Medicine When It Was Private

And doctors smoked Camels!

¡Viva!

Writes Robert Higgs: "Private-property anarchism is more popular than you would think in Latin America! El Diario de Hoy is El Salvador's top daily newspaper. And in Mexico City, we have this."

Obama/Hillary in a nutshell

Note to liberals: She has more experience; he's slightly to the left, but not much difference on policy really. A tossup.

She has a better chance against McCain though many are in denial on this including right-wing Hillary haters and left-wing Obama lovers.

The race is a statistical dead heat and anyone who thinks otherwise hasn't studied the numbers carefully.

Terrified Taxachusetts

See this hilariously biased article from the Boston Globe, an establishment mouthpiece, on the referendum, organized by Carla Howell and her libertarian posse, to repeal the rotten Massachusetts state income tax. (Thanks to Steve Vance.)

Obama's Latest Sin

He called a female reporter "sweetie." Oh dear.

Whenever a female waitress calls me "sweetie," the first thought I always have is to complain to the manager, sue for harassment, and try to make a national issue of it.

Sometimes I think Justin is right about the Bizarro World America has become. 9/11 -- or something -- has indeed ripped a hole in the space-time continuum, and so now petulant preachers, flag pins and endearing, old-fashioned language are the main campaign issue. Not mass murder and crimes against the Constitution.

State Radio on the Ron Paul Revolution

Thanks to Kit Maira on what really is the talk of the nation.

Ron Paul on NPR

Here's Ron Paul being interviewed on the People's Radio.

Bush League Golf

Anthony: Bush isn't much good as a golfer, either. He's managed to get himself into one nasty sand-trap.

W. Should Return to the Greens

President Bush says he stopped playing golf in 2003, to show solidarity with the dead in Iraq.

Since then, about 4,000 Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died. I sure wish he'd go back to playing golf, and stop being president, instead. Thanks to Antiwar.com for the link.

Christian Science Monitor on Ron Paul

A respectful, even positive, review of The Revolution: A Manifesto.

Historians, Mathematicians, and Astrophysicists to Bush: It's Not 1939

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON--After months of rigorous debate and calculated scientific inquiry, a panel of ten of the nation's leading scientists approved, in a 9-1 vote, the following conclusion: given the Earth's current position in relation to the Sun and the fabric of spacetime, it is empirically incorrect and philosophically untenable to label this year '1939'. The findings, soon to be released as a coloring book, will be sent to President Bush in response to his recent remarks to the Israeli Knesset. In his speech, Bush implied that the year was 1939 and a numerically insignificant band of terrists was the mighty Wehrmacht.

Presidential candidate Ron Paul preemptively responded to Bush's comments in his bestselling book, "...after being called an isolationist, I was solemnly informed that the course I recommended in Iraq amounted to the same kind of thinking that had led to Hitler! Now, all of us are used to hearing political propaganda, especially in presidential debates, but this really took the cake: were the American people expected to believe that unless they supposed the invasion and occupation of a completely paralyzed Third World country, they were the sort of people who would have given aid and comfort to Hitler?"

This report is largely seen as a vindication of the fringe Paulist position which contends the year is 2008.

The sole dissenting vote came from Fields Medal-winner Ed Witten who declared, "In a world of extreme relativity where up is down and black is white, President Bush is absolutely correct in his assessment. As we cannot discount the existence of such a world, I cannot categorically deny anything."

[Unfortunately, I have to disclaim; this is a parody.]

Sabrin to McCain and Lieberman: Stop the War

Here's Ron Paul-endorsed candidate Murray Sabrin getting some press coverage this weekend as he challenged the maniacal McCain and his neoconservative coterie including Joe Lieberman.

Given Lieberman's comments this weekend, it is imperative to stand up to the bipartisan warmongers who look for any excuse to start wars. Lieberman is the archetypal interventionist--arrogant enough to think that he has the answers to the problems of the world, i.e. killing Muslims abroad and increasing the size and scope of the federal government at home. If McCain is elected, we can expect to see more of the same; though he will shroud his positions in the rhetoric of the free market by promising to limit earmark spending, don't be fooled. The earmark issue should be at the very bottom of everyone's list; a few million here and there is not a campaign issue...it is fretting over the leaky faucet as the house is burning down.

