California RLC to challenge Rep. Lynn Woolsey at Town Hall

Libertarian Republicans vs. Moveon.org

The California Republican Liberty Caucus received a bit of media attention for plans to attend Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey's Town Hall meeting on Health Care. CA RLC Chairman Matthew Heath was quoted in the Santa Rose Press-Democrat, Aug. 29:

Matt Heath, a leader with the county's Republican Liberty Caucus, said the short notice might prevent some people from coming. However, he said it will be a worthwhile discussion about a topic that has people on edge, even on the liberal North Coast.

He hopes Woolsey and others will be open to other views.

“Folks may disagree with her and I am one of them,” Heath said. “But I think if enough people are speaking out, she would certainly want to listen to them.”

Ironically, one of the RLC's arch rival groups, Moveon.org, was also quoted:

David Walls, a coordinator for the west Sonoma County branch of liberal MoveOn.org, said e-mails were going out to as many as 10,000 people urging them to come.

Walls said he participated in Woolsey's “tele-town hall,” but was looking forward to seeing her in person. He said he expects minor demonstrations from opponents.

“There could be a few free-lance conservatives who just turn up there,” Walls said. “But there doesn't seem to be a major organized effort at this point.”

UPDATE!

Sharon's Blog reports that an overflow crowd of approx. 1,100 to 1,200 were in attendance. The Congresswoman may have made a bit of news:

after being asked several times if she would agree to having the same coverage that is being proposed rather than the coverage she enjoys as a Congresswoman, she said she would agree to support an amendment that would give Congress the 'option' to have the 'public option.'

Note - She pledged only to give Congress members "the option" to subscribe to the same public option as other Americans.

UPDATE!

Liberal media outlets in Rep. Woolsey's district are characterizing her response differently, than what first hand reports suggest. From the Contra Costa Times this morning:

[constituent Dion] Brennan also concluded with a rhetorical question: "Will you add an amendment to the bill that says all the Senate and the Congress people will give up their health care?"

Woolsey replied that members of Congress have the same insurance as other federal employees but she would be happy to sign up for the new government coverage that will be offered through the public option of health care reform.

Note - Libertarian Republican has sent an email to the paper for a clarification, and is soliciting first hand accounts from libertarians and others in attendance.

Libertarian Party's First Presidential candidate gives Thumbs Up to Wayne Root's new Book

THE CONSCIENCE OF A LIBERTARIAN by Wayne Allyn Root
Review by John Hospers

My book, LIBERTARIANISM was first published in 1971. Its subtitle,
'A Political Philosophy for Tomorrow' has at long last come true today.
I hope it's not too late.

The pragmatic reality is in Wayne Allyn Root's brilliant new volume:
THE CONSCIENCE OF A LIBERTARIAN - a title I might add, that was obviously carefully considered and borrowed in the “classic liberal” sense -that is, it was returned with dividends of thought and deserved tribute to The Conscience of a Conservative author, politician - Barry Goldwater.

The similarities between Root and Goldwater become increasingly apparent; both strongly believe in individual freedom, both recognize the United States as a republic and firmly support States' Rights and a federal government with limited powers as unmistakably defined by the United States Constitution; both are conservative, agree an oversize federal government dooms America. Yet both are centrist libertarians when addressing topics concerning personal choices and social issues such as abortion, gays in the military and the legalization of medical marijuana.

Above all, both Root, the Libertarian Party's 2008 Vice-Presidential nominee and Senator Barry Goldwater, the 1964 United States Presidential Candidate of the Republican Party - are blunt, outspoken, straight-talking politicians who do not see 'liberty and justice for all' being compatible or existing for long with federal government spending-gone-wild - and, like Goldwater, Root is bold, passionate, unafraid to speak clear and often about what he believes.

In his book, Root documents that the problems Goldwater faced 50 years ago are the same today, only far worse - e.g., federal government runaway growth, increased taxation, wars, foreign aid, foreign military spending, welfare, etc. Root contends that if we had heeded Goldwater's advice those years ago, we wouldn't today be facing a decay of culture and possible demise of our nation.
Root says, “In 1959, Goldwater predicted the descent of America. His main issues were always government over-spending, over-reaching, interference in the lives of individuals, which often goes hand in hand.”

Root's own description of the State of the Union is no less dramatic and clear; he conveys a sense of urgency about surviving the worst financial emergency in the history of the United States. The self-made New Yorker speaks rapid-fire from the heart; pulling no punches, without skipping a beat, Root says:
“I'm not too nice. It's time to throw niceties overboard. It's time to suspend manners. We don't have time for nice. Being nice hasn't gotten us anywhere. While we've been nice, the problem has reached the critical stage. It's time for action.

“This book is the opening shot across the bow of the Titanic. The United States is the Titanic nearing the end of a long journey. The iceberg is ahead. Someone has got to get the taxpayer's attention before we all perish. Now is not the time for nice…”

True to his word, from there Root gets rough and raw and intense, however - he seems not to be afraid of anyone or anything; promising to scream the truth of what's happened to our nation from the highest mountains, never to stop screaming, to remain relentless - staying right on-target with the colossal fiscal catastrophe facing this country - until everyone gets the message.

Written in Four Parts, Root's work is a must-read guaranteed to rivet all who cherish their freedom and seek to protect their lives and loved ones from the dictates of a monstrously oppressive federal government looking to control its citizens from pre-crib to post-crypt, from now and for generations to come.

The titles speak for themselves - Part One: A Revolution is Brewing.
Part Two: Let's Talk Money and Politics.
Part Three: Solutions for the Mess We Are In.
Part Four: Protecting and Preserving our Inalienable Civil Liberties.

Root goes for the jugular; the plundering and rape of America's treasury by an administration that appears bent on destroying capitalism and the middle class grows ever more difficult to defend as one reads the jarring facts in the book. In spite of the author asking questions that need to be answered by those who should be held accountable - many will criticize Root's in-your-face style, and these same detractors will unfortunately miss the irrefutable truth.

The author takes no prisoners, leaves no doubt how the disaster came to be; Root names-names but blames both Democrat and Republican administrations for over-spending, inflating the size and reach of government and creating a welfare state that is a form of slavery even as it continues to bleed taxpayers.

It is on the issues of over-spending and oversize federal government control in the personal lives of our citizens with which I most agree with the author. This is how I first explained it some four decades ago in LIBERTARIANISM, and I'm sad that it's truer, more pertinent and more dangerous now than ever:
“Another effect of the welfare programs, which may not be intended by its proponents but invariably occurs once the programs have gone too far, is the stratification of society. Those who speak in the most heartfelt manner about equality of opportunity are by the very policies they advocate freezing the mobility of workers in such a way as to frustrate them at every turn and forever prevent their rising to the level of their abilities. Government tends to put them on a treadmill from which they cannot escape.

“It is not merely that the programs tend to perpetuate people in welfare down to the third or fourth generation; this is true, and tragic enough. But one effect of the monumental taxes required to sustain the programs is to keep working people, even those with imagination and ability and ambition, frozen into their present stratum of society, without a chance to improve themselves.”

