(From 2008) I run a small construction company with the help of my brother, my youngest son, and Hank, when he’s not mowing his yard. And Jay when he’s not in school or playing baseball. Or fishing. We try to build a couple of homes a year, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on the size [...]

(By Kenn Gividen, 2004 Libertarian Party of Indiana Gubernatorial Candidate) When a horde of unionists converged on the Indiana state capital to voice their objection to education reform and school choice, many Hoosiers were caught off guard. A few were even shocked. These were, after all, educators carrying picket signs denouncing legislation that promises to [...]

"Women, wearing veils" participated in Protests

From the LA Times, "Babylon & Beyond - Observations from the Arab World" Feb. 18:

Islamists torched brothels in the capital earlier Friday, demanding their closure. The military deployed helicopters to disperse the angry crowd.

From Aracaisa.com "Tunisia government tries to calm discontent":

Tunisia's caretaker government.. moved to counter simmering discontent...

interim authorities faced a challenge from an entirely new quarter on Friday, when Islamists tried to set a street of brothels on fire in central Tunis, in a protest against prostitution.

From the (Sydney) Herald-Sun"Islamists attack Tunis red light district":

Islamists tried to get into Abdallah Guech Street to set it on fire," the official said. "Residents kept them out until the security forces arrived."

The street near the Medina contains one of Tunis's main brothels, well known to foreigners as well as locals.

"Police blocked off the street and succeeded in dispersing the demonstrators," the official said.

Dozens of Islamists calling for Tunisia's brothels to be closed rallied outside the interior ministry following Friday prayers before marching to Abdallah Guech Street.

"No to prostitution houses in a Muslim country!" they shouted.

Throat slashed; Multiple stab wounds

From the LA Times:

A Polish Catholic priest was found dead with his throat slit in a convent garage near Tunis, the Tunisian news agency TAP reported Friday.

The 34-year-old priest, Marek Marius Rybinski, was found dead from multiple stab wounds and slashes at the convent in Manouba where he served as an accountant, the news agency reported...

religious militancy has been on the rise since the Jan. 14 ouster of the North African nation's longtime leader, Zine el Abidine ben Ali.

From Reuters "Polish priest killed by Tunisian extremists":

"The Ministry of the Interior condemns this act and regrets the death. Based on results of the preliminary investigation, including the method of assassination, it believes a group of terrorist fascists with extremist tendencies was behind this crime," it said.

Protests against the authorities swelled into a popular revolt last month that created turmoil in Tunisia, forced President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to flee to Saudi Arabia and encouraged a similar revolution in Egypt.

"These extremists are taking advantage of an exceptional situation to disturb national security and plunge our country into violence," the ministry statement said.

Editor's note - The Tunisian Interior Ministry cautiously avoided the term "Muslim," but it's a safe bet that these "Terrorist Fascists," were not Mormons, Budhists or Wiccans. Photo - Catholic Church in Tunisia capitol.

GLOBAL JIHAD UPDATE

The NY Times reports, "French Ask Volunteers in Mali, Niger to Leave" Feb. 18:

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — The French government is asking citizens who are volunteering for charity organizations in Mali or Niger to leave immediately due to the growing threat of kidnappings by an offshoot of al-Qaida.

A copy of the letter signed by France's foreign minister and dated Feb. 7 was shown to The Associated Press this week.

The government's request indicates that the terror group's reach is growing. Although large sections of the Sahara desert including the portion stretching across northern Mali and Niger has been considered too dangerous for foreigners for some time, the capitals of the two countries have long been considered safe.

Dozens of foreigners have been grabbed over the past several years in Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Algeria by al-Qaida, known by its [N. Africa] acronym, AQIM.

Terrorism expert and former CIA official Charles Allen quoted by VOA Feb. 8:

Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb or AQIM, along with its affiliates in Yemen and Somalia, has been using this region as a breeding ground for its activities.

"It functions as an umbrella organization for a disparate collection of Sunni Muslim terrorist elements determined to attack what they see as apostate regimes in Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania and Morocco. The bulk of AQIM forces are located in southern Algeria, northern Mali and Mauritania," he said.

More, Toronto Star Feb. 11 - "[Two] young Frenchm[en]were snatched by several men wearing turbans... just across the border in Mali. The ensuing clash left nine people dead, [one] who was killed with a point-blank gunshot to the face."

From Eric Dondero:

With all eyes on Wisconsin, libertarians nationwide should be reminded that there is at least one libertarian Republican standardbearer in the Legislature.

Frank Lasee of Green Bay was elected last November to the State Senate. Before that, he was a 4-term state rep.

