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Businessman Bob Luddy has created a system of North Carolina private schools that cost less than the current public school system. We should strive to optimize public schools as efficiently as he has.

Luddy is the libertarian owner of CaptiveAire, The United States largest kitchen ventilation system manufacturer. When speaking with employees of his company, Luddy realized many of them didnt possess basic skills in math and science.

Because these employees werent equipped by their education, advancing through the companys ranks was extremely difficult.

Luddy decided the North Carolina public school system failed to prepare its students for the workforce, so he tried to convince school board officials to do something about the quality of public education.

While these bureaucrats were happy to listen to Luddys ideas, no one in the state government actually planned to do anything he suggested. He realized he couldnt get into the existing establishment when he ran for a school board position and lost in 1997.

After creating a successful charter school, Franklin Academy, Luddy decided the restrictions imposed on public schools would soon be extended to charter schools. These restrictions include mandates to have sports teams, bus transportation and other costs that can be easily avoided.

Realizing charter schools wouldnt be sustainably low-cost either, Luddy founded a system of inexpensive private schools named Thales Academy. It costs $5300 each year for elementary school and $6000 for middle and high school. Thales Academy is nonprofit.

Compared to the $9,300 spent per student in North Carolinas public schools, Luddys system seems like a breath of fresh air.

Were currently wasting money in our school systems on meaningless statistics like student-to-teacher ratios and ridiculous sporting areas tacked onto every new elementary school.

All fourth graders dont need immediate access to a hundred sports activities at the cost of their education and our tax dollars.

By creating a network of small schools that minimize superfluous cost, Luddy has managed to maximize the efficiency of education. For example, lets look at class sizes. Most North Carolina elementary schools randomly assign students of the same age to a class and try to keep that class size down to 15 for every teacher.

Luddys plan, however, sorts students into classes of 25 but makes sure that each class has nearly the same grasp on whatever is being taught. This keeps costs much lower than traditional schooling and streamlines the learning for every child.

This is the future of public education, or, at the very least, the beginning of its end. Luddys elegant, libertarian school design costs 57 percent of traditional public education per student. We are wasting tax dollars on a bad education.

dylmoore@umail.iu.edu

Excerpt from:
COLUMN: Libertarian creates low-cost private schools - Indiana Daily Student

President Trump has promised to add a plan to improve American airports to his infrastructure proposal. Libertarian minded citizens are looking to Washington to both improve our airports by decentralizing control of airports, relying more on user fees and respecting travelers privacy rights.

Time and time again, we as Americans have felt helpless as weve watched the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) physically and clumsily invade our personal privacy at the airport and the privacy of those around us. All while they continue to miss glaring red flags transpiring all around them that are deeply impacting our country.

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Just last month, while in the Fort Lauderdale airport two days before the terrorist attack on the airport, killing five people the TSA stopped me due to the fact that the book in my purse was too thick and needed further inspection. The man behind me in line laughed, as he overheard, and informed me he was carrying fireworks in his bag that the TSA had not detected. The self-righteous libertarian in me nearly imploded. This is not an isolated incident, this is a daily and possible deadly occurrence. The issue of airport security in our country needs to be dealt with sooner rather than later, and this next administration plans to deal with the issue as soon as they are in office.

With TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger stepping down because of the end of President Obamas term, the time has truly come for President Trump to drain the swamp.

Trump has proposed a few ideas that I believe libertarians should be in favor of.

Currently, libertarians are concerned with the amount that taxpayers are going be forced to foot the bill of when it comes to Trumps infrastructure plan to rebuild Americas airports, roads, and bridges. The fiscally-conservative libertarian favors user-fees, as well as devolving the federal responsibilities over the airports and roads to local control.

While of course, the first thing that Congress should undertake to fix when dealing with the airports is fixing the overzealous and egregiously expensive screening administered by TSA. Every day, the TSA violates the privacy of Americans by treating them as if they are presumed terrorists. We stand there as if we are criminals, and not the free men and women our founding fathers had every intention of us being.

