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February 29, 2004
L. Neil Smith Interviews Aaron Russo -- Part TwoTLE Interviews Aaron Russo -- Part Two, by L. Neil Smith, transcribed by Rylla Smith< |
Gary Nolan shares views at LSUA forum Wednesday
Libertarian presidential candidate shares views at LSUA forum Wednesday
Gary Nolan thinks the Libertarian Party has a better chance this time around to make an impact on the presidential election.
"If you're a small government conservative, and you vote for Bush, they're going to keep spending, but if you vote for me, you're either going to get smaller government or you're going to get gridlock. In either case, it's better than voting for Bush," Nolan said.
...
One strike and you're out of school
Salon.com Life | One strike and you're out of school
Youthful suicides, financial ruin, families torn apart for minor infractions: How post-Columbine hysteria is wrecking lives.
February 27, 2004
Martin: And Now For the Good News
Vanguard: And Now For the Good News
Some folks, it seems, just never learn. Especially doom-and-gloomers.
In 1980, the late economist Julian Simon made a bet with Paul Ehrlich, author of the best-selling 1968 book, The Population Bomb.
The bet concerned commodity prices and was intended to illustrate a point. Simon wagered prices would fall; Ehrlich said they would rise. Both men agreed that higher prices would suggest resource scarcity and a poorer world, while falling prices would signal the opposite.
Based on his beliefs about scarcity and population growth, Ehrlich in his book had predicted hundreds of millions of deaths by starvation -- in America and elsewhere -- by the 1980s.
Erlich, of course, lost his bet. In 1990, though, he wrote another book.
Its title? The Population Explosion, predicting massive famines on the horizon.
...
Oscar bites his fingernails over politically active stars
Yahoo! News - Oscar bites his fingernails over politically active stars
Partiers Injected With Blood At Sex Parties
local6.com - News - Police: Partiers Injected With Blood At Sex Parties
Larry Elder: The state should get out of the marriage business
WorldNetDaily: The state should get out of the marriage business
February 26, 2004
Hey, Where's the Stoners, Druids and Ferret-Lovers?
ORANGE COUNTY WEEKLY OC Weekly: Cover: Hey, Where's the Stoners, Druids and Ferret-Lovers?
Aside from the little frizzy-haired dude in the T-shirt—people of a certain age will recognize him as a demi-Jerry from Room 222—there is a conspicuous paucity of stoners at Judge Jim Gray’s Senate campaign headquarters opening celebration. There are lots of adults in suits and ties—this is key—lots of people who look like they could be attending a Republican or Democratic function—also key—a lot of people whose closest brush with the phrase "try before you buy" no doubt involved vacation-time-share property.
This is disappointing, of course, for anyone who expected Gray’s headquarters to be a kind of Gomorrah Gone Wild, having built his campaign so conspicuously around the idea that the drug war has been a disaster and that his first order of business as a U.S. senator would be to decriminalize marijuana.
"Every vote for me will be a vote against the drug war."
...
Richard Mack addresses students
Southern Utah University Journal Online - Richard Mack addresses students
You're not a Libertarian if...
by Garry Reed -
WorldNetDaily Editor, CEO and columnist Joseph Farah recently offered his thesis on "Why I'm not a Libertarian." But once the final exam is graded, we're left with two reasons why people are not libertarians. First, they simply can't tolerate the idea that they, or a proxy like Big Government, don't have the right to coerce others into acting the way they want those others to act. The second reason is that they simply don't understand libertarianism. Joseph Farah checks both boxes.
Award-winning producer says next role should be president
Award-winning producer says next role should be president
Libertarian Aaron Russo calls for political change at campaign stop in city
02/26/04
By STEVE NOWOTTNY
Times Staff Writer eintern@htimes.com
Hollywood movie producer-turned-politician Aaron Russo, famous for such hits as "The Rose" and "Trading Places," visited Huntsville Wednesday, campaigning for the presidential nomination of the Libertarian Party
...
(Cartoon) The All New 2004 Nader Candidate by Mark Fiore
As usual, Fiore's animation is clever and on-target, and very amusing.
The Village Voice: Cartoons: Mark Fiore: The All New 2004 Nader Candidate by Mark Fiore
February 25, 2004
The Reform Party - - Ross Perot: The Political Fray
AllPolitics - The Reform Party - - Ross Perot: The Political Fray
The Reform Party - Ross Perot: Political Timeline
AllPolitics - The Reform Party - Ross Perot: Political Timeline
February 24, 2004
Republican Party Has Betrayed America
Republican Party Has Betrayed America - Opinion - Chattanoogan.com
There's something called the "wasted vote."
Some people say that if you vote for a third party your vote means nothing, because in the end only the big boys are going to win. Well, if the two million people that have told me that this year would get off their butts and do something other then settle for the status quo then we'd have a much better nation and guess what... third parties would make a HUGE difference.
This year, I'm not going to waste my vote, I'm voting Libertarian.
...
No, Steve-- Tearing down your own movement is the greatest barrier of all.
I've spent a while trying to think of how to comment on (i.e., attack) this article without causing undue friction. Here's the best that I've come up with:
People who go out of their way to try and drag down the Libertarian Party are doing a bad thing. Pretending like you are trying to help the party by doing so doesn't change the reality of it.
P.S. -- Writing in all caps comes off as shouting-- and shouting comes off as an attempt to cover up for lack of substance.
Self-deception: The greatest barrier of all
The Life of the Party, part 15
by Steve Trinward
Excerpt:
So I rest my case: The Libertarian Party has NEVER had its Presidential candidate's name on ALL FIFTY state ballots ... with the word "Libertarian" beside it!
What does this mean? Not much, except that it is just one more example of how a half-truth has been used to puff up our own little egos, and make the frog pond seem more influential than it actually is. And to me, that is the most essential shortcoming of the Libertarian Party: its willingness to cut corners and shade the Truth, in the name of creating some illusion of the "power" we hold in the political arena.
Will Nader Matter at All?
The best-case scenario for Ralph Nader's fourth presidential campaign -- a 1992 write-in effort in the New Hampshire primary, Green Party runs in 1996 and 2000, and the independent candidacy he announced on Sunday -- is to pull a Norman Thomas. In the Great Depression election of 1932, Democrats worried that Thomas, the perennial Socialist Party candidate, would draw off votes in key states and help reelect Republican President Herbert Hoover. When the ballots were counted, however, Democrat Franklin Roosevelt defeated Hoover in all but six states and was swept into the White House. At the same time, Thomas won close to 900,000 votes nationwide, and in many state his backers provided a cushion of votes for Democrats who swept local, state and congressional races. Thomas was invited to the White House, treated with respect on Capitol Hill and credited with providing the inspiration for important elements of Roosevelt's New Deal.
The worst-case scenario for Nader's 2004 campaign is the James Birney circumstance. Birney, a prominent attorney who served as secretary of the American Anti-Slavery Society, sought the presidency in 1840 and again in 1844 as the candidate of the abolitionist Liberty Party. Birney's second run for the presidency secured only 62,103 votes, out of 2.7 million cast nationwide. But Birney took away enough votes in key states such as New York from Whig Henry Clay, a more cautious critic of the expansion of slavery, to tip the election to Democrat James K. Polk, who campaigned on a promise to annex Texas as a slave state. Polk quickly did just that, and then ordered the invasion of Mexico. Until his death in 1857, Birney, the passionate abolitionist, was blamed for giving pro-slavery forces an upper hand at a critical stage in American politics.
Somewhere between those best- and worst-case scenarios lies the likely result for Nader this year. It is far less dramatic. Indeed, the most likely scenario for Nader in 2004 is that he will not matter much.
...
Wanted: A Republican Ralph Nader
A Republican Nader? - The third-party candidate Democrats want and need. By Timothy Noah
Noah: Democrats for Roy Moore?
Forget Nader. Draft Moore. - How Democrats can win back the White House. By Timothy Noah
Ralph to Anybody But Bush Liberal Democrats
NOTE: This letter from Ralph has been taken down from his site as far as I can tell. I've changed the link to point to an archived copy at Idaho Indymedia.
Dear Anybody But Bush Liberal Democrats:
From Ralph Nader
If you wish to defeat George W. Bush and Dick Cheney in November, restore the House and/or the Senate to the Democrats and continue to build a longer term progressive political movement, enlisting the young, middle-aged and elderly together, beyond November 2004.... and you have some doubts as to whether the Democrats can do this by themselves, this letter is for you.
...
February 23, 2004
OPEN DEBATES FILED FEC COMPLAINT AGAINST THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
OPEN DEBATES FILED FEC COMPLAINT AGAINST THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
Today, Open Debates filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). The complaint contains previously unreleased, secret documents that reveal how the major party candidates collude with the CPD to dictate the terms of the presidential debates and exclude third-party and independent challengers.
“FEC regulations require presidential debate sponsors that accept corporate contributions to be `nonpartisan' and to employ `pre-established objective' candidate selection criteria. The CPD, which accepts millions of dollars in corporate contributions, fails to stage the debates in accordance with these FEC regulations,” said Open Debates' Executive Director George Farah.
...
February 22, 2004
Former Governor Offers RVing Tips
Former Governor Offers RVing Tips
(Feb. 20, 2004) — After eight years as Maine's governor, Angus King became "king of the road." The day after he left office a year ago, King, his wife, Mary Herman, and their two children — Ben, 12, and Molly, 9 — hit the road in a 40-foot motorhome to see America. Over the next six months, the family traveled 15,000 miles, visited 34 states and enjoyed the trip of a lifetime before returning home last June.
Based on his experience, King offers some advice. "Get on the road!" says King. "See the country. Do it with the kids. It was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had in my life."
...
Staffers fill in details of the decline of Dean
This is a pretty meaty article about the flaws of Howard Dean's campaign.
USATODAY.com - Staffers fill in details of the decline of Dean
America's first cross country highway
America's first cross country highway
In RV Travel Issue 97 we asked readers to name the first highway to span the United States. Was it Route 66, U.S. Route 1 or the Lincoln Highway?
Readers who chose the Lincoln Highway were correct. Route 66 received its number in 1926 and ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. U.S. 1 runs north-south along the East Coast.
The Lincoln Highway was America's first coast-to-coast road, started in 1913 by men in the automobile industry. Because the government was not yet building roads, the plan was to connect and improve already existing roads. The Lincoln and the hundreds of named roads which followed inspired the highway numbering system, which ultimately made the named highways obsolete.
In 1912, there were almost no good roads in the United States. The relatively few miles of improved road were only around towns and cities. A road was "improved" if it was graded. Asphalt and concrete were yet to come. To get from one settlement to another, it was much easier to take the train. Carl Fisher decided there needed to be a "Coast-to-Coast Rock Highway." And so he began a campaign to make it happen.
The road was dedicated on October 31, 1913. Towns and cities all across America celebrated with torchlite parades, bon fires, speeches, dances, fireworks and cannon fire. Completion wasn't as dramatic as the Last Spike in railroad lore but in 1927 the Boy Scouts of America honored the highway by placing commemorative markers from coast-to-coast. The highway was then transporting motorists across the continent, connecting Times Square and San Francisco.
By the late 1940s, the Lincoln Highway started to fade away. A new generation of Americans were born, one which had grown up with paved roads and a numbered highway system. Most Baby Boomers, and even more of their children, have never heard of the Lincoln Highway. But many stretches of the old Lincoln are still part of major auto routes. The most scenic and historic stretches include US 30 through Pennsylvania and western Nebraska and US 50 across central Nevada (the "Loneliest Road").
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter: “There’s a Difference Between Trashy Rumors and Journalism”
(TruthOut's archived copy of this has the transcript of the long exchange described in this article.
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter: “There’s a Difference Between Trashy Rumors and Journalism”
(TruthOut's archived copy of this has the transcript of the long exchange described in this article.
Democrats United in Asking That Nader Not Enter Race
Democrats United in Asking That Nader Not Enter Race
(TruthOut permacopy)
The Bellamys, Socialism, and the Pledge
The Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy in 1892 and expresses ideas in the socialist utopian novels of Francis' cousin Edward Bellamy. Francis wrote the pledge to promote the Bellamys' idea of socialism in the most socialistic institution -government schools. The Bellamy cousins were totalitarian socialists, and the ideas that inspired them and the pledge caused mass atrocities worldwide. (http://members.ij.net/rex/pledge1.html)
Edward Bellamy's book “Looking Backward” (1888) was such a success that it inspired the "Nationalism" movement in the U.S. and "Bellamy Clubs" (also known as "Nationalist Clubs") whose members wanted the federal government to nationalize most of the American economy. They saw government schools as a means to their socialist "Nationalism."
...
February 21, 2004
Elect Gary Nolan, Libertarian for President
Elect Gary Nolan, Libertarian for President - The Daily Campus - Commentary
Blogs Pump Bucks Into Campaigns
Wired News: Blogs Pump Bucks Into Campaigns
Not even his own staff would call Democratic congressional candidate Ben Chandler a nethead.