From LR, Nov. 23, 2010, "Big Win in Wisconsin for libertarian Republicans: Frank Lasee elected to State Senate":

Frank Lasee has been a friend of the libertarian Republican movement for over a decade. He has been an ally in the legislature of both the Libertarian Party and the WI Republican Liberty Caucus. He was endorsed by the RLC in all his previous races.

He's been described as a "bit of an eccentric" (FoxPolitics.net). As a State Rep. in the early 2000s he was one of a handful of Wisconsin legislators to co-sponsor a bill to lower the drinking age to 18. He's been fiercely opposed to further restrictions and taxes on cigarettes.

He's also been a prime sponsor of TABOR in Wisconsin (Taxpayer Bill Of Rights).

Received major contributions from 1980 Libertarian VP candidate David Koch

From Eric Dondero:

And so it begins...

A prominent leftwing publication has revealed that Wisconsin's Republican Governor was backed by the the Kochs, and has ties to Cato, Reason, and CEI.

From Mother Jones, "Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker: Funded by the Koch Bros":

Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker, whose bill to kill collective bargaining rights for public-sector unions has caused an uproar among state employees, might not be where he is today without the Koch brothers. Charles and David Koch are conservative titans of industry who have infamously used their vast wealth to undermine President Obama and fight legislation they detest, such as the cap-and-trade climate bill, the health care reform act, and the economic stimulus package.

According to Wisconsin campaign finance filings, Walker's gubernatorial campaign received $43,000 from the Koch Industries PAC during the 2010 election. That donation was his campaign's second-highest, behind $43,125 in contributions from housing and realtor groups in Wisconsin. The Koch's PAC also helped Walker via a familiar and much-used politicial maneuver designed to allow donors to skirt campaign finance limits. The PAC gave $1 million to the Republican Governors Association, which in turn spent $65,000 on independent expenditures to support Walker.

Walker's plan to eviscerate collective bargaining rights for public employees is right out of the Koch brothers' playbook. Koch-backed groups like Americans for Prosperity, the Cato Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the Reason Foundation have long taken a very antagonistic view toward public-sector unions.

Note - David Koch was the 1980 Libertarian Party Vice-Presidential candidate.

Interestingly, the article does not mention the Republican Liberty Caucus, or this website. Libertarian Republican was an early and enthusiastic backer of Walker.

See LR article from June 9, 2009 "Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle in big trouble: Polls post tax and spend increase find him way behind both GOP challengers"

Big Bird to get Privatized; will have to compete in Private Market

From WOUB Radio"House GOP Chairman outlines sweeping spending cuts":

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans proposed ending more than 60 government programs and cutting hundreds of others Wednesday in a $35 billion down payment on their promise to rein in federal deficits.

Funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would be wiped out under the proposal, presented to the GOP rank-and-file at a closed door meeting.

Liberals furious over proposed cuts

From Moveoninfo.org:

Amazing! Since yesterday, more than 290,000 people have signed our petition telling Republicans to keep their hands off of federal funding for PBS and NPR.

We're aiming to deliver a half-million signatures to Congress next week, to make clear that public broadcasting serves a huge number of Americans and cutting its funding is simply unacceptable.

At the Helm blog:

NPR and PBS are the only quality radio and tv stations left in the US that bring unbiased, relevant information to the US citizens... Save public media - save democracy in the US!

PathtoWellBeing blog:

With Republicans back in charge of the House of Representatives, funding for NPR and PBS is in grave danger. Again.

The Republicans just released their budget proposal, and it zeroes out funding for both NPR and PBS–the worst proposal in more than a decade.

We need to tell Republicans that cutting off funding was unacceptable last time they were in charge, it’s unacceptable now.

4 more Dead in attacks in nearby Village, two beheaded

From Eric Dondero:

Reuters describes it simply as "Sectarian Violence." Other liberal media are reporting the latest round of killings of Christians by Muslims, as a "land dispute," over cattle grazing rights.
From Reuters:

Gunmen killed five people in central Nigeria late on Thursday when they stormed an agricultural college to steal cattle, the latest in a series of clashes between Christian and Muslim youths in the region.

Youths from the Muslim Fulani ethnic group injured a further nine people after breaking into a largely Christian farming college in the central Nigerian city of Jos, police said.

Another 9 are said to be injured.

Meanwhile, according to Reuters-Africa "Elderly couple beheaded in central Nigerian village":

An elderly couple were beheaded and their two grandchildren beaten to death in an attack on a village in central Nigeria on Saturday

police commissioner Abdulrahman Akano said... "they beheaded the woman and went away with her head. We only found the headless body somewhere in the bush," he said.

