Less Immigration from Muslim countries: MORE NATIONAL SECURITY

Large percentages of Muslim immigrants believe the Dutch "have too much freedom and liberties"

But Geert Wilders' Freedom Party behind Peoples Party and Christian Democrats

From Cliff Thies:

Recent polling data suggest that the three main center-right parties of the Netherlands appear headed for a majority in the upcoming June 9th snap election.

Among the three center-right parties, the market-liberal Peoples Party looks be finish strongest (and would presumably name the country's next Prime Minister), followed by the conservative Christian Democrats, and the populist Freedom Party.

Again, according to recent polling data, these parties will secure 77 of the 150 seats in the Dutch parliament, enough to form a government. The four main center-left parties - the Social Democrats, Socialists, Greens and Democrats - will secure 64 seats, the centrist Christian Union 6, and two very small parties the remaining 3.

Were these figures to be realized, the Peoples Party and Christian Democrats would probably be forced to deal with the Freedom Party.

Note - Wilders PVV is in many ways a breakaway from the Christian Democrats. He himself was originally a member of the Christian Democrats.

Another grand coalition is not advisable given the failure of the former grand coalition which precipitated the snap election, and the centrist Christian Union won't have enough seats. A coalition of the three center-right parties would require some compromise or accommodation of the divergent social positions of these parties, but this has happened previously in post-war Netherlands.

Note - Hans Viegel, former Deputy Prime Minister of the Peoples Party has openly advocated closer ties to Geert Wilders and the Party of Freedom, along with a coalition of Rita Verdonk's (photo) Proud of the Netherlands movement. Photo above Geert Wilders with current Peoples Party leader Mark Rutte.

From Eric Dondero:

Dramatic video out of Sweden. A group of Muslim protesters attacked Swedish Cartoonist Lars Vilk after a showing of his controversial short film which depicted a naked Muhammed. Swedish police can be seen defending Vilk from the attacks, while Muslim students push forward to get at Vilks. Shouts of "Allahu-Ahkbar" can be heard in the background.

From Dagens Nyheter (via Gates of Vienna)

On Tuesday a man attacked the artist Lars Vilks in connection with a seminar on art at Uppsala University.

The atmosphere was calm at the beginning, Uppsala Nya Tidning reports. When Vilks showed a movie with sexual content the atmosphere became tense.

“The man in the first row suddenly rushed towards me. He gave me a “Danish,” [dansk skalle, hitting someone on the head using your own head] and I hit the wall and dropped my glasses,” Vilks says to TT.

The Uppsala Nya Tidning photographer, who was on the scene, describes the situation as extremely tense.

According to Vilks the man belonged to a group that tried to disturb the seminar. Vilks was taken to safety after the assault.

“I’m not injured, just a bit bruised.”

The seminar was broadcast by Uppsala Nya Tidning on the net.

The group that the man belongs consists of Muslims, says Vilks.

ABC Newsnet added:

A spokesman for Uppsala police said about 20 people tried to attack Mr Vilks after interrupting his lecture, adding that the police had to intervene to stop them. Two people were detained.

As Creeping Sharia reports, Vilks is know for having depicted Muhammed head on the body of a dog in a cartoon in 2007, and was also the target of an assasination plot from American Muslim "Jihad Jane."

Editor's Note - The Editors of Gates of Vienna blog are self-described "libertarians." (H/t Memeo)

"Honored" by Libertarian Party consideration for President, but staying a Republican

From last Friday Night's show on Fox:

HANNITY: I'm a Reagan Republican. You would be more of a libertarian Republican.

JOHNSON: Well, that would be labels that were — be put on me. I've never labeled myself. But I've considered myself a Republican all along. I've been well treated by the Republicans. I think Republicans are open to ideas and — like I say.

HANNITY: So you're running — if you were to ever consider running for president or other elected office you would run as a Republican not as a libertarian?

JOHNSON: Right. I'm going to stay a Republican. Exactly.