Poverty Is Evil (And Statist)

Over the last week I've watched with sadness and anger the disaster that is unfolding in Myanmar. People are dying by the thousands and the state there is making things worse (but what else is new?). Instead of getting out of the way it has resorted to blocking aid from entering the country; it has banned foreign journalists from reporting; and has set up --in traditional police state manner-- roadblocks and checkpoints around the most severely affected areas.

Yet the problem is not just the intervention that is happening now; the problem is with the state itself. Indeed, Myanmar is not exactly ruled by teddy bears. On the contrary, the Junta doesn't place nice with anyone or anything. Thus, whenever I hear about places that are "cut off from the rest of the world" or that are "out of contact" I can't help but think that this has to be the result of government intervention at a massive scale. For how else can we explain the widespread lack of infrastructure?

In countries where the market is relatively free we see greater prosperity. Along with prosperity comes more and better infrastructure --hospitals, communications, transportation, insurance and savings, and of course charity. However, in Myanmar, where people are kept poor at gunpoint, none of the expected growth and development that we see elsewhere has taken place.

Poverty is not a voluntarily-occurring long-lasting phenomenon so long as there is a free market to improve conditions. Poverty is evil and is sustained by the deliberate actions of that criminal gang known as the state. The monsters who rule Myanmar have no place in a civilized society.

How Ron Paul Also Changed Me

Writes Anthony Ajamian: "Much like Charles and Matthew said, Ron Paul changed me. Not so much my political views as I've been a libertarian since I could register to vote, but how I saw things as a whole. When the Ron Paul revolution started, I was a 21 year old metal head who attended a college that had some pretty socialistic leanings. Being in the kind of environment when you're a firm believer in free markets and liberty can bring out the pessimist in you, so I lost quite a bit of interest in other people, what they believed, what their political leanings were, etc. I just didn't think there were other people out there who cared about liberty anymore.

"It took me a bit to throw myself into the Ron Paul meetups, as I had no idea what to expect. Each time I went to the meetup, I found folks of all types, subcultures, ethnicities, religions... No two people believed in the same thing; everyone was there to work hard for freedom. Young people, the elderly, some marijuana activists, folks with quite strong religious tones, and even a Chinese immigrant who came here looking to be part of the 'land of the free', and was sorely dissapointed.

"Ron Paul is right: liberty unites us."

I Love Electric Cars

But psst: they are only "zero-emissions" if you don't count the generation of electricity. Here, Jay Leno reviews the spectacular Tesla roadster:

Ron Paul on His Book and the Election

Ron is interviewed on KTSA in San Antonio about The Revolution: A Manifesto, McCain, and the Fascist Convocation in Minneapolis.

Going to the Ron Paul Book Signing in Louisville This Saturday?

Be sure to get a ticket.

Congratulations, Chris!

Writes Chris Holbrook: "With the help of Dr. Woods, my wife had this cake made for my graduation (MA Political Science). The internet resources provided by Mises.org and LewRockwell.com have been invaluable to my studies and personal intellectual development. I now move on to the University of Missouri for my doctoral studies."

Ron Paul's Second Wind

Of course, the great libertarian athlete has not given up, but is winning the laurels in new ways. Writes conservative James Antle in Politico: "As an author, Ron Paul has accomplished something he failed to do as a Republican presidential candidate: finish first. His new book, 'The Revolution: A Manifesto,' has topped The New York Times best-seller list and the Amazon sales chart. It has also helped rally his grass-roots following long after John McCain clinched the GOP presidential nomination." Read the rest.

Ron Paul Changed Me Too

Writes Charles Krblich II: "Last year (coming from the most fascist of the right), I never would have agreed with Matthew Dailey -- the man who wrote you. Now however, I find that a common ground exists between us. Not only has Ron Paul changed his world view, but he has also changed mine, and LRC.com is where I get to deluge myself with this perfectly sane and rational world view. As Ron Paul says himself in his book THE REVOLUTION, 'And despite their philosophical differences in some areas, these folks typically found, to their surprise, that they rather liked each other.'"

