Category Archives: Freedom

What we’ve lost

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I was surfin’ the internet over the weekend when I came across the article below. It brought forth the disconnect of what are our liberties are now, to what they used to be—and not all that long ago for some of us.

I have an internet acquaintance, Tom Kratman. I say acquaintance because we’ve never met. We have exchanged a few e-mails over the last several years on one topic or another. Tom Kratman is a retired Army Officer, lawyer, writer, married to a Panamanian lady and he has numerous relatives living in Panama. He knows the country well.

I found this article due to a comment Tom Kratman made on the internet. It drew me to read the article. I expected another America bashing topic. I was surprised, it was not but more of a lamentation what we, as a people have lost…but, in Panama, still is.

It is food for thought when we listen to the news today that Obama, through the EPA, is imposing more Cap ‘n Tax regulations. He’s using federal regulations to punish the country when he couldn’t get similar legislation through Congress.

More freedom in Panama as a foreigner than in the U.S as a citizen? Sure feels that way.

http://www.permanentlypanama.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Freedom-in-Panama-as-a-Foreigner1.jpgBy Alice Beth

Disclaimer: The opinions in this article are not based upon the legal system of either the U.S or Panama, but rather my lifestyle experiences. So don’t get yourself arrested and blame it on me, chief.

“Are you ever coming back to the U.S?”

It’s a question I’ve been hearing for nearly two years.

At first, my answer had a built-in pause. “I don’t know…” I would mutter. “Maybe.”

These days, it’s shifted to a steady: “Why would I do that?”

The sentiment is further rooted during my annual visits to the U.S. It seems that Panama has spoiled me. With its advantageous atmosphere and empowering sense of freedom, I feel suffocated when I return “home.”

It’s the little things, as well as a few major shifts in mindset and lifestyle. There are things I do in Panama that I just can’t do in the states. At least- not without fighting an uphill battle.

The Little Things

The little things are the hardest to explain. When we fall in love, whether with a person or a country, it’s often thanks to the “little things” that we can barely pinpoint yet refuse to live without.

So, what are Panama’s little things? I’ll do my best to describe.

  • It’s the freedom to drive onto the beach to reach that faraway surf break, with no one to yell at you and (barely) any people to hit.
  • It’s the freedom to build a bonfire, pitch a tent, let your dog off the leash, or bring a flask to that same beach (or other public space) with no one to tell you off for it. The police drive by and wave- why would they care? “Hope you’ve got 4×4,” they say, “call us if you get stuck.”
  • It’s being able to walk into a store and have your smartphone unlocked, because you don’t want a 2-year contract, thank you very much. $15 a month, pay-as-you-go, sure beats that monthly $89 bill.
  • It’s affording a weekly manicure, because for $8, why the hell not? You’ll use that time to practice your Spanish, anyway- two services for the price of one.
  • It’s bringing your non-service dog on a public ferry, it’s riding a horse wherever the hell you want, because who are you to tell me I can’t?
  • Sure, buy a freshly-killed chicken from the farmer two houses down. Sell kabobs by the side of the road. Permit? Bah. The FDA won’t bother you.

The U.S is suffocating, with its pussyfooting philosophy. No dogs allowed. No beers on the beach. No sneaking snacks in the theater, and absolutely no monkey bars on the playground. Don’t you dare start that bonfire. And you! You’re trespassing. Get out of this…uh….forest. You’re up to no good.

Land of the free. Home of the brave.

Except everyone is terrified of lawsuits to the point that the country is idiot-padded and accident-proof.

Nevermind the fact that the 9 out of 10 casualty-free scenarios are stripped away from us. Nevermind the concept of, oh, I don’t know, doing what you want so long as you’re not hurting anybody else.

Life Changers

Little freedoms are nice. It’s only when combined with life-changers that a fun place to visit becomes a better place to live.

Living in Panama has enabled me to have a conscious control over my career, the direction it goes, and the rate at which it progresses. I’m not hungrily grabbing at whatever opportunity comes my way. With so many opportunities, I get to pick and choose.

I needn’t operate at the mercy of the economy, the market, and all its fluctuations. I operate according to me.

