Texas Dem legislator wants Male Dog owners to carry Liability

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NANNY-STATE WATCH

Dog lovers vs. Democrat Ninny

From Eric Dondero:

Yet more nanny-state nonsense brought to you by the Democrat Party USA.

Fox News reports:

House Bill 998, introduced by state Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon, D-Texas, would require owners of unleashed, un-neutered male dogs over 20 pounds to carry a liability insurance policy of at least $100,000. Violations would be classified as a misdemeanor, and punishable by a fine up to $500.

"There is a movement inside the animal rights lobby to try to force mandatory spay and neuter laws across the states, and this is just another way to get at it," said Rob Sexton, vice president of the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance. The group, which works with sporting dogs, calls the bill "unnecessary and unreasonable" and has asked Texas sportsmen to actively oppose it.

Of course, with huge Republican majorities in both the House and Senate in Texas, it's highly unlikely such a bill will ever see the light of day.

Republican State Senator stands out of the pack; Opposes Repeal of legal Medical Marijuana

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A Conservative with a libertarian streak splits from the Social Conservatives

From Eric Dondero:

Montana is the only State in the Nation considering a repeal of previously passed Medical Marijuana reform. Running against the grain of the MT GOP's typical libertarian streak, a dissapointedly high number of Republican legislators back the repeal.

But one Republican on the judiciary committee which oversees the repeal legislation is speaking out.

From Google News (via AP) "State reconsiders turbulent medical marijuana biz"

Democrats largely oppose repeal, arguing that lawmakers should not undo a voter-approved initiative.

Several Republicans in the GOP-controlled Senate agree.

"I am not going to support the repeal," said Republican Sen. Chas Vincent, a 33-year-old former logger who holds a key vote in the judiciary committee. "I believe that cannabis has real, beneficial impacts to those who need to use it for medicine."

Democrat Gov. Schweitzer is not commiting himself one way or the other on the issue.

MARYLAND: Frederick Cty Republican Commissioners blasted by liberals for supporting Home environment for young kids over Public indoctrination

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Self-reliance, Private Sector, and Churches simply better at teaching Kids, they say

From Eric Dondero:

An unbelievably nasty controversy has emerged in Frederick County, Maryland, after two Republican County Commissioners voted in favor of cutting the Head Start budget by 50%. They had the audacity of suggesting private alternatives to raising kids.

From (Maryland Community News) Gazette.net:

Frederick County has been in an uproar this past week over the meaning behind comments made by Commissioners C. Paul Smith (photo) and Kirby Delauter during a meeting in which they voted to pull $2.3 million in county funding from Head Start.

The commissioners argued that the cut would help fill a nearly $12 million budget gap in fiscal 2012, which starts July 1.

In explaining their votes, both men espoused the virtue of marriage and praised their wives for staying home to raise their children.

Commisioner Smith remarked:

"I know everybody isn't able to survive doing that, but clearly as we can strengthen marriage, we can decrease the children that we have to reach. And I think the best approach, ultimately, will be through the private sector, churches, in doing this."

Commissioner Delauter:

"I agree, again, with Commissioner Smith. You know, the marriage thing is very important. I mean, education of your kids starts at home, OK?"

Commissioner Smith again:

"I never relied on anyone else to guarantee the education of my kids. I was, my wife and I are the ultimate decision makers on the education of our kids."

Maryland Left blogs and news sites are in a feeding frenzy over the statements.

Sample of reactions from ProgressiveDelMarVa:

these two Republican officials feel its appropriate to cut the program in order to foist their chosen family structure onto society at-large, and in the process, hurt low-income families and the futures of their children in Frederick County.

Note - Frederick County lies northwest of Baltimore.

1970s/80s Libertarian Party stalwart Robert Ringer, gives a Ringing endorsement to Allen West

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"Tough-minded... Pro-American" future Leader

From Eric Dondero:

This was Robert Ringer, writing in 1978:

The only party I know of that offers a platform respectful of the rights of every individual, is the Libertarian Party.

