Category Archives: Libertarianism

Larry Elder. Campaign photo

The Sage from South Central. Even more extreme than Trump. The recall candidate to beat.

Larry Eldergoes by a lot of labels these days. If hes tough to pin down, thats because hes such an unlikely politician: A Black man who grew up in South Central Los Angeles, went to an Ivy League college and became a conservative provocateur.

In a state dominated by Democrats for 15 years, hed make an even more unlikely governor. As millions of Californains suss out what theyre supposed to think about him as they vote in theSept. 14 recall election, Elder sat down with CalMatters reporters and editors for an hour-long interview.

This conversation took place beforePolitico reported on allegations from Elders ex-fiancee that he brandished a gun at her while high on marijuana.Elder denied that he waved a weapon, but did not respond to other allegations: I am not going to dignify this with a response its beneath me.

CalMatters has invited Gov. Gavin Newsom and his major challengers to sit down and chat. Here are five highlights from the discussion with Elder:

Elder is especially clear on this point: He thinks hes gotten a raw deal from the left-wing media since he announced his campaign last month.

I dont have a tail, I dont have horns, he said, before noting that he also doesnt club baby seals and eat their heads. While his views onlabor policy,gender equalityandracehave been characterized by the Newsom camp and even somefellow Republicansas extreme, Elder says theyre rooted in common sense and Economics 101.

In the latest in a string of stories unearthing past controversial comments, bothCNNand theSan Francisco Chroniclepublished articles documenting what he has said about women.

He also mentioned that hes written books and made documentaries. Despite their commercial success, he claims, theyve been skimmed over by the arbiters of merit and taste newspaper book reviewers and the Oscars.

Its just surprising that Ive been shut out like this, he said. Im from the hood. I ought to be a success story.

Not that depicting himself as a media target and picking fights with fault-finding reporters doesnt have its political upside. Just ask Donald Trump. For Elders supporters and many recall voters, the disapproval of the chattering classes may serve as its own endorsement.

Thats the term Elder uses to describe his policy platform. Its a consistent line and one that hes been repeating for as long as hes been a public figure.

The biggest challenge in California in general is the intrusiveness of government, he said. I believe that a government that governs less governs best.

Hence his views on the minimum wage (there shouldnt be one), pregnancy discrimination prohibitions in the workplace (leave it to the market), public welfare programs (it encourages women to marry the government), public schools (he prefers school vouchers), state-funded health insurance programs (you need to have competition) and recreational drugs (he supports legalization).

Longtime conservative talk radio listeners and Fox News aficionados will know Elder by his more than 20 years of public opinionating. But for many California voters, he remains relatively unknown.

Thats in part Elders doing. Hes skipped three campaign debates so far,a strategy thats frustrated some GOP insiders. Elder insists its because hes not running against the Republican rivals, but against Newsom.

But debating also runs the risk of making a gaffe or coming under sustained attack a risk that Elder apparently doesnt believe he needs to make.

I have a substantial lead over my Republican rivals, thats one of the reasons why they want to debate me, he said. If I were sitting at 2% in the polls, Id want to debate me as well.

Elders years in the media world have given him a knack for talking politics in a way to draw an audience, but also sometimes to inflame.

So, yes, he opposes the Californiasrecent expansion of Medi-Cal, the public health insurance program for low-income people, to undocumented immigrants. And no, hes not going to use the term undocumented immigrant.

Likewise, climate change activists and conservationists are environmental extremists, the reformist district attorneys in Los Angeles and San Francisco are soft on crime and safety net programs pushed by Democrats represent an attack on the nuclear family.

One of a governors most powerful policy levers is his ability to appoint to the judicial bench, to vacated constitutional offices and to the states many regulatory commissions.

While Elder doesnt have a short list of names for any of those possible appointments, he takes inspiration from Washington, DC. When selecting a judge or justice, he would model his selection on self-described originalists like Clarence Thomas and the late-Antonin Scalia.

And for the state Board of Education? Somebody who has the same philosophy as the former Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, he said.

But there was one former DC bigwig Elder was not inclined to talk about: Stephen Miller, the former Trump advisor, whoseearly start as a right-wing provocateurbegan on Elders show.

Why would you bring up Stephen Miller? Elder asked, repeatedly. Im just wondering what the agenda here is. Whats the point? Am I somehow what a Nazi? A fascist?

CalMattersis a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias Capitol works and why itmatters.

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Recall Front-Runner Larry Elder Says Hes a Libertarian and I Dont Have Horns - Times of San Diego

Given the partisan nature of everything, it's no surprise that debates about the unfolding humanitarian tragedy in Afghanistan center on the Biden administration's handlingor most would say, mishandlingof the pull-outof U.S. troops and resulting conquest by the Taliban.

