The Humble Libertarian original

If I had a Federal Reserve Note for every time someone said that Rand "wasn't libertarian enough" or that he "isn't like his dad" or that "they can't support him because of his rhetoric" I'd be a wealthy man. I know there are many here that have grown lukewarm on Rand for whatever reason. I am not going down the fruitless road of debating Rand's positions, what he may or may not have said, or where he stands on the issues, however I am here to explain a political reality that most of you probably have not realized. Cross-posted from Ron Paul Forums . We are fighting two races at once. We are not only fighting a Senate race now, but we are fighting the 2012 Presidential race now too!!! Ron's success in the 2012 Presidential race is DIRECTLY tied to Rand's success in 31 days. WHY? Think it through. Allow me to elaborate the possible scenarios: Scenario 1- Rand loses. The media, liberals, Democrats, and even Republican establishm...

'The Tea Partiers and conservative / libertarians are not buying the farce that is the Republican Party "Pledge To America". Why not? Well first off the GOP has proposed their big-government version of healthcare takeover by actually including elements of ObamaCare in the "Pledge"!!!' Read the rest of my article at Campaign for Liberty . Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

'During a speech at an event called "Freedom Fest," former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin warned Tea Party activists that while government spending was a bad thing, conservatives should not go too far and start calling for reductions in the military budget. While Palin told the crowd in Norfolk, Virginia, "Something has to be done urgently to stop the out-of-control Obama-Reid-Pelosi spending machine," she also told them, "We must make sure, however, that we do nothing to undermine the effectiveness of our military."' Read the entire article at CNN . Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

"Opposition to new full-body imaging machines to screen passengers and the government's deployment of them at most major airports is growing. Many frequent fliers complain they're time-consuming or invade their privacy. The world's airlines say they shouldn't be used for primary security screening. And questions are being raised about possible effects on passengers' health... The machines — dubbed by some fliers as virtual strip searches — were installed at many airports in March after a Christmas Day airline bombing attempt. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has spent more than $80 million for about 500 machines, including 133 now at airports. It plans to install about 1,000 by the end of next year." Read the entire article at USA Today . Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

'One of Israel's leading political "insiders" is insisting that there has been a dramatic transformation of President Barack Obama's strategy in the Middle East. Israel is now back "In" as the White House occupant who had called for engagement with Iran not so long ago, is now placing the threat of a nuclear Iran on the top of his diplomatic agenda at the same time that his administration is also expressing concerns over the expected leadership changes in Cairo and Riyadh...' Read the entire article at Cato . Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

"The government says patients treated at Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics will be able to use medical marijuana in the 14 states where it's legal. The directive from the Department of Veterans Affairs is coming out in the week ahead. It's intended to clarify current policy that says veterans can be denied pain medications if they use illegal drugs..." Read the entire article here . Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

In this excellent video, commentators discuss the question: Should the Supreme Court practice judicial restraint? In his cover story from the July issue of Reason, Associate Editor Damon W. Root discussed how the debate over judicial activism is dividing the conservative legal movement. Root sat down with Reason.tv Editor in Chief Nick Gillespie to discuss libertarian and conservative legal theories, judicial activism, Elena Kagan's nomination, and more. Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

In this video, as Fox News analysts make predictions for the future of various stocks and commodities, one commentator says "I think this terrible economy is bugging a lot of people. What happens when that happens? People start drinking, or they continue drinking, or maybe drink more... I like Bud. I think it's up 50% in a year. It's America's beer!" Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

'A federal appeals court in New York struck down the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's indecency policy, saying it violates the First Amendment right to free speech because it's "unconstitutionally vague." The court considered the agency's censure of "fleeting expletives" on live television shows. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year in a challenge to the policy by media companies that the "pervasiveness of foul language" and the "coarsening to public entertainment" justified the commission's more stringent regulation of broadcast programs. The high court directed the appeals court in Manhattan to consider the constitutionality of the policy, resulting in today's ruling.' Read the entire article at the San Francisco Chronicle . Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

Here’s a thought experiment: imagine a candidate saying that if we want to balance the federal budget, we need to cut warfare as well as welfare. Throw in some talk about the military-industrial complex. Then try to picture that candidate gaining the support of Sarah Palin, James Dobson, and Sen. Jim DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund—en route to winning a closed Republican primary in a Southern state by a landslide margin. With this impressive victory, the candidate becomes the face of the grassroots conservative activists who make up the Tea Party movement. No experiment is necessary, actually. This describes Rand Paul, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Kentucky. “[W]e have huge budgetary problems and the Republicans often say, ‘Oh it’s just that welfare queen, if she’d go back to work we’d balance the budget,’” Paul observed during the campaign. “Well, the truth of the matter is, if you look at the numbers, there’s not enough money just in welfare to cut to balance the bud...

