As reported by columnist and author Michelle Malkin, the core of the House group that not only removed the opening of the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge from the House budget package, but also re-instituted $54 billion in pork-laiden spending, is funded in part by the seminal big-money leftist, George Soros.

Putting aside the ideal of returning the ANWR area to the people of Alaska to let them do with it what they wish (one might hope that would mean privatizing it) one may wonder about this group of Congressman. Most of them are part of what is called the Mainstreet Republican Caucus, and have very little in common with the mainstream of the party, nor with the party platform itself.

As reported in the NH "Union Leader" and the "Boston Globe", the government of Maine is planning on drawing tourists away from New Hampshire, to the benefit of the Maine economy.

According to the reports, both culled from Associated Press stories, the stragetist behind this plan, a man named Rudi Nardelli, expressed the idea in this fashion:

"'If the overall market isn't expanding, the only way to increase business is to steal it from our competitors."

One has to ask a few questions about this strategy.

First, why can't the businesses reliant on tourist Dollars find ways themselves to expand the market or cut their costs? Second, why is the government involved in helping these businesses promote themselves? Third, what happens when the government does offer this help?

Heritage Foundation policy expert Ron Utt joined "Against the Grain" to discuss the out of control spending of the supposedly conservative Republican Congress. Enjoy as you feel the tax man's hand reach into your pocket!

Long-time conservative fighter Phyllis Schlafly is preparing to release her latest book, "The Supremacists: The Tyranny of Judges and How to Stop it". You can order it below or call her publisher at 888-SPENPUB.

The Supremacists: The Tyranny Of Judges And How To Stop It

In our effort to provide more than one side of the debate over whether "intelligent design" should be taught in government, tax-funded, schools (ahh, wouldn't it be nice to eliminate those tax-funded schools, and stop taking people's money to pay for things they opposed), the Liberty Conspiracy brings you Dr. Michael Shermer, founder of "Skeptic" magazine, and frequent contributor to "Scientific American". Shermer, in a pleasant fashion, stands in opposition to the proposition that ID be taught along-side the theory of evolution in government schools. He also states in the interview that a bet

How We Believe: Science, Skepticism, and the Search for God (second edition)

New Hampshire:

-- Among the many paternalistic things politicians in Concord have proposed since returning to the State House this fall (lest we forget Doug Scamman and Ted Gatsas fomenting for state heating aid for poor and “needy” citizens – money taken from others), there is a new contender for Statist/Anti-Constitutional Idea of the Year. On Monday, November 7, Governor John Lynch (as clearly written by his Press Secretary, Pamela Walsh) announced to reporters that he would push for mandating that all NH children be forced to stay in school until their eighteenth year. According to Meg Heckman, of the “Concord Monitor” (AKA “Pravda West”), Lynch announced that this proposal go into effect in the 2008-2009 school year. The plan would, of course, need legislative approval before becoming law.

The Intelligent Design vs Evolution argument continues, not only in Pennsylvania, but also in Kansas. Hear the pro-design side of the argument from John Calvert, head of the Intelligent Design Network. Find his work at www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org

Darwin's Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution

Uncommon Dissent: Intellectuals Who Find Darwinism Unconvincing

Blankley, who is the Editorial Page editor for the "Washington Times", has just released a book in which he predicted the Muslim unrest in France, and he warns of more problems to come from radical Islam in Europe and America. Listen to his opinions, his analysis of radical Islam and its roots, and form you own opinion as to the threat, the possible causes, and the possible cures.

The West's Last Chance: Winning the Clash of Civilization

Sam Blumenfeld continues, discussing the history of government education in America. Part two of two.

Homeschooling: A Parents Guide to Teaching Children

Alpha-Phonics: A Primer For Beginning Readers

How to Tutor

NEA: Trojan Horse in American Education

Sam Blumenfeld is famous for being one of the most knowledgeable experts on government schools, and their pernicious effect on children and the US in general. The author of numerous books, including "Is Public Education Necessary", "NEA: Trojan Horse of American Education", and "The New Illiterates", Sam predicted in the late 1960's the eventual collapse of the government school system, and its inability to teach children the skills they need to be productive members of a flouishing society. Sam is an outspoken proponent of home schooling, and has created a phonetically-based teaching system to help parents who have seen their children taught the "look-say"/"whole language" method of reading, rather than phonics.

Homeschooling: A Parents Guide to Teaching Children

Alpha-Phonics: A Primer For Beginning Readers

How to Tutor

NEA: Trojan Horse in American Education

No one can stop Kerry!

