Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 15:23:11 -0600 (MDT) From: advo@self-gov.org (Advocates for SelfGovernment) Subject: Liberator Online, Vol. 7, No. 11 To: liberator@theadvocates.org Reply-To: Advocates@self-gov.org
In This Issue:
Exposed -- a widely-circulated "urban legend" about the signers of the Declaration of Independence; Shocking poll: are millions of Americans Marxist sympathizers?; the economy may be sluggish, but government is growing by leaps and bounds; Congress is on a wild spending spree (okay, you figured that, but here are some shocking new numbers); new book on surviving terrorism could save your life; Mary Ruwart is asked "What the @@##%%!!! is a libertarian?" and "Is the war in Afghanistan a moral war?"; Michael Cloud tells you why you can't have what you *have* to have -- and what you can do about that frustrating notion....
All this and *much much more* in the world's largest-circulation libertarian email newsletter...
THE LIBERATOR ONLINE
June 25, 2002 Vol. 7, No. 11 Circulation: 50,467 in 102 countries
Published by the Advocates for Self-Government. Created and edited by Paul Schmidt, mailto:paul@self-gov.org Co-edited by James W. Harris, mailto:james@self-gov.org
"I LOVE IT!!! Keep up the good work."
-- World Wrestling Federation superstar -- and libertarian -- Sean Morley (a.k.a. Val Venis), talking about The Liberator Online.
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CONTENTS
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
* Correcting a false account of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence
WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES
* Republican libertarians report OPH success * Final days of "Discover Liberty" project ...and much more!
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
* Are Millions of Americans Marxist Sympathizers? * CORRECTION to last issue * Wildfire: Government Is Growing Faster than the Economy * Congress is on a Crazed Spending Spree * Taxation is Theft!
ASK DR. RUWART
* What the @@%%!!! is a libertarian? * Is the War in Afghanistan a moral war?
PERSUASION POWER POINT #125
* You Can't Have What You Have To Have by Michael Cloud
PRODUCT REVIEW
* This book could save your family, your business, your community -- your life!
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
Dear friends,
I'd like to correct a widespread "urban legend" about the American Revolution -- and hopefully inspire you as well.
American Independence Day -- July 4 -- is almost upon us.
That gives us a chance to reflect upon the courage and sacrifices of the patriots who won liberty for America and for so much of the world during the American Revolution.
It is also a good time to correct a widely-circlated inaccurate story about the signers of the Declaration of Independence -- a story that this newsletter (along with innumerable other publications over the years) was once fooled by.
You may have seen a short -- and mesmerizing -- article about the sacrifices and sufferings of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. It is sometimes entitled "The Price They Paid" or "What Happened to the Signers?".
Usually no author is given. Sometimes it's attributd to Rush Limbaugh or Paul Harvey.
It is a dramatic, moving, powerful piece of writing. In fact, it is so powerful that it has been reprinted, in different versions, in dozens, perhaps hundreds, of magazines and newspapers. Including, a couple of years ago, the Liberator Online. (Vol. 4, No. 13, June 29, 1999).
Unfortunately, however, it turns out that this story is also terribly inaccurate. Every version I've seen -- including, to our chagrin, the one we reprinted -- is riddled with errors and unverifiable claims. (A detailed refutation of many of the errors can be found at: http://home.nycap.rr.com/elbrecht/signers/signerindex.htm ).
And that's a shame, because the true story of the Founders and those who fought for liberty alongside them is awe-inspiring enough -- and needs no false drama.
Americans from all backgrounds suffered terribly and made great sacrifices to win our liberty during the Revolution. Thousands died, thousands more were wounded, thousands lost their homes, their businesses, their fortunes. The Signers suffered, worried, and fought alongside their fellow patriots -- and many, in leadership roles, provided the Revolution with invaluable guidance and inspiration.
The Heritage Foundation has prepared the article below to give a more accurate account of what happened to the Signers. While admittedly it lacks some of the drama of the widely-circulated false piece, it has one virtue (in addition to accuracy!) that I really appreciate:
** It shows that the Signers continued their struggle for liberty -- both in government and in the private sector -- after the Revolution. **
They knew that building a free society -- and keeping it free -- was a lifelong task. They knew that eternal vigilance is indeed the price of liberty.
