but my project manager told me that he could get me the equivalent of a 6-figure job offer with the client, well-above what I was making and would make for comfortable standard of living. Don't get me wrong; I loved visiting Brazil, and I love the people there. But my family and friends are back in the States a continent away; I love the freedom and the country, our culture and customs. As for girlfriend, I would have loved for her to join me in the States; I probably would have married her. But she had no interest in coming to the States (beyond an occasional tourist visit): her family and friends were in Brazil; she loved her country: the flip side of my experience.

I don't claim that my anecdotal experiences are generalizable, but I do think there's a risk in relocating to a new place with strange new customs, language, and culture: how well will you be treated in your new homeland, can you find steady work; you are leaving your comfort zone, you may never see again your family and your old friends. Yes, it's an easier decision if you are fleeing political oppression, like Hitler's "final solution".

I can't interview my great-grandparents on both sides of the family who emigrated from Canada in the late nineteenth century. I know certain aspects of the Quebec diaspora, e.g., large Catholic families ran out of room to sustain individual farms. New England became a lure for many French-Canadians looking for a better life, including farmers and loggers, not to mention the lure of jobs at the textile mills of Fall River, MA, where my own folks were born in a thriving Franco-American community. (The textile mills have long gone away, with Southern and other competition.) My maternal grandmother was a weaver and proud of her skills; my grocer grandfather wanted her to be a housewife, proud of his ability to provide for her. But make no mistake; working at the mills was a hard life. And of course there was no social welfare system. Franco-Americans pride themselves on a hard work ethic, probably considered it a loss of face to take charity.

So let's be clear: the immigration boom during the nineteenth through early twentieth century occurred without a social welfare state and the federal budget was small; we also didn't see unlimited people coming. This was under a fairly open immigration system (with some ugly anti-Asian exceptions and/or unofficial caps). We have some significant expensive access problems for most of the global population outside the Western Hemisphere. Since about WWI and its aftermath we've seen an economically illiterate quota system, which remains intact to this very day; it creates artificial shortages, even as our high tech industry seeks to recruit global talent to accommodate growth initiatives. Even if we tripled our annual quotas, it would only mean like something 1% of the American population. Having to wait 15 or more years is an abomination. And most empirical studies I've seen show significant economic benefits to increased immigration.

I see the right to travel and to migrate as an essential construct of freedom. I see restrictions to immigration as an abomination to the ideals under which this country was founded. Almost every libertarian think tank--Cato Institute, Reason, Adam Smith Institute, etc.--advocates an open-immigration perspective. I've often cited Cato's Alex Nowrasteh. Bryan Caplan's Open Borders, and Benjamin Powell, among others.

Post #4720 M: SOHO Presidential Debate For Libertarians

Quote of the Day

Life is no brief candle to me. 
It is sort of a splendid torch 
which I have got hold of for a moment, 
and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible 
before handing it on to future generations.
George Bernard Shaw

SOHO Presidential Debate For Libertarians

I occasionally embed longer clips, in particular, SOHO debates. It will not surprise readers that I think the Jorgensen proxy won the debate; I've made it clear in tweets and posts that I intend to vote for Jorgensen and am not convinced by the argument mathematically Jorgensen can't win. I'm not going to go into a long analysis here. Ilya (Biden's proxy) is a fellow open-borders advocate and I think his strongest argument is on immigration; I'm not sure why others didn't challenge him more on union historical resistance to immigration and Deporter-in-Chief Obama. I found his trade argument weak, given among other things Clinton flipped on TPP and Democrats still oppose free trade on behalf of labor protectionist and environmental groups; they dislike the concept of temporary foreign visitors and regularly accuse of China of currency manipulation. As for Trump's proxy, other than maybe regulations and some court appointments, I was surprised Trump's targeting of Sanford, Amash, and Massie didn't get raised, his hostility towards Iran, etc. Only lip service to Trump's vast national debt accumulation, the COVID-19 spending bill, his self-serving use of the veto and dubious executive orders, his questionable abuses of "emergency authority", his refusal to look at social insurance reform, etc. I don't even think Trump's impeachment got raised. So I was disappointed that a lot of points I think weren't fleshed out.

