Former Union Leader Exposes Plan to Commit Economic Terrorism

by Mr. Bob | 3:51 pm, March 23, 2011

Two Stories here; 1 is that Stephen Lerner–Former SEIU leader said this just this last weekend:”We have an entire economy that is built on debt and banks so the question would be what would happen if we organized homeowners in mass to do a mortgage s…

Studies Show Vouchers Help Kids, Schools; What About Research of Douglas County?

by Eddie | 11:36 am, March 23, 2011

For those in the know, this report is hardly a jaw-dropping, breathtaking surprise. But it’s good to see the updated information compiled in one place. Thanks to Greg Forster and the Foundation for Educational Choice, we now have the newly-released report A Win-Win Solution: The Empirical Evidence on School Vouchers, which brings together the 27 [...]

Caldara Promotes Liberty On the Rocks

by Ari Armstrong | 7:57 am, March 23, 2011

Jon Caldara spoke March 16 at Liberty On the Rocks in Denver:Amanda Teresi, founder of the organization, also explained why it’s important to recognize that George W. Bush was not a free-market capitalist:Note: I run Liberty In the Books in association…

Obama’s Libya confusion

by Rossputin | 7:11 am, March 23, 2011

Q: What sort of world do we live in where America’s enemies live in more fear of the French than of us?

A: The world that Barack Obama has long dreamed of.

It’s been said by quite a few pundits but it bears repeating: Barack Obama is a cluelsss internationalist academic whose statements on Libya are incoherent in the literal sense of the word (as George Will noted) and who is sowing a dangerous confusion.

At every opportunity, President Obama is repeating two underpinnings of his Libyan strategy: that the US will give up control of the military  operation to a coalition commander at the earliest possible time and that we are not targeting Gaddafi or even aiming for regime change since the UN resolution didn’t call for regime change.

Please read the entirety of my article at the web site of the American Spectator:
http://spectator.org/archives/2011/03/23/obamas-tomahawk-chop

Harsanyi: Why Libya and Not Darfur, Yemen, Iran or Syria?

by Rossputin | 7:01 am, March 23, 2011

As usual, my friend David Harsanyi nails it:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/03/23/can_anyone_explain_why_were_in_libya_109323.html

Colorado Health Insurance Exchange bound to be strangled by federal controls

by Brian Schwartz | 5:30 am, March 23, 2011

“[A] fire hose of [federal] subsidies explains why it is far more likely that Obamacare will corrupt Utah['s exchange] than Utah will manage to redeem Obamacare,” writes John Graham. The same applies to Colorado.

Obamacare for Colorado

by Al Maurer | 10:27 pm, March 22, 2011

House GOP surrenders to Democrats with Healthcare Exchanges

Just a Couple of Award Winning Guys

by Jon Caldara | 3:04 pm, March 22, 2011

The inside the beltway political magazine Campaigns and Elections decided to honor the top Colorado Influencers in their recent issue. And what do you know, they chose both our successful investigative journalist Todd Shepherd and yours truly. Unfortunately, I cannot get my hands on an electronic copy of the issue, but I do have the [...]

Newly-Adopted Idaho Laws Kind of Like the Yummy Tater Tots of Education Reform

by Eddie | 12:25 pm, March 22, 2011

Mashed. Baked. Au gratin. French fries. Hash browns. Tater tots…. Other than the fact it’s almost lunchtime, why am I talking about potatoes? In honor of my Education Policy Center friend Ben DeGrow’s newly-published School Reform News article “Idaho Gov. Signs Two Sweeping Reform Bills”:

Amid a rancorous atmosphere that included vandalism against Idaho’s top public [...]

The inconsistency of liberals and conservatives

by Rossputin | 11:56 am, March 22, 2011

Say what you like about libertarians, but we tend to be much more consistent than so-called “liberals” and so-called “conservatives” as Don Boudreaux masterfully points out in his note today:

Will’s column is outstanding:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/regime-change-in-libya-isnt-americas-duty/2011/03/21/ABhDlj7_story.html

Don
http://www.cafehayek.com/
………………

22 March 2011

Editor, Washington Post
1150 15th St., NW
Washington, DC 20071

Dear Editor:

George Will’s skepticism of Uncle Sam meddling both in the domestic economy AND in foreign affairs distinguishes him as one of today’s very few pundits who isn’t schizophrenic about the perils of power (“Is it America’s duty to intervene wherever regime change is needed?” March 22).

