Scott Bradley: 'Should We Try To Legislate Morality?'

Source:Freedoms Rising Sun- Moot question. 

Source:The New Democrat 

“Should We Try to Legislate Morality?"

From Scott Bradley

To answer Scott Bradley's question: no we should not try to legislate morality. At least when it comes to personal behavior and how free adults conduct themselves in their personal lives.

It's sort of a moot question anyway because every civilized country in the world with a functioning government whether it's a developed country or developing country, legislates morality at least in the sense that it lays the rules for how people can interact with each other. To put it simply, we're not allowed to hurt innocent people. We're not allowed to rape each other, physically attack each other, steal from each other murder each other, kidnap each other, commit fraud against each other. We're not allowed to commit these acts and other dangerous acts against innocent people and if we do we face steep legal consequences for doing these things. Which is why we have jails and prisons because we have people who hurt innocent people everyday and have to pay a justifiable price for them.

But that's not my main interest here anyway, because I'm more interested in what government's role if any is when it comes to how people conduct themselves in their personal lives. I'm not talking about people hurting innocent people, but I'm not talking about who people act and do with their own lives and conduct themselves in their personal lives and how much freedom should we have in our own lives. When people can have sex, what we can eat and drink, smoke, the types of entertainment that we can listen to and watch, what we can do with our own bodies and what we can put into our own bodies.

Government already legislates morality and I think Scott Bradley is at least smart enough understand that at least, if he doesn't already know that. The real question is to what extent and should we remain liberal democratic republic or not where personal freedom and autonomy is vast, even if some of our personal choices and activities offends others religious and cultural values. Or do we want big government coming in and telling us who we can have sex with, when we can have sex, who we can marry, what we can put into out bodies, do in the privacy of our own homes and tells us this is what moral and what's not based on some religious and moral code. And even if what we're doing is not actually hurting anyone, it still has to be illegal, because it's immoral according some people's religious and moral values.

And as a Liberal myself I believe it's not the job of government to try to protect us from ourselves, but to protect innocent people from predators and predatory behavior. And as long as people aren't hurting innocent people with what they're doing, government should stay out of the way and allow for free adults to live their own lives and deal with the consequences of their own decisions. Instead of big government coming in and telling us what we should believe and how we should think and this is how we should live our own personal lives.

Amelia Nell & Vocalocity: Rita Hayworth as Gilda- Best Moments

Source:Amelia Nell & Vocalocity- The Love Goddess Rita Hayworth, as Gilda. 

Source:The Daily Review

Gilda, is a very good if not great movie that is sort of a great soap opera or dramatic comedy that has everything from mystery, to crime drama, to comedy even. But if you take Rita Hayworth out of the movie and replace her with an ordinary looking woman, or a woman who is pretty and maybe even sweet looking as well, but nothing special, I believe Gilda becomes a very mediocre movie. I believe there a lot of guys who could've played the Johnny character ( played by Glenn Ford ) and I believe Ford does a great job as well, but a lot of guys could've played Johnny.

Source:Load MP4- The Love Goddess Rita Hayworth, as Gilda 

Imagine Myra Breckinridge without Raquel Welch or Hart to Hart without Stefanie Powers, The Killers without Ava Gardner, they would still be good movies perhaps, Hart to Hart perhaps not because I don't believe would be a good show without Stefanie Powers, but there certain actresses and actors that without them the complexion of the movie or show changes dramatically. Sort of like a great basketball team without a certain player on the team, because they have this presence that is not just memorable, but unforgettable.

Source:Juliet in Paris- The Love Goddess Rita Hayworth, in Gilda 

Rita Hayworth wasn't called The Love Goddess because someone in Hollywood went through a whole book of nicknames to give a random actress and decided that The Love Goddess was the best from the book to give any actress. She was The Love Goddess because millions of men in America and outside of America all wanted her and to be with her and be the Mr. Rita Hayworth the top pinup from the 1940s, a big reason why millions of American soldiers wanted to return from Europe and Japan in the 1940s and come back to America to see and listen to Rita Hayworth.
Source:Amelia Nell & Vocalocity

Bernard Goldberg: 'We Love Free Stuff- As Long As Someone Else Is Paying For It'

Source:Zazzle- Truer words have never been said.

Source:The New Democrat

“It’s become Democratic Party orthodoxy, at least if you’re a progressive running for president: First, you righteously demand that the richest Americans pay their “fair share” which is a top tax rate of at least 70 percent. Then you promise “free” college at public universities for everyone. After that, you say that health care is a right and demand “Medicare for all.” For good measure you throw in that everyone who wants a job will be guaranteed a job, maybe even a guaranteed annual income, and of course, in the short run, an increase in the minimum wage.”

