Showing posts with label Thomas Massie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thomas Massie. Show all posts

Thursday, February 26, 2026

Epstein Files will increase distrust of governments

"The belief that government agencies used the sexual abuse of children as a means of ensuring rich and powerful people did their bidding will increase distrust of government and the interests that profit from, and often control, the state."

Epstein Files: An Opportunity for Libertarians | Ron Paul Institute | Ron Paul:

February 23, 2026 - "Those who have examined the Epstein files have seen information about how connected Jeffrey Epstein was to members of the political, business, and academic elites. Many of these connections started after Epstein’s 2008 conviction.

"The Epstein files support claims that Epstein worked with intelligence agencies, in particular Israel’s Mossad and the American CIA. Yet the mainstream media and most politicians seem uninterested in whether Epstein used underage girls in a scheme to blackmail powerful individuals on behalf of intelligence agencies.

"Fortunately, the alternative media is not afraid to discuss Epstein’s intelligence connections or any other matters related to Epstein, including suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.


Geoff Livingstone, Good Trouble Protest in Washington,
DC, July 2025. CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.

"The Epstein files and the Justice Department’s failure to let the people see the full files present an opportunity for libertarians. The belief that government agencies used the sexual abuse of children as a means of ensuring rich and powerful people did their bidding will increase distrust of government and the interests that profit from, and often control, the state. The Trump administration’s failure to release the files until forced to by Congress will further increase the distrust of government. 

"This distrust can lead to support for liberty if those of us who know the truth [can] explain that the problem is a government that tries to run the economy, run the world, and run our lives. This type of government will inevitably attract unscrupulous individuals. Therefore, the solution is to limit the government’s power. The first step is to build a critical mass of people committed to restoring liberty and able to see through the propaganda used to convince us government is taking our liberty for our own good.

"Following the Watergate scandal, Murray Rothbard wrote that, “[i]t is Watergate that gives us the greatest single hope for the short-run victory of liberty in America. For Watergate, as politicians have been warning us ever since, destroyed the public’s ‘faith in government’ — and it was high time, too.” Unfortunately, the people’s distrust in government did not last. However, Representative Thomas Massie, who is leading the fight to make the files public, has argued that abusing minors in order to blackmail wealthy and powerful individuals, along with the refusals to expose the full truth about these horrific crimes, is bigger than Watergate.

"The controversy over the Epstein files comes at a time when the US is on the verge of an economic crisis. This crisis is rooted in President Nixon’s 1971 abandonment of the last link between the dollar and gold, giving the United States a purely fiat currency. This fiat money system, combined with the dollar’s reserve currency status, made it possible for the government to run up huge debts. Today the federal debt is almost 39 trillion dollars and is increasing quickly. This exploding debt, along with resentment of America’s hyper-interventionist foreign policy, is leading to increased international support for abandoning the dollar. These factors all suggest that the next crash could end the welfare-warfare-fiat currency system.

"If those of us who know the truth can take advantage of the growing distrust of government to further spread the ideas of liberty, the next crisis may lead to a return to limited constitutional government, liberty, and peace."

Copyright © 2026 The Ron Paul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.
https://ronpaulinstitute.org/epstein-files-an-opportunity-for-libertarians/

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

REAL ID enables real authoritarianism

REAL ID: Phony Security, Real Authoritarianism | Ron Paul Institute | Ron Paul:

April 21, 2025 - "Those who hoped the second Trump Administration would reject big spending, war, and restrictions on liberty continue to be disappointed. A new disappointment came when Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced her department would in May begin enforcing the REAL ID law.


Ron Paul, 2007, Photo: R.D. Young. CC BY 2.0 Wikimedia Commons.

"Passed in 2005, the REAL ID Act created federal standards for driver’s licenses. The law requires everyone applying for a driver’s license to provide the DMV with his social security number, proof of legal residence, and two proofs of his home address. 

"The REAL ID Act allows the Homeland Security Department to mandate, as it sees fit, the including of addition[al] items in the related government database, including 'biometric' identifiers. Biometric identifiers include personal data such as retina scans, fingerprints, and DNA.

"People who doubt that this database will be used to violate the rights of US citizens should ask what a present-day J. Edgar Hoover — a former FBI director who was notorious for collecting private information on politicians and other prominent individuals — would do with a database containing personal and even biometric information on American citizens. They should also consider the IRS’s history of targeting presidents’ political opponents. 

"Americans also have the threat of violations of their rights by hackers. The government has a poor track record of protecting data of US citizens.

"REAL ID’s supporters deny the law turns state driver’s licenses into national ID cards because states have no mandate to implement REAL ID. However, citizens of any state that refuses to adopt REAL ID will be unable to use their state-issued IDs for boarding an airplane or riding on a train. Once the initial uses of REAL ID are established, the government will then require REAL ID for other activities. For instance, local transportation authorities may be offered federal funds to implement REAL ID requirements for public transportation. 

"Several pro-Second Amendment organizations oppose REAL ID because it could be used to monitor gun owners. There is nothing in the law prohibiting a future progressive Homeland Security secretary from requiring REAL ID for a firearms purchase. Imposing a REAL ID mandate on gun ownership would further the authoritarian objective of having a database containing the name and address of, and how many and what type of firearms are owned by, every law-abiding gun owner in the country.

"REAL ID also menaces health freedom. One of the few victories for liberty during the covid hysteria was the failure of 'vaccine passport' schemes to be more widely imposed. These schemes attempted to forbid people from returning to their normal lives unless they proved they were 'fully vaccinated' against covid.

"REAL ID was marketed as a weapon in the 'war on terror.' However, Thomas Massie, the most consistent and courageous defender of liberty in the House of Representatives, pointed out that 9-11 hijackers used passports from their own countries.... 

"Like most post-9-11 security bills, REAL ID does nothing to protect the American people’s safety. It does, though, do much to endanger their liberty. REAL ID could even be the final piece of the transformation of America into a total surveillance society where government monitors, and thus controls, our actions. Americans who understand the danger must work to get the Trump administration to reverse its position."

Copyright © 2025 The Ron Paul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.

Read more: https://ronpaulinstitute.org/real-id-phony-security-real-authoritarianism/

Sunday, March 23, 2025

Ron Paul: president Trump, stop bombing Yemen

President Trump: Stop Bombing Yemen and Exit the Middle East! | Ron Paul Institute | Ron Paul:

March 17, 2025 - "Over the weekend President Trump ordered a massive military operation against the small country of Yemen. Was Yemen in the process of attacking the United States? No. Did the President in that case go to Congress and seek a declaration of war against the country? No.... Yemen hadn’t even threatened the United States before the bombs started falling.

"Last year, candidate Trump strongly criticized the Biden Administration’s obsession with foreign interventionism to the detriment of our problems at home. In an interview at the Libertarian National Convention, he criticized Biden’s warmongering to podcaster Tim Pool, saying, 'You can solve problems over a telephone. Instead they start dropping bombs. Recently, they’re dropping bombs all over Yemen. You don’t have to do that.' Yet once in office, Trump turned to military force as his first option. 

