Welcome to Gaia! ::

~JAN~
In This Issue:

Prominent "Libertarian Democrat" urges the party of Jefferson to return to its
roots..... Harry Browne's New Year's resolutions..... Kick your uncle out or
move, city tells homeowners..... President Bush's wiretapping rationale is a
"recipe for tyranny," says columnist..... Michael Cloud tells you how to have
an outrageously great 2006..... Mary Ruwart is asked if people should be forced
to be witnesses in court, and what about harmful monopolies..... Hear David
Bergland on the air (and on the Web)..... Big Advocates online sale extended
two weeks.....

All this and *much much more* in the world's largest-circulation libertarian
publication...

THE LIBERATOR ONLINE

January 4, 2006
Vol. 11, No. 1
Circulation: 65,532 subscribers in over 100 countries

Published by the Advocates for Self-Government
Edited by James W. Harris, mailto:james@TheAdvocates.org
Created by Paul Schmidt and James W. Harris
___________________________________________

"The Advocates for Self-Government [is] one of America's leading libertarian
educational groups." -- The Times of London
___________________________________________

CONTENTS

PRESIDENT'S CORNER
* Harry Browne's New Year's resolutions for liberty

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES
* January 7: David Bergland on radio and web
* January 28: Sharon Harris speaks at San Diego LP state convention

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
* "Libertarian Democrat": Terry Michael
* "King George: A Recipe for Tyranny"
* Kick Your Uncle Out Or Move, City Says
* "The plain truth" about zoning...

PERSUASION POWER POINT #193
* The Path of Greatest Resistance: Typical New Year's Resolutions
AND an outrageously better way to make the changes you want!

ASK DR. RUWART
* What about harmful monopolies in a libertarian society?
* Should people be forced to be witnesses in court?

HARRY BROWNE'S SOUNDBITES FOR LIBERTY
* Who are you working for?
* Tax reform
* Personal responsibility

PRODUCT REVIEW
* SALE EXTENDED: 15% off EVERYTHING in our online catalog!
_____________________________________

PRESIDENT'S CORNER

Dear friends,

Happy New Year!

Did you make any New Year's Resolutions? A few years ago, Harry Browne --
1996/2000 Libertarian Party presidential candidate and world-renowned
libertarian speaker and writer -- did. The result was a compact how-to of
effective libertarian communication, by one of the most persuasive advocates of




the ideas of liberty.

I thought I'd share it with you. I hope you find it as informative and
inspiring as I do.

* * *

A Libertarian's New Year's Resolutions

by Harry Browne

1. I resolve to *sell* liberty by appealing to the self-interest of each
prospect, rather than *preaching* to people and expecting them to suddenly
adopt my ideas of right and wrong.

2. I resolve to keep from being drawn into arguments or debates. My purpose is
to inspire people to want liberty -- not to prove that they're wrong.

3. I resolve to *listen* when people tell me of their wants and needs, so I
can help them see how a free society will satisfy those needs.

4. I resolve to identify myself, when appropriate, with the social goals
someone may seek -- a cleaner environment, more help for the poor, a less
divisive society -- and try to show him that those goals can never be achieved
by government, but will be well served in a free society.

5. I resolve to be compassionate and respectful of the beliefs and needs that
lead people to seek government help. I don't have to approve of their subsidies
or policies -- but if I don't acknowledge their needs, I have no hope of
helping them find a better way to solve their problems.

6. No matter what the issue, I resolve to keep returning to the central point:
how much better off the individual will be in a free society.

7. I resolve to acknowledge my good fortune in having been born an American.
Any plan for improvement must begin with a recognition of the good things we
have. To speak only of America's defects will make me a tiresome crank.

8. I resolve to focus on the ways America could be so much better with a very
small government -- not to dwell on all the wrongs that exist today.

9. I resolve to cleanse myself of hate, resentment, and bitterness. Such
things steal time and attention from the work that must be done.

10. I resolve to speak, dress, and act in a respectable manner. I may be the
first Libertarian someone has encountered, and it's important that he get a
good first impression. No one will hear the message if the messenger is
unattractive.

11. I resolve to remind myself that someone's "stupid" opinion may be an
opinion I once held. If *I* can grow, why can't I help *him* grow?

12. I resolve not to raise my voice in any discussion. In a shouting match, no
one wins, no one changes his mind, and no one will be inspired to join our
quest for a free society.

13. I resolve not to adopt the tactics of Republicans and Democrats. They use
character assassination, evasions, and intimidation because they have no real
benefits to offer Americans. We, on the other hand, are offering to set people
free -- and so we can win simply by focusing on the better life our proposals
will bring.

14. I resolve to be civil to my opponents and treat them with respect. However
anyone chooses to treat me, it's important that I be a better person than my
enemies.

-- Harry Browne

* * *

Thanks, Harry!

If enough of us follow Harry's advice, we can make 2006 the best year yet for
the libertarian movement -- and that's something to aspire to.

* * *

Welcome to 191 new Liberator Online subscribers this issue. Thanks for joining
our subscription "family" of over 65,000 liberty-loving readers in over 100
countries!

To learn more about the Advocates and our work for liberty:
http://www.theadvocates.org To learn more about libertarianism:
http://www.Libertarianism.com Enjoy this issue of the Liberator Online.

-- Sharon Harris, President mailto:sharon@TheAdvocates.org

PS: Our Holiday Sale last issue met with such a warm reception that we're
EXTENDING it for two more weeks.

Until January 18, you can take 15% off EVERYTHING in our online catalog!

Yes, everything!

Great tools for liberty: books, tapes, videos, CDs, T-shirts, Quiz cards, OPH
kits... EVERYTHING!

Add to your library of great libertarian books. Get video and audio tapes by
major libertarian thinkers and speakers -- like Michael Cloud, Mary Ruwart,
Harry Browne, Walter Block and so many more.

The discount applies to ALL merchandise. (Not discounted: shipping, applicable
taxes, and magazine subscriptions, whose price we do not control.)

You can browse the catalog and place your order from here:
http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator-online-special.html

(PLEASE NOTE: The prices you'll see at our catalog are our *original* prices.
Before we charge your card, we will subtract the 15%.)

If you prefer to order by phone or mail, please use the contact information at
the end of this issue.

We guarantee your satisfaction with all Advocates products. Try them at no
risk -- if you're not completely satisfied, simply return for a full refund.

Offer good through January 18.

Your purchases help support the vital work of the Advocates. Thank you!
_____________________________________

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES

* Saturday, January 7, 2006: DAVID BERGLAND INTERVIEWED ON
RADIO AND WEB. Mark your calendar! David Bergland, 1984 Libertarian
Party presidential candidate and author of the classic book "Libertarianism In
One Lesson" (recently reissued by the Advocates in a new updated version),
will discuss his book and related topics on the syndicated live call-in radio
talk show "Free Talk Live." The time: 7:05 pm ET (4:05 pm Pacific). The
show can also be heard live on the Web:
http://www.freetalklive.com/tunein.php

Free Talk Live, syndicated on 12 stations, is hosted by Ian Bernard, a
longtime libertarian -- and a friend and fan of the Advocates. (He's one of the
few radio talk show hosts who has actually run an Operation Politically
Homeless booth!) Ian says the show is a "libertarian recruiting machine. We get
the real message of Liberty out, and it works." Free Talk Live is heard on 12
affiliates around the country, including stations in Oregon, Washington,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, and others. (See
the complete list at http://www.freetalklive.com.) Want to hear Free Talk Live
on a radio station in your area? Visit http://local.freetalklive.com for
details about how you can contact your local radio station's Program Director
and request the show. The more stations it's on, the more people Ian promises
to reach with the libertarian message!

* January 28, San Diego: ADVOCATES PRESIDENT SHARON HARRIS will speak at the
2006 San Diego Libertarian Party Convention. The San Diego LP has more members
than any other LP chapter in the nation. Other speakers include Jim Babka of
the limited-government activist organization DownsizeDC; world-renowned
success/motivational speaker Bob Burg; and legendary libertarian activist
Richard Rider. Plus -- fantastic food! For more info:
http://live.sdlp.org/index.php/2005/12/06/the-2006-san-diego-libertarian-party-
convention

* Want to quickly learn the basics of libertarianism -- from some of the best
minds in the liberty movement? Want to help a friend quickly learn about
libertarianism? Check out Libertarianism.com, from the Advocates:
http://www.Libertarianism.com
_____________________________________

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS

by James W. Harris

"Libertarian Democrat": Terry Michael

Terry Michael, former Democratic National Committee press secretary and
current executive director of the influential Washington Center for Politics &
Journalism, calls himself a "libertarian Democrat."

And he has some strong advice for the Democratic Party: return to your small-
government, Jeffersonian roots.

Why? Because to win over today's self-empowered voters, Democrats need a new
vision of the proper role of government.

As Michael wrote in The Washington Examiner (February 9, 2005):

"Here's a rough cut: "Government: Assure liberty by staying as far away as
possible from our bank accounts, our bedrooms, and our bodies. Spread
pluralistic democracy and free markets by example, not by force. Restore the
moral authority of the mid-20th century civil rights movement by fashioning
public policy around individuals, not tribal identity groups.'"

Such a Jeffersonian message, Michael believes, would "inspire a 21st century
base and attract voters who believe both [major] parties are obsolete."

Democrats used to embrace that limited-government vision, Michael points out.
When Thomas Jefferson founded the Democratic Party in 1792, it was a party of
"small central government serving self-sufficient 'little people' (farmers,
shop keepers, frontiersmen), prizing and preserving individual liberty."

But by the time of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s,
the party had assumed its current "Central Authority Solutions" mantle --
endorsing "one-size-fits-all, central authority,
wealth-redistributive policies."

Michael argues that a reborn Jeffersonian Democratic Party -- based on a "back-
to-the-future Jeffersonian liberalism" which embraces a "little-government-for-
the-little-guy ideology" -- could offer economic liberty and an anti-
interventionist foreign policy, while rejecting "the social-cultural
intolerance of the GOP Taliban wing."

Adds Michael: "Jefferson, who said the government that governs least governs
best, knew the era of big government was over before Bill Clinton proclaimed
it... From our Jeffersonian roots, we have the glue to make the [Democratic]
brand sticky again."

Until the 1980s, Michael says he was a "traditional" left-liberal. Then his
politics "began evolving." Concerned that "we Democrats were increasingly
losing touch with our middle and working class voting base," he started to
think "outside the Democratic box." Unlike most of his fellow Democrats, he
opposed foreign intervention, deficit spending, affirmative action, campaign
finance reform, and the "neo-prohibitionist, mass social insanity called the
War on Drugs."

By the 1990s, Michael "began drifting toward a libertarian political
philosophy." Today, he said, he endorses a government that is "out of my bank
account and my bedroom, away from my body, and out of the backyards of the rest
of the world."

Despite his criticism of Democrats, Michael was never tempted to become a
Republican. "The competition for the vote-rich middle of the electorate has
turned formerly conservative Republicans into social welfare Democrats," he
says. "Pandering to the center has caused the GOP to lose... its ideological
way. Now, in a transparent effort to appease its social cultural conservative
base, the party has all but abandoned a principled intellectual critique of the
role of government -- and lost its conservative soul."

Born in 1947, Michael has been involved with the Democratic party since age
nine, when he slapped on an "Adlai Stevenson for President" button. He got his
first political job in 1973 as press secretary to the Democratic Leader and
Members in the Illinois House of Representatives.

He worked in communications jobs for the Ted Kennedy for President campaign
(1980); the Democratic National Committee (1983-1987); the Michael Dukakis for
President campaign (198 cool ; and the Democratic National Convention (1992). He
was named a "Rising Star in Democratic Politics" in 1988 by Campaigns &
Elections magazine.

In 1998 Michael became the executive director of the Washington Center for
Politics & Journalism. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization brings
journalism students to Washington, DC to learn about government, lobbying, and
campaigns.

Let's hope he can influence others -- within and outside the
Democratic party --
to embrace his slogan: "Government: out of my bank account and my bedroom, away
from my body, and out of the backyards of the rest of the world."

(Source: Taken from a longer Terry Michael profile by Advocates Communications
Director Bill Winter. Read the whole post here:
http://www.theadvocates.org/celebrities/terry-michael.html )

* * *

"King George: A Recipe for Tyranny"

President Bush's arguments for warrantless wiretaps pose a grave danger to
American liberty, says libertarian syndicated columnist Jacob Sullum:

"Members of Congress have been known to vote for legislation they haven't
read. But is it possible Congress authorized warrantless wiretaps without
realizing it?