Libertarianism is the belief that every man should have dominion over his own life and property. If you believe in the American Dream, you already are a libertarian.

There is no question that the Libertarian Party offers a distinct alternative... I cannot help but wonder how much closer th citizens of this country would be to taking back America had [Libertarian Party Presidential candidates] John Hospers been elected to the presidency in 1972, or Roger MacBride in 1976.

Hospers 1972, MacBride '76... Allen West 2016!

Now this from WND "Republican life after CPAC":

The biggest surprise at CPAC was the keynote closing speaker, Allen West, newly elected congressman from Florida. West's speech brought the house down, reminding me of Barack Obama's keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. No question about it, a star was born at CPAC on Feb. 12.

While listening to West's speech, it occurred to me that he is so sound, so bright, so tough, so pro-American that it's a shame he won't be running for president in 2012. In a head-to-head debate, West would have Obama backpedaling nonstop.

It's a fantasy debate that would have the aura of a principal scolding a naughty student. West is a man's man; Obama is a flower child in a suit, with his mind still naively fascinated by the idea of a classless society. I will predict right here and now that [in the] presidential election in 2016, West will win if he decides to run.

Note - Robert Ringer is the author of the mid-1970s NY Times #1 Best Seller, "Looking out for Number One." He is a longtime favorite of the Libertarian Party speaking circuit. In 1978 he wrote the modern Libertarian classic, "Restoring the American Dream." The book sold millions. It literally put the Libertarian Party on the map. For years, the LP used it as a hand-out, distributing tens of thousands of copies nationwide.

New York Democrat: Only Government has the means to Mediate NFL-Players dispute

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Blames Republicans for budget cuts to National Labor Board

From Eric Dondero:

Apparently, this Democrat Congressman from New York does not believe the National Football League and the Players Association have the funds available to hire lawywers and professional mediators to work out their disputes. Government has to step in.

From TheHill "Dem: GOP plan threatens NFL season":

The Republicans' plan to cut billions of dollars in federal spending could threaten the next season of the National Football League (NFL), a House Democrat charged Thursday.

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) said steep cuts to the National Labor Relation Board (NLRB), as proposed by Republicans, could leave the league without an effective mediator if the players strike later this year, as they're threatening to do.

"If Republicans got their way, it is likely the NLRB would have insufficient resources to properly mediate a dispute between the owners and players," Engel said Thursday in a statement. "That would result in stadiums across the country being dark, and thousands of people who work in them out of work come September."

Republicans, "plan to cut $61 billion in federal spending this fiscal year." As part of that plan, $50 million is slated to be cut from the NLRB.

Note - NFL owners already receive enormous taxpayer subsidies for the construction of new stadiums. Source - NFL Players Assoc. website.

Editor's comment - Somehow this Engel guy doesn't strike me as your typical NFL fan?

On striking Wisconsin Teachers: Is the average Working Joe and Jane making $77,000 a Year?

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From Stacy McCain:

Stephen Hayes of the Weekly Standard points out the irony of the union-orchestrated protests:

According to the state of Wisconsin, the average teacher salary in Wisconsin is $49,093 annually. (With benefits, the average total compensation is $77,857.) With 190 school days per year, Wisconsin public education employees make about $258 per day. So in an effort to avoid contributing to their own pensions and funding 6 percent more of their own health care premiums, teachers have taken unpaid leave to protest and have given up nearly $500 – so far. . . . .

What’s more, Wisconsin teachers pay as much as $1100 each year in compulsory union dues. If the legislation passes, they will no longer be required to pay those dues – returning that money to their own pockets.

The unemployed, the under-employed and regular folks trying to pay their bills aren’t likely to have a lot of love for people who (a) have jobs, (b) work at taxapayer expense, (c) get paid more money than the average taxpayer, and (d) go on strike because they don’t want to pay a dime toward their own generous benefits.

Editor's note - Stacy has a whole host of recent pictures and a video from the protest up at TheOtherMcCain.com

DELAWARE: Tea Party and Libertarian Party take control of the Sussex County GOP

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Did Christine O'Donnell inspire the Takeover?

