By Ron Paul
While Americans were enjoying hot dogs and fireworks this Fourth of July, federal Judge Terry A. Doughty commemorated Independence Day by striking a blow for the separation of big tech and state. Specifically, he issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting a number of government officials and agencies from communicating with social media companies to request they censor certain posts. Judge Doughty wrote that, “If the allegations made by Plaintiffs are true, the present case arguably involves the most massive attack against free speech in United States’ history.” This may seem like hyperbole until one considers that the list of those affected by this injunction includes White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the State and Health and Human Services Departments, as well as the Justice Department and the FBI. Among the plaintiffs are Harvard Professor Martin Kulldorff and Stanford Professor Jay Bhattacharya. Professors Kulldorff and Bhattacharya were among the health experts who big tech censored at the behest of government because they dared question the government’s message regarding covid. People questioning government supported claims of the benefits of lockdowns, the efficacy and safety of covid vaccines, the use of masks to protect against infection, and vaccine immunity being superior to natural immunity was silenced. Eventually the establishment was forced to admit that many of the arguments of those like Kulldorff and Bhattacharya were correct. However, by that point many of those courageous enough to speak out had already suffered irreparable damage to their reputations and careers. Contrary to the covid authoritarians and other users of science claims to promote statist policies like the anti-“climate change” movement, science is in fact never settled. While much of the lawsuit concerns covid censorship, some of the components revolve around efforts to suppress the Hunter Biden laptop story. The effort to suppress and discredit the story may have influenced the election. Some Biden voters would have voted differently had they had full access to the information. The suppression of the truth about covid and the suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story were both justified as serving a “higher good.” With regard to covid, the online censorship was justified as necessary to protect public health. In the case of the laptop story, it was justified as necessary to prevent Donald Trump from winning a second term. The now more widely known revelations regarding Hunter Biden’s business dealings and the possibility that his father not just profited from them but used his position in government to be an active participant may help Donald Trump regain the Oval Office in 2024. Reading the emails between government officials and employees of big tech companies shows that government officials clearly believed they had every right to tell these private companies how to run their businesses. The government officials even “reminded” them that the companies were in danger of having increased regulations imposed on them by the White House and Congress. This shows the folly of those who think that increasing government involvement with big tech will somehow reduce big tech censorship. The only way to make the internet a free speech zone is to build on Judge Doughty’s decision: separate big tech and state.
The incentive structure of government is different than the rest of society. In a free society, without government bailouts, failure is punished. Fail to serve, or do so unprofitably, and your economic livelihood comes under pressure. Not so with the government. When the government fails, there are immediate cries for more money and power. Government wants to be rewarded! This is why the government must be very limited. The UN failed miserably during the Covid, yet here they are seeking even greater "emergency" powers.
Through the Russia/Ukraine crisis the UK government has been among the most bellicose in urging Ukraine to fight Russia to the last man. UK politicians openly talk about being "at war" with Russia. But yesterday Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, UK Chief of the Defence Staff broke the bad news to tough-talking UK: They have no tanks! They have no army! It was all just bluster! Also today, CNN puzzled by anyone opposing government censorship.
With the revelation that cocaine has been found in the White House, right-wing Twitter has exploded with speculation that the president's famously drug-addled son must have brought the party back home. No evidence thus far implicates Hunter, but given the level of surveillance in the White House shouldn't we expect to know soon who's guilty? Also today: big victory for the First Amendment and defeat for fascism in the US.
A recent Wall Street Journal article outlined the serious recruiting crisis in the US military. It's getting so bad that even among military families there is strong pressure for the next generation not to sign up. Why does no one want to serve anymore? Could it be the same "woke" virtue-signaling that is destroying major brands like Bud Light and Target? Also today: Ukraine under pressure to make failed counter-offensive work in advance of NATO summit.
By Ron Paul
One of the greatest influences on both my personal philosophy and the strategy of how to promote it was Leonard Read, the founder of the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE). Read founded FEE in 1946, just as WWII was ending and the US government was about to embark upon a cold war with the Soviet Union. Read must have foreseen the expansion of government that was coming – both at home and overseas – and he started FEE to spread the message of non-interventionism and freedom. You could say that FEE was the first modern libertarian organization. Leonard Read was so effective in his role as leader of FEE because of his demeanor. He was kind and gentle in his approach, but he never compromised the freedom message. People should be able to do whatever it is they want without any interference, he believed, as long as they weren’t hurting anybody else. In our age where everybody is an “activist,” Leonard Read’s approach may seem unfamiliar or even quaint. Read believed that instead of trying to “save the world” it was important to first educate oneself. Read, study, understand the message so you can accurately and convincingly pass it on to others. Perhaps one of the most important ways Leonard Read believed to convey the message of freedom was for like-minded people to get together. Getting together – especially at his legendary events at the FEE headquarters in Irvington, New York – was the best way to educate ourselves, educate others, and share ideas on how to spread the message. When we come together with like-minded people, we learn from the speakers but we also help each other perfect the message. And we also make important contacts that help us create our network. When I founded my Institute for Peace and Prosperity ten years ago this year, I did my best to incorporate Leonard Read’s approach. In order to best promote civil liberties at home and non-interventionism overseas, we need to understand the issues to the best of our abilities, and one of the best ways to do that is to come together with others of like mind. Our Institute started holding conferences in 2016, with our first big event in Washington, DC. to a sold-out audience. Since then we have expanded our conferences to include Houston, Charleston, SC, and even here in Lake Jackson! While it is true that we have a loyal core who attend many of our events, we were pleased that at our recent Houston conference a show of hands revealed that about half of the attendees were at their first Ron Paul Institute event! We have featured important speakers like Julian Assange, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Col. Douglas Macgregor, and so many others. We have learned from their insights and experience. But just as importantly, we have developed and expanded the network of people who understand the message of peace and are ready to spread it further beyond our circles. That is what this is all about. We will be holding our 7th annual Washington DC Conference on Sept. 2nd. As we increasingly face the possibility of a nuclear conflict with Russia the importance of getting together cannot be emphasized too much. These are critical times and I hope everyone will join us in DC in September. Go to RonPaulInstitute.org for more details. |
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