Paul and his supporters, apologists for Dictators and Tyrants

Their views have transformed into a "strident anti-Americanism"

Supporting Saddam Hussein "very anti-libertarian"

Josaih Schmidt has a piece over at Rightosphere, "A Free Market in Foreign Policy." Schmidt rejects both NeoConnism, and Ron Paul strict non-interventionism. He most recently left the Paul camp. He found Paul supporters to be too quick to make excuses for Saddam Hussein and Iran's Ahmadinejad. Schmidt rather, now advocates a gradual move towards a privatized Military.

Excerpt:

Personally, I have adhered to several different schools of foreign policy thought over the span of my adult life.

After 9/11 and the Iraq invasion, I became a hardcore neoconservative: the American government ought to reprise an aggressive Wilsonian strategy of spreading democracy, changing regimes, and treating the opinions of foreign governments and international bodies as secondary concerns. As the wars dragged on, and I began to recognize the financial unsustainability and myriad unintended consequences of the government's actions abroad, I started to drift toward a Ron Paulian non-interventionism.

However, I have lately been finding myself feeling a bit out of place in all of the major foreign policy camps. In recent months, I have found some differences between Ron Paul's approach and mine. For one, many non-interventionists are so scornful and cynical of the US government's foreign policy, that it has almost transformed into a type of anti-Americanism. A lot of Paulian non-interventionists, in their well-meaning quest to avoid war, have taken to defending and apologizing for dictators and tyrants. There is a very good case to be made that the Iranian government may be developing nuclear weapons, but instead of talking about how a Paulian foreign policy could handle such a situation, most Paulians simply fervently deny that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons at all, and label any assertions to the contrary as "war-mongering". When it is reported that Ahmadinejad threatened to 'wipe Israel off the map', non-interventionists are usually among the first to claim that the Persian ruler's words were mistranslated or taken out of context. And non-interventionists' adoption of the legitimate, CIA-documented phenomenon of "blowback" often leads them to oppose foreign intervention or criticism of foreign governments by even private citizens or groups. Some Paulians even make the very anti-libertarian claim that the Saddam Hussein regime was the best government Iraqis could hope for, and that Saddam's brutality actually provided security and stability!

Schmidt goes on to suggest that privatization of the Military industrial complex would better allocate resources in War, than centrally-planned Government strategies. He further comments:

conservatives and libertarians understand better than anyone that government lacks the knowhow to plan other peoples' lives, and that central planners (in the absence of a market pricing system) lack the means to rationally allocate resources to their most value-productive uses...

return war and foreign policy to the free market, we must advocate the government spend less taxpayer money on these services, and reduce government involvement and regulations in this area, etc. Allow private firms and individuals to decide which dictators to topple (and private firms and individuals do have an interest in getting rid of these types of thieves and thugs), allow private firms and individuals to decide which nuclear facilities to bomb, allow private firms and individuals to decide how to negotiate peace between fighting factions, etc. etc.

Read the full article at Rightosphere (formerly Race42012.com)

GOP Comeback! Starts from the States

Washington is increasingly trouncing on your freedoms. Its time to fight back from the states.

Note - Four favorites of libertarian Republicans make appearances, at approx. 2:00 minues in: Idaho Governor Butch Otter, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

LIBERTARIAN BLAST FROM THE PAST!

From Eric Dondero

The year was 1992. Nancy Lord was a prominent civil liberties attorney in Atlanta. She had run for statewide office in Georgia on the Libertarian Party ticket. Attractive, energetic, and offering a chance for the Party to balance the ticket with a female presence, former Alaska State Representative Andre Marrou picked Lord to be his running mate.

Marrou and Lord crisscrossed the country and garnered some national media attention, including CNN. In the end, the ticket didn't do as well as hoped at the ballot box. In the year of Perot, Bush I, and a "guy from Hope," William J. Clinton, Marrou/Lord came in 4th place, with 292,000 votes.

Lord soon drifted away from the LP. There were reports that she rejoined the Republican Party and moved out West.

Now the reports have been confirmed. And Lord is getting back into the limelight.

