Koch machine stresses coalition-building in 2019

The Daily 202: The Koch network donor retreat turns touchy-feely - The Washington Post - James Hohmann with Joanie Greve:

January 28, 2019 - "Liberal activist Van Jones protested the Koch brothers outside their donor meeting in 2011. Groups funded by the billionaire-backed network had successfully clamored for his ouster as President Barack Obama’s green jobs czar two years earlier, labeling him a dangerous radical.

"At the 2019 Koch seminar, however, there is a giant banner with Jones’s smiling face.... He’s literally become the poster child for how the network of conservative and libertarian donors hopes to seek out unlikely allies to advance its agenda. Jones, now a CNN talking head, recorded a video with Koch Industries general counsel Mark Holden about their partnership to pass the First Step Act, a sweeping overhaul of the criminal justice system that President Trump signed into law last month.

"That’s been the vibe here in the Coachella Valley all weekend as the network aggressively seeks to rebrand itself as kinder, gentler and less political.

"Wearing purple, the color of bipartisanship, industrialist Charles Koch — who remains a boogeyman on the left — declared that his top goal is 'uniting with people across the whole spectrum, including those who have been adversaries in the past,' to pursue shared priorities. 'This attitude of holding things against others who have different beliefs is tearing our country apart,' the 83-year-old said during a cocktail reception on Saturday night. 'What we need to do, and what we’re doing, is bringing people together'....

"Charles has concluded that reaching across the aisle to build coalitions is the best way to maximize his network’s impact with a president in the White House he personally doesn’t like but whom many members of his network do. The network plans to stay out of the presidential race again in 2020, as it did in 2016....

"Even though the president has attacked Koch personally, network officials were still able to work constructively with White House senior adviser Jared Kushner on criminal justice.... Indeed, the president’s son-in-law appeared in the same video as Jones. 'One of the things that really surprised people, including myself, was how broad the coalition we were able to build was,' Kushner said....

"In past years, network leaders announced how much money they planned to spend on politics and policy in the upcoming election cycle. This year, they’re not providing a target. Brian Hooks, the chairman of the Seminar Network, which includes the constellation of Koch groups, said they still plan to devote 'significant resources' but that the opportunities will dictate the amount. 'We see this as the next big step forward in the evolution of this network,' Hooks said."

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2019/01/28/daily-202-the-koch-network-donor-retreat-turns-touchy-feely/5c4e843a1b326b29c3778ce2/
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Democrats warn Students for Liberty sponsors

Ocasio-Cortez tries to deplatform libertarian students by shaming their funders - The College Fix - Greg Piper:

January 29, 2019 - "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ... turned her wrath on big tech companies last week.... AOC, as she’s popularly known, is mad that they sponsored a libertarian student conference.

"She responded to a report by the progressive magazine Mother Jones that Google donated $25,000, and Facebook and Microsoft $10,000 each, to sponsor Students for Liberty’s LibertyCon. That is unacceptable ... because LibertyCon’s other sponsors include 'three groups known for their work attacking climate change science and trying to undermine efforts to reduce carbon emissions,' including the CO2 Coalition, which ran an exhibit and sponsored a panel discussion on the benefits of carbon dioxide.

"In her Friday letter to the three tech CEOs, jointly written with Maine Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree, Ocasio-Cortez scolded the companies for going off-message by sponsoring a conference 'that included a session denying established science on climate change.... [T]he example you have set promoting sustainability and evidence-based science is compromised by your implicit support of the session organized at LibertyCon,' they wrote.... 'As you are well aware, the spreading of misinformation can be dangerous to our society.'

"Students for Liberty responded ... Tuesday, accusing Ocasio-Cortez and Pingree of [trying] to 'control what dialogue is acceptable within society.... Trying to denormalize Students For Liberty and pressuring our generous sponsors to stop engaging with us at LibertyCon is a common tactic of extremist ideas and actors. Attempting to discredit those who are willing to participate in civil and open discussion across the political spectrum is a tactic to ensure there is only one side represented.'

"CEO Wolf von Laer said the tech companies sponsored the conference 'to participate in our technology policy sessions, not to debate climate change solutions, or the countless other topics covered at LibertyCon'.... The lawmakers should 'engage in productive debates about pragmatic climate change policies rather than using their positions of power to execute a smear campaign,' he said.

Read more: https://www.thecollegefix.com/ocasio-cortez-tries-to-deplatform-libertarian-students-by-shaming-their-funders/
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Shutdown renews call for air traffic control reform

Airline industry may renew calls for privatizing air traffic control - Business Insider - Rachel Premack:

January 27, 2019 - "The longest-ever government shutdown ended Friday, totaling 35 days. And for airlines, the effects of the shutdown can be quantified in tens of millions. Southwest Airlines said the government shutdown cost it more than $10 million. Delta said it lost $25 million in revenue during the month of January.... Federal airport workers were hit particularly hard by the shutdown, as they were forced to work without pay and missed two paychecks....

"Cowen analysts wrote in a note to investors on Friday that the myriad issues that the government shutdown foisted upon the airline industry would strengthen arguments in favor of privatizing. '[I]n our view, this is another major factor in airlines' support of setting up a private company to manage the country's air space,' Cowen analysts Helane Becker, Conor Cunningham, and Tyler Seidman wrote.

"Trade organization Airlines For America (A4A) is a major champion for the privatization cause. A4A's members include UPS, FedEx, United, Southwest, and ... six major airlines.

"In June 2017, President Donald Trump outlined a plan to 'modernize' America's skies. One of the more controversial components of that plan was to privatize the air traffic control system, which he said would help quickly update outdated technology and cut costs for consumers.

"A4A agreed with Trump's plan. 'Flight delays cost the economy $25 billion last year, and our antiquated ATC system is responsible for almost half of those delays,' the organization wrote.

"'If you look at service between the Eastern US and the West Coast, flight times today are much longer than they were 20 or 30 years ago ...' Hawaiian Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Peter Ingram told Business Insider's Benjamin Zhang in 2017 ... 'because we confine ourselves to a fraction of the available airspace because we simply don't have the ATC infrastructure to be able to support taking full advantage of that'....

"No part of Trump's modernization bill has gone through yet, but Cowen analysts said that the shutdown could certainly bolster the need for the privatization component. 'To date, bills in Congress to set up a separate corporation to manage air traffic control have gone nowhere,' they added. 'This issue could be a turning point for change.'"

Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/airline-industry-may-renew-calls-for-privatizing-air-traffic-control-2019-1

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Arkansas bill to raise bar for ballot access

Arkansas Bill to Increase Petition for New Party Ballot Access | Ballot Access News - Richard Winger:

January 24, 2019 - "Arkansas State Senator Trent Garner (R-El Dorado) has introduced SB 163. It increases the petition requirement for new or previously unqualified parties in Arkansas from 10,000 signatures, to 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, which would be 26,746 signatures for 2020.

"The Arkansas party petition was 3% of the last gubernatorial vote between 1977 and 2006, and in all those years, no group successfully completed the party petition. The Reform Party tried in 1996 and failed, but then went to court and won a lawsuit against that law, and was put on the ballot.

"The legislature ignored the 1996 court decision, as to the number of signatures, so in 2006, the Green Party sued and won the new lawsuit. The legislature then lowered the petition requirement to 10,000 signatures....

"The bill has an emergency clause, saying 'It is found by the General Assembly that the current laws concerning the signature requirement are insufficient to reflect the will of the voters of Arkansas.' This is an absurd statement, given that the only party that used the petition in 2018 was the Libertarian Party, which polled 2.90% for Governor, and for the two statewide races with no Democrat, polled 27.65% for Auditor and 29.11% for Treasurer. The Libertarian vote for Treasurer was 250,943 votes."

Read more: https://ballot-access.org/2019/01/24/arkansas-bill-to-increase-petition-for-new-party-ballot-access/
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John Stossel teaches kids about free market (video)

Stossel: Exposing Students to Free Markets - Reason.com - John Stossel and Tanvir Toy:

January 22, 2019 - "It's school choice week. Many kids don't have choice in where they go to school. The school choice movement is trying to give them that opportunity. Of course, having choice when it comes to what kids learn is important too.

