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"The Advocates for Self-Government is one of
the freedom movement's leading organizations."
— Ron Paul, The Congressional Record,
June 30, 2010
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 President's Corner
by Sharon Harris
Celebrating 30,000!
Dear friends,
Hooray! The Advocates Facebook page just reached a new milestone: we've crossed the 30,000 mark for “Likes†on our page.
If you were one of these fans, THANK YOU!
If you haven't yet liked our page, please check it out. I think you'll really... "like" it. (Sorry — couldn't resist!)
Looking closer at these numbers shows why this is such good news for liberty. Some of our original content has reached over half a million people on Facebook with a single post.
Weekly, we reach an average of over 300,000 people with entertaining and thought-provoking commentary, memes and other posts.
So our Facebook outreach is getting the word of liberty out there to lots of people eager for these ideas.
Please note: all this is due to our Facebook supporters who "Comment" on, "Like," and "Share" our posts. I invite you to join them.
Take a moment right now to connect with us on Facebook — and also on Twitter, and Instagram, if you use those forums — to enjoy and share the great libertarian content you will find there, and to keep up with the latest Advocates news and activities.
Many thanks to Brett Bittner, former Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of Georgia, who is in charge of our social media. Great job, Brett!
In Liberty,
Sharon
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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.
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Become a SUPER COMMUNICATOR for the ideas of liberty!
 Learn how at an entertaining and enlightening Advocates communication workshop, led by acclaimed libertarian communication expert and Advocates President Sharon Harris.
Find out how you can get Sharon to speak at your organization. Email Sharon now, or call her at 770-386-8372.
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Intellectual Ammunition
by James W. Harris
America's Real Welfare Queens: Fortune 100 Companies
 Earlier this year Open the Books, a non-partisan watchdog group advocating transparency in public spending, issued a genuinely shocking report that added up all federal grants, loans, direct payments, and insurance subsidies going to private companies.
Among its findings: corporate-welfare payments from the federal government to the Fortune 100 companies, Click here to see which companies received your tax dollars...
Are You on the Fed's Terrorist Watchlist?
You can be pulled into the NSA's database, put on a terrorist watchlist, and receive  discriminatory treatment from local, state, and national law enforcement agents — without warning or notice, and for something as innocent as a Facebook or Twitter post.
So reports journalist Arjun Sethi in a shocking story in The Guardian, August 30, entitled, appropriately enough, "The US government can brand you a terrorist based on Find out why you might be on a terrorist watchlist here.
VIDEO: Fire Sale on U.S. Military Tanks — Get One for Your Town Today!
Millions of Americans were shocked to see protestors in Ferguson, Missouri met with a militarized police force decked out in Kevlar vests, helmets, and camouflage, armed with pistols, shotguns, automatic rifles, and tear gas, and riding in armored military vehicles.
Though the weapons came from a variety of sources, such scenes brought public attention to the Pentagon's 1033 program, which supplies military-grade equipment to local police departments, often for free.
Now the crack investigative journalists at Reason TV have unearthed a Pentagon commercial advertising the program to law enforcement. (Or so Reason TV says...)
Watch "Pentagon Has 'Everything Must Go' Sale." Laugh, cringe… and laugh again. Then share with friends!
Approximately 1:37 in length. Performed by Will Neff. Written and produced by Neff and Paul Detrick.
Burger King: "Bye" to U.S. High Taxes
 This popular meme floating around the web pretty much says it all:
Statists: If you don't like the laws, then leave!
Burger King: K, bye.
Statists: OMG NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT, YOU UN-AMERICAN, TRAITOR, GREEDY PEOPLE! WE WANT TO STEAL MORE FROM YOU!
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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...
AMERICANS MAD AT GOV'T, WANT LESS OF IT: "It is difficult to overstate the depth of the anger and  alienation that a majority of all Americans feel toward the federal government. A June 30, 2014, Gallup poll found that Americans' level of confidence has dropped to near record lows for all three branches — the presidency (30 percent), Congress (7 percent) and the U.S. Supreme Court (29 percent). …the country's diminishing faith in its institutions has translated into a desire for less government, not more." — Democratic political strategist Doug Sosnik, former political director for President Clinton, "Blue Crush: How the Left Took Over the Democratic Party," Politico Magazine, July 24, 2014.
