You Just Gave $2,000,000,000 More to General Motors
April 24, 2009
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Pretty please, make a profit?
The government is taking a new strategy in its quest to waterboard a profit out of GM, or else!
GM: Or else what?
Treasury: Or else we'll give you more money, that's what!
The Treasury announced today that it will lend GM another $2B in an effort to.. ahem... kickstart the ailing automaker. Excuse me. I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.
The loan pushes the total amount of GM's government aid to $15.4 billion after the company said it would need more money in the second quarter to stay afloat.
You Can't Hope For Profits
Let us examine a case where two people are engaged in a credit relationship. Let's call them George and Jim. George runs an unprofitable business, but has an excellent plan for returning to profitability. Jim steps in and lends capital to George's operation in hopes of a greater return. The terms are set according to a private contract betwen Jim and George. This is simple stuff. We know what happens if George defaults. We know Jim's motives and can calculate his expected return, George's credit worthiness, etc.
Suppose however, that Jim decides that George is not profitable and likely never will be or perhaps George does not want to pay the interest level that Jim requires to ensure profitibality. What then? Should George be able to engage a third party to act on Jim's behalf, to transfer Jim's wealth to George on the "promise" that Jim will eventually get his? After all, it's for the "common good."
Or should we put George and this nefarious third party in jail for theft of Jim's property?
I'll Have A Side Order of Constitutional Apathy, Please
So much for the principles of a democratic republic. These bailout programs are insane when measured against any civilized standard, so don't even bother bringing up the Constitution (the dirtiest C-word around.) Questions of Constitutioniality are always the first thing dismissed when the merits of government intervention are debated. I would like to urge all my friends to start a game of one-ups-manship. Anything they can do, we can do better.
It's The Oath I Took
How many here served in the military? That's quite a few hands going up. Remember your oath? Let's refresh your memory and enlighten the Statists:
"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).
You didn't swear allegiance to the Republican Party. You didn't swear allegiance to the Democratic Party. You didn't swear to AIG or GM or Wall Street. Notice also, that your orders to obey the President only apply when they accord to the UCMJ. I don't remember the UCMJ class on bailout support, so I'm guessing there isn't one.
Don't Enlist, Withdraw
The government has trampled your Constitution. The public seems to care little for it so long as the Handout State continues to grow. So why are you serving? Let the New Age Volunteers lead the new revolution. Hey, why not let the little community planners get their hands dirty for once? Let's see how they like facing rounds coming down range. Until things change (yep, there's that word again), it's time to withdraw. No more protest. No more outrage. Just withdraw. Advise your kids and grandkids. Tell them the truth:
"There's no Constitution anymore, Son. They destroyed it. They called it a living document, and in doing so, killed it. Don't bother fighting for something that's already dead."
Don't Fight The Fight You Can't Win
You can't beat the bailouts, the government expansion, the endless threats against your liberty, and the constant bombardment of misinformation and propaganda. You lost your power years ago. They took it when you stepped in that ballot box and voted for the lessor of two evils. We tried to warn you but you didn't want to hear it. It was always about the other guy. He's so awful. Yeah, my guy is bad, but that other guy is really bad. I remember telling you that, despite your noble intentions, you were still supporting evil. Dejected and despondent, you vaguely succumbed to duty, unaware that your duty was to serve the State. The chickens are coming home to roost now. It's too late to stop it.
I Know Where I Was The Last Eight Years
"Where were you the last eight years when Bush was wasting billions, starting wars, and taking away our liberties?"
Right beside you, my friend, fighting him every step of the way. I kept fighting because I knew the fight didn't end at the ballot box. I kept fighting for you because I thought you were fighting for me. I thought we were brothers and sisters in this war. It turns out, you were fighting for yourself. Now that the election is over, you've got your little piece of the pie (and what a tiny little crumb it is!) Now you're happy and content. Suddenly I'm your enemy because I think the fight isn't over.
I Don't Want To Fight You. You Can't Win Anyway
The expansion of the State into every aspect of human life is untenable. It can only come about by the complete submission of human will and human intellect. I know of no religion that has ever brought about a submission on the scale envisioned by the modern day prophets. It violates every principle of economics and human nature. It is going to fail and the end result will be violence unprecedented in the history of America. Man has never become a slave voluntarily and modern man has tools to resist slavery that his ancestors could only dream of.
Brothers and Sisters, Don't Buy American, Buy Your Freedom
There is one way we can win. It's a step towards victory. We can stimulate our economy. First, pay off all your debt, even your mortgage. Don't invest another penny in anybody until you have invested fully in your own future. Put everything you own into yourself. Debt freedom is the answer. The State's power over you is your debt. Without debt, you can stop working. You can go on strike. You can tell them to look elsewhere for revenue. You can tell them that you will no longer be their slave.
Have you ever jumped out of an airplane? Can you describe the feeling when you are in free fall? You are untouchable. You are in complete control (granted that you packed your own chute =D). That's what it feels like to be debt free. You'll never get that free in America - not with property taxes - but you can get close. You can bungee jump.
It's a step. Take that step. Buy your freedom.
David in Qatar
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