Urges Repeal of Middle Class Tax Relief

In a explicit rant, self-proclaimed "NeoCon" and foreign-born Editor for NewsWeek Fareed Zakaria calls out in a new column, "Raise My Taxes, Mr. President! We can’t afford the Bush cuts anymore." Zakaria even blamed the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the deficit.

The Bush tax cuts remain the single largest cause of America’s structural deficit—that is, the deficit not caused by the collapse in tax revenues when the economy goes into recession. The Bush administration inherited budget surpluses from the Clinton administration. What turned these into deficits, even before the recession? There were three fundamental new costs—the tax cuts, the prescription-drug bill, and post-9/11 security spending (including the Iraq and Afghanistan wars). Of these the tax cuts were by far the largest, adding up to $2.3 trillion over 10 years. According to the Congressional Budget Office, nearly half the cost of all legislation enacted from 2001 to 2007 can be attributed to the tax cuts.

From Cliff Thies:

David R. Fox, an attorney who has repeatedly shown up on the police blotter during the past year - for sexual harrassment, duriving under the influence, and other such offenses - is now suing a man for assault to whom he made gay advances.

Concerning his DUI arrest, a Seattle newspaper reports:

In June, Fox was arrested by Port of Seattle police after a ticket agent called authorities to report that a man wearing a floppy hat, khaki shorts and a Hawaiian shirt repeatedly pulled out a knife and asked "weird questions."

The driver was unsteady on his feet and kept repeating the same questions, telling me over and over that I need to call the Clallam County Sheriff's Office so they could tell me who he was and that he was running for office," the Port of Seattle police report said. "He told me over and over that he is an attorney, and that I have no right to stop him."

Another officer spotted a marijuana pipe on the passenger's seat, and a search turned up a bag of marijuana and prescription pills for which Fox had no prescription, the report said.

Concerning his gay advances, he claims he has "fallen victim to a 'gay witch hunt,' and that his clients often fall in love with him."

According to a county sheriff, the man demanded that a client expose himself in the police station during a consultation and admitted masturbating in the interview room.

In the end, he took a plea deal.

Other run-ins with the law including boucing checks and being a public neuisance.

With his backround, this guy is sure to fit right in with the House Democratic Leadership team!

by Clifford F. Thies

According to a New York newspaper, first term Congressman Mike McMahon (D-NY13) has accused his Republican challenger, Mike Grimm, of raising money from Jewish donors. Supposedly, this is to show that the Republican has little support within the district, which covers Staten Island and part of Brooklyn.

From CNN's Political Ticker:

Staten Island Rep. Mike McMahon (D-NY) moved into damage-control mode Thursday, firing the communications director for his re-election bid Thursday night after she gave a reporter a breakdown of a Republican rival's "Jewish money" contributions. McMahon announced he was firing spokeswoman Jennifer Nelson after she provided a New York Observer reporter with a breakdown of Republican rival Michael Grimm's second-quarter financial haul donations from Jewish donors, in an apparent effort to show the former FBI agent has little financial support within the district. In an astonishing move – putting such a statement on paper – the file the reporter was given was titled "Grimm Jewish Money Q2."

And how did McMahon identify these donors as Jewish? Were they wearing armbands???

Libertarian: Secure the Border, at the Border

From Eric Dondero:

The Libertarian Party of Texas may have chosen a libertarian-conservative as their nominee for Governor. Oddly, Kathie Glass appears closer to Rick Perry in ideology than some more purist Libertarians may be comfortable with.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is reporting that Glass has taken what could be described as more of a Jan Brewer approach to border security.

Glass, a Houston lawyer, is the Libertarian Party's candidate for governor. At a meeting of local Libertarians on Thursday night, she presented herself as the ideal replacement for Gov. Rick Perry.

Yet earlier this year, Glass and her husband were staunchly backing Medina, a Republican candidate for governor who earned almost 19 percent of the vote.

"We were very hopeful that she would win, and if she had, I wouldn't be running this race," Glass said.

