Rand Paul 2016 raised $1 million in last quarter of 2013

Rand Paul 2016 has $1.7M in bank - Alexander Burns - POLITICO.com:

January 15, 2014 - "Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul raised over a million dollars for his Senate campaign fund in the last quarter of 2013, leaving him with $1.7 million in a federal account that could be transferred over for a presidential run.

A senior Paul adviser told POLITICO that Paul took in just 'over a million' for Rand Paul 2016 – a campaign account named for the year Paul will have to defend his Senate seat, but that carries a double meaning thanks to the senator’s apparent White House ambitions.

"In addition to the $1.7 million Paul has in the 2016 account, his political action committee, RAND PAC, also has $500,000 on hand.

"The former Bowling Green ophthalmologist appears to be picking up the pace in his fundraising: POLITICO reported last year that Paul took in about $1 million across his political groups, including both the campaign and the PAC, in the third quarter of [2012]. The million-dollar haul this time comes just from the campaign."

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/rand-paul-2016-election-fundraising-102197.html
'via Blog this'

Libertarian Party response to Obama's NSA speech

Libertarian Party response to President Barack Obama's announced plan for minor reforms of NSA - The Daily Iberian: Reader's Forum: "

January 18, 2014 - Statement from Geoffrey J. Neale, chair, Libertarian National Committee, in response to President Barack Obama's announced plan for minor reforms of NSA mass surveillance: 

"Barack Obama today delivered a speech that promised next to nothing. He promised that 'greater safeguards for civil liberties' will be enacted, and that steps will be taken to rein in the worst of the NSA surveillance abuses.

"But government cannot be reined in. Once it has power, it seeks more. Once it has information, it keeps it — and often tells us that it didn't keep it (such as the records of gun purchases run through the NICS system) even though it really did — and then it wants more....

"There is already a list of 'safeguards,' and they are mentioned specifically in the Constitution. If the supreme law of the land is 'just a piece of paper,' what other 'safeguards' will keep millions of bureaucrats from breaking the law further?

"The only way to limit government intrusion into our lives is to eliminate the functions that have little to do with defending individual rights within our borders. If government were restricted only to acting on its one legitimate function — protecting individual rights — 95 percent of government operations would cease to exist. And Edward Snowden would have had little incentive to break the news on the government's rampant criminality.

"Edward Snowden should be granted a full pardon and complete immunity from prosecution. The government's ire should instead be turned toward prosecuting the millions of bureaucrats who have violated both their oaths of office, statute law, and even the Constitution itself."

Read more: http://www.iberianet.com/forum/libertarian-party-response-to-president-barack-obama-s-announced-plan/article_aa0aeae6-80a0-11e3-9191-0019bb2963f4.html
 'via Blog this'

Jeffrey Tucker raises $100K to launch Liberty.me

Liberty.me Launches Indiegogo Campaign to Huge Online Support -- SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-iReach/:

January 14, 2014 - "Just 3 weeks ago, Jeffrey A. Tucker – author, executive, crypto-anarchist and often called the Frederic Bastiat of his time – announced the launch of his Indiegogo campaign to fund the construction of the liberty-inspired social media publishing platform he calls a "city in the cloud." He professes that freedom is the solution to the world's ailments, and he is putting his money where his head and heart have been for decades.

"The liberty community has embraced the project with open arms. Despite speculation of just what exactly the project is, over $100,000 of its $120k goal has been raised through the crowd funding website Indiegogo.com. $30,000 worth of those pre-subscriptions purchased were with the free market crypto-currency bitcoin of which Tucker is a big fan.

"The project is epic, and comprehensive – a one stop shop for all things liberty. It promises to accommodate conservative-libertarians, left bleeding heart libertarians, crypto-anarchists, anarcho-capitalists, and even extends a hand across the border to welcome the average government supporter.

"Features of the online community are beautifully presented and robust. Each member is promised their own turnkey publishing platform with a custom [YourName].Liberty.me url for videos, podcasts and article uploads. All member created content is available to the entire internet; no pay wall or gatekeepers preventing people from using their voices to reach the world exist.

"Also included are online courses discussing the most important books taught by selected experts, a comprehensive calendar to stay up to date with liberty themed events across the globe, a massive library of free e-books, seminars on applying liberty to your own life, a constant news stream, and full access to experts such as Freedomain Radio's Stephan Molyneux, Austro-libertarian lawyer Stephen Kinsella, economist Bob Murphy and many others."

Read more: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/libertyme-launches-indiegogo-campaign-to-huge-online-support-240120601.html
'via Blog this'

Democrats and Republicans fail the fiscal test

Major parties are failing the fiscal test – The Post and Courier - Thomas Ravenel:

December 30, 2013 - "In March of 2006, then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama offered an impassioned rebuke of runaway Republican deficit spending during a debate over the nation's debt ceiling.