"He uses the Internet almost exclusively for fantasy baseball," said campaign spokesman Jason Sauer, who added that he wasn't sure whether, until recently, Chandler even knew what a blog was.
But that was before Chandler's campaign turned a $2,000 investment in blog advertising into over $80,000 in donations in only two weeks. Chandler -- who won a seat in the House of Representatives Tuesday evening -- definitely knows what a blog is now, Sauer said. "It's that thing that brings in money."
...
Presidential Candidates Scheduled For Debate On UTC Campus
2/20/2004 - Presidential Candidates Scheduled For Debate On UTC Campus
Three candidates for President of the United States, Michael Badnarik, Gary Nolan, and Aaron Russo, will appear in Chattanooga on March 1, at 7 p.m. for a Presidential debate.
The debate will be held in the Tennessee Room of the University Center on the UTC campus.
Badnarik, Nolan and Russo are the front runners in a field of five candidates seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party for President. The candidate will be nominated at the national convention May 27-31 in Atlanta.
The Libertarian Party of Tennessee will elect delegates to the national convention April 2-4 in Chattanooga.
Gary Nolan is a nationally syndicated talk show host from Ohio. Aaron Russo, of Nevada, is a film producer, best known for the films Trading Places and The Rose. Texan Michael Badnarik is a computer consultant and teacher of the US Constitution.
For more information contact the Hamilton County Libertarian Party at (423) 634-2595.
Cheney's future is Washington's current topic
IHT: Cheney's future is Washington's current topic
(TruthOut permacopy)
WASHINGTON Vice President Dick Cheney, a man who has cultivated an unblinking image of stern secretiveness and unshakeable discretion, is expected to become far more visible as a campaigner in this presidential election year. Assuming, that is, that he remains on the presidential ticket. "The campaign season is under way," Cheney said recently, "and President Bush and I will be proud to present our vision to voters in every part of this great land."
The White House has said that American voters will see more of the low-profile Cheney this year, and not less.
But while it would fly in the face of history, and what is known of President George W. Bush, to drop a vice president after one term, Cheney has found himself mired in controversy on a variety of fronts. That has made speculation about his political future a suddenly hot topic in this speculation-loving city.
...
Bush Pursues Big-Gov Nanny State
I included this article in a recent enry on my main blog, along with a few other really worthwhile articles.
FOXNews.com - Views - Straight Talk - Bush Pursues Big-Gov Nanny State
Nader to Jump in Presidential Race
FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Nader to Jump in Presidential Race
February 20, 2004
64% Favor Smaller Government
Rassmussen Survey: 64% Favor Smaller Government
February 16, 2004--Sixty-four percent (64%) of American voters say that they prefer smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes. A Rasmussen Reports survey finds that just 22% would rather see a more active government with more services and higher taxes.
Scott Rasmussen notes that "This data helps explain the recent decline in George W. Bush's approval ratings and general election polls. Being seen as a big spender is dangerous for any candidate."
The President has been challenged on a number of budget items recently by both his opponents and supporters. In fact, voters early in the campaign say they trust Massachusetts Senator John Kerry more than President Bush when it comes to cutting government spending.
The Rasmussen Reports Presidential Tracking Poll shows a race between Bush and Kerry is very close at this time. The tracking poll is updated daily by noon.
The national telephone survey of 1,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports February 13-15, 2004. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. (see Methodology)
Support for smaller government cuts across just about all demographic lines. It is the preference for 67% of men and 62% of women; 52% of those under 30 and 70% of those over 65; 79% of Republicans, 59% of unaffiliateds, and 53% of Democrats; 61% of white voters and 52% of non-white voters.
The only exception to this pattern is voters who identify themselves as very liberal. Among this group, 49% say they want a more active government with more services and higher taxes. Just 40% prefer smaller government.
Rasmussen Reports provides a comprehensive Election 2004 polling service including daily updates of the Presidential Race and economic confidence.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
February 19, 2004
Dean Wisconsin fundraising claim aside, not all cash went to TV
Boston.com / News / Politics / Presidential candidates / howard dean / Not all cash went to TV
WAUSAU, Wis. -- After being surprised by losses in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, Howard Dean and his top advisers decided to seek political rejuvenation by taking a stand in the Wisconsin primary today. To fuel the effort, the campaign sent out an e-mail to 660,000 supporters on Feb. 5, seeking donations.
"The entire race has come down to this: We must win Wisconsin," said the message, which bore Dean's electronic signature. "We must launch our new television advertisement on Monday in the major markets in Wisconsin. To do that, I need your help to raise $700,000 by Sunday. . . . Your $50 contribution will allow us to get out our message onto the airwaves, and win Wisconsin. Please contribute now."
And they did, not only meeting the goal of $700,000, but continuing to donate as the campaign doubled the goal to $1.4 million. As of last night, the tally stood at $1.3 million.
Yesterday, a media consortium in Wisconsin released an analysis of advertising spending in the state by the Democratic candidates. It indicated Dean had not spent the $700,000 he said he needed for television ads, having booked only $227,000 worth as of last Friday. That was less than the money spent by his two main rivals, Senators John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina. The study found that Edwards had booked $316,000 worth of ads, while Kerry had $263,000.
...
Interview with Aaron Russo
As posted on my main blog:
This is good stuff. Deaniacs take note. Kucinichiacs too. And Perotians. And, yes, Naderites.
The only downside is that it doesn't have his picture and the context isn't set at the beginning (because it's an adjunct to this main article). I'm posting the whole thing for archival and e-mail transmission purposes.
The Auburn Plainsman Online - Interview with Aaron Russo
Interview by David Mackey
Online Editor
February 19, 2004
Plainsman: Looking at your web site, a common theme of your remarks is that we need to return government to a role as a servant of the people, rather than a master. How do you think we got away from that, and how will you change it?
Russo: We got away from that by getting away from the American Constitution. Only by returning to the Constitution will government return to its proper role.
Plainsman: How do you see the government's role in our lives?
Russo: I see the government as a servant. Have you ever studied the Constitution? The government only has 17 delegated powers -- we're talking about the federal government.
The federal government's designated role is to protect the borders of America, national defense, coin money -- even coining money, which they're supposed to do, they don't do anymore, meaning now it's the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve is a private bank, it's not a federal agency.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See Also: Russo Rising: Libertarian candidate for president visits Auburn
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So what I want to do, as far as the United States, is return America back to the basic principles of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and get away from George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Plainsman: You advocate bringing the troops home from Iraq. What do we do next?
Russo: What do we do next? We don't do anything next.
Plainsman: Then how do you see America's role in the world?
Russo: Friendship with everybody, free trade with everybody, but as George Washington said, no entangling alliances. In other words, I don't think it's America's job to police the world. I don't think it's proper to send American's troops to Iraq for "shock and awe," destroying children, maiming children, killing people for no reason. Saddam Hussein never did anything to America, and we have no reason to be there.
There are many despots all around the world. America doesn't have any right to go into other countries and force a form of government on them. It's up to the people of the country to have self-determination as to what kind of government they want to live in.
America keeps talking about democracy, and America's not supposed to be a democracy. In a democracy, 51 percent of the people control 49 percent, and that's not freedom. In a constitutional republic, as America was designed to be, 99 percent of the people can't control 1 percent of the people. Everyone has their God-given rights as a human being. As long as you don't do violence, theft or fraud, you can do whatever you want with your life. It's your choice.
You own your life. I don't own you, you don't own me, I don't own these people out here. Each one of us owns our own life, we're private property for ourselves, so we're free to do with our life as we wish. That's the basic principles of libertarianism and the basic principles of the Constitution. The Constitution's a libertarian document.
Plainsman: You advocate abolishing the PATRIOT ACT. What can America do to prevent attacks like Sept. 11?
Russo: America has bases in 130 countries around the world. We're the only country that has that. We spend more on defense than the next 25 countries combined.... We're the most imperialistic country in the world. We're the most aggressive country in the world. If we didn't do that, I don't think we would have been attacked on Sept. 11.
Now, if I were the president on Sept. 11, what I would have done is show the American people the proof and then gone after the people who did it. What George Bush did was, he never showed us the proof of what happened and he just told us it was Osama bin Laden. Then they went after Saddam Hussein, who did nothing to us. It's been a giant diversion. If there's going to be a war on terror, and it's going to last years and years and years like they say, then it seems the American people have a right to know what did happen on 9/11. Why is George Bush not telling us?
Plainsman: You talk about how America is supposed to be a republic rather than a democracy, where the majority can't impose their preferences on the minority. What are some examples you see in America today where the majority imposes their beliefs on the minority?
Russo: Look at the polls. People make decisions based on polls. It doesn't matter what the polls say. Fifty-one percent can't tell 49 percent what to do. If 51 percent say "Abortion should be illegal," they make it illegal. They use public opinion polls to determine the policy of the country. Policy is based on polls rather than the fact that you, as an individual, can do whatever you want to do.
It's your life. Let's say you have cancer, and the FDA says you have to have chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. That's nonsense. If I have cancer, I'll do whatever I want. For you to limit my choices, that's tyrannical.
Plainsman: Why are you running? Why do you believe you are the person to --
Russo: Because I don't know anybody else who'll do it. George Bush and John Kerry aren't going to change anything. You'll have the same policies in effect after the election. John Kerry voted for the PATRIOT ACT, he voted against the war, he voted against medical marijuana, the same three things George Bush did. What's going to change?
Whichever one wins, it doesn't matter because nothing's going to change. The only way to change things is to vote a third party in. But they tell you if you vote for a third party, you're wasting your vote, but it's just the opposite. With the two major parties, nothing's going to change, and so it's their fabrication, it's their propaganda so people won't vote for a third party. The two parties want to maintain control.
Plainsman: What is your vision for libertarianism in the future? It seems that most Americans have accepted a role for government in education, in health care, all these things you would take government out of. Do you think that opinion can be changed?
Russo: That's all very recent. I think since government's been involved in education, the education system's completely fallen apart. I remember Bill Clinton, in his State of the Union speech, he talked about "We have to have national testing standards." Congress stood up and applauded, "Yeah! National testing!" What a bunch of fools! If we have national testing standards, that means we have national teaching standards. It goes right along with it. The federal government's going to dictate what you learn in school. That's how they got the brownshirts in Germany.
The last thing you want is a central authority dictating what you learn in school. That's not what it's about. Every community may think different things are important to them. A rural community may think one thing, an urban community may think another. It's up to the parents and the local school people to decide what's best for school.
You should run public schools like a private school, run by the headmaster and the parents. If the federal government was in charge of the school system, they'd never learn the Constitution. They don't want them to learn the Constitution because they don't want them to know what their rights are. See, the Constitution doesn't give you your rights. The Constitution tells the government what their powers are. Once the people know what the Constitution says, then you know what the government's real powers are. They don't know that.
So the whole idea is to educate people to learn the Constitution, learn the Bill of Rights, learn what the Framers meant when they wrote what they wrote and why they wrote it. That's what's important. If you have the federal government teaching you and laying down the rules, it's a very bad situation.
Plainsman: You've had a decades-long career in entertainment, and you've worked with a lot of famous people and flamboyant characters. Do you see any similarities between the world of entertainment and the world of politics?
Russo: Somebody once asked me that question -- it's a good question -- and they said "What's the difference between politics and entertainment?" I said, "In politics, they stab you in the front," and that is the difference. In show business they stab you in the back. That's the big difference between the two. Other than that, it's a stage everybody plays on.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
Posted by Lance Brown at
Martin: And Now For the Good News
Vanguard: And Now For the Good News
Some folks, it seems, just never learn. Especially doom-and-gloomers.
In 1980, the late economist Julian Simon made a bet with Paul Ehrlich, author of the best-selling 1968 book, The Population Bomb.
The bet concerned commodity prices and was intended to illustrate a point. Simon wagered prices would fall; Ehrlich said they would rise. Both men agreed that higher prices would suggest resource scarcity and a poorer world, while falling prices would signal the opposite.
Based on his beliefs about scarcity and population growth, Ehrlich in his book had predicted hundreds of millions of deaths by starvation -- in America and elsewhere -- by the 1980s.
Erlich, of course, lost his bet. In 1990, though, he wrote another book.
Its title? The Population Explosion, predicting massive famines on the horizon.
...
Oscar bites his fingernails over politically active stars
Yahoo! News - Oscar bites his fingernails over politically active stars
Partiers Injected With Blood At Sex Parties
local6.com - News - Police: Partiers Injected With Blood At Sex Parties
Larry Elder: The state should get out of the marriage business
WorldNetDaily: The state should get out of the marriage business
Hey, Where's the Stoners, Druids and Ferret-Lovers?
ORANGE COUNTY WEEKLY OC Weekly: Cover: Hey, Where's the Stoners, Druids and Ferret-Lovers?