Root sees welfare and government entitlement programs creating a slave state. He understands the relationship between excessive taxation and the ill-effect on civilization as we know it. He justifiably resents the liberal hypocrisy of socialized medicine, good enough for 300,000,000+ of US, but not so the elitist politicians, who step over the United States Constitution and verbally, burn our flag along with our freedom of choice.

Root is a successful business man, an entrepreneur who knows capitalism and hard work is what made this nation great. He also realizes what the end result of “Share the Wealth” or “Spread the Wealth Around” will be - and that is a not so slow kill of the Golden Goose - the cutting off of the very source of the affluence that those who hate capitalism expect to receive and enjoy.

A resonating theme of Root's work is that he asks, actually demands to know for himself and for all Americans - “WHERE IS OUR TAX MONEY?”

Reminiscent of the famous sign "The Buck Stops Here" that was on the desk in President Harry Truman's White House office (and made in the Federal Reformatory at El Reno, Oklahoma) Root asks in gruff Truman-like manner, where does the hundreds of billions, trillions of our dollars in tax money for “bailouts” and payoffs go - to whom, and why? WHERE IS OUR MONEY?

In other words, Root wants to know who the wizard is behind the curtain, or better yet, who the master is pulling the strings of the man in the empty suit.

Root's book has solutions for the mess we are in, and the author still has faith that our nation may yet rise from the ashes of a destructive anti-American, anti-capitalistic suspect administration. He states, without hesitation: “It's obvious that the people running our government are flawed hypocrites!”

Root, of course, is referring to his former Columbia University classmate and current U.S. President, Barack Hussein Obama, who in fact, refuses to debate Root or produce any, let alone essential Columbia University paperwork that could prove citizenship and constitutionally legitimize the Obama presidency.

“The U.S. government makes Bernie Madoff look like a piker,” says Root, who describes what the Obama administration of admitted tax cheats, liars, self-serving members of government and other co-conspirators has done, as the biggest Ponzi scheme in history. Root continues, without a shred of doubt: “The same economic tsunami that destroyed Madoff's scam will now destroy the scam of the U.S. government. The game is over-we are bankrupt. Actually, we are bankrupt squared (to the tenth level).

“We cannot possibly continue to spend at the same levels as when things were going good, now that things are going bad,” Root says in no-nonsense terms. “There just isn't enough tax revenue coming in to keep spending at the same baseline. We can't keep spending far more than we take in, while at the same time the national debt from decades past keeps piling up unpaid.”

If the truth hurts, you'd best stop here. Otherwise listen to Root: “We are so broke, we can't pay last year's bills, let alone the new bills for this year. Yet Obama has decided to spend more in response to this crisis--far more. By a decade or so from now, just the interest on the national debt (according to Obama's own projections) will be $800 billion per year.

“How big is $800 billion? If you spent $1-million per day from the day that Jesus was born until today, it still wouldn't equal $800 billion! And that's just the interest payment owed by the American people. This is insanity. It is financial madness,” says Root, who then continues: “This issue is the biggest threat to our existence. This same threat, government over-spending, massive entitlements, and mounds of debt reaching to the moon, is what destroyed the Greek and Roman empires. We are headed for the same fate,” says author, politician Wayne Allyn Root. “The U.S. is crumbling because of one issue: over-spending by government.”

Root has solutions. To me, he's the only candidate who's articulate, powerful in presentation, and RIGHT. He presents his views with vigor and clarity on every occasion. He comes across great because he speaks truth from the heart, of America, to America, for America. There's time:
ROOT FOR AMERICA. Bring in 2010 and 2012: THROW OUT THE BUMS, AND CRIMINALS!

Dr. John Hospers
1st (1972) United States
Presidential Candidate
of the Libertarian Party;
Professor Emeritus of Philosophy,
University of Southern California

Editor's Note - I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Hospers during the 2004 election cycle. Beth Soloe, Sam Wells and I organized Libertarians for Bush. Dr. Hospers graciously agreed to serve as our Honorary Chairman for the group. Note also, he is a strident Pro-Defense Libertarian. Legend has it that he single-handidly stopped Anti-War Libertarians from taking over the LP and the Party Platform in 1972.

New from Tim Hawkins: The Government Can Give you Everything you Want

A Moocher's Dream come True

"The government can..." by Tim Hawkins

More libertarian-oriented videos at timhawkins.net

Forget Rasmussen at 45%: New Zogby has Obama down to 42% Approval

Right blogs and news sites are all abuzz today about Obama's "plummet" in the brand new Rasmussen poll released late last night. The new Rasmussen numbers have Obama at an all-time low of 45% approvals.

But the brand new Zogby poll released just hours ago, has even worse news for Obama and the Democrats; A shockingly low 42% approval compared to 48% disapprovals.

From Zogby.com:

The latest Zogby Interactive poll of 4,518 likely voters conducted from August 28-31 found 48% disapprove and 42% approve of the job Obama is doing. The poll found 75% of Democrats approve of Obama's performance, a drop of 13 points among Democrats from an interactive poll done July 21-24 of this year. That same poll found 48% of all likely voters approving of Obama's job performance, and 49% disapproving.

Though there are no cross-tabs on Democrat ideology, it appears that moderate-to-conservative Dems may be finally abandoning Obama.

And one interesting side note: Fully 21% of all African-American voters now dissaprove of Obama's performance, 74% approve, though that's down from 81% last month.

Note - Rasmussen is generally regarded as a "Republican-leaning" polling firm, while Zogby is said to lean Democrat.

Part of Saddam's Air Force found hidden in Warehouse: Clue as to what became of WMD?

by Eric Dondero

Leftwing Anti-War activists and media, along with Libertarians from the isolationist wing of the movement who also opposed the War, may have some explaining to do this morning.

The New York Times, no less, reports that 19 Iraqi jet fighters have just been found hidden in a Warehouse in Serbia. The stash includes MIG 21 and MIG 23 jet fighters.

From the Times Aug. 30:

The Serbian government has tentatively promised to make two of the aircraft available “for immediate use,” according to a news release from the ministry. The rest would be restored on a rush basis, the ministry said.

An Iraqi delegation went to Serbia as part of an effort by the government to locate assets stashed abroad by Saddam Hussein to evade sanctions. Serbia had had friendly relations with Mr. Hussein’s government.

During that visit, Serbian defense officials told the Iraqis that Mr. Hussein had sent 19 fighter jets to Serbia for repairs in the late 1980s, during the Iran-Iraq war, but was unable to bring them back after sanctions were imposed on his country.

The article goes on to cite the missing aircraft still in Iran. Continuing:

Mr. Hussein’s government, which in 1990 had the world’s sixth largest air force with 750 aircraft, lost many MIGs and French Mirages when the United States bombed them during the first Persian Gulf war; nearly 100 were flown to Iran to escape destruction, even though Iran was then an enemy of Iraq. Iran has still not returned the aircraft...

And then this intriguing final note:

Iraqi officials have been hunting for missing financial and military assets in a number of countries where Mr. Hussein did business, including Egypt, Russia, France and Italy.

They have found two naval vessels belonging to Iraq in Egypt and two others in Italy, and other matériel in France and Russia, Mr. Askari, the Defense Ministry spokesman, said in a telephone interview.

Numerous defense experts, and even former Iraqi high-ranking military personnel have maintained for years that Saddam Hussein had the bulk of his WMD shifted to Syria, weeks and months before the start of the American invasion in 2003.

