Benton & Tate indicted again on same charges

New Indictment Revives Charges Against Ex-Ron Paul 2012 Aides - David Pitt, Talking Points Memo:

November 20, 2015 - "Federal prosecutors continue to pursue criminal charges against three top campaign advisers to 2012 presidential candidate Ron Paul.

 "In a new grand jury indictment filed Thursday in federal court in Des Moines, Paul's 2012 campaign chairman Jesse Benton, campaign manager John Tate and deputy manager Dimitri Kesari are charged with conspiracy to cover up $73,000 in campaign payments to former Iowa Sen. Kent Sorenson. Sorenson dropped his support for Michelle Bachmann and endorsed Paul in December 2011, six days before the Iowa caucuses.

"Benton, Tate and Kesari also are charged with causing false campaign contribution reports to be filed to the Federal Election Commission and participating in a false statement scheme. Benton and Tate are charged with causing the campaign to file false records of the payments. Kesari was convicted of that charge last month.

"The three men were originally charged in August, but a judge dismissed charges against Tate and all but one charge against Benton because they were based on information the government obtained during FBI interviews last year that the judge said was not admissible.

"In the new indictment the charges are based primarily on emails and other communication the prosecutors plan to offer into evidence.

"Benton was tried on one count of lying to the FBI, but a Des Moines jury acquitted him of that charge last month. At the same trial Kesari was convicted of causing the campaign to file false records but jurors said they could not reach a verdict on counts alleging conspiracy, causing false campaign expenditure reports and a scheme to falsify statements. Those charges are refiled against Kesari and Benton in the new indictment....

"The men have previously said they believe the prosecution is politically motivated and that they are another example of the federal government going after tea party-backed conservatives. They said Sorenson's job as a subcontractor is common in campaigns and the law doesn't require disclosure of payments to subcontractors.

"In last month's trial Paul told jurors he suspected federal prosecutors unsealed the indictment against them one day before his son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was set to appear at the Republican Party's first debate of the 2016 campaign....

"Tate is the founder and president of America's Liberty, one of several super political action committees supporting Rand Paul's presidential campaign. Benton, who also helped lead the PAC, is married to Ron Paul's granddaughter, Valori Pyeatt, Rand Paul's niece. Tate and Benton took a leave of absence from the PAC when they were charged."

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/jesse-benton-jon-tate-dimitri-kesari-indicted
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Libertarian ideology

by George J. Dance 

It has become increasingly popular in recent years for libertarian intellectuals to try to define the "libertarian ideology." An "ideology" is the fundamental beliefs about man and society that determine and justify the goals of a political group. For example, religion and tradition are components of conservative ideology, humanism and progress of the liberal, collectivism and dialectical materialism of the communist, and so on.

Is there then a distinct libertarian ideology? Many libertarians are convinced there is. Quite a few libertarian thinkers and publications believe that they express this ideology. Some even go so far as to set themselves up as "plumblines" of libertarian thought and use that position to denounce "deviations" from and "betrayals" of this ideology.

This trend is understandable, as modern libertarianism did develop, as a popular movement, as a political application of a particular philosophy – in short, as an ideology. This trend is also useful insofar as it has dissociated libertarian principles from conservative ideology, with which they are too often exclusively identified. But this trend is also intellectually and politically dangerous.

Dangerous because it restricts libertarianism's universal appeal by making it the handmaiden of non-political views. Dangerous because, by making these other views logically prior to liberty, it confuses the basic libertarian message. Dangerous becaue each non-political addition to basic libertarianism narrows our base of support, and alienates even hitherto committed libertarians.

These dangers would be necessary, if belief in a libertarian ideology were correct. But it is not correct.

Libertarianism is not an ideology. It is a method, a process – a principle, if you like – for settling disputes between adherents of competing ideologies. It is then, it has to be, compatible with all and identified with none. It is indifferent to conflicts over altruism vs. egoism, materialism vs. idealism, natural law vs. utilitarianism, religion vs. atheism; it can only establish rules for resolving such conflicts. Belief in non-initiation of force not only can stand independently of any of the above concepts – indeed, it is cheapened by any suggestion of dependence on them.

The reason democracy has swept the world (as an idea, anyway) was precisely that it was such a method of resolving differences. In Hayek's terminology, it is an agreement on means, not ends. And, as Hayek points out, widespread agreement is possible only on means, and only because it is not known which ends will be promoted.

We know that, as an attempt to resolve disputes peacefully, democracy has not always been successful. Unsuccessful because inconsistent: it allows the use of force for the promotion of the dominant ideology, asserting only that force should play no part in determining which ideology should become dominant. Hence liberty, a more consistent set of rules for social peace, unalterably opposed to no ideologies but to the messianic element in all.

