Election 2020: Civilization or Anarchy?

George Noga

Will voters choose an amiable witch doctor over a real doctor with a poor bedside manner?

Election 2020: Civilization or Anarchy?

By: George Noga – November 1, 2020

In 1939 Winston Churchill quipped Russia was “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma”. As I try to make sense of Tuesday’s election, I understand how he felt. I have labored mightily to try and present readers with my fearless forecast. However, due to many factors, chiefly surging Covid, ersatz polling, the Biden scandal, urban anarchy and unprecedented voter turnout, we are sailing in terra incognita.

How Biden Could Win

Biden enjoys a significant, but definitely surmountable, lead nationally (7 points in the Real Clear Politics average) and clings to slim leads in most battleground states. He is running 1-2 points ahead of 2016. Polls are more reliable this close to the election as those that were engaging in suppression have shifted to protecting their reputations for accuracy. If the RCP poll average is anywhere near accurate, Biden will be favored.

Biden is surpassing expectations with three cohorts of voters: (1) Republicans and independents who may have voted for Trump in 2016; (2) suburban voters, particularly women; and (3) seniors. Each of these groups has been turned off by Trump’s persona and tweeting. If Biden’s strength holds up in these cohorts, he will be favored.

How Trump Could Win

Trump won in 2016 despite losing the popular vote by 2-3 points. Polls undercount his support by 2 to 4 percentage points due to underrepresentation of Republicans in the polls and reluctance of Trump voters to reveal their preference to pollsters. This means polls showing Biden leading by up to 7 points (such as the RCP average) may actually be about even. Then there is the margin of error, which could go in either direction.

I continue to place much stock in the outcome of recent elections in Canada, France, Germany and Australia – all conservative victories. I place the most stock in the UK election where the Tories won a landslide victory not captured by any polling.

Trump is vastly outperforming expectations among two key demographics – blacks and Hispanics. Trump is garnering 15% of the black vote (30% in places) – double that of 2016. Without the defection of swaths of suburban women, such a surge of African-American support would have been dispositive for an historic Trump victory.

Enthusiasm clearly favors Trump. In 2016 the relative size of crowds proved a good predictor of Trump’s victory; it is happening again. Trump is drawing crowds into the tens of thousands; even Donald Jr. is vastly outdrawing Biden. Then there is the stark contrast between a high-energy president frenetically criss-crossing the country while his opponent rarely leaves his basement. Finally, incumbents enjoy a big advantage.

The Unknowns and Unknowables

There are unknowns and unknowables: (1) voter turnout is on pace to shatter records, but who is turning out and where; (2) shifts in voter sentiment in the final few days are undetectable and can swing elections; (3) the coronavirus surge is hard to gauge as it cuts in two directions; older voters blame Trump and younger ones oppose lockdowns; (4) urban anarchy (Philadelphia) undoubtedly influences voters; (5) problems with mail-in ballots – including fraud; (6) impact of the Biden influence peddling scandal, including Hunter’s laptop and Bobulinsky revelations; and finally, (7) Joe’s non compos mentis which, despite keeping Joe in his basement, is plainly visible to voters.

Civilization or Anarchy?

It comes down to whether key cohorts, such as suburban women and seniors, prefer an amiable but doddering witch doctor, chanting pallid incantations, to a real doctor with a poor bedside manner. It comes down to whether distaste of Trump’s persona is reason enough for voters to turn our beloved republic over to a party antithetical to the Constitution, history, traditions, core values and identity of America. Will voters, in a fit of Trumpian pique, vote against their beliefs, ideals, values and interests? In the end, everything comes down to a choice between civilization or anarchy.

Most of the normal guideposts are broken and there are too many unknowns and unknowables to make my customary fearless forecast. The election remains a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. As I write this on October 31st, I can palpably feel the election tightening. The late momentum is all in Trump’s favor and the critical question is – will it be enough. Fasten your seat belts for a wild ride!

Next on November 8th, we offer our reflections on the election.

Click here to join our mailing list

More Liberty Less Government – mllg@cfl.rr.com – www.mllg.us

Halloween and Extreme Risk Aversion

George Noga

Progressives want to infantilize all Americans – not just the children.