Former Iraqi Air Force Two-Star General Georges Sada wrote a book in 2004: Saddam's Secrets - How an Iraqi General Defied And Survived Saddam Hussein. In the book he gave specific details of how Saddam had ordered Air Force pilots to fly parts of WMD stockpiles to Syria, and gave further information on efforts of ground transportation of such weaponry across the Syrian border.

He told Hannity & Colmes in an interview on Fox in 2004:

Well, I want to make it clear, very clear to everybody in the world that we had the weapon of mass destruction in Iraq, and the regime used them against our Iraqi people...I know it because I have got the captains of the Iraqi airway that were my friends, and they told me these weapons of mass destruction had been moved to Syria. Iraq had some projects for nuclear weapons but it was destroyed in 1981.

In related news, new information being revealed indicates that WMD were found at the semi-autonomous region of northern Iraq which sheltered Zarqawi and Ansar Al-Islam. The blog Musings on Iraq has just run a well-sourced piece: "Why didn't Bush strike Zarqawi and Ansar Al-Islam in 2002"?

During the 2003 invasion, U.S. and Kurdish forces took the Ansar camp after four days of fighting. There they found that Ansar was working on poisons and WMD...

Khurmal turned out to be the only place in Iraq that the U.S. actually found WMD being produced, which was the major justification for the war in the first place.

Their conclusion seems to indicate that the Bush administration did not want to specifically go after Ansar Al-Islam in the isolated region, for fear it would undermine efforts already underway for a wider conflict targetting Saddam Hussein.

Note - Photo is of Jet Fighters found buried in the Iraqi desert by US Troops after the Iraqi invasion.

Jon Tester's claims of Stimulus Money for Montana, disputed by DHS

Pork Project Pay-for-Play?

Freshman Democrat Senator Jon Tester of Montana, is facing criticism regarding $77 million in Federal Stimulus dollars slated for the expansion and improvement of border patrol stations in his State. One of the stations set for improvement, described as a "sleepy station" that sees only 3 people a day, will be expanded to the size of a "Hollywood Mansion."

Tester is claiming that he and fellow MT Dem Senator Max Baucus are responsible for getting the dollars to Montana for "job growth."

Two reporters with the AP Eilieen Sullivan and Matt Apuzzo, originally reported:

Despite Obama's promises that the stimulus plan would be transparent and free of politics, the government is handing out $720 million for border upgrades under a process that is both secretive and susceptible to political influence. This allowed low-priority projects such as the checkpoint in Whitetail, Mont., to skip ahead of more pressing concerns, according to documents revealed to The Associated Press.

The Whitetail project, which involves building a border station the size and cost of a Hollywood mansion, benefited from two key allies, Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester. Both pressed Napolitano to finance projects in their state. Tester's office boasted of that effort in an April news release, crediting Baucus and his seat at the head of the "powerful Senate Finance Committee."

Note - Sen. Baucus is Chairman of the crucial committee overseeing Obama's health care reform, while Tester, is one of the criticial Red State Democrat "swing votes" in the Senate.

But now it turns out the Obama administration, in an apparent attempt to avoid allegations of pay-for-play, is disputing Tester's claim. Janet Napolitano at DHS took the unusual step through a spokesman of contesting the Tester release.

From NewsMax.com, Aug. 30:

"Politicians take credit for things that go on in their state whether they deserve it or not," Homeland Security spokesman Sean Smith said Friday. "These guys are politicians. I don't think anyone should be surprised if they decided to jump in front of that and take some credit for that."

At issue is a Jan. 17 meeting between Tester and Napolitano where the Senator stressed in general terms, the importance of protecting the northern border to the DHS Secretary. Transcripts of that meeting have yet to be released.

Liberal Dem Rep. Carol Shea-Porter finally holds Town Meeting; Has retired Cop ejected

From the New Hampshire Republican Party:

The event was held in a small, but heavily guarded conference room at the Norris Cotton Federal Building in Manchester, NH. Many of her constituents were turned away from the event due to the space limitations of the venue. Shea-Porter has spent the majority of the congressional recess attending fundraisers and closed door events with liberal bloggers and special interest groups.

In the video an older gentleman can be seen being ejected by two Manchester police officers at the behest of Shea-Porter. The man had pointed out that SEIU Union members were being bussed in from out of State to the meeting.

According to NowHampshire.com:

Carl Tomanelli from Londonderry, is a retired New York City patrolman.

They add this irony:

In four short years Carol Shea-Porter has evolved from a rabble-rousing, town hall disrupting anti-war activist who once had to be forcibly removed from a President George Bush event in Portsmouth to a Member of Congress who instructed armed security guards to remove a frustrated voter from her own town hall event in Manchester on Saturday.

Gordon Brown could be on the outs over growing Lockerbie Scandal

Did he trade Oil Rights for release of Muslim extremist?

Labor Party PM Gordon Brown is facing increasing scrutiny over the release of convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi to the Libyans. It now appears that higher-ups in the Brown administration negotiated a business deal involving oil rights, with Quadafi in exchange for the release of the convicted Lockerbie bomber.

Now a week after reveleations first appeared, there are increasing calls for Brown's resignation among UK politicos. One British pundit is even comparing the scandal to America's Watergate.

From Niles Gardiner, London Telegraph, Aug. 29:

The Lockerbie affair is an ugly can of worms that is slowly opening up, much to the embarrassment of the Prime Minister, who has failed even to condemn Megrahi’s release from prison. Is the Lockerbie scandal big enough to force an early exit by Gordon Brown, or at the very least the resignation of senior government ministers? Definitely. The PM has staked his reputation on a firm denial that his government had any role whatsoever in influencing the decision to free Megrahi... If it turns out that Brown or his ministers have deliberately misled the British public over the matter, it could prove to be a Watergate moment for the Prime Minister and force him to step down.

Meanwhile, the Scotts, in overwhelming numbers, are also expressing their outrage over the release.

From a new poll by the BBC:

LONDON — A majority of Scots believe their government’s decision to release Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi last week was wrong, a poll released Friday suggests.

Only 32 percent of the 1,005 people questioned by ICM Research said they agreed with the Scottish government’s decision to free al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds on Aug. 20, while 60 percent of respondents said it was the wrong thing to do, according to the survey done for the British Broadcasting Corp.

Topless Sunbathing: A coming Clash of Cultures in the U.S.?

by Eric Dondero

Yesterday protests for the right of women to go topless on beaches were held in at least four cities: Venice Beach, CA, New York City, Chicago and Columbus, OH.

CNN reports that the women claimed a "Constitutional Right" to bear their breasts in public. Dozens of protesters, both men and women, were chanting "Free your breast, Free your mind" as they marched down Muscle Beach in Venice. The men were wearing bands around their chests, and the women were topless with pasties on their niples. See the video at CNN.

Meanwhile, overseas topless havens such as France and Australia are increasingly moving towards banning topless sunbathing. Muslim groups have been pressuring local politicians to enact modesty laws, so that followers of Islam can feel more welcome at public pools and beaches.

A Conservative Member of Parliament Fred Nile introduced legislation to ban all public nudity on Australian beaches last year. The Australian reported that Niles's wanted to: "ban topless sunbathing so that Muslim men and Asians weren't provoked or disturbed on public beaches."

