-
We start this week off with some not-so-surprising news (if you're a Libertarian). During the EFF's case against the NSA's warrantless wiretaps, the Obama administration mirrored the Bush policy that continuing the case would be harming "national security." Second, the Obama Administration argued that the U.S. Government is immune from any litigation regarding surveillance that violates federal privacy statues. Still waiting on that change.
Switzerland, a (now former) bastion of financial privacy looks to be cowering on G20 country requests for client records. After the tax evasion scandal, UBS is asking its employees not to travel abroad to meet wealthy clients. Let's hope the Swiss keep their bank secrecy traditions alive.
As mentioned last week, Motor Home Diaries is off to a great start. This week the MHD crew posted a video introducing the site and explaining what its all about.
Freedom Book Club is now selecting their book for this month. Among the choices are Tom Woods' Meltdown, The Left, The Right and The State and Tulipmania.
If you're like me, you wonder often about what a truly private defense agency would look like. How would it operate? What kind of protections could be offered? This week I stumbled upon a great site that has outlined the business model for such an enterprise with staggering detail. I suggest setting aside some time and reading some of the papers on this site. Hat tip: @bradspangler.
This months Cato Unbound segment centers on Patri Friedman's (son of David Friedman) Seasteading project. If you haven't heard, its a project aimed at getting movable platforms built for sea-living! If thats not a Libertarian idea, I don't know what is.
A Red Cross report detailing the torture (as a matter of policy) going on at Guantanamo Bay was recently released by The New York Review of Books. The report details treatment of prisoners, response by medical staff and interrogation techniques. Perhaps the torture-denier crowd can finally be swayed?
In the past six months, the Pentagon said it spend $100 million in defense of "cyber-attacks." Naturally, they aren't disclosing the details. My guess? Internal spyware and adware from porn sites.
There's hope yet! Iowa's Supreme Court overturned a law prohibiting same-sex marriages. Iowa of all places. Good for them. Of course, I am against all state-involvement in marriages, but this at least shows that there are some decent, rational people in the stereotyped "red-states."
Barack "the peace candidate" Obama asks for $83.4b to fun Iraq and Afghan wars, leaving Libertarians everywhere unable to resist telling their friends who voted for the guy "I told you so."
I leave you this week with a quote from Barack Obama:
"Let me assure you in the days ahead my administration intends to do to every industry in this country exactly what we are doing to the automakers."
Yours in Liberty
Powered by