05/30 -- Imperialists in the refrigerator; Why we're shredding our marriage license
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Thomas L. Knapp
May 29, 2012, 11:47:12 PM5/29/12
to Freedom News Daily
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Today's Freedom News:
1) Obama's secret murder list
2) Syrian diplomats around the world expelled
3) Iraq: Four killed, four wounded
4) Afghanistan: Occupiers claim to have killed senior al Qaeda leader
5) Pakistan: 21 killed as regime jets target militants in Khyber,
Orakzai
6) Romney clinches GOP nomination
7) Dylan awarded Medal of Freedom
8) UK: Supreme Court to rule on Assange extradition
9) Sudan, South Sudan prepare for peace talks
10) Mexican corruption case adds to US unease of drug war alliance
11) NARAL blasts Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act
12) SC: Man stopped robbery attempt
13) Report: Marines may soon carry solar backpacks
14) TN: Judge's ruling stops mosque construction
15) SCOTUS declines excessive force tasering case
16) VA: Girl, six, youngest ever in National Spelling Bee
17) Spain: Volvo's self-drive "convoy" hits the road
18) Fatah, Hamas begin unity government talks
19) Home prices rise in most major US cities
20) Yemen: 16 killed in southern clashes
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) Imperialists in the refrigerator
22) Why we're shredding our marriage license
23) Is commerce decent?
24) When schools are like jails -- or worse
25) Killing Americans: Guns and cars
26) Liberty's goose being cooked slowly
27) Beware the rise of EU anti-populists
28) Working capital
29) The NYT's love letter to death squads
30) Book review: Vampire Planet?
31) The libertarian revolution is upon us
32) Chris Hayes, I am truly sorry
33) Beyond corporate capitalism: Not so wild a dream
34) The Bernanke bust
35) Are co-ops the answer?
36) Prohibition: Bootleggers, Baptists, and bandits
37) Another federal real estate screw-up
38) Lese majesty
39) Pakistan and US: A troubled marriage of convenience
40) The extremer extremists
41) Universal health care does not mean government health care
42) The patriotic expat
43) The Mitt Romney pre-convention sell-out of Ron Paul continues
44) Free will isn't an illusion, either
45) Zippo -- an outlaw company (good for them!)
46) Hides, tithings, hundreds, shires ... one world government
47) Memo to Obama: Here's how the market works
48) Quick thoughts on Christians and marriage
49) Ryan Crocker slips quietly away
50) The Awesome Pledge
Today's Freedom Audio and Video:
51) Charlie Kirk on Freedom Rings Radio, 06/04/12
52) Free Talk Live, 05/28/12
53) Robert P. Murphy on Antiwar Radio
54) Cato Daily Podcast, 05/24/12
55) Freedomain Radio #2141
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FREEDOM NEWS
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1) Obama's secret murder list
Source: New York Times
"[US president Barack] Obama has placed himself at the helm of a top
secret 'nominations' process to designate [alleged] terrorists for
kill or capture, of which the capture part has become largely
theoretical. He had vowed to align the fight against Al Qaeda with
American values; the chart, introducing people whose deaths he might
soon be asked to order, underscored just what a moral and legal
conundrum this could be. ... In interviews with The New York Times,
three dozen of his current and former advisers described Mr. Obama's
evolution since taking on the role, without precedent in presidential
history, of personally overseeing the shadow war with Al
Qaeda." (05/29/12)
http://nyti.ms/LQm359
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2) Syrian diplomats around the world expelled
Source: Elkhart Truth
"Governments around the world expelled Syrian ambassadors and
diplomats Tuesday, an unusual, coordinated blow to Syrian President
Bashar Assad's regime following a gruesome massacre that the United
Nations said involved close-range shootings of scores of children and
parents in their homes." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7jcc5uy
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3) Iraq: Four killed, four wounded
Source: Antiwar.com
"Two Pakistanis died from injuries they received in a bus bombing in
Saqlawiya two days ago. In Garma, a policeman was killed and two
others were wounded when a roadside bomb was detonated. One Iraqi
civilian was killed and another was wounded in an I.E.D. blast in Abu
Ghraib." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/KG3Y8Y
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4) Afghanistan: Occupiers claim to have killed senior al Qaeda leader
Source: Newsday
"The U.S.-led NATO force in Afghanistan killed al-Qaida's second-
highest leader in the country in an airstrike in eastern Kunar
province, the coalition said Tuesday. Sakhr al-Taifi, also known as
Mushtaq and Nasim, was responsible for commanding foreign insurgents
in Afghanistan and directing attacks against NATO and Afghan forces,
the alliance said." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/KG3LCF
-----
5) Pakistan: 21 killed as regime jets target militants in Khyber,
Orakzai
Source: Daily Times [Pakistan]
"At least 21 terrorists were killed as security jets attacked
terrorist hideouts in Orakzai and Khyber agencies on Tuesday. Fourteen
terrorists were killed in jet planes-shelling in Mamozai area of the
Orakzai Agency, officials said on Tuesday." (05/30/12)
http://bit.ly/KG3sb1
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6) Romney clinches GOP nomination
Source: Reuters
"Mitt Romney clinched the Republican presidential nomination on
Tuesday with a resounding victory in Texas ... He will be formally
nominated at the Republicans' convention in Florida in late
August." (05/29/12)
http://reut.rs/Kts6gu
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7) Dylan awarded Medal of Freedom
Source: Kansas City Star
"Few recipients of the presidential Medal of Freedom have carried more
cultural and artistic weight than Bob Dylan, who received the
recognition from President Barack Obama on Tuesday at the White House
for contributions to American life and culture. ... Photographers and
reporters jockeyed for a glimpse of the music icon, and even
politicians used to the limelight seemed star-struck. The famously
retiring Dylan wore dark sunglasses throughout the event and sat bow-
tied and stone-faced, not even cracking a smile during lighthearted
moments." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/KtrUxH
-----
8) UK: Supreme Court to rule on Assange extradition
Source: Yuma Sun
"Britain's Supreme Court is expected to rule Wednesday on whether to
approve the extradition of WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange to Sweden, a
potential turning point in the Internet activist's controversial
career. Assange, 40, has spent the better part of two years fighting
attempts to send him to the Scandinavian nation, where he is accused
of sex crimes. At least one extradition expert said that his long-
running legal campaign may finally yield a victory for the Australian
programmer." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7tfj853
-----
9) Sudan, South Sudan prepare for peace talks
Source: CNN
"Peace talks between Sudan and South Sudan are scheduled to take place
Tuesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the first such discussion since
tensions peaked last month. On the agenda, according to the United
Nations, are security, the status of the countries' citizens, border
demarcation and the final status of the disputed oil-rich region of
Abyei." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7e8a79v
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10) Mexican corruption case adds to US unease of drug war alliance
Source: Austin American-Statesman
"The biggest military corruption case here in recent years has
worsened an already frayed relationship between U.S. law enforcement
officials and the Mexican army, the institution most trusted and
empowered by officials here to fight the drug war." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7kww3g8
-----
11) NARAL blasts Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act
Source: The Raw Story
"Legislation that the U.S. House of Representatives plans to vote on
Wednesday could threaten medical professional involved in abortions
with jail time, according to NARAL Pro-Choice America, one of the
biggest pro-choice advocacy groups. Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)
introduced the Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal
Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) to the U.S. House in December 2011.
