Archive for May, 2009

« Older Entries

The Death of Politics (A Libertarian Classic)

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

“This is not a time of radical, revolutionary politics. Not yet. Unrest, riot, dissent and chaos notwithstanding, today’s politics is reactionary. Both left and right are reactionary and authoritarian. That is to say: Both are political. They seek only to revise current methods of acquiring and wielding political power. Radical and revolutionary movements seek not to revise but to revoke. The target of revocation should be obvious. The target is politics itself.”

So began an article in the March 1969 issue of Playboy, that would win an award for Best Non-Fiction in Playboy for 1969. The author was Karl Hess, former Chief Speechwriter for Barry Goldwater. Read the full article @ http://fare.tunes.org/books/Hess/dop.html

Posted in Libertarian Viewpoint | No Comments »

Hold the Torturers Accountable

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

” “Enhanced interrogation” as some prefer to call it, has been used throughout history, usually by despotic governments, to cruelly punish or to extract politically useful statements from prisoners. Governments that do these things invariably bring shame on themselves.”

“In addition, information obtained under duress is incredibly unreliable, which is why it is not admissible in a court of law. Legally valid information is freely given by someone of sound mind and body. Someone in excruciating pain, or brought close to death by some horrific procedure, is not in any state of mind to give reliable information, and certainly no actions should be taken solely based upon it.”

“For these reasons, it is illegal in the United States and illegal under Geneva Conventions. ”         Full Column by Rep. Ron Paul @ http://original.antiwar.com/paul/2009/05/25/hold-the-torturers-accountable/

Posted in Constitutional Issues | No Comments »

The Sotomayor Nomination

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

Cato adjunct scholar Richard Epstein looks at the nomination of Sonia Sotomayer to the Supreme Court, and finds potential trouble for property rights @ http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/26/supreme-court-nomination-obama-opinions-columnists-sonia-sotomayor_print.html

Posted in Constitutional Issues | No Comments »

Failure of Propositions 1A Through 1E Signals Need for Real Budget Reform

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

The Libertarian Party of California (LPC) applauds the defeat of ballot propositions 1A through 1E, and notes that to eliminate the perennial budget deficit, the state legislature must confront its addiction to spending.

“The Libertarian Party of California couldn’t be more pleased that voters soundly rejected the proposed tax increase and phony budget solutions offered by Props. 1A through 1E,” said Kevin Takenaga, the chair of the LPC. “These propositions, which were crafted in a backroom deal with no public input, offered phony solutions to real problems.

“The legislature has no choice now but to confront its addiction to spending…” Full release @ http://ca.lp.org/pr20090520.shtml

Posted in Libertarian Viewpoint | No Comments »

The Age of Debt

Friday, May 15th, 2009

“Beware when politicians promise “fiscal responsibility.” It’s pretty much a guarantee that every word that follows the phrase will be a lie. President Barack Obama’s first budget, entitled An Era of New Responsibility: Renewing America’s Promises, is no exception to this rule. Every page comes with a promise to end budget tricks and save money by reforming procurement and cutting various types of waste, but the actual plan boosts spending and deploys gimmicks galore. If this is a new era, it’s one made of debt. ”

Veronique de Rugy looks at President Obama’s proposed spending spree @ http://www.reason.com/news/show/133217.html

Posted in Big Government | No Comments »

How the U.S. Empire Contributed to the Economic Crisis

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

“A few—and only a few—prescient commentators have questioned whether the U.S. can sustain its informal global empire in the wake of the most severe economic crisis since World War II. And the simultaneous quagmires in Iraq and Afghanistan are leading more and more opinion leaders and taxpayers to this question. But the U.S. Empire helped cause the meltdown in the first place.”

“War has a history of causing financial and economic calamities. It does so directly by almost always causing inflation—that is, too much money chasing too few goods. During wartime, governments usually commandeer resources from the private sector into the government realm to fund the fighting. This action leaves shortages of resources to make consumer goods and their components, therefore pushing prices up. Making things worse, governments often times print money to fund the war, thus adding to the amount of money chasing the smaller number of consumer goods. Such “make-believe” wealth has funded many U.S. wars.”

Ivan Eland exposes the burden of global interventionism @ http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=2498

Posted in Antiwar | 1 Comment »

Health Care Corporatism Arrives

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

“In the past few months, Americans have seen their government essentially seize control of one sector of the economy after another. Federal authorities now tell the automobile, banking, credit card, and insurance industries what products and services to offer, all while hiring and firing industry executives in order to implement government orders.”

“Health care represents the latest frontier in this drive to centrally manage the American economy.”

Ronald Bailey looks at prospects for Americans if health care businesses enter a partnership with government @ http://www.reason.com/news/show/133439.html

Posted in Big Government | No Comments »

Another Record-breaking Deficit Looms

Monday, May 11th, 2009

“It’s official: this year’s budget deficit will be one for the record books. The latest figures released by the Obama Administration contemplate a $1.8 trillion deficit for fiscal 2009 as the United States economy continues to significantly underperform relative to earlier forecasts. This year’s record-setting deficit is now reckoned to be four times last year’s — the previous record-setter. Next year, the deficit is expected to decline but still to exceed $1.3 trillion — and that’s only if everything goes according to plan.”

Full post by Charles Scaliger @ http://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/commentary-mainmenu-43/1104

Posted in Big Government | No Comments »

Poll: Independents reject Obama, agree with Libertarian Party

Monday, May 11th, 2009

Despite a deep financial crisis and the election of a left-wing president, political independents still see “big government” as a greater threat than “big business” by an unchanged two-to-one margin, America’s third-largest party notes today.

“Independent voters believed Candidate Obama when he said he would be mainstream.  Their trusting votes gave him a narrow victory,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director.  “But now that the real Barack Obama has revealed himself, they’re not following his bootlegger turn toward the radical left.  They still believe the same Big Government that Obama promises as our global salvation will be America’s undoing.”

Full post by Libertarian Party @ http://www.lp.org/news/press-releases/poll-independents-reject-obama-agree-with-libertarian-party

Posted in Libertarian Viewpoint | No Comments »

When Government Plays Doctor

Sunday, May 10th, 2009

“This week, concerns about swine flu have dominated the media and many government officials. While the American people should be made aware of infectious diseases and common sense preventative measures, much of the hysterical reaction from government only serves to remind us how detrimental to your health it can be when government plays doctor.”

“As a physician, I have yet to see any evidence that justifies the current level of alarm.”

Full Column by Rep Ron Paul, M.D. @ http://www.freeliberal.com/archives/003795.html

Posted in Libertarian Viewpoint | No Comments »

« Older Entries