Abortion-rights activists score wins at state level

In the 2024 U.S. election. abortion-rights ballot measures passed in seven of ten states, including five won by Trump/Vance.

Abortion protest, New York, May 2022. Photo by Legoktm. CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.

Pro-Choice Abortion Initiatives Pass in Seven Out of Ten States | Reason | Elizabeth Nolan Brown:

November 6, 2024 - "Measures meant to protect abortion access were approved by voters in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and New York.... Until yesterday, the pro-choice position [has] prevailed in every state where abortion-related measures were on the ballot, including in red states such as Kansas, Kentucky, and Ohio. That ... pattern is broken somewhat by results in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota.... 

• In Florida, 57 percent of voters supported Amendment 4, an Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion ... but it falls short of the 60 percent approval threshold required for constitutional amendments in Florida.
• In Nebraska, 48.7 percent of voters approved the state's Right to Abortion measure, (Initiative 439), which would have amended the constitution to declare that 'all persons shall have a fundamental right to abortion until fetal viability'.... [A] competing measure — Initiative 434 — passed 55.3 percent to 44.7 percent.... Initiative 434 ... allows for first trimester abortions but prohibits second and third trimester abortion unless 'necessitated by a medical emergency or when the pregnancy results from sexual assault or incest'....
• [I]n South Dakota — where it's currently criminal to perform an abortion or prescribe abortion medication unless a pregnant woman's life is at risk ... [v]oters rejected Amendment G — a citizen-led initiative to enshrine abortion rights in the state's constitution— by almost 20 percentage points (with 87 percent of votes counted)..... 
• In Arizona, voters approved Proposition 139, a measure that enshrines a 'fundamental right' to abortion until fetal viability in the state's constitution. Abortion is currently legal in Arizona only until 15 weeks pregnancy. Voters rejected this status quo, with about 62 percent voting for Proposition 139 with 60 percent of votes tallied.
• In Missouri, where abortion is currently illegal except in medical emergencies, voters approved Amendment 3, a constitutional amendment declaring that 'the Government shall not deny or infringe upon a person's fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which is the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion care, miscarriage care, and respectful birthing conditions'.... 
• In Maryland, where abortion is currently legal until fetal viability, voters overwhelmingly approved Question 1, also known as the Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment. The tally was about 74 percent for and just 26 percent with three-quarters of votes counted. Initiated by state lawmakers, ... the amendment says 'the State may not, directly or indirectly, deny, burden, or abridge the right [to an abortion] unless justified by a compelling State interest achieved by the least restrictive means.'
• In Montana, where abortion is currently legal until fetal viability, voters approved The Right to Abortion Initiative, also known as CI-128. The measure will amend the state constitution to say 'there is a right to make and carry out decisions about one's own pregnancy, including the right to abortion,' and 'this right shall not be denied or burdened unless justified by a compelling government interest achieved by the least restrictive means'....
• In Nevada, where abortion is now legal until 24 weeks pregnancy, voters approved Question 6.... The measure states that the right to an abortion 'shall not be denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless justified by a compelling state interest that is achieved by the least restrictive means.' With 84 percent of Nevada votes counted, it was up 63.3 percent to 36.7 percent. However, it must pass again in 2026 to be enacted.
• In Colorado, where abortion is currently legal throughout pregnancy, voters passed Amendment 79.... The measure repeals a 1984 amendment prohibiting the use of public funds for abortion and creates a new constitutional amendment stating that 'the right to abortion is hereby recognized. Government shall not deny, impede, or discriminate against the exercise of that right, including prohibiting health insurance coverage for abortion'....

"Trump won Florida, Missouri, and Montana and ... Arizona and Nevada ... yet a majority of voters in these states, too, opted to support legal abortion."

Read more: https://reason.com/2024/11/06/pro-choice-abortion-initiatives-pass-in-seven-out-of-ten-states/

Colorado Libertarians give ballot line to RFK Jr.

The Libertarian Party of Colorado (LPCO) announced today that the LPCO Board of Directors has voted to give its ballot line to independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Libertarian Party of Colorado (LPCO) Announces Partnership with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Campaign | X:  

July 2, 2024 -"The Libertarian Party of Colorado Board of Directors passed a resolution voting in favor of a groundbreaking partnership with the independent presidential campaign of @RobertKennedyJr. This collaboration aims to disrupt the entrenched two-party system and provide Colorado voters with a viable alternative in the upcoming 2024 presidential election....

"As part of this partnership, the Libertarian Party of Colorado will place the Kennedy/Shanahan ticket on the Colorado state ballot for president and vice president. This move reflects our commitment to offering voters a choice that transcends the traditional partisan divide and promotes individual liberty, personal responsibility, and limited government.

"Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shares many of the Libertarian Party's core principles, including a commitment to civil liberties, free markets, and a non-interventionist foreign policy. His campaign's focus on ending corporate welfare, reducing government spending, and protecting the environment aligns with our values and resonates with Colorado voters. 