Halloween and Extreme Risk Aversion

By: George Noga – October 25, 2020

America has become pusillanimous and insanely risk intolerant; nothing demonstrates this better than Halloween. What once was a carefree, fun-filled evening, when kids roamed the neighborhood unaccompanied, has morphed into a phantasmagoria of perceived horrors. Heaven forbid that Halloween should be even a little bit scary. Following are ten of the orgy of safety warnings recently gleaned from the media.

  1. Make sure you buy only inflammable (sic) costumes but have your kid practice stop, drop and roll in case it catches fire anyway.
  2. Avoid loose-fitting costumes so your child doesn’t trip or fall.
  3. Inspect your kid’s route in advance so there are no sidewalks in disrepair.
  4. Don’t use masks that limit your child’s range of vision.
  5. Test face paint a few days in advance to make sure there is no reaction.
  6. Inspect every treat before allowing your child to eat anything.
  7. If you apply nail polish, make sure the windows are open and ventilated.
  8. Affix information tags to your children; better yet, use GPS trackers.
  9. If dark outside use reflective tape and give kids glow sticks.
  10. All makeup should be non toxic and tested well in advance.

The infantilization of Halloween should be no surprise; it is but one manifestation of the nanny state America has become. Amtrak won’t allow unaccompanied minors under 13 and those under 16 only under rigorous preconditions. In Japan, 8 year olds routinely travel alone. In some places in America, children are not allowed to walk to school; those under 14 can’t be left home alone and legally can’t blow up a balloon. Parks have removed see-saws, monkey bars and merry-go-rounds. OSHA ordered day care centers to saw off all tree branches below 8 feet to prevent kids climbing trees.

Infantilization of children is child abuse – pure and simple.

When I was young, we walked miles to school in first grade with no crossing guards. We played baseball with real spikes and ate raw hamburger; we owned real guns and carried them openly in residential neighborhoods. We hitchhiked and were not paranoid about strangers. We always kept score; only winners received trophies and there was but one valedictorian. We were paid to babysit as early as age 11. We operated power saws unsupervised in shop class. Halloween was entirely on our own.

There is a war on childhood in America. The marketplace caters to parental paranoia by selling leashes for children and alarms that sound if the kid wanders ten feet away. GPS devices to perpetually track kids’ whereabouts are on the market. One company sells “Piggyback Rider”, a backpack designed to carry kids up to age 7 and 60 pounds, nearly old enough to ride a train unaccompanied in Japan and other countries.

Infantilization of children is child abuse – pure and simple. It hobbles their emotional development; they experience academic problems; and they have poor social skills. They are averse to responsibility and often fail as adults. Progressives’ real goal however, is not just to infantilize children – but all Americans. They aim to turn American into a nanny state with government as the nanny and all of us as children.

Happy Halloween 2020 from More Liberty – Less Government!
Next, on October 25th, is our final Election 2020 Update – Don’t miss it!
More Liberty Less Government – mllg@cfl.rr.com – www.mllg.us

Covid Lockdowns and Climate Change

George Noga

Lockdowns offer crucial lessons for climate change and the spending crisis.

Covid Lockdowns and Climate Change

By: George Noga – October 18, 2020

The Covid lockdowns reinforce invaluable lessons about human nature and economics that bear directly on climate change, the environment and the spending crisis. Humans are willing to endure only so much inconvenience and hardship, even for a pandemic that is immediate and deadly. There is no way people will put up with decades of painful sacrifice, especially to avert threats that are distant and uncertain.

Lockdown Lessons for Climate Change

The lockdowns proved that we humans have very limited tolerance for sacrifices like those required to reduce carbon emissions. The lockdowns showed, in terms everyone now comprehends, the pain required to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. With the whole world locked down, CO2 emissions are only 8% lower than 2019. To limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, we would need identical lockdowns every year for a decade. Moreover, the rebound effect described infra makes that impossible.

As painful as it was, the 8% drop in emissions during the lockdowns had no effect on climate change. Scientists estimate the effect to be less than one five-hundredth of one degree Fahrenheit – because the drop was for one year only. Nobel Laureate William Nordhaus calculated that to reduce temperature rise to 1.5 degrees requires a 16% per year drop in GDP. Nordhaus also determined that the cost of failure to meet the target is 1% of GDP through 2050, rising to 4% by 2100. Cutting GDP 16% for the next 30 years to ameliorate a problem that costs only 1% of GDP is green lunacy.

