Alan Reynolds at The Cato Institute launched this scathing attack on the funding mechanism for Obama’s new health care legislation in the New York Times.  The article is well-worth the read and can be read here.

The president intends to squeeze an extra $1.2 trillion over 10 years from a tiny sliver of taxpayers who already pay more than half of all individual taxes. It won’t work.

President Barack Obama’s new health-care legislation aims to raise $210 billion over 10 years to pay for the extensive new entitlements. How? By slapping a 3.8% “Medicare tax” on interest and rental income, dividends and capital gains of couples earning more than $250,000, or singles with more than $200,000.

The president also hopes to raise $364 billion over 10 years from the same taxpayers by raising the top two tax rates to 36%-39.6% from 33%-35%, plus another $105 billion by raising the tax on dividends and capital gains to 20% from 15%, and another $500 billion by capping and phasing out exemptions and deductions.

Add it up and the government is counting on squeezing an extra $1.2 trillion over 10 years from a tiny sliver of taxpayers who already pay more than half of all individual taxes.

It won’t work. It never works.

The Republican Primary is coming up and there are some interesting candidates in the field who desire to unseat long-serving 5th District Congressman Dan Burton. Certainly, many would say he has served far too long, has a tarnished image and maybe isn’t the kind of leader they would like to see.

Those people may have some points; but, at the end of the day Burton’s voting record is far better than most other members of Congress and he often gets credited with having a pretty decent staff. Perhaps there is room for improvement; but, for those who are looking for another option, there MAY be a good choice in that race but Brose McVey does not appear to be it.

Here are the main things that have led me to have concerns about McVey’s candidacy:

Strike I:

I had the opportunity to meet Brose McVey at a Washington Township GOP Club Meeting and asked him about his stance on restructuring the tax code from one based on income to one based more on consumption like The FairTax would do. I was told that he (Brose) was concerned that the government might not have enough power to tax in that circumstance so he would support keeping some kind of income taxes while ALSO empowering the Federal Government to levy sales taxes. Seriously? Grant the government an additional power of taxation?

The presumption here is that there would be some way to prevent the combination of these from being just as, or more, oppressive as the current system. Think about that, granting the government a power to tax your purchases without ensuring that its power to tax your income was taken away. Brose, a lawyer, feels his idea is better than the one some Ivy League economists and $20 million in research developed leading to the sales to tax reform advocates of millions of books? I believe a sarcastic Dr. Evil, “Riiiiigggghhhhttt…..” is appropriate here.

When pressed, his concern is for the government’s ability to forcibly extract revenue regardless of economic conditions with no consideration for ensuring that people have a right to their property and the fruits of their labors. So in essence, although he might not see it this way, he believes government has a “first claim” on what you trade your life for (wages after all are exchanging the best hours of the best years of your life in exchange for money). We need politicians who are on the side of the people not government.

Strike II:

A friend of mine is at a Carmel, Indiana business gathering and Brose McVey is there shaking hands and campaigning. My friend, who is in the real estate business, is engaged in a serious conversation when McVey interjects himself into their space and discussion to introduce himself while shoving his campaign card at my friend. I’m told the card was immediately handed back with the admonition of, “Hey, I’m having a conversation here buddy!”

My friend was incensed and felt that it was rude and arrogant to not wait until an appropriate stopping point in his conversation to have a business card and handshake shoved at him.

Strike III:

Apparently, Brose supports the idea of a Constitutional Convention. He actually wants each state to pluck political appointees out of their partisan ranks and send them somewhere to open up, alter and re-write our Constitution? We have a process for this. It’s called “amendments” and at least a few of them like the 16th, 17th, 18th and 23rd were really bad ideas.

He posted this on a social networking site for professionals:

“It’s time for a Constitutional Convention, called by THE STATES. Balanced Budget Amendment, Term Limits, reaffirmation of limits on federal” [the message ended there but presume he meant "power"?]

Now, as a member of and participant in numerous political discussion and e-mail groups I can tell you that a lot of people in the conservative and libertarian political community are terrified by that idea. No one believes that very many wise men of great pro-liberty conviction like Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Mason or James Madison would be sent to alter our founding documents in appropriate ways. Anyone appropriately plugged in to the pro-liberty movement in any number of libertarian or conservative forums would have already been privy to and able to engage in the arguments for and against this over the past year or two.

A Constitutional Convention does not mean that just people you agree with would be showing up to participate! In Indiana, with the Democrats in charge of the State House what kind of representative do you think would get selected to represent us at such a Convention? In fact, many believe we’d end up with the same kind of circus we currently see in Congress and it would result in something granting the federal government near unlimited power to do whatever it wants. Sure, there are a few things that could be changed in the document (see below*) but for the most part, the document itself is fine – it is the courts, bureaucrats and the politicians that are the problem.

I responded to Mr. McVey that opening up the Constitution to the current crop of big government Democrats and Republicans that stock our halls of government might not be the best idea. He responded with:

“The risk of opening this sacred document to the people is now much less that allowing the tireless march of Washington politicians to continue unchecked. I regret that we may disagree on this critical point, but you can bet that my position will remain firm.”

