THE LIBERTARIAN ENTERPRISE Number 470, June 1, 2008 ".470 Nitro Express"
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Finally... ...the LP has proven that it's a real political party, just like the other two. We have put at the top of the ticket a scoundrel and an idiot. Since the major parties have been nominating and electing almost exclusively scoundrels and idiots from time immemorial, the LP apparently felt it had to do the same in order to be taken seriously by our other distinctively native American criminal class, the mass media. So "the Party of Principle" has now become "A Better Choice." At least the slogan is honest, as political slogans go, since "principle" now has no place in the Party, and since the best choice may involve discreet activities better not discussed on bumper stickers. Craig Goodrich
Have you seen this? www.rationalreview.com/content/46361 While on the LNC, Bob Barr has also been the champion of the Bob Barr Leadership PAC. Since the start of 2007, his PAC has raised more than a million dollars. That's very impressive. Now, raising that money was expensive. Much of it went to general expenses. But when Bob Barr PAC money went since the start of 2007 to individual political candidates, it largely went to Republicans. And that means? If I'm your nominee this Summer, that means I hope to be in Georgia to campaign with Libertarian Senate Candidate Allen Buckley. His opponent Saxby Chambliss received $3,500 from Bob Barr's PAC. I hope to be in New Hampshire to campaign with Libertarian Senate Candidate Ken Blevens. His opponent John Sununu received $3,000 from Bob Barr's PAC. I hope to be in Virginia to campaign with Libertarian Senate Candidate Bill Redpath. The Gilmore for Senate campaign received $1,000 from Bob Barr's PAC. I hope to be in North Carolina to campaign with Libertarian Congressional Candidate Thomas Hill. His opponent Robin Hayes received $1,000 from Bob Barr's PAC. I hope to be in Texas to campaign with Libertarian Congressional Candidate Ken Ashby. His opponent Jeb Hensarling received $3,500 from Bob Barr's PAC. I hope to be in Idaho to campaign with Libertarian Senate Candidate Kent Marmon. His erstwhile opponent, Larry Craig, dropped out, but not before he received $1,000 from Bob Barr's PAC. Jim Davidson
Dear TLE, I happened over to RichardDawkins.net this morning, and found a YouTube conversation between Dawkins (biology) and Lawrence Krauss (physics) that I am finding exceptionally interesting. I expect TLE readers would enjoy it too, it certainly makes a nice change from politics. If that link wraps too much, it was directly linked from the www.richarddawkins.net home page and I expect it still will be when TLE comes out. When Krauss mentions the "many worlds" theory to explain quantum effects, I can't help but think of a bottle-nosed dolphin teaching her class exactly the same theory. Curt Howland
A while back you wrote in TLE regarding the seizure of kids from polygamist compound in Yearning for Zion Ranch. Texas Child Protective Services seized 460 some odd kids. They also released a lot of damning statements justifying their seizure of all these kids. They didd soon what appears to be the false complaint of a person known to seek attention by filing false complaints. They did so on a complaint against a person not residing on the Ranch or even in the state of Texas. The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that they have o give the kids back. the TSC has to spend a lot of time correcting errors by state agences who seem to think their mission to save mankind trumps both statutory and constitutional (state and fed) law. I've got a sneaky feeling that eventually polygamy will be recognized as legal under the 9th Amendment and either the Supremacy Clause and/or the much accursed 14th Amendment. I'm also convinced that whatever abuses that do occur among polygamist groups in this country are the result of having been driven underground, not a reason for banning them. Just as long as the settlement on the law suit doesn't come out of my retirement fund. A. X. Perez
Mr. Perez is a Social Studies teacher in Texas who actually teaches the Constitution and Bill of Rights in History and Government class. Unprovoked Assault by APD An open letter to JoAnna Hamman
Ms Hamman: As a student of history, I find the unprovoked assault on a Channel 4 cameraman [link] to be more than a little reminiscent of Soviet-era Russia and Nazi Germany. The concept that one is "interfering with a police investigation" by merely irritating a short-tempered cop is a hallmark of police statism. The mainstream media are known for being arrogant, and obnoxious, but if these were crimes, most of the police would be behind bars. It is, in any case, always a "crime" in police states to "fail to cooperate with a lawful order," and always for the same reason; a contempt for citizens' rights, whether removed by arbitrary laws or by arbitrary interpretation thereof. The usual rationalisations of police "public relations" departments only increase the gravity of this woeful epidemic of police violence which infects North America. You know as well as I that should a civilian attack a cameraman on public property he would be subject to prosecution for assault. Putting police above the citizens is no way to "serve and protect" anyone or anything other than criminal gangs with badges. Fortunately for the people of Albuquerque, the Internet has exposed the "security" which your department imposes on them. Unfortunately for fascism, the whole world is watching. The cops involved in this felonious assault should, of course, be immediately fired and fully prosecuted for their criminal actions. That this is not going to happen is one more thing that you know as well as I. Very sincerely indeed, Manuel Miles
Numismatics This is such a minor blip on the screen it was barely worth noticing, until you realize it is part of a trail of blips. A bill was introduced earlier this month in the House of Representatives requiring a switch to steel one and five cent pieces instead of the current zinc penny and nickel five cent piece. This is in accordance with Congress' power and obligation to regulate coinage and the value thereof. Remember , the job of saying what coins will be made of is specifically assigned the Congress. The Treasury Department, specifically the Director of the Mint, was upset. Apparently they felt unduly constrained by Congress telling them what metals coins should be made. Apparently they either want to tell Congress what metals should be used to make pennies and five cent pieces and have Congress rubber stamp their opinion, or have Congress ask the Mint Director's opinion then apply rubber stamp to same. Apparently this has come up before. And apparently the Mint doesn't like being told what to do by Congress. So what other Departments in the Federal government do not want to abide by simply being the enforcers of the will of the people as expressed through Congress? And how many members of Congress are willing to foist their work off on the bureaucracy, claiming credit for what works and/or is popular and blaming the various departments, agencies and bureaus of the executive branch for what goes wrong? Perhaps it's time for the people to insist that members of Congress carry out their Constitutionally assigned duties instead of reassigning them to faceless ciphers protected by Civil Service laws. And while they're at it tell the Mint they will switch over to the appropriate steel coinage and by what date, the way the Constitution requires. Perhaps they will need the testimony of the director and the Secretary of the Treasury to write a workable bill, and that's fine. However it is another thing for Congress to wait for the secretary and the director to tell them what bill Congress is ex[pected to rubber stamp. It's as good a way as any for Congress to start reasserting the supremacy of the Constitution. A. X. Perez
'Nother way to wean off the Big Oil habit Attention home owners, bar, micro brewery and diner owners: www.efuel100.com/t-product.aspx Robert Jackman
Call It by its Name I realize not all of the readers of TLE are happy with the Fourteenth Amendment. It is however, part of the Constitution as it is currently written. Congressman Lamar Smith of Texas recently wrote an article that was printed in the El Paso Times arguing why we should strip so called birthright babies of the citizenship granted them by the Fourteenth (and yeah, citizenship is defined and endowed by Constitutional or statutory law as a definition of a person's relation to the state). I sent the following reply to the Times:
I know a lot of you all out there don't particularly care for the Fourteenth Amendment. Nevertheless, when any member of Congress tries to weasel his way out of abiding by any part of the US Constitution he is abusing his power to make war against the Constitution, the nation state it creates, and the people the US was created to serve and he must be called a traitor and treated by the people as such. A. X. Perez
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