Jacksonian Foreign Policy and the NSA

Americans recoil at war since it is a disruption of the basics of the rule of law.  The killing of other human beings on split second decisions, under the extreme pressure that the slightest hesitation may mean that your life may be forfeit instead.  Which brings up the fundamental need to fight a war physically separated from our homeland.  To take the fight to the enemy.  To destroy the enemy on his own territory.  And, to destroy the enemy so he will not rise up against you again.

This is the Jacksonian world view.  A very practical and realistic world view despite the derision from the elites that subscribe to other schools of thought, particularly Wilsonian.

The Jacksonian distrust of outsiders is born of a fundamental fact that those insiders may not or choose not to understand or work under the same organizational and governmental assumptions that are yours.  Particularly, in the realm of the individual, his rights and prerogatives.  Parliamentary institutions work well in the Anglosphere; under the assumption of certain limitations of power and the importance of guarding individual rights against mob rule.  Under the assumption that parliamentary representation’s fundamental purpose is to create a governing institution that will enhance and protect the individual’s rights.

The United Nations has become mob rule; tyranny of the majority.  An assembly dominated by totalitarian and authoritarian nations who send representatives that have absolutely no accountability to the people of their respective nations.  And, as such, these international organizations are now lush tyrant country clubs.  Largely financed by our tax dollars.

While the Wilsonians choose to apply force after a very exacting set of rules, the Jacksonians will pursue a threat and destroy on the basis of its immediate malign intent.  If a thug kicks in your door and is in the process of advancing upon you and your family with a six-inch hunting knife, you don’t start reciting his Miranda rights.  Rather, you cover the threat with your Glock and pull the trigger.   The Jacksonians do so because those outside our Western Civilization do not accept or respect those aspects natural law, natural rights and Constitutional restraint.  Moreover, in part since the Jacksonians (aka flyover country) will bear the brunt of the carnage, the fight will be an intense all-in affair with the specific intent to permanently render the enemy incapable of ever rising again.

War is not a casual decision.  It is why Jacksonians will fight a war only if necessary.  It is a frightful expenditure of blood and treasure.  But, one engaged, it is to be fought in a manner to achieve its goals with maximal economy with respect to the lives of our countrymen.

So, while Jacksonians are content to live and let live, if  attacked, the Jacksonians will track you down, take the war to you,  kill you and destroy your base of operations.  As we did to Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.

Which brings us to why, in light of NSA bulk collection of data, we have to abandon the Wilsonian world view for the Jacksonian one.  By depending on the approval of legal structure, particularly international ones that thereby encroach on our sovereignty.  We become involve in a defensive war.  The enemy’s base of operations is largely intact.  Initiative goes to the enemy to pick the time and place of attack.  The enemy has an opportunity to infiltrate behind our lines by building mosques and the like on our territory.  The enemy has the opportunity to exploit those very Wilsonian international institutions to their advantage and our disadvantage–law-fare.

And, in such a defensive war, you fight among your own citizens and invite collateral damage in your own country and to your own people.  That collateral damage also includes the Bill of Rights, in this case the Fourth Amendment.  These will be protracted, divisive and debilitating wars far beyond the controversies of fighting in a foreign land.  Conversely, if we identify the enemy and clearly demarcate homeland from enemy territory, we can greatly diminish that damage to our rights and citizens.

Those that choose to live here and benefit in a manner they could have never done in the ‘old country,’ need to clearly demonstrate that change.  To embrace American and to resign that former identity; as our Founding Fathers, by signing the Declaration of Independence, did when they took on the mantle of American and resigned completely their identity as European.  In particular, to embrace the primacy of the individual, the centerpiece of the amalgam of Judeo-Christian, Greco-Roman tradition that we call Western Civilization.  The US Constitution and Bill of Rights simply will not work outside that fundamental paradigm.

This is to be distinct and separate from what other civilizational philosophies that may exist.  Preferably, far from our shores.  And, so, when the need arises.  When that other philosophy or totalitarian impulse decides to threaten and attack our freedoms, we can, with this demarkation, take the battle to those enemies, on their lands and into their cities.  Thereby sparing our citizens the damage and indignity of having the rights secured by our Constitution and Bill of Rights compromised.  The enemy is over there and we are here.  The NSA can now collect data to its heart’s content over there because it’s now mostly over there.

