Category: LP National

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LP Press Release 2020.03.23

LP Press Release 2020.03.23

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for immediate release by the LNC on 03/23/2020

The Libertarian Party calls on the Republicans and Democrats to become aware of the tremendous changes Americans are dealing with in their lives, and to make a similar change in the way Congress operates.

Firstly, it is critical that Congress allow remote voting immediately. In the absence of a functioning congress, the Executive branch has too much power. With members of both the House and Senate stricken, the need is urgent and logical. There are no technical issues that could not be overcome.

Secondly, Congress must put aside it’s constant game of position and opposition and recognize when they put things into bills that their opponents cannot live with, that they are hurting the American people. Of course as Libertarians we’d prefer Congress stimulate the economy by removing regulations. We’d prefer Americans be given more money by telling them there’s no income tax this year. And we’d prefer the government completely get out of the process of handling the medical response, and let doctors and health care companies operate freely.

The Libertarian Party however recognizes that we cannot get the legislation we want passed in this political environment. And Republicans and Democrats must recognize the same political reality. Republicans and Democrats should meet with their separate bills, and then give the opposition a “line item veto” to reject the things they cannot live with.

It is clear that a majority of lawmakers of both parties and a majority of Americans support an emergency payment to every adult and extending the deadline for filing income taxes. Bringing a clean bill that did only those things to a vote would provide emergency relief to people, not bailouts to politically connected industries.

Whatever remains is the bill that can be passed today. It’s unclear what the best path forward is because our situation is changing daily. Yet Congress is in a unique situation where they can model a behavior they would like the citizens to repeat. When you cannot see how to get to the end of a problem, do the next right thing. A unified Congress passing the smaller things they can agree upon would be a message to the country that though we may not know how this will all turn out — we can make progress towards making things better.

The Libertarian Party calls on Republicans and Democrats to put aside the leveraging of the crisis for political gain, and to, for the sake of the American people, find the things they can agree upon and pass them immediately. The country doesn’t need monolithic legislation because the people know that nothing is going to be solved overnight. The people need to see that progress is being made. And the people should rightly despise the villains who absent getting their politically divisive agenda passed, will block any other legislation that will provide relief.

Daniel Fishman
Executive Director
The Libertarian Party
New Mexico LP Has Most Candidates for State Legislature of Any Third Party in 100 Years

New Mexico LP Has Most Candidates for State Legislature of Any Third Party in 100 Years

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originally published in the Libertarian Party website on 03/16/2020

by Bob Johnston on March 16, 2020
in News From Ballot Access News
on March 11, 2020:

The New Mexico Libertarian Party has 12 candidates for State House on its June primary ballot, and 6 candidates for State Senate. That is the highest number of legislative candidates that any party, other than the Democratic and Republican Parties, has had in New Mexico since the 1910’s decade.

Historically, New Mexico has not had vigorous third parties, relative to other western states.

“I have to thank our state legislature and governor for helping us recruit candidates, the arrogance displayed by passing “red flag” legislation that destroys due process (for their political enemies), and the glee with which a historic budget surplus was rapidly spent on crony projects while calling for new taxes in the same breath, provoked enough anger to motivate many libertarians to step up and run for office. ” said New Mexico LP chair Chris Luchini.

Click here if you are interested in running for office in 2020 as a Libertarian.
The Left and Right Attacked These Companies and Now Look Foolish

The Left and Right Attacked These Companies and Now Look Foolish

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released for distribution on 03/20/2020 by the Libertarian Party

While millions of Americans are practicing social distancing in a COVID-19 outbreak, delivery service companies like Amazon are right at our doorstep with food, supplies and necessities.

Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world. We are seeing community members from every city sharing vital information about grocery stores that are out of food or where those in need can find relief.

Libertarian activists like John Phillips took time off from work to distribute food in Decatur City, Iowa. He got the word out about this effort on Facebook.

Michael Heise from Pennsylvania placed this message on the door of every occupant in his building. He shared this message on Facebook and encouraged others to do the same.

Remember how presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren wanted to break up Amazon and Facebook? These companies which are vital in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and communicating critical information were under attack just a year ago.

