California bill would ban “fake news”

Notwithstanding 60 Minutes’ pathetic failure to demonize alternative media as “fake news” – which Mark Dice hilariously demonstrates as fake news itself – movements are afoot to develop legal tools to clamp down on any news that might get in the way of The Narrative. To wit, Ars Technica reports:

Here at Ars, we’re always on the lookout for wacky, tech-focused legislation. And we’ve found one bill that is certain to make our Top 10 list.

The new proposal bars the online publication of a “false or deceptive statement designed to influence the vote.” Bye-bye online news. On the flip side, this legislation would probably outlaw lawmakers’ and candidates’ online speech, too.

The bill is proposed by California Assemblyman Edwin “Ed” Chau, a Democrat representing a section of Southern California. The proposal, which is likely unconstitutional on its face, was supposed to have a committee hearing Tuesday afternoon, but it was pulled at the 11th hour.

The bill includes the following language:

SEC. 2. Section 18320.5 is added to the Elections Code, to read:

18320.5. It is unlawful for a person to knowingly and willingly make, publish or circulate on an Internet Web site, or cause to be made, published, or circulated in any writing posted on an Internet Web site, a false or deceptive statement designed to influence the vote on either of the following:

(a) Any issue submitted to voters at an election.

(b) Any candidate for election to public office.

While Ars Technica’s David Kravets believes that this bill will “limp off into the ether”, there may come a time when it would not be appropriate to make such an optimistic assumption.

 

The post Califronia bill would ban “fake news” appeared first on A Simple Fool.

Source: A Simple Fool

Leftist Social Media vs. Reality

infographic, leftism, social media, gender identity, politics, political beliefs, feminism, gender, graphic design

Hello boys and girls – oops, sorry. I mean, gender neutral entities of the internet. Here’s another funny infographic we thought might look nice all gussied-up for your viewing pleasure. In this graphic, those crazy leftists on social media (tumblr, facebook and twitter – just to name a few) are at it again! This time, they’re once again trying to convince you of their glorious social experiment regarding the redefining of reality. You know, like you can’t have more than two political positions or whatever else they’re raging against these days. Ha ha. Anyway, hope you enjoy! And don’t forget to check out all our other cool libertarian cartoonsartist interviews and a TON more! So turn that frown upside down, and have a great day!


Source: Libertopia Cartoon

Europe Watch: United Kingdom formally begins process of exiting the European Union

It is official.

The formal process of the United Kingdom exiting the European Union has begun:

The U.K. formally began the process of exiting the European Union on Wednesday, embarking on an unprecedented path from which British Prime Minister Theresa May said there would be no turning back.

Nine months after Britain voted to leave the EU, Tim Barrow, Britain’s ambassador to the bloc, hand-delivered a letter to European Council President Donald Tusk formally notifying the bloc that the U.K. will be the first member state ever to leave it.

“This is an historic moment from which there can be no turning back,” Mrs. May said in Parliament. “Britain is leaving the European Union.”

This is the first of potentially many steps that could not only lead to the unraveling of the European Union, but of countries with the Union as well, including the UK. Among the current moves away from either the EU or European countries include the following:

  • Scotland: The Scottish Parliament has approved a referendum that would ask citizens whether Scotland should break away from the United Kingdom so that it can become a member of the European Union. However, UK Prime Minister Theresa May says that “now is not the time” for a referendum.
  • France: Marine Le Pen, who has called for Franch to leave the EU, is leading in one of the latest opinion polls, and now stands to win 25 percent of the first round of voting.
  • Spain: The regional government of Catalonia, where Barcelona is located, has pledged to hold a binding referendum on independence this year, notwithstanding Spanish government’s refusal to recognize the outcome.

Meanwhile, there are active Euroskeptic movements in Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland.

How the European Union and the countries within it reacts to all of these movements will be fascinating to watch.

The post Europe Watch: United Kingdom formally begins process of exiting the European Union appeared first on A Simple Fool.

Source: A Simple Fool

Raiders are Moving to Las Vegas: The NFL Gets Slightly Less Statist

The NFL Gets a Little Less Statist… Kinda

The Raiders are moving to Las Vegas. This has caused a deal of controversy in different groups. Fans, obviously, aren’t happy. Many sports pundits believe that the NFL is all about money (well, duh). Yet, some players are happy because Nevada has no state income tax. The owners definitely are happy, voting the move in a 31-1 fashion. The Nevadians, I assume, are having mixed feelings. On one hand, they get a new football team – a feat many believed impossible given the vices Vegas promotes and the NFL’s stance on it – on the other hand, they just granted the NFL $750 million in public funding.

