The Jason Stapleton Program

What's a right anyway? Is it healthcare, education, or medical care? Or is it private property, life, liberty? In today's show we're going to tackle this topic and explain exactly what rights are, use a current day example in Detroit to debunk the myth of what rights actually are. Detroit has been in bad shape in many ways for many years (the city being all run by progressives for most of that time), and now the school districts are having trouble paying their bills and staying in operation. The city however, has no money for a bailout. But, if education is right how can this be? How can they be denied their "rights". Very good question. Later in the show we'll move on to Great Britain's desire to leave the EU and many countries and the EU are threatening them with all sorts of punishments if they decide to leave, this has business owners in turmoil since they've had so many priviledges this far. If they decide to leave will they increase their liberty, and move further away from tyranny and control, and gain back their sovereignty? We talk about all that and more on today's show, don't miss it! Jason

Here is the speech from today's episode: What are we doing here? What is all this about? I came home from work last week to find my kids sitting at the table doing homework as they always do. I saw them preparing for their future and for a fleeting moment I allowed myself to question what that future might look like. As I look across the economic and political landscape of America today, to say that I am trouble would be an understatement. We have a government that collects more than 3 trillion dollars a year in taxes from the American people yet still manages spend nearly a billion dollars a day more than it brings in. Yet we are told the government has a revenue problem NOT a spending problem. Congress hasn’t balanced it’s budget in 14 years. Out debt has skyrocketed over the last 16 years, from 5.6 trillion dollars to over 18 trillion. A nearly 234% increase. Over the course of that same time, our country has been in a state of perpetual war. First in Afghanistan, then Iraq, Lybia, Syria, Yemen, and if the current trend continues, Russia, China, and North Korea. Is this what Reagan meant when he said peace through strength? After nearly two decades of war, hundreds of thousands dead, millions displaced and now flooding the borders of Europe I ask you, is this what peace looks like? We’re told that this war is too important. We’re told that we face a tyrannical and relentless enemy who seeks the total destruction of our way of life. We’re told it’s fight them over there or fight them here. We must, we are told, defend our freedom and liberty. But I wonder if we still know and understand the freedom and liberty intended for us by the founding fathers. The founders of this nation pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor on a radical and seemingly impossible idea. That we have a right to be free. That government is beholden to the people, that it has no power except that granted by the people. This idea, predicated on the individual right of self-determination gave birth to the greatest nation the world has ever known. Yet what have we done with this gift? America now finds itself in the throws of another election. On the left, a socialist and a progressive. On the right, a nationalist and populist. Each tells us they know best. We’re told we must accept in this time of trial, a greater infringement on our freedoms and the continued eroding of our constitutional liberty. We have seen this play out over the years. On the streets of our hometowns as police are transformed from peacekeeper to enforcer. Many now look more like a military unit than law enforcement. Roaming the streets in unmarked cars, conducting military style raids in our own back yards, confiscating wealth and property with no evidence of a crime or even an accusation of wrongdoing. We have watched our savings eroded through inflation and bad economic policy by both the federal reserve and our own Congress. We’ve seen time, and again the cycle of boom and bust brought on by poor decisions of a few self-described intellectual elite. We suffer the continued invasion of our privacy and violation of the 4th amendment through data collection approved by our own elected representatives and overseen by secret courts deep inside the government leviathan. Oh, these are the times that try men's souls. How I have waited for a leader. How I have longed for the spirit of our nation to be renewed and for the people to stand up and take their rightful place as captains of their own destiny. Where is our voice? This election we are told we have a choice between left and right. In truth, there’s no such thing as left or right. As Reagan said their is only up or down. Up toward liberty and self determination or down toward totalitarianism. I am tired of waiting for a leader. You ask me why I come here every day. I come to bring a message of liberty to a desperate nation. Thoreau said, “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, and go to the grave with the song still in them.” I started this, risked my business, my future, my children’s future because I was tired of being silent. No longer will I live a life of quiet desperation. This is my song. But my voice is not enough. It requires you. And I know your reservations. You can’t fight city hall. That’s what they say. Our numbers are two small, our armies to weak. Cowards will always talk that way. I prefer the simple, elegant truth of John Adams who said, “It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.” Are you angry enough yet? Together we can build a movement, and if you will join me we will stand shoulder to shoulder against the enemies of Liberty and proclaim in one voice that we will not kneel, we will not bow, we will not be silent we will be free. Will you join me? Will you carry that message with me? To your homes, your jobs, To you friend, co-workers, and relatives? Will you teach it to your children? I just recently returned from Washington DC and while I was there, I had the chance to visit the Jefferson Memorial. A beautiful stone monument built to honor one of the greatest men of his time. And as I stood in the middle of the monument I looked up and etched in the stone around the dome were these words. ...I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. Our founders risked everything so that they and their posterity could live a life free from tyranny and oppression. And as I sat across from my little girls that day, watching them prepare for a life not yet lived I asked myself, how could I risk any less. That’s why I’m here. And I hope that’s why you’ll stay.

