The Libertarian Life and Legacy of David Koch by Nick Gillespie
David Koch, the billionaire free market philanthropist, has died at the age of 79.
In 1980, Koch was the vice presidential candidate of the Libertarian Party, whose platform that year endorsed the then-radical notions of legalizing drugs, ending penalties for victimless crimes, and full acceptance of gays and lesbians. The platform also called for the abolition of the CIA and FBI in the wake of the Church Commission findings of widespread abuse. In 1987, he told Reason, "Pursuing a very aggressive foreign policy…is an extremely expensive endeavor for the U.S. government. The cost of maintaining a huge military force abroad is gigantic. It's so big it puts a severe strain on the U.S. economy, creating economic hardships here at home." Not surprisingly, he was a critic of the Iraq War and other 21st-century interventions.
Libertarians celebrate 99 years of the 19th Amendment, women’s right to vote
When entire demographic groups are kept politically powerless, government authority is easier to abuse. For many decades, the U.S. Constitution condoned official discrimination against women and racial minorities by allowing states to deny them their fundamental right to vote. The 15th Amendment finally prohibited disenfranchisement based on race in 1870, but it would take another 50 years to guarantee women’s suffrage nationwide. On Aug. 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify 19th Amendment, adding these words to the Constitution: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
It has been 99 years since the rights of women to political participation and representation were recognized by the passage of the 19th Amendment, and the world is a remarkably different place. There’s still a long way to go, however, to ensure that all individual rights are recognized and protected.
“When asked, many Americans will cite the freedom of speech as one of the most important natural rights that must be recognized by any country,” said Libertarian National Committee Secretary Caryn Ann Harlos. “Yet, until 100 years ago, the cornerstone of free speech — the right of political free speech — was fundamentally denied by the United States, with rare pockets of limited exceptions in several states, to one group of people based only upon the fact that they were women. This is important to remember and honor so that we do not repeat this ignorance in the areas of other fundamental rights.”
The passage of the 19th Amendment reminds us that we’re not stuck with abusive laws and policies. It’s within our power to implement real political change, rooting out every form of oppression and protecting all of your rights all of the time.
“I am a Libertarian because I believe in the fundamental inherent dignity and rights of all people — that they have the right to fully participate in all aspects of life subject only to their choice and avoidance of infringing upon the equal right of others to do the same,” Harlos said. “In the area of political speech, when that is denied, violence and oppression is inevitable. In the area of the full social and economic equality of women, this is a day to remember how far we have come and to look with optimism towards the future. Radical change is possible. It has happened before. A future free of all aggression against the rights of all people can happen. I believe it will.”
Court returns Libertarian city council candidate to Ohio’s November ballot
Robert Bender, a Libertarian Party of Ohio candidate for the Reynoldsburg City Council, has been returned to the November ballot by court order after previously having a critical number of his petition signatures invalidated by election officials.
Robert Bender had filed suit seeking reinstatement in the race for the Ward 3 council seat after elections officials invalidated several petition signatures he had submitted, leaving him short of the number needed to appear on the ballot.
According to court documents, Bender submitted his candidacy declaration in early February, and elections officials determined that he had the requisite number of valid petition signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Libertarianism and Immigration Policy Webinar
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featuring
Alex Nowrasteh
Cato Institute's Center For Global Liberty and Prosperity Director of Immigration Studies
Alex Nowrasteh is the director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity. His popular publications have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Washington Post, and most other major publications in the United States. His peer-reviewed academic publications have appeared in The World Bank Economic Review, the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Economic Affairs, the Fletcher Security Review, the Journal of Bioeconomics, and Public Choice. Alex regularly appears on Fox News, MSNBC, Bloomberg, NPR, and numerous television and radio stations across the United States. He is a coauthor of the booklet Open Immigration: Yea and Nay (Encounter Broadsides, 2014). He is a native of Southern California and received a BA in economics from George Mason University and a Master of Science in economic history from the London School of Economics. |
Redistricting Opportunity
Every ten years, after the federal census, California must re-establish the boundaries of its Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts to reflect new population data and shifting populations. The "Voters FIRST" Act gave this power to California citizens ensuring that new and fair political boundaries are drawn without special interests, politics and political influence.