The torch has been passed on to us. Are we willing to assume the responsibility to preserve and expand our heritage of liberty? Are we willing to contribute our talents, time, and financial support to the causes and organizations that are fighting today's battles for freedom?
Here's the Heritage article.
* * *
A NOTE ON THE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
by Matthew Spalding, Heritage Foundation
"...we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
(Each year information about those who signed the Declaration of Independence is circulated, not all of which is accurate. The following note is based on research in several established sources, which are noted below.)
Fifty-six individuals from each of the original 13 colonies participated in the Second Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. Pennsylvania sent nine delegates to the congress, followed by Virginia with seven and Massachusetts and New Jersey with five. Connecticut, Maryland, New York, and South Carolina each sent four delegates. Delaware, Georgia, New Hampshire, and North Carolina each sent three. Rhode Island, the smallest colony, sent only two delegates to Philadelphia.
Nine of the signers were immigrants, two were brothers, two were cousins, and one was an orphan. The average age of a signer was 45. The oldest delegate was Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, who was 70 when he signed the Declaration. The youngest was Thomas Lynch, Jr., of South Carolina, who was 27.
Eighteen of the signers were merchants or businessmen, 14 were farmers, and four were doctors. Forty-two signers had served in their colonial legislatures. Twenty-two were lawyers -- although William Hooper of North Carolina was "disbarred" when he spoke out against the Crown -- and nine were judges. Stephen Hopkins had been Governor of Rhode Island.
Although two others had been clergy previously, John Witherspoon of New Jersey was the only active clergyman to attend -- he wore his pontificals to the sessions. Almost all were Protestant Christians; Charles Carroll of Marylan was the only Roman Catholic signer.
Seven of the signers were educated at Harvard, four each at Yale and William & Mary, and three at Princeton. John Witherspoon was the president of Princeton and George Wythe was a professor at William & Mary, where his students included the author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson.
Seventeen of the signers served in the military during the American Revolution. Thomas Nelson was a colonel in the Second Virginia Regiment and then commanded Virginia military forces at the Battle of Yorktown. William Whipple served with the New Hampshire militia and was one of the commanding officers in the decisive Saratoga campaign. Oliver Wolcott led the Connecticut regiments sent for the defense of New York and commanded a brigade of militia that took part in the defeat of General Burgoyne. Caesar Rodney was a Major General in the Delaware militia and John Hancock was the same in the Massachusetts militia.
Five of the signers were captured by the British during the war. Captains Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, and Arthur Middleton (South Carolina) were all captured at the Battle of Charleston in 1780; Colonel George Walton was wounded and captured at the Battle of Savannah. Richard Stockton of New Jersey never recovered from his incarceration at the hands of British Loyalists and died in 1781.
Colonel Thomas McKean of Delaware wrote John Adams that he was "hunted like a fox by the enemy -- compelled to remove my family five times in a few months, and at last fixed them in a little log house on the banks of the Susquehanna . . . and they were soon obliged to move again on account of the incursions of the Indians." Abraham Clark of New Jersey had two of his sons captured by the British during the war. The son of John Witherspoon, a major in the New Jersey Brigade, was killed at the Battle of Germantown.
Eleven signers had their homes and property destroyed. Francis Lewis's New York home was destroyed and his wife was taken prisoner. John Hart's farm and mills were destroyed when the British invaded New Jersey and he died while fleeing capture. Carter Braxton and Thomas Nelson (both of Virginia) lent large sums of their personal fortunes to support the war effort, but were never repaid.
Fifteen of the signers participated in their states' constitutional conventions, and six -- Roger Sherman, Robert Morris, Benjamin Franklin, George Clymer, James Wilson, and George Reed --signed the United States Constitution. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts attended the federal convention and, though he later supported the document, refused to sign the Constitution.
