Liberty Archives - Page 2 of 22 Voice For Liberty

Nov

Beware of government arts spending

Art is too important to be dependent on politicians and injecting politics into anything inevitably tarnishes it, writes Lawrence W. Reed of Foundation for Economic Education. Economist Lawrence W. Reed is president of the Foundation for Economic Education in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the author of the forthcoming book, Real Heroes: Inspiring True Stories of Courage, Character and Conviction. Follow on Twitter and Like on Facebook. While in Wichita Reed appeared on WichitaLiberty.TV in this episode. An abridged version of the following appeared in the Wichita Eagle. Beware of Government Arts Spending By Lawrence W. Reed While visiting Wichita in…

WichitaLiberty.TV: Charter schools in Kansas, and a victory for speech and association

Jun

By Bob Weeks

WichitaLiberty.TV: Charter schools in Kansas, and a victory for speech and association

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Kansas has essentially no charter schools. Here’s why we need them. AFP Foundation scores a victory for free speech and association. View below, or click here to view at YouTube. Episode 120, broadcast June 5, 2016. Shownotes Kansas continues to snub school choice reform that helps the most vulnerable schoolchildren After years of low standards, Kansas schools adopt truthful standards Kansas NAEP scores for 2015 Kansas school test scores, two interactive visualizations

Apr

By Bob Weeks

WichitaLiberty.TV: Keen Umbehr

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Keen Umbehr is an attorney from Alma. Besides setting a precedent protecting free speech in the United States Supreme Court, he's an advocate for criminal justice reform and a former candidate for governor. View below, or click here to view at YouTube. Episode 118, broadcast May 1, 2016. Shownotes Keen Umbehr on Facebook The U.S. Supreme Court case: Board of County Commissioners, Wabaunsee County, Kansas v. Umbehr. Small Town Showdown, the true story of Keen A. Umbehr, a trashman who dared to challenge the powers that be in his hometown of Alma, Kansas, population 850.…

AFP Foundation wins a battle for free speech for everyone

Apr

By Bob Weeks

AFP Foundation wins a battle for free speech for everyone

Americans for Prosperity Foundation achieves a victory for free speech and free association. Must donors to non-profit organizations live in “fear of exercising their First Amendment right to support” any organization, which effect is to “diminish the amount of expressive and associational activity?” Should these people be denied the right to their speech? The constitution says, no. Non-profit organizations file a form known as IRS Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. [1. Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (2016). Irs.gov. Available at www.irs.gov/uac/About-Form-990.] The first part of this form is public information and may…

In Wichita, revealing discussion of property rights

Apr

By Bob Weeks

In Wichita, revealing discussion of property rights

Reaction to the veto of a bill in Kansas reveals the instincts of many government officials, which is to grab more power whenever possible. When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it. -- Frederic Bastiat Kansas Governor Sam Brownback's veto of a bill that gives cities additional means to take blighted property has produced reaction from local officials in Wichita. The bill is Senate Bill 338. As has been noted…

Nov

By Bob Weeks

In Depth with Walter Williams

This Sunday Dr. Walter E. Williams appeared on the C-SPAN program In Depth. It's three hours with the great economist, and every moment is worthwhile. Click here to view the program. It was Dr. Williams that first got me to think about libertarian ideas and principles. For that I shall forever be grateful. In 2011 Williams visited Wichita and I had the privilege of interviewing him for a moment. Coverage of the visit, including my interview, is at Walter Williams: Government must stick to its limited and legitimate role.

Video: Jeffrey Tucker, ‘Bit by Bit: How P2P Is Freeing the World’

Oct

By Bob Weeks

Video: Jeffrey Tucker, ‘Bit by Bit: How P2P Is Freeing the World’

Jeffrey A. Tucker, Director of Digital Development at the Foundation for Economic Education, talks about his new book, “Bit by Bit: How P2P Is Freeing the World.” The book is an explanation of how Bitcoin type cryptocurrencies work as a “peer to peer” innovative payment network and an alternative exchange system. Tucker gave the presentation October 2, 2015, at the Wichita Pachyderm Club. View below, or click here to view in high definition at YouTube. Videography by Paul Soutar. Tucker's website is www.jeffreytucker.me. The book's page at Amazon is Bit by Bit: How P2P Is Freeing the World. Liberty.me is…

WichitaLiberty.TV: Jeffrey Tucker and ‘Bit by Bit: How P2P Is Freeing the World’

Oct

By Bob Weeks

WichitaLiberty.TV: Jeffrey Tucker and ‘Bit by Bit: How P2P Is Freeing the World’

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Jeffrey Tucker talks about his most recent book “Bit by Bit: How P2P Is Freeing the World” and how Bitcoin and other distributed technologies are affecting the world. View below, or click here to watch in high definition at YouTube. Episode 97, broadcast October 4, 2015. Tucker's website is www.jeffreytucker.me. The book's page at Amazon is Bit by Bit: How P2P Is Freeing the World. Liberty.me is here.

Government creates obstacles to progress

Jul

By Bob Weeks

Government creates obstacles to progress

"Overcoming obstacles can be a difficult challenge even on a level playing field. We need to change the rigged system that favors the politically connected over the hardworking, honest citizen," writes Charles Koch in a recent edition of Perspectives. Overcoming Obstacles By Charles Koch July 13, 2015 America’s founding fathers had a unique vision for the United States. As the Declaration of Independence famously put it, this country was conceived as a place where people could enjoy “unalienable Rights,” including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” These concepts are much more than just words to me. I believe the…

Apr

By Bob Weeks

Rebuilding liberty without permission

A forthcoming book by Charles Murray holds an intriguing idea as to how Americans can reassert liberty: Civil disobedience. Make the federal government an "insurable hazard." I think it's a great idea. For an easy introduction to this concept, listen to the Cato Institute's seven-minute podcast of Murray speaking about these ideas. From the publisher: American freedom is being gutted. Whether we are trying to run a business, practice a vocation, raise our families, cooperate with our neighbors, or follow our religious beliefs, we run afoul of the government—not because we are doing anything wrong but because the government has…