Free Republic

“There’s a mountain of academic works that have slapped around ‘Cash for Clunkers’…. This is one of the worst government programs in modern history.”

It is great to read this article in the Guardian, a leftist British newspaper, because the machinery of mainstream media manipulation is laid out for anyone to see here. The dominant social theme being constructed is once again the conservative one. We have of course written about this numerous times already and probably will continue to follow this meme closely. It is very important to convince the electorate in the West, especially the United States and Britain that there are only two main political choices when it comes to government. One side wants to build out government, along with higher...

The most fundamental problem with libertarianism is very simple: freedom, though a good thing, is simply not the only good thing in life. Simple physical security, which even a prisoner can possess, is not freedom, but one cannot live without it. Prosperity is connected to freedom, in that it makes us free to consume, but it is not the same thing, in that one can be rich but as unfree as a Victorian tycoon’s wife. A family is in fact one of the least free things imaginable, as the emotional satisfactions of it derive from relations that we are either...

When members of the San Bernardino County Libertarian Party elected Matthew Barnes as the group's vice chairman for 2010, they knew he was a registered sex offender. "The members of the party that voted for him, they voted for him knowing he had completed his time and his punishment and didn't want to hold that against him," said Paul Darr, the county party chairman, who says he's planning a run for the State Assembly. "He completed his punishment by the state and has been reformed." Barnes, 41, pleased guilty in 1993 to three counts of lewd or lascivious acts with...

The Tea Party movement has aroused a lot of energy, accelerated by continual disregard by our elected officials for the will of the people, the Rule of Law, and those principles upon which our nation was founded. Can this energy be focused in an effective manner to actually effect change? Many believe so. But there is disagreement as to how. Fightin Words welcomes Minnesota libertarian activist and budding politician Gregory Laney to discuss the flaws in the current two-party system and whether it can be fixed or circumvented.

Dr. Rand Paul, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, explained his position on taxes, government spending, the drug abuse epidemic, welfare and other government benefits during an exclusive interview with the Times-Tribune, just hours before his appearance at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg. Initially, Dr. Paul addressed drug abuse in rural Kentucky. As a doctor, he immediately zeroed in on more vigilant policing of doctors who recklessly write prescriptions. He asked, “Are they being disciplined? I’m a doctor and occasionally I’ll get notification from the medical licensure board of people who are having their licenses suspended.” Referencing a recent...

These are partial results for Libertarians who were candidates in the November 3, 2009 elections. We will post more results as we learn them. In Georgia: Karen Richardson was re-elected to the John's Creek City Council. Chris Neill, running for Mayor of Marietta, got 14%. Richard Segal, running for City Council in Douglasville, got 41%. Jeffrey Sexton, running for City Council in Leesburg, got 22%. Kellie Weeks, running for School Board in Gainesville, got 32%. Dr. Thomas Smoot, running for School Board in Valdosta, got 24%. In Iowa: Roger Fritz was elected Mayor of Roland. Nick Taiber got 46% running...

The founders envisioned a federal government constitutionally limited to defending our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. For that to happen, we must have at least one political party that strongly advocates limiting the power of government. For much of the 19th century, that party was the Democrats. For the early part of the 20th century and from the early 1960s through 1988, that party was the Republicans. Today, it is difficult to find noninterventionists in either party. The Democrats demonstrate a disdain for capitalism, free trade and the validity of contracts. They cheer the restriction of...

Daniel Hannan, the Conservative MEP, has resigned as European legal spokesman only two months after taking up the post in protest at his party's stance on the Lisbon Treaty. Mr Hannan, a leading Eurosceptic, became the Tory spokesman on legal affairs in the European Parliament in September. But last night on his Telegraph blog, Mr Hannan, the Conservative MEP for South East England, said he would be returning to the back benches in order to campaign for direct democracy that will see power in the hands of individual citizens.

The Republican party in Kentucky has never seen anything like it. Bowling Green eye doctor Rand Paul has no political experience, but with the support of the same people who backed his Dad - Texas Congressman Ron Paul when he ran for president,, Rand Paul has now at least pulled even with Secretary of State Trey Grayon in the GOP U.S. Senate primary. 32% Grayson 35% Paul 2% Johnson 1% Oerther 3% Thoney 10% Other 18% Undecided In fact, the WHAS11/Survey USA poll has Paul ahead of Grayson by three percentage points - with a 4.1 percent margin of error....

