F6 FWD: What have we done while slouching towards Bethlehem?

In Memoriam: His name was Jdimytai Damour of Jamaica, Queens, New York City!

I guess written words are to few to describe the horror of what took place last Friday. So much in fact, that as this was originally Saturdays second post (on my personal blog), it has taken me this long to write out anything substantial. I will first start with Chris Thompson's response, as maybe that can begin to shed some sorrow on America's collective soul.



I realize this is going to be strict, and very Libertarian of me to suggest, but:

• People who were involved in the stampede should be arrested for involuntary manslaughter. They don't need to serve time but this man deserves justice, especially since he was denied mercy.
  
• They and Wal*Mart should be forced to pay for his death benefit to his family and for his children and the infant in the womb, if it survives, to go to college.
  
• Change the way business is done in this country by forcing through your choice of patronage of establishments and where your money is spent!
• Help for the family of the employee and the baby that was compromised.
• We need to find out the man's name and quit objectifying this tragedy.
• We should rename the Friday after Thanksgiving in his honor and memory
• Never forget the tragedy that could have been prevented if we as one take a stand that we truly are a people of honor and sacrifice for our fellow man.

To read the entire original post click here please!

No To the GM Bailout

What do I think about the proposed bailout? No. Never. Nada.

As someone who has a college education, I find it ridiculous that someone who never attended college makes more than I do. Doesn't this send a mixed message? I thought college grads were supposed to make more money than people who aren't college grads. It doesn¢t take a college degree to operate a robotic machine, and doing that task doesn¢t warrant a job that pays upwards of $25 an hour.

In an article in the November 12 Journal Gazette, Nancy Pelosi said any assistance to the auto industry should include limits to executive compensation. If the factory workers expect huge buyouts, do you think the executives are going to be any different? Hell no!

A free enterprise system doesn't rely on government to bail out businesses. If you can't run your business competently, you deserve to go under.

Terrorist attack in India

This is a horrific and tragic attack. At the same time, we need to realize that terrorists intend to have a psychological impact beyond the actual physical harm that they cause. It's important to understand their methods, motives, and mindsets just as a doctor strives to understand a disease.

This is early speculation, but I'm guessing that these particular terrorists have a bigger axe to grind against the Indian government than they did against the Americans and British that they were ostensibly targeting. I think that their goal is to scare Americans and British and keep them from traveling to India, thus damaging the Indian economy. According to the article, eyewitnesses said that the gunmen asked who had US and UK passports. Did they really expect everyone with those passports to raise their hands? Probably not, so I'm guessing that they wanted terrified survivors talking to reporters.

Despite the hype, there does appear to be a real threat

I've avoided linking to the sponsor, but here is some info on IN House Bill 1260:

http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2008&session=1&request=getBill&docno=1260

It's being pushed by an anti-2nd amendment PAC. Their slogan is, "Saving lives one bullet at a time". What this bill is proposing is that all ammunition have an encoding, in rough terms a serial number on each bullet, and that the cost of said encoding and tracking be passed on to the purchaser of the ammunition.

Off the top of my head the faults are:

1) Just because the bullet might be traceable to a particular batch of ammo or even a purchaser does not mean that its going to prevent anyone from being shot. It only offers a slim thread to track down the shooter after the fact

2) Criminals don't care. They're going to get ammo and they're going to use it to harm people. 

3) People who want to hide will always be able to manufacture their own ammunition and purchase old ammunition. Bullets keep for a long time and people have been making their own lead bullets for centuries, its not going away.

I expect this to die in committee, but its worth keeping an eye on. Write your House Rep and ask them to make this die. Its an excessive and unnecessary piece of legislation with a high cost and low benefit.

Sunday humour

Quick before our guns get banned! http://truckbearingkibble.com/comic/2008/11/17/character-assassination/

With the holiday season fast approaching, what better to get as a backhanded compliment for your ultra-liberal cousins or a horrendous gag gift for your right-wing nut job in-laws!! Give a gift of laughter and pain with the Brack Obama Commemorative Plate! http://www.victoryplate.com/

Bush warns against protectionism

Whatever you think of Bush, this is still sound advice. His influence has reach a nadir, and the first impulse of a lot of people is to oppose anything Bush supports. Personally, I am disappointed that he didn't do more to promote free trade when he was popular. Subsidies to American agriculture and industry do almost as much damage to our image in other countries as the occupation of Iraq and detaining people without trial or POW status in Gitmo. Obama will have a very hard time making friends out of foreigners if he takes the advice of his SecState and takes a "free trade timeout".

Free trade is a tool and a weapon. If we don't like a country, our options prior to armed conflict is imposing an embargo. Countries that are economically interdependent are less likely to go to war. For that matter, a foreigner with a full time job is that much less likely to become a terrorist.