"That's what President Bush implies when he defends the National Security
Agency's warrantless eavesdropping on Americans' phone calls and e-mail
messages by citing the 'Authorization for Use of Military Force' that Congress
approved three days after the September 11 terrorist attacks. More
fundamentally, Bush seems to believe the Constitution gives him the power to
authorize this surveillance, no matter what Congress or the courts might have
to say about it.

"Even people who have complete confidence in this president's good faith and
good judgment should worry about his sweeping assertion of executive power,
which has implications for his successors. In areas such as military tribunals,
detention of "enemy combatants," and administrative subpoenas, Bush has shown
an alarming tendency to cut the legislative and judicial branches out of
decisions about how to prosecute a war on terrorism that will continue long
after he leaves office. This combination of unilateralism with a perpetual
state of emergency is a recipe for tyranny."

(Source: "King George," by syndicated columnist Jacob Sullum:
http://www.reason.com/sullum/122105.shtml )

* * *

Kick Your Uncle Out Or Move, City Says

In what the Washington Post calls "a patently bigoted... act of Big Brotherish
government intrusion," the city of Manassas, Virginia has nastily redefined
"family" in a zoning law.

The old zoning law allowed relatives of any type to live together in a house,
as long as the total number did not exceed occupancy limits.

The new law, however, restricts households to immediate relatives, plus one
unrelated person. Excluded as "family" are aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews,
cousins and other extended family.

Thus, it is now illegal for a family that includes nieces, nephews, uncles,
aunts, cousins, and so forth to live together in Manassas.

Already the Manassas government is sending inspectors to visit selected
houses. Hard-working U.S. citizens are suddenly being interrogated about such
highly personal matters as how many people live in the home and what their
relationship is. Those who violate the new law are being told to change their
living arrangements -- i.e., boot out Uncle Ed or Cousin Sarah -- or sell their
house.

As an example, the Washington Post points to Leyla and Juan Chavez, U.S.
citizens who came from Honduras to America in the 1980s. In the classic
immigrant tradition, they worked hard at several jobs to save enough to buy a
house. To make ends meet, they housed a nephew and a renter couple downstairs.
But outlawing this has made it impossible for the family to keep their home. So
now they're selling and leaving.

Critics charge the law is aimed at Hispanic families, and particularly
undocumented aliens. The city insists that's not the case, though a few weeks
ago the vice mayor said the law was aimed at addressing alleged problems caused
by undocumented immigrants.

Whatever the reason, good people who have harmed no one are being
persecuted, and several civil liberties groups, including the American Civil
Liberties Union, are strongly considering challenging the law.

"It's hard to describe how many parts of the U.S. Constitution this law
actually violates, " said Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law professor at
George Washington University. "It interferes with constitutional guarantees
regarding contracts [to rent rooms], families, equal protection, even First
Amendment issues like freedom of association. . . . "

One of the main legal arguments against the new law is that it may violate
constitutional protections regarding "family" stemming from a 1977 U.S. Supreme
Court decision (Moore v. City of East Cleveland, Ohio).

The majority decision included these stirring words:

"Ours is by no means a tradition limited to respect for the bonds uniting the
members of the nuclear family. The tradition of uncles, aunts, cousins, and
especially grandparents sharing a household along with parents and children has
roots equally venerable and equally deserving of constitutional recognition.
Over the years millions of our citizens have grown up in just such an
environment, and most, surely, have profited from it."

Generations of American families have benefited enormously from precisely the
kinds of living arrangements that Manassas has now outlawed. Let's hope the
courts squash this further expansion of zoning tyranny quickly -- before it
spreads.

(Sources: Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2005/12/29/AR2005122901220.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2005/12/29/AR2005122901410.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-
0512300237dec30,1,5005953.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed )

* * *

"The plain truth" about zoning...

"The plain truth is that the true object of the [zoning] ordinance in question
is to place all property in a strait-jacket. The purpose to be accomplished is
really to regulate the mode of living of persons who may hereafter inhabit [the
community]."

-- Supreme Court Justice Willis Van Devanter, in his dissent to Euclid vs.
City of Ambler, the landmark 1926 decision that upheld the authority of
governments to enforce zoning regulations.

* * * * * * * *
"Good News, Bad News, Unbelievable News" is written by Liberator Online editor
James W. Harris. His articles have appeared in numerous magazines and
newspapers, and he has been a Finalist for the Mencken Award, given by the Free
Press Association for "Outstanding Journalism in Support of Liberty."
_____________________________________

PERSUASION POWER POINT # 193

The Path of Greatest Resistance: Typical New Year's Resolutions AND an
outrageously better way to make the changes you want!

by Michael Cloud

[Note: This is a special self-development column, not one specifically on
libertarian persuasion. I hope you enjoy and employ it. -- Michael]

Millions of Americans make New Year's Resolutions. In January, millions of us
go on diets, join health clubs, start exercise programs, quit smoking, quit
drinking, or start savings programs.

We want to make our lives better. We want to improve our health, our wealth,
and our happiness.

We begin with high hopes and the best of intentions.

"This time, it'll be different," we tell ourselves -- as we make the same New
Year's Resolution as we did the last four years.

"You'll see. I'm going to lose 20 pounds," we tell our friends.

"Honey, I mean it. I'm quitting smoking once and for all," we tell our
husbands or wives.

We keep our resolution for a day -- and feel proud. Then one week. Then two
weeks.

But something happens. Sometimes everyday life disrupts or interrupts our
program. Sometimes the effort wears us down. Other times, we're working just as
hard on our resolution for fitness or dieting, but the results seem slower and
harder to come by. Or our weight loss gets stuck and stalled for days
at a time.

First we "flub it" or "blow it" or "cheat" on our Resolution one day. Then
within a week or two, we skip two days, then three, and soon we fall off the
wagon.

Within 90 days, well over 90% of serious New Year's Resolutions are abandoned.

Don't despair. There's nothing wrong with you. You are NOT weak or unreliable
or a bad person.

Your New Year's Resolutions sent you down the Path of Greatest Resistance. You
did the hardest thing the hardest way.

You can easily and enjoyably change your life. You can easily and enjoyably
lose the weight, make yourself fit and attractive, stop smoking or drinking,
pay off debts, start saving money, or dramatically improve your personal
relationships. Permanently.

To put your New Year's Resolutions into action, I strongly recommend this book:
"One Small Step Can Change Your Life" by Robert Maurer.

Buy, read, and make notes in this book. Dr. Maurer's book shows you a fun, zero
friction, no frustration method to easily make changes that last. If you're like
me, you'll be skeptical at his small, simple steps that promise big and lasting
results. But I've tried and tested it in my life. It flat-out works. And it's enjoyable.

It's a short book. You can read it in an evening -- and put it into action the
next day.

Please get a copy now. Live a long, healthy, happy, and prosperous life.

And have an outrageously great 2006!

******************
Michael Cloud was voted the Most Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in
America and honored with the Thomas Paine Award at the Libertarian Party
national convention in July 2000.

Michael is author of the acclaimed new book "Secrets of Libertarian
Persuasion" available exclusively from the Advocates:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/secrets.html
___________________________________

ASK DR. RUWART

Dr. Mary Ruwart is a leading expert in libertarian communication. In this
column she gives readers "short answers to the tough questions" to real
questions libertarians are frequently asked. To submit your questions to Dr.
Ruwart, see end of column.

Dr. Ruwart's past Liberator Online answers are archived in searchable form at:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/ruwart/categories_list.php

* * *

"What about harmful monopolies in a libertarian society?"

Question:

"What happens in a libertarian society if someone legally acquires monopoly
control of scarce resources to the extent that there is no possibility of
competition, and then uses that control to blackmail or harm the society?
Examples might be water rights, utility infrastructure (power lines, water
pipes, etc.) or medical knowledge such as how to make certain drugs. Or,
suppose a new life-threatening disease arises and one company discovers
a drug treatment -- but the owner is a racist and won't sell the drug to some
minority. Can this owner condemn people to death and get away with it?"

My short answer:

"All of the examples you've given for monopolies -- utilities, water rights,
cartels -- actually are created by regulations restricting competition. Free
market monopolies are rare and short-lived. For details, see Chapter 7 in my
book, "Healing Our World," available from the Advocates (2003 edition) or as a
free download (1993 edition) at www.ruwart.com.

"Regarding your imaginary (and highly unlikely) "what-if" question about the
drug company: In a libertarian society, a company that refused to sell life-
saving medicine to a minority group would likely encounter a consumer boycott
on its other products and a great deal of negative publicity. Most likely, less
bigoted individuals would buy drugs and resell them, or donate them, to the
affected group.

"Compare this to today's *real world* of government-created drug denial.
Today, desperately ill people are denied access to life-saving drugs by the
1962 Kefauver-Harris amendments to the Food and Drug Act, which added 10 years
to drug development time. Pharmaceutical firms are forbidden, by law, to sell
or even give unapproved drugs to dying people, even though it may be a matter
of their life or death. By my calculations, these regulations have killed 4.7-
20.8 million Americans since their passage (for details, see
www.Ruwart.com/AAPS.pdf).

"The FDA currently has monopoly power in determining which drugs the American
public may buy. A libertarian society would not have this monopoly.
Consequently, all Americans would live longer and healthier lives. (For further
details, see Chapter 6 in my book, "Healing Our World." The 1992 edition is
available as a free download at www.Ruwart.com; the 2003 edition is available
from The Advocates).

* * *

Should people be forced to be witnesses in court?

Question:

"The U.S. Constitution affords a criminal defendant "compulsory process for
obtaining witnesses in his favor." But doesn't this violate the core
libertarian principle of not using force against people who have harmed no one?
What's a libertarian solution to this dilemma?"

My short answer:

"In a libertarian society, you wouldn't be able to compel testimony. However,
libertarian courts would operate differently than the ones of today, making
witnesses much more likely to cooperate voluntarily.

"For example, a witness today is expected to come to court and sit through
multiple delays before taking the stand, usually without compensation for lost
work time. If the witness is threatened by the defendant's friends, he or she
is unlikely to receive adequate police protection except in high profile cases.
Testifying represents a net loss, sometimes substantial, to a witness.

"In a libertarian society, a witness might be compensated for lost work time
and given protection by a crime victim or that victim's insurance company.
After the conviction of the aggressor, these costs would be added to the
restitution that the aggressor would incur. Loans would likely be available for
victims without insurance or the ability to front such costs. Upon conviction
of the aggressor, the lending fees would be added to the restitution.

"As you can see, aggressors in a libertarian society would have a hefty debt
to pay. Hopefully, they would be caught in the early phase of their criminal
"career" so that they would learn the true cost of their aggression at an early
age and decide that crime doesn't pay. This is exactly what happens in Japan,
where the aggressor must negotiate a restitution settlement with the victim.
Japan is the only industrialized nation that has seen a consistent decrease in
violent crime since World War II.

"For more details, see Chapter 13 of the 2003 edition of "Healing Our World,"
available from The Advocates."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Got questions? Dr. Ruwart has answers! If you'd like answers to YOUR "tough
questions" on libertarian issues, just email to Dr. Ruwart at:
mailto:ruwart@theAdvocates.org

Due to volume, Dr. Ruwart can't personally acknowledge all emails. But we'll
run the best questions and answers in upcoming issues.

Dr. Ruwart's outstanding books "Healing Our World" and "Short Answers to the
Tough Questions" are available from the Advocates:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv
_____________________________________

HARRY BROWNE'S SOUNDBITES FOR LIBERTY

During his two Libertarian Party presidential campaigns (1996 and 2000), Harry
Browne created hundreds of "soundbites" -- short, pithy, and highly memorable
answers to the questions libertarians are most frequently asked by the media
and the public. Each issue we'll be sharing some of the best. Enjoy -- and put
them to use for liberty!

* * * * * * * * * * * *

* Who are you working for? "Federal, state, and local taxes take 48% of the
national income. That means if you and your spouse both work, one of you is
working for the government and the other is working for your family."

* Tax reform: "Proposals to replace the current income tax with a "flatter,
fairer tax," replace it with a sales tax, or to cut it by 15% or so are all
attempts to rearrange the oppressive cost of big government -- but they do
nothing to reduce that cost. So long as government is too large, the tax load
will be too large -- no matter how the politicians arrange it for you. Only
Libertarians propose to reduce the federal government so far that we can repeal
the income tax and replace it with nothing -- no flat tax, no sales tax, no
anything."

* Personal responsibility: "Government seems to operate on the principle that
if even one individual is incapable of using his freedom competently, no one
can be allowed to be free."

* * * * * * * * * * *
Harry Browne was 1996 and 2000 Libertarian Party presidential candidate. He is
the author of a dozen books that have sold over two million copies, including
three New York Times bestsellers.

Browne's book "Liberty A to Z: 872 Libertarian Soundbites You Can Use Right
Now" is temporarily out of stock. Stay tuned -- we'll announce in the Liberator
Online when it becomes available again!
_____________________________________

PRODUCT REVIEW: 15% off EVERYTHING!