"The debacle of the U.S. defeat and chaotic retreat in Afghanistan is a political disaster for Joe Biden, whose failure to orchestrate an urgent and orderly exit will further rock a presidency plagued by crises and stain his legacy,"wroteCNN analyst Stephen Collinson. The retreat had a troubling "fall of Saigon" air about it, as desperate Afghans clung to departing U.S. fighter jets.

Others blamed the former Trump administration. "This was a consequence of the Trump administration's announcementof a fixed date for total withdrawal," arguedRobert Tracinski in The Bulwark. "This signaledthat the United States had given up and that we would be leaving the Afghan government without support." That, too, makes some sense.

Nevertheless, late-game finger-pointing reminds me of lost hikers arguing about exit trailswhen the problem was heading into the woods in a blizzard. Sure, specific U.S. policies have failed along the way. Writer Bari Weiss, for instance, casts a wide netblaming Bill Clinton's refusal to target Osama bin Laden, George W. Bush's reliance on warlords, and Barack Obama's unwillingness to focus on winning.

The problem is America's fundamental policythe hubristic idea that a government that can't even handle its domestic responsibilities has the wherewithal to rebuild an undeveloped nation. That's a bipartisan delusion, although I'm pleased Trump and Biden finally pulled the plug. Had our War on Poverty succeeded, perhaps one could make a stronger case for intervention. We should know better but rarely learn.

Libertarians long decried endless U.S. military interventions given our understanding of the way the government worksas opposed to its myopic promises. I recall the angry responses The Orange County Register editorial pages received when we opposedthe wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as readers questioned our patriotism for pointing out the obvious. It's too bad it can take decades to be proven right.

The Iraq war made no sense given the dubious connections between Iraq and the 9/11 attacks, but Afghanistan was a hotbed for terrorism. It was a tougher case, but there were alternatives to an outright invasion. But once our leaders start pounding the war drums, there was no reasoning with Americans who insisted that this timeresultswould be different.

It is horrific to watch the Taliban, whose philosophy emanates from the Dark Ages, cement its grip on Afghanistan. The results will betragic indeed. Expect widespread executions of those who cooperated with the Western regime, the relegation of women to the status of chattel, and the re-imposition of Islamic law. But let's not forget the horrific effects of the war and occupation.

"An accurate accounting of the war in Afghanistan must take into account the roughly 2,400 American service members, 3,800 American contractors, 66,000 Afghan security forces, 47,000 Afghan civilians, and others (including journalists and aid workers) who were killed,"explainedEric Boehm in Reason. Then add to that the trillions of dollars in costs.

Reasonalso pointed to a report by the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. SIGAR lamented our shifting goals: "At various points, the U.S. government hoped to eliminate al-Qaeda, decimate the Taliban movement that hosted it, deny all terrorist groups a safe haven in Afghanistan, build Afghan security forcesand help the civilian government become legitimate and capable enough to win the trust of Afghans."

Although it pointed to a few successes, the "Lessons Learned"report documented 140 pages of failures. The best lesson learned, however, is that the United States should not insert itself into these foreign conflicts, should not engage in nation-building, and should limit its interventions to defensive measures that actually protect our nation and its interests. That's what libertarians always have argued.

"Most Americans still want to see some sort of retribution against Osama bin Laden and his far-flung organization,"wrotethe Register's late editorial writer Alan Bock. "But more are wondering if they'll see it anytime soon. The dread word 'quagmire,'has become part of the discourse." He wrote that in 2001and it's hard to say he was wrong.

What should the United States government do now? It should complete the pull-out, keep close tabs on any terrorist networks that could threaten us, and accept as many Afghan refugeesinto the United States as possible. Many of them, especially interpreters, worked with the U.S. military. Welcoming them here is the least we can doand can help prevent a bloodbath.

Former Gen. Colin Powell is known for citing the "Pottery Barn"rule of foreign affairs. "If you break it, you own it." How about the U.S. start following the libertarian rulejust stop playing with other people's pottery?

This column was first published in The Orange County Register.

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Libertarians Correctly Predicted the Afghanistan Fiasco Reason.com - Reason

In a taped interview in June, Gov. Chris Sununu addressed what he called at the time squabbles within the New Hampshire Republican Party arising from the growing presence of libertarians within the caucus in the New Hampshire House.

