February LPWIre

The World We Live In

A study published recently in Political Psychology indicates that heightened perceptions of moral division intensify support for strong leaders and that the perceived breakdown of society plays a key role in this relationship.

Libertarians will tell you that the answer to most political questions is more freedom. An actuary will tell you that maybe 10%  of congressional seats are ever contested. What stacking, cracking, and gerrymandering has not accomplished, control of the media gives people the perception that the problem is under control because the two older, corrupt political parties are aware of it.

Well, perception cuts both ways. You can’t be scaring people and then telling them things are okay. Things are not okay. The answer is more freedom. We need more political parties. We need open debates. Media should not be run on a pay to play standard. Voters must understand that gerrymandering is an assault to the rights of all.

Years ago, as a small boy, I remember asking my grandfather if the Voting Rights Act was any good. He’d said some things and I don’t believe he was in favor of it. Granddad, knowing one day I’d be an adult, must have measured his words carefully. “It wasn’t all bad”, he said. “Along with counting the black votes for the first time they finally got around to counting all the white ones too.”

Perhaps it is time for a new Voting Rights Act. The answer is more freedom.

Neil Harmon for Secretary of State

Libertarian candidate for Secretary of State Neil Harmon is running “because politicians continue to be naive to people’s needs.” Some would say they are more mindful of government’s wants, or perhaps their own. Neil is running on the usual planks of maximizing freedoms by minimizing government, increased accountability, and efficiency. He is pissed by those politicians who exempt themselves from the laws they place on others.

As one of our top of the ticket state candidates Neil has created 13 points he hopes all Libertarian candidates will follow in their campaigns.

  1. As long as our elected politicians continue to dictate who can and can’t be working during this pandemic, let them all take a 15% cut in their salary. They should feel the pain like the rest of us, especially since they caused most of it.
  2. Eliminate personal state income tax. The best way to invest in this state is to have people keep their own money and spend it the way they want.
  3. Do away with qualified immunity. There are no excusable reasons for violating our constitutional rights.
  4. I endorse rank choice voting. It creates a better, fairer system than our current two party horse race.
  5. Two terms or 12 years for most elected government officials. Elected office should be a public service, not a career.
  6. Decrease petition signatures for candidate ballot access by 50%. This will promote a greater diversity of opinions to be heard.
  7. Our criminal justice system is splitting families apart. New efforts must be made to bring those with prior convictions back into society in useful, productive ways. There needs to be a process to have non violent offender’s records expunged.
  8. The Wisconsin Election Commission should be run by nonpartisan elected officials.
  9. Reforms that will increase parent involvement in all schools.  Not all parents will want to do this. Those who do ought to be able to reap the benefits of their efforts in their  child’s future.
  10. The state’s budget must be balanced using generally accepted accounting principles.
  11. Eliminate minimum mark-up law.
  12. End the Drug War. Regulate it to make our state safe for children, reduce crime, and protect our land. Regulate does mean taxing it. Some of that revenue should go to healing the mental health of the victims from the Drug War.
  13. All government mandates must be optimized to protect and service Wisconsin’s citizens; not to favor privileged businesses or special interest groups.

“I hope to win the office of secretary of state. I want to do this for the people of Wisconsin. My lessor goal is to win ballot access for the Libertarian Party. I will need your help in this, particularly in gathering signatures for ballot access. Expect to find me at events across the state, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.”

“Our system of government is broken and we must let liberty guide our way in healing it.”

Neil is married with three children, has worked in healthcare for over 25 years, and has lived in southeastern Wisconsin almost his entire life.

When the time comes, Neil would like you to send him one of his petition sheets with 10 signatures, or if not that, $10.

Donate to the campaign HERE  

Address to send ballot petitions: 
8717 West Cleveland Avenue, West Allis, Wisconsin 53227 

Follow the campaign on facebook

Call to Action

Being involved in politics can mean many things to many people. For some it’s merely voting, for others, a regular involvement on social media. For fewer, it is helping an issue advocacy organization, or volunteering for a political party. For fewer still, being involved in politics means working for a campaign, or even running for elected office.

I can tell you that the more involved you are in the more time consuming and intense levels of politics, the more lonely it feels. At the same time, the group with whom you’re working is more tightly knit, more dedicated because if you’re running for office, working for a campaign, or serve in a leadership position in a party, you’re sacrificing some of the opportunity to spend time with loved ones, or maybe advance a career. There is real camaraderie in that sacrifice.

Yet, it’s worth it. Notice I’m not saying that I believe it’s worth it, it objectively IS. The human being is meant to be free, in every way. Free to live, choose, and suffer for those choices. Free with rights and responsibilities. Free to be an individual, not a member of a category, not a blank face in a herd. Any infringement on that freedom is immoral, evil and wrong.

