The actual libertarian movement didn’t ‘Go Nuts’ — just the one inside Bill Maher’s head

No, The Actual Libertarian Movement Didn’t ‘Go Nuts’ — It’s Just The One Inside Bill Maher’s Head | Mediaite - Andrew Kirell:

April 8, 2013 - "During his HBO show last Friday, Bill Maher dedicated four minutes to bashing libertarians for having 'ruined libertarianism.' The comedian lamented that even though he himself once identified as a libertarian, the movement has 'morphed into this creepy obsession with free-market capitalism based on an Ayn Rand [novel] called Atlas Shrugged.'

“I didn’t go nuts; this movement did,” he concluded before launching into a series of cartoonishly reductive descriptions of what he thinks are the ultimate libertarian ends.... But throughout all the libertarian bashing, ... he revealed that he really does not have a grasp on what the movement/ideology actually represents.....

"When Maher declared himself a 'libertarian' back in 2001, Salon declared it a 'joke,' noting that only a handful of his beliefs (specifically in the social issues realm) overlapped with libertarian ideology. His staunch support for the expansion of government over guns, education, business, etc., were all in direct opposition to what libertarians generally believe — and yet, somehow, he bizarrely believes to this day that the movement left him."

Read more: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/no-the-actual-libertarian-movement-didnt-go-nuts-its-just-the-one-inside-bill-mahers-head/
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Jeremy Irons says no to Bloomberg's health regulations

Jeremy Irons says no to Bloomberg's health regulations | The Daily Caller - Tim Cavanaugh:

April 4 - "Jeremy Irons, the Oscar-winning actor ... told the Huffington Post yesterday that Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s highly regulated New York brings out his libertarian instincts.

"Asked by HuffPost Live host Josh Epps about Bloomberg’s efforts to ban large sodas, Irons launched into a tirade worthy of “Die Hard with a Vengeance” bad guy Simon Gruber.

"'I am completely libertarian,' said Irons. 'I think it’s very, very dangerous, and I really mean that. I think the smoking ban is the tip of an iceberg, of the leaders of society telling us how to be. I think it is not their business. It is their business to tell us to care for and respect each other and each other’s health and each other’s happiness. And we are responsible enough to do that.'"

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/04/04/completely-libertarian-jeremy-irons-says-no-to-bloombergs-health-regulations/
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David Stockman champions "Ron Paul libertarianism" in The Great Deformation

David Stockman takes U.S. on libertarian trip to woodshed - Morning Call - Clive Crook, Bloomberg View columnist:

April 5, 2013 - "David Stockman first came to prominence as Ronald Reagan's publicity-prone director of the Office of Management and Budget in the early 1980s. In the decades since he was fired from that job, his career in the leveraged-buyout business has been of no great distinction except that it included an indictment for fraud. (The charges were dropped and he paid $7.2 million to settle a civil case brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission.) Now here we are discussing his new book on the corruption of American capitalism, The Great Deformation....

"Stockman has a reputation, acquired during that spell at the OMB, for speaking truth to power. That's rare enough in Washington to leave a lasting impression. He's unusually smart. His judgments of people he disagrees with, a group which includes almost everybody, range from memorably blunt to gratuitously offensive. That works, too. The main thing, though, might be the trait that has defined him all along and which is stamped all through "The Great Deformation": Stockman is a man who loves a theory....

"The new book is as full a statement as you could wish of where that strong theory now stands. It turns out to be Ron Paul libertarianism, give or take. Stockman is both impressive and infuriating in just the same way as Paul. He makes valid criticisms of many policies, but his ideas form a sealed intellectual system. Everything depends on everything else. Things can't be improved here and there. Suggesting palliatives is missing the point — the entire body politic is sick and has to go."

Read more: http://articles.mcall.com/2013-04-05/opinion/mc-david-stockman-crook-stockman-column-20130405_1_david-stockman-new-book-omb
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Cobb County, Georgia, chair explains Big L Libertarianism

The Marietta Daily Journal - Cobb chair explains Big L Libertarianism: Brett C. Bittner:

"I, as chairman of the Libertarian Party of Cobb County, would like to ... help my Republican friends better understand a few things.

