MCViewPoint

Opinion from a Libertarian ViewPoint

Posts Tagged ‘extortion’

‘Is Biden Holding America Hostage Until Independence Day?’ – Ron Paul’s 15 Mar. Column

Posted by M. C. on March 16, 2021

Imagine our Founders hearing this speech. The US president might – just might – allow small family gatherings at home in four months if we follow all of his rules. King George looked benevolent by comparison!

As Rep. Thomas Massie Tweeted shortly after the speech, “If you’re waiting for permission from the chief executive to celebrate Independence Day with your family, you clearly don’t grasp the concept of Independence.”

https://mailchi.mp/ronpaulinstitute/bidenindependence?e=4e0de347c8

Mar 15 – Last week President Biden addressed the nation on the first anniversary of the coronavirus being declared a “pandemic.” It was a disturbing speech, warning us that the “hopeful spring” will only emerge “from a dark winter” if all Americans “stick with the rules.”

Whose rules? His rules.

The message from the president was clear: he will only allow us to have some of our freedoms back if we do exactly as he tells us. It was the language of extortion, of a bank robber who demands you do what he says or face the consequences. It was not the language of someone we are told is the leader of the free world.

In the speech Biden laid out a list of what was taken from us over the past year, “weddings, birthdays, graduations…family reunions, the Sunday night rituals.” It was as if somehow the virus, instead of authoritarian government officials, prevented us from enjoying these normal human activities.

Though we continue to see Covid disappear across the country with the end of the winter season, Biden was not about to let go of his perceived power to control our lives. He said, “if we do all this, if we do our part, if we do this together, by July the 4, there’s a good chance you, your families and friends, will be able to get together in your backyard or in your neighborhood and have a cookout or a barbecue and celebrate Independence Day. That doesn’t mean large events with lots of people together, but it does mean small groups will be able to get together.”

Imagine our Founders hearing this speech. The US president might – just might – allow small family gatherings at home in four months if we follow all of his rules. King George looked benevolent by comparison!

As Rep. Thomas Massie Tweeted shortly after the speech, “If you’re waiting for permission from the chief executive to celebrate Independence Day with your family, you clearly don’t grasp the concept of Independence.”

It seems like yesterday – it almost was – that Biden “asked” us to just wear the mask for 100 days. “Just 100 days to mask, not forever. 100 days,” he said. So from “just 100 days” to maybe you can have a small gathering by July 4th? Perhaps he just forgot his earlier speech?

As usual, the goalposts keep being moved because politicians cannot bear the possibility that they might have to give up some of that power over us they have grabbed for themselves. Fauci made the usual mainstream media rounds over the weekend and was asked by the fawning host when Americans might have permission to hold weddings again!

So now Americans need Fauci’s permission to get married? What is happening to this country? The propaganda is so relentless that it seems most Americans don’t see how not normal this is! In saner times, Fauci would be laughed off the stage. Now, he’s treated as some sort of divine source of truth.

Biden promised he was “using every power…as the president of the United States to put us on a war footing.” Of that I have no doubt. But Biden’s war is not against the virus. It’s against the US Constitution and liberty itself.



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The Elon Mordita – EPautos – Libertarian Car Talk

Posted by M. C. on April 9, 2019

https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2019/04/08/the-elon-mordita/

Extortion is illegal provided you call it that. If you call it something else – “emissions credits,” for instance – then it’s ok.

Tesla just extorted several hundred million dollars from FiatChrysler (FCA) via this legal means of extortion. FCA is forced to pay Elon for not building enough electric cars which people don’t want to buy – but which don’t produce that deadly inert gas, carbon dioxide. While the cars FCA sells – without subsidies – do.

These CO2 “emissions” – which every living soul on this Earth also “emits” with every respiration – have been hystericized into a Planetary Threat for political reasons. An inert gas – but one essential to life on this Earth – has been rebranded into an “emission,” a term which once meant harmful byproducts – things which had to be cleaned up for the sake of public health.

But carbon dioxide isn’t “dirty.”…

Enter Elon.

He extorts “credits” from FCA – and others – who use these “credits” to tamp down the total volume of carbon dioxide “emissions” produced  by the vehicles they sell and thus achieve what is styled “regulatory compliance” with the C02 fatwas.

The money thus mulcted goes not just from FCA’s account into Elon’s, but also from the pockets of people buying FCA vehicles – which become progressively more expensive to buy in order to offset the cost of the Elon Mordita.

Tesla also gets subsidized once again – and can pretend to be a going concern as opposed to the parasitical entity it actually is.

Think of a tick growing fat on just that spot on your dog’s back he can’t quiet reach – and which has become a fatwa’d Safe Space the vet isn’t allowed to touch.

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The Case for Legalizing Blackmail | Mises Wire

Posted by M. C. on February 23, 2019

https://mises.org/wire/case-legalizing-blackmail

Due to Jeff Bezos’ public accusations against the National Enquirer, the topic of blackmail is in the news. Tyler Cowen wrote an article for Bloomberg in which he largely took it for granted that blackmail was a bad practice, but he at least linked to a 1985 law review article by Walter Block and David Gordon arguing that the practice should be legalized (if not necessarily praised).

Continuing the discussion, over at the website EconLog, David R. Henderson chimed in on the side of Block and Gordon, and also linked to Robin Hanson , who thinks nobody has ever offered a good argument for keeping blackmail illegal. On the other hand, at the same EconLog website, Scott Sumner rejects these defenses and argues that blackmail is a socially harmful practice that the government rightfully outlaws.

In the present article, I’ll summarize and elaborate upon Block and Gordon’s case for legalizing blackmail, and I’ll point out some of the major problems with Sumner’s arguments in favor of its current prohibition.

Blackmail Is Not Extortion

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Three Kinds of Theft | The Daily Bell

Posted by M. C. on November 12, 2017

Remember when Joe Biden said we all enjoy paying taxes?

http://www.thedailybell.com/editorials/three-kinds-of-theft/

1. The Con

The con artist cheats you out of your money. He makes you think you are getting something of value, or he tricks you into being robbed without your knowledge. Most people are conned into supporting taxation, assuming taxes are the price of civilization. They assume that is the way it has to be, and that taxes are justified because people get government services in return.

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