At last, someone who understand the full range of libertarian thought on war… well, kinda 
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June 26th, 2002 | Comments are closed
 Although I am not an uncritical fan of Lew Rockwell‘s flavour of libertarianism, he has written an excellent article about that most inconsistent of the many conservative intellectual inconsistencies… conscription. His article about acceptable face of state slavery is on the Lew Rockwell.com site. It is interesting that some of the same people who claim the United States is the ‘freest country in the world’ seem to have no problem with supporting so many American ways of denying the very concept of self-ownership and replacing it with state ‘social’ ownership rather than ‘several’ property… and even extending to a person’s actual body. June 26th, 2002 | Comments are closed
Reports that Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad is going to resign next year might seem like good news, given that the man remained in power by corrupting the judiciary, stuffing ballot boxes and even assassination when required. But the fact he will not leave office hanging from a lamp post or with his back against a wall next to his kleptocratic cronies is a measure of his success in tyrannising the subjects over which he still rules. He will just be allowed to step down in his own time leaving the jails filled with his political opponents. One can only hope that his successor, who will no doubt be the finest successor money can buy, will be pressured into acknowledging the true the ‘Mahathir Legacy’ in a suitable manner in order to preserve his own skin from Mahathir’s Malaysian victims. The fact such people as the unbane Mahathir, the feral Mugabe and their ilk are treated as honoured guests at Commonwealth function in Britain, wined and dinned at the expense of the hapless British taxpayer is bad enough but to see him actually get away with it and ‘live happily ever after’ would be intolerable.  June 25th, 2002 | Comments are closed
Of course it threatens the man who pointed out that the security services protecting the Queen and government ministers are using insecure radio systems to communicate. Making the equipment that can pick up those channels illegal in the UK will do nothing to prevent the IRA or any middle eastern terrorists who want to attack British targets from acquiring them overseas or just building it themselves (it is not exactly rocket science). Solution? Buy encrypted communications systems and stop broadcasting in the clear. Duh. June 25th, 2002 | Comments are closed
Although I am personally a ‘Hakeyian Popperoid’, unlike Adriana and Brian I am not particularly ill disposed to Objectivism per se, seeing the minarchist libertarianism of its advocates as clearly fellow travellers. Of course I realise some capital ‘O’ Objectivists reject the term ‘libertarian’ as applying to them but if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and has feathers, I tend to call it a duck… the Libertarian Alliance has many objectivist members who are not uncomfortable with being associated with the term. My view is that we live in such a ‘target rich’ world replete with statist, socialists, fascists, racists and various other toxic ‘-ists’, thus attacking people who are largely in sympathy with the cause of liberty because we don’t like the way they got to that conclusion is not particularly productive. That said, Samizdata will continue to publish critiques of Objectivism, if that is what is on its contributors minds… and we will also publish Objectivist perspectives. Rand is not the enemy. June 24th, 2002 | Comments are closed
Mad cow disease (vCJD), foot-and-mouth, MMR, salmonella in eggs… the list goes on and on. The reality of life is that no one has a monopoly on insight, intelligence and information. Yet the state would have us believe that in their case when they say something, is somehow of a higher order compared to any other institution or individual. After all, it that was not the case, how could the fact the state backs its views with the threat of violence be justified? Yet time and time again we are told in patronising tones that the state’s experts know best, to the extent the state is prepared to after our body chemistry regardless of our individual wishes. We are told for years “Of course British Beef is safe to eat. Our scientists tell us there is nothing to worry about and reports to the contrary are just scare-mongering”… only to discover it can in fact kill us in the most ghastly manner by boring holes in our brains . Likewise, the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is still foisted on people by Britain’s national Health Service in spite of worries about potentially horrendous side effects. Fortunately, the culture of deference to authority has been breaking down for quite some time as the state finds itself dis-intermediated from the flow of information to people. As yet more information casting doubt upon the safety of MMR comes to light, those who decided to shun the state’s advice and err on the side of safety for their children are shown the wisdom of their ways. Yet the important issue here is not ‘if it better to fluoridate water’ or ‘should I eat more folic acid’ or ‘should I immunise my children with single jabs or the three-in-one’ or ‘should I wear a seat belt’?’… but ‘Why do I tolerate the state and the experts on its payroll overriding my views on issues which relate directly to my body?’ The fact is fluoride probably does make for better teeth, folic acid for better health, MMR is usually safe and seat belts often save lives. But why on earth entrust these decisions to such a demonstrably fallible institution like the state? We all make mistakes, but the price of individual error is largely confined to the individual making the error or at least to his immediate family or associates… the price for the state making an error however is far wider and much harder to mitigate. When the advice the state gives us proves to be flawed, that can be disastrous, but they it actually makes its views on health as a force backed mandatory law, that should be regarded as intolerable. In the case of MMR, single vaccines are privately available off the NHS, yet due to the fact people have their money appropriated to fund the NHS regardless of their wishes, the state reduces their ability to actually make meaningful choices independently. In much the same way, you make correctly deduce your children would be better educated either at home or at a private school, yet because the state takes your money and pours it into funding state schools anyway, it greatly reduces the real choice of less wealthy parents to actually opt out. We are told we have all manner of free choices in the wonderful ‘representative’ democracy in which we live (pick any western country), yet as long as the state appropriates such a large chunk of the money we earn and depend upon to actualise our wishes, the reality is that for many, choice is an illusion as they struggle to manage what remains of their unapproapriated several property. Related articles June 23rd, 2002 | Comments are closed
Buzzflash have produced a great long list of why people are not paying too much tax to the state. Not surprisingly whilst I agree with many of the points they raise, it is because I think their list actually proves quite the opposite. – Don’t drive on paved streets or highways. Highways, like all property, should be private property… and so I would rather pay tolls that taxes. – Don’t call 911. My neighbourhood is so dissatisfied with the Police Service we are hiring a local security to patrol the area, funded by subscription. Better yet, acquire a gun. – Don’t flush your toilet. Why not? Water utilities are private, not state operations in many parts of the world. The state is not the only way. – Don’t bring your garbage to the curb. I don’t have to, the private garbage collectors we use come to our back door and collect it. – Don’t fly in an airplane that uses air-traffic controllers. Privatise, privatise, privatise! – Don’t use the court system. Correct… use arbitrators and law merchants if the state lets you. – Don’t call the police when you get robbed. Quite so, carry a gun and shoot the fucker dead yourself. – Don’t use the US Post Office. Send all your letters via FedEx or UPS. Yes, that is a splendid idea. – Don’t ask for a farm subsidy for not growing crops. Quite so… just say no to corporate welfare. – Don’t ask for a taxpayer subsidy to do business in a city or state. Quite so… just say no to corporate welfare. – Don’t buy a sports franchise and ask the taxpayers to build your stadium. Quite so… just say no to corporate welfare. – Don’t send your children to public schools. Quite so… the state has no business ‘educating’ children in the first place and certainly not at my expense. – Don’t attend a state university. Quite so… see above, though given that the state may have stolen your money to fund the place anyway regardless of your wishes, don’t feel too bad if you do. – Don’t expect a social security payment. Quite so, start building up a private pension! – Don’t let Medicare pay your bills if you are over 65 or disabled. Quite so… buy insurance and set money aside for eventualities and old age… and if you don’t, don’t expect me to fund your irresponsible behaviour or bad luck. – Don’t look for a government contract to bolster your defense industry business. Hmmm… as a minarchist I see this as one of the few legitimate roles of the state, but certainly quite a lot of defense roles could be taken up by Protection Agencies and Private Military Organisations like Sandline. The reality is the weapons have to come from somewhere. – Don’t look for a government. Okay, if you insist. – Don’t look for a lucrative government consultant contract. Okay. – Don’t run for political office where your salary is paid for by the taxpayers. Damn straight! – Don’t accept government research findings that subsidize research for your industry. Quite so… just say no to corporate welfare. – Don’t be an airlines and expect the government to bail you out. Quite so… just say no to corporate welfare. – Don’t be a car company and expect the government to bail you out. Quite so… just say no to corporate welfare. – Don’t be a steel company and expect the government to bail you out. Quite so… just say no to corporate welfare. – Don’t be a company that pollutes and expect the taxpayer to bail you out. Quite so… just say no to corporate welfare. – Don’t climb to the top of the Washington Monument, which is maintained at taxpayer expense. Yes, it should be private property. – Don’t make use of police services. You are repeating yourself guys… see earlier about dialling ‘911’ – Don’t be rescued by fire department paramedic team. In many places these guys are private organisations and not an arm of the state. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) for example shows how a national emergency service can be run independently of both the states control and its funding. – Don’t call the fire department. See previous. – Don’t expect federal assistance if a natural disaster destroys your home or business. Quite so… buy insurance for Christ’s sake and if you insist on living on a flood plain, consider moving somewhere more sensible! – Don’t expect the military to defend your country. Again, it is one of the very few areas for the state to actually have a function… but Protection Agencies and Private Military Organisations can do much of the work. – Don’t visit national parks or hike in national forests. Privatise them. – Don’t eat USDA inspected meat, cheese, eggs or produce. Better yet, abolish the USDA. – Don’t take any medications tested and approved by the FDA. Better yet, abolish