"Many schools teach kids that capitalism hurts people. So John Stossel started a charity called Stossel in the Classroom. It offers teachers free videos that introduce kids to free market ideas. Students rarely hear about these ideas in school.

Graduates from Queens Technical High School in New York City ... watched the videos while they were in high school.... 'They really opened up my mind to think differently' said Xiomara Inga. Antonio Parada added the videos 'changed the way that I viewed the world.' Gabriel Miller ... explains, 'We are taught that this country is horrible.' But after watching the videos, 'I felt ashamed for what I initially believed … [so] I wanted to give back.'

"Diony Perez was inspired to open his own business.... Johann Astudillo learned about unintended consequences from a video about minimum wage.... Victoria Guerrero learned that most rich people get rich by providing some benefit to society.... Stossel says he is glad his charity helps students understand free market ideas."

Read more: https://reason.com/reasontv/2019/01/22/stossel-exposing-students-to-free-market?utm_medium=email
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Also read: Izzit.org promotes free society with free videos

Libertarian offers college education for $11K/year

Private College for $11,000 a Year? Libertarian Businessman Creates an Alternative to Higher Ed Waste - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Jim Epstein:

January 25, 2019 - "Bob Luddy is the founder and owner of CaptiveAire, the world's largest commercial kitchen ventilation manufacturer, with $500 million in 2018 revenues, zero debt, 1,300 employees, and factories in seven states. His latest venture is a non-profit college that seeks to slash typical costs and improve quality, offering an alternative to the wasteful practices of higher ed.

"Thales College, which is launching this fall in the Raleigh, North Carolina area, isn't Luddy's first education venture. He started a charter school in 1998, and a Catholic school in 2001. The charter, Franklin Academy, is the third largest in North Carolina.... But, in Luddy's view, charters have limited potential for disruption because state regulators won't consent to radical approaches.

"So in 2007 he launched Thales Academy, a network of K-12 private schools affordable for working-class families....Thales keeps costs down by cutting out virtually all administrative employees and nonessentials.... Annual tuition is $5,300 for elementary school, and $6,000 for junior high and high school.

"Luddy's latest project brings his brand of cost cutting and innovation to higher education. Students will pay $10,667 annually for a degree that will take just three years, since classes will run 45 weeks per year rather than the conventional 30.... Thales will be a teaching college, where the faculty doesn't face pressure to publish or perish. Lectures will be offered online, so that students can watch (and rewatch) at home. Since online learning can't replicate the value of one-on-one mentoring, each student will get at least an hour per week alone with a professor....

"Thales College won't seek accreditation because doing so would be a 'hindrance,' says Dr. Timothy Hall, who will serve as the school's director of operations and academics. Accrediting institutions require that colleges have research libraries and a certain number of Ph.D.s on their faculty, according to Hall. Luddy sees college research libraries as a waste of money in the online age, and Hall says that the school will hire the best teachers, whether they have doctorate degrees or not.

"Lack of accreditation means students won't be eligible for federal loans, and if they decide to transfer schools, other accredited institutions may decline to honor the credits they've accrued.... Hall's 'not sure' if not being accredited will disqualify Thales alums from admission to some graduate programs, but anticipates that most will go right into the workforce....

"In Luddy's view, ending all federal subsidies would be the fastest and most effective way to upend higher education. But that's unlikely to happen anytime soon. Societal change comes not through advocacy, but via 'exit:' Create alternatives and people will vote with their wallets."

Read more: https://reason.com/blog/2019/01/25/private-college-for-11000-a-year-liberta
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John McAfee to run for POTUS while 'in exile'

John McAfee's 'in exile' 2020 campaign to include 'road warriors' wearing masks with his face - Claude Thompson, Washington Examiner:

January 23, 2019 - "Libertarian John McAfee is making another run at the presidency in 2020, but this time, he says it will be while he is 'in exile' and with the assistance of thousands of 'road warriors' dressed up in masks bearing his face.

"In a series of tweets and videos posted to Twitter this week, McAfee, the founder of the antivirus software company McAfee Associates, said he is on the run from federal authorities for allegedly using cryptocurrencies in 'criminal acts against the U.S. government'....

"'Rob [Loggia] and one of our other volunteers are creating masks of my face which are going to be given to thousands of people in two different groups," McAfee said. 'First our road warriors who, once a month, are going to appear in parks, street corners, restaurants all around America while I speak through loud speakers through them. Group Two are the people who will be going to conferences doing keynotes. I will be going to conferences as a surrogate. I will be looking at people through a camera, answering questions, shaking hands as I tell my surrogate to shake hands, and speaking. This is how we're going to do it.'

"McAfee, who first said last year he would run in 2020, has primarily been corresponding with people on Twitter and filming social media videos from his boat that he claims he's using as a hideout from federal prosecution.

"McAfee founded computer antivirus company McAfee Associates in 1987 and left in 1994. In the years since, McAfee has bounced around various technology companies and developed a penchant for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. While he was once valued at $100 million, the economic recession in 2008 led to his value dropping to $4 million, according to the New York Times.

"McAfee's current outlaw status, according to him, is based on his refusal to file tax returns in recent years because he subscribes to the common libertarian theme of a minimalist government. He said he believes cryptocurrencies will eventually prevent the government from collecting income taxes and force the federal government to downsize. He claims that a grand jury was brought together by the Internal Revenue Service to indict him on tax fraud charges but is now on a "freedom boat" that he says will be his home and campaign headquarters for the next two years....

"This is McAfee's second attempt at the presidency. He sought the Libertarian Party nomination in the 2016 election but lost that spot to Gary Johnson, who finished a distant third to Hillary Clinton and President Trump."

Read more: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/john-mcafees-in-exile-2020-campaign-to-include-road-warriors-wearing-masks-with-his-face
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Uprising in Venezuela

Venezuelan Crisis Boils Over as Opposition Leader Declares Himself President - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Eric Boehm:

January 23, 2019 - "Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for his second term as Venezuela's president earlier this month ... at the country's Supreme Court — rather than, as is typical, in front of the National Assembly.... Five days earlier, when the Assembly opened its new session, opposition leader Juan Guaidó stood in front of his colleagues and accused Maduro of being a 'dictator' and 'usurper' who had used a fraudulent election to claim another six-year term....

"In the days since Maduro's January 10 inauguration, things have moved quickly. The United States, Canada, and 17 Latin American countries signed a declaration refusing to recognize the legitimacy of Maduro's government. Some have cut off diplomatic ties with Venezuela. Those official actions have bolstered unofficial efforts to oppose Maduro in the streets of Caracas and other cities, where people impoverished by the Venezuelan regime's socialist policies have clashed with the military, which (along with the courts) remains loyal to Maduro.

"In the midst of huge protests Wednesday that marked the anniversary of the 1958 uprising that toppled a military dictatorship, Guaidó declared himself to be the interim president of Venezuela — a bold move that was quickly endorsed by President Donald Trump and other world leaders. 'The people of Venezuela have courageously spoken out against Maduro and his regime and demanded freedom and the rule of law,' the White House said Wednesday in a brief statement. An op-ed from Vice President Mike Pence ... Tuesday in the Wall Street Journal ... called Maduro a 'dictator with no legitimate claim to power' and encouraged Venezuelans to support Guaidó....

"Whether Maduro can cling to power likely depends on whether he can use the country's military to crush the current uprising — similar to what happened in 2017 when an anti-Maduro uprising was violently suppressed. Hopefully, the military will abandon Maduro....

"Maduro is a monster, and Venezuelans are right to want to remove him from power. He sought to continue the socialist policies of his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, and has now brought those ideas to their inevitable conclusion. Chavez nationalized the Venezuelan oil companies and used the profits to fund a massive welfare state, but production declined  ... in the absence of competition and foreign investment. When oil revenues fell, ... Chavez (who died in 2013) and Maduro printed money.... When inflation resulted, they closed off Venezuela to imported goods. Before long, what had once been the richest country in Latin America was reduced to a place where toilet paper is considered a luxury. An estimated 3 million Venezuelans have fled the country, turning the nation's collapse into a regional humanitarian crisis....

