Free Talk Live

Manchester, New Hampshire - The Free State Project is using the new online currency Bitcoin as a creative new
promotional tool – ironically giving away free money, literally, to every subscriber on its mailing list.

The U.S. Treasury and Labor Departments will ask for public comment as soon as next week on ways to promote the conversion of 401(k) savings and Individual Retirement Accounts into annuities or other steady payment streams, according to Assistant Labor Secretary Phyllis C. Borzi and Deputy Assistant Treasury Secretary Mark Iwry, who are spearheading the effort.

This is what the Kentucky Secretary of State had to say about the people of Kentucky. Shameful.

Two Oregon political parties and a state senator on Monday sued Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown over her decision to abbreviate party names on the ballot this year.

State elections officials said the three-letter abbreviations were needed because of a new state law allowing candidates to list the backing of up to three political parties next to their name on the ballot. The "fusion-voting" law was aimed at giving minor parties more clout by allowing them to cross-nominate major-party candidates who would presumably compete for their support.

"Idaho State Representative Phil Hart authored the Idaho State Silver Gem Act earlier this year which allows for the Idaho State Treasurer to issue silver medallions and make them available to the public; people may use them for any purpose they want and will have the option of paying their State taxes with the silver."

Over the years, Bitcoin has experienced ups and downs; the currency has been targeted by hackers and thieves and botnets and been victim to more than one embarrassing software glitch. But it has persevered, and this week, one can fairly say that Bitcoin came of age. On Monday, the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network released its first “guidance” as to how “de-centralized virtual currencies” should fit into the larger regulatory regime under which currencies of all kinds are required to operate.

John Edwards, the former vice-presidential candidate who wrecked his political career with an extramarital affair, walked free from court on Thursday after a chaotic end to a month-long trial for using campaign funds to cover up his infidelity. After nine days of deliberations, the jury was only able to reach a verdict on one count, declaring him not guilty of accepting illegal campaign contributions from supporter Rachel "Bunny" Mellon in 2008. The judge declared a mistrial on the other five counts.

Counterpoint: "Bitcoin is a libertarian’s dream come true: a steadily expanding money supply without the state getting in the way of the sweet mechanics of the market. Bitcoin isn’t just a currency, it’s a massive experiment in group trust. It’s also a hint of the financial system to come and, ultimately, a scam."

Everybody already knows that Ron Paul placed second in the New Hampshire 2012 Republican Presidental Primary. But, at 7 o’clock tonight, the New Hampshire Secretary of State published the full results of the primary, including write-ins, and Ron Paul also won the #2 spot in the Democratic Primary.