Book: Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle for Internet Freedom

Reason TV interviews Rebecca MacKinnon, author of Consent of the Networked, about internet freedom and authoritarianism:

"Authoritarian systems evolve," says Rebecca MacKinnon, author of Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle For Internet Freedom. "Authoritarianism in the Internet Age is not your old Cold War authoritarianism."

Reason TV's Nick Gillespie sat down with MacKinnon to discuss internet freedom in the U.S. and abroad, touching on topics such as whether or not China can successfully manage the flow of information and control the internet, what the anti-SOPA movement means for the future of the internet in the U.S., and whether or not the internet is indeed a net gain for liberty or just another tool to be utilized by authoritarian governments. "

Related articles

• Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle for Internet Freedom [BOOK REVIEW] (abdelxyz.wordpress.com)
• Let's take back the internet! Rebecca MacKinnon on TED.com (ted.com)

Video: Nullify Obamacare Forum

These fifteen videos are Caroline's footage of the Nullify Obamacare Forum held earlier this month. The forum featured panelists Bill Randles, Ed Martin, State Senator Jim Lembke, and State Representative Paul Curtman. Brian Nieves MC'd the forum.

• Part  1:  Intro & Ed Martin's Opening Remarks
• Part  2:  Bill Randles' Opening Remarks
• Part  3:  Jim Lembke's Opening Remarks
• Part  4:  Paul Curtman's Opening Remarks
• Part  5:  Q & A re:  Health Care Compacts
• Part  6:  How to say NO to Obamacare regulations
• Part  7:  Handling the Court System and Judicial Activism
• Part  8:  What effect will the Health Care Freedom Act have on Obamacare?
• Part  9:  Isn't refusing a Health Insurance Exchange a form of nullification?
• Part 10:  Did the Founding Fathers advocate single-state nullification?
• Part 11:  How much power does Missouri's governor have to resist the Feds?
• Part 12:  Why do we need attorneys to interpret the Constitution?
• Part 13:  Why doesn't the State just keep more of its own money?
• Part 14:  What steps would you take to nullify Obamacare?
• Part 15:  Closing Remarks

Thanks to Caroline for producing the video above. Great job!

Lloyd Sloan's excellent observations about the Nullify Forum. Give 'em a read.

Related articles

• Video: Nullification Forum (rebootcongress.blogspot.com)

Video: Nullification Forum

The hour and forty minute video above is from the Nullification Forum held earlier this month. The forum featured panelists Bill Randles, Ed Martin, State Senator Jim Lembke, and State Representative Paul Curtman. Brian Nieves MC'd the forum.

Lisa Payne-Naeger of Examiner.com has more details.

Thanks to Bob K. for shooting the video!

Photos from the After Party

The St. Louis Tea Party held our inaugural "After Party" Thursday evening at the Crowne Plaza in Clayton, MO. Over a hundred people attended the event which introduced the Tea Party's new initiative to transform itself so that it can drive political change through direct, local action. Going forward, there will be monthly meetings to inform and educate After Partiers about current issues, political activism, and (to the degree it's required) technology.

St. Louis Tea Party co-founder Bill Hennessy has blogged extensively about the vision for the After Party:

• Part 1: The Tea Party’s Next Wave
• Part 2: The 2010 Election
• Part 3: The Way Forward
• Part 4: What Was That Vision?
• Part 5: The Most Powerful Sentence in the World
• Part 6: A New Tea Party Mission
• Part 7: People
• Part 8: Who Do You Trust?
• Don’t Commit the 7 Deadly Sins of Movements
• The After Party Guide Book

Related articles

• My Remarks to First After Party (hennessysview.com)
• Van Jones Wants to Pop the Tea Party "Bubble". Is he Ready for the After Party? (rebootcongress.blogspot.com)

Photos from Move on Up Conference

Move-on-Up.org, a network of conservative African Americans, met in St. Louis. This, their inaugural conference, was an opportunity for black conservatives from around the country to get to know one another and build lasting relationships.

Related articles

• Meet Me in St Louis 2011 Next Weekend (cryliberty.wordpress.com)
• Part 1: The Tea Party's Next Wave (stlouisteaparty.com)

Photos from Smart Girl Summit

Here are a few pictures I took at Smart Girl Summit this afternoon. The Summit is sponsored by Smart Girl Politics and runs through Saturday in downtown St. Louis.

Related articles

• Herman Cain's Packed Speaking Schedule (thedailybeast.com)
• My Review of 'The Undefeated': Game On. (biggovernment.com)

Missouri Precinct Project (MOPP) Launches

Announcing the Missouri Precinct Project:

MISSOURI PRECINCT PROJECT (MOPP)

MAY 16, 2011

On Monday, May 16, a new organization will officially “launch” in the State of Missouri.  The Missouri Precinct Project (MOPP) is a grassroots organization whose purpose is to educate and motivate voters across the State to become more involved in the election process.  MOPP wishes to serve as a clearinghouse for individuals and groups across Missouri in order to increase conservative voter participation and voter turnout. 

Recognizing that good government requires an educated and engaged electorate, MOPP’s efforts will focus first and foremost on building a strong grassroots foundation, from the bottom up, by recruiting volunteers to interact and engage with fellow voters in a variety of ways, all within the proximity of their own neighborhoods.  No political experience is required, training tools and instruction will be provided. 

If you are interested in joining the Missouri Precinct Project (MOPP), or would like more information, you can call 314-966-8724 or 636-916-0441.  You can also visit our website at www.moprecinctproject.org or send us an email at missouriprecinctproject@gmail.com.

Frieda Keough

Anita Foelsch

Judy Sofka

Missouri Precinct Project (MOPP)

"Let's MOPP 'em up in '12"

www.moprecinctproject.org

The Citizen's Guide To Defeating The Mainstream Media by Andre Harper

Andre Harper met with St. Louis area Tea Partiers at the Friday night launch of his new book: The Citizen's Guide to Defeating the Mainstream Media. I'll be posting video of Andre and the other speakers this weekend.

Likely Voters Believe Elections are Rigged to Favor Incumbents

Image via Wikipedia

Rasmussen Reports: 53% Say Elections Are Rigged To Help Incumbents in Congress:

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters think most members of Congress get reelected because election rules are rigged to benefit incumbents. Only 17% believe most congressmen get reelected because of the good job they do representing their constituents. A sizable 30% aren’t sure which is the case. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

I chose the name Reboot Congress for my blog back in 2008 largely because I was (and remain) frustrated with a system designed to reward incumbent legislators. I'm not at all surprised to learn that most voters seem to agree with me. I would like to see a constitutional amendment that prevents legislators from serving consecutive terms. This sort of change should be designed to prevent legislators from collecting campaign contributions while serving the public. The goal of such an amendment would be to mitigate incumbent advantage. Candidates that had served in years past might still have a slight advantage because of their experience, but the overwhelming effect of incumbency would not be there.