"The fundamental question of liberty is not how much freedom you demand for yourself but, rather, how much freedom you demand for those who hold different beliefs than you do?"

The Libertarian Party's Quest for Ballot Access and "The Sin of Onan"

“Onan… spilled his seed on the earth, lest that he should give seed to his brother.”

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Why Redistricting is the Most Important Issue for Texas in the 2010 Elections

"What good does it do a man to have the vote if he has only one person that he can vote for?" "All political power is inherent in the people and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their benefit.

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The Next Greatest Generation?

I know of very few people in America today who would disagree with the statement that America is heading for a mountain cliff heedless of the dangers which will await us once we plunge over it.

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Where Was The Libertarian Party?

Election Day 2009 has come and gone. Relatively speaking, this election was as insignificant as any off-year election is, as opposed to a mid-term election, but it still could have been an important year for the Libertarian Party, if we had simply bothered to show up.

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"Mommy, why is Daddy so angry… and insane?" (The Internal Breakdown of the Republican Party in 2009)

There are many archetypes for the father figure. The most disturbing one is probably the domineering task master whose "love" comes at a cost that can never be paid.

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In Case Anyone Was Wondering What Happened...

Well, folks... as of 2:30 am, my article regarding CiC's behavior as a moderator was deleted by the 'Newsvine Community". I have sent a challenge to this to the NV staff AND have asked for an investigation of this matter.

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Why the Hell is Michael Jackson's Death Taking Up All of My Newscasts?

A pop star died. Fine. Report it but it is not like something world changing has happened. I watch Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow every day. I watch them for NEWS not for tabloid crap.

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The Audacity of Hoping for Change: Barack Obama's Broken Promises to America

OK folks, this one is being written off of the cuff so I apologize in advance for any poor writing or editing errors which might show up in this. Later, if I am not physically ill, I might spend some time on it... then again, maybe not.

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Groupthink as a Political Mental Illness (Part II)

From the studied literature on groupthink, there are a few points which merit mention here. Smith and White say that:

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Groupthink as a Political Mental Illness (Part I)

When I was researching information for my Master's Paper in 1989, I was looking into the subject of how Greek students being involved in student activities impacted the ability of independent students to be equally involved.

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How I Think The Constitution Can Be Fixed (Part III [c]: Article I – The Legislative Branch)

Section 6, paragraph one deals with Congressional compensation for their services. Many years ago, Congress enacted standing legislation to provide them with regular pay raises UNLESS Congress, at the time of EACH particular raise, actively raises the issue and votes against it.

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How I Think The Constitution Can Be Fixed (Part III [b]: Article I – The Legislative Branch)

From Article I, Section 3, paragraphs six and seven, the portions of the provisions for either House regarding impeachment require no changes other than possibly the provision that the threat of and right to impeach is a constitutional DUTY of Congress and it cannot surrender its …

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The American Vice Presidency -- Graveyard of The Constitution [Re-Edit]

America's first Vice President, John Adams, described the office as "the most insignificant office that ever the Invention of Man contrived or his Imagination conceived".

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How I Think The Constitution Can Be Fixed (Part III [a]: Article I – The Legislative Branch)

Congress, The Legislative Branch of The United States of America was, as 'the people's house', intended to be the most powerful of the three branches of government created by The Constitution… a 'first among equals', as it were.

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How I Think The Constitution Can Be Fixed (Part II: The Preamble)

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establ …

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The Idiot's Guide to Using Political Ideology Terms To Attack Someone You Don't Like

It really upsets me when people throw out attack code words to accuse people of not being as 'American' as they are, for daring to have different beliefs and / or ideas than they do... especially when the people using those words don't even know what they mean.

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Rethinking Credit in America... A Societalist Perspective

In some ongoing discussions here on NV, some of us have been talking about whether our economic system is actually capitalism or an evolved form of mercantilism. One of the key aspects of mercantilism was its focus on 'hard' currency... gold, silver, bullion, etc.

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How I Think The Constitution Can Be Fixed (Part I: The Problem)

I have said many times over many years that I think that The Constitution of The United States is broken. I have recently been asked to give specific examples of what I mean when I say that. This is, of course, a very fair question to ask.

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The Corporate 'Person' [Re-edit]

Nowhere are corporations mentioned in The Constitution of the United States of America. The Constitution was 32 years old before the Supreme Court even dealt with its first case regarding a private, for-profit corporation (Dartmouth College vs.

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Why I Am Pro-Choice... A Constitutional Literalism Opinion

Amendment 9: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

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An Introduction to American Involvement with War Crimes Trials

"If certain acts and violations of treaties are crimes, they are crimes whether the United States does them or whether Germany does them.

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A Letter to Dr. Oliver Sacks (from 2005)

I hope that you will understand and forgive me, as a complete stranger, writing to you. You don't know me or anything about me.

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The Laboratory of Democracy -- Alternative Voting Methods (Approval Voting) [Re-edited]

"It is one of the happy incidents of the federal system that a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country."

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Rhys M. Blavier

Articles Posted: 39
Links Seeded: 45
Member Since: 10/2008

I am a native-born Texan who was raised in a conservative Republican household in the decades just before the Republican Party became viable in Texas.

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