The LAVA Flow | Libertarian | Anarcho-capitalist | Voluntaryist | Agorist

Happy Labor Day week! Did unions really give us a 40-hour work week? What's in the News with stories on tariff trouble, bad cops, more bad cops, and even more bad cops, and poking the bear. Finally, a Statists Gonna State segment on John McCain. This episode is brought to you by ZenCash, now known as Horizen, a cryptocurrency that infuses privacy, anonymity, and security done right. Also brought to you by Free Talk Live, providing you with fresh, pro-liberty content 7 days a week on more than 180 radio stations across the country.

The national Libertarian Party has two mentions of labor unions in their platform. The first is "We favor repealing any requirement that one must join or pay dues to a union as a condition of government employment." The second is "We support the right of private employers and employees to choose whether or not to bargain with each other through a labor union." 

However, the thing that drives me the craziest about unions is that they receive so much praise for bringing us the 40-hour work week! 

In the fallout of tariffs news, the federal government will spend up to $1.2 billion to buy products from farmers hurt by the retaliatory tariffs from China and other countries and will provide almost $5 billion in payments to farmers.

In bad apple news, a Texas jury on Tuesday found former police officer Roy Oliver guilty of murder in the shooting death of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards.

In "F" the police news, a federal judge told a Virginia sheriff's deputy that he had no right to pull over a car because a passenger flipped him off. After this, proceedings advanced in the lawsuit against Patrick County Lieutenant Rob Coleman. US District Judge Jackson L. Kiser had found sufficient evidence to bring the matter to trial.

In more F the police news, the police chief of a small Georgia town is defending an officer who deployed a stun gun on a "smiling" 87-year-old woman, saying she refused to comply with numerous commands to put down a kitchen knife she was using to cut dandelions.

In poking a hornet's nest news, in a move Russian officials immediately labeled as “unfriendly,” the Norwegian Defense Ministry has announced that the US will be more than doubling the number of Marines stationed inside Norway, bringing yet more combat troops to Russia’s northern border.

John McCain is dead, and based on who I'm seeing in my news feed, he was either an American hero or a traitor to conservatism. It is, interestingly, the liberals in my feed who are extolling the righteousness of McCain and comparing him to the Obtuse in Chief, saying that if Trump were a Republican like McCain, then they would all be behind him. The conservatives, who are all now, for the most part, Trumpeters, are saying McCain was a terrible Republican.

But, I wanted to take a minute and not look at McCain as a member of any particular political party or ideology, other than his membership as one of our rulers, and a massive statist. So, let's do that.

Socialism has completely wrecked Venezuela. What's the latest in that country? Whats in the News with stories on Steven Segal?, collateral damage, the cost of war, ridesharing regulations, and false arrests. And, finally, a new Ask Me Anything segments, where I answer your burning questions! This episode is brought to you by ZenCash, a cryptocurrency that infuses privacy, anonymity, and security done right. Also brought to you by Free Talk Live, providing you with fresh, pro-liberty content 7 days a week on more than 180 radio stations across the country.  

I haven't talked much about the socialist issues in Venezuela on this show, and there is no excuse for that, especially when it is a perfect example of the evils of socialism, and it is only 1,500 miles from US shores. With hyperinflation of the Venezuelan Bolivar making the money worthless, literally, massive food shortages and long lines of people trying to buy what little food there is, oil output of the country's socialized oil companies dropping dramatically, increasing rates of medicine and medical equipment not being available, huge increases in crime, violence, and poverty, and the shutting down of opposition political parties, Venezuela is in a crisis.

The people have been protesting, but they are getting nowhere, of course, especially because the government owns all the guns. Venezuela implemented sweeping gun control in 2012. Under the law, only the army, police, and certain groups like security companies are able to buy arms from the state-owned weapons manufacturer and importer. This gives the people little ability to truly stand up against the totalitarian government they find themselves under. Their choices are essential to shut up, take it, and slowly starve, or leave.

