What's a Libertarian Republican? Do we need them?

What's a Libertarian Republican? Do we need them? | Washington Times Communities - Shirley Husar:

March 29, 2013 - "You might not see much of a difference between a traditional Republican and a Libertarian Republican. Both believe in the three Republican pillars of lower taxes, smaller government, and more personal responsibility. They share beliefs in the free market, property rights, school choice, repealing affirmative action, protecting gun rights, and securing the borders.

"The difference is in the scope of application. The Libertarian Republican would say that the Republican bridge only goes halfway across the river; they seek to take it all the way to the other riverbank.

"Libertarian Republicans believe that working outside of the two-party system has little effect, and therefore seek to work within the system to advance liberty and small government.... Many of them work within the Republican Liberty Caucus — the wing of the Republican party that represents that particular interest."

Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/urban-game-changer/2013/mar/29/whats-libertarian-republican-do-we-need-them/
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More anti-libertarian nonsense: Libertarians are heartless

More anti-libertarian nonsense: Libertarians are heartless | Washington Times Communities - Thomas Mullen:

March 28, 2013 - "This week’s anti-libertarian nonsense is 'libertarians are heartless.'

"There are many variations on this theme. Libertarians oppose government-run education so they must not want poor people to get an education. They oppose government-run healthcare so they must want poor, sick people to die. They oppose government-subsidized housing so they must want poor people to be homeless, too (if they aren’t already)....

"The people who make these claims don’t understand what libertarianism is and don’t really understand the nature of government or their relationship to it, either.

"Libertarians do not object to you helping the poor. They merely object to you forcing someone else to help the poor."

Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/reawakening-liberty/2013/mar/28/more-anti-libertarian-nonsense-libertarians-are-he/
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Washington Libertarian Party to hold convention in Bellingham

Libertarian Party to hold state convention in Bellingham | Local News | Bellingham Herald - Ralph Schwartz:

"BELLINGHAM - The city will host the 2013 convention of the Libertarian Party of Washington State, and attendance is free during the speeches of nationally prominent party figures.

"Speakers include national vice presidential candidate Jim Gray, national party Executive Director Carla Howell, former state Supreme Court Judge Richard Sanders and Sumas Mayor Bob Bromley.

"Rob Stratton, a member of the county Libertarian Party and the gun rights group Open Carry, will speak on the Second Amendment, according to Jason Del Wraa, county party chairman.

"Also scheduled to speak is Robin Koerner, Huffington Post blogger and the person who launched the Blue Republican campaign, which recruited liberals to join the GOP in 2012 to nominate Ron Paul....

"The state Libertarians will elect ... officers at the convention, which takes place Saturday, April 20."

Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2013/03/26/2939051/libertarian-party-to-hold-state.html
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Ottawa’s “Condom Gate” kerfuffle

Ottawa’s Sex it Smart campaign & “Condom Gate” Kerfuffle by Don Smith | Cornwall Free News:

"Reportedly the City of Ottawa handed over 17,280 condoms to a single person for free without so much as asking why he wanted them (does anyone really need that many?) and without asking for any I.D. to ensure that he actually represented a legitimate organization rather than someone wanting to make a profit on them....

"Dave Paul, the Libertarian who ordered them from the City as a test, wasn’t impressed at how freely his tax dollars are being spent and went public with the news.... Now, apparently, the City would like the condoms back (presumably unused), but the Libertarians are debating whether or not they can do a better job than the City when it comes to exercising due diligence in the distribution of said condoms....

"The Ontario government requires Ottawa Public Health to distribute free condoms. Last year alone the city handed out 900,000 of them to individuals and groups at a cost of $55,000, 75% of which was paid for by Ontario tax payers."

Read more: http://cornwallfreenews.com/2013/03/ottawas-sex-it-smart-campaign-condom-gate-kerfuffle/

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Editorial: Equal protection for all

Editorial: Equal Protection for all - Daily Press - Hampton Roads, Virginia:

March 23, 2013 - "They are U.S. citizens. They pay taxes, vote and pay insurance premiums. They are parents, homeowners, community volunteers and even soldiers.

"Yet because government has decreed they are legally inferior, same-sex couples in some jurisdictions are not allowed to marry and they are denied federal benefits. Because such laws deny the basic constitutional protections guaranteed to all citizens, it is time to strike them down.

