Privatize Wichita Roads?

From the Saturday April 30, 2011 edition of the Wichita Eagle, Letters To The Editor

New way to pay?

Should we pay for roads we don't use? Federal and state governments tax gasoline to fund public road maintenance. I haven't used federal highways in Connecticut. Even in the municipality I live in, I've yet to be on every road. Yet we all pay for roads we haven't used.
Rather than relying on gasoline taxes, California is discussing metered vehicle usage of roads, payable upon annual vehicle property taxes, because technology has increased fuel efficiency.
By purchasing and metering roads, private businesses could eliminate the burden of road maintenance for state and federal budgets. Multiple businesses owning private roads could charge usage rates. Through partnerships, there could be a singular monthly bill.
People might also organize a membership with annual dues, similar to a co-op in rural areas, based on the idea of grocery and gas card rewards.
Is it time to try something new?

RANDALL BATSON
Wichita


Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2011/04/30/1829217/letters-to-the-editor-on-gun-show.html#ixzz1L1oYN7V6

Live Free And Nullify!

Jury nullification plays a vital role in a healthy legal system. It allows people to vote their conscience and nullify bad laws, thus sending a strong message to legislators. This is how alcohol prohibition was overthrown. This is how marijuana prohibition will be overthrown.
On April 13, 2011, a jury in New Hampshire’s Grafton County Superior Court brought residents one step closer to this reality. Bob Constantine, a fifty-two year old man with a bushy white moustache and the slow gait of a man with bad hips, was charged on September 4, 2009 with two felonies for "Manufacturing a Controlled Substance," and one misdemeanor count of marijuana possession.

"I don't know how anyone could manufacture a plant, but that's what the RSA under chapter 318 of the law says," Mr. Constantine said in a blog post soon after his arrest. "In my case it could carry a sentence of up to 7 years in prison and a $100,000 fine for growing a plant. I know that well over 90% of people in my situation take the plea. That's what they want you to do. They just want you to bow down, tell them they're right, put your tail between your legs, and say, ‘Uncle.’ I almost did, but I can't. They offered me a very nice plea. You know they were going to give me 60 days, a small fine, all I needed to do was say, ‘Uncle.’ I almost did, but I couldn't do it. I would have had to live with myself for the rest of my life. I know what they're going to do to me is much greater that it would have been, but I'm a moral person, and I can't give in to something that's so wrong."

This principled individual chose to take the matter to trial, at great personal risk to himself. More than twenty local pro-liberty activists – many of whom do jury nullification outreach at New Hampshire courts on a regular basis – came to show their support. Outside, two cars with visible pro-jury-nullification posters were parked in front of the court house. People held signs saying: "7 Years For Gardening?" and "Good People Nullify Bad Laws."
On the first day, activists were forced through double security-theater proceedings, both at the main and court entrances. Bailiffs with handheld metal detectors refused to let in any cameras, cell phones or computers with cameras, by order of Judge Bornstein. Fortunately, a local activist, Jason Talley of Talley.TV had jumped through the necessary hoops and cameras were positioned in the courtroom, a round chamber with ornate wood panelling with recessed doors. Dropping from the ceiling was a giant round cement circle which looked like the cuff of a sleeve. I kept hoping a Monty-Pythonesque "Hand of God" would descend and smite the State.
During the three-day trial, Mr. Constantine represented himself, with a "public defender" at his side. In his eloquent opening statement, he appealed to the conscience of the jurors. During the trial, the persecutor – I mean, prosecutor, Melissa Pierce – made numerous objections – even objecting to the question "Do you believe in God?," which was especially galling since all witnesses swore an oath to God before testifying.
The trial was a text-book case of government overreach. "No victim, no crime" becomes more than a slogan when every single witness called by the state is – big surprise – a state employee. Three were undercover narcs who refused to testify on camera.
The entire case against Mr. Constantine hinged on an informant – cutely referred to by the prosecutor as a "concerned citizen." This is one of the most insidious aspects of the modern American legal system. It boils down to the state bribing one individual to roll on another in the hopes of some leniency for themselves.

So we have witnesses who are so proud of what they do professionally that they refuse to testify on camera. We have a snitch who pleads the fifth. We have objections to questions like "Do you believe in God?" But Mr. Constantine is on trial for growing a plant? He was also barred from mentioning anything about the medicinal benefits of marijuana. (Although he did manage to show the cover of a book entitled Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink? to the jury without objection.)
During his closing remarks, Mr. Constantine argued:

• Jurors are free to vote based on their conscience, and are the conscience of the community; they can vote not guilty if they feel the law is unjust, unfair, oppressive, or otherwise unacceptable;
• Jurors do not have to come to a unanimous decision; any number of jurors who have reached a firm decision do not have to go with the majority, rather, they can hang the jury for retrial, or
• Jurors can choose to convict for a lesser offence and/or a lesser punishment.