Well, even though there are many who are fleeing, up to 800 every single day sneak into Brazil alone, there are still many who either don't choose that option or can't, for whatever reason. For those, every day brings some new bullshit from the government. Take this latest bit of news, for example. 

In moving on up news, actor Steven Segal has been appointed by Russia as a Special Envoy to the US.  

In collateral damage news, after nearly two decades of killing civilian brown people in the Middle-East, the US is now going to create processes for civilian casualty reporting.  

In war is the health of the state news, American taxpayers have spent $1.46 trillion on wars abroad since September 11, 2001. This means we've spent $250 million a day for the past 16 years on "The War on Terror." 

In I can't drive 55 news, New York City has decided to pump the brakes on ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft by passing tight, first-in-the-nation regulations that both limit the number of drivers allowed in the city and empower regulators to pass more restrictions in the coming months and years. 

In bad boys news, a Biscayne Park cop admits to framing two black men as Florida town's false arrest scandal widens. 

It's been a few weeks since I've done an AMA segment, so I'm going to rectify that right now. Questions are on protecting Seasteads, free-market company watch, and the Mises Caucus.

Trump is gearing up for his new Space Force, which I like to call his Space Farce. Let's break this down a bit. What's in the News with stories on wrestler Kane wins again, your vote is useless, MDMA studies, TSA still sucks, and a fine for trash in a car. Finally, Statists Gonna State talking about Defense Distributed and their continuing battle against statists. This episode is brought to you by ZenCash, a cryptocurrency that infuses privacy, anonymity, and security done right. Also brought to you by Free Talk Live, providing you with fresh, pro-liberty content 7 days a week on more than 180 radio stations across the country. 

The U.S. Defense Department this week will take the first steps to create the Space Force, a new branch of the military ordered up by President Trump but not yet fully backed by Congress.

In coming months, Defense Department leaders plan to stand up three of the four components of the new Space Force: a new combatant command for space, a new joint agency to buy satellites for the military, and a new warfighting community that draws space operators from all service branches. These sweeping changes — on par with the past decade’s establishment of cyber forces — are the part the Pentagon can do without lawmakers’ approval.

Statists all over the country are going nuts over Defense Distributed's downloadable digital blueprints for guns. Last week, Defense Distributed, the Texas nonprofit providing online schematics for producing firearms with a 3-D printer, agreed to temporarily block Pennsylvania Internet users from its website in an emergency hearing Sunday. The move followed threats of legal action from Pennsylvania’s attorney general, Josh Shapiro. “These downloadable firearms were just about to be widely available online,” Shapiro said on Twitter. “It’s an existential threat to our state and we stepped in to stop it. The site is — and will remain — dark throughout” Pennsylvania.

The government wastes a lot of your money on a regular basis, but here are some examples in Afghanistan that are beyond the pale. What's in the News with stories on good news for Ross Ulbricht, civilians killed by the US government, and three city governments banning employee cafeterias, banning plastic straws, and tearing down a 91-year-old woman's wheelchair ramp. Also, an Ancap Apps segment on one of the best charity apps around, DonorSee. This episode is brought to you by ZenCash, a cryptocurrency that infuses privacy, anonymity, and security done right. Also brought to you by Free Talk Live, providing you with fresh, pro-liberty content 7 days a week on more than 180 radio stations across the country. 

I talk a lot about putting your money where your mouth is. Private charity is one way we can do that by showing that it is much more efficient and effective than government charity funded at the point of a gun.

DonorSee is a new type of charity that actually allows you to watch, quickly and easily, the impact of your money on charity. When you select a charity to support on the site at DonorSee.com, you will receive text and video updates on how your money is impacting the people, all directly on the website.

"If one takes care of the means, the end will take care of itself." What does this mean and why is it so important? What's in the News with stories on crooked cops times two, secession, some good news for a change, Dread Pirate Roberts, and Wikileaks. Also, and Ancap Apps segment on CryptoTip, an easy way for you to become a crypto evangelist! This episode is brought to you by ZenCash, a cryptocurrency that infuses privacy, anonymity, and security done right. Also brought to you by Free Talk Live, providing you with fresh, pro-liberty content 7 days a week on more than 180 radio stations across the country.  

