2018 Mid-Term Election Predictions

With the 2018 Mid-Term election fast approaching this Tuesday, I foresee the following to be the most likely outcome:

• A net gain of 21 seats for Democrats in the House, with Republicans retaining a slight 221-214 majority, and
• A net gain of 2 seats for Republicans in the Senate, with Republicans holding a 53-47 majority

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Stephen P. Gordon Obituary

Originally published at IPR

Libertarian activist Stephen P. Gordon died unexpectedly September 5, 2018 at the age of 56. An Alabama native, Gordon resided in New York since 2014, working for Project Veritas.

A Free Press for Me, But Not for Thee

Corporate media outlets like CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Times have recently claimed President Donald Trump attacks the First Amendment when he criticizes corporate media outlets for unethical journalistic practices and labels them the “enemy of the people.”  Nevertheless, Trump has taken no legal action against any member of the corporate media (unlike the previous President), and has not advocated doing so.  On the other hand, just this past month, the aforementioned corporate media outlets were actively involved in lobbying Silicon Valley tech utilities to censor independent media outlet InfoWars.  Isn’t that an actual attack on the First Amendment?

On Trump Derangement Syndrome

A woman exhibiting severe Trump Derangement Syndrome

The level of hate aimed at President Donald Trump in the political sphere is much greater than what any of his predecessors faced.  Members of Congress have endorsed public harassment of cabinet members, accused the President of capital crimes, and even suggested a military coup to remove the President from power.  People in such prominent positions of power would never have even considered such careless rhetoric in the darkest days of the Bush and Obama presidencies.  But we have entered a new era.  Trump threatens the established order, and so, he and his followers are forced to feel the wrath.

Choosing Peace

Credit: Getty Images

The historic summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this past month in Singapore signaled a significant shift toward peace.  This stood in stark contrast to the situation in April 2017 when I wondered whether the rapidly deescalating situation would lead to violence.  I proposed a path to peace.  With former NBA star Dennis Rodman as perhaps the only mutual friend of Trump and Kim, the latter acquaintance made through Basketball Diplomacy, Rodman stood in a unique position to bring the two leaders together.  His efforts, in one way or another, made the Singapore summit a reality.  Where their predecessors failed, Trump and Kim realized the potential for peace through the portal Rodman opened.

The Unforgivable Sin

The most popular show on television today is canceled and every trace of it removed from the record; a consequence of the show’s top star committing the unforgivable Sin.  This Sin is not spousal abuse, not child molestation, not even murder.  In these twisted times, the unforgivable Sin does not even require a victim. In fact, it does not even require intent.

Escaping the Mental Plantation

 

Image: TIMOTHY A. CLARY, AFP/Getty Images

The thought police want to suppress freedom of thought

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 22, 2018

there was a time when slavery was the trend and apparently that time is still upon us. But now it's a mentality.

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 22, 2018

This past week, entertainer Kanye West set off a twitterverse supernova with a series of tweets promoting conservative causes, personal responsibility and freedom of thought in the African American community.  The gist of Kanye’s thesis imagines African Americans as the mental slaves of corporate elites; those who encourage people, particularly African Americans, to hate President Trump and disregard his many accomplishments.

Internet Bill of Rights

Milo Yiannopolus, Roger Stone, Paul Nehlen, Jared Taylor, Baked Alaska, Ricky Vaughn, and thousands of supposed “Russian bots” are just a few of those Twitter has permanently banned, seemingly for expressing unpopular political viewpoints.  Wikipedia chronicles the various prominent accounts Twitter has banned and suspended.  Nearly all belong to right wingers.  Internet viewpoint discrimination goes beyond Twitter. YouTube (Google) routinely deletes accounts and videos of right wingers, particularly in the aftermath of the Parkland school shooting.  The problem of Internet censorship is also not isolated to social media.  Most notably, after featuring a joke about the woman who died at the Charlottesville protests, Andrew Anglin’s popular site The Daily Stormer has had to jump from host to host, prompting concerns among civil libertarians.  Once a last refuge for free speech, the Internet has become increasingly less so.  Perhaps we have reached the breaking point.  Is it time to adopt an Internet Bill of Rights to protect our God-given right of free speech on the web?

The Vicious Cycle

Gun control has become a cyclical issue.  A horrific shooting occurs.  The usual suspects vociferously demand gun control.  Then, after a period of time, we move on to other topics.