"Since the Israel/Hamas ceasefire plan negotiated by President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, Yemen has left Red Sea shipping alone. However, after Israel implemented a total blockade of humanitarian relief to citizens of Gaza last week, Houthi leaders threatened to again begin blocking Israel’s Red Sea shipping activities. That was enough for President Trump to drop bombs and launch missiles for hours, killing several dozen Yemeni civilians – including women and children – in the process.

"After the attack, Trump not only threatened much more force to be used against Yemen, but he also threatened Iran. His National Security Advisor Mike Waltz added that the US may start bombing Iranian ships in the area, a move that would certainly lead to a major Middle East war.

"Like recent Presidents Bush and Obama, candidate Trump promised peace after four years of Joe Biden’s warmongering and World War III brinkmanship. There is little doubt that with our war-weary population this proved the margin of his victory. Unfortunately, as with Bush and Obama, now that he is President, he appears to be heading down a different path.

"The Republican Party is gradually becoming a pro-peace, America first party, but the warmongers and neocons of the old line in the Party are not going to let go so easily. Unfortunately many of these dead-enders have found their way to senior positions in Trump’s Administration, with voices of restraint and non-intervention nearly nowhere in sight among his top tier of advisors.

"To solve the Yemen problem we must understand it: Russian and Chinese ships, for example, are not being threatened because they are not enabling the Israeli demolition of Gaza. The slaughter there has been facilitated with US money and US weapons. It is the US doing Israel’s bidding both in Gaza and in the Red Sea that is painting a target on us and unnecessarily putting our troops at risk of retaliation.

"The US government, starting with Biden and continuing now with Trump, seems eager to make this our war even though, as Rep. Thomas Massie pointed out over the weekend, Red Sea shipping is of minor importance to the US economy. In a real 'America first' foreign policy we would be following the Russian and Chinese lead and staying out of the conflict. It’s not our war." 

Read more: https://ronpaulinstitute.org/president-trump-stop-bombing-yemen-and-exit-the-middle-east/

Copyright © 2025 The Ron Paul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Ron Paul: NATO working against U.S. interests

"It has become much clearer these past few months just how far NATO has shifted away from US interests," writes Dr. Ron Paul, "even though the United States funds a whopping 70 percent of NATO’s cost."

Suddenly, Leaving NATO Is On The Table | Eurasia News | Ron Paul: 

March 3, 2025 - "Over the weekend, President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk made quite a stir with just two words posted on his social media platform, X. Responding to a post that, 'It’s time to leave NATO and the UN,' Musk replied, 'I agree.' The comment immediately made the rounds on social media and also on mainstream and alternative media.

"Was this the Elon Musk who owns X speaking, or was it the Elon Musk who has become one of President Trump’s closest advisors? Does it even matter? Having someone so close to the US president who advocates finally extracting the US from these international organizations is a significant and very positive shift for the United States.


Ron Paul in 2012. Photo: David Carleon.
CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.

"With the truth coming out about how USAID has been working against US interests for decades, the disinfectant of public scrutiny is now turning to our membership in – and generous funding of – international organizations like NATO and the United Nations.

"I have long advocated our exit from NATO. At the end of the Cold War,  with its very reason for existence gone, NATO decided to look for other ways of stirring up trouble. First NATO involved itself in the first Gulf War and then it decided its mission should be to bomb Serbia to smithereens – in the name of 'human rights'.... 

"It has become much clearer these past few months just how far NATO has shifted away from US interests. Even though the United States funds a whopping 70 percent of NATO’s cost, our own NATO 'allies' are working against the United States as President Trump attempts to pull us back from the brink of war with Russia.

"A simple telephone call between Presidents Trump and Putin was met with hysteria among NATO member countries, and just as US and Russian high-level delegations were meeting in Saudi Arabia to look for way to walk back from a war footing, our 'allies' decided to hold their own summit.... In Paris our 'partners' pledged to continue their failed Ukraine policy and to ridicule the United States.... To add insult to injury, right at the center of the table in Paris was none other than the Secretary General of NATO himself, former Dutch politician Mark Rutte!...

"Also over the weekend Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep Thomas Massie (R-KY) echoed Elon Musk’s sentiment, with Sen. Lee posting a chart showing the wildly disproportionate amount of US taxpayer dollars that go to funding NATO with the statement, 'Get us out of NATO.' Rep. Massie added to Lee’s comment, 'NATO is a Cold War relic that needs to be relegated to a talking kiosk at the Smithsonian.'

"As in the time of Sen. Robert Taft, the sentiment against NATO membership is coming from the conservative end of the US political spectrum. With President Trump’s clear mandate to pursue his 'America first' agenda we have the best opportunity in decades to sever our damaging and expensive entangling alliances across the globe. Let’s start with NATO!"

This article was originally published by the Ron Paul Institute.

Read more: https://www.eurasiareview.com/03032025-ron-paul-suddenly-leaving-nato-is-on-the-table-oped/

Friday, August 2, 2024

3rd-party Potus nominees debate at FreedomFest

Three third-party candidates for U.S. president debated July 12 at FreedomFest, in Las Vegas. I was unable to find any news coverage (the following information is from a press release), but did locate a video of the event. 

Three Confirmed Candidates to Engage in Historic Free & Equal Presidential Debate July 12th at FreedomFest Las Vegas | EIN Presswire (news release): | 

July 9, 2024 - "The Free & Equal Elections Foundation is excited to announce the highly anticipated presidential debate scheduled for Friday, July 12, 2024, at FreedomFest in Las Vegas. The event will take place from 5 PM to 7 PM Pacific time at Caesars Forum, featuring a diverse lineup of candidates eager to address the pressing issues facing our nation.

"The confirmed candidates for the debate are:

  • Chase Oliver (Libertarian Party)
  • Dr. Jill Stein (Green Party)
  • Randall Terry (Constitution Party)

"The debate will be moderated by:

  • Christina Tobin: Founder of The Free & Equal Elections Foundation.
  • Thomas Massie: U.S. Representative for Kentucky's 4th congressional district.

"These candidates represent a broad spectrum of political views and offer voters an opportunity to hear alternatives to the traditional two-party system. The Free & Equal Elections Foundation is dedicated to providing a platform for all voices to be heard, ensuring a more inclusive and representative political discourse."

Read more: https://www.fox21news.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/726087750/three-confirmed-candidates-to-engage-in-historic-free-equal-presidential-debate-july-12th-at-freedomfest-las-vegas/

Free & Equal Presidential Debate at FreedomFest 2024 Watch Party | Jill Stein | July 12, 2024:

(Debate begins at 20:20)


(Debate begins at 20:20)

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Thomas Massie wins legal battle to stay on ballot

Judge dismisses lawsuit to remove Massie from primary ballot | Washington Times | Kerry Picket"

March 15, 2024 - "A Kentucky judge dismissed a lawsuit against Rep. Thomas Massie by his primary opponent who claimed the GOP congressman did not qualify for the primary ballot. Lewis County Circuit Judge Brian C. McCloud ruled against Republican candidate Eric Deters, who said in a Feb. 22 suit that T.J. Roberts, one of two witnesses who signed Mr. Massie‘s candidate filing form did not meet the district’s residency requirements....