Has Karl Rove Always Been So Wrong?

My Texas friends tell me yes. I've seen him in action with conservative groups, with a masterful grasp of arcane facts -- but a Game Boy has more memory, and is less inane.

Today he tells the WSJ that McCain must convince America of the importance of the Iraq War. Once we swallow that whopper, Rove serves up an even better one: "Republicans also face challenges with the young (whose opposition to the war and attraction to Mr. Obama have made them Democrats)" -- conveniently and intentionally (remember his mind is a junior Game Boy) ignoring Ron Paul's inspiration of millions of young people, who are fed up with the cynical manipulations of people like -- Karl Rove!

All this he puts under the title of, "The GOP must stand for something"! As in, let's embrace the same policies that have destroyed the GOP, the conservative movement, the pro-family coalitions -- Claes Ryn is right,the Jacobins have triumphed. The revolution requires annihilation of reality to make way for the new abstract universalism in which the neocons can rule the world.

McStrangelove's "I Have A Dream" Speech

When I heard Faux News announce this morning that John McStrangelove was to share his "vision for America" in a speech this morning, I decided to see what the GOP's visionary had to say. The speech was about what the world is like in January 2013, after his first term:

We are still mired down in the Iraq quagmire, although "most" troops have returned. "We maintain a military presence" there, however, as we continue (forever?) "trying to finish the job."

We will finally catch bin Laden. Ha!

The military/industrial/congressional complex will have ballooned in size: "The size of the Army and Marines has significantly increased."

There are only two income tax rates, althouth McStrangelove didn't say what the rates would be.

Two-time loser endorses Obama

John Edwards (his wife's for Hillary).

A real man of principle, that principle being opportunism.

My ancient take on Mr. No There There.

Correction: a three-time loser (nomination twice, VP once).

Rather be lucky than good

Obama attacked by the most unpopular person in the country, George Bush.

Maybe Bush can make a living after retirement by selling his criticism to the highest bidder.

Maverick label a fit for Sabrin

Maverick label a fit for Sabrin

By RICHARD PEARSALL • Courier-Post Staff • May 13, 2008

CHERRY HILL — The most conservative of the Republican candidates for U.S. Senate outlined a radical plan to cut the federal government in an interview Monday.
Advertisement

Contending that Washington is "bankrupt" of both money and ideas, Dr. Murray Sabrin said the country is in a "perfect economic storm" that demands a return to free enterprise and confines the federal government to the role outlined in the U.S. Constitution.

Slipping Detainees a Mikhail

Writes Clay Rossi: "Our government is using an old KGB favorite psychotropic drug on detainees. Need I say more?"

Government Child Abuse

Thanks to Bill Anderson for this article on Texas cop-bureaucrat brutality against children and parents from the YFZ Ranch.

Ron Paul Changed Me

Writes Matthew Dailey: " "I'm a twenty-one year-old living in northern California. About a year ago, I was the most leftist of the left, a product of my high school education I'm ashamed to say. But when Ron Paul entered the national political scene last summer, I started to pay attention. Since then, my views on economic freedom have vastly changed. Now I'm a daily visitor to lewrockwell.com and the blog. Thank you for giving me a place to feel sane."

Lou Spadaro, RIP

The wonderful Austrian economist Louis Michael Spadaro has died at 94. A famed teacher at Fordham, he was a friend and colleague of Ludwig von Mises, and the editor of New Directions in Austrian Economics. I remember Lou for many virtues, but his kind heart and dedication to Mises the man and the thinker stand out. May he rest in peace.

UPDATE from Ralph Raico: "I was saddened to hear the news of the death of Lou Spardaro. I knew him many years ago from the Mises NYU seminar, where Lou was one of the most active participants. His comments were always intelligent and to the point, but what I remember most is his invariably gentlemanly and considerate attitude which, I think, helped create the atmosphere of intellectual camaraderie that prevailed at the seminar."

Fox on Ron Paul

It's too bad Judge Napolitano has to share the show.

