On Against the Grain, Wednesday, 9-12, Gardner Goldsmith will cover the surprising news that Vladimir Putin has shaken up the Russian government. Will he declare a national emergency and refuse to leave when his term is up? Will he appoint a surrogate to take over when the term expires?

Also, it was been reported that US spy agencies have drafted multiple plans to attack Iran. Is this an inevitable confrontation?

Join Gard today at 1 as he opens the lines for "Free Speech Friday"! He'll talk about the Republican Presidential debate on FoxNews, the issue of gambling in NH, and Michael Chertoff's anger at Americans who want don't want to sacrifice their liberty for supposed 'security'.

We'll also read your emails and take calls from anyone on anything... Almost.

On Todays' Against the Grain, Gard will dissect the statements of many of the Republican candidates at the UNH/FoxNews debate last night. He was on hand with Carl Cameron and James Pindell of the Boston Globe, and will provide coverage of what he takes to be the most important moments of the verbal shoot-out. Your wallet, your civil liberties, and the integrity of the US Constitution are at stake.

On today's ATG, Gard will discuss the report by Jeffrey Toobin that David Souter considered resigning upon finding himself in the losing side over the Bush v Gore election of 2000. We can dream, can't we? Here is an article about it: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Did+Souter+cry+over+200...

He'll also investigate the thirst for more money by leftists at the Center for American Progress, who want to see the inheritance tax restored in order to fund all sorts of "important" federal programs.

On today's ATG, Gard will discuss John Edwards' pronouncement that under any administration he runs, all Americans will be FORCED to go to the doctor. El G will also cover the recent explosion of violence in Boston, which has led to a curfew on Boston Common. What if they allowed people to carry handguns there instead? What would the criminals most likely do, huh?

A new report from the AP cites John Edwards as explaining that his health plan (which breaches the US Constitution on so many levels it could make you ill) will FORCE Americans to go to the doctor. Here is the story:

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By AMY LORENTZEN, Associated Press Writer Sun Sep 2, 6:30 PM ET

TIPTON, Iowa - Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said on Sunday that his universal health care proposal would require that Americans go to the doctor for preventive care.

The Ninth Circuit of appeals ruled Friday that Mexican truckers can continue to drive deeper into the US without having to give up their cargoes and transfer them to "American" truckers. The AFLCIO and teamsters are going crazy with anger, because, of course, they make money off consumers when the cargo has to be transferred to their labor members.

One wonders, however, why so-called "conservatives" are upset about this. Aren't they in favor of letting consumers get more with their hard-earned cash? Or are they in favor of handing unearned money to unions?

Today on ATG, we pretend (just like the FCC) that you have free speech rights, and "open" the lines to you. As we set forth to discuss things like the Larry Craig resignation (it's gotta be coming), Canadian health care (it stinks), World War Two stories with two vets, and the NH gubment creating a website for NH farmers.

What does that say about the gubment's faith in farmers to take care of themselves?

Check it out, today, at 1 pm!

Today on ATG, Gard will hit the backwards incentives government provided to help make the devastation of Katrina even more overwhelming. He'll also discuss the revelation that both Hillary Clinton and Mike Huckabee would sign a federal "smoking ban", and he'll investigate the supposed need for the NH and federal governments to "stop" obesity.

Yes, scary stuff. But we think you can handle it.

Get ready to jump, frogs. Even if this doesn't come to pass in the next few years, the very fact that politicians on the national level (Republican Mike Huckabee REALLY supports this ban) even spend a moment considering a FEDERAL ban on smoking, is an astoundingly troubling development.

Here is the story, from the NY Post:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08282007/news/nationalnews/hill_eyes_nationa...

And as you read it, just make sure you listen to some Mission of Burma, ok?

If you miss any sound on the air, listen to the audio that will be here later!

Look for Sheldon Richman, of www.fee.org and www.sheldonrichman.com to discuss federal money control and its negative consequences, look for Stephen Camarata and Gard to debate federal immigration law and economics and look for Dave McCray to talk about the rip off that is the NH highway system!

On today's show, Gard will investigate the issue of "illegal" immigration, Elvira Arelleno (the self-titled Rosa Parks of Immigration) and the murders in NJ which were allegedly perpetrated by an illegal immigrant (part of a group of assailants). Gard will also talk to Sheldon Richman, of The Freeman magazine, and www.fee.org. They will discuss the impact of Fed Reserve policy on variable interest loans and the economy in general.

