What It Is/What It Isn't - Libertarianism

I think it's fitting to start off my school marm suite with the number one question I hear from people: What is Libertarianism?

Now when I answer this question with spoken words, I tend to keep things general to avoid ruffling the feathers of those are deep into the right or left. This leads to either a puzzled expression or some form of scoffing. Yeah. Not good. So I'm taking the opportunity here to explain a little bit more concisely the idea of liberty and what the LP stands for. The plan is to not only create a resource for others but for myself as well since writers have a way with the written word only. Trying to form a complete sentence whilst under pressure (and after my brain has been melted by two pregnancies) is a surefire way for me to forget how to English goodly.

At the end of this post, I'll also provide links to some resources to help further your research and understanding.

So what is this libertarian thing anyway?

The Libertarian Party was founded in 1971 by David Nolan

Not this guy.

This guy.

The party and its ideals were born in Nolan's living room in response to the Vietnam War and Richard Nixon's fascist moves on the economy. 

In the 45 years since the LP has grown from just a handful of disillusioned Republican defectors to over 327,000 registered voters. Keep in mind this number is just based on registration numbers. There are plenty of liberty-leaners who register as independent or no party affiliation (like me). If the 2016 presidential election was any indication, the tides are shifting towards a desire to protect individual liberties. 

While Gary Johnson and Bill Weld are not the best examples of what the LP has to offer, they did snatch up roughly 4 million votes with an even split between male and female voters. Not too shabby. 

The basic principles can be summed up into a few basic points:

1. Self-ownership and individual responsibility are at the core of the values.

2. Adhere to the Non-Aggression Principle. The use of force to achieve any gains personal or otherwise is verboten.

3. Focus on a free market economy

4. Advocates a small federal government that works within the constraints of the Bill of Rights.

5. (Income) Taxation is theft.  

6. Voluntarism and charity > government programs

While this by no means is all of them, these points are the simplest and most universally agreed upon in the liberty circles. 

There is also a need to buck the outdated (and corrupt) two party system in favor of allowing the people more choice in the political arena. The 4% (about 5 million people) of votes for third parties in 2016 is evidence of this. 

The primary focus is to shift the national thinking from, "the government need to regulate/control/pay for/be involved in everything" to "allow the public to make their own decisions/vote with their wallets/be in control of their own lives." With the number of federal regulations on everything from education to economics to whether or not we can collect rainwater on our own property, growing exponentially every year, our freedoms are being eroded. Some would say that having personal belongings rifled through or a thorough pat-down at the airport is worth it for security, but where is the line? Giving up our individual liberties is not the path to security, prosperity, or anything else. History has shown (over and over) that such power is guaranteed to be corrupted. We are the frog in the proverbial pot of water. The government is slowly turning up the heat (taking our freedoms) and it's only a matter of time until We The People boil to death.

The common perception is that because of the LP views on small government and focuses on individuals, that we are a selfish lot. Thus the libertarian principles being twisted to fit a narrative. There are many, but I'll go ahead and debunk a few here.

"Libertarians don't care about poor people."

By wanting to shift the focus on to charity and voluntarism rather than subsidies and handouts. The idea is to not only rev up a more local/community minded people but to allow the poor/underprivileged/low skilled to maintain not only their liberties but also their dignity and humanity. Don't confuse this with, "pull yourself up by your bootstraps." That's not what this is. It's encouraging people to use their time and money for good rather than have the federal government do it the most inefficient and expensive way possible.

"Libertarians are supporters of big corporations and crony capitalists." 

That is a big negative there. The LP places value on a free market and a more laissez-faire approach to the economy. Keep the government from meddling in the affairs of the market. By allowing for the open exchange of goods and services, the small business owner is more likely to be empowered and successful. Thanks to the federal government, the larger more corrupt corporations have more leeway to throw their weight around and smash the little guy. Let's not forget that larger business entities are also political lobbyists who keep political palms greased in their favor. The LP is rather against that. In a free market model, products and services that serve a purpose and are good quality would be allowed to succeed whilst poor quality and lousy service would close a business down. There is no "too big to fail" and no Goliath trying to take David out. Remove government regulations that strangle smaller businesses and watch what happens. 

"Libertarians are atheistic libertines."