Should there then be no libertarian ideology? On the contrary: there should be hundreds. Thinking persons are bound to have their own, individualized, beliefs about society, man, and nature – this is a point on which we all can agree. We can also agree that there will not be unanimity on the entire gamut of these beliefs. (Try disagreeing with that belief.) If we deduce libertarian methods as a means of resolving our differences, we are libertarians; if statist methods, we are statists. But if we try to pretend that such differences do not exist, we are either fools or liars.

~~
from Principle 8:4 (September/October 1981), 14.

Barrie Examiner won't print pro-capitalist column

Paolo Fabrizio, a Libertarian who writes a regular opinion column in the Barrie Examiner, has had his latest column pulled. It's reprinted in full below, with permission.
Fabrizio comments: "Once again the left socialists pigs win , they managed to shut down my column by blasting the paper with so many anti-liberty emails the paper bows down. My column will not be printed this week because I'm such a bad guy who hates the climate, earth and tax stealing. Here is my column that was supposed to be in today's paper, you read it and judge for yourself. Please comment so I know where I went wrong with it and if you feel like emailing the paper to complain about me or to support me go ahead. http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/contact-us "
As of press time, the Examiner has not responded to a request for comment.

Capitalism key to freedom
by Paolo Fabrizio

I never fight with anyone; that’s what separates me from the left socialist green communists.

If you don’t agree with any of my ideas or beliefs I’m fine with that. I love sharing ideas and listening to ideas, but what distinguishes a capitalist like me from a communist socialist green is that I never want to force my ideas on you.

I would never think I’m so perfect and my ideas are so righteous that the government should use the power of the gun or law to force you to believe me.

I can handle you not agreeing with me, but I dare you to try and confront a left socialist communist green and go against what they are force-feeding you. I dare you!

The LSGC (left socialist green communist) will attack you, will claim that you are a racist or a homophobe or that you are an idiot for believing in God or creation. They will come at you in numbers with loud, angry faces demanding that you give up your right to any self-thought or free speech.

Yes, the LSGC will make you feel bad for having a mortgage and a bank account and a job, at the same time they are talking on their iPhone or checking the time on their iWatch and driving around in their German imported cars.

Yes, the LSGC wants you to feel ashamed for loving your family; heck they want you to be ashamed that you actually have a family and that you’re calling your son, your son and your daughter, your daughter. How dare you.

It’s getting tougher and tougher surviving nowadays, with the cost of living soaring and the cost of trying to keep your family sheltered, clothed and fed that it takes both husband and wife working everyday just to make ends meet.

How does your government respect you, how does your government show appreciation for your hard-earned tax dollars? They give it away to people that don’t deserve it or haven’t contributed anything to society.

Now the LSGC will say that working for years on creating a music CD is a contribution to the community, and will also claim that giving tax money to these well-deserved artists will be a benefit to society. They will also force you to believe that these music projects bring culture to us, because you know that without these artists taking our money we would be left with no culture. That’s to say we are culture-less without them.

Many of these so called musical artists that sit around all day working on their music feel that capitalists like myself are the evil demons of the world. Without this devil working all night long, I wouldn’t be able to keep seven employees employed. Without this devil keeping these employees employed, there would be no tax collected and with no tax collected the government wouldn’t have any money to give away to LSGC wannabe musical artists.

I’m a capitalist and I show my displeasure or happiness with my money.

If I don’t like a company’s environmental policy or how they treat their employees, I will not patronize them with my business. If they want my business it’s my capitalist money that will get them to change, not some forced government policy.

Capitalism is what keeps this country great and it’s capitalism that will move it forward to bring better healthcare, better workers’ rights, and it’s capitalism that gets companies and people to change.
So if you think your LSGC beliefs will bring you prosperity, just look into the ocean.

I have never seen people escaping capitalism on plastic bottle rafts to head over to a socialist paradise.

U.S. Border Patrol oversteps mandate by searching & threatening citizens

Libertarian Party: Stop Border Patrol drug-busting U.S. citizens : Frost Illustrated::

October 27, 2015 - "Agents of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) in the southwestern United States are unconstitutionally harassing and detaining American citizens, on a fishing expedition for drug busts, sometimes as far as 100 miles from the border.

"According to a report by the Arizona American Civil Liberties Union, Border Patrol agents are routinely 'stopping and searching motorists without justification; threatening residents with assault rifles, Tasers, and knives; destroying and confiscating personal property; interfering with efforts to video-record agents; and using dozens of false alerts by CBP dogs to search and detain innocent people.'

