Category Archives: Libertarian

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By Paul Meekin

The best scene in the low-budget indie film A Better Place involves a conversation in a chapel between an evil banker and an evil police officer. Together, they outline just how easy it would be for a bank or government to seize the assets including thehome, of someone they dont like, just by having a single officer willing to corrupt their code for their personal gain.

This scene is intelligent, knowledgeable about its subject, speaksdirectly to libertarian ideals of property rights and their notion of too much government control, and comes from a place of authority.

Whoever wrote this scene knew enough about itto perk me up which is saying something because after 45 minutes of being very, very, very, confused, I was about ready to bail.

Why? Because A Better Place isnt a very good movie.

The plot follows Jeremy, a man who is suddenly all alone in this world after his mother dies unexpectedly from a heart-attack. Jeremy has never been allowed outside. In fact he was homeschooled and rarely allowed to associate with anyone but his mom.

Why? He has superpowers, sort of.

Essentially, anytime a jerkhurts Jeremy, that force is transferred to the person that jerk loves most.Which is about as convoluted as youd think, but leads to a cute moment involving a character who is literally in love with herself.

Theres also the aforementioned asset forfeiture subplot, a drunk mother, a romance, an affair between a reverend and a trophy wife, a jock thats a bully, and a sort of weird and muddled Jesus metaphor toward the end.

This is a busy movie and the super-power stuff doesnt really slot in with the mystery vibe the flick is going for. The good stuff involving big businesscontrol and bullying and power dynamics exists to serve the sci-fi plot, when in reality theyd be better off on their own especially when you consider Jeremys powers are by-design reactionary which is NAP friendly I suppose, but makes for a weird hero.

Ultimately the problems lie in editing, script, lighting, and pacing. The asset forfeiture stuff doesnt kick in until about halfway through the picture. Most every character is one-dimensional and holds no surprise.

For example, Perry Thomas, playing Sheriff Bower, brings an intensity that is undermined by its obviousness. There are too many long gazes, deep stares, and snarls to take him as anything other than a cartoon character. Had he received notes on toning it down a little, there might have been a touch of mystery regarding his characters intentions.

Along those lines, the acting is mostly good, but sabotaged by scenes that languish too long, are over-the-top in their malice, or detour into the comically vulgar including scenes of nudity and oral fixation that seem to exist primarily to exist.

They say a sign of a bad porno is when you notice too many people walking through doors. The sign of a bad indie movie is when you notice too many scenes involving characters sitting at tables. Show, dont tell, as they say.

And thats the problem.This movie is flat. Like a TV pilot more than a film. Like a film-students college thesis more than a film. Theresnearly half-a-dozen fade to blacks, an on-the-nose musical number, flat angles, flat lighting and other amateur issues that could be rectified by a quality editor and some lighting to make things look a little lesscheap.

As a note to indie filmmakers; spend what limited budget you have on lighting, cinematography, and editing. Film is a visual medium and the human eye can and will immediately assume a movie ischeap if it doesnt look or feel like an actual release. If somethinglooks good, or at least unique, its easier to forgive quite a lot.

Look, Im not going to harp on the movie too much more other than to say if youre looking for an often-times unintentionally funny movie that also harbors some genuine Libertarian ideals, you could check it out even if I cant recommend it personally.

Besides, the ultimate message of A Better Place exists outside the movie; if you have gumption, drive, and willpower, you can literally literally do anything. Including making an well-intentioned but ultimately crummy movie.

The Director, producers, actors, funders, and promoters of this movie cared enough to get it made despite zero studio backing, a wonky plot, and very little name talent. This isnt a big-budget blunder, its an indie-film misfire that means well and misses the mark.

Say what you will about Hollywood, but filmmaking equipment, resources, and distribution channels are so abundant that if you have the actual capital and drive to make a movie, you can.

Entertainment Media is the free-market defined. Put your voice out there, and if people want to hear it, youll know. But you have to do it. Its the definition of libertarian gumption- Personal responsibility and drive.

