Tag Archives: Opinion
Why There Shouldn’t Be a Minimum Wage
Guest Editorial By Ethan Glover
Writer at Anarchant and creator/admin for Liberty Resource Directory.
In 2015, this week, 21 states will be raising the minimum wage. New wages will range from $8 to $9.15 as compared to the federal minimum of $7.25. This made me wonder where the movement for $15/hr went, I haven’t heard from them in a while.
Turns out, Seattle implemented a $15 minimum wage early this year. What were the effects?
Managers started to take on more responsibility as opposed to hiring.
Large companies laid off employees and canceled plans to hire.
Small businesses are moving or closing.
Many products added “living-wage surcharges,” including parking.
Companies cut employee benefits and overtime.
On the positive side, despite no one hiring, there has been a huge increase in job applications.
The Real Cost of Minimum Wage
The argument against minimum wage is simple. It might not be profitable for a company to hire someone at a higher wage, so they don’t hire. If someone can’t produce $7.25/hr, you’re condemning him or her to a wage of $0.
One argument says that the minimum wage raises the standard of living for all. Lowering it would hurt everyone.
This is ridiculous considering that most jobs pay above the minimum due to competition and profits. Lowering the minimum does nothing but lower the barrier to entry.
Minimum wage isn’t for adults looking for a particular “standard of living.” Jobs like food preparation and retail floor sales isn’t the kind of thing you should be doing as a middle-aged parent.
Those jobs are for young people who need to earn experience and learn skills. Minimum wage jobs need little to no skill and operate in a low risk environment. (Missing a day of work at McDonald’s isn’t going to hurt anyone.)
Read more at Anarchant
Louisiana village ban on “vicious” Pit Bulls and Rottweilers lifted
The village of Moreauville, Louisiana recently enacted a ban on Rottweilers and Pit Bulls within their village. Their ban apparently listed them as “vicious” dogs. According to The Canine Chronicle, that ban—which took effect December 1—was repealed as of December 2. This is probably as a result of the national attention to the ban and the ire of local resident dog owners.
An article in AvoyellesToday.com, there are more than 700 cities which have regulations or bans on “vicious” breeds of dogs.
The article cites the fact that the defunct law was based on a law in another Parish of Louisiana.
In Avoyelles Parish, Bunkie has an ordinance declaring pit bulls and rottweilers as “vicious.” In Bunkie, when a dog is declared to be “vicious,” the owner must obtain an annual permit to keep the dog in the city limits. The permit fee is $50. The dog must wear a red, circular tag — kind of a canine equivalent of the “scarlet letter” — identifying it as a vicious dog. The owner must present the permit to an animal control officer upon demand. Pit bulls and rottweilers are “presumed vicious” under the ordinance and automatically subject to all of its requirements. The dog does not have to be proven to be vicious.
The problem is that Pit Bulls and Rottweilers are not inherently vicious. In fact Dalmatians can be just as vicious as the “regulated” breeds. The temperament of any dog is based on the training of the owner.
OUTRIGHT BANS VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION
The ownership of dogs is protected by the Constitution of the United States just like real estate or any other property. They cannot be taken away from you without just cause.
Some of you will say I have never seen private ownership of anything in the Constitution. These are, of course, people who know what others SAY the Constitution says instead of studying it for themselves. People who cannot think for themselves. People who should not own dogs.
The astute of you will remember that the unalienable Bill of Rights (the first Ten Amendments to the Constitution) has a Ninth Amendment which states:
The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
The reason that amendment was added was that the Bill of Rights was not a popular idea at the time. It was felt that the Constitution fully protected the rights of everyone because everyone knew what their rights were. If a specific list of rights were added, the government might infringe on rights not on the list. Thus they added this amendment as a “catch-all,” in the terminology of today.
Therefore it is clear that you have the right to own any animal responsibly.