He was quoted in the Sydney Herald Dec. 30, 2008:

"Our beaches should be a place where no one is offended, whether it's their religious or cultural views," he said.

"If they've come from a Middle Eastern or Asian country where women never go topless - in fact they usually wear a lot of clothing - I think it's important to respect all the different cultures that make up Australia."

And in Paris, Mayor Bertrand Delanoe has banned topless sunbathing at the popular artificial beach Paris-Plage. The major motivation: To protect the sensitivities of Muslim patrons. (Source: Good Read).

The Muslim population across Western Europe now exceeds 10%, and many fear that famous topless beaches, particularly on the Côte d'Azur, such as Saint Tropez, may be the next target of French politicians wanting to appease the increasing Muslim voting bloc.

The clash of cultures came to a head recently when British model Katie Price (photo) sunbathed nude in the Islamic Maldive Islands. The Daily Mirror reported:

The 30-year-old flouted strict Muslim laws by stripping off to catch some rays - a crime that can end up with unsuspecting tourists flung into jail.

Here in the U.S. Muslim groups have been quiet so far, in pushing modesty laws. The issue has yet to come to a head. Though, notably, Muslim groups in at least two U.S. urban areas - Cincinnati/Dayton, OH, and Princeton, NJ, have pushed for segregated work-out facilities and separate pool hours; one of the reasons, to allow Muslim women to swim and work-out in Muslim dress.

The main group pushing legalization of Toplessness - GoTopless.org - lists a number of cities around the country where it is already legal:

Boulder, Colorado
Eugene, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Ashland, Oregon (Oregon Country Fair)
Lucy Vincent beach in Chilmark on Martha's Vineyard
South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida
Key West, Florida
Fantasy Fest
New Orleans, Louisiana (Mardis Gras)
Washington, D.C.
Columbus, OH

Though, notably, American cities with high concentrations of Muslim populations such as Philadelphia, Newark, NJ, Dearborn/Detroit, MI, Buffalo, NY, Minneapolis, MN, Madison, WI, and Seattle, WA are not on the list.

Van Jones, Obama Green Czar, rallied against America day after 9/11

by Eric Dondero

Obama's push to turn the anniversary of September 11, 2001, into a "National Service Day" has been garnering increasing attention, with the lead up to the 9/11 anniversary less than two weeks away.

According to the Eagle.com:

In April, Obama authorized the establishment of 9/11 as a National Day of Service when he signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.

Many on the Right have criticized the move, seeing it as a watering-down of the national day of mourning. Critics worry about the fundamental message of the threat of Islamic extremism and the threat that it still poses to the United States, being buried under a leftwing environmental message.

The move is the handy-work of Obama's Green Czar Van Jones. He has been the focus of Glenn Beck's week-long special mapping out of various socialists, communists and other anti-American activists within the administration.


Writes Matthew Vadum, at the American Spectator:

Van Jones is now President Obama's green jobs czar. He does not appear to have distanced himself from his past communist activities and is now part of the Obama administration's push to turn Sept. 11 into a National Day of Service focused on the promotion of the radical environmentalist agenda.

Now, World Net Daily picks up the baton from Beck and advances the story. They've uncovered an ironic little historical note from their extensive archives. Seems Van Jones, was actually a leader in American protests in favor of the 9/11 Terrorists actions, the very day after Islamic extremists killed nearly 3,000 Americans in New York City, at the Pentagon and in a farm field in Western Pennsylvania.

From World Net Daily, Aug. 29:

Jones was the leader and founder of a radical group, the communist revolutionary organization Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement, or STORM. That group, together with Jones' Elle Baker Center for Human Rights, led a vigil Sept. 12, 2001, at Snow Park in Oakland, Calif

A WND review of the 97-page treatise found a description of a vigil that Jones' group held Sept. 12, 2001, at Snow Park in Oakland, Calif. The event drew hundreds and articulated an "anti-imperialist" line, according to STORM's own description.

The radical group's manual boasted the 9/11 vigil was held to express solidarity with Arab and Muslim Americans and to mourn the civilians killed in the terrorist attacks "as well as the victims of U.S. imperialism around the world."

"We honored those who lost their lives in the attack and those who would surely lose their lives in subsequent U.S. attacks overseas," STORM's manifesto recalls.

WND goes on to report that in statements released in a media release, Jones doubted that "Arab men" were behind the attacks.

"Anti-Arab hostility is already reaching a fever pitch as pundits and common people alike rush to judgment that an Arab group is responsible for this tragedy," said Van Jones

The day of the attacks, and the days and weeks that followed, worldwide rallies were held, mainly by Islamists, to express support for Osama bin Laden and the 9/11 attackers. The most covered and well-known was of rallies in the streets of Gaza, Cairo, Egypt and Amman, Jordan, of Palestinians and Arabs shooting off their weapons in the air, and shouting "Praise be to Allah," as re-runs of the jets streaming into the Twin Towers glared on TV screens out of shop windows.

Thanks to excellent background provided by Glenn Beck, and investigative work at World Net Daily, we now know, Jones was also praising Allah for the attacks, albeit with an American accent.

Tom McClintock: Government that runs IRS can't be trusted to be compassionate with Health Care

TOM MCLINTOCK WATCH

A regular service provided by Libertarian Republican for fans of America's most libertarian Congressman

Rep. Tom McClintock met with Doctors at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital in his northern Calfornia District the other day to discuss proposed health care reform measures. During the meeting McClintock commented, from the Auburn Journal, Aug. 27:

“This same government that’s running a near-$2-trillion debt is expecting to somehow keep the costs for healthcare down?” McClintock asked.

“And the same government that runs the IRS is going to be compassionate and understanding?” he added.

Louisiana's Hero of Katrina almost certain to run as Republican for US Senate

MAJOR DEVELOPMENT!

"Now, I will tell you this -- and I give the president some credit on this -- he sent one John Wayne dude down here that can get some stuff done, and his name is [Lt.] Gen. [Russel] Honoré. And he came off the doggone chopper, and he started cussing and people started moving. And he's getting some stuff done." -- New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, Radio Interview, Sept. 25, 2005 (Source: Wiki)

The race for US Senate in Louisiana just got a lot stormier. The thoroughly politically incorrect "Ragin' Cajun" Russel Honoré is now "over 50% sure" he's gonna run for the David Vitter seat. And the General, whose actually an African-American Creole, could easily win both the GOP primary and the general with ease.

According to Bayou Buzz:

While polls show Vitter as the clear favorite in both the primary and the general election, one very senior Louisiana Republican predicted that if Honore runs, "He wins." As that GOP party elder further explained to the www.louisianaweekly.com and Bayoubuzz on the promise of confidentiality, "All he has to say is 'Stuck on Stupid', and Vitter is toast."

Honoré is best known for his dramatic entry into the City in a Gen. Patton style motorcade to calm fears and clamp down on violence. In front of cameras he was seen barking orders to National Guardsman enlisted personnel.

While Vitter has improved his position in recent months, the race was thrown into flux originally by the entrance of Porn Star-turned-Child Protection Advocate, Stormy Daniels. She has yet to indicate whether she will run as an Independent or Republican. On the Democrat side a handful of lesser-known state politicos are also mounting challenges, but are not expected to make much headway in this increasingly GOP-leaning State.