HANNITY: OK. The libertarians tried to recruit you at one point to run for president?

JOHNSON: Well, again, nobody directly contacted me. And I was — you know, I was honored by that but no, it didn't happen. And again, I'm a Republican.

HANNITY: Alright, look —

JOHNSON: I'll stay a Republican.

David and Samantha Cameron share an important bond with the Palins

by Clifford F. Thies

For most of us, the emerging conservative-market liberal concensus emerging in the world is long overdue. The challenge, in the modern era, as always, is of how to fashion a government that secures us in our rights while not itself becoming the instrument of our oppression. The position of market liberals that the state can provide a safety net without creating an enormous bureaucracy or undermining self-responsibility can be accepted by mainstream libertarians. Likewise, the position of conservatives that something more than self-interest is needed to tie society together can also be accepted. Accordingly, we, at LibertarianRepublican.net, are not at all surprised that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats of the United Kingdom have been able to fashion a coalition agreement.

David and Samantha Cameron, like Todd and Sarah Palin, embody the center-right belief in family and other forms of voluntary community, as well as in individual freedom and responsibility, in their families. The first child of the Camerons, like the fifth child of the Palins, was special.

Concerning the condition of their first child, David Cameron said, "The news hits you like a freight train ... You are depressed for a while because you are grieving for the difference between your hopes and the reality. But then you get over that, because he's wonderful.” Similarly, this is what Sarah Palin said about her special child, “I’m looking at him right now, and I see perfection. Yeah, he has an extra chromosome. I keep thinking, in our world, what is normal and what is perfect?”

For us, life is not about politics, and politics is not about who should live and who should die. We believe in life, in life in abundance, in human flourishing in matters economic, scientific and cultural. We oppose the agenda of death, of forced abortion, euthanasia, and government ordered “do not treat” lists. We oppose the agenda of limiting progress and sharing poverty. With freedom, we believe, the future is unbounded. Let’s get on with it.

Dr. Thies is a professor of Economics at the Univ. of Shenandoah - Virginia and Senior Editor of Libertarian Republican.

GOP Challenger Bill Flores pulls ahead

From Eric Dondero:

Chet Edwards has been a thorn in Republican's sides for decades. A liberal in moderate clothing Democrat in the heart of conservative Texas country, Edwards has managed to squeek by in reelection bid after reelection bid, against some well-funded and rather strong GOP contenders. Finally, his days may be numbered.

A new poll finds him 12 points behind the GOP nominee. From Rothenberg Report via Texas Monthly:

A new Republican poll obtained by the Rothenberg Political Report shows ten-term Democratic Congressman Chet Edwards (Texas 17) trailing challenger Bill Flores (R) by a dozen points. But Edwards, who isn’t releasing his own survey, remains confident that he can turn the contest from a referendum on President Barack Obama and national atmospherics into a choice between the two candidates.

The new survey of 400 likely voters, conducted May 2-3 by OnMessage Inc, a GOP firm, shows Edwards remains popular in the Republican-leaning district, with a name I.D. of 53% favorable/38% unfavorable.

But when matched against challenger Bill Flores (photo), who recently won a run-off to become the Republican nominee, Flores holds a 53%-41% lead over Edwards. Flores’s name identification is just 37% favorable/10% unfavorable.

Bryan Preston, Communications Director for the Republican Party of Texas told Libertarian Republican:

"Flores is out of the gate showing that he's not only competitive, but he's in a strong position to send Edwards into early retirement and bring more real conservative principles to Congress."

From The Right Guy, H/T LCR and Memeo
(Re-Post)

It tuns out the great NYPD has arrested a suspect in the attempted Times Square Bombing. It turns out the suspect is Pakistani, not a Tea Party member as Michael Bloomberg, the ersatz mayor of New York City has asserted.

“If I had to guess, twenty five cents, this would be exactly that,” Bloomberg said. “Homegrown maybe a mentally deranged person or someone with a political agenda that doesn’t like the health care bill or something. It could be anything.”

