Volume 12, Number 16 | August 29, 2007
The Liberator Online
Contents
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
PERSUASION POWER POINT
#233
ASK DR. RUWART
PRODUCT REVIEW
Dear friends, The Advocates has created an exciting new tool! It's designed to make Operation Politically Homeless (OPH) booth outreach more powerful and more effective than ever before. Our goal is to reach no fewer than 200,000 people in the coming year with this great new tool -- in the most effective way possible, one-on-one! "Discover Liberty" is a full-color, eye-catching
8-page tabloid. It's a high quality, attractive and very
(OPH, of course, is our acclaimed "event in a kit" that transforms a dull, ordinary outreach booth into a crowd-drawing event. For years, libertarians have used OPH to discover dozens or even hundreds of libertarian-leaning folks in their community at county fairs, rock concerts, political rallies -- anywhere people are gathered.) Indeed, Discover Liberty -- as the name implies -- is designed to be a "one-stop shop" for anyone who wants to learn more about libertarianism. Three attention-grabbing stories share the cover page: * "How To Think Like A Libertarian" tells how libertarians would answer the famous ten Quiz questions -- and why. * There's an article on libertarian celebrities, complete with photos, featuring pro-liberty quotes by some of today's most famous libertarians, like Clint Eastwood, Drew Carey, John Stossel, and more. * "The Gentle Hand of Liberty: Why Freedom Promotes Harmony -- and Why Government Doesn't" answers common fears, fallacies and misconceptions some people have about liberty. And that's just page one! Inside, there's a treasury of information. * "The World's Most Popular Political Quiz" answers many common questions people have about the Quiz: where it came from, is it accurate, is it used in classrooms, and more. The article validates the Quiz for those who are first encountered it. * Liberator Online columnist Mary Ruwart answers frequently asked questions about libertarianism. * "America's Four Dumbest Laws" is a provocative and funny look at government absurdity. (Yes, it was hard limiting it to four.) * "Who Owns You?" reviews David Bergland's great introductory libertarian book, Libertarianism In One Lesson, published by the Advocates. * "Why Government Isn't the Answer" shares the wisdom of the late Harry Browne. * "The Next Step: Get the Scoop About Liberty" tells readers about today's large and growing libertarian movement, and gives information on some of the leading libertarian organizations and publications. It provides online links to these and dozens more. And there's still more. We tell people where they can go online to learn more about liberty; how and why to subscribe to the Liberator Online; and we offer other resources to help them take the next step to becoming libertarians. Discover Liberty is a wonderful addition to OPH! It makes this proven, tested tool immeasurably more effective. Discover Liberty is a publication that will change minds and change lives, that will win people to our side. Seeing is believing! You can read the entire Discover
Liberty in full-color PDF format here: Learn more about OPH here: In the coming months I hope 200,000-plus people will Discover Liberty, thanks to this great new publication -- and thanks to grassroots libertarian activists and the wonderful people who make this and so many other programs available by supporting the Advocates. And that's exciting news! * * * GET A SAMPLE COPY OF DISCOVER LIBERTY: Order anything
from the Advocates this week, or make a donation at our secure donation
page: Welcome to 207 new Liberator Online subscribers this issue. Thanks for joining our subscription "family" of over 69,000 liberty-loving readers in more than 100 countries! To learn more about the Advocates and our work for
liberty: To learn more about libertarianism: -- Sharon Harris, President | Email: sharon@TheAdvocates.org PS: Don't forget to check out our Product Review special. David Bergland is a master libertarian communicator. Now you can get a copy of the latest edition of his acclaimed book, Libertarianism In One Lesson -- AND a CD recording of his wonderful speech, "Libertarianism 101" -- at HUGE SAVINGS! This "Best of Bergland" package gives you Libertarianism In One Lesson, widely considered the best short-and-sweet introduction to libertarianism ever written. You also get the "Libertarianism 101" CD -- David's brilliant speech that draws on 20+ years of outreach to show you how to persuade others about the benefits of liberty. The book usually costs $12.50. The CD usually costs $10.00. That's a $22.50 value. Shipping adds another $4.50. Total: $27.00. * * * But for this limited-time offer, we'll send you
both the book and CD For more details or to place your order, click here:
Or see the Product Review at the end of this issue. Your order helps support the vital work of the Advocates. Thank you! PPS: Order "The Best of Bergland" now and we'll
include a free copy of our new outreach tabloid Discover Liberty!
