Selected Blogs
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
If I were to ask people where do the rights of Americans come from, what would the reader think that the answer would be? Would the reader say from the Constitution? Would the reader say that it comes from statutes and other laws? Most likely they may answer “yes,” but they are wrong.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
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For many years, the United States has always involved itself in the affairs between Israel and the Palestinians. Both sides have literally been dragged to many a peace process by the U.S. only to see that peace has never materialized. Decades after decades, the Israelis have attempted to seek peace and have offered many proposals in that effort, only to see the Palestinians shoot them all down. Yet, time and time again, the United States continues to drag both sides, offering foreign aid to both, all for the purpose of getting an elusive peace plan to the satisfaction of all.
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- Written by: Guest Author
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Most politicians, and probably most Americans, see health care as a right. Thus, whether a person has the means to pay for medical services or not, he is nonetheless entitled to them. Let's ask ourselves a few questions about this vision.
Say a person, let's call him Harry, suffers from diabetes and he has no means to pay a laboratory for blood work, a doctor for treatment and a pharmacy for medication. Does Harry have a right to XYZ lab's and Dr. Jones' services and a prescription from a pharmacist? And, if those services are not provided without charge, should Harry be able to call for criminal sanctions against those persons for violating his rights to health care?
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
In 1995, Libertarian Presidential Candidate, Harry Browne wrote a book called Why Government Does Not Work. In it, he wrote his take on issues and offered his proposals on how to solve this nation's challenges. What caught my eye at the time was his proposal in reforming Health Care. I was thinking about his solutions recently when Barack Obama had his Health Care summit at the Blair House.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
Today, I was watching and hearing the Barack Obama Health Care Summit. Republicans and Democrats sat down and discussed the present Health Care bill supported by the President and what they liked and disliked about it all. What caught my eye and ears, was when some members of Congress used sob stories and emotionalism to convince that those who were opposed were "ugly," "insensitive" and "mean-spirited." Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) used a sob story of a farmer who wrote to his office stating that the farmer had difficulty paying for his insurance and for those who work under him (it was later discovered that the farmer in question was a relative of one of the Senator's political aides). Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY) used a story of a woman in her district that wrote to her stating that because she cannot afford health insurance, she had to use her dead sister's false teeth instead of getting her own pair. There were other sob stories that were presented at the summit and after a while, I felt nauseous.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
Over a period of a few years, there have been individuals that have been claiming that the subject of Global Warming is real as well as a scientific fact. From individuals such as Robert Kennedy, Jr., Al Gore, Arianna Huffington, and others making this claim, they have all spoke in unison and stated that the debate was over and that no further discussion was necessary. Now, we find out that the science concerning this issue is faulty and that the debate is far from over. Nevertheless, the Global Warming alarmists, including the press, continue to peddle this belief that there is no need for further discussion or inquiry. One must ask "What is the reason for this?" The answer, to some, will be surprising.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
There are people in the U.S. that are connoisseurs of wines, soft drinks, guns, food, music, books, television movies and shows, as well as cheese. Me? I am a connoisseur of cars and trucks. I love all kinds of motor vehicles: Classics, Multi make, domestic and foreign.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
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Today I was reading two stories concerning the debt crisis in Greece. For more than three decades, Greece’s government, under both socialist and conservative control, has always caved to union and worker concerns by promising handouts and government services and support. Greece’s deficit is estimated to be 12.7% of Gross Domestic Product with the country’s overall debt way above 110% of GDP. The situation reached a crescendo when it was announced by the government of George Papandreou, that there was no more money in the state coffers. Papandreou went on to state that Greece would have to take austerity measures to deal with the debt crisis. This decision angered thousands of Greek civil servants, so much so that they protested at Klafthmonos Square, an area known to hold rallies for dissent.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
The Department of Homeland Security was created as a government institution to monitor and stop foreign and terrorist threats to the United States Homeland. However, particularly under President Barack Obama, the Department has been literally used as an instrument to label individuals and groups who disagree with his administration’s policies as “threats to the homeland.” This Department has labeled soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan as threats to national security, including gun owners and libertarian and conservative groups.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
On Monday, February 14, the City of New York will be launching a new “Panel Management Program.” This program will work with medical practitioners in the city who use electronic heath records to find needy patients. Afterwards, an outreach specialist hired by the city will work with these medical practices and phone these patients for check ups. Once again, the Nanny State has reared its ugly head.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
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Over a period of years or more, the United States has been calling for worldwide economic sanctions against the country of Iran. Economic sanctions are designed to hurt a foreign government on an economic basis, so much so, as to make daily life much difficult for those who run the government or are in charge of it. Often times, it is the average citizens in these foreign lands that become gravely affected and hurt while the rulers continue to remain undisturbed by it all.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
Over the years, I have heard many a politician give, what I considered, a good speech. Their delivery was always upfront and direct and the words that they spoke from their lips would be hypnotic and flowed like water into the ears of an audience very slowly, soothingly and comfortably. Their use of the English language would be captivating, articulate and prophetic. It would attract the imagination of the people. No doubt, the oratory skills of these politicians were very profound. It would be in my later years that I would learn to look behind it all. Behind the words, behind the language, behind the speeches, behind it all, and look for substance backed by action to seek out reality behind a mask.
