Liberty Maniacs

Master the Debates. Jacksonville Florida

2012-01-26T18:19:00.004-06:00

CNN.com Live Stream of the event here

Chat live online with us on the Liberty Maniacs Facebook Page

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Liberty Maniacs Featured in Wall Street Journal

2011-10-18T11:09:00.000-05:00

We're proud to say that Liberty Maniacs founder Dan McCall was featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal talking about the fast-paced world of political merchandising.

The article was by veteran journalist Elizabeth Williamson, and explained how we go about designing timely, freedom-loving gear as fast as possible - often before a news cycle even ends.

"The online political marketplace "is like someone driving a car at 20 miles per hour through a mall, looking for T-shirts," says the 36-year-old Mr. McCall.

Yes it is. And making the gear can be just as crazy and blistering when it comes to newsy items. Understanding Dan's design notes after be blows through 5 cups of coffee ~~can be~~ is just as nuts.

Fortunately, news-cycle items are only a portion of what we do here, or we would have probably lost whatever is left of our mind long ago.

If you get a minute have a read.

New FEE Store

2011-08-29T11:41:00.001-05:00

LibertyManiacs.com is very proud to announce the launch of the official web store for the Original Free-Market Organization, the Foundation for Economic Education.

The Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), one of the oldest free-market organizations in the United States, was founded in 1946 by Leonard E. Read to study and advance the freedom philosophy. FEE’s mission is to offer the most consistent case for the “first principles” of freedom: the sanctity of private property, individual liberty, the rule of law, the free market, and the moral superiority of individual choice and responsibility over coercion.
From student seminars, to internships programs, to it's flagship publication The Freeman: Ideas On Liberty, the FEE has been a steadfast institution educating not only individuals in the United States, but all over the World for generations.

We loaded the new shop with over 50 new products from t-shirts, embroidered polos, posters, stickers, mugs, iPhone cases, with much more to come! Your purchase in the store not only lets you promote one of the great institutions promoting economic education, but also helps fund it's operation.

We invite you to not only take a look at the store, but also head over to fee.org to learn more about getting involved with The Original Free-Market Organization. From The Freeman, to the FEE's new home for educational video lectures on fee.tv, you'll be amazed at the resources available!

Summer Print Sale

2011-07-13T22:15:00.001-05:00

From now until the end of August you can deck out your walls with Maniacs prints while saving some scratch at the same time.

From Lysander Spooner prints to 1984 propaganda posters, get 30% off these posters when you enter the code DECKTHEWALLS at checkout. (Or if you have your cookies enabled, the link should do it automatically.)

Here's a preview of some of the hottest posters out right now.

Ron Paul "Fight Has Just Begun"

Geronimo Portrait

Bernanke Corporatism Print

Treasury Propaganda

Ron Paul2012: It's On!

2011-05-18T16:17:00.000-05:00

It's no surprise that Liberty Maniacs is a big fan of Dr. Ron Paul. We've been making Ron Paul gear since just after his first presidential run, and our "Ron Paul for President" bumper stickers were big sellers way back in 2003 when we started the web store.

Nowadays you're likely to see our Ron Paul designs all over Facebook as avatars and group pics, to official sites like LibertyPAC.org, Ron Paul's political action committee. This won't end, of course. We think Dr. Paul is a fantastic ambassador for the philosophy of freedom, so with the announcement of Ron Paul running for President in the 2012 election, LibertyManiacs.com has been quite busy designing new gear to push the freedom message.

We've re-issued some of our most popular designs over the years like the "Fight Has Just Begun" design above, and we've donated designs to the Ron Paul campaign that you'll see on official gear at the Ron Paul presidential store.

Of course, the roster of new stuff we'll be offering is pretty wild as well. From iPad case, to removable wall sticks, jewelry, stadium blankets, portable electronic device speakers, hats, bags, you name it.

Some of the coolest stuff out is our customizable gear. On these products you can add small custom elements like your name, town, or whatever you want with the on demand online editor, with the result being that you get a one-of-a-kind piece of art. Or, if you have an organization you can take one of our many products and personalize it to your organization's needs, place an order, and bulk discounts automatically apply.

Cool Savings on Your January Order

2011-01-10T12:30:00.000-06:00

From now until the end of January, ring in the new year right with a $25 credit on orders of $100 or more, or $10 credit on orders of $50 or more at LibertyManiacs.*

$25 off $100+ orders use code 25OFFHUNDRED Or use this link

$10 off $50+ orders use code TENFIFTY2010 or use this link

The Coupon Codes last until 1/31/2011 at 11:59 pm PT.

*Discount applies for all Liberty Maniacs products at Zazzle.com, but excludes gift certificates. The promo code must be entered at checkout or be otherwise activated through the above links to receive the discount. Minimum order amount does not include shipping and handling charges or taxes. This offer does not apply to past purchases and may not be combined with any other Zazzle promotional discounts or offers. Offer valid only at Liberty Maniacs' Zazzle.com store.

iPhone & iPad Cases Are Here!

2010-12-13T11:16:00.000-06:00

Well, they're here. And boy do we have some options for you. From customizable Speck Cases, to hard Shell 5-in-one premium Brenthaven Cases, and various other iPhone hard shell cases, we may just have your Apple iPhone and iPad covers, well, covered.

Here are just a few of our new Speck cases available. All of which can be customized.

Chief Joseph "Disobey" iPhone 3G Cases

Freedom Tsunami Customizable iPhone 4 Cases

Andrew Jackson on a Central Bank Note iPhone Cases

Live Free Or Die iPad Cases

Live Free Or Die iPhone Cases

Non-Aggression Axiom iPhone Cases

Sitting Bull Trust Government iPhone 4 Cases

Tank Man Unknown Rebel iPhone Cases

Show off your freedom-loving style with a sleek and customizable Speck Products® brand case for your iPhone 4, iPhone 3, or iPad. Combining luxury with ultimate protection, this fitted hard plastic case is covered with an easy-to-grip fabric that is richly printed with your favorite Liberty Maniacs design. Pleasing to the touch, this lightweight and durable case allows optimal access to all sensors, ports, and controls on your iPhone 4, while offering superior comfort in-hand.

Customizing Graphic T-Shirts at LibertyManiacs.com

2010-09-21T11:01:00.003-05:00

15% Off T-shirts

2010-09-21T10:54:00.003-05:00

Use coupon code 15OFFTEES by September 23rd to get 15% Off!* click here to see shirts!

Stock up on tees! With over 656 different t-shirts to choose from in our inventory right now, what better time is there than now to have a cup of coffee and check out some of the new shirts you may not have see, or old classic you always wanted!

Just add the shirts you want to your shopping cart and when prompted, enter coupon code 15OFFTEES to get 15% Off. Of course, as always, all orders are backed by a 100% no-questions-asked money back guarantee. (That's how we get our nice shiny A rating from the Better Business Bureau.)

Go ahead and follow this link to check out t-shirts click here.

* Save 15% off all t-shirts from Liberty Maniacs cafepress.com shop orders, excluding shipping charges, gift wrap charges and applicable sales tax. All orders must be added to cart from the Liberty Maniacs cafepress.com shop only. Excludes CafePress marketplace purchases (e.g. all products added to cart from URLs beginning with the following (i) http://shop.cafepress.com, (ii) http://t-shirts.cafepress.com and/or (iii) http://www.cafepress.com/sk/), CafePress Groups, bulk orders, Gift Certificates, Flip Minos and SIGG� bottles. Coupon code 15OFFTEES must be entered at check out. Promotion starts on September 21, 2010 at 12:00 a.m. (PST) and ends on September 23, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). Offer valid online at cafepress.com only, cannot be combined with any other coupons or promotions and may change, be modified or canceled at anytime without notice.

Back To School Posters Sale

2010-08-16T22:47:00.001-05:00

This Summer we've been chipping away at our goal of offering the absolute biggest and best selection of quality prints and posters by increasing our output of designs to meet all of your request. We've also begun to convert some of our older, more popular t-shirt designs to print format.

The thing is--we love it. We could do it all day every day and still not feel like we've done enough. If it wasn't for all the new shirt designs and other stuff we have to make, we might get lost in the World of poster design.

Ingsoc 1984 Propaganda posters like this one are being expanded weekly.

