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Libertarians say 'no' to raising debt limit

WASHINGTON - As Republicans and Democrats in Washington continue chewing the scenery in their 'Debt Limit Theater,' Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle released the following statement today:

"Everything I've heard from Washington politicians about the debt limit is nonsense. I propose the simplest option: Do nothing. Don't raise the debt limit, period.

"None of the deals I've heard would do anything to cut federal spending. Some reduce the rate of growth a little bit, but I'm afraid that doesn't count.

"And of course, some of the proposals would increase taxes, which Libertarians are totally opposed to.

"The best outcome would be no deal at all. If the debt limit is not raised, then the federal government will have to cut its spending by over 40%. That would be the best outcome for the future of America, and it's certainly the preferred outcome for Libertarians.

"I'm actually shocked at how resistant both the Republicans and Democrats are to making cuts. I wasn't expecting much, but their proposals are downright embarrassing.

"For example, consider Speaker Boehner's plan. According to the Cato Institute, the Boehner plan doesn't cut spending. It just sets the spending increases slightly below the imaginary Congressional Budget Office (CBO) 'baseline.'

"According to the CBO report released yesterday, the Boehner plan has practically no effect on the deficit in 2012, the only year that really matters.

"Of course, the Reid plan largely takes advantage of massive errors in the CBO baseline to claim 'cuts.' (For example, the CBO predicts absurdly high levels of spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.)

"As usual, Republicans and Democrats are trying to create the illusion of a high-stakes game between two vastly different visions. In fact, their visions are practically identical. I hope Americans will see through all the smoke, and consider the Libertarian option to make real reductions in the size and scope of government, across the board."

http://www.lp.org

Opposition Right raises concerns over High Unemployment

by Clifford F. Thies

As expected, the ruling socialists have now called a snap election, for November 20th.

Being a minority government, the socialists relied on support from several smaller parties. One of these smaller parties, the Catalonian Convergence and Union Party, had signalled that it would not support the budget proposal that the government had to pass by the end of September.

Were the budget proposal to fail, a snap election would have had to be called. It appears that the socialists preferred to call a snap election prior to the bugdet vote, rtather than be forced by a failed budget vote, into a snap election. Now, the socialists will desperately try to win a new mandate from the voters of Spain or else to pass the hemlock of restoring order to the budget to the opposition party.

Recent public opinion polls indicate that the opposition People's Party, a center-right party, will crush the socialists in the upcoming election, following up on its enormous victories in recent regional and state elections. Both of the country's leading polls give the People's Party a double digit lead over the socialists, within reach of an absolute majority, complemented by strong support for regional center-right parties in Catalonia and the Basque region.

Under new leadership, the People's Party has shifted to more moderate positions on social issues and focused more sharply on economic issues. Prior to the call of the snap election, It was already readying an austerity package to immediately cut the national deficit in half from a U.S.-like level of about 11 percent of GDP, through spending cuts rather than tax increases. The plan is to spur economic growth so that growing revenues from a revived economy will close the ramaining gap in the budget and, by the way, reduce the catastrophic unemployment rate of 20 percent.

In the U.S., the official unemployment rate is 9 point something, but expanded definitions of unemployment (including people working part-time who want to work full-time and people who are so discouraged about the prospect of finding employment that they've stopped looking) approach the catastrophic level being suffered in Spain.

Following up on this spring's regional and state elections, the local governments that shifted over to the People's Party have been found to be in even worse condition than was being reported. By reason of budget gimmicks and outright misrepresentation, local deficits are actually much higher, requiring even more draconian fiscal measures.

Photo credit - Allianz.com Eco Forum Qwiki.com

From Eric Dondero:

One of the top libertarian Republican members of the US House is still officially undecided on his vote over Speaker Boehner's debt relief bill. But he's hinting he may be moving in Boehner's direction, due to increased attention paid to his pet issue.

From the NY Times "Surprise Ending to Day of Strong-Arming, Head Counts and Meetings":

"It is the most refreshing thing in the world to see what is going on in there," said Representative Jeff Flake of Arizona, an ardent foe of earmarks, the pet projects of lawmakers. "This kind of negotiation a few years ago would have cost $20 billion" in pork barrel projects.