Self-reliance today has improved by leaps and bounds with companies like Amazon and Facebook!

And it’s not just Democrats. Republicans like Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley have attempted to flex their power as law makers to regulate Big Tech.

We as Libertarians know big government will do more harm than good in these difficult times. You can read our recent press release here on how government red tape was a detriment as COVID-19 started to spread in America.

We are the party of solutions. We know when communities team up to provide mutual aid they can overcome great challenges.

We are looking forward to better days. We have big and bold visions in our future. Some of those include:

  • A Libertarian presidential candidate included on the general election debate stage
  • A Libertarian congressional caucus
  • Entire city councils with elected Libertarians (we already have a few!)
  • A society where people are encouraged and empowered to be self-sufficient

With your help, these days will be coming to us sooner.
The Hippocratic Oath of Government

The Hippocratic Oath of Government

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originally distributed by the Libertarian Party on 03/16/2020

The non-aggression principle is something Libertarians have embedded in our core philosophies. This fundamental value drives party members to pursue many different career paths that allow them to practice non-aggression freely and demonstrate genuine service amongst other human beings; Emergency responders, educators, nurses, scientists, physicians. Some are in the private sector and some are in public service, such as organization like the CDC. Whatever path these individuals choose to take in their career, they are all invested in the health and well-being of others. People who play these kinds of roles daily, who are on the front lines of human crises, are there because they want to help humanity thrive; they want to resolve crises and be part of the solution.

Check out a great recipe for hand sanitizer as you work to take care of yourself and others.

No matter where you sit on the spectrum of Libertarianism, we can all agree that there is no roll for government to play that should interfere with the helpers. Common sense and decency commands that big government get out of the way so that the helpers can get to the people who need it. Requiring CDC approval before allowing scientists and doctors to create tests to properly diagnose and treat people delays the response time, not only in treating patients, but also in understanding the radius of infections as they spread, putting more people in harms way. It should not be unrealistic for citizens to expect a Hippocratic Oath of Government.

As Libertarians, we do not ask for permission to be helpers; we roll up our sleeves and jump in as we act in the best interest of those who are in need at the moment. Libertarian Dr. Kyle Varner in Seattle, Washington, is treating those diagnosed in critical care. “It is pretty amazing the way bureaucratic red tape has kneecapped the private sector’s ability to respond,” Dr. Varner shared. While regulations are sold by big government politicians as a way to protect the public, they end up having unintended consequences that hurt the very people they’re meant to help.
Ballot Access Problem Hotline: COVID-19 is Affecting Ballot Access Drives Across the Country

Ballot Access Problem Hotline: COVID-19 is Affecting Ballot Access Drives Across the Country

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originally posted on the Libertarian Party website

COVID-19 is affecting ballot access drives across the country

The Libertarian party wants to hear about your ballot drive problems while petitioning. We’re looking for affidavits from

  • Petitioners who had to stop working because they were worried about their health.
  • Petitioners who found that people were unwilling to sign because of Corona fears
  • Voters who are unwilling to sign petitions because of health fears

Please help us by telling us your story going to https://www.lp.org/ballot-access-affidavits/.
LPNY Ballot Access Victory – Court invalidates “Public Finance Commission”!!!

LPNY Ballot Access Victory – Court invalidates “Public Finance Commission”!!!

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originally distributed by the Libertarian Party on 03/12/2020

COURT HANDS LPNY BALLOT ACCESS WIN!

Today, voters in New York were handed a huge victory in the fight for ballot access!

The New York Supreme Court on Thursday tossed out the law creating a commission that recommended the creation of a system of publicly financed campaigns, and with it the provisions making it harder for minor parties to get on the ballot.

https://nystateofpolitics.com/state-of-politics/new-york/ny-state-of-politics/2020/03/12/judge-tosses-public-financing-recommendations-

Justice Ralph Boniello wrote in the ruling the measure creating the panel is “an improper and unconstitutional delegation of legislative authority.”

We agree! Minor political parties in New York State, including the Libertarian Party, the Working Families Party, and the Green Party, would have needed to qualify for ballot access twice as often, with three times as many votes as previously required!

