12/03/08

Free Martha! Free Bobby!
by Sheldon Richman
The Future of Freedom Foundation

The U.S. government has moved closer to nabbing two prized catches. Martha Stewart has been sentenced to five months in prison, five months under house arrest, and a $30,000 fine for lying about noncriminal activity. She will remain free while appealing her convictions. Former world chess champion Bobby Fischer may be turned over to U.S. authorities by the Japanese government for his 1992 defiance of a ban on travel to Yugoslavia, site of his rematch with Russian chess great Boris Spassky. Fischer faces 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

Neither Stewart nor Fischer, however unattractive their private lives may be, should be facing prison time or other legal sanctions. (Read the rest here)

Libertarian Commentary on The Day's News
By Nathan A. Barton © 2004

Since Nathan didn't send in anything today, I thought I'd take a stab at this myself. Let me know what you think about these things. MamaLiberty

1- U.S. election to be a battle of the databases?
Whoever you vote for, government gets elected. At least this way you don't have to bother. They will now elect themselves without anybody getting pesky about hanging chads or anything.

2- Berger resigns from Kerry campaign amid scandal
Let the mudslinging and personal attacks begin. Politics isn't about what's good for the citizens, only about what is good for the politicians.

3- U.S. immigration dept to increase money-snooping
Oh sure, the usual excuses: terrorists and criminals. To begin with, depends on who you call a "terrorist" or "criminal". These days it means just exactly whatever the government says it is, and don't you forget it. They can even arrest the money itself as "probably involved in criminal activity", and the owner has to prove that it isn't! (Read the rest here)

Gun Control Is Unconstitutional
By Dorothy Anne Seese

Go ahead and dig out the Bill of Rights. If you don't have one at your desk, it's easy to locate on the internet. Just as the First Amendment has been bent, twisted and contorted by judicial opinions unfit for the America of the Founders, so the Second Amendment has suffered like torture from judicial decisions and "opinions" from courts based on the bias of the judge rather than the plain letter of the law. This is what the Second Amendment says:

Article II. A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. (Read the rest here)

Did you miss our last issue? Click Here for the Archives
Newly revised! ALL bad links fixed. (Please tell me if you find one!)

External Links
Articles of Interest From Other Sites
Last update 07.21.04

Oops, They Invaded the Wrong Country?
By Ivan Eland

A potentially major news story—that Iran had more connections with al Qaeda than Iraq ever did, according to the 9/11 Commission’s interim report—has been relegated to the back pages of national newspapers and underplayed by the electronic media. The commission found that as many as 10 of the September 11 hijackers were given safe passage by the Iranians during the year before the attacks. Has the U.S. media already become so cynical about the Bush administration’s motives for invading Iraq that this does not even rate a front page news story?

Maybe, privately, reporters are not that surprised that Iran had closer ties with al Qaeda than Iraq did with the terror group. After all, before the war, the U.S. government knew that the most active state sponsor of terrorism was Iran, not Iraq. In fact, Iraq was not very active at all in sponsoring terrorist attacks. Many opponents of the Iraq invasion argued convincingly that Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda had little ideological affinity. Given that Osama bin Laden’s main goal is to cleanse the Islamic world of corrupt, secular regimes, it was illogical that al Qaeda and Iraq would have much in common. In fact, the 9/11 Commission has concluded that no “collaborative relationship” existed between Iraq and al Qaeda.

(Read the rest here)

Free "The Hunter"

Free Hunter: Collateral Damage
by Carl Bussjaeger

American Independence Day has come and gone, along with the traditional boom and glare of fireworks that bring joy to many kids, young and old.

Picture two such of the younger children: Adorable little girls just six and four years old respectively, Mikayla and Brittany. Imagine their anticipation as the big day approaches and they look forward not only to the beloved fireworks, but also to the arrival of their favorite uncle Jeff, whom they haven't seen in months.

Now picture the adorable little girls' disappointment because a suited goon in Ohio wouldn't let Uncle Jeff come see his family. Yes, Mikayla and Brittany are just two more victims of the Ashland County, Ohio prosecutor's office.

Call them "collateral damage," more innocents caught in the cross-fire as the run-amuck prosecutors pursue their vendetta against Jeffrey "Hunter" Jordan. (Read the rest here)

The Lighter Side of PoL
Humor links and items to lighten your day. Send us your humor contributions!
Updated 06.10.04
We have our own Bubble Wrap Pop now!