Instead of engaging in a discussion, instead of asking questions about why or what the concerns are, how he perceives it would really be okay and that our rights would be safe, I got a rather arrogant, “…my position will remain firm.” Really? No new facts, no input from others, no discussion on the subject could possibly alter your position? We may give politicians grief when they do a John Kerry “flip flop” but I don’t know many people who believe the exact same things at 40 that they did at 20. Being open to new ideas, information, wisdom and debate is what shapes and hones our understandings.

The whole idea that a Constitutional Convention would end up with government more securely restrained than it was supposed to be in the original document is unbelievably naive. It’s kind of like folks who are increasingly calling for their state to secede from the Union. I understand where they are coming from; but, to assume that your state legislators and governor would suddenly put together some kind of libertarian government is also a little naive. Doesn’t mean it might not be a whole heck of a lot better than being under the thumb of the Feds (how could it not be better?) but don’t be deluded into thinking you’d get something you’re really probably not gonna.

So, on the whole, in Mr. McVey I see no firm grounding in any kind of ideology that concerns itself with protecting the natural rights of individuals or restoring the rule of law under our current Constitution. Even if his intentions are good, the lack of consideration for the impact, potential harm caused by or likely future abuse of some of the things he would seem to support is frightening. We’ve got enough know-it-all bozos in Washington with bad, short-sighted, misinformed or under-informed opinions – we don’t need more.

Oh, and on this you can bet that my position will remain firm.

—

*A few things in the Constitution that might be worth altering (by no means an exhaustive list):

The commerce clause could be more specifically defined to meaning only what was originally intended, “making regular the free trade between the states”. (research: 1942 Wickard vs. Filburn Supreme Court case)

We should just nuke the welfare clause out completely to avoid it being construed as an excuse to steal from one group of people on behalf of another. (significant usurpation especially the 1937 Steward Machine Company vs. Davis court decision)

The power to raise armies should be strictly limited to ensure only voluntary induction to the military (as anything else is involuntary servitude and presumes that you are the property of the government to dispose with as they see fit).

A requirement to use zero-based budgeting might not be a bad idea.

Penalties for government agents (elected or otherwise) who pass laws, regulations or act in ways that violate the natural rights of people should be in place – otherwise the document itself has no power over those who would ignore it. The document needs claws. Congress will pass unconstitutional laws and then let the courts sort it out. But, the courts are partisan so what’s the point?

Absolutely we would scratch the phrase, “A well regulated militia,” from the 2nd Amendment since the anti-self defense folks like to try and use that to disarm people.

Congress should be equally subject to all laws, regulations, restrictions and programs that get passed and never allowed to exclude themselves. (this has been previously proposed over the years as one possible 28th Amendment)

So, sure, there are some things that could be adjusted but the document really is not the problem. Politicians, judges and an apathetic population are really the problem when they have no respect for the natural rights of people and will interpret any document to mean whatever they want it to mean to serve their own agendas. Does anyone think if we have Constitutional Convention any of the above listed things are likely to make it through? Doubtful at best.

State Chairman Sam Goldstein, Executive Director Chris Spangle, and Hamilton County Chairman Mike Kole appeared recently on Abdul in the Morning to discuss the importance of third parties and the growth of the Libertarian Party in the last year. Spangle used to serve as producer to Abdul’s show before taking on his role Executive Director.

Listen Here:

Indiana Libertarian Party

Changes to the Libertarian Party of Indiana Bylaws are brought to the floor of the annual convention each year. If there are any bylaw change proposals, please submit those to Executive Director Chris Spangle via email at lpinhq@lpin.org by April 16th. The proposed change must be in the proposed language.

Every year we recognize the hard work and passion of those involved in growing the party. Awards are presented at the Libertarian Party of Indiana convention each year. With the exception of one award all winners are granted their award by a vote of the LPIN membership at the convention.

We need your nominations! Below, you’ll find an explanation of the awards, and previous winners. To nominate someone for an award, please email Chris Spangle at lpinhq@lpin.org with their name, and an explanation of why they should win the award. Please submit all nominations before April 16th.

Dr. Barbara Bourland Light of Liberty Award: The recipient is honored as the person most responsible for the growth of the party and dedication to the libertarian cause.

Past winners include:

2009 – Dan Drexler (LaPorte)
2008 – Timothy Maguire (Marion)
2007 – Mike Kole (Hamilton)
2006 – Greg Kelver (LaPorte)
2005 – Rex Bell (Wayne)
2004 – Phil Miller (Hancock)
2003 – Rebecca Sink-Burris (Monroe)
2002 – Sam Goldstein (Marion)
2001 – Mark Rutherford (Marion) & Andy Horning (Marion)
2000 – Kurt St. Angelo (Marion)
1999 – Steve Dillon (Marion)

Susan Bell Officeholder of the Year Award: Awarded to a current elected officeholder of the Libertarian Party that best promotes libertarian principles and values through public service.

2009 – Susan Bell (Wayne)
2006 – Ed Dilts (Johnson)

Ken Bisson Outreach Award: Awarded to a party member who has worked exceptionally hard to spread the message of libertarian principles to as many potential voters as is possible.

2009 – Doug Horner (Allen)
2006 – Mike Sylvester (Allen)

Joe Hauptmann Campaign Leadership Award

Steve Dasbach Chairman’s Award for Extraordinary Service: Awarded to an individual that has helped grow the Libertarian Party of Indiana in extraordinary ways over many years. This award is not voted on by LPIN membership, and it is the sole privilege of the Chair of the LPIN to award it to the recipient.