The Libertarians are not Republicans, Sununu said flatly. They have their own party, their own place. Libertarians are not Republicans. Okay? I know a lot of them like to sign up as Republicans and pass themselves off as Republicans, he continued. But, theyre not. Not even remotely.

Call them what he will, they are the very same lawmakers who control the House Republican caucus and played a strong hand in the state budget Sununu has called transformational, historic and a win for every citizen and family in this state.

The annual Liberty Rating compiled by the NH Liberty Alliance, confirms the dominance of those who some call the Liberty Republicans.

The rating scores how the 400 members of the House and 24 members of the Senate voted on a tranche of selected bills 49 in the House and 25 in the Senate. The system applies an opaque formula with a factor, positive or negative, for each vote and adds a weight for sponsoring and shepherding a bill through the process to calculate a letter grade for every legislator.

Altogether, 150 representatives scored A and another 45 scored B all of them Republicans by voting with the alliance on between 87% and 100% of 49 tracked bills. Among Republicans, only eight representatives received the lowest score of C for those voting with the alliance on between 50 and 60% of votes.

In other words, 195 members of the Republican caucus which numbered 213 when the session began and 211 when it ended, aligned themselves closely with the alliance.

Little wonder that House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, who moved to New Hampshire as part of the Free State Project and an open Libertarian, touted the unity among House caucus members in pursuing its legislative agenda and carrying what either cuing or echoing the governor he also called a transformational budget.

Of the 177 Democrats, 18 were rated D and 24 F while the other 135 were graded CT, or constitutional threat, and considered unfaithful to their oath of office to uphold the New Hampshire Constitution and the principle of liberty.

By contrast, no senator received an A grade. Eight of the 14 Republicans rated B, with one B+, by voting with the alliance on at least 80% of the selected bills while the other six who strayed on at least 30% of votes were graded C+. Likewise, seven of the 10 democratic Senators were graded CT while two rated F and one D.

The alliance describes pro-liberty bills as those protecting individual freedom and promoting personal responsibility.

Anti-liberty bills, according to the alliance, displace voluntary individual choice with compulsory government regulation and compel people and businesses to pay for policies they may not willingly support.

The bills tracked by the alliance included measures to trim the governors emergency powers as well as reverse or forgive penalties levied for breaching them.

A half-dozen bills loosened restrictions on the possession and use of firearms, including one prohibiting the state from enforcing federal regulations imposed by executive order.

Other bills sought to withhold state support from and impose state supervision on municipalities. Among these was a bill that would deprive municipalities of the authority to enact local ordinances on subjects not enumerated by a statute originated in 1846 and instead would require them to be enacted by the Legislature. Another bill sought to strip public officials of immunity for actions taken in good faith while acting within the scope of their authority and responsibilities.

At the same time, members of the House Republican caucus chafed at the governors proposed budget, particularly his family medical leave program and proposed spending level, and with enough dissidents among their number, threatened adoption of the budget until the 11th hour.

Tension between the Republican governor and the Liberty Republicans has marked Sununus second term, peaking when protesters, chafing at his emergency orders to tackle COVID-19, took to the streets and picketed his home. And in December, three dozen citizens, six state representatives among them, presented a bizarre letter discordantly echoing the Declaration of Independence, that branded the governor a tyrant and demanded the dissolution of the state.

These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information, visit collaborativenh.org.

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'Liberty Republicans' and an evolving GOP - Concord Monitor

ALEXANDER SALTER| Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

The heart of Americas political tradition is liberty. But our freedom means much more than rugged individualism or cowboy capitalism. American liberty is ordered liberty. Ours is not the liberty of license, nor is it the order of obstruction. Americans demand freedom so they can be the best version of themselves. Libertarianism carries forward this honorable tradition into the 21st century.

Liberty flourishes where government is strictly limited in scale and scope. The essence of government is violence. Sometimes that violence is used for good purposes, as when a police officer stops a robbery. But it is violence nonetheless. Because government power is so easily abused, its a very good idea to keep the state on a tight leash. Government is not reason, it is not eloquence--it is force! said George Washington. Like fire it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. President Washington understood well the nature of government.

We need conscious constitutional craftsmanship to preserve freedom. Alexander Hamilton said it best: it is up to Americans to show the world whether mankind can establish good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force. Tradition is good. Folkways are good. But by themselves, they cannot guarantee liberty. We have both the right and duty to take the reins of government in hand to secure the blessings of liberty.

The U.S. Constitution is rightly venerated for creating a government of ordered liberty. But the Constitution wasnt our first constitution. We need to do a little historical digging to recover the nations earliest governing charter: the Articles of Confederation. Without appreciating the virtues of this document, we wont fully understand our own story.