"On Tuesday and Wednesday ... the U.S. Supreme Court [heard] arguments in two cases: First, whether California's Proposition 8 defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman is unconstitutional. Second, whether Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act ("DOMA") — it defines "marriage" as "a legal union between one man and one woman" for all purposes under federal law, including benefits — is also unconstitutional.

"Our government, whether state or federal, has no business meddling in people's personal business by dictating whom they can and can't marry. Doing so sets a dangerous precedent for arbitrary discrimination for whatever reasons government — including future lawmakers — might decide are justifiable."

Read more: http://www.dailypress.com/news/opinion/dp-edt-marriageequality-editorial-20130323,0,2377879.story

Gary Johnson comes to Hillsdale College, Michigan, April 2

Libertarian party 2012 presidential candidate Gary Johnson comes to Michigan - Detroit Libertarian | Examiner.com - Donald Alley:

March 26, 2013 - "Governor Gary Johnson is coming to Hillsdale College on April 2, 2013 as part of his “Live Free” tour.....

"Johnson’s 2012 presidential run earned over 1.2 million votes nationwide ... the largest raw votes ever achieved by the Libertarian party.

"Regarding his Live Free Tour, Johnson said, 'As I have traveled across the nation over the past couple of years, it is clear that the ideas of small government, fiscal responsibility and greater respect for individual liberty resonate with young people. They understand that a $16 trillion debt, the erosion of civil liberty at the hands of the government, and the consequences of unnecessary intervention abroad are all going to end up on their shoulders. The purpose of the Our America Initiative and our Live Free Tour is to encourage a broader and, frankly, louder, public dialogue about these issues that are critical to the nation’s future. I’m excited to be visiting these campuses and to have an opportunity to not only speak, but to listen to the very real concerns of our young people.'"

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/article/libertarian-party-2012-presidential-candidate-gary-johnson-comes-to-michigan
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Libertarian Party of Canada now accepting donations in Bitcoin

Libertarian Party now accepting donations in Bitcoin (BTC) :: Wire Service Media:

March 22, 2013 - "The Libertarian Party is now accepting donations in Bitcoin (BTC) (1). The most significant advantages of Bitcoin are that the amount of Bitcoin is finite (2), and the software is open source (meaning anyone can read and understand exactly how the software works). Consequently, the amount of Bitcoin cannot be expanded -all current day government currencies are expanding their currency. Expanding currency, also called 'quantitative easing' or 'inflation' is the worst way that government makes money - the other two are through taxes and borrowing. Inflation hurts lower income families the most. The Bank of Canada is continually expanding the supply of Canadian dollars and the Canadian dollar is continually losing value. As the dollar is devalued, the price of goods and services tend to go up, resulting in an insidious tax on the productive working citizen."

Read more: http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=9983
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Editorial: GOP should embrace its inner libertarian | The Orange County Register

Editorial: GOP should embrace its inner libertarian - Opinion - The Orange County Register:

"Speaking to the Sacramento Press Club this month, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R- Bakersfield, opined that '[t]he Republican Party should embrace a little bit of our libertarianism.' If the GOP intends an ascent from the doldrums of powerlessness in California and great electoral victories elsewhere, Republicans should heed the congressman.

"In fact, had Republicans taken such advice during last year's presidential election, the Grand Old Party may have elected a few more Republicans to the Senate. In Montana, for example, Republican Danny Rehberg lost by just more than 18,000 votes, while a Libertarian Party candidate won nearly 32,000 votes. Had Republicans corralled some of those libertarian votes, the outcome would have been different.

"To do this, the Republicans must hold the line on economic issues by rejecting bailouts, subsidies, crony capitalism and corporate welfare, but must also change their tone on immigration reform and personal-freedom issues like gay marriage and marijuana legalization.

Read more: http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/republicans-500927-marriage-party.html
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Anti-libertarian nonsense: Government roads

Anti-libertarian nonsense: Those government roads | Washington Times Communities - Thomas Mullen:

March 22, 2013 - "Invariably, if a libertarian suggests any reduction in the power of the state, he is regaled with this supposedly devastating rejoinder:

"'So, I suppose I won’t see you driving on any of those government roads'....

