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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Ron Paul R3VOLution has taken over Nevada GOP

An article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal is one of many encouraging signs. This revolution is not just a bunch of cranky students complaining about the government again. This time its for real, and its happening the right way--taking over and reshaping the party from the ground up.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Libertarian litigators: The Institute for Justice

Just laying some ground work here for what will be a more detailed post on IJ. They are a Virginia-based organization that litigates for liberty. A summary directly from their website suggests that they have been doing some good work since their founding in 1991.
  • 149 cases litigated in four core mission areas: economic liberty, property rights, political and commercial speech, and school choice
  • 5 U.S. Supreme Court cases since 2002 (four victories)
  • 71 percent victory rate (through litigation, legislation, and settlement)
  • In 2011 alone, filed 21 new cases, won 18, and litigated 10 other ongoing cases
  • First favorable U.S. appeals court ruling for economic liberty since the New Deal
  • 16,311 homes and businesses saved since U.S. Supreme Court loss in Kelo v. City of New London
  • 46 states and eight supreme Courts have explicitly rejected the Kelo ruling
  • More than 200,000 children nationwide benefiting from school choice
  • 20 national awards for our media relations work, publications, and production
  • Strategic research cited by U.S. Supreme Court (Freedom Club PAC) and Indiana Supreme Court; used in six IJ briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court, three successful cert. petitions (including the landmark Citizens United ruling and Freedom Club PAC), and 11 articles published in peer-reviewed scholarly journals; also cited in 37 articles by other authors in law, public policy, and scholarly journals
  • Only law school clinic in the nation focusing exclusively on assisting low-income entrepreneurs start exclusively private-sector businesses

Youth for Ron Paul surpasses 110,000

According to Jack Hunter at the Daily Paulitical Ticker.

The big question is-- what will the kids do when Dr. Paul retires? Will they remain committed to his principles?

Jack correctly points out that many a revolution began with far fewer members. Paul supporters are famously passionate and committed as well. But an interesting quirk of human nature is the need for people to find a leader that embodies the ideals they feel passionately about. I can't think of any major political movements in western history that survived without a singular hero for its adherents to rally around. Ideas are just ideas. It takes a leader to rally people, even in a movement that favors decentralization and free thinking.

Conventional wisdom is saying at present that Rand Paul will assume his father's mantle as leader of the liberty movement. Assuredly others, such as Justin Amash, will fill in the talent gap in the coming years, as will many others heretofore unheard of. Time will tell.

These are exciting times to be a libertarian. The movement is still small and focused, still incredibly passionate and believes intensely in Dr. Paul's ideals. This sort of passion often doesn't last more than a decade, so we had better make enormous strides, and very soon.


Sunday, May 6, 2012

States Ron Paul has won so far

According to the Rand Paul Review (above) and RT (below) as of May 9, 2012.