How to handle Ronald Reagan? [LP Monday Message]

August 23, 2010

Dear Friend of Liberty,

As the 2010 election approaches, a lot of Republican politicians are trying to posture as government-cutters, and they often hold up Ronald Reagan as an example.

But although Reagan often talked about supporting smaller government, most Libertarians know that in practice he did exactly the opposite. For example:

• Reagan boosted import tariffs and trade restrictions.
• Reagan cut marginal income tax rates, but he also raised Social Security taxes.
• Reagan increased farm subsidies.
• Reagan sent the federal debt through the roof.
• Federal spending under Reagan grew from $678 billion to $1.14 trillion.
• Reagan set the record for the highest average spending as a percent of GDP over his administration. (Obama may beat him.)

Many people are complaining right now about unemployment under Barack Obama. In the first 18 months of Obama's presidency, unemployment has increased from 7.7 percent to 9.5 percent.

Did you know that during the first 18 months of Reagan's presidency, unemployment increased from 7.5 percent to 9.8 percent? That's even worse, but I don't hear a lot of Republicans mentioning it.

Many Republican politicians, operatives and talk show hosts like to talk positively about Reagan and try to portray him as delivering smaller government. They don't say that about George W. Bush. I presume that's to try and convince voters that Bush was bad in some ways, and we should all try to be more like Reagan.

Some polls show Reagan is reasonably well-respected these days. I think the positive reactions are often based on misconceptions, and that brings up an interesting point: how should Libertarians deal with the Ronald Reagan myth?

To address that question, we put up a new poll today. Please share your opinion.

Sincerely,

Wes Benedict
Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets and civil liberties. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

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NOTES

1. Original article
2. Reposted —
   
   1. KCUF Media — Blogspot / Xanga
   2. New Mexico Liberty / The LPNM Blog

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BTP National Committee opposes National ID

BTP National Committee opposes National ID

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Branson, Missouri, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) August 25, 2010 —

On August 24, 2010 the Boston Tea Party National Committee passed a resolution opposing a national ID "or any other bill that would establish a National ID card that includes biometric scanning or tracking devices" 5-0 (with 2 not voting).

Whereas governments that truly want to protect liberty have no need to track the every move of their citizens; and

Whereas privacy from government is a chief cornerstone of our liberties, enshrined in the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution; and

Whereas in the past, many Members of Congress, instead of taking steps to actually end our illegal immigration problem, have chosen instead to use the issue to dramatically expand government intrusion into our lives; and

Whereas the so-called "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" proposal being touted by Senators Chuck Schumer and Lindsey Graham includes a de facto National ID card that would be required for all U.S. citizens in order to hold a job legally; and

Whereas biometric scanning technology would be included in the card which could allow government bureaucrats to track citizens' every move; therefore,

Be it resolved, the Boston Tea Party National Committee urges the Congress of the United States of America to vote to defeat any legislation requiring U.S. citizens to obtain a National ID card just to get a job — or any other bill that would establish a National ID card that includes biometric scanning or tracking devices.

Party Chair Darryl W. Perry writes, a national ID system would include a "National database of personal information that can be accessed by any Law Enforcement Officer and/or Fusion Center anywhere the barcode on the Driver's License can be scanned. This database of personal information would be controlled by the very people with access, so you will have no say as to what information they keep. This could include not only your driving and/or criminal record, but could potentially include unrelated information such as your medical records, library records and any other host of information that some bureaucrat deems 'necessary'. Voting history perhaps? How about party affiliation?"

Plank 4 of the 2006 program of the BTP reads "The Boston Tea Party calls for the immediate repeal of the REAL ID Act and any and all National ID plans." Perry adds, "it only takes two more steps to become Germany's Third Reich, 'Where are your papers? Your papers, please!'"

The Boston Tea Party was founded in 2006 with a one sentence platform, “The Boston Tea Party supports reducing the size, scope and power of government at all levels and on all issues, and opposes increasing the size, scope and power of government at any level, for any purpose.” In October 2008, the party's National convention adopted the four point program of the Campaign for Liberty. Their program calls for an end to overseas occupation, a restoration of privacy and other liberties, no increase in the national debt, and a thorough review of the Federal Reserve. During the 2010 convention the Party adopted a new program to End the Wars of Aggression, End the Fed, End the War on Drugs, End the Abuses of Liberty, End the Immigration Fiasco.

For more information, contact Darryl W. Perry

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NOTES

1. Reposted —
   
   1. Personal blogs — Wordpress / Xanga
   2. KCUF Media — Blogspot / Xanga
   3. New Mexico Liberty / The BTPNM Blog

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bomb gun firearm steak knife Allah Aryan airline hijack

Comic-Con vs. Fred Phelps

Current mood: amused, annoyed cranky

I found this on Facebook —

Nerds vs. the Westboro Baptist Church, Super Heroes vs. the Westboro Baptist Church

Doesn't Fred Phelps have anything better to do with his time than this inanity? Really.

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NOTES

1. Reposted —
   
   1. New Mexico Liberty / The BTPNM Blog / The LPNM Blog

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The Weekly Sedition Returns to ABQ Ch.27

Starting Thursday, July 1st, at 8PM, The Weekly Sedition returns to Albuquerque Comcast Channel 27.

Your cordial host will be myself, Mike Blessing, with Bill Koehler behind the camera running the technical side of things.

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NOTES

1. Reposted —
   
   1. KCUF Media — Blogspot / Myspace / Xanga
   2. New Mexico Liberty / The BTPNM Blog / The LPNM Blog

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The 100-Word Challenge

Current mood: amused

New Mexico Turn Around posts a challenge for the rest of us —

CHALLENGE: In 100 words suggest a solution for the economic mess toward which we head.

