• Dissecting American’s Conflicted Opinion on Freedom
  Robert Maynard

  What can the supporters of limited government take away from all of this. First of all, it appears that Americans are far less supportive of government managing the economy than they are for “Socialism” as an abstract concept. Another thing that should be noted is that the nature of the question determines the level of support for free market principles expressed in answers given. When asked if businesses should be regulated more, a small majority answers yes. Giving the media coverage of the current financial mess, it is surprising that these numbers are not higher in favor of greater regulation. The fact of the matter is that, despite a constant media drumbeat against the free market, an overwhelming number of Americans are opposed to a government managed economy. By a majority almost as big, Americans believe that the government is more likely to collude with big business against their interest than to look after their interest. By a plurality, Americans are worried that the government will do too much in response to the current economic crisis.

• Classical view of homoeroticism
  Bruce Shields

  However much Gay advocates may try to explain away the obvious, the positive teachings on homosexuality, both Biblical and Classical, are of one piece.  Homosexuality, at least in its more public manifestations, is seen as an unacceptable form of exploitation akin to forced prostitution or to slavery.  The practice of what is sometimes called a homosexual life style is one of the kinds of bondage from which Christian freedom sets people free. Despite the idealistic claims of Gay advocates, the Roman Empire outside of Greece was not comfortable with homosexuality.  Greek culture has often been cited as one which tolerated and indeed glorified male homosexuality.  But a closer examination calls that view into question, and suggests that Hellenistic homoeroticism was espoused by a wealthy class which habitually preyed on the lower classes.  Within the armed forces, homoeroticism was tolerated by Greeks for the simple fact that - given hundreds of young men stationed in crowded quarters aboard naval galleys on protracted picket duty - it could not be stopped. The tolerance was a very practical but not approving one.  Plato’s Symposium [written about 340 BC], often cited as proof of Hellenistic tolerance for the practice, is not an attractive advertisement for tolerance of homosexuality.  The relationships cited approvingly in the Symposium, of masters with slaves, of rich men with poor, of powerful men with young children, of military officers with enlisted men, and so on, are considered to be exploitative, harrassing, or otherwise actionable in today’s world.

• The Front-Lawn Five
  By Martin Harris

  From Thomas Jefferson in the 18th century to the Southern Agrarians in the 20th, there’s been a theoretical theme in political philosophy focusing on the small-farm-owning job-in-town citizen as a model for general admiration and emulation. As that concept now re-surfaces, in surprising strength, in the form of the suburban lawns-to-gardens movement,  I’d add that there are five specific reasons for approval as well. In abbreviated form, here they are:

  1. grow-your-own takes open-land space. It bids fair to trump the “smart-growth” campaign pressure against low-density development.
  2. grow-your-own intensifies instincts for private property rights. Losing your own produce to a thief can swiftly undo a lot of  mystical communal ideology.
  3. grow-your-own rewards producers differentially. Some folks are better at some things than others, no matter what the equal-outcome advocates may say.
  4. grow-your-own cultivates individual independence. Raising your own food won’t fully eliminate the need for a cash income, but it helps marginally.
  5. grow-your-own demands recognition of the real cost of food in land, labor, and equipment. It might just dilute the urbanite-pleasing national-cheap-food-policy a little when former consumers learn what it takes to be a producer.

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Doyle Poll

I Love True North it is nice to hear the truth I just wished more people turned their radios on, I have an idea for a person to have on, Deborah Markowitz, Secretary of State, to talk about Cemeterys Laws in Vermont, she has a book Digging Deep it is about Vermont Cemetery Laws, but so many cemeteries associations don't go by these laws and rules, I know in Plainfield there is a problem with the books, are the books something the Town Clerk should run or the Association ??? The town said them and the Association said them. In Hardwick and East Hardwick there is a real problem, The Town of Hardwick gives money at town meeting for the cemeteries, but East Hardwick doesn't get any of that money even when it is all Hardwick Town, I asked the reason was because it's an association, yet the cemeteries in Hardwick Village are an association also. The Sanborn Cemetery care Association also puts all money from a sale of a lot all together in CD's but I have been told you don't do that, because lot money is put one place and perpetual fees are put another for on going care of the cemetery, this cemetery is running out of care money because of a management problem, with them not getting any money from the town and tying up all the other money, say nothing about the fact they have very little money in any of their accounts. Next year this cemetery will be 200yrs. old, here in Plainfield they have about $145,000.00 on their books for about the same time and same size, I have about 50-60 relatives in the Sanborn Cemetery in East Hardwick, my Dad took care of this cemetery for more than 50yrs.. I live in Plainfield, yet when I went to ask any questions of the Cemetery Association and wanted to offer my time in repairing stones and etc. and offered to plan something for the 200yrs, like planting flowers, I was told more less, to go away. I'm really mixed up over all this, I don't understand any of it all I wanted to do was help make the place look nice and to see the books have enough money to keep this cemetery going long after I'm gone. Our cemeteries are our life, they tell our history, they should be respected by all, and it is our job to see they don't fad away, they need to be taken care of. My sister walked the cemetery reading every stone looking for stones that told who was in the serves so they would get a flag on their grave out of respect for them, it was looked down at by the trustees. I don't know if these friends of our think or feel we are trying to take over because we moved out of town and now we think we are smarter than them, all I know it's funny how some of them are acting. All we want to know are what the rules and laws are and if we are not going by the rules and laws is why?? We have Deb's book sent to the Town Manager, Town Board members, all cemeteries and their boards but no answers to why this or why that so, Deb on your show might be able to help answer some question and with others hearing her talk it could help fix all of these questions so we can all feel we are heading to the same place. With Memorial Day upon us maybe the time is right to have her on sorry about going on I just don't understand any of this. Thank You so vary much, keep up the good work.