Read more of what was said here by John Hickenlooper, John Hayward, Senator Rand Paul, Ron Paul, Robert P. Murphy, David Letterman, and then-Senator Barack Obama.
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"They Said It..." is compiled by Liberator Online editor James W. Harris.
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Persuasion Power Point #375
by Michael Cloud
Why Not Apologize?
Have you ever put your foot in your mouth?
Have you ever said something and wish you had bitten your tongue?
Have you ever exploded on someone for no good reason?
I have.
Probably you Read more here.
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 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.
What 10 federal laws, agencies or rulings would you abolish?
QUESTION: If you could repeal 10 federal laws, reverse 10 Supreme Court rulings or dismantle 10 federal agencies, which laws, rulings or agencies would you do away with? I guess what I'm looking for is the libertarian "hit list."
 MY SHORT ANSWER: Each libertarian might answer this differently, so I can only give you my personal favorites. If I could magically change our government ten ways, I would end all taxation (1), confiscation (2), and eminent domain (3), effectively cutting off the government's revenue. The borrowing powers of the government would be rescinded to prevent it from deficit spending in retaliation (4). Any outstanding obligations would be Read the remaining 5 laws, agencies, or rulings would be abolished by Dr. Ruwart here.
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Got questions? Dr. Ruwart has answers! If you'd like answers to YOUR tough questions on libertarian issues, email Dr. Ruwart
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 latest book Short Answers to the Tough Questions, Expanded Edition is available from the Advocates, as is her acclaimed classic Healing Our World.
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 One-Minute Liberty Tip
by Sharon Harris
Don't Win the Debate by Losing Your Opponent: Walter Block on Debating
In a recent post at the LewRockwell.com blog, the great libertarian writer Walter Block — a superb defender  of libertarian ideas both in print and in live debates — shares his views on debating:
"My goal, in debating, is, along with my opponent, to get that proverbial one millionth of an inch closer to the Truth. I know this sounds a bit mawkish, and in the heat of the event — I'm only human — I sometimes forget myself, but, at least, this is my goal. In order to do this, I find, it is good to be polite. Not try to hog the podium, not interrupt my debating partner, not engage in ad hominems, etc.
"There are two arguments in favor of this. If we Austro-libertarians approach debates in this manner, Read more about winning the debate AND your opponent here.
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Sharon Harris is president of the Advocates for Self-Government.
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What's Happening with the Advocates
Upcoming workshops, speeches, and conferences
Sept. 13: Advocates Chairman of the Board Jim Lark will deliver the keynote address at the European Students For Liberty conference, Paris, France.
Oct. 25: Advocates President Sharon Harris will be speaking at the Students For Liberty regional conference, Calgary University, Calgary, Canada.
Oct. 25: Advocates Chairman of the Board Jim Lark will deliver the keynote address, European Students For Liberty conference, Madrid, Spain.
Nov. 1: Advocates Chairman of the Board Jim Lark will speak at the Students For Liberty regional conference, Salem College, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (tentative).
Nov. 15: Advocates Chairman of the Board Jim Lark will speak at the European Students For Liberty conference, Reykjavik, Iceland
(tentative).
October and November, Students for Liberty regional conferences: The Advocates will be at numerous Students For Liberty (SFL) regional conferences throughout the U.S. and Canada. We will announce which ones as soon as they are confirmed.
Email us now if you'd like us to send you further information on these events.
Email Sharon to find out how you can have a communication event near you.
ONGOING
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.
JOIN US ON TWITTER: Twitter is the first place to learn about breaking Advocates and liberty movement news, expert communications tips, and exclusive Advocates discounts and specials. (And don't worry — we won't bombard you with tweets. We're keeping it fun, fast, and useful.)
Go to the Advocates Twitter account and click the "follow" button below our picture. Thanks!
JOIN THE ADVOCATES ON FACEBOOK: The Advocates Facebook page offers you a chance to share your ideas on liberty, meet some great people and show your support for the Advocates for Self-Government and liberty. Join us and you'll receive regular Facebook updates on Advocates news, communication tips, and special offers for our Facebook friends.
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