Mike went to vote early this morning. We live directly across the street from our polling place, so as he was walking over there, he was joined by our orange tabby cat, who often accompanies us if we’re walking around the neighborhood.

The cat, incidentally named Gipper, meowed at Mike as he took his place in line (surrounded by Obama fanatics).

Mike looked at him and said, “What Gip, you want to vote? Don’t worry… I’m sure ACORN will let you register.”

Apparently the Obama-follower in front of him was not amused.

Mike is playing Call of Duty 4 at the moment, and one of the splash screens just popped up with the following quote:

“A leader leads by example, not by force.” - Sun Tzu

Apropos, I thought, on the heels of my last post. For example, if one believes those with the least in society are deserving of a hand up, perhaps one should freely give a portion of their income to provide that hand up, to serve as a charitable example to others. You know, rather than giving next to nothing and instead bringing in hired guns to force others to “give.”

Just food for thought.

I know you’ve probably all seen/read this, but READ IT AGAIN:

“But the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth and sort of more basic issues of political and economic justice in this society. And to that extent as radical as people tried to characterize the Warren court, it wasn’t that radical. It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, at least as it’s been interpreted, and the Warren court interpreted it in the same way that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. It says what the states can’t do to you, it says what the federal government can’t do to you, but it doesn’t say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf. And that hasn’t shifted. One of the I think tragedies of the civil rights movement was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributed change and in some ways we still suffer from that.” - Barack Obama

Did you catch that? Did you REALLY catch that?

“It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution…”

As the cartoon says: THAT’S THE POINT. I just… I don’t even know what to say. This guy is openly advocating defiance of the Constitution AND PEOPLE ARE VOTING FOR HIM.

Contrast what he says laments:

“It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, at least as it’s been interpreted, and the Warren court interpreted it in the same way that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. It says what the states can’t do to you, it says what the federal government can’t do to you, but it doesn’t say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf.”

With what the 10th Amendment says:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Again: THAT’S THE POINT.

Then, after claiming redistribution of wealth will make us all richer (hat tip to Karen on this one), he said:

“John McCain and Sarah Palin they call this socialistic,” Obama continued. “You know I don’t know when, when they decided they wanted to make a virtue out of selfishness.”

They’re calling it socialistic because it is socialistic, Barack. Taking money from somebody who earned it - because they have more - and giving it to somebody who did nothing to earn it - because they have less - WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU CALL THAT!?

And riddle me this, Barack. Let’s say I earn ten dollars, and I’d like to spend five of those dollars on some candy, and give the other five in the offering plate at my church. Except you think you know better what to do with my money, so you tell me I have to give five dollars to the government so you can give it to those you’ve deemed worthy of receiving “charity.” I say no, and you say tough, and send IRS agents backed up by people with guns to take it from me. And if I won’t give it, they’ll just take my stuff and throw me in jail, instead.

And I’m selfish? You - who voluntarily gave LESS THAN 1% of your (considerable) income to charity for several years running - want to call me selfish because I don’t believe in doing my giving at the point of a gun? Because I can give more when you leave me alone with my ten dollars, instead of leaving me with only five? Because I believe I should have freedom to choose what constitutes a cause or person worthy of my freely-given, hard-earned dollars?

We pay a private health insurance premium every month. We’re paying for our child’s birth out-of-pocket because that insurance won’t cover the midwife I’m seeing. We have not made a poor investment in a home we can’t afford, so we aren’t receiving any bailouts. We are not applying for WIC. Oh - and we could certainly qualify for all of the above. We could easily roll over and suckle at the taxpayer’s teat, and probably be living far more comfortably than we presently do. But we believe in personal responsibility, so we don’t. And that’s why this is personal to me. We have too much respect for our fellow man and his hard work to demand our fellow taxpayers foot the bill for us. All we ask in return is the same courtesy - to be left alone to enjoy what our hard work brings us.

