NH Libertarian ballot access sigs certified

Libertarian Party says it has enough certified petitions for its candidates to appear on Nov. ballot | WMUR 8 - Jon DiStaso:

Aug 27, 2020 "The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire says it has cleared an important hurdle in its effort to have its candidates appear on the general election ballot Nov. 3. Wednesday was the deadline under state law for local supervisors of the checklists across the state to tell the LPNH and independent candidates if the nomination papers they submitted in early August were valid and were certified.

"LPNH vice chair and spokesperson Richard Manzo said Thursday afternoon that the various checklist supervisors certified 1,058 petitions in each congressional district. The fact that the number was the same in each congressional district was a coincidence, Manzo said. The number in each district surpasses a reduced threshold of 975 petitions in each district set by a federal judge in July. That number applies to statewide candidates for president, governor and U.S. Senate – and for U.S. House candidates in each district. The requirements for down ballot candidates are fewer.

"The judge made the ruling reducing the requirement after hearing arguments in a lawsuit filed by the LPNH against Gov. Chris Sununu asking for relaxed ballot requirements. The LPNH cited the difficulty it was having collecting, in person, the required number of nomination papers due to the 'Stay at Home' and 'Safe at Home' orders issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, Libertarian candidates would have been required to obtain 1,500 signed nomination papers in each of the state’s two congressional districts.... 

"The next step is for Secretary of State’s Office to verify the findings of the supervisors no later than Wednesday, Sept. 2. Manzo said party officials and candidates will deliver the certified petitions to the Secretary of State’s Office at 9 a.m. that day. Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan said his office will then do its own count of the petitions certified by the supervisors and verify that they meet the threshold....

"Manzo told WMUR in early August that the party submitted 2,400 petitions in the 1st Congressional District and 1,600 in the 2nd District.... Manzo had said the party expected a 75 percent validity rate, far higher than the 44 percent rate apparently achieved in the 1st District and the 66 percent rate achieved in the 2nd District....

"Manzo said attending the Wednesday event to deliver the nomination papers to the Secretary of State will be eight Libertarian candidates: Justin O’Donnell, U.S. Senate; Darryl W. Perry, governor; Zachary Dumont, U.S. House 1st Congressional District; Andrew J. Olding, U.S. House 2nd Congressional District; Manzo, Hillsborough County Treasurer; Nicolas Sarwark [sic], Hillsborough County Attorney; Robert Daniel, state representative in Hillsborough County District 11; and Tobin Menard, state representative for Sullivan County District 9. If the statewide threshold is met, the Libertarian president candidate, Jo Jorgensen, will also appear on the ballot."

Read more: https://www.wmur.com/article/libertarian-party-says-it-has-enough-certified-petitions-for-its-candidates-to-appear-on-nov-ballot/33826199

Darryl Perry declares for NH governor

Keene Libertarian announces run for governor - Jake Lahut, Keene Sentinel:

December 5, 2019 - "Darryl W. Perry, a Keene resident and former chairman of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire, announced his plans to run for governor Wednesday.

"Perry, who was a Libertarian presidential candidate in 2016, said in a news release that he plans to run on a platform of lower taxes, voting rights and reforming ballot access and the criminal justice system. He also announced that he has signed the 'Taxpayer Pledge' in opposition to implementing any kind of sales or income tax in the Granite State.

"In a statement, Perry said he wants to pursue fundamental changes to the state’s criminal justice system. 'I’m not simply going to talk about reforming sentencing guidelines; I want to end drug prohibition in New Hampshire,' Perry said. 'That’s going to include not just retail cannabis sales, but Portugal-style depenalization of all other substances for personal use; working with the Executive Council to pardon all nonviolent drug offenders; and working with the Legislature to allow those with previous drug convictions to work in the retail cannabis industry, something no other state with recreational cannabis allows'....

"Because the Libertarian candidate won less than 4 percent of the vote in the 2018 governor’s race, the party’s 2020 nominee doesn’t automatically get a spot on the ballot. But the party can get on the ballot by gathering the signatures of 3,000 registered voters."

Read more; https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/keene-libertarian-announces-run-for-governor/article_0805e276-9ca1-5dd2-9ed8-58aba538917b.html

Libertarians request pardon for Ross Ulbricht

Libertarian Party Urges Trump to Pardon Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht - CCN:

July 10,2017 - "The Libertarian Party has requested [that] President Trump grant a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, who is serving a [double] life sentence with no parole possibility for his role in launching and operating the Silk Road website, which facilitated illegal drug trading. The party passed a resolution urging the pardon at its annual convention on July 3.

