Volume 13, Number 19 | November 14, 2008
In This Issue:
The Liberator Online
Contents
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
ASK DR. RUWART
PRODUCT REVIEW
Dear friend, By now you have probably heard the sad news: Marshall Fritz -- Advocates founder, creator of the World's Smallest Political Quiz, and legendary libertarian activist -- passed away last week after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by family. There is much more information about Marshall,
including photos and personal tributes and rememberings, at our Web
site:
I have lost a mentor, hero, and dear friend. We mourn the passing of a truly great man, renowned for his enthusiasm, devotion to truth, and love for liberty. We celebrate a life that was a grand adventure that touched millions of people around the world. And we will honor his memory by continuing to build the Advocates for Self-Government, the organization he created, and to advance the great cause of liberty to which he devoted his life. * * * Welcome to 105 new Liberator Online subscribers this issue. Thanks for joining our subscription "family" of almost 70,000 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: We have a very special, limited-time offer for
you: Save 40% on "The Best Take advantage of this, and you'll get... * All of this is yours for only $20 (plus shipping and handling). This is a $33.95 value -- so you save $13.95. That's more than a 40% savings on two great speeches and an extraordinary book by one of America's greatest libertarian communicators. Act today! This offer is good through July 9, 2008. To order, or learn more, see "Product Review" at the
end of this issue. Or visit: Your purchase supports the great work of the Advocates. Thank you!
What's Happening With The Advocates
"What's interesting about this story is that it points out just how inflexible government bureaucracies are," Harris said. "It's always difficult to make any changes in the system. If we had more parental choice in education, we would immediately see the benefits. There would be more and quicker innovations and improvements. "Families are different from each other, with
different interests and different needs," Harris added. "If we had a
free market in education, we'd see many choices -- not just in locations
of schools but [also] in hours of operation and in curriculum." * LAST CHANCE and LOWERED PRICE for TWELFTH ANNUAL
FREEDOM CRUISE: Hurry -- November 17 is your *last chance* to sign
up for
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by James W. Harris How much has the government thrown down the bailout rathole... so far? The Reason Foundation's Anthony Randazzo has added it up for you. However, before you read further, consider this warning from Randazzo: "A word to the wise: get some duct tape to wrap around your head, 'cause these numbers all together are gonna make it explode -- if it hasn't already." Okay, you've been warned. Strapped it? Here goes: * ROUGH TOTAL: $2,063,800,000,000 Yes, over $2 trillion dollars. As of November 7. That's about $6,800 for every man, woman, and child. About $15,000 per taxpayer. And actually, it's even worse. Randazzo adds: "This doesn't include the hundreds of billions the fed has and will buy up in commercial paper and lend out to other financial firms. The deficit is nearly $440 billion this year, and the national debt is $10.5 trillion. "If these numbers don't shake the next Congress into becoming more fiscally responsible, probably nothing will." (Source: Reason Foundation: * * * Robbery Victims Punished
– For
Being Robbed Says the law: "If convicted a third time, [owners]
must pay up to $500 and face up to six months in jail. Owners won't be
charged if the policy is publicly posted for employees." "This is the wrong way to get crime statistics down,"
said city councilman Monty Walford, who opposed the law. "I frankly
think that it's not government's place to tell a business how they have
to collect money. Are we next going to ask grocery stores to require a
deposit before you go in?" * * * What "Laissez-Faire Capitalism"? As the economic crisis continues, we're constantly hearing critics blaming America's alleged "laissez-faire economy" for somehow causing it. For example, the New York Times recently declared: "The United States has a culture that celebrates laissez-faire capitalism as the economic ideal." Baloney, says renowned economist and syndicated columnist Walter Williams: " "You can decide whether we have an unregulated laissez-faire economy. There are 15 cabinet departments, nine of which control various aspects of the U.S. economy. They are the Departments of: Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Education, Energy, Labor, Agriculture, Commerce, and Interior. "In addition, there is the alphabet soup cluster of federal agencies such as: the IRS, the FRB and FDIC, the EPA, FDA, SEC, CFTC, NLRB, FTC, FCC, FERC, FEMA, FAA, CAA, INS, OHSA, CPSC, NHTSA, EEOC, BATF, DEA, NIH, and NASA. "Here's my question to you: Can one be sane and at the same time hold that ours is an unregulated laissez-faire economy? "Better yet, tell me what a businessman, or for that matter you, can do that does *not* involve some kind of government regulation. "A businessman must seek government approval for the minutest detail of his operation or face the wrath of some government agency, whether it's at the federal, state or local level. Just about everything we buy or use has some kind of government dictate involved whether it's package labeling, how many gallons of water to flush toilets or what pharmaceuticals can be prescribed. ... "{T]here is massive government control over our economy." Dr. Williams goes on to point out, as we have recently done in past issues, that the crisis was not caused by the market, but by enormous government interference with the market -- again, precisely the opposite of "laissez-faire capitalism." (Source: Walter Williams: * * * * * QUICK SHOTS...
