Volume 13, Number 7 | April 16, 2008
The Liberator Online
Contents
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
PERSUASION POWER POINT
#247
ASK DR. RUWART
PRODUCT REVIEW
Dear friends, I am sad to report to you that Marshall
Fritz -- the legendary and beloved founder of the Ad Marshall has been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Doctors give him 6-20 months to live, with a 50:50 chance of living one year. The good news is that Marshall is feeling quite well right now -- and he's in excellent spirits! Marshall wants the opportunity to be with his Advocates friends and other libertarians. So, at his request, we've put together an awesome FREE event: "A Celebration of the Life of Marshall Fritz" will be held at the Atlanta Airport Hilton, Saturday, May 3, 2008, beginning at 7:30 pm. Details here: This event will allow Marshall to spend time with you, and will give you the chance to share time with him. He will deliver his "last lecture," a speech he has entitled, "Good-bye, I Love You, Thanks for Loving Me." Several of his friends will deliver short reminiscences of Marshall - sharing stories "from the profane to the profound."
Knowing Marshall (and his friends!), there will be lots of laughs, insights, and inspiration. You don't have to know Marshall to attend. If you want to meet this great libertarian leader and hear him in person, you're invited! We hope you can join our celebration and
tribute to Marshall Fritz -- the man, There will be a complimentary dessert reception at 7:30 pm, followed by the Celebration. PLEASE NOTE: Again, there is NO CHARGE for the reception and Celebration, but seats are limited, so we must require reservations. So please let us know as soon as possible! DINNER BEFORE RECEPTION: Prior to the
free dessert reception and Celebration, there will be a separate event:
an intimate dinner with Marshall, from 5:45 pm to 7:15 pm, for a limited
number of guests. Marshall wants to donate the proceeds from this
$250-per-plate dinner as a benefit to The Advocates. Let us hear from you as quickly as possible so we can make our plans. Please make your plans today to join Marshall for these very special events. Please FORWARD this message to all your libertarian friends. Thank you! I look forward to seeing you there! -- Sharon Harris, Advocates President * * * OTHER MARSHALL FRITZ EVENTS AND LINKS OF INTEREST: LOS ANGELES MARSHALL TRIBUTE: If you
can't join us in Atlanta (or even if you can!) the Alliance for the
Separation of School and State will also hold a tribute event, June
21st, in Los Angeles. For more information: FRESNO, CALIFORNIA MARSHALL PICNIC: There will also be a picnic and barbecue in Fresno, June 7. For more information about that event, please call 559-499-1776. LEARN MORE ABOUT MARSHALL: MARSHALL'S NEW WEB SITE: Read Marshall's
thoughts about his illness, read his "Bucket List," and more: SEND A MESSAGE TO MARSHALL by posting it
on his Guest Book: MORE INFORMATION: For more information, call the Advocates toll-free at 800-932-1776. BOOKMARK: Please bookmark this page with
all the details: * * * Welcome to 117 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: PS: URGENTLY NEEDED: DONORS! We are in need of your support to help the work of the Advocates continue and expand. Don't forget -- the following great "thank-you" gifts are yours for your generous donation to the Advocates: * 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 pro-war 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 * 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 Libertarian video artist Jan Helfeld, infamous for his in-your-face Borat-style interviews of prominent figures, recently had the following surreal exchange with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:
That's right, dear reader, the U.S. tax
system is voluntary. And no one is f Of course, if you *don't* "volunteer," your property is seized, you face crippling financial penalties, and you may well go to jail. Sorry, Senator Reid. We're not buying it. If that's 'voluntary,' it's also voluntary when you give your wallet to the guy who steps out of an alley, points a gun at you, and snarls, "Your money or your life." (Source: Free Liberal: * * * Congressman Bob Barr, Mary Ruwart, Others Eye Libertarian Race
Now the LP is in the extraordinary
position of having two nationally-prominent former members of Congress