Under the legislation, a doctor who performed an abortion could face
up to five-years in prison if race or sex was a factor in the woman's
decision to terminate her pregnancy." [editor's note: Chipping away at
the issue of a woman's right not to become breed-cattle, one brick at
a time - SAT] [additional editor's note: Perhaps the best way not to
become breed-cattle is not to breed, rather than the retroactive
approach? - TLK] (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7xfbrrv
-----
12) SC: Man stopped robbery attempt
Source: Myrtle Beach Online
"A 46-year-old man told Myrtle Beach police he surprised two would-be
robbers with his gun and forced the suspect to drop his gun, according
to authorities. Officers learned the 46-year-old man was inside his
room with the door open when he saw some men enter the property and
come up the stairs, according to the report. The victim told police he
put his handgun in his pocket because 'it didn't look right.' The
victim said when he turned around two men, armed with a gun, were
standing in his room pointing the gun at him demanding marijuana,
according to the report. The victim told the men he didn't have any
drugs and then pointed his gun at them. The victim made the suspect
put his gun down and then made them leave the room without taking
anything, according to the report." (05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/JzjipP
-----
13) Report: Marines may soon carry solar backpacks
Source: AOL News
"According to researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL),
one of the Marine Corps' most significant challenges is finding a way
to provide reliable electricity to soldiers in forward operating
bases. Like the rest of us, the U.S. military is desperate for ways to
reduce its fuel and battery consumption. It's widely recognized that
solar panels are one of the only technologies that can provide a
portable, affordable source of power to those on the front
lines." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7pws69b
-----
14) TN: Judge's ruling stops mosque construction
Source: The Tennessean
"A judge's ruling has stopped construction of a Nashville suburban
mosque that has been at the center of a rowdy debate for more than two
years. Chancellor Robert Corlew ruled Tuesday that proper public
notice was not given for the May 2010 meeting that approved the site
plan for the mosque being built near Murfreesboro, a booming city of
about 100,000 people southeast of Nashville." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/73fc4ol
-----
15) SCOTUS declines excessive force tasering case
Source: Christian Science Monitor
"The US Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to take up the appeal of a
pregnant woman who was shocked three times with a police Taser after
she refused to sign a traffic ticket for driving 32 miles per hour in
a 20 m.p.h. school zone. The woman, Malaika Brooks, was seven months
pregnant and was driving her 11-year-old son to school in Seattle at
the time of the speeding violation. At issue in the case was whether
police acted reasonably in deploying the Taser after Ms. Brooks
refused to sign the speeding ticket and then refused to voluntarily
exit her car to allow officers to place her under arrest." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7lxds7a
-----
16) VA: Girl, six, youngest ever in National Spelling Bee
Source: Arizona Republic
"This week, a precocious 6-year-old will be onstage with youngsters
more than twice her age -- and twice her size -- as one of 278
students who have qualified for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Lori Anne Madison has hit all her milestones early. She was reading
before she was 2. When her mother tried to enroll her in a private
school for the gifted, the headmaster said Lori Anne was too smart to
accommodate and needed to be home-schooled. 'She's like a teenager in
a 6-year-old body,' her mother, Sorina, said. 'Her brain, she
understands things way ahead of her age.'" (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/6rv3g8r
-----
17) Spain: Volvo's self-drive "convoy" hits the road
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
"A convoy of self-driven cars has completed a 200km (125-mile) journey
on a Spanish motorway, in the first public test of such vehicles. The
cars were wirelessly linked to each other and 'mimicked' a lead
vehicle, driven by a professional driver. The so-called road train has
been developed by Volvo. The firm is confident that they will be
widely available in [the] future." (05/29/12)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18248841
-----
18) Fatah, Hamas begin unity government talks
Source: Reuters
"Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction and Palestinian
Islamist group Hamas began talks to form a unity government on Monday
in a renewed bid to heal political rifts, paving the way for a general
election. Hamas runs the Gaza Strip -- cut off from the West Bank by
Israeli territory -- as a separate entity, ignoring policies set by
Abbas's Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. The split has divided
the Palestinians politically as well as geographically." (05/28/12)
http://reut.rs/JKLS99
-----
19) Home prices rise in most major US cities
Source: USA Today
"Home prices rose in March from February in most major U.S. cities for
the first time in seven months. The increase is the latest evidence of
a slow recovery taking shape in the troubled housing market. The
Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index shows that prices
increased in 12 of the 20 cities it tracks." (05/29/12)
http://usat.ly/JKL5VP
-----
20) Yemen: 16 killed in southern clashes
Source: Dawn [Pakistan]
"Yemen's army pressed an offensive against southern towns held by al
Qaeda-linked fighters, with 11 militants and five soldiers killed in
the clashes, military officials said. ... Yemen's army claims it has
retaken most of Zinjibar, captured in 2011 by militants taking
advantage of political turmoil to extend their control over large
swaths of territory in the south. The officials said the army
continued its cautious advance toward the nearby town of Jaar
supported by heavy airstrikes and artillery shelling." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/KT4M6Y
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HEALTH-OF-THE-STATE-O-METER, 05/30/12
Iraqi Deaths Due to US Invasion: 1,455,590
(source: justforeignpolicy.org/iraq)
US Deaths in Afghanistan: Bush 575, Obama 1321
(source: justforeignpolicy.org/obamavsbush)
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FREEDOM COMMENTARY
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21) Imperialists in the refrigerator
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Wendy McElroy
"Various American regulatory agencies have criminalized the sale and
the distribution of raw milk, allegedly as a means of protecting the
welfare of consumers. The government claims unpasteurized milk is
dangerous because it has not been treated to eliminate pathogens such
as E. coli." (05/29/12)
http://www.fff.org/comment/com1205t.asp
-----
22) Why we're shredding our marriage license
Source: Liberty For All
by Sean Haugh
"No one is free when others are oppressed. That's the short answer to
why my wife, Pam Adams, and I will be shredding our marriage license
in front of the North Carolina General Assembly at 11am on Tuesday,
May 29, 2012. We'll be joining the couple that witnessed our marriage
those 13 wonderful years ago, Barbara and Tom Howe. Barbara suggested
this months ago when our legislature placed the anti-marriage
amendment on the North Carolina ballot." (05/29/12)
http://www.libertyforall.net/?p=7660
-----
23) Is commerce decent?
