2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #258 "JUDGE JIM GRAY FOR PRESIDENT!"

            Okay, this is breaking news.  On Saturday afternoon, April 4, I was in a telephone conference call with Lincoln Chafee, as well as many of the members of his staff.  As many of you know, he is a former mayor, US Senator and Governor in Rhode Island, and the Libertarian candidate for President that I was supporting.  But he told us that, as of two hours hence, he was going to drop out of the race because he wasn’t getting the support and backing he needed to be viable.  Even though I used my most persuasive and best efforts to dissuade him, he responded twice that “Judge, I have made up my mind.”  And by the tone of his voice, I could tell that he meant it.  So after he hung up the phone, his staff members asked if I would consider running in his place.  My answer was no.  But, since they were persistent, I told them that I would take two days to consider that possibility.

                During those next two days I spoke to several high-ranking and well-respected Libertarians around the country, and they were all supportive and even enthusiastic.  So, also considering the fact that I always thought I would be a good candidate, I called Larry Sharpe, who is a friend in New York who was a great Libertarian candidate for Governor in the 2018 election.  During the discussion I told Larry that if he would be my running mate, I would throw my hat in the ring.  On Friday April 10 he agreed.  So that afternoon we had a Zoom meeting of Governor Chafee’s staff, along with the campaign manager of Riverside County Board of Supervisor Jeff Hewitt’s campaign where we introduced ourselves to each other and then started planning our campaign.  We anticipate announcing our candidacy for the Libertarian nominations of President and Vice President within about a week, but you are my 2 Paragraphs Family, so I wanted to share the excitement with you right away.  And this will not be the last time, because I plan to keep you informed.  The Libertarian nominees are selected at a convention instead of at primary elections, and our national convention is scheduled to take place in Austin, Texas over the Memorial Day weekend.  Of course, with the Coronavirus, all of that is up in the air.  But one way or the other, our campaign team will make every effort to do you proud and put a stop to the polarization that our great country has been experiencing for so long.  So stay tuned, and I hope you wish us well.

P.S.  Two rather unnatural things that political candidates are required to do are to be able to talk about themselves and to ask for both monetary and personal support.  The former is attached hereto, the latter will come soon!

Quote for the week:  “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.”  (Probably) Edmund Burke

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)

2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, along with

Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

Please listen to our weekly radio show entitled “All Rise! The Libertarian Way with Judge Jim Gray” as we discuss timely issues, and show how they will be addressed more beneficially by employing Libertarian values and approaches.  You can hear it every Friday morning at 7 Pacific/10 Eastern by going to www.VoiceAmerica.com, clicking on the Variety Channel and then upon the word “live.”  You can also hear past shows on demand as well.  And, by the way, these 2 Paragraph columns are now on my website at www.JudgeJImGray.com, Facebook and LinkedIn at judgejimgray, Twitter at judgejamesgray, and wordpress at judgejimgray.wordpress.com  Please visit these sites for past editions, and do your part to spread the word about the importance of Liberty.  In addition, my new book entitled “2 Paragraphs 4 Liberty: Solutions that are Practical, Effective, Responsible, Libertarian, is now available at Amazon.com.   Please read and discuss it with friends, and send in a review.

2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #230 "IN PRAISE OF SPECIAL FAVORS FOR AMAZON"

          Last year when Amazon was shopping for a location for its second headquarters, many states, counties and cities attempted to win that prize by offering Amazon special inducements.  Those included special treatment for purposes of taxes, zoning, impacts upon the environment and more.  Why would these governmental entities make such offers?  Transparently, they  were made because the offers would be of benefit to the company.  I think we would all agree about those benefits, so to all of them I give my praise!

         Obviously, where this huge company would move and do business would bring many benefits to that community.  Those benefits would include more investments and more jobs for workers, which would then, in turn, support the local barbershops, restaurants, stores, medical clinics and more.  All of this would then have increased the financial base of the community, and would also have provided much more tax revenue for all of those governments.  As such, all of these offers were legitimate and, in that regard, probably should have been increased.  So everyone would have won.  Well Done!  Oh, but just one more thing: If it would have been good for Amazon, it would be good for all other businesses as well, large and small, for exactly the same reasons.  So all of those offers should now be made to all businesses, so everyone would win also for exactly the same reasons!  It would not only be fair, it would be smart! 

Thought for the week:  Behind every successful man is a surprised mother-in-law.

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)

2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, along with

Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

Please listen to our weekly radio show entitled “All Rise! The Libertarian Way with Judge Jim Gray” as we discuss timely issues, and show how they will be addressed more beneficially by employing Libertarian values and approaches.  You can hear it every Friday morning at 7 Pacific/10 Eastern by going to www.VoiceAmerica.com, clicking on the Variety Channel and then upon the word “live.”  You can also hear past shows on demand as well.  And, by the way, these 2 Paragraph columns are now on Facebook and LinkedIn at judgejimgray, Twitter at judgejamesgray, and wordpress at judgejimgray.wordpress.com.  Please visit these sites for past editions, and do your part to spread the word about the importance of Liberty.

