Coleman or Franken? There Has Got to be a Better Way to Decide.

The Coleman/Franken US Senate election recount in Minnesota drags on and on and on. It now will surely move into the courts. Both sides have spent millions on the recount so far. The state and local governments have spent untold amounts recounting the ballots.

Why? There is very little real difference between Norm Coleman, big government RINO Republican and Al Franken big government Democrat. After all the counting, legal maneuvering and monkey business one of these two are going to win by a relative handful of votes. Both Coleman and Franken received 42% of the vote cast. No matter who finally comes out on top, 58% of the voters wanted someone else. The losing side will claim the election was stolen and we will hear about it for years.

We should have saved the money and not had a recount. We should have tried one of many viable and cheaper alternatives. How about....

• A coin flip. Simple, easy and cheap.



• Use the lottery method. Each candidate picks a number from 1 to 56. The air popper machine pops out numbers until one of the candidate's number comes out. They win! It could be televised with revenue from the commercials used to offset the costs.



• Bingo! Give each of the candidates an electronic bingo card. As the balls are drawn, each candidate marks off the spot on the electronic card which is projected on a screen. This too could be televised.



• A duel! A tried and true American method (Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton). Besides being televised, it could be staged at the Metrodome before a live audience. Think of the excitement that builds as the day of the duel draws near.



• Survivor! Yes we could drop both candidates in the remote reaches of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area with only a compass and a survival guide. The first one to find his way back to civilization wins! If neither does, well we all win.



• Manhunter. As Minnesota's former Governor Jesse Ventura says "You haven't hunted until you've hunted man." Again drop both candidates in the remote reaches of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) with only a compass and a survival guide. However, this time they must stay in the BWCA. A few hours after Coleman and Franken are dropped in the BWCA, Jesse Ventura will be dropped in with a rifle and a camera mounted on his head. Think of the ratings as we watch Jesse stalk really big game.

We Keep Forgetting What History Has Shown Over And Over

From Texas Congressman Ron Paul:

Transition and Hope

As another year draws to a close, there are some important transitions ahead of us. Not just transitions to a new administration, but also economically, politically and culturally.

Many hoped that the changes would signify overwhelming positive steps for our country, and that we would enter a new era, as promised during the campaign. I would like for this to be true, but based on the continuity so far, I would not be surprised to see America stay on the same course of failed monetary and economic policies. The course has been set for several decades, and in reality there is little the new administration could do to fix things without actually making them worse. But I expect them to try. The only real solutions involve allowing the market to liquidate the debt and malinvestment. The political reality is that this is not going to happen.

Through the coming months and years, our nation will find itself at many crossroads, as all manner of socialist, corporatist, protectionist and nationalist initiatives will be thrown at the economy to see if anything will reflate it. Some of these so-called fixes will be enacted amidst much outcry, as with the $700 billion TARP bailout, which the public was right to oppose. About half of that money is gone without a trace, with no accountability, and the economy is no better off for it. Others, such as the proposed new $800 billion plus economic stimulus the new administration is already clamoring for, might have limited public support, as many will find the prospect of receiving a government check a little too tempting to object to. After all, Wall Street got a bailout. What about the little guy? Everything will be attempted by government in the short run to remedy the worsening situation – everything, that is, but freedom. Therefore everything attempted will fail.

Unfortunately, government will continue to consolidate and abuse power at an accelerated pace. Government will get bigger, in the short term, and as monetary policy goes from irresponsible to absurd, I have every expectation that we will soon shift from some prices falling to an inflationary nightmare.

But there is hope. As all these attempts fail, more people will demand freedom, and see that it is the only way. Government can only get so big before the country goes broke.

It is regrettable that we keep forgetting what history has shown over and over to be true, because truly, it is a hard and destructive lesson to keep learning. Perhaps it is just something that every generation has to learn for itself. The political and cultural changes that come from these economic transitions will be key to the direction and quality of life for future generations. But I am hopeful because of the strength of the American people and the increased number of voices recognizing that liberty really is the only way to peace and prosperity.

Legalizing Drugs: Milton Friedman and William F. Buckley, Jr

Quite often those who favor the drug war will say that only those who use drugs favor their legalization. Many will also tend to imply that no rational person could support legalization.

Here are videos showing two gentlemen, no longer with us, who were not "potheads" and certainly have intellectual credentials:

Milton Friedman Nobel Prize Winning Economist:



William F. Buckley, Jr, Founder of National Review and syndicated columnist:

170 Million People Murdered by Government

What killed the most men, women and children in the 20th Century? Not street crime, not war and not terrorist attacks. The biggest killer was government.

Professor R.J. Rummel, one of the world's authorities on genocide, conservatively estimates that governments murdered 170,000,000 people in that century. That amount averages more than the terrorist death toll of September 11, 2003, every day for 100 years.

Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership produced a documentary film in 2003 called Innocents Betrayed . The film documents the terrible cost in human lives and suffering due to "gun control."

Here is a just under five minute clip from the documentary:




From a review at IMDB.com

Innocents Betrayed shows what happens when ordinary people allow themselves to become powerless and give all of their trust to central authorities. Here's a fact that very few people know: the central authorities (usually known as the governments) killed more men, women and children in the 20th Century than did all of the wars combined. That's correct: 170,000,000 people were murdered by their own governments; in most cases, the victims had no power to defend themselves.

Most people have heard of the Nazi Holocaust -- but few know much about the massive genocides of Soviet Russia, China, Cambodia, Uganda and Guatemala. Only because of the recent film, Hotel Rwanda, do more people know about the calculated mass murder there -- Innocents Betrayed came out 2 years before Hotel Rwanda! The second half of the film shifts focus from the world's genocides to the American experience with citizen powerlessness. Viewers may be quite surprised ... I won't give it away.

Innocents Betrayed includes a lot of still photo and video materials, and enough facts and figures to prove its point. This is not a stodgy "educational video" by any means -- the stories move steadily with appropriate voice-over and music, so that viewers can follow them. As the end approaches, however, the pacing picks up quite dramatically.

I've seen the film several times: I am always stunned and amazed at the end. And very motivated to prevent such atrocities from happening again. See it -- lend it to others -- talk about it. Be part of the generation that says "never again" and means it.

Drug War Report Card: George W. Bush

The Marijuana Policy Project examines the War on a naturally growing plant (marijuana) by the Bush II administration.

The Bush Administration continues to raid Medical Marijuana dispensaries in states where medical marijuana is legal. To be fair Bill "I didn't inhale" Clinton's Administration also conducted these raids.

Spending on the Drugs increased from $19 billion in 2003 to over $20 billion currently. The United States has one of the highest rates of marijuana use despite having some of the most restrictive laws on its use.

The grades given by MPP to the Bush Administration:

• Creating a climate of fear for the sick ----A+
• Snuffing out science -------------------------A+
• Wasting lots of money----------------------- A+
• Marijuana eradication efforts---------------F
• Keeping Americans off drugs----------------F
  
  
  

The Big Club: George Carlin

After the massive transfer of wealth from the common taxpayer to the rich friends of both the Democrats and Republicans in Washington, this commentary by George Carlin resonates even more now.