But as many young freedom fighters begin to make their way back to campus and look to make their dorms, apartments, and houses more like home, you might think about taking advantage of the current poster sale to save a few bucks.

Right now you get $8 Off single poster purchases, or 40% Off two or more. That's often only around 25 bucks for huge posters that cover some serious vertical real estate! But you might want to act fast as this deal will only last until August 22nd.

You can click this link to have the coupon code automatically applied to save you the hassle of typing it in at checkout. (It's also nice to see what you save up front.)

Sale Details

40% of the poster net sale price will be deducted when one or more poster items is purchased and the coupon code BTSRULEPRINT is applied at checkout. The net sale price is the price of the product (excluding shipping and taxes). Offer is valid from August 16, 2010 through August 22, 2010 at 11:59pm PT. This offer does not apply to past purchases and may not be combined with any other Zazzle promotional or volume discount offers. If a volume discount applies to your order, you will receive either the discount set forth in this offer or the standard volume discount, whichever is greater. Offer valid on Zazzle.com products only.

Customizing Embroidered Hats

2010-01-11T11:41:00.000-06:00

So you may know that LibertyManiacs.com has hundreds of cool embroidered products like hats. But did you know that every single product is essentially a totally customizable template? That's right, 95% of our products are customizable, and when it comes to embroidered hats, you can jump in and go crazy!

This video shows you quickly how to change hat colors, and styles, and even enter a total customization mode patented by our partners at Zazzle that gives you the ability to move elements, change thread colors, and even add text!

So have fun, play around. We have hundreds of templates for you make the perfect freedom-loving, one-of-a-kind, customized product.

New Reason Online Store!

2009-12-22T10:40:00.000-06:00

Liberty Maniacs is very proud to announce the launch of the Reason Foundation and Reason Magazine's new official online store. The store is a joint effort with the great folks are Reason, who have been a beacon for free minds and free markets for 40 years now.

The new store features a host of Reason products from hats, t-shirts, mugs, embroidered tops, and a few customizable Reason magazine cover posters that are perfect gifts for that Reason subscriber you know. Even more is on the way!

So subscribe that difficult-to-buy-for friend, colleague, or family member to Reason Magazine's print, digital, or Kindle editions. Throw in a hat, shirt, or mug, and you've given a gift that keeps on giving all year long!

Reason Distressed Cap by Libertymaniacs
View more Reason Gear

Star Trib Does Danny

2009-11-21T11:18:00.000-06:00

The Star Tribune recently did a write-up on me.

A little surprised to see the huge "GodKing" t-shirt image flooding the whole page. Nobody is going to miss it I guess.

I have to admit, I was wondering if I'd get hammered a bit because I push the envelope pretty hard with my satire, but overall it was not a bad little story. Bob von Sternberg interviewed me, and he was fun to talk with. Nice guy.

Oh yeah, I just wanted to add for the record that as much as it sounds nice, I don't sit in my living room and work. My young boys see to that. They do enough damage visiting my office. No offense boys.

Dan McCall
Founder

LibertyManiacs.com

ObaMao T-shirt Crackdown in China

2009-11-21T10:55:00.000-06:00

When we got word that shopkeepers in Beijing were being censored for carrying ObaMao merchandise, with cheesy imagery of Obama's face superimposed on Chairman Mao's body, we were fairly interested.

Of course, the shops were doing it to capitalize on Chairman Obama's visit to China this week, and it's doubtful they were selling the stuff as much to satirize anyone. But cosmic coincidence being what it is, the Obama administration has been under quite a bit of fire since in June White House Communications Director Anita Dunn announced on camera that Chairman Mao was one of her favorite "political philosophers."

Well, considering LibertyManiacs.com has been banned in China for a while, we figured why not supply the masses with there very own Chairman ObaMao t-shirts!

Of course, we didn't exactly elect to make them cute, cuddly, adoring images. We went with the harsh, austere recreations of the woodblock propaganda of the cultural revolution. More fitting, no?

20% OFF Liberty Maniacs on CafePress!

2009-11-03T10:52:00.000-06:00

We're happy to announce 20% off almost everything at Liberty Maniacs at CafePress.com!* No minimum purchases, no hassles. Hurry up and grab some early holiday gifts, because the offer doesn't last long.

When you're done shopping here, just go to the checkout and enter the promotional code: liberty20

This code only works on purchases from within our Cafepress shop. So if you try to use it while checking out from Amazon, the Cafepress Marketplace, or any other venue where are products are sold it just won't work.

This promo only last until Midnight (PST), Friday November 6th, so act fast! We're not sure when we'll have an offer this good again!

* Save 20% off your purchase from the libertymaniacs shop (CafePress.com/libertymaniacs), excluding shipping charges and applicable sales tax. Coupon code must be entered at check out. Promotion starts on November 3, 2009, at 12:00 a.m. (PST) and ends on November 6, 2009, at 11:59 p.m. (PST). All orders must be from CafePress.com/libertymaniacs (i.e., all products available from the following URL www.cafepress.com/libertymaniacs). Excludes other CafePress shop or marketplace purchases, Gift Certificates, Flip Minos, SIGG bottles, CafePress Groups purchases and bulk orders. Offer cannot be combined with any other coupons or promotions and may change, be modified or cancelled at anytime without notice.

Independently Minded

2009-10-05T16:34:00.000-05:00

If we had a nickle every time we had a customer tell us they were not a Democrat, Republican, or large-L Libertarian, we could almost retire--if we believed in retirement.

So we get it. Say no more. You're angry, independent, and want some smart, opinionated, and funny gear to make your point.

Wait no more. Check out the "Independently Minded" section in the shop!

There will be new stuff posted in the section from here on in specifically geared toward the anti-partisan individual.

Of course, being the accommodating folks we are, we always love your comments, requests, and ideas. Email us with them!

Summer Shirts Rolling Out!

2009-06-11T10:51:00.000-05:00

Up here in the Soviet Republic of Minnesota, summer has been less than aggressive warming the hardened, unforgiving tundra. Just last week there were frost advisories.

But now its in the 80s and officially t-shirt season! Here are a few new selections just launched in the past week or so.

From the great satirist Ambrose Bierce to historical American Revolution battle flag-inspired designs, we're trying to create some liberty-loving apparel that's never been seen before.

Cash for Clunkers? More Changism Gone Crazy

2009-06-10T12:16:00.000-05:00

The House Obamunists have passed the "Cash for Clunkers" bill. The states that consumers would be paid up to $4,500 in vouchers for trading in their current vehicles for more fuel-efficient models. It now moves to the Senate.

Congress must be trying to see how much taxpayer money it can dump into an industry in one calendar year.

So let's get this straight. People with clunkers that don't have money for new, fuel efficient cars will be given $4,500 for the down payment on a new car they can't afford and will go into debt for in the midst of the most crushing recession in generations.

That sounds like something Congress would do.

Right Wing Extremists: Saving America Since 1776

2009-06-10T12:13:00.000-05:00

With the 233rd Independence Day celebration on it's way in America, we thought it would be a good idea to honor the radical extremists that founded this country.

Now, it might be true that calling Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin "right wing" is a bit historically questionable within the original context of the old Left-Right paradigm laid out in the French Assembly in the late 18th Century. We understand that technically the founders had more in common with what would historically be deemed the "left" than anything. As Dean Russell wrote last month:

The first leftist would not be popular in America today. That is true because the original leftists wanted to abolish government controls over industry, trade, and the professions. They wanted wages, prices, and profits to be determined by competition in a free market, and not by government decree. They were pledged to free their economy from government planning, and to remove the government-guaranteed special privileges of guilds, unions, and associations whose members were banded together to use the law to set the price of their labor or capital or product above what it would be in a free market.

So way back Liberty Maniacs would be about as left-leaning as they come. Indeed, as many of you know, the left side of the National Constituent Assembly at the beginning of the French Revolution iRight Wing Extremists: Saving America Since 1776n 1789 was comprised of elected representatives that wanted to abolish the established, privileged, preferential treatment of the royal coterie industries and replace the system with markets and freedom. The right was comprised of reactionary hangers-on, that were resistant to liberty--or at least the rapid changes represented by those on the left.

Of course, political terminology changes like the weather. The definition of terms in practical politics certainly hold no scientific, immutable hold on the people that use them. Along the way--in America at least--the left mutated more into statism as the progressive movement took hold while the right became a more comparatively vocal critic of government aggrandizement.