Nope. While the party is much more welcoming of an atheist viewpoint than say the Right, the LP is not inherently anti-religion or anti-spirituality. Being supporters of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, the LP supports the right to practice your own religion as dictated by your dogma. What is NOT okay, is trying to force your beliefs on others or to cause violence because of them. Because of the need to uphold the NAP there is a built in code of morals and ethics that comes along with that. Ending drug prohibition doesn't mean everyone should get to run around wasted. Driving while intoxicated is still dangerous and should be a punishable offense. Same goes for drugging children and non-consenting adults. If you are a grown adult giving your consent to partake in something not good for you, party on. There are clinics where an addict can exchange dirty needles for clean in order to stop the spread of disease and a push for rehab over jail time for users. By ending the Drug War, the hope is to be rid of the drug lords, gangsters, and violent crime that goes along with it.

"Libertarians are materialistic and pro-rich guy."

I think this stems from the "taxation is theft" mantra. By wanting a worker to keep what they make and doing away with income tax (and in conjunction, the IRS), the LP has developed a reputation for being greedy. It's really quite the opposite. The Left-wing cry for wealth redistribution and higher taxes could be described as being as such because those people did not work and earn the money they want to take. Therefore, they are wanting to take a portion whether the other party agrees or not (taxation = theft. Get it?). Wanting an individual to keep the money they worked hard for is not greed because nobody wants to take it. There are infrastructure and some things that tax dollars are necessary for and for that, there is a lot of support for the Fair Tax. A tax collected on consumables rather than on income. This way, the money is only taken based on what an individual chooses to spend their money on and evasion is nearly impossible. This is the simplest way to guarantee that everyone "pays their fair share". Since the rich make and generally spend more, they will end up contributing more. No loopholes, no cronyism, everyone participates. 

"Libertarians don't believe in climate change"

I'll admit, there is a healthy amount of skepticism here, but not for the reasons you'd think. The issue isn't about alternative energies, eco cleanup systems, or saving the whales. The first issue is the gleeful jumping in and the subsequent growth of the federal government. History has shown over and over again that when a governing body gets involved in something, then the results are minimal at best and an expensive disaster at worst. The second issue is that climate change/global warming/global cooling/whatever you want to call it is a natural phenomenon that the planet cycles through on Her own (fossil and geological evidence has shown this). Some just aren't sure how much of in impact man has had in our brief time on Earth (don't jump on me, this is from discussions I've had with others, not necessarily my personal opinion). With that controversial tidbit said I can say this: the LP will always support free market solutions to issues. The greatest innovations in the history of man have come out of someone's garage or basement. An individual sees a problem or a need and develops technology as a solution every time. A governing body cannot say the same thing. In fact, they can usually boast the opposite in suppressing "greener" energy sources. Therein lies the source of the hesitation to jump on the climate change bandwagon. 

I hope I was able to give some clear, basic information to start you on your liberty journey. There is really only so much that can be published into one simple blog post, but I hope I've managed to at least, garner enough interest for you to continue your research.

For more information:

The Official National Libertarian Party website

David F. Nolan

Myths About Libertarianism

Green Energy Info - The Orion Project

Ron Paul Institute

Niskanen Center

Podcasts:

Libertarianism for Normal People

Freakonomics Radio

Penn's Sunday School

A Libertarian Education - A Short Syllabus

Being the research and history nerd out of the pair of Meg(h)ans that run this blog, I've decided to create a suite or learning library if you will for those interested in joining the liberty movement.
There are a lot of common misconceptions about the Libertarian Party and Liberty movement in general that I think need clearing up.

For example: The LP is a blend of the best of Republicans and Democrats (thank Gary Johnson for that one). Libertarians are selfish and don't care about their communities or climate change or poor people or... you catch my drift. Our public perception isn't great. I wish I could blame the media for it or some other outside force, but there are quite a lot of people within our own party that have made "libertarian" a dirty word. The fact that rejected members of other parties are just slapping themselves with the LP label in order to run for whatever office isn't helping matters either.

I'm looking to find ways to "fix" those misconceptions because frankly, individual liberties are important. With more of them being taken from us all the time, it's imperative to educate others in the hopes of not only preserving what we have left, but also to hopefully get back what we have lost. The political pendulum in this country keeps swinging dangerously from one extreme to the next and an equilibrium must be found before our entire culture crumbles. While the tiny nihilist that lives inside my brain applauds the idea, the larger, more pragmatic side knows that this will be bad. Education is key and knowledge is power. As a society, we can't survive if we continue to base our decisions on emotions and sensationalized click bait.

There is a ton of misinformation floating around about what our government is and isn't as well. Thanks to budget cuts and political agendas infiltrating our public school system, we are all in need of Civics and Poli Sci 101.

