MOOCHER WATCH!

From Eric Dondero:

Some evidence of what many of us on the Libertarian Right have suspected all along: Extended Unemployment Benefits leads to reluctance to seek Employment.

From the Detroit News:

In a state with the nation's highest jobless rate, landscaping companies are finding some job applicants are rejecting work offers so they can continue collecting unemployment benefits.

It is unclear whether this trend is affecting other seasonal industries. But the fact that some seasonal landscaping workers choose to stay home and collect a check from the state, rather than work outside for a full week and spend money for gas, taxes and other expenses, raises questions about whether extended unemployment benefits give the jobless an incentive to avoid work.

Members of the Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association "have told me that they have a lot of people applying but that when they actually talk to them, it turns out that they're on unemployment and not looking for work," said Amy Frankmann, the group's executive director. "It is starting to make things difficult."

Another example cited:

B&L Landscaping in Oak Park finds the labor pool is noticeably weaker and less motivated, director Richard Angell said, even though the company still gets 80 to 100 applicants per week.

"We're just getting people coming in, filling out paperwork, hoping they won't get hired," Angell said. "... We're having a hard time finding quality applicants."

The current unemployment rate in the State is 14.1%, highest in the Nation.

BlogProf (Michigan blog) offers this startling analysis:

The average landscape worker earns about $12 per hour in Michigan equating to about $480 per week. However, taking out taxes, the net isn't different from the collecting an unemployment check for doing nothing at all. Thus the incentive for funemployment. Why bust your butt 40 hours per week in a physically exerting job when you can collect almost the same for 26 weeks from the state and another 73 weeks from the federal government? That's 99 weeks of getting a check for not working.

Of course, if Taxes on lower-end employment were completely eliminated, and the length of the unemployment benefits cut dramatically, these individuals would have all the incentive in the world to take an honest day's job.

Austrian Economics of Von Mises now in the New England State's GOP platform

From Eric Dondero:

The Republican Party of Maine held its convention over the weekend. Delegates adopted a hardline platform that adopted many tenents of libertarian beliefs.

From the liberal-leaning blog Maine Politics "Maine Republicans adopt Tea Party platform":

The document calls for the elimination of the Department of Education and the Federal Reserve, demands an investigation of "collusion between government and industry in the global warming myth," suggests the adoption of "Austrian Economics," declares that "'Freedom of Religion' does not mean 'freedom from religion'" (which I guess makes atheism illegal), insists that "healthcare is not a right," calls for the abrogation of the "UN Treaty on Rights of the Child" and the "Law Of The Sea Treaty" and declares that we must resist "efforts to create a one world government."

Mike Tipping of Maine Politics describes it as "a mix of right-wing fringe policies, libertarian buzzwords and outright conspiracy theories."

Here's a breakdown of some of the more libertarian points:

?A declaration of state sovereignty – essentially a complaint that Federalism is dead and state’s rights and responsibilities are being squashed
?A call for the passage of “read the bill” legislation
?Opposition to the fairness doctrine
?Opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act
?Investigation of global warming shenanigans
?Eliminate the Department of Education
?Support for the prohibition of funding for ACORN or organizations like it
?Elimination of motor voter
?Opposition to any and all treaties with the United Nations
?Return to the principles of Austrian economics
?Balance the federal budget and pay off debt
?Audit the Federal Reserve

Republican Liberty Caucus Chairman for Maine and former legislator Ken Lindell commented (via Liberty Republican forum):

"There is a whole lot of stuff in the new platform that I really like... I think that it is a very positive development that activists who are new to the party have been able to succeed..."

Though, he did express concerns about the appeal of the new platform to mainstream Maine voters.

The platform was endorsed by the RLC in caucus at the convention.

Another RLCer Matthew Gagnon (Pine Tree Politics) had this to say:

I have more than a few problems with this platform, but I completely disagree with Mike Tipping’s assertion that the “extremism this document represents is unique and unsettling.” It is hardly anything all that extreme.

