NSA vote a sign of House GOP’s growing libertarianism

NSA vote a sign of House GOP’s growing libertarianism | The Daily Caller:

July 30, 2013 - "On Thursday, the day after the House narrowly rejected an amendment to the defense appropriations bill that would have cut funding to the National Security Agency’s mass surveillance programs, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told reporters that he’s concerned the national counterterrorism debate is drifting in a libertarian direction....

"The so-called Amash amendment would have modified Section 215 of the Patriot Act to prevent security agencies from scooping up telephone metadata on Americans who aren’t under investigation for espionage or terrorism. The amendment failed, 205-217, but not along normal partisan lines: 94 Republicans and 111 Democrats voted for it, and 134 Republicans and 83 Democrats voted against it....

"Of the 129 House Republicans* who entered Congress in January 2009 or later, 65 voted for the Amash amendment, 60 voted against it, and four didn’t vote. Of the 105 House Republicans who entered Congress before the financial crisis, 29 voted for the Amash amendment, 74 voted against it, and two didn’t vote.

"The generational divide that the vote exposed suggests that the Republican Party is moving away from the national-security conservatism that dominated GOP politics in the years following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks."

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/07/30/nsa-vote-a-sign-of-house-gops-growing-libertarianism
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Cato Institute report advocates denying immigrants welfare

Libertarian Think Tank: Build a Wall Around Welfare - ABC News - Jim Avila and Serena Marshall:

July 24, 2013 - "While the libertarian Cato Institute admits  that immigrants overwhelmingly come to the United States to work and not to go on welfare, to appease right-wing critics of immigration reform it has developed a plan to deny any federal benefits to tax-paying undocumented workers, even after they achieve legal status.

"The goal of the report, titled 'Building a Wall Around the Welfare State, Instead of the Country,' is to provide a 'blueprint'.... It outlines ways to deny immigrants and the undocumented access to any means-tested welfare programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and food stamps.

"'We tried to address the issue about certain use and abuse by noncitizens, no matter how small it is,' Alexander Nowrasteh, policy analyst for Cato and author of the report, said. 'It is necessary to convince those skeptics or those who are in the middle — the honest observers of the debate who are trying to come to a decision about the benefits of immigration reform.'"

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/07/libertarian-think-tank-build-a-wall-around-welfare/
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Liberty Now conference in Toronto October 26

Liberty Now:

"Join in a conversation on the current and future state of the liberty movement in Canada.
Saturday  October 26, 2013
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
University of Toronto, Victoria College - 91 Charles St. W. Toronto
Tickets include lunch: TBA Regular  TBA Students  TBA at-the-door "

Liberty Now is a festival promoting freedom, liberty and individual rights.... Liberty Now is taking place inside Victoria College. A variety of speakers will be featured throughout the day.

Read more: http://www.libertynow.ca/
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The libertarian paradox

The Libertarian Paradox - Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr. - Mises Daily:

July 25, 2013 - "As libertarians attempt to persuade others of their position, they encounter an interesting paradox. On the one hand, the libertarian message is simple. It involves moral premises and intuitions that in principle are shared by virtually everyone, including children. Do not hurt anyone. Do not steal from anyone. Mind your own business.

"A child will say, 'I had it first.' There is an intuitive sense according to which the first user of a previously unowned good holds moral priority over latecomers.... By extension, everyone justly holds as his own property those goods with which he has mixed his labor. Cultivating land, picking an apple — whatever the case may be, we say that the first person to homestead property that had previously sat in the state of nature without an individual owner could call himself its owner.

"In addition to being just, this rule also minimizes conflict. It is a rule everyone can understand, based on a principle that applies to all people equally. It does not say that only members of a particular race or level of intelligence may own property. And it is a rule that definitively stakes out ownership claims in ways that anyone can grasp, and which will keep disputes to a minimum....

"These principles are easy to grasp, and as I’ve said, they involve moral insights which practically everyone claims to share.

"And here is the libertarian paradox. Libertarians begin with these basic, commonly shared principles, and seek only to apply them consistently and equally to all people. But even though people claim to support these principles, and even though most people claim to believe in equality — which is what the libertarian is upholding by applying moral principles to everyone without exception — the libertarian message suddenly becomes extreme, unreasonable, and unacceptable.

"Why is it so difficult to persuade people of what they implicitly believe already?"

