GordonUnleashed

Neither Protecting Nor Serving

February 21st, 2008 by Steve

Here’s another example of the police seeming to do what they seem to do the best of late.  Back in the old days, Sheriff Taylor would have just placed Otis in an unlocked cell.  Today, what seems to be brutal treatment by police officers seems to be more and more common.

Posted in Civil Liberties | No Comments »

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Supremes to hear dildo case?

February 13th, 2008 by Steve

Perhaps, as the Fifth Circuit just struck down the Texas sex toy law. Volokh has more:

The Texas ban on dildoes — yes, it expressly mentions “dildo” — has just been struck down by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The law, the court held, violates Lawrence v. Texas right of “adult consensual sexual intimacy in the home.”

On this, the Fifth Circuit disagrees with the Eleventh Circuit, which upheld a similar Alabama law last year. Sounds like there’s a solid split, so there’s a decent chance that the U.S. Supreme Court will step in to resolve this (though there’s of course no guarantee).

I still don’t understand how the Alabama law still stands.  Consider this vital, but overlooked part of the Alabama Constitution:

 The sole object and only legitimate end of government is to protect the citizen in the enjoyment of life, liberty, and property, and when the government assumes other functions, it is usurpation and oppression.

Inquiring minds want to know if a sex toy ban in Alabama usurps or oppresses people, as the government certainly isn’t serving it’s role in protecting “the citizen in the enjoyment of life, liberty or property.”

Props.

Posted in Prohibition Mentality | 2 Comments »

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There Oughta Be a Law (NOT!)

February 5th, 2008 by Steve

From the stupid legislation department:

A new bill in Mississippi would make it illegal for restaurants to serve obese customers.

It would allow health inspectors to revoke the licence of any restaurant that “repeatedly” feeds extremely overweight people, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Two-thirds of adult Mississippians are overweight and 30% obese, according to the latest federal figures.

The bill is unlikely to become law but shows concern about an issue that costs the state’s free medical care system an estimated $220 million each year.

Ted Mayhall, one of the politicians who proposed the bill, said he was hoping to “call attention to the problem”.

He said: “No-one’s doing anything about it. They just keep on going to the buffets and eating.”

But J Justin Wilson, an analyst for the Centre for Consumer Freedom, a restaurant industry lobby group, said: “I’ve seen a lot of crazy laws but this one takes the cake. Literally.”

Posted in Prohibition Mentality, Health Care, Culture | 2 Comments »

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VIDEO: Outrageous Strip Search of Woman by Sheriff’s Deputies

February 1st, 2008 by Steve

Don’t watch this video if you are one of those people who think the police can do no wrong.  Don’t watch it if you are easily upset by governmental abuse of power.

Those of you concerned about civil liberties should probably watch this video, though.

Posted in Civil Liberties | 4 Comments »

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LivFilms Exposes the Butts at the FCC (and herself)

January 31st, 2008 by Steve

Posted in Regulatory Burden, Civil Liberties, Just for Fun | No Comments »

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Good Reasons to Support Huckabee, Romney or McCain

January 31st, 2008 by Steve

I’m sure that the typical voter likes increases in federal spending.  After all, without such increases, how can we have escalating deficits or tax increases? To whom will our children and grandchildren owe money if we don’t act even more irresponsibly today?

Here are reasons to support three of the four remaining Republican candidates:

• John McCain will increase federal spending by $6.9 billion.
• Mitt Romney will increase federal spending by $19.5 billion.
• Mike Huckabee will increase federal spending by $54.2 billion.

Of course, a few of you who actually support Ron Paul, who would save the taxpayer an estimated $150.1 billion.

Source: National Taxpayer’s Union.

Posted in Fiscal Responsibility, Bad Republicans, Ron Paul | 1 Comment »

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For all of those Alabamians considering voting for Mitt Romney

January 31st, 2008 by Steve

1) His health care plan sucked.

2) His health care plan is now projected to have significant cost overruns.

3) His health care plan is “is virtually indistinguishable from the one proposed by Hillary Clinton.”

4) His health care plan put more people on the public dole.

5) Because of the combination of cost over runs and a state budget deficit, either taxes will have to be raised or medical services will have to be cut.

If you are a Republican considering voting for Romney in the primary, you should first read this report by Michael Tanner of the Cato Institute.

Posted in Health Care, Bad Republicans | No Comments »

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Ron Paul Endorsed By Alabama Republican Assembly

January 26th, 2008 by Steve

Here’s the press release:

RON PAUL ENDORSED BY THE ALABAMA REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY

Texas Congressman also wins organization’s public straw poll

BIRMINGHAM, January 26—The Alabama Republican Assembly today announced the winner of its Presidential Endorsing Convention held on January 26, 2008 at the Birmingham Marriott.