From the AP:

A Pakistan-born U.S. citizen accused of driving a bomb-laden SUV into Times Square and parking it on a street lined with restaurants and Broadway theaters was to appear in court Tuesday to face charges that he tried to set off a massive fireball and kill Americans, federal authorities said.

The suspect, Faisal Shahzad, was taken into custody late Monday by FBI agents and New York Police Department detectives at Kennedy Airport while trying to board a flight to Dubai, according to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and other officials. He was identified by customs agents and stopped before boarding, Holder said early Tuesday in Washington.

It turns out Bloomberg was wrong again. Will he apologize? I doubt it. He's too busy with other things, like pushing for idiotic regulations in NYC such as restricting salt or some other nanny state non-sense. Don't you wish Rudy was back? May be someone should put up a billboard in NYC with that.

America's Mayor

From CNN.com
Sick of the barrage of Facebook privacy scandals?
Don’t trust a multi-billion-dollar corporation with your photos and personal information?
Well, there may be an online social network for you yet.
It’s called Diaspora, and it’s an idea from four New York University students who say in a video pitch that big online companies like Facebook shouldn’t be allowed to have [...]

Our opponents have been learning the basics of grassroots organizing for a long time, and we need to catch up!
There is a political training event in Indianapolis this Saturday for people right of center. It features workshops on grassroots organizing, running for office, and spreading the message of liberty online. It is run by [...]

Latest from 2008 Libertarian VP candidate and current candidate for LNC Chair Wayne Root.

Part II Discussion of Congressional races and endangered incumbents like Nevada's Harry Reid.

Root: "Harry Reid is gone, and I'm a Libertarian, not even a Republican."

Later: "This is going to be a landslide election... I'm a Libertarian not a Republican [but] I'm thrilled that there's going to be gridlock."

Opportunity for Republican support of a Libertarian Party candidate?

From Eric Dondero:

State Rep. Donna Seidel, (Wausau) is a leading Democrat in the Wisconsin House. She's been in office since 2004, and is regarded as one of the State's most staunchest liberal voices. Now Libertarian Party member Jim Maas of Rothschild has stepped up to challenge her.

From WassauDailyHerald.com:

“I am willing to provide another choice to the voters of the 85th Assembly District,” Maas said.

Maas is the Vice-Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin and a prominent Medical Marijuana backer in the State. He's also a staunch fiscal conservative. From his press release:

"The constitution says that the budget should be balanced and it's not balanced... We're $5.2 billion in the hole and there's no light at the end of the tunnel."

The Herald goes on to report:

No Republican has yet announced candidacy in the 85th Assembly District, which Seidel has represented since her election in 2004. The district covers all of Wausau and Schofield, part of Rothschild and much of northeastern Marathon County.

Seidel has received some coverage lately for being one of the first prominent Democrats to back the candidacy of fellow Democrat Julie Lassa for Congress, against libertarian Republican Sean Duffy; the race for the Jim Obey seat.

LPWI.org

President in an uneasy alliance with "Right-wing Libertarian" Guevara

From Eric Dondero:

Costa Rica President Laura Chincilla Miranda is considering a new 5% tax on on-line gambling and e-commerce.

From the Tax-News:

In the last fifteen years Costa Rica has been an important place to conduct E-commerce, especially in the e-gaming sector. Companies, even when not incorporated in Costa Rica, are permitted to operate e-gaming websites under an all-encompassing, simple data processing license. In addition, not tax is paid on foreign-sourced income. About 380 companies operate under such licenses, turning over hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

But Tax-News explains Chinchilla may face a difficult task, mostly due to opposition from Movimiento Libertario. Continuing:

The likelihood that President Chinchilla can carry her program through has been brought into question, however, because she relies on a pact with the Libertarian Movement leader, Otto Guevara, to get legislation passed and Guevara has pledged to filibuster any tax increases.