Not that a false dichotomy of left-right could ever be tidy. I recall Murray Rothbard's article "Confessions of A Right-Wing Liberal" in David Horowitz's New Left periodical Ramparts in 1968 that explaned the rather odd journey of Rothbard from hardline right-wing Taft Republican to left-wing, war-protesting, black-power-supporting radical within a decade--all without changing his political views one iota. (The former New Left radical Horowitz, now neoconservative author and owner of the site frontpage.com is as great an example as the libertarian Rothbard of how the left-right dichotomy lends itself to confusion more than anything.)

So yeah, "Right Wing Extremist" might not be as historically accurate as we like for this design, but nothing pithy ever is.

Posters & Prints for Rebels

2009-05-07T02:41:00.000-05:00

A few new posters are out, so I thought I'd highlight them.
The 1st is a retro remake of an old WWII propaganda poster that I redrew and repurposed. The idea came up after I was talking with a close friend about the acceleration of the Obama Administration's retrenchment on all promises antiwar.

This isn't a surprise at all seeing as the liberal Obama seems bent on showing hawkish bona fides early on. What is a bit chilling is how often you hear about how WWII was the event that ended the Great Depression, which, when trumpeted by the opinion makers in Washington seems to read like an ellipsis considering the current malaise.

Considering the insane things the government is doing right now to juice the economy, is it really that bizarre to think that the government would stoke massive war for stimulative effect? It's clear the power brokers have no concept of capital formation or monetary restraint, let alone an underlying respect for the Broken Window Fallacy. Our draft days might now be done folks.

The second poster is the next in the "Trust Government" Line, featuring Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce.

I did a few treatments with the illustration, and more products will actually be coming out. Right now we have shirts, posters, a skateboard, and a few different other products in our CafePress store.

We've been pretty busy making posters this last month. There are actually more than I'll comment on right now. It's probably best just to let the work speak for itself.

Don't Tax Me Bro!

2009-04-06T15:03:00.000-05:00

Tons of new designs were posted this week. The above is one of the many. As you know Tax Day approaches, so we thought a little anti-tax humor was appropos.

President Obama has been on a spending rampage since he took office while effectively nationalizing industries like banking and autos.

There already isn't a tax base in the World that could ever support the amount of spending Obama has initiated, but don't worry, He'll try.

Inflation alone--another hidden tax on American families--will decimate the economy.

Just as "Don't Tase Me Bro!" has become a rallying cry against the political police state, "Don't Tax Me Bro!" is the cry for the people to keep the government's boot off our neck.

Our Friend Steve Beirfeldt Harrassed By TSA: Must Watch!

2009-04-03T13:16:00.000-05:00

Check out our friend from the Campaign for Liberty being forcibly detained by TSA thugs.

You did a wonderful job in the face of open tyranny Steve!

Trucker Hats for Liberty

2009-03-25T08:56:00.000-05:00

Spring is here, so why not lighten up the headwear with a little hat fashion?

Take This, Missouri

2009-03-19T02:22:00.000-05:00

So according to Missouri, Liberty Maniacs like yourselves are nothing more than 'domestic terrorists.' Well, we have two words for MIAC and the liberty-hating, knuckle-dragging, authoritarian meatheads... Check out some of the stuff here.

Obama is Bush: Evidence #001

2009-03-17T12:45:00.000-05:00

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Mess O'Potamia - The Iraq War Is Over

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

In Missouri if You Support Ron Paul Your a Terrorist

2009-03-15T13:58:00.000-05:00

Just throw this news coming out of Missouri on the pile of Facist moves the government is taking these days. It's really hard to believe for a lot of people unless they start reading and seeing for themselves how far the government will go to keep us all under it's thumb. This article here in the Kansas City Star is very disturbing indeed.

Can I Have a Little Dissonance With That Chairmanship?

2009-03-13T08:43:00.000-05:00

The cluster-f*#k that is Michael Steele continues.

RNC Chair Michael Steele has of course done a bang-up job of creating a united political front against liberal democrats so far. During CPAC week, of course, instead of rallying against America slouching toward socialism, he was chiding Rush Limbaugh for stating that he hopes Obama's policies fail. The next week, instead of calling out democrats for inflating the debt, size of government, and complicating the economic landscape by making recovery more difficult, Steele was cutting off RNC funds to rouge republicans.

This week, Steele’s battle against his own party takes the form of his bizarre choice to voice personal opinions on the abortion issue that run against the party platform. (Weird, Republican leadership shitting on the party platform? Go figure.)

I suppose to top all this, next week Steele will come out swinging, calling Ronald Reagan a douche bag after tongue kissing Nancy Pelosi.

Regardless of what one thinks about the abortion issue, or Steele’s opinions on anything, the fact of the matter is that Steele's job is to unite and strengthen the Republican Party into a strategic position to make political gains. His position is political, not ideological.

If ever there needed to be yet more proof that the Republican Party is adrift in stupidity, Michael Steele is the personification.

What Would Eugen Bohm Bawerk Do?

2009-03-12T13:19:00.000-05:00

My guess is that we're the only store to ever feature posters of the Austrian economists--and teacher of the great Ludwig von Mises--Eugen Bohm Bawerk.

Will we ever sell any? Probably not many. But we think it's our duty to celebrate those that intellectually pushed forward the liberty movement and the science of economics.

The mere fact that Bohm Bawerk ripped Marx to shreds in his Marx and the Close of His System is reason enough to give him props. So we did. Thus the poster.

Obamanomics Gets Failing Grades From Economists

2009-03-12T13:17:00.000-05:00

That is, largely Keynesian economists that probably didn't see much of the meltdown coming in the 1st place.

According to Reuters, Obama and tax-cheat Geithner got failing grades from a panel of 49 economists rating the Obama Administration's performance.

Good news? Hardly. It doesn't take a PhD in macroecon to figure out that Obamanomics is a crock of dung. Furthermore, Obama got a grade of 59 out of 100!

I can't imagine what a 40, 30, or even 20 score would look like! (But I get a feeling I will in a year or two.)

Citi Bank Just Like the DMV?

2009-03-12T09:55:00.000-05:00

Picked up this video parity on Citi-Bank and new 30% share holders, the US Government! Or is that us, I can never tell. Check it out here, sure to make you laugh!

Do's & Don't Guide for Parents

2009-03-10T10:51:00.000-05:00

In this day and age it's always worth sharing good information with other parents . In that spirit I have attached a wonderful video guide on the "Do's and Don't of Parenting". Good luck!

Anyone in the Market For a Hat?

2009-03-09T13:52:00.000-05:00

First of all, if you've had the chance to listen to Tucker's video interviews on mises.org your probably already a fan, but keep up with his article writing and your sure to find an occasional gem. This one posted on mises.org today is a great example of adding interesting insight with a twist of humor to an ever depressing realization that certain life events will be out of our control in the near future. I for one would welcome the change in fashion back to a time of "hats", that right I said hats!

The Radicalization of LibertyManiacs.com?

2009-03-06T14:44:00.000-06:00

Ministry of Anti-Propaganda

You might have noticed that Libertymaniacs.com has gotten a bit more aggressive with it's message as of late. This is on purpose. Call it the radicalization of LM.com by the times, but we figured it was important we stepped up our efforts, and began calling the enemies of freedom what they are... parasites, socialists, fascists, idiots, slaves, and cowards.

The main idea of our new push is to use freedom-friendly propaganda that actually turns the brain on with humor, wit, and reason--"anti-prop" as we call it--to smackdown the ubiquitous propaganda that attempts to turn your brain off.

There is a high level of irony in this, we know. It has always been my contention that government is the primary wellspring of irony in human life. We think it's about time that we sharpen this double-edged blade of irony and put it in our employ.

We've been doing much gearing up for the counter-push to Obama's "Raw Deal" policies. But we only have so many hours, and so many minds. As fans of all you, the true freedom fighters, we love to hear what you think and what sort of products you want! So don't ever hesitate to contact us. We're here to help you communicate the freedom message creatively, so think of us as at your service!

Could Firearms Prices Go Down?

2009-03-05T09:08:00.000-06:00

Over the last 6 months or so, the best investment out there has been military-pattern semi-automatic rifles, semi-automatic handguns and accessories, and ammo for all these guns. The election of Barack Obama has been an obvious boon to dealers and manufacturers.

