How Stupid/Crazy is Michael Badnarik?

[Skeptic]

Here is the latest from this brain surgeon, the leader of the Libertarian party. Especially interesting parts are in bold by me.

9/4/2005
SHIFT HAPPENS!
Coping with Fear & Panic in Times of Crisis & Change
Filed under: Announcements, Badnarik in 2005
A SPECIAL 90-MINUTE PANEL DISCUSSION WITH:
Dr. Michael Ryce - Director of Heartland, A Self-healing Center
Michael Badnarik - 2004 Libertarian Presidential Candidate
Patrick Mooney - The Institute of Unlearning
Gigi Stafne - Naturopath & Herbalist
==============================================
Date: Thursday, September 8th
Time: 10-11:30 PM Eastern (9 Central, 7 Pacific)
Number: 1 (641) 297-5600 Pass Code 33227#
PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A NEW NUMBER!
Hosted by: Jack Allis & Zo LaMantia

I was invited back to this conference call to share my expertise in “avoiding panic". I am eminently qualified for this discussion because of all of my past experience. As an Advanced First Aid instructor, the first rule was “Don’t Panic!". The same was true as a SCUBA instructor, skydiving instructor, Scoutmaster, mountain climber, ocean sailor - and yes, even Presidential candidate. When danger rears it’s ugly head, the best advice is to keep your cool.

Our world today is changing at an exponential rate, and it seems as though crises are more frequent and of greater magnitude. The New Orleans flood is being tabbed as the greatest natural disaster in US history. As a result, gas prices rose over 50-cents a gallon in many parts of the country the next day. Understandably, this is triggering significant fear and panic for many Americans, the flames of which are being fanned, perhaps intentionally, by the mainstream corporate/government media. And compared to the Internet, where people still have the freedom to be as crazy as they want, the mainstream media is downright calming. In addition to the talk of gas rationing and peak oil, the Net has been buzzing for months now about manipulated weather as an instrument of war and terror, a pending nuclear attack on Iran, triggering World War III with Russia and China, an attack upon the freedom of speech on the Net, the imminent collapse of the US housing market, and subsequently the entire economy, our village idiot President losing his frigging mind (what little there is), and pushing the button, or declaring martial law, and a whole lot more.

Yes indeed, these are challenging times. We may even be on the brink of the great shift of the ages, different variations of which were prophesized in numerous ancient texts from cultures spanning the globe, including the Bible, most of which targeted the year 2012. So, what the heck is going on? This week we’re expanding to 90-minutes, so our star-studded panel has ample time to tackle these questions. Most importantly, we will focus on how we can most effectively cope in times of crisis and shift, and keep our sanity in an insane world. (too late-Sk.) We don’t do anybody any good, particularly ourselves, if we allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by fear and panic. And for those who are committed to creating a better world, it’s about a lot more than survival. We are indeed blessed to be living in these monumentally important times. It’s a question of learning that these apparent challenges present rare opportunities to transform ourselves and the planet. It’s up to us to make it happen.

We urge you to join us for this critically important call, and please tell your family, friends and neighbors.

Dial in, Relax & Enjoy the Show!

Posted by Michael Badnarik @ 8:46 pm / # /

Yes, this is just the man to lead America in these troubling times. Once he gets control of the secret hurricane creating device, his vast experience as a scuba diving instructor would see us all to safety as the ancient Mayan prophecies about 2012 unfolds. Yet Americans still keep electing governors and senators for this job instead of ex-skydiving instructors. Go figure.

While most of his looney tunes followers have titles that, how shall we say, speak for themselves, readers here might want more information about Zo Mantia. He is a well know con man, who used to seel pyramid schemes and is now selling "The IRS is unconstitutional" "untaxing" schemes, as seen for example here.

 

[Kerberos]

OH my f*cking gawd! What's that guy on? It's not even as if the parts you don't bold are significantly less insane than the parts you do. Nuclear attacks on Iran? WW3? Bush nuking random countries and declaring martial law (other places than NO presumably)? I sudenly finds myself in agrement with Shanek, the number of votes the Libertarians got in the election is a stagering succes, given the candidate,

 

[Sushi]

To be fair, a lot of the initial "BADNARIK IS NUTS LOL" wasn't exactly fair, mostly just libertarian bashing, but this is probably a tad bit more warranted.

This still is somewhat libertarian bashing, though, of course, since if this was a "normal person" (i.e. didn't subscribe to political beliefs you hate) you'd probably feel sorry for them for lacking in rationality instead of making fun of them (gee, I thought this site was about getting people to "see the light" and become skeptical, not bashing those who aren't...).

Also, Badnarik was pretty much completely silent on anything even nearing this ballpark during the nomination; you cannot blame the LP necessarily for that. The LP cannot really rely on career criminals, er, politicians, to nominate, and the candidates for the Republican and Democratic parties seem quite manufactured anyway.

And, to be fair again, currently elected politicians aren't the brightest lightbulbs either. Tony Blair is apparently pro-new agey BS remedies. I'm sure looking through Randi's commentary you'll occasionally find mentions of crap being sponsored by the government as well. And most American politicians are deeply religious (or at least pretend to be) Christians.

I don't mean to downplay any wackery--I'm not really very tolerant of this sort of idiocy myself--but at least his political beliefs do not allow him to try to codify or promote any of this crap into law or policy. But yeah, with this knowledge, not my ideal candidate for president either.

 

[CFLarsen]

Sushi,

What will it take to make you admit that Badnarik is a nut?

 

[WildCat]

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

When will Shanek ride to his rescue?

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Here is the latest from this brain surgeon, the leader of the Libertarian party. Especially interesting parts are in bold by me.

Where did you get this from? I simply must read more!

 

[Sushi]

Sushi,

What will it take to make you admit that Badnarik is a nut?

