“Liberty-as-goal” libertarianism and the second “liberty-as-means” libertarianism

I don't normally have much time to read Andrew Sullivan anymore, though he's a favorite writer of several of my friends. A recent piece, The Paradox of Libertarianism under his column but written by Jim Manzi caught my attention and it might catch yours too. One paragraph:

In somewhat cartoon terms, one strand takes liberty to be a (or in extreme cases, the) fundamental human good in and of itself; the other takes liberty to be a means to the end of discovery of methods of social organization that create other benefits. I’ll call the first “liberty-as-goal” libertarianism and the second “liberty-as-means” libertarianism. Obviously, one can hold both of these beliefs simultaneously, and many people do. But in my observation, when pushed to develop a position on some difficult issue, most self-described libertarians reveal a temperament that leans strongly in one direction or the other. Again, in cartoon terms, I’d describe the first temperament as idealistic, deductive and theory-based, and the second as practical, inductive and experiment-based. To lay my cards on the table, I fall squarely into the second camp.

Ghouls want to party with you...

This particular Halloween Invitation made me wonder about Ghouls...They are flesh eaters similar to Zombies. When not hanging out on Halloween party invitations or at parties during the invitation Halloween season, they are rumored to live near graveyards where they can dine on the recently dead or catch a tired traveler or two...You can add a photo, picture or logo to any card on Holiday-Invitations (http://www.holiday-invitations.com) of your favorite ghoul or anything else you'd like on your Halloween invitations. So you don't have to wait around, they print and ship your order the same day it is approved.

Thought provoking piece on Libertarianism & Education

I came across Radical libertarianism does not provide for fairness in education when reading Libertarian news stories. It's a well done and thought provoking piece that covers some of my own personal concerns when it comes to balancing libertarianism and education.

One small part of the highlighted piece:

Despite my libertarian streak, I find that the only feasible option to correct this inequality would be either to place a restriction of attending public schools only or to implement a voucher system in which tuition would be limited to the cost of the voucher alone. Restricting schooling options to only public schools is suboptimal because it would not account for geographic disparities—someone living in the ghetto will still have to attend school in the ghetto, and richer families will still have a benefit, if a more subtle one. A voucher system would only work if parents could not pay for tuition beyond the voucher itself. Otherwise, we would be back at square one—rich parents would send their children to schools whose tuition is much higher than the cost of a publicly-issued voucher.

Halloween is a fun holiday to have a birthday on...

Combination Birthday Party and Halloween Invitations are somewhat common. While my birthday is the first day of spring that's not something that typically generates the same fun as invitations Halloween season does. Granted Mardi Gras is possible instead of a Halloween Party Invitations theme but for those lucky enough to be born during October to take advantage of the combining of Halloween Invitation and birthday invitation? You not only get presents but candy...When you use Holiday-Invitations (http://www.holiday-invitations.com) you not only get being able to add a photo, picture or logo to any card on their site but they will also print and ship your order the same day it's approved. Not quite as good as candy, but close...

Yes Virginia there are Libertarians in Ohio

Sometimes they even run for office...Granted it's not anywhere near where I live in Toledo, but this headline caught my eye from news in Ohio. Libertarian running for council at-large seat.

Part of the recommended piece:

As a citizen and taxpayer of Marion, I believe it's high time that we elect people who are actually going to listen to and represent the Marion voters. The people want elected officials who have beliefs and principles that actually help them and their towns improve during these tough economic times.

As a member of the Libertarian Party of Ohio, I believe that I am such a person to do that job. Our party is the political party of "Principles." We believe in the U. S. Constitution and in limited government. This also includes individual rights and fewer taxes.

Good luck to Angela Williams...

Ghostly gobs of goo

One of my favorite childhood memories of the Invitations Halloween Party season was a kids Halloween invitation memory that involves bowls of cold spaghetti as fake worms, peeled grapes as eyeballs and jello as ghostly gobs of goo...all discovered while blindfolded. It's easy to create similar fun party invitations Halloween themes that even today's kids will appreciate and enjoy. Through Invitations-Shoppe (http://www.invitations-shoppe.com) you can view your Halloween invites before you buy with their patented instant preview feature. They will also modify any card ThankYou Design or color as requested, the goo however you'll have to provide...

It's true, you might not be a libertarian

This was too good to not share, from Eric Sundwall You might not be a Libertarian...

1. If you harbor a deep sense that people are stupid and that your cabal has the answer for their benefit, you might not be a libertarian.

2. If you are against war, but keep on voting for people who propagate and rationalize it, you might not be a libertarian.

3. If you believe people should be considered illegal by virtue of their proximity to an imaginary line called a border, you might not be libertarian.

4. If you believe that the common good is something served by the presence of goon squads ripping plants up that are deemed a threat, you might also qualify as a grant writer, but you are certainly not a libertarian.

5. If you believe that a private service is suddenly a 'right' or should be universally delivered, than you may force farmers to produce food, but don't check with your doctor to see if you are a libertarian.

6. If you believe that government schools are a public good and expect different results from more funding, you have most likely never read Mises and certainly cannot be accused of advocating choice with regard to how little brains are filled.

7. Whether you drive a Prius or Escalade, if you belief that it's our God given right to have cheap oil, you are certainly not concerned about the efficiency or fairness of the free market and alas, not a libertarian.

8. If you believe that you have paid into Social Security an amount that demands fair renumeration come time to settle on the front porch, you may actually have bought a part of that bridge in Brooklyn, but you are not likely to win any Free State Project awards.

Libertarian 101: What is the Libertarian position on drug Prohibition

Recommended article in the series of Libertarian 101, this time by Barry Ritchey II on the topic of the general Libertarian position on drug Prohibition. Part of the recommended piece:

It's not that libertarians necessarily approve of the behavior; we simply realize that Prohibition doesn't work. Moreover, we understand that it does more to make Americans unsafe that any other single factor.

First let's take a look at history. From 1919 to 1933 the Federal government outlawed the manufacture, transport, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages by way of the 18th Amendment. Widely supported by a popular majority of well-meaning religious groups in 36 of 48 states, citing the societal decay and "deviant" behavior under the influence of alcohol, they decided to establish a law banning its use for everyone.

Soon thereafter, major unintended consequences came to the surface. Firstly, gangs immediately filled the void. Mafia groups soon moved out of small-time thievery and gambling and into bootlegging and racketeering. In turn, corrupting law enforcement and creating an arms race between the rival gangs. Secondly, otherwise law abiding Americans became criminals overnight, leading to widespread disrespect for the "rule of law". On top of that, not having that $500 million of tax revenue annually had a devastating effect on government budgets. Lastly, the cost of enforcement, with no way of measuring its impact, was enormous and wholly ineffective, with nearly 100,000 "speakeasy clubs" operating in New York alone.

It starts with a theme...

It's easy to take a Baby Invitation for a baby shower and use that for the whole theme. Take the umbrellas shown in this and other baby shower invitations. You can use the whole umbrella theme for the party using umbrellas hung upside down with stuffed animals, drinks with umbrellas, float rubber duckies in a blue punch, all can be done inspired by this invitations baby image. No matter which party theme you want, CardsShoppe (http://www.cardsshoppe.com) will let you make unlimited changes at no additional cost as well as modifying any card ThankYou design or color as requested. They'll also email your proof to you within one hour on business days...

Gridlock and Growth: The Effect of Traffic Congestion on Regional Economic Performance

Here in Toledo we don't really have to worry about traffic gridlock but there are other parts of the country that are impacted by traffic. The title linked study by the Reason Foundation has been the source of quite a few recent news articles. It's an interesting read for those of you interested in not only traffic but the larger impact it can have on the economy.

Are Libertarians For Intellectual Property?

As has been stated here before, there are issues that Libertarians don't agree on, at times it can be really interesting to read the different arguments. This article, Are Libertarians For Intellectual Property? is one of those situations where it appears there is a divergence of thought on the topic of patents and intellectual property.

It's a recommended read for those of you interested in digging deeper into the world of law, patents and freedom...

Blizzard babies...