Delegates from ALRA clubs around the state attended the endorsing convention to select their choice for the Republican nomination. The ALRA requires a 2/3rds majority to endorse a candidate, otherwise no endorsement is made.

Republican Ron Paul succeeded in winning the ALRA endorsement on the 1st round of voting. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee came in second.

“We congratulate Ron Paul on winning the ALRA endorsement,” said Elaine Little, Chairman of the Endorsing Convention. “It’s evident that the overwhelming majority of delegates determined that Congressman Paul best represents the Republican platform and the conservative values of limited government and personal freedom.”

Little went on to explain that in a crowded field of several candidates, it’s unusual that an endorsement would be won on the first ballot.

The ALRA hosted a corresponding straw poll that was open to the public while the endorsing convention was taking place. The winner of the straw poll, with 81% of total votes cast was Ron Paul, with Mike Huckabee coming in second with 13% and Mitt Romney in third with 6%.

“Ron Paul’s grassroots support is second to none among all other republican campaigns this cycle,” stated attorney Tom Davis, Vice President of the ALRA and delegate to the endorsing convention. “The results of our straw poll parallel the results in most straw polls throughout the country. Ron Paul has clearly excited many new people and energized them to get involved in the political process. The Republican Party should be grateful for all the ‘new blood’ coming in as a result of Congressman Paul’s message of freedom and returning to the Constitution.”

The Alabama Republican Assembly is a grass-roots volunteer organization chartered by the National Federation of Republican Assemblies. The NFRA was founded in 1997 to promote conservative values and principles in the Republican Party.

Ronald Reagan referred to the NFRA as “the conscience if the Republican Party.”

Posted in Ron Paul | 2 Comments »

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Am I Still Alive?

January 14th, 2008 by Steve

To answer everyone’s question, the answer is yes.

I’ve just been very busy working on the Ron Paul campaign and most of my blogging lately has been at ThirdPartyWatch.com in order to pay for the site I recently purchased. Of course, we are selling advertising over there, so the more you spend there the sooner I can get back to this blog. :)

It will probably be pretty slow on this site for the next few weeks, but I will try to post something here from time to time.

UPDATE: I did manage to post something at TPW which should be of interest to Alabama readers concerned about privacy, politics or legislation.

Posted in Housekeeping | 3 Comments »

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In Da Newz: Anniston Star on the Ron Paul Campaign

January 11th, 2008 by Steve

_{Thanks to Doc for the article text.}

Paul unique in his Alabama campaign strategy
By Markeshia Ricks
Star Capitol Correspondent
01-11-2008

MONTGOMERY — Presidential candidates are likely turning their focus to Michigan and South Carolina, but there are signs that they might soon be lavishing some attention and advertising on Alabama.

One candidate, Republican Congressman Ron Paul, appears to be leading the pack. His signs have been popping up all over east Alabama since he announced his candidacy last year, and this week Paul started a radio advertising campaign in Alabama in hopes of raising his profile among voters.

A check with campaign headquarters for all the candidates show that he is the only candidate to buy time with local media outlets.

The ads, which will air on more than 30 stations in the state, will focus on telling people who Paul is: a 10-term congressman who supports low taxes, an obstetrician/gynecologist, a patriot and an advocate of limited government. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Ron Paul, Alabama Politics, Libertarian Party, Libertarian Movement, In the News | 7 Comments »

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More Ron Paul in the Heart of Dixie

January 9th, 2008 by Steve

In addition to radio advertising (and the ubiquitous signs around the state), look for more of a Ron Paul presence in Alabama.  From my buddy Dave, who’s been trudging though snow in New Hampshire to cover the presidential campaigns:

[Paul Campaign Manager Lew] Moore stressed a look forward to the next primaries. “The energy is starting to build,” he said, “and I think it’s a question of whether it builds fast enough to impact this front-loaded primary process.” He praised the long-active South Carolina organization and a strong (Tucker Carlson-profiled) organization in Nevada and pointed out strength in Super Tuesday states. Some states to look out for: Colorado, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Maine, where he’s headed this weekend. (He didn’t mention Montana, which has measurable Paul strength). He considers Alaska’s Feb. 5 poll winnable.

