First Principles

In search of the Unified Theory of Conservatism

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Entries Tagged as '1st Amendment'

Does the GOP’s Online Gaming Platform Make Them Identical to Democrats?

September 3rd, 2012 · Comments Off on Does the GOP’s Online Gaming Platform Make Them Identical to Democrats?

Robert Fellner has an interesting piece on the GOP’s platform plank to resist the expansion of on-line gambling: The stated justification for this horribly intrusive, un-Constitutional, un-American, nanny-state action that the most hardcore Progressive would be proud of, is that “compulsive gambling is a serious disease” blah blah blah, Why is there no call to […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Big Government · Brian Sandoval · Campaign '12 · Federalism · Harry Reid · Health Care · Republicans · Rick Santorum · Social Conservatism

There Are Reasons to Boycott Restaurants, and Then There Are Reasons

August 29th, 2012 · 25 Comments

I didn’t know about this until recently, but every Friday in Idlewild Park here in Reno is a little food truck gathering. There is plenty of room to lay out a picnic blanket, open a bottle of wine, and enjoy some tasty and unique cuisine from small business owners who are showing some nice innovation […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Communism

It’s Not About Sex. It’s About Freedom. And Also About Being Broke.

March 4th, 2012 · Comments Off on It’s Not About Sex. It’s About Freedom. And Also About Being Broke.

I tweeted out this Big Journalism story on the trap Republicans were falling into on this whole birth control mandate issue, with the added commentary, “Focus, people.  Focus.”  It drew several questions and comments both on Twitter and Facebook that I felt were worth discussing. The issue is an important one, but it is important […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Big Government · Campaign '12 · Deficits and Debt · Health Care · Islam and Islamists · Nanny State · Obama · Religion · Rick Santorum · Social Conservatism

Slightly Tape-Delayed, Almost-Liveblog of the #SCdebate

January 16th, 2012 · 1 Comment

I wish this debate had happened sooner.  Although it definitely helped that there were fewer candidates on stage – it’s not an accident that fewer candidates and no absurd timeclock led to a far more substantive debate than we’ve seen in the past. I haven’t seen a lot of the post-debate spin from other people […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · 2nd Amendment · Big Government · Campaign '12 · Capitalism · Congress · Crime · Culture · Deficits and Debt · Drugs · Economy · Education · Federalism · Foreign Policy · Judges · Military Service · Mitt Romney · Newt Gingrich · Race · Republicans · Rick Perry · Rick Santorum · Ron Paul · Taxes · Voter Fraud

A Tale of Two Inadequately Argued Election Law Allegations

December 29th, 2011 · Comments Off on A Tale of Two Inadequately Argued Election Law Allegations

Republicans in Clark County have been up in arms over some new election regulations being pushed through by the Secretary of State’s Office over the holidays.  I admit, the timing is very suspicious, and should alone raise all kinds of red flags.  But the article on it is frustrating, because nowhere is there any hint […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Constitutional Law · Corruption · Nevada Politics · Partisanship · Republicans · Sharron Angle · Voter Fraud

Yes, Rules of Credibility Apply to Blogs, Too

December 13th, 2011 · 4 Comments

I don’t understand why the following concept is difficult to understand:  If you are are working for or with a particular candidate, and then you write and publish an opinion piece lovin’ on that candidate or hatin’ on his or her opponent, you must disclose that relationship if you want to maintain any credibility whatsoever. […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Campaign '12 · Nevada Politics

Why I Love Amodei…

November 15th, 2011 · Comments Off on Why I Love Amodei…

Via Ralston, Mark Amodei’s statement on the Congressional Insider Trading scandal (is there a “-gate” for this yet?) reminds me why he’s one of the few politicians I’ve ever enthusiastically voted for: “The American people don’t have a lot of trust when it comes to Washington, D.C. and Members of Congress. They say that sunlight […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Corruption · Mark Amodei

What’s More Disgusting Than The Murder of Innocents? Using Those Murders To Limit the Civil Liberties of Your Political Opponents (Or Anyone Else)

