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Old Dominion Liberty Letter Issue #18
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This issue distributed on Tuesday, July 7, 2009.
CONTENTS
1. INTERACTIVE TOOL: 50-state Freedom Rankings
2. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Frederic Bastiat
3. FEATURED PUBLIC POLICY ARTICLE: Global Warming
4. Breathless Media Treatment For One; Yawn for Another
5. EXPLORING LIBERTY: The LP's "Crime and Justice" Plank
6. Next SCC Meeting Sunday, July 26, 2009
7. NEW OFFICERS: 7th District Libertarians
8. The "Government Behaving Badly" Files: This week's Criminal Bureaucrats
9. THE LIGHTER SIDE: Political Quips
10. QUOTABLE QUOTE
11. FEATURED VIDEO: The Incredible Bread Machine
12. Calendar
THIS PUBLICATION NEEDS A PERMANENT EDITOR! Volunteer by leaving a message @
703-715-6230, or writing to:
[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]?subject=odllvolunteer>
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1. INTERACTIVE TOOL: 50-state Freedom Rankings
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This is an interactive, visual application of the data provided by
http://www.StatePolicyIndex.com on the relative freedom enjoyed by residents in
the various States.
Some issues more important to you than others? Move the sliders to change the
"weighting" of each issue.
"State and Local Public Policies in the United States" provides data on state
and local public policies, currently coded as of December 31, 2006. The site
offers a PDF codebook providing an introduction to the project, the data, and
results, including state scores on the policy liberalism and civil
libertarianism indices.
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2. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Frederic Bastiat
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Just a few days ago, June 30, marked the 1801 birth of Claude Frederic Bastiat.
Bastiat was a French economist and politician, largely ignored in France,
though recognized as being an author of foremost importance in other countries
(in the United States in particular). Bastiat died in 1850.
Have a Bastiat Party! Invite your neighbors over for refreshments and BBQ, and
hand them a copy of Bastiat's "The Law".
To find out more about this prolific writer & thinker, visit these websites:
http://bastiat.org/
http://www.mises.org/fredericbastiat.asp
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3. FEATURED PUBLIC POLICY ARTICLE: Global Warming
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Here's a headline you won't see in the lamestream media: "Global Warming Is a
Fraud".
http://lewrockwell.com/orig9/deming3.html
Oh, and it's written by a scientist. I thought there was some sort of
agreement that there was this consensus among scientists that there was no
longer any doubt about anthropogenerated warming?
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4. Breathless Media Treatment For One; Yawn for Another
================================================
OK, let's see.
Scenario 1: A guy (with two full carloads of very large friends, as well as a
BB gun that looks like a pistol and a bunch of baseball bats loaded in the
cars) chases down two very small guys and one girl. One of the small guys
shoots at one of the following cars, killing one of the occupants. Despite the
chase, the deceased becomes an "innocent victim", and outrage and protest
follow. The jurors remain awake and alert during the trial and deliver a
guilty verdict for the shooter and his cousin. They are sentenced to long
prison terms -- terms which don't satisfy the family and friends of the
deceased. No charges are ever leveled against any of the other individuals in
the two following cars for their role in the situation. Every one of the
reporters covering the trial itself mention the racial composition of the jury,
as well as the race of those involved -- repeatedly.
Scenario 2: A business man steps out of his truck one morning, is immediately
accosted, shot to death, and robbed by three crackheads. The initial shooting
was reduced to a footnote and hidden on ionside pages of the local daily, and
not reported at all by most other papers and radio/tv stations in the area.
Two years later, the police at last arrest three suspects, with what would be
considered pretty solid evidence in other cases. At the trial of the first one
of the three, several jury members -- all but one of whom is the same race as
the defendant -- fall asleep during the trial. Eventually they return a "not
guilty" verdict, and set the defendant free. Outrage and protest follow, but
again not on the front page. None of the reporters covering the trial itself
mention the racial composition (or the sleep habits) of the jury; that's left
to the victim's wife to say.