Mary Lou Wells or Deborah LaCasse

April 15th (Wednesday): Vermont Tea Parties

DONE YOUR TAXES YET?
Is The GOVERNMENT
A LITTLE TICKED OFF?
IN YOUR POCKET…AGAIN!!
WASTING YOUR MONEY
ARE YOU MAD YET?
ARE YOUR FREEDOMS BEING
TAKEN AWAY?
FEELING THE RAGE?!
WED. APRIL 15th
The
Historic
Vermont
Tax Day
TEA PARTIES

If you have an event you would like us to post, send details to: editor@truenorthradio.com

#  #  #

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• Next steps???
  An update from “Take it to the People” on the gay Marriage struggle

  Seems that Same-sex Marriage will be legal in Vermont starting Sept. 1, 2009.

  Now that the dust has settled at the Statehouse, our elected legislators might be getting down to the business we actually sent them there to look after -- the State finances. Of course, when your skill set is weak in budget trimming, the "social experimentation" makes for a great diversion....

  In response to the often asked question of "what do we do now?," I offer these suggestions:

  1. Write a "thank you" note to the Representatives who have voted with us.
  2. Start planning for the November 2010 Referendum (the General Elections).
  3. The next logical step legislatively is to put Real Marriage in the Vermont Constitution. This requires a legislatively initiated process which can begin in 2011 if there are 20 Senators willing. So refer back to item (2) .....

  In the weeks ahead, I'll be offering some ideas on how move ahead in organizing ourselves for the 2010 elections. Stay tuned!

• ALERT! Tom Wilson's Homestead Burned Down Friday

  Please pass the word, and the plate -

  Friday afternoon, TOM WILSON's house, garage, barn with some animals were lost due to fire. The family is SAFE and staying at a neighbor's home.

  If anyone has extra clothes and/or is able to offer some physical labor to help clean debris it would be most welcomed.

  David Ayer is helping coordinate the clothes collection and labor needs.

  Also, monetary donations can be sent to:

  	TOM WILSON
  	c/o David Ayer
  	166 Hill Street
  	Barre, VT 05641
  	Cell: 802.272.8813
  

  Tom was a key leader in the Take Back Vermont movement in the 2000 Civil Unions mess. He has recently been active in the battle over Same-Sex Marriage in Vermont.

• You Make Your Political Bed, You Must Sleep In It
  Caledonia Record, April 11, 2009

  The Vermont Legislature early this week overturned the governor's veto of gay marriage legislation. One of the corollaries of the axiom, "We deserve the government we elect," is "We re-elect those who truly represent us."

  Sen. Richard Sears, D-Bennington, proclaimed in his own inimitable arrogance, when he was asked why he won't support a non-binding referendum on the same-sex issue, "Vermont doesn't need a referendum, binding or non-binding, because it already has one every two years. They are called elections."

• "Shovel-Ready?" Forget About It....
  Vermont Tiger Ð April 10, 2009

  So I guess when it comes to even fixing the roads, we're still on our own - just in a lot poorer place to make a start.

  Apparently, "shovel-ready" (remember that?) has gone down the memory hole. The goal of the "government stimulus" is to.... stimulate the government.....

• Avoidance, Denial On A Collision Course With Reality
  Caledonia Record, April 10, 2009

  Democratic legislators and some others are doing everything in their power to deny the financial crisis that is upon Vermont in order to avoid substantial cuts in public services, entitlement programs, and personnel. They have subscribed wholesale to throwing federal stimulus money at our budget revenues problem rather than making the hard decisions that must be made. When they finish and go home at the end of this session, they will have set the stage and cued the actors for a perfect financial storm in two years that will make past revenues problems look like spring breezes by comparison.

• Sunny Days Ahead?
  Vermont Tiger, April 11, 2009

  Green Mountain Power is going to install over 1,000 solar panels in Berlin (Vermont) according to The Rutland Herald. It will cost $1.2 million, but ratepayers customers, don't worry about the cost. The $1.2 million cost will be partially paid for by the FTA (that's the Future Taxpayers of America, sometimes known as the government). And as we all know, the FTA is going to be on the hook for all sorts of stuff our government is buying these days, so what's a few bucks more for green energy?.

