Anarchism


Catallarchy Writer Supports government Expansion….

…the nation and blog readers die of shock.
A writer at the noted libertarian oriented site Catallarchy posts this headline and statement:

Bush Supports Free Trade; Nation Dies of Shock

Regardless of any backroom deals and ulterior motives that may have led to it, Bush’s support of Dubai’s bid for P&O is good news.

Perhaps Sean has posted this somewhat tongue in cheek but the post doesn’t read that way.
So, please explain how the expansion of a government owned business in any way qualifies as free trade.

Update: Sean was good enough to reply in comments. Below the fold is his reply and my responses. We still disagree on some aspects of this.

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Thieves Steal A Record Amount In Washington

Well, that’s Washington State not DC where there are undoubtably also record amounts being stolen.
In Washington State thieves and thugs stole a record $270 million dollars of one crop in 2005. The sad thing is that they are not being brought to justice:

The 135,323 marijuana plants seized in 2005 were estimated to be worth $270 million — a record amount that places the crop among the state’s top 10 agricultural commodities, based on the most recent statistics available.
And like any agricultural product, marijuana is very much a commodity, Lt. Rich Wiley, who heads the Washington State Patrol narcotics program, said Wednesday.
“We’re struck by the amount of work they put into it,” Wiley said. “It’s very labor-intensive. They often run individual drip lines to each plant and are out there fertilizing them. It takes a tremendous amount of work.”
But the results are worth the effort, said Wiley, who coordinates pot busts with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and local law enforcement agencies. A single plant can produce as much as a pound of processed marijuana, worth about $2,000, he said.

If the current elected governments will not protect our right as free human beings to engage in voluntary exchange with other free human beings then it is time to put in place institutions that will.


Just Imagine

Brad DeLong once again reprints what he calls the best weblog post ever, by Belle Waring in which Belle notes:

Now, everyone close your eyes and try to imagine a private, profit-making rights-enforcement organization which does not resemble the mafia, a street gang, those pesky fire-fighters/arsonists/looters who used to provide such “services” in old New York and Tokyo, medieval tax-farmers, or a Lendu militia.

Yep, just like your federal, state and local governments.
NB: DeLong also points out the dangers of Linkrot.


Torture and Murder in Florida

If this is true, if these six to eight thugs are guilty of this behavior, then more than an investigation is required:

Two state lawmakers, Sen. Gus Barreiro, R-Miami Beach, and Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, who viewed a videotape of the incident, said that six to eight officers at times kicked, punched and choked the boy in their efforts to get him to perform exercises. A nurse apparently stood by without rendering assistance, Rep. Gelber said.

How is this different from torture? A complete housecleaning is in order.
First, there can be no excuse for apparently having a policy in place that allows physical assault and battery, torture, as a persuasive tool. Not in the United States, not anywhere.
Second, this incident probably only became an issue because of the death. How many other have been kicked, punched, choked and more? Each incident deserves to be brought to light and the perpetrators brought to justice.
Third, Those who approved these policies should not be relieved of responsibility. Are there sheriffs, mayors, even governors that need to be brought to trial.

Last, but not least: the victims and their families deserve restitution. Something more than just jail time for the perpetrators, high and low. For the family of the dead 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson the perpetrators owe at minimum the equivalent of 60-70 years income.


End The War Now!

As Ron says:

While the war in Iraq may outrageous there is another war that is equally outrageous and is truly bi-partisan, the war on drugs.

And Anthony Gregory frames this abomination as we all should:

The drug war is misdirected. It is foolish. It is stupid, unworkable, disastrous, tragic and sad. But beyond all that it is evil.
The drug war is grounded in an evil premise: that people do not own their bodies, that they have no right to control what they do with their own lives and their own property, that it is appropriate to lock them in cages if they produce, distribute or consume chemicals in defiance of the state.
This is a monstrosity. As long as America has the drug war, it is not a free country. Politicians who support it and expand it, knowing the evils it entails, have no business lecturing us on morality.
The ideology of the war on drugs is the ideology of totalitarianism, of communism, of fascism and of slavery. In practice, it has made an utter mockery of the rule of law and the often-spouted idea that America is the freest country on earth.

Read the rest and then consider just how you will start standing up to the jackboots of the drug war. How you will help lead them to their Nuremberg and there is no excuse for any of the drug thugs be they presidents, senators, governors, mayors, narcs, prosecutors, swat teams, etc. They should all know better.

They are all guilty of crimes against humanity.