United Liberty
Creating Terror
Sat, 01/10/2009 - 5:29am | posted by Rick Fisk
By now, everyone is aware that Hamas has attacked Israel, though it was Israel itself which broke the ceasefire. I no longer have a television but I know the story is plastered on every major news network because it is also plastered on every political blog and social networking site. There is an entire network of supporters on both sides of the conflict insisting that their side is blameless and that the concerns of the other side are unremarkable. Both sides are spewing enough hyperbole and anger to warrant concern about fistfights breaking out stateside.
The conflict between Israel and it’s “neighbors” in Gaza and the West Bank is a great big mess that apparently has just one solution - according to a large group of foreign policy geniuses in America and Israel: more fighting.
U.S. Budget Deficit: $1.2 Trillion for 2009
Fri, 01/09/2009 - 1:42pm | posted by Luke Brady
USA Today says The Congressional Budget Office predicts the 2009 budget deficit will reach $1.2 trillion dollars. This is so absurd. Why do we think we can keep spending money like this? But more importantly, when will other nations stop lending us the money for budget deficits…because that day is coming, sooner than later.
Porn Industry Asks For Bailout
Fri, 01/09/2009 - 11:54am | posted by Michael O. Powell
Everyone’s looking for a handout:
TMZ reports that porn moguls Joe Francis and Larry Flynt are asking the government for a $5 billion bailout, citing a 22 percent drop in DVD sales last year.
Sigh. Well, at least we could count on the social conservatives to vote against this bailout. Maybe.
Banned! Hazardous Material
Fri, 01/09/2009 - 1:11am | posted by Liberty Belle
In an effort to save our children, the nanny-state has struck again. The Consumer Product Safety Act of 2008 was recently passed, and it’s sure to wreak havoc where ever it goes. It essentially requires testing for dangerous chemicals in almost all products that are intended for children 12 and under. This includes clothing, shoes, books, toys, jewelry, cds, board games and more.
While this law may not pose much of a problem for large retailers, for those who operate small businesses or own resale shops (including charity stores such as Goodwill), this legislation is potentially devastating. In most cases, the costs for having the products tested greatly outweigh any potential profit and talks of fines up to $100,000 and possible jail time will probably keep most from bucking the law.
Israel, Gaza and Hamas
Thu, 01/08/2009 - 5:37am | posted by Dr. John Killian
Editors Note: If you have also read Dr. Kennedy’s and Michael Powell’s recent articles on this topic, you’ll find that the opinions and beliefs of United Liberty writers can be quite varied. We see that as one of our strengths on this blog and appreciate the spiritual, political and cultural differences that allow us to see things from a different perspective. What’s interesting to note however, is that despite the different viewpoints represented in these articles regarding the roots and causes of the conflict, one thing that is agreed upon is that the proper course for America is the re-adoption of a non-interventionist foreign policy. And as always, comments are welcome.
Israel and Palestine: The Case for Non-intervention
Thu, 01/08/2009 - 5:21am | posted by Charles Kennedy
The recent Israeli military incursion into Gaza has been correctly termed an “invasion”, as put by Congressman Ron Paul. It shows the world, once again, that the policy of preemptive or “preventive” war carries the day with Israel and its policies towards its neighbors. In reality, this is an extension of the U.S. foreign policy of intervention into the internal affairs of other nations, having taken its latest form in the past five years as preemptive war with the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Many staunch (i.e., blind) supporters of the state of Israel somehow believe that the latest military strategy will somehow work in staving off the threats of rockets being fired by members and supporters of Hamas.
John McCain Starts His Post-Partum PAC
Wed, 01/07/2009 - 2:11pm | posted by Martin Avila
Yes, I’m still thinking about the ‘08 Election. No, I’m not bitter.
John McCain blasted an email out to his list encouraging them to join his new PAC - usually a no-brainer move after any national election these days.
The problem? I don’t think many people are going to be all that excited about it.
North Carolina Governor to Press: Be Nice To Me
Wed, 01/07/2009 - 11:04am | posted by Michael O. Powell
In case you weren’t already worrying that our nation’s politicians were living on another planet, here’s another reason to believe they are:
“My job is to be nice to other people, and their job is to be nice to me. Just because they’re not doing theirs doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do mine,” [North Carolina Governor] Easley said in audio of the interview posted on The News & Record’s Web site on Christmas Day.
Since you’re reading a libertarian blog, dear reader, you probably already know that it is certainly not the job of the media to be nice to elected officials. The job is to ask questions and hold feet to the fire.
I’ll leave being nice to politicians to Keith Olbermann.
Valkyrie: Lessons for Humanity
Wed, 01/07/2009 - 6:12am | posted by Dr. John Killian
This past weekend, I took my wife to see the film Valkyrie. Featuring Tom Cruise, Valkyrie is already ranked among the top five films of the season. Valkyrie details the plot of July 20, 1944 devised by German officers to assassinate Adolph Hitler. Cruise played the mastermind of the plot Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg.
I make no claim to have a depth of understanding of Hitler’s National Socialism and the details of the War effort. However, I was raised by a father who was a World War II veteran who was present on D-Day and both uncles served in the European theater during that great War.
On Israel and Palestine, We Should Call It A Day
Tue, 01/06/2009 - 11:03am | posted by Michael O. Powell
Back in 2004, when I was coming of age politically, I strongly sympathized with the Palestinian cause. I’ve always found the forced removal of Palestinians from their homes during the creation of the state of Israel to be a mistake of modern society, and I find it blaringly obvious that the black-haired and brown skinned refugees in the West Bank have a more rooted history with the Middle East than the brown-haired and white skinned Jewish college students from Seattle and New York who go to Israel to find themselves.
My support for Palestinians dissipated, however, as I became more aware of the horrors of modern Islamism. The Palestinian people have voted Islamists into power through Hamas. Peace has never been on the Islamist agenda and so peace is not what the Palestinians have gotten.
