Volume 18, No. 10 May 23, 2013

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The Liberator Online

for everyone who loves Liberty
Published by The Advocates for Self-Government

"The Advocates for Self-Government has been responsible for almost all the libertarian outreach tools you can find: from wallet-sized copies of the famous World's Smallest Political Quiz, to instructional audios on communication skills and political activism, to the ubiquitous 'libertarian event in a kit': the Operation Politically Homeless booths that you've seen at parades, festivals, and other events."

-- Henry Hazlitt Foundation (July 24, 2001)

WELCOME to the Liberator Online!

In This Issue

PRESIDENT'S CORNER
* Hardy Macia (1969-2013): A Life for Liberty

INTELLECTUAL AMMUNITION
* Libertarian Party: End IRS scandals -- By Abolishing the IRS and Income Tax
* Reason Poll: Only Six Percent of Americans Think Marijuana Possession Should Be Punished With Jail Time
* Video: "I Pencil: The Movie"
* Piers Morgan: Gun "Nuts" May Be Right About Gov't Tyranny

THEY SAID IT: Taxation is so obviously theft, says Penn Jillette.... War on terror just getting started, says Obama official.... Obama is worst president ever for civil liberties, says liberal Jonathan Turley.... Relax, gov't is your friend, Obama tells students.... Jay Leno on how to repeal Obamacare and why it's deja vu all over again.... Quis custodiet ipsos custodes, asks Jimmy Fallon (in English).... Millions of Americans are moving to states with more liberty, notes John Stossel.... Democratic Rep. rips Obama administration on marijuana idiocy....

PERSUASION POWER POINT #348
* Gandhi's Simple Lesson

ASK DR. RUWART
* Does Australia disprove arguments against the minimum wage?

ONE-MINUTE LIBERTY TIP
* You're on Candid Camera!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES
* FREE OPH KITS for libertarian student groups!
* Join the Advocates on Twitter
* Join the Advocates on Facebook
* 2014 Freedom Cruises

President's Corner

by Sharon Harris

Hardy Macia (1969-2013): A Life for Liberty

The world has lost a true champion of liberty with the untimely death of Hardy Macia, who died from Hodgkin's lymphoma on May 13 at the age of 43.

Hardy Macia was my hero -- a modern-day Paul Revere, a true light of liberty, a good man, a kind and gentle spirit.

Hardy made invaluable contributions to the entire libertarian movement. He was active in the Libertarian Party, where he served as an officer in the national party and ran for office several times. He was a member of the Free State Project who made the move to New Hampshire to advance the libertarian cause.

Hardy was a big fan of the Advocates for Self-Government, and he served this organization in many ways: as a donor, a member of our Board of Directors, and the creator of the famous mobile app for the World's Smallest Political Quiz.

Hardy was a father and a successful businessman, the founder and president of his own software company, Catamount Software. He had a passion for liberty and he spent much of his life working for this cause, right up to the very end.

Hardy was running for Congress as a Libertarian when he got his cancer diagnosis -- and he continued that run, hoping to wake a few more people up to the cause of freedom. He even fought zombies in this funny ad from his campaign:

Hardy also worked tirelessly for the presidential campaign of Libertarian Gary Johnson, who said: "My friend and a true crusader for Liberty, Hardy Macia, passed away today. Words cannot express how greatly he will be missed, and my love and thoughts are with Heidi. If we needed our website fixed, an online town hall organized, or a place to crash in New Hampshire, the answer was always the same: 'Call Hardy.' His courageous fight with cancer, his sense of humor to the very end, and his dedication to making this country a better place are just a few of the things that make Hardy a man rightfully admired by more people than he ever knew. Rest in Peace my friend."

Even in his very last days Hardy took action for liberty from his hospital bed -- appealing to New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan to do the right thing and focus on people over politics. You can read about this heroic act -- and see his extraordinary video message -- at the Huffington Post.

There has been an outpouring of eloquent tributes to Hardy all over the Internet. Here are a few that I found particularly moving:

"We will continue your fight for liberty, Hardy. If by chance you get to meet our Founders, I'm sure they will gladly shake your hand and thank you for your passion, dedication and endless fight for freedom." (Teshia Dawn Roy)

"A great soul passed away today. Hardy was one of the brightest candles in God's creation, and the actions he took while on this earth will continue to create positive ripples in history." (Guy McLendon)

"Thank you for being such an inspiration. Thank you for packing 200 human years of passion into your 43 years here. Your spirit will live on in every person you touched because no one was merely brushed by your presence. Everyone who met you was engaged by your friendship, your heroism, your character, your strength and your kindness. Everyone who met you is a better person because of you." (Jo Ann Vaccarino)

"Hardy's vision for the future was inspirational to me and I am going to do what I can to continue to strive to bring Liberty back in his memory." (Marlee Randol Hughes)

You can read more of these moving and inspiring tributes at Hardy's Facebook page. And you can read his published obituary here.