Photo from previous Muslim attacks on Christians in Nigeria in Dec.

"We need dramatic anti-spending reform"

From Eric Dondero:

US Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois, endorsed massive spending cuts, and even entitlement reforms on Fox Business.

As reported by The Hill "Kirk wants 'dramatic' cuts":

"No, but we've got to have dramatic anti-spending reform," Kirk said.

“We can't just cut billions. We have to cut trillions...

Kirk praised House Republicans for moving to cut $100 billion from Obama's 2011 budget request in a government-spending bill unveiled Friday night. But he said policymakers need to cut more.

“But then you have to go to the big kahuna, entitlement reform,” Kirk said. “That requires presidential leadership. Republicans should support the president in doing that because we need to get a handle on the whole budget.”

Editor's note - This website was an early and enthusiastic backer of Kirk for Senate.

Edu-Lobbyist - "Largest cuts ever in history for education programs"

From edweek.com "House GOP Looks to Slash Education Spending"

House Republican leaders put out a bill last night that would slice and dice education funding far below current levels...

The measure, which would continue federal funding for rest of the fiscal year, takes aim at some programs that were previously considered untouchable, including special education spending and Pell Grants to help low-and-moderate income students pay for college. Overall it would cut $4.9 billion from the U.S. Department of Education's fiscal year 2010 budget of $63.7 billion.

"This absolutely would be the largest cuts ever in history for education programs," said Joel Packer, a principal with the Raben Group in Washington, who works with the Committee for Education Funding, a coalition that advocates for increasing education spending.

LR EXCLUSIVE!

Inspired to the Pro-Defense side by Ayn Rand and Ayaan Hirsi Ali

From Eric Dondero:

After serving for four years as an officer of the both the Maricopa County Libertarian Party and the Arizona Libertarian Parties as well as being active in both parties for a total of 12 years, Mike Renzulli in recent months, switched to become a Republican.

Renzulli told Libertarian Republican:

"I had bounced around before but finally decided to become a Republican.

It was after studying Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism and doing more research on U.S. foreign policy that the Libertarian Party's stance is wrong."

Renzulli decided to read authors such as Bernard Lewis, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Robert Spencer. Also thanks to his studying Objectivism and doing more research on U.S. foreign policy and world affairs it gave him a clearer sense of what U.S. foreign policy is really all about in which he concluded it is grounded in self defense and, contrary to some libertarian's claims, not to dominate or control.

Renzulli added:

"We were attacked on September 11th by a nihilistic enemy that wishes to destroy the United States and our allies.

Our past and present interventions in the middle east are not being done to police the world or acquire other country's resources by force but, rather, to liberate people from the iron-fisted rule of Islamists and like-minded totalitarian regimes that back terrorist groups and activities."

Renzulli further stated that he believes, even if the United States is not always successful, at least by kicking out or attacking Islamist regimes and halting terrorists, it is the best and only manner in which to defend ourselves.

"I am still a libertarian in terms of people governing themselves. However, that principle does not include the right to enslave others which is what outlaw groups like al-Quaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood and countries like Iran clearly wish to do."

Renzulli has recently become a regular reader of Libertarian Republican.

Note - Mike's blog is Free Libertarian. It is being added to the LR blogroll.

Just Released...

Based on Ayn Rand's Best Selling Novel

Harmon Kaslow & John Aglialoro Productions

Directed by Paul Johannsson

Muslim Nations view Western Values as a corruptive influence

From the Arab News (via undhimmi.com):

JEDDAH: Flower shops and gift shops have been asked to remove all red items and heart-shaped gifts until after Valentine’s Day by the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia).

Celebration of the so-called day of love is frowned upon by authorities in the Kingdom.

Every year, Haia officials visit the shops a few days before Valentine’s Day, giving them instructions to remove all goods that have even the slightest hint of red, including roses, chocolate, wrapping paper and stuffed animals.

From ABC News "Iran bans Valentine's Day gifts" Jan. 19:

Iran has banned the production of Valentine's Day gifts in an effort to combat the spread of Western culture.

Although the holiday itself has not officially been banned, Iranian media reported that gifts, such as cards and boxes with symbols of hearts or red roses were covered under the ban.

Promotion of the holiday has also been banned.

Hardliners have repeatedly warned against the corruptive spread of Western values.

Editor's comment - Sounding vaguely familiar to Soviet Union attempts in the 1970s and 80s to ban rock music, and blue jeans.