A 1970s-era Texas law that allows parents to show “harmful material” to their children has come under fire after a prosecutor said he couldn’t file charges against a man accused of forcing his 8- and 9-year-old daughters to watch hardcore online pornography.

The Gallup poll released Monday shows the public’s conservatism at a high-water mark. Some 40 percent of Americans call themselves conservative, compared with 36 percent who self-describe as moderates and 20 percent as liberals.Gallup often asks people how they describe themselves. But sometimes they classify people according to the values they express. And when they do that, they find a healthy percentage of libertarians, as well as an unfortunate number of big-government “populists.�For more than a dozen years now, the Gallup Poll has been using two questions to categorize respondents by ideology: Some people think the government is trying to...

An increasingly popular movement in this country is that of “libertarianism.” Ron Paul most recently brought it into the national spotlight with his token run for the White House. However instead of this movement being focused on liberty another concept jumps to the forefront, non-interventionism.This is a foreign policy which holds that political rulers should avoid alliances with other nations and avoid all wars not related to direct territorial self-defense. However, the belief that there are barriers or certain limits on how liberty must be pursued seems to be the mantra of many “libertarians.” The whole idea of non-interventionism as...

With a faltering economy, multiple wars, and the approaching demise of the dollar’s reserve status, there are more than enough problems to keep politicians in Washington working day and night. In between handing out cash for clunkers and nationalizing healthcare, the administration is busy sending more troops overseas, escalating existing wars, and seeking out excuses to start new wars. Congress is working on “urgent” legislation to address crises like healthcare reform and climate change. The reforms are so very urgent that legislation must pass swiftly with no time to read the bills even though the new laws wouldn’t take effect...

Allow me to cut past the prologue and skip to the climax: we are ignored because we have allowed ourselves to be ignored. We are ignored because we have bought into the lie that our total civic duty is fulfilled on election day. We are ignored because we have allowed our ire to disperse through a radiator of infotainment and token political involvement which do nothing to slow the gears of despotism. We are ignored because we are too busy, too cynical, or too lazy to get involved in a meaningful way. We are now seeing the results. My challenge...

The Libertarian Party’s chairman said that the Republican Party’s hero “was not serious about cutting the size of government.” I receive the Libertarian Party’s “Monday message” each week, as a byproduct of the brief period before the 2008 election when I wasn’t sure if I could bring myself to vote for John McCain…until I realized that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” (That must be what McCain meant when he began every other sentence with “My friends…”) I couldn’t let Virginia turn blue and asphyxiate (though of course, it did anyway,) so I gave up on the Libertarians...

RICHMOND - A sign depicting President Barack Obama in the image of the joker from Batman is causing a stir. The large sign hangs outside Club Velvet in Shockoe Bottom and many in the community are reacting to it. And some are even asking the owner of the club to take it down. Thirteen year old Jamilia Cunningham is one of them. She says when she saw the banner she was left speechless and that the image is disrespectful to a man who has made history. "I wanted to be the first African American President and I am happy that...

The Ten Biggest Lies of My Lifetime by J. Neil Schulman This is my short list of “Big Lies� — propaganda which is promoted by major movements, and which denying often gets one tagged as a lunatic, denier, hatemonger, or simply irrelevant.If you’re looking for me to put the Holocaust of European Jewry or Jihadis being responsible for 9/11 on this list, look elsewhere. I’m 56 years old, born in April 1953. So I’m limiting myself to Big Lies present in my own lifetime.Here we go, not in any chronological order. 1. The biggest threat to the human race...

As the American political scene increasingly takes on the shape of an ideological war zone, we are witnessing the emergence of countless born again constitutionalists that are railing against business as usual in Washington. And it’s little wonder since both political parties seem to be engaged in speed trials on shredding the constitution, even as they compete for the hearts, minds and wallets of the voters. The Libertarian Party has gained some valuable real estate in the shifting political landscape and is riding a modest but growing wave of support among the disenfranchised and disheartened electorate. It’s an offshoot...

Videos of young couple posing as sex workers getting financial advice made possible by a generous handoutIn the world of far-right libertarian economics, altruism is considered a sin. However, that didn't stop billionaire ideologue Peter Thiel, who minted his fortune as a cofounder of PayPal and investor in Facebook, from giving "about $10,000" after being approached by provocateur James O'Keefe. That money, and other funds from the Leadership Institute, a conservative think-tank, was used to film a number of stunts, from surprising taxpayers with bills for the bank bailout to offering Planned Parenthood donations, but with racist intent. O'Keefe is...

