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March 30, 2006

Jack Abramoff Sentenced; Senate Cracks Down on Corruption, Sort Of...

The long and winding road of the Jack Abramoff scandal finally came to a close on Wednesday when the convicted lobbyist was sentenced in Miami to six years in prison.

On the same day Abramoff was sentenced, the Senate passed a bill that would place more restrictions on lobbying. The bill would require lobbyists to file more public reports about their activities and would also ban lobbyists from giving gifts and meals to lawmakers, the New York Times reported.

After the bill was passed, some senators felt that the legislation took a great leap forward in ending corruption on Capitol Hill. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Connecticut) even said, "There's a sign that's now up in front of the Capitol. It says 'Not for Sale.'"

Even though the bill did place some restrictions on lobbying, it does little to stop the gravy train of benefits that lawmakers enjoy. Lobbyists are still free to conduct fundraising activities and use political action committees to influence lawmakers.

A statement by Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) sums up why attempts by Congress to rein in corruption will not succeed. Senator Collins said, "The public does not trust a system where we set our own rules, we're our own advisers, we're our own investigators, we're our own prosecutors, we're our own judges, and we're our own jurors."

The surest way to reduce corruption on Capitol Hill is to significantly reduce the size of the federal government. Lobbyists will continue to look for ways to influence members of Congress, as long as the federal government is involved in so many different aspects of American life.

Posted by at 03:17 PM | Comments (19)

March 29, 2006

The Real Reason To Worry About Border Security

Last month a furor erupted in Congress when it was learned that a Dubai-based port operator, DP World, was to assume control of six American ports through a sale from P&O, a British firm.

Democrats and Republicans attempted to score political points before this year's midterm elections, by attacking the Bush administration for letting an Arab company take charge of port security. As usual the two major parties were off the mark. DP World would not be in charge of port security. Actually, customs, coast guard, and immigration are in charge of protecting our nation's points of entry.

An article in Wednesday's Washington Post provides a real reason to worry about port security. Congressional investigators from the General Accounting Office (GAO) went out to test port security by seeing if they could smuggle in small amounts of radioactive material that could be used to make a 'dirty' bomb.

Undercover GAO agents carried small amounts of cesium-137, a radioactive material used in a 'dirty' bomb in the trunks of rental cars through points of entry in Texas and Washington state, the Washington Post reported.

The radioactive material did set off the radiation detectors used by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspectors, but the undercover agents were able to pass through using forged documents obtained off the Internet.

Sen. Norm Coleman (R - Minnesota) commented on the GAO's findings, "These are documents my 20 year-old son could easily develop with a simple Internet search. It is a problem when it is tougher to by cold medicine than it is to acquire enough material to construct a dirty bomb."

I thought President Bush was supposed to protect America from terrorist threats. He ran on national security in the 2004 election. Shouldn't preventing a terrorist from smuggling radioactive material into the country be one of the president's top priorities?

President Bush's senior advisor Karl Rove, said the Democrats were wrong on national security. It has become evident that both Democrats and Republicans are wrong when comes to protecting America from terrorist threats. Both major parties are less interested in protecting America and more interested in deploying troops to foreign countries.

Posted by at 05:08 PM | Comments (86)

March 27, 2006

Good News for Online Freedom of Speech

The Federal Election Commission ruled on Monday that the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law will not apply to blogs or other online publications, MSNBC reported.

In a unanimous vote, the FEC stated that only paid political ads placed on a website could be regulated by the 2002 campaign finance law.

This is welcome news for online freedom of speech. Monday's FEC ruling puts blogs and other online publications on the same footing as traditional forms of media in how they are treated under the McCain-Feingold law.

After the McCain-Feingold law was passed, the FEC issued regulations that year that took a hands-off approach to blogs and online publications. In 2004, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled against the Federal Election Commission saying its rules governing online publications "severely undermines" the purpose of the campaign finance law. A debate ensued over how far should campaign finance laws cover online freedom of speech.

Monday's new FEC ruling is expected to put the ongoing debate to rest, for now. Some campaign reform groups may lobby to have the FEC regulate more online activity. The campaign reform groups' reasoning is that having too broad exemptions regarding Internet communications would lead to corruption and abuse.

Many of these campaign reform groups are discussing a problem that doesn't even exist. The FEC has found no evidence that bloggers or online publishers have abused the McCain-Feingold law.

The new FEC rules will take effect 30 days after their publication in the Federal Register, which is expected to occur within five to six days, CNET News reported.

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

March 24, 2006

Bush Administration Looking to Extend Stay in Iraq

With increasing public discontent over the war in Iraq, more and more politicians and groups, have followed the Libertarian Party's lead and are now calling for a withdrawal of troops from the embattled country.

President Bush admitted this week that a complete withdrawal of troops from Iraq will not happen during the remainder of his term. Now there is evidence that the Bush administration is planning on keeping troops in Iraq not just to 2008, but for years to come.

In an emergency spending bill for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan that was approved by the House of Representatives last week, the Pentagon requested millions for large bases in Iraq. This has led to concerns that the United States is planning on stationing troops in Iraq for the long-term.

Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX), who is against the establishment of permanent U.S. bases in Iraq, stated, "It's the kind of thing that incites terrorism." Congressman Paul pointed out that terrorist Osama bin Laden cited U.S. military bases in Saudi Arabia as grounds for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The Bush administration has downplayed talk of a permanent troop presence in Iraq. The American ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, stated on Iraqi television last week that the U.S. had "no goal of establishing permanent bases in Iraq." But then Pentagon spokesman, Army Lt. Col. Barry Venable recently stated, "We're building permanent bases in Iraq for Iraqis."

The preceding statements seem to be another case of political spin by the Bush administration. Remember when Cheney said the Iraqi insurgency was in its "last throes"?

