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--- Begin Message --- -Caveat Lector-
Since 1999, and especially since 9/11, our weekly email newsletter, THE LIGHTHOUSE (http://www.independent.org/tii/lighthouse/Lighthouse.html), has fearlessly cut through the spin and disinformation of politicians and special interests, distilling the conflicting media noise each week to report on the important developments with clear, fresh insights and pioneering commentary from the Independent Institute's Research Fellows, the outstanding scholars and policy experts who regularly examine major social and economic issues.
And THE LIGHTHOUSE is reaching rapidly increasing numbers of people worldwide. During 2003, circulation for THE LIGHTHOUSE has doubled, our Internet traffic has increased five-fold, and our web site now has more visitors than most any think tank worldwide! As a result, demand for THE LIGHTHOUSE is going up astronomically.
THE LIGHTHOUSE is available absolutely FREE of charge. But, providing this service costs us about $50,000 per year for our editor, webmaster, server, and other technical expenses. We can only provide this service with the generous financial support from readers such as you. As a result, I am writing to ask you as a reader of THE LIGHTHOUSE to please assist us now in keeping THE LIGHTHOUSE beacon brightly shining: http://www.independent.org/tii/tii_info/associate.html
During these threatening times, THE LIGHTHOUSE is now needed even more than ever. The hype and unfounded claims of Washington officials is skyrocketing as they seek to justify the expanding burden of government power. With preemptive U.S. wars abroad creating more terrorist threats, and the expanding national surveillance state at home, the central question to ask today is:
Has the "Era of REALLY Big Government" now arrived?
Over the past three years, with inflation at record lows, U.S. government spending has increased by a massive 28.3% -- with non-defense discretionary growth of 30.5% -- producing the largest deficit in U.S. history and the highest rate of government growth since LBJ's "Guns-and-Butter" combination of the Vietnam War and "Great Society."
As predicted by our Senior Fellow Robert Higgs, author of the seminal book from Oxford University Press, CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN (http://www.independent.org/tii/catalog/cat_crisis.html), and editor our quarterly journal, THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW (http://www.independent.org/review.html), this explosion of government power has only been possible in the aftermath of 9/11 as politicians take full advantage of a frightened American public.
During this time, President Bush has become the first U.S. president since James Garfield (serving only in 1881 until he was assassinated) and Millard Fillmore (1850-1853) NOT to have vetoed a SINGLE bill, with the result that we now have record pork spending and corporate welfare in agriculture, education, Medicare, energy, defense, transportation, foreign aid, homeland security, and more. U.S. government agencies have furthermore been given new powers to arrest and detain people indefinitely without charge, legal counsel, or trial; to secretly search anyone's property; and to intercept phone, Internet, and other communications, as well as access health, financial, and other private records.
Meanwhile, there has been near silence from most Washington think tanks and the media. According to former Congressional Budget Office director Rudolph Penner, "I don't remember a time when there's been so little commentary on it, and I can't really explain it."
NOT so with us! Consistently over the past two years, as before, the Independent Institute has been at the forefront sponsoring an extensive program of events, publications, and media projects to educate and inform the public with real solutions to Washington's latest, crisis-induced, power-and-money grab: http://www.independent.org
And, we are now beginning to see the climate of opinion changing! Polls show that the country may well be awakening to the truth regarding politicians' interventionist wars, public safety failures, profligate spending, and abuses of individual rights. Such a change would profoundly undercut the ability of Washington politicos to pursue their special-interest schemes.
As a result, there is REAL reason for hope -- IF we can continue to expand the impact of THE LIGHTHOUSE and the rest of the Independent Institute's cutting-edge program.
We need your help to do so. I hope that you will join with us as an Independent Associate Member with a tax-deductible contribution of $50, $100, $500, $1,000, or more. And, your contribution by 12/31/03 is deductible from this year's taxes: http://www.independent.org/tii/tii_info/associate.html
In addition to supporting the most consistent defender of the principles of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and other Founders, your membership will entitle you to receive FREE copies of Institute publications (including THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW), discounts to upcoming events, and other benefits as detailed at: http://www.independent.org/tii/tii_info/associate.html
Please join us now with your timely support for liberty.
Best regards,
David
David J. Theroux Founder and President The Independent Institute 100 Swan Way Oakland, CA 94621 (510) 632-1366 Phone (510) 568-6040 Fax [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.independent.org
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Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at:
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