Source: A Passion for Liberty
by Tibor R. Machan
"Most people take it for granted that medicine, education and science
have merit and those doing work in those fields are doing the right
thing. They can claim credit for having chosen a fine calling or
vocation. But the same is not so with business. A clear indication of
this is that there is a great deal of talk about the social
responsibility of corporations, and how companies should give back to
the community in contributions, something few other professionals hear
of. Are college professors being implored to do likewise? No, because
their work is deemed to be worthwhile in and of itself." (archive
article; posted 05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/JRv8q8
-----
24) When schools are like jails -- or worse
Source: OpenMarket.org
by Hans Bader
"17-year-old Texas honor student has been jailed for missing too much
school. Diane Tran works both full-time and part-time jobs, in
addition to taking advanced and college level courses, and her parents
have split up and moved away, leaving her in charge of younger
siblings, making it hard to keep to the exact school day. Judge Lanny
Moriarty was not sympathetic: 'If you let one run loose, what are you
gonna do with the rest of 'em?'" (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/83zk2zh
-----
25) Killing Americans: Guns and cars
Source: The Price of Liberty
by Nathan Barton
"On Friday, a link to an article on Alternet appeared in my e-mail
(from a friend): Since Colorado was listed as one of the ten states
where 'guns killed' more people than 'cars killed' (actually, motor
vehicles, including trucks and buses and motorcycles), and since I do
a lot of work in Colorado, I decided to see if this was indeed true (I
have a naturally suspicious mind). So I did a quick search on the
topic." (05/28/12)
http://www.thepriceofliberty.org/2012/05/28/nathan.html
-----
26) Liberty's goose being cooked slowly
Source: Orange County Register
by Ron Hart
"After celebrating another Memorial Day and reflecting on the freedoms
our brave soldiers have died for, I fear the creeping incrementalism
of government is eroding our liberties. Many brave souls have answered
the call of duty. Unfortunately, those in power in Washington view the
Constitution as if it's the video game 'Call of Duty' -- they just go
around blowing it up." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/84hb8w6
-----
27) Beware the rise of EU anti-populists
Source: Spiked
by Patrick Hayes
"The EU elites' fear of an imminent Fourth Reich reveals a great deal
about their loathing of the European mob." (05/28/12)
http://www.spiked-online.com/site/article/12492/
-----
28) Working capital
Source: Strike the Root
by Jim Davies
"What so enrages OWS folk is actually State Capitalism, in which large
enterprises operate under the guidance of and for the benefit of the
State, which returns the favor by enacting laws to give each an
effective monopoly. A better term for that is 'Fascism,' with every
economic activity within the State and controlled by the State but not
actually owned by the State; while it's an ancient idea -- 18th
Century Mercantilism was one form of it -- it formed a more successful
alternative to Communism in the 20th Century and seems to have been
worked out first by Mussolini, who began adult life as a Communist and
attracted the notice of Lenin as such, but who later recognized that
it's much smarter to direct the cow and milk her, than to own her
outright. What we see all around us, and what our OWS friends are
protesting, is a well-developed version of such fascism." (05/29/12)
http://www.strike-the-root.com/working-capital
-----
29) The NYT's love letter to death squads
Source: CounterPunch
by Chris Floyd
"I must, at last, admit defeat. I simply have no words, no rhetorical
ammunition, no conceptual frameworks that could adequately address the
total moral nullity exposed in Monday's New York Times article on the
death squad that Barack Obama is personally directing from the White
House. ('Secret 'Kill List' Proves a Test of Obama's Principles and
Will.')It is not so much a newspaper story as a love letter -- a love
letter to death, to the awe-inspiring and fear-inducing power of
death, as personified by Barack Obama in his temporary role as the
manager of a ruthless, lawless imperial state." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/KFUJ8K
-----
30) Book review: Vampire Planet?
Source: The Libertarian Enterprise
by Ken Holder
"I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It seems to get off to a slow start
with the interesting twist on where vampires came from (and why) which
has to be explained. But after that it is an entertaining story. And
gives a low-key but believable illustration of a libertarian society
and a libertarian crew on a starship flying to a nearby solar system.
The passengers are all frozen, and the 8-person crew is thawed out in
rotation a year at a time for the subjective-30-year trip." (05/28/12)
http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2012/tle672-20120527-03.html
-----
31) The libertarian revolution is upon us
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G. Hornberger
"In Cuba it is a grave criminal offense to question or challenge the
principles of the Cuban Revolution. People are permitted to call for
reform of Cuba's socialist economic system but are not permitted to
advocate replacing it with a free-market, private-property system. I
learned this first-hand several years ago when I visited Cuba to do
research on Cuba's socialist economic system and on the effects of the
U.S. embargo on Cuba." (05/29/12)
http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2012-05-29.asp
-----
32) Chris Hayes, I am truly sorry
Source: Our Future
by Isaiah J. Poole
"By the time you read this, we should be at the 25th hour of what is,
even though it shouldn't be, one of those 24-hour stories, namely
Chris Hayes' comment about our country's casual use of the word 'hero'
for all of our military personnel and the knee-jerk right-wing
blowback. Hours after Hayes made his widely reported comment, he felt
compelled to publish an apology. ... Allow me to offer an apology to
Chris Hayes: 'I'm sorry, Chris, that we live in a time when an
intelligent person can't engage in reasoned and nuanced questioning of
the orthodoxies surrounding our military, which have been declared
sacrosanct by conservatives.'" (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/764u8n8
-----
33) Beyond corporate capitalism: Not so wild a dream
Source: The Nation
by Gar Alperovitz & Thomas M. Hanna
"It's time to put the taboo subject of public ownership back on the
progressive agenda. It is the only way to solve some of the most
serious problems facing the nation. ... Proposals for public ownership
will of course be attacked as 'socialism,' but conservatives call any
progressive program -- to say nothing of the modest economic policies
of the Obama administration -- 'socialist.' However, many Americans
are increasingly skeptical about the claims made for the corporate-
dominated 'free' enterprise system by its propagandists." (05/28/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7zx5jw5
-----
34) The Bernanke bust
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Michael Pollaro
"To Austrians, all economic 'booms' founded on monetary largesse
always end in economic busts, roughly equal in size and intensity to
the preceding booms. By distorting interest-rate and price signals
and, as a consequence, creating malinvestments that must eventually be
liquidated, monetary booms necessitate economic busts. This is true
regardless of whatever short-term benefits the economy or financial
markets appear to enjoy from this largesse.
http://mises.org/daily/6054/The-Bernanke-Bust
-----
35) Are co-ops the answer?
Source: In These Times
by Rebecca Burns
"Long before the Occupy movement sparked renewed protest of rising
inequality, another global movement was quietly engaged in building a
more democratic economy. From coffee growers in Kenya seeking a fair
market price to worker-owned green businesses reviving the American
Rust Belt, cooperatives are helping to spur a reinvention of work in a
period of worldwide recession." (05/29/12)
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/13178/are_co_ops_the_answer
-----
36) Prohibition: Bootleggers, Baptists, and bandits
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Sandy Ikeda
"The political economist Bruce Yandle's phrase 'bootleggers and
Baptists' captures the idea that special-interest groups with
conflicting moral positions often find common cause in particular
government interventions. Many on the political left agree with crony
capitalists that government should make taxpayers bailout some
businesses that are 'too big to fail;' some radical feminists agree
with some Christian fundamentalists that government should ban
pornography. Their reasons are different but the policies they support
are the same." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/84ow9w9
-----
37) Another federal real estate screw-up
Source: Tenth Amendment Center
by Rob Natelson
"One of the clearest messages from the American Founding was that the
Constitution left regulation of private land within state boundaries
to the exclusive prerogative of the states. This was an area
completely outside the sphere of the federal government." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/bwoxkuy
-----
38) Lese majesty
Source: Ayn R. Key
by Ayn R. Key
"A farmer decides, in the wake of the Mad Cow outbreak to conduct
tests above and beyond those required by the government in order to
advertise that his beef is safer than the national standard. The USDA
doesn't allow him to do so, he cannot conduct his own tests with his
own money." (05/25/12)
http://aynrkey.blogspot.com/2012/05/lese-majesty.html
-----
39) Pakistan and US: A troubled marriage of convenience
Source: Cato Institute
by Malou Innocent and Aimen Khan
"Pakistan is key to stability in Afghanistan and a major contributor
to its security challenges. Islamabad's growing anti-Western posture,
coupled with its reluctance to tackle its militants more vigorously,
suggests that mutual interests would be best served not by the United
States paying more in transit fees and remaining hostage to Pakistan,
but by phasing out the substantial aid it currently sends
there." (05/25/12)
http://bit.ly/KoTjR7
-----
40) The extremer extremists
Source: EconLog
by Bryan Caplan
"I'm an extremist. I freely admit it. The status quo is deeply
immoral, and would remain so even if there were many moderate changes
in the right direction. Many EconLog readers presumably think the
same, even if they sharply disagree with my diagnosis of what's deeply
immoral about the status quo. Still, no matter how extreme you are,
there are almost always people on 'your side' who are even more
extreme than you are." (05/29/12)
http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2012/05/a_question_for_3.html
-----
41) Universal health care does not mean government health care
Source: Rad Geek People's Daily
by Rad Geek
"Maybe social means are inadequate; or maybe there is some reason,
which has yet to be mentioned, why governmental control is preferable,
as a means for getting it, to voluntary associations for mutual aid.