The Libertarian Party History

On its 35th anniversary in 2006 the Libertarian Party produced the video below. It gives a brief overview of the party and its people.

Free Market Versus Government Control

We don't have a free market in the United States. What we have is basically corporatism or state capitalism.

Anthony Gregory writing in the November 2004 edition of Freedom Daily explains the difference:

Principled advocacy of the free market requires an understanding of the differences between genuine free enterprise and “state capitalism.” Although the Left frequently exaggerates and overemphasizes the evils of corporate America, proponents of the free market often find themselves in the awkward position of defending the status quo of state capitalism, which is in fact a common adversary of the free marketer and the anti-corporate leftist, even if the latter misdiagnoses the problem and proposes the wrong solutions.

Indeed, corporatism, implemented by the state — whether through direct handouts, corporate bailouts, eminent domain, licensing laws, antitrust regulations, or environmental edicts — inflicts great harm on the modern American economy. Although leftists often misunderstand the fundamental problem plaguing the economy, they at least recognize its symptoms.

Conservatives and many libertarians, on the other hand, frequently dismiss many ills such as poverty as fabricated by the left-liberal imagination, when in fact it does a disservice to the cause of liberty and free markets to defend the current system and ignore very real and serious problems, which are often caused by government intervention in the economy. We should recognize that state corporatism is a form of socialism, and it is nearly inevitable in a mixed economy that the introduction of more socialism will cartelize industry and consolidate wealth in the hands of the few.

Throughout the 19th century, the two major political traditions in America offered authentically different views on the proper roles of government. The classical liberals, typified by Thomas Jefferson early on, had their political outlet in the Democratic Party, which, for the most part, stood on the side of limited, constitutional government and individual rights. Those who believed in a strong central government, typified early on by Alexander Hamilton, found their political home first in the Federalist Party, then in the Whig Party, and then in the Republican Party, the last of which openly embraced the doctrine of big government throughout the 19th century.

For about a hundred years the Jeffersonian tradition was mostly associated with the cause of the common man, whereas big government was often associated with monopoly privileges and big business. Hamilton and his philosophical progeny fought perennially for central banking, high tariffs, and subsidies to corporations to build “internal improvements.”

The Left has often hailed the Progressive Era as a time when, for the first time, Hamiltonian means — big government — were used to achieve Jeffersonian ends — the dignity and respect of the common man. In fact, the Progressive Era was a time in which both corporatism and socialism received major steroid injections.

Corporate interests pushed through the most significant Progressive-Era government reforms in order to guarantee profits, which they had been losing to smaller businesses that had emerged in the relatively free market of the early 20th century. Gabriel Kolko’s groundbreaking book The Triumph of Conservatism best advances this thesis of how the government expanded to accommodate, rather than curb, the interests of big business. Though a New Leftist, Kolko shows how political capitalists in every industry — from meatpacking to coal, from railroads to insurance — embraced the expanding regulatory state for their own gain — to push competitors out of the market and give government legitimacy to their companies.

Kolko shows how, in spite of the conventional history that characterizes the Progressive Party’s nomination of Teddy Roosevelt in 1912 as a response to the backwards laissez-faire William Howard Taft administration, in reality the party was favored by large businesses with whom Teddy Roosevelt had strong ties and whom Taft had alienated by failing to accommodate and empower through the regulatory state.

Perhaps no government reform has been more misconstrued as anti-business populism than the Federal Reserve, which was sold to the American people in 1913 as an agency to regulate greedy and irresponsible bankers. As Kolko and many others have shown, the Federal Reserve established a banking oligopoly, guaranteed bailouts for the big bankers, created new barriers to entry for smaller bankers, and was in fact designed by people representing some of the most powerful banking interests in the world, including the National City Bank of New York; Kuhn, Loeb & Company; J.P Morgan Company; and the First National Bank of New York

In more recent years, corporate interests have often cheered on big government programs, often the same ones championed by those who consider themselves anti-corporate. In the late 1990s, the now-defunct Enron was one of the largest lobbying influences behind the international Kyoto Treaty, which would have forced the world to comply with a ghastly web of new regulations and would have meant large energy contracts for Enron, had the company not gone bankrupt. The antitrust breakup of Microsoft was a de facto giveaway to competitors such as Netscape. (One of the complaints about Microsoft was that it intended merging with AOL, a company with which Netscape has since joined forces.)

Bush’s farm subsidies are direct welfare for the biggest agricultural corporations, and his protectionist trade policies are indirect welfare for politically favored businesses. His recent expansion of Medicare has been both the greatest augmentation of the American welfare state in decades and a giveaway to large pharmaceutical corporations. If universal health care ever comes to America, the corporations are likely to stay intact but will no longer have to satisfy customers, only the politicians.

To convince the anti-corporate skeptic of the benefits of the free market, it is crucial to defend the legitimate systems of profit and private property, but it is also vitally important to make clear that America doesn’t have a free-market economy, and indeed many of the ills associated with free markets are actually the result of state capitalism — or socialist corporatism. That the expansion of government regulations, often done in the name of combating corporate excesses, is frequently supported most enthusiastically by corporate interests makes it all the easier to explain economic liberty to those who have become disenchanted with the current system and misattribute the problems to the free market.

See the full article here.

The historical facts Anthony Gregory points out, have been twisted by those in the mass media and in academia into the exact opposite of reality. Similarly, our current economic disaster, which is the result of government intervention in the market by the Federal Reserve, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Congress, is being miscategorized as a failure of the market. So the treatment we are getting is even more government intervention, which will only lead to even worse economic problems.

If we keep on misdiagnosing the causes of the disease, we will never cure it. Those in powerful positions in government and the corporate world do not really desire to cure the disease, instead they merely wish to protect their own interests.

A video exploring the differences between the free market and government control.

Eartha Kitt Rest In Peace

Eartha Kitt the singer dancer and actress has died of colon cancer at the age of 81. I salute Ms. Kitt for having the courage to state her views and stand up to the consequences put upon her by our government in violation of her right to free speech.

From the MSN report on her death:

Kitt was plainspoken about causes she believed in. Her anti-war comments at the White House came as she attended a White House luncheon hosted by Lady Bird Johnson.

"You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed," she told the group of about 50 women. "They rebel in the street. They don't want to go to school because they're going to be snatched off from their mothers to be shot in Vietnam."

For four years afterward, Kitt performed almost exclusively overseas. She was investigated by the FBI and CIA, which allegedly found her to be foul-mouthed and promiscuous.

"The thing that hurts, that became anger, was when I realized that if you tell the truth — in a country that says you're entitled to tell the truth — you get your face slapped and you get put out of work," Kitt told Essence magazine two decades later.

Here is Ms. Kitt performing her most famous song Santa Baby:

The Art of Politics

Saw this quote in an email I received:

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." --Groucho Marx

Unfortunately that pretty much describes most politics today.

What Is It That They Don't Understand About This?

Charlie Lynch opened a medical marijuana dispensary in San Luis Obispo, California. Under the laws of California, medical marijuana dispensaries are entirely legal. The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
doesn't care about California laws nor the health of patients helped by medical marijuana.

The oh so brave drug warriors of the DEA only care about fighting their counterproductive war that accomplishes nothing but burdening society with massive costs. Costs of the DEA, prison space, police corruption and gang warfare.