Read more: http://mises.org/daily/6488/The-Libertarian-Paradox
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Chris Christie rails against 'libertarianism' in Republican Party

Christie goes after libertarians — hard - Aaron Blake, Post Politics, Washington Post:

"ASPEN, Colo. — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Thursday offered a clear broadside against Republicans drifting toward a more libertarian view of foreign policy, lumping Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) in with them and suggesting they explain their position to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

"The House earlier this week narrowly voted against a reduction in funding for the National Security Agency’s program collecting Americans’ phone records, as libertarian-leaning members from both sides joined together to vote for the amendment.

"'As a former prosecutor who was appointed by President George W. Bush on Sept. 10, 2001, I just want us to be really cautious, because this strain of libertarianism that’s going through both parties right now and making big headlines, I think, is a very dangerous thought,' Christie said....

"In response, Paul’s team said Christie doesn’t understand what “esoteric” means and noted the growing ranks of those concerned about government overreach.

"Defending America and fighting terrorism is the concern of all Americans, especially Sen. Paul,' Paul’s former chief of staff, Doug Stafford, said. 'But it can and must be done in keeping with our constitution and while protecting the freedoms that make America exceptional.'"

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/07/25/christie-goes-after-libertarians-hard/
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Libertarian Party grows as voters seek alternatives

Libertarian party grows as voters seek alternatives | Metronews Ottawa - Graham Lanktree:

July 24, 2013 - "Libertarian Ottawa South candidate Jean-Serge Brisson doesn’t count on winning your vote – he just wants you to know there’s an alternative....

"'The reason why we’re running is to let the people know that there is a different ideology rather than letting the government do everything,' he said, adding that the party hopes to have 107 candidates in Ontario’s next provincial election, up from 50 in 2011....

"Simply put, he said, Libertarianism is based on the idea that 'the freer you are, the more prosperous you can be.' The party’s focus is on police, justice and protecting private property. 'Eliminate a lot of the programs and services and push it back on the private sector,' Brisson explains.

"So what would he cut first?

"The Green Energy Act. Brisson said he believes government subsidies to get green energy businesses on track are a waste of money. 'Because it’s relying on government subsidy, it can’t prevail or have the private sector get into it,' Brisson said."

Read more: http://metronews.ca/news/ottawa/747796/libertarian-party-grows-as-voters-seek-alternatives/
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Jack Hunter leaves Rand Paul's staff

'Southern Avenger' leaves Paul's staff | Cincinnati.com | cincinnati.com - Joseph Gerth, Courier-Journal:

July 23, 2013 - "Saying his views had become 'a distraction,' presidential contender U.S. Sen. Rand Paul has cut ties with his new media director, a former radio shock jock who calls himself the 'Southern Avenger' and supported secession by Southern states.

"Paul said Monday that Jack Hunter is no longer on his staff, more than a week after news reports widely publicized his inflammatory statements, including that he drank a toast each year to Abraham Lincoln’s assassin.

"During an impromptu news conference after his speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention in Louisville, Paul said Hunter’s departure 'was a mutual decision'....

"Hunter, who co-authored one of Paul’s books [The Tea Party Goes to Washington - gd] and used his mask-wearing Southern Avenger persona on radio, told the Daily Caller, a Washington-based website for which he once contributed, that he quit to clear his name.

"'I’ve long been a conservative, and years ago, a much more politically incorrect (and campy) one,' Hunter told the Daily Caller in an email. 'But there’s a significant difference between being politically incorrect and racist.'"

Read more: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130722/NEWS0103/307220072/Rand-Paul-parts-ways-Southern-Avenger-Jack-Hunter?nclick_check=1
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Conservative/libertarian "proxy war" foreseen in Wyoming GOP primary

» Conservative, libertarian, establishment lines blur in Wyoming GOP primary » Fresh Ink -- GOPUSA - by Washington Times (DC):

July 23, 2013 - "The Republican primary for the U.S. Senate race in Wyoming could erupt into a proxy war in the battle between the libertarian and conservative wings of the party over national security, with Sen. Rand Paul supporting Sen. Michael B. Enzi in his re-election bid against the eldest daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney.

"Liz Cheney is a political novice but served in the State Department under President George W. Bush. She is a steadfast supporter of her father, who has been a lightning rod for debates over military adventurism and civil liberties since the onset of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Republicans skeptical of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars say the costs and resulting federal budget deficits helped fuel the tea party movement that powered Mr. Paul to victory in the 2010 U.S. Senate race in Kentucky. Indeed, Mr. Paul had to overcome opposition from Mr. Cheney, who called primary opponent Trey Grayson the "real conservative" in the race.

"'If that is the case that Rand Paul is supporting Enzi, it seems to me to be a proxy war between the neocons and the realist-slash- libertarians when it comes to foreign policy," said Niger Innis, head of TheTeaParty.net."

