Libertarian Party of Ohio

Tuesday, 23 June 2009 22:55

A Fourth of July Challenge by Joseph Higgins

The 4^th of July, the day that we celebrate America’s independence from England and the beginning of our journey to become the greatest symbol for hope and freedom that this earth has ever seen, is coming soon. What does that day mean to you? Is it just a day for family picnics and watching fireworks? To many of us, that is what the Independence Day has come to mean – time off from work, a day to relax and have fun, and try to forget the stress of everyday life. But this year, it should mean more. Just like Memorial Day should be a time to remember those who came before us, and Veterans Day should be a day to remember those who have made incredible sacrifices in the protection of our basic freedoms, the 4^th of July should be a time to reflect not only on who we are as a nation, but more importantly whether the nation we have turned into is the nation that our forefathers wanted for us. And I am not just talking about what has happened over the past year, but the past 20 years, the past 40 years. Would your great-grandparents recognize the United States as the same country which they helped to shape? Would they have any concept of what it meant for a country to be in debt, let alone trillions of dollars in debt? How would they feel if they walked into their local bank to exchange a paper dollar for a real silver dollar, only to be told that the teller couldn’t do that anymore because our money was only worth the paper it was printed on.

Here is my challenge to you. Ask yourself if you like the America you are living in now. Do you like the fact that every man, woman and child in this country owes $37,238.08 as their part of the national debt? How do you feel about the fact that some states, such as California, will be bailed out by the Federal Government and Ohioans will get stuck paying for part of that bailout? Do you like the fact that our government now has 18 “Czars” who can do whatever they want to your lives, businesses, property and civil rights and are NOT responsible to Congress for their actions?

There are two old sayings that I want you to think about this coming holiday. The first one has to do with the ever-expanding size of the government in Washington, that a government that is big enough to give you anything you want, is big enough to take away everything that you have. The second one is an old joke, which asks ‘how do you eat an elephant?’ The answer – one bite at a time. Do what you can to take a bite out of the elephant. Your great-grandchildren… and your great-grandparents … will thank you.

Joseph Higgins

"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" Patrick Henry, 1775

A Libertarian Position on Gay Marriage

Thursday, 11 June 2009 18:07

A Libertarian Position on Gay Marriage by Brian Doran

For a Christian or anyone with religious beliefs it can be somewhat of a challenge to reconcile those religious beliefs with the stands that their political party takes. I am a Christian and I must admit that it is sometimes a challenge to reconcile my religious beliefs with my libertarian political beliefs. If I were a Democrat it would be hard to reconcile the belief that the state has the responsibility to take care of most of the physical needs of the population through myriads of welfare programs. Churches used to build and run hospitals and schools and provide food and clothing to the disadvantaged through voluntary charity. The fact that the church has been supplanted in this function by government is a major contributing factor to its decline. If I were a Republican it would be very hard to reconcile my belief that wars are only to be waged only in self defense. I have just scratched the surface here and to be honest most of my contentions with the major parties deal with issues that have nothing to do with religion. But even with the issues where the religious and political cross it is much easier for me to reconcile my religious beliefs with libertarianism than the other options.

Taking a stand on gay marriage presents a challenge to Christian Libertarians and dare I say all Libertarians. I personally have had to weigh my tolerant and empathetic attitude towards my gay friends with what my church says. The stand that mainstream libertarian candidates such as Ron Paul and Bob Barr took was that it was up to each state to decide what the accepted legal definition of marriage is. Which is perhaps a constitutional position and may lessen the offense to conservatives which may otherwise be prone to vote for the candidates, but it still sounds like a cop out. It begs the further question: so what should the law be in your state? And if the answer is I would let the voters decide that, it sounds even more like side stepping and dodging the question. I was only marginally comfortable with this position.

LPO Outraged at “Speed-reader” hired to Read Energy Bill

Tuesday, 26 May 2009 16:21

Libertarian Party of Ohio calls on all Ohio U.S Representatives and Senators to sponsor Downsize DC's “Read the Bills Act”, “One Subject At A Time Act”, “Write the Laws Act” along with the “Enumerated Powers Act (EPA) – HR 450” re-introduced by Representative John Shadegg (R-AZ).

Washington DC - In what appears to be a slap in the face of the American people who have asked Congress to actually read the bills that they are voting on, Democrats in the House Energy and Commerce Committee hired a speed reader to read the more than 900 page bill. Even at the rate reported by the Wall Street Journal of one page every 34 Seconds, it would have taken the the speed-reader, who gave his name as Douglas Wilder, around nine hours to complete read the bill.

Paul Conroy, Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Cuyahoga County in Ohio, said, “When Congress rammed through the 1,100 page “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” the American people were outraged, now they are trying again to introduce a bill that is so big that it would take a speed-reader nine hours to finish and even then I don't think he would have proper comprehension of what the bill would actually place into law.” Mr. Conroy continued, “It appears to me that Congress is ready to enact a law that most in Congress will not read, let alone understand exactly what they are imposing on the American people.”

The Libertarian Party of Ohio supports smaller, more responsible government and believes that every member of Congress should read, or have read to them, all bills that they are voting on in their entirety. Congress should also write their own laws, and not leave it up to un-elected bureaucrats who issue tens of thousands of new dictates each year. If rules are to be imposed on the American people, they should be written, read, debated and voted into law by Congress. The LPO also calls on Congress to keep the bills to one subject at a time and cite chapter and verse where they derive their authority, pointing to the specific language in the Constitution.

Downsize DC, a non-partisan organization, has already written bills (“Read the Bills Act”, “One Subject At A Time Act”, “Write the Laws Act” along with Representative John Shadegg's “Enumerated Powers Act (EPA) – HR 450”) that would do these simple things and the Libertarian Party of Ohio is calling on U.S. Representatives and Senators from Ohio, both Democrats and Republicans, to sponsor or co-sponsor these bills.

For more information on these bills and other Downsize DC campaigns, please visit their website.