So be on the lookout in the coming weeks for my first suite of posts titled: What it is, What it isn't.

Seacrest, out!

The Philosophy of Liberty

"You Own Your Own Life...
To lose your Life is to lose your Future, to lose your Liberty is to lose your Present
…and to lose the product of your Life and Liberty is to lose that portion of your Past that produced it
A product of your Life and Liberty is your Property."

If this is making sense to you... please reach out to me so that I can help connect you with liberty minded people in your area. 

Mail Service: The Free Market at Work

To start, let's define Free Market since I'm not sure I've actually gone into that here.

Free market refers to an economy where the government imposes few or no restrictions and regulations on buyers and sellers. In a free market, participants determine what products are produced, how, when and where they are made, to whom they are offered, and at what price—all based on supply and demand.

In the US, the majority of blockage to a truly free market comes from the government. They forbid producers from polluting, pricing below cost, or being a monopoly. In addition, they often require minimum safety standards, the disclosure of ingredients, licensing of certain professionals, and protection of original ideas, to name just a few. They even control the money supply to minimize the negative effects of natural economic expansion and contraction.

Some of these things may SEEM like a good idea. We all want the market to thrive, but time and time again it has been proven that the market thrives best, when it is left alone. When there is competition, consumers will choose the best available option for their goods and services needs. Factors such as time, distance, ease of use, customer service etc all effect companies well being in a buyer's market. When the government interferes with the market, buyers lose control. Here in the United States, there is a lot of favoritism for government sponsored programs that are supported by taxpayer dollars that would NOT survive in a free market.

The best example I can think of is USPS. Now, I don't know how your local postman treats you where you live, but I've gotten mail at 5 different addresses over the last 3 years. I can say with certainty that amongst the big 3 delivery services: UPS, FedEx, and USPS that USPS by far has the least reliability and the worst customer service. When I ship something with FedEx or UPS, it gets where it's going within the time frame I am quoted or in rare cases where it does not, I get a partial or full refund.

At my last apartment (the last one I'll live in, at least for the next 30 years, thankfully) USPS failed to deliver 6 packages in the short 9 months we lived there. When we called to talk to them, they insinuated that it was OUR fault, for not being home to receive the package and therefore it had to be rerouted. However, none of those packages required a signature. They could have left them at our door.

FedEx and UPS are typically a great deal cheaper than USPS, they have better customer service, a higher overall rating by consumers, a lower failure rate and from my experience, much nicer employees. So why does the USPS still exist? If overwhelmingly, the buyers PREFER other companies that provide the same services one would assume that they would take over the market. So why isn't that happening? Why do USPS employees continue to exist to complain about their employer (rightly so) on the internet?

Because they are supported by the US government. Because even though they have operated at a deficit for YEARS we continue to finance them out of our tax dollars. So, not only is the IRS stealing money out of my paycheck, they are stealing it to support a company that I purposefully DONT shop at due to rude employees and overall incompetence.

Libertarian Party of Florida Executive Committee Outcomes

I apologize that this post is so late in coming to you. I've been trying to get all my ducks in a row following the LPF convention the weekend before last in Cocoa Beach. I think I speak for all the Seminole County Delegates when I say we had a great time.

I'd like to announce the results of the Executive Committee Race. Marcos Miralles has replaced Char-Lez Braden as the Chair of the Libertarian Party of Florida. Miralles is seeking to have at least 100 Libertarians in public office by 2021 and hopes to dramatically increase help to candidates running for office. He also seeks to increase the fundraising efforts of the county affiliates and LP Florida. I am excited to see what he will do to better the Libertarian Party of Florida in the next 2 years.

Omar Recuero was re-elected Vice-Chairman of LP Florida and Alison Foxall was re-elected Director At Large 1. LP Florida newcomer Greg Peele won Director At Large 3 by an overwhelming majority.

I don't know Omar very well and my first interactions with him were at the LPF convention. They were all positive and I think he's done a good job thus far as Vice Chair and hope he will continue to advance liberty here in Florida.

Alison Foxall is an outstanding advocate for Liberty. She works hard at the local, state and national levels helping to streamline processes and project a positive image of the LP across social media. She does a tremendous job running the communications committee (of which I am a member) here in Florida and I believe does a great job as At-Large 1. I can not say enough great things about her!

Greg Peele is near and dear to all of our hearts here in Seminole as he is the treasurer (and overall do-er of things) at our sister affiliate in Orange County. I say with great confidence that he will do wonderful things in his new position as At-Large Director 3.