Another leading libertarian Republican Rep. Tom McClintock of California, is also still very much in the undecided camp.

From Eric Dondero:

Betsy Summers, described as always "outspoken," was the Libertarian Party candidate for State Senate in northeastern PA in 2010. Now she's planning a run for a much more local office.

From the (Luzerne County) CitizensVoice.com:

Betsy Summers laughed often Thursday as she talked about a possible foray in the Wilkes-Barre mayoral race. The city Libertarian, never shy of speaking her mind, hinted she'd make the campaign interesting.

"At least you're going to hear me," she said.

Summers will drop off her nomination papers at the Luzerne County Bureau of Elections today, she said. She'll decide Monday if she'll pursue the mayoral seat or county council.

One of her main motivations for running? The Republican in the race has just been too darn soft on the Democrat incument. Mayor Tom Leighton has been under fire lately for hiring his two kids to do summer jobs for the city. Continuing:

If Summers runs for mayor, she said she's in it to give residents a choice over two-term incumbent Tom Leighton, who Summers believes has allowed the city to deteriorate, and Republican Lisa Cope, who Summers said has been too quiet so far.

"But you know what, Lisa Cope isn't opening her mouth, and I think the city deserves better. They deserve a real race."

Photo credit - Times Leader

From Eric Dondero:

Police officials found Al Qaeda magazines and literature in the hotel room of Pfc. Naser Abdo after his arrest on Wednesday on charges of plotting a terrorist attack near Ft. Hood, Texas.

And ABC News is now reporting "Fort Hood Bomb Plot Suspect: 'Inspired' by al Qaeda?":

one senior U.S. official told ABC News Abdo had also mentioned the name of one of the most high profile leaders of the Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), American-born Anwar al-Awlaki.

Al-Awlaki is considered by some U.S. security officials to be one of the most dangerous men in the world because of his ability to reach out through the internet to so-called "lone wolf" jihadis who would attempt to carry out attacks on behalf of al Qaeda, but without any actual material support from the terror organization. Al-Awlaki is believed to have inspired several terror plots in the U.S., from the deadly 2009 massacre at Fort Hood and the bungled Christmas Day airline bombing.

Police also found "Islamic extremist literature" in his backpack upon his arrest at a traffic stop in Killeen.

Ironically, according to USAToday:

Authorities were alerted to Abdo, who was stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, after he visited the same gun store in Killeen, Texas, where Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan obtained a gun prior to the 2009 attack at Fort Hood, one of the officials said.

Hasan ended up killing 13 US soldiers awaiting deployment to Iraq, including one pregnent female soldier.

"Persons of interest" on Abdo's Facebook page

From Eric Dondero:

There have been varying and conflicting reports from the mainstream media as to whether Pfc. Naser Abdo acted alone in his terrorist plot near Ft. Hood, TX.

Fox News, who originally broke the story, reported that:

two other U.S. soldiers have been questioned as part of the investigation.

John Lilyea of the MilBlog ThisaintHell.us, who has been on this story from the beginning uncovers this news:

police have an interest in Zachari Klawonn (photo), the person named at The Jawa Report yesterday. Klawonn is another conscientious objector applicant from Fort Hood

And that they’re also looking at a female soldier, Nawal McCall, who our ninja says was in Abdo’s Facebook friends list before it came down yesterday.

Rap Boy Muslim appeared on Al-Jazeera

Klawonn, like Abdo, is well-known to mainstream media, and the blogosphere. He received a great deal of attention in 2010 when he refused to be deployed overseas because of his Muslim beliefs. ABC News featured him. But hyscience.com reported:

looks like Islamo-apologist,, Muslim-appeasing, ABC got suckered again in it's fawning, anti-U.S. military, interview with a U.S. soldier complaining of Islamophobia in the military on al-Jazeera. It turns out (via Jawa Report) that CAIR poster boy SPC. Zachari Klawonn at Ft. Hood is not so squeaky-clean as the media makes him out to be.

Klawonn was expelled from school for bringing a gun to school. He also participated in a rap video that threatened his high school teachers and staff.

Ironically, no other media are reporting on Lilyea's findings on Soldier #2 Nawal McCall. (Hear an exclusive LR interview last night with Lilyea on the Andre Controversa show)

Photo credit - WaPo and (Austin) Statesman.com