Video: “Big Brother Is Watching You”

Video:  “Big Brother Is Watching You”

“Free People Free Markets” Class Scheduled for January and February

LEARN THE FUNDAMENTALS OF

THE PHILOSOPHY, HISTORY,

ECONOMICS, AND POLITICS

OF

FREEDOM:

“FREE PEOPLE/FREE MARKETS:

PRINCIPLES OF LIBERTY”

CLASSES OFFERED BY

The Independence Institute

[AVAILABLE FOR COLLEGE CREDIT]

Two Saturdays only:

January 30, 2010

February 13, 2010

9:00a.m.-5:00 p.m.

13952 Denver West Parkway, Suite 400

Golden, Co 80401

For more information,

Please call [303] 279-6536

or go to

http:/www.i2i.org/main/page.php?page_id=259

Summer Reading: Saving Freedom

Saving Freedom: We Can Stop America’s Slide into Socialism by Jim DeMint (Nashville:  Fidelis Books, 2009) is the only book I know of with its own Twitter account.

I was excited when I learned about the book because I’ve been impressed with the work Senator DeMint has been doing to hold back the flood of socialism in Washington.  I enjoyed the first few chapters, though I did get a little tired of the stories he started them with and his experiences.

However, I was disappointed when I read Chapter Thirteen, “The Plan to Save Freedom: Change Begins with Us.”  Senator DeMint’s A-PLUS Act and most parts of Representative Ryan’s “Road Map for American’s Future” are unacceptable if not socialist because they involve the federal government in areas like education, retirement plans (Social Security), and health care, which are not among the areas over which the Constitution gives it power.  The only conservative plan in these areas should be to get the federal government out of them completely and as quickly as possible.

Is Jim DeMint just another big-government Republican like George W. Bush?  I hope not, but I’m not sure any more.

Organizations for Colorado Conservatives, Libertarians, and Other Freedom Lovers

I’m trying to put together a list of organizations in Colorado where people who believe in limited government, free markets, and individual liberty can get more involved.  Please let me know of any organizations I should add.

• Americans for Prosperity Colorado–“Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFP Foundation) are committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. AFP is an organization of grassroots leaders who engage citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local, state and federal levels. The grassroots members of AFP advocate for public policies that champion the principles of entrepreneurship and fiscal and regulatory restraint.”
• Centennial Institute–“The Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University works to enhance public understanding of the most important issues relating to faith, family, and freedom. As part of this endeavor, the institute focuses its efforts on conducting research, analyzing public policy options, and sponsoring seminars, conferences, and other activities that involve students, faculty, staff, and outside experts.”
• Clear the Bench Colorado–“Clear The Bench Colorado is a grassroots movement to hold Colorado’s Supreme Court justices accountable to the Colorado Constitution and to the people of Colorado.”
• Coalition for a Conservative Majority – Colorado Springs Chapter–“CCM will bring the enormous power of the natural conservative majority in the United States to bear on our local and national leaders as they shape our policies. Politicians on the left and right will no more be able to ignore conservatives: CCM is going to make conservatives like you heard and seen again in the American debate.”
• Coalition for a Conservative Majority – Denver Metro Area Chapter–“The goal of our 70-plus member organization is to promote conservative principles and values in government and to preserve the revolutionary ideals handed down to us from our Founding Fathers.”
• Colorado 9/12 Project–Colorado Ning site for the 9.12 Project Network
• Colorado Freedom Coalition–“A coalition of organizations dedicated to supporting the principles that make Colorado strong. We believe in Colorado’s future and founding principles of freedom, fiscal discipline, individual liberty and limited government. Collectively, we will achieve real progress on the principles we stand for and believe in.”
• Colorado Republican Business Coalition–“To promote the interests of small business among policy makers and opinion leaders, to inform and educate on legislation that helps or hurts Colorado businesses, and to encourage citizens in business to participate in the political process.”
• Colorado SGP (Smart Girl Politics)–“Smart Girl Politics is a grass roots organization that promotes the opinions and principles of conservative women. We are dedicated to the advancement of conservative women in all levels of government. Men are more than welcome to join.”
• Colorado Union of Taxpayers–“Colorado’s oldest taxpayer rights organization.”
• Free People, Free Markets–“The philosophy of the Austrian School of economics and its connection to the founding ideas of the American experiment.” The Ning site was created for graduates of the Independence Institute‘s Free People Free Markets class and other supporters of capitalism and individual freedom.
• Gadsden Society–“The Gadsden Society is a non-partisan public advocacy group, fighting for the preservation and expansion of individual liberty throughout Colorado. We monitor bills pending in the state legislature and advocate on behalf of legislation that expands individual liberty and fight against legislation that contracts individual liberty. We are a state based organization. We leave the federal issues up to other groups.”
• Hear Us Now–“Hear Us Now is a new non-profit and non-partisan group which intends to build a coalition of people committed to improving our community and our government. Hear Us Now was created as a result of the need the members saw within the state of Colorado after having organized the first two Denver Tea Parties.”
• Independence Institute–“The Independence Institute is established upon the eternal truths of the Declaration of Independence. Founded in 1985, the Independence Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit public policy research organization dedicated to providing timely information to concerned citizens, government officials, and public opinion leaders.”
• Liberty on the Rocks Denver–“Liberty on the Rocks is a grass-roots organization whose goal is to provide a social environment to unite liberty-minded individuals not only with one another, but also with the freedom-based organizations in their local communities. This social environment provides a place for individuals to meet and network with each other, gain and disseminate knowledge on the importance of limited government, free markets and individual rights and to learn more about what is going on in their local communities to enhance individual freedoms. It the organizations belief that those in this country have a right to protect their liberties, and it is they, not the politicians in Washington, who have the power to do so.”
• Limited Government Forum–“LGF was formed in 2007 to help promote the ideas of individual responsibility and freedom in contrast to the tendency for people to turn to government for solutions to almost all social problems, aiming particularly at the Colorado Springs/El Paso County area.”
• Pikes Peak Economics Club–“The Pikes Peak Economics Club (PPEC) was formed in 2005. We meet monthly to discuss topics in political economy from a free-market perspective. We offer a quarterly condensed one-night version of the Free People, Free Markets course offered at the Independence Institute.” (The website is currently under construction.)
• Republican Study Committee of Colorado–“The Republican Study Committee of Colorado (RSCC) is a voluntary association of elected Colorado legislators that formulates, supports, and communicates legislative actions and positions consistent with its vision and Declaration of Principles. Modeled after the Republican Study Committee of the U.S. Congress, the RSCC provides long range planning and continuity between legislative sessions, helps identify and prioritize content on issues supported by the RSCC, fosters better coordination with groups that support Republican core issues, and increases the potential for national and state-to-state sharing and coordination of legislative information.”
• The Rocky Mountain Foundation–“The Rocky Mountain Foundation is organized for the purpose of conducting research and education on public policies and trends affecting the freedom, security and prosperity of Colorado’s citizens and future generations.”