Our Holiday Sale last issue met with such a warm reception that we're
EXTENDING it for two more weeks.

Until January 18, you can take 15% off EVERYTHING in our online catalog!

Yes, everything!

Great tools for liberty: books, tapes, videos, CDs, T-shirts, Quiz cards, OPH
kits... EVERYTHING!

Add to your library of great libertarian books. Get video and audio tapes by
major libertarian thinkers and speakers -- like Michael Cloud, Mary Ruwart,
Harry Browne, Walter Block and so many more.

The discount applies to ALL merchandise. (Not discounted: shipping, applicable
taxes, and magazine subscriptions, whose price we do not control.)

You can browse the catalog and place your order from here:
http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator-online-special.html

(PLEASE NOTE: The prices you'll see at our catalog are our *original* prices.
Before we charge your card, we will subtract the 15%.)

If you prefer to order by phone or mail, please use the contact information at
the end of this issue.

We guarantee your satisfaction with all Advocates products. Try them at no
risk -- if you're not completely satisfied, simply return for a full refund.

Your purchases help support the vital work of the Advocates. Thank you!

***** This offer good through January 18, 2005 *****



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THE LIBERATOR ONLINE is the official newsletter of the Advocates for Self-
Government http://www.TheAdvocates.org
_____________________________________

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"May it be to the world... to assume the blessings and security of self-government." -- Thomas Jefferson,
June 24, 1826.

~~16 FEB 2006~~


In This Issue:

How liberty failed in South America (or did it?)... "Nobody for President"
invites people to take the Quiz... President Bush's plan to spend $87,000 a
second... Do libertarians support gun control?... And much more!

THE LIBERATOR ONLINE

February 16, 2006 Vol. 11, No. 4
Circulation: 65,705 subscribers in over 100 countries.
The world's largest-circulation libertarian publication!

Published by the Advocates for Self-Government
Edited by Bill Winter | Email: billw@TheAdvocates.org
Senior Editor: James W. Harris

Want to read the enhanced HTML version of this LIBERATOR ONLINE? Just click
on: http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator/vol-11-num-4.html
___________________________________________

"If you don't know who the Advocates are, you should take a look at their web
site: they are the most important libertarian activist group in the United
States. They are the ones on the forefront and they have the tools you need."
--Francois Tremblay, Suite101.com
___________________________________________

CONTENTS

PRESIDENT'S CORNER
* Lights of Liberty deadline looms!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES
* February 22: Michael Cloud radio interview
* February 23: Sharon Harris radio interview
* Nobody invites people to take the Quiz!

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
* The ever-growing federal budget
* Free-market "failures" and South American socialism
* War! What is it good for? (Answer: Government)
* QUICK SHOTS: James Bovard strikes again, and more...

PERSUASION POWER POINT #196
* The Complacency Trap by Michael Cloud

ASK DR. RUWART
* Should there be gun control in a libertarian society?
* Would libertarians allow gay marriage?

SOUNDBITES FOR LIBERTY
* Harry Browne, Joseph Sobran, and Thomas Paine

PRODUCT REVIEW
* "Three Sides of Harry!" Three speeches by Harry Browne
___________________________________________


PRESIDENT'S CORNER

Dear friends,

To paraphrase libertarian comedian and actor Denis Leary, I've got three words
for you: Deadline. Outreach. Prizes.

That's right. The DEADLINE to qualify for our 2005 Lights of Liberty awards is
just around the corner -- March 1, 2006. The program honors libertarians who
engage in OUTREACH activities. And libertarians who qualify will receive
wonderful PRIZES.

Here are the details:

DEADLINE: Time is short! By Wednesday, March 1, 2006, nominate yourself (or
someone you know who qualifies) at:
http://www.theadvocates.org/lights-nominate.html
It just takes a moment!

OUTREACH: Here at the Advocates, we understand that if our movement is going
to win, it's got to grow. And to grow, we've got to take the message of liberty
to more people. That's why we started the Lights of Liberty program -- to
encourage more libertarians to participate in more grassroots outreach activity.

You qualify if you've done any one of the following activities:

* Got three letters mentioning the word "libertarian" printed in newspapers or
magazines; or...

* Participated for three days at an Operation Politically Homeless (OPH)
booth; or...

* Delivered three speeches using the word "libertarian" to non-libertarian
audiences.

If you've accomplished any of this between January 1, 2005 and December 31,
2005, congratulations -- you're a winner!

Of course, we know you didn't do these activities to win awards. But your
letter, or speech, or OPH outreach shift brought the message of liberty to
hundreds -- perhaps thousands! -- of people. That kind of outreach work is so
valuable we want to make sure it gets rewarded, acknowledged, and encouraged.

Furthermore, every Lights of Liberty winner is an inspiration to others. Your
name on the list will inspire others to follow your example and do more of
these kinds of valuable outreach activities.

PRIZES: If you qualify, you'll get a handsome Lights of Liberty certificate,
suitable for framing; your name will be added to the honor roll on our Web
site; and you'll receive a coupon worth 20% off your next order from our
catalog of books, tapes, and other libertarian items.

There's more! Your name will also be placed in a drawing for free books and
tapes -- and one lucky winner will receive the "Libertarian Presidential
Library," an autographed collection of every campaign book by every Libertarian
Party presidential candidate. One lucky winner will get books by John Hospers
(1972) to Michael Badnarik (2004). This is a $250 value -- yours for free if
you're the lucky winner!

Have more questions? Go to: http://theadvocates.org/lights.html.

Ready to nominate yourself or someone else? Go to:
http://www.theadvocates.org/lights-nominate.html.

(Did I mention that the deadline is Wednesday, March 1, 2006? Act quickly!)

* * *

Welcome to 327 new Liberator Online subscribers this issue. Thanks for joining
our subscription "family" of 65,705 liberty-loving readers in more than 100
countries!

-- Sharon Harris, President | Email: sharon@TheAdvocates.org

PS: To learn more about the Advocates and our work for liberty:
http://www.theadvocates.org.

To learn more about libertarianism: http://www.Libertarianism.com.

PPS: For a limited time, we're offering a special "Three Sides of Harry!"
package -- three groundbreaking speeches by Harry Browne for just $19.99.
You'll get:

* "The Seduction of Force." Learn why even libertarians are susceptible to the
temptation of government force. Brand new!

* "Why Liberty Must Be SOLD, Not Preached -- and How To Do It." The classic
speech that revolutionized libertarian persuasion!

* "The Future Is NOT Hopeless!" Harry explains why he is hopeful about the
future of liberty -- and why we should be, too. Brand new!

Three speeches -- over two and a half hours of 200-Proof Harry Browne! Listen
to these great speeches as you drive to work, take a long trip, or relax in the
evening -- and be enlightened, delighted, and inspired.

"Three Sides of Harry!" is a $30 value -- but you can get it for only $19.99.
Two CDs and an audio tape. Order today!

For more details, see the PRODUCT REVIEW later in this issue. To place your
order, visit: http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator-online-special.html

___________________________________________


WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES

* February 22: Listen to Michael Cloud discuss his book, Secrets of
Libertarian Persuasion, on "The Bill of Rights Hour" with host Jesse Herron on
Wednesday, February 22, at 4:15 pm Eastern. "The Bill of Rights Hour" is
broadcast on KHNC 1360-AM in Johnston, Colorado; KFNX 1100-AM in Phoenix,
Arizona, and KCAA 1050-AM in Loma Linda, California. It can also be heard on
the Internet: http://www.americanewsnet.com/radio.htm.

* February 23: Hear Advocates President Sharon Harris answer questions about
the World's Smallest Political Quiz, libertarianism, and the Advocates! She'll
be interviewed by host Ian Bernard on "Free Talk Live" on Thursday, February 23
at 7:05 pm Eastern. For a list of the 12 stations that carry the show, or to
hear it live on the Internet, visit: http://www.freetalklive.com.

* News from Nobody: Nobody is inviting people to take the World's Smallest
Political Quiz -- and we're delighted! We discovered that the quirky Web site
"Nobody for President" features a link to the Quiz. The tongue-in-cheek site
invites people to vote for "Nobody" for president in 2008, and notes: "Nobody
is more than qualified to be President of the United States of America." Who
can argue with that? We also love Nobody's position on taxes: "Nobody is going
to tax you. You should be able to keep the money you earn and do what you want
with it." Bravo! The Advocates is non-partisan, so we can't endorse anybody for
president -- but maybe we should endorse Nobody! Visit the site at:
http://www.nobodyforpresident.net.

___________________________________________

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS

by Bill Winter

The ever-growing federal budget

It's fair to say that libertarian Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) is no fan of
President George W. Bush's proposed 2007 budget. In his weekly column, Texas
Straight Talk (February 13), Congressman Paul notes that Bush wants to increase
federal spending to a "staggering $2.77 trillion, a sum that is four times
larger than the Reagan-era budgets of the early 1980s."

But it gets worse. Congressman Paul writes that:

* "With a 7% rate of growth, federal spending will double in just 14 years. It
once took 100 years to double the federal budget."

* "Federal spending has grown twice as fast under Bush than Clinton, averaging
6% and 7% increases compared to the 3% and 4% increases of the 1990s."

* "The biggest increases in federal spending under Bush are not related to the
war on terror or homeland security. Education spending, for example, grew a
whopping 137% between 2001 and 2005."

* "The administration will ask for at least $120 billion in so-called 'off
budget' funds for Iraq and Afghanistan over the next year, perpetuating the
deception that war spending somehow doesn't count toward the budget deficit."

Why is the federal budget so enormous? Congressman Paul answers that question:
"Neither political party wants to address the fundamental yet unspoken issues
inherent in any budget proposal: What is the proper role for government in our
society? Are these ever-growing entitlement and military expenditures really
consistent with a free country? Do the proposed expenditures, and the resulting
taxes, make us more free or less free? These are the kinds of questions the
American people should ask, even if Congress lacks the courage to apply any
principles whatsoever to the budget process."

Source: http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2006/tst021306.htm

* * *

Free-market "failures" and South American socialism

Bad news: The free market has been tried in South America -- and it doesn't
work. After two decades of experimenting with capitalistic reforms, voters are
fed up with the lack of positive results, and socialism is on the rise (again)
in that region of the world, according to a February 8 article in USA Today.

In recent years, six Latin American countries have elected leaders who are
either self-declared socialists or leftists. In Venezuela, President Hugo
Chavez vows to implement "21st-century socialism." In Bolivia, President Evo
Morales, a leader of the Movement towards Socialism (MAS), promises to
"renationalize" the country's natural resources. In Paraguay, President Nicanor
Duarte Frutos declares that "human beings are more than a market." In Brazil,
Chile, and Argentina, voters also returned socialists or leftists to power.

What do those six countries have in common? Politicians in each have announced
that the free market has failed. "Savage capitalism," they declare, has not
ended poverty; the free market has not created enough new jobs; and privatizing
government-owned businesses has not resulted in lower prices or greater
prosperity. Liberty has been tried in South America, critics say. It has failed.

Or has it? The answer seems to depend on your definition of the "free market."
USA Today paints a picture of "free-market" reforms that seem suspiciously
like, well, more big government.

For example, countries like Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina took certain steps
in a free-market direction at the instigation of the International Monetary
Fund (IMF). In return, the IMF, the U.S. government, and the World Bank lent
Latin American governments "tens of billions of dollars to spur development,"
reports USA Today. Hmm.... Massive loans from governments (and quasi-
governmental entities) to other governments. That doesn't sound like the free
market.

Many Latin American politicians also protected favored local industries from
foreign competition with laws and steep tariffs. "Local manufacturers remain
insulated from the full effects of foreign competition," reports USA Today. So
businesses remain inefficient and prices remain high. That doesn't sound like
the free market.

Then there's corruption. Those IMF and World Bank loans that South American
governments received were -- surprise! -- frequently doled out "according to
payoffs or political influence rather than economic efficiency," reports USA
Today. The same thing happened when many state-owned businesses were
privatized. Privatization often consisted of "sweetheart deals for insiders,"
according to USA Today. So the politically connected rich got richer and the
poor remained poor. That doesn't sound like the free market.

Did South America really give the free market a chance? Here's one more piece
of evidence. Every year, the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal
publish an Index of Economic Freedom. The Index measures the economic freedom
of nations around the globe, based on factors like trade policy, tax burdens,
property rights, regulation, and so on. Countries are given a score from 1 to
5, with 1 being completely free and 5 being economically repressed.