From the Parumph Valley Times, March 17:

Nancy Lord, attorney for the Concerned Citizens for a Safe Community, and Michael Root, a Las Vegas attorney who promotes himself as an outsider, round out the field of five candidates for Nye County district attorney competing in the June 8 Republican primary.

The other two Republicans are incumbent Bob Beckett and former Nye County Chief Civil Deputy District Attorney Ron Kent.

The primary winner advances to the Nov. 2 general election to face the winner of the Democratic primary race between Brian Kunzi and Nicholas Anthony Del Vecchio.

Against Marijuana laws, but would still follow current laws

Continuing:

While she is running as a Republican, Lord said she is fundamentally still a Libertarian. She is against marijuana laws but will prosecute offenders as long as the drug is illegal in Nevada. But Lord said she won't prosecute a case where someone's Fourth Amendment rights were violated due to an illegal search.

"I am not required to represent the county commissioners personally. I will represent Nye County as if it's a corporate client, and I have over a decade of experience in that regard," Lord said.

Nye County is located in southwest Nevada and borders California (Death Valley area). Parumph is the largest town with a population of 28,000. It is considered an exurb of Las Vegas. The County is home to three legal brothels.

by Clifford F. Thies,
Eldon R. Lindsay Chair of Free Enterprise and Professor of Economics and Finance
Shenandoah University

The economic indicators released by the Conference Board today confirm what everybody already knows: We’re in one “L” of a recovery.

In the following chart, the “L”-shaped recovery is shown in the green line. This is the index of coincident indicators. It is based on employment, sales, production and income, four broad measures of economic activity. As you can see, after the economy began its so-called recovery (which, not yet hearing from the NBER, I have placed at July 2009), the index of coincident indicators has moved up, but at a pathetic pace.

In contrast to the “L”-shaped recovery we’re currently “enjoying,” in the past, when we have suffered severe recessions, we have had “V”-shaped recoveries. For example, while a certain person was President, concerning whom you are reminded at RR crossings, we had a strong “V”-shaped recovery. Check out the green line the following chart, after the second blue line. Of course, that President used tax-cuts and deregulation to spur economic growth. In contrast, the current President, like Dr. Frankenstein, is checking to see if tax increases and re-regulation can be just as effective, in the name of science.
The "stimulus" effect of last year’s stimulus bill was zilch. No continuing momentum. Just a trillion dollars down the toilet. Thus, at this time, the Democrats are scurrying for Plan B, call it the Bride of Stimulus, and Republicans are looking forward to this year's elections with some anticipation.

The Democrats really have no clue as to what to do. They're all about re-distributing the economic pie, not about baking it.

Some of them are talking about "going after" those who violated laws who got us into this mess (they must be out there). In the absence of probable cause, they’ll just go after the usual suspects. You know, the rich, the insurance companies, and medical doctors, not to mention the foreigners and the Wall Street fat-cats. Oops, sorry, the Wall Street fat-cats are Democrats nowadays. This thinking simply reflects that, in their socialistic world, the "incentive" is that you're not punished.

Dr. Thies is a former Libertarian National Committeeman, former National Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus, former member of the Libertarian Defense Caucus, Young Americans for Freedom and a Libertarian Republican since the late 1960's. He is Senior Editor of Libertarian Republican.

Tax Cheat Timothy Geithner will have his Agents coming after you for non-compliance

No more Tax Refund checks for many Americans.

Congressman Charles Boustanay of Louisiana is raising the issue of enforcement of Obama Care. From The Hill:

Subcommittee on Oversight ranking member Charles Boustany (R-La.) said the IRS provision in the bill "dangerously expands, in an ominous way the tentacles of the IRS and it's reach into every American family," he said today during a press conference.

"This is a vast expanse of power," he said.

Boustany said the bill would allow the IRS to confiscate refunds if there are penalties for not buying health care.

And estimated 17,000 new IRS employees will be added to the Agency to beef up enforcement.