Chinchilla's Center-Right Party and Guevara's Libertarian Party have joined in an alliance on the Right. Though, Guevara has proven to be an unsteady partner.

From The Economist, May 7:

She will be reliant on a pact with the right-wing Libertarian Movement, whose leader, Otto Guevara, won 21% of the vote in this year’s presidential election, compared with just 2% in 2002.

Guevara is taking a hardline free market approach to negotiations. Continuing:

“The door to negotiation has opened,” says the confident Mr Guevara, flanked by portraits of his free-market heroes, Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman. But in return for supporting the government, he wants tougher sentences for petty criminals and the publication on the internet of the names of all those who receive state benefits. He vows to filibuster tax increases...

Radio Talk Show Host Michael Savage was recently interviewed by Playboy Magazine. During the interview he was asked about the subject of Gay Marriage. From Playboy.com:

It’s a nature-nurture argument. My point is, the people I knew who chose this way did so because they were so-directed, yes, but also because they did not want the picket-fence life. I am a sexual libertarian. Why should I care what people do to stimulate themselves as long as children are not affected? Gay marriage confuses children. It all comes back to the survival of a society. To me marriage has always been the brick foundation of every society. You start tampering with the definition of marriage and you spread that idea to children, you’re tampering with the whole structure. Honestly, this whole thing about gay marriage has become so damn important for reasons I can’t even understand. I don’t understand why anyone would want it so badly.

Savage has previously stated on his show that when it comes to gambling and prostitution, he's a "libertarian at heart."

(H/t Left Coast Rebel)

School Superintendent backs off

The Morgan Hill School District held their first school board meeting since the controversy over the May 5 wearing of American Flag t-shirts by 5 students on the High School campus. Over 200 packed into the school auditoreum to voice their concerns. Most backed the students. Some outraged Pro-America activists called for the immediate resignation of School Superintendent Wes Smith. But some others who testified, called Americans who support the Flag, "racists."

After the meeting School Superintendent Wes Smith reversed his previous stance. Interviewed by a local TV news reporter stated forthrightly: "They have a right to wear the t-shirts; they should not have been asked to take them off."

Free Speech winning out over bureaucratic Liberal Authoritarianism

Watch the video news report at KGO TV - San Francisco

Previously Smith had defended the actions of the Principal and Vice-Principle, saying it was an issue of "safety." He praised "diversity," over patriotism and blamed the "agendas of others," for sparking the controversy. He even blamed "bloggers" from all over the U.S. and Canada, at one point in his initial press conference on the matter. (See video press conference here.)

Local liberal academics defended the school district's right to ban certain type of dress on campus.

From FoxReno.com:

Kirk Hanson, executive director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, said the action taken by the school was warranted if their objective was to maintain the security and safety of the other students.

"Was there a danger of a fight between the students celebrating Cinco de Mayo and the students wearing the American T-shirts? If there was a threat, then their action was ethical," Hanson said.

The District is located directly south of San Jose.

Austrian Economics of Von Mises now in the New England State's GOP platform

From Eric Dondero:

The Republican Party of Maine held its convention over the weekend. Delegates adopted a hardline platform that adopted many tenents of libertarian beliefs.

From the liberal-leaning blog Maine Politics "Maine Republicans adopt Tea Party platform":

The document calls for the elimination of the Department of Education and the Federal Reserve, demands an investigation of "collusion between government and industry in the global warming myth," suggests the adoption of "Austrian Economics," declares that "'Freedom of Religion' does not mean 'freedom from religion'" (which I guess makes atheism illegal), insists that "healthcare is not a right," calls for the abrogation of the "UN Treaty on Rights of the Child" and the "Law Of The Sea Treaty" and declares that we must resist "efforts to create a one world government."

Mike Tipping of Maine Politics describes it as "a mix of right-wing fringe policies, libertarian buzzwords and outright conspiracy theories."

