Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

From Vienna:

WRU Unplugger of the Year

Inspired by the Western Confucian, who has named Ron Paul the “Western confucian of the Year,” a WRU Unplugger of the Year is named.

The WRU Unplugger of the Year need not be a monarchist, nor regret the fall of the Old European Order. The WRU Unplugger of the Year is simply the one who is considered to have done most in bringing about the unplugging of the Wilson Revolution.

The awardee has done an excellent job at promoting ending:

• American policing of the world
• the Federal Reserve
• government managing society and the economy

All of which are major components of the Wilson legacy, and hence of the Wilson Revolution. Ending American policing of the world is an important presupposition for the Wilsonian World Order to yield for something better.

The 2008 WRU Unplugger of the Year is:

The Honorable United States Representative Ronald Ernest Paul, M.D.

Quote of the Month

Wrote Mr. Gerald Warner:

The Grand Duke of Luxembourg rules a country which claims to be overwhelmingly Catholic. There is little evidence of popular support for legalised murder, but parliament has passed this neo-Nazi legislation by 30 votes to 26. That so few people should make life-and-death decisions for so many is striking testimony to how democracy has become the slickest form of tyranny.

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Plans for Berlin

Fellow monarchist Andrew Cusack reports on reconstruction plans for Berlin.

Vendée to Be Termed Genocide?

The Daily Telegraph reports on an issue of the Vendée.

Royal World and the Western Confucian has more and more respectively.

Nepal Future

Kamal Thapa believes the Nepalese monarchy has become more relevant. So the Telegraph Nepal reports.

Where's My Bailout?

Inflationary Language

Via Karen De Coster at the LRC Blog:

Peter Schiff

Peter Schiff now has his own YouTube channel.

Here are a couple of recent videos on the trouble ahead:





Over at the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Schiff has a column.

Here are a couple of videos from earlier this month (another channel):





Update: It's not an official Peter Schiff channel.

Selected Stossel

John Stossel's Politically Incorrect Guide to Politics (in 6 parts, all in one player):



Stossel's Stupid in America:



Stossel's Sick in America (in 6 parts, all in one player):

Bête Noire Born

152 years ago today, the Persona Non Grata of this weblog was born.

For his 61^st birthday, he gave to himself and his nation nationalization of U.S. railroads. On this day four score and eleven years ago today, the United States Railroad Administration came into effect.

Was this part of the concept of spreading freedom?

While this particular measure ended i 1920, we are in general stuck today with a legacy of managing society and the economy from above. Just look at the Federal Reserve and the common belief that the economy can be managed by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. We are in the age of pervasive government, and it was with the Great War we entered it. There is still a lot of mess left from the end of the Progressive Era.

Please feel free also to read here, here, and here.

Spanish Democracy Sanctioned

3 decades ago today, King Juan Carlos I of Spain gave his assent to the democratic constitution, after a referendum 3 weeks earlier.

Washington Triumph

Eight years short of a dozen score years ago today, General Washington triumphed at Trenton, New Jersey.

The Christmas Story

Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn had a lesson, amongst others, for Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. Rockwell has some for us too.

Christmas Truce

The Christmas Truce took place 94 years ago.



Via the Western Confucian:

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.

Enjoy from Vienna:

Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary

On this day, Christmas Eve, 171 years ago, Elisabeth of Bavaria was born.

The Fed 95

95 years ago today, the bête noire of this weblog signed the Federal Reserve Act into law, giving us the trouble we have today.

BTW, if petitions help...

The Lost Canadian Way

Over at The Shotgun Blog of the Western Standard, Michael Cust sees the current Canadian situation in light of the relation between mixed government and liberty.

Liechtenstein Style at Buck House?

Blogger John Seiler recommends the Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein as a role model for Her Britannic Majesty.

Interview of Hans-Adam II

Christine Ockrent of factualTV interviewed “absolute ruler” His Serene Highness the Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein back in 2003.



The complete 43-minute interview can be found here.

Gerald Warner Backs the Grand Duke

Over at the Telegraph, the great High Scots Tory Gerald Warner defends the Grand Duke of Luxembourg.