interested in that race. In doing so, Barr faces a race with roughly a dozen other announced or interested contenders -- among them, Liberator Online columnist Mary Ruwart. Barr was in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003, where he served as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, as Vice-Chairman of the Government Reform Committee, and as a member of the Committee on Financial Services. Since leaving Congress, Barr has gained a reputation as one of the nation's leading advocates of citizens' right to privacy and other Bill of Rights liberties. He has also worked hard to awaken conservatives and liberals to the increasing threats to U.S. civil liberties, by speaking and writing in numerous forums. Barr serves as a board member for the National Rifle Association, and has worked with the American Conservative Union, the America Civil Liberties Union, the Marijuana Policy Project, and other civil liberties groups, cutting across party and ideological lines. Barr joined the Libertarian Party two years ago, and has served on the LP's National Committee. Barr's Web site says, "Bob Barr chose to join the Libertarian Party because at this time in our nation's history, it is essential to join and work with a party that is 100 percent committed to protecting liberty." Barr's Web site gives some of his key issues. Chief among them: a non-interventionist foreign policy; slashing "out of control" government spending; "maximizing individual liberty and restoring the Constitution;" and securing the borders from security threats and illegal immigration. A survey commissioned by the Bob Barr Exploratory Committee found that seven percent of likely U.S. voters already say they would vote for Barr. * Please note: In writing about Barr and Gravel we do not mean to slight other worthy and qualified persons seeking the LP presidential nomination. Our interest in these campaigns is that they show the increasing attraction of libertarian ideas to nationally prominent figures, opinion shapers, and officeholders like Gravel and Barr. Also please note, the Advocates is not connected with the LP, and does not endorse candidates. The LP has roughly a dozen presidential
candidates. You can learn more about them at these sites: Liberator Online readers will be familiar
with one recently-announced LP presidential candidate:
Mary Ruwart is renowned for her ability to effectively present libertarian ideas to persons of all backgrounds, and her supporters are touting that as one of her key strengths. Author of the internationally-acclaimed book Healing Our World, and an in-demand speaker, Ruwart has been active with the Libertarian Party for almost thirty years. (Sources: Bob Barr:
http://www.bobbarr2008.com/ * * * Gallup Poll: Americans Fed Up With President and Congress A recent Gallup poll finds President Bush's job approval rating has skidded to 28%. That's the lowest of his administration -- and an extraordinary 62-point plunge from his highest-ever rating in 2001. For comparison, Bush's 28% is just 4 points above Richard Nixon's lowest rating. And it's just 6 points above the all-time lowest presidential approval rating in Gallup history -- Harry Truman's 22% in 1952. As for Congress, it's even worse: only 20% approve of the job Congress is doing, one of the lowest in recent memory. (Congress skidded to an 18% job approval rating last year.) (Source: USA TODAY: * * * Progress in the War on Sharpies E His offense? He used a black Sharpie marker to color a small area on his sweatshirt. When a teacher saw him smelling the marker and the spot on his clothes, the teacher sent the eight-year-old to principal Chris Benisch, who promptly suspended him for... substance abuse. "This is really, really, seriously dangerous," Benisch announced, warning that smelling the marker fumes could cause the boy to "become intoxicated." Just one small problem: that's really, really, seriously... not true. According to toxicologist Dr. Eric Lavonas, of the Rocky Mountain Poison Control Center, non-toxic markers like Sharpies, while pungent-smelling, don't get you high. "I don't know whether it would be possible for a real overachiever to figure out a way to get high off them," Lavonas said. "But in regular use, it's just not something that's going to happen. If you went to Costco and bought 50 bags of Sharpies and did something to them, maybe there's a way to get creative and make it happen." But in the zero-tolerance War on Sharpies, like the larger War on Drugs, truth doesn't get in the way of action. Indeed, according to local TV station KUSA, the incident has led Principal Benisch to take the War on Sharpies to a new, um, high. "We've purged every permanent marker there is in this building," he proudly told KUSA. We can only hope Principal Benisch purges the school of pencils, too. After all, we don't want kids exposed to the danger of lead poisoning, do we? (Source: "8-year-old suspended for
sniffing marker," KUSA: * * * Government Schools: Awful Performance Doesn't Come Cheap
Yet, according to the Cato Institute's Andrew J. Coulson, bad schooling in dangerous and dilapidated buildings doesn't come cheap. The average cost of educating a child in Washington D.C.'s school system is "close to $25,000 per child -- on par with tuition at Sidwell Friends, the private school Chelsea Clinton attended in the 1990s," Coulson says. For comparison, notes Coulson: "total per-pupil spending at D.C. area private schools -- among the most upscale in the nation -- averages about $10,000 less. For most private schools, the difference is even greater." (Sources: Washington Post: The Real Cost