If you would like to make a memorial contribution in honor of Hardy, here are three of his favorite organizations: The Autism Society, 4340 East West Hwy Suite 350, Bethesda, MD, 20814; The Hodgskins Lymphoma Foundation, 115 Broadway Suite 1301, New York, NY 10006; and the Libertarian Party.

There will be a campfire memorial service and tribute to Hardy at the Porcupine Freedom Festival, the Free State Projectâ€™s annual gathering in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The Porcupine Freedom Festival is among the largest gatherings of freedom lovers in the world. Learn more about it, and the planned tribute to Hardy, here.

Hardy was an activist's activist -- a shining example to all who love liberty. We will strive to keep his light alive by encouraging others to be inspired by and follow his example.

We will always miss him and be forever grateful for all he did for the great cause of liberty.

In liberty,

Sharon
sharon@theadvocates.org

* * *
The purpose of the Liberator Online is to build a stronger movement for liberty. We do this by providing information about the libertarian movement and how to best communicate the ideas of liberty. Thank you for being a part of this!

Learn more about the Advocates and our work for liberty.

Learn more about libertarianism -- the philosophy of liberty.

Intellectual Ammunition

by James W. Harris

Libertarian Party: End IRS scandals -- By Abolishing the IRS and Income Tax

In the wake of the latest Internal Revenue Service (IRS) scandals,

Libertarian Party Executive Director Carla Howell says there's only one certain way to end all such scandals, now and in the future:

"We must abolish the IRS and end any need for a regulatory agency that snoops into people's private lives," Howell said on May 17.

Further, Howell offers a compelling argument that this is not only possible, it would have tremendous benefits for th

e country.

If we just cut the federal budget back to 1992 levels, Howell says, we could end the IRS and the income tax -- and leave the government with more than sufficient funding to perform its constitutional obligations.

1992 was the year Bill Clinton was elected president. Few people at the time would have argued that the federal government of 1992 was too small. Indeed, a few years later, President Clinton himself would famously declare it was time to reduce the size and scope of the federal government because "the era of big government is over" and Americans needed "a smaller, less bureaucratic governmentâ€¦ that lives within its means."

Says the Libertarian Party's Howell: "We must draw back total federal spending to the level of 1992, which is more than enough to fulfill the government's constitutional duties to protect our life, liberty, and property. This will allow us to balance the budget immediately, end the federal income tax completely, and give back an average of more than $12,000 to every family in America."

"We don't need an income tax, and we certainly don't need the IRS," Howell says.

The idea of getting rid of the income tax and the IRS by reducing the federal government to its 1992 size sounds downright reasonable. Indeed, a government funded at 1992 levels would still be far too big for many Americans.

Howell notes that IRS political scandals are nothing new. "The presidential administrations of Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and, now, Barack Obama have all been caught using the IRS to target political enemies.

"As long as we have the IRS -- and the income tax -- we should expect more presidents to use their power to silence and intimidate free voices. No IRS investigation or firing of a few scapegoats will change that."

Howell points out there are many other benefits to ending the income tax.

"Ending the income tax, abolishing the IRS, and cutting federal spending to the level of 1992 means no more deficit spending," Howell says. "This will stop inflation and stabilize prices. Even more importantly, it will transfer wealth out of the wasteful, dysfunctional and destructive government sector and into the productive private sector, resulting in a bounty of new jobs and prosperity for Americans.

"We will make living in America and doing business in America much better," Howell says. "Individuals, businesses, and political organizations will all be safe from government interrogation and free to express their political views. It will dramatically increase the wealth of the private sector and inspire hundreds of billions of dollars in investment in small businesses and American jobs."

And why stop there?

"We can cut federal spending by 50 percent, or even 90 percent, and Americans will be better for it," Howell argues. "We can end the personal income tax, the corporate income tax, the death tax, and all federal payroll taxes. There will be no need for the IRS, nor any substitute agency."