Aside from the little frizzy-haired dude in the T-shirt—people of a certain age will recognize him as a demi-Jerry from Room 222—there is a conspicuous paucity of stoners at Judge Jim Gray’s Senate campaign headquarters opening celebration. There are lots of adults in suits and ties—this is key—lots of people who look like they could be attending a Republican or Democratic function—also key—a lot of people whose closest brush with the phrase "try before you buy" no doubt involved vacation-time-share property.
This is disappointing, of course, for anyone who expected Gray’s headquarters to be a kind of Gomorrah Gone Wild, having built his campaign so conspicuously around the idea that the drug war has been a disaster and that his first order of business as a U.S. senator would be to decriminalize marijuana.
"Every vote for me will be a vote against the drug war."
...
Richard Mack addresses students
Southern Utah University Journal Online - Richard Mack addresses students
You're not a Libertarian if...
by Garry Reed -
WorldNetDaily Editor, CEO and columnist Joseph Farah recently offered his thesis on "Why I'm not a Libertarian." But once the final exam is graded, we're left with two reasons why people are not libertarians. First, they simply can't tolerate the idea that they, or a proxy like Big Government, don't have the right to coerce others into acting the way they want those others to act. The second reason is that they simply don't understand libertarianism. Joseph Farah checks both boxes.
Award-winning producer says next role should be president
Award-winning producer says next role should be president
Libertarian Aaron Russo calls for political change at campaign stop in city
02/26/04
By STEVE NOWOTTNY
Times Staff Writer eintern@htimes.com
Hollywood movie producer-turned-politician Aaron Russo, famous for such hits as "The Rose" and "Trading Places," visited Huntsville Wednesday, campaigning for the presidential nomination of the Libertarian Party
...
(Cartoon) The All New 2004 Nader Candidate by Mark Fiore
As usual, Fiore's animation is clever and on-target, and very amusing.
The Village Voice: Cartoons: Mark Fiore: The All New 2004 Nader Candidate by Mark Fiore
February 25, 2004
The Reform Party - - Ross Perot: The Political Fray
AllPolitics - The Reform Party - - Ross Perot: The Political Fray
The Reform Party - Ross Perot: Political Timeline
AllPolitics - The Reform Party - Ross Perot: Political Timeline
February 24, 2004
Republican Party Has Betrayed America
Republican Party Has Betrayed America - Opinion - Chattanoogan.com
There's something called the "wasted vote."
Some people say that if you vote for a third party your vote means nothing, because in the end only the big boys are going to win. Well, if the two million people that have told me that this year would get off their butts and do something other then settle for the status quo then we'd have a much better nation and guess what... third parties would make a HUGE difference.
This year, I'm not going to waste my vote, I'm voting Libertarian.
...
No, Steve-- Tearing down your own movement is the greatest barrier of all.
I've spent a while trying to think of how to comment on (i.e., attack) this article without causing undue friction. Here's the best that I've come up with:
People who go out of their way to try and drag down the Libertarian Party are doing a bad thing. Pretending like you are trying to help the party by doing so doesn't change the reality of it.
P.S. -- Writing in all caps comes off as shouting-- and shouting comes off as an attempt to cover up for lack of substance.
Self-deception: The greatest barrier of all
The Life of the Party, part 15
by Steve Trinward
Excerpt:
So I rest my case: The Libertarian Party has NEVER had its Presidential candidate's name on ALL FIFTY state ballots ... with the word "Libertarian" beside it!
What does this mean? Not much, except that it is just one more example of how a half-truth has been used to puff up our own little egos, and make the frog pond seem more influential than it actually is. And to me, that is the most essential shortcoming of the Libertarian Party: its willingness to cut corners and shade the Truth, in the name of creating some illusion of the "power" we hold in the political arena.
Will Nader Matter at All?
The best-case scenario for Ralph Nader's fourth presidential campaign -- a 1992 write-in effort in the New Hampshire primary, Green Party runs in 1996 and 2000, and the independent candidacy he announced on Sunday -- is to pull a Norman Thomas. In the Great Depression election of 1932, Democrats worried that Thomas, the perennial Socialist Party candidate, would draw off votes in key states and help reelect Republican President Herbert Hoover. When the ballots were counted, however, Democrat Franklin Roosevelt defeated Hoover in all but six states and was swept into the White House. At the same time, Thomas won close to 900,000 votes nationwide, and in many state his backers provided a cushion of votes for Democrats who swept local, state and congressional races. Thomas was invited to the White House, treated with respect on Capitol Hill and credited with providing the inspiration for important elements of Roosevelt's New Deal.
The worst-case scenario for Nader's 2004 campaign is the James Birney circumstance. Birney, a prominent attorney who served as secretary of the American Anti-Slavery Society, sought the presidency in 1840 and again in 1844 as the candidate of the abolitionist Liberty Party. Birney's second run for the presidency secured only 62,103 votes, out of 2.7 million cast nationwide. But Birney took away enough votes in key states such as New York from Whig Henry Clay, a more cautious critic of the expansion of slavery, to tip the election to Democrat James K. Polk, who campaigned on a promise to annex Texas as a slave state. Polk quickly did just that, and then ordered the invasion of Mexico. Until his death in 1857, Birney, the passionate abolitionist, was blamed for giving pro-slavery forces an upper hand at a critical stage in American politics.
Somewhere between those best- and worst-case scenarios lies the likely result for Nader this year. It is far less dramatic. Indeed, the most likely scenario for Nader in 2004 is that he will not matter much.
...
Wanted: A Republican Ralph Nader
A Republican Nader? - The third-party candidate Democrats want and need. By Timothy Noah
Noah: Democrats for Roy Moore?
Forget Nader. Draft Moore. - How Democrats can win back the White House. By Timothy Noah
Ralph to Anybody But Bush Liberal Democrats
NOTE: This letter from Ralph has been taken down from his site as far as I can tell. I've changed the link to point to an archived copy at Idaho Indymedia.
Dear Anybody But Bush Liberal Democrats:
From Ralph Nader
If you wish to defeat George W. Bush and Dick Cheney in November, restore the House and/or the Senate to the Democrats and continue to build a longer term progressive political movement, enlisting the young, middle-aged and elderly together, beyond November 2004.... and you have some doubts as to whether the Democrats can do this by themselves, this letter is for you.
...
February 23, 2004
OPEN DEBATES FILED FEC COMPLAINT AGAINST THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
OPEN DEBATES FILED FEC COMPLAINT AGAINST THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
Today, Open Debates filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). The complaint contains previously unreleased, secret documents that reveal how the major party candidates collude with the CPD to dictate the terms of the presidential debates and exclude third-party and independent challengers.
“FEC regulations require presidential debate sponsors that accept corporate contributions to be `nonpartisan' and to employ `pre-established objective' candidate selection criteria. The CPD, which accepts millions of dollars in corporate contributions, fails to stage the debates in accordance with these FEC regulations,” said Open Debates' Executive Director George Farah.
...
February 22, 2004
Former Governor Offers RVing Tips
Former Governor Offers RVing Tips
(Feb. 20, 2004) — After eight years as Maine's governor, Angus King became "king of the road." The day after he left office a year ago, King, his wife, Mary Herman, and their two children — Ben, 12, and Molly, 9 — hit the road in a 40-foot motorhome to see America. Over the next six months, the family traveled 15,000 miles, visited 34 states and enjoyed the trip of a lifetime before returning home last June.
Based on his experience, King offers some advice. "Get on the road!" says King. "See the country. Do it with the kids. It was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had in my life."
...
Staffers fill in details of the decline of Dean
This is a pretty meaty article about the flaws of Howard Dean's campaign.
USATODAY.com - Staffers fill in details of the decline of Dean
America's first cross country highway
America's first cross country highway
In RV Travel Issue 97 we asked readers to name the first highway to span the United States. Was it Route 66, U.S. Route 1 or the Lincoln Highway?
Readers who chose the Lincoln Highway were correct. Route 66 received its number in 1926 and ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. U.S. 1 runs north-south along the East Coast.
The Lincoln Highway was America's first coast-to-coast road, started in 1913 by men in the automobile industry. Because the government was not yet building roads, the plan was to connect and improve already existing roads. The Lincoln and the hundreds of named roads which followed inspired the highway numbering system, which ultimately made the named highways obsolete.
In 1912, there were almost no good roads in the United States. The relatively few miles of improved road were only around towns and cities. A road was "improved" if it was graded. Asphalt and concrete were yet to come. To get from one settlement to another, it was much easier to take the train. Carl Fisher decided there needed to be a "Coast-to-Coast Rock Highway." And so he began a campaign to make it happen.
The road was dedicated on October 31, 1913. Towns and cities all across America celebrated with torchlite parades, bon fires, speeches, dances, fireworks and cannon fire. Completion wasn't as dramatic as the Last Spike in railroad lore but in 1927 the Boy Scouts of America honored the highway by placing commemorative markers from coast-to-coast. The highway was then transporting motorists across the continent, connecting Times Square and San Francisco.
By the late 1940s, the Lincoln Highway started to fade away. A new generation of Americans were born, one which had grown up with paved roads and a numbered highway system. Most Baby Boomers, and even more of their children, have never heard of the Lincoln Highway. But many stretches of the old Lincoln are still part of major auto routes. The most scenic and historic stretches include US 30 through Pennsylvania and western Nebraska and US 50 across central Nevada (the "Loneliest Road").
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter: “There’s a Difference Between Trashy Rumors and Journalism”
(TruthOut's archived copy of this has the transcript of the long exchange described in this article.
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter: “There’s a Difference Between Trashy Rumors and Journalism”
(TruthOut's archived copy of this has the transcript of the long exchange described in this article.
Democrats United in Asking That Nader Not Enter Race
Democrats United in Asking That Nader Not Enter Race
(TruthOut permacopy)
The Bellamys, Socialism, and the Pledge
The Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy in 1892 and expresses ideas in the socialist utopian novels of Francis' cousin Edward Bellamy. Francis wrote the pledge to promote the Bellamys' idea of socialism in the most socialistic institution -government schools. The Bellamy cousins were totalitarian socialists, and the ideas that inspired them and the pledge caused mass atrocities worldwide. (http://members.ij.net/rex/pledge1.html)
Edward Bellamy's book “Looking Backward” (1888) was such a success that it inspired the "Nationalism" movement in the U.S. and "Bellamy Clubs" (also known as "Nationalist Clubs") whose members wanted the federal government to nationalize most of the American economy. They saw government schools as a means to their socialist "Nationalism."
...
February 21, 2004
Elect Gary Nolan, Libertarian for President
Elect Gary Nolan, Libertarian for President - The Daily Campus - Commentary
Blogs Pump Bucks Into Campaigns
Wired News: Blogs Pump Bucks Into Campaigns
Not even his own staff would call Democratic congressional candidate Ben Chandler a nethead.
"He uses the Internet almost exclusively for fantasy baseball," said campaign spokesman Jason Sauer, who added that he wasn't sure whether, until recently, Chandler even knew what a blog was.
But that was before Chandler's campaign turned a $2,000 investment in blog advertising into over $80,000 in donations in only two weeks. Chandler -- who won a seat in the House of Representatives Tuesday evening -- definitely knows what a blog is now, Sauer said. "It's that thing that brings in money."
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Presidential Candidates Scheduled For Debate On UTC Campus
2/20/2004 - Presidential Candidates Scheduled For Debate On UTC Campus
Three candidates for President of the United States, Michael Badnarik, Gary Nolan, and Aaron Russo, will appear in Chattanooga on March 1, at 7 p.m. for a Presidential debate.
The debate will be held in the Tennessee Room of the University Center on the UTC campus.
Badnarik, Nolan and Russo are the front runners in a field of five candidates seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party for President. The candidate will be nominated at the national convention May 27-31 in Atlanta.
The Libertarian Party of Tennessee will elect delegates to the national convention April 2-4 in Chattanooga.
Gary Nolan is a nationally syndicated talk show host from Ohio. Aaron Russo, of Nevada, is a film producer, best known for the films Trading Places and The Rose. Texan Michael Badnarik is a computer consultant and teacher of the US Constitution.
For more information contact the Hamilton County Libertarian Party at (423) 634-2595.
Cheney's future is Washington's current topic
IHT: Cheney's future is Washington's current topic
(TruthOut permacopy)
WASHINGTON Vice President Dick Cheney, a man who has cultivated an unblinking image of stern secretiveness and unshakeable discretion, is expected to become far more visible as a campaigner in this presidential election year. Assuming, that is, that he remains on the presidential ticket. "The campaign season is under way," Cheney said recently, "and President Bush and I will be proud to present our vision to voters in every part of this great land."
The White House has said that American voters will see more of the low-profile Cheney this year, and not less.
But while it would fly in the face of history, and what is known of President George W. Bush, to drop a vice president after one term, Cheney has found himself mired in controversy on a variety of fronts. That has made speculation about his political future a suddenly hot topic in this speculation-loving city.
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Bush Pursues Big-Gov Nanny State
I included this article in a recent enry on my main blog, along with a few other really worthwhile articles.