The Bush administration is planning to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in upgrading four major military bases in Iraq, including Camp Anaconda. For example they are spending $11 million on adding new roads and a new dining hall for the Tallil air base. With this new round of spending, it appears the administration is looking to extend their stay in Iraq well into the future.

Posted by at 05:51 PM | Comments (62)

New Hampshire Legislature Approves Eminent Domain Restrictions

New Hampshire lawmakers came out in favor of private property rights on Wednesday by endorsing a state constitutional amendment that would limit the government's eminent domain powers.

The state constitutional amendment passed overwhelmingly with a vote of 277 to 61.

State Rep. Bob Giuda described the impetus behind the measure stating, "This wasn't about the Legislature. It's about setting rules that protect people from government. That's what the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is about."

The constitutional amendment was put forth as a direct response to the controversial Supreme Court ruling in Kelo v. New London. The ruling allowed the city of New London, Connecticut to seize a group of older homes and turn them over to a commercial developer to build offices, a hotel and a convention center.

The New Hampshire Senate is expected to vote on the constitutional amendment on Wednesday, the Boston Globe reported.

In order for the eminent domain restriction measure to become part of the New Hampshire Constitution, it requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the voters.

Posted by at 12:00 PM | Comments (18)

March 23, 2006

TV Crew Finds Police Station Intimidation In Complaint Process

The local CBS affiliate in the Miami-Ft Lauderdale area, CBS4 investigated complaints by citizens that it was virtually impossible for someone to go into a police department in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties and obtain a complaint form.

You can see what happened with their hidden camera investigation here.

Posted by at 11:07 AM | Comments (27)

March 22, 2006

Federal Grants Favored Towards Bush Allies

In Wednesday's Washington Post, it was reported that $157 million in federal grant money has been funneled to political and ideological allies of the Bush administration.

This earmark funding is quite ironic since Republicans have complained for years that Democratic administrations were favoring liberal groups in the distribution of federal grant money. The most prominent examples were the AFL-CIO's receipt of Labor Department grants to run worker-training programs. Additionally, Planned Parenthood received taxpayer funds to promote birth control.

Now Republicans want a piece of the action. Take for example Heritage Community Services in Charleston, South Carolina. Ten years ago Heritage was a small social organization with a $51,288 budget that promoted abstinence education.

By 2004, Heritage Community Services used its deep social conservative background to increase its budget to $3 million, thanks largely to Department of Health and Human Services grants, the Washington Post reported.

The Dept. of Health and Human Services has set up the Compassion Capital Fund, designed to make it even easier to funnel federal money to organizations that support the religious conservative agenda.

Critics like Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, think that giving federal grant money to conservative non-profits will have a "corrupting" influence on them.

"The danger is that any group that gets money from the government will end up serving the interests of the state rather than the constituencies they are trying to serve. The guy who writes the check writes the rules," Norquist commented.

Carpetbagger Report sums it up with... "It was bad enough when the president was ignoring the separation of church and state, and funding religions against the will of taxpayers... But turning the entire faith-based initiative into a slush fund to reward his conservative allies is probably low."

Posted by at 05:22 PM | Comments (34)

Corrupt Politician's Loot To Be Sold In Auction

Ever wanted to bid on a corrupt congressman's belongings? Now's your chance.

Belongings that former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham received as bribes will be auctioned off this Thursday by the government to help cover the back taxes and restitution Cunningham still owes, MSNBC reported.

Cunningham was convicted in March for receiving $2.4 million in bribes, many of which came in the form of lavish gifts from defense contractors in exchange for helping them win government contracts.

The Department of the Treasury auction is great if you are looking to get a deal on a leather sofa, a marble-topped nightstand or a solid cherry sleigh bed. There is great mix of styles including Art Deco, French provincial and American pioneer.

With Cunningham's ill-gotten valuables being sold off in a public auction only adds to his public disgrace. He will likely be penniless when he goes off to prison, being forced to pay $1.8 million in back taxes and forfeit $1.85 million in cash bribes received.

For curiosity-seekers, you can check out the auction here. Note: The sale also contains seized and forfeited assets from other law enforcement activities by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and other federal agencies (via Huffington Post).

Posted by at 01:13 PM | Comments (12)

March 21, 2006

Condoleezza Rice, NFL Commissioner?

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced this week that he will resign in July. This announcement could very well lead to one of the most interesting stories in the coming months.

Condoleezza Rice, in addition to being the U.S. Secretary of State, is also a life-long football fan. She's been known to attend Washington Redskins games, sometimes with President Bush.

Rice made it known in an interview with Ebony magazine last November that she would like to be the next NFL commissioner. "If that job comes open, I'm gone," replied Rice when asked about her desire to have the NFL's top job.

At a press conference on Monday, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack tried to dispel rumors that Condoleeza Rice would leave to take the job of NFL commissioner. McCormack stated, "At the moment, the secretary is enjoying being secretary of state."

Wonkette commented on McCormack's response, "But note that hedge: just because Condi’s 'enjoying' her current position doesn’t mean she wouldn’t enjoy the NFL job even more."

Something tells me Condi would rather deal with Raiders owner Al Davis and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones than with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and North Korean President Kim Jong II.

Posted by at 04:51 PM | Comments (28)

March 20, 2006

Gov. Bill Richardson Comes Out Against Eminent Domain Restrictions

It seems as though politicians would get the message public opinion on eminent domain abuse, but Governor Bill Richardson has apparently not gotten the message yet.

Gov. Richardson's unpopular stand is even more surprising considering that the Democratic governor faces reelection this year and is rumored to be a possible presidential candidate in 2008.

A bill was introduced in the New Mexico legislature by Rep. Richard Cheney that would prevent a municipality from taking private property by eminent domain and transferring it to a private developer. The New Mexico legislature agreed with Rep. Cheney and passed House Bill 746.

Governor Richardson did not share the state legislature's thinking and vetoed the bill.