2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #222 "WORDS TO LIVE BY"

                As often stated in this column, we often cannot control the events that confront us, but we virtually always can control our responses to them.  So this brings me to something I would often relate to people on the few occasions when I was presiding as a judge in Traffic Court.  We all know that sometimes when other drivers cut us off, or are otherwise rude in their driving behavior, some of us (mostly males) respond by glaring or gesturing at the offender or, worse yet, trying to cut him off in return.  And often the initial recipient of the bad behavior would be the one who received the traffic citation.  So what did I say in court on those occasions?  What if you knew that the driver who cut you off was under the influence of methamphetamines?  Always the answer came that we would hold back and let that person have his way (almost but not always it was a male).  Just leave me alone!   

                So my advice to that person and everyone else in my courtroom was to treat all drivers who are involved in aggressive and rude behavior when behind the wheel as if they were on meth.  (And frequently you will probably be right!)  In fact, I myself have followed my own advice on several occasions after having the (mostly male) impulse to respond more aggressively.  And maybe that has saved me from harm.  So I believe these are words to live by.  If you agree, pass them on.

Quote for the week:  “Any publicity is good, except in the obit section.”  Dennis Rodman

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)

2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, along with

Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

Please listen to our weekly radio show entitled “All Rise! The Libertarian Way with Judge Jim Gray” as we discuss timely issues, and show how they will be addressed more beneficially by employing Libertarian values and approaches.  You can hear it every Friday morning at 7 Pacific/10 Eastern by going to www.VoiceAmerica.com, clicking on the Variety Channel and then upon the word “live.”  You can also hear past shows as well.  And, by the way, these 2 Paragraph columns are now on Facebook and LinkedIn at judgejimgray, Twitter at judgejamesgray, and wordpress at judgejimgray.wordpress.com.  Please visit these sites for past editions, and do your part to spread the word about the importance of Liberty.

2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #219 "THE TEACHINGS OF 'I PENCIL'"

     “I Pencil” is an essay by Leonard Read that was first published in The Freeman in December of 1958.  The full title was “I Pencil: My Family Tree as told to Leonard E. Read.”  The point of the work is to provide a first person account of how a pencil is manufactured by first harvesting and then refining the raw materials of cedar, lacquer, graphite, ferrule, factice, pumice, wax and glue, and then assembling them into a pencil.  Obviously large numbers of people are involved in this process, including the person who sweeps out the factory and the lighthouse keeper who guides the shipment into port.  But none of those workers are directed or forced to cooperate.  They do so because of the “Invisible Hand” of working for their own economic benefit.  Ayn Rand described this phenomenon by saying that “Greed is good!”  Unfortunately, that comment has been misconstrued, and Libertarians have thus been tarred for generations as approving of greedy people – which is a totally different concept.  But instead this means that, to the degree possible, creative energies should be left uninhibited so they can be productively harnessed – for the benefit of the actor, and of us all.  Or, as Leonard Read encouraged us, “Have faith that free men and women will respond to the Invisible Hand.  This faith will be confirmed.”

                Actually this is basic economics, which focuses upon supply and demand, and is based upon the incentives of allowing people to be able to profit from their own labors and creativity.  But this concept is vastly under-taught and misunderstood in our society today. In fact, in many ways, it is vilified.  But, as Dr. Milton Friedman taught us, no society has ever raised itself up out of poverty except through a system of free enterprise combined with private property rights.  So how can this historically beneficial system be under attack today?  Because numbers of politicians are simply pandering to the voters.  Why?  Because in politics, reality is irrelevant – it is only the voters’ perception of reality that matters.  So that leaves it to the rest of us to stand up and proselytize the teachings of “I Pencil.”  And if you do, you will be performing a great service for our country and, especially, our children!  

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)

2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, along with

Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

Please listen to our weekly radio show entitled “All Rise!  The Libertarian Way with Judge Jim Gray” as we discuss these and other timely issues, and show how they will be addressed more beneficially by employing Libertarian values and approaches.  You can hear it every Friday morning at 7 Pacific/10 Eastern by going to www.VoiceAmerica.com, clicking on the Variety Channel and then upon the word “live.”  You can also hear past shows as well.  And, by the way, these 2 Paragraph columns are now on Facebook and LinkedIn at judgejimgray, Twitter at judgejamesgray, and wordpress at judgejimgray.wordpress.com.  Please visit these sites for past editions, and do your part to spread the word about the importance of Liberty.

2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #217 "WE THINK IN WORDS"

 We all think in words.  Thus if people do not understand the shades of meaning between two (or among three or more) different words, those people do not understand the concepts.  For example, I heard that there are more dialects in languages around the world that do not draw a distinction between the word “enemy” and the word “stranger.”  As a result, if I were to stumble out of the wilderness into your remote village, and you didn’t understand this distinction, I would automatically be your enemy.  Imagine how much needless violence, or at least lost opportunities, have occurred just from this situation alone!  Similarly, when we are driving our cars in the countryside and see the sign “Slow Traffic Keep Right,” what often goes through our minds?  “Oh, I’m not slow traffic, so I’ll stay in the fast lane.”  But if, instead, the sign were to say: “Left Lane Only For Passing,” our thoughts would more likely be: “Oh, I’m not passing, so I’ll move back to the right lane.”  Same intent, but different result.

