Libertarians: The Secret Strength of the Immigration Reform Movement

Campus Progress, a "national organization that works with and for young people to promote progressive solutions to key political and social challenges," has published an online report about libertarian feelings about immigration.

...More and more, immigration is becoming a major issue among libertarians, who believe in smaller government and more personal freedom. Traditionally, libertarians are more open to immigration than both conservatives and liberals, explains Daniel Griswold, director of the Center for Trade Policy Studies at the libertarian research center the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. “Most libertarians are sympathetic toward immigration. They see human migration as a personal freedom. That’s in contrast to conservatives and Republicans."

...A majority of libertarians take issue with the fact that everyone suffers with certain kinds of immigration laws, like Arizona’s SB 1070 or housing regulations that target undocumented immigrants like Farmers Branch, Texas’ Ordinance No. 2592 [PDF]. Such laws can create a your-papers-please policy which place unnecessary burdens on residents and citizens.

"SB 1070 has a lot of un-libertarian characteristics," says Wes Benedict, executive director of the Libertarian National Committee. "It’s too much intrusion on privacy. We’re taking away too many rights. It penalizes everyone when only a few people are breaking some law."

Allan Webster to run for Somerset County Sheriff

Official Press Release

After much thought and encouragement from law enforcement officials, business owners and community residents, I am officially announcing that I will be seeking the office of Sheriff for Somerset County. I will be filing the appropriate documents with the Election Board this week.

My forty years of public service and professional law enforcement experience will benefit the residents of Somerset County and assist me in organizing the Sheriff’s Department to become more efficient and professional. I am looking forward to meeting business owners and residents throughout the county over the next several months to discuss issues and share my goals for the next four years. Some of my goals include:

1. Obtaining grant funding to equip all of the Department’s vehicles with lap-top computers and in-car video systems
2. Improve the efficiency of the department to reduce the costs to taxpayers of Somerset County
3. Aggressive enforcement of drug crimes and seizure of drug dealer’s assets
4. Stabilize the Department by seeking competitive pay and
benefits for Sheriff’s Deputies

Growing up, I have fond memories of Somerset County, spending many summers with my aunt and uncle, Margaret and Linwood Mariner on their chicken farm in Rehobeth, Maryland. My father, Carpenter Webster was born on Deal Island and my grandfather Howard Webster’s home still stands on Osburn Webster Road on Deal Island. I live in Marion Station with my wife, Carol Ann of Crisfield, Maryland.

Catching up on Lower Shore Politics

Check out my latest article on Examiner.com concerning Liberty Movement candidates on the Lower Shor.

Libertarians pleased by ruling on gun rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 30, 2010

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

WASHINGTON - Following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on gun control in the McDonald v. Chicago case, Libertarian National Committee Chairman Mark Hinkle issued the following statement today:

"We are very pleased that the Supreme Court has ruled that the Second Amendment protects individuals from state governments wishing to violate their right to own handguns.

"Libertarians have always firmly supported the individual right of self-defense.

"Now there is some hope that Chicago's horrible violent crime problem can be reduced by law-abiding citizens who will now be able to deter and resist criminals. More guns = less crime.

"It is disturbing that four justices voted to uphold Chicago's gun ban. Their position is an attempt to pursue a policy goal from the bench, not to apply the Constitution -- and to make matters worse, it is a policy goal that would be very harmful to the people of Chicago, and potentially to everyone in America.

"This ruling follows the District of Columbia v. Heller ruling, which overturned D.C.'s ban on handguns. That case was originally brought by Dick Heller, Libertarian Party member and treasurer of the D.C. Libertarian Party.

"We hope that this ruling will lead to further court decisions that reduce the government's ability to infringe on gun rights with burdensome restrictions and red tape.

"Republicans and Democrats both deserve blame for violating gun rights. While Republicans often position themselves as Second Amendment defenders, it is worth noting major examples to the contrary:

"Republican 2008 presidential nominee John McCain received an F- rating from Gun Owners of America;

"Republican president George W. Bush supported a program called Project Safe Neighborhoods that sought to toughen and federalize prosecution of gun control laws;

"When he was running for Massachusetts Governor in 2002, Republican Mitt Romney said, 'We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them; I won't chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety.';

"In 1991, former Republican President Ronald Reagan announced his support for the Brady federal gun control bill."

The Libertarian candidate for New York Governor, Warren Redlich, has commented that the ruling will affect New York gun control laws. On June 28 Redlich wrote, "This landmark ruling will require New York State to take immediate action to amend its gun laws so they do not violate the constitution. It is a striking victory for gun owners and for anyone who believes in the fundamental rights the constitution provides."

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 and civil liberties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.
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June Letter to the Editor

This weekend is Independence Day; a day to remember what America is all about. It’s also what this campaign is all about.

My no-contributions, no-ads campaign probably looks naïve to the professional politicians, and we may not yet be to where people are disgusted enough to look at something really different, but I’m trying to establish a change in the way we do all this.

If you secretly want to run your neighbors’ lives, or want the government to take care of your every need, you’ll get a lot of what you want from both the Republicans and the Democrats as long as the money holds out – there will just be minor variations in how these things are done.

If you want to be left alone as much as possible to live YOUR life and spend YOUR earnings as you see fit and not have the government meddling (in YOUR name) in the affairs of other countries, then we need a change.

I won’t pretend I can make these changes alone in Congress. I believe, however, that we don’t need a Libertarian majority to accomplish a lot of the change we want. All we need is enough libertarians (actual party members or not) to block the intrusive and expensive schemes of the leadership of both larger parties and to send them the message that we want to live and let live – WITHIN OUR MEANS – and they need to honor OUR desires if they want to serve in Congress.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Davis, D.D.S.
Libertarian for Congress

MDLP Chair's Report

The Maryland Libertarian Party now has 15 candidates nominated for the November 2010 elections, including candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, 7 of the 8 US House races, 5 for the Maryland House of Delegates, 1 for Wicomico County Council, and 1 for Cecil County Board of Education.

This is the most candidates the party has ever run. And it may be the most ever run by a non-establishment party in Maryland in over 30 years.

Running candidates is a great way to get the Libertarian message out, find new members and activists, and build the party. It also forces the Democrats and Republicans to acknowledge our policies.

Further, with only 2 weeks to the Board of Elections filing deadline, several of our candidates have one-on-one races: Mike Calpino (Wicomico County Council 2nd), Justin Kinsey (MD Delegates 5b), and Shawn Quinn (MD Delegates 29c).

Bryan Walker (MD Delegates ) is in a race with 4 candidates for 3 positions, and no Republicans have currently filed to get on the ballot.

How can you help? Call talk shows and mention our candidates and their positions, and how they differ from the other candidates. Write letters-to-the-editor in your local paper about your local MDLP candidate.

When talking politics to your family, friends, and co-workers, make it a point to show how similar the Democrats and Republicans are to each other, and how Libertarians are the alternative to the 2-party political machine.

Are you willing to save $10 a week for the next 4 month and donate the money to our candidates? Perhaps $50 to our gubernatorial candidate, $50 to your congressional candidate, and $50 to a local Libertarian running for office.

Make sure you can work your local voting precinct on Election Day, Tuesday, 2 November, and support our candidates. Bring family and friends with you, if possible.

Let's build on our 2008 results, by doubling our federal candidates' vote percentages to 5-6%, and keep increasing them with each election. And while we may be lacking in resources, we also may have several local races in which the MDLP candidate will be the only opposition. What if we could win one or more of those races!

Robert Johnston III, Chairman, Maryland Libertarian Party