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October 31, 2005

Thoughts on Supreme Court Nominee Samuel Alito?

After Bush's announcement this morning (designed to scuttle talk of "Scooter" Libby's indictment), we've been looking into Judge Alito's background and may publish a press release later today if anything interesting comes up.

If you want to give us hand, take a look at Judge Alito's financial disclosure reports and let us know if you find any outstanding issues. Particularly, I would like to know what the "Democracy Project's Sentencing Initiative" may be. If you know of this program, please let us know. We're trying to get in touch with Georgetown University who hosted a few seminars on the topic.

I appreciate the help.

Posted by Shane Cory at 10:44 AM | Comments (131)

October 28, 2005

Major Republican Donor Indicted in Ohio

Tom Noe, a rare coin dealer and major Republican Party donor, was indicted on Thursday on one count of conspiracy, one count of filing false statements, and one count of violating federal campaign finance laws. His indictment is part of a string of investigations into multiple members of the Ohio Republican Party, including Governor Taft.

Mr. Noe is accused of laundering $45,400 in contributions during President George W. Bush's 2004 re-election campaign. Noe was able to skirt campaign finance limits by giving donations under the $2000 individual contribution limit to 24 friends and associates, who in turn made campaign contributions of their own to Bush's re-election bid, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The money laundering was allegedly tied to a major fundraiser dinner in Columbus, Ohio. For Mr. Noe's fundraising efforts, the Bush campaign designated him a "Pioneer" for raising at least $100,000 total.

The federal indictment stated Mr. Noe "knowingly and willfully" used others to make illegal contributions and caused the Bush campaign to file a false campaign finance statement, according to the Toledo Blade. If convicted, Tom Noe faces a maximum of 5 years in prison for each count. The conspiracy and false statements counts carry a maximum fine of $250,000 and the campaign finance violation carries a fine of between $136,200 and $454,000.

Additionally, Mr. Noe is under investigation for investing $50 million of the state workers' compensation fund in rare coins, with $13 million gone missing. The Ohio attorney general has accused Mr. Noe of stealing at least $6 million. State officials are planning to sue Mr. Noe and file criminal charges for alleged theft and fraud, according to the Editor and Publisher.

Posted by at 04:18 PM | Comments (36)

Religious Groups Have Stepped Up Katrina Relief Efforts

While the various levels of government faltered in their response to Hurricane Katrina, various churches and synagogues stepped up to fill the gap in helping Gulf Coast residents.

Two months after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, religious groups pledged that feeding, clothing, and sheltering survivors of the storm will continue as long as necessary, according to the Washington Times.

Joe Conway, spokesman for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, stated his group has provided "more than $11 million worth of in-kind labor since the hurricanes." Southern Baptists have cooked over 9.3 million hot meals for hurricane victims. According to Conway, his members did the majority of the cooking for the Salvation Army. Jeffrey Jellets, a disaster services coordinator for the Salvation Army, said, "The Southern Baptists cook the meals. We load them into containers and put them on mobile feeding units and go into New Orleans and other hard-hit areas and distribute them."

Additionally, Catholic Charities raised a record $63 million for hurricane disaster relief efforts. As with many other religious groups that have participated in hurricane relief, Catholic Charities have provided much-needed temporary housing. They run the Adopt-a-Family program that help refugees find housing and pays the rent and utility costs for the first six months.

Mormons from states such as Georgia, Arkansas, Florida, and Alabama, have formed "Chainsaw Brigades" that cut and clear debris from fallen trees in affected areas. Karla Brandau, a spokeswoman for the Mormons' North American Southeast Area public affairs office stated the service is open to any member of the community. She further added, "They remove fallen trees from the roofs of houses and they also remove trees that are blocking driveways and roads."

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour praised the actions of the churches in his state and their involvement in the relief efforts. He commented, "Churches really filled a huge service by providing the essentials to evacuees, such as food, water, shelters, and showers. The state of Mississippi, as well as its citizens, appreciates the kindness and generosity of the churches that helped out during the Katrina disaster."

Posted by at 10:31 AM | Comments (11)

October 27, 2005

Republicans Go On the Defensive in CIA Leak Probe

The White House is bracing for indictments that are expected to be handed down this week in the CIA leak case. It is speculated that senior White House advisor Karl Rove, and the Vice President's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby Jr., will be indicted this week for their involvement in the leaking of a CIA operative's name.

Republicans are evoking a strategy to deflect attention from the CIA leak scandal by claiming that the charges result from an aggressive prosecutor coming up with legal technicalities as grounds for criminal charges. On Sunday's 'Meet the Press' program, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison employed this technique during her appearance.