In the end, the jury did mostly the right thing: a hung jury on both felony counts, but they found Mr. Constantine guilty of misdemeanour possession. The judge sentenced him to 60 days and $1,000 fine, the same as the original plea deal.
What does this mean?
It means you should never take a plea (consider how much time and money the state wasted). It means the jury understood Mr. Constantine’s possible felony sentences were Draconian and they could not in good conscience convict. It means jury nullification is a crucial tool in the fight against tyranny. It means outreach work by organizations like NH Jury and the Fully Informed Jury Association are making an impact and changing people’s minds.
In addition, the New Hampshire’s Senate is currently considering a House Bill to expressly allow jury nullification to be mentioned during a trial (removing judicial discretion): "In all court proceedings the court shall instruct the jury of its right to judge the facts and the application of the law in relationship to the facts in controversy. The court shall permit the defendant or counsel for the defendant to explain this right to the jury." Next, I hope they introduce bills that define a crime as one with an actual human victim, and outlaw all plea offers.
Even though Mr. Constantine will be caged and fined, I chalk this up as a win. Whenever you encounter someone who has been called for jury duty, or someone who is being brutalized by the state for a victimless crime, tell them this story. Tell them about the brave jury that refused to convict. Tell them about the one man who said: "I'm a moral person, and I can't give in to something that's so wrong."

April 18, 2011

Carla Gericke [send her mail] is president of the Free State Project.

Copyright © 2011 by LewRockwell.com. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted

Birth Certificate Circus?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 27, 2011

Contact: Wes Benedict, Executive Director
E-mail: wes.benedict@lp.org
Phone: 202-333-0008 ext. 222

20 issues trump birth certificate circus

WASHINGTON - In the wake of the much-discussed release of President Obama's long-form birth certificate, Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle had this to say:

"Instead of wasting so much ink on this birther story, the press should be giving a lot more attention to the many real disasters of the Obama administration. The Libertarian Party recently released a list of '20 Obama problems, 20 Libertarian solutions.'

"Of course, President Obama and the Democrats in Congress are only part of the problem equation. The Republicans deserve an equal share of the blame, for their unwillingness to cut military spending or entitlements, their addiction to government programs like farm subsidies, and their big-spending compromise bills of December 2010 and April 2011.

"I wonder if Obama and the Republicans might just be conspiring to keep this birther stuff alive, to distract everyone from all the real problems they're causing. The president might have been worried that the birther talk was about to die down.

"When you consider that we're involved in three foreign wars, our entitlement state is crumbling, we have record-level spending and deficits, unemployment is high, and inflation is growing, the president's birth certificate seems less significant somehow.

"We need to be more focused on the fact that massive debt is driving our government toward bankruptcy -- something Republican birther Donald Trump would know a lot about.

"Nearly two years ago, one of our junior staffers mocked this very issue:

Socialized healthcare is on the horizon. The DHS, NSA, TSA police state is expanding, the Drug War is still being pursued by an arrogant, ignorant government and Obama is expanding the war in Afghanistan! Frankly we have got bigger problems to pursue than blogging endlessly about where the President was born.

"Hopefully Americans will worry less about long-form birth certificates, and more about thousand-page spending bills."

For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LP Executive Director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.

The LP is America's third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.

###

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

Not Dave's Top Ten List!

April 25, 2011

Dear Friend of Liberty,

We're a little over halfway through President Obama's term, and I wanted to send a reminder of the "top ten disasters" from his first year, plus ten newer problems, and how Libertarians would avoid or solve these problems.

1. Cash for Clunkers
The government should not try to dictate what vehicles people drive, or what mileage they get. This program paid people to destroy their cars and buy new higher-mileage cars. It wasted both money and natural resources. Libertarians would never have done this.

2. War escalation in Afghanistan
We would withdraw American forces from Afghanistan. President Obama has escalated the war.

3. Giant government health care expansion bill
Libertarians would return health care to the private sector and the free market, instead of repeatedly increasing the amount of government interference.

4. Post office loses money hand over fist
Libertarians would end the post office's monopoly, and allow competition and the free market to provide the mail services people demand.

5. Stimulus package
The key to a robust economy is shrinking government, not growing it. Libertarians don't believe in stimulus packages.

6. Expansion of "state secrets" doctrine
The president is not a dictator. Libertarians would not allow presidential actions to avoid judicial scrutiny.