Dr. David Bearman who has 40 years of professional experience in the drug abuse treatment and prevention field including being the Co-Director of the Haight-Ashbury Drug Treatment Program, being a member of Governor Reagan's Inter Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse, a member of both the Santa Barbara and the San Diego County Drug Abuse Technical Advisor Committees, and a consultant to Hoffman-LaRoche, Santa Barbara County Schools and the National PT, says "The Federal Government is a disgrace to science on this issue."

Here is the story of Charlie Lynch:





The trial:



Contrary to what the jury foreperson Kitty Meese says, the jury did have a choice not to convict Charlie Lynch. Under the system of government set up by the founders, a jury is another check on the tyranny of government. Jury nullification is a power jurors have, likely don't know about and certainly aren't told about by the government.

Sentencing for Charlie Lynch is now scheduled for January 12, 2009.

If you would like to express your opinion of the vile actions of San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Patrick Hedges, the sheriff's phone number is (805) 781-4540.










More on Charlie from Friends of Charles C. Lynch:

Charles C. Lynch is the former owner and managing Caregiver for Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers in Morro Bay.

The dispensary opened on April 1 2006 with the blessing of the city and even joined the Chamber of Commerce. In July 2006 the dispensary was granted a Conditional Use Permit from the City of Morro Bay to include a Medical Cannabis Nursery at the dispensary.

The Dispensary operated for almost one year without any major problems or complaints to the owner. On March 29, 2007 the Local Sheriff and DEA agents raided the Dispensary and Home of Charles Lynch. Lynch was not arrested at the time and reopened the dispensary on April 7 2007 with the blessing of the City of Morro Bay. A week after reopening the dispensary the DEA called the Landlord and threatened him with Forfeiture of his property unless he evicted the Dispensary from the building. On May 16, 2007 the Dispensary closed permanently.

On July 17, 2007 Lynch was arrested at his home and charged with Federal Marijuana Distribution. Now Lynch faces federal Prosecution for operating the Dispensary.

On August 5, 2008 Lynch was convicted in Federal Court for operating the Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers. On November 17, 2008 Charles will appear before Judge Wu to request a new trial on the grounds that he was not allowed to get his defense before the jury. On November 24, 2008 Charles will be sentenced in Federal Court and will most likely appeal the conviction and sentencing. Charles is currently out on a $400,000 bail posted by his loving and trusting family.

Nobody is Going to Bailout America

Former Comptroller General of the United States, David Walker speaks during a panel of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (part of the New America Foundation).

Walker states that the Federal government is over $55 trillion in debt and that no one is going to bailout America. Walker correctly states that "government doesn't have any money." He goes on that we are mortgaging future generations. He calls this fiscally irresponsible and morally reprehensible.

Show Us the Money

Charles Payne of Fox Business interviews Texas Congressman Ron Paul about the total lack of accountability regarding the funds paid out in the Billionaire Bailout this past fall. Paul adds that there is also no accounting for $2 trillion doled out by the Federal Reserve because there is no oversight of the Federal Reserve.

Paul says the real problem is that the government is taking money from the successful and giving it to the unsuccessful. Paul says our problems are not caused by the free market, but rather by fiat money, big government spending and big government regulation.

Joyeux Noel

A clip from the French film Joyeux Noel which is based on the true story of an impromptu cease fire Christmas Eve 1914 during World War I:



This film brings home the point that we are all humans sharing the same hopes and dreams. Yet we get caught up by the political forces that prosper by emphasizing our differences. The common people had no horse in the senseless war now called World War I. It was a war fought for those in power to gain more power. Beyond the massive death and suffering from the war itself, World War I laid the foundation for even more death and suffering in World War II.

It is time for us to quit listening to the so called leaders who drag us into stupid wars. If we don't, we are doomed to repeat the death and suffering forever.


More on the truce from Wikipedia:

The truce began on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1914, when German troops began decorating the area around their trenches in the region of Ypres, Belgium, for Christmas. They began by placing candles on trees, then continued the celebration by singing Christmas carols, most notably Stille Nacht (Silent Night). The Scottish troops in the trenches across from them responded by singing English carols.

The two sides continued by shouting Christmas greetings to each other. Soon thereafter, there were calls for visits across the "No Man's Land" where small gifts were exchanged — whisky, jam, cigars, chocolate, and the like. The soldiers exchanged gifts, sometimes addresses, and drank together. The artillery in the region fell silent that night. The truce also allowed a breathing spell where recently-fallen soldiers could be brought back behind their lines by burial parties. Proper burials took place as soldiers from both sides mourned the dead together and paid their respects. At one funeral in No Man's Land, soldiers from both sides gathered and read a passage from the 23rd Psalm:

The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

The truce spread to other areas of the lines, and there are many stories of football matches between the opposing forces.

In many sectors, the truce lasted through Christmas night, but in some areas, it continued until New Year's Day.

The truce occurred in spite of opposition at higher levels of the military. Earlier in the autumn, a call by Pope Benedict XV for an official truce between the warring governments had been ignored.

British commanders Sir John French and Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien vowed that no such truce would be allowed again, although both had left command before Christmas 1915. In all of the following years of the war, artillery bombardments were ordered on Christmas Eve to ensure that there were no further lulls in the combat. Troops were also rotated through various sectors of the front to prevent them from becoming overly familiar with the enemy. Despite those measures, there were a few friendly encounters between enemy soldiers, but on a much smaller scale than in 1914.

Merry Christmas

The tragedy of the history of mankind becomes even more apparent at this time of year. With all of the wishes for peace and goodwill towards men, society continues on its old ways and persists in hate, misunderstanding, revenge and worst of all the love of power and control.

Power and trying to control others is the root cause of our problems. If we could only learn to respect others and their right to live life as they choose, we would have a much more peaceful world. When we try to control others we only generate resentment. By trying to control others, we encourage others to try and control us.

Politicians and world "leaders" seek power and control by instilling fear. Fear of problems at home and fear of "those people" in other countries. In reality no matter what race, religion, ethnicity or nationality, humans are more alike than they are different. Most people share the same hopes and dreams for themselves, their friends and families.

Those who seek power emphasize our differences and encourage envy. They only gain when we buy the political rhetoric. If we reject the rhetoric and respect individual rights, we defeat the power hungry controllers. Only when we accept the political rhetoric and allow others to be controlled can the power hungry succeed.

We need to learn to allow individuals to make choices different then our own. We need to realize that utopia is not possible and that the seeking of our view of utopia by force will only lead to ruin

Happy Christmas (War Is Over)

John Lennon and Yoko Ono

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so Happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight

A very Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun
And so Happy Christmas
We hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over, if you want it
War is over now

Happy Christmas

Fraud and the Government

From Texas Congressman Ron Paul:

Government and Fraud

Billions of dollars were recently lost in the collapse of Bernie Madoff’s self-described Ponzi scheme, in which too-good-to-be-true returns on investments were not really returns at all, but the funds of defrauded new investors. The pyramid scheme collapsed dramatically when too many clients called in their accounts, and not enough new victims could be found to support these withdrawals. Bernie Madoff was running a blatant fraud operation. Fraud is already illegal, and he will be facing criminal consequences, which is as it should be, and should act as an appropriate deterrent to potential future criminals. But it seems every time someone breaks the law, politicians and pundits decide we need more laws, even though lack of laws was not the problem.

