Considering the present monetary problems of the world right now, it is interesting to note that this particular speech by President Nixon actually led a number of libertarians to found the Libertarian Party. Here is what my friend Wes Benedict, Executive Director of the Libertarian Party, had to say about this historic event.

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WASHINGTON – On August 15, 1971, President Richard Nixon gave a speech announcing what would be known as his "New Economic Policy." The speech led directly to the formation of the Libertarian Party.

In the speech, Nixon announced two measures that were of particular concern to libertarians. First, a government-imposed freeze on wages and prices. Second, and end to the convertibility of dollars to gold.

Nixon said, "I am today ordering a freeze on all prices and wages throughout the United States for a period of 90 days."

Libertarians saw both of these actions as betrayals of the principles on which the United States was founded.

This speech has often been cited as the critical moment that ignited the formation of the Libertarian Party.

In his history of the libertarian movement, Radicals for Capitalism, Brian Doherty writes that the late David F. Nolan "was working for an ad agency in Denver and happened to have a handful of libertarian-minded friends over that day when Nixon hit the airwaves with his wage and price controls announcement. They all agreed: It was time for a third party…a Libertarian Party."

Nolan and several others formally created the Libertarian Party in Colorado Springs on December 11, 1971.

Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle commented, "Taking the dollar off the gold standard has allowed the Federal Reserve to manipulate and devalue the dollar, and that’s one reason our economy is in such trouble today. That, coupled with foolish wars and an unsustainable entitlement system supported by both the Democrats and Republicans, is why the Libertarian Party is more important today than ever before."

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The political process is not the only way to spread liberty in the world today, but this was an important step toward showing people how a true philosophy of liberty works. If you are involved with the LP, then do your best to make sure it keeps to the core values of libertarianism and away from statism-light. This is a radical philosophy, let’s keep it that way.

Post from: LibertarianChristians.com

How Nixon Helped Instigate the Libertarian Party

Dilbert author Scott Adams finally explains how to get a real education.

ExxonMobil’s Perspectives Blog tells the truth about government restrictions on oil supplies.

It’s ridiculous that Barry Bonds can catch the attention of congress by being dishonest about steroid-use and have the government spend nearly $100 million trying to prosecute him, but dishonesty about war by presidents gets zero consideration. This country is off its rocker.

That being said, there are a few interesting presidential candidates now in the field. Former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson has officially announced, as has Lee Wrights in the Libertarian Party. Note Lee’s campaign slogan: “Stop All War!”

Some books I have read this past month:

The Devil Reads Derrida, by James K.A. Smith – When I saw this title at the bookstore, I had to buy it. It is an interesting set of essays on a variety of topics ranging from art to politics. Smith is not a libertarian, but he is anti-war and definitely has an aversion to power in general. I think he may at times be confusing political libertarians with the philosophical position of libertarian free-will; such a mistake is forgivable even though I do not really agree with him on free-will either. Still, it is good reading.

Accompany Them With Singing, by Thomas Long – This book compiles Long’s research into Christian funerals. Considering how bizarre the modern funeral has become (at least to me) this was refreshing. Definitely recommended for the ministers out there.

Art for God’s Sake, by Philip Graham – This short work gives a good perspective on the use of art in society from a Christian perspective. Thankfully, the author does not make the mistake of saying all art must be religious to be valuable. However, I have some minor quibbles with some of his definitions. It is well worth the time to read it, which is only about 90 minutes anyway since it has less than 100 pages.

Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell – How do successful people become successful? I am fascinated by people who are at the top of their game, doing the biggest and best things in the marketplace, and I like to hear their stories. That is not exactly what Gladwell’s book covers, but it is thought-provoking nonetheless. Essentially, Gladwell tells the reader that success is due to a multitude of factors, many of which are not in anyone’s control whatsoever. In his estimation, there is no such thing as a “self-made man.” I would tend to agree, but you can always push certain factors toward falling in your favor.

The Dawkins Delusion, by Alister McGrath and Joanna Collicutt McGrath – The so-called “New Atheists” are exceedingly vocal (not to mention insulting) these days, and there is a growing body of literature where theologians, philosophers, and scientists respond to their work. The Dawkins Delusion is a fairly short response directly to Richard Dawkins’s latest book The God Delusion.