Read more: http://www.gopusa.com/freshink/2013/07/23/conservative-libertarian-establishment-lines-blur-in-wyoming-gop-primary/
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Krugman’s nasty and inane attack on ‘Libertarian Populism’

Paul Krugman’s Nasty and Inane Attack on ‘Libertarian Populism’ - The Daily Beast - Nick Gillespie:

July 19, 2013 - "It’s got to be a pretty good gig to be Paul Krugman.... He’s got tenure at the second-best college in New Jersey, an equally secure gig at the second-best newspaper in New York, and he’s even copped a Nobel Prize.... Best of all, Krugman has attained that rare level of eminence where he doesn’t even have to engage the very opponents he dismisses as beneath contempt....

"Krugman’s latest target is 'libertarian populism,' which he summarizes thus: 'The idea here is that there exists a pool of disaffected working-class white voters who ... can be mobilized again with the right kind of conservative economic program — and ... can restore the Republican Party’s electoral fortunes.' This ain’t gonna happen, chuffs Krugman, because ... Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)! Despite the fact that the former Republican vice-presidential nominee and marathon-time amnesiac is nobody’s idea of a libertarian or a populist....

"Had Colonel Krugman ventured outside his ideological compound, he might have happened upon the writings of Tim Carney of The Washington Examiner. To the extent that libertarian populism has a policy agenda, it’s mostly thanks to Carney, who likes to write books attacking right- and left-wing crony capitalists. He’s libertarian in that he consistently believes that freer markets function more fairly and more efficiently, and he generally thinks people should be left alone when it comes to economic and personal freedom (he’s not an absolutist on most things). He’s populist in that he is basically obsessed with what he sees as concentrations of power and wealth among elites who rig markets, status, and more against the little guy."

Read more: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/07/19/paul-krugman-s-nasty-and-inane-attack-on-libertarian-populism.html
Also at: http://reason.com/archives/2013/07/22/paul-krugmans-nasty-and-inane-attack-on
'via Blog this'

Also see: Krugman and "Eliminationist Rhetoric" by George J. Dance

Libertarian populism won't save the GOP

Libertarian Populism, Trashed by Krugman, Won't Save Republicans - Bloomberg - Ramesh Ponnuru:

July 18, 2013 - "New York Times columnist Paul Krugman has gone on the attack against a tiny conservative political movement before ... it has really come together as a movement.

"Krugman’s column trashing 'libertarian populism,' which showed no evidence of first-hand familiarity with the work of anyone who might claim the label, ran on July 11. It was not until Monday that Tim Carney, a libertarian-populist writer (and a colleague of mine at the American Enterprise Institute), got around to publishing a manifesto for the group. It is a document that contains several good ideas -- but not a viable political strategy for conservatives.

"The main focus of Carney’s work is that big government and big business collude at the expense of the little guy, and he recommends that Republicans run against that collusion in order to win working-class votes. In particular he wants them to break up the big banks, end corporate-welfare programs, clean up the tax code so that powerful interests no longer profit from it, and end regulations that protect established businesses from competitors (regulations that stifle food trucks, for example). He would also cut the payroll tax and end government policies that favor employer-based health insurance.

"I’m sympathetic to most of the items on Carney’s list -- and those on the list that fellow populist Conn Carroll has compiled. Taken together, though, they do not seem to amount to a winning political platform."

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-18/libertarian-populism-trashed-by-krugman-won-t-save-repubicans.html
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Growing libertarianism

Growing Libertarianism | Dave Oedel | Macon.com:

July 21, 2013 - "The Libertarian Party is largely a refuge for protesters and others on the fringe of the nation’s political life.... Still, it would be a mistake to conclude that libertarian sensibilities are not big and growing bigger, especially among youth and younger adults.

"That political trend is not lost on the main parties. One can fairly conceptualize much of present national politics as a competition between the Republican and Democratic parties for the attentions and allegiance of the growing libertarian sector, however defined. The dominant parties recognize that independent libertarian views are swinging many national, state and local debates.

"So just what is a libertarian view, anyway? It’s commonly said to be socially liberal but economically conservative, but it’s more complex than that. When addressing practical policies, libertarian sensibilities can lead down diverging roads on social and economic issues."

Read more: http://www.macon.com/2013/07/21/2565751/oedel-growing-libertarianism.html#storylink=cpy
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The Farm Bill & ‘Libertarian Populism’

The Farm Bill & ‘Libertarian Populism’ | The American Conservative - W. James Antle III:

July 15, 2013 - "One step forward, two steps back. The Republican Party is like an alcoholic in recovery, with periods of sobriety punctuated by long, destructive benders as it once again falls off the wagon.