REGULATIONS ARE CONSTITUTIONAL
The regulation of animals is Constitutional. So long as those regulations do not put a hardship on the animal or owners. I would have to say that the regulation cited above is questionable because it automatically assumes the ferocity of certain breeds.
Still the government does have a responsibility to protect the rights (not the safety) of every member of a community. As Thomas Jefferson put it:
No man has a natural right to commit aggression on the equal rights of another, and this is all from which the laws ought to restrain him.
If my dog does create a vicious environment, he needs to be regulated even to the point of putting him down if needs be. In most cases, however, the owner has to be regulated more than the dog. If it is apparent that the owner is irresponsible, they owner should be banned from owning dogs. This is Constitutional. Just as a felon may not own a firearm.
Most States have a means of restoring lost rights which can be applied to dog ownership.
RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP
Across the country this Christmas, kids will wake up to find a puppy under the tree. In six to twelve months time that puppy will be found in a rescue shelter hoping to be loved someday. At worse, that dog will be euthanized. Even in the shelters run by the loving “People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.”
Most will not even realize that puppy probably came from a puppy mill in which a female dog is caged and whose whole existence is to produce puppies. Most of the animals from such breeding mills are prone to physical complications which lead to euthanizing the animal later.
Owning a dog comes with responsibility just like owning a car or a gun. Just like the inanimate objects which can be a danger in the hands of the wrong people, a dog can be a danger in the hands of the wrong people. The problem with most dogs is that they are not shown the proper love. Dogs, and other animals, have emotions just like people.
Here are some tips for being a responsible dog owner.
1. Do NOT surprise your children with a gift of a puppy. They will love on the animal for maybe 48-hours before they have to start picking up the poop, feeding him at regular times, playing with him, walking him and so-forth. Never trust your kids that they will not mind doing the right thing unless you absolutely know your children. Many children will—don’t get me wrong. Just make sure that they will. Have you given them goldfish, gerbils or guinea pigs in the past? How did they treat them? Is their objective to actually have a dog to love? Or just because little Johnny down the street got one? Be prepared to take on the responsibilities if your children do not.
2. Dogs take hours a day of training. I have been chastised in the past for my “treatment” of my dog. Yet my dog is nearly always by my side and routinely loves to meet and greet visitors to our fair city. Especially children. You can spank a dog on the butt when he does something wrong, but like children you have to do it carefully as not to injure the animal or make it meaner. Especially in cases where you have to get its attention for safety reasons, such as teaching it not to just run out in the streets in front of cars. However, like children, the tone of your voice can be a major factor in training. Spanking a dog after-the-fact is essentially useless because a dog cannot understand why you are doing it.
The GOOD news is that training sessions end over a period of time. Usually about age three they will learn to sit and stay properly and obey your commands. And you can teach an old dog a new trick.
3. Dogs will tend to become protective, but not necessarily vicious. If you show your dog the proper love, he will become protective of the property and the family just like (I hope) you do for your children. You have to be aware of that fact. If you decide to get a dog from a responsible rescue shelter, in most cases that dog will become EXTREMELY protective. It is up to you to train them when to be protective and when to chill.
4. Dogs are pack animals by nature. If you get four or five—or more—dogs, you will find that they will band together. And if they get loose they will revert to that pack nature. They will fight to protect each other. It is nice to have two dogs because they have a playmate when you are not available. More than that can cause problems. It can be done, but you have to show that much more love for that many more animals. If you pack all of those dogs in your car and drive downtown, they are going to have a pack mentality. They are protective of even your vehicle. You are responsible for training a dog when it is all right to protect your property. And it IS Constitutional for a properly trained dog to protect your car. If you leave them in the heat, however, police in most cities ARE authorized to enter the vehicle, rescue the dogs and ultimately fine the owners.
5. Dogs eat. Big dogs eat a lot. It can get expensive particularly if your dog likes more expensive brands of dog food.
6. Dogs need medical attention. They need shots. You may choose to neuter them. They need regular checkups. They may choke on something they grabbed when you were not looking. All of this cost money. Health insurance is available for emergencies and regular checkups. Like any other policy read before you sign. Your veterinarian is a valuable source of information for nutrition and warnings about certain toys and products for dogs. Particularly those made in China.