After the Revolution, 13 of the signers went on to become governors, and 18 served in their state legislatures. Sixteen became state and federal judges. Seven became members of the United States House of Representatives, and six became United States Senators. James Wilson and Samuel Chase became Justices of the United States Supreme Court.
Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Elbridge Gerry each became Vice President, and John Adams and Thomas Jefferson became President. The sons of signers John Adams and Benjamin Harrison also became Presidents.
Five signers played major roles in the establishment of colleges and universities: Benjamin Franklin and the University of Pennsylvania; Thomas Jefferson and the University of Virginia; Benjamin Rush and Dickinson College; Lewis Mrris and New York University; and George Walton and the University of Georgia.
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Charles Carroll were the longest surviving signers. Adams and Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Charles Carroll of Maryland was the last signer to die -- in 1832 at the age of 95.
(Sources: Robert Lincoln, Lives of the Presidents of the United States, with Biographical Notices of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence (Brattleboro Typographical Company, 1839); John and Katherine Bakeless, Signers of the Declaration (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1969); Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-1989 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1989).
* * *
Libertarian Party National Convention: Are you going to the LP National Convention, in Indianapolis, Indiana July 3-7? If so, be sure to stop by the Advocates booth! We'd love to meet you personally and say hello. We'll be having events at the booth throughout the convention, including drawings for great prizes, a silent auction for a gorgeous liberty-themed original art piece, book autographing, and much more. Come by and say hi!
* * *
I am pleased to welcome 686 new Liberator Online subscribers this issue. Thanks for subscribing -- and welcome aboard!
Enjoy this issue of the Liberator Online.
Sharon Harris, President mailto:sharon@TheAdvocates.org
PS: This issue's Product Review could save your life.
"Be prepared" is always good advice. A brand-new book -- written by one of the founders of the modern libertarian movement -- offers you a treasury of practical, sensible information on surviving the political and criminal dangers we face during this time of worldwide upheaval. Just one suggestion in this book could repay its cost many, many times over.
I have a copy, and I'm very glad I do -- though I pray I never have to put some of that knowledge to use. I've learned from this book, and I believe you will, too.
Please check it out, at the end of this issue. Thank you!
WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES
* RLC Has Great OPH Success: The Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC), an organization of libertarian-minded GOP members, put on an Operation Politically Homeless (OPH) booth at the Texas GOP Convention in Dallas June 6, 7 and 8. Over 10,000 delegates and guests were in attendance -- and once again, OPH showed its crowd-drawing magic. Reports the RLC: "From the start, the OPH booth was swamped. Delegates and other Republicans mobbed the booth in search of clipboards with World's Smallest Political Quizzes. Among hordes of think tanks, conservative groups and vendors, the RLC easily had the most popular booth at the convention. At any given moment there would be on average 10 to 15 interested individuals around the booth... One could see many Quiz-takers' eyes light up...We're sure many, many attendees will be thinking and talking about this for quite a while." Several hundred took the Quiz, and the RLC collected 30 paid members and over 100 mailing list names. We'll have more on this in the upcoming issue of our magazine The Libertarian Communicator. Meanwhile, if you want to put the magic of OPH to work for YOUR organization, contact the Advocates!
* Final Days for "Discover Liberty": The Advocates' year-long nationwide OPH outreach program, Discover Liberty, ends June 30 -- coming up soon! There's still time for a few more OPHs. URGENT: Please send us details on ANY OPHs you have been involved with this year! We are missing reports on many of them. Please send the info in right away. For details on Discover Liberty see http://www.DiscoverLiberty.org .
* Indianapolis, Indiana July 3-7, 2002: Libertarian Party National Convention. The Advocates is planning many activities at this exciting event. Advocates President Sharon Harris and Liberator Online columnists Mary Ruwart and Michael Cloud will be speaking. And be sure and stop by the Advocates booth -- lots of fun and exciting activities planned! Info on the event: www.lp.org.
