Libertarian Commentary on the News, 21 September 2015, #15-37B: Babies and Government

Posted on 2015-09-21 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

While reviewing stories this weekend, some odd stories popped up concerning infants. All the time we hear a constant drumbeat of excuses or “justification” for the nanny-state, the police-state, the omnipotent god the state. So compare this news to this claim.

From the UK comes a well-publicized story, reported in CNS News about a baby born prematurely at 23 weeks, which is one week before the “standard” expectation of survivability, and also one week before (in the UK and many American states) abortion is banned. (The range is from 22 to 25 weeks, I understand, but many US states have no limit on the maximum time of gestation before abortion is not allowed.)  The child was released from intensive care and the hospital a few weeks short of the normal 40-week period, but with good weight and health.  The obvious purpose of the story is to challenge the law allowing what are basically late-term abortions, laws based on “viability outside the womb” as being a definition of human life. Continue reading →

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Libertarian Commentary on the News, 21 September 2015, #15-37A: Worthless Responses to Government Crimes

Posted on 2015-09-21 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

Recent actions by the EPA are, as readers of this commentary know, outrageous, and criminal – or would be if real people and businesses did them.  So what is the response?  Downsize DC proposes petitioning Congress and writing letters to your “representatives” there.  Right! What good does this do?  At best, it presents an appearance of holding to the moral high ground, but is that worth the effort?  The EPA is in the cat seat, as with the IRS and DHS, virtually all Congressmen are afraid of getting on their wrong side, and are unlikely to do anything substantial. The agencies will forgive them their political grandstanding, but not any real, substantial action.  What IS the answer?  Civil disobedience, for one.  Including refusing entry to EPA agents, if necessary filing charges of trespassing and in some cases, self-defense (ARMED self-defense) against them.  Possibly electing local sheriffs and selecting local police chiefs who understand that they work FOR those who elected/selected them and NOT for the FedGov.  Difficult, but with more potential than another e-mail or letter campaign or “petition” drive. Continue reading →

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Libertarian Commentary on the News, 18 September 2015, #15-37D: Secession, Elections, and Other False Hopes

Posted on 2015-09-18 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

The Texas Tribune reports that a separatist group is circulating petitions to put a non-binding question on the GOP 2016 primary ballot asking if Texas should secede from the Union.  Now, don’t get me wrong: this is a good thing, even if it is going just to Republicans and is “non-binding,” and a good follow-up to that fad of totally-useless petitions (Petition.gov) called for secession of many states. Texas got a LOT of signatures.

The organization (Texas Nationalist Movement) that is seeking to get 75,000 signatures to force the GOP to put it on the ballot has 200,000 members itself. I hope it is successful, not just as a majority vote on a non-binding resolution, but goes on to restore Texas to its proper place. BUT it will NOT solve the problems that Texas society and individual and family and business face. They will still be stuck, not just with the idiots in Austin, but the idiots – nearly as bad – in 254 counties and who knows how many cities and towns.  Unless we do something about government at ALL levels, all we are doing is making the cage more comfortable. Continue reading →

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Libertarian Commentary on the News, 17 SEP 2015, #15-37C: Theft, Colleges, and More

Posted on 2015-09-17 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

The FedGov stole $2.9 TRILLION from taxpayers so far this fiscal year through August, a world historical record, according to a CNS News story, but STILL spent $530 BILLION more than it took in. That tax is $19,300+ per working person -which amounts to more than 50% of the average workers’ income during the period. And people can’t see how we have a problem with government and its spending?? And that doesn’t even include state and local taxes. This is not just sick, but gross and disgusting, and shows how close to collapse we are right now. Continue reading →

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Military Coup Wanted, or Welcome?

Posted on 2015-09-16 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

Over the past several weeks I’ve been asked by a number of people if there is a possibility of a military coup here in the United States in the immediate future. That makes this news story about a poll from YouGov VERY very interesting. Supposedly, 1 in 3 Americans would support a military takeover (a coup) under some circumstances, and 43% would support a military takeover if the FedGov started violating the Constitution.  (Opps, never mind; how long has the FedGov been violating that piece of paper?)  The public is (as expected) poorly informed.  Regarding military officers, whom the poll says are trusted to do the right thing for the country and NOT for private gain by 70% of respondents, while Congressmen are expected to put their own gain ahead of the country by 71%.  While that is probably correct if you look at ALL officers, from 2nd Lieutenants (and Naval Ensigns) on up, I fear that the senior ranks are NOT so willing to work for the good of the nation. Continue reading →