Let’s tackle the state income tax first.

From an article on Liberty Hangout,

California’s highest marginal income tax rate is 13.3%, but Nevada has no state income tax, which means a player making $10 million will get to pocket an extra $1.3 million – about as much as the average American will make in their entire lifetime.

So while players are still required to pay the 39.60% marginal income tax to the federal government, they won’t have to pay the onerous Californian state income tax.

Yet, should NFL players be obligated to pay nearly 40% of their income to the government at all? Studies show that 1 in 6 former NFL players go bankrupt after two years of retirement.

Perhaps they are all really bad at financially planning the rest of their life. After all, playing in the NFL is a rather short-lived career. The the average career is anywhere from 3.3 years to 6 years.

Undoubtedly, the players are somewhat to blame for their financial sufferings after retirement. However, maybe if the federal (and in many cases the state) government(s) didn’t steal so much money from them, they would see more financial success after football.

Hey, I only said slightly less statist…

I love football, but I have a big beef with them too.

No my beef isn’t that their entire existence is to make money. Money is a virtue. It is used in order to provide the most amount of value to the most amount of people. It makes exchanges easier. Yet, the NFL makes money in nefarious ways.

The NFL gets public funding to fund all their new stadiums. Of course, public funding is just a euphemism for plundered funds. They steal from the taxpayers to subsidize their stadiums, regardless of if the people really wanted a new NFL team or not. Instead of allowing owners to make these huge financial investments out of their own pockets, the government grants them a socialist pass to steal those funds.

This is the biggest problem in the NFL, and in all sports, today.

This makes them the third NFL team to be relocated in the past 14 months. In those past 14 months, we have experienced *relatively* stable and good economic conditions, at least in the minds of most people.

It would be tragic if the relocation of these teams happens during an economic crises. If times are tough, and people are forced to pay for a stadium, they will only grow worse.

The new stadium would be a form of malinvestment. I doubt any owners, receiving free money from the taxpayers, would stop production of the new stadium. They might be completely unaware that it is a malinvestment since they don’t have their own money invested.

This will just make the recession longer and harder, will reduce the standard of living of most people in the town (excluding die-hard Raiders fans living in Las Vegas), and might curb relocation attempts in the future.

While this might be good news for potential future victims of the coerced subsidization of stadiums, the Browns are still in Cleveland. And that’s tragic for all of us.

Source: Gimme Liberty

FPF #20 – Stories in the News

On FPF #20, I discuss several current events related to foreign policy. I update civilians continuing to die from US airstrikes against ISIS. I explain why Assad and Israel threaten each other over Israel bombing Syria. I break down the US is boycotting UN nuclear weapons talks and a few more stories. 
Source: Foreign Policy Focus – FPF #20 – Stories in the News

Your guy SUCKS!

I wrote this at the beginning of the Presidential campaign in 2015, since then I have rejected the political process in total, but it is still relevant.

Here is reality: Your guy sucks.

My guy would suck too, if I had one.

Politicians do nothing to “improve the economy,” help you out or do anything positive for you.

Politicians are a parasitic class of human beings who live on the sweat and blood of honest, hard working people.

Stop thinking of them (any of them Obama, McShame, Graham, Walker, Clinton, etc.) as good guys, they aren’t. They are out for their own wallet and wealth, nothing more.

Let’s talk about disgusting, a young man dies in the back of a police van. Here come the politicians and their useful fools. Continue reading “Your guy SUCKS!”

Put On Your Tinfoil Hat – We Discuss Conspiracy Theories (Episode 22)

When you become a libertarian, and you begin to hang out within libertarian circles, it’s almost certain that you’ll meet a conspiracy theorist. Whether it’s 9/11, chemtrails, or the sketchy, sudden “accidental deaths” or “suicides” of people connected with certain political figures.

Some of the theories they put forth seem compelling; others sound downright whacky… especially to your average soccer mom. So do these conspiracy theorists in the liberty movement help or harm the cause? We discuss.

Links related to this episode:

Joe Rogan Experience #911 – Alex Jones & Eddie Bravo

Alex Jones vs Piers Morgan On Gun Control

“Are Chemtrails Real?” Debate Pt 1 | PorcFest 

Conspiracy Theories – Do They Help or Hurt the Libertarian Cause?

OR, ==> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE EPISODE.

– Pat and Jon

Source: Libertarianism for Normal PeoplePut On Your Tinfoil Hat – We Discuss Conspiracy Theories (Episode 22)