"[T]he Trump administration's response ... has been admirable in its restraint. After all, it was Trump who suggested, in August 2017, that American military intervention could be used to 'topple' the Maduro regime. In September 2018, White House officials met with Venezuelan ex-patriots to discuss the possibility of a U.S.-backed coup to overthrow Maduro. Ironically, both incidents served to only tighten Maduro's grip on power, as he was able to point to U.S. machinations as the source of Venezuelans' problems....

"An American-backed military coup in the style of the ones that toppled governments elsewhere in Latin America during the 1970s and 1980s would likely trigger endless internal conflict in Venezuela — and foment distrust towards whomever eventually replaces Maduro....

"The United States ... has an opportunity to show that it has learned a lesson from the decade-plus quagmire in the Middle East. Namely, that regime change is never as neat and tidy as it might appear at the outset, and that nation-building is best done by the people who will have to live there when the job is finished."

Read more: https://reason.com/blog/2019/01/23/what-is-happening-in-venezuela-socialism
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Indian libertarians say it with spraypaint

One Graffiti at a time: A Libertarian’s quest to bring accountability in tax spending - Aprameya Rao, DNA India:

January 20, 2019 - "During the day, 29-year-old Jaimine Vaishnav is just another lecturer in a Mumbai college. On certain nights, however, he is a different person all together. Armed with a can of spray paint, Jaimine along with his group of followers set out to different parts of Mumbai, blemishing walls with provocative slogans like 'Taxation Is Theft' & 'Tax for Corruption.'

"Jaimine and his group call their nocturnal activity 'grafittivism'.... Since July 2017, their 'graffitivism' has been seen across several public properties in Navi Mumbai, Kurla and Thane.

"The Libertarian idea that taxation is a form of theft is the inspiration... 'We pay taxes but there is no accountability in the way it is spent. It seems we are paying taxes for potholes, corruption, statues, inflation, improper standard of living and poverty,' says Jaimine.

"For the group, which includes Jaimine’s former students, working professionals and businessmen, graffiti is a peaceful way to trigger public discourse.... 'Graffiti is a harmless yet powerful protest, an art form to express my anger and frustration against the lack of accountability on tax spending,' says a member of the group who is a senior corporate executive during the day.

"Nevertheless, Libertarianism, which stresses on liberty and individual freedoms, remains a little-known ideology in India.... Chintan Girish Modi, an educator and researcher, adds that ... 'Libertarianism is viewed with suspicion by the Left and the Right because it values human rights as well as free markets which are traditionally seen as incompatible'....

"Thus, it comes as no surprise that Libertarian ideas are largely confined to social media. While Jaimine’s small group of followers actively discuss Libertarianism on a WhatsApp group, their 'graffitivism' is only occasional and often spontaneous due to lack of time."

Read more: https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-one-graffiti-at-a-time-a-libertarian-s-quest-to-bring-accountability-in-tax-spending-2709933
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Hundreds of Americans cleaning National Parks

Private citizens volunteer to clean up national parks as shutdown drags on – ThinkProgress:

January 14, 2019 - "Local groups and concerned organizations are stepping up to help maintain national parks amid the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.... [R]eligious groups, non-profits, and bands of concerned private citizens are ... pitching in ... amid reports of mounting trash and unmonitored restrooms....

"Hundreds of people across the country have stepped up so far. ThinkProgress identified at least five efforts led by organizations including Friends of Joshua Tree, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, and several local Libertarian Facebook pages... These efforts alone have seen hundreds of volunteers helping out in public areas over the past three weeks. But there are likely dozens of other instances as well, with non-profits and local political groups among those who have pitched in.

"Garnering the most headlines recently is Joshua Tree National Park.... John Lauretig, executive director of the non-profit group Friends of Joshua Tree... told ThinkProgress that from the second day of the shutdown onwards, volunteers gathered every morning to go and check toilets, haul away trash, and generally ensure the area’s well-being ... in groups that ranged from a handful of people to 40, and, on one occasion, over 100. Donations also came pouring in, allowing for the purchase of an essential item: toilet paper....

"During previous extended shutdowns, the government chose to close the parks. But the Trump administration has opted to keep around two-thirds of National Park Service (NPS) sites open [although] only 3,298 NPS employees have been deemed essential personnel out of 24,681 nationally....

"The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, a community service group for young men, has launched a widely-covered ongoing effort to aid parks around the country.... Salaam Bhatti, a spokesperson for the organization, told ThinkProgress that regional offices across the country have looked into the parks nearest to them and ... volunteers have gone to Cuyahoga in Ohio, the Everglades in Florida, Olympic in Washington State, and both Independence Hall in Philadelphia and the National Mall in Washington, D.C....

"In some parks, efforts by good Samaritans are paying off. A volunteer group in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park, united by a Libertarian Party Facebook outreach, told the Denver Post that their efforts to go and clean in the area were largely unnecessary, as the park was much cleaner than expected and largely undisturbed by visitors. They noted that the park’s good condition was likely due to clean-up efforts by other groups....

"Last week, the government indicated that it would use earmarked funds made through entrance and camping fees, among others, to keep high-traffic parks open and supervised, including Joshua Tree. For some, that move has been a relief.

“'The park is the economic engine that keeps the desert rolling,' said Lauretig. '[When] the park closes, [it’s] not good for the economy.'”

Read more: https://thinkprogress.org/shutdown-volunteers-national-parks-trump-d827f7f15a30/
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Cannabis legalization bill introduced in Connecticut

Connecticut legislators have introduced the first legal marijuana bill of 2019. Here’s what it would do. - Hartford Courant - Russel Blair:

January 18, 2019 - "More than 40 House Democrats have introduced Connecticut’s first marijuana legalization bill.... Previous recreational marijuana bills have failed, but lawmakers have an increased sense of urgency this year with bigger Democratic margins in the General Assembly, a new governor who is supportive and legal sales across the border in Massachusetts.

"The proposed bill dictates that sales would be limited to customers who are 21 and older and that medical marijuana dispensaries would be given the first licensees to sell recreational pot. The drug would be taxed, but the legislation does not include a specific tax rate. People who have criminal convictions for marijuana possession would have their records wiped clean....

"A portion of the money raised from the tax on marijuana would go toward drug awareness education, drug-prevention officers in schools and substance abuse treatment programs....

"The Department of Consumer Protection, which oversees the state’s medical marijuana program, would regulate the recreational program, too. Marijuana of a certain potency would have to be labeled as such and packaged in child-safe materials....

"DUI laws would apply if a driver had 'at least five nanograms of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per milliliter in his or her blood' or had consumed marijuana in the previous two hours....

"State residents would be allowed to grow up to six plants for personal use, according to the proposed bill. Marijuana would have to be transported in a sealed container and public consumption of recreational marijuana would be prohibited. Delivery of the drug directly to consumers would be allowed, but marketing and advertising of marijuana would be against the law....

"25 percent of licenses for growers, processes, wholesales and retailers of recreational marijuana would have to be in enterprise zones, which are located in poorer cities and towns.

"Gov. Ned Lamont has said he will make marijuana legalization a priority, but it’s unclear if there is sufficient support in the legislature to pass a bill this year.... A legalization bill passed a legislative committee last year but was not called for a vote in either chamber."

Read more: https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-connecticut-recreational-marijuana-bill-20190118-gitfeoypfbfp7dwoixl2qfdhce-story.html
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Matt Kibbe TV show debuts Feb. 18 on BlazeTV

BlazeTV adds libertarian, comedy fare to its pro-America line-up - Washington Times - Jennifer Harper:

January 16, 2019 - "BlazeTV, the independent company launched in December by conservative titans Mark Levin and Glenn Beck, has expanded its programing to include libertarian content and humor, featuring longtime grassroots activist Matt Kibbe and comedian Chad Prather.

"'As a libertarian, I’m proud to be joining BlazeTV. I’m going to put some new ideas forward, have thoughtful conversations with smart people from different perspectives, and reach for new audiences outside of the usual silos,' said Mr. Kibbe, who founded the grassroots groups Freedomworks and Free the People, and will anchor a new offering called Kibbe on Liberty.

"It showcases his basic guiding principle — 'Don’t hurt people and don’t take their stuff' — and is set to debut on Feb. 18.