Senator Hutchison stated during the show, "I certainly hope that if there is going to be an indictment that says something happened, that it is and indictment on a crime and not some perjury technicality where they couldn't indict on the crime and so they go to something just to show that their two years of investigation was not a waste of time and taxpayer dollars."

The Republican strategy to downplay this recent scandal closely parallels the strategies employed by the Clinton administration in various scandals. Senator Hutchison, who is now defending the White House against criminal charges, supported a resolution in 1999 to begin a Senate trial for the impeachment of President Clinton. During a press conference announcing the Senate resolution, Senator Hutchison stated, "Something needs to be said that is a clear message that our rule of law is intact and the standards for perjury and obstruction of justice are not gray." She voted guilty on both counts of impeachment.

The Bush administration has become very nervous about the CIA leak scandal. The current investigation could very well lead to a discussion of the administration's handling of the Iraq war. Many former administration officials have publicly criticized Bush's handling of the war in recent weeks.

Former ambassador Robin Raphel recently stated publicly that within weeks after the invasion the administration was getting in way over their heads, according to the New York Times. Raphel cited the example of the decision to fire any Iraqi official associated with the Baath Party and to disband the Army as being based on neoconservative ideology, "not on an analytical, historical understanding."

Posted by at 02:44 PM | Comments (34)

October 26, 2005

'Big Oil' is Too Successful Says Congress

House Republicans looking to score easy political points before the midterm elections are planning to put pressure on oil companies to explain soaring profits in light of excessive gasoline costs.

Republicans have taken this anti-business stance in light of a recent opinion poll in which 59 percent of respondents blamed high gasoline costs on "price gouging by oil and gas companies."

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert said at a press conference on Tuesday, "These are extraordinary times that call for extraordinary measures. We expect oil companies to do their part to help ease the pain American families are feeling from high energy prices."

Hastert is considering holding congressional hearings to allow oil executives to give testimony. Hastert and other House Republicans want 'Big Oil' to "do its part" by "increasing capacity and improving refineries."

Democrats advocate implementing a windfall profits tax in legislation being introduced by Sen. Byron L. Dorgan. This tax would take 50 percent of the profits from every barrel of oil sold for more than $40, according to the Washington Times.

Oil industry representatives said creating a windfall profits tax would discourage new oil production in the U.S. Michael McKenna, an energy lobbyist stated in the Washington Times article that the oil industry should view Republicans' new stance "with the maximum amount of nervousness."

McKenna further explained Republicans' current problem with their pro-business principles, "What I haven't heard is a consistent answer that makes good sense both from a policy and a political perspective. That's the kind of thing Republicans are going to need, because they're worried right now."

Posted by at 01:04 PM | Comments (66)

October 25, 2005

IWU College Libertarian Chapter Will Hold an $8 Trillion Debt Day

The College Libertarians chapter at Indiana Wesleyan University is holding an $8 Trillion Debt Day Concert this Friday at IWU's Student Center. All donations collected during the concert will go towards paying down the national debt. Organizers will write a check to President Bush and send it to Washington.

Derek Riemenschneider, an IWU student, came up with the idea. He said, "I thought it would be fun to have an $8 Trillion Debt Day. It's a fun way for people to hang out and raise attention to the national debt." His goal is to make people pay more attention to the growing national debt.

Friday's event is another example of how this College Libertarian chapter at Indiana Wesleyan University is among the most active chapters in the country. The chapter averages between 20 to 25 people at their weekly meetings, an impressive attendance since the group started this year with only 6 members, according to the Communications Director of the Indiana LP, Sheri Conover Sharlow.

The IWU chapter helped a Habitat for Humanity project and hopes to do similar projects in the future. Surprisingly, IWU College Libertarians have raised more money this year than their Republican counterparts.

Indiana Wesleyan University is a private Christian school that promotes personal responsibility and the freedom rather than dependence on government. Indiana is primarily a Republican state and many residents are not aware of libertarianism. This is something Riemenschneider hopes to change. He stated, "Libertarians believe in limited government in both the social and economic realms. Because people here generally come from a Republican background, they see the economic side, but not the social side."

Posted by at 05:01 PM | Comments (20)

More Black Families are Turning to Homeschooling

An increasing number of black families nationwide are looking to homeschooling as they consider educational choices for their children. It is the fastest-growing segment of the homeschooling movement according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. As some statistics show, in 2003, there were 85,000 black children who were being taught at home.

Black families now cite a number of reasons for considering homeschooling as an option. A major reason cited by black families is public schools do not teach their children enough to remain competitive. Many families say large class sizes and lack of individualized attention contribute to the public schools' inability to provide a quality education.

Additionally, black families point out that traditional black cultural values are absent from public school curriculums. Wendy Ward, a Washington, DC resident, said she turned to homeschooling so that her three children could get the moral grounding she believes public schools don't provide, according to the Washington Times.