When I saw the below invitation baby shower theme, I thought about how when there is a weather event like a blizzard or a large power outage, a few months later the Baby Invitations can increase for that area. Which is then followed by more baby shower events and a slight increase in the birth rate. No matter the weather, if you check out Cards-411 (http://www.cards-411.com) you can view your baby shower invitations before you buy with their patented instant preview features, with unlimited changes at no extra charge and they'll email your proof to you within one hour during the business day.

What Libertarianism Is

Another recommended article that covers some of the basic points as to what is Libertarianism and what are some of the core beliefs that exist with those who share this political ideology. Like any political ideology, people who lean libertarian or consider themselves fully libertarian don't agree on everything.

Yet, Stephan Kinsella does a nice job in providing a piece that could be an excellent discussion point. A small part:

Libertarians tend to agree on a wide array of policies and principles. Nonetheless, it is not easy to find consensus on what libertarianism's defining characteristic is, or on what distinguishes it from other political theories and systems.

Various formulations abound. It is said that libertarianism is about individual rights, property rights, the free market, capitalism, justice, or the nonaggression principle. Not just any of these will do, however. Capitalism and the free market describe the catallactic conditions that arise or are permitted in a libertarian society, but do not encompass other aspects of libertarianism. And individual rights, justice, and aggression collapse into property rights. As Murray Rothbard explained, individual rights are property rights. And justice is just giving someone his due, which depends on what his rights are.

First comes love, then comes marriage...

I was searching for the history of the phrase that the image of this Baby Shower Invitation brought to mind that I wrote in the title. Despite coming across links for free baby shower invitations, printable baby shower invitations, and everything related to invitations baby shower themes, I wasn't able to find where the rhyme first came from. At Cards-411 (http://www.cards-411.com) you can add a photo, logo or picture to any card on their site and once you find the one you want? They'll email your proof to you within one hour on a business day. You can also make unlimited changes at no additional cost.

What is a Libertarian?

I came across the title linked piece written by Arkady Kamenetsky and I felt it was a good one to share for those who wonder exactly what is a Libertarian. He puts a good summary of beliefs together, one small part:

I believe that in America, the greatest nation on earth, individuals should be given maximum freedom to choose how they want to live their lives. That is, they can practice whatever religion they want, arm themselves, engage in any drug usage they see fit as long, this is important, they do not hurt me or anyone else in their process. For example if a citizen wishes to drink himself into oblivion and get behind a wheel, I have a serious problem with that, but if that same citizen wishes to inject himself with heroine and pass out in his mother's basement - then more power to him!

I believe that females have a right to choose what to do with their own bodies, as long as whatever is in their body depends on the female. If a woman is carrying a child and this child needs the mother to survive, then it is up to the woman to choose whether she wishes to continue carrying the child. However the day the child can survive on their own, the choice is revoked, because the choice of a free citizen cannot impact the life of another. More simply put, if a late stage child is capable of surviving in a hospital via machines, abortion should not be an option.

It's one I not only recommend reading but bookmarking to share with friends who ask "What is a Libertarian?"

Showers and clothes pins

There is an element to reality in some birth announcements or shower invitations, such as this one with the clothes pins. While the photo birth announcements and baby announcements allude to it at times, having a baby means quite a bit more laundry. Though hopefully along with the baby announcement, most new mothers will get quite a few extra outfits. If you pick CardsShoppe they (http://www.cardsshoppe.com) will create a special design just for you and they'll modify any card ThankYou design or color as requested.

The Whole Foods story still getting press....

The editorials and articles are still being written on the one part of the suggestion made by Whole Foods co-owner, John Mackey made, this time in the Baltimore Sun. Since Mackey identified himself as leaning libertarian it shows up in my news feed for libertarian news. There are almost 100 new articles out on this. Some in support of the boycott, some more sensible.

But it makes no sense to me to boycott a chain that does right by its employees in favor of other markets where you have not studied how they treat their employees. While farmers markets can supply seasonal fruits and vegetables, staples and "Marco Polo exceptions" generally have to come from a supermarket of some kind.

Throughout my life in the farming country of Oregon, I have found most farmers to be of libertarian, small-government politics. Those boycotting Whole Foods in favor of a small grower is likely to be supporting someone of the same opinions as John Mackey.

Advantages of a laptop

I do most of my main blogging and computer work on my tower, but there are certain times when my laptop computer can come in handy beyond being able to take it to work with me or to live blog something. Here in our home it's an easy way to cook. No, not cooking on the laptop but it's easier to pick up the laptop, put it in a safe place in the kitchen and read recipes from the laptop screen. That way no printing is involved nor does someone have to keep going back to where their tower is to read what's next...

The key is of course to not have the laptop be in a place where it will get wet, get food on it and is fully charged...

The continued death of communication in public education

While I vented earlier on one of my other blogs about the most recent episode of miscommunication and lack of concern for customer service as well as the well being of the student, I couldn't help think that part of the problem is some urban schools, such as the one my daughter attends treats the students and parents as if there is a barcode scanner on their heads without bothering to check prices or even stock numbers...

It's difficult to keep arguing for the benefits of an urban public school when the reality is they give parents more reasons to leave than to stay...

Austin Petersen: ‘My Goodbye Letter to the Libertarian Party’

Austin Peterson's good bye letter has created some confusion because those who didn't read some of the previous material were left with the impression after reading the letter that he was leaving the Libertarian Party all together instead of leaving being a spokesperson for the Libertarian Party because of a new job he's taken.

Had I not read some of his earlier posts, I would have thought the same thing in reading his letter...

Cabric verus cambric

When I came across this link titled, cabric fabric stores in my mind I thought of the Simon and Garfunkle song, "Scarborough Fair" and I thought perhaps it was cabric not cambric that is in the lyrics.

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
(On the side of a hill in the deep forest green)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
(Tracing a sparrow on snow-crested ground)
Without no seams nor needlework
(Blankets and bedclothes the child of the mountain)
Then she'll be a true love of mine
(Sleeps unaware of the clarion call)

It is cambric, but despite making me think about song lyrics to a song that I used to sing to my children when they were babies to get them to sleep, and being relieved that after all these years I was singing it correctly, there are some nice fabrics for sale on the website. Including cambric...

Mackey's column creates call for boycott of Whole Foods

In this country if someone says or writes something that you don't agree with, rather than to argue the merit of the points made that are right or wrong, it can create a call for a boycott which is exactly what is happening in some parts of the internet. If you read the below post with Mackey's opinion piece, his belief that we as Americans are part of the problem with our diet and our increasing fatness is part of what has made some call for the boycott.

It's also interesting to note that the reporting on the boycott is making more news/blog posts than the initial article...

While Mackey was a bit too simplistic in his one paragraph that seems to have created the most ire:

Unfortunately many of our health-care problems are self-inflicted: two-thirds of Americans are now overweight and one-third are obese. Most of the diseases that kill us and account for about 70% of all health-care spending—heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and obesity—are mostly preventable through proper diet, exercise, not smoking, minimal alcohol consumption and other healthy lifestyle choices.

The problem is though while of course not all people with cancer or diabetes can prevent it, some can so that paragraph is not totally inaccurate. It's a bit ironic that one of the stores known for healthy foods is being boycotted for making a statement that basically confirms their belief that if people ate healthier, they would be healthier.

The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare

If you have not yet read John Mackey's piece in the Wall Street Journal, The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare, I recommend it. Mackey, the co-founder of Whole Foods makes 8 suggestions that he feels will reduce the cost of health care that will not add to the deficit. Most of his suggestions involve reducing or eliminating legislation.

While his comparisons to Canada and England as far as the waiting lists is questionable since the US is not considering a full socialized health care plan, he does raise an interesting point that I believe drives home the main desire of a majority of people no matter what nation they live in - they want a choice.

At Whole Foods we allow our team members to vote on what benefits they most want the company to fund. Our Canadian and British employees express their benefit preferences very clearly—they want supplemental health-care dollars that they can control and spend themselves without permission from their governments. Why would they want such additional health-care benefit dollars if they already have an "intrinsic right to health care"? The answer is clear—no such right truly exists in either Canada or the U.K.—or in any other country.

The more we bake together...

