The
Rational Argumentator
Issue CXXXVII - January 9-10, 2008
Stockpiles and Speculators:
Robert P. Murphy
January 9, 2008
Although most commentators concede that the free market does a decent job providing regular goods and services day in and day out, for some reason they believe that when it comes to unlikely but catastrophic events, government intervention is necessary. An excellent example of this misguided mindset is the recent argument over what to do with the federally administered Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Dr. Robert P. Murphy shows that government involvement only makes things worse, and that the free market — if only allowed to do its job — would solve the alleged problem.
Can Unions Cause Price Inflation?:
Robert P. Murphy
January 10, 2008
Central banks around the world have painted themselves into a corner as of late, as their plans for injecting hundreds of billions of dollars worth of credit into the financial markets butts up against their desire to avoid massive price increases. Rather than take the blame for this predicament, the financial central planners have characteristically started pointing fingers elsewhere. In the January 5–6 weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal, we learn that it is apparently unions who are now at fault. Dr. Robert Murphy explains the faults with the view that unions cause price inflation.
Poetry
The Plastic Lady:
Selwyn Duke
January 10, 2008
Selwyn Duke offers this poem about Hillary Clinton's recent crying performance and its implications regarding the sorry state of contemporary American politics.
Politics
People for the Evil Treatment of Animals:
G. Stolyarov II
January 9, 2008
The organization known as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is comprised of murderers, hypocrites, and vehement haters of humankind. Yes, the sad truth is that PETA kills innocent, healthy animals by the thousands while doing everything in its ability to damage the well-being of humans. Mr. Stolyarov explains PETA's true agenda and the wanton killings it perpetrates to bring about its ideal world.
On Foreign Entanglements: The Ties That Strangle:
Ron Paul
January 9, 2008
Last week Ron Paul highlighted the irony of sending nearly $1 billion overseas in military earmarks as we close down bases here at home to save money. Our government's flawed foreign policy troubles him this week especially. Benazir Bhutto's assasination was a great tragedy. Pakistan is now more than ever teetering on chaos. And all the money we have sent Musharraf has inadvertently drawn a target on our backs.
No Sunlight on the Omnibus:
Ron Paul
January 9, 2008
One Christmas tradition Congress could do without, writes Ron Paul, is the broken process of passing the annual Omnibus Spending Bill, which we recently did right before the holiday recess. Dr. Paul proposes a reform which would allow congressmen to actually read the bills they are voting on.
Why Does the Establishment Hate Ron Paul?:
Chuck Baldwin
January 9, 2008
"What is it about Ron Paul that the Establishment finds so disturbing?" asks Dr. Chuck Baldwin. This is a man who perhaps personifies character and integrity, American patriotism, and family values more than any other public figure. Dr. Baldwin believes that Dr. Paul's integrity stands in sharp contrast to the lack thereof in Establishment politics. Establishment politicians from both the Left and the Right hate a man whose principled honesty towers above their corruption and their advocacy of increasing statism.
At War With Mexico:
Alan Caruba
January 9, 2008
It’s an issue that will dominate the elections in 2008. It is illegal immigration, but there was scarce attention paid during the debates leading up to the
The New Era of Decentralized Media:
G. Stolyarov II
January 10, 2008
This election season differs dramatically from any that came before it. The stakes are higher, the debate is more vibrant, but most importantly, the old mainstream media are no longer in control. In early 2005, the beginnings of the Internet media revolution were already showing, as fact-finding by hundreds of bloggers exposed a falsified CBS story about President Bush’s military record and brought down the seemingly impregnable career of Dan Rather. In 2006, in another triumph for media transparency, bloggers discovered Reuters’ deliberate doctoring of photographs from
Sustainable Development: The Root of All Our Problems:
Tom DeWeese
January 10, 2008
The politically based environmental movement provides Sustainablists camouflage as they work to transform the American systems of government, justice, and economics. Tom DeWeese explains that Sustainable Development is a masterful mixture of socialism (with its top-down control of the tools of the economy) and fascism (where property is owned in name only - with no control). Sustainable Development is the worst of both the left and the right. It is not liberal, nor is it conservative. It is a new kind of tyranny that, if not stopped, will surely lead us to a new Dark Ages of pain and misery yet unknown to mankind.
Videos
New Republic Slanders Ron Paul, Engages in Vile Dishonesty - Video:
G. Stolyarov II
January 9, 2008
What Atheism Actually Is - Video
G. Stolyarov II
January 9, 2008
Atheism Myths: #1: Atheists Hate God - Video:
G. Stolyarov II
January 9, 2008
Atheism Myths: #2: Atheists Hate Believers in God - Video:
G. Stolyarov II
January 9, 2008
Atheism Myths: #3: Atheists are Socialists or Totalitarians - Video:
G. Stolyarov II
January 9, 2008
Atheism Myths: #4: Atheists Lack Objective Moral Standards - Video:
G. Stolyarov II
January 9, 2008
Atheism Myths: #5: Atheism is a Religion - Video:
G. Stolyarov II
January 9, 2008
Atheism Myths: #6: Atheists Seek to Suppress Religion - Video:
G. Stolyarov II
January 9, 2008
"The true antidote to racism is liberty. Liberty means having a limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights rather than group claims. Liberty means free-market capitalism, which rewards individual achievement and competence - not skin color, gender, or ethnicity."
~ Ron Paul