Excerpt from report by Angel Clark, The Examiner, "Sussex GOP faces their fears… the Tea Party" Feb. 17:

Christine O’Donnell stated recently on a local radio show that although she had not planned the events currently going on in Sussex County, Delaware, she approved of what was happening.

Tea Party activists in Sussex County tried to take a stand with the local establishment GOP. Last night’s Sussex County GOP meeting was the culmination of those efforts to date and almost left me speechless…

Sussex County GOP Chairman, Ron Sams, knew he was going to be asked to resign tonight... Sams and the Vice Chairman were both absent last night allowing for a unique circumstance. Local activists were able to vote in a temporary chairperson

Brent Wangen, Libertarian turned Republican, was voted in to head the new committee in charge of the new Rules Committee... [it] is in charge of making the new rules of the Sussex County GOP... this is a huge accomplishment in itself.

A motion was officially submitted and voted upon for Ron Sams to resign.

Clark describes herself as a DE Poli Sci student living in Rehobeth Beach.

EGYPT: Coptic Christians excluded from Constititonal committee

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Iranian Warships now passing through Suez

From Eric Dondero:

A sign of things to come, perhaps? The Muslim Brotherhood has a prominent place on the committee set up by the Egyptian military to review the constitution, and suggest changes. At the same time, Christian Copts and women have been completely shut out.

From AFP, (via News24) "Copts criticise Egypt constitution panel":

"Millions of Copts object to the committee formed by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces," Nagib Gibrail, head of the Egyptian Union for Human Rights, said in a statement.

"The inclusion of elements from the Muslim Brotherhood without any Copt negates the principles of the January 25 revolution, in which Coptic and Muslim blood intermingled," the statement said.

In related news... Pundit Press is reporting (via Reuters) that Iranian warships are now passing through the Suez.

Not even a week after the resignation of Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak, the region is again becoming more tense. This time the trouble emanates from the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is sending warships through the Suez Canal, right near Israel.

Egyptian Man, "Devout Muslim" plows his Taxi-Cab through a SD Nightclub Crowd; Injuring 36, 1 Seriously

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Identified as Osama Hassan El-Darandaly

From Eric Dondero:

A San Diego woman barely escaped having to have her leg amputated after a cab driver mowed down over 30 partyers in a busy SD nightclub area.

The suspect has been identified as Osama Hassan El-Darandaly, 52, of San Diego. (Note - SD media - 760 AM KFMB NewsVideo - are deliberately anglicizing his name to "Sam Daley".) He worked for the Makmar Enterprises cab company.

According to KFMB His roomate Dan Rose describes El-Darandaly as a "'pretty solitary man' who is devoutly Muslim."

Daly’s plan was to move back to his home country of Egypt, Rose said.

Bankrupt, House in Foreclosure, "very irregular behavior"

NBC News San Diego discovered:

Rose, told us Daly has been having financial and personal problems.

"Just very irregular behavior, kind of up and down, a little bit recluse, depressed type of behavior," said Rose.

The cab driver owns the house in Linda Vista but told his roommate the bank is foreclosing on the property.

There is no motive given for the attacks. However, according to SignonSanDiego.com:

Stingaree club owner James Brennan has said that Daly had a pair of scissors in his hand and took a swing at one of the club’s managers.

Has a prior arrest for "Misedemeanor Battery"

El-Darandaly does have one prior charge for "misdemeanor battery" according to NBC.

22 of the 32 injuries were "very serious," including crushed bones, and cuts. However, as signonSD reports one woman was critically injured when she was pinned against a wall:

Dominique Gambale [The 45-year-old mother of two from Encinitas] suffered multiple breaks in both bones of her lower-leg

Surgeons through extensive surgery, have managed to save her leg.

The attack came Friday night. And as Wizbang blog summarizes:

a devoutly Muslim man from Egypt named Sam Hassan Daly slowly and methodically drives a cab into a crowd of bar patrons injuring 36 then emerges from the cab with scissors in hand swinging at the club's owner, the incident occuring within hours of Mubarak's ouster in his home country.