The American colonies-turned-states ratified the Articles of Confederation on March 15, 1781. The Articles governed the nation during its most tumultuous days in its conflict with Great Britain until the Constitution was ratified in 1789. Unlike the Constitutions federal government, the confederal government under the Articles was strictly limited. Nineof 13 states had to agree for an act of the unicameral Congress to pass. Amending the articles required unanimity. Most important was Article II, which explicitly laid out the nature of the government as a voluntary association of states: Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.

From a libertarian standpoint, the Articles of Confederation was an impressive document. The confederation had no power to impose taxes, maintain a standing army or navy, or regulate commerce. Todays Americans have learned the hard way that taxes can become punitive, armies and navies can be instruments of imperialism, and commercial regulations are often the excuse used by Washington to micromanage our lives. Perhaps our Founding Fathers had it right the first time around! As E. James Ferguson, a respected historian of the early Republic wrote, our first constitution emphasized defense of local rights against central authority. The Articles were designed to safeguard liberty.

But wasnt American government dysfunctional under the Articles? Critics contended the new nation couldnt pay its war debt, excessive decentralization resulted in the states engaging in costly trade wars with each other, and the high concurrence requirements for Congressional action hampered valuable political projects. But all these claims are exaggerated. The states themselves, not the confederation government, took the lead on paying the war debt. Trade barriers between states were minimal. And the whole point of the Articles was to discourage political projects unless they were truly in the interest of the whole nation.

The constitutional theory of the Articles was simple: keep government constrained! Most politics should happen at the state and local level. National politics is only for those rare occasions where the entire nation must act collectively. Even then, there needs to be explicit consent with greater-than-majority voting thresholds. Anything else threatens the liberty Americans just shed blood to win. The only real strike against the Articles is that the confederation could not withstand the political ambitions of those among the Federalist faction who hungered for national greatness, possible only with a stronger and more activist central government.

Somewhere in the course of American democracy the nation at large forgot to distinguish between the government and the people, Ferguson lamented. Individual rights and local privileges were no longer regarded as standing against the authority of the government; they were to be advanced by soliciting its aid and patronage. We lost something priceless when we abandoned the Articles for the Constitution. That doesnt mean we forfeited the promise of liberty in America. But it does mean we must turn a critical eye to our own history, to ensure our hard-won rights are not taken away.

Alexander William Salter is the Georgie G. Snyder Associate Professor of Economics in the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University and the Comparative Economics Research Fellow at TTUs Free Market Institute.

Originally posted here:
Salter: Liberty forgotten and the Article of Confederation - LubbockOnline.com

Thomas L. Knapp| Libertarian View

More than seven months after the fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt during the January 6 riot, the Capitol Police Department officer who shot her is speaking out. I know that day I saved countless lives, Lt. Michael ByrdtellsNBC Newss Lester Holt.

Maybe hes right, maybe not, but hes going farther than he has to go. The standard for use of deadly force not just in the Capitol Police Department but generally is not certain knowledge but rather,as the departments policy puts it, a reasonable belief that said use of force is in the defense of human life, including the officers own life, or in the defense of any person in immediate danger of serious physical injury.

Did Byrds actions meet that standard? The events of the day, andthe video record of the shooting, say yes.

Even setting aside the question of whether the 2020 presidential election was stolen, as many Trump supporters believe, and the bizarre theories of QAnon, with which she seems to have been affiliated, the story of Babbitts death is a story of reasonable versus unreasonable beliefs.

It was unreasonable for Babbitt especially given her description in online biographies as a 14-year Air Force veteran and former security guard at a nuclear power plant to believe that she and the mob she joined could walk into the US Capitol and violently prevent Congresss certification of the election without armed Capitol Police officers contesting the matter.

It was even more unreasonable for Babbitt to believe that when her fellow rioters began smashing the windows of the barricaded doors to the Speakers Lobby, and that when she attempted to crawl through one of those windows, the armed officers charged with protecting Congress wouldnt respond with deadly force. Frankly its surprising that they didnt do so as soon as the window-smashing began.

On the other hand, whether or not one likes the Capitol Police, or Lt. Byrd, or Congress, or the outcome of the election, it was entirely and obviously reasonable for Lt. Byrd to believe that members of a mob attempting to force their way through those barricaded doors represented a danger of immediate danger of serious physical injury or even death to himself and those he guarded.

Ashli Babbitt is neither a martyr nor an innocent victim of police abuse (of which there are far too many). She willingly joined a violent mob. She willingly took part in that mobs violent actions. She willingly went an extra foot or two beyond the actions of most of that mobs members. And that extra foot or two was fatal.

