Libertarian Party of Wisconsin’s Position on Roe v. Wade Decision

 

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin

www.lpwi.org

Press Secretary—Tim Kenz

June 24, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin’s Position on Roe v. Wade Decision

In response to the Supreme Court of the United States and their decision to overturn their 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade, the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) offers the following statement. As the “Conclusion” of the LPWI Platform clearly states:

While members of the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin advocate abolishing laws governing certain voluntary behaviors, this does not necessarily imply endorsement of such behaviors. We only make the statement that in such matters an individual’s right to free choice must be recognized and the morality of such choices is not a concern of government. It follows that our silence regarding any other government activity should not be interpreted as implying our approval of such activity.

We recognize as a party the inherent right to private and personal property, enshrined by a natural Law; and that people own without restrictions their most intimate of all forms of property—their human bodies and minds.

In the irrepressible conflict between pro-life and pro-choice advocates on the topic of abortion, the LPWI supports all private, individual, and non-governmental charitable measures for individual awareness and responsibility concerning sex education, contraception, family counseling, and adoption processes as some of the many solutions to the debate.

We also only support peaceful, non-violent, and non-coercive actions by all parties, including the government, on this issue for resolution of the conflict. This support includes amendment processes to the US and state Constitutions, to preserve and protect property rights for the individual self-ownership of bodies and minds.

To repeat our platform statement and our position, “an individual’s right to free choice must be recognized and the morality of such choices is not a concern of government.”

Thank you,

The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin

For more info on the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin or to read the platform, please visit www.lpwi.org .

Libertarian Party Seeks to Build in Wisconsin on Year’s Campaigns

 

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin

www.lpwi.org

Press Secretary—Tim Krenz

June 20, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Libertarian Party Seeks to Build in Wisconsin on Year’s Campaigns

UBET, WI—The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) has placed three key candidates on the state’s fall 2022 election ballots, seeking to use the campaigns to build party membership and voter base in advance of the next Presidential election.

For 2022, LPWI Chair Jacob VandenPlas, an Iraq war veteran and sustainable farm owner from Sturgeon Bay, runs against the Republican incumbent, US Rep. Mike Gallagher, in the 8^th Congressional district. Neil Harmon, a lifelong health-care worker, runs for Wisconsin’s Secretary of State office in a highly contested three-party election to unseat the long-term Democratic incumbent. Finally, in Wisconsin’s 66^th Assembly district near Racine, Libertarian Carl Hutton rounds out the field of Libertarian candidates who will appear on the ballot.

In the highest profile campaign, VandenPlas has the best opportunity to make an impact. Without a Democrat on the November ballot, VandenPlas as a Libertarian can win the 8^th Congressional seat if he can gain a large coalition of moderate, forgotten, and disenchanted voters who believe in the Liberty Creed of “less control for the State, and more freedom for the people.” On his website, VandenPlas has three main issues: End the Wars, both domestic and foreign; balance the budget; and defend individual liberty.

Neil Harmon’s race for Secretary of State plays an important role for the Libertarians, too. The LPWI seeks to gain at least 1% in this state-wide race, in order to gain easier ballot access for the Libertarian Presidential candidate during the next election. Harmon campaigns on fully auditing the Secretary’s department and guaranteeing more transparency in the office (hence less secretiveness), if he wins. Harmon said in an interview, “Society needs free thinkers, not people thinking for them. . . . Liberty should always be the guide.”

For more info, or to read the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin’s platform, please visit www.lpwi.org .

“David Beats Goliath!!”--Libertarian VandenPlas Defeats GOP Challenge on Signatures--June 13, 2022

 

June 13, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“David Beats Goliath!!”--Libertarian VandenPlas Defeats GOP Challenge on Signatures

STURGEON BAY, WI—Jacob VandenPlas, the Libertarian Party candidate for Wisconsin’s 8th US Congressional District, won his case before the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), on June 10th, against a complaint filed by Wisconsin’s Republican Party political director. The complaint asserted that VandenPlas did not submit the minimum signatures required to appear on the ballot for the November 8th general election.

Republican Party official Jordan Moskowitz played a well used card from his party's bag of dirty tricks by filing a 115 page complaint, with supplements, to remove 200 signatures from VandenPlas's candidate petition. If approved this would have eliminated his party's only competition in the 8th District. In effect stealing the race.

“This was a cowardly move,” said Jacob VandenPlas, the primary contender to unseat Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher. “Wisconsin voters deserve a competition for their votes. They deserve to pick the best candidate based on ideas and personalities. Any candidate that would try to eliminate their competition thru tweaking the rules will no doubt try to duck their obligation by skipping out on any debates."

Trying to eliminate VandenPlas from ballot access might have shown a sign of Republican fears of voter backlash. VandenPlas runs on a Libertarian platform of “end the wars, balance the budget, and defend individual liberty,” as noted on his website.