Yet another benefit of abolishing the IRS is that it would become far more difficult to fund a massive global interventionist military presence and warfare around the world, Howell notes.

"It will also require our massive military budgets to go down, which currently encourage overseas meddling and war," Howell says. "We get rid of the IRS, we get rid of the income tax, we dramatically downsize federal spending and taxation, and America and the world will be better for it."

The Libertarian Party's call to abolish the income tax and IRS echoes Ron Paul, who for years introduced the Liberty Amendment in Congress to do exactly that.

Want to convince others that this is a great idea? Here's a four-part series of short articles by Advocates President Sharon Harris that offers suggestions for doing this:

Making the Case for Ending the Income Tax: Part 1.
Making the Case for Ending the Income Tax: Part 2.
Making the Case for Ending the Income Tax: Part 3.
Making the Case for Ending the Income Tax: Part 4.

Reason Poll: Only Six Percent of Americans Think Marijuana Possession Should Be Punished With Jail Time

That's right: only six percent of Americans think minor marijuana possession should be punishable by jail time.

Further, a strong plurality of Americans think the use or possession of small amounts of marijuana should not be punishableâ€¦ at all.

These astonishing results, unimaginable just a few years ago, are from a new Reason-Rupe poll conducted May 9-13. They show how rapidly support for ending the despotic War on Marijuana is growing. (The Reason-Rupe polls are a project of the Reason Foundation and funded by the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation.)

The nationwide telephone poll of 1,003 people asked: "Which approach do you think government and law enforcement should take toward someone found smoking marijuana or in possession of a small amount of marijuana?"

Only six percent of respondents said possession should be punishable with jail.

Twenty percent said it should result in mandatory substance abuse counseling.

Thirty-two percent said users should incur a fine, not jail.

Fully 35 percent of respondents said people caught with small amounts of marijuana should not be punished at all.

As Reason magazine notes, "The Reason-Rupe poll is one of the few instances -- possibly the first -- in which the usual polling dichotomies of incarceration versus treatment and criminal penalty versus civil penalty have been expanded to include no penalty whatsoever.

"The results suggest that Americans are comfortable with the idea of decriminalization -- which reduces the penalty for minor marijuana possession to a civil fine -- and more sympathetic than ever to the idea of fully legalizing possession."

In addition, the poll found a majority of Americans support the right of states to legalize marijuana. Specifically, 52 percent would support legislation to "prevent the federal government from prosecuting people who grow, possess, or sell marijuana in the states that have legalized it."

Video: "I Pencil: The Movie"

Last issue Advocates President Sharon Harris shared her love for Leonard Reed's classic essay "I, Pencil."

The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) has created a great six-minute "I, Pencil" video that explores that same message.

The video opens with a quote from G.K. Chesterton: "We are perishing for want of wonder, not for want of wonders."

It then proceeds to open our eyes to some astounding, but generally unappreciated and ignored, wonders that surround us -- beginning with the humble yellow pencil.

When you understand the story of "I, Pencil" you will never view a "simple pencil" -- or any other manufactured object -- the same way again. Your mind will be opened and you will see that there are indeed miracles and marvels all around you, every moment of every day.

The website hosting "I Pencil" has several other short films and written material that build further on the message of "I, Pencil." CEI hopes this will enable teachers, professors and lecturers to make easy use of "I, Pencil" as a teaching tool. Share it with friends.

Piers Morgan: Gun "Nuts" May Be Right About Gov't Tyranny

CNN's Piers Morgan is one of America's loudest and most public

enemies of gun rights.

What especially sets him off is when someone on his show argues that the Second Amendment was designed to enable citizens to defend their liberty should the U.S. government turn tyrannical.

For example, when conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro made that argument on January 10 this year, Morgan sneered: "Do you understand how absurd you sound?"

Which makes the following exchange from Morgan's May 20 show all the more remarkable.

Speaking about the Obama IRS and Associated Press scandals with his guest, libertarian magician Penn Jillette, Morgan said this:

"I've had some of the pro-gun lobbyists on here saying to me, 'Well, the reason we need to be armed is because of tyranny from our own government.' And I've always laughed at them. And I've always said, 'Don't be so ridiculous. Your own government won't turn itself on you.'

"But, actually, when you look at this [the Obama scandals] -- it's nothing to do with guns -- but actually, this is vaguely tyrannical behavior by the American government.

"I think what the IRS did is bordering on tyrannical behavior. I think what the Department of Justice has done, actually, to the AP [Associated Press] is bordering on tyrannical behavior."

