4 New Year's resolutions for Trump & Congress

The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity : New Year’s Resolutions for Donald Trump and Congress - Ron Paul:

In the spirit of New Year’s, here are four resolutions for President-elect Trump and Congress that will enable them to really make America great again:

1) Audit the Fed….and then end it: The Federal Reserve Bank's easy money policies have eroded the American people’s standard of living and facilitated the growth of the welfare-warfare state. The Fed is also responsible for the growth in income inequality. Yet Congress still refuses to pass Audit the Fed, much less end it.

During the campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump promised that Audit the Fed would be part of his first 100 days agenda.... President-elect Trump should keep his promise and work with Congress to pass Audit the Fed and finally let the American people know the truth about the Fed’s conduct of monetary policy. Then, of course, end the Fed.

2) Bring the troops home: President Barack Obama has not only failed to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan and Iraq, he has further destabilized the Middle East [and] ... brought us to the brink of a new Cold War.

President-elect Trump has criticized the 2003 Iraq war and promised to end nation-building. However, he has also made hawkish statements... Trump also supported increasing the Pentagon’s already bloated budget.

America cannot afford to continue wasting trillions of dollars in a futile effort to act as the world’s policeman.... [I]f Donald Trump is serious about charting a new course in foreign policy, his first act as president should be to withdraw US troops from around the globe. He should also veto any budget that does not drastically cut spending on militarism.

3) Repeal Obamacare: Obamacare has raised healthcare costs for millions of Americans while denying them access to the providers of their choice. Public dissatisfaction with Obamacare played a major role in Donald Trump’s election....

While it is reasonable to have a transition to a new healthcare system, Congress must avoid the temptation to replace Obamacare with “Obamacare lite.” Congress must pass, and President Trump must sign, a true free-market health care plan that restores control over healthcare to individuals.

4) Cut Taxes and Spending: President-elect Trump and Congressional leadership both favor tax reform. However, some leading Republicans have recently said they will not support any tax reform plan that is not 'revenue neutral'....

"Fiscal hawks concerned with increasing federal deficits should stop trying to increase tax revenues and join with supporters of limited government to drastically cut federal spending. Congress should prioritize ending corporate welfare, reducing military spending, and shutting down unconstitutional federal agencies like the Department of Education.

"If President Trump and Congress spend the next six months passing Audit the Fed, ending our militaristic foreign policy, repealing Obamacare and replacing it with a true free-market health care system, and cutting both spending and taxes, they will begin to make America great again. If they fail to take these steps, then the American people will know they have been fooled again."

Copyright © 2016 by RonPaul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.

Read more: http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2016/december/26/new-year-s-resolutions-for-donald-trump-and-congress/
'via Blog this'

Police to return student's $11,000 life savings

Victim of Airport Seizure Gets His $11,000 Back With Interest - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Jacob Sullum:

Dec. 1, 2016 - "Charles Clarke, the college student who was robbed of $11,000 in cash by cops at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport two years ago, will get his money back with interest under an agreement he reached with the Justice Department this week. Claiming Clarke's checked suitcase smelled of marijuana, the cops argued that the money in his carry-on bag must have something to do with drugs.... Clarke challenged the forfeiture with help from the Institute for Justice [I.J.]....

"Clarke, who admitted smoking pot but insisted he had never sold it, had saved the money over five years from wages, financial aid, and family gifts. He took it with him for safekeeping while visiting relatives in Cincinnati and was stopped on the way back to his home in Florida by an airport detective and a local police officer who had been deputized by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Their agencies benefit from federal forfeitures through the Justice Department's Equitable Sharing Program.

"To take the money, the cops needed only probable cause to believe it was connected to illegal drug activity in some way; they did not even have to specify how.... Although the cops found no drugs in Clarke's bags or on his person and did not charge him with a crime, the [alleged] pot smell and the large amount of cash were enough to make the money disappear....