"'This isn’t just about producing quality content. As supposedly public social media platforms censor certain voices to shelter their ideological biases, BlazeTV will be a vital platform where speech is truly free,' Mr. Kibbe noted."

Read more: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/jan/16/blazetv-adds-libertarian-comedy-fare-to-its-pro-am/
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Matt Kibbe on the Libertarianism wiki: https://libertarianism.wikia.com/wiki/Matt_Kibbe

Lessons from the government shutdown

John Stossel: Government shutdown lessons -- We could take a chainsaw to so much of government | Fox News:

January 17, 2019 - "This government shutdown is now longer than any in history. The media keep using the word 'crisis.' But ... I see people going about their business -- families eating in restaurants, employees going to work, children playing in playgrounds, etc. I have to ask: Where’s the crisis?...

"We need some government, limited government. But most of life, the best of life, goes on without government, many of the best parts in spite of government....

"Columnist Paul Krugman calls this shutdown, 'Trump’s big libertarian experiment.' But it’s not libertarian. Government’s excessive rules are still in effect, and eventually government workers will be paid for not working. That makes this a most un-libertarian experiment. But there are lessons to be learned.

"During a shutdown when Barack Obama was president, government officials were so eager to make a point by inconveniencing people that they even stopped visitors from entering public parks. Trump’s administration isn’t doing that, so PBS found a new crisis: 'Trash cans spilling … (P)ark services can’t clean up the mess until Congress and the president reach a spending deal,' reported NewsHour. But volunteers appeared to pick up some of the trash. Given a chance, private citizens often step in to do things government says only government can do.

"The Washington Post ran a front-page headline about farmers 'reeling … because they aren’t receiving government support checks.' But why do farmers even get 'support checks'?... Most fruit and vegetable farmers get no subsidies, yet there are no shortages of peaches, plums, green beans, etc. Subsidies are a scam created by politicians who get money from wheat, cotton, corn and soybean agribusinesses. Those farmers should suck it up and live without subsidies, too.

"During shutdowns, government tells 'nonessential workers' not to come to work. But if they’re nonessential, then why do we pay 400,000 of them?...  We could take a chainsaw to so much of government.

The New York Times shrieks, 'Shutdown Curtails FDA Food Inspections!' Only if you read on do you learn that meat and poultry inspection is done by the Department of Agriculture. They’re still working.... More important, meat is usually safe not because of government -- but because of competition. Food sellers worry about their reputations ... so they take many more safety measures than government requires. One meat producer told me that they employ 2,000 more safety inspectors than the law demands....

"Even security work is done better by the private sector. At San Francisco’s airport, security lines move faster. Passengers told me, 'The screeners are nicer!' The TSA even acknowledged that those screeners are better at finding contraband. That’s because San Francisco (Kansas City, Seattle and a dozen smaller airports) privatized the screening process....

"Private contractors are better because they must compete. Perform badly, and they get fired. But government never fires itself."

Read more: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/john-stossel-government-shutdown-lessons-we-could-take-a-chainsaw-to-so-much-of-government

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Walker runs for B.C. Libertarians in Nanaimo

Nanaimo byelection candidate fights government intervention | Times Colonist - Carla Wilson:

"The B.C. Libertarian Party candidate in Nanaimo is urging citizens to rethink how much government they want in their lives.

"'I’m basically trying to get a message of freedom out there,' Bill Walker said. 'Take responsibility for yourself, your family, your community'....

"Walker, 60, has lived in Nanaimo for 25 years. He grew up in Vancouver and earned a bachelor’s degree in urban geography from McGill University. He has spent the bulk of his career as a mortgage broker and owns Coast Finance Corp. in Nanaimo. He also has a seven-room inn in Tofino.

"Walker joined the Libertarian Party five years ago. He said the party does not believe government should be intervening all the time. He also ran in the 2017 provincial election.

"There isn’t a campaign budget for the campaign, Walker said. He is being helped by a couple of friends.

"Walker, an advocate of private medical clinics in B.C., said such clinics would improve the public system by reducing waits. 'This is about freedom of choice.'

"He is opposed to government intervention in rental accommodation, saying that more rental properties could have been built in past years, and in favour of turning the Insurance Corp. of B.C. into a co-operative operation.

Read more: https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/nanaimo-byelection-candidate-fights-government-intervention-1.23602844
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NC, Nevada Libertarians join park cleanup effort

Volunteers clean up Lake Mead in wake of government shutdown - Cristen Drummond, Las Vegas Now.com:

January 12, 2019 - "The partial federal government shut down continues to impact national parks, including Lake Mead.... The Libertarian Party of Nevada organized a cleanup earlier today. About 40 people visited Boulder Beach on Jan. 12....

"The Libertarian Party of Nevada organized this call to action, but that didn't stop those with other political affiliations from helping out.

"This is one of many cleanups at national parks scheduled by libertarians around the country today. The libertarian party plans to organize another beach clean up next month, and may also go up to Mt. Charleston."
Read more: https://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/volunteers-clean-up-lake-mead-in-wake-of-government-shutdown/1699685949

NC Libertarians Clean Up National Parks During Shutdown - Ashley Claster, Spectrum News:

January 12, 2019 - "Trash is piling up in national parks across the country. The workers who usually clean it up are not on the clock because of the government shutdown....

"The Libertarian Party of North Carolina is helping fill the void. The party chair, Susan Hogarth, said it is up to the people who love the land to do what the government cannot.

"'A big thing for Libertarians is that people will take care of the things that are important to them,' Hogarth explained. 'So we want to be a part of that. In fact, we don't think the federal government should be owning park lands or any lands. So, as part of that, we'd like to show that it's possible for it to be taken care of without the government doing that job....

"'That's a really clean park anyway because the people, they really take care of it.... They care about it. They go running here and bicycling. So they do tend to throw their stuff away. But that means the trash cans are full,' Hogarth said.

"Libertarians coming from all parts of the state say they're here to show their commitment to the community..... Hogarth says the cleanup is a demonstration that the people who use these resources care about the land and will take care of it, even when state and federal agencies do not."
Read more: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triad/news/2019/01/12/north-carolina-libertarians-clean-up-national-parks-during-government-shutdown

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5th Amendment covers biometric phone locks, California judge rules

Feds Can't Force You To Unlock Your iPhone With Finger Or Face, Judge Rules - Thomas Brewster, Forbes:

January 14, 2019 - "A California judge has ruled that American cops can’t force people to unlock a mobile phone with their face or finger....

""The order came from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in the denial of a search warrant ... filed as part of an investigation into a Facebook extortion crime, in which a victim was asked to pay up or have an 'embarassing' video of them publicly released. The cops had some suspects in mind and wanted to raid their property. In doing so, the feds also wanted to open up any phone on the premises via facial recognition, a fingerprint or an iris.

"While the judge agreed that investigators had shown probable cause to search the property ... judge Kandis Westmore ruled ... that the government did not have the right, even with a warrant, to force suspects to incriminate themselves by unlocking their devices with their biological features. Previously, courts had decided biometric features, unlike passcodes, were not 'testimonial' ... because a suspect would have to willingly and verbally give up a passcode, which is not the case with biometrics. A password was therefore deemed testimony, but body parts were not, and so not granted Fifth Amendment protections against self-incrimination....

“'If a person cannot be compelled to provide a passcode because it is a testimonial communication, a person cannot be compelled to provide one’s finger, thumb, iris, face, or other biometric feature to unlock that same device,' the judge wrote. 'The undersigned finds that a biometric feature is analogous to the 20 nonverbal, physiological responses elicited during a polygraph test, which are used to determine guilt or innocence, and are considered testimonial....'

"Andrew Crocker, senior staff attorney at the digital rights nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation, said the latest California ruling went a step further than he’d seen other courts go....

"The magistrate judge decision could, of course, be overturned by a district court judge, as happened in Illinois in 2017 with a similar ruling. The best advice for anyone concerned about government overreach into their smartphones: Stick to a strong alphanumeric passcode that you won’t be compelled to disclose."

Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2019/01/14/feds-cant-force-you-to-unlock-your-iphone-with-finger-or-face-judge-rules/
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Rangers shut down Tennessee park cleanup

Libertarians told to stop cleaning Shiloh National Military Park - Adam Friedman, Jackson Sun:

January 14, 2019 - "Members of the Libertarian Party in West Tennessee thought it would be nice to help clean up Shiloh National Military Park since most of the park's staff has been put on leave because of the partial government shutdown.

"But after less than 30 minutes of groundskeeping, they were told to leave.

"'Every other effort to clean up the national parks, from Washington, D.C., to Yosemite, has been fine," Tennessee Delta Region Libertarian Party Co-Leader Victoria Lee said. 'But when we went to Shiloh, we were told we were not allowed to clean up the park.'

"Lee, along with 25 other Libertarian Party members, and their families, went to Shiloh on Sunday to help clear off walking paths and rake leaves.

"The clean up at Shiloh is part of a nationwide initiative by the Libertarian Party to help clean up national parks around the country.

"'This is all in order to prove that volunteerism works,' Tennessee Delta Region Libertarian Party Co-Leader Marcus Baker said. 'Government isn't needed for everything; there are volunteers out there who can handle certain things. We all like keeping our national parks clean, simple as that.'

"A Shiloh National Military Park ranger can be heard saying in the video that he understands that the volunteers are trying to help but that volunteers can't clean up without a signed volunteer liability waiver.

"The Jackson Sun reached out to Shiloh National Park but has not received a response."

Read more: https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/news/local/2019/01/14/libertarians-told-stop-cleaning-shiloh-national-military-park/2570145002/
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Hot Air covers Libertarian park cleanup efforts

Libertarian Party organizes national park cleanups - Taylor Millard, Hot Air:

January 13, 2019 - "Republicans and Democrats may be sniping at each other over the partial government shutdown, but it’s the Libertarian Party which is putting words to action. Libertarians have organized multiple national park cleanups over the last week to show maybe the government isn’t needed to provide services.

"Libertarian Party National Committee Chair Nicholas Sarwark....'As Libertarians, we advocate replacing federal taxpayer funding for many services with private charity or privatization. We wanted to show how this could be accomplished by volunteering in our local communities. We know that people are inherently generous with their time and energy. We want to set an example by calling on the public to join us in maintaining our beautiful parks and landmarks this weekend and throughout the government shutdown.'

"The first cleanup was organized last Sunday with LP members, libertarians, anarchists, agorists, voluntarists, and more gathering at the National Mall in Washington D.C..... Libertarian Party members are also organizing national park cleanups in Ohio....

"This is probably one of the best ideas the Libertarian Party has ever had... It sends a clear message to others – and hopefully politicians – on how it’s a-OK to loosen the stranglehold the government has on our lives. There’s something to be said about this and for the ambitiousness of the LP to go, 'there’s a problem, we’ll organize, and solve the problem.'

"What’s going to be curious to see is how the Libertarian Party uses this momentum to advance its agenda in the future. The biggest critique I’ve had of the LP – as a small-l libertarian who isn’t a member of the party – is its seeming disorganization. The park cleanup shows the party is more organized than people realized and it also goes a long way to show people who may not hold to the ideology how free markets can easily replace what the government has seized.

"It will also be curious to see what happens once the rest of the government re-opens. Will there be a push to privatize the National Park System or, at least, part of it ... ? Will more people start voting for Libertarian Party candidates in local, state, and federal elections? I don’t expect the government to suddenly give up power, but if there’s enough of a push it might happen in the future.

"This is the long-term strategy by the Libertarians. Kudos to them for showing it works."

Read more: https://hotair.com/archives/2019/01/13/libertarian-party-organizes-national-park-cleanups/
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BBC TV's Yes Minister a primer on civil service

The BBC's "Yes Minister" Is Everything You Need to Know about Government - Foundation for Economic Education - Bill Wirtz:

November 18, 2018 - "The British satire show Yes Minister was unique in its display of the inner workings of government. It's as up to date as ever.

"The series ... on BBC Two between 1980 and 1988 ... has in its core the characters of Jim Hacker (the minister), Sir Humphrey Appleby (permanent secretary), and Bernard Woolley (Hacker's principal private secretary). Hacker plays the role of minister of administrative affairs, making him responsible for the British civil service and any type of reforms deemed necessary for the inner workings of the government. He is what Americans would probably describe as a 'dork': he's unable to understand the intrigue of the civil service, optimistic about his actual power, and easily swayed........

"Sir Humphrey represents the civil service: he is stubborn and opinionated, and manages to protect his interests and those of the bureaucrats with ingenious wit and plot. Humphrey characteristically says 'Yes Minister' repeatedly, though he's clearly understood to mean 'No.' Bernard ... is easily broken by Sir Humphrey and ... is also used to parody the civil service: he constantly chips in with unnecessary knowledge....

"The questions Yes Minister asks are not impertinent: Are long-term appointments of top-class civil servants really a good idea?...

"In 2015, the United States employed a total of almost 22 million government employees in federal, state, and local government.... Civil servants aren't only employees; they are, in fact, employees who vote for their bosses in significant numbers. All of the 22 million government employees vote, and they are closely associated with people (in this case their own families) who share their financial interests. When politicians do not exchange civil servants as they take office, they can get stuck with hostile and powerful bureaucrats who lobby for their own interests....

"Yes Minister shows how fear-mongering and delay are among the civil service’s tactics to stay in power. In fact, Jim Hacker continuously gets confronted with the wrath of the Deep State as soon as he tries to reform any of it.....

"[I]n today's Britain, a show like Yes Minister would be unlikely to be produced. The BBC would be worried about offending people or even ... undermining public faith in the institutions of the country."

Read more: https://fee.org/articles/the-bbcs-yes-minister-is-everything-you-need-to-know-about-government/
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Government shutdown as "libertarian experiment"

The Libertarian Experiment That Isn’t | Cato @ Liberty - Ryan Bourne:

January 11, 2018 - "According to Paul Krugman, the government shutdown amounts to a potentially big libertarian experiment. With nine departments and multiple agencies closed, maybe for months, the New York Times columnist and Nobel laureate envisages a coming test of whether the country can live without the Food and Drug Administration, the Small Business Administration and farm subsidies....

"As the vast majority of the U.S. population go about their daily lives, barely noticing that 25 percent of federal discretionary spending has been paused, it’s certainly possible many will wonder why debt is being racked up for programs that have no noticeable effect on their well-being. Who knows, many employees, businesses and farms may also reconsider the wisdom of placing their livelihoods at the whims of the political process.

"Better still, the shutdown may bring attention to these otherwise rarely-scrutinized programs. If major columnists continue identifying Cato as proponents of scrapping things such as farm subsidies and small business cronyism, linking to our research on the damaging economic, political, and social consequences of existing provisions, the shutdown could serve a useful public education role too!

"But ... shutdowns appear not to change much in regards the size and scope of government in the long term, yet bring chaos, ill-feeling and uncertainty in the short....

"Libertarians are indeed confident that, as in countries such as New Zealand, scrapping agricultural subsidies would deliver a more efficient industry, taxpayer savings, and a bigger economy. But ... temporary suspension of promised support is not an environment conducive to farmers making long-term crop or farm ownership decisions, private companies banding to form market-based food safety certification agencies, or small businesses sourcing new finance.

"Yes, economic actors will take steps to mitigate the effects of disruption. But knowing government will eventually reopen, there is little to no incentive for the new institutions to develop or businesses and farms to undertake the structural change we would see if government absented from these roles. Instead, ... [t]he natural priority for those farms, businesses and federal employees right now is to lobby successfully for the government to reopen and their payments to start flowing again....

"In fact, ... a host of other areas likely to be noticeably affected by a sustained shutdown – security screening at airports, air traffic control, and the management of national parks – are better managed in other countries with more private sector involvement. If the shutdown brings attention to this, then great.

"Overall though, libertarians are fully aware that for the real policy experiments we desire, the public and/or politicians must be convinced of the necessity or desirability for permanent policy change in a market-based direction. The best chance for success with that is in an environment where those affected can adjust in an orderly manner, and replacement private-sector institutions have time to develop."