At 23, I’m in the initial stretch of my freelance career- but you wouldn’t know it by my portfolio. I spearhead projects that most people can’t touch before years of climbing the corporate ladder. The U.S is saturated with bureaucratic bullshit. Bide your time, pay your dues, wait for that promotion, your moment will come.

In Panama, you opt for the grab-what-you-want-by-the-cajones path instead.

The economy has grown dizzyingly fast. Businesses are racing to keep up, to expand, to offer more, make more, and maximize on this historical period. They don’t care how many notches are on your belt. They care that you’re able to grab the reins, bring something new to the table, and produce results.

Read also: Why Panama is like Disney World for Entrepreneurs

I’m sure some would say the same about the States- and I don’t doubt them. But I also don’t envy freelancers or job seekers in the U.S- particularly those who are still earning their stripes, or competing against more people for less openings. Fighting to burst their head through a sea of contenders, just to grab the attention of some company who’s probably not hiring, anyway.

My life in Panama has afforded me a level of autonomy, both personally and professionally, that I’ve never had in the States. My no-handcuff, high-profit lifestyle has become my definition of freedom- and it’s given me little reason to ever look back.

Just stop and think for a moment. Take the things Alice Beth can do freely—in Panama, and what would happen if we attempted to do the same here in the US. With a few moments of thought, it would be come clear what we have lost since the 1960s.

Think some more and add the tyrannies of government education, Common Core, Agenda 21 and all its implications, and the arbitrary edicts of federal agencies gone rogue. Yes, we beat Panama in a small war. We invaded it. Killed their soldiers. But now, 25 years since that invasion, which nation provides the most freedom to its residents?

Should we all pull up stakes and migrate to Panama? No. We have made this nation into what it now is. It is our responsibility to fix it.

The Home of the Brave, the Land of the…

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Expectations

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I was listening to the radio this morning and the topic was the expectations of new college graduates. In essence, their excessive expectations. The conversation started with a report, a complaint, from a recent graduate. He couldn’t find a job!

No, that’s not right. He had a number of interviews, he couldn’t get hired. There’s a difference.

The grad’s expectation, fed by his school, was that all the grad needed to do was to wave his degree in the face of interviewers and he’d magically get hired.  Surprise! Surprise! Real world intervenes.

I worked for a large telecommunications provider, first as a team leader, then a manager, later as a design engineer and project manager. I was as high as I could go in the company without being an executive. During that time, I interviewed prospective employees, hired some and had to fire some as well. One of the activities I liked was screening college students who recently graduated or would be graduating within months.  Most were bright, knowledgeable and eager to commence their post-school  real-world life.

Then there were the others.

A tactic my employer used was called the “carousel.” Prospective employees would arrive enmass. They were given a stanard benefit package and then sent, in sequence, to managers and engineers for interviews. That allowed each potential employee to be interviewed by a half-dozen managers and engineers. At the end of the day, we interviewers met and discussed the applicants, selecting those for the next round of follow-up interview.

Those meetings were instructive. Some of the applicants would be very surprised with their impression on potential employers.

Case in point: one applicant that I still remember. You could say he did everything to not get hired. We received his resume some days earlier to allow us to be prepared for the interview. From this applicants resume and transcript, I noticed that he attended a number of universities—six as I remember. He had been in school eight years starting at age 19. He had changed majors at least three times.

He arrived in my office wearing jeans, sneakers—no socks, a pullover shirt, and a wrinkled sportcoat. We reviewed his resume and I asked my usual questions to determine what he’d learned in school. “What projects did you complete? What extra-curricular activities were you involved in? What were your priorities in school?”

The job slots open were for entry-level engineers. Instead of answering my questions with engineering examples, he spoke of all his “social awareness” activities.

Apparently, he was anti-war. 9/11 had occurred only months previously. He was against retaliation—“violence never solved anything!” was his response as I remember. I controlled my usual response to such inanities by reminding him of Rome and the Carthaginians. Rome still exists. Carthage doesn’t.

I asked him what he brought to the table that would be an asset to the company. I received a lecture on fairness, the evils of capitalism and the “banker’s cabal.”