Over the last eight years, we have heard time and time again that the TSA is not doing an exemplary job of screening passengers, yet they continue to employ over 44,000 security officers. The TSAs sole job is to intercept items that could cause a security threat, yet the resounding issue continues to be that anybody who has traveled in the past few months feels violated every time they pass through security as attacks on airports continue to occur.

As for the funding of infrastructure improvements, the Cato Institute is promoting the libertarian idea of Privatizing U.S. Airports. Robert W. Poole Jr. and Chris Edwards make the case for a reduction in federal intervention and a push toward a greater reliance on the private sector to fund, own, and operate the nations infrastructure. These are consistent with libertarian ideas that promote safety and peace-of-mind for travelers alike. Libertarians would like to dismantle the high federal taxes imposed on air travel that is used to improve airports; and allow local airports to collect fees to improve infrastructure on their own.

RELATED:Rand Paul: Why I voted against the new CIA director

Libertarians need to look to the members of the House Transportation Committee like Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Mark Sanford (R-SC) who can guide the legislation in the direction of decentralization and to get the federal government out of the business of treating all Americans as if they are terrorists.

Congress will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to shrink government when they consider the infrastructure bill that will touch on air travel. Liberty based ideas that promoted decentralization and a less invasive taxes and security checks could make air travel great again.

The rest is here:
A libertarian plan to improve our airports - Rare.us

Alright, so before you start the lynching, let me explain. Im not suggesting a shift to the Democrats or a party change by any means, and certainly would never advocate for you to donate to her charities or waste your hard earned cash on her Mayoral run (in which I hope she crashes and bombs as well)

So, Im scrolling through some meme pages and enjoying my morning cup of Joe when I feel the twinge of an idea slowly creep into my mind. And as it goes with many epiphanies that dawn on someone, it is often sudden, and for a moment I was left staring down at my morning cup of Joe thinking, Why havent I thought of it like this before? I mean it is certainly not jaw dropping or groundbreaking, but admitting to it and acknowledging it can be rather painful. So yes, Hillary Clinton deserves a bit of praise from the libertarian ranks and here is why.

For a month now, libertarians as a whole have been rather receptive to the results of November 9th.

We have approached the outcome as a foreseen loss for our own party, and although most of us probably didnt see it unfolding the way that it did, we have shown surprising optimism towards the idea of a Trump presidency. Even if you fit into this particular category and even if you preferred Trump over Clinton, he is not the one we should thank for having the turnout that we did. Even with the crazy wild ride that the insane hotel tycoon took America (or rather the media) on, he somehow withheld from acknowledging the Libertarian Party and likely pushing our numbers even higher. He somehow stayed focused on Clinton and fed into what his followers wanted; her in jail, wall 10 feet higher, Im a Republican, hahaha. Clinton however, being the old, raggedy, typically-out-of-touch candidate that she was, played into Trumps hands. She had to address the 3rd party votes and even launch campaign ads against them, some even naming Johnson and libertarians. For people that were looking for something else but had somehow been left in the dark on other options they finally got one from her. It doesnt require in depth analysis to understand with numbers that were so far in either the unfavorable or outright hated category for both of these candidates, once these people on the fence saw another way out they took this chance to vote without fear of feeling like a dirty used condom after. To pick someone that is not Trump but is still somehow also hated by Clinton. A candidate who wasnt streamlined, and yet as unorthodox as Trump himself.

Its quite comical at the complete system meltdown we have witnessed from all of this. As Trump continues to make headlines, the left continues to verify the reasons that they lost in the first place, and libertarians are just sitting back laughing our asses off like Gary Johnson tripping balls off some brownies he just rode 100 miles on his unicycle to buy from his personal baker. With the distaste, fury, and hatred both major groups had with each other, the dissolving of voters personal party lines were mostly self-inflicted. We should never lose sight of our accomplishments as a party (we grew 400% in voter turnout while both major parties brought in a lower turnout than they have in decades). However, we still have to give credit where credit is due. So, thanks, Hillary. Thank you for being so unimaginably bad that you lost to your hand picked opponent. Thank you for giving libertarians free air time on our already slim budget, and giving thousands a way out. Thank you for shining light in a dim corner of the spectrum. And finally thank you for losing so fantastically. It has been fun watching the tears pour down like rain onto roof tops.