This time of year it's really too hot for me to think about baking, but during the holiday season, it's almost bake off time around our house. When I saw the Christmas Party invitation shared below, it struck me as a neat idea to have everyone come over and bake their favorite cookies for the invitations Christmas Party season. It seems like that theme for Christmas Party Invitations sets not only the tone for the party but could very well become a family and friend tradition. There are other ideas that can be inspired from Christmas Invitations at Invitations Shoppe (www.invitations-shoppe.com) where you not only get free shipping and ten free thank you cards but you can also add a picture or photo (like of your best decked out cookie) or logo to any card.

Violence shouldn't beget violence...

It's interesting that a few twitter statements would create news, especially considering what has been happening recently, but a twitter message has ended up being reported by the New Mexico Independent:

A local libertarian, via Twitter, seemed to be advocate violence against “ACORN/SEIU” if they decide to attend and/or disrupt health care town hall meetings.

I asked Scott Oskay, via Twitter, “are you advocating violence against ACORN or SEIU members?” He responded, “I would advocate retaliation for intimidation, be it verbal or physical.”

I feel violence should not beget violence but I also feel that one regular citizen does not speak for a whole party or political philosophy...

The fact checker in me also believes it should be "appears to be advocating"...

The many forms of Santa transportation...

When you see Christmas Party Invitations like the one below, you may reflect on the many different types of transportation that Christmas Invitations and the whole Christmas invitation season bring to mind. Depending on where you live Santa can arrive by plane, helicopter, boat, sled or even by train. However when it comes to invitations at Invitations Shoppe (www.invitations-shoppe.com) you can view your Christmas party invitation before you buy with their patented instant preview feature, which you only need a computer for. You also get ten cards as a thank you and free shipping, which should arrive the traditional way...

Libertarians to Democrats: Call off the thugs

This was published yesterday by SmallGovTimes.com and it is a fairly disturbing report of violence that is being experienced by those who are not committing any crime, unless you believe speaking out is a crime...

A Tampa Bay Tribune story and a video posted to the Drudge Report both report physical assaults on dissenting citizens by union organizers brought to meetings by Democrats. In Tampa, union organizers blocked citizens who differed with the White House from entering a public town hall with Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL,) and allegedly scuffled with some of them. A video posted to YouTube appears to show union organizers physically attacking citizens who disagreed with the White House.

“The Libertarian Party is founded on one principle. We do not support the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director. “Democrats seem to think differently. When the Obama administration ordered Democrats to ‘punch back twice as hard’ against citizens who question them, Democrats responded. This Chicago-trained White House has brought Chicago-style union violence to small towns across America.”

“The White House told Democrat leaders Thursday to ‘punch back twice as hard’ when citizens express disapproval. That kind of irresponsible rhetoric is never proper when discussing popular dissent. They also made it clear they will bend Senate rules and force through government-run health care whether or not America supports it. That is a frightening departure from the traditional American practice of governing though popular will,” said Ferguson.

For those of you seeking confirmation on the "punch back twice as hard" quote, I recommend Politico:

And they screened TV ads and reviewed the various campaigns by critics of the Democratic plan.

“If you get hit, we will punch back twice as hard,” Messina said, according to an official who attended the meeting.

Libertarians Respond To Obama Healthcare Press Conference

This in via e-mail:

"Tonight's press conference by President Obama, complete with scare tactics and wildly inaccurate claims, perfectly illustrated why more and more Americans are losing faith in his promises of prosperity through government control.

"Libertarians, and all Americans, aren't buying President Obama's ludicrous claim that handing control of your health care over to the federal government keeps costs down. Congressional Budget Office reports show the Obama health care takeover sends costs skyrocketing and further explodes his own record-shattering budget deficits. That not only thwarts job growth but also threatens health care itself. The fiscally irresponsible core of government-run health care is why virtually every such system must eventually resort to cruel rationing to contain its unsustainable and damaging costs.

"Under no rational model whatsoever does the Obama government takeover reduce costs and make health care affordable. The damage the Obama plan does to our economy, however, is real and hits Americans directly.

"Americans also lost trust in President Obama when he accused doctors of conspiring to intentionally let children with illnesses get worse, and that government must seize control of health care to stop doctors from performing medical procedures he doesn't approve of. President Obama was perfectly clear. He wants the government to seize control of your health care because he thinks government accountants in Washington are better at medicine your own family doctor.

"As he did with the so-called "stimulus" package, President Obama is exploiting people's fears and insecurities to push his agenda of unquestioned and economically unsustainable government expansion. That is yet another disappointing failure from the man who promised to end "the politics of fear."

"But no amount of wild claims and inaccurate statements can hide the facts. Along with making health care rationed and unaffordable, the Obama government takeover currently being written in Congress outlaws private insurance (page 16,) sends government agents to your home to monitor your parenting (Section 44) and forces the sick and elderly to sit through meetings with government employees on how to end their life (page 425.)

"Libertarians have a better idea to make health care accessible and affordable. To start with:

¥ Allow taxpayers to deduct the costs of their health insurance from their income taxes.

¥ Repeal health insurance mandates that force Americans to pay for treatments they won't ever use.

¥ Scrap unneeded and unnecessary regulations that keep life-saving drugs and treatments off the market. Such regulations are often supported by health care lobbyists and are intended to freeze out competing products and companies.

¥ Allow Americans to shop for health insurance across state lines, forcing insurers to compete.

"Americans deserve health care that is affordable, effective and universally available. President Obama's plan fails that test on every count, and he fails our trust. Only Libertarians are proposing the reforms we need to fix our broken health care system."

The Libertarian Party is America's third-largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting http://www.LP.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

Common sense tells you...

Common sense tells me that leaving your windows open in your house when you have equipment like a lcd monitor is not a smart thing to do. Unfortunately a friend of mine recently had to deal with a theft because someone else left a window open and then left for the day. It's unfortunate that there are people that would rather steal than honestly come buy something but it is a reality. It's why even when I am home at night I make sure all of the downstairs windows are shut no matter the weather, even with two dogs, it's not worth the risk.

Let There Be Peace on Earth

As I looked at the Christmas Card/Christmas Invitation below, I started to wonder about the history of the quote "Let There Be Peace on Earth" -- It's often seen on Christmas Party Invitation, from free Christmas invitations to printable Christmas invitations. I've traced it back to 1955 a song by that title written by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson. If you use www.holiday-invitations.com (Holiday Invitations) you will get free shipping, ten free thank you cards and they will also create a special design just for you.

If obesity was an infectious disease, it would be an epidemic,

The title is from a Pittsburgh Post Gazette article from earlier today, titled, "Obesity's costs emerge as major concern" that references a report done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that recently had its first Weight of the Nation conference in DC. It's gotten far beyond which is the best weight loss pill, especially if you read the quotes from Dr. Daniel Bessesen:

"If obesity was an infectious disease, it would be an epidemic," said Dr. Daniel Bessesen, professor of medicine at the University of Colorado at Denver and chief of endocrinology at the Denver Health Medical Center.

"To ignore the problem, you're keeping your head in the sand. If you could fix the obesity problem ... you would make a huge impact on the nation's health care costs."

We're still voting for evil.

The title is from this Examiner article written by Rachel Hawkridge. It's thought provoking, especially this part:

He thinks that by voting for Ds or Rs who are more freedom-loving than their opponents, he helps to advance the cause of Liberty.

I don't see it that way - as long as we continue to vote for the lesser of two evils, we're still voting for evil. People continue to vote for a label that they're not happy with (disgruntled Rs), because the Ds are so much worse. Ds and Rs are just a hair's breadth apart these days - neither of them is so much worse.

And until people stop worrying that "My label might lose if I don't vote for it", we continue the move toward an overtly one party system.

That's what allows the insanity to continue.

If you don't absolutely endorse a candidate, don't vote for him. Don't give money to a candidate or a party that you are unhappy with.

Give your support, your vote, your money to the best candidate. Support the candidate who will uphold the Constitution. Who will examine each piece of legislation in the light of its constitutionality.

Do not give your support, your vote, your money to the candidate just because he believes the way you do. Continuing to elect government because they govern using our shared values is dangerous.

Often times, we have the lessor of two evils argument when it comes to voting and we do not want to not vote. It can create quite a dilemma for those who want better government.

Christmas Caroling...