Most modern “liberals” believe that domestic economic problems are caused chiefly by unsavory characters – “business people” – who impose their destructive rule on masses of innocent workers and consumers yearning for more prosperity, and that the best solution to these problems is government force deployed using armies of regulators to subdue these bad guys and to keep close watch over them and their successors. Failure to intervene is immoral. These same “liberals,” though, believe that foreign problems are typically the result of complex forces that can be understood only poorly by American-government officials; it is naïve to suppose that even well-intentioned foreign intervention by Uncle Sam will not have regrettable unintended consequences.

Most modern conservatives believe that domestic economic problems are typically the result of complex forces that can be understood only poorly by government officials; it is naïve to suppose that even well-intentioned economic intervention by Uncle Sam will not have regrettable unintended consequences. These same conservatives, though, believe that problems in foreign countries are caused chiefly by unsavory characters – “dictators” or “tyrants” – who impose their destructive rule on masses of innocent people yearning for more democracy, and that the best solution to these problems is government force deployed with armies of soldiers to subdue these bad guys and to keep close watch over them and their successors. Failure to intervene is immoral.

Talk about a conflict of visions.

Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Professor of Economics
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030

Interviewing Senator Mike Lee (R-UT)

by Rossputin | 10:17 am, March 22, 2011

Later today I’ll be recording an interview of Utah Senator Mike Lee for Sunday’s Backbone Radio show.

If anybody wants to e-mail me a question for the Senator, I will ask him at least one reader/listener question in the limited time I have with the Senator.

In my view, Lee, in his first months as a US Senator, is already likely to be our best US Senator, at least from the point of view of someone who prefers limited government to tyranny, low taxes to high, and liberty to the Nanny State.

So, if you want to e-mail me a question before 3 PM Mountain Time today, Tuesday, March 22nd, I’ll choose from those questions and ask the Senator at least one (assuming I get at least one good one.)

Senator Lee’s web page:
http://www.lee.senate.gov/

Senator Lee’s Facebook page:
http://facebook.com/senatormikelee

Senator Lee’s YouTube channel:
http://youtube.com/senatormikelee

Follow Senator Lee on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/SenMikeLee

Why ObamaCare is wrong for America

by Brian Schwartz | 5:30 am, March 22, 2011

The first in-depth examination of the impact of the new national health care law on American individuals, families, and businesses. Written by an esteemed quartet of health policy experts, Why ObamaCare Is Wrong for America demystifies the convoluted plan that the Obama administration and a Democratic Congress pushed through, exploring its effect on real people.

Liberty and Social Networks

by PerlStalker | 11:56 pm, March 21, 2011

I’ve generally tried to keep this blog technology free since I went all politics all the time a couple of years ago but I wanted to share this post from the Electronic Frontier Foundation with you. It’s a must read for anyone who has had concerns with …

Keep On Truckin’

by Joshua Sharf | 11:52 pm, March 21, 2011

That was one of the less forgettable catch-phrases from the 70s, when the independent trucker seemed to embody what remained of the free spirit of America.  The part, anyway, that was engaged in constructive work rather than the self-indulgent self-destructiveness that came to pass for independence during that decade. In fact, trucking has become increasingly [...]

Health Care Solutions

by T.L. James | 8:10 pm, March 21, 2011

If you haven’t already done so, you should go watch this video on health care reform at YouTube by our friend and Liberty on the Rocks founder Amanda Teresi…and (if you like it) vote for it in the comments there.

Citizens’ Budget Facts of the Day, part 3

by Jon Caldara | 1:55 pm, March 21, 2011

Government redistributes tax dollars to private businesses to further “economic development.” The intent is to intervene in the economy so that new jobs are created; these jobs then supposedly will multiply through the economy as wages from the jobs and purchases of materials and other inputs provide new income to supporting businesses. It is [...]

Want a Glimpse of the Education Future? Time to Get to Know Khan Academy

by Eddie | 11:33 am, March 21, 2011

A random Monday posting… First of all, let me clarify that this post has nothing to do with old Star Trek movies or even older Mongol hordes. If you are interested at all in the future of education but haven’t heard of Khan Academy yet, now is the time to start getting up to speed. [...]

