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Praetorium Honoris

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

The Fall of the West

(Source)
One of the things which concerns me in these troubling times in which we live is talk of states seceding from the union. I've heard it in regards to Texas, more recently I've heard it in regards to Maine. In the latter scenario, Maine would break off from the United States and join together with the Maritime Provinces of Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) to create a new country. (Obviously for the former, Texas doesn't apparently need any help to be an independent nation.)

I can think of nothing which would accelerate the fall of western civilization faster than these here United States fragmenting into smaller countries. This is an inherently bad idea.

The United States is a large country, both in terms of area and in population (third in the world in both categories). When one thinks of the movers and shakers on this planet in terms of real, global-spanning power (both actual and potential for the global piece, both military and economic in terms of power), one thinks of the United States, Russia, China, and India. Canada, while large in area, is small in population, lessening her impact on the world stage as a solo player.

This doesn't mean that some smallish countries don't wield a certain amount of power locally. Germany, France, and the United Kingdom remain local powers (100 years ago these three countries were global powers) as do Japan, Korea, and Pakistan, though they have little real impact in the affairs of the superpowers except as allies. Though the United States is sometimes considered the last remaining super power after the end of the Cold War, China is fast catching up and Russia is once again flexing her muscles.

Here's your word for the day -

balkanize - to break up (as a region or group) into smaller and often hostile units
The Balkan Peninsula of southeastern Europe is named for the Balkan Mountains, which stretch through Bulgaria from its western border with Serbia to the Black Sea. (Balkan derives from a Turkish word that means "mountain.") The region known as the Balkans is commonly thought to include Albania, Greece, Romania, the European portion of Turkey, and often surrounding areas. The decline of the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century led to a series of revolts that accelerated the fracturing of the region into a number of smaller states whose unstable coexistence led to violence that came to a head in World War I. Since 1919, balkanize and its related noun, balkanization have come to refer to the kind of divisive action that can weaken countries or groups, as well as other things. (Source)
When folks talk about secession, that's what they really will get, the balkanization of the United States. One large, global power dissolving into a bunch of little countries. Why don't we just surrender to the Russians and Chinese right now? Believe me, secession will lead to bloodshed, it will lead to the death of the Constitution, and the only people who will benefit will be the tinpot politicians and their corrupt, rich cronies.

There's a smarter way, a better way.

The South isn't mad at the North, the West doesn't hate the East. No, we are all pretty fed up with the Federal Government. We, the people, have let them overstep their bounds, it's time to corral them and put them out to pasture. The concept is called "dissolution."
That other concept, rarely discussed, is dissolution of the Union. In this context, dissolution means that the modern federal government, through layers of radical statutes, executive orders and harmful constitutional amendments, has departed from the people’s intended constitutional order to such an extreme degree that it has become a different government, alien to the original system laid down by the nation’s founders. Therefore, the constitutional government we’re supposed to be living under has been dissolved. 
“You wouldn’t secede from a dissolved government anymore than you would divorce a deceased spouse,” said Ron Avery, a Texas patriot well versed in the writings of America’s founders... 
As Avery sees it, the issue boils down to this: Since the states and their people, which created the original federal government, are being ruled by a rogue regime that reset the dials so much that it overthrew the original constitutional order, then seceding from that unlawful, alien regime is a form of tacit acknowledgement of that impostor government’s legitimacy.

“You don’t secede from a dead union—[instead] you declare it dissolved,” Avery said. 
... under dissolution, the people and the states in which they live withdraw their consent to be ruled, and they do so without “going” anywhere. If even one state would be so bold as to declare the facts of the constitutional government’s dissolution, this observation could spread to where the legitimacy of the federal regime is seriously undermined and, with sustained effort, declared void. (Source)
Now I'm no pan-anarchist, but that article cited above makes a certain amount of sense. Some states already have sheriffs who have indicated that they will not enforce a law they consider to be unconstitutional. We don't need lawyers to explain the Constitution to us, after all it is written in English. The Supremes have interpreted that document badly in the past to suit the powers that be. They still do.

We, the American people, need to get off our butts and take back our country. My first step, vote against every single incumbent. Both major parties have failed miserably, it's time to start afresh.

Remember this in November - vote the bastards out, out, out!

What say you?




