Afghanistan Papers show years of official lying

The ‘Afghanistan Papers’ Confirm Critics’ Worst Fears About America’s Longest War – Reason.com - Steven Greenjut, Orange County Register:

December 20, 2019 - "It's been 18 years since the United States invaded Afghanistan in what officials promised to be a decisive mission to uproot a breeding ground for Islamic fundamentalist terrorism. You're totally not shocked to learn that things didn't quite work out as promised, and that the government repeatedly misled the public about its level of success, about the fundamental purpose of the endeavor and just about everything....

"That's how government behaves — not that many readers believed anti-war libertarians as we warned about such things at the time. I'm surprised it took so long for anyone to notice, and that the latest evidence — a meticulously reported project by The Washington Post — has been met with yawns. It's hard to compete for attention with the ongoing impeachment proceedings, but the 'Afghan Papers' should cause heads to roll (or explode)....

"On the Orange County Register editorial board, we issued our warnings about overseas commitments — the costs in lives and treasure and the impossibility of turning impoverished backwaters into modern democracies. We were accused of basically being bad Americans. Yet the Afghan and Iraq conflicts turned out pretty much as we and other critics predicted, as the Post report reveals in maddening detail.

"Most people have long realized that Iraq was a debacle ... that had little to do with the 9/11 attacks, but Afghanistan seemed more defensible given that the Taliban and Islamic fundamentalists clearly had set up shop there. But the Post report suggests that even that reality didn't make the war's focus clear....  The newspaper found 'that as the war dragged on, the goals and mission kept changing and a lack of faith in the U.S. strategy took root' at the highest levels. Officials couldn't even agree on the purpose of the war....

"The arrogance of American officials always amazed me. Our country's large-scale efforts to transform parts of this country — the War on Poverty, the Great Society — failed spectacularly. Yet our leaders thought they could invade a country that most Americans couldn't pinpoint on a map, and which had a history of repelling invaders (think of Russia), and fundamentally transform its society. And they kept spinning Americans and distorting 'statistics to make it appear the United States was winning the war when that was not the case'....

"Some of the Post's stories were eye-opening: how military officials were ordered to spend millions of dollars a day in small regions, even though no one had any idea what to do with it. That's government. It literally dumps money on problems and hopes it will create progress, when all it does is encourage corruption. Even more amazing, our military couldn't distinguish between friends and enemies....

"These days, we're all sure our fellow partisans are brilliant and the other side is evil, but this ought to give everyone pause: President Barack Obama's policy in Afghanistan wasn't appreciably different from George W. Bush's — and neither of them had any particular success. Both made grandiose promises about 'winning' and eradicating terrorists, but neither delivered."

Read more: https://reason.com/2019/12/20/the-afghanistan-papers-confirm-critics-worst-fears-about-americas-longest-war/
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A libertarian in the Democratic primary

Yes, there’s a candidate for president from Connecticut - CTInsider.com - Jordan Fenster:

December 18, 2019 - "Mark Stewart is running for president of the United States, but he knows he won’t win. That said, he’s officially on the ballot....  Vermont approved his ballot application — he submitted a petition with 1,200 names on the list — and he’ll be running in the Democratic primary for sure in New Hampshire and California. Rhode Island is still a hurdle, but he’s confident he’ll make it on that state’s ballot, too....

"Stewart knows that winning the presidency is 'unrealistic,' but his goal is not actually a victory. What he wants is for 'an outsider, for a free-market Libertarian, to voice issues within the primary process,' to 'roll back socialism and try to extinguish the leftist lurch that leaders in the [D]emocrat [P]arty have.' 'I don’t believe your average Democrat voter really buys into all the big government promises that these televised candidates want,' he said.

"Stewart is also vying to be the Libertarian Party’s choice for vice president, and hopes that running for president will help him be seen as a fighter.... But Stewart said his primary goal is to inspire other potential candidates. 'I know there will be other candidates for state house seats and maybe even congressional seats that have until now felt stymied,' he said. 'We need more people running for offices. if more candidates are in the mix we get better public servants.'

"Stewart — whose full name is Mark Stewart Greenstein — is originally from West Hartford, where he still calls home.... This is not the first time he’s run a long-shot campaign.... Four years ago, he was on the ballot in Rhode Island, for the sole purpose of beating Hillary Clinton.... He ran for Senate in New York — also for the stated purpose of beating Clinton — in 2006. This year, he tried for the 5th Connecticut State Senate District, and garnered ... 51 votes. In 2018 he ran an unsuccessful bid for Connecticut governor, against Ned Lamont. He qualified for the November ballot, but ... received only 0.1 percent of the vote....