UPDATE: Apparently, Ron Paul is going to announce on Tuesday that he is running!

Post from: LibertarianChristians.com

News of the Week: Potpourri of Sorts

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WASHINGTON – As elected officials put on a dog-and-pony media show about a temporary shutdown of small parts of the federal government, the Libertarian Party calls for a permanent shutdown of most of the federal government.

Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict said, "Just think how a permanent government shutdown would allow so many Americans to regain the blessings of liberty.

"Education would blossom as the Department of Education ended its War on Learning, no longer wasting our money and preventing educational innovation with one-size-fits-all centralized mandates.

"Job opportunities at companies big and small would multiply, providing opportunity and choice for American workers.

"The world would enjoy peace as we withdrew our forces from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. Our government spends almost as much on the military as the rest of the world combined. Millions of industrious men and women who work for the military and its contractors could be focusing on building up our economy, rather than tearing down others’.

"Crime would plummet as the government’s War on Drugs ended, no longer sustaining a giant violent black market and overfilling our prisons.

"The life of many poorer Americans would improve as welfare programs stopped, no longer trapping low-income families in an endless cycle of government dependency.

"All Americans would feel a huge burden lifted every April, as they were no longer required to wrestle with a byzantine and oppressive IRS.

"But most importantly, Americans would once again be free of unjust and unconstitutional violations of their unalienable rights."

Benedict added, "We’re not talking about eliminating the federal government. We want to end all federal activities that are not authorized by the Constitution, and we want to cut everything else as much as we can. In 2000, the federal government spent $1.8 trillion. This year it’s expected to spend $3.8 trillion. Things are going the wrong way — fast."

For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LP Executive Director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.

The LP is America’s third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.

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I’m more of a fan of completely shutting down the Federal Government, but this proposal is far better than that of Rand Paul, who has specifically stated that he wants to provide an incentive for Congressmen to go back to work. I’m sorry Rand, I appreciate you and all that, but every day Congress is in session is prosperity and peace sucked away from this country. Don’t try to keep it running, shut it down now!

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Libertarians call for permanent government shutdown

Post from: LibertarianChristians.com

Norman Horn on the Live and Let Live Radio Show

“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.” (Benjamin Franklin)

BURNET, Texas (Dec. 31) – All libertarians should take time at the beginning of the new year to read and reflect on A Libertarian’s New Year’s Resolutions written by the late Harry Browne, said R. Lee Wrights, libertarian writer, activist and potential presidential candidate.

“Harry was gifted with an ability to communicate libertarian ideas and ideals in a clear, direct and concise way so that anyone could understand what libertarianism is all about,” said Wrights. “His New Year’s Resolutions are one of the best examples of this talent, a classic of libertarian thought.”

“What Harry wrote in 1998 is even more relevant today, and especially relevant to me as I consider seeking the 2012 Libertarian presidential nomination,” Wrights revealed. “So, inspired by Harry’s thoughts and words, and as a tribute to him, I offer these Wrights’ Resolutions as the standard by which I will conduct that effort and my life in 2011:

“First and foremost, I resolve to remain focused on the paramount issue facing the Libertarian Party and our nation – to stop all war. No matter what other issues are raised, I intend to keep returning to the central point that unless we stop all war, whether foreign or domestic, individuals can never truly be free.

“I resolve to remain committed to ensuring that whoever is the presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party in 2012, he or she is committed to proclaiming a loud, clear and unequivocal call to stop all war; and be equally dedicated to carrying a solid, uncompromised, unfiltered, unequivocal, and unapologetic libertarian message to all 50 states.

“I resolve to cleanse myself of hate, resentment, and bitterness, and focus on using the tools of peace, love, mercy and forgiveness against the weapons of war, hate, vengeance, and cruelty.

“I resolve to keep from being drawn into arguments or debates on inconsequential issues, and to always remember that my purpose is to increase people’s appetite for liberty — not to prove that they’re wrong.

“I resolve to always acknowledge my good fortune in having been born an American, to refrain from dwelling on America’s defects and past mistakes, and to focus instead on how we together can realize America’s potential and promise.

