BREAKING NEWS!! LR EXCLUSIVE!

From Eric Dondero:

The Libertarian Party of Illinois handed in over 48,000 signatures for ballot access in late June. The required number of signatures was 25,000. Other parties, for example the Constitution Party, handed in only 35,000. The Green Party already has ballot status as a result of an 8% showing by their candidate for Governor in 2006.

The signatures were challenged immediately. Illinois is a challenge state. If any citizen or group challenges the signatures of the third party, that party must undergo a grueling process of line-by-line signature validation, and hearings in front of an election board to justify signatures that may be unclear, or have disputed addresses.

Last week at one of these hearings, a representative for the challengers revealed that he was a campaign volunteer for moderate Republican nominee for Governor Bill Brady.

National Chairman for the Republican Liberty Caucus, which represents the libertarian wing of the GOP, has released this statement to Libertarian Republican in regards to the Illinois situation:

"Ballot access for candidates and parties is as important to having an open and honest political system as it is for voters to have equal access to the polls. If a political party is so unsure of the its ability to win votes legitimately that it has to manipulate the system to deny its competitors fair access to the ballot then it has forfeited its right to represent the people. Republicans and Democrats should welcome the challenge offered by third parties and embrace the challenge to win elections on their merits rather than their incumbency."

Lex Green is the Illinois Libertarian candidate for Governor against Bill Brady. Ironically, both Brady and Green are from Bloomington (in Central Illinois, 2 hours south of Chicago). In fact, Green's wife Karen is a local Republican Precinct Committeewoman in Bloomington, and knows the Bradys. The Greens lean to the conservative side of the libertarian spectrum and are both what could be described as "cultural Republicans." Lex Green is a "Ron Paul type" constitutionalist Libertarian. He has been emphasizing budgetary cutbacks, spending reforms, and tax relief in his campaign.

Brady is viewed with suspicion amongst hardline conservatives throughout the state, particularly those who were supporters of Tea Party candidate Adam Andrzejewski, who came in 4th in the GOP primary.

Important Note - The RLC as a standard policy, does not endorse Libertarian Party candidates in any race, where there is a Republican candidate on the ballot. However, the RLC explicitly endorses and urges support among its membership for only those Republicans who have demonstrated definitive libertarian-leanings, and friendly relations with the libertarian movement.

by Eric Dondero

State Rep. Justin Amash won the Republican Primary for US Congress in Michigan CD 5 last night, with 40% of the vote. He had two opponents, both longtime legislators, and well-known politicos in the State. Amash's victory is being credited to superior fundraising - he had the backing of the well-known economic libertarian family the DeVosses - added to grass roots support from Tea Party, Ron Paul, and Tax Reform groups.

At the Amash victory party, from MLive.com "Justin Amash breezes to victory, earns GOP nomination to replace Vern Ehlers":

Michigan Republican Party Secretary Hank Fuhs marveled at the attendees.

"Ninety percent of those folks are not party regulars," Fuhs said. "He (Amash) has done a tremendous job of getting new people involved and excited."

This is a very Republican district, and Amash's election in the Fall is virtually assured.

Amash is a longtime friend and ally of Michigan Taxpayer's Alliance President and former state legislator Leon Drolet. Amash volunteered in Drolet's past campaigns.

Libertarian-Republican Drolet was on the ballot for State Senate in a Macomb County district, and lost with 36%. (Note - Drolet is also a dues-paying member of the local Libertarian Party.) He came in 2nd in a sometimes nasty 3-way race. The winner was libertarian-conservative former State Rep. Jack Brandenburg of St. Clair Shores.

Ironically, Drolet had recruited 3rd place finisher Kim Meltzer to take his State Rep. seat after he was term-limited 6 years ago. Melzter attacked Drolet with targetted mailings, suggesting he was a social liberal who supported gay rights. Drolet is pro-life.

Drolet and Brandenburg are longtime friends and political allies, and remained friends through the primary election.

Brandenburg was a firebrand anti-tax crusader in the legislature. He has been called essentially a "blue collar libertarian." He is passionately opposed to affirmative action, and was a co-sponsor of the successful initiative to abolish quotas for college admissions in the State. He is also a diehard Sarah Palin fanatic.