Here's the relevent section:

NOTIFICATION OF NONENROLLMENT.—Not later than June 30 of each year, the Secretary of the Treasury, acting through the Internal Revenue Service and in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall send a notification to each individual who files an individual income tax return and who is not enrolled in minimum essential coverage (as defined in section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986). Such notification shall contain information on the services available through the Exchange operating in the State in which such individual resides. – Senate Bill, page 341, 342

Ironically, the legislation will hurt the working class and poor, who count on that yearly check the most.

Blue Collar Republican (BCR) has been studying the legislation:

Yes, I am currently reading the some 5,000 pages of the combined Senate/House monster. I don’t pretend to understand all of the legal terminology, but this much is becoming obvious. The Internal Revenue Service is responsible to insure that YOU have insurance which meets the guidelines set forth by the government, either through an individual, employer, or government provider. If you don’t satisfy their requirements, then you will be fined ~2% of your gross income. Private business will also be subject to fines if they do not offer such coverage for you.

If you thought your tax returns were complicated now, just wait until this goes into effect... Just know that the same Treasury Secretary that failed to pay $35,000 in income taxes and was fined $15,000 by the same agency he now heads will be dictating your health care coverage.

Back when I was in high school, George Orwell’s 1984 was required reading. Little did I know that in 2010 I would be living it.

A committee hearing was held on Thursday in the Maryland State Senate on a medical marijuana bill. According to the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP):

Sponsored by Frederick County Republican Sen. David Brinkley, the bill would allow pharmacies or other state-regulated outlets to dispense medical marijuana to patients who receive a recommendation from their doctor.

The bill number is SB 627. There is a companion bill in the House of Delegates.

Brinkley has some very personal motivations for sponsoring the legislation. From Americans for Safe Access website, Feb. 18:

"This isn't an ideological issue, it's a compassion issue," argued Senator David Brinkley, R-Frederick, who is also backing the bill.

Brinkley, a cancer survivor, believes the option should at least be on the table. "If ever we reach the threshold of what medicine can deliver, [we should] ensure there's some type of alternative treatment."

Note - Brinkley is a former firefighter. He's been in the legislature since 1995.

Editor's Note - This is a developing story. We are in touch with pro-marijuana decriminalization activists in Maryland who attended the committee hearing, and hope to have a full report of the proceedings over the weekend. Stay tuned...

Says Democrats are all "Communists"

On his Sirius/XM radio show on Thursday, Howard Stern had some very harsh words for the Federal Communications Commission. From EyeBlast:

"I got so crazy over this yesterday, so I called my agent. And my agent, he's very liberal Democrat kind of guy. I go that's it! You know what Don. I've voted Republican and I've voted Democrat. I have vowed I will never vote for a Democrat again. I don't give a fuck. No matter who they are...

The facts are these Democrats at the FCC are Communists... they're for communism."

At issue is the FCC's plan to allow some Wireless providers to interfere with satellite radio broadcasts.

From SatWaves:

Stern discussed the issue live on his show yesterday, quoting and reading directly from an article I wrote several days ago, titled “Will The FCC Interfere With Sirius XM Yet Again?.”

With a tone of disgust that should be expected of anyone now familiar with the decade long issue, Stern rightly noted that the FCC seems to go after him no matter where he is, through whatever means possible...

Of note, Stern ran briefly in 1994 for the nomination of the Libertarian Party for Governor of New York.

In a move that's been anticipated for weeks, Steve Levy, Suffolk County Executive finally made it official Thursday; he's switching to the GOP. A release announcing a press conference for Friday was sent out by Levy's staff, confirming that he plans to run for Governor "as a Republican."

The State Chairman for the Republican Party of New York Ed Cox was quoted by the Wall Street Journal:

"County executive Steve Levy is a political phenomenon and a real fiscal conservative. The fact that he is coming over to the Republican Party is a huge coup to the Republican Party and is a sign that we’re the future."

Levy is described by the NY Times (via Seabrook blog) as:

a blunt-spoken fiscal hawk and contrarian who collected 96 percent of the vote in his last re-election bid.