Gilbert Wilkerson, founder of the Network of Black Homeschoolers teaches his four children at home because he is dissatisfied with public schools. Wilkerson commented, "People are just getting disappointed with public schools. We're finding that the public schools today are not doing enough to make black children competitive."

Joyce Burges, founder of the National Black Home Educators Resource Association believes they are at the forefront of a "powerful, powerful movement." She believes that within five years there will be a rapid increase in "parent-directed learning."

Posted by at 02:34 PM | Comments (35)

October 24, 2005

Federal Government Crippled Flu Vaccine Producers

As the bird flu spreads across Asia and appears in Europe, the U.S. government has become increasingly concerned that the disease could spread to humans and start a global pandemic.

After encountering serious criticism for the federal response in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, President Bush is taking steps to prepare for a possible outbreak in the U.S. According to the Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit health advocacy group, a moderate to severe outbreak of avian flu could kill as many as 500,000 Americans and sicken an additional 2 million.

Some criticize President Bush's preparation for a potential bird flu outbreak saying that the administration's response has been too little, too late. Congressman Henry Waxman criticized Bush for not supporting pandemic flu legislation and failing to develop a flu response plan. Waxman stated last week, "The administration's record has been characterized by neglect and poor management."

The United States is behind other nations in adequately stockpiling vaccines to successfully combat a massive outbreak. Last month, Bush met with representatives from 81 other nations at a bird flu conference. At the meeting, he asked six vaccine manufacturers to speed up the development of a bird flu vaccine, as reported in the Christian Science Monitor.

Years of stifling government intervention have crippled the vaccine industry and President Bush has little power to quickly reverse these bad public health policies. A prime example is the Vaccines for Children program, promoted by Senator Hillary Clinton. The program froze prices on childhood vaccines and required bulk purchases. According to a Washington Times editorial, this policy was responsible for the closing of many vaccine facilities and for several pharmaceutical companies to abandon the vaccine production industry.

Senator Charles Schumer with the support of consumer advocates, is pushing the federal government to seize the patents from drug companies. The federal government would give them to generic firms who would in turn produce antibiotics to be used in the event of a national emergency, according to the Washington Times. As a result, drug companies do not have any desire to do business with the federal government.

Schumer now wants the government to seize the patents from companies who produce anti-flu medicines such as Tamiflu and Relenza. If this occurs, drug companies will have no incentive to produce life-saving drugs or invest in the development of more advanced medicines.

Posted by at 03:44 PM | Comments (26)

October 20, 2005

California Libertarian to Run for Congress

Libertarian Party member, Bruce Cohen, is running for Congress in California's 48th District. The Republican incumbent, Chris Cox, is resigning his office to become the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission. A special election will be held on December 6th. The district is located in Orange County in southern California and includes the cities of Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, and Lake Forest.

The Republican candidate in the race is California State Senator John Campbell. The Democratic candidate will be attorney Steve Young. The district generally leans Republican, and Chris Cox won the 2004 election with 65 percent of the vote.

Bruce Cohen, a real estate broker, has held various positions within the Libertarian Party over the years. In 2004 he served as the Fundraising Chair for the Libertarian Party of California. He also served on the campaign staff for Judge James Gray's Senate race in 2004. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Libertarian Party of California.

Cohen is focusing his campaign on major issues like Social Security reform, taxes, education and national security. He calls for a smaller and simpler flat tax that will spur economic growth. Cohen is in favor of Social Security reform that will offer future retirees more choices. He wants to improve education by returning the decision-making to parents, teachers, and students.

Posted by at 03:38 PM | Comments (92)

U.S. Supreme Court Prevents the Justice Department from Treating the Tobacco Industry Like a Criminal Enterprise

The U.S. Supreme Court allowed a federal appeals court decision to stand regarding the Justice Department's use of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act against cigarette manufacturers.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in a 2-1 decision that the Justice Department could not use the RICO law for a wholesale seizure of assets related to prior illegal acts, but rather remedies that prevent future acts of racketeering.

In 1999, federal prosecutors filed a civil action suit against the tobacco industry claiming that it had engaged in a pattern of unlawful conduct aimed at deceiving smokers about the hazards associated with tobacco, as it was reported in the Christian Science Monitor.

By using the RICO Act as their basis for a civil action suit, federal prosecutors attempted to prove that the tobacco industry functioned as a corrupt enterprise by engaging in a pattern of unlawful conduct that deliberately misled smokers about tobacco's health hazards, as reported in the Christian Science Monitor. By using this legal tactic the Justice Department was able to place the tobacco industry in the same classification as the Mafia.