The District is heavily Republican, and Brandenburg faces only token Democrat opposition in the Fall.

Finally, one other race of interest for Libertarian Republicans came out on the downside. Scott Tillman, longtime libertarian activist with the Sam Adams Alliance, and supporter of the Libertarian Party and the Republican Liberty Caucus went down to defeat, finishing 4th with 16% for a State Rep. seat in Western Michigan.

But Tillman informed Libertarian Republican that he's hopeful that the winner, John Bumstead would be a libertarian-friendly legislator. He is a Tea Partyer, and Tillman suggested that if he hadn't run, he probably would have backed Bumstead.

DISCLOSURE: I am longtime friends with both Jack Brandenburg and Leon Drolet, and remained ardently neutral in the primary race.

Dr. Helen Smith, contributing editor for Pajamas Media, distinguished Psychologist, and wife of InstaPundit Glenn Reynolds writing in Men's Daily, Aug. 3. Excerpt on liberal college professors supressing diversity of views at law schools across the U.S.:

I am not a Conservative…

Yes, but I am, at least I am a right-leaning libertarian which is adequately different from liberal dogma that it counts as Conservative. Actually, anyone who does not toe the liberal line is considered a Conservative by some of these open-minded academics

I wonder how many conservatives avoid the academic world altogether because of the hostility toward their political views. Law schools are better than most in allowing for different politics but if this is the most tolerant of the academic world, how intolerant are other graduate schools and their professors? I shudder to think about it.

Mistake to say Marijuana Youth to vote Democrat

California will have an initiative to fully legalize and tax marijuana on the November ballot.

Appearing on CNN yesterday, liberal blogger Jane Hamsher said the following:

"Polls show that they [young people] are much more likely to vote if marijuana legalization is on the ballot.

I think it's a mistake to say that they're going to vote for Democrats because just as many of the youth are likely to be Republican Libertarians as they are Democrats..."

Hamscher's blog is Firedog Lake.

Excerpted from Sean Trende's column at Real Clear Politics (RCP) "Are Things Getting Worse for House Democrats?" Aug. 3:

what we are currently looking at is a 10-point generic lead for Republicans among the likely electorate. This would represent historic gains for the GOP. This would be larger than the 52-45% edge that gave the Republicans 230 seats in 1994 or the 52%-44% win that gave Democrats 233 seats in 2006. A ten-point win would be more consistent with the 53%-43% edge Democrats had in 2008, which gave them 257 seats - 80 seats more than Republicans presently occupy.

Recently, though, the President's disapproval numbers have spiked again, and his approvals have fallen. There is now a near-majority of voters disapproving of him, the highest number in the history of the RCP Average. This also means that there are probably around 100 House Democrats running for re-election in districts where the President's approval rating is upside-down. If this trend continues, it could be potentially catastrophic for Democrats, driving their generic numbers down even further.

There used to be a guy up in Mooreland who went by the nickname “Banjo”. I don’t know why people called him by that name. There were a lot of people with nicknames when I was growing up, but I didn’t always know where the names originated. I was pretty sure [...]

TJ Thompson is one of three Libertarian candidates for US House under the age of 30 (the others are Jon Morris in District 1, and Chard Reid in District 5) calling themselves ‘The Young Guns’ in acknowledgment not just of their age, but their energy and passion for the work of [...]

Gays in the Military issue may have led to leaked classified info

From Eric Dondero:

Breaking News from Cliff Kinkaid at RightSideNews...

The Army Intelligence analyst charged with espionage, Private First Class Bradley Manning, has been found to be a homosexual activist. According to Kinkaid, Manning "held a grudge against the U.S. because of the military's anti-gay policy."

The story first broke at the UK Telegraph:

The US Army intelligence analyst, who is half British and went to school in Wales, appeared to sink into depression after a relationship break-up, saying he didn't "have anything left" and was "beyond frustrated".

Mr Manning, who is openly homosexual, began his gloomy postings on January 12, saying: "Bradley Manning didn't want this fight. Too much to lose, too fast."