It is certainly different, that’s for sure, but as somebody who is deeply entrenched in the libertarian community (full disclosure: I just finished a year long tenure as Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Virginia, though I did not vote for Ron Paul in 2008 for those of you wondering), I can say without doubt that this is nowhere near the extreme edge of what many in that community would like to see.

Reached for a comment by Libertarian Republican, Stravos Mendros,(photo), former Lewiston City Councilman, longtime RLC member and 2008 Ron Paul State Coordinator said:

"This party is about the grassroots. People need to understand that this was voted on overwhelmingly by the people. We are not democrats and we don't like being dictated too by the elites."

Editor's Note - Photo of my friend Stravos is a bit dated, from approx. 10 years ago.

Self-described "libertarian" Penn Jillette defended the movement founded by the Libertarian Party, on CNN's Larry King Live.

King asked Jillette if he considered himself to be a Tea Partier:

I, there's a lot I disagree with them on, and I'm not really part of it, but I always think that a distrust of the government is the healthiest thing Americans can have. I think that the country was built, the most American thing you can have is a distrust of leaders. Don't follow leaders, watch your parking meters.

Then another guest on the show comedienne Rachell Harris, accused the Tea Party of being "more about racism."

Jillette responded:

Well, that's the magic word. Once you say "racism," the other side loses automatically. And I don't think we have very much evidence that that's what it is. Don't they have to be doing racist things besides you just saying that they're racist?

Continuing:

HARRIS: No, but they're looking at the number of people that are in, like, the majority of the people that are in the Tea Party-

JILLETTE: So the race that they are makes them racist by definition?

Read the full transcript at Newsbusters):

A Glenn Beck, Ron Paul type of Republican

Libertarian Republican Josiah Schmidt at Rightosphere reports the following on Mike Lee, now the faraway favorite to be the next US Senator from Utah:

What we have to look forward to: Mike Lee is a self-described libertarian conservative and constitutionalist who is dedicated to ending deficit spending, cutting government regulations, mandating 12-year term limits on Congressmen, overhauling entitlements (the biggest budget item, and the one no one wants to touch), and move from an income tax system to a flat tax or Fair Tax (so that one group of people can't vote higher taxes on another group of people). Lee will also refuse to vote for any bailouts.

And this note from a poster to Ron Paul Forums:

Mike Lee is statistically probably the most likely Ron Paul libertarian to make it into the Senate this year, other than Rand Paul.

In late April Lee was a guest on Glenn Beck's radio show.

He told Beck that the Constitution is "the law of the land," and is what "protects our liberty."

Hear the entire interview at Right Scoop.

Spirit of 9/12 long gone

Salinas, California Public School Teacher for Art class tells student drawing of American Flag "offensive"; But congratulates another student for drawing of Obama.

(H/t Jim Hoft)

Holder admits strong link to Al Qaeda

Here's how the AP reporters Colleen Long and Michael Rubinkam reported on Faisal Shahzad last Thursday:

The Pakistani-American accused of the failed Times Square car bombing is believed to have been working alone when he began preparing the attack almost immediately after returning from his native land, authorities said Wednesday.

They said they have yet to find a wider link to extremist groups...

One law enforcement official told the AP that authorities don't believe there are any other suspects in the plot and that several arrests in Pakistan in the past two days were not related.

Taliban "intimately involved" in attack

Now this breaking news from the NY Times (via Memeo link):

“We’ve now developed evidence that shows the Pakistani Taliban was behind the attack,” Attorney General Eric Holder said in an interview on ABC television’s news program “This Week.”

Later, appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” he said the Taliban in Pakistan “directed this plot” and may have also financed it. The Pakistani Taliban, he said, was “intimately involved” in the attempt on May 1 by Faisal Shahzad, an American citizen of Pakistani descent, to blow up gasoline and propane tanks secreted inside a Nissan Pathfinder parked on West 45th Street just yards from the heart of Times Square.