What's Happening With The Advocates * QUIZ ON FACEBOOK: The Advocates has brought the World's Smallest Political Quiz to Facebook, the world's fastest-growing social networking site! Over 1,000 people per day are already using it. FACEBOOK USERS: See how you can use our
new Quiz Facebook app to spread the ideas of liberty throughout the
Facebook community: NOT FAMILIAR WITH FACEBOOK? Click here to learn
more about it, why you might want to join and how easy it is, and how
you can begin to network for liberty. ******
by James W. Harris Aaron Russo, renowned Hollywood movie producer and outspoken libertarian activist, died on August 24, in the company of his family. Russo, 64, succumbed to cancer, which he had been battling for several years, Russo produced mega-hits including the romantic
musical drama The Rose (1979), starring Bette Midler, and the
blockbuster Trading Places (1983), starring Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd.
He also produced Partners (1982),
His achievements in film earned him a Tony, an Emmy, a Grammy and nominations for six Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. As singer/actor Bette Midler's manager he helped her become an international star. Over the years, Russo also managed the Manhattan Transfer, actor David Keith, and actress Susan Sarandon. Deeply passionate about freedom, Russo campaigned for the Libertarian Party's 2004 presidential nomination. Russo told Libertarian Party News (February 2004) he was running because the United States is "heading to totalitarianism. I have a sincere belief [in] the Constitution and Bill of Rights as envisioned by Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Ben Franklin. Unfortunately, neither political party respects the vision of our Founding Fathers, and these documents have been relegated to the dustbin. I want to dust them off and restore them to their proper role in our lives." If elected president, Russo told LP News, "I will bring our troops home from every corner of the globe. I'll revoke the Patriot Act. I'll cut taxes, cut spending. I'll cut the size of government. I'll stop corporate welfare. I'll engage all nations in trade and commerce. I'll protect our air and water, and I'll protect our borders, but most importantly, I will protect our Constitution and Bill of Rights." Russo lost to Michael Badnarik at the party's nominating convention. In 2006, Russo wrote, produced, directed, and starred in a controversial documentary feature film entitled "America: From Freedom to Fascism." The film ripped into the Federal Reserve system, the income tax, and the "growing authoritarianism" of the U.S. government. One of his last political acts was to endorse 2008 libertarian Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, and to campaign on his behalf. In 1999, Russo told the Las Vegas Sun that, when he died, and the headstone was put on his grave, "I want it to say, 'Freedom Fighter.'" (Sources: Libertarian Celebrity Aaron Russo: * * * Bush: The Biggest Taxer and Spender in Human History "It seems safe to conclude that George W. Bush will go down in history as the biggest taxer and the biggest spender ever," says David Boaz of the Cato Institute. Boaz, writing in Cato's blog, notes that federal revenues reached the incomprehensibly huge amount of $2.12 trillion ($2,120,000,000,0000) for the first ten months of fiscal year 2007. That is, quite simply, the largest amount any government in all of human history has ever seized from taxpayers.
The war in Iraq, while a contributor, is not the root problem. Government spending is simply running amok, Boaz notes, "on everything from earmarks to entitlements to war." (Source: http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2007/08/12/bush-the-biggest-taxer-in-world-history/ ) * * * FDA May Have Killed Over One Million Americans Last issue we reported on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that dying patients have no right to take promising medicines not yet approved by the FDA. Now an article in the August 14, 2007 Wall Street Journal spells out the shocking human cost of that decision. The article was written by two members of the Abigail Alliance for Better Access to Developmental Drugs, one of the two groups that filed the case. "The Alliance began pushing for access to investigational drugs for terminal patients after its founding in mid-2001 upon the death of Abigail Burroughs, who was denied an investigational drug (Erbitux) that an early trial showed might have helped her. She and her doctor were right, but she never got the drug. "Over the past five years, the Alliance has pushed for access to 12 exceptionally promising investigational cancer drugs which have subsequently been approved by the FDA and now represent standard care. At the time we began our advocacy, each of the drugs had cleared at least preliminary Phase 1 testing, and in some cases more-advanced Phase 2 or Phase 3 trials. In other words, they obviously worked for some patients." Each of these drugs went on to be approved, eventually, by the FDA. But before that final approval, many patients who could have been saved by those drugs died. How many? The authors add up the numbers for each drug. They conclude: "[T]hese 12 drugs -- had they been available to people denied entry to clinical trials -- might have helped more than one million mothers, fathers, sons and daughters live longer, better lives." One million people dead -- because of FDA delay. Or the authors say, even more than one million. "We have actually underestimated the number of 'life-years' lost at more than 520,000, because we have not included other safe and effective uses of these drugs that the FDA has yet to approve." And remember, this is just 12 recent drugs. Last year in the Liberator Online (August 3, 2006), we pointed out some other FDA-caused deaths: * By restricting advertisers from claiming health benefits from daily aspirin intake, the FDA killed tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of Americans. * The FDA approved the gastric ulcer drug Misoprostol in 1988 -- three years after it had been available in other countries. Analyst Sam Kazman estimated -- using the FDA's own figures -- that this delay may have led to between 20,000 and 50,000 unnecessary deaths. The Abigail Alliance plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. (Source: Wall Street Journal: * * * Critics of the Iraq war have long feared it could lead to the revival of the military draft. Now their fears have been, if not quite confirmed, more than justified.
