Monthly Archives: March 2014

Rand Paul 2016: Front-runner or overrated? (+video)

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Sen. Rand Paul has won several recent straw polls and surveys, and his brand of libertarianism seems to be on the rise in his party. But anointing him the early GOP front-runner for 2016 may be going too far.

Is Rand Paul really the front-runner for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination? Theres some chatter to that effect at the moment among Washingtons pundit class. It was sparked by last weekends victory for the Kentucky senator in another straw poll, this one at the Northeast Republican Leadership Conference. Then CNN/ORC released a poll on Sunday with Senator Paul leading the list of potential nominees for GOP and GOP-leaning voters.

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Peter Grier is The Christian Science Monitor's Washington editor. In this capacity, he helps direct coverage for the paper on most news events in the nation's capital.

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As CNN notes, thats a feat that Pauls father, Ron Paul, never accomplished in all his years running for president.

Plus, Paul is already making good use of his fathers base of committed donors, notes Washington Post political expert Chris Cillizza. Hes done well in the early-voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire. Pauls brand of libertarianism seems to be on the rise in his party, particularly among young Republicans.

Its past time people start taking him seriously as a potential Republican nominee, Mr. Cillizza writes.

Well, sure. Paul himself seems intent on making a serious run. Where his fathers presidential efforts seemed more purely ideological, based on promoting the libertarian brand, Paul is doing the sort of stuff you do if you actually plan on trying to win the thing. Thus hes established an alliance of sorts with the very establishment Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, his fellow Kentuckian.

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Rand Paul 2016: Front-runner or overrated? (+video)

Guest column: Libertarianism 101, by leader of The Cato Institute

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By Robert A. Levy

Naples

Chairman, The Cato Institute

Libertarianism is a political philosophy grounded on these propositions: Adult individuals have the right and responsibility to decide important matters about their own lives, but they may not infringe on the equal rights of others. Governments role is to secure those rights. The key word, from the Declaration of Independence, is secure, not grant. We do not get our rights from government. Individuals have natural rights, independent of government. Thats a bedrock libertarian principle and, its fair to say, the Founders were libertarians.

Within that framework, consider the polemic against libertarianism by Rev. Michael P. Orsi (Libertarian Candidate Not Good, Naples Daily News, March 16) as reduced to five assertions:

1. Extreme individualism is contrary to the common good.

Libertarians understand the necessity of cooperation to attain personals goals. My colleague, Tom Palmer, observes that individuals can never actually be self-sufficient, which is precisely why we must have rules to make peaceful cooperation possible. Government enforces those rules. The risk, however, is that rules too extensive will produce, not a common good for all, but rather a veneer for a system of special favors to secure largesse for the politically connected at the expense of others. By contrast, individualism promotes the common good, spontaneously, as long as no commanding power preempts freely chosen actions.

2. Belief in every man for himself is incompatible with concern for the poor.

From an ethical perspective, it may be morally right to help the poor; but in a completely free society we should have a political right not to do so. Put differently, a theory of justice is not always congruent with a theory of politics. One can condemn bad conduct without empowering government to take remedial action. Yes, charity is a virtue. But government-compelled charity is a contradiction in terms a political act that negates real charity, which must be voluntary, not coerced.

As it happens, the evidence proves conclusively that more wealth including a greater abundance for the poor is a by-product of individual liberty.

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Guest column: Libertarianism 101, by leader of The Cato Institute

Libertarian-leaning Paul heads to liberal-leaning campus

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Updated 3:08 p.m. ET, 3/19/2014

(CNN) - Sen. Rand Paul, who's become known for venturing into unfamiliar territory for Republicans, will speak Wednesday at the liberal hotbed of the University of California at Berkeley.

The Kentucky Republican is expected to castigate President Barack Obama for his continued support of the National Security Agency's phone metadata collection, saying the President should know better in part because of his race.

"The first African-American president ought to be a little more conscious of the fact of what has happened with the abuses of domestic spying," Paul said when previewing his remarks in an interview with The New York Times.

