Volume 13, Number 6 | March 28, 2008
The Liberator Online
Contents
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
PERSUASION POWER POINT
#246
ASK DR. RUWART
PRODUCT REVIEW
Dear friends, Our recent "Advocates blimp" email has... crashed and burned. Please read this short President's Corner column and let me explain. This week we sent out an email asking for donations from Liberator Online readers. You may have seen it. In a spirit of fun (and as an early April
Fools joke), we made up a story about an "Advocates Blimp."
For whatever reason, this email request was a DISASTER. Our worst response EVER. 70,000-plus people were sent the email. But the response was dismal. Did our attempt at humor cause people to overlook the very serious nature of our request? Did people actually think we were trying to raise money for a real blimp? Did our email typo (the blimp should have been 3200 ft. long, not 320) cause people to stop reading? I'm not sure. But it was a fundraising disaster, at a time when we really do need your support. So I'm writing this now to ask you to please consider making a donation to the Advocates. (We have some great "thank-you" gifts reserved for your donation; more on that in a moment.) As you know, the Advocates does crucial, highly-praised work for liberty. I gave more details on what the Advocates does, and why it is worthy of your support, at the "blimp" letter. Rather than repeating it here, you can
read about it in that letter: Like other non-profit organizations, we depend upon the generosity of supporters like you to make that work possible. Right now, it's a campaign season, the economy is troubled, and for these and other reasons, donations to the Advocates are significantly down. In short: * * * We really need your support right now. * * * Could you make a generous one-time donation? Or would you consider becoming a monthly donor to the Advocates, and pledge just $10 per month or more -- barely the cost of a pizza -- to the Advocates? Donations of any size are especially welcome right now. We have some great gifts for you, for
helping us at this crucial time. And, as always, if you already have the thank-you gifts we're offering, please look over our catalog, pick an item of approximate value, and we'll do our best to get it for you. Make your credit card donation now,
securely at: Or use PayPal: Or call toll-free 1-800-932-1776. The Advocates is reaching millions of people around the world with the ideas of freedom. Please become one of the wonderful people who are helping make this world-changing work possible. Thank you! * * * April 15 -- tax day -- is almost upon us. Want some relief? How about some laughter and good music? My friend Carla Howell is a highly-regarded libertarian activist. Right now she's spearheading the historic drive to END the Massachusetts state income tax. She's also a very talented singer-songwriter. And her song "How Could I Live Without Filing Taxes?" might just be the relief you and your friends and co-workers need. It's been played on hundreds of radio
stations. I think it's great! Hear it free here: This year, there's a great video for the song, too -- be sure to check it out at that same link. If you like the song, why not send this link to a few radio stations in your area, or some sympathetic pod casters, and ask them to play it? Many stations love timely material, and this could hardly be more timely. * * * Welcome to 69 new Liberator Online subscribers this issue. Thanks for joining our subscription "family" of over 70,000 liberty-loving readers in more than 100 countries! To learn more about the Advocates and our work for
liberty: To learn more about libertarianism: -- Sharon Harris, President | Email: sharon@TheAdvocates.org PS: Don't forget: th * Libertarianism in One Lesson by David Bergland: the best short introduction to libertarianism available! * U.S. Foreign Policy and the War in Iraq: A no-holds-barred debate on this DVD. Ron Paul and Doug Casey face opponents in what Mark Skousen called "the best debate I've ever seen!" Scintillating viewing! * A Foreign Policy of Freedom: Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship by Ron Paul. Marvelous book by one of the greatest defenders of liberty in American history! Learn more about these items (or request substitutes,
if you prefer) at: Your generous donation is urgently needed now. Thank you for supporting the Advocates!