The government itself runs a fraud much bigger than Madoff’s. Our Social Security system is the very definition of a Ponzi, or pyramid scheme. If the government truly had an interest in protecting people’s savings, they would allow people to opt out of Social Security altogether. We would cut wasteful spending, such as our overseas empire, to honor current obligations to seniors, and eventually phase the program out. Instead, as with Enron and Sarbanes Oxley, I expect new, unrelated legislation to be proposed that further damages freedom in the name of protecting us, amidst loud proclamations that they have made the world safe.

Merely passing a law does not fix any problems, just as throwing paper at a recession does not stop it. How can a government so complicit in mandatory public fraud effectively pre-empt private fraud? I see no reason to believe that any new law, or regulatory agency will solve anything. But I do see liberty slipping away every time Congress decides to “do something”. We already have an oversight agency, the SEC, which did a poor job overseeing and preventing this, but does a great job hamstringing honest, productive businesses and driving them overseas.

Total trust in government solutions only creates moral hazard, and amplifies risky behavior. Trust in government got us here. We trusted government to eliminate risk, but it just made risk more creative and dangerous. We trusted the Federal Reserve, a supra-governmental cabal of private banks, to know better than the free market what interest rates should be, and how to stabilize the business cycle, but like a spinning top that loses its balance, it has instead spun the business cycle and the economy wildly out of control.

No governmental activity can negate market forces or nullify the cardinal rule of caveat emptor. Government can however, use our fears against us and promise unrealistic outcomes as a means to consolidate power and erode our liberties. Liberty comes with risk. This is a fact of life. But life without liberty is not much of a life at all.

The only way the American people will get through these difficult times is through our own resilience and ingenuity. At best, the government is irrelevant in finding prosperity again. At worst, government can present a massive obstacle for the economy to overcome. If we do not wise up and rein government back in to its Constitutional limitations, bloated government could be a cumbersome unnecessary weight the economy will continually have to support to stay afloat.

What You Absolutely Need To Know About Hanukkah

From Jews For The Preservation Of Firearms Ownership:

What You Absolutely Need To Know About Hanukkah

By Franklin Raff


Hanukkah is a time for lighting the menorah, for playing games, giving gifts, and celebrating God's trans historical blessings and miracles. But it is also a time for sober remembrance, a holiday whose history calls upon all of us to rededicate ourselves to Him, and to muster and redeploy our prayers, efforts, and assets in the
fight against government tyranny, cultural assimilation, and secularization.

At Hanukkah we celebrate the re dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. It was desecrated by the forces of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who was obsessed with de-Judaizing the Land of Israel (then part of his Greco-Syrian empire). Antiochus banned the Jewish religion, forbade circumcision, shabbat observance, and
possession of the Torah, disarmed and slaughtered Jews (and children) as a warning to others, and converted their ancient temple for pagan worship. But in a bloody revolt at around 160BC led by Judah Maccabee ("The Hammer") and his brothers and father, a few remaining un assimilated Jews successfully - some say miraculously - drove Antiochus' forces from Jerusalem, and rescued the temple.

Once the city had been secured, imagine what it would have been like, as a Jew, as a warrior, to finally stand, caked in blood, in the threshhold of the ancient temple. Before you, where the Ark of the Covenant once lay, is now an an altar to Zeus, stained with the smoke and fat from burning pigs. None of the ancient, once familiar sounds, the soft hum of prayer and study, the tender singing of passages from the Five Books of Moses: most of the high priests had been massacred years ago, many cut down by Antiochus' assassins as they sang and prayed in that very spot. Now, only silence, exhaustion, and perhaps, bewilderment.

According to the Bible, the remaining Jews immediately set about cleaning the place up, re-sanctifying and rededicating every inch of the holy temple. It was surely a matter of urgency to rekindle the 'eternal flame' of the seven-branched menorah, symbolizing both the eternality of God as well as Moses' encounter with the
burning bush, that pivotal moment in Jewish history which catalyzed our exodus from slavery.

But there was a problem: most of the sanctified olive oil used to fuel the menorah had been destroyed or tainted. According to legend, only one cask of oil, sealed by a priest, could be found, and it only contained enough oil for one days' flame. It would take eight days to manufacture, purify, and bless any additional supply of oil.

Trusting in God, and with a sense of worshipful urgency, they lit the menorah anyway, and a miracle ensued: the one days' supply of oil kept the menorah alight for the full eight days needed to replenish the supply, and ensure the uninterrupted eternal flame. This is how the festival commemorating the re dedication of the Second Temple came to be known as the "Festival of Lights." A special nine-branched menorah is used on Hanukkah, eight branches to commemorate the eight miraculous days, and a ninth branch, the "shamash" or servant-branch, whose flame is used to light the other branches and symbolically guard against utilitarian, secular use of the lights.

The Hanukkah menorah is also symbolic of a lesser known event: both the Talmud and the Book of Maccabees depict the story of the seven sons of Hannah, who were tortured and executed in that time because of their refusal to renounce their faith, eat pork and bow to pagan statues. Hannah committed suicide after the death of her
sons. The eight lights of the Hanukkah menorah bear witness to the fate of Hannah and her family, their steadfast faith in G-d and and their refusal to assimilate.

Hanukkah's observance is linked, inextricably, with a profound reverence for the memory of all those who have fought against impossible odds for the freedom to worship G-d and to preserve the religious traditions which enable us to follow His commandments. It is a time to re-tell the story of the siege of Masada, to remember the Bar Kochba and Great Revolts against Rome, to revere the memory of generations upon generations of martyrs and warriors since who have fought and died in the name of Abraham's legacy - individual liberty, (indeed the notion of "individualism" under God), self-determination, and freedom of worship.

If you love your God but fear your government, tell others about the destruction of the Second Temple by the hitlerian Antiochus Epiphanes, and help your children internalize these lessons of Hanukkah.

If you would be reminded of the importance of preserving second-amendment freedoms, recall this chapter in the long story of the disarmament of the Jews. Honor the memory of Hannah and her sons by kindling the lights of Hanukkah with firm resolve.

If you should ever doubt that righteousness will always prevail so long as we love God and fight for his spiritual and physical territory, let your heart be filled with the spirit of Judah and his Maccabees. Put on their armor, symbolically, and celebrate the victory which Hanukkah commemorates.

If you believe in individual and religious freedom, if you believe in self-determination, and if you believe in miracles; if you truly have faith in God, light the Hanukkah menorah this year, and thank God for His enduring faith in us.

Hanukkah is a time in which all of God's warriors - ideological, cultural, and otherwise - are spiritually united. This, in itself, is cause for contemplation, fraternization, and celebration.

Happy Hanukkah!


Franklin Raff

Santa Claus Gives Gifts to the Citizens of Tempe, Arizona

Santa and his helpers visited Tempe, Arizona a little early this year. They placed boxes and wrapping paper over various red light and speed cameras.

At the end of the video is a message:

"Ho Ho Ho! Death to the surveillance state! Free movement for all people!"