"After being forced to purchase a road whether he wishes to or not and being virtually prohibited from building his own, exactly why should the libertarian not use the road he has paid for? Where is the contradiction in pointing out that the government road he was forced to buy would have been cheaper and of higher quality if it were produced by the market? Exactly why is he disingenuous or ungrateful by suggesting that the next road be financed the same way as houses and factories?....

"Of course, if the government didn’t build the roads, they wouldn’t exist, right? The proponents of this farcical idea should read some American history. For much our first century, the chief domestic policy debate was over whether the government should be allowed to subsidize roads, and the government side lost. As Tom Dilorenzo writes in How Capitalism Saved America,

"'But the fact is, most roads and canals were privately financed in the nineteenth century. Moreover, in virtually every instance in which state, local or federal government got involved in building roads and canals, the result was a financial debacle in which little or nothing was actually built and huge sums of taxpayer dollars were squandered or simply stolen.'"

Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/reawakening-liberty/2013/mar/22/anti-libertarian-nonsense-those-government-roads/
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A libertarian nightmare: Bitcoin meets Big Government

A libertarian nightmare: Bitcoin meets Big Government - Salon.com - Andrew Leonard:

March 22, 2013 - "Bitcoins are ... a form of monetary exchange invented in 2009 by a mysterious character who called himself “Satoshi Nakamoto” but then disappeared.... Bitcoins are undeniably cool: marvelously “mined” from the ore of computer processing power and electricity.... Bitcoin is the fulfillment of a libertarian dream, a currency created out of the workings of the free market, unaffiliated with any state authority, respectful and protective of user privacy and anonymity, and designed to resist inflationary pressures.

"That’s all fine and dandy, but then here comes the government with its strong suggestion that any organization that facilitates the exchange of Bitcoins into other non-virtual currencies needs to register with the proper authorities....

"The more popular Bitcoin gets, whether as a symbol of resistance or a perceived safe haven in financially troubled times, the more government attention it will inevitably draw, and the more inexorably it will be sucked into existing regulatory structures."

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2013/03/22/a_libertarian_nightmare_bitcoin_meets_big_government/
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Justin Amash considering Senate run | The Daily Caller

Rep. Justin Amash considering Senate run | The Daily Caller - Alex Pappas:

March 14, 2013 - "'Most recently, he had the honor of being distinguished as a libertarian "wacko bird" by Sen. John McCain'....The crowd of young libertarians sipping pints of Guinness at a downtown D.C. Irish pub on Wednesday night burst into applause.... The host concluded: 'Please join me in welcoming Congressman Justin Amash!'....

"With Michigan Democratic Sen. Carl Levin recently announcing his retirement from the U.S. Senate, Amash acknowledged during the Wednesday night 'Liberty on the Rocks' gathering at the D.C. bar Mackey’s that he is now thinking hard about jumping into the race to replace Levin in 2014.

"'The Senate seat in Michigan is an open seat,' Amash explained. 'I definitely will take a good look at it. But I have no plans in the immediate future to announce any campaign. So we got a ways to go, and I want to see how thing play out.'”

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/03/14/rep-justin-amash-considering-senate-run/
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Wisconsin Libertarian Party defends effort to legalize raw milk

Wisconsin Ag Connection - State's Libertarian Party Defends Effort to Legalize Raw Milk:

March 20, 2013 - "Leaders of the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin say the state government should have no right to stop people from selling or drinking raw milk. In a statement from the political group's chairman on Tuesday, Terry Gray claimed the current state law that prevents consumers from purchasing what he calls 'real' or unpasteurized milk demonstrates 'the power of the corporate dairy control over the legislature of America's Dairyland.'

"'Government health officials claim that all uncooked animal products are inherently dangerous, even if our forefathers seem to have thrived on raw milk up until the 1950s,' Gray said in his memo. 'Fresh dairy proponents insist that unpasteurized milk is tastier, healthier, and easier to digest. Ultimately, shouldn't informed consumers be the ones to decide whether to purchase this natural product -- or not?'

"State Senator Glenn Grothman of West Bend has said he plans to introduce a new bill this spring that would legalize the sales of unpasteurized milk under certain conditions. A similar bill was drafted last year, but failed to be brought up for a floor vote."

