http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/Blog dedicated to challenging conventional political Left/Right wisdom through reason with a focus on individual liberty, personal responsibility, free markets, accountable & limited government, and critical thinking. ennoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Sun, 13 May 2012 14:29:46 PDTBlogger http://www.blogger.com214125This is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site.http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2009/01/ramos-and-compean-should-not-be.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:10:08 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-5850098711497993288As the Bush era comes to a close, the list of last minute pardon requests are growing. Perhaps the loudest demand for pardon comes (mostly) from Conservatives who are angry that President Bush has not acted to pardon two Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean. Those who demand the pardon claim that the agents were railroaded by an “overzealous” U.S. Attorney for “just doing 17http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/11/californias-proposition-8-ballot.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:22:58 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-3743877651911392845California’s Proposition 8, the ballot measure aiming to outlaw same sex marriage, passed on a very close vote. Prop 8’s supporters* pushed a campaign of fear, misinformation, and a complete distortion of the meaning of individual liberty. This campaign commercial is typical of the intolerance and hysteria being promoted from the “yes” campaign.Argument #1: Churches could be forced to marry gay 22http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/11/technical-problems-liberty-papers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:09:00 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-2901607537149040416If you have tried to visit The Liberty Papers today, you undoubtedly saw the error which reads: “This Domain (thelibertypapers.org) Has Been Disabled.” The blog’s administrator, Brad Warbiany, informed me and the other contributors that the blog’s host (Bluehost) has been hacked; most if not all other sites which are hosted by Bluehost are having the same technical problems.Those of you who enjoy2http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/11/one-libertarians-advice-for-republicans.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:39:56 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-1132001427253532198If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism [...] The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is. -Ronald Reagan (1975) For the second election in a row, you find yourselves on the losing end. A 5http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/09/imagine-world-free-from-religion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:31:35 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-4906744387020753467Freedom From Religion Foundation8http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/09/inconvenient-convention-facts-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:26:59 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-24953939791387422Now that the conventions are over, it’s time to separate the facts from the fiction. With so much misinformation being peddled by the political campaigns (not to mention rumors spread through e-mail, the internet and the MSM), this is very often a difficult task. My approach is to be skeptical until I am satisfied that I have looked at a variety of sources which I believe to be objective. Snopes 1http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/07/want-to-serve-your-country-well-whats.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:16:40 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-6504873196907075034Time has an ongoing series which advocates the need for “voluntary” national service. In the magazine’s latest article by Managing Editor Richard Stengel, the author praises both John McCain and Barack Obama for their urging of Americans to “serve interests greater than self.” It is a unique moment for the idea of national service. You have two presidential candidates who believe deeply in 5http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-is-your-life-worth.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:12:04 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-169277356557459777No, I didn’t ask you about your net worth but what dollar value would you say that your life is worth to you. Most of us would not be able to come up with a figure or might say that putting an exact dollar amount on one individual’s life (especially one’s own) is impossible to quantify. If you cannot come up with a figure no need to fear, the federal government has come up with a dollar value 0http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/06/government-reefer-madness.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:52:29 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-3006243125215300330Its stories like these that make my blood boil. Here we have a young man who has found relief from serious pain with marijuana. I have yet to read a story where anyone has overdosed and died from smoking too much cannabis but for some reason, our federal government sees a need to prosecute those who dispense and use the drugs for medical and therapeutic purposes. The Republicans can talk all they1http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/06/barrroot-campaign-ad.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:52:29 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-33164619131810443420http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/06/barr-i-was-wrong-about-war-on-drugs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:11:27 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-1674348415076435845For those of you who are concerned about Bob Barr’s position on the war on (some) drugs, maybe this article Barr posted at The Huffington Post will help allay some of your concerns. I am among those who would like the congressman to speak out more forcefully on this subject as I have seen him miss opportunities to explain why libertarians oppose the war on (some) drugs. Barr writes: For years, I1http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/05/liberty-papers-to-cover-national.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Wed, 21 May 2008 12:11:13 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-2397104082748300289The Libertarian Convention of course! Which convention did you think I was talking about? The Libertarian National Convention will run this Memorial Day weekend beginning on Thursday, May 22nd and ending on Monday, May 26th. I plan on attending the convention representing The Liberty Papers as a citizen journalist on Saturday, Sunday, and possibly Monday. My press pass will give me the same 0http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/05/drew-carey-project-presents-cory-mayes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Fri, 16 May 2008 12:01:37 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-674227186377379308Drew Carey’s latest web video called “Mississippi Drug War Blues” at Reason.tv tells Cory Maye’s story and where his case stands now. Maye’s mother, grandmother, his attorney Robert Evans, and locals of Prentiss, Mississippi (on both sides of the issue) are interviewed at length about their impressions of the case.Not only does this episode focus on the miscarriage of justice for Cory Maye but it0http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/05/hillary-clinton-second-amendment.