42 comments:

  1. Gary Johnson is looking better every day, and the Convention of States is gaining support across the country. The next few years promise to be very interesting indeed.

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    1. I hear you. Let's just hope the next few years aren't interesting in the same vein as the old Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times."

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    2. The complete curse is, " May you live in interesting times, and come to the attention of authorities ".

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    3. Heh, that last bit is a killer innit?

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  2. "What say you?" Rhetorical question I presume since the historical 90+% of incumbents that had a primary challenger won their primary this year. I was hoping for a change this year, and as always, was disappointed. Nothing is going to change, short of a revolution, when we keep sending the same people back to D.C. There is no reason to think that the general elections will go any different than the primaries.

    The smart American stocks up on firearms and ammo.

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    1. Rhetorical yes. Do I have hope? Yes, but it's a faint hope at this point.

      As to your last, I pray it doesn't come to that.

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  3. We have reached the point where no one wants to be thought of as being anything other than a high school sophomore. The Media have everyone cowed, by letting people know that if they don't vote for the regressive candidate, or hold regressive views, then they cannot possibly be cool. I find this frightening, but see it in my own family. When cool is considered a better thing to be, than a functioning adult, then it's time for the comet.

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    1. Sigh...

      That is the crux of the matter right there. We've been turned into a nation of juvenile nitwits.

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  4. I would also like to state, rather than dissolving the Union, it is rather time to re-establish it.

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    1. I think that it is up to the states to re-establish the Union, I don't know how we could do that. Currently the Federal government has too much power and ignores the source of that power, the people. Why do that ignore that? Because most of the people are either neglecting their responsibilities as citizens or they just don't care.

      We may have a situation similar to 1775, one-third support the Crown (the Feds substituting for the Crown), one third support the patriots (the folks who are fed up with the way things are going) and the one-third who just don't care (most of them don't even vote).

      I fear for the future and what we're leaving for my grandchildren.

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  5. The armed 20% of the population sees the current path as utterly unsustainable. Taxes, depredation of rights, demonization of those with wealth and training in the martial arts.

    But still only 10-30%. ⅓ are on the dole, too lazy or entitled to work.

    ⅓ are retired or soon to be too young or old to work.

    So who fights to overrun the government? The 10-30%? He suis prest? We have to fight the hordes of welfare queens to get to the government. Pray tell, the body count would be large. I have the stomach to protect my fellows from weapons seizure and usurpation of land and property, dare say not the wholesale murder of the poor waifs and elderly our government will use as human shields to,prevent change.

    The battle is coming. Not sure how yo,prevent the wholesale slaughter.

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    1. You paint a scary picture Joe, but it's looking more and more accurate every day.

      The future, barring some miracle, looks anything but rosy.

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  6. I DON'T want Texas (or anyone else) to secede. I DO want (no I DEMAND) the federal government to abide by the contract they agreed to and swore to defend (yeah, right, the lying bastards!). You know, the one that begins "We the people". I liked the analogies used in the dissolution discussion.

    Once again, my voting rubric
    1) No Democrat
    2) No Incumbent
    3) No Unopposed

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    1. We think alike.

      The problem, as I see it, is that there are some who want violence, not understanding that they will be consumed by that violence and the outcome will not be what they expect. (They think things are bad now? Start a rebellion, see what that gets you.) Revolutions always eat their young.

      The biggest problem lies with those who just don't care. They believe the lies the politicians tell them and for the most part can't spell "constitution," let alone understand what is in that document.

      Changing the Constitution (as some advocate) isn't going to fix anything, unless you impose term limits, which can be done without modifying the Constitution.

      Until we the citizens do our job, nothing is going to work right.

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    2. there is sadly but one way- the ballot box has never worked to prevent government from overreaching its bounds- once they got the right to raise 'yuge' amounts of money from income taxation, they became the cash cow, the 800# gorilla, the bank of last resort- and once they started borrowing on the full faith and credit - well. Then it was all over- they could exercise powers they never were granted using the largesse of their purse - you want our money - you let us tell you how to run your schools. Your roads. etc. Oh, everything could be interstate commerce, even the garage in the small town of 300 in corn country, because cars can drive there - so we can regulate it.

      The only solution is either bankruptcy [which really would not be good for anyone]] or the cartridge box to stop the government, disband the Congress, roll back the bureaucracies - but then what do you do?