"In addition, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a signatory of LPCO’s Presidential Liberty Pledge, affirming his alignment with many of the positions libertarians strongly hold, and its contents will be released at a later date.

"By joining forces with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign, the Libertarian Party of Colorado aims to build a broad coalition of voters who are tired of the status quo and seek a fresh, principled alternative. We believe that this partnership will help us reach new audiences, expand our support base, and make a significant impact on the 2024 presidential election in Colorado.

"We encourage all Colorado voters to learn more about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign and the Libertarian Party's platform. Together, we can break the stranglehold of the two-party system and create a more free, prosperous, and just society."

Read more: https://x.com/LPCO/status/1808321139615179094 

Colorado Libertarian convention cancelled

Colorado Libertarians cancel state convention, blast state's 'draconian regulations' | Colorado Politics - Ernest Luning:

March 19, 2020 - "The Colorado Libertarian Party on Thursday canceled its annual convention in response to an order issued by Gov. Jared Polis limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. The party, which counts more than 46,000 registered voters in Colorado, is developing 'a digital option for conducting necessary party business,' state party chairman Victoria Reynolds said in an online post that called the public health order issued late Wednesday 'draconian regulations.'

"State Libertarians had been planning to convene April 3-5 at a Lakewood hotel after moving their annual meeting from Glenwood Springs earlier this week, due to an order by a local health department banning large gatherings.

"Polis issued a series of executive orders Wednesday night to further restrict public gatherings in an effort to slow the spread of the virus, including extending an order requiring all schools to close through April 17 and keeping downhill ski areas closed through April 6. The Colorado Department of Public Health issued an order Wednesday prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people, in accordance with federal recommendations, Polis said.

"Reynolds told Colorado Politics that the party had expected at least 100 people to attend the weekend convention, which featured speakers, panel discussions and a Roaring '20s party. At the meeting, the Colorado Libertarians [were] planning to nominate candidates to Colorado's general election ballot and send delegates to the national convention, as well as elect board members and take care of other party business."

Reynolds said ... that the government restrictions fly in the face of the party's basic tenants. 'It has long been a cornerstone of Libertarian beliefs that the world works best when people use personal responsibility and exercise their right to freely assemble,' she said. 'Not only are political and activist organizations forced to set their work aside when people need them most, but businesses have been forced to close, as well. By shutting down our convention and others like it, the state of Colorado has compounded the economic damage already being done through our society grinding to a halt.'"

Read more: https://www.coloradopolitics.com/quick-hits/colorado-libertarians-cancel-state-convention-blast-state-s-draconian-regulations/article_7ee5a7c8-69fd-11ea-9bfb-477374d4fdfb.html

Colorado abolishes death penalty

Colorado to Become 22nd US State to Abolish Death Penalty | Voice of America:

February 27, 2020 - "Colorado is set to become the 22nd U.S. state to abolish the death penalty. Lawmakers gave final approval to a bill to end the practice Wednesday, and the state's governor has said he will sign it.

"Proponents of halting the use of the death penalty argued it is a punishment that cannot be reversed if later evidence emerges showing someone is innocent, and that it is disproportionately applied to minorities and the poor.

"Those who wanted to keep capital punishment as a sentencing option said the threat of the death penalty gave defendants incentive to seek agreements to plead guilty to crimes and accept lower sentences....

"The state last executed someone in 1997.  Nationally, there have been four executions this year.

Last year, the state of New Hampshire abolished the death penalty, while California Governor Gavin Newsom said last year there will be no capital punishment while he is in office."

Read more: https://www.voanews.com/usa/colorado-become-22nd-us-state-abolish-death-penalty

CO initiative to reimpose cannabis prohibition

Colorado Marijuana Legalization Would Be Overturned By New Ballot Measure | Marijuana Moment- Ben Adlin:

February 7, 2020 - "A newly filed proposed ballot initiative would repeal the section of the Colorado Constitution that says cannabis 'should be legal for persons twenty-one years of age or older and taxed in a manner similar to alcohol.' The measure, submitted to state officials for review last month, would not change Colorado laws concerning medical cannabis or industrial hemp, both of which are also legal in the state.

"The long-shot effort seems unlikely to pass, at least in its current form. The proposal as submitted last month is four sentences long and appears to leave key questions unanswered. But the would-be initiative is nevertheless an indication of the ongoing frustration felt by those who believe communities would be better off under prohibition....

"The initiative was submitted to the state last month by Mary Lou Mosely of Denver and Willard Behm, a lawyer in Rocky Ford. Neither responded to telephone messages left by Marijuana Moment on Thursday morning.

"Legalization advocates are downplaying any threat posed by the measure, saying there’s no evidence to support the idea that voters want to reverse course.

“'We view this initiative as a deeply misguided and futile attempt to roll back a successful legalization policy that Coloradans firmly support,' Matthew Schweich, deputy director of Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), told Marijuana Moment..... 'But we will not be complacent. If this initiative qualifies for the ballot, the marijuana reform movement will make sure that there is a strong and well-funded campaign to defeat it.'”