What's Happening With The Advocates * Heartland Libertarian Conference: Sharon Harris will be the dinner speaker, and joins a great list of speakers at this Kansas City, Missouri event, including former U.S. Congressman Bob Barr; Libertarian Party Executive Director Shane Cory; and 2004 Libertarian Party presidential candidate Michael Badnarik. Also featured: a debate between 2008 Libertarian Presidential candidates. Co-sponsored by the Kansas Libertarian Party, the Missouri Libertarian Party, and the Cass County Libertarian Party. April 4-5, 2008. http://www.lpmo.org/heartland2008/ * Advocates Speakers at LP National Convention: The
2008 Libertarian National Convention will be held in Denver, Colorado
May 22 to May 26, 2008. Advocates President Sharon Harris, and Liberator
Online columnists Michael Cloud and Mary Ruwart, will join a host of
other outstanding speakers. Nearly 1,000 delegates from around the
nation will gather to select their presidential candidate at the
luxurious Adam's Mark Hotel in downtown Denver. For more information,
see: * Freedom Cruise: Announcing the Eleventh Annual
"Freedom Cruise" -- a glorious
12 day cruise through the Mediterranean, focused on Italy and the Greek
islands: Venice; Dubrovnic; Corfu; Argostoli; Santorini; Catania;
Naples; Rome;
Florence; and Barcelona. The event is organized by Ken Bisson of Freedom
Cruises. Great food, an amazing itinerary, and fine company! (This isn't
an
Advocates event, but Ken is on our Board of Directors, and libertarians
who
have been on past cruises rave about them.) For more details, visit: ******
by James W. Harris U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) will introduce a bill in the House this week totally relegalizing the use of small amounts of marijuana. According to NORML, Rep. Frank's bill will eliminate all federal penalties prohibiting the personal use and possession of up to 100 grams (3 1/2 ounces) of marijuana. Adults would no longer face arrest, prison, or even the threat of a civil fine. The bill also eliminates all penalties for the not-for-profit transfers of up to one ounce of pot. If passed by Congress, this legislation would legalize
the possession, use, and non-profit transfer of
Frank announced the bill on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher." "The notion that you lock people up for smoking marijuana is pretty silly," Frank said on the program. Frank joked that he wants to call his bill the "Make Room for the Serious Criminals" bill, referring to the enormous law enforcement resources currently wasted on persecuting harmless pot smokers. Rep. Frank further explained his position in an interview with Associated Press. "Do you really think people should be prosecuted for smoking marijuana?" he asked. "I don't think most people agree with that. It's one area where the public is ahead of elected officials. It does not appear to me to be a law that society is serious about. "I don't think smoking marijuana should be a federal case," Frank told Associated Press. Instead, he argued that the decision whether or not to criminalize marijuana should be left to the states. For comparison, he noted "there's no federal law against mugging." Frank is especially opposed to the vile practice of federal agents arresting or threatening sick persons using marijuana medically, in the dozen states that have legalized such medical treatment. Frank's bill would halt that. Franks' bill is a federal counterpart to laws in about a dozen states that make possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use minor offenses, dealt with by small fines -- much like a traffic ticket -- and no criminal record. Decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana would make a massive difference in America. Each year almost a million Americans are arrested for possession of marijuana. Their lives are disrupted or destroyed, and they are haunted by criminal records created by their arrest. Further, much of the federal War on Drugs is actually a War on Marijuana. For example, over 40% of drug arrests in America are for marijuana. So Frank's bill, if passed -- admittedly unlikely at this point -- could arguably yank out the underpinnings of the entire wretched War on Drugs. (Sources: NORML: Former U.S. Senator Mike Gravel Joins Libertarian Party Former Democratic U.S. Senator -- and 2008 Democratic Party presidential candidate -- Mike Gravel of Alaska has joined the Libertarian Party. "I'm joining the
"My libertarian views, as well as my strong stance against war, the military industrial complex and American imperialism, seem not to be tolerated by Democratic Party elites who are out of touch with the average American." Gravel served in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1981. Gravel earned national fame as a leader in the effort to end the draft and the Vietnam War, and for putting the Pentagon Papers into the public record in 1971, at considerable personal risk. Gravel was a Democratic presidential candidate this year, though he was quickly forced out of national debates by the Democratic Party leadership. Gravel was welcomed into the Libertarian Party by another former member of Congress who recently switched to the LP -- former Republican Congressman Bob Barr, who joined the LP in 2006. "It is a distinct honor to have another former member of Congress within the Libertarian Party," says Barr. "Just as Senator Gravel believes Democrats have lost touch with the American public, I too concluded Republicans had lost their core principles, and could no longer associate myself with the GOP. While coming from opposite sides of the aisle, Senator Gravel and I definitely agree on the fundamental need for systemic change in our political system, and that the only way we have of effecting that change is by supporting and working in the Libertarian Party, which is the only political party in America that consistently works in word and deed to maximize individual liberty and minimize government power." The symbolism of Barr and Gravel -- former conservative and liberal stalwarts -- finding common ground and joining together to