Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
IOUSA Screening Thursday, September 20
Please Join Ole Miss Young Americans for Liberty for a screening of the film IOUSA and light refreshments in honor of Constitution Week on Thursday, September 20th in Bishop Hall room 105, from 6:00pm until 7:30pm.
America is on the brink of a financial meltdown. I.O.U.S.A. boldly examines the rapidly growing national debt and its consequences for the United States and its citizens. Burdened with an ever-expanding government and military, increased international competition, overextended entitlement programs, and debts to foreign countries that are becoming impossible to honor, America must mend its spendthrift ways or face an economic disaster of epic proportions.
Throughout history, the American government has found it nearly impossible to spend only what has been raised through taxes. Wielding candid interviews with both average American taxpayers and government officials, Sundance veteran Patrick Creadon (Wordplay) helps demystify the nation’s financial practices and policies. The film follows former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker as he crisscrosses the country explaining America’s unsustainable fiscal policies to its citizens.
With surgical precision, Creadon interweaves archival footage and economic data to paint a vivid and alarming profile of America’s current economic situation. Pointedly topical and consummately nonpartisan, I.O.U.S.A. drives home the message that the only time for America’s financial future is now.
Get ready for Constitution Week!
Join us, Thursday, September 13, at 6:00 PM in BISHOP HALL, ROOM 105. We will be recapping last week’s meeting, and finalizing our plans for this semester!
Constitution Day is September 17th and all week — September 17 to 24 — YAL chapters from across the country are raising awareness about our founding document. The U.S. Constitution is the explicit contract between the federal government and We the People. And, it is the only document elected officials and military personnel swear to uphold. Yes, it is that important!
We hope to see you tomorrow at 6:00!
Lindsay Krout
Secretary, Ole Miss YAL
Meeting today – September 6 – 5:30pm – Bishop 209!
Join us, Thursday, September 6, at 5:30 PM in BISHOP HALL, ROOM 209. We will be recapping last week’s meeting, and finalizing our plans for this semester!
We hope to see you tomorrow at 5:30!
Lindsay Krout
Secretary, Ole Miss YAL
First meeting – New Semester 2012!
We are so excited to start this semester off with you! Our first meeting will be tomorrow, Thursday, August 30, at 5:30 PM in BISHOP HALL, ROOM 105. We will be discussing our schedule as well as all the exciting opportunities YAL has in store this semester!
We hope to see you tomorrow at 5:30!
Lindsay Krout
Secretary, Ole Miss Young Americans for Liberty
Ole Miss YAL presents “10 Rules for Dealing with Police”
Tuesday, April 17, 2012 – 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm in Bondurant Auditorium (Room 204C) on the Ole Miss Campus
If you get pulled over on your way home from the Square, what do you say to the police if he asks to search your car?
Do you know how to assert your rights in a polite, lawful manner?
Join Ole Miss Young Americans for Liberty for a screening of “10 Rules for Dealing with Police.” After watching 10 Rules, you’ll be more confident and better prepared to handle every kind of police situation. You’ll learn how to…
–Deal with traffic stops, street stops & police at your door.
–Know your rights & maintain your cool.
–Avoid common police tricks & prevent humiliating searches.
Come join us Tuesday and invite all of your friends, so you’ll be prepared the next time you encounter the police!
Visit this event on our Facebook page:
Ole Miss Recieves FIRE’s Highest Free Speech Rating
Madison Featherston writes for the DM on revisions in the University’s speech code. Our YAL chapter’s biannual Banned Book reading is mentioned.
See FIRE’s statement on Ole Miss’ new rating here.
–––
James Robertson currently attends the University of Mississippi, where he plans to receive a degree in Political Science. He is the President of the Ole Miss Chapter of Young Americans for Liberty. He can be contacted at jrrobert@olemiss.edu, Facebook and Twitter.
Happy Friday (the 13th)
The weekend is here! Check out these stories from today.
- Remember that whole debt ceiling thing? Yeah, we’re there again.
- Then again, there could be hope yet. Obama’s attempt to merge and consolidate federal trade agencies could be a true gesture towards smaller government.
- Frank Hurdle at the Col. Reb Sez blog defends Haley Barbour and the pardon power more generally as a means of rehabilitating criminals. UMFreedom on Barbour’s pardongate here.
- In other state news, Matt Eichelberger at Cottonmouth reports on Speaker Gunn’s decision to hire a “political ad man with a salary commensurate with a circuit court judge.” That’s $110,000 a year. Eichelberger laments, “The party of small government, indeed.”
- Matt Zwolinski of the Bleeding Heart Libertarians blog has a good piece at the Daily Caller, emphasizing the importance of organizations like IHS. He’s right that organizations like IHS, YAL, and SFL have more long-term significance within the liberty movement than a single campaign. It’s important to note, though, that candidates like Ron Paul introduce many to the concept of a free society.
- Lastly, for your Friday the 13th viewing pleasure:
Stay up-to-date, follow Ole Miss YAL on Facebook and Twitter.
–––
James Robertson currently attends the University of Mississippi, where he plans to receive degrees in Political Science and English. He is the President of the Ole Miss Chapter of Young Americans for Liberty. He can be contacted at jrrobert@olemiss.edu, Facebook and Twitter.