FOXNews.com - Views - Straight Talk - Bush Pursues Big-Gov Nanny State
Nader to Jump in Presidential Race
FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Nader to Jump in Presidential Race
February 20, 2004
64% Favor Smaller Government
Rassmussen Survey: 64% Favor Smaller Government
February 16, 2004--Sixty-four percent (64%) of American voters say that they prefer smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes. A Rasmussen Reports survey finds that just 22% would rather see a more active government with more services and higher taxes.
Scott Rasmussen notes that "This data helps explain the recent decline in George W. Bush's approval ratings and general election polls. Being seen as a big spender is dangerous for any candidate."
The President has been challenged on a number of budget items recently by both his opponents and supporters. In fact, voters early in the campaign say they trust Massachusetts Senator John Kerry more than President Bush when it comes to cutting government spending.
The Rasmussen Reports Presidential Tracking Poll shows a race between Bush and Kerry is very close at this time. The tracking poll is updated daily by noon.
The national telephone survey of 1,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports February 13-15, 2004. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. (see Methodology)
Support for smaller government cuts across just about all demographic lines. It is the preference for 67% of men and 62% of women; 52% of those under 30 and 70% of those over 65; 79% of Republicans, 59% of unaffiliateds, and 53% of Democrats; 61% of white voters and 52% of non-white voters.
The only exception to this pattern is voters who identify themselves as very liberal. Among this group, 49% say they want a more active government with more services and higher taxes. Just 40% prefer smaller government.
Rasmussen Reports provides a comprehensive Election 2004 polling service including daily updates of the Presidential Race and economic confidence.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
February 19, 2004
Dean Wisconsin fundraising claim aside, not all cash went to TV
Boston.com / News / Politics / Presidential candidates / howard dean / Not all cash went to TV
WAUSAU, Wis. -- After being surprised by losses in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, Howard Dean and his top advisers decided to seek political rejuvenation by taking a stand in the Wisconsin primary today. To fuel the effort, the campaign sent out an e-mail to 660,000 supporters on Feb. 5, seeking donations.
"The entire race has come down to this: We must win Wisconsin," said the message, which bore Dean's electronic signature. "We must launch our new television advertisement on Monday in the major markets in Wisconsin. To do that, I need your help to raise $700,000 by Sunday. . . . Your $50 contribution will allow us to get out our message onto the airwaves, and win Wisconsin. Please contribute now."
And they did, not only meeting the goal of $700,000, but continuing to donate as the campaign doubled the goal to $1.4 million. As of last night, the tally stood at $1.3 million.
Yesterday, a media consortium in Wisconsin released an analysis of advertising spending in the state by the Democratic candidates. It indicated Dean had not spent the $700,000 he said he needed for television ads, having booked only $227,000 worth as of last Friday. That was less than the money spent by his two main rivals, Senators John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina. The study found that Edwards had booked $316,000 worth of ads, while Kerry had $263,000.
...
Interview with Aaron Russo
As posted on my main blog:
This is good stuff. Deaniacs take note. Kucinichiacs too. And Perotians. And, yes, Naderites.
The only downside is that it doesn't have his picture and the context isn't set at the beginning (because it's an adjunct to this main article). I'm posting the whole thing for archival and e-mail transmission purposes.
The Auburn Plainsman Online - Interview with Aaron Russo
Interview by David Mackey
Online Editor
February 19, 2004
Plainsman: Looking at your web site, a common theme of your remarks is that we need to return government to a role as a servant of the people, rather than a master. How do you think we got away from that, and how will you change it?
Russo: We got away from that by getting away from the American Constitution. Only by returning to the Constitution will government return to its proper role.
Plainsman: How do you see the government's role in our lives?
Russo: I see the government as a servant. Have you ever studied the Constitution? The government only has 17 delegated powers -- we're talking about the federal government.
The federal government's designated role is to protect the borders of America, national defense, coin money -- even coining money, which they're supposed to do, they don't do anymore, meaning now it's the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve is a private bank, it's not a federal agency.
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See Also: Russo Rising: Libertarian candidate for president visits Auburn
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So what I want to do, as far as the United States, is return America back to the basic principles of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and get away from George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Plainsman: You advocate bringing the troops home from Iraq. What do we do next?
Russo: What do we do next? We don't do anything next.
Plainsman: Then how do you see America's role in the world?
Russo: Friendship with everybody, free trade with everybody, but as George Washington said, no entangling alliances. In other words, I don't think it's America's job to police the world. I don't think it's proper to send American's troops to Iraq for "shock and awe," destroying children, maiming children, killing people for no reason. Saddam Hussein never did anything to America, and we have no reason to be there.
There are many despots all around the world. America doesn't have any right to go into other countries and force a form of government on them. It's up to the people of the country to have self-determination as to what kind of government they want to live in.
America keeps talking about democracy, and America's not supposed to be a democracy. In a democracy, 51 percent of the people control 49 percent, and that's not freedom. In a constitutional republic, as America was designed to be, 99 percent of the people can't control 1 percent of the people. Everyone has their God-given rights as a human being. As long as you don't do violence, theft or fraud, you can do whatever you want with your life. It's your choice.
You own your life. I don't own you, you don't own me, I don't own these people out here. Each one of us owns our own life, we're private property for ourselves, so we're free to do with our life as we wish. That's the basic principles of libertarianism and the basic principles of the Constitution. The Constitution's a libertarian document.
Plainsman: You advocate abolishing the PATRIOT ACT. What can America do to prevent attacks like Sept. 11?
Russo: America has bases in 130 countries around the world. We're the only country that has that. We spend more on defense than the next 25 countries combined.... We're the most imperialistic country in the world. We're the most aggressive country in the world. If we didn't do that, I don't think we would have been attacked on Sept. 11.
Now, if I were the president on Sept. 11, what I would have done is show the American people the proof and then gone after the people who did it. What George Bush did was, he never showed us the proof of what happened and he just told us it was Osama bin Laden. Then they went after Saddam Hussein, who did nothing to us. It's been a giant diversion. If there's going to be a war on terror, and it's going to last years and years and years like they say, then it seems the American people have a right to know what did happen on 9/11. Why is George Bush not telling us?
Plainsman: You talk about how America is supposed to be a republic rather than a democracy, where the majority can't impose their preferences on the minority. What are some examples you see in America today where the majority imposes their beliefs on the minority?
Russo: Look at the polls. People make decisions based on polls. It doesn't matter what the polls say. Fifty-one percent can't tell 49 percent what to do. If 51 percent say "Abortion should be illegal," they make it illegal. They use public opinion polls to determine the policy of the country. Policy is based on polls rather than the fact that you, as an individual, can do whatever you want to do.
It's your life. Let's say you have cancer, and the FDA says you have to have chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. That's nonsense. If I have cancer, I'll do whatever I want. For you to limit my choices, that's tyrannical.
Plainsman: Why are you running? Why do you believe you are the person to --
Russo: Because I don't know anybody else who'll do it. George Bush and John Kerry aren't going to change anything. You'll have the same policies in effect after the election. John Kerry voted for the PATRIOT ACT, he voted against the war, he voted against medical marijuana, the same three things George Bush did. What's going to change?
Whichever one wins, it doesn't matter because nothing's going to change. The only way to change things is to vote a third party in. But they tell you if you vote for a third party, you're wasting your vote, but it's just the opposite. With the two major parties, nothing's going to change, and so it's their fabrication, it's their propaganda so people won't vote for a third party. The two parties want to maintain control.
Plainsman: What is your vision for libertarianism in the future? It seems that most Americans have accepted a role for government in education, in health care, all these things you would take government out of. Do you think that opinion can be changed?
Russo: That's all very recent. I think since government's been involved in education, the education system's completely fallen apart. I remember Bill Clinton, in his State of the Union speech, he talked about "We have to have national testing standards." Congress stood up and applauded, "Yeah! National testing!" What a bunch of fools! If we have national testing standards, that means we have national teaching standards. It goes right along with it. The federal government's going to dictate what you learn in school. That's how they got the brownshirts in Germany.
The last thing you want is a central authority dictating what you learn in school. That's not what it's about. Every community may think different things are important to them. A rural community may think one thing, an urban community may think another. It's up to the parents and the local school people to decide what's best for school.
You should run public schools like a private school, run by the headmaster and the parents. If the federal government was in charge of the school system, they'd never learn the Constitution. They don't want them to learn the Constitution because they don't want them to know what their rights are. See, the Constitution doesn't give you your rights. The Constitution tells the government what their powers are. Once the people know what the Constitution says, then you know what the government's real powers are. They don't know that.
So the whole idea is to educate people to learn the Constitution, learn the Bill of Rights, learn what the Framers meant when they wrote what they wrote and why they wrote it. That's what's important. If you have the federal government teaching you and laying down the rules, it's a very bad situation.
Plainsman: You've had a decades-long career in entertainment, and you've worked with a lot of famous people and flamboyant characters. Do you see any similarities between the world of entertainment and the world of politics?
Russo: Somebody once asked me that question -- it's a good question -- and they said "What's the difference between politics and entertainment?" I said, "In politics, they stab you in the front," and that is the difference. In show business they stab you in the back. That's the big difference between the two. Other than that, it's a stage everybody plays on.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
Posted by Lance Brown at
The Reform Party - - Ross Perot: The Political Fray
AllPolitics - The Reform Party - - Ross Perot: The Political Fray
The Reform Party - Ross Perot: Political Timeline
AllPolitics - The Reform Party - Ross Perot: Political Timeline
Republican Party Has Betrayed America
Republican Party Has Betrayed America - Opinion - Chattanoogan.com
There's something called the "wasted vote."
Some people say that if you vote for a third party your vote means nothing, because in the end only the big boys are going to win. Well, if the two million people that have told me that this year would get off their butts and do something other then settle for the status quo then we'd have a much better nation and guess what... third parties would make a HUGE difference.
This year, I'm not going to waste my vote, I'm voting Libertarian.
...
No, Steve-- Tearing down your own movement is the greatest barrier of all.
I've spent a while trying to think of how to comment on (i.e., attack) this article without causing undue friction. Here's the best that I've come up with:
People who go out of their way to try and drag down the Libertarian Party are doing a bad thing. Pretending like you are trying to help the party by doing so doesn't change the reality of it.
P.S. -- Writing in all caps comes off as shouting-- and shouting comes off as an attempt to cover up for lack of substance.
Self-deception: The greatest barrier of all
The Life of the Party, part 15
by Steve Trinward
Excerpt:
So I rest my case: The Libertarian Party has NEVER had its Presidential candidate's name on ALL FIFTY state ballots ... with the word "Libertarian" beside it!
What does this mean? Not much, except that it is just one more example of how a half-truth has been used to puff up our own little egos, and make the frog pond seem more influential than it actually is. And to me, that is the most essential shortcoming of the Libertarian Party: its willingness to cut corners and shade the Truth, in the name of creating some illusion of the "power" we hold in the political arena.
Will Nader Matter at All?
The best-case scenario for Ralph Nader's fourth presidential campaign -- a 1992 write-in effort in the New Hampshire primary, Green Party runs in 1996 and 2000, and the independent candidacy he announced on Sunday -- is to pull a Norman Thomas. In the Great Depression election of 1932, Democrats worried that Thomas, the perennial Socialist Party candidate, would draw off votes in key states and help reelect Republican President Herbert Hoover. When the ballots were counted, however, Democrat Franklin Roosevelt defeated Hoover in all but six states and was swept into the White House. At the same time, Thomas won close to 900,000 votes nationwide, and in many state his backers provided a cushion of votes for Democrats who swept local, state and congressional races. Thomas was invited to the White House, treated with respect on Capitol Hill and credited with providing the inspiration for important elements of Roosevelt's New Deal.
The worst-case scenario for Nader's 2004 campaign is the James Birney circumstance. Birney, a prominent attorney who served as secretary of the American Anti-Slavery Society, sought the presidency in 1840 and again in 1844 as the candidate of the abolitionist Liberty Party. Birney's second run for the presidency secured only 62,103 votes, out of 2.7 million cast nationwide. But Birney took away enough votes in key states such as New York from Whig Henry Clay, a more cautious critic of the expansion of slavery, to tip the election to Democrat James K. Polk, who campaigned on a promise to annex Texas as a slave state. Polk quickly did just that, and then ordered the invasion of Mexico. Until his death in 1857, Birney, the passionate abolitionist, was blamed for giving pro-slavery forces an upper hand at a critical stage in American politics.
Somewhere between those best- and worst-case scenarios lies the likely result for Nader this year. It is far less dramatic. Indeed, the most likely scenario for Nader in 2004 is that he will not matter much.
...
Wanted: A Republican Ralph Nader
A Republican Nader? - The third-party candidate Democrats want and need. By Timothy Noah
Noah: Democrats for Roy Moore?
Forget Nader. Draft Moore. - How Democrats can win back the White House. By Timothy Noah
Ralph to Anybody But Bush Liberal Democrats
NOTE: This letter from Ralph has been taken down from his site as far as I can tell. I've changed the link to point to an archived copy at Idaho Indymedia.