Read moe: http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=330&yr=2013
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George Will on "The rise of the libertarian strand of Republicanism" at CPAC

George Will: "What I Did See At CPAC Was The Rise Of The Libertarian Strand Of Republicanism" | RealClearPolitics:

March 17, 2013 - "GEORGE WILL: First, here's the New York Times headline on the CPAC conference 'GOP Divisions Fester at Conservative Retreat.' Festering – an infected wound – it's awful. I guarantee, if there were a liberal conclave comparable to this, and there were vigorous debates going on there, the New York Times headline would be 'Healthy diversity flourishes at liberal conclave'.

"Republicans have been arguing, social conservatives and libertarian free market conservatives, since the 1950s when the National Review was founded on the idea of a fusion of the two. It has worked before with Ronald Reagan. It can work again.

"What I did see at CPAC was the rise of the libertarian strand of Republicanism, which has an effect on foreign policy, that is a pullback from nation building and other kind of ambitions abroad that they never countenance from government at home, and a sense of live and let live with subjects such as decriminalization of certain drugs and gay marriage."

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/03/17/george_will_what_i_did_see_at_cpac_was_the_rise_of_the_libertarian_strand_of_republicanism.html
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Republican National Committee to GOP: Be more libertarian

Republican National Committee To GOP: Be More Libertarian - David Bier, Competitive Enterprise Institiute:

March 18, 2013 - "If there is one message underlying all the recommendations from the recently released Republican National Committee strategy guide, it is that the Grand Old Party should heed the advice of libertarians: Focus on free-market economics, become more socially inclusive, and work to reform, rather than immediately abolish, the welfare state.

"'We need to remain America’s conservative alternative to big-government, redistribution-to-extremes liberalism, while building a route into our Party that a non-traditional Republican will want to travel,' declares the report prepared by a team of GOP strategists. 'We are the party of private-sector economic growth because that is the best way to create jobs and opportunity.'

"But the party clearly lacks a compelling vision for voters. In the strategists’ meetings with voters, the party was repeatedly called 'narrow minded' and 'out of touch.' Freedom in both social and economic spheres, the report details, is the only solution."

Read more: http://www.openmarket.org/2013/03/18/republican-national-committee-to-gop-be-more-libertarian/
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Dorian Electra: libertarian at heart but not as a label (video)

Dorian Electra Interview: Libertarian at heart but not as a label - National Libertarian news | Examiner.com - Garry Reed:

March 16, 2013 - "Dorian Electra ... a teenage singing phenom who launched her career with love lyrics for Friedrich Hayek would later disavow her libertarian label.

"She agreed to an interview after saying 'I need to think very carefully about how I articulate my thoughts'....  Now Dorian Electra Fridkin Gomberg offers those 'articulated thoughts' in this exclusive Libertarian News Examiner interview.

Do you consider yourself to be a libertarian?

"I’m against the use of force, intimidation, fraud.... I’d like to live in a world where coercion is minimized as much as possible.... I have called myself a 'libertarian' in the past before, but in my experience, ... political labels ... can be off-putting and over-simplifying. Not labeling myself has opened more people up to dialogue with me about the actual ideas, rather than assume they know what I believe because of a label."

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/article/dorian-electra-interview-libertarian-at-heart-but-not-as-a-label
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Libertarian Konwinski to run for mayor - Toledo Blade

Libertarian Konwinski plans to run for mayor - Toledo Blade -Tom Troy:

March 12,2013 - "Michael Konwinski on Tuesday announced his candidacy for Toledo mayor on the Libertarian Party ticket....

"Mr. Konwinski, 57, of West Bancroft Street, retired in December after 30 years with the city, including in water distribution, environmental services, and the finance department. When he retired, he was involved as an analyst in converting the city’s payroll from a third-party provider to an in-house software program, he said.

"He said his goal would be to use his experience to lower the cost of city government, and ultimately the city payroll tax, by reducing unnecessary administrative and managerial positions and reorganizing some city divisions. 'If we can cut costs, that makes Toledo more attractive to people to move here,' he said."

Read more: http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2013/03/13/Libertarian-Konwinski-plans-to-run-for-mayor.html
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At CPAC, the future looks libertarian | TIME

At CPAC, The Future Looks Libertarian | TIME.com - Zeke Miller:

March 15, 2013 - "Give Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) points for timing: the 2013 Conservative Political Action Committee is shaping up to be a libertarian victory lap....

