Idaho Libertarian Times

Let me See if I get this right, No Bankruptcy court for CITI or AIG

We in our magnanimous way are going to buy a bigger stake in Citi corp,,,, this, a bank, thats been to the trough erh the T.A.R.P. twice already & still cant get its books straight? That's what your proposing, correct?

Okay here's an alternative.
Don't, let Citi & AIG off the hook with bail outs, its not fair or smart, were already on the hook for over 100 billion with these two companies alone, we need to cut our losses and let the market correct itself. Those who would argue & say how can you say that! it hasn't worked yet!, I respond, your right it hasn't, because instead of letting it happen we've beguiled ourselves into thinking we can stop it by bailing out these institutions, many, like AIG aren't even banks. The real question is, why arent we vigourously investigating the institutions, just like with ENRON, why aren't we watching these guys doing the perp shuffle already?
The reason is simple & hasn't reared its head as yet, the real architects of this disaster are the ones who don't want these companies to go into bankruptcy, you see bankruptcy is a civil court, in a civil court there is no 5th amendment, no right to remain silent, after all, in civil court your dealing with cash & property in criminal court your dealing many times with someones life. As such they're differing standards. Standards, these architects don't want applied, as the evidence (I predict) will point straight back at them, who ever they are & if true, they can't afford for you to figure out they did it, after all who are they?

Why the people in charge of course! the Republicans & Democrats, or is it Democrats & Republicans or republicrats or even dempublicans !

What we're not seeing here is an open investigation of these institutions, which is in the best interests of everyone in this economy, we need a full vetting of these banks publicly in bankruptcy court, after which I predict that if this were to happen, a lot if not all of these institutions will be walked through at the very least chapter 11 if not chapter 7 & dissolution of their corporation.

Regrettably, this isn't going to happen, we're unfortunately stuck with the high drama of the economy in a recession & the politicians battling to hide the real reason why the bailouts & stimulus were allowed to happen in the first place. All while shoveling Keynesian hyperbola down our collective throats.
As such, I'm betting we have stagflation until 2013.

JUST LUCKY!?!

"A-Rod and Michael Phelps...are both just lucky...that they didn't get caught smoking a cigarette"  Mallard Fillmore   aka Bruce Tinsley

The Prosperity of Freedom

 

Listening to the radio the other day I heard a reference to something called goog411. Now I had never heard of this, but evidentially the days of being charged for directory service are over. In the past I have paid up to $1.50 to receive help from directory assistance so this came as quite a bit of a surprise to me.

 

Goog411 is a service provided by the Google Corporation. By calling 1-800-goog-411 (1-800-466-4411) a user can request directory assistance. You can look up any business name in any

U.S.city and have the details text directly to your cell phone or have them connect you at no charge.

In my research I found that Google was not the only one offering such a service. There is also the Jingle Corporation that offers a similar service and provides directory assistance for residential as well as business numbers. Their number is 1-800-free-411 (1-800-373-3411). While Jingle does provide directory assistance for residential as well as business numbers they do require you to listen to two short advertisements. One of these advertisements before you place your request and one of them while your request is running. In addition there is another small competitor operated by Verizon called 100-the-info (1-800-843-4636).

     Because Google offers its directory service engine free of charge I have heard some rumblings on the net about how viable this business model is. There has been lots of concern that this model is unsustainable and that Google cannot afford to continue this practice unabated. To this concern Google assures its customers that it uses the data that it collects from the users of this system to build smarter and better voice recognition systems.

     By collecting data from different users with all different accents and dialects intact the computer can train the computer which is a thousand fold more efficient then having humans train computers. In the end I expect some dynamic and innovative voice recognition software available for sale out of the deal. How cool would it be to be able to talk to your computer like another person and have your instructions understood without fail? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have the computer read web pages to you in a very human sounding voice? You could even pick your accent! Want the Wall Street Journal read to you by a Canadian? Want the New York Times read to you by a Southerner? Want your best friends blog delivered in a Caribbean accent? Done and done!