NFL Spying

Tom: If Arlen Specter regards it as an egregious wrong for the New England Patriots to spy on their opposition, does he regard it as equally wrong for the United States government to employ people to spy on other governments, or the American people? Might his concern be nothing more than a carry-over from the 2005 Super Bowl when the Patriots beat his home-state team, the Philadelphia Eagles? The people of Boston had better watch out, lest the senator try to persuade the Bush administration to engage in a "shock and awe preemptive strike" against this newly-discovered member of the "axis of evil." "If we don't fight the Patriots in Boston, we'll have to fight them at Giants Stadium!"

The Governator's Plan

The headline reads "Schwarzenegger seeks to privatize state lottery." This proposal would go to the voters, but:

If voters reject the proposal, a temporary, 1-percentage-point increase in the state sales tax would automatically go into effect, lasting only until state finances improved and the budget was balanced.

I don't know what is worse, another protectionist scheme that gives "private" a bad name, or duping the voters into slapping themselves with a so-called "temporary" tax.

Why not just legalize gambling, sell the State Parks, and let the non-violent criminals go free?

re: On Having No Friends in the GOP Establishment

Let's see. What does it mean to have no friends in the GOP establishment, as Murray Sabrin is darkly accused of? It means you have no friends who: support the government lying us into unust wars that kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people for reasons that have nothing to do with defending America; lie to thousands of young Americans to get them to join the military, get shipped out to Iraq, and come back in body bags, with missing arms and legs, blind and/or deaf, or mentally destroyed; think of the American taxpayers as possessing a bottomless pit of money to be plundered for the purpose of buying votes from special interest groups, just like the Democrats; despise the constitutional protection of civil liberties and do everything possible to destroy them; believe that the purpose of government is for those who run it to plunder those who do not; are happy to turn religious people in America into the biggest chumps and patsies in world history by merely paying lip service to "family values," "right to life," and other meaningless buzz words while never intending to do anything for them; think numskulls like George W. Bush, Bob Dole, and John McCain deserve to be the most powerful people on earth; and "justify" it all by constantly calling themselves "The Party of Lincoln."

Will Someone Please Give Arlen Specter a Good Kick in the Ass?

If you've ever watched a baseball game on TV, you might have noticed that before every pitch, a right-handed catcher will shield his right hand with his catcher's mitt while signaling something to the pitcher with one, two, three, or four fingers. The signal is what kind of pitch to throw -- fastball, curve, change-up, slider, etc. I was taught this in little league baseball in the 1960s, where I proudly earned the nickname of "fireball" Dilorenzo because at age 12 I could throw a 75 mph fastball.

Spying on the other team's signals and strategies has been a part of American sports as long as there have been organized sports.

But now, since the economy is humming along as smooth as silk, and no one is dying anymore in any of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the government is strictly obeying the Constitution, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania (I'm ashamed to say that he's from my home state)is calling for an "independent" (a.k.a., government hatchet job) investigation of "spygate" -- the alleged videotaping by the New England Patriots of what goes on on the sidelines of its opponents.

The only good thing to say about this is that it will divert THE GREATEST DELIBERATIVE BODY ON EARTH for a few hours from raising our taxes, getting us into more unjust wars, and finishing off what's left of the Constitution.

On Having No Friends in the GOP Establishment

Tom: You've given me a great idea! Let's start an informal listing of those of us who "have no friends in the GOP establishment." I will sign up!

Sabrin v. The Establishment

I second what Tom DiLorenzo said about Murray Sabrin. What's interesting is how hard the New Jersey GOP worked to find someone plausible to oppose Murray. The guy they settled on is former congressman Dick Zimmer, who comes from the Walter Mondale/Bob Dole tradition.

The other day I read a post on a discussion thread arguing that Sabrin "has no friends" in the GOP establishment. That's supposed to be a reason not to like him?

How the Free Market Punishes the Right People

I just came out of a Books-a-Million store where, under "New Books on Politics" there was no sign of Ron Paul's The Revolution: A Manifesto. I asked one of the clerks about it and she said it wasn't even in the store's computer system as a book they've ever carried. I informed her that it was #7 on the NY Times bestseller list last week, and will be #1 this week.

