I hope to make this a regular occurrence each Friday here at Liberty Maven. If it ends up like some of our other regular occurrences it won’t be regular at all. We’ll try though.
This post will be a hodgepodge of random thoughts I’ve had over the past week (or so) that never made it into an “official” article.
The topic of torture has been in the news and I find it fascinating because there are so many levels of arguments to the debate. No one put it more succinctly than Shepard Smith on a recent episode of Freedom Watch. The main arguments can be highlighted with a series of questions:
I used to think everyone hounding me to “get on Twitter” was torture (wow, poor segue I know). Now that I’ve done so I wouldn’t say that I’m addicted necessarily, but I’ve certainly discovered a new world (in 140 characters or less or course). Most of our articles are automatically “tweeted” right when they are published. So feel free to follow me/us at @LibertyMaven and start using this social media tool to help spread the freedom message.
Speaking of Twitter (damn I’m good at these transitions), Rand Paul is on Twitter sending his followers updates about his potential Senate run. His father Ron is not. In fact it wouldn’t surprise me if someone were to ask Ron Paul if he twitters, he’d answer, “No I exercise daily and am in very good health.”
If you don’t already know it, the headline is an embellished version of a quote from an old school rap song circa 1985 by Rock Master Scott and The Dynamic Three called, “The Roof Is On Fire“. The song is almost as unbearable to listen to as it is to listen to Rock Master Bernanke and The Non-Dynamic Timmy Geithner. The non-embellished version of the headline begins about 4:25 into the song so feel free to use the bathroom during the first portion after clicking on the link above so you don’t have to sit through the entire song.
Meanwhile, I can just hear Ron Paul singing my embellished version of the song as he walks around Capitol Hill grinning from ear to ear thanks to the recent explosion of support for HR1207, his bill to audit the Federal Reserve. The news hit yesterday afternoon that there are now 88 cosponsors of the bill, an increase of 33 in the past 2 days. Perhaps all those “End The Fed” signs at the Tea Parties twisted the arms of some of Paul’s peers.
I finally got a response from my Congressman about HR1207. Congressman Frank Wolf responded by telling me he’d consider the bill when/if it comes up for a floor vote. Well, thanks for putting your neck out there Frank. My question was, “Will you either cosponsor or support HR1207?” I can only assume at this point his answer is no to both. Yet another reason to vote for whomever is opposing him in 2010.
During Freedom Watch yesterday Ron Paul claimed confidence that the bill would come up for a vote at some point this year. Judging by the recent explosion of support for it, I can see why he is a confident man. Perhaps not confident enough to break out into his own rendition of an old school rap song on the House floor, but we all know he’s singing on the inside.
Contact your representative right now and ask him/her to support HR1207 if they haven’t already done so. If they have, then call them up and thank them for supporting it. Ending the Fed has to start somewhere.
This week’s Freedom Watch as another great one. Judge Napolitano interviewed British MEP Daniel “Devalued Prime Minister” Hannan to kick off the show. The rest of the show was pretty much dedicated to the TSA audio that Steve Bierfeldt captured as he was detained trying to fly back from the Campaign For Liberty event in St. Louis, MO 2 weeks ago.
In addition to Bierfeldt, joining the Judge for the discussion were Peter Schiff, Mike Ferguson, Lew Rockwell, Michael German (ACLU), and Michelle Muccio (Acton Institute). Apparently, Ron Paul was unable to participate this week marking the first time in 9 weeks that he’s been absent from the show.
Still it was a great in depth discussion surrounding the TSA and knowing your rights when flying. Watch it all below in the embedded playlist. You can watch all the previous episodes of Freedom Watch at FreedomWatchOnFox.com.
While carrying Ron Paul bumper stickers, Campaign for Liberty staffer Steve Bierfeldt in St. Louis Airport.
by Jake, the Champion of the Constitution
Originally published April 7, 2009 at http://www.nolanchart.com/article6264.html
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – Campaign for Liberty staffer Steve Bierfeldt was detained in the St. Louis Airport last week by Transportation Security Administration officials for carrying $4,700 in cash in campaign contributions. Due to a recent posting by the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) sent to Missouri law enforcement authorities that labeled C4L supporters of Texas Congressman Ron Paul as terrorist threats (see page 7/8), Bierfeldt first attempted to ascertain whether he was legally required to answer their questions regarding the origins of the cash. Unbeknownst to the TSA officials, Bierfeldt was able to tape the conversation on his iPhone per the Washington Times as they threatened to deliver him to the FBI and DEA.
