Archive for January, 2010

President dismisses separation of powers in State of the Union address

Posted in Liberty Points by R Lee Wrights on January 31st, 2010

by Brian Irving

The last time President Obama addressed the Congress the most controversial part probably occurred when Rep. Joe Wilson shouted “You lie” when the president’s claimed that illegal immigrants would not get special treatment under health care reform.

Political pundits and the mainstream media talking heads called this an unprecedented breach of protocol (the most polite comment made).

Last night, the president himself committed an unprecedented breach of protocol when he claimed the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision would “open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections.”

“I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people,” the president said, looking straight at the Supreme Court justices sitting stoically in the front row.

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How to end the State

Posted in Liberty's Lessons by R Lee Wrights on January 30th, 2010

by Alex Ryan

“There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.”

- Henry David Thoreau

The intense passion which drives anarchists to oppose the existence of the state invariably springs from our deep compassion for the suffering of its many victims. The State robs huge portions of the income of all who reside within its borders and utilizes the loot to finance all manner of force on all manner of victims both at home and abroad - ultimately escalating to the mass murder of millions in senseless wars.

Though passionate, we who seek to end the State seem to struggle over how to actually realize the dream. Many strategies have been tried - from running in elections to civil disobedience - to no avail. What all of these strategies have in common is that they all seek to end the State by engaging it directly in some form of conflict.

But when we battle against the state directly we invariably lose. This can at times lead to a feeling of despair. The State seems so powerful and we seem so weak by comparison. But I believe very strongly that both the perceived strength of the State and that of our weakness are illusory.

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The obligatory post-airport Homeland Security rant

Posted in LFA Flashback by R Lee Wrights on January 29th, 2010

by Rachel Mills

Rachel MillsI flew somewhere for Christmas. I had a super-keen eight-tool key fob stolen legally because it happened to include a three-quarter inch knife. I was sad. I was mad and sad. And feeling bad.

Several people along the way seemed wonderfully at ease with the tightened security, delighted even. “Well, I’m happy for them to (insert latest arbitrary P.I.A. security measure here) if that means we are all safer. Happy to comply.” They will thank the security officers on the way through the checkpoint. “Thanks for the anal cavity search, Officer. Glad you’re doing your job, and a Merry Christmas to you and yours.” This is all in the same tone used to thank the checkout girl for checking photo I.D.s when taking their credit card. Like it’s just exactly the same thing. For your protection.

It makes some people feel better to have a visual on the government doing something, Thank God. And to the people this comforts, the rest of us, with an uneasy feeling that we’ve merely been butt-probed, look like whining brats with no comprehension that our inconvenience is all for the greater good.

I feel it’s not merely pointless and damaging to the travel industry, it’s actually counterproductive to safety. I will elucidate.

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Libertarians respond to State of the Union address

Posted in Freedom's Flame by R Lee Wrights on January 28th, 2010

from LP staff

Libertarian Party (LP) Chairman William Redpath issued the following statement today in response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address:

“Tonight’s speech was a reminder that, for decades, the policies of Republicans and Democrats alike have failed. Libertarians are asking people to take matters into their own hands. Instead of just complaining, we’re encouraging ordinary Americans to step up and run for Congress on the Libertarian Party ballot line.

“I can say exactly the same thing about President Obama’s speech tonight that I said about George W. Bush’s State of the Union speech in January 2008: ‘Tonight’s State of the Union address went much as expected. Instead of calling for a more limited role of the federal government in American society, the President laid out plans that would only increase the government’s intervention into the realm of economics, health care, education and foreign policy.’

“I am weary of the President’s unspoken premise that only government–indeed, only the federal government–can accomplish good in our society.

“President Obama seems to be totally blind to the concept that government can cause problems rather than solve them. His speech was filled with ‘More’: more handouts, more spending, more programs, more bailouts, more regulations. We Libertarians want less government, not more.

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John Dough, Inc. — Legal person

Posted in Rhys' Rants by R Lee Wrights on January 28th, 2010

by Rhys M. Blavier

With its January 21, 2010 decision in the case of CITIZENS UNITED v. FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION, The Supreme Court of The United States issued a ruling as wrong as any it has made since the infamous “Dred Scott decision” and more activist than any judicial legislation that those on the far-right have ever cried out about. Overturning over 120 years of precedence and legislation, the five conservative justices alone have given body and breath to the “corporate person” which was created, not by legislation but rather by another decision of The Supreme Court, Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad (1886). (See NewsVine for more information).

In response to this horrifying and unjustifiable ruling, I have sent to the office of the Texas Secretary of State, a check for $25 and a Certificate of Formation Nonprofit Corporation, signed and dated by me on January 21, 2010 to create “John Dough, Inc.”. Clearly stated on the application for certification, the corporation is created with the purposes of:

1.) To function as a legal corporate person in the United States of America, based on decisions by the SCOTUS, beginning with Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Co. (1886) through Citizens United v Federal Election Commission (2010) which conferred the legal status of “personhood” on American Corporations.

2.) To seek to achieve legal and judicial recognition of all of its citizenship rights and privileges as a native-born “person” of The United States of American, including the right to vote, the right to run for office, the right of free speech, the right of gun ownership and every other right which belongs to any and every native-born American.

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Are we there yet?

Posted in Liberty Rant by R Lee Wrights on January 27th, 2010

by Richard C. Evey

“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.”

- George Orwell

I made the mistake of reading George Orwell’s book “1984.” It made me very upset and made me think about what is happening to this once great country of ours. I did read it a long time ago (1980’s) and thought then that it would never happen in this country. Well, I was wrong.

