No Knock Raid

This is what the United States has come to. In order to provide the illusion of safety, our government has crippled our civil liberties, and trashed the Constitution through legislation such as the PATRIOT Act. Senator Barack Obama, when asked if he would vote to repeal the PATRIOT Act said:

"Yes, I would vote to repeal the U.S. Patriot Act, although I would consider replacing that shoddy and dangerous law with a new, carefully crafted proposal that addressed in a much more limited fashion the legitimate needs of law enforcement in combating terrorism (for example, permitting a warrant for the interception of cell phone calls, and not just land-based phones to accommodate changes in technology)"

However, on March 2, 2006, Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois) voted to re-authorize the PATRIOT Act. In fact only 10 Senators (9 Democrats and one Independent), voted against the PATRIOT Act.  Now President Obama has already extended and expanded the PATRIOT Act, the single most heinous and un-Constitutional piece of legislation ever passed since the Alien & Sedition Acts of 1798.

Why do we as a people allow this to happen? Why do we allow our government to keep us in such fear and maintain such power over us? We are no safer for it, I would contend we are substantially less safe. We certainly are not more free. So why do we continue to allow it? The Police are not our bosses! The government is not our boss! Stand-up! Don't just roll over and do what you are told because a man in a uniform tells you to, do what you know to be right, defend your freedom from the tyranny that seems to be creeping in on our nation. You can start in 2012, by making sure that Barack Obama is a ONE TERM PRESIDENT. We cannot afford sixteen years of George W. Bush politics (Obama being a near clone of Bush, in my opinion). Twelve years is too long already. Protect your liberty, let your representatives know that the PATRIOT Act is un-American and must be repealed, or else WE THE PEOPLE will vote them out of office.

Government should fear the people, the people should not fear the government.

 

War Powers Debate

 

Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.

Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks weigh in on the week's top political news, including the debate over congressional approval for the U.S. mission in Libya, the state of deficit talks, the "insular" inner circle surrounding President Obama and Michele Bachmann's GOP debate performance.

I personally am of the opinion that the Nobel committee should take back President Obama's peace prize, and apologize to the world for their gaff. President Obama has done exactly nothing to promote peace or liberty around the world. We are still fighting in Iraq; we are fighting, dying and spending more than ever in Afghanistan; Guantanamo Bay is still open and functioning as before, along with countless other secret prison facilities around the globe. Where is the change we were all promised? The only difference I see between Barack Obama and George W. Bush is that somehow President Obama has managed to out-spend Bush, and take even more of our liberty from us...

 

Ron Paul: Libya Reaction

Congressman Ron Paul comments on how President Obama's actions on Libya are violating the Constitution, ceding authority and sovereignty to the United Nations, and weakening the United States. Action by the American people to return government to its constitutional limits is critical if we are to change our course. How can we continue to support ever expanding military actions around the globe when we are in the midst of the greatest economic disaster since the great depression? How can we justify launching 110 missiles that cost two million dollars each, yet argue that it is so imperative that we cut spending on NPR? What the hell is going on in this country? Is no one paying attention to the nonsense going on in our nation's Capitol?

 


 

They hate us, because we bomb them...

Giving little thought to the lessons of history, President Obama has begun attacking Libya with the full support of virtually every member of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans. Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle issued the following statement today:

"President Obama's decision to order military attacks on Libya is only surprising to those who actually think he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. He has now ordered bombing strikes in six different countries, adding Libya to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen.

"While the justifications vary in each case, the disturbing common thread is that these are all predominantly Muslim countries. And the goodwill expressed by Arab people about Obama in opinion polls early in his administration has completely vanished: in the most recent Zogby survey, 85% expressed an unfavorable opinion toward the United States, eclipsing the 83% negative opinion in the final year of the Bush administration.

"Libyan President Muammar Gadaffi is no friend of liberty, but the military involvement of the United States in the rebellion against him threatens to undermine the credibility of the resistance to his rule and turn him into a hero. As news of both actual and rumored killings of innocent civilians by American bombs spreads throughout the Arab world, the hatred which spawned the 9/11 murderers will continue to grow. Finally, what if Gadaffi still manages to defeat the rebels? Faced with the choice of losing face or upping the ante with an escalation of military involvement, this could turn into yet another disastrous campaign. And as Steve Chapman put it in an article in Reason magazine, 'Most of the people endorsing an attack know less about Libya than they do about playing the oboe.' When will we ever learn?

"Libertarians advocate the foreign policy eloquently described by Thomas Jefferson at his inauguration: 'Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.' Just as the Founding Fathers expressed admiration for the 'Swiss Model' of armed neutrality that has managed to keep Switzerland out of the vicious wars of Europe for hundreds of years, we should embrace the idea that the purpose of an American military is the defense of American soil, period. As Senator Barack Obama said in criticizing the Bush administration, 'The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation.'

The Constitution of the United States requires an explicit Declaration of War in order for this country to engage in hostilities with foreign nations. Obama, after dithering for two weeks, has joined the list of presidents who chose to launch wars on their personal say-so in direct contravention of the Constitution.

I don't know how many times we have to endure administrations, both Republican and Democratic, who shoot first and ask questions later. Probably for as long as we continue to elect Republicans and Democrats to office. We as a people must begin to realize that we will only continue to make ourselves less safe, so long as we continue to engage in interventionist politics around the globe. These are the very actions that make other countries resent us, and therefore make us less safe.

I believe that if we want to be safer, and more importantly, more free, we should stop tolerating the anti-constitutional security measures we are subjected to at home (e.g: the PATRIOT Act, & "Enhanced" Airport Security) and focus more on not making more enemies around the globe.

The Libertarian Party platform includes the following:
3.1 National Defense
We support the maintenance of a sufficient military to defend the United States against aggression. The United States should both avoid entangling alliances and abandon its attempts to act as policeman for the world. We oppose any form of compulsory national service.

Is Utah becoming Arizona?

The same groups behind Arizona SB1070, organizations and individuals linked to white supremacists and nativist movements, are now making an attempt to pass a copycat law in neighboring Utah.

The bill introduced by State Rep. Stehen Sandstrom features everything that was wrong and struck down of the Arizona law and more. This is not only the wrong way to go but a clear and direct attack on the Latino community. The hate must stop today.