Libertarian Freedonia

By Michael The Libertarian For many years, I have been harping on the idea that our elected officials, most particularly our congress critters, should be voting the way we want them to vote, when we send them to Washington D.C. Now, let's not – you and I – dear reader, confuse issues. “Talking heads” are constantly repeating the false claim of: “We live in a democracy!” Actually, we don't. We live in a democratic republic. More accurately, in practice, we live in a representative democracy. Representative … It's interesting (to me, anyway) that “the peoples' house” of the congress is populated by people called “representative”. “The peoples' house” is referred to as: “The House of Representatives”. Coincidence? Well, based upon the behavior of most of those congress critters over the last fifty years or so, I would think it's more oxymoron than coincidence. These bloviating die-hards are under the mistaken impression that we elect them to be ...

By Michael The Libertarian Emily Lindin. What a wonderfully anti-American person she must be, based upon recent tweets of hers. I'm not sure about the order in which they originally appeared, but here they are (transcribed by your humble author): “ Here’s an unpopular opinion: I’m actually not at all concerned about innocent men losing their jobs over false sexual assault/harassment allegations. ” And: “ The benefit of all of us getting to finally tell the truth + the impact on victims FAR outweigh the loss of any one man’s reputation. If some innocent men’s reputations have to take a hit in the process of undoing the patriarchy, that is a price I am absolutely willing to pay. ” Well, there's a lot to digest, there. There's nothing I can really defend. I try to do that, as often as I can, but I'm not seeing it. Let's take that first one: She's not concerned (AT ALL) about innocent men losing jobs or their reputation over false alleg...

By Michael The Libertarian I have been suffering a crisis of conscience, lately. I've been physically ill and that has evoked natural feelings of mortality. Also, naturally, those thoughts lead to re-examining my life and my work. For a long time, I prided myself on my being a journalist. Certainly, I maintain certain ethics, but the truth is I have been engaging in opinion journalism. Truth be told, while I did have a choice, I kind of didn't. Why? Well, I've said it before, but it really is kind of simple: I “came up” in a time when most of the media was dominated by those with left-leaning opinions. Ordinarily, if journalistic ethics had been upheld, it wouldn't have mattered, much. Of course, back in those days, the Left and Right weren't as far apart as they are, today. You think I'm crazy? Could you imagine a Democratic president, in this day and age, saying: “Ask not what your country can do for you ...” You will never hear anythin...

By Michael The Libertarian Most days, when I sit down at my desk with my 32 oz. Cup of Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi©, I have such a precise idea of a subject for my brain droppings that I can write a title/headline before I even start writing my article-in-chief. Those days are the days for which I live, especially on days like today which are the polar opposite of today. Days like today are difficult. It's not that I don't have anything to write about. I have an idea of what I'm going to write about. I have thoughts, swirling around in my head; they just haven't congealed, entirely. Sometimes, I can write the title by the middle of the article, but I never hold out hope on days like these. With all that's going on in the world, today … No. Let me not use a euphemistic phrase. Let me spell it out: Because of DAESH (I call ISIS that because, apparently, it's a 'cuss word in Arabic and they don't like it), Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Afghanistan … yo...

By Michael The Libertarian This is the time of year that probably most shows the divide in America and Americans. Thanksgiving Day could be the country's first declared religious holiday. To be sure, Christmas predates it, but Christmas was just always “assumed” to be a day when almost no one in the country opened their shop (This would include government “shops”). Just a few words in defense of Thanksgiving Day, before I get to the meat of the issue: Thanksgiving, while originally a “religious” holiday has come to be a uniquely American holiday (anticipating all the hate mail I'm about to get: Canadia is part of North America for those of you in Poughkeepsie). The aura of God doesn't hang heavy in the atmosphere. I know no one who goes to church on Thanksgiving. Instead, we Americans tend to celebrate the “Three 'F's”; family, football, and food. I prioritized those words that way strictly out of personal preference. For my money, family...

By Michael The Libertarian T his is one of those subjects where, once one offers an opinion, they can rest assured they will be alienating half of the country. D id you notice what I typed, there? “Alienate”. We don't discuss issues in this country, anymore. We chose a side (sometimes strictly based upon party affiliation) and dig in our heels. B ecause of this sociopolitical climate, when giving an answer on this topic (and a few others), one must lead up to it and make sure they say all the P.C. things … “hit all the right spots” before they actually give their answer. F or that reason, I want to be very clear and state, at the very outset: I believe (as does the Catholic church, by the way) the health of a mother must be a paramount consideration. If the mother's life is truly in danger and abortion is the only alternative, then I support her “right” to an abortion. W hen rape and incest are brought into the discussion, I have a different opinion fro...

By Michael The Libertarian I have been pondering this for quite some time. My nom de plume is sort of defining, but then again, it's not. Where I stand on issues may not be easily discernible; nor should it be since we're not supposed to judge people based upon a group to which they belong. True enough, a political association is a conscious decision, but not every member of a group shares all the views of the group, at large. I personally know pro-life Democrats. I know Republicans that support gun grabbing, in its entirety. I know Libertarians that oppose the legalization of marijuana. So, maybe it's time I spell out what I believe about certain issues. I hope you agree, 'cause that's what I am going to do. I have a couple of “rounds (ideas) in the magazine (my head bone)”, but I will rely on you, my readers, to tell me what you'd like to hear next. So … without further ado: What I Believe About Freedom of Religion This is an ...

By Michael The Libertarian Something I've written about more than once is there appears to be a (at least) two-tiered justice system in this country. If you break laws, if you engage in R.I.C.O.-type activity, if you're careless with classified material, if you destroy evidence that's been subpoenaed by the United States Congress, if you over-bill hours on a customer at your law firm, if you sexually assault, someone, you go to jail … unless your last name is “Clinton”. Seriously. It is coming to light that the basis for at least one FISA warrant, obtain to spy on the Trump campaign was a discredited dossier of lies, paid for, at some point, by the Hillary Clinton Campaign. Let that sink in for a minute. Our government is not supposed to spy on American citizens except in the most egregious of circumstances, but in this case, it appears all that was necessary to put those wheels into motion was a tissue of lies, masquerading as opposition resear...

By Michael The Libertarian Islamic Jihadists, when wanting to protect the prophet, the Qur'an, or Sharia law, will lash out at soft targets. They don't attack military posts (except from the inside, Maj. Hasan), or police stations, or the local KKK or Neo-Nazi headquarters. No. They attack soccer stadiums, night clubs, schools, concert venues … soft targets. Why wouldn't they? Places where the masses they wish to murder have been dis-armed for them, either by law or by the venue, itself. It makes the danger of being taken out before they've completed their “mission” much less likely. It's a smart – if cowardly – tactic. Am I about to go off on another anti-Islamist screed? Not at all. I'm setting you up for the “kill”. Over the weekend, scores of Democratic lawmakers and pundits attacked their own “soft target”, Bill Clinton. To be sure, I never liked the man's politics, but I recognized his political prowess and acume...