She was apparently upset over this news, and quickly grabbed a copy of the NY Times bestseller list from last Sunday that was near the cash register. She looked at me in a very self-satisfied way and said, "No it's not. It's not on here." After I suggested that she look at the #7 ranking the smirk disappeared from her mug. So that the customers behind me would hear it, I rather loudly recommended to her that if the store's management was interested in making money they might consider the strategy carrying a few copies of the NY Times #1 national bestseller.

Ain't the free-market great! Idiots like the managers of Books-a-Million who substitute their own personal preferences for their fiduciary duty to make money for the corporations' owners will be quickly "punished" with lower profits and maybe even bankruptcy. That won't be good for their careers (and bank accounts).

Meanwhile, Ron Paul supporters should boycott Books-a-Million, just as the store is boycotting The Revolution.

Ve Haf Vays Uf Knowing Vere You Are!

Chris: The use of GPS systems to track the whereabouts of students parallels the use of such systems to locate convicted criminals. An interesting admission, by the state, of the nature of its school systems. Americans love fascism, as long as they don't have to wear the arm-bands that give it all away!

Given recent news stories about the so-called "D.C. Madam," it might be of greater public interest to have such GPS systems used to track the locations of politicians and other government officials. Perhaps Nancy Grace could be hired to provide live updates on cable TV, finally providing her with the opportunity of presenting meaningful reports.

Obama is running away with it--says the media. True?

Popular Vote (w/FL & MI)**
Obama 16,680,827 47.6%
Clinton 16,710,298 47.7%
Clinton +29,471 +0.08%

**(Senator Obama was not on the Michigan Ballot and thus received zero votes. Uncommitted was on the ballot and received 238,168 votes as compared to 328,309 for Senator Clinton.)

Source: Real Clear Politics

The turnout in Michigan was depressed because of the early primary fracas. That hurt Hillary's popular vote total.

Help Us Put a Real Freedom Fighter in the Senate

Our friend Professor Murray Sabrin, a Ron Paul Republican, is on the verge of winning the New Jersey GOP nomination
to run for the U.S.Senate. The primary is in three weeks. Please do what you can to support him with the
following suggestion in mind: Tomorrow would have been Murray's beloved father's 94th birtday. Daddy Sabrin
was a Polish freedom fighter during WW II who was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust.
Murray came to the U.S. as a child, became a citizen as soon as it was possible, and has spent his
entire adult life battling in the war of ideas on behalf of a freer society. Freedom fighting is in
Murray's blood. Please consider contributing $94 (or some multiple thereof) to Murray's campaign, which
has been very enthusiastically endorsed by Congressman Ron Paul himself.

Judge Mandates GPS Tracking for High School Students

Students in one Dallas high school are now being tracked by police, using GPS devices, if they don't show up often enough to hear what the state has to teach them.

Not only are their movements tracked during school hours, the state has taken the liberty of tracking all of their movements until 9PM.

A glowing review by the local Fox affiliate is here, but questions about privacy concerns should probably be directed to Principal Cynthia Goodsell.

(Thanks to Mark in Texas for the link.)

Bill Kauffman on The Revolution

Bill Kauffman, author of Ain't My America: The Long, Noble History of Antiwar Conservatism and Middle-American Anti-Imperialism (which I review here), reviews Ron Paul's The Revolution: A Manifesto.

McCain's Foreign Policy

Great YouTube on McCain's (and Clinton's and Obama's) Foreign Policy. Scott Ritter at 4 minutes in is especially moving.

Ron Paul on Fraudulent Banking

Go, Ron, go! He demolishes the evil myth of modern finance: the alleged necessity of central banking, fractional-reserve commercial banking, and monetary depreciation. No wonder the whole establishment fears him, including the Beltway.

(Thanks to Kalim Kassam.)

Ron Paul Does Great in Butler's State

Even 5% in ultra-red, pro-war, pro-police state West Virginia isn't as bad as the LA Times's Andrew Malcolm thinks it is.

re: Ron Paul in Nebraska

I am not at all surprised by Paul's 13%. I just moved out of the state, but when I was there, the RP Meetups were big and lively -- often going across the state line to help out in Iowa. Even Nebraskans for Peace has been quite active lately.