Earlier this week I had Michael Pickens in the audience to join me in the studio to share with me all that he's working on. As promised here's the replay of that interview; we talk about the libertarian party and how we can reach more lovers of libert, and what he's working on at Libertarian Leadership organization to help liberty minded people get elected to local offices. We've talked on the show before about how starting local with state nullification against the federal government will be how we gain our liberty and consitution back. But, we need those in office locally to stand up in this way. Michael is doing a great thing by offering these types of services to help advanced the message of liberty. Have a great weekend everyone!

I know I've been coy about a new partnership we've been working on these past few months, but all that ends today. At the end of today's show, I'll let you in on some of the exciting happening and a new partnership I think can catapult us into mainstream political discourse. With that said, today on the show I'm going to take you on an economic pilgrimage starting in Europe and ending in China. You see, it's not just our central bank, the federal reserve, that engages in voodoo economics and shady accounting practices. Banks around the world do it too. Today we'll look at a couple of excellent examples of how they use accounting gimmicks and trickery to paint a rosy picture on a very damaged global economy. Then, I'll show you a study paid for by your tax dollars that "proves" glaciers are sexist. I'm not kidding you; I 'm going to read you the study. But don't worry they didn't do anything foolish in the study like referring to glaciers as "male" or "female". No, they used only gender neutral terms. HA! All that plus the big announcement today on the show. Hit play now!

New video out today from the LaVoy shooting. This one from inside the vehicle. Caught on cell phones LaVoy is seen jumping out of his SUV after running off the road and yelling "Shoot me!!" to officers approaching with guns drawn. I have said from the beginning of this controversy that it would end badly and the last time we spoke about LaVoy I told you I think people will see what they want to see. This new video is no different. If you think the FBI are a corrupt bunch of bloodthirsty Statists, then you will naturally come to the conclusion that these men intended to kill LaVoy at any cost. I try to be more practical and discerning. Not allowing my opinion of our government and some law enforcement agents to cloud my judgement of the situation. Today I'll give you my thoughts. Next we'll talk a little about NOAA and new evidence proving the manipulated data to give the impression that the world is warming even though their research shows there has been now real change in temperature in 60 years. It's an interesting and controversial show today. Don't miss out.

There was a democratic town hall last night, how many of you watched it? I know, not exaxtly what you want to do on a Monday night, me either! But we've got to know what our enemy says so that we can refute it. We have great ideas, as Libertarians, however we aren't competing on a battle where the best ideas always win out. It's how we communicate our message so that our ideas are heard and take root in those we aim to reach. Today, I'm going to spend time showing the faults in Bernie and Hillary's arguments, but more importantly how they re-frame the questions asked and never actually respond, and what happens when we make decisions emotionally or only based on issues, rather than principles. I think you will really benefit from this episode in promoting the message of liberty and refuting those in opposition. The realization must really occur with your audience; you can persuade and direct their thoughts so that your message takes root and causes them pause. Great show, thanks for listening! -Jason