From Eric Dondero:

Last Wednesday, longtime incumbent Republican Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona announced his retirement. The move opens up the Senate race for 2012. Libertarian Republican Cong. Jeff Flake became an instant favorite for the GOP nomination, across the Republican spectrum.

From fellow libertarian Stephen Moore, WSJ:

The decision by Sen. Jon Kyl (R., Ariz.) not to seek re-election in 2012 has caused a flurry of interest in a possible run by Rep. Jeff Flake for the seat. Mr. Flake, whose district covers suburban Phoenix, has a reputation as a super-hawk on spending and led the fight against earmarks in the House. He has a near-perfect record on fiscal issues with the National Taxpayers Union.

Mr. Kyl's announcement came as a bit of a surprise, particularly because he is the Senate minority whip and second in line behind Mitch McConnell of Kentucky to be majority leader if Republicans take control of the Senate after the 2012 elections. Mr. Flake has not made an official announcement, but a long-time aide and friend of the congressman tells us that "Jeff is definitely going to run."

There's also been rampant speculation on liberal blogs that if Gabriele Giffords recovers sufficiently, she'd be an instant favorite on the Democrat side.

Note - Flake is a fifth generation Arizonan. He is in his 5th term in Congress. He was rated in the 2010 Liberty Index published by the Republican Liberty Caucus as the most libertarian member of the US Congress.

Malik Ali, "dedicated to creating an Islamic revolution in the U.S."

From Eric Dondero:

Who is Amir Abdel Malik Ali?

According to discoverthenetworks.com:

Amir-Abdel Malik-Ali (also known as Abdul Malik Ali and Abd Al-Malik) is a black Imam associated with the Masjid Al Islam mosque in Oakland. A graduate of San Francisco State University and a former Nation of Islam member, he is a frequent guest lecturer at Muslim Student Union and Muslim Students Association events. A passionate supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah, he helped organize a July 1999 rally in San Francisco at which Imam Abdul-Alim Musa proudly displayed a cashier’s check made out to “Hamas, Palestine.”

A fervent admirer of the famed Nation of Islam leader Malcolm X, Malik-Ali is a leader of the As-Sabiqun movement which is inspired by Malcolm’s work and life. He is also part of the Al-Masjid movement which is dedicated to creating an Islamic revolution in the United States.

More from the OC Register "Emails flood Yorba Linda over Muslim speakers":

Islamic activist Amir Abdel Malik Ali spoke last year as part of "Israeli Apartheid Week" by the Muslim Student Union at UCI...

At that event, Malik Ali stated he supports Hamas and Hezbollah. Hamas is a grassroots movement with Palestinian followers. It opposes Israeli existence and has carried out suicide bombings in Israel. Hezbollah is a Lebanese organization believed to have Iranian ties that the CIA labels a terrorist group. Hezbollah is blamed for the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beruit that killed 240 soldiers.

Imam Siraj Wahhaj - "expressed desire for Muslims to seize control of the U.S., and replace constitution with Islamic Caliphate"

Who is Siraj Wahhaj?

Once again from discoverthenetworks.org:

Wahhaj was raised as a Baptist in New York City. He attended Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, where he studied math education. His interest in Islam, he says, arose shortly after the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., which prompted Wahhaj to go "looking for more militancy."

In the course of that search, Wahhaj became involved with the Nation of Islam and its leader, Louis Farrakhan, under whose influence he converted to Islam in 1969. Aligning himself with Islam's Sunni sect, Wahhaj studied at Umm al-Qura University in Mecca in 1978.

Wahhaj expressed his desire to see Muslims seize control of the United States and replace its constitutional government with an Islamic caliphate. “If we were united and strong,” Wahhaj said, “we'd elect our own emir [leader] and give allegiance to him.... [T]ake my word, if 6-8 million Muslims unite in America, the country will come to us.”

Additional info from the OC Register:

A U.S. attorney named Wahhaj as a co-conspirator in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. He was one of 170 people who prosecutors said could have been involved in the plot but were never charged.

Headliner Speakers at event at City-Owned Event Facility

This Sunday, both Wahhaj and Malik-Ali will be the guest speakers at a fundraising event sponsored by the Muslim Circle at the Yorba Linda Community Center.

The City has been innundated with complaints, according to city officials over 75 emails from residents have flooded the mayor's office. The Mayor intervened. But according to the OC Register she was completely rebuffed:

The mayor said she'd met with ICNA representatives and asked that they consider alternate speakers. They declined.