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Libertarian Commentary on the News, 15 September 2015, #15-37B: This and That

Posted on 2015-09-16 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

Oh, dear, here they come (again).  The Texas Tribune warns of the flood of Cubans getting to Mexico and crossing into Texas to take advantage of the benefits Dems and GOP have long granted people fleeing from Castro’s Cuba, especially now that the US-Cuban thaw has granted another extension of life to Cuba itself.  Funny, I thought it was kind of expected that once the US “normalized” relations with Cuba, all these Cuban refugees (from 1959 on) would rush back home.  Just like the Syrians.  Right?

Of course, this sort of fearmongering, along with predictions of doom to Texas from catastrophically low oil prices, and Rick Perry’s giving up on the White House, is just normal for today. Read on! Continue reading →

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Libertarian Commentary on the News, 14 September 2015, #15-37A: Stupid public schools and more

Posted on 2015-09-14 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

I am going to concentrate on the stupidity of public schools in this commentary, but this news has just come up, so lets talk about Germany first, and then to a few other stories.

The balloon is going up? Mama Liberty comments: “That didn’t take very long… This could get very interesting… The Telegraph announces that Germany is ‘to reinstate border controls’ as country struggles with influx of refugees. Latest from Germany as interior minister says refugees cannot simply choose EU country to protect them. This comes just days after Germany had announced (to the dismay and embarrassment of many other nations in Europe) that it would accept as many as 900,000 Syrian refugees. Continue reading →

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Libertarian Commentary on the News, 12 SEP 2015, #15-36D: Self-defense endangered

Posted on 2015-09-13 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

Our right of self-defense is given by God, but man – in the form of government and nannies of all sorts, as well as prying neighbors and busybodies – constantly seeks to steal that right from us. Here are a few stories and comments that point that out.

An odd situation, indeed. In the Air Force Times, we learn that an Air Force officer on his motorcycle was assaulted and beaten by a group of “anarchist” “Occupy” type protesting against police in the Seattle-Tacoma area, It was NOT apparently,, because he was military, but because he had Southern Cross flags on his motorcycle. For the extreme Tranzis and nihilists, there is nothing BUT appearances; substance does not matter. Libertals – Tranzis – seem to want to resort to violence FAR more than your average soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine. Continue reading →

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Office Depot’s Disgusting Behavior

Posted on 2015-09-13 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

The Planned Parenthood debacle and the Culture War over Abortion continues to spawn new confrontations. The latest, this week, is reported by Breitbart, relating how a woman wanting 500 copies of a “Prayer for the Conversion of Planned Parenthood” was denied service by an Office Depot in Chicago. The reason given boils down to the claim that the prayer was an act of terrorism and aggression and persecution. I’m not coming up with this on my own. Here is the Office Depot spokeswoman’s own words: ‘Karen Denning, a spokeswoman for Office Depot, told The Tribune that company policy prohibits “the copying of any type of material that advocates any form of racial or religious discrimination or the persecution of certain groups of people. It also prohibits copying any type of copyrighted material.” “The flier contained material that advocates the persecution of people who support abortion rights,” Ms. Denning said. Continue reading →

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Libertarian Commentary on the News, 10 Sep 2015, #15-36C: Government Excess

Posted on 2015-09-10 by TPOL Nathan

by Nathan Barton

How on earth?  CNS News reports that the FedGov “Bureau of Labor Statistics” reports that total Federal, State, and Local Governments (don’t know if that includes Tribal governments or not) employee numbers are 1.8 times that of manufacturing: 21,955,000 versus 12,329,000.  Incredible, and insane.  Yeah, some of those government jobs are definitely “productive” service and even “manufacturing” jobs. Those operating landfills, collecting trash, even repairing equipment and roads and such – but you can be sure that MOST are NOT. MOST are parasites. The growth of government is one factor. The other is that the Fifty States have FEWER manufacturing jobs today than the US did in 1941.  Yes, automation and increased productivity are a factor, but again, much of this is due to the nature of government. Jobs are pushed overseas not because it is more economical, but because government regulations make it more profitable. OH, by the way, this doesn’t include military personnel. The article points out that large numbers are engaged in “education” especially at the state and local level, an economic activity that government does NOT belong in. Continue reading →

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