Archive for July, 2008
Ultimate Libertarian Quote List
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# A government which robs Peter to pay Paul, can always count on the support of Paul. – George Bernard Shaw
# America needs fewer laws, not more prisons. – James Bovard
# War is just one more big government program. – Joseph Sobran
# Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. – John Adams (1814)
# They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. – Benjamin Franklin
# One of the greatest delusions in the world Continue Reading
During an online chat today the topic of political parties came up. I was talking with a developer who rarely involves himself with politics, so it was an interesting chance to gain some thoughts from someone who does not study politics day in and day out as I do.
When asked what party I align myself with, I replied saying that I’m a proud member of the Illinois Libertarian Party. The response was something along the lines of “and you’re not afraid to admit that?”
I found this reaction a bit intriguing. Mainly because… well.. because in this day and time I would be far more ashamed to admit my party if it were the Republicans or Democrats. Both parties are an embarrassment, in my opinion. So, I started searching for something to send this person with regards to the true definition of Libertarians. I came across Continue Reading
As if we actually need more examples of big government Republicans leading the charge in building a nanny state, right?
But this story is well worth the mention…
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has decided he, along with the big California government, is going to choose for you what you can and cannot eat. You see, he just signed into law a bill that will ban trans fats across the entire state of California.
LOS ANGELES — California, a national trendsetter in all matters edible, became the first state to ban trans fats in restaurants when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill Friday to phase out their use.
Absolutely fantastic job, Governor. We freedom advocates are so proud of you!
Not.
Count this as my quote of the week.
“Hardly anyone today thinks the quality of education has increased considerably over the last several decades. Yet from 1961-2005, per-pupil education spending in the United States increased by 247 percent, adjusted for inflation. In fact, per-pupil spending hikes on public education from 1961-2005 were so massive they dwarf the rates of price increases in housing, automobiles and even gasoline, and have outpaced increases in personal income as well.”
- Patrick Gibbons, Nevada Policy Research Institute, 7/24/08
More money and a much bigger government bureaucracy has produced… well… nothing new.
Fabulous.
H/T: NPRI
Over heard on a call today that Bob Novak had been involved in a hit and run so I ran straight to Drudge Report. Sure enough… he was.
Syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak was cited by police after he hit a pedestrian with his black Corvette in downtown Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning.
A Politico reporter saw Novak in the front of a police car with a citation in his hand; a WJLA-TV crew and reporter saw Novak as well. The pedestrian, a 66-year-old male, was hospitalized at George Washington University Hospital with minor injuries, according to DC Fire and EMS. Novak was later released by police and drove away from the scene.
“I didn’t know I hit him. I feel terrible,” a shaken Novak told reporters from Politico and WJLA as he was returning to his car. “He’s not dead, that’s the main thing.” Novak said he was a block away from 18th and K streets Northwest, where the accident happened, when a bicyclist stopped him and said, “You hit someone.” He said he was cited for failing to yield the right of way.
At first glance this sounds like an innocent mistake, but then it gets a bit deeper.
As he traveled east on K Street, crossing 18th, Bono said a “black Corvette convertible with top closed plowed into the guy. The guy is sort of splayed onto the windshield.”
Bono said the pedestrian, who was crossing the street on a “Walk” signal and was in the crosswalk, rolled off the windshield and then Novak made a right into the service lane of K Street. “The car is speeding away. What’s going through my mind is, you just can’t hit a pedestrian and drive away,” Bono said.
He chased Novak half a block down K St., finally caught up with him and then put his bike in front of the car to block him and called 911. Traffic immediately backed up, horns blared, and commuters finally went into reverse to allow Novak to pull over.
If the witness is telling the truth, this could be quite a stinger for Novak.
Right Online, a gathering of internet activists and free-market minded voters, turned out to be quite a successful event. Put on by AFP, and sponsored by organizations such as my own employer, the Sam Adams Alliance, the event was able to attract a wide range of speakers, panelists, and trainers.
Right Online is now the second major conference to provide training for internet activists. The Conservative Leadership Conference kicked off last year’s event with the slogan “Conservatives & The New Media”. This year the Conservative Leadership Conference is hosting an all day Samsphere event put on by the Sam Adams Alliance, and gives the west coast its second injection of full scale online training.
While Daily KOS is providing the far left with one big conference each year, the Conservative Leadership Conference and Right Online are both moving in to create an environment for free-market minded activists to network, share ideas, and learn from the best in the business. And they’re doing it VERY well.
Indeed, Right Online was a huge success. I had the honor of speaking on a panel titled “New Media & The Conservative Movement”. Soren Dayton was the panel moderator, and the room was pretty packed. We had a plethora of questions that allowed for solid discussion revolving around the idea that the right is behind, but making serious and much needed changes to correct it and move forward in a manner that creates success.
The numbers I’m hearing fluctuates, but the San Francisco Chronicle said there were about 500 present for AFP and Right Online. This isn’t the 5,000 that Netroots attracts, but it’s a pretty good number for a first time center-right event. I would certainly consider it a success.
Speakers at Right Online included Erick Erickson, Micheal Steele, Michelle Malkin (not a big Malkin fan, and I thought her speech was lacking, but she added some “star power” to the lineup), Michael Williams, Ken Emanuelson, Matt Sheffield, Grover Norquist, Bob Barr, John Fund, and many more.
Overall I would have to give this event four stars out of five. There were a few things I found lacking, but for a first time event of such nature for AFP, this was a two thumbs up.
Other Bloggers talking about Right Online include:
-Right Wing Sparkle
-Patriot Writer
-The American Mind
-Voice in the Wilderness
-Urban Grounds
-Lone Star Times
-Blue Dot Blues
-Acton Blog
-Travis Monitor
-North Shore Exponent
I have some audio files as well as video footage that I’ll post later on, so be sure to watch for the next few posts.
-Eric Odom
Live Twitter streams are available now via Twemes. You can catch Right Online live here, and Netroots here.
Also catch Right Online at The Right Tweets.
Caught this video on FOX news last night while here at the AFP Right Online conference.