While not calling for a draft, Lute noted that "ultimately, this is a policy matter between meeting the demands for the nation's security by one means or another." The last U.S. military draft was halted in 1973 as the Vietnam War wound down. The Selective Service System's Web site tells young men and women they can take comfort that, should the draft be reinstated, it will be "more fair and equitable" than during the Vietnam War. "There would be fewer reasons to excuse a man from service," SSS says. Gee, thanks. Also, draft boards now are "as representative as possible of the racial and national origin of registrants in the area served by the board." Equal opportunity slavery. Affirmative action bondage. Thanks a bunch, Uncle Sam. Libertarians were on the frontlines in the war against the draft during the Vietnam War era. Indeed, opposition to the draft was one of the issues that led to the birth of the modern libertarian movement. The great libertarian economist Milton Friedman was one of the most effective opponents of the military draft. So powerful were his arguments that some say they are the chief reason there has not been a draft since. "In the realm of policy," Friedman told Reason magazine in 1995, "I regard eliminating the draft as my most important accomplishment." Libertarians have always opposed the draft, not just because it is bad policy, but because it is slavery. Will we have to take up this fight again? (Source: National Public Radio: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12688693 VOTE FIRST, DEBATE LATER: "Two weeks after the legislation was signed into law, there is still heated debate over how much power Congress gave to the president." -- New York Times, "Concerns Raised on Wider Spying Under New Law." http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/washington/19fisa.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1187629899-WZXtDrjn2Xg6prU4qDilOA * * * CASTRO WHO?: "I'm going to be honest with you
-- I don't know a lot about Cuba's healthcare system. Is it a
government-run system?" -- presidential candidate and former U.S.
Senator (D-NC) John Edwards, responding to a question on the campaign
trail. * * * DREW CAREY, LIBERTARIAN: "I never thought I was
a libertarian until I picked up Reason magazine and r -- Comedian, actor, and new "Price is Right" host Drew
Carey, TIME magazine: * * * * * * * *
Ron Paul's Golden Rule Questions by Michael Cloud "How would we feel if a foreign country sent troops to the United States and made us do what they thought was best?" asked Ron Paul. "How would we feel if they stationed powerful navies just off our shores and forced us to do what they told us?" These were the questions that Ron Paul raised about
U.S. military interventionism during the second Republican Presidential
Debate -- and Some of the news analysts thought Ron Paul was asking rhetorical questions. Or dodging the hard facts of American foreign policy. But many viewers and listeners got the simple and profound principle behind Ron Paul's questions: The Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Or the other side of the Golden Rule coin: "Do NOT do unto others what you would NOT have them do unto you." Ron Paul has the wisdom and integrity to apply the Golden Rule to U.S foreign policy. To U.S. military interventionism. Just as he does to domestic government policies and actions. Dr. Paul recognizes that the Golden Rule is not just a rule of personal conduct. It applies to all human conduct. Individual and group. Private or government. It's also a powerful tool for understanding. And learning to change our ways. Why?
Then the Golden Rule calls us to ask, "How would I respond if others did this to me? How would my neighbors or fellow Americans respond if a foreign government did this to us? What would we do -- if this were done to us?" Imagine a powerful foreign government imposing an economic embargo on America -- to force us to do what they command. Imagine a powerful foreign government surrounding America with a navy and marines -- to enforce their will on us. Imagine a powerful foreign government stationing millions of occupation soldiers in America -- "peacekeepers" -- to impose their decisions on us. How would you feel? How would I feel? How would our neighbors and fellow Americans feel? How would we respond? What would we do about it? These are simple and elegant Golden Rule questions. They take our hearts and minds to empathy. They take our private and government actions to commerce, peace, and non-intervention. Ron Paul is right to ask Golden Rule Questions. To preach and teach Golden Rule domestic and foreign policy. Golden Rule Questions take us out of "we know best" and "we're doing this for your own good." They teach us humility and compassion. They open hearts and minds to persuasion. To change. Ron Paul's Golden Rule Questions lead us to liberty and small government. * * * * * * * * In 2000, Michael was honored with the Thomas Paine Award as the Most
Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America.