New York voters whose beliefs and priorities do not align with the two major parties would have been irreversibly disenfranchised. And $100 million of taxpayer money would have been handed to the Republican and the Democratic politicians. This is a huge victory for voter choice, government oversight, and the LPNY!

Make no mistake, King Andrew will appeal this decision. So we need to be ready to fight for our survival, yet again. We need your support more than ever!

In Liberty, and with sincerest thanks,

The Libertarian Party of New York

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Libertarian Press Release on COVID-19

Libertarian Press Release on COVID-19

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originally published in the Libertarian Party website

Libertarian Press Release on COVID-19

by Dan Fishman on March 10, 2020 in News

The Libertarian Party issued the following press release today

For Immediate Release
2020.03.10

Libertarian Party Statement on COVID-19 Outbreak

Across the United States, COVID-19 testing supplies are being rationed, resulting in patients being refused testing or experiencing long delays for test results. The result is that we have a diminished understanding of the extent and characteristics of the current pandemic, an impaired ability to slow the spread of the disease with contact tracing, and delayed diagnosis of the disease.

Because the CDC declared coronavirus to be a public health emergency, regulations were triggered that prevented hospitals and private lab companies from developing their own tests. Then, the CDC botched the rollout of the test that they developed, leaving doctors unable to properly diagnose and treat their patients.

“As a practicing hospitalist, I’m furious that my ability to test patients for this disease is curtailed due to CDC-imposed red tape,” said Dr. Kyle Varner, a physician from the state of Washington. “The result is that patients are waiting for extended periods of time for their testing results and experiencing isolation and discomfort, while doctors can only guess at the true extent of the pandemic in their communities.”

Public health authorities in the United States soak up billions of tax dollars per year, run entire federal and state agencies, and regularly lobby congress for more power and tax money. Yet, when the time comes for them to respond to a global pandemic that threatens hundreds of thousands of American lives, they let America down. The result will be that this pandemic will be far more deadly and disruptive than it could have otherwise been.

We may pay taxes to support these agencies and their bureaucrats, but that doesn’t mean we can rely on them to keep us safe or healthy. In fact, during this pandemic, they have been the single biggest obstacle to an effective and life-saving response to the crisis.

“South Korea is able to test 15,000 patients per day, and are even adding drive-through testing, all while American doctors have to ration tests and can’t even know they are infected because there are not enough working tests here,” said Nicholas Sarwark, chairman of the Libertarian National Committee. “Instead of allowing medical professionals to get working tests from wherever they can, government regulations stop healers from getting the tools they need to save American lives.”

The lesson for America is simple — while regulations are sold by big government politicians as a way to protect the public, they end up having unintended consequences that hurt the very people they’re meant to help.

“Libertarians want the government to do fewer things,” Sarwark said. “Not everyone agrees. However, we should all agree that the government needs to stop getting in the way of doctors and scientists who want to help and heal. First, do no harm.”

We cannot rely on the government or the CDC to protect us during this crisis — they’ve already proven they are incapable. Luckily, we don’t have to.

At least 12 pharmaceutical companies are developing treatments for COVID-19 infection. Multiple private companies are developing COVID-19 vaccines. Community groups across the country are mobilizing to provide support to their neighbors who may need to isolate themselves in response to the pandemic. Bill Gates is funding a home testing program in the Seattle area. Companies in affected areas are deploying telecommuting technology to facilitate physical distancing while minimizing the economic impact.

The Libertarian Party calls upon the CDC and FDA to stop obstructing the private sector’s response to the crisis, and upon the president to remove all import restrictions on coronavirus tests and to stop putting political considerations ahead of the American people. This is an emergency that bureaucrats are ill-equipped to address. Instead of drowning the private sector in red tape, the federal government should get out of the way and free the creative genius of America’s scientists and business people to tackle this emergency head-on.

Inquiries for either Dr. Kyle Varner or Chariman Nicholas Sarwark may be addressed to press@lp.org
The Libertarian Party Response to Government (New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo) Announcing State Hand Sanitizer

The Libertarian Party Response to Government (New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo) Announcing State Hand Sanitizer

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originally posted in the LP website
by Dan Fishman on March 9

Make your own hand sanitizer!