"In June, a critical mass of House conservatives helped vote down a nearly $1 trillion farm bill that merged all the protectionism and cronyism that dominates modern agriculture policy with the worst excesses of the food stamp program....

"So naturally, Republicans followed a moment of clarity by taking a nasty spill off the wagon again.

"Last week, the House passed a farm bill containing all the agribusiness largesse of the one it voted down in June. In fact, the crop insurance program and the sugar subsidies were made permanent. But there was no money for food stamps, combining a fiscal disaster with a political one....

"And yet an alternative does exist. Some call it libertarian or free-market populism: smash the alliance of K Street, Wall Street, and Pennsylvania Avenue. End the incestuous relationship between big government and big business. Close the revolving door and tear down the political privileges that accrue to the wealthy and powerful.

"This is a populism that can largely be pursued within the confines of constitutionally limited government, as it involves ending bailouts and turning off the spigot of federal subsidies that flow to private companies. Instead let a genuine free market with greater equality of opportunity bloom."

Read more: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/the-farm-bill-libertarian-populism/
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GOP leaders face libertarian revolt over NSA, Egypt, Syria

GOP Leaders Face Libertarian Revolt Over NSA, Egypt, Syria | GOPpers - Matt Fuller:

July 19, 2013 - "House GOP leaders are scrambling to quell a quiet libertarian rebellion threatening to block consideration of the Defense appropriations bill.

"A small group of Republicans are holding the spending bill hostage until they get votes on several controversial amendments.

"'We’ve conveyed to the whip team that we won’t vote for the rule if they don’t allow debate and votes,' Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said Friday. 'We don’t need all the amendments to be allowed. We need at least one substantial amendment on three things: Egypt, Syria and NSA.'

"Massie has two amendments before the Rules Committee: one that would defund military operations in Syria and one that would defund military operations in Egypt. Another leader in the Republican rebellion, Justin Amash of Michigan, has an amendment that would end funds for the National Security Agency’s blanket collection of telephone call records in the wake of Edward Snowden’s leaking of the program."

Read more: http://blogs.rollcall.com/goppers/gop-leaders-face-libertarian-rebellion/
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'Libertarian populism' is no gimmick

Liberals bash 'libertarian populism,' but it's no gimmick | WashingtonExaminer.com - David Freddoso:

July 14, 2013 - "The District of Columbia Council members passed a 'living wage' law on July 10, forcing certain large businesses to pay a minimum wage of $12.50.... The measure's sole target is Wal-Mart, which in response threatened to open just three of its six planned stores in D.C.... Three Wal-Mart stores and 900 new jobs could go down the drain. That's an expensive luxury — the city lost 4,000 private sector jobs in May....

"The opponents of Wal-Mart's market entry from the day it was first announced — especially local labor unions and Wal-Mart competitors in the District — have adopted Wal-Mart's playbook. As Wal-Mart has done elsewhere, they are using government to increase or protect their own market share and to wound or destroy the competition....

"The damage such behavior causes to the economy and society has long been a concern of Washington Examiner columnist Tim Carney's. Today, people have taken to calling his critique 'libertarian populism.'

"Despite its growing relevance, some voices (such as the New York Times' Paul Krugman) simply dismiss it as a political gimmick, without even exploring its merits. They are making a big mistake.

"Here's the problem: Government too often is for sale, and it's become so powerful that everyone must either bid on it or become its victim. As Carney has repeatedly shown since the publication of his 2006 book, The Big Ripoff, this is a large and growing societal problem."

Read more: http://washingtonexaminer.com/liberals-bash-libertarian-populism-but-its-no-gimmick/article/2533020
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Libertarian Sarvis polls 7% in VA Governor's race

Keep an eye on Sarvis – Bearing Drift: Virginia's Conservative Voice - Norman Leahy:

July 16, 2013 - "I’ve a little bit of a different take ... on the relevance of Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Robert Sarvis’ showing in the PPP poll.

"It’s a bit refreshing to see a bona fide third-party candidate tossed into the polling mix. It forces folks to pay at least some attention to messages and candidates they would otherwise prefer to ignore....

"That Sarvis is polling seven percent according to PPP is quite a surprise....

"If future surveys, from other pollsters, show him polling over five percent, it gives Sarvis an excellent case to demand inclusion in future gubernatorial debates. Being on stage with Ken Cuccinelli and Terry McAuliffe won’t make Sarvis governor. But it would shake things up."