7. Big increase in unemployment
High unemployment is mostly caused by government interference. Libertarians would let the free market work.

8. "Bailout" Geithner as Treasury Secretary
Libertarians would appoint someone who understands economics and the importance of free markets.

9. Skyrocketing federal spending
Libertarians would would make huge cuts, not increases, in government spending.

10. Huge federal deficits
Libertarians would cut government spending so much that deficits would disappear.


And here are ten new ones:

11. War in Libya
Libertarians want to end America's foreign wars, not start new ones.

12. Assassination doctrine
Libertarians would never claim that the president can assassinate American citizens just because he personally believes them to be terrorists.

13. Big-spending deals with Republicans
Last December, and again this month, President Obama and Republicans came together to keep federal spending huge this year. Massive defense spending, unemployment extensions, ethanol subsidies, etc. Libertarians would demand cuts in the current year, and we'd be happy to let the government shut down if our opponents refused.

14. Keeping Guantanamo open
Before he was elected, Obama promised to close Guantanamo Bay. He hasn't done it. Libertarians would shut it down.

15. Fed massively inflates fiat currency
With the support of President Obama and Treasury Secretary Geithner, the Federal Reserve has continued its massive inflation of the money supply. Libertarians wouldn't allow it -- in fact, we would end the Fed.

16. War on Poker
Less than two weeks ago, Obama's Justice Department decided to trample on the rights of millions of Americans by shutting down several online poker websites and indicting their executives. Libertarians believe that Americans have the right to gamble.

17. Patriot Act extensions
Obama has signed bills to extend the life of the Patriot Act, which violates the civil rights of Americans. Libertarians would refuse to renew it.

18. Sustaining warrantless wiretaps
As a candidate, Obama said he would end these violations started during the Bush administration. But apparently he lied. Warrantless wiretaps are still being used today. Libertarian would end them immediately.

19. Sustaining War in Iraq
As a candidate, Obama promised the Iraq War would be over by now. But there are still upwards of 50,000 American troops in Iraq. Libertarians would end that war and withdraw all of the troops.

20. Medical Marijuana raids
In October 2009, we sent a press release commending the Obama administration's new policy to end raids on medical marijuana providers. Unfortunately, they were lying. The feds have continued to raid medical marijuana providers. Libertarians would completely end the tragic and destructive War on Drugs.

Sincerely,

Wes Benedict
Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

From Our Friend John Todd

Calendar of Events for your consideration:

 

 

Friday, April 22, 2011; Dr. Russell Arben Fox, Associate Professor of Political Science will present, “The History and Legacy of Kansas Populism” at the Wichita Pachyderm Club luncheon meeting.  The Wichita Pachyderm Club meets at 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on the 9^th floor of the Petroleum Club in the Bank of America Building, 100 N. Broadway, Wichita, Kansas.  The meeting cost is $10.00 and includes a buffet luncheon. You are invited to attend.

Saturday, April 23, 2011; The South-Central Kansas Legislative Delegation is holding a final public forum this Saturday, April 23, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Wichita State University Metroplex located at 29^th and North Oliver.  In the upcoming veto session, legislators must resolve a huge gap in the proposed budget during a year of declining state revenues.  This meeting provides an important opportunity for much-needed citizens input with our local legislative delegation regarding these budgetary issues.  The veto session starts in Topeka on April 27, 2011. 

Wednesday, April 27, 2011; Kansas Policy Institute (KPI) hosts a Kansas Public Employees Retirement Plan (KPERS) discussion with Dr. Barry Poulson, a KPI scholar who has worked with AFP and the Heritage Foundation.  The breakfast event starts at 8:00 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Wichita.  Cost is $25 per person.  RSVP is Required: james.franko@kansaspolicy.org or (316) 634-0218 by Monday, April 25th.  Here is a link to Poulson’s recent paper:

http://www.kansaspolicy.org/researchcenters/budgetandspending/budgetandspendingstudies/d71799.aspx?type=view

 

Thursday, April 28, 2011; The Wichita Chapter of Americans for Prosperity—Kansas invites you to join us for a Chartered Bus trip from Wichita to Topeka to participate in the “Not Yours To Give Rally” on the South Statehouse lawn.  There is no registration fee; however, RSVP Reservations are required for the bus.  The chartered bus is being provided by AFP—KS.  Donations to offset the cost of the bus are welcomed, plus you may wish to contribute an optional gratuity fee to the bus driver.  For additional information or to RSVP for a seat on the bus, please contact: John Todd, john@johntodd.net or by phone at (316) 312-7335 or Susan Estes, soestes@gmail.com or by phone at (316) 734-5861.  Attached is a flyer with details on time/place for the bus.  Please join us for this important rally at the Capitol! Your RSVP to reserve a seat on the bus is important.  Please be sure to invite your friends to join you!  