But according to R. Brent Mattis, a South Florida NRA pistol instructor and finance professional, this could change. Is it time to buy that AR-15, or can you wait until prices come back down?

Ron Paul, Lew Rockwell on Fox's Freedom Watch Today!

2009-03-04T11:45:00.000-06:00

Ron Paul, Lew Rockwell, Peter Schiff, and John Lott will be on Judge Andrew Napolitano's Freedom Watch internet TV show from 1-2 PM Central today.

Thanks Lew for the update!

Spring Freedom Fashion Trends

2009-03-04T11:36:00.000-06:00

Ah, today the frozen tundra up here in Minnesota is beginning to slightly break, and anticipation of spring is in the air. Maybe it's because this winter was so harsh that I'm looking forward to producing some warm-weather friendly freedom fashion!

I'm kicking off the season with some pro-freedom retro text-based designs like the "Free Markets" softball shirt below.

What's better than an old fashioned, vintage T-shirt selling liberty?

RE: Woods Is A Madman!

2009-03-04T11:03:00.000-06:00

Great stuff! Woods has been barnstorming America promoting his book "Meltdown" and the truth about the bailouts. Just this last weekend he spoke at the Economics of Freedom Conference hosted by the Minnesota Campaign for Liberty chapter, as did my dear old Dad, Terry McCall. (I have to plug my pops!)

By the way, if you haven't yet, join the Young Americans for Liberty that put out the video interview and get the new magazine they put out, Young American Revolution.

It looks like the YAL distributed about 15,000 of them at CPAC this last week, which is great as the attendees are mover-and-shaker conservative activists from across the nation.

The freedom movement can really spread its wings in this environment, as the devastation of the Obamunist revolution begins to hit home with Americans. Unfortunately for many, reality must hit them square in the nose before they understand the damage being done. As these redistributivist schemes begin to carve away wealth from everyday Americans, they will be looking for answers.

UN Trying To Halt Free Speech Worldwide

2009-03-04T10:48:00.000-06:00

Here's a fun one! Hooray for the United Nations, right.

Woods is a MadMan!

2009-03-04T09:54:00.000-06:00

After watching this clip off LRC of Tom Woods being interviewed by the Young Americans for Liberty I just had to share it with you guys. It's mostly a interview of Tom and his book (Meltdown) but a great 45 sec question is asked at the end that you just can't miss! Reminds me of days gone by.

Here is the video

Chinese and Indian Immigrants Moving Home

2009-03-03T23:59:00.000-06:00

Looking at this article about how Chinese and Indian immigrants to America are beginning to see better pay and opportunities in their home countries, I began to think about fast things have changed here in the United States.

While many of us Rothbardian libertarians have been warning of this economic downturn for years, and cheered on America's Cassandra Ron Paul as he was the only voice in American government to speak truth to power in a time of unmatched hubris, it still is amazing to watch.

I Blame the Keynesians

2009-02-27T03:55:00.000-06:00

As the porkulus numbers and Obama's crazy budget unfold, it's beginning to look like it's time to fight back, and hard. Lew Rockwell has in today's post about Hitler's Keynesian approach to finance.

Now it's our turn! With shirts!

Lew can hit them in the cerebellum, we'll hit them in the groin!

Who's That von Mises Guy On Your Wall?

2009-02-27T00:10:00.000-06:00

Huge fan of LvM? We just launched a few new products, including this wall-hanger. It's important to celebrate those that inspire and stoke the fire of liberty. More stuff will be coming out such as a pretty cool F.A. Hayek line of products that I've been working on.

There's nothing better to me than getting asked by people "Who's that guy on your shirt?" Always a great lead in to promoting the freedom message.

A Real Hero

2009-02-26T01:42:00.000-06:00

Ron Paul doing what nobody else will.

Change You Will Begin to Feel!

2009-02-21T12:52:00.000-06:00

There's been a great response by many of you to our newer Obama satire products, so we've begun work on a whole section of all sorts of products that will poke fun of the God-King.

Be sure to let us know what you like, and as always, send us your ideas! We've been getting some hilarious ones over the last few weeks.

Euro-Bust: European Banking on Edge of Oblivion

2009-02-19T12:45:00.000-06:00

Check out one of my faves Gary North on why being in the Euro may be bad for your financial health.

North explains how European banks may need £16.3 trillion for a bail-out. Converted into dollars, that would be roughly $25 trillion.

To illuminate the profundity of this number, we should note that the entire nominal gross domestic product of the European Union is merely $17 trillion. The annual nominal GDP of the entire World is thought to be around $54 trillion.

We hope that this information is faulty. We fear it is not.

Unemployment Reality

2009-02-19T11:47:00.000-06:00

The media and government are reporting that 5 million Americans are now on unemployment, and that the Unemployment rate is up sharply. Of course, to get the real story you have to go to shadowstats.com, where they calculate unemployment the way the government did in other troubled times.

As you can see, according to the traditional method of calculation, (SGS Alternate)the unemployment rate is probably near or at 19-20%, which is roughly as bad as it was during the difficult days of the 1930s.

One can only guess how bad the numbers will get, but at least there are some reliable resources to compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges.

Check out John William's Shadow Government Statistics for more. A great site for those that value truth.

God-King Obama Resurrects The Dead

2009-02-19T11:28:00.001-06:00

Under the new mortgage-relief plan, the wonderful and all-knowing, all-powerful God-King Obama plans to make the disastrous and destructive zombie Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae the demon spawn of the Treasury.

Just months ago, Freddie and Fannie were not only the largest financial institutions in the history of humanity, but they were also insolvent and completely taken over by the feds, holding more bad debt than most zombie banks.

Now the God-King is going to give the two failed institutions a line of credit of $200,000,000,000 at the Treasury - roughly the nominal GDP of the economic power-house Hong Kong, or entire annual national product of Columbia - along with $75,000,000,000 straight up to form the program.

The God-King Obama

2009-02-19T10:47:00.000-06:00

After this last week of signed legislation by the Obama Administration, we at LibertyManiacs.com were forced to take off the gloves. We unveiled the "God-King" line of products this last weekend, and it's been greeted with a great response.

I have to admit, I was a little scared that I would be inundated with nasty emails for depicting sacrilegious images, but thankfully everyone gets the gag so far.

I expect this and other designs in the line will probably sell mostly in greeting cards and other more discrete forms, but we've actually had a few poster prints sell, as well as shirts sales--even internationally!

It's good to have a sense of humor in times like these. We're glad you all do!

New Ludwig von Mises Products

2009-02-19T10:45:00.000-06:00

Ludwig von Mises Personalized Quote T-Shirt by Libertymaniacs

So with the plausibility of bank nationalization, multi-trillion-dollar spending programs, and ever more socialist creep permiating Western culture as we slouch into the worst economic crackup of modern history, we thought we'd offer some products that get back to basics. That's right folks, here's some new Ludwig von Mises products!

There's nothing better than a person complaining about prices or the bailouts while you're out and about and being able to point at your shirt and say, "yeah, inflation is getting pretty bad... but I saw all this coming because I'm a huge fan of this guy, Ludwig von Mises."

A better conversation starter there is not.

Krugman Attacks Austrian Theory

2009-02-16T14:31:00.000-06:00

Paul Krugman went on CSPAN over the weekend and had the balls to say that Austrian Economics was not a "major school". What a tool. You have to watch the video to notice it because he says it under his breath in response to a caller questioning his personal economic theory. Many people mentioned it on another blog as something they notice him say, but very quietly. I thought I heard something too, but thought he said "Not a real school". Bottom-line, it was an obvious shot at the Austrian Business Cycle theory and I'm sure by now Mr. Krugman is just sick and tired of having this little nuisance of a school constantly being thrown in his face. Beside, he's an Nobel Prize winner! There is no need to question his superior intellect.