Our thanks to Pierre, for being our first sponsor!

Continuing where we left off in our conversation with Dave Ridley and Sam Cohen, of GONH. Plus Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, discusses their case against Howard Dean, over his unwillingness to open his files from his governorship of the Green Mountain State...

Go yell it from the mountains, Howard!

Monday brings a new work week, and a new week of watching the politicos work at attenuating our liberties, through the regulation of our lives, the seizure of our cash, or the restriction of our speech.

Case in Point:

The NH Union Leader reports that State Legislators are being reimbursed for trips that they loosely define as part of their governmental functions. (Article: here) One representative is not enamored with this practice. His name is John Gibson, of Merrimack, and he is interested in limiting how much each legislator can spend on travel.

Opening the week, the Conspiracy offers this example of hypocrasy: Ted Kennedy lecturing the Bush Administration on ethics. Meanwhile, a new UNH Poll shows that John Lynch is adored by everyone except one crazy man living in a hut somehwere in Wilton. What a guy that Lynch is... But his popularity presents many questions:

Should a governor be doing PR for businesses in New Hampshire?
Should a governor be trying to gather tax revenue to help people in Allstead?
Is there a Republican Party in NH any more?

Representatives Charlie Bass and Jeb Bradley voted this week to strike down a proposed protection for online political writers against the byzantine campaign finance laws forcing disclosure of all their finances and political ties. (see: here)

The loss of this protection not only stands in direct opposition to the First Amendment of the US Constitution, it could have the practical effect of shutting small bloggers down. The United States Constitution is supposed to protect this kind of speech, not give the government the power to regulate it out of existence. Thank people like Sen. John McCain, Sen. Russ Feingold, Rep. Marty Meehan, Rep. Chris Shays, and the NH Congressmen for the original "McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Law", and for this vicious blow against individual liberty.

New Hampshire resident and Libertarian of the Year for 2004-2005, Jim Perry, spent over a month working with the Red Cross to help hurricane Katrina victims. Here is his assessment of the performance of FEMA, and the situation for the victims.

In addition to the Governor's mad scramble to defend himself against valid criticism that will soon come his way on the health insurance front (remember this when you look at your insurance premium this quarter), there are other matters of importance.

-- George Bush meets with leaders of Central and South American nations today, to push for free markets, ie, low tariffs and fewer subsidies for certain industries. Unfortunately, people like Hugo "Jimmy Carter okayed my corrupt election" Chavez, and Argentinian Labor leader Juan Gonzalez don't like freedom. According to Gonzalez, free trade (which would allow MORE of his nation's products to be purchased by Americans -- Ye Gods, freedom!) would simply harm his people, and allow America to take advantage of them even MORE! There is no rationale for government to interfere in trade. Tariffs retard economic growth. Study after study has shown that tariffs designed to help protect specific politically tied companies from foreign competition actually harm consumers to the tune of approximately eight times as much. This is capital that would otherwise be available to start up new, more productive companies in the home nation, allowing for dynamic economic growth. We see the specific company that may be helped by the tariff against a foriegn competitor's goods, but we do not see the multitudinous individuals who could be allowed to spend their free capital in new ways, and the businesses that would start up because of them. The bottom line, if we are not allowed to run our own lives when we purchase products, how can we possibly think that politicians elected by a slim majority or plurality of those voting can not only make decisions for ourselves, but for our neighbors? The arrogance of it is breathtaking.

The Conspiracy would like to draw your attention to this preemptive Press Release from the office of NH Governor John Lynch. The subject is SB 125, which was predicted to bring about the departure of health insurance companies from NH. The bill has not yet even become law, and two companies are already promising to leave the state (this was predicted by those who opposed the passage of SB125). As you read the release, note the defensive nature of the language, the flippant manner in which Pam Walsh (the press sec) dismisses the loss of two businesses that have now been regulated out of the market, and the things that the Governor's office avoids mentioning about SB110, which was the half-hearted attempt made during the Benson Adminstration to lift the regulatory burden from the backs of insurance businesses in NH. For a better understanding of the insurance market in NH, refer to our earlier post on the health insurance industry, here, at the Liberty Conspiracy Homepage. The press release follows, and more news on matters of freedom will appear in a subsequent notice on the site...

Against the Grain took on the issue of federal spending on, and control of, vaccines to combat influenza, when Congressman Charlie Bass appeared to discuss the subject. Download this segment of the larger program, and make up your own mind about the wisdom of this approach.