"While freedom is increasingly popular ... there are a few Republicans who have yet to realize the Republican Party is not the vehicle for advancing the liberty and freedom envisioned by our Founders. They continue to work within the two-party system to change the rhetoric of their adopted platforms and speeches into the reality of their actions in office. I cannot blame them, because I know how trying it can be to be on the outside of the two-party stranglehold on American politics.

"There are many independents, Republicans and Democrats that hold 'libertarian' beliefs, but are not 'Libertarians,' in that they are not members of the Libertarian Party. In fact, many Republicans are libertarian in their support of economic freedom, and many Democrats are libertarian in their support of personal liberty. Neither of the old parties 'gets' the whole package, while Libertarians believe that liberty is indivisible.

Read more: http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/22161671/article-Cobb-chair-explains--Big-L--Libertarianism-?instance=secondary_story_left_column
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Homeschool convention to bring Ron Paul to Cincinnati

Homeschool convention to bring Ron Paul, 15,000 visitors to Cincinnati - Business Courier- Erin Fischesser:

April 2, 2013 -"Former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul is among the notable guests who will attend the Midwest Homeschool Convention at the Duke Energy Convention Center April 4-6.

"The convention is expected to attract more than 15,000 attendees to Cincinnati, which will contribute to the growing Downtown economy.

"The convention is open to the public and admission cost starts at $40. Tickets for Ron Paul’s keynote speech will be sold separately starting at $6. The speech will be at 8 p.m. April 6."

Read more: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2013/04/02/homeschool-convention-to-bring-ron.html
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Rand Paul takes more moderate position on foreign military bases

Rand Paul 2016? Libertarian Takes More Moderate Position On Military Bases - Alex Goldberg, PolicyMic:

April 1, 2013 - Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has been elevated into the media spotlight as a champion of libertarian and Tea Party politics ... has been mentioned frequently as a possible presidential candidate in 2016. However, despite his appeal among libertarian conservatives, Paul has had less success in winning over the broader conservative base. Possibly as a result of this, Paul has recently expressed opinions, particularly regarding foreign policy, that seem to be more centrist than the traditional libertarian positions expressed by his father, possibly as a strategic move to broaden his appeal prior to a run at the presidency.

"In a recent speech addressing the Women Republicans of Central Kentucky, Paul espoused that there was a need to audit the Department of Defense — a move that could lead to cuts and result in the closing of U.S. military bases around the world. While both of these would seem to be fairly basic libertarian ideas, he also stated that there should be some bases kept open in order to support a strong national security policy, saying, “I’m not saying we don’t have any [foreign bases] … I’m just saying maybe not 900.”

"He then added that there was a more pressing need to invest resources being used in foreign aid and military occupation in homeland infrastructure and defense."

Read more: http://www.policymic.com/articles/32143/rand-paul-2016-libertarian-takes-more-moderate-position-on-military-bases
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St. Louis County Libertarian Party opposes Proposition P

St. Louis County Libertarian Party Opposes Proposition P - StLToday.com:

April 1, 2013 - "The St. Louis County Libertarian Party stands in strong opposition to Proposition P, the Safe and Accessible Arch and Public Parks Initiative.

"Proposition P would allow an additional 3/16ths of a cent increase in regional sales taxes to fund a park under Federal jurisdiction.... But, as it stands, collecting a local tax to bolster a Federal endeavor is illogical.

"The St. Louis County Libertarian Party does not hate parks. We don’t hate The Arch. We do not oppose beautification efforts or civil engineering improvements in public space. We do, however, oppose Proposition P. If the Federal government wants to subsidize Federal parklands by reprioritizing its already massive $2.9 trillion dollars in Federal revenue, that would be the responsible course of action. If local business leaders and entrepreneurs feel this redesign of The Arch grounds would bring in more tourism revenue, it is in their interest to fund the project through private donations."

Read more: http://interact.stltoday.com/pr/local-news/PR040113095112384
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