Libertarian state reps defeated in NH, Nebraska

Libertarian State Sen. Laura Ebke of Nebraska Loses Re-Election Bid - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Brian Doherty:

November 7, 2018 - "Nebraska state Sen. Laura Ebke won office in 2014 as a Republican, but switched parties to Libertarian in 2016 because of her dislike for lockstep discipline in a party that she didn't think hewed to consistent small government principles. After coming in second in a three-way nonpartisan primary in May, with 33 percent for Ebke and 44 for Republican Tom Brandt, she lost to him tonight, 57-43.

Ebke was extraordinarily well-funded for a state legislative race in Nebraska. Due largely to big-money contributions from out-of-state libertarians, she raised nearly a quarter million, huge by Nebraska standards and more than twice Brandt's take....

"The Libertarian Party didn't put a lot of effort or time into Ebke's race, which seems fine with her. She wasn't stressing the party connection much in her campaigning or messaging; unless a voter directly asked her, she wasn't apt to bring it up.... Her campaign manager, Asa Bryant, agreed in an interview last month that trying to sell a voter on the entire L.P. package was less useful to them in a local campaign than just trying to sell the candidate. So he advised Ebke not to stress the party label and not to use the term libertarian in her promotional material."
Read more: https://reason.com/blog/2018/11/07/libertarian-state-sen-laura-ebke-of-nebr

Party-Switching N.H. State Rep. Brandon Phinney Gets Slaughtered as a Libertarian - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Matt Welch

November 6, 2018 - "Brandon Phinney was a model for one genre of elected Libertarian: The party-switcher. The New Hampshire state representative, elected to the 400-member body in 2016 as a Republican, switched to Libertarian in June 2017 after watching the machinery of allegedly small-government Republicanism up close.... He targeted archaic laws to be stricken from the books, helped effectively legalize visiting bands drinking beer on stage, and prepped for his first election wearing the 'L' right there on his sweater....

"He got trounced.... 'After two years of voting to protect personal freedom, control spending, provide transparency and after two years of proposing legislation to do the same (with two bills as a prime sponsor signed into law),' Phinney wrote on his Facebook page, 'my district rewarded me with 377 votes.... The Democratic candidate, who barely campaigned, received 1,548 votes. The Republican, who did NOTHING but put out yard signs, received 1,720 votes'....

"In another post, Phinney complained that 'voters care more about party than literally anything else and that's the biggest problem in this country.'" "
Read more: https://reason.com/blog/2018/11/06/party-switching-nh-state-rep-brandon-phi

'via Blog this'

Elected Libertarians making a difference

How Elected Libertarians Are Making the World More Free - Reason.com - Matt Welch:

July 14, 2018 - "What exactly do Libertarians do? Wait — don't answer that. As someone who edited a small-l libertarian magazine for eight years, I know all your jokes.... But at least 169 of these exotic creatures also hold elected office across the [U.S.].... And what these critics of government power are doing once they acquire it may provide a flicker of whimsical hope in these dark and fractious times.

"Brandon Phinney, a 30-year-old Army vet who found libertarianism through Ron Paul, was elected to the 400-member New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2016 as a Republican. He then switched parties after discovering to his horror that elected GOP officials did not mean what they said about cutting the state budget.... Phinney ... pores through the ever-expanding state code, looking for laws that are anachronistic, impossible to enforce, and/or just plain wrong. [Then] he tries to remove them.

"For instance, the Live Free or Die State had on its books for more than a century a prohibition against reusing glass milk-delivery bottles for any other substance besides milk.... New Hampshire is one of the few states in the union where performers are barred from drinking alcohol on stage. Or I should say were, until Phinney tackled the problem....

"Phinney faces his first reelection with an "L" next to his name this November, which will be an important early indication of whether the L.P. is able to protect, and thus lure more of, its recent converts from the two older parties.

"Another key party switcher facing electoral challenge this year is Nebraska state Sen. Laura Ebke. Ebke, who transferred from the GOP to the L.P. two years ago over issues of civil liberties, achieved something this spring that libertarians have been talking about forever: occupational licensing reform. Like Phinney's bills, Ebke's passed with overwhelming bipartisan — nay, tripartisan — support....

"Having Libertarians play the honest, respected brokers between Dems and Repubs may seem far-fetched... But that's just what Mayor Jeff Hewitt has done in Calimesa [California].