"For the last century, both the Republican and Democratic parties have embraced the morality if not the economic wisdom of the progressive income tax and government spending to redistribute wealth. The parties differ in inches as how much redistribution would be morally or economically optimal." -- Bruce Fein, constitutional scholar and Associate Deputy Attorney General under President Reagan: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/11/redistribution-blather/ * FED REGULATIONS = A SECOND INCOME TAX: "Federal regulations cost Americans almost as much as the income tax and more than 40 percent of all federal spending, according to 'Ten Thousand Commandments,' the Competitive Enterprise Institute's annual report on the burdens of federal regulation. Federal environmental, safety, health, and economic regulations cost more than $1 trillion a year in addition to the costs of official federal spending." -- Heartland Institute: Government's "10,000
Commandments" * THE CULT OF POLITICS: "It's exciting that the
world is so excited about Barack Obama. I'm excited, too. That he
achieved the presidency says something good about America. ... But the
excitement also frightens me. It reinforces the worst impulse of the
media and political class: the assumption that all progress comes from
Washington. In a free society, with constitutionally limited government,
the president would be a mere executive who sees to it that predictable
and understandable laws are enforced. But sadly, the prestige and power
of the presidency have grown, and liberty has contracted. That is not
something to celebrate." * TOTALLY: "Today, at his first press conference as President-elect, Barack Obama said America will succeed if we can put aside partisanship and politics. Nice. Yeah, in other words, we're totally screwed." -- Conan O'Brien, Nov. 7. * * * * * * * * ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
by Michael Cloud How to Dismantle and Disarm Anti-Freedom Slogans "The word 'slogan' comes from the old Gaelic word 'sluaghairm,' and means 'the war cry, or gathering word, of a Highland clan in Scotland; hence, any rallying or battle cry,'" wrote Bernice Fitz-Gibbon. Slogans galvanize groups -- and move them to action. Sometimes slogans serve good causes. Often they don't. Anti-freedom slogans are used to shut down independent thinking. To silence and intimidate individuals who disagree. What can you do to disarm anti-freedom slogans? Translate them. You've heard the phrase, "lost in translation." When it comes to slogans, the truth is *found* in translation. Consider this John F. Kennedy slogan: "Ask not what
your country can do for you; Here's what Robert Ringer found when he unpacked, analyzed, and translated it: " "No, individuals are not what Kennedy or any other politician has ever had in mind when using the word 'country.' A country is an abstract entity, but in politicalese, it translates into 'those in power.' Restated in translated form, then, it becomes: 'Ask not what those in power can do for you; ask what you can do for those in power.' You wouldn't respond quite so eagerly if it were phrased in its true form, would you? On the contrary, you might laugh in disbelief." (Quoted from Looking Out for Number One [1977] by Robert Ringer.) Want to try your hand at unpacking, analyzing, and translating collectivist/anti-freedom slogans? Here are a few: * "Taxes are the price we pay for civilization." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. * "Yes, we can." -- Barack Obama. * "If we can send a man to the moon, we can establish universal health care." * "Why can't we run government like a business?" -- numerous politicians * "It's not an issue of big government or small government. It's an issue of smart government." - Barack Obama * "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." -- Derek Bok * "The end of welfare as we know it." -- Bill Clinton * "The National Debt: We owe it to ourselves." -- Anon * "We have a trade deficit." -- numerous * "A government of the people, by the people, and for
the people." -- Abraham * "My country right or wrong." * "A lifetime of public service." Try your hand at unpacking, analyzing, and translating these slogans. Test your answers on others. Family, friends, and co-workers. If your translation works, if it dismantles and disarms the slogan, your hearers will stop using the slogan -- and will pass it on to others. It just might wipe out the anti-freedom slogan. Because you made sure the truth was found in translation. * * * * * * * * In 2000, Michael was honored with the Thomas Paine Award as the Most
Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America.
HARD EVIDENCE FOR LIBERTY
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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. * * * How can we help Africa? QUESTION: What would be the libertarian response to issues in Africa? How can we effectively help the extremely poor and sick? MY SHORT ANSWER: The short-term way to help the poor and sick in other nations is to contribute to private organizations that target those you want to help. Some work to improve sanitation, a major cause of disease. Some provide medical care. Others link needy children to sponsors in wealthier nations. Still others provide small loans for "mom and pop" businesses. With a bit of Internet research, you can determine which organizations are worthy of your support.