"We take the (public's) concerns seriously. We're doing what we can legally and within the bounds of safety to monitor the event if they move forward," [Rec Dir.] Calkins said.

NANNY-STATE WATCH

Hawaii Governor - Democrat
Hawaii House of Reps - Democrat 52 - 8
Hawaii State Senate - Democrat 39 - 1

From Clifford F. Thies:

Pornography, said U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, may be
hard to define, but "I know it when I see it."

In the ever-expanding effort of government to regulate our private
lives, the State of Hawaii is now seeking to define 'dancing', as in
what is to be allowed and what is not to be allowed in establishments
permitted to have a liquor licenses.

From HawaiiCapitol.gov:

Measure Title: RELATING TO LIQUOR COMMISSIONS.
Report Title: Liquor Commissions; Rules; Dancing
Description: Requires county liquor commissions to adopt or amend rules regarding conduct of patrons and to define the term "dancing."

In a libertarian place, what goes on behind closed doors is of no interest, per se, to the public. There may be issues with what goes on in public, and adequate warning to those going into private places; and, there might be issues of age of consent and parental authority.

But, it would be for individuals to decide what was and what wasn't
dancing, not the government. The fact that busy-bodies suspect that
somebody, somewhere is having a good time does not constitute probable
cause.

By the way, just how much pornography did Justice Porter look at prior
to deciding he knows it when he sees it?

Muslim Families just like the Huxtables

From Eric Dondero:

Recently, Katie Couric suggested that the way to combat bigotry against Muslims in the US was to have a show modeled after the '80's Cosby Show. Now Cosby himself has warmed to the idea.

From the Boston Herald, "Bill Cosby down with plan for Muslim ‘Cosby Show'" Feb. 16:

“I like her idea,” The Cos told The Track. “I think you could very well teach and people could understand. I do feel that whenever I have gotten to meet people who are coming from different countries that may have been Muslim, I do know that they say they love ‘The Cosby Show.’ And then they ask me, ‘You know why? Because it’s about family.’ ”

Couric floated the idea on her webcast, suggesting that someone create a sitcom that follows an American Muslim family the way Cosby’s ’80s sitcom about Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable and his family chronicled upwardly mobile African-Americans.

Related - "Cosby takes a Nasty Bigoted swipe at White People," LR, Jan. 12 2009

From an interview on Washington, DC radio station WTOP on Saturday:

“I’m not worried about white people... [Sean] Hannity – I’m not worried what he says, ” [Bill] Cosby said.

Cosby went on to praise Obama as a wonderful inspiration for a "Black America."

Florida Space Coast Rep. Posey says shift focus backed to manned Space Flights

From Eric Dondero:

The Obama administration early on shifted priorities for NASA away from manned space exploration, and technology research to global warming and educational outreach to Muslim nations. Now, Republicans are suggesting both budget cuts and a shift back to original priorities for the Space Agency.

From Florida.com "NASA: Unclear mission wasteful" Feb. 10:

Obama, who will release his proposed fiscal 2012 budget Monday, wants to increase NASA's budget by $6 billion over five years. But Congress has held funding flat so far this fiscal year, and Republicans are searching for cuts.

Wolf and Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas, suggested giving NASA responsibility for satellites now managed by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

"We're going to have to think about consolidating all sorts of things," Culberson said.

Some lawmakers, including Republican Reps. Bill Posey of Rockledge and Sandy Adams of Orlando, want to shift NASA money away from climate research. Members of the Appropriations subcommittee said NASA should focus on human spaceflight and robotics.

"We've been concerned about the administration's hostility toward manned spaceflight," [Republican Rep. Frank] Wolf said.

From Eric Dondero:

Echoing recent comments from UK Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday, declared multiculturalism a failed policy in France.

From Yahoo News, "Multiculturalism has failed, says French president" Feb. 10:

"My answer is clearly yes, it is a failure," he said in a television interview when asked about the policy which advocates that host societies welcome and foster distinct cultural and religious immigrant groups.

"Of course we must all respect differences, but we do not want... a society where communities coexist side by side.

"If you come to France, you accept to melt into a single community, which is the national community, and if you do not want to accept that, you cannot be welcome in France," the right-wing president said.

"The French national community cannot accept a change in its lifestyle, equality between men and women... freedom for little girls to go to school," he said.

"We have been too concerned about the identity of the person who was arriving and not enough about the identity of the country that was receiving him,"

Editor's comment - Cameron stands up for the United Kingdom, Merkel defends Germany, and now Sarkozy fights for French values. Will we ever have a President here in the United States willing to defend America, American values and culture?