"The swing vote on a split city council, Hewitt, a garrulous former swimming pool digger, convinced his small town to tackle one of California's biggest problems: The unsustainability of public sector pensions. Instead of contracting fire services from unwieldy Riverside County, with its top-down engine-staffing rules and defined-benefit pensions, Calimesa under Hewitt's tutelage opted out and created its own tiny fire department, saving taxpayers a bundle. Now Hewitt is running for a spot on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors....

"The Libertarian Party needs, and is finally getting, some demonstration projects about how to govern better. Getting more Jeff Hewitts in more important positions could transform the little party that couldn't into not just the country's leading third party (which it is already), but also a bloc that can at long last change the behavior of the top two."

Read more: https://reason.com/archives/2018/07/14/how-elected-libertarians-are-making-the
'via Blog this'

Libertarian Ebke makes general election ballot

Ebke runs second in District 32 race where governor's pick is ousted | Local Government | journalstar.com - JoAnne Young, Lincoln Journal-Star:

May 15, 2018 - "Incumbent Sen. Laura Ebke ran second in her District 32 bid to return to the Nebraska Legislature. She said Tuesday night she expects a tussle in the next few months leading up to the general election.

"Jefferson County farmer Tom Brandt led the pack of three candidates in that district by a good margin and will challenge Ebke in November....

"Gov. Pete Ricketts' pick, Al Riskowski, finished last and will not advance. He felt good about running a clean race, he said, even though all three District 32 candidates said they had to contend with negative ads, some of them funded by out-of-state groups, with messages that had nothing to do with the election.

"Brandt, who said he's a rural Republican, a centrist and independent thinker, has been active in community improvement in his hometown of Plymouth. He said voters ... are fed up with what's going on in the Legislature, the growing partisanship and nothing of substance getting done....

"Ebke, a Libertarian who is from Crete, stressed her four years of experience in the Legislature.

"'I think that the hit pieces had a real weakening effect on me,' she said.

"She lost some of the rural vote she needed, she said. 'Now it's up to me to go and get them back.'"

Read more: http://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/ebke-runs-second-in-district-race-where-governor-s-pick/article_3564dad1-ba43-5a01-8ec2-c9627b645c89.html
'via Blog this'

Nebraska GOP targets Libertarian Ebke

Nebraska GOP Targets Former Ally Who Switched to Libertarian | Nebraska News | US News - Grant Schulte:

May 13, 2018 - "A Nebraska lawmaker who left the Republican Party to become one of the nation's few Libertarian state legislators is facing the political fight of her life against two Republicans challengers, including one backed by Gov. Pete Ricketts. The showdown began after state Sen. Laura Ebke switched parties in 2016....

"The race is one of the most closely watched in a Tuesday primary that will eliminate one of the three candidates for the seat and also determine party nominees for governor, U.S. Senate and Nebraska's three U.S. House seats.

"GOP officials have unleashed a wave of negative mail and radio ads against Ebke, of Crete, turning the small-town primary into one of the most hotly contested races in Nebraska. Ricketts, a multimillionaire, has donated $5,000 to one of her opponents, Al Riskowski, a longtime ally.

"Ebke said she expected party officials to target her in the election and acknowledged they might succeed. Incumbents have traditionally fared well in Nebraska legislative races, but in 2016, three moderate Republican senators lost their seats after the governor endorsed and contributed to more conservative challengers.... 'I am fully aware that I'm in a precarious position here, especially when you have the financial power of the governor,' Ebke said.

"Another Republican hopeful, Tom Brandt, ... said he was surprised the race has turned so nasty and drawn so much attention from outside the district....

"The two top vote-getters in Tuesday's primary will advance to the November general election, regardless of their party affiliation....

"Since Jan. 1, Ebke hasn't received a single individual donation from her district ... according to the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission.... Ebke said she was forced to rely on out-of-state contributions because Nebraska GOP officials threatened to remove local party leaders from their positions if they donate to her campaign. The Nebraska Republican Party denied the allegation.

"Ebke's party switch made her the first Libertarian state lawmaker in Nebraska history, and she's one of four now serving nationwide. The other three are in the New Hampshire House of Representatives."

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/nebraska/articles/2018-05-13/nebraska-gop-targets-former-ally-who-switched-to-libertarian
'via Blog this'

Ebke unveils model licensing reform bill

Libertarian State Senator Wants to Make it Easier for People With Criminal Records (And Everyone Else) to Work - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Brian Doherty:

April 6, 2018 - "Laura Ebke of Nebraska is the Libertarian Party's only sitting state senator. A bill she introduced to reform her state's occupational licensing regime got an enthusiastic and lengthy write-up this week in The Wall Street Journal.... The Occupational Board Reform Act (L.B. 299) would change the incentive structure and process by which Nebraska decides the most rational and least restrictive way to ensure consumer safety without unduly harming people's ability to work.