UPDATE! The very latest AP story, has not a single mention of Hassan's Islamic background, or even the fact that he is an Egytian national. Here is the benign headline: "Cabbie out of hospital after crash that hurt 35."

Photos of Stingaree Nightclub in SD's Gaslamp District.

Chaos erupts in San Diego Nightclub District as Crazed Muslim drives Taxi-Cab into Party goers

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Injured "men and women lying on the ground, everywhere"

From Eric Dondero:

Early morning last Saturday, as Egyptians were celebrating in the Streets of Cairo the overthrow of Mubarak, an Egyptian man identified as Osama Hassan El-Darandaly, drove his Taxi-Cab onto the sidewalk, plunging through a crowd of American nightclub goers, in San Diego's downtown Gaslamp District. According to various reports, the man then jumped out of his cab and started wielding a pair of scissors, lunging at the owner of the Stingaree nightclub and others nearby. 32 were injured, 22 serious, including one woman pinned against a wall, had her leg fully amputated below the knee.

NBC San Diego described it as a "shocking scene":

At 1:54 a.m., an Emerald Cab driver jumped a curb and plowed through a group of people standing outside the popular Stingaree downtown nightclub... of what firefighters and police officers described as a “melee.”

“It was so scary when I realized what had actually happened,” said Guy Handy, a nearby resident.

A witness who wished not to be identified said "there were women and men just lying on the ground, just everywhere."

Taking a Razor-sharp Cut to the Arkansas Capitol Gains Tax

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From Eric Dondero:

Elections matter. The number of Republicans increased in the AR House of Reps in 2010 to 44 out of 100, (soon to be 45 with special election in a solid GOP district.)

Now this from ArkansasBusiness.com:

The Arkansas House has approved a cut in the capital gains tax, HB1002, brushing off warnings from [Democrat] Gov. Mike Beebe that it and other cuts could threaten the state's budget.

By a 53-43 vote, the House on Wednesday passed the proposal by Republican Rep. Ed Garner of Maumelle to eliminate the capital gains tax on new investments in Arkansas companies and property.

Painting Arkansas Red at ArkansasGOP.org

Budget Fiasco: A Trillion here… A Trillion there… Before you know it we’re talking Real Money

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by Clifford F. Thies

If President Obama doesn’t kill us by denying us access to health care, he’ll kill us with tax increases. His new budget proposal includes nearly two trillion dollars of new taxes. According to Obama, while it would not exactly be against the law to work or to save, these are bad things and need to be heavily taxed. And, besides, we’re not doing enough for the moochers in society. People have a right by being born in this country, or not, to their fair share of what the evil people create through their work and their creativity. Equal pay for equal work, and for no work at all!

The combination of tax increases and increasing the retirement age yet again means that for the productive people in society, Obama wants them to work until they drop dead, for nothing more than what the moochers get as their right, and, then, when they drop dead, to take any wealth they had accumulated. And, talk about domestic terrorism, what do you think expanded IRS audits is all about? If it was not already clear that we need to completely abolish the IRS tax code, and replace with something like the flat tax or the FAIR tax, it should certainly be clear now.

Even with these tax increases, and the still scheduled elimination of the Bush tax cuts after next year, the federal budget is projected to be in deficit by more than a trillion dollars a year for as far into the future as they project the budget. Plus, entitlement spending remains out of control. So, maybe we shouldn’t take much of this seriously, since we’re on a path to complete financial ruin. Obama, it seems to me, is better associated with Andropov, Milosovic and Mobutu, those who presided over the collapse of their countries, than with Marx, Engels and Lenin those who were in the vanguard of socialism.