"On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court ... denied Ulbricht’s petition for writ of certiorari, which prevents him from appealing his sentence before the court.

"'We’re opposed to the drug war in all of its forms,' Richard Fields, the press secretary of the party’s national committee, told CCN.com. 'Ultimately, that’s what Ulbricht was convicted for'.... Ulbricht’s attorneys indicated the prosecution withheld evidence that DEA agents involved in Ulbricht’s apprehension were convicted of malfeasance, Fields further noted.

"Just recently, the Supreme Court ruled in Carpenter v. United States setting a precedent that warrantless search of Ulbricht’s Internet traffic would not have been allowed had the case been decided prior to his trial, he added. That alone should be grounds for a pardon.

"Darryl Perry, chair of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire, presented the pardon resolution at the party’s recent convention. An attendee noted that because Ulbricht’s appeal to the Supreme Court was denied the previous week, his only hope of walking out of prison a free man is via a pardon.

"'We need to send a clear message now, and in two years, and in two more years we need to keep sending this message that we have a political prisoner who is serving two life sentences plus 40 years for the crime of running a website, being a libertarian and being unapologetic about doing those two things,' an attendee commented prior to the vote on the resolution, according to a YouTube video of the proceedings. The convention unanimously passed the resolution....

"Ulbricht claimed his Fourth and Sixth Amendment rights were violated during both the investigation and the sentencing. He also claimed law enforcement officials gathered Internet traffic information without a required warrant during the investigation. He further claimed the judge issued an unreasonable sentence that was partly based on allegations he tried to hire a hit man, for which he was never even charged.

"Amicus curia briefs were filed by 20 organizations supporting Ulbricht’s petition. Supporters included the Reason Foundation, a libertarian organization, as well as the National Lawyers Guild and the Gun Owners of America.

"Thomas Knapp, director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism, noted on the organization’s website that Ulbricht’s trial was unfair since the defense was not provided information on the government’s investigative methods nor allowed to provide an alternative view about the identity of the Silk Road operator known as 'Dread Pirate Roberts.' Nor could the defense bring up the fact that two government agents investigating Silk Road were imprisoned for their corrupt activities."

Read more: https://www.ccn.com/libertarian-party-urges-trump-to-pardon-silk-board-founder-ross-ulbricht/
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3rd NH legislator switches to Libertarian Party

Rochester Rep switches to Libertarian Party - fosters.com:

June 27, 2017 - "Rep. Brandon Phinney (Strafford 24-Rochester), formerly a member of the Republican Party, announced Tuesday on the State House steps he is changing his party affiliation to Libertarian.

"For the third time this year, a sitting state legislator has left his party and joined the LP. Rep. Caleb Q. Dyer (Hillsborough 37) switched to Libertarian from Republican in February, and Rep. Joseph Stallcop (Cheshire 4) left the Democratic Party in May.

"Darryl W. Perry, chair of the New Hampshire Libertarian Party, welcomes any others, unhappy with their party leadership, to join the LP.

“'When the Libertarian Party had ballot access in the 1990's, the Libertarian House Caucus had four members,' Perry said. 'It is my hope and desire that the civil libertarians, classical liberals, and philosophical libertarians in the New Hampshire General Court will show the same courage shown by Reps. Dyer, Stallcop, and, now, Rep. Brandon Phinney, and abandon the two-party system that has for so long burdened us with taxation, regulation, and legislation that has trampled our freedoms.'

"Phinney will work with Dyer and Stallcop in the N.H. House Libertarian Caucus to minimize state government, lower taxes, and eliminate barriers to conducting business, and will work hard to increase individual freedom and personal liberty while protecting the rights of individuals and businesses within New Hampshire....

“'We were elected to the people’s house to serve their will, their interests, and limit government interference in their lives,' Phinney said of his differences with the GOP. 'I was not elected to do the bidding of a political party at the expense of my principles. Establishment partisan politics do nothing to protect the rights of people, but instead only serve to prop up and expand government with arcane plans to irresponsibly spend our money and enact burdensome regulations on businesses, small and large alike. The Libertarian Party platform gives us, as legislators, the best possible framework to expand social freedoms, support a free-market economy, and ensure the checks and balances on government power are enforced.'"