Heck, even Director Dennis Hoshould take another crack at making a movie. Rumor has it hes really into energies and the third eye and things of that ilk. If he can write and direct a movie about that as well as he did the scenes involving the corporate scheming inthis movie, I think hell have a much better product on his hands at the end of the day and itmight actually teach you something, too.

But if theres one thing I know about making an indie film its nearly impossible to get everything you want. Mr. Ho may have been required to toss in the Sci-Fi stuff to get someone to fund him. May have run out of time. His lighting guy might have quit. Who knows.

I do know that on the relatively new Libertarian Republic Movie Rating System on a scale of Karl Marx to Ron Paul, A Better Place gets a rating of The Libertarian Partys Social Media Manager.

Like The Libertarian Party proper, A Better Place holds ideas and notions and thoughts that speak directly to a Libertarian mindset. Unfortunately all the confusing muck in between makes it almost impossible to recommend and mightjust put you off the good aspects entirely.

At the very leastA Better Place doesnt Hail Satan.

A Better PlaceDennis HoEntertainment Mediafree marketHollywoodLibertarian MoviesMovie Review

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'A Better Place': Indie Cinema's Libertarian Gumption - The Libertarian Republic

Being Libertarian

Why Democrat Tulsi Gabbard Will Likely Be the Next President Being Libertarian I am going to take a moment to step away from my common practice of libertarian ideological promotion, taxation is theft chanting, and Rothbard worshiping to get into some good old fashion nerdy political junkie discussions. Will it be a discussion ... and more »

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Why Democrat Tulsi Gabbard Will Likely Be the Next President - Being Libertarian

The Liberty Conservative

Libertarian Party Of Nevada Endorses Sabotaging Own Party's Convention With Leftist Tactics The Liberty Conservative The Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Nevada has proposed an elaborate sabotage campaign based on far leftist tactics to take down their own conference! David Colburne, Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Nevada, used the official website of ...

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Libertarian Party Of Nevada Endorses Sabotaging Own Party's Convention With Leftist Tactics - The Liberty Conservative

Afraid theyll invite alt-right transphobes to campus

Wichita State Universitys student government will recognize a newly formed libertarian student organization, an about-face from its rejection of the clubearlier this month.

Student senators had blocked official recognition of the Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) chapter because of its dangerous free-speech agenda and the hateful behavior practiced by the national organization.

The senates decision drew nationwide scorn, with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) warning the administration that the senates move violated the First Amendment.

A student senator still wants to censor the new chapter, asking colleagues in a senate meeting Wednesday how they would be able to block transphobic speakers if they allow YAL on campus.

YAL is perhaps best known for some of its chapters sponsoring appearances by Milo Yiannopoulos, the gay anti-feminist provocateur.

You discriminated against them

The student governments six-member judicial body unanimously overruled the senate, saying the chapters viewpoints were protected free speech and the public universitys bylaws explicitly prohibit blanket bans of organizations based on their affiliation.

Its decision prompted vigorous debate about 26 minutes into Wednesdays senate meeting.

MORE: Student government rejects YALchapter because its dangerous

Vice President for Student Affairs Teri Hall, who filed the complaint with the Supreme Court, told student senators they had violated everything youre supposed to stand for as student government, according to an archived video of the meeting.

You talk about not discriminating and you discriminated against them.

What if they invite a speaker from an alt-right entity where they express white supremacist ideas and transphobic thoughts, Sen. Debbie Ojeda asked Hall. How can we stop that from happening? Because I see this as being a disaster for this university.

Hall said speakers come to campus all the time that students may not want us to bring, even those less controversial than YAL, but Wichita State is built on freedom of speech. The administrator asked Ojeda not to judge this chapter for the actions of other YAL chapters.

Im not judging, said Ojeda. I think you are, Hall replied.

Im just scared, Ojeda said, citing legislation allowing concealed carry on campus starting in July. As a queer student of color, Im afraid.