      The other issue is how does the federal reserve get to generate debt on the full faith and credit of the United States when it is a private business?

      if people only knew - sadly - they have already demonstrated they don't care.

      When the checks stop coming from DC. . . . we will need a full blown civilian militia to maintain civil order. A lot of people are going to die before the word gets out. So yeah. I see no path other than that as the noose gets tightened around the producers by the pols themselves - trying to stave off disaster they created.

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  7. What do you do when your ballot is populated solely with bastards?

    That, btw, reflects the state of the sovereign citizen in this fair land. I keep seeing this "third-third-third" notion bandied about but I gotta tell ya, I'm not seeing any third of the population who could even charitably be called citizens.

    Balkanization is a great concept to think deeply about. When I talk to folks around here, I don't find many (hens teeth are more numerous) who can get past being on trumps or hillarys side and who look at their opponents not as people but as enemies to be punished. This is not an encouraging development. It's my assessment that the majority of today's so-called Americans would either joyously participate or stand cheering on the sidelines if wholesale slaughter developed here.

    This nation has in fact become a firetrucking joke, a caricature of that place described in the Declaration and in the Constitution. Today's Americans are cashing checks written in the blood of their kids and grandkids. History will not treat us kindly.

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    1. Something has to give. If we, the citizens, don't step up, things will only get worse.

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    2. If we do step up, we'd better have a plan and an organization because we'll be rebels, in rebellion, against the civil authority no matter what we say or how much we cite the Constitution. Right wing extremists, terrorists. etc. Just like George III said.

      A plan. And leaders with gravitas, experience, and good protection, in a state where the government will not be hostile. We can't have the usual suspects in the right wing movement - the David Dukes and the usual militia types - serious people, with serious ideas, and a plan.

      I'm fairly certain that once the movement gets to a certain mass, both in thought and bodies - the police, Sheriff's and military will sit it out. They'll need to see who wins. . . . but the Feds will not take it lying down - which is why the FAA and Forestry Service bought billions of rounds of ammo - the Feds have a broad private army they intend to use . . .

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    3. Folks assume the US military won't play a part in suppressing rebellion, and I think that's true. The private armies the bureaucrats have accumulated are the problem as you say. People refuse to see that.

      Whether or not those private armies act like the Hessians of old remains to be seen.

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  8. It's a very good point which Mr. Avery has made, and I thank you for bringing it to our attention. But since our voters chant "kick 'em all out" and then re-elect the same pork-producers, there's little hope of significant change. As a young man, full of fire, I was eager to join the fighting ... at least I was, until I saw it up close & personal. As an older man, I don't want to see it again. But I'm afraid we're going to.

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  9. It is to weep.

    Paul L. Quandt

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  10. I have reached the opinion that I don't even want to discuss my opinions about the state of politices except face to face with others in my own community who can have an impact upon who we elect.

    So... I will observe here, rather than participate.

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    1. Understood, I think this will be my last political post for a while.

      Like you, I'm sick of it.

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  11. Just remember- the last words of the Declaration . . . . "we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." That would be the scope.

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  12. Convention of States. It's the built in reset button for the States to use against an out of control Federal Government.

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    1. I assume you mean Article V of the Constitution, to wit -

      Article. V.

      The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.


      The Constitution, as written, is sufficient to the running of the Nation. Amending the Constitution because the Federal government isn't obeying the Constitution is akin to passing more laws because the old ones aren't enforced. Which is what most states already do.

      What makes anyone think that adding more rules to a document (which the Feds seem to be ignoring) will make any difference at all. Enforce the rules we already have, don't make new rules.

      As always, be careful what you wish for, or haven't you seen the movement for a Convention of States to repeal the Second Amendment?

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  13. The problem is that the original vision/philosophy of the founders re: "making the Republic work" was that the States were the PRINCIPALS (having existed prior to the federal government and having called it into its very existence) and the Federal Government was simply the subordinate AGENT of the collective will of the States acting in Congress. This structure and vision has now been turned upside-down wherein the States are now seen as mere agents of an all powerful Principal--the Federal Administrative State. It will take more than tinkering around the edges to return to the vision of the Founders..

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    1. Bingo. Precisely stated and very accurate. Well said Virgil.

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    2. VX, what's the truth on the ground in Baton Rouge? You and the Missus doing ok? Inquiring minds, doncha know!