With respect to all Republicans, 70% of the Republican party are self acclaimed Conservatives, with a 30% gap of Libertarians, moderates, and even some full blown Liberal Republicans. We are a party that is as diverse as our roots are historic, we are a party with numerous beliefs from numerous sectors of the American political landscape, so what to do with Libertarians and the Republican party? That is the question that haunts Conservatives, Libertarians, and die in the wool Republicans all at the same time, as some of us fear what will occur if the party becomes to Libertarian, yet...

In the first few minutes, Couric asks him about his party affiliation (he leans libertarian), and he starts his answer by saying that when he was younger, he was socially liberal, but that he was also an alcoholic. When he got sober, he realized that liberalism was really not all it was cracked up to be. Couric didn't like that at all, but Beck just does an aw-shucks and gets out of it. It is a great.

I know it is a bit different to talk about talk show bumper music, but what are your top 3 bumper music tracks used on the Boortz show and Limbaugh's show? Personally, I think Boortz has slightly better music than Limbaugh, though Limbaugh does pretty good, too. My favorites for Boortz are his main theme (Heart of Rock and Roll), Good Thing, and Cantaloop. There's also this one song played on Boortz yesterday going into the first half hour break that I don't know the title of- there were no vocals, but it sounded like something from the 80s with...

Things Sean Hannity Would Never Say Posted on September 22nd, 2009 by Jack Hunter Digg!Digg Stumble Upon Newsvine SlashdotSlashdot Add to Mixx!Mixx Diigo Google Delicious Reddit Facebook On yesterday’s drive home I listened to Sean Hannity, as I often do. Hannity was upset, as he often is, about President Obama ”weakening” American defense - scrapping missile defense shields in Europe, not escalating troop levels fast enough in Afghanistan, ignoring an Iran on the verge of getting nukes - you know, not being “conservative.” “You’re a great American!” one lady caller told Hannity. While I’m not sure how great an American...

Another libertarian-leaning journalist, John Stossel, is joining the Fox News – Fox Business cable lineup. Video links to John Stossel on gun control (it increases crime), the ethanol scam, and others.

If a presidential election were held last night on the campus of Loyola University New Orleans, the winner would not have been the 48 year old occupant of the White House, but a spry 74 year old physician from Texas. U..S. Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) enthralled a huge crowd of supporters and students with a one hour address on topics ranging from the war in Afghanistan to the Federal Reserve. The crowd was so large that the university set up five overflow rooms to accommodate the intense interest in Dr. Paul’s message. It was amazing to see such an enthusiastic...

In other words, the value of the dollar remained extremely stable for 150 years, the Fed was created in order to "stabilize the value of the dollar," and the result has been a 95% devaluation of the dollar in less than 100 years following its creation.

Having strong libertarian tendencies, I pay special attention to issues which present a reasonably good choice between libertarianism and statism – - libertarianism being, in essence, a philosophy that favors individual liberty, less government, and low taxes, and statism being the belief in better living through bigger government. While it seems to me that at least a strong plurality and probably a majority of Americans still hold to libertarian principles, our lives are controlled by the incessant, internecine “liberal-versus-conservative,” “Democrat-versus-Republican” political battles in which libertarian values are either ignored or honored only for show. How can it be, I lament,...

I've often quoted and commented on H.L. Mencken here over the years. In my view, the man is a hero and a genius. But I've never referenced Murray Rothbard, who's certainly in the same class...

Since the bailouts last fall, lawmakers have been behaving as quasi-owners of the bailed-out banks and businesses, leading to calls for increased regulation of executive compensation and other wasteful expenditures. We have heard much about bonuses and executive pay packages that sound more like lottery winnings than an honest salary. Many lawmakers voted in favor of these unconstitutional bailouts, believing that these corporations were too big to fail, and allowing them to go under would precipitate widespread economic disaster. This second wave of citizen outrage at the bailouts has left these lawmakers with a bit of egg on their face,...

Libertarians: Obama promises of postal system-style health care fail to deliverPresident seeks to assure voters by promising health care will be run like the mail WASHINGTON -- America’s third largest party Wednesday took aim at comments made by President Barack Obama in a New Hampshire press event Tuesday, in which he took questions from a pre-selected audience. Obama compared his proposed government-run health care system to the nation’s postal system, which he admitted is “always having problems.” “My answer is that if the private insurance companies are providing a good bargain, and if the public option has to be self-sustaining…then...