Juan Williams: Defund NPR

by Rossputin | 11:27 am, March 21, 2011

Juan Williams, although he might be out for a little revenge, nevertheless has a particularly good perspective from which to think about federal funding of NPR.  His call today for ending federal funding of NPR is most welcome, but probably won’t sway many Senate Democrats:

http://thehill.com/opinion/columnists/juan-williams/150925-williams-now-i-want-them-to-defund-npr

Oops I did It Again (I Played With Your Ballot)

by Jon Caldara | 8:43 am, March 21, 2011

A few days ago the Denver Post reported that I am filing a petition for a tax cut to be placed on this November’s ballot. Specifically, it would lower the state’s income tax from the flat 4.63% to a flat 4.5%. Okay, I know what you’re thinking, “But Jon, you said the petition process in [...]

Talk on Individual Rights Versus Force

by Ari Armstrong | 8:16 am, March 21, 2011

Starting with the example of slavery, I talk about the principle of individual rights, which holds that each individual properly lives his own life and keeps the fruits of his own labor, as contrasted with the principle of force.I presented this talk o…

Thoughts on Libya

by Rossputin | 7:12 am, March 21, 2011

This came up in a conversation with a caller to the radio show last night.  I think it’s slightly too devious overall, but  still worth considering.

Many people, including I, have said that it appears that Obama has further cemented his reputation as a non-leader by letting “the ladies” goad him into Libya involvement, letting the ladies deal with the UN and the Arab League, while Obama does his NCAA brackets, goes golfing for the 61st time in his presidency(!), and travels to Brazil.

I had thought that it was stupid of Obama politically to do yet another thing, especially on something as major as a war (even if a small, short war, which Obama claims this will be), which can be used to show him as feckless and spineless.

BUT…what if Obama has a secondary goal or at least an acceptable alternative outcome: If the war in Libya turns into a quagmire, a mess, or even a defeat, could he then lay all the blame at the feet of Hillary?  OK, not quite all since the buck does have to stop with him, but enough that he thinks he might basically slide even if the situation turns bad?  Is he preparing an “I told you so” defense?  Again, the fact that he is Commander in Chief would make that a somewhat hard sell, but one thing’s for sure: Obama’s letting Hillary take the lead on this means that if it goes badly, she’s done. And if the Obamas dislike the Clintons as much as many early stories implied, Obama would probably not mind ridding himself of his most serious political challenger in recent years. 

Separately, is it not remarkable how he’s using this opportunity to make US policy and perhaps even a level of control over our military subservient to international organizations including a bunch of tin pot Muslim dictators?  It’s his latest step in weakening the nation and damaging its reputation, which he does at every possible step.

For more on Obama’s damaging foreign policy when it comes to the Middle East, I recommend Jed Babbin’s article for American Spectator today:
http://spectator.org/archives/2011/03/21/obamas-unstable-middle-east

Also, for more on Obama’s incredible hypocrisy, which his base and the media will never call him on, this accurate note by Jim Antle:
http://spectator.org/archives/2011/03/21/obama-goes-to-war

Vote for best anti-ObamaCare / pro-liberty video by Tues, 10 PM Mountain Time

by Brian Schwartz | 9:35 pm, March 20, 2011

Cast your vote in the in Independent Women’s Voice ObamaCare Anniversary Video Contest. Deadline: 10 PM Mountain time, Tuesday, March 22. The Liberty on the Rocks entry is posted here.

Budget Shortfall – Fact or Fiction?

by Vande Krol | 7:53 pm, March 20, 2011

From December to March, Colorado’s budget forecast for the general fund increased by over half a billion dollars, substantially shrinking that $1.2 billion budget shortfall we’ve all heard so much about. That’s good news.  But here’s the d…

Gardner Introduces Tax Discrimination Bill

by Ari Armstrong | 1:53 pm, March 20, 2011

The more I hear of discriminatory tax schemes (such as what Scott Walker promoted in Wisconsin) the less I like them. While I do not favor repealing tax exemptions unless offset by general tax cuts, neither to I support implementing new discriminatory …

Correcting The Guardian on Palin

by David K. Williams, Jr. | 8:58 am, March 20, 2011

The Guardian, a paper based in the UK, covered Sarah Palin’s visit to India. (See “Sarah Palin uses India visit to fuel rumours of her White House ambitions.”)The writer, Jason Burke, made an error in his story. I responded via email thusly:The article…

Backbone Radio, March 20, 2011: Carson, Kopp, Mitchell; markets

by Rossputin | 5:44 am, March 20, 2011

Audio archives for this show:

Segment 1 – Intro; John Carson of the Douglas County School Board
Segment 2 – Colorado Senate Minority Leader Mike Kopp
Segment 3 – Dan Mitchell, economist with the Cato Institute
Segment 4 – More with Dan Mitchell
Segment 5 – Trivia question; Obama’s trivial pursuits; Libya – Is the Obama Administration incompetent
Segment 6 – More on Libya

In a week of remarkable turmoil in the world, and in my world of financial markets, we’re going to spend some time on this week’s Backbone Radio discussing the longer term political and economic ramifications of Japan, Libya, and even Douglas County.

