Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"The Federal Government should not be subsidizing anything. American companies need to sink or swim based on their abilities. When the government subsidizes business, it interferes with the free market. This confers an unfair advantage to certain businesses or industries and interferes with competition, ultimately hurting consumers.



This also burdens the taxpayer who ends up paying twice for goods or services. Firstly when their tax dollars are given to a business, and secondly when they purchase a product. This also puts the government in the position of choosing winners and losers in the marketplace. This is not a legitimate function of our government and must be ended immediately.



I say let American consumers decide which products and/or services will flourish, not the government."

H. Gavin Shickle

Candidate for U.S Congress, 5th District

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"We need to end the war on drugs. Those who want to use are already using. We are just creating a black market which creates crime. If we end the war on drugs we could save over $13 billion dollars. As a cavat I would add that the same liberty that give a person the right to use drugs also give an employer the right to drug test and fire anyone who test positive for drugs. An employer has the right to conditions for a contract for employment."

Dan Massey

Candidate for Congress, 6th District

Responsibility

"It is the responsibility of the patriot to protect his country from its government."

— Thomas Paine

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"Government is instituted to secure impartial justice and to protect the citizens and their property. We allow government to assume roles beyond these, for whatever reason, at our peril. Unfortunately, we have seen the results of governments that have gone beyond these bounds at all levels. They cost too much, take too much money and liberty, foster corruption and create many more problems than they solve. It is time to put government back into it proper role. "

Mike Calpino
District Candidate for Wicomico County Council

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"PEACEFUL people should be able to cross borders PEACEFULLY for PEACEFUL purposes. What's going on along the southern border between the United States and Mexico is not an open border. I am tired of hearing that it's an open border. We don't have an open border any more than Sarajevo had open streets when people had to dodge bullets from snipers on rooftops. What we have on our southern border is chaos, mayhem and horrific crimes.

People's property is being invaded, people are being kidnapped and murdered; women trying to cross the border (admittedly illegally) are being raped. The march across the border becomes a death march. Who does this benefit? I guess the people whose only goal is cheap labor. It has some benefit for those who make it in, IF they make it on the death march through the desert, since they can work, etc. "

Candidate for U.S. Congress, District 2: Lorenzo Gaztañaga

Dr. Richard Davis' interview with the Daily Times

Will GOP pull plug on Granny or War?

Press Release
For Immediate Release
Monday, October 18, 2010


WASHINGTON - With prospects of a Republican takeover of Congress, Libertarian Party (LP) Chair Mark Hinkle posed this question: "In order to balance the budget, where will the GOP pull the plug first: on Granny, or on foreign wars?"

Hinkle continued, "Of course, Republicans may have no serious intention of cutting federal deficits or spending, and their complaints about 'out-of-control spending' might be hypocrisy."

Over 60% of federal spending is in three areas: Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, and the military. It would be impossible to eliminate the federal deficit without cutting entitlements or military spending, such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tea Party leader Dick Armey recently called Social Security a ponzi scheme.

LP Executive Director Wes Benedict said, "Social Security is universal mandatory welfare for seniors. It's very un-libertarian."

Benedict continued, "I suppose one way to maintain the Social Security scheme would be to rapidly grow the U.S. working population, such as by opening up our borders to increase immigration. However, Republican congressmen have tried to duck their responsibility for the bad economy by scapegoating illegal immigrants, so allowing a massive influx of immigrants is politically infeasible in the near future.

"Each child born in the U.S. immediately faces a debt of over $40,000. Ironically, it might not be long before American youth start ditching this debt foisted on them by their parents and grandparents, and start leaving America in search of better opportunity abroad.

"To make Social Security solvent as our population ages, the federal government either has to raise the tax, or cut the benefits. The last significant change to Social Security was a tax increase approved by Ronald Reagan. Libertarians favor cutting Social Security benefits, and we oppose tax increases. Libertarians would prefer to allow workers to opt out of Social Security. Perhaps entitlements can be cut gradually, rather than slashed abruptly, but that depends on taking action sooner rather than later.

"On the October 17 'Fox News Sunday,' I saw that Republican senate candidate Carly Fiorina was repeatedly asked what parts of entitlements she would cut to balance the budget, and she repeatedly dodged the question."

The recent Republican 'Pledge to America' makes no mention of cutting entitlements or the military.

Benedict continued, "Republicans refuse to say where they would cut entitlement spending, and of course Republicans oppose cutting military spending or ending America's foreign wars. Therefore, I'd say that Republicans are hypocrites who aren't serious about solving the federal debt problem."

A video lampooning John Boehner and the Republican 'Pledge to America' was created by Travis Irvine, Libertarian for U.S. Congress in Ohio District 12.

Benedict continued, "Only Libertarians recognize that we can't have it all for much longer. The longer Republicans and Democrats flush money down the toilet in Iraq and Afghanistan, the sooner the government will have to cut benefits for Granny. Of course, Congress may never have the courage to pass legislation to cut entitlements. In that scenario, Granny will eventually start experiencing 'rolling blackouts,' or perhaps a total system collapse.

"Libertarians stand ready to cut spending across the board. Perhaps the question Granny needs to answer is, 'Which do you love more: your Social Security check, or foreign wars?'"

The Libertarian Party has 21 candidates for U.S. Senate and 169 candidates for U.S. House in the upcoming November 2010 elections.

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.

###

Mike Calpino: Plan offered to motivate efficiency in government

It is popular in an election season to fill the airwaves and roadsides with platitudes and slogans, often promising to lower taxes and make government more efficient. Substantial proposals to accomplish these ends are, however, few and far between.

I believe campaigns should be about substance, so I present "The Wicomico Plan" -- the details of which can be found at http://www.electmike.webs.com/.

The core of the plan, in addition to an initial reduction in taxes, spending and regulation to encourage businesses and job creation, is to introduce an incentive for government employees to save money and reduce the size of government. Instead of each department having to spend everything in its budget for fear of having it cut, employees will be encouraged to save and managers inspired to streamline.