Mr Manning, 22, who is currently awaiting court martial, is suspected of leaking more than 90,000 secret military documents to the Wikileaks website in a security breach which US officials claim has endangered the lives of serving soldiers and Afghan informers.

Later in the article:

Pictures on Mr Manning's Facebook page include photos of him on school trips during his time in Wales and at a gay rights rally, where he is holding up a placard demanding equality on "the battlefield".

Gays for Buchanan leader Raimondo calls Manning a "true patriot"

There is a rather troubling libertarian twist to the story. It seems one of Manning's most passionate defenders of the American traitor is Justin Raimondo of AntiWar.com.

However, a libertarian writer named Justin Raimondo on the website of antiwar.com is calling Manning an "American patriot" and "true soldier" for releasing thousands of classified documents. Raimondo, who is himself gay, suggests that supporters of Manning go to a "Help Bradley Manning" site.

Raimondo was a leader in the Libertarian Party's Radical Caucus in the 1970s, a self-proclaimed "male prostitute," and originator of "Gays for Buchanan" in his 1992 and 1996 runs for President.

At AntiWar.com Raimondo suggests another villain may be behind the whole affair - "AIPAC, Israel’s powerful Washington lobby": Raimondo writing sardonically at AntiWar.com...

after all, instead of stealing on behalf of a foreign power – Israel, our “friend” and “ally” – he did it to get the truth out to the American people, and we can’t have that!

Curiously, Raimondo wrote the piece "Bradley Manning, American Patriot: The campaign to smear him is picking up steam" and launched the effort in defense of Manning, July the 7th; a full three weeks prior to Manning being outed as a homosexual activist.

Especially troubling to the intelligence community, is that the names leaked by Manning include those of informants deep within the Al-Qaeda linked Taliban in Afghanistan.

Sirin Middya, is a 24-year old visiting professor at the Alia University in West Bengal, India. The Muslim Student Association has attempted to force her to wear a burqa while in class. She has refused.

From TaraTV.com, "Woman teacher says no to burqa in muslim university" July 29:

Middya who joined as a guest lecturer at the University in March, got the ‘diktat’ in the second week of April that she would not be allowed to attend the college if she did not wear burqa. The University Grants Commission does not prescribe any such dress code. The unfortunate part is that students are forcing women teachers to wear burqa. Middya’s argument is that she has nothing against burqas but if she wears one at all it should be out of her free will.

The Secretary of the West Bengal Madrassa Students’ Union Siamat Ali informed that there are eight women teachers in the university. It was agreed that women teachers would wear burqas. Only Sirin Middya had refused to do so. He maintained that she would be allowed to take classes only if she wears a burqa. The University is so far silent on the issue.

(H/t Jawa)

Our first guest is Janice Crouse is President of the Beverly Lahaye Institute, an arm of Concerned women for America. She has written a book called CHILDREN AT RISK, about sexual trafficking.

Our second guest is Sergeant Mike Geiger, head of the Sex Crimes unit at the Portland Police Department in Portland, Oregon.

The show is 8pm-9pm CST

Call in at 1-646-915-9887

Stream Here.

Thank you for reading this blog.

From Eric Dondero:

A second poll in two weeks shows libertarian Republican Rand Paul with a comfortable lead over his Democrat opponent. This, despite a massive assault from the liberal media, including MSNBC, and leftist blogs, trying to paint Paul as an "extremist" Ayn Randian government cutter.

From Hedgehog:

US SENATE – KENTUCKY (Survey USA)
Rand Paul (R) 51%
Jack Conway (D) 43%

Opponents say he's a "libertarian ideologue"

From Eric Dondero:

Justin Amash is a young first-term State Legislator representing a Western Michigan district. A son or immigrant parents, Amash is of Christian Lebanese descent. He is a friend of Libertarian Republican former State Rep. Leon Drolet and a frequent attendee of meetings of the Michigan Republican Liberty Caucus. He is also an active Tea Partyer, and Tax Fighter, involved with the Michigan Tea Party Alliance, and the MI Taxpayer's Association.

