Life

During this election year let’s be reminded of these words:

–

* You cannot help the poor, by destroying the rich.

* You cannot strengthen the weak, by weakening the strong.

* You cannot bring about prosperity, by discouraging thrift.

* You cannot lift the wage earner up, by pulling the wage payer down.

* You cannot further the brotherhood of man, by inciting class hatred.

* You cannot build character and courage, by taking away men’s initiative and independence.

* You cannot help men permanently, by doing for them what they could and should, do for themselves.

–

Do you recognize the author?  It was Abraham Lincoln

Very, very wise words, written years ago and we still don’t get it …

This is a very good debate about whether the U.S. government should be in charge of administering healthcare in this country or not. My personal bias is that they should not and if they do, they will only make it worse (ala DMV ineptness). Here’s a link to the edited version and a link to the podcast page where you can listen to the full version with their embedded media player. Leave some feedback and let’s get this discussion going!

Bob Barr Shows Leadership to Unify Liberty Movement

Asks Paul to Run as his Vice President

Atlanta, GA - Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party nominee for president, has invited GOP Congressman Ron Paul to be his running mate in the upcoming election. In a letter sent to Paul, Barr called Paul one of the “few American patriots” who exist in today’s society, and asked him to “seriously consider this final offer as an opportunity to show true, lasting leadership beyond party politics.”

Barr cited Paul’s 1987 letter to then-GOP Chairman Frank Fahrenkopf, in which Paul stated that, “after years of trying to work through the Republican Party both in and out of government. . . concluded that efforts must be carried on outside the Republican Party.”

Though recognizing Paul’s personal investment in the Republican Party and his recent attempts to reform the party from inside, Barr said he disagreed with Paul’s strategy. “Better options remain that will carry a message of liberty onto the ballot in November and beyond,” Barr stated, adding at a news conference called today at the National Press Club, that “change in politics and public policy in America cannot and will not be done from within the current, two-party system.”

Barr continued, “‘The status quo will not change the status quo’ and impact comes entirely from gaining votes in the General Election.” That is why Barr said he would remain focused on the Libertarian Party’s electoral effort and clear message, and why he invited Paul to join him.

“While you declined my offer to seek the Libertarian presidential nomination many months ago, I ask that you seriously consider this final offer as an opportunity to show true, lasting leadership beyond party politics,” Barr stated in his letter to Paul.

Barr’s running mate, Wayne Allyn Root, expressed support: “As the Libertarian Party vice presidential nominee, I believe in one thing above all else-principle. There can be no compromise on the ideals of limited government, lower taxes, lower spending, and more freedom for the American people. Those are the principles to which I’ve dedicated my life. The GOP and Democratic candidates only give lip service-at best-to these ideals and principles. It is only an act at election time every four years.”

“I want to end the charade once and for all,” Root continued. “I am willing to sacrifice anything to advance the cause of liberty, freedom, smaller government and to enable the American taxpayer to keep more of their own money and property. Understanding Dr. Ron Paul’s reputation and name recognition in the freedom movement, I am willing to step aside as Libertarian vice presidential candidate if he would be willing to take my place. I will pledge to work day and night, just as I have as the vice presidential nominee, to support Dr. Paul. I believe this is a wonderful opportunity for the Libertarian and freedom movements. I encourage Dr. Paul to accept Congressman Barr’s offer. The campaign is making this offer because we believe there is no sacrifice too large when it comes to improving the lives of the American people and American taxpayers.”

Barr’s letter to Paul can be found here.

Paul’s letter to the GOP can be found here.

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr represented the 7th District of Georgia in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.

 
$19.99 gets you an installation DVD and 60 days of excellent support to help make Ubuntu very easy to install for the new user. Can it get much better than this?

Just for the record, being labeled a conservative these days does not automatically equal being a Republican anymore. The only Republican that I know of that I agree with is Ron Paul. Conservative really means being independent or even Libertarian with a big ‘L’. Socially liberal, fiscally conservative.

Bob Barr for president in 2008! Since my real choice, Ron Paul, obviously isn’t the Republican nominee, I will be voting for Bob Barr since he supports the ideals of liberty, constitutional authority only, limited government, and no offensive foreign policy. He won the Libertarian Party’s nomination last week. Bob Barr for president in 2008!

“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies … If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.” (Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826)

“I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution - taking from the federal government their power of borrowing.” (Thomas Jefferson, 1798)

“It is not our own citizens only who are to receive the bounty of our government. More than eight millions of the stock of this bank are held by foreigners… is there no danger to our liberty and independence in a bank that in its nature has so little to bind it to our country? … Controlling our currency, receiving our public moneys, and holding thousands of our citizens in dependence… would be more formidable and dangerous than a military power of the enemy.” (President Andrew Jackson - July 10, 1832)

“Whoever controls the volume of money in our country is absolute master of all industry and commerce…and when you realize that the entire system is very easily controlled, one way or another, by a few powerful men at the top, you will not have to be told how periods of inflation and depression originate.” (President James A. Garfield, 1881)

I just wanted to get this out into the blogosphere. Ubuntu 8.04 [beta no-less] is already solid. The upgrade from 7.10 went without a hitch and the polish is amazing. This release is really giving Mac OS X Leopard (which I also run on a daily basis) quite a run for it’s money, and it’s free! Way to go Ubuntu team, very nice work (and the whole Linux community as well).