Posted at LP.org by Andrew Davis:
As a political party, we run candidates every November that wish to be elected to office in order to push public policy in a Libertarian direction. However, there is more to the Libertarian Party than just running candidates for office. We are also one of the leading advocacy groups for libertarian policy in the United States. That is why our press releases, party communications, blog entries and party officials are constantly talking about the Libertarian response to current issues.
Many times, we lead the way on key issues that other organizations have not yet jumped on.
This is how we represent you, and what your donations fund.
Here are a few examples:
- Bailouts, Bailouts, and More Bailouts
Soon after the first news of potential bailouts was announced, the Libertarian Party took the lead against the use of trillions of dollars of taxpayer money to prop-up corporations who have made bad lending decisions. It was the Libertarian Party who called for, from the very beginning, the protection of taxpayers from these plans, and to let the market work itself out.
While others were debating whether to let the government intervene in the economy, the Libertarian Party said "NO!" to more regulation and more government power.
Soon, others began standing behind us.
The Libertarian Party has now signed-on to a coalition letter from the National Taxpayers Union calling for transparency in the bailouts. Though it appears the government still plans to use your money to bailout Wall Street, Detroit, and who knows who else…we are at least on the front lines to ensure that money is not wasted even further.
- 20,000 Uniformed Troops in Your Back Yard
In 1878, the Posse Comitatus Act passed that forbid the use of the US military in domestic law enforcement. Now, 130 years later, the federal government has announced plans to deploy 20,000 troops for duty inside the United States!
Who is standing up to this? It’s not the Republicans, and it’s not the Democrats. It’s the Libertarian Party.
We have taken the lead on fighting this by issuing strong statements against the use of the military as peacekeepers inside our own borders. Both Bob Barr, the 2008 Libertarian Party presidential nominee, and Bill Redpath, the Libertarian Party’s national chairman, have strongly expressed our concern and contempt for what Bill calls "evidence of a disturbing trend of militarism in today’s society."
Until the book closes on this issue, the Libertarian Party will be fighting for your Constitutional rights, even if no other political party will do the same.
- Operation ELECT-US
When one election is over, the next one has already begun. Operation ELECT-US is a initiative developed by the Libertarian Party to recruit as many candidates as possible for winnable local offices in 2009.
It is said that all politics are local, and that is why the Libertarian Party works hard to elect Libertarians to local office. From smoking bans to fast food bans, many of these issues of liberty are fought in council chambers of cities across America.
This is where Libertarians need to be.
Our focus on the local level is the reason why we have more than two hundred Libertarians serving in office right now. The more Libertarians we have running means more Libertarians are elected to office, which then increases the exposure of the Libertarian Party.
Electing Libertarians is how the Libertarian Party is serving you.
What Can Gold Do For You?
These are just three examples of how we are standing up for you on a daily basis.
Now, we ask that you stand up for us.
22 Comments
Comments are closed.
pdsa,
my custom site is in development. Check back to it. It takes more than a few hours to code up, unlike your free copy of wordpress + an ugly template. Did you use fantastico one-click builder? mwahaha what an ugly looking thing. I never see anything you write being quoted, why is that? You talent-less piece of shit.
I think third parties in general (and/or the third parties we have here in the US) just generally have a bad reputation(s)
I believe both the race in Billerica and the one in Duval County, Florida, were non-partisan races.
There seem to be quite a few elected libertarians, including several LP candidates, every election year, who win in non-partisan races. This suggests, to me, that the message of freedom has strong appeal. It also suggests that the candidates who win victories are sensible people who are liked in their communities.
It seems very likely that the LP has some baggage that voters don’t like. Or it may be that the powers that be have some problems with identifiable third party candidates. Or both these things may be parts of the problem. There are probably other issues, as well.
But, I find myself very tired. Good night.
Jim – were the people who got elected on the ballot as Libertarians, or something else? Or were they nonpartisan races?
@11 Vindex says I have a beard. Yep. You wanna fight about it? I have been a member of five state LP party organisations over recent years. I’m also involved in a new and very active party, the Boston Tea Party, which I like much more. Happily, since the members of BTP run it, there really is no standard for acceptance, other than my commitment to the party’s platform.
Rather a large number of people put up tens of thousands of dollars for BTP nominees and BTP endorsed candidates (mostly LP candidates) and we now have two of our people in elected office.
I am a tireless critic of the LP where it is behaving mistakenly, arrogantly, corruptly, or bizarrely. I see no reason not to criticise things that I would like to see improve. Of course, mindless fools always lash out at criticism, as they feel that they must be ashamed of their own wrongdoing. Shame causes resentment, and resentment turns to anger.
I am, in fact, a published author. I get paid for writing. And I enjoy it.
As to bite, I would be happy to give you a demonstration of my pugilistic skills, if that is the only way a simpleton such as you can relate to me.
