12/03/08

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

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1- 'Trust the air marshals to protect you' -- but where are they?
Washington Times
As with virtually ALL guvmint promises, these lasted about as long as the headlines did. In a nation with a 100 million gun owners or more, and at least 50 million pistol owners, it is beyond ludicrous that the USG can't find enough "qualified" people to cover enough aircraft. But then, who says the guvmint can't take a joke? They look in the mirror every day and see one. (Read the rest here)

MSN - Money
Perpetuating The Myth
By Ed Henry

On July 26, 2004, MSN-Money published an article by Liz Pulliam Weston titled "5 Myths about Social Security" that was fairly good on small points but missed the big points entirely. The article is well worth reading and I recommend it to every American worker contributing payroll taxes.

The very first and the most important myth that Ms. Weston sets out to clarify involves the Social Security Trust Fund. She does a good job, but it's something like returning a kickoff 99 yards and then dropping or handing the ball to the opponents on their one yard line.

Here's what she says under the heading "Looking for the Cash Hoard:" (Read the rest here)

An Unintended Consequence of Gun Control
by Benedict D. LaRosa

Gun control laws, like all ill-advised measures, have unintended, often unfortunate, consequences. This is especially true in the post–9/11 environment.

Recently, Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge upgraded the nation’s alert status because of credible intelligence that several financial buildings in New York City; Newark, New Jersey; and Washington, D.C. — including the building housing the New York Stock Exchange — are intended terrorist targets. Immediately, heavily armed, submachine-gun-toting government agents surrounded the buildings — five in all — and tightened security in the area. Police closed streets, rerouted traffic, established checkpoints, and searched vehicles in the vicinity.

(Read the rest here)

Does Your Government Really Have an Interest in Protecting You from Terrorism?
By Ivan Eland

American athletes at the heavily fortified Olympic games in Athens have been assigned bodyguards by the U.S. State Department and have practically had to assume secret identities in an attempt to remain safe. Fearful of a terrorist attack, American spectators have stayed away from the games in droves. Both the Republicans and the Democrats seem to be throwing up their hands and capitulating to the notion that the world has simply become more dangerous. But this more dangerous world is very much one of the U.S. government's making.

At an international event where pride of origin is usually encouraged, U.S. athletes are apparently being told not to wear t-shirts that would identify them as Americans. In a great understatement, one Olympic coach was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle as saying, “How the world is now, America isn't the favorite country.” One might ask how the “Home of the Free and the Land of the Brave”-a model of political and economic freedom geographically removed from most centers of conflict-has put its citizens in mortal danger by becoming so generally despised. (Read the rest here)

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Last update 08.10.04

The Trouble with Talk Radio
by Christopher Westley

A recent article of mine on a public sector scandal, this one in Milwaukee, brought several e-mails from friends and strangers telling me that it was read and discussed on WTMJ-AM in that city by its weekday morning host, Charles Sykes. WTMJ is Milwaukee’s highest rated talk station, and while I appreciated the plug, I was not sure if that is the sort of station that friends of liberty need to be associated with.

That’s because that station, like so many across the U.S., have adopted the pro-war, pro-Bush nationalist format that dominates AM radio today, robbing it of much of the diversity that once characterized it. It is a marketing model that appeases small government conservatives (who have always favored radio) by telling them that big government really isn’t all that bad—as long as the right guys can control it.

(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)

 

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