fight for liberty in an explicitly libertarian political party, is unquestionably powerful. Gravel was among the first Democrats to speak out against the war in Iraq. During his 2007-2008 presidential race he took some controversial, and boldly libertarian, positions. Most notably, he called for an end to the Drug War, an end to the Iraq War, and a rejection of many of the surveillance-state anti-liberty programs that leaders in both parties supported. His home state Alaska has for many years been one of the states most responsive to libertarian ideas. Gravel has indicated he intends to seek the Libertarian Party presidential nomination. If so, he will face over a dozen announced and not-yet-announced candidates. It is doubtful that Gravel is completely in synch with the LP's entire platform; how the LP deals with this remains to be seen. (Please note, the Advocates is not affiliated with the Libertarian Party, or any political party; we are a non-partisan libertarian educational organization.) But one thing is certain: Gravel's move is yet another important symbol of the growing acceptance of libertarian ideas within mainstream America. (Ron Paul's shockingly strong campaign is another.) Furthermore, it reflects a large and growing rejection of the statist politics-as-usual views of the Democratic and Republican Establishment. And that is good news indeed for liberty! (Sources: Libertarian Party: * * * America's Five Dumbest Product Bans A huge number of idiotic and tyrannical government regulations limit consumer choice by dictating product design or restricting or even prohibiting product sales. The worst of these bans not only don't protect the public -- they unfairly benefit special interests and actually cause harm or even death to consumers. The free-market Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) recently came up with a list of "The Five Dumbest Product Bans." While one might quibble about their choices, it's hard to argue that these are indeed... dumb. So -- drum roll, please! -- here are CEI's choices for "The Five Dumbest Federal or State Product Bans": * Banning Sangria (Virginia): Virginia bans most preparations of this popular fortified wine drink (typically red wine with brandy and fruit) -- even though the state not only allows drinking of substances with the same alcoholic composition as Sangria, it actually *operates stores* that sell all of the alcoholic ingredients needed to make Sangria. * Banning Playing Online Poker in a Legal Casino (U.
S.):
* Banning The Cardio-Pump (U. S.): No one has ever
argued that anybody could do harm using this A * Banning Wildflower Bouquets (Louisiana): Believe it or not, Louisiana's florist licensing statute makes it a crime for anybody to commercially arrange two or more types of flowers without passing a (largely subjective) state licensing exam. In theory, says CEI, a child could face a fine for picking a bouquet of flowers and selling it at a roadside stand. * Banning F CEI has produced a paper extensively detailing why they picked these particular bans, and it is well worth reading. It's available at the URL below. (Source: CEI's "Five Dumbest Product Bans": * * * Government Schools: A Nicer Word Than "Failure" When is a failing government school not a failing government school? When it's in Massachusetts, apparently. In 1993, reeling from what the Boston Globe described as "extraordinary failure rates" in some schools, the Massachusetts Board of Education voted to label troubled schools as "underperforming," in order to draw attention to the problem and, presumably, seek improvements. The worst schools were labeled "chronically underperforming." Today the state still faces the plague of failing schools. In fact, there are fully 114 "underperforming" schools. But, although they can't seem to fix the problem, some officials now want to change... yes, you guessed it, the labels. Instead of "underperforming," the Board of Education is considering the more upbeat -- and vague -- "Commonwealth priority." The very worst schools would be relabeled "priority one." The idea is to make teachers and kids trapped in these awful institutions feel better about themselves. Joseph Burke, Springfield schools superintendent, said he prefers "priority one," because "it sounds nicer." But not all educators are happy about the sugarcoating. "This is all word games," says John Silber, former chairman of the Board of Education and former Boston University president. "Changing the name doesn't change the reality. I think Shakespeare had a good line: 'A rose by another name would smell as sweet.' A skunk by any other name would stink." And some of these skunk schools do indeed stink. A few months ago, the state board met with officials of the wretched Randolph school district, where schools are so bad the board was considering branding the entire district "underperforming." Larry Azer, chairman of the Randolph School Committee, agreed "the school system is literally going to collapse upon itself." But he still urged the board not to label the schools "underperforming." "When the town hears 'underperforming,' the average person thinks these students are underperforming," Azer said. However, it's hard to think of a better label for a school district like Randolph, where more than half of third-graders are not proficient in math and reading, and over 40 percent of 10th-graders can't do grade level work in English and math. (Source: "Seeking a kinder word for failure," Boston
Globe: * * * * * QUICK SHOTS... * A SECOND FEDERAL INCOME TAX: "The Small Business
Administration calculates that the total cost in 2005 of complying with
145,000 pages of federal rules and procedures was $1.1 trillion. This is
the rough economic equivalent of imposing a second federal income tax on
the economy." -- Wall Street Journal, "Red Tape Rising," March 21, 2008: * HOMESCHOOLING SAVES TAXPAYERS BILLIONS: "Families of
diverse political and religious perspectives are home educating more
than 2 million children across the nation. These children equate to $16
billion in tax dollar contributions that are not spent on them.
