Seriously? The most trusted governmental institution?

Posted on 2025-01-10 by TPOL Nathan

As we near the end of what many observers say is the most incompetent and bad presidential administration in the history of the United States, this shows up.

Wow.

The military remains the most trusted U.S. institution, according to the latest Reagan National Defense Survey. In the seventh installment of the survey, 51% of respondents said they have “a great deal” of confidence in the military, up from 46% a year ago.

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Your 1.27 billion dollar memorial for Jimmy Carter

Posted on 2025-01-09 by TPOL Nathan

Today, 9 January 2025, is the National Day of Mourning for former President Jimmy Carter.

So of course, “citing tradition,” all “non-essential” Federal employees are given the day off. There are (per Google search) over 3 million of them: roughly 1 for every 108 Americans (not sure if that includes border jumpers and green-card/visa tourists).

The average FedGov employee salary is a staggering $106,000+ which works out to about $423 per 8-hour day. Sweet, eh?

And that means that for $1,270,000,000 taken out of taxpayers’ wallets (or stolen from the future as the Federal debt continues to balloon), the taxpayer gets … nothing. No work done. None. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

Assuming that the 3 million + federal workers actually do productive work. And we admit that some do: FAA, for example. (Well, at least the air traffic controllers.) National Forest and National Park Rangers: at least those who help people and pick up litter. and USFS and NPS maintenance workers. The guys and gals that run the big powerhouses at the various dams (like the Missouri mainsteam dams: Oahe, Fort Peck, etc.). At least some of the folks at the nice, big national museums in DC and elsewhere. And many of the US Postal Service mail sorters and deliverers. (Even though their deliveries consist of more and more junk mail and take more and more time.) And a few more.

But we here at TPOL suspect that (1) most of the productive work (if not all) done by fedgov employees can be done better, at fewer costs, by private businesses and workers, and (2) probably a good half of that 3 million + are not really doing productive work: they are shuffling needless paperwork (electronically, these days, admittedly) and creating problems, not solutions, for the nation and the world. And lording it over Americans, to boot.

So today, just think about this. As the people in all those offices we HAVE to deal with to stay out of trouble or get things done didn’t answer their phones or emails today. (And we would bet that a lot of them take a personal day of leave tomorrow (Friday) for yet another 4-day weekend. They had time to think about and appreciate a 100-year-old man who spent 4 years in the White House. A “peanut farmer” who was really a Navy officer and a nuclear power engineer who gave up a working, productive career to be a public parasite (political activist and politician in elected office) and then tried to make amends by a 40-year retirement (admittedly still on your tab) of good deeds. (James Earl Carter was not totally bad, and maybe even better than some Massas in DC, but his list of misdeeds is long.)

The government employees didn’t have to work today so they could ponder the life of Jimmy Carter. While you continued to slave today to, among many other things, pay their salaries. What an honor

Aren’t you blessed?

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Oh, Canada, our neighbor closest friend

Posted on 2025-01-08 by TPOL Nathan

The provinces of Canada face serious challenges as we enter 2025. All of them have potential for impact on the States, directly and indirectly.

Over the weekend, it seemed that the present “elected” dictator of FedGov Canada might be tottering on the edge of political destruction. But we didn’t think it was assured.

And then, Monday morning (with plenty of knowing speculation on Sundayt) good ole Justin up and did it: stood there with that big ole knife and sliced the heart out of his political career.

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Four years of outrageous lies

Posted on 2025-01-06 by TPOL Nathan

Today is 6 January 2025. Four years ago, an unprecedented series of events took place in the District of Columbia. What has followed in 1461 days of lies, lies, and more lies.

The lies didn’t all come from the Democrats, the Never-Trumpers, or others except the Trumpistas. But the vast majority did. And the partisans of The Donald had their share of tall tales and falsehoods. But the greatest offenders are certainly the mainstream media. No lies are justified, but the baldness of the lies invented by, and promoted and spread by, the media stagger the imagination.

Of course, the lies about this “insurrection” are far from the only falsehoods we have heard for the last four years. And were hardly the first. But the sheer scale – and the short-term effects – of these have severely damaged our society here in the Fifty States. And led to harmful events and actions around the world. Prior to 2020 and the massive election turmoil – of which 6 January 2021 was a mere afterword – trust and confidence in American governments (especially the FedGov) were already low. But what has been done by politicians, government agencies and entities, the media, and the partisan shills of all these groups, has caused an even greater loss of confidence in American governing and political institutions.

