Rand Paul's Response to Obama's State of the Union Speech

Paul delivered the "tea party response" to Obama's SOTU.

And see Reason, "Brian Doherty on Rand Paul's State of the Union Response."

BONUS: Doherty at the New York Times, "After Ron Paul, Then What for Libertarians?"

Julie Borowski: Oppose the Violence Against Women Act

Via Right Wing News:

Reason's New Los Angeles Headquarters

This is interesting.

I'd like to go to one of those Reason parties. See: "Check out Reason's New LA Headquarters!"

And a sample from the magazine, featuring Jacob Sullum, "The Rioter’s Veto: Can violence in the Middle East justify censorship in the United States?"

That's also the left's veto. So far the only person arrested or jailed following the Benghazi scandal is Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the director of "Innocence of Muslims."

The Real Tears Are Only Just Beginning

Via Instapundit, "REASON TV: Sorry little girl, but while the election may be over, the real tears are only just beginning."

The Ground Glass Election

From Glenn Reynolds, at the Washington Examiner, "Sunday Reflection: The ground-glass election":

Last week, I noticed this blog comment: "Romney was not my first, second, or third choice, but I will crawl over ground glass to vote for him."

A lot of Republicans -- and, judging from polls, a lot of independents -- feel this way. If there are enough of them, Romney will win, and win big.

Are there? Well, there are some signs. I've written here before that politics is all about showing up. And in recent months, people on the Right have been doing a lot of showing up. They've showed up at Romney-Ryan events in unprecedented numbers. They made Dinesh D'Souza's "2016: Obama's America" a huge hit despite a virtual blackout from traditional media. They stood in line for hours at Chick-fil-A restaurants to buy chicken sandwiches in response to politicians' bullying. They packed houses at the "Hating Breitbart" premiere.

Will they now pack the voting booths and vote for Romney, and against Obama, in similarly unprecedented numbers? If they do, Romney will win in a landslide.

Then a landslide it's going to be. All signs are pointing to an epic day for grassroots conservative turnout --- not just Republican turnout, but conservatives for whom Romney wasn't their first pick but who now see him as the bulwark against continued Obama-Democrat statism and political and economic decay.

It's going to be huge. More at that top link.

Is Atlas Shrugging?

Via Glenn Reynolds, an interview with Harmon Kaslow, the producer of the film 'Atlas Shrugged, Part II', "Job Creators Are Giving Up on the U.S."

World Premiere Atlas Shrugged Part II

In Washington, D.C., via Reason.tv:

Obama Leads Romney 52-45 In New Reason-Rupe Poll

Yeah, Obama's pulling out his margin, and this is at the Reason poll, which has a great track record and can hardly be slammed as hopelessly left-wing and in the tank for Obama.

I don't see an Emily Ekins video posted yet, but I'll update with that hottie when it's available.

See, "Obama Leads Romney 52-45 In New Reason-Rupe Poll; In Three-Way Race Obama Leads Romney 49-42, Johnson Gets 6 Percent":

A new national Reason-Rupe poll of likely voters finds President Barack Obama leading Republican Mitt Romney 48 percent to 43 percent in the presidential race. When undecided voters are asked which way they are leaning Obama’s lead over Romney grows to 52-45.

President Obama holds large advantages among women (53-37), African-Americans (92-2) and Hispanics (71-18). Fifty-two percent of likely voters view Obama favorably, while 45 view him unfavorably. In contrast, 49 percent of likely voters have an unfavorable view of Mitt Romney and 41 percent have a favorable view of him.

In a three-way presidential race, Obama drops to 49 percent among likely voters and Romney falls to 42 percent as the Libertarian Party’s Gary Johnson gets six percent of support. Johnson is already on the presidential ballot in 47 states.

More at the link.

Check back if you're not looking for sugarcoating.

'Atlas Shrugged: Part II'

At Reason, "Atlas Shrugged Part II: Theatrical Trailer."

I think that "Going Galt" meme will pick up again if Obama's reelected.

Go Topless Protest at the White House

From Glenn Reynolds, "NEWS YOU CAN USE: Reason TV: What We Saw At The “Go Topless” Protest. But the Reason TV folks chickened out.

Here's the video:

But see Althouse, "Photos from the Go Topless Protest at the White House":

Warning, lots of large photos of breasts at the link, which I recommend not for the usual gawking at breasts, but for the careful contemplation of the expression and demeanor of the various women.

Yeah, read it all at the link --- and check out those breasts.

The Killing of Michael Nida

At Reason, "Cops with Machine Guns: The Killing of Michael Nida."

Nida had a fear of law enforcement and ran from police. He was shot when he turned toward officers, who thought he was armed. That much is not at issue. It's why are local police armed with sub-machine guns on routine police calls? The last third of the clip is especially good. The recent Anaheim "officer-involved" shootings were pretty questionable, and the local community is right to protest the brutality. Unfortunately, the city reported that most of the anarchists destroying property were from out of town. So then it turns into a lame social justice mobilization, which then causes alienation and support for the police to put down the thugs. Idiots.

That said, I doubt drug decriminalization is going to bring an end to the drug wars, which is big pet issue for the libertarians.

Protesters Disrupt Chick-fil-A Grand Opening in Laguna Hills

At the O.C. Register, "Gay youths protest at Laguna Hills Chick-fil-A."

This is how stupid these people are:

Locally, Cathy's comments prompted members of Youth Empowered to Act, a group with The Center Orange County, to plan the protest.