Speaking to about 30 people in the backroom of Billy Miner's in downtown Fort Worth, Glass, 56, touched on the themes that allowed Medina to strike a chord with many Republican voters, including nullifying intrusive federal legislation, protecting the border and preserving property rights.

On Illegal Immigration from Glass's campaign website:

Secure the border at the border by using the Texas State Guard. No one will cross the border other than at a valid U.S. port of entry where they can be assessed by U. S. immigration officials.

No sanctuary cities, no refusal to process those accused of crimes based on their illegal status, and no more looking the other way when an uninsured illegal alien is involved in a traffic accident.

Illegal aliens commit a form of theft when they receive taxpayer-funded benefits such as food stamps, health care services, and education... Illegal immigration dramatically increases the cost of education. 20% of Texas students are here illegally.

Perry briefly supported Seccesion, Libertarian Glass opposed

The Star-Telegram goes on to report on a confrontation later in the meeting with known Texas Seccesionist Larry Kilgore. Ironically, Glass took a more "conservative" approach to the matter than incumbent Rick Perry. Sounding like a true blue Reagan Conservative she expressed her love of country and said forthrightly that she would not support seccesion under any circumstances.

Glass chimed in. "I was born in America and I intend to die here. And I'm not leaving her in her hour of need. I'm not turning my back. She's not going to fall. Not on my watch."

Glass tried to keep speaking, but Kilgore hollered over her.

"Will you sit down and shut up for a minute?" Glass finally yelled.

Perry in 2009 flirted with the seccsion idea at a Tea Party rally in Austin. Though, later on he also rejected the proposal.

Note - Kilgore was a candidate for Governor himself briefly last year, and then backed off and endorsed Medina

A Libertarian opposed to Gay Marriage?

On another issue which divides most Libertarians - Gay Marriage - Glass has come out on the conservative side.

Dave Jennings of BigJollyPolitics described meeting Glass at a small function in June:

Where she came up short was on the issue of gay marriage, saying that while it isn't important to her, marriage is between a man and a woman and she would veto any legislation that came across her desk stating otherwise. Again, although I would agree with her, that is more of a Republican position than a classical libertarian one.

Of course, there's a down-side for Perry. Kathie Glass's vote total will come straight out of the GOP column.

In an article July 15, at Burnt Orange, "Libertarian Gubernatorial Nominee Kathie Glass Chasing Tea Party Voters" Glass's strategy for reaching more conservative voters is outlined:

Texas Libertarians have a decent amount of overlap with the Tea Party. The concept of limited taxes, small government, and states rights blend into both "party" platforms. And politically it makes sense for Glass to try to tap these voters... if Glass manages to get some of these voters as well as Debra Medina Republicans, she very well may be able to increase the statewide Libertarian share by a couple points at the expense of Rick Perry.

However, there's an upside for Republicans, as well. Having her in the race will force Democrat Bill White to defend his rely on government for everything approach against not one but two hardened limited government advocates.

Stop the Moochers, even if they're Female

Staunch Social Conservative Phyllis Schlafly made an extremely economic libertarian statement at a recent fundraiser.

From InstaPundit:

“One of the things Obama’s been doing is deliberately trying to increase the percentage of our population that is dependent on government for their living. For example, do you know what was the second-biggest demographic group that voted for Obama? . . . Unmarried women. Seventy percent of unmarried women voted for Obama. And this is because, when you kick your husband out, you’ve got to have Big Brother government to be your provider. . . .”

"Republican Tea Party Contract on America"

He wants to Abolish Social Security and Medicare.

"Extreme Far Right-wing Views"

by Eric Dondero

One of the iconic figures of the Libertarian Right has become an icon of the Conservative Right, as well, since the Obama administration. And at least one prominent "Conservative" writer from the NeoCon wing is not happy about the development.

At Frum Forum, NeoCon writer Noah Kristula-Green, formerly with the New Republic writes, "Tea Party Embraces Ayn Rand."

He admits that for conservatives Rand is now "the prophetic writer on the Obama Presidency."