But whether the position is right or wrong, it's certainly not one
that can be answered simply by defining it out of existence, as you do
when you pretend that the only alternatives available are (1)
corporate coverage of only those who can afford it; or else (2)
universal coverage by means of government mandates; as if there were
no (3) universal coverage by non-governmental means." (05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/KoSY0P
-----
42) The patriotic expat
Source: LewRockwell.com
by Dave vonKleist
"The argument is sometimes made that those who flee their respective
countries have no right to look back and criticize the political and
economic path that their country has taken. Sure, some have washed
their hands and thrown in the towel in disgust and want nothing more
to do with the confusion and moral decay that is so much easier to
recognize from afar. Others leave to take a hiatus and get their head
cleared in hopes that upon their return, they will be better prepared
and emotionally stronger to rejoin the battle for national sanity.
Those at home sometimes look at their friends and/or family members
who have expatriated with an assessment of cowardice and condemnation.
Just wait a doggone minute!" (05/29/12)
http://lewrockwell.com/spl4/patriotic-expat.html
-----
43) The Mitt Romney pre-convention sell-out of Ron Paul continues
Source: Delaware Libertarian
by Steve Newton
"Romney is preparing not only to make the case that Romney=Deterrent
Power, Obama=Appeasement Vulnerability, but also that -- on foreign
policy -- Paul=Obama. In fact, if pressed, it is predictable that
Romney will eventually characterize Dr. Paul as being worse on defense
and foreign policy than President Obama, and therefore unelectable.
Then he will offer Ron Paul supporters a place at the table on
economic issues, but only if they are willing to give up non-
interventionism." (05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/KoSEzg
-----
44) Free will isn't an illusion, either
Source: The Moral Sciences Club
by Will Wilkinson
"I really do think most confusion on questions about free will (and
many other questions) is due to one or another tendentious initial
definition. With luck, the era of sloppy Sam Harris-style neuro-
reductionism will soon pass and smart guys like Nahmias can continue
making real progress." (05/25/12)
http://bigthink.com/ideas/free-will-isnt-an-illusion-either
-----
45) Zippo -- an outlaw company (good for them!)
Source: Kent's "Hooligan Libertarian" Blog
by Kent McManigal
"The clerk took the package and asked the standard 'anything
hazardous, fragile, or flammable?' question, to which I replied 'no.'
She held it carefully, looked at it suspiciously, and said 'It says
'Zippo,' what's in here?' I said it is a broken lighter. She looked
shocked and said 'You can't mail lighters!' I said that I followed the
packaging instructions on the Zippo site (and why would they even have
a mailing address at all if you couldn't mail anything to them?), and
I had mailed lighter to them before." (05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/KoSgAB
-----
46) Hides, tithings, hundreds, shires ... one world government
Source: People v. State
by John Kindley
"It always remains true that natural justice is necessarily the only
law. All the black robes and star-spangled banners sewed by all the
seamstresses in the world can't change that. Put John Brown in a
Hundred with 99 slave-owners and John Brown will still be right and
all the slave-owners wrong. The only value of democracy, whether based
on consensus or based on majority rule, is in its relative likelihood
of enacting justice." (05/28/12)
http://www.peoplevstate.com/?p=2142
-----
47) Memo to Obama: Here's how the market works
Source: Liberty Unbound
by Gary Jason
"President Obama is running a political campaign as predictable as it
is despicable. It is based on attacking capitalism. 'Markets never
work, government always does' appears to be his meshuggeneh mantra. As
it happens, two recent Wall Street Journal stories illustrate the free
market (disparagingly called 'capitalism' by its opponents) in
action." [editor's note: Yeah, fracking is "the free market" -- if you
ignore 33 years of federally subsidized development of the techniques,
the state legislation to protect those doing it from liability for
torts, etc. - TLK] (05/28/12)
http://www.libertyunbound.com/node/814
-----
48) Quick thoughts on Christians and marriage
Source: Free Advice
by Robert P. Murphy
"Over the past few weeks I have seen a lot of secular libertarian
commentary on the issue of gay marriage. I don't think there is an
adequate understanding of the traditional Christian view on this
issue, so in this quick post I just want to try to frame the issue a
little more correctly. This is obviously a really touchy subject,
especially since I know plenty of openly gay people and it's awkward
if I write something and then they think, 'Oh, Bob must despise me.'
So, I hope that's not how this post comes across, but anyway I really
do think people aren't understand[ing] what a truly 'Christian' view
is." (05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/JRvH3p
-----
49) Ryan Crocker slips quietly away
Source: Antiwar.com
by Kelley B. Vlahos
"Washington's foreign policy elite loves to mock the overuse of the
cliche 'graveyard of empires,' but it seems as though the last decade
of our increasingly failed bid in Afghanistan is littered with
lackluster epitaphs for American generals, envoys and diplomats. In
other words, they come, they go, and Afghanistan still stands as a
paradox and a plague on our high foreign policy
aspirations." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/JRvvBg
-----
50) The Awesome Pledge
Source: Jacob ex Machina
by Jacob Lyles
"Shaming rich people until they give away their wealth to philanthropy
or taxes is not optimal for society. ... instead of The Giving Pledge,
I propose we create The Awesome Pledge. Pledge to do something awesome
with your wealth, like Space X. Don't take the easy way out by just
giving it away. You worked hard to earn it. Now work hard to put it to
use." (05/28/12)
http://jacobexmachina.blogspot.com/2012/05/awesome-pledge.html
------------------------------------------------------------------
FREEDOM AUDIO & VIDEO
------------------------------------------------------------------
51) Charlie Kirk on Freedom Rings Radio, 06/04/12
Source: Freedom Rings Radio
"Charlie Kirk, co-founder of SOS Liberty, a youth outreach branch of
the Illinois Tea Party will talk about SOS Liberty." 9-10am Central on
WRMN 1410 AM, Elgin, IL or live on the web. [live radio or stream]
(06/04/12)
http://freedomrings.net/
-----
52) Free Talk Live, 05/28/12
Source: Free Talk Live
"Peace Activists Enter Memorial Day Parade :: Platitudes :: Porcfest
and Alcohol Sales :: Supporting the Troops :: Depleted Uranium ::
Honor :: Ending Struggle Over Resources :: Type Zero Culture ::
Finding Peace :: 3D Printing :: Fear :: Terrorists :: Chicken! :: So-
Called Libertarian Veteran :: Protecting Minorities." [MP3] (05/28/12)
http://soundcloud.com/freetalklive/ftl2012-05-28/download
-----
53) Robert P. Murphy on Antiwar Radio
Source: Antiwar.com
"Robert P. Murphy, author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to
Capitalism, discusses his article 'Who Needs War for Oil' ..." [Flash
audio or MP3] (05/27/12)
http://antiwar.com/radio/2012/05/27/robert-p-murphy-3/
-----
54) Cato Daily Podcast, 05/24/12
Source: Cato Institute
"Sharing power in Zimbabwe," featuring David Coltart. [Flash audio or
MP3] (05/24/12)
http://bit.ly/KT3c5b
-----
55) Freedomain Radio #2141
Source: Freedomain Radio
"Stefan Molyneux, host of Freedomain Radio, interviewed by Kerry Lutz
on the Financial Survival Network." [MP3] (05/07/12)
http://bit.ly/KT2SDy
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Today's Freedom News:
1) Obama's secret murder list
2) Syrian diplomats around the world expelled
3) Iraq: Four killed, four wounded
4) Afghanistan: Occupiers claim to have killed senior al Qaeda leader
5) Pakistan: 21 killed as regime jets target militants in Khyber,
Orakzai
6) Romney clinches GOP nomination
7) Dylan awarded Medal of Freedom
8) UK: Supreme Court to rule on Assange extradition
9) Sudan, South Sudan prepare for peace talks
10) Mexican corruption case adds to US unease of drug war alliance
11) NARAL blasts Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act
12) SC: Man stopped robbery attempt
13) Report: Marines may soon carry solar backpacks
14) TN: Judge's ruling stops mosque construction
15) SCOTUS declines excessive force tasering case
16) VA: Girl, six, youngest ever in National Spelling Bee
17) Spain: Volvo's self-drive "convoy" hits the road
18) Fatah, Hamas begin unity government talks
19) Home prices rise in most major US cities
20) Yemen: 16 killed in southern clashes
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) Imperialists in the refrigerator
22) Why we're shredding our marriage license
23) Is commerce decent?