Of Public Schools: * * * * * QUICK SHOTS... * BUSH LEAGUES: "President Bush threw out the first ball the other night at the Washington Nationals' home opener. Boy, wasn't it nice to see Bush throwing out something other than the Constitution?" -- Jay Leno, The Tonight Show, April 1, 2008. * EXPLOSIVE SUCCESS IN IRAQ: "Vice President Dick Cheney, you know where he is right now? He's in Baghdad. He visited there. While he was in Iraq, he said that it's a successful endeavor. At least I think that's what he said. It was hard to hear over the explosions." --David Letterman, The Late Show. March 18, 2008. * HOMESCHOOLERS EXCEL: "For some parents, the motive for home schooling is religious; others want to protect their kids from gangs and drugs. But the most-cited reason is to ensure a good education. Home-schooled students are routinely high performers on standardized academic tests, beating their public school peers on average by as much as 30 percentile points, regardless of subject. They perform well on tests like the SAT -- and colleges actively recruit them both for their high scores and the diversity they bring to campus." -- Wall Street Journal editorial, March 22, 2008. * * * * * * * *
The Better Mousetrap Myth by Michael Cloud "If a man can write a better book, preach
a better sermon, or make a better mousetrap than his
-- attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson Many people believe that better products and better ideas will naturally triumph. Others act as if they believe that the marketplace will reward those who provide the best goods and services. History is filled with those who built better mousetraps -- and saw weeds grow through untaken paths to their doors. Many died unknown, only to be discovered a lifetime later. Ohm (the electrical researcher) was ignored because he was "only a Jesuit math teacher." The pioneer geneticist Mendel went unnoticed because he was a rural priest. Semmelweis, the father of medical sterilization, was spurned. So were his impressive empirical results. A history of science chronicles hundreds of neglected paths to better mousetraps. The arts fared no better. Van Gogh sold 2 paintings during his lifetime. Kafka was unknown. Shakespeare was considered a hack who wrote for the rabble. Inventions? The Xerox process was invented during the 1930's. It took 25 years to get it to market. Edwin Land invented "instant developing" and tried to sell the process to Kodak. They said there was no market for it. Polaroid was his answer. A man in Ohio invented the vacuum cleaner. He went broke. He finally asked a man named Hoover to produce and sell it. Hoover nearly went belly-up trying to convince stores to sell vacuum cleaners. Why? Stores claimed that there was no market for vacuum cleaners. Brooms were cheap and reliable. In desperation, Hoover set up a door-to-door sales force. He created a market for vacuum cleaners. In science and art and inventions, creative individuals built better mousetraps. But the world failed to beat a path to their doors. Why? "Nothing happens until someone sells something," said Red Motley. "Production minus sales equals scrap," added a sales trainer. Goods and products must be advertised. Must be marketed. Must be sold. So, too, with ideas and ideals. Individual liberty, personal responsibility, and small government must be advertised and marketed and sold. We cannot simply create and refine our libertarian philosophy -- and wait for the world to beat a path to our door. What is the most powerful advertising? Word-of-mouth. Are you word-of-mouth advertising our better Libertarian Mousetrap? Are your conversations selling other people on the direct, huge, immediate benefits of our Libertarian proposals? Are you word-of-mouth marketing libertarianism to people who haven't heard our ideas? Are you "asking for the order"? Are you asking people to "buy" by supporting the libertarian organizations you support? Are you asking them to take your favorite organization out for a "test drive" and then get happily involved? You can't sell what you haven't bought. Are you checking out tools, books, tapes and other libertarian products from libertarian organizations? Are you spending money with and contributing to the libertarian organizations you believe in? Are you distributing the World's Smallest Political Quiz to waitresses in restaurants, to students, to your fellow church members, to your family, and to others? Are you turbo-charging your libertarian persuasion skills by listening to, and learning from, communication how-to tapes and cds like "The Essence of Political Persuasion"? The Better Mousetrap must be advertised. The Better Mousetrap must be marketed. The Better Mousetrap must be sold. Mostly by word-of-mouth advertising. Word-of-mouth marketing. Word-of-mouth selling. Yours. And mine. * * * * * * * * In 2000, Michael was honored with the Thomas Paine Award as the Most
Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America.