The vehicle for this change will be the promise of bonuses comprised of half of the money each department saves, equally distributed among all the members of that department and the other half being deposited in the rainy day fund.

This will motivate each department to work efficiently, save money, blow the whistle on thieves and eliminate unnecessary employees.

Once the fiscal year ends and the savings have been realized, the budget and attendant taxes can be reduced and the process begun again. After two or three years, we will finally have a county government that operates efficiently and effectively, and costs the taxpayers -- you and I -- a lot less.

Mike Calpino
Nanticoke
Calpino is a Libertarian candidate for Wicomico County Council, District 2. -- Editor

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"Address environmental issues using English common law: he who makes the mess pays for the mess. No further caps on damages, à la BP."

Lorenzo Gaztañaga
Libertarian Candidate for Congress
District 2, Maryland

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"Every school has its own unique set of challenges, and the last thing we should do is chain our schools to legislation. Schools should be autonomous and allowed to tackle their challenges in a manner that best fits their goals. In the same regard, the parents of attending children should be able to hold these schools more accountable."

Justin Kinsey

Libertarian Candidate for Maryland House of Delegates

District 5b

Libertarians Offer a Balance Budget for FY2012

Maryland Libertarian Mark Grannis, a candidate for Congress in the 8th District and Ohio Libertarian Congressional hopeful have issued a PRESS RELEASE on their proposed Fiscal Year 2012 Balanced Budget.

Here is the proposed Budget and where they would make cuts.

Libertarian Mark Grannis and Ohio Libertarian Travis Irvine propose a blanced for FY2012

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians - Dan Massey

"There is NO role for the federal government in education. Education is most productive when it is handled at the local community level. Spending money has been shown not to improve education levels. The most effective way to improve education is to let the local leaders and the principle control their own budget. School choice would add free enterprise into the system and kids would flow to successful schools and those unsuccessful schools would lose their funding."

Dan Massey
Libertarian for U.S. Congress
District 4, Maryland

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"Instead of bail-outs, how about a holiday from FICA and bringing to justice the fraud makers of the economic meltdown, both in the banks and in the government? That might reinforce America's economic health, restoring trust. Leave the taxes alone for the time being."

Lorenzo Gaztañaga
Libertarian Candidate for Congress
District 2, Maryland

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"I believe in the right to keep and bear arms, and oppose the prosecution of individuals for exercising their rights of self-defense. Law-abiding, mentally-stable citizens who choose to own a firearm should be allowed to do so without restriction. I support open-carry of firearms without a permit, and I support loosening restrictions for carrying a concealed firearm."

Justin Kinsey

Libertarian Candidate for Maryland House of Delegates

District 5b

Scott Spencer on Being a Libertarian

"As a Libertarian, I believe in personal liberty and personal responsibility. Libertarians favor an end of the use of government force to enact the policies of special interests, regardless of their place on the political spectrum.

Ultimately, this is based on the principle that no person should deprive another of life, liberty, or property through the initiation (or threat) of force or fraud.

Vote Libertarian, and help us renew the American values of freedom and independence."

Scott Spencer

Libertarian for U.S. Congress

District 7, Maryland

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"The undeclared, unconstitutional wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are bankrupting us. The missions keep changing to justify our going in and staying in. We went into Iraq to disarm Saddam Hussein, who supposedly was developing weapons of mass destruction. When WMD's were not found, the mission changed to removing a bad man who was oppressing his people. Well, there are many tyrants doing that around the world. How many countries are we going to invade? It can't be done. We went into Afghanistan to get Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda for what they did on 9/11. Now the story is that we're fighting the Taliban and nation building. This is policy shape shifting."  

Lorenzo Gaztañaga

Libertarian Candidate for Congress

District 2, Maryland

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians - Josh Crandall

"One of the biggest obstacles to lowering taxes is that by lowering taxes we have to reduce government spending, thereby reducing government handouts. I guess what people don't understand is that when you have more of your own money because you're paying less taxes, you don't need the government to provide so much for you. I support lower taxes, more freedom, and a smaller government."

Josh Crandall
Libertarian Candidate for Maryland House of Delegates
District 31

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians - Bryan Walker

I am an avid student of Austrian Economics. No government in the history of mankind has ever spent their way to prosperity. I believe in balanced budgets, small government, and the free market. We have not had a free market in this country in the last 100 years. I believe that social and economic freedom are one in the same.



Bryan Walker
Candidate for Maryland House of Delegates
District 21

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"We should not have to sacrifice one Marylander’s income in favor of another’s. We all work hard for our money, and we all deserve to enjoy it."

Justin Kinsey

Libertarian Candidate for Maryland House of Delegates

District 5b

WMDT 47 Article -- Dr. Davis Preparing For 1st District --

Latest News
by - Amber Watson
09/29/2010
  HURLOCK, Md. - The Congressional race in Maryland's First District is heating up.
While many in the race are focusing on job creation, Libertarian candidate Dr. Richard Davis says he is more concerned about cutting government spending and stabilizing the dollar.

Dr. Davis has lived in Hurlock for about 28 years and says he is in touch with several of the concerns of Eastern Shore residents. He believes the job crisis will end, once government gets a handle on spending and reduces the debt. "I think part of the reason there's a problem with jobs is because it's so hard to hire people with all the regulations, all the taxes and insurances and fees that are mandated. It just discourages people from hiring," said Dr. Davis. He says he would also like to extend some existing tax cuts to help businesses.

Read the rest at WMDT

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"As an edu­ca­tor, I have seen the ben­e­fits of choice and inno­va­tion in edu­ca­tion. As an econ­o­mist and actu­ary, I see the mas­sive eco­nomic growth that school choice can give Mary­land. A school-choice voucher pro­gram would help our stu­dents sur­pass their inter­na­tional com­pe­ti­tion, reduce costs, and build our economy."