Levy is now expected to announce for the primary for governor on Friday, against his main opponent Rick Lazio. If he wins, he's likely to face Democrat Andrew Cuomo in the fall.

Introducing the Republican candidate Charles Djou, former State Representative, current Honolulu City Councilman, and US Army officer

Contribute Djou for Congress Djou.com

JUST BREAKING...

Real Clear Politics includes culmulative of Gallup, Associated Press, Rasmussen, Fox News, NBC/WSJ, McClatchy, Ipsos, and Pew Research.

Idaho Health Care Freedom Act

From Eric Dondero:

While in Congress Otter was considered a "conservative with a libertarian streak." (Source: Ballotpedia) He racked up one of the most consistently fiscally conservative records in the House. He even identified himself with the libertarian label on occasion. And well-known amongst movement libertarian, Otter was a keynote speaker and attendee at Libertarian Party of Idaho state conventions in the early 1990s. He was also friends with a great many libertarian activists in the State such as the well-known (Steve) Symms family.

One of the most "libertarian Republican" elected officials

But it was in 2006, when Otter really caught on with libertarians. The newly-elected Governor was given a front page feature story in Reason Magazine, "Butch Otter Rides Again: Idaho' next governor demonstrates the possibilities--and limits--of libertarian politics in the Republican Party." The piece was written by David Weigel, (now with the Washington Independent).

An excerpt:

Butch Otter is a study in contradictions. After Ron Paul of Texas, he’s the most libertarian Republican in the entire caucus. Unlike Paul, he has libertarian victories on his legislative scorecard. In June 2003 he shocked the Bush administration by sponsoring an amendment to a funding bill that stripped out the money the FBI needed to conduct sneak-and-peek searches— that is, raiding a target’s home without issuing a notice to the target. It passed with 309 votes. In 2004 he fought hard to amend the PATRIOT Act to bar the government from searching bookstore and library records. The amendment almost passed, until Otter’s own party leadership held the vote open for an extra 23 minutes to twist arms and get Republicans to vote against it. He was bitter about that vote. “You win some, and some get stolen,” he told reporters.

During three and a half decades in politics, Otter has had his decisions overruled by everyone from Idaho legislators (on obscenity laws they wanted to pass) to his fellow House Republicans (on medical marijuana they wanted to ban) to President Ronald Reagan (on the drinking age his administration wanted to raise).

Otter emerges in the National Spotlight

Since his election,he's had various legislative battles. But nationally, he's kept a very low profile until now.

Unexpectedly, and on virtualy nobody's radar, Otter has been immediately thrust into the middle of the national health care debate. Late Wednesday evening, word broke in the national media (Drudge Report, Fox News, ect...), that the Governor had signed a letter requiring the State Attorney General to sue the Federal Government if Idaho residents are forced to participate in Obama's health care measure.

All eyes have been on Virginia. Republican state legislators introduced a bill to exempt Virginians from participating. State AG Ken Cucinnelli held a press conference to announce that he would sue the Feds if they forced Virginians into the program. But Otter is the first to sign it into law.

From Google News (via AP):

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho took the lead in a growing, nationwide fight against health care overhaul Wednesday when its governor became the first to sign a measure requiring the state attorney general to sue the federal government if residents are forced to buy health insurance.

Similar legislation is pending in 37 other states... the state measures reflect a growing frustration with President President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

Otter, a Republican, said he believes any future lawsuit from Idaho has a legitimate shot of winning, despite what the naysayers say.

"The ivory tower folks will tell you, 'No, they're not going anywhere,' " he told reporters. "But I'll tell you what, you get 36 states, that's a critical mass. That's a constitutional mass."

Last week, Virginia legislators passed a measure similar to Idaho's new law, but Otter was the first state chief executive to sign such a bill...

In a press conference announcing his signature on the legislation Otter made the following statement (from USA Today):

"What the Idaho Health Freedom Act says is that the citizens of our state won't be subject to another federal mandate or turn over another part of their life to government control," Otter said, adding, "I put a real high priority on the sovereignty of the state of Idaho."

Photo state capitol in Boise.