"A 2016 poll commissioned by MPP found that only 36% of voters supported reversing legalization in Colorado.... Nationally, support for marijuana legalization has never polled higher than it does now. A Pew survey published in November found that two-thirds (67 percent) of Americans support legalization, extending an upward trend that stretches back to the late 1980s. A majority of those polled (59 percent) said they support both medical and adult-use legalization, while a third of respondents (32 percent) said only medical use should be legal."

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/colorado-marijuana-legalization-would-be-overturned-by-new-ballot-measure/
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Colorado Libertarians celebrate Festivus

GoLocalProv | Former Governor Chafee Celebrates Festivus with Colorado Libertarians:

December 16, 2019 - "While many Christians were celebrating Christmas on Wednesday and members of the Jewish faith are enjoying Hanukkah this week, former U.S. Senator and Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee was recently in Colorado at a Festivus celebration with the Libertarian Party.

"'Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as an alternative to the pressures and commercialism of the Christmas season. Originally created by author Daniel O'Keefe, Festivus entered popular culture after it was made the focus of the 1997 Seinfeld episode "The Strike." which O'Keefe's son, Dan O'Keefe, co-wrote,' according to a definition on Wikipedia....

"Chafee ran for President as a Democrat in 2016. Now, he is a Libertarian candidate in 2020 for President."

Read more: https://www.golocalprov.com/politics/former-governor-chafee-celebrates-festivus-with-colorado-libertarians
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Oakland decriminalizes psychedelic mushrooms

Oakland becomes 2nd U.S. city to decriminalize magic mushrooms - Los Angeles Times - Coleen Shalby:

June 5, 2019 - ""Oakland [California] has voted to decriminalize entheogenic plants, including hallucinogenic magic mushrooms. It’s the second city in the United States to do so after Denver passed a similar measure last month for people 21 and older.

"The City Council passed the resolution in a unanimous vote Tuesday. Presented by City Councilman Noel Gallo, the measure sets a citywide policy ending the investigation and imposition of criminal penalties for use and possession of hallucinogens derived from plants or fungi, such as mushrooms, cactuses and the iboga plant.

“'Practices with Entheogenic Plants have long existed and have been considered to be sacred to human cultures and human interrelationships with nature for thousands of years, and continue to be enhanced and improved to this day by religious and spiritual leaders, practicing professionals, mentors, and healers throughout the world, many of whom have been forced underground,' the resolution stated, citing economic, environmental and social equity benefits to the city as well as possible health benefits in treating addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression....

"In May, Denver decriminalized the use of hallucinogenic magic mushrooms, becoming the first city in the U.S. to do so. Similar initiatives in Oregon, Iowa and elsewhere in the country are underway. California voters failed to get a similar measure on the ballot last year.

"Decriminalize Nature Oakland, the group behind the Oakland resolution, started discussions in the community in early 2019. In March, the group had its first public educational event, with support from seven community organizations....

“'Since DNO believes entheogens should not be commodified, there will be no sales of entheogenic plants and fungi, and we will work closely with local communities to share resources,' Gallo wrote in his agenda report to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee. 'Concepts such as collectives could provide a space to have an experience, or "road people" who could visit those in hospice care or unable to leave their home.'

"The resolution applies only to plant-based hallucinogens. Synthetic drugs such as LSD and MDMA are not included. And magic mushrooms ... remain illegal under state and federal law."

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-oakland-magic-mushroom-legal-20190605-story.html
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Decriminalize Denver initiative wins by under 1%

Magic mushrooms decriminalization: Denver poised to become first in U.S. to loosen restrictions - Jon Murray, Denver Post:

May 8, 2019 - "Denver is poised to become the first city in the nation to effectively decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms. After closing an early vote deficit Tuesday night and early Wednesday, final unofficial results posted late in the afternoon showed a reversal of fortune — with Initiative 301 set to pass narrowly with 50.6 percent of the vote. The total stands at 89,320 votes in favor and 87,341 against, a margin of 1,979.

"The Denver Elections Division will continue accepting military and overseas ballots, but typically those numbers are small. Results will be certified May 16....

"Denver’s vote has attracted national attention. While efforts are afoot to get psilocybin-related measures on the ballot in Oregon and California in 2020, Denver hosted the first-ever U.S. popular vote on the matter, according to organizers. An earlier effort in California last year failed to qualify for the ballot.

"Though Initiative 301 attracted no organized opposition, critics of Colorado’s legalization of marijuana lamented the prospect of Denver blazing yet another trail they see as misguided and potentially harmful.... 'We’ll see what the final numbers are, but we’re a little stunned to see a 7,000-vote flip overnight on that,' said Jeff Hunt, director of the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, who initially questioned on Twitter whether vote-tampering was involved....

"Supporters extolled emerging research showing potential health benefits with psychedelic mushrooms. The measure likely was put over the top by younger voters, who tend to cast their ballots closer to or on Election Day, even though all registered voters receive their ballots in the mail about three weeks earlier.

"Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted psilocybin 'breakthrough therapy' designation for its potential to help with treatment-resistant depression, a status that speeds up the development and review process for a medicine containing the substance....