  And how much electricity will these solar panels generate? About 200 kw, enough to power about 200 homes, according to GMP. And the cost? About 15 cents per kwh. If that's the wholesale price of the electricity on site, that's pretty expensive, given that the retail price of electricity in Vermont is just shy of 15 cents. Including all other costs, the price to consumers will be much higher.

• Wishful Thinking
  Vermont Tiger April 10, 2009

  The legislature is having more than a difficult time coming up with a balanced budget for FY10. Let me repeat myself. The House Appropriations Committee lists the difficulties here. The basic problem is that

  The FY2010 budget challenge has been to resolve a $230 to $240 million shortfall.
  FY 2010 represents a $128 million revenue decline from FY 2008....
  This budget is built on a $57 million of base cuts and revenues.
  

  and concludes
  The budget makes inroads toward addressing FY 2011, however there will be difficult decisions to face next year.

  Translation:
  We have no idea how we're going to get through 2011 so we'll leave it to next year's legislature instead of making painful choices and alienating key constituencies.

From Elsewhere

• Obama's G20 Giveaway
  Dick Morris Right Bias April 5, 2009

  Dick Morris explains in simple language the ramifications of Obama's actions in the recent G20 economic summit. "He effectively repealed the Declaration of Independence."

• Deception Is Root Cause Of America's Ills
  WALTER E. WILLIAMS, April 07, 2009

  Most Americans accept the continuing attack on tobacco companies and smokers, but how do they feel about the massive government deception?

• Inflation Next?
  by Brian S. Wesbury and Robert Stein American Conservative Union April 8, 2009

  And there is more to come. On a year-over-year basis, the CPI will turn negative this month and stay negative for many more months. As a result, those who fear deflation will have data to hang their hats on for much of 2009.

  But, these deflation-istas will be looking in the rear view mirror. On a month-to-month basis, inflation is already starting to claw its way back. In the first two months of 2009, consumer prices are up at a 4.1% annual rate while producer prices are up at a 5.8% rate.

• Manmade Warming On Hold, or Errant Alarmists Seeking Cover?
  David Legates, Ph.D. Cornwell Alliance

  What strikes me as being odd is the argument that CO2-induced global warming could go into ‘hiding’ for up to 30 years and then come back at us with a vengeance. Such an argument requires (1) an admission that something at least as strong as greenhouse gases are affecting our climate and will be affecting it for some time to come and (2) that greenhouse gas forcing will ‘magically’ disappear only to return and pounce with the ferociousness of a leaping tiger. The former is a strong condemnation of both the IPCC report and the infamous ‘Hockey Stick’, both of which argue that human-induced warming is the primary, if not sole, driver of climate change. But the latter seems to violate the laws of physics where the radiative effect of greenhouse gases is expected to ‘go away’ only to return at us with an anthropomorphic vengeance. How the supposed effect of greenhouse gases could be ‘saved up’ only to be return all at once is a mystery. But the biggest mystery is that proponents now seem to admit that we may not see warming at all for up to 30 years, which will be a convenient cover to continue the ‘climate crisis’ rhetoric during an extended period of non-warming.

• WHAT VERMONT GAVE GAY-MARRIAGE FOES
  By MAGGIE GALLAGHER New York Post April 9, 2009

  Expect Vermont to figure prominently in President Obama's crusade to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act later this year. The Democratic Party has now thrown its lot against the principles and priorities of the majority of Americans in favor of its richly endowed base of gay supporters.

  But the Vermont bill was a breakthrough in another way: For the very first time, a Legislature has formally acknowledged that gay marriage poses a serious threat to the religious liberties of Vermonters who disagree with the government's new definition of marriage. And the gay-marriage movement has permitted that Legislature to enact some imperfect yet substantive religious-liberty protections, instead of the fake protections generally offered.

• The Tax Code: Business as Usual
  Ray Nothstine Acton Institute for Religion and Liberty April 8 2009

  In the midst of a historic economic crisis however, we need solutions now for economic growth and greater opportunities. The Heritage Foundation has cited Harvard economist Dale Jorgenson as saying, "tax reform would boost national wealth by nearly $5 trillion." Major tax reform would provide a significant economic stimulus, and if done right, would promote the common good through fairness, simplicity, and easing the tax burden of financially strapped families. Another key principle of any tax reform proposal should be putting an end to double taxation of income, especially the kind that punishes the responsible virtue exhibited by saving and investing.

• Everyone Should Pay Income Taxes
  It's bad for our democracy to exempt half the country.
  Ari Fleischer, The Wall Street Journal April 13th 2009

  If you thought Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme was bad, wait until you hear about the inverted pyramid scheme the federal government is working on. While Mr. Madoff preyed on people who trusted him with their money, the federal government has everyone's money, and the implications of its actions are worse.

  Picture an upside-down pyramid with its narrow tip at the bottom and its base on top. The only way the pyramid can stand is by spinning fast enough or by having a wide enough tip so it won't fall down. The federal version of this spinning top is the tax code; the government collects its money almost entirely from the people at the narrow tip and then gives it to the people at the wider side. So long as the pyramid spins, the system can work. If it slows down enough, it falls.