ONGOING ACTIVITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES
* "America Stands for Liberty": This Advocates new program tells you about the shocking new civil liberties crisis in America -- and what YOU can do to defend freedom in this critical time. Stay informed and take Action Steps to defend out Bill of Rights: http://www.TheAdvocates.org/civilliberties.php?afid=22363
* FREE "Libertarian Clips": Libertarian Clips is a daily (or weekly, if you prefer) clipping service that brings you news stories from around the world that use the words "libertarian" or "libertarianism." See what libertarians are doing, and see how the media is using those words. It's FREE, and subscribing is a snap. Just click here: http://www.self-gov.org/clips/
* FREE Year 2002 Lights of Liberty Awards: Yu can win certificates, public recognition, prizes and more for your vital activism for liberty. Awards are given for: 3 libertarian letters to the editor; OR 3 sessions working at an OPH booth; OR 3 libertarian-oriented public speeches. Click here http://www.self-gov.org/lights/ to learn more.
* Libertarian Communicator published: The second issue of our print magazine, The Libertarian Communicator, has been mailed to 20,000 libertarians interested in becoming more powerful, more effective, more successful communicators of the ideas of liberty. This issue features articles by some of the finest communicators in the libertarian movement: David Bergland, Bob Burg, Michael Cloud, Mary Ruwart, Sharon Harris... as well as additional articles, columns, and more! We'll be happy to send you a FREE copy of The Libertarian Communicator -- just click here: http://www.self-gov.org/newmag.html
* Communication Bargain of the Century: You can getthe great 3-tape audio course "The Essence of Political Persuasion" from us at the GIVE-AWAY price of only $7.50 - that price includes handling and First Class mail so you'll get it right away! Libertarian Party Political Director Ron Crickenberger says this Advocates offer is "... the greatest gift the libertarian movement has received in years." We've put over 6,000 sets into the hands of libertarian activists in the past couple of years! To order, call us or see:
http://www.reliablehost.com/self-gov/persuasion.html
* Quiz FAQ: Who created the World's Smallest Political Quiz? When and where? What does your Quiz score mean? The Advocates has created a huge FAQ ("Frequently Answered Questions") to answer many of the most common questions about the history and theory of the Quiz. You can get to the FAQ by clicking here: http://www.self-gov.org/wspq.html .
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
by James W. Harris
Are Millions of Americans Marxist Sympathizers?
Almost two-thirds of Americans think Karl Marx's communist maxim, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs," either was or might have been written by the Founding Fathers and included in the Constitution of the United States.
That's the shocking finding of a new nationwide survey commissioned by Columbia Law School.
Over 1,000 Americans were asked if the phrase, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs," appears in the U.S. Constitution.
That phrase, of course, is one of Karl Marx's most famous statements, and summarizes his beliefs as to how resources should be distributed in a proper -- i.e., communist -- society.
35 percent of those surveyed said yes, it is in the Constitution. 34 percent said they didn't know.
Only 31 percent said no. And, notes Columbia University Law Professor Michael C. Dorf, at least some of the 31% who got it right were guessing.
"[T]he fraction of survey respondents who really knew the right answer, and weren't just lucky guessers, is probably less than a quarter," estimates Dorf. "That result is troubling for a constitutional democracy in which popular consent underwrites the government's legitimacy."
Indeed. Unfortunately, this is nothing new. A similar survey conducted by the Hearst Corporation fifteen years ago found similar results.
So the key doctrine of Marxism is alive and well -- in the minds of millions of Americans.
Education, anyone?
(Sources: Prof. Dorf commentary: http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dorf/20020529.html
Survey and Press Release: http://www.law.columbia.edu/news/surveys/survey_constitution/press_release.shtml )
* * *
CORRECTION:
Last issue (Vol. 7, # 10) we said that U.S. Rep. Marion Berry and U.S. Sen. Blanch Lincoln had received hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal farm subsidies between 1996-2002.
That was true. However, we incorrectly identified their states. They are both from Arkansas (AR), not Alaska (AK).
We apologize to our readers for this error (which did not originate with us, but came from the source material we quoted from).
And, naturally, we put the real blame for this on -- who else? -- the federal government, for saddling our society with such confusing state abbreviations.