January 11th, 2011 · 3 Comments

I keep thinking about Christina Green, the 9 year old girl who was murdered in Tuscon this weekend. I think about how many political events I’ve been to, and how many times my family has been with me.  I think about my own little girl.  I think of the many drawers full of felony cases […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · 2nd Amendment · Constitutional Law · Crime · Hillary Clinton · Palin · Partisanship

It’s So Interesting What Opinions NPR Finds Offensive…

October 21st, 2010 · 2 Comments

I used to listen to NPR all the time.  My dad listened to it all the time when I was a kid, from the time his clock radio went off in the morning to whenever Prairie Home Companion finished.  When I was in high school, I had a 45 minute drive to school.  I listened […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Media · War on Terror

Liveblogging the State of the Union

January 27th, 2010 · 22 Comments

Well, no big surprises.  He made the same promises that he made a year ago, and the only difference is that now we can be even more sure he won’t keep any of them. The big takeaway from me on this was just how unserious this speech was. 

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Big Government · Campaign '10 · Class Warfare · Congress · Constitutional Law · Corporations · Democrats · Economy · Education · Environment · Federalism · Foreign Policy · Free Markets · George Bush · Global Warming · Health Care · Iraq · Military Service · Nanny State · Obama · Partisanship · Republicans · Taxes · Veterans · War on Terror

Who’s “The Man” at Burning Man?

September 3rd, 2009 · 10 Comments

Burning Man is underway, and right now there are thousands of people partying in the desert and taking pictures of them and their friends with their own cameras of the event.  And despite their illusions of freedom, they don’t own a single one of those pictures.  Not really. But the Government of Black Rock City […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Burning Man · Corporations · Culture · Hippies · Liberals · Principles

Do Protests Matter?

August 20th, 2009 · 5 Comments

Considering the absurdity and pointlessness of some lefty protests I’ve seen, I’ve never been sure.  But a friend of mine sent me this article from the New York Times on the subject, which in its left wing absurdity (domestic terrorist Bernardine Dohrn contributes) got me re-thinking that question in terms of the Town Hall/Tea Party […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Health Care · Hippies

What Nancy Pelosi Doesn’t Understand About the Townhall Protesters’ Intentions

August 10th, 2009 · 2 Comments

Nancy Pelosi’s article calling the Obamacare protesters “un-American” is, of course, ridiculous.  It is beyond parody.  If I wrote it word for word under her name as satire, I would be accused of straining hyperbole to beyond all limits and beyond.  Only slightly less absurd are the “factual” claims she makes in the piece. But […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Big Government · Congress · Health Care · Partisanship · Patriotism

Political Hate Comes to My Doorstep

October 28th, 2008 · 15 Comments

Literally:

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Campaign '08 · Liberal Fascism · Nevada Politics · Obama

Global Warming Mullah Proposes Putting Heretics On Trial

June 22nd, 2008 · Comments Off on Global Warming Mullah Proposes Putting Heretics On Trial

James Hansen, one of the world’s leading climate scientists, will today call for the chief executives of large fossil fuel companies to be put on trial for high crimes against humanity and nature, accusing them of actively spreading doubt about global warming in the same way that tobacco companies blurred the links between smoking and […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Global Warming

McCain on Judges – Can We Trust What He Says?

May 6th, 2008 · 1 Comment

John McCain gave a fantastic speech today on judges, surrounded by conservative legal stalwarts like Ted Olson and Fred Thompson.  It was music to the ears of anyone who believes that, when it comes to protecting the sovereignty of the individual, there is no more important issue in a presidential election than picking the right […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment · John McCain · Judges

“Patriotic” Puritains

November 10th, 2007 · 5 Comments

Local curmudgeon James Bennett has undertaken a mission here in Reno to purge or purify all the impure patriots in town. It seems that most flag displays used by local citizens are actually unpatriotic.

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Tags: 1st Amendment · Patriotism

Journalist Shield Laws – How to Unconstitutionally Help Our Enemies and Keep the Public Ignorant

November 9th, 2007 · 2 Comments

Today’s Reno Gazette-Journal has an opinion piece from Gene Policinski of the First Amendment Center lauding the “journalist shield law” that is now under consideration in the US Senate. Ironically, for being the Executive Vice President of an organization dedicated to educating the public about the First Amendment, Mr. Policinski badly misunderstands both the words […]

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Tags: 1st Amendment