Arvin Vohra
Libertarian Candidate for Maryland House of Delegates
District 15

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"It's time to take a good, hard look at what the Federal Reserve does, and at what it has done to both to the economy, and to the US dollar.

If, after careful examination, it is determined that this is an institution that has done more harm than good (a position stated in Ron Paul's End the Fed, and in Murray Rothbard's The Case Against the Fed), then it should be abolished."

Scott Spencer

Libertarian Candidate for Congress

District 7, Maryland

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians

"Our country is bankrupt. Our representatives in Congress and the Senate don't want to talk about it, but it's true. This is a greater threat to our national security than any terrorist organization, and it's a threat we have created ourselves. Acknowledging the fact that we're bankrupt will allow us to start fixing it. We need the right person in Congress -- me."

Lorenzo Gaztañaga
Libertarian Candidate for Congress 
District 2, Maryland

A Citizen's Guide to Federal Firearms Laws

National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action

A summary of federal restrictions on the purchase, sale, possession, and transportation of firearms and ammunition.
Caution: Firearm laws are subject to frequent change and court interpretation. This summary is not intended as legal advice or restatement of law. This summary does not include state or local laws, ordinances, or regulations. For any particular situation, a licensed local attorney must be consulted for an accurate interpretation.

Under federal law supported by the National Rifle Association, the use of a firearm in a violent or drug-trafficking crime is punishable by a mandatory prison sentence of up to 20 years. A second conviction, if the firearm is a machine gun or is equipped with a silencer, brings life imprisonment without release. Violating firearms laws should lead to very real punishment for violent criminals, but the laws first must be enforced.

Ineligible Persons
The following classes of people are ineligible to possess, receive, ship, or transport firearms or ammunition:

• Those convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for over one year, except state misdemeanors punishable by two years or less.
• Fugitives from justice.
• Unlawful users of certain depressant, narcotic, or stimulant drugs.
  
• Those adjudicated as mental defectives or incompetents or those committed to any mental institution.
• Illegal aliens.
• Citizens who have renounced their citizenship.
• Those persons dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces.
• Persons less than 18 years of age for the purchase of a shotgun or rifle.
• Persons less than 21 years of age for the purchase of a firearm that is other than a shotgun or rifle.
• Persons subject to a court order that restrains such persons from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner.
• Persons convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

 

Great Quotes from Reagan

“I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism.”
– Ronald Reagan, 1975

Great Quotes from Maryland Libertarians - Lorenzo Gaztañaga

"The "war on drugs" has cost billions of dollars, ruined lives, and made all Americans less free, while doing nothing to help the addicted. It's alcohol prohibition redux, and we bleed the billions. The facts are there, and I'm willing to discuss it with anybody."

Lorenzo Gaztañaga
Libertarian Candidate for Congress
District 2, Maryland

Administration's Thuggery Threatens Free Speech...

by Nat Hentoff

On September 9, autocratic Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary, wrote a threatening letter to the national office of America's Health Insurance Plans. Charging these insurance companies with "scare tactics" and "misinformation" about the president's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Sebelius is incensed at their "falsely blam(ing) premium increases for 2011" on this Obamacare.

She warns these miscreants that "there will be zero tolerance for this type of misinformation and unjustified rate increases." Missing from her edict is where she finds in the Constitution the authority of the executive branch to punish free-speaking critics of the implementation of a law.

And punish she will. There will be an enemies list: "We will also keep track of insurers with a record of unjustified rate increases: those plans may be excluded from health insurance Exchanges in 2014."
Bottom line: Shut up or we'll make you pay.

Read the rest at CATO

How many politicians does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Libertarians say Republicans owe apology, not pledge, to America

WASHINGTON - In response to the recent Republican "Pledge to America," Libertarian Party executive director Wes Benedict released the following statement:

Instead of a "Pledge to America," the Republicans should have written an "Apology to America." It should have gone something like this:
"We're sorry, America. Sorry we grew the federal government budget from $1.7 trillion to over $3 trillion. Sorry we added $5 trillion to the federal debt. Sorry we doubled the size of the Department of Education. Sorry we started two incredibly costly foreign wars. Sorry we supported the absurd and costly TARP bailouts. Sorry we created a huge and costly new Medicare entitlement. Sorry we did nothing to end the costly and destructive War on Drugs. Sorry we did nothing to reform the federal government's near-prohibition on immigration. But hey, at least we helped you by shifting a lot of your tax burden onto your children and grandchildren."
There are so many lies, distortions, hypocrisies, and idiocy in this document that it's hard to know where to start.
It is deeply insulting to see the Republicans refer to "America's founding values" on their cover. The Republican Party has no understanding whatsoever of America's founding values. They have proven and re-proven that for decades.
The document talks a lot about "tax cuts." Unfortunately, the Republican "tax cut" proposals would really do nothing to cut taxes. All their proposals achieve is to defer taxes, pushing the burden onto our children and grandchildren. The only real way to cut taxes is to cut government spending, and the Republican document does almost nothing in that regard.
The Republicans say they want to "roll back government spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels." In other words, to re-create the situation near the end of the Bush administration, after Republicans had massively increased federal spending on almost everything.
Republicans must love it when Democrats expand government, because it gives them the opportunity to propose small "cuts," while still ending up with huge government.
One shocking aspect of the document is that it actually includes subtle Republican proposals to increase government spending.
The Republicans offer no plan whatsoever to reduce military spending, America's foreign wars and nation building, or our military defense of rich foriegn nations. On the contrary, the Republicans apparently want to increase military spending, promising to "provide the resources, authority, and support our deployed military requires, fully fund missile defense, and enforce sanctions against Iran."

