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While this may be a little incestuous, as Davi Barker is one of my own colleagues, another blogger here at The Silver Underground , I just have to take the lead on Rebel of the Week for this week and award it to Davi and his friend Theresa for how they handled the TSA during their recent trip through an airport security checkpoint. Davi doesn’t know I’m doing this and will be surprised when he reads this on the blog. I just had to after reading his account of what happened in his Monday blog post entitled, “ TSA Today: Davi’s First Opt Out .” As I read it I couldn’t help but nod vigorously and even vocally exclaim my enthusiastic approval for what they did– but more importantly how they did it. If you haven’t read Davi’s story , you absolutely should ! Davi’s friend Theresa opted out of the body scanner and for the pat down. As Davi explains, the purpose of this is to hold up the line, inconvenience the TSA, and make a cumbersome process even more cumbersome. Maybe if enough of us ...

This is good news : Just 15 months after taking a thumping in the 2010 midterm elections, House Democrats have seized on the current anti-Washington fervor and are confident they can win the 25 seats they need to regain control of the House. Vice President Joe Biden made a bold prediction on Friday, telling House Democrats at their annual retreat on Maryland's Eastern Shore, "I really do think we're going to win back the House." To flip control of the House back just one cycle after losing it, the House Democrats' campaign operation is relying on a class of new recruits, just inducted into its "Red to Blue program" that targets Republican seats. Why good news? If Democrats really are in a good position to regain control of the House, it means that voters are taking less and less time to get tired of the party that's in power, which is cool. The American public should be discontent with its government and with its two major political parties ri...

So if Ron Paul really is in cahoots with Mitt Romney as conservative conspiracy theorists have ( wildly ) speculated, would he release an ad like this? Get 'em, Ron! Wes Messamore , Editor in Chief, T H L Articles | Author's Page

When I first read a headline saying that the city of Rocklin, California was considering banning residents from smoking outside of their homes on their own property, I was outraged. Even though I acknowledge the dangers of smoking, the idea of a city government telling a resident that they couldn’t choose to smoke on their own porch, in their own driveway, or in their own backyard seemed patently absurd to me. It didn’t seem too absurd to believe, however, especially about a city in California, which is notorious for city governments that pass “nanny state” regulations to meddle in matters like whether or not a fast food chain can put toys in meals that consumers willingly elect to purchase for their children. But when I followed the link to the CBS Sacramento article bearing the headline, I discovered a discrepancy between the text of the article and the words of the reporter in the video at the top of it.... Read the rest of my article at The Independent Voter Network Wes M...

By: Carl Wicklander Among the many charges waged against traditionalist conservatives and Ron Paul-type libertarians is that we believe in “conspiracy theories.” It might be about the New World Order, 9/11, the Bilderberg Group, or the Federal Reserve. Most are too silly to be believed for a minute. But one of the weirder conspiracy theories out there today is actually a product of the mainstream media: the alleged Ron Paul – Mitt Romney alliance. The narrative Republicans are telling each other goes something like this: Ron Paul and Mitt Romney have some sort of agreement where they won’t attack each other in ads or in debates. Paul, who has no chance of winning the nomination, will be Romney’s “wingman” by attacking all of the former governor’s conservative opponents. In exchange, Ron Paul might get a primetime speaking spot at the convention or the vice presidency. Or maybe son Rand Paul will be VP. All of this, of course, is based upon mere speculation and active imaginatio...

When you think of an abusive relationship, what adjectives come to mind? Controlling? Violent? Humiliating? Jealous? Obsessive? Go figure, it doesn’t take a huge stretch of the imagination to apply these same adjectives to many of the world’s governments throughout history and certainly the absolute states that emerged in modernity with their absolute warfare, constant surveillance, and obsessive control of every aspect of their citizens’ lives from cradle to grave– the federal government of the fifty American states being no exception to this unfortunate state of affairs. To explore this idea a little further, I took a look at a list of warning signs of abuse, to see if our relationship with our government truly is analogous to an abusive relationship with a romantic partner. Spoiler alert: it is. The list was prefaced thusly: “The following questions ask you about your relationship. If you are not currently in a relationship, these are signs or ‘red flags’ to assist people in ident...

"Judge, isn't a soldier required to report a war crime?" That's what one protester, David Eberhardt of Baltimore, said out loud as a military judge adjourned a hearing to arraign Army Pfc. Bradley Manning in Ft. Meade, Maryland last week for allegedly leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks . It was the only outburst during the proceedings. The judge didn't respond. Yes, David, reporting overt war crimes being committed and covered up under the pretense of "classification" and "national security" is a moral and patriotic duty to one's country-- especially when they include actions that were putting our own troops on the ground at risk. The American people have a right to know what their government is doing in their name and with their tax dollars. If they understood, maybe more of them would have started questioning the wars and endless nation building a long time ago. That's why Manning is an American hero . I was pleased to l...