What's the main difference between the cases?
The first story was reported almost as thoroughly and endlessly as Michael
Jackson's death; with almost daily updates on the progress of the case. Every
reporter managed to play the race card in every story.
The second story was almost completely ignored; with only two major articles in
the regional daily during and after the first trial. The reporters leave out
the race of the victims and perps; except when the reporter on the second story
mentioned that the march by family and friends of the victim was "all white" --
even though a black man is clearly seen in the accompanying photo of the march.
http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/crime/article/PBUR22_20090621-221803/275243/
So why the breathless coverage of one case, while the other, where there was a
clear criminal (actually three) and an entirely innocent victim, elicits a
media yawn? And speaking of yawns, what judge in his right mind fails to
declare a mistrial when the jury falls asleep?
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5. EXPLORING LIBERTY: The LP's "Crime and Justice" Plank
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This issue, we bring you an exploration of the Libertarian Party's platform
position # 1.5 - Crime and Justice, which reads:
--------
1.5 - Crime and Justice: "Government exists to protect the rights of every
individual including life, liberty and property. Criminal laws should be
limited to violation of the rights of others through force or fraud, or
deliberate actions that place others involuntarily at significant risk of harm.
Individuals retain the right to voluntarily assume risk of harm to themselves.
We support restitution of the victim to the fullest degree possible at the
expense of the criminal or the negligent wrongdoer. We oppose reduction of
constitutional safeguards of the rights of the criminally accused. The rights
of due process, a speedy trial, legal counsel, trial by jury, and the legal
presumption of innocence until proven guilty, must not be denied. We assert the
common-law right of juries to judge not only the facts but also the justice of
the law."
--------
In short, our criminal justice system has become a contest between the criminal
and the state (the government) based on the fiction that crimes are committed
against the state. Libertarians, however, believe crimes are committed against
real people. Therefore, we support the repeal of all laws establishing crimes
without victims (e.g., "victimless crime" laws, such as the prohibitions
against drugs, prostitution, and gambling). The major benefit of doing so
would be freeing up law enforcement resources for prosecuting violent
criminals. Protecting the right of self-defense and addressing the root causes
of crime (by abolishing unnecessary taxes and regulations that hamper starting
up a new business) will enhance the security of all Americans.
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6. Next SCC Meeting Sunday, July 26, 2009
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The next meeting of the state committee will occur on Sunday, July 26, 2009 at
12:00 pm, with an 11:00 am lunch preceding. Exact location TBA. Directions:
Minutes of previous meetings are posted at:
http://www.LPVA.com/Archives/SCCMinutes/Minutes.php
Bring your appetite, your ideas, be ready to roll up your sleeves, and help us
win a free country!
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7. NEW OFFICERS: 7th District Libertarians
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The 7th District Libertarians held a quarterly Executive Committee meeting last
Tuesday (6/30/2009). The group appointed new officers (Mark Jainchell,
Chairman; Louis Gifford, Treasurer; and George Green, Secretary). Additional
discussed included recruitment of a candidate for 7th district congress (2010),
and planning for the next EC meeting (October) and district convention
(November).
ODLL staff congratulates Jainchell, Gifford, and Green for their appointments
in service of the 7th CD committee.
For readers who are interested, the 7th CD bylaws are available at:
http://lpva.com/Archives/Documents/Bylaws/CD/LP7cdbylaws.html
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8. The "Government Behaving Badly" Files: This week's Criminal Bureaucrats
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"Exposing criminal government employees (but I repeat myself...) with the harsh
glare of ridicule since June 2009!"
Seen any government employees facing justice for crimes committed while on-duty
lately? Let us know about it! Send announcements and news to <[email protected]>
or <mailto:[email protected]?subject=criminal_bureaucrats> !
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9. THE LIGHTER SIDE: Political Quips
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-------
A: Four years ago, my brother ran for state senator.
B: What does he do now?
C: Nothing. He got elected.
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Q: Why don't we ever hear of a thief stealing from a politician's house?
A: Professional courtesy.