Another Christmas tradition that is often seen on Christmas Invitations is caroling, it's not uncommon to see carolers depicted on Christmas Party invitations or to have caroling be a part of the planned invitations Christmas party theme. The creation of carols is attributed by many to go back as far as St. Francis of Assisi during the 12th century. Whether you want carolers or something else to adorn your Christmas invitation, you can find unique and exclusive designs at www.cardsshoppe.com, where you also get free shipping and ten free thank you cards with your order...

Homeland Security to cut newspapers to save money

I suppose every penny saved matters but...From USA Today:

The Department of Homeland Security "is consolidating subscriptions to professional publications and newspapers, and, where possible, encouraging the use of free online publications rather than purchase the print version."

Anticipated savings total $47,160 in fiscal years 2009 and 2010.

Blaming Libertarians for the whole "birther" saga

Recommended blog post by Austin Petersen on the Libertarian Party website that addresses the accusation being made by some that Libertarians are involved in the whole "birther" saga, yes, related to was Obama born in the United States. Part of the post:

Recently, some elements of the right have been pressing the Obama birth certificate issue into the public light. Most notably, a segment on Lou Dobbs has added fuel to the fire by legitimizing their claims in the mainstream media. Chris Matthews featured a segment where Ken Vogel of Politico claims that the libertarian fringe are pressing the issue.

In my estimation however, the birther issue has been more of a Constitution Party issue than a Libertarian one.

This is an obvious swat at a movement that is making the establishment very nervous these days so they are going take any occasion they can to smear us. We can expect more and more of this in the future as the liberty movement is gaining traction and freedom becomes more popular.

Libertarians understand that the entire issue does not even matter in a larger sense. If were true that Barack Obama were a foreign born citizen I doubt there is anything the American citizens could do about it. The combined efforts of the entire capitalist grassroots network couldn’t stop the bailout from happening. The last century has been spent with the Executive Branch amassing enough power to do whatever they want so that even if credible evidence emerged that Obama was foreign born (and it hasn’t) then they could ignore it. Or maybe Nancy Pelosi would ram a bill through Congress changing the law ex post facto with several key Republicans signing on citing equality of opportunity for foreign born citizens.

Candy Corn & Halloween...

I'm a fan of candy corn so this Halloween invitation caught my eye, and made me think a bit more about the history of candy corn while I looked at Halloween Party Invitations. Did you know that the first candy corns were made by hand? They were the creation of George Renninger of the Wunderle Candy Company in the 1880s. If you want to make your invitations Halloween even more special you could actually include some candy corn, or if there's another image you'd like to include www.invitations-shoppe.com will let you add any photo, picture or logo to any of their cards. They'll also modify any card design or color you request. Which means your Party Halloween Invitations can be as sweet as you want them...

Speakers being lined up for Libertarian convention in 2010

To keep up to date on the details, if you don't already read Independent Political Report, you might want to bookmark it.

So far:

David Nolan, one of the Party’s 1971 co-founders
Gary Nolan, syndicated radio talk show host and 2004 LP presidential candidate
Mary Ruwart, noted author and 2008 presidential candidate
Dr. James W. Lark, III, former chair slated to address the Torch Club. ($1k donors)
Jeff Davis, a radio personality who produces “Just a Thought” commentaries.

Are on the list of speakers with more to be announced...

Libertarians concerned about Sotomayor

Recommended article from Small Government Times which is really kind of interesting when you take into consideration the pressure being put on the Blue Dog Democrats with Hacker's op piece I blogged about on Liberal Common Sense.

Part of the recommended read penned from the Libertarian perspective:

Libertarians announced their opposition to the Sonia Sotomayor confirmation early, after reviewing her troubling record on individual, property and gun rights. The Judiciary Committee voted 13-6 to send the nomination to the full Senate. South Carolina Republican Lindsay Graham joined the committee’s 12 Democrats.

“A judge’s record is the best indicator of what they will do on the Court, and Judge Sotomayor’s record is one of opposition to the individual right to keep and bear arms. Libertarians, and all of America’s 90 million gun owners, will remember how you voted,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director. “Your vote on Judge Sotomayor may come back to haunt you one November.”

Thinking of escaping...

while the weather here is nice now, it's been one of the colder July's in recent history, which when you look at pictures like the one shared here, it should be easy to see why the Outer Banks is a tempting place to escape to. I also have friends that have moved to that area not long ago, so I'd be able to not only get away but catch up with them and how things are going for them since they've moved away. This is one part of the country that I have not yet been able to visit so it keeps getting moved up on my own personal "bucket list."

Thinking of showers

I anticipated being able to come home after participating in a local community event that required boating on the Maumee river and taking a shower. Alas, instead of being able to wash away the sweat of the day my bathroom was over taken by teens who slept in while we were on the river. Which made me think about how glad I'll be when we are ready to move into our house that we are renovating, since it has two bathrooms, where I can dream about Grohe faucets and plan for a European styled pull out spray faucet in my kitchen with perhaps one of the shower systems...

A reason to visit...

Brian Doherty's post Two Periodical Looks at Libertarianism's Past is a highly recommended read because of the material he's linked. If you have never heard of The Mises Institute? It's one you will want to become familiar with, especially if you are interested in history.

Libertarian Nirvana

That's what the Porcupine Freedom Festival is referenced as in this Washington Post article that went online today. It's an interesting read, a few selected parts:

It hasn't been an easy message to sell these past few years. Their group, the Free State Project, has struggled to attract followers. But now, with Americans thinking anew about the reach and role of government, Free Staters see at least the hint of an opening.

So this weekend, they drink to the future. Between swigs of a custom brew called Overregulated Ale, they ridicule the Federal Reserve, applaud the defeat of a bill that would have required the wearing of seat belts, bemoan higher taxes and restrictions on gun rights.

"We said bad things are going to happen and they happen," Jason Sorens, a political science professor, preaching to the crowd clustered around picnic tables. "We say, we told you so."

Orange appears the most common Halloween color

As I've been sharing some of the popular Halloween Invitations with you, I've noticed that the most common color used in Halloween Party Invitations is orange. Pumpkins appear most often, followed by ghosts, on the typical Invitations Halloween style, either as a fall decoration or a jack-o-lantern. When you order your Halloween Invitation from Invitations-shoppe.com you not only get free shipping and 10 thank you cards for free, but they print and ship your order the same day it's approved. That gives you more time to worry about finding the perfect pumpkin...

No More Libertarians?

Mike Treder writes a piece pointing out his concerns with the Libertarian political movement on Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies. He makes some interesting points, a few of which:

Many people, including some of us who identify as left-wing progressives, can see the appeal of a political approach that combines fiscal conservatism with liberalism on social issues. It would be quite nice if we lived in a world where individuals would have full freedom in their private lives and be protected in their civil rights, and where governments could closely restrain spending, keeping taxes low.

Unfortunately, we don’t live in that place. Passionate, concerted effort is still required to help others gain and maintain basic human rights, both here in the West and especially in the developing world. Monumental challenges like global warming, widespread malnutrition, and the threat of pandemic disease can best be addressed through the blend of a mixed economy alongside representative governance.

Conditions simply don’t exist today in which classic libertarianism either makes good sense or can attain broad popularity. Perhaps they never will.

It's one of the reasons I've struggled with believing in the smaller government aspect on a federal basis and supporting liberalism on social issues as well as firmly believing that our federal government was not supposed to have the power it does over states. It's why though I am on paper a Democrat, I consider myself a "liberal libertarian" from a philosophical standpoint where neither the current Libertarian Party or the Republican Party is one I am fully comfortable with. On local and state issues, I support more Democrats because of they share a similar ideology...

Party invitation sayings...

When you look at a Halloween Invitation did you ever wonder who wrote it? There are people who's job is to create the graphics and sayings for Halloween Party invitations, who spend a good part of their day writing Halloween invitations and for other holidays. Then of course there are those looking for invitation Halloween perfection who want something designed just for them, companies like Holiday-Invitations.com will do that as well as add any picture or logo you want.

Wes Benedict new executive director of National Libertarian Party

I thought this would make more news than it did, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised, from the Daily Texan:

Austin political activist Wes Benedict will take over as the executive director for the National Libertarian Party today.

Benedict previously served as the director for the Libertarian Party of Texas from 2004 to 2008 and has run for Austin City Council three times.

