Stick This In Your Pipe and Smoke It

First the government in their infinite wisdom decided that analog TV was bad for America. You have to convert to Digital or you won't have a signal. Have you ever watched snow? Now all you have to do is go out and get yourself a sweet little converter box. But wait, it's not free. Still you can get that neat little coupon from the government. Yay! Oops. The box is still going to cost you about $20. OK. It's doable. If you have Twenty dollars to spend...

OR. You can go out and purchase yourself a brand spanking new, oh so shiny, fresh out of the box, still warm from the soldering, Flat screen, LCD or Plasma TV from your neighborhood Wal-Mart or Best Buy if you've got a credit card, because we're keeping the economy going, Right?

Ok, so now you have your brand spanking new, oh so shiny, ect. TV and find that your power bill is going up. Why? Because the new LCD takes about 43% more power to run. Ooh and that Plasma just cost you 75% more power! Oops, what can we do about that? I know! In comes government again to help us out of our quandary. California is debating whether to require energy standards on televisions just like the energy standards for other appliances in your home. Like your refrigerator or coffee maker. Thank God for government. If it weren't for them your power bill would likely go up twelve to eighteen dollars per year. Whew! And here I was thinking that the people could decide what to buy and what not to buy all on their own. Too bad for those people selling electronics. TV prices go up and the selection gets smaller. They could lose out on a lot of money and jobs in California. But who needs those jobs, the economy in California is fine. They've got a balanced budget and they don't need that tax revenue anyway. They're protecting the little guy. Right?

Did I mention that you will still be able to buy the TV's online from places like Amazon? So who wins in this? Ask your local government. They know what's best for you anyway.

The Great God Debate Continues

Last night I had a wonderful conversation on Twitter with greenbacker about the "Separation of Church and State". We both had some valid points, and it was extremely entertaining. I actually gained 20 followers during the conversation.

Here is the debate in case any of you wanted to refer back to it.

@johnculberson Would a hypothetical independent Texas maintain separation of church & state?

@greenbacker according to the constitution, there is no terminology "sep of church and state" it's freedom of religion, not from religion

@R_U_Right There can be no freedom of religion unless there is freedom from religion as well.

@R_U_Right Imposing a belief in general is as offensive to human freedom as imposing a specific form of belief.

@greenbacker the sep decision was written from a paper done by... help me here... Thomas Jefferson?

@R_U_Right Yes, I believe the phase came from a letter penned by Jefferson.

@greenbackerJefferson wrote the Danbury Baptists, assuring them that "the First Amendment has erected a wall of separation between church and state."

@greenbacker here is the full article. http://tinyurl.com/5vxp3v

@R_U_Right "Free exercise" includes the freedom not to exercise.

@greenbacker and I believe atheism/secularism is a religion unto itself. we all have to believe in something--even if it's nothing

@R_U_Right How can the lack of a belief be a belief?

@greenbacker Rush... "If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice." But if you believe there is no God, you believe something

@R_U_Right Is someone who is not a fan of any sports team still a fan of some sports team? The argument doesn't make sense to me.

@R_U_Right We all have to follow a college football team, even if we follow none?

@R_U_Right Only if belief is the neutral position is a volitional act required in order not to believe.

@greenbacker yes. when we are all alone in the dark, we at some point determine within ourselves if there is someone or something out there watching

@R_U_Right How can a belief in nothing be a belief in something?

@R_U_Right If I choose not to believe in Santa Clause, am I choosing to believe *in* something instead?

@R_U_Right I would never seek to curtail another man's freedom to believe as his conscience dictated, however, I demand the same courtesy.

@greenbacker and I would never MAKE someone believe in a religion. but the original point is that there is no separation of church and state

@greenbacker it is an illusion covered in a lie, wrapped in a Hope for Change

@R_U_Right I think it's a paraphrasing of establishment clause & free exercise clause. As in, "gov't doesn't get involved in that stuff."

@greenbacker the reality is that the 1st amend covers that, no church run state, believe or not, that is truth

@R_U_Right If you were a member of a religious minority group, would you want the gov't making any kinds of decisions regarding faith?

@R_U_Right If the Founding Fathers (who were mostly deists, incidentally) wanted a theocracy, they would have made one.

@greenbacker that is what I was saying

@greenbacker letting us have the ten commandment on a wall is not establishing a religion--no one is forced to abide by them--that is the difference

@R_U_Right Believe me, I'm hoping for the exact opposite of the change looming large on the horizon!

@greenbacker Amen to that--pun totally intended

@R_U_Right Good one! :)

@R_U_Right As you might imagine, religion is the only issue which leads me to hesitate self-identifying as a conservative.

@greenbacker well I'm with you--I actually struggle with my faith every day--it's not an easy decision, to follow.

@R_U_Right As a result, it often takes much more effort to effectively describe my philosophy & politics without convenient labels! :)

@greenbacker But my best friend is an agnostic, and I don't judge him--but he's also a conservative--faith is not a prerequisite

@R_U_Right I struggled for a number of years. Much study was devoted to the topic. My scientific mind found the evidence lacking.

@greenbacker and see, that is my deal too. I was a chemical engineering major.

@greenbacker remember, the definition of faith, Believing despite lack of empirical evidence

@R_U_Right Not all conservatives are as "open minded" as you. My evangelical ex-girlfriend for example!

@greenbacker ah the ex-- what a waste. in order for someone to discover they must first be open to discovery. Even my pastor is open minded

@R_U_Right As a natural skeptic, I do not believe in that which lacks empirical evidence.

@greenbacker I know, but one can always hope... :P

@R_U_Right And my fiancee's stepfather is a minister :)

@greenbacker ok, are we talking irony or what?

@R_U_Right Hope for a sign? :P

@R_U_Right And *he's* an Obama supporter!!

@greenbacker talk show host here says'how can you go to church on sunday and vote democrat on tuesday"

@tadahmom I really wasn't looking to get into a religious debate on Twitter, I swear! :)

@greenbacker this is what twitter is for. one big friendly discussion. and I like to debate religion. I helps me in some ways.

@tadahmom I hope I haven't offended too many of my followers. I'm not looking forward to talking to myself tomorrow!

@tadahmom Indeed. One of the more polite & civil discussions you'll find anywhere on the internet!

@greenbacker I can't tell if tadahmom is following me, so she might be missing part of this conversation

@R_U_Right I enjoy it too, unless it descends into attacks. I'm glad this isn't the case here.

@tadahmom Are you following @R_U_Right too?

@tadahmom He was concerned that you were missing part of the conversation. I've enjoyed my discussion with him
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I love to debate religion and the separation fallacy. I inspires me because my beliefs are deep and it is truly easy to speak on something I am passionate about.
Hope you enjoyed the thread.