"The state has been interested in 'chipping away at occupational licenses one by one' for a while, Ebke said.... Then last year she 'was approached by the Institute for Justice to see if I would be interested in carrying some model legislation they had put together, and I was very interested.'

"One of the more colorful case studies, described in the Journal story, involves massaging horses, which leaves you open in Nebraska to a possible four years in jail and a $35,000 fine if you do it unlicensed.... Ebke saw it as a teachable moment: 'Does it make sense,' she asked her colleagues, 'to demand a license to give a rubdown to a 1,200-pound creature?'

"The final vote on the measure is expected next week, and Ebke is confident it will make it to the governor's desk and be signed. One of her main allies in the process is a Nebraska-based free market think tank, the Platte Institute, founded by the sitting governor Pete Ricketts.

"Being a Libertarian, Ebke says, has likely helped the bill's so-far positive prospects. 'Most of the co-sponsors are Republicans,' she says, but 'the fact that I'm not a Republican allows some of the more liberal members of the body to come and talk to me." She says she's found such members willing to work on getting the bill into a shape that they can support, 'and their willingness to do so speaks to the fact that a lot of times I have been with them' on issues where Republicans were not.

"Ebke is also proud that the state branch of the American Civil Liberties Union has been an enthusiastic proponent of the bill, largely because of how it deals with how difficult current occupational licensing laws can make it for those with criminal records to find meaningful work.... As the Journal notes, 'Recidivism rates are lower in states where former criminals can find gainful employment.'

"In arguing for the bill, Ebke has found that some citizens are 'very protectionist and want to protect their [existing] licenses,' but many Nebraskans are excited for a chance to do meaningful productive work without jumping through unnecessary and expensive hoops."

Read more: https://reason.com/blog/2018/04/06/libertarian-senator-gets-her-occupationa
'via Blog this'

Libertarian campaigns to watch in 2018

Here Are Four Major Electoral Opportunities for the Libertarian Party in 2018 - Andy Craig, The Jack News:

January 1, 2018 - "The most common criticism of the Libertarian Party is that it can’t win.... It’s not always the case that Libertarians can’t win, though.... In no particular order and with the New Year upon us,  here are [some] key opportunities for Libertarians in 2018:

1. "Nebraska state senator Laura Ebke ... switched her registration to the Libertarian Party in 2016.... Since then, Ebke ... secured the passage of a bill to ensure Libertarian ballot access in Nebraska, assembled a bipartisan coalition for occupational licensing reform, and was elected by her colleagues to serve as the Chair of the important Judiciary Committee....

"But Ebke still needs help from Libertarians nationwide, particularly in fundraising to match the spending-spree that [the GOP] is likely to go on.... Ebke’s re-election ... could set off a domino effect of other liberty-minded state legislators ditching the GOP....

 2. "Libertarian Party ... chair ... Nicholas Sarwark is making his first bid for elected office in a special election for Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona. A unique combination of circumstances and local notability give Sarwark some recognition. In a race that includes two Democratic members of the City Council, but no Republican, it is possible that Sarwark could make it into the top-two run-off....

"So far his campaign website shows that he has raised over $27,000 in online donations since announcing his campaign.... That’s not yet enough, but it’s a good start....

3. "In a belt of states across the Mountain West, and ... Upper Midwest, popular alignment with libertarianism runs higher than in most of the country.... As we get into the Spring of 2018, it will be worth keeping an eye on states like Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota. If viable non-incumbent Libertarian candidates for state legislatures arise anywhere, it will probably be in this part of the country. Elections that ... go uncontested by one of the two major parties can be particularly ripe for Libertarians to target....

4. "In New Hampshire, the party already has three incumbent party-switchers ... – Caleb Dyer, Brandon Phinney, and Joseph Stallcop – [who] face very local elections, with low margins for victory under New Hampshire’s multi-member-district system..... The incumbent advantage is real, but voting trends for the NH legislature also tend to be sharply partisan, a real obstacle for even a Libertarian incumbent who doesn’t secure the endorsement of either local Republicans or Democrats....

"Next-door Maine also offers potential, thanks to having become the first state to adopt instant run-off voting, also known as ranked choice.... It’s not yet known whether IROV will actually be used during the 2018 elections, but if it is, it will provide a chance for Libertarians to test the theory that they could prevail if not hindered by the perception of 'wasted votes' and perpetual spoiler status."