Rick Santorum is making mischief in Michigan. It turns out he's robocalling Michigan Democrats and telling them to come out and vote for him in Michigan's Republican Primary today: Michigan’s primary rules allow Dems to vote in the state’s GOP primaries... The Santorum campaign evidently decided they’d take votes from any legitimate source. Following some speculation that the robocall may have been a “false flag” effort designed to harm Santorum, a spokesman Hogan Gidley confirmed to TPM that they were indeed footing the bill, and reaching beyond party lines. “If we can get the Reagan Democrats in the primary, we can get them in the general,” he told TPM. When unsolicited Democrats, liberals, moderates, and independents vote for Ron Paul simply because his message of liberty is universally attractive to people-- they're "mischief voters." But apparently it's just fine for Rick Santorum to actively robocall Michigan Democrats with an arguably deceptive ...

In a first-time upset, Rasmussen Report ‘s daily presidential tracking poll found Ron Paul leading President Barack Obama nationally in a hypothetical 2012 match-up. Here were all four match-ups: Romney 45% – Obama 43% Paul 43% – Obama 41% Obama 45% – Santorum 43% Obama 49% – Gingrich 39% These latest numbers, reported by the nationally-acclaimed public polling company Monday, reflect the downward trend of President Obama’s job approval in recent days, though Rasmussen warns that “It remains to be seen, of course, if this is merely statistical noise or a lasting change signaling that the president’s recent bounce in the polls has come to an end.” Whether statistical noise, or a lasting change, President Obama still came out relatively unscathed by Monday’s revelation... Read the rest of my commentary at The Independent Voter Network Wes Messamore , Editor in Chief, T H L Articles | Author's Page

For the first time ever, Ron Paul leads Obama in the Rasmussen Reports daily presidential tracking poll! Mitt Romney also leads Obama again for the first time since December. Both Santorum and Gingrich trail Obama nationally in a hypothetical 2012 match up today. Latest Rasmussen Presidential Match Up Numbers: Romney 45% defeats Obama 43% Paul 43% defeats Obama 41% Obama 45% defeats Santorum 43% Obama 49% spanks the living hell out of Gingrich 39% Source: From Rasmussen Reports : For the first time since late December 2011, Mitt Romney leads the president in a hypothetical 2012 matchup. Romney earns 45% of the vote, while the president attracts support from 43%. Romney holds a nine-point advantage among unaffiliated voters. For the first time ever, Texas Congressman Ron Paul also leads the president. In that matchup, 43% prefer Paul and 41% Obama. Ten percent (10%) would vote for some other option, a figure that includes 17% of Republicans. If former Senator Rick ...

A Message From One of Humble Libertarian's Sponsors: (Your approved advertising text here, including a text link to your approved website or URL.) More information and how to purchase your own post ad . Hurry and get it at a discounted rate! Offer ends soon. Advertisers: Thank you for supporting independent media like HumbleLibertarian.com. Readers: Thank you for supporting our sponsors! You all rock. Wes Messamore , Editor in Chief, T H L Articles | Author's Page

The Super Bowl lets Americans of all creeds and colors come together and watch ads interrupted by men touching each other roughly. Also, some watch the half time show, in what we’re assuming is an act of atrocity tourism. You know what? If we must shut down the country to watch overly toned men in spangly pants molest each other, let’s at least make the half-time show worth watching, and get Weird Al Yankovic to play it. That’s a real petition, and quite frankly, we think it’s a great idea. Why? Read the rest of the article at Gamma Squad . h/t: friend and reader, Andrew ...and listen to this while reading: Wes Messamore , Editor in Chief, T H L Articles | Author's Page

With Super Tuesday and some of its Southern States coming up a week from now, it's more important than ever for Ron Paul supporters to be able to defend his views, especially his foreign policy, as most representative of what true conservatives, including evangelical conservatives, really want . The problem is that we are sometimes our own worst enemy-- including Ron Paul himself-- when it comes to articulating these views. My friend Barry Donegan, a Republican in Nashville who supports Ron Paul, recently shared this list of talking points he put together for Ron Paul supporters to remember when explaining to voters-- especially conservative and Christian voters-- just how important it is that they vote for Ron Paul in 2012's Republican Primary. The truth is, we owe it to them to make sure they know this information. Donegan says that in his experience, when conservative, Southern voters learn the following things about Ron Paul, they become very open to his candidacy. Noti...