A Pro-Masker Maces A Couple Eating Lunch

Fake Patriotism vs Athlete Indulgence

Choose Life

This fear over healthy cousins hugging is absurd.

Political Cartoon

Courtesy of Steve Breen via Townhall

Musical Interlude: The Beatles

"Blackbird"

Post #4719 Social Media Digest

Parler

No new parleys, and all notifications were from libertarians I'm following, i.e., the Paul's and Massie.

Facebook

Twitter

Well, outside of the bizarre 3-day shadow ban of sorts last week, I've been off to a blistering start on the new, including a 25K impression ad lib tweet on the topic of VeryScaryPeople. It's been rare I've had more than a handful "viral tweets" (>1K) in my top 20 list. Now all 20 > 1.2K, and I know there must be a handful below that. Still, not a lot of engagements (likes or retweets); most have less than a dozen, at least one with none. I also made a point in recent posts of discussing my Twitter war with Ms. Debra, an ICU nurse, which appears below.

That's the Hemingway of Twitter for you #sarcasm. There is nothing "beautiful" about any war. Almost all are avoidable, they all sacrifice a generation, destroy families and property. Trump is hyping America's part in the wars like he hypes Trump Ice.

"Beautiful World Wars"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

Trump is desperate; he's resurrecting 4-year-old soundbites, something, anything to rejuvenate his sagging poll numbers less than 4 months before the election. But what he's really saying is after 3.5 years of Trump, America isn't so great.

"MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

Probably not. We don't have any way of knowing if a person is infected, and masks only partially mitigate the risk. You should wear a mask for your own protection. Good luck proving you got the virus at Winn Dixie. It's not like the virus comes with a GPS.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

If Wallace doesn't watch out, he won't get tickets to the inaugural ball.

He better ask Joe Biden now. #sarcasm

"Chris Wallace"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

Jesse Jackson is probably wondering why Trump is snubbing him for renaming military basis.

"Al Sharpton"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

N95 masks by design are more effective than cloth masks. There is no doubt that cloth masks are better than no masks at mitigating a respiratory virus, but no, not better than N95.

Mandated mask use is unenforceable and counterproductive, bad public policy.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

I guarantee you don't. I have a strong math and science background, and I've done original empirical research. I can actually read the NEJM and can critique the research. I'm also widely read on COVID-19, like my reference to airborne. I'm not a healthcare worker, true enough.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

No. You have no concept about unenforceable public policy. And you're not helping the cause by dissing the scientific fact that masks serve to protect the wearer as well. The scarcity of superior N95 masks has a lot to do with economically illiterate public policy.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

Lady, you lost all credibility the second you tweeted face masks provide one-way protection (for others). There's no way you can walk that back. Not to mention over 90% of the people wearing masks aren't infected. You are your own worst enemy.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

The last thing we need is for police to use their subjective judgment on the quality and fit of mask. No, the best defense we have is knowing who has/doesn't have the disease. You need to quarantine who has the disease and check those in contact. Masks are a secondary strategy.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

Well, there are all sorts of issues with public education. BY FAR, THE HUGEST PROBLEM WAS IN TESTING. The CDC/FDA screwed up royally, and Trump is responsible. He's still fighting against funding testing.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

I'm not arguing against masks, but I think it's better to persuade people to wear them for their own safety than to unrealistically impose unenforceable public policy. Look at where the War on Drugs stands after decades. We need to engage the private sector, deregulate.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

Actually your response is misguided on several levels. The whole kerfuffle over the shortage of N95 surgical masks dealt with PROTECTING THE PROVIDER, not so much the infected patient. And see the following story below.https://t.co/YvhbZ5mk9p