"Martin Luther King was spied upon, civil rights leaders were spied upon, Muhammad Ali was spied upon, antiwar protesters were spied upon," he added. "The possibility for abuse in this is incredible. So I don't care if there's never been any evidence of abuse with the (NSA)., they should not be collecting the data."

The domestic data collection program became public after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked the tactic, as well as a hoard of other NSA spying techniques, to the media last year.

In his speech Wednesday at Berkeley, he'll also mention the recent controversy surrounding claims that the CIA has been spying on computers used by Senate Intelligence Committee. CIA Director John Brennan responded with a flat-out denial of any wrongdoing.

"I don't know about you, but I'm worried. If the CIA is spying on Congress, who exactly can or will stop them? I look into the eyes of senators and I think I see real fear," he will say, according to prepared text confirmed by CNN and first reported by Politico.

"Maybe it's just my imagination, but I think I perceive FEAR of an intelligence community drunk with power, unrepentant, and uninclined to relinquish power," the speech continues. "I am honestly worried - concerned about who is truly in charge of our government. Most of you have read the dystopian nightmares and maybe, like me, you doubted that it could ever happen in America."

Paul announced last month he was suing the Obama administration, demanding that the phone metadata collection be declared unconstitutional and put to an end.

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Boulder County Libertarian chairman appeals term-limit decision in commissioner's race

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Boulder County Libertarian Party chairman Ralph Shnelvar wants the Colorado Court of Appeals to consider whether a partial term should count against term limits when it comes to a county commissioner seeking re-election.

At issue is a Boulder District Court ruling that incumbent Commissioner Cindy Domenico can seek another full four-year term in this year's elections.

Shnelvar disagrees with Boulder District Judge Bruce Langer's January decision that the partial term that Domenico served from July 2007 to January 2011 to fill a vacancy on the county board doesn't bar her from seeking re-election this year.

Shnelvar filed notice on Monday that he is seeking the Colorado Court of Appeals' review.

Boulder County commissioners generally can serve two consecutive four-year terms in that office.

In July 2007, a Boulder County Democratic Party vacancy committee appointed Lafayette Democrat Domenico, Boulder County's elected assessor at the time, to fill the county board's District 3 seat after the June 2007 death of then-Commissioner Tom Mayer.

In November 2008, Domenico won election to the final two years of the four-year term to which Mayer was elected in November 2006. She then won re-election to a full four-year term in November 2010. This year, she's running for another four-year term.

Louisville Democrat Alan Rosenfeld challenged Domenico's eligibility to seek re-election; Langer's ruling came from that lawsuit.

Rosenfeld is also seeking the District 3 seat on the Board of County Commissioners. Saturday, delegates to the 2014 Boulder County Democratic Party Assembly will decide whether Domenico, Rosenfeld or both will advance to the party's June primary election ballot.

Domenico said Tuesday that while she's not surprised at Shnelvar's attempt to get the Court of Appeals to consider the case, "I still stand on two attorney general's opinions" issued in past years when similar questions arose about partial terms counting against term limits "and, now, the Boulder District Court decision" that she can legally seek re-election.

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Boulder County Libertarian chairman appeals term-limit decision in commissioner's race

Balearic Islands Lose Environmental Case in Spanish Court

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Spains Balearic Islands plan to regain control over offshore projects from tourism to oil drilling when the activities are adjacent to protected habitats.

The regional government is revising 14 management plans that were partially annulled last month by the Supreme Court for failing to demonstrate why control over the Mediterranean waters shouldnt be under the jurisdiction of the national government.

At stake are environmentally sensitive areas of water for which the European Commission has approved extra protections to foster biodiversity of plants and wildlife. Spains high court, after an appeal by the national government, invalidated parts of those plans that covered offshore areas of the zones, which are called Sites of Community Importance under European Union law.

The revisions should restore authority to the Balearic Islands government, according to a spokesman for its environment ministry who asked not to be named, in line with the departments policy.

The Supreme Court invalidated the safeguards for waters off Mallorca, Menorca and smaller islands in the area in a Feb. 20 ruling published subsequently on the judiciarys website.