The youth group decided Chick-fil-A's latest Orange County restaurant opening would be "the perfect time and place to bring attention to the discriminatory policies and beliefs of Chick-fil-A," executive director Kevin O'Grady said.

Youth program director Laura Kanter said the purpose of the protest is to let consumers know "where the charitable arm of this corporation sends its money.

"We want to alert consumers that if they're spending their money at Chick-fil-A, some of that money can be spent against LGBT people and their families," she said.

Kanter noted donations to organizations such as the Family Research Council by WinShape Foundation, a nonprofit charity started in 1984 by Cathy's parents, Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy and his wife, Jeannette.

The Family Research Council "believes that homosexual conduct is harmful to the persons who engage in it and to society at large," according to its website.

So far no one has demonstrated that Chick-fil-A discriminates. And of course, the owner is free to his political opinions, and he can contribute to any interest group he so pleases. There's video from the Register as well: "Chick-fil-A cancels camp out amidst protest." And see NBC News Los Angeles, "Orange County Chick-fil-A Opening Greeted by Gay-Rights Protesters."

In related news Glenn Greenwald is pushing back against the fascism in Chicago, "Rahm Emanuel’s dangerous free speech attack" (via Memeorandum):

It’s always easy to get people to condemn threats to free speech when the speech being threatened is speech that they like. It’s much more difficult to induce support for free speech rights when the speech being punished is speech they find repellent. But having Mayors and other officials punish businesses for the political and social views of their executives — regardless of what those views are — is as pure a violation of the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech as it gets, and beyond that, is genuinely dangerous.

RTWT.

Scott Lemieux at LGM agrees with Greenwald, although his commenters really, really hate Chick-fil-A (and would like to shut 'em down):

[CEO] Cathey has, in fact, committed [discriminatory] acts. Donating money to organizations that seek to deny me equal rights under the law is an act, and if he and his company and his precious little dog suffer for it, tough shit. If conservatives wanna dish it out, then they can damn well take it.

Fuck him, his chickens, and the drooling Jesus goons who support him.

It goes back and forth like that at the post

Now, somewhat surprisingly, Steve M. at No More Mr. Nice Blog agrees with Greenwald only on practical grounds, and thus disagrees with the First Amendment argument (which shows Steve's a fascist). And here's idiot left-wing fascist Tom Hilton in the comments:

I basically agree with you on the practicalities of the thing. (On the other hand, I think if it does come down to that war the yahoos lose out way more than we do, simply because the most economically dynamic areas of the country are mostly very liberal.)

But Greenwald is, in typically libertardian fashion, full of shit on the principle of the thing. Advocating discrimination is fundamentally not the same thing as advocating anti-discrimination--and in certain contexts, the law actually recognizes that (e.g., the law does not protect speech that creates a hostile environment for a protected class).

Again, how stupid can one be? Boston and Chicago are discriminating against Chick-fil-A, on the basis of political speech no less, constitutionally protected. The progs are going batsh*t crazy on this, and it's really disgusting. Stupid and disgusting. And fascist.

More at Memeorandum.

What Do Libertarians Think About Gay Marriage?

Matt Welch and Nick Gillespie perfectly illustrate why I'm not libertarian on social issues. This is literally a knee-jerk discussion, and I doubt a longer libertarian treatment, perhaps in their new book, would be much better --- I haven't read it though, so this is all I've got. Still, this is pretty familiar terrain, and completely divorced from decency or moral consideration, IMHO:

For a recent argument against gay marriage, see "Conservatives Block Homosexual Marriage Law in Washington State."

Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman, and The Decline of Racism and Violence in America

Here's Kennedy from Reason.tv, via Instapundit:

VIDEO: Atlas Shrugged: Part II Greenlighted

I enjoyed Part I, so I'm looking forward to this:

PREVIOUSLY: "'Atlas Shrugged' Sequel Secures Financing, Production to Start in April."

Reason.tv: 'Why Gay Marriage is Winning'

The best thing about this video is Kennedy, the narrator, who I'm sure a lot of readers will hope is straight, and not married:

What's Capitalism?

This is Professor Gary Chartier, who's described as a "left-wing market anarchist" --- which sounds quite similar to (yet perhaps more authentic than) James B. Webb, who claims to be a "libertarian socialist."

'We're All Austrians Now'

At Reason, "Reason.tv in Iowa: "We're All Austrians Now" - Ron Paul and the IA Caucus."

I was watching the speech. Rand Paul looked positively glum in the background. No doubt he was committed to winning the state. But third place is respectable, I guess. We'll see if Granite State voters can put Paul's campaign six feet deep next week.

See also Houston Chronicle, "Paul expecting Iowa bounce in New Hampshire, South Carolina."

RELATED: A a warning from the former GOP vice presidential nominee, "Sarah Palin: Don’t Ignore or Marginalize Ron Paul."

Ron Paul is an Ultra Left-Wing Radical

Well, that's what I'm talkin' about!

Via Gateway Pundit:

PREVIOUSLY: "Ron Paul: 'A Radical Who Would Destroy Traditional Marriage in America'."

Ron Paul: 'A Radical Who Would Destroy Traditional Marriage in America'

At New York Times, "Commercial Introduces Gay Marriage as an Issue in the Iowa Caucuses":

Well, he's libertarian, so pro-gay marriage is the natural position. But this is progressivism, frankly, which is why Paul's really more leftist than conservative. It's ridiculous.