Kind of a funny title given my stance on peace and tolerance but I think you're going to find my take on the subject quite refreshing. With North Korea now threatening nuclear holocaust on both the U.S. and South Korea it begs the question, "When can we take action to defend ourselves?" Some libertarians will tell you it's never ok, but I think that is a hard case to make. I certainly don't have to wait for someone to take a swing at me before I defend myself. If you tell me you're going to hit me and then raise your arms up in a fighting stance, any reasonable person will consider it justifiable for me to take preemptive action to defend myself. The real world is not as easy as theory. Each situation has its own set of circumstances that make it difficult to navigate. But what if there was a way to ensure the fight never broke out? That the bully never showed up threatening to hit you? We talk a lot about a lack of good choices brought about by previous bad decisions. Today I'm going to present an interesting way we can overthrow men like Kim Jong Un without firing a shot. There are very few problems liberty, and economic freedom cannot solve. That's what the show is about today. Enjoy.

This episode was sparked by a couple of different forces that came together at just the right moment. The first was a discussion surrounding my recent comments about doing "bad things to bad people". The question was, "Who are the bad people and how do you rationalize a desire to hurt people with the ideas of peace and tolerance." The second was an article I read today about a group of students at the University of Pittsburgh who claimed speaker Milo Yiannopoulos was initiating violence against them by challenging their beliefs and making fun of them. So what does it mean to be tolerant? What does it mean to be peaceful? These are important questions we need to answer as libertarians. Does it mean we must be pacifists? Does it mean we should not disagree? I think you already know my answer, but I take some time today to explain it in detail. I also make a special call to all you listeners out there who want to learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones so make sure you listen to that. Then we roll over into some discussions about the Republican debate, Mitt Romney's plan to steal the nomination from Trump and how one agency of the government is wasting billions of your dollars and has no plans to change. Make sure you subscribe and listen daily for news and commentary you won't hear anywhere else. Jason

I will admit I'm always hesitant to try and go to deep into discussions about banking and international central banking. It's partially because I know the limitations of my knowledge of the subject but more importantly, I know the limitations of your average American. But there's been so much going on in the world of banking and interest rates that I feel like I need to try and break things down. So today on the show we're going to look at everything from the risks of a eurozone collapse to the effects "do-gooder" politicians have on the banking industry. My hope is that you'll pull a few nuggets of knowledge out of the show even if you know very little about the subject. We'll also take some time and look at the debate lineup for tonight as GOP candidates once again get behind the microphones for what is sure to be nothing short of reality TV at it's best. Finally, the Clinton email investigation may be coming to a close as the staffer who set up the server was just granted immunity, a move that is likely designed to get the truth about her servers and what they were doing with them. Decent show today everyone. Give it a listen and then share it with a friend.

Barring some unforeseen circumstance (like Hillary being indicted or Trump being struck by lightning), it would appear we are going to have a Trump/Clinton general election. What some considered to be impossible just a few months ago has now become a reality. Even I thought it was highly unlikely that Hillary would make it out of the primaries. With all her baggage from Benghazi to the email scandal, I thought there's no way she would survive. I assumed she would be radioactive to the democrat party. Never discount the stupidity of the American voter. We now have a potential felon and an orange colored mud-slinger leading the race for the White House. It's like a car crash you can't tear your eyes away from. I think what's must sad it's it is truly a reflection of our country. The movie Idiocracy comes to mind. America is coming apart, and all anyone seems to care about is the spectacle of it all. The other thing we're going to cover on the show today is a recent conversation in the private FB group. The question of military service comes up frequently in libertarian discussions. Many former servicemen and women become libertarian because of their experience in the military. But there is a small segment of libertarians who view those in the military as evil tools of the State. They are seen as a kind of caricature, a group to be demonized. Today I give you my thoughts as both a libertarian and a former Marine on military service and how we should treat those who have served and are serving.

We're back in the studio today following a weekend in DC. I have to say it's great to be back. Both Darren and I are introverts and even a few hours in a crowd will burn both of us out. Now that we're back in the studio it's business as usual and I thought today would be the perfect day to discuss the recent Libertarian debate. There are plenty of plusses and minuses to talk about in what has become the first real Libertarian debate of the election. Overall I have to give props to the team in Mississippi. They took a minuscule budget and were able to put on a pretty good show. As far as candidates were concerned I was looking mostly at messaging and delivery. There are many who believe we've got a chance to make the main stage of the national debate this year. I'm not as confident as some, but I work from the assumption that we might actually do it. If that were the case who do you think would best represent and articulate the Libertarian ideas to a growing group of outraged and disenfranchised Americas? That's what I'm going to talk about today. Give it a listen. I think you'll enjoy it.