The six Latin American countries that recently re-embraced socialism --
Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina -- earned in 1995 an
average score of 3.04 ("Mostly Unfree"). That's a year when these countries
were allegedly in the midst of a free-market revolution. Now, in 2006, these
six nations have an average score of 3.11. That's slightly worse than Qatar
(3.04) and slightly better than Tanzania (3.20) -- two nations that rarely come
to mind when discussing capitalistic success stories. The bottom line is that
much of South America is still "Mostly Unfree" economically -- and moving
further in the wrong direction.

The free market did not fail in South America. What did fail is what always
fails -- government intervention in the economy in the form of widespread
protectionism, politically motivated loans, and massive political corruption.
The only difference is that in Latin America, this government intervention
masqueraded as free-market "reforms." And voters, deluded by opportunistic
politicians, decided that the solution to too much government was more
government. Sadly, those South American voters will probably pay the price for
that mistake for years to come.

Sources:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2006-02-08-latin-leftists-usat_x.htm
http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/countries.cfm

* * *

War! What is it good for? (Answer: Government)

Here's one more reason to oppose the war in Iraq. David R. Henderson, a
research fellow with the Hoover Institution, points out in a February 9 essay
on Antiwar.com that during almost every major military action in American
history, government got larger, more expensive, and more powerful. And after
the war de jour is over, government rarely relinquishes its new powers or
revenue. Henderson notes:

* "Before the U.S. entered World War I, the top income tax rate was 15%. By
1918, the last year of the war, it had reached 77%. By the end of the

1920s...the top rate was 24% and it never went lower."

* "World War II gave us a top tax rate of 94%, and it wasn't until 1964 that
the top rate fell to 70%. We also got income-tax withholding. Also, price
controls were imposed nationally, and New York City's rent controls, imposed as
a temporary measure, are still with us today..."

* "The current Bush war has also brought its share of freedom reduction,
especially in the area of civil liberties, with the USA PATRIOT Act and NSA
wiretaps of American citizens."

Concludes Henderson: "Those who advocate liberty must take a serious look at
the wars the U.S. government gets into and should cast just as skeptical an eye
on those wars as they do on other government interventions."

Source: http://www.antiwar.com/henderson/?articleid=8504

* * *

QUICK SHOTS...

* Bush's budget in perspective: The Wall Street Journal (February 10), writes
that the new $2.77 trillion budget proposed by President George W. Bush
"represents $87,000 in federal spending every second for a year." Which means
that in the eight seconds it took you to read this paragraph, Uncle Sam plans
to spend over $700,000.

* The right direction: Are conservatives starting to see the light about the
failed War on Drugs? Newsday columnist Ellis Henican notes (February 12) that
Ethan Nadelman, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, was invited to
speak at the recent CPAC convention. Henican wrote: "What do conservatives
stand for, [Nadelman] asked rhetorically. Individual freedom. Fiscal restraint.
Holding adults responsible for their own personal decisions. Not expecting
government to become a 24-hour-a-day nanny. 'Isn't that what conservatism is
all about?' Nadelman asked." (Good question!)

* We are not alone: The Cato Institute's David Boaz (February 2) decries the
lack of libertarian voices in politics and the media -- even though a new
Gallup Poll finds that one in five Americans are libertarian. The poll found
that 20% of the public opposes the use of government to "promote traditional
values" or to "do too many things that should be left to individuals and
businesses." Writes Boaz: "It's no secret that libertarian voters make up a
chunk of America. But you'd never know it from watching TV -- or listening to
our elected politicians."

* Don't be fooled: Hard-hitting libertarian writer James Bovard has published
a new book, Attention Deficit Democracy. The book is a clarion call for
Americans not to be fooled by government misinformation and lies. Bovard
writes: "Bush was reelected in part because his administration, policies, and
statements, helped by many dubious alerts and warnings, boosted the number of
Americans who feared a terrorist attack during 2004. Each time the feds issued
a new warning of a terrorist threat after 9/11, the president's approval rating
rose by an average of almost 3%."

Sources: Bush's budget: Wall Street Journal, print edition (February 10, 2006)
CPAC convention: http://www.newsday.com
Libertarian poll: http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=5431
James Bovard: http://www.lewrockwell.com/bovard/bovard19.html

* * * * * * * *

"Good News, Bad News, Unbelievable News" is written by Liberator Online editor
Bill Winter.
___________________________________________

PERSUASION POWER POINT #196

The Complacency Trap

by Michael Cloud

He burst on the free market and libertarian scene over 25 years ago. He was an
engaging, bright, and creative academic. His articles, papers, and books were
popular.

Many of us expected him to rise higher -- and attract ever-growing audiences.
We thought he might be one of the vital few. One of those who make history.

He didn't.

He wrote a number of good books. He taught classes filled with smart and eager
students. Over the years, he gave several hundred speeches to interested and
appreciative audiences.

I recently watched him give a speech on C-SPAN. His material was good, but the
fire was gone.

If you did not know him at the beginning of his public career, you would be
pleased with him and his work. But if you saw his promise and possibility 25
years ago, if you saw what he could have been and should have been, it would
break your heart.

Because he was a natural-born persuader. He had enormous potential.

He thought talent and potential were enough. He thought he was good enough. He
had no burning desire to get better and better at communication and persuasion.
He never developed his talent. He failed to fulfill his potential. He took his
gift for granted.

His sin is complacency. And that sin visits most of us.

Sometimes complacency whispers, "You're no good at this. You'll never be any
good at it. It's hopeless. Why are you wasting your time?" And complacency
traps us far below our possibilities.

Other times, complacency whispers, "You're a natural. World class. You're
already head and shoulders above most people. Why would you need to study and
practice persuasion?!" And complacency traps these individuals far below their
potential.

Whether we're weak or average or gifted in the activity, complacency will hold
us back.

Just as dissatisfaction, discontent, or raw desire can move us to develop and
use as much of our talent as we can.

Look at those who refuse to submit to complacency.

The greatest athletes seek out world-class coaches and trainers. They work
with them for years. And these athletes get even better.

The greatest musicians seek out and study with great teachers or musicians.
They learn. They practice. Hours each day. Year after year. And they get better.

The greatest scientists and professionals seek out mentors and teachers. They
learn. They practice. They rise.

Complacency comes for us all. Many embrace it. Some resist it. Still others
defeat it.

Who wins the battle with complacency? Who defeats stagnation?

Those who are dissatisfied with their level of skill. Those who refuse to
settle or stand still. Those who ignite and feed the flames of desire. Those
who eagerly learn. Those who ask for coaches and teachers.

Whether you have the gifts and promise of greatness, or less possibility and
potential, you can develop and improve your ability to communicate libertarian
ideas. You can become more skilled at libertarian persuasion.

You can play a vital part in changing the world.

* * * * * * * *

Michael Cloud is author of the acclaimed book "Secrets of Libertarian
Persuasion" available exclusively from the Advocates:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/secrets.html. In 2000, Michael was honored with the
Thomas Paine Award as the Most Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America.
___________________________________________

ASK DR. RUWART

Dr. Mary Ruwart is a leading expert in libertarian communication. In this
column she offers short answers to real questions about libertarianism. To
submit questions to Dr. Ruwart, see end of column.

* * *

QUESTION: "I am a college student who is studying the different ideologies for
my political science class. I am unclear on what is the libertarian stand on
gun control. Should there be gun control in a libertarian society? And if so,
how much?"

MY SHORT ANSWER: Firearms, like fists, can be used for offense or defense.
Libertarians would not advocate cutting off a person's access to firearms any
more than they would advocate cutting off a person's hands to prevent a brawl.

Most people who advocate gun control do so because they believe it lowers the
crime rate. In fact, just the opposite is true. Violent crime (rape, robbery,
and homicide) decrease dramatically when states pass laws that permit peaceful
citizens to carry concealed weapons. In Orlando, when the police publicized a
program to train women in the use of firearms, crime dropped almost 90% without
a single woman ever firing a shot! Criminals are looking for an easy mark and
avoid "victims" who might be armed. Anyone who doubts this might wish to put a
sign on their front lawn saying "This house is a gun-free zone" to experience
the consequences firsthand.

Gun control is actually "victim disarmament." It exposes the weakest among us -
- women, children, and the elderly -- to greater risk of attack. It denies us
the ability to defend ourselves against those who would harm us. Since the
courts have ruled that the police have no obligation to protect an individual
citizen from attack, we have no legal recourse if they fail to do so. Acting in
self-defense, armed citizens kill more criminals each year than police do, yet
shoot only one-tenth as many innocent people by mistake. Clearly, armed
citizens act as responsibly (if not more so) than trained law enforcers.

Libertarians believe that everyone has the right to self-defense. Our founders
did too, which is why they passed the Second Amendment. Consequently,
libertarians do not support the victim-disarmament laws collectively known as
"gun control."

For more details, see Chapter 16 of my book, Healing Our World in an Age of
Aggression, available from the Advocates.

* * *

QUESTION: "I am trying to persuade people to the libertarian point of view,
and the question was brought to me about gay marriages. I am fine with the
marrying of two people who love each other. Live and let live is what the
libertarians are about. Am I right?"

MY SHORT ANSWER: You are right indeed! Libertarians look upon marriage as a
personal and/or religious contract between two people. Ultimately, the
individuals involved decide what their commitment means in terms of
expectations, duties, and monetary sharing. Neither the public nor Congress has
any business telling a couple what their marriage should be or what form their
love should take.

Unfortunately, no couple today knows exactly what their marriage commitment
means. The obligations of each partner change according to political whim. For
example, divorcing couples in the 1950s and 1960s discovered that the husband

was rarely awarded custody of the children, no matter how unfit the wife was
for her parental role. The conditions for, and the amount of, alimony differed
from state to state and decade to decade.

For most people, marriage is the most common and far-reaching legal contract
they will ever enter into. Because of government interference, they don't know
exactly what they are committing to until the marriage ends. Libertarians
believe that each couple should have the ability to design their own marriage
contract. Enforcement of the contract, in the event that one partner defaults,
would be the only government involvement.

* * * * * * * *

Got questions? Dr. Ruwart has answers! If you'd like answers to YOUR "tough
questions" on libertarian issues, email Dr. Ruwart at: ruwart@theAdvocates.org

Due to volume, Dr. Ruwart can't personally acknowledge all emails. But we'll
run the best questions and answers in upcoming issues.

Dr. Ruwart's previous Liberator Online answers are archived in searchable form
at: http://www.TheAdvocates.org/ruwart/categories_list.php

Dr. Ruwart's outstanding books "Healing Our World" and "Short Answers to the
Tough Questions" are available from the Advocates:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv

___________________________________________

SOUNDBITES FOR LIBERTY

"If you want government to intervene domestically, you're a liberal. If you
want government to intervene overseas, you're a conservative. If you want
government to intervene everywhere, you're a moderate. If you don't want
government to intervene anywhere, you're an extremist." -- Columnist Joseph
Sobran

"We have to decide what kind of America we want. Do we want an America in
which individuals are proud of themselves, confident they can handle their own
problems? Or do we want a country in which everyone is responsible for everyone
else but no one is responsible for himself, where groups dislike each other
because each gains only at the expense of others, and where we are dependent
upon the favors of politicians to survive?" -- Harry Browne, Liberty A to Z:
872 Libertarian Soundbites You Can Use Right Now

"Those who expect to reap the benefits of freedom, must, like men, undergo the
fatigue of supporting it." -- Thomas Paine (1737-1809)

___________________________________________

PRODUCT REVIEW: "Three Sides of Harry!" Three groundbreaking speeches by Harry
Browne (two CDs and one cassette tape) for just $19.99!

Harry Browne is one of the libertarian movement's best communicators. And one
of our most original thinkers. And one of our most inspiring orators.

In his previous career as a financial advisor, Harry wrote numerous acclaimed
books, including a #1 New York Times bestseller. Once he got involved in
libertarian politics, he published several of the most influential libertarian
books ever written (Why Government Doesn't Work and The Great Libertarian
Offer). He ran two national campaigns for president, in 1996 and 2000. He's
given thousands of media interviews, explaining the principles of liberty to
skeptical journalists and talk show hosts. And he's delivered hundreds of
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Along the way, Harry revolutionized how libertarians talk about liberty, how
we think about liberty, and how we view the possibility of success.

Now, here's an opportunity to hear all three sides of Harry. For a limited
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and one classic -- for only $19.99. You'll get:

* "The Seduction of Force." Libertarians agree that people should not initiate
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tempted to use government force to achieve "important" goals -- especially in
the area of foreign policy. Learn why libertarians are susceptible, and how to
resist this temptation. A very timely speech, delivered at the recent Advocates
20th Anniversary Celebration. (CD. Approx. 61 minutes.)

* "Why Liberty Must Be SOLD, Not Preached -- and How To Do It." What's the
best way to assure victory in our battle for individual liberty? Harry has a
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benefits to people. An influential speech! (Audio Tape. Approx. 45 minutes.)