From Bernard Goldberg

"Milton Friedman Replies to a Socialist about the cost of free stuff."

Source:Simply Explained- Listen to Uncle Milton, instead of Uncle Sam. 

From Simply Explained

Socialists whether they're democratic or not or self-described like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria O. Cortez or closeted like Elizabeth Warren and others, would have a lot more respect and credibility in America and perhaps even followers and believers if they were upfront and completely honest about what they're talking about. And instead of arguing that all these new public services that they want and new investments in current public services would be free, because they would be provided for by the Federal Government or any other government and just be honest about that and say, "government can do all these things, but they'll come with a cost and real cost at that."

Source:Crush The Street- U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and U.S. Representative Alexandra O. Cortez: self-described Democratic Socialist Members of Congress 

The only things that are free in life once you're parents are no longer supporting you, is death and things that you win in contests. Coupons that you get at stores from being first time or regular customer at your stores. Everything else comes with a cost in life, even for people who live off of public assistance. You might argue that low-income people get things like Food Assistance and Medicaid for free, but the fact is the price they pay for getting those services is a steep and very expensive one, which is living in poverty. If you pay taxes for the public services that you get in life, you don't need to be an accountant or lawyer to realize that you're paying for those so-called free services. Whether it's Medicare or national defense or anything else that the U.S. Government provides for their people.

What Socialists in the Democratic Party do whether it's Senator Bernie Sanders ( no longer the only self-described Democratic Socialist in Congress ) or Representative Alexandria O. Cortez or any other Socialist in Congress, ( again, whether they're self-described or closeted ) is saying that Uncle Sam is going to give every American is who is not rich all of this free stuff, because Uncle Sam is friends or partners with Santa Clause and his helpers and everyone is going to get free health care, health insurance, college, pension, a job, income even for people who only don't work, because they don't want to work. And that the rich are going to pay for all of this taxpayer funded free stuff. Even though anyone who is familiar with the American economy knows the way the rich avoid taxation especially high taxation, is by taking their money, investments, and property outside of America and investing in other countries with lower taxation, or start those new investments in those countries.

If you want free stuff in life, win your state lottery, became a professional gambler, or rob a bank. None of these suggestions I would actually recommend, other than maybe winning the lottery if you know something about the lottery that no one else does. Otherwise come back down from your Planet Mars marijuana high and back down to Earth and realize that life is not free. It's okay to be a Socialist, even though I don't agree or even like socialism, but you at the very least be honest about it even at the risk of losing political support. And say, "of course all these public services aren't going to be free, but they're affordable and yes taxes on the middle class will have to be raise either through new payroll taxes, income, or new sales taxes, but the investments will be worth it for you."

The problem with my own argument here is that once Socialists start talking honestly about their socialism, the popularity and approval of democratic socialism in America would drop faster than a bus going off a bridge into a lake. Americans would actually wake up to the fact that, "wait, I actually have to pay for all these new government services. I thought Uncle Sam or Bernie, or Aunt Alexandria, or Elizabeth were going to give me these services for free." Even the most Far-Left amongst us once they start actually having to pay taxes, especially new taxes tend to not like high taxes. Especially if they're trying to buy their first home, looking to get married and have kids, maybe starting their own business. But at least these Socialists would no longer sound like politicians and instead like people who are actually trying to lead and believe in their own politics.

Harley Davidson & The Marlboro Man (1991) Mickey Rourke & Mitzi Martin

Source:Tenor- Mickey Rourke & Mitzi Martin. 

Source:The Action Blog

If you like action films, especially action/comedy I believe you'll really like Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man. Which is really about two underachieving and immature drifters ( played by Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson ) who come from humble backgrounds, who grew up together and both end up back in their hometown together and find out that their friends are in trouble and their favorite hangout is going out of business, unless it comes up with a lot cash in a short period of time. They're not career criminals, but they're not angels either and end up stealing money from a bank that's run by crooks and the local mob there to save their bar.

