9 RINOs and ~$4.00 _Augus_t2_007 Ron Paul rr. ~ O'U"') ~ (lJ O'<j co (\l ~ o (\l I'--U~~~~~~~~~ ...;t--- ...;to 1'--;; ~----------... fFr Cf) o;:J "--- --...iI" How to From the Editor This is the 20th anniversary issue of kept pumping out better and better ways Subscribe Liberty magazine. ofdoing almost everything; the Clinton Lately, I've been vacationing in another regime came in, with its inexhaustible op­ world, reliving the days when Liberty was portunities for satire; the Bush regime fol­ to young. Back then, I wrote my articles on a lowed, offering the same. During those two typewriter (whatever that was), and edited decades, Liberty played host to hundreds of other people's by writing pencil marks talented authors and commented on every II Liberti] in the margins. I communicated with issue you can imagine, even ifyou have a headquarters by U.S. mail, or by fax, using terrific imagination. a primitive machine that our founder, Bill Liberty also faced mote than its share Liberty takes individual Bradford, sent to me. Later, Paul Beroza ofchallenges - and none so terrible as Bill freedom seriously ... and gave me a hand-me-down computer, the Bradford's death, two years ago. Yet because the status quo with more kind ofthing that wouldn't boot until you ofBill's guidance and inspiration, Liberty fed it;~ sequence offloppy disks - square, survived, as he wanted it to. Times change, than one grain of salt! thin, flat objects that you could actually but Liberty hasn't. Nor has the ideal oflib­ flop. For some reason, I didn't have a com­ erty. That's what we celebrate this month. Every issue of Liberty brings puter desk, so the computer sat on the floor, you news you can't miss, and I sat on the floor in front ofit, turning For Liberty, opinions you won't find out copy for Liberty. anywhere else, and the best A lot ofthings have happened since 5fl=~_ libertarian writing in the world. 1987. Communism collapsed; capitalism Stephen Cox You won't want to miss a single issue! Act Today! [ Letters ] Liberty offers you the best in individualist thinking and Make Mine Metal ence - disaffected youth. Why do writing. So don't hesitate. You Thankyou for Thomas Nys'thought­ these nonconforming libertarians seem have nothing to lose, and the ful article on Metallica and philosophy to tum into Greens and socialists? Is fruits of Liberty to gain! ("Through the Mist and the Madness," it because the party that supposedly available online at libertyunbound. Use the coupon below or call: supports drugs, guns, and prostitutes com). always seems to be led by stiff white 1-800-854-6991 I would like to clarify that Metallica's guys in white shirts and neckties? first album, "Kill 'Em All," was heav­ Maybe if the Libertarian Party ily influenced by their former guitarist, scrapped that image (which has had no p-------.Please enter my subscription Dave Mustaine. After "creative differ­ effect in the last 20 years), put on black to Liberty immediately! I ences," Mustaine went on to found the concert jerseys, and recruited a true ce­ equally profound Megadeth. Nys refers I DOne Year- $29.50 lebrity "front man" like Mustaine, they to lyrics on "Metal Militia" that should D Two Years - $56.00 would avoid irrelevancy in the upcom­ be partially credited to Mustaine, and ­ I Add $5 per year for foreign subscriptions. ing presidential elections. while Nys laments that Metallica may Robert Chatfield indeed have sold out - a quick glimpse name Cape Elizabeth, Maine I of the lyrics on Megadeth's newly re­ Mandatory Market I address leased album shows that Mustaine still has· enough disdain for society for him Gary Jason, addressing the con­ I city state zip to remain relevant. cerns of those opposed to irradiation I've always thought the Libertarian (Reflections, May), begins a paragraph I phone number Party was missing a great opportunity with the sentence: "The free market is to capture its most like-minded audi- the solution." In the very next sentence I D I enclose my check (payable to Liberty) Charge my: I D VISA D MasterCard Cl Discover I signature I account # expires I Send to: Liberty, Dept. L, .. P.O._-----_Box 1181, Port Townsend, WA 98368 .. August 2007 Inside Liberty Volume 21, Number 8 2 Letters Our readers call the tunes. 5 Reflections We assault reason, bowl for kidneys, toss a dwarf (planet), distance ourselves, harvest some free money, swim in our coin-filled vaults, give credit where credit's due, and celebrate 20 years of lampooning those opposed to liberty. Features 15 Ron Paul in the Spotlight Bruce Ramsey investigates the libertarian who is making waves in the Republican Party. 