If the federal government succeeded in their lawsuit, tobacco companies would have been forced to pay out $280 billion. The companies named in the suit were Philip Morris USA, Reynolds American Inc., Lorillard Tobacco and Liggett Group, which when combined account for about 85 percent of total cigarettes sales in the U.S. The federal government also seeks to require the tobacco industry to spend $10 billion on a national anti-smoking campaign and penalize the industry if youth smoking rates do not decline by targeted levels.

If the Supreme Court had reversed the lower court's decision, it would be based upon a broad reading of the RICO Act. Such a dangerous precedent would have supported future massive seizure of assets of any company or industry covered under the RICO law.

Posted by at 03:09 PM | Comments (26)

The House Shows Support for Personal Responsibility by Banning 'Obesity Lawsuits'

On Wednesday the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation, known officially as the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act, which would ban obesity-related lawsuits against the food and restaurant industries. Over 20 states already have passed similar laws, according to FoxNews.com.

Public health advocates have portrayed obesity as a public health crisis and called for government involvement. Using some of the same tactics that were employed against the tobacco industry, public health advocates have proposed 'fat taxes', class-action lawsuits, the banning of soda machines in public schools, and the restriction of food marketing to children.

Many critics question the notion that the American public will actually become healthier by suing the restaurant and food industries. Studies conducted on obesity found a high correlation between being overweight and a lack of exercise. A 1995 study published in the International Journal of Obesity concluded, "A reduction in energy expenditure must be the main determinant of the current epidemic of obesity."

It appears those who benefit the most from class action lawsuits against the food industry are trial lawyers. Dan Mindus, a senior analyst from the Center for Consumer Freedom, stated, "Trial lawyers think we are too dumb to make our own food choices. If that's the case, we've got a lot of bigger problems than obesity. Unfortunately for the American people, trial lawyers see dollar signs where the rest of us see dinner."

Frivolous obesity lawsuits hurt consumers in the form of higher prices and could have the potential to bankrupt the entire restaurant and food industries. Congressman Lamar Smith said after the vote, "We should not encourage lawsuits that blame others for their choices and could bankrupt an entire industry."

Posted by at 01:48 PM | Comments (30)

October 18, 2005

Presidential Tax Commission Gets Timid on Reform

President Bush formed a bipartisan panel in January to look at the problems of the existing federal tax code and devise possible alternatives. The last effort to reform the tax code occurred in 1986 during the Reagan Administration. Since that time, there have been 14,000 changes to the tax code, including many tax breaks for special interests.

While most people can agree that the federal tax code needs simplifying, there are major disagreements about which tax reform plan to adopt. Some people such as Steve Forbes and Dick Armey, advocate a flat income tax. Under such a plan, everyone would pay the same percentage in taxes and almost all itemized deductions would be eliminated.

Other tax reform plans that have been discussed are a European-style consumption tax and a national sales tax. A European-style consumption tax, also known as a value-added (VAT) tax, is similar to a national sales tax. However instead of collecting taxes at the point of purchase, it is imposed on the value added at each stage of the production process. The national sales tax plan advocated by nationally syndicated talk show host, Neal Boortz would only tax personal consumption and not business-to-business purchases.

President Bush's tax commission opposed replacing the federal income tax with a national sales tax. At this Tuesday's meeting, the panel plans to look at adopting the VAT tax, although some members have voiced opposition to the European-style consumption tax. Critics of the tax reform commission have complained that the panel is being too timid in advocating real tax reform.

Changes currently accepted by the tax commission would, in essence, not affect the current system. Ed McCaffery, a University of Southern California law professor stated, "If you keep the income tax pretty much as is, there will not be enduring, long-lasting reform. I think it's now clear we have to do something else. Will they do something else? We're certainly not hearing it."

Many critics of the current tax code say making incremental changes to simplify the current income tax system will not work, because Congress eventually will return complications to the tax code.

Posted by at 03:30 PM | Comments (47)

October 17, 2005

D.C. Traffic Cameras Are Used as Cash Cow

This weekend the District of Columbia installed two additional traffic cameras within the city, despite the fact that speeding in the District has reached a record low.

A likely reason for the expansion of traffic cameras is the D.C. government's increased appetite for revenue. According to the Washington Times, the traffic camera program has generated $117 million in fines since it was started in 1999.

Critics question whether the cameras actually make the city streets safer. They argue that speeding violations have been significantly reduced as astute motorists are more aware of the cameras' locations. Motorists slow down when approaching a traffic camera, then speed up after passing through. John B. Townsend II, a spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic said, "All they've really done is modify behavior where the cameras are."

The city government has positioned speed cameras along busy city roadways, supporting the rationale that the cameras are looked at as a profitable source of revenue. Police spokesman, Kevin P. Morison disputes the assertion that the city depends upon revenue from the cameras and is expanding their use to keep pace with the declining number of violators, according to Washington Times.