"Riding high a week after his 13-hour filibuster against the Obama administration’s drone policy, Paul was greeted with wild applause and is seen as a lock to win the conference’s annual straw poll. The halls of the massive convention center and hotel were packed with “Stand with Rand” stickers and signs. Elsewhere the libertarian-leaning Tea Party News Network is a major sponsor of the program, providing complimentary wi-fi for all attendees. More moderate 2016 contenders like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell weren’t invited. Sen. Marco Rubio was greeted tepidly in advance of Paul’s address....

"The younger Paul even scored overwhelming applause at the conservative conference for decriminalizing drug use, speaking for the 'Facebook Generation' that he believes that Republican Party needs to embrace.... 'They are the core though of the leave-me-alone coalition,' Paul said. 'They doubt Social Security will be there for them, they worry about jobs and rent and money and student loans… They aren’t afraid of individual liberty. Ask the Facebook generation if we should put a kid in jail for the non-violent crime of drug use and you’ll hear a resounding "no". Ask the Facebook generation if they want to bail out too big big to fail banks with their hard earned tax dollars and you’ll hear a "hell no".’"

Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2013/03/15/at-cpac-the-future-looks-libertarian/#ixzz2NeAAlGHj
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U.S. judge blocks New York City ban on giant fizzy drinks

U.S. judge blocks New York City ban on giant fizzy drinks - Agence France-Press, GlobalPost:

March 11, 2013 -  "A New York judge blocked mayor Michael Bloomberg's planned ban on giant sodas Monday, dealing a setback to his public health agenda just hours before curbs on selling such drinks were due to begin.

"Judge Milton Tingling ruled that measures to restrict soda servings to a maximum of 16 ounces (470 milliliters) in restaurants and other venues, were 'arbitrary and capricious,' and he was barring the plan 'permanently.'

Bloomberg ... quickly denounced the judge's decision on sodas as 'clearly wrong,' and said the city would appeal. 'I am trying to do what is right to save lives. Obesity kills,' a visibly angry Bloomberg told reporters....

"Opinion polls over the summer indicated that a majority of New Yorkers opposed the limited ban, with some suggesting the mayor was impinging on civil liberties and others arguing the rules would not be effective.

"Industry lobby groups led by the American Beverage Association (ABA) and the National Restaurant Association took the court action that led to Monday's judgment, and they praised the decision."

Read more: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130311/us-judge-blocks-new-york-ban-giant-fizzy-drinks
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Libertarian launches video documentary guide for candidates

Libertarian citizen-candidates learning as they go - National Independent | Examiner.com - Mark Wachtler:

March 12, 2013 - "America’s electoral system is riddled with booby traps, landmines and incomprehensible rules seemingly put in place to prohibit regular Americans from ever running. And while most honest and sincere candidates are thrown off the ballot or never get that far to begin with, one Libertarian NY State Senate candidate is paving the way for the rest.

"That Libertarian candidate is Gigi Bowman from Long Island. A long-time Libertarian Party activist, ...  she’s creating a video documentary detailing her experience – mistakes, revelations, corruption and all....

"Bowman’s debut five-minute candidate video goes on to take viewers to her own local Board of Elections website, where she maneuvers endless categories and subject headings in her quest to satisfy the extremely stringent laws and rules governing a run for office."

http://www.examiner.com/article/libertarian-citizen-candidates-learning-as-they-go
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Life And Liberty – Libertarian blog launched to promote liberty ideas, videos and more

Life And Liberty – Libertarian Blog Launched To Promote Liberty Ideas, Videos And More:

March 12, 2013 - "Libertarian ideas have been promoted stronger and stronger these last 4 years since the election of Obama, the explosion of the tea party and the start of the occupy wall street movement. Ideas such as: Fair tax, sound money, abolishment of the income tax, total deregulation of the health care system, massive reduction of the U.S. foreign bases and more.

"World News Libertarian is a blog for any person that would like to know more about the party. According to Mike Spence, the founder: 'I created this blog to help educate people more about libertarians, after reading numerous books, looking at videos online, then looking at my own beliefs, I decided that libertarian ideas and the party was sometimes getting a bad reputation.  I hope the blog will be beneficial to people in the democrat and republican party and around the world.'"