Thomas Massie in 2018. Wikimedia Commons.

"Kentucky law requires ballot filings to be witnessed by two people who live in the same district as the candidate and are registered with the same political party as the candidate. Mr. Deters said Mr. Roberts‘ permanent address was not clearly established when he witnessed the candidate’s filing because he had temporarily relocated while his home, which was destroyed by fire, was being rebuilt.

"In his ruling, Judge McCloud said state law prohibits stripping voters of their residency status when they live outside the county or precinct temporarily. 'It is clear from the evidence Mr. Roberts intention was to continue to reside at his permanent address,' he said....

"In the ballot paperwork, Mr. Roberts listed a permanent address in Burlington in Mr. Massie’s district, though the home was later destroyed by fire.... Roberts testified that while his home was being rebuilt, he temporarily lived at two different addresses within the district and returned to his newly rebuilt home on Jan. 11. 

"He also said he was advised by the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office to list his permanent legal address on the paperwork.

"After the case [was] dismissed, Mr. Massie said he was 'glad this frivolous lawsuit is behind us'.... Massie also filed a motion for sanctions against Mr. Deters, a suspended attorney and 2023 gubernatorial candidate known for filing similar lawsuits against other political candidates. Mr. Massie‘s motion would prohibit him from filing future pro se court action without judicial screening, but Mr. McCloud did not enter a ruling Friday on the motion.

"Mr. Deters said he plans to appeal the dismissal. 'Imagine not being allowed to cross-examine witnesses who sign affidavits. Not at a deposition. Not at a hearing,' he said on X. 'That just happened in my case against Thomas Massie. I will appeal immediately. I have made a strong record.'"

Read more: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/mar/15/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-to-remove-thomas-massie-fr/

Monday, March 4, 2024

Primary foe trying to remove Massie from ballot

A primary opponent has filed suit to have libertarian Republican congressman Thomas Massie removed from this year's ballot. 

Ruling on Deters-Massie lawsuit expected March 15 | LINKnky | Rebecca Hanchett:

March 1, 2024 - "A Lewis circuit court judge is expected to rule March 15 on a motion tied to U.S. congressman Thomas Massie’s qualification for reelection amid a legal challenge from primary opponent Eric Deters.... Deters — a former Northern Kentucky attorney representing himself in the case — filed a lawsuit challenging Massie’s qualification for reelection back on Feb. 22.... 


Thomas Massie in 2018. Wikimedia Commons.

"Deters, a 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial candidate who is running against Massie for Congress, says in the Feb. 22 suit that Massie is not qualified to run this year based largely on residency questions surrounding current state House District 66 candidate TJ Roberts – one of two witnesses to Massie’s Dec. 18 candidate filing in Frankfort. 

"Deters’ lawsuit claims that Roberts – whose home on East Bend Road in Burlington was destroyed by fire early last year, but has since been rebuilt – was not living at that address last year when he listed it as his permanent address as a witness to Massie’s filing on Dec. 18.... "

Deters claims Roberts’ residency in the district was uncertain when Roberts witnessed Massie’s filing on Dec. 18. His lawsuit asks the court to throw out Massie’s candidacy based largely on that claim. Deters himself filed to run against Massie in this year’s congressional primary Jan. 5. 

"Massie responded to Deters in a Feb. 26 motion, asking the court to rule in his favor based in part on a Feb. 26 affidavit from Roberts. In the affidavit, Roberts gave sworn testimony that the East Bend Road address is his permanent address.... According to the motion, Roberts stayed with his mother temporarily at her home in Walton after the fire through mid June 2023. From that point to Jan. 10, 2024, Roberts testified that he stayed temporarily at a residence on Torrid Street in Burlington (also in the 4th District and 66th House District) until moving to a rebuilt home at the permanent East Bend Road address on Jan. 11, 2024. Allstate insurance company paid for temporary living arrangements on Torrid Street during reconstruction of Roberts’ home, the motion reads. 

"While living temporarily elsewhere in the district, the motion clarifies however that Roberts returned to the East Bend Road address 'every single day in November, December, 2023 and January, 2024 to check mail, to feed the animals (on the property), to check on construction progress, and to ensure that heat was provided to the residence during cold weather.' The motion goes on to say Roberts was advised by the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office to list his permanent legal address 'and not any temporary address' on both his witness signature for Massie and on Roberts’ own candidate filing dated Jan. 5.... 

"A ruling from Judge McCloud on Massie’s motion to prohibit Deters from filing future pro se court action without judicial screening is not expected March 15, said Wiest.... On Feb. 26, Massie filed the motion, saying Deters’ Feb. 22 lawsuit meets legal standards for sanctions under existing case law and civil law.... According to the motion, Deters has 'a history of filing frivolous and self-serving actions' and 'his prior history of vexatiously challenging another opponents’ residence'.... Also cited in the motion is Deters’ 2023 lawsuit challenging the residency of last year’s gubernatorial rival Kelly Craft. It says the challenge was made 'not to adjudicate an issue but instead to garner press coverage.' That case was dismissed by Fayette Circuit Court Judge Lucy A. VanMeter last May. 

"On Friday Deters filed a motion to strike Massie’s move for sanctions. He provided a statement to LINK Friday evening, published in part below: 'My only comment is that I will be filing my response  to their motion and I believe Thomas Massie out of 435 Congressional Members is going to regret being more careful choosing is (sic) witness to his nominating position.'"

Read more: https://linknky.com/news/2024/03/01/massie-reelection-challenge-deters/

Friday, October 27, 2023

Biden admin urged to drop Assange prosecution

Some U.S. Congressmen are gathering signatures for a bipartisan letter to president Joe Biden demanding that he terminate the ongoing prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Biden admin pressured to drop Julian Assange's case by bipartisan group of lawmakers | Post Millennial | Darian Douraghy:

October 23, 2023 - "Reps. Thomas Massie, (R-KY) and James McGovern (D-MA) are pushing for members of the House of Representatives to demand Joe Biden terminate the prosecution of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who[m] the US is currently attempting to extradite after he was accused of publishing sensitive national security information.

"Massie and McGovern's letter calls for their colleagues to take part in a bipartisan initiative to 'strongly encourage the Biden administration to withdraw the US extradition request currently pending against Australian publisher Julian Assange and halt all prosecutorial proceedings against him as soon as possible,' Fox News reports. 

"Assange was put into a London prison in 2019, and has since been ordered to be extradited to the US to face charges of espionage. His prosecution has been highly controversial since its beginning, with those in favor arguing he has greatly harmed American national security. Others have asserted that Assange was simply exposing inconvenient truths about the activities of the US government, and that his arrest sets a terrifyingly dangerous precedent for the rights of whistleblowers and journalists alike. 