  

Friday, April 29, 2011; Dr. Ken Ciboski, Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University will present, “American Exceptionalism:  How and Why Are We Different From Europe?” at the Wichita Pachyderm Club luncheon meeting.  The Wichita Pachyderm Club meets at 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on the 9^th floor of the Petroleum Club in the Bank of America Building, 100 N. Broadway, Wichita, Kansas.  The meeting cost is $10.00 and includes a buffet luncheon. You are invited to attend.

Friday, May 6, 2011; Dr. Malcolm C. Harris, Sr., Professor of Finance at Wichita State University will present, “Shale gas:  Our Energy Future?” at the Wichita Pachyderm Club luncheon meeting.  The Wichita Pachyderm Club meets at 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on the 9^th floor of the Petroleum Club in the Bank of America Building, 100 N. Broadway, Wichita, Kansas.  The meeting cost is $10.00 and includes a buffet luncheon. You are invited to attend.

 

 

Monday, May 9, 2011; Americans For Prosperity Foundation is sponsoring a DVD presentation of the Ludgwig von Mises Institute’s series of interviews with Austrian economists based on Henry Hazlitt’s book: “Economics in One Lesson”.  The meeting will be held at the Alford Branch, Wichita Public Library, 3447 S. Meridian, Wichita, Kansas from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.  Group discussion will follow the videos.  Attached is a flyer with specifics on the event.  There is no charge for this event.  Please invite your friends to join you for this informative program that will be followed by a lively group discussion. 

--
John R. Todd
john@johntodd.net
1559 Payne
Wichita, Kansas 67203
(316) 312-7335 cell

Poker Faces!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 20, 2011

Contact: Wes Benedict, Executive Director
E-mail: wes.benedict@lp.org
Phone: 202-333-0008 ext. 222

Libertarians speak against Obama's War on Poker

WASHINGTON - Following the Obama administration Justice Department's April 15 shutdown of three online poker sites and indictment of their executives, Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle said, "The Obama administration has just trampled on the rights of millions of Americans."

Hinkle continued, "This is also a scary reminder of President Obama's vision of a government with the power to shut down websites it doesn't like, before a trial has even started.

"Even worse, shutting down this peaceful, honest commerce further weakens our economy.

"We Libertarians believe that adults have the right to gamble with their own money. Government has no business interfering. The Obama administration should drop these charges and restore the websites. Congress should repeal the laws that prohibit gambling, whatever the format."

The Los Angeles Times recently reported on the crackdown.

The following are planks from the Libertarian Party platform:

1.0 Personal Liberty
Individuals should be free to make choices for themselves and to accept responsibility for the consequences of the choices they make. No individual, group, or government may initiate force against any other individual, group, or government. Our support of an individual's right to make choices in life does not mean that we necessarily approve or disapprove of those choices.

2.0 Economic Liberty
Libertarians want all members of society to have abundant opportunities to achieve economic success. A free and competitive market allocates resources in the most efficient manner. Each person has the right to offer goods and services to others on the free market. The only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. All efforts by government to redistribute wealth, or to control or manage trade, are improper in a free society.

For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LP Executive Director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.

The LP is America's third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.

###

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

(Not So) Happy Tax Day!

LSOCK Blog Editors Note: And to think that the Colonists revolted against the
British Empire for what amounted to a 1% tax!

April 18, 2011

Dear Friend of Liberty,

Today is Tax Day.

Rather than procrastinate by filing my taxes at the last minute, I filed for my extension several days ago.

I find the whole process of tracking, organizing and reporting tax information to be such an unpleasant task. It's not just the labor that goes into it, but the knowledge that the government uses financial levers to manipulate my behavior and complicate my life, as well as take my resources and squander them on wars and government programs that should not exist.

Despite the huge amount of taxes that you and I pay every year (not to mention all the time and expense of filling out the paperwork), the government is still going to run a deficit of somewhere around $1.5 trillion this year. Yes, that's trillion with a T. How is that possible?

It's possible because Republicans and Democrats keep cooperating to spend more, and more, and more money. They just did it again last week when they passed a huge spending bill. They claimed it cut spending, but according to the government bean counters, it will actually increase spending this year by $3 billion. Even when they "cut," spending goes up!

The situation has gotten so bad that the Standard and Poor's rating agency just downgraded its outlook for U.S. Treasury debt from "stable" to "negative"! That's not good!

