Blogs

Civil Asset Forfeiture: A Direct Attack Upon Liberty 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #127 One of the most flagrant attacks upon Liberty and the due process of law is the federal government’s program of...

Is ‘Be Yourself’ Good Advice?2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #125 Mark Twain once supposedly said that “Be Yourself” is not good advice for many people. Yes, in most regards each of us, as adults, has the...

You And I Are Now The ‘We'2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #124 “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union.” The Preamble to our Constitution, the greatest document in the...

Look What Liberty Has Done!2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #123   There is much talk today about the disparity of earnings between the “top brass” and the regular workers and, somewhat obviously, a lot of...

They Have Been Punished Enough!2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #122Truly one of the most important factors affecting our country’s domestic tranquility is people’s ability to get a job. In so many different...

Liberty And Political Donations 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #121 Everyone knows that money is much too influential in today’s politics, so how can that influence be lessened?  To me the answer is to...

The Most Important Function Of Government 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #120 At the moment I am finalizing a new musical entitled “Convention,” which is about our great country’s Constitutional Convention...

Don’t Let The Bad Guys Win2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #119     I am writing this just as the details of the Manchester explosion are coming forward.  Maybe this analysis will not be well received by...

Zero Tolerance Makes Zero Sense 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #118 “Zero Tolerance” laws and rules allow judges, bureaucrats, school principals and other officials to avoid having to make responsible...

D-Day, June 6th, 1944 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #117 I greet you as my wife and I have just returned from experiencing the Beaches of Normandy, which witnessed the largest and most complicated...

The Hoax Of Government Control 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #116 Being dependent upon government is a cruel hoax: good for politicians and bureaucrats, but over the long (and often even short) run,...

Liberty Requires Foreseeability 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #115 As has been said several times in this series, Liberty does not at all mean that “anything goes.”  Instead, Liberty implies...

Liberty in Action in NepalI simply had to share this with my “2 Paragraphs” recipients, because it demonstrates what Liberty is doing in Nepal.  Please read the enclosed explanation from my friend...

Liberty Is In Our Bones2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #114  According to our Declaration of Independence, Constitution’s Preamble, Statue of Liberty and many other icons of our history, Liberty is in the...

My Act Back Then Was Not Based On Liberty2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #113 This past April 8, I “celebrated” my 25th anniversary of having publicly spoken out against our nation’s failed and hopeless...

Could Greed Be Good? 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #112 In his book No They Can’t – Why Government Fails but Individuals Succeed, John Stossel again poses the question “Could greed be good?”  Remember how...

Housing Crisis? Try Liberty! 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #111 On page B3 of the Sunday, March 19, 2017 edition of the Los Angeles Times, there were two stories bemoaning the unaffordability of housing...

Depriving Liberty Brings Obligations 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #110 Without question, there are times when some people should/must be deprived of their Liberty due to things like criminal convictions...

The Liberty To Fall Down2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #109   Back when I was growing up, our family rule was for my sister and I to be home in time for dinner.  Otherwise, we were mostly on our own.  So...

The 10th Amendment — For Liberty2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #108  Harsh reality: most politicians (and voters) are outcome oriented, which means that they often first make up their minds about what...

Liberty Is A Beautiful Thing2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #107 Recently my wonderful sister sent me a message entitled “When God Shows Off,” which follows below.  I think you will agree that it contains...

Liberty In Education2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #106 Two easy questions.  First, who is in a better position best to choose where and how a child should be educated, the child’s parents or the...

Liberty Can Create A Safety Net2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #105  After last week’s edition, several readers asked me about how Liberty could create a safety net, so that things like welfare, minimum...

Liberty And The Minimum Wage2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #104 One of the beauties of Liberty is seen by transactions that are consummated by willing buyers and willing sellers of their legal contracts. ...

Liberty According To Chunga2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #103 When I was in the Peace Corps in the small town of Palmar Norte, Costa Rica, I stayed in a set of upstairs cubicles where the other...

There Is A Cost to Revolutions2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #102 Revolutions!  Arab Spring!  Throw Out the Colonial Powers!  Liberty for the People!  For many movements throughout recent and past history...

With Liberty And Justice For All2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #101 I will fly my flag today, as it is a celebration of Martin Luther King’s Birthday.  Dr. King stood then, and still stands today, as a...

The Liberty To Move Forward2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #100 Several things to celebrate.  First, this is the 100th edition of our “2 Paragraphs 4 Liberty,” and I thank you for your interest in...

The Liberty To Be Left Alone2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #99 Clint Eastwood once said that “I don’t see myself as conservative, but I’m not ultra-leftist. You build a philosophy of your own. I like the...

Reason Foundation’s Stand for Liberty2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #97 People who believe in Liberty should be aware and proud of the Reason Foundation.  Here is how it describes its mission:  “Over the...

Share a Smile With People Who Need It2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #96 From my involvement in Juvenile Court and also on the Mental Health Calendar, I have learned, among other things, that people with...

The Liberty/Government Partnership2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #95 The last edition of this series advocated turning over the mandate of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the private sector,...