From the point of view of lovers of liberty, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Indeed, perhaps we should argue that these things all have contributed and will contribute to restoring liberty. Liberty not just in the Fifty States, but perhaps around the world.

Why?

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Question authority – even after 20 January 2025

Posted on 2025-01-03 by TPOL Nathan

Share and enjoy:

Of course, theoretically, all libertarians should be eagerly participating in this fun but important activity. Constantly, everywhere. Sadly some do not – instead being selective, and accepting way too much human authority. That is, any human authority.

It is very easy to fall prey to the temptation to accept pronouncements of those in authority regarding the facts of the matter. What matter? Anything. Consider the recent American attacks for New Year’s, in New Orleans and Las Vegas.

Almost immediately, the Feebs issued the solemn pronouncement that “this was not a terrorist attack” only to have to backwater. First off, someone found an inconvenient ISIS flag. And other people found a whole lot of postings about ISIS and wanting to kill people. So the Feebs have now stated that this was a terrorist attack!

But was it? Or did someone plant that evidence? Question authority. Was that really this guy, who was conveniently killed in a gunfight with NO cops? Or did someone set him up? Supposedly, family members have now come out to say he was radicalized. Was he? Or were they pressured into saying that?

In the Lost Wages case, there are even more questions. Photos were published on the Tesla truck bed showing an odd mix of devices and scraps. Well and good. Elon Musk has publically stated the perp was stupid because the way his trucks are made contained the explosion and most of the force went up, instead of the Oklahoma City-type vehicle-sized bomb. (And the photo shows an awful lot of intact items for the middle of even a minor explosion.) Once again, the FBI is questioning whether or not this was terrorism or something else. In this case, no one except the perp (claimed perp? suspect? “person of interest?”) died or was seriously injured.

But this guy was an E-9, with about 19 years military service, including about half of that in Special Forces (Green Berets). He should have, would almost certainly had, the knowledge to know that all these devices (fireworks mortars, for one) would not be sufficiently powerful enough to turn that truck into a bomb. And he certainly would have had the ability and wherewithal to get and use fuel oil and ammonium nitrate and enough of an initiator to build a real car bomb. One that could have blown up the entire Trump International in the same way as the Oklahoma City federal building.

And we are told that the corpse was found with a bullet hole in the head and a handgun on the floorboard! Hmmm. And for this, he bought (legally) two long arms? So that he could off himself with a pistol after setting up a timer to set off his fireworks? Or did he survive the failed explosion and suicide afterward? Question authority!

Or was he somehow coerced into doing some of this and then killed by someone else setting up the show? There were initial reports that he, too, had embraced Islam and ISIS, though those seem to have disappeared after a few hours.

A new (recycled) Massa is not going to change the need to constantly question, challenge, and confront authority. At all levels, from the dogcatcher and animal pound up to that gaggle of idiots on the east side of Manhattan. But especially the denizens of the District of Criminals.

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Welcome to 2025

Posted on 2025-01-01 by TPOL Nathan

What can we expect in this new year?

Enjoy a day off, of course. Be with friends and family, and count your blessings! If you can: many people still have to work on New Year’s Day – and even had to last night. Not counting most (but not all) of the million people standing in the rain in Times Square.

And of course, with all the sports events, other special events, activities, etc. there are millions of Americans and people around the world who will be working. Some out of pleasure of working and accomplishing various things. But many – indeed, most – because they have to: essential tasks (or so they believe) or because they need the money or whatever they are making or processing or growing or caring for – to live on. Not just themselves but their families.

The need to work is one thing that “unites” the world. And Americans. Yes, there are many people who are retired and no longer need to work to earn a living – they generally live on what they (and others) saved and put aside – or they are on a type of welfare. And there are people who live entirely as parasites: they live on what other people provide, either voluntarily or by threat of force.

But the need for liberty – to make our own decisions and accept the consequences of our actions – is something else that unites the world, and which we can also seek out in 2025. We can live free in an unfree world, as Harry Browne once pointed out. And as we point out, human liberty is the gift of our Creator and not to be wasted, but to be cherished, protected, passed to our posterity, and enjoyed. We can only enjoy liberty if we also accept the responsibility of our own actions, and hold ourselves to the same standards we hold others to.