He goes on to express dismay that the Individualist extremist now heavily influences the views of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.

Rand’s popularity tells us two things about the state of modern conservatism.

First, it suggests that Rand’s atheism and permissive social views are no longer deal-breakers among conservative thought leaders. Jennifer Burns, the author of Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right, has explored Rand’s influence through the years. She told FrumForum that while religion had been a crucial issue for William F. Buckley and the conservatives of the 1970s, “someone like Glenn Beck isn’t going to argue about the existence of God or the need for religion. Beck and Limbaugh can use the parts of Rand they want to use and not engage the rest.”

Second and more troubling, the conservative rediscovery of Rand signals an increasing conservative divergence from mainstream America. Conservatives falsely assume that because more copies of Rand’s books are being sold, that everyone who reads them agrees with her. Conservatives are buying into Rand’s extreme views without understanding why many people—and not only liberals—revile her.

As Conservatives are moving more towards Libertarianism, it's becomming clear that NeoConnism is increasingly out of step with the rest of the Right. That is, if NeoCons were ever Right to begin with.

All agree to austeririty measures to solve Budget Crisis

by Clifford F. Thies

In a third attempt to form a government following this year's parliamentary election, the three main center-right parties appear to have joined into a so-called Danish Solution: A minority government consisting of the market-liberal Dutch Peoples Party and the center-right Christian Democrats supported by Geert Wilder's populist-right Freedom Party. This is called the Danish Solution since the government in Denmark is, similarly, a minority center-right coalition supported by a populist-right party. The big difference is that the populist-right party of the Netherlands is a big party.

Together, these three parties have a bare majority (76 seats) of the national parliament (150 seats). We would presume that the leader of the People Party (with 31 seats), Mark Rutte, a former corporate executive, will be prime minister, and the leader of the Christian Democrats (21 seats), Maxine Verghagen, will be foreign minister. The leader of the Freedom Party (24 seats), the flamboyant Geert Wilders, will not have a formal post in the government, but will have to be consulted on all major decisions.

The parties are agreed to austerity measures to quickly reduce the deficit in the Netherlands from 6 to 3 percent of GDP (as compared to the current U.S. deficit of 11 percent of GDP), and to policies concerned with the integration of immigrants into Dutch life, including work and language requirements. Beyond these things, it may be best to simply say they have agreed to disagree. Much of the Freedom Party's manifesto concerning Islam and immigrants from the Muslim world and from eastern Europe is simply incompatible with the commitment of center-right parties and classical liberals to social tolerance, civil liberties and freedom of religion. And, besides, there is a question as to whether the relevant sections of the Freedom Party manifesto were merely political rhetoric, or just initial bargaining positions to be easily discarded upon the start of negotiations to form a ruling coalition.

From Eric Dondero:

Londoner Jeremy Clarkson cracked on Muslim women in a recent TV appearance. He said that one had fallen over on the street in front of his Taxi at Picadilly, and showed she was wearing G-String undies.

This brought a death threat from famed Muslim cleric Anjem Choudary. From the Daily Star Aug. 1:

“He has angered many young believers of Islam and he may face repercussions.

“There are a growing number of young Islamic fundamentalists in this country and many are ready to cause violence to protect Islam.

“I would urge Clarkson to make a full and public apology to those he has mistakenly offended. Otherwise his safety could be at risk.”

Choudary went on to predict the eventual downfall of the West under Muslim domination.

“Clarkson has stirred a hornets’ nest among young Islamic fundamentalists. He has fanned the flames of their cause. I believe that one day Britain, and indeed every part of the world, will be governed by and under the authority of the Muslims implementing Islamic Law.

“And it will happen. It may come peacefully. But it may come through a holy war that will see rivers of blood on the streets. Clarkson has brought this day closer.”

(H/t Weasel Zippers)

Alfonso Aguilar from the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles. He will be talking about conservative outreach to Hispanics. We will also be discussing SB1070. Host Andre Traversa, co-host Jim Lagnese

Call in at 1-646-915-9887

Stream here.