By the way, Gerald Warner's Scotsman Sunday column has been revived. Whereas 4 columns totally ran from late June to October. Gerald Warner's column has been running for the Scotsman every Sunday since November 16.

Support the Grand Duke!

Support for the Grand Duke of Luxembourg has been all over the blogosphere lately.

Now there is a petition up for support to His Royal Highness.

You may even add your own personal message.

Of course, you may choose to state whether your support is for the Grand Duke's stand against euthanasia, the threatened Grand Ducal prerogative, or both.

Apparently, the petition is for persons of all nations.

By all means, please do feel free to sign.

By the way, even though the Parliament of the Grand Duchy has voted on a constitutional amendment, I hear there has to be another vote in a few months, or a referendum.

A Reply to The Economist

Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, a former Deputy Prime Minister, responds in the Bangkok Post to the recent coverage of the Siamese monarchy in The Economist.

The Cradle of Democracy on Fire

Prof. David Flint reflects on the situation in Greece.


H/T: Royal World

Recent Portuguese Anniversary

The Duke of Bragança spoke recently and was given a standing ovation. So the Anglo Portuguese Press Associates reports.

Iceland Caves In?

Apparently, the “solution” to the financial crisis in Iceland is EU membership, as the BBC reports. Is Frankfurt fiat money better? Where will this world end?

Prorogue and Deny Assent

Over at The Monarchist, yours truly reflects on recent events in Canada and Luxembourg.

Sark Election Upcoming

The New York Times reports on the election on the island of Sark the upcoming week.

The Grand Duke

As was reported earlier this month, His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxembourg stood up against an euthanasia bill. The Prime Minister was quite quick in responding that the Constitution had to be amended.

Constitutional democracy is a joke. We are told in wonderful speeches how democracy is “something more than majority rule” and that constitutional democracy is a democracy where a constitution limits the powers of the majority. But, once a real check on majority rule materializes, apparently that check has to be removed.

Now, the Parliament has passed the constitutional amendment just this week. So the Independent reports.

Such an important issue, and a constitutional amendment is passed in less than two weeks.

The Economist and the Siamese Monarchy

The Economist has an analysis of the Siamese monarchy, saying:

Other countries, from Spain to Brazil, have overcome dictatorial pasts to grow into strong democracies whose politics is mostly conducted in parliament, not on the streets. Thailand’s failure to follow suit is partly because “Father” has always been willing to step in and sort things out: his children have never quite had to grow up.

It is interesting how they can tag subjects of a monarchy as not having grown up, whilst the adolescence of modern democratic politics is right before their eyes.

The Financial Trouble

Jim Rogers was this week on the Lew Rockwell Show.

Peter Schiff with some brilliant analogies:



Over at the Asia Times, Antal E. Fekete believes gold fever is coming up.


Thanks in part to the Western Confucian.

Nepal

King Gyanendra still sees a role for monarchy. So SamyLive reports.

Kenya

45 years ago yesterday, Kenya became independent. 44 years ago yesterday, Kenya became a republic.

In the year passed, Kenya has gone through post-election violence and one of her sons has been elected to the Presidency of those United States.

A year that has shown us how great democracy is? Hardly!

King Oscar II

A century and a year ago today, Oscar II, King of Sweden and formerly King of Norway, passed on from this world.

King Oscar II abdicated the throne of St. Olav on October 26, 1905. He heroically never accepted the ambitions of the Norwegian politicos to have all the power for themselves.

May His Late Majesty continue to rest in peace.

Uncle Sam against the Habsburg Empire

91 years ago today, the Persona Non Grata of this weblog signed the declaration of war against Austria-Hungary, after having spoken three days earlier. The motion to declare war passed unopposed in the United States Senate. It was opposed by one United States Representative.

Another day that will live in infamy!

The Lost Monarchy

Newsweek has an article on the Washington family, the would-be royal family of those United States. The article isn't exactly filled with deep understanding, but it may still be interesting.

Franz Josef's Accession

Eight score years ago today, Franz Josef of Austria ascended to the throne.