Is the GOP too big to fail?

This is hilarious.

F6 FWD: Michigan cant tell where Indiana is?

This is part of an F6 post I am working on still. This is the first portion.
I encourage you to go read the rest at your leisure, it should be completed sometime tomorrow.

Yes you heard correctly fellow Libertarians, according to a recent post over at Indiana Law Blog, sourcing a story from The Associated Press, Michigan told Indiana that after four years it cant figure out where the 104 mile long border is between the two States. They lost most of the wooden survey markers due age and degradation over time. Who was the idiot, even back in 1827, that decided to mark out the Border of the State with wooden stakes? Especially in this climate, at least use concrete and metal to begin with.

Apparently the only thing signifying where the border is a possible few marker posts and one lone confirmed marker they found in the middle pointe of the border. Here are some statements of interest from the article:

• Michigan reset its lines in the early 1900's with Wisconsin and Ohio.
  
• Professional surveyors can only recover and confirm original markers.
  
• Those that are lost can only be replaced by a joint action of the Indiana and Michigan legislatures or, if those bodies cannot agree on the border's location, the U.S. Supreme Court.
  
• Once that happens, property that for years was believed to lie in one state could turn out to be in another, creating quandaries regarding property and income taxes, police jurisdictions, school districts and numerous other matters.
  
• When the state line is re-established, it could end up moving north or south up to a few hundred feet

Why did Michigan wait until an entire century later to refortify its border with Indiana? Also another statement from the personal interest profile part of the story, The State of Michigan does not charge income tax on disability checks but Indiana does. Isnt that just wrong? The very nature of a disability check is already a. taxpayer money and b. a reduced rate of income so why are we charging people income tax on very little to begin with, they can barely survive on disability income. Yet we say as a State we want some of it back?

Sounds a little hypocritical to me. Then again I am a Libertarian and we dont believe in high taxes or income taxes or government assistance. Which I do disagree with The Party on the last one in most situations. Poor relief doesnt belong primarily in the Churches either because of historical and current ritual abuse and proselytizing. It belongs in the Township level of government but as Citizens never fund it fully, well that is another discussion for later.....

Uncertainty is bad for the economy

Note: This video was posted on ReasonTV on Halloween, so when he talks about 6 weeks ago, he is talking about September.

Uncertainty is bad for the economy. Some parts of the future are easy to predict: The sun will rise in the morning. The Detroit Lions aren't going to the playoffs. And prices, wages, and the stock market usually go up. Crisis and disasters, whether real or imagined, can cause investors to be a whole lot more cautious with their money. They pull their money out of stocks and put it into bonds. Or they pull it out of bonds and put it into gold.

To give a example from the 90's, remember when Clinton finally admitted to the affair? In hindsight, that was a big nothing. But as he was confessing his sins on TV, CNN had a stock ticker with a red arrow pointing down. People didn't know what was going to happen, so they expected the worst.

One thing that Obama can do to promote corporate responsibility

Having the current Congress and administration teach fiscal responsibility to companies would be like Bill Clinton teaching a course on abstinence. The government can and should lead by example. Obama gets to start with a clean slate. If he can keep spending under control and reform the government's accounting practices, that will go a longer way towards reforming Wall Street than any new regulation would.

The experts debate the bailout

In The Know: Should The Government Stop Dumping Money Into A Giant Hole?

Smoking ban may go statewide

From the Journal Gazette

Folks, if they can outlaw smoking in private establishments on public health grounds, they can outlaw outdoor grilling on the same grounds:

Melissa Etheridge says she won't pay California taxes anymore

Hat tip to the Reason Hit and Run blog

A majority of California supported Prop 8, a state constitutional ban on gay marriage. So Melissa Etheridge says she refuses to support California's social programs. She certainly has a right to be upset. She is being refused a marriage license in a state that normally allows Hollywood celebrities to get married.

I would imagine that rather than openly flout the state's tax codes, she'll probably just claim residency in another state. Anybody serious about attracting young people to a state should be talking about granting recognition to same-sex marriages. (Speaking of which, CFW has been silent for a while. All this history taking place and not a peep out of him.)

The End of the War to End All Wars: 90 Years Ago Today

Cessation of operations by land and in the air six hours after the signature of the armistice.
Ninety years ago, an armistice was signed that ended combat in the First World War. One year later, November 11th was celebrated as Armistice Day. Two wars later, the day became known as Veterans Day.

Veterans are like mothers. Nowadays, some people are both. Often, people become veterans or mothers through the failure of diplomacy or contraception. But you don't have to be one to honor them.

LPAC blog listed as 17th top 100 Libertarian blogs across the Country!

I just received word that a non political blog Web Designs School Guide listed this blog, yes this blog!, as the 17th Best Libertarian blog in the Country....woohooo! and yehhaw! We also made the top of the list for Local Libertarian Blogs.