Meanwhile, public schools are spending more tax dollars while the
learning environment declines." -- Reno News Review, Feb. 28: * NEW $5 BILL: "Hey, anybody see the new $5 bill that
just came out? The Treasury
* * * * * * * *
The Assault of Laughter by Michael Cloud Have you read about the ballot initiative to END the Massachusetts income tax, led by Carla Howell and me? Governor Deval Patrick has -- and he's against it. How did he criticize ending the income tax? "Governor Patrick said he has lived in places with no
taxes, including the time he spent in Darfur 3 I responded: "Is Governor Patrick saying that ending the income tax will turn Massachusetts into another Darfur? Or is he saying that we can end genocide and poverty in Darfur by forcing their people to pay an income tax?" In politics and economics, there are hundreds of different ways of responding to ideas and proposals you disagree with. Humor is one powerful way. It dissolves tension. It changes the tone of the conversation. It's fun. And many people love to share a good joke. Mark Twain wrote, "Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand." H.L. Mencken wrote, "One horse laugh is worth 10,000 syllogisms." Both proved it in their writing. So did Ambrose Bierce in The Devil's Dictionary. So does P.J. O'Rourke today. Free-market pamphleteer Frederic Bastiat sometimes used humor to skewer an idea. Read "The Candlemakers' Petition" and "The Negative Railroad" essays. Consider a famous example from politics. In the 1984 Presidential campaign, a growing number of
people believed that During a televised debate with 56-year-old Walter Mondale, 73-year-old Ronald Reagan put the issue to rest with a quip: "I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent's youth and inexperience." Even Mondale laughed. Want to use humor against Big Government ideas? 1. Recognizing a good political joke is easier than making one up. When you hear or read a good joke or humorous remark about Big Government, write it down. Email it to a few friends. Tell it to people in the office. Share it with friends. If it's good, some of them will pass it on. If it's great, it could go viral. 2. Read a collection of political wit and humor -- and substitute your target for theirs. Great Political Wit by Robert Dole is a good place to start. 3. If you want to learn how to build a joke or write comedy, read New Comedy Writing Step-by-Step by Gene Perret. You'll learn and laugh. I studied with Mr. Perret in the 1980's. He's a master comedy writer. Or Comedy Writing Secrets by Mel Helitzer and Mark Shatz. It's very good. In a world of self-important, know-it-all politicians and pundits, we need more humor. At their expense. In a world where every issue is crucial, where every election is the most important ever, where our failure to elect this golden candidate could destroy Western civilization, we need laughter. In a world of bloated big government balloons, you can be a pin. * * * * * * * * In 2000, Michael was honored with the Thomas Paine Award as the Most
Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America.