“I resolve not to adopt the political campaign tactics of Republicans and Democrats, who use coercion, character assassination, evasions, fear, and intimidation in their unbridled quest for power. Rather, I resolve to remain civil in my political discourse and treat all people I encounter with the dignity and respect that is their due as human beings.

“Lastly, I resolve never to cease working to ensure that the Libertarian Party and our presidential candidate in 2012 is committed to proclaiming loudly, clearly and unequivocally – stop all war.”

Wrights is considering seeking the presidential nomination because he believes the Libertarian message in 2012 should be a loud, clear and unequivocal call to stop all war. He has pledged that 10 percent of all donations to his campaign will be spent for ballot access so that the stop all war message can be heard in all 50 states.

The 52-year old writer and political activist was born in Winston-Salem, N.C. and now lives in Texas. He is the co-founder and editor of the free speech online magazine Liberty For All.

Post from: LibertarianChristians.com

A Declaration of Peace for the New Year

This is the first time I will have been a delegate at an LP convention. I’m looking forward to bringing out the radicalism, and having fun with some great people.

Post from: LibertarianChristians.com

The Libertarian Party National Convention is this week!

• Robert Butler’s session on email marketing, which built on methods of attracting media attention via email and communicating effectively with supporters.
• Dawn Westerberg’s session on using social networking and blogging to communicate.
• Jeff McGhee’s session on building effective websites for candidates. This was particularly great since I am interested in freelancing for candidates who need help making websites that are attractive and easy to update. (Contact me for more info if you are interested!)

The dinner that evening was centered around a debate between five individuals who are running for the Chair position of the Libertarian National Committee. I was not personally acquainted with any of them before that day, but I got to know John Jay Mayers and Mark Hinkle a bit. Ernie Hancock was my fave of the night, but everybody had great things to say and I’m excited to see what’s going to happen with LP-National in the coming years. There is a big push from many people to stay the course of principled libertarianism rather than become Republican-lites or Tea Partyists. (Side note: the best word of the day was “Teo-cons”, ha!) I’m just glad to see that even though we can disagree on certain aspects of libertarian theory, we can be united behind “hating the state,” which is what is important in the long run.

But the biggest surprise for me was that the Libertarian Party of Texas presented me with their first “Student Libertarian of the Year Award,” for my work with the Libertarian Longhorns over the past few years and LibertarianChristians.com. This came with no warning and I was at a loss for words (I know, shocking). It was great to be nominated for the SFL award a few weeks ago, but to be recognized by your peers, your colleagues, and so many people that you admire – well, let’s just say it was touching. Many thanks to Pat Dixon, Robert Butler, Art DiBianca, Jim Lark, and the rest of the awesome crew of LP-Texas. My only proper response is to continue serving others via the cause of liberty, and we will make a difference!

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Post Event Recap of the Libertarian State Leadership Alliance

However, many of the LP State parties have done a marvelous job in curtailing the spread and pushing back against corrupt government. Texas has been a great place to be libertarian in the past few years. While many State chapters (and especially LP National) have lost members, LP Texas has made a huge difference. One of the prime reasons for this was Wes Benedict, our former Executive Director. He has done a marvelous job at raising funds, building strong candidates, increasing membership, community outreach, improving ballot access, and flat out making LP Texas the best State party in the nation, period. I have been extremely fortunate to work with him (not to mention the other amazing people in the state party: Patrick Dixon, Art DiBianca, Robert Butler, and many more) through our campus libertarian group, Libertarian Longhorns. I am proud to name him as a friend.

LP National, I think, made their best hiring move ever by bringing Wes on board as the new National Executive Director. I believe that Wes will bring some much-needed hard-core principled libertarianism back to National. They are in need of people who know how to get things done and how to do it by staying true to what we value as libertarians.

When LP National Chair Bill Redpath solicited comments about who to select for the executive director position, I knew that Wes was in the running. I told him that he would be insane not to snatch up Wes while he still could. I’d like to think that I said something useful and helped Wes along the way, but it doesn’t really matter. I’m just glad that this may be the first step to bringing the LP truly back in step with their slogan: The Party of Principle. I wish Wes all the best in his journey.