Read more: http://bearingdrift.com/2013/07/16/keep-an-eye-on-sarvis/
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Reform Conservatism and Libertarian Populism: Two great tastes that go great together

Reform Conservatism And Libertarian Populism: Two Great Tastes That Go Great Together - Forbes - Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry:

July 16, 2013 - "The two most interesting schools of thought reforming the conservative movement are 'libertarian populism' and what I’ve called 'lower-middle conservatism'....

"I see myself as 60% lower-middle conservative and 40% libertarian populist. One of the (perceived) problems with libertarian populism is that it’s more of a feeling or a sensibility than a real policy agenda. Thankfully Tim Carney, one of the standard-bearers of libertarian populism, has stepped up to the breach and outlined a libertarian populist agenda in a great recent column.

"Here’s the outline, in bullet points:

• Tough anti-Wall Street reform.
• “Cut or eliminate the payroll tax.”
• “End corporate welfare.”
• “Cleaner tax code.”
• Less corporatist health care reform.
• “Kill anticompetitive regulations.”
• “Address political privilege.”

Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/pascalemmanuelgobry/2013/07/16/reform-conservatism-and-libertarian-populism-two-great-tastes-that-go-great-together/
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Libertarian film festival founder Jo Ann Skousen interviewed by Las Vegas Weekly

Film festival draws Libertarian filmmakers and fans to Las Vegas - Las Vegas Weekly - Andrea Domaneck:

July 12, 2013 - "The third-annual Anthem Libertarian Film Festival returns to Las Vegas, part of the Freedom Fest conference, a gathering of several thousand libertarian thinkers self-described as the world’s largest gathering of free minds.

"Contrary to its name, the film festival does not take place in Anthem, but rather at Planet Hollywood in Sin City Theater and The Studio. The festival opened Thursday night with a keynote address from former Mayor Oscar Goodman and continues through Saturday. One highlight: A speech from Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

"Festival founder Jo Ann Skousen discusses the festival’s roots, what makes a film Libertarian and what’s in store for the weekend."

Read more: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2013/jul/12/libertarian-film-festival-freedomfest-vegas-anthem/
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Libertarianism vs. Conservatism: Which way will millennials push the GOP?

Libertarianism vs. Conservatism: Which Way Will Millennials Push the GOP? - Nicolo Dona della Rose, Policymic:

"There is a gap between America’s system of representation and the worldviews of its electors. However, many driven individuals refuse to be simply defined as Democratic or Republican, realizing that there are many more nuances to their ideology.

"Debates like 'Libertarianism vs. Conservatism' featuring interns from the Cato Institute, a predominantly libertarian research center, and the Heritage foundation, a renowned conservative institution, show the relevance and intensity of the current divide within the American right wing.

"Two interns were assigned to each side. While they did come from the two institutes, the speakers were not representatives of their foundations and spoke out of their personal worldviews. As the debate moved into a variety of topics, from foreign policy to the role of government, from immigration to civil rights, it was clear that what are becoming two strong separate movements within the American right wing could not be more different."

Read more: http://www.policymic.com/articles/54385/libertarianism-vs-conservatism-which-way-will-millennials-push-the-gop
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Libertarian activist Adam Kokesh arrested at home

FairfaxTimes.com: Libertarian activist arrested in Herndon - Gregg MacDonald:

July 10, 2013 - "Libertarian pro-gun and anti-war activist Adam Kokesh was taken into custody at his Herndon home by the U.S. Park Police Tuesday night, and taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Kokesh, a former Marine, was charged with possession of drugs while also in possession of a firearm, according to Lt. Steve Elbert, a spokesman for the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office. Fairfax County court records show two felony charges; Possession of a gun with schedule 1 or 2 drugs; and a second felony drug charge for possession of schedule 1 or 2 drugs. Elbert said Wednesday that Kokesh is being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.... U.S. Park Police spokesperson Lt. Pamela Smith said Wednesday that the search warrant was executed by the U.S. Park Police in search of a weapon.

"A July 4 video posted by Kokesh on YouTube shows him loading a shotgun in what appears to be Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C. In the District, possession of a firearm not registered in the District is punishable by up to a year in prison. Smith would not comment on whether the video had anything to do with the search warrant."

Read  more: http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/article/20130710/NEWS/130719699/1076/news/Libertarian-activist-arrested-in-Herndon%26template=fairfaxTimes&template=fairfaxTimes
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"Cowboy Libertarian" talk-show host promotes “Horses for Heroes” chairty

Saddle up: Cowboy Libertarian on a unique “Horses for Heroes” mission — for the vets | Politics Blog | an SFGate.com blog: - Carla Marinucci, "The Spin Cycle", San Francisco Chronicle:

July 9, 2013 - "Cowboy Libertarian radio talk show host Patrick Dorinson is ... driving cross country to help out a great organization called Horses for Heroes, a non- profit which aims to provide a unique therapy to members of the military who have sustained combat injuries.