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    3. That is he fault of the 17th Amendment. Now the States have no say in the running of the Government.

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    4. juvat/

      Don't know what you've read, but things are BAD, BAD. It's a multi-Parish deal and many of the areas that flooded were areas that had never flooded and thus many had no flood insurance (although I don't care what the maps say, in south Louisiana where the water table is so close to the surface I don't know why ANYBODY ANYWHERE, wouldn't buy it--except that about half are the poor who probably couldn't afford it. Lots of roads have been washed out over about five parishes and its played hell with the logistics of getting food-stuffs to places like Walmart, Sams Club & Costco. I was at a Sams Club today and they had ZERO chicken pkgs--breasts, thighs, etc as their supply trucks couldn't make it thru. Waters are receding in parts but still rising and flooding in others as the waters are moved around as they drain downstream. State and local agencies plus volunteers have done yo-mans work so not much chaos as agencies have MUCH better coordinated C & C because of lessons learned rm Katrina, so all agencies are pretty much tied into a decentralized net so that fi com is lost in one place other towers can cover, etc. MUCH better that Katrina. Still, will be a long time recovering. Hell, although most Interstates are open, there is STILL a section of I-10 within B. R city limits that is flooded in a low depression much like NO and is still being pumped out..

      We were damn lucky. Usually our power goes out at the first drop of rain, but the Point Coupee Electrical people just installed a maint upgrade and we nev-ver lost power, but Pt. Coupee had to cut power to 8,000 homes north of I-10 to avoid shorting out their system, so we lucked out. Problem is, Point Coupee piggy-backs on part of their system on Entergy, so we are at the mercy of TWO utilities, lol. No flooding in our area, but Blue Bayou is within 2 feet today of the small bridges crossing it in our area and providing access to I-10, so fingers crossed. But would be mere inconvenience, no disaster. We are far enough from any water to not have to worry abut flooding.

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    5. PS: Shortly after I wrote this the late evening news stated that 30 Parishes qualified for Fed Disaster relief. While tech true, a lot had minor damage. The most serious damage was concentrated on those Parishes centered around B.R. to its N & S and along I-10 corridor in places like Lafayette, --well, most of what is known as SW Louisiana, or "Cajun Country, west to Lake Charles. Most "non-Cajun Country" maj flooding happened in those cities immediately north of B.R and west along I-12 corridor to Hammond or immed south of BR along Miss R corridor along I-10. Clear as Miss Mud?

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    6. Scott - Concur, 17th Amendment, bad idea, should be sh!t-canned.

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    7. Prayers for the folks impacted by this down Loo-zi-anna way. I've been through that area (a long, long, time ago), loved the countryside and the people.

      Keep us updated if you can Virgil.

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  14. PS: Viewing that pic I'm thinking Thank God I got to view the magnificent Roman remains of Leptis Magna (in eastern Libya east of Tripoli on the Med) in the early 70s--can't imagine what they look like now thanks to our Moslem "Friends."

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    1. Wow, those are impressive (I Googled Leptis Magna). I don't thing the folks in Libya are as tightly wound as the Taliban, but you never know, ancient stuff is never really safe when the fanatics are in an uproar.

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  15. As a Texan, a Disabled Special Forces Veteran and most importantly an American I agree with the theme of your post. I do however disagree with the idea that a majority of Texans will actually support a "Texit" if Hillary is anointed. While the quick reaction to such a disturbing picture of the un-indicted felon being given keys to the leviathan federal government that we have allowed to grow beyond all limiting Constitutional boundaries can and does produce a gut reaction that the pollster reports. However, since this action would NOT be a step towards freedom, but instead an admission of failure and a absolute surrender that would end with a short drop with a strong rope. For those who do not know or remember their history a quick reminder; Texans simply DO NOT give up. It is not what we do or who we are. The rest of the world may very well throw in the towel, but NOT Texas. What we WILL do is fight and claw our way back towards the government as defined by the Constitution. And for those in Big Gov who believe that they are above the law as defined by the Constitution and that the tax paying servants need to sit down and shut up are in for quite a surprise. That surprrise is waiting for all of the political royalty be they demoncrat or republican.

    MSG Grumpy

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    1. Hear, hear!

      Well said Sir. Thank God for Texas.

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
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