We are becoming a surveillance state with cameras everywhere. Cameras that do nothing to fight real crime, but rather are used as money raising tools for an oppressive state.

Christmas is in Danger!!!! The Government Must Act Before It Is Too Late.

Emergency hearings were held today by Congress in an attempt to save Christmas. Mr. Nicholas Claus appeared along with two assistants to explain the pressing need for a government bailout. Without this bailout Mr. Claus predicts irreparable harm to Christmas.



Of course this is a fairy tale just like the idea that the government needs to bailout the billionaires on Wall Street and in Detroit in order to avoid calamity.

Banned by Nanny State Nags in 2008

A review of some actual and proposed Nanny State bans in 2008. From Reason Magazine:

The Economics of the Drug War

In this clip from "American Drug War", Judge James Gray of Superior Court, Orange County California states that the major funders of the "The Partnership for a Drug Free America" are the tobacco and alcohol industry.

The video points out that 38 million people have been arrested for non violent drug violations since the Drug War began in the 1971. Two million children are orphaned by the Drug War.

Fourth Amendment - Michael Badnarik

Michael Badnarik, 2004 Libertarian Presidential nominee presenting his Bill of Rights class at the Libertarian Party of Illinois 2007 Convention. This video is on the Fourth Amendment.

Third Amendment - Michael Badnarik

Michael Badnarik, 2004 Libertarian Presidential nominee presenting his Bill of Rights class at the Libertarian Party of Illinois 2007 Convention. This video is on the Third Amendment.

Second Amendment - Michael Badnarik

Michael Badnarik, 2004 Libertarian Presidential nominee presenting his Bill of Rights class at the Libertarian Party of Illinois 2007 Convention. This video is on the Second Amendment.

First Amendment - Michael Badnarik

Michael Badnarik, 2004 Libertarian Presidential nominee presenting his Bill of Rights class at the Libertarian Party of Illinois 2007 Convention. These videos are on the First Amendment.

First Amendment - Part I



First Amendment - Part II

Students for Liberty

Students For Liberty is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a unified, student-driven forum of support for students and student organizations dedicated to liberty.

This is from the Widows, the Orphans and Those Who Were Killed in Iraq

Jack Hunter comments on the shoe incident:

The Cost of Marijuana Prohibition

The Marijuana Policy Project examines the cost of Marijuana Prohibition.

New New Deal Same as the Old New Deal

Reason TV examines the coming New New Deal from the Obama Administration. According to UCLA economist Lee Ohanian FDR's programs allowed collusion between companies to set minimum prices. FDR's policies led to unemployment remainig in double digits throughout the entire 1930's.



From Reason:

Nobel laureate economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman says he wants President-elect Barack Obama to enact "something like a new New Deal." Historian Douglas Brinkley has said that Obama could come to office with a "sweeping legislative agenda which will be Johnson-like or New Deal-like." An aide close to Obama told New York magazine that "A lot of people around Barack are reading books about FDR's first hundred days."

On the cusp of a deep economic recession, and with a staggering amount of bailout money being offered to struggling industries, pundits and political advisers are advocating that the incoming Obama administration construct a new New Deal.

But is the popular narrative about the old New Deal-that Keynesian economics and top-down planning rescued America from the Great Depression-accurate? Reason.tv's Michael C. Moynihan talks to UCLA economist Lee Ohanian, who argues in work written with colleague Harold Cole, that the New Deal's massive intervention into the economy actually prolonged the economic crisis by seven years.

The Decider Destroys the Free Market to Save It

Ah, I remember back in 2000 when I thought Bush II would be fairly harmless.(BTW, I voted for Harry Browne) Boy was I wrong! George W. Bush is by far the worst President of my lifetime. That is saying a lot when your competition includes the likes of Lyndon Baines Johnson and Richard Milhous Nixon.

Bush II is a either a liar or a moron. I believe he is the latter. He is a child of privilege who has never really had to make it on his own. He wouldn't know a free market if he saw one.

His Administration is overrun with war mongering Neocons who have destroyed this country's reputation by bogging us down in counterproductive wars based on outright lies and deception. All to fulfill their grandiose scheme of American domination of the world.

Bush II's administration has been a disaster on the home front also. He has oversaw a constant increase in government spending and interference in the lives of individuals. Whether it is the federalization of education or the massive erosion of civil liberties.

Here is the decider justifying the destruction of what was left of the free market:



I'll be glad to see this guy go.

SEC is Totally Inept

On Bloomberg TV Congressman states that the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) is totally inept. He continues that the SEC should be abolished. He also calls the Social Security is the world's biggest Ponzi scheme.

Keynesianism Does Not Work

Dan Mitchell of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity looks at both Keynesian theory and practice and finds that allowing politicians to spend more money is not a recipe for better economic performance.



I do disagree with Mitchell when he says that the "printing money option is off the table." In my opinion the US government is in effect printing money. The money the Fed and Treasury is using to bailout Wall Street, banks, AIG and so on is coming out of thin air. While the government is not physically printing paper money, it is creating money virtually.

More from Mitchell:

President-elect Obama has announced that he wants a big "stimulus" package to create 2.5 million jobs by 2011. ...Some supporters of this new spending seem genuinely convinced that the federal government can create jobs.

In part, this is a debate about Keynesian economics, which is the theory that the economy can be boosted if the government borrows money and then gives it to people so they will spend it. This supposedly "primes the pump" as the money circulates through the economy. Keynesian theory sounds good, and it would be nice if it made sense, but it has a rather glaring logical fallacy. It overlooks the fact that, in the real world, government can't inject money into the economy without first taking money out of the economy. More specifically, the theory only looks at one-half of the equation - the part where government puts money in the economy's right pocket.

But where does the government get that money? It borrows it, which means it comes out of the economy's left pocket. There is no increase in what Keynesians refer to as aggregate demand. Keynesianism doesn't boost national income, it merely redistributes it.

The pie is sliced differently, but it's not any bigger. The real world evidence also shows that Keynesianism does not work. Both Hoover and Roosevelt dramatically increased spending, and neither showed any aversion to running up big deficits, yet the economy was terrible all through the 1930s. Keynesian stimulus schemes also were tried by Gerald Ford and George W. Bush and had no impact on the economy.

Keynesianism also failed in Japan during the 1990s. To be fair, the inability of Keynesianism to boost growth may not necessarily mean that government spending does not create jobs. Moreover, the argument that government can create jobs is not dependent on Keynesian economics. Politicians from both parties, for instance, argued in favor of pork-filled transportation bills earlier this decade when the economy was enjoying strong growth - and job creation generally was their primary talking point.

Unfortunately, no matter how the issue is analyzed, there is virtually no support for the notion that government spending creates jobs. Indeed, the more relevant consideration is the degree to which bigger government destroys jobs. Both the theoretical and empirical evidence argues against the notion that big government boosts job creation..."

Ron Paul More in Depth Thoughts on the Billionaire Auto Bailout

This was recorded between the time that the Billionaire Auto Bailout passed in the House and before it was rejected by the Senate. Ron Paul says that big fraud is the trillions of dollars coming from the Federal Reserve for bailouts with no accountability.