"The horsemanship and wellness program based in Santa Fe is free to veterans and active military who have sustained physical injuries or combat trauma (PTSD) during service.

“From day one, veterans are hands on with our horses beginning with groundwork and progressing to riding, as well as participating in other aspects of ranch life, including working cattle and more importantly experiencing the camaraderie with cowboys who are Veterans themselves,” according to the organization which is staffed 100 percent by volunteers."

Read more: http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2013/07/09/saddle-up-cowboy-libertarian-on-a-unique-horses-for-heroes-mission-for-the-vets/
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Dan Dominato brings ‘Party of Choice’ to Windsor-Tecumseh

Libertarian candidate brings ‘Party of Choice’ to Windsor-Tecumseh (with video) | Windsor Star - Dalson Chen:

July 8, 2013 - "Libertarianism is not a fringe movement. So says Dan Dominato, the libertarian candidate for the riding of Windsor-Tecumseh.

“'I think (libertarianism) is very well represented the world over, and works in many different scenarios,' said Dominato, 28. 'Our ideas are not fringe or extreme. It’s only our name that’s on the fringe…. Our major battle is getting name recognition.'

On Monday, the Ontario Libertarian Party officially announced Dominato and its other candidates for the five ridings in the province where MPP seats will be up for grabs in the Aug. 1 byelection.

Still, Dominato insists that Windsor-Tecumseh voters are ready for libertarianism. 'I’m happy to explain it to them, and a lot of people really like it,' said Dominato, a Maidstone resident.... 'Yes, we have a lot of ground to make up, if we’re going to win seats,' he admitted. 'But this is how it gets started, people like me being fed up and getting out, hitting the streets.'

Read more: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/07/08/libertarian-candidate-brings-party-of-choice-to-windsor-tecumseh/
'via Blog this'

Rand Paul slams support for ‘military junta’ in Egypt

Rand Paul slams support for ‘military junta’ in Egypt - Breanna Edwards - POLITICO.com:

July 8, 2013 - "Sen. Rand Paul lashed out Monday against neoconservatives on Twitter for supporting the 'military junta' in Egypt and arguing for continued monetary aid to the country....

"'In Egypt, governments come and go. The only thing certain is that American taxpayers will continue to be stuck with the $1.5 billion bill,' the Kentucky Republican sent out his message in two back to back tweets. 'In Egypt, democratic authoritarianism is replaced with military junta. American neocons say send them more of your money.'

"The Twitter slam comes right behind a July 4 op-ed that the libertarian senator wrote for The Washington Times expanding on the very issue.

"'In Egypt, protest is met with tear gas, manufactured in America and paid for with American taxes. When Egyptians protest, they protest against their government and also America for subsidizing that government,' Paul wrote. 'Despite the fact that Mohamed Morsi recently convicted 16 Americans of political crimes in a show trial, the Obama administration still sent them over $2 billion this year....

"'American tax dollars flow no matter which despot rules,' he added. 'But worse, due to our aid and support, Egyptians see Mr. Morsi and America as the same.'"

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/rand-paul-egypt-93826.html
'via Blog this'

Libertarians will contest all 5 Ontario by-elections

Libertarians will contest all 5 Ontario by-elections :: Wire Service Media: - WireService.ca Press Release:

July 8, 2013 - "The Ontario Libertarian Party is proud to announce that it is fielding candidates in each of the five by-elections proclaimed by Premier Kathleen Wynne for August 1, 2013.

"The candidates are:

Dan Dominato √ -- in Windsor-Tecumseh
Geoffrey Serbee √ -- in London West
Jean-Serge Brisson √ -- in Ottawa South
Prof. Hans Kunov √ -- in Etobicoke-Lakeshore
Heath Thomas √ -- in Scarborough-Guildwood....

"In the politics of Ontario, the Libertarian Party represents political ideas that are part of our heritage, yet have long vanished from popular public discourse, namely: limited government and personal choice.
Unlike any of the other parties in the Ontario Legislature, the Libertarian Party takes a principled approach as to what are the proper functions of government. This comes at a time when people are beginning to appreciate that governments are not the solution to all our social problems; in fact government frequently is the problem....

"The Ontario Libertarian Party has been a registered political party since 1975. We advocate free markets, property rights, limited government, and voluntary interactions within communities between individuals and groups. Contact: info@libertarian.on.ca." 