HARD EVIDENCE FOR LIBERTY
Dr. Mary Ruwart is a leading expert in libertarian communication. In this column she offers short answers to real questions about libertarianism. To submit questions to Dr. Ruwart, see end of column. * * * MY SHORT ANSWER: The mentally disabled would be cared
for by private charities. Today, the mentally disabled are often left out in the cold -- literally. Since recipients must have a physical address to receive a welfare check, most of today's homeless, about half of whom are mentally disabled, are ineligible for government aid. Instead, those of sounder mind and body are given the money. People who are taxed to support this "welfare" are less able to help the private charities give aid to those in greater need. [LEARN MORE about private charity: QUESTION: Where do libertarians stand on mandatory immunizations for infants and children? MY SHORT ANSWER: Libertarians wouldn't force an immunization on anyone. Like all medical treatments and drugs, immunizations carry health risks, as well as benefits. Each individual must decide for themselves, hopefully with the advice of a trusted health care provider, whether a particular immunization is in his or her best interests. Most parents voluntarily choose to get their children immunized to lower their risk of certain diseases. Consequently, the few children who aren't immunized probably won't be exposed to them, or spread them either. Today's government forces immunizations on many school age children, without assuming any responsibility for those who have an adverse reaction. Some children are also pressured to take Ritalin and other highly potent drugs to make them more manageable. How long will it be before their parents are forced to take them, too? [LEARN MORE: "Ron Paul: No To Mandatory Immunization" * * * * * * * * Due to volume, Dr. Ruwart can't personally acknowledge all emails. But we'll run the best questions and answers in upcoming issues. Dr. Ruwart's previous Liberator Online answers are archived in searchable form at: http://www.TheAdvocates.org/ruwart/categories_list.php Dr. Ruwart's outstanding books "Healing Our World" and "Short Answers
to the Tough Questions" are available from the Advocates:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv
"Legal" Vs. "Moral" by Sharon Harris, Advocates President Defending liberty sometimes means defending the rights of people to do things you, and many other people, may personally consider immoral, reprehensible, stupid, and self-destructive. The great 19th century libertarian Lysander Spooner put the libertarian view succinctly: "Vices are not crimes." Libertarians defend the rights of people to engage in activities such as prostitution, pornography, and drugs. Libertarians defend the free-speech rights of bigots to spread their hatred in their publications. All of this is vital, and even heroic. Many important battles for liberty are fought on these issues. But in doing this, it's important to remind many audiences of one key point: just because libertarians believe an activity should be *legal* does not mean we necessarily think it is *moral* or wise.
For some audiences it is crucial that you make this
distinction very clear. You should also be careful not to leave yourself
open to the charge that you *support* a controversial activity you
believe should be legal, if in fact, you do not.
Sometimes, in our passion to defend the rights of individuals engaged in such activities, we may fall into the trap of sounding too much like we are *advocating* those activities. We may unintentionally sound like "libertines" instead of "libertarians." This can turn some audiences away from our ideas. The ringing defense of free speech often attributed to Voltaire -- "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" -- is a good guideline for libertarians. We are on the side of freedom, even for activities we may personally disagree with. Christian libertarians can agree with non-Christians that prostitution should be legal. Opponents of drug use can support drug relegalization. Anti-racists can defend the free-speech rights of the Ku Klux Klan. Saying something should be legal is not the same as saying it is moral or wise. By making this clear, you can build rapport with your audiences -- and win them to your side. See more One-Minute Liberty Tips!
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We
even posted an obviously fake picture of this "blimp," before we went
into the very serious details as to why we need donations right now.
ese great "thank-you" gifts are
yours for your generous donation to the Advocates: 
marijuana by adults for
the first time since 1937. 
Libertarian Party because it is a
party that combines a commitment to freedom and peace that can't be
found in the two major parties that control the government and politics
of America," declared Gravel. 
Although 48 states have legal gambling in some form (and several
even run casinos), the federal government has made it illegal to place
bets online -- even in jurisdictions that allow almost all other types
of gambling. 
merican-designed device,
which is intended to help resuscitate heart attack victims -- and there
is considerable argument that it may save lives. Although it is widely
used in other countries, the Food and Drug Administration bans its use
in the United States. 
eathers
in Provocative Packaging (Texas,
Louisiana, and Georgia): Ridiculously broad laws banning sexual toys in
these states could serve to ban the sale of simple feathers if packaged
with suggestions that they might be used for sexual purposes. So much
for "tickling your fancy." 
has taken steps to discourage
counterfeiters, such as making it worth less than a dollar." -- Jay
Leno, The Tonight Show. March 20, 2008. 
0 years ago," Steve
LeBlanc of the Associated Press reported. "He says there were also no
bridges, no good roads, and no public safety there." 
Libertarianism is a political philosophy. It argues
that drug use and prostitution and so forth should be legal; it does not
tell us whether these activities are wise or moral. 
Speaking AGAINST the war and for a non-interventionist foreign
policy: two good friends of the Advocates, libertarians Ron
Paul and best-selling author Doug Casey.
everyone is asking. They get
to the heart, the nitty-gritty essentials about the war and
foreign policy in general. 