     The most amazing aspect of all this to me is that it shows the marvel of the market. When was the last time a government agency offered you something free? We all pay 10 times what something is worth ahead of time before it is even available and if you can even get it from the state. Is the state telling us not to bother paying for public schools because the data that they are collecting on children can be exploited for a better education tomorrow? Is the state telling us to not bother paying for prisons because the prisoners pay for everything and provide a tidy sum to be returned to the budget? Can you stop paying their mandated fees for roads because the cost will now be offset by billboards or by company sponsorship of a snowplow?

    In reality the reason that we don’t receive such innovation from the state is a moral reason. The state has no competition and receives its funding at force. Do you think Google would be offering such innovations if it had no competition and received its budget whether it performed or not? In fact, it is more vicious then this. The state receives greater funding and reward for failure and has every incentive arrayed against it for success. It is no wonder that we can put the most moral persons in charge of the political state and in short order they become immoral and vicious. They must to survive.

 

For now I will take Google and hope that the state leaves me alone. Alas they will not because April 15^th is just around the corner.

 

 

Rick Santelli Responds to The White House Propaganda Minister-02/20/2009

Rob's radio appearance feedback

I had a great time Saturday on "Northwest Live" on AllTalk63 KIDO in Boise, Idaho. I was in-studio to talk about libertarian politics and current events. After the show I received a number of comments including the one below. Most were supportive; this writer was concerned about my references to the Great War of Northern Aggression. My response is included right after it.

To: LPID-Announce-owner@yahoogroups.com; LPID-Announce <LPID-Announce@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2009 12:15:52 PM
Subject: RE: Slavery [was [LPID-Announce] Rob Oates on All Talk 63 on Saturday]

Rob and All:

Count me as one Libertarian who considers it a good thing to use government force to protect people from others who would enslave them.

Here we are in the midst of the most monstrous plundering of U.S. taxpayers in history, with Republicans and Democrats demonstrably and equally guilty of causing the problems they are now claiming they can fix with just a trillion dollars here and a trillion dollars there. This should be the golden opportunity to step forward as Libertarians and say, “Hey! We have better ideas than the Democrats and the Republicans!”

To highlight an apparent defense of the Confederate States of America as a so-called “sovereign nation” when its founding was motivated solely to preserve the institution of slavery is not what I consider a good way to endear Americans to the Libertarian Party.

Please! Let us promote individual freedom and human rights, not slavery!

Sincerely,

xxxxxx xxxxxxx

Hi xxxxxx,

I appreciate you taking time to listen to my radio appearance. I knew there was some risk in highlighting Lincoln's assaults on the Constitution without having time to address the economic roots of Mr. Lincoln's war. THE issue today is whether or not the federal government has the authority they claim over our private lives. The reason our rulers behave this way is directly due to Lincoln stomping on the Bill of Rights in the 1860's.

You are exactly right in saying that one of the proper roles for our government is to protect each of us from fraud and other forms of aggression. Lincoln wrote at the time that if he could preserve the union without changing slavery, he would have done it. Interestingly, elsewhere in the world, slavery was on the decline since it offered poor economic results. In all other places that had slavery similar to ours at that time, it died a peaceful, natural death. Without oppressive trade practices imposed on the South by the North, the U.S. would have likely followed suit and peacefully transitioned to a paid labor model.

I did say quite clearly that today neither the republicans nor democrats were representing the people or defending the Constitution.

Thanks so much for your continuing support! I have been asked to appear again on "Northwest Live" and I'll use your comments to help me be better prepared next time.


Rob Oates

idaholibertariantimes.com
 

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Rick Santelli! my Hero!!!

I saw This link on Facebook, & had to share it. Rick Santelli YOUR MY HERO! Only Rick has the Stones to say it like it is!

Gun Owner Concerns In The So-called "Stimulus" Bill

http://gunowners.org/a021809htm.htm

-- Billions of dollars for anti-gun ACORN and computer database

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

It was a day that will live in infamy.