Human capacity for sacrifice, even when facing mortal danger, is limited.

The economic devastation is unsustainable and governments are racing to reopen their economies. Indonesia’s economics minister said, “We cannot continue a lockdown. There will be more people hungry and they will become angry.” Mexico’s president said, “We must find a new normal; the well-being of the people depends on it.” The Prime Minister of Pakistan tweeted, “In our lockdown we did not consider the consequences for wage earners and laborers, all of whom face poverty and hunger. May Allah forgive us.” Even if governments attempted to continue the lockdowns, the people would take matters into their own hands. This was already happening in the United States as people are experiencing increasing signs of lockdown fatigue.

.

Climate activists and progressive politicians want to achieve global net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Once again, the coronavirus lockdowns demonstrate the economic devastation and human misery this would cause. To achieve net zero by 2050 would require lockdowns the size of 2020 every year and increasing each year for the next 30 years. Meanwhile, progressives and green activists waste trillions on pork-laden, ineffective, feel-good measures like electric cars, windmills, bio fuels and solar panels.

But wait. It gets worse due to an economic precept few know about called the rebound effect. As noted supra, the lockdowns lowered CO2 by 8% primarily due to less energy use from driving, flying and travel. This saved people lots of money. Research shows that the money thus saved is spent later on goods and services that have an even bigger carbon footprint. This rebound effect totally negates all the benefit from the original 8% carbon reduction. Therefore, to reduce net emissions we must not only lockdown the economy every year, we also must eliminate the rebound effect.

Lockdown Lessons for the Spending Crisis

The spending crisis mirrors carbon reduction. To get the Debt/GDP ratio back to a sustainable level requires great pain for a prolonged period. As we have shown in prior blog posts, it would be necessary to cut spending (including on entitlements) by at least 20% per year for over a decade. This would create a level of pain and suffering comparable to over 10 years of Covid lockdowns. In short, it is impossible.

Two Critical and Unavoidable Conclusions

The Covid induced lockdowns and the human response to them clearly reveal the ultimate outcome of the climate change and spending crises. For climate change, we will muddle along for a time, as we are now, wasting trillions on feel-good but ineffective measures. Ultimately however, it will become clear to even the greenest progressive that we must adapt to climate change rather than try to mitigate it. As for the spending crisis, we also will muddle along for a time – perhaps making some token attempts to forestall the crisis. But the crisis will come; it is inevitable.

Human nature is unchanging throughout the ages; it has once again revealed itself to us thanks to the Covid lockdowns. It reminded us that we humans are incapable of painful and sustained sacrifice, even to avert disaster. And the band played on!

——————————————————————————
Next up is MLLG’s first-ever Halloween issue. Don’t miss it!
More Liberty Less Government – mllg@cfl.rr.com – www.mllg.us

Let’s Celebrate Columbus Day and/or Dia de la Raza

George Noga

Columbus is not the issue; he never was. It’s about weaponizing history.

Let’s Celebrate Columbus Day and/or Dia de la Raza

By: George Noga – October 11, 2020

Happy Columbus Day tomorrow – not Indigenous Peoples Day, not Aboriginals Day, not Native Americans Day, not First Nations Peoples Day and most certainly not any other such PC blather. Progressives seek to weaponize history and use holidays to riddle Americans with guilt. Their mantra is that western civilization (and therefore you) is evil and genocidal and all indigenous peoples are peace-loving and noble.

What occurred following Columbus’s discovery of America was the same as what happened throughout human history whenever any aboriginal people encountered a more technologically advanced society. Even today, the same result likely would occur if homo sapiens encountered a primitive people on another resource-rich planet. It is manifestly disingenuous to single out Columbus or to condemn western civilization for innate human behavior that has not changed since the dawn of history.

Most native deaths post-Columbus resulted from infectious diseases brought from Europe, many of which originated in and migrated from Asia. The bubonic plague and coronavirus originated in China, yet no one accuses them of genocide. There is not one record extant showing that any European or American government had a policy of genocide. There have been many one-sided beat-downs in history. In the Iraq War, the casualty ratio was 11-1; at Agincourt it was 15-1. No one ever calls these massacres. At Wounded Knee the ratio was only 3 to 1, but progressives call that a massacre.