the FDA. – Don’t drink, bath or otherwise use the water from municipal water systems. Privatise it, if it is not already so, which in many places is indeed the case. – Don’t look at or relay a weather report. There are just as likely to be privately provided services. – Don’t look at a NASA generated picture. Better still, abolish NASA. – Don’t expect a unit of measure like a gallon of gas to be a full gallon. Why not? There are many non-state centred ways to achieve that. – Don’t expect an elevator to work correctly or not fall. Ludicrous. I expect the owner of the elevator to not want to get sued and that can be achieved without idiotic ‘health and safety’ regulations. – Don’t expect a red light to work. See above. – Don’t be the Minority Senate Leader Named Trent Lott and expect American taxpayers to subsidize the building of private industry cruiseliner ships in your home state. Better yet abolish the Senate…or failing that, abolish Trent Lott. – Don’t accept government money to help develop a product which you then personally patent or copyright and sell for your own profit. Quite so… just say no to corporate welfare and reject all stolen ‘government’ money. – Don’t use the services of a doctor who is licensed through the state. Better yet, abolish state regulation and leave it to private competitive rating agencies and insurance companies. – Don’t expect research into medical problems such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, aging, prostrate, menopause, etc. You must be joking! The main driver for that R&D is the profit motive! – Don’t use the public library. Yes, abolish them. – Don’t go to a state university affiliated hospital. Yes, abolish them. – Don’t go to a state university. Yes, abolish them. – Don’t watch state college sports. I don’t. – Don’t apply for government grants. Yes, abolish all grants, which are just redistributed stolen property. – Don’t use your state’s Convention Centers. Yes, burn them down and build something useful rather than have places for mass political rallies. – Don’t go to a state, city or municipal-run airport. Yes, privatise them. – Don’t ask for rural electrification. I didn’t! – Don’t ask for FEC regulations that protect us from crooked financial planners. I didn’t! – Don’t ask to keep the airwaves free so your right-wing psycho radio talk show host can lie to you. Huh? – Don’t ask for a business loan from the small business administration. Yes, abolish the SBA. – Don’t ask to use the G.I. bill to go to college. Quite so. – Don’t allow Al Gore to sponsor legislation to turn a military computer network (DARPANet/ARPANet) into the public-accessed ‘Internet’. Er… it was rather more complex than that. – Don’t drive a car that benefits from government safety regulations. ‘Benefit’ my arse. I am not given the option unfortunately or I would indeed rip out much of the mandated crap in cars these days. – Don’t use electricity generated by TVA or some government-owned and maintained dam or facility. Quite so, privatise them and return the stolen land they are built on. – Don’t use currency printed by the US Treasury. Quite so, lets return to non-national private currencies. – Don’t use a bank or credit union that insures your deposits through the FDIC. Yes, abolish the FDIC and end all the moral hazard it leads to. – Don’t buy or build a house that requires the efforts of county deed offices or needs building permits and inspections. Abolish the immoral permits that make a nonsense of the whole notion of several property. – Don’t get married, have children or die and expect the government to keep track of all the certificates. I do not want the state to know anything about my families private affairs! – Don’t expect the government to keep an eye on cemeteries, crematories and funeral homes so you won’t get dug up and thrown in a swamp. And ask George Bush why he lied about his involvement with a company that did just that. I don’t expect the state to do much of anything really! – Don’t run for an elected office, because the local, state and federal election commissions could be involved. I agree. The whole democratic system is little more than proxy mugging. – Don’t go to a beach kept clean by the state. They usually don’t. – Don’t use public transportation. I agree… privatise it. – Don’t visit public museums. Privatise them. – Don’t go hunting, fishing, or camping on government property. There should not even be ‘government property’. – Don’t cross a bridge. Private toll bridges are splendid things! – Don’t use truckstops or public restrooms. Why not? Most are privately owned! And finally . . . As you can see, I reject the entire premise these ‘self evident’ remarks are based on. Government can take its ‘essential state services’ and… well, use your imagination. There are other ways to do things. As the brilliant French pamphleteer Frédéric Bastiat said:
June 22nd, 2002 | Comments are closed
Imagine the horror of it. The poor man was forced to have sex with Liz Hurley. I suppose the trauma of it must have had him running to some high priced therapist right afterwards.
Well I cannot believe a wealthy guy like Steve Bing has difficulty seeing the causal link between having sex and that potentially resulting in a pregnancy so the implication is clear… The sex was not voluntary! Hurley must have overpowered him, tied him to a bed, somehow induced his member to attention (imagine that!) and then forced her attentions on the hapless multi-millionaire. The woman must be insatiable! I feel so sorry for him that had I known of his distress, I would have stepped forward and selflessly volunteered to take his place to spare him the dreadful experience. Steve, baby, next time you find yourself in such a sticky situation with one of the most beautiful women in the world, pick up the phone and call me. I mean, what are friends for if not for helping out when things get rough? 