Oh, really?

Here's my response — let's see if I actually need the full 100 words . . .

1. Cut spending across the board — no special handouts for anyone.
2. Cut taxes across the board — no special breaks for anyone.
3. Repeal regulations across the board — no special breaks for anyone.
4. Repeal bad, wasteful laws across the board — no special breaks for anyone.
5. Bring the troops home from Iraq, Afghanistan and everywhere else.
6. Return to a sound money system (gold? silver?) for government transactions.
7. Repeal legal tender laws.
8. Repeal any law repugnant to the written U.S. Constitution or Bill of Rights.

I count 80 words.

And I dared to use That Word Which Shall Not Be Uttered In Contemporary Politics — "repeal" — not just once, but four times! Shame on me!

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NOTES

1. Reposted — The LPNM Blog / The BTPNM Blog / New Mexico Liberty

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ABQ Journal Questionnaire [1]

Political Party — Libertarian Party / Boston Tea Party

Place of Residence — West Side of Albuquerque

Age — 39

Education — Currently a student at CNM, going for a degree in photonics

Occupation — see here

Political / Government Experience — see here for the full list

Highlights —

• Boston Tea Party NM State Chair — 1998 — present, National Vice Chair 2009 — 2010
• Libertarian Party, State Vice Chair — 1997-2001, State Secretary, 2005-2009, Editor, New Mexico Liberty, 2003 — present
• US / NM Army National Guard, Alpha Battery, 7/200 Air Defense Artillery — 1994-1998
• US Army Reserve, 157th Separate Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) — 1991-1994
• US Army ROTC at Penn State University, Abington Campaus — 1989-1992

Major Professional Accomplishment — Ten years as camera technician for New Mexico's Consumer Advocate and on-screen talent for The Weekly Sedition on Comcast Channel 27.

Major Personal Accomplishment — I'll wait til much later in life before selecting any one event in my life as "pivotal."

1. In dealing with state government revenue downturns, would you generally favor additional spending cuts and government efficiency or tax and fee increases?
   
   I would favor additional spending cuts and greater efficiency, as well as holding the line on creating new spending programs.
2. Would you support or oppose a New Mexico law recognizing domestic partnerships that would grant same-sex couples most of the same rights afforded to heterosexual couples?
   
   Inasmuch as the State requires any consenting adult to get a permission slip ("marriage license") from the State to enter into any sort of formal relationship with any other consenting adult, I support full equality across the board for everyone in this matter, regardless of sexual orientation. I don't see any reason that LGBTQ people should have to put up with different standards in the legal sense than the heterosexual crowd.
   
   That being said, I don't see any reason why anyone (LGBTQ, hetero or whatever) should have to go to a government official for permission to enter a relationship with another person. Those who want government out of their wallets, businesses and gun cabinets shouldn't have any problem kicking the State out of the bedroom. Nor does it make any sense to support government involvement in other people's relationships. Thus, I would work to get the State out of the marriage-license and -definition business entirely, by repealing the law(s) requiring people to get a "marriage license" before declaring themselves "married."
3. What should the Legislature do to ensure that New Mexico's pension plans remain solvent?
   
   I don't know that the public pension plans are actually solvent at this time — see this study sponsored by the Rio Grande Foundation that says those plans are currently somewhere between Ø8,300,000,000 and Ø22,900,000,000 IN THE RED — The Government “Gravy Train”: An Analysis of New Mexico’s Private versus Public Sector Employment and Compensation.
   
   Part of the problem is the defined-benefit system currently used by the State, where public employees are promised a specific amount of cash to be disbursed when the pension is cashed out. Replacing this with a defined-contribution system such as 401(k)s or mutual funds will partially fix the problem.
   
   But the best solution to the State pension insolvency is to STOP expanding the State — QUIT creating new agencies for every problem, real and imagined. Check first to see if there's an existing agency that can do the job. Ask if the problem is one that should be properly addressed by the State, and not by the private sector.
4. What should be done to improve New Mexico public school perfomance and student achievement?
   
   I would first make parents fully responsible for the full cost of each child's public education, by sending them a bill for that cost at the end of the school year. This would cause them to develop an interest in what the kid(s) are learning, if for no other reason than to see where their money is going, and what result they're getting for the expenditure.
   
   Next, I would support ending the compulsory attendance and enrollment laws, along with ending the restrictions upon homeschoolers.
5. Do you support or oppose the "pit rule" on oil and gas drilling in its current form?
   
   At the very least, I would seek to amend the pit rule make New Mexico's version closer to that of Texas. Think about it — every drop of oil spilled on the ground is a drop that can't be converted to gasoline, motor oil or other usable, salable products. Every drop spilled is a loss off the bottom end for the drilling company.
6. Would you support or oppose the State Environment Department's establishment of a "cap and trade" regulation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
   
   Considering Climategate and related scares (see global cooling), I think that those currently ensconsed on the NM Environmental Improvement Board should recuse themselves from further interference in the private-sector economy. I will vote against further restrictions on the private sector, and will sponsor a "precautionary" rule requiring a regulatory impact statement detailing how any new laws will affect the private sector.
7. Would you support or oppose a new state law requiring mandatory jail time for first-time DWI offenders?
   
   How about liberalizing the liquor license laws so that we can have a bar on every street corner, like Texas has? That way people who drink too much wouldn't have to drive, as they could just walk home.
8. Have you or your business, if you are a business owner, ever been the subject of any state or federal tax liens?
   
   No — I'm guessing this disqualifies me for the spot of U.S. Treasury Secretary.
9. Have you ever been involved in a personal or business bankruptcy proceeding?
   
   No.
10. Have you ever been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or felony in New Mexico or any other state?
    
    My crimes against humanity

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