We Support A Non-Interventionist Foreign Policy!

February 16th, 2012

Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle: 

End Dangerous Sanctions Now; Peace Through Free Trade

 WASHINGTON - Libertarian National Committee Chair, Mark Hinkle, released the following statement today: 
"As relations with Iran deteriorate, President Barrack Obama and the Bipartisan Senate Committee are making things worse: inciting yet another war in the Middle East through economic sanctions.
"On February 2^nd,  2012 the Senate Banking Committee unanimously approved increased sanctions against Iran. Not willing to wait for a full Senate vote, President Obama increased sanctions by executive order on February 6^th. 
"The United States must stop meddling and return to our traditional libertarian foreign policy of free trade in order to give peace a chance in the Middle East. 
"Trade sanctions are proven failures. In the 1990s, Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton enforced trade sanctions against Iraq which led to the deaths of more than 100,000 innocent men, women and children. 
"Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, in an appearance on 60 Minutes in 1996, was asked about the child deaths from sanctions, and replied "I think this a very hard choice, but the price - we think the price is worth it." Albright's willingness to sacrifice Arab children to achieve US policy goals was broadcast throughout the Arab world and was cited by Osama Bin Laden as a key motivation for the 9/11 attacks. 
"Now the US government is doing the same thing to Iran, a country that not only has never attacked the United States, but has attacked no other country in over 200 years.
"Sanctions don't work. They unite the people of a country behind their political leaders, no matter how bad that leader may be. By meddling in foreign affairs, U.S. politicians turn foreign citizens - who support the United States - against us.
"Rather than repeat failed policies of past presidents, we must use the successful policies of those who kept us out of war.  Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson kept the United States out of the bloody French Revolution and allowed us to make peace with our archenemy, the British, by pursuing Free Trade and a noninterventionist foreign policy. 
"The Libertarian Party calls for removing all restrictions on trade. Free Trade is the best way to foster peace in the Middle East. 

###

GET INVOLVED:

Paid for by the Libertarian National Committee
2600 Virginia Ave, N.W. Suite 200, Washington D.C. 20037
Content not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

---

Libertarian Presidential Candidates

Dear fellow Libertarians,
Members of the Libertarian National Committee have been debating whether or not to list presidential candidates at our web site, and if we do, whether to qualify those who are posted.
There are good arguments for all sides.
Examples of reasons for listing Libertarian presidential candidates:

• To inform members and, in particular, delegates who must choose our nominee.
• To inform the media and the general voting public, some of whom will vote in primaries.
• To offset the lack of institutional and media support for Libertarian Party candidates.

Examples of reasons not to list presidential candidates:

• To screen out candidates who are not dedicated to advancing our libertarian agenda, or who actually oppose it.
• To exclude individuals who appear to be disingenuously using the LP.
• To disqualify candidates who are running for the nomination of more than one party.
• To avoid publicizing candidates whose presentation is viewed by most Libertarians as embarrassing or inappropriate for a presidential candidate and who could reflect badly on the party.

Many Libertarian National Committee members have struggled with the right approach to balancing these issues. Despite several attempts to come up with objective criteria, no ideal approach has yet been found. Some argue that the disclaimer now posted at LP.org is sufficient to demonstrate that listed candidates do not necessarily meet with the approval of the party and its members. (Note that candidates can still run for the Presidential nomination whether or not they are listed.)
An LNC motion to decide whether to entirely remove the list of candidates is currently pending.
What's your view? Vote today on how you think this delicate matter should be handled.
In Liberty,
Carla Howell
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 with a mission to give voters a choice for much less Big Government, much lower taxes, and much lower government spending. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership

From The Sunday February 5, 2012 Wichita Eagle Op-Ed

Market solutions best for Wichita

By Bob Weeks  www.wichitaliberty.org

In his State of the City address last week, Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer spoke on several topics that deserve discussion. As an example, several times he criticized those who act on “partisan agendas.” Partisan refers to following a party line, usually with a negative connotation.
But the Wichita City Council, even though it has four Republican members, almost always votes uniformly with Brewer (a Democrat). The only exception is Republican Michael O’Donnell. The other Republican members routinely vote in concert with the Democrats and liberals on the council.
Also, consider the many members of the business community who appeal to the city for subsidies and increased government intervention: Many of these are Republicans – c onservative Republicans, many have personally told me.
This describes a lack of partisanship. Those such as myself who frequently oppose the mayor and his policies are more accurately characterized not as acting along party lines, but as acting on their belief in economic freedom, free markets and limited government.
The mayor said that the city’s efforts had created “almost 1,000 jobs.” That’s just over one-half of 1 percent of Wichita’s labor force, a minuscule number that is dwarfed by the normal ebb and flow of other economic activity.
Still, the mayor’s plan, in his words, is: “We will incentivize new jobs.” But this active investor policy has produced only a small number of jobs, year after year. While the mayor repeatedly said that the city has been “courageous,” in reality, Wichita does about the same as other cities.
Art Hall, director of the Center for Applied Economics at the University of Kansas School of Business, makes a convincing case that Kansas needs to abandon its active investor approach to economic development, in which government decides which companies will receive special treatment through various forms of subsidy. This is the approach of Wichita, and according to the mayor’s vision, this plan is to be stepped up.
Hall cites research indicating that local officials believe they can influence local economies far more than evidence indicates. He also believes that we can break out of the bidding wars for large employers by employing a strategy of economic dynamism. Government would concentrate on the basics, building a platform where all businesses have a chance to thrive, instead of betting on just a few anointed winners as we currently do. This would truly distinguish Kansas and Wichita.
The mayor criticized those who “provide simplistic answers to very complicated challenges.” He may be referring to those like myself who, like Hall, advocate for free-market solutions. We are criticized for not having a plan for government to implement, but that’s precisely the point. Relying on economic freedom, free markets and limited government for jobs and prosperity means trusting in free people, the energy of decentralized innovation and spontaneous order. A government plan for economic development is the opposite of these principles.
We need business and political leaders in Wichita and Kansas who can see beyond the simplistic imagery of a groundbreaking ceremony and who can assess the effect of our failing economic development policies. Unfortunately, we don’t have many of these – and Brewer leads in the wrong direction, preferring crony capitalism and corporate welfare instead.
Bob Weeks runs the website Voice for Liberty in Wichita.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2012/02/05/2201900/market-solutions-best-for-wichita.html#storylink=cpy

From The Advocates For Self Government:

Ask Dr. Ruwart

Dr. Mary Ruwart is a leading expert in libertarian communication. In this column she offers short answers to real questions about libertarianism. To submit questions to Dr. Ruwart, see end of column.
 How Can We Help Vulnerable People?

QUESTION: How would libertarians handle these situations?

* An emotionally disturbed adult friend, family member or associate who seems to really need psychiatric care but won't get it? Who might be headed for self-destruction or hurting someone else?

* A child you know whose family is emotionally abusive/neglectful but is not breaking current child welfare laws?

MY SHORT ANSWER: What you are asking is how to help vulnerable people, who don’t always cooperate with their caregivers. The truth, sadly, is that some will “fall through the cracks” under any system of governance.
 Today, bureaucrats can take children from their parents with relatively little due process. I have received many horror stories from readers of this column about families destroyed by well-meaning social workers who felt that the children were poorly treated. The trauma experienced by the children, who were ripped from their families and rotated through multiple foster homes, sometimes makes such intervention a poor tradeoff.

In a libertarian society, a concerned adult, most often a member of the child’s extended family, would be most likely to notice abuse and appeal to a court for custody. The child’s preference would likely play a greater role in determining the outcome than it does today.

However, no system is perfect. The child may be intimidated by the parents into rejecting the overture of the concerned family member. When a victim does not cooperate, bringing aggressors to justice is always more difficult.

Similarly, an emotionally disturbed adult, who doesn’t realize that he or she needs guidance, cannot always be helped under any system of governance. If we give government and families more power to make involuntary commitments, many innocent people will be stripped of their freedom for political or financial gain. If we depend upon individuals to commit themselves, some will invariably refuse to do so and become a danger to themselves. No matter where the bar is set, some people will either fall through the cracks or be exploited.

People who are a physical threat to others would likely be required by a libertarian court to accept treatment as part of a restitution program. However, if they are simply a threat to themselves, the court might not have the grounds to make a forcible commitment. The families of the afflicted would either care for the loved one themselves, bring in professionals to assist them, or work with a charitable organization to provide treatment.

Of course, the marketplace and private service organizations sometime surprise us with their ingenuity. A free society is more likely to discover the cause of such afflictions and provide ingenious options that are not available today.

* * * * * * * *
Got questions?  Dr. Ruwart has answers! If you'd like answers to YOUR "tough questions" on libertarian issues, email Dr. Ruwart at: ruwart@theAdvocates.org

Due to volume, Dr. Ruwart can't personally acknowledge all emails. But we'll run the best questions and answers in upcoming issues.

Dr. Ruwart's previous Liberator Online answers are archived in searchable form.

Dr. Ruwart's outstanding book Healing Our World is available from the Advocates.

---

From Our Friend In Liberty, John Todd:

Tax Fairness for All Wichitans

-Vote- NO on February 28

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A CALL TO ACTION CAMPAIGN ORIENTATION!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

SPANGLES RESTAURANT

612 South Broadway (Meeting Room)

Wichita, Kansas 67202

Find out how you can help!

For additional information, please contact:

John Todd, campaign volunteer

john@johntodd.net (316) 312-7335 cell

or

Susan Estes, campaign volunteer

sestes@afphq.org (316) 681-4415

Paid for by Tax Fairness for All Wichitans, Kim Potochnik, Treasurer Dtwichita.com

Shameless!

For Immediate Release

Shameless, Free Infomercials for Two Guilty Parties

Obama's State of the Union and the Republican Response

“Sponsors of even the most embarrassing, inane and fraudulent infomercials have to pay for their own air time. They can’t force TV stations to run their ads for free by threatening to shut them down.