2009 – Andrew Horning (Owen)
2007 – Mark Rutherford (Marion), Mike Runnebohm (Shelby)
2006 – Brad Klopfenstein (Marion), Cindy Kirkpatrick (Marion), Kenn Gividen (Bartholomew)

With no elections in 2009, there will be no Phil Miller Candidate of the Year or Joe Hauptmann Campaign Leadership award.

Calls for Constitutional Convention to overturn ObamaCare

by Eric Dondero

In 2006, libertarian Republicans Sarah Palin and Butch Otter won their elections for Governor in Alaska and Idaho.

In 2008, longtime GOP libertarian Tom McClintock was elected to the US Congress from California.

Now, in 2010, a new libertarian Republican superstar has burst upon the scene: South Carolina Lt. Governor Andre Bauer.

He's held office for a few years already, elected on the ticket with Governor Mark Sanford in South Carolina. But he was under the radar until a month or two ago.

Lt. Governor Andre Bauer got himself in some hot water with the liberal media, in South Carolina and nationally, for suggesting back in December that welfare was not a right, and that those who needed governmental assistance should eventually seek private alternatives, rather than spending a lifetime on the public dole.

These are the comments that garnered him national attention:

"My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed. You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don't think too much further than that. And so what you've got to do is you've got to curtail that type of behavior. They don't know any better," Bauer said. "You see, for the first time in the history of this country, we've got more people voting for a living than we do working for a living."

He was immediately labeled a "Social Darwinist." To his great credit he didn't back down. And while liberal media talking heads and leftwing bloggers jeered, libertarians, including Libertarian Republican blog, jumped to his defense. He became a hero of sorts to many on the Right, not only among libertarians, but also many social conservatives.

See our original article on Bauer from Jan. 24: "Social Darwinist Republican? SC Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer makes some stunningly libertarian statements against Society's Moochers"

Bauer in addition to serving as Lt. Governor is also a candidate for the Governorship. The most current poll has him just behind the frontrunner for the GOP nomination, in a field of 5 strong candidates. The field includes Rep. Nikki Halley, also a favorite among libertarian Republicans.

Now, Bauer has just taken his increasing libertarian Republican popularity to a new level.

Appearing on Greta last night on Fox, Bauer presented his idea for a Constitutional Convention of 34 States to overturn ObamaCare.

Two other States' Lt. Govs already on board with Bauer's proposal

Excerpted Transcript from Greta:

Well, the people I talk too in SC believe that the federal government is running roughshod over our personal rights and liberties, and we want them back quite frankly.

I've been calling legislators throughout the country, talked to several Lt. Governors... asking them to join us. It would take 34 states to actually have a constitutional convention, 38 states to ratify it... I talked to David Dewhurst in Texas yesterday, he was excited about it. I talked to Peter Kinder over in Missouri. He was excited about it.

I know people realize that here in South Carolina we're extremely conservative, and we've watched what the federal government has done. And we've moved towards socialism. People are scared. They don't want it! We know that only 20% of the entire country want it. So, I fell very confident it will pass in SC and many other states, as well.

I sure don't want to give up on this battle. What we're losing 1/6th of the entire economy was socialized last week. I can't think of a battle more important than stopping what's happening in Washington right now.

The federal government shouldn't be involved in the health care business in the first place. I'm a free market individual. I don't think the government ought to be involved in this. It shouldn't be mandating who has health care coverage. We are way over-stepping what our founding fathers ever dreamed of.

Bauer also expressed skepticism that the route taken by many Republican State AGs of overturning the state mandate, would actually work. But he did express his support for their efforts.

Watch the full video interview at Breitbart.com

Photos - Peter Kinder MO Lt. Gov. left, David Dehurst TX Lt. Gov. right.

From Eric Dondero:

Sarah Palin announced on her Facebook page late yesterday three endorsements for US Congress. The three Republicans include: Adam Kinzinger in Illinois, Allen West in Florida and Vaughn Ward in Idaho.

Both Kinzinger and West have been featured here at Libertarian Republican on numerous occasions. Both come solidly from the libertarian wing of the GOP. The third Vaughn Ward is more standard conservative, but was once described by the Idaho Statesman as coming from the "Sarah Palin wing of the GOP."

All three are Veterans of the United States Military.

Ward in Idaho, Kinzinger in Illinois & West in Florida

Excerpts:

The first is Major Vaughn Ward, a fourth-generation Idaho native who grew up on his family’s farm in Shoshone and is running in Idaho’s 1st Congressional District. Coming from a family with a proud military tradition, Vaughn joined the Marine Corps after college and was finishing up his service when the September 11th attacks occurred. He put his life on hold and heeded his country’s call – serving first as a CIA Operations Officer and later volunteering with the Marine Corps for a combat tour in Iraq, during which he was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V. After returning from Iraq, Vaughn went to work for the McCain/Palin campaign. I was grateful for his support then, and I’m happy to support him now...

Vaughn knows that real job growth comes from the private sector, not government. He believes in free market reforms, tax relief for families and small businesses, and a return to a constitutionally limited government that lives within its means. He’ll carry the conservative banner to Washington and will rein in the reckless growth of government to get it back on our side.