"There's no doubt about that, once you use the word 'bordering,' that's true," agreed Penn Jillette. "I also think that it shows you how much we can trust the government and just sit back, which is not very much at all. We have to be ever vigilant."

* * * * * * * *
Intellectual Ammunition is written by Liberator Online editor James W. Harris. His articles have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, and he has been a Finalist for the Mencken Awards, given by the Free Press Association for "Outstanding Journalism in Support of Liberty."

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They Said It...
TAXATION IS THEFT -- PENN JILLETTE: "So many people say, 'You know, your taxes aren't taken by force,' and that's foolish. If you don't pay your taxes and you don't answer the warrant and you don't go to court, eventually someone will pull a gun. Eventually someone with a gun will show up." -- renowned magician, author and libertarian Penn Jillette, interview, The Daily Caller, May 6, 3013.

WAR ON TERROR IS JUST GETTING STARTED: "At least 10 to 20 years." -- Michael Sheehan, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, estimating at a May 16 U.S. Senate hearing how much longer the 12-year-old "War on Terrorism" will go on.

OBAMA WORST PRESIDENT EVER FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES: "From unilateral military actions to warrantless surveillanceâ€¦ the painful fact is that Barack Obama is the president that Nixon always wanted to be. Four decades ago, Nixon was halted in his determined effort to create an "imperial presidency" with unilateral powers and privileges. In 2013, Obama wields those very same powers openly and without serious opposition. The success of Obama in acquiring the long-denied powers of Nixon is one of his most remarkable, if ignoble, accomplishments. â€¦ Obama has not only openly asserted powers that were the grounds for Nixon's impeachment, but he has made many love him for it. More than any figure in history, Obama has been a disaster for the U.S. civil liberties movement." -- liberal constitutional lawyer Jonathan Turley, "Nixon has won Watergate," column in USA Today, March 25, 2013.

OBAMA TO STUDENTS -- IGNORE REALITY, GOV'T IS YOUR FRIEND:
"Unfortunately, you've grown up hearing voices that incessantly

warn of government as nothing more than some separate, sinister entity that's at the root of all of our problemsâ€¦. They'll warn that tyranny is always lurking just around the corner. You should reject these voices." -- President Obama's commencement address at Ohio State University on May 5. That's right, kids, don't worry your pretty little heads about drone assassinations of U.S. citizens, unconstitutional wars, sky-high taxes, IRS snooping, government recording your emails, the War on Drugs, the U.S. spy empireâ€¦

JAY LENO ON HOW TO RE

PEAL OBAMACARE: "This week will mark the 37th time House Republicans have tried to repeal Obamacare. If Republicans really wanted to do away with Obamacare they should just endorse it as a conservative non-profit and let the IRS take it down." -- Jay Leno, May 16, 2013.

THESE ARE THE GOOD OLD DAYS: "This week marks the 40th anniversary of the Watergate hearings. For those of you too young to remember, back then the administration had an enemies list. They were spying on reporters, and they used the IRS to harass groups they didn't like. Thank God those days are gone forever." -- Jay Leno. May 15, 2013.

QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES: "It was just revealed that the Department of Justice secretly recorded the phone calls of AP journalists for two months. Obama promised reporters that the incident will be immediately investigated -- by the Department of Justice." -- Jimmy Fallon, "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon." May 14, 2013.

ON THE MOVE FOR LIBERTY: "Forty-three million Americans moved from one state to another between 1995 and 2010 -- about one-seventh of Americans. â€¦ Americans have moved away from high-taxed, heavily regulated states to lower-taxed, less-regulated states. Most don't think of it as a political decision. They just go where opportunities are, and that usually means where there's less government." -- libertarian journalist John Stossel, "Live Free or Move," syndicated column May 8, 2013.

DEMOCRAT RIPS INTO DOJ ON MARIJUANA: "One of the greatest threats to liberty has been the government taking people's liberty for things that people are in favor of. The Pew Research Group shows that 52 percent of people do not think marijuana should be illegal. And yet there are people in jail, and your Justice Department is continuing to put people in jail, for sale, and use, on occasion, of marijuana. That's

something the American public has finally caught up with. It was a cultural lag. And it's been an injustice for 40 years in this country to take people's liberty for something that was similar to alcohol. You have continued what is allowing the Mexican cartels power, and the power to make money, ruin Mexico, hurt our country by having a Prohibition in the late 20th and 21st century. We saw it didn't work in this country in the 20s. We remedied it. This is the time to remedy this Prohibition, and I would hope you would do so." -- Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), criticizing Attorney General Eric Holder in the U.S. House of Representatives, May 15, 2013.

