Liberty Maven

A professor teaching a computer security class I had in college stood up in front of the class one day and said, “Today we are going to discuss the salami attack or salami slicing. Does anyone know what a salami attack is?” I laughed at the juvenile thoughts that entered my mind. In my college-aged stupor little did I know it was the perfect term for what the United States has been experiencing since the early 20th century.

From Wikipedia:

Salami slicing is a series of many minor actions, often performed by clandestine means, that together results in a larger action that would be difficult or illegal to perform at once.

Today Obama is taking it to new levels. He’s acting like the proverbial kid in a candy store or perhaps saying he’s like a fat man at a deli counter is more appropriate. Our government has been salami slicing it’s way toward a socialist and fascist hybrid I call socio-fascism for the last 100 years or so. Certain administrations were worse than others, but it’s not too hard to believe that the Obama Presidency will go down in history as the one that signaled the final slice in the socio-fascist incrementalism pie.

For America to turn the corner and get “better” things are going to have to get a lot worse. People are still dreaming of government-sponsored comfort and Obama is doing his best to deliver. Government words and statistics are attempting to mask the hard economic pain reverberating through America. We need to see beyond this feel-good facade and find the truth.

We are a spoiled-rotten coddled nation of eternal victims with a codependency on government. Government is an abusive spouse who promises unicorns but only ever delivers blunt trauma to the head.

Perhaps the turn-around will come when the “green shoots” become nothing more than “green shits”, when everyone realizes the government is the source of the problem rather than the solution.

It’s time to refuse the government’s salami.

“The two parties should be almost identical so that the American people can “throw the rascals out” at any election without leading to any profound or extensive shifts in policy.” – Carroll Quigley, from Tragedy and Hope

Originally published August 24, 2009 at http://towneforcongress.com/economy/the-other-party

As I travel around and meet people as part of my run for U.S. Congress next year, one of the first questions I am most frequently asked is: “Are you a Democrat or a Republican?” Of course, I politely answer I am running as a private citizen, and explain why I am dissatisfied with both parties. Pretty much everyone I talk to understands my reasoning, even if they think running without a party is fruitless. All too often, I hear in reply defensive answers such as “Well, I am a registered ____ just because I want to vote in the primaries.”

Some people don’t stop there though. Multiple times I have been asked why I don’t spin off and start my own party. The first time I was asked this I was caught aback, as I had never even considered it. It is, of course, dreadfully apparent that the Republicrats ruthlessly control politics in the United States. Third parties, whom I wish all the luck in the world, have not been able to break their chokehold.

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On July 31, 1809, General John Stark made a toast to his troops in which he wrote the words “Live Free or Die, Death is Not the Greatest of Evils”.

Since 1945, the great state of New Hampshire has used the first part of the Revolutionary War hero’s stirring words as its state motto, which appears on the state quarter and on the state’s license plates.  But now that the state has celebrated the 200th anniversary of the phrase, state leaders are talking about getting rid of it.

Huh?

Indeed, the Governor’s Task Force for the Recruitment and Retention of a Young Workforce for the State of New Hampshire reports that the state motto “doesn’t connect with [the] demographic” and that “the Live Free Or Die motto is prohibitive to what young people are looking for in their home community“.  It complains that the motto portrays an “unfriendly message“, makes the state out to be a cold and harsh place, and sends “an unfriendly message that every individual has to succeed on their own, rather than count on a support system for assistance“.

Golly, how horrible it would be if people were expected to stand on their own two feet!  How heartless!

Those interested in preserving the state’s motto might be interested in checking out the Live Free or Die Alliance which will attempt to encourage “civil engagement” and explore the meaning behind the motto and the state’s libertarian tradition.

This week I’m wondering, once again, why believing in and following the Constitution is considered by many to be radical extremist behavior? America’s founding document should be more than some piece of old paper that tourists come to gawk at while visiting our nation’s capital. It’s like America has become an atheist nation and the Constitution is the Bible.

The power culture in DC ignores the Constitution because it is in their best interest to do so. Perhaps our founders were stupid for expecting a unit of law-making force and power (the government) to remain restrained by a document (the Constitution) that those (the citizenry) who are bound by the laws are supposed to enforce. No, it’s not perfect, but it has worked, more or less, for over 200+ years. The big question of the current generation seems to be how do we keep it from slipping away completely? Will America be America in 10 years? The writing on the wall says ‘no’, but it is our duty to do everything in our power to change that writing to say ‘yes’.