Read more: http://www.fosters.com/news/20170627/rochester-rep-switches-to-libertarian-party
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Abramson puts NH Libertarians on 2018 ballot

NH Libertarians Officially Recognized as Party For First time in 20 Years + “Free Staters” Win 15+ State Rep Races | Free Keene - Ian Bernard:

November 9, 2016 - "Libertarian candidate for NH governor Max Abramson got a higher vote percentage than every other Libertarian Party candidate for governor across the United States in 2016’s election. He did better than Gary Johnson did in NH, in fact. Beyond the feather in his cap, the 4.3% of the vote he received is significant because it qualifies the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire for equal ballot access with the Republicans and Democrats for the first time in 20 years! That means Libertarian candidates no longer have to worry about petitioning to gain ballot access – a costly and time-consuming process. Now we can pay the same affordable filing fees ($2 for state rep) that the Rs and Ds pay....

"In 1990, the LP gained official party recognition for the first time. They held it until 1997 when the state legislature (specifically a group of Republicans) decided to raise the vote threshold from 3% to 4%, disqualifying the LP from official party status. Their candidates for governor since that time were unable to reach the new, raised bar.

"Until now. Riding on a national wave of frustration with the big parties, Libertarian candidate for governor Max Abramson managed to score 4.3%, (30,959 votes). This despite being excluded from the debates and also after making headlines for being a peaceful felon for defending his property with a gun.

"The news couldn’t come at a better time for the LP of NH, [whose] chair was replaced at a special convention called just weeks beforehand, where Free Keene blogger Darryl W Perry was unanimously elected chairman by those attending the convention. In addition, principled former Arkansas LP chair Rodger Paxton was elected vice-chair along with former independent candidate for governor Jilletta Jarvis taking the secretary position – much-needed new blood was transfused into the NH Libertarian Party, just in time for this epic win by Abramson. The gates are now open for libertarians to storm the ballots in 2018 with candidates statewide."

Read more: http://freekeene.com/2016/11/09/nh-libertarians-officially-recognized-as-party-for-first-time-in-20-years-free-staters-win-15-state-rep-races/
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McAfee & Perry won't vote for Gary Johnson

Gary Johnson's Libertarian rivals reject him for president - Washington Times - David Sherfinski:

October 18, 2016 - "It’s not exactly 'never Johnson,' but some of Gary Johnson’s former rivals for the Libertarian presidential nomination say they are unimpressed with his campaign and won’t vote for him, with one even channeling Sen. Ted Cruz and telling libertarians to vote their 'conscience' as he mounts an informal write-in campaign for himself.

"Author Darryl Perry, who placed fourth at the party’s nominating convention in May, said last month that everyone, including libertarians, should 'follow their conscience' when voting in the general election. 'I will be writing myself in,' Mr. Perry said this week. 'Of the people that are on the ballot in New Hampshire, there’s none of [them] that I think are good.'

"Mr. Perry has taken issue with Mr. Johnson’s positions on taxes and guns, among other areas. Mr. Johnson has said he wants to replace the income tax with a consumption tax. He also said he is open to a discussion on banning people on terrorism watch lists from buying guns while criticizing such lists as riddled with errors.

"Cybersecurity specialist John McAfee, who came in third, said he is not going to vote. He cited gun control as one reason he is withholding support for Mr. Johnson. He also said he doesn’t see much appeal in either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. 'The reason I’m not going to vote is that you cannot tell me that I have a choice between the measles or a bladder infection and expect me to pick one,' Mr. McAfee said....

Nicholas Sarwark, who chairs the Libertarian National Committee, said people who didn’t win the nomination won’t be happy but that Mr. Johnson was the convention delegates’ clear choice. 'I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about what the haters think,' Mr. Sarwark said. 'For the most part, the people who are the loudest concern trolls are the people who do not have our best interests at heart.'

"Mr. Johnson does still have the support of businessman Austin Petersen, his top rival for the nomination. Mr. Petersen acknowledged 'disappointments,' such as Mr. Johnson’s blanking on a question about ... Aleppo, but said the former two-term New Mexico governor still has a historic opportunity to get a higher vote total than any other Libertarian Party presidential candidate.

"'It won’t put him in the White House, but it does advance the movement that’s behind him, which is sort of what I consider the future of politics in the United States, and that’s the liberty movement,' Mr. Petersen said."