Read more: http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=171344
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Visit: http://www.worldnewslibertarian.com

36 hours that changed the GOP

Libertarians Say That Rand Paul's Historic Filibuster Fundamentally Changed The Republican Party - Business Insider - Grace Wyler:

March 8, 2013 - "Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul has emerged from his 13-hour filibuster as a national political leader, having unexpectedly unified divergent wings of the Republican Party on the issue of civil liberties.

"For libertarians, Paul's filibuster — and the groundswell of support for it across the conservative spectrum — was a crowning moment, signaling their reintegration into the mainstream Republican Party, which has largely dismissed, and even mocked, libertarian notions about civil liberties in the decade since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "

"'This was a very big deal. In 36 hours, the Republican Party has completely changed,' said Brian Doherty, a senior editor at Reason magazine.... 'It started with Rand Paul, and then it was just [Sens.] Mike Lee and Ted Cruz. And then you had people like Marco Rubio and Saxby Chambliss joining in. And by the end of it, [Republican Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell was on the floor saying he was going to block [CIA Director John] Brennan's confirmation, and [RNC Chairman] Reince Priebus was tweeting that Senators should go join Rand Paul.'"

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/libertarians-say-that-rand-pauls-historic-filibuster-fundamentally-changed-the-republican-party-2013-
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Canadian conservatives warmly welcome Ron Paul - Canadian Press

Conservatives warmly welcome former U.S. Republican hopeful Ron Paul - Jennifer Ditchburn, Canadian Press - Montreal Gazette:

March 8, 2013 - "OTTAWA - America's foremost libertarian, Ron Paul, received a standing ovation Friday from Canadian conservatives gathered for an annual conference, after a speech that advocated the abolition of central banks, income tax and social programs....

"Few Conservative parliamentarians attended Paul's morning speech, in which he encapsulated his views on the primacy of individual liberty and the problems with current economic models — all centred on the concept of government getting out of the way of people's lives and the free market.

"Paul — formerly a Republican leadership candidate and congressman— is an opponent of centralized monetary policy, government support for industry, federal social programs and the regulation of illicit drugs. At home, he has advocated for the abolition of the federal health and education departments.

"'Wouldn't it be correct to assume that the fruits of your labour are also yours to keep?' Paul said, interrupted by applause."

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Conservatives+warmly+welcome+former+Republican+hopeful/8069155/story.html
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Ron Paul criticizes ‘irrationality’ of Canada’s drug laws

Ron Paul criticizes ‘irrationality’ of Canada’s drug laws - Graham Lanktree, Metro:

 March 8, 2013 - "Republican libertarian Ron Paul told Canada to drop drug laws and mandatory minimum sentences at this year’s Manning Centre‘s networking conference.

 "'I don’t think common sense comes from the government very often,' Paul told a standing-room only crowd at the Convention Centre in downtown Ottawa. 'If you compare illegal drugs to prescription drugs, a lot more people died from prescription drug abuse. That is the irrationality of drug laws that tell people what they can put in their mouths and what they can put in their bodies.'

"In a talk with media after his address, the 77-year-old trained physician and former presidential candidate criticized mandatory minimum sentences for drugs recently brought in by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.... 'Sometimes these mandatory sentences in The States have put people in prison for life when they have not committed a violent crime,' Paul said. 'We would like to see the judges have some leeway on putting these people in jail.'

 "During his address, Paul told the crowd of conservatives the world is witnessing 'the failure of Keynesian economic planning,' and that free markets are the only way to bring fiscal equality."

Read more: http://metronews.ca/news/ottawa/588017/drop-drug-laws-ron-paul-tells-canada/

Donald DeZarn announces Libertarian candidacy for NJ's 14th district state senator

Dining hall manager DeZarn announces Libertarian candidacy for 14th district state senator - The Daily Princetonian - Michael Grandvetter:

"Donald DeZarn has announced that he will run as the Libertarian candidate in November’s election for state senator of the 14th Legislative District of New Jersey. While his platform includes advocacy for small businesses and free enterprise, he said he also hopes to initiate a dialogue on what he calls “sensitive” issues by openly supporting gay marriage and the legalization of marijuana.

