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Here’s What I Know

Patriotism

There has been a great deal of angst among conservatives about how the evil bastards on the Left have been trying with might and main to sabotage the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation.  It starts from the childish petulance of artists refusing to participate in anything remotely connected with Donald Trump, and continues with other members of the Pissers & Moaners Set going on about how we have nothing to celebrate because we are really an eeeeevil rayciss patriarchal capitalist bunch of Bad People which has been exploiting and discriminating against homosexualists, Black people, transsexualists, people with blue hair…. the list goes on and on ad nauseam.

Okay, I’ll cop to the “capitalist” bit.

Here’s the thing.  Conservatives shouldn’t be worried about all these childish tantrums.  We Americans have a great deal to celebrate, even if the screaming loonies are howling all that twaddle on their iPhones, at BlueSky or in institutions like The New York Times — and please note the irony that they are able to do this because of that First Amendment to the Constitution (written by those slave-owning White men two centuries ago), which guarantees the freedom to say the silly bullshit they are putting out.  “Silly bullshit”, lest we forget, is absolutely one of the parts of speech protected, much as it makes my hackles rise.

And here’s what I know.  I’m going to wake up on Saturday morning, on that very 250th anniversary of our foundation, with a song in my heart and a deep, abiding sense of gratitude that I am an American citizen, and not a citizen of some other shithole country (pretty much all countries not the U.S., as it happens).

I’m going to post a celebratory entry on my website (First Amendment), and then I’m going to head off to Texas Legends shooting range (who have informed me that yes, they’re going to be open on July 4th even though it’s technically a public holiday and they needn’t be), and I’m going to exercise my Second Amendment freedom — something that I damn sure wouldn’t be able to do in all the other shithole countries, because my firearm of choice for the day is going to be the frankenpoodleshooter AR-15 (which is streng verboten  in said states of Shitholia).

(I would go to watch the fireworks later, except it’s Texas and even at 9 o’clock at night the temperature will still be set to “Broil”, so I’ll pass on that — but I’ll be there in spirit.)

Dinner will no doubt be extremely carnivorous:

I’m sure that the above innocent activities would no doubt piss off just about the entire population of the Left (also furriners, some overlap there), but there it is.

I don’t need those big public celebrations, in other words, because while they’re fun and all that, the real celebration is personal — an individual’s activity, said individuality being at the very heart of our nation and our Constitution.

We are a nation of individuals, not just cogs in some collective machine, much as it pains the Left that we stubbornly refuse to submit to that coercion (aided by that pesky Constitution thing).

We do have a great deal to celebrate:  never forget that alone among the nations of the world — past and present — we are a nation founded on an ideal, a principle, and not simply by being part of some kingdom’s fiefdom.

And we’ve survived and prospered — good grief, how have we prospered! — for two hundred and fifty years (and counting).  That’s worth celebrating, even if the Perpetually Aggrieved don’t think so.

No Great Loss

Legal Stuff, Rights

So DJT lost his Birthright Citizenship case at the Supremes.

I for one am neither surprised nor even that upset about it.  Here’s why.

I agree that the whole idea is fatally flawed:  that the principle of just being born on U.S. soil makes one an automatic citizen is without equal in just about every other country in the world, where the nationality of one or both parents (if one, usually that of the mother) is the sole determinant of the baby’s citizenship.

And yes, I also know that the 14th Amendment had an entirely different purpose when it was originally passed, and has no proper justification today.  But it’s still a Constitutional Amendment, and said document gives very explicit terms under which an Amendment can be altered or abolished;  and that process has nothing to do with the sitting President.  It remains, quite rightly, the proper preserve of the Congress and of the states, with those pesky two-thirds majorities required at every step of the way.

As such, I’m not comfortable with any POTUS trying to abolish parts of the Constitution by fiat or executive order, for obvious reasons, and that’s why I’m not upset about the Supremes’ decision.  We have enough trouble with tinpot politicians deciding that the Constitution — or the part(s) they don’t agree with, anyway (hello, Second Amendment) — can be bypassed with some local law or regulation, and I’m of the firm belief that these people and/or governments need to have their pee-pees whacked, and hard, every time they try to do that.

If we want to end birthright citizenship, we need to do it the difficult way, the way the Founders intended it.  That may make it impossible — I hope not — but sometimes the principle is just more important than the action.

Sorry, No

Anti-Gun Nannies

I know that Insty probably doesn’t have much control over the linkages on his site, but really:

Given that Levi Strauss is a bunch of rabid gun confiscators and anti-Second Amendment assholes, I’m a little surprised that he would allow this garbage on his website.