-------
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10. QUOTABLE QUOTE
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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing
it wrongly, and applying unsuitable remedies."
-- Sir Ernest Benn
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11. FEATURED VIDEO: The Incredible Bread Machine
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On the Mises Media Institute YouTube channel, a Libertarian classic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycGRERrGsMo
Released in 1975 by World Research, Inc., The Incredible Bread Machine film
includes an introduction by then-Secretary of the Treasury, William E. Simon,
and interviews with professors Walter Heller (University of Minnesota) and
Milton Friedman (University of Chicago). Moderated by Dr. Richard Rogge (Wabash
College). The film also features a cameo appearance by Murray N. Rothbard.
Written by Karl Keating, Susan Love Brown, Patrea Post and Stuart Smith.
Also see the book:
http://product.half.ebay.com/The-Incredible-Bread-Machine_W0QQtgZinfoQQprZ1155567
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0930073312/ref=dp_olp_3
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12. Calendar
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------------------------------------
Sunday, July 26, 2009
LPVA State Committee
Quarterly Meeting
All LPVA members welcome!
Group lunch at 11:00.
Meeting begins at 12:00
Bleu Bistro Restaurant
8982 Quioccasin Rd., Richmond, VA 23229
------------------------------------
September 24 - October 4, 2009
LPVA Outreach Booth at Virginia State Fair
The Meadow, Caroline Co.
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November 3, 2009
General Elections
Remember to Vote,
and Vote Libertarian!
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December 2009 - February 2010 -
congressional district committee conventions
- consider formal endorsements of candidates
for 2010 election
- elect LP congressional district officers (chair, etc).
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Jan 29-31, 2010
Annual meeting of LP activists from every state
See: http://StateChairsConference.org/about
Also sit in on the Libertarian National Committee,
the Bylaws and Platform committees.
Location will be Austin, registration information
to follow in future newsletters
------------------------------------
March or April, 2010
LPVA State Convention
Exact location & Date TBA.
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May 4, 2010
Municipal Elections
Remember to Vote,
and Vote Libertarian!
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May 28 - May 31, 2010
LP National Convention
Renaissance St. Louis Grand and Suites Hotel, in Missouri.
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Old Dominion Liberty Letter Issue #18
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Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share
Alike 3.0 United States License by Marc Montoni.
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Publishing Schedule: Weekly - But it depends on YOU!
Publisher: LPVA Communications Committee
Editor: Marc Montoni
Distribution: 500 + readers, via LPVA-Announce
================================================
Sign up for the latest news from The Libertarian
Party of Virginia:
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================================================
Got a news tip? Click: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=vlw>
Allow me to emphasize this: We prefer Virginia news
to news you can get elsewhere. If you have a good
liberty-oriented story centered in Virginia, please
alert us to it.
================================================
WHAT'S GOING ON where you live? Make sure all
Virginia Libertarians are informed of your
activities. Send announcements and news to
<[email protected]> or <mailto:[email protected]?subject=vlw>
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JOIN THE PARTY - Never been a member of the
Libertarian Party of Virginia? There's no time
like NOW to become a member of Virginia's third
largest political party.
http://Membership.LPVA.com
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RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP - Have you been a member in
the past, but for one reason or another chosen not
to renew? Renew today and resume the fight for
Liberty!
http://Membership.LPVA.com
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BEGIN YOUR PLEDGE - Are you ready to make the
ultimate commitment? Join the LPVirginia Pledge
Program and help us promote our Libertarian
ideas to all your friends and neighbors!
http://Contribute.LPVA.com
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NOTES: This newsletter will be migrated to a CMS with an RSS feed (which our
webmaster has been very generous in setting up!) sometime soon. This version
is primarily to guage interest. If you want it to continue, then participate!
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Have an announcement you'd like to post? SCC members & many
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your announcements to the List Master:
<mailto:[email protected]?subject=announcement>.
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Libertarian Party of Virginia
http://www.LPVA.com
Phone: 703-715-6230