Read more: http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=10652
'via Blog this'

Remembering libertarian gay activist Roy Childs

Steve Mariotti: As DOMA Collapses, I Remember Libertarian Gay Activist Roy Childs - Huffington Post:

July 2, 2013 - "[T]he Supreme Court's decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act ... brought back memories of one of the warmest people I've ever known, the great libertarian essayist, critic and gay activist Roy A. Childs, Jr. (1948-1992).

"Roy edited the Libertarian Review from 1977 until it folded in 1981. Next, he joined the Cato institute as a research fellow, eventually becoming a policy analyst. He was best-known, though, for his brilliant essays for Laissez Faire Books -- the largest seller of libertarian-related books. But I will always remember Roy as the man who dared challenge Ayn Rand on not only Objectivism, but also on her die-hard homophobia. As someone who had met Rand and knew how fearsome she could be, I admired his nerve!

"I was so impressed with Roy's essay, 'An Open Letter to Ayn Rand,' published in the Society for Individual Liberty's Individualist newsletter in 1969, that I wrote him a letter congratulating him on having the courage to stand up to her. I will never forget this sentence from Roy's essay: 'Let us walk forward into the sunlight, Miss Rand. You belong with us.'"

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-mariotti/as-doma-collapses-i-remem_b_3537107.html
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See also: Childs's argument for anarchism, by George J. Dance

There will be more 'libertarian millennials' like Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden: there will be more 'Libertarian Millennials' like him - Telegraph - Bonnie Greer:

July 3, 2013 - "Something new is revealing itself in the tale of Edward Snowden and it is coming quickly into the general consciousness. Snowden is part of the global town square, created by social media, which is effectively running politics in Brazil, Egypt, Turkey, and will do so in the West, too.

"Snowden, who spent his 30th birthday on the run, is one of a new breed I call the 'Libertarian Millennial. Apolitical, perhaps even post-political, they do what they do because they have come to their own conclusions in their own time and in their own way. 'I don’t want to live in a society that does these [surveillance] sort of things… I do not want to live in a world where everything I do and say is recorded,' Snowden declares. There you have it: 'I don’t', 'I do not' and 'everything I do and say' are the key phrases here....

"It is no surprise that Snowden contributed to the 2012 presidential campaign of Ron Paul, who supports curtailing the powers of government. In his maverick stance, and that of his son, Senator Rand Paul, the young find a model for taking on the system as a personal quest. Snowden becomes, in his fight, what Millennials look up to: a charismatic individual, who by sheer power of self-belief can create support, even a movement."

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet/10157586/Edward-Snowden-there-will-be-more-Libertarian-Millennials-like-him.html
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Video appears to show Adam Kokesh loading shotgun in Washington, D.C.

Video Appears to Show Libertarian Activist Adam Kokesh Loading Shotgun in Downtown D.C.: DCist:

"The libertarian activist Adam Kokesh ... is seen in a 22-second video loading and then pumping a single-barrel shotgun while standing on Freedom Plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, across from the John A. Wilson Building and a few blocks from the White House. The video is dated July 4, 2013, with the title 'Open Carry March on DC a Success.'

"While loading the gun, Kokesh, 31, recites the last passage of the "Final American Revolution Pledge of Resistance,' a manifesto he posted on his website on Wednesday.

"'We will not be silent,' he says. 'We will not obey. We will not allow our government to destroy our humanity. We are the final' - pausing to pull back the shotgun grip - 'American' - releasing the grip - 'revolution. See you next Independence Day.'

"The Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Park Police say in a joint statement that they have seen the video and are reviewing it: 'The Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Park Police are aware that today Adam Kokesh posted a video that appears to have been taken in Freedom Plaza in Northwest, D.C. We are in the process of determining the authenticity of the video.'"

Read more: http://dcist.com/2013/07/video_appears_to_show_libertarian_a.php
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Gary Johnson: 'This Independence Day feels different'

Libertarian Gary Johnson: 'this Independence Day feels different' - Washington Times - Jennifer Thompson:

"Former Libertarian presidential hopeful Gary Johnson ... is not delivering the typical feel-good Fourth of July message this year.

"'This Independence Day feels a little different,' he says. 'The news in recent weeks about the IRS using its force against certain targeted groups has reminded us that, absent vigilance on our part, the government will abuse the power it has accumulated. Likewise, as we learn more about the massive surveillance being conducted by the NSA and the FBI, a lot of Americans are today thinking and talking about the 4th Amendment and its intended protections against unreasonable searches....