Michael Maresco has done more than most in this effort. Last week he completed his most recent journey across America via bicycle in an effort to raise awareness about America’s road from freedom to fascism. To me and many others he is the ultimate liberty hero. People like Michael give me hope. Please check out the site dedicated to his ride. Read through his travel log, look at the pictures, and be inspired by what you witness. He shows us all what is still great about America through the people he met and the places he’s seen. See LibertyRider.com.

Now a quick note on the name of this web site. I want to make it clear that I never intended to be dubbed THE Liberty Maven. I’ve been called that and I get uncomfortable every time it happens. The truth is that the domain name was available when we (Mike Miller and I) were trying to come up with a name for the site and it sounded good, so we got it. The intent of the name is to let everyone know that it is they who need to become liberty mavens. Having a country of liberty mavens is the goal. That goal may not be attainable, kind of like the “pursuit of happiness”, but always reaching for it is the important thing. I also want to thank you for continuing to read Liberty Maven. We don’t thank our readers enough. It is because of you that the site still exists and remains a passion for me and our other contributors. Thank you.

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For far too long those with a liberal/progressive agenda have successfully turned the debate around so that more and more things have become every citizen’s “right” and they are therefore correct to feel entitled to them (and demand them from their government).  The subject of health care insurance is a huge one.  Ron Paul correctly points out in his weekly Texas Straight Talk column that there’s a big difference between rights and “goods” (despite the level of need):

Political philosopher Richard Weaver famously and correctly stated that ideas have consequences. Take for example ideas about rights versus goods. Natural law states that people have rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A good is something you work for and earn. It might be a need, like food, but more “goods” seem to be becoming “rights” in our culture, and this has troubling consequences. It might seem harmless enough to decide that people have a right to things like education, employment, housing or healthcare. But if we look a little further into the consequences, we can see that the workings of the community and economy are thrown wildly off balance when people accept those ideas.

First of all, other people must pay for things like healthcare. Those people have bills to pay and families to support, just as you do. If there is a “right” to healthcare, you must force the providers of those goods, or others, to serve you.

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Obama has more or less dictated to America that there will be health care reform whether we like it or not. Well, those of us paying attention don’t like it one bit. Most of us agree that something must be done to make health care more affordable and thereby make it available to the huddled masses, the un-huddled rich 1%, and the semi-huddled in between. There could not be further disagreement about how we accomplish it.

Most on the Left argue from emotion:

“It doesn’t matter if it’s not Constitutional, people who are sick need help.”

Those on the Right attempt logic:

“Passing health care reform as the Democrats wish will only bankrupt America more than it already is.”

The Bill of Rights numerates our natural rights as human beings. It does not grant us rights. The last time I read the Bill of Rights I did not see any mention of health care as a natural right. In fact, access to health care is no more a right than access to food. That may be cold, but it is the truth.

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This week I’m thinking about the 2nd Amendment and gun control. By now everyone has heard about the Heller Supreme Court victory last year that struck down DC’s gun ban. There is another “gun fight” brewing. The Heller case dealt with applying the 2nd Amendment to the federal government. The new case explores whether the 2nd Amendment applies to the states. Perhaps most compelling about this new case is that it is an effort to strike down Chicago’s gun ban and we have a President who would love nothing more than to extend that ban to all the states.

Make no mistake that is what Barack Obama wants to do. Whether he actually can accomplish it is another story. For more details on the new case and its history see this excellent article from Reason. Let’s all hope that the Supreme Court takes the case and does the right thing.

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Ron Paul has inspired many people to exit their comfort zones in the name of liberty. Shy people have fought off that shyness to talk to people and spread the word. People have walked miles for the freedom message. People have emitted an obscene amount of carbon dioxide for the cause. People have spent countless hours on signs to wave, videos to upload, and many other activist projects.

But I’m not sure any person has sacrificed more time, safety, and calories than the “Liberty Rider“, Michael Maresco.

He is now making his way across the United States on his bicycle towing a basketful of freedom literature behind him. His last update found him in New Mexico. He started his quest in New York City at (where else?) the Statue of Liberty. He will end his journey at Alcatraz in San Francisco, California. His ride signifies the road America is on: From Freedom to Fascism.

