Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Demands Tariff Details

 November 27, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Demands Tariff Details

The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) is greatly concerned over the statements made by President-elect Trump this past Monday regarding steep, unnecessary tariffs to be imposed upon Mexico and Canada. Tariffs, like any other taxes, are routinely passed on to consumers via higher prices. With his indication that all imports from our two closest neighbors would be subject to a 25% tax, the LPWI wonders if the President-elect truly understands the potential economic disaster he could be calling down upon our country.

In addition to gasoline and diesel fuel, hundreds of products are made from crude oil. Everything from fertilizer to soaps to perfumes and even vitamins all have ingredients that come from by-products of petroleum refining. In August of 2024 alone, the United States imported 136 million and 17 million barrels of oil from Canada and Mexico respectively. If President-Elect Trump really does mean all imports, how can he justify a 25% tax on over 150 million barrels per month that will be paid by American citizens? 

Hopefully, Mr. Trump was just engaging in his usual, over the top hyperbole when he made his statements on social media and does not intend to tax all imports from Canada and Mexico. The American people deserve to know the details, or at least some more clarification. We are sure that the service industry workers might not feel empowered by not having to pay taxes on their tips when they have to pay 25% extra or more for gas to get to work.

Data on US crude oil imports can be found at the US Energy Information Administration's website: https://www.eia.gov

For more on the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin, please visit www.lpwi.org.

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin 

presslpwi@gmail.com 

Press Secretary—Tim Johnson

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Would Like Our Money Back

 November 26, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Would Like Our Money Back

The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) would like to politely ask the Wisconsin Legislature to kindly refund the excess money they took from Wisconsin taxpayers. 

According to new projections, the State of Wisconsin will end the 2023-25 budget cycle with a surplus of $4 billion. Instead of doing the ethical thing, it appears that the Evers Administration will be quite content to shovel that surplus into the gaping, insatiable maw that is the state bureaucracy. 

The state budget is, essentially, a contract between the taxpayers and the legislature. They propose a set of services to be rendered for a fee, paid by taxes. When the taxpayers exceed their end of the contract, it must, if we want to foster trust and honesty, be returned to the people. It most definitely must not be stolen to give bureaucratic agencies their grandest desires in the next budget, as it appears that the governor would want to do.

"Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery." - Calvin Coolidge

Stop robbing Wisconsin taxpayers at the worst possible time. Give us our money back.

For more on the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin, please visit www.lpwi.org.

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin 

presslpwi@gmail.com 

Press Secretary—Tim Johnson

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Calls For Free Market Utilities

 November 22, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Calls For Free Market Utilities

With We Energies proposing a nearly 10% rate increase in 2025, the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) calls on the Governor's Office and the Wisconsin Legislature to seriously investigate the feasibility of transitioning Wisconsin to the Texas model of power distribution. 

The deregulation of energy producers in Texas has allowed for residential customers to select from several different providers, offering them significant savings as well as the option to tailor your energy consumption to your desires. With nearly three dozen individual energy providers in the state of Wisconsin currently, the idea that you are mandated into a monopolistic market is beyond irresponsible.

"People living in deregulated areas can now choose their electric company (also called a Retail Electric Provider or REP). What did not change? The same wires companies (also called Transmission and Distribution Utilities) continue to deliver electricity to homes and businesses, regardless of which company is selling a customer electricity. Local wires companies still read meters, respond to service interruptions, and continue to maintain the poles and wires." - Public Utility Commission of Texas website.

Considering the recent proposal of the federal government to break up Google for monopolistic practices, it is obvious that monopolies are not good for consumers. Why should we continue forcing Wisconsin residents and businesses to participate in one?

For more on the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin, please visit www.lpwi.org.

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin 

presslpwi@gmail.com 

Press Secretary—Tim Johnson

The Cycle Remains The Same

 November 19, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Cycle Remains The Same

Two weeks ago today, we all participated in one of the most expensive, divisive, inflammatory, exhausting, and downright toxic elections in recent memory. Despite all of the mud slinging, name calling, and unruly behavior, nothing really changed. One half of the country still hates the other half, thinking they are stupid, evil aspiring autocrats who want to destroy the way of life of their opponents. There were some right wing wins and some left wing wins, but overall the cycle remains the same.

In fact, this election cycle, despite the assurances by both "major" parties that this was the most important election of all time, was so toxic and vile that nearly 90 million eligible voters chose to stay home. That accounts for just over one third of the voting age population.

One third of Americans were so turned off by politics that they didn't even bother to show their displeasure with the system by casting a ballot. Maybe they just don't like politics. Maybe they are in an area where they think their vote doesn't matter. Or maybe they don't think they have a political home. The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) wants to tell the roughly 600,000 Wisconsinites who didn't cast a vote in November that they do have a home. It is in the Libertarian Party.