Fred Bramante will also join Gard, to talk about his "bi-partisan" effort to get the federal and state governments MORE involved in education. OUCH!

As reported here earlier, Alberto Gonzales has resigned. We'll cover it, and hear reaction from our surprising ally in this case, Chuck Schumer.

Also, we'll check out Obama in New Orleans, and the phenomenon of federal flood insurance (and deposit insurance, and other kinds of manipulation of the market).

The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression

The Psychology of Harry Potter: An Unauthorized Examination of the Boy Who Lived (Psychology of Popu

As noted previously at the Conspiracy, the Federal Reserve, in response to its own mishandling of the money supply, decided Friday to drop the discount rate by half a basis point", or .5%, a fairly large drop, and one that was inspired by the Fed's already bungled management of the money supply. Scroll down at this site to see the reasons why people holding variable rate mortgages were beginning to default, or, if they weren't defaulting, they were pulling money out of their stocks to pay their debts.

Here is a good piece on the action of the Fed, from MSN:
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Will the Fed's move save stocks?

Here is the link to the story!

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070815131310.zza38gg9&show_artic...

As many conspirators noted, last week, the Federal Reserve tossed out 36 billion Dollars in liquidity -- viola, like that!!!

Why did they embark on this bit of David Copperfield prestidigitation? Because back in 2002, the Fed lowered rates dramatically, and then started raising them when they feared inflation... But wait, let us explain.

See, the founding fathers made a mistake when they allowed the federal government to coin money and fix the value thereof. They didn't go so far as to exclude competition from private banks that could issue currency based on their own gold or silver reserves, but they allowed the gub-ment to get into the money biz (thanks SO much Hamilton).

The Case Against the Fed

A History of Money and Banking in the United States: The Colonial Era to World War II

What Has Government Done to Our Money? Case for the 100 Percent Gold Dollar

The Politically Incorrect Guide(tm) to Capitalism (Politically Incorrect Guides)

The Associated Press has just reported that President Bush will likely veto an increase in the gasoline tax, although it remains to be seen whether he would oppose other regulations on energy providers if a revised version of the energy and transportation legislation were to cross his desk.

Here is the piece, from the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON - President Bush dismissed Thursday raising the federal gasoline tax to repair the nation’s bridges at least until Congress changes the way it spends highway money.

“The way it seems to have worked is that each member on that (Transportation) committee gets to set his or her own priorities first,” Bush said. “That’s not the right way to prioritize the people’s money. Before we raise taxes, which could affect economic growth, I would strongly urge the Congress to examine how they set priorities.”

The so-called "conservative", Newt Gingrich, who is OBVIOUSLY going to announce a plan to run for President in September, came out with more over-blown rhetoric this week. This time, his statist ideas were directed at coming up with a "new" energy policy paradigm for the US.

How about this, Newt? How about you get the government out of the regulation and manipulation of the energy market, and leave us alone?

Can you do that, Newt? Are you strong enough? We doubt it. You know better than consumers, don't you...

Here is the piece, from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

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Gingrich says war on terror 'phony'

As Conspirators know, the federal "ownership" of the broadcast spectrum is not only economically unwise, it is patently unconstitutional. Yet the political manipulation of the system continues. Case in point: the upcoming January 2008 auction of wireless spectrum spaces for telecom carriers to utilize. Google wants a piece of the action, and may spend billions in the auction, where it will be up against AT&T and Verizon Wireless. If Google loses, it is arranging what it sees as a backup plan -- to get Congress to force the winner to carry competitors' services... Huh?

Yes. You got it. The Googlers want the winner to BE FORCED to carry the Google service.

The principled, constitutional and economically wise thing to do is to eliminate the program, but for some straaaaaange reason, no politicians are talking about that, or even about changing the structure of the boondoggle.

Could it be that the aging baby boomers strike fear into the hearts of the candidates? Could it be that we don't actually live in the "land of the free and home of the brave", but in a semi-socialized, semi-fascistic system of governance that would set the Founders alight with anger?

Check out these stats from Robert Samuelson, writing for "Newsweek":

"Consider the outlook. From 2005 to 2030, the 65-and-over population will nearly double to 71 million; its share of the population will rise to 20 percent from 12 percent. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid—programs that serve older people—already exceed 40 percent of the $2.7 trillion federal budget. By 2030, their share could hit 75 percent of the present budget, projects the Congressional Budget Office. The result: a political impasse.