Amash is a Pro-Defense Libertarian. From his website:

The full force of our armed forces should be unleashed when presented with genuine threats to our safety, such as active foreign aggression or invasion... I share former President George W. Bush's vision... Israel's borders must be secure, recognized, and defensible...

Amash has been one of several candidates battling for the top spot on the Republican side for the seat of retiring Congressman Vern Ehlers. Now in a welcome development for the Libertarian Republican movement, Amash has pulled slightly ahead.

From MLive.com, Aug. 1:

Upstart Justin Amash builds support in outlying areas of 3rd Congressional District but remains within reach of rivals, Press poll shows State Rep. Justin Amash has opened a small lead over his two chief rivals in the 3rd Congressional District Republican primary, a Press poll finds.

The Cascade Township Republican is favored by 28 percent, followed by state Sen. Bill Hardiman at 23 percent and former Kent County Commission chairman Steve Heacock at 17 percent, according to the poll by Practical Political Consulting.

"An independent-minded Conservative"

Amash is being supported with TV ads by the economic libertarian group Club for Growth. He also has backing from the powerful economic libertarian DeVos family of Michigan. Continuing:

Amash could counter with endorsements from Amway co-founder Richard DeVos and GOP power couple Dick and Betsy DeVos.

But Amash is perhaps betting more he can best ride this year’s tide of voter unrest, appealing to tea party types and independents.

Hardiman and Heacock have chipped away at Amash as a libertarian ideologue who would be a poor representative.

They point to Amash’s “no” votes on bills that toughened penalties for human trafficking, that would have prevented utilities from shutting off power to elderly customers and that allow military personnel who are deployed overseas to get out of their cell phone contracts.

Amash responded by calling himself “an independent-minded conservative.”

Gillard for Socialist Health Care, Open Borders and Big Union Agenda

From Cliff Thies & Eric Dondero:

Elections are set for August 23, and they promise to be a doozie by Australian standards.

The Liberal-National Coalition is surging ahead of Labour in the latest poll - 17 point lead for Labour after it dumped Rudd has now vanished.

Yet another country poised to shift to the center-right in August snap election.

From news.com.au:

JULIA Gillard has taken a battering in the latest opinion poll, which shows the Coalition would win the election if it was held now.

Support for the Prime Minister and Labor has fallen dramatically while the Opposition has taken the lead in the Herald/Nielsen poll published today.

The Coalition is now ahead of Labor on a two-party preferred basis by 52 per cent to 48 per cent - a six percentage point swing against the government since the last Nielsen poll a week ago.

Aussie politics observer Cory Bernardi wrote at his blog linked by the Australian Libertarian Society:

Ms Gillard has spent twelve years in Parliament, spent years as one of the bosses at the Socialist Forum (that's where the former communists went to continue their radical agenda), and a few years with Slater and Gordon pushing Labor’s pro-union industrial relations agenda.

Her entree into politics brought some policy gems like 'Medicare Gold' and the failed border protection laws that have seen people smugglers make record profits trafficking their human cargo.

Australia Libertarians Say No to Nanny-State

The main opposition party, the Liberal Democrats appear to have a growing libertarian wing. Australia Libertarian Society member and contributor to Libertarian Republican James Fryar is running for Senate in the Northlands. Yet another Libertarian candidate has emerged. From NewsMaker; tell the world:

The Liberal Democrat candidate for Adelaide has launched a war against government meddling.

“It’s time we eliminated the wholesale intrusions of government into our lives,” says Christopher Steele, LDP candidate for Adelaide.

Chris points out, that “Right now, government is taxing us to the wall. High tax stifles everyone’s living standards and the tax squeeze on business means less employment opportunities than we’d like, too. Just as badly, government is hell-bent on taking control of our personal lives.

"We are being trounced by the Nanny State and it's time we reclaimed our freedom."

Chris believes it is vital to overturn government interference gone mad. He declares that governments have: no right to interfere in personal lifestyle choices; and no right to infringe upon any individual's economic activity.