The Times ads:

Mr. Shahzad, a resident of Bridgeport, Conn., who spent five months in Pakistan until February, was working for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The TTP is believed by some military intelligence officials to have joined forces with Al Qaeda and may be hiding some of its senior leaders, including Osama bin Laden, who was the motivating force behind the 9/11 attack.

The deadline for reaching an agreement on the mounting Illinois budget deficit has passed. Democrat Governor Pat Quinn is pushing for a significant income tax increase.

From the AP via THOnline.com:

CHICAGO -- Gov. Pat Quinn said Saturday that lawmakers are "pretty close" to passing a new state budget but offered no explanation for his optimism or even why he now backs a budget that rejects his top legislative priority: a tax increase.

Although Democratic leaders had hoped to pass a new budget by Friday, they could not agree on how to address a $13 billion budget deficit. Lawmakers ignored Quinn's call to raise income taxes...

Reached for a comment by Libertarian Republican, Libertarian Party nominee for Governor Lex Green had this to say:

Albert Einstein once said "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." The build up of spending that Illinois has seen for
the last several decades cannot be fixed by scheming to get re-elected. It is time for lawmakers to make some hard decisions and roll back the programs that have gotten us into the current financial mess.

Illinois government spending has gone up over $1000 per citizen over the last decade, adjusted for inflation. We don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem. I don't know how this affects lawmakers, but my budget can't take another $1000 hit.

Green's proposed budgets calls for an "immediate freeze on new spending and the elimination of non-essential state programs."

Additionally, Green would move in the complete opposite direction on taxes:

I want to eliminate the 3% income tax. Many states do not have an income tax. I also want to eliminate the gasoline tax, cigarette tax and taxes on alcoholic beverages. I also want to eliminate corporate taxes.

Finally, Green adds:

Illinois’ government spending needs to be drastically reduced to balance the budget within the limits that tax revenues supply.

LexGreenforGovernor.com

South Carolina's rebel conservative eyeing Majority leader position?

The nomination for the GOP primary of staunch conservative Mike Lee over incumbent Bob Bennett in Utah over the weekend, raises the possibility of a race for Senate majority leader. The Washington Post (via Memeo) called the win a "Victory for the Tea Party."

South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint has been heavily rumored to be seeking a showdown with Mitch McConnell. Assuming the Republicans take the Senate, such a fight could be likely.

DeMint was backing Lee, while McConnell sided with Bennett.

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

"We need a senator who is committed to balanced budgets, constitutional limits and individual liberty. I believe that person is Mike Lee," DeMint said.

Additionally, weeks ago DeMint broke ranks and was one of the first prominent Republicans to back libertarian Republican Rand Paul in Kentucky's senate primary. McConnell recently endorsed Paul's opponent Trey Grayson.

Larry Dale Keeling, political reporter for the Lexington Herald wrote:

DeMint is backing Tea Party challengers to establishment Republican candidates in other states as well. Going head-to-head with your party's floor leader in his home state just removes any doubt that something's afoot.

Notably, Paul has been consistently ahead in the primary polls.

Less than a month ago, Chard Reid was an ordinary high school economics teacher. Today, he is a candidate for the United States House of Representatives all because of a conversation he had with one of his students.
Reid – who teaches and coaches golf at Heritage Christian School in Indianapolis, Ind. – encourages his students [...]

South Bend – 2nd District Voters will again see a Libertarian on the ballot in November.  As of Saturday, Mark Vogel was nominated as the Libertarian candidate to oppose Jackie Walorski andJoe Donnelly.
Vogel, a ten year veteran of the US Navy and US Air Force Reserves, said, “I will focus on sound money, constitutional government, free markets, non-interventionist foreign policy, and [...]

Scott Wise announced this morning he intends to be the next U.S. Representative for Indiana’s 3rd district.  Wise points out that most Republicans voted against Mark Souder in the May 4, 2010 primary, and in that same primary, Tom Hayhurst received only ¾ of the votes that Wise received in the 2008 GOP primary.
Wise was selected [...]