"Massie and McGovern's letter notes that '[d]eep concerns about this case have been repeatedly expressed by international media outlets, human rights and press freedom advocates.... Last April, several Members of Congress argued to Attorney General Merrick Garland that "[e]very day that the prosecution of Julian Assange continues is another day that our own government needlessly undermines our own moral authority abroad and rolls back the freedom of the press under the First Amendment at home." One example: the Assange case has been cited by officials of the People's Republic of China to claim that the US is 'hypocritical' when it comes to support for media freedom.'

"As this is transpiring, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to meet with Biden in Washington this week and will likely discuss Assange's case, according to Fox News. Albanese has called for the US to bring the prosecution of Assange to an end more than once in recent months. An Australian government spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News that 'Mr. Assange's case has dragged on for too long and that it should be brought to a close'....

"The two congressmen have a separate letter addressed to Biden that is planned to be delivered after they receive signatures from other House lawmakers....

"This is not Massie's first rodeo; the Kentucky congressman has in the past backed bipartisan legislation to reform the Espionage Act as well as safeguard whistleblowers and journalists."

Read more: https://thepostmillennial.com/biden-admin-pressured-to-drop-julian-assanges-case-by-bipartisan-group-of-lawmakers

Why won't the U.S. drop charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange? | CBC News | July 2, 2023:

Thursday, January 6, 2022

Did FBI have role in Capitol riot? AG won't say

RAY EPPS: Mystery Man from Queen Creek and the January 6th Capitol Riot | Liberty First

January 5, 2022 - "The January 6th Capitol riot is a blot on the Republican Party and former President Donald J. Trump. What started as a legitimate protest turned ugly. How that happened and why incursions into the Capital began even before Trump had finished speaking, remain a mystery. But ... [t]he Congressional hearings are sadly being conducted more like [a] Soviet show trial, with the guilt of those already determined.... Thus, this proceeding is unlikely to find the truth about who was leading the crowd to break the law.  It is doubtful they are even looking....

"That is where our mystery man from Queen Creek comes into play. Ray Epps is seen in multiple videos firing up the crowd and urging them to enter the Capitol.  These facts cannot be disputed. But so far, he has escaped prosecution.  He has not been mentioned by the [U.S.] mainstream media.... 

"No news organization to date has done more work on the subject than Revolver News.  They ran a long article (Part I) on the role of Mr. Epps in October and elements of that first article were featured in the Tucker Carlson three-part series on Fox Nation.  Now they have come out with Part II.  The role of Ray Epps may prove critical.... If Epps turns out to have been some kind of government operative, which at present is the only clean and simple explanation for his immunity, it is game over for the official 'MAGA insurrection' narrative of 1/6. Epps was the day’s loudest riot recruiter and its apparent leader of the very first breach of Capitol grounds....

"We urge readers to click the links provided and read both Part I and Part II. Revolver News is to be commended for both their curiosity and their diligence.  Still, we would like to see a more complete investigation into the origins and coordination of the 'insurrection'. If our own government was heavily involved in this, we not only need to know as citizens, history needs to know."
Read more: https://libertyfirst.org/ray-epps-mystery-man-from-queen-creek-and-the-january-6th-capitol-riot/

EXCLUSIVE: Pictured on his tranquil Arizona ranch and wedding venue, the ex-Marine accused of being an 'FBI plant sent to help incite January 6 Capitol riot' refuses to answer to right-wing conspiracy theory | Daily Mail - Greg Woodfield: 

December 28, 2021 - "Epps, 60, [is] the former president of the largest chapter of far-right anti-government militia group the Oath Keepers and was seen in video urging supporters to 'go into the Capitol' on the day of the deadly insurrection. He was also spotted in footage at the first barrier to fall to rioters as it was breached at 12:50pm. And he was named Suspect 16 when the FBI published images in its Capitol Violence Most Wanted list of people to identify two days after the insurrection.... 

Courtesy Revolver News

"However, ... some right-wing quarters [are] speculating ... that he was sent out to help incite the riot on behalf of the federal government. Some ... hypothesize that the motive was to frame Trump supporters as domestic terrorists. There is no evidence that Epps, who was a sergeant in the military, ever entered the building himself on that fateful day and he was never arrested in connection with the storming.

"DailyMail.com located the veteran at his Rocking R Farms wedding and hospitality business.... When we arrived at the property in Queen Creek, 30 miles southeast of downtown Phoenix, to give him an opportunity to confront the extreme speculation, he bluntly refused to discuss it. He told us: 'Get off my property'. As we endeavored to further explain, he repeated: 'Get off my property'....

"Epps – who was quickly identified from the January wanted list - was highlighted again in October's House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing of the Department of Justice, when the FBI theory went mainstream. U.S Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) showed video clips of Epps repeatedly encouraging protestors on the streets of DC to 'go into' the Capitol. Massie linked Epps to his question asking Attorney General Merrick Garland if the government sent agents or assets to 'agitate' protestors into entering the building. Garland said the Justice Department does not comment on pending investigations. [01.47 on video]

"In the first video played to the committee, Epps is seen in the street on January 5 saying: 'In fact tomorrow, I don't even want to say it because I will probably be arrested. Tomorrow we need to go into the Capitol.' [00.37] On the same day, he is recorded saying: 'I'm going to put it out there. I'm probably going to go to jail for it, OK? Tomorrow, we need to go into the Capitol. Into the Capitol…peacefully.' At that point some in the crowd clearly believe he is a plant and begin to chant: 'Fed! Fed! Fed!' [00.42] 

"The following day, Epps can be seen in another clip dressed in military-style clothing and yelling to a crowd: 'OK folks, spread the word. As soon as the president is done speaking, we go to the Capitol, where our problems are.' Pointing behind him, he adds: 'It's that direction. Please spread the word.' [01.03] Shortly afterwards he is seen approaching police barricades holding back chanting protestors. He put his hands on the shoulders of a man in a red MAGA hat and then cups his hands to speak in the man's ear. [00.18] Moments later the man and protestors suddenly topple the barriers and some fight with police. The man in the hat, later identified as Ryan Samsel, is being held in custody on charges of unlawfully entering the Capitol and assaulting a law enforcement officer....