Last week we talked about why I chose Voluntaryism as my preferred philosophy, and I received a ton of feedback on that. Thank you so much to those of you who reached out to me about it. It means a lot to me when I hear from people who take what I say to heart and implement those things in their own lives. That is one of the main reasons I do this show.

I mentioned last week a quote from Gandhi, who said, "If one takes care of the means, the end will take care of itself." This is a very important aspect of voluntaryism, in my opinion, and this quote really helped me to understand that the way I work towards freedom is just as important, if not more important, than the ends that I seek. This is, of course, one reason I consider myself a post-political libertarian.

I said I would dive into this quote in a few weeks on this show, but the more I thought about that quote last week, the more I realized it was important enough that I go ahead and start that conversation as soon as possible, especially after all the feedback I received from last week's show.

In crooked cops news, former Biscayne Park Police Chief Raimundo Atesiano is accused of arresting black men for burglaries to boost the department's image.

In secession news, the California Supreme Court blocked a measure that would divide the state in three from appearing on the November ballot. 

In some good news for news, it is being reported that Judge Andrew Napolitano's Freedom Watch show will return to Fox News! 

In some quick twitter news, Ross Ulbricht, the alleged Dread Pirate Roberts from the Silk Road, is now on Twitter! Apparently, someone is transcribing messages from him directly to Twitter, and his mother, Lyn, has confirmed to me that these are indeed real tweet direct from the real Ross Ulbricht. 

And, speaking of Ross, there is a Change.org petition for clemency for him that is up right now. There are over 30,000 signers as of this writing, and it is continuing to rapidly increase. if you have a spare couple of minutes, I highly encourage you to go and sign this petition.

In more crooked cop news, two police officers in an Atlanta suburb are on administrative leave after their chief watched body camera video that appears to show them joking about using a coin flip app to determine whether a driver would be arrested for reckless driving. 

In Wikileaks news, Ecuador will imminently withdraw asylum for Julian Assange and hand him over to the U.K. 

ANCAP APPS 

This Ancap App product is a really cool one that helps you to spread the gospel of cryptocurrency to the muggles. 

This new product is called CryptoTip, and it is a printable cryptocurrency tip that you can give to anyone you want, whether your server at a restaurant, taxi driver, hair stylist, cashier, family, friends, or co-workers. A Cryptotip is an excellent way to quickly introduce people who have provided you with good service to the world of cryptocurrency.

What is voluntaryism, and why have I chosen it as my personal philosophy? What's in the News with stories on philanthropy for the win, government protecting itself, censorship, FOSTA/SESTA, and Defense Distributed. And, finally, an Ancap App segment on the Ghost Gunner app and machine that allows you to legally make guns at your home without the government being involved. This episode is brought to you by ZenCash, a cryptocurrency that infuses privacy, anonymity, and security done right. Also brought to you by Free Talk Live, providing you with fresh, pro-liberty content 7 days a week on more than 180 radio stations across the country. 

In philanthropy for the win news, love him or hate him, and I understand both sides of that argument, Elon Musk announced on Twitter that he will fund fixing the remaining homes in Flint, Michigan that are still without safe and clean running water. The public health crisis has raged since 2014 when the town changed water sources as a cost-saving measure.

In the government protects itself news, a federal court has ruled that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners cannot be held liable for abuse claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).

In censorship is real news, prisoners locked away in the United States are offered a few luxuries while serving their sentence, and apparently reading the Game of Thrones books is not always one of them. You would think it would be banned because of the gratuitous violence, but apparently, at least one prison had a different reason for banning the books.

In no shit Sherlock news, more police are admitting that FOSTA/SESTA has made it much more difficult to catch pimps and traffickers.