Pardon me while my inner black woman and ghetto redneck queenish self parties down like there is a barn in the way and a church roof that needs a raisin'! I'm such a blog whore. Thank you Kelly.

To be fair and balanced though other Libertarians in the State also made the list:
4th, The Bell Curve by Rex Bell; 24th & 100th, Electing Libertarians by Mark Rutherford; 90th, We Declare and 91st, Horning for Governor by Andrew Horning; 94th, Angleton's Rants by Ed Angleton; 95th, Justice and Fortitude by Timothy Maguire;

STATE NEWS - Technically Jon should be writing this as he is in charge of the Third District for the State.

For other information for all Libertarians across the State of Indiana, as most insiders and avid bloggers already are aware Chris Spangle former Producer for the Abdul In The Morning Show on AM1430 in INDY is now the Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of Indiana. He hit the ground running approximately three weeks before the election and has been working hard to network the County Parties and Local Libertarian organizations together.

Recently, Chris started a new networking site FREE HOOSIERS with NING software and hosting for the entire LPIN Network that has already garnered the different County Parties officials to start talking to each other with greater ease of communication and exchange of resources. The Libertarian Party of Indiana is in a direct line to make a massive wave of change in 2010 and 2012. Watch out because here we come!

I would also like to take this time to welcome Howard County into the fold.

Sophmore graduation

I like this idea. Letting kids graduate early would save money, reduce the dropout rate, and would provide an additional incentive for academic achievement. If a felon can get a 4 year sentence cut in half if he behaves himself, why not make the same offer for high school students?

'Marks For Distinction' Left By Libertarians In Races This Year

Folks this election may not be over we are still missing up to a third of the nationwide and statewide race results across the State. If anyone knows of updates to these lists below please let me know promptly via comments on this post or email. There is more election information on my personal blog F6.

Thank you to all those whom put their honour on the line to make our State a beacon of Liberty! The fight doesnt end here it is just beginning. I have two questions for you all. Does this years results help or hurt us for 2010? What can we as a Party do to improve upon the presentation of our message, especially for 2010? We have a year to figure out a plan and work hard to implement it folks. Lets get to work and win!

Now for the NEW RESULTS!

They are still Tentative but please right click here and open the new chart into a new tab. If anyone knows of updates to these lists enclosed please let me know promptly. Again to the Citizens of Indiana, thank you for your vote and all the support of the party for the people!!

No votes? What happened?

There are several contest which do not have data yet on the Secretary of State's website among them are State Representative Districts 37, 41st, 99th, and 100, and the twenty Counties of Bartholomew, Crawford, Delaware, Hancock, Harrison, Jennings, Madison, Marion (INDY), Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Noble, Parke, Posey, Putnam, Spencer, Tippecanoe, Vermilion, and Vigo.

Favorite catchphrase of the year

"Injecting capital" became the new way of saying "pay". This is often used in conjunction with "incentive".

Example:

DEFENDANT: All I did was inject capital into her subprime market.
PROSECUTOR: So you are admitting that you paid her for sex?
DEFENDANT: That was the incentive for participation in the program.

The bailout happened in October in a presidential election year; not the best time for level-headed thinking. A lot of people, and this probably includes Souder and Obama, supported the bailout out of fear. Now that the dust has settled, let's hope that the corporate gravy train makes its last stop.

Best Resource for Judicial Retention Info

http://www.in.gov/judiciary/retention/

Cases and supporting and dissenting opinions written by the justices up for retention. Great resource.

Take an hour and hear the other 3 candidates for POTUSA

For those whom care to watch here is the Presidential Debate from earlier this week between Bob Barr (L), Ralph Nader (G), and Chuck Baldwin (C) @ the City Club in Cleveland, Ohio.



Reminder you can still vote early on Monday between 8a-Noon @ City County Building Room 136

3rd District Congressional Debate

Screw it. The election is over and I got tired of hearing commercials for auto mechanics, so I took down the video.

JUST TO UPDATE NEWS COVERAGE: THE NEWS SENTINEL ACTUALLY HAD A REALLY GOOD ARTICLE COVERING THE DEBATE. SHAME GOES TO INDIANA'S NEWS CENTER FOR REPEATEDLY NOT PROVIDING COVERAGE OR BLATANTLY IGNORING WILLIAM LARSEN'S CANDIDACY. <=F6'S EDITOR wrote this part out=

Fozy, we have been getting more media coverage than we have in the past. As we start running more active campaigns, we will be getting as much coverage as the Democrats.

