Professor Milton Friedman: Free To Choose (1980) ‘How To Stay Free’

Source:Invest Bliguru- a House Agriculture Committee hearing in 1980.

Source:The FreeState

“The Great Depression of the 1930s changed the public philosophy regarding the appropriate role of government in American life. Before the Depression, government was not assumed to have special responsibilities for individual or business welfare. The severity of the economic tragedy of the 1930s resulted in a dramatic change in public attitudes.

Many believed the Depression represented a “failure of capitalism.” Because of this alleged failure, government has ever since been expanding its power and the scope of its control. Government growth has resulted in waste, inefficiency, and a loss of personal freedom. Intended to serve the interests of the people, many governmental programs have been revealed to serve primarily the interests of the bureaucrats.

Many government programs serve at cross purposes. For example, different agencies attempt, on the one hand, to discourage use of tobacco as potentially dangerous to good health and, on the other hand, to encourage production of tobacco through subsidies to tobacco farmers. The list of government inconsistencies and inefficiencies goes on and on. Dr. Friedman, however, says that there is reason for optimism. Today, he notes, the public is better informed about these matters and is increasingly willing to take a stand against further unnecessary expansion of government services. He suggests the most fruitful approach is to remove discretionary budget power from the government. Friedman favors passage of a Constitutional amendment limiting the government’s budget and forcing government to work within that budget.

But this is only the first step. As Dr. Friedman points out, “What we need is widespread public recognition that the central government should be limited to its basic functions: defending the nation against foreign enemies, preserving order at home, and mediating our disputes. We must come to recognize that voluntary cooperation through the market and in other ways is a far better way to solve our problems than turning them over to the government.” 

From Invest Bliguru 

If you look at the lobbying industry in America and why it’s so large and why they’ve become so powerful and have dominated Washington politics, preventing both good and bad things from happening and becoming law, it’s because as the famous bank robber Billy The Kid once said to why he robs banks, he said,: “Because that’s where the money is.” 

Why do lobbyists lobby Washington, because that’s where the power is. We now have a Federal budget of 3.7T$ and now have a public service of eight-million workers including Congress and their staffs. So of course they are going to lobby the Federal Government so much to represent their interests, because that’s where the power is.

If you look at the Washington skyline, especially downtown Washington, you’ll see a big beautiful city with lots of big beautiful buildings that take up a lot of space. Most of those buildings paid for by Federal tax revenue and most of those buildings are Federal property to house the thousands of Federal agency’s we have and thousands of Federal workers who work there. Do we need Federal campaign and lobbying reform, of course we do. But campaign finance and lobbying reform in America is not a silver bullet to fix the corruption in our Federal Government.

But as long as the Federal Government is as big and powerful as it is, lobbying will always be an issue in the Federal Government. Members of Congress will always be looking for the easiest way to get reelected and the fastest way to move up in the House and Senate and be planning their post Congressional careers. Well, the few members who actually leave Congress will be doing that. The others will concentrate on the easiest way to get reelected, move up in Leadership, perhaps land a sweet cabinet position or look to run for President themselves.  

If you want less lobbying and corruption in Washington, get the government power out of Washington and send it back to the states, localities, and the people themselves. As well as full-disclosure on all Federal lobbying and political activities in America. 

Dennis Miller Live: 'Bill Maher & Dennis Miller on Free Speech vs Political Correctness'

Source:David Gagnon- Real Time With Bill Maher on Dennis Miller Live, in 2002.

"Bill Maher & Dennis Miller on Free Speech vs Political Correctness" 

From David Gagnon

As Dennis Miller said, America is a playground of ideas, not a marketplace ideas. The idea that someone can't express themselves and say exactly what they think is as Un-American as slavery, communism, theocracy, everything else in the U.S. Constitution that we as a country don't believe in, because we as individuals tend to believe in the right to be free and be able to think for ourselves and make our own decisions in life. Communist states and theocratic states are the places you go if you are too afraid to think for yourself, hear something that you disagree with, or make your own personal decisions, not America. 