Civil Liberties supporters respond to Obama assault on Internet Freedom

Here's a summary of the proposals in S.773 sponsored by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV):

*permits the president to seize temporary control of private-sector networks during a “cybersecurity” emergency

*president to “declare a cybersecurity emergency” in regards to “non-governmental” networks and do whatever they feel is necessary.

*include a federal certification program for “cybersecurity professionals”

*requirement that some computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded a cybersecurity professional license

*Section 201: permits the president to “direct the national response to the cyber threat” if necessary for “the national defense and security.”

*White House will engage in “periodic mapping” of private networks deemed to be critical, and those companies “shall share” requested information with the federal government. “Cyber” is defined as anything having to do with the Internet, telecommunications, computers, or computer networks

*If your company is considered “critical”, you get regulated. Who you can hire, what info you must disclose, and when the government can take control of your computers and network

Civil Liberties group reacts

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)

The privacy implications of sweeping changes implemented before the legal review is finished worry Lee Tien, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation in San Francisco. "As soon as you're saying that the federal government is going to be exercising this kind of power over private networks, it's going to be a really big issue," he says.

Conservatives point out Hypocrisy of Left

The Clampdown

The Left (and many Libertarians) are still moaning about the Patriot Act that was passed in the months following 9/11 because they saw it as a ruthless power grab from a madman in waiting. It was no such thing, of course, but try pointing that out to people who begin and end their debates with cries of “Halliburton!” or “Cheney!” as if they were magic words that somehow made everything clearly understood and swept away all doubts.

But George W. was a piker in comparison to Barack Obama.

the Obama Administration has taken charge of auto companies and banks. They are currently determined to take over the health care industry. The FCC Diversity Chief Mark Lloyd has openly admired Hugo Chavez’s revolution and is currently seeking to impose speech restrictions on radio via the back door. The White House set up an email address where you could tattle on your neighbors who opposed health care reform. Now they’re using the National Endowment For The Arts to gather artists of all stripes to use their art for the good of the state. Also recall that this is a President that wants to set up a “civilian security force” in order to achieve his national security objectives…a civilian security force that is as well-funded as the United States military.

What we have here is a clear pattern of an Administration that is seeking to take control over the free market and to stifle dissent wherever possible.

The Examiner.com, Baltimore Christian

Of course when George Bush was highlighting supposed powers that the president didn’t have, all of the Democrats were shouting unconstitutional.

The government’s taking over private companies one minute and hiring a private army of thugs the next minute. The president wants to dictate who can live and who can die and now he’s working on implementing tools to take over one of the last bastions of free speech that he doesn’t control At the same time Obama’s diversity czar is working on eliminating talk radio.

Libertarian-leaning Blogs

From Obama Been Lyin' blog:

The only reason why they’re pushing this bill is because they want power to control the media, when Obama commits voter fraud next election, they don’t want what happened in Iran to happen here. They want to keep us all in the dark.

Freedom is dying. It’s dying fast people.

The Pulse of American Ideals blog

The issue is clearly a violation of our Constitutional rights. The Internet is the melting pot of ideas, freedom of speech, and many fringe views, but they need to be protected, regardless of how radical they are. Although it may not be right that there are Nazi groups, anti White groups, and anti-Sematic groups online, they need to be protected because they fall under Constitutional protection.

Who relaly knows what the President may do with his powers, and what constitutes a "cybersecurity emergency?"

Steven Tawney, The American Pundit blog:

The president having the ability to use an emergency as an excuse to take control of the entire freaking internet. What could possibly go wrong here? Besides the start of fascism, of course.

You laugh. Let’s remember that Democrats are preparing to use a measure intended only to pass budget measures in order to ram through their socialization of the health care system. Original intent and even the constitution matters little to the Democratic leadership at this point. They’ll ignore both to achieve the goals in their agenda.

Giovanni's World blog

Just the other day, Glenn Beck said, “I fear this government, this administration has so much framework already prepared, that they will seize power overnight before anybody even gives it a second thought.”

It is happening.

CNN's Rick Sanchez attacks Tom Coburn for libertarian neighborly-help stance on Health Care

MUST SEE VIDEO!!

Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn, the Nation's leading libertarian Republican in the US Senate, held a Town Hall earlier this week on Health Care. A woman makes a dramatic and desperate appeal for her dying husband. Dr. Coburn listens intently, and then offers help from his Congressional office for the women's situation. He goes on to stress to the crowd that it's neighborly help, family and churches, that are better situated to assist with such cases than big government.

"The other thing that's missing in this debate is us as neighbors; helping people that need our help. The idea that the government is the solution to our problems is an inaccurate, a very inaccurate statement."

But that wasn't good enough for Sanchez. He proceeded to scoff at Coburn's response, holding it up as an example of how those on the Right are hypocritical and have no compassion.

LINKS

Alamo Pundit ran this story in full.

ABC's John Stossel sides with Palin: "There will be death panels..."

One the Nation's best known libertarian celebrities blasted Obama Care Wednesday night. John Stossel of ABC's 20/20 was the keynote speaker at a rally sponsored by the libertarian/conservative Americans for Prosperity.

From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Aug. 26:

Madison health care meeting turns into pep rally

Stossel, a self-described libertarian, said Obama's reform proposals would "make things much worse" and actually increase costs and reduce consumer choice.

He also called Medicare a Ponzi scheme gone broke that if left unfixed would lead to limits on care.

"There will be death panels if we do nothing," Stossel said of Medicare, using the phrase that former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin made famous in relation to the health-reform bill, which does not directly affect Medicare.

Stossel and other speakers endorsed a free-market approach, including higher-deductible insurance coverage that would push people to pay more attention to their health and to compare prices on health procedures.

Wayne Root: VETO - Vote Everyone of Them Out!

Perot may be in hiding, the Reform Party defunct; but one Libertarian is ensuring that his movement lives on

In a recent interview on Fox, Wayne Root commented that he hopes to be the "Ross Perot" of 2012. The 2008 Libertarian Vice-Presidential candidate is starting off by taking a page out of Perotista Jack Gargan's 1990s playbook. The anti-incumbent THRO - Throw the Hypocritical Rascals Out was the initial inspiration for Perot's 1992 Campaign.

Root is planning to announce the launching of a nationwide anti-incumbent movement for 2010 and 2012. He leaked out the basic message in an interview with FrontPage.com:

I say we start a movement to VETO them all. VETO stands for “Vote Everyone of Them Out.” Let's all agree to send a message heard around the world- to vote out every incumbent in the U.S. Congress (House and Senate) in 2010 and 2012 (as well as our President “the Socialist in Chief”). Can you imagine the message that would send to big government proponents, big spenders, big taxers, big unions, big corporations, and their lawyers and lobbyists? We'd send the message that “business as usual” in D.C. is over. Let's agree to send them all home, send them all packing. THROW THE BUMS OUT. Let's VETO the entire U.S. government. VETO the entire D.C. political class. This would be our 21st century version of 1776. This would be our Declaration of Independence from big government- without firing a shot. But you can bet it would be a shot heard around the world.