                Other common but neglected differences in words that I find to be interesting and even fun are:

·         May vs. Can: permission as opposed to ability.

·         Imply vs. Infer: Speakers imply and listeners infer.  So many problems occur when the implications are different than the inferences.

·         Solution vs. Resolution:  Most human problems have no solutions.  If you want a solution, become a mathematician.  Human problems almost always are limited to resolutions, but they allow people to put those problems behind them and move on with their lives.  (I use this illustration often in my mediations.)

·         You’re welcome vs. No problem:  The former implies that the doer was happy to help; the latter implies that if it had been a problem, the doer wouldn’t have done the good deed.

·         Need vs. Want:  We want to be alive, but don’t need to be.  But we do need oxygen to be alive.  (Or, in a political context, a “need” is just a “want” that you should give me.)

·         Love vs. Like:  We can Like many things, but Love is special, and should be thought of in that fashion.  

·         Education vs. Indoctrination:  Upon reflection, that difference should be apparent.

·         Risk vs. Gamble:  Almost all things we do have some risks to them, but they can be controlled – think going for a swim.  Gambles cannot be controlled – think roulette.

·         Rule of Law vs. Rule of Man: The former strives to provide Equal Justice for All; the latter is often used to rewards one’s friends and punishes one’s enemies.

There are many more, and I think they’re both fun and important.  I hope you agree.

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)

2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, along with

Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

  Quote for the week:  “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”  (And speaking of traveling, I will be on vacation for the next two weeks, so there will be an interruption in our series.)  And, BTW, last week I recommended people boycott the movie “Long Shot,” but this week I recommend people see the movie “A Dog’s Purpose.”  It was wonderful, and much redeeming social value!

Please listen to our weekly radio show entitled “All Rise!  The Libertarian Way with Judge Jim Gray” as we discuss these and other timely issues, and show how they will be addressed more beneficially by employing Libertarian values and approaches.  You can hear it every Friday morning at 7 Pacific/10 Eastern by going to www.VoiceAmerica.com, clicking on the Variety Channel and then upon the word “live.”  You can also hear past shows as well.  And, by the way, these 2 Paragraph columns are now on Facebook and LinkedIn at judgejimgray, Twitter at judgejamesgray, and wordpress at judgejimgray.wordpress.com.  Please visit these sites for past editions, and do your part to spread the word about the importance of Liberty.

2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #216 "BOYCOTT THIS MOVIE!"

     Recently my wife and I saw the movie “Long Shot” with Charlize Theron, who starred as a young, attractive and single U.S. Secretary of State, and Seth Rogen, who starred as an intelligent and caring but socially inept nerd.  We found the movie to be about 60 percent creative, novel, interesting and well done which, for me, is high praise.  Another 25 percent of the movie was routine but moved the plot along.  But the remaining 15 percent was totally without socially redeeming value, which directly results in my recommendation – in the name of Liberty – to boycott this movie.  And what was so wrong with this segment?  After the two stars became attracted to each other, but added gratuitously for no particular purpose to further the plot, they both intentionally decided to go out in public and get drunk.  This they did to excess, with alcohol and ostensibly some other mind-altering substance.  And then while still in this condition, some crisis came up which the Secretary of State was able to resolve on the telephone, all the while sitting on the floor and giggling.

      What a message!  What kind of impact will this make subconsciously upon people of all ages – especially the young!  Is this what life is about?  Is getting drunk to be promoted and glorified?  As a Libertarian I would not censure films of this kind.  But Liberty gives me the right – and maybe the obligation – to encourage as many people as I can to express our disapproval of such messages by withholding our monetary support.  We have every right to vote with our pocketbooks and, in this situation, that is exactly what we should do.  Now that is a message worth hearing!

Quote for the week, found on a napkin at a specialty sandwich shop: “Food for Thought: Our goal is to steer clear of ingredients that use processing, storage or preparation methods that extend shelf-life or simplify preparation.  That’s why we take pride in what isn’t in our food as much as what is.  If we can’t say it, we avoid using it.”  Food for Thought Indeed!

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)

2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, along with

Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

Please listen to our weekly radio show entitled “All Rise!  The Libertarian Way with Judge Jim Gray” as we discuss these and other timely issues, and show how they will be addressed more beneficially by employing Libertarian values and approaches.  You can hear it every Friday morning at 7 Pacific/10 Eastern by going to www.VoiceAmerica.com, clicking on the Variety Channel and then upon the word “live.”  You can also hear past shows as well.  And, by the way, these 2 Paragraph columns are now on Facebook and LinkedIn at judgejimgray, Twitter at judgejamesgray, and wordpress at judgejimgray.wordpress.com.  Please visit these sites for past editions, and do your part to spread the word about the importance of Liberty.