Had Ashli Babbitt not put her unreasonable beliefs into motion against Michael Byrds reasonable beliefs, shed almost certainly still be alive.

Thomas L. Knapp (Twitter:@thomaslknapp) is director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism (thegarrisoncenter.org).

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Libertarian view: Beliefs and expectations, reasonable and unreasonable - The Spectrum

With the football season fast approaching, the number of candidates on the Sept. 14 recall ballot could almost fill a National Football League roster.

But while 53-man NFL teams want Super Bowl rings, the 46 recall candidates hope to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom if a majority of California voters agree to oust him before his term ends in 2022. A recall candidate needs only a plurality of votes to become governor if the recall succeeds.

Heres a look at the four candidates with Inland Empire ties.

Resides: Calimesa

Party: Libertarian

Platform: A Riverside County supervisor representing the San Gorgonio Pass, Moreno Valley, Perris, and Menifee, Hewitt is one of the highest-ranking elected officials affiliated with the Libertarian Party.

The former Calimesa mayor supports school choice (to) bring about better learning environments for our students and student savings account plans to make college more affordable, according to his website.

Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Hewitt, left, is embraced by Mickey Valdivia, San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency treasurer, before Hewitt announces he will run as a Libertarian for governor in the upcoming recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom at the Mind & Mill in Riverside in April 2021. (File photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Chauncey Slim Killens wears a Trump flag as he waves at cars during the Save America Rally at the Duck Pond in Temecula on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, during the inauguration of Joe Biden as president. (File photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Republican gubernatorial recall candidate for governor Robert Newman lives in the Redlands area. (File photo by Stan Lim, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG).

Sarah Stephens, who is running for governor in the upcoming special election, speaks at an anti-mask protest in Palos Verdes on Aug. 11, 2021. (File photo by Daniella Segura, Contributing Photographer)

Hewitt also is calling for more investment in water infrastructure, including raising dam heights and building two new reservoirs. He wants to streamline the permit process to build more homes, pay down public employee pension debt and create what he views as more sustainable retirement options for civil servants.

Hewitt, who is in his first term as supervisor, has made headlines for urging his colleagues to defy the states coronavirus business restrictions. He also was the subject of a civil claim alleging he sexually harassed a county employee that was settled for $50,000. Hewitt denied wrongdoing.

Another claim from a former staffer accusing Hewitt of harassing and discriminating against her is pending. Hewitt has not commented publicly about the claim.

Website: http://www.hewitt4ca.com

Resides: Winchester

Party: Republican

Platform: A retired corrections officer, Killens said via email hes running because Americas God given freedoms have been slowly eroding at the state and national levels.

I have high moral standards, a quality that is lacking in the current political arena, and I will do what I say, he said. I have common sense, not politically correct common sense, and I will use that to solve the majority of problems overnight because Im not going to be a career politician.

If elected, Killens said he would (allow border) patrol agencies to do their jobs and reject any attempt to cut law enforcement funding.

He opposes coronavirus mask and vaccination mandates and wants to reduce homelessness by creating a program (to) provide jobs and living arrangements so that (the homeless) can be productive and eventually take care of themselves without the government incentives, which continues to exacerbate the problem.

Website: http://www.witnessinthepublicsquare.com

Resides: Near Redlands

Party: Republican

Platform: Its the sixth gubernatorial campaign for Newman, whose ballot designation is farmer/psychologist.

Dr. Newman is Pro-God, Pro-life, traditional marriage, U.S. Constitution, agriculture, business, and truckers, read a statement on his campaign website.

He supports returning those in the nation illegally to their country of origin, building a border wall and (guarding) it with the same security we use to secure our private homes, offices, and government buildings.

Newman is critical of California water policy-makers, whom he argues more heavily yielded to environmentalists pressure than to the needs of the end users. As a result, (millions) of gallons of water are wasted by dumping it into the Pacific Ocean.

Website: http://www.newman4governor.com

Resides: Her campaign uses a Riverside mailing address

Party: Republican

Platform: She is running with the slogan Make California Gold Again. Stephens describes herself on her campaign website as a wife, mother of five beautiful children, a pastor, community leader, and motivational speaker.

We have incredible people, incredible businesses, and incredible resources, her website read. However, the people of California have been shut down, abused and not protected and have not been given the freedom to thrive. It is time for the people to be spoken for.

If elected, Stephens, who states she is pro-life and a defender of free speech and the right to bear arms, plans to cut taxes and regulations and (cut) billions of dollars of spending to unnecessary unproductive causes.