Thursday Links
Ahh, Thursday – the beginning of the weekend in Oxford. Here’s what we’re reading this Thursday morning:
-
Marshall Ramsey's Always-Cutting Take on Haley's Pardongate
Coverage of Haley Barbour’s Pardongate expanded yesterday as the former governor came under criticism for issuing around 200 pardons his last day in office. Attorney General Hood’s efforts to block the release of prisoners seems to be moving forward. Haley’s defensive statement here.
- Mississippi Democrats are calling for a shortened legislative session. While this move is probably politically motivated given the recent Republican takeover of the House, giving the government less time to mess things up seems like a good idea. This is where Texas gets it right.
- The latest poll released from South Carolina shows Romney (23) essentially tied with Gingrich (21), followed by Santorum (14), Paul (13), Huntsman (7), and Perry (5).
- Another Iranian nuclear scientist is dead, further evidence that either American or Israeli forces are actively waging a covert war on Iran’s nuclear program.
- Another one of the reasons our military presence abroad inevitably inspires others to fight against us.
- MSN Money has a great piece warning about the dangers of another round of quantitative easing by the Fed. The author, Anthony Mirhaydari, lays it out: ”In simple terms: The Fed is laying the groundwork for another round of unmitigated money printing.”
- The Department of Justice asked a judge to rule in favor of allowing citizens to record police officers on duty. As Radley Balko notes, “The federal government rarely urges a federal court to give the government less power.”
- While covering the GOP primary in New Hampshire, Adam Kokesh had a surprisingly cordial encounter with a police officer discussing the use of recording equipment.
- Ole Miss YAL hosted Kokesh to speak in the grove during the 2008 presidential debate at Ole Miss. That video here.
Stay up-to-date, follow Ole Miss YAL on Facebook and Twitter.
–––
James Robertson currently attends the University of Mississippi, where he plans to receive degrees in Political Science and English. He is the President of the Ole Miss Chapter of Young Americans for Liberty. He can be contacted at jrrobert@olemiss.edu, Facebook and Twitter.
Haley Barbour’s Pardoning Frenzy Stirs Up Media Circus
Yesterday, Phil Bryant was inaugurated as the 64th governor of Mississippi. The outgoing Haley Barbour wasted no time his last day on the job, pardoning 27 convicted criminals, many of them felons. This last-minute pardoning frenzy has made both national and international news.
- Tom Freeland at the North Mississippi Commentor blog examines some of these cases in several posts, noting that Karen Irby was also granted clemency. More on the Irby case here.
- Cottonmouth also has coverage, noting that the pardons allow convicted murderers to once again carry firearms. He also raises an interesting question about whether Barbour’s pardons violated a state constitutional provision due to lack of prior notice.
- Back in 2009, Radley Balko wrote about Barbour’s “bizzare” pardon record at Slate, noting that the governor granted pardons to “murderers who just happen to do work on his house.”
As expected, have taken to both Facebook and Twitter, to voice their disgust. On a somewhat lighter note, though, others have turned to farce:
- @lindsey_brooks posts: ”"THIS JUST IN!!! Haley Barbour’s latest pardons: Darth Vader, Count Chocula, Cruella de Vil, Skeletor, and Voldemort.”
- @thirdcup writes: ”Next time you see Haley Barbour, skip the hellos and say “I beg your pardon.” “Pardon me” will suffice as well.”
Primary Day in New Hampshire
Today, residents of New Hampshire head to the polls to vote in the nation’s first
presidential primary. The Democrats failed to field a legitimate primary challenger to Obama, pledging their implicit support for his foreign intervention and disregard for civil liberties at home. Glenn Greenwald confronts this hypocrisy masterfully.
On the Republican side, though, things are a bit more interesting. Polling suggests that Mitt Romney will easily win the state, followed by a possible second place finish for Ron Paul and Huntsman in third.
- Tom Woods, who spoke to Ole Miss YAL after the release of his book Meltdown, is on the ground in New Hampshire.
- A recent Politico piece suggests that Ron Paul’s libertarian message is failing to inspire voters, referring to his stump speech as “a grim, thousand-points-of-darkness jeremiad that makes the rest of the GOP field’s somber depiction of Obama-era America seem sunny.”
- In light of the current election season, A. Barton Hinkle discusses the liberal backlash against Citizens United and why the Supreme Court made the right decision.
- Now that Romney is the established front-runner of the Republican field, several of his opponents are laying it on. Both Newt Gingrich and Jon Huntsman have criticized Romney for firing workers while working at Bain Capital. As James Pethokoukis from the American Enterprise Institute notes, the attacks are purely political and suggest that the Republicans’ understanding of free markets is superficial at best.
“Of course, Romney and Bain weren’t in the game to create jobs. They were in it to make money for their investors and themselves. Then again, the same would go for Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Michael Dell, Warren Buffett, and just about every other successful entrepreneur and investor you could name. But that is the miracle of free-market capitalism. The pursuit of profits by creating value benefits the rest of society through higher incomes, more jobs, and better products and services.”
- On an unrelated note, Reason’s Brian Dougherty has a fascinating post which asserts that Haiti’s lack of prosperity stems from their insecure property rights.
Join us back here tomorrow to discuss the New Hampshire results!
—
James Robertson currently attends the University of Mississippi, where he plans to receive degrees in Political Science and English. He is the President of the Ole Miss Chapter of Young Americans for Liberty. He can be contacted at jrrobert@olemiss.edu.