Pro-Defense Libertarian Charles Murray critical of Obama CIA prosecutors; calls them Self-righteous Wimps

GIRLIE MAN WATCH

The Nation's leading libertarian sociologist had some strong words for the black hats at Justice planning to prosecute white hate defenders of freedom at the CIA.

The American Enterprise Blog, Aug. 25:

When it comes to political analysis, I’m no Barone or Bowman or Ornstein, but this is not a really tough call. Attempts to put men on trial who obtained information that most Americans will believe (probably rightly) saved the nation from more terrorist attacks will be a political catastrophe, all the more so because I bet that the defendants will come across as straight-arrow good guys (and probably are), while the prosecutors come across as self-righteous wimps (and…). How could the White House not have thought this through?

Dr. Murray is the Author of the highly controversial, yet best selling "The Bell Curve," as well as his 2003 book "What it means to be a Libertarian." He was the keynote speaker at the 1998 Libertarian Party National Convention.

Blue Dogs less and less welcome in Democrat Party: Fellow Dem calls them all "Brain Dead"

Time for them all to switch to GOP?

There are a total of 53 members of the Blue Dog Caucus in the US House of Representatives. The Caucus is made up of moderate to conservative Democrats.

But at least one non-moderate to conservative Dem, Rep. Pete Stark of California, is essentially telling them all to carry their bone on over to another yard. From NewsMax:

"They're for the most part, I hate to say, brain dead, but they're just looking to raise money from insurance companies and promote a right-wing agenda that is not really very useful in this whole process,"

Note - Libertarian Republican, is one of an increasing number of GOP-aligned blogs (Race42012.com being another), calling for the switch. We are letting the Blue Dogs know that they'll be welcomed members of the Republican Party.

New from Cato: Tax Tips for Tax (Avoiding!) Democrats

Cato VP Dave Boaz gives some tips for those Democrats who manage to find the right tax attorneys and loopholes in the law, to avoid paying their fair share.

Economic Recovery: Make that a Double Dip

by Clifford F. Thies

The “signal” of a recovery is three consecutive upticks in the Conference Board’s Index of Leading Economic Indicators. The signal has not failed either in terms of a false positive (a signal of a recovery not followed by a recovery) or a false negative (a recovery not preceded by a signal of recovery). With the recent release of economic indicators by the Conference Board, we now have three consecutive upticks. The combined movement can be seen in a chart such as I have below.

CONFERENCE BOARD Index of Leading Economic Indicators

(shaded areas indicate recessions as dated by the National Bureau of Economic Research)

Looking at the Leading Economic Indicators for the past forty years, we can both see the 100 percent track record it has enjoyed with respect to calling recoveries, and its susceptibility to an occasional false positive in calling recessions. Back in 2002, the leading indicators turned down and, although we entered what Alan Greenspan described as a “soft patch,” the economy did not slow down sufficiently for the National Bureau of Economic Research to say we were in a recession.

As to when the recovery will start, it is possible we are already in recovery, although it will be some time before enough data is collected to determine where, in the business cycle, we are right now. As strange as this may sound, most of what passes for “business cycle forecasting” is trying to figure out where we are right now. Or, as an old forecasting joke puts it, “forecasting is difficult, especially forecasting the future.” Consistent with this, it is very difficult to forecast what kind of recovery we will have. Will the economy grow vigorously, i.e., well above its long-run average rate of growth, so that we will quickly re-employ the full productive capacity of the economy? Will the recovery be sustained over a long period of time? Will the recovery be non-inflationary? Or, will we have a short- and shallow recovery, followed by a relapse of the economy into recession? In other words, a “double-dip” recession.

CONFERENCE BOARD Index of Coincident Economic Indicators

The thing that the Index of Leading Economic Indicators leads is the Index of Coincident Economic Indicators. The coincident indicators could be said to define the business cycle (although, to be precise, the National Bureau of Economic Research does not slavishly follow the Conference Board in interpreting the coincident indicators). The Index of Coincident Economic Indicators is based on four broad measures of economic performance. These are sales, income, employment and production. It may be helpful to think of the economy as consisting of a giant wheel of activity. On the outside of the rim of the wheel, businesses hire labor, land and capital from households in order to produce goods and services for households. On the inside of the rim, households buy goods and services from business which, in turn, pay wages, rent and interest to households. Thus, the four broad measures – employment, production, sales and income – each represent a different aspect of the overall performance of the economy.

Looking at the past forty years of the Index of Coincident Economic Indicators, it can be seen that – following the tumultuous 1970s and the severe, double dip recessions of 1979 and 1981-83 – there was a vigorous recovery followed by a long period of economic growth interrupted by only one, rather mild recession. This was also a period of non-inflationary expansion, with long-term interest rates gradually falling, and a pronounced bull market in equities and real estate. In contrast, the first decade of the new millennium turned out to be, shall we say disappointing.

CONFERENCE BOARD Index of Lagging Economic Indicators

Just as the leading indicators lead the coincident indicators, the Index of Lagging Economic Indicators lags or follows the coincident indicators. This index seems, sometimes, to start to fall just about at the same time that the coincident indicators starts to fall. At other times, this index only starts to fall well after the coincident indicators start to fall. On the other hand, this index continues to fall for some time after the economy starts to recover. Indeed, following the recessions of 1989 and 2001, the lagging indicators only started to recover several years following the turn-around in the coincident indicators.

The lagging indicators consist of a diverse set of economic time series, including consumer and business debt, long-term unemployment, and business inventories. These and other components of the Index of Lagging Economic Indicators are measures of distress in the economy. According, even following a recovery in the economy, and possibly well after a recovery, distress in terms of burdensome debt and long-term unemployment remain on the rise. During the early 1990s and again during the mid 2000s, commentators disparaged the “apparent” or “so-called” economic recovery by pointing to the distress reflected in the lagging indicators. Early during the election campaign of 1996, Bob Dole famously quipped, “you may have heard that the number of jobs has been increasing. A friend of mine has three of them.” And, during the election campaign of 2004, Jonathan Edwards talked about “two Americas,” one participating in the economic recovery and the other not.

The components of the leading and lagging indexes were originally determined and have been periodically revised without recourse to economic theory, but merely on the basis of consistent patterns of movements relative to the coincident indicators (as well as certain other statistical properties, such as being quickly available). But, from an Austrian economics perspective, it is easy to see in the set of indicators the following three-part sequence: (1) plans and expectations, (2) economic activity as happens with the plans of some coincide with the plans of others, and (3) the results of insufficient coordination of the plans of some with the plans of others.

New orders for durable goods, permits for new construction, consumer confidence, the creation of credit, and other such things reflect plans and expectations to hire and produce, to buy and to sell, and so would tend to be leading indicators. On the other hand, unemployment would represent a plan of someone to work that didn’t get matched with the plan of another to hire, and would be a lagging indicator. Similarly, an increase in inventories and of unsold houses, these would represent plans of some to produce and to sell, that didn’t match up the plans of others to buy. Normally, we would suppose, wages, prices and interest rates coordinate the plans of the disparate decisions-makers in a market economy; but, as we know, from time to time, the coordinating function of wages, prices and interest rates is upset by such interventions into the economy as the creation of credit.