"The most dramatic interpretation of the FBI-plant accusation has so far come from right-leaning blog Revolver. The site is run by former Trump speechwriter Darren Beattie, who was fired after appearing on a panel with a white nationalist. It claims the fact Epps was never arrested and that his details were removed from the FBI wanted list in July without any action against him ... brands him a 'Fed-protected provocateur'.... At one point the blog ... says: 'Ray Epps appears to have worked alongside several individuals – many of them suspiciously unindicted – to carry out a breach of the police barricades that induced a subsequent flood of unsuspecting MAGA protestors to unwittingly trespass on Capitol restricted grounds and place themselves in legal jeopardy.' However the blog offers no direct evidence to back up any allegation that Epps was acting on behalf of the FBI or any other government agency."
Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10347577/Ex-Marine-accused-FBI-plant-sent-incite-Jan-6-riot-pictured-ranch.html

Revolver News series: 
October 25, 2021: Meet Ray Epps: The Fed-Protected Provocateur Who Appears To Have Led The Very First 1/6 Attack On The U.S. Capitol
December 18, 2021: Meet Ray Epps, Part 2: Damning New Details Emerge Exposing Massive Web Of Unindicted Operators At The Heart Of January 6 

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Thomas Massie wins primary in landslide

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie wins primary despite Trump's call to boot him from GOP | Fox News - Caitlin McFall:

June 23, 2020 - "Rep. Thomas Massie was declared the winner in Kentucky’s fourth district GOP primary Tuesday, despite President Trump's past calls to 'throw' Massie out of the Republican Party.

"Tonight’s victory sends a strong message that Republican voters in the 4th District of Kentucky want someone to represent them in Washington who will consistently stand up on principle, defend life, and support the Constitution,' Massie wrote in a statement Tuesday night. Massie beat his challenger, Todd McMurtry with an 88 percent [to 12 percent] lead with 73 percent of the precinct votes in when The Associated Press called the race.

"Earlier this year, Trump called Massie 'a disaster for America' and a 'third-rate grandstander' after he held up a $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill in March. Massie was against the large bill and demanded a roll-call vote that forced his colleagues to come back to the House floor despite the recommendations from health experts to stay home.

"'I came here to make sure our republic doesn’t die by unanimous consent in an empty chamber,' Massie said in March, demanding a recorded vote. Republicans and Democrats rejected Massie’s request as a quorum was present, and passed the bill by voice vote.

"The majority of Massie’s votes Tuesday, were cast by mail-in and drop-off absentee voting because of coronavirus restrictions according to Roll Call.

"Massie has reportedly become known as 'Mr. No' because of his track record for voting against bipartisan and conservative bills. Trump, who won in Massie’s district in 2016, appears to have not deterred Massie supporters despite tweeting 'Throw Massie out of Republican Party!' in March.

"Massie won a fourth term in 2018 by winning nearly two thirds the vote, and will face Democrat Matthew Best, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary Tuesday, in November."

Read more: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/kentucky-rep-thomas-massie-wins-primary-despite-trumps-call-to-boot-him-from-gop

Sunday, March 29, 2020

U.S. Congress triples 2020 federal deficit

$2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Bill Presents A Reckoning For Libertarians | NPR - Ron Elving

May 22, 2018 - "Let us all have a moment of sympathy – and perhaps even understanding — for Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky. Massie was the guy who caught hell from all sides Friday when he tried to force a roll call vote on the coronavirus relief bill in the House of Representatives. He said he wanted every individual member to record his or her vote on the gargantuan $2 trillion package, which he called the biggest relief bill in the history of mankind. For Massie and many like him, the bill that aims to forestall economic disaster in the face of a pandemic is, in itself, a fiscal calamity and a radical turn in governing philosophy. Letting this go without a recorded vote was capitulation on a profound scale....

"'If this bill is so great for America, why not allow a vote on it?' he fumed on Twitter.... 'I’ve been told that they don’t even have 1 minute available for me to speak against this bill during the 4 hour debate. The fix is in. If this bill is so great for America, why not allow a vote on it?  Why not have a real debate? #SWAMP'....

"Massie had a point.... Explicitly, the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act spends money faster than any legislation in history, shoveling it out with an air of near-desperation....  Implicitly, the act says that when the chips are down, we as a nation turn to our national parent — the federal government....

"Speaking about federal outlays decades ago, Republican Senate leader Everett Dirksen once joked: 'A billion here, a billion there and pretty soon you're talking about real money.' Have we now translated that to the language of trillions?

"If one were writing a 30-second TV spot attacking a free-spending Congress ... one might have written something like this: 'This is an unprecedented gusher of taxpayer money — with no offsetting revenues or spending cuts — that not only balloons the federal budget but triples this year's anticipated deficit of a trillion dollars (already among the highest in history). With this single vote, Congress has added as much to the national debt as was accumulated in the first 200 years of the Constitution's existence'....

Yet the power of this current crisis and the force behind this bill in this hour was such that even the leading fiscal conservatives who would normally be front and center were conspicuous by their absence. President Trump wanted the bill on his desk now. The Senate had voted 96-0. So even members of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus stood back as a big bipartisan majority of the House played the matador and let the bull roar past.

"That's what Massie decided he could not brook without a protest.... But the derision arrived without delay.... President Trump demanded Massie be ousted from the Republican Party.... Back on Capitol Hill, the floor leaders of both parties scrambled to stymie Massie. Within a few hours, they had established the rule of debate on the bill so that the Senate's version of CARES could be approved without a roll call vote....

"[W]hile his lonely crusade was joined by none of the leaders of his own party, Massie was at least speaking for others across the country who could scarcely believe what they saw unfolding on C-SPAN — and the lack of any meaningful opposition in Washington.

"Matt Welch, an editor-at-large for Reason, a libertarian magazine, called the CARES Act 'a massive course of experimental economics' and compared the American public to 'laboratory rats.' Even the trillion-dollar stimulus package of President Barack Obama, opposed by Republicans in 2009, had not been so robust. 'There is no more politics of fiscal prudence in America,' Welch added."

Monday, July 15, 2019

Massie may also have 2020 primary challenger

Kentucky Republican Massie may be challenged in 2020 primary election - Philip M. Bailey, Louisville Courier-Journal:

July 3, 2019 - "U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie may be a darling among libertarians and constitutional conservatives, but the Kentucky Republican is the target of some who are actively recruiting a primary challenger for 2020.

"Two independent sources with knowledge of campaign discussions say state Rep. Kim Moser, R-Taylor Mill, is being groomed for a possible bid against the congressman, who has gained notoriety for opposing bipartisan measures big and small. Moser acknowledged in an interview with the Courier Journal that she's been approached by national party figures about taking on Massie in next year's Republican primary....

"The two sources, who requested anonymity, told the Courier Journal that U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who has made putting more women in Congress a personal passion, was among those looking for a challenger for Massie. But a Stefanik spokeswoman ... said Stefanik's group, Elevate PAC, 'has a firm policy of not recruiting against or endorsing against Republican incumbents.'

"Moser declined to comment when asked if Stefanik was among those who had approached her about running next year. She added that Massie is well liked, but that many constituents want a less ideological representative in Washington....

"In May, Massie gained national attention for temporarily blocking a $19 billion disaster relief plan before it ultimately passed.... 'Certainly, it was shocking to me that he was a 'no' vote on disaster relief,' Moser said.... Moser also cited Massie being among the 26 members who three years ago voted against the 21st Century CURES Act, which directed $6.3 billion to speed up drug treatment, as one of the troubling things about the congressman's record.