The freedom enjoyed in the U.S. in earlier years was a beacon of hope to impoverished nations, giving them a blueprint to their own prosperity. In recent years, the U.S. has moved away from the principles that made it great. Restoring liberty in our own nation will show others the way to end their own poverty and pain. LEARN MORE: "Betrayal: Why Socialism Failed in Africa"
by George B. N. Ayittey. This is a short essay from the Foundation for
Economic Education: The libertarian Independent Institute posted this
incisive review of two excellent books by African free-market advocate
George B. N. Ayittey. The review summarizes his work and gives links to
his books: * * * * * * * * 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
by Sharon Harris Telling How Libertarians Are
Different from Liberals and Conservatives He thought over his usual stock of answers, and found them lacking in this situation. Finally he came up with something like this: "Liberals and conservatives both believe the
government should force peaceful people, at gunpoint if necessary, to
live the way *they* think they s He followed that with a more familiar libertarian definition: "We think people should be free to do as they wish with their lives and property, as long as they aren't harming anyone else." The first paragraph of his definition is one I'd never heard before. There are several useful things about it. * It makes libertarians stand out distinctly from all other political viewpoints. * It puts non-libertarians in the position of defending and justifying their advocacy of violence. This is a valuable switch, as usually it is libertarians who, right from the start, find themselves in the position of defending the elimination of various government programs. * It is a definition that immediately invites a nod of agreement and appreciation. Most people, after all, don't consciously advocate the initiation of force, and don't realize that's inherent in liberalism and conservatism. * It makes libertarianism sound downright moderate and reasonable. The immoderate, unreasonable ones are those who would use violence to force peaceful people to live the way they think they should. They are the bullies; we are the ones who defend them against the bullies. Every libertarian should have an excellent answer
memorized for this common question, "What do libertarians believe?" (You
can find some suggestions at This particular formulation is not a perfect answer for all occasions, by any means. But it may be a useful addition to your libertarian communication toolbox. See more One-Minute Liberty Tips! •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
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Contents copyrighted © The Advocates for Self-Government,, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization. Donations tax-deductible in U.S. All rights reserved. |
If you haven't yet, I urge you to visit that site and
learn more about this remarkable man. 
Harry Browne's last published book, LIBERTY A-Z. (A
$13.95 value.)
* ADVOCATES PRESIDENT QUOTED: Sharon Harris was
quoted in an article in Environment and Climate News, the excellent and
highly influential pro-market newspaper published by the Heartland
Institute. The article, "Schools Cut Back to Four-Day Week," concerned
efforts by government schools to deal with rising energy costs. Harris
went to the core of the problem: government central planning.
the
12th Annual Freedom Cruise, February 15 - 22, 2009. Special prices are
available for some remaining staterooms. Imagine awakening to a warm sun
reflecting off a turquoise ocean on a spectacular cruise ship, heading
to a beach paradise! Check out this itinerary: Fort Lauderdale; Half
Moon Cay, Bahamas; Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; Grand Cayman, Cayman
Islands; Cozumel, Mexico; Fort Lauderdale! Non-libertarians welcome!
Great food, an amazing itinerary, and fine company! (This isn't an
Advocates event, but it is led by Advocates Board Member Dr. Ken Bisson.)
Libertarians and non-libertarians alike who have been on past cruises
rave about them! For photos and more details -- visit:
$29 billion for Bear Stearns
First, let's establish what laissez-faire capitalism
is. Broadly defined, it is an economic system based on private ownership
and control over of the means of production. Under laissez-faire
capitalism, government activity is restricted to the protection of the
individual's rights against fraud, theft and the initiation of physical
force. ... 
* VOTE FOR THE REDISTRIBUTIONIST OF YOUR CHOICE:
"Sen. John McCain's fulminations against President-elect Barack Obama's
socialism or infatuation with redistributing wealth were as risible as
would be former President Bill Clinton lecturing Pinocchio on the evils
of mendacity. 
Let's analyze this brilliantly conceived slogan
carefully and logically. First of all, what is a country? It's a
geographical area composed of -- in the case of the United States --
over 200 million individuals. I've never asked 200 million people to do
anything for me, except not interfere with my right to live a peaceful
life. Ask what you can do for your 'country?' Does this mean asking each
of the more than 200 million individuals what you can
The long-term way to help the poor and sick is to
demonstrate how they too can become prosperous and healthy. Cutting back
government spending, regulation, and taxation is the surest way that any
nation can become rich (for details, see my book, "Healing Our World."
The 1992 version is available as a free download at www.ruwart.com; you
can buy the 2003 edition there or from The Advocates.) 
hould. Libertarians are against this."