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/oct/18/gary-johnsons-libertarian-rivals-reject-him-for-pr/
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Perry reboots POTUS run as write-in campaign

Darryl W. Perry 2016 - Newsletter #17 - Darryl W. Perry Announces Limited Presidential Write-In Campaign (press release):
September 29, 2016 - "Darryl W. Perry, embarked on his Presidential Campaign ... with three goals in mind: 1) to run the most libertarian presidential campaign in history; 2) to proclaim the ideas of liberty as boldly and as often as possible; and 3) to give as many people as possible the opportunity to vote for an actual libertarian in November.
"After the 2016 Libertarian Party National Convention ... Perry issued a statement saying he had 'accomplished two-thirds of the goals I set for my campaign. I ran the most consistent libertarian campaign to date'.... Perry, who was officially endorsed by the NH Liberty Party at their convention in February, added, ... 'I will not be continuing my campaign through November.'
Since then, numerous people have asked for a way to give people the ability to vote for a philosophical libertarian for President [so] Perry decided to file declarations of intent to be a write-in candidate in a handful of states where a slate of electors is not required....
"Darryl’s focus will remain at the state and local level.... In addition, the Darryl W. Perry Presidential Campaign does not intend to raise any funds or have any expenditures towards this limited write-in campaign. Perry says, 'I do not make this decision lightly, however I have the ability to not let another election cycle go by without a philosophical libertarian candidate in the general election.'"
Read more: http://us14.campaign-archive1.com/?u=6f1641090028848d623f5c6b0&id=752e55209e&e=811cff118b

Statement on Write-In Campaign of Darryl W. Perry | Independent Political Report - Nicholas Sarwark, chairman, Libertarian Party:
September 30, 2016 - "The Libertarian National Committee is committed to fully supporting the nominee of the delegates at convention and will continue to do so with all available resources.
"Mr. Perry remains a life member of the Libertarian Party and was recently elected state chair of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire. The LNC has no authority over the election of state party officers nor over the actions of state officers who choose to run rogue write-in campaigns."
Read more: http://independentpoliticalreport.com/2016/09/lnc-chair-sarwark-statement-on-write-in-campaign-of-darryl-w-perry/

National Libertarian Party Attacks “Rogue” New Hampshire Chairman in Press Release | Free Keene - Ian Bernard:
October 1, 2016 - "Now, rather than do the principled thing and follow the Seacoast LP’s request of officially withdrawing Johnson and Weld as their candidates, the LP’s National Committee has issued press release attacking Darryl by calling him a 'rogue' and saying further that they are, 'committed to fully supporting the nominee of the delegates at convention and will continue to do so with all available resources.'
"No one should be surprised to see the national LP double down on their unprincipled hack candidates. It’s the lowest point for the party in more than a decade of falling away from their principles."
Read more: http://freekeene.com/2016/10/01/national-libertarian-party-attacks-rogue-new-hampshire-chairman-in-press-release/

Free Virginia: Radical Reaction - Marc Montoni, founding member, LP Radical Caucus:
September 29, 2016 - "Perry did not discuss his plan with the Libertarian Party Radical Caucus Board of Directors.  We were ambushed with the news.
"The bylaws of the Radical Caucus provide for resigning from formal membership in the Radical Caucus simply by publicly supporting another party's candidate against a Libertarian Party candidate.... Running against the Libertarian nominee qualifies.....
"Perry certainly knew this action would be in conflict. He knew the bylaws and knew that provision. He also knew this would be unacceptable to a lot of us. Yet he ambushed us with his announcement and did it anyway....
"Mr Perry's announcement was his resignation from formal membership in the LPRC."
Read more: http://freevirginia.blogspot.ca/2016/09/radical-reaction.html

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Perry becomes NH Libertarian chair in 'shakeup'

Major Shakeup at Libertarian Party of NH: Darryl W Perry Elected Chairman! | Free Keene - Ian Bernard:

September 25, 2016 - "In 2012, Darryl W. Perry was frustrated with New Hampshire’s ... Libertarian Party and its unwillingness to promote the idea of New Hampshire declaring independence from the United States. He joined me and Conan Salada in founding a competitor to the Libertarian Party of NH, which we called the New Hampshire Liberty Party. Darryl has served a key role on our state executive committee ever since, running the yearly conventions and handling the member rolls, in addition to running for office.

"This year, Darryl ran for the presidential nomination from the national Libertarian Party and sadly did not receive it, as the LP for years has been compromised on its principles. They proved it yet again with this year’s nomination of Gary Johnson, a former Republican – not a libertarian and definitely not a secessionist.
"
"Darryl followed up his presidential run by launching a principled lobbying firm to focus on NH called Liberty Lobby, he’s lost over a hundred pounds in the last year or so, and just this weekend was unanimously elected to the position of chairman of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire, ousting the previous no-show chairman who held the seat for years.

