Weekend Update, No. 3

The Goal Is Freedom: Let's Ignore Congress, by Sheldon Richman
Quotes "The Right to Ignore the State," which perfectly explains the irrationality of the concept of the "consent" of the governed.

The Man Who Predicted the Depression, by Mark Spitznagel
Mises and the Austrians get some major publicity in the WSJ.

Libertarian: What's in a Label?
Debunks the false notions of what libertarian means.  Many who label themselves conservative are in fact libertarian.

Party Favors: Conservative bestsellers run long on celebrity but short on ideas, by John Carney
Against the cult of celebrity that the conservative movement has become, and the thoughtless books its heroes churn out.

O, no! Bill O'Reilly, Maureen O'Hara, Rosie O'Donnell Face Airline Ban, by Kelly Fincham
How ridiculous and incompetent can government be?  There is no limit.  The TSA goons cannot cope with the simple apostrophe.  Their solution to the problem: ban everyone with one in their name from flying.  Lovely.

Modern Day Protectionism: How copyright has turned the record labels, software writers and film studios against their own customers, by Vedad Krehic
Copyright and other forms of "intellectual property" are artificial constructs only backed by force, for the benefit of the few politically connected over the many.  "When last I checked, copyright in the U.S. lasts for life + 70 years. Who can claim that a musician should still have a monopoly on his or her works 70 years after they die?"  Governments, that's who.

Healthcare Reform is Economic Malpractice, by Ron Paul
Ron is the only federal politician who isn't all smoke and mirrors.

A Red Ink Train Wreck, by the Center for Freedom and Prosperity
CATO's Dan Mitchell in his latest common sense breakdown of just how exactly the proposed healthcare legislation will bankrupt us further, despite the claims of our rulers.  This man's mannerisms defy disbelief.  Always an entertaining and educating watch.

Charleston County GOP votes to censure Lindsey Graham
Not everyone in the state of South Carolina is ignorant, despite what our state education data suggest.  Some recoginze the reelection of this cretin as the second worst outcome of the 2008 elections -- perhaps even the worst, as after all, we have to deal with his ridiculous antics (pro cap and trade, pro amnesty, etc) for six years.

Major Hasan and the Unraveling of America
We are no longer one people, one country.  Diversity is a false god, an idol that will hasten our destruction.

US judge bans Christian car plate
Even the BBC points out how ridiculous our PC ways have become.  And for the record, the First Amendment does no such thing as "separate church and state."  What a popular fiction.  It prohibits Congress from making any law "respecting an establishment of religion."  That's it.  Considering SC has 103 speciality license plates, is it so horrible that one might be Christian?  After all, only a year ago we had plates proclaming "In God We Trust."  Did the world end?  Did any suffer?  Did Congress make a law respecting the establishment of religion?  I think not.

Constitutional Contempt, by Walter Williams
Shows just how few of our representatives care a whit about "the supreme law of the land."  More now openly mock it, including the gorgon Pelosi.

Foreign-Policy Blowback at Ft. Hood, by Jacob Hornberger
Regarding our wars, "An evil seed will produce an evil tree that will bear evil fruit. As the anger and rage arising from the U.S. government’s foreign policy periodically boils over, everyone should prepare himself for more acts of terrorism, murder, treason, war, insanity or whatever other label you wish to put on the retaliatory killing, not to mention the monetary disaster that looms ahead from all of the out-of-control spending to finance this imperialist and interventionist madness."

How to Demilitarize Your Church, by Laurence M. Vance
US wars -- invading, killing, destroying -- are not the will of God.  Churches have no business pretending that they are.

Ron Paul Attracts Hundreds at Carolina Coliseum, by Corey Hutchins
Quotes snippets of Ron's brilliant yet humble philosophy on numerous topics.  And I think they mean thousands, not hundreds.

Obamacare is a Devastating Tax on the Working Class, by Eric M. Staib
Excellent analysis of how Obamacare (HR 3962) will effect employers and their employees.  The numbers used in his examples are unrealistic (would have been better to assume more realistic wages and payment at less than 99% of productivity), but the principles and the effects are the same.  In the end, Obamacare will hurt the most those it was supposedly designed to help, the typical result of any government program.

