United Liberty

Over the past few weeks I have had quite a few conversations with Conservatives which have led to a debate about interventionist versus non-interventionist foreign policy.  It usually starts with them attacking Ron Paul for one reason or another (check out this article on Midwest Spin for an example).  After I respond and question their criticism, it usually ends up being their disagreement with his foreign policy.

Foreign policy can be a very complex topic. I think that non-interventionists, for the most part, know why they support that policy much better than your typical interventionist. Many interventionists do not even understand the difference between non-intervention and isolationist.

If you support non-intervention you either have found yourself in a debate and had to defend non-intervention, or you will find yourself in one sometime in the near future. I have found there are a few things to keep in mind when you are in these debates:

1) Be ready to explain the difference between non-interventionism and isolationism. Isolationism is the foreign policy of North Korea. Non-intervention involves open dialogue, free trade, and minding your own business overseas. Two vastly different approaches. Just because you don’t support having a global military empire does not mean you are an isolationist.

2) Know some facts and figures. The United States has over 700 permanent military bases spread out across over 100 nations. Roughly 20% of the federal budget is military expenditures. There are facts and figures that give proof that 1) our military expenditures are financially unsustainable and 2) we most certainly have a foreign policy of intervention and global imperialism.

This week, Jason and Brett talk with United Liberty contributor Michael Powell and political consultant Stephen Gordon.

Their discussion centered around CPAC 2010, touching on the GOProud controversy, Ryan Sorba’s commentary, Bob Barr’s panel, torture, and a dalliance into a discussion on protectionism, free markets, and American jobs.

To download the podcast, right-click here and choose “Save Link As…” The introduction music is once again “Silence is Violence” by the always lovely Aimee Allen.

Also, you can subscribe to the RSS of JUST our podcasts here, or you can find our podcasts on iTunes here.

There’s something terribly ironic about the fact that Rand Paul may be riding into Kentucky’s United States Senate seat as a beneficiary of Sarah Palin’s endorsement. While they may be politically beneficial to each other, Palin and Paul represent two different approaches to political issues which are diametrically opposed to one another.

Even though it is actually short for Randall, Rand Paul shares in his first name the last name of one of libertarian’s intellectual icons, Ayn Rand, symbolic of his embrace of many of the free market intellectual works that he read as a young adult. Sarah Palin, on the other hand, is unapologetically anti-intellectual, using the description “law professor” to deride Barack Obama, as if teaching law is some sort of epithet.

I have a major concern: libertarians will not be represented in the Republican Presidential primaries in 2012.

As Ron Paul has reached an age that makes his battle for the nomination even harder, and Gary Johnson’s lack of exposure makes his nomination unlikely, libertarians are faced with a major dilemma as the 2012 presidential primaries near.

Yes, Obama has done a terrible job by any stretch of the imagination. But libertarians know McCain would have hardly been a better choice. If anything McCain’s election would have made it nearly impossible for a Republican to be elected president for the next two decades because his disastrous policies would have been (wrongly) blamed on free market policies. I for one do not think Obama’s election was as undesirable as McCain’s would have been.

2012 will be a year of tough choices for libertarians. Can we honestly vote for a neo-con who we hardly agree with? Would you cast a ballot for Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, or Mitt Romney? Even Tim Pawlenty’s credentials are questionable with his all-out embrace with the climate change movement.

What will be interesting to see is how “conservatives” react to the growing libertarian voting bloc. Will conservatives understand why we want marijuana legalized? Why we want the Federal Reserve abolished? Why we think our foreign policy is disastrous? When you ask yourself these questions and think about casting a vote for Palin, Huckabee, or Romney, can you stomach that vote?

In a special podcast, Jason and Brett interview Valerie Meyers, as she discusses her campaign, issues, and her candidacy.  Meyers is currently a Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in Georgia’s 8th Congressional District.

This special edition podcast is the second in a series devoted to showcasing liberty candidates nationwide.  Meyers talks about her liberty-focused campaign against an incumbent “Blue Dog” Democrat in Georgia and several fellow GOP candidates in the primary.

You can download the podcast here (38 minutes/35 MB). The introduction music is “Silence is Violence” by the always lovely Aimee Allen.

You can subscribe to the RSS of JUST our podcasts here, or you can find our podcasts on iTunes here.

Jason and Brett had their first guest on the podcast.  They were joined by Katie Brewer, Ms. June in the Ladies of Liberty Alliance calendar, former co-host of Liberty Cafe Show, Steering committee member for the Texans for Accountable Government PAC, liberty activist, and home schooling mom of two girls.

Together, they discuss:

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham demonstrates why I am not a Republican:

Dr. Paul continues his call to the GOP to return to their roots of fiscal conservatism and a sensible foreign policy.  What I find disheartening is that it’s obvious that the GOP leadership still does not get it.  As long as they continue to allow the likes of Newt Gingrich, John McCain, Mitt Romney, etc. to remain the face of the Republican party- past leaders whose ideas have been tried and failed- we will remain ineffective and stagnant as a party.  It’s time to allow fresh faces and fresh ideas to come to the forefront if the party is to grow and become a viable force in 2010.

Dr. Paul, once again, outlines the real culprits of the current economic crisis, and points to the real solutions- less government, lower taxes, decreased spending, the end of devaluing the dollar.

H/T: Matt Chancey