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Liberty and Power

  • May 24, 2010

    Patents for Synthia

    by Liberty and Power

    Here is potentially alarming news for those of us who are opposed to, or just wary of, patents and the disturbing tendency to grant an intellectual monopoly to an ever wider range of intellectual creations and thwart independent inventors who fail to reach the Patent Office first.

    "Professor Sulston, who is based at the University of Manchester, said patenting would be"extremely damaging".

    "I'v
  • May 22, 2010

    Hillary Clinton: The Mouth That Roars

    by Liberty and Power

    As if America’s military wasn’t battered enough, it seems US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is angling to involve it in yet another conflict, this one on the Korean Peninsula. Considering that the American military has already lost a war on that very same piece of ground (and the fact that her chosen adversary, North Korea, most likely is nuclear armed) you’d imagine she’d be a bit more reluctant to throw our hat (and soldiers) into the ring. That, though, would require a sense of restraint
  • May 21, 2010

    Thinking Government Shouldn't Try to Solve a Problem Doesn't Mean it's Not a Problem.

    by Liberty and Power

    Whatever one thinks of what Rand Paul had to say about the Civil Rights Act, it's fascinating to see how the media is treating this as an issue about his"views on race."

    I do not recall any interview in which he was asked if he was prejudiced or about his views of non-whites. In fact, in all the interviews I've seen, he's made it clear that he personally finds racism to be unacceptable etc..

    What's under debate are his views on political economy and constitutional t
  • May 19, 2010

    Great Moments in American Statesmanship

    by Liberty and Power

    Everyone knows that the United States of America is the greatest nation in human history. It is the land of the free and the home of the brave, whereas the people of other countries are for the most part caged and cowardly. So it comes as no surprise that the American people, being themselves so supremely admirable, have always advanced to positions of political and military leadership individuals who not only mirrored, but magnified the people’s own radiant character. But do not take my word fo
  • May 18, 2010

    For Once AP Gets it Right

    by Liberty and Power

    Throughout its history drug prohibition has been an immoral, violent, and costly failure. It simply does not accomplish its stated purpose of preventing people from using illicit drugs while at same time it vastly increases the harm caused by the use of those drugs. Now the Associated Press is finally acknowledging these already well known facts in a scathing indictment of the war on people who u
  • May 15, 2010

    Leftists Protest Obama ("Worse than Bush")

    by Liberty and Power

    A group which includes such prominent leftist actors and intellectuals as Noam Chomsky, James Cromwell of"L.A. Confidential," and Cindy Sheehan has issued a statement blasting Obama's" crimes" in foreign policy. It will be amusing to see what conservatives, who typically depict Obama as a weak-kneed peacenik, will rationalize this:
    "In some respects this is worse than Bush,"worse than Bus
  • May 14, 2010

    Black Maverick, Forgotten Man

    by Liberty and Power

    Fame is fleeting, and those who during their lifetime attain the debatable benefits of public acclaim will often, upon their death, have their memory entombed with them. Such is the case with T.R.M. Howard, who for a time was one of America’s most widely known, colorful, and respected civil rights pioneers. The husband and wife team of David and Linda Beito have labored nearly a decade to write a biography, Black Maverick, in hopes that they can raise the man’s memory from the grave. The book wa
  • May 13, 2010

    Alternative Fuel Decisions

    by Liberty and Power

    There is no question that a drastic change in off shore drilling policy because of the mammoth spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a terrorist attack on the Saudi oilfields, or Iranian interference with shipping in the Persian Gulf are unsettling possibilities. Any one of these events would wreck havoc with the American economy. That is why Frank Gaffney sees a silver lining in the massive amount of sludge th
  • May 12, 2010

    The "New Bellesiles"

    by Liberty and Power

    Many years ago, Richard Nixon's public relations team repeatedly deplyed the phrase, the"New Nixon," when announcing Nixon's periodic makeovers. Now, Michael A. Bellesiles, the disgraced former professor at Emory University, and author of the discredited Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture, is similarly trying to remake himself. Will he succeed? I fear that he will. His forthcoming book, 1877: America's Year of Living
  • May 10, 2010

    Not Surprising

    by Liberty and Power

    Gordon Brown quits as British prime minister - read all about it here and here.
  • May 8, 2010

    When a Congressman Says X, He Is Thinking Y

    by Liberty and Power

    X : I will serve the people of this district to the best of my ability.

    Y: I intend to look out for my own interest every step of the way, so unless you’re the highest bidder for my services, you’d better start saying your prayers now.

    * * *

    X: The people have spoken, and they have chosen me.

    Y: The rich guys and well-heeled organizations that backed my candidacy picked me to run, and they coughed up enough dough to buy or steal th