24) When schools are like jails -- or worse
25) Killing Americans: Guns and cars
26) Liberty's goose being cooked slowly
27) Beware the rise of EU anti-populists
28) Working capital
29) The NYT's love letter to death squads
30) Book review: Vampire Planet?
31) The libertarian revolution is upon us
32) Chris Hayes, I am truly sorry
33) Beyond corporate capitalism: Not so wild a dream
34) The Bernanke bust
35) Are co-ops the answer?
36) Prohibition: Bootleggers, Baptists, and bandits
37) Another federal real estate screw-up
38) Lese majesty
39) Pakistan and US: A troubled marriage of convenience
40) The extremer extremists
41) Universal health care does not mean government health care
42) The patriotic expat
43) The Mitt Romney pre-convention sell-out of Ron Paul continues
44) Free will isn't an illusion, either
45) Zippo -- an outlaw company (good for them!)
46) Hides, tithings, hundreds, shires ... one world government
47) Memo to Obama: Here's how the market works
48) Quick thoughts on Christians and marriage
49) Ryan Crocker slips quietly away
50) The Awesome Pledge
Today's Freedom Audio and Video:
51) Charlie Kirk on Freedom Rings Radio, 06/04/12
52) Free Talk Live, 05/28/12
53) Robert P. Murphy on Antiwar Radio
54) Cato Daily Podcast, 05/24/12
55) Freedomain Radio #2141
------------------------------------------------------------------
FREEDOM NEWS
------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Obama's secret murder list
Source: New York Times
"[US president Barack] Obama has placed himself at the helm of a top
secret 'nominations' process to designate [alleged] terrorists for
kill or capture, of which the capture part has become largely
theoretical. He had vowed to align the fight against Al Qaeda with
American values; the chart, introducing people whose deaths he might
soon be asked to order, underscored just what a moral and legal
conundrum this could be. ... In interviews with The New York Times,
three dozen of his current and former advisers described Mr. Obama's
evolution since taking on the role, without precedent in presidential
history, of personally overseeing the shadow war with Al
Qaeda." (05/29/12)
http://nyti.ms/LQm359
-----
2) Syrian diplomats around the world expelled
Source: Elkhart Truth
"Governments around the world expelled Syrian ambassadors and
diplomats Tuesday, an unusual, coordinated blow to Syrian President
Bashar Assad's regime following a gruesome massacre that the United
Nations said involved close-range shootings of scores of children and
parents in their homes." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7jcc5uy
-----
3) Iraq: Four killed, four wounded
Source: Antiwar.com
"Two Pakistanis died from injuries they received in a bus bombing in
Saqlawiya two days ago. In Garma, a policeman was killed and two
others were wounded when a roadside bomb was detonated. One Iraqi
civilian was killed and another was wounded in an I.E.D. blast in Abu
Ghraib." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/KG3Y8Y
-----
4) Afghanistan: Occupiers claim to have killed senior al Qaeda leader
Source: Newsday
"The U.S.-led NATO force in Afghanistan killed al-Qaida's second-
highest leader in the country in an airstrike in eastern Kunar
province, the coalition said Tuesday. Sakhr al-Taifi, also known as
Mushtaq and Nasim, was responsible for commanding foreign insurgents
in Afghanistan and directing attacks against NATO and Afghan forces,
the alliance said." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/KG3LCF
-----
5) Pakistan: 21 killed as regime jets target militants in Khyber,
Orakzai
Source: Daily Times [Pakistan]
"At least 21 terrorists were killed as security jets attacked
terrorist hideouts in Orakzai and Khyber agencies on Tuesday. Fourteen
terrorists were killed in jet planes-shelling in Mamozai area of the
Orakzai Agency, officials said on Tuesday." (05/30/12)
http://bit.ly/KG3sb1
-----
6) Romney clinches GOP nomination
Source: Reuters
"Mitt Romney clinched the Republican presidential nomination on
Tuesday with a resounding victory in Texas ... He will be formally
nominated at the Republicans' convention in Florida in late
August." (05/29/12)
http://reut.rs/Kts6gu
-----
7) Dylan awarded Medal of Freedom
Source: Kansas City Star
"Few recipients of the presidential Medal of Freedom have carried more
cultural and artistic weight than Bob Dylan, who received the
recognition from President Barack Obama on Tuesday at the White House
for contributions to American life and culture. ... Photographers and
reporters jockeyed for a glimpse of the music icon, and even
politicians used to the limelight seemed star-struck. The famously
retiring Dylan wore dark sunglasses throughout the event and sat bow-
tied and stone-faced, not even cracking a smile during lighthearted
moments." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/KtrUxH
-----
8) UK: Supreme Court to rule on Assange extradition
Source: Yuma Sun
"Britain's Supreme Court is expected to rule Wednesday on whether to
approve the extradition of WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange to Sweden, a
potential turning point in the Internet activist's controversial
career. Assange, 40, has spent the better part of two years fighting
attempts to send him to the Scandinavian nation, where he is accused
of sex crimes. At least one extradition expert said that his long-
running legal campaign may finally yield a victory for the Australian
programmer." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7tfj853
-----
9) Sudan, South Sudan prepare for peace talks
Source: CNN
"Peace talks between Sudan and South Sudan are scheduled to take place
Tuesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the first such discussion since
tensions peaked last month. On the agenda, according to the United
Nations, are security, the status of the countries' citizens, border
demarcation and the final status of the disputed oil-rich region of
Abyei." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7e8a79v
-----
10) Mexican corruption case adds to US unease of drug war alliance
Source: Austin American-Statesman
"The biggest military corruption case here in recent years has
worsened an already frayed relationship between U.S. law enforcement
officials and the Mexican army, the institution most trusted and
empowered by officials here to fight the drug war." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7kww3g8
-----
11) NARAL blasts Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act
Source: The Raw Story
"Legislation that the U.S. House of Representatives plans to vote on
Wednesday could threaten medical professional involved in abortions
with jail time, according to NARAL Pro-Choice America, one of the
biggest pro-choice advocacy groups. Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)
introduced the Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal
Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) to the U.S. House in December 2011.
