Hayek, Friedman added

From Eric Dondero:

Texas sets the standard for History and Social Studies textbooks nationwide, for the simple fact that they State orders many more textbooks than any other State. Textbook publishers tend to follow the lead of the standards set by the Texas Board of Education. The Board met last weekend and the conservative majority prevailed. The Board adopted the new standards in a 12 to 5 vote.

The media has centered on the battle over social matters such as language in the textbooks over Separation of Church and State. But largely ignored has been a rather big victory for libertarians and fiscal conservatives.

From USACarry (Pro-NRA blog):

A section in the U.S. government standards will cover the concept of American exceptionalism and detail how the nation's values are unique from other nations. Alexis de Tocqueville's five values critical to America's success as a republic will also be delineated. In economics, the board added free-market economists Milton Friedman and Friedrich von Hayek to the usual list of John Maynard Keynes, Adam Smith and Karl Marx.

by James Fryar

I tend to derive a great deal of pleasure from seeing friends do well, be it in business, personal life, or realizing a dream. I was thrilled when my old mate Al over in the Catskills found he was sitting on a massive gas field and stood to make a fortune.

Eric Dondero at Libertarian Republican has worked tirelessly on his site and in the cause of liberty for a long time, and has been rewarded for some time with an extensive readership, as well as being quoted and linked by both news media and major sites. He has in fact become an authoritative source of breaking news.

Now he has made it to the HuffPo shitlist (via Ben Cohen at Daily Banter). Howling about his tendency to be a little intemperate in his language at times, they came up with an article devoted to what an absolute unmitigated, radical, unfettered free market supporting, capitalistic bastard he is. On our side it just doesn’t get any better than that, unless you get mentioned in the "Pricks we should all hate" section of the NYT or get to be number 1 on Olbermann's "Worlds worst People."

Eric Dondero, a blogger and hardcore libertarian from Texas didn't take too kindly to what I had to say on the idiocy of libertarian economics. I thought the comments were pretty funny and insightful into the kind of people who militantly believe in the purity of markets etc...

The author wrote an item on being taken to task by a restaurant owner when he tried to engage him in leftie politics. This dirt bag went on to lament:

Our conversation left me rather depressed because he was so absolutely certain of his own position, and so well armed with his own set of facts that there was no point in discussing it with him at all.

Note the condescending “his own set of facts” as if those facts supporting the other side are inferior. Leaving him feel rather depressed is pathetic; the guy needs to, harden up a bit, put in a ‘hurt feelings report’ (maybe it was), or ring some bastard dumb enough to care. Then this:

The restaurant owner represents a growing chorus of obviously educated Americans who honestly believe that the fiscal crisis facing the nation is a result of high taxes and government spending. These people make up the intellectual foundation for movements like the Tea Baggers and the Ron Paul Libertarians. While well intentioned (at least some of them), they are utterly misguided, wrong and dangerous to the economy.

Apart from showing his ignorance of economics, believing as he does that ideology trumps the natural order of the marketplace, he then goes on to the tired old Rahm talking point of referring to the Tea Partiers as “teabaggers,” as if that is somehow going to make them go away. Then there is the obligatory reference to dangerous Ron Paul libertarians.

He like the rest of the left demonstrates the current fixation of his ilk in attempting to accuse any opponent of racism:

Eric made the comment:

Taxation is theft. Government is coercion, when you get right down to it. What right does the government have to put a gun to my head and steal from me to support some moocher who wants to sit on their damn couch all day long, munch on Cheetos and watch Oprah Winfrey?

In his bitch session on the subject the HuffPo writer attempts to suggest race is part of the issue along with the obvious attempts to smear Rand Paul with:

There's usually nothing sadder than a middle aged angry white man venting on the internet about how 'the government stole my wages and gave it to black welfare mothers', but the fact that Dondero actually worked for a main stream political candidate (for President, no less), is actually quite disturbing.

Lefties are pathetic, the moment they are challenged they enter full hue and cry mode about how terrible the right are, they appear oblivious as to the viciousness of their own side which at its most sincere is scumbag vile.

James Fryar is an oil field worker in south central Australia. He is also a member of the Australian Libertarian Society. His blog is RealWorldLibertarian.

"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence. It is force, and like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." - President George Washington

by Eric Dondero

Fans of Rand Paul cannot escape the barrage of vicious criticism he's received from the Far Left media on cable news, over the blogosphere and even in the press since his nomination. Not since libertarian-leaning Sarah Palin received the Republican Party's nomination for Vice-President in September of 2008, has a single individual on the Right garnered such a massive full-frontal attack.

The NY Times this morning offers an editorial "Limits of Libertarianism."

