Clint Eastwood: Republican Puppet

I used to admire Clint Eastwood for taking a stance politically for freedom and individual rights.  His terms as Mayor of Carmel, California, the characters he chooses to portray all pointed, I thought, to a man with a conviction to liberty and freedom.

Yesterday Clint Eastwood endorsed Mitt "Socialist Republican" Romney for President.  If Clint Eastwood's ideal for the United States lies in the capabilities of Romney then I guess he really is a great actor.

Why Gary Johnson is a viable candidate

For the first time since possibly the late Harry Browne the Libertarian Party has a candidate that has the philosophy and governing background that would make a President that could hit the ground running.  Gary Johnson's common sense business approach to governing sets him apart from a sea of candidates and incumbents who are so corrupt from the way things are done in Washington DC.

The former two term Governor of New Mexico has a long history of exercising proper Veto power, both overall (750 times) and line item (thousands of times).  Bills that expanded Government met a swift end at the desk of the Governor from both sides of the aisle.  Johnson came into the state capital with a state that was in debt and left it with a major surplus of money.  He privatized industries that were previously held by Government and showed no job losses in his state.  Only New Mexico's two term limit stopped Johnson from further expanding liberty in New Mexico.

People have to understand that apart from a very few social stances there is no difference between a Republican and a Democrat.  Both have long histories of expanding the role of Government in our lives, both cater to the exact same special interests and of course each has their own special interests that they cater to.  This is so you get so polarized by the R vs D thing that you get convinced that voting for a third party is a "wasted vote".  This is not the United States that the Founding Fathers envisioned.  For a comparison of the candidates please look HERE.


Eventually people have to come out from under the ether and see that the biggest problem in the USA is the two party system. 

 "Wonder Twin Powers Activate!!!"







President Obama has given us ObamaCare, which the Supreme Court has upheld as a tax.  That's bad.  You know what could be potentially worse?  RomneyCare.  Talk to anyone from Massachusetts.  Less Government intervention into the Health Care Industry can lessen the costs for all of us.  I don't mean to say that Big Pharma will go unchecked, it's not in their best interests to release things that are potentially harmless, especially when all those bought and paid for politicians cannot cover for them anymore.  Change the game, reset the rules and everyone has to play or be out of the game.

What Gary Johnson affords the United States citizen is freedom and liberty.  A less intrusive government.  True separation of church and state.  Someone with Veto power in the White House that can finally, truly walk down the middle of the aisle and befriend both sides.  It's not only not a wasted vote, it is the only logical vote.

Another wasted Fourth of July

I can proudly say that I am the Treasurer of the Libertarian Party of Clark County.  That and four bucks will get me a coffee at Starbucks. 

I really enjoy being a Libertarian and I sincerely believe in the principals of the party, the Founding Fathers and the Constitution.  Unfortunately there are very very few of us in Clark County, Washington that feel the same way.  Over the last three years or so three of us have been trying to bring the party into the political light in our county.  We have had people come and go, even had a few dozen people at a meeting or two but ultimately it comes down to three of us.  This is depressing.

One of our big deals every year that we get hopeful about generating interest is our booth at the Fourth of July Fireworks Show at Fort Vancouver.  It draws a big crowd, around 10,000 or so.  You would think that the day and the festivities would make people think about liberty.  No, pretty much they think about beer and elephant ears and fireworks... lots and lots of fireworks!

This particular year we had a mission to gather signatures to get the Libertarian Presidential Candidate on the Washington State ballot for November.  The State Chairman asked us to get 100 signatures at our event.  After 12 hours we got 45 signatures.  Luckily through two other events we did bag over 100, but it was so very depressing to have all those people walking by and so few taking a part in the freedoms a Republic affords.

I could wail about the lack of political interest in the United States, I could scream about how the two parties are really no different in the way they govern and spend but I am fighting a wall of apathy. 

It would be nice if people took a moment on the Fourth of July to remember what we have, what we could lose and appreciate those that died for their elephant ears, beer and fireworks.  I know I ask a lot. 

The Libertarian Party's time will come, of that I have no doubt.  When it happens I will no longer have to defend "wasting my vote" or my party of choice.  Thing is, I don't vote a straight party ticket, sometimes an R or a D is the better choice for an office, it should be the best person for the job not what letter is next to their name. 

As for the Libertarian Party of Clark County, we need to find a better way to reach people and retain their interest.  We need to show people that the Founding Father's way is the blueprint we need to follow, not the convoluted rules we play by now.  We need supporters.  We need sexy cheerleaders.

1929 Was Nothing....

"George, I've guaranteed the bank sufficient funds to meet their needs.  They'll close up for a week and then reopen."

"He just took over the bank." 

That scene from It's A Wonderful Life signaled the start of the Great Depression.  In 1946, when the film was made, the start of the Great Depression was a fresh memory in everyone's mind.  Coming out of World War II people were starting to connect the dots from the start of the Great Depression to the start of World War II.  World events often have a ripple effect across the globe.

Right now everyone is watching Greece and it's shattered economy rippling through Europe.  Well, while everyone watches Greece very few people are paying attention to the 12th largest economy in the world, Spain, who's eminent collapse will make Greece look like someone being $10 at their local bank.  Spain has 25% unemployment, 50% among young adults.  All this since Spain decided to be the leader in Green Energy in Europe.  Unlike George Bailey there is no Clarence waiting in the wings (pun intended) to save us.

