See checks and balances do work but only when the Speaker pisses off over half the House

A deeply divided U.S. House has narrowly rejected a massive taxpayer bailout of the troubled financial sector. President Bush pushed hard for the roughly 700-billion dollar bailout, warning that there could be dire consequences for the national economy without it. Though there was considerable crossover in the votes, most Democrats voted for it, while most Republicans voted against it. The Dow responded by dropping like a stone, losing more than 600 points at one point.

Stay with Newstalk 1190 WOWO for the latest developments

Ironically Republican incumbent Representative Mark "my small town values" Souder who has so much experience in Congress that he decided not to stand up and represent his constituents in his legacy vote regarding the Administration's welfare benefits package for corporations, and instead tried to structure his argument for the legislation as inevitable and capitulate by marking the legislation as "put(ting) a finger in the dike".

Sorry Mark, a dike doesn't cost 250-700 billion dollars to build, or repair.

Monday he called it "a bold bill that will help keep the crisis in our financial system from spreading throughout our economy." Souder said he was concerned abut the effect of the economic turmoil on northeast Indiana jobs. If jobs leave the area, he said, "they won't come back. We have more at risk than other areas." Souder said his office has been flooded by calls from constituents who oppose the bailout and said a "yes" vote is unpopular with voters. "Sometimes you got to gut it out," he said. "I don't like it," Souder said of the bill. "I tried to delay it" to allow for more discussion. Last week Souder said he was leaning toward voting against the bill, but Monday he said the revised legislation was better than Paulson proposed last week.

Mr. Souder, if citizens get frustrated enough, they might just have the guts to send you back home for good.

Here is a breakdown of the vote: There are 435 members in the House of Representatives in the United States Congress. The EESA 08 was defeated 205-228 (note that is more than half against); 65 Republicans and 140 Democrats who voted "yes"; 95 Democrats and 133 Republicans voted "no". There were one or two Representatives missing from the vote.

WOWO NEWS UPDATE 6pm:
6 out of 9 Representatives from Indiana voted against the EESA.
The DOW has closed @ 777 pointes down today in response to the vote.

To Watch It Unfold Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) Ohio | Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) California Speech
After The Vote Rep. Barney Frank (D) Massachusetts | The Republican House Leadership
Source: TowleRoad

FURTHER READING:
Fort Wayne Politics | Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (pdf) |
Souder bucks GOP on bailout | Fort Wayne News | Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D) California speech text

TO SEND MARK SOUDER HOME LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS
LIBERTARIAN WILLIAM LARSEN WEBSITE | BLOG | PLATFORM | SOCIAL SECURITY |

Libertarians Handle Equality Issues & Assure The Rights Of All Persons

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is excerpted and modified from F6 ~ Queer Views of Life Along Our Three Rivers', post last Wednesday. The topic was both timely and multifaceted, and my commentary I feel, should be brought over here to expand the conversation/debate.

We all know that life isn’t the way it should be for people who are GLBT. We also know that real change is possible - that it can be better. So now what?

We begin by electing fair-minded, equality candidates to office - from Barack Obama, Jill Long-Thompson, and Michael Montagano, right through to locals Kevin Knuth and Maria Parra - all of whom have reached out to us, fight for us, and who genuinely care about us as human beings. These people have consistently put their beliefs in action, and now it’s time for us to do the same.

~Linda Bentz, HRC FW Lead, (Reality Magazine, volume 2, issue 9, page 3)

The problem with the above scenario, which repeats almost every election cycle in some regard, comes into play because, while Libertarians are pro equality, we operate under a different paradigm based on the individual's merit versus a collective privilege. Even though we strive to reach the same goals, it seems like die hard Republicans or Democrats can't handle the philosophical differences/challenges of just treating all persons as individuals, with the self evident truth that they were created equally and entitled to a free life with full liberty and the ability to pursue their own happiness with whomever or however many persons they choose to share it with in common bonds. The Libertarian Party Platform specifically reads in regards to marriage equality,

"government does not have the authority to
define, license or restrict personal relationships."

This self evident truth, of all persons being created equal, was declared by our Founding Fathers in The Declaration of Independence, which is also encased in the very beginning of the United States Code under Organic Laws of the United States, and just needs to be properly interpreted by The Supreme Court, and applied into law by The United States Congress, and enforced by the Executor of the Constitution and Commander In Chief.

