Second Vermont Republic

"The Second Vermont Republic is a peaceful, democratic, grassroots solidarity movement committed to the return of Vermont to its rightful status as an independent republic as was the case in 1791 and to support Vermont's future development as a separate, sustainable nation-state."

Go Vermont!!

US lawmakers request UN observers for November 2 presidential election

This is BEYOND comment....read this closely...take down names of the traitors that propose this!!!

Calhoun's Constitutional Prescience

Still worth considering

John C. Calhoun

American Secession Project

ASP received a link on Lew Rockwell and man did the hits start rolling in.

Warmongering Republican Mercantilists (Sound Familiar?)

Warmongering Republican Mercantilists (Sound Familiar?)
by Thomas DiLorenzo

It appears that the Republican Party has always had a proclivity to start wars to camouflage its mercantilist quest for booty. From Pulitzer prize-winning Lincoln biographer David Donald, Lincoln Reconsidered (Vintage Books, 1947/89), pp. 105-106:

In 1861 "[t]he Radicals [Republicans] intended to enact a high protective tariff that mothered monopoly, to pass a homestead law that invited speculators to loot the public domain, and to subsidize a transcontinental railroad that afforded infinite opportunities for jobbery."

"Secession and the withdrawal of Southern Congressmen from Washington gave the Radicals a chance to enact their program, but an early end of the fighting might imperil the schemes. Ben Wade was, therefore, willing to see the war continued for thirty years, and Charles Sumner proclaimed: 'I fear our victories more than our defeats. There must be more delay and more suffering . . . . We are too victorious.' When peace did come, it must be under terms that would never permit Southern and Western agrarians to challenge the Radical-fostered industrial supremacy."

Historians don't consider Lincoln to have been a "Radical," but he was in fact their front man: His job was to attach his signature to their central banking, high tariff, and corporate welfare legislation, which of course he did in the first twelve months of his adminsitration. James McPherson approvingly refers to all of this as "a blizzard of legislation" that created the "blueprint for modern America."

The event that changed the war for me

"BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraqi militants killed an American soldier they have held hostage for nearly three months, saying the killing was because the U.S. government did not change its policy in Iraq, Al-Jazeera television said Tuesday."

This war in Iraq is not one I thought we ought to be in. It was not in my view OUR war. On a much deeper level the entire conflict with the Taliban in Afghanistan was something I think the United States could have avoided years ago by simply altering our course toward hegemony and empire. All the same the Taliban were explicitly complicit in the attacks of 9/11. Therefore in my mind no matter the reason that they may have had for their attack I fully supported their overthrow. I was happy to be part of that overthrow. It was something I could justify in my mind as worth doing.

I have expressed my opinion that the invasion of Iraq was ill conceived, ill advised and improperly executed. I think we fought the wrong war, in the wrong country for the wrong reasons. I still stand by that view. As I prepare to head back out across the big water in a few days I have wrestled with this and consoled myself in the fact that my duty is to the young soldiers I lead, no matter where our task may take us.

All of that “higher thinking” and pontificating matters little now. The savagery and barbarity of the folks that killed this young Soldier and will most likely kill a young Marine tomorrow is beyond the pale of acceptability.

Yes I realize that several civilians have been murdered in much the same way prior to this. I thought that was wrong but my anger was not sparked to the point it has now reached for a simple reason. The civilians were there because they chose to go their and work. Many were lured by the promise of large paychecks. They understood it was a dangerous place but decided to forego the risks for the promise of big money. Their deaths were sad, their murders wrong but this was after all the result of a calculated risk.

Soldiers and Marines too take a risk but it is not one of money. Theirs is a risk to serve something they see and bigger than them. That is all the difference in these murders.

I love being around young troops. This is one of my greatest joys in life. I look into their eyes when we are out doing something challenging and recall the spark that filled my soul nineteen years ago when I was a young buck trooper.

