News
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- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Latest News
Yesterday my daughter and I attended a screening of Bob Bowdon's documentary, The Cartel. The Cartel is being showcased by the Jersey Shore Film Festival.
The Cartel effectively presents what is wrong with our schools and presents some ideas for fixing the problems. Data is presented showing how poorly NJ schools perform compared to the rest of the world and the nation, despite having the highest funding in the world. Solutions presented all involve breaking up the NJ education cartel and cultivating a free market approach that rewards the best schools and teachers.
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- Written by: Glenn Jacobs
- Category: Selected Blogs
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H.R. 2454: American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 will result in a totalitarian centralization of the American economy in the administrative agencies of the federal government, especially the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This 1,300 page horror is a prime example of congressional modus operandi -- no one in Congress actually had the opportunity to read the bill which was, incidentally, being amended as it was debated on the floor. As H.R. 2454 shows, this axiom still holds true: the more benign the title of a congressional bill, the more draconian its contents. After all, who could be against clean energy or security? The real goal of H.R. 2454 has nothing to do with either of these; it is a power grab, pure and simple.
While we have all heard much about the tax implications of H.R. 2454 and that every American family could see a $3,000 a year increase in their energy costs, H.R. 2454 does much more than that. H.R. 2454 is a fascistic fait accompli, giving the government expansive powers to regulate, subsidize, and tax more sectors of the economy. The bill authorizes more federal government control over the electrical grid, state and local building codes, lighting and appliances, industry, the financial markets, and, perhaps most ominously of all, the health care system. In addition, it includes wealth redistribution measures and would allow increases in foreign aid.
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- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Latest News
I just returned from the Jackson Tea Party. I'm not sure whether to get excited about the popularity of the Tea Parties or to get depressed. The large attendance at the many tea parties represent an awakening political movement revolting against our high taxation. However, the Tea Parties have been taken over by right wing conservatives. This is the same group who was silent while the Bush Administration pissed all over our rights.
Conservatives are not libertarians of any sort. Conservatives have demanded government intrusions into the privacy of our bedrooms, jailing of those who ingest non mainstream drugs, and want government to control marriage. They often want to stop the human right of free travel demanding more control over legal immigration based on protectionism. They believe in free markets in products, but carve out an exception in the free market when it comes to labor.
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Open Government Advocacy Project
The Sen. Byron M. Baer Open Public Meetings Act (N.J.S.A. 10:4-14) requires public bodies to make their meeting minutes "promptly available." But, what does this mean?
Here are the cases that I know about that shed some light on this question.
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Latest News
One of the dumbest things I've seen lately is that the State of New Jersey has an "Interior Design Examination And Evaluation Committee" within the Department of Law and Public Safety. According to its Internet site, the "Committee is responsible for protecting the public's health and safety by determining the qualifications of interior designers seeking certification in this State, establishing standards for certification, and disciplining licensees who do adhere to those requirements."
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- Written by: Webmaster
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
Just for fun take the Authentic Libertarian Certification Exam. Be sure to read the directions first. Once done, if you are proud of your results post them in our forum. No cheating by doing research during the exam.
The exam is part of the Frederic Bastiat Interversity's Libertarian Certification Program developed by Michael Everling and Sam Wells.
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The New Jersey Libertarian Party will be exposing thousands of youth to the party and to the fight for liberty at the upcoming Warped Tour concerts in Camden (July 17th) and Oceanport (July 19th). Over 60 bands are scheduled to perform on each night. The lineup includes the punk band Anti-Flag who has several great libertarian songs including "Free Nation?," "This Machine Kills Fascists," "Welcome to 1984," "We Want to Be Free," and "You’ve Got To Die For The Government". Other scheduled bands that have freedom messages in their music include NOFX, Flogging Molly, and Bad Religion. |
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Letters to Editor
Journalists should be ashamed of themselves — all of them
It has been said that gossip is a polite form of murder by character assassination. Those who engage in this type of activity claim they are trying to "help other people understand" the person being gossiped or reported about. In reality, this activity is designed to give the reporter or person a false sense of superiority and to proclaim his or her own self-righteousness. That is all. It is the equivalent of condemning a person to jail without the benefit of a trail.
In most communities, societies and groups, gossip is a constant activity. It is like sport. Even if the gossip, innuendo or rumor is not true, if you tell it often enough, it will be considered gospel. This action has not only attempted and destroyed reputations; it has attempted and destroyed lives.
In the 1980s, there was gossip that was reported about actor Burt Reynolds claiming that he had Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS, for short). There was no proof or truth to the charge, but the newspapers, gossip columns and the broadcast media ran with the story. Finally, the controversy ended when Mr. Reynolds held an interview. He did not have the virus whatsoever. Reynolds was offended and, I have to say, rightfully so.
Also in the 1980s, a rumor surfaced about actress Bridget Nielsen. The gossip claimed she aborted a child that she conceived with former NFL player, Mark Gastineau. The gossip columns in Hollywood also ran with the story. Nielsen then did an interview and stated that it was not true at all. The truth was she had a miscarriage. The controversy was laid to rest once an interview was given. There was no doubt, however, that Miss Nielsen was offended there as well, and who could blame her.