BUILDING THE CASE FOR LIBERTY
Dr. Mary Ruwart is a leading expert in libertarian communication. In this column she offers short answers to real questions about libertarianism. To submit questions to Dr. Ruwart, see end of column. * * * QUESTION: What is libertarianism? MY SHORT ANSWER: Libertarians embrace the "Good Neighbor Policy," also called non-aggression, self-government, or voluntary community. Libertarians believe that each person has the right to live as they wish, as long as they don't initiate aggression (theft, fraud, or physical harm). When someone threatens aggression, libertarians will defend themselves with whatever force is necessary to stop the aggressor and obtain enough restitution to make the victims whole. Most people already practice non-aggression when dealing with their neighbors. We don't steal from our neighbors, even if they don't spend their money the way that we think that they should (e.g., contributing to our favorite charity). However, we often feel justified going to the polls and voting for a tax for the very same cause. When we do that, we are asking the government to take our neighbor's money for us. In retaliation, our neighbors do the same to us. We take turns asking government to bend our neighbors to our will. This process is costly: we've lost about 50% of our buying power by the time our middle-man, the government, takes its cut in tax collection, regulatory enforcement, and other costs. We all lose. Self-government, in addition to honoring our neighbor's choice, lets us have more of what we have tax-supported government for. While not perfect, it is a practical, win-win solution to many of our economic and societal woes. If you'd like more detail, download the free 1992 version of my book, "Healing Our World," from www.ruwart.com, or purchase the revised 2003 edition from the Advocates. * * * QUESTION: How could we regulate our highways without aggression? Who would enforce speed limits, for instance? And how? MY SHORT ANSWER: In a libertarian society, all roads would be privately owned and regulated by the owners, and these owners would establish the rules of the road. Many of these, especially highways, would probably be owned by businesses for profit. Private owners would have a tremendous incentive to take advantage of every technological innovation to make roads as safe and useful as possible since, unlike government, they would not enjoy sovereign immunity from accidents caused by their negligence, poor planning, etc. Some owners might post and enforce speed limits. Others might feel that some road designs (e.g., multiple lanes for slower, moderate, and faster drivers) allowed traffic to flow safely without speed limits. Private road owners would very likely come up with innovative ways to improve road safety. Research and experience would find what works best for consumers in roads, just as it does today for computers, electronics, and all other areas where the private sector provides services. * * * * * * * * Due to volume, Dr. Ruwart can't personally acknowledge all emails. But we'll run the best questions and answers in upcoming issues. Dr. Ruwart's previous Liberator Online answers are archived in searchable form at: http://www.TheAdvocates.org/ruwart/categories_list.php Dr. Ruwart's outstanding books "Healing Our World" and "Short Answers
to the Tough Questions" are available from the Advocates:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv
The Power of Saying "I Don't Know" by Sharon Harris, Advocates President
How refreshing this will be to your audience! It's not often that people encounter this kind of honesty -- and they appreciate and respect it. You now have the opportunity to let your audience know there is a large libertarian movement, where such questions have been discussed and answered. Tell them there are dozens of libertarian think tanks and organizations, and thousands of publications from libertarians on every conceivable topic -- including this one. Let them know you will find the answer and get back to them right away. If you don't already have it, be sure to get contact information for the questioner and follow up promptly. You've turned a difficult situation into an opportunity for further contact, and you've shown yourself to be human, honest, and reliable. Congratulations! See more One-Minute Liberty Tips!
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friendly
piece OPH users can hand out to the public. 
Teachers
(1984), Wise Guys (1986), Off and Running (1996), and Missing Pieces
(1996). 
And
yet, incredibly, Bush and Congress managed to spend even more than that.
Spending was $2.27 trillion for the same ten months. 
On
August 10, Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute -- widely described as President Bush's
new "War Czar" -- told National Public Radio that a military draft has
"always been an option on the table" and that it "makes sense to
certainly consider it." 
ealized
I agree with everything they had printed." 
Because
the Golden Rule requires us to ask ourselves, "How would I feel if this
were being done to me? How would I feel if that were being done to my
community or country? How would I feel if I were on the receiving end of
this policy or action?" 
ome
point in your conversations about liberty with friends, or in speeches
about freedom to the public, you're probably going to be asked a
question you don't know the answer to.
*
Libertarianism In One Lesson
by David Bergland 