Having sex with Liz Hurley… involuntary apparently! June 21st, 2002 | Comments are closed
Certainly compared to the even handed measured words from the delectable Queen Rania of Jordan, the remarks by Tony Blair’s wife Cherie Blair, were crass and appallingly framed, coming as they did a few hours after the latest massacre of the innocent by psychopathic Palestinian suicide bombers. Not a mention from her lips of the horror visited on Israelis and the suffering of their civilian populations. A simple preface to her comments abominating Hamas was all she needed to do to completely change the context of her remarks. Yet in spite of the cack-handed delivery and timing, the fact is her remarks are patently true in and of themselves and so much of the reaction to what she said was simply a cheap political shot by her husband’s many enemies. Of course I very much doubt that an advocate of force backed collectivism like Cherie Blair actually has any useful solutions to square that particular circle, itself a poison construct of the collectivist mindset. Yes, Cherie Blair is right that young Palestinians need hope, but it is not going to come from fuzzy thinking collectivists like her. As David Carr said in his earlier post, it is back to the drawing board time. Israel’s demonstrably ineffective military response brings them no closer to victory over the terrorists and the terrorists’ slaughter of Isreali children at bus stops and pizza parlours brings them no closer to a Palestinian state.  Diplomatic and easy on the eyes
June 21st, 2002 | Comments are closed
…So what? British Home Secretary David Blunkett has been disarmingly frank about the fact he has had to back down on the horrendous planned extension to the already Draconian Regulation of Investigative Powers Act (RIPA). Some commentators have actually been patting him on the back for his admission that the whole plan was ill conceived . Yet it should be clear that this is in no way a realisation on his part that he was wrong to try and extend this authoritarian infringement of civil liberties on moral grounds, but rather an admission of a failure to read the political support for such an action. Blunkett and Blair still do not actually see any ethical/moral problems with such people as local councils and the Food Standards Agency being able to read your e-mails and tap your phone calls. No, their contrite remarks are nothing more than acceptance it was foolish of them to assume they could count on widespread political support for such a move. These people should be abominated for what they tried to do, regardless of the fact they failed. The government are profoundly authoritarian and if the Tories were smart (which they are not), they would use the vast exposed flank Labour has to make this a key issue… but then of course these are the people who have the likes of Ann Widdecombe and Michael Howard in their ranks so I would not hold my breath if I were you. June 20th, 2002 | Comments are closed
The widely reported attempt by the state to extravagantly expend the list of state bodies with access to e-mail and telephone intercepts has been withdrawn in the face of strong cross-party opposition from politicians with a modicum of respect for at least the fiction of civil liberties. However it is very important that people not judge the government just by the laws it has passed but by the laws it has tried to pass. The Regulation of Investigative Powers Act (RIPA) is bad enough as it stands without the latest astonishing power grab by the state, yet it shows once again if anyone doubted it that no matter what the state says about its modest intentions when taking upon itself new powers, the belly of Leviathan is filled with an insatiable hunger for more. Bob Ainsworth, the Home Office minister is using The Big Lie technique to claim this is not in fact about crushing civil liberties but ‘protecting’ us all, so do not kid yourself that the advocate of a Panopticon Britain will give up so easily. What we need protection against is the British state or we will soon have a system of pervasive surveillance and intrusion that rivals that of the INS and IRS in the United States. Tony Blair was not joking when he promised to bring us ‘joined up government’. The line being drawn between those dots being joined up runs through the centre of our lives.  When the state watches you, dare to stare back June 18th, 2002 | Comments are closed
Harold Pinter is a well known British playwright, a scourge of the Tories and impassioned voice for the statist left. None of this matters one jot to me as the world is full of people declaiming incoherent left wing world views. He is also a signatory to the free Slobodan Milosevic petition, which makes him an apologist for Europe’s most prolific socialist mass murderer since Joseph Stalin. That most certainly does matter to me and to any rational non-idiotarian who views support for mass murderers as prima facie evidence of off-the-scale immorality. So one would think that this would put Harold Pinter beyond the pale in polite society in Britain, right? I mean if telling a mildly racist joke ends your political career, then presumably showing solidarity with a man who ordered the systematic raping of Croat and Muslim women in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the slaughter of tens of thousands by government backed Serbian einstztruppen must mean there is hardly an open door in Britain for such a man. Er, no. It means you get mentioned in the latest list of honours. This ‘non-political’ award by the British state is of course replete with political meaning. If you are a vocal left winger then standing up for a mass murderer is regarded as little more than an endearing eccentricity that in no way detracts from being ‘The Great Man of Letters’. This sort of thing is exactly what I do not dislike the British political class. I hate them. June 18th, 2002 | Comments are closed
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