He makes the move to Washington following Libertarian Bob Barr’s presidential campaign in which Barr garnered 523,686 votes, according to the Federal Election Commission. The result was the second-most by a third-party candidate in the 2008 election as well as a Libertarian Party record.

Although this accounted for only 0.4 percent of the vote, it was seen as a success by third-party voters who hope that taking votes from the two major parties will force people to consider their issues, said Rock Howard, the Travis County Libertarian Party chair.

Of Ponds and pond scum...

I've always wanted a pond, which of course won't be possible in the yard of our house unless it's more like a small fish pond/water garden but even one that small would need some type of pond aerators to keep the pond scum to a minimum and if you wanted to have fish, keep them healthy. That would be the one downside to a smaller water garden, it would be very hard to keep the fish alive during the winter. So, I'd have to opt for water lilies or other water plants, or I could settle for a rain garden since they are also good for the environment, or perhaps both...I've been dreaming about an Asian themed garden area for the back yard, a small water garden with a fountain would be the perfect place to relax and unwind.

After Circuit City now what?

I didn't often buy things online from Circuit City but we used to go to the store here in Toledo because at times if we needed things in a hurry, like our last internet router, they were cheaper than any of the other stores in town. Now, of course they are gone, and it's smarter to try to wait and buy things online because if you are not careful some of the stores charge more at the store than they do online. I've discovered this several times and when you point it out, they will match the price, but only if you point it out. It's one reason why you should always check online...

Two Chu's and a Libertarian

I couldn't help wonder if there was any voter confusion considering both the Democrat and the Republican had the same last name when I read this Ballot Access News piece:

On July 14, California held a special election to fill the vacant U.S. House seat, 32nd district. The results: Democrat Judy Chu 61.67%; Republican Betty Chu 33.12%; Libertarian Christopher Agrella 5.21%.

This is the first time this district has had a contest between a Democrat and a Republican since 2002. In 2002, the vote had been: Democratic 68.79%, Republican 27.46%, Libertarian 3.74%. The district is centered in the Los Angeles County towns of El Monte and Covina.

Before you replace think about upgrading...

Unless you find a really great deal on a computer, sometimes you can make a huge difference in your computer's performance by upgrading your system memory rather than buying a new pc. There are also a huge number of things you can purchase, such as an external harddrive that can not only back up your present computer but can allow you to remove files that you no longer need and free up computer space. It's why I always advise people to look at what their system is and how much it would cost to upgrade it before they decide to buy new...

The digital revolution makes sharing information easier

Back when I first started blogging years ago it was more difficult and expensive to buy the kind of equipment that was needed to be able to record press conferences and other events. Now, thanks to digital cameras and digital camcorders I can easily go record an entire press conference in full, come home and depending on how quickly YouTube wants to cooperate with me, have the video online within hours, sometimes even sooner. Why this becomes important is typically the media only shows you a few moments with a few soundbites from a press conference and there are times when much more is said that if you were not there? You don't know about...

Libertarians: Theft Makes a Poor Memorial

This release was sent out by the The Center for Libertarian Press Information:

Libertarians call on the U.S. Government to forgo the threatened seizure of hundreds of acres of privately owned land for a memorial in western Pennsylvania near Shanksville, where Flight 93 crashed in 2001. They further ask the Park Service to reconsider spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on an extensive memorial, and to instead finance any memorial completely through volunteer contributions.

"The Park Service has had nearly a decade to work with local landowners, and NOW they decide that it's imperative to get the land within the next week," said Rachel Hawkridge, representative to the Libertarian Party's National Committee. "Besides the fact that there can be no 'fair market value' in a forced transaction, we have the underlying issue that ALL of the tax money spent on the memorial has been taken by force or the threat of force. If folks want a memorial, they will be happy to contribute to one - and it will be the exact size that people want it to be. The idea that the Park Service can propose commemorating the self-sacrifice of 40 individuals with the forced sacrifice of the efforts of other individuals indicates to me that the terrorists have, in some small way, won part of the battle already."

Libertarians also decry the purchase of nearly 1,000 acres of land from a coal-mining company, with proceeds to be (according to the Park Service) "placed in a trust fund to operate and maintain in perpetuity the treatment of mine water from a sediment pond on a reclaimed surface mine." To Lee Wrights, representative to the Libertarian Party's National Committee, "this seems like a not-very-subtle way of getting the taxpayers to pay for post-mining remediation. A great deal for PBS Coals; a terrible deal for Americans who have more pressing personal financial needs than bailing out big businesses."

This July has been cold....

I'm not going to start yelling global warming, but it has been cooler this July so far in my part of the country than last year. In a way I really don't mind because our house doesn't have air conditioning and I'm certain the warmer weather will eventually come. It has however made the idea of going to Florida a bit more appealing, which of course would have been more appealing had JetAmerica not did away with their flights that were $9.00...But...it still is rather inexpensive to fly to Florida when compared to other places. Who knows I could hire a Fort Myers photographer to take some professional shots that I can tease others with this winter when the snow is piling up.

:-)

Libertarians say: Government (Regulation) Kills!

The following media release was sent out by the The Center for Libertarian Press Information:

The old adage “the operation was a success, but the patient died” is never more true than when government gets into the healthcare business. The restrictions on midwives were and remain an excellent example.

Ever since the first licensing laws were passed well over a century ago, healthcare in America has not been part of a free market. Those laws were passed with pressure from one group of medical professionals to give them protection from competition. The laws had little to do with protecting patients' health, and nothing to do with protecting their freedom to choose among medical practitioners.

Licensing laws were successful in killing the competition from midwives, but at the same time they harmed new mothers and their babies. Minority communities were especially affected, because they were denied the choice of alternative, less expensive, healthcare providers who were forced from business by the new regulations.

In his book “Born in the USA”, author Marsden Wagner, MD, MS, notes that Scandinavia and the Western Europe countries where midwives handle births have a lower rate of maternal and infant mortality than the more highly-regulated United States.

Washington State Libertarian and former gubernatorial candidate Ruth Bennett notes “Midwifery has started to make a comeback, but many states still restrict certain types of midwives. Women are still denied a choice and the results show up in the death statistics. Midwives also have lower rates of unnecessary procedures and Caesarian births. Opening the market to midwives can save lives as well as dollars”.

Speciality lawyers...

Our system of government and courts has become so complicated that there are a variety of areas where lawyers specialize in. This goes far beyond what you might think of when you think of lawyers that specialize in accidents or injuries, where specific diseases have created enough lawsuits that there are firms that specialize on one or more of these areas. Mesothelioma lawyers is just one example that over a decade ago you probably would not have heard about.

Libertarian Party Founder David F. Nolan letter...

An Open Letter to the Libertarian National Committee - I recommend all of it but a few selected parts I found particularly of merit:

And there is an important lesson to be learned from the success of the Paul campaign and the C4L. That lesson is that it pays to be bold. Notice that the grassroots uprising sparked by the Ron Paul campaign calls itself the Ron Paul REVOLUTION. Not the "Ron Paul gradual reform movement." They're calling for ending the Federal personal income tax, not just mouthing empty platitudes about "lower taxes" or "more freedom." (Compared to what? What we have now? Obama's proposals?) And they are gaining adherents far more rapidly than the Libertarian Party is; the C4L currently has five to ten times as many members as we do!

As I see it, the Libertarian Party has gone far astray from its original mission. Somewhere along the way, our commitment to being The Party of Principle was replaced by a shallow, opportunistic goal of "winning elections now" -- any election, anywhere. Principles be damned, according to the proponents of this vision. We should back off from "scary" positions, tone down our rhetoric, find out "what voters want," and tailor our message to what they want to hear.

Most of us are not John Thain....

When it comes to buying office furniture most of us are not like Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain who in 2008 spent 1.2 million dollars to have his office re-furbished. One of the many pricey items was a $87,000 area rug. When his purchases came to light he claimed he was going to reimburse Merrill Lynch but one really wonders had this not come to light would he have? If he was using his own money the first time would he have spent so much? Those are the questions that have no answers, but for those of us who's house may not be worth as much as his area rug? We wonder...

Could we put government on a diet?