Townsend further commented, "The cameras only reinforce that old adage, 'You can't fight City Hall', to residents, and they're paying a very costly and excessive price."

Posted by at 05:32 PM | Comments (14)

Federal Government Didn't Learn from Past Disasters

The mistakes made by federal government relief agencies in response to Hurricane Katrina and Rita appeared to be reminiscent of similar relief-effort errors in the 1990's.

Federal officials exhibited their short-term memory when the White House secretary Scott McClellan commented on the 3 million Texas residents fleeing from Hurricane Rita. McClellan stated, "This was an unprecedented number of people who were being evacuated." The evacuation of 3 million people was not unprecedented because it happened in 1999 when the same number of people left coastal Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas during Hurricane Floyd.

After the 1999 hurricane, FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers produced a lengthy report detailing the many problems that South Carolina residents had when they evacuated Charleston. These problems included shortage of supplies and highways that were not quickly converted to one-way exit routes. Many of these mistakes were repeated in the Hurricane Rita evacuation.

Hurricane Andrew produced a heightened interest in creating an expanded role for the military in responding to natural disasters. The Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman at the time, Sam Nunn, supported an expanded domestic role for the military, according to the Washington Post. Similar sentiments were expressed by President Bush after Hurricane Katrina.

Some critics assert that the federal government should not produce new plans and directives, but rather should execute current policies more effectively. Arnold Punaro, a former aide to Senator Sam Nun and ex-Marine general stated, "the problem with lessons learned is people unlearn them and make the same mistakes."

Posted by at 03:59 PM | Comments (13)

October 14, 2005

Companies Commit Medicare Fraud Again and Again

This week the Government Accountability Office found 1,038 equipment suppliers that were suspended from Medicare in 2003 for multiple violations according to CNN.com. Of these suppliers, 192 were back on the Medicare reimbursement program on May 31, 2004 according to CNN.com. Of the 192 suppliers who were reenrolled, the average length of their suspension was only three months.

Government investigators working for the Government Accountability Office believe equipment suppliers who commit fraud against Medicare should not be able to reenter the program in such a short period. One investigator commented, "Suppliers whose previous performance was poor or that demonstrated a lack of integrity should not be allowed to quickly re-enter the program."

Investigators also found that Medicare has weak standards in terms of reimbursing suppliers. A woman testified before the Senate Finance Committee that she was able to open up a sham business using just $3,000. This hoax enterprise began billing Medicare, according to CNN.com. A GAO investigator said, "Having weak standards for suppliers helps individuals intent on defrauding Medicare to obtain billing privileges and be paid for fraudulent claims."

During the 2004 fiscal year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services paid $8.8 billion to suppliers.

Fraud associated with Medicare billing costs American taxpayers millions of dollars and results in higher premiums for recipients of the federal health insurance program. Senator Charles Grassley said, "Money is wasted or lost to fraud, and quality of care can be jeopardized when products and services come from con artists rather than qualified suppliers."

Posted by at 05:28 PM | Comments (27)

Libertarian Loretta Nall Announces Run for Governor of Alabama

Last month, Libertarian Party member Loretta Nall announced that she plans to enter the 2006 Alabama gubernatorial race. A longtime Alabama resident and libertarian activist, Nall wanted to enter the race to provide voters with an alternative to the two major parties. She further added that she wants to fight for the interests of underrepresented Alabama residents, even on controversial issues.

Nall, an Alabama housewife has worked tireless for the cause of liberty. She co-hosts WAPZ's "The Morning Show" in Wetumpka, AL and is featured regularly on the Houston-based radio show, "Cultural Baggage Radio" that broadcasts to over 40 stations nationwide.

Nall opposes the Patriot Act and the REAL I.D. Act. She opposes the Iraq war and wants the Alabama National Guard returned home. If elected, Nall would work for education reform by "giving parents more choices and control in the education of their children." She supports Second Amendment and states' rights. Nall plans to implement, if elected governor is a check box style governing system that would let voters decide how their tax money is spent.

Nall plans to embark on a walk across Alabama during her campaign where she will meet voters, speak at town hall-style meetings and gather signatures for ballot access. She plans to release details and a schedule soon.

Four other candidates have entered the race. The two Republican candidates are incumbent Governor Bob Riley and former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who famously refused to take down a monument to the Ten Commandments from the state judicial building. The two Democratic candidates are Lt. Governor Lucy Baxley and former Governor Don Siegelman.

Posted by at 03:24 PM | Comments (46)

October 13, 2005

D.C. Government Employees get Hefty Bonuses

The Washington Times reported the D.C. Department of Human Services has doled out $479,000 in bonuses to 400 employees from Oct. 1, 2004 to March 31, 2005. During the same period, the net total of bonuses awarded by the city government was 565, amounting to $1.06 million.