7. Learn to know your dog. If your dog is very protective, you may not want to walk him down busy sidewalks. Especially where there are other dogs.
8. My dog was trained not to fight other dogs initially. He is a Rottweiler, Labrador, Malamute and Pit Bull mix. Unfortunately he was attacked three times by dogs of irresponsible owners. So I have to carefully monitor him when we approach other dogs. Most of the time he gets along. Sometimes he does not.
9. Not all people like dogs. And it is not necessarily their fault. They may have been bitten in their youth. Their parents may not have liked dogs. Whatever. It is up to you to try to monitor your surroundings and avoid such people. Most of them will avoid you. Even people who like dogs may be appropriately cautious of your dog. They do not know you or your animal. That is why I keep my dog off to the side and I tell people that he is friendly. Remember that a dog with a wagging tail does NOT mean that he is friendly. Most kids love to pet my dog when they meet him and he loves the attention.
10. Even friendly dogs jump on people. I have tried, with marginal success, to train my dog not to jump on people. He still tends to jump up on people he knows to lick their face. He also nibbles the hand of people he likes. He does not bite, just nibbles. Usually only people he knows, though. That can startle a person, however. For the most part he just loves to lick. I also know that my dog is powerful even for his size. He has knocked ME over when I was not paying attention. He has knocked a friend of mine over when he was running hard and not paying attention. I have to account for that.
11. A dog that is chained outside and left to its own devices will become vicious. Don’t believe it? Have someone chain you in the front yard in the rain and the snow. See how you feel after a couple of hours. My dog loves to play in the snow. Not so much live in it. If you cannot have a dog in your house, do not get one. Sometimes it is necessary to chain a dog for a short time, but it should not be its lifestyle.
12. STUDY THE BREED! Certain dogs do have certain characteristics. You have to learn what they are and how to train them. Any dog not shown the proper love, however, will become a problem.
I might also point out that I know the breed of dog that my dog is likely to have problems with. I rein him in when approaching such breeds. In fact I rein him in with every dog I do not know. You have to learn to read the actions of your dog.
In training your dog you have to know that YOU must train your dog. If you take him to an obedience school, or trainer or whatever, the dog may learn to follow the instructions of the trainer, but not you. A good trainer will train YOU how to train your dog.
Do not give the dog a treat every time he learns a new trick. He will then only do what you tell him in exchange for a treat. In other words, don’t train your dog to do a trick for a treat. If you are training your dog to sit, for example, make him sit and stay several times. After the completed training session, then give the dog a treat if he has performed properly.
The bottom line is that if you do not have the time for a dog, do not get one. You will only cause trouble for yourself or the animal.
(Opinion) Letter to the editor: PETA unhappy (Again)
December 2, 2014
Editor:
Anyone who cares about animals will steer clear of Bearizona. This
roadside zoo churns out bears, traumatically separates the cubs from
their mothers, and unloads bears to other awful breeders and dealers.
This outfit is owned by brothers Sean and Dennis Casey, of the same
family that owns and operates the notorious Bear County USA in South
Dakota.In the forests where they belong, bears range over vast distances,
establish territories, dig, climb, build dens and explore. They are
inquisitive, active, and dexterous. The make decisions and live
autonomously. In captivity, everything that gives their lives meaning
is gone. Being jammed in cramped, barren cages often causes these apex
predators do go insane. Captive bears spend much of the day pacing,
walking in tight circles, swaying or rolling their heads, and showing
other signs of psychological distress.People who care about bears will never support their misery in
captivity.Sincerely,
Jennifer O’Connor
Staff Writer
PETA Foundation
501 Front St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-622-7382, ext. 8003
Thanksgiving Day 2
Thanksgiving Day 1
Government Bullies vs. The Grove and Cheba Hut
By Elisha Dorfsmith
Flagstaff Liberty Blog
Last month when the Daily Sun published an article about a party at the Grove Student Housing Complex that was “totally out of control” I knew that there had to be an ulterior motive behind it. After all, the moment police showed up the party dispersed and only a handful of drunk in public arrests were made. No force was used to break up the party. Hardly sounds uncontrollable to me.