"It’s a positive sign for the Libertarian Party of NH.... The LP of NH has long been a black mark on the otherwise vibrant libertarian community we have here in the Shire. Hopefully Darryl’s election to chair with Rodger Paxton, also a member of the NH Liberty Party, being newly elected to the LP’s vice-chair position will bode well for the future of the LP in New Hampshire. If we’re lucky, we’ll see them add a plank about NH independence into the LP of NH’s party platform in 2017.

"Darryl has put in his resignation as a co-chair of the NH Liberty Party as a result of his election to the Libertarian Party chair role, as his time is already limited due to his many activist projects."

Read more: http://freekeene.com/2016/09/25/major-shakeup-at-libertarian-party-of-nh-darryl-w-perry-elected-chairman/
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Johnson, PACs fight to get him into debates

Libertarians hope rallies and ads can nudge them into the presidential debates - The Washington Post - David Weigel:

August 27, 2016 - "Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson ... a two-term governor of New Mexico, has avoided the fringe label that often sticks to third-party candidates. Since announcing former Massachusetts governor William Weld as his running mate, Johnson has risen in polls to the high single digits — and to the mid-teens in some swing states. His rallies draw hundreds of voters, bigger than anything he saw during his 2012 bid. He talks about 'spoiling the party,' and voters cheer.

""Despite that, Johnson is struggling to grab the prize he has eyed all year: To be invited to the televised presidential debates. He needs to close in on 15 percent in an average of polls, and he’s doing what he can. Two super PACs are trying to boost him in. It’s not clear that they can pull it off....

"The Commission on Presidential Debates, which has controlled the process since 1988, has held fast to its 15 percent threshold. A Johnson-backed lawsuit against that threshold was thrown out this month, though, and the voters filing into Johnson-Weld rallies this week were acutely aware that their man might be kept offstage....

"Two libertarian efforts are underway to boost Johnson past the debate commission’s 15-percent hurdle. Purple PAC, steered by former Cato Institute president Ed Crane, began a $1 million ad buy this week, with cable spots casting Johnson as an 'honorable choice' who favors tolerance and free markets.... Alternative PAC, launched by former FreedomWorks president Matt Kibbe, is spending $50,000 to kick-start a Web campaign aimed at millennials....

"As Purple PAC’s Crane noted, the two standard-bearers for libertarianism have become some of the least ideological candidates in America.... That’s led to steady criticism from more traditional libertarians, who pounce on every Johnson or Weld sop to the center as a gaffe. Weld, who signed a gun-control bill as governor, struggled to win the Libertarian vice-presidential nomination.... After Johnson refused to rule out a tax on carbon — only if it was revenue-neutral and it replaced income taxes — he was criticized by libertarians on social media.

“'I’m still on the fence about whether I’m going to cast a write-in vote for None of the Above or myself,' said Darryl Perry, a New Hampshire voter who ran against Johnson for the Libertarian presidential nomination. 'I know a few [people] who have said, "Well, he’s the lesser of the evils." The lesser evil is still evil in my eyes.'

"But the dazzling possibility of the debate invite — something no Libertarian candidate has ever achieved — has kept most fellow travelers on board.... At one rally, in Concord, close to 300 people stood in a steady and meteorology-defying rain to hear Weld and Johnson speak about the six-lane highway between the parties.

"'Standing in the rain,' Johnson said with disbelief. 'You honor us. You really do.'"

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/libertarians-hope-rallies-and-ads-can-nudge-them-into-the-presidential-debates/2016/08/27/2517567c-6b9d-11e6-8225-fbb8a6fc65bc_story.html
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Perry says he won't vote for Johnson

Libertarian Gary Johnson could swing votes from Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton - Politics - CBC News - Matt Kwong:

June 5, 2016 - "Newly anointed Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson served two terms as governor of New Mexico. His running mate, Bill Weld, served as governor of Massachusetts for six years until 1997....

"Philip Wallach, a Brookings Institution fellow who has written about third-party campaigns, ... foresees some disaffected supporters of Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders finding alignment with Libertarian principles on issues like drug legalization....

To voters on the right, Wallach suggests the Libertarian ticket could appear more politically conventional. Particularly to displaced Republicans turned off by Trump and 'worried about Trump as somebody who could abuse power'....