City employees are allowed to receive bonuses as an incentive, such as providing "a suggestion, an invention, a superior accomplishment, length of service or other meritorious effort." Those employed by the D.C. government that cannot receive bonuses are the mayor, city council members, and court and school employees. Even though most city employees are able to receive a bonus, D.C. rules state that a bonus cannot exceed $5,000 or 10 percent of an employee's annual salary, which ever is greater.

A small number of D.C. government executives earning at least $120,000, received hefty bonuses of $9,000 or more. Eric Price, the former Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development, was awarded a bonus of $13,239. Robert Legrande, who earns an annual salary of $155,250 as the Deputy Chief Technology Officer, received a bonus of $12,000.

D.C. Councilmen Adrian M. Fenty questions whether the Department of Human Services employees should have received such large bonuses given the department's recent performance record. Fenty said, "The Department of Human Services is not one of our better-running agencies right now. We're going to do a full scrubbing of this."

The department has drawn criticism recently for its management of subsidized child care programs and the closure of a homeless shelter in southwest D.C. A report from the D.C. Auditor found there was little oversight in the administering of these programs, which "fostered wasteful use of District and federal funds."

Posted by at 03:45 PM | Comments (41)

Going MADD over alcohol

Since the founding of Mothers Against Drunk Driving 25 years ago, drunk driving deaths have decreased by 35 percent. MADD's public advocacy campaigns have stigmatized drunk drivers and increased awareness of using a designated driver. MADD has been so successful, the drunk-driving problem has been reduced to a small minority of hard-core alcoholics.

Chuck Hurley, a spokesman for the National Safety Council, explained, "We've already deterred virtually all of the social drinkers. We're now down to the hard core of people who drink and drive in spite of public scorn."

Instead of supporting initiatives to apprehend hard-core repeat drunk driving offenders MADD has waged war against social drinkers. It has veered off from its original mission and now wants to discourage the consumption of alcohol in general or also known as "neo-prohibition."

In 2000 MADD successfully lobbied the federal government to pass legislation that compelled states to make the blood concentration level (BAC) of .08 as the legal limit. If states did not make this change they risked losing a portion of their federal highway funding. Unfortunately, lowering the BAC level creates a new group of drunk drivers but does nothing to apprehend repeat offenders. Even though the legal limit in many states is .08, two-thirds of alcohol-related traffic fatalities have BAC levels of .14 and above, according to FoxNews.com. After the law was passed, the decline in drunk driving deaths did not occur, as predicted by MADD, but rather climbed slowly upward.

MADD has moved towards making alcohol more expensive, supporting higher excise taxes on beer, wine, and liquor. Their rationale is to discourage binge and underage drinking. There is no research to prove higher alcohol taxes curb underage drinking. There is contrary evidence that underage drinkers are less price sensitive than adults, according to the Center for Consumer Freedom. Higher alcohol taxes in essence, are responsible for punishing responsible social drinkers.

Sobriety checkpoints have become a way to criminalize people who had a few drinks. This illustrates another instance where social drinkers are punished, while hard-core offenders are undeterred. Radley Balko, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute, said the checkpoints "instill fear in people who have a glass of wine with dinner, a beer at a ballgame or a toast at a retirement party."

MADD has strayed so far off from its original mission, even its founder, Candy Lightner is questioning the organization's new extreme direction. She commented, "I didn't start MADD to deal with alcohol. I started MADD to deal with the issue of drunk driving." Lightner added, "It has become far more neo-prohibitionist than I had ever wanted or envisioned."

MADD is part of a larger neo-prohibitionist movement to restrict access to alcohol. This movement seeks to place alcohol in the same category as cigarettes. Many states have placed restrictions on banned "happy hour" drinking specials which are defined as "reduced price or multiple drink alcohol sales practices and promotions that encourage excessive alcohol consumption."

In some areas, police have come down hard on legal age drinkers. One famous case occurred in Fairfax County, Virginia two years ago. The police department conducted raids on local taverns and were administering sobriety tests on anyone they felt were being "overserved" by the bartenders. The police chief told the Washington Post, "You can't be drunk in a bar." During 2003 in Bloomington, Indiana, cops arrested of-age college students walking home from off-campus bars while intoxicated, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The neo-prohibitionist movement has employed many of the same tactics as the anti-smoking movement. Each movement does not call for an outright ban of either cigarettes or alcohol, which would spark a public outcry instead they look to push various laws to restrict the use as much as possible. Groups like MADD have the goal of imposing a nanny state on the drinking public.

Posted by at 11:55 AM | Comments (31)

October 11, 2005

With allies like these, does the U.S. need enemies?

Recently there has been a spate of security breaches in the federal government. These security breaches were not done by America's enemies, but its allies. On Wednesday, Lawrence A. Franklin, a Defense Department analyst, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia to giving highly classified information to two employees at AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying group. It was also made known that Franklin gave secret documents to an Israeli government official.