And this is personal because, if you’re voting for Barack Obama, you are condoning the initiation of force against other Americans to confiscate their earnings and redistribute them. Today I may not be in the tax bracket most affected - but a few years from now, I certainly hope to be. So, if you’re voting for Barack Obama, you are signing off on use of force by the United States government to confiscate wealth Mike and I will earn, to give “back” to people we never took anything from.

Yeah, this is damn personal.

I’m not asking anyone to vote for John McCain, honest to Pete. This isn’t a partisan issue - it isn’t Republicans vs. Democrats. I’m just asking you not to vote for Barack Obama. Vote third party. Vote Ralph Nader for all I care! Write in Ron Paul. Stay home.

I - and many fellow Americans - are asking you not to initiate that aggression against us. Mark my words: It will not end well for the Republic.

While listening to Joe Biden in tonight’s debate, “God forbidding” the hypothetical death of hypothetical President Obama:

Mike: *rolls eyes* “It’s not like it would matter, since he’d rise from the dead in three days.”

In case you haven’t heard, Ron Paul endorsed… well, anybody but the major party candidates:

Earlier, Paul called the presidential elections a charade and said voters are faced with the “lesser of two evils.”

The majority of Americans, about 60 percent, are unhappy with their choices in the race, Paul said. He urged the three third-party candidates to bring all their supporters together to vote against the “establishment candidates.”

Mike just came in and pointed out something totally obvious that hadn’t yet occurred to me in this context: While Ron Paul may be pretty fringe-y, HE IS A FRIGGIN’ REPUBLICAN!

Obviously RP wouldn’t have been an “establishment candidate” had he won the (R) nomination, but it is a little ridiculous that he’s been playing the GOP game all this time and is now temper-tantruming against the two-party system.

Sorry, Ron. This is one time I can safely say you’re part of the problem.

Here. Page 2, three paragraphs, near the bottom. Here’s the gist, with my full name redacted (I’m trying to keep my Googleability somewhat controlled, so sue me):

Laurel [me], who was president of the Univerity (sic) of Idaho College Republicans in 2005, said the choice could make a difference in her vote.

[me] said she doesn’t support McCain and was considering voting for Libertarian Bob Barr. She said she has followed Palin’s work the last few months since finding out that she is an Idaho alumna and is impressed with her record of reform.

“This is the first time I have seen a running mate change my interest,” [me] said. “I need to determine how much of a role she’ll take in the presidency and whether or not it will make up for the shortcomings of John McCain.”

Incidentally, that is a completely accurate depiction of what I said, for once. I think they even nailed the quote word-for-word.

Via Dairenn on LJ:

I’m not a Republican because I grew up rich, but because I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me.
- Mike Huckabee, RNC Speech 2008

Now… I don’t consider myself a Republican, period, but that line comprises a good chunk of why I’m libertarian - and why I’m sure as hell not a Democrat. :)

Me, perusing Craigslist: Do you want a He-Man Masters of the Universe Castle Grayskull Playset? 
Mike: I had one of those when I was a kid. And my cat, Tom? He got stuck in it.
Me: Did it have batteries?
Mike: I don’t remember.
Me: Because this one has… *reads ad* “over 20 lights and sounds as well as tons of battle features, Castle Grayskull is packed with fun play possibilities! Includes a crushing front drawbridge, trap door that leads to the Castle dungeon, a weapons door that reveals the sought-after Power Sword and a dual-firing cannon.”
Mike: I remember the trap door, because that’s what Tom got his foot stuck in. Worked perfectly.
Me: …Mike, by “Tom got his foot stuck in the trap door” do you mean “I put Tom’s foot in the trap door and it got stuck?”
Mike, very earnestly: NO! Tom climbed into Castle Greyskull when it was folded up!

Something about the way he referred to it as Castle Greyskull - not “the Castle Greyskull,” or “the Castle Greyskull playset,” or “the toy” - cracked my ass up. 

Me (whining): I’m faaaat.
Mike: You’re not fat. You’re pregnant, dumbass. 

On the topic of a likely Heller decision tomorrow: “It feels like we’re anticipating a really messed up Christmas… where you’re either going to get a pony, or find out your grandpa died.”