The young men that serve in “real units” are the finest America has to offer. These folks do not ask for much nor do they receive much. I can think a dozen different times over the years when I have had to take money out of my own pocket to buy milk or formula for some 20 year old kid and his family because they just could not make ends meet. When it comes to “show time” most of these kids are right there doing and ready to do what no kid ought to ever have to do.

They are all the same. At times their faces and names run together into a sort of montage of young lives that have crossed paths with yours. Many of them leave the service after one tour; other stick around. It is always a pleasure to run up down the road on a fellow that has stuck around and risen to the noncommissioned officer ranks.

Sure there are troublemakers, some very few actual real troublemakers. I have really only bumped into three completely unredeemable sorts in all my years. I have had my share of yahoos “stand on the carpet” in front of my desk to receive punishment for various offenses. Even these fellows were not bad apples and their offenses were generally things civilian society would not blink at. I have always thought the best cure for young warriors that cannot behave in garrison is to but them out in the field training. That burns up all that excess energy.

I suppose the thing about all the faces merging into what is in my mind the stereotypical “young trooper” is that all the love and affection I have developed for each individual over the years passed via osmosis to all the ones I do not know.

It is with those thoughts that my perspective on the entire War in Iraq has changed. I no longer care why we went, if we should have or any of that. I think the folks that have killed this young Soldier and will probably kill this Marine do not deserve to see another day. They do not deserve to have a voice in what Iraq will become. They do not deserve to believe as they wish or go on living their lives.

I have and will always support the right of a people to assert their will through any means available to them; up to and including revolution and insurgency. Barbarism and savagery have no place in that effort. Those that practice such acta do not deserve the option to express their political will.

Yes the entire purpose and mission in Iraq has changed in my mind. It is all about freeing the world from thugs and punks that would commit murder to achieve their ends. I will march to the gates of Hell to stop people like that.

Recedite, plebes! Gero rem imperialem
El Cid

the evangelical outpost

"Several months ago I argued that the fight over the phrase "under God" in the Pledge was a dispute over the liturgy of our country's civil religion, not of Christianity. The theme was picked up and fleshed out by John Coleman, one of the brightest young Christian minds in America. Though he initially disagreed with my position, he has since reconsidered and published his thoughts in an op-ed for the Birmingham (Alabama) News"

Interesting piece that describes the notion of American Civil Religion and the confusion many Christians attach to it.

Vox Popoli

"Right from the beginning, when the administration showed that they would rather strip rights from American cititzens than do anything to offend illegal aliens, I had serious doubts about whether the administration was actually serious about its undeclared war on method. In fact, in my very first political column, I warned about how the response to 9/11 would likely be used to America's detriment."

Did I say already that i think I will like this blog? Well if not I am still inclined to think I am going to like it.

This article is right on.

The Patriot Act of the 18th Century

How the Alien and Sedition Acts became the first act of government to limit the populous' constitutional rights--and how States' Rights stopped the intrusion

habeas corpus any one---Lincoln Redux?

"WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court ruled narrowly Monday that Congress gave President Bush the power to hold an American citizen without charges or trial"

Tell me since when can Congress authorize the President to do anything that the Constitution specifically forbides?

A few of words from that tattered document that the neo-cons, liberals and socialist ignore so easily when it gets in their way....


Amendment VI - Right to speedy trial, confrontation of witnesses.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Lincoln tyranny

Cacophony of voices

The more I observe the diversity that exists within the various voices that dissent, bemoan and/or truly wish to change the current state of affairs the more I am convinced that these various efforts are doomed. These efforts amount to little more than angry men (and women) tilting windmills.

Oh I am not just talking here of the Southern Movement again, although I will get to that directly. I am thinking of things like the recent CPAC We the People conference, the libertarians up in New Hampshire and their Free State project, Dr. James Kennedy and his Center for Reclaiming America, Allen Keyes and his Declaration Foundation, the various un-reconstructionist in the Southern Movement, the plethora of otherwise good Americans that throw their votes to the Republican party in the hope that the lies about restoring America might be true, and the third party folks in the Constitutional, Libertarian and Southern Parties. I am talking about all of these folks and more.