The problem wont be solved by new laws but by first cleaning up and throwing out the unconstitutional laws that already exist. Then we can worry about adding new laws to the books. If we don't clean up the books soon, we might find ourselves having to write a new constitution though. That is a process that no one wants to go through and I don't think we have the courage to do so either.

Wouldn't it be better to preserve this nation rather than watch it die slowly and outside of our control?

Take a moment and think about it before you decide which candidate is just the lesser of two evils. Take a moment a think about what a third party candidate can bring to the legislative table and the marketplace of ideas. Diversity for one is for all equality!

RESOURCES: To visit LP of Allen Co. website; or the LP of Indiana website; or the LP National website. To find out more info about OUTright the GLBT Caucus's website or blog, click on the correct links.

Reminder: The deadline to register to vote is the 6th of October. Here is the most current list of all LP Candidates up for election for voters to choose locally.

Open Bailout Thread

Is there anyone who is not a federal official or bank executive who supports the bailout? I've been really busy this week and haven't had time to read the blogs. I'm even adding a poll.

Chicken Little Economics

We do have a candidate running against Mike Pence this year, George Holland. But Pence has hit the nail on the head when it comes to the bailout crisis, and I want to give credit where it is due.

This seems to be happening a lot, recently. Support this project or the community will become a ghost town. Support these programs, or the nation will collapse. If housing prices continue to fall, we may have the first economic depression in which everyone still has a roof over their head.

People tend to make rash decisions when they are afraid. Whenever you hear the word "crisis", that is time to take a step back and see if someone is trying to manipulate you. Often people on both sides of a debate will predict disaster if they don't get their way.(see last year's HS debate) Yet the world seems to keep on turning.

Guerilla-style debating

Bob Barr has not been invited to the presidential debates. Of course, he can still participate from afar by live-blogging.

$500 billion bailout of financial sector

This is an outrage. The US government may take on half a trillion dollars more in debt by buying up bad loans from banks. This will push the national debt over the $10trillion mark. Who is going to bail out the federal government when its credit runs out?

September Business Meeting is next Tuesday

Mark your calendars ahead for the October Business Meeting

WEDNESDAY, October 22nd 6:30-8:30p.m. (Starts @ 7p.m.).
New Haven Branch Allen Co. Public Library
648 Green Street,New Haven, IN 46774
@ Dawkins Road/ Lincoln Highway East aka State Road 14
+ Two and one half blocks north of State Road 930
+ Nine and one half blocks south of Rose Avenue aka Old US 24
+ Six blocks east of Broadway (The Main Drag)
which is Landin Road @ the outskirts off Lake Ave./N. River Rd.
and is known in Ft. Wayne as Trier Rd. @ Coliseum Blvd.
(east of Crescent Ave./Stellhorn Rd. /SR37)

One more reminder Libertarians At Large 7-8p with Andy Horning

As stated in yesterdays post, Libertarians At Large with host Doug Horner goes live from 7-8 p.m. every third Thursday of the month on channels Comcast 57 and Verizon 27. Tune in tonight as this month's guest will be Libertarian Andrew Horning, candidate for Governor of Indiana. This is your chance to call in @ 260-422-3902 to ask questions directly to Mr. Horning, or just let us know you are listening. Contribute to the conversation.

Also, if you missed the first of three gubernatorial debates on Tuesday you can watch it here, courtesy of CSPAN.

As always the Libertarian Party of Allen County would like to thank Access Fort Wayne and The Allen County Public Library for providing us these opportunities to serve the public and promote the discussion at all levels of government about what is best for the future of of our communities, state, and nation.

EDITOR'S NOTE:
CLICK HERE FOR LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATES THIS YEAR.

The Ice Rink

It's good to hear that someone wants to build a new ice rink. While this project happens to be less controversial than HS for the simple reason that a lot less public funds are being used, the project would not be endangered if the city did not provide the $250,000 towards the new development. If the city cannot afford to hire new police officers after a recent spat of killings, the city cannot afford to sponsor an ice rink.