All indicators are there showing that America is heading for a Depression that will rival 1929 and the Depression of 1873 which was a worse initial collapse than 1929 but President Buchanan smartly stayed out of it and let business cycle through it.  Economic cycles usually work themselves out when left to free markets to continue.  Even when unemployment hit 14% and 89 railroads failed the cycle swung upward by 1879.  The Government meddling with the 1929 Crash extended it 12 years when if left unaided many economists feel it would have been over in six years. 

Now, in 2012 and worse yet in an election year, if further economic collapse happens in the United States directly attributable to Spain and Greece and the Euro and the Middle East and myriad other factors watch the current administration dive in the deep end without checking the depth of the water.  Remember 2008 and the "Stimulus"? 

A policy of non-interventionism by the United States would help shield us from these ripple effects to some degree.  In this world of global economy we could not be naive enough to think we could close our doors and borders completely but there are things we can do.  Dramatically shrinking Government is the first step.  Stop loaning money to countries that we ourselves are either borrowing from China or printing phantom money by the Fed.  We need to instill a pride in America that has been missing for a while and urge people to get off the Government payroll.  Private industry and business can absorb all of these cut backs and make for a stronger economy.  We have to phase out social security.

Now please notice that I said phase out social security.  Not immediate stop, not strand people who depend on it now or are planning to use it who are near retirement age, but a phase out.  How would this happen?  Here is a plan I hatched a few years ago:
Lets say we started this phase out on January 1, 2013, here is how it would work.  Every person who has a social security number who has not yet reached the age of 22 (average age of college graduates) will be exempt from paying into social security and therefore will not have social security upon reaching their retirement age, be it 63, 65, 68, 70 or 100.  The Government can then call on private investment firms, banks, mutual fund operators or what have you to start an education program for this trailblazing sect of American's who will be responsible for their own futures.  We can impress upon them the fact that they are working without a net and that they must take steps to assure their own futures.  Just like our great grandparents did and their grandparents and so on.  These people would also not have social security deducted from their paychecks.  No passing on our mistakes to our children.

People at or above the age of 22 can have the option of stopping social security deductions from their pay and taking on the burden of their own retirement.  Social security paid already can be disbursed in smaller amounts at retirement or a rollover program could easily be instituted (directly from Government to Plan Administrators) because what they have paid in to phase out date is rightfully theirs.  But how will be pay the people that are now taking social security or approaching retirement age?  Easy.  The cutback in Government will release billions of dollars that can be funneled into the social security coffers so that Government can fulfill the obligation it has to these people.  Also, people who have means who would not normally have a need for social security could be left to option their payments to date as a charitable contribution to the system which would trigger a charitable tax deduction that could be taken over a span of three to seven years that would not be refundable but would be used to reduce their tax.  Again, the reduction of Government would cover the income tax loss for the short term.  Over time as the tax burden ebbs for fulfilling social security obligations taxes can be reduced for the running of a leaner America experiences unprecedented growth.

It's Election Time, You Knew I Couldn't Stay Away

It has been a long time my Liberty loving friends but I have decided, for election season at the very least, to bring back Liberty's Bread Box from the ashes, much like a Phoenix..

I had decided to dive head-long in local politics for a while, even ran for office a few years ago (and lost horribly).  However I learned a lot running for office and I chronicled it in an article on a Libertarian website.  You can find it HERE!!!  I hope someone looking to run for office can use my experience and avoid some pitfalls.

I've been looking for the people to watch in this years Presidential election and I see that the Republicans are tenaciously holding on to the plan of repeating 2008 by nominating a wishy-washy candidate who can neither bind the party nor appeal to the independents.  Talk about not learning from the past and doomed to repeat it.

The Democrats are going another round with the most impressive money making machine ever to bundle a Super PAC, President Barack Hussein Obama and his Socialist traveling road show.  It is the smart thing to do for them, while Obama does not unite the party as well as they hoped he appeals to the Democratic voting base.  I have to wonder though how his Jewish base will be.  No doubt that Obama has thrown Israel under the bus several times and you have to wonder about the intelligence of any American Jew that votes for him again.

And now a few words about Rush Limbaugh.  In America we have the First Amendment and it guarantees we can say what we want without fear.  There is also common decency which states that we should all be nice to one another, do until others and above all....


However, with that freedom to shoot your mouth off like a fully automatic Howitzer comes the responsibility to take the consequences of your actions.  It's about living by the Golden Rule, which in my world comes from the world of Wil Wheaton (@wilw on Twitter), it goes like this, "Don't be a DICK!"  Mr. Limbaugh, don't be a dick.  You know he'll do it again so just don't listen if it offends you. 

And now some words about the Libertarian Party.

I am a proud card carrying member of the Libertarian Party, I believe in the ideals that the party was founded on, I think that this party would run candidates closer to the ideals of Thomas Jefferson rather than the R's and D's who run candidates who are wholly owned and indebted.  However for a long time the Libertarian Party has been more of a debate club than a think tank of Liberty and Freedom.  It looks like some people have moved up in the party who have the idea that we need to get more Libertarians elected to office.  Any office.  I applaud this move.  I would like to see some moving and shaking in my party, and now finally it is.

Yes, Mr. Romney, I have a question.  Mr. Romney, do you think you can do for this country what you did to the once great state of Massachusetts?  What's that, you think you can?  That's frightening Mr. Romney.

I beg of you, my readers, to look into Gary Johnson.  Gary Johnson's Web Site