Here's a breakdown of some of the more libertarian points:

?A declaration of state sovereignty – essentially a complaint that Federalism is dead and state’s rights and responsibilities are being squashed
?A call for the passage of “read the bill” legislation
?Opposition to the fairness doctrine
?Opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act
?Investigation of global warming shenanigans
?Eliminate the Department of Education
?Support for the prohibition of funding for ACORN or organizations like it
?Elimination of motor voter
?Opposition to any and all treaties with the United Nations
?Return to the principles of Austrian economics
?Balance the federal budget and pay off debt
?Audit the Federal Reserve

Republican Liberty Caucus Chairman for Maine and former legislator Ken Lindell commented (via Liberty Republican forum):

"There is a whole lot of stuff in the new platform that I really like... I think that it is a very positive development that activists who are new to the party have been able to succeed..."

Though, he did express concerns about the appeal of the new platform to mainstream Maine voters.

The platform was endorsed by the RLC in caucus at the convention.

Another RLCer Matthew Gagnon (Pine Tree Politics) had this to say:

I have more than a few problems with this platform, but I completely disagree with Mike Tipping’s assertion that the “extremism this document represents is unique and unsettling.” It is hardly anything all that extreme.

It is certainly different, that’s for sure, but as somebody who is deeply entrenched in the libertarian community (full disclosure: I just finished a year long tenure as Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Virginia, though I did not vote for Ron Paul in 2008 for those of you wondering), I can say without doubt that this is nowhere near the extreme edge of what many in that community would like to see.

Reached for a comment by Libertarian Republican, Stravos Mendros,(photo), former Lewiston City Councilman, longtime RLC member and 2008 Ron Paul State Coordinator said:

"This party is about the grassroots. People need to understand that this was voted on overwhelmingly by the people. We are not democrats and we don't like being dictated too by the elites."

Editor's Note - Photo of my friend Stravos is a bit dated, from approx. 10 years ago.

MOOCHER WATCH!

From Eric Dondero:

Some evidence of what many of us on the Libertarian Right have suspected all along: Extended Unemployment Benefits leads to reluctance to seek Employment.

From the Detroit News:

In a state with the nation's highest jobless rate, landscaping companies are finding some job applicants are rejecting work offers so they can continue collecting unemployment benefits.

It is unclear whether this trend is affecting other seasonal industries. But the fact that some seasonal landscaping workers choose to stay home and collect a check from the state, rather than work outside for a full week and spend money for gas, taxes and other expenses, raises questions about whether extended unemployment benefits give the jobless an incentive to avoid work.

Members of the Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association "have told me that they have a lot of people applying but that when they actually talk to them, it turns out that they're on unemployment and not looking for work," said Amy Frankmann, the group's executive director. "It is starting to make things difficult."

Another example cited:

B&L Landscaping in Oak Park finds the labor pool is noticeably weaker and less motivated, director Richard Angell said, even though the company still gets 80 to 100 applicants per week.

"We're just getting people coming in, filling out paperwork, hoping they won't get hired," Angell said. "... We're having a hard time finding quality applicants."

The current unemployment rate in the State is 14.1%, highest in the Nation.

BlogProf (Michigan blog) offers this startling analysis:

The average landscape worker earns about $12 per hour in Michigan equating to about $480 per week. However, taking out taxes, the net isn't different from the collecting an unemployment check for doing nothing at all. Thus the incentive for funemployment. Why bust your butt 40 hours per week in a physically exerting job when you can collect almost the same for 26 weeks from the state and another 73 weeks from the federal government? That's 99 weeks of getting a check for not working.

Of course, if Taxes on lower-end employment were completely eliminated, and the length of the unemployment benefits cut dramatically, these individuals would have all the incentive in the world to take an honest day's job.

The deadline for reaching an agreement on the mounting Illinois budget deficit has passed. Democrat Governor Pat Quinn is pushing for a significant income tax increase.

