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WHITE HOUSE CONSIDERS EXECUTIVE ORDER, LEAVES INTERNET TAKEOVER A POSSIBILITY
The White House has left open the possibility of enacting its Internet agenda via executive order after the failed effort to bring the Democrat-supported cybersecurity bill to a full vote in the Senate last week. In response to a question from The Hill, a Washington, D.C. political newspaper, about whether President Obama… |
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Romney Ducks Chick-Fil-A Issue: “Not Part of My Campaign”
Even as Chick-fil-A sets sales records thanks to supporters of traditional marriage flooding into stores to support its Christian values, one conservative politican is having nothing to do with the controversy. And he’s the one running for president. On Friday, Mitt Romney told reporters he wasn’t going to talk about the controversy that has captivated the country… |
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LOOK WHAT THE RNC SENT BARACK OBAMA FOR HIS BIRTHDAY!
In the wake of Barack Obama’s claim that the GOP’s approach to the middle class is “Let Them Eat Cake,” the GOP thought it appropriate to give the president a little taste of his own medicine and it was brilliant! The Republican National Committee sent the Democrat National Committee a birthday cake on Friday… |
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OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO PUNISH ICE AGENT FOR ARRESTING
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT As a report surfaced that a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforement agent is facing punishment for arresting an illegal immigrant, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) is demanding answers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agent, as yet unidentified, could face a three-day suspension because he arrested a 35-year-old illegal immigrant… |
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Savage: ‘Maybe U.S. Should Get Aid From Israel’
All this week, Michael Savage’s independent streak was on display, leaving listeners on all sides with something to think and talk about. Case in point: Savage dared to ask if America “should still care about Israel as much as it once did.” He pointed out that times have changed since that nation was founded, and today… |
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POLICE CLAIM HANDCUFFED MAN SHOT HIMSELF IN THE HEAD
“I think they killed him, my son wasn’t suicidal.” Jonesboro Police claim a man who was searched, handcuffed, double-locked and bundled in the back of a patrol car shot himself in the head, an explanation the man’s mother dismisses as a cover-up for murder. After officers claimed Chavis Carter was in possession of drugs… |
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Ten Years of Torture by Andy Worthington
Putting the LIBOR Scandal in Context by Tim Kelly Who Should Feed the Children? by Laurence M. Vance Your Religion or Your Business by Wendy McElroy The Evil of the National-Security State, Part 1 by Jacob G. Hornberger Extradition Gives America Jurisdiction over the Globe by Wendy McElroy The Road to the Permanent Warfare State, Part 12 by Gregory Bresiger Open Societies and Spontaneous Orders by Richard M. Ebeling Abd Al-Rahim Al- Nashiri: The Torture Victim the United States Is Desperate to Gag by Andy Worthington Republicans versus Freedom by Laurence M. Vance |
1) The Truth about Guns
2) Following the Pentagon Weapons Trail
3) Storm over Berlin
4) How to Avoid a Municipal Bankruptcy
5) New Blog Posts
1) The Truth about Guns
The recent mass killings in Colorado and Wisconsin have brought renewed discussion about firearms, much of it heated and misinformed. In his latest op-ed, Independent Institute Research Fellow John C. Goodman sheds light on the subject by answering seven questions: Are some guns more dangerous than others? Should we be especially worried about assault weapons? What are assault weapons? What about machine guns? Are guns useful for self-defense? Do more guns cause more crime? What does the international evidence show? READ MORE
The Truth about Guns, by John C. Goodman (Townhall, 8/4/12)
Gun Control: Separating Fact from Myth, featuring Gary Kleck and David B. Kopel (Independent Policy Forum, 11/15/00)
Priceless: Curing the Healthcare Crisis, by John C. Goodman
2) Following the Pentagon Weapons Trail
Ever since Watergate, it’s been a commonplace that good investigative journalism requires a reporter to “follow the money”—because uncovering the money trail can reveal truths that might otherwise remain hidden. An equivalent adage for the practice of military intelligence might be to “follow the weapons.” For despite what military leaders tell the public about their intentions, their real plans may be inferred more accurately by looking at changes in weapons stockpiles. We emphasize the word may: no one should adopt the adage uncritically, because of the possibility of tactical deception and the huge geographical reach of some weapons systems. But applying the adage with discretion can be highly instructive. READ MORE
US Pivot to Asia Promises More of the Same, by Ivan Eland (7/31/12)
No War for Oil: U.S. Dependency and the Middle East, by Ivan Eland
3) Storm over Berlin
The rough economic seas that have deluged Greece, Portugal, and Ireland are coming close to flooding the European Union’s leading financial rescuer, Germany. Moody’s, the credit-rating company, has threatened to downgrade that country’s Triple-A rating. Such a potentiality may become reality if Spain’s economy continues to tank. The reason? The European Financial Stability Fund has only half of the 300 billion euros that Spain needs to pay debt holders in the next three years. True, an additional 500 billion euros sits in the European Stability Mechanism. But if Spain needs a bailout, Italy will likely need one too, and the rescue funds can’t cover the debts of both countries. As Independent Institute Senior Fellow Alvaro Vargas Llosa notes, the financial climate has put intense political pressure on German Chancellor Angela Merkel. READ MORE
The Drowning Lifeguard?, by Alvaro Vargas Llosa (The Beacon, 7/30/12)
Lessons from the Poor: Triumph of the Entrepreneurial Spirit, edited by Alvaro Vargas Llosa
4) How to Avoid a Municipal Bankruptcy
You may not have heard of Sandy Springs, Georgia. But with a population of 94,000, it’s the fifth largest city in the Peach State—and its balance sheet is the envy of municipalities across the country. As the California cities of Stockton, Vallejo, and San Bernardino work their way through bankruptcy and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, tries to avoid a similar fate, Sandy Springs has enjoyed large budget surpluses and even grown its building reserve fund to $21 million. As Independent Institute Research Fellow Peter Gordon explains, the success of the young city—its residents voted for incorporation in 2005—stems from following two strategies: outsourcing and privatization. READ MORE
Lesson in Contrasts: Stockton, San Bernardino and Sandy Springs, by Peter Gordon (The Sacramento Bee, 7/25/12)
The Voluntary City: Choice, Community, and Civil Society, edited by David Beito, Peter Gordon, and Alexander Tabarrok
5) New Blog Posts
From The Beacon:
Mary Theroux (8/6/12)Terrorism by Any Reasonable Definition
Anthony Gregory (8/6/12)
The Market for Healthcare Risk: How the Current System Biases Against Patients with Pre-existing Conditions
John C. Goodman (8/6/12)
Georgia on My Mind
Randall Holcombe (8/3/12)
Remembering Gore Vidal
Mary Theroux (8/2/12)
Health Insurance vs. Healthcare: When Socializing Risk Pays Off
John C. Goodman (8/1/12)
Counsel of Despair?