Dear Anybody But Bush Liberal Democrats:
From Ralph Nader
If you wish to defeat George W. Bush and Dick Cheney in November, restore the House and/or the Senate to the Democrats and continue to build a longer term progressive political movement, enlisting the young, middle-aged and elderly together, beyond November 2004.... and you have some doubts as to whether the Democrats can do this by themselves, this letter is for you.
...
February 23, 2004
OPEN DEBATES FILED FEC COMPLAINT AGAINST THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
OPEN DEBATES FILED FEC COMPLAINT AGAINST THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
Today, Open Debates filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). The complaint contains previously unreleased, secret documents that reveal how the major party candidates collude with the CPD to dictate the terms of the presidential debates and exclude third-party and independent challengers.
“FEC regulations require presidential debate sponsors that accept corporate contributions to be `nonpartisan' and to employ `pre-established objective' candidate selection criteria. The CPD, which accepts millions of dollars in corporate contributions, fails to stage the debates in accordance with these FEC regulations,” said Open Debates' Executive Director George Farah.
...
February 22, 2004
Former Governor Offers RVing Tips
Former Governor Offers RVing Tips
(Feb. 20, 2004) — After eight years as Maine's governor, Angus King became "king of the road." The day after he left office a year ago, King, his wife, Mary Herman, and their two children — Ben, 12, and Molly, 9 — hit the road in a 40-foot motorhome to see America. Over the next six months, the family traveled 15,000 miles, visited 34 states and enjoyed the trip of a lifetime before returning home last June.
Based on his experience, King offers some advice. "Get on the road!" says King. "See the country. Do it with the kids. It was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had in my life."
...
Staffers fill in details of the decline of Dean
This is a pretty meaty article about the flaws of Howard Dean's campaign.
USATODAY.com - Staffers fill in details of the decline of Dean
America's first cross country highway
America's first cross country highway
In RV Travel Issue 97 we asked readers to name the first highway to span the United States. Was it Route 66, U.S. Route 1 or the Lincoln Highway?
Readers who chose the Lincoln Highway were correct. Route 66 received its number in 1926 and ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. U.S. 1 runs north-south along the East Coast.
The Lincoln Highway was America's first coast-to-coast road, started in 1913 by men in the automobile industry. Because the government was not yet building roads, the plan was to connect and improve already existing roads. The Lincoln and the hundreds of named roads which followed inspired the highway numbering system, which ultimately made the named highways obsolete.
In 1912, there were almost no good roads in the United States. The relatively few miles of improved road were only around towns and cities. A road was "improved" if it was graded. Asphalt and concrete were yet to come. To get from one settlement to another, it was much easier to take the train. Carl Fisher decided there needed to be a "Coast-to-Coast Rock Highway." And so he began a campaign to make it happen.
The road was dedicated on October 31, 1913. Towns and cities all across America celebrated with torchlite parades, bon fires, speeches, dances, fireworks and cannon fire. Completion wasn't as dramatic as the Last Spike in railroad lore but in 1927 the Boy Scouts of America honored the highway by placing commemorative markers from coast-to-coast. The highway was then transporting motorists across the continent, connecting Times Square and San Francisco.
By the late 1940s, the Lincoln Highway started to fade away. A new generation of Americans were born, one which had grown up with paved roads and a numbered highway system. Most Baby Boomers, and even more of their children, have never heard of the Lincoln Highway. But many stretches of the old Lincoln are still part of major auto routes. The most scenic and historic stretches include US 30 through Pennsylvania and western Nebraska and US 50 across central Nevada (the "Loneliest Road").
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter: “There’s a Difference Between Trashy Rumors and Journalism”
(TruthOut's archived copy of this has the transcript of the long exchange described in this article.
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter: “There’s a Difference Between Trashy Rumors and Journalism”
(TruthOut's archived copy of this has the transcript of the long exchange described in this article.
Democrats United in Asking That Nader Not Enter Race
Democrats United in Asking That Nader Not Enter Race
(TruthOut permacopy)
The Bellamys, Socialism, and the Pledge
The Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy in 1892 and expresses ideas in the socialist utopian novels of Francis' cousin Edward Bellamy. Francis wrote the pledge to promote the Bellamys' idea of socialism in the most socialistic institution -government schools. The Bellamy cousins were totalitarian socialists, and the ideas that inspired them and the pledge caused mass atrocities worldwide. (http://members.ij.net/rex/pledge1.html)
Edward Bellamy's book “Looking Backward” (1888) was such a success that it inspired the "Nationalism" movement in the U.S. and "Bellamy Clubs" (also known as "Nationalist Clubs") whose members wanted the federal government to nationalize most of the American economy. They saw government schools as a means to their socialist "Nationalism."
...
February 21, 2004
Elect Gary Nolan, Libertarian for President
Elect Gary Nolan, Libertarian for President - The Daily Campus - Commentary
Blogs Pump Bucks Into Campaigns
Wired News: Blogs Pump Bucks Into Campaigns
Not even his own staff would call Democratic congressional candidate Ben Chandler a nethead.
"He uses the Internet almost exclusively for fantasy baseball," said campaign spokesman Jason Sauer, who added that he wasn't sure whether, until recently, Chandler even knew what a blog was.
But that was before Chandler's campaign turned a $2,000 investment in blog advertising into over $80,000 in donations in only two weeks. Chandler -- who won a seat in the House of Representatives Tuesday evening -- definitely knows what a blog is now, Sauer said. "It's that thing that brings in money."
...
Presidential Candidates Scheduled For Debate On UTC Campus
2/20/2004 - Presidential Candidates Scheduled For Debate On UTC Campus
Three candidates for President of the United States, Michael Badnarik, Gary Nolan, and Aaron Russo, will appear in Chattanooga on March 1, at 7 p.m. for a Presidential debate.
The debate will be held in the Tennessee Room of the University Center on the UTC campus.
Badnarik, Nolan and Russo are the front runners in a field of five candidates seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party for President. The candidate will be nominated at the national convention May 27-31 in Atlanta.
The Libertarian Party of Tennessee will elect delegates to the national convention April 2-4 in Chattanooga.
Gary Nolan is a nationally syndicated talk show host from Ohio. Aaron Russo, of Nevada, is a film producer, best known for the films Trading Places and The Rose. Texan Michael Badnarik is a computer consultant and teacher of the US Constitution.
For more information contact the Hamilton County Libertarian Party at (423) 634-2595.
Cheney's future is Washington's current topic
IHT: Cheney's future is Washington's current topic
(TruthOut permacopy)
WASHINGTON Vice President Dick Cheney, a man who has cultivated an unblinking image of stern secretiveness and unshakeable discretion, is expected to become far more visible as a campaigner in this presidential election year. Assuming, that is, that he remains on the presidential ticket. "The campaign season is under way," Cheney said recently, "and President Bush and I will be proud to present our vision to voters in every part of this great land."
The White House has said that American voters will see more of the low-profile Cheney this year, and not less.
But while it would fly in the face of history, and what is known of President George W. Bush, to drop a vice president after one term, Cheney has found himself mired in controversy on a variety of fronts. That has made speculation about his political future a suddenly hot topic in this speculation-loving city.
...
Bush Pursues Big-Gov Nanny State
I included this article in a recent enry on my main blog, along with a few other really worthwhile articles.
FOXNews.com - Views - Straight Talk - Bush Pursues Big-Gov Nanny State
Nader to Jump in Presidential Race
FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Nader to Jump in Presidential Race
February 20, 2004
64% Favor Smaller Government
Rassmussen Survey: 64% Favor Smaller Government
February 16, 2004--Sixty-four percent (64%) of American voters say that they prefer smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes. A Rasmussen Reports survey finds that just 22% would rather see a more active government with more services and higher taxes.
Scott Rasmussen notes that "This data helps explain the recent decline in George W. Bush's approval ratings and general election polls. Being seen as a big spender is dangerous for any candidate."
The President has been challenged on a number of budget items recently by both his opponents and supporters. In fact, voters early in the campaign say they trust Massachusetts Senator John Kerry more than President Bush when it comes to cutting government spending.
The Rasmussen Reports Presidential Tracking Poll shows a race between Bush and Kerry is very close at this time. The tracking poll is updated daily by noon.
The national telephone survey of 1,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports February 13-15, 2004. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. (see Methodology)
Support for smaller government cuts across just about all demographic lines. It is the preference for 67% of men and 62% of women; 52% of those under 30 and 70% of those over 65; 79% of Republicans, 59% of unaffiliateds, and 53% of Democrats; 61% of white voters and 52% of non-white voters.
The only exception to this pattern is voters who identify themselves as very liberal. Among this group, 49% say they want a more active government with more services and higher taxes. Just 40% prefer smaller government.
Rasmussen Reports provides a comprehensive Election 2004 polling service including daily updates of the Presidential Race and economic confidence.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
February 19, 2004
Dean Wisconsin fundraising claim aside, not all cash went to TV
Boston.com / News / Politics / Presidential candidates / howard dean / Not all cash went to TV
WAUSAU, Wis. -- After being surprised by losses in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, Howard Dean and his top advisers decided to seek political rejuvenation by taking a stand in the Wisconsin primary today. To fuel the effort, the campaign sent out an e-mail to 660,000 supporters on Feb. 5, seeking donations.
"The entire race has come down to this: We must win Wisconsin," said the message, which bore Dean's electronic signature. "We must launch our new television advertisement on Monday in the major markets in Wisconsin. To do that, I need your help to raise $700,000 by Sunday. . . . Your $50 contribution will allow us to get out our message onto the airwaves, and win Wisconsin. Please contribute now."
And they did, not only meeting the goal of $700,000, but continuing to donate as the campaign doubled the goal to $1.4 million. As of last night, the tally stood at $1.3 million.
Yesterday, a media consortium in Wisconsin released an analysis of advertising spending in the state by the Democratic candidates. It indicated Dean had not spent the $700,000 he said he needed for television ads, having booked only $227,000 worth as of last Friday. That was less than the money spent by his two main rivals, Senators John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina. The study found that Edwards had booked $316,000 worth of ads, while Kerry had $263,000.
...
Interview with Aaron Russo
As posted on my main blog:
This is good stuff. Deaniacs take note. Kucinichiacs too. And Perotians. And, yes, Naderites.
The only downside is that it doesn't have his picture and the context isn't set at the beginning (because it's an adjunct to this main article). I'm posting the whole thing for archival and e-mail transmission purposes.
The Auburn Plainsman Online - Interview with Aaron Russo
Interview by David Mackey
Online Editor
February 19, 2004
Plainsman: Looking at your web site, a common theme of your remarks is that we need to return government to a role as a servant of the people, rather than a master. How do you think we got away from that, and how will you change it?
Russo: We got away from that by getting away from the American Constitution. Only by returning to the Constitution will government return to its proper role.
Plainsman: How do you see the government's role in our lives?
Russo: I see the government as a servant. Have you ever studied the Constitution? The government only has 17 delegated powers -- we're talking about the federal government.
The federal government's designated role is to protect the borders of America, national defense, coin money -- even coining money, which they're supposed to do, they don't do anymore, meaning now it's the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve is a private bank, it's not a federal agency.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See Also: Russo Rising: Libertarian candidate for president visits Auburn
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So what I want to do, as far as the United States, is return America back to the basic principles of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and get away from George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Plainsman: You advocate bringing the troops home from Iraq. What do we do next?
Russo: What do we do next? We don't do anything next.
Plainsman: Then how do you see America's role in the world?
Russo: Friendship with everybody, free trade with everybody, but as George Washington said, no entangling alliances. In other words, I don't think it's America's job to police the world. I don't think it's proper to send American's troops to Iraq for "shock and awe," destroying children, maiming children, killing people for no reason. Saddam Hussein never did anything to America, and we have no reason to be there.
There are many despots all around the world. America doesn't have any right to go into other countries and force a form of government on them. It's up to the people of the country to have self-determination as to what kind of government they want to live in.
America keeps talking about democracy, and America's not supposed to be a democracy. In a democracy, 51 percent of the people control 49 percent, and that's not freedom. In a constitutional republic, as America was designed to be, 99 percent of the people can't control 1 percent of the people. Everyone has their God-given rights as a human being. As long as you don't do violence, theft or fraud, you can do whatever you want with your life. It's your choice.
You own your life. I don't own you, you don't own me, I don't own these people out here. Each one of us owns our own life, we're private property for ourselves, so we're free to do with our life as we wish. That's the basic principles of libertarianism and the basic principles of the Constitution. The Constitution's a libertarian document.
Plainsman: You advocate abolishing the PATRIOT ACT. What can America do to prevent attacks like Sept. 11?
Russo: America has bases in 130 countries around the world. We're the only country that has that. We spend more on defense than the next 25 countries combined.... We're the most imperialistic country in the world. We're the most aggressive country in the world. If we didn't do that, I don't think we would have been attacked on Sept. 11.