Let’s total up the proposed taxes:

1.Raising tax rates and limiting itemized deductions $1,030 billion
2.Raising taxes on gasoline and on “the oil companies” 374 billion
3.Raising taxes on the dead 121 billion
4.Raising taxes on international income and investments 129 billion
5.Taxing phony inflation-induced profits by repealing LIFO accounting
and the like 84 billion
6.Raising taxes on those who work to subsidize those who are
unemployed up to 2 years 61 billion
7.Expanded IRS audits 55 billion
8.Raising taxes prudent financial institutions to subsidize the
TARP-assisted ones 30 billion
9.Raising taxes on all manufacturers to subsidize the clean-up costs
of those that pollute 21 billion
10.Raising taxes on private insurance 14 billion

TOTAL, including many items not specified above $1,931 billion

Dr. Thies is a professor of econo-metrics and statistics at Shenandoah Univ. in Virginia

Committee to Draft Donald Trump formed

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National and New Hampshire Leaders Named

ST. CHARLES, MO. -- Decorated Iraq War veteran Nick McLaughlin of St. Charles, Missouri, has announced the formation of a grass-roots, all volunteer organization to draft New York developer Donald J. Trump for the 2012 Republican Presidential Nomination.

McLaughlin saw combat in three tours in Iraq in the US Marine Corp and was hit by shrapnel from a car bomb in Ubush, Iraq. He was awarded a Purple Heart and nine other medals including a Presidential citation.

"Under Barak Obama, America has become a laughingstock around the world," said McLaughlin. "America needs a strong leader like Donald Trump to restore America's economic strength and respect around the world."

McLaughlin, who has never been active in politics before, said he had filed the committee with the Federal Election Commission and that the organization was not directed, authorized or funded by Trump. "I have never met Mr. Trump," said McLaughlin, "But I am certain he is the man America needs."

McLaughlin said the Draft Committee has posted a website at http://www.DraftTrump2012.com and would seek to collect one half million citizen signatures on petitions urging Trump to enter the 2012 contest.

McLaughlin also announced that Lynn Krogh, former Deputy Press Secretary for New York Governor George Pataki and former Executive Director of the Young Republican National Federation would serve as National Political Director of the Draft Trump 2012 Committee with the responsibility for setting up Draft Trump Committees in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina, Florida, and other early caucus and primary states.

McLaughlin met Krogh at the Conservative Political Action Conference- CPAC.

McLaughlin also said that Mark J. LaLiberte would serve as the New Hampshire Draft Trump Coordinator. LaLiberte is a lifelong resident of New Hampshire. LaLiberte served as the public policy advisor for former Manchester Mayor (now Congressman) Frank Guinta, He also was an editor for Business NH Magazine and the Portsmouth Herald. LaLiberte holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in political science and a Masters of Public Administration degree, both from the University of New Hampshire.

McLaughlin said his group would work to convince Trump to declare his candidacy by the end of 2011 and urged supporters to go to http://www.DraftTrump2012.com to sign the citizen petition.

Nir Rosen – Logan gets all the attention cause "She’s a White"

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LR FOLLOW-UP

From Eric Dondero:

The Lara Logan story just got even more interesting. Nir Rosen appeared on Anderson Cooper 360 last night. Rosen had snarked in a Tweet, that Logan would "have to outdo Cooper" in being attacked by the Egyptian mob.

Cooper in the interview zeroed in on what exactly that meant:

You clearly knew that what had happened to her was sexual... In the second one [Tweet] you said it would be funny if that had happened to Anderson, which I can only assume you meant a sexual assault.

Rosen: At the time I didn't know. I just assumed you were roughed up; she was roughed up.

3rd Tweet: Ah fuck it. I apologize for being insensitive, its always wrong. Thats obvious. but I'm rolling my eyes at all the attention she will get.

Cooper: At that point you kind of sound like a bitter jealous reporter, angry at another reporter who is more well-known.

Rosen: It sounds like that. That's not the case. But my point was that dozens of women suffered from this attack, and only one of them is going to get all the attention, because she's a White and she's a celebrity.

Note - Rosen is a Dubai-based freelance reporter, who is best known for stridently left agenda driven coverage of the War in Iraq. Previously he accused Logan of being a "warmonger" for having expressed sympathy for US Troops.

SCANDAL!! Florida Gov. Scott consulted a "libertarian" study on High Speed Rail

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BREAKING...