Robert Higgs (7/31/12)
How Much Does Health Insurance Affect Health? Some Surprising Answers
John C. Goodman (7/30/12)
From MyGovCost News & Blog:
Craig Eyermann (8/3/12)Subsidy Nation
Burt Abrams (8/3/12)
Free-spending Government Miracle Workers a Bust on Results
Lloyd Billingsley (8/1/12)
The Mid-Year Budget Update
Craig Eyermann (7/31/12)
Obama Signed Secret Order to Aid Syrian Rebels: This news doesn’t change what has been known for months about the Obama administration’s approach to Syria, but it does emphasize how explicit their goal of regime change by proxy is.
Netanyahu Tells Panetta US Threats Toward Iran Not Enough: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said US threats of military options against Iran are not enough, suggesting the Obama administration ought to prepare for war against Iran’s imaginary nuclear weapons program.
Putin Urges NATO to Stay in Afghanistan: Russian President Vladimir Putin today expressed ‘regret’ at the idea that NATO might end its occupation of Afghanistan at the end of 2014, saying that he believes NATO should remain in the country for as long as it takes to “get the job done.”
July the Deadliest Month in Iraq in Two Years: The Iraqi Health Ministry put the overall toll at 325 dead and nearly 700 wounded. The vast majority of both dead and wounded were civilians, while 44 soldiers and 40 police were also killed.
Pentagon Plans for Air-Sea War in Asia Inflames China Tensions: The Pentagon is drawing up new plans to prepare for an air and sea war in Asia, presumably against China, in the Obama administration’s most belligerent manifestation yet of the so-called pivot to Asia-Pacific.
US Pouring More Military Aid into Africa, Chasing Non-Threats: The United states is pouring increasing amounts of military funding into client states in Africa – $82 million so far this year – to counter trumped up “terrorist” threats from militant groups the Pentagon indiscriminately claims are al-Qaeda-linked.
Opinion and Analysis
- Justin Raimondo decried foreign influence in U.S. elections, advised the antiwar movement, and eulogized Gore Vidal.
- Nebojsa Malic compared Bosnia and Syria.
- Kelley Vlahos interviewed peace activist David Swanson.
- Ivan Eland previewed the Pentagon’s pivot to Asia.
- Philip Giraldi lamented our sorry choice of presidential candidates.
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OBAMA TO “EVALUATE” BANNING ONLINE AMMUNITION SALES
In the wake of the Aurora, Colorado shooting, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Monday that Barack Obama will “evaluate” a new bill that would ban online ammunition sales. Why online ammunition sales? Well according to reports coming out of Aurora, James Holmes accumulated some 6,000 rounds of ammo… |
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Dems Move to Include Homosexual Marriage Support in Official
Party Platform Democrats are moving, for the first time, to include support for same-sex marriage in the official party platform at their national convention. The decision comes after President Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to voice support for gay marriage, and as party officials try to build the anticipation ahead of the convention set for early September in Charlotte, N.C… |
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OBAMA: ‘PEOPLE SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED TO OWN GUNS’
A fellow professor with Barack Obama at the University of Chicago in the 1990s told radio host Laura Ingraham last week that the man who would become president once insisted, “People shouldn’t be allowed to own guns.” That professor was John Lott, already known then as a leading gun-rights advocate and now author of several books, including “More Guns, Less Crime”… |
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OBAMA CAMPAIGN SUES TO RESTRICT MILITARY VOTING
While Barack Obama and the Democrats like to give lip service to our men and women in uniform, it’s what they do that betrays their rhetoric. He likes to get his picture with troops even though behind closed doors they are giving him the finger and sleeping during his speeches. This all makes things quite interesting when both the Obama campaign and the Democrat party are suing to restrict the… |
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Harry Reid Accuses Romney of Federal Crime on Senate Floor, Offers Zero Evidence
Let’s get you up to speed on this idiotic flap: As you’re already aware, Mitt Romney has declined to publicly release more than two years of tax returns. He’s not legally obligated to do so; nor are Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid, neither of whom have chosen to live up to the levels of “transparency” they’re demanding of Romney. Frustrated by the Republican presidential candidate’s refusal… |
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65 YEAR OLD WOMAN HERO USES GUN TO DEFEAT 5 ARMED ROBBERS
A Garden Grove, California, jewelry store owner thwarted an armed robbery with a handgun on Sunday and sent masked robbers scurrying for their lives. A surveillance video shows the gutsy 65-year-old woman with gun in hand chasing the would-be robbers outside. The incident sends a strong message to the criminal element… |
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