Archive for the ‘Libertarian’ Category

7 Ways President Trump Can Earn My Vote In 2020 – Being Libertarian (blog)

I didnt want him, I didnt vote for him, and Im still very skeptical of him; yet President Trump can now show us whether the status quo in Washington can be curb stomped into better shape, or if the swamp monsters will mutate into something worse.

Here are seven ways President Trump can earn my vote in 2020.

Yes, this is a stretch, but Im a libertarian, so my expectations are always ridiculously unrealistic per the mainstream. After all, its crazy to think that we should get rid of agencies that are unnecessary, wasteful, and unconstitutional, right (insert obvious sarcasm here)?

The FDA, FCC, DHS, DOE, you name it and it can probably be abolished. If he can accomplish this one thing he wins my silence, that I promise.

No, I understand what youre probably thinking and the answer to this isnt through executive action. The answer is in proposing legislation that would knock down stupid firearm laws that turn law abiding citizens into criminals.

A current bill has already been proposed by Congressman Richard Hudson which will grant reciprocity for Americans who can carry concealed firearms in their home states.

Erich Pratt, the executive director of Gun Owners of America, said: We are constantly hearing from law-abiding Americans who want to drive from Florida to northern New Englandand are confronted by up 15 different sets of state laws. You can cross a state line in an instantfrequently without warning. And not being able to distinguish between the laws of New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New York may mean the difference between lawful conduct and a twenty-year prison sentence.

This isnt a state vs. federal issue, this is a liberty vs. tyranny issue to its core, and if Trump really is a pro-Second Amendment president, supporting and signing this legislation into law is a no brainer.

Rhetoric and action are two separate things, and with Trumps transition coming way under budget, would it surprise you if he could actually pull off cutting 10% of the federal budget? Id consider anything under the Obama habit (spend baby spend) an accomplishment in and of itself.

Hey Republicans! Do you know whats a bigger threat than terrorism? Being at the beck and call of foreign sugar daddies, like Saudi Arabia. Can you imagine how many jobs could be created, how much technology could be innovated, and how much money would be made domestically if we tapped into our own oil and natural gas resources? Removing Obamas stupid green energy policies, ending the war on coal, and expanding our offshore drilling will make the United States an energy leader, and end our dependence on foreign energy.

This argument is done, its a failure, its a scam. Republicans are already pushing legislation, and have passed measures to begin phasing it out. President Trump has flip flopped on this issue (regarding ACA) from the moment he announced his campaign to when he got inaugurated. Kill Obamacare while you still have the chance, because this opportunity might never present itself again.

Regardless of whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, this is a non-issue if you stand against crony capitalism and federal spending on private entities. The crimes are endless and the facts are clear, Planned Parenthood is a criminal enterprise which President Trump should cut funding to ASAP!

Education is a state sponsored monopoly. Republicans kind of get it, and Democrats dont get it at all. I have to commend President Trumps consistent platform regarding school choice, voucher programs, and other initiatives that would empower children and families across the nation to choose how they learn, and where they learn, on their own terms. The quickest way to empower an individual is to allow them to empower themselves, and school choice is paramount.

* Remso W. Martinez is the host of the Remso Republic podcast. You can learn more at his website, http://www.remsorepublic.com

This post was written by Martin van Staden.

The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.

Martin van Staden is the Editor in Chief of Being Libertarian, the Legal Researcher at the Free Market Foundation, a co-founder of the RationalStandard.com, and the Southern African Academic Programs Director at Students For Liberty. The views expressed in his articles are his own and do not represent any of the aforementioned organizations.

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7 Ways President Trump Can Earn My Vote In 2020 - Being Libertarian (blog)

Libertarian Bob Luddy’s Contribution to Education Reform – American Spectator

January 24, 2017, 12:21 pm

American Spectator board member and staunch libertarian, Bob Luddy, is transforming education one school at a time. Watch the video from Reason.tv about how little money per student it can take to create amazing educational outcomes.

Hints: Small classroom size doesnt matter. Big sports fields dont matter. Certified teachers dont matter.

From Reason:

Another way Thales saves money is by spending significantly less on infrastructure than the public system. In 2013, the town of Rolesville, North Carolina got a new public high school that cost $76 million. A year later, Thales opened a $9 million high school two-and-a-half miles away. Though much smaller, when divided by the number of students each building can accommodate, the Thales school cost half as much. One difference is that Rolesville High School has tennis courts, a football field, and a baseball diamond. Modern day public schools, says Luddy, look more like sports complexes.

Thales schools also have no auditoriums because theyre too expensive to build, heat, and cool.