"To keep the money, the government theoretically had to show that it more likely than not came from selling drugs or was intended to buy them. But that burden applied only if Clarke had the means to challenge the forfeiture once the government had taken his savings. Innocent owners often find that standing up for their rights costs more than the value of the property they are trying to get back....

"'Charles is very pleased that he will get his life savings back and that the whole ordeal is now behind him,' said I.J. attorney Darpana Sheth. 'Civil forfeiture is wrong. It allows law enforcement to seize and keep property without ever charging someone with a crime. Even worse, it encourages law enforcement to seize as much money and property as possible by allowing agencies to keep the proceeds for themselves. The Institute for Justice will continue to lead the fight to abolish civil forfeiture and end this perverse financial incentive.'"

Read more: http://reason.com/blog/2016/12/01/victim-of-airport-forfeiture-gets-his-11
'via Blog this'

Libertarians end year with 38-state ballot access

The 2016 Election's Biggest Winner: Gary Johnson and The Libertarian Party? - IVN.us - W.E. Messamore:

November 12, 2016 - "The Libertarian Party is now an officially recognized party for the next election in [38] states, the highest ever for the burgeoning third party. Here’s a breakdown of the gains state by state from the LP’s website:

• The Texas LP retained ballot access with Railroad Commission candidate Mark Miller receiving over 5 percent. The party would have had to collect over 80,000 signatures to get back on the ballot if no statewide candidate received 5 percent. This will save the party approximately $220,000 in petitioning cost.
• The LP retained ballot access in North Carolina for four years with Gary Johnson and the gubernatorial candidate, Lon Cecil, each getting over 2 percent. The party would have had to collect over 100,000 signatures to get back on the ballot if neither the presidential nor gubernatorial candidate got 2 percent, saving the party approximately $250,000 in petitioning cost.
• Iowa and Kentucky LPs are recognized parties for the first time, with Gary Johnson getting over 2 percent in both states.
• The New Hampshire LP is a recognized party for the first time in two decades due to gubernatorial candidate Max Abramson getting over 4 percent.
• The DC party is recognized for the second time ever, with candidate for Delegate to the US House of Representatives Martin Moulton getting over 17,000 votes.
• The LP retained ballot access in North Dakota, with Gary Johnson getting over 6 percent.
• In Connecticut, Libertarian Dan Reale for US House in the second congressional district, Richard Lion for US Senate, and Gary Johnson for President all received over one percent of the vote. As a result, the party will not have to petition in these races in the next election.
• Massachusetts’ LP is a recognized party again, with Gary Johnson getting over 3 percent.
• West Virginia’s LP retained ballot access for four years due to David Moran receiving over 2 percent in his race for governor.

"Instant ballot access in these states’ next election, just like the Republican and Democratic parties get, is a coveted status that will save the Libertarian Party a small fortune in money, time, and energy previously wasted on petitioning efforts just to get on the ballot.

"That’s resources that can go toward more fundraising, registering more voters, campaign ads, poaching disaffected voters from the two major parties, and making the case for Libertarian policies to unaffiliated independent voters."

Read more: http://ivn.us/2016/11/12/2016-elections-biggest-winner-gary-johnson-libertarian-party/
'via Blog this'

Rapper Fauconier running for Virgina senate

Libertarian rapper's anthem for Virginia Senate run: 'You can't win it if you don't get in it' - Richmond Times-Dispatch: Local News - Graham Moomaw:

December 26, 2016 - "On his latest hip-hop track, Corey Fauconier asks listeners to 'embrace things that are a little different' and jumps right to the hook.

"'You can’t win it if you don’t get in it. So it’s Fauconier for Virginia state Senate. Lyrics are sick like I’m straight out the clinic. MSB produced so you know that WE GET IT!'

"A 45-year-old Libertarian activist from Highland Springs, Fauconier, who goes by 'Sage' when he performs, is a firm believer in music’s power to rally people behind a cause.

With just a few weeks to run an independent campaign against longtime Del. Jennifer L. McClellan, D-Richmond, in a Jan. 10 special election in the heavily Democratic 9th Senate District, he’ll need a surprise smash hit.