"Some national media outlets as well as the Centennial Institute wrongly called I-301 a bust ... based on the early results. But the gap tightened throughout the night. By 1 a.m. Wednesday, when Denver Elections put out its last release before pausing counting for the night, the measure still was losing by 3.4 percentage points. It overcame that margin in the next — and final — round of results shortly after 4 p.m."

Read more: https://www.denverpost.com/2019/05/08/denver-psychedelic-magic-mushroom/
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Psilocybin decriminalization makes Denver ballot

'Magic mushroom' decriminalization on Denver ballot - Associated Press, Dayton Daily News:

May 6, 2019 - "Voters decide this week whether Denver will become the first U.S. city to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in 'magic mushrooms.'

A citizen-led initiative appearing on ballots Tuesday follows a path that led to marijuana's legalization in Denver and later in Colorado. Campaign organizers, though, say their only goal is to prevent people from going to jail for possessing or using mushrooms.

"The federal government still classifies psilocybin as a Schedule I drug, defined as having no medical purpose and a high potential for abuse. The decision stymied research into its medical use for decades but small studies have resumed in recent years.

"Medical researchers have found the substance can help treat anxiety and depression in cancer patients. Those studies were small and closely supervised but the preliminary results gave researchers hope that psychedelic drugs could be used to treat cancer anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder....

"Psilocybin is among the substances described as psychedelics or hallucinogens. Researchers say they have been used in religious practices for decades for their effects on users' perceptions and spiritual experiences....

"Denver's initiative would effectively decriminalize use or possession of psilocybin by people 21 and older, making it the lowest enforcement priority for local police and prosecutors. The proposed ordinance also prevents city funds from being used for criminal penalties on possession or use and creates a panel of officials to study the effects of the change.

"The initiative does not legalize psilocybin or permit its sale by Denver's cannabis businesses.

"The city's mayor and district attorney have publicly opposed the proposal.... But there is almost no organized opposition to the pro-psilocybin campaign, Decriminalize Denver....

"A California effort to decriminalize the use, possession, growth, sale and transportation of psilocybin failed to qualify for the statewide ballot in 2018. Organizers in Oregon are trying to gather enough support to put a similar initiative to a statewide vote in 2020."

Read more: https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/national/magic-mushroom-decriminalization-denver-ballot/CjUIcCqQLPbZpS1LRMA82N/
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New Colorado governor identifies as libertarian

Jared Polis, Colorado’s governor, is an unusual breed: a libertarian Democrat - That’s the sound of the Polis:

"March 30, 2019 - "If Colorado were a piece of jewellery it would be a mood ring, changing with the country’s political temperature.... After the 2018 election it became a Democratic trifecta, with the party controlling the governor’s office, statehouse and senate.... Last autumn’s election was the most significant for Colorado’s political realignment in more than 40 years, says Floyd Ciruli of Ciruli Associates, a political consulting firm.

“'The type of Republican who does well here is not a Trump Republican. Our suburban, swing electorate is more attracted to the Reagan version of Republicanism, the hopeful version of Republicanism,' says Jared Polis, the state’s new governor....

"Mr Polis, the first openly gay man to be elected as governor of any state, championed a progressive agenda on the campaign trail, but he does not sound like your average Democrat. He backs universal health care, an expansion of full-day kindergarten, paid parental leave and investments in renewable energy. But he also wants to lower the income-tax rate. He identifies as a libertarian. 'The less government intervention in our private lives, the better. I think that’s a value many Coloradans have on the left and right,' he says.

"The legislature, which is now in full session, will not share that sense of moderation and is likely to pull Mr Polis further left than he wants, according to Mr Ciruli. Legislators are considering bills that could enrage conservative voters.... Lawmakers are unlikely to let Mr Polis lower income-tax rates, which he wants to do.

"Mr Polis, who is 43, spent his youth as an entrepreneur, building companies. He helped to transform his parents’ company, Blue Mountain Arts, into an online greeting-card firm that was sold for around $780m in 1999, and built up ProFlowers, an online florist, which was sold for nearly $480m in 2006. Today his net worth is estimated at several hundred million dollars, and he has freely used his fortune to pursue his political career. He won his first post in Colorado in 2000, after he reportedly spent $1.2m to win a seat on the Board of Education (his opponent spent $10,000). He went on to serve five terms in Congress before running for governor last year. He spent more than $23m of his own money on his campaign, or around 97% of the total raised....

"Mr Polis may also have higher aspirations, perhaps to be the country’s first openly gay president. That would be a Mount Elbert-sized peak to climb. Mr Polis has the credentials of a computer geek and the charisma of one, too. To think beyond Colorado is to rush ahead in the story. The state’s political transformation is still relatively new. Whether it lasts will depend in part on the success of Mr Polis’s reign."