Big Government, a la carte

by Mark Grannis - Libertarian for Congress MD - 8th District
Even die-hard fans of Big Government usually admit that a wide range of federal programs are pointless or worse. But often I meet people who are so attached to some particular program that they cannot bring themselves to accept any political philosophy that might lead to less money for their favorite. Almost everyone, including me, can find something in a $3.8 trillion budget that is personally appealing even though it can’t be justified on libertarian principles like the non-aggression principle. Whether it’s environmental regulations or high-speed rail or NASA or foreign aid, these people essentially ask: Can’t we embrace the benefits of small government generally but make an exception for my pet program?

This sounds theoretically possible, but I think our experience justifies us in saying it is not.  Big Government seems not to be available a la carte.  We have to take the bad with the good.  And that means that if the choice between private action and government program is at all close, we ought to have a very strong bias for the private option.  Because the pet programs we can’t justify as protections of our persons and property are almost never so great as to be worth the high social cost of a government that acts without strong limits.

It sounds pragmatic to make case-by-case determinations about federal programs instead of sticking to a strong limiting principle like the non-aggression principle. But the problem with ad hoc picking and choosing is that it makes members of Congress practically incapable of saying no to any significant constituency. It’s very hard to bail out banks and then say no to automakers or local governments. It’s very hard to explain why Congress should let the free market work in any sector unless Congress lets the free market work in every sector.  And it's very hard to blow money on any program as idiotic as “cash for clunkers” and then say no to equally idiotic proposals like "cash for caulkers" or "cash for can-openers."  The slope gets very slippery very fast, and we know that for a fact because we’re currently sliding down it at breakneck speed.

Natasha Pettigrew, 1980-2010

I write this in tears. In case you haven't yet heard the dreadful news, Natasha Pettigrew, Green candidate for US Senate died today after being hit by a Cadillac Escalade while riding her bicycle early Sunday morning.

I met her several times on the campaign trail, and she was simply one of the nicest, loveliest young women you could ever hope to meet. Just now, for the first time, I visited her website. Rather than being ideological and shrill, it's full of positivity and wholesomeness. She writes about making herself accessible to her constituents, and making Maryland live up to the words of Lincoln's Gettysburg address: Government of, by and for the people. She mentions her love of running, biking and swimming, and the joy her eight year old, three legged dog Bill gives her.

The first time I met Natasha was at a candidate forum in Westminster. Her mother Kennis was with her as an informal campaign manager and chief supporter. I cannot imagine how devastated she must be to lose her beautiful daughter.

To a certain extent, all of us candidates who represent the Libertarian, Green and Constitution Parties feel that we are on the same side, because we are fighting a common enemy - the Demopublican/Republicrat duopoly. Lorenzo and I had intended to vote for Natasha Pettigrew for US Senate.

Natasha, you are sorely missed.

Susan Gaztañaga
Libertarian candidate for Governor of Maryland

Libertarianism and the Poor

Date: 

Mon, 09/20/2010

Author: 

Mark Grannis

We know free markets produce more prosperity, and we know government spending is often ineffective or worse.  But many are nonetheless reluctant to embrace libertarian ideas because of their commitment to social justice.  Without the welfare state, how would Libertarians take care of the poor?

The short answer is:  Voluntarily.  Libertarians know as well as anyone that many people in our society sometimes find themselves in difficult circumstances through no fault of their own.  We are as likely to believe that looking out for least fortunate among us is not only compassionate but essential to a healthy community.  And many of us, including this writer, come from religious traditions that leave no room for doubt about the obligation to help the poor. For most of us, then, the question is not whether to help the poor, but how.  And our historical experience strongly suggests that government programs just don't improve the welfare of the poor as well as voluntary assistance does.

The first problem with government aid is that it is easily misdirected.  Government anti-poverty programs may be intended as boons for the poor, but they tend to become boondoggles for the powerful.  This shouldn’t surprise us, because when we make charity part of a government budget we inevitably place it in competition with other budgetary priorities.  In a politically driven process, if it’s the nameless needy versus failed Wall Street banks, the needy don’t stand a chance.  The working poor would have a much better chance of getting ahead if they were simply permitted to keep more of what they produce.

Establishment is to blame for country's problems -- consider voting Libertarian

Many years ago, one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, provided us with this warning:

"We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debt, as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our calling and our creeds ... (we will) have no time to think, no means of calling our mis-managers to account but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers. ... And this is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for (another) ... till the bulk of society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery. ... And the fore-horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression."

 The greatest threat to our national security and our sovereignty is our national debt. It is not terrorism, Iran or North Korea, but the financial crisis that is bearing down upon us.
Who is to blame for this? The same people we continue to elect to the same seats in every election from the same political parties.
Establishment candidates have prevailed in the primaries in Maryland. There are Libertarian choices on Election Day: Susan Gaztañaga for governor, Dr. Richard Davis for Congress and Mike Calpino for Wicomico County Council District 2.

Don't we need a strong government to protect us from business?

by Mark Grannis- Libertarian Candidate for Congress in Maryland's 8th District

Yesterday we looked at how liberty creates prosperity, and how government interference with our economic liberty distorts investment decisions and makes us worse off. But some people think we need a strong government to protect us from powerful economic interests. That theory sounds reasonable—if you don’t know what it’s like to run a business and you don’t pay any attention to how government works in practice.
But in practice, even large businesses don’t have anything like the power screenwriters give them in the movies. As the late Harry Browne used to say, “No matter how big a business is, you don’t have to deal with it; there’s always an alternative—including not buying at all.” Show me a business that treats its customers the way the Post Office and the Motor Vehicle Administration do, and I’ll show you a stock you should short.

And in practice, career politicians and industry regulators almost always use government to advance the interests of the largest and most politically connected businesses rather than their smaller competitors or their customers. Indeed, when I ask people to give me an example of a business from which they need to be protected, most reach for government-sponsored monopolies, like the old AT&T. Occasionally someone mentions a firm that figured prominently in the credit meltdown of late 2008, but those firms would no longer exist if it weren’t for their political clout. As a purely economic matter, the free market was all set to discipline those firms with bankruptcy until the government stepped in.

