Antitrust laws, like nearly all government action, create the opposite effect of what their proponents claim will happen. Antitrust laws over the decades have made healthcare more expensive and less available. Antitrust laws are so convoluted and asinine (as well as unconstitutional) that one can be convicted for pricing a product too high (price gouging), too low (predatory pricing) and the same as others in the marketplace (collusion). In fact, those involved with healthcare now risk prosecution if they attempt to lower healthcare costs as demanded by non-president Obama two weeks ago. (He is one to talk about controlling costs!)

I was in e-mail contact with Gard Goldsmith a couple of days ago, and he told me a story that I thought perfectly exemplified the difference between the way markets operate, and the way the government/political world operates. Gard, hope you don't mind me taking your story and running with it!

It starts with him mentioning that he ran into a lady at work who was looking for the book "New Moon, which is the second in the best-selling "Twilight" series, by Stephanie Meyer (you're right G-Man, she's a pretty lady!). Well, this woman told Gard that her daughter loved the series and that they'd called their library to get it, but that there was a TWELVE person waiting list for it!

The government of Gong'an, a county in China, is ordering its employees to smoke 230,000 locally made cigarettes. (Is their pension fund out of money?)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090504/lf_afp/healthchinatobaccooffbeat;_y...

Also, an article on Obama's tax plan, which will PRESUME GUILTY of tax violations anyone who engages in business with a foreign bank that does not "cooperate" with the Treasury Department. Expect other laws that preemptively presume guilt to follow soon...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090504/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_taxes

The following is a three minute speach I prepared for an event.

This is insane! The FBI raided at least two data centres and seized the servers, equipment and data of hundreds of businesses, not just the target of the raid. As a result these businesses lost their data, could not process transactions and could not support their customers. Many businesses and individuals have been ruined by the disruption and loss of data. Just the thing we need right now, eh?

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/04/data-centers-ra.html

With money so tight and the government spending trillions that it doesn't have, what better way to blow money than to build more spy satellites and take over private satellites during a national emergency:

Update!

"Capn' Trade Cereal: Don't Buy It!"

2009 P. Gardner Goldsmith

            As Liberty Conspirators have discussed, there is a growing trend among Republidemocans to push something called "Cap and Trade" in energy "policy" (ie fascism and meddling in the energy market). Along with discussions about how the "Obama Plan" will "restore the economy", the Cap n' Trade salesmen claim that this is a "free market alternative" to federal regulations, one which will help reduce "climate emissions", and skirt around the problem of "the commons".

It's about that time again... Snowfall and snow mounds are finally receding in the northern states and spring is creeping its way forward: The birds are singing, the squirrels are at play, and the IRS is excitedly looking forward to bending you over and giving it to you good and hard!

These are their stories:

Story 1: Identity Theft Leads To Tax Fraud Nightmare For Couple:
http://www.whas11.com/news/local/stories/whas11_localnews_090331_TaxFrau...

From the Article:

""Innocently, I was looking for a job, like I've done every day for the last four months," explains Steve Spann.