Other similar gossip, innuendo and rumor mongering can be witnessed in politics. For example, when Senator Edward Kennedy spread an innuendo about one time Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork, claiming that he was going to "bring segregation back to the U.S.," for example, the press ran with the claims when they should have looked at Bork's judicial decisions and record. They did not. They failed in doing their research.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, the press ran with rumor a story claiming that Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin's Down syndrome child was not hers, but was her daughter's. The press ran with that false charge never checking it out until after the fact.
In each of the cases that I have described, journalists chose to believe gossip, innuendo and rumor and not do its own investigation. If anyone were to tell me that journalists are in fact a lazy bunch of parasites, considering all the evidence seen over a period of two decades, there is no question that I would think that that statement is correct.
There was a time when journalists, before they ran with a story, checked and rechecked the facts. However, now, where journalists and editors are in competition with other news outlets, to be the first to get the scoop, they throw checking the facts all out the window, stating that it is passe. It is this kind of behavior and work ethic, along with others, that is hurting the institution of the press and the credibility with viewers and readers.
I wish I could tell them all to stop, but journalists, arrogant, condescending narcissists that they are, they will ignore my plea. They will ignore any critic and will try to self justify their actions.
To this, I remind them all of the words of Benjamin Franklin, "Our Critics Are Our Friends; They Show Us Our Faults." God save these people.
ALEX PUGLIESE
Kenilworth
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- Written by: Matt Welch
- Category: Selected Blogs
Aside from perhaps the question answering itself, Fortune/CNN drills into the case of New Jersey, a state that makes California seem well-governed:
In June 2008 the state estimated that the plan - one of the nation's largest, covering teachers, state employees, firefighters, and police - had $34 billion less than it needed to meet its obligations. Since then the market value of the plan has dropped from $82 billion to $56 billion (a new estimate of underfunding is due in July).
Wha happen? [sic] The pension fund gambled on dot-com stocks, hedge funds, and other equity plays. The state cut contributions based on formulae that assumed such nonsense as an 8.75 percent annual return. Then, against that backdrop, this:
Meanwhile, the obligations keep mounting: Even while they were neglecting pension contributions, New Jersey politicians were sweetening the pot. In 2001 benefits for the state's two largest groups of workers, government employees and teachers, were increased by 9%, creating an additional $4.2 billion in liabilities. In 1999 the state approved a "20 and out" measure that allowed firefighters and local police to collect pensions equal to 50% of their pay after 20 years of service - a perk previously available only to the state police. Benefits added since 1999 have increased liabilities by more than $6.8 billion, according to official estimates.
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- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Police Accountability Project
The officer's name is Joseph R. Rios, III. In 2008 he was paid $79,995. He has been on the force for six years. The Passiac Police Departments phone number is (973)365-3958. City Hall can be reached at (973)365-5500.
UPDATE: Officer Rios and his partner have both been suspended without pay. Officer Rios claims he did nothing wrong and that his actions were justified because Holloway became verbally abusive after being told to zip up his shirt. Is it surprising that someone would be "verbally abusive" after receiving uninvited fashion advice?
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- Written by: Webmaster
- Category: Policy News
Today the NJ Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee voted to move A804 out of committee. The vote was 8 to 1, with 2 abstentions. The bill now moves to a vote before the state Assembly. Contact your State Assembly representatives and urge them to vote for this bill.
Listen to the testimony below.
This bill has come a long way. It a has already passed the State Senate, and Corzine has committed to signing it.
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- Written by: Webmaster
- Category: Latest News
While the world watches Susan Boyle lose the top prize and cowers in the wake of the dreaded swine flu, the world financial crisis deepens and worsens. The American people are slowly waking up to fiscal realities as our iconic car dealerships and banking establishments flounder in an ocean of red ink. Everywhere we turn something else blows up, and we can’t seem to find a bottom to the stock market. Prices seem inflated much beyond what government measurements are reporting.
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- Written by: Webmaster
- Category: Policy News
A804, NJ's medical marijuana bill is scheduled for a legislative hearing on Thursday in Trenton. We have gotten S119 through the Senate, we need a repeat performance on A804. The following is a message from the Drug Policy Alliance:
Here in New Jersey, you and I have been working hard to end the drug war. Next up is medical marijuana. Today, you can take action to help pass our state's Compassionate Use Act.
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- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Latest News
From an early age our society falsely teaches us that our country was founded as a democracy. School teachers, journalists, and politicians alike all wrongly praise democracy. In our government schools, the adamant opposition to democracy of our country's founders is not taught. Our founders specifically avoided the creation of a democracy. Rather they created a Constitutionally Limited Republic.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
Over the past weekend, I was watching a report concerning the Bernard Madoff scandal. The report focused on how Madoff defrauded investors and robbed a great majority of them of their life savings through a Ponzi scheme. Overall the reporting was informative, probing and unequivocal. The interviews were top notch and very good. What struck me most about the interviews, however, was when a question was asked. The question was "Should government bail out the victims of Bernard Madoff?" A majority of the victims, including former Colorado Congressman, Tom Tancredo, responded that it should. All were in agreement. I came to a different point of view, however.