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Freedom

ARE POLITICIANS OUR ‘PROTECTORS’ OR ULTIMATE FREE RIDERS? TIME TO VOTE NOTA AND GET RID OF ALL BLOODSUCKING POLITICAL PARASITES?

Published on in Activism/Free Market/Opinion/Poor Pratt's Almanack
TIME TO VOTE NOTA AND GET RID OF ALL BLOODSUCKING POLITICAL PARASITES?


Think about the percentage of GDP wasted to support parasitic political free riders of all stripes whose income at least partially depends directly or indirectly on the corrupt cronyism-riddled political process that produces absolutely nothing other than wars, economic dependency, elite authority versus free market producer societies, and a multitude of degrees of misery and slavery.

Yep, get elected, be part of the political process, delude yourself with artificial power peer approval, and reap the perks that go with power like hot dogs and beer go with baseball.

Do you think that is not a very thoughtful approach to achieving freedom? and freedom from what? Well, maybe freedom from the need to embrace the rigors of the free market while diluting freedoms for the rest of us?

Now, who is fooling whom? The political process and politicians are explicitly the problem, not the solution, which will come first and foremost from the free market.

Boy Did We Sell The Voters a Bill of Freedom Goods!

The sole redeeming values of the political process are education, planting seeds of freedom, and possibly a mop-up role to dismantle Big Brother, but only after the free market does the heavy lifting. Look to the free market for freedom from political parasites.

Is the LP well on its way to becoming the lesser of three evils third leg of a terrible triopoly? If so, what should we change to get the LP pointed back to the vision and mission of the healthy, growing, and maturing broader Libertarian movement: Freedom, Nothing More, Nothing Less, For All People IN OUR LIFETIMES?

Now, the burning question is: How will Libertarian politicians respond? Stay tuned and take notes before you decide whether to vote NOTA as a way to stop enabling cronyism-prone corruptible politicians.

Giddy About Freedom As We Do About Politics?

Thoughts?

D. Pratt Tseramed, July 6, 2020
David.Demarest@R2FF.org, 402-493-0873

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WHAT ELSE WILL POLITICIANS DO TO AVOID THE RIGORS OF THE FREE MARKET?

Published on in Activism/Free Market/Opinion/Politics/Poor Pratt's Almanack
WHAT ELSE WILL POLITICIANS DO TO AVOID THE RIGORS OF THE FREE MARKET?

Budding politicians and political junkies, here is a pithy commentary, with minor wordsmithing for clarity, excerpted from a lively ‘LP 2020 Delegates – Uncensored, Unmoderated‘ Facebook page discussion with D. Frank Robinson of Oklahoma, a ground-floor Libertarian who helped David Nolan with the documentation of our original Libertarian Party Statement of Principles (SoP):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/254985825071721/?multi_permalinks=694033467833619&comment_id=695285091041790&notif_id=1592055283423761&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=noti

David Pratt Demarest to D Frank Robinson :

You too noticed that politics “does tend [to] employ every logical fallacy known”. Frank, that is the understatement of the twenty first century!

My approach, unforgivable as it may be, is to figure out why what you say is true using what von Mises called Praxeology. Mises Praxeology is the science of human action and decision making and the broader definition of Economics beyond mere finance. In other words, studying not just what people do but also why they choose to do it, their motivation for choosing a particular course of action.

For example, why do people choose to be Libertarians when it would be easier to go with the flow? Why do people gravitate toward politics instead of just building better mouse traps or other products and services that actually benefit people?

I hear people going on endlessly about the best strategy to get elected, providing lip-service but no action plan to achieve freedom, and never, never mentioning the free market, the real source of benefits and our Libertarian home turf. Consequently, I am understandably skeptical of the motives of many if not most politicians, including many Libertarian politicians.

Unfortunately, despite lip-service to freedom, the political motivations I see are pretty ugly in terms of Libertarian thought. To be fair and give credit where credit is due, a comparatively disproportionate number of Libertarians politicians truly are in it to further freedom. And, of course, there are many political gradients.