In our first hour, we’ll be joined by John Carson, President of the Douglas County Board of Education which unanimously passed a pilot school voucher program on Tuesday evening. It’s a great step for the county and I hope it will be a great example for other counties in the state and around the nation.  Mr. Carson, who is a graduate of the Leadership Program of the Rockies, will fill us in on what he expects from the program and how he’s dealt with local opposition to the plan.  In the meantime, it seems that county school offices are being bombarded by parents wanting to know how they can participate in the pilot plan. Unfortunately, for now only 500 families will be allowed to participate (a lottery will be held in the likely event that more than 500 families apply). I imagine the program will be so successful that it will be rapidly expanded in coming years.

Also in our first hour, we’ll talk with Colorado State Senate Minority Leader Mike Kopp. Topics will include in-state tuition for illegal aliens, the HOPE Act (opting Colorado out of Obamacare), and the GOP resolution against tax increases.

We’ll spend our entire second hour talking with Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute.  Dan is a dyed-in-the-wool capitalist, a Ph.D. economist, and former economist for the Senate Finance Committee.  His videos for the Center for Freedom and Prosperity provide high-caliber intellectual ammunition for everyone interested in understanding economics.  We’ll discuss Dan’s thoughts on the long-term impact of recent world events before bringing it back to home with a discussion about America’s fiscal situation, taxes and spending, and the politics of entitlement reform. And for you real economics geeks out there (like me), we’ll get into the weeds a little bit such as discussing why Dan is skeptical that Hauser’s Law is real and reliable.

It should be noted that Dan was the inspiration for a great note over at the Powerline Blog comparing current federal budget cuts to part of a McDonald’s meal…

In the third hour, we’ll talk more about the past week. If you’ll bear with me, I’d like to tell you a little about how weeks like this are experienced by traders like me. Let’s just say that it’s good I don’t have high blood pressure.  I’ll talk options, futures, volatility, and other financial concepts and try to keep it understandable and interesting.

Next Sunday, March 27, my special guest in the first hour will be Utah Senator Mike Lee, perhaps already the best United States Senator. I hope you’ll listen in!

Please join m by listening to (and calling in to) this week’s Backbone Radio program from 5 PM to 8 PM on 710 AM KNUS in Denver and 1460 AM KZNT in Colorado Springs.

If you’re not in range of the radio waves, you should be able to listen to the show online by clicking HERE.

I hope you’ll actively participate in the conversation with me: Call the studio at 303 696 1971.

Kibbutzim Go Private

by Joshua Sharf | 11:23 pm, March 19, 2011

Not much of a surprise, at this point, as noted by Claire Berlinski over at Ricochet: Beit-Oren was founded as a die-hard socialist settlement in 1939. Predictably, it went bankrupt, because socialism doesn’t work. By the 1980s it had no means of subsistence, and the world’s ideological tides having turned, the larger kibbutz movement cut [...]

CR’s make news again: Troy Ard, openly gay state chair, urges DOMA repeal

by Jimmy Sengenberger | 3:31 pm, March 19, 2011

Thursday night I reported on the waves being made by the College Republicans at CU-Boulder, who cut student fees 5.2% for the first time in the university’s history.  In a press release out today and first received by The Seng Center Radio Show, Troy Ard, the openly gay chairman of the Colorado Federation of College [...]

Mesa State Employee Won’t Get Choice to Leave State System

by PerlStalker | 1:50 pm, March 19, 2011

A bill that would have allowed employees at Mesa State College to vote one whether or not to leave the Classified system was defeated in the Colorado Senate.

Colorado WINS hated the idea that employees might want out of the Classified system. Exempt …

Government is force. Always. Let’s not sugarcoat it.

by David K. Williams, Jr. | 1:07 pm, March 19, 2011

I created quite the discussion thread on Facebook, by asserting that there is no social contract, not even metaphorically. This upsets some people and they responded, in essence, that I am wrong. For example, it was asserted that we “consent” to our go…

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