Government in many ways is similar to people, when there is fat you need to figure out how to get rid of it, and no matter how much exercise you do, it comes down to making good decisions. You can try to find the best diet pills but similar to cutting government fat, there are no quick and easy solutions. A sensible diet is also needed, you can't take in 4,000 calories a day and not exercise and expect to lose weight. The Government can't take in $4,000 and spend $8,000 without it eventually catching up to them...Perhaps part of the reason so many people have difficulty with both is because they don't want to make choices. While you can have your cake and diet too, you have to have smaller portions...not the whole cake...

Why some Libertarians took issue with Sotomayor...

There is one main reason that some Libertarian groups actively opposed the appointment of Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, her stance on guns and self defense.

Though it doesn't appear any of these concerns expressed mattered, they are worth pointing out:

WASHINGTON — America’s third largest party reiterated its opposition Wednesday to the Supreme Court nomination of federal judge Sonia Sotomayor after the nominee refused to give a firm answer on whether individuals have the right of self-defense.

“Is there a constitutional right to self-defense?” Sotomayor asked when questioned by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) whether or not the Constitution guaranteed him the right of self-defense. “ I can’t think of one. I could be wrong.”

“Whether you agree with her position or not, Judge Sotomayor has had no problem stating that things not directly found in the Constitution are ‘settled law.’ That’s why it’s troubling that when confronted with a constitutionally-enshrined principle she disagrees with, the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of one’s rights, things are suddenly muddled and up for debate,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director.

“The Libertarian Party is the only party that never compromises in its defense of our Second Amendment-guaranteed rights. That’s why we have opposed Judge Sotomayor’s nomination from the moment we reviewed her troubling anti-gun record. Judge Sotomayor’s answers Wednesday further show she believes the law should flow from her own personal biases and not the literal wording of the Constitution,” said Ferguson.

Examiner Libertarian 101

I came across this article posted recently in the Cleveland Examiner, from the Denver Examiner Libertarian 101: What is the libertarian position on taxes? that I found was an interesting read. Barry Ritchey II also links to Harry Browne's 2000 piece Great Libertarian Offer part of which is something that makes me lean libertarian when it comes to the federal government, there is not really that huge of a difference between a Democratic Congress and a Republican Congress.

If you grow tired of the excuses, they try to scare you by saying their opponents would be even worse. In truth, the differences between the two old parties are so negligible that we'd probably never notice if they swapped names.

Apart from the scandals, how different was the Reagan or Bush administration from the Clinton administration? During the Republican presidential administrations of 1981-1992, the federal government grew by 6.3% per year, while it grew by 3.3% yearly during the Clinton administration of 1993-2000.

How different was the Democratic Congress from the Republican Congress? During the first five years of the Republican Congress, government has grown by 3.2% yearly; during the final five years of the Democratic Congress, government grew by 3.9% yearly.

How different are the Republican Supreme Court nominees from the Democratic ones? The current Supreme Court judges were nominated by Presidents of both parties — and regardless of party, most of the judges were approved overwhelmingly by Senators from both parties. On the really important matters concerning the role of government, they all agree that the federal government is more important than the Constitution.

Customize...

Not everything is one size fits all, especially when it comes to businesses and their particular need for software. Most places don't have an inhouse person that can design custom software for that particular company. Realistically it's more cost effective if you don't need custom software on a regular basis to take advantage of one of the firms out there that specialize in it. I've tried to write software, I learned very quickly that it was above my level of expertise...

Where's the real stimulus bill?

I think it's a bit early, since the impact of the stimulus bill wouldn't be immediate anyway, but some of you will find this article in the Libertarian Examiner to be an interesting one. Part of the recommended article:

Where is the bill that will allow libertarians to liberate?

Government can’t create jobs, it can only create busy-work. Government can’t even create money. Not real money. It can print big president heads on paper and stamp birds and buffaloes on metal but if there is nothing to buy because farmers haven’t farmed and manufacturers haven’t manufactured and businesses haven’t busied, the stuff that government calls money is just paper and metal.

You can’t build a house of paper or make a meal of metal.

In fact, without loggers and truckers and paper mills and ink makers and miners and smelters and engravers and an entire society of industrious people to feed and clothe and house those workers and transportation systems to move those raw materials government can’t even make their fake money.

But politicians don’t want you to know that. They don’t want you to understand that they are 100% overhead. They produce nothing. Their total existence depends on coercively taking what productive people produce.

Politicians and bureaucrats want you to think that they are the producers. They want you to believe that they are the god of the machine magically appearing to solve all problems.

Politics is nothing more nor less than the process of manipulating people. And the people-manipulators can no more restrain themselves from manipulating people than a hungry hyena can force itself to stop eating carrion.

I can't disagree that there is some truth to it, despite not agreeing it's not yet time to declare the stimulus package dead.

If only there was a magic pill for common sense...

One of the most frustrating things about trying to get people to reasonably discuss politics is the reality that some are only interested in throwing poo and trying to be unreasonable. It's their nature. They are there to disrupt and to make sure that nothing positive or civil can happen, well if they had anything to say about it. It made me wish that there was a magical common sense pill that you could recommend, that there could be reviews similar to diet pill reviews for special products to help fatheads...

:-)

Best is up to interpretation

The word "best" is used often when it comes to marketing, with of course the goal being to suggest that whatever product is being talked about that it is better than all of the others, which depending on the product could mean best price, best end result, best tasting, etc., etc., some of these areas could be subject to individual opinion, especially when determining best taste. The best diet pill could be the best working, the best price or the best when compared to others. What is for certain is that the word "best" is one of the "best" used words for a variety of products...

:-)

The many flavors of libertarianism

I came across this video:



There was also a list of examples provided:

Some examples of some of the factions mentioned:

Libertarian Anarchists - Murray Rothbard, Karl Hess

Non-libertarian anarchists - Max Stirner, Kropotkin

Minarchists - Ron Paul, Ludwig Von Mises

Apolitical Libertarians - Samuel Konkin, Brad Spangler

Utilitarian Libertarians - David Friedman, Bryan Caplan

Left-libertarians - Roderick Long, Kevin Carson

Right-libertarians - Hans Hoppe, Gary North

Post-Objectivist Libertarians - Stefan Molyneux, Geoffery Allan Plauche

Libertarian Socialists - Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn

Individualist Anarchists - Benjamin Tucker, Lysander Spooner

In some areas tech jobs still growing

In some parts of the country there are still quite a few jobs open related to technology, especially those that require training such as programmer jobs. Even here in Toledo where the unemployment rate is higher than the rest of the state, there are still openings on many of the free job boards for positions where programming experience is required. It's why many people are opting to return to school to take additional classes to be able to find employment.

The lessening access to needed care...

A friend called me this morning looking for some type of detox or drug rehab program for a relative. The problem that they faced is one that many currently face, no health insurance. We can debate if this is something that should be provided by government; federal, state or local, but the reality is there will always be those in our society who need help that are not able to pay for it. Some sort of organized assistance needs to exist, either through voluntary charitable aid or as it is now. Unfortunately with some of the budgetary cuts states are facing, people are having a more difficult time finding programs including addiction help that they can afford.

The real danger of right-wing extremists

I can't say I agree with all of what is written by David Kupelian, but he does make a valid point that I wanted to share in his recent article before the murder of Dr. George Tiller:

If you think Obama has moved quickly since Inauguration Day to implement his European-socialist agenda for America, you ain't seen nothin' yet. If angry, would-be "patriots" engage in violence against the U.S. government such as occurred in Oklahoma City, the changes will make your head spin, as government suppresses freedom of speech, of the press, of the right to keep and bear arms, of the right to assemble, and more, all "for the protection of the people and the state."

It's a very real temptation. Think of it: As government excesses and corruption become ever more brazen, with "hate crimes" laws effectively criminalizing the Bible and kindergartners brainwashed with radical "gay rights" propaganda, with America's currency being continually devalued and entire industries taken over by the federal government, pretty soon some group may decide it can't take it anymore. Its members might become so enraged that they conclude it's time to start the next armed revolution. Seeing their nation being raped and envisioning no solution other than violence, they delude themselves that they're the modern counterparts of America's revolutionary founders. Making explosives and conspiring in secret – all the while quoting Jefferson to each other about "watering the tree of liberty" from time to time with "the blood of patriots and tyrants" – they murder some federal judges or blow up a government office building in an attempt to fight back. In reality, all they succeed in doing is murdering and maiming a bunch of their fellow Americans (or, as McVeigh did in Oklahoma City, massacring a room full of toddlers in daycare – which he later coldly termed "collateral damage").