Another savings is on personnel. Theres no cafeteria, and thus no cafeteria staff. There are no school buses, and thus no school bus drivers. Theres also hardly any support staff, and fewer actual teachers. Thales targets a teacher to student ratio of about 26 to one, compared to one teacher for every 15 kids in North Carolinas traditional public schools.

Go watch the whole thing. Its innovation that makes economic sense and has excellent outcomes.

Captivaire Website

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Libertarian Bob Luddy's Contribution to Education Reform - American Spectator

Ohio to Libertarian Party: You Can’t Qualify for the Ballot By Winning Votes Since We Won’t Let You on the Ballot – Reason (blog)

Because of Ohio's long fight against easily letting third parties on their ballot, using some highly questionable tactics, Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party's presidential candidate in 2016, appeared on the Ohio ballot as an "independent" rather than with his proper Party identification.

Johnson got 3.17 percent of the Ohio vote, which would normally, in Ohio law, qualify the Party who got it for ballot access, and the ability to have a ballot primary, next time around.

However, according to an opinion from the Ohio Supreme Court last week, Johnson's vote total doesn't count for the L.P.'s future ballot access since the state wouldn't let him on the ballot with his proper Party identification.

From the infuriating decision:

statutes make clear that a political group cannot obtain recognized political-party status based on votes obtained by independent candidates. As Husted [Ohio's secretary of state] notes, the 3 percent vote required for a group to "remain[ ]" a political party must be received by the "political party's candidate," as specified in R.C. 3501.01(F)(2)(a). Fockler's [who sued on behalf of the L.P.] candidates could not be the "political party's candidate[s]" because they were nominated and appeared on the ballot as independent candidates, unaffiliated with any political party....As Husted aptly states, only already-recognized political parties are eligible to "remain[ ]" a political party.

One Supreme Court Justice, William O'Neill, dissented and thought the L.P. should have won their ballot access because:

Husted[]opposes [the L.P.'s] request based on the fact that [its] candidates did not run under the Libertarian Party banner in 2016. That is, at best, circular reasoning. It would not have been possible for Gary Johnson and Bill Weld to run as the candidates of the Libertarian Party as there was no such party recognized by the state of Ohio. That is what this lawsuit is all about.....

At issue in this matter are the statutory definitions of the terms "political party" in R.C. 3517.01(A)(1) and "minor political party" in R.C. 3501.01(F)(2). Respondent would like us to read these provisions together to conclude that relators cannot be a "political party" because they do not qualify as a "minor political party." This interpretation is unreasonable. The umbrella section immediately above the definition of "minor political party," R.C. 3501.01(F), defines "political party" as "any group of voters meeting the requirements set forth in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code for the formation and existence of a political party."....

Using the same phrase, "any group of voters"..., R.C. 3517.01(A)(1) provides that a group of voters may acquire political party status by meeting either of two alternative requirements, (a) or (b). R.C. 3517.01(A)(1)(a) provides that the definition of "political party" is met if "at the most recent regular state election, the group polled for its candidate for governor in the state or nominees for presidential electors at least three per cent of the entire vote cast for that office."...That is exactly what happened here....

[The people suing for ballot status] allege that they are the "group of voters" that nominated Johnson and Weld to appear on the most recent presidential-election ballot, that the candidates they nominated received 3.17 percent of the total votes cast in that election, and that they would now like recognition as a political party.

[The State of Ohio] denies only one of these allegations in his answer: that [the people suing] were the people who nominated Johnson and Weld. [They] have provided more than sufficient evidence in support of their statement that they were the group that nominated Johnson and Weld,...Whether or not [those suing] want to be called the "Libertarian Party" they do not say so in their complaintis not dispositive. That they received support from a group calling itself the Libertarian Party of Ohio is equally irrelevant. The Revised Code says nothing about that. These five people could call themselves the Pizza Party, for all that matters...

Regardless, those suing should be able to get the Party name of their choice on the ballot next time, because of Johnson's vote totals. Alas, the majority of the Ohio Supreme Court disagreed.

Ohio's election code, for those who want to play along at home.

Via the indispensable Ballot Access News.

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Ohio to Libertarian Party: You Can't Qualify for the Ballot By Winning Votes Since We Won't Let You on the Ballot - Reason (blog)

The Advocates for Self-Government Definitions of …

There are many ways of saying the same thing, and libertarians often have unique ways of answering the question What is libertarianism? Weve asked many libertarians that question, and below are some of our favorite definitions.

