If you want to know what libertarianism is all about, don’t ask a libertarian, because most of them don’t know. A new poll from Pew Research found that only 11% of those surveyed who identified themselves as libertarian were correctly able to identify the very basic meaning of libertarianism as “someone whose political views emphasize individual freedom by limiting the role of government.” Even though that's often an oxymoron, that's what libertarians say, and their followers apparently don't know it.

Weirdly, that same poll found that 41% of libertarians believe that the government should regulate business, 46% of libertarians believe that corporations make too much profit, and 38% of libertarians believe that government aid to the poor is a good thing.

Similarly, of the so-called libertarians polled, 42% believe that police should be able to stop and search people who "look like criminals," and 26% think “homosexuality should be discouraged.”

What happened to limited government and more individual freedoms? Basically, people in America who call themselves libertarians have absolutely no idea what libertarianism is really about.

So, let’s go over it for a second. Back in 1980, David Koch, one half of the Kochtopus, ran as the Libertarian Party’s vice presidential candidate. And the platform that he ran on back in 1980 provides a great summary of what libertarianism is really about.

Read more here.

-Thom

Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 10pm... Obama: the Counterfeit Progressive? (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT or Free Speech TV, and catch past shows on Youtube)

Be sure to check out our new video: CARBON - narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio

Need to Know: BUSTED! Mitch McConnell's Koch problem...
- Mike Papantonio, America's Lawyer / Ring of Fire Radio

Screwed: Obama: the Counterfeit Progressive?
- Thomas Frank, Salon / The Baffler Magazine / Pity The Billionaire

Your Take / My Take Live: Call Thom LIVE at (202) 904-2134 TONIGHT 7-8pm ET (check local listings)

Geeky Science: Is your laundry making you sick?

Free excerpt, read book for free at Truthout, buy the book!

A friend of mine has a new book out that you may want to know about... Identity Theft Alert: 10 Rules You Must Follow to Protect Yourself from America's #1 Crime by Steve Weisman

The Daily Stack

Hour One: Thom talks issues of the day with America's Lawyer - Mike Papantonio, Ring of Fire Radio

Article: "Caught on Tape: What Mitch McConnell Complained About to a Roomful of Billionaires (Exclusive)" by Lauren Windsor.

Article: "Secret audio nails Mitch! Endangered McConnell busted humiliating himself on tape" by Joan Walsh.

Article: "At Koch Retreat, Top GOP Senate Candidates Credited Koch Network For Their Rise" by Sam Stein.

Article: "Declaration of Independence".

Law: "Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002" (McCain-Feingold).

Quote: "Our life is what our thoughts make it" - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations.

Article: "Georgia Police Used Taser Like A Cattle Prod To Force Black Man To Walk Until He Died" by MrScorpio.

Article: "We can do better: Protect Children not Guns 2013" by Children’s Defense Fund.

Article: "Corbett will win by "demotivating" voter turnout, says leaked internal campaign analysis" by JPZenger.

Article: "Getting Democrats to Vote" by Bob Burnett.

Book, site: "Web of Debt", Ellen Brown.

Hour Two: What's lurking in your tuna sandwich?
- Peter Hanlon, Grace Communications Foundation

Article: "Consumer Reports Finds Eating Tuna Too Risky for Pregnant Women" by James Saracini.

Article: "Fish: What Pregnant Women and Parents Should Know: Draft Updated Advice by FDA and EPA" by FDA.

Article: "Seafood Mercury Levels Trigger Federal Lawsuit Against FDA" by John Deike.

Article: "Special report: Can eating the wrong fish put you at higher risk for mercury exposure?" by Consumer Reports.

Article: "New Advice: Pregnant Women and Young Children Should Eat More Fish" by FDA.

Article: "What You Should Know Before Eating Seafood" by Environmental Working Group.

Article: "Methylmercury" by USGS.

Article: "So Where Does All That Mercury in Fish Come From?" by Peter Hanlon.

Documentary: Chernobyl Heart.

Site: Green World Rising

Article: "26th Amendment". Vote for 18 year olds.

Song: "Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire.

Article: "Telecommunications Act of 1996" by Wikipedia.

Article: "You Don't Know What "Libertarian" Means" by Thom Hartmann.