"'I've had a lot of friends emailing me, saying, 'Do you know anyone on the Johnson campaign? Is there any way I could get involved?'' said David Boaz, executive vice-president of the Washington-based libertarian think-tank the Cato Institute. 'I can't remember that happening before.'

"Boaz believes this is the best opportunity the Libertarian Party has ever had, both in terms of the quality of its ticket and 'the low quality' of the major-party nominees....

"There may be resistance within the party, however....

"Libertarian candidate Darryl W. Perry, who debated Johnson on the stage and argued that all drugs 'should be as legal as tomatoes,' said he's still 'emotionally devastated' by the nomination outcome.

"Come November, Perry will either abstain from voting for president or write in 'None of the Above.'

"Neither Johnson nor Weld, both former Republicans, represent philosophically pure Libertarian values, Perry said.

"'There were a lot of Republicans ... that joined the party on Wednesday and showed up on Sunday. These are people that don't care about the party.'"

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/libertarian-party-gary-johnson-donald-trump-hillary-clinton-spoiler-1.3612883
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Cult, mainstream visions of libertarianism collide at Presidential debate

Libertarian Party Presidential Debate: Gary Johnson is From a Different World - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Brian Doherty:

May 29, 2016 - "The final presidential debate at the Libertarian Party National Convention happened last night (aired live on C-SPAN), featuring what most media treated as the "likely three"—former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, antivirus software innovator John McAfee, and libertarian movement mover and shaker Austin Petersen—plus anarchist firebrand Darryl Perry and surprisingly amusing wildcard Marc Feldman, selected via token ballots cast by Libertarian delegates.

"The debate lasted a punishing two hours. I was unable tonight to learn who wrote the questions, which were delivered by radio host and libertarian fellow traveler Larry Elder....

"Whoever wrote the questions did the Party, in my judgment, a great disservice. A C-SPAN audience did not need to see the five candidate pondering out loud whether drivers licences are legitimate. (Among other challenging questions that could serve no other purpose but to embarrass the Party and its candidates in the eyes of any random cable viewer were such pressing, burning 2016 presidential campaign questions ... as: would you have fought World War I? II? Apologized for bombing Hiroshima? Voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act? Do you think drivers need to be licensed? Should it be a crime to sell heroin to 5-year-olds? I'm enough of a movement veteran that these things just flowed by me at the time, but in retrospect they seem the worst sort of hectoring irrelevances designed to make the Party's candidates seem like eccentric loons.)

"A lot was said in two hours. Feldman, [whom] I'd previously ignored in my convention coverage, delivered a standard middle-ground Libertarian activist set of opinions, but expressed in often funny jokes, ending in his closing statements in a barn-burning rap in which he referenced every type of Libertarian activist and all his presidential opponents.

"Darryl Perry delivered straight-up passionate anarchism, with the state always the wrong answer to every problem. In talking to a couple of handfuls of delegates after the debate, it seems likely Perry will probably do better on the first presidential ballot than many might have guessed. He seemed a favorite freak-flag-fly choice for delegates who don't expect him to survive that many ballots or be the nominee. Feldman's good humor and solid Libertarianism will earn him a fair number of first ballot votes as well.

"Even among people who don't love Gary Johnson, I found few people who swore they'd never vote for him.... But the most interesting story coming out of the debate is the degree to which Gary Johnson was simultaneously the most strongly disliked, or disapproved of, candidate while still seeming the favorite of more than any other single candidate. No one got more, and more sustained, boos than Johnson did, for various departures from movement orthodoxy....

"Johnson's description of the core of libertarianism as 'fiscally conservative, socially liberal' seems to weary the serious convention crowd. That a core part of his quick discussion of immigration involves the idea that an immigrant should 'pay taxes' doesn't seem to thrill everyone either. Johnson said he first was satisfied with a 'get government out of marriage' solution to gay or plural marriage debates, but decided that the concept of marriage was so tied in to so many laws that it was better to just take a 'government shouldn't discriminate' solution. He boldly and simply stated that he would have voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which drew boos, as did his heretical opinion that drivers licenses might be a legitimate state function.

"Johnson garnered lots of boos by claiming that the free market is killing coal ... a large part of the crowd seemed ... annoyed at the idea that anything other than regulations were keeping coal down. Saying he imagined replacing the income and corporate taxes he hopes to eliminate with a FairTax style consumption tax annoyed a crowd more primed to just hear that 'taxation is theft' — though Johnson has learned enough about dealing with Libertarian crowds to use that phrase too.