Adding to the misinformation was a report released by Flagstaff PD that said 750-1,000 students were at the party. My sources tell me that in reality there were only 200-300 people there. The extent that Flag PD and the Daily Sun were going all out to villainize The Grove had me scratching my head for a reason.
I believe I found the motive when I attended last night’s Flagstaff City Council meeting. …
Read more at Flagstaff Liberty Blog
Lies and video tape minus the sex
[Title added by Editor]
by LYLE J. RAPACKI, Ph.D.,
SENTINEL INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, LLC
Not one of the trifecta publicly seen as the political leaders of the Democrat Party; Reid, Pelosi, and Obama never knew who Gruber was. The incredible, consistent, sociopathic lying by these three would be horribly appalling if it were not so damn serious. The sociopathic lying by Obama, Reid, and Pelosi, if not called-on and checked by someone who has the platform by which to do so, will collapse this nation. The American People shouted loudly a couple of weeks ago: “STOP!” The American People overwhelmingly shouted: “SAVE OUR COUNTRY!” The American People shouted at the polling booths: “STOP the transformation of our country; STOP the Marxism dressed-up in all sorts of rags to make it look appealing!” The American People gave the Republican Party grand permission to STOP Reid, Pelosi, and Obama and call them on all their lies!”
Reid, Pelosi, and Obama are racing all over the place telling anyone who will listen, “I (We) didn’t know Gruber, or “he was not on staff” or other lies, lies, lies! STOP IT!! Someone needs to wash their mouths out with soap!! Sociopathic liars all. Just look at the youtube site below where…you guessed it, Reid is praising Gruber all over the place. Obama doesn’t know him, but he was in private meetings in the Oval with Obama. Gruber made close to $6-million dollars being paid to be this all-knowing, all-wise, political and economic consultant, as well as health-care expert. ENOUGH! Enough lies and other sociopathic behaviors. ENOUGH!
Harry Reid is all over the place claiming he doesn’t know Gruber. Well, heck, Harry…just watch the youtube site below and listen to your own bellicose praising of the guy. By-the-way Harry, the date of your admiration speech was December 1, 2009, I believe it was a Tuesday.
Actress Ellen Barkin: Another example of Hollywood intelligence
Opinion
Glen Davis
It is amazing how a person can open their mouth and utter such unintelligent tripe.
According NewBusters, Hollywood scientist Ellen Barkin, fetuses are not human because they cannot talk. Apparently some people who can talk are not human. Should we abort them?
Apparently she added the following to her Twit [Not a misspelling] account:
For years, real scientist have advocated speaking with your child before it is born. There is a belief that it strengthens the bond between parent and child. Parent web site explains that the the bones in the babies ears are developed around eighteen-weeks and may be startled by loud noises.
By twenty-five-weeks a child can start hearing the voice of you and your partner and begin to recognize your voices. Research suggests that the heartbeat of the baby slows when hearing the voice of the mother. The heart begins to beat at eight-weeks.
They even recommend doing things like running the vacuum so that the child can get used to it. Research suggests that doing so will help the child remain asleep when doing household chores.
Oh, and “News Flash…” Ellen. A baby is born with a very limited vocabulary. Yet, they have the instinctive ability to recognize their parents.
The point is that they are actually learning while in the womb.
And it gets worse. Some nurses who have gotten away from the abortion temples in the United States report they did so because they believed that the babies expressed horror when being aborted.
The Song Remains the Same…
What is that old saying about history repeating itself?
It is rather amazing how accurate past political rhetoric is today.