"Because the New Jersey Libertarian Party does not conduct a primary election, DeZarn will automatically be nominated at a statewide Libertarian convention on March 16. He will run against the incumbent Democratic Senator Linda Greenstein. The Republican Party has not yet announced any candidates.

"The 2013 run for state senator will be DeZarn’s first political campaign. He has been employed by Dining Services for the past 17 years, although he took a yearlong military leave in 2005 to serve in the Iraq War."

Read more: http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2013/03/06/33007/
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Rand Paul uses 13-hour filibuster to block CIA director nomination amid drone revelations

Rand Paul filibuster goes nearly 13 hours, blocking John Brennan nomination | World | News | National Post:  (Associated Press)

March 7, 2013 - "WASHINGTON — A Republican senator and tea party favorite from Kentucky used an old-style filibuster lasting nearly 13 hours to take control of the chamber and block Senate confirmation of John Brennan’s nomination to be CIA director.

"Sen. Rand Paul ended his filibuster Thursday shortly after midnight, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, also a Kentucky Republican, said he would continue to oppose Brennan’s confirmation and resist ending the debate on President Barack Obama’s nominee to lead the spy agency.

"Paul’s performance, which centered on questions about the possible use of drones against targets in the United States, clearly energized a number of his GOP colleagues, who came to the floor in a show of support and to share in the speaking duties. And even as the night progressed, Paul appeared invigorated despite being on his feet for so long. Actual talking filibusters have become rare in the Senate, where the rules are typically used in procedural ways to block the other party’s agenda."





Read more: http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/03/07/republican-sen-rand-paul-uses-epic-filibuster-to-block-obamas-cia-director-nomination-amid-drone-revelations/
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The Libertarian Republican Heritage by Justin Raimondo - Part II

The Libertarian Republican Heritage (Part II) by Justin Raimondo -- Antiwar.com:

March 6, 2013 - "In the summer of 1983, there was a major split in the Libertarian Party.... The split took out a good portion of the Party’s leading activists, and most of the money: although at the time the internal conflict looked to be over organizational and even personal issues, the split went much deeper than that – but it took time for the differences to play out....

"In the wake of what was a debilitating split, two problems with the LP appeared insuperable: 1) it was clear to me, and a few others, that the LP had peaked. After a few years of seemingly unstoppable growth ... we saw no opportunities for further growth, which led to the second big problem with the LP: ballot access laws. More than half the Party’s resources were spent just getting on the ballot: after that, there wasn’t much left to put into actually campaigning.

"It was time, a few of us decided, to enter the Republican party – not as any kind of capitulation to conservatism, or Reaganism, but as an organized group with an ideological agenda. And so, in the summer of 1986, the Libertarian Republican Organizing Committee was born."

Read more: http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2013/03/05/the-libertarian-republican-heritage-part-ii/
Part I: http://gdspoliticalanimal.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-libertarian-republican-heritage-by.html
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Joseph S. Diedrich interviews Jeffrey Tucker

Libertarian America: A conversation with Jeffrey Tucker | Washington Times Communities - Joseph S. Diedrich:

March 3, 2013 - "Jeffrey Tucker is the Executive Editor of Laissez-Faire Books and the primus inter pares of the Laissez-Faire Club, which seeks to apply 'a conventional commercial model of the digital world, like Pandora or Spotify, to the topical area of classical liberalism.' He has written three books on libertarian ideas: Bourbon for Breakfast, It’s a Jetsons World, and A Beautiful Anarchy....

"Born and raised in Texas, Tucker studied at Howard Payne University and Texas Tech University. He was a graduate student at George Mason University and is an alumnus of the National Journalism Center. Today, he is widely known and recognized for his omnipresent bowties.

"I spoke again with Tucker recently. Here is some of that conversation:"

Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/business-living/2013/mar/3/books-bowties-and-bourbon-conversation-jeffrey-tuc/#ixzz2Miudgj9s
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The Libertarian Republican Heritage by Justin Raimondo -- Part 1

The Libertarian Republican Heritage by Justin Raimondo -- Antiwar.com:

Part I: From the Old Right to the New Nixon: Downhill All the Way

March 4, 2013 "The Republican party wasn’t always the party of war, unlimited military spending, and reckless foreign entanglements. There is a long albeit largely unknown tradition of opposition to militarism in the GOP, starting with the so-called "isolationist" opposition to US intervention in World War II and continuing right up until the 1960s....

