I do not see Americans losing their rights and becoming like
foreign countries. But we are being restricted more...
But our rights are rather difficult to change and are preserved.
We have a constitution and a means to challenge any systematic denial of
rights that is not supported by the constitution and laws of the US
and the
Individual states.
Infringement of constitutional rights can cause the miscreant (no
matter who
employs him or her) to later rue the day they pushed it too far.
One of the only truths I know is summed up in a quote by
Lord Acton, over a century ago in England:
Power tends to corrupt. Absolute Power corrupts absolutely.
This goes for politics as well as for law enforcement - and for
private citizens and monopolies too.
I have been fortunate to spend my much of life enforcing the law as
a public prosecutor and another part as a trial lawyer. As a criminal
prosecutor I have been fortunate to see many officers who were the
best people one could ever meet... I have also seen and been involved
in prosecuting some who were rotten people and bad officers.
We are in Annapolis tonight as I write this. We have our TWIC cards
from DHS and comply with all the rules. There were not as many in
former years. Folks had a lot more freedom.
AS LIVEABOARDS WE ARE ALL FORTUNATE. We are getting to
do what people will not be permitted to do sometime in the future.
There are just too many people and the environment will be so strictly
regulated in the future no one but the super rich will be able to
afford it.
Lets hope it takes a hundred years. But it will happen over time.
Now throughout much of New England the popular harbors have been
totally filled with mooring balls. In parts of the Caribbean the same
thing has happened in some bays. Even folks with totally sufficient
waste treatment MSDs like the Lectrasan's (that return cleaner water
to the bays than what they take in) are finding laws and rules imposed
to make large stretches of water no discharge zones. All manner
of cities regulate how close you can come to the shore or other
structures, and how fast you can go, etc. etc.
The same thing happened to campers in past years. Think about it.
If you own a Winnebago (a land yacht) you cannot just go park it
in any public area and live there. You probably could do that many
years ago.
We have become a regulated and structured society. We did it
to ourselves. The folks who enforce the laws, whether they are
tax laws, motor vehicle laws, zoning laws, or water safety laws
are doing what they are ordered to do under laws we all had a
hand in making through our elected representatives.
Society selects its citizens as zoning boards, city councils, state
and federal legislators and as public officials to bring 'order out
of chaos'.
In this country we have laws to prevent their enforcement
in an Arbitrary an Capricious manner. If there is a dispute over
enforcement we even have courts and lay juries to resolve
the disputes.
The same type of rules bedevil the homeowner who has
no boat. You cannot make an addition on a home in most areas
without a zoning permit. You must comply with the setbacks
and building rules and get a permit just to use your own land
you pay thousands of $s in taxes a year to use.
Its not fair, but all of us collectively elect our own rulers. Its a
terrible system of government. Except - as Abe Lincoln or
someone else said - except for all the other forms.
Sue and I are loving this lifestyle and are squeezing every bit
of joy from it while we can. But we do not fool ourselves. We
could not do it without resources and someday this will not
be an option for many who are out here today.
We will intend to go to foreign ports - like others on this list -
and plan on visiting many lands between here and the area
south of the hurricane zone during the next year. If we find
somewhere it would be fun to live longer term in the future
we will do so, with its inherent risks.
Ed Kelly (& Sue Kelly)
USSV Angel Louise - a Catalac catamaran
Our Skype Phone (202) 657-6357
Email: EdKelly ("at" symbol) netins.net
On Sep 30, 2008, at 9:53 PM, Ken James wrote:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Norm, and others, I'd be interested in what "foreign countries"
> somewhat convenient to the US, those dissatisfied with the US would
> consider as friendly better alternatives?
I think you raise a good point with this question,
but I do agree that we are loosing many of our
freedoms today, whether necessary or otherwise. If
we don't watch out we could end up like some of
these countries. -Ken
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