Source:GFYCat- Mickey Rourke & Mitzi Martin 

Neither Harley Davidson ( which is Mickey Rourke's real name in the film ) or Marlboro ( which is Don Johnson's real name in the film ) are meant to be one place for a long period of time, or even weeks. Especially Harley who is not just a biker, but is a drifter who takes off every time he gets bored and gets into trouble or something happens to him that he can't deal with, because he's so immature. Which is why the last scene in the movie after the heroes save the day ( so to speak ) is so great, because what is Harley doing, but taking off again and picking up a young woman ( played by Mitzi Martin ) who is also a drifter and they ride off into the sunset together.
Source:Nick Nevler

Lana Turner Online: 'MGM Presents Lana Turner- 1948'

Source:Lana Turner Online- Hollywood Babydoll Lana Turner. 

Source:The Daily Review

"MGM presents Lana Turner  - 1948." 

From Lana Turner Online 

When  think of Hollywood Babydoll Lana Turner, ( which is exactly what she was ) I think of the Queen of the Hollywood Soap Stars. Meaning, her only real experience in soap operas, was being on Falcon Crest in the 1980s, but she lived the life of a soap opera character and star.

What would be called today a reality star. She lived on the tabloids with all her different marriages and breakups, she dated an Italian gangster putting her personal as well as her daughter Cheryl Crane's safety always at risk every time she was seen with Johnny Stompanato.

Her daughter goes on trial for murdering Johnny Stompanato in the 1950s, even though it's pretty clear she shot him in self-defense at their home. Lana's whole life looked like one gigantic publicly stunt, except that it was real-life reality TV and not what's supposed to pass a reality TV today.

It's as if her life and career was written by the best team of Hollywood script writers in the history of the world. You would have had to live her life to ever even attempt to try to believe the real-life that Lana Turner actually lived. And that it wasn't just the best written movie, soap opera, or reality TV show that was ever written.

And then before she gets Falcon Crest in 1982, she had already done at least three soap opera movies in the 1950s and 60s. The Bad and The Beautiful, from 1952 with Kirk Douglas, that looks at the lives of three up in coming Hollywood workers. An actress, writer, and director where's there's constant backstabbing and screwing over in that movie, mostly by the Kirk Douglas character. That movie looked like one of the best episodes of Melrose Place that was ever written.

Peyton Place, that was both a TV soap opera and movie soap opera. Love Has Many Faces from 1964, where she plays a woman who falls in love with multiple gigolos in the movie, perhaps her best movie. Madame X from 1966, where the plays the wife of a diplomat where her mother in-law pays her to get out of town, because she doesn't want her around her son anymore.

Lana Turner, is very interesting for another reason: she's one of the most underrated, as well as overrated actresses ever. She's not the best actress who has ever worked, but not the worst either and when she hear people talk about her you get the idea that she could be the best or worst depending who who you're talking to.

I believe Lana is one of the best soap actresses who has ever lived and a great comedic actress as well. It's a damn shame that she never worked with Alfred Hitchcock or Neil Simon, because she was a great dramatic comedy actress with great sense of drama and comedic timing.

The great soap operas tend to be funny and the great soap actors and actresses, also tend to be very funny. Melrose Place, but General Hospital are great examples of that. I believe she was limited to do dramatic comedy and soaps, but is one of the actresses to ever work in those genres and should get the respect more respect for that.

AEI: What is Pluralism?

Source:AEI- From The American Enterprise Institute 

Source:The New Democrat

From Merriam Webster:

"4a : a state of society in which members of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, or social groups maintain and develop their traditional culture or special interest within the confines of a common civilization. b : a concept, doctrine, or policy advocating this state."

The question has been asked over and over and has been debated over and over what kind of country is America and what type of government that we have. Are we a republic, are we a democracy, are we a liberal democracy, are we a pluralist society, etc when the fact is there's no wrong answer here.

Source:Slide Share- A pluralist society 

America, is a republic, but we're a certain type of republic. Egypt and China are republics, but we're certainly not Egypt or China. They have authoritarian societies and government's, we obviously don't.  Republic by itself doesn't equal democracy or freedom, it just means that the country is governed by civilians and not the military or a monarchy or some theocracy. America, is a democracy at least in the sense that we elect our political leaders and our political leaders are held accountable by the voters in free and fair elections.

The fact is America is a pluralist society and federal republic in the form of a liberal democracy. The largest most diverse melting pot in the world, the largest and oldest liberal democracy in the world where power is very decentralized unlike Egypt, China or Russia. Governmental power is decentralized through three levels of government. Federal, state, and local, but also with the people because we live in a  free society where the people have the freedom to manage their own personal affairs without having government trying to monitor their activities simply because they see them as enemies of the government or disapprove of their personal activities.