In less than a weeks time we will see what has been accomplished

LPAC OFFICER'S NOTE: Libertarian William Larsen will be debating his opponents incumbent Mark Souder (R), and Mike Montagano (D) today at IPFW Rhinehart Recital Hall @ 1:30p. Doors open @ 12:30p and close @ 1p. The debate will be streamed LIVE and rebroadcast Sunday on WANE-TV (Broadcast 15, Comcast and FiOS 2) at 11a after Face The Nation.

AND NOW A MESSAGE FROM MR. LARSEN

It has been a long journey and in seven days we will see just what we have accomplished. The tens of thousands of emails, handouts, talking to people and helping with signs has just been tremendous. I have received more emails in the past three weeks than all my previous three campaigns. As we go into this last week, I would ask that each of you speak with two more people and tell them about my campaign.

For those who are new to this blog and like my position on the issues, you too can help. Go to www.justsayno.50megs.com. Under the heading issues is a link to my pdf position paper. Please save it and email to your friends and families.

I hear every day people say how ridiculous it is to have campaigns spending hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Obama campaign has raised over $600 million and McCain has raised $375 million! My two opponents have raised over $400,000 combined and use this not to speak out on their position on issues, but to sling mud at each other.

This campaign is about issues. It is about the economy, energy, deficits, taxes, immigration and jobs. They are all interrelated. On this blog and at my website you can find out what my positions are. Feel free to email me at LarsenForCongress@gmail.com

REMINDER: EARLY VOTING OPPORTUNITIES
There are three days left to do so via the Allen Co. Election Board @ City County Building Room 136, before Tuesday. Today from 8a-5p, Saturday from 9a-4p, and Monday from 8a-Noon

PERSONAL NOTE: To read my personal endorsement of Bill Larsen and Mike Pence please right click here and scroll down. To read my other endorsements for this election cycle please right click this link and scroll down as well.

Why I'm voting for Barr

This question was posed to the politically vocal members over on a non-political forum I frequent. I felt my answer was topical to the LP so here is a reprint. Apologies if I ramble a bit. Comments welcome.

"Why Jon is voting for Barr: 

This is the first vote I have cast to stick to the party line as well as the first vote I have cast as "not the other choices". I disagree with Barr, far too socially conservative even with his recent repentances. I also distrust many of the candidates we had in our primary, because they had jumped to the LP from the other parties either out of spite or just to make one last fleeting swipe at the presidency. I don't like my party being used for ballot access. 

I would also like to add that our "primaries" are taken care of at our national convention, for dues paying members of our party, not the general public based on checking one box or the other. I think that the other parties should go back to that and see what kind of candidates we end up with and what it does to the money that goes into campaigns. The average voter only gives a **** about politics now because it gives them something to root for, if the barrier to entry were as minimal as paying party dues or attending a party meeting participation would plummet. 

The two party system has failed. The GOP and the Democrats are no longer debating over significant differences in policy. They are fighting over single digit percentages. Either party will take your money and piss it away on mostly the same things, the only difference is that a small percentage of that will go to minor projects that you may or may not support. 

What makes it even more distasteful is that while really arguing over minor points, they get the proles so riled up that people who get along just fine for 3 years, turn into rabid haters for the season. Its like pro sports, no one really gives a **** they just want to compete without ponying up and making the effort on the field. 

I would have voted for Paul and work closely with many of the remaining "Paulies". Ron Paul is a libertarian who has held office and done what should have been done and I have great respect and admiration of that even if he is not a Libertarian. 

So I guess the short version is: In the presidental race, I'm voting none-of-the-above to the world and I -still-support-the-party to my associates. "

Bob Barr to Debate Ralph Nader and Chuck Baldwin Tonight!

There will be a webcast of it at 4:30 pm. You can watch it here.

Coverage of Jack Evans in the 83rd

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081029/NEWS/810290330

Just a quick bump to an article covering the race in the 83rd district. Thanks to Jack for running and thanks to the News Sentinel for covering all of the candidates on the ballot.

Does one vote count?

There are articles written by intelligent, educated people arguing that it does not make sense to vote. The argument goes something like this: Even in a close election that is decided by a handful of votes, a single vote will only increase or decrease the margin of victory by exactly one vote. So the time, effort, and gasoline that you spend registering to vote, getting informed about the candidates, and casting a ballot are ultimately wasted because your vote did not change the outcome.

Some argue that if you do not vote, you have no right to complain. Yet there is no legislation prohibiting nonvoters from complaining. Should police officers check voter registrations of protesters? You have a constitutionally protected right to complain about anything you want, but it certainly hurts your credibility if you did not do anything to prevent or correct the situation that you are protesting.

Voting is only one part of the democratic process. It’s how we keep score. Talking with your friends, family, and Internet trolls about the candidates and issues is more important than the simple act of voting. But when you tell your circle about how its important to oppose or support a particular candidate or policy, it carries more weight when you vote. You cannot expect others to care when you do not vote.