With the American public overwhelming against using eminent domain for private development, this veto seems nothing short of phenomenal.

Paul Gessing, president of the Rio Grande Foundation, a non-partisan think-tank, wrote in a recent editorial, "Despite his professed concern for poor and working class New Mexicans, Richardson has taken the side of the rich and influential developers on this issue."

The Real Estate Bloggers thinks Governor Richardson's decision to veto the anti-eminent domain abuse legislation shows he has "given up national ambitions or has a political tin ear."

Posted by at 03:23 PM | Comments (22)

Video Gamers Fight Back Against Gov't Regulation

Tired of seeing their games being attacked by opportunistic politicians, video gamers have created a new website to strike back against government intrusion.

The Video Game Voters Network was created to fight "The Family Entertainment Protection Act" that is being spearheaded by Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Evan Bayh (D-IN). The purpose of the legislation is to regulate the sale of certain video games throughout the country.

You can take a stand against government regulating your entertainment here.

Posted by at 11:58 AM | Comments (43)

March 17, 2006

Post Your Review of V for Vendetta

As I noted in yesterday's blog entry, "V for Vendetta...A Libertarian Action Flick?" I would devote a blog entry for those who wish to post their thoughts on the movie. Now's your chance.

Posted by at 03:53 PM | Comments (56)

New Portland Jail Too Expensive To Open

The city of Portland, Oregon spent $59 million and took two years to build a new jail, but now the city does not have sufficient funds for operation.

The funding crisis comes at a time when Portland and the surrounding region are clamoring for more jail space. Multnomah County, part of the Portland metro area, was forced to release a record 5,000 criminals last year, including burglars, drug dealers, and car thieves, according to the Los Angeles Times. Area police claim that the release of dangerous criminals is responsible for the spike in property crimes.

Without the presence of criminals, you might not realize that the Wapato facility is a jail. Flat screen televisions have been installed in each dorm, where there are 30-feet high ceilings. The county ensured that future inmates will be cultured by spending $600,000 on art for the jail, including a sculpture in front of the facility.

The lack of operational funding for the Wapato facility highlights a fundamental problem with Oregon's tax system. During the mid-1990s, Oregon taxpayers approved a levy to fund the jail's construction that hinged on the belief that rising property taxes would generate the sufficient funds to operate it.

Property tax revenue took a nosedive as a result of an economic recession and two tax initiatives that put a limit on property tax increases. Even though Oregon's economy has picked up in the last year, Multnomah County will likely need $32 million just to maintain its current budget levels.

With some inmates being released months early, Multnomah County Sheriff Bernie Giusto is getting increasingly frustrated. Giusto explained his frustration, "We held a ceremony, cut the ribbon - then locked the doors. We have a brand-new jail sitting here empty, and I don't have a good answer when the public asks me, 'Why was it built if there was no plan to operate it?"

"I love coming to an empty $59 million jail," he quipped.

According to Corruption Chronicles, Multnomah County has "long been accused of severe mismanagement and huge financial problems."

Posted by at 03:49 PM | Comments (12)

March 16, 2006

If You Have Trouble Figuring Out the Medicare Drug Benefit Get Your Family To Help, Bush Says

President Bush gave some helpful advice to those having trouble figuring out the Medicare drug benefit plan.

President Bush held a town hall meeting at the Riderwood Village retirement community in Silver Springs, Maryland on Wednesday, in order to promote his Medicare prescription drug plan, the Washington Post reported.

One attendee asked the president what could be done to help her 75-year old mother understand the Medicare prescription drug plan. President Bush, with a straight-face, felt it was the woman's problem to solve. "Look, I'm not going to tell you your business, but I think it's your responsibility to help your mom."

It never occurred to President Bush that it was his responsibility to ensure the Medicare drug plan wasn't so complicated for seniors. A more appropriate discussion at Wednesday's town hall meeting is why such a complex, incrediblely expensive boondoggle was created in the first place.

Posted by at 03:24 PM | Comments (28)

V for Vendetta...A Libertarian Action Flick?

If you ever watched the Matrix films you may have noticed a libertarian theme, where a small band of humans fight against the subjugation of mankind by the machines.

The writers and producers of the Matrix and its sequels, the Wachowski brothers have upped the ante when comes to libertarian themes with their new movie, V for Vendetta, which they wrote and produced.

V for Vendetta is based on a graphic novel by Alan Moore that is set in England in 2020. Great Britain is under the control of a fascist government who use fear and intimidation to control its citizens. The government controls the media and clamps down on free speech through its Ministry of Objectionable Materials.

A mysterious rebel known as V, who is dubbed a terrorist by the Hitler-esque Chancellor Sulter, plots to overthrow the government. V seeks to complete 17th century saboteur Guy Fawkes's mission to blow up Parliament, as way to spark a rebellion.

Looking at early reviews, V for Vendetta has plenty of action and thrills to keep audiences entertained, and delivers a clear libertarian message, which can be summed up in its tagline - "People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of the people."

V for Vendetta is bound to spark a lot of debate in the next few weeks. I will put a blog entry up on Friday, March 17 when V for Vendetta opens and allow people to post their thoughts on the movie.

Posted by at 01:47 PM | Comments (32)

March 15, 2006

California Can't Decide Whether To Keep Steve Kubby In Jail or Not

California authorities just can't decide whether if they want medical marijuana activist Steve Kubby in jail or not.

The local ABC affiliate, KXTV, reported that former LP candidate Steve Kubby is heading back to jail after a Placer County judge sentenced him to 60 days in jail on Tuesday.

Kubby is being sent back to jail this time for violating his probation by fleeing to Canada in 2001, following convictions for possessing recreational drugs psilocin and mescaline.

Kubby's return to jail follows a recent early release due to overcrowding at the Placer jail. He is instructed to begin his new sentence on Wednesday.