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Those folks do the freedom cause a disservice and are part of the problem, not the solution. We know they dominate the duopoly. The question is how dominant they are in the LP.

In my opinion, whether or not they include the free market in their platform, and come with action plans to solve problems leveraging the benefits of the free market, tells me what I need to know about the sincerity of their freedom agenda, as opposed politics as usual for personal aggrandizement. Another tell-tale sign is whether they stoop to the level of using political correctness, i.e., lying to achieve a political purpose like getting elected.

My conclusions are not flattering to most politicians. Unfortunately, that includes many Libertarian politicians. When you take off the political ‘arrested paradigm’ blinders, it is pretty easy to spot the “I wanna get elected” gleam in their eyes, disingenuous political correctness, and insincere freedom advocacy that totally ignores the free market.

Thoughts?

D. Pratt Tseramed, June 13, 2020
David.Demarest@R2FF.org, 402-493-0873

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IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID-19 MELTDOWN, WHAT CAN THE LP LEARN FROM CONVENTIONGATE?

Published on in Activism/Free Market/Information/Opinion/Politics/Poor Pratt's Almanack
IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID-19 MELTDOWN, WHAT CAN THE LP LEARN FROM CONVENTIONGATE?

Quote from my post in ‘LNC – Business Discuss’ [with minor wordsmithing for clarity] in response to comments by Marc Montoni (LPRC 3rd iteration Co-founder ) and others regarding the chart showing LP committee staffing and appointment details/responsibilities posted by Nicholas Sarwark, LP Chair.

Three points:

1. Chair model:

Regardless of the strengths or shortcomings of strong or weak chair models, both models exist in an elective top-down political structure with all its democratic blessings and cronyism-prone faults. Hmmm. Top-down institutional authoritarian structure has not worked well for our tyranny of the majority government in the long run. Perhaps we need to look beyond the chair model and examine the underlying structure to determine faults and solutions.

2. Stepping back from emotions:

Many of us had the unfortunate opportunity to watch all of the LNC meetings, practice sessions, and the virtual convention. I believe the LNC meetings and the virtual convention were recorded. Personally, I am certainly glad that the more vocal LNC members and the rampaging, er, wise and professional majority of delegates stepped back from their emotions and made well considered thoughtful decisions (facetiously speaking).

Obviously, observations about who exhibited emotional behavior are subjective. However, my stomach is not up to watching the embarrassing replays. Once was enough. The evidence I saw was pretty clear and reminiscent of the stripper disruption during the 2016 LP national convention in Orlando. The same evidence was witnessed by many if not most of the delegates. They may want to watch the recordings again to refresh their memories.

3. Role of emotions:

Emotions are a critical part of our makeup. Emotions, appropriately used, are an effective early warning system to alert the brain about incoming information that may require engaging the brain and our self-aware rational capacity to perform objective analysis and design and implement solutions to address, mitigate, or build on the objective conclusions. Despite occasional emergency snap decisions that can be prepared for in advance, substituting emotions for the rational brain process rarely works well.

Emotions also play a critical feedback role to celebrate successes of our rational brain processes and actions. Unfortunately, ConventionGate provides little opportunity for celebration but presents ample opportunities to learn from mistakes. We shall see on the latter. The future of the LP may depend on it.

Summary:

Personally, I think the chair model and bylaws/RONR debates are the least of our problems. Obviously, Covid-19 was a significant contributor to our ConventionGate debacle. The LP had and may still have an opportunity to lead by example in comparison to our duopoly political neighbors during the Covid-19 pandemic.

We are stuck with our top-down elective structure for the time being. Are we capable of rising above our structural faults? ConventionGate was not a good start. How will we conclude this ugly LP chapter? Time will tell.

My personal emotional and objective reactions to ConventionGate:

My, how politics brings out the best in us. Well, that’s not very honest, is it? Let me rephrase. My, how top-down emotionally driven politics brings out the worst in us [insert “upchuck”].

My objective and emotional response concerns include how potential LP candidates and members will react to this sorry spectacle.