Ultimately it boils down to symbolism, which matters more than one might think. Symbols show that you care, and influence others to care as well. If you’re willing spend $20 on a flag to show you care, take the time to fill out a form and press a few buttons for the same reason.

Bailouts and subsidies

I'm tired of denouncing each new bailout. Yet they still need to be denounced. So for the time being, I'm just going to leave a blanket statement on the left side of the blog. If anyone needs to be reminded about my position on propping up companies with taxpayer, it appears under General Wayne's portrait.

Find your ballot

With all the attention on the Presidential race I have slipped and not kept pace with the lower offices. Obviously I'm supporting Libertarian candidates with my vote or with my time/money, Andy Horning, Jack Evans, Bill Larsen, Rex Bell, Eric Schansberg, and many others.

But we don't have LP candidates for all the races, so I sat down tonight to find out exactly who was on the ballot so I could research them. The process wasn't hard, but was more complicated than I thought it would be.

So heres a short primer on how to get a sample ballot, its aimed at Allen County, but should apply anywhere in Indiana:

1. Ignore anything that isn't an official State or County Board of Elections site. I found a few unofficial sites with mistakes on thier ballots. 

2. Confirm #1, if you didn't get to it through the Secretary of State or your County Board of Elections, you can't be sure its right.

3. Go to "Find your Election Information", the link is on the left hand side of the Allen County Board of Elections. Direct link is http://www.co.allen.in.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=376&Itemid=700

4. Open the link to IndianaVoters in a new window or tab. That is endorsed by both Allen County and the Secretary of State. Direct link is http://www.indianavoters.com/PublicSite/PublicMain.aspx

5. Click on "Polling Place" and enter your information. 

6. The search results should show your info. The number you need is the PRECINCT. Mine is #214.

7. Go back to the Allen County Board of Elections page and click on "Ballot Style Variations" to download a PDF. http://www.co.allen.in.us/images/stories/Election_board/2008/2008G%20Ballot%20Styles%20Web.pdf

8. Skim through that and look for your precinct, next to it is a "Ballot Style Number". Remember that number.

9. Go back to the Allen County BoE page and click on the link to your ballot style. Mine is #11, http://www.co.allen.in.us/images/stories/Election_board/2008/Ballot%20Style%2011.pdf

10. Thats it. You now have a sample ballot. You can see exactly who you can vote for.

I always have nothing but praise for the staff at the Board of Elections. They do a pretty good job at making it easy for Hoosiers to vote and for candidates to get the info we need to stay legal while we run for office, but having to go through that many hoops to get a sample ballot is a bit troubling. 

I hope this helps illustrate the problem so that the Secretary of State and County Board of Elections can use the off-year in 2009 to streamline the process. That this information is online at all puts Indiana light years ahead of other states, but I think both the voters and the staff at the BoE would have a much better time in 2010 if this got tightened up a bit.

Now that I've got my ballot, I'm off to do some homework.

Calendar Update all the way into November

EARLY VOTING OPPORTUNITIES
Allen Co. Election Board @ CITY COUNTY BUILDING One Main Street Room 136, Fort Wayne, Indiana
23rd Thursday 8A-7P; 24th Friday 8A-5P; 25th Saturday 9A-4P;
27th Monday 8A-5P; 28th Tuesday 8A-7P; 29th Wednesday 8A-5P;
30th Thursday 8A-7P; 31st Friday 8A-5P
November 1st Saturday 9A-4P; 3rd Monday 8A-12N

Protect Your Rights!
Participate in the Process! Now is the time for a true change you can actually see not just believe in!
Vote Libertarian!

ELECTION DAY
TUESDAY, November 4th 6:00a.m.-6:00p.m
To find out more information about your precinct or
to resolve issues please contact the Election Board

VETERANS DAY
TUESDAY, November 11th ALWAYS REMEMBER & HONOR THOSE BRAVE MEN & WOMEN
WHOM OFFERED THEIR LIVES FOR YOUR FREEDOM AND THIS COUNTRY'S LIBERTY!

NOVEMBER BUSINESS MEETING
WEDNESDAY, November 19th 7:00-9:00p.m.
Allen Co. Public Library Main Branch (Tentative)

What does the fiscal crisis say about us?

Slate.com has an article entitled "The End of Libertarianism". This article is like a autopsy performed on a live person. Since this was done prematurely, the conclusion is questionable. The author of this article greatly overestimates Libertarians' influence over US fiscal policy. The whole world is in a financial crisis and he's blaming a small but growing US political movement.