Hammer of Truth thinks those "law enforcement officials involved are considerably more compassionate than those sitting on the bench."

Posted by at 05:01 PM | Comments (26)

Pennsylvania Man Gets Cited For Making An Obscene Gesture

Thomas Burns, from New Castle, Pennsylvania showed his frustration with a traffic delay last April by giving an obscene hand gesture to a nearby construction worker. According to the Washington Post, the construction worker reported the incident to a police officer, who then cited Burns for disorderly conduct.

Even though the citation was later dropped, Burns has filed a federal lawsuit in Pittsburgh because he believes the constitutional right to free speech includes making obscene hand gestures.

Burns explains in his lawsuit why his obscene hand gesture is protected free speech - "The finger gesture was not accompanied by any verbal threats, taunting or communication…The gesture, albeit insulting, had no sexual meaning, did not appeal to anyone's prurient interest, and did not create a public disturbance or breach of peace."

There are some encouraging signs that Burns could win his case. Pennsylvania courts in the last few years have ruled that the gesture does not necessarily constitute disorderly conduct, because it is not "obscene" as defined by the law, unless it is used in a clearly sexual context.

Posted by at 01:57 PM | Comments (19)

March 14, 2006

The FBI Just Can't Quite Complete That Computer Systems Overhaul

The Federal Bureau of Investigation just can quite complete it long overdue overhaul of its computer systems. The FBI has tried for years to upgrade its computer systems with less than promising results.

The New York Times reported that the federal law enforcement agency had to stop the final phase in a three-part computer overhaul after spending $170 million on its failed Virtual Case File system.

Some of the Virtual Case File system's problems, according to the Justice Department inspector general's office, were that it was "fragmented and ill equipped" and suffered from wide-scale turnover in personnel.

The past may come back to haunt the FBI. In a report prepared by the Justice Department inspector general's office, it found the latest overhaul of the agency's computer systems, dubbed the Sentinel project, will cost another estimated $500 million over the next three to four years.

The Justice Department report warns about the staffing problems that could endanger the Sentinel project. The New York Times reported that the FBI office in charge of overseeing the project has only filled 51 of the planned 76 staffing slots. With a lack of an adequate management system in place, it runs the risk of leading to huge cost overruns, warned the Justice Department report.

I have a sneaky suspicion the FBI will end up scrapping this latest computer systems upgrade in a few years.

Posted by at 04:35 PM | Comments (11)

Is President Bush Finally Setting a Timetable for Troop Withdrawal in Iraq?

It's amazing what plummeting poll numbers will do to change a president's tone about withdrawing American troops from Iraq.

In a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released on Monday, President Bush's approval dropped to a new low of 36 percent. This a 2 percent drop from the previous CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll that was conducted between February 28 - March 1.

During a speech at George Washington University on Monday, President Bush attempted to salvage what was left of his presidency. This was the second time in six months the president reiterated the need to stay the course and "not lose our nerve."

Back in December, President Bush released, "Our National Strategy for Victory in Iraq", an attempt to quell the American public's growing dissatisfaction with the president's handling of the Iraq war.

In his speech on Monday, President Bush looked to silence his critics again by proposing what seemed to be a timetable for American troop withdrawal. "As more capable Iraqi police and soldiers come on line, they will assume responsibility for more territory -- with the goal of having the Iraqis control more territory than the coalition by the end of 2006."

One could easily make the argument that this "timetable" President Bush is now proposing is just a rephrasing of his well-worn phrase of, "As Iraqis stand up, America and our coalition will stand down."

The Carpetbagger Report believes the Washington Post article titled, "Bush Sets Target for Transition in Iraq" is not a "front-page breakthrough" and compares it to a New York Times article covering the same story.

If you would like to check out an actual American troop withdrawal timetable, consult the Libertarian Party's Iraq Exit Strategy. I am personally still waiting for the Democrat Party to agree on a plan to withdraw American troops from Iraq. Or just to agree on something.

Posted by at 01:59 PM | Comments (16)

March 13, 2006

Sen. Feingold Wants to Censure President Bush

In a surprise move, Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) announced that he will file a resolution on Monday calling for President Bush to be censured for his domestic wiretapping program, CNN reported.

You can view the text of Sen. Feingold's censure resolution in pdf format here.

On ABC's This Week, Sen. Feingold gave his explanation for drafting the resolution:

"It's a big step, but what the President did by consciously and intentionally violating the constitutional laws of this country with this illegal wiretapping has to be answered. There can be debate about how best to fight terrorism. We all believe that there should be wiretapping in appropriate cases. But the idea that the President can just make up a law in violation of his oath of office has to be answered."

As Sen. Feingold points out, if President Bush's domestic wiretapping program were on solid legal ground, then the administration should not have changed legal justifications for the president's authority to conduct such a program.

Sen. Feingold lays down the gauntlet with this:

"First they try to argue that somehow, under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, they can do this. It's pretty clear that they can't. Then there's the argument that somehow the military authorization for Afghanistan allowed this. This has basically been laughed out of the room in the Congress. So the last resort is to somehow say that the President has inherent authority to ignore the law of the United States of America, and that has the consequence that the President could even order the assassination of American citizens if that's the law. So there is no sort of independent inherent authority that allows the president to override the laws passed by the Congress of the United States."

Bush apologist, Republican Sen. Bill Frist, said Sen. Russ Feingold was "dead wrong" and argued that talk of a censure resolution is helping our enemies. According to Frist, you can't be patriotic unless you go along with the Bush administration. Frist mentioned the 9/11 attacks, the fact that we are in an "unprecedented war", and then threw in Iran, just for good measure. Apparently, Bush's allies answer criticism of his national security policies with a healthy dose of fear mongering.

ThinkProgress has a link of video that covers Sen. Feingold's appearance on ABC's This Week. In providing both sides of the story, ThinkProgress also have a link to Sen. Frist's response that was aired on ABC's This Week.

