Paul stressing libertarian themes in runup to Iowa

Rand Paul returns to libertarian roots before Iowa caucus - Joseph Gerth, Louisville Courier-Journal:

January 18, 2016 - "Rand Paul finds himself desperately needing a strong showing in the Hawkeye State to get back into the presidential discussion. Once a promising candidate who was leading in some polls, two years ago, the U.S. senator from Kentucky has seen his fortunes plummet as his message became lost in a large field of GOP contenders who had more money and more star-power.

"Now, says Dave Nalle, the vice chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus, which has endorsed Paul, the candidate is re-emphasizing his libertarian roots in a final dash that Nalle says is crucial for him to stay relevant.

"'I think it’s vitally important,' Nalle said of the Feb. 1 Iowa caucus where he said Paul must do better than polling now shows - which he expects Paul to do.

"According to the most recent Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll, Paul gets 5 percent of the vote and sits in fifth place among likely caucus-goers in Iowa behind U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, businessman Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson....

"The belief among analysts that the race is over for Paul and concern that he needs to focus his efforts on being re-elected to the Senate haven’t stopped him from plowing ahead with his presidential campaign.

"And as of late, Paul appears to have been working harder to reclaim the libertarian heritage of his father, former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, a Republican who once ran for president on the Libertarian ticket....

"After he didn’t make the South Carolina debate last week, Paul went on a two-day media tour of New York City television and radio, appearing non-stop almost on the air trying to get his libertarian message out – hitting hard on the issue of limited overseas military engagement and government prying into private affairs.

"'I have a unique voice. I am the one voice saying we shouldn’t make the sand glow. I’m the one voice saying … the government shouldn’t be collecting all your records,' he said during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Wednesday. Those were also recurring themes during an 80-minute webcast Paul held on Twitter during the South Carolina debate on the Fox Business Channel....

"Nalle said Paul is on the right course to take back the so-called 'liberty voters' who have left the Paul family fold. 'I think he’s listening to his constituents,” Nalle said. 'A lot of us have urged him not to moderate his views.'

Read more: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/rand-paul/2016/01/17/fading-rand-paul-needs-big-splash-iowa/78849884/
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Dave Nalle on the GOP's growing libertarian movement

Dave Nalle on the GOP's growing libertarian movement | Washington Times Communities - interview by Joseph Cotto:

February 16, "It has been noted that younger Republicans are far more moderate than preceding generations on social policy. During the years ahead, might social issues fall by the wayside and be replaced by fiscal as well as national security concerns? Speaking of national security, it is a subject on which libertarians are criticized due to their almost peacenik stances. Generally speaking, do libertarian Republicans differ from the stereotype?

"Dave Nalle is the chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus, an organization devoted to promoting the ideas of limited government. He is also a columnist here at The Washington Times Communities. In this second part of our discussion, he shares his answers to the aforementioned questions."

Read interview here: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/conscience-realist/2013/feb/16/dave-nalle-gops-growing-libertarian-movement/
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Old Guard launches coup in Alaska GOP

Old Guard launches coup in Alaska GOP | Washington Times Communities - Dave Nalle:

"WASHINGTON, DC, February 1, 2013 - In a hastily convened meeting Thursday night the outgoing leadership of the Republican Party of Alaska staged what amounts to a coup to oust the incoming Chairman and seize control of the party.

"Two weeks ago, I wrote about the controversy over the election of reformer candidate Russ Millette to the Chairmanship of the Alaska GOP.  Millette is a Republican Liberty Caucus member who represents the more libertarian/conservative wing of the party and party insiders did not want him to take control of their party and institute reforms.

"During the lame duck tenure of the outgoing State Executive Committee, party insiders raised various charges against Millette and his Vice Chair Debbie Brown.... A plan was put forward to hold a hearing on the charges at the installation meeting of the Executive Committee on February 1st. Then ... the hearing was moved forward a day so that the new committee members would not yet be seated or have a vote on the accusations.

"Even more troubling to many party members was the notification right before the meeting that outgoing Chairman Randy Ruederich had cleaned out the party treasury of $35,000."

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/liberty-our-times/2013/feb/1/old-guard-stages-coup-alaska-republican-party/
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Does government trigger mass shootings?

In Mass Shootings Does Government Provide the Trigger? - Blogcritics Politics - Dave Nalle:

December 16, 2012 - "That young men in the 16-24 year old age range have a higher propensity towards adjustment disorders leading to true mental illness is nothing new. But there is a perception that members of this group are more prone to act out violently today than they did in the past. Assuming that this is true and acknowledging the facts that guns and violent entertainment have been around since long before this rise in violent outbursts, I think we have to look for another specific trigger.

"When you put guards and metal detectors in your schools, when you invasively search airline passengers, when you begin to spy on your own citizens: you create an atmosphere of fear and the expectation of violence. The average citizen finds this heightened level of state security oppressive. Red light cameras, TSA checkpoints, random blood draws, internet data mining and new security laws like the warrantless indefinite detention of citizens in the NDAA all contribute to this environment. For someone who is troubled and prone to paranoia this creates a world which is directly threatening....

"We all react to ... stress differently, but logic suggests that in those already prone to irrational violent impulses the high level of stress we are subjected to and the threats posed by government can lead to the heightened paranoia which triggers violent action.

"This isn’t just speculation. The writings, statements and behavior of these killers consistently express a fear of government as one of their overriding concerns. Even in the sane community this has been responsible for increased political radicalism, higher gun sales, and an increase in harmless paranoid behavior like 'Doomsday Prepping.' It’s about time we admit that the actions of government play a major role in encouraging this violence. 

"Ironically the reaction to these incidents is invariably to try to implement more security and take away more rights. They’ll want to seize guns, fortify schools and other public places, track the mentally ill,. monitor more of our communications and take away more of our rights. None of these will be very effective at solving the problem and all of them are likely to contribute to pushing more volatile people over the edge to violence."

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/in-mass-shootings-does-government-provide1/
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Former Ron Paul advisors launch Liberty Torch Consulting

Former Ron Paul advisors launch Liberty Torch Consulting | The Capitol Column - Jonathan Wong:

July 6, 2012 - "A new San Francisco based political consultancy looks to help libertarian candidates and organizations manage their campaigns, bringing together veterans of various libertarian political campaigns and pooling their experience. Recently-formed Liberty Torch Consulting, LLC, has recruited a variety of [l]ibertarian campaign veterans, including two advisors with close ties to the campaigns of former presidential candidate Ron Paul and his son, Sen. Rand Paul....

"David Adams was Rand Paul’s campaign advisor and will serve as a strategy advisor for the new group. Jonathan Bydlak, who served as a fundraising director for Ron Paul, will serve as a financial advisor....

"Mr. Adams stated ... that 'We have learned important lessons in Kentucky for winning with solid candidates determined to bust up the ruling class of politicians. Joining with these great people to form Liberty Torch and harness the power of the conservative movement is a no-brainer for me.'

"A third advisor, Dave Nalle, has experience serving as the chair of the Republican Liberty Caucus, as well as the 2012 Senate campaign of former Texas solicitor general Ted Cruz."

Read more: http://www.capitolcolumn.com/news/former-ron-paul-advisors-launch-liberty-torch-consulting/#ixzz1zxTvJcUP
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