October Business Meeting

October Business Meeting

WEDNESDAY, October 22nd
6:30-8:30p.m. (Starts @ 7p.m.).
New Haven Branch
Allen Co. Public Library
648 Green Street, @ Dawkins Road/Lincoln Hwy E./ SR14
New Haven, IN 46774

Directions:
The Branch is located near the northwest intersection of Green Street @ Dawkins Road/Lincoln Hwy E./ SR14 which is Two and one half blocks north of SR930 or Nine and one half blocks south of Rose Ave/Old US24/Exit 19 of I-469 or Six blocks east of Broadway (the main drag) which is Landin Road@ Lake Ave./N. River Rd. and is known in Ft. Wayne as Trier Rd. (Hall's Triangle Park) @ Coliseum Blvd. (East of Crescent/Stellhorn/SR37)

An appeal to my fellow Libertarians and my Democratic friends

All of the state representative seats around Fort Wayne are considered safe. In fact, most of the incumbents are unopposed. But I just got a fundraising letter from Rex Bell who is running for the State House in the 54th District. Whether you are a Democrat or a Libertarian, this is your opportunity to reduce the number of Republicans in the State House.

Dear Friends of Liberty,

For years, our friends and neighbors have cited their main reason for not voting Libertarian is that we cannot win. I am dropping you a note to let you know that we Libertarians are VERY close to changing this perception forever in Indiana. Rex Bell is running for the Indiana House of Representatives in District 54 against Republican Tom Saunders. Saunders is in a very weak position. He isn't getting the same amount of financial support that he normally would, and many of the GOP base are defecting to Rex Bell. Why? He was opposed to making the Governor's property tax caps constitutional, and is in favor of keeping our current property tax system in place. Rex Bell supports the repeal of property taxes.

There is no Democrat in this race. It is Bell vs. Saunders. As a result, many Democrats are actively working to elect Rex Bell. So it seems that if there is one thing Democrats AND Republicans agree on in District 54, it's Libertarian Rex Bell.

As Libertarians, we know the difficulty of beating the two party system, so a gift like this race comes along once rarely. To make history in Indiana, we need to band together as Libertarians, and do two things:

1. Donate Money. Rex is currently running radio ads, has up billboards, distributed yard sings and literature, and sent out a direct mail piece to Democrats. The next piece of the puzzle is a direct mail piece to Republicans in the district. The cost is a little over $3000 by NEXT Wednesday. In two days, Libertarians from across the state have raised $2,300 for Rex. That means we have $700 to go. Please go to www.electrexbell.com, and donate $30 or $40. For the price of a meal for two at Chili's, you can help change to course of LPIN and Statehouse history forever. If we raise more than $3,000, Rex can begin running television ads, and his radio ads on additional stations.

2. Donate Time. Standing outside of the polls on election day can win races. In 2006, Jon Elrod beat Ed Mahern in House District 97 by EIGHT votes. This was a direct result of Elrod having 90% of his polling places staffed by volunteers handing out cards.

3. Tell your friends. Forward this email to your Liberty-loving friends, and ask them to check out www.electrexbell.com.

Sincerely,
Rex Bell

Why the recession makes the Fair Tax even more important

The Fair Tax is a proposed federal sales tax on new consumer goods. It would not apply to basic essential items such as food and diapers, nor would it apply to used items. So this would encourage conservation when we need it most. Under the Fair Tax system, it would be theoretically possible for a middle-class person to go without paying any federal taxes at all so as long as he only buys used items and doesn't own a car.

This raises the value of used goods, which has several benefits:
1. People will take better care of the things that they already own.
2. They would receive more money in return when they pawn or resell a used item.
3. Less energy and resources are used, bringing down the price of oil.
4. We import fewer goods from overseas, reducing or even eliminating the trade deficit.

Libertarians At Large Live Tonight

Libertarians At Large airs on channels Comcast 57 and Verizon 27, from 7-8 p.m., every third Thursday of the month. Tune in tonight as this month's guest will be Libertarian, Herbert "Jack" Evans, candidate for State Representative for the 83rd District, 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.

For a list of all Libertarian Candidates available for local voters to choose click here please.

Pot calling the kettle "red"

Chavez: "Bush is to the left of me now" (Hat tip to Reason)

Even with the big bailout/buyout mess that is going on, it isn't fair to compare Bush to Chavez. I still found this to be hilarious.

The Republican Case Against the Republican Party

From the national LP blog:
The Republican Case Against the Republican Party
posted by Andrew Davis on Oct 13, 2008

To be sure, Senator Barack Obama is certainly to the left of Senator John McCain; however, it's not a stretch to say that the real John McCain has more in common with Barack Obama than he does with his own party. In fact, McCain frequently drew the ire of his party for many of his supposed "maverick" votes in the Senate.

His legislative masterpiece, the McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, is generally regarded as one of the most egregious attack on free speech in modern history. Yet, McCain brags about his close relationship with Senator Feingold, as well as the likes of Senator Ted Kennedy and Joseph Lieberman.