I have attached a link to the video below of Krugman. The video is about 40 minutes long, but the afore mentioned caller comes on about 14 minutes into the show, so you don't need to listen to this idiot (Krugman) for the whole time. I did and was quite amused by how he contradicted himself multiple times. He's a classical idiot for sure!!

http://cspanjunkie.org/?p=1901#more-1901

Congressman Fears Obama will Come for Your Boys & Girls

2009-02-11T10:42:00.000-06:00

In Ron Paul's second installment of the Dr. Paul's Walls videos he shares this time a framed picture of a quote by Senator Robert Taft on August 14th, 1940. It is a quote directly questioning the ability of the US government to use a compulsory draft in a free society such as the United States. Taft rightly compares this use of force to totalitarian nations! In fact this type of aggression by the state is completely contrary to the principles of liberty and a free state, but when your focus is preserving the nation state rather than the individual liberties of your people, well then the actions are justified. Dr. Paul has made this video in hopes that people will start questioning the government more on what they are doing on a day to day basis. The signs are there, unemployment is rising and will continue too. Wont we need lots and lots of jobs for our young men and women in the next five years? Wars are great at curing unemployment!

President Obama References You in his 1st Press Conference

2009-02-09T23:48:00.000-06:00

I Want You To See My Huge Stimulus Package Button by Libertymaniacs

You might have seen President Obama's first official press conference, where he attempted to make the case for his huge stimulus package that will be worked through conference committee shortly. If Not, here's the transcript.

Unsurprisingly, Obama used his bully pulpit to argue for government action to fix the economy. (An oxymoron indeed.) Hey tried to use the Ad Populum fallacy to make the case that all economists agree that massive government spending is necessary to climb out of the recession.

At one point even saying:

There is no disagreement that we need action by our government, a recovery plan that will help to jumpstart the economy.

This was quickly followed up on by the Cato Institute, who posted a petition of distinguished economists across the nation who disagree.

For those who might quibble with using government debt to place generations in arrears to blindly attempt to thwart the inevitable and quite natural reorganization of capital and labor we call a recession after one of the greatest inflationary booms in human history, the President's talk was an eye-roller.

What I thought most interesting, however--as the droll, Keynesian falderol was to be expected--was that President Obama made reference to the Freedom Movement!

You have some people, very sincere, who philosophically just think the government has no business interfering in the marketplace.

And the again!

And in fact there are several who have suggested that FDR was wrong to intervene back in the New Deal. They're fighting battles that I thought were resolved a pretty long time ago.

Well, Barack, if you thought that those battles were resolved, then your understanding of the philosophical traditions of economic thought have an exceptionally narrow breadth.

Nonetheless, we must be making some waves if Obama made reference of us.

827 Billion Reasons To Learn About Economics

2009-02-07T01:00:00.000-06:00

John Maynard Keynes can be blamed. I know, I know; he's been dead for decades. You don't have to remind me. But that doesn't change matters. Keynes has as much fault as anyone in this crazy stimulus mess.

We are learning that Congress is going to conference committee with an $827 billion stimulus package that was inspired by the queen of spendthriftiness, the princess of the profligate himself, John Maynard Keynes. The notion that the government must borrow and spend America out of recession through the use of the printing press is as elborately stupid as it is predictable.

In the bizarro-world of keynesian-infused modern american politics, running the country off a cliff to save face before the plebs in the short term is not only a plausible possition, it's unquestioned. Of course we should play pretend and act like we know what we are doing! Hoi Polloi expects it, the dumb bastards! Inaction is impossible.

Arrogance with with a side order of super-sized armour propre. It is truly an amazing thing to watch--not unlike a scheduled trainwreck. It smells familiar, and dank. Like the amazingly demented orchestra of silence before the Iraq War, where disbelief was suspended by an automaton press and Congress.

You can see it in people's faces that they know it's all a farce. Like a highschool senior playing along with his little sister about Santa Claus so as not to break her heart and spoil the fairytail.

But this misanthropical, highly shortsigted mess of a bill is more a catastrophie than fairytail. A fib that keeps giving if you will. It's fueled by ignorance. Powered by fear, and looks to be out of any measure of control.

The logical conclusion of keynesian policy has come, writ large. It is ugly.

In the past, critics of keynsian statism have argued that economic education will save us. People must see the light. Unfortunately the strategy didn't work.

Economics of Freedom Conference

2009-02-06T15:57:00.000-06:00

I was checking out LewRockwell.com and noticed Thomas Wood's post about the "Economics of Freedom" conference sponsored by the Minnesota Campaign for Liberty on Saturday, February 28. Thomas Woods is speaking at the Marriott in Minnetonka, MN, along with others--including LibertyManiacs.com blog contributor--and my Dad--Terry McCall.

Should be a great time, and we hope to set up a booth there as well.

I just got off the phone with Terry, and he'll be speaking about everyday techniques to sell the ideas of liberty to the masses. He's the guy to listen to. I think he's either taken or taught every marketing or sales technique ever created. He has 30 years experience in the world of Fortune 100 marketing and sales.

It looks like Dr. Woods will be talking about getting back to basics Henry Hazlitt style, as his talk will be entitled "Free Market Economics 101."

Stimulus: Because All Economies Have Growth Issues

2009-02-06T15:50:00.001-06:00

Check Out Reason magazine's great Onionesque Stimulus spoof. Great stuff!

Obama's Coming For Your Guns

2009-02-03T23:29:00.000-06:00

Rahm Emmanuel, Obama's Chief of Staff, here speaking to the Brady Center, which has as its raison d'etre the ban of any civilian firearm ownership, about the need to press for a new Brady Bill.

No wonder firearms sales have increased to historic levels. Emmanuel claims that the first legislative test should be to offer a bill in Congress that states that anyone on the highly flawed, completely arbitrary, government "terrorist no-fly list" should be banned from owning a firearm by federal law.

Chilling.

The list has already been used overtly for political harassment purposesby the Bush Administration, so one can only imagine how the Obama government will expand the definition of terrorist to encompass anyone it wants so as to, shall I say, disincentivise dissent.

For instance, the Bush administration put Jesselyn Radack, a former United States Department of Justice ethics adviser who argued that John Walker Lindh was entitled to an attorney, on the No Fly List as part of what many believe to be a reprisal for her whistleblowing.

The list goes on and on. From Cat Stevens to anyone named David Nelson. No Fly, and if Obama has his way, no gun.

A Hammer for You

2009-02-03T10:51:00.000-06:00

Yes, Christmas is long since passed, but I came across an excellent Christmas carol that I just had to share with liberty lovin people. Enjoy!

Obama's New Way... Old Labor

2009-01-30T10:16:00.000-06:00

President Obama shocked the World with a bold 'new' initiative this morning, spearheaded by Vice President Biden, whereby labor unions would get guarantees that on government contracts that will be dropping in every important congressional district in America.

In a room filled with powerful politicos from congresspeople to governors and other executive bureaucrats, President Obama assured the crowd that his administration would be acting boldly and decicively to stem job losses and economic shrinkage. (My Term)

The crowd roared in approval.

Doomed 08 Bumper Sticker by Libertymaniacs

Lots O Products for January!

2009-01-24T11:44:00.001-06:00

Here a taste of some of the new products launched this month. It's been a busy one!

Ayn Rand Poster by Libertymaniacs

Lenin with Ears by Libertymaniacs

Mahatma Gandhi Customizable T-shirt by Libertymaniacs

Government T-Shirt by Libertymaniacs

Henry David Thoreau Personalized Quote Mug by Libertymaniacs

Obama Personalizable Card by Libertymaniacs

Henry David Thoreau "Disobey" Poster by Libertymaniacs

Tolstoy T-Shirt by Libertymaniacs

That Reminds Me, Make Money...Not War

2009-01-24T11:39:00.001-06:00

Make Money Not War by Libertymaniacs

Thanks to Kaylea for the idea to make these.

The "Peace" President Starts Bombing

2009-01-24T11:26:00.000-06:00

Only the uninitiated took the notion of Barack Obama as a "peace candidate" seriously. It took three days for Obama to order unmanned predator drones into Pakistan to kill 15 people, including 3 children and the target's innocent relatives.

The target was a tribesman who was suspected to be allied to the Taliban,or al-Qaeda, or whatever catchprase the United States military industrial complex is using currently.

As Obama kisses his children to bed tonight, I wonder if he's think about the 3 children he order killed. I hope so.

Hyperinflation History

2009-01-17T11:18:00.000-06:00

A great video via Congressman Ron Paul's YouTube Account. When will we see a $10 million bill?