And what would follow? A massive official crackdown on "domestic terrorists" and a severe assault on freedom in America.

Amazing what hatred can accomplish, isn't it? Exactly the opposite of what was supposedly intended. The "dark side of the force" is very clever.

Since it's clear that those who are committing the violence don't seem to realize all they are doing is actually hurting more than they are helping, perhaps the solution is one that is not mentioned in this article. Right wing groups who don't want to be associated with this type of action should do more to make sure they are not assisting in any way and reporting those that they suspect are going to commit acts of violence. They can take more responsibility in making sure it's very clear that they don't support or advocate violence before something happens rather than afterwards making some type of statement disavowing the action.

Some attempting to connect Scott Roeder to Libertarianism

It's a bit of a far stretch, but it's being done as can be seen in this blog post titled, "Prominent abortion provider murdered (suspected killer may be a libertarian.)

The Libertarian Party platform on abortion is clear:

U.S. Libertarian Party position

The U.S. Libertarian Party political platform (2008)[5] states: that "Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides, we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration."

There are a good number of Libertarians who have expressed a pro-choice sentiment, and trying to connect those on the fringe, such as Freeman's is just another scenario where the attempt is to give Libertarianism a bad name. It's just as silly as blaming religion as a whole for people like Roeder...It happens enough for this to be one of the top myths about Libertarianism:

Libertarians believe in violence against government.

Wrong! Media stories about people like the Ruby Ridge victims, the Freeman in Montana, and Timothy McVeigh, often mistakenly call these people "Libertarians". Libertarians (with a capital L) are members of the Libertarian Party, and to be such must have signed a pledge against the initiation of force. The Libertarian Party is the only party that expressly advocates honest negotiations to settle business dealings and differences and not forcing people to associate with others against their will, and that expressly forbids the use of force except in self defence against physical attack.

Burning bibles...

The truth can be difficult to find out and this story is a prime example of that. Earlier this month Al Jazeera took a video clip of American soldiers in Bagram stated to have been recorded almost a year ago by some sources, and used it to present what their viewpoint, which was that US troops urged to share faith in Afghanistan. Though if you watch the video clip it's clear that Sgt. James Watts states that the bibles were sent to him from his church back home.

Now this story is in the news again because it's been confirmed that the bibles were destroyed. A more recent article on Al Jazeera reports also that the Bibles were burned:

The US army in Afghanistan has burned Bibles printed in local languages, a US colonel in Afghanistan has said, amid concerns they could have been used to try to convert Afghans.

"My understanding is that the [military] leadership confiscated these Bibles so that they could not be distributed around Afghanistan," Colonel Greg Julian told Al Jazeera on Wednesday.

"It was their best judgement at the time, that the best way to deal with it, was to destroy them and I understand that they were burnt."

It's also pointed out by a few media sources that this was not an official military action but was related to one soldier, Sgt. Watts, who was not aware that he could not hand out the Bibles. Fox news as one example.

The controversy doesn't end there though, now there some claiming Mikey Weinstein demanded the chaplain in the video be court-martialed (which I haven't found beyond him suggesting something similar 2006) and those who have created petitions claiming that the rights of the religious are being attacked by domestic enemies of religious liberty.

This isn't about our soldiers not having the right to worship God while they are in the military, it isn't about our country stopping them from having access to religious material. It's about respecting the laws in other countries, even if you don't agree with them, it is against the law in Afghanistan to try to convert Muslims to another faith. As pointed out during the case of Abdul Rahman:

Afghanistan's 2004 constitution states that "no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam" (Article 3) thus affirming that apostasy from Islam is punishable by death. On the other hand, the constitution's preamble affirms that the people of Afghanistan will respect the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which in Article 18 guarantees the freedom to change one's religion.

Non-Muslim Afghans who have never been Muslims have a measure of freedom in that they are permitted to "exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provisions of the law" (Article 2). This applies to Afghan Hindus, Sikhs and the one remaining member of Afghanistan's Jewish community. But it does not apply to Afghan Christians (or other non-Muslims) who have chosen to convert from Islam.

Making it appear that the US military sanctions these laws to be broken is wrong, but it's also just as wrong to use what happened as a way to further a personal agenda here in the US and there are some on both sides of this issue not acting very different when it comes to skewing what happened and a lack of honesty.

(cross posted at Liberal Common Sense)

Ma what?

I saw the word, ma huang and at first I had no idea what it was, beyond guessing it was some type of an oriental herb. I then discovered Ma huang (Ephedra sinica) is a cone-bearing shrub, 30 to 50 cm in height, which is native to China but now found also in the Mediterranean region, India, Persia, and the western portion of South America.

Ten species of Ephedra are known to exist in North America, and many were popular in folk medicine and as a daily beverage. After the Mormons had arrived in Utah, the native tribe introduced them to a species of Ephedra, and they used the stems as a substitute for coffee and tea. However, this was considered to be a bitter-tasting tonic beverage. In the Old West, the same species used by the Mormons gained a reputation as a cure for syphilis and gonorrhea, though there doesn't seem to be any evidence that it worked to cure those...

It'd be funnier if it wasn't true...

A version of a popular joke with a Libertarian twist:

Three colleagues, a Democrat, a Republican, and a Libertarian went out to dinner. And the Libertarian, against his normal instincts, allowed the others to talk him into splitting the dinner tab equally. Doing his part to help keep the bill down, the Libertarian ordered the $9.99 dinner special and a sparkling water. The Republican had a Scotch on the rocks and the Democrat had a vodka and tonic before dinner, and the Republican ordered the $29.99 sirloin steak while the Democrat had the $34.99 lobster dinner. Then both the Democrat and Republican had an after-dinner liqueur at $5.99 each, while the Libertarian had a cup of coffee. The check came to over $100 — over $125 with tax and tip.

However, to add insult to injury, about the time the waiter brought the check, the Democrat got a call on his cellphone and had to step outside to talk. And the Republican looked at his watch, said he was late for an appointment, excused himself, and hurriedly left.

When the Libertarian protested at being left to pay the entire bill, which he had to put on his credit card to cover, the Republican said: "But I saved you money by spending five dollars less than the Democrat." And the Democrat said: "You can't blame me for the high bill, because the Republican spent over $40 all on his own!"

Which probably makes the Libertarian hope that the other two don't use a colon cleanser so perhaps the Libertarian will live longer and healthier, or at least be around longer to pay off the credit card debt from the other two.

:-)

Questioning Rick Perry's patriotism...

Some of the blogs out there have really been doing some major name calling when it comes to Texas Governor Rick Perry and his recent statements regarding Texas and the topic of secession. I don't want Texas to secede, but I also don't believe our government holds the right to keep a state that wants to leave the union. What's really at issue when you read the press release from Rick Perry it's not so much secession but state's rights. No one can deny that our present form of government is the way it was designed to exist and states have basically lost many of the rights they had when it came to determining what they wanted for their own citizens.

If this topic interests you? An additional FAQ page, one of the points:

Q: Doesn't the Texas Constitution reserve the right of Texas to secede?
A:

No such provision is found in the current Texas Constitution[1](adopted in 1876) or the terms of annexation.[2] However, it does state (in Article 1, Section 1) that "Texas is a free and independent State, subject only to the Constitution of the United States..." (note that it does not state "...subject to the President of the United States..." or "...subject to the Congress of the United States..." or "...subject to the collective will of one or more of the other States...")

Neither the Texas Constitution, nor the Constitution of the united States, explicitly or implicitly disallows the secession of Texas (or any other "free and independent State") from the United States. Joining the "Union" was ever and always voluntary, rendering voluntary withdrawal an equally lawful and viable option (regardless of what any self-appointed academic, media, or government "experts"—including Abraham Lincoln himself—may have ever said).

Both the original (1836) and the current (1876) Texas Constitutions also state that "All political power is inherent in the people ... they have at all times the inalienable right to alter their government in such manner as they might think proper."