Corruption in Katrina Cleanup

As the Blagojevich scandal continues to play out in Chicago, we should not forget that other city of corruption: New Orleans.

A couple of videos on a home repair corruption scandal that has been going on in New Orleans for months. Double billing, non existent homes being repaired, not doing the work claimed and even claiming to paint a brick house and billing the city over $6,000:






From an October 17, 2008 article by Gordon Russell in the New Orleans Times-Picayune

At least six city home-remediation contractors whose work was questioned by City Hall have failed to document their work or refund the city's money, despite two rounds of demand letters from the city.

So far, just one NOAH contractor has admitted a mistake and sent the city a check. The reimbursement, from contractor Training Connection Inc., totals $2,520 -- a small fraction of the overall sum in dispute from the contractors, which appears to be more than $100,000 but is something of a moving target.

The city's efforts to verify remediation work came after a series of television and newspaper reports presented evidence that some of the properties the city paid to gut or board up were never cleaned up. In response, the city quickly shuttered the agency and laid off its employees.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten and New Orleans Inspector General Robert Cerasoli also announced investigations into the matter. And Mayor Ray Nagin, whose brother-in-law was among the contractors whose work was flagged, promised an aggressive city response.

He vowed "to treat every contractor the same, " and said: "If they owe us money, we're going to recover it."

The Nagin administration announced after its August review that it was demanding that contractors provide documentation to support $103,517 in payments the city made for work at 46 properties where officials later found no evidence of completed work. A snapshot Times-Picayune survey of properties in the program found that the city's review missed other questionable cases.

It's unclear how city officials decided which contractors had offered sufficient proof of their work.

In late September, The Times-Picayune requested permission to see the responses from all 26 contractors whose work was flagged by the city.

Only 9 respond to city

Records provided by the Nagin administration this week indicated that only nine contractors responded in any fashion. And most of those, the records showed, provided no evidence that they completed the work, such as pictures.

Still, city officials told 18 contractors last month that they need not provide further documentation, according to copies of letters released by the administration.

The letters show five contractors were cleared after city officials determined they had met their burden of proof. The other 13 received letters saying that "upon further review of the city's files and field reports, there is no additional information required at this time."

The latter group of 13 included Cedric Smith, the mayor's brother-in-law and owner of S&A Construction, the fourth-highest-paid company in the program. Initially, the city had questioned six jobs performed by S&A at a cost of about $18,000.


Overall, only four companies provided pictures of the job sites, and in many of those images, it was difficult or impossible to tell what work was performed. The only company to admit an error was Training Connection.

In an Aug. 14 letter to City Attorney Penya Moses-Fields, company owner Jean Washington said she reviewed eight properties her company remediated. In one instance, Washington wrote, workers accidentally cleaned up a property next to the one requested by the city, at 4910 Crowder Blvd.

"When I did my final inspection, I surmised that there was a mix-up with the address, and that we gutted 4912 (Crowder), " the letter said.

Washington hung up the phone when contacted by a reporter.

We're in the Midst of Nationalization, Without a Whimper

Ron Paul addressing the Billionaire Auto Bailout in the House of Representatives. Paul states that the automakers bailout is just a small part of huge ongoing $8 trillion and growing bailout. Paul says

"We're in the midst of nationalization, without a whimper."

Minnesota Department of Health Continues to Violate State Law and Individual Privacy

The Minnesota Department of Health continues to violate state law and individual privacy rights by collecting and storing the blood and DNA of every newborn in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Health has warehoused the blood and DNA of over 780,000 children born in Minnesota. As is always the case with government when it tramples on our rights and liberty, the claim is made that it is for our own good. As always this claim ignores the inherit danger in such government power and the long sad history of how governments have time and again abused their power.

First a video of a press conference held by the Citizens' Council on Health Care calling on Governor Tim Pawlenty to "require his Commissioner of Health to cease and desist the warehousing of newborn blood and baby DNA without informed, written parent consent."

The Citizens' Council on Health Care press release follows the video.





The press release:

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, December 10, 2008



VIOLATION CONFIRMED
Minnesota Department of Health Continues to Store Baby DNA without Required Parent Consent; Violates Genetic Privacy Law…and Governor’s Veto

St. Paul/Minneapolis – In a press conference held today, concerned parents and the Citizens’ Council on Health Care (CCHC) called on Governor Tim Pawlenty to require his Commissioner of Health to cease and desist the warehousing of newborn blood and baby DNA without informed, written parent consent.

Twila Brase, president of CCHC, listens as DeEtta Moos, mother of four children, expresses concerns over the violation of Minnesota's genetic privacy law for storage and use of baby DNA “Despite Governor Pawlenty’s veto of the health department’s DNA warehousing bill last legislative session…we have confirmed that the Minnesota Department of Health is continuing to warehouse baby DNA without parent consent. This is a direct violation of the genetic privacy and DNA property rights of parents and children,” said Twila Brase, president of CCHC.

DeEtta Moos, mother of four children, said, “Last session, there was an attempt to undercut Judge Neilson's ruling, but thanks to Governor Pawlenty's veto, the Minnesota Genetic Privacy Law still demands the requirement of parental consent for storage of blood and any purposes beyond the initial testing.”

Ryan Sibinski, expectant father of twins, expressed his disappointment saying, “My wife and I are acutely aware that storage of newborn DNA is still being done illegally by the MN Department of Health. We thought the Governor’s veto was supposed to solve this, but we have now discovered that the storage continues.”

Mr. Sibinski continued, “In two months or less, our babies will be born. I request here today that the Department of Health make sure that I am clearly asked to consent to the storage, use, and sharing of my children’s blood and DNA. This is my legal right under the law.”

Attorney Nathan Hansen, who has been attempting to obtain public documents regarding the transfer and use of newborn DNA for research studies, said, “No excuse has been given by the Department for this information not to be handed over.”

Notable History:

August 1, 2006 – Minnesota Genetic Privacy Law (M.S. 13.386) becomes effective. Informed written consent required for collection, storage, use and dissemination of genetic information by government and others.

January 23, 2007 – At request of concerned citizens, a public hearing was held on the health department’s proposed revision to the newborn screening rule.

March 23, 2007 – Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Barbara Neilsen rules that the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is violating the 2006 state genetic privacy law’s informed written consent requirements for storage, use and dissemination.

July 3, 2007 – Chief Administrative Law Judge Raymond R. Krause denies Health Commissioner Dianne Mandernach’s appeal of the Neilsen ruling.

August 29, 2007 – Commissioner Mandernach withdraws the proposed revision to the newborn screening rule.

February 25, 2008 – Legislation introduced in the Minnesota legislature to exempt the newborn screening program (collection, storage, use, and dissemination) from the genetic privacy law’s requirements for informed, written consent.

May 19, 2008 – Governor vetoes S.F. 3138, prohibiting an exemption to the genetic privacy law’s consent requirements. He mentions ALJ ruling in his veto letter.

November 18, 2008 – David Orren, MDH Chief Legal Counsel, confirms to CCHC that MDH continues to store newborn blood without consent.