Now, if I were the president on Sept. 11, what I would have done is show the American people the proof and then gone after the people who did it. What George Bush did was, he never showed us the proof of what happened and he just told us it was Osama bin Laden. Then they went after Saddam Hussein, who did nothing to us. It's been a giant diversion. If there's going to be a war on terror, and it's going to last years and years and years like they say, then it seems the American people have a right to know what did happen on 9/11. Why is George Bush not telling us?
Plainsman: You talk about how America is supposed to be a republic rather than a democracy, where the majority can't impose their preferences on the minority. What are some examples you see in America today where the majority imposes their beliefs on the minority?
Russo: Look at the polls. People make decisions based on polls. It doesn't matter what the polls say. Fifty-one percent can't tell 49 percent what to do. If 51 percent say "Abortion should be illegal," they make it illegal. They use public opinion polls to determine the policy of the country. Policy is based on polls rather than the fact that you, as an individual, can do whatever you want to do.
It's your life. Let's say you have cancer, and the FDA says you have to have chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. That's nonsense. If I have cancer, I'll do whatever I want. For you to limit my choices, that's tyrannical.
Plainsman: Why are you running? Why do you believe you are the person to --
Russo: Because I don't know anybody else who'll do it. George Bush and John Kerry aren't going to change anything. You'll have the same policies in effect after the election. John Kerry voted for the PATRIOT ACT, he voted against the war, he voted against medical marijuana, the same three things George Bush did. What's going to change?
Whichever one wins, it doesn't matter because nothing's going to change. The only way to change things is to vote a third party in. But they tell you if you vote for a third party, you're wasting your vote, but it's just the opposite. With the two major parties, nothing's going to change, and so it's their fabrication, it's their propaganda so people won't vote for a third party. The two parties want to maintain control.
Plainsman: What is your vision for libertarianism in the future? It seems that most Americans have accepted a role for government in education, in health care, all these things you would take government out of. Do you think that opinion can be changed?
Russo: That's all very recent. I think since government's been involved in education, the education system's completely fallen apart. I remember Bill Clinton, in his State of the Union speech, he talked about "We have to have national testing standards." Congress stood up and applauded, "Yeah! National testing!" What a bunch of fools! If we have national testing standards, that means we have national teaching standards. It goes right along with it. The federal government's going to dictate what you learn in school. That's how they got the brownshirts in Germany.
The last thing you want is a central authority dictating what you learn in school. That's not what it's about. Every community may think different things are important to them. A rural community may think one thing, an urban community may think another. It's up to the parents and the local school people to decide what's best for school.
You should run public schools like a private school, run by the headmaster and the parents. If the federal government was in charge of the school system, they'd never learn the Constitution. They don't want them to learn the Constitution because they don't want them to know what their rights are. See, the Constitution doesn't give you your rights. The Constitution tells the government what their powers are. Once the people know what the Constitution says, then you know what the government's real powers are. They don't know that.
So the whole idea is to educate people to learn the Constitution, learn the Bill of Rights, learn what the Framers meant when they wrote what they wrote and why they wrote it. That's what's important. If you have the federal government teaching you and laying down the rules, it's a very bad situation.
Plainsman: You've had a decades-long career in entertainment, and you've worked with a lot of famous people and flamboyant characters. Do you see any similarities between the world of entertainment and the world of politics?
Russo: Somebody once asked me that question -- it's a good question -- and they said "What's the difference between politics and entertainment?" I said, "In politics, they stab you in the front," and that is the difference. In show business they stab you in the back. That's the big difference between the two. Other than that, it's a stage everybody plays on.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
Posted by Lance Brown at
OPEN DEBATES FILED FEC COMPLAINT AGAINST THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
OPEN DEBATES FILED FEC COMPLAINT AGAINST THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
Today, Open Debates filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). The complaint contains previously unreleased, secret documents that reveal how the major party candidates collude with the CPD to dictate the terms of the presidential debates and exclude third-party and independent challengers.
“FEC regulations require presidential debate sponsors that accept corporate contributions to be `nonpartisan' and to employ `pre-established objective' candidate selection criteria. The CPD, which accepts millions of dollars in corporate contributions, fails to stage the debates in accordance with these FEC regulations,” said Open Debates' Executive Director George Farah.
...
Former Governor Offers RVing Tips
Former Governor Offers RVing Tips
(Feb. 20, 2004) — After eight years as Maine's governor, Angus King became "king of the road." The day after he left office a year ago, King, his wife, Mary Herman, and their two children — Ben, 12, and Molly, 9 — hit the road in a 40-foot motorhome to see America. Over the next six months, the family traveled 15,000 miles, visited 34 states and enjoyed the trip of a lifetime before returning home last June.
Based on his experience, King offers some advice. "Get on the road!" says King. "See the country. Do it with the kids. It was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had in my life."
...
Staffers fill in details of the decline of Dean
This is a pretty meaty article about the flaws of Howard Dean's campaign.
USATODAY.com - Staffers fill in details of the decline of Dean
America's first cross country highway
America's first cross country highway
In RV Travel Issue 97 we asked readers to name the first highway to span the United States. Was it Route 66, U.S. Route 1 or the Lincoln Highway?
Readers who chose the Lincoln Highway were correct. Route 66 received its number in 1926 and ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. U.S. 1 runs north-south along the East Coast.
The Lincoln Highway was America's first coast-to-coast road, started in 1913 by men in the automobile industry. Because the government was not yet building roads, the plan was to connect and improve already existing roads. The Lincoln and the hundreds of named roads which followed inspired the highway numbering system, which ultimately made the named highways obsolete.
In 1912, there were almost no good roads in the United States. The relatively few miles of improved road were only around towns and cities. A road was "improved" if it was graded. Asphalt and concrete were yet to come. To get from one settlement to another, it was much easier to take the train. Carl Fisher decided there needed to be a "Coast-to-Coast Rock Highway." And so he began a campaign to make it happen.
The road was dedicated on October 31, 1913. Towns and cities all across America celebrated with torchlite parades, bon fires, speeches, dances, fireworks and cannon fire. Completion wasn't as dramatic as the Last Spike in railroad lore but in 1927 the Boy Scouts of America honored the highway by placing commemorative markers from coast-to-coast. The highway was then transporting motorists across the continent, connecting Times Square and San Francisco.
By the late 1940s, the Lincoln Highway started to fade away. A new generation of Americans were born, one which had grown up with paved roads and a numbered highway system. Most Baby Boomers, and even more of their children, have never heard of the Lincoln Highway. But many stretches of the old Lincoln are still part of major auto routes. The most scenic and historic stretches include US 30 through Pennsylvania and western Nebraska and US 50 across central Nevada (the "Loneliest Road").
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter: “There’s a Difference Between Trashy Rumors and Journalism”
(TruthOut's archived copy of this has the transcript of the long exchange described in this article.
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
Washingtonian: Washington BUZZ
White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter: “There’s a Difference Between Trashy Rumors and Journalism”
(TruthOut's archived copy of this has the transcript of the long exchange described in this article.
Democrats United in Asking That Nader Not Enter Race
Democrats United in Asking That Nader Not Enter Race
(TruthOut permacopy)
The Bellamys, Socialism, and the Pledge
The Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy in 1892 and expresses ideas in the socialist utopian novels of Francis' cousin Edward Bellamy. Francis wrote the pledge to promote the Bellamys' idea of socialism in the most socialistic institution -government schools. The Bellamy cousins were totalitarian socialists, and the ideas that inspired them and the pledge caused mass atrocities worldwide. (http://members.ij.net/rex/pledge1.html)
Edward Bellamy's book “Looking Backward” (1888) was such a success that it inspired the "Nationalism" movement in the U.S. and "Bellamy Clubs" (also known as "Nationalist Clubs") whose members wanted the federal government to nationalize most of the American economy. They saw government schools as a means to their socialist "Nationalism."
...
February 21, 2004
Elect Gary Nolan, Libertarian for President
Elect Gary Nolan, Libertarian for President - The Daily Campus - Commentary
Blogs Pump Bucks Into Campaigns
Wired News: Blogs Pump Bucks Into Campaigns
Not even his own staff would call Democratic congressional candidate Ben Chandler a nethead.
"He uses the Internet almost exclusively for fantasy baseball," said campaign spokesman Jason Sauer, who added that he wasn't sure whether, until recently, Chandler even knew what a blog was.
But that was before Chandler's campaign turned a $2,000 investment in blog advertising into over $80,000 in donations in only two weeks. Chandler -- who won a seat in the House of Representatives Tuesday evening -- definitely knows what a blog is now, Sauer said. "It's that thing that brings in money."
...
Presidential Candidates Scheduled For Debate On UTC Campus
2/20/2004 - Presidential Candidates Scheduled For Debate On UTC Campus
Three candidates for President of the United States, Michael Badnarik, Gary Nolan, and Aaron Russo, will appear in Chattanooga on March 1, at 7 p.m. for a Presidential debate.
The debate will be held in the Tennessee Room of the University Center on the UTC campus.
Badnarik, Nolan and Russo are the front runners in a field of five candidates seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party for President. The candidate will be nominated at the national convention May 27-31 in Atlanta.
The Libertarian Party of Tennessee will elect delegates to the national convention April 2-4 in Chattanooga.
Gary Nolan is a nationally syndicated talk show host from Ohio. Aaron Russo, of Nevada, is a film producer, best known for the films Trading Places and The Rose. Texan Michael Badnarik is a computer consultant and teacher of the US Constitution.
For more information contact the Hamilton County Libertarian Party at (423) 634-2595.
Cheney's future is Washington's current topic
IHT: Cheney's future is Washington's current topic
(TruthOut permacopy)
WASHINGTON Vice President Dick Cheney, a man who has cultivated an unblinking image of stern secretiveness and unshakeable discretion, is expected to become far more visible as a campaigner in this presidential election year. Assuming, that is, that he remains on the presidential ticket. "The campaign season is under way," Cheney said recently, "and President Bush and I will be proud to present our vision to voters in every part of this great land."
The White House has said that American voters will see more of the low-profile Cheney this year, and not less.
But while it would fly in the face of history, and what is known of President George W. Bush, to drop a vice president after one term, Cheney has found himself mired in controversy on a variety of fronts. That has made speculation about his political future a suddenly hot topic in this speculation-loving city.
...
Bush Pursues Big-Gov Nanny State
I included this article in a recent enry on my main blog, along with a few other really worthwhile articles.
FOXNews.com - Views - Straight Talk - Bush Pursues Big-Gov Nanny State
Nader to Jump in Presidential Race
FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Nader to Jump in Presidential Race
February 20, 2004
64% Favor Smaller Government
Rassmussen Survey: 64% Favor Smaller Government
February 16, 2004--Sixty-four percent (64%) of American voters say that they prefer smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes. A Rasmussen Reports survey finds that just 22% would rather see a more active government with more services and higher taxes.
Scott Rasmussen notes that "This data helps explain the recent decline in George W. Bush's approval ratings and general election polls. Being seen as a big spender is dangerous for any candidate."
The President has been challenged on a number of budget items recently by both his opponents and supporters. In fact, voters early in the campaign say they trust Massachusetts Senator John Kerry more than President Bush when it comes to cutting government spending.
The Rasmussen Reports Presidential Tracking Poll shows a race between Bush and Kerry is very close at this time. The tracking poll is updated daily by noon.
The national telephone survey of 1,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports February 13-15, 2004. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. (see Methodology)
Support for smaller government cuts across just about all demographic lines. It is the preference for 67% of men and 62% of women; 52% of those under 30 and 70% of those over 65; 79% of Republicans, 59% of unaffiliateds, and 53% of Democrats; 61% of white voters and 52% of non-white voters.
The only exception to this pattern is voters who identify themselves as very liberal. Among this group, 49% say they want a more active government with more services and higher taxes. Just 40% prefer smaller government.
Rasmussen Reports provides a comprehensive Election 2004 polling service including daily updates of the Presidential Race and economic confidence.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
February 19, 2004
Dean Wisconsin fundraising claim aside, not all cash went to TV
Boston.com / News / Politics / Presidential candidates / howard dean / Not all cash went to TV
WAUSAU, Wis. -- After being surprised by losses in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, Howard Dean and his top advisers decided to seek political rejuvenation by taking a stand in the Wisconsin primary today. To fuel the effort, the campaign sent out an e-mail to 660,000 supporters on Feb. 5, seeking donations.
"The entire race has come down to this: We must win Wisconsin," said the message, which bore Dean's electronic signature. "We must launch our new television advertisement on Monday in the major markets in Wisconsin. To do that, I need your help to raise $700,000 by Sunday. . . . Your $50 contribution will allow us to get out our message onto the airwaves, and win Wisconsin. Please contribute now."
And they did, not only meeting the goal of $700,000, but continuing to donate as the campaign doubled the goal to $1.4 million. As of last night, the tally stood at $1.3 million.