"His favored technique was linking any question to some actual experience as governor of New Mexico, to remind delegates that this executive thing was natural to him. It isn't always clear most Libertarian delegates want to hear about real world experience as opposed to a passionate or smart expression of core libertarian philosophy. He did win cheers for openly calling for legalizing all drugs, but boos for admitting that some provision would need to remain in the law against supplying drugs to children.

"In his closing statements, Johnson dealt quietly with the question of whether he was libertarian enough for the Libertarians. He admitted openly that he likely was not the most libertarian candidate they could pick, but that he believed he was the one this year who could get them the most attention and votes."

Read more: http://reason.com/blog/2016/05/29/libertarian-party-presidential-debate-ga
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Libertarian undercard debate televised (video)

Against ‘government at gunpoint’: Libertarian candidates debate on RT America - Aliza Krichevsky:

"From abolishing most government in favor of free markets and personal responsibility to ending foreign wars and pardoning whistleblowers, three Libertarian Party presidential candidates presented their vision for the US in a debate hosted by RT America.

"Marc Feldman, Kevin McCormick, and Darryl Perry faced each other before RT America’s 360-degree camera, in a debate moderated by Watching The Hawks co-hosts Tyrel Ventura and Tabetha Wallace.

"The Libertarian Party is the third-largest political party in the United States, behind only the Democratic and Republican parties. Its platform favors civil liberties, small government, free markets and a non-interventionist foreign policy."

"'I’m a physician, not a politician,' Feldman said in his opening statement, noting that he was an 'informed non-voter' for years before deciding he could not support either major party.

"'We absolutely are not centrist,” said Perry, adding he represented the 'libertarian wing of the Libertarian Party.' He articulated the movement’s ideology as 'self-ownership' and described taxation as 'theft, armed robbery and extortion.'

"Major parties don’t represent the average American, McCormick argued, adding that officials are 'crushing our economy' under the weight of unaccountable bureaucracy, instead of debating the issues."

Read more: https://www.rt.com/usa/342845-libertarian-presidential-debate-live/   'via Blog this'

Ltn. Perry won't file with Election Commission

This Libertarian Presidential Candidate Refused to File With the FEC Because He Believes it Shouldn’t Exist | TheBlaze.com - Kate Scanlon:

May 10, 2016 - "Libertarian presidential candidate Darryl Perry has refused to file campaign paperwork with the Federal Election Commission because he believes there is no constitutional reason for the agency to exist.

"'There shouldn’t be a federal agency that oversees campaign finance,' Perry told TheBlaze in an interview Tuesday. Perry said that a federal agency with the power to control campaign finance through regulations has the power to hinder independent and third-party bids in favor of the current two-party system.

"A Birmingham, Alabama, native, Perry moved to New Hampshire as part of the Free State Project, an effort to create a Libertarian majority in the Granite State.

"Perry said he is seeking the Libertarian nomination for president because he believes the party has 'drifted away' from its core beliefs to present a 'watered-down' version of its philosophy....

"Asked if his refusal to file with the FEC has negatively impacted his campaign in any way, Perry replied that his decision to accept campaign contributions only via alternative currencies — such as Bitcoin or gold — has hindered him more. He has declined to accept regular currency because he believes the federal reserve should be abolished.

"Perry said that a general election between two 'unpopular' candidates could present an opening for Libertarians to make an impact in November. '

"'On paper it looks like an excellent opportunity,” Perry said, adding, 'At the end of the day, Republicans will vote Republican because they fear the Democrats more than they support what they claim to support, and Democrats will vote Democrat because they fear Republicans more than they support what they claim to support.'

"Perry said that if a Libertarian candidate were to be allowed on the stage for a debate in a general election, it could be a game-changer for the race."

Read more: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2016/05/10/this-libertarian-presidential-candidate-refused-to-file-with-the-fec-because-he-believes-it-shouldnt-exist/
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Mother Jones checks out the Libertarians

Meet the Long-Shot Candidates Who Hope to Benefit From the GOP's Trump Meltdown | Mother Jones - Tim Murphy:

May 5, 2016 - "An hour before the Libertarian Party presidential debate in New York City on Saturday, the cybersecurity guru John McAfee, one of the candidates, was smoking a cigarette outside the venue, a Ukrainian restaurant in the East Village, and explaining how he could win in November.... McAfee, who is 70 but has a goatee and frosted tips that give him the profile of an over-the-hill Backstreet Boy, was shadowed by a gaggle of photographers and filmmakers as he loitered on the sidewalk....