* * *
Wildfire: Government Growing Faster Than Economy
The following commentary comes to us from the National Center for Policy Analysis:
The latest figures from the Commerce Department indicate that U.S. gross domestic product grew some 5.6 percent. But often overlooked is the fact that government is the fastest-growing component of the economy.
As noted by Stephen Moore (Cato Institute) in Investor's Business Daily, June 11, 2002:
* Government purchases are up by more than 9 percent this year.
* In 2001, government at city, state and federal levels grew by 6 percent.
* But the private sector eked out a growth rate of only 0.5 percent.
* The Cato Institute's Stephen Moore, who is also president of the Club for Growth, estimates that federal spending will rise $150 billion to $200 billion this year -- more than twice the amount raised by the entire venture capital industry.
In the past 12 months, Congress has passed the most expensive education spending bill ever, the most expensive farm welfare bill ever and it will soon enact the most expenive foreign aid bill ever. It is also poised to pass the costliest new entitlement program -- prescription drugs for seniors, with a potential price-tag of $400 billion over 10 years -- since Lyndon Johnson created Medicare 35 years ago.
Moreover, Congress has larded up anti-terrorist spending bills with billions of dollars for projects ranging from skating rinks to casino industry bailouts.
So instead of money flowing to entrepreneurs who are good at multiplying wealth, resources are requisitioned by Congress so they can be spent by federal agencies -- resources that can come from only three sources: taxes, debt or inflation. The buildup of any one of these funding sources can have influenza virus effects on a capitalistic economy.
(Source: "As Government Grew, Private Economy Faltered" by NCPA. http://www.ncpa.org/iss/bud/2002/pd061102c.html )
* * *
Congress on Crazed Spending Spree
Yet more proof that Congress and both of the two older political parties are on a crazed spending spree:
According to a new study by the National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF), 5,501 bills were introduced in Congress during 2001. Only 50 of them would have cut spending.
Thirteen of these 50 tax-cutting bills were introduced in the Senate -- and only 4 came from Republican senators.
In the study, NTU tallied the legislative agendas of members of Congress, as determined by bills they sponsored and co-sponsored. Only 31 lawmakers out of 433 stuied had net total legislative agendas that would cut federal spending. The rest would have increased government spending.
Interestingly, only one of the 31 would-be spending cutters served in the Senate -- and that was Democrat Russ Feingold (Wisconsin).
(Source: NTUF: http://www.ntu.org/news_room/press_releases/P0206BillTally1071.php3 )
* * *
Taxation is Theft...
"The fact is that the government, like a highwayman, says to a man: "Your money, or your life." And many, if not ost, taxes are paid under the compulsion of that threat.
"The government does not, indeed, waylay a man in a lonely place, spring upon him from the roadside, and, holding a pistol to his head, proceed to rifle his pockets. But the robbery is none the less a robbery on that account; and it is far more dastardly and shameful."
-- from "No Treason" by Lysander Spooner (1808-1887), libertarian, lawyer, abolitionist.
* * *
"Good News, Bad News, Unbelievable News" writer James W. Harris is co-editor of the Liberator Online. His articles have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, including The Nation, Reason, The Freeman, the National Taxpayers Union's Dollars and Sense, the Atlanta Constitution, and many more. He has been a Finalist in the Mencken Awards, given by the Free Press Association for "Outstanding Journalism in Support of Liberty."
ASK DR. RUWART
How can you answer difficult questions about libertarianism -- in short, positive, persuasive soundbite-sized responses? It's a challenge every libertarian communicator faces.
Dr. Mary Ruwart is a leading expert in libertarian communication, and author of the international bestseller Healing Our World. In this column she gives readers "short answers to the tough questions" that libertarians are frequently asked.
If you'd like Dr. Ruwart to craft effective answers to YOUR "tough questions" on libertarian issues, just email the questions to her at: mailto:ruwart@self-gov.org . *Due to volume, Dr. Ruwart can't personally answer or acknowledge all email queries.* But we'll run the best questions -- and Dr. Ruwart's answers -- in upcoming issues.