Again as Dennis Miller who I don't agree with on everything also made the perfect point in his monologue when he said the answer to hate speech is free speech. Just like the answer to ignorance is education. You don't want assholes in your country, make the case why they're assholes and make the case for why they're wrong and you are right and educate the rest of the society. Or close your ears and eyes and pretend you live in a perfect world or utopia and that no one you disagree with and dislike hasn't even been born yet, let alone able to express themselves in a free society. 

Firing Line With William F. Buckley: ‘That if You Want More Jobs, the Government Should Get Out of the Way’

Source:Firing Line With William F. Buckley- Leon Botstein moderated this debate.

Source:The FreeState 

“As Mr. Botstein frames the question, “We are in a recession. Some people consider it a contained depression, perhaps the worst economic period since the Great Depression. And we don’t really know what to do about it.” Mr. Buckley thinks he does: “Bring back full employment by getting government out of the way.” After all, “A lot of people say they can’t build houses; they can’t afford the interest. Why is interest so high? Because of inflation. Who causes inflation? Only the government can cause inflation. The private sector has never discovered how to do it.” Mr. McGovern is equally sure that, say, the savings-and-loan crisis “is not the result of too much government intervention … Rather it is the opposite: the result of too little regulation and monitoring that permitted irresponsible S&L managers to rob that industry and the American public.” Mrs. Schlafly takes up the cudgels against overreaching legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the latest Clean Air Act, and we’re off on a vigorous exploration of what government can and can’t reasonably do.” 

From the Hoover Institution 

“Episode FLS112, Recorded on March 26, 1992

Guests: Richard K. Armey, Phyllis Schlafly, Herbert Stein, George S. (George Stanley) McGovern, Robert Eisner, Michael E. Kinsley, Hyman P. Minsky

For more information about this program, see:Hoover Institution." 

From Firing Line With William F. Buckley

This looks like a debate between economic libertarians and people who would be called Social Democrats or Democratic Socialists everywhere else in the developed world, but since America is so special, they are called Liberals here. Because Americans leftists tend to be scared to death of the s-word. 

On the Right, you get government is already doing too much and what we need to do now is cut government, regulations, and taxes, and expand free trade in America. 

On the Left and actual Left (not liberal) you get government isn’t doing or taxing nearly enough and should be doing a lot more of that to meet the needs of the people and expand the economy. 

This is sort of a traditional left-wing vs right-wing debate in America about the role of government, that was brought to you by Firing Line With William F. Buckley.  

Talking Points Memo: 'Sarah Mania! Sarah Palin's Greatest Hits'

Source:Talking Points Memo- Governor Sarah Palin (Republican, Alaska) at her best or worst (depending on your perspective) in 2008.

"All the best moments of Sarah Palin interviews, starring Sarah Palin, Charlies Gibson, Katie Couric, Sean Hannity, and special guest appearance from John McCain himself." 

From Talking Points Memo

If there's one political campaign as well as the record that has followed their post-political campaign that has determined the rest of their political career its Sarah Palin's 2008 campaign for vice president and just about everything thats come after that campaign following 2008. And why Sarah Palin will never be President of the United States and may never run for President of the United States. Because even though it's only been three years since Governor Palin has come onto the national scene, there's already a library of material that could be used against Palin. Making her look like Mrs. Not Ready for Prime Time.

Seeing Russia from her backyard making her an expert on foreign policy, was just the opening act that kept people in the theaters. And wanting to see the movie again, renting the movie when it comes out, buying their own copy, giving the movie to people for gifts, selling the movie to people. Standing in waiting lines or making reservations to see the movie.

And three years later because of the success of the Sarah Palin Movie, The World According to Sarah Palin, a real life comedy, there have been sequels to this movie. That if anything are more popular and have also won awards for Comedy of The Year as well. 

The reason why Sarah Palin is not running for President right now, well Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry beat her to it. So she would have to compete with two other people and they are already showing America how not to run for President. So that would be one lesson in how not to run for President that Sarah Palin wouldn't be able to teach the country.