Under the legislation, a doctor who performed an abortion could face
up to five-years in prison if race or sex was a factor in the woman's
decision to terminate her pregnancy." [editor's note: Chipping away at
the issue of a woman's right not to become breed-cattle, one brick at
a time - SAT] [additional editor's note: Perhaps the best way not to
become breed-cattle is not to breed, rather than the retroactive
approach? - TLK] (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7xfbrrv
-----
12) SC: Man stopped robbery attempt
Source: Myrtle Beach Online
"A 46-year-old man told Myrtle Beach police he surprised two would-be
robbers with his gun and forced the suspect to drop his gun, according
to authorities. Officers learned the 46-year-old man was inside his
room with the door open when he saw some men enter the property and
come up the stairs, according to the report. The victim told police he
put his handgun in his pocket because 'it didn't look right.' The
victim said when he turned around two men, armed with a gun, were
standing in his room pointing the gun at him demanding marijuana,
according to the report. The victim told the men he didn't have any
drugs and then pointed his gun at them. The victim made the suspect
put his gun down and then made them leave the room without taking
anything, according to the report." (05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/JzjipP
-----
13) Report: Marines may soon carry solar backpacks
Source: AOL News
"According to researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL),
one of the Marine Corps' most significant challenges is finding a way
to provide reliable electricity to soldiers in forward operating
bases. Like the rest of us, the U.S. military is desperate for ways to
reduce its fuel and battery consumption. It's widely recognized that
solar panels are one of the only technologies that can provide a
portable, affordable source of power to those on the front
lines." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7pws69b
-----
14) TN: Judge's ruling stops mosque construction
Source: The Tennessean
"A judge's ruling has stopped construction of a Nashville suburban
mosque that has been at the center of a rowdy debate for more than two
years. Chancellor Robert Corlew ruled Tuesday that proper public
notice was not given for the May 2010 meeting that approved the site
plan for the mosque being built near Murfreesboro, a booming city of
about 100,000 people southeast of Nashville." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/73fc4ol
-----
15) SCOTUS declines excessive force tasering case
Source: Christian Science Monitor
"The US Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to take up the appeal of a
pregnant woman who was shocked three times with a police Taser after
she refused to sign a traffic ticket for driving 32 miles per hour in
a 20 m.p.h. school zone. The woman, Malaika Brooks, was seven months
pregnant and was driving her 11-year-old son to school in Seattle at
the time of the speeding violation. At issue in the case was whether
police acted reasonably in deploying the Taser after Ms. Brooks
refused to sign the speeding ticket and then refused to voluntarily
exit her car to allow officers to place her under arrest." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7lxds7a
-----
16) VA: Girl, six, youngest ever in National Spelling Bee
Source: Arizona Republic
"This week, a precocious 6-year-old will be onstage with youngsters
more than twice her age -- and twice her size -- as one of 278
students who have qualified for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Lori Anne Madison has hit all her milestones early. She was reading
before she was 2. When her mother tried to enroll her in a private
school for the gifted, the headmaster said Lori Anne was too smart to
accommodate and needed to be home-schooled. 'She's like a teenager in
a 6-year-old body,' her mother, Sorina, said. 'Her brain, she
understands things way ahead of her age.'" (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/6rv3g8r
-----
17) Spain: Volvo's self-drive "convoy" hits the road
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
"A convoy of self-driven cars has completed a 200km (125-mile) journey
on a Spanish motorway, in the first public test of such vehicles. The
cars were wirelessly linked to each other and 'mimicked' a lead
vehicle, driven by a professional driver. The so-called road train has
been developed by Volvo. The firm is confident that they will be
widely available in [the] future." (05/29/12)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18248841
-----
18) Fatah, Hamas begin unity government talks
Source: Reuters
"Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction and Palestinian
Islamist group Hamas began talks to form a unity government on Monday
in a renewed bid to heal political rifts, paving the way for a general
election. Hamas runs the Gaza Strip -- cut off from the West Bank by
Israeli territory -- as a separate entity, ignoring policies set by
Abbas's Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. The split has divided
the Palestinians politically as well as geographically." (05/28/12)
http://reut.rs/JKLS99
-----
19) Home prices rise in most major US cities
Source: USA Today
"Home prices rose in March from February in most major U.S. cities for
the first time in seven months. The increase is the latest evidence of
a slow recovery taking shape in the troubled housing market. The
Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index shows that prices
increased in 12 of the 20 cities it tracks." (05/29/12)
http://usat.ly/JKL5VP
-----
20) Yemen: 16 killed in southern clashes
Source: Dawn [Pakistan]
"Yemen's army pressed an offensive against southern towns held by al
Qaeda-linked fighters, with 11 militants and five soldiers killed in
the clashes, military officials said. ... Yemen's army claims it has
retaken most of Zinjibar, captured in 2011 by militants taking
advantage of political turmoil to extend their control over large
swaths of territory in the south. The officials said the army
continued its cautious advance toward the nearby town of Jaar
supported by heavy airstrikes and artillery shelling." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/KT4M6Y
------------------------------------------------------------------
HEALTH-OF-THE-STATE-O-METER, 05/30/12
Iraqi Deaths Due to US Invasion: 1,455,590
(source: justforeignpolicy.org/iraq)
US Deaths in Afghanistan: Bush 575, Obama 1321
(source: justforeignpolicy.org/obamavsbush)
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
FREEDOM COMMENTARY
------------------------------------------------------------------
21) Imperialists in the refrigerator
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Wendy McElroy
"Various American regulatory agencies have criminalized the sale and
the distribution of raw milk, allegedly as a means of protecting the
welfare of consumers. The government claims unpasteurized milk is
dangerous because it has not been treated to eliminate pathogens such
as E. coli." (05/29/12)
http://www.fff.org/comment/com1205t.asp
-----
22) Why we're shredding our marriage license
Source: Liberty For All
by Sean Haugh
"No one is free when others are oppressed. That's the short answer to
why my wife, Pam Adams, and I will be shredding our marriage license
in front of the North Carolina General Assembly at 11am on Tuesday,
May 29, 2012. We'll be joining the couple that witnessed our marriage
those 13 wonderful years ago, Barbara and Tom Howe. Barbara suggested
this months ago when our legislature placed the anti-marriage
amendment on the North Carolina ballot." (05/29/12)
http://www.libertyforall.net/?p=7660
-----
23) Is commerce decent?