Recall The FDA2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #95Last week’s edition of this column discussed the areas of water and air pollution, where we probably need the government’s involvement for the health and...

There Must Be A Balance2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #93 For the past 92 editions this column has advocated the benefits of Liberty as opposed to Big Government.  But this does not mean that greater...

Liberty in Voting2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #92 Under our nation’s laws governing presidential elections, each state is empowered to choose how their citizens’ votes will count in the Electoral...

Election Post-Mortum2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #91 Here are some observations and final thoughts about the 2016 presidential election: How could this have happened to us?  I have never seen a...

The Importance of Your Vote for Liberty2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #90 As I hope you have noticed, for the past 89 weeks this series has focused upon how Liberty in so many circumstances more positively...

Gov. Gary Johnson in New Video: Our Foreign Policy has been a series Of “Erratic Chess Moves”In lieu of a 2 Paragraphs 4 Liberty this week, I am sending to you this 5 ½ minute video of Governor Gary...

Liberty And Some Forms Of Gambling2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #88 How/why can the government prohibit us from gambling?  Because gambling addictions can ruin people’s lives, or enrich some unsavory...

Do America A Big Favor2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #87 So we now have seen the first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, which any neutral observer would define as much more of an...

Liberty and Progress2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #86 If the government controlled the development of goods and services do you believe technology would be anywhere close to where it is today – in...

Liberty and Government Over-Regulation2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #85 Companies and employers are constantly being regulated – by their customers, employees and competitors.  That means that if a...

Threats to Groups that Thrive on Liberty2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #84 The Democratic candidate for president is threatening to do damage to at least six groups that thrive on Liberty.  Why?  Because...

The Liberty to Appreciate2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #83 Recently my good and thoughtful friend Judge Frank Firmat (Ret.) and I were talking about how blessed we are.  And all the more so because we...

Are You Scared of Liberty?2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #82 Since I am currently writing a musical about the Constitutional Convention, I am particularly aware of the debates by and feelings of the...

Liberty Undermined by Institutional Corruption2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #81 Like the old saying goes, “Money Talks.”  And, on the issue of medical marijuana, money has resulted in the institutional...

The Liberty to Fail2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #80 I have two friends whom I met while I was a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.  After they left that office,...

Liberty Means Choice in Education!2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #79 We as a nation must decide what the purpose is for our educational system: educating our children (What a concept!), or protecting...

America in Name Only?2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #77 Although it is true that we suffer from the Original Sin of Slavery, since its creation America has in so many ways been the Hope of and Promise for...

Respect for the Symbol of Liberty2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #74 Happy 4th of July!  But along with all of the hotdogs, fireworks and other festivities don’t forget to raise a salute to our Great...

Liberty and The Brexit2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #73   In my view, this past week the English voters took a big step toward taking back their Liberty by voting to withdraw from the European Union. ...

The Legacy of Liberty2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #72      Some day in the unknown future I will be dead, and whatever money I made or joys I realized will in many ways be insignificant.  The only thing...

The Liberty to Boycott2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #71       So what can be done about acts of terror like that which just occurred in Orlando?  Unfortunately we must understand, as mature adults, that...

Liberty and Incentives2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #68                 Of course, to make decisions freely, people must have Liberty.   But it is also a universal truth that people respond to...

Where are Those Heroes in Government?2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #67                 Milton Friedman once posed the question that if people believe that government will come forward and bring prosperity...

No Liberty Without Justice for All2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #66                One of the most timeless Libertarian statements was made by Thomas Jefferson, who said “It does me no injury for my...

Dual Purpose of 2 ParagraphsHi respected recipient of my weekly “2 Paragraphs 4 Liberty,”Candidly the dual purpose of sending out these weekly editions is both to promote honest discussions about...

Liberty bequeathed by John Adams2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #65                 To state the obvious, our Constitution did not fall from the sky.  This greatest product of the Enlightenment was the...

Liberty and the Two Political Parties2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #64 In effect we have only two viable political parties in the United States today: the Democrats and Republicans, on the one hand, and...

The Poison of Something for Nothing2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #62                Margaret Thatcher once famously observed that “The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other...

Choosing to Have a Safety Net2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #63             I was in the Peace Corps: I care about people.  So I believe we should have a Safety Net for our people.  Not because we have to,...

One of Liberty’s Forgotten Protectors 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #61                 History is a curious and fickle thing.  There are many people who actually displayed little fiber or courage and...

Partisanships Threat to the Processes of Government2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #58                Last time I looked, Barack Obama is the current President of the United States.  Candidly, I am not a...

Personal Political Presidential Observations2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #57Three paragraphs for this edition: one for the presidential candidates for each viable political party in the upcoming...

Liberty and Today’s Egypt 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #56 We just returned from a vacation to Egypt, and I must say that it was a staggering experience to see the historical places that I had heard and...

Liberty and Our Founding Fathers2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #55 It was not just a word, or just a slogan!  To our Founding Fathers, Liberty was something for which they risked their treasure and even...