Love the New DisObey Shirts

2009-01-16T15:15:00.000-06:00

Good choice to place Gandhi as the face on the shirts. Mohandas Gandhi was "the father of India" and a mayrtr for Liberty. He listed seven evils that destroy not only individuals but entire countries:

Politics without principle,
Pleasure without conscience,
Wealth without work,
Knowledge without character,
Business without morality,
Science without humanity,
Worship without sacrafice.

What evil poses the greatest threat to you, to your country? While all the above are quite evident in our society today, my bet is on the first. On the road to totalitarianism, be it communism, facism or socialism, the first roadkill is principle.

Quotes and question from Mission 2000 by Mark Link, S.J.

Sully Sullenberger: Stud.

2009-01-16T11:28:00.000-06:00

Our huge thumbs up to Captain Sully Sullenberger for being the 1st pilot to ditch a commercial aircraft in history without losing a passenger! I think "Sully" needs to change his nickname to Sully 'the Stud" Sullenberger.

Unsurprisingly, Captain Sullenberger is a very experienced pilot and entrepreneur. He owns a safety consulting firm named Safety Reliability Methods, Inc. (SRM). My guess is that his days of commercial flying may be limited with all the people that are going to be calling SRM.

Hats off to you Captain, a real hero.

Obama Mugshot Fashion

2009-01-14T15:26:00.000-06:00

This was a hilarious email sent to my father from Peter Zidek today before heading out to Switzerland to help to fix some issues with the atomic collider (CERN). The new fashion statement for mugshots!

Anyone out there have any mugshots of people wearing any Bush, McCain, or RP shirts? Didn’t think so!!

This was sent by a Chicago Police Officer, by the way...........

Posters - A - Go Go

2009-01-10T10:46:00.000-06:00

We've been busy pushing out some new poster designs. More to come. Here are two of the latest.

These latest two are great for dormroom walls. They're designed to get a conversation - or argument - started.

Regress You Can Count On Obama Poster by Libertymaniacs

Al Gore for Dictator Poster - Customized by Libertymaniacs

Be sure to let us know what you think! contact at libertymaniacs dot com

Ron Paul Tries To Shake Sense Into Congress (What's New?)

2009-01-06T00:08:00.000-06:00

Go Ron!

Lots of New Products!

2009-01-05T15:14:00.000-06:00

Socialism Kills Custom Poster by Libertymaniacs

Here's a bunch of new products launched today!

Thomas Paine Print by Libertymaniacs
See more posters At Zazzle
View more Politicians Revolutionaries Military Posters

"Free" Graphic T-Shirt by Libertymaniacs

Is Your Bank Healthy?

2009-01-04T13:03:00.000-06:00

Chris Drunner posted an amazingly rare bit of information on LewRockwell.com. It's a list of all the banks in the United States (here) and their corresponding "Texas Ratio," which is a measure of a bank's credit troubles.

Basically, if you want a shorthand handle on your bank's health--who doesn't?--check it out!

Libertarians Love A Rebel

2008-12-31T11:33:00.000-06:00

G-Dub Rebel Poster by Libertymaniacs
Get Poster printing

I'm working on a new line of founding fathers gear. I kicked off the line with a "George Washington: Rebel" poster. There should be more on the way.

As always, I love feedback. Product ideas, comments, opinions, derision...it's all great.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T09:11:00.000-06:00

Happy new Year from LibertyManiacs.com!

Thank you! It's been a great year here at Libertymaniacs.com because of you. Every day fellow Liberty Maniacs around the globe energize us with their feedback, their business, and their passion. Without the dedicated and inspiring freedom fighters out there - YOU! - We'd be nothing.

2008 started with Ron Paul's campaign for the presidency winding down, so we actually didn't know what to expect. We knew a wide array of committed individuals, from college students to disillusioned soldiers in Iraq, were energized around the World to strike at the root of the state and an increasingly ossified system, but one can never tell how such things will go.

It was also obvious the Ron Paul Revolution uncovered what we knew was there - "the remnant" - since Liberty Maniacs was started years ago, but there were a few admittedly nervous moments here when we ramped up our production capabilities and invested in the organization for the future. Would our outlays be justified?

I'm glad to say that they were justified, and we'll be making even more improvements to deliver even smarter, funnier, and more cutting products that do their small part to help you promote liberty. The worldwide thirst for freedom-oriented products has never been stronger, and our dedication to creating products that speak to you has never been stronger as well.

So on this New Year's Eve, Liberty Maniacs wishes you a prosperous and happy 2009, and invites you to keep the torch of liberty alive with us.

Thank You,

Dan McCall
Founder
LibertyManiacs.com

We're in Depression Unemployment Rates

2008-12-19T00:35:00.000-06:00

We're at the unemployment levels of the Great Depression. Yes, you read that correctly. According to the reporting methodology used in the 1930s, right now US unemployment is roughly 16%.

This is according to one website that everyone should check out is shadowstats.com, as its founder, John Williams--who you'll find here and there on CSPAN as well as the occasional news programs--has done heroic work as an experienced commercial economist uncovering the misinformation that government carefully and purposefully commits to cover its tracks.

Here you'll find Mr.Williams succeeds in resurrecting government statistics that have been buried, tweaked, twisted, and abandoned to fit the current political will of the moment. From inflation to unemployment, Williams compiles reports using historical methodology to show analytical continuity with bygone eras.

So, in a sense, we can see what it would have looked like if the government hadn't just quit compiling M3 monetary aggregate statistics in 2006. Or we can compare CPI inflation rates using the same rules as other times so that we actually get a good idea what is happening to the American economy.

Spreading The Wealth: Newer Deal 2009?

2008-12-18T09:17:00.000-06:00

Socialists: Spreading the Wealth

It's becoming increasingly clear from the precocious rumblings the Obama 'Office of the President Elect' that the messiah is planning to expedite a huge New Deal-like, collectivist Keynesian fiscal measures to prop up America's deflating bubble economy. The latest is that it would be a program along the lines of $850 Billion dollars over two years--or just slightly short of the nominal GDP of Australia or Mexico.

Of course, Obama wants to be America's new, younger, swankier FDR to Bush's befuddled, cretinous Herbert Hoover. Just as FDR merely appropriated and extended the cataclysmal policies of Hoover, Obama seems so far hell-bent on extending Bush's collectivism to its logical, dismal conclusion.

The Obama economics advisory team, which is impressively uniform in its textbook-Keynseiansim, is ardently reaching out to other economists of conforming ideology to develop a plan to "create 2.5 million jobs."

Of course, the only thing Obama's team can come up with considering their theoretically deficient econometric framework is public works and handouts, along with reinflation, to drum up the appearence of economic activity with destructive measures that actually diminish society's growth potential--i.e., government-directed misallocations of resources, which is what brought us to this point of depression in the first place.

So in effect the government will be seizing wealth from current private sources or our children's future wealth to make sure that the normal functioning of a correction does not damage the near term popularity of the political class.

Not as much 'spreading the wealth' as confiscating it, and burning it on great pires long-ago debunked mythology.

Will Comrade Bush Come To Detroit's Rescue?

2008-12-12T09:30:00.000-06:00

Now that the Senate has killed Detroit's chances of fleecing the American people of billions of dollars, President Bush's White House is rumbling with rumors that it may try to unilaterally bail out the "Big Three."

Considering Bush is trying to outdo Herbert Hoover in just about every way--and has--it isn't surprising that Bush is trying to throw more good money after bad. Evidently he was think that he's use some of the money from the $700 financial bailout.

Sorry Detroit, You'll Have To eat It Like Everyone Else

2008-12-11T23:36:00.000-06:00

Looks like the Senate will be where the American Auto Industry's bailout plans go to die.

While GM and Chrysler said they don't have enough money to get through the year. Ford evidently isn't in much better health. If the 3 firms fail, roughly 2% of American workers will be without a job.

Here's a newsflash, many large, medium, and small firms are on the brink of collapse, and yes, a profound quantity of unemployment is coming. Get used to it. We had a chance to get out of this mess, but nobody wanted to hear the truth.

This is why so many of us spoke with urgency about the insane monetary and fiscal policies of the government for the last decade.

This is why the ignored voices of REAL economists from places like the Ludwig von Mises Institute and others, who actually study human action instead of trying to apply Newtonian physics to the social world, implored that the Federal Reserve stop flooding the World with easy money that caused profound malinvestment.