She supports school choice There has (been) so much unhealthy indoctrination in schools and allowing home-schooled kids and charter schoolchildren to take part in public school programs. Stephens also supports allowing people to opt out of vaccines without having to give a reason and opposes coronavirus restrictions on in-person worship services.

Website: http://www.makecaliforniagoldagain.com

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Meet the 4 Inland Empire candidates on the Gavin Newsom recall ballot - San Bernardino County Sun

Matt Gervais, a physical therapist, encouraged his mom to get the vaccine. But he said her social circle felt differently and persuaded her not to get vaccinated.

MEDFORD, Ore. For many families, the threat of COVID-19 hits close to home as their loved ones fight for their lives in the hospital.

Matt Gervais is praying his mom will pull through. He lives in Los Angeles, practicing as a physical therapist, but for the last week hes been in Southern Oregon. His mom, 70-year-old Karin Gervais, is on a ventilator in the ICU with COVID-19. She's been sedated and almost unresponsive for nearly a week now.

The prognosis is pretty poor, said Gervais. She probably has around a 30% chance of surviving this.

As someone who works in healthcare, Gervais knew about the seriousness of COVID early on. He warned his mom throughout the pandemic and when the vaccine became available, he encouraged her to get it.

I said, you gotta get the vaccine. This is vital," said Gervais.

But he said his mom, who is generally a rational person, had surrounded herself with people who felt differently. He believes they persuaded her not to get vaccinated.

She ended up lying to me about getting the vaccine, he said.

Gervais remembers speaking to his mom a couple weeks ago.

She had been feeling really bad and I was like, Well, you sound like you got a respiratory thing mom. You know, I'm super glad you have the vaccine. Thats really, really good. You will be safe. Even if you have it, you know, you won't have it as bad, probably won't be hospitalized, so no worries, said Gervais.

Throughout the week he said hed call to check up on her. She seemed to be getting worse. Once a week had passed, Gervais said he called 10 times, but she didnt pick up the phone. Family went to check on her and discovered her passed out on the ground.

She'd probably been there for 24-plus hours, Gervais said.

Now Karin, a woman who was active at church and in life, is fighting for her life. If she does pull through, shell be looking at a long road to recovery.

Frustrating is not even an adequate word. It's absolutely infuriating, said Gervais.

He said it angers him that whats happening to his mom may have been preventable had it not turned political.

The frustrating thing is that has nothing to do with politics, said Gervais, who said his political beliefs tend to lean libertarian. He said he highly values freedom of choice, but topics related to COVID-19 like getting the vaccine shouldnt be a political discussion, rather a health care discussion.

You wouldn't have somebody that works at the Black Bear Diner work on your car to replace your engine, you know? But that's what they're doing with their literal healthcare, which is 100 times more complicated.

He said his mom, a loving, sweet, kind-hearted woman, got swept up in the tide of misinformation.

That's the saddest part is that people will not understand that, until they have to lose a couple of family members and at that point its too late, Gervais said.

Gervais said the last time he got to talk to his mom while she was still coherent was about a week ago. He told her he loved her and that he and many others were praying for her to pull through. At that point, she wasn't able to talk back to him, but was able to acknowledge his presence.

In less than 24 hours, he said his moms health had degraded even more. He wasnt sure if she had much longer.

Gervais hopes his story helps others see the importance of vaccination.

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'Frustrating is not even an adequate word': Health care worker's unvaccinated mom in ICU with COVID-19 - KGW.com

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Austrian economics is a very common topic of discussion and study within the bitcoin community. Being the base economic theory upon which we find bitcoin resting, it makes sense that understanding this would be a primary lead for someone to get into bitcoin. Josef Ttek, one of our regular contributors here at Bitcoin Magazine, is an example of this.

Ttek has written some fantastic articles for us, including Your Financial Data Is Not Private, Bitcoin Can Fix That, Heres Why Bitcoin Will Rejuvenate Your Hope In Life and Bitcoin Is The Sustainable Money Europe Deserves. Bullish on both bitcoin and on life, Ttek maintains an optimistic outlook that bears witness to the good bitcoin is capable of doing.

In our interview, we discussed how his foundations in Austrian economics lead him to Bitcoin, and how the reverse is often true of bitcoiners. We then discussed how Bitcoin has impacted his life, both in personal preferences and in his career. We touched on what he believes is the most important part of peoples bitcoin education in his opinion, an understanding of fiat. Finally, we discussed what he is looking forward to in the space, and his bullish price thoughts. He said, in the short term, we are usually too optimistic. In the long term, we are too pessimistic."

