End the War on Freedom

Found this in The Offshore Insider. Good to be reminded of it from time to time.

A libertarian is a person who believes that no one has the right, under any circumstances, to initiate force against another human being, or to advocate or delegate its initiation. Those who act consistently with this principle are libertarians, whether they realize it or not. Those who fail to act consistently with it are not libertarians, regardless of what they may claim. -- L. Neil Smith

Digital Freedom Network - Foil the Filters Contest: part of Banned Books Week, this contest presents awards for the most ridiculous censorware. The Inspiration Award, for reminding us what it's all about, went to the following entry: [brianf]

Attributed to EPIC's Marc Rotenberg, and though we aren't sure if it's a real case or not, it says it all and we couldn't pass it up. Thanks, Marc.

"Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of sXXXch, or the right of the people peaceably to XXXemble, and to peXXXion the government for a redress of grievances."

June Griffin at the Washington Weekly - Good Riddance to Bill Clinton Party: Ms. Griffin proposes that we have a national party on January 19, 2001, to celebrate our freedom from Komrade Klinton.

Let there be singing, drums, cannons roaring, bells ringing, guns shooting, loud blasts of military music from every loud speaker, parades, and speeches, and great fireworks! Let there be bonfires where Executive Orders are burned and UN flags set on fire! Fueled by old New York Times and Wall Street Journals, let ticker tape run down the sides of skyscrapers while veterans' organizations blow their car horns and let there be thanksgiving services and prayers offered to Almighty God, similar to the days when Cornwallis and the Japs surrendered.

After sending my "Why is Gore lying about medical marijuana?" email to townhall@algore2000.com, I went to the site and did a search for "marijuana". Nothing. Guess they won't be printing my letter, eh?

Daniel Longest at The Collegiate Times via Cannabis News - Drug Laws Necessary and Logical: a likely student article about why marijuana should remain illegal with lots of commentary from Cannabis News readers. I point at this only to relate my own experience about the author's claim that "smoking five marijuana cigarettes in a week does the same damage to your lungs as does smoking a pack of cigarettes a day for the same period". During my sophomore year in college I smoked marijuana almost every day, probably 3-5 joints a day. I had been doing this for at least a year. I started bumming one tobacco cigarette a day from a friend of mine. After a month of one cigarette a day, I noticed the affect of the tobacco on my lungs. I had never noticed any affect of marijuana on my lungs. [cn]

Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership - Another Jew Stands Tall for the Second Amendment: a letter to the Anti-Defamation League decrying the ADL's anti-gun position.

Chad Reichle at Sierra Times - "Mr. President, what are the limits of your authority?" A good question to ask any politician. In a constitutional republic, public "servants" are supposed to operate in a severely constrained environment. Most of them have conveniently forgotten this. They need to be reminded. Often. [sierra]

I have a question. It's not even a particularly hard question, at least it shouldn't be. I haven't heard anyone ask it, but maybe I missed it when it happened. It's the kind of question that needs to be asked, and needs an answer.

I just want to stand up in front of the presidential candidates at one of their debates, look them in the eyes and ask them: "Mr. Candidate, as President, what are the limits of your authority?"

...

Imagine the press attention given to a candidate who answers a plea for loot with "That's a worthy goal, and I would personally support your efforts to solve that problem. I encourage you to pursue it, but I cannot use the power of the state to do so because it is not a legitimate, legal, authorized function of the state. Perhaps I could lend my name and a little time to your private effort to deal with this problem?"

Randy J. Lindower at Sierra Times - Just Say No To Al Gore: why a Gore win on November 7 would be another "day of infamy". Details on Gore's attachment to Armand Hammer, and why this is really bad news. [sierra]

A look at this man's life and "political accomplishments" shows his commitment to building a New World Order based on a United Nations controlled central power and a society of people so subdued that they barely know anything not dictated by the government.

To hear his campaign promises makes you realize just how expensive this man's agenda is going to be for every American, regardless of their tax bracket. The cost of his plan would require at least a 70% tax rate to even begin implementing it. Gore has already stated the 70% tax rate as a fair amount to fund the government. But then after he solves his global warming crisis and eliminates the internal combustion engine, nobody will have a viable job to sustain themselves or their families.

Doug Thompson at Capital Hill Blue - What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been. . .: Mr. Thompson started Capital Hill Blue 6 years ago, and has been writing a daily rant for a long time. He's going to stop doing politics for a while. [wnd]

Although I will continue to write, it won't be about politics or the liars, pimps, whores and miscreants who populate our system of government.

There's a real world out there and I've decided to rejoin it.

Dr. Chuck Baldwin at WorldNetDaily - Time to rethink America's drug war: Why hasn't America won the war on drugs? Because too many people in high places profit from it. How do we win it? Close the border to Mexico. Well, the reason we're not "winning" makes sense. Closing the border is impossible unless you're willing to kill hundreds of Mexicans a day. And adult drug use is none of the government's business. [wnd]

Tax Clarity provides calculators you can use to estimate your tax savings under the tax plans of algore and GW. If I were willing to vote, and willing to vote for the lesser evil of these two socialists, GW would definitely be my man. Saves me $200/month more than gore. Didn't work in Opera. Had to fire up Internet Explorer. [wnd]

There's a new issue of The Libertarian Enterprise:

• LNS Reviews Gesundheit, Dummy! The Best of Baloo by L. Neil Smith

  You could give this innocent-looking little volume, say, to your brother-in-law who works in the most vile, insidious bureaucracy this side of the BATF, the Department of Motor Vehicles. He'd look through it (probably in the bathroom on company time), chuckle, snort, laugh out loud (his coworkers would wonder what he was doing in there), then set it aside to sacrifice more babies or whatever they do down at the DMV.

  But a week later, his stomach will have begun to churn, he'll toss and turn through the night, unable to sleep (and have nightmares, when he does, of being trapped in one of Baloo's cartoons), he'll grow shaky, nervous, sunken-eyed. Then he'll either quit his cushy job to become a professional telephone daisy-stripper ("He loves you, he loves you not, he loves you -- that'll be $2.99 a minute, please.") or his actuarial life expectancy will be diminished by at least half an hour.

  A small victory, perhaps, but a victory nevertheless.

  One bureaucrat down, 14,999,999 to go.

• Ya Gotta Wonder by Carl Bussjaeger - Mr. Bussjaeger describes the breakdown of his truck in an "economically disadvantaged" area. Being armed prevented the one possible run-in with ruffians, though he never needed to show his gun. Otherwise, the locals were friendly, helpful even. All but the American Ninja cop who warned him that the place was dangerous. Mr. Bussjaeger describes himself as an "ex-cop, who never ever dressed up like a ninja."

  Ya gotta wonder....

  Did the people react to me in a friendly manner because I came across as an ordinary Joe, no threat? If so, were they simply reacting to the psyched-up, blackshirted stormtrooper... appropriately? Spooner knows, the guy made me nervous; and he was supposedly helping me.

Charley Reese at the Orlando Sentinel - Real debate would be inclusive: Mr. Reese suggests that you protest the Commission on Presidential Debates for not admitting Nader, Buchanan, and Browne. He also recommends that you vote for Bush because, "It's important to keep Gore out." [lew]