* * * * * * * * * *
"They Said It..." is compiled by Liberator Online editor James W. Harris.

Persuasion Power Point #348

by Michael Cloud

Gandhi's Simple Lesson

Would you like people to carefully listen to every word you say about liberty?

Do you want them to be receptive and responsive to your libertarian ideas and evidence?

Would you like people to thoughtfully consider your libertarian point of view?

It may be possible -- if you learn and live Mahatma Gandhi's lesson.

"Be the change you want to see in the world," said Gandhi.

Be a careful listener -- and soon others will carefully listen to you. Be a receptive and responsive person -- and people will receive and respond to you and your ideas. Be a reflective and thoughtful conversationalist -- and you'll find your world filled with like-minded people.

"Be the change you want to see in the world," said Gandhi.

What kind of listeners do you want?

Reasonable? Empathetic? Courteous? Enthusiastic? Passionate? Curious? Tolerant?

Be what you want to see.

You can fill your life with any kind of people you want. Provided you become what you want to behold.

You can do the same with the cause of freedom. Because who you are determines what kind of people you will affect and attract into the libertarian movement. And who the new libertarians are will determine the kind of people they reach and draw in.

Gandhi's lesson is simple. But it can make a huge difference.

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

* * * * * * * *
Michael Cloud's brand-new book Unlocking More Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion is available exclusively from the Advocates, along with his acclaimed earlier book Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion.

In 2000, Michael was honored with the Thomas Paine Award as the Most Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America.

Unlocking More Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion

BRAND NEW!

Click cover to see more and order.

Ask Dr. Ruwart

Dr. Mary Ruwart is a leading expert in libertarian communication. In this column she offers short answers to real questions about libertarianism. To submit questions to Dr. Ruwart, see end of column.

Does Australia disprove arguments against the minimum wage?

QUESTION: A recent graphic going around Facebook asserts that Australia's employment situation disproves the notion that a high minimum wage leads to higher unemployment. The graphic says the Australian minimum wage is the equivalent of $16.43 and their unemployment rate is

5.3%. Does this refute arguments about the minimum wage?

MY SHORT ANSWER: The real question is "Without the minimum wage, would employment be higher than it is now?" Almost all of the research suggests that the answer would be a resounding "yes."

However, another aspect of raising the minimum wage is the destruction of jobs of our most disadvantaged workers (minorities, undereducated, etc.). As minimum wage rises, flipping hamburgers (for example) becomes more attractive to college students, teens saving for college, etc. Minorities without a high school diploma become less necessary to employers; as a result, the disadvantaged often end up with no job at all because they have few other options. Their primary bargaining chip is their willingness to take a little less pay than their advantaged counterparts.

To the extent that minimum wage laws take this option away, they destroy jobs for those who can least afford to be without one.

In his book The State Against Blacks, economist Walter Williams points out that expansion of the minimum wage laws was the primary cause for black teenage unemployment, which skyrocketed after 1950.

The disadvantaged in Australia have probably been displaced from the job market in favor of the advantaged because of their high minimum wage.

LEARN MORE: Suggestions by Liberator Online editor James W. Harris for further readings on this issue:

* "The Australian Minimum Wage Myth" by John Stossel, July 13, 2012. The award-winning libertarian journalist shows the devastating effect of the minimum wage on young, unskilled workers.

Excerpt: "In June, Australia's unemployment rate for workers age 15 to 19 was 16.5%. Last December, 63% of all jobs lost were jobs for young, unskilled Australians.

"It's simple: when the price of something goes up, people buy less. So when the price of labor goes up, employers hire less. â€¦. The unseen consequences of minimum wage laws are the millions of poor, disadvantaged people who don't have job opportunities. In the United States, it hurts poor people and inner-city minorities. In Australia, it hurts young workers."

* "April unemployment down, as Australians stop looking for work, and full-time jobs give way to part-time work" is a short report by Roy Morgan Research, which describes itself as "Australia's best known and longest established market research company."

Excerpt: "In April 2013 an estimated 1.15 million Australians (9.3% of the workforce) were unemployed. This is down 1.5% from last month and is the lowest level of unemployment in Australia for nearly a year, since May 2012 (8.2%, 997,000)."