I do not mean to paint all of these groups as just angry men. Some are practical and pragmatic. They seek to use the current system that effect change. Others, like the un-reconstructionist seem to be nothing more than angry men with no real plan.

Of the groups I mentioned above at least all have some element of the truth in their agenda, some much more than others. I cannot disagree in theory with all they stand for, not in theory at least.

Of course there are a lot of angry men that wish to change the system that I do disagree with; the Nazi's, Skinheads, NAACP, Socialist, KKK, SPLC and a bunch of others of their ilk.

Then there are those that have most of the basic principles right but they lose their way in a myriad of conspiracy theories and other unverifiable beliefs. The Patriot or Militia movement is specifically who I refer to here. These folks understand what America was founded upon and how the Constitution was intended to be interpreted. On that they are generally correct with minor variations. They lose credibility by focusing on "invisible enemies" and unproven conspiracies. Thus I would have to add to the moniker of angry man that of confused.

Excluding the folks that wish to change America into something it was not founded to be, i.e. Nazi's, Skinheads, NAACP, Socialist, KKK, SPLC ad nauseum: I will focus on the groups that at least get part of the problem.

The real issue that ought to be foremost in the minds of each of these groups is; can change be achieved inside the current system and if so what sort of coalition do we need to achieve that?

Two of the groups mentioned disavow outright the potential for internal change, the un-reconstructionist and the militia folks. I will talk about their difficulties in a separate piece.

Of the groups that remain, and I undoubtedly left a bunch out, there is a great degree of variation in their agenda. These groups tend to focus on their differences rather than the items that they may share commonality. Many of the movements and groups are focused around personalities and therefore ego comes into play. A man does not want to give up his little empire to ally with a larger group even if it means an increased possibility of success.

I hate to beat anyone up specifically but the libertarians seem as guilty of this as any of the groups; maybe more so. Their arrogance surrounding their grand plan for New Hampshire has made them insular. They believe they are becoming part of the "mainstream" and do not need to cooperate with "fringe" groups. How foolish of them. As soon as they abandon enough of their original principles to become mainstream they will no longer be a viable vehicle for change.

Right behind the libertarians I would place Christian men pastors that speak on political issues. Dr. James Kennedy comes to mind first but he is far from being alone, Pat Robinson, Jerry Farwell and a dozen others are the same. Each runs his own little movement with various aspects of the "restoring America" theme included. Each is separate, isolated and unconnected to the others. There is much commonality in the themes that each advocates in their agenda bit because of ego, doctrinal differences and other reasons there is little cooperation. In essence these are just angry men talking and accomplishing little.

Allen Keyes, Pat Buchanan, Walter Williams and others like them that see what is wrong and provide excellent commentary and opinion serve a purpose and achieve much in terms of public awareness and education. To be certain Pat and Allen have done their part to take the fight to a national platform by enduring the pains of running a doomed presidential campaign. Alen Keyes is now involved with his Declaration Foundation with goals very similar to almost every other group that sees what is really wrong with America. The problem is his group just one, based mostly on a man. In that regard is falls into the trap of so many others.

Then of course there are the third party folks. You have to love them because they see full well the lies, transgression and failings of the two major parties. Their pitfall is that they have not broadened their base enough to include all the disinterested electorate. This could easily be done in such a way that libertarians, constitutionalist and States' Rights folks could easily fall under on umbrella. The alliance would not need to be permanent; just long enough to break the back of the two party monopoly. Yet, instead, these groups are splintered into three factions that will never achieve any success.

With all of these varying voices, opinions and movements the average guy is left with little real choice. A rationale analysis of the situation says that none of these concepts or movements are really going to impact things. So the ordinary joe marches off "dutifully" to the polls and casts his vote for the Republican party.