Posted in Ron Paul | 4 Comments »

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Ron Paul QOTD

January 8th, 2008 by Steve

On why progressives who disagree with some libertarian issues should vote for Ron Paul:

If your toilet backs up, you can come up with a thousand ideas while shit-water cascades onto the floor. The question is not about ideas; it is, “What will be the net effect?”

Posted in Ron Paul | 2 Comments »

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The NH Cigar Poll

January 8th, 2008 by Steve

I don’t know how well he’ll do in the New Hampshire primary today (I’ve downgraded my expectations because of reported high voter turnout), but Ron Paul just won one contest near and dear to my heart.

New Hampshire cigar shop owner Leonard Seagren is looking forward to a more flamboyant political season.

Seagren, who owns Federal Cigar, says people participating in his quadrennial Federal Forecast exhibited more “flamboyant tosses” in trying to sink a book of matches into bags bearing likenesses of their favorite presidential candidates.

This year’s contest, which ran Dec. 31 through Sunday, saw Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, capturing 31 percent of the Republican tosses and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., capturing 46 percent of the Democrats.

“(Voters) were more in favor of their candidates this time than in the past,” Seagren told Fosters Daily Democrat.

A cigar poll is one we can be assured Hillary won’t like, too.

Posted in Culture, Just for Fun, Ron Paul, National Politics | 1 Comment »

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Rudy the Sideshow

January 8th, 2008 by Steve

Q: What’s sweeter than home brewed beer in Alabama? Even sweeter than Ron Paul sweeties?

A: The New York Times calling Rudy Giuliani “Still a Sideshow.”

Why, one reporter asked, was his message failing to resonate with New Hampshire voters? Another wondered if Mr. Giuliani was worried that he might again finish in the single digits, as he had done in Iowa. And for the umpteenth time, he was asked to defend his strategy of waiting for victories in later-voting states.

Mr. Giuliani appeared more resigned than defiant. “You know, every strategy has its strengths and weaknesses,” he told reporters. “Every strategy turns out to be right or wrong. And do you know when that is? When the election’s over.”

Once more, he noted that his unorthodox strategy rested on surviving long enough to win the Florida primary on Jan. 29, and several of the delegate-rich states that will vote on Feb. 5. Mr. Giuliani questioned the importance of winning the traditional early states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

“By historic purposes, or in a historic context, they are all early states now,” he said.

But there was no escaping that Mr. Giuliani finds himself at an ebb. After his sixth-place finish onThursday in the Iowa caucuses, where he even placed behind Representative Ron Paul of Texas, Mr. Giuliani is little more than a sideshow in New Hampshire, which votes on Tuesday. His long-held lead in national polls has evaporated. And on the stump here, he has drawn small crowds, scant news media coverage and somewhat muted enthusiasm.

Mr. Giuliani’s failure to catch on in New Hampshire, a state where Republicans often say they care most about the very issues he is campaigning on — security and fiscal discipline — was not exactly for a lack of trying. While his campaign has long spoken of its late-state strategy, it did make a concerted effort here last fall.

Mr. Giuliani noted on Monday that he had campaigned more in New Hampshire than in any state. And his campaign ran roughly $3 million worth of commercials in November and December before scaling back the effort after it failed to lift his standing in the polls.

Posted in Bad Republicans | 1 Comment »

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Freedom to Brew in Alabama? Here’s the text of the bill to be introduced:

January 8th, 2008 by Steve

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT

To provide an exception for the production of beer, mead, cider and wine for personal or family use; to permit persons not prohibited from purchasing, consuming, possessing, or transporting alcoholic beverages under Section 28-1-5, Code of Alabama 1975, to produce beer, mead, cider and wine for personal or family use, but not for sale, without payment of any taxes, or fees, or without a license; and to provide limited circumstances in which the beer, mead, cider or wine may be removed from the household premises.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:

Section 1. (a) Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary, a person who is not prohibited by Section 28-1-5, Code of Alabama 1975, from purchasing, consuming, possessing, or transporting alcoholic beverages may produce beer, mead, cider and wine for personal or family use, and not for sale, without payment of taxes or fees or without a license.

(b) Beer, mead, cider or wine made under this section may be removed from the premises where made for personal or family use, including use at organized affairs, exhibitions, or competitions, such as homebrewing competitions, tastings, or judgings. Beer, mead, cider or wine made under this section shall not be sold or offered for sale. Organizers of homebrewing competitions may charge competition entrants a fee, and such fee shall not constitute a sale or offering for sale.

Section 2. This act shall become effective immediately upon its passage and approval by the Governor, or upon its otherwise becoming a law.

Posted in Libertarian Movement | 5 Comments »

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