In a pluralist society like America, you don't have one dominant ethnic group. Roughly 7-10 Americans today are still of European background, but we don't have one dominant ethnic group in America unlike Britain, where roughly 8-10 Brits are ethnic English or Germany where roughly 9-10 Germans are ethnic German or go to Asia where most of Japan is ethnic Japanese. But 3-10 Americans aren't of European background. We have large African-American population, a major Asian-American population, a significant Middle Eastern population and I could go on. America is both multi-racial and multi-ethnic which is still one of the great and exceptional things about America.

My personal politics here: I'm not colorblind, anyone who actually says that they're  colorblind and can't even tell what the color of their clothes are, or is simply just blind. I'm not race or ethnic blind, back to my point about color, because anyone who has even decent vision or can see with glasses can see someone's race or ethnicity. What I am is what I could call at least pluralist and individualist. I look at and judge people as individuals, not as members of a particular racial or ethnic group. That old but still great Dr. Martin King quote, where he has a dream that one day his children would be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin, I actually believe that and just wished more Americans both on the Right and Left believed that as well. Instead of looking at people as members of groups who should be judged that way.
Source:AEI

Shannen Doherty: Beverly Hills 90210

Source:Ashley Rayshon Scott - Shannen Doherty, in 1992 

Source:The Action Blog 

"This is just a little something i made for Christmas Beverly Hills 90210 style! Its nothing special, but i hope you guys enjoy and have a great holiday season! Song: all I want for Christmas is you."

From FOX Network

Source:Image Ozone - Shannen Doherty, in 1992 

There were only a handful of shows I that watched religiously ( not including sports ) growing up especially once I started high school in the 1990s. Dukes of Hazzard, in the 1980s, The Fall Guy in the 1980s, Knight Rider, A-Team, Married With Children, and then when I was in high school in the early and mid 1990s shows like the original Law & Order. And when I mean religiously, I'm talking about every week including the reruns in the summer.

There was really only one show that I watched that much during the summer when I was in high school and that the original Beverly Hills 90210 from Fox. Because it was about Generation X and what life was like growing up for a lot of us, it was a funny show like great soap operas are and all the beautiful, sexy women on it including one and particular.

I loved the Brenda Walsh character ( played by Shannen Doherty ) for multiple reasons. She was so real for both good and bad and seemed to always know what she want, except when it came to guys, she just didn't always know how to get there and how to get what she wanted. Which is typical for teenagers of any generation and perhaps Generation X in particular.

When we're growing up we think we know what we want, but a lot of times don't know how to get it and most teenagers have short attention spans and something else comes along and we're impressed by that.

I wanted to be a sportscaster when I was in high school up until my early 20s or so and realized that perhaps was no longer that important to me and didn't want to get a degree in broadcasting in order to become a sportscaster. Brenda Walsh was similar, but I think she knew what she wanted, but didn't know how to get it.

The Walsh Family, moves from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Beverly Hills, California ( just outside of Los Angeles ) and get a cultural shock right away because they comes from a mid-size community in Minneapolis to not just the second largest city and metro area in the country in Los Angeles, but to the heart of Hollywood and the entertainment industry in this country at least if not the world. Brenda, ( played by Shannen Doherty ) quickly adjusts to that new lifestyle and meets people and friends who are just as real as she is and don't fit the stereotypes that a lot of Hollywood teenagers have and they discover that they have a lot in common.

This show worked real well, because you had real people living in a fictional community ( known as Hollywood ) where most of the people there are always trying to be someone else and put on a facade. A lot of the characters on that show could've easily been from St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cleveland, or Minneapolis as far as who they were and they went through as teenagers growing up.

And that is why the Brenda character was so great because she was a real person growing up in a Hollywood community where realness can be looked down upon by people who want to always be fabulous, perfect, and be popular. People who want to be better than real people and never seem vulnerable to anyone or anything.

The other reason why I loved this show was because of Shannen Doherty. I had a crush on her, I don't think she was the prettiest girl from the entire series. Jennie Garth was more beautiful during the high school years and I believe Tiffany Thiessen was the best looking woman on the show for the entire series.

But Shannen, was the cutest girl on the show and sexiest girl as well at least during the high school years. She wasn't just a denim diva on that show, ( before that term was even invented ) but she was a Levi's denim diva who was a Goddess in those skin-tight Levi's jeans and always wore beautiful western boots with them with tight tops or blouses.

I couldn't wait to watch the show especially just to check her out especially during the first 3 seasons. This show and Shannen Doherty, certainly made high school more interesting for me and I have her to thank for that.