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The Weekly Minute for 2/2/09-2/6/09

All the Libertarian News you can use for the week of February 6th, 2009

I scream, you scream we all scream for stimulus!

The stimulus will probably pass and my guess is one of two ways:

1.) The Senate moans and groans and tries to make everyone think they are having a difficult time deciding on what to do, in the end passing the stimulus.
2.) Senators complain that the stimulus is bias towards this group or that and doesn't do enough to help these groups over here and reject the package. It will get re-worked to include all the goodies the Senators want and they'll promptly pass it.

Stimulus Watch was launched this week. While the site is slick, it does not oppose the bill, but rather is trying to steer its direction a bit by allowing Internet users to vote and comment on potential projects the stimulus money might reach.

A recent Rasmussen poll has concluded that 50% of Americans think the passage of the Stimulus will make things worse. A great article by Russell Roberts on boston.com points out how the stimulus will just put the Government further into debt, canceling any supposed "economic stimulus" the bill would provide.

It's bailout mania! In France, President Sarkozy is bailing out the failing news-print media. Teenagers turning 18 will now get free newspaper subscriptions, courtesy of the State. I fail to see how this is going to help these companies in the long-term.

Finally, some relief for the people of Zimbabwe. Amid hyper-inflation, the Government has abandoned its currency and is allowing Zimbabweans to conduct business in other currencies. No matter how hard you try, you cannot fight the market.

This week, Reason Papers (founded by Tibor Machan) announced that it will be publishing all of its content online at time of print. Previously, they kept the web archive two-issues behind print.

Repudiate the Debt was launched in hopes of building a popular grassroots movement to repeal section 4 of the 14th amendment of the Constitution prohibiting future indebtedness. A tall order to be sure.

A continuing theme here on The Weekly Minute is Britain's eagerness to fulfill its Orwellian destiny. In keeping with tradition, I bring you a report from the Children's Society of the UK, which has concluded that individualism is the greatest threat to British kids.

I think I'll end here and let that last one sink in a bit. Until next week...

Yours in Liberty