Bipartisanship is an admirable trait in any politician willing to set aside partisan bickering, but not when it is for legislation that harms Constitutional liberties and puts taxpayers in danger, such as when both Senators McCain and Obama voted for the taxpayer-subsidized bailout.

Working together against liberty is no more virtuous than working alone for the same ends.

Senator McCain's record—one that he has vigorously tried to recreate with euphemisms like "maverick," "bipartisan" and "reformer"—has made him a darling of the left and a pariah of the right; at least until he became the GOP's nominee for president. McCain may be the new front man for the Republican Party, but it is too late to teach the old dog new tricks.

Republicans, coming to realize the true folly of their choice, try to excuse a vote for McCain by comparing the damage McCain will do to that of an Obama presidency. They will say, "McCain isn't great, but Obama is a socialist." Even when faced with a viable alternative, such as Bob Barr, who better represents the fiscal conservative/limited government philosophy that once used to define the Republican Party, Republicans choose instead to abandon principle for the sake of preserving whatever hollow illusion of capitalism that managed to escape eight years of the Bush administration.

These Republicans are right, in part. Obama is no friend to the businessman or the free market. The legislation he would push through Congress would have a detrimental impact on the American economy, and will undoubtedly be difficult to undo following his departure from office.

However, an Obama presidency would not usher in a new era of government regulation—it would simply be the continuation of a trend started with his predecessor. Republicans who are fearful of an Obama presidency and his alleged "socialism" are either ignorant, or in denial, of the vast expansion of federal power under President George Bush.

It should be stated that this environment of big government—both economic and social—was not created and executed by Bush without lack of support by so-called "conservatives" in Congress. But by every objective measure, the Bush administration has been the single biggest catalyst of government growth since FDR.

Republicans admit they may not agree with 100 percent of what Bush does or did (a positive sign that at least Republicans do have some lasting semblance of a conscience), but the symptom of big government is not just particular to the Bush administration. Object as they may to the creeping dangers of Barack Obama, the abandonment of everything fiscal or limited in the last eight years of government growth has been with the full knowledge and consent of the Republicans in Congress, and the Republican Party members who keeping voting these same politicians back into power.

Maybe, the trepidations of Republicans are valid. Maybe, this era of capacious government is all the fault of liberals. If this were the case, then it would be the liberalism of the new GOP.

The frontrunner of the GOP is no nascent liberal. McCain has long been a blacksheep of the right, most recently evidenced by the prevalence of this attack throughout the Republican primary. This criticism of McCain came from many of those that now support him.

But to complain about this "liberal heyday" of government regulatory power that Obama would create is to complain about eight years of an ever-expansive Bush administration and the cowardice of a GOP refusing to stand up to him—including that of Senator John McCain. For all that McCain says of his "maverick" status, he has either voted with the Bush administration in expanding government's power, or worked with Democrats to do the same.

So what are Republicans to do, faced with two choices that so clearly represent the antithesis of fiscal disciple and limited government?

McCain himself has proven that the premise that one must vote for him to save the country from Obama is misinformed. McCain's commitment to a paternalistic government, for whatever justification, is no different from the same aim as Obama's. It is merely to what extent they are willing to take it. Using Bill Clinton and Bush as barometers as to what one might expect from either an Obama or McCain presidency respectively, the idea that somehow McCain is the best bet for a restrained government is even more absurd.

A vote for McCain is to acquiesce to all the ills of the GOP, and to accept its current, vacuous state (just as a vote for Obama is to approve of the Democratic Party's impotence). It is time to accept that the GOP is a zombie that stumbles awkwardly forward, refusing to die, but unable to live. Its soul has long perished, and what is left is a hollow shell of a body.

McCain will not win in 2008 because he has neither the faculties of a statesman nor the support to stand up against an energized Democratic Party. While the GOP elite will support whomever stands at the front, rank and file Republicans, who have long grown weary with the path the Party has chosen, will not swallow more of the same rancid milk that has been poured for them these past eight years.

A McCain vote is the quintessential wasted vote because it will neither elect a president nor demand reform within the Party. So long as Republican members continue to cast votes for those Republicans they find absolutely repugnant, Republicans will continue to lose elections.

This was the case in 2006, and it shall be in 2008.

If there need be any more evidence of this fact, simply look to the pitiful state of McCain's campaign. Knowing that he can't beat Obama on the issues—mainly because there is so little difference between them—McCain has resorted to stoking the fires of racism and paranoia among his supporters in hopes of winning on emotion, rather than policy.

In 2008, there is only one logical choice for fiscal conservative and champions of the free market: Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party. A vote for Bob Barr is not only one placed for a proven capitalist, fiscal warrior and enemy of big government, but it also sends a message to the Republican Party that cannot be ignored.