KKK, Neo-Nazis, Young Americans for Liberty all in same league

Ojeda wrote on Facebook Saturday that she didnt expect those who are privileged to understand her view that YAL is against our very existence.

I don't expect those who are privileged to understand, quite honestly, I am not surprised of the comments stating that "

Posted by Debbie Ojeda-Leitner onSaturday, April 15, 2017

In my 29 years, this has been the hardest sense of minority stress I have ever experienced, Ojeda wrote in an op-ed in The Sunflower Friday. After YAL was approved, she came home in tears.

She also wrote that Hall had made her feel blatantly disrespected and said it was Halls choice to override the decision. The administrator is not a member of the Supreme Court.

YAL is like other hate groups like the Klu Klux Klan [sic], Neo Nazis, and the Westboro [Baptist] Church, Ojeda wrote. They use freedom of speech as a tool to condone violent language toward minority groups.

She angrily responded to Halls comparison of the senate rejecting YAL to its hypothetical rejection of Wichita States existing Muslim Student Association (MSA), which also faced opposition when it came to campus.

MORE: Student government restricts who can use inclusion pledge

Such a comparison adds a layer of racial injustice, Ojeda wrote. Those who are vehemently against MSA because of its ties with a terrorist organization are being racist and Islamophobic it is different from my opposition of [sic] YAL.

She had told the senate about 36 minutes into the meeting that being Muslim doesnt make you dangerous, which started a three-way argument among senators.

Halls comments on MSA may have touched a nerve with student senators. Last month the administrator fought off accusations that she had suggested Muslim students wash their feet in a janitors closet before prayer, in response to their request for a special wash station.

Ojeda did not respond to a Facebook query from The College Fix to elaborate about the difference between YAL and MSA.

Its agenda is helping you understand the tax code

YAL found an outspoken ally in Paul Raymond after the student senator attended one of the chapters meetings earlier last week. Some members were LGBTQ, he noted at the senate meeting.

[H]opefully their intentions are not to undermine their own identities for the sake of an agenda, said Raymond. They planned to take advantage of tax-filing season to educate students about the United States tax code, he told senate colleagues.

There seems to be a shift in campus culture, YAL Wichita State founder Maria Church told FIRE. We are encouraged by this small win, but there is still work to be done. At Young Americans for Liberty, we are committed to fighting for the First Amendment on campuses across the country.

MORE: Student government threatens papers budget for publishing crime reports

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Student government forced to recognize libertarian student group it called 'dangerous' - The College Fix

Being Libertarian

Entertainment Taxes Hurt Locals Being Libertarian No one has ever said that taxes are fun; but is it possible that taxes can be used specifically to fight fun? I live in a small town about an hour away from Pittsburgh, one of my favorite places to go for entertainment. The only problem is that ...

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Entertainment Taxes Hurt Locals - Being Libertarian

Today is Sarah Michelle Gellars birthday. Gellar originated the role ofBuffy, the Vampire Slayer for television 20 years ago in 1997 (Kristi Swansonplayed an earlier Buffy in Joss Whedons 1992 film of the same name). During the series, Buffy dies (and is resurrected) and we see her gravestone, which reads: Best Friend. Beloved Sister. She saved the worlda lot. And Buffy did save the world a lot; but we should stop and ask: from what?

I first sawBuffy the Vampire Slayerin its second season, in 1999. I was working 70 hours a week in residential real estate in downtown Washington, D.C., and could have easily cloned myself and given my triplets lucrative full-time employment. I was an hour late to meet a lesbian couple in Dupont Circle, and as soon I entered their rented co-op I was handed a plate of the pasta they had just prepared and told to join them, because we would have to watch Buffy and then write the offer. It was a season two finale, with Buffy battling the evil alter ego of her boyfriend (to save the world). Sword play, martial arts (Gellar was a black belt in taekwondo), incredible gymnastics: I was hooked.