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

Well, remember over 90% of the population remains uninfected. Winn Dixie isn't banning your protecting yourself. The mask mandate is controversial, and the store probably doesn't want confrontations between customers and employees. You can choose "safer" markets.#WinnDixie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

Since you're already home, no assigned homework (beyond chores). #FakeHomeSchoolFacts

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

Trump's immigration policy was shaped by his immigrant mother and immigrant wives. #FakeHomeSchoolFacts

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

OK, history lesson. Secession is not "treason"; secession was what the American Revolution was about. The South didn't start the war, did not try to take the North by force. The Army named said bases in the 20th century, without respect to ideology.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

I thought Kanye West already withdrawn. I think Kanye needs to get his money back from the American history class he took at Trump University.

"Kanye West says Harriet Tubman 'never actually freed the slaves' during his South Carolina campaign rally"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 19, 2020

"I don't like tests: SAT's, COVID-19" #OverheardAtATrumpRally

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

You mean we aren't talking about the Dem Presidential candidates and Congressional legislators? #VeryScaryPeople

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

I really don't give a damn whether he has a Trumpertantrum over the results; the Constitution decides the winner of the election. Trump cannot veto the election.

"President Trump refuses to say whether he will accept election results during recent interview with Chris Wallace"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

Let's stop pretending Trump is responsible for COVID-19, not people taking responsibility for their own health decisions.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

First, I am not a Republican, but I'll point out out Reagan, Bush 41, and Bush 43 supported immigration reform. (Obama killed it in 2007.) And the Deporter-in-Chief and Biden did separate families although not in policy https://t.co/lz2aOFcrnM

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

You have a reading comprehension problem. What I said is factual. I didn't say there was a policy under Obama. I said family separations happened. If you deny it, you're a liar. We're done.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

" Experts say there were some separations under previous [Bush and Obama] administrations, but no blanket policy to prosecute parents and, therefore, separate them from their children." Some progressive trolls have a reading comprehension problem. https://t.co/X70Nl6U6VI

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

Oh my God! All I did was write a tongue-in-cheek tweet poking fun at leftist Democrats. I'm a libertarian who also pokes fun at the GOP, and strongly support open immigration. All of a sudden, I'm being accused of defending Trump's immigration policies.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

The curse of nationalism didn't start with Trump. Many of us pledged allegiance to start the school day.

I personally don't like entertainers using public access to bore us with their politics; I don't go to a game to practice the religion of nationalism.

"Mark Cuban"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

You are a special kind of stupid. You don't send infected patients to a nursing home with at risk residents; I'm not a virologist, but that's common sense. It's a matter of common sense. Stop making excuses for Nursing Home Killer Cuomo.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

You're not intelligent enough to understand that for Biden to win, he has to reach beyond the Dem base.

Now, I think Biden is just as bad as Trump, which is why I'll be voting for Jorgensen. Personally, I think Kasich should do the same. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

Will record-term IL House Speaker Madigan finally be taken out over corruption charges? One can only hope for his political obituary...https://t.co/PJNjxp9QLp

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

Funny... You don't look like Grover Cleveland.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

Some incompetent bastard had responsibility for testing, and his CDC/FDA fucked up, unlike South Korea, which had the insight to get the private sector involved and thus contained COVID-19.

It's not the "China virus"; Trump is the "American virus". The Trumpkin virus eats brains

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

Yup. Let's start by repealing the Patriot Act, demilitarize the police, end qualified immunity, stop civil asset forfeiture, end the War on Drugs, end the drone wars overseas.... https://t.co/gMPLzabtAG

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

Fortunately, in November, there is the possibility of a great President: Jo Jorgensen, the REAL alternative to the false choice of Trump and Biden.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 20, 2020

I don't know much about Kanye West or his music, but it's sad that his daughter will find out she was almost aborted as an unwanted pregnancy--because he wanted publicity for his futile political campaign.