Posted by at 05:26 PM | Comments (35)

Louisiana Sheriff Getting Paranoid About His Neighbors

The Anderson Cooper 360 blog had a posting today about a sheriff in Louisiana who's getting paranoid about his neighbors.

Steve Prator, the sheriff of Caddo Parish, Louisiana wants to run background checks on scores of Hurricane Katrina evacuees living in his jurisdiction. Sheriff Prator thinks a lot of the evacuees living in nearby FEMA-provided housing might be criminals.

According to the Anderson Cooper 360 blog, the sheriff was able to obtain 33 evacuee names from an informant and then ran background checks on them. He found all of them had a previous criminal history with a combined total of 340 prior arrests.

Just from this random, scientific sampling, Sheriff Prator was able to deduce that the evacuees living in FEMA housing constitute a cesspool of criminality. Amazing.

Sheriff Prator's justification in singling out the Katrina evacuees is as follows. People who live in federally funded public housing developments have to endure background checks so people living in FEMA-sponsored temporary housing should be subject to the same criteria.

Thankfully, FEMA has not cooperated with Sheriff Prator, citing federal privacy laws. The sheriff has been requesting the information for weeks now and has threatened legal action. I think the sheriff will be waiting for awhile for the information. I personally hope that the sheriff continues to wait.

Posted by at 03:03 PM | Comments (19)

March 10, 2006

Kansas Senator Wants to Try Out Flat Tax in D.C.

Sen. Sam Brownback is in favor of a flat federal income tax but wants to try it out in the District of Columbia first.

Sen. Brownback is proposing conducting an experiment where District residents would be taxed by the federal government at a flat rate, the Washington Times reported. He stated at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday that D.C. residents could participate either in the new flat-tax system or the existing one.

Naturally, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton used tired liberal talking points when going against the flat tax proposal. Mrs. Norton claims that Brownback's plan puts an unfair burden on low-income residents because it removes many of their exemptions.

I personally believe it is Mrs. Norton who puts an unfair burden on D.C. taxpayers by making them pay her a generous salary, when she can't even vote in Congress. What does she do all day in her office on Capitol Hill? Inquiring minds want to know.

Well if low-income residents thought they got a better deal under the current federal tax system they can still choose it under Brownback's plan. Apparently Delegate Norton missed that feature of the plan.

Supporters of the plan tout the many benefits if D.C. had a flat tax. Supporters of Brownback's plan state it would attract businesses and middle-income families into the District because of its relatively low tax rate compared to the graduated rates used elsewhere.

Daniel Mitchell, a political economist at the Heritage Foundation, stated that if Brownback's plan was put into effect, "D.C. would be the Hong Kong of America. Income and wealth would go up so much that there would be a huge influx of tax revenue for the city. It would be a mecca."

Posted by at 04:40 PM | Comments (45)

National Chair Michael Dixon to Appear Today on Fox News

Libertarian Party National Chair Michael Dixon is scheduled to appear today at 4pm on "Your World with Neal Cavuto" on the Fox News Channel. He will be discussing the American public's growing dissatisfaction with the two major parties and the rise of third party alternatives.

The show runs from 4pm to 5pm. We do not know exactly when Chair Michael Dixon will be appearing on the program. Make sure to tune in!

Update: If you missed Chair Michael Dixon's appearance this afternoon, you can catch a repeat of today's "Your World with Neal Cavuto" early tomorrow morning(March 11) at 1am.

Posted by at 01:59 PM | Comments (24)

Greenspan Predicts the Rise of a Third Party Candidate

Maybe that Libertarian Party breakthrough people have been talking about is not far off. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan gave some very encouraging words for third parties during an interview about his memoirs with the New York Times, CNN reported.

Greenspan say there is an "ideological divide" between the two major parties, leaving a "vast untended center." He predicts a "well-financed third party presidential candidate will emerge in 2008."

Greenspan is unclear on which third party it will be, but it goes without saying that we all hope it is the Libertarian Party. I would venture to guess that privately the former Federal Reserve chairman hopes it is the LP.

Greenspan has long described himself as a libertarian. In his upcoming memoirs that will be published by Penguin Press, he talks about how his mentor, Ayn Rand, influenced him to become a libertarian.

Political Wire notes a recent Greenspan speech via the Wall Street Journal where he gives his view on what is wrong with our current political system. "The two American parties are now controlled by their extreme wings, even though the voting public is far more centrist," Greenspan explained.

"He described the leadership of the parties as 'bimodal', meaning clustered at the extreme ideological ends, whereas the voting public was 'monomodal', meaning clustered near the middle." This situation creates a great opportunity for a third party candidate.

Posted by at 01:01 PM | Comments (38)

March 09, 2006

Synthetic Fuel Lobby Getting Rich At the Expense of the U.S. Taxpayer

The synthetic fuel industry has fleeced the American taxpayer billions of dollars and is looking for more, with the help of Congress of course. Not wanting the gravy train to stop, the synthetic fuel industry lobbied Congress to ensure it continued to get the maximum amount of tax credits.

Like most special interest deals, the synfuel tax credits were buried in the Senate version of a budget reconciliation bill that is currently in conference committee. The House version does not contain the language favorable to the synthetic fuel industry.

The synthetic fuel industry has been propped up by federal subsidies since its inception. Time magazine estimates that from 2003 to 2005 alone, the industry has collected $9 billion in tax credits.

Synthetic fuel comes from transforming raw coal into synthetic natural gas and oil through various chemical processes. The synthetic fuel industry was looked upon in the wake of the 1970's oil shocks, as a way to wean the country off its dependence on foreign sources of oil. Hydrogen fuel anyone?