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:52:30 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-6694374550702748610The Hillary Clinton campaign has sent out mailers criticizing Barack Obama for trying to have it both ways on the Second Amendment. The mailer reads as follows (double click to enlarge):These are all valid criticisms of Barack Obama; I have made some of these very criticisms myself (here, and here). But the source of these criticisms (Hillary Clinton) seems very strange to me. Barack Obama could 0http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/05/next-phase-of-kathryn-johnston-saga.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Mon, 05 May 2008 11:42:24 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-497748547885989474(WSB Radio) Opening arguments begin today in the trial of an Atlanta police officer charged in connection with killing of Kathryn Johnston.Arthur Tesler is the only cop to go on trial for the shooting of the 92 year old woman in her Atlanta home.Tesler did not fire a shot during the November 2006 incident. But prosecutors say he assisted in the cover up that followed. Officers have admitted to 0http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/04/should-libertarians-be-concerned-about.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:30:07 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-5195484113635702352In my most recent post, I listed the names of the top 5 “porkers” in the House and the Senate according to CAGW’s 2008 edition of the Pig Book. I also listed the amount of pork the three leading candidates for president supported and named the ten members of the House which supported no pork at all. In all, the amount of pork barrel projects for fiscal 2008 totals $17.2 billion.Though this figure1http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/04/did-hillary-clinton-attempt-to-deny.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Wed, 02 Apr 2008 21:06:28 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-46425181184195935According to Hillary Clinton’s former boss Jerry Zeifman, she did that and more. Zeifman, who was the Judiciary Chief of Staff during the Watergate scandal, supervised a 27 year-old Hillary Rodham who was on the House Judiciary Committee. Apparently, Hillary believed that she had discovered a legal loophole which would deny President Richard Nixon his Sixth Amendment right to legal counsel. After1http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/03/short-easter-quiz.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Mon, 24 Mar 2008 23:07:30 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-5309530229175845178Most of us know the Easter Story: Jesus of Nazareth was condemned by an angry mob to die on a cross, was placed in a tomb, rose from the dead on the third day, and after taking care of a little unfinished business, he ascended into the clouds promising that he would return before the passing of his generation (Mark 9:1, so far he was off by roughly 2000 years). These alleged events are given in 2http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/03/vatican-introduces-new-sins.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:52:31 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-1912300156845319914As if Catholics didn’t have enough to feel guilty about with the original “Seven Deadly Sins,” now there are seven new deadly sins and a “Driver’s 10 Commandments.” Yes, the Vatican, the symbol of moral purity, perfection, piety, and expert driving has come up with a list to guide us through life to help us escape eternal damnation.The Seven New Mortal Sins #1. Genetic Modification: Scientists 1http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/03/fair-tax-webinar-with-neal-boortz.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:06:50 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-8799103369933244165Neal Boortz has a webinar on the Fair Tax for anyone who would like to learn more about the bill which would replace the income tax with a national sales tax. Boortz explains what the Fair Tax is, how it would work, and answers the common questions/criticisms of the plan. Anyone interested in going to the webinar can click here to attend. www.fairtax.org 4http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/03/fearless-philosophy-flashback-town-hall.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:04:43 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-5055130793958658787In light of John McCain’s securing of the Republican nomination yesterday, the following is a post I had written in December of 2005 after attending a town hall meeting with John McCain back when I was living in Arizona. As I have written many times before, I have serious misgivings about the idea of a McCain Administration as he would drag the Republican Party even further to the left than 0http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/02/more-on-obamas-doublespeak.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:33:37 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-7831815498316100510Last week I wrote a post about how Barack Obama was trying to have it both ways on the Second Amendment. Ken Blackwell at Townhall.com, however, believes that Obama’s doublespeak about the Second Amendment (among some of Obama’s other statements) reveals a disturbing pattern in his attitudes about individual rights and a host of other issues:Yet while Mr. Obama says he supports your Second 0http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/02/john-galt-part-ix-xii.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:52:13 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-5843685579348370928Part IX - The Men of the MindPart X - The Virtue of SelfishnessPart XI - The DestroyersPart XII - Zero WorshipThis John Galt series is the creation of Xcowboy2. He has indicated that he plans on making some additional episodes over the President's Day holiday weekend. Anyone who is interested in seeing any further episodes should go there.0http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/02/john-galt-part-v-viii.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:05:20 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-5827842645844932711Part V - The Morality of ReasonPart VI - The Standard of MoralityPart VII - EpistemologyPart VIII - EvasionMore to come…0http://fpffressminds.blogspot.com/2008/02/john-galts-words-more-relevant-than.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Stephen Littau)Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:57:00 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9101601.post-6820084781975080707America seems to be faced yet again with the choice of the least of four evils in choosing the next president. All four of the frontrunners, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain, and Mitt Romney believe in varying degrees of statism and do not recognize the rights of the smallest minority – the individual. Each one believes that it is our duty to sacrifice for the good of others at the 0