"'Americans should not lose their constitutional rights just because they live within 100 miles of the border,' said Nicholas Sarwark, chair of the Libertarian National Committee. 'Border Patrol should be ordered to stop busting Americans for drugs and to stick to the border.'

"The ACLU reports that the CBP is 'systematically disregarding the law with impunity'” and that Border Patrol checkpoints are more directed at drug busts than at immigration enforcement. Eighty percent of recorded Border Patrol drug arrests were of U.S. citizens.

"'Not only is Border Patrol grossly overstepping its authority,' said Sarwark, 'It is prosecuting the failed War on Drugs, a war that most Americans now realize has been a complete and utter failure.'"

Read more: http://www.frostillustrated.com/2015/libertarian-party-stop-border-patrol-drug-busting-u-s-citizens/
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Blaming Snowden for Paris massacre: "How dumb do they think people are?"

Exploiting Emotions About Paris to Blame Snowden, Distract from Actual Culprits Who Empowered ISIS - The Intercept, Glenn Greenwald:

"Whistleblowers are always accused of helping America’s enemies... So it’s of course unsurprising that ever since Edward Snowden’s whistleblowing enabled newspapers around the world to report on secretly implemented programs of mass surveillance, he has been accused by 'officials' and their various media allies of Helping The Terrorists™....

"I was a bit surprised just by how quickly and blatantly — how shamelessly — some of them jumped to exploit the emotions prompted by the carnage in France to blame Snowden: doing so literally as the bodies still lay on the streets of Paris.... But now ... credible news sites are regurgitating the claim that the Paris Terrorists were enabled by Snowden leaks — based on no evidence or specific proof of any kind, needless to say, but just the unverified, obviously self-serving assertions of government officials....

"The implicit premise of this accusation is that The Terrorists didn’t know to avoid telephones or how to use effective encryption until Snowden came along and told them. Yet we’ve been warned for years and years before Snowden that The Terrorists are so diabolical and sophisticated that they engage in all sorts of complex techniques to evade electronic surveillance....

"Any terrorist capable of tying his own shoe — let alone carrying out a significant attack — has known for decades that speaking on open telephone and internet lines was to be avoided due to U.S. surveillance.... The Snowden revelations weren’t significant because they told The Terrorists their communications were being monitored; everyone — especially The Terrorists — has known that forever. The revelations were significant because they told the world that the NSA and its allies were collecting everyone else’s internet communications and activities.

""As but one of countless examples, here’s a USA Today article from February 2001 — more than 12 years before anyone knew the name 'Edward Snowden' — warning that al Qaeda was able to 'outfox law enforcement' by hiding its communications behind sophisticated internet encryption... The Christian Science Monitor similarly reported on February 1, 2001, that 'the head of the U.S. National Security Agency has publicly complained that al Qaeda’s sophisticated use of the internet and encryption techniques have defied Western eavesdropping attempts'.... All the way back in the mid-1990s, the Clinton administration exploited the fears prompted by Timothy McVeigh’s Oklahoma City attack to demand backdoor access to all internet communications.

"How dumb do they think people are to count on them forgetting all of this, and to believe now that The Terrorists only learned to avoid telephones and use encryption once Snowden came along? Ironically, the Snowden archive itself is full of documents from NSA and its British counterpart, GCHQ, expressing deep concern that they cannot penetrate the communications of Terrorists because of how sophisticated their surveillance-avoidance methods are (obviously, those documents pre-date Snowden’s public disclosures)....

"U.S officials are eager here to demonize far more than just Snowden. They want to demonize encryption generally as well as any companies that offer it. Indeed, as these media accounts show, they’ve been trying for two decades to equate the use of encryption — anything that keeps them out of people’s private online communications — with aiding and abetting The Terrorists. It’s not just Snowden but also their own long-time Surveillance State partners — particular Apple and Google — who are now being depicted as Terrorist Lovers for enabling people to have privacy on the internet through encryption products.

"Then there’s the blame-shifting benefit. For most major terror attacks, the perpetrators were either known to Western security agencies or they had ample reason to watch them. All three perpetrators of the Charlie Hebdo massacre 'were known to French authorities,' as was the thwarted train attacker in July and at least one of the Paris attackers. These agencies receive billions and billions of dollars every year and radical powers, all in the name of surveilling Bad People and stopping attacks.

"So when they fail in their ostensible duty, and people die because of that failure, it’s a natural instinct to blame others: Don’t look to us; it’s Snowden’s fault, or the fault of Apple, or the fault of journalists, or the fault of encryption designers, or anyone’s fault other than ours. If you’re a security agency after a successful Terror attack, you want everyone looking elsewhere, finding all sorts of culprits other than those responsible for stopping such attacks."