Everyone reading this, at whatever level of political involvement you’re currently undertaking, knows this is true, and knows and can easily observe that the situation is getting worse. Not only is government legalized violence, but it has also ceased to be representative on the federal level. Even if the people could be persuaded to rediscover the love and importance of liberty, their votes rarely matter anymore. It’s past time to expect results through the current system- even dissenters within the two big parties are cast aside.

I call you to witness to the truth, to get involved. Stand up, and stand out. Get involved in your local affiliate, and if there isn’t one in your area, start one. That’s a start, but it is not enough. We must also get involved with issue groups that might contain (gasp!) non-libertarians. Join 2A groups, anti-tax groups, NORML. Join the close MSDF protests. Join ABATE, promote Clean Slate, help the homeless: whatever you can do, do it, and identify yourself as a libertarian who cares, while you’re doing it.

It’s not easy to belong to a small movement, but it IS easy to sit around in our small groups and echo chamber social media circles and feel good about being right.

I’m calling you to go beyond that, to be a force for good and liberty and truth among the people. Let your light shine so that others may see it.

Phil Anderson

Phil is a past party chair and a past candidate for governor. He is still active in the party. If you need any advice about where best to volunteer he can be reached at: 4philanderson@gmail.com

Our Libertarian Lifestyle

All of the useful work in the state party takes place in small groups; committees, affiliates, campaigns. It is there that you get to meet people and work with them. I was talking to another experienced party hand (yeah, we are a couple of old guys) and made the statement, “Libertarianism is a simple idea yet it takes many members several years to really fit in and know how it works.” His reply, “Oh no, some are natural born.” I was skeptical, so I asked, “Can you name a few?” His reply, “Better yet, I’ll send you a picture.”

Well, maybe we are both right. – Kevin Litten
State Convention April 29 thru May 1, 2022

Tickets are available now. Rooms are still available at the Radisson Green Bay. Don’t miss your chance to meet with and hear internationally famous Robin Koerner speak again. Wisconsin’s own Max Kane will also be there speaking on food freedoms.

The party needs a photographer to take action shots at the convention. Experience preferred but not required. We are offering $150 for the day or make us an offer. For details or to apply send your email to: info@LPWI.org

Libertarian National Convention in Reno May 26-29

If you are thinking about attending the national convention this May, please send your contact information to: info@LPWI.org. Our delegate chair has not been elected or appointed yet. Normally that person takes over the role of coordinating ride and room share. Till then we will do the best we can to group people up; for those who want to, of course.

Summer Activities

Both our party chair, Jacob VandenPlas and Scott Noble (CD 3 Alt Rep) have expressed interest in hosting a camping event sometime this Summer. There may be other party members or groups with similar ideas. There is no reason why every congressional district shouldn’t have their own Summer event of some sort. Our organization is known as a party. Not too long ago the reasons for that were more obvious. If you are interested talk to your officers or CD reps to let them know.

Support your Party, Buy a Raffle Ticket 

Our party is largely supported by your dues and donations. There is always more we would like to do. Just like government (boo, hiss) if we can get other people to pay for what we want – even better. This year’s raffle will have as its first prize a Henry Lever Action Rifle in .22 caliber, the “Octagon Frontier” model. Sorry, it is made in New Jersey not Wisconsin, but New Jersey is still part of the United States, so, all good. A Dell Inspirion 3000 laptop computer will be our second prize. Our third prize will be seven Collectible Pokemon Cards valued between $280 and $400 dollars. Our fourth prize will be a meat bundle. Something different for everyone this year.

Successful raffles don’t happen without multiple members selling tickets. Everyone is encouraged to buy one packet of tickets for themselves and sell at least one more packet to others. This money runs our party, fuels our candidates, supports our affiliates, buys the material for our event kits, and pays for everything else we do. Your support is needed in this.

To get your tickets, contact Michael Schisel at: michael.schisel@gmail.com

Short Bits

What’s the difference between a conspiracy theory and the truth?

These days about 3 months.
“When someone asks for a government program, he is saying in effect, ‘tell the police to use their guns to get me what I want.”” – Harry Browne

“If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.’” – Noam Chomsky

“You can beat forty scholars with one fact, but you can’t beat one idiot with forty facts.” – Rumi

The LP WIre is published monthly. Permission to publish has been given by the LPWI Executive Committee. Editor in Chief is Kevin Litten. The editor of this newsletter may be reached by email at kdlitten@charter.net Submissions are welcome but are subject to editing for applicability and length. Copyright © 2022, permission to copy only given for research, scholarship, criticism, or comment.

This newsletter is intended for Wisconsin Libertarians and interested persons.

Articles are welcome. Images are appreciated.

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