This is a special Saturday show which we broadcasted live, I'm getting it out to you now because I'm still traveling back from D.C. We had a lot to discuss... Amash and Massie round table discussion, reaching the jaded right and left who have left those establishment parties and want something new, and much more. The republicans put forth their own budget to be "better" than Obama's, but only 300 billion less than his. Fiscal conservatism? Not really. And this is just another reason people are jaded by these establishment parties. Also a special guest who is getting liberty actors and writers into mainstream. It's a jam packed show straight from D.C. at Students for Liberty! -Jason

That's right everyone! Darren and I are down at the Student's for Liberty event here in Wasington D.C. - the belly of the beast! I've never felt so much legalized stealing atmosphere until today. But we're here defending the message of liberty! More republican debates to cover and the arguing match between just about all the candidates, especially Rubio and Trump reminds me of a bunch of little kids, arguing over who started the fight. It's appalling! I really want to focus today on the topic that so many establishment entities and media will tell you; just hold your nose and vote our guy because the other side is so much worse. Really?! That's what we've come to, AGAIN? This is the kind of thinking that get's us what we've always gotten. Aren't you tired of being lied to? Aren't you tired of being made a fool by empty promises? Don't you hate when you can barely tell someone who you voted for last election because you know how horrible it is? Of course, nobody likes that, so it's time to make principled decisions and move another notch closer to more liberty! And if it happens to be my own name written in, then so be it. I won't waste my vote on the lesser of two evils, I stand with liberty, and I hope you will too. Jason

In the private FB group, I've seen a lot of posts from people saying they're going to bit the bullet and vote for Trump. I've even heard some libertarians say they're going to vote for Sanders! Now, I think you should vote your conscience and I'm never going to criticize someone for doing that, but it makes me wonder how effective my message has been. How many times have we talked about how dangerous and potentially tyrannical a Trump presidency would be? I've outlined what I felt was a very solid case using Trump's own words. And don't get me started on Sanders. I could fill an hour every day correcting the madness that guy spews on a daily basis. For all the work I've done, people are still contemplating a vote for what they believe is the lesser of two evils. Let's stop that foolishness now. Let's stand on principle and cast aside the notion that this is a team sport. This is about principle not party to coin the overused political slogan and today on the show I'll share more on why I think a vote cast in principle is better than one cast to block an opponent. We'll also take a look at Japan. They recently moved to negative interest rates and you won't believe what the population is doing in response. (Well you would if you listened to this show because I predicted it.) Finally, we'll take a look at the damages trade barriers like tariffs, and bureaucratic red tape has on an economy by analyzing recent moves in the British pound as they contemplate leaving the EU. Lots of great stuff all week this week. The last thing, I'll be gone tomorrow as Darren, and I travel to Students for Liberty. We'll be broadcasting live from there Friday and I'm hoping to find some great interviews to share with you. Jason

Just before the show started today, President Obama trotted out to the microphone to make another pitch for closing Gitmo. It was one of many campaign promises he failed to deliver on over the past seven years. Things, like ending racial division and restoring our reputation around the globe, were also shortcomings. What I'm really impressed with is the president's ability to lie without so much as a facial tick. In his speech he blamed partisan politics and economics as reasons, he couldn't get the job done. But we know that's not true. On the show today, I'll talk about Gitmo, our options and the truth about Obama's record. Then it's over to a couple of other stories including the Uber driver shootings and a story about what could be the craziest place to work in America. I've been getting a little tired of the doom and gloom stories lately. Unfortunately, there's plenty of bad news to go around, so I hope you excuse my deviation into some lighter topics. Trust me there's plenty of serious news to go around, and I'll make sure you're well prepared to talk about it. Jason