For an updated list, along with related political parties, go to the Colorado page on Elephants Never Forget.

Video: “We Must Take America Back – Steve Vaus”

Video:  “We Must Take America Back – Steve Vaus”

Video: “The Philosophy of Liberty”

Video:  “The Philosophy of Liberty”

You Might Be a Rightwing Extremist

You might be a rightwing extremist if you . . .

. . . attended a tea party
. . . own a gun
. . . go to church regularly
. . . interpret the Constitution literally
. . . don’t believe the “mainstream” media
. . . believe the government should not run health care
. . . believe in states’ rights
. . . believe there are limits on what the government can and should do
. . . listen to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham, and other conservative talk show hosts
. . . are a Christian
. . . pay your mortgage
. . . believe in free speech
. . . believe in freedom of religion
. . . served in the military
. . . watch the FOX News Channel
. . . drive an SUV or a pickup
. . . live in Texas
. . . believe taxes are too high
. . . believe the federal government spends too much
. . . think the public schools are failing to do their job
. . . believe that immigrants should follow the country’s laws and procedures to come here
. . . believe that the government shouldn’t be running businesses
. . . don’t want a handout from the government or anyone else
. . . are a capitalist
. . . believe the free market can fix the economy better than the government can
. . . belong to the NRA
. . . oppose abortion
. . . have read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution

Congressional Ratings by Conservative Organizations

The following organizations, which I would classify as conservative, all rate members of Congress on issues that they, the organizations, consider to be most important:

• The American Conservative Union: Congressional Ratings
• Free Trade, Free Markets: Rating Congress
• NTU (National Taxpayers Union) Rates Congress
• Council for Citizens Against Government Waste: Congressional Ratings
• Americans for Better Immigration: Immigration Report Cards
• Americans for Tax Reform: Congressional Ratings and Awards
• Center for Security Policy: National Security Scorecard 2007-2008
• Eagle Forum Scoreboard
• Family Research Council: Voting Records
• Federation for American Immigration Reform: Voting Reports
• FreedomWorks Key Votes: Economic Scorecard
• American Land Rights Association
• Gun Owners of America:  GOA House Ratings, GOA Senate Ratings

Most Important Economic Equations

capitalism = freedom

socialism = slavery

Video: “The Four Pillars of Health Care Reform”

“Watch Rick Scott, Chairman of Conservatives for Patients’ Rights, in CPR’s new ad discussing the four pillars that any health care reform must include: Choice, Competition, Accountability and Personal Responsibility.”

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Video:  “The Four Pillars of Health Care Reform“