Read more: https://www.cato.org/blog/libertarian-experiment-isnt
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Libertarians cleaning Ohio & California parks

Libertarians plan to clean-up Hopewell National Park as government shutdown continues | WSYX TV6 Columbus - Geoffrey Redick:

January 8, 2019 - "Kryssi Wichers' car is covered with Libertarian Party stickers, and she ran as a Libertarian candidate.... On Saturday, her political party will host a 'National Park Clean Up' event, ... part of a larger statewide effort being sponsored by the Libertarian Party.... Libertarians are cleaning up the parks, since national park rangers are on furlough during the 17 day-long government shutdown....

"Wichers says trash bags, bottled water and potentially snacks will be provided during the clean-up. The 'National Park Clean Up' event will be held from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Saturday at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park on Route 104 just north of Chillicothe. Anyone is welcome to attend, and participants do not have to be a member or supporter of the Libertarian Party to pitch in."
Read more: https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/libertarians-plan-to-clean-up-hopewell-national-park-as-government-shutdown-continues

Libertarian Party organizes Yosemite cleanup | Local | hanfordsentinel.com - Julissa Savala, Hanford Sentinel:

January 9, 2019 - "Reports of trash piling up and human feces littering the state’s most beautiful national parkland [are] why the Libertarian Party of Kings County is taking measures into its own hands.... [M]embers are organizing trash pick-up days at national parks in Central California and are asking for help from every community member willing to do what the government can’t during a shutdown....

"Kalish Morrow, chair of Libertarian Party of Kings County, said [that] since the government shutdown began on Dec. 22, some Libertarian groups around the nation ... have volunteered to help pitch in with cleaning up, such as around the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and Lake Mead in Nevada.... Due to the shutdown, funding for national parks ... has been slashed, leaving them with little to no restroom facilities and essential custodial services. Visitors have flooded the parks, taking advantage of free entry...

"The Libertarian Party of Kings County will be at Yosemite National Park on Sunday, Jan. 13, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. for a cleanup effort. Members and others who are interested will meet in Hanford that morning and caravan up to the park."
Read more: https://hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/libertarian-party-organizes-yosemite-cleanup/article_82ae735e-e77d-5904-9760-ec6d098a301b.html

'via Blog this'

Libertarians clean up Washington D.C.

Libertarians step in to clean up Washington during government shutdown - Steve Goodale, Newsgrowl:

January 7, 2019 - "Dozens of Libertarian Party members met on the National Mall in Washington, DC yesterday to pick up the litter and garbage piling up around some of America’s most famous monuments. With no regular litter collection happening on federally-owned land during the government shutdown, the burden of keeping much of the city clean has fallen to private citizens.

"Officially sponsored by the Libertarian Party of DC and the Libertarian Party of Northern Virginia, the event drew patriotic LP members from as far away as Pennsylvania. A total of seven teams, each equipped with a roll of garbage bags, fanned out across the Mall on different pre-assigned routes.

"Effort was concentrated on areas most likely to be visited by tourists, which included the Mall itself, the Capitol building, the Lincoln Memorial, and the various war monuments in the area.

"Besides general litter, the Libertarians found debris left over from protesters, and even a bottle of human urine....

“'It’s an example of us practicing what we preach. We want the private sector to step up when government can’t, so that’s what we’re doing here,' said LP of DC chairman and Libertarian National Committee member Joe Bishop-Henchman.

"Libertarian Party national membership manager Jess Mears ... explained. 'Obviously, the federal government does maintain the parks. While it is shut down right now, we’re trying to exemplify other ways that we could have these services without federal dollars contributing to them. Also,' she added, 'it’s getting your hands dirty in politics. Literally'....

"After completely filling a van with full garbage bags a pickup truck was brought in to take away the remainder.

"With no end [to] the government shutdown in sight, provisional plans for the Libertarians to return to the same area next week are in discussion.

"'I think we all have a mutual responsibility to take care of our public spaces, and government doesn’t necessarily need to pay for that,' said participant Ethan Bishop-Henchman. 'It’s definitely not paying for it right now.'”

Read more: https://newsgrowl.com/libertarians-clean-government-shutdown/
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Private sector maintaining Yellowstone Park

Private Companies Are Paying to Keep Yellowstone Clean During Shutdown - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Eric Boehm:

January 7, 2019 - "Nearly three weeks into the government shutdown, some of America's national parks are starting to get a bit rank [with] no employees to empty trash bins or clean toilets...

"But at Yellowstone National Park, National Public Radio reports, local businesses are chipping in to make sure the bathrooms get cleaned, the roads get plowed, and the tourists keep coming. Even in the middle of winter, the park gets an estimated 20,000 visitors per month....

"Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which runs the only hotels inside Yellowstone that remain open during the winter, is leading the effort to cover the $7,500 daily tab for keeping the roads plowed and the snowmobile trails groomed during the shutdown, according to NPR. Thirteen other private businesses that offer tours of the park are chipping in $300 a day to help cover that expense....

"Xanterra has some of its own employees assigned to clean park bathrooms during the shutdown, and snowmobile tour guides are packing their own toilet paper for customers to use....

"According to the National Park Service, the 331 million visitors to national parks during 2017 contributed an estimated $18.2 billion to local economies within 60 miles of the parks. All that spending supported 306,000 jobs. The federal government spends about $3 billion on the National Park Service each year, but those private economies based in and around the parks [are] six times larger. That's a powerful incentive to keep things running even if the government isn't.

"There's also probably a useful lesson here about what the privatization of national parks would look like. Rather than the corporatized dystopia of environmentalist nightmares, removing the government from the equation would allow businesses that have a vested interest in maintaining and protecting America's natural splendor to do exactly that — and would prevent the parks from being caught up in the unrelated drama of whatever nonsense is happening in Washington, D.C."

Read more: https://reason.com/blog/2019/01/07/private-companies-yellowstone-shutdown?utm_medium=email
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DC think tank warns of climate action costs

CEI warns lawmakers that a 'Green New Deal' would risk a humanitarian crisis - John Siciliano, Washington Examiner:

January 8, 2019 - "A prominent libertarian think tank is warning Congress that a real humanitarian crisis, in the U.S. and abroad, would follow if lawmakers move forward with proposals like the progressive-backed 'Green New Deal' that would restrict access to fossil fuels and thus raise the cost of living.

"The Competitive Enterprise Institute on Tuesday released its wish list of recommendations for the new 116th Congress, calling on the leadership in the House and Senate to apply a 'do no harm' principle before moving forward with climate legislation.... The group challenges the renewable energy mandate of the Green New Deal, which is being pushed in the House by left-leaning freshmen....

"CEI ... had been subpoenaed as part of an investigation launched by Democratic attorneys general in recent years into whether ExxonMobil had suppressed climate data from its own scientists. The attorneys general wanted documentation on how the think tank advised energy firms like Exxon on climate change. CEI fought the subpoena requests in court, arguing that it infringed on the organization's constitutional speech protections.

"The Green New Deal calls for ... a phase-out of fossil fuels, transitioning to renewable energy in order to cut greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Such a plan would drive up prices for low-income households, while raising 'serious humanitarian concerns,' says the group.... The result would be that low-income households would have to cut back on spending on food, medicine, education, and more.

"The recommendations also say that moving ahead with the goals of the Paris climate change accord — limiting global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius — cannot be achieved without painful cuts in developing countries’ use of fossil fuels like gasoline, coal, and oil. Likewise, the cuts in fossil energy use would make developing nations more dependent on expensive renewable energy, affecting the health and well-being of people across the globe, according to CEI.

"The group ... wants lawmakers to ... hobble EPA’s authority by making changes to the Clean Air Act, which. .. would make it harder for the agency to revisit climate regulations in the future.... The group also wants Congress to ... pass legislation that freezes and then sunsets the nation’s ethanol mandate and biofuel program, known as the Renewable Fuel Standard, in 2022."

Read more: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy/cei-warns-lawmakers-that-a-green-new-deal-would-risk-a-humanitarian-crisis
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Maine Libertarians regain party status for 2019

Libertarians are alive and kicking - The Ellsworth American (letter) - Chris Lyons, Jim Baines, & Jesse McNally, Libertarian Party of Maine:

January 4, 2019 - "While the state of Maine disqualified the Libertarian Party as an officially recognized party in late November, that was a temporary status. The party regained recognized status on Dec. 11, after party members filed the necessary paperwork.