LP Monday Message: Candidates, Campaigns, Polls, Fundraising

Dear Friend of Liberty,

We have a great slate of over 800 Libertarian candidates for the upcoming November elections. Many of them are looking for more coverage on our website, in our emails, and in LP News. They want publicity, donations and help. That's a good thing.

Unfortunately, there's just too much information about our candidates for us to convey directly. And even though there are probably a hundred candidates around the country who would be happy to email all Libertarians nationwide each week, we know that you might not appreciate getting that much unsolicited email.

We have to rely on our state and local affiliates to provide announcements about the campaigns. I also encourage you to seek out candidates you might be interested in, and get more information. You can visit all 800 candidates listed here. Some of them have websites with email announcements you can sign up for.

Even though it's impossible to give you a picture of what's going on with all our candidates, I would like to pass along some notes about a few of this year's campaigns. (The selection of campaigns is arbitrary, but hopefully interesting, even if you live in a different state.)

Your View: America's decline related to growth of government

Mike Calpino - Libertarian Candidate for Wicomico County Council District 2



A recent poll said more than two-thirds of Americans believe our great country is in decline. If we look honestly, we can see why.

We are the largest debtor nation in the world; corruption is endemic among our political class; our largest corporations and institutions are rife with fraud; and immorality is in on the ascent.

Anyone who has read history knows what precedes the fall of great civilizations. We still live in a republic, where we all have a say. We need not go silently into that good night.

The speed of our decline is inversely proportional to our freedom. A society of free individuals produces morality, prosperity and growth. That was the society our founders envisioned. They developed a government based on libertarian principles; it was responsible for the meteoric rise of the United States.

One hundred years ago, "we the people" began to trade the ideals of the Declaration of Independence for the belief that government's job is to solve problems and meet needs. This allowed politicians to grow government, take the products of our hard work and limit our freedom, all the while telling us it was for our own good.

The rapidity of our decline is directly related to the growth of government. To reverse it, we need to take responsibility for our lives and elect people who believe in the founders' vision of limited government -- and have the courage to act on it.

We have the power; we just need to use it.

Where Do Jobs Come From?

Mark Grannis - Libertarian Candidate in the 8th District

Report from Robert Glaser

Turnout was light, so I only managed to collect 82 petition signatures.

Around the 8:00 pm closing time, Governor O'Malley came by. He was
chatting and having pictures taken, mostly with poll workers. I went up
to him:

Robert Glaser: (shaking hands) Hello, Governor!

Governor O'Malley: Hi!

Robert Glaser: Do you believe in competition?

Governor O'Malley: Yes, do you?

Robert Glaser: Absolutely. Would you be willing to sign a petition for
the continuation of the Libertarian Party in Maryland?

Governor O'Malley: No Way! (Laughing) But I appreciate you're trying!

The very first thing I did when I got home was wash my hands.

On More Stimulus Spending

By Ron Paul

Faced with continuing economic decline and an impending election, the administration, predictably, is entertaining the idea of another stimulus package. To explain why the last one didn't work, adherents to the Keynesian economic philosophy are claiming that they actually did work -- it just looks like they didn't because we don’t realize how much worse off we would be right now without trillions of dollars of public spending. The last administration bought into Keynesianism just as much as this one does, unfortunately. Until we have leaders who understand that debt is not the way to prosperity, there will be no stopping runaway government spending.

While it is nice to hear about business tax breaks, the positive results of these tax cuts will be dwarfed by its negative effects. First of all, $200 billion or so in temporary tax cuts and credits to businesses are nothing compared to the $3.8 trillion in tax hikes that will hit the economy like a ton of bricks on January 1, 2011 if the Bush tax cuts are not extended by Congress.

LP Monday Message: Congress burns Constitution

September 13, 2010
Dear Friend of Liberty,
Hi, I hope you had a nice weekend. The weather was absolutely beautiful here in D.C.!
We had a light mist on Sunday morning, but that kept us nice and cool as we handed out Libertarian literature at some of the 9/12 rallies in town. I was pleased that many of the people at the rallies were eager to look at our materials.
A couple of weeks ago, I visited the National Archives where they have on display the earliest copies of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. These documents are well protected. You have to pass through security similar to airport screening just to get inside the building. Once inside, photographs are prohibited to prevent degradation of the documents from the light. Thick protective cases and human security guards are also there to protect the documents.

How Liberty Creates Prosperity

by Mark Grannis- Libertarian Candidate for Congress in Maryland's 8th District

Most people in the United States take for granted that free-market economies “work” better than centrally planned economies. That is, almost everyone in any domestic political debate will agree, without thinking about it much, that placing the government in charge of how many shoes get made, and what the price of corn should be, and where we all work, would be disastrous for everyone.  We've seen other countries try it, and we know it doesn't work.

It’s good that we don’t have to argue about this. But an unfortunate side-effect of not arguing is that many voters don’t really understand why free-market economies are more prosperous, or why government interference usually makes us poorer even when it falls well short of total centralization. And that makes these voters suckers for politicians who promise to “improve” unpopular economic outcomes like high gas prices or electricity brownouts. So let’s look in very basic terms at how liberty creates prosperity.

Economic reporting often focuses on arcane aggregate statistic of dubious reliability and uncertain meaning, so I think it’s important to emphasize that economics is about how to solve the very real and very human problem of how to feed, clothe, and shelter ourselves. Humans have material needs, as well as a natural drive to satisfy those needs. We also have a natural inclination to satisfy our needs with as little effort as possible. The overriding goal of all economic activity is really only this: to satisfy human needs as abundantly as possible with the minimum amount of work.

Libertarians issue warning to Tea Partiers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 10, 2010

WASHINGTON - Looking toward the 9/12 Tea Party events in Washington, DC, Libertarian Party executive director Wes Benedict issued the following warning to Tea Partiers: "Republicans are trying to fool you again."