Read more: https://www.thejacknews.com/politics/elections/four-electoral-opportunities-for-libertarian-party-2018/
'via Blog this'

GOP calls It's a Wonderful Life screenings illegal

GOP to Libertarian Legislator: Your It's a Wonderful Life Screening Is Against the Law - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Brian Doherty:

December 5, 2017 - "Could it be a crime to give your fellow Americans a chance to enjoy a theatrical screening of that modern American myth, It's a Wonderful Life? The Nebraska Republican Party thinks it is. Or at least it thinks it of political benefit to say it is, in their quest to unseat one of America's few sitting Libertarian state legislators, state Sen. Laura Ebke.

"Ebke switched her party allegiance from GOP to L.P. in 2016, and she's up for reelection as a Libertarian in 2018. The Republicans are running Al Riskowski, a man who formerly ran the Nebraska Family Alliance. That's a conservative activist group obsessed with the legalities of gambling, gender identity, suicide, and 'human trafficking'....

?Ebke sponsored two screenings of the movie to celebrate the revival of a local theater in her hometown that had gone under when the switch to digital projection swept the industry. On Friday, the state GOP denounced the events in a press release. 'Not only is Ebke in potential violation of state law herself for attempting to bribe voters,' the email declared, 'but she is also putting those who attend the screenings at risk of committing a violation as well.'

"By giving voters a free movie, the Republicans claim, Ebke is bribing voters. That's a class II misdemeanor under state law, punishable by six months in jail and a thousand-buck fine. And so is accepting such a bribe.

"Undeterred, Ebke held two more screenings in other towns after the threat went out, and she has two more planned.... Ebke says that 'we read the rules' and that the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission (NADC) 'says that it's acceptable to use campaign contributions for social events for constituents.' She notes that the governor does something comparable when he hosts tailgate parties.....

"The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Republicans 'are reviewing the situation to determine whether to pursue any legal action'.... Ebke says neither she nor any constituent she's met takes this threat at all seriously, though she wouldn't put it past the GOP to go ahead and file some sort of complaint with the NADC. If they do, she's confident that it will go nowhere."

Read more: http://reason.com/blog/2017/12/05/libertarian-state-sen-laura-ebke-breakin
'via Blog this'

Nebraska Libertarian registrations top 12,000

Libertarian Party is trending upwards in Nebraska - Max Massey, 1011 News (KOLN):

June 29, 2017 - "[A] third party is growing across Nebraska: The Libertarian Party....

"Trevor Reilly .. is the chair for the Lancaster County Libertarian Party, but just a few years ago he was in the marines and a registered Republican, then he decided he wanted a change.

"'Being a prior Republican I didn't agree with a lot of it, I didn't agree with the Trump media going on, so when I found the Libertarian party, I jumped into the campaign,' said Reilly.

"Trevor's not the only high ranking Libertarian who is a former member of the Grand Old Party.

"Senator Laura Ebke is the only Libertarian senator in the unicameral, and said the political shift is becoming more and more apparent....

"Right now there are less than 13,000 registered Libertarians, but Senator Ebke believes this is only the start.... The latest registered voter numbers show the Libertarian party is growing at a faster rate than the two major parties.

"Party members understand they are still a very small percentage, but there are plans to grow.

"'Starting to run people for local elections, city county offices, school board and things like that, so I think that's a win and that's a way you build a party,' said Senator Ebke....

"'Right now the state party's goal is to actually get 50,000 registered Libertarian voters by 2020,' said Reilly.

"'If we get to 50,000 that's big, for Nebraska, that's a significant amount of the voting population, and we can make a difference in a lot of elections then,' said Senator Ebke."

Read more: http://www.1011now.com/content/news/Libertarian-Party-is-growing-431689273.html
'via Blog this'

Registered Libertarians top 10,000 in Nebraska

Libertarians see proposal as chance to continue growing party | Nebraska Legislature | journalstar.com - Zach Pluhasek, Lincoln Journal & Star:

March 29, 2017 - "Nebraska's growing ranks of Libertarian voters could see more of their candidates on local ballots if a proposal that is working its way through the Legislature succeeds. The bill would allow any political party with 10,000 or more registered voters to remain recognized in the state, regardless of how its candidates perform in statewide elections.

"In recent years, Libertarians have been forced to run 'sacrificial lamb' candidates for statewide offices in hopes of securing 5 percent of the vote, the minimum threshold for the party to maintain its officially recognized status.