"A New York native who moved to the Richmond area after Sept. 11, Fauconier has had a variety of sales and customer service jobs and currently works as a manager at a company that transports railroad workers.

"In his forays into politics, hip-hop is front and center. 'Delegate on Twitter talking hella spit. The Libertarian Party’s not having it. I got a right to bear arms, empty this lyrical clip. It’s a open carry state I’m not concealing it,' Fauconier raps in the song 'Get In It,' which he released last week along with a lyrics sheet bearing his campaign logo.

"In an interview, Fauconier, who supported Libertarian Gary Johnson in the presidential election, said he brings a fresh perspective and will work to appeal to the full range of political thought in the district.... 'There are tea party folks. There are Republicans. There are independents,' he said. 'You have to across the board address everybody'....

"Fauconier said he was inspired by Libertarian Robert Sarvis, who ran for Virginia governor in 2013 and U.S. Senate in 2014. He found the message intriguing, but at Libertarian gatherings, he was often the only African-American in the room. That, he said, was baffling.

"'Because all African-Americans have ever said since the earliest time is we want freedom and we want liberty,' Fauconier said."

Read more: http://www.richmond.com/news/local/article_572bea37-c0c6-5468-ae15-92185add2c94.html
'via Blog this'

Over-regulation injuring Oregon cannabis industry

Are regulations crippling Oregon’s fledgling marijuana market? - Watchdog.org - John Crowe:

December 19, 2016 - "Oregon is rolling out its new recreational cannabis market, but pro-pot groups say state regulations are already choking producers and retailers.

"The regulations, implemented Oct. 1, mandate the most stringent pre-sale testing requirements of any regulated cannabis market in the United States. The rules, which apply to dispensaries, growers and anyone who transfers marijuana for ultimate sale to consumers, set guidelines for pot labeling, transferring, packaging, testing and concentration limits.

"Don Morse, owner of the Human Collective, a Portland dispensary, says his business has suffered from the new regulations. The company has laid off five employees since October and is struggling to maintain its supply of marijuana products.

“'We went from one set of tests that seemed to be effective, where no one got hurt, to where we are today where the shelves are empty,' said Morse, who also serves as director of the Oregon Cannabis Business Council, an industry trade group....

"There are currently only four pesticide accredited labs tasked with serving the state’s more than 400 retailers.... Of the cannabis product that has been tested, Morse claims between 40 percent and 60 percent has failed because the list of chemicals is so inclusive, and the minimum threshold so low, growers have been unable to comply....

"While Morse and other pro-legalization forces initially accepted the new regulations as a necessary step forward, others warned that the lack of accredited pesticide testing labs would cause a supply constraint. A report produced by Beau Whitney, owner of Whitney Economics, a consulting firm specializing in the cannabis market, confirmed the predictions of industry naysayers.

"Based on a survey of 683 cannabis business owners in Oregon, Whitney found that a lack of accredited labs has created a production bottleneck. The decrease in available product subsequently has led to higher prices, a loss of tax revenue and a resurgence of the black market....

"Whitney projects a loss of $10 million in tax revenue for the fourth quarter relative to the average for the previous three quarters. In addition, he found that 22 percent of respondents said they were going out of business, and a majority of businesses said they would be forced to lay off employees. The report also estimates black market consumption will increase $187.5 million on an annualized basis due to higher prices and lower supply."

Read more: http://watchdog.org/284098/regulations-crippling-oregon-fledgling-marijuana-market/
'via Blog this'

Seasteaders negotiating with French Polynesia

Seasteaders Plan to Build a Libertarian Utopia on the High Seas | Big Think - Philip Perry:

December 22, 2016 - "Looking at the world today ... one might easily dream of escaping to their own small, well-designed utopia.... Usually, religious persecution was the push factor. For a group of modern day libertarians, it's government overreach. But today, with almost all the land on Earth accounted for, this group has set their eyes on a different kind of real estate, the high seas.

