SWGA Politics

Freedom. What is it good for?[ February 24, 2010 – 8:00 am]by Tom Posted in » Editorial

The Land of the Free.

It’s been beaten into our heads since childhood that our nation is free, that we can do what we want.  But let’s be honest, it’s all bull.  There’s a lot we can do, and there’s more we can do here than pretty much anywhere else on Earth.  But are we really free?  Not hardly. Read More …

A pale sense of freedom[ January 12, 2010 – 8:00 am]by Tom Posted in » Editorial

It was a typical Monday. I had stopped to get my breakfast at my local breakfast getting spot. I had my food and sweet tea in hand and was headed for the door when I overheard the most curious thing. A gentleman, who I don’t know from Adam’s housecat, said “I don’t think people who don’t pay taxes should be allowed to vote.”

At first blush, I wanted to agree. After all, we pay for their salary so why not let just us decide. That feeling lasted about .013 seconds. I’m pretty ashamed that it lasted that long. Read More …

Why we must defend that which we hate[ December 28, 2009 – 8:00 am]by Tom Posted in » Editorial

I’ve argued before, sometimes successfully and other times not so much, that an assault on any freedom is an assault on every freedom. I’ve pointed out the ludicrous nature of attacks on our civil liberties by those who defend others.  Frankly, that’s the majority of the people too.

So why am I revisiting it again? Read More …

Holding our employees accountable[ December 19, 2009 – 8:03 am]by Tom Posted in » Editorial

How many employees do you personally have? What’s that? You don’t have any?  That’s odd.  I mean, you may not own a business, but you have employees.  I sure as hell do.  And you do too.  Not only that, but it’s past time we grab them up by the scruff of the neck and remind them just who they are and who they work for! Read More …

Sometimes, what’s right can really suck[ August 8, 2009 – 7:31 am]by Tom Posted in » Editorial

Anyone who’s read this blog for any period of time can probably tell that I value freedom above all other things. I honestly and truly believe that freedom is the best way to live our lives and to make this nation strong. I oppose anything that I feels limits freedom, and I pretty much always have. I oppose gun control and the sign ordinance as aspects of the same coin of government control. To me, freedom equals right. Plain and simple.

However, sometimes, freedom can give you some outcomes that can suck. Read More …

Personal responsibility in a free society[ July 26, 2009 – 8:30 am]by Tom Posted in » Editorial

The libertarian ideal world is unrealistic, many say. A world where the needs of the poor are met by private charity, where the environment is saved not through government regulation but through the free market of all things, where things like drugs and prostitution are legalized and it actually cleans up the streets. But is it really? Read More …

How easily it slips away[ July 25, 2009 – 9:00 am]by Tom Posted in » Editorial

It’s simple.  One day it’s here, then another it’s not.  It slips through our fingers like water, looking for every single crack and imperfection it can slip through to escape the grasp.  Just like that, they’re gone.  Our fights and freedoms can slip away so easy, and what’s worse is that most of us at one time or another have helped them go away.

Freedom is such an easy concept to understand, but such a difficult thing to actually keep hold of.  With each passing day, we get less and less.  What’s worse is that the attacks come from all angles.  Not just the federal government, but state and local governments too.  We will find ourselves less and less free as time rolls on unless we can stop the onslaught. Read More …

Why We Must Fight For Freedom[ July 5, 2009 – 12:00 pm]by Tom Posted in » Editorial

On this date, 233 years ago, nothing of really big historical import took place according to most history books. Nothing of note. Nothing of the significance to warrant a trivial pursuit question even. And yet, this was one of the most important days in American history. Read More …

Picking And Choosing[ June 22, 2009 – 12:00 pm]by Tom Posted in » Editorial

It’s easy enough to do.  We all find ourselves defaulting to such ideas whenever we are met with anything we think is wrong.  It’s natural.  We are, as a species, unique in that we tend to want to make the world better for everyone else.  Despite arguments about “selfishness” in every segment of society, people generally want to make the world better for their fellow men.

Unfortunately, that’s a very subjective thing. Read More …

An Open Letter Regarding the Supreme Court[ May 15, 2009 – 11:57 am]by Tom Posted in » Editorial, National

Dear President Obama,

I don’t actually expect you to read this, much less comment, but other people will read this, and hopefully it will make some difference.  I write to you as an American taxpayer and voter.  No, I didn’t vote for you.  I don’t hesitate to tell you this because we are the United States of America, and I’m free to vote for whomever I so choose, and I didn’t feel you were best for this nation. In all fairness though, neither was Senator McCain. Read More …