I would also like to take this time to publicly thank Char-Lez Braden for his work as chair. I appreciate all you've done for the LPF and am happy to see that you'll be continuing your action to further liberty in FL as a region representative.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the convention. I enjoyed getting to meet my fellow FL libertarians.

Until next time.
In Liberty,
Megan Killion

Homeschooling In Florida

Every year that my son goes to public school is another year that his education disappoints me. I feel like when I send him to school he ends up being babysat and then sent home with weird new propaganda. He's had some great teachers and I appreciate them, but it's become pretty clear that the public school system isn't for us. So I did some research on homeschooling here in FL. I started at the Department of Education (DOE) website to find more info.

Requirements
Section 1002.01, Florida Statutes (F.S.), defines home education as the sequentially progressive instruction of a student directed by his or her parent or guardian in order to satisfy Florida's compulsory education requirements.

Florida Statute 1002.41 specifies the responsibilities of parents who establish a home education program.

• Send a written notice of intent to the school district superintendent. The notice must be filed within 30 days of beginning the home education program and must include the following information:
• Name of the home education student(s)
• Birthdate(s)
• Address
• Parent's signature
• Maintain a portfolio of educational records. Statute defines a portfolio as
• A log of educational activities which is made contemporaneously with the instruction and which designates by title any reading materials used, and
• samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks or creative materials used or developed by the student.
• Make the portfolio available for inspection by the superintendent upon 15-day written notice (The statute does not require the superintendent to inspect all portfolios).
• Provide an annual educational evaluation of the student's educational progress to the superintendent. The evaluation must consist of one of the following:
• A Florida certified teacher chosen by the parent may evaluate the child's progress based on a review of the portfolio and discussion with the student.
• The student may take any nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher.
• The student may take a state student assessment test at a location and under testing conditions approved by the school district.
• The student may be evaluated by a psychologist holding a valid, active license pursuant to section 490.003 (7) or (8), F.S.
• The student may be evaluated with any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon by the parent and the superintendent.
• Preserve each student's portfolio for two years.
• Submit a letter of termination to the school district superintendent upon completion of the home education program, enrollment in a public or private school or moving from the district.

Your Choices Under Florida Law

Florida statutes provide three options for families who wish to educate their children at home. Each will meet the state’s compulsory attendance laws. Families may:

1. Enroll in a noncampus-based private school, that is, a private school that facilitates home education, and follow the procedures set by the school.

2. Establish a home education program as defined in the statutes by sending a Notice of Intent to the local school superintendent, maintaining a log of activities and portfolio of work, and filing an annual evaluation using one of five evaluation choices.

3. Establish a Private Tutoring Program.

While any of the above choices will provide compliance with Florida’s compulsory attendance laws, each has different implications for you. While some of these differences go to issues of recordkeeping and methods, the heart of the distinction is whether you want to be accountable to the state or to a private entity.

Private Versus Public Homeschooling


Most families choose either private or public home education. Private tutoring programs are extremely expensive and infrequently used. Regardless which method you choose, you can educate your children at home, using the materials and methods you select. The key difference between enrolling in a private school and registering as a home educator is this:

1. Private school students are overseen by administrators you select. Identifying data about the student and samples of the student’s work are never shared with anyone outside of the private school (other than at your request).
2. Home education students are overseen by government employees at the school district. Parents must file annual evaluations with the district and are be required to show their record-keeping and samples of the student’s work upon demand by the Superintendent.

Since I think this is probably going to be the only solution for my family, I will continue to do research and keep you all posted!!

Florida SB 614 Has Been Indefinitely Postponed

Let your representatives know that you're disappointed in them for postponing (indefinitely) SB 614.

SB 614 would have authorized a qualifying patient or his or her caregiver to purchase, acquire, and possess up to the allowed amount of marijuana, medical marijuana products, and associated paraphernalia for a qualifying patient’s medical use; providing that a physician must certify, on a specified form, that a patient is suffering from a debilitating medical condition and that the benefits to the patient of using marijuana outweigh the potential health risks before a patient may register with the department and obtain a registry identification card; requiring that the department create a secure, online, electronic medical marijuana patient registry containing a file containing specified information for each qualifying patient, caregiver, and certifying physician, etc.

This was a GENERAL BILL by Brandes ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Rouson ; Steube ; Stewart.

I urge you to find your legislators here and let them know how detrimental postponing this bill is to our communities.