Source: A Passion for Liberty
by Tibor R. Machan
"Most people take it for granted that medicine, education and science
have merit and those doing work in those fields are doing the right
thing. They can claim credit for having chosen a fine calling or
vocation. But the same is not so with business. A clear indication of
this is that there is a great deal of talk about the social
responsibility of corporations, and how companies should give back to
the community in contributions, something few other professionals hear
of. Are college professors being implored to do likewise? No, because
their work is deemed to be worthwhile in and of itself." (archive
article; posted 05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/JRv8q8
-----
24) When schools are like jails -- or worse
Source: OpenMarket.org
by Hans Bader
"17-year-old Texas honor student has been jailed for missing too much
school. Diane Tran works both full-time and part-time jobs, in
addition to taking advanced and college level courses, and her parents
have split up and moved away, leaving her in charge of younger
siblings, making it hard to keep to the exact school day. Judge Lanny
Moriarty was not sympathetic: 'If you let one run loose, what are you
gonna do with the rest of 'em?'" (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/83zk2zh
-----
25) Killing Americans: Guns and cars
Source: The Price of Liberty
by Nathan Barton
"On Friday, a link to an article on Alternet appeared in my e-mail
(from a friend): Since Colorado was listed as one of the ten states
where 'guns killed' more people than 'cars killed' (actually, motor
vehicles, including trucks and buses and motorcycles), and since I do
a lot of work in Colorado, I decided to see if this was indeed true (I
have a naturally suspicious mind). So I did a quick search on the
topic." (05/28/12)
http://www.thepriceofliberty.org/2012/05/28/nathan.html
-----
26) Liberty's goose being cooked slowly
Source: Orange County Register
by Ron Hart
"After celebrating another Memorial Day and reflecting on the freedoms
our brave soldiers have died for, I fear the creeping incrementalism
of government is eroding our liberties. Many brave souls have answered
the call of duty. Unfortunately, those in power in Washington view the
Constitution as if it's the video game 'Call of Duty' -- they just go
around blowing it up." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/84hb8w6
-----
27) Beware the rise of EU anti-populists
Source: Spiked
by Patrick Hayes
"The EU elites' fear of an imminent Fourth Reich reveals a great deal
about their loathing of the European mob." (05/28/12)
http://www.spiked-online.com/site/article/12492/
-----
28) Working capital
Source: Strike the Root
by Jim Davies
"What so enrages OWS folk is actually State Capitalism, in which large
enterprises operate under the guidance of and for the benefit of the
State, which returns the favor by enacting laws to give each an
effective monopoly. A better term for that is 'Fascism,' with every
economic activity within the State and controlled by the State but not
actually owned by the State; while it's an ancient idea -- 18th
Century Mercantilism was one form of it -- it formed a more successful
alternative to Communism in the 20th Century and seems to have been
worked out first by Mussolini, who began adult life as a Communist and
attracted the notice of Lenin as such, but who later recognized that
it's much smarter to direct the cow and milk her, than to own her
outright. What we see all around us, and what our OWS friends are
protesting, is a well-developed version of such fascism." (05/29/12)
http://www.strike-the-root.com/working-capital
-----
29) The NYT's love letter to death squads
Source: CounterPunch
by Chris Floyd
"I must, at last, admit defeat. I simply have no words, no rhetorical
ammunition, no conceptual frameworks that could adequately address the
total moral nullity exposed in Monday's New York Times article on the
death squad that Barack Obama is personally directing from the White
House. ('Secret 'Kill List' Proves a Test of Obama's Principles and
Will.')It is not so much a newspaper story as a love letter -- a love
letter to death, to the awe-inspiring and fear-inducing power of
death, as personified by Barack Obama in his temporary role as the
manager of a ruthless, lawless imperial state." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/KFUJ8K
-----
30) Book review: Vampire Planet?
Source: The Libertarian Enterprise
by Ken Holder
"I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It seems to get off to a slow start
with the interesting twist on where vampires came from (and why) which
has to be explained. But after that it is an entertaining story. And
gives a low-key but believable illustration of a libertarian society
and a libertarian crew on a starship flying to a nearby solar system.
The passengers are all frozen, and the 8-person crew is thawed out in
rotation a year at a time for the subjective-30-year trip." (05/28/12)
http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2012/tle672-20120527-03.html
-----
31) The libertarian revolution is upon us
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G. Hornberger
"In Cuba it is a grave criminal offense to question or challenge the
principles of the Cuban Revolution. People are permitted to call for
reform of Cuba's socialist economic system but are not permitted to
advocate replacing it with a free-market, private-property system. I
learned this first-hand several years ago when I visited Cuba to do
research on Cuba's socialist economic system and on the effects of the
U.S. embargo on Cuba." (05/29/12)
http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2012-05-29.asp
-----
32) Chris Hayes, I am truly sorry
Source: Our Future
by Isaiah J. Poole
"By the time you read this, we should be at the 25th hour of what is,
even though it shouldn't be, one of those 24-hour stories, namely
Chris Hayes' comment about our country's casual use of the word 'hero'
for all of our military personnel and the knee-jerk right-wing
blowback. Hours after Hayes made his widely reported comment, he felt
compelled to publish an apology. ... Allow me to offer an apology to
Chris Hayes: 'I'm sorry, Chris, that we live in a time when an
intelligent person can't engage in reasoned and nuanced questioning of
the orthodoxies surrounding our military, which have been declared
sacrosanct by conservatives.'" (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/764u8n8
-----
33) Beyond corporate capitalism: Not so wild a dream
Source: The Nation
by Gar Alperovitz & Thomas M. Hanna
"It's time to put the taboo subject of public ownership back on the
progressive agenda. It is the only way to solve some of the most
serious problems facing the nation. ... Proposals for public ownership
will of course be attacked as 'socialism,' but conservatives call any
progressive program -- to say nothing of the modest economic policies
of the Obama administration -- 'socialist.' However, many Americans
are increasingly skeptical about the claims made for the corporate-
dominated 'free' enterprise system by its propagandists." (05/28/12)
http://tinyurl.com/7zx5jw5
-----
34) The Bernanke bust
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Michael Pollaro
"To Austrians, all economic 'booms' founded on monetary largesse
always end in economic busts, roughly equal in size and intensity to
the preceding booms. By distorting interest-rate and price signals
and, as a consequence, creating malinvestments that must eventually be
liquidated, monetary booms necessitate economic busts. This is true
regardless of whatever short-term benefits the economy or financial
markets appear to enjoy from this largesse.
http://mises.org/daily/6054/The-Bernanke-Bust
-----
35) Are co-ops the answer?
Source: In These Times
by Rebecca Burns
"Long before the Occupy movement sparked renewed protest of rising
inequality, another global movement was quietly engaged in building a
more democratic economy. From coffee growers in Kenya seeking a fair
market price to worker-owned green businesses reviving the American
Rust Belt, cooperatives are helping to spur a reinvention of work in a
period of worldwide recession." (05/29/12)
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/13178/are_co_ops_the_answer
-----
36) Prohibition: Bootleggers, Baptists, and bandits
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Sandy Ikeda
"The political economist Bruce Yandle's phrase 'bootleggers and
Baptists' captures the idea that special-interest groups with
conflicting moral positions often find common cause in particular
government interventions. Many on the political left agree with crony
capitalists that government should make taxpayers bailout some
businesses that are 'too big to fail;' some radical feminists agree
with some Christian fundamentalists that government should ban
pornography. Their reasons are different but the policies they support
are the same." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/84ow9w9
-----
37) Another federal real estate screw-up
Source: Tenth Amendment Center
by Rob Natelson
"One of the clearest messages from the American Founding was that the
Constitution left regulation of private land within state boundaries
to the exclusive prerogative of the states. This was an area
completely outside the sphere of the federal government." (05/29/12)
http://tinyurl.com/bwoxkuy
-----
38) Lese majesty
Source: Ayn R. Key
by Ayn R. Key
"A farmer decides, in the wake of the Mad Cow outbreak to conduct
tests above and beyond those required by the government in order to
advertise that his beef is safer than the national standard. The USDA
doesn't allow him to do so, he cannot conduct his own tests with his
own money." (05/25/12)
http://aynrkey.blogspot.com/2012/05/lese-majesty.html
-----
39) Pakistan and US: A troubled marriage of convenience
Source: Cato Institute
by Malou Innocent and Aimen Khan
"Pakistan is key to stability in Afghanistan and a major contributor
to its security challenges. Islamabad's growing anti-Western posture,
coupled with its reluctance to tackle its militants more vigorously,
suggests that mutual interests would be best served not by the United
States paying more in transit fees and remaining hostage to Pakistan,
but by phasing out the substantial aid it currently sends
there." (05/25/12)
http://bit.ly/KoTjR7
-----
40) The extremer extremists
Source: EconLog
by Bryan Caplan
"I'm an extremist. I freely admit it. The status quo is deeply
immoral, and would remain so even if there were many moderate changes
in the right direction. Many EconLog readers presumably think the
same, even if they sharply disagree with my diagnosis of what's deeply
immoral about the status quo. Still, no matter how extreme you are,
there are almost always people on 'your side' who are even more
extreme than you are." (05/29/12)
http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2012/05/a_question_for_3.html
-----
41) Universal health care does not mean government health care
Source: Rad Geek People's Daily
by Rad Geek
"Maybe social means are inadequate; or maybe there is some reason,
which has yet to be mentioned, why governmental control is preferable,
as a means for getting it, to voluntary associations for mutual aid.