Everything that is in the book is happening today and not only in other counties but here in the good old US of A, or should I say the USSA (United States Socialists America). As a side note we were headed for socialism long before AKA got into the White House.

But I digress: In the book there are three phrases:

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

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Court decision may impact constitutional law beyond NC

Posted in Liberty Points by R Lee Wrights on January 26th, 2010

by Brian Irving

The N.C. Appeals Court decision in the case of the LPNC vs. The State of North Carolina is a watershed decision for constitutional law with implications far beyond North Carolina, said Jason Kay, a senior staff attorney with the N.C. Institutional for Constitutional Law.

Kay was speaking about the Libertarian and Green parties challenge to the constitutionality of North Carolina’s election laws at a luncheon at the John Locke Foundation.

“The very first issue the court had to determine was whether a fundamental right was involved,” Kay explained. If that is the case, he said the court should have applied the concept of “strict scrutiny.”

That means the court should have determined whether or not the state has a compelling interest in limiting ballot access and was using the most narrow and least restrictive measures in its ballot access laws.

“If it is a fundamental right, if the court says yes, then strict scrutiny applies,” he said, “which usually means the government loses.”

“If it is not (a fundamental right),” he said, “the rational basis applies, which usually means the government wins.”

The court ruled unanimously that there is a fundamental right at stake. But in a 2-1 split decision, they applied the presumption that any statue enacted by the legislature is constitutional.

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Professional party-pooper

Posted in Liberty's Friend by R Lee Wrights on January 25th, 2010

by Larken Rose

In the past, I spent lots of money and lots of time supporting this or that candidate, advocating for or against this or that legislation, as a lot of “political activists” have done, and continue to do. Looking back, I now not only realize that it was a total waste of time trying to beg “the system” for freedom, but I realize that it was worse than if I had done nothing at all. By bickering over who should be my new master, or whining to the masters to please do what I wanted (they didn’t), I was only reinforcing the notion that “the system” is legitimate–that I should have a master, and that I have some obligation to do what he tells me to do.

The control freaks of the world have done a marvel job of diffusing the anger of their victims by convincing people to channel their frustration into something that is doomed to fail, and guaranteed to never achieve freedom: voting and petitioning “government.” And it works on lots and lots of people, including millions of well- meaning people who can see how bad things are getting. The trouble is, they’re still stuck in the idea (planted by the tyrants and their mouthpieces) that if you want to change how things are, you have to “work within the system.”

And what “system” is that? The system set up by the tyrants. It’s like the Mafia telling you, if you don’t like what they’re doing, you should present your complaints to “Switchblade Guido” and “Tire Iron Tony.” How much good do you think that will do? And yet most people who are trying to change our current “government” are trying to do so within the rules made up by the crooks, i.e., “the political process.” Why would they do such a thing? For the same reason I did it for years: because everyone around them echoes the message that voting and lobbying are the only civilized way to achieve change. In reality, they’re a way to get exhausted while achieving nothing.

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Carpe Diem

Posted in Sound Off Soapbox by R Lee Wrights on January 24th, 2010

by Scott Williamson

A New Year brings resolutions for flatter stomachs, fatter wallets, and healthier lives. As resolutions are made with hope of improving our lives, there is little in the news that seems to indicate a wealthier new year for most people. 2009 ended with a 10% jobless rate and 20 million people collecting unemployment benefits sometime in the past year. Our current two parties in power seem to think the solution is bailouts, government interference in the market, and spending money on a national credit card. 

Time and time again it has been proven that government action causes more problems than it solves. Even with the best intentions, when government tries to solve individual’s economic woes they end up making things worse. A good example of this is the State of Colorado’s minimum wage law. Instead of letting the market determine how much people will work for at any given job, the state has set a minimum wage. In an attempt to make sure people making minimum wage are able to keep their standard of living, the state has tied the minimum wage to the rate of inflation.

The government’s attempt to help people has had quit the opposite effect.  For the first time since 1938 gave us the minimum wage, those in Colorado will see a drop in their pay check. The states consumer price index fell over the last year, requiring the state to lower the minimum wage.

Even with the best of intentions, government interference into the lives of individuals always ends in disaster.  The Libertarian Party has been making this argument since its inception in 1971. We Libertarians stand at a moment in history when millions of voters are waking up to a county they do not recognize.  As loss of individual liberties hit a person’s own home, wallet, and life they are more receptive to our message of liberties for all people all the time.

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Our good ship Liberty needs to change course

Posted in Stand Up For Liberty by R Lee Wrights on January 23rd, 2010

by George Phillies

Change can be time-consuming.  Change can be demanding.  Change can be frightening.

Sometimes, change can be necessary.

I’ll start with the simplest of graphs.  (Click on images to enlarge.)  The graph below shows LNC income for the years 2000-2009.  The value of the dollar changes in time. All dollar amounts are in 2009 dollars, adjusted for inflation.  

If you find that graph familiar, it’s because LNC National Treasurer candidate James Oaksun just put up a similar one.  You can read about his proposals, notably Zero Base Budgeting, at  http://www.libertyforall.net/?p=3694

For the last decade, LNC income has been falling at 15% a year in real terms.  That’s 12% a year without adjusting for inflation.  Over the decade, real LNC income has fallen by nearly three-fourths.  No wonder there is less and less money available for candidate and volunteer support.

Our members are as generous as always. The next graph shows LNC income in inflation-adjusted dollars (black circles) and our dues-paying membership (red line).  The figures scales are on the left and the right.  The two curves are very close.  When membership goes up, so does party income.  When membership goes down, so does party income.  In Presidential election years, members are unusually generous, leading to the upward bumps in the curve.

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