As far as the state goes, the demographics of Nebraska are changing rapidly: over 70% of the population now lives in greater Omaha and Lincoln, with an ever-increasing percentage of the workforce employed in finance, insurance, and IT -- Obama is even polling within the margin of error in the state; NE awards electoral votes by congressional district, and Obama will probably win the two urban districts. It is a strong reflection on the disastrous state of the GOP when a state Bush won by 28 and 33 percent in 2000 and 2004 is now neck-and-neck. Red State Fascism is now being rejected even in garrison, another sign that the rEVOLution continues to roll along.

Ron Paul in Nebraska

The Lincoln (NE) Journal-Star (on-line) is reporting that, thus far, McCain has 89% of the GOP votes (17,003) while Ron Paul has 11% (2,071). For Nebraska, that is a surprising percentage for Ron.

Arrested For Assaulting Cop with M&Ms

What a hilarious story! Cops these days can quite literally taser all they want and go unscathed. Yet a college student throws some M&Ms at the police and gets arrested for assault. Had he used a Baby Ruth or one of those giant one pound Hershy's, the college kid would have probably been fried at the chair.

Ron Paul on Book TV

Ron Paul will be on C-SPAN2's Book TV on May 18 at 9:00am and May 26 at 7:00pm to discuss his new book, The Revolution: A Manifesto. (Times are Eastern.)

Showdown at the Not-OK Corral

Ron Paul supporters head to the Republican beatification in Minneapolis-St. Paul to dissent from the belligerent social nationalism of McCain.

Re: Safe Deposit Boxes Not So Safe?

A reader adds an interesting detail on the seizure of "unclaimed" property:

Stephen, in reference to your blog post on LRC regarding the state of DE and unclaimed revenue...a state politicians son was employed in this revenue generating department and was indicted for stealing over 1 million $ from this lucrative pool of free money. http://www.wgmd.com/blog/2008/02/05/representative-vince-lofink-on-his-sons-guilty-plea/. I'm sure you're not surprised.

Ranking 'Think-Tanks'

WebsiteOutlook.com, whose figures on economic worth and daily pageviews I reported in LRC vs. the Beltway, lists almost all websites. Here are some conservative and libertarian think-tanks and educational organizations, ranked by daily pageviews according to WOC:

Mises Institute: 45,433
Heritage Foundation: 43,562
Cato Institute: 27, 186
American Enterprise Institute: 9,507
Heartland Institute: 8,102
Foundation for Economic Education: 5,247
Institute for Humane Studies: 4,596
Reason Foundation: 3,121
Claremont Institute: 2,514
Mercatus Center: 717

The CFR on Ron Paul

Writes Rick Fisk: "As much as I do not appreciate the Council on Foreign Relations and what it seeks to accomplish, its page on Dr. Paul is one of the best compilations of his positions I've ever seen."

FAA Misses Third Deadline--and Gets Another Extension

Remember when the FAA grounded hundreds of Southwest Airlines flights because Southwest had not met the FAA's arbitrary deadline for making a small wiring change that did not create a significant safety hazard?

Well, the FAA has just missed its third deadline for providing records to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel in regard to a genuine safety hazard, namely 1,800+ airline mechanics who obtained their certificates fraudulently. The FAA has tested only a small fraction of those known to have obtained licenses from a "license mill" in Florida, and even then it has only partially tested them.

What is the OSC's response to this intransigence? Is the FAA punished? Does the OSC hold press conferences to denounce the FAA for ignoring the public safety in pursuit of its own agenda? Nope. It issues yet another 30-day extension for the FAA merely to provide information on the mechanic situation. An OSC spokesman justified this on the basis that "the agency is dealing with other issues, such as the grounded flights issue and recent congressional hearings." Funny how Southwest wasn't given any breaks like that despite dealing with such issues as high fuel costs and the stupid, unconstitutional TSA.

UPDATE: I had the Southwest story not quite right. Southwest found the wiring problem and reported it to the FAA, which then proceeded to ground most of American Airlines' flights. (Thanks to John Michael Hall for the correction.)