Dr. Ruwart's past answers are archived in searchable form at http://www.self-gov.org/ruwart/
* * *
What the %%##!!@@ is a libertarian?
Question:
"What the [epithet deleted] is a libertarian? Is a libertarian someone who constantly takes liberties?"
My short answer:
"A libertarian believes that stealing from, defrauding, or assaulting your neighbor is a crime, even when it's done by government.
"A libertarian is someone who wants to make their own choices, rather than having government make them, and who takes responsibility for those choices. Libertarians recognize that liberty is something that you cannot have unless you give it to others. You might say, therefore, that libertarians are people who give liberty rather than take it."
* * *
Is the War in Afghanistan a moral war?
Question:
"I thoroughly enjoy the Liberator Online, even when I disagree. So I found plenty to enjoy when I read your recent column in which you criticized the U.S. war with Afghanistan as being conducted in an immoral way. I think you underestimate our ability to discern right from wrong. I think our recent targeted (successful) retaliation (not initiation) for real harm to real U.S. citizens was legitimate (as opposed to, for example, the Clinton administration's indiscriminate, cynical kind of "scandal bombing," conducted for no discernible legitimate purpose).
"A nation has never conducted a war as mindful of civilian casualties, nor gone to as great a length to avoid them, as we have in Afghanistan. We didn't start this fight. But we will defend ourselves, as is our right."
My short answer:
"We may have indeed started the fight. Bin Laden's stated reasons for his action against the U.S. include stationing U.S. troops in Islamic countries, U.S. trade sanctions against Iraq, and U.S. aid to Israel. If we were a libertarian country, bin Laden probably wouldn't have these "excuses" to attack us since we would have no troops stationed in the Middle East, no embargoes, and no foreign aid to Israel. Our tax dollars wouldn't have been used to "grow" bin Laden, his network, and the Taliban in times past. As a result, he might not have been strong enough to arrange the 9-11 hits. Perhaps we are simply reaping as we have sown; 9-11 may have been "blowback" from past U.S. policies.
"Regardless of whether or not that is the case, you are absolutely correct in your contention that we have a right to defend ourselves. We have a right to go after those who have harmed us. Indeed, we should. What we should not do, in my opinion, is use the actions of terrorists to justify killing innocents ourselves. That's what those responsible for 9-11 did. They couldn't get at the masterminds behind our unenlightened foreign policy, so they took their frustration out on others.
"In spite of our "targeting," we have killed innocent Afghanis, destroyed their livelihood, and turned thousands into refugees, many of whom will literally starve to death. When the war there is over, our tax dollars will go to "rebuild" Afghanistan. However, no one will interview each displaced Afghani, reimburse him or her for the value of the business or family members lost. The money will go into the hands of the new government, which will dole it out to its favorites.
"Our real loss won't be financial, though. The innocents we harmed will hate us. They will be the new recruits for masterminds like bin Laden, the new suicide bombers. Terrorists are created, not born. If we fail to defend ourselves without becoming aggressors ourselves, we will simply create more enemies. The cycle will simply repeat itself. This is not *effective* defense.
"In Arnold Schwarzenegger's new movie, "Collateral Damage," the terrorist who kills his son and daughter asks (I'm paraphrasing here), "What makes you so different from me? You're a killer too -- or you want to be. You want to kill me!" Arnold answers, "The difference is that I'm only going to kill YOU!" Indeed, ethical Arnold gets caught by the terrorist when he tries to save a woman and child from a bomb that he set to take out the bad guy.
"I don't usually quote Hollywood, and "Collateral Damage" is hardly realistic, but the philosophical point is worth pondering. In our quest for justice, how many innocents is it OK to kill, how much property is it OK to destroy, how many people can we sentence to starvation, before we become terrorists. too? When does collateral damage become terrorism?"