Libertarianism is, as the name implies, the belief in liberty. Libertarians believe that each person owns his own life and property and has the right to make his own choices as to how he lives his life and uses his property as long as he simply respects the equal right of others to do the same. Sharon Harris, President, Advocates for Self-Government

The CATO Insistutes David Boaz

Libertarianism is the view that each person has the right to live his life in any way he chooses so long as he respects the equal rights of others. Libertarians defend each persons right to life, liberty, and property rights that people possess naturally, before governments are created. In the libertarian view, all human relationships should voluntary; the only actions that should be forbidden by law are those that involve the initiation of force against those who have themselves used force actions like murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping, and fraud. David Boaz, Executive Vice President, Cato Institute

Libertarianism is a philosophy. The basic premise of libertarianism is that each individual should be free to do as he or she pleases so long as he or she does not harm others. In the libertarian view, societies and governments infringe on individual liberties whenever they tax wealth, create penalties for victimless crimes, or otherwise attempt to control or regulate individual conduct which harms or benefits no one except the individual who engages in it. definition written by theU.S. Internal Revenue Service, during the process of granting theAdvocates for Self-Governmentstatus as a nonprofit educational organization

Libertarianism is what your mom taught you: behave yourself and dont hit your sister. Ken Bisson, board member, Advocates for Self-Government

Former Congressman and 3-time Presidential Candidate Dr. Ron Paul

The core of libertarianism is respect for the life, liberty and property rights of each individual. This means that no one may initiate force against another, as that violates those natural rights. While many claim adherence to this principle, only libertarians apply the non-aggression axiom to the state. Ron Paul

Libertarians believe in individual liberty, personal responsibility and freedom from government on all issues at all times A libertarian is someone who thinks you should be free to live your life asyouwant to live it, not as [the President of the United States] thinks you should who believes you should raise your children byyourvalues, not those of some far-off bureaucrat whos using your child as a pawn to create some brave new world who thinks that, because youre the one who gets up every day and goes to work, you should be free to keepevery dollaryou earn, to spend it, save it, give it away asyouthink best. Harry Browne(1933-2006);1996 and 2000 Libertarian Party Presidential Candidate and author ofLiberty A-Z: 872 Libertarian Soundbites You Can Use Right Now!

In popular terminology, a libertarian is the opposite of an authoritarian. Strictly speaking, a libertarian is one who rejects the idea of using violence or the threat of violence legal or illegal to impose his will or viewpoint upon any peaceful person. Generally speaking, a libertarian is one who wants to be governed far less than he is today. -Dean Russell,author at the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), 1955

Fox Business Host John Stossel

We want government to largely leave us alone, protect our personal security, but then to butt-out, leave us free to pursue our hopes and dreams, as long as we dont hurt anybody else. John Stossel, host of Stossel on Fox Financial News Network and author ofMyths, Lies and Downright Stupidity

Libertarians believe in individual liberty, personal responsibility and freedom from government on all issues at all times A libertarian is someone who thinks you should be free to live your life asyouwant to live it, not as [the President of the United States] thinks you should who believes you should raise your children byyourvalues, not those of some far-off bureaucrat whos using your child as a pawn to create some brave new world who thinks that, because youre the one who gets up every day and goes to work, you should be free to keepevery dollaryou earn, to spend it, save it, give it away asyouthink best. Harry Browne(1933-2006);1996 and 2000 Libertarian Party Presidential Candidate and author ofLiberty A-Z: 872 Libertarian Soundbites You Can Use Right Now!

As Libertarians, we seek a world of liberty; a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives, and no one is forced to sacrifice his or her values for the benefit of others. We believe that respect for individual rights is the essential precondition for a free and prosperous world, that force and fraud must be banished from human relationships, and that only through freedom can peace and prosperity be realized. Consequently, we defend each persons right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and welcome the diversity that freedom brings. The world we seek to build is one where individuals are free to follow their own dreams in their own ways, without interference from government or any authoritarian power. from the Preamble to theLibertarian PartyPlatform

Author and Political Scientist Charles Murray

Applied to personal behavior, the libertarian ethic is simple but stark: Thou shalt not initiate the use of force. Thou shalt not deceive or defraud. Anyone who observes both these injunctions faithfully has gone a long way toward being an admirable human being as defined by any of the worlds great ethical systems. Charles Murray, political scientist and author ofWhat It Means To Be a Libertarian

Libertarians are self-governors in both personal and economic matters. They believe governments only purpose is to protect people from coercion and violence. Libertarians value individual responsibility and tolerate economic and social diversity. Carole Ann Rand, former president, Advocates for Self-Government