“We look forward to the debate stage. And like we won the battle for ballot access, we look forward to winning in November,” VandenPlas said.

Given only three days to prepare for the challenge, the VandenPlas campaign team submitted detailed evidence in response to Moskowitz’s assertions before the WEC deadline on the afternoon of June 9th. In the final tally at the hearing, VandenPlas had a total 1027 confirmed signatures, clearing the 1000 minimum required. Also, two independent candidates in the same race survived similar challenges on their petitions.

Jacob VandenPlas, a 38-year-old Wisconsin native, and a combat veteran of the Wisconsin Army National Guard who did two tours during the war in Iraq, lives in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where he and his wife Emily and their family own a sustainable vegetable farm.

Libertarian Convention a HUGE Success: Hard Work Ahead; Optimism Soars!--May 3, 2022

 

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin

www.lpwi.org

May 3, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Libertarian Convention a HUGE Success:

Hard Work Ahead; Optimism Soars!

The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) held its annual convention in Green Bay, the weekend of April 29^th to May 1^st. As the third largest organized political party in the state, with around 70 of its more than 300 members in attendance at the live-streamed event, members acknowledged that the times and conditions of politics in Wisconsin grant them opportunities for 2022 campaign successes. Yet, hard work remains for the party between now and the November general elections.

“It was a tremendously successful convention,” said LPWI Chair Jacob VandenPlas, “especially with our plan to go forward.”

While Saturday’s program dealt with a lot of necessary party business—such as electing delegates to the Libertarian Party national convention later in May—important additions and changes to the state party platform came to the convention floor. These included the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin’s official statements on: opposing arbitrary civil asset forfeiture committed by the state against private citizens without due process or trial; reducing or eliminating state-mandated occupational licensing, taxes, and fees; and ending government policies granting officials and officers qualified and/or absolute immunity in courts when committing violations of the Constitutional rights of a citizen.

And in a larger aspect of the party’s principle to supporting and helping all oppressed and abused individuals and groups suffering at the hands of the government, the LPWI approved a platform plank on “Indigenous People & the State,” which says in part: “We call for an end to Federal, State, and local interference in the property rights and civil liberties of Native Americans. . . .”

At its Sunday business meeting, the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin discussed goals and outlines for its forthcoming two-year strategic plan. With at least two state-wide campaigns this election year, Neil Harmon for Secretary of State and Neal Long for US Senate; active US Congress campaigns; and races for Wisconsin’s assembly and state senate; the party’s Executive Committee knows that success will only come with increased membership and a larger volunteer base. As part of that strategic planning for membership, the party committed to solving the issue of finding more diversity for its ranks.

“We plan to communicate,” said Chair VandenPlas, who also actively runs as a Libertarian candidate for the US 8^th Congress District seat this year. “We want to communicate our party. . . to everyone.”

The Libertarian Party believes in more individual liberty and less arbitrary government over people’s lives and property. Members must sign a pledge renouncing the initiation of force to solve political differences. The party also strongly supports sound money and the US Bill of Rights. For more info or to read its platform, visit www.lpwi.org .

Wisconsin Libertarians to Host “Threshold” Convention in Green Bay--April 15, 2022

 

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin

www.lpwi.org

April 15, 2022

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wisconsin Libertarians to Host “Threshold” Convention in Green Bay

The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI), the third largest organized political party in the state, will hold the most important annual convention in its history in Green Bay on the weekend of Friday, April 29^th, to Sunday, May 1^st. Titled the “Build Back Freedom” convention, the LPWI gathering at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center will address its normal membership business Saturday, May 1^st. Members will elect the Platform and other committees, and select delegates to the Libertarian Party national convention in Nevada held over Memorial Day weekend.

Of greatest importance to the LPWI, in a year where Wisconsin voters will choose state-wide candidates for governor and a United States Senator, among other elected officers, the party members open the election season hoping to pass a critical threshold of visibility and viability.

Beginning with the Build Back Freedom convention, the party wants to showcase to Wisconsin voters how the party’s platform, its message of freedom, and the principles of a “liberty philosophy” offer reasonable, unifying, and practical approaches to solving problems and creating positive policy solutions for the state.

“We offer a lot for everyone,” commented 30-year party activist Tim Krenz. “Give everyone the freedom to consent or dissent, peacefully. Treat everyone with respect; and equally. Do NOT use force or coercion to solve political differences. Do NO harm to anyone, and don’t steal from anybody. Pretty simple. . . .”

In an atmosphere where political dialogue between the two other parties has used poisonous extremism and illogical partisanship, the LPWI believes this year’s convention in Green Bay will open the public’s eyes to what the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin offers for better, more stable change in the state.

For information on the LPWI, its convention, its candidates in 2022, and to read the party platform, visit www.lpwi.org .