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FLORIDA LIBERTARIAN RADIO SHOW HAS INTERNATIONAL FOLLOWING

by Open-Publishing - Thursday 4 August 2005

Radio Parties Elections-Elected USA

FLORIDA LIBERTARIAN RADIO SHOW HAS INTERNATIONAL FOLLOWING

St Petersburg, FL— On Tuesday night—Wednesday morning his time—student Toni Rotger of Barcelona, Spain, tunes in with numerous other listeners there to hear, webcast at the site, the hard hitting Libertarian word from distant Florida.

FreedomWorks! ...The Libertarian Perspective (http://www.TheFreedomWorks.org ) has over nearly 3 years established a reputation as not only a delightfully quirky show looking at what Libertarians, and people using Libertarian ideas and tools, are doing to better their communities—but one with a parade of unusual and intriguing guests in both local and national affairs.

LONG-LIVED SHOW

Founded over lunch and a yellow pad by media personality Paul Molloy and Libertarian figure Michael Gilson-De Lemos (known familiarly as "M.G."), it broadcasts in a guest/call-in format from the Pinellas County, Florida resort city of Clearwater. Now on 3 local stations that cover St Petersburg, Tampa, and parts of Sarasota as well, it has added Eileen Heischmann as co-host as MG has recently taken a commentator role, with an array of Libertarian tidbits of information in the last 10 minutes.

"This is not a negative show," says MG, "We look at things positively and invite people to get inspired and take action. We encourage our guests to take a chance, and know listeners take it in the spirit in which it’s given."

The contrarian formula in an age of attack-radio works. A growing group of faithful listeners tune in to hear guests from across the spectrum say the most surprising things. Republican Congressman Bob Barr came on the show to reveal his dismay with the Patriot Act, John Stossel explained how he created his shows, a modern Florida Republican Party founder explained why he bacame a Libertarian, and an author spoke on what it was like to be married as an American wife of an abusive husband in the Middle East, broadcast as US tanks rolled about Baghdad.

Sometimes the guest topics are heart rendingly simple, as when they interviewed a disabled man explaining his difficulties in the US government disability system and the callous attitudes there. An attorney phoned in to comment that in his experience the system was mostly a sham designed to gull the public that government was responsive but avoid paying benefits while enriching administrative judges who decide the cases. "Now government regulation is detroying private disability policies for the average person," he warned.

LOCAL FIGURES

Once a month they have cutting edge Libertarian thinkers from CATO, Heartland and other Libertarian think tanks challenge popular media wisdom on everything from trade with China to Eminent Domain. But for many listeners, the best part is hearing from and talking to guests who are normal citizens like themselves, quietly creating community change that major media often ignores.

Local figures, government officials and community groups now regularly announce their initiatives on the show and field listener questions, finding their appearance there prods larger mediia to pay attention.

And one never knows when Molloy and MG will start zinging a derisive but deadpan riff on a news article that has attracted their attention—ranging from a puff-piece on the wonders of privatizing executions in Uganda, Kaddafi’s recent announcement that the problem with Africa is dictators, and Molloy yawningly explaining US government warnings on TV that "sleeping pills could cause drowsiness" as MG hummed "rock-a-bye baby."

"This is an experiment in listener supported Libertarian community radio. We don’t get a dime from the Libertarian Party, corporations, or anyone but our listeners. We’re creating an audience of community leaders who tune in to get ideas and find out what’s really going on," says Molloy.

Rotger agrees, saying he’s been inspired while creating a group to study Libertarian successes and free market solutions.

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