"'If this passes, that whole sacrificial lamb mentality goes away and we can focus on growing the party,' said Gene Siadek of Omaha, treasurer of the Libertarian Party of Nebraska. 'We can maybe focus on elections that might be more winnable for us.'

"Sponsored by Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, the proposal (LB34) received first-round approval Wednesday on a 30-0 vote.

"The change would apply to any third party that qualifies, but so far the Libertarians are the only ones who come close.

"Their party has hit some major milestones in the past year, including Ebke's decision to ditch the GOP and register as a Libertarian. She became the state's highest-ranking Libertarian elected officeholder and the only Libertarian in the officially nonpartisan Legislature.

"Last fall, the party topped 10,000 registrants for the first time, which Siadek attributed in part to Ebke's switch and also to Donald Trump securing the Republican presidential nomination."

And this year, the party submitted its first financial statement to the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission after exceeding $5,000 in donations for the first time."

Read more: http://journalstar.com/legislature/libertarians-see-proposal-as-chance-to-continue-growing-party/article_13055c92-5e72-5506-b4ae-4b2509f29272.html
'via Blog this'

Libertarian registrations up 28% in Nebraska

Libertarian Party sees surge of new voters in Nebraska | Regional Government | journalstar.com - Grant Schulte, Associated Press:

October 16, 2016 - "Nebraska's Libertarian Party ... has seen a 28 percent increase in voter registrations since the state's May primary. The number of registered Libertarians is on pace to top 10,000 before the Nov. 8 election, and a state senator who recently joined the party is using her experience as a former GOP political activist to teach its members how to campaign.

"'It has a different feel from the third-party campaigns of the past,' said Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, who switched her affiliation from Republican to Libertarian in May.

"Libertarian activists have set up phone banks and are building a volunteer network to knock on doors. The party recently purchased campaign software to track and communicate with registered voters. They're also using a 'text blasting' app to communicate with young voters, a tactic borrowed from former Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders' campaign.

"Party activists are focusing more on local government races and setting up new county chapters to recruit candidates. Libertarian Ben Backus, who ran unsuccessfully for secretary of state in 2014, is expected to win a seat on Gering's City Council after his primary opponent withdrew from the race. The party is also fielding candidates for the Scotts Bluff and Washington county commissions.

"Activists said their strategy is twofold: In local government, they can influence policies that affect people directly, such as property and sales tax rates. It also helps them gain experience and name recognition that could help them run for higher state offices....

"Backus said Libertarian Party officials have offered debate training and provided mailing lists to candidates who seek their help. Ebke has played a major role, drawing from her experience as a former GOP activist, Fairbury School Board member and state lawmaker. She now serves as Nebraska's state director for the Libertarian presidential ticket of Gary Johnson and Bill Weld, both former GOP governors.

"Ebke said party activists hope to appeal to Democratic-leaning voters with their positions on civil liberties and Republicans with their emphasis on fiscal restraint. In the presidential race, the party is aiming to secure at least 5 percent of the statewide vote for Johnson in hopes that the Libertarians will automatically qualify for the ballot in the next presidential election.....

"Libertarians have traditionally struggled to qualify for the ballot in Nebraska but regained access in 2010 and slowly working to build their ranks, said Michael Knebel, a district coordinator for the party. Knebel said Ebke's party switch and the resulting media attention helped boost the number of registered Libertarians, as did opposition to Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"'The last 12 months have been a game-changer,' he said."

Read more: http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/libertarian-party-sees-surge-of-new-voters-in-nebraska/article_b1eb6732-53ee-5568-a20f-daacaf1c2d1b.html
'via Blog this'

Was Gov. Weld's defection a watershed event?

Was Governor Weld's defection a watershed event? - Keith Komar, special to GDPA:

June 2, 2016 - The events leading up to the nomination of Governors Gary Johnson and William Weld this past weekend were, in my eyes, nothing short of extraordinary. For Johnson to land an A-list VP candidate like Bill Weld was a political coup of legendary purportions. And this is only the beginning.

Quietly, as Johnson and Weld were giving acceptance speeches for the Libertarian party nominations, Senator Laura Ebke from Nebraska announced that she was leaving the Republican party after a life long party affiliation. In a statement written to her constituents she stated: "The notion that the Governor (of Nebraska) should be able to tell legislators how to vote because they are registered in the same party ... does a disservice to the role of the legislature and to the intention of the founders". She attributed her switch in parties to her realization that "the Republican party of 2016 is fundamentally different [from] the Republican party that (she) grew up in.". She also quoted Ronald Reagan to the effect that "the very heart and soul of conservatism is Libertarianism."