What is so great about the synfuel tax credit scam is how easy it is for companies to claim the credit under IRS rules. A company can take regular coal, chemically alter it in some fashion, which may include spraying it with diesel fuel, pine-tar resin, limestone, or acid, and then claim the tax credit.

With rising gas prices, the synthetic fuel industry's feeding at the public trough is in danger. When Congress originally enacted the subsidy in 1980, it tied the value of the credit to the price of crude oil. So once the price of crude oil goes past a certain point, synfuel companies could no longer claim the credit.

The main synthetic fuel lobby group, the Council for Energy Independence, sprang into action. It was successful in getting language placed in the Senate version of the budget reconciliation bill that bases the tax credit on 2004 oil prices.

According to Time magazine, it was Sen. Rick Santorum who submitted synthetic fuel tax credit language in the form of an amendment.

This is the same Sen. Rick Santorum, who back in January according to the Washington Post, said he would stop having meetings with lobbyists but reversed his decision in less than a month.

Posted by at 05:28 PM | Comments (7)

LNC Meeting to be Held In Charlotte, North Carolina

The next Libertarian National Committee meeting will be held this weekend, March 11 and 12 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

It will be held in the following location:

Embassy Suites Hotel
4800 S Tryon St
Charlotte, NC 28217
(704) 527-8400

The meeting is scheduled to run from 8:30am to 5pm on Saturday and from 8:30am to 12 noon on Sunday.

The meeting is open to the public and members of the Libertarian Party are encouraged to attend. There is an opportunity for public comment at the opening and closing of the meeting.

Posted by at 01:08 PM | Comments (6)

March 08, 2006

U.S. House Approves Patriot Act Renewal

In a blow to civil liberties, the House of Representatives approved the renewal of the USA Patriot Act on Tuesday, paving the way for President Bush's signature. The House's final vote was 280 to 138, renewing sixteen provisions that were set to expire on March 10, CNN reported.

The Senate already voted in favor of renewing the Patriot Act last week. After the vote, Sen. Jon Kyl, like many Republicans, did not want to appear soft on terrorism and voted to renew the Patriot Act. Kyl spoke after the bill's passage reminding me of the White House's talking points. The senator expressed relief by saying "At last the Patriot Act will be reauthorized. And it's about time. It will make America more secure, and that's the bottom line."

There were some congressmen that were not fooled and not afraid to risk being perceived as soft on terrorism. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) was strongly opposed to the Patriot Act renewal. Kucinich explained, "I rise in strong opposition to this legislation because it offers only a superficial form that will have little if any impact on safeguarding our civil liberties." He added, "Congress has failed to do its job as a coequal branch of government. The administration's attack on democracy has to be reigned in."

Truthdig points out that the American public is being distracted by the Dubai ports fiasco, "Congress passes the most sweeping abridgement of American freedoms in a generation--with barely a peep from the public."

The Heretik says wave goodbye to some of your basic civil liberties.

Posted by at 04:16 PM | Comments (23)

March 07, 2006

Unauthorized Spying Devices Found at Guam Airport

Yesterday, JunkYardBlog brought some attention to a strange story that was first reported by Pacific Daily News. FBI agents seized mini-surveillance cameras and listening devices found last week at the Guam airport. Federal authorities are unaware why the spying devices were put there or who authorized it.

Acting on a tip from U.S. Customs, the Guam Department of Customs and Quarantine found three mini-surveillance cameras hidden in the area where custom agents check arriving passengers and their bags, Pacific Daily News reported.

But the story gets better. Rick Blas, Guam Customs Director said they found two of the discovered cameras were still in operation and local officials did not know where the camera signals were going.

There is speculation that former Guam Airport Executive Manager Gerald Yingling may have installed the mini-surveillance cameras. Yingling admitted he had security cameras installed after the Sept. 11th attacks but did not know who installed them or where in the airport they were placed.

Kevin Rickett, supervisory senior resident agent at the Guam FBI office, stated they are still investigating whether a criminal violation took place.

Kathryn Cramer proposes an interesting theory to explain the mystery of the spying devices in the airport. She notes Guam is a hub for smugglers, who would have the incentive to monitor U.S. Custom inspections.

JunkYardBlog points out that "Guam may be thousands of miles from the continental US, but it is US territory and therefore part of the “homeland” that DHS is supposed to secure."

Even if it turned out that former airport employees installed the spying devices, the fact that it is now a mystery on why they were installed does not inspire confidence in U.S. Customs or the Department of Homeland Security.

Posted by at 04:34 PM | Comments (10)

Check Out Aaron Russo's "America...From Freedom to Fascism"

Former contender for the 2004 LP presidential bid Aaron Russo's film, "America...From Freedom to Fascism" has begun to generate some buzz in libertarian circles. The documentary is described as a provocative film that chronicles the ongoing battle for freedom inside America.

"America...From Freedom to Fascism" is scheduled to be officially released this summer, but already there are preview screenings being held across the country. Stephen Gordon at Hammer of Truth said he talked to Russo about a recent Beverly Hills screening and stated that the line to get in "was around the block."

You can watch a short preview of "America...From Freedom to Fascism" on the film's website and check out the screening schedule. We the People has a more up-to-date screening schedule on their website.

Posted by at 04:25 PM | Comments (20)

Soda is in the Crosshairs of Public Health Advocates

Two scientific studies will be published this week that will add evidence to the claim that soda not only contributes to obesity, but actually cause it. The Washington Post's Marilynn Marchione reports that these studies could turn out to be a big deal. The studies could help make the case for higher taxes on soda, restrictions on how and where it is sold, perhaps even a surgeon general's warning on labels.

Raise your hand if this is starting to sound familiar. Barry Popkin, a scientist at the University of North Carolina, who is in favor of more restrictions on soda, gave us a reminder, "We've done it with cigarettes."