Rad more: https://www.economist.com/united-states/2019/03/30/jared-polis-colorados-governor-is-an-unusual-breed-a-libertarian-democrat
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State of Colorado plans to ban plastic straws

Libertarian Party Op Ed: Colorado Is Becoming California With Proposed Straw Ban | Westword - Michael Lopez:

February 6, 2019 -"Colorado Democrats and progressives [are] ... introducing a version of a bill banning plastic straws that garnered plenty of memes last year when it was brought forward in Santa Barbara, California.... While the proposed legislation in Colorado will not fine or jail servers, it is within the realm of possibility that what happened in Santa Barbara is ... going to be the law of the land for all of Colorado.

"The ordinance in California made instant criminals out of all the waitstaff in the city if they give a patron a straw — any straw, compostables included.... [They] could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. The restaurant would not pay this fine. No, the server who dared hand you a straw without a request ... is personally fined.

"While the Libertarian party of Colorado supports environmental conservation through privatization and respect for property rights, it is always an occasion for concern when 'big brother' attempts to legislate morality, even if the legislation is not — for the moment — intended to be enforced. There will be calls for this legislation to be amended so that it can be enforced, and that enforcement will always come with some sort of threat. Therein lies the Libertarian opposition to this legislation. Maybe you were a server once upon a time. Maybe you agree that single-use plastic is wasteful and destructive, but do you honestly believe that workers should be jailed for providing straws? Do you trust government officials to stop there? Are you comfortable with the possibility of our government exercising the Machiavellian idea of rule through fear?

"We entrust our lives to those we elect to government. You vote for them because you believe that they will behave and act as you would, if you were in their shoes. You must then ask yourself: Would I be willing to separate my neighbor from their family, lock them in a cell and take their money, simply for using a straw after I politely asked them not to? This is the kind of self-reflection that we expect our representatives to also undertake. And it is the kind of self-reflection that we should all practice when we ask government to intervene in our lives."

Read more: https://www.westword.com/restaurants/libertarian-party-op-ed-colorado-is-becoming-california-with-proposed-straw-ban-11216706
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Third libertarian Republican elected to U.S. House

Libertarian Republicans excelled in the midterm elections - Jack Hunter, Washington Examiner:

November 7, 2018 - "On Tuesday night, Democrats took the House and Republicans kept the Senate. Expect to hear opinions and analysis of what this might mean for President Trump and the 2020 election in the weeks and months to come. But how did the small but enduring libertarian faction within the Republican Party do?...

"The most high-profile libertarian Republican in Congress, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, was not up for re-election. The next-most high-profile libertarian Republicans in Congress, Reps. Justin Amash of Michigan and Thomas Massie of Kentucky, both won re-election by double-digits.

"Amash, who represents a purple district, has been openly critical of Trump, and his independent streak appeared to pay off for him Tuesday. Massie represents a deep-red district, hasn’t hesitated to criticize the president, yet simultaneously has been more sympathetic. Massie predictably defeated his Democratic opponent in a blowout.

"Republican novice Denver Riggleman won his race for Virginia’s 5th Congressional District. 'Riggleman, a newcomer to politics, ran a positive campaign based on libertarian ideas,' reported National Review's Jibran Khan. But Khan also noted what the libertarian-leaning Riggleman was not: 'His victory, which came on the heels of Corey Stewart’s failed run for the Senate, should be a message for the Virginia GOP'....

"The soundly defeated Corey Stewart represented not only some of the worst aspects of today’s Right in his racist appeal, however intentional or unintentional those appeals were, but his competitive GOP primary opponent Virginia House member Nick Freitas was a libertarian Republican....  Even if he wouldn’t have beaten Democrat Tim Kaine, it is easy to see the libertarian Freitas having significantly more appeal to a larger swath of voters than Stewart. Hopefully this is a lesson Virginia Republicans remember.

"A similar message was sent in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, where Republican Katie Arrington was defeated by Democrat Joe Cunningham. Arrington defeated incumbent Rep. Mark Sanford in the Republican primary by touting her pro-Trump credentials.... [A] Democrat hadn’t won [there] in 40 years.... Arrington’s defeat shows that there are limits to merely hanging your hat on Trump, even in red South Carolina. It goes without saying that the libertarian Sanford would have had far more appeal.

"Another libertarian victory of sorts actually came from the Democratic side, where Colorado’s Jared Polis became the first openly gay governor. Polis is the sole Democratic member of the House Liberty Caucus founded by Justin Amash.... This is not to say that the new Democratic governor will always act along liberty lines, but the one Democrat arguably most sympathetic to libertarian ideas and issues got a big win Tuesday.

"The biggest losses for libertarian Republicans were the defeat of Rep. Dave Brat in Virginia’s 7th District, and Eric Brakey, with a failed Senate challenge to Maine’s incumbent Angus King, an independent who overwhelming votes with Democrats. Brat, also a member of the House Liberty Caucus, made waves when he defeated House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in 2014 — and his loss Tuesday was razor-thin. Brakey, a popular two-term Maine state senator, is only 30 years old, a thorough libertarian Republican in the mold of Rand Paul, and hopefully this won’t be the last we hear from him.

"Overall, Tuesday showed ... that libertarian Republicanism not only endures, but prevails, and could be the brand best positioned for future GOP victories."