"If Moser were to run, it would set up an interesting primary, pitting Kentucky's grassroots conservatives against the GOP establishment. 'The tea party folks in the 4th Congressional District understand that Kim Moser is not the constitutional conservative Congressman Thomas Massie is,' said Scott Hofstra, a spokesman for the United Kentucky Tea Party....

"Massie, who was affiliated with the tea party movement, assumed office in 2012.... He has easily defeated every Democratic opponent by more than 30 percentage points in the four general elections since. But there is some speculation that he could be vulnerable in a primary election....

"The conservative activists who helped send Massie to Washington seven years ago, however, remain fiercely loyal. 'Congressman Massie doesn't go with the status quo and doesn't play into party politics,' said Stacie Earl, a Florence conservative activist who ran for state House in 2018. 'Republicans have always tried to get someone against him [but] I don't see Moser or anyone ... as a credible challenger'.... Hofstra ...said ... 'Congressman Massie is the only representative from Kentucky who is willing to buck his own leadership to support the constitution and the citizens."

Read more: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2019/07/03/kentucky-primary-election-2020-representative-thomas-massie-may-have-challenger/1581919001/

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Saturday, November 10, 2018

Third libertarian Republican elected to U.S. House

Libertarian Republicans excelled in the midterm elections - Jack Hunter, Washington Examiner:

November 7, 2018 - "On Tuesday night, Democrats took the House and Republicans kept the Senate. Expect to hear opinions and analysis of what this might mean for President Trump and the 2020 election in the weeks and months to come. But how did the small but enduring libertarian faction within the Republican Party do?...

"The most high-profile libertarian Republican in Congress, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, was not up for re-election. The next-most high-profile libertarian Republicans in Congress, Reps. Justin Amash of Michigan and Thomas Massie of Kentucky, both won re-election by double-digits.

"Amash, who represents a purple district, has been openly critical of Trump, and his independent streak appeared to pay off for him Tuesday. Massie represents a deep-red district, hasn’t hesitated to criticize the president, yet simultaneously has been more sympathetic. Massie predictably defeated his Democratic opponent in a blowout.

"Republican novice Denver Riggleman won his race for Virginia’s 5th Congressional District. 'Riggleman, a newcomer to politics, ran a positive campaign based on libertarian ideas,' reported National Review's Jibran Khan. But Khan also noted what the libertarian-leaning Riggleman was not: 'His victory, which came on the heels of Corey Stewart’s failed run for the Senate, should be a message for the Virginia GOP'....

"The soundly defeated Corey Stewart represented not only some of the worst aspects of today’s Right in his racist appeal, however intentional or unintentional those appeals were, but his competitive GOP primary opponent Virginia House member Nick Freitas was a libertarian Republican....  Even if he wouldn’t have beaten Democrat Tim Kaine, it is easy to see the libertarian Freitas having significantly more appeal to a larger swath of voters than Stewart. Hopefully this is a lesson Virginia Republicans remember.

"A similar message was sent in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, where Republican Katie Arrington was defeated by Democrat Joe Cunningham. Arrington defeated incumbent Rep. Mark Sanford in the Republican primary by touting her pro-Trump credentials.... [A] Democrat hadn’t won [there] in 40 years.... Arrington’s defeat shows that there are limits to merely hanging your hat on Trump, even in red South Carolina. It goes without saying that the libertarian Sanford would have had far more appeal.

"Another libertarian victory of sorts actually came from the Democratic side, where Colorado’s Jared Polis became the first openly gay governor. Polis is the sole Democratic member of the House Liberty Caucus founded by Justin Amash.... This is not to say that the new Democratic governor will always act along liberty lines, but the one Democrat arguably most sympathetic to libertarian ideas and issues got a big win Tuesday.

"The biggest losses for libertarian Republicans were the defeat of Rep. Dave Brat in Virginia’s 7th District, and Eric Brakey, with a failed Senate challenge to Maine’s incumbent Angus King, an independent who overwhelming votes with Democrats. Brat, also a member of the House Liberty Caucus, made waves when he defeated House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in 2014 — and his loss Tuesday was razor-thin. Brakey, a popular two-term Maine state senator, is only 30 years old, a thorough libertarian Republican in the mold of Rand Paul, and hopefully this won’t be the last we hear from him.

"Overall, Tuesday showed ... that libertarian Republicanism not only endures, but prevails, and could be the brand best positioned for future GOP victories."

Read more: https://gdspoliticalanimal.blogspot.com/2018/11/third-libertarian-republican-elected-to.html
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Sunday, August 12, 2018

Anthem Festival premieres libertarian films

A FreedomFest Report | Liberty Unbound - JoAnn Skousen:

July 23, 2018 - "FreedomFest, LasVegas, July 2018.... We wanted this year’s event to involve our attendees more directly — not just sitting in chairs listening to speakers, but participating actively in the discussion. So we lengthened our Q&A times, reduced the number of breakout sessions, created a scavenger hunt ... added 'conversation circles' in the evenings [and] expanded our 'FreedomFest after Dark' activities with Karaoke ... and clubbing at a local night spot....

"Others found their way to the Anthem Libertarian Film Festival — and some never left.... We had the best films and the best attendance in our eight-year history, with four world premiere films, five SRO screenings, 11 hard-hitting panels, and films that inspired us even as they told stories that outraged us. Libertarian films can be depressing when they’re set in dystopian futures or focus entirely on the hopelessness of big government; what I loved about this year’s lineup is that they offered hope for a brighter future through greater freedom, greater courage, greater understanding, and greater technology. And the production values of our films this year were top notch.....

"One of my favorites was the Best Comedy winner The Inconsiderate Houseguest (Rob and Letitia Capili), which offers a subtle (Rob claims 'unintended') and unexpected theme about immigration beneath its quirky story about an uptight, rule-oriented roommate. 'Subtle' is the key here; messages don’t need to shout if they are presented well. Storytelling can be more powerful than a lecture because of the emotional connection it creates with the audience....

"The $2,500 Anthem Grand Prize went to Skid Row Marathon (Mark Hayes, director), an inspiring documentary about L.A. Judge Craig Mitchell who, troubled by the outrageous mandatory sentencing he was forced to impose, started a running club to help former felons regain their self-confidence and restart their lives.... Club member Rafael Cabrera was on hand for the Q&A following the screening. The film also won the $500 AnthemVault Prize for Best Original Score, featuring music composed by club member Ben Shirley. I defy you to watch this film with a dry eye.

"Saber Rock (Matt and Thomas Locastro, directors), about a young Afghan interpreter for the American military who was targeted for assassination by the Taliban when he began teaching children about the principles of freedom, won the Anthem award for Best Short Documentary. The real Saber Rock attended the festival and gave an impassioned opening night speech to the FreedomFest crowd.... He was awarded Anthem’s Special Jury Prize for heroism and received a standing ovation from the audience.