“Through the Federal Communications Commission and other government coercion, Democratic and Republican politicians run their shameless infomercials on prime time TV free of charge. Tonight’s infomercial hand-outs were the State of the Union address and the ‘opposition’ response.

“But wait, there’s more!

“Unlike Ginsu knives, hair spray for men, and ripped abs in 30 days, the Republican and Democratic infomercials have no redeeming social value.

WASHINGTON, DC – Mark Hinkle, Chair of Libertarian Party, continues with:

“Honest taxpayers realize you can’t spend more money than you earn. They know that the #1 problem in America today is Government Overspending.

“The SOTU and Republican Response infomercials are a grand dog-and-pony show aimed at distracting attention from the fact that Democratic and Republican politicians are equally guilty of driving government spending into the stratosphere.

•    “Both Democratic and Republican politicians initiated and supported bailouts.
•    “Both Democratic and Republican politicians initiated and supported mandates to buy medical insurance imposed on individuals and small businesses.
•    “Both Democratic and Republican politicians have voted for a laundry list of new and expanded government programs – keeping taxes high and driving our national debt to staggering sums that defy comprehension.

“President Barrack Obama blamed the administration of former President George W. Bush for driving up debt and high unemployment.

“In response, Republican Governor Mitch Daniels threw blame back on the president and on the Democrat-controlled Senate.

“Both are correct. Both Democratic and Republican politicians in Washington D.C. are responsible for causing today’s economic woes.

“Both Democratic and Republican politicians claim their policies ‘create jobs.’ But they do the opposite: they expand Big Government and thereby destroy private sector jobs. Democratic and Republican policies are crippling small businesses that create jobs.

“Democratic and Republicans politicians deliver the same policies:  High government spending, high taxes, burdensome regulations, endless foreign military intervention and violations of our personal liberty.

“Both Democratic and Republican politicians cater to Special Interest greed while dismissing the wants and needs of ordinary Americans.

“Today more voters than ever realize that Democratic and Republican politicians are players in the same game of Big Government. They differ only in the color of their red and blue jerseys.

“More voters than ever realize that Democratic and Republican politicians are equally responsible for destroying jobs, violating individual rights, and lowering the standard of living for Americans.

“The Libertarian Party offers voters a desperately-needed alternative. Since its founding 40 years ago, the Libertarian Party remains unwavering in its pursuit of liberty, free trade and small government.

“Whether Libertarians are running for U.S. House, the Senate or the White House, they reject the self-serving interests of Big Government Profiteers. Libertarians represent the silent majority of Americans who want a choice for much less government:
•    Huge and immediate reductions in taxes and government spending
•    Repeal of laws that violate individual freedom
•    An end to gunboat diplomacy and foreign political entanglements
•    Dismantling of government bureaucracies and red tape.

“Every vote cast for a Libertarian is a vote for much less government, personal freedom, and peace."

###

Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle and Executive Director Carla Howell are available for interviews or comment on the State of the Union and the Republican response. Please contact the Libertarian Party headquarters at 202-333-0008 between 9:00am and 5:00pm to arrange an interview.

The Libertarian Party was founded in 1971. It is America’s largest third party.

For more information about the Libertarian Party, visit http://announce.lp.org/t/89014/70997/90/5/.

---

Paid for by the Libertarian National Committee
2600 Virginia Ave, N.W. Suite 200, Washington D.C. 20037
Content not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

---

LP Monday Message

Dear Friend of Liberty,
When government spending cuts come up in conversation, Big Government Democrats and Republicans break out the scare tactics. They threaten to cut the services that voters care about most. Police and fire protection, schools, and road repairs are some of their tried-and-true favorites.
Big Government Democrats and Republicans try to scare voters into believing that these are the only areas of government that can be cut. “Give us your tax dollars, or granny dies.”

• Rather than raise the retirement age for government employees from 54 to 67 – the same age you retire with Social Security -- they threaten to raise the retirement age for Social Security recipients from 67 to 70.
• Rather than cancel wasteful and unnecessary government contracts for their Special Interest pals, they threaten to close national parks and ruin the family vacations of thousands of Americans.
• Rather than cut the budget of the destructive Federal Drug Administration (FDA), they raise the price of life-saving drugs for patients who have grown dependent on government.

The threats and manipulations used by Big Government Democrats and Republicans are cruel and self-serving.
The Libertarian approach to cutting government spending is humane and reasonable.
Libertarians propose cutting the least needed areas of government spending  first such as:

• Waste, pork, and bureaucracy
• Failed and unnecessary Big Government Programs
• Lush government employment packages and benefits.

Libertarians propose rolling back the most-needed services last – after getting government out of the way so that voluntary solutions can take their place.
That leaves more than enough money to protect our lives, liberty and property.
Vote against Big Government Democrat and Republican Merchants of Fear. Vote Libertarian.

###

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party with a mission to give voters a choice to downsize Big Government - humanely, greatly reduce taxes, and slash government spending. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can simply make a contribution .

GET INVOLVED:

---

Paid for by the Libertarian National Committee
2600 Virginia Ave, N.W. Suite 200, Washington D.C. 20037
Content not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

---