A letter from YAL 's Jeff Frazee: Dear Patriot, I want to bring to your attention a breaking news story at the University of Cincinnati (see below). Cincinnati YAL Chapter President, Chris Morbitzer, has filed a lawsuit against his university, with the assistance of Ohio's 1851 Center for Constitutional Law and in cooperation with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), to put an end to "free speech zones" on his campus. This is a historic case that could have lasting implications for freedom at Chris's university! So, I want to ask for your support to encourage Chris to keep going! If you are a defender of free speech on American campuses, please support this battle with a tax-deductible donation of 200, 100, or 50 this afternoon . And, be sure to read about Chris's compelling fight for freedom below. This is a significant and brave action by one of YAL's best activists. Please show your support. For liberty, Jeff Frazee ...

Send tens of thousands of young men and women overseas to invade two countries, overthrow their governments, and facilitate the process of transition to a new regime-- all over a period of more than a decade-- and while most of them are going to behave honorably and intelligently, it is simply unavoidable that you're going to have a few idiots in the mix. Let international agencies like the Brussels-based North Atlantic Treaty Organization take the lead in organizing their efforts, and you're going to have a few more idiots and idiotic incidents. Very angry and increasingly violent protests have raged for a week now in Afghanistan precisely because of the actions of a couple such idiots-- two NATO personnel who Afghan witnesses have described as Americans were seen burning Korans in a fire pit , an act that anyone-- especially NATO personnel working in the country-- should know by now would offend the people of Afghanistan, incite violence, and put other Americans in danger. ...

The Washington Post reports ( m ): Former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) on Sunday defended a statement he made last October in which he said that he “almost threw up” when he read John F. Kennedy’s 1960 Houston address on the role of religion in public life. The statement by Santorum marks the GOP contender’s latest defense of his long-held views on the separation of church and state, although in his Sunday appearance he doubled down on the colorful language he employed in his October speech at a New Hampshire college. In remarks last year at the College of Saint Mary Magdalen in Warner, N.H., Santorum had told the crowd of J.F.K.’s famous 1960 address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, “Earlier in my political career, I had the opportunity to read the speech, and I almost threw up. You should read the speech.” Now just what kind of things did Rick Santorum find so objectionable in Kennedy's speech? Things like this: "I believe in an America where the s...

Saw this political cartoon on Facebook and I absolutely love it. The media is always twisting Ron Paul's words against him and making it seem like he's anti-American or something just for criticizing the actions of its government, but Santorum can say that Satan is infiltrating American culture and its "great institutions" and using our vices to destroy us? Why aren't people calling that anti-American? It does smack a bit of President Ahmadinejad, doesn't it? Wait-- you mean conservatives actually are capable of understanding that Santorum isn't demonizing America here, but pointing out that America is under attack from within? Can we please just substitute closet-communists, crony-capitalists, central bankers, the military-industrial complex (that a Republican president warned us about decades ago ), politically-correct smart asses, and elite globalists for Satan here and finally admit that Ron Paul is actually the MOST pro-American and pro-American v...

The Christian Science Monitor reports : “Obama sought to deflect growing Republican attacks over rising prices at the pump, blaming recent increases on a mix of factors beyond his control, including tensions with Iran, hot demand from China, India and other emerging economies, and Wall Street speculators taking advantage of the uncertainty.” But it gets better. It gets so much better. You’re not going to believe what else Obama actually said while defending himself against criticism over rising gas prices. It’s so perfect one can’t help but wonder if it was intentional and Obama is being deliberately, malevolently funny. Here it is, also from the Monitor : Read the rest of my article at T he Silver Underground . Wes Messamore , Editor in Chief, T H L Articles | Author's Page

This Sunday marks the Oscars. The critical and mainstream darling, " Moneyball " may go home empty handed this year, but also may have the most lasting effect out of any movie released in 2011. The film follows manager Billy Beane and the 2002 Oakland Athletics baseball team - how they ignored conventional wisdom to make purely objective player valuations - causing them to match the New York Yankees total wins for the year with approximately 1/3 the salary costs. They dismissed accepted baseball wisdom. That the most effective baseball players look a certain way. Swing a certain way. They argued the true value of a bunt, a steal and a walk. They argued that baseball was a numbers game. And that virtually no one was playing it right. Do you see where I'm going with this? Is Ron Paul the Billy Beane of political thought? Because he is traveling around the country evangelizing an entirely different political game. He claims a smarter way. He argues for both the mor...