August 21, 2007 – Whom Do You Trust?

I’ve been getting some criticism lately from people I respect that my views are “too left-wing” (whatever that means), because I oppose oppressive actions taken by private entities (i.e., religious groups, business interests, political parties) rather than confining my criticism only to oppressive action by state entities.

As if. A boot on your neck hurts no less when it’s held there by a soldier or cop because of some governmental conflict or by the same soldier or cop acting on behalf some private interest who has convinced the state to enforce their notions of proper conduct. The boot is the same, the cop is the same, and the gun to your head is the same. Being sued by the IRS is really no different in cause or effect than being sued by the RIAA, Microsoft, the Brady Campaign or any number of other private entities that use their privileged position with the state to dominate you for their own gain or benefit. And yet many alleged libertarians claim to see a moral distinction between the two forms of oppression. Well I don’t.

Most of the SDS members that I know fall into the political category called “anarcho-socialist” or “anarcho-syndicalist.” They desire a “no controlling authority” condition of liberty that allows them to run their own workplace and set their own conditions of labor. This program may not be classical laissez-faire political economy, but so what? Leave ‘em alone and they’ll succeed, fail, or muddle along on their own and on their own terms. The rest of us don’t have to worry that they’ll impose their (horror of horrors) “socialist views” and practices on the rest of us, because they don’t believe in state authority and forming a state is the only way that they could do so.

And yet many, many, (most even) "libertarians” that I know or have known over the years can and do easily shift right back into the deep-red Republican base that most emerged from originally with just a few simple compromises in the GOP’s platform. Look at the highly touted GOP maverick Representative Ron Paul. Now he’s a Republican. But in 1988 he was the Libertarian Party’s nominee for president and even had a fundraiser hosted by LSD guru Timothy Leary. And Paul didn’t have any trouble moving back into the GOP afterwards either. And note the newly minted Libertarian big shot and ex-GOP U.S. Representative Bob Barr. Now he’s an LP member when just a few short years ago he was a U.S. Attorney and was happily and quite successfully prosecuting people on behalf of Leviathan. The LP even spent what little funding it had to get him defeated for re-election in 2002. And now he’s one of their own. Go figure?

Some late night comedian (I think it was Bill Maher) said that libertarians were just: “Republicans who like to be able to get high, look at porn, and blow off church without feeling like hypocrites.” And consider how well these authoritarian types slip back forth into and out of the Republican base where they started. And I just don’t see that kind of kind of thing from the SDS types, those dreaded socialists. And I know a few, too.

So if and when the chips are down, I trust my anarcho-socialist/anarcho-syndicalist SDS comrades to keep the faith about seizing liberty when and where they can way more than I ever will the LP types who seem to be able to morph back and forth between the LP and the GOP right-wing without any troubling thoughts about moral or ideological consistency.

Tags:
Libertarian Party SDS anarcho-socialist anarcho-syndicalist Ron_Paul Bob_Barr GOP oppression

July 18_2007 - I Think Reformists Are Wrong

I was surprised to read Glen Allport's column on Strike the Root yesterday wherein he lays out all the ways that political parties, special interest groups, ideologues, mercantilists, and the rest of the running dogs of statism, screw up liberal democratic governance, and then goes on to endorse the candidacy of a statist politician in an election in order to "fix" it all! Go figure? The real problem with state governance is the state itself; who runs it and how hardly matters. That has been my conclusion based on my own historical analysis, anyhow. It really surprised me that the STR publisher would post such an article given STR's stated position on such matters.

Reformism is a waste of time. In the end, when the bourgeoisie finally conclude that they can't dominate the political process any longer, they will undoubtedly turn toward fascism to maintain control and retain their privileges. That is what they've always done in the past.

Glen_Allport, Strike_the_Root.com, reformism, Ron_Paul, statism

May 17, 2007 - Ron Paul Voted Off Future Debates

Yes dear friends, it didn't take long, did it? The American Idol-type "debates" the GOP and media poobahs put on for the masses are now starting a movement to oust Rep. Ron Paul, the GOP's real "maverick" (as opposed to the egocentric and inconsistent John McCain), from any further candidate beauty show spectacles (aka "debates") because he strays from the RNC/neo-con script and tells the truth about things. And after just one "debate" too. Hell, Simon Cowell would probably have voted to keep Paul on just for the entertainment value his comments have alone. And all of which shows what a fraud this whole process is anyhow.

I saw this new story on the Drudge Report today about how the Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party wants Paul excluded from any party-sanctioned debates here in my state. Sad it is when you get bounced (voted off?) for telling the inconvenient truth about things, eh?

" 'Given what he said last night," the story reports, "it was just so off the wall and out of whack that I think it was more detrimental than helpful.' [Michigan GOP chairman Saul] Anuzis said his petition would go to debate sponsors and broadcasters to discourage inviting Paul."

And so it goes.

Technorati Tags: Ron_Paul, GOP_South Carolina _debate, censorship

May 17, 2007 - Tax Evaders for Increased Foreign Aid and Other Stuff

The pot calling the kettle black redux. I found this tidbit while perusing economist Dean Baker's blog:

“That is not the name of Bono's organization, [i.e, Tax Evaders for Increased Foreign Aid] but perhaps it should be. The NYT devoted an article to the Irish rock star's complaints about 'a particular crisis of credibility' among wealthy countries who have not carried though on their commitments to help poor countries. Such words are especially ironic coming from Bono. He became a Dutch citizen a few years back to take advantage of a provision in the Netherlands tax code that applies a very low tax rate to royalty income.” [Link in original]

Go figure, eh? Just like the George Clooneys, Rosie O'Donnells, Angelina Jolies, and such like amongst the glitterati who all employ the best tax evasion/avoidance schemes the worlds best bankers, tax accountants, and lawyers can devise to avoid paying their “fair share” of taxes which would presumably then be redistributed to the world's poor, Mr. Rock Star shields his own wealth the best he can while calling the rest of us cheap. Sheesh. Wadda hypocrite.

On Ron Paul's “Gaffe” at the GOP Debate

Above link is the YouTube clip of what transpired.

Ex-NYC mayor Rudy Guliani jumped on Ron Paul's ill-stated but quit correct assertion that the US wouldn't be such a target of hatred in the world if we left the rest of world the hell alone. Not how Rudy sees it though. He was there, see, and so he knows that isn't why al-Qaeda blew up the WTC on 9/11. How he knows this, Rudy G. never fully explained, (but then does he ever?) The thing that I found most discouraging were all the guffaws and hoots from the studio audience and the smirks and eyerolling from the punditry about Paul's being an “isolationist (like that's a bad thing), or that Paul is just a nutso libertarian.

But then it probably is nutso to ever think that a Republican-Libertarian alliance or common front would ever succeed anyhow given the total transformation of the GOP (the party of Isolationism until World War II started) into the modern day War Party under the leadership of Bush and the neo-cons.

Dr. Paul's noble last ditch attempt to guide the GOP out of the quagmire is now shown to be wholly futile, but I do admit it was a brave and noble gesture on his part. Don't be surprised if the American Idol-style of political debate and the mainstream media pundits and plutocrats who run it, “vote” Dr. Paul off the stage pretty damn soon. And so it goes.

Techorati Tags:

Ron_Paul, Rudolf_Guliani , isolationism, Bono, world_poverty