Hornberger’s Blog, February 2011 by Jacob G. Hornberger February 1, 2011 Monday, February 28, 2011 Jury Nullification Prosecutorial Abuse While the U.S. government was expressing outrage over attacks on freedom of speech at the hands of U.S.-supported dictators in the Middle East, the U.S. Justice Department was securing a federal grand jury indictment against a man named Julian Heicklen. The charge? The feds are charging Heicklen for handing out jury-nullification pamphlets to ...
U.S.-Supported Tyranny in Egypt by Jacob G. Hornberger January 31, 2011 Among the people who might be most disturbed about the popular revolts in the Middle East are public schoolteachers across America. No, not because they necessarily oppose popular uprisings against brutal dictatorships but rather because they’re likely to be hit by an uncomfortable question from their students. “Ever since the first grade, we’ve been taught that the U.S. government is ...
Libertarianism versus Statism by Jacob G. Hornberger January 30, 2011 Sometimes it’s constructive to just sit back and reflect upon some of the major differences between libertarians and statists. With respect to foreign policy, both conservatives and liberals are devoted to the continuation of America as a military empire. Sure, there are the standard debates over whether the empire should invade or bomb this country or that country but most ...
Speaking Drug-War Truth in the Border Patrol by Jacob G. Hornberger January 28, 2011 A former Border Patrol agent, Bryan Gonzalez, has filed suit against his former employer. He’s alleging he was fired for pointing out that legalizing drugs would end drug-war violence in Mexico. The agent’s observation prompted an internal affairs investigation, which determined that Gonzalez held “personal views that were contrary to the core characteristics of Border Patrol agents, which are ...
How to Help Those Suffering Under Dictatorship by Jacob G. Hornberger January 27, 2011 With big anti-dictator demonstrations in Egypt and Yemen in the wake of the Tunisian revolution that ousted the U.S.-supported dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, U.S. officials are in a tight spot. On the one hand, they clearly want to continue supporting the dictatorial regimes in Egypt and Yemen, just as they did in Tunisia. They call it supporting “stability ...
How to Make America Exceptional Again by Jacob G. Hornberger January 26, 2011 In his State of the Union address, President Obama raised the issue of tax cuts for the rich, one of the big battlegrounds between liberals and conservatives. Yawn! Conservatives: “Lower taxes for the rich! Make the cuts permanent!” Liberals: “Raise taxes on the rich! Make the increases permanent!” Do you see what I mean when I say that there isn’t a dime’s worth ...
Eisenhower and the Danger of a Military Coup by Jacob G. Hornberger January 25, 2011 People are commemorating the 50th anniversary of President Eisenhower’s Farewell Address in which he warned Americans about the dangers posed by the military-industrial complex. However, while the commentators are focusing on the obvious impact that the military-industrial complex has on American life — i.e., the out-of-control federal spending, the widespread dependency of the private sector on military spending, the ...
Trade Deficit Blues by Jacob G. Hornberger January 24, 2011 Ever since the Christmas holidays, I have been unable to sleep. Every night I pace the floors in anxiety. The cause of my concerns? My purchase of a Christmas present for myself — an easy chair. No, it’s not guilt over my new comfort that is causing my distress. Rather it’s the fact that there is now an imbalance ...
Bringing Up Hitler by Jacob G. Hornberger January 20, 2011 Yes, I know that American statists hate it when someone brings up Hitler in the context of U.S. government policies. But it seems to be that bringing up Hitler can sometimes be instructive, especially given his historical role as a benchmark for evil. That’s not to suggest that every single thing that Hitler ever did was evil, but it seems ...
Supporting Dictators by Jacob G. Hornberger January 19, 2011 I had a great time on Judge Napolitano’s Freedom Watch last night. It’s refreshing to see a libertarian talk show host, especially on a conservative television network, who recognizes the realities of U.S. foreign policy and the benefits of transparency in government. We talked about the revolution in Tunisia, the U.S. government’s support of the Tunisian dictator, Zine El Abidine ...
The Big Kingdom by Jacob G. Hornberger January 18, 2011 If you want to get a sense of why foreigners hate the U.S. Empire for its arrogance, elitism, and pomposity, just take a look at the following two editorials by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Yes, I know that these two newspapers are not owned and operated by the U.S. government but the mindset ...
WikiLeaks and the U.S.-Supported Dictatorship in Tunisia by Jacob G. Hornberger January 17, 2011 What has happened in Tunisia provides a perfect encapsulation of U.S. foreign policy and why U.S. officials are so angry over the WikiLeaks leaks. According to the New York Times, some of the WikiLeaks cables “make it clear just how much United States officials, preoccupied with the threat of terrorism in many other Muslim countries, valued Mr. Ben Ali’s cooperation and ability ...