Aboriginals always are portrayed as peaceful; if that were true, how could a tiny number of Europeans conquer vast territories? Columbus allied with the Arawaks against the Caribs, who were vicious cannibals. Cortez, with only 500 conquistadores, conquered the Aztecs with the help of 50,000 natives terrorized by the Aztec’s ritual human sacrifice and enslavement. Europeans committed many lese majeste acts, but it is dishonest to focus on those while ignoring or excusing atrocities by natives.

Columbus Day, or Dia de la Raza, is Wildly Popular in Latin America

Christopher Columbus is held in high esteem throughout Latin America. In Puerto Rico there are two Columbus Day holidays – the federal holiday and again November 19th when he landed there. While the latte-left calls him an oppressor and defaces and tears down his statues, new ones are being erected in the rest of the hemisphere. In 2016 Puerto Rico erected a new Columbus statue taller than the Statue of Liberty.

Without Columbus and the Spanish colonization of Latin America, Latinos as a people would not exist. In recognition of this, the day Columbus landed is wildly celebrated as Dia de la Raza, or Day of the Race throughout Latin America. The rich Latino culture incorporates skin tones and characteristics of Spanish, Africans and indigenous people. By honoring the courage and daring of Christopher Columbus, Latin Americans celebrate their own place in a world that he made possible.

Those most directly affected by Columbus honor him, while in the USA progressive Svengalis use Columbus Day to indoctrinate our children and shame us into despising America and western civilization. Columbus is not the issue; he never was.

We at MLLG again wish you a Happy Columbus Day 2020 and/or Dia de la Raza!

Next on October 18th, we address the lessons learned from COVID-19 .
More Liberty Less Government – mllg@cfl.rr.com – www.mllg.us

The Worst Systemic Racism in America

George Noga

Do the lives of 10 million black children matter?

The Worst Systemic Racism in America

By: George Noga – October 4, 2020

Yes, there is systemic racism in America and it is causing irreparable harm to blacks and Hispanics. It is the most pernicious and virulent form of racism extant because it destroys the hopes and dreams of its victims while they are children. It has inflicted grave harm on people of color for generations and continues unabated. The nature of this devastating racism and the people responsible for it may surprise you.

Forcing black kids to attend failed government schools is systemic racism.Those responsible are Democrats, teachers unions and even the NAACP.

The Democratic Party has been a mortal enemy of school choice for decades. If they win in November, they vow to abolish charter schools, voucher programs and to extinguish school choice throughout America. Teachers unions are fierce opponents of choice because it threatens their stranglehold on minority children. Even the NAACP wants to end school choice because of its unholy alliance with progressives – despite overwhelming support for choice among African-Americans. These groups are responsible for the worst systemic racism in America – making them the true racists.

Systemic Racism in Government Schools

Failed inner city public schools make it impossible for black kids to learn. Most teachers come from the bottom deciles of schools of education, which attract the poorest students. They can’t be fired no matter how inept or dangerous; the worst are assigned to rubber rooms. They are anti-competitive government workers who oppose pay based on merit or results. Public schools are a jobs program for adults. Teachers indoctrinate kids in statism, anti-business rhetoric, political correctness, victimhood and entitlement. They terrorize students about the environment and climate change. The history, civics and social studies curricula are based on lies and propaganda.

No children from affluent families ever attend these unaccountable failed schools. Nor is money an issue; these failed schools often spend as much per pupil as elite private schools and triple that of successful parochial schools. They resemble prisons and are petri dishes for every possible dysfunction and social pathology. Honors and awards are cruel hoaxes. Out of all 12 Washington, D.C. public high schools, not one valedictorian could get into any college and not one student was proficient in math.

A poster child for failed government schools is Providence, RI with 25,000 students. An independent inspection found peeling lead paint, brown water, leaking sewage, rats, frigid temperatures, chaos, bullying, no discipline and rampant violence. Only 5% were at grade level. Per pupil spending was $20,000 – 50% above the national average and triple that of successful parochial schools. This has been going on for decades and not one person ever has been held accountable. Meanwhile, Providence charter and voucher schools are successful. If this isn’t systemic racism, nothing is.