The Balearics, particularly Mallorca and Ibiza, are popular with tourists to Spain. While the court ruling didnt specifically address oil exploration, the islands waters have drawn interest from prospectors seeking licenses for seismic studies. Exploration is opposed by the regional government and has been supported by Spains national government.

Companies that have explored the Spanish Mediterranean or have permits to do so include Repsol SA (REP), Cairn Energy Plc and Spectrum Geo Ltd. Most of their searches are focused instead on the waters off the mainland peninsula.

To contact the reporter on this story: Todd White in Madrid at twhite2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Timothy Coulter at tcoulter@bloomberg.net Alex Devine, Amanda Jordan

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Balearic Islands Lose Environmental Case in Spanish Court

Falkland Islands will be ours, says Argentina's new minister

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"We are convinced that the British people, whom we deeply respect, understand the injustice that arises from the rupture of a country's territorial integrity and that the rulers of the countries involved should resume dialogue."

Mr Filmus, 58, a former academic who became minister for education during the presidency of Mrs Kirchner's husband, Nestor, has embraced the new role wholeheartedly.

Like his feisty boss, he is an ardent user of Twitter to convey his message. She refuses to give interviews, and instead rallies her troops directly with battle cries issued to her 2.6 million followers. He, meanwhile, uses the tool to reiterate rhetoric on the Isles, commiserate the deaths of Argentine Falklands war veterans, and issue strident ripostes to British minister's words.

When Hugo Swire, minister of state for the foreign office, said during a visit to the Falklands last month that he felt opposition politicians would have a "more realistic and mature vision than the current government", Mr Filmus hit back that it was an Argentine policy that would never change.

He also gleefully tweeted another article in response, in which an Argentine senator, Anbal Fernndez, Mrs Kirchner's former chief of cabinet, said that Mr Swire's "tongue was larger than his head."

The verbal crossfire peaked two years ago, with the 30th anniversary of the conflict, but has remained the defining feature of British-Argentine relations.

Is this relentless rhetoric not destroying what could otherwise be a good relationship?

"What is most affecting good relations between our countries is the UK's unwillingness to engage in dialogue, its failure to observe UN resolutions and the unilateral actions and militarisation it is carrying out in the South Atlantic," he retorted.

And he accused Britain of making "aggressive moves" in the South Atlantic.

"The UN asks both the United Kingdom and Argentina to refrain from carrying out any unilateral actions in the Malvinas case," he said. "The actions performed by the United Kingdom in the area, without Argentina's consent, especially military actions and actions that involve plundering natural resources in the disputed area, are aggressive moves."

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Falkland Islands will be ours, says Argentina's new minister

10 Albums to Stream: Future Islands, Liars, the Hold Steady, and More

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Future Islands at Floristree in Baltimore, February 8 Photo by Josh Sisk

Future Islands, Liars, the Hold Steady, and Tokyo Police Club all have new albums on the way and guess what? They're all streaming online right now. Find links to those LPs and more (including a star-studded tribute to '80s-era Bob Dylan) below.

1) Future Islands, Singles. "Singles is extremely catchy, well-constructed classic pop: winsome and simple melodies, yearning lyrics, bass lines that will never die. It is also dark and desperate and serious in a way that feels fairly rare these days. There is no ironic withdrawal, no equivocation to avoid abuse, just pure commitment." (via NPR)

2) Liars, Mess. "The new album embraces the type of electro-pop that underpins the catalog of the band's parent label, Mute [but] when Angus Andrew screws his voice down on opener 'Mask Maker' to croak 'Take my pants off / use my socks / smell my socks / eat my face off,' he sounds less like Dave Gahan or Andy Bell and more like Gibby Haynes of Butthole Surfers. While known for their psychotic take on psychedelic rock, the Butthole Surfers also delivered stylistic U-turns of their own in the '80s and '90s, delivering skewered takes on Europop and electronic music. So Liars are at once paying homage to their forebearers and moving forward. There's been an underlying sonic mischieviousness in Liars' music over the last decade, and on Mess, the band finally foregrounds it." (via NPR)