@14 Thanks Ross. One of our candidates now in office is an elected official in Billerica, Masschusetts. He is a member in good standing of the Boston Tea Party, and he has left the LP. He plans to continue to run for elective office, and he has expressed opposition to the idea of ever joining the LP again. Another of our candidates now in office is an elected official in Duval County, Florida. I believe he is an LP member. He is also consistently against larger government at any level, for any reason, so we were happy to endorse him.
We actually nominated only two people, Charles Jay and Tom Knapp. Owing to the vicissitudes of the contemporary identity state, Tom had difficulty getting notarised documents to the good people in Colorado and Florida, so we let the state affiliates in those states run other VP candidates.
We actually endorsed and supported, including in some cases providing volunteers, including in several cases providing direct campaign contributions, and in all cases providing press releases and other publicity, about 22 candidates who were chosen by the LP to run in their communities or states. We even demonstrated our willingness to endorse an LP presidential candidate by doing so in New Hampshire.
We are not only experimenting with online conventions, we’ve had several – one in 2006 and two this year. I think we’ve learned a lot from these experiences, too.
As well, I think the Boston Tea Party is helping to move the political center of dialog. If you follow the concept of thesis, antithesis, synthesis, then the policies implemented are most likely going to be near the center of the available discussion. By taking a strict smaller government policy and supporting only candidates who agree with our platform, we have stood for a more radical libertarian position. Doing so helps to move the center of discussion from the neo-conservative and conservative Democrat center, with its wars on Americans (war on drugs, war on terror), and wars of foreign occupation (Germany, Japan, Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.) toward the positions being promoted by the LP.
Yeah, the headline turned out to be fool’s gold
😛
Currency reform? Right after they call a Fed bankster welfare queen/ legal counterfeiting rent seeker a “free market hero”? UNLIKELY!
I’d say the BTP is pretty successful, not crashing and burning. They had a few cross-endorsed candidates elected, which is a start. Percentage-wise, they probably did better than the LP. And relative to their size they nominated many more people than the LP. Also, they’re playing an important role by experimenting with online conventions.
Libertarian Joseph – Are you all socialists? I know a heap of you voted for vsocialst Nader just because Barr “snubbed†paleocon Ron Paul.
You need to work on knowledge acquisition, pard’ner, and stop listening to that voice in your head. I am upset with the LP for fielding a presidential candidate that I could not in good conscience, even waste my vote upon. My choice for president in the recent election was third highest vote getter in my state: None of These Candidates.
Your assertion that a new-righty from the axis of weevils, whose still proudly crows as his finest achievement in Congress, the impeachment of a sitting president for lying in a sworn deposition given in a sexual harassment case so frivolous it was tossed summary judgment, because in the pre-trial phase the plaintiff had not advanced One instance of workplace harm which good be triable as fact, is somehow magically more libertarian than a paleocon is a farcical fantasy.
I realise that this will in all likelihood be lost on someone who lists as their home page, a tawdry host reseller site set-up with cheesy default templates provided by the REAL hosting company. Here’s a clue for ya, free of charge: on your “about us” page, it would be advisable to properly capitalise, “bloomfield, nj”.
@5 The LP is in no way on the hook for Barr’s campaign. This is inaccurate information. Barr is trying to extort the money from the LNC by saying he won’t release his fundraising list to the LNC until his campaign debt is paid off. Personally, I doubt that the Barr fundraising list contains much value for the LNC. Most of it originated from his Republican congressional runs. Those who voted for him during his DOMA/Patriot Act/etc days are unlikely to be receptive to the LP for fundraising purposes. Unless the LP turned totally neocon or something.
Anyways, there’s absolutely no liability for Barr’s campaign debt resting anywhere other than with the Barr campaign.
Jim Davidson is a big-bearded washout that no political party will stomach or accept. His own BTP crashed and burned when nobody really wanted to put their money where their mouth is and run against the LP. Now, he’s back to assailing the LP.
He’s a keyboard warrior with all bark and no bite.
phony*
yeah well. We should be able to edit our posts.
You know, Jim, you need some anger management. All you ever do is attack everyone.
All you people ever do is attack the LP. Are you all socialists? I know a heap of you voted for vsocialst Nader just because Barr “snubbed” paleocon Ron Paul. Ron is a total crank. While I’m not particularly happy about Barr, but you cranks have never done anything but attack the LP and you wonder why they didn’t do well. ha. self-fulfilling prophecy? With friends like you, who needs enemies? I’m an anarchist that thinks you’re a bunch of phoney cranks. Jim, you’re a statist. You’re a hypocrite.
If you want to attack someone, wouldn’t it be socialist Obama? You guys must’ve supported him this year, eh?
JimDavidson – I was under the impression from the bits and pieces I was able to collect off the meeting feed(s) that the LP was on the hook for Barr’s shortfall. If they aren’t and Barr is holding back the donor database unless he gets bailed out, Barr is in effect blackmailing the LP, and should not be given any money. It’s hard to believe that donor lists generated solely by the Barr campaign would provide many quality long-term donors that the LP is not already aware of. Barr’s supporter base is not likely to be chock full of libertarian minded people.
