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Author Archive | Lew Rockwell

Worried About Anarcho-Capitalism

By on October 8, 2010 in Big Government, Economics, Media 1
Famed liberal journo Joe Conason is worried about the increasing influence of Rothbardian “anarcho-capitalism” and the related “Austrian school of economics.” As well he should be. It is these radical ideas–undistorted by the journos–that enthrall the young, and indeed any thinking person. We all know there is something desperately wrong–morally and economically–with the US empire and its police state, welfare state, and banksterism. We are, after all, living in yet another Federal Reserve depression. The average family’s income has not increased in real terms since the 1970s, the first decade of full Fed power. The state and its related corporations are enriching themselves by making us poorer.

“The Austrian craze is particularly curious because it has displaced a school of economics that ought to be more appealing to the proud and patriotic, especially those who claim to be true to the views of the nation’s founders. That would be the school known as ‘the American system’…[a]s articulated by thinkers from Alexander Hamilton to Henry Clay to Abraham Lincoln….” Very funny. Why can’t you people just be government-loving, trade-warring, state-building mercantilists? Then journos could praise you. Continue Reading →

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NY Times Alarmed: Tea Party Reading Unapproved Texts

By on October 4, 2010 in Big Government, Media, The Opposition 4

Thanks to Bud Bronstein for this piece by Kate Zernike from the NY Times, “Movement of the Moment Looks to Long-Ago Texts.” Catch the ideological presentism. Instead of just reading the latest approved tomes and today’s issue of the Times, people are learning from “obscure” old books by dead people.

The Tea Party “has resurrected once-obscure texts by dead writers — in some cases elevating them to best-seller status — to form a kind of Tea Party canon. Recommended by Tea Party icons like Ron Paul and Glenn Beck, the texts are being quoted everywhere from protest signs to Republican Party platforms.” The idea of a movement animated by ideas rather than leaders is just right. Bastiat, Hayek, and Mises are magnificent, and also just what one would expect from a movement born in Ron Paulism. Continue Reading →

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‘Lèse Majesté’

By on September 15, 2010 in Big Brother, Big Government 2

In the Roman empire, it was treason to insult or make fun of the emperor, to “injure his majesty.” This is true in all unfree countries, to protect the state and its head, and as the American empire becomes ever more authoritarian, here too. Not that this is anything new in the US context.

John Adams’s Sedition Act of 1798, under which Americans were fined and jailed, was of this ancient and evil tradition, as was the Apostle Woodrow’s Sedition Act of 1918, which was never repealed.

Recently, an English teenager sent an insulting email to Obama, and the praetorian guards, FBI division, have banned the kid for life from ever visiting the Homeland, by mere edict. There is a lesson here: Never send a message to any part of the imperial regime. It will only be added to your NSA dossier, and has no chance of doing any good. Withdraw your consent. At the very least, don’t participate in the civic hoax.

cross-posted from the LewRockwell.com blog

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Gay Marriage and Immigration

By on August 5, 2010 in Constitution, Judiciary 3

I have many problems with the US constitution, but it is the legal regime we are told we live under. Marriage, to take one example, is mentioned nowhere in the constitution, and therefore is no business of the federal congress, the federal courts, nor any other arm of the DC leviathan. The feds, according to their own constitution, have only the powers they are specifically given. Some black-robed occupier in California may not overturn a popular vote against gay marriage, nor throw out a voters’ ban on welfare for illegal aliens, to take an earlier example. On the other hand, the Massachusetts. federal judge who ruled that marriage is none of the federal government’s business, and therefore Massachusetts may enact it, despite the defense of marriage act, had a strong case. He is ignored, however, while the crazed California judge is heralded.

Unfortunately, in the American system, there are only states rights. This was a mistake. There should also be town rights, county rights, etc. as Jefferson noted. If San Francisco wants gay marriage, so be it. If Dubuque does not, so be it.

Government took over marriage, a matter for the Church and subsequently other private bodies, in the 18th century, with the expected negative results. But having taken it over, it ought to be decentralized, not nationalized. Continue Reading →

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Nationalize Hollywood?

By on July 22, 2010 in Big Government 2

Oliver Stone: US should nationalize film industry — Yahoo! News

LONDON – The propaganda power of the movies shows that the United States should follow the example of South American socialists in nationalizing its movie industry, filmmaker Oliver Stone said Tuesday.  The Academy Award-winning director of “Born on the Fourth of July” and “JFK” said that Hollywood wealth and power was too important to be left in private hands, telling journalists in central London that movies  “belong to the people.”

Oh, sorry, I got that wrong. Here is what Comrade Ollie actually said:

Oliver Stone: US should nationalize oil resources — Yahoo! News

LONDON – The Gulf of Mexico oil spill shows that the United States should follow the example of South American socialists in nationalizing its energy industry, filmmaker Oliver Stone said Tuesday.   The Academy Award-winning director of “Born on the Fourth of July” and “JFK” said that America’s country’s natural wealth was too important to be left in private hands, telling journalists in central London that oil and other natural resources “belong to the people.”

cross-posted from the LewRockwell.com blog

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Mike Church Interviews Tom Woods

By on June 29, 2010 in Nullification 1

On his Sirius/XM satellite radio show, Mike talks the dangerous idea of nullification–dangerous to tyranny, that is–with Tom. Listen.