"Festival judge Gary Alexander argued at the judges’ meeting that America Under Siege: Antifa was one of the most important films at the festival because it reveals the truth behind the rising violence against free speech. Meanwhile, the gentle tone of Off the Grid with Thomas Massie won the hearts of festival attendees, who awarded it the Audience Choice trophy. Director Matt Battaglia follows the brilliant MIT graduate and inventor around the Kentucky farm that he built and maintains with his own hands as he talks about the priorities in his life and why he went to Congress.... A second Audience Choice trophy was awarded to Jimmy Morrison for his film The Housing Bubble, which features interviews with FreedomFest regulars Doug Casey, Peter Schiff, Jim Rogers, Gene Epstein, Tom Palmer, and others....

"The Anthem Libertarian Film Festival is one of the fastest-growing features of FreedomFest, and also the best kept secret. Film aficionados can purchase a FilmLovers Pass for all four days [that] includes all the films, plus film panels featuring top FreedomFest speakers and entrance to the exhibit hall. You can’t attend the FreedomFest general sessions or breakout sessions with it, but come on — with films and panels like these, who needs FreedomFest?"

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Tuesday, July 10, 2018

NSA deleting millions of unwarranted call records

NSA Purging Millions of Improperly Collected Call Records Is Important (and Not About Trump) - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Scott Shackford:

July 3, 2018 - "The National Security Agency (NSA) has announced that it is deleting millions of phone and text records it has gathered since 2015, because it is holding a bunch of records it was not supposed to have....

"In this case, Congress passed the USA Freedom Act in 2015 to better control (and potentially limit) the NSA's access to the metadata (that is, everything but the conversations' actual content) of Americans' communications. This reform was part of a backlash against the mass surveillance exposed by Edward Snowden, and the bill was passed after some privacy-minded lawmakers, such as Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), forced a part of the Patriot Act to expire that was being used to justify mass amounts of domestic snooping.

"Under the USA Freedom Act, the NSA no longer collects and combs through our communications metadata itself. Instead it now has to request records from telecommunications companies using strictly defined search terms....

"The problem, as Charlie Savage of The New York Times uncovered, is that the telecom companies were accidentally sending too many records in response to NSA requests. And so the agency was receiving private personal information about Americans' communications data that it neither asked for nor had the right to examine:

"As a result, when the agency then fed those phone numbers back to the telecoms to get the communications logs of all of the people who had been in contact with its targets, the agency also gathered some data of people unconnected to the targets. And so the agency was receiving private personal information about Americans' communications data that it neither asked for nor had the right to examine.... 'If the first information was incorrect, even though on its face it looked like any other number, then when we fed that back out, by definition we'd get records back on the second hop that we did not have authority to collect,' [an NSA spokesman] said....

"The NSA requested more than 500 million telecom records just last year. It is unable to determine which records it has the authorization to collect, so it is purging all of them....

"Many of the same privacy-minded lawmakers who managed to force some of the surveillance authorities of the Patriot Act to expire also opposed the USA Freedom Act. Congressmen like Justin Amash (R-Mich.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and Jared Polis (D-Colo.) voted against the bill because they believed it still gave the government too much power to collect our records without warrants. Sen. Paul rejected the USA Freedom Act for the same reason....

"Unfortunately, Trump has shown that he's perfectly fine with snooping on Americans  ... [as he] happily signed a bill in January renewing and expanding the government's authority to secretly spy on Americans under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments."

Read more: https://reason.com/blog/2018/07/03/nsa-purging-millions-of-improperly-colle
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Saturday, June 23, 2018

How Liberty Republicans can thrive in Trump era

Don’t Write Off the Libertarian Republicans | The American Conservative - Kevin Boyd:

June 19, 2018 - "Last Tuesday’s elections were a mixed bag for Tea Party legislators, or what we might call libertarian Republicans. The bad news was Corey Stewart’s defeat of Nick Freitas in the Virginia Senate primary and Katie Arrington’s defeat of Congressman Mark Sanford in South Carolina. However, the GOP’s libertarian wing picked up wins by Eric Brakey, who prevailed for the Senate nomination in Maine, and Lee Bright, who qualified for a U.S. House runoff in South Carolina.

"Still, questions have been raised about whether or not libertarians are even welcome in a Republican Party controlled by President Donald Trump.... The Trump administration has championed policies that libertarians generally despise, such as increased tariffs, immigration restrictions, spending hikes, and preserving the current entitlements system....

"The GOP under Trump is certainly not a party that values limited government. Then again, the GOP has rarely ever seemed to value limited government, at least when it’s in power. But is all lost for libertarians? A closer look at the both the Freitas and Sanford losses reveals the answer is not a simple one.

"In Virginia, Stewart picked up 44.9 percent of the vote to Freitas’s 43.1 percent, or a little more than a 5,000-vote difference. Stewart ... had the highest name ID in the race. Freitas, on the other hand, ... was a relatively unknown state house member before the campaign, and he spent only $355,749 compared to Stewart’s $680,505 ... this doesn’t seem like a catastrophic loss for libertarians. Indeed, Freitas nearly pulled it off despite his lower name recognition....

"As for South Carolina, ... Arrington made her support for President Trump a major focus of her campaign and contrasted it to Sanford’s criticisms of Trump. But a deeper look at the race tells a different story. The fact is that Arrington worked hard on the campaign trail while Sanford took his reelection for granted. The result was predictable, regardless of any Trump factor....

"Still, it’s worth asking what lessons libertarians can learn to survive and thrive in the Trump era. The biggest one comes from Daniel McCarthy, who notes that libertarianism was a success in the GOP when it was anti-establishment.... Rand Paul, Congressman Thomas Massie, Congressman Justin Amash ... are flourishing because they’ve maintained their anti-establishment credentials ... despite the fact that they have opposed and even criticized Trump at times.

"Amash, who was targeted by Trump allies for a primary challenge, wound up running unopposed. Although he faces a tough general election battle, he is still favored to be reelected. Massie is all but certain to return to Congress.

"Contrast their fates with another libertarian leaner and Trump critic, Senator Jeff Flake. Flake was forced to retire after it became clear he would be defeated in the primary.... Flake was a strong proponent of free trade and railed against pork barrel spending in the House of Representatives. He was not afraid to challenge his own party on those issues. But since being elected to the Senate in 2012, Flake had also become a consistent ally of the Republican establishment....

"Libertarians can survive in the Trump era. After all, Trump’s destruction of the old GOP has given them space to operate. But libertarian Republicans must not forget their anti-establishment roots and they cannot take their election races for granted."

Read more: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/dont-write-off-the-libertarian-republicans/
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Saturday, April 8, 2017

GOP libertarians stand against Syria bombing

GOP’s war skeptics, once hopeful about Trump, wonder whether he’s changed - The Washington Post - David Weigel:

April 7, 2017 - "After the final confirmation vote on Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) walked into a crowd of reporters to inveigh against the airstrikes in Syria. He’d been doing so nonstop since Thursday night — first in a statement, then on TV, then in a column decrying the 'unconstitutional rush to war'....

"Until this week, and despite Trump’s early personnel moves, libertarian skeptics of foreign intervention thought they had an ally in the White House. But in the space of 24 hours, Paul — who came off a golf trip with Trump with praise for the president — found the anti-interventionist Republican posse shrunken back to pre-Obama levels....

