Nation-Building with a National-Security State by Jacob G. Hornberger June 18, 2014 Most everyone is talking about the nation-building fiasco in Iraq, but no one is addressing the type of government that U.S. officials brought into existence in Iraq. That type of government is a big part of the problem in Iraq. Keep in mind, first of all, that the State Department, Pentagon, and CIA had carte blanche to bring any type ...
Argentina’s Debt Crisis and the Gold Clause Cases by Jacob G. Hornberger June 17, 2014 Thanks to a ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court, the government of Argentina is facing a major debt crisis. Like many other governments around the world, including the governments of Greece and the United States, Argentina’s government went on big spending and borrowing sprees. Ultimately, the amount of the debt became so large — some $95 billion — that ...
Another Interventionist Debacle by Jacob G. Hornberger June 16, 2014 What a debacle! With Iraq virtually in full-scale civil war, American interventionists are scrambling like crazy to put a positive spin on their bankrupt foreign-policy philosophy. It’s all Obama’s fault for being weak, Republicans are saying. Others are blaming the Iraqis themselves for squandering the “opportunity” that U.S. troops so selflessly granted to them. Let’s back up a minute. How come ...
The Republican Creed on Free Enterprise by Jacob G. Hornberger June 13, 2014 We, the members of the Republican Party, hereby affirm our deep and abiding commitment to the principles of free enterprise (i.e., economic activity free of government control and regulation), except for: 1. Immigration controls. 2. Public (i.e., government) schooling. 3. Drug laws. 4. Social Security. 5. Medicare and Medicaid. 6. Tariffs, embargoes, sanctions, and import restrictions. 7. Insider-trading laws. 8. Antitrust laws. 9. Agricultural subsidies. 10. SBA loans. 11. The ...
Ground Hog Day in the Drug War by Jacob G. Hornberger June 12, 2014 A news article this week entitled “South Laredo Trafficking Group Indicted” caught my attention. That’s because Laredo is my hometown. I spent 26 years there, including 8 years practicing law, most of which was in partnership with my father. That newspaper article is about the drug war. It reports that an indictment was returned against 24 Laredoans for violations ...
Libertarianism 101: The Three Keys to Economic Prosperity by Jacob G. Hornberger June 11, 2014 I delivered my second lecture this morning via Skype to the Liberty and Entrepreneurship Camp 2014 in Ghana. (And see here as well.) Just like my first lecture on Monday, it was a fantastic and fun experience given the obvious interest in and passion for libertarianism among the people in the audience. My thanks to Africanus ...
Distinguishing U.S. Prisoners in War in Afghanistan by Jacob G. Hornberger June 10, 2014 Ever since the U.S invasion of Afghanistan, proponents of the war have attempted to justify it by saying that the Afghan government “harbored” the people who purportedly orchestrated the 9/11 attacks. In doing so, proponents claim that the U.S. government was justified in invading the country on two grounds: (1) to capture or kill Osama bin Laden and other ...
Libertarianism 101: My Talk to Ghana Libertarians by Jacob G. Hornberger June 9, 2014 What a great time I had talking about libertarianism this morning with attendees at the 2014 Liberty and Entrepreneurship Camp in Ghana, an annual event that is organized by a devoted libertarian from Ghana named Afrikanus Kofi Akosah. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to the conference itself and so I did the talk by Skype. The title of my ...
D-Day, Bergdahl, and Conscience in Nazi Germany by Jacob G. Hornberger June 6, 2014 Perhaps it’s fitting that President Obama is in Normandy celebrating the Allied invasion that led to the defeat of Nazi Germany, given the brouhaha that has broken out over U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl. After all, let’s not forget that the Nazi regime viewed the duty of the German soldier much as American conservatives view the duty of the American soldier ...
Washington, D.C.: Capital of Hypocrisy by Jacob G. Hornberger June 5, 2014 If anyone were ever to conduct a study on hypocrisy, he couldn’t go wrong by focusing on the U.S. government. One of the best places to begin would be in the area of immigration. For example, every Democrat in Washington will tell you that he loves “the poor, needy, and disadvantaged,” while the favorite bromide of D.C. Republicans is “free ...
Conscience and the Soldier by Jacob G. Hornberger June 4, 2014 Hopefully, the hoopla surrounding the negotiated release of U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl will serve as a reminder to young people who are contemplating joining the military: As soon as you sign the contract with the military, you will be leaving your conscience behind and you will have to follow orders to kill whomever you are ordered to kill. Let’s assume, ...
The CIA’s Murder of Rene Schneider by Jacob G. Hornberger June 3, 2014 On October 25, 1970, seven years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the CIA murdered a man named Rene Schneider. Now, before you cry, “Conspiracy theory, Jacob! Conspiracy theory!” please consider the facts in the case. Who was Rene Schneider? He was a Chilean citizen who was serving as the commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army during the 1970 presidential ...