McCain will not win, and a vote for him is one wasted. McCain will bring no change from the last eight years, and will only continue the trend of bigger government and higher spending. His "reformer" rhetoric is as hollow as his campaign.

The Libertarian Party will not play spoiler to the Republican's presidential aspirations this year, for there is nothing to spoil. McCain will lose because Republicans chose to support someone who better represented the fiscal values of forgotten GOP heroes like Barry Goldwater. So long as the GOP continues to run people who fail to inspire the base of the Republican Party, they will lose elections, as more and more disenchanted Republicans will drift to the Libertarian Party.

----

Author's note: If you agree with the contents of this article, I ask that you please forward this on by email or whatever means. This message must be heard, and must be spread if we hope to at all reverse the course of this nation taken in the last eight years. Thank you very much.

Cute little blog that I found

Paid to be Rich

Thought for the day...

Isn't accusing someone else of being negative a form of negativity? Try to imagine a world without negativity:

PROSECUTOR: I intend to prove that Mr. Doe killed his wife.
DEFENSE: Oh, you're just being negative. Why bring up the past?
PROSECUTOR: You're right. I'm sorry. The state drops the charges.

Any new law, spending project, or candidate will have an upside and a downside. Conversely, not passing the law, project, or not electing the candidate will have an upside and downside as well. Both sides of any controversy have to talk about the positive and the negative of the issue at hand.

Reason TV's solution to the healhcare crisis

Basically the video says that most, if not all, of those without health insurance either can afford it or are eligible for existing government programs.

What is short selling?

Short selling is what investors do if they expect the value of a stock to decline and want to profit from it. It works this way: The investor borrows shares of a company, then sells them at market value. After a short period of time, the investor buys them back and returns them to the entity that loaned him the shares. If the stock price goes down far enough, the investor makes a profit.

So let's say I hear about WalSoft's new gaming console. I read the reviews and I think its a dud. I think that the holiday sales will be so awful that it will hurt the stock price. So the day before Thanksgiving I borrow 100 shares of WalSoft stock from an investment firm. I agree to return them within 10 days. I sell them all at $50 a share.
So I have $5000. The following Monday, the evening news features a story about WalSoft consoles catching fire when plugged in. On Tuesday, WalSoft drops to $40 a share. I figure that the price won't get much lower, so I buy 100 shares at that price. I give the shares back to the investment firm, pay them a $500 fee, and keep the $500 that is left over.

This is something that happens a lot when the stock market is going down. But it is not the cause of the disease, merely the symptom. If there is short selling going on, we don't need to stop it but instead figure out why it's going on. Investors sell short when they think a stock is overvalued.

Poll Closed

Look at that. 25 people voted, and none of them support the bailout. I actually wanted to hear from bailout supporters. I always hope that either I've proven right and the other guy learns something, or I'm proven wrong and I learn something. To be sure, the latter has never happened on this blog, but I'll give anyone the opportunity to be the first.

Anyway, since we're all in agreement on the bailout, let's all vote against those who voted for it. Bob Barr and Bill Larsen both oppose the bailout. I'll open the thread up to anyone who wants to endorse an anti-bailout candidate, or wants to explain why people should vote for bailout supporters anyway.

What next?

If the economy gets worse:
ME: I told you this wouldn't work.
THEM: It's a good thing we did this, or else things would be a lot worse.

If the economy somehow gets better:
THEM: I told you this would work.
ME: Turns out this wasn't needed after all.

Causality can be hard to establish in economics. But our goal now is to monitor the effects of history's most expensive October surprise. The government will have to either raise taxes, go deeper into debt, inflate the dollar even more, or a combination of all three. We might very well see a short term boost in the economy, but the long term effects will outweigh it.

It's rather like taking steroids and saying "I'm getting stronger, this stuff must be good for me." But in the long run, the steroids can kill the person using them.

Second attempt at passing the bailout

Some more thoughts on the bailout.

>The bailout is so wildly unpopular that the Senate has added a bunch of tax breaks to try to get it to pass the House. Putting popular provisions on a bad bill is like putting frosting on a turd. The bad parts outweigh the good parts so much that you just shouldn't swallow it.

>The bailout is totally unnecesary and harmful to boot. There are still financial institutions that are solvent, so individuals and companies can still get credit. Instead the bailout will help failing companies to continue their irresponsible practices.

>Both bailout proponents and opponents agree that there will be a recession no matter what Congress does, but there still seems to be an impulse to do something drastic. It's like using electroshock therapy to treat a cold. The patient will get better on his own, but the doctor still wants to do something to justify his hefty bill.

>Ever stop to think what kind of precedent this could set? Unprofitable companies in every sector will have their hands out looking for a bailout. I suspect that it may even cause a few well-off corporations to cook their books to include red ink so that they can qualify for a subsidy.

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.