As Chris explains “Some parties stand for some degree of economic freedom but with plenty of social constraints, while other parties stand for social freedom yet with plenty of economic constraints. Only the LDP stands for maximum freedom, both economically and socially.”

On August 21st, Australia goes to the polls and Chris says that you can strike a blow for freedom by voting LDP. Chris ends with this message: "Vote P in the upper house (LDP) and vote for the LDP candidate in the lower house in Sturt, Makin, Boothby and Adelaide."

Photo of LDP MP Sophie Mirabella, winner of the 2008 Capitalist Award.

Sex Party rejects advances by Social Conservatives

Meanwhile, the Sex Party is garnering attention for a rejection of social conservatives.

From GoogleNews July 28:

SYDNEY — Australia's flamboyant Sex Party on Thursday said it had rebuffed an approach from arch-conservative Family First to forge an unlikely electoral alliance.

Spokesman Robbie Swan said Family First, a Christian outfit which champions family values, offered to swap voters' preferences -- used when there is no outright winner -- in August 21 elections.

He said there was "no way in the world" the Sex Party, whose policies include decriminalising drugs and weakening pornography laws, would jump into bed with "diametrically opposed" Family First.

"We represent a lot of prostitutes, but we're not prostitutes in the sense that we would sell out," he told AFP.

By Wes Benedict, National Libertarian Party Executive Director
Last week it was reported that the Obama Administration wants to give the FBI power to force internet companies to reveal information about their users’ internet activities: things like who they send email to, times and dates of emails, and maybe also information about [...]

By Matt Wittlief
This past Monday, the City-County Council voted to approve the transfer of water and wastewater utilities to Citizen’s Energy Group. The deal is very complex and convoluted – perhaps by design, perhaps by necessity. My opinions on the deal have varied, but in the end, I support the transfer, [...]

Republican for US Congress - Florida

Long before he was a candidate for US Congress, Lt. Col. Allen West gained national publicity and great acclaim from the Right, for his tough stance against insurgents in Iraq.

"All about the Safety and the Lives of my men"

MY RESPONSE TO WAYNE ALLYN ROOT’S EDITORIAL: “NO MOSQUE AT 911 GROUND ZERO SITE”

by John Hospers

A few days ago I read an editorial from Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee Wayne Allyn Root regarding his objection to the proposed building of a mosque near 911 Ground Zero. Root says such a building has nothing to do with ‘religious freedom’ or ‘property rights’ – but everything to do with America bowing to sworn enemies (something the current President seems to have a penchant for doing).

As one of the founders of the Libertarian Party and its first Presidential candidate, the party that stands for State’s Rights, Individual Freedom and a limited central government, I strongly agree with Root’s assessment of this issue when he says that this building is an affront to our culture and basic beliefs as a free people. I agree there is nothing political about this, that it is a matter of common sense. Root’s position is absolutely on target, and I’m sure Ayn Rand would also agree.

If this structure is allowed to overshadow the 911 site –it further weakens us as a nation worthy of respect from others. In fact, it could provide the nails in the coffin of America, because it will inspire further attacks. I assume that is what Root means as using our ‘Common Sense’.

I suggest to all who treasure their independence and dwindling freedoms as guaranteed by the Constitution, UNITE, circle the wagons so to speak and do it quickly because we are being attacked on very nearly every front, foreign and domestic. To stop the ravages of war and the spilling of free and innocent blood, we, as free people, must first take our country back from the treachery of a purposefully planned diabolical national debt and an increasingly power- mad dictatorship metastasizing from Washington like a political cancer.

A passage from the ‘Socialism and Liberty” chapter in my book ‘LIBERTARIANISM”:

“Productive men have always tried to advance man’s conquest of nature. And always, other men have tried to widen the scope of political power in order to seize for themselves the fruits of that conquest. Political power is the power of man over man—that is why we should minimize it and reduce it to nothing if possible; economic power is the power of man over nature.

“History is a race between the two kinds of power. The power of capitalism and the free market lies in an ever-increasing standard of living resulting from the conquest of nature. The re-ascendance of power over man, the political power, is what reduces us again to the level of savages.”