Bob Barr Files Suit in Texas to Remove McCain, Obama from Ballot

Suit alleges that McCain, Obama knowingly missed filing deadlines

Atlanta, GA - Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party's nominee for president, has filed a lawsuit in Texas demanding Senators John McCain and Barack Obama be removed from the ballot after they missed the official filing deadline. "The seriousness of this issue is self-evident," the lawsuit states. "The hubris of the major parties has risen to such a level that they do not believe that the election laws of the State of Texas apply to them." Texas election code §192.031 requires that the "written certification" of the "party's nominees" be delivered "before 5 p.m. of the 70th day before election day." Because neither candidate had been nominated by the official filing deadline, the Barr campaign argues it was impossible for the candidates to file under state law.

"Supreme Court justices should recognize that their responsibility is to apply the law as passed by the Legislature, and the law is clear that the candidates cannot be certified on the ballot if their filings are late," says Drew Shirley, a local attorney for the Barr campaign, who is also a Libertarian candidate for the Texas Supreme Court. A 2006 Texas Supreme Court decision ruled that state laws "does not allow political parties or candidates to ignore statutory deadlines."

Orrin Grover, attorney for Bob Barr and Wayne Root, said that he believes that the Texas Secretary of State is bound by Texas law to remove the Republican and Democratic nominees from the November ballot. "Either we have rules and deadlines, or we do not," Grover said. The Chairman of the Texas Libertarian Party, Pat Dixon stated, "Libertarian principles require personal responsibility for your acts and failures. Obama and McCain failed to meet the deadlines. They must follow the law like everyone else."

The petition also alleges that the Democratic Party's late presidential filing falsely claimed under oath that Senator Obama had been nominated hours before the nomination actually occurred. "The facts of the case are not in dispute," says Russell Verney, manager of the Barr campaign. "Republicans and Democrats missed the deadline, but were still allowed on the ballot. Third parties are not allowed on the ballot for missing deadlines, as was the case for our campaign in West Virginia, yet the Texas secretary of state's office believes Republicans and Democrats to be above the law."

Barr will be holding a press conference today at the Texas Supreme Court at 11:00 a.m.

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr represented the 7th District of Georgia in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.

Tomorrows Guest Is Andrew Horning Candidate for Governor of Indiana

"....I live in a little town called Freedom, Indiana....
I've lived like a regular life, I have had bad years.
I've had my own business.
I'm trying to raise a family on a little farm. We've got a goat.
We have some of the same problems everyone else does,
well it's not just the goat.
The biggest problem we have is...politicians.
These guys know where I live; they wont leave me alone...."

Libertarian Andrew Horning,
Candidate For Governor of Indiana
Closing Debate Remarks
16 September 2008 Merrillville, Indiana

If you missed the Indiana Debate Commission's first of three presentations last night take an hour to watch as Libertarian candidate Andrew Horning (Blog: We Declare) hands incumbent Republican Mitchell Daniels and former Under Secretary of Agriculture and 4th District Federal Representative Democrat hopeful Jill Long Thompson their towels and tells them to go home. Tomorrow you will have an opportunity to ask Mr. Horning your questions live and local as he will be the guest this month on our live hour long call- in show Libertarians At Large, with our host Doug Horner from 7-8 p.m. on Comcast 57 and Verizon 27.

If you want to follow this historic tradition of bringing new ideas to the marketplace and allowing the citizens to decide their future of this great State, or just enjoy the humor of political bantering, the Indiana Debate Commission's two remaining debates continue on the Tuesday 23rd of September in Jasper, Indiana as a Town Hall format. The third will be held on Tuesday the 14th of October in Bloomington, Indiana.

As a reminder, and part of LPACs public service also, Monday the 6th of October is the deadline to register to vote and be counted amongst those who choose to make their voices be heard for the future of our County, State, and Nation. You may register to vote locally by visiting the Allen County Election Board or to verify with the State, via the world wide web.

We have a representative democracy for a reason. If you don't vote you don't get represented.

Libertarians At Large airs on channels Comcast 57 and Verizon 27, from 7-8 p.m., every third Thursday of the month. Tune in tomorrow night as this month's guest will be Libertarian, Andrew Horning, candidate for Governor of Indiana, this November 4th. Call in to ask questions or just let us know you are listening. Contribute to the conversation.

As always the Libertarian Party of Allen County would like to thank Access Fort Wayne and The Allen County Public Library for providing us these opportunities to serve the public and promote the discussion at all levels of government about what is best for the future of of our communities, state, and nation.

EDITOR'S NOTE: CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATES THIS YEAR.

