RobertNashville

I weep that people buy things at WalMart.  ;)

You also pay money for a vehicle and modern vehicles collect all sorts of data...if police want access to that data do they need a warrant for it?  I'm thinking not but I really don't know???

Frankly, I'm not sure how I feel about this.  I don't like it but is it "Constitutional"?  I suppose in part it depends on why they are using the data for doesn't it? I mean, the data itself is neither good or bad...I can certainly see it being used for both good and bad!   I think an important consideration that the court mentioned is that no one is required to possess a cell phone; all of us who use them volunteered for the trip. As difficult as it is to contemplate, the proliferation of cell phones has really only happened within the past 20 years - it wasn't long that before that if you actually wanted to talk to someone you had to either call their home or go to where they were...we really could live without them right now if we actually wanted to do so.   We don't even have to give up the "security" of a having a cell phone...a deactivated cell phone is still good for true "911" emergencies because even a cell phone that is not active will still dial 911 so long as the battery is charged.

Everybody learns lessons a bit differently but all the ways generally fall into one of two categories; the easy way or the hard way.   A girl I went o HS with became a pretty successful entertainer and has made it her career. She lives in LA and has for most of the past 40 years....she is black, very beautiful (well, age has caught up with her just like the rest of us ;) ) and she was always very "liberal" as far as politics goes.  But, she told me a number of years ago that she changed her politics once she started handling her own business finances; that was a pretty easy lesson overall but the point is, until she really experienced how liberal policies affected her personally; it didn't click.   I'm sorry for your friend and his family...sadly, their best move personally would be for her not to work which then may make them eligible for more welfare (in the form of tax breaks/rebates, etc or even help paying for the wonderful Obamacare we'll have in just a few days).

You are right, I hadn't thought of Eddie...he is a one of a kind good guy.  I had to chance to talk with him a bit before he left the legislature and it was obvious that he had far too much common sense to stay!

Okay - I surrender - I don't have time to debate you; especially when what is being debated is likely a non-issue anyway and Is pointless in any case.

Oh yes... :doh: I forgot you have perfect knowledge of situations like this; even able to tell the guy's attorney the first thing he needs to do!  

Yes...it matters or at least it matters if the homeowner wants to do something about it in court...if all he wants to do is complain then I guess it doesn't matter then; complaining if free (and usually pretty pointless).   When you chose to live in a community you chose to abide by the laws of that community. If you don't like the laws then you either seek to get them changed or you find somewhere else to live.

If he is actually violating city code then I suspect he would have a difficult time getting anywhere in court (which is really his only legal option here).  It would be interesting if he was able to actually take it that far though.   If he isn't violating any city code then this cop (or whoever told him to remove the sign) needs to pay a price for his actions...maybe at least charged with trespass and theft.

Are all 2.8 billion Christians in the world today "ethnocentric little twits" because they believe that Christ is the only way to avoid Hell or is that insult reserved only for those who believe it and post bumper stickers about it?

At the risk of discussing "religion"; Romans is the passage most people refer to yet Paul himself "disobeyed" the government (Rome) on many occasions...what most people, even some pastors don't understand is that no where in the Bible are we instructed to follow laws that are in direct contradiction to God's word.  However, there is a significant difference between resistance to immoral laws and violent rebellion.   The colonists had sufficient provocation to rebel as they had not other avenue left to them...we, on the other hand, have the benefit of "rebellion" at the ballot box and that is that method we should use unless that option is taken away from us.

There is a difference between "giving up" and being realistic. As to my resolve, in the words of James T. Kirk; "I've done my bit for king and country" and a hell of a lot more than most people to stop Obamacare and I'm resolved that I've done all I can do - what happens now is out of my hands.       Many of the senators who voted for this abortion in 2009 are still there because they were happily returned to office by their constituents (and I'm talking about senators who were nearly run out of their own town hall meetings because they were getting beat up about it but the people still voted for them anyway).  Given that, why should they worry now?

It's probably easier to find a unicorn than a moral, ethical Democrat politician.