But whether the position is right or wrong, it's certainly not one
that can be answered simply by defining it out of existence, as you do
when you pretend that the only alternatives available are (1)
corporate coverage of only those who can afford it; or else (2)
universal coverage by means of government mandates; as if there were
no (3) universal coverage by non-governmental means." (05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/KoSY0P
-----
42) The patriotic expat
Source: LewRockwell.com
by Dave vonKleist
"The argument is sometimes made that those who flee their respective
countries have no right to look back and criticize the political and
economic path that their country has taken. Sure, some have washed
their hands and thrown in the towel in disgust and want nothing more
to do with the confusion and moral decay that is so much easier to
recognize from afar. Others leave to take a hiatus and get their head
cleared in hopes that upon their return, they will be better prepared
and emotionally stronger to rejoin the battle for national sanity.
Those at home sometimes look at their friends and/or family members
who have expatriated with an assessment of cowardice and condemnation.
Just wait a doggone minute!" (05/29/12)
http://lewrockwell.com/spl4/patriotic-expat.html
-----
43) The Mitt Romney pre-convention sell-out of Ron Paul continues
Source: Delaware Libertarian
by Steve Newton
"Romney is preparing not only to make the case that Romney=Deterrent
Power, Obama=Appeasement Vulnerability, but also that -- on foreign
policy -- Paul=Obama. In fact, if pressed, it is predictable that
Romney will eventually characterize Dr. Paul as being worse on defense
and foreign policy than President Obama, and therefore unelectable.
Then he will offer Ron Paul supporters a place at the table on
economic issues, but only if they are willing to give up non-
interventionism." (05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/KoSEzg
-----
44) Free will isn't an illusion, either
Source: The Moral Sciences Club
by Will Wilkinson
"I really do think most confusion on questions about free will (and
many other questions) is due to one or another tendentious initial
definition. With luck, the era of sloppy Sam Harris-style neuro-
reductionism will soon pass and smart guys like Nahmias can continue
making real progress." (05/25/12)
http://bigthink.com/ideas/free-will-isnt-an-illusion-either
-----
45) Zippo -- an outlaw company (good for them!)
Source: Kent's "Hooligan Libertarian" Blog
by Kent McManigal
"The clerk took the package and asked the standard 'anything
hazardous, fragile, or flammable?' question, to which I replied 'no.'
She held it carefully, looked at it suspiciously, and said 'It says
'Zippo,' what's in here?' I said it is a broken lighter. She looked
shocked and said 'You can't mail lighters!' I said that I followed the
packaging instructions on the Zippo site (and why would they even have
a mailing address at all if you couldn't mail anything to them?), and
I had mailed lighter to them before." (05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/KoSgAB
-----
46) Hides, tithings, hundreds, shires ... one world government
Source: People v. State
by John Kindley
"It always remains true that natural justice is necessarily the only
law. All the black robes and star-spangled banners sewed by all the
seamstresses in the world can't change that. Put John Brown in a
Hundred with 99 slave-owners and John Brown will still be right and
all the slave-owners wrong. The only value of democracy, whether based
on consensus or based on majority rule, is in its relative likelihood
of enacting justice." (05/28/12)
http://www.peoplevstate.com/?p=2142
-----
47) Memo to Obama: Here's how the market works
Source: Liberty Unbound
by Gary Jason
"President Obama is running a political campaign as predictable as it
is despicable. It is based on attacking capitalism. 'Markets never
work, government always does' appears to be his meshuggeneh mantra. As
it happens, two recent Wall Street Journal stories illustrate the free
market (disparagingly called 'capitalism' by its opponents) in
action." [editor's note: Yeah, fracking is "the free market" -- if you
ignore 33 years of federally subsidized development of the techniques,
the state legislation to protect those doing it from liability for
torts, etc. - TLK] (05/28/12)
http://www.libertyunbound.com/node/814
-----
48) Quick thoughts on Christians and marriage
Source: Free Advice
by Robert P. Murphy
"Over the past few weeks I have seen a lot of secular libertarian
commentary on the issue of gay marriage. I don't think there is an
adequate understanding of the traditional Christian view on this
issue, so in this quick post I just want to try to frame the issue a
little more correctly. This is obviously a really touchy subject,
especially since I know plenty of openly gay people and it's awkward
if I write something and then they think, 'Oh, Bob must despise me.'
So, I hope that's not how this post comes across, but anyway I really
do think people aren't understand[ing] what a truly 'Christian' view
is." (05/28/12)
http://bit.ly/JRvH3p
-----
49) Ryan Crocker slips quietly away
Source: Antiwar.com
by Kelley B. Vlahos
"Washington's foreign policy elite loves to mock the overuse of the
cliche 'graveyard of empires,' but it seems as though the last decade
of our increasingly failed bid in Afghanistan is littered with
lackluster epitaphs for American generals, envoys and diplomats. In
other words, they come, they go, and Afghanistan still stands as a
paradox and a plague on our high foreign policy
aspirations." (05/29/12)
http://bit.ly/JRvvBg
-----
50) The Awesome Pledge
Source: Jacob ex Machina
by Jacob Lyles
"Shaming rich people until they give away their wealth to philanthropy
or taxes is not optimal for society. ... instead of The Giving Pledge,
I propose we create The Awesome Pledge. Pledge to do something awesome
with your wealth, like Space X. Don't take the easy way out by just
giving it away. You worked hard to earn it. Now work hard to put it to
use." (05/28/12)
http://jacobexmachina.blogspot.com/2012/05/awesome-pledge.html
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FREEDOM AUDIO & VIDEO
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51) Charlie Kirk on Freedom Rings Radio, 06/04/12
Source: Freedom Rings Radio
"Charlie Kirk, co-founder of SOS Liberty, a youth outreach branch of
the Illinois Tea Party will talk about SOS Liberty." 9-10am Central on
WRMN 1410 AM, Elgin, IL or live on the web. [live radio or stream]
(06/04/12)
http://freedomrings.net/
-----
52) Free Talk Live, 05/28/12
Source: Free Talk Live
"Peace Activists Enter Memorial Day Parade :: Platitudes :: Porcfest
and Alcohol Sales :: Supporting the Troops :: Depleted Uranium ::
Honor :: Ending Struggle Over Resources :: Type Zero Culture ::
Finding Peace :: 3D Printing :: Fear :: Terrorists :: Chicken! :: So-
Called Libertarian Veteran :: Protecting Minorities." [MP3] (05/28/12)
http://soundcloud.com/freetalklive/ftl2012-05-28/download
-----
53) Robert P. Murphy on Antiwar Radio
Source: Antiwar.com
"Robert P. Murphy, author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to
Capitalism, discusses his article 'Who Needs War for Oil' ..." [Flash
audio or MP3] (05/27/12)
http://antiwar.com/radio/2012/05/27/robert-p-murphy-3/
-----
54) Cato Daily Podcast, 05/24/12
Source: Cato Institute
"Sharing power in Zimbabwe," featuring David Coltart. [Flash audio or
MP3] (05/24/12)
http://bit.ly/KT3c5b
-----
55) Freedomain Radio #2141
Source: Freedomain Radio
"Stefan Molyneux, host of Freedomain Radio, interviewed by Kerry Lutz
on the Financial Survival Network." [MP3] (05/07/12)
http://bit.ly/KT2SDy
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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