LP gets preliminary injunction against ballot access bill in Ohio

Ruling opens path for Libertarian challenger to Kasich | The Columbus Dispatch - Joe Vardon:

January 7, 2014 - "A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction against a Republican-backed bill that would have made it harder for minor-party candidates to make the ballot, meaning Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Charlie Earl is more likely to face GOP Gov. John Kasich and a Democratic challenger in November.

"U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson in Columbus ruled in favor of the Libertarian Party and Earl, who along with two others filed suit in November to block Senate Bill 193, dubbed by critics as the John Kasich Re-election Protection Act. The bill, which Kasich signed hours after it was passed by GOP lawmakers, would have blocked minor parties from holding a primary election this year, changed the rules for gathering signatures, and significantly increased the number of signatures required for minor parties to be recognized in 2014 – thus making it more difficult for Earl to qualify."

Read more: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/01/07/0107-libertarian-earl-ballot-access-injunction.html
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Rand Paul planning class action suit over NSA spying

Rand Paul wants ‘light’ prison term for Snowden — RT USA:

January 6, 2014 - "United States Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) says he plans to sue the US government over the spy programs exposed by Edward Snowden, but in the meantime he isn’t willing just yet to endorse the idea of giving clemency to the former contractor.

"After National Security Agency documents detailing a previously underreported surveillance apparatus were leaked earlier this year, Sen. Paul said he’d begin recruiting Americans to participate in a class action lawsuit challenging the government’s uncloaked spy programs. Last week he indicated that he’s just about ready to file suit, but now is going on the record to say that the man responsible for those disclosures shouldn’t be offered a free pass....

"Snowden, the former NSA contractor, first began leaking documents last June.... He has since been accused of espionage by the US Department of Justice and stands to face decades in prison if convicted. First, however, he would have to return to the US to stand trial....

"In the meantime, though, Sen. Paul says he will be going to court to reign in the NSA’s operations.

"'I've asked internet providers and phone companies to join me in a class-action lawsuit to STOP Barack Obama's NSA from snooping on the American people,' Paul announced on his website last week.

"According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, over 250,000 people signed up to participate in Paul’s class-action suit by Saturday afternoon.

Read more: http://rt.com/usa/rand-paul-snowden-sentence-242/
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'Seasteads' offer the vision of floating cities for the future

Super-yacht not big enough? 'Seasteads' offer libertarians the vision of floating cities for the future - Architecture - Arts & Entertainment - The Independent - Paul Peachey:

December 26, 2013 - "Seasteading has emerged as a political movement – with nods to climate change and land shortages – to create new water-borne city states. Over 85 pages, a Dutch engineering and urban development company has outlined the feasibility of a floating "village" for 225 permanent residents and 50 hotel guests - a blueprint that the pioneering seasteaders hope will become hundreds of floating petri dishes of social and political experiments.

"The design consultants envisage a series of interlocking 'hollow box' square and pentagonal platforms, allowing each city to grow organically – or be dismantled and towed away in the event of political dispute or interference. Individual seasteaders would decide on how they would rule or be ruled....

"The vision is funded by a US non-profit organisation, the Seasteading Institute, established by two darlings of the libertarian movement including the billionaire founder of PayPal, Peter Thiel.

"The institute’s stated ambition for the seasteads is to 'guarantee political freedom and thus enable experimentation with alternative social systems'."

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/architecture/superyacht-not-big-enough-seasteads-offer-libertarians-the-vision-of-floating-cities-for-the-future-9026242.html
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2013 a 'banner year' for libertarian conservatism

2013 was a banner year for libertarian conservatism | The Daily Caller - Jack Hunter:

December 31, 2013 - "In 2003, conservative Republicans vocally championed war and opposed civil liberties. In 2013, conservative Republicans vocally opposed war and championed civil liberties. In 2003, conservative Republicans led efforts to expand entitlements, grow the Department of Education, and nearly doubled the national debt. In 2013, conservative Republicans feared big government so much they shut it down.

"These are pretty significant shifts. So what happened?

"Obviously, the futility of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars had an impact on all Americans, including conservatives. Similarly, protecting constitutional rights seems more important a decade removed from the fear that gripped most of us after 9/11."

"Conservatives’ changing attitude toward government growth is more complicated, but becomes less so when you realize it is connected to changing attitudes on foreign policy and civil liberties."

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/12/31/2013-was-a-banner-year-for-libertarian-conservatism/
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Krauthammer: Rising libertarianism top story of 2013 (after Obamacare)

Krauthammer's Take: Other than Obamacare, Biggest 2013 Story is Rising Libertarianism | National Review Online:

December 31, 2013 - "When asked what the biggest story of 2013 was, besides Obamacare, Charles Krauthammer said it is how American social attitudes are becoming more libertarian.

“The swiftness with which attitudes have changed on gay marriage is simply astonishing,” Krauthammer said. Beyond marriage, Krauthammer was also surprised by the advances of the marijuana legalization movement.

The only social issue bucking the libertarian trend is abortion, “in part because of the Gosnell trial, the fact that people are becoming aware that late term abortions are so near to infanticide,” Krauthammer said. “With everything else heading left, with this issue the movement has stopped and has reversed, especially among young people.”"

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/367348/krauthammers-take-other-obamacare-biggest-2013-story-rising-libertarianism-nro-staff
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Two running for Libertarian nomination for Kansas Governor

Libertarians have two candidates for Kansas governor — but no primary - KansasCity.com - Dave Helling, Kansas City Star:

January 2, 2014 - "The first election contest of the 2014 Kansas governor’s race ... won’t involve Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican, or his likely Democratic opponent, Paul Davis.

"Instead, two Libertarians — Keen Umbehr and Tresa McAlhaney — will face off April 26 in Wichita. There, at a state convention, roughly 150 registered Libertarians will pick a nominee for governor.

"If Umbehr and McAlhaney were Republicans or Democrats, the contested nomination would be decided by secret ballot, in August, in a primary. But because Libertarians are not classified as a major party under Kansas law, they are prohibited from picking their candidate by election.

"At the same time, Brownback and Davis — who are likely to run unopposed for their nominations — will be on the August ballot, in an election paid for by taxpayers."

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/02/4726246/libertarians-have-two-candidates.html
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2014 and the prospects for peace and liberty

Where Are Libertarians Going? by Justin Raimondo -- Antiwar.com - Justin Raimondo:

"Since 1998, Antiwar.com has been in the forefront of the battle for peace and the restoration of the Constitution: I have personally written thousands of columns commenting on this or that aspect of the struggle, and my co-writers have contributed many tens of thousands of words to that same effort. And so I’m wondering: have we had an effect on the national discourse?

"I think the answer to that question is indubitably yes, although it’s hard to measure such things because so many other factors, entirely independent of us, have worked in tandem with our ongoing campaign: Ron Paul’s campaigns for the presidency, public disillusionment with the Iraq and Afghan wars, the rise of a generation less addicted to the "legacy" media, the ongoing disappointment of many progressives with the administration of Barack Obama, and last but certainly not least the Snowden revelations....

"Looking back, we can see the three phases of growth our movement has gone through: 1) the challenge – roughly congruent with Ron’s first campaign for the GOP presidential nod, 2) the follow-up – which coincided with the second Paul campaign, doubling and consolidating our gains, and 3) the culmination – which we’re now in the midst of, and which will (hopefully!) manifest itself in an all-out assault on the citadels of power."

Read more: http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2013/12/26/where-are-libertarians-going/
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