Here's a taste:

By denigrating several of the signal achievements of modern American society, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act, Rand Paul has performed a useful service for voters who are angry at their elected officials. He has helped to illuminate the limits and the hazards of antigovernment sentiment.

Many Americans are sputtering mad, believing that government has let them down in abetting a ruinous recession, bailing out bankers and spending wildly. But is Rand Paul really the remedy they had in mind? His views and those of other Tea Party candidates are unintentional reminders of the importance of enlightened government.

And then a few paragraphs later this absolute golden nugget of a quote:

As a longtime libertarian, he espouses the view that personal freedom should supersede all government intervention... It is a theory of liberty with roots in America’s creation, but the succeeding centuries have shown how ineffective it was in promoting a civil society.

The audacity of those pesky libertarians to place personal freedom over government intervention.

I can think of another group of rebels who espoused the same philosophy similar to Rand Paul's quite a while back. They too placed personal freedom over government intervention. They did so wearing tri-corner hats, whigs and blue overcoats.

And like Rand, they too were viciously attacked by the forces of despotism. The NY Times deserves the gratitude of all libertarians for so forthrightly summarizing why it is we are so opposed to their authoritarian agenda.

We are indeed now fully engaged in the ultimate battle of Liberty vs. Tyranny.

(Memeo M2 M3 M4 M5)

From Cliff Thies:

The latest from Australia... it appears that the Liberal-National Coalition has caught-up with, and may even have surpassed Labour in the polls. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, a climate change advocate, who was elected in 2007, may turn out to be a one-termer. The next election must be held by April 11, 2011.

From Bloomberg:

May 17 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is losing backers to deputy Julia Gillard, a Newspoll opinion survey shows. Some 45 percent of Australians preferred Rudd as Labor leader in May, down from 57 percent in February, while Gillard’s popularity rose eight points to 40, according to a telephone survey of 1,159 people between May 14 and 16 and published in the Australian newspaper. The opposition Liberal-National coalition and Labor are tied on a two-party preferred basis, the poll showed.

LR's Aussie correspondent James Fryar offered this analysis:

The Rudd government has caused this situation themselves through bad policies and sheer incompetence in their implementation. While the Liberals under Howard were able to bring the budget into surplus and repay debt failed completely to halt the growth of government spending, which had they done so would have reduced the average tax burden to around 20%.

In less than three years though Rudd has spent the future fund created by the Liberals and gone into massive deficit spending.

Madonna comes to their defense

A Gay couple in the southern Africa nation of Malawi received the maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment for violating the country's laws against homosexuality.

According to USMagazine:

Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 33, and Steven Monjeza, 25, were convicted of unnatural acts and gross indecency and sentenced to 14 years of hard labor in prison.

Madonna who has adpoted two children from Malawi blasted the court:

"Today, Malawi took a giant step backward. The world is filled with pain and suffering; therefore, we must support our basic human right to love and be loved."

Now Muslim groups are calling the decision by the judge just.

Malawi Muslim leader: Gays deserve "Death!"

From TheTrueReligion:

UMN Intl: We Applaud Malawi for the [Sentencing of Gays]

In the Name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful,

Beloved People of Malawi the Muslim World appreciates your firm stand against sodomy, this immoral, sick, un-natural behavior and twisted act against human dignity cannot be allowed in the world.

Every Government in the Muslim World, and all major countries of Africa applauds you for your firm stand to protect our common cultural grounds.

Homosexuality is unacceptable, both culturally and spiritually it is time the True Believers in the faith stand together to fight against the common evils in the world.

Additionally, a top Muslim cleric applauded the decision. Continuing:

Muslim Association of Malawi chairperson Sheik Yusuf Kanyamula said the court was lenient as the Quran said people who indulged in same sex unions deserved death.

Photo of Muslims marching in Malawi

For CAIR Muslim sensitivities in matters of speech are more important than non-Muslim sensitivities about things like murder

by Clifford F. Thies

From KnoxNews.com:

NASHVILLE - Tea party organizers will not drop a speaker from a Tennessee convention this weekend despite calls from a national Muslim rights group that considers her anti-Islamic.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations had urged that Pamela Geller be cut from the Tennessee Tea Party Convention in Gatlinburg over her views on Muslims. Washington-based CAIR said in a release Thursday that it objects to Pamela Geller's presentation titled "The Threat of Islam."

Convention organizer Anthony Shreeve said in an e-mail today that Geller will speak despite those concerns.

"We will not follow any request from CAIR," Shreeve said. "We also believe in the right to freedom of speech as given to us by our U.S. Constitution."

Geller heads a group called Stop Islamization of America.