Unemployment and Health Care, by Steven Horowitz
What is so remarkable about this short commentary is that it is published on a PBS site!  He notes "If Congress is really worried about rising unemployment, it should throw the health care bill in the shredder and remove the threat of rising employment costs, especially on smaller firms."  Free-market perspectives on a statist/leftist site?  What is going on?  Are we making a difference?

Why Don't Students Like School? Well, Duhhhh... by Peter Gray
Because school is prison.  Simple, but according to Mr. Gray, a professor of psychology, it's the elephant in the room.

Conservatives' Blind Support of 'Our Troops,' by Kevin Copenhagen
The right has fallen for war propaganda.  Reveals the most simple way to analyze any complex situation: 1) Who is benefitting from this? (cui bono?) and 2) Follow the money.  Works every time.

For What It's Worth, by James Quinn
Breaks down the Buffalo Springfield song to explain just exactly where we are headed in the latest Fourth Turning.  Each week Quinn brings us one of the most interesting articles, though here he begins to repeat himself somewhat.  That's OK -- his is a message worth repeating.

When Dictatorship Came to America, by Thomas J. DiLorenzo 
Hint: Our most honored president was responsible.

How Will Niagara Falls Fit Through a Garden Hose? by Jeff Clark
The Casey Research analyst crafts an analogy for the coming influx of dollars into the precious metals markets.  No, $1100 is not a top.  Possibly a short term top, but not medium or long term, no way.

Free Switzerland, by David Kramer and Thomas DiLorenzo
And unfree USA.  Crucial information on the expatriation tax.  Yes, the US has erected walls -- not to keep immigrants out, but to keep you in.  The only other countries to imprison their people in a similar matter?  Nazi Germany and the USSR.  Also notes the top tax burden in Switzerland is about 15%.  Total.  Yeah.

Get Your Kids Fit For Slaughter, by William Grigg
The military machine hungers for more meat.  One of the commenters provides a link to the classic "War is a Racket," written in the post WWI era by the only two time winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor.  You must read as he takes apart the rationale for war, providing concrete numbers of just how much the war machine profits and soldiers and their families lose.

Cultural Genocide at Ole Miss
The pro-Southern message cannot be tolerated, even within the South.  The leadership at Ole Miss has prohibited the band from playing their traditional fight song "From Dixie with Love."  The reason?  Because after the song, the students shout "The South will rise again."  The horror.  Even for someone born in the North and raised on its "Civil War" propaganda, this is ridiculous.

Krugman's Magic Solution to Budgetary Woes, by Robert Murphy
Exposes mainstream economics for the deluded fantasyland that it is.  Krugman, from his perch at the New York Times, is its key proponent.  Time and time again, he argues that if the government makes it so, 1 + 1 really does equal 3.  Murphy's response is hilarious.

The Flu Vaccine Horror Story You Never Heard About, by Bill Sardi
Many other countries around the world are not vaccinating their pregnant women.  Why is the US insisting they receive 3 vaccines while pregnant?  Is there any benefit?  Appears not.  Is there any harm?  Appears so.  What's a miscarraige compared to profit for the pharmaceutical companies?

Ft. Hood: Official Story Full of Holes, by Gregory Patin

Questions not asked elsewhere.  Not focusing on the Islamic terror angle, but on government lies and cover-up.  Note particularly the testimony of several officers formerly stationed at Ft. Hood who adamantly believe it would have been impossible for a single gunman armed with a pistol and revolver to fire more than 100 rounds before being stopped.  What happened to the other two or three soldiers supposedly detained then released?  Think your government doesn't lie to you?  Pat Tillman?  Jessica Lynch?  WMD?  9/11?  Gulf of Tonkin?  Pearl Harbor?  The Lusitania?  Hello?

How Fast Can Inflation Return? from Casey's Daily Dispatch by David Galland

(Click to enlarge.)
A clue to our future.