"The state requires 10,000 voting registrants to maintain permanent status, or the party has to file a 'Declaration of Intent to Form a Party by Party Enrollment.' Only 10 registered voters are required by the state to sign the form, which was submitted on Dec. 3 (the first day of eligibility), and approved by the state on Dec. 11. The state now requires the Libertarians to reach 5,000 registrants by Jan. 2, 2020, and 10,000 registered Libertarians must vote on Election Day 2020 to maintain official status.

"'The drive for permanent recognition now begins,' says Vice Chairman Jim Baines of Hampden. 'We have new and growing leadership that was just voted in this year, and we’re stepping up a campaign to let Mainers know we’re here, we’re organized, and we care about everything they care about — freedom to make your own decisions, both financial and personal. We’re also tired of seeing wasteful government spending, and neither old party cares to do anything about that.'

"The Libertarian Party also is looking to the courts to reinstate the roughly 6,000 existing registered Libertarians, whom the state unenrolled last month. Just the same, anyone can register as a Libertarian, provided they do so on new registration cards that will come out in the next month. The Libertarians will be printing up their own cards."

Read more: https://www.ellsworthamerican.com/opinions/letters-to-the-editor/libertarians-are-alive-and-kicking/
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Is "tu quoque" really a logical fallacy?

by George J. Dance

"Tu quoque" is a Latin term that translates as "you too." It is the name of a line of argument that is considered a logical fallacy. Here is a standard explanation, from Wikipedia:

Tu quoque ... or the appeal to hypocrisy, is a fallacy that intends to discredit the opponent's argument by asserting the opponent's failure to act consistently in accordance with its conclusion(s)... An example would be:

Peter: "Bill is guilty of defrauding the government out of tax dollars."
Bill: "How can you say that when you yourself have 20 outstanding parking tickets?"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu_quoque

Wikipedia adds that tu quoque "is a fallacy because the moral character or actions of the opponent are generally irrelevant to the logic of the argument." It also calls it a "red herring"(a diversion) and an "ad hominem" (an attack not on the argument but on the person making the argument), but those two objections to it reduce to the first one: a statement can be a red herring or an ad hominem only if it is irrelevant to an argument.

So, then, a tu quoque is a fallacy only if it is irrelevant to an argument. A moral argument, though, is an argument about right and wrong (about what people ought to do and not do); and a person's actions (what he does and does not do) reflect his moral beliefs (what he believes people ought to do and not do). So: a tu quoque is not a fallacy in a moral argument.

Consider the above example. Peter's parking tickets are indeed irrelevant to whether Bill is withholding money from the government; but it is not irrelevant to whether Bill is doing something wrong. Peter is not just giving us the information that Bill is withholding money from the government. By his use of the terms "guilty" and "defrauding," he is relying on (or smuggling in) tacit moral premises to imply a few equally tacit conclusions:

1. It is morally wrong to commit fraud.
2. Withholding money from the government is fraud.
3. Bill is withholding money from the government.
4. Therefore, Bill is guilty of fraud.
5. Therefore, Bill should stop withholding money from the government; and
6. Therefore, the rest of us should think badly of Bill for withholding that money.

That is the argument that Bill is addressing. He is in fact challenging Peter's premises, with a similarly tacit argument.

1. By not paying his parking tickets, Peter is also withholding money from the government.
2. Therefore, if Peter believed his third premise were true, he would pay his parking tickets (by his first premise).
3. Therefore, Peter does not believe one of either his first or fourth premises. Peter's argument contains a false premise, by his own expressed belief.
4. Therefore, Peter's argument, by his own expressed belief, is invalid.

That puts the onus back on Peter. Moral rules are "universalizable," which is just a fancy term meaning that they are rules not about what Bill should do or not do, but about what people (ie, everyone) should do or not do. The principle of universalizability states that the moral rules that apply to one person apply to every other person, except where there is a good moral reason for treating them differently; equal treatment is the default.

In order to save his argument, Peter has to justify such a difference in treatment. He can argue either that not paying parking tickets is different from not paying taxes, or that different rules should apply to Peter from those that apply to Bill. On the other hand, by simply claiming a fallacy on Bill's part, Peter has to do nothing at all: he wins his point without having to make it; Bill loses to a bad argument, that Peter did not prove (or even properly make).

To repeat: tu quoque is not a fallacy in a moral argument; falsely labelling it as such is itself fallacios.

Alternet revives "libertarianism is racism" smear

Here’s why this economist believes libertarianism is essentially a form of white supremacy – Alternet.org - Cody Fenwick:

January 3, 2019 - [I]n a recent Twitter discussion on several different economics themes, documented by economist Brad DeLong, Marshall Steinbaum offered a theory.... The discussants were debating the merit of anti-monopolistic policies and to what extent it could be useful to frame the messaging around the topic in a way that would get libertarians on board.

“'You might have noticed that I don’t particularly care about "winning over" libertarians given their longstanding intellectual commitments,' Steinbaum, research director at the Roosevelt institute, said. 'If it is self-defeating to refuse to ally with white supremacy, then fine.'

“'Are you equating libertarianism with white supremacy?' asked E. Glenn Weyl, founder of RadicalxChange.

“'I am indeed, with much in the historical record to back me up. For example: "the United States, with trivial exceptions, has never been a colonial country." —Milton Friedman,' replied Steinbaum. 'There are flavors, but they all serve one another’s purposes and are part of the same political movement, yes.'

"Weyl, for one, outright rejected the view: 'Marshall is equating libertarianism with white supremacy. I think this is roughly equivalent to equating socialism with Stalinism, conservatism with Nazism or Islam with terrorism. This attitude of some of the left is unbelievably destructive and dangerous.'

"But DeLong, noting that he does not always agree with Steinbaum, argued persuasively for his point of view in a follow-up blog post. Libertarianism, he wrote, 'is a Frankenstein’s monster that got its lightning-bolt juice from massive resistance to the Civil Rights Movement'....

"DeLong pointed out that when Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) first entered national politics, he sparked a backlash by saying he opposed the 1964 Civil Rights Act because it restricted private businesses’ right to engage in racist discrimination. Paul has since avoided discussion of this view, but it remains a revealing episode of his thinking....

"In principle, of course, anyone might discriminate against anyone else at public accommodations in Paul’s view. But we know how this plays out: White people use their property rights and 'freedom' from government regulation to further marginalize and oppress the black minority. Thinking that this is a world more in line with the ideal of 'freedom,' rather than a world in which fair treatment can be more readily enforced, is an unavoidably white supremacist idea.

"It’s also worth noting that Ron Paul, the senator’s father and  predecessor in the Senate and at the forefront of national libertarianism, was caught having published wildly racist remarks in his own personal newsletter."

Read more: https://www.alternet.org/2019/01/heres-why-this-economist-believe-libertarianism-is-essentially-a-form-of-white-supremacy/
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UPDATE: The AlterNet article was reprinted January 4, 2019, by Salon, under the title "Here’s why economist Brad DeLong believes libertarianism is essentially a form of white supremacy"
https://www.salon.com/2019/01/04/heres-why-this-economist-believes-libertarianism-is-essentially-a-form-of-white-supremacy_partner/

People's Party organized in all federal ridings

Bernier says People's Party set up in all 338 ridings ahead of 2019 election | National Observer - Canadian Press:

January 2, 2019 - "The People's Party of Canada says it has reached its goal of setting up 338 riding associations as it sets its sights on being a competitive force in the upcoming federal election.

"In an email to supporters, leader Maxime Bernier says the move amounts to a "gift of hope" for Canadians seeking to bring back freedom, responsibility, fairness and respect to the country....

"The party's platform is still being finalized, but its website says positions taken by Bernier in the Conservative leadership race — such as a pitch to phase out supply management for the dairy sector — will form the basis for its policies.

"Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer defeated Bernier for the federal Tory leadership by a slim margin in May 2017.

"Bernier has accused the Tories of abandoning conservatives, adding the party has 'nothing of substance' to offer Canadians seeking a political alternative."