Public health do-gooders may have a harder time trying to prove soda is as bad as tobacco, due to the fact many variables contribute to a person's weight. Richard Adamson, a senior science consultant to the American Beverage Association thinks making soda the leading cause of obesity is "laughable." He notes that lack of exercise and poor eating habits contribute far more to the problem of obesity than soda.

This war against obesity has been years in the making. Radley Balko from the Cato Institute described in 2004 how "politicians and the media are waging war against obesity in the name of public health, government is moving to take Americans' ownership of their own health and well-being away from them, designating it public property." Balko states that this only leads to a government-provided healthcare system.

Management consultant, Michael Wade on Execupundit.com, wonders if soda will become the next tobacco. Wade points out a big difference between the two products - "Unlike tobacco, soda is not dangerous when used normally."

Posted by at 11:15 AM | Comments (16)

March 06, 2006

New Orleans Levees Are Being Rebuilt With Substandard Materials

Monday's Washington Post reported that independent experts claim the rebuilt levees in New Orleans "will be substantially weaker" than before Hurricane Katrina hit. I thought the federal government was supposed to step in and fix everything. It looks like the city of New Orleans is leaving itself vulnerable for another major disaster.

The independent experts, engineers from a National Science Foundation-funded panel and a Louisiana team appointed to monitor the rebuilding, say the fundamental problem is the Army Corps of Engineers is attempting to "compress what is usually a years-long construction process into a few weeks."

If you're a government agency and need to complete a construction project fast, well, you are going to take some shortcuts. The independent experts, using lab tests as evidence, say the Army Corps of Engineers used weak, substandard materials in some sections of the levee walls. They also say the Corps has delayed repairs to those flood walls that survived the hurricane but suffered structural damage.

Although the Army Corps of Engineers disputes the assertion that they are using substandard materials, they have admitted much more work will need to be completed by the beginning of the hurricane season on June 1st. Polimom says some experts began stating back in December that the levees would not be ready in time for hurricane season.

The Corps has also admitted that the finished levee system will not be able to withstand another storm as strong as Hurricane Katrina. How many New Orleans residents do you think are going to be upset after reading that statement?

A Case for Small Government argues that the whole Katrina episode illustrates that "to fix a problem, first get rid of the government intervention that caused or exacerbated the problem."

Posted by at 02:54 PM | Comments (14)

March 03, 2006

Congress Rejects the Establishment of Ethics Panel

In a great public relations move, the Senate nixed the idea of establishing an independent office to oversee the enforcement of congressional ethics and lobbying laws. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs voted 11-5 to defeat an ethics panel proposal by the committee chairperson, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the Washington Post reported.

Sen. Collins argued that by hiring professionals to oversee lobbying reports and investigate ethics complaints, Congress's credibility would be increased, and conflicts of interest could be minimized. Collins finds the current self-policing of congressional ethics committees "a joke."

Sen. George V. Voinovich showed that most members of Congress are out of touch with the American public, stating that the ethics committees are already doing a thorough job of enforcing the rules and conducting investigations.

Citizen watchdog groups were outraged when the Senate committee's axed the independent ethics panel proposal. Some groups were skeptical that Congress's reliance on increased disclosure and reporting requirements along with enforcement would deter corruption.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics stated, "Lobbying reform is going more the enforcement route. What's that going to do? Nothing much."

The Senate Rules and Administration Committee did approve a restriction that stipulates when those who previously worked in the federal government can become lobbyists. The provision would slow the revolving door between government and the lobbying industry. The Washington Post reported that the provision would double to two years the period during which former congressmen and former executive branch officials would be barred from lobbying their ex-colleagues.

Posted by at 05:23 PM | Comments (14)

Honoring Harry Browne

I would like to open up a thread so that those interested may share their positive memories and thoughts in honor of Harry Browne who recently passed away at his home in Franklin, TN.

For me personally, Mr. Browne was a true leader who represented the Libertarian Party ably and honorably. His passing is a loss to our party and the nation and we will miss him.

Posted by Shane Cory at 01:21 PM | Comments (88)

Patriot Act is Renewed 89-10 in the Senate

The Senate on Thursday voted overwhelming to renew the Patriot Act, making permanent 14 of the 16 provisions that were originally set to expire at the end of last year. The other two provisions, which cover secret government records searches, were modified and reauthorized for another four years, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Surprisingly, the Patriot Act was more difficult to renew than it was to pass initially in 2001. Senator Russell D. Feingold was the lone senator to vote against the original passage of the Patriot Act. When Senator Feingold voted against the Patriot Act renewal, he was joined by nine Democratic senators and one independent, James Jeffords. The nine Democratic senators were Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, Carl Levin of Michigan, Patty Murray of Washington, and Ron Wyden of Oregon.

Feingold, who tried various parliamentary procedures to block the reauthorization of the Patriot Act, was troubled by fellow senators' willingness to hand over a little liberty for the White House's promise of more security in the war on terrorism. Feingold stated, "Without freedom, we are not America. If we don't preserve our liberties, we cannot win this war, no matter how many terrorists we capture or kill."

Senator Byrd warned the American public about how it could lose all of its freedoms in a gradual process. The senator explained, "There is no doubt that constitutional freedoms will never be abolished in one fell swoop, for the American people cherish their freedoms, and would not tolerate such a loss if they could perceive it. But the erosion of freedom rarely comes as an all-out frontal assault but rather as a gradual, noxious creeping, cloaked in secrecy, and glossed over by reassurances of greater security."

Posted by at 01:18 PM | Comments (17)

Americans Are More Familiar With the Simpsons Than the Constitution

A new study found that Americans are more familiar with the animated family, The Simpsons, than with the U.S. Constitution. The McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum conducted a study that found 22 percent of Americans could name all five Simpson family members, while only one in 1,000 people could name all five First Amendment freedoms, MSNBC reported.

The McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum is a new museum set to open in Chicago this spring. The museum states on its website that it "aims to help visitors recognize the many facets of our democratic process, while promoting a sense of civic responsibility and championing our unalienable rights as guaranteed by the First Amendment."

Joe Madeira, the museum's director of exhibitions, said the results of the survey really demostrate a need for a museum about First Amendment freedoms. Madeira said, "Part of the survey really shows there are misconceptions, and part of our mission is to clear up these misconceptions. It means we have our job cut out for us."

Some survey respondents incorrectly named First Amendment rights. For instance, one in five people thought the right to own a pet was protected.

PA Pundits, The Volokh Conspiracy, and Below the Beltway have commentary on the story.

Posted by at 01:15 PM | Comments (15)

March 02, 2006

Encouraging Signs For Free Speech At the U.S. Supreme Court

The chair of the Vermont Libertarian Party, Hardy Machia, attended the February 28th U.S. Supreme Court hearing regarding the Vermont LP's challenge to the state's restrictive campaign finance law. This was previously reported in an LP.org article, "Vermont Libertarian Party Challenges State Campaign Finance Law."

Machia listened to the oral arguments that were presented by both sides and saw some encouraging signs that the campaign finance law would be overturned.

In an aggressive attempt to rid the political process of any corrupting influence, the Vermont legislature passed a law in 1997 that set very low limits on both campaign contributions and expenditures. Critics of the 1997 law say that it is far too restrictive and severely constricts political speech.

Some of the Supreme Court Justices displayed outright skepticism of the claim by the Vermont Attorney General, William H. Sorrell, that the state's political system was highly corrupted.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. cross-examined Sorrell on his main argument that private money was a corrupting influence on Vermont politics.

Roberts asked Sowell, "How many prosecutions for political corruption have you brought?"

"Not any," Sorrell replied.

"Do you think corruption in Vermont is a serious problem?"

The attorney general replied yes. The only evidence that he could provide were polls that showed that Vermont residents believed that corporations and wealthy individuals had too much political influence in the state, according to the New York Times.

Chief Justice Roberts pointed out that if Vermont residents feel "someone has been bought, I assume they can act accordingly" and simply vote the politician out of office.

Justice Stephen G. Breyer was worried that the low campaign contribution limits would give "incumbents a tremendous advantage." Breyer said that the restrictive contribution limits would "really shut off the possibility of a challenge" by a candidate who needed to raise and spend more money than the incumbent in order to be competitive.

Machia believes a decision by the court will be unlikely until the end of its session, in June. He feels the state of Vermont, in the event they lose the Supreme Court case, would not scrap the 1997 law altogether, but loosen some of its more restrictive aspects just enough to pass constitutional muster.

PoliBlog asks some interesting questions in its commentary about the story.

Posted by at 05:31 PM | Comments (2)

Mississippi Sheriff Charged With Helping People After Hurricane Katrina

A Mississippi sheriff is being prosecuted for helping those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Forrest County Sheriff Billy McGee, in the days following the natural disaster, seized two ice trucks from a FEMA staging area at Camp Shelby and had them driven to locations where hurricane victims needed ice, the local NBC affiliate reported.

The sheriff is charged with a misdemeanor of interfering with, intimidating and impeding a federal officer. McGee's orders were against federal protocol, and a National Guardsman was arrested when he tried to stop McGee's deputies from taking the trucks.

McGee acknowledged to the Hattiesburg American that he did act outside federal regulations when he asked two ice truck drivers to follow him to distribution centers in the Brooklyn and Sheeplo communities in Mississippi. McGee said, "I didn't see anything wrong with what I was doing other than it was outside the protocol."

Area residents agreed with Sheriff McGee and held a rally on his behalf where a petition was circulated. Forrest County School District Superintendent Kay Clay received applause when he told the crowd, "I believe he deserves a medal for helping the people of South Mississippi."

Rally participants want U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton, who is in charge of the case, to drop all the charges. Some have even called for a letter-writing campaign to put pressure on the federal prosecutor.

Rhonda Hobson, a McGee supporter, stated that the sheriff "doesn't deserve this. If FEMA had stepped in the day of the storm and helped out, he wouldn't have had to do what he had to do."

Lee Behrens, chief of the McLaurin Volunteer Fire Department, said that residents were getting desperate. "We had diabetic people who hadn't been able to put their insulin on ice for three days," Behrens explained. He further added, "If it was up to FEMA, those trucks would still be at Camp Shelby."

Posted by at 05:24 PM | Comments (18)

March 01, 2006

Nevada Libertarians Create New Initiative to Support Viable Candidates

A group of Nevada Libertarians have found a practical way to actively promote viable candidates. They created a caucus within their state party, named Vote For A Change, that would be made up of federal and state candidates who would all agree to run on the same issues.

Federal candidates would run on the same five planks: ending corporate welfare, reforming the Patriot Act, stop funding terrorists with foreign aid, bringing American troops home and make Congress read every bill before it passes.

State candidates would have five planks that they could run on, which are lower property and gas taxes, no national ID card, school choice, marijuana decriminalization, and bringing Nevada's National Guard home.

Vote For A Change has nine candidates who will be running this year. Among them is Nevada LP Chair Brendan Trainor, who is running for U.S. Senate and Vice Chair Joe Silvestri, who is running in Nevada's Third Congressional District.

Silvestri said the purpose of Vote For A Change is to promote viable candidates for office and run on a platform that will appeal to likely libertarian voters. He sees the caucus as part of a re-branding effort that will reach out to a larger portion of the voting public.

Another part of Vote For A Change is all of the members agreed to actively oppose paper candidates who seek the state party's nomination. Silvestri said the group's focus is on quality not quantity. He said they would not want candidates on the ballot in Nevada who were not willing to actually campaign. Silvestri stated that the caucus was already successful in persuading two paper candidates from not running under the Libertarian Party banner.

Posted by at 05:18 PM | Comments (36)