HARD EVIDENCE FOR LIBERTY
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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. * * * QUESTION: How would a libertarian society prevent rich people and corporations from influencing the decisions of politicians, judges, and police in their favor? MY SHORT ANSWER: The only sure way to prevent the rich from buying unfair government influence is to stop allowing government to use physical force against peaceful people. Whenever government is allowed to favor one group over another, the rich will always win, since they can "buy" more favors, overtly or covertly, than the poor. For example, when Bell Telephone's patents ran out, it lobbied local governments to give a monopoly to a single telephone provider. At that point in time, Bell had only 50% of the telephone business, but it was the single biggest company. The smaller firms provided service that was less extensive, but also less expensive. Many people chose this option after Bell's patents ran out. By making local governments choose a single telephone provider, Bell eliminated its competition. Bell used its deep pockets to lobby government officials to stop other telephone providers -- at gunpoint, if necessary -- from giving service to willing customers. Eventually Bell, which became AT&T, lost its long distance monopoly -- and costs to consumers plummeted. The cable TV industry has also gained local monopolies. Although no service provider is quite as large as Bell (AT&T) used to be, consumers pay more for cable TV than they need to, because competition has been eliminated by government decree. Big government makes the rich become richer, at the expense of the poor. Consequently, the more socialist the government, the wider the income gap between these two groups. Lady Liberty, not Big Brother, is the true champion of the "little guy." * * * * * * * * 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
Word Choices: "Consensual Crime Laws" instead of "Victimless Crime Laws" by Sharon Harris Libertarian believe people should be free to live in any peaceful way they choose, as long as they don't initiate force or fraud against others. Libertarians thus oppose laws that forcibly prevent people from engaging in activities that don't harm anyone (except possibly those who choose to engage in them). Examples are laws against gambling, prostitution, pornography, and drug use. Such laws are most often called "victimless crime" laws, because, although the acts are illegal, there is no victim. This term distinguishes them from crimes that do have victims, such as robbery, fraud, murder, and rape. Often, however, using the term
"victimless crime" can get you into a silly, tedious and seemingly
A way to avoid that useless argument -- or to get out of it if you find yourself caught in it -- is to use the phrase "consensual crime laws" instead of "victimless crime laws". I first heard this phrase from the late bestselling libertarian author Peter McWilliams. McWilliams defined a consensual crime in this way: "Any activity -- currently illegal -- in which we, as adults, choose to participate that does not physically harm the person or property of a nonconsenting other." The phrase "consensual crime laws," coupled with a plain definition like that, clarifies what you are talking about. And it doesn't automatically raise the knee-jerk response "there are no truly victimless crimes." Peter McWilliams discussed the issue of consensual crimes in his wonderful book Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do: The Absurdity of Consensual Crimes in Our Free Society. There is much wisdom in that book, and it
is available free online at: See more One-Minute Liberty Tips! •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
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Contents copyrighted © The Advocates for Self-Government,, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization. Donations tax-deductible in U.S. All rights reserved. |
vocates for
Self-Government, the father of the world-famous World's Smallest
Political Quiz, and all-around amazing guy -- has serious health
problems. 
There will be an open mike from which
audience members will be able to share their favorite "Marshallisms,"
stories, and well-wishes. 
orced to participate. 
Last issue we reported that renowned
anti-war Senator Mike Gravel had joined the Libertarian Party and is
seeking that party's presidential nomination. 
Mary Ruwart,
longtime Advocates friend, "Ask Dr. Ruwart" Liberator Online columnist,
and universally acknowledged as a wonderful communicator of libertarian
ideas. 
ight-year-old Eathan Harris was
suspended from Harris Park Elementary School in Westminster, Colorado.
Washington D.C.'s "public" (government)
schools are often denounced for their wretched performance. Students
incarcerated in that system regularly rank near the bottom in tests that
measure academic achievement. 
neighbor, though he
build his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his
door." 
endless semantical argument. Someone will invariably tell you that there
really is no such thing as a "victimless crime" and that gambling, drug
use, and other vices are NOT victimless crimes. There are victims, you
will be told. These victims include unhappy, hurt or embarrassed friends
and family members; people who are offended by the very existence of
gamblers, drug users and prostitutes; damage to the moral structure of
society; and so on. 
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. 