I have a feeling that Republicans and Democrats are going to join together again this year to raise taxes. They will probably try to disguise it somehow (like "getting rid of loopholes"), but I bet that's what will happen.

That's why it's so important for the Libertarian Party to be on the scene, constantly letting people know what's really going on. We called out the Republicans and Democrats for their bad bargain last week, and we'll be there to cry "foul" when they try to raise taxes. The more support we get from you, the louder our voice will be.

Thanks for your interest and support for the Libertarian Party.

Sincerely,

Wes Benedict
Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

From The Good Doctor:

The Ten Principles of a Free Society

by Ron Paul

Recently by Ron Paul: Another Illegal Killerthon

This is the Appendix to Ron Paul's new book, Liberty Defined.

1. Rights belong to individuals, not groups; they derive from our nature and can neither be granted nor taken away by government.
2. All peaceful, voluntary economic and social associations are permitted; consent is the basis of the social and economic order.
3. Justly acquired property is privately owned by individuals and voluntary groups, and this ownership cannot be arbitrarily voided by governments.
4. Government may not redistribute private wealth or grant special privileges to any individual or group.
5. Individuals are responsible for their own actions; government cannot and should not protect us from ourselves.
6. Government may not claim the monopoly over a people's money and governments must never engage in official counterfeiting, even in the name of macroeconomic stability.
7. Aggressive wars, even when called preventative, and even when they pertain only to trade relations, are forbidden.
8. Jury nullification, that is, the right of jurors to judge the law as well as the facts, is a right of the people and the courtroom norm.
9. All forms of involuntary servitude are prohibited, not only slavery but also conscription, forced association, and forced welfare distribution.
10. Government must obey the law that it expects other people to obey and thereby must never use force to mold behavior, manipulate social outcomes, manage the economy, or tell other countries how to behave.

See the Ron Paul File

April 7, 2011

Dr. Ron Paul is a Republican member of Congress from Texas.
© 2011 FREE, Inc.

The Best of Ron Paul

Clobbering The American Taxpayer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 15, 2011

Contact: Wes Benedict, Executive Director
E-mail: wes.benedict@lp.org
Phone: 202-333-0008 ext. 222

Libertarians call spending compromise "travesty"

WASHINGTON - Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict issued the following statement today:

"Just in time for Tax Day, the Republicans and Democrats in Congress have joined hands to clobber American taxpayers.

"According to the Associated Press, the 2011 spending compromise will 'cut federal outlays from non-war accounts by just $352 million through Sept. 30....When war funding is factored in the legislation would actually increase total federal outlays by $3.3 billion relative to current levels.'

"This is happening at a time when federal spending and deficits are at unprecedented high levels. Federal spending this year is expected to be about 5 percent higher than last year. This is a travesty.

"In 2000 under Bill Clinton, federal spending was $1.79 trillion. This year it's expected to be at least $3.63 trillion.

"Neither Democrats nor Republicans have made any serious proposals to change the course of the federal government. In particular, both President Obama's and Congressman Ryan's 2012 budget proposals are absurd. I fear that America will soon be overtaken by events. Inflation, high interest rates, high unemployment, and probably other unforeseen problems will start to force everyone's hand. One way or another, people aren't going to get what they have been led to expect.

"Unless American voters stop supporting Republicans and Democrats very soon, and start supporting Libertarians and Libertarian policies, I believe our future, and the future of our children and grandchildren, will be bleak."

The Cato Institute has produced a short video about the bill, "Obama/Boehner's Phony Spending Cuts."

For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LP Executive Director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.

The LP is America's third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.

###

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets and civil liberties. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

Congratulations Councilman Gray!

April 11, 2011

Dear Friend of Liberty,

Since the beginning of March, we've had eight Libertarians elected or re-elected to office.

Two of the most prominent winners were Andrew Gray, who was just elected to the city council of Topeka, Kansas, and Doug Burlison, who was just re-elected to the city council of Springfield, Missouri.

See our entire list here. If you know of a Libertarian serving in elected office who is not listed, please let us know.

Most of the people on that list were Libertarians before they ran for office, but sometimes people already elected to office are willing to join the Libertarian Party. If you know of an elected official who might be willing to join the Libertarian Party, please forward this message to the official and ask him or her to contact me.

While most states have partisan races in even-numbered years, at least five states have major partisan races in 2011: Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia. If you are in one of those states, I especially hope you'll consider running for office. (Of course, I also want to see Libertarians running for partisan and nonpartisan offices everywhere.)

Visit this page to sign up.

Our current list of candidates for 2011 is here.