Buffyalways had a big lesbian and gay following. Female action heroes, anti-authoritarianism, a love that dare not speak its name between a slayer (human) and a vampire, a teen and her friends (the Scoobies) who must keep the secrets of their blossoming identities and their after-school activities from their parents and teachers; in later seasons, a major character (played by Alyson Hannigan, who went on to star in both theAmerican Piemovies and in the hit seriesHow I Met Your Mother) becomes a lesbian.If youcant findit on one cable channel or another inreruns, you can get the series fromAmazon.

ButBuffyhad wider political ramifications. Buffy protected a sunlit world of oblivious humans (in Sunnydale in sunny southern California) from a dark world of predators waiting to eat them. Predators were either the authorities in charge (a Mayor working dark magic to become a pure demon in dragon form, by a ritual that included eating the graduating senior class), or aided and abetted by authorities (Buffysbete noir, Principal Snyder).

And even when the government stepped in to manage and control the demonic threat (a military funded project 314 which captured demons and vampires, with the hope of turning them into weapons), it failed. And Buffy had to save the world, again. (In the case of the military, she was aided by a boyfriend played by actorMarc Blucasas a kind of hunky heterosexual Bradley Manning defector, who slugs his commanding officer and declares Im an anarchist.)

Meanwhile, asBuffywas becoming a cult hit, we were all in our own sunlit worldthe asset bubble created by the federal government and the Federal Reserves currency inflation to buy government debt and fuel government expansion under Clinton, Bush, and then Obama. That inflation lit a boom and bust cycle with one collapsing asset bubble after another, from the tech bubble, to the real estate bubble, to the coming devaluation of the currency and downgrading of government bonds and student loan debt.

The predators in this case also operated in the dark, with the Federal Reserve refusing transparency and both major partiesaside from Ron and Rand Paul, Justin Amash, Thomas Massie, and a few othersdiscussing tax rates and proposing gimmicky miniscule pseudo-spending cuts, but never discussing the effects of currency inflation on investment and employment. Most voters and taxpayers have been oblivious to this, just as Sunnydale residents were oblivious the vampires lurking in the night.

The writers atBuffyactually knocked government and statism often. Social climbing cheerleader and mean girlCordelia Chaseis thrown into poverty in her senior year when the IRS seizes her home and her parents business and assets. Demon-turned-human and Buffy friend Anya is shown in one flashback sparking the Russian revolution, in her role as a vengeance demon, because she wants to see maximum bloodshed.

Later, when Buffys cancer patient mom is facing a hospital that cant cure her, someone in the Buffy entourage says I hate hospitals. Ever-Dadaist Anya replies, Its like communism. And of course there was Principal Snyder, tin pot dictator of Sunnydale High (played byArmin Shimerman, who had a role as a villain in theAtlas Shruggedmovie and a recurring role as an alien in one of theStar Trekfranchises).

This isnt surprising, since Joss Whedon (who is a liberal, not a libertarian) always has libertarianish heroes in his work. Theres the crew of the shipSerenity, rebels turned smugglers in the space operaFirefly, who outwit a galactic empire that created an aerosolized drug used by the government for mind control of the population.(The source of the libertarianism in Whedons work is co-writer Tim Minear, who now has his own series on the FX channel,The Feud, about the relationship between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford).

Whedonwho produced pro-Hillary videos last year parodied by writers atThe Federalistand elsewheresays he came up with the concept of Buffy by reflecting on all the many horror movies where a monster attacks and kills a young girl, and wondering, What if the girl fought back? The feminism is obvious. But its also libertarian, in that the young girl is the ultimate underdog and individual, battling forces of domination.

Buffy spawned many imitators, most of whom have also been successful. Though based on the occult mystery novels by Charlaine Harris, the HBO seriesTrueBloodis easily a Buffy progeny: a young girl with a special power battling evil and negotiating peace and privacy for herself as well as her community. The ABC seriesOnce Upon a Timelikewise features a young woman with a magical gift who must battle evils, including authority figures like a mayor who isalso a witch.

