But one thing that can be done is to insist that the media not broadcast or publish either the names or pictures of these crazed killers. Why? Because there are many losers around the world who would love to be famous – so they tend to engage in copycat acts of violence to get some everlasting fame. We can call them killers, or gunmen or terrorists, but do not publish their names or their pictures – ever! Now I am a Libertarian and, for the most part, do not believe in government censorship. But I do believe in responsibility – and it can be enforced by us consumers by boycotting irresponsible publishers of the names and/or pictures of these demented people. Once social mores are established that condemn this media irresponsibility, we will see a change. And that is one thing we all can do to reduce the number of these tragedies.
Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)
2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice
President, along with Governor
Gary Johnson as the candidate for President
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Of course, to make decisions freely, people must have Liberty. But it is also a universal truth that people respond to incentives. For example, when we were traveling in Egypt we noticed that many people were living on the first and second floors of four-story houses, where the third and fourth floors were still only outlined in rebar. And the reason? Owners are not required to pay property taxes on unfinished houses. So there is an incentive never to finish construction. Similarly, when we were recently traveling in Italy we noticed that, instead of having real windows, many houses simply had windows painted on the outside of them. And what was the reason for that? Property taxes are computed by the number of actual windows on a house. So painted windows maintain the outside symmetry of the house, but taxes are reduced.
Milton Friedman once posed the question that if people believe that government will come forward and bring prosperity for all, why have we not yet seen those heroes in government produce those wonderful results? The answer basically is seen in the words of Thomas Sowell, who said “It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong.” Of course, this simply emphasizes the fact that there is an enormous difference between a government of good stated intentions, and a government that actually produces positive results. 
One of the most timeless Libertarian statements was made by Thomas Jefferson, who said “It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” Thus, in large part, the Jefferson and Libertarian’s political philosophy is to Live and Let Live. But that philosophy doesn’t function without a strong system of justice, which serves at least four important functions. First, it must protect us from each other (You can’t wrongly break my leg); second, it must protect our property (or pick my pocket); third, it must enforce our voluntary legal promises (i.e. contracts) and warranties; and fourth, it must enforce reasonable regulations that truly promote and protect the general health, safety and welfare.
To state the obvious, our Constitution did not fall from the sky. This greatest product of the Enlightenment was the result of a need, a gathering of caring and educated people, and compromise. The Founding Fathers not only had to draft a document that would work, they had to draft one that the states would ratify – so that meant they had to compromise, even on sine important things. But the main issue in our experiment in Self-Government was the concern that one person, or group of people, would become too powerful and thus control our government and diminish our Liberty. So, using guidance from the philosophical and practical of the writings of John Adams, who was hugely instrumental in the writing of the Massachusetts Constitution, our United States Constitution was created.
In effect we have only two viable political parties in the United States today: the Democrats and Republicans, on the one hand, and the Libertarians on the other. How can I say that the Ds and Rs are really only one party? Because inherently they agree with each other on virtually ALL of the important issues facing our country today. Certainly individual candidates in those two parties have legitimate fights with each other, but innately the two parties themselves do not. Here is just a partial list:
I was in the Peace Corps: I care about people. So I believe we should have a Safety Net for our people. Not because we have to, because we don’t – we have no legal obligation to support anybody! But we will because we choose to – because that is who we are. What do I believe the Safety Net should look like? (Sorry, this will take more than two paragraphs.) It should combine a Federal Graduated Flat Tax with the Negative Income Tax proposed by Milton Friedman.
Margaret Thatcher once famously observed that “The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” But unfortunately the situation is worse than that. Because, although most political polls show that people are fed up with Washington, they still seem to be flocking to the side of politicians who promise them “something for nothing.” So now even though we have a $19 trillion public debt, politicians are still promising the voters something for nothing. This simply must stop, because it is a poison – for everybody!
History is a curious and fickle thing. There are many people who actually displayed little fiber or courage and actually accomplished little who are acclaimed in history books, while others who demonstrated great fiber and courage and did a great deal of good are often ignored. One of the latter who stood resolutely for the sanctity of the Fourth Amendment’s protections against illegal warrantless wiretapping was a man named James Lawrence Fly. Although barely recognized today, he was the chair of the Federal Communications Commission and the Defense Communications Board from 1940 through the end of World War II. 
Last time I looked, Barack Obama is the current President of the United States. Candidly, I am not a fan of President Obama, and I certainly never voted for him. But it is the task – if not the Constitutional duty – of a president to submit nominations to the U.S. Senate for federal judicial vacancies. And it is the Senate’s Constitutional duty to receive and vote upon them based upon merit judicial temperament and judicial philosophy. I agree that it is not expressly written that the Senate must hold hearings and vote in a timely fashion, but I feel strongly that this can and should be inferred by the express duties that are set forth. Thus for the “leaders” in the Senate to say in advance that they will not even consider any of the President’s nominees for the vacancy left by the death of Justice Scalia – without even knowing who that nominee will be – is a direct abdication of the Senate’s duty!
Three paragraphs for this edition: one for the presidential candidates for each viable political party in the upcoming election!
We just returned from a vacation to Egypt, and I must say that it was a staggering experience to see the historical places that I had heard and had read about all my life. For example, I stood about three feet away from the exposed face and feet of the mummified body of Ramses II at the Cairo Museum. Just imagine, this famous and highly successful pharaoh reigned over 3300 years ago – and he himself was Right Here! And, although our tour included an armed guard on our bus and often a police escort, we never felt that this security was actually necessary. Our comfort was increased by numerous Egyptians who thanked us for being there, and fervently made me promise to pass along the word that Egypt is a wonderful and safe place to visit. (I am fulfilling my promise in part by writing this column.)
It was not just a word, or just a slogan! To our Founding Fathers, Liberty was something for which they risked their treasure and even their lives. Thomas Jefferson often stated his concern that there is a natural progress of government to gain ground and Liberty to yield it. Benjamin Franklin famously warned that anyone who would trade a little less Liberty for a little more security deserves neither. And Thomas Paine notoriously cried out to give him Liberty or give him death! And there are similar striking quotes from Madison, Adams, Washington, Hamilton, Morris and all the others.
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