Read more: https://gdspoliticalanimal.blogspot.com/2018/11/third-libertarian-republican-elected-to.html
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Nevada LP keeps ballot access via registrations

Nevada becomes fourth Libertarian state affiliate to exceed 1% of voter registration | Libertarian Party - Bob Johnston:

September 9, 2018 - "For the first time in party history, the number of Nevadans registered to vote as Libertarians exceeds 1 percent of the state’s total voter registration. [*]

"Therefore, the Libertarian Party (LP) of Nevada will retain ballot access as long as it maintains its share of at least 1 percent of the registered voters, in which case it will not have to rely on any specific election results in order to retain its party status.

"Thanks to Richard Winger for bringing this news to our attention. (See his Sept. 5 coverage at the Ballot Access News website.)

"Nevada is the fourth LP state affiliate to have garnered at least 1 percent of a state’s registered voters. Alaska, Colorado, and Nebraska can also claim a share of over one percent.

"This November, ten Nevada Libertarians are seeking the votes of those registered Libertarians and their fellow voters in races for federal, state, and local office.... Learn about the 2018 Nevada Libertarian candidates at the LP Nevada website: LPNevada.org/candidates.

"The Nevada slate is part of the approximately 800 Libertarians running for office at all levels of government this November. Learn about them at LP.org/2018-candidates.

"As of Sept. 5, the LP has ballot access in 48 states plus the District of Columbia."

Read more: https://www.lp.org/nevada-lp-becomes-fourth-affiliate-exceed-1-voter-registration/
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According to the Nevada Secretary of State's report for August 2018, there were 14,955 registered Libertarians in the state.  https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/home/showdocument?id=5752

Colorado Libertarians decry Denver kratom ban

Kratom Ban in Denver Ripped by Libertarian Party of Colorado | Westword - Michael Roberts:

January 23, 2018 - "In November, Denver Environmental Health issued a human-consumption ban on kratom, a plant-based substance that advocates tout as a pain reliever lacking the well-known negative effects of more powerful opioids. Now the Libertarian Party of Colorado is formally decrying the move, and the organization's spokesperson reveals that it's a very personal subject for her. After all, she's a user of kratom who believes her life would be infinitely worse if she could no longer take it.

"'Who is the government to tell me that I can't have a functional life and have to live with excruciating pain that makes me want to kill myself?' asks Caryn Ann Harlos, the Colorado LP's communications director....

"[K]ratom has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration took steps to reclassify it as a Schedule I narcotic in August 2016 before reversing course the following year. The change in approach was undoubtedly influenced by public backlash; approximately 140,000 people signed a petition to the White House opposing the DEA's proposal, and a group of 51 U.S. senators and representatives sent a letter to Chuck Rosenberg, the agency's acting head, questioning it.

"Nevertheless, the feds continued to view kratom consumption as dangerous, attributing fifteen deaths between 2014 and 2016 to its use, even though fourteen of the victims had other drugs or illegal substances in their systems when they died.... DEH didn't ban all sales of kratom, but retailers that wish to peddle it for non-consumptive purposes must affix a consumer advisory ...that states: 'This product is not intended for human consumption. Consuming kratom products may pose a risk, including death, to consumers and has addictive potential.'....

"'I have a degenerative back disorder, spinal stenosis, and I've been on and off Vicodin for fifteen years,' Harlos says.... 'But when I moved to Colorado, the federal government started cracking down on opioids, and when I'd try to get legitimate pain medication, they made me feel like a criminal'.... Harlos began looking around for pain-killing alternatives — and marijuana didn't do the trick. 'I don't like it, and it doesn't work for me,' she allows.... At that point, she goes on, 'I discovered kratom, and it worked better than Vicodin. It doesn't have any side effects. You do get a boost when you take it, but it's a boost like you get from caffeine'....

"'The national Libertarian Party is for the full legalization of drugs, period,' she stresses. 'Our position is that the government doesn't own you — that if you want to put something in your body and it's not harming others, it's not the government's business. They have no business protecting you from yourself. So even if kratom was being used recreationally, we'd oppose a ban. But kratom has obvious medical uses. It's had no downside in my life, and it's the same for other people I know who use kratom for pain management. They haven't had any issues, either.'"

Read more: http://www.westword.com/news/kratom-ban-in-denver-ripped-by-libertarian-party-of-colorado-9908252
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Libertarian Party: Denver shooter not a member

Libertarian Party distances itself from gunman in deputy shooting | FOX31 Denver:

December 31, 2017 - "The Libertarian Party is distancing itself from Matthew Riehl, the gunman in the deputy ambush that left one dead in Highlands Ranch on Sunday morning.

"Riehl released a YouTube video in which he claimed to be a member of the party and teased the idea of running for office as a Libertarian against Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock....

"The Libertarian Party of Colorado denounced the shooter and said it has no record of him in its database.

"The statement also expressed 'great sadness" regarding the shooting and offered condolences to the families of those injured in the ambush.