"'These "revelations" are bringing long-overdue attention to the liberties the Founding Fathers worked so hard and sacrificed so much to provide and protect. It is more than a little ironic that the Revolution was prompted, in part, by abusive tax policies and unreasonable searches - on the part of ‘tyrants’.'"

"Mr. Johnson is ... chairman of Our America Initiative, a grassroots group centered on smaller government and a frugal mindset. His fellow board members include Barry Goldwater Jr., former independent presidential hopeful Buddy Roemer and Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2013/jul/3/libertarian-gary-johnson-independence-day-feels-di/#ixzz2Y7E5edI8
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SCOTUS is "moving in a libertarian direction"

The Supreme Court's Libertarian Moment? - Ilya Shapiro (Senior Fellow, Cato Institute), Huffington Post:

July 2, 2103 - "The casual observer of the Supreme Court must have been quite confused last week. First, the Court punted on an affirmative action case, making it harder to use race in college admissions decisions without prohibiting the practice altogether. It then won plaudits from conservatives by striking down key parts of the Voting Rights Act -- but disappointed many of them the very next day by gutting the Defense of Marriage Act.

"What is going on?...

The theme of last week's cases was captured by President Obama's reaction to the same-sex marriage rulings: 'We are all equal under the law'.... If we're all equal, then we shouldn't be judged by skin color or sexual orientation, and the machinery of democracy shouldn't be gummed up by outdated racial classifications.

"In other words, the Supreme Court is increasingly embracing the Constitution's structural and rights-based protections for individual freedom and self-governance. Not in every case, not always with one voice, and not without fits and starts, but as a whole the justices are moving in a libertarian direction.

It's therefore no coincidence that the Cato Institute is the only organization to have filed briefs supporting the winning side in each of the three big cases (or that we went 15-3 on the year). Even beyond racial preferences and gay rights, this Court is coming to be defined by what Justice Kennedy has called 'equal liberty'."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ilya-shapiro/the-supreme-courts-libert_b_3536534.html
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Sarah Palin's 'libertarian streak' doesn't impress Libertarian Party

Sarah Palin's 'Libertarian Streak' Doesn't Impress Libertarian Party - Washington Whispers (usnews.com) - Steven Nelson, U.S. News & World Report:

July 1, 2013 - "Former vice presidential candidate and Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, openly mulled leaving the Republican Party in a Saturday interview on Fox News, citing her 'libertarian streak.' The Libertarian Party, frequently a refuge for renegade Republicans, isn't sure that she would be a good fit....

"'[W]hile a few of Sarah Palin's views are aligned with those of the Libertarian Party, her pro-interventionist foreign policy, her support of the 2008 Republican-led bailouts, her loyal support of Big Government Republicans, her social conservative agenda and her lack of concrete backing for any serious downsizing of Big Government runs afoul of the Libertarian Party's goals and most Libertarians' views,' the Libertarian Party's executive director, Carla Howell, told U.S. News....

"Over the weekend, Palin responded to a question about whether she would consider starting a new "Freedom Party".... 'I love the name of that party – the "Freedom Party",' she said. 'And if the GOP continues to back away from the planks in our platform, from the principles that built this party of Lincoln and Reagan, then, yeah, more and more of us are going to start saying, "You know, what's wrong with being independent," kind of with that libertarian streak that much of us have. In other words, we want government to back off and not infringe upon our rights.'"

Read more: http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2013/07/01/sarah-palins-libertarian-streak-doesnt-impress-libertarian-party
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John Mackey joins Students for Liberty Board of Advisors

Whole Foods CEO Joins Libertarian Student Group's Board of Advisors - Steven Nelson, U.S. News & World Report:

June 27, 2013 - "John Mackey, the founder and co-CEO of trendy organic supermarket chain Whole Foods, has joined Students for Liberty's board of advisors.

"The libertarian student group announced Mackey's new position Thursday. The businessman joins a dozen other notable advisors, including 2012 Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson and UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh.

"Mackey is well-known for his conservative political positions. Earlier this year, Mackey said President Barack Obama's 2010 health care reform law was consistent with fascism. "In fascism, the government doesn't own the means of production, but they do control it — and that's what's happening with our health care programs and these reforms," he explained to NPR. Mackey later said using the term fascism was "a bad choice"....

 "''Students For Liberty empowers students all over the world to be entrepreneurial activists on behalf of a free and prosperous society,' Mackey said in a statement released by the group. 'They've created an impressive and growing community of young people who understand and promote the ethical foundations of capitalism based on the importance of voluntary exchange and cooperation.'"

Read more: http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2013/06/27/whole-foods-ceo-joins-libertarian-student-groups-board-of-advisors