Because I'm too lazy to type today...

...here's another video. Enjoy!

Manditory 9/11 post

The attacks that took place 7 years ago today were carried out by 19 Islamic terrorist. Most of us by now accept the veracity of that statement. If you are one of those who don’t, what I’m about to say will either put your mind at ease or leave you very disappointed. There are a few who prefer to view the world neatly divided between good and evil.
Occam’s razor holds that the simplest explanation is usually the best explanation. Nineteen hijackers sponsored by an overseas terrorist group is the simplest explanation for the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A conspiracy within the US government would require the cooperation of hundreds of government officials and employees. The federal government simply lacks the competence to carry out a covert operation of this magnitude. How can they succeed so well at carrying out a “false-flag” attack, and then not find (or even pretend to find) Osama bin Ladin or any WMDs in Iraq? How could an organization so supposedly skilled at manipulating public opinion be run by a guy with a 30% approval rating?

Bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Stocks rose after the Mae and Mac bailout. Of course this has short term economic benefits, but it has long term consequences. The government assumes the debts owed by these companies and adds it to the already high national debt. Private companies are encouraged to take bigger risks on the assumption that they too will be bailed out by the government. When some of these companies do land in trouble, whoever happens to be POTUS at the time will be pressured to bail them out and take on more debt.

Capitalism involves risk. If somebody takes a risk by investing in an untested technology, they either make a profit, take a loss, or break even. It's important for investors and companies to suffer the consequences of failure, so that they learn what they did wrong and avoid repeating the same mistakes. Avoiding failure can be as much a motivator for achievement as success.

Barr on Palin

Press Release

For Immediate Release
Sep 03, 2008
But What Will the Republicans Actually Do, Asks Bob Barr?

“Alaska Governor Sarah Palin gave a rousing speech yesterday at the Republican National Convention," says Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee. "But what would a McCain-Palin administration actually do?”

Barr says Palin defended her record in Alaska, said many nice things about Sen. John McCain and tossed some well-deserved barbs at Sen. Barack Obama, "but Palin didn’t explain what the Republican ticket would do differently from the current Republican administration and past Republican Congresses,” Barr notes.

“For example, the words Social Security, Medicare, national debt, the deficit and the Constitution didn’t pass her lips," Barr observes. "Yet Social Security and Medicare alone face an unfunded liability of more than $100 trillion. The national debt runs $9.5 trillion. The deficit next year will be a half trillion dollars."

"What would a President John McCain do to reform Social Security and Medicare?" Barr asks. "What would it do to cut federal spending? Gov. Palin says a President McCain would use the veto. But that’s not nearly enough. The next president must propose closing down entire programs and agencies,” Barr notes.

Barr also notes that Palin criticized Obama for wanting to increase taxes. "Good," says Barr, "but what about Sen. McCain, who strongly opposed tax cuts in the past and says tax increases are ‘on the table’ in any negotiations with the Democrats over Social Security?”

“Why should the American people believe that his convenient conversion is anything more than a George Bush ‘Read my lips” campaign gimmick?" Barr asks. "Gov. Palin might have a believable record, but Sen. McCain certainly does not.”

Palin also promised that a McCain-Palin administration would produce more oil and natural gas in America; however, "does Sen. McCain really believe this?” asks Barr.

Until recently, Sen. McCain opposed even exploring on the Outer Continental Shelf, "and he still opposes looking for energy in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," Barr explains. "That’s eight to ten billion barrels of oil he wants to leave in the ground. America’s resources are left untapped even as gasoline prices rise skyward."

“This is not change, but the failed status quo,” Barr says.

“The Republicans know how to give good speeches on reform,” Barr says, "but they really don’t believe their own rhetoric. The real candidates of change are Bob Barr and Wayne Root of the Libertarian Party. Only a Barr presidency would transform Washington, making it smaller, less expensive and more accountable to the American people,” notes Barr.

This is what I think:
John N. Garner, FDR's first veep, said that the office was "not worth a bucket of warm piss." FDR had a habit of not consulting with his vice-presidents. Times have changed, and the vice-president serves a larger advisory role. On several occasions the VP became acting POTUS under the terms of the 25th Amendment. But I think that Bush, Cheney, Obama, and Biden all had the right idea when it comes to running mates: Have the cute one make all the public appearances while the smart one runs the country from an undisclosed location.