Don't take other people's things, don't harm anyone else, and live your life how you feel, not how government demands you to. That is the Libertarian way. If you agree, maybe you should talk to us.

For more on the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin, please visit www.lpwi.org.

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin 

presslpwi@gmail.com 

Press Secretary—Tim Johnson

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Needs You

 November 15, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Needs You

The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) is actively recruiting for the Spring 2025 elections. 

Have you ever considered taking that next step into politics? Do you look around at your local elected officials and wish that they were just a little more libertarian? If so, then the LPWI is the place for you.

With our statewide network of involved activists and experienced current and former candidates, we have the knowledge and guidance to help you hit the ground running. 

While all the attention is heaped onto federal and statewide candidates, the governing that affects you the most and the most often is at the local level. City/town/village boards, mayors, county boards, school boards... these offices do a disproportionate amount of the heavy lifting in government, yet few can name their local officials.

If you want real change that you can see every day, then a run for a local office is the path for you. Together, we can make that happen. If you want to make that change, drop us a line at: chair@lpwi.org

For more on the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin, please visit www.lpwi.org.

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin 

presslpwi@gmail.com 

Press Secretary—Tim Johnson

Lame Ducks Should Not Fly Away

 November 12, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lame Ducks Should Not Fly Away

In a move that highlights the absolute corruption and abuse of power that has typified the two party system for decades, President Biden has announced an upcoming trip to Brazil to, among other things, visit areas of the Amazon. With his administration ending in two months, this trip is nothing more than a thinly veiled vacation at the expense of the taxpayers.

The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) denounces this, and all other, political junkets that serve as little more than extended vacations for the politicians and their staff. While there may be rare instances where political figures may need to visit a location for legitimate reasons, a vast majority of summits and negotiations can, and should, be conducted via other means. Modern technology has allowed us to connect to anyone from anywhere and with hyper advanced encryption technology, one on one communication is as secure as being in the same room.

Political travel may not have the same impact on governmental budgets that high profile, big ticket items such as Social Security or the military do, but they are all abuses of taxpayer money if it isn't absolutely critical. It all adds up to wasting valuable resources taken from citizens against their will.

For more on the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin, please visit www.lpwi.org.

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin 

presslpwi@gmail.com 

Press Secretary—Tim Johnson

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Congratulates President-Elect Trump

 November 8, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Congratulates President-Elect Trump

The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) Would like to take a moment to congratulate Donald Trump on his hard fought victory this past Tuesday. A presidential campaign is one of the most difficult undertakings in American politics. It takes a toll both mentally and physically and the reward is the most polarizing job in the public sector.

We sincerely hope that Trump's campaign promises were not just a ploy to get votes. In order to Make America Great Again, we need the massive reduction in government size and spending, international non-interventionism, and drastic reduction in taxes that he promised on the campaign trail.

During his first term and in the four years since, Trump has begun to morph into a standard, cookie cutter, big spending Republican who likes to hand out tax breaks but forgets to slash the spending that is required to prevent ballooning deficit and debt that has led to the United States to be currently carrying a debt of $36 trillion and growing every second of every day.

We hope we are wrong and Trump will not be another "major" party candidate that will do whatever is best for his ego instead of what is best for the country. In case he is, the LPWI will be there with options to break the cycle in 2026 and beyond.

For more on the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin, please visit www.lpwi.org.

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin 

presslpwi@gmail.com 

Press Secretary—Tim Johnson

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Thanks Voters For Their Participation

 November 5, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Thanks Voters For Their Participation

The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) would like to take a moment at the end of what many would classify as the most divisive, uncivil, and at times vile, political season in a generation to thank the voters of the country in general and of Wisconsin in particular for taking the time to make your voices heard. We are fundamentally a representative republic and the most universal way for Americans to voice their pleasure or displeasure with their representation is at the ballot box.

When all the votes are counted, it is projected that over 3 million Wisconsin voters will take part in this election. Most will not be for our candidates, but that is perfectly fine. It is your right to select the person that you feel will best represent you in your government. It also does not matter why you are voting for your candidate. What really matters is that you care enough about this country to make your choice and make your voice heard. 

"To argue that voting is a waste of time or useless is to participate in your own powerlessness." - Jonathan Capehart, The Washington Post

As we here in Wisconsin know, a single flake of snow cannot accomplish much on its own. When it is joined by countless others, it can affect everything.

For more on the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin, please visit www.lpwi.org.

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin 

presslpwi@gmail.com 

Press Secretary—Tim Johnson