Be self reliant! Don’t wait for the government!

Ingredients (links included for example purposes only)

1/3 cup of Aloe Vera Gel
2/3rds cup of rubbing alcohol (at least 91%)

10 drops of one of the following (or mix and match) essential oils:

Tea Tree
Lavender
Rosemary
Lemon

Combine in bowl and whisk well!
15 Reasons to Vote Libertarian

15 Reasons to Vote Libertarian

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originally distributed by the Libertarian Party on 03/03/2020

SUPER TUESDAY 2020 HAS ARRIVED…

For 15 jurisdictions, today is your first chance to cast a vote in the 2020 presidential election. Of course, it’s not quite that easy if you are not supporting one of the two old parties. For Libertarians in these 14 states and American Samoa, the rules are not all the same. For some, participating in the primary will disqualify them from participating in their Libertarian convention process (heads up Texas, DO NOT VOTE IN THE PRIMARIES if you want to vote in your Libertarian convention). For other states, the convention process is done, and you can sit back today. (We’re talking about you Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee). Other states still have conventions coming up (so make sure you know the details, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Utah, Vermont and Virginia). Finally, some states do include Libertarians in the primaries and you can get out and vote today (hopefully you already knew this, California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Oklahoma).

Whether you are voting today, waiting for your state convention, or still trying to decide what to do, we’re here to help. In honor of the 15 different groups of voters trying to figure out what to do today, here are…

1. The Libertarian Party is the only anti-war party.

You cannot count on Democrats to end the wars — they have been every bit to blame as the Republicans. While in the midst of trying to impeach President Trump, a bi-partisan Congress approved a military budget of over $700 billion. Neither old party has any intention to ease up or end our military interactions. If you are ready for an America at Peace, it’s time to vote Libertarian.

2. The Libertarian Party is the only party committed to eliminating the national debt.

Republicans have long been considered the anti-debt party, but that can only be laughed at now. After eight years of calling out President Obama’s reckless spending and increased deficits, they have been silent and/or outright supportive of Trump’s explosive spending that has taken our national debt from $19 trillion to $23 trillion in three years. If an annual deficit of $1 trillion dollars is unacceptable to you, your best move is to vote Libertarian.

3. The only way to stop more government overreach is to vote for the Libertarian Party.

Increased taxation for “free” college is promised by the Democrats; tariffs (which are taxes) and bailouts are executed by Republicans. Both old parties are inching or running toward single-payer healthcare, more gun control and granting the executive branch more and more power. The only choice for those who care about personal and economic liberty, separate from the boot of big government, is the Libertarian party.

4. The only way to send a message to the ruling old parties is to vote for the Libertarian candidate.

Once again, the only alternative party that will be on every ballot in the 2020 general election is the Libertarian Party. A vote for Trump sends the message that nothing needs to change. A vote for any of the Democratic candidates likely to get the nomination is a message that nothing they do needs to change either. We currently have more people choosing not to vote for anyone than to pick one of the options the Rs or Ds serve up, and that does nothing to wake up these power-hungry politicians. If your hope is to see better candidates coming from any party, the only way to send that message is to scare those who rule over us by voting Libertarian.

5. Libertarian policies benefit everyone, and they get adopted the more voters show support for such things.

It seems hard to believe that the Democratic party was officially still against same-sex marriage less than a decade ago. The Libertarian Party has supported equal rights (and removing the government from marriage) since its founding in 1971. Both parties are still waffling on if people who chose to use cannabis for medical or recreational purposes should go to prison. Many states have changed their laws, while federally some lawmakers are looking to add vaping as a crime. The Libertarian party has supported individual liberty (and no victim, no crime) since its founding in 1971. The liberty movement does affect the public view of issues and eventually leads to better policies. If you want to see more Libertarian policies adopted by old party representatives, you show them that by voting Libertarian.

6. You don’t want to have to spend the next four years explaining why the dumpster fire you supported was not as bad as the dumpster fire someone else supported.

Voting for the lesser of two evils is still attaching your name to something evil. It sucks. Don’t do it. Vote Libertarian.

