The Present in Plain Text

Green Christmas

2007-12-19T11:34:43-08:00

Indicating yet again that President Bush believes the Constitution is "just a goddamned piece of paper," he is set to sign a sweeping energy bill thrust upon us via legislative fiat. In an attempt to provide clarity on the issue of radical environmentalism, I think I'll turn to the great orator Denny Crane, whose wisdom I quote from memory from last night's episode of Boston Legal: "I hope the environment survives. I really do. I'm just sick and tired of you smug, hybrid-driving socialists telling the rest of us how to live our lives!"

Taxation is Theft

2007-11-13T08:15:53-08:00

Just when you thought Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's plans to hike taxes couldn't get any worse, you find out a Senate committee has approved legislation to swindle even more money from taxpayers. The Tax Reform Act of 2007 was passed 9-6 by the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee late Tuesday, and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, D-Calvert, said he hoped to have a vote by the full Senate by Wednesday afternoon. "It's an excellent product," said Sen. Ulysses Currie, D-Prince George's and chairman of the committee, after Tuesday's six-hour voting session. "It's the first time we've ever stepped up...

Ron Paul Schools Bernanke

2007-11-08T10:18:17-08:00

Via Tex MacRae at the LRC Blog, ol' "kook" Ron Paul takes the chairman of the Fed to the cleaners on monetary policy and, specifically, why the devaluation of the dollar is especially damaging to the elderly. Pay particular attention to the very end as Bernanke is speechless upon realizing he can't compete with people who know much more than he does.

Remember, Remember the 5th of November

2007-11-05T06:36:24-08:00

Only this time, we're not hoping to save the king. Over 17,000 people have pledged to donate at least $100 today to Ron Paul's campaign, and at the time of this writing (9:33 a.m.), Freedom Man has already accumulated close to a million dollars in donations. I wonder how Mitt and John are doing today? Click here to see the live donation graph. UPDATE: As of 2:30 p.m., today's fundraiser had passed the $2 million mark and it continues to climb. In fact, the live update is being accessed so frequently that the November 5th campaign is having bandwith issues....

Club Against Growth

2007-11-02T17:14:33-07:00

I guess we should be happy the Club for Growth has finally acknowledged Ron Paul's tenacious fight for the presidency. Until recently, the Club hadn't even included Rep. Paul with the likes of Mike Huckabee and Sam Brownback in their economic profiles of the candidates. You'll note that the Club released Brownback's record on economic issues way back in February, and only this week released a white paper for Ron Paul. I'm not exactly sure why the Club suddenly decided to profile Dr. Paul, but maybe they figured it looked a little silly to ignore him when they've already compiled...

Those Who Change the World

2007-10-30T11:21:23-07:00

Thanks to the LRC blog for finding this Ron Paul You Tube that's been around for a while, but which I completely adore. It uses that Apple commercial narrated by Richard Dreyfuss to make the point about the moment we may be living through right now. I wanted to blog this here to remind myself of it in the future, and to be able to look back on it and decide whether I did enough or not. At the end of the day, all we can do is look back and review what we've done, and I know, for myself,...

Morality, Not Money

2007-10-29T23:16:32-07:00

I was surfing around today and came across this article in the Daily Trojan that says students have mixed feelings about marijuana legalization as it relates to the effects that could have on the economy. Jon Gettman, a longtime policy analyst who holds a Ph.D. in public policy, has published a new study contending that legalizing marijuana would create tax revenue and save taxpayers millions of dollars. If marijuana were legalized and taxed, similar to alcohol and other commodities, those who use the drug would be paying the taxes, he said. The study found that the United States is losing...

Liv Reminds Us About Nov. 5th

2007-10-29T15:05:36-07:00

Great Moments In U.S. History - Click here for more free videos What else needs to be said. Oh yeah: Remember, Remember the 5th of November, the pledges for reason and gold. I can think of no treason like pledging for reason Worthy of men free and bold. In Ron Paul did we entrust to stop the booms as well as busts; and the wars of endless time, the punishment without a crime, The taxes of which rob and fleece, Both the living and deceased. Come on Boys, Come on Girls, Join the Revolution! Come on Women, Come on Men,...

Why SWAT?

2007-10-26T09:44:32-07:00

A couple is under arrest in Rochester, NH, for possessing drugs and stolen guns. Aside from the possession of drugs, which should be legal unless they too were stolen, this looks like an above-board arrest. If someone stole my guns, I'd certainly want them back and would want the perps prosecuted. But here's the part I'm interested in: During yesterday's raid of the apartment, police and the Strafford County Regional Tactical Operations Unit ... set off "flash bangs," diversionary devices that make a load [sic] noise. Police said they were used to lessen the risk to the community and to...

This November 5th is Ron Paul Day

2007-10-22T07:40:08-07:00

Casey Khan at the LRC Blog asked for an update to the doggerel that accompanies the remembrance of Guy Fawkes failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament. I obliged him, right after I signed myself up for the big event planned by these guys. He posted it to the LRC Blog this morning (enjambment all wrong, but hey, I'm not complaining.): Remember, Remember the 5th of November, the pledges for reason and gold. I can think of no treason like pledging for reason Worthy of men free and bold. This fund-raising idea got me thinking this past weekend...