Itsinterestingthat NBCs copy ofBuffy, the recently concluded seriesGrimm, featured a male character, who was the slayer and a homicide detective. InGrimm,the demons and vampires were replaced with creatures called wesen (Grimmfavored Germanicnomenclature and mythology), two-spirited creatures like were-wolves and were-foxes.

In the world ofGrimm, individuals were evilnot mayors or high school principals, but private people whose secret nature asanimalistic carnivores required a cop who was on occasion willing to violate the 4thAmendment and other pesky aspects of the Bill of Rights. Grimmwas a well-produced andsatisfying series, albeit one that ended slightly abruptly when the writers didnt know what else to do. Butits interesting that it fit so well into the NBC fascist culture, where private individuals are evilfromLaw and Orderin all its permutations toTo Catch a Predatorand only strong government saves us from them.

Sarah Michelle Gellaris reported to be registered as a Republican, as is her reportedly more politically active husband,Freddie Prinze Jr.One assumes that, being young Hollywooders, they are more libertarian than social conservative. But I have never heard them interviewed about it. (Emma Caufield, who played Anya for the last half of the series, publicly endorsed Ron Paul one year, mainly it seems because of his foreign policy views.)

Of Buffy, Gellar has said: I truly believe that it is one of the greatest shows of all time and it will go down in history as that. And I dont feel that that is a cocky statement. We changed the way that people looked at television.

I cant help but agree with that, even aside from the politics of the Scoobies. And the show does seem to have helped encourage an endless array of entertaining occult fantasy shows (Moonlight, Being Human, TrueBlood, Grimm). Happy Birthday, Sarah Michelle Gellar!

Photo Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seth Green, Charisma Carpenter, Alyson Hannigan, and Nicholas Brendon in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)

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'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' Was Addicting Television With A Libertarian Streak - The Federalist

The Libertarian Party appears determined to remain relegated tonever reachingfive percent of the popular vote in a presidential election.

In a post on the official Libertarian Party Facebook page, the party shared a macro image about the importance of self-ownership and personal responsibility. And while they couldve cited any number of philosophers on the issue -- including the Founding Fathers -- the Libertarian Party decided to quote the Satanic Temple and the Satanic Seven Tenets, instead:

Ironically, the image included the hashtag #FREETOBELIEVE, even though 2016 Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson called religious liberty a black hole to support his position that bakers should be required to bake cakes for gay weddings (Johnson takes his anti-religious liberty position even further and says Jews should be required to bake cakes for Nazis).

As of 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, the Facebook post was removed, but an archive of the post is available here.

This is far from the first time the Libertarian Party has attempted to be contrarian for the sake of promoting their principles. At the 2016 Libertarian Party presidential debate, candidates were asked whether it should be legal to sell heroin to a five-year-old. The candidate to respond "no," Austin Petersen,faced boos from the crowd.

This is also not the first time the Libertarian Party has had to deal with accusations of being associated with Satanism. A 2016 Libertarian Party candidate for the U.S. Senate from Florida, Augustus Sol Invictus, admitted to sacrificing a goat and drinking its blood.

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Libertarian Party Hails Satan In a Facebook Post - MRCTV (blog)

LISTEN TO TLRS LATEST PODCAST: By Publius

It has been a fantastic week for public relations nightmares. First, Pepsi tried (and failed) to use social activism to sell a second-rate cola. Then, United Airlines violently removed a passenger from an aircraft to accommodate a non-paying United employee. Next, Sean Spicer did what he did best: shove his foot in his mouth. The White House Press Secretary accidentally omitted the existence of the Holocaust while comparing Assad to Hitler.

Just when we, at The Libertarian Republic,thought this week couldnt hold more boneheaded public relations moves, we were wrong.

Enter: The Libertarian Partys social media team.

As many of you are aware, we are in the midst of Holy Week. This week, Christians celebrate the time immediately before the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It began last Sunday (known as Palm Sunday) and ends on Easter. So, what do the wise sages at the LP social media team decide to do?

Why, they choose to quote the Church of Satan, of course!