Read more: https://theintercept.com/2015/11/15/exploiting-emotions-about-paris-to-blame-snowden-distract-from-actual-culprits-who-empowered-isis/
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Argentine dentist founds libertarian education org.

Meet Argentina's Dentist Turned Libertarian Activist - Fergus Hodgson, Pan-Am Post:

November 15, 2015 - "The latest RELIAL conference in Mexico City drew quite the crowd from across Latin America, but it wasn’t the professional political class that caught my eye. Rather, it was a layman who had made the trip all the way from her home in Rosario, Argentina.

"Lucrecia Pellerino, a dentist by trade, was there in late October to join with other liberals in the fight against the false promises of populism. In particular, she did not want Argentina to go the way of Venezuela, which has been the nation’s trajectory of late under President Cristina Kirchner.

"She and I sat down to chat about what had pushed her to take time away from her busy schedule to become a pro bono activist with Fundación Bases. She now organizes events for the educational organization that promotes the “ideas of liberty and an open society.'

"It began in 2002, she told me: 'I was very annoyed with the politics of my country, and I began to participate [with my accountant husband] in the party of Ricardo López Murphy, which was a liberal party.'

"But López Murphy subsequently lost his bid for the presidency in 2003, and the party is now defunct. In 2004, Pellerino decided that the populace needed to be better educated on economic matters before political outcomes would change. She thus helped get Fundación Bases started, and they targeted university students and academics with their programs.

"'I want an Argentina open to the world,' she said, as opposed to closed markets. In her work as a dentist and orthodontist, she feels the pain of hefty tariffs and quotas, since her materials are all imported and simply not made in Argentina. These costs inevitably get passed on to consumers who often cannot afford the inflated prices.

"But taxes on the border are just the start. Business Insider recently reported that Argentina had the highest taxes on corporations in the world, to feed the ever-larger state apparatus and achieve what amounts to a ban on profits. In fact, the central government’s spending grew from 17 to 33 percent of the economy in just the last 10 years, under the late Nestor Kirchner and then his widow Cristina."

Read more: http://blog.panampost.com/fergus-hodgson/2015/11/15/meet-argentinas-dentist-turned-libertarian-activist/
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Bill Maher: U.S. should get out of Muslim lands

Maher: US Should 'Get Out of Muslim Lands' To Stop Terrorism, 'Good For Rand Paul' - Breitbart - Ian Hanchett:

November 13, 2015 - "HBO’s 'Real Time' host Bill Maher wondered, 'why don’t we get out of Muslim lands?' to prevent terrorism, adding, 'bombing them over there is what is causing the Paris thing to happen,' and praised GOP presidential candidate and Kentucky Senator Sen. Rand Paul’s views on military spending on Friday.

"Maher, in response to his own question of why terrorists hate the West, said, 'When you capture one, or when [they] leave a note, you know what they say? "Because you’re there. Because you’re in Muslim lands." I have a crazy idea, why don’t we get out of Muslim lands?'

"He added, 'if they watched the Republican debate, on Tuesday night, that’s exactly what they saw. the biggest cheers were for republicans who got up there and said we have to kick a*s militarily. this nonsensical argument … let’s show a little bit of the debate. This is the debate that Ron Paul — he actually, good for Rand Paul, he sounded a little like his father, and that’s what we loved about him at the beginning.'

"After playing a clip of Rand’s exchange with GOP presidential candidate and Florida Senator Sen. Marco Rubio at the last debate, Maher remarked, 'Yes, what a great thing to say, because these — all these other Republicans talk about rebuilding the military. It’s already built. We’re — if we’re already 10 times where all the other countries combined are, why do we have to keep adding to it?'....

"He later added, 'bombing them over there is what is causing the Paris thing to happen. That connection needs to be made. We don’t have to be bombing them there. … Remember after 9/11, Bush was all about we’re going to not make any distinction between countries that harbor terrorists and terrorists, and it was kick a** sh*t, everybody loved it, because we had to wipe out the safe havens, right? That was Afghanistan. Okay, all these years after 9/11, there’s way more safe havens than there were then.'

"Maher also asked, 'Where are all the other Arab countries who pretend to hate ISIS so much? I tallied up their armies one night. There are over five million people under arms if you look at all these countries, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, and Turkey that could send troops to fight an army of about 25,000 a**holes who have 1970 Toyota pickup trucks.'"

Read more: http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/11/13/maher-us-should-get-out-of-muslim-lands-to-stop-terrorism-good-for-rand-paul/
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