This incident comes in light of other major security breaches that have surfaced in recent months. Leandro Aragoncillo, an FBI analyst is suspected of giving highly classified documents to the Philippines. Because of his clearance level, he was able to download or print secret documents from the FBI's computer system for months before arousing its suspicion. The FBI also believes Aragoncillo improperly gained access to classified material when at the White House as a Marine aide to Vice President Dick Cheney's office, as reported in the New York Times.

The countries most actively gathering intelligence in the United States include Japan, Israel, France, Korea, Taiwan, and India according to an unclassified government report obtained by the Christian Science Monitor. Many security experts say this is a growing vulnerability in the U.S. government. Jim Walsh, a security expert at Harvard University commented, "If we can't protect ourselves against our allies, who can we defend against? This is a major problem to say the least."

According to the Christian Science Monitor, the FBI only has six two-man teams devoted to counter-intelligence in Washington with many of the agency's resources devoted to the struggle against terrorism. Patrick Lang, a former Defense Intelligence Agency official said, "With the end of the Soviet Union, people stopped taking counterintelligence seriously. Not enough attention has been devoted to keeping people from getting into our secret store of knowledge."

Posted by at 10:21 AM | Comments (64)

October 07, 2005

City governments now consider wireless Internet access a basic right

An increasing number of municipalities are viewing wireless Internet access as a basic service. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom took it one step further and stated on Monday that he considers wireless Internet access a fundamental right of all citizens.

According to the 2005 Municipal Wireless State of the Market Report published by Muniwireless.com, U.S. municipalities will spend close to $700 million over the next three years to construct government-owned Wi-Fi networks. The report states the spending on municipal wireless networks will exceed $400 million by 2007, with 60 percent of the spending in large cities.

Philadelphia, for example is building their own wireless networks as way to spur economic growth and to provide free web access to low-income individuals. Philadelphia signed a deal with Earthlink to fund, build, and manage the city's wireless broadband network. Earthlink plans to charge $20 a month for access for regular customers and a discounted rate to low-income citizens.

Opponents of government-owned wireless networks argue that taxpayer dollars should not be used to give municipal governments and government contractors a competitive advantage over private firms. This growing trend has alarmed telephone and cable companies who stand to lose millions of dollars of revenue.

In a Washington Post article, Verizon argued that a sound business case should be made before allowing municipal-backed systems to compete with private providers. The market is beginning to address the need for universal Wi-Fi access in urban areas. Google has recently announced it has partnered with wireless company Feeva to offer free wireless access in San Francisco that would be funded by online advertising.

Critics say Philadelphia's plan to provide a discounted rate for wireless access to low-income citizens may backfire. These low-income residents may not be able to afford a notebook computer or have the necessary technical skills. A Philadelphia city official commented, "But if it's at a fee that people can't afford, if they don't have computers and the skills to use them, having it there hasn't helped you overcome the digital divide."

Posted by at 12:33 PM | Comments (45)

October 06, 2005

LP News Survey Results

Dear Friend,

I would like to thank those of you who responded to our survey this week. In less than 48 hours, we received over 2,050 responses! The results have given us a clear direction for the future of our monthly publication, LP News, and have been forwarded along to all members of the Libertarian National Committee.

If you have not completed the survey, you may do so by clicking here. I'll keep the survey active for several more days so that everyone has a chance to offer their opinion.

I have one more thing to ask of you. To get the ball rolling on the many projects here at national headquarters, we urgently need your financial assistance.

Here's what we have in the works:

Libertarian Leadership Training - We are in the course development phase for creating new training programs in a variety of areas. All courses will be offered online and developed and instructed by individuals experienced in particular fields. FEC Compliance and Ballot Access will the first two courses offered. These classes will be followed by at least, Fundraising, Communications, Member Recruitment and Candidate Recruitment.

Voter Identification Project - Within the past several weeks, we have been creating plans and reviewing software in order to create a voter identification database. Identifying likely Libertarian voters will greatly assist during election season and will make our GOTV efforts (get out the vote) much more effective during the upcoming 2006 election season.

Zero Dues Transition - As you may already know, the LNC recently voted to reduce annual dues to $0. This change in focus will allow the national office to put much more effort in the above projects and other politically oriented efforts designed to put Libertarians in elected office. However, this transition will not be easy as, without collecting membership dues, the National Libertarian Party will be supported solely on the contributions of our supporters. Your support is vital to our survival especially as we gear up for the 2006 election season.

I can tell you firsthand that our staff at the national office has a clear understanding of the challenges that we face. We are down to a smaller staff and are moving quickly as we do not have the bureaucratic "red tape" that larger organizations face.