Now, the Libertarian Partys social media team has never been accused of being smart. They are well known for reposting content from Free Thought Project and countless Anarcho-Capitalist memes. Once, they even were so foolish as to post an image declaring No Bushes, Clintons, or Pauls. It does not take a PR guru to tell you to not attack Ron Paul or Rand Paul, who are some of the most influential modern libertarians.

The post in question was eventually deleted from the Partys Facebook page, but unfortunately it was already too late.

It goes without saying that libertarians are a fairly thick-skinned bunch. We have to be. Quoting the Satanic Temple on Maundy Thursday, however, is a bridge too far for many. They accept a party that is apathetic to religion. However, they do not support a party that openly mocks their faith.

If the LP is serious about becoming an actual force in politics, it can start with firing whoever runs their Facebook page. Theyre doing more harm than good.

christianityEasterholy weeklibertarian partypublic relationssocial media

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Libertarian Party's Social Media Team Flubs Again - The Libertarian Republic

As Iran gears up for its May 19th election, former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad entered his name as a last-minute candidate.

The bid for the presidency has international and domestic ramifications; his candidacy is a direct challenge to Irans theocracy as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered him not to run.

There is still a vetting process done by the Guardian Council, largely selected by Khamenei, who screens candidates based on political and Islamic criteria. It has been speculated that Ahmadinejad likely wont make it through this approval process.

Ahmadinejad insists he isnt running as a serious contender and his bid is only to support his previous deputy, Hamid Baghaei, who also registered on Wednesday. Ahmadinejad believes it would be politically costly for the council to reject both members of the previous government.

I repeat that I am committed to my moral promise [to not run] and my presence and registration is only to support Mr. Baghaei, asserted Ahmadinejad.

Baghaei spent seven months in prison for undisclosed charges in 2015 for a case that remains open.

Current president Hassan Rouhani is viewed as a political moderate. Rouhani brokered the 2015 nuclear deal, which sought to remove economic sanctions against Iran, and has sincefacedbacklash from conservatives who oppose the deal and moderates as his militaristic actions have led to the sanctions being reimposed. As of February, Iran hit double-digit inflation rates.

The anti-Western sentiments of Ahmadinejad left Iran isolated on an international level, and the sanctions left Iran crippled economically. In spite of this, he remains a popular figure in Irans poorest regions due to his populist approach.

The international implications are even more precarious as the regional cold war between Iran and Saudi Arabia has begun to involve NATO and Russia. Iran has been a major supporter of Syrias Assad regime and Lebanons Hezbollah, and is suspected to be a weapons supplier to Yemens Houthi rebels. Ahmadinejads entrance into the election is introducing a volatile element to an already unstable situation.

Photo Credit: Atta Kenare / AFP Getty Images

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Ahmadinejad Enters Iranian Presidential Race - Being Libertarian

The Tennessee Valley Chapter of the Libertarian Party of Tennesseewill be hosting the State Libertarian Party Chairman, Tom Arnold, as guest speaker on April 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Casual Pint, 5550 TN-153 in Hixson.

Mr. Arnold became involved with the Libertarian Party in 2012. He is working toward free and fair ballot access for everyone. He said hopes to have Libertarians on the ballot across Tennessee in the next two years.

"Tom has a heart for young people. He is focused on mentoring the future leaders of the party to redirect the current course of government. His goal is that we could live free from as many governmental constraints as possible.

"Tom was born on the fourth of July and has been a lover of liberty ever since. He is an eighth generation Tennessean and currently lives with an addlepated Sheltie on a 13 acre farm in Jackson county. Tom is a philosopher, poet, political hack, farmer and highway contractor," officials said.

Mr. Arnold said his favorite quote on liberty is from Walt Whitman's Caution:Resist much, obey little; Once unquestioning obedience, once fully enslaved; Once fully enslaved, no nation, state, city, of this earth, ever afterward resumes its liberty.

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State Chairman Tom Arnold Speaks To The Tennessee Valley Libertarian Party - The Chattanoogan