Read more: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/01/02/news/bernier-says-peoples-party-set-all-338-ridings-ahead-2019-election
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Sanford warns of debt crisis in farewell address

Rep. Mark Sanford Cautions of ‘Hitler-like’ Figure in Parting Address - Emily Kopp, Roll Call:

December 27, 2018 - "Outgoing Republican Rep. Mark Sanford cautioned his constituents on the rise of a 'Hitler-like character' in a parting address on Wednesday. Though a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, the South Carolinian clarified he was not likening the leader of the Republican Party to Nazi Germany’s Adolf Hitler. But he warned the 'forces at play' in contemporary politics 'could lead to a future Hitler-like character if we don’t watch out.'

"'Washington cannot continue to do business as it now does and have our republic survive,' Sanford said in reference to the national debt. 'As open political systems become cumbersome and inefficient, inevitably a strong man comes along and offers easy promises. He says that he can take care of it for us. People desperate for a change accept his offer. They have to give up a few freedoms in the equation to get more security,” Sanford said.....

"The impending government shutdown prevented Sanford from delivering the address on the House floor last week, but the departing congressman and former governor posted the speech to Facebook.

"State Rep. Katie Arrington ousted Sanford in a primary battle earlier this year where support for Trump was a decisive fault line.... Trump endorsed Arrington on Election Day, slamming Sanford [and] mocked Sanford’s subsequent defeat at a private meeting with Congressional Republicans....

"In his parting speech, Sanford described the difference between Trump's politics and his own deeply conservative views as the 'soothing promises of populism' versus the 'real math' of budget austerity. Sanford said his career had been defined by the issue of national debt.

''More than anything, these last 25 years have been about trying in some small way to affect the trajectory of government spending,' he said.

"Sanford delivered a dramatic prediction about the future of the economy, arguing that government [deficit] spending could lead to inflation, which would erode 'our way of life.' 'I believe that we are marching our way toward the most predictable financial and economic crisis in the history of our republic,' he said. 'If we don’t change course soon, markets will do it for us.'

"Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., a fellow member of the Freedom Caucus, would 'carry the flag forward in this eternal battle,' he said.

"Sanford’s challenger Arrington lost to Democrat Joe Cunningham in the November general election."

Read more: https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/rep-mark-sanford-cautions-hitler-like-figure-parting-address
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"A global backlash against climate-change taxes"

France’s protesters are part of a global backlash against climate-change taxes - The Washington Post - Steven Mufson & James McAuley:

December 4, 2018 - "The single most effective weapon in the fight against climate change is the tax code — imposing costs on those who emit greenhouse gases, economists say. But as French President Emmanuel Macron learned over the past three weeks, implementing such taxes can be politically explosive.

"France delayed for six months [and later abandoned - gd] a plan to raise already steep taxes on diesel fuel by 24 cents a gallon and gasoline by about 12 cents a gallon. Macron [had] argued that the taxes were needed to curb climate change by weaning motorists off petroleum products, but violent demonstrations in the streets of Paris and other French cities forced him to backtrack — at least for now.... It was a setback for the French president, who has been trying to carry the torch of climate action in the wake of the Paris accords....

"Leaders in the United States, Canada, Australia and elsewhere have found their carbon pricing efforts running into fierce opposition....

"In the United States ... energy-related taxes are among the lowest in the developed world.... Bill Clinton proposed a tax on the heat content of fuels as part of his first budget in 1993. Known as the BTU tax, for British thermal unit, it would have raised $70 billion over five years while increasing gasoline prices no more than 7.5 cents a gallon. But Clinton was forced to retreat in the face of a rebellion in his own party.... The state of Washington has also tried — and failed twice — to win support for a carbon tax or carbon 'fee'....

"To be sure, some climate-conscious countries have adopted carbon taxes, including Chile, Spain, Ukraine, Ireland and nations in Scandinavia. [But] Only around 12 percent of global emissions are covered by pricing programs such as taxes ... or permit trading....

"But Canada is about to offer a test case. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled a 'backstop' carbon tax of $20 a ton ... for the four Canadian provinces that do not already have one. Trudeau was elected partly on a promise of this sort of measure, but it’s costing him more political capital than expected. Conservative premiers oppose the plan, which looks set to become an election issue.

"Trudeau’s policy, however, is designed to withstand criticism. About 90 percent of the revenue from the backstop tax will be paid back to Canadians in the form of annual 'climate action incentive' payments. Because of the progressive tax rates, about 70 percent of Canadians will get back more than they paid....

"The first checks will arrive shortly before Canadian elections."

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/frances-protesters-are-part-of-a-global-backlash-against-climate-change-taxes/2018/12/04/08365882-f723-11e8-863c-9e2f864d47e7_story.html
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In praise of the public domain

by George J. Dance

January 1, 2019 - In Canada, January 1 is Public Domain Day, the day when works of art lose their copyright status and pass into the public domain. "Public domain" means that the art no longer has an owner who can charge (and therefore exclude) those who want to experience it. Physical copies are still owned; but anyone in the country – teacher, humble blogger, or even small press owner – can make their own copies without having to pay royalties for the privilege.

Public Domain Day happens today in the United States, as well, but there it is more momentous. January 1, 2019 is the first Public Domain Day in the U.S. in 20 years, the very first since the rise of the internet.

The concept of a 'public domain' has a long pedigree, reaching back to the Roman legal concepts of res nullus (things that cannot be owned) and res communes (things owned in common). In modern law, though, it is treated as a mere negative: the things to which property law does not apply. The term itself was coined by French poet Alfred de Vigny, who equated the end of a work's copyright with it falling "into the sinkhole of public domain." "Sinkhole" was a good description; For most books, songs and poems, the lack of copyright meant that no one would publish them; a work that fell into the public domain could well and truly disappear.

However, the internet changed all that. Project Gutenberg began putting the literary canon online – Internet Archive began doing the same for the rest of pre-1923 writing – Wikimedia Commons did the same for paintings and music. Today, rather than being lost to us, public domain works are available and freely accessible to billions.  

Simultaneous with the rise of the net in the 1990s, copyright holders began pushing to extend their copyrights. In 1995 the United Kingdom increased its copyright term, from life plus 50 to life plus 70 years. The United States followed suit in 1998 with its own 20-year increase, from 75 to 95 years. The British law was retroactive, declaring works already in the public domain (some already republished) back in copyright (and those published works therefore illegal). However, as the U.S. Constitution forbids ex post facto punishments, Congress had to be content with freezing copyrights for 20 years, effectively banning Public Domain Day for that time.

Canada has been under considerable pressure (most recently with the Trans-Pacific Partnership) to increase its own term. Thankfully, that pressure failed; not least, because such extensions of copyright are indefensible. A libertarian can accept the idea of giving a work's creator the sole right to use and profit from his work, even for life; and adding an extra fixed term insures his dependents against his accidental death. (For example, if a writer dies at 30, Canadian law lets his heirs collect royalties as if he had lived to 80.) But there is no justification for forcing consumers to pay royalties to a creator's grandchildren.  

Yet copyright advocates continued to demand more for another decade. Some, like Sonny Bono (a main proponent of the 1998 law), even argued for perpetual copyrights that would never expire. Perpetual copyright is also forbidden by the U.S. Constitution, which empowers Congress to grant patents and copyrights for "limited times" only; Bono and his ilk hoped to circumvent that by passing further 20-year extensions every 20 years, meaning that the next increase had to happen by 2018.

Fortunately, the internet changed all that, too. The tipping point came in 2012, when Congress debated the Stop Internet Piracy Act (SOPA), which would have forced ISPs to black out websites accused of copyright violation and blacklist the site owners. Online opposition to SOPA was massive and widespread, and in addition backed by big sites like Google and Wikipedia. For once the big money pushing to expand copyright was balanced by big money pushing back. "The defeat of SOPA was so complete," says website Ars Technica, "that it has essentially ended efforts by copyright interests to expand copyright protection via legislation."

Which is why the U.S. enjoyed a Public Domain Day this year. American copyright law today is far from perfect, and in many respects not even very good. But at least this day can remind Americans that, thankfully, their government no longer has carte blanche to make it worse.