From Eric Dondero:

Florida's libertarian Republican Governor is in hot water with liberal media outlets, for having consulted a "libertarian" feasibility study published by the Reason Foundation.

Scott on Monday, rejected $2.4 billion in federal taxpayer subsidies for the proposed High Speed Rail project from Orlando to Tampa.

From the Ft. Meyers News-Press "Governor irks many with rail rejection":

Scott said the spending was not merited. He criticized President BarackObama's spending plans while also saying he didn'tbelieve the rail project would meet ridership estimates...

Scott said the money would be more effectively spent on improvements to ports, highways and existing rail systems.

Scott is the 4th Republican Governor to reject such federal funding. The others include: Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, newly-elected Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin and newly-elected Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. (Source: Infrastructurist)

From WTSP.com, (Tampa/St. Pete) "Gov. Scott didn't consult new rail "feasibility study" after all":

TAMPA, Florida - Despite promises that he would consult a new feasibility study in February before making any decisions on high-speed rail (HSR), Gov. Rick Scott yanked the project off the tracks Wednesday based on a report published on Jan. 6 from a notorious rail opponent.

The governor's office confirmed Scott relied on a controversial report from the libertarian Reason Foundation. It indicated Florida would be vulnerable to cost overruns and overambitious ridership projections - concerns Scott cited in his Wednesday decision.

At issue is the Governor's remark days after assuming office in Tallahassee:

"There's a feasibility study that's supposed to come out, a ridership study, that's going to give me more information," he said. "I think it's in February, that's my understanding."

So, the Governor had the audacity to consult a Reason Foundation study instead, which contained the same fundamental information as the official feasibility study.

IMPORTANT UPDATE! - Matt Welch, Reason's Managing Editor has directed LR to their "first swing" of a response to media criticisms, from Foundation Pres. Bob Poole:

Since the official ridership projections were straight out of fantasyland, there was a high likelihood of the state being stuck providing operating subsidies, as in most of the existing high-speed rail projects overseas. Yet if the state accepted the $2.4 billion from the federal government and built the line, it would be stuck operating it—or else required to give back the $2.4 billion in, by then, sunk costs. So Scott made a responsible decision to protect Florida’s taxpayers, consistent with his campaign rhetoric and his other actions since taking over in January

Puerto Rico’s Republican Gov. Luis Fortuño; a Ron Paul Goldbug?

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A 2012 VP prospect for the GOP?

From Newsmax.com interview - "Puerto Rico's Gov. Fortuño Slashes Deficit"

Fortuño [cut] government expenses by 20 percent. He eliminated 17,000 government jobs, modernized government services to reduce costs, and decreased expenditures for official vehicles, cell phones, and credit cards by 10 percent.

Fortuño says Obama’s policies are wrong. “I believe that we need to empower our businesses and our taxpayers, and if we do that, our economy will grow at a much faster pace than we are today,” Fortuño says. “Secondly, we cannot continue printing money to cover our deficit. Thank goodness the states can’t do that. So we have to bite the bullet, and that’s exactly what I did.”

Addtional:

Fortuño is for making the U.S. territory the 51st state. President Reagan favored statehood, as does the platform of the Republican Party.

Note - the Governor was a speaker at the recent C-PAC, audio of his speech.

How did the General Assembly Spend its Thursday Afternoon?

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(Editor’s Note: Instead of spending time debating (in the public) the budget, redistricting, school reform, or job creation/tax reform, the Indiana House of Representatives worked on restricting freedom and trying to control Indiana’s population. This is a recap of Thursday’s “marriage strengthening” debate.) By Evan McMahon, Executive Director of Atlas Liberty PAC On Thursday the [...]

Why do Libertarians Dislike the Patriot Act?

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(By Jerry Titus, Howard County Chairman. This is Part Two of a series on the Patriot Act. Part 1) Why do Libertarians dislike the Patriot Act? Sound outlandish? It certainly would be unusual, and unlikely to find an agent sitting at your desk. But the reality of the government’s ability to access and search your [...]