The second veteran is Captain Adam Kinzinger, a decorated special-operations pilot who flew combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Adam is running for Illinois’ 11th Congressional District against a freshman incumbent congresswoman who seemed to pull a bait and switch on voters to get elected. She sounded like a blue dog on the campaign trail, but didn’t vote like one in Washington. Instead, she voted in lockstep with the Pelosi agenda – on Obamacare, the stimulus, cap-and-tax – and the list goes on.

The third veteran is Lieutenant Colonel Allen West, a decorated war hero who’s served with distinction in combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of you may have heard of Allen from a speech he gave last year that became a viral video on YouTube with over 2 million viewers. Allen’s personal story is a testament to the commonsense conservative belief that our nation’s greatness is rooted in freedom, because with freedom comes equal opportunity, and that, coupled with hard work, leads to success. Allen is a small government fiscal conservative running against a leftwing ideologue who’s marched to the beat of Nancy Pelosi on every issue from cap-and-tax to the stimulus, TARP, and, of course, Obamacare.

All Three serving their Country in more ways than One

Palin went on to comment:

I believe that these great veterans will fight for us in D.C. to uphold and defend our constitution as courageously in the halls of Congress as they did on the field of battle field.

Of note - Vaughn is running in a 3-way primary for the opportunity to challenge incumbent Democrat Rep. Walt Minnick. Ironically, Minnick is the only Democrat in the entire US House with any libertarian-leanings. Kinzinger and West already have their respective nominations.

allenwestforcongress.com
Kinzinger for Congress electadam.com
vaughwardforcongress.com

Top-rated Liberal Blog claimed Rightwingers tried to remove him

From Eric Dondero:

Here's how this story was first reported by the ultra-liberal TPM on March 12:

"In all honesty, it was a debacle for public education," says Dan Quinn of the Texas Freedom Network, a liberal watchdog that tracks the board.

Here's a rundown of the highlights of the new draft standards, according to media reports and the Texas Freedom Network:

•The board added a requirement that economics students "analyze the decline of the U.S. dollar including abandonment of the gold standard." Students must also learn about Austrian economist Friedrich von Hayek, author of libertarian urtext The Road to Serfdom.

•According to TFN: "the board stripped Thomas Jefferson from a world history standard about the influence of Enlightenment thinkers on political revolutions from the 1700s to today. In Jefferson's place, the board's religious conservatives succeeded in inserting Thomas Aquinas and John Calvin. They also removed the reference to 'Enlightenment ideas' in the standard, requiring that students should simply learn about the influence of the 'writings' of various thinkers (including Calvin and Aquinas)."

Of course this was picked up by just about every Christian-bashing leftwing blog in the blogosphere under headlines such as, "Christian majority removes Jefferson from History Textbooks."

Conservatives heart libertarian hero Jefferson

Now, here's what really happened as explained by Board Chairwoman Gail Lowe who is a member of the conservative majority on the 15 member board:

"The only individual mentioned more times in the curriculum standards than Thomas Jefferson is George Washington,” said Gail Lowe, chairwoman of the 15-member board. “We expect students at the elementary level, in middle school and in high school to study the Founding Fathers and to be well versed in their contributions to our country. That includes Thomas Jefferson and his legacy," she said.

Although Jefferson had been listed in a World History standard, the board removed his name from a list of European Enlightenment philosophers that included John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Voltaire, Charles de Montesquieu and Jean Jacques Rousseau.

“This was inappropriate placement of Jefferson’s name,” said Lowe of the World History proposal. “Jefferson was not himself an Enlightenment philosopher, although he was heavily influenced by the writings of these individuals. But to say the State Board of Education has removed him from the TEKS is inaccurate and irresponsible,” said Lowe.

Lowe continued, “Jefferson not only penned the words of the Declaration of Independence, served as the third president of the United States and was father of the University of Virginia, but his promotion of the ideals of a limited federal government and states’ rights also permeated our nation for generations. No study of American history would be complete without his inclusion,” she said.

H/t Texas AFP

In 2007, the City of St. Louis told property rights activist Jim Roos to take down his mural citing code violations against large signs. Roos, a property owner, has been battling the city for years over eminent domain.

He argued that his political statment was art. He got the libertarian Institute for Justice to take his case.

Yesterday, the court ruled against Roos and the Institute. From St. Louis Today:

Monday, U.S. District Judge Henry Edward Autrey rejected that argument, saying the mural — which featured the addresses of two affiliated websites — is a "classic example" of the definition of a sign.

"The painting is outside and is used to advertise, identify, direct and attract attention to what petitioners believe is eminent domain abuse. It advertises online addresses for more information," Autrey wrote. "It attracts attention to the perceived eminent domain abuse."

Autrey also ruled that the city's sign ordinance is constitutional because it is "content neutral" — restrictions on signs are based on size and place, not subject

Roos was represented by the Institute for Justice, an Arlington, Va.-based libertarian advocacy group. Lawyers for the group seized on a clause in the city's sign code that exempts art, as well as flags and fraternal crests, from the restrictions on signs.

Roos and the Institute for Justice intend to appeal the ruling.

Further info - Institute for Justice, http://www.ij.org

Good ole' fasioned Cowboy Conservatism

by Paul Jacob

By hook and by crook — ignoring the constitution and twisting parliamentary rules — the president and his congressional allies are succeeding in imposing command-and-control health care on all Americans.

If the new law is allowed to stand, the scraps of freedom we still enjoy in matters of health care will dwindle as provisions of the bill kick in. And that’s only the prequel. Pelosi and other Democrats promise to introduce even more constrictive legislation once Obamacare Round One has been rammed through.