It is hard to find contempt in my heart for conservatives, Southerners, Christians and other good people that vote in such a way. I even forgive fools on the blogshere that boldly state their support for the Republicans. After all what winning option have they been provided. (I am not forgiving all such supporters; some are genuinely confused as to what constitutes good decent conservative thought--one such moron recently refused one of my comments on his blog because I dared question his sacred party)

The simple fact is that if we are ever to really "restore America" these various groups must cooperate. The idea that little groups can become part of the mainstream is fallacy. The only hope is that all of these groups join their efforts in such a way that the definition of mainstream is redefined. Mainstream conservative is something these groups do not need to Join; rather it is something they must define by their combined efforts.

Failing this there are but two options remaining. I will discuss those in my next piece.


Recedite, plebes! Gero rem imperialem
El Cid

A New Terror Threat: Floating Beer Coolers

Is there a special Branch of Ridiculously Stupid Ideas deep underneath some federal building (well yeah, we know there are several such branches in every federal department)

I am referring to the guys that post these crazy terror warnings. Now we are supposed to be on the lookout for exploding beer coolers. Way back in the day, i.e. several months ago, people were out buying duct tape and plastic because the threat of chemical agents was "clear and present". Since then we have been on the look out for everything conceivable.

Every major holiday we are told "this is gonna big the big one". The holiday comes and goes with now big event and no large terrorist plot uncovered. Maybe Tom Ridge and the boys think they really need to justify their existence.

Enough is enough. Really, it seems that these folks need to continue to issue threats just to remind everyone that there is a threat. I guess the Special Creative Branch of Threat Creation is doing its work well.

I suppose the idea that just maybe reducing the activities that actually CAUSE the threat might work better.

I refinanced a VA loan on a rental property I own last week. I had to fill out the patriot Act paperwork so that some fat and happy bureaucrat can justify a job spending my tax money to verify that I am not a terrorist.

This is all insane...the world is turned upside down.

Blog Lessons-Part II

I wrote my first Blog Lessons piece soon after I started blogging and published a piece entitled "Fire Rumsfeld". Venomous Kate found the piece somehow and linked to it from her site. I got a lot of traffic because of that. I learned a little about blogging and wrote it down.

I later found her to be such a nice lady (despite her attempts otherwise) I decided to host one of my sites with her.


That was all in the beginning...way back almost two months ago...

I have been a little discouraged with this entire blogging thing as of late. In fact the last piece of any substance I have written was back on 17 Jun. I do not anticipate that this piece will be of great interest or relevance. I just want to write it because this is what I am thinking.

I was excited a couple of months ago when I started this little experience. I joined up with the Rebel Alliance and thought, “gosh this is great, a group of pro-Southern bloggers”. Then of course we had our little spat over there and I thought, “gosh, the blogsphere is just like the rest of the world, churches, clubs, political movements…folks disagree, get mad, attack each other and things fall apart”.

I suppose my naiveté was misplaced. The blogsphere is made up of just humans. So why should I expect that things should be different. Ok, lessen learned, got it. So I have learned that people here are the same as they are in person, maybe some are braver behind their keyboards but still basically the same.

I have figured out it is easy to be misunderstood on the blogshere. I get email now from some guy at Freeway blog asking for support of like minded liberals. I get a kick out of that. Maybe he found one of my post regarding the War in Iraq and assumes I am liberal.

I have figured out that it is pretty tough to get an audience. Well tough if your subject matter is limited in the scope of possible interest. My basic subject is the South. I do comment on politics in general from what I perceive as a very principled Southern perspective. So I realize that from the get go I have limited my potential audience.

Then of course there is the fact that my views on the Southern Movement are very pragmatic. Some in the movement would call me heretical and for that they immediately tune me out. My small potential audience just got a lot smaller.

I have noticed on some of the very popular blogs that people tend to talk about items that I would consider impolite. They often pepper their postings with extraneous profanity. Since I do not do these things I guess I limit my potential readability more.

I check the logs here from time to time and it seems I get about 17 unique visitors a day. Of those about five read more than one article. Most of the folks that find me for the first time come from search engines. This is, I believe, not the way most successful blogs get most of their traffic. So by being unorthodox in the way I attract folks I seem to limit my possible readership.