Your contribution is greatly and urgently needed and will be put to immediately use to further the Libertarian Party.

To make a one-time donation of $25, $50 or $100, click here. To make a major donation, you may give online, call us at 202-333-0008 or mail a check to our national office (our address is noted below).

If you would like to make an ongoing donation to the Libertarian Party, I would encourage you to start a monthly pledge. This simplifies the giving process and allows you to budget your donation over the year. To set up a pledge online, click here.

I appreciate you taking the time to read this message and respond. Also, due to the great response to the survey in such a short amount of time, we have many other issues that we would like to put in front of you in the coming weeks and we look forward to hearing your views.

Best Regards,

Shane Cory
Chief of Staff
Libertarian National Committee

P.S. To see the results of the poll for yourself, click here.

Posted by Shane Cory at 04:05 PM | Comments (36)

October 05, 2005

Ohio District 6

As part of our ongoing series that examines the 2006 House races, we will examine Ohio's 6th congressional district. This rural district is the longest in Ohio, running along the southeastern border. The district consists of Washington, Monroe, Jefferson, Noble, Lawrence, Belmont, Meigs, Mahoning, Columbiana, Gallia and Scioto Counties, with a total population exceeding 600,000.

The Democratic incumbent, Rep. Ted Strickland is leaving his seat to enter the Ohio gubernatorial race, creating an open seat. Political pundits consider this race to be a toss-up. The 6th district is slightly Democratic. According to political expert Larry J. Sabato, the Democrats will need to run a blue dog centrist to retain the seat and appeal to the blue collar constituency.

Ohio State Senator Charlie Wilson is the only candidate publicly seeking the Democratic nomination. Potential candidates are Mahoning County Treasurer John Reardon, former Mahoning County Commissioner Ed Reese, and Ohio State Rep. John Boccieri. Wilson has collected some early endorsements from Democratic Party county affiliates in Jefferson, Belmont and Columbiana, making him the early front-runner.

Three candidates are vying for the GOP nomination: Noble County Commissioner Danny Harmon, evangelical pastor Tim Ginter, and consultant Richard Holt.

Currently the Libertarian Party of Ohio does not have any candidates who are interested in entering the race. With the competitive nature of the race, a Libertarian candidate could make a significant impact; acting as a "spoiler".

Posted by at 10:11 AM | Comments (30)

October 04, 2005

Have time for a quick survey?

Dear Friend,

We need your input. At the last meeting of the Libertarian National Committee, the headquarters staff was asked to present a proposal to outsource our monthly publication, LP News.

Before moving forward with any proposals from organizations interested in producing LP News, we want to get a better understanding of what you expect from LP News in the months and years to come.

We've created a short, online survey that will give us a better feel of those expectations and I ask that you take a few minutes to complete the survey to record your opinion.

To access the survey, click here.

Once you're done, you can view the results of the survey to see how other supporters of the party feel about the outsourcing of LP News.

I appreciate your assistance on this project.

Best Regards,

Shane Cory
Chief of Staff
Libertarian National Committee

P.S. If we get a good response from this survey, expect more of them to come on a variety of topics. If you have any suggestions, add them in the comments below.

Posted by Shane Cory at 05:34 PM | Comments (18)

October 03, 2005

Federal government awards $39.5 million no-bid contract to build temporary classrooms

The federal government awarded a $39.5 million no-bid contract to a politically connected Alaskan company to build temporary classrooms in Long Beach, Mississippi. The company, Akima, is based in North Carolina, and is a subsidiary of Nana Regional, an Alaskan-based company.

The company's managers and employees have donated thousands of dollars to Alaska's powerful Republican congressmen including Senator Ted Stevens, Senator Lisa Murkowski, and Rep. Don Young, as reported in USA Today. In addition, Nana Regional is represented by Blank Rome Government Relations, a lobbying firm with ties to former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.

According to USA Today, those employed at the lobbying firm include Mark Holman, a former deputy presidential assistant and Ashley Davis, Ridge's former assistant at Homeland Security.

Akima officials have dismissed charges that they used their political influence to obtain the lucrative federal contract to provide temporary classrooms. John Wood, CEO of Akima Management Services said, "I can guarantee you that had no relevance. We operate as an independent company. We have not called on them for any such support, and they have not offered any."

Congressman Bennie Thompson disputes Wood's statements and believes the company's contract was unusually high. "I don't buy that", he said. "It seems obvious that somebody had an inside track, because I have hundreds of companies from Mississippi who say they have not been able to get a contract. They can't even get a call or a letter back."

Akima depends heavily on federal contracts for its business. As of now the firm holds 26 federal contracts, a mix of no-bid and competitive awards, as reported in USA Today.

Posted by at 02:45 PM | Comments (23)