Friends of freedom aren’t giving up. There’s an election in 2010, for one thing. But many state governments aren’t waiting for that. The Idaho legislature just passed the Idaho Health Care Freedom Act, which states, in part, that “every person within the state of Idaho is and shall be free to choose or decline to choose any mode of securing health care services without penalty or threat of penalty.” Governor Otter is signing the Act because, in his view, health care laws should treat people as individuals “rather than as an amorphous mass whose only purpose in this world is to obey federal mandates.”

Idaho is the first state to pass such a measure, but similar legislation has been proposed in 22 others. Such declarations will most likely have only symbolic significance if Obamacare remains in effect and other legal challenges on the grounds of federalism get beaten down. But those are two big ifs. Americans aren’t ready to surrender to the health care commissars just yet.

Paul Jacob is the former National Director of the Libertarian Party, fmr. President of US Term Limits and fmr. National Petition Drive Coordinator for Property Rights and Spending Limits. His blog is ThisisCommonSense.com

Report via Tim Daniels, LR contributor and Left Coast Rebel

Reports of over 30,000 strong in Searchlight, NV. Earlier estimates of the expected crowd, ranged from 5,000 to possibly 10,000.

Other reports that 35 Harry Reid supporters lined the highway leading to the Rally and egged the Tea Party Express bus.

Supporters of Senator Harry Reid have just thrown eggs at the Tea Party Express bus caravan -striking at least one of the three buses (the red Tea Party Express bus) with multiple eggs.

Sarah Palin gave a 20 minute address with her now standard line:

"The government governs best, governs least."

Other speakers included Joe the Plumber, Libertarian Republican for US Senate in California Chuck DeVore, and Libertarian 2008 VP candidate and Nevadan Wayne Root.

From Cliff Thies:

From "Before it's News," Russian Prime Minister Putin, mindful of the fall of the former Soviet Union, is warning the world against the threat of communism from the United States. Ironicly, the United States, which helped to dismantle the "Iron Curtain," is in the process of building up a new wall around its own country, and taking the first steps to disarm the Americans who might resist a communist takeover. To counter this growing danger, he has ordered a modernization of the Russian military.

Excerpt from Sorcha Faal commentary:

Putin had previously warned the United States against its planned adoption of Communism during his January, 2009 speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland upon Obama taking office, and had stated:In a chilling speech to Russian defence experts yesterday, Prime Minister Putin ordered the buildup of strategic weapons and warned that the growing threat of the expansion of American Communism is endangering the entire World and bringing the Motherland closer to war than at any time since the1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

"The concentration of surplus assets in the hands of the state is a negative aspect of anti-crisis measures in virtually every nation. In the 20th century, the Soviet Union made the state's role absolute. In the long run, this made the Soviet economy totally uncompetitive. This lesson cost us dearly. I am sure nobody wants to see it repeated."

Putin in his aforementioned remarks stated that he never would have believed that the United States would take the Iron Curtain surrounding the former Soviet Union they had helped to destroy, pack it up, and the re-erect it around America, but that is exactly what they done. And if any American today wants to know what it was really like living under the tyrannical rule of the Soviet Communists they need only look around them at what their Nation is becoming, and then get very prepared for what is to come

Heluva 'n arm worthy of a Cincinnati Reds star pitcher

The Carew Tower cuts across the Cincinnati skyline. It stands 49 stories high, right on the Ohio river. It also happens to house the main district office of Democrat Congressman Stephen Driehaus.

With his boyish good looks, he's become the poster boy of sorts for the anti-Republican/anti-Tea Party "violence" campaign.

Hurried breaking news reports came out earlier in the week on how a rock was thrown through the Congressman's window. The story originated with the far left Seattle Times, and was carried through the liberal blogosphere and mainstream press.

GOP libertarian blogger Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit) first captured the report from the Seattle Times story before the Times and syndicated versions were scrubbed:

"A rock was thrown through the window of Driehaus’ Cincinnati office Sunday."

Driehaus responded to non-incident by pointing the finger at Sarah Palin

Turns out the Congressman's office is not located on the ground floor, but rather on the 30th. Some on-line Right blogger sleuths caught the error.

The media line quickly changed to a local Democrat Party headquarters. But not before the Congressman had the chance to take a few shots at a certain Republican/Tea Party star.

The next day Local 12 WKRC in Cincinnati reported:

A rock was thrown through a window at Hamilton County Democratic Party headquarters, but any other acts of violence have just been talk. Driehaus says the hateful chatter is becoming more and more mainstream. He points to a fundraising website for Sarah Palin that puts targeted seats in congress literally in the cross hairs.

"That kind of constant reference to violence. I don't think it's helpful."

Of course, the Congressman's comments were picked up without reporters/bloggers checking the facts of the original story. And the comments added fuel to the fire of the "Sarah Palin inciting violence" meme.

Local Democrats are admitting that the original story was completely fabricated. Two staffers at the Hamilton County Democrat HQ, one named Molly and the other Caleb Faux, have confirmed to a a local reporter no such incidents occured. Faux quoted from the Examiner.com:

When asked about the Seattle article and the rock being thrown through Driehaus’ Cincinnati office window, he replied, “I think that report is an error. You’d have to have an awfully good pitching arm to throw something that high.”