There are many good O/U shotguns out there in just about every price-point imaginable; from a few hundred to tens of thousands of $$$ so it really depends on what you want to spend and what you want to use it for.  It's kind of difficult to have "one" shotgun that can do it all or at least, do it all really well...even using one for both skeet and trap is not ideal as the needs of the two types of shooting are different.   I would suggest that you decide on what your primary use for it will be and then concentrate on getting a shotgun that will do that thing really well - you'll still be able to use it for other things; it will just mean that you'll  be giving up some capability when it comes to other types of shooting!

Yeah...well, I could be called up by the NFL tomorrow too...lots of things "can" work,

Congress and the rest of Washington D.C. not having to live under/be subject to the crap they spew out (called legislation) has been going on for decade after decade...I somehow doubt the brain dead are suddenly going to get a clue.  It's a nice thought...but probably not terribly realistic.

Makes for good press but I can't see anything coming from it.   Of course, every person, especially anyone who works for the government from the President to the lowest-paid janitor should have to have Obamacare and every company and special interest group that has been allowed to opt out should be forced to participate.   But it anit going to happen.

I would discuss it with you but I've already been chastised for daring to raise the subject of religion. ;)   I will say this...we have a legally constituted government that I believe we are honor bound to obey and to defend and that the only rational, reasonable, dare I say "moral" way to affect change in that government is through the political process/voting.   Until some jack-booted thug breaks down my front door and starts shooting; that's as "revolutionary" as I'm going to get and like Mr. JayC, I can truly say I sleep easy at night in the belief that my convictions match my religious beliefs completely.   With that said I feel this thread has gone so far off course that it will never correct itself so I'm done!

Just so I understand; you bring up "God given rights" and whether voting is moral or not moral but you don't want to talk about religion...got it.   What you term tilting at windmills just sounds like a lot of bellyaching to me and bellyaching is pointless and a waste of time.

Can you show me where I said you did?  If you can't then your question is irrelevant.   As I just said above, if you want to rebel...if that's your answer...then rebel.

We aren't Tunisia and we aren't under a dictatorship; at least not at the moment and I doubt we ever will be. In any case, there is no "morality" present in "voting" and trying to claim there is is just silly.   "They" (by they I assume you mean the government) may not have a "moral right" to take my natural rights from me but they may well have the power and authority to do so; especially if that power and authority has been freely given to them. Further, I seem to recall in my Bible that God establishes governments and expects his followers to live under those governments (even those that are anti-God).  Also based on my understanding of scripture I find it doubtful that God would be in favor of an armed rebellion when the people who are rebelling are 100% responsible for the government they are rebelling against (unlike King George whom the colonist had no say in how he treated them).   But why care what I think; if you want to rebel...if you think that is your only or best option then rebel...there is nothing I can do to stop you.

What's next is a pretty much inevitable slide toward a socialist democracy which is a trip we've been on since the early 1900's.   I'll keep working through the political process as I can and I'll try to be hopeful rather than depressed but I see little chance that our final destination will change at this point.

Truly excellent point (actually, the entire post is excellent).   Very few realize just how incredibly unique it is for a revolution to result in the establishment of a government who's power rests in the people...where one "king" or "dictator" wasn't simply replaced with another...in all of human history, I believe the American Revolution may be the only exception to that norm.   To think that some "new" revolution would result in something as good as what we once had is foolishness...if we can't fix what's wrong peacefully I doubt doing so violently will provide an answer.

  Regardless of what impression you have of my position and regardless of whether it's "life, liberty and property" that is being impaired; it is being so impaired by the people freely elected to office and willingly given that power.   So call my position immoral if you want but voting/the political process is the process we have to use; it can be used to totally screw things up or to correct things. It's likely too late now to change anything but voting is still the process we have whether it's successful (in the eyes of some) or not.   If you've got a realistic alternative to offer then please offer it.

Voting is not an illusion simply because the results aren't what a portion (patriots, conservatives, libertarians, etc.) of the population want the results to be.   Unless there is enough voter fraud/vote fixing going on to dictate the outcome of an election (and I do not believe we've reached that point despite evidence of some of that going on) then our votes Do count and aren't illusion even if the "wrong" outcome happens. Further, elections not turning out the way a group might want them to does not mean that armed revolution/deadly force is either justified or the right thing to do.