Libertarians who get elected to local offices are able to implement libertarian policies directly. We also want candidates running for offices that may not be feasible to win now, to challenge the big-government policies of the Republicans and Democrats and to promote liberty. Running for office amplifies your voice a thousandfold.

Sincerely,

Wes Benedict
Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

The Left Hates The Kochtopus!

 

Anti-Koch campaign shows liberal conceit

By E. Thomas McClanahan

Kansas City Star

Wichita has a big energy and industrial conglomerate run by a pair of right-wing robber barons named David and Charles Koch. Every morning they get up and do their best to bring down the federal government, pump gunk into the environment and add to their pile of filthy money. They're even global-warming skeptics. Can you believe it?
That's the narrative being peddled by the left in recent weeks about the Koch brothers and their various enterprises, Koch Industries.
The two brothers do make an inviting target. They're billionaires. They shovel money into right-wing causes. In the eyes of the environmental left, their privately held energy and industrial businesses are the epitome of everything that's wrong with our wasteful, destructive modern economy.
The smearing of the Kochs, unfortunately, is how the game is played these days.
Not too long ago, the website ThinkProgress started digging into the Kochs' activities and found out they funded Americans for Prosperity, a group that helped get tea parties going.
Next thing you know, protesters started showing up at Koch-sponsored events such as a gathering of conservative political donors in California earlier this year. Demonstrators waved signs saying "Koch Kills" and "Uncloak the Kochs," as if over the several decades of their political involvement they had tried to hide their activities — despite public appearances and speeches and donation reports on foundation websites.
A New Yorker hit piece on the Kochs last August perfectly captured this vibe with its headline: "Covert Operations."
What's interesting is that many of the anti-Koch groups are working the other side of the same street: They are getting behind-the-scenes money from a billionaire, too, except that their rich dude is a good guy, a man of the left: George Soros.
The sudden attention to the Kochs can be seen as one byproduct of Obama's election and the issue mix he has pursued. Before Obama, the Kochs operated in relative obscurity in part because they are libertarians, a relatively narrow slice of the ideological spectrum.
But an agenda suddenly dominated by issues such as health care and "cap-and-trade" triggered visceral opposition from the entire right wing: economic conservatives, social conservatives, small-government advocates and libertarians such as the Kochs.
After Obama, the fissures dividing the normally fractious world of right-wing politics all but vanished, and the Kochs were suddenly important players in a united coalition.
In some respects, the Kochs make unlikely media villains. From what I read, they blame the Republicans as much as the Democrats for our bloated government. They favor gay marriage, drug legalization, a smaller defense budget and fewer U.S. foreign adventures.
And they seem to be good employers, judging by a recent piece by United Steelworkers vice president Jon Geenen, who opposed plans for a boycott of Koch products.
The Kochs own Georgia Pacific and, according to Geenen, its plants use advanced manufacturing technology, its workers are well-paid, and it has "positive and productive collective-bargaining relationships with its unions."
What you see in the campaign against the Kochs is the left once again acting out its conceit that its positions automatically define morality. "Our billionaire money is good, yours is tainted."

E. Thomas McClanahan is a columnist for the Kansas City Star.

Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2011/04/09/1800479/anti-koch-campaign-shows-liberal.html#ixzz1J4mCvELq

Shut It Down, Baby!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 8, 2011

Contact: Wes Benedict, Executive Director
E-mail: wes.benedict@lp.org
Phone: 202-333-0008 ext. 222

Libertarians call for permanent government shutdown

WASHINGTON - As elected officials put on a dog-and-pony media show about a temporary shutdown of small parts of the federal government, the Libertarian Party calls for a permanent shutdown of most of the federal government.

Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict said, "Just think how a permanent government shutdown would allow so many Americans to regain the blessings of liberty.

"Education would blossom as the Department of Education ended its War on Learning, no longer wasting our money and preventing educational innovation with one-size-fits-all centralized mandates.

"Job opportunities at companies big and small would multiply, providing opportunity and choice for American workers.

"The world would enjoy peace as we withdrew our forces from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. Our government spends almost as much on the military as the rest of the world combined. Millions of industrious men and women who work for the military and its contractors could be focusing on building up our economy, rather than tearing down others'.

"Crime would plummet as the government's War on Drugs ended, no longer sustaining a giant violent black market and overfilling our prisons.

"The life of many poorer Americans would improve as welfare programs stopped, no longer trapping low-income families in an endless cycle of government dependency.

"All Americans would feel a huge burden lifted every April, as they were no longer required to wrestle with a byzantine and oppressive IRS.

"But most importantly, Americans would once again be free of unjust and unconstitutional violations of their unalienable rights."