"Stewart is currently trying to form a new political party he calls EPIC, an acronym for 'Every Politically Independent Citizen.' The new party will run a convention in August. Stewart’s last primary in this election cycle will be when Rhode Islanders go to the polls on April 28, 2020..... That will give his EPIC party enough time to register any candidates for office who have become disillusioned with the major parties, he said.

"As for why he’s running as a Democrat, in the Democratic primary, Stewart said it’s because 'they need the most help.' 'They are so wayward in their leadership,' he said. 'They give rise to leftism, which I will define as people who want to take America down.".

Read more: https://www.ctinsider.com/local/ctpost/article/Yes-there-s-a-candidate-for-president-from-14916126.php
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TN libertarians want school board transparency

Williamson County mother, libertarian group sue Tennessee School Boards Association under state Open Records Act | Chattanooga Times Free Press - Andy Sher:

December 18, 2019 - "In a case whose outcome could have major implications for some of the state's various local government associations, a libertarian group on Tuesday filed suit against the Tennessee School Boards Association, saying the organization should be subject to state public record laws.

"Suing on behalf of Williamson County parent and plaintiff Karrie Marren, the Beacon Center's legal arm is arguing the association acts as a 'functional equivalent of government, charged with training school board members in this state.' The suit charges that Marren was 'frustrated by the unresponsiveness' of Williamson County school board members who are 'legally mandated to receive their training and ethical standards from the Tennessee School Board Association.'

"As a result of the school board association's rejecting her request, the complaint says, Marren is suing under the Tennessee Public Records Act. The suit was filed in Chancery Court in Williamson County. TSBA's headquarters is in Williamson County.

"Braden Boucek, Beacon's vice president of legal affairs, said in a statement that 'taxpayers are entitled to transparency when it comes to how their children are educated and how their education tax dollars are spent.' He added that 'regardless of where you stand politically, transparency is one of the bedrocks of democracy, and any functional equivalent of government needs to be subjected to the same transparency laws. When a 'private' organization receives nearly all its money from taxpayers and gets preferential treatment to participate in the state's retirement program, they should be accountable to the very taxpayers who are funding them.'

"A favorable ruling could roil various local government associations in a state which has the Tennessee Municipal League for cities, the Tennessee County Services Association and other entities that provide similar services as Tennessee School Boards Association."

Read more: https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2019/dec/18/williamscounty-mother-libertarigrosue-tenness/510860/
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Cannabis legalization referendum OK'ed in NJ

New Jersey Lawmakers Vote To Put Marijuana Legalization On State's 2020 Ballot | Marijuana Moment - Kyle Jaeger:

December 16, 2019 - "New Jersey lawmakers approved a resolution on Monday that will put a referendum on legalizing marijuana on the state’s 2020 ballot. The Senate voted 24-16 in favor of the measure, with the Assembly following by a margin of 49-24 — supermajority support that means lawmakers will not have to vote on the measure again next year, which is required for such resolutions if they are only approved by a simple majority.

"The votes come days after committees in both chambers held hearings on the issue, with testimony from advocates, stakeholders and opponents.

"While advocates and certain lawmakers had hoped to enact legalization legislatively this year, disagreements over the specifics of proposed bills derailed that effort, and leaders agreed to put the question of broad cannabis reform before voters instead. Gov. Phil Murphy (D), who had participated in negotiations with the legislature to get legalization done, said last month that he was disappointed a passable bill didn’t materialize but that he’s confident New Jersey voters will support the policy change next November.

"In the meantime, the governor said he will work with lawmakers to expeditiously pass legislation to decriminalize marijuana possession....

"Murphy and the governors of several other states in the Northeast have also engaged in a regional dialogue about how to coordinate their cannabis markets after it’s legalized. It’s not clear how New Jersey opting for a referendum process will impact those discussions, however."

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-jersey-lawmakers-vote-to-put-marijuana-legalization-on-states-2020-ballot/
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NY raises ballot access threshhold

Green Party, Libertarian Team Up To Fight New Election Rules | WCBS Newsradio 880:

December 16, 2019 - "It's not often you see leaders of the Libertarian Party and the Green Party sharing a podium, but that’s exactly what happened recently, according to WCBS 880’s Steve Burns.

"'The Libertarian Party is pleased to partner with the Green,' said Libertarian Party of New York Chairman Jim Rosenbeck.

"Rosenbeck says the new rules set up by the Public Campaign Financing Commission are ... 'a shameless attempt to limit public debate'....

"In order to have full ballot status parties need to receive at least 50,000 votes in governor's races. The new rules raise that threshold to a 130,000 votes, or 2% of total turnout – whichever is higher. Those totals have to be attained every two years instead of every four.

"Green Party of New York Co-Chairman Peter Lavenia says they'll likely be knocked off the ballot in the next two years over the changes. 'We’re looking at this as an assault on democracy,' he said.

"The two parties are filing a joint lawsuit against the commission.