At the end of the day when we reviewed the applicants, this character was on the bottom of the pile. We ordered the applicants in order of preference, the best on top. When his name finally appeared, the lead reviewer asked for comments. Silence. No one spoke. Finally, one reviewer ventured, “he has a heightened awareness for politics.” Translation: troublemaker. He wasn’t hired.

Flash forward to the present day. I listen to comments from present day graduates. They are being taught to…fail. Reading comprehension is low. Universities are teaching at a high-school level. The educational curricula has been trimmed to a point of being useless. But applicants are still being told that jobs will miraculously appear by waving a degree before the interviewer.

Nothing could be further from the truth. What graduates should be taught is that the job market is for buyers, not for sellers. Applicants need to impress employers. The first opportunity to impress is the applicant’s initial image. Yes, first impressions are important.

When coming to an interview, be prepared. Get a haircut. Shave. Wear a suit, or at least a sportcoat and tie. Be neat. If you don’t have a suit, there are many thrift stores that have good, well care for suits at a low price. At least do your best with what you have. If you arrive with a scraggly beard, tattoos all over, you will not be hired. Your freedom to acquire tattoos and piercings doesn’t extend to your prospective employer. You can not force him to accept your lifestyle. 

Ladies, don’t come to an interview wearing a top that is open to your navel. Don’t wear shorts or skirts so high that you can’t sit without exposing yourself. The interest you elicit will not get you hired. Not fair? Well, it’s time you learned the world is not fair. Live with it.

Bring copies of your resume and school transcripts. You resume MUST be accurate, clearly written without typos and misspellings. Your history WILL be verified. There are companies out there whose business it is to verify resumes and transcripts. Most importantly, don’t lie on your resume. You will be found out.

If you have a police record, don’t bother applying to any position that requires you to handle or manage cash nor any position that requires a security clearance or a bond. That includes the military as well.

The last point for an applicant to remember is this: your expectations are worthless if you can’t fulfill the expectations of your employer. You must work to meet his expectations. If you don’t fulfill his expectations, he can easily find someone who will, who can fill your vacant slot.

If you have interviews but can’t get hired. Look in the mirror. That’s where you’ll find the problem.

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A Pitful Example of Citizen Apathy

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I’m still upset about the Siege of Boston where various paramilitary organizations suspended the Constitution. They claim “special circumstances.” The last I looked, there was no “special circumstance” that allowed for the suspension of the Bill of Rights.

Some Presidents have violated the Bill of Rights. Lincoln suspended Habeas Corpus during the Civil War. Roosevelt did likewise and more during World War II. The FBI, under Hoover and later Directors, has spied on American and violated numerous civil rights as well. All those examples of pass behavior and their acceptance at the time, does NOT make it right nor in many cases, legal.

The Constitution, in the 1st Amendment, provides for the freedom to assemble—to gather in groups to express political grievances. Freedom of movement, the right to travel about at will without restriction, is not in the Constitution although it was in the Articles of Confederation, Article 4. Freedom of Movement was not included in the Constitution because the authors felt it wasn’t needed but was a fundamental right recognized by all.

As early as the Articles of Confederation the Congress recognized freedom of movement (Article 4), though the right was thought to be so fundamental during the drafting of the Constitution as not needing explicit enumeration.[4] — Wiki

The US Constitution provided for Freedom of Travel between states via the Privileges and Immunities Clause. However, the authority to regulate that travel was granted to the states rather than the Federal Government. Travel within the states was deemed to be a state issue according to several SCOTUS decisions.

[T]he Supreme Court did not invest the federal government with the authority to protect freedom of movement. Under the “privileges and immunities” clause, this authority was given to the states, a position the Court held consistently through the years in cases such as Ward v. Maryland, 79 U.S. 418 (1871), the Slaughter-House Cases, 83 U.S. 36 (1873) and United States v. Harris, 106 U.S. 629 (1883).[2][3] — Wiki

The result of this ambiguity is Boston on April 19, 2013. The rights of the people to assemble, to move about, to openly travel for whatever reason, is limited, according to law. Whatever government grants, the government can take away. We saw this last week in Boston. People were ordered to return to their homes and to remain there. Those who ventured outside risked being detained, restrained at gunpoint as the photos below testify.