The vigor and length of the incipient recovery, as well as the possibility of inflation will be strongly influenced by how well aligned will be the decisions of the various actors in the economy. We obviously got into the mess we’re in because of a speculative boom in real estate fueled by easy credit. We will not get out of this mess by a new and even greater scheme of inflationary finance. The Democrats have the idea that disparaging the profit motive combined with huge tax increases will spur economic recovery. It’s kind of like thinking that the way to get the slaves on a galley boat to row harder is by whipping them harder. At some point, even Atlas will shrug.

CLIFFORD F. THIES is the Eldon R. Lindsay Chair of Free Enterprise and a Professor of Economics and Finance at Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA.

New from Cato: With Bernanke, Obama embraces policy of bailouts, easy money and deficits as far as the eye can see

From Chris Moody, Cato New Media Director

All the talking heads are chattering about Bernanke. Here’s what we have to say:

Cato analyst Mark Calabria on Obama’s re-appointment of Bernanke:

In re-appointing Bernanke to another four year term as Fed chairman, President Obama completes his embrace of bailouts, easy money and deficits as the defining characteristics of his economic agenda.

Bernanke, along with Secretary Geithner (then New York Fed president) were the prime movers behind the bailouts of AIG and Bear Stearns. Rather than “saving capitalism,” these bailouts only spread panic at considerable cost to the taxpayer. As evidenced in his “financial reform” proposal, Obama does not see bailouts as the problem, but instead believes an expanded Fed is the solution to all that is wrong with the financial sector. Bernanke also played a central role as the Fed governor most in favor of easy money in the aftermath of the dot-com bubble — a policy that directly contributed to the housing bubble. And rather than take steps to offset the “global savings glut” forcing down rates, Bernanke used it as a rationale for inaction.

Perhaps worse than Bush and Obama’s rewarding of failure in the private sector via bailouts is the continued rewarding of failure in the public sector. The actors at institutions such as the Federal Reserve bear considerable responsibility for the current state of the economy. Re-appointing Bernanke sends the worst possible message to both the American public and to government in general: not only will failure be tolerated, it will be rewarded.

Support the Cato Institute - Cato.org

Democrat defections to the GOP could come before 2010 election cycle

Let the Defections Begin

From Kristofer Lorelli, Senior Editor of Race42012.com:

There are probably 15-20 Democrats who have begun contemplating switching to the Republican party. No better reason can be found then the sliding poll numbers of Democratic Senator’s and Congressman who live in centrist or conservative districts/States. Governor Dean’s 50 State strategy may have seemed like a brilliant concept in 2006 and 2008, but like the defections of the early 1980’s, expect to see conservative Democrats repeat history and set the GOP on a path of majority status once again.

Michael Doerr cited a PPP poll that shows; “Blanche Lincoln loses to two GOP challengers with less than 20% name recognition“. As we witnessed with Senator Specter, most D.C. politicians are focused on re-election/political survival, rather then legislating based on their convictions and the best interests of their electorate.

Who do you believe are the Democratic Senators and Congressman most likely to switch parties before either the 2010 or 2012 elections?

My choices:

1) Rep. Dan Boren (OK).

Boren refused to endorse Obama, called the Cap and trade bill the ‘worst bill he’s even seen‘ and opposes single payer health care. He is the only Democratic Congressman from Oklahoma.

2. Rep. Walt Minnick (ID)

Perfect score from the CFG, voted against the Obama Stimulus bill and only votes with his party only 40% of the time. Conservative credentials aside, Minnick will change parties because he has no chance for re-election as a Democrat. Minnick has an easy out, as previously he has flirted with the possibility of running both as an Independent and Republican.

Note - Kristofer is a "punk rock Republican," and US Citizen living in Toronto.

Maurice Schwenkler stronger ties to Democrat Party than first thought

Dem HQ Vandal is a former Dem State Rep. candidate campaign worker

Yesterday, a hammer was used to smash 11 windows at the downtown Denver Dem HQ, including the front window with a large pro-health care nationalization poster of Obama. Police immediately arrested one of two suspects fleeing the scene on bicycle.

Initially, local Democrat Party officials in Denver sought to put the blame on Republicans and Town Hallers angry at Obama Care.

Turns out the 24-year old, transgendered man/woman Maurice Schwenkler, who vandalized Democrat Party headquarters in Denver, has no ties to the Republican Party. In fact, he has rather strong ties to the Democrat Party, and more evidence is revealing that indeed he is a well-known local Democrat Party activist.

Schwenkler is described in the AP story as "a paid campaign worker for a Democratic candidate for the Legislature," for the 2008 election.

The candidate was Molly Cullom (photo). She is a former Broadway actress, and social worker, who has run for the legislative seat three times. Cullom was a Progressive Majority-backed candidate. PM is a NYC-based group that funnels money to hard leftwing Democrat candidates around the Nation, who are particularly committed to environmentalist and indigenous causes. (Source: Mole's Progressive Democrat)

According the Denver Post:

Schwenkler received $500 in November 2008 to walk door-to-door in support of Democrat Mollie Cullom, who lost her race to Republican state Rep. David Balmer of Centennial.

Schwenkler's only other known employment in the last couple years has been for the Colorado Citizens' Coalition, a labor rights, Democrat-connected organization.

Balmer, the assistant House Majority Leader, and a US Army Reserve Lt. Col. commented:

"This sounds like the type of Democratic tactic from the left fringe trying to make Republicans look mean-spirited," Balmer said. "In this case, it blew up in their face. He was caught red-handed."

The other suspect in the vandalism remains at large.

Massachusetts Sen. Bob Hedlund says he's ready to run for Higher Office

LR EXCLUSIVE!

US Senate? US Congress? Or, Lt. Governor??

From Eric Dondero:

Libertarian Republican interviewed Massachusetts State Senator Bob Hedlund on Monday. The Senator is one of the longest serving declared libertarian Republican legislators in the Nation. He has been in the State Senate since 1992. He's a commited "movement" libertarian. He's been a member of the Republican Liberty Caucus since the early 1990s, and was even a featured speaker at the 1994 RLC National Convention in Gatlinburg, TN. He's been a frequent attendee at MA Libetarian Party functions. He's also spoken on numerous occasions to Tea Party/Tax Protest groups and at Marijuana Decriminalization rallies.

However, up til now, Sen. Hedlund has been cautious about running for higher office. He's had a couple close calls for reelection over the years.

Sen. Hedlund told LR that he's now seriously considering a number of different options for the 2010 election cycle. He indicated to LR that he's finally found a potential GOP replacement for his Senate seat who he called "solid."

But for which office would he run?

"I just don't know. I'm at a crossroads right now," he said. "This is a unique year," he continued.

Sen. Hedlund indicated that the greatest likelyhood is that he'd run for Lt. Governor.

"There are 2 candidates for Governor [on the Republican side]. I have good relations with both [Christy] Mihos and [Charlie] Baker... Who knows?"

He also mentioned that the talk on Beacon Hill was that his name was being bandied around for the GOP ticket.

Hedlund himself, has not been shy to let others know he's interested. In fact, he told LR, that he might be the very first to actively seek the post.

"I think it would be a novel approach... I might throw my hat in the ring."