Yesterday, a media consortium in Wisconsin released an analysis of advertising spending in the state by the Democratic candidates. It indicated Dean had not spent the $700,000 he said he needed for television ads, having booked only $227,000 worth as of last Friday. That was less than the money spent by his two main rivals, Senators John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina. The study found that Edwards had booked $316,000 worth of ads, while Kerry had $263,000.
...
Interview with Aaron Russo
As posted on my main blog:
This is good stuff. Deaniacs take note. Kucinichiacs too. And Perotians. And, yes, Naderites.
The only downside is that it doesn't have his picture and the context isn't set at the beginning (because it's an adjunct to this main article). I'm posting the whole thing for archival and e-mail transmission purposes.
The Auburn Plainsman Online - Interview with Aaron Russo
Interview by David Mackey
Online Editor
February 19, 2004
Plainsman: Looking at your web site, a common theme of your remarks is that we need to return government to a role as a servant of the people, rather than a master. How do you think we got away from that, and how will you change it?
Russo: We got away from that by getting away from the American Constitution. Only by returning to the Constitution will government return to its proper role.
Plainsman: How do you see the government's role in our lives?
Russo: I see the government as a servant. Have you ever studied the Constitution? The government only has 17 delegated powers -- we're talking about the federal government.
The federal government's designated role is to protect the borders of America, national defense, coin money -- even coining money, which they're supposed to do, they don't do anymore, meaning now it's the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve is a private bank, it's not a federal agency.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See Also: Russo Rising: Libertarian candidate for president visits Auburn
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So what I want to do, as far as the United States, is return America back to the basic principles of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and get away from George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Plainsman: You advocate bringing the troops home from Iraq. What do we do next?
Russo: What do we do next? We don't do anything next.
Plainsman: Then how do you see America's role in the world?
Russo: Friendship with everybody, free trade with everybody, but as George Washington said, no entangling alliances. In other words, I don't think it's America's job to police the world. I don't think it's proper to send American's troops to Iraq for "shock and awe," destroying children, maiming children, killing people for no reason. Saddam Hussein never did anything to America, and we have no reason to be there.
There are many despots all around the world. America doesn't have any right to go into other countries and force a form of government on them. It's up to the people of the country to have self-determination as to what kind of government they want to live in.
America keeps talking about democracy, and America's not supposed to be a democracy. In a democracy, 51 percent of the people control 49 percent, and that's not freedom. In a constitutional republic, as America was designed to be, 99 percent of the people can't control 1 percent of the people. Everyone has their God-given rights as a human being. As long as you don't do violence, theft or fraud, you can do whatever you want with your life. It's your choice.
You own your life. I don't own you, you don't own me, I don't own these people out here. Each one of us owns our own life, we're private property for ourselves, so we're free to do with our life as we wish. That's the basic principles of libertarianism and the basic principles of the Constitution. The Constitution's a libertarian document.
Plainsman: You advocate abolishing the PATRIOT ACT. What can America do to prevent attacks like Sept. 11?
Russo: America has bases in 130 countries around the world. We're the only country that has that. We spend more on defense than the next 25 countries combined.... We're the most imperialistic country in the world. We're the most aggressive country in the world. If we didn't do that, I don't think we would have been attacked on Sept. 11.
Now, if I were the president on Sept. 11, what I would have done is show the American people the proof and then gone after the people who did it. What George Bush did was, he never showed us the proof of what happened and he just told us it was Osama bin Laden. Then they went after Saddam Hussein, who did nothing to us. It's been a giant diversion. If there's going to be a war on terror, and it's going to last years and years and years like they say, then it seems the American people have a right to know what did happen on 9/11. Why is George Bush not telling us?
Plainsman: You talk about how America is supposed to be a republic rather than a democracy, where the majority can't impose their preferences on the minority. What are some examples you see in America today where the majority imposes their beliefs on the minority?
Russo: Look at the polls. People make decisions based on polls. It doesn't matter what the polls say. Fifty-one percent can't tell 49 percent what to do. If 51 percent say "Abortion should be illegal," they make it illegal. They use public opinion polls to determine the policy of the country. Policy is based on polls rather than the fact that you, as an individual, can do whatever you want to do.
It's your life. Let's say you have cancer, and the FDA says you have to have chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. That's nonsense. If I have cancer, I'll do whatever I want. For you to limit my choices, that's tyrannical.
Plainsman: Why are you running? Why do you believe you are the person to --
Russo: Because I don't know anybody else who'll do it. George Bush and John Kerry aren't going to change anything. You'll have the same policies in effect after the election. John Kerry voted for the PATRIOT ACT, he voted against the war, he voted against medical marijuana, the same three things George Bush did. What's going to change?
Whichever one wins, it doesn't matter because nothing's going to change. The only way to change things is to vote a third party in. But they tell you if you vote for a third party, you're wasting your vote, but it's just the opposite. With the two major parties, nothing's going to change, and so it's their fabrication, it's their propaganda so people won't vote for a third party. The two parties want to maintain control.
Plainsman: What is your vision for libertarianism in the future? It seems that most Americans have accepted a role for government in education, in health care, all these things you would take government out of. Do you think that opinion can be changed?
Russo: That's all very recent. I think since government's been involved in education, the education system's completely fallen apart. I remember Bill Clinton, in his State of the Union speech, he talked about "We have to have national testing standards." Congress stood up and applauded, "Yeah! National testing!" What a bunch of fools! If we have national testing standards, that means we have national teaching standards. It goes right along with it. The federal government's going to dictate what you learn in school. That's how they got the brownshirts in Germany.
The last thing you want is a central authority dictating what you learn in school. That's not what it's about. Every community may think different things are important to them. A rural community may think one thing, an urban community may think another. It's up to the parents and the local school people to decide what's best for school.
You should run public schools like a private school, run by the headmaster and the parents. If the federal government was in charge of the school system, they'd never learn the Constitution. They don't want them to learn the Constitution because they don't want them to know what their rights are. See, the Constitution doesn't give you your rights. The Constitution tells the government what their powers are. Once the people know what the Constitution says, then you know what the government's real powers are. They don't know that.
So the whole idea is to educate people to learn the Constitution, learn the Bill of Rights, learn what the Framers meant when they wrote what they wrote and why they wrote it. That's what's important. If you have the federal government teaching you and laying down the rules, it's a very bad situation.
Plainsman: You've had a decades-long career in entertainment, and you've worked with a lot of famous people and flamboyant characters. Do you see any similarities between the world of entertainment and the world of politics?
Russo: Somebody once asked me that question -- it's a good question -- and they said "What's the difference between politics and entertainment?" I said, "In politics, they stab you in the front," and that is the difference. In show business they stab you in the back. That's the big difference between the two. Other than that, it's a stage everybody plays on.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
Posted by Lance Brown at
Elect Gary Nolan, Libertarian for President
Elect Gary Nolan, Libertarian for President - The Daily Campus - Commentary
Blogs Pump Bucks Into Campaigns
Wired News: Blogs Pump Bucks Into Campaigns
Not even his own staff would call Democratic congressional candidate Ben Chandler a nethead.
"He uses the Internet almost exclusively for fantasy baseball," said campaign spokesman Jason Sauer, who added that he wasn't sure whether, until recently, Chandler even knew what a blog was.
But that was before Chandler's campaign turned a $2,000 investment in blog advertising into over $80,000 in donations in only two weeks. Chandler -- who won a seat in the House of Representatives Tuesday evening -- definitely knows what a blog is now, Sauer said. "It's that thing that brings in money."
...
Presidential Candidates Scheduled For Debate On UTC Campus
2/20/2004 - Presidential Candidates Scheduled For Debate On UTC Campus
Three candidates for President of the United States, Michael Badnarik, Gary Nolan, and Aaron Russo, will appear in Chattanooga on March 1, at 7 p.m. for a Presidential debate.
The debate will be held in the Tennessee Room of the University Center on the UTC campus.
Badnarik, Nolan and Russo are the front runners in a field of five candidates seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party for President. The candidate will be nominated at the national convention May 27-31 in Atlanta.
The Libertarian Party of Tennessee will elect delegates to the national convention April 2-4 in Chattanooga.
Gary Nolan is a nationally syndicated talk show host from Ohio. Aaron Russo, of Nevada, is a film producer, best known for the films Trading Places and The Rose. Texan Michael Badnarik is a computer consultant and teacher of the US Constitution.
For more information contact the Hamilton County Libertarian Party at (423) 634-2595.
Cheney's future is Washington's current topic
IHT: Cheney's future is Washington's current topic
(TruthOut permacopy)
WASHINGTON Vice President Dick Cheney, a man who has cultivated an unblinking image of stern secretiveness and unshakeable discretion, is expected to become far more visible as a campaigner in this presidential election year. Assuming, that is, that he remains on the presidential ticket. "The campaign season is under way," Cheney said recently, "and President Bush and I will be proud to present our vision to voters in every part of this great land."
The White House has said that American voters will see more of the low-profile Cheney this year, and not less.
But while it would fly in the face of history, and what is known of President George W. Bush, to drop a vice president after one term, Cheney has found himself mired in controversy on a variety of fronts. That has made speculation about his political future a suddenly hot topic in this speculation-loving city.
...
Bush Pursues Big-Gov Nanny State
I included this article in a recent enry on my main blog, along with a few other really worthwhile articles.
FOXNews.com - Views - Straight Talk - Bush Pursues Big-Gov Nanny State
Nader to Jump in Presidential Race
FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Nader to Jump in Presidential Race
64% Favor Smaller Government
Rassmussen Survey: 64% Favor Smaller Government
February 16, 2004--Sixty-four percent (64%) of American voters say that they prefer smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes. A Rasmussen Reports survey finds that just 22% would rather see a more active government with more services and higher taxes.
Scott Rasmussen notes that "This data helps explain the recent decline in George W. Bush's approval ratings and general election polls. Being seen as a big spender is dangerous for any candidate."
The President has been challenged on a number of budget items recently by both his opponents and supporters. In fact, voters early in the campaign say they trust Massachusetts Senator John Kerry more than President Bush when it comes to cutting government spending.
The Rasmussen Reports Presidential Tracking Poll shows a race between Bush and Kerry is very close at this time. The tracking poll is updated daily by noon.
The national telephone survey of 1,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports February 13-15, 2004. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. (see Methodology)
Support for smaller government cuts across just about all demographic lines. It is the preference for 67% of men and 62% of women; 52% of those under 30 and 70% of those over 65; 79% of Republicans, 59% of unaffiliateds, and 53% of Democrats; 61% of white voters and 52% of non-white voters.
The only exception to this pattern is voters who identify themselves as very liberal. Among this group, 49% say they want a more active government with more services and higher taxes. Just 40% prefer smaller government.
Rasmussen Reports provides a comprehensive Election 2004 polling service including daily updates of the Presidential Race and economic confidence.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
February 19, 2004
Dean Wisconsin fundraising claim aside, not all cash went to TV
Boston.com / News / Politics / Presidential candidates / howard dean / Not all cash went to TV
WAUSAU, Wis. -- After being surprised by losses in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, Howard Dean and his top advisers decided to seek political rejuvenation by taking a stand in the Wisconsin primary today. To fuel the effort, the campaign sent out an e-mail to 660,000 supporters on Feb. 5, seeking donations.
"The entire race has come down to this: We must win Wisconsin," said the message, which bore Dean's electronic signature. "We must launch our new television advertisement on Monday in the major markets in Wisconsin. To do that, I need your help to raise $700,000 by Sunday. . . . Your $50 contribution will allow us to get out our message onto the airwaves, and win Wisconsin. Please contribute now."
And they did, not only meeting the goal of $700,000, but continuing to donate as the campaign doubled the goal to $1.4 million. As of last night, the tally stood at $1.3 million.
Yesterday, a media consortium in Wisconsin released an analysis of advertising spending in the state by the Democratic candidates. It indicated Dean had not spent the $700,000 he said he needed for television ads, having booked only $227,000 worth as of last Friday. That was less than the money spent by his two main rivals, Senators John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina. The study found that Edwards had booked $316,000 worth of ads, while Kerry had $263,000.
...
Interview with Aaron Russo
As posted on my main blog:
This is good stuff. Deaniacs take note. Kucinichiacs too. And Perotians. And, yes, Naderites.
The only downside is that it doesn't have his picture and the context isn't set at the beginning (because it's an adjunct to this main article). I'm posting the whole thing for archival and e-mail transmission purposes.
The Auburn Plainsman Online - Interview with Aaron Russo
Interview by David Mackey
Online Editor
February 19, 2004
Plainsman: Looking at your web site, a common theme of your remarks is that we need to return government to a role as a servant of the people, rather than a master. How do you think we got away from that, and how will you change it?
Russo: We got away from that by getting away from the American Constitution. Only by returning to the Constitution will government return to its proper role.
Plainsman: How do you see the government's role in our lives?
Russo: I see the government as a servant. Have you ever studied the Constitution? The government only has 17 delegated powers -- we're talking about the federal government.