Ms. Brase called on Governor Pawlenty to act, saying, “We call on Governor Pawlenty to take immediate steps to assure the public that he supports the rule of law, and holds his administration accountable to follow the law. Let me suggest that he issue a statement today guaranteeing the health department’s compliance with the written informed consent requirements of the genetic privacy law. He could decree that no newborn blood be warehoused, used for research, or shared with others without informed written parent consent. He could order the health department to release public documents in compliance with the Government Data Practices Act. And he could also promise to dismantle the state’s DNA warehouse, protecting the genetic privacy rights of the more than 780,000 children whose DNA has been claimed by state government and warehoused without consent.”

Links to the Governor's veto letter, the Administrative Law Judge's decision, the Minnesota Department of Health and CCHC documents can be found at http://www.itsmydna.org/.

Contact Information:
Twila Brase
President, Citizens' Council on Health Care
651-646-8935 office

See my previous posts on this issue:

Veto Baby DNA Bill Governor Pawlenty

Eight Reasons Why Pawlenty Should Veto the “Health Care Reform” Bill

Minnesota Collects Every Newborn's DNA

Another video from the press conference:

Governor Blagstealovich and Crook County

Reason's Michael C. Moynihan talks with Terry Michael, former press spokesman for the Illinois House Democrats and former press secretary for Sen. Paul Simon, and Mike Flynn, Director of Government Affairs at the Reason Foundation,
about the long history of corruption in Illinois politics and the current troubles of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

They also discuss the involvement or lack of involvement of Barack Obama and Jesse Jackson Jr. who is "Senate Candidate No. 5".

Lots of interesting insights into the workings of Illinois politics.

Your T Shirt is Not Cool: Che Guevara was a Murderer

Che Guevara has become an icon in modern pop culture. Why? He was a brutal communist revolutionary responsible for murder, torture and repression.

This video from Reason Magazine examines the Che phenomenon, along with an apparently growing popularization of the biggest mass murder of the 20th Century, Chairman Mao. Reason asks why this is accepted, when to do anything similar in regard to another 20th Century mass murder, Adolf Hitler, is immediately condemned.



Here is excerpt from the letter mentioned in the video that was written by Paquito D'Rivera to Carlos Santana about Santana's wearing of a Che Guevara t-shirt.

The guerrilla guy with the beret with the star is something more than that ridiculous film about a motorcycle, my illustrious colleague, and to juxtapose Christ with Che Guevara is like entering a synagogue with a swastika hanging from your neck; it's also a harsh blow in the face of the Cuban youth from the 60's who had to go into hiding to listen to YOUR albums that the Revolution and the troglodite Argentinean and his cohorts dubbed as "imperialist music" (i.e. Rock & Roll).

For the complete letter:

FindArticles - Open letter to Carlos Santana by Paquito D'Rivera
Latin Beat Magazine, May, 2005

The Three Stooges: Joe Barton, Michael McCaul and Bobby Rush

The nincompoops who think they are our lord and master never cease to amaze me with their idiocy.

According to a story on ESPN.com:

Taking aim at a BCS system he said "consistently misfires," a member of Congress planned to introduce legislation Wednesday that would force college football to adopt a playoff to determine the national champion.

Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, didn't specify what sort of playoff he wants -- only that the BCS should go.

He said the bill -- being co-sponsored by Reps. Bobby Rush, an Illinois Democrat, and Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican -- "will prohibit the marketing, promotion, and advertising of a postseason game as a 'national championship' football game, unless it is the result of a playoff system. Violations of the prohibition will be treated as violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act as an unfair or deceptive act or practice."

"Curly" Joe Barton

Bobby "Moe" Rush

Michael "Larry" McCaul

Congressman Barton, Rush and McCaul apparently think they rule us. What business is it of Congress to decide how college football is run? Will they next introduce a bill designating the strike zone in baseball? How about the allowable curvature of the blade on a hockey stick? I missed the part of the Constitution that authorizes Congress to run college sports.

Tenth Amendment Anyone?

On June 16, 2008, the Oklahoma legislature passed Joint Resolution 1089 by a margin of 92-3. The resolution calls for the federal government to, effective immediately, cease and desist imposing mandates that supersede its constitutional authority and violate state sovereignty under the 10th Amendment.

Here is the complete text of the resolution:

A Joint Resolution claiming sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over certain powers; serving notice to the federal government to cease and desist certain mandates; and directing distribution.

WHEREAS, the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads as follows:

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."; and

WHEREAS, the Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that specifically granted by the Constitution of the United States and no more; and

WHEREAS, the scope of power defined by the Tenth Amendment means that the federal government was created by the states specifically to be an agent of the states; and

WHEREAS, today, in 2008, the states are demonstrably treated as agents of the federal government; and

WHEREAS, many federal mandates are directly in violation of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court has ruled in New York v. United States, 112 S. Ct. 2408 (1992), that Congress may not simply commandeer the legislative and regulatory processes of the states; and

WHEREAS, a number of proposals from previous administrations and some now pending from the present administration and from Congress may further violate the Constitution of the United States.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE OF THE 2ND SESSION OF THE 51ST OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:

THAT the State of Oklahoma hereby claims sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States.

THAT this serve as Notice and Demand to the federal government, as our agent, to cease and desist, effective immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers.

THAT a copy of this resolution be distributed to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate of each state’s legislature of the United States of America, and each member of the Oklahoma Congressional Delegation.

An Addict's Fix

Ron Paul and Peter Schiff have been warning about the coming problems for our economy for years. Isn't it about time we listened to them instead of the people who got us into this mess?



Please check out the Campaign for Liberty.

Mayor Richard Daley Reacts to Rod Blagojevich's Arrest

According to Mayor Daley he doesn't read the newspapers. Yeah, anyway here is his reaction to Rod Blagojevich's arrest:



Perhaps Illinois should move the State Capital to Joliet. It would save those transportation costs to bring the governors to the federal penitentiary.

Even More on Rod Blagojevich's Arrest

From the Criminal Complaint:

SUMMARY OF PROBABLE CAUSE

13. Since approximately 2003, the government has been investigating allegations of illegal activity occurring in State of Illinois government as part of the administration of Governor ROD BLAGOJEVICH. As further detailed below, the investigation has developed evidence that:

(a) beginning not later than in or about 2002, ROD BLAGOJEVICH has conspired with multiple individuals, including, beginning not later than in or about October 2008, JOHN HARRIS, to devise and participate in a scheme, which used and contemplated the use of the mails and interstate wire communications, to defraud the State of Illinois and its residents of the honest services of ROD BLAGOJEVICH and JOHN HARRIS by corruptly using the office of Governor of the State of Illinois to obtain and attempt to obtain personal gain, including financial gain, for ROD BLAGOJEVICH and third parties with whom he is associated; and