* "The Future Is NOT Hopeless!" You'll be challenged, enlightened, and
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future of liberty. In this talk, delivered at the Advocates 20th Anniversary
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45 minutes.)

"Three Sides of Harry!" is a $30 value -- but can be yours for only $19.99.
(Two CDs and one cassette tape.) Order today!

To order, click here: http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator-online-special.html

|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|

THE LIBERATOR ONLINE is the official newsletter of the Advocates for Self-
Government. Visit us on the Web at: http://www.TheAdvocates.org

THE LIBERATOR ONLINE was created by Paul Schmidt and James W. Harris.

_____________________________________

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"May it be to the world... to assume the blessings and security of self-
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~~15 MARCH 2006

In This Issue:

Remembering a true hero of liberty... Libertarianism In One Lesson available in
Mongolian!... Why FEMA is a four-letter word... The "public good" of seizing a
golf course... Don't guns make people live in fear?... And much more!


THE LIBERATOR ONLINE

March 16, 2006
Vol. 11, No. 6
Circulation: 65,837 subscribers in over 100 countries.
The world's largest-circulation libertarian publication!

Published by the Advocates for Self-Government
Edited by Bill Winter | Email: billw@TheAdvocates.org
Senior Editor: James W. Harris

Want to read the enhanced HTML version of this LIBERATOR ONLINE? Just click on:

http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator/vol-11-num-6.html

___________________________________________

"The Advocates has been responsible for almost all the libertarian outreach
tools you can find: from wallet-sized copies of the famous [World's Smallest
Political Quiz] Nolan chart, to instructional audio tapes on
communication skills and political activism, to the ubiquitous libertarian
event in a kit: the Operation Politically Homeless booths that you've seen at
parades, festivals, and other events." -- The Henry Hazlitt Foundation

___________________________________________

CONTENTS

PRESIDENT'S CORNER
* Paying tribute to a true hero of liberty

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES
* April 8: Sharon Harris speaks to Alabama Libertarians
* April 29: Sharon Harris speaks at the Kansas LP convention
* Libertarianism In One Lesson available in Mongolian!
* Quiz ad runs in Serf City newspaper

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
* Why FEMA is a four-letter word
* Hey, we're libertarians, too!
* Government surveillance of dissidents revealed
* QUICK SHOTS: The real soup Nazis, and more!

PERSUASION POWER POINT #198
* "The Danger of the Easy" by Michael Cloud

ASK DR. RUWART
* What about government programs that deserve support?
* Don't guns make people live in fear?

SOUNDBITES FOR LIBERTY
* Harry Browne, Edmund Burke, and Plato

PRODUCT REVIEW
* Get a free CD with any $25 purchase! (Extended!)

___________________________________________

PRESIDENT'S CORNER

Dear friends,

I write this with a heavy heart. One of the great heroes of liberty, one of the
most stalwart supporters of the Advocates for Self-Government, and one of my
favorite people in the world has died.

Harry Browne passed away on March 1. He suffered from Lou Gehrig's Disease,
which had confined him to a wheelchair for the past six months.

My first reaction when I heard the news was sadness. The world is a poorer
place without Harry. He was a tireless advocate of liberty -- a two-time
Libertarian candidate for president, a bestselling author, an entertaining
radio talk show host, and a master communicator. The libertarian movement has
lost a great champion.

But tempering that sadness was joy... Joy at knowing how much good Harry did.
Joy at remembering how many lives he touched. Joy at thinking back to the
wonderful times I shared with him. Over the last few years, I had the
opportunity to work with Harry on a number of projects, and always found him to
be a delight -- humorous, intelligent, and courteous. (Even people who
disagreed with libertarian ideas would end up liking Harry! They couldn't help
themselves.)

Harry was a special friend to the Advocates. In 2003 and 2004, he spoke at
several of our "Art of Libertarian Persuasion" seminars around the country.
In 2004, we published his Liberty A-Z: 872 Libertarian Soundbites You Can Use
Right Now, a wonderful collection of libertarian arguments and quips. And in
2005, he spoke at our 20th Anniversary Celebration in Atlanta. As it turned
out, it was his last public appearance. I'm honored that it was at an Advocates
event.

To pay our respects, we've set up a special tribute page to Harry on the
Advocates' Web site. If you knew Harry, it's a wonderful way to remember his
life and accomplishments. If you don't know Harry, this page will serve as an
introduction to one of the most important and influential libertarians of
modern times.

Either way, you'll find a treasure trove of information and recollections.
There's an extensive biography of Harry. There's a section entitled "Friends
Remember Harry Browne," featuring comments from people like David Nolan, Penn
Gillette, Robert Ringer, Mary Ruwart, Jim Babka, and many others. There's an
essay I wrote that includes some of my personal memories of Harry. Our
communications director, Bill Winter, contributed a poignant and funny essay,
highlighted by a story about the time Harry met Johnny Rotten! The page also
features four of our favorite essays by Harry.

See our Harry Browne tribute page at:
http://www.theadvocates.org/harry-browne.html

Join us in remembering -- and celebrating -- the man who did so much good for
liberty, and who holds such a special place in the hearts of everyone here at
the Advocates.

* * *

Welcome to 289 new Liberator Online subscribers this issue. Thanks for joining
our subscription "family" of 65,837 liberty-loving readers in more than 100
countries!

-- Sharon Harris, President | Email: sharon@TheAdvocates.org

PS: To learn more about the Advocates and our work for liberty:
http://www.theadvocates.org

PPS: The special offer in the last issue of the Liberator Online got such a
warm reception that we're extending it for two weeks.

The deal is simple (and irresistible): Buy anything in our Liberty Store (and
spend at least $25) and we'll give you a CD of any speech from our recent 20th
Anniversary Celebration -- for FREE!

That's right: You can get a free speech from some of the most fascinating minds
in the liberty movement -- Congressman Ron Paul, Marshall Fritz, Robert Ringer,
Mary Ruwart, Carla Howell, and many more. (There are also two speeches
available from the late Harry Browne.)

This is a limited-time offer, so act today. For more details, see the PRODUCT
REVIEW later in this issue. To place your order, visit: http://www.
theadvocates.org/liberator-online-special.html

___________________________________________

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES

* April 8, 2006: Advocates President Sharon Harris will speak at the Alabama
Libertarian Party convention, at the Country Inn and Suites in Montgomery. Join
her for a fun day of speeches, conversation, and camaraderie! Other speakers
include State Rep. Randy Hinshaw (D-Madison). Cost: $40 per person; $75 per
couple. For more information, visit: http://www.lpalabama.org.

* April 29, 2006: Advocates President Sharon Harris will be the featured
speaker at the Kansas Libertarian Party convention at the Shawnee Country Club
in Topeka. Cost: $30 per person (before April 22). Prices includes a buffet-
style Italian dinner. Other speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. For
more information, visit: http://www.lpks.org/.

* One Mongolian Lesson: Exciting news -- the ninth edition of David Bergland's

Libertarianism In One Lesson is now available in Mongolian! That's right: the
Foundation of Liberal Economy (FOLE), a libertarian think tank based in
Mongolia, has reprinted David's book, making it available for Mongolian
readers. Visit FOLE's Web site at: www.fole.mn. To get your copy of
Libertarianism In One Lesson in English, visit:
http://www.theadvocates.org/onelesson.html.

* Serf's up: Thanks to the Manhattan Libertarian Party for running
advertisements for the World's Smallest Political Quiz in their excellent
outreach publication, Serf City. The tabloid newspaper, which features articles
about New York politics from a libertarian perspective, is distributed for free
around the Big Apple. To see the Advocates' wide variety of Quiz advertisements
(available for downloading and printing), visit:
http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz-ads.html.

___________________________________________

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS

by Bill Winter

Why FEMA is a four-letter word

Who says FEMA isn't efficient? The federal agency very quickly and efficiently
had George Barisich ticketed by Department of Homeland Security officers when
he dared to wear a tee-shirt mocking FEMA.
Barisich, the president of the United Commercial Fisherman's Association in
Louisiana, had been selling an anti-FEMA tee-shirt for several months, reported
USA Today (March 3, 2006).

The shirt -- which said, "Flooded by Katrina! Forgotten by FEMA! What's Next,
Mr. Bush?" -- was intended to show his frustration with FEMA's lackluster
response to Hurricane Katrina. Most of Barisich's family had their houses
destroyed by Katrina, and Barisich had five fishing boats sunk or wrecked.

On February 1, Barisich made the mistake of taking the shirt to a FEMA center
in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart store in Chalmette, Louisiana.

Barisich said he tried to give the shirt to a fellow Katrina victim. FEMA says
he tried to sell the shirt on federal property, which is a violation of federal
law.

Six Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers surrounded Barisich and gave
him a $75 ticket for his alleged crime. He says they told him he would be
arrested if he didn't take the ticket.

FEMA denied that Barisich was targeted because of the tee-shirt's message.
A DHS spokesman explained, "We've got a duty and a job under the law."

By the way, FEMA may need to issue more tickets in the future. According to an

Associated Press story, merchants in New Orleans' French Quarter are selling
shirts that say "FEMA: Federal Employees Missing Again" and "FEMA:
the new four-letter word."

Sources:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-03-03-fema-critic_x.htm?csp=34
http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=4563138

* * *

Hey, we're libertarians, too!

A sudden flurry of influential people have declared themselves to be
libertarians. In the past month or so, five individuals -- ranging from a
politician to a punk rocker -- have used the "L" word to describe themselves.
They are:

* Glenn Reynolds: He's the poster boy for the power of blogging. A law
professor at the University of Tennessee, Reynolds writes one of America's most
influential political blogs. According to technorati.com, Reynolds' main blog --
instapundit.com -- is the 12th most popular blog in the world,
with more than 200,000 readers a day. National Public Radio's Christopher Lydon
called him "the reigning eminence in the political blogosphere." In a February
20, 2006 posting on the "end of conservatism," Reynold's wrote:
"As a libertarian myself, I'd love to see the nation run under small-government
principles..."

* Exene Cervenka: Her discordant voice and poetic lyrics helped shape the sound
of the legendary Los Angeles punk band X. Best known for its first three albums
-- Los Angeles (1980), Wild Gift (1981), and Under the Big Black Sun (1982) --
X melded punk velocity, rockabilly riffs, and vocal harmonies to create a
signature sound that set them apart from their punk peers. In 2005, X received
the LA Weekly's Lifetime Achievement Award for music. On March 3, 2006,
Cervenka told Inside Bay Area that she's turning away from the liberal politics
that had infused many of her lyrics. "I'm just not in the same political
spectrum that I used to be," she said. "The left got too fascist for me. So I'm
more of a libertarian now, more live and let live."

* Rona Ambrose: She's the new environment minister for the governing
Conservative Party in Canada. A former member of parliament from Edmonton,
Ambrose has been called a "a bright, up-and-comer" in politics. And according
to CTV (January 20, 2006), "Ambrose calls herself a libertarian and an avid
reader of Ayn Rand novels such as Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead..." (But
she's an, er, unusual libertarian, since she also says, "I think the government
has a strong role to play to be there for people who need assistance.")

* Samantha Swindler: She's the editor of the Jacksonville, Texas Daily
Progress. On February 11, in an editorial criticizing straight-ticket voting,
she wrote: "I'd consider myself a Libertarian if anything at all. (If you're
wondering what that means, I'm fiscally conservative and consider 'moral
issues' mostly non-issues.)"

* Jennifer Roback Morse: She is the author of Love and Economics: Why the
Laissez-Faire Family Doesn't Work (2001) and Smart Sex: Finding Life-Long Love
in a Hook-Up World (2005). A libertarian writing books that are pro-family and
anti-casual sex? Sure. In the National Review Online (February 14, 2006), Morse
explained: "I actually consider my marriage-support work to be a very
libertarian effort: Every individual can do his or her part to reduce the
demands for government services, and build up a functioning society." And if
there were still any doubt about her politics, Morse wrote on TownHall.com
(February 27, 2006) that she was a "life-long libertarian."

Of course, the best thing about these recent "I'm a libertarian" announcements
is that they show -- once again -- the growing popularity of libertarian ideas.

Whether these five individuals are "real" libertarians or not (and at least a
few of these folks still seem to have room to grow!), it shows that libertarian
ideas are becoming more appealing to more people. Increasingly, libertarianism
is being seen as a badge of honor.

To our five new libertarian friends, and to all the people they will encourage
to investigate libertarianism, we say: Welcome!