Benedict added, "We're not talking about eliminating the federal government. We want to end all federal activities that are not authorized by the Constitution, and we want to cut everything else as much as we can. In 2000, the federal government spent $1.8 trillion. This year it's expected to spend $3.8 trillion. Things are going the wrong way -- fast."

For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LP Executive Director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.

The LP is America's third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.

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P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets and civil liberties. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

GET INVOLVED:

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A Huge Milestone In LPKS History Was Met Yesterday!

LSOCK NEWS Alert! April 6, 2011

LPKS State Chair Andrew Gray has won election to the Topeka City Council!

Andrew Gray won 63% of the vote for Topeka City Council, District 8 yesterday. He beat out an incumbent councilman to take the seat.

The election was non-partisan so the Libertarian label was not on the ballot but Andrew is widely known as a Libertarian in the Topeka area from his activism and support for the effort to petition and get repeal of Topeka’s smoking ban on the ballot two years ago (which failed to get enough signatures to put the issue to the voters), his involvement with Open Carry Topeka, a 2^nd Amendment rights organization and his campaign for Kansas Governor last year.

This is a happy day for Kansas Libertarians! It shows that we can win elections and make a difference.

It should spur even greater interest in our Party and philosophy and attract more activists and voters to the LPKS.

We should all thank Andrew Gray for his efforts to promote Liberty and the LP!

For Liberty,

Steven A. Rosile                                                                                               Editor, LSOCK News

PS, I am including the contents of the LSOCK NEWS Alert! from April 4 that gives details of our upcoming 2011 Annual Meeting/Convention below. Hope to see you all there.

Hello everyone,

This Alert! is to inform you that the correct date of the Libertarian Party of Kansas Annual Meeting/Convention is Sunday, April 17. It was correctly listed in State Chair Andrew Gray’s letter (reproduced below) but I misstated the date in the table of contents and article heading.

If you would like to go but need a ride or plan to go and can offer a ride to others please contact me by replying to this Alert! or emailing me at http://www.blogger.com/

For Liberty,

Steven A. Rosile

Editor, LSOCK News

           Kansas State LP Convention Sunday, April 17

The time has arrived for the annual convention for the Libertarian Party of Kansas. It will be held Sunday April 17th 2011 from 8:30-3:30 at the Big Gage Shelter House. It is the building located in the same parking lot of the Topeka Zoo and where the 2010 state convention was held.

 We welcome all to attend the convention of the fastest growing political party in Kansas. We are the Party that believes and practices that every voice is just as equal as any other. You can have a voice and it will be listened to. Below are items that will be dealt with at this years convention with more if the needs arise.

1) Opening Remarks - I will be discussing the growth and activity of our Party within the last year including the races of last November. We will also be discussing our future plans as well. It will be followed by a question and answer period.

2) The incredible progress made by the creation and implementation of the Kansas Education Liberty Act (KELA). It will be moderated by Vice Chair Al Terwelp and Policy Researcher Stacey Davis.

3) It has been a number of years since our state platform has been updated. As with all political thoughts and actions ours is need to be evolving. The Platform Committee will be discussing the recommended changes to adjust to the current times and to maintain our integrity. The recommended changes will be voted upon by those in attendance and other suggestions will be taken from those in attendance. The suggestions can be made by anyone in attendance but can only be voted upon by those who are registered Libertarians.

4) The last item will be the election of Party officers. All the positions of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Coordinators for Congressional Districts of 1, 2, 3, 4 will be up for election. The only position not for election is Policy Researcher which is an appointed position. Anyone who is a registered Libertarian can run for the positions of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary or Treasurer. A person must reside in the Congressional District to be considered for election. Please send all considerations for elections to Mike Kerner at Secretary@lpks.org. You may also made your intentions known at the convention itself.

If you have any other questions feel free to email me at Chair@lpks.org or call me at 785.231.4367.

Andrew P. Gray
Chair - Libertarian Party of Kansas       

GOP Sucker Punch?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 5, 2011

Contact: Wes Benedict, Executive Director
E-mail: wes.benedict@lp.org
Phone: 202-333-0008 ext. 222

Libertarians say Paul Ryan is worse than Bill Clinton

WASHINGTON - In response to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's new budget proposal, Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle issued the following statement today:

"Americans hoping to get real about our national debt just got sucker-punched by Republican Paul Ryan.

"Republicans want to spend $40 trillion over ten years. That averages a staggering $4 trillion per year. As recently as 2000, federal spending was only about $1.8 trillion.