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- Written by: Adam de Angeli
- Category: Selected Blogs
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Adam de Angeli is the Director of Information Technology and an Interim State Coordinator for the Campaign For Liberty. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. |
I recently read a member post that argued that one must sometimes support the lesser of two evils. The author explained it with a metaphor, by saying that, on the one hand, if offered two unhealthful foods, one could refuse to eat either of them, but if being forced to choose between an unhealthful food and poison, one would have to take the unhealthful food to avoid the poison. Likewise, he argued, having no choice but John McCain or Barack Obama, he should have voted for John McCain rather than the third-party candidate.
It is a popular, understandable belief; an intuitive tactical judgment. But upon close examination, it is principally due to this belief that our politicians get away with betraying us.
Indeed, it is essential for success that we defeat acceptance of the lesser of two evils. Therefore, let us examine what's wrong with supporting the lesser of two evils.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
During the 1980s, I remember a commercial for Honda Scooter Motorcycles. The commercial began with the showing of babies in a maternity ward with a female narrator stating the following: "We all start out the same," and then the camera would move to a picture of singer, Grace Jones on the scooter with her stating, "but where we go from there, it is entirely up to you." When it comes to achieving the American Dream, everyone does start out the same as well. However, those who work hard, bust their humps and put in a great deal of time and effort are the ones that are most rewarded in obtaining a business, a good standard of living, a good home and a good and secure future for themselves and their families. They are rewarded for working hard, playing by the rules and achieving what most Americans would want for themselves.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
“Do you know what is right for you?” One will get this question in his or her lifetime possibly about 50 to 60 times, in my estimation. The response, naturally, will be by an individual “Yes, I do.” When it comes to those who serve in government, in the press, in the universities and in business, however, their reply will always be “No you don’t.” Herein lays the problem.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
May you all have a safe and joyous New Year and may you all find your true happiness. God Bless You All.
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I resolve to fight for the rights of Libertarians to get on the ballot.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
To the elites that reside in the Northeast, in Malibu, California and in Washington, D.C. many consider politics as a career and not at all as an opportunity for service. Even some Libertarians, sadly, believe this as well. To me, this mindset is very wrongheaded when looking at the reasoning on a whole.
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- Written by: Joseph DeNise
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A resolution was passed by the League of Municipalities last month during their annual conference in Atlantic City. This Monday the league began circulating letters to mayors to gain their support in changing the way schools are funded in the state.
The shell game they wish to play with the tax payers is to have school funding shifted from property taxes to income tax. Doing the numbers it would be impossible for income taxes to cover school funding without being raised significantly. There is also no guarantee that the property taxes would not be increased once the school funding is shifted.
You can read more at NJ.com the article by Karen Keller of the Star-Ledger.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
The recent "Jobs Summit" called by President Barack Obama was nothing more than a photo opportunity. While he admitting that the job market looked bleak, and promising to put in place more spending to "get the economy back on track and to create new jobs," I felt that I was looking and listening to failure.
No government can bring about economic prosperity (Not even Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal could do that). The thing that government can do is simply get out of the way. This is something that those on the political left will not do. They still follow the Keynesian model which has proven not only to be futile, but has been proven to fail every time it has been tried (for a recent example, look at Japan).