A wacko? After seeing this, I'd say he is. But "nuts" as in psychological brain damage/Claus Larson, no.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

A wacko? After seeing this, I'd say he is. But "nuts" as in psychological brain damage/Claus Larson, no.

I think it is a given that he is a nut in the "idiot" use of the term, but I actually believe that he is mentally ill.

 

[CFLarsen]

A wacko? After seeing this, I'd say he is. But "nuts" as in psychological brain damage/Claus Larson, no.

Are you implying that my brain is damaged? If so, at least spell my name correctly.

 

[Sushi]

Are you implying that my brain is damaged? If so, at least spell my name correctly.

Maybe not damaged, maybe just really, really small. Larsen.

I will give you some credit, though, Badnarik is something to pity. You're something to laugh at.

 

[Darat]

Please cool it, several Members have breached their Membership Agreements in this thread, continuing to do so will result in further action.

Replying to this modbox in thread will be off topic  Posted By: Darat

 

[Skeptic]

Re: Re: How Stupid/Crazy is Michael Badnarik?

Where did you get this from? I simply must read more!

Try here. The forum, "Quatloos!", is a web site dedicated to making fun and exposing financial scams.

In particular, the "Tax Protestor" part of the web site exposes the mind-boggling stupidity of the so-called "Tax Protestors", morons who believe they found a "secret" way to prove they don't owe any income tax. More details about them are here; look especially for the "tax protestor dummies" and "quatloosers" section of that web site.

Or, you can ask Joey Smith (in the tax protestor forum) nicely for more info. The "Operation Glove in Face" logo in his avatar, by the way, is a reference to Larken Rose, a tax protestor who "discovered" a sub-sub-sub-section of the income tax code actually exempts 99% of US citizens from paying income tax; so he set up a web site selling CDs proclaiming this great discovery and asking the IRS to "please prosecute me" to prove he's wrong. So they did. And he was recently convicted of tax evasion and is facing years in the slammer.

It should be noted that it is the "legal advice" of this bunch of "tax protester" clowns which Badnarik was going to rely on as president to "determine" if the income tax is "really" constitutional or not, and whether or not to jail thousands of IRS agents for "fraud".

 

[Luke T.]

Re: Re: How Stupid/Crazy is Michael Badnarik?

Where did you get this from? I simply must read more!

*cough*Google!*cough*

Badnarik Blog

Much to my surprise, I discovered that my campaign staff made a management decision to re-occupy the office suite we used last year for the Presidential campaign. It is much larger, and will allow us to do our work without falling over each other, or having to stack paperwork all the way to the ceiling. When I called Allen Hacker, I pretended to be angry, demanding to know “Who do you think is managing this campaign, anyway?” We both laughed

Ha! Ha! Ha! Good times. Good times.

 

[varwoche]

HEY! Nobody bothered to point out that he's running for congress. Fun may be in store.

Add: Dousing the embers of buffoonery, one contra-lemming at a time.

 

[CFLarsen]

Please cool it, several Members have breached their Membership Agreements in this thread, continuing to do so will result in further action.

Replying to this modbox in thread will be off topic  Posted By: Darat

We can't call Badnarik a nut?

 

[Darat]

We can't call Badnarik a nut?

Public figures do not have the same “protection” on this board as members, I was referring to the personal insults being traded between Members.

 

[Manny]

HEY! Nobody bothered to point out that he's running for congress. Fun may be in store.

Nah, Congressmen aren't as fun; they just vote and make speeches and never have to actually do anything. We've already got Ron Paul and Bernie Sanders and there's not a bit of fun to be had among 'em. Make him mayor of some halfway decent sized town. That would be fun. If you don't live there.

 

[Manny]

Public figures do not have the same “protection” on this board as members, I was referring to the personal insults being traded between Members.

What am I missing -- I only see one person doing that. Did you edit out some posts?

 

[billydkid]

First

First of all, no, he is not the leader of the either the Libertarians or the libertarians. Secondly, why is it of any particular concern to you what Michael Badnarik says? You are trying to discredit libertarians (and their whacky notions that liberty is good and that entrusting large amounts of power to some people over the lives of others is bad) because Michael Badnarik says some nutty things. Mind you, I think I have mentioned this 70 or 80 times - Badnarik is not in a position of any kind of authority. He is not President or Secretary of Defense of Attorney General. He can not send people to die in Iraq (nor would he ever believe he the legitimate authority to do so in such a war even if he were President), so it doesn't matter what he says.

I am curious why anyone would feel inclined to feel all hot and sweaty over what Badnarik says when they actually have and have had people in these positions of power who hold truly scarey views and say equally nutty things. You've got a President who believes that he is doing God's will and helping to expedite the fulfilment of bible prophecy. You've got John Ashcroft who thinks he is the right hand of God. You've got leaders who believe we're engaged in a holy war where our god is better than your god because our god is real and your's is an idol. You've got a President who thinks ID should be taught as an alternative theory in science class and you're worried about what Badnarik thinks?

Badarik is nobody. He carried the banner for the Libertarians party last go round. This a purely figurehead position and I have to hand it to anyone willing to sacrifice so much while gaining nothing just to promote the parties principles. When we are in danger of actually electing a libertarian then it might make sense to fret about every little thing he says. I just don't get this tilting at windmills thing and this desperate vendetta to find any angle to try to discredit libertarians. You don't like libertarian principles, fine. Discuss the ways in which you find liberty offensive and authoritarianism comforting. Debate the principles. Show where they break down. Tell me why you think the founders of the nation were wrongheaded. But it is not relevant to anything whether Badnarik is the biggest dickhead in the world. Fine, I agree, he is a total whack. I don't even. But it is simply a way to avoid actually considering or discussing the ideas.