"The conservative wing of the Republican party had been at the center of opposition to US entry into World War II. They had rightly feared two things: 1) that the war would rescue the Soviet Union from certain destruction, and 2) that we would defeat national socialism on the battlefield, only to find it had triumphed on the home front. In his public pronouncements, President Franklin Roosevelt bowed to popular opinion, which was overwhelmingly opposed to entering the European war, while slowly but surely – and covertly – involving us on the side of Great Britain. He was opposed in this by a coalition of conservative Republicans and Midwestern progressives, such as the Democratic Senator Burton K. Wheeler, who resisted the New Deal as a quasi-totalitarian betrayal of American ideals, and who also saw foreign intervention as a way for the New Dealers to further centralize power in Washington and cement their own dominance of the political landscape."

"The major anti-war organization of that time, the America First Committee, was founded and funded by conservative Republican Midwestern businessmen, such as Gen. Robert E. Woods, the head of Sears & Roebuck, and Henry Regnery, a Chicago businessman who would later go on to establish the first large scale conservative book publisher.... At its height, the Committee had 800,000 dues-paying members, and the sympathies of 75 percent of the American people.

"In those days, it was the left that constituted the core of the War Party. While ostensibly opposed to US intervention in principle, the far-left – that is, the Communist Party and its fellow travelers – turned on a dime the moment Germany invaded the Soviet Union. From that point on, it was the Communists who were in the vanguard of the War Party: it was they who led the vicious attack [on] the America Firsters as pro-Nazi and demanded they be prosecuted for treason....

"When war finally came, the America First Committee dissolved.... Rationing was imposed: the economy was militarized, and a wave of political repression swept the nation from coast to coast, as thousands of Japanese-Americans were put in concentration camps and political dissenters from both sides of the political spectrum were charged with 'sedition.' The federal government spent 43 percent of the gross domestic product in the years 1943-45.... A country that had once been the freest on earth was now only half-free, with the rudiments of the welfare state established and thriving. Worse, the outlines of the American empire began to take shape: far from freeing the US from the alleged necessity of meddling in the affairs of other nations, our victory only presaged a deeper involvement."

Read more: http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2013/03/03/the-libertarian-republican-heritage/
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Cato Institute: Sequestration won't adversely affect most Americans

Cato Institute to Malzberg: Sequestration Won’t Devastate Most People - Bill Hoffmann, Newsmax:

March 1, 2013 - "Yes, it’s serious, but sequestration will not have cataclysmic consequences for the average person as some have feared, according to Michael Tanner, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute.

"'If you receive a government paycheck or you’re a government contractor … there’s going to be a certain amount of pain in the future,' Tanner told Steve Malzberg on Newsmax TV’s The Steve Malzberg Show.... 'But for the average American, I don’t think they’re going to see anywhere near the type of consequences that we’re hearing about.'

"Tanner ... said the amount of the cut in question is far less than everybody thinks. 'They keep talking about $85 billion, but the reality is $41 billion of that is cuts in future years that are attributed budgetarily to this year but don’t actually occur.... If it’s $44 billion, which I believe it is, it’s 1.2 percent of federal spending, and that’s from a budget that’s set to increase.'"

"Tanner said the government will actually will spend more money ... next year than it did this year. 'So we’re not even reducing spending. We’re simply slowing the rate of growth,' he said.'"

Read more: http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Cato-Institute-Steve-Malzberg/2013/03/01/id/492737
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Libertarian Party of Kentucky holding annual convention this weekend

Libertarian Party of Kentucky Holding Annual Convention This Weekend | WFPL - Philip M. Bailey:

March 1, 2013 - "The Libertarian Party of Kentucky is gathering in Bowling Green this weekend for its annual convention.

"Last year, Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson received less than one percent of the vote in Kentucky and the party has no officeholders at the state or federal level.

"But the party has seen a 30 percent increase in registration over the past nine months, and recently opened up new chapters in Boone and Campbell county.

"Ken Moellman is a former libertarian candidate for state treasurer and is chairing the convention. He says reaching local voters is becoming equally important to the party, and more candidates will be running for those offices in the coming "

Read more: http://www.wfpl.org/post/libertarian-party-kentucky-holding-annual-convention-weekend
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