“You want to play smartass, and I’m not going to play your ****ing game,” a TSA official had told Bierfeldt during the playback aired on Judge Napolitano’s Freedom Watch show.
Strangely as Bierfeldt was being forced to move by the TSA officials to go to the DEA/FBI offices, an unidentified officer approached him and inquired whether Bierfeldt worked for Ron Paul and whether the cash he had were campaign contributions. After answering “yes” Bierfeldt was released and even managed to make his flight. Bierfeldt pointed out in his talk with Judge Napolitano requiring all citizens to inform government officials of the origins of their money upon request is a violation of civil liberties.
Another great “Freedom Watch” show today. Tom Woods, Ron Paul, John Stossel, Gerald Celente, and Peter Schiff joined Judge Napolitano.
Especially interesting was the segment with the exclusive audio of a Campaign For Liberty manager getting detained and harassed at the St. Louis airport seemingly because he had too much cash on him. You can watch that segment isolated here. It seems these guys didn’t get the word that the MIAC document was retracted. Yet more evidence that we live in the land of the unfree.
Ron Paul comes on during the final segment and discussed the G20 meetings and other topics.
Last night Ron Paul was interviewed on the Jim Bohannon show (from a guest host) out of Pittsburgh, PA. Paul is introduced as a “major libertarian voice in Congress”.
Paul opens by admitting he didn’t watch Obama’s press conference last night and asks the host to let him know if he said something special. The host admits that Obama said nothing “terribly special”.
A large portion of the interview focuses on the financial system. Paul discusses his own beliefs for the future of the U.S. economy and the dollar.
“It’s as close to Socialism as you can get”, he says at one point.
This week’s episode of Freedom Watch with Judge Andrew Napolitano is in the bag. This week Ron Paul, Lew Rockwell, Peter Schiff, Campaign For Liberty President John Tate, Tracy Byrnes (from FBN), and John Stossel joined the Judge for more discussion on liberty.
They discussed Obama’s plan for education, the endless bailouts, and more. John Stossel joined the show during the final minutes via telephone and discussed his upcoming special on 20/20 Friday night at 10pm EST called “Bailouts, Big Spending, and Bull.”
Ron Paul was on for the first 15 minutes or so. John Tate joined during the last half hour. Please spread the playlist below around the net. And be sure to join the Facebook “Fans of Freedom Watch” group if you haven’t already.
Watch what many are calling the liberty power hour below. All 6 parts should play in succession via the playlist here.
To understand why the bailouts and stimulus packages will not work, read it. To understand the real reason the Great Depression ended, read it. To understand economics without being an economist, read it.
This wasn’t intended to be a book review of Woods’ latest book. Look for that soon. Until then watch Tom Woods deliver another excellent speech at the Liberty Forum during CPAC 2009 below. It is in two parts. Yes, the lighting is horrid, but it is the words that count.
Ron Paul was interviewed on CNN’s American Morning by John Roberts this morning. They discussed CPAC, Rush Limbaugh, and Republican Party leadership.
On Limbaugh, a talk show host being a “leader” of the Party:
“I think it is sad.”
John Roberts mentions the CPAC straw poll and questions Ron Paul about running in 2012. Paul sidesteps a bit with his answer and used it as an opportunity to tout the Campaign For Liberty, also saying that there will be a role of some sort. Roberts after hearing this answer asks Paul point blank, “Will you run again?”
One of the more interesting phenomenons from the 2008 GOP Primary campaign was the countless local straw polls that Ron Paul either won or finished well in. Many of his supporters pointed to them as evidence of possible victory for the nomination. What it truly represented was the kind of grassroots activist support Ron Paul had. The results of the 2009 CPAC Straw Poll demonstrate the Paul activists are still around and they aren’t going anywhere. As Ron Paul says, “Freedom is popular”.
Ron Paul didn’t win the straw poll. That distinction was left for Mitt Romney who’s ballot stuffing tactics during last year’s Ames Iowa Straw Poll were criticized by many. The final results according to Politico were:
“Romney took 20 percent of the vote, followed by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal with 14 percent, Texas Rep. Ron Paul with 13 percent, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin with 13 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 10 percent and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee with 7 percent. “
Liberty Maven
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” is a must-read book for anyone interested in the state of America today. Sure the material is geared toward economics, but these days economics is king.
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