* Minimum Wage, Maximum Damage by Jim Cox. This short (40 pages) idea-packed booklet annihilates the arguments for the minimum wage. It explains in clear, concise and compelling language how and why the minimum wage destroys jobs and causes great harm and suffering. It's a great resource to quickly learn the best arguments against this misguided and misunderstood law. Published by the Advocates for Self-Government.

* * * * * * * * * *
Got questions? Dr. Ruwart has answers! If you'd like answers to YOUR "tough questions" on libertarian issues, email Dr. Ruwart at:ruwart@theAdvocates.org

Due to volume, Dr. Ruwart can't personally acknowledge all emails. But we'll run the best questions and answers in upcoming issues.

Dr. Ruwart's previous Liberator Online answers are archived in searchable form.

Dr. Ruwart's brand new book Short Answers to the Tough Questions, Expanded Edition is available from the Advocates, as is her acclaimed classic Healing Our World.

Click cover to check out Dr. Ruwart's latest book!

One-Minute Liberty Tip

by Sharon Harris

You're on Candid Camera!

Here's a surefire tool that will get you off to a great start in any conversation about the ideas of liberty.

Start off with a

       Simple
         Movement
       Into
         Libertarian
         Engagement

...better known as a SMILE! (Check out the first letters of that phrase.)

Yes, SMILE! You're on Candid Camera! And in a way, you are -- everyone is watching to see how well YOU represent all other libertarians as you share the message of liberty. (No pressure...)

Scientists have been studying the power and benefits of smiling since the 1800s. Today there's a great deal of science arguing for the social and personal benefits of smiling.

A smile is one of the best shields against hostility and one of the best ways to assure that the other person is open to hearing what you have to say.

A smile is contagious! People respond to smiles. The other person will often smile back, making the conversation much more pleasant.

The act of

smiling affects your body chemistry in ways science is still trying to understand. But scientists agree that, for whatever reasons, smiling makes you feel good. And when your audience responds with a smile, they, too, feel good. Indeed, MRI studies indicate that seeing a smile activates the part of the brain that processes rewards. Thus a smiling person may be perceived as more attractive.

"Simply using the same muscles as smiling will put you in a happier mood," says Dr Michael Lewis, psychologist at Cardiff University. "Thatâ€™s because use of those muscles is part of how the brain evaluates mood." Your listeners, too, will pick up on this.

Smiling can actually reduce stress and help you feel better in stressful conditions -- like, for example, public speaking.

It's important that your smile be genuine, not fake. Happily, when you talk about liberty, you've got something to smile about. You're sharing the good news of liberty -- ideas that can change lives and change the world in the most wonderful ways. It may help you to take a moment before speaking to reflect on the positive and beneficial nature of what you're about to speak on. This can help you to make your smile genuine.

Like many seemingly simple communication techniques, smiling doesn't always come naturally. You need to practice at it, and remember to use it, especially in political discussions.

That's why I created this acronym. Use it to remind yourself to start your political discussions with this potent weapon: the Simple Movement Into Libertarian Engagement. Aka the SMILE!

* * * * * *
Sharon Harris is president of the Advocates for Self-Government.

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What's Happening with the Advocates

FREE OPH KITS FOR LIBERTARIAN STUDENT GROUPS: Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we're giving our acclaimed OPH (Operation Political Homeless) outreach kits to libertarian student groups FREE -- if they simply promise to use them a minimum of three times a year and send us photos documenting their OPH activity. OPH -- praised as the best recruiting tool in the libertarian movement -- normally sells for $50.00.
If you're in a student libertarian group, click here for more information on getting your free OPH kit.

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2014 FREEDOM CRUISES: Advocates Board Secretary and long-time libertarian leader Dr. Ken Bisson invites you to join him for a Freedom Cruise. Enjoy a wonderful trip on a luxury cruiser -- at a bargain rate! Great food and fine company. Non-libertarians welcome! On January 26, 2014 the 17th Annual Freedom Cruise embarks: a 7-day Holland America voyage to excellent snorkeling destinations Grand Cayman and Cozumel, with visits to Key West and Half Moon Cay as well, all on Holland America's newest cruise ship! (These aren't Advocates events, but libertarians who have been on past cruises rave about them.) Ken offers two other February 2014 cruises as well. For photos and more details -- or to sign up for free, no-pressure, no-commitment email updates -- visit Freedom Cruises.

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