President Obama traveled to Denver, Colorado yesterday to sign the multi-billion dollar, pork-laden, so-called "stimulus" bill into law.

But forget the $787 billion price tag you heard on TV. Forget the $12 TRILLION debt limit which the bill created.

By the time debt services and other frills of the "socialism bill" are accounted for, the cost will be over $3,000,000,000,000 (yes, three TRILLION).

This makes the bill the biggest government spending grab in human history.

But what about the details? The hundreds and hundreds of pages in the bill were not made available until less than 18 hours before the final passage vote. But here's what we know in relation to the gun-related provisions:

* The final bill continues to spend between $12 and $20 BILLION on requiring your doctor to retroactively put your most confidential medical records into a government database. Based on our experience with veterans, we would expect the government to try to use computerized psychiatric records to impose gun bans on people who have sought (or will seek) treatment.

* The final bill continues to fund liberal community action groups like ACORN, which has been convicted in previous elections for voter fraud and is now under investigation in several states for having engaged in massive criminal election fraud on behalf of Barack Obama's presidential candidacy. Not only that, they have also been involved in anti-Second Amendment activism in New Jersey.

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was at least honest when he said it would be a shame to let a crisis like the current recession "go to waste." Like vultures picking on the nation's carcass, the White House has used the nation's pain to lavish largesse on its political supporters, at the expense of the nation's economic survival.

And, in the end, this act of ethical depravity was made possible by every Democrat Senator who voted for the bill, plus the defections of three Republicans: Arlen Specter (R-PA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Susan Collins (R-ME).

If there is one silver lining to all of this, it's the debunking of a rumor that recently swept across the internet. The rumor claimed that the provisions of HR 45 -- the massive gun registration bill introduced by Chicago congressman Bobby Rush (D) -- were "rolled into" what was passed.

But having searched the contents of the new law, GOA staff has determined the rumor appears to be false.

You're Invited to LP Washington Convention!

On March 28, 2009      
Convention begins 9:00 a.m.  
Business Mtg.  10:00 a.m.  
Plan on spending all day and evening with us! 
Dinner, speaker and entertainment included.

Hilton Garden Inn
1800 NW Gilman Blvd,
Issaquah, WA    

Highlights . . .  

Business Meeting

      -Time to elect a new Executive Committee!  

South of the Border Buffet Lunch

Fajita style Chicken Breast with peppers & onions
Taco seasoned Ground Beef
Spanish Rice, Refried Beans
Pico de gallo, shredded cheese, lettuce,
guacamole, jalapenos, black olive &sour cream
With warm tortillas, crisp taco shells,
tortilla chips & Black bean salad
With fresh Brewed Coffee, Herbal Teas,
Assorted Bottles of Sodas and Fresh Baked Cookies

Great workshops! 

     - Grassroots organizing            
     - Social Media            
     - Communicating Libertarian solutions to controversy  

Enlightening speakers!      

 

            

                            

James W. Lark, III, PhD is a former chairman of the Libertarian National Committee and presently serves as a regional representative on the LNC for region 5-South. He is a founding director of the Libertarian National Congressional Committee.   Dr. Lark is the Local Affiliate Parties' Committee chairman and is heavily involved with campus outreach, both for Virginia and the national party. He has conducted organizing tours and workshops on this. He currently teaches a campus organizing course for the Libertarian Leadership School.   Professionally, he is an adjunct professor of systems engineering at the University of Virginia. Dr. Lark will present an afternoon workshop on basic principles of community/campus organizing; and will be the luncheon speaker with his presentation entitled "Knee-Jerk Libertarianism:  A Cure for a Common Disease."  

                                   
Krist Novoselic, former bassist of Nirvana, Sweet 75, Eyes Adrift and Flipper; political activist and Seattle Weekly columnist, Chair of FairVote.org and author of "Of Grunge & Government: Let's Fix This Broken Democracy!"  In the book, Novoselic discusses how Nirvana emerged as the world's biggest band of the early 1990s, how he got involved in politics and why we need electoral reform -- in particular full representation and instant runoff voting.