[Editor's Note: Good people sometimes disagree on controversial issues, and this is true of libertarians, too. There is a range of opinion from leading libertarians on the Afghanistan war, ranging from outright opposition to the war (a view held by such persons as Dr. Ruwart, Harry Browne, Lew Rockwell), to limited and conditional support for retaliation in Afghanistan (the Cato Institute, some Libertarian Party spokespersons), as well as other positions in-between. We urge readers to follow the ongoing arguments, stay informed, think for themselves, and above all not to let disagreements on this issue unnecessarily divert and divide the broad libertarian movement.
[Also: Dr. Ruwart will be moderating a debate between Harry Browne and Libertarian Party Communications Director Bill Winter on the Afghanistan war at the upcoming Libertarian Party National Convention. Should be exciting!]
* * *
Dr. Ruwart's book "Healing Our World" features persuasive arguments for liberty, backed with *over 500 references* showing how liberty works. You can browse the entire book online at: http://www.ruwart.com/Healing/
You can order it at a special reduced price of only $12.95 (plus shipping) from the Advocates.
Dr. Ruwart's book "Short Answers to the Tough Questions" -- an essential guide for anyone wanting to become a better libertarian communicator -- is also available from the Advocates for $12.00 (plus shipping):: http://www.reliablehost.com/self-gov/opp.html
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It's just one of many, many essential Advocates services -- including the Liberator Online -- all made possible only through the donations of people who want to see the Advocates work continue and grow.
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PERSUASION POWER POINT # 125
You Can't Have What You Have to Have
by Michael Cloud
Is there one person in your life that you "just have to" convince to become a libertarian?
A brother or sister, a co-worker or friend?
Someone important? Someone close to you?
Because that is the one person you'll probably fail to convince.
Why?
You can't have what you have to have.
When you desperately, urgently need someone's agreement, you scare them away.
When you've absolutely, positively got to win that contact, make that sale, make that deal...you'll crash and burn.
You'll push and pressure and plead. You'll try too hard.
They'll smell your fear, and refuse to negotiate or cooperate.
They'll sense your desperation, and hold out.
"Necessity never made a good bargain," says the proverb.
This is true in our business lives and our personal lives.
It is true in our libertarian outreach. In our efforts to persuade.
You can't have what you have to have.
What can you do about this?
1. Stop trying to persuade the person you desperately yearn to persuade. You're wasting your time and his. You're making him more resistant to libertarianism. Leave him alone. Or let someone else take a crack at him.
2. Pick up a copy of "Three Minute Therapy" by libertarian psychologist Michael Edelstein. Use his ABC simple techniques to convince yourself that, while it would be better if you convince the person to become a libertarian, it's not catastrophic or totally awful if you don't. Practice the "Three Minute Therapy" techniques and you will feel better AND do better.
3. Spend time trying to persuade people you feel confident and comfortable with. People you do NOT desperately need to convince. People you'd like to persuade, rather than those you feel you absolutely must persuade.
You can't have what you have to have.
But you can have a lot of what you'd like. With your work, with your personal relationships, and with your persuasive encounters.
Michael Cloud is Persuasion columnist for the Liberator Online and The Libertarian Communicator. In July 2000, at the Libertarian Party national convention, Cloud was voted the Most Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America and honored with the Thomas Paine Award.
Michael Cloud is creator of "The Essence of Political Persuasion," the classic 3-tape libertarian communication course, available exclusively from the Advocates at the *give-away* price of only $7.50 postpaid (includes First Class postage!). For more information, or to order, click here: http://www.reliablehost.com/self-gov/persuasion.html
Michael Cloud is co-founder of the Committee for Small Government, which is working to empower voters to abolish the state income tax in Massachusetts through a model ballot initiative: http://www.smallgovernmentact.org/index.html .
Michael Cloud is running as a Libertarian Party candidate for the U.S. Senate seat held by John Kerry of Massachusetts.
PRODUCT REVIEW: Are YOU The Next Target In the War on Terrorism?
SURVIVING TERRORISM by Jarret Wollstein. Large format book, 312 oversized (8 1/2 X 11) pages. Plus BONUS gifts.
The information in this book could save your life, your family, your business, and your community.