The federal government's designated role is to protect the borders of America, national defense, coin money -- even coining money, which they're supposed to do, they don't do anymore, meaning now it's the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve is a private bank, it's not a federal agency.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See Also: Russo Rising: Libertarian candidate for president visits Auburn
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So what I want to do, as far as the United States, is return America back to the basic principles of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and get away from George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Plainsman: You advocate bringing the troops home from Iraq. What do we do next?
Russo: What do we do next? We don't do anything next.
Plainsman: Then how do you see America's role in the world?
Russo: Friendship with everybody, free trade with everybody, but as George Washington said, no entangling alliances. In other words, I don't think it's America's job to police the world. I don't think it's proper to send American's troops to Iraq for "shock and awe," destroying children, maiming children, killing people for no reason. Saddam Hussein never did anything to America, and we have no reason to be there.
There are many despots all around the world. America doesn't have any right to go into other countries and force a form of government on them. It's up to the people of the country to have self-determination as to what kind of government they want to live in.
America keeps talking about democracy, and America's not supposed to be a democracy. In a democracy, 51 percent of the people control 49 percent, and that's not freedom. In a constitutional republic, as America was designed to be, 99 percent of the people can't control 1 percent of the people. Everyone has their God-given rights as a human being. As long as you don't do violence, theft or fraud, you can do whatever you want with your life. It's your choice.
You own your life. I don't own you, you don't own me, I don't own these people out here. Each one of us owns our own life, we're private property for ourselves, so we're free to do with our life as we wish. That's the basic principles of libertarianism and the basic principles of the Constitution. The Constitution's a libertarian document.
Plainsman: You advocate abolishing the PATRIOT ACT. What can America do to prevent attacks like Sept. 11?
Russo: America has bases in 130 countries around the world. We're the only country that has that. We spend more on defense than the next 25 countries combined.... We're the most imperialistic country in the world. We're the most aggressive country in the world. If we didn't do that, I don't think we would have been attacked on Sept. 11.
Now, if I were the president on Sept. 11, what I would have done is show the American people the proof and then gone after the people who did it. What George Bush did was, he never showed us the proof of what happened and he just told us it was Osama bin Laden. Then they went after Saddam Hussein, who did nothing to us. It's been a giant diversion. If there's going to be a war on terror, and it's going to last years and years and years like they say, then it seems the American people have a right to know what did happen on 9/11. Why is George Bush not telling us?
Plainsman: You talk about how America is supposed to be a republic rather than a democracy, where the majority can't impose their preferences on the minority. What are some examples you see in America today where the majority imposes their beliefs on the minority?
Russo: Look at the polls. People make decisions based on polls. It doesn't matter what the polls say. Fifty-one percent can't tell 49 percent what to do. If 51 percent say "Abortion should be illegal," they make it illegal. They use public opinion polls to determine the policy of the country. Policy is based on polls rather than the fact that you, as an individual, can do whatever you want to do.
It's your life. Let's say you have cancer, and the FDA says you have to have chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. That's nonsense. If I have cancer, I'll do whatever I want. For you to limit my choices, that's tyrannical.
Plainsman: Why are you running? Why do you believe you are the person to --
Russo: Because I don't know anybody else who'll do it. George Bush and John Kerry aren't going to change anything. You'll have the same policies in effect after the election. John Kerry voted for the PATRIOT ACT, he voted against the war, he voted against medical marijuana, the same three things George Bush did. What's going to change?
Whichever one wins, it doesn't matter because nothing's going to change. The only way to change things is to vote a third party in. But they tell you if you vote for a third party, you're wasting your vote, but it's just the opposite. With the two major parties, nothing's going to change, and so it's their fabrication, it's their propaganda so people won't vote for a third party. The two parties want to maintain control.
Plainsman: What is your vision for libertarianism in the future? It seems that most Americans have accepted a role for government in education, in health care, all these things you would take government out of. Do you think that opinion can be changed?
Russo: That's all very recent. I think since government's been involved in education, the education system's completely fallen apart. I remember Bill Clinton, in his State of the Union speech, he talked about "We have to have national testing standards." Congress stood up and applauded, "Yeah! National testing!" What a bunch of fools! If we have national testing standards, that means we have national teaching standards. It goes right along with it. The federal government's going to dictate what you learn in school. That's how they got the brownshirts in Germany.
The last thing you want is a central authority dictating what you learn in school. That's not what it's about. Every community may think different things are important to them. A rural community may think one thing, an urban community may think another. It's up to the parents and the local school people to decide what's best for school.
You should run public schools like a private school, run by the headmaster and the parents. If the federal government was in charge of the school system, they'd never learn the Constitution. They don't want them to learn the Constitution because they don't want them to know what their rights are. See, the Constitution doesn't give you your rights. The Constitution tells the government what their powers are. Once the people know what the Constitution says, then you know what the government's real powers are. They don't know that.
So the whole idea is to educate people to learn the Constitution, learn the Bill of Rights, learn what the Framers meant when they wrote what they wrote and why they wrote it. That's what's important. If you have the federal government teaching you and laying down the rules, it's a very bad situation.
Plainsman: You've had a decades-long career in entertainment, and you've worked with a lot of famous people and flamboyant characters. Do you see any similarities between the world of entertainment and the world of politics?
Russo: Somebody once asked me that question -- it's a good question -- and they said "What's the difference between politics and entertainment?" I said, "In politics, they stab you in the front," and that is the difference. In show business they stab you in the back. That's the big difference between the two. Other than that, it's a stage everybody plays on.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
Posted by Lance Brown at
Dean Wisconsin fundraising claim aside, not all cash went to TV
Boston.com / News / Politics / Presidential candidates / howard dean / Not all cash went to TV
WAUSAU, Wis. -- After being surprised by losses in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, Howard Dean and his top advisers decided to seek political rejuvenation by taking a stand in the Wisconsin primary today. To fuel the effort, the campaign sent out an e-mail to 660,000 supporters on Feb. 5, seeking donations.
"The entire race has come down to this: We must win Wisconsin," said the message, which bore Dean's electronic signature. "We must launch our new television advertisement on Monday in the major markets in Wisconsin. To do that, I need your help to raise $700,000 by Sunday. . . . Your $50 contribution will allow us to get out our message onto the airwaves, and win Wisconsin. Please contribute now."
And they did, not only meeting the goal of $700,000, but continuing to donate as the campaign doubled the goal to $1.4 million. As of last night, the tally stood at $1.3 million.
Yesterday, a media consortium in Wisconsin released an analysis of advertising spending in the state by the Democratic candidates. It indicated Dean had not spent the $700,000 he said he needed for television ads, having booked only $227,000 worth as of last Friday. That was less than the money spent by his two main rivals, Senators John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina. The study found that Edwards had booked $316,000 worth of ads, while Kerry had $263,000.
...
Interview with Aaron Russo
As posted on my main blog:
This is good stuff. Deaniacs take note. Kucinichiacs too. And Perotians. And, yes, Naderites.
The only downside is that it doesn't have his picture and the context isn't set at the beginning (because it's an adjunct to this main article). I'm posting the whole thing for archival and e-mail transmission purposes.
The Auburn Plainsman Online - Interview with Aaron Russo
Interview by David Mackey
Online Editor
February 19, 2004
Plainsman: Looking at your web site, a common theme of your remarks is that we need to return government to a role as a servant of the people, rather than a master. How do you think we got away from that, and how will you change it?
Russo: We got away from that by getting away from the American Constitution. Only by returning to the Constitution will government return to its proper role.
Plainsman: How do you see the government's role in our lives?
Russo: I see the government as a servant. Have you ever studied the Constitution? The government only has 17 delegated powers -- we're talking about the federal government.
The federal government's designated role is to protect the borders of America, national defense, coin money -- even coining money, which they're supposed to do, they don't do anymore, meaning now it's the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve is a private bank, it's not a federal agency.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See Also: Russo Rising: Libertarian candidate for president visits Auburn
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So what I want to do, as far as the United States, is return America back to the basic principles of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and get away from George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Plainsman: You advocate bringing the troops home from Iraq. What do we do next?
Russo: What do we do next? We don't do anything next.
Plainsman: Then how do you see America's role in the world?
Russo: Friendship with everybody, free trade with everybody, but as George Washington said, no entangling alliances. In other words, I don't think it's America's job to police the world. I don't think it's proper to send American's troops to Iraq for "shock and awe," destroying children, maiming children, killing people for no reason. Saddam Hussein never did anything to America, and we have no reason to be there.
There are many despots all around the world. America doesn't have any right to go into other countries and force a form of government on them. It's up to the people of the country to have self-determination as to what kind of government they want to live in.
America keeps talking about democracy, and America's not supposed to be a democracy. In a democracy, 51 percent of the people control 49 percent, and that's not freedom. In a constitutional republic, as America was designed to be, 99 percent of the people can't control 1 percent of the people. Everyone has their God-given rights as a human being. As long as you don't do violence, theft or fraud, you can do whatever you want with your life. It's your choice.
You own your life. I don't own you, you don't own me, I don't own these people out here. Each one of us owns our own life, we're private property for ourselves, so we're free to do with our life as we wish. That's the basic principles of libertarianism and the basic principles of the Constitution. The Constitution's a libertarian document.
Plainsman: You advocate abolishing the PATRIOT ACT. What can America do to prevent attacks like Sept. 11?
Russo: America has bases in 130 countries around the world. We're the only country that has that. We spend more on defense than the next 25 countries combined.... We're the most imperialistic country in the world. We're the most aggressive country in the world. If we didn't do that, I don't think we would have been attacked on Sept. 11.
Now, if I were the president on Sept. 11, what I would have done is show the American people the proof and then gone after the people who did it. What George Bush did was, he never showed us the proof of what happened and he just told us it was Osama bin Laden. Then they went after Saddam Hussein, who did nothing to us. It's been a giant diversion. If there's going to be a war on terror, and it's going to last years and years and years like they say, then it seems the American people have a right to know what did happen on 9/11. Why is George Bush not telling us?
Plainsman: You talk about how America is supposed to be a republic rather than a democracy, where the majority can't impose their preferences on the minority. What are some examples you see in America today where the majority imposes their beliefs on the minority?
Russo: Look at the polls. People make decisions based on polls. It doesn't matter what the polls say. Fifty-one percent can't tell 49 percent what to do. If 51 percent say "Abortion should be illegal," they make it illegal. They use public opinion polls to determine the policy of the country. Policy is based on polls rather than the fact that you, as an individual, can do whatever you want to do.
It's your life. Let's say you have cancer, and the FDA says you have to have chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. That's nonsense. If I have cancer, I'll do whatever I want. For you to limit my choices, that's tyrannical.
Plainsman: Why are you running? Why do you believe you are the person to --
Russo: Because I don't know anybody else who'll do it. George Bush and John Kerry aren't going to change anything. You'll have the same policies in effect after the election. John Kerry voted for the PATRIOT ACT, he voted against the war, he voted against medical marijuana, the same three things George Bush did. What's going to change?
Whichever one wins, it doesn't matter because nothing's going to change. The only way to change things is to vote a third party in. But they tell you if you vote for a third party, you're wasting your vote, but it's just the opposite. With the two major parties, nothing's going to change, and so it's their fabrication, it's their propaganda so people won't vote for a third party. The two parties want to maintain control.
Plainsman: What is your vision for libertarianism in the future? It seems that most Americans have accepted a role for government in education, in health care, all these things you would take government out of. Do you think that opinion can be changed?
Russo: That's all very recent. I think since government's been involved in education, the education system's completely fallen apart. I remember Bill Clinton, in his State of the Union speech, he talked about "We have to have national testing standards." Congress stood up and applauded, "Yeah! National testing!" What a bunch of fools! If we have national testing standards, that means we have national teaching standards. It goes right along with it. The federal government's going to dictate what you learn in school. That's how they got the brownshirts in Germany.
The last thing you want is a central authority dictating what you learn in school. That's not what it's about. Every community may think different things are important to them. A rural community may think one thing, an urban community may think another. It's up to the parents and the local school people to decide what's best for school.
You should run public schools like a private school, run by the headmaster and the parents. If the federal government was in charge of the school system, they'd never learn the Constitution. They don't want them to learn the Constitution because they don't want them to know what their rights are. See, the Constitution doesn't give you your rights. The Constitution tells the government what their powers are. Once the people know what the Constitution says, then you know what the government's real powers are. They don't know that.
So the whole idea is to educate people to learn the Constitution, learn the Bill of Rights, learn what the Framers meant when they wrote what they wrote and why they wrote it. That's what's important. If you have the federal government teaching you and laying down the rules, it's a very bad situation.
Plainsman: You've had a decades-long career in entertainment, and you've worked with a lot of famous people and flamboyant characters. Do you see any similarities between the world of entertainment and the world of politics?
Russo: Somebody once asked me that question -- it's a good question -- and they said "What's the difference between politics and entertainment?" I said, "In politics, they stab you in the front," and that is the difference. In show business they stab you in the back. That's the big difference between the two. Other than that, it's a stage everybody plays on.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)