Of even more concern to me is the reaction of existing members. Some may react by excluding or expelling various factions they disagree with using a skewed non-hybrid second sitting in a fit of un-Libertarian-like opportunism or spite. Others may give up the ghost of liberty in this current snapshot of the LP and move on to more freedom friendly homes focused on our free market home turf.

My gosh, how did the words “Liberty”, “Freedom”, and “Free Market” creep into this political discussion?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FreeMarketAction/

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2999904110089338&set=a.2011194558960303&type=3&eid=ARCDMhaA4lU6Rl3IPme5NojcQJlyyy5O2Tx1pkqpB1NnJ3xRLffBjnG5pe9p_IXT6TtPGkwZWpoMduZc

Thoughts?

D. Pratt Tseramed, June 11, 2020
David.Demarest@R2FF.org, 402-493-0873

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Why Is LNC Acting Like Trump At A Press Conference? Are Otherwise Good LNC Members Saddled With The Wrong Purpose?

Published on in Activism/Opinion/Politics/Poor Pratt's Almanack
Why Is LNC Acting Like Trump At A Press Conference? Are Otherwise Good LNC Members Saddled With The Wrong Purpose?

We have a wealth of talented, professional, and good people on the Libertarian National Committee. What in the world is driving them to act like an out of control Donald Trump at a press conference? How can we help them get through this with the Libertarian Party intact?

Let’s take a deep breath, step back, and reflect rationally on what might be behind this out of character behavior.

To start with, LNC members are under a huge burden of stress with the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting need to reschedule and relocate the 2020 national convention. But LNC members normally handle crises well. What else could explain their out of character behavior.

Are convention rescheduling concerns and blaming leadership for proposed convention options a legitimate justification for their out of character behavior or a convenient cop out? I leave that for the reader to judge. Regardless, how can we help them get through it?

It may be more productive to examine other possible causes than might suggest constructive solutions. However, before we get to solutions, here are some additional mitigating circumstance to consider.

First, does politics as usual bring out the worst in us? Absolutely, in my opinion. However, given the explicit political nature of our organization, that is a problem that will not go away and we must counter by applying Libertarian principles. The reality is that most human actions have a political element under the hood. How we channel our political behavior is another matter.

Second, is the LNC authoritarian top-down structure also a cause for dysfunction? Yes, in my opinion. However, we are stuck with a top-down structure as long as the LNC is an elective body.

The LNC, like most political party national committees, is made up entirely of elected members. The LNC includes officers, At Large members, regional representatives, and regional alternates, all elected by national convention delegates. The LNC is by definition a top-down structure. Whether it is an authoritarian top-down structure is open to debate. My assessment is that all top-down structures are authoritarian by design and typically but not necessarily in practice.

There is no simple way to change the LNC top-down nature, which flies in the face of my understanding that the purpose of the Libertarian movement is to fight top-down institutional authoritarianism at every turn. Regardless, there is no choice today but to accept the political nature and top-down structure and commit to circumventing those limitations if the LNC is to succeed in achieving the Libertarian goal of freedom.

Given that the LNC is saddled with a political nature and top-down structure, what facet of the LNC structure can the LNC control? Perhaps the operational purpose? That begs the question: Are you willing to consider the possibility that the LNC’s function is not appropriately purposed?

Perhaps looking at LNC strengths and weaknesses would be a useful method to analyze the possible issue of the LNC being mispurposed. What strengths and weaknesses can we distill from the LNC’s top-down structure and diversity of elected representative views and purposes?

First, here are specific LNC weaknesses that are outside their control:

The elective structure and diverse views and purposes present considerable challenges that are outside LNC control. As a restult, the LNC has considerable difficulty agreeing on what to do, why to do it, how to do it, when to do it, and how to pay for it, all of which are preconditions to getting stuff done successfully. This inherent weakness is difficult to avoid in a top-down political structure.

Another weakness outside LNC control is the fact that the LNC is NOT an organization composed of individuals who volunteer to work together based on a comprehensive list of shared views and purposes as is the case with volunteer projects.