Check out the podcast above and be sure to read our written interview.

Whats your Bitcoin rabbit hole story?

I studied Austrian economics at school, and after graduation I cofounded a libertarian think tank in the Czech Republic with similar-minded schoolmates. That was around 2011. We were mostly gold and silver bugs back then, and even though bitcoin was discussed among libertarians/Austrian economists, it was in a dismissive fashion at first. I remember the bubble when bitcoin went to $30 dollars and fell to $2 I thought that was it for bitcoin.

In 2013, when Mt. Gox and Silk Road went down, I read up a bit more on bitcoin, but again I thought it was going to die after the major exchanges and markets were shut down. Then around 2015, I understood that this thing isnt going to die and its actually what gold bugs had been looking for a true free market money.

I regrettably got seduced by the lure of shitcoins in 2017 to 2018. The Bitcoin maximalist signal wasnt that strong then, or maybe I simply chose to ignore it because I still had the fiat mindset and wanted my bags to pump. Anyway, I was a bad shitcoin trader and ended up with fewer sats after that period.

In 2020. I wrote a book with an unoriginal title "Bitcoin: The Separation Of Money And State," in Czech. Its kind of similar to Saifedeans or Vijays work a dive into monetary history and monetary economics.

Writing the book finally transformed me into a Bitcoin maximalist nothing but Bitcoin makes sense to me anymore.

How has Bitcoin changed your life?

Im sort of a stereotypical bitcoiner in this aspect. Bitcoin definitely lowered my time preference: I think about the future much more, because there is something to look forward to. Fiat really messed up our economies and societies, and with Bitcoin we have a solution at hand.

Like many others, I started to search for value in other fields of life and found the benefits of intermittent fasting, the carnivore diet and regular exercise.

Bitcoin also changed my career. I left the corporate life in 2018 and I was able to focus first on crypto, then on Bitcoin when I found out that crypto is bullsh*t. Ive been working for Trezor since Spring 2021 and its the best job of my life I basically study Bitcoin every day and communicate why Bitcoin matters to others.

The pieces you have written for the magazine have aimed to educate others on how best to maximize their bitcoin stack. What do you think is most important for people to educate themselves about in regards to bitcoin?

Two things: how fiat works, and how Bitcoin works.

The majority of people dont really think about how todays money works. Many still believe there is some link to gold, or that central bankers have the science of money nailed down and theres nothing wrong. But when you show people the long-term charts interest rates, price levels, M2 money stock, central bank balance sheets, debt levels it really doesnt seem sustainable. So thats the first important thing: to see that theres something very wrong with how todays monetary system operates.

The second one is how Bitcoin works. And I mean both as a monetary system and as a technology. Bitcoins value as money lies in its predictable, unchangeable monetary policy which is in direct contrast to the monetary policy of fiat money. But for people to benefit from this, they need to understand how it works on an individual level and how to hold bitcoin properly. And I believe the team at Trezor is doing a great job with providing the proper tools for ordinary people to safeguard their sats.

What are you most looking forward to in the Bitcoin space?

Theres many things. Taproot and Schnorr adoption and what benefits it will bring for users. El Salvadors coming bitcoinization and a massive growing adoption in developing countries in general. Im looking forward to further growth in the Lightning Network and the third layer on top of it check out Impervious AIs recent hackathon, that is some fascinating stuff.

But mostly Im looking forward to more and more people realizing that Bitcoin is never going away, and the implications of that.

What is your price prediction for the end of 2021, and the end of 2030?

Let me preface my answer with this: in the short term, we are usually too optimistic. In the long term, we are too pessimistic. At the end of 2021, I believe we will see bitcoin over $100,000. By 2030, over $1 million (in todays purchasing power). But in the long run, fiat price doesnt matter, because we will see fiat fail and bitcoin take over.

Original post:
Why You Should Be Optimistic About The Future Of Bitcoin - Bitcoin Magazine

Letter writers| Fort Myers News-Press

I applaud Dr. Antonuccis plea urging everyone to get vaccinated.For the record, I am against vaccine mandates except in certain special situations and I fervently believe that Lee Health presents one of these special situations.Lee Health should and must mandate vaccinations for its staff.I have heard the argument that many on the staff would quit rather than be vaccinated.Frankly, maybe this is something that needs to happen.

How can they advocate for action they themselves dont follow?Is it that everyone should be vaccinated except the Lee Health staff who come into contact day in, day out with COVID-19 patients?It makes no sense.The staff go home and no matter how they sanitize and take precautions, they put their families, neighbors and the community at risk each time they go out in public because the virus is so highly transmissible.