"There are two kinds of Tea Partiers," said Benedict. "One kind is so blinded by its hatred of Obama and Democrats that it cannot see fault with Republicans. It's the other kind the Libertarian Party is reaching out to."

Libertarian Party staff and volunteers will participate in the Washington, DC Tea Party events on September 12. They will distribute flyers pointing out how the Top 10 Disasters of the 2009-2010 Obama administration mirror the Top 10 Disasters of the 2001-2008 Bush administration.

Benedict continued, "Libertarians have much in common with Tea Party goals of reducing government spending and taxes. While many Tea Party supporters will admit that George W. Bush's administration grew government, Libertarians want to remind Tea Partiers about previous Republican administrations that loved big government.

"Republican Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America promised to eliminate the Departments of Education and Energy. Yet once Republicans took control of Congress, they failed even to reduce the spending on those departments.

"Republican President George Bush, Sr. remains famous for coining the phrase 'Read my lips, no new taxes,' and then raising taxes.

"Republican President Ronald Reagan grew federal government spending to the highest level it had reached since World War II. He also 'saved Social Security' by raising payroll taxes.

"Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole was a huge supporter of taxpayer subsidies for corn and ethanol.

"In 1971, Republican President Richard Nixon instituted wage and price controls. That made a group of free-market supporters so angry that they decided to form the Libertarian Party.

"Republicans seem to think we're idiots. For decades they have paid lip-service to shrinking government, while consistently doing the opposite in office.

"Our fear is that Tea Partiers might say 'This time it will be different.' No it won't. If you vote for Republicans this time, it will just reinforce the message that they can lie to you and grow government with impunity.

"Current Republicans are just as bad as past Republicans.

"This year, Libertarian Party co-founder David Nolan is running for U.S. Senate against Republican John McCain, who famously suspended his 2008 presidential campaign so he could rush back to Washington to bail out the banks.

"Republican leader John Boehner might end up as the next House Speaker, and he voted for George W. Bush's huge 2003 Medicare expansion.

"John Cornyn, Republican senator from Texas, and current chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, voted for the TARP bailouts.

"Ron Paul is probably the only Republican congressman willing to point out the huge cost of America's foreign wars and empire building. Other Republicans pretend that spending trillions on the military just doesn't count as big government.

"With Social Security, Medicare, and military spending making up the vast majority of federal spending, you can't cut significantly without cutting those. But Republicans refuse to touch them.

"Libertarians welcome the Tea Party movement's focus on the problem of government growth. However, we are concerned that Tea Partiers might fall for the Republicans' trickery.

"Republican leaders have brought up distractions like New York City mosques and gay marriage to distract voters from Republicans' big-government track record. We hope that Tea Partiers will see through the smoke and mirrors.

"While our nation is declining dangerously right now, a turnaround could be straightforward and simple with Libertarian steps like these: 1. Bring our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan; 2. Stop rewarding failed companies with bailouts; 3. Cut taxes and spending and let the free market work.

"The Libertarian Party is fielding 168 candidates for U.S. House, and 20 candidates for U.S. Senate this year. Win or lose, a vote for a Libertarian sends a clear message for smaller government and more freedom. What message does a vote for John McCain send?"

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

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

Arvin Vohra on Immigration

The Lion of Liberty - Patrick Henry

" Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined."
 
 Patrick Henry

OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT OUR CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR, LT. GOVERNOR AND US CONGRESS, DISTRICTS 2, 3 AND 6

Attention and greetings lovers of liberty. An opportunity to promote our candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor and our congressional candidates in Districts 2, 3 and 6 is coming up this Saturday and Sunday, September 11 and 12 - the Reisterstown Parade and Festival. It all happens along Reisterstown Road, a.k.a. Main Street, a.k.a. MD 140. If you think you can put in some time either Saturday, September 11 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. or Sunday, September 12 between 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., please contact me, Susan Gaztañaga at 443-801-3716, DiazVivar@aol.com, Bill Buzzell, 410-477-9173, wabuzzell@juno.com or Lorenzo Gaztañaga, 443-414-6539, DiazVivar@aol.com.

Bill Buzzell, Lorenzo and Susan Gaztañaga will start setting up the booth at the Hannah More Park between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. and we need you there to help us set up. Hannah More Park is at 12035 Reisterstown Road. You can get there by making a right off Reisterstown Road (MD 140) at either Hannah More Lane or Academy Lane. Our booth is #71 in Area 2, the northern part of the park. If you are just coming for the booth - between 11:30 or noon and 6 p.m. on Saturday or any time on Sunday, you will need to park at Reisterstown Elementary School, 223 Walgrove Road and walk to the park using the well worn foot paths. You get to Reisterstown Elementary School by turning right on Walgrove Road, PAST Hannah More Park and School.

PARADE
We form up for the parade at 8 a.m. September 11 (Saturday) at Franklin Elementary School, 33 Cockeys Mill Road and march down Reisterstown Road ending at Reisterstown Shopping Center (just south of the festival area). The gubernatorial candidate and the congressional candidates will be marching in the parade. If you get to the area early enough, you can park at Reisterstown Shopping Center and take a shuttle (provided by the fair organizers) up to the start of the parade. Or those of us who are at the booth early can try to give you a ride up. The important thing to keep in mind is that the parade route will be closed at 8:30, and there will be no way for you to get up to Franklin Elementary - SO YOU MUST BE THERE BEFORE 8 A.M. If you arrive between 8:30 and 11:30, just park in the Reisterstown Shopping Center (you won't be able to get to Reisterstown Elementary School)and look for our booth. If there is one hero of liberty willing to get to Hannah Moore Park before 7:30 and stay with the booth, we would greatly appreciate it. Otherwise, Bill will stay.

NOTE: Bill and some other Libertarians are going to the 9-12 demonstration on Sunday, so we could really use your help then as well.