Boston-No_free_passage

Boston-No_breaking_arrest_at_homeHowever, the Constitution, in the 4th Amendment, does say that people have the right to be secure in their homes. That right can only be suspended by a search warrant showing probable cause and to state specifically what is expected to be found.

The government forces in Boston did not acquire search warrants. One spokesman said there weren’t sufficient judges available and since they were in “hot pursuit” (four days later!?), a warrant wasn’t required. People were evicted from their homes, at gun point and without warrants—a violation of the 4th Amendment.

Boston-Alles_Geauf-2The tragedy of these acts is that the people of Boston accepted this violation of their rights. Some of us laughingly call Massachusetts as a “People’s Republic”, a reminiscence of the Communist governments of East Europe.

We’re not laughing now.

Welcome to the new “progressive” disunited states where the government decides what rights, if any, you may have. Mayor Bloomberg made this statement.

Mayor Bloomberg: Interpretation of U.S. Constitution Will ‘Have to Change’ Following Boston Bombings

Apr. 23, 2013 8:16am

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg believes that the Boston Marathon bombings have created a unique scenario — one in which traditional interpretations of the U.S. Constitution must change. Rather than shying away from cameras and other security mechanisms that some view as infringements upon individual privacy, the politician claims that the most recent attack calls for a new paradigm.

As for those who fear government intrusion and express serious concerns about how these technologies and other policies could impede privacy, Bloomberg is sympathetic — but only to a point.

…

As the Observer’s Politicker notes, Bloomberg also invoked gun control while making his point about the Constitution and security. In connecting what he said is the Supreme Court’s recognition that there are some interpretations of the Second Amendment that give way to “reasonable gun laws,” the mayor said that the nation will also need to “live with reasonable levels of security.”

That—is the view of the left. Whenever the Constitution prohibits some act or desire of government, whether it is freedom to travel, to be secure in our homes, or to our right of privacy, the needs of government must prevail and the Constitution be damned.

I’m still waiting for the citizens of Boston and Massachusetts to protest these arbitrary acts by their governments. It’s been nearly a week. I’m still waiting.

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Missouri Ranks 5th in personal and economic freedom

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Here’s an interesting column from George Mason University.

Freedom in the 50 States

    An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom
    Jason Sorens, William Ruger | June 7, 2011

    Executive Summary

    This study comprehensively ranks the American states on their public policies that affect individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres. It updates, expands, and improves upon our inaugural 2009 Freedom in the 50 States study. For this new edition, we have added more policy variables (such as bans on trans fats and the audio recording of police, Massachusetts’s individual health-insurance mandate, and mandated family leave), improved existing measures (such as those for fiscal policies, workers’ compensation regulations, and asset-forfeiture rules), and developed specific policy prescriptions for each of the 50 states based on our data and a survey of state policy experts. With a consistent time series, we are also able to discover for the first time which states have improved and worsened in regard to freedom recently.

    The entire study can be downloaded in .pdf form.  But the info can be condensed into this ranking.

                                
     
    State Freedom Rankings

    Interesting isn’t it?  The Red states at the top, the bluest of the blue states at the bottom.  If I remember correctly, this study has been conducted for a number of years and each year bears the same, well mostly the same with a little reshuffling, results.
     

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    Missouri Ranks 5th in personal and economic freedom

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    Here’s an interesting column from George Mason University.

    Freedom in the 50 States

      An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom
      Jason Sorens, William Ruger | June 7, 2011

      Executive Summary

      This study comprehensively ranks the American states on their public policies that affect individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres. It updates, expands, and improves upon our inaugural 2009 Freedom in the 50 States study. For this new edition, we have added more policy variables (such as bans on trans fats and the audio recording of police, Massachusetts’s individual health-insurance mandate, and mandated family leave), improved existing measures (such as those for fiscal policies, workers’ compensation regulations, and asset-forfeiture rules), and developed specific policy prescriptions for each of the 50 states based on our data and a survey of state policy experts. With a consistent time series, we are also able to discover for the first time which states have improved and worsened in regard to freedom recently.

      The entire study can be downloaded in .pdf form.  But the info can be condensed into this ranking.

                                  
       
      State Freedom Rankings

      Interesting isn’t it?  The Red states at the top, the bluest of the blue states at the bottom.  If I remember correctly, this study has been conducted for a number of years and each year bears the same, well mostly the same with a little reshuffling, results.
       