Earlier today, Montgomery County (Indiana) GOP chair John Pickerill stepped down to join the Libertarian Party as well. At a press conference he stated that "I don't see the Republican Party representing me anymore." His concern with local and statewide politicians accepting donations from contractors they are conducting business with was among the reasons for the switch. When asked if he was comfortable with Trump he responded: "Not at all. I think Trump is a roll of the dice.... He could be the worst thing since Hitler." State Libertarian party chair Joe Hauptmann, also at the conference, added: "We think the Libertarian party is the adult at the table this election."

I contend that these defections are the beginning of a mass exodus from the archaic ideals of a dying socially conservative platform, brought on in large part by the vision of Gary Johnson to seek out a very credible running mate in Bill Weld, and the courage of Governor Weld to step forward and lead the way to a more principled approach to Government. As more prominent politicians come on board with the ideals of liberty and join the Libertarian party it will get easier for the others to follow along.

What remains to be seen is whether the purists within the Libertarian Party are willing to welcome the influx of political refugees left in the wake of a Clinton - Trump nomination.

Nebraska state senator Ebke joins Libertarians

'Frustrated' State Sen. Laura Ebke switches from Republican to Libertarian - Omaha.com: Legislature:

June 2, 2016 - "Saying demands for party loyalty don’t always result in good lawmaking, Nebraska State Sen. Laura Ebke has switched her affiliation from Republican to Libertarian.

"The senator from Crete, elected as a Republican in 2014, said she filled out online forms last week with the Secretary of State’s Office to make the change. But she said she’d been considering the switch for months.

"'I got frustrated with some of my colleagues who don’t recognize civil liberties and don’t seem to agree with getting government out of people’s business,' she said Wednesday.

"Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts’ recent hardball play with GOP senators like Ebke who don’t always vote along party lines was one of 'many factors' in her decision, she said. The governor called out several lawmakers by name last month during the state GOP convention, saying the Legislature needs more 'platform Republicans.'

"'I suspect that better policy would be made if there was more conversation and fewer demands of partisan loyalty,' Ebke wrote in a letter to donors explaining her decision.....

"Clerk of the Legislature Patrick O’Donnell said Wednesday that he could not think of another registered Libertarian who served, although other senators have had strong libertarian leanings. But because the Legislature is formally nonpartisan, his office doesn’t keep records of past members’ party affiliations.

"Michael Knebel, a party spokesman, said that a Libertarian now serves on a City Council in the state, but said Ebke is the first in the Legislature.

"Libertarians favor a limited, fiscally responsible government that does not infringe on personal freedoms — 'making sure government is out of your wallet and out of your bedroom as much as possible,' Knebel said."

Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/legislature/frustrated-state-sen-laura-ebke-switches-from-republican-to-libertarian/article_4bce0112-4914-58fb-abd1-efb9f3acd6e7.html
'via Blog this'

GOP libertarian elected to Nebraska legislature

Laura Ebke a libertarian voice in Legislature : Politics - Don Walton, Lincoln Journal Star:

February 06, 2015 - "Laura Ebke is in the arena now.

"A political scientist who has taught American government classes at Southeast Community College and other institutions, Ebke was elected to the Legislature in November and is the student now.

"'It's a learning experience,' she said during an interview in her Capitol office....

"Ebke is a libertarian. 'Small "l",' she emphasizes, 'I'm a Republican and a conservative libertarian.'

"Ebke is state chairwoman of the Republican Liberty Caucus, which supported Ron Paul for president in 2012.

"Her legislative votes 'may fly in the face of the views of some traditional Republicans' at times, she said.

"For instance, Ebke is a co-sponsor of legislation to legalize the use of medical marijuana....

"A glimpse of Ebke's libertarian viewpoint is this assessment of proposed legislation to increase the fee for marriage licenses: 'I question whether we should ask the state's permission to get married. I'm not sure it's practical, but it would be better to just report the marriage after the fact for legal purposes.'

"Ebke has introduced a legislative resolution that calls for convening a U.S. constitutional convention confined to imposing fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting federal power and requiring term limits for federal offices.... Ebke said, she became convinced that a convention with a limited mandate is needed and that the requirement for ratification of amendments by three-fourths of the states is a sufficient safeguard."

Read more: http://journalstar.com/legislature/laura-ebke-a-libertarian-voice-in-legislature/article_67877cbd-4ed5-5f1e-a103-d6876100985c.html

'via Blog this'