JOHN DENNIS FOR CONGRESS!

An insider look into the John Dennis, Republican for Congress campaign. Conversation with John. Phone banks. Discussion of fundraising strategies.

John shows a bit of a prankster side during phone banking.

A new WND/Wenzell poll just released has Dennis at 22%. Previous GOP challengers have received 17% and 21% of the vote. Republican registration in the District is 13%. The San Francisco district is viewed as one of the top three most liberal in the country.

Editor's note - We here at LR strongly disagree with John's Ron Paulist foreign policy views. But support him wholeheartedly none-the-less for his 100% libertarian domestic agenda. We urge our readers to send John a contribution (here!)if you can.

Former '60s/70s Good time Rock 'n Rollers, all grown up, hesitant to take on The Nuge

From Eric Dondero:

Nugent appeared on Neal Cavuto Thursday, and made some rather hardline comments against ObamaCare.

From Fox News (via Breitbart):

You've had some very astute politicians on Neal. But I am Ted Nugent. Governor of Pigland. So, I'm the expert on the Health Care bill. Cause I kill pigs. And I just shot a monster big pig here in Texas. And seeing how this is a pig bill, created by pig bureacrats to help out American pigs, as I approached this big pig that looked like a beached sperm whale, I was expecting George Castanza to come out of the bushes and extract a titlest number three ball from his blow hole. And as I was about to put a ten millimeter slug through this pig's head, the last thing he said as rrrrhhhhh. Which is pig for where's my health care.

(Pause in the interview)

In November we gotta vote the pigs out of office, because this is a redistribution of wealth, this is the Communist/Mao/Che agenda of the Communist/Mao/Che fans in the White House! They're all pigs Neal!

Even Cavuto seemed alarmed.

I know you're talking kill the pig, I know you're talking humorously and all that... there's a lot of folks on the other side who've read into that a not so coated message for violence.

Nugent responded by fanning his cap sardonically, but reiterating, "I'm a Glenn Beck sort of guy... non-violence."

Still, if Nugent's pal Sarah Palin had used the same sort of language, or a Tom Tancredo, Jim DeMint, or some other Tea Party aligned politician had said the same, they would have been simmered alive in the liberal media. Imagine if Glenn Beck had made such a comment.

A check of the leftwing sites normally on watch, such as Media Matters, DailyKos, TPM, et.al. shows no coverage of the Nugent comments.

Does Terrible Ted get away with it cause of his socially hip, culturally liberal persona? Former long-haired hippie types from the Swingin' '70s afraid to take on one of the greatest Rock legends from their youth?

1980s Ninny-Staters give way to Leather Skirts, High Heels and Jeans

by Eric Dondero

It's a long ways from the days of the PMRC. For those youngsters out there the PMRC stands for Parent's Music Resource Center. It was all the rage in the early and middle 1980s. The group pushed for labels on records and cassettes warning parents of explicit lyrics. It was the dawn of the MTV era. And PMRC targetted rock and pop videos most notably Madonna, New Wavers like the pro-gay sex band Frankie Goes to Hollywood (photo below - left), and a myriad of Heavy Metal artists.

Ironically, the leader of the group was none other than Tipper Gore, Al Gore's wife (photo - standing right). But Republicans participated as well, most notably the wife of then Reagan adminstration Sec. of State Jim Baker.

There were even congressional hearings. Republican Senator Paula Hawkins of Florida, remember her?, was one of the most vocal against explicit rock during the hearings. She was joined by Senator Gore himself, and Democrat Sen. Fritz Hollins of South Carolina. On the opposing side Frank Zappa, Dee Snyder of Twisted Sister (photo - right) and even Folkster John Denver testified for free speach.

The group waned in the early 1990s and eventually dissappeared, ironically right in time for Gore's run for Vice-President with Clinton. By the last 1990s, Gore was running for President, and references to his wife's PMRC activities were toned down in the liberal media. Leading up to the 2000 campaign Tipper even famously called herself a "hard rocker," and Albert appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone.

Even more coincidental, PMRC closed up shop just as Rap and Hip-Hop were taking off in popularity. Many speculated at the time that it was perfectly reasonable for PRMC to target White Rockers, but going after Black Hipsters could be seen as "Racist."

And now here we are today. From the Daily Beast:

Sarah Palin delivered a fiery speech for Sen. John McCain's reelection to the U.S. Senate at a rally in Tucson, Arizona. Donning a leather jacket and entering to AC/DC's "For Those About To Rock, We Salute You," Palin exclaimed, "send the maverick back to the United States Senate!"

Hard Rock now American as Apple Pie

Now, we've all been to Republican events where some sappy Pop song like Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" gets blared on the speakers before the candidate's entrance. But for the McCain rally it was AC/DC. No longer is it just upbeat Pop song previously deemed appropriate and "safe: for the GOP. Now we're now talking one of the hardest of hardcore, sex-talking, whiskey and beer drinking bands of all-time. With Palin decked out in a leather jacket, no less.

I've noticed harder rock creeping into the Right more and more, particularly in the last year or so. Glenn Beck now uses bumper music from the Sex Pistols and The Clash. And not "Rockin' the Casbah" either; rather the opening riff of "I fought the law and the law won."