"The idea is to build a floating city at least 200 miles off of a country’s coastline. This is international waters by UN treaty, out of the reach of the world’s governments. But creating a seafaring utopia isn’t so simple. The Seasteading Institute is now in friendly talks with French Polynesia. Among the movements bigwigs is PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, who is currently helping the Trump campaign in their transition into the White House. Jim O’Neil, who worked for the second Bush administration and is a possible Trump FDA appointee, is another.

"Thiel is a co-founder of the Seasteading Institute, along with Patri Friedman, a former Google software engineer and grandson of famed economist Milton Freedman. Thiel and Friedman announced their plan in 2008. Should the president of the French territory sign off, the project could begin as early as 2017. It is slated for completion in 2020. Thiel, who invested $1.7 million in the project, has spoken of the settlement as a libertarian utopia. Though no longer on the board, he continues to support the project financially.

"Originally, the plan was to be completely independent. But the estimated cost of such a project was $225 million, with an annual operating cost of $8 million. Soon, seasteaders were starting to see the benefits of having a nation to partner up with. French Polynesia was chosen because it has a fiber cable run from Hawaii which allows for the same kind of bandwidth would-be residents are used to, and it’s only an eight hour flight from Los Angeles. For French Polynesians, whose land is being threatened from sea level rise due to global warming, the idea of a floating city has tremendous appeal. Though for a period there, it looked as if the project may never see fruition, the plans are now awaiting the signature of the French Polynesian president....

"The plan entails building two or three platforms off the island chain, each about half a football field long. These will have on their surface communities housing around 30 people each. One model displays streamlined buildings reminiscent of a tech campus, along with a beachfront area, and a full size swimming pool....

"As it stands now, construction alone is projected at $30 million. Each platform will cost $15 million. A small group of anonymous investors are said to be footing the bill, all of whom will become residents. In 2013, the project raised $27,000 via a crowdfunding campaign. But according to the institute’s director, those funds have already been paid to Norwegian design company DeltaSync, seemingly to engineer models for the platforms....

"It was former software engineer Wayne Gramlich’s 1998 book, SeaSteading: Homesteading on the High Seas, that inspired this current venture. Gramlich and Friedman together developed the initiative, which Thiel initially funded. Though a long and strenuous process awaits, one with an unknown outcome, seasteaders are in it for the long haul."

Read more: http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/seasteaders-plan-to-build-a-libertarian-utopia-on-the-high-seas
'via Blog this'

Scab Santa booted from NS school by union

Santa Claus Kicked Out Of School For Failing To Follow Labor Union Regulations - Ted Goodman, Libertarian Republic:

December 23, 2016 - "'Santa Claus' ran into trouble with a local Canadian labor union after attempting to bring some Christmas treats to a Nova Scotia elementary school this week.

"Three firefighters, including one dressed as Santa, showed up to a local elementary school in New Waterford, Novia Scotia, when a union representative forced the cheerful trio to leave the premises.

"'The principal came out and just informed us she had been contacted by a representative from the union. Someone had called the union I guess and … she was told we were in violation of the work to rule and we had to leave,' Raymond Eksal, fire chief of the Scotchtown Volunteer Fire Department in eastern Nova Scotia ... told the Toronto Star....

"Teachers in the province, represented by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, are in the third week of a 'work-to-rule' campaign, which includes the cancellation of all extracurricular activities, field trips, concerts and sports. Teachers are only supposed to focus on teaching, which means no guests in the classroom, including the big jolly red man himself.

"'We knew that the [local Christmas concert] was cancelled due to the work-to-rule, which we could understand … but I guess there was something lost in the translation,' Eksal said. 'We didn’t realize it was also cancelling Santa Claus,' he explained.

"'During work-to-rule, teachers are only focused on teaching. This means guest speakers are not permitted in the classroom,' Liette Doucet, a representative of the union, said....

"'That being said, at the discretion of the school board, there is nothing preventing Santa from visiting the students during their lunch hour,' Doucet assured the public and concerned parents."

Read more: http://thelibertarianrepublic.com/santa-claus-school-labor-union/
'via Blog this'