Thank you for reading this blog.

GOP libertarians Palin and Paul back Didier; GOP libertarian DeMint goes with Rossi

From Eric Dondero:

Both Sarah Palin and Ron Paul have enthusiastically endorsed the candidacy of former NFL great Clint Didier for US Senate, against incumbent Dem Patty Murray. Now a stunner. Jim DeMint, a stalwart libertarian-conservative and Tea Party leader has endorsed Didier's opponent Dino Rossi.

From the Seattle PI:

Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, a Tea Party champion from the GOP right, is endorsing Republican Dino Rossi in his bid to unseat three-term Democratic Sen. Patty Murray.

DeMint has been backing anti-establishment insurgents in Republican primaries: He supported libertarian Rand Paul for the Kentucky Senate nomination, and former legislator Sharron Angle in Nevada.

"When I met with Dino a couple months ago, he made it clear he was only interested in running if Republicans were serious about saving our country from fiscal collapse," DeMint said in a statement.

Ross is a former two-time GOP nominee for WA Governor against Christine Gregoire. Polls show Rossi and Didier in a virtual dead heat, but both ahead by 2 to 3 points over Murray.

Note - the Republican Liberty Caucus, which represents the libertarian wing of the GOP, has not made an endorsement in this primary race.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Frank Guinta, former Mayor of Manchester, is the Republican nominee for US Congress - New Hampshire CD 1

Swedish Democrats look to enter Parliament

By Clifford F. Thies

In 2006, a four-party, center-right coalition achieved a wafer thin majority in the Swedish national parliament. Almost immediately, the Social Democrats and their erstwhile coalition partners - the Left Party and the Greens - surged to a lead in opinions polls. Progress in restoring the Swedish economy to a market-orientation appeared to be in jeopardy.

According to the Wall Street Journal / Heritage Foundation index of economic freedom, the Swedish economy had dramatically improved from 61 in 1995 to 70 in 2005. During the most recent years, it has improved further, to 72 in the latest assessment. In contrast, the United States economy, which had improved from 77 in 1995 to 79 in 2001, and, further improved to 81 in 2009, fell back to 78 after the first year of the new Obama Administration. With even more regulations and tax increases enacted this year, the economic freedom rating of the U.S. is sure to fall even further in the next assessment. Would the socialist left accomplish in Sweden what it is accomplishing in the United States in terms of rolling back market-oriented reforms and ruining the economy? Or, would the center-right parties rebound so as to be able, after this September’s election, to continue to advance the reform agenda, possibility to overtake the emerging USSA (United Socialist States of America)?

As the accompanying chart shows, the parties of the center-right in Sweden, now to include the Democratic Party, have jumped ahead of the parties of the left. These parties include the four parties currently forming the ruling coalition (the Christian Democrats and the Center, Moderate and Peoples parties), as well as the Democrats. The largest party of these five is the Moderate Party. This party is a neo-liberal party, i.e., a fusion of market-liberalism and conservatism. It refers to itself as the “New Moderates” because its aim is to revive the market as well as other social-intermediating institutions of a free society within a country that had become famous not only for democratic-socialism, but for the breakdown of the economic vibrancy, family and community life previously associated with the Swedish people.

Among the potential problems for organizing a five-party coalition is the issue of immigration. The Center Party, which was formerly a party representing agrarian interests, has evolved into something of a libertarian party, representing small business interests as well as small landholders. It is also a green party, being favorably disposed to issuing green cards to immigrants. The Peoples Party, a market liberal party, has also evolved into something of a libertarian party, and favors the integration of immigrants into Swedish life, including establishing language and work requirements. The Democrats, on the other hand, come across as opposing immigration. It may be possible to reconcile these divergent viewpoints; but, as the Dutch are showing us, it may be difficult.

From Eric Dondero:

A conservative blog out of Wisconsin had the opportunity to interview libertarian Republican for US Senate Ron Johnson. The Republican Senate candidate challenging Russ Feingold is heavily backed by fiscal conservative stalwart Sen. Jim DeMint.

