Liberty Maven

Many people think that Trevor Lyman was the man behind the Ron Paul “Money Bomb” idea due to him being in the media following the November 5th event. The fact is that James Sugra is the man who came up with the idea, and he let Trevor create the web site and promote it.

He recently posted an uplifting message and video on Ron Paul Forums about his experience during that November 5th time frame.

James writes:

The cause is not the affect it is the reason. This is my 26th video for the Ron Paul movement. To think it all started 8 months ago back in October. I thought of an idea it was pretty simple. I proposed the first mass donation video for Ron Paul on a controversial day November 5th. I didn’t know how many supporters would actually donate and I had no clue how much to make the donation. After reviewing all the various sites the numbers came to mind. 100,000 patriots donating 100 dollars a piece. It was a long shot to say the least. I was so broke I couldn’t even afford to donate myself. I am ashamed to admit that but it’s true.

All my credit cards had been maxed out I just started a new job that was 100% commission. I thought if I couldn’t donate maybe there was someone out there that could and that was my driving force. I only needed to reach one person and if that person believed in my idea they could take it to the next level. I met someone by the name of Ronpaulmeetupvideos on YouTube AKA Trevor Lyman.

He said he created a website for the idea. I knew it needed something more because many people were posting on the original video asking; I am in but who else is going to donate? Trevor Lyman became the general of this idea and I respect him for all his efforts even if some people don’t give him the credit he deserves. His site built so much excitement and was an awesome grassroots effort from so many people.

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NOTE: Originally posted June 6th, 2008 at http://www.nolanchart.com/article3980.html. The Liberty Maven ownership is fully supporting Barr for President, but realizes there are opposing opinions on Bob Barr’s candidacy even among our authors. Although Jake, the Champion of the Constitution disagrees with the view of the Liberty Maven ownership, this is being published in the interest of pursuing an honest and open discussion on the Barr candidacy and its relationship to the Ron Paul movement. The remainder of the six-part series can be found at the Nolan Chart link above. For, after all, is not “Dissent the Highest Form of Patriotism”?

Bob Barr, where are the Billionaires that Support You? Jim Rogers, Axel Merk, Peter Schiff all support Ron Paul.

Dear Bob Barr,

As I write to you from a towering skyscraper overlooking the bustling metropolis of Shanghai on a sunny day with blue skies, with thousands upon thousands of AC units whirring, I can’t help but remember the words of Jim Rogers from last year.

“If Ron Paul gets anywhere near the nomination, I would certainly support him. He is the only one that I’ve seen in American politics that seems to have a clue as to what’s going in the world.”

Listen to this. Mr. Rogers in 2007 predicting $150-200 oil in 2008, the current recession, he announced he was short on Citibank and other financials, and it is no secret he has been investing in commodities for years, which are skyrocketing. Jim Rogers made his fortune with George Soros by starting the Quantum Fund. In short, this Jim Rogers from Alabama is one Smart Dude when it comes to money. His favorite quote “If you were smart in 1807 you moved to London, if you were smart in 1907 you moved to New York City and if you are smart in 2007 you move to Asia.” Why’s that?

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I read Thomas DiLorenzo’s first book on Lincoln, “The Real Lincoln“, and was shocked at the information contained within it. Like most in America we are taught the “honest Abe” version in school. DiLorenzo’s books on Lincoln tear that myth apart. He includes citations from other authors, journalists, and newspapers at the time to back up his assertions. He sat down for an interview on CSPAN last week and watching it is an excellent way to spend some of your time.

Learn about the Real Lincoln here.

The American Spectator published a special report by J. Bradley Jansen defending Bob Barr against the naysayers from the Ron Paul movement. Jansen outlines many reasons why Ron Paul supporters should not be weary of supporting Barr.

Six years ago, I parted ways with the Libertarian Party over its misguided attempt to defeat Bob Barr in the Republican — that’s right, Republican — primary. Just as many Libertarians cling to their pipe dream that they had a role in defeating him despite evidence showing their efforts backfired, many now harbor similar delusions about Barr himself.

My favorite criticism of Bob Barr now is that he is a prohibitionist neocon who voted for the USA PATRIOT Act. Some critics decry his Defense of Marriage Act, support of the Fair Tax. Others go further, claiming that he has “changed his whole world view” to snooker the Libertarian Party to get their presidential nomination to “ride Ron Paul’s coattails.”

As Dr. Paul’s banking staffer, I used to have ask Barr to scoot his chair in so I could pass him on the dais to get to my boss, and we always worked closely together. For one committee markup, Barr and Paul both showed up with amendments to withdraw the United States from the International Monetary Fund. His staffer and I hastily cut and pasted ours together for our “ransom note” amendment with different margins, font styles, and sizes. See how fun politics can be?

Read the full article at The American Spectator.

At Reason Magazine headquarters yesterday four candidates who can potentially carry the Ron Paul message onward sat down for a debate. All participants except for one are Libertarian Presidential candidates. The exception was Vern McKinley, who is running for Congress in Virginia’s 10th District against Frank Wolf.

What was interesting to me as evidenced in the embedded video (thanks to Reason.tv) below is that Vern McKinley almost sounds more libertarian than some of the Libertarian candidates, most notably, Wayne Allyn Root. Check out the video below and realize it is time to figure out who you are going to support in the general election for President in lieu of Ron Paul. Writing in Ron Paul may make you feel good, but it will go nowhere. At least in Vern McKinley’s case you know you can support him as a “Ron Paul Republican”.