Sources:
http://instapundit.com/archives/028701.php
http://www.insidebayarea.com/bayarealiving/ci_3565434
http://www.jacksonvilleprogress.com/living/local_story_042172453.html?keyword=
topstory
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060118/elxn_rona_ambrose_0
60120/
20060120?s_name=election2006&no_ads=
http://www.nationalreview.com/interrogatory/morse200602140814.asp


* * *

Government surveillance of dissidents revealed

And so it begins again. Or perhaps it's more correct to say: And so we find out
about it (again).

According to FBI documents released this week under a Freedom of Information
Act, an FBI counterterrorism unit infiltrated and monitored a pacifist group in
Pittsburgh that opposes the war in Iraq.

The documents revealed that the FBI's Pittsburgh-based Joint Terrorism Task
Force conducted secret surveillance of the Thomas Merton Center from 2002 to
2005. The center is a nonviolent, left-wing organization that works for "peace
and justice." Activists from the center distributed anti-war leaflets in
Pittsburgh and sponsored events to promote tolerance between Muslims and non-
Muslims.

According to the documents, which were obtained by the American Civil Liberties
Union, an FBI informant infiltrated the group, conducted surveillance of its
antiwar demonstrations and leaflet distributions, and noted how many group
members "appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent."

An ACLU spokesperson, quoted by Knight Ridder (March 15, 2006), said, "These
documents show that Americans are not safe from secret government surveillance,
even when they are handing out fliers in the town square, an activity clearly
protected by the Constitution."

The FBI claimed it was only monitoring a particular individual, and ended the
probe when it determined "that someone photographed at one demonstration was
not the person they were looking for," reported Reuters.
The FBI did not explain why it took three years to resolve a case of mistaken
identity, or why it suspected that foreign terrorists were infiltrating
American pacifist groups.

This case could be just the tip of the iceberg: The ACLU is investigating
allegations of government spying on more than 100 anti-war organizations in 20
states, according to Z Magazine (March 2006).

That's in addition to the warrantless wiretapping conducted by the National
Security Agency, which the Bush Administration defended on the grounds that the
president has inherent "wartime" powers to conduct such secret surveillance.

And that's in addition to the 2003 memorandum the FBI sent to 17,000 local
police agencies, encouraging them to monitor anti-war demonstrations and watch
for "possible indicators of protest activity" and "report any potentially
illegal acts to the nearest FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force."

If all of this sparks a sense of deja vu, no wonder -- it sounds eerily similar
to what the U.S. government did during the Vietnam War.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the FBI launched a program dubbed COINTELPRO, which
conducted widespread, illegal surveillance of hundreds of civil rights and anti-
Vietnam War groups, noted Z Magazine.

FBI agents and other government officials created "watch lists" of alleged
"subversives" (including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lennon). They
opened mail, wiretapped phones, and broke into the offices of anti-war groups.

They instigated tax audits, planted phony stories in the media, infiltrated
peace groups, and sent provocateurs to start fights at demonstrations.

Such illegal activity was allegedly curbed by legislation passed by Congress in
the mid-1970s, which restricted the government's power to spy on Americans.

James Madison once wrote: "Of all the enemies to public liberty, war is perhaps
the most to be dreaded... If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will
be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy."

Those are words to remember as we learn that our government is (again) secretly
spying on us -- in the name of fighting another war.

Sources:
http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/14100965.htm
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/03/15/documents_fbi_spied_on_pa_
pacifists/
http://zmagsite.zmag.org/Mar2006/dunn0306.html

* * *

QUICK SHOTS...

* Arrogant domain: You have to give politicians credit for creativity. The
mayor of North Hills, New York may use eminent domain law to take over a
privately owned golf course. The Associated Press (March 7) reports that North

Hills is considering seizing the nearby Deepdale Golf Club. If it does, the
town would make the 175-acre golf course open to its 1,800 residents, says the
mayor, which would increase property values -- thus fulfilling the "public
good" requirement of eminent domain law.

* And the winner is... Congratulations to Congressman Ron Paul for winning the

Republican primary in the 14th District in Texas on March 7. Paul won easily
with 77.7% of the vote. Congressman Paul is the most libertarian member of the

U.S. House, and, in the opinion of many, the most principled Congressman of
modern times.

* The real soup Nazis: If you outlaw soup, then only outlaws will eat soup.
It sounds absurd, but that's what's happening in France. In 2005, a group
opposed to immigrants started offering free pork soup for the homeless at a
soup kitchen. The soup was intended to send a message that Muslims aren't
welcome in France, since Muslims don't eat pork. Now, according to the New
York Times (February 2 cool , the French government has shut down the soup kitchen
because of the "discriminatory nature of the soup."

* Freedom to subsidize: In 1996, the Republican-controlled Congress passed the
"Freedom to Farm" bill, designed to phase out all federal subsidies to farmers
within seven years. At the time, farm subsidies were costing taxpayers about $6
billion annually. How did the Republicans do? In 2005, government farm
subsidies hit a record $23 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal (March
14).

Sources:
Eminent domain: http://www.wnbc.com/news/7781736/detail.html
Ron Paul: http://ballot-
access.org/2006/03/08/ron-paul-easily-wins-re-nomination/
French soup: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/28/international/europe/28soup.
html
Farm subsidies: Wall Street Journal, print edition (March 14, 2006)

* * * * * * * *

"Good News, Bad News, Unbelievable News" is written by Liberator Online editor
Bill Winter.

___________________________________________

PERSUASION POWER POINT #198

The Danger of the Easy

by Michael Cloud

In the last few weeks, you probably read an inspiring and moving pro-liberty
essay. You know several friends and family members who would be receptive to
it. It would have taken just moments to email forward it.

But you didn't.

In the last few months, you probably went to a social event where a few people
complained about Big Government. They sounded open to small government ideas.
It would have taken you less than three minutes to find out how responsive they
were to our ideas.

But you didn't.

In the last few years, you received numerous letters from small government and
libertarian organizations. They told you what they are doing to advance
liberty, how it will benefit you and those you love, and then asked you to
help. It would have taken you just minutes to make an affordable donation to
help with their work.

But you didn't.

Why? Because each thing was easy.

"What's easy to do -- is easy NOT to do," wrote acclaimed speaker and author
Jim Rohn.

It's easy to email forward that persuasive libertarian essay. It's easy NOT to
forward it.

It's easy to ask the people at the social event whether they'd like to hear
some ideas on cutting Big Government down to size. It's easy NOT to ask.

It's easy to make an affordable donation to that deserving libertarian
organization that asked you to help. It's easy NOT to give them a hand.

But there's more to Jim Rohn's elegant insight.

What's easy to begin -- is easy NOT to begin.

It's easy to begin reading your copy of Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion or
Why Government Doesn't Work. It's easy NOT to begin.

It's easy to begin practicing communication tips and techniques from "The
Essence of Political Persuasion" audio tapes. It's easy NOT to begin.

What's easy to stop -- is easy NOT to stop.

It's easy to turn off the TV after your favorite program. It's easy NOT to turn
it off.

It's easy to stop going to your favorite bar after work -- and go home to your
spouse and kids. It's easy NOT to stop.

What can be done anytime -- can be NOT done anytime. Can be left undone again
and again and again.

"What's easy to do -- is easy NOT to do."

It's a tempting and seductive siren call. One that beckons us every day and
week and month.

But there are ways over, under, around, and through the danger of the easy.

1. Do it now. Strike when the iron is hot. As soon as the "easy-to-do" thought
occurs to you, do it. Don't deliberate. Do it. Don't put it off for another
time. Do it. It's easy. Do it now.

2. Do it first. Life is priorities. Do two easy things to advance liberty
before you do hard stuff.

3. Do it daily. Put two easy things on your "To Do" list each day. Do them each
day.

4. Log it daily. Write down your easy deeds each day. Every day. At the same
time. So it will become a habit. Simply recording these "easy-to-do" things
will help transform them into enjoyable and effective action habits.

That's all it takes. Easy, isn't it?

"What's easy to do -- is easy NOT to do," wrote Jim Rohn.

Doing the easy is relentless and reliable. It is the effortless, enjoyable,
and effective personal path to small government and liberty.

* * * * * * * *

Michael Cloud is author of the acclaimed book "Secrets of Libertarian
Persuasion" available exclusively from the Advocates:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/secrets.html. In 2000, Michael was honored with the

Thomas Paine Award as the Most Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America.
___________________________________________

ASK DR. RUWART

Dr. Mary Ruwart is a leading expert in libertarian communication. In this
column she offers short answers to real questions about libertarianism. To
submit questions to Dr. Ruwart, see end of column.

* * *

QUESTION: "I read an article in which libertarians attacked supposedly wasteful
'pork-barrel spending' in the U.S. budget. Why are you guys so full of
yourselves? Some of these projects are very useful -- like those that have to
do with finding new ways of energy, with perfecting our culture, with job
training, and with animal research. Sure, some useless stuff shouldn't be
funded, but those projects intended to upgrade our way of life deserve
support."

MY SHORT ANSWER: Libertarians find many of your favorite projects "useful"
and would like to see them carried out by the private sector. Libertarians are
against tax funding for any project because taxation is, in essence, theft.

For example, let's say you want to encourage animal research. You might invest
in a company that performs such research or donate to a non-profit organization
for that purpose. Your neighbors may think that animal research is unethical
and won't invest in or donate to such work. Everybody gets their own way with
their own resources.

If such research is tax-funded, however, your neighbors will be forced -- at
gunpoint, if necessary -- to support something that they don't want. (If you
don't think that it happens at gunpoint, imagine what would happen if you
didn't pay your taxes!) Your neighbors, in turn, will force you to pay for
projects they favor, but you don't.

Everyone loses, because the government bureaucracy takes a hefty "overhead"
to collect your taxes and decide where they should go. Libertarians believe
that stealing from our neighbors is wrong -- whether we do it as individuals,
as majorities, or as governments. Wrong means used to achieve good ends
backfire every time.

For example, two-thirds of our welfare tax dollars go to the middle-class
social workers who administer the programs. Private charities, on the other
hand, deliver two-thirds of each dollar to those in need. We help the poor best
through private charities, not tax-supported welfare. When we let government
administer projects that we find useful, we get less for our dollar and these
programs suffer.

In summary, libertarians don't judge a project's utility at all. Libertarians
simply want to stop the theft of your money through taxes so that you can
decide which programs it should support. You'll never have to worry about
funding pork-barrel spending again!

* * *

QUESTION: "One of the major arguments of those against gun control is that
crime drops with less gun control, because criminals don't know who is armed.
How can you call our society 'free' if people are controlled by fear? If people
are so scared that they want a firearm for protection, how can you call these
people free? I believe the answer is people should feel free enough to give up
their firearms willingly. If people can't do this, then they will never be
free."

MY SHORT ANSWER: When libertarians talk about freedom, they generally mean
freedom from aggression by government and individuals, not freedom from fear.
Today, we have neither freedom from fear, nor freedom from aggression.

Ironically, many people lose their fear when they acquire a firearm. Their
belief that they can adequately defend themselves frees them from fear. In
other words, political freedom can lead to freedom from fear.

Hopefully, the day will come when we no longer need to fear our neighbors or
our government. People will want to lay down their weapons, just as you
describe. By moving our society away from aggression and towards political
freedom, we hasten the dawning of that day!

* * * * * * * *

Got questions? Dr. Ruwart has answers! If you'd like answers to YOUR "tough
questions" on libertarian issues, email Dr. Ruwart at: ruwart@theAdvocates.org

Due to volume, Dr. Ruwart can't personally acknowledge all emails. But we'll
run the best questions and answers in upcoming issues.

Dr. Ruwart's previous Liberator Online answers are archived in searchable form
at: http://www.TheAdvocates.org/ruwart/categories_list.php

Dr. Ruwart's outstanding books "Healing Our World" and "Short Answers to the
Tough Questions" are available from the Advocates:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv

___________________________________________

SOUNDBITES FOR LIBERTY

"Government never stops where you want it to. You don't get to write the laws
or administer them. When you give the government the power to do what you want
it to do, it will expand that power into areas where you don't want it to go." -

- Harry Browne, Liberty A to Z: 872 Libertarian Soundbites You Can Use Right
Now (1933-2006)

"The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse." -- Edmund Burke,
political philosopher (1729-1797)

"This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first
appears he is a protector." -- Plato, Greek philosopher (427-�347 BC)

___________________________________________

PRODUCT REVIEW: Get a free CD with any $25 purchase! (Extended for two weeks.)

Is there any word more delicious than "FREE"?

Well, that's exactly what we're offering for a limited time: Spend $25 or more
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stars in the libertarian movement: Robert Ringer, Congressman Ron Paul, Harry
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These are crisp, clear recordings, available on CD. They were recorded at our
20th Anniversary Celebration in Atlanta in October 2005.

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~~10 May 2006~~


In This Issue:

Mexico's major move towards drug decriminalization... Star-Spangled
silliness... Does government fail because "the right people" aren't running
things?... Gallup says 20% of Americans are (broadly speaking) libertarian...
And much more!


