At CPAC, the future looks libertarian | TIME

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

36 hours that changed the GOP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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