Kardashian

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

I don't know if the allegations have merit, but you have to wonder, given the nature of the media, why Lauer, Cosby and others thought they could get away with it. Challenge?

"Sexual misconduct lawsuit filed against Fox News, Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Ed Henry and others"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

This meme is spectacularly uninformed and absurd across the board. And at one point I was registered in each party, no longer. I could kill each point. Let's take immigration. The Dems have traditionally opposed it for decades under labor protectionism concerns and their unions.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

I love how you cite "science believer" Nursing Home Killer Cuomo.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

Fuck your Fake Patriotism!

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

A follow-up point on Soledad O'Brien's ignorant dismissal of "just a meteorologist" (vs. healthcare specialist)'s tweet in reference to COVID-19. Did you ever wonder about seasonality factors (temperature, humidity) for the flu, etc.? What profession? https://t.co/5pM4DLKtVT

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

Tom Cotton is incompetent in American history. The state government of South Carolina had seceded, just like the colonies did from the British Empire. Ft. Sumter surrendered on 4/13/1861. https://t.co/SAQ3LPtRVb

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

Tom Cotton represents the incoherence of "nationalist conservativism". He worships Lincoln and attacks the Confederates, while Trump threatens to veto defense appropriations with the stipulation that 10 military bases under the names of Confederate officials be renamed.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

That assumes the person has COVID-19. In which case the protection of in-flow doesn't matter. This talking point is idiotic.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

The basic reason people wear masks, especially N95, is to protect AGAINST infection. This warning doesn't involve said protection; it assumes you're shedding virus and this doesn't help others.

"Experts advise against the use of N95 respirator masks with exhalation valves"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

The guy who tried to host the G-7 at his Miami hotel, who commuted jail time for his friend, who tried to force Ukraine into opening a probe of his political rival, who hires family into the administration, who talks about pardoning himself, talks corruption?

"CORRUPT ELECTION"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

I sent out a follow-up tweet on this this morning. Flus are seasonal; why? Consider humidity and temperature. Guess what meteorologists do. See https://t.co/5pM4DLKtVT

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

Boy, you have things fucked up. Liz Cheney is a goddamn pro-interventionist neo-con, trying to keep our forces in Afghanistan. Translation: she's evil. Massie is one of the few heroes out there, a pro-liberty conservative. She tried to help Trump primary him. Evil.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

It figures. "Progressive" trolls like Cheney. Darth Vader is her father. The Cheney's are an evil family dynasty. Do you think Bush would have gone into Iraq without Darth Cheney's lobbying? Liz is desperately trying to keep Trump from withdrawing from Afghanistan

"Liz Cheney"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

Damn! What's the point of going to Congress if you can't say anything?

"Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs, who now chairs the Freedom Caucus, urged Ms Cheney and others to praise Mr Trump when he does something they support, but otherwise hold their tongues, Politico reported."

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

Oh, get serious! Trump ran for POTUS against stupid wars, dumped more bombs on Afghanistan that Obama did in any year. https://t.co/CrpRsCf1dQ

"Several House Republicans confront Rep. Liz Cheney over breaking with Trump"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

Progressive trolls are upset Yoho is copying their use of profanity. AOC needs to go back to bitching about the price of bagels at airports.

"Republican Ted Yoho accosted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with crude language, The Hill reports"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

Thank you for reminding about McConnell's good points.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

Unfortunately for you, this is not the 1960's. Approximately 20% of the South is black. Look at the percentages of black legislators (2009) in AL, GA, SC, MS, NC, FL. Three years after a 2-term black President, mostly elected by white voters, say what?https://t.co/YMKQX0DZcZ

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

This anti-Astros hysteria is condemned by every legitimate baseball fan. Watching Twitter jerks cheer on pitchers throwing at and hitting Astros players is abominable. As we have repeatedly pointed out, the 2017 Astros had a better ROAD record and won the Series in LA

