LibertyMaryland

The Isle of Jekyll - where a handful of the richest men in existence secretly plotted the creation of the Federal Reserve

What’s the Federal Reserve? Most folks will tell you it’s a large, complex, central banking system headed by a small group of elite economists and bankers that control every aspect of the United States money system.

But most folks probably don’t know how it got started.

I found out when I made a recent business trip to Jekyll Island - a small island off the coast of Georgia. It’s a remarkable place with lots of natural beauty, a great golf course and huge Golden-Age era mansions. They filmed “The Legend of Bagger Vance” there to give you an idea.

I played a few games of tennis on the best clay courts I’ve ever laid eyes on.

During the conference, my coworkers and I were treated to elegant multi-course meals, complimentary cigars and more single-cask bourbon than I would care to remember.

We stayed at the Jekyll Island Clubhouse, the original building where 7 men (one Senator and the 6 richest men on the planet) met - in secret, with fake names, no less - to lay out plans for the Federal Reserve. Continue reading The Isle of Jekyll - where a handful of the richest men in existence secretly plotted the creation of the Federal Reserve…

Alcohol and Other Drugs

Alcohol was prohibited at the federal level for fourteen years. However unsuccessful the government agents were, in stopping drinking, they did succeed in suppressing civil liberties. The Prohibition Era has been credited with wiretapping, and warrantless searches of private homes. When the American people got fed up with their rights being trampled, they organized and supported candidates who pledged to erase the Prohibition Amendment from the Constitution. When they succeeded, most states legalized the distribution and sale of liquor, and criminal gangs dominating the trade went out of business. The repeal of a bad law accomplished what the indiscriminate use of force and tax money could never do: the end of criminal trade in liquor.

When misused, alcohol is still a deadly drug, and human weakness and disease enable alcohol to destroy families. We live in a society though, that strives to be free with minimal local regulations. The federal prohibition against alcohol became a prohibition against liberty.

Illegal drugs, or our government’s attempt to solve the problems resulting from these substances has affected many Americans. These substances known as “drugs” are not all equally dangerous. In the late 1960’s the anti-war, anti-government mentality was endemic, resulting in a popular anti-establishment statement of marijuana use. Medical marijuana is the easiest example of how liberty and common sense blend. Full drug legalization though, is the tough question. Drug laws against physically addictive substances may be necessary, but at the federal level? Constitutionally, the federal government does not seem to have this power.

As a father of four, and a grandfather of two, I understand the fear associated with raising families in this culture. Having practiced dentistry twenty-five years in Baltimore City, I have witnessed patients merely existing from one drug program to another. Any substance that disassociates someone from truth, whether it is alcohol or some other drug, is counterproductive. But, is it the Federal Government’s role to declare war on it, and is the war working? I would call for a study of how to transition from a federal war on drugs, to a system that would support liberties, protect our citizens, and encourage a sober populace. This should be a State matter, not Federal.

Free Talk Live

Free Talk Live is a liberty oriented talk show syndicated out of New Hampshire. The hosts Ian and Mark are members of the Free State Project, a project with the goal of moving thousands of liberty activist to one state to better affect the politics of that state. The show is not broadcast in this area but you can listen to it via live stream and podcast. I have enjoyed listening to the show for the past few months and I thought I would pass along the recommendation to you.

One interesting topic on the show recently was a civil disobedience event that they were planning along with the Free State Project activists. To protest hypocritical New Hampshire state laws against gambling they are going to hold an open poker game out side in a public area. This is intended to be a challenge to the local authorities to see if they will arrest the participants. They intend to challenge in court the laws against allowing members of the public to take wagers with each other, while simultaneously allowing the public to take wagers with the state in the form of the lottery. Even if they are not successful in court, they hope to point out the hypocrisy of the situation to the general public with any media coverage they may garner.

I applaud these Free State Activist in these activities. Seeing as we in Maryland live in the state that has as its actual official motto “The Free State”, is this a type of activity that we could emulate? What public civil disobedience type event might the liberty community suggest? Please comment below.

The Iranian Problem

With Iran being presented much the same way Iraq and Saddam Hussein were in the past, and with it receiving so much attention in the 2008 presidential campaign, reason needs to be presented to counter our march to unnecessary war. You won’t hear reason from any of the media-loved Republicans on this issue (Romney, Huckabee, Giuliani, or McCain) , nor will you hear it from the media-chosen Democrats (Clinton, Obama etc).

America’s policy on nuclear proliferation in Iran specifically, and Iran’s influence in the middle east in general, brings out the worst of American imperialist politics. First, America needs to step back from “pre-emption“. That is, the policy of invading or taking military action against a country we “think” might be planning to harm our “interests”. Pre-emption is a code word for imperialism. It means that we can attack anyone we think might be looking at us funny, as “interests” are so loosely defined as to make anything permissible. The only acceptable cause for using military force is to defend life or property of our citizens. Anything else opens up the slippery slope we have too often slid down, to our own peril and harm.

When a politician is asked, “Will you allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons if you are president?”, it would be refreshing and give hope for peace and freedom if the politician would answer “it is not my place, or the place of our country to decide who can have what weapons”. Unless we are currently at war with another country, we are overstepping our rights as human beings, when we presume to tell them how they can defend themselves. We are setting ourselves at a higher position, that of demi-gods or imperials lords, when we attempt to control others in such a manner. This is bad for freedom, bad for human dignity, and bad for our own souls.

Further, if one studies history, and understands why Iran and the United States are at odds today, one can see that the problem may not be intractable. Indeed, all the arguments made by our mainstream politicians regarding the sanity of the Iranian government and religious leaders totally ignores the fact that China, and Russia, and plenty of other countries are not terrified by that Iranian government. Continue reading The Iranian Problem…