In thank you government news, wow, isn't the government gracious! As Harry Brown once said, "the government is good at one thing. It knows how to break your legs, and then hand you a crutch and say, 'See, if it weren't for the government, you wouldn't be able to walk." This is certainly the case for Cody Wilson and Defense Distributed.

Speaking of Cody Wilson and Defense Distributed, a project I've been following for a long time came to mid to talk about for a new Ancap Apps segment.

I'm speaking of the Ghost Gunner product that Defense Distributed sells which allows you to construct fully functioning rifles and handguns from the comfort of your own home using a simple software application connected to a small, personal CNC mill.

I was on the Anarcho Agenda podcast with Riley Blake to discuss Porcfest, New Hampshire, and much more.

I am sick to death of libertarians, or probably more accurately, supposed libertarians, who somehow think we should hide who we are, essentially lying about our stances, and then, at some undefined, opportune time, we spring the truth on people about what libertarianism truly is. Sadly, I hear this sort of tactic mostly from people who can't define libertarianism in any literate manner to begin with, which makes it even sadder.

In the age of consent news, a 27-year-old Cleveland man faces between 15 and 30 years in prison for allegedly producing child pornography. But no children were harmed by his actions: The man merely took consensual, sexually suggestive pictures of his 17-year-old girlfriend when he was 20.

 In some good or bad cops news, Des Moines, Iowa, police received hundreds of fireworks-related complaints, but authorities didn't issue a single citation. 

In some good or bad cops news, Des Moines, Iowa, police received hundreds of fireworks-related complaints, but authorities didn't issue a single citation. 

In some Libertarian Party news, the LP held it's biennial convention last week and, as is to be expected, some good and some bad come from it. 

An interesting tidbit to come out of the convention is that Arvin Vorha lost his bid to be reelected as Vice-Chair for the LP.  

And, finally, post-convention, my good friend Tom Knapp created a new site, whoisbillweld.com. It will be, I hope, an ever-expanding expose on Bill Weld, his anti-libertarian, and anti-freedom positions, and why he should not be president.  

It's been a while since I've done an AMA segment, so here we go! Today we'll talk about insurance to start off with then move into defensive voting.

I've had some major life changes the last few weeks that are really rustling my jimmies but will likely be a blessing in disguise. How can you help? What's in the News with stories on Bill Weld, hemp legalization, government waste, slavery in France, and New Hampshire it's like this too. Also, a Herding Cats segment on a PorcFest XV recap! This episode is brought to you by ZenCash, a cryptocurrency that infuses privacy, anonymity, and security done right. Also brought to you by Free Talk Live, providing you with fresh, pro-liberty content 7 days a week on more than 180 radio stations across the country. 

As you guys know, I rarely use this section for personal things, but there is something going on in my life that really has my jimmies rustled, but it may be a huge blessing in disguise.

In Bill Weld news, he is making it more and more obvious every day that he wants to be the next Libertarian presidential nominee. Last week he sat down with The Washington Post for an interview.

In hemp news, the US Senate votes to legalize hemp after a decades-long ban under marijuana prohibition, and it's about goddamned time.

In government waste news, Marin County California pissed away $17,500 in taxpayer money to kill a grand total of 23 rodents. That is $760 per dead rodent. Damn, I'm in the wrong business. I've killed several the last few months for free!

In slavery news, France has reinstated a mandatory national service program for all 16-year-olds in the country.

In New Hampshire, It's Like This Too News, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu is drawing a line in the sand against the U.S. Supreme Court decision that opens New Hampshire businesses to the sales tax requirements of other states.

So, PorcFest is over, and holy shit was it amazing.

This is a very special League of Liberty LIVE recording from PorcFest XV 2018. I had the pleasure of recording episode 8 of the League of Liberty LIVE and In-Person with Chris Spangle of We are Libertarians, Marc Clair of Lions of Liberty, and Johnny Adams of Johnny Rocket Blast Off. Hilarity ensues, so don't miss this one!