"Altuve"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

Broward County has implemented a fairly Draconian family residence mask requirement. If my nuclear family of 9 had even 1 house guest, face masks would be required in the residence. https://t.co/ILdU8X4oDx

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

This is Soft Rock America. Trump at his latest presser wished Ghislane Maxwell well. I can't get this Beatles' song out of my head: https://t.co/HnCO4yDr7A

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 21, 2020

Trump's corruption is so pervasive, it's surprising when he doesn't try to manipulate the government to his personal benefit. in this case trying to steer the UK into naming his Scottish golf resort to host the British Open.https://t.co/CWEbXil7T8

"Trump's Request"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

The Trump Wives #MAGAaMovie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Illegal Aliens #MAGAaMovie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Freeing the (Roger) Stone #MAGAaMovie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Honey, I Blew Up the National Debt #MAGAaMovie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Trump Primaried Mr. Smith #MAGAaMovie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

When Donny Met Vlady #MAGAaMovie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

The Epstein Connection #MAGAaMovie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

You've Got Hillary's Emails #MAGAaMovie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Bigly #MAGAaMovie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

The Little Mermaid (or How Trump Chased Some Tail) #MAGAaMovie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Deist is right... whereas we libertarians are horrified by what is going on in Portland and Trump's unconstitutional intervention in protests, Democrats basically voted for the resources and infrastructure that he's using. They just don't like him.https://t.co/PcCUZT28Bv

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Pelosi is now using a concept I've tweeted/not seen others use: the Trump virus. It's not impossible others have coincidentally developed a similar construct. But it's chilling thinking progressives may be reading my tweets.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Oh my God, and I thought having Trump as POTUS was a soap opera. I don't know much about Kanye West, but I've seen a lot of weirdness over the past week, including all these references to involuntary commitment.

"Kris Jong-Un"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Seeing all these references to "Hotel California". I came to loathe the song because of a weird incident while working in Irving, TX. I think a local rock/adult contemporary station I used to listen to underwent a format change & left repeatedly playing the song.

"Don Henley"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

A little dark humor. I know Chicago has a violence problem, but funeral parlors now provide drive-through service?

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Is this a subtle way of Kanye mocking wife Kim's height or lack thereof?

"Kris Jong-Un"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Given Trump's take on the "China virus", I don't think he'll lose sleep over the loss of the Wuhan consulate. https://t.co/ruh7NyVct3

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

I lived in Houston for 7 years, earned 2 graduate degrees there. It was a 5-mile drive to the nearest grocery store. I once had car radiator issues on the Southwest Freeway on a Friday night; I honestly worried some motorist would shoot me.

"Welcome to Houston"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Oh, I gave the leftists too much credit! I've used "the Trump virus" as the construct explaining how Trumpkin ideas eat brain issue as Republicans forsake conservatism for Yankee RINOism.

No, we're talking about adolescent taunting in response to "China virus"#TrumpVirus

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Mitch McConnell is signaling that he is ready to give the USG another hit of grandchildren tax money: better to not see the addict go through withdrawal. Never mind the national debt is already over $26.5T. Trump is closing in on Obama's $10T record.https://t.co/4BCu3kl6XF

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

I would like to cancel this stupid tweet. No, Trump is not responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. And Trump is not responsible for people not taking care of themselves.

For the record, I'm a Never Trumper. But I hate any authoritarians, including you know-nothing progressives.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

I have a sibling with the same condition, and I love her unconditionally. Kanye West's musical genius and worthiness is beyond dispute. But he has to take care of himself and stay on his meds. https://t.co/Js63U9g7iI

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Your tweet tells me what kind of person you are, you parasitic socialist bastard.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Out of curiosity, what about Maryland? I got snail mail some time back saying MD no longer recognizes the LP.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 22, 2020

Just a reminder: Rand Paul was not symptomatic, did not knowingly interact with anyone who had COVID-19, did a proactive test and proactively quarantined when he was diagnosed.