"With President Barack Obama in the White House, Republicans and their voters were growing more skeptical of foreign intervention. The autumn of 2013 seemed to present a pivot point, when most Republicans rejected Obama’s call for airstrikes in Syria. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), a rival for the libertarian vote, said that attacking Syrian airfields could turn the United States into 'al-Qaeda’s air force' and wondered whether Obama was asking Congress to approve military action because “his bluff was called.

"The vast majority of Republicans who opposed Obama’s 2013 strike plan have come out in favor of Trump’s — which, analysts acknowledge, was more limited in scope. An analysis by the Denver7 news channel found that every Republican member of the congressional delegation who had been critical of the Obama attack, some even calling it 'unconstitutional' without congressional approval, had backed Trump....

"To Congress’s libertarians, Trump’s decision to act without consulting Congress was an obvious contradiction of how he had campaigned. On a Friday episode of former congressman Ron Paul’s online show, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) hammered home the increasingly fringe — but once Republican mainstream — position that striking Syria without congressional authorization risked blowback.

"'ISIS is better off today than it was yesterday,' Massie said, using another name for the Islamic State....

"Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), who joined Friday’s briefing for senators, said that Trump had been clear up until he became president. He had repeatedly spoken, tweeted and recorded short videos against the idea of bombing Syria.

"'Back in 2013, the situation was fairly similar,' Amash said. 'President Obama suggested that he might attack, and [Trump] opposed it.'"

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/04/07/gops-war-skeptics-once-hopeful-about-trump-wonder-whether-hes-changed/?utm_term=.639f49d145d9
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Tuesday, March 28, 2017

US House committee passes Audit the Fed bill

House panel passes bill to audit the Fed - MarketWatch - Greg Robb:

March 28, 2017 - "A House panel on Tuesday approved legislation that would let a government watchdog audit the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decisions, a move bitterly opposed by the central bank.

"The House Committee on oversight and government reform passed the measure by voice vote after roughly 30 minutes of debate.

"The bill was the brainchild of Ron Paul, the former House Republican and libertarian presidential candidate and sharp critic of the U.S. monetary policy. Versions of the bill have twice passed the House by wide margins but then stalled due to lack of support from Democrats in the Senate and the Obama administration.

"Analysts said the measure has a better chance to become law now that Republicans control both houses of Congress and the White House. Paul’s son, Rand, the Republican senator from Kentucky, has introduced a similar measure in the Senate.

"Democrats in the committee were firmly against the bill.... Republicans said the measure was needed to rein in the Fed.

"'It is ironic that the arsonists that caused the financial collapse are now being given credit...for putting out the fire. Almost every macroeconomist concedes in retrospect that [the Fed’s] extended period of easy money led to the financial crisis,' said Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky."

Read more: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/house-panel-passes-bill-to-audit-the-fed-2017-03-28
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Wednesday, February 15, 2017

The libertarian way to improve airports

A libertarian plan to improve our airports | Rare - Jillian Lane Wyant:

January 25, 2017 - "President Trump has promised to add a plan to improve American airports to his infrastructure proposal. Libertarian minded citizens are looking to Washington to both improve our airports by decentralizing control of airports, relying more on user fees and respecting travelers’ privacy rights....

"Americans have felt helpless as we’ve watched the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) physically and clumsily invade our personal privacy at the airport and the privacy of those around us. All while they continue to miss glaring red flags....

"Just last month, while in the Fort Lauderdale airport — two days before the terrorist attack on the airport, killing five people — the TSA stopped me due to the fact that the book in my purse was 'too thick and needed further inspection.' The man behind me in line laughed, as he overheard, and informed me he was carrying fireworks in his bag that the TSA had not detected. The self-righteous libertarian in me nearly imploded. This is not an isolated incident, this is a daily and possible deadly occurrence....

"Currently, libertarians are concerned with the amount that taxpayers are going be forced to foot the bill of when it comes to Trump’s infrastructure plan to rebuild America’s airports, roads, and bridges. The fiscally-conservative libertarian favors user-fees, as well as devolving the federal responsibilities over the airports and roads to local control.

"While of course, the first thing that Congress should undertake to fix when dealing with the airports is fixing the overzealous and egregiously expensive screening administered by TSA.... Over the last eight years, we have heard time and time again that the TSA is not doing an exemplary job of screening passengers, yet they continue to employ over 44,000 security officers. The TSA’s sole job is to intercept items that could cause a security threat, yet ... anybody who has traveled in the past few months feels violated every time they pass through security as attacks on airports continue to occur.

"As for the funding of infrastructure improvements, the Cato Institute is promoting the libertarian idea of 'Privatizing U.S. Airports.' Robert W. Poole Jr. and Chris Edwards make the case for a reduction in 'federal intervention' and a push toward a 'greater reliance on the private sector to fund, own, and operate the nation’s infrastructure." These are consistent with libertarian ideas that promote safety and peace-of-mind for travelers alike. Libertarians would like to dismantle the high federal taxes imposed on air travel that is used to improve airports; and allow local airports to collect fees to improve infrastructure on their own.

"Libertarians need to look to the members of the House Transportation Committee like Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Mark Sanford (R-SC) who can guide the legislation in the direction of decentralization and to get the federal government out of the business of treating all Americans as if they are terrorists.... Liberty based ideas that promoted decentralization and a less invasive taxes and security checks could make air travel great again."

Read more: http://rare.us/rare-politics/rare-liberty/a-libertarian-plan-to-improve-our-airports/
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Thursday, March 26, 2015

Massie co-sponsors bill to repeal PATRIOT Act

House effort would completely dismantle Patriot Act | TheHill - Julian Hatten:

March 24, 2015 - "Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) on Tuesday unveiled their Surveillance State Repeal Act, which would overhaul American spying powers unlike any other effort to reform the National Security Agency....

"The bill would completely repeal the Patriot Act, the sweeping national security law passed in the days after Sept. 11, 2001, as well as the 2008 FISA Amendments Act, another spying law that the NSA has used to justify collecting vast swaths of people's communications through the Internet.

"It would also reform the secretive court that oversees the nation’s spying powers, prevent the government from forcing tech companies to create 'backdoors' into their devices and create additional protections for whistleblowers.

"'Really, what we need are new whistleblower protections so that the next Edward Snowden doesn’t have to go to Russia or Hong Kong or whatever the case may be just for disclosing this,' Massie said.

"The bill is likely to be a nonstarter for leaders in Congress, who have been worried that even much milder reforms to the nation’s spying laws would tragically handicap the nation’s ability to fight terrorists. A similar bill was introduced in 2013 but failed to gain any movement in the House.

"Yet advocates might be hoping that their firm opposition to government spying will seem more attractive in coming weeks, as lawmakers race to beat a June 1 deadline for reauthorizing portions of the Patriot Act."

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/technology/236769-house-effort-would-completely-dismantle-patriot-act
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