Who are the Real Racists?

If the conditions described above, that permeate inner city schools, were imposed on people of color by white conservatives, is there any doubt whatsoever that progressives and minorities would scream racism to high heaven? They would (rightfully) castigate those responsible as systemic racists. Is it any less racist that these horrific conditions are imposed on blacks by liberals, unions and the NAACP? By far, the worst systemic racism in America is forcing poor minority children to attend failed government schools. Those responsible for this atrocity are the real racists in America today!

Last year fewer than 14 unarmed African-Americans were killed by police officers. Today there are 10,000,000 black children whose futures are being snuffed out by the systemic racism of failed government schools. Surely, these black lives matter.

Next on October 11th we celebrate Dia de la Raza a/k/a Columbus Day.
More Liberty Less Government – mllg@cfl.rr.com – www.mllg.us

Americans Vote With Their Guns – My Decision About Owning Firearms

George Noga

In times and places where crime surges, gun sales skyrocket.

 

Americans Vote With Their Guns

My Decision About Owning Firearms

By: George Noga – September 27, 2020

In my post of May 17, 2020 (on our website), I wrote that I do not presently own a firearm but am reevaluating that position. I now have made my decision, revealed later in this post. First, let’s look at some astounding data about recent gun sales.

Gun sales in the USA are skyrocketing. March gun sales were up 85% year-over-year while April was up 71% and May was up over 80%. During June the FBI reported 3.9 million background checks, the highest monthly total since records have been kept. Gun purchases increased 136% over June 2019 and 40% were first-time gun buyers. Each week in June was in the top ten of all time gun sales. The trend continued in July with 3.6 million FBI checks and 1.8 million new gun sales, a 122% increase over July 2019. Of first-time gun buyers, 40% are women and sales to African Americans are up 58%. Thru July 2020 gun sales were 12,141,032 – nearly equal to all of 2019.

Crime Causes Guns – Not Vice Versa

The stale canard that guns cause crime needs to be put to rest for all time. Over the past few decades, the US homicide rate has fallen by 50%, despite an increase of 150 million guns and amidst a surge in open carry. Until recently, the US murder rate was the same as in 1950 and the ratio of homicides to guns fell by 70%. Guns prevent or stop crimes 3 million times each year. In Britain 45% of burglaries occur in occupied homes versus only 13% here. In the US, criminals know they may encounter an armed homeowner, whom they fear much more than the police.

Progressives blame crime on the presence of guns despite the overwhelming evidence contained in the preceding paragraph. They cite selective studies that show correlation (but not causation) between guns and crime. However, the causation just as plausibly works in the opposite direction, i.e. crime causes guns. When crime increases and people feel endangered, they are much more likely to buy firearms. That is precisely the phenomenon we are now experiencing with the 2020 gusher of gun sales.

A tidal wave of potential gun buyers, who were sitting on the fence, has decided en mass to buy firearms. They reached their decisions based on events of recent months including: (1) sustained riots, looting and mayhem in many cities; (2) violence spreading for the first time into the suburbs; (3) huge spikes in violent crime in scores of cities; (4) movements to defund police; (5) politicians who condone the violence; and (6) failure and uncertainty of police to provide protection. It is dead obvious to everyone but progressives that crime causes guns – not the other way around.

My Decision Whether Or Not To Buy Firearms

Although I always have been a strong supporter of gun rights, I have not owned a firearm since my .22 caliber rifle when I was a teenager. I never have felt the need to own guns, especially since I live in a walled, 24-hour security guarded area. Moreover, I do not relish the hassle of shopping for firearms, learning how to use and to maintain them, regular target practice and properly storing and safeguarding them. As a septuagenarian, I believed I never would need to reevaluate owning firearms.

Then everything changed. I no longer feel as secure in the suburbs. I am not sure I can count on law enforcement for protection. The mayhem America is experiencing seems to have no defined ending point. And, not inconsequentially, I may not be able to buy firearms after January 2021 if progressives take control of America.

My present calculus is that the hassles of owning firearms are far outweighed by the risks of not owning them. The worst possible predicament is to be in a situation where you desperately need a firearm but do not have one. It is akin to buying an insurance policy. Therefore, I will be buying firearms in the near future. Perhaps I will write a blog post about my experience buying and learning to use firearms.