I have a theory that a lot of the folks that find me in search engines are not really regular blog readers. I could be wrong but my analysis of the log files supports my hypothesis. If I am correct then these sort of folks are not likely to return day after day. They found what they searched for on Tuesday, on Wednesday they are doing their regular thing.

I have read the “rules” of building a popular blog and I have basically followed none of them. I did not start this with the intention of conforming to the rules or writing in such a way that folks added me to their blog rolls. This is not and was not a popularity attempt by me.

I still wonder at times if this is an effort worth continuing. I guess that out of the 17 daily visitors I discussed above and the five folks that read a couple of post each visit that in a weeks time I might actually put an idea or two in at least one person’s head. I guess if that math holds up I am generating about ideas in 52 folks per year. Small impact indeed, but hey, that is 52 people with 52 ideas influenced slightly by me.

I will of course have to pretty much put this thing away for a few months when I leave in a few days. Maybe while I am gone I will develop a new and different perspective. Maybe not. As it stands right now I find it hard to get the inspiration to write much more than simple commentaries in items of interest to me. The fire to write anything more meaningful escapes me.

Recedite, plebes! Gero rem imperialem
El Cid

Southern pride rallies 'round flag

Interesting article

Why do the neocons hate Dixie so?

What I have been up to

I have been pretty busy helping the Christian Exodus folks out. I suppose that is by this point a misnomer. In actuality I suppose I am now a full-fledged member. I have spoken with Cory Burnell (the movement president) and other members at least weekly on the phone and I remain convinced that these are good and decent people. I have also spent some time on their forum; forums being a thing I rarely participate in.

I have a few tasks that I am performing for the group. I wrote the official position statements for:

The Original Intent of The US Constitution
Citizenship
The 14th Amendment
The 16th Amendment
The 17th Amendment

Take a look, all pretty much the bread and butter of much of our Southern ideology.

Today I did an interview with a reporter form the L.A. Times. I have the feeling she hoped I was some crazed whacko hiding in a cave waiting for the apocalypse to start. I really hope I did not disappoint her….actually in my own country boy way I think I did alright. We will have to wait to see how she quotes me.

I am also working on a primer for the uninitiated that deals with the issue of States' Rights and Secession. Eventually this will be integrated into the CE site once it is complete and edited.

Anyway, these folks are good people and are working hard toward the restoration of government in at least one state that is very close to the Southern way of thinking. I am happy to be with them.

Recedite, plebes! Gero rem imperialem
El Cid

Alan Keyes warns: 'Republic is dying'

Alan Keyes warns: 'Republic is dying': "Alan Keyes warns:
'Republic is dying'
Wants judges impeached for high crime of 'stealing your right to include God...Our republic is dying before our eyes in this generation," Keyes told a South Dakota audience of 1,200 this week, according to the Rapid City Journal. "It's no doubt we could be living in the last days of the American republic.'"

I like Keyes, it is too bad there are not more men like him. I think his view of the Republic is dying is right on---except it has most likely already passed into a much deeper coma than Keyes admits in this piece.

Army halts medallions due to Bible reference

Army halts medallions due to Bible reference: "Army halts medallions
due to Bible reference"

People ask me often why I continue to serve...it is simply because too many of the senior leaders are spineless, godless, losers that live by now set of real principles or values. Someone has to stay and protect good and decent young troopers from these people as much as is possible.

OK to insult women, but not homosexuals

OK to insult women, but not homosexuals: "OK to insult women, but not homosexuals -France takes action to outlaw 'homophobia'"

"A bill that criminalizes "sexist and homophobic" remarks was approved by the French government yesterday, despite criticism from groups noting that insulting women would still be legal."

Tell me again why my granddaddy saved these yahoos in WWII and my great-great granddaddy died on a field in France in WWI?

I have been to France three times....never liked it. It is not hard to see why. The frogs see the world all turned upside down.

Barbara Walters

News: "I think America has lost respect for political figures"

How long did it take you to figure that out Barbara? Of course we do not respect men that do not live on principle!!