What I am saying is some among us believe we are guilty, that we should try to equalize incomes all over the world – that others are starving because we are too stingy. And if we act on that advice, that political belief, we will finally starve ourselves in a vain attempt to keep others from starving.

So, too, the building of a mosque at the attack site where thousands of our own perished in an act of war – must not be allowed.

Otherwise, we will stifle the very spirit of freedom and starve our own beliefs. That conclusion, in my opinion, is just common sense. JH.

Editor's Note - Dr. Hospers was the first Libertarian candidate for President in 1972. He and running mate Toni Nathan appeared on two ballots - Washington State and Colorado, and as a write-in in California. They garnered 10,000 votes and one vote in the electoral college. Hospers has been a friend of the Republican Liberty Caucus since its inception, and was the Honorary Chairman of "Libertarians for Bush" which I chaired, in 2004. (H/t IPR)

In a release dated July 27, Libertarian candidate for Governor of Arizona Bruce Olsen stated the following:

Bruce Olsen is fighting for a balanced budget for the state of Arizona and the federal government, to reduce the size of state government by 60%, to secure our southern border and work with California, New Mexico and Texas to secure theirs as well...

Olsen also wants to:

deport all illegal aliens [and] make English the official Language of the state of Arizona.

Later in the release:

Olsen advocates what most Libertarians don’t, that is, to de-nationalize the Guard units of the Army , Navy, Marine, Air Force, or National Guard. Olsen wants to allow no state guard troops to be deployed to foreign shores unless Congress has declared war and, we are under eminent threat.

Jonathan Raof bruceolsen4gov.com

From Eric Dondero:

Dick Morris in Hot Springs for a fundraiser for the libertarian group Americans For Prosperity, endorsed Republican candidate for Congress Beth Anne Rankin. In a release (via conservativenews):

He said he sees her race as one of the 45 “swing” elections that could go either way. Morris said he plans to appeal to his 450,000 supporters who receive his political columns by e-mail to financially support Rankin’s campaign.

On Fox, Morris has often described himself as a "libertarian Republican."

For her part, Rankin is endorsed by the Ron Paul/Tea Party group ArkansasforLiberty. She also has the official endorsement of libertarian-leaning GOPer Sarah Palin.

Though, Rankin is currently behind in the polls, 54 to 35% against incumbent "Blue Dog" Rep. Mike Ross. The District stretches from the southwestern outskirts of Little Rock to Texarkana.

Rankin is a former gospel singer, who has performed in Branson, Missouri. She is also a former Miss Arkansas.

On National Security, from her campaign website:

It is absolutely essential that America dedicates the resources necessary to be sure our armed forces are strong and our borders are secure. America faces enemies today who are dedicated to destroying our way of life, and we must be vigilant and determined in our defense of freedom and liberty.

From Eric Dondero:

Former writer for the communist The Nation magazine, currently with the hard Left Politics Daily David Corn accuses Rand Paul this morning of being an "extremist libertarian." He slams Paul for taking a laissez faire approach to the coal mining industry. From Politics Daily - Deep Background, "Rand Paul in Kentucky: Campaign 2010's Most Important Senate Contest":

As reported by Details magazine, Paul, while campaigning recently in Kentucky's coal country, maintained that there should be no federal regulation of the mining industry: "If you don't live here, it's none of your business." Asked about the Big Branch mining disaster in West Virginia, where an explosion killed 29 miners last April, Paul said,

Is there a certain amount of accidents and unfortunate things that do happen, no matter what the regulations are? The bottom line is I'm not an expert, so don't give me the power in Washington to be making rules. You live here, and you have to work in the mines. You'd try to make good rules to protect your people here. If you don't, I'm thinking that no one will apply for those jobs.

Then Corn calls Paul's pro-freedom views "outlandish."

In Nevada, Sharron Angle, who has called for abolishing the departments of Energy and Education and the EPA, appears to be losing credibility and is slipping in the polls. But Rand is running strong--despite his libertarian extremism and steady string of outlandish remarks. That makes the race in Kentucky the most significant Senate face-off of this electoral season. If he wins, it will signal the power of know-nothing tea partyism.