Our next post October 4th addresses systemic racism in America.
More Liberty Less Government – mllg@cfl.rr.com – www.mllg.us

Election 2020 Update – 40 Days Remaining

George Noga

Insights and analysis not found elsewhere: suppression polling and Biden’s fitness

 

Election 2020 Update – 40 Days Remaining

By: George Noga – September 23, 2020

This is a special midweek Election 2020 Update. Readers have clamored for MLLG’s take on two issues. First, our analysis of polling that shows Trump trailing. The Real Clear Politics average has him down 6-8 points. The second most frequently asked questions relate to Biden’s fitness. Both those issues are addressed herein. We will publish a final Election 2020 Update November 1st, two days before the election. Visit our website (www.mllg.us) to view prior election updates dated 2/9/20 and 7/20/20.

Suppression Polling

Nearly all polls, including those conducted by media, academia and major polling organizations, are neither independent nor intended to accurately inform you where the presidential race stands. They are ersatz polls, doctored up to discourage Trump supporters. These so-called suppression polls intentionally understate Trump support. Their theory is that Trump voters, believing the election lost, will become discouraged and fail to vote. Following is our MLLG guide for understanding the polls.

First, Trump lost the 2016 popular vote by 2+ points but still won. Second, polls understate Trump’s support by a minimum of 2 points due to overrepresentation of Democrats and reluctance of Trump voters to reveal their true preference to pollsters. Third, add another point (minimum) to Trump to offset the effect of suppression. The total is a minimum of 5 points that Trump’s prospects for victory are understated.

Let’s postulate that polls show Biden 54% and Trump 46%, i.e. Biden is up 8 points. Now, shift 2 points from Biden to Trump to account for the understated support for Trump and overstated support for Biden; the adjusted poll is Biden 52%, Trump 48%. Next, shift 1 point from Biden to Trump to account for suppression; the results become Biden 51% and Trump 49%. But remember, Trump can lose the popular vote by 2 points and still win; hence, the final adjusted poll results show the race a dead heat. Of course, the margin of error – usually 3-5 points – must also be considered.

Polls always tighten before the election as pollsters, protecting their reputations for accuracy, transition away from suppression polling.

National polls are of less value than state and demographic polls. Currently, Trump has a realistic chance to flip Minnesota and Nevada from 2016 but may give back Wisconsin. Trump is substantially outperforming 2016 among black and Hispanic voters but is hemorrhaging support among suburban voters – particularly women. The debates could prove dispositive, especially in light of persistent doubts about Biden’s fitness. The effect of the recent Supreme Court opening still is an unknown. All things considered, the race appears very tight – despite what the polls show.

Questions About Joe Biden’s Fitness

I take no pleasure writing about Biden’s mental health, but there it is – in plain sight for all to see. It is the 900-pound gorilla in the room. Even his most ardent supporters no longer can ignore his many episodes of incoherence. With an assist from Occam’s Razor, the most likely (and perhaps only) explanation is that: (1) Biden has dementia; (2) he is being treated by a physician; (3) he is taking medication; and (4) his very limited public appearances are carefully managed to avoid a meltdown.

The explanation offered above is consistent with many known facts. Trump has called for drug tests prior to the debates as he believes Biden is on medication. In fact, an injection of a stimulus drug before the debates can ameliorate the effects of dementia. Biden is tightly scripted in public and relies on earbuds and teleprompters to answer questions from friendly media lobbing softball questions. As caregivers know, those with dementia have good days and bad days. On his bad days, Biden’s staff shields him from public view and shuts down the campaign. The complicit media ask no questions.

It will be exceedingly difficult to mask Biden’s condition and to avert disaster for 40 more days, which include three presidential debates. All it will take is one brief episode at the wrong time to sink his campaign. And even some of Biden’s good days are problematic. Then there is Kamala Harris waiting in the wings.

Next up: I reveal my decision about buying firearms.
More Liberty Less Government – mllg@cfl.rr.com – www.mllg.us

President Biden or President Trump . . . Whoever Wins Should Not Really Matter

George Noga

Who is President of the United States should have little effect on our lives.

President Biden or President Trump . . .