The list of aging Hard Rockers identifying themselves as "Republican," now includes Ted Nugent, Sammy Hagar, members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alice Cooper, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Gene Simmons of KISS, Kid Rock, Uncle Cracker, Jeff Hetfield of Metallica, Skunk Baxter of Steely Dan and even Meatloaf.

There's even an Alternative Punk band popular in Arkansas and seen on MTV called A Good Fight, who has a somewhat famous bassist: Republican State Rep. Jon Woods of Springdale. (legislative website). (See MTV video, includes a clear reference to 9/11 "Never Forget" halfway through.)

Sarah Palin was a Teen and later College chic during the height of the 1980s MTV/Punk Rock/Heavy Metal boom. And the Republican Party/Tea Party spokesman's got that heavy metal hotness, on full display today.

We've come a long ways from the PMRC indeed.

Shouts of "Tyranny" and "Resist!"

From Eric Dondero:

What is the most horrific day ever for American citizens in our 234 history? At least one Republican candidate for Congress in Iowa, says March 21, 2010 is a day that will live in infamy.

(Video of the Tea Party protest at Univ. of Iowa at IA Republican.)

From IowaPolitics.com March 25:

"We’re here to stand up in one voice and say ‘No more Mr. President, not without a fight’," GOP 2nd Congressional District candidate Christopher Reed of Marion said Wednesday night, likening the backlash of health care health care reform to the emotions Americans felt following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. “Now our government is usurping the Constitution. We have to stand up and say, ‘You have awoken a sleeping giant.’”

The crowd booed as speakers mentioned prominent Democrats who orchestrated the passage of health care reform that was signed into law on Tuesday. Protesters shouted “tyranny!” and “resist!” throughout the 90-minute event. But the crowd, comprised mostly of working adults, remained peaceful despite the frustration and anger expressed in the rhetoric.

“I would like to hear [Obama] say logic rather than rhetoric, and explain how this really affects Americans,” said Micah Doty, an uninsured woman from Williamsberg who describes herself as a strict Libertarian. “We have no control over our home anymore and I want to know why he thinks he has a right to usurp that power. I feel my future has been taken away from me.”

Protesters and speakers echoed the rally’s themes of “taking the country back” and “individual freedom” in opposing both the nationwide reach of the bill and the mandate on individuals to have insurance.

Obama in Iowa City today; another Protest planned for Airport to greet him

Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana, considered by some to be a 2010 presidential contender, also made an appearance at the Univ. of Iowa Tea Party protest. (Photo previous Iowa Tea Party in Cedar Rapids). Pence told the crowd:

This fight is not over... We can reform health care without putting our country on a path toward socialism."

Obama will be in Iowa City today holding a rally for his recently enacted Health Care legislation. According to IowaPolitics, 16,000 tickets were given out, but only 3,000 are expected to attend.

A second Tea Party protest is scheduled for the Quad Cities Airport to greet him.

Note - Christopher Reed is a Navy Veteran, "regular guy," inspired by the Tea Party to run for Congress. The incumbent is liberal colledge professor Rep. Dave Loesbeck. District 2 which stretches through southeastern Iowa is considered to be the most liberal in the State. ReedforCongress.com

Editor's Note - LR is currently conducting an informal poll of our readers on the sidebar, "What's the worst day ever for America?" listing Pearl Harbor, 9/11 and ObamaCare/Socialism day. Please take a moment to participate.

Hat tip IowaPolitics.com for Reed photo.

An ominous parallel from ObamaCare?

From Eric Dondero:

Michigan Democrat Congressman John Dingell, Senior Member of the United States House of Representatives, on WJR - Detroit, Paul W. Smith morning show, March 24.

Remarks:

Paul W. ... Let me remind you. This has been going on for years... the harsh fact of the matter is when you're going to pass legislation... it takes a long time to do the necessary administrative steps that have to be taken to put the legislation together to control the people.

Dingell represents the area West of Detroit. He has served longer in the United States House of Representatives than any other single member.

John Dingell's father represented the same District for over 20 years, before Dingell II took the seat. The older Dingell introduced nationalization of health care legislation as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in 1934. To honor his father's memory, John Dingell II introduced a similar nationalization bill each year since he was first elected 50 years ago.

Over the years Dingell has racked up one of the most consistently pro-statist voting records in Congress. He made headlines a couple years back for comparing the tactics of Israeli Jews in the Middle East conflict to the Islamic Terrorist organization Hezbollah. Dingell's district includes a heavy concentration of Islamic voters in Dearborn.

Hear the full interview segment at YouTube.

What happened to the goal of a color-blind America?

By Clifford F. Thies

Perhaps you also noticed it. On this decade’s census form, there’s a space for Guamanians. Finally, my brother and sister qualify for special status! They even have the birth certificates to prove it.

With the adoption of the Constitution, several classes of persons were recognized. There were natural-born citizens who, as distinct from naturalized citizens, qualified to be President. There were citizens, both naturalized as well as natural-born, who, by reason of the privileges and immunities clause, enjoyed the same rights of all other citizens. There were persons subject to servitude. They were counted six-tenths for representation and taxation. Finally, there were Indians not subject to taxation. These persons were considered to be members of other, subordinated nations (their tribes).