The United States may be forced to launch an attack on Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities if diplomatic efforts and economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic fail, Sen. Joseph Lieberman said Wednesday after a meeting with Israeli officials in Jerusalem. Appearing at a news conference with Sens. Lindsey Graham and John McCain, Lieberman was unusually harsh in his assessment of the Iranian threat. There is a broad consensus in Congress that military force can be used if necessary to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, he said. Lieberman cited a recent set of sanctions Congress passed against Iran as a potential deterrent. But he insisted that the goal of keeping Iran from becoming a nuclear power will be accomplished "through diplomatic and economic sanctions if we possibly can, through military actions if we must," according to The Associated Press. Although U.S. officials often say no option should be taken off the table in relation to Iran's nuclea...

A new study says legalizing the recreational use of marijuana in California could sharply drive down prices for the drug and possibly undercut the tax windfall that supporters have touted. The study published Wednesday by the RAND Drug Policy Research Center says "considerable uncertainty" surrounds the state ballot initiative. It would allow adults, 21 and over, to possess an ounce of marijuana and cities and counties to license and tax commercial pot sales. The authors predict that retail marijuana prices could drop from $375 an ounce under the state's current medical marijuana law to as low as $38 per ounce. Read the entire article at Newsmax . Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

The European Parliament is to vote on a deal that would allow the U.S. to access information on the bank transfers of European citizens. America says it's a necessary measure to track terror suspects. But critics say the proposal -- that's been discussed between the EU and U.S. for months now -- violates human rights. RT talks to Jan Philipp Albrecht, a Member of the European Parliament. Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

"Palin, the former Republican vice presidential nominee, invokes the importance of a strong and robust military in speech after speech, while Paul, the libertarian Republican who rocketed to the national scene during the 2008 presidential race, has long argued for drastic cuts in defense spending. It's a schism that has long existed within the GOP's fold – between hawkish conservatives and spend-weary Republicans – but one which the Tea Party movement's diverse coalition and varied figure heads have specifically laid bare over the past year." Read the entire article at CNN . Photo by Gage Skidmore. Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

In this video, Fox News covers the story of a man who became violent and erratic in an airport and was tased five times by police officers and died after they put the cuffs on him. The Fox News anchor interviews two experts to determine whether the cops deserve the criminal charges they are now facing. Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

'The government can prosecute private citizens for giving advice to a foreign organization - on how to negotiate peace or take its case to the United Nations, for example - if the group is on the U.S. terrorist list, the Supreme Court ruled Monday. In the most important foreign policy and civil liberties case of their 2009-10 term, the justices ruled 6-3 that a law prohibiting "material support" of foreign terrorist organizations can be used against people who claim to be providing only peaceful, humanitarian assistance.' Read the whole article at the San Francisco Chronicle . Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

"On an appeal of a 2008 red-light ticket, an appellate panel of Orange County Superior Court judges recently ruled that photos and video submitted by police were inadmissible as evidence. Instead, the appeal panel agreed with the defense that the photo and video were hearsay because no officer actually saw the driver run the red light, and the company that maintains the cameras did not testify in the case." Read the whole article here . Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

"The Guardian is reporting on the attempts of an exiled Sheikh to regain power in a bloodless coup . The plot, led by British solicitor Peter Cathcart, involves the use of Washington political lobbyists, PR agencies writing fake blogs and Twitter accounts, and a newspaper advertising campaign in the US. The coup attempt is remarkable in its choice of modern communications and political lobbying, rather than the traditional resort to violence." Hat tip: Slashdot Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

"According to the watchdog site PhotoEnforced, the state of Maryland has at least 375 red light cameras and 80 speed cameras. Your government is watching you, Marylanders. But don't think for a second that it's going to tolerate you watching back." Read the entire article at Reason . Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page

"As the elections near, however, voters will want to know where the party stands not just on the economy but on social issues. A perfect illustration is drug policy, where conservatives advocate continued prohibition but libertarians argue for legalization. Which way should the tea party lean when this issue arises?" Read the whole article at Cato . Matt Collins , Regular Columnist Articles | Author's Page