George Will in a syndicated column last month called Johnson an a hardline capitalist and Ayn Rand devotee: "the idea of running for office never crossed Ron Johnson's mind. He was, however, dry tinder -- he calls Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" his "foundational book." His main focus as a candidate has been the country's enormous debt and cutting the tax burden for Americans, and small business. But now Johnson's giving indications on his foreign policy beliefs, as well. They are indeed views that clash with those of ultra-leftist "Moveon.org" backed Russ Feingold.

LettersinaBottle blog:

I’m very concerned about President Obama, the way he even announced the strategy, the fact that he announces the surge and the next sentence after that, he says, “Oh, by the way, we’re going to pull out in 16 months.” To me, the Taliban strategy is to surge 16 months and a day. And particularly in a conflict like Afghanistan, where we need the villagers to feel confident that, you know, whoever – that we’re going to be there for victory and that we’re committed to that. Because let’s face it, we’ve got the Taliban that’ll happily move into those villages and, you know, enact some retribution on anybody that sided with the other side. So, my concern is that President Obama has set us up for failure, quite honestly; and that’s not what you do when you’re going to commit our fine young men and women into battle. So, you know, highly concerned about his particular strategy.

I would like to achieve victory in Afghanistan. I mean, I’d like to finish off the job; I mean, I’d like to be able to say that, you know, we’ve cleaned up another nest of terrorists, quite honestly. But I’m just, again, very concerned about the direction of, you know, this policy under this president. The only thing that kind of keeps me supportive of it is the fact that we have David Petraeus. Which, by the way, Russ Feingold was one of only twenty Senators that refused to condemn the ad by Moveon.org that called him “David Betray-us.” I don’t think that’s a real way – a real shining moment in Senator Feingold’s voting record, quite honestly.

Privatize Social Security... end Medicare... shut down government agencies

From Eric Dondero:

Some hardened Libertarians might be a bit surprised by the new description of the Republican Party by Democrat National Committee Chairman Tom Kaine.

From the AP "Dems election strategy: Equate GOP and tea party" July 27:

"The Republican Party agenda has become the tea party agenda, and vice versa," Kaine said.

If the GOP were to retake the House and Senate, they would try to privatize Social Security, end Medicare and shutter those two federal agencies, he said.

"We're determined to make sure Americans understand this," Kaine said.

From Eric Dondero:

Steven Benen of the far left Washington Monthly gives a snarky yet somewhat accurate description of House Budget Comm. ranking Republican member Rep. Paul Ryan's proposal.

From the Washington Monthly, "ARE REPUBLICANS ON BOARD WITH RYAN'S RADICAL ROADMAP?....":

I'm inclined to give Paul Ryan, a devoted fan of Ayn Rand's novels, at least some credit for putting his beliefs on paper, and subjecting them to public scrutiny. He has a plan to radically transform governmental institutions and Americans' way of life, and he's not afraid to say so.

Indeed, many on the right are on board with the radical Ryan plan. Jonah Goldberg loves it, and when it comes to deficit reduction, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) described Ryan's proposed $1.3 trillion in potential cuts as "a pretty good list of options."

it privatizes Social Security; it eliminates Medicare, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and most of Medicaid; and it wouldn't actually get rid of the deficit anyway. The whole plan offers a breathtaking vision of how the government would operate in the 21st century if conservative Republicans had their way.

by Eric Dondero

Time Magazine is running a shocking photo on its front cover for this week's edition. As the editors explain:

Our cover image this week is powerful, shocking and disturbing. It is a portrait of Aisha, a shy 18-year-old Afghan woman who was sentenced by a Taliban commander to have her nose and ears cut off for fleeing her abusive in-laws. Aisha posed for the picture and says she wants the world to see the effect a Taliban resurgence would have on the women of Afghanistan, many of whom have flourished in the past few years. Her picture is accompanied by a powerful story by our own Aryn Baker on how Afghan women have embraced the freedoms that have come from the defeat of the Taliban — and how they fear a Taliban revival.