"McAfee may draw most of the cameras, but his path to the nomination is a difficult one. There are 17 Libertarians running for president, four of whom participated in the debate at the New York Libertarian Party convention.... The front-runner for the nomination, which will be decided by delegates at the party's convention in Orlando later this month, is [Gary] Johnson, who won a record 1.3 million votes under the Libertarian Party's banner four years ago. Between presidential campaigns, Johnson was the CEO of a Nevada-based marijuana company that specializes in candy and creams....

"Johnson is anti-war, socially liberal, and fiscally conservative, but rather than laying out his positions, he'd rather talk about a website he found, isidewith.com, which purports to match your political views with the corresponding candidate.... — the quiz shows that a lot of people agree with him at least some of the time, including Bernie Sanders supporters. In a year in which a large portion of voters in both parties don't like their first choice, Johnson wants to be their second.... His literature asks voters simply to 'be Libertarian for one election'....

"McAfee and Johnson shared the stage with two other candidates, Darryl Perry and Austin Petersen. Perry is a Free State project activist from New Hampshire whose campaign conducts business exclusively in Bitcoin and precious metals.... He recently picked up the endorsement of the Libertarian Party Sex Caucus. His platform states that the US government 'as it exists today, should be abolished,' which would render moot any questions about his lack of experience. (His biography mentions his work at a college radio station.) At the debate, he called the federal government 'the world's largest terrorist organization,' and he identified himself, in contrast to Johnson, as a member of the 'libertarian wing of the Libertarian Party.'

"Petersen is a suit-and-tie libertarian who previously worked for FreedomWorks and Fox News host Andrew Napolitano. He raised money for Ron Paul's presidential campaign and name-drops Republican elected officials he considers allies, such as Michigan Rep. Justin Amash and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie. Boyish and a little overeager, Petersen refers to himself as the 'freedom ninja' and contends that the party needs a fresh face who can 'bring along those Never Trump conservatives who are just dying to vote for a pro-life libertarian.' He was also the only candidate who suggested that McAfee's past might hurt the party in November, but in the same breath he called McAfee a 'badass' and said McAfee had offered to drop acid with him. (McAfee said this was a joke and that he hasn't used drugs in 35 years)....

"Petersen called Trump a gift to the Libertarians — 'we are now seeing massive immigration into our open borders of our party' — but he contended that there was something worth emulating about the celebrity billionaire, in style if not substance. 'He's got the showmanship and the qualities and performance that we're gonna need to take this message to the masses,' he said. 'Not this same sort of egghead intellectualism that we have.'

"This is, in part, the appeal of McAfee; he's a candidate for people who don't like the old way of doing things. Derrick Michael Reid, a long-shot candidate who participated in a JV debate that preceded the main event, put it to McAfee as they huddled outside the restaurant. 'If Johnson gets nominated, the country just goes through a big yawn — "oh, the goofy governor," and that's it,' he said. 'They nominate you or me, they go viral.' At the very least, it'll get them on Spike TV."

Read more: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/05/gary-johnson-john-mcafee-libertarian-convention
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U.S. POTUS candidate has Muslim running mate

Libertarian Presidential candidate Darryl W. Perry selects Muslim running mate | Free Keene:

April 6, 2016 - "The Libertarian Party, which made history in 1972 when Tonie Nathan became the first woman to receive an Electoral College vote, is notorious for breaking barriers on race, gender and sexual orientation decades before their mainstream counterparts do. In another groundbreaking move for the Libertarian Party, and American politics in general, Libertarian Presidential candidate Darryl W. Perry announced Wednesday that his running mate will be the first Muslim Vice Presidential candidate in American history.

"Perry’s running mate is a Muslim academic and thought leader, dedicated family man, and entrepreneur, and has gained name recognition with the Liberty Movement for his work as the National Director of Muslims for Liberty (M4L) – an organization that works to advance the cause of liberty from a principled and Islamic perspective.

"The Darryl W. Perry 2016 campaign welcomes Vice Presidential candidate Will Coley to the campaign.

"During his tenure, Coley has amassed a considerable following by preaching a message that simultaneously discourages violence while encouraging open-mindedness towards Muslims....

"Perry, a long-time Libertarian activist and media personality on Free Talk Live, chose Coley as his running mate because 'he has intimate knowledge and insight both of the religion, and the cultures of the countries [the US military] has been actively bombing or occupying.'"

Read more: http://freekeene.com/2016/04/06/libertarian-presidential-candidate-darryl-w-perry-selects-muslim-running-mate/
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