THE LIBERATOR ONLINE

May 10, 2006
Vol. 11, No. 10
Circulation: 67,152 subscribers in over 100 countries.
The world's largest-circulation libertarian publication!

Published by the Advocates for Self-Government
Edited by James W. Harris | Email: james@TheAdvocates.org

Want to read the enhanced HTML version of this LIBERATOR ONLINE? Just click on:

http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator/vol-11-num-10.html
___________________________________________

"The Advocates for Self-Government [is] bringing about a freer world by
discovering new libertarians, changing the political map, and helping
libertarians become powerful and persuasive communicators."

-- The Whole Ed Catalog
___________________________________________

CONTENTS

PRESIDENT'S CORNER
* How to find millions of libertarians

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES
* Alan Colmes boosts the World's Smallest Political Quiz
* Advocates in Libertarian Party News

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
* Mexico's Bold Drug Decriminalization Move
* Is President Bush Above the Law?
* Star-Spangled Silliness
* QUICK SHOTS: Libertarian named #1 Tax Cutter in Congress; Gallup finds lots
of libertarians in America

PERSUASION POWER POINT #202
* Are government failures due to the wrong people running it?
by Michael Cloud

ASK DR. RUWART
* 3 questions about banking, gold and the Federal Reserve System

SOUNDBITES FOR LIBERTY
* Harry Browne, Henry David Thoreau, and Milton Friedman

PRODUCT REVIEW
* HUGE SAVINGS on "The Best of Bergland!"
___________________________________________

PRESIDENT'S CORNER

Dear friends,

A few days ago I got this email from someone who had just taken our World's
Smallest Political Quiz:

"At last, a place I fit. Not a left-wing Liberal nor a right-wing Conservative.
Didn't know there were organizations that supported this view. Thanks."

I love hearing stories like that. (And I love that he included a $100 donation,
so that others could have that same experience!)

It shows the importance of the World's Smallest Political Quiz. There are
millions of people out there who are libertarians or strongly libertarian-
leaning, but just don't know it. For these people, the Quiz can be a life-
changing revelation. And for libertarians, these people hold the possibility of
rapid growth for our movement.

This isn't just theory. Last issue I mentioned that, in August 2000, the
respected polling organization Rasmussen Research gave our Quiz to just under
1,000 representative likely American voters. Sixteen percent scored in the
"Libertarian" sector. Other organizations -- including Gallup and Pew -- have
found similar results.

But here's a shocker I didn't mention. The survey further found that, of those
16%, only TWO PERCENT used the word "libertarian" to describe their political
views.

That means that millions of Americans who are mostly or entirely libertarian in
their beliefs don't realize there is a *name* for what they believe. And they
don't know there is a vast, fast-growing movement of organizations,
publications, and activists working to put their beliefs into effect.

What a tragedy -- for them personally, and for a movement that desperately
could use the energy and enthusiasm of millions of new supporters.

That's where the Quiz comes in. The Quiz is a powerful solution to this
problem.

When someone scores Libertarian on the Quiz, they are immediately offered free
online resources to help them learn more about the ideas of liberty. They are
offered free information about the leading organizations in the liberty
movement. Also, they discover tools and techniques to help them in turn take
these ideas to their friends and associates in the most effective ways
possible.

It's a proven program that works, 24 hours a day, opening minds and building
the liberty movement.

I'm not talking about small numbers, either. Currently the Quiz is being taken
over 25,000 times every day! And that number keeps growing.

With your help and support, we're building a powerful movement for liberty that
is changing the world. And that is good news indeed!

* * *

Welcome to 635 new Liberator Online subscribers this issue. Thanks for joining
our subscription "family" of over 67,000 liberty-loving readers in more than
100 countries!

To learn more about the Advocates and our work for liberty:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org

To learn more about libertarianism:
www.Libertarianism.com

-- Sharon Harris, President | Email: sharon@TheAdvocates.org

PS: David Bergland is a master libertarian communicator and writer. Now, for a
short time only, you can get a copy of the newly-revised edition of his
acclaimed book, Libertarianism In One Lesson -- AND a CD recording of his
wonderful speech, "Libertarianism 101" -- at HUGE SAVINGS!

Our "Best of Bergland" package gives you Libertarianism In One Lesson, widely
considered the best short-and-sweet introduction to libertarianism ever
written. You also get the "Libertarianism 101" CD -- David's brilliant speech
that draws on 20+ years of outreach to explain how to persuade others about the
benefits of liberty.

The book usually costs $12.50. The CD usually costs $10.00. That's a $22.50
value. Shipping adds another $4.50. Total: $27.00.

*** But for this limited-time offer, we'll send you both the book and CD for
only $15.00 -- and we'll also throw in FREE SHIPPING. ***

You save a whopping $12.00!

For more details or to place your order, click here:
http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator-online-special.html
Or see the Product Review at the end of this issue.

This offer is good until May 24, 2006.

Thank you!
__________________________________________

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES

* The Quiz and Alan Colmes: A prominent link to the World's Smallest Political
Quiz is on the front page of the Web site of FOX TV and FOX radio news star
Alan Colmes. Holmes is the most prominent liberal TV/radio personality in
America, and "Hannity and Colmes" is the second-highest rated program on cable
news television. Thanks, Alan!
http://www.alan.com

* Advocates in LP News: The May issue of Libertarian Party News, the official
newspaper of America's third-largest political party, featured an excellent
article on effective libertarian outreach, by Advocates Board member James W.
Lark. The previous issue quoted Advocates President Sharon Harris in a tribute
to the late, great Harry Browne, and also printed the address of the Advocates'
Harry Browne Memorial Web Page (http://www.theadvocates.org/harry-browne.html).
Thanks, LP News!

* It's summer -- the perfect time for Operation Politically Homeless (OPH)
libertarian outreach! Learn how this acclaimed "event in a kit" can help you
discover dozens or even hundreds of libertarian-leaning folks in your
community. Details here:
http://www.theadvocates.org/oph.html
___________________________________________

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS

by James W. Harris

Mexico's Bold Drug Decriminalization Move

In a dramatic move that shows crumbling support for the U.S.-driven worldwide
War on Drugs, Mexico came very close this past week to passing perhaps the
boldest drug reform bill in the world.

Passed by the Mexican Congress, the bill would have decriminalized the personal
possession of small amounts of numerous currently-illegal drugs. Possession of
up to 25 milligrams of heroin; 5 grams of marijuana (about four joints); 0.5
grams of cocaine (about 4 "lines"); and similar small amounts of other drugs
would no longer have been a crime. The sale of drugs, and possession of larger
amounts, would remain serious crimes.

This reform would have put Mexico in the forefront of world drug reform,
joining the Netherlands and a few other countries in a far more sensible and
humane approach than the scorched-earth neo-Prohibitionist "zero-tolerance"
Drug War madness of the U.S.

Unfortunately, Mexico's President Vicente Fox -- who has long expressed
interest in decriminalization, and who at first endorsed the bill -- refused to
sign it. Although he cited concerns that the bill was too radical, critics say
the real reason was enormous pressure from the U.S. government.

Regardless, the passage of the bill by the Mexican Congress is a sign of true
progress. Indeed, the only serious criticism of the bill, from a libertarian
perspective, is that it did not go nearly far enough to deal with the worst
problems caused by drug prohibition.

As Ted Galen Carpenter of the libertarian Cato Institute points out:

"Ironically, the legislation was only a modest step in the right direction. One
of the more odious features of the war on drugs around the world is the
practice of filling the jails with small-time (often recreational) drug users.
Mexican legislators merely proposed to end that cruel folly in their country."

However, notes Carpenter, the bill "did not get to the root of the growing
incidence of drug-related corruption and violence in Mexico.

"Both problems have reached epidemic proportions. There have been numerous
cases of police personnel moonlighting as security forces for drug-trafficking
organizations. Prominent officials tasked with implementing anti-drug laws have
been caught taking bribes from drug kingpins...

"Violence connected with the illegal-drug trade has been on the rise for
several years in Mexico. Such cities as Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, and Nuevo
Laredo have been especially hard hit. Nearly a thousand people perished in
killings connected with the drug trade in 2005. Some Mexicans now worry that
their country is spiraling down into a maelstrom of violence similar to that
which afflicted Colombia during the late 1980s and the 1990s.

"Most of the corruption and violence is caused by the enormous black-market
premium in the illicit-drug trade. The risk factor involved in defying the law
means that drugs sell on the street for ten to twenty times more than they
would in a legal setting. An aggressive trafficking organization can make tens -
- or even hundreds -- of millions of dollars a year. That huge financial lure
attracts those people who are most inclined to risk jail or death in a
cutthroat trade -- in other words, the most ruthless and violence-prone
elements."

Concludes Carpenter:

"Decriminalizing the possession of small quantities of drugs was a modest sign
of enlightenment. But Mexico (like other countries) needs to abandon the entire
prohibition model to produce truly meaningful benefits. Unfortunately, given
Washington's fanaticism on the subject, the prospects for intelligent reform
anytime soon are virtually nonexistent. President Fox's capitulation to U.S.
pressure demonstrates that point all too well."

Still, the issue is far from dead. Members of Mexico's Congress are talking
about overriding President Fox's veto, or redesigning the bill. And London's
prestigious Financial Times ended an editorial on the matter with this simple
declaration:

"[T]he "drug war" is being lost. It is a bankrupt policy."

(Sources: "Strung Out: Prohibition Stays Put South of the Border"
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6386 )
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/434/nomexico.shtml
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/995a60ea-de2e-11da-af29-0000779e2340.html )

* * *

President Bush: Above the Law?

Just because Congress passes a bill, and President Bush then signs it into U.S.
law, doesn't mean that Bush has to *obey* that law.

At least, that's what President Bush says.

Since taking office, Bush has quietly attached "signing statements" to more
than 750 laws that have been passed by Congress and signed into law by him.
These signing statements essentially say that if Bush believes the laws
unjustly restrict his powers as president, he can simply and quietly ignore
them.

Many of the affected bills are major, far-reaching legislation. According to
the Boston Globe:

"Among the laws Bush said he can ignore are military rules and regulations,
affirmative-action provisions, requirements that Congress be told about
immigration services problems, "whistle-blower" protections for nuclear
regulatory officials, and safeguards against political interference in
federally funded research."

In recent months, Bush has declared he can ignore a federal law banning
torture, as well as requirements that he inform Congress about how he is using
the Patriot Act. He further claims he can ignore laws that Congress passed to
provide Congressional oversight over his own actions.

"He agrees to a compromise with members of Congress, and all of them are there
for a public bill-signing ceremony, but then he takes back those compromises --
and more often than not, without the Congress or the press or the public
knowing what has happened," Christopher Kelley, a Miami University of Ohio
political science professor, told the Boston Globe.

Many critics charge Bush's "signing statements" strategy is part of a
deliberate plan to greatly expand the president's power beyond that of the
legislative and judicial branches. In doing so Bush is tossing out the
constitutional balance of powers, giving himself de facto lawmaking powers, and
making himself the ultimate judge of whether or not a law is constitutional.

Some more examples, from the Boston Globe:

* Bush says that, because he is commander in chief, he can ignore any act of
Congress that seeks to regulate the military.

* Bush signed several bills prohibiting U.S. troops from engaging in combat in
Colombia, where military advisors are involved in misbegotten Drug War
operations. But he later issued signing statements declaring he didn't have to
obey them.

* He has argued he can ignore laws requiring him to report to Congress on
efforts to fund secret military operations.

* He says he can ignore laws that prohibit the military from using intelligence
that was illegally collected in violation of the Fourth Amendment -- even
though such laws were passed in response to disclosures about Bush's
warrantless domestic spying program.

* After the Abu Ghraib torture scandal, Bush signed a series of new regulations
for military prisons and numerous related matters - then wrote a signing
statement saying he could ignore them all.

Indeed, at this point no one even knows which laws Bush will obey and which
ones he won't.

And then there is the further question of whether he feels obligated to obey
laws passed *before* he became president.

As David Golove, a New York University law professor and expert in executive-
power issues, told the Boston Globe: "Where you have a president who is willing
to declare vast quantities of the legislation that is passed during his term
unconstitutional, it implies that he also thinks a very significant amount of
the other laws that were already on the books before he became president are
also unconstitutional."

By such thinking, Golove said, Bush could, in essence, make the Constitution
simply "disappear."

Conservative scholar Bruce Fein, a deputy attorney general in the Reagan
administration, has emerged as one of the strongest critics of this practice.

"This is an attempt by the president to have the final word on his own
constitutional powers, which eliminates the checks and balances that keep the
country a democracy," Fein told the Globe. "There is no way for an independent
judiciary to check his assertions of power, and Congress isn't doing it,
either. So this is moving us toward an unlimited executive power."