The non-interventionist wing of the libertarian movement wants an immediate pull-out of Afghanistan. The Ron Paul movement, Lew Rockwell and his followers, Justin Raimondo and Eric Garris at AntiWar.com, most Libertarian Party members, even many at Reason and Cato, all ignore the human rights catastrophe that would undoubtably follow.

As Raimondo has explained:

This war in Afghanistan has no convincing rationale, and no one can explain it – its goals, or what “victory” means, except as a) a war of retribution against enemies who have long since fled the scene, or b) a means of surrounding the Iranians, and a pretext for extending US influence into Central Asia.

Human Rights does not fit the leftwing libertarian template. It's an inconvenience to their carefully crafted philosphy. Historical events such as the Jewish Holocaust in Europe, Stalin's mass starvation of the Ukrainiuns in the 1930s, the Armenian genocide by the Islamist Turks, Mao's murderous agrarian revolution, and the killing fields of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, are ignored by the non-interventionists. All instances where American pacifism and non-intervention helped to cause murder on a scale never before seen in human history.

No doubt, the non-interventionists will similarly ignore the threat of the Taliban to Afghani citizens, with an American pull-out.

To the non-interventionists, protecting the rights of young women from having their ears and noses cut off is not enough of a "rationale" for keeping our troops in this war-torn South Asia country.

(H/t HotAir)

But he agrees with him on 90% of the issues

From Eric Dondero:

Daniel Massey is running for US Congress in Maryland's 6th District - Western Maryland. He is challenging longtime incumbent Republican Roscoe Bartlett. But it's not issues so much that the Libertarian disagrees with the Republican on; it's his age. Bartlett is 79.

From the Frederick News-Post, "Libertarian candidate enters congressional race" July 30:

Daniel S. Massey's top campaign issue is stopping federal government spending.
Massey, a Washington County resident, is running as the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Congress in the 6th District. The district, which includes Frederick County, is represented by incumbent U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, a Republican seeking his 10th term.

Massey, a first-time office seeker, said he agrees with Bartlett's stance on 90 percent of the issues, but he thinks Bartlett is too old.

"His age has gotten up there too much, and I think that's a detriment to our district -- to have someone who doesn't have the energy or drive to make changes," Massey said.

In many ways, Bartlett is considered a "Ron Paul Republican" - paleo-conservative on foreign policy, and economics. The Texas Congressman recently held a fundraiser for Bartlett in his District.

Gotta "make sure we get the Democrats out"

From Eric Dondero:

The Detroit Free Press has a new poll out for the Governor's race on the GOP side. It shows the three top contenders in a virtual dead heat; Cong. Pete Hoekstra, AG Mike Cox, and businessman Rick Snyder. Interestingly, the FP interviewed a number of Michigan voters. One, who described himself as a "libertarian," said he was voting for Cox.

From the Detroit Free Press "In Michigan governor race, GOP has 3-way toss-up; None of leading 3 candidates has lock on any 1 type of voter" July 30:

Eric Pfund, 37, of Linwood said he probably will vote for Cox. Pfund said he supports the attorney general's efforts to defend gun rights and support the Arizona immigration law. Pfund said he considers himself a conservative or libertarian, rather than a Republican, but he's voting Republican "to make sure we get the Democrats out."

From Eric Dondero:

We have been closely following the Senate race in Wisconsin between ultra-leftist Democrat incumbent Senator Russ Feingold and his challenger Republican Ron Johnson. This is the ultimate match-up between a Socialist, AntiWar Democrat and a Right Libertarian, Pro-Defense, devotee of Ayn Rand.

Now this poll released overnight from Rasmussen:

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Wisconsin shows Johnson with 48% support. Feingold, a member of the Senate since 1993, again picks up 46% of the vote. Two percent (2%) favor another candidate in the race, and five percent (5%) are undecided.

Not too mention this was a race not on the radar screen of most political pundits as a likely turnover to the Republicans. A Johnson win over Feingold moves the GOP one step closer to the magic 50 number in the Senate.