Not feeling very Antiwar-ish today? No problem! Try Laughing at our Wars and Foreign Policy using the Hilarity of The Onion!

Originally posted at The Nolan Chart on May 18th, 2008 http://www.nolanchart.com/article3819.html

I regularly entreat or is it beg? the lucky people on my Facebook contact list to take a gander at my Antiwar-themed Freedom articles and reply with their thoughts. You could say that it’s a random cross-section of Americans mostly in their late-twenties. What happens? Usually I receive no reply of any sort. I recently published a ‘shocking’ expose of Rumsfeld wistfully wishing there was another 9/11 terrorist attack to galvanize support for Bush and increase American Military funding. (And I write ‘shocking’ not because of what he said, but the fact that this conversation was recorded and released to the public at the DoD website.) I have more to say, but let me jump to the links before you close this window.

Please entertain yourself by checking out any of the 1- or 2-minute satirical videos from www.TheOnion.com below that center on poking fun at our current Foreign and War Policies. Laugh or Cry, if you have any type of reaction, I would love to listen to your thoughts or comments, which you can certainly add below if you so wish (hint, hint).

McCain Vows To Replace Secret Service With His Own Bare Fists

Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early

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Breaking News! Read and Listen here at the dod.mil link. Digg this if you think Donald Rumsfeld is “waaaay off the record,” I mean way out of line!

(Originally published by the author at The Nolan Chart http://www.nolanchart.com/article3806.html)

A newly released audiotape by the Department of Defense of a December 12^th, 2006 Luncheon taped Rumsfeld telling a group of military analysts that the American public needs another 9/11 Attack to wake up. Please listen here at dod.mil and read below, but decide for yourself please. The Huffington Post beat your author to the punch and released an article here as well.

To the clatter and din of dinner knives and forks, Rumsfeld also blathers on about attacking Iran, jokingly infers to a “stroke of lightning” (aka assassination) of Moqtada al-Sadr and that he would reward the killer with a bottle of champagne. Perhaps topping everything is a statement that the US will win the actual military fighting, but can’t win a War of Occupation against guerilla warfare in Iraq, etc., etc.

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“Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” - John McCain. America gears up for another Hitler blitzkrieg. And Fu** your Yellow Ribbon.

(Originally posted April 30th here http://www.nolanchart.com/article3626.html)

“The dollar has completely been removed from our oil trade ….Crude oil customers have agreed with us to use other currencies (in the trade),” Iran’s Oil Ministry official Hojjatollah Ghanimifard earlier today, although Iran had stopped selling oil in dollars in December 2007. America replied today by moving another aircraft carrier into the Persian Gulf, ostensibly not for further bombings of Iraqis. Asked if the carrier move went hand in hand with the rising U.S. rhetoric against Iran, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said, I don’t see it as an escalation. I think it could be seen, though, as a reminder

Preemptive warring against Iran will further secure Israel’s security and possibly America’s oil supply, both goals of which I reject as they just seem to be missing from the Constitution. The attack should secure the World versus America/Israel, possibly not a bad thing right now, as we continue attacking whichever country in the region at our pleasure. There is NO “AL-QAEDA” in Iran, they DO NOT HAVE nukes or “weapons of mass destruction.” And even if they did, or are trying, who could possibly blame them with a massive occupational army-with-their-deaths-written-all-over-it next door? And why aren’t we trying diplomacy? My expectations of my own country talking instead of threatening is very low, but how about China, Russia, Europe? Will they just let us have our way? Just like Chamberlain, Stalin, and Daladier let Hitler have his way.

Viewpoint

After the attack, America will be finally exposed as no better than Hitler’s attacks on Iran-Poland and Iraq-Czechslovakia. Our leaders will all be war criminals (or just committing another war crime, as you like). Our entire Congress, minus the Representative from Texas and a select few others, will need replacement. I voice doubt that there will even BE a vote of any type in Congress this time around, so powerless and spineless are the Pelosi Democrats of 2006 and the Bush die-hards.

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This is an excellent interview with Ron Paul on NPR Radio’s “Talk Of The Nation” show. Ron Paul even used a little humor which is somewhat unlike his normal “serious talk” on the campaign trail

Listen the 34 minute interview at NPR.

In this month’s issue of Reason magazine is a gem of an article by Gene Healy, author of “The Cult of the Presidency: America’s Dangerous Devotion to Executive Power”, on which the article is based. Healy has many quotable passages. My favorite section:

The chief executive of the United States is no longer a mere constitutional officer charged with faithful execution of the laws. He is a soul nourisher, a hope giver, a living American talisman against hurricanes, terrorism, economic downturns, and spiritual malaise. He—or she—is the one who answers the phone at 3 a.m. to keep our children safe from harm. The modern president is America’s shrink, a social worker, our very own national talk show host. He’s also the Supreme Warlord of the Earth.

This messianic campaign rhetoric merely reflects what the office has evolved into after decades of public clamoring. The vision of the president as national guardian and spiritual redeemer is so ubiquitous it goes virtually unnoticed. Americans, left, right, and other, think of the “commander in chief” as a superhero, responsible for swooping to the rescue when danger strikes. And with great responsibility comes great power.

It’s difficult for 21st-century Americans to imagine things any other way. The United States appears stuck with an imperial presidency, an office that concentrates enormous power in the hands of whichever professional politician manages to claw his way to the top. Americans appear deeply ambivalent about the results, alternately cursing the king and pining for Camelot. But executive power will continue to grow, and threats to civil liberties increase, until citizens reconsider the incentives we have given to a post that started out so humble.

Read the full article.