What makes this effort more significant is that it is the second time he’s done it. He rode in the other direction during Ron Paul’s Presidential campaign. He completed his trek last time around Christmas time in Washington DC in 2007.

I spent the better part of Saturday evening getting caught up on Michael’s travel blog. His fund raising goal for his trip has been met and exceeded. He’s even received donations from Iraq.

His travel blog reads almost like a how-to book on freedom activism. He’s received coverage in local newspapers. He is spreading liberty, one individual at a time.

Read the Liberty Rider blog. You will be inspired.

Why not donate a few bucks (or more) to buy a beer or 10 for him when he completes his journey? He deserves that and much much more.

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read in three spots in Pennsylvania following the Fourth of July. One spot was Easton’s historic Center Square. 233 years later, a small band of 300 patriots showed up once more. Here is the speech (and video!) I gave July 3rd, 2009 at the Lehigh Valley Tea Party at the fountain in Easton’s Center Square, Pennsylvania.

by Jake Towne, the Champion of the Constitution

Originally published Saturday, July 4, 2009 at http://www.nolanchart.com/article6597.html

NOTE: A longer version of this speech delivered at another rally is also below.  This speech was edited to fit in the time allotted, but covered all of the main points in the full version.  I am glad to report the speech was received quite favorably by the crowd as you can see in this YouTube video. I am likewise extremely honored to have been selected by this organization to speak on such an historic place at such an important time in our nation’s history.

If I was granted a thousand wishes on our country’s birthday, I would spend them all on restoring the Republic.  As that simply won’t happen, I will just continue to work as hard as I can.  If you care to help, please let me know.

(Portrait by Jean-Baptiste Greuze)

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On July 15^th, 1776, 72 patriots led by Benjamin Franklin issued Pennsylvania’s Constitution. One sentence read: QUOTE That ALL POWER is originally inherent in, and consequently derived from, the PEOPLE; therefore all officers of government are their trustees and SERVANTS, and at ALL TIMES ACCOUNTABLE to them.

Our founders clearly realized that all power stems from the PEOPLE, from US, and all officers of government are NOT masters, but SERVANTS.

Most importantly, the Constitution was written under the principle of “positive grant.” What “positive grant” means is that the government can ONLY exercise the powers which are specifically granted to it and nothing more. The Constitution is not the AUTHORITY over our lives, it is simply the LAW meant to CONSTRAIN the actions of government.

However, over time the federal government has slowly and steadily taken more and more power from the people, from our local and state governments.

Look at the bailouts of the banks, insurance companies, car companies, and investment firms. There is NOTHING – there is NOTHING – in the Constitution that gives Congress or the Federal Reserve the power to do ANY of this.

So what to do? What can be done against this government? What are the BEST actions that people who believe in the rule of law, who believe in freedom, do?

What I favor is a strong shift back to the America that our founding fathers and mothers had in mind. If we can shift these powers back closer to the People, from the federal governments to the State and local governments, the better off we all will be. The more local each issue becomes, the more voice, the more power each individual has, and the happier we will all be.

The 4th of July for the Patriots of ‘76 was only the start of a long march towards freedom and liberty. It is in their spirits that we, from our families FIRST, from our local communities SECOND, and from the State of Pennsylvania THIRD must rise up and defend freedom from a government that disrespects the Rule of Law and the boundaries of its Constitutional powers!

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I’m a believer in freedom because of Harry Browne. Well, perhaps it was just convenience and timing, but I became a lover of liberty in the mid 90’s as a college student. Harry Browne was the Libertarian Party nominee for President in 1996 and 2000. He was a tall glass of freedom-loving ice water in the hot and dry politics-as-usual desert. He quenched my libertarian soul.

While everyone else is celebrating the “4th of July” I’m celebrating Independence Day. On this Independence Day I’m celebrating by remembering the man that spoke with my voice before I knew what my voice was. Browne wrote an article on July 4th, 2003 (3 years before he died) called, “Uncelebrating the 4th of July“.

The article sums up perfectly how I feel about Independence Day right now. As was so often the case, Harry Browne was years ahead of his time.

I remember around that same year (2003) I was one of those libertarians that supported the Iraq war. I was a libertarian-in-progress or maybe some today would have called me a “Wayne Allyn Root” libertarian. I wrote an email to Harry Browne giving him my opinion about the war and asking him what he thought of my reasoning. He didn’t think much of it.

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