It's the Autonomy, Stupid

Date: Tue, 09/07/2010
Author: Mark Grannis
If there is any silver lining in the fiscal storm clouds that threaten our economic future, it is this: Virtually every candidate for federal office this November will be talking about the importance of reducing federal budget deficits. But ironically, the proposals most likely to lead us back to fiscal responsibility will be the ones that are primarily motivated by something else: the desire to get government off our backs. In short, it's the autonomy, stupid.

Broadly speaking, we can expect "deficit reduction" proposals to fall into three main camps. In one camp we will have the Tax-and-Wait crowd. Their most visible proposals will be to increase taxes, at least on the "rich." They may also propose some spending restraint, like freezing discretionary spending and "paying for" any new spending with offsetting program cuts or tax hikes. But to the Tax-and-Waiters, "restraint" means slower spending growth.

As a result, the Tax-and-Waiters won't really be balancing the budget themselves; they'll be waiting for us to do it, by working harder and producing more income to tax. We are the real deficit reducers in this scenario; we change the deficit equation by working hard enough to boost federal tax receipts.

Opposing the Tax-and-Wait crowd will be the Dieters. The Dieters will treat excessive federal spending the way many of us treat excessive eating: as something we need to moderate but which it's not practical to reduce very much. The Dieters will trim here and there, and they'll be conspicuous in their refusal to pass new spending programs. Unfortunately for the Dieters, we need to cut spending by more than 40 percent to get it down to the level of tax receipts, and the Dieters can't bring themselves to propose that.

Say this for the Dieters, though: They know we need to reduce government spending rather than just sending more Ho-Ho's to Washington. This will lead the Dieters to oppose any measure that raises new tax revenue from any source. But without deep reductions in federal spending, the Dieters are playing almost as much of a waiting game as the Tax-and-Wait crowd. Again, with the Dieters in power, the only real hope for a balanced budget will be for us to balance it, by working harder and producing a larger total output from which government can take its cut.

The third group, by far the smallest, will be the group we can call the Zeros. The Zeros know that we're not supposed to have a budget deficit at all; that when the Treasury gets to zero, Congress is supposed to stop spending. The Zeros also know that zero happens to be the correct amount that should be appropriated for many federal programs. Consequently, the Zeros propose deep cuts in federal spending, driven by the complete elimination of programs that are deemed unnecessary, unhelpful, unconstitutional, or just too expensive. The Zeros would never dream of submitting a ten-year budget showing ten straight deficits, as the other two groups do. If elected in force, Zeros would balance the budget in the very next fiscal year.

Why do the Zeros show so much more fiscal discipline than the other two groups? Largely for reasons that have nothing to do with budget math. Unlike the other two groups, Zeros do not accept the basic premise that government spending is good for us. Zeros don't think of federal spending as a necessity (like the Tax-and-Waiters) or as a sweet-tasting treat (like the Dieters). We Zeros think very little federal spending makes voters better off, and quite a bit of it makes us worse off—not (merely) because we can't afford it but because it interferes with our personal and economic liberty. Zeros find it intolerable that Congress dictates how we work, play, save, invest, hire and fire, and even eat. We're tougher on spending because we think spending would be bad for us even if there were no budget deficit.

Zeros are for reducing taxes as well, because a smaller government requires less revenue. But Zeros aren't allergic to the elimination of special-interest tax credits that have been stuffed into the revenue side of the budget. Unlike Dieters, we object to government coercion in the form of tax credits just as much as we object to government coercion in the form of costly regulatory programs. Given the opportunity to replace the income tax with some other tax that Congress couldn't use to manipulate the economy, many Zeros would jump at the chance.

Every candidate, without exception, will be loudly in favor of fiscal discipline this November. But voters who genuinely want fiscal discipline may get it only if they focus first on liberating our economy from decades of federal micromanagement. It's the autonomy, stupid.

Libertarian Candidate Arvin Vohra - Speech on Drug Policy and Marijuana ...

... In Their Own Words - Special Guest Dr. Richard Davis Part 2

Arvin Vohra Speech on Education - The 5 and a Half Words that Make Ameri...

Arvin Vohra's Speech at the Maryland Libertarian Primary

The Lion of Liberty - Patrick Henry

"When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: Liberty, sir, was the primary object."

Patrick Henry

... In Their Own Words - Special Guest Dr. Richard Davis

Dr. Richard Davis is a dentist from Hurlock, Maryland.  He is the Libertarian Candidate for Congress in the First District of Maryland.

"...In Their Own Words" is designed to provide a format where news makers on the Lower Shore of Maryland can provide the public with answers about themselves or information on a variety of topics at a deeper level. There are no canned answers, time limits or talking points.

This video was produced by www.nowbeingserved.com

LP Monday Message: High Unemployment on Labor Day

September 6, 2010

Dear Friend of Liberty,

It's hard to celebrate Labor Day when unemployment is 9.6 percent.

Government interference is the single biggest cause of unemployment. Minimum wage laws, OSHA, ADA, etc., etc., make it difficult both to hire and to fire workers. (And when it's difficult to fire workers, it's much less likely that they will be hired in the first place.) To reduce unemployment, we need to start repealing laws!

Section 2.7 of the Libertarian Party platform states: "We support repeal of all laws which impede the ability of any person to find employment. We oppose government-fostered forced retirement. We support the right of free persons to associate or not associate in labor unions, and an employer should have the right to recognize or refuse to recognize a union. We oppose government interference in bargaining, such as compulsory arbitration or imposing an obligation to bargain."

I read today that President Obama wants another $50 billion in Keynesian stimulus spending. Stimulus supporters think that government spending creates jobs. What they don't seem to understand is that the money is taken out of the private sector, which decreases private sector spending and investment, and that destroys jobs. I believe that stimulus spending destroys more jobs than it creates. We'd be much better off with the laissez-faire policies advocated by Austrian economic theory.

It makes me mad to think of all the ways the Republican and Democratic congresses, and presidents Bush and Obama, have hurt the private sector with all their stimulus and bailout programs. (Remember George W. Bush's 2008 "Economic Stimulus Act" with all the $600 "rebate" checks?)