Whoever Wins Should Not Really Matter

By: George Noga – September 20, 2020

For America’s first 200 years, whoever was elected president was largely irrelevant because he had little power over our lives or that of our neighbors. This is as our founders intended. The Constitution grants government only a few limited and enumerated powers and contains many checks and balances against the concentration and abuse of power. Government’s purpose was to protect our liberty. Who was on the school board, mayor or governor mattered much more than who was president.

Until a few decades ago government stayed mostly inside its constitutional box; whoever held office made little difference in our lives. Presidents exercised limited power and vetoed unconstitutional laws. Congress did not cede power to armies of unelected bureaucrats and the judiciary was largely apolitical. States jealously guarded their rights as part of a federalist republic. The media held government accountable. Ordinary citizens wielded power to convene grand juries and to nullify unpopular laws. Finally, Americans regarded liberty as a priceless jewel and voted accordingly.

How did we get from a Constitution of limited government to one that dictates which rest room we use and how much water is in our toilets? How did we get to a president who declares he will stop the rise of oceans? How did we get to a congress that passes unread 2,000 page laws in the dead of night? How did we get to a hyper-political judiciary that conjures new rights from thin air? How did we get to millions of bureaucrats and 200,000 pages of regulations? How did we get to neutered states, a statist media and a populace that meekly accepts all these horrors?

The answers are both sad and predictable. Per Jefferson, “It is the natural order of things for government to gain and liberty to yield”. Capitalism has made Americans so rich we forgot the source of our liberty and prosperity and it has sown the seeds of its own destruction. Per Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Americans have transcended basic needs and achieved material prosperity. This allows people the security to indulge in risk-free political witchcraft. Any society with psychologists for its pets is one that has badly lost its perspective. Like Esau, we sold our birthright for a bowl of stew.

Unfortunately, who we elect president in November will profoundly affect our lives. Presidents have transmogrified into kings, wielding enormous unchecked power unthinkable for the first 200 years of our republic. Americans once saved most of their passion for religion; now politics has largely supplanted religion. We view elections as contests between good and evil rather than as ones of policy. Everything in our lives has become politicized, including science, religion, news and education. We have come to regard those with whom we disagree as not merely wrong, but as devils.

American democracy is caught in a hyper-partisan death spiral. Winning at all costs threatens our constitutional foundation and the rule of law. The quest for immediate electoral victory is coming at the cost of long-term stability, such as by eliminating the filibuster, which has stood as a bulwark for moderation for nearly 200 years. The dehumanization of our political adversaries sanctions increasingly extreme behavior.

Our liberty is a priceless jewel of eternal and inestimable value. However, its setting has become badly tarnished. We must dedicate ourselves to restoring its original luster and grandeur to that worthy of the gem of incalculable value it holds. If we succeed, one day in the future who becomes president will again have little effect on our lives.

Next on September 27th, I reveal my decision about buying firearms.
More Liberty Less Government – mllg@cfl.rr.com – www.mllg.us

Can the Constitution Survive Progressivism?

George Noga

The Constitution is 233 years old Thursday – but will we be able to keep it?

Can the Constitution Survive Progressivism?

By: George Noga – September 13, 2020

Happy Constitution Day Thursday! The Declaration of Independence established the moral foundation of the United States and the unalienable rights of man. It proclaimed that governments are instituted among men to secure those rights. The raison d’etre of the Constitution is to protect those rights which, for 233 years, it has accomplished through an ingenious system of checks, balances and separation of powers.

Liberty is not the natural condition of mankind. Since we quit living in trees, 115 billion homo sapiens have trod this earth, of which fewer than 1% lived lives of liberty. Constant vigilance is needed to protect freedom; Benjamin Franklin recognized this when he warned, “A republic, if you can keep it”. The words of any constitution are only as good as the will of the people to enforce them. Following are excerpts from the constitution of another country – see if you can you guess which one?

  • Article 64: The state shall effectively guarantee genuine democratic rights and liberties as well as the material and cultural well-being of its citizens.

  • Article 66: All citizens age 17 and over have the right to elect and to be elected, irrespective of sex, race, occupation, party affiliation, political views or religion.

  • Article 67: Citizens are guaranteed freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, demonstration and association and free activity of political parties.

