Libertarianism

Boycott or Buy? Part 2

This entry was posted in Capitalism Economics Election 2004 Libertarianism on by

In Boycott or Buy? Part 1 I encouraged each of you to make your own fair and balanced decision as how you might respond to the Sinclair Broadcasting issue. I still do.
Jim Henley reminds us, though, that it should not be an FCC issue at all:

It may arguably be bad business, in which case they’ll pay, but it’s not the FCC’s business. I enjoyed the hell out of the Sundance Channel’s live broadcast of the Vote for Change finale concert last night. That wasn’t station owners using their facilities for partisan political purposes?
I enjoyed listening to Vote for Change on a local radio station and Jim’s question jumped into mind just about two songs1 in…
I agree with Jim that it should not the FCC’s business. Primarily because the FCC should not even exist.
Sinclair owns the stations so they should be able to broadcast what they want. We can use our channel changers or the power switch to watch or not watch and we can choose to buy or not buy from their sponsors.
However, Sinclair Broadcasting along with their media and corporate ilk exist in the form they do only with the complicity of their regulatory monitors partners and our their executive, legislative, and judicial representatives. As long as this parasitic partnership rides on our backs it seems perfectly reasonable to pour sugar in its tanks and turn one limb against the other to the extent possible.
1I enjoyed almost all the music I heard on this broadcast and these late in the show pieces were amongst my favorites: Dave Matthews performing Don’t Drink the Water and Ant’s Marching and Springsteen’s Star Spangled Banner>Born in the USA.

LEAP

This entry was posted in Capitalism Constitution Drug Laws Federal Government Libertarianism on by

I haven’t thoroughly investigated Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) but their byline suggests that they have taken a step in the right direction:

Current and former members of law enforcement who support drug regulation rather than prohibition.

I’d rather see outright freedom but if we have to go through a regulatory stage on the way that is better then the current morass.
At first look this organization looks to be worth of support and they have a flyer you can print and hand out to your local law enforcement folks.
There is a lot of written material linked on their site and I’m sure I’ll have more to say as I read through it.
Via …muttered the ogre.

Just Say No

This entry was posted in Constitution Domestic Terrorism Federal Government Government Libertarianism Patriot Act War on Terrorism on by

This library gets it right:

The FBI wants to know who checked out a book from a small library about Osama Bin Laden. But the library isn’t giving out names, saying the government has no business knowing what their patrons read.
Via a puzzled Mac:
I am delighted that the library in question did fight back. But I�m still puzzled at why a margin doodler poses so much of a threat. Dude, more than half the U.S. borders and ports aren�t covered by Homeland Security and we�re out there trying to harrass people who write in library books?
Note, we would not know anything about this if the FBI had used the Patriot Act to request this information. Well, we might. But, then, whoever made it public would have been arrested and charged with illegal disclosure of information. You see, the deal is that citizens aren’t supposed to know what their government is doing.

Government Helping the Needy

This entry was posted in Capitalism Economics FCC Libertarianism Technology Television on by

I know some of you have probably forked over big bucks for that new HDTV set and are enjoying some excellent picture quality. I haven’t and have yet to see one at a size and price point that makes me say, “I have got to have that.” And, I also haven’t seen the value in buying that digital cable package. Basic does just fine for the few hours a week that I watch TV.
Since there are apparently a lot of other folks like me out and about our ever helpful federal government is accelerating its work on behalf of big electronics:

It’s one of the biggest technical changes in television since color TV: the digital transition. And because many Americans remain in the dark about it, federal regulators began an education campaign Monday to enlighten them.
Remind me, please, just why it was congress needed to set a target date for “all digital” and why the FCC needs to be spending tax money to act as the marketing arm for the electronics industry in what seems no more than a wealth transfer exercise.
When the perceived value hits the right point people will buy the stuff in droves.

Freeway Blogging

This entry was posted in bush Election 2004 Federal Government Federalism Libertarianism US Politics on by

Do you live in Colorado, Arizona or New Mexico?
Then take up the Freeway Blogger’s challenge!
Hmmmm, there might be something here for all of you. I know the Freeway Blogger is not a bush supporter but the challenge doesn’t say the signs have to be any special denomination.
Do remember, though, that in a land of freedom no individual should have the power that has been vested in the US presidency, no legislature the power of the the US senate or house, and no judiciary the power of the US supreme court.
Via Talkleft.