Here is our best wishes for your liberty in this new year!

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Promises (and warnings) about proclaiming liberty in the new year

Posted on 2024-12-31 by TPOL Nathan

While this commentary is addressed mostly to believers in God and His Son, we think it appropriate for all readers regardless of their faith. To all who love liberty!

Yesterday, we quoted twice (gasp!) from the Tanakh (the Old Testament) and today we will add to those.

In Leviticus 25:10, YHWH spoke to Moses, giving him the Torah – the Law: “And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants.” It was 250 years ago, in 1775, that was done in thirteen British colonies in North America. Although we date the Anno Libertatus (Years of Liberty and of American Independence) to the next year, the proclamation of liberty really got going then.

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As we near a new year of 2025…

Posted on 2024-12-30 by TPOL Nathan

May we see a new birth of liberty and freedom…

Not just in these Fifty States but around the world. And not just in China, Cuba, Venezuela, and North Korea. But in Ukraine and Russia and especially in Canada and the UK, and in every State and nation.

In 2025, we here at The Price of Liberty will, God granting, continue to carry out Lady Susan’s (Mama Liberty’s) purpose, best quoted from Leviticus 25:10 “Proclaim LIBERTY throughout the land to all its inhabitants.” (ESV)

Indeed, we imitate the Messiah of Whom Isaiah wrote (61:1) “… because the Lord has anointed me, to bring good news to the poor, He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives.”

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Vaccine wars heat up? And what else?

Posted on 2024-12-28 by TPOL Nathan

Rumors of more pandemics waiting to arrive in 2025 are spreading. Together with the “latest and greatest” vaccines. Vaccines that the powers-that-be and the various “public health protection” agencies tell us, swearing up and down, will protect us, granny and grandpa, and all the wee ones, from these horrible pandemics.

But more and more people – including many hoodwinked by the Pandemic Panic of 2020-2021 – are rejecting that.

The pandemics-to-come are just part of the current efforts by the powers-that-be to tighten their grip on the populations of the world. Again, we see that some people are rejecting that insanity as well. While perhaps not 100%-100% lovers of liberty, more and more every-day, normal people (and even some of the so-called ruling class) are recognizing that humans – people! – need liberty. The freedom to choose for themselves. To not be slaves to anyone to any degree.

Here is an example of how even some of the claimed members of the ruling class have rejected fear-driven, madness-mongering so common right now:

“In fact, there is only one stable rule: no rules for those who make the rules, for those who consider themselves to be at the head of the whole world, those who consider themselves to be representatives of God on Earth, although they themselves do not believe in God,” 

Who said that? None other than Russian President Vladimir Putin, the monster himself, said it. (Source.) Good grief!

Of course he is speaking of DC, London, and Brussels – and of course, NYC, the foul nest of a foul entity called the United Nations. Inflicted on the world by none other than the American President (FDR and Truman) and the American Congress.

And no doubt he applies it to Kyiv and Berlin and Tehran and Jerusalem. And maybe even Moscow. He is not a stupid man.

But what does that mean? It is time, again in a new year, to echo the Gandists and say “Freedom = I Won’t.” It is time and past time to reject the self-appointed elites who lust for more and more power and more and more wealth. While coming up with excuse after excuse to grab our necks ever tighter.

Just as we will always have poverty – the poor – with us. Just as we will always have wars and rumors of wars. Just as we will always have natural disasters. We will have those who are willing (and able) to use those things as reasons for us to bow down before them. To worship and obey them and die for them. And even kill for them.

In 2025, let us seek to upset their apple-carts even more than in the past four+ years.

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I hope it isn’t catching…

Posted on 2024-12-27 by TPOL Nathan

The government of the State of New York seems to have caught some sort of insanity virus. Didn’t know that was a transmittable disease but…

Their governor has signed into law a bill “fining” oil and gas and coal companies $75 BILLION dollars for “damaging the environment.”

It would seem, at a minimum, that this would be an ex post de facto type of law: now criminalizing (or at least levying a civil penalty for a – what – misdemeanor?) actions that were not prohibited in the past.

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