* Jonathan Pope is your average 30 year old white guy. He was brought up believing in conservative values but during his time traveling the world in the Navy, he began to see things through a libertarian perspective, and have since been growing in his distaste for overbearing government.

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The rest is here:
Thank You, Hillary - Being Libertarian (blog)

Bob Luddy was tired of trying to convince North Carolina educrats to improve the state's public schools, so he built his own network of low-cost private schools that the government can't meddle with.

A libertarian businessman based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Luddy made his fortune as the owner of the nation's leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen ventilation systems. CaptiveAire has factories in six states, and its 2016 revenues were $400 million. But what does fabricating stove hoods and building HVAC systems have in common with turning out successful students? More than you might think.

Luddy became interested in education when he observed that many hires at CaptiveAire lacked the basic math and science skills to thrive on the job. He volunteered to co-chair a statewide education commission and met with North Carolina officials to voice his concerns. "They were happy to discuss all of these ideas," Luddy says, "but they weren't going to implement any of them."

The last straw for Luddy came in 1997, when he ran for a seat on the local school board and lost. It turned out to be a "great blessing," he says, because it led him to start focusing on creating alternatives to the traditional public schools.

Almost immediately, he filed a charter for Franklin Academy, which today is the third largest charter school in North Carolina, with about four applicants vying for every kindergarten spot.

But Luddy wasn't satisfied. "Charters are far better than the [traditional] public system," Luddy says, "however, there's still regulation...and over time, the bureaucrats are going to continue to load more regulation on charters."

In 2007, he decided to take a more radical step by creating a non-profit network of schools called Thales Academy. Influenced by economist Albert Hirschman's classic 1970 treatise on political science, Exit, Voice and Loyalty, Luddy conceived of Thales as a way to give families "exit."

"'Voice' is [when] you go to vote [or you] express an opinion...Exit...is like Uber...where someone comes up with an entirely new idea, they bypass the existing industry, and they get amazing results."

It was necessary to set the cost of attending Thales within reach of most families. Tuition is $5,300 for elementary school, and $6,000 for junior high and high school. At that price point, Thales is able to cover its costs with only a few exceptions: It takes advantage of North Carolina's tax-exempt financing for school construction, and Luddy himself makes a one-time contribution to help defray capital costs with each new facility. Luddy also provides about 6 percent of the student body with financial aid that covers up to half the cost of tuition, and 34 students (1.5 percent) receive financial aid through North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship Program.[*]

So how does Thales get by with so little revenue? (North Carolina's public schools spent about $9,300 per pupil in the 2015-2016 school year.) One factor is that it doesn't serve kids with severe learning disabilities who are more expensive to educate. Luddy believes those students are best served through North Carolina's school voucher program.

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 they're too expensive to build, heat, and cool.

Another savings is on personnel. There's no cafeteria, and thus no cafeteria staff. There are no school buses, and thus no school bus drivers. There's 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 Carolina's traditional public schools.

Most schools boast about small class sizes, but Luddy is proud of having large classes because it demonstrates efficiency, in the same way that when CaptiveAire can produce more stove hoods with fewer employees, the savings ultimately get passed on to customers. Thales is able to accommodate larger class sizes by grouping kids in the same classroom who have roughly the same command of the material. This way they can all follow the lesson with less individual attention from the teacher. It's part of a pedagogical approach called "direct instruction," which Luddy believes provides a superior education in a more efficient manner.

"In business we look at outcomes," Luddy says, "did we gain sales, did we please our customers? Schools don't look at it this way. We have a big building. We have sports. They're all inputs."

As Thales enters its tenth year of operation, Luddy and his team have grand ambitions. There are currently 25 new Thales schools in the planning stages that would extend the network's reach into Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida.

"The old educational establishment is gradually declining," says Luddy, "so one of my goals is to be a shining example of what can be done so that others will follow."

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Read the original post:
A Libertarian Builds Low-Cost Private Schools for the Masses - Reason

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)