This is why thousands of us a year ago took time out of our busy days and were standing out in the cold holding handmade signs--or our professionally designed signs--saying "Google Ron Paul," and "Stop the Federal Reserve!" while so many rolled their eyes and muttered dismissive comments.

Ron Paul was right. For anyone that was willing to look, the World was facing a cataclysmic harvest from the long sewn seeds of conceit strewn through a generation of 'destructive creation.'

Unlike the creative destruction of Schumpeter, where innovation destroys the very markets that sustained older firms based on increasingly outmoded business models, the current 'destructive creation' perpetuated by the easy-money policies of the Fed merely generates the illusion of wealth creation through money-pumping, which inevitably implodes with crushing and unstoppable efficiency.

The auto industry is still feeding on the illusion. Their sales for the last decade were spurred on by easy money. They profited from, and boated themselves on, the fact that easy-money makes expensive consumer goods like cars, houses, boats, and so on affordable to those that otherwise would not have been. (It's only been a couple months since the local auto dealer giant here--now going bankrupt--was running ads assuring potential customers that all they needed was a job and a pulse and they could drive off with a $15,000 truck.)

The auto industry still seems to think that consumer demand could 'return' to the heights of the loose era. This is silly. That era is over. Their era is over.

New Pepsi Logo... More Change Due To Recession

2008-12-11T23:11:00.000-06:00

Here's a little aside I thought interesting. Pepsi just unveiled a new logo, and will be unveiling new logos for more of its products like Mountain Dew, and Sierra Mist.

Evidently it was spurred by the recession and sluggish sales overall. Pepsi decided to aggressively find out more about its target consumer--so-called millennials" born between 1980 and 1990--by hiring StrategyOne to perform a market survey.

According to Natalie Zmuda of Advertising Age:

They found that more than two-thirds of adults surveyed said that the election of President-elect Barack Obama is making them feel optimistic about the future of the country. The study also found that 95% of Millennials make positive associations when they think of the word "change." They also associate the word with sentiments including "new," "progress," "hope" and "excitement."

One wonders how these same adults emotionally associate words like "foreclosure," "unemployment," "default," and hyperinflation." Well find out quick.

I did find a rather sober--and entertaining--end to Zmundas piece in her interview of Ray Graj, principal at Graj & Gustavson:

It's not going to resonate. It feels like bullshit to me. It's like putting your head in the sand. People are scared about their jobs; they're getting reduced bonuses. It feels contrived to go down that path, regardless of what market surveys they're reading.

Crazy Rod's Senate Auction

2008-12-10T11:37:00.000-06:00

Looks like Obama is calling on Gov. Rod Blagojevich to resign after he was caught trying to sell the president elect's Illinois Senate.

For those uninitiated, this is politics as usual--especially in the rough and tumble world of Illinois politics. Gov. Rod Blagojevich didn't do anything out of the ordinary. Politicians use favor and sweetheart deals as their currency. Crazy Rod was just open about it.

Political power and influence, of course, is bought and sold in a dizzying multitude of ways. This instance is merely noteworthy because of how brazen Crazy Rod was, and how ironic it is that the Messiah of Change's Senate seat was the commodity. I wonder what the president elect's seat would have gone for?

Locally, it looks like our resident neoconservative embarrassment in the Senate, Norm Coleman, is also looking at the FBI investigating his possible part in corruption charges. A campaign contributor was allegedly trying to get around the stupid campaign laws by setting up fake contracts with Norm Coleman's wife, though it's doubtful the Colemans actually received the money.

In the old days, big campaign contributors just gave the politician money and it wasn't a big deal. Businessmen gave crooked politicians protection money, just like any other gangster transaction. The political machine was grungy, smelly, and ugly, but it was scum that percolated to the surface. The way you knew the politician was corrupt was by the fact that he was drawing breath. It was an evil you knew.

Now, the same transactions happen--albeit, less organized--but the whole thing is driven deep underground to the point where only the occasional ambitious government agent looking to eventually swap places with the politician--see the career of Rudolph Gulliani, Spitzer, etc.--and good journalists can uncover the dirt.

Now the muck is rooted deep, and hard to find. Plus it's a monumental pain in the ass to even attempt to pull up without an endless cauldron of taxpayer dollars to back the investigation.

Worse yet, there's this whole hokey air of propriety that's unvarnished the dirty business of politics. The gullible booboisie actually have begun to think some of these assholes aren't Neanderthal. I can see the infatuation with 'respectable' gangsters that tote guns and talk with slathered-on machismo, but politicians?

Politicians are mostly the bad debate team nerds from high school. (No disrespect to debaters out there.)

Embroidered Hats In!

2008-12-09T00:02:00.000-06:00

My main man Harrison sports our new "Enjoy Capitalism" embroidered hats! He just got a shipment in and they look great! I've been getting them ready in different styles and colors for the last week. Check them out here.

Trust the Government...No really

2008-12-08T10:46:00.001-06:00

Trust the Government Shirt by Libertymaniacs

There was a great post by Lew Rockwell today about "Rockwell's Law," which states:

Always believe the opposite of what state officials tell you, and the corollary,
always do the opposite of what they advise you.

Coincidentally, I just finished a remake of one of our most popular shirts ever--Sitting Bull with the text "Trust the Government" under him. Fitting I think.

We're always trying to think of compendious design concepts that drive home a point using popular or everyday themes. What is a better illustration of the dubiousnes of trusting government than the Native American's experience with it?

Dow Bumps While Autos Fist-Bump

2008-12-08T10:35:00.000-06:00

Looks like Wall Street is bumping up a little with word that Washington is going to bailout the Big 3. Up 300 last I looked. Though it could be from the news of Obama's drag-and-drop New Deal policy that was fed to the press this last weekend.

It's amazing to see how there is virtually no dissent on the mainstream media on the nailout issue. Polls have been showing around a 60-70% dissaproval of the idea of a bailout, but you would think that the number was around 15% by watching any television news. (Which we don't advise.)

This shouldn't surprise anyone, though. The first bailout should have been enough evidence that the political class in America--which includes the large corporate media--are in the business of doing whatever they see fit.

Good for Sen. Richard Shelby

2008-12-07T14:54:00.000-06:00

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) has threatened a filibuster of the auto bailout. Shelby, who also voted against the $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, stays it's a "bridge loan to nowhere."

Kudos.

Obama Already Wants it All Ways

2008-12-07T13:56:00.000-06:00

I watched Obama on Meet the Press this morning as it was his first lengthy interview since becoming the president elect.

Obama criticised the Bush administration for not doing enough in regard to helping struggling homeowners during the economic meltdown, stating:

I'm disappointed that we haven't seen quicker movement on this issue by the
administration. We have said publicly and privately that we want
to see a package that helps homeowners not just because it's good for that
particular homeowner; it's good for the community.

It's hard to imagine how spending $3.6 trillion within 3 months is "not doing enough," but evidently Obama would have spent much more. By deduction Obama not only supports the destructive bailouts of the bankster financial cartel, but also the bailout of individual homeowners by who-knows-what means.

He later punted on the question of a bailout of the auto manufacturers, but implied that he supported some sort of injection of government funds.

Strangely, Obama then stated that the government can't continue to "print money" to get out of the crisis. There was no elaboration. Of course, there couldn't logically be any elaboration considering the comment was a non sequitur.

Change...From the 1930s

2008-12-07T01:31:00.000-06:00

President Elect Barack Obama is unveiling his new economic stimulus plan, which basically looks like a bastardized version of the public works programs of the 1930s which deepened and extended the Great Depression well into World war II. Evidently it will focus on rebuilding America's infrastructure, using borrowed government funds--presumably from China as long as they are stupid enough to do so--to put Americans to work building bridges, roads, and whatever else.

This is the old Keynesian "building pyramids" strategy that perpetually fails, but is worshiped by the cult of the New Deal as brilliant despite its destructive consequences.

This is the seriocomic perversity that the Obama camp will continue to spill out onto a confused and historically challenged American public. While they grasp to look in control of an economic situation that will continue to deteriorate around them in ways they can't yet conceive, they will reach far back into the deep dusty pouch of failed policies of past generations.

At least we'll have nice roads, however.

A Good Gig! Commerce Secretary?