7. Because you “Support the Troops”.

Democrats and Republicans both like to act like they are moral patriots who value nothing more than the brave men and women who serve their county. Truth is, they are lying. If they really cared about the troops, they would never flippantly start a new war, they wouldn’t refuse to do their job to vote on military action, and they would certainly spend much more time talking about the 22 veterans a day who commit suicide. War is a failure on every level, and we fail our service men and women once they return home. Do you support the troops, really? So does the Libertarian Party.

8. Consistent Principles only exist in the Libertarian Party.

We already mentioned the Democrats’ evolution on rights for gay people only when it became politically beneficial to them. Republicans say they support your Second Amendment rights, until Trump says we need to limit that a bit. Both old parties jump around on which personal decisions they will allow and which they will criminalize. In their histories, the ruling parties have changed their principles drastically. The Libertarian Party platform has held consistent values of individual liberty since it was first written in 1971. Do you want to know that the party you support is going to hold to the values you supported them for? Your party is the Libertarian Party.

9. The Libertarian Party supports ending harmful election laws and opening up the ballot for other parties too.

Perhaps you feel that another party best represents your views, but they do not have ballot access. Republicans and Democrats write the very laws that keep alternative parties off the ballot or using all of their resources to get on the ballot. Libertarians believe the duopoly has to be defeated if we will ever see real and meaningful changes in this country. A vote for the Libertarian candidate is a vote for allowing more candidates and more parties of future ballots, and an end to the ruling parties ability to force you to choose between two terrible candidates.

10. The Libertarian Party is the most welcoming to immigrants and refugees.

If you believe children should never, ever be separated from their parents and held in government custody for crossing a political border, you can be sure that the Libertarian Party agrees with you. Democrats and Republicans will continue to argue over [minuscule] changes – the Libertarian Party will end this insane and dysfunction humanitarian crisis by legalizing the free movement of peaceful people.

11. Because you do not want to live in a {insert religion here} theocracy.

Libertarians believe that everyone should be able to hold faith and religion as important or irrelevant to their life as each chooses and that the government should never propose policies or laws based on the support or opposition of any religion.

12. To get money out of politics.

It’s funny how often you hear Democrats talk about getting money out of politics, while they promise to pay for college, healthcare, retirement, childcare, and on and on. That is every bit “money in politics” as corporations and lobbyists writing huge checks. Libertarians want to return the executive branch to the limits our Founders intended — that means removing the authority to make such false promises, either to special interest groups or the general public.

13. You support Free Speech — for everyone.

Both old parties will talk about their commitment to the First Amendment, but in practice, both have proven willingness to limit free speech that they do not appreciate or agree with. Libertarians believe that if you don’t support free speech for everyone then you don’t support free speech.

14. Reject Nationalism and Socialism with one vote.

There are two broken ideologies threatening liberty in our nation today, and they are coming from both major parties. Reject the inhumanities we know come from these authoritarian philosophies, and support liberty instead.

15. Libertarians do not seek power – they seek a world set free.

Republicans and Democrats continue to fight over which one best knows how you should live your life. Libertarians know that they best thing for individual humans is to be free to live their life without the approval of any political party.

Can you think of anymore? No matter which one of these reasons rings the truest for you, remember that when you go to vote. Even if you are not voting today, you can still cast a vote for liberty, fiscal responsibility, human rights, and integrity by supporting the party of principle. We are proud and honored to be the voice for freedom in America today.
Are you a Libertarian, or are you a Republican?

Are you a Libertarian, or are you a Republican?

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originally printed in in the Volume 50, Issue 1 of LP News
reprinted by permission

by Bob Johnston
LNC Staffer & LPMD State Chair

A month ago, a former Maryland Libertarian Party candidate called to let me know that he is going to run for the same race in 2020 as a Republican.

I thanked him for having the courtesy to let me know and asked him why he was planning on running as a Republican. He replied that he wanted to win.

I asked him why not run as a Democrat for that seat.

He sputtered incredulously, “Why would I do that?”

I said, “Because a Democrat has won that seat the last three elections, the last two by double digits.”

