Revolutionary Indicators

We are living in revolutionary times. Institutions that we have taken for granted are being completely revamped. People's perception of government is radically changing. Power is escaping its Constitutional cage.

I believe the form of the future is always around us -- the seeds of which were planted yesterday, are quietly growing today, and ready to bloom tomorrow. The key to being ahead of the curve is to be observant of those small shoots. I'll present some of them here.

Indicator 1: Massive Washington Tea Party

While the probable count was around 1.5 to 2 million, each individual who attended represented ten to twenty people who could not.


Indicator 2: Internet search terms

I subscribe to a bi-monthly digest of top Internet search terms. In the past, I just took a quick look through the search words (mostly pop culture and porn) but this year began to take a closer examination. I compiled conservative search terms with their ranking in the list. Interesting.

Indicator 3: American's attitudes toward traditional seats of power



I am not aware of any recent President falling so fast, so soon. And the Main Stream Media? Time to pull the plug. The brain died years ago.

Indicator 4: 2nd Amendment purchases

Far from mere talk, these people are laying down cold cash to support their beliefs even in the face of a severe economic downturn. It is estimated that two billion extra rounds of ammunition have been purchased this last year over and above the seven billion usually sold. Gun sales mirror this increase. NICS background checks only cover a portion of 2nd Amendment sales, the actual volume is likely significantly higher.

Indicator 5: Abandonment of houses and debts

Strategic default is the term used for those who bail out of a house to preserve what capital they have. Couple this trend with those who are maxing out credit cards without any intention of paying - credit charge off rates are approaching 12%. It seems as though the cost in a ruined credit score is not enough to stop them - like there is no tomorrow.

Indicator 6: Tenth Amendment assertion by individual States

Each point represents a state that has explored in some degree their 10th Amendment rights in defiance to an expanding federal government.

Indicator 7: Civilian law enforcement by military personnel

Despite the traditional prohibitions of Posse Comitatus, these are some of the verified law enforcement-like activities of the US military within CONUS over the past year, usually under the aegis of NORTHCOM:

Pittsburgh
The Kentucky Derby
Samson, AL
San Bernardino County, CA
Boston
Indianapolis
El Paso
Interstate 35 in Texas
Whiteville, TN
Kingman, AZ
Newport, KY
Washington, D.C.

Taken together, these indicators seem to say it's not 2009. It's 1764.

-Hugh Farnham