Am I the only person to notice that, to CAIR, anything considered to be an insult to Muslims is not to be tolerated, but Muslims don't have to consider the sensitivities of non-Muslims?

They want to build a Mosque at Ground Zero, which, of course, in this country, is their right. The United States is NOT a Muslim country where buidling a house of worship other than of the official state religion requires special permission if is simply prohibited. We are a western nation and believe in the separation of church and state.

Freedom of Religion includes Freedom for Christians and Jews

And, of course, we oppose the Islamization of the United States. We like freedom of religion, along with all of our other freedoms; and, we like equality before the law, not one status for Muslims and another for non-Muslims. Or, excuse me, am I supposed to not know what "Islamization" means?

CAIR calls Geller a hater for her insensitivity to the sensitivities of Muslims for any depiction of Mohammed or of Muslims as violent or inspiring violence. No, you guys do not get to impose your silly ideas about images onto us. We had our Enlightenment.

In our country, a person can create the "Piss Christ," and the debate will be about the use of government funds, not the right of a pervert like Robert Maplethorpe to do such a thing. Same thing with political cartoons of Mohammed. Good-mannered people generally avoid offending the sensitivities of others. But, let's get real, there's a certain rough and tumble in the free market of ideas.

While being ultimately sensitive about depections of Mohammed and of Muslims, CAIR is totally insensitive to the sensitivities of non-Muslims to being blown-up, beheaded, burned or knifed to death, and otherwise being terrorized by people who call themselves Muslims, who quote the Koran, and who are treated as martyrs by the majority of Muslims world (actually, this looks to be changing, as global opinion polls indicate growing condemnation by Muslims of radical Islamic terrorism).

The incessant response of CAIR to violence perpetratwed by Muslims upon non-Muslims is that we non-Muslims should not "over-react." Yes, that's right, they try to shift the blame onto us. Now they have dumb ass politicians thinking that terrorists must be White People, because Islam is a religion of peace and only White People are capable of being evil. For example, the Times Square bomber must be a White Person. Hey, CAIR and your dumb ass political friends, White People have no problem calling terrorists what they are, no matter their race or religion. Now, let's say it together: KKK, terrorsists. Nazis, terrorists. Radical Muslims ... can you say it? .... it starts with a "t" ... Can't quite get the word out, can ya? Can't quite say that anybody other than a White Person can be a terrorist.

CAIR talks in vague generalities about "all who commit violence," while NEVER naming names. We know that many Muslims do not consider the slaughter of infidels (such as us) to be violence. Therefore, we know the word game that CAIR is playing. They are trying to appear to be non-violent to mush-braned liberal westerners, and ALSO to not offend the many Muslims who believe that Muslims have the right to enslave or kill infidels because the Koran says this and because Muslims have been doing this since Mohammed turned evil on non-Muslims.

It's time for CAIR to join with the rising number of Muslims in the world who do not distinguish among acts of violence based on the religions of the perpetrator and the victim, and stop trying to placate the extremists within the Muslim world. (By the way, a large number of Muslim scholars, perhaps the majority, have a very reasonable interpretation of the parts of the Koran that sound so awful, considering those verses as employing exaggeration, along with requiring reconcilation of those verses with the totality of the Koran and with what we know through reason. These scholars are, nevertheless, conlicted between fully joining with other men and women of good will who are not Muslim and breaking off from their throw-back co-religionists.)

In the meanwhile, we notice that CAIR calls Geller a hater even though she has not bombed, beheaded, knifed, burned or otherwise murdered anybody, and refuses to identify Muslims who do such things as terrorists. Different strokes for different folks? That's not the way we do it in America.

MOVEMENT NEWS

Libertarian Lefty has some kind words for member of the Libertarian Right

From Eric Dondero:

Thomas Knapp aka "Knappster" is a regular commenter here at Libertarian Republican, and sometimes contrarian-like contributor. He is generally regarded as a Left-Libertarian, and on the stridently AntiWar side of the movement. Ironically, Knapp had some kind words for Right-Libertarian Wayne Root, who is currently seeking the Nomination for Libertarian Party National Chair. The rap on Root is that he's got the showmanship and media skills, but lacks all-important organizational ability. Knapp complimented Root for beating his opponents at releasing an all-important list of backers.

Knapp at IPR:

Root has produced a list of endorsements from prominent Libertarians who, to one degree or another, command the respect of their fellow party members.

Root was recently endorsed by 8 State LP Chairman, a number of elected Libertarian officeholders, and two former LP Presidential candidates.

The National Convention for the Libertarian Party will be held in St. Louis over Memorial Day weekend.