Tell him to go fish with his New-Righty buds, Bruce Fein, David Keene, and Richard Viguerie at that faux policy org they set-up in 2007, American Freedom Agenda. Initial Press Release was 03/20/2007 and the last news update was 07/29/2007.
I’ll end this with a Barr past tirade against same-sex marriages, including his novel interpretation of the full faith and credit clause in The US Constitution, Article IV, Section 1: “Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State”.
@5 If the LNC had anyone with guts, they would tell Barr to keep his frickin’ list and raise his own $250K from it. And demand that he include debts to petition gatherers his campaign hired, like Angela O’Dell.
I don’t see why you think the LP has to bail out Barr’s failed campaign. Especially since it means so much more money for Shane Cory.
Haven’t counted the votes, but there are a few who would rather see Hell freeze over, in person.
Of course, I am not expecting the LNC to actually have the collective guts and intestinal fortitude to see this through. And caving in to Barr would be a terrible choice.
So, the LP went from ” ‘NO!’ to more regulation and more government power” to rallying around conservative’s who are “calling for transparency in the bailouts.”
That nice conservative Bob Barr funded his presidential run on a deficit spending binge that the LP will be forced to pay-off. Who are they to talk about “bail-outs”?
The post mentions that the LP is looking forward to the next election cycle, and intimates that donations given now will be used to fund that initiative, yet the Bob Barr’s Balance-Sheet Black Hole will have to be filled in first.
This LP National Dispatch is a deceptive marketing pitch that hides underlying fiscal irresponsibility in a plea for contributions. How much more compromising with contemporary conservationism can the LP take, before it becomes compromised beyond repair?
(These are the First Vespers of tomorrow, 2nd Sunday of Advent). May God’s curse be on Saxby Chambliss, John Fleming and Anh Cao on the assumption of their new congressional terms, amen.
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
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A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
Psalm 118 (119): 105-112
A lamp to guide my feet is your word, a light for my journey.
I have firmly sworn to keep your just laws.
Lord, I am greatly afflicted: revive me as you have promised.
Lord, accept the vows I make, and teach me your judgements.
I hold my life in my hands, I remember your laws.
The wicked placed a trap for me, but I did not wander from your commandments.
Your decrees are my inheritance for ever, they are the joy of my heart:
my heart is set on carrying them out, for ever, until the end.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
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Psalm 15 (16)
The Lord, my inheritance
Preserve me, Lord, I put my hope in you.
I have said to the Lord “You are my Lord, in you alone is all my good.â€
As for the holy and noble men of the land, in them is all my delight.
But for those who run to alien gods, their sorrows are many.
I will not share in their libations of blood. I will not speak their names.
You, Lord, are my inheritance and my cup. You control my destiny,
the lot marked out for me is of the best, my inheritance is all I could ask for.
I will bless the Lord who gave me understanding; even in the night my heart will teach me wisdom.
I will hold the Lord for ever in my sight: with him at my side I can never be shaken.
Thus it is that my heart rejoices, heart and soul together; while my body rests in calm hope.
You will not leave my soul in the underworld. You will not let your chosen one see decay.
You will show me the paths of life, the fullness of joy before your face, and delights at your right hand until the end of time.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
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Canticle Philippians 2
Christ, God’s servant
Jesus Christ, although he shared God’s nature, did not try to seize equality with God for himself; but emptied himself, took on the form of a slave, and became like a man – not in appearance only, for he humbled himself by accepting death – even death on a cross.
For this, God has raised him high, and given him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth,
and every tongue will proclaim “Jesus Christ is Lord,†to the glory of God the Father.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
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Short reading 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ©
May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has called you and he will not fail you.
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Canticle Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.
He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
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Prayers and Intercessions ?
Beloved brethren, let us humbly pray to Christ the Lord, born of the Virgin Mary, and cry out in gladness:
– Come, Lord Jesus.
Only-begotten Son of God, you will come as the true messenger of God’s covenant:
make the world accept you and recognise you.
Born of the Father, you came and took on human flesh through the Virgin Mary:
cleanse us of all the corruptions of our human state.
You are life itself and came and endured death:
grant that we may not be condemned to eternal death.
When you sit in judgement, your mercy is there too:
endow us with your righteousness and strengthen us in our feebleness.
Christ and Lord, by your death you rescued the dead:
hear us as we pray for those who have died.
Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Almighty and merciful God, as we hurry to greet the coming of your Son
let no earthly affairs impede us:
fill us with heavenly wisdom and make us his companions.
He lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.
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May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.
A M E N
Does ripping off the UPS logo and slogan represent a new direction for the neo-conservative chowderheads now running the LP?
I think they’d get further copying “Log from Blammo.”
It rolls down stairs
Alone or in pairs
Log, log, log.
Currency reform would have been more topical.
When I saw this article’s title, I thought it was going to be a call for some sort of currency reform, instead of the LP patting itself on the back for trying hard (but admittedly accomplishing very little).
How silly of me!