Libertarianism is what you probably already believe Libertarian values are American values. Libertarianism is Americas heritage of liberty, patriotism and honest work to build a future for your family. Its the idea that being free and independent is a great way to live. That each of us is a unique individual with great potential. That you own yourself, and that you have the right to decide whats best for you. Americans of all races and creeds built a great and prosperous country with these libertarian ideals. Lets use them to build Americas future. David Bergland, 1984 Libertarian Party Presidential Candidate and author ofLibertarianism in One Lesson

Author L. Neil Smith

A libertarian is a person who believes that no one has the right, under any circumstances, to initiate force against another human being, or to advocate or delegate its initiation. Those who act consistently with this principle are libertarians, whether they realize it or not. Those who fail to act consistently with it are not libertarians, regardless of what they may claim. authorL. Neil Smith

Libertarianism is self-government. It combines the best of both worlds: The left leg of self-government is tolerance of others; the right leg is responsible economic behavior. The combination of both legs leads to social harmony and material abundance. -Marshall Fritz(1943-2008), Founder of the Advocates for Self-Government and of the Alliance for the Separation of School and State, inventor of the Worlds Smallest Political Quiz

Free minds and free markets. - slogan ofReasonmagazine

Individual liberty, free markets and peace. - slogan of Cato Institute

Central to libertarianism is its non-aggression principle. Each of us has the obligation under justice not to aggress against anyone else for any reason personal, social or political. Doris Gordon,Libertarians for Life

Small government: one that stays out of peoples wallets and out of their bedrooms. Jeffrey Miron, Harvard Professor and author ofLibertarianism from A to Z

True and impartial liberty is therefore the right of every man to pursue the natural, reasonable and religious dictates of his own mind; to think what he will, and act as he thinks, provided he acts not to the prejudice of another; to spend his own money himself and lay out the produce of his labor his own way; and to labor for his own pleasure and profit, and not for others who are idle, and would live and riot by pillaging and oppressing him and those that are like him. Thomas Gordon,1722, submitted byDavid Nalle,Republican Liberty Caucus

The political and legal philosophy rooted in natural law of individual liberty and personal responsibility under a rule of law. David J. Theroux,Founder and President, Independent Institute

Author and Loyola University Professor Walter Block

Libertarianism is a political philosophy. It is concerned solely with the proper use of force. Its core premise is that it should be illegal to threaten or initiate violence against a person or his property without his permission; force is justified only in defense or retaliation.That is it, in a nutshell. The rest is mere explanation, elaboration, and qualification. -Walter Block,Loyola University Professor and author ofDefending the Undefendable

Libertarianism is the simple morality we learned as children: dont strike first, dont steal or cheat, keep your promises.If you inadvertently fail to live up to these standards, make it up to the person youve harmed.If someone harms you, you may defend yourself as needed to stop the aggressor and obtain reparations. This simple morality works group-to-group just as it works one-to-one to bring about a peaceful and prosperous world. Mary Ruwart, author ofHealing Our World in an Age of Aggression

A political system guided by the basic principles of natural individual human rights (to ones life, liberty, property, etc.). Tibor Machan,philosopher, Chapman University Professor and author ofThe Promise of Liberty

The political philosophy in which individual and economic liberty constitute the highest societal value. Robert Poole, Founder , Reason Foundation

The freedom to live your life as you see fit as long as you do not harm or infringe upon the rights of others. Jeff Frazee, Executive Director, Young Americans for Liberty

Other people are not your property. Roderick Long, philosopher, Auburn University Professor and author ofReason and Value: Aristotle Vs. Rand

Nobel Prize-winning Economist Milton Friedman

Libertarians want the smallest, least-intrusive government consistent with maximum freedom for each individual to follow his own ways, his own values, as long as he doesnt interfere with anyone elses doing the same. -Milton Friedman(1912-2006), Noble Prize-winning economist

Libertarianism is a political philosophy that advocates little or no initiation of force in society. That view is derived from the philosophys core premise, namely, that each and every person is born into this world as a distinct and precious individual, possessing the right to do anything that is peaceful. Lawrence Reed, President, Foundation for Economic Education

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The Advocates for Self-Government Definitions of ...

A Public School Teacher’s Manifesto – Being Libertarian (blog)


Being Libertarian (blog)
A Public School Teacher's Manifesto
Being Libertarian (blog)
A central tenant of libertarian philosophy is the freedom to decide for yourself and to have the opportunity to live with those consequences. It's called maturity. If you are as concerned as I am about the trend towards extending childhood, then you ...

Excerpt from:
A Public School Teacher's Manifesto - Being Libertarian (blog)