(b) beginning no later than November 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and JOHN HARRIS have corruptly solicited and demanded the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members responsible for editorials critical of ROD BLAGOJEVICH, intending to be influenced and rewarded in connection with State of Illinois financial assistance in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field. The evidence demonstrates that the corrupt conduct undertaken included but was not limited to the following:

a. Defendant ROD BLAGOJEVICH and at times defendant JOHN HARRIS, together with others, obtained and attempted to obtain financial benefits for ROD BLAGOJEVICH, members of the Blagojevich family, and third parties including Friends of Blagojevich, in exchange for appointments to state boards and commissions, state employment, state contracts, and access to state funds;

b. Defendants ROD BLAGOJEVICH and JOHN HARRIS, together with others, offered to, and threatened to withhold from, the Tribune Company substantial state financial assistance in connection with Wrigley Field, which assistance ROD BLAGOJEVICH believed to be worth at least $100 million to the Tribune Company, for the private purpose of inducing the controlling shareholder of the Tribune Company to fire members of the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune, a newspaper owned by the Tribune Company, who were responsible for editorials critical of ROD BLAGOJEVICH;

c. Defendants ROD BLAGOJEVICH and JOHN HARRIS, together with others, attempted to use ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s authority to appoint a United States Senator for the purpose of obtaining personal benefits for ROD BLAGOJEVICH, including, among other things, appointment as Secretary of Health & Human Services in the President-elect’s administration, and alternatively, a lucrative job which they schemed to induce a union to provide to ROD BLAGOJEVICH in exchange for appointing as senator an individual whom ROD BLAGOJEVICH and JOHN HARRIS believed to be favored by union officials and their associates.

14. As detailed below, in early October 2008, the government obtained information that ROD BLAGOJEVICH was accelerating his corrupt fund raising activities to accumulate as much money as possible before the implementation of ethics legislation on January 1,2009, that would severely curtail ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s ability to raise money from individuals and entities conducting business with the State of Illinois. Based in part on the recently obtained information, and as part of the investigation into ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s corrupt fund raising efforts, in October 2008 the government obtained court approval to intercept oral communications in certain locations in the offices of Friends of Blagojevich.

In addition, as part of its investigation, the government obtained court approval to intercept wire communications on the home phone of ROD BLAGOJEVICH. Specifically:

a. On October 21, 2008, Chief Judge James F. Holderman signed an order authorizing the interception of oral communications for a 30-day period in two rooms at the Friends of Blagojevich office: the personal office of ROD BLAGOJEVICH and the conference room. On the morning of October 22, 2008, the FBI began intercepting oral communications in those rooms. On November 19, 2008, Chief Judge James F. Holderman signed an order authorizing the continued interception of oral communications in the two rooms at the Friends of Blagojevich office for a second 30-day period.

b. On October 29, 2008, Chief Judge James Holderman entered an Order authorizing the interception of wire communications to and from a landline telephone subscribed to ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s home address and used by ROD BLAGOJEVICH and others. The interception of wire communications to and from ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s home phone began on the evening of October 29, 2008. On November 26, 2008, Acting Chief Judge Matthew F. Kennelly signed an order authorizing the continued interception of wire communications on ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s home phone for a second 30-day period.

15. The remainder of this affidavit first sets out certain information obtained prior to the initiation of the court-authorized interceptions, relating to allegations that ROD BLAGOJEVICH solicited and obtained campaign contributions in exchange for official actions as Governor. Next, this affidavit details certain information obtained during the course of the court-authorized interceptions and relating to the crimes alleged in the attached criminal complaint. This information, in turn, is divided into sections relating to three topics:

(a) efforts to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions by ROD BLAGOJEVICH;

(b) efforts to use state funds for the private purpose of inducing the Tribune Company to fire Chicago Tribune editorial board members critical of ROD BLAGOJEVICH by making their firing a condition of state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with Wrigley Field; and

(c) efforts to obtain personal financial benefits for ROD BLAGOJEVICH in return for his appointment of a United States Senator.

More on Rod Blagojevich's Arrest

More on Rod Blagojevich's arrest for trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat. Some interesting discussion from Chuck Todd on the prevalence of corruption in the Illinois governor's office. If convicted Blagojevich would be the fourth Illinois governor to serve time in Federal prison in the last 40 years.

From MSNBC:

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Taken into FBI Custody

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was taken into FBI Custody today according to the Chicago Tribune:

U.S. attorney's office spokesman Randall Samborn said both Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris were arrested today. Authorities aren't yet releasing details about those charges.

The stunning, early morning visit by authorities to the governor's North Side home came amid revelations that federal investigators had recorded the governor with the cooperation of a longtime confidant and had begun to focus on the possibility that the process of choosing a Senate successor to President-elect Barack Obama could be tainted by pay-to-play politics.

Blagojevich was taken into custody hours after the Tribune reported that the investigation into allegations of pay-to-play politics within his administration had been expanded to include his pending choice of a Senate replacement for Obama. The Democratic governor has said he expects to make a decision on the state's next senator in weeks.

Sources told the Tribune that investigators intensified their investigation into Blagojevich amid concerns that the process of choosing a new senator could be tainted.

Illinois politics appear to be hopelessly corrupt. The previous governor (George Ryan, a Republican) is in Federal Prison for corruption and now the current governor (a Democrat) is in Federal custody for corruption.

Update: More from the Chicago Tribune.

Gun Control Protects Terrorists and Despots

From Texas Congressman Ron Paul:

Gun Control: Protecting Terrorists and Despots

Tragically, over the Thanksgiving holiday, the world was reminded how evil and cruel people can be. According to emerging accounts of the events in India, about a dozen well-armed and devastatingly well-trained terrorists laid siege on the city of Mumbai, killing almost two hundred people, and terrorizing thousands.

Regardless of the reasons, the indiscriminate shooting on masses of unarmed and defenseless people is chilling and reprehensible. How were these terrorists able to continue so long, relatively unchallenged, killing so many?

India’s gun laws are her business, of course. However, once the shock of these events and the initial reaction of fear passes, Americans should take away a valuable lesson about real homeland security and gun control from this tragedy.

Gun control advocates tell us that removing guns from society makes us safer. If that were the case why do the worst shootings happen in gun free zones, like schools? And while accidents do happen, aggressive, terroristic shootings like this are unheard of at gun and knife shows, or military bases. It bears repeating that an armed society truly is a polite society.

The fact is that firearm technology exists. It cannot be uninvented. As long as there is metalworking and welding capability, it matters not what gun laws are imposed upon law-abiding people. Those that wish to have guns, and disregard the law, will have guns. Gun control makes violence safer and more effective for the aggressive, whether the aggressor is a terrorist or a government.

History shows us that another tragedy of gun laws is genocide. Hitler, for example, knew well that in order to enact his “final solution,” disarmament was a necessary precursor. While it is not always the case that an unarmed populace WILL be killed by their government, if a government is going to kill its own people, it MUST disarm them first so they cannot fight back. Disarmament must happen at a time when overall trust in government is high, and under the guise of safety for the people, or perhaps the children. Knowing that any government, no matter how idealistically started, can become despotic, the Founding Fathers enabled the future freedom of Americans by enacting the second amendment.

In our own country, we should be ever vigilant against any attempts to disarm the people, especially in this economic downturn. I expect violent crime to rise sharply in the coming days, and as states and municipalities are even more financially strained, the police will be even less able or willing to respond to crime. In many areas, local police could become more and more absorbed with revenue generating activities, like minor traffic violations and the asset forfeiture opportunities of non-violent drug offenses. Your safety has always, ultimately been your own responsibility, but never more so than now. People have a natural right to defend themselves. Governments that take that away from their people should be highly suspect.