"They also want to increase the federal debt from $15.0 trillion to $23.1 trillion. I hope our children and grandchildren enjoy paying interest on that extra $8.1 trillion.

"People should not judge the quality of this Republican plan by the standard President Obama has set. Everyone knows Obama is a big spender. Democrats rarely campaign on cutting government. What this budget shows is, Republicans are hypocrites. They have no intention of cutting the federal government down to size. In 2021, Paul Ryan still wants the feds to be spending 19.9% of GDP. That's a higher percentage than during Democrat Bill Clinton's second term. In 1997, federal spending was 19.5% of GDP, and it dropped to 18.2% by 2000. Paul Ryan is worse than Bill Clinton.

"Another unfortunate but predictable thing about Paul Ryan's budget is that it continues to mollycoddle the Pentagon. Paul Ryan is the Military-Industrial Complex's best friend. He apparently can't find one penny to cut from Obama's bloated levels of military spending. Only a big-government Republican could come up with language like 'reinvesting $100 billion in higher military priorities.'

"It's interesting that when the Republicans controlled both houses of Congress and the White House from 2001-2006, they did nothing to shrink government, or even slow down government growth. On the contrary, back then, Paul Ryan was busy voting for expensive foreign wars, No Child Left Behind, and the huge 2003 Medicare expansion. More recently he's voted for the TARP bailouts and even ethanol subsidies.

"We Libertarians propose eliminating federal functions that are not authorized in the Constitution. Furthermore, Libertarians propose ending foreign wars and foreign troop deployments, allowing huge cuts in military spending. Libertarians would cut the federal government down to less than 10% of GDP, and we'd keep cutting once we got there."

For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LP Executive Director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.

The LP is America's third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.

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P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets and civil liberties. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

What Does It Mean To Be A Libertarian?

April 4, 2011

Dear Friend of Liberty,

John Stossel, the famous reporter from "20/20," now has his own show on Fox Business. He recently taped a show at the International Students For Liberty Conference at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Here's a quote from the segment, "What Does it Mean to Be a Libertarian?", as Stossel speaks to the students:

"I went to Princeton in 1969 where they taught me that there were problems in the world and now we had figured out that the answers were in government, because you could get the smartest people in one room and they could figure out a solution, and all they had to do was take money from rich people and share it with the poor and we'd fix poverty. And that's just what all my professors said and what we all believed. And I'm curious how you, at your young age, figured out, far quicker than I did, how that doesn't work."

You can view the video here.

Another segment from the show is called, "Where did the Anti-War movement go?"

I agree with Stossel, it's great to see so many students displaying an interest in and understanding of libertarianism.

John Stossel is not a member of the Libertarian Party. (We'd love to have him, but I presume it would conflict with his work.) However, I think he does a great job explaining libertarian principles to the public.

In addition to the Stossel video above, this video from Harvard Professor Jeffrey Miron is an excellent brief explanation.

I hope you'll share these videos with friends and acquaintances who might be interested.

Sincerely,

Wes Benedict
Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

April Fool's!

Libertarians praise Congress on April Fool's Day
WASHINGTON - The Libertarian Party congratulates Congress for passing a budget that makes serious cuts in federal government spending, including the following:

1. Eliminating Department of Education programs, saving taxpayers more than $40 billion each year.
2. Getting rid of farm subsidies, saving over $20 billion each year.
3. Ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as many other overseas deployments, saving over $100 billion annually.
4. Eliminating programs and subsidies in the Department of Transportation, saving about $80 billion annually.
5. Terminating federal housing subsidies, saving about $45 billion each year.
6. Giving overpaid federal employees a 10% cut in compensation, saving $30 billion annually.
7. Throwing out federal energy subsidies, saving $20 billion annually.
8. Reducing and reforming Medicare and Medicaid, saving about $100 billion a year for the next ten years.
9. Ending the federal War on Drugs, saving $15 billion annually.
10. Phasing out mandatory Social Security, and reducing the rate of benefit growth to save $40 billion a year by 2020.

"April Fool's!" cried Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict. "Congress hasn't done any of those things. Congress is causing the federal government to keep growing rapidly. And don't be fooled by the recent hype about Republican proposals for 'cuts.' Those 'cuts' are so small and so peripheral, that even if they pass, they won't have any effect on the fiscal catastrophe facing our children and grandchildren. Republicans and Democrats continue to link arms and keep our federal government huge and growing."

Benedict continued, "We got that list of items from a Cato Institute advertisement that ran in several major news outlets today. Of course, we wish Congress would cut all those things, but we know Republicans and Democrats won't do it."

The Libertarian Party platform calls for major reductions in the size and scope of government.