LR EXCLUSIVE

Libertarian-leaning Republican Nikki Haley recently received the endorsement of Sarah Palin in her bid for Governor of South Carolina. In a poll two months ago Haley was behind the pack of four in fourth place. Now she is comfortably ahead in first place.

The Republican Liberty Caucus National Committee which has represented the libertarian wing of the GOP since its founding in 1990, held a teleconference Tuesday night. According to National Chair and LR contributor Dave Nalle:

last night the RLC board endorsed a whole slate of candidates from South Carolina, including Nikki Haley.

http://www.rlc.org

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — The massive expansion of requirementsfor businesses to file 1099 tax forms that was hidden in the 2,409-page health reform bill took many by surprise when it came to light last month. But it’s just one piece of a years-long legislative stealth campaign to create ways for the federal government to track down [...]

Feel free to sing along...

SPECIAL ELECTION

39% for Djou, 30% for nearest Democrat opponent

Headline by the AP:

GOP Wins House Seat in Obama's Home District

Djou quoted at Fox News:

"This is a momentous day. We have sent a message to the United States Congress. We have sent a message to the national Democrats. We have sent a message to the machine. The congressional seat is not owned by one political party. This congressional seat is owned by the people."

(Memeo)

JUST BREAKING!!!

From Eric Dondero:

On Sunday we wrote here at Libertarian Republican:

Republican sweetheart Sarah Palin made a swing through South Carolina on Friday in support of libertarian-leaning State Rep. Nikki Haley for Governor. Haley early on, showed an economic libertarian streak as a budget cutter in line with Gov. Mark Sanford. (Haley had been a staunch supporter of Sanford in his earlier campaigns.)

Haley has been particularly critical of some of her GOP primary opponents for their past support of bail-outs and the introduction of new revenue sources such as VAT. In response, she's caught criticism herself for her strident libertarian views.

In an article on the Palin endorsement, the local Greenville newspaper described Nikki Haley as from the “Sanford-libertarian wing of the party.”

And now, post-Palin endorsement, Haley has pulled into the lead. From Rasmussen:

With South Carolina’s Republican Primary for Governor less than three weeks away, State Representative Nikki Haley, coming off a fresh endorsement by Sarah Palin, now leads the GOP pack.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary voters shows Haley earning 30% support. She’s followed by State Attorney General Henry McMaster who picks up 19% and Congressman Gresham Barrett with 17%. Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer captures 12% of the vote.

Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate in the race, but nearly one-in-five potential primary voters (18%) remain undecided.

(H/t Memeo)

Editor's Note - Thanks to Karen Green of Illinois for assisting with this article.

From Eric Dondero:

With Rand Paul's victory on Tuesday, Howard Fineman of Newsweek writes that the "anti-incumbent Tea Party vote is going to be a central (if not the central) story of the 2010 midterm elections."

He goes on to advise fellow liberals to go straight after the GOP's libertarian wing:

It's up to President Obama and the Democrats to make libertarian thinking the issue in the fall—by proving that the philosophy, if actually implemented, would mean the end of Social Security, Medicare, student scholarships, and even the Interstate Highway System.

Thanks Howie. And it's up to us libertarians to fiercely oppose your socialist/fascist agenda that wants to control every aspect of our lives.

To paraphrase Rand Paul himself upon his victory Tuesday night:

"Bring it on" Liberals!

(H/t Memeo)

Backed by Sarah Palin

From Eric Dondero:

First polling indicating Carly Fiorina in front of liberal-leaning Republican Congressman Tom Campbell.

Fiorina won the endorsement of Sarah Palin two weeks ago.

From PPIC via Hedgehog:

US SENATE – CALIFORNIA – GOP PRIMARY (PPIC)
Carly Fiorina 25%
Tom Campbell 23%
Chuck DeVore 16%

DeVore is the clear favorite of the libertarian wing, but has not yet proved broad-based support. Fiorina is a pro-business socially moderate conservative that has some libertarian appeal.

From Eric Dondero:

Here's the latest from Rasmussen following the embarrassing scandal regarding AG Blumenthal's war record, or lack there-of. From Rasmussen:

Democratic Senate hopeful Richard Blumenthal has lost ground in match-ups against all his potential Republican challengers in Connecticut.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Connecticut finds Blumenthal with just a three-point advantage over Linda McMahon, 48% to 45%. Two weeks ago, he led the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment by 13 percentage points.

When matched against former GOP Congressman Rob Simmons, Blumenthal leads by 11 - 50% to 39%. Two weeks ago, the longtime state attorney general held a 23-point lead over Simmons.