"'The core of Libertarian philosophy is a belief in a peaceful means to political change and a repudiation of the initiation of physical force for political or social reasons,' Libertarian Party of Colorado State Chair Wayne Harlos said. 'Ambushing any person and committing physical violence is as blatant a denial of the Party’s beliefs as any action can be. Ultimately this is not about politics but about an evil action that leaves several families in grief over death and injuries.'"

Read more: http://kdvr.com/2017/12/31/libertarian-party-distances-itself-from-gunman-in-deputy-shooting/
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Legal cannabis sales boosted Denver property values, study finds

Weed is good for home values, real estate economists find - Jeff Ostrowski, Palm Beach Post:

September 25, 2017 - "With Palm Beach County’s first medical marijuana dispensaries poised to open soon ... here’s a bit of heartening news for nearby homeowners: Pot shops are good for home values.

"According to a study published in the academic journal Real Estate Economics, single-family homes within 0.1 mile of Denver’s 103 pot shops saw an increase in value of 8.4 percent compared to those located a bit farther — between 0.1 miles and 0.25 miles — from dispensaries. That increase in property value was estimated to be $27,000 for a typical house.

"The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Wisconsin, the University of Georgia and California State University, looked at appreciation since Jan. 1, 2014, when Colorado’s recreational cannabis law took effect.

“'The presence of retail marijuana establishments clearly had a short-term positive impact on nearby properties in Denver,' says Moussa Diop, an assistant professor of real estate at Wisconsin. 'This suggests that in addition to the sales and business taxes generated from the retail marijuana industry, municipalities may experience an increase in property taxes. It’s an important piece of the puzzle as more and more voters and policy-makers look for evidence about the effects of legalizing recreational marijuana, as the issue is taken up by state legislatures across the country.'

"Explaining why properties nears pot shops appreciated so strongly 'remains a puzzle that we leave to future research,' the authors write."

Read more: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/weed-good-for-home-values-real-estate-economists-find/cKrqWUVniJJPe2umllny8M/
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Colorado governor signs civil forfeiture reform bill

Civil forfeiture reform protects Colorado property owners | GJSentinel.com - Bill Grant, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel:

August 23, 2017 -  "The Civil Forfeiture reform bill (HB1313) signed by Gov. John Hickenlooper last Friday makes Colorado the latest of more than 20 states that have limited the power of law enforcement agencies to seize cash and property from suspected drug dealers or other detained individuals without due process, including arrest and filing charges.

Hickenlooper was not initially a supporter of HB1313.... 'We used our weight to push against it,' Hickenlooper said. 'Usually when you push against something that hard and it still passes, it’s hard to stop it.'

"HB1313 prohibits seizing agencies from receiving proceeds from the federal government unless the value of the property and currency in the case exceeds $50,000 and the federal government commences a forfeiture proceeding that relates to a criminal case.

"HB1313 also provides new reporting requirements and puts limits on asset forfeiture proceeds government agencies can receive for crime-fighting purposes.

"This was not a partisan issue in the legislature. 'Civil asset forfeiture reform passed the legislature by a combined vote of 81 to 19,” the ACLU of Colorado said in a letter urging Hickenlooper to sign the bill. 'It was supported by Republicans, Democrats, libertarians, progressives and just about everyone in between,' Denise Maes, ACLU public policy director wrote. 'Coloradans want and deserve stronger protections when property is taken by police'...

"In a statement attached to HB1313 by Hickenlooper when he signed it, the governor identified additional reforms he would like to implement in the next legislative session to address fairness and protection of citizens facing civil asset forfeiture. 'Government should never keep assets seized from innocent people,' Hickenlooper wrote in his letter....

"Hickenlooper’s agenda for the next legislative session will build on the progress thus far toward reforming civil forfeiture laws. He has called on the Legislature to provide funds to current recipients of forfeiture proceeds to keep them whole, while removing any real or perceived financial interest in forfeitures by appropriating adequate funds to support the program."

"So long as police departments and county sheriffs continue to reap profits from forfeitures to use in their law enforcement programs, the incentive to seize property for profit is very real, critics contend."

Read more: http://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/articles/civil-forfeiture-reform-protects-8232colorado-prop
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U.S. Libertarian archives moved to Colorado

The Libertarian Party’s national archives now live in Colorado | The Colorado Independent - Corey Hutchins:

May 30, 2017 - "Colorado, the birthplace of the national Libertarian Party, is now something else: host of the party’s trove of physical archives since its founding in 1971 in Colorado Springs.... Colorado, a state with about 1 percent of its registered voting population claiming membership in the party, has always had an outsized role in Libertarian history. Now, just this spring, the party’s physical history relocated from a storage facility in Alexandria, Virginia, to Parker, Colorado.

"Leading the effort to bring those records to the party’s birthplace was Caryn Ann Harlos of Castle Rock, the state party’s pink-haired spokeswoman who serves as the national party’s representative for nine western states. On a December trip to the East Coast on party business, she asked to see archives many thought were destroyed in a flood when they were housed in the basement of the famous Watergate building. Instead, Harlos found a room of records largely intact. Boxes of newsletters, convention material, even contents from the desks of former party officials.