Just canceling the tweets of idiotic "progressives" who show their profound stupidity.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

I disagree with Rand, although he's the best US Senator around. Nursing Home Killer Cuomo should be prosecuted, not just impeached.

"Rand Paul"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

Biden is not only an unprincipled, economically illiterate political whore, but he is literally wrong on every possible issue. He's like FDR who supersized Hoover's ineffectual, counterproductive "progressive" economic policies, prolonging the Depression.

"Biden's America"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

Democrats have problems with numbers.

"I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races-that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, ... to hold office"
Lincoln https://t.co/2GgDTiaog2

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

Spoken like an idiot completely unaware of Biden's 5 decades in DC.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

Trump was waiting for face mask to come out with the Presidential seal on it. Because you know that'll scare off the "China virus".

I fully expect him to offer a free one with at least a $200 donation towards his reelection campaign.

"Chuck Todd"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

I just saw some scientifically illiterate "progressive" whores bashing Rand Paul for putting other Congressmen in danger for not quarantining from others while he was asymptomatic.

Just a reminder: how many legislators caught COVID-19 from Dr. Paul? NOBODY.

"Rand Paul"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

Unconstitutional. Impeach him again. Make him be the first President to be impeached twice.

"Trump announces 'surge' of federal law enforcement to Chicago"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

Congressman Roy (R-TX) is pissed off because Trump is too civil in referencing Ms. Maxwell. That's a first. Of course, it bothers me that he treats Jeff Sessions worse than Putin, Ms. Maxwell, American war criminals or commies.

"GOP lawmaker condemns Trump remarks on Maxwell"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

I wish Trump spent as much time worrying about COVID-19 testing.

Dude, you publish insane tweets daily; do you think we need any further evidence? The only reason he's doing this is that he thinks he has an advantage over Biden.#CognitiveTest

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

Seriously, dude? You guys have to go back 30 years to find a critical interview with Trump?

"Barbara Walters"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

You are a freaking moron. No, Russians haven't killed American troops. Obama the Fascist is responsible for more Americans in Afghanistan killed than Bush and Trump combined.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

The only people worse than those voting for Trump are those voting for Biden.#ImVoting4BidenBecause

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

Recently read failed RINO POTUS Donald Trump who has violated the Constitution and the law with his unlawful armed intervention in Portland. Unlike Ridge, who follows the law, Trump doesn't have the mental agility to understand the law. Time to impeach him again.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

My latest blog post discusses the face mask mandate kerfuffle.https://t.co/eK9DdUwaSk

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 23, 2020

#AcedTheCognitiveTestBy writing the opposite of Trump's answers.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

#AcedTheCognitiveTestBy hiring Trump's proxy test taker

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

#AcedTheCognitiveTestBy playing scrabble with my alphabet soup

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

I'm Catholic. I've lived my life taking a knee.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

Why are we celebrating nationalism before sports events?

"National Anthem"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

The neo-conservatism's goal is to Make Commie Enemies Again. Who is today's Joe McCarthy? https://t.co/2UZWvO0LQG

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

We need to return to our open-immigration heritage.

What's surprising is how many people are oblivious to decades of Democrat resistance to immigration because of labor union protectionism.#DurbinLiesImmigrantsDie

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

First of all, public education is implemented at the state/local level. Trump is trying to use the strings attached to the 8% of the budget paid by the USG, but in reality it's not his decision.

Second, even if public schools open, you have alternatives.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

I love how all the "progressive" hypocrites are pointing out Trump's teenage son is attending private school. What about the Obama kids? Just like the Clinton kid.... The big difference is Clinton and Obama pandered to corrupt, anti-competitive public teacher unions.