California citizens who are eligible may submit an application to the California State Auditor’s Office during the initial 60-day application period from June 10, 2019, to August 9, 2019.
This is your chance to become a part of creating fair and transparent district boundaries that serve the best interests of the people of California. If you believe politics are better when all sides work together and you have a passion for civic engagement, apply to become one of 14 new 2020 commissioners.
Be the Libertarian on the team. Go to: http://shapecaliforniasfuture.auditor.ca.gov/
"The Libertarian Alternative"
In today's frustrating political climate many voters are registering as "Independent", which is, in fact a political party, or just not bothering to vote at all.
Now is the time to get to know the THIRD largest political party in the country that's been around for more than 40 years. Our guest speaker for the quarterly business meeting will be William (Bill) Westmiller the current LPVC Secretary.
William became involved in the 1964 Presidential campaign while attending High School in Marshall, Minnesota. He became Chairman of the Young Democrats of Lyon County and conducted a lengthy interview with candidate Eugene McCarthy, which was published in the county newspaper. Later, he was invited to Lyndon Johnson's second inauguration in 1965.
After reading several libertarian books, William joined the national Libertarian Party shortly after it was founded in 1971. His philosophical opposition to the compulsory military draft and the Vietnam War led him to move to Canada, where he was a co-founder of the LP of Canada, serving as its first Secretary, in 1972.
Upon moving back to the United States, William helped organize the write-in Presidential Campaign of USC Professor John Hospers in California and was subsequently elected as LP National Secretary and then California Chairman.
Like other libertarians, William was disappointed with the progress of the LP and impressed with the Republican Candidate for President, Ronald Reagan. Westmiller registered GOP and ran for the 24th Congressional District nomination to contest incumbent Brad Sherman. He participated in a dozen debates with Sherman, but only won 18% of the vote in the largely Democratic District.
At the urging of several Republican activists with libertarian leanings, Westmiller was elected California Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus and subsequently served as National RLC Chairman for nearly a decade.
William registered Libertarian shortly after his wife, Robin, was elected Chair of the Libertarian Party of Ventura County. He currently serves as Secretary.
William will discuss the development of his political philosophy over several decades and how we can change the political climate by joining and becoming active in the Libertarian Party.
First Mailing Party A Great Success!
THANK YOU to our very diligent EXECOM committee - Secretary Bill Westmiller, Treasurer Susan Aquino, Media Chair Mark Suarez (pictured,) Chair Robin Westmiller, Vice Chair Nelson Lopez, Campaigns Chair/Fundraising Chair James Aragon, and our location host Newsletter Chair Dan O'Shea who stuffed, sealed, addressed and stamped 1,000 letters (of the 3,500 we're planning on mailing out in the next few weeks) in just under THREE hours!
Can you imagine how many more we could do with YOUR help? There was also GREAT conversation - terrific food (not pizza) beer, wine and diet pepsi! Something for everyone. We will be scheduling another mailing event in the very near future - JOIN US!
A Libertarian Story
From our National Chair, here is a heartwarming story about the difference an elected official can make in someone’s life: Libertarian Cara Schulz serves on the city council in Burnsville, Minn., and her experience in office provides a powerful example.
Cara writes, “A man who is currently homeless signed up to speak during the public comments portion of the Burnsville City Council meeting last week. He has been sleeping in his car at night in the Walmart parking lot. Walmart is known to allow this at locations across the country. But, recently, he received notice from Walmart that it wasn’t allowed at this location because of a city ordinance.
Message from State Chair
LPC Chair Mimi Robson gives us an update and invites us to volunteer for a state committee:
"We have some great news to share coming out of our convention, which took place in Concord, California, April 5-7, 2019. The convention was a huge success! All told, we raised approximately $25,000 during the convention and this is the first convention in at least ten years in which the Party had more money in its bank account after the convention than before! We had 152 delegates register at the convention with 134 delegates on the floor on Sunday morning.
We Are Now Central Area
Meet our new Central Area Coordinator Justin Quigley. Justin is a sign fabricator, traffic control technician, and musician from Ceres California. After learning of the Libertarian Party in his early thirties, he began following the movement and soon found that many of the questions he had been asking himself about government and politics all along, were part of the very foundation that libertarianism is founded upon.