Libertarians to Democrats: Call off the thugsWhite House orders Dems to ‘punch back’ as union organizers attack citizens WASHINGTON -- America’s third largest party Friday called on Democrats to end what appears to be a budding campaign of union violence targeted at citizens who differ with the White House at town hall meetings across the country. Libertarians oppose not only the White House’s plans for government-run medicine, but the use of violence to achieve political or social goals. A Tampa Bay Tribune story and a video posted to the Drudge Report both report physical assaults on dissenting citizens by union...

Libertarians call on Democrats to end their 'war on dissent'White House urges followers to report dissenters, Doggett claims LP organizing ‘mobs’ WASHINGTON -- Libertarian National Committee Communications Director Donny Ferguson released the following statement Wednesday, after Democratic National Committee Communications Director Brad Woodhouse released a statement Tuesday accusing private citizens opposed to proposed government takeover of health care of being part of a paid, organized conspiracy against the president: “Whether it’s having the Franking Commission censor congressional opponents’ outgoing mail, sliming private citizens who question their agenda or urging their followers to report critics directly to the White House, desperate...

Libertarians challenge SEIU: Why not give everyone unlimited posters?Union rations access to ‘free’ posters promoting government takeover WASHINGTON -- America’s third largest party issued a challenge Tuesday to the Service Employees International Union, which is distributing free posters to activists supporting the proposed government takeover of health care. The posters come with one catch – access to the limited supply is rationed to “only ONE poster per person and address.” Libertarians challenged the SEIU to live up to the promises behind government-run health care and offer everyone in America unlimited access to as many posters as they want without increasing...

Libertarians decry Blue Dog deal on government-controlled health careRevised bill is ‘delayed-onset government control’ WASHINGTON -- America’s third largest party Tuesday criticized Blue Dog Democrat Caucus leaders for finalizing a deal with party leadership on a September vote on the proposed health care reform bill before heading back to their districts to meet with constituents. The compromise claims to remove some costs, reduce the employer mandate requirements to provide health care to employees and change the so-called “public option” in the initial draft of the bill in exchange for an agreement to hold a vote when Congress reconvenes in September....

The world today would be a helluva lot better place if only we would get the government to mandate everyone everywhere go to Tolerance Camp at least once a year -- especially all our impressionable children. We could all go there for various communalist- and identity-type group lessons, particularly Diversity Seminars and Sensitivity Training. Clearly this kind of far-minded, progressive education for all mankind would significantly promote the brotherhood of man, just as it radically enhanced planetary social harmony and worldwide public unity. After graduating from this universally-obligatory Tolerance Camp -- as run by the best of inclusive, egalitarian, truly-enlightened...

Libertarians warn Judiciary vote may have consequencesSenators reminded a vote to confirm was a vote against gun rights WASHINGTON -- America’s third largest party Wednesday reminded members of the Senate Judiciary Committee their vote for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor was a vote against constitutionally-guaranteed gun rights and those who vote to confirm in the full Senate next week can expect to be held accountable at the polls. 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...

Doctors demand Obama apologyPitching government control, President falsely accuses doctors of conspiring to make children sicker WASHINGTON -- Dr. Richard S. Kerr, M.D., a West Virginia Libertarian Party member and a retired doctor with 36 years experience, asked President Barack Obama Thursday to apologize for comments made in his Wednesday night press conference accusing doctors of conspiring to make children sicker for profits. “President Obama should be ashamed of himself for trying to scare Americans into supporting his government takeover of medicine by falsely accusing doctors of making children sicker. I have never heard a more disgusting or blatantly phony...

As Cat announces factory shutdowns, Libertarians want Obama explanationMore jobs lost as ‘stimulus’ bill delays economic recovery WASHINGTON -- America’s third largest party Wednesday asked President Barack Obama to explain to the American people why his $787 billion “stimulus” government expansion plan has once again failed to deliver on even its most basic promises. “If he has time to explain why Congress should outlaw private health insurance and force Americans into expensive, rationed care he has the time to explain why exploding the deficit and expanding government isn’t creating prosperity,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director. “...if Congress...

Libertarians decry defeat of concealed carry amendmentS. 845 would have protected constitutional rights WASHINGTON -- America’s third largest party Wednesday criticized senators voting against an amendment establishing concealed carry reciprocity between all states and reminded them voters have a record of holding gun rights opponents accountable on Election Day. “Libertarians are no-compromise defenders of your constitutionally-protected right to keep and bear arms,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director. “I find it ironic that many of the senators who rightfully believe one state’s same-sex marriage licenses should be recognized in all states are now not willing to extend that...