After a pause, he replied, “Well, I have a better chance of getting elected to the seat as a Republican than as a Libertarian”.

“True, but you still have much better shot getting elected as a Democrat”. Nonetheless, he still couldn’t fathom running as a Democrat.

The supposed affinity with the Republican Party is a problem the Libertarian Party has had for most of its history.

Part of the fault is on the Libertarian Party. For decades, the party has reached out mostly to disaffected conservatives, particularly on the issues of spending and gun rights. There has been a theme going around for years that the LP is a bunch of conservatives who like to smoke pot. In 2016, many Libertarians tried to position the party as one for “Never Trumpers.” Well, the Republican Party has sucked for a long time prior to Donald Trump getting elected president. The LP has done a poor job of reaching out to those who are anti-war, for civil liberties, against corporate welfare and for immigration. Further, former Libertarians running as Republicans give the GOP libertarians credibility they don’t deserve.

The other part of the problem is that Republican candidates love using libertarian rhetoric when running for office. Never mind that they never deliver. In 2000, Bill Clinton’s last year as president, the budget was $2 trillion and the debt around $5.5 trillion. The budget is now $4.4 trillion and the debt reaching $23 trillion, with a majority of the spending since the Clinton Administration written and passed by Republican-controlled US House members. They have been fully behind our aggressive foreign policy, where we have been mired in the Middle East for 16 years with no end in sight — a war that has cost over a trillion dollars, thousands of deaths and massive environmental destruction. Going back to Nixon, they have enforced the War on Drugs which has locked up countless nonviolent people and ruined their lives.

Some libertarian-ish people have been elected to Congress as Republicans, such as Rand Paul, Thomas Massie and Justin Amash. Rand Paul has come out and said he isn’t a libertarian, rather a “constitutional conservative.” While he has tried to push the Republican Party to limit our presence in our foreign wars and pushed for some changes to civil liberties, he is a full supporter of Donald Trump and has backed some of Trump’s un-libertarian legislation and appointments, such as Mike Pompeo. He recently tried to get the Republicans in Congress to pass a budget that would cut a whopping two percent in spending. He got no takers. And Amash was run out of the Republican Party for speaking out about Trump. Paul, Massie and Amash have had to fight their own party as much as they have the Democrats, and they haven’t made the Republican Party any more libertarian than it was prior to their getting elected.

When Rand’s father, Ron Paul, decided to run for Congress again in 1996 after being away for eight years, the GOP did everything they could to prevent him from getting reelected. They backed former Democrat-turned-Republican Greg Laughlin against Dr. Paul since the district was strongly Republican and the winner of the Republican primary would most likely win the general election. Then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush, along with his father, former President George H. W. Bush, both campaigned against Dr. Paul, as did then-Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Fortunately, Dr. Paul still won. In 2006, also in Texas, then-Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay resigned after winning the primary, due to ethics violations. It was too late for the Republicans to place another candidate on the ballot, thus there were only a Democrat and Bob Smither, a Libertarian appearing in the general election for that seat. Did the Republicans back the Libertarian? Of course not. They chose to get behind a write-in campaign for a Republican candidate. It didn’t work, and the Democrat won.

The Republican establishment would rather a Democrat win than a Libertarian.

The national GOP has made it extremely difficult for Libertarians to get on the ballot in partisan races in Arizona, has spent over a decade trying to keep us off of the ballot in Ohio, and recently the Republican-led Texas legislature passed a law requiring minor party candidates, such as ours, to pay expensive filing fees to get on the ballot — fees which will cost in the thousands to run for statewide office, and which few of our candidates can afford. Republicans (and Democrats) will do anything to prevent candidates who want to shrink government from winning elections.

Libertarianism isn’t conservative nor liberal, in the current sense of that term. To be a Libertarian means you are against the initiation of force or fraud to get what you want or feel needs to be done. Period.

Working for freedom can be a long, slow grind. It is quite possible that I won’t see a free society, or any significant shrinkage in government by the time I pass on. My time and efforts working for the cause through the Libertarian Party may not come to fruition. But I also know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I will never get a free society working through the Republican or Democrat parties.

Are you a Republican, or are you a Libertarian?

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