I support the concept of State's rights, just as I am against the practice of unfunded or underfunded federal mandates, believing that if the Federal Government is going to tell a State it "has" to do something? It should provide the full funding or it should be voluntary.

Strong fences make good neighbors

While thinking of summer, it was also hard to ignore that we are going to have to replace one part of our fence, well technically our neighbor should but since it's clear he's not going to, we offered to take care of the fence installation of one new section of privacy fencing since he no longer has a dog and we have two. Not just to keep the doggies safe, but because of the below referenced pool, too many accidents happen when children can easily gain access to a pool that's not in a fenced in yard.

It's hard to not think of summer..

Today was a beautiful day here in Northwestern Ohio, it made me almost want to shuck typing from my upstairs "office" location and use the laptop with the wireless connection on the back deck. The weather inspired my husband to clean out the garage and to start eyeing the small above the ground pool that we have to get it ready for the hotter days that will eventually come. This made me wish that my laptop was waterproof, as I could imagine using one of those pool floats lounges and live blogging from my pool. Alas, that will have to remain a dream, though live blogging from the deck is a sure certainty....

Stark-raving-mad Libertarian?

That's supposedly how Jack Spirko describes himself, while I can't describe my libertarian leanings from my upbringing in that manner, one of my relatives shares some of the same thoughts as Spirko when it comes to libertarianism and survivalism as penned in this Charleston Gazette article. A small taste:

Spirko, an Army veteran and self-described "stark-raving-mad Libertarian," is part of a growing movement of people who are preparing for a disaster natural, economic or man-made. Referred to as "modern survivalists" or "preppers," they are taking steps to protect and provide for their families should something bad happen.

Theirs is a different breed of survivalist, far from the militants or religious extremists who hole up in bunkers, live off the land and wait for the apocalypse.

Preppers are regular people with regular jobs who decided after Sept. 11, after Hurricane Katrina or when their 401(k)s tanked that they can't rely on someone else to help them if something goes awry.

Libertarians rising?

Probably one of the better articles I've read on the concept of the tea-parties and why so many people felt they wanted to participate. The reality for those who followed this was that the Republican Party wasn't behind organizing this, though it's clear that some tried to coattail on to the events by appearing to speak.

Part of the recommended piece Libertarians rising, Republicans riding, Liberals receding:

Libertarians were soaring and leading the charge at the tea parties despite the relatively small percentage of people who consider themselves to be Libertarian. Hopping on to ride on their coat-tails were many Republicans, who seemed to suddenly remember that they were the party of Reagan, who himself stood for lower taxes, smaller government and fiscal responsibility. Of course it was hard for contemporary Republicans to achieve strong credibility on those issues because of their inability and/or unwillingness to reign in government spending or reduce the size and scope of the government when they controlled the presidency and both houses of Congress. There are not many Reagan-like figures left in the party that he once led so brilliantly.

I'd also have to agree that some of the Democrats who tried to either scorn or try to make the tea parties appear to be Republican ideas was disheartening.

How to save money on car repairs

The easiest way is to learn to do some of the basics yourself, though many of the repairs you probably could do with a repair manual on your car and some patience, would be aided by the use of a hydraulic floor jack. We don't have one, but luckily my son does so when we need one, all we have to do is borrow his. Recently we changed the starter on a car we have, it would have been much more difficult without that type of a jack, it could have been done, but you'd need ramps or more than one jack and you always need something to use as a safety, all too often people are injured when a jack let's loose...

Milton Friedman on Libertarianism...

This is part one of the four part video, it's one I recommend watching, especially the first one since there seems to be so much discussion as to what is an actual Libertarian. The other three are good too, and are found on YouTube, but I like this one the best.

Do pets need supplements?

I have cats and dogs, all of which are very well fed animals, but one of mine is getting a bit older and he's not eating as much as he should. According to my vet, if you feed your pets a high quality pet food, if they are elderly or if they are a finicky eater, then pet supplements can be helpful. I do recommend researching the product, just as you would for something you'd purchase for your own use...

A lesson in the free market...

One of my bunch recently bought one of the weight loss pills sold on the internet, she told me it would be perfectly fine because the site offered a guarantee, I suggested she check the fine print because some places have a shipping and handling charge where not all of it is refunded. She didn't listen...the product didn't work for her and the shipping and handling was not refundable, which meant she paid $14.95 for the product which probably nets the company more than enough to cover their product minus her refund. Do yourself a favor, do some research as to what are the best weight loss pills out there and read the fine print...

Nice video on Libertarian Party

I'm wayyyy behind in blogging here but I came across this video and I thought it'd be a nice one to share. It's a ten minute look at the history of the Libertarian Party from 1971 to 2006.

Taboo topics now ads...

Have you ever stopped to wonder about how you can see how much our culture has changed by what is now acceptable to advertise versus what years ago would have been taboo? It's at times a bit hypocritical, but stop and think about this for a moment. Now on television and the internet everything from a yogurt that makes your digestive track work better, to drugs to help men with erectile issues to feminine products even going as far as advertisements designed to address vaginal dryness are out there.

Cigarettes and types of alcohol are no longer allowed to advertise in some places, but we can run disclaimers at the bottom of ads warning men to look out for erections that last more than 8 hours. This then leads to the irony that those little magic pills for men are covered under almost all prescription plans but not birth control...

Fat Cats if only...

I saw this cartoon and it caught my attention because of the concept of "fat cats" and how they are portrayed in cartoons. Most of us when we hear that phrase don't think of the real feline variety, we think about greed and an obsession for more. It'd be nice to think there was some type of magic diet pills that would address this type of "fat" but when you look at how long that word has been used, it's actually been used as a term since the 1920's and it appears to be here to stay.

Nice resource for libertarianish news

If you have never stopped by SmallGovTimes.com it's a source I try to read on a regular basis. While most of you who are regular readers know I battle between the liberal part of me and my libertarian up bringing, I typically find quite a few articles of interest there that you won't read in the traditional media.

One recent piece that is very thought provoking is Individualism and Self Defense. I highly recommend it as it will make you stop and think about what you perceive you have a right to as a citizen versus the realities of what the constitution states.

A new country?

An interesting article is linked at the title that reports on the progress of a group who is attempting to make their own country, not on land but on sea. It caught my interest when I heard about it some time ago, so it was interesting to read the coverage (ironically from the UK and not here). Some selected parts of the article:

A utopian project part-funded by a dotcom tycoon aims to build a giant platform off the coast of San Francisco where people can live free of government regulation.

It sounds like the plot of a pre-Daniel Craig Bond film: an internet tycoon invests part of his vast fortune to fund a fiefdom afloat in international waters. He is joined by the libertarian grandson of one the world’s most famous economic thinkers and advertises for like-minded citizens “who are dissatisfied with our current civilisation” to join him aboard his brave new world.

However, this is not fiction. It is happening now and the group, called the Seasteading Institute, has just released the first detailed plans of what its utopian water world will look like. The first architectural stage is being financed by a $500,000 (£362,000) donation from Peter Thiel, billionaire co-founder of PayPal, the online payments system that was sold to eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002. More funding will follow, and the group hopes to start building a small-scale version off the coast of San Francisco this year.

If this inspires you to want to learn more, there are some pictures:



You can also read quite a bit more about this by visiting The Seasteading Institute where they have more information, a blog and are even using Twitter now.

The greening of the economy

While parts of our economy are not faring well, one area that seems to be doing at least fairly well from a public relations/marketing stand point is green products. Go to any grocery store and chances are you'll see an array of "green" cleaning products, the same can be said for laundry detergent. When it comes to home lighting, more and more people are selecting led light fixtures or using other types of energy efficient, long lasting lights.

Reclaiming the Libertarian Party

Recommended piece by David F. Nolan on why he thinks it's time for the Libertarian Party to stand up for their principles and not be "just a pale, slightly-more-tolerant version of the GOP." He's formed The December 11 Group and is urging those interested to blog about it, visit the site and to get involved with their efforts.

The blog site is fairly new, and at this point the three listed as contributors are - "The Instigators" David F. Nolan, Jack Dean and Less Antman. They don't appear to be accepting comments but they do have an email address for those interested in more information. Or, you can bookmark their blogsite and see how this develops...