Barron

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

After The Impeached One loses his election this fall and all you Republicans start distancing yourselves from his train wreck Presidency, I'm going to hold you accountable for this tweet. As a libertarian, I know Trump's not done one good thing for the economy or foreign policy

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

Yeah right, Ms. Haley. The same POTUS who extorted Ukraine to open an investigation of his political rival, who commuted the sentence of his personal friend, who tried to get his Miami property to host the G-7, is "selfless".

Selfless

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

Opening Day of major league baseball. (Well, two games played last night.) What surprised me? The Cincinnati Reds, the oldest franchise, didn't start off like they had for over a century. I was curious--I had to dig to find out no fans in attendance at the Nationals/Yankee game.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

One odd fact in baseball: Truman, a natural southpaw, threw baseballs with both hands on opening day. I also do the same (not on opening day). Bill Clinton and Barry Obama are also natural left-handers. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little. I hate all 3 of them.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

Lefties are engaging in crackpot conspiracy theories about Trump using his position to manipulate ballot delivery. Come on, folks! We're talking USPS. If you were worried about speed, reliability and efficiency, we should have privatized USPS decades ago.

USPS

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 24, 2020

Nope. I'm Never Trump, but this clip is just another trite Trump Derangement Syndrome clip. America has made many awful mistakes that historians will disagree on. But I submit Teddy Roosevelt's decision to seek a third term gave us Woodrow Wilson.#AmericasGreatestMistake

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

Of course, the election of Trump was an abomination. The Republicans in 2016 stupidly let a former registered Democrat plutocrat steal their nomination. But even worse, the Democrats nominated the only person who could lose to Trump.#AmericasGreatestMistake

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

As major league baseball returns to empty stadiums (?), I wonder about the road not taken. I would love to see teams play games on historic old fields across America, various fields of dreams, etc.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

"Because stopping 2% of microbes helps" #WordsToPutOnMasks

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

Nursing Home Killer Cuomo decides chicken wings don't qualify as bar food during the pandemic. Big Nanny has essentially transferred from Bloomberg to Cuomo. Sports fans of the world, unite!https://t.co/R4jdVNriHA

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

Do you idiotic Trumpkins ever read anything? Your tweet is pure bullshit. The church was not banned from services. It was fighting a rule to limit attendance to 50 which it considered more stringent than some businesses in the state.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

Artificial caps on church attendance (e.g., without regard to social distancing accommodation) are blatantly unreasonable, and inconsistent safety standards violate the fundamental concept of the rule of law. Chief Justice Roberts got this one wrong.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

Hey, honey, I finally unwrapped the condom. #DontDoThisAfterSex

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

"An extra-innings rule will begin each extra inning with a runner on second base. "

What the hell? Is baseball trying to imitate bullshit soccer or football tiebreaker gimmicks?

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

Trump is an economically illiterate political whore trying to pander his way to reelection. The real solution to high prices involves the free market and patent and regulatory reform promoting market competition.

"Trump signs orders to lower prescription drug costs"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

My meteorologist nephew is seeing his first hurricane as a professional heading straight towards him. I know secretly he's thrilled. I lived through one as a doctoral student in Houston: not a pleasant memory.

"Hurricane Hanna heads for a South Texas coronavirus hotspot"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

The Hill is doing everything it can to stoke female voter discontent against the GOP, trying to project a pattern over recent Liz Cheney and AOC. (I would oppose these political whores regardless of gender.) Just a reminder to female voters: there's an alternative: Jo Jorgensen.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

I'm happy to see people stand up for protecting the First Amendment and against Trump's unconstitutional federal troopers.

"'Wall of Vets' joins Black Lives Matter protests in Portland"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

The First Amendment applies to unpopular opinions most specifically. I believe the free market of ideas does the most to discredit crackpot conspiracy theories. This type of "progressive" advocacy of populist censorship is counterproductive; it gives them publicity.

Plandemic

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

I'm watching the Cubs and the Brewers on Fox (thank God for MLB). It's a surreal experience though, because it sounds like there's a crowd at Wrigley Field and yet I see all these empty seats. I've seen shots of left field where it looks like there are fans out there--Fake Crowd?