If you'd like to help fight them, please participate in Quiz Across America.

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 and civil liberties. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

Making Government Irrelevant

by Mike Calpino

One of the great causes of division in America is the fact that everything, and I mean everything, has become a political issue. Any problem, any complaint, any issue that someone has is now thrown into the political sphere. Consider some of the big news on "the hill" this week. Rodger Clemens, a baseball player, is being prosecuted for lying to congress. What did he allegedly lie about? State secrets, embezzlement, fraud, treason? No. It was whether or not he ever used "performance enhancing" substances. Not to excuse his alleged lying but why was he ever before congress in the first place?! What authority does the government have to regulate A GAME!

We the people, unfortunately, have come to believe that it is right and proper to use the power of government to solve all our problems and meet all our needs. Every time one American citizen says "there ought to be a law" to fix some complaint or offense and another one says "government ought to..." to meet some need or want, our government is happy to intervene and in the process take more or our freedom and more of our money. Did you ever stop and wonder why we have all the special interest groups and lobbyists we love to complain about? It is because each one of them represents some group of citizens, small or large, that want to use the power of government for their own ends. In this game there are winners and losers and the animosity between the two increases as the stakes get higher and government becomes larger and more powerful. For every citizen that wants the government to do something, there is another citizen that must pay for it and give up some bit of freedom to accommodate this new government activity. That other citizen must now "lobby" on his own behalf, playing the game for his own protection. The government becomes no more than a legalized criminal enterprise, granting arbitrary favors and demanding payment for protection. 

China Celebrates Status As Number One Polluter

Libertarians: Obama is shockingly pro-war

WASHINGTON - Following President Obama's "end of our combat mission" speech, Libertarian Party chairman Mark Hinkle released this statement:

"President Obama needs to stop lying. In his speech, he repeated the ridiculous and false claim that the U.S. combat mission is over in Iraq. He seems to think that if he keeps talking about the war in a nice way, then the war isn't really happening.

"Unfortunately, even though President Obama is the one person on Earth with the authority to withdraw the U.S. military from Iraq, he has chosen instead to keep over 50,000 troops there, risking their lives, and bleeding American taxpayers.

"The Republicans in Congress are just as bad. They have consistently failed to own up to the terrible financial impact of these wars, all the while claiming that they want to cut government. They want to nit-pick Obama's past statements about the war, but in fact they should be showering him with praise for doing exactly what they want.

"This war has been a shameful failure from the beginning. But even if the U.S. military could impose a sustainable modern democracy on Iraq, it would in no way be worth the hundreds of billions of dollars, and thousands of American lives, lost in the process. The Bush-Obama War in Iraq has done nothing to safeguard the rights of Americans -- on the contrary, it has probably made Americans less safe, and certainly poorer.

"The purpose of the U.S. armed forces is to defend the territory of the United States, not to re-engineer foreign societies.

"Contrary to his rhetoric before being elected, the president has proven himself to be shockingly pro-war. In addition to sustaining the American war presence in Iraq, he has greatly escalated the War in Afghanistan. Just like his predecessor, Obama believes that government force is the answer to everything."

The Libertarian Party platform states under "3.3 International Affairs": "American foreign policy should seek an America at peace with the world. Our foreign policy should emphasize defense against attack from abroad and enhance the likelihood of peace by avoiding foreign entanglements. We would end the current U.S. government policy of foreign intervention, including military and economic aid."

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.

QUESTION 1: CAN WE DO IT?

30 August, 2010
Dear Editor:

Here begins a short series on what I think a Congressman should consider about every issue. Washington abounds with wonderful ideas of things the federal government could do to make life better for the people, the country, and the world.

QUESTION 1: CAN WE DO IT?

The quick response is the President’s glib “Yes, we can!” After all, this is the country that has repeatedly put men on the moon. Yes, if we have a well-defined goal we can usually work out the details. That if, however, can be a big one. Yes, we have sent men to the moon, and, more impressive, brought them back to earth alive. We have NOT explored the moon, or established commercial mining there, or established a base to try to control tides or weather; we have simply sent men there and back.

Our record is not so impressive on less well-defined goals. In 1917-18 we sent troops off to “the war to end all wars” to “make the world safe for democracy”. It looks to me like war is still going on, and currently we’re just trying to make Iraq and Afghanistan safe for democracy – 92 years later. We’ve had a “war” on poverty for 45 years now and one on drugs for about the same. When your goals are poorly defined or you keep changing them, it’s a lot harder to meet them.

NEXT MONTH: PART 2 – SHOULD WE DO IT?

Sincerely,

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

What's the Libertarian way to protect the environment?

 

by Mark Grannis

I’m an environmentalist. I spend several weeks each summer in New York’s Adirondack State Park, enjoying the mountains, lakes, and rivers in that beautiful place. But I’m against the “cap and trade” bill and most other ideas for new environmental laws and regulations, because they don’t work. Environmental protection has been dominated for decades by large government regulatory initiatives, but experience shows that government regulation can’t and doesn’t protect the environment as effectively as private ownership and a strong dose of civil liability for actual environmental damage.

In the short term, I favor waiving the government’s sovereign immunity in environmental litigation, so that government is fully accountable for the environmental harms it covers. In the longer term, I favor a transition away from government regulation, which doesn’t work, and toward strict enforcement of property rights so that people can sue for restitution from polluters who put things in our air, water, and soil that we don’t want there.

The first thing to understand about environmental protection is that government is the main culprit. Our federal government (particularly the military) is the nation’s largest polluter, and a great deal of pollution by commercial enterprises occurs on government lands that are being poorly managed. Why are government lands poorly managed? Because government managers do not take care of them as well as a private owner would. The Izaak Walton League, the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club—any of these would manage our national parks better than the federal government does.

Sharptown Meet & Greet - Question for At-Large Candidates

A High Quality version will be available later.