"'The fact we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure,' Obama said at the time. 'It is a sign that the U.S. government can't pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our government's reckless fiscal policies.

"'Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally,' Obama continued. 'Leadership means that "the buck stops here." Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren'....

"Of course, Obama changed his tune upon being elected - dramatically accelerating the very fiscal policies he previously chastised as 'reckless.' Now the 'reckless' ones - according to both Obama and GOP strategist Karl Rove - are the pro-free market, pro-liberty fiscal conservatives advocating the spending restraint Obama once claimed to stand for (and which the Republican Party still claims to stand for)....

"Prior to the most recent stopgap debt deal, Democrats and Republicans in Washington had approved $11.2 trillion in new deficit spending dating back to 2002.... $3.4 trillion was approved by George W. Bush and 'Republican' Congresses, $2.4 trillion was approved by Bush and Democratic Congresses, $3 trillion was approved by Obama and Democratic Congresses and $2.4 trillion was approved by Obama and a divided Congress..... In other words neither party has protected America’s current and future generations of taxpayers."

Read more: http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20131230/PC1002/131239985/1021/major-parties-are-failing-the-fiscal-test
'via Blog this'

Libertarian professor declares for state rep in Delaware's 22nd District

Libertarian candidate challenges Republican Representative in 22nd District | WDDE 91.1 FM | Delaware's NPR News station:

January 17, 2014 - "Delaware State University Professor of History and Political Science Steve Newton announced his candidacy for Representative of the 22nd District earlier this month. The seat, which covers the Pike Creek Valley, is currently held by Republican Joseph Miro.

"Newton, who is running as a Libertarian, says he chose to run to bring a stronger legislative focus to public service. He says the legislature currently spends on corporate welfare while cutting civil services.

"Delaware does not currently have any elected Libertarian legislators, but Newton says that he’s more comfortable running under that banner than as a Democrat .

"'I have railed against the insurance commissioner. I have disagreed severely with Governor Markell on a lot of his education policies,' said Newton. 'I said, to be perfectly honest, can I legitimately align myself with a party that I criticize so heavily?'"

Read more: http://www.wdde.org/55687-libertarian-challenger-delaware-22nd-house-district
'via Blog this'

Poll shows Libertarian would win Costa Rican runoff, if he's on the ballot

Libertarian candidate Otto Guevara could become Costa Rica’s next president -The Tico Times - Corey Kane:

January 16, 2014 - "A second round of voting in April in Costa Rica’s presidential race could turn the dynamics upside-down, as current third-place candidate Otto Guevara would be favored.

"This is according to the latest poll released by the daily La Nación, the first time a public poll has examined scenarios if no candidate succeeds in getting more than 40 percent of the vote in the first round.

The poll ran three scenarios between the top polling candidates – the ruling National Liberation Party (PLN) nominee Johnny Araya, the progressive Broad Front Party candidate José María Villalta, and the Libertarian Movement Party’s Guevara.

"Guevara likely would defeat both Villalta and Araya – if Guevara makes it to the second round – while Araya would lose to Villalta, La Nación’s poll predicted.

"'I am profoundly grateful for this massive and growing support from Costa Ricans,” Guevara said in a statement. “Our message is honest and transparent and the people have understood it.”"

"Guevara has benefited in recent months from receiving support from former and current members of the formerly dominant right-of-center Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC)."

Read more: http://www.ticotimes.net/2014/01/16/libertarian-candidate-otto-guevara-could-become-costa-ricas-next-president
'via Blog this'

Independents grow, Democrats and Republicans fall in U.S.

Independents grow, Democrats and Republicans fall - West Palm Beach Libertarian | Examiner.com - Karl Dickey:

January 9, 2014 -: "According to a new Gallup Poll out yesterday, January 8, 2014, the number of Americans identifying as independent has increased to 42% of the population while those identifying themselves as ... Democrat has decreased 13.8% since 2008 to ... 31%. Republicans have fared worse with only 25% of the population - the lowest on record according to Gallup. The poll was conducted over the course of 2013 and the result of over 18,000 interviews....

"This is a trend that has been continuing and will have a serious affect on future elections. Florida will elect a new governor this November and with a decrease of support by voters for Rick Scott or Charlie Crist, it could be a huge opportunity for lesser known Adrian Wyllie. Scott has been polarizing for Floridians and Crist has shown himself to be a man without conviction, so Floridians are seeking an alternative and Wyllie may just be that man."

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/article/independents-grow-democrats-and-republicans-fall
'via Blog this'