"'I got a burr under my saddle and was like "This stuff needs to be preserved,"' she said over the phone recently.

"The national party set up a committee and formulated a $10,000 budget to make it happen. Party people packed the archives in a U-Haul and a staffer drove it west.

"For the past several weeks, Harlos, a paralegal with two decades of document management  experience, has, in her own words, been becoming one with the records.... Her goal is to organize and digitize the documents, and then upload them to the online crowdsourced Libertarian history site Lpedia.

"She stresses it is not a public Libertarian Party museum or anything, but anyone who wants to take a look can make an appointment with her.

"'There are people very passionate about the history,' she says. 'I have people planning weeklong vacations to come and work on these records in Colorado.'"

Read more: http://www.coloradoindependent.com/165618/libertarian-party-archives-colorado
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State must reimburse wrongfully convicted, SCOTUS rules

Wrongfully Convicted Entitled to Refunds, Rules Supreme Court - David G. Savage, Governing.com:

April 20, 2017 - "People who are freed from prison when their convictions are reversed deserve a refund of what they paid in fees, court costs and restitution, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday....

"The 7-1 decision orders the state of Colorado to refund several thousand dollars to two defendants, a woman and a man, who were convicted of sex crimes but had their convictions reversed. Shannon Nelson, who was charged with abusing her children, was acquitted in a retrial, and the prostitution-related charges against Louis Madden were dropped.

"In both instances, the state insisted on keeping the restitution they had paid.

"UCLA law professor Stuart Banner and the UCLA Supreme Court Clinic appealed the case of Nelson v. Colorado to the high court last year, noting that Colorado was the only state that regularly refused to refund money taken from criminal defendants who were later exonerated.

"Arguing the case in January, Banner said that as a matter of common sense and long legal tradition, people who were exonerated had a right to get back the money that was taken from them.

"The state's lawyer had raised eyebrows among the justices by arguing that the money in question was 'the state's money' because it was 'obtained pursuant to a conviction.'

"Colorado had adopted an Exoneration Act that allowed 'an innocent person who was wrongly convicted' to file a civil suit to seek refunds, but only if they could prove they were innocent of the crime. Most states allowed exonerated people to file a motion with a trial judge seeking a refund.

"Ginsburg said Colorado's scheme violates the 14th Amendment's protection for due process of law because it presumes the exonerated defendants are still guilty.

"'After a conviction has been reversed, unless and until the defendant should be retried, he must be presumed innocent of that charge,' she said, quoting earlier rulings. 'Colorado may not presume a person, adjudged guilty of no crime, nonetheless guilty enough for monetary extractions.'"

http://www.governing.com/topics/public-justice-safety/tns-scotus-wrongful-conviction.html
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Libertarian registrations up 26% in Colorado

Libertarian Party Sees Uptick in Registered Voters, Beats Democrats and Republicans | Westword - Ana Campbell:

October 19, 2016 - "'It's been a very good year.'

"Jay North, the state chairman of the Libertarian Party, is being modest. According to the latest voter-registration statistics, the number of registered Libertarians in Colorado grew over 26 percent since January. Republicans added about 4 percent, Democrats about 7 percent.

"We spoke to North about the increasing interest in the Libertarian Party, the foibles of the party's candidate and the party's future.

Westword: To what do you attribute the rising interest in the Libertarian Party?

Jay North: We're attributing it to, the [Democrats and Republicans] have the two worst candidates running for president. People are looking for other options. They're jumping ship and looking for the parties that can fit their principles. And the Libertarian Party's principles are pretty across the board where people just fit in.

"Critics of third parties allege you all are present during presidential years but not so much during congressional and city council races.

"We actually have quite a few candidates in those races. We don't fill out the ticket, obviously, but we have about thirty people running this year out of fifty races. We like to fill a ticket, but the Libertarian Party is really about the message. Can we shift the window to a more liberty-oriented message or society than we are now?

"What do you see as the future of the Libertarian Party?

"It's either going to be the same as it was last year, or it's going to be growing more than what it is now. It's kind of hard to tell. This happened before, with Ron Paul in 2008. When he was running, the Libertarian Party had a huge uptick in participation. Then it didn't really fizzle, but it didn't keep growing. So we have another huge uptick where we're working as hard as we can to keep those people in and get them busy doing stuff, like volunteering and spreading our message. We're basically like any business. They want to have their logo or their products or services among the general knowledge of people.

"A lot of Coloradans don't want to be told what to do. That's how the marijuana law got passed. It wasn't because Democrats rolled over or Republicans gave up. It's because, since 1972, the Libertarian Party has been pushing that issue. It's taken us forty years to get there, but we got there. Same thing with gay marriage. The Libertarian Party was pushing that issue since 1972. I think Colorado is just one of those states where most of the people, they want liberty."

Read more: http://www.westword.com/news/libertarian-party-sees-registered-voters-uptick-beats-democrats-republicans-8418379
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