  • Articles 68-70: Citizens have freedom of religious beliefs, are entitled to submit complaints and petitions and have the right to work.

  • Articles 72-79: Citizens are free to engage in scientific, literary and artistic pursuits. They shall have the right to reside in and travel to any place. Citizens are guaranteed inviolability of the person, home and privacy of correspondence.

Liberty is one of the most fragile things ever created by the hand of man and is never more than one generation away from extinction. As President Ronald Reagan said: “We don’t pass (freedom) to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on to them to do the same.” People get just one shot at freedom; those who had it and lost it, are unlikely ever to have it again.

The biggest threat to our liberty today is progressivism. If they gain unchecked power, as they could in 2021, they vow to abolish the filibuster, pack the Supreme Court, admit DC and Puerto Rico as states, abolish the Electoral College and impose national mail in voting combined with vote harvesting. They pledge open borders, citizenship for illegal aliens, gun control and abolition of free speech via hate speech laws. They aim to eviscerate the Constitution to achieve power and to maintain it in perpetuity.

Progressives will abolish 233 years of freedom because they believe they know what’s best for everyone and are willing to shred the Constitution to achieve it. The words of our Constitution, no matter how mellifluous, won’t protect Americans from tyranny any more than the words of the constitution excerpted previously in this post protect the citizens of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or North Korea.

On September 20th, I reveal my decision whether or not to buy firearms.
More Liberty Less Government – mllg@cfl.rr.com – www.mllg.us

Will the 2020 Election Be America’s Last?

George Noga

The progressive plan to permanently control the United States

Will the 2020 Election Be America’s Last?

By: George Noga – September 6, 2020

Should Democrats take full control of government in the 2020 election, they plan to hold onto power in perpetuity; they intend for 2020 to be the last election in the United States. Americans will continue to vote in show elections just as they do in Russia, Belarus and Cuba, but the results will be preordained. Following are the elements of the progressive plan for permanent control of the United States of America.

Statehood for DC, PR, Others: They will make DC and Puerto Rico states immediately, resulting in 4 new Dem senators and 6-7 new electoral votes. Republicans would then need 53 of the original 100 seats to control the senate. If necessary, Dems will also make Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands and the Northern Marianas states.

Pack Supreme Court: Progressives will add as many new justices as necessary to gain a majority. This can be accomplished in a matter of days by simple majority votes.

Abolish Electoral College: This requires a constitutional amendment, but a packed Supreme Court could green-light it anyway, paving the way for a popular vote.

National Popular Vote: With the Electoral College kaput, there would be a national popular vote including vote by mail, vote harvesting and massive fraud in deep blue states. The federal government would wrest control of elections from the states.

Abolish Filibuster: New laws could be enacted in mere hours; any wacky progressive idea could become law without checks, balances or guardrails.

This is not idle speculation. Democrats publicly support every

one of the policies listed herein – perhaps except social credits.

Massive Expansion of Voting: Citizenship for illegal aliens could add upward of 20 million votes; open borders would add millions more. Progressives will enable felons, including those incarcerated, to vote. They will expand the franchise to nearly 10 million 16-17 year olds. All these cohorts will vote Democrat by humongous margins.

Abolish Freedom of Speech: So-called hate speech laws will be enacted to criminalize communications that offend liberal sensibilities. Straight out of George Orwell, progressives will use the threat of hate speech to stifle opposing political speech.

Eliminate School Choice: All forms of school choice, including charters and vouchers, will be abolished. Government schools, run by unions and bureaucrats, will dutifully turn our (now voting) children into automatons indoctrinated in progressive dogma.

Social Credits: The capstone of progressive control will be a system of universal basic income (UBI) linked to social credits – such as now being used by the Chicoms. The amount of a person’s social credits (based on obeisance to progressive diktats) determines the amount of UBI, access to health care, education and other benefits.

If progressives control government, all the above can be placed in effect immediately. They could add 40 million new voters – heavily Democrat. Progressives publicly advocate for every one of the above policies, except maybe social credits. Even if only some of the policies are enacted, it would be enough to turn the USA into Venezuela or Zimbabwe. The 2020 election could very well be the last election in America!

Next on September 13th is our inimitable take on Constitution Day
More Liberty Less Government – mllg@cfl.rr.com – www.mllg.us