Krist will be our dinner speaker.  

A wonderful dinner, with your choice of . . .     

     -  Roast Chicken glazed with Chipotle Barbecue Sauce     or     
     -  Spinach and Portabella Mushroom Vegetarian Lasagne

Both entrees include . . . Garden Inn Signature Salad with House Dressing, Rolls and Butter, Chef’s selection of starch, fresh vegetable & plated dessert
Freshly Brewed Coffee & Assorted Herbal Teas  


ENTERTAINMENT!

                

Yoram Bauman, Ph.D.

The world's first and only stand-up economist* As seen on Comedy Central the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer  

* Among those who may take issue with this claim are "socialist magician" Ian Saville; Robert Mundell, Columbia, who won the Nobel Prize and appears regularly on Dave Letterman; Victor Fuchs, Stanford (pic); William Breit, Trinity; Peter Orazem, Iowa State; Ben Stein ("cited by Akerlof"); Tim Harford, "Dear Economist" author for the FT; Steven Tomlinson, UT Austin; Ariel Rubinstein, Tel Aviv University; David Powell, Boston Comedy Festival finalist and MIT grad student; Paul Solman, PBS's NewsHour with Jim Lehrer; Shaun Eli, a comic who graduated from the Wharton School; Steve Zanetti of Freeman H.S. (Richmond VA); and James Kurre of Penn State Erie. Apologies to all, and email me if you belong on this list. PS. As long as I'm apologizing, my video "Principles of Economics, Translated" contains two unattributed quotes ("9 out of 5" is adapted from a line attributed to Paul Samuelson---although apparently he said it about Wall Street indices, not macroeconomists---and "wrong about things" is paraphrased from P.J. O'Rourke's Eat the Rich) and, of course, the Einstein "simple" quote is an intentional misquote.

Other highlights of the day . . .

A Free Market – vendors and information tables

The SoapBox – where you can have a moment with the microphone and a captive audience

Social Gathering – have an adult beverage or lots of hydrogen hydroxide with Libertarian friends

The opportunity to join the LPWA Coffee Club, meet National LP leaders, elected Libertarians and famous comics!

All at the Hilton Gardens Inn in blossoming Issaquah – a jewel on the Eastside of Lake Washington, just a short drive from Seattle.

Get tools to take away and use!

Act now - EARLY registration . . . until February 20, 2009 . . . only $109!

The full day, including three meals, an evening of entertainment, workshops, tools, social opportunities and LOTS of FUN is only $119 after Feb. 20th

Special student rate $85
Work/study program for students who will work for 4 hrs  $50 – limited number of students at this rate

Or special dinner deal –
Dinner, speaker Krist Novoselic, and comic Yoram Bauman  only $55!

To register - Go here and make a donation for the correct amount - $109 until Feb 20, $119 after Feb 20, Student $85, Work/Study  $50

Then send eMail to LPWAConvention@gmail.com with . . .

1.  your name,
2.  contact information (address, phone, eMail), and
3.  dinner choice - chicken or veggie.  

If you want to do a work/study deal ($50 student rate) - I'll need to talk to you about when you wish to work during the convention.   It's going to be a great time!  See you then.

We are looking for . . .

1.  Vendors - do you have a book, DVD, or other product?  Want to promote your business?

2.  Advertisers - promote your business or sell your stuff.

3.  Sponsors - In-kind donations or scholarship for students.

4.  Volunteers also cheerfully accepted.     :o)   eMail LPWAConvention@gmail.com                       

" I must be getting old"

"i must be getting old......i remember when you could tell the Republicans from the Democrats"     Mallard Fillmore  (aka Bruce Tinsley) 2-17-09

Why you need to Support the 2nd Amendment!

Home Invasion caught on tape in Tucson Arizona.