(Source: "Bush Challenges Hundreds of Laws," by Charlie Savage, Boston Globe
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/04/30/bush_challenges_hundreds_o
f_laws/ )

* * *

Star-Spangled Silliness

Anti-immigration forces went ballistic recently about the hit song "Nuestro
Himno," a Spanish-language adaptation of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Indeed, the weirdly fierce hysteria over the song even reached the White House,
where President Bush felt compelled to assert that "the national anthem ought
to be sung in English."

Some prominent Congressional doofuses quickly went further. Senator Lamar
Alexander (R-TN), joined by a gaggle of other senators, introduced a nonbinding
resolution proclaiming that the national anthem, along with various other
patriotic statements and songs, "should be recited or sung in English."

Amazingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, the U.S. Senate quickly *passed* it --
unanimously. A similar measure has been introduced in the House.

It's nice to know that, even though Congress can't be troubled to deal with out-
of-control spending, a frightening federal assault on fundamental civil
liberties, and similar minor matters, they can always be counted upon to take
quick action on the really *important* issues.

Now, the rest of the story.

It turns out that there were no less than four Spanish translations of "The
Star-Spangled Banner" already on the U.S. State Department's Web site when all
this controversy erupted. Indeed, the U.S. government published a Spanish
version as far back as 1919. Versions in German, French, Yiddish and other
languages were commissioned by the government decades ago and are available,
too.

So it seems that, for nearly a century, the U.S. government has had no trouble
at all with the idea of folks singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in other
languages. Indeed, the government has funded it and encouraged it.

Further, there are eyewitness accounts that President Bush himself, while
running in 2000, sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" in Spanish to woo Hispanic
voters. Bush now denies that, saying his Spanish is so poor he would be
incapable of doing that. (Given his well-publicized troubles with the English
language, one is inclined to believe him.)

As for Senator Lamar Alexander, a few years ago, when bilingual education was
more popular with voters, he was a strong opponent of "English only" policies.
Indeed, in 1995 he stated: "My dream is that every child in America grows up
learning two languages." Just don't try *singing* in more than one of them,
kids.

And what about America's first national motto, still enshrined on the national
seal -- E Pluribus Unum? When are we going to do something about that?

Finally, someone needs to point out to our rulers that the Pledge of Allegiance
was written by an avowed socialist, Francis Bellamy, who said he hoped it would
help American schoolchildren embrace state socialism. Resolutions, anyone?

(Sources: http://www.reason.com/links/links050806.shtml
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060504102609990019&ncid=NWS00
010000000001
http://www.bergen.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2MDcmZmdiZWw3Zjd2
cWVlRUV5eTY5MzI3MzkmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXky
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-
0605080165may08,1,1768147.story?coll=chi-opinionfront-hed
http://www.lewrockwell.com/dilorenzo/dilorenzo54.html
http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1281

* * *

QUICK SHOTS...

* Libertarian Named #1 Tax Cutter in Congress: Human Events, a highly respected
conservative publication, has named libertarian Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) the
top tax cutter in the U.S. House of Representatives. Human Events noted that
Congressman Paul "is a co-sponsor... of a constitutional amendment to repeal
the Sixteenth amendment and end income, gift, and estate taxes. Regularly
pushes for tax cuts. Sponsor of bills to allow tax credits for private school
tuition, to permit tax deduction of college tuition, and to stop all taxation
of Social Security benefits. Opposes all unconstitutional spending programs."
Congratulations!
http://www.house.gov/paul/press/press2006/pr042606.htm

* Lots of Libertarians: "Gallup polls have consistently found that 20 percent
of Americans are neither liberal nor conservative but libertarian, opposing the
use of government either to "promote traditional values" or to "do too many
things that should be left to individuals and businesses." That's only slightly
below the percentages for liberals and conservatives." -- "Where There Is No
Vision, the People Perish," David Boaz, Cato Institute.
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6390

* * * * * * * *

"Good News, Bad News, Unbelievable News" is written by Liberator Online editor
James W. Harris. His articles have appeared in numerous magazines and
newspapers, and he has been a Finalist for the Mencken Award, given by the Free
Press Association for "Outstanding Journalism in Support of Liberty."
___________________________________________

PERSUASION POWER POINT #202

Are Government Failures the Result of the Wrong People Running It?

by Michael Cloud

* "Tonight's News will show exactly who caused the failures of disaster relief
for Hurricane Katrina's victims."

* "The reason we're not making more progress in Iraq is the Secretary of
Defense," says a critic. "We need to put someone in charge who knows how to
bring together Iraqi factions."

* "We need no-nonsense, tough teachers and administrators in our public schools
to shore up poor math and science skills,"
says a candidate.

* "We've got to get the right people in charge of Social Security -- so we can
secure it for Baby Boomers," says a talk radio host.

These claims and hundreds like them rest on one unchallenged premise: that Big
Government programs can regularly and reliably deliver the positive results
their backers promised.

But Big Government programs repeatedly fail. Why? Their defenders respond:

1. These programs fail because the wrong people are in charge.

2. Big Government programs will succeed when we put the right people in
charge.

If you believe this, you will focus your efforts on firing the incompetent bums
running Big Government programs -- and hiring competent, high-quality leaders
and managers to take their places.

Read the opinions, discussions, and debates at Web sites and on blogs. Listen
to them on talk radio or cable TV. Most of the sound and fury centers on why a
person in charge of a Big Government program is right or wrong for the job. Or
why someone else has the right stuff and could straighten things out.

That's why most mainstream political debates focus on who's in charge.

But what if it's not a people problem?

What if it's the nature of government itself that causes the problems? What if
it's a design characteristic of government itself that causes the problems --
and makes them unavoidable and unfixable? What if "Why Government Doesn't Work"
by Harry Browne is right?

Do a thought experiment.

What if YOU were in charge of the Federal Emergency Management Agency? You're
subject to the same laws, regulations, budget, constraints, and political
reality as the person currently holding the job. Can YOU make this Big
Government program work? Why or why not?

What if the great Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises were alive -- and put in
charge of the Internal Revenue Service. He's subject to today's mandates, laws,
regulations, budget, constraints, and political reality. Could Ludwig von Mises
make the IRS collect the money while NOT damaging lives -- or the economy?

What if Charles Murray were put in charge of welfare? He's subject to today's
mandates, laws, regulations, budget, constraints, and political reality. Could
the author of "Losing Ground" make welfare effective?

Pick the brightest and wisest free market economist or libertarian to run any
Big Government program you choose. Remember that he's subject to the nature of
government, as well as today's mandates, laws, regulations, budget,
constraints, and political reality. Can HE make Big Government work?

Of course not.

Fire burns, water's wet, and gravity doesn't play favorites.

Big Government programs turn out the way they do because of the nature of
government.

There are 5 Iron Laws of Big Government:

I. Big Government Programs Don't Work.

II. Big Government Programs often make things worse for the very people they're
intended to help.

III. Big Government Programs create new problems.

IV. Big Government Programs are costly and wasteful.

V. Big Government Programs divert money and energy from positive, productive
uses.

So, when you hear political debates that focus on who's in charge -- and who
should be in charge -- bring the conversation to the real cause of the repeated
and massive failures: Big Government itself.

Persuasion can simply be a matter of having the right conversation.

* * * * * * * *

Michael Cloud is author of the acclaimed book "Secrets of Libertarian
Persuasion" available exclusively from the Advocates:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/secrets.html. In 2000, Michael was honored with the
Thomas Paine Award as the Most Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America.
___________________________________________

ASK DR. RUWART

Dr. Mary Ruwart is a leading expert in libertarian communication. In this
column she offers short answers to real questions about libertarianism. To
submit questions to Dr. Ruwart, see end of column.

* * *

QUESTION: Your ideas of decentralized banking with notes backed by gold may be
sound libertarian philosophy, but they are impractical and inefficient.

I have three questions that I think you will be unable to answer without
conceding my point. The first is: "What gives gold intrinsic value?"

My second question is: "Under the gold-standard, would there not be deflation?
If not, why not?"

My third and final question: "True or false: liquid currency facilitates
economic transactions and economic transactions bolster an economy. A single
recognized currency is most liquid, so, therefore, isn't a central bank most
efficient in terms of facilitating economic growth?"

MY SHORT ANSWER: Historically, decentralized banking with notes backed by gold
has worked quite well. For example, prior to 1933, countries with few banking
regulations, gold-backed currencies, and no central bank had eight times fewer
banking runs in which depositors lost money (see Figure 9.1 from the 2003
edition of my book, "Healing Our World," or G. Selgin's "Bank Deregulation and
Monetary Order" (New York: Routledge, 1996), pp. 195-200). The United States
had a wave of banking failures from 1921 to 1929, shortly after adoption of the
Federal Reserve System. American depositors lost an estimated $565 million.
Meanwhile, across the border, none of the less-regulated, decentralized
Canadian banks failed.

In response to your first question, the value of anything, including gold, is
determined by supply and demand, and thus fluctuates as industrial uses and
personal preferences change. Historically, however, this fluctuation has been
moderate for gold, especially when compared to easy-to-inflate paper
currencies.

Of course, commodities are not the only way to "back" currency. Some groups,
for example, use "Time Dollars" (www.timedollar.org), which are also inflation-
resistant.

In response to your second question, currency deflation usually occurs when the
money supply's rate of growth is suddenly slowed by the Federal Reserve or
other central banks. Businesses have a more difficult time borrowing money,
expanding, and creating jobs. As job creation slows, stops, or even reverses,
wealth creation slows. As layoffs occur, people begin selling their houses and
other assets to survive. Because fewer people can afford to buy, and some
people must sell, price deflation can also occur in real estate and other
saleable assets, like stocks. People can no longer afford luxuries, so
businesses that produce them start firing workers and the cycle begins again.
Currency deflation by central banks generally produce economic hardship (e.g.,
the Great Depression).

Price deflation that might occur under a gold standard would happen slowly as
wealth creation increased faster than gold was mined. We see this type of price
deflation today in computers. The computer that would have cost $5000 a few
years ago costs only 10% as much today and has many more features. Wealth
creation in computer engineering is occurring faster than the increase in the
money supply. Consequently, more people have computers and their enhanced
efficiency leads to even more wealth creation (e.g., prosperity).

Historically, price deflation has not been dramatic under a gold standard. As
the purchasing power of each ounce of gold increases, the profit from working
hard-to-mine gold deposits increases too. More gold is mined and the price
deflation is offset. Even if this didn't happen, price deflation caused by
increased wealth creation is economically positive, not negative.

In response to your third question, nations with multiple, gold-backed
currencies have historically used clearing houses to promote liquidity.
Differences in liquidity between the two systems you describe would be
minimal.

The price of potentially gaining a small advantage in liquidity is the
inflation that central banks invariably cause. Studies show that inflation is
highly detrimental to growth. All other things being equal, a nation with a
single paper currency, controlled by a central bank, will experience less
prosperity and growth than one with multiple, commodity-backed currencies
simply because the single paper currency will inflate more rapidly.

* * * * * * * *

Got questions? Dr. Ruwart has answers! If you'd like answers to YOUR "tough
questions" on libertarian issues, email Dr. Ruwart at: ruwart@theAdvocates.org

Due to volume, Dr. Ruwart can't personally acknowledge all emails. But we'll
run the best questions and answers in upcoming issues.

Dr. Ruwart's previous Liberator Online answers are archived in searchable form
at: http://www.TheAdvocates.org/ruwart/categories_list.php

Dr. Ruwart's outstanding books "Healing Our World" and "Short Answers to the
Tough Questions" are available from the Advocates:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv

___________________________________________

SOUNDBITES FOR LIBERTY

CHOICE, NOT FORCE: "Whatever the issue, let freedom offer us a hundred choices,
instead of having government force one answer on everyone." -- Harry Browne
(1933-2006), Liberty A to Z: 872 Libertarian Soundbites You Can Use Right Now.

GET OUT OF THE WAY: "Government never furthered any enterprise but by the
alacrity with which it got out of its way." -- Henry David Thoreau

THE VIRTUE OF MARKETS: "The great virtue of a free market system is that it
does not care what color people are; it does not care what their religion is;
it only cares whether they can produce something you want to buy. It is the
most effective system we have discovered to enable people who hate one another
to deal with one another and help one another." -- Milton Friedman
___________________________________________

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|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|

THE LIBERATOR ONLINE is the official newsletter of the Advocates for Self-
Government. Visit us on the Web at: http://www.TheAdvocates.org

THE LIBERATOR ONLINE was created by Paul Schmidt and James W. Harris.

_____________________________________

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"May it be to the world... to assume the blessings and security of self-
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