Writes Mike:

There seems to be a disconnect among “conservatives” between opposing Leviathan as a way of life, a responsibility of republican citizenship, and opposing Leviathan because a tyrant is at its helm. Tom Woods cuts through all these de facto apologies for Leviathan and walks you through an unassailable tour of the responsibility of the state governments as THE major player in the ballyhooed “checks and balances” theory. In fact Woods makes a case in print I and others [Bruce Fein] have made verbally that without a robust state opposition to Leviathan’s unconstitutional and thus illegal acts, federalism will perish and so will the Constitution along with it. In my interview Tom lamented the lack of inclusion thus far on the major “conservative” Talk radio and TV Acts. but he shouldn’t fret the rest of the Talk Radio Mafia not embracing what is Kryptonite (states rights) to their Supermen (the national G.O.P. ) it is to be expected and shows the true nature of their opposition. Perhaps Tom could appear as the crazy “liberal” on a future episode of “Hannity”!?

cross-posted from the LewRockwell.com blog

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Price Drop on New Tom Woods Book

By on June 26, 2010 in Activism, Nullification 2

Tom Woods’ long-awaited freedom handbook, Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century, will be released this Monday, June 28th…and Amazon has cut the price to $13.47! Many readers have already pre-ordered this fascinating work of politics and history, but a flurry of new orders will help propel it out of the 400s doldrums, into the top 100 again, and far higher still. Guys, let’s go!

cross-posted from the LewRockwell.com blog

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Washington Post Attacks Ron Paul

By on June 14, 2010 in Media, The Opposition 1

The Washington Post, house organ of the Fed-banking-Wall Street complex, attempts to smear Ron Paul today. Check the headline and the deliberately unflattering photo, as well as the biased article itself. But Ron Paul has no sway of this sort in congress. He could have had it, but he chose not to play that game. Instead he has used his position to teach America and the world about sound money, freedom, and peace. He has persuaded individual congressmen, but–God bless him–he has no power in the conventional sense, has not sought it, and does not want it. So, are gold investments a conflict of interest because he also promotes the gold standard and competitive currencies? First, he has the right to protect his family with the money he earned as a successful physician and investor. Second, it is Greenspan and Bush, and Bernanke and Obama, who made gold go up in terms of dollars, not Ron Paul. If he had his way, gold would no longer be an investment. It would be money. But although Ron has no power in the Gingrich-Pelosi sense, he has vast influence, especially with young people. Millions of them. That’s why WaPo wants to hurt him. But he swats them away like a bothersome bug.

UPDATE from Eli Cryderman:

The Washington Post was purchased in 1933 by Federal Reserve Chairman Eugene Meyer. His son-in-law, Philip Graham took over in 1946 and after his death in 1963, Katherine Graham (Meyer’s daughter) took control. In 1979, Katherine’s son (and Meyer’s grandson) Donald Graham took over up until 2008, when his college buddy ran it for a few years until Katherine Weymouth, Katherine Graham’s granddaughter took over. All are ivy-league elites (some from influential families) who couldn’t possibly have any financial interest in keeping the fiat, house of cards monetary system going. One dead-tree rag would never prop up another dead tree instrument of exchange for mutual benefit, would they?

re-posted from the LewRockwell.com blog

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You Say You Want a Revolution

By on June 10, 2010 in Nullification 2

Tom Woods’ new book, Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century, is up to #79 in all books on Amazon.com, and it isn’t even officially available yet. You can preorder it, however. And the price has dropped to $14.97.

I am reading this book right now, and I can tell you that it is dramatic, persuasive, inspiring, and an important work in real American history, of the sort the power elite want to suppress. This is a handbook for the peaceful, Ron Paulian, states-rights revolution, and for every smart Tea Party person too.

cross-posted from the LewRockwell.com blog

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Nullify the Feds!

By on June 7, 2010 in Activism, Nullification 2

Tom Woods’ very important new book is available for preorder on Amazon. Let’s make it #1 before the publication date. Here is the jacket copy:

Unconstitutional laws are pouring out of Washington…but we can stop them. Just ask Thomas Jefferson. There is a “rightful remedy” to federal power grabs—it’s called Nullification.

In Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century, historian and New York Times bestselling author Thomas E. Woods, Jr. explains not only why nullification is the constitutional tool the Founders envisioned, but how it works—and has already been employed in cases ranging from upholding the First Amendment to knocking down slave laws before the Civil War. In Nullification, Woods shows:

  • How the states were meant to be checks against federal tyranny—and how a growing roster of governors and state attorneys general are recognizing they need to become that again
  • Why the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution reinforces the rights of states to nullify unconstitutional laws
  • Why it was left to the states to uphold the simple principle that an unconstitutional law is no law at all
  • Why, without nullification, ordinary Americans will continue to suffer the oppression of unjust, unconstitutional laws
  • How, through nullification, “stimulus spending,” Obamacare, and other unconstitutional expansions of federal power can be rolled back
  • PLUS thorough documentation of how the Founding Fathers believed nullification could be applied

Nullification is not just a book—it could become a movement to restore the proper constitutional limits of the federal government. Powerful, provocative, and timely, Nullification is sure to stir debate and become a constitutional handbook for all liberty-loving Americans.

And it’s just $16.47, thanks to the great Amazon discount, from the retail price of $24.85. Let’s make it #1.

cross-posted from the LewRockwell.com blog

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