"State lawmakers could reconvene and change the rules, though that prospect is looking increasingly unlikely with a deadline at the end of this week."

Read more: https://wcbs880.radio.com/articles/news/green-party-libertarian-team-up-to-fight-new-election-rules
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1st US psychedelic research center founded

First US Center for Psychedelic Research a 'Game Changer' - Megan Brooks, Medscape:

December 2, 2019 - "A group of private benefactors has donated $17 million to fund the first psychedelic research center in the United States.

"The Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, 'reflects a new era of research in therapeutics and the mind through studying this unique and remarkable class of pharmacological compounds," 'Roland Griffiths, PhD, the center's director, said in a statement. 'We've been conducting research with psychedelics at Johns Hopkins for almost the last 20 years, but funding has not been forthcoming from federal sources as yet so the work has primarily been supported by philanthropy,' ... and this 'very large philanthropic gift has allowed the establishment of the first center for psychedelic research in the United States,' said Griffiths.

"The center's operational expenses for the first 5 years will be covered by private funding from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and four philanthropists, including author and investor Tim Ferriss; Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress; Blake Mycoskie, founder of the shoe brand TOMS; and investor Craig Nerenberg.

"The funding will support a team of six faculty neuroscientists, experimental psychologists, and clinicians with expertise in psychedelic science, as well as five postdoctoral scientists. The faculty will train graduate and medical students who want to pursue careers in psychedelic science, where historically there have been few avenues for career advancement.

"Initial priority projects include researching the potential of psilocybin as a therapy for anorexia nervosa, early stage Alzheimer's disease, opioid use disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), posttreatment Lyme disease, and alcohol use disorder comorbid with depression. Based on research to date, the nature of the changes that occur during a psilocybin session would appear to have 'transdiagnostic generality' across a range of mental health and behavioral conditions, Griffiths said.

"He added that there are 'very strong preliminary signals' that psilocybin is an effective treatment for cancer patients who are anxious or depressed. 'We also have promising efficacy data in people with major depression as well as treatment-resistant depression; and we have indication of potential efficacy across a range of substance use disorders, including alcohol and cocaine abuse and cigarette smoking,' he said....

"For patients with depression secondary to a diagnosis of early Alzheimer's disease, Griffiths said his team 'strongly suspects' psilocybin will be effective at least for the mood disorder 'but, of course, the really interesting thing would be whether there is any change in cognitive function.' 'The emerging data with psilocybin and other psychedelics is that they may produce neuroplastic changes, they may end up rewiring the brain in ways we simply don't understand,' Griffiths added."

Read more: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/921986
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Understanding the Overton Window

The Overton Window – Mackinac Center:

"The Overton Window is a model for understanding how ideas in society change over time and influence politics. The core concept is that politicians are limited in what policy ideas they can support — they generally only pursue policies that are widely accepted throughout society as legitimate policy options. These policies lie inside the Overton Window. Other policy ideas exist, but politicians risk losing popular support if they champion these ideas. These policies lie outside the Overton Window.

"But the Overton Window can both shift and expand, either increasing or shrinking the number of ideas politicians can support without unduly risking their electoral support. Sometimes politicians can move the Overton Window themselves by courageously endorsing a policy lying outside the window, but this is rare. More often, the window moves based on a much more complex and dynamic phenomenon ... the slow evolution of societal values and norms."
Read more: https://www.mackinac.org/OvertonWindow

How the Politically Unthinkable Can Become Mainstream - The New York Times - Maggie Astor:

February 26, 2019 - "Joseph P. Overton introduced the concept in the 1990s as an executive at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a conservative think tank in Michigan. He never expected it to gain widespread recognition, said Joseph G. Lehman, president of the Mackinac Center, and it didn’t until after Mr. Overton died in 2003....

"'Public officials cannot enact any policy they please like they’re ordering dessert from a menu,' Mr. Lehman said in an interview. 'They have to choose from among policies that are politically acceptable at the time. And we believe the Overton window defines that range of ideas.'

"Grass-roots mobilization can shift the window. So can think tanks, which was Mr. Overton’s point. But despite a misconception driven by Glenn Beck’s novel The Overton Window, the window is a description, not a tactic: Shifting it doesn’t mean proposing extreme ideas to make somewhat less extreme ideas seem reasonable. 'It just explains how ideas come in and out of fashion, the same way that gravity explains why something falls to the earth,' Mr. Lehman said....

"The key is that shifts begin with the public. Mr. Overton argued that the role of organizations like his own was not to lobby politicians to support policies outside the window, but to convince voters that policies outside the window should be in it. If they are successful, an idea derided as unthinkable can become so inevitable that it’s hard to believe it was ever otherwise."
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/us/politics/overton-window-democrats.html?login=facebook&auth=login-facebook

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See also: Libertarians have shifted the Overton Window