Supported by Libertarian Republicans in '09 race for AG

Fiscal libertarian and stalwart Constitutionalist Ken Cuccinelli said through a spokesman yesterday, that his office plans to move forward with plans to challenge Obama's Health Care proposal if passed by Congress. Further, he's warning Speaker Pelosi that if she tries to pass the legislation through "deem and pass" it would set in motion a major challenge by the Commonwealth and could lead to a full-blown Constitutional crisis.

From the Washington Post, March 17:

RICHMOND -- Virginia will file a legal challenge to the constitutionality of the Democratic health-care reform bill if Congress approves the measure, a spokesman for Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II said Wednesday.

Cuccinelli (R), a social and fiscal conservative who has expressed deep skepticism about the growth of the federal government, has said since his fall election campaign that he was studying the legal issues involved in such a suit. His spokesman said Wednesday that Cuccinelli has decided he will challenge the measure.

The announcement came two days before President Obama is scheduled to visit Fairfax County to hold a final rally in support of the health-care bill before the congressional vote. Last week, Virginia became the first state to pass a bill declaring it illegal for the government to require individuals to purchase health insurance, a key component of the bills under consideration on Capitol Hill.

Cuccinelli was quoted in the American Spectator last week:

"Proponents of liberty must use all of the tools the Constitution provides to defend against this onslaught on our liberty..."

Note - Cuccinelli was endorsed by the Republican Liberty Caucus in his 2009 race. Virginia RLC at rlc.org

Member, Roanoke Valley Libertarians

Brian Gottstein recently took over as media spokesman for libertarian-leaning Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. Gottstein is well known downstate, as a hardline libertarian talk show host. Gottstein is a Tea Party activist, but also an active member of the Libertarian Party of Virginia.

Gottstein is the subject of a feature piece at the Roanoke Times website, "Metro columnist Dan Casey: Activist redirects spotlight onto new boss Cuccinelli." He is described in the piece as having gone from political activism to entering the "boiling political cauldron of state politics" particularly with his controversial new boss and now national media figure Cuccinelli.

From Roanoke.com March 18:

Brian Gottstein is a very busy guy these days.

For the first time ever, the less-government-is-always-better activist and Roanoke political consultant is on the government payroll.

Gottstein, 40, is communications director to Virginia's lightning rod attorney general, Ken Cuccinelli...

Gottstein also wrote a column for roanoke.com in which he regularly decried the growth of government and government spending and promoted free-market principles. Among the areas government should be out of, according to those columns, is public education.
He recently gave up a Sunday night Libertarian talk show on WFIR 960 and seven other Virginia stations because of his new position.

Gottstein is a member of the Libertarian Party of Virginia. From the Roanoke Valley Libertarians website:

The Libertarian Party had three speakers at the Roanoke Valley Independence Day Tea Party. Jeff Bowles (The Virginia State Central Committee Chairman), Jim Lark (former Libertarian National Committee Chairman & current Vice-Chair of the Libertarian Party of Virginia) and Brian Gottstein (LP member).

Adrian Gaylsh & Friends

November 19, 2009 Sherman Oaks, California, performing Foreigner's 1977 hit "Feels like the First Time"

Note Adrian Gaylsh is the Libertarian candidate for State Senate (Van Nuys).

http://www.adriangalysh.com/

Since Obama America starting to look like Soviet Union

Regina Barker-Barzel escaped Communist Russia in 1972. She married an American man and became an American citizen. A Russian Jew, she fled massive persecution, in her native land. Her father was threated on a daily basis, and her uncle was sent to a concentration camp sentenced to 25 years.

In this video she has some warnings for her fellow American citizens.

"How come my democratic country is doing this? It reminds me of Russia, where things were shoved to our throats... I am scared that Russia is running up to me, it's coming back to America. Our freedom to live will be limited every moment. Our democracy will be eliminated by bureaucrats.

Our lives are on the verge to be destroyed."