      Use it or Lose it!

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      This will be a bit short today. I’ve errands to run (gotta go the Cabela’s doncha know!)

      Use it. Or, lose it. Those are choices we’ve each made from time to time. Our black cat, Snowflake, discovered this morning just what that means. Her cat bed that was once perched atop Mrs. Crucis’ sewing machine was missing!

      My wife found the round cat bed somewhere, brought it home and Snowflake fell in love with it. Perhaps the fact that it was up “high” had something to do with it. Cats like lurking high above the scene, the higher the better. Anyway, Snowflake would curl up in the cat bed for her morning, noontime, afternoon snooze. Our other cat, a tiger-striped tabby named Amber, never cared for the cat bed. It was all Snowflake’s.

      But cats are fickle. Preferences change due, perhaps to poor memory or other things new that have struck up their current interest. Snowflake’s use of the cat bed dwindled and over the last few months, stopped.

      Noting that it was unused, Mrs. Crucis, gave the cat bed to a friend for their cat.

      This morning, Snowflake jumped atop the sewing machine, examined the area where the cat bed once resided and looked at me as if to say, “What happened? Where is it?“

      “It’s gone, Snowflake. Use it or lose it. You didn’t use it. You’ll just have to make do with something else.”

      There’s a cautionary tale here that applies to us as well as to Snowflake. We all have things, abilities, freedoms and rights. If we don’t use them, they will disappear.

      When I was a boy, I didn’t need to wear a helmet to ride my bicycle. I didn’t need my parent’s permission to walk into our local Western Auto store a buy a box of .22LR ammunition. In fact, at age twelve, I didn’t need my parent’s permission to buy myself that .22 Marlin bolt-action rifle that I’d saved for. I was a member of Youth for Christ and we met every other week in my Latin teacher’s classroom. We prayed at school assemblies and a local minister was the school chaplain who was available three times a week—during school hours, for consultation in an office next to the teacher’s lounge.

      Liberty is dear. More so when it’s taken from us.

      Use it or lose it. It’s more than a lesson for cats.

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      Use it or Lose it!

      Posted on by
      This will be a bit short today. I’ve errands to run (gotta go the Cabela’s doncha know!)

      Use it. Or, lose it. Those are choices we’ve each made from time to time. Our black cat, Snowflake, discovered this morning just what that means. Her cat bed that was once perched atop Mrs. Crucis’ sewing machine was missing!

      My wife found the round cat bed somewhere, brought it home and Snowflake fell in love with it. Perhaps the fact that it was up “high” had something to do with it. Cats like lurking high above the scene, the higher the better. Anyway, Snowflake would curl up in the cat bed for her morning, noontime, afternoon snooze. Our other cat, a tiger-striped tabby named Amber, never cared for the cat bed. It was all Snowflake’s.

      But cats are fickle. Preferences change due, perhaps to poor memory or other things new that have struck up their current interest. Snowflake’s use of the cat bed dwindled and over the last few months, stopped.

      Noting that it was unused, Mrs. Crucis, gave the cat bed to a friend for their cat.

      This morning, Snowflake jumped atop the sewing machine, examined the area where the cat bed once resided and looked at me as if to say, “What happened? Where is it?“

      “It’s gone, Snowflake. Use it or lose it. You didn’t use it. You’ll just have to make do with something else.”

      There’s a cautionary tale here that applies to us as well as to Snowflake. We all have things, abilities, freedoms and rights. If we don’t use them, they will disappear.

      When I was a boy, I didn’t need to wear a helmet to ride my bicycle. I didn’t need my parent’s permission to walk into our local Western Auto store a buy a box of .22LR ammunition. In fact, at age twelve, I didn’t need my parent’s permission to buy myself that .22 Marlin bolt-action rifle that I’d saved for. I was a member of Youth for Christ and we met every other week in my Latin teacher’s classroom. We prayed at school assemblies and a local minister was the school chaplain who was available three times a week—during school hours, for consultation in an office next to the teacher’s lounge.

      Liberty is dear. More so when it’s taken from us.

      Use it or lose it. It’s more than a lesson for cats.