Blumenthal now leads Peter Schiff, a high-profile Wall Street investment banker, 53% to 37%. In the previous survey, he posted a 54% to 29% lead over Schiff

So, McMahon is clearly well-positioned to win this race in a deeply blue state. Simmons and Schiff much less so.

Most of us libertarian Republicans have been staunchly backing Peter Schiff. But McMahon is running on generally libertarian/Tea Party themes. She's sufficient enough in our direction to earn our support. If this was Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma or Idaho, we might have the luxary of going all out libertarian. This is New England. Let's go with the GOP candidate most likely to win, who fortunately leans in our direction to begin with.

Bassist with the Allman Brothers Band comes to Paul's defense

From Eric Dondero:

The liberal media has been in full attack mode since Rand Paul won his primary election on Tuesday. Their template was in place to hit him as soon as he won, going after him on of all things, civil rights. Paul appeared on the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC last night. Maddow spent the entire time trying to corner Paul into supporting racism. Paul held steady to the libertarian view that it's the decision of a private business, but that all public institutions should be completely free of any discrimination. He adequately dodged her repeated attempts to get him to give a soundbyte to be used by leftwing blogs. (See the video at YouTube.)

This morning on her MSNBC blogsite, Maddow got this interesting comment from a regular viewer:

Rachel,

I am a 45 year old Black American male who loves your show but I strongly disagree with you about your position on Rand Paul. Just so you know I voted for Obama and Kerry because I was horrified by both Bush and Palin respectively. Here's where I disagree with you.

1. If someone in the Klan owns a restaurant and doesn't want to serve me, why on earth would I want to support him by giving him my money? I don't want my money going to buy little Klan baby clothes. I'd rather the privately owned establishments wear their racism on their sleeves so I know who to support. If they want to lose my money, and the money of all other minorities and people with brains and a conscience, then fine. Racism is bad business.

2. There's two facts none of us can get around. Churches are still the most segregated places in America every Sunday morning. Its called freedom of religion. There are still restaurants where you can't go in D.C. and I can't go in Georgia. That's called tribalism. Integration cannot be forced privately, only publicly. Tribalism cannot be defeated by legislation. Freedom of speech and of religion means also freedom of @!$%#s. I prefer them with their hoods off.

3. I respectfully say that I think you're wrong to imply that Rand Paul is a racist for believing that Woolworth's should be allowed to be segregated. I will go on the record right now and state that I believe that Woolworth's and any other privately owned business should be allowed to be segregated. We Black's have a choice now that we didn't back before the Civil Rights Act. Why would I want to support cracker ass Woolworth's if that's who owns the store? I'll take my money elswhere. If you had your way, I wouldn't know one from the other. I hope we can one day agree to let Woolworth's be free to take off its Klan Hood so you and I both know where to spend our money. Its not like and oil company. We all "have to" buy gasoline for now. We blacks have a choice which lunch counter we want to sit at in 2010. Rand Paul stated that when violence occurred it was wrong. He said it was morally reprehensible and he would never support it? He shouldn't be smeared as a racist.

I love you to pieces and as a person of color I identify with your pain, but I'm glad these racists and homophobes want to come out into the open now. I don't think Rand Paul is one of them.

Oteil Burbridge
Bassist Allman Brothers Band
Lawrenceville, Georgia

(H/t The Other McCain)

From Eric Dondero:

Well, fellow Libertarian Republicans, if this doesn't tell you we've arrived, I'm not sure what would. Rich Lowry is the longtime Senior Political Editor for the icon of the Right publication National Review. In The Corner blog, reviewing the results from Tuesday, Lowry gave a ringing endorsement for Rand Paul's victory. And in doing so, gave a whopper of a compliment to the libertarian wing of the GOP. From NR:

Rand Paul's victory is another sign that there's a roiling, libertarian revolt within the GOP that is likely to fuel an out-of-nowhere Dean-style "Republican-wing of the Republican party" candidate for 2012.

In other words, we libertarian Republicans are the real Republicans. We're what every Republican in their hearts aspires to be.

Thanks Rich. We'll take it.

By Rick Manning
Just when you thought that Congress might have run out of bailout ideas for politically-favored groups along comes Senator Robert Casey’s (D-PA) bill to bailout union pension funds.

Operating under the benign sounding title, “Create Jobs and Save Benefits Act of 2010″, Casey’s bill is actually nothing more than a transfer of approximately $165 [...]

The stage is set for the U.S. Senate race in Indiana. There was quite a bit of hoopla when the Democrats appointed Brad Ellsworth, and Republican candidate Dan Coats stated that “Hoosiers will hear two dramatically different views about the direction our country should be heading, and about the future of Indiana.”
Well, Hoosiers might hear two [...]