The LNC is an elective body whose individual members are theoretically expected to reflect the will of the majority of the constituents they represent despite the wide range of diverse views and purposes of their constituents, not to mention minorities whom they also are supposed to represent but in name only because the minorities differ from the majority with their own set of diverse views and purposes.

Unfortunately, the LNC is stuck with elective representative top-down structure weaknesses that are outside their control and limit their ability to get stuff done. Further, the top-down structure fosters passing the buck on responsibilities and stifles innovation. We must face the fact that In the foreseeable future we cannot change these inherent weaknesses that are outside LNC control. What to do?

Not all is lost. Despite the top-down structure and elective diversity limitations, elective committees are exceptionally well suited to act as think tanks to brainstorm project ideas. The diversity of LNC member backgrounds and rational talents works well to ensure an over-brimming melting pot of innovative ideas.

LNC members are also good at communicating their innovative brainstorming ideas to those outside the top-down structure, including affiliates and independent volunteers who are willing and able to take the bull by the horns and run with LNC project ideas on top of their local projects.

The same talented people who struggle to get stuff done within a top-down elective structure have remarkable talents best expressed outside their parent top-down structures as the ability to tackle and carry innovative projects through to successful conclusions. We see it all the time. Our talented LNC members are no exception and excel at it.

When committee-bound folks, limited by top-down constraints, step outside their confining structure, their accomplishments are amazing. They take the bull by the horns, surround themselves with like-minded folks outside their structural constraints, lead by example, make and keep commitments, and get a hell of a lot of amazing stuff done.

Other strengths that the LNC could leverage despite their top-down and elective diversity limitations are the underutilized talents of LNC members to act as project liaisons and facilitators when invited, and providers of moral and logistical support to those outside the structure who are accomplishing projects critical the Libertarian movement agenda of achieving freedom goals.

Is the LNC open to reconsidering the purpose of their operational strategy and leveraging their brainstorming, liaison, facilitation, and moral support skills of their talented members in order to circumvent their top-down and elective diversity constraints? Time will tell. The long term success of the LP and Libertarian movement may depend on Libertarians’ willingness to reexamine the purpose of the LNC and modify it as necessary to better suit members skills within a top-down elective structure.

As Ken Moellman, our over-achiever Libertarian from Kentucky, wisely said, it is time to “take a deep breath”. In this time of pandemic turmoil and convention concerns, let us take a time out, smell the sweet scent of freedom that Libertarians seek, and tackle our Libertarian and LNC challenges with a refreshed and renewed sense of purpose.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2960585530687863&set=a.2011194558960303&type=3&eid=ARAnGmShz2QF2PYTFu2GM3VrllyJ0mxFthYI2UjQv-onTNg1xpv4gQNrwy9rw1_4_Vsreni_4prI7mNC

Thoughts?

D. Pratt Tseramed, May 14, 2020
David.Demarest@R2FF.org
402-493-0873

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Draconian Government Economy-Busting Cronyism Mismanagement of Pandemic Opens Door For Heroic But Peaceful Nullification Civil Disobedience

Published on in Activism/Free Market/Opinion/Politics/Poor Pratt's Almanack
Heroic But Peaceful Nullification Civil Disobedience

DISCLAIMER: This meme and article are not to be construed as license or an excuse to irresponsibly risk exposing others to Covid-19. My intent is to delineate the threat and unintended consequences of government issued prohibition edicts, backed by force, that always backfire and make things worse. Humans thrive best when they are left free to decide what is best for themselves instead of government authorities abrogating their freedoms by making decisions for them. In the event that Golden Rule reciprocity is violated by the initiation of force or its derivatives, fraud, theft, and trespass; voluntary individual economic and social ostracism is a far more effective behavior modification tool than government force.

“Freedom is not for the faint of heart”

Here is the anchor meme in a series of ‘NULLIFICATION” posts to establish the moral justification for ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH – PEACEFUL CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE’ in response to draconian government economy-busting cronyism mismanagement of the pandemic that is crushing the economy and the finances of workers, businesses, and citizens.