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

What is it with American worship of bastard authoritarian POTUS? It's contrary to the very essence of liberty, the very idea of America. There's never been a decent POTUS in my lifetime, and I'm older than most people.

"Hail to the Chief"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

You can tell MLB players aren't sharp. A Brewer got caught off second base; I've never seen a runner get away with it, but this guy did (not to mention the runner off first). It comes back to bite the Cubs as he later comes around to score.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

Meme of the Day. I'm really not into the Fauci bashing by Trumpkins but this is pretty funny. pic.twitter.com/lQd0T6TYhA

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

I can understand why BLM is focusing on protesting white guilt hypocritical progressives in Portland; the rest of the country isn't stupid enough to vote them into office.#WallAgainstTrump

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

I gather Brett was one of those in Wisconsin who helped Trump win in 2016.

"Brett Favre"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

I am so tired of the hypocritical "progressive" trolls who somehow conflate COVID-19 deaths with Trump playing golf. Trump was playing golf before the novel coronavirus was a thing.

"Brett Favre"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

Both parties suck #DescribePoliticsIn3Words

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

Oh my God! It turns out the crowd sounds I heard during the Cubs game are made possible through a link at https://t.co/CnfjtgW4bA. pic.twitter.com/7Kilt0jlSs

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 25, 2020

Don't be stupid. Biden was an opposition senator during the Reagan Administration. Trump has never been a principled conservative.

What that means for this fall is not certain. I will be supporting Jorgensen. But I can tell you Reagan would never support Biden.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

No. Biden is still fucked up. No conservative will support him. Many conservatives will hold their noses and vote for the lesser of two evils. They are just tired of disingenuous Trump-Reagan comparisons.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

"Progressives" are engaging in wishful thinking. No principled conservative is happy with Trump, an unprincipled RINO, and his disingenuous comparisons with Reagan. That doesn't mean they will vote for a political whore like Biden, who opposed Reagan.

"Reagan Foundation"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

Well, that's a crackpot rant. But any leftist who thinks that Carlin didn't think Biden, with his 5 decades in Washington, isn't part of the problem is in a state of denial. We libertarians repeatedly point out corruption is a consequence of Big Government.

"George Carlin"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

Not me. There's a reason my ancestors left Canada in the nineteenth century and never looked back. I was born in God's country, Texas.

#WhyImHeadingNorth

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

Jesus was not a social activist; He preaches individual salvation. There's nothing noble in "progressive" politics, built on envy, which Jesus despised.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

I think Voight earned his licentiate from the School of Divinity at Trump University.

"Jon Voight"

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

Spoken like a goddamn moron who doesn't know Antifa is an oxymoron.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

Unconstitutional. Obama didn't do what you have. Stop with your self-serving excuses.

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

I suspect that the Nazi masks are meant to protest the fascist mask mandate, which is un-American. Statist progressive trolls aren't that intelligent and lack common sense. They are actually giving these fools the publicity they are seeking. Real Nazis are more subtle.

Nazis

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

Oh my God. I had predicted this was a protest gimmick even before I stumbled across this. Just a reminder: yes, Nazis were socialists--it's even in their name. And yes, Biden is a left-fascist. https://t.co/ofO2cvtDtD

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

You are a pathological, incompetent hypocritical liar. The House Democrats opposed it. They in fact didn't pass it. Personally, I oppose it because social insurance is already insolvent. Trump is simply copying the payroll tax cut under Obama.https://t.co/ihIQ7nybHe

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020

For those who are in a state of denial why House Democrats opposed Trump's resurrection of Obama's payroll tax cut gimmick: what does a payroll tax cut do for people without a job? At best, it slightly lowers the burden of hiring new people temporarily.

Schumer

— raguillemette (@raguillemette) July 26, 2020