2008-12-07T01:15:00.000-06:00

This one is odd to me. As the list comes out of Obama's cabinet, I thought about New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson's appointment as Commerce Secretary. Why on earth would an ambitious politician like Richardson demote himself from chief executive of a state to the Secretary of Commerce?

Could it speak to the notion that politicians such as Richardson don't see such an appointment as a demotion at all because D.C. is "where it's at?" With the federal government effectively taking over whole sectors of the economy now, Commerce Secretary could end up being one of the most powerful positions in the World.

Rummy's Punching Bag Shinseki Gets Cabinet Seat

2008-12-07T00:55:00.000-06:00

Looks like Obama is placing retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki as the new Veterans Affairs Secretary.

Shinseki, who was vilified and then summarily canned as Army Chief of Staff by Paul Wolfowitz and Donald Rumsfeld for saying that the United States needed a huge contingent of soldiers to manage the aftermath of the Iraq invasion was vindicated by time.

After being fired for dissenting from the madness that was the Rumsfeld strategy, the General was famously quoted as saying, "Beware a 12-division strategy for a 10-division army."

Government always being the epicenter of human irony, Shinseki will now preside over a department that will try to help peice back together the broken lives of those thrust into callous, unnecessary war. A hefty, if not Sisyphean task.

More Hats! More Colors!

2008-12-04T12:53:00.000-06:00

I just created a bunch more Ron Paul Revolution hats, Capitalism hats, and Liberty embroidered hats in various stitch colors. More will be on the way very soon! Click here to check them out!

We have a couple embroidered apparel products made right now, but we're waiting on some digitization for those to get made. We also would love feedback as to what designs Liberty Maniacs fans would like to see! So Let us know!

The Cost of the Bailout

2008-11-27T10:30:00.000-06:00

Here's a great conversation ender for when one of your relatives applauds the recent bailouts.

Lew Rockwell posted this on Lewrockwell.com's blog. It's a must-read.

Thanks to Steve Berger:

If we add in the Citi bailout, the total cost now exceeds $4.6165 trillion dollars. People have a hard time conceptualizing very large numbers, so let’s give this some context. The current Credit Crisis bailout is now the largest outlay In American history.

Jim Bianco of Bianco Research crunched the inflation adjusted numbers. The bailout has cost more than all of these big budget government expenditures – combined:

• Marshall Plan: Cost: $12.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $115.3 billion
• Louisiana Purchase: Cost: $15 million, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $217 billion
• Race to the Moon: Cost: $36.4 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $237 billion
• S&L Crisis: Cost: $153 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $256 billion
• Korean War: Cost: $54 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $454 billion
• The New Deal: Cost: $32 billion (Est), Inflation Adjusted Cost: $500 billion (Est)
• Invasion of Iraq: Cost: $551b, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $597 billion
• Vietnam War: Cost: $111 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $698 billion
• NASA: Cost: $416.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $851.2 billion

TOTAL: $3.92 trillion

So in the last 3 months or so, the United States government has essentially dedicated $696 billion more to the bailing out of th United States financial system than the combined cost of the Marshall Plan, Louisiana Purchase, Race to the Moon, S&L Bailout, Korean War, New Deal, Iraq Invasion, Vietnam War, and Nasa.

Now, World War II is estimated at about $3.6 billion dollars inflation adjusted--$288 billion in 1945 dollars. So the bailout is already $1 trillion more than World War 2.

That should bring some perspective, and might even make a few people bring up their Thanksgiving dinner.

Homeland Security

2008-11-27T10:20:00.000-06:00

Some new designs have been completed for the holidays. Geronimo!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T10:19:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving from Libertymaniacs.com! We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

Sam Adams: The Feedom Fighter, Not the Beer

2008-11-21T18:34:00.000-06:00

Bill Huff had a great article recently about what the father of the American Revolution, Sam Adams, would think about today. It inspired a shirt.

Embroidery for Capitalists

2008-11-19T10:34:00.000-06:00

Check out the cool embroidery animation for our new product line of embroidered hats! You can customize these hats and clothes to fit your style!

Prices Drop While People Struggle...A Bad Thing?

2008-11-19T09:56:00.000-06:00

Last month consumer prices dropped more than in the last 61 years according to the US Labor department. As people lose jobs, feel the effects of debt, and the general slowdown of business revenues one would think this is actually a good thing.

Not so says the mainstream econometric bean counters. According to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and so many other inflationists--who caused the depression we are in--lower prices are bad, as they make paying off debt more difficult. Of course, the only answer the inflationists ever have is more debt: government debt, consumer debt, etc. Savings--which actually benefits from deflation, as money held actually gains value with time--is antithetical to the regime.

Bailout Bashing: Ron Paul Style

2008-11-19T09:51:00.000-06:00

Socialism Kills

2008-11-19T02:43:00.001-06:00

Just started another round of designs for November. We put out some "Collectivism Kills" shirts. More will come soon.

Got Common Sense?

2008-11-04T11:57:00.000-06:00

New Shirt Alert! Thomas Paine Shirt for those with common sense.

Alexander Hamilton: Protofasicst

2008-10-21T09:11:00.000-05:00

For a long time I've been waiting for a book that explores one of the more diabolical figures in American history, Alexander Hamilton. It's been a few years now since I started joking with my wife--usually after one too many drams of scotch--that I'd love to write a book called "Hamilton's Curse" that examined the malignant philosophy of Hamilton and his cadre of state-worshipers.

Lo and behold, one of my favorite historians Thomas J. DiLorenzo--of The Real Lincoln fame--has written it! Check out his latest post on the book here from the Ludwig von Mises Institute.

Hamilton was nothing if not a constant and vociferous voice for government centralization, government banking cartels, monetary manipulation, tariffs, and militarization.

While appologists take Hamilton as a savior of American finance, creating a 'modern system' of government finance that built the nations treasury, he built a system and philosophy "the American System" that inspired generations of tyrants.

Obamanation: Landsliding in the Polls?

2008-10-21T08:04:00.000-05:00

It's starting to look brutal for McCain right now as the homestretch to November 4th draws closer. If the Politico Swing State Map shows anything close to reality, the election won't be as close as some believe.

Of course, political polling is increasingly being hobbled by the fact that a whole generation uses cell phones as their primary number, which makes them unreachable. While the younger set is typically totally unreliable when it comes to voting, this year will no doubt be different in many respects as the motivating factors for change in government have increased tremendously in the last 3 years.

All this favors Obama.

Be Fearful When Others Are Greedy

2008-10-17T09:57:00.000-05:00

"...and be greedy when others are fearful." -Warren Buffett.

The Oracle of Omaha continues, "... the market will move higher, perhaps substantially so, well before either sentiment or the economy turns up. So if you wait for the robins, spring will be over."

A good lesson from Buffett to be sure, and one he learned from Benjamin Graham at Columbia Business School. Grahamian logic tells one to view stocks as nothing more than a business. The vicissitudes of the market--its ups and downs--are to be taken advantage of soberly.

But could the Great Oracle be a bit shortsighted in this case? Probably not. Buffett has the resources to take advantage of the situation at hand. $200 billion does that. Buffett is obviously swooping in and buying companies that he and Munger deem valuable.

But if everyday investors follow Buffett's path, they'll get crushed like a 1st-grader in a varsity football game.

The morons in the news will of course grasp onto this to push their android-like pabulum about the metaphysical impossibility of extended market losses. "The market must turn around, Warren Buffet said so!"

Buffett is an astonishing investor, and a marvelous teacher. His philosophy on investing is timeless. However, he has a penchant for advocating rather prodigious government policies—like his crazy advocacy of steep progressive taxes—and isn’t the world expert on business cycles.

Jesus Huerta de Soto is the World’s leading expert on business cycles. Listen to his comments on the current situation here.

Siegel Gets Rodgered

2008-10-17T09:53:00.000-05:00

Go Pete! Could Jeremy Siegel be more of a caricature of the clueless financial con-class? Good TV.

New Mug!

2008-10-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

Just posted a new Mises mug for those of you that continually are asked "what is going on in the financial markets?"

Now you can just point to your mug and say, "Actually, this guy right here is probably the smartest darn analyst of the business cycle ever known, his name is Ludwig von Mises. Luckily you can go to mises.org and get everything you need to learn about what happend, what to do, and learn how not to do it again."

Ludwig von Mises Mug
by Libertymaniacs