Originally, the distinction between persons subject and not subject to servitude was not the same thing as color. In early colonial Virginia , people of European and African origins intermingled by class as distinct from color. Indentured whites worked alongside indentured blacks. And, free men of color alongside free men of … how should I put this … paleness. But, over time, servitude and color came together. Servitude degraded into what is called American Negro Slavery and, by the 1840s, most of the states of the South took away the rights of free men of color. Thus, instead of perfecting our experiment in democracy, we became a nation divided, north and south, and white and black.

Slavic descent, Irish, Swedes, southern Mediterraneans don't count as "diversity"?

Following a Civil War and three Amendments to the Constitution designed to protect the freedom and equality of all of our citizens, a new form of racism emerged: Jim Crow and the doctrine expressed in Plessy v. Ferguson, of “separate but equal.” Under this doctrine, states could create separate institutions, such as public schools, for those it categorized as belonging to this or that race.

It would take another hundred years of struggle, but, eventually, through the grace of God, we would enshrine into law the principle expressed in the Declaration of Independence, that all men are created equal. That the government should be color-blind. Or, did we? What do all the classifications of racial or national origin on the census form indicate, but that our rights depend on our race, color, national or linguistic origin?

Why should it matter to the government that I was born in New York and that my brother and sister were born in Guam ? Why should they and their children have any advantages when it comes to matters such as admission to college, home mortgage loans, and government contracts? For that matter, what about my cousins who are, partly, of black and Arabic African, and Puerto Rican and Argentine descent?

And, why am I supposed to check off a box merely described as “white,” when other Americans get to check off much more descriptive boxes? Why isn’t the government as interested in the diversity of the people of this country of European origin? Could it be that, to the government, all white persons are created equal?

Dr. Thies has a Ph.D in econometrics and statistics.

Walks out of meeting to go have dinner with the family

From Eric Dondero:

According to various reports, mostly from the foreign press, Obama snubbed Israeli President Bejamin Netanyahu on his two-day trip to Washington earlier this week. Half-way through the meeting Obama got up and announced he was leaving to have dinner with "Michelle and the girls."

At issue, Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem, and unwillingness of the Israelis to make further concessions to the Palestinian Authority as demanded by the White House.

The London Times quotes an un-named Congressman who witnessed the event:

"It was awful,” the congressman said. One Israeli newspaper called the meeting “a hazing in stages”, poisoned by such mistrust that the Israeli delegation eventually left rather than risk being eavesdropped on a White House telephone line. Another said that the Prime Minister had received “the treatment reserved for the President of Equatorial Guinea”.

Left to talk among themselves Mr Netanyahu and his aides retreated to the Roosevelt Room. He spent a further half-hour with Mr Obama and extended his stay for a day of emergency talks to try to restart peace negotiations. However, he left last night with no official statement from either side. He returned to Israel yesterday isolated after what Israeli media have called a White House ambush for which he is largely to blame.

Geller - American Jews can no longer ignore Obama's anti-Semitism

Liberty activist Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs had this response:

Obama shamed and humiliated the Jewish Prime Minister of Israel, while demanding we respect sharia and Islam. Jewish self-defense against virulent, genocidal Islamic anti-Semitism repels the leader of the free world.

Now here we are. Jews may then have tried to avoid Obama’s anti-Semitism, but they cannot now avoid the consequences of avoiding Obama’s anti-Semitism. He has unleashed an evil in this world the extent of which we are only now beginning to see. He has made the world safe for haters and killers.

The Jewish people, both in Israel and the diaspora, seem to be suffering from the Stockholm Syndrome. There can be no logical reason why an American Jew could intellectually excuse Obama’s twenty-year friendship and closeness with the anti-Semitic Farrakhan acolyte Jeremiah Wright.

There is no way an American Jew could explain away or rationalize Obama’s connections to Rashid Khalidi, Ali Abunimah, Bill Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn, and know about those connections without knowing what was coming. These Jews (and our history is plagued with them) love ideas, not people. They are so married to their dogma, their ideology, that they cannot, will not, see what is right in front of them. They worship at the church of human secularism. That is their religion. They have no G-d. They merely wearing a Jewish coat, but do not speak for Jews. It is the curse of the Jewish people historically to be betrayed by our own. This is the deepest cut of all.

Are we so broken a people that they shall have died in vain, for nothing? The six million looked like you, laughed like you, denied like you. The six million loved their country -- some were war heroes for Germany in World War I. They too thought the fringe would stay relegated to the margins of society. Fringe, meet White House.

On Thursday Geller had a piece published at Andrew Breitbart's BigJournalism.com titled "Obama's War on Israel."

Obama marching US towards Socialism; Netanyahu moves in free market direction

Since Netanyahu's election nearly 2 years ago, he's taken Israel on a decidedly different course. He is a considered an "ardent advocate" of the libertarian economic view, who has "championed welfare cuts and free-market practices."

From Ashbrook Center bio:

Benjamin Netanyahu became the youngest prime minister in Israeli history. He transferred the Israeli economy towards free market principles and brought recognition to Israel as one of the most sought after high-tech markets in the world. At the same time he drastically reduced the deficit, cut inflation to a 35-year low and brought foreign investment to Israel in unprecedented levels.

Aaron Korman of Israel Newsletter wrote on Netanyahu's practical implementation of free market ideals:

Netanyahu's economic plan... tax cuts and privatization taking a leading role... As the rest of the world is marching towards socialism, Israel appears to be headed in the other direction, embracing free market principals

Further info - "Netanyahu's free market reforms: Hong Kong in the desert" at WorldwideLiberty.