The Bundy Ranch and the Rule of Law

John Hinderaker of Powerline makes the case that Bundy doesn’t have a legal leg to stand on, despite sympathy for his problems with the Federal government.  Yet, what is legal in the creeping lawlessness of increasingly out of control Federal agencies, bureaucracies, laws and regulations.  Indeed, given the utter and staggering pile of laws, rules and regulations we’re all guilty of something, as pointed out in Glenn Reynolds’ Ham Sandwich Nation.  If it weren’t for alleged violations of the desert tortoise under the Endangered Species Act, some other suitable charge could be brought against Clive Bundy to confiscate his ranch.

Most of we peasants are much too busy to devote our time to such undertakings.  Most of us are too busy trying to make a living to have, after taxes, enough to take home to put food on the table, clothes on our kids’ backs and a roof over their heads.  Most of us, if ever confronted by the federal government, would simple not have the time or resources to stand against such an assault.

And, there are people, however, who do have the time and resources to move the federal government against such citizens as Clive Bundy.  Corrupt politicians in league with crony capitalists and other assorted rent seekers.  For, the law was brought against Bundy for the purposes of such mutual enrichment.  The head of the BLM is a former Senator Reid staffer.  There are allegations that the interest in Bundy’s ranch is tied up in a solar project between Senator Reid’s son Rory and Chinese interests.  Further, we know that Senator Reid has grown rich in office; far in excess that what could be accounted for by his Senatorial salary.

You can connect the points, but can you prove that in court?  Alleged is the best we can say for this corruption is difficult to prove and far beyond Clive Bundy’s ability to ferret out.  Because, this corruption follows the Chicago Way.  Everything is ‘understood’ so there are very few actual quid pro quo’s actually uttered.  It was ‘understood’ that the newly minted US Senator from Illinois–Obama–was going to get his mortgage from Northern Trust for his 1.5 million dollar manse in Chicago’s Hyde Park.  And, it was also ‘understood’ that the lobby of Northern Trust was not going to be trashed by ACORN.

You can’t prove it.  You can’t fight it.  Connections with the right people and between the right people can bring down the frightening wrath of the federal government against individuals and totally destroy them.  Given that one million dollars is 1/1,000,000 of a trillion dollars, what’s a million or two given away to a connected politician for a favor.  With the trillions being spent in Washington DC, a million here or there simply gets lost in the clutter.

Which finally brings up the only saving grace in this temporary truce concerning the Ranch Bundy.  The Second Amendment.  The rule of law of last resort.  The citizens that went out to protest and obstruct the depredations of the BLM agents were armed.  They wisely kept their guns in their trucks and automobiles.  But, the agents knew they were there.  And, those agents caved.  Caved because they weren’t professionals.   Professionals, warriors in the true sense of the term have a discipline that keeps them from engaging in gratuitous destruction.  Such as holing water tanks, destroying fences and killing prize bulls.

Bureaucrats with guns out for a little adventure away from the boredom in the office cubicle.  Sniper rifles, real assault rifles!  Cool toys for your little adventure scaring the peasants.  Hired thugs with guns.  Guns, that in other circumstances, would have been effective intimidation in gun-controled blue America.  But, they knew they were up against people similarly armed and suddenly the job wasn’t easy.  So, true to the thug code, you go somewhere else where the pickings are easier.  They, the BLM agents, weren’t about to die for the desert tortoise.

Senator Feinstein knew exactly what she was doing with her ‘assault weapons’ ban.  And, so did her fellow travelers such as Obama.  The weapons they targeted are the civilian versions of similar military versions; and as such, are designed to take a beating and continue to function after literally firing hundred of rounds.  These are the weapons, though lacking full auto capacity, that provide the individual citizen the necessary parity to stand against thugs in the pay of tyranny.  The BLM agents caved because they knew that they against skilled marksmen–I suspect a lot of ex-military–with the necessary weapons to create that parity.  And, the protesters knew that too.