LR asked the Senator about a possible Congressional run. Rep. William Dellahunt is heavily rumored to be considering retirement. The District is perhaps the most Republican-leaning in the entire State.

"I'd be greatly interested in a run... I could have great influence [in Congress]"

As for a potential run for the Ted Kennedy seat for US Senate, which could be opening up, Hedlund was less sure.

"I've got big hesitancy. Like everything it all depends on dollars..."

LR thanked the Senator for the interview, and reminded him that he has a nationwide base of support, that other candidates might not be able to tap into.

He responded that he was quite aware, and thankful for his support among Republican Liberty Caucus members, supporters of Ron Paul's Campaign For Liberty, and the Libertarian Party.

More information, or to contact Sen. Bob Hedlund:

http://www.mass.gov/legis/member/rlh0.htm

Note - Photos of Sen. Hedlund with other MA GOP Senators, and Charlie Baker - Center, pouring Beer at a local charity event, and jamming with the lead guitarist for the Heavy Metal band Scorpions.

Tennessee Senate may become bastion for libertarian-leaning "Wingnuttery"

In the 2008 elections, Tennessee bucked the national Democrat trend. Both the State House and Senate gained Republican majorities for the first time since Civil War Reconstruction.

For 2010, experts are predicting that the GOP will solidify their hold, and even gain seats in both chambers. And for the first time, the upper chamber may have a libertarian tinge.

NashvillePost.com headlined a story, Aug. 23: The State Senate’s Future Libertarian Lean.

Three House members known for their hardcore ideology, controversial votes and sometimes outlandish stunts, are looking to step up, and all three face good to excellent prospects of winning.

For example:

Rep. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, [is] a certified super-conservative prone to waving a pound of bacon on the House floor, denouncing public schools as a vestige of slavery and voting against the state budget.

The other two mentioned are Budget Axe-ers: Rep. Stacey Campfield and Rep. Susan Lynn (photo).

But not everyone is cheering, at least for the right reasons.

Tom Humphry of Knoxnews.com comments:

the possibility of three sometimes libertarian-leaning House members moving to the Senate has caused great excitement in some parts of political blogger land.

"If they win, we can't wait to watch the fun as they turn the staid deliberative body into a three-ring circus of wingnuttery," declared Jeff Woods of the Nashville Scene.

Rick Perry cites libertarian classic - Hayek's Road to Serfdom

Last weekend, the Wall Street Journal ran an interview by Emily Esfahani Smith with Texas Governor Rick Perry. At one point the Governor cited famed libertarian economist Frederich Hayek as an inspiration. From the WSJ:

Naturally, the governor is concerned about what is happening in Washington. When I ask him if Mr. Obama's policies would send this country down the same path as California, Mr. Perry lunges forward, "If you want to know what this guy's policies are doing, it's been written about before."

"Read that book. Read this book," he says, gesturing toward the nearby table. I see something from Weight Watchers and a Harry Potter paperback—but the governor is referring to the "The Road to Serfdom" by Frederick Hayek and "The 5000 Year Leap" by W. Cleon Skousen. "Read Amity Shlaes's 'The Forgotten Man.' Amity's book is very eye-opening—scary—for me."

These days, Governor Perry is known to have two close advisors who are longtime movement libertarians.

The First Party Switcher in Congress for 2009: Democrat to go Republican?

BREAKING NEWS!!!

Blue Dog Democrat Rep. Parker Griffith of Alabama is strongly hinting that a Party Switch may be imminent.

Glen Thrush of Politico via the Huntsville Times, is reporting that Griffith told a Town Hall audience last night that he would not vote to re-elect Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the house.

Practically speaking, such a pledge could mean one of two things: Either he would abstain, or Caucus with the Republicans and vote for a Republican, presumably Rep. John Boehner, for Speaker of the House.


From Politico:

"I would not vote for her. Someone that divisive and that polarizing cannot bring us together," he said, according to the Huntsville (Ala.) Times.

"If she doesn't like it, I've got a gift certificate to the mental health center," he added.

At the same time the Left Blogosphere is abuzz with rumors of an impending switch.

If I Ran the Zoo blog reports that a local Union President asked Griffith at the meeting if he was still a Democrat. The blog reports on his response:

In fact, applause nearly drowned him out as he walked over to shake the unhappy union man's hand and said, "I'm an American, and a good one."

Griffith is one of a handful of Blue Dog Democrats heavily rumored to be considering switching parties. Others include: Reps. Walt Minnick of Idaho, Gene Taylor of Mississippi (photo - right), Mike Ross of Arkansas, Don Boren of Oklahoma (photo - left) and Allen Boyd of Florida.

Historical Note - In 1994, 6 southern Democrat Congressmen switched to Republican. Billy Tauzin of Louisiana was the first. After Tauzin switched 5 others followed in fast order.

Marine Vet on Hannity: Nazism is a Leftist Ideology

Coincidentally, it's an ideology that aligns with Obama, Pelosi, and most Dems

The disabled Marine Veteran David Hedrick who challenged his Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA), at a Town Hall last weekend, was on Hannity last night. Among his comments, he reiterrated, that National Socialist is Socialist, and is a Leftwing philosophy, the exact opposite of Freedom and Liberty on the Right.

He warned Pelosi and Dems, if they want to go down the road of calling Town Hallers "Brown Shirts," than they'll suffer the consequences of being exposed for modern Liberals/Progressives being tied to Nazi views.

Little Boy in Colorado asks Senator are we heading towards Socialism?

Colorado Senate Appointee Michael Bennet got a bit flusterred by an unexpected question from an 8th grade boy at Westlake Middle School.

From the Broomfield Daily Camera:

Health care was the No. 1 topic, just as it has been at political rallies and town hall meetings across the country this summer.

Chris Renden, who listens to Rush Limbaugh with his dad, was the first student to ask Bennet a question.

"Do you think that Obama is attempting to start a socialist revolution?" he asked.

Bennet answered "no," before asking Renden what led him to ask the question.

"Once the government gets control of health care, they get control of everything," Renden said.

Note - Bennet is being challenged for 2010 by libertarian-leaning Republican Ryan Frazier.

(H/t HotAir)

Texas Cong. John Culberson: I'm a "Jeffersonian Libertarian Republican"

At a recent round table in Silicon Valley, CA for the House Republican New Media Caucus, Houston-area Congressman John Culberson made the following statement, as reported by Mashable Social Media Guide:

“I would like to say very quickly that the trip was extraordinarily productive and visits to every one of these companies just reinforced my commitment, my core principle as a Jeffersonian Libertarian Republican to see that all these companies thrive or created and became successful because they were free to develop on their own. None of them started out of a government program, none of them grew out of a government stimulus … all began out of the hard work, sweat equity, and creative genius of their founders, their employees and are growing as fast as they can. And we, as fiscal conservatives, share their commitment to cut their taxes, free them from unnecessary regulation and litigation, and to do everything we can do get the Federal Government out of the way, out of their pocket, and off their back.”

Culberson has long been considered to be one of the top libertarian Republicans in the US Congress, but did not use the term "libertarian" in the past to describe himself, preferring "Constitutionalist Conservative."

Note - Both Culberson's mother and his brother are longtime Libertarian Party members. In fact, John of Melbourne, FL, is a former Executive Committee member of the LP of Florida.