In the months after September 11, hundreds of U.S. citizens were arrested and imprisoned by police and FBI as suspected terrorists. Many have been held without trial and denied access to an attorney. In some cases their only "crime" was protesting the War on Terrorism. Now the FBI, in cooperation with the CIA, is being turned into an internal security police, with extraordinary new powers disturbingly reminiscent of the Soviet KGB.
New laws and edicts already passed -- such as the USA Patriot Act -- target U.S. citizens like you as well as foreigners. They give the government absolutely dictatorial powers to arrest you, take away your children, seize your assets, and shut down your business upon a mere claim that you are somehow "aiding or abetting" terrorism. The Model Emergency Health Powers Act, now pending in 46 states, gives your state governor the power to seize your business, ban all firearms, and quarantine you indefinitely in a government relocation center upon his unilateral declaration of a "health emergency."
Your assets, your freedom and your privacy at severe risk -- particularly if you are a gun owner, libertarian, non-mainstream Christian, critic of the War on Terrorism, or politically active person.
Don't let yourself become a victim.
In his new book SURVIVING TERRORISM, Jarret Wollstein -- one of the founders of the modern libertarian movement and Contributing Editor of the Financial Privacy Report -- explains how the twin threats of terrorist attacks and "anti-terrorist" laws drastically threaten all of us and the future of this country.
But most importantly, he provides scores of simple, practical steps you can take right now to protect yourself, your family, your business, and your assets from terrorism and martial law.
Just a single suggestion from SURVIVING TERRORISM could save your home, your family, your business or your life. It could be the best insurance you ever buy.
In SURVIVING TERRORISM Jarret explains:
* Why more terrorist attacks -- including bioterrorism -- are inevitable, and the government's likely draconian reaction,
* How new "anti-terrorist" laws are destroying your personal and financial privacy . . . and seven crucial steps you *must* take to shield your assets and privacy before they're gone,
* Common mistakes libertarians make at airports that could get you arrested or worse, and how to avoid them.
* The 10 most dangerous and 10 safest places in America to live.
* 18 ways to avoid government scrutiny under martial law. This is absolutely crucial for libertarians.
* Areas of the economy that are soaring as a result of the War on Terrorism. One entrepreneur is charging $50,000 a day!
* How to find out NOW if your bank and insurance company will survive terrorism and economic depression
* What if the lights go out? Complete guide to affordable ways to generate your own power, day or night, no matter where you live.
* What if terrorists disrupt our food or water supplies? How to store water, how to store food, and where to buy it for as little as 5 cents a meal.
* How to protect your family from a bio-weapon which terrorists already have that's 100-times more deadly than anthrax
* Do I need a new job or career? Businesses at severe risk of bankruptcy in the next 18 months
* Terrorist nukes: Massive evidence that they have them and will use them on us. Four crucial steps to protect yourself from nuclear or radiological attack.
* An inexpensive radiation drug you can buy now that could save the lives of you and your family. (It will be impossible to get in a crisis.)
* Expert guide to the best guns for self-defense.
* Advice from a 7^th Degree black belt: "How to *demolish* a knife-wielding hijacker"
* Foreign survival havens: Which countries are best if the U.S. is repeatedly attacked.
The 312 oversized pages of SURVIVING TERRORISM are filled with practical, common-sense suggestions that could save your business, your community and your life.
Cost: $49.75 plus $7.00 priority shipping
For more information, to learn about your free bonus gifts, or to purchase your copy online, visit:
http://www.isil.org/store/surviving-terrorism.html .
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*** This offer is good through Wednesday, July 10, 2002 ***
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The Advocates for Self-Government is a non-profit educational organization. Our purpose is to: (1) present the freedom philosophy honestly and persuasively to opinion-makers and the public so that they can encounter, evaluate, and when ready, embrace the ideals of self-government; (2) help libertarians become effective and powerful communicators of the ideas of liberty; and (3) change the political map from the inaccurate and exclusionary 'left-right/liberal conservative' line to a ore accuate and inclusive model (like that on our World's Smallest Political Quiz) that includes libertarians and others.
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"May it be to the world... to assume the blessings and security of self-government." -- Thomas Jefferson.