Brian’s Column: Rethinking Libertarian Party Strategy:1

… in an Era of Federal Government Torture, War Crimes, and Gross Treason

MrSmithJust watched the Frank Capra classic 1939 movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington—nominated for 12 Oscars, starring Jimmy Stewart and Jean Arthur—and I’m thinking, “Boy, the writers sure nailed this baby, nothing’s changed in 75 years but the hair styles!” The movie depicts a boys’ organization leader (Stewart) who by fluke is selected by a governor to fill the vacancy in the US Senate due to the death of the elected senator. The whole state, including the governor, the other senator, and all major businesses and news outlets are run by a Mafia-like political boss ‘Taylor’ played by Edward Arnold. Continue reading

Book Review: No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority (1870)

The Constitution of No Authority
by Lysander Spooner
Review by Brian Wright first posted July 20, 2009

…”on principles of law and reason”

No Treason: The Constitution of No AuthorityIn No Treason, Lysander Spooner uses the above expression on practically every page. On those foundations, he makes his case that the US Constitution—and by universal extension, any other formal written document that aims to set up a compulsory central government—cannot be morally or legally justified. Primarily Spooner focuses on the weaknesses of the “social contract” argument. He puts the Constitution to the test of contracts, as prevailed in his time and place, and concludes that it does not meet the basic criteria for a contract at all… hence is not valid or binding on anyone. Continue reading