These individuals are doing heroic work and their dedication is commendable. But isnt it time for them to do what they ask of everyone else?

Charlotte Newton, Fort Myers

According to Rep.Byron Donalds, If I hadnt had COVID-19, I would have gotten vaccinated…. If somebody doesnt want to be vaccinated, to be blunt and with all due respect, thats no business of yours.

With all due respect Mr. Donalds, it is our business. Florida is a COVIDhotbed with a record 242 dying each day, because only 52 percentare fully vaccinated, and our governor has banned mask mandates. The vaccinated are generally protected from serious illness, but children under 12are totally vulnerable, as are many adults with health issues.

In addition, the unvaccinated thwart herd immunity and enable the virus to mutate into more serious variants. People like you, Mr. Donalds, who have recovered from COVID,arent immune and still need a vaccination to stop further spread.

It is disturbing that our self-professed libertarian-leaning congressman believes America is predicated not on our unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but on his license to kill. Mr. Donalds, forgive my bluntness, but your philosophy is not libertarian, its libertine.

Connie B Holzinger,Fort Myers

In the last twoyears of the Trump administration, the Democrats controlled the House. During that time, the House had 14 different Democrat-controlled committees launch 50 investigations into the Trump administration.

Some of the matters investigated were: obstruction, inflated assets, his family security clearances, slow aid to Puerto Rico, conflict of interest, national emergency declaration, emoluments, abuse of power, citizenship question on census, gag orders on staff, short term insurance plans, border security policies, move of FBI headquarters to suburb, border wall funds and, of course, Russia. Can anyone tell me how any of these investigations turned out?

Now we obviously have a crisis in Afghanistan and at our southern border along with many other issues (inflation, gas prices, deals with the Taliban, Hunter, origins of the virus, the virus itself, crime). Can you show me what committees of the House are investigating the Biden administration on anything? Does that indicate what the real motive of the Democrats has always been?

Ron Wobbeking, Naples

In the pantheon of American heroes, Washington, Lincoln and Eisenhower made contributions to our country that are enduring.

However, each man's historical record is not perfect. Washington lost more battles than he won; Lincoln's Civil War resulted in catastrophic loss of life; and Eisenhower's Normandy Invasion endured days of horrendous losses before success was achieved due to the incredible sacrifice and bravery of Allied troops.

As we watch the events in Afghanistan unfold in real time, one wonders if our impressions of yesterday's leaders would have changed if cable news, and live streaming coverage, had been at the battlefields of prior wars.

War was hell then, and war is hell now. One difference today being that we are subjected to instantaneous exposure, assessment and condemnation of leadership. That is not to say that President Biden is a Washington, a Lincolnor an Eisenhower. But it is to suggest that he is being attacked with instantaneous ridicule and daily denigration. Some criticisms are justified, but many are as valid as the integrity of the political pundits who deliver them to their voracious viewers. The long-term wisdom of history will determine Biden's legacy, not the transient trollers on the TVtube.

Manny Cacciola, Fort Myers

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Letters to the editor for Tuesday, August 31, 2021 - News-Press

Actor Sean Penn once again came out strongly against unvaccinated people, likening their insistance on free choice to a Second Amendment advocate pointing a gun in your face.

Speaking to CNN host Michael Smerconish, Penn who previously refused to have unvaccinated people on the set of his Watergate series Gaslit said that while he has some areas of strong belief in the Second Amendment, he cant support those who use the Constitution to justify what he perceives as dangerous actions.

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Its, you know, I have some areas of strong belief in the Second Amendment, Penn said But I think that you need to recognize how, you know, with something like this, you cant go around pointing a gun in somebodys face, which is what it is when people are unvaccinated.

Penn said there were only two categories of people who are resisting being vaccinated.

There are those that, once the FDA gives full approval, will go forward with it. And that there are those who have become entrenched in a kind of radical libertarianism and an identity of politic that has sort of perversely turned this issue into something that forgets that in the United States of America, our entire history, its all based on being independent because we understand interdependency. The entire history of successful things in this country.

He continued, And if were going to continue with successful things, if were going to take some of the great lessons that have been learned in the last year, some of the some of the extraordinary movements, you know, look George Floyd, all of whats happening societal. If were going to take the good parts of that and move it forward were going to do it interdependently and I think vaccination is the beginning of that given that its such a threat now to business, to life style, to life here and around the world.

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Sean Penn Likens Unvaccinated People To Someone Pointing A Gun In Your Face And Citing Second Amendment Rights - Yahoo Entertainment