“The public rallied around President Bush when he ordered the invasion of Iraq but soured when it became clear that the war was an unnecessary disaster begun on a lie.”

Mr Bandow further notes that “…so far Romney is convincing only as a blowhard with a know-nothing foreign policy. Noted Jacob Heilbrunn of the National Interest, the GOP is “returning to a prescription that led to trillion-dollar wars in the Middle East that the public loathes.”

Full expose of the GOP front-runner @ http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/mitt-romney-the-foreign-policy-of-know-nothingism/

Gary Johnson was elected Governor of New Mexico in 1994, running as a Republican. He was re-elected with a solid majority in 1998. During his time in office, Governor Johnson submitted 8 balanced budgets without a single tax hike, and left a billion dollar surplus in the Treasury for his successor. Gov. Johnson cut more than 1200 government jobs through attrition, moved to simplify business regulation, and in 8 years he vetoed 750 bills passed by the legislature, more vetos than all the other Governors combined.

Since 1999 Gov. Johnson has publicly campaigned to end marijuana prohibition, and end the War on Drugs with its vicious attacks on our personal and economic liberties. Gov. Johnson campaigned in California in 2000 for Proposition 19, which would have legalized personal recreational use of marijuana, and provided for legal regulated cultivation and sale.

The Libertarian Pary nominated former Judge James Gray of California for Vice-President. Jim Gray served as Superior Court Judge in Orange County for many years, appointed by Governor George Deukmeijian. After studying the effects of drug prohibition, Judge Gray began his own campaign to end marijuana prohibition, and called for rehabilitation to replace incarceration in dealig with more dangerous drugs. In 2003 Judge Gray left the Republican Party, and in 2004 ran for U.S. Senate from California on the Libertarian ticket.

More information on the Gary Johnson for President Campaign is available @ www.GaryJohnson2012.com

“The Libertarian Party warns that the 5-4 ruling, supported by conservative justices along with Anthony M. Kennedy, establishes a new judicial precedent allowing invasive searches of individuals in detention for even minor infractions or by mistake.”

“After this ruling, get ready to strip even if you have an unpaid traffic ticket,” Mark Hinkle, Libertarian Party Chair, said in a statement. “We are dismayed. This ruling sanctions new and unprecedented levels of invasion of privacy. Never before did U.S. courts allow such an outrageous affront to human dignity with so little justification.”

The complaint was brought by Albert W. Florence, a black New Jersey man who was arrested by state troopers in 2005 on an outstanding warrant for an unpaid fine. The police record indicating the fine was unpaid turned out later to be erroneous. Moreover, an unpaid fine is not a crime under New Jersey law.

However, Mr. Florence was held for a week in two different jails before the charges were dropped. He was subjected to strip searches in both institutions.

Justice Kennedy, who wrote for the majority, argued that corrections officials “must have substantial discretion to devise reasonable solutions to the problems they face.”

Writing for the dissent, Justice Stephen G. Breyer said the strip searches were “a serious affront to human dignity and to individual privacy.”
Source: The Libertarian Party @ http://www.lp.org/news/press-releases/lp-chair-get-ready-to-strip-for-unpaid-traffic-ticket

“While Americans petition state senators to legalize medical marijuana, and the Dutch simply go to an Amsterdam café to self-medicate, thousands of Israelis are enrolled in a regulated medical marijuana program. As talk-show veteran Montel Williams recently saw for himself, Israel is one of the most progressive countries in the world to “legalize it.” ”

“Israel’s inroads into legalizing cannabis for pain relief and managing terminal illness rest on the seminal research of Prof. Raphael Mechoulam of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem’s Center for Research on Pain.”
Full story @ http://israel21c.org/health/israeli-medicine-goes-to-pot

“The last two Republican presidents were members of the clan. Someone named Bush has been on the national ticket in six of the last eight elections.”

“But after spending eight years rallying behind every scheme of George W. Bush — the Medicare prescription drug program, No Child Left Behind, a trillion-dollar war based on false claims — Republicans now act as though they never met the guy. He’s gone from Conquering Hero to Invisible Man.”

Steve Chapman looks at Republican hopes that Jeb Bush might run for President, and the biggest barrier the former Florida Governor faces – memories of the disastrous Presidencies of George W Bush and his father George H.W. Bush @ http://reason.com/archives/2012/03/26/jeb-bush-and-republican-amnesia

“But this proud naturalized American, who arguably did more than any contemporary figure to restore the faith of Americans in America, might have been hounded out of the country if one of our current crop of Republican hopefuls had been president when she arrived. Why? Because Rand lied and bent every rule to gain entry into the United States.”