“A picture is worth a thousand words”


“Nullification is mightier than the sword of government edicts”


Food for thought.


ADDENDUM: Response to perceptive thoughts by David Tipton:


Well said. I suggest it is time to take the bull by the horns and attempt to answer your legitimate questions. Freedom is not for the faint hearted.
We agree that we must take into account the twin threats of lethal Covid-19 consequences and draconian government economy-busting cronyism mismanagement of the pandemic.


Here is the reality. If we bankrupt our economy, Covid-19 precautions will go out the window resulting in potentially even more catastrophic body counts and personal health tragedies. We need a prudent response to the pandemic, not draconian edicts.


This series of memes are reminders that we the people can and do employ nullification civil disobedience all the time in response to our screwed up government and legal system. We use cash payments to avoid the boot of taxation. We ignore silly laws that contradict common sense. We use jury nullification when laws, verdicts, sentences, and death penalties are flawed.

We need to remind government that we the people are in charge instead of the other way around. We need to tell government that we are no longer willing to be an abject, apathetic nation of sheep. It is time to nullify Big Brother and undermine the onerous burden of exorbitant point of a gun taxation, but in a peaceful way that injects common sense into how we govern ourselves with immunity from government abuse, cronyism, and corruption.


My wife and I are 81 and 79 respectively. She has underlying health conditions. We need to be responsible and continue our three-week plus self-funded self-quarantine for our own protection. Younger folks who have less health risks but more financial risks may want to consider returning to work provided that they exercise above and beyond prudent precautions to minimize putting themselves, extended family members, colleagues, and customers at risk. When in doubt, stay home.


These decisions, of course, must all be personal choices, not government edicts. Government will get the picture promptly if we exercise common sense and restore our economy and personal finances in peaceful defiance of misguided government power maneuvers.


Some freedom-oriented government talking heads, bureaucrats, and enforcers may have a better grip on the value of nullification. Others more focused on retaining their power and perks may not. So be it.


The American Dream has been perverted by Big Brother tyranny of the majority. My version of not playing the game is to take the bull by the horns and take a proactive role in determining our fate. That challenge is part and parcel of the Liberty movement journey down the roads to freedom, nothing more, nothing less, for all people.


Thoughts?

D. Pratt Tseramed, March 27, 2020

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Support Your Local Libertarian Media?

Published on in Activism/Free Market/Media/Opinion/Politics/Poor Pratt's Almanack
Support Your Local Libertarian Media Outlet

The underlying issue challenging Libertarian media is the question of what drives politics as usual, the insatiable drive to get elected using political correctness, corruption, cronyism, and every dirty trick in the book just to get in and stay in power. The answer is power. Once out of office, politicians’ power is gone along with the respect accorded to them by the rest of us. Are all Libertarians immune from power lust that is outrageously illustrated by the duopoly?

To me, the constant infighting within the LP raises a red flag, whether it be jockeying for public office nominations or resorting to political correctness to attain internal party positions. Is it just differences over ideology? In my opinion, the infighting, often draped with political correctness, suggests that some Libertarians are more interested in establishing and being part of a Libertarian power structure than they are about putting power politicians out of business.

That conundrum tells me that some serious soul-searching by the LP about their strategy and message is in order and long overdue, just from the perspective of winning elections not to mention furthering freedom.

The traditional media has totally discredited itself in the eyes of jaded, disillusioned, and apathetic voters and those that understandably abstain from voting out of disgust. Kudos to the existing heroes in the liberty-leaning media.

What are you doing to support your local Libertarian media outlet? We need to give the Libertarian media some help with a fresh new message counter to the duopoly politics as usual if we seriously intend to win elections and accelerate the pursuit of freedom. Just establishing another power structure of elected officials with a skin-deep Libertarian veneer will not cut the mustard in terms of achieving freedom.

Thoughts?

D. Pratt Tseramed, December 15, 2019

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