Gratitude for Liberty—And Each Other2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #54 I am elated to tell you that there is a budding movement that will be spreading the country called the Grat Network.  This is an...

Liberty and the Practice of Law2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #53A recent 2 Paragraphs column discussed government protectionism by requiring people to be licensed before they may engage in such practices...

Our One-Year Anniversary2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #52This marks the 52nd edition of our “2 Paragraphs 4 Liberty” weekly series.  I will share with you unabashedly that the purpose of this column has...

Liberty Freely to Publish2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #50Recently my wife and I saw two movies: “Spotlight” and “Concussion.” Both are hard-hitting movies that focus upon perceived large-scale damages...

Liberty and Governmental Licensing2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #51Most people feel that the government protects them from being sold inferior services by requiring the providers to be licensed. That may...

Liberty and the Right to Travel/ 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #49 Liberty requires the right to unrestricted foreign travel, so our government generally should have no right to impede that travel.  It...

Liberty and The Victim Mentality 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #47 As I have said before in this column, Henry Ford was socially not my favorite person in the world, but one of his quotes should be...

Liberty and The California Drought 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #47 Please don’t get me wrong, the drought in California is serious, and we must all do more than our part to conserve water. In addition,...

Liberty and Sex on Campus2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #46There is an increasing movement on university campuses to require express and sometimes even written consent before parties engage in sexual...

Liberty and Freedom from Speech 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #45 Disturbingly, there is a movement spreading around some of our universities and elsewhere to promote having a “Freedom from Speech,”...

Liberty and Fairness2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #44A good friend of mine who regularly participates in our weekly “2 Paragraphs” discussions recently forwarded to me some comments from a friend of his...

Liberty and Being Smart on Crime 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #43 Last week our 2 Paragraphs discussed the failure of the policy of “Tough on Crime,” and put forth realities on how we could have safer...

Liberty and Criminal Justice2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #42I just returned from an amazing convention in New Orleans called “Advancing Justice” that was sponsored by the Koch Institute. It was amazing...

Liberty and Gambling2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #41There is a great deal of betting that our governments allow in today’s world. And in many ways, not only do governments approve of these “vices,” they...

The Love and Passion of Liberty2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #40Early nineteenth century humanist English writer William Hazlitt once made a comment that has haunted me ever since I heard it. He said that...

Liberty and the ICD-102 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #39Last week I wrote that I felt that the American Disabilities Act was probably the best example of governmental “do-gooding” statutes. But now I think...

Liberty and the ADA 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #38 There are so many examples about how “do-gooding” government statutes actually harm people that it is hard to choose the best example. But I think I...

The Process to Support Liberty2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #37I learned three lessons during my training with the Peace Corps that have stayed with me throughout my life, and they apply to situations in...

Liberty and Full Debates2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #36Okay, I openly acknowledge that I have a direct interest in this as a potential candidate, but I also believe that everyone else does too. On...

The Devolution of Liberty 2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #35 Recently I contacted two prescription lens companies to provide me with some new contact lenses.  I believe my present corrected eyesight is...

Governor Gary JohnsonDear “2 Paragraphs” Team Member,I believe that a majority of voters agree with me when I say that our country is going in the wrong direction and that it needs new leadership....

Liberty and Being Smart on Crime2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #43Last week our 2 Paragraphs discussed the failure of the policy of “Tough on Crime,” and put forth realities on how we could have safer and...

Liberty vs. Policing for Profit2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #34One of the cardinal rules of life is that Incentives Matter. As stated so long ago by Adam Smith, the “Invisible Hand” of economic...

Liberty and Government Officials2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #33Hypothetical sign in a government office in Montana: “No hunting licenses issued: clerk a vegetarian.” Now that is not to compare nutrition...

States’ Rights to their Land2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #32You are probably not aware of this, but the federal government owns more than fifty percent of all lands in the Western states. The most...

Liberty and Hate Crimes2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #31This could be misunderstood (and realistically some people will do so intentionally), but all “hate crimes” should be repealed as being...

Liberty to Offend2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #3024 words on Liberty: “If you do not fight for the Liberty of those you disagree with, then you do not know the meaning of the word Liberty.” One of the...

Liberty and Other People’s Money2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #28               When I was attending USC Law School I happened to be elected to the student council as a graduate representative. In one of...

The Tragedy of the Commons2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #29Why are private property rights so important in producing a thriving economy? Part of the answer is explained by discussing the theory of the...

Liberty vs. Government Do-Gooding2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #27Common Wisdom: Pass laws to force a good result! That is the cry of many legislators, often pushed on by many of their constituents. So,...

Liberty & Prisons2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #24I hope you are familiar with the troubling statistic that the United States has only 5 percent of the world’s population, but 25 percent of its...

Liberty & Zero Tolerance2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #25Upon any reasonable analysis, so-called Zero Tolerance laws and regulations, which I define as automatic outcomes for particular offenses or...

Reflections of the Fourth of July2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #23Every Fourth of July we appropriately waive flags, eat barbecue, see fireworks and otherwise have a good time with our friends and family....