From the AP via THOnline.com:

CHICAGO -- Gov. Pat Quinn said Saturday that lawmakers are "pretty close" to passing a new state budget but offered no explanation for his optimism or even why he now backs a budget that rejects his top legislative priority: a tax increase.

Although Democratic leaders had hoped to pass a new budget by Friday, they could not agree on how to address a $13 billion budget deficit. Lawmakers ignored Quinn's call to raise income taxes...

Reached for a comment by Libertarian Republican, Libertarian Party nominee for Governor Lex Green had this to say:

Albert Einstein once said "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." The build up of spending that Illinois has seen for
the last several decades cannot be fixed by scheming to get re-elected. It is time for lawmakers to make some hard decisions and roll back the programs that have gotten us into the current financial mess.

Illinois government spending has gone up over $1000 per citizen over the last decade, adjusted for inflation. We don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem. I don't know how this affects lawmakers, but my budget can't take another $1000 hit.

Green's proposed budgets calls for an "immediate freeze on new spending and the elimination of non-essential state programs."

Additionally, Green would move in the complete opposite direction on taxes:

I want to eliminate the 3% income tax. Many states do not have an income tax. I also want to eliminate the gasoline tax, cigarette tax and taxes on alcoholic beverages. I also want to eliminate corporate taxes.

Finally, Green adds:

Illinois’ government spending needs to be drastically reduced to balance the budget within the limits that tax revenues supply.

LexGreenforGovernor.com

Holder admits strong link to Al Qaeda

Here's how the AP reporters Colleen Long and Michael Rubinkam reported on Faisal Shahzad last Thursday:

The Pakistani-American accused of the failed Times Square car bombing is believed to have been working alone when he began preparing the attack almost immediately after returning from his native land, authorities said Wednesday.

They said they have yet to find a wider link to extremist groups...

One law enforcement official told the AP that authorities don't believe there are any other suspects in the plot and that several arrests in Pakistan in the past two days were not related.

Taliban "intimately involved" in attack

Now this breaking news from the NY Times (via Memeo link):

“We’ve now developed evidence that shows the Pakistani Taliban was behind the attack,” Attorney General Eric Holder said in an interview on ABC television’s news program “This Week.”

Later, appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” he said the Taliban in Pakistan “directed this plot” and may have also financed it. The Pakistani Taliban, he said, was “intimately involved” in the attempt on May 1 by Faisal Shahzad, an American citizen of Pakistani descent, to blow up gasoline and propane tanks secreted inside a Nissan Pathfinder parked on West 45th Street just yards from the heart of Times Square.

The Times ads:

Mr. Shahzad, a resident of Bridgeport, Conn., who spent five months in Pakistan until February, was working for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The TTP is believed by some military intelligence officials to have joined forces with Al Qaeda and may be hiding some of its senior leaders, including Osama bin Laden, who was the motivating force behind the 9/11 attack.

Spirit of 9/12 long gone

Salinas, California Public School Teacher for Art class tells student drawing of American Flag "offensive"; But congratulates another student for drawing of Obama.

(H/t Jim Hoft)

A Glenn Beck, Ron Paul type of Republican

Libertarian Republican Josiah Schmidt at Rightosphere reports the following on Mike Lee, now the faraway favorite to be the next US Senator from Utah:

What we have to look forward to: Mike Lee is a self-described libertarian conservative and constitutionalist who is dedicated to ending deficit spending, cutting government regulations, mandating 12-year term limits on Congressmen, overhauling entitlements (the biggest budget item, and the one no one wants to touch), and move from an income tax system to a flat tax or Fair Tax (so that one group of people can't vote higher taxes on another group of people). Lee will also refuse to vote for any bailouts.

And this note from a poster to Ron Paul Forums:

Mike Lee is statistically probably the most likely Ron Paul libertarian to make it into the Senate this year, other than Rand Paul.

In late April Lee was a guest on Glenn Beck's radio show.

He told Beck that the Constitution is "the law of the land," and is what "protects our liberty."

Hear the entire interview at Right Scoop.