News Coverage in Austin about Wes:

The Austin American-Statesman: Austinite to lead national Libertarian Party

The Daily Texan: Austin engineer chosen to lead Libertarian Party (I’m actually quoted here)

Community Impact: Austin’s Benedict starts work as chief of national Libertarian Party

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LP National Just Made Their Best Hiring Move EVER

I am a staunch proponent of privatization of road systems, even publishing an article about transportation pollution in a peer-reviewed journal advocating such. But this perverse plan that the Texas government has put out is a sham, and misconstrues what privatization is all about.  Robert Butler says: “The toll roads aren’t a free market privatization plan.  You’re granting monopoly rights to private operators. The bonds backing these toll roads have clauses that prevent competition and are guaranteed with tax dollars.” Thank goodness that it has been defeated!

This is what local activism is all about, self-destructing the plans of autocrats (pun intended) at the local level and saving peaceful citizens livelihood. Well done, LP Texas (esp. Pat Dixon & Robert Butler), Texans for Accountable Government, TURF, and all others unmentioned who have worked so hard to do what is right. If you’re involved in local activism in your community, take this as an example of how you can make a difference.

I should mention that this should not be taken as a blanket endorsement of the LP in every way. I have actually been very critical of LP National in the past and sometimes I think they severely miss the mark in terms of being consistent libertarians. But, I have been extremely impressed by the work of the LP Texas organization and am honored to be a friend to many of the people there.

See the press release below.

Libertarians Put the Brakes on Toll Road Transportation Bill

“Twitter and Facebook Play a Role” (original article link)

AUSTIN, TEXAS – July 2, 2009  -   The Texas Legislature left a controversial new toll road bill pending in committee today and Libertarians are claiming a major victory in stopping a billion dollar scheme to use taxes and pension funds to pay for private monopolies and foreign management of Texas toll roads.

Libertarians worked together with TURF, Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom, and Texans for Accountable Government (TAG), to stop what some have dubbed the largest tax increase in Texas history.

On Wednesday morning, Libertarians from across the state converged at the Texas Capitol, emailed, and called their state representatives to demand that public-private partnerships funded with Texas tax dollars and pension funds be stopped.

“We used our extensive email lists, Twitter, and Facebook accounts to activate thousands of freedom-loving Texans,” said LPT Executive Director Robert Butler.  “Our people called, emailed, and personally visited every member of the House and Senate.  Our press conference and grassroots effort had a major impact in potentially killing this bill.  We have to continue our public awareness campaign until the special session officially ends.”

“Credit goes to the work of our staff and volunteers for discovering the ugly details behind this legislation,” said Libertarian State Chair Patrick Dixon.  “For an organization with just over $100k in revenue, we certainly do have an impact on policy.”

“Toll roads cost up to twice as much to build as non-tolled expressways,” said LPT Executive Director Robert Butler.  “The toll roads aren’t a free market privatization plan.  You’re granting monopoly rights to private operators. The bonds backing these toll roads have clauses that prevent competition and are guaranteed with tax dollars.”

In 2005, the State of Texas entered a 50-year agreement with a Spanish company named Cintra to develop the Trans-Texas Corridor, a 4,000-mile network up to 1,200 feet wide to carry parallel links of tollways, rails, and utility lines. Cintra’s parent company, Grupo Ferrovial, S.A, was a major collaborator with Spanish dictator Francisco Franco and depends upon its political connections to secure toll road contracts around the world. 

In 2007, by a combined vote of 169-5, the Texas Legislature passed a moratorium on private toll contracts, called comprehensive development agreements (or CDAs) that privatize and sell Texas highways to the highest bidder. That moratorium ends August 31, 2009, and CDAs, except for approximately a dozen projects that were exempted, sunset with it. CDAs are the primary financial vehicle used to construct the Trans Texas Corridor.

“I want to cut taxes and spending,” declared Libertarian activist Wes Benedict.  “They have refused to approve low-cost road improvements claiming they don’t have the funds, then propose rail and toll roads which cost up to ten times more than buses and non-tolled roads per passenger mile of added capacity. Light rail and toll roads cost too much and do too little.”

“We Libertarians and our friends at TURF and TAG have shown that an educated voter can change the course of legislation.” noted Butler.  “This bill will be a litmus test in the 2010 elections, we’ll make sure of that.

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LP Texas Helps Defeat $1 Billion Scheme of Fake “Private Roads”