But hey, money talks.

As much as I love the man and want to support him, though, I draw the line at following this link.  They could give their poxy 501 jeans away for free, and I still wouldn’t want anything to do with them.

Not News

Morons & Idiots, Taxes and Theft, Wealth Envy

Apparently, champagne socialist & CalGov Newsom wants to tax billionaires, to the general amusement of those of us waiting to see just how these shitforbrains Californians can find still more creative ways to cut their own economic throats (when they’re not defrauding the FedGov, that is).

Am I the only one who doesn’t give a rat’s ass what Newsom thinks, says or does?

I know, I know:  “O but Kim, he might one day become President!” goes the lament.

Yeah, and I’ll start supporting gun control.

He’s only powerful in his own mind, and in what passes for the minds of his deluded supporters.  And (you heard it here first), Hair Gel Boy isn’t radical enough for the AOC/Mamdani Wing of the Socialist Party, so his higher political aspirations are going to be fucked from two directions.

Irrelevancy, thy name is Gavin.

Some Reader Choices

Drive Time

…for Saturday’s “Going Back In Time” theme.

From Reader Joe D. (who reminds me that he lives in interior Alaska):

1976 Chevy 2500 (just not in this sad color)

Basic 350 cu in engine / 4 speed manual trans / 4-wheel drive

He already has the “blonde & toiletries bag” part covered (’76 MGB)

…but requires help:

You happen to know a 1960’s Barbara Eden clone who can fill the “blonde” part?

Rifle & fly rod skills are a plus.

Not asking for much, are ya?

Next we have Reader John H., who starts off with a little bragging:

You recollect that I already have an Austin-Healey and an MGB-GT, but those are not daily drivers anywhere anymore.  [quelle surprise — K.]

Instead, I have a 1973 Mercedes 280C.

Elegant, comfortable … factory air, cruise all day at 75-80mph.  Ours is a little rough, in North American spec so only 135HP instead of the proper 165, but when I get around to an engine rebuild, we can fix that!
Of course the 280CE model with Bosch fuel injection offered 185HP, and was available with a 4 or 5-speed. No matter, we have twice driven the 280 from NY to Texas.

I love that car — it’s the earlier model of the one I featured in my choices.  Jealous, I am.

From the Comments, we have Reader GT3Ted:

1963 Corvette Sting Ray

That’s one car I could still drive today on a daily basis today that would meet most of my needs. It would keep up with modern traffic. A coupe to deal with New England weather and with some storage for trips and a reasonable ride. Downside of course is bad gas mileage, poor lights, marginal A/C, questionable brakes… skinny tires… on second thought maybe I’d just bring back one of the cars I did own back then.

LOL

72 Porsche 911S (2.4-liter)

I drove mine across the country several times, easily doing 800 to 900 miles a day.  No A/C but the vent window’s in the back propped open and it could cruise all day at 80 while carrying 2 people and luggage for a week.

No A/C = automatic disqualification here in the Lone Star State.  But a good choice, for all that.

Over in Euroland, Reader jwenting would take one of these:

1989-90 BMW 320i (E30 configuration)

Gotta say, I love that one too.  I had its little cousin, the 318i, and it was the best car I’d ever driven until that point.

From Reader Don C., here in Texas:

1995 GMC K1500 (Z71 package)

Extended cab, 4WD, with the Z71 package.  A nice 350 V8 and no electric nannies.  I’d take a brand new one off the showroom floor in a heartbeat and never look at another truck again.  You still see these trucks almost daily in Texas, so you know the longevity is there.  It’d easily be my last vehicle I’d ever purchase.

No argument from me.

Reader TopCat wants his “first real car” back.

1967 Chevy Nova SS (L79 package — 327cu / 350hp)

I got it in 1975 with 13xxx miles and sold it in 2009 with 51xxx miles on it.
A dream to drive, quick as a mongoose and cheap and easy to fix.

I’m having a little problem imagining that land barge being “quick as a mongoose”, but okay.

And a latecomer (forgiven because he lives in shall we say a faraway time zone), Reader Skippytony chimes in with his selection(s):

2003 BMW 540i (E61) wagon

199 Mercedes E355 AMG wagon

Some people like “hot hatchbacks”, and some (like Skippy and I) like “hot wagons”.  That Merc is a monster.

1990 Mercedes 560 SEL AMG

Merc’s answer to Cadillac in the Luxury Land Barge category, except that the AMG is about six times quicker than any Caddy made before 2000.

 

More as they come in.