By Chris Spangle, Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of Indiana

The Libertarian Party of Indiana is a unique political party legally in Indiana. It is the only party considered a “minor political party” because it has garnered more than 2% in the Secretary of State race. Because it has not yet achieved 10% in the Secretary of State race, the party does not hold a primary which is reserved for “major political parties.” Primaries are often incorrectly assumed to be elections for the entire voting public. They are actually considered closed party business in the eyes of election law. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents cannot participate in the other’s business. Only Republicans should choose Republican candidates for a general election and the same for Democrats.

read more

Please register for the convention here: http://www.lpin.org/convention

read more

Mark Rutherford, LPIN state chairman for 7 years, has announced that he is seeking the Vice Chair position on the national level. Rutherford has partnered with Wayne Allyn Root, who is seeking the Chair position at May's national convention.

"It is an exciting time politically for the libertarian message," said Rutherford. "There is a huge opportunity to capture a large part of the libertarian leaning public. But the Libertarian Party must get its house in order. It must reach out to major media and it must grow an organization worthy to be called a national party."

read more

From Rex Bell, Libertarian Party of Wayne County Chairman and nominee for Indiana House District 54.
Greetings Wayne County Libertarians and Friends;

read more

Individualist Extreme Sports enthusiast receives 10-days plus fine

From Eric Dondero:

Remember "Super" Dell Schanze, the mid-2000s TV ad computer pitch man? He ran as a Republican for Salt Lake City Mayor. In 2008, he ran for Utah Governor on the Libertarian Party ticket. He even accused moderate GOPer Jon Huntsman, and now Obama administration ambassador to China of being a closeted "Socialist." He received 3% of the vote in a 3-way race.

Schanze is a well-known eccentric and controversial extreme sports enthusiast. His chosen sport is experimental para-gliding.

In August of 2009 the thrill seeking Schanze was convicted of "reckless driving and three seat-belt violations." He was fined $670.00 and received a 10 day sentence in the Utah County Jail.

According to the Salt Lake City Tribune, March 16:

The charges stemmed from an August 2008 incident on Redwood Road. Officer Michael Paletta, an investigator with the state Division of Motor Vehicles, testified at trial that he saw Schanze jerking his car back and forth in the lane, causing Paletta to fear that Schanze was going to hit him. Paletta pulled Schanze over, and discovered that two of his children were sharing a seat belt, a violation of state law, and that Schanze was unbuckled.

Harold W. Stone III, Schanze's attorney, argued the traffic stop was unwarranted. He said Schanze was rocking the car back and forth within his own travel lane, which does not meet the definition of reckless driving.

Schanze and his new lawyer are now appealing the conviction on the grounds that he was improperly stopped by police. Part of the original arrest involved Schanze not having a properly registered concealed carry sidearm.

Schanze is now making serious noises of another run for Governor. He plans to highlight these issues of Nanny-state government and over-restrictive gun laws to light.

The Super Dell philosophy is grounded in eccenstrism and extreme individualism which has rubbed many the wrong way, including local politicians and media. In fact, Schanze has long maintained that he's a special target for police harrassment for his libertarian outspokeness and criticisms of local politicians.

The Super Dell philosophy from a 2006 interview with KSL:

"Just because I think I'm a superhero and I love me and I think I'm great doesn't mean I think anybody is beneath me. All I'm trying to do is say, 'Hey, everybody should be the center of their own universe. Everybody should be happy with the way they are. It's not an arrogant thing; you only take it wrong if you have a low self esteem and don't really comprehend where it's coming from."

Dell lives on a compound in the mountains with his wife and four boys. He enjoys his privacy when not campaigning or paragliding. It's described as a "cozy mountain home, complete with a six foot electric fence topped with razor wire."

As for his Governor's run it's all about personal freedom, no nanny-state rules, gun rights and keeping taxes extremely low. Continuing:

"And now I might have go up and file for governor. You have one chance where you can vote for 'Super' Dell and lower taxes," he said.

No word if he's planning to run on the Republican or Libertarian ticket?

You can visit Schanze's blog which features extreme sports videos at dellschanze.blogspot.com

Photos of Schanze paragliding in Utah, his computer store, and him being arrested.