3) The Hold Steady, Teeth Dreams. "Lead single 'I Hope This Whole Thing Didn't Frighten You' definitely files in the 'big rock' category, with its studio-polished guitar licks and radio-ready heft. Frontman Craig Finn's still speak-singing about characters who hang out 'down by the river,' 'wear bulletproof vests,' and 'always got something to prove,' but his parables sound better suited for a stadium stage, not the dive bar jukebox." SPIN (via iTunes)

4) Kevin Gates, By Any Means. "After picking up the mic back in 2007, Baton Rouge rapper Kevin Gates finally broke through last year with the one-two punch of The Luca Brasi Story and Stranger Than Fiction mixtapes. [Now], he returns with his latest project, By Any Means. The 16-track effort features appearances from 2 Chainz ('Bet I'm On It'), Rico Love, Doe B ('Amnesia'), and Plies, alongside production from Jim Jonsin, The Runners, Yung Carter ('Get Up On My Level'), and The Honorable C-Note." Consequence of Sound (via DatPiff)

5) Various Artists, Bob Dylan in the 80s: Volume One. "Bob Dylan's '80s output will get its due on an upcoming compilation, the fittingly named Bob Dylan in the 80s: Volume One. Out March 25 via ATO, the 17-track set celebrates the most 'uneven' era of Dylan's career with a slew of star-studded covers: Deer Tick, Craig Finn, Blitzen Trapper, Lucius, and Elvis Perkins are all on the album, as is the oddball duo of Gene Ween and Slash." SPIN (via CBC)

6) Tony Molina, Dissed and Dismissed. "Tony Molina's debut solo album came out around this time last year, but it's already getting the reissue treatment. On March 25, Slumberland Records will release Dissed and Dismissed in cassette, digital, and vinyl formats to supplement its sold-out initial pressing. The filler-averse LP burns through 12 tracks of power-pop brilliance in 12 thrilling minutes. (It's telling that Dissed and Dismissed features a Guided By Voices cover.)" SPIN (via Pitchfork)

7) The Range, Panasonic EP. Producer James Hinton, a.k.a. the Range, on when and where it's most appropriate to listen to his music: "It's really, really important to me that people can like it anywhere. Obviously, I make music alone in my room, so it's important that people are able to embrace it there, but some songs that build more are better played in the club, whereas a lot of the intricacy and work that I put in is better heard on headphones." Pitchfork (via Pitchfork)

8) Tokyo Police Club Forcefield. "Here's what [vocalist/bassist] Monks said about the new album in a statement: 'Since writing started for Forcefield in mid-2011 there have been so many trends and every kind of wave. We saw them all come and disappear or change into something broader. It left us wanting to make something that would last.'" Pitchfork (via the New York Times)

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10 Albums to Stream: Future Islands, Liars, the Hold Steady, and More

Islands, evolution: Free lecture at the Cincinnati Museum Center

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(FOX19) -

Herman Mays, the curator of zoology at the Cincinnati Museum Center, is giving a free lecture about the role islands have played in the study of evolution at 7 p.m. Thursday at the museum.

Islands are laboratories of evolution. From the Galapagos Islands to New Guinea, the islands of the Pacific Ocean have provided the foundation for modern understanding of evolution. But considerably less attention has been paid to the islands of the Eastern Pacific, namely Taiwan and the many islands that make up and surround Japan.

Mays will be on Wednesday's FOX19 Morning News.

Mays has been a key participant in a long-term study of the birds of this region for more than a decade. He will discuss how he and his colleagues have used cutting-edge tools in genetics to help decipher of the history of the region's birds and what they can tell us about the science of evolution.

The lecture will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

The program is free to the public and will be preceded by a screening of the OMNIMAX film "Journey to the South Pacific" at 6 p.m.. Tickets for the film are $8.50 for adults and $6.50 for children.

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Islands, evolution: Free lecture at the Cincinnati Museum Center