Ron Paul fans have started a dating service to find libertarian love in an Obama world. From the Washington Post Are you a small-government patriot looking for love? ISO that special libertarian somebody who enjoys red wine, laughter, walking on the beach and upholding the U.S. Constitution? Well, you're in luck: The Ron Paul Revolution has hit online dating. The Republican congressman from Texas, whose libertarian insurgency enlivened the 2008 presidential race, is the inspiration behind the new Web dating service RonPaulSingles.com. "We put the LOVE in Revolution," the site proclaims. While the online dating industry long ago spawned niches...

Libertarians take aim at Sotomayor’s anti-gun stanceNominee “can’t think” of a right of self-defense 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...

Today is the official publication date of The Dominant Animal: Human Evolution and the Environment by Paul and Anne Ehrlich. The release of this book was timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the publication of Paul Ehrlich's once exceedingly popular "The Population Bomb" in 1968. If you expect to see much about either of these books in the mainstream media, you are in for a big disappointment. The MSM is avoiding the whole subject of Paul Ehrlich and his apocalyptic "The Population Bomb" like the plague nowadays. The reason is probably because it might draw embarrassing attention to...

Dear Sarah, Please forgive my presumption in writing you, but since no one else seems willing or capable of saying these things, which I think sorely need saying, and since they concern you, and what this country is all about, namely: freedom, individuality, and character, I've taken this liberty and beg your indulgence. I'm somewhat appalled by all those who publicly and privately have presumed to know what prompted your decision to step down as Governor of the State of Alaska, and even more appalled by those who presume to tell you what you now ought, or even must do....

Classic Glenn Beck Video to send to friends at link, Schiff quotes from clip: “It’s a tax. We are kicking an economy when it’s down. The last thing we need is a new tax, especially one as expensive to enforce and administer as this tax. And what really bothers me is they don’t really have the specifics of the bill they are passing. They are giving the EPA a blank check. Didn’t they learn anything from TARP? Who knows what these guys will come up with.” “It’s kicking us in the groan. It’s going to hurt OUR industry the most....

Libertarians remind Obama of his “firm pledge” not to tax health care benefitsPresident considering backing what he called the “biggest middle-class tax increase in history” WASHINGTON -- America’s third largest party Tuesday reminded President Barack Obama that supporting a proposed $246 billion tax on employer-provided health care benefits – a proposal he opposed as “the biggest middle-class tax increase in history” in campaign ads – would break his promise to oppose any form of tax increase on families making less than $250,000 a year. “In September of 2008, candidate Barack Obama asked Americans to read his lips and that he...

One picture says it all: http://forum.teamxbox.com/showthread.php?t=623861 "Video Game Idea of the Century!" http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3143589&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=1 http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=366448 "This is the greatest videogame patent I've ever read #1 " http://www.google.com/patents?id=aAuzAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=exalted&as_psra=1&as_psra=1

Sound Off Connecticut is a popular conservative/libertarian call in talk show hosted by Jim Vicevich weekday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon ET. Although based in Connecticut, the show welcomes callers from all over the United States. This is your chance to sound off America! Call into the show toll free (800) 966-9842 Listen to the LIVE AUDIO STREAM at http://wtic.com - it’s free and NO registration is required! If you’re in southern New England listen over the air to WTIC 1080 AM, the 50,000 watt Connecticut powerhouse! Radio Vice Online (http://radioviceonline.com) is the offical Web site and blog for...

What a reversal. Freedom is breaking out across Iran. We are witnessing one of the most historical events of our lifetimes, comparable no doubt to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Yet, Libertarians, outside of this political news blog, Atlas Shrugs, the Libertarian Defense Caucus, and a few other libertarian Republicans, are for the most part silent. Virtually no reportage at Reason. In the last week, just two articles on the whole Iranian Revolution at Reason, and one was more of a criticism of how CNN was covering the event, than coverage of the event itself. Cato is similarly unengaged....

Libertarians recommend Senate defeat Koh nominationObama nominee to negotiate treaties says U.S. must adopt "global gun control" WASHINGTON -- America’s third largest party Tuesday recommended the Senate defeat the nomination of Harold Koh to be State Department legal adviser, citing a history of opposition to gun rights and national sovereignty. “The State Department legal adviser is supposed to protect our national sovereignty in treaty negotiations and negotiate pacts that uphold the Constitution and protect Americans’ rights. Under no circumstances should the Senate confirm someone who believes the Constitution should give way to what he calls ‘the global rules,’” said Donny...