18 I Have Seen the Future, and It Has the Clap Bill Merritt tours a community where careful planning has produced some unanticipated results. 21 $2.3 Trillion, and Not a Penny More! For decades we've been pouring 1/foreign aid" into impoverished nations. Peter Allen follows the money to see where it's gone. Liberty at Twenty by R. W Bradford, Bruce Ramsey, and Stephen Cox 29 A Constant Feast Where we've been. 34 At Liberty What we do. 39 Confessions of a Liberty Editor How we do it. 43 Liberty Poll Who you are. Reviews 45 The Power to Make You See Timothy Sandefur views the world in the mirror of Joseph Conrad's stories. 48 The Birthplace of American Literature A small group of bright minds, Jo Ann Skousen discovers, is all it takes to change the world. 49 Medianotes Blockbuster busts, so-so Sowell, parties de Paris, an ovation for opera, and a bit of BS. 52 Notes on Contributors They don't look a day over 20. 54 Terra Incognita Dr. Livingstone, we presume. About YOur he says food outlets and restaurants an authority is what I consider to be "hu­ should be required to issue statements man ignorance." Many non-Christians Subscription on whether· they irradiate food and throughout history have recognized what specific foods they irradiate. They the worth and authority of the Bible. We set out 20 years ago to publish also will be required to report all inci­ But whether the Bible is a genuine au­ a bimonthly magazine. It was so dents of food poisoning and state which thority or not is really immaterial. Since successful that, in 1999, we made it came from irradiated food and which Christians consider the Bible to be their monthly. Mter almost nine years of didn't. Exactly how is that a free-market authorit)T, it makes no sense to try to talk publishing monthly, we believe our solution? to them about victimless crimes without readers will be best served ifwe adjust John D. McGinnis appealing to their authority. One can our publication calendar to allow more Altoona, Penn. reject the truth of the Bible and yet still timely coverage ofelection season. appeal to it to prove a point if one's op­ Therefore, beginning in 2008, we will Jason responds: We all agree that reg­ ponent considers it to be the truth. No combine our January and February ulation should be kept to a minimum, Bible-believing Christian worth his salt issues into a double issue. so I am sympathetic to Mr. McGinnis' would consider anything without first Not only has Liberty grown over point. However, unless people know asking "What saith the Lord?" these two decades; so has the publish­ whether or not their food has been irra­ ing industry itself. Increasingly, online diated, they won't be able to decide for A Purifying Flame themselves whether the taste is affected, is one way (or the only way) to read Laurence M. Vance gives some very and won't be able to determine wheth­ your favorite authors. Beginning with good reasons for Christians not to sup­ er their case of food poisoning is from this issue, Liberty offers an electronic port the all-intrusive state. Well and non-irradiated food. The law already edition. It can be sent to your email good, but he missed one important account at the beginning ofeach requires this notification for products point: to the extent that government is month in PDF format instead ofyour sold in grocery stores. I am convinced used to support virtue (moral behav­ paper subscription (or, for a nominal that after a year or two, it will be a non­ ior), it undermines the moral backbone fee, in addition to it). You'll soon see issue, at which time we can and should of the citizenry. Governmental force in this option offered on renewal notices. scrap the law. Ifyou'd like to receive Liberty in this support of virtue substitutes fear for alternative format, please call our circu­ Bible Belted judgment, furtiveness for forthright­ lation department. What is happening to my beloved ness, and dependence for wisdom. Liberty? I had thought Liberty. to be a We've seenitmanytimes incountries bastion of not only freedom but of ra­ that had authoritarian or totalitarian Q: When does my subscription expire? tionality too. Until recently. "To Your governments; when those authorities A: Please look to the right ofyour name on Tents, 0 Israel" by David Kopel (April) collapsed or were overthrown, society your mailing label. There you will find repeatedly cites the Bible as an authori­ collapsed also. (except in some cases when receiving your Mr. Vance quotes Mencken; here I first issue) the number ofissues left in tative source. This is followed by "To your subscription, followed by the word My Fellow Christians" by Lawrence quote Mark Twain: "As soon as I found "left," as in "3 LEFT." M.