Article: "Pew Poll: Libertarians Don’t Know What ‘Libertarian’ Means" by DeWyn.

Article: "What Do the Koch Brothers Want?" (1980 Libertarian Party platform) by Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Article: "Opinion: Who wins with Medicare Advantage?" by Wendell Potter.

Article: "Here's Who Really Benefits When Republicans Change Medicare" by Eric Zuesse.

Article: "The Impact of Air Quality on Hospital Spending" by John A. Romley, Andrew Hackbarth, Dana P. Goldman.

Article: "Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964" by DoJ.

Article: "Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire" by Cornell University.

Article: "Haymarket affair" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Ludlow Massacre", 1914 by Wikipedia.

Article: "Burger King and Tim Hortons agree merger details " by BBC.

Article: "Fraud at the CDC uncovered, 340% risk of autism hidden from public" by eplettner.

Hour Three: "Brunch With Bernie"... the honorable Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) joins Thom with all the news from our nation's capitol and as always he'll be spending the hour taking your calls and answering your questions too...
Follow Bernie: campaign site.

Article: "Sanders Tells American Legion More Must be Done for Veterans" by Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Article: "The Week in Review - Saturday, August 23, 2014" by Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Event: Charlotte, NC, Aug 27: "The American Legion 96th National Convention" (Presentation of The American Legion Patriot Award to the Honorable Bernie Sanders).

Event: Raleigh, NC, Aug 27: "The Fight for American Justice" (Senator Bernie Sanders).

Article: "North Carolina NAACP Announces Moral Week of Action, August 22-28" by Jim Cook.

Article: "Caught on Tape: What Mitch McConnell Complained About to a Roomful of Billionaires (Exclusive)" by Lauren Windsor.

Article: "Democracy or Oligarchy?" by Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Article: "Fairness Doctrine " by Wikipedia.

Article: "Sherman Antitrust Act", 1890.

Links: "Departments of Vocational Rehabilitation" (DVR).

Article: "Sanders, Boxer Propose Climate Change Bills" by Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Article: "War Powers Resolution", 1973.

Article: "Oxfam: 85 richest people as wealthy as poorest half of the world" by Graeme Wearden.

Article: "Utah: Forget dollars. How about gold?" by Charles Riley.

Book: "The Crash of 2016: The Plot to Destroy America--and What We Can Do to Stop It" by Thom Hartmann.

Friday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 12-3pm ET

Radio show is off today for the Labor Day holiday weekend

Please enjoy a 'best of' program...

Hour One: A conversation about principles - Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum

Hour Two: America doesn't give a rat's a$$ about the poor

Hour Three: Stalking Sheppard Smith...is outing him news, or is it just wrong?

And have a very happy Labor Day holiday weekend!

And don't forget...Democracy is NOT a spectator sport...it begins with you...

Thank you for being part of our ever growing community for News, Debate and Opinion on the Thom Hartmann Program.

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Sincerely,

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"Crash of 2016" website

Watch Thom on: - MSNBC's The Cycle
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Will leak of Sen. McConnell recording hurt him in November?

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Thom's newest book!

A Rising Tide Lifts All boats if Everybody Has a Boat...

The San Francisco Earthquake Threat to Nuclear Power Plants

The Crime Scene...New Orleans

Full Show 8/27/14: Obama Goes Rogue On Climate Change

Tonight’s “Lone Liberal Rumble” discusses the latest police brutality video, Obama’s international climate change deal sans Congress and how Obamacare premiums are dropping in Arkansas. Thom discusses the drowning of New Orleans with Investigative Journalist and Author Greg Palast and how nuclear plants near fault lines need to be shut down immediately with Beyond Nuclear’s Paul Gunter. In tonight’s “Daily Take” Thom details his plan to end poverty by adopting the social welfare policies of Scandinavian countries.

We Need Publicly Funded Elections!

Most Libertarians Don't Know the Meaning of 'Libertarian'...

Busted...Mitch McConnell Kisses Koch Butt on Tape

Listen Live

Thom and Louise Hartmann founded the New England Salem Children's Village (NESCV) in New Hampshire in 1979. With states delaying payment for the children they entrust to the village, they need help with cash flow. Can you help? Now on Facebook.