“As a vehement anti-Bolshevist, she knew that she would die waiting in line if she applied for permission to permanently relocate to America, although that’s exactly what she intended to do. Temporary tourist visas were easier to land, but only for those who could prove they didn’t plan to settle here. So what did Rand do? She committed perjury. She convinced an American visa officer that she had a fiancé waiting for her in Russia whom she intended to marry after a six-month visit with her relatives in Chicago.”

Shikha Dalmia looks at someone who chose to be an American, in a column @ Reason Magazine http://reason.com/archives/2012/02/14/ayn-rand-was-an-illegal-immigrant

“Rep. Paul spoke on the House floor, specifically against Section 1021 of the NDAA, which includes language which permits the government to detain anyone who “substantially supported al Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States.” Paul fears — as do a number of other opponents to the law — that the language can be used against U.S. citizens as well.”

“Sections 1021 and 1022 in the new bill were originally sections 1031 and 1032 in the old version of the bill.”

“As noted by LewRockwell.com, however, the main difference between the new and old versions of the NDAA is the insertion of one paragraph between the “Implementation Procedures” and “Effective Date,” which is found in the new version. That paragraph reads:

(d) AUTHORITIES. — Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the existing criminal enforcement and national security authorities of the Federal Bureau of Investigation or any other domestic law enforcement agency with regard to a covered person, regardless whether such covered person is held in military custody.

“Still, most contend that the new language is scarcely enough to ensure that the rights of U.S. citizens guaranteed by the Constitution are secure.”

Raven Clabough gives a full report in The New American @ http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/10608-ron-paul-introduces-bill-to-repeal-ndaas-indefinite-detention

Join us as we make plans to promote freedom in 2012:
–Gary Johnson for President
–End Marijuana Prohibition
–End Redevelopment Permanently

Anyone interested in Freedom is welcome to attend
No charge to attend, but we do pass the hat to support our activities

More information call Gene Berkman @ Renaissance Book Shop (951) 369-8843
or visit our new location @ 3772 Elizabeth Street in Riverside (just off
Magnolia Ave)

Governor Johnson’s announcement statement:

“Today I am announcing that I will seek the Libertarian nomination for President of the United States. The Libertarian Party nominee will be on the ballot in all 50 states – as they were in 2008, and will offer a principled alternative to the Republican and the Democrat.

“This was both a difficult decision – and an easy one. It was difficult because I have a lot of Republican history, and a lot of Republican supporters. But in the final analysis, as many, many commentators have said after examining how I governed in New Mexico, I am a Libertarian — that is, someone who is fiscally very conservative but holds freedom-based positions on the issues that govern our personal behavior.

“Frankly, I have been deeply disappointed by the treatment I received in the Republican nomination process. I had hoped to lay out a real libertarian message on all the issues in the Republican contest. The process was not fair and open.

“This election is about issues larger than party or personal ambition.The future of our country is at stake. “

I believe this election needs a true libertarian voice. While Ron Paul is a good man and a libertarian who I proudly endorsed for president in 2008, there is no guarantee that he will be the Republican nominee.

“My Agenda for America, a libertarian agenda, is clear. It is not at an agenda you will hear from any other candidate or party.

- I want to end deficit spending and cut federal spending by 43%. – I want to enact the Fair Tax to stimulate real economic growth and job creation.

– I want to end the manipulation of our money by the Federal Reserve. – I support the Second Amendment and oppose gun control.

- I oppose expensive foreign wars in places like Libya and Afghanistan where our national interest is not clear. -I want to cut the over-regulation of our families, our businesses and our lives.

- I support a woman’s right to choose.

- I support marriage equality for gay Americans, as required by the Constitution.

- I support the legalization of marijuana, which will save us billions and do no harm.

– I demand a government free of special interest influence, crony capitalism and corruption.

- I support returning strict adherence to Constitutional principles to our government.

“I am confident this agenda will resonate with the American people because it actually reflects the true beliefs of a clear majority of Americans.

Complete statement @ http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/governor-gary-johnson-announces-he-will-seek-libertarian-nomination

Readers of this site who are unable to make it can see the event streamed live on www.GaryJohnson2012.com or www.Yowie.com.

Governor Johnson will announce his plans for 2012, which may include a challenge to the two-party system.