Wisconsin Libertarians Oppose Student Loan Forgiveness Ideas as “Theft”

 

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin

www.lpwi.org

presslpwi@gmail.com

Press Secretary—Tim Krenz,

September 1, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wisconsin Libertarians Oppose Student Loan Forgiveness Ideas as “Theft”

UBET, WI—The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI), true to its principled opposition to theft by government through taxation, denounces President Joe Biden’s latest proposal to forgive student loan debts with the public’s treasury, as announced within the past week.

To give blanket government payments to those holding student loan debts, literally on contracts made privately by parties for future private gain, and made by choice and consent, rankly continues the unequal and corrupt practice of using the public money of everyone to bribe the few for popular political support and power. The proposal, furthermore, does nothing to solve the underlying problem or stop the continuation of predatory lending and funding for individual education.

With total debt forgiveness, as detailed so far, going to each individual with $10,000 in loans, etc. and the eventual sum total cost to taxpayers, by some estimates, will amount to $500 Billion. This will greatly impact yearly Federal budgets, lead most likely to more deficit spending, and increase the total accumulated national government debt. This grotesquely political scheme would betray the average tax-payer with the Federal Government’s further fiscal mismanagement and irresponsibility. And finally, as to equality and fairness, what happens to people who already paid their student debt obligations by themselves, and in full?

The LPWI offers the following solutions: 1) Encouraging a privately-run system to better advise the student population seeking higher education, specifically, about the risks and obligations of assuming debt; and 2), more open and competitive accredited private markets for educational opportunities, without government money or mandates, which we believe will lower the overall costs of the educational system, at all levels. Finally, 3) the LPWI endorses US H.R. 899, legislation before Congress to terminate the Federal Department of Education, in order to return education standards and control of curricula to parental and local control.

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

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin’s Statement on the Inflation Reduction Act

 

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin

presslpwi@gmail.com

www.lpwi.org

Press Secretary—Tim Krenz

August 17, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin’s Statement on the Inflation Reduction Act

Ubet, WI—According to a philosophy of liberty and the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin’s platform, the new Federal law, with the “spin” title of the Inflation Reduction Act, will do absolutely nothing to solve the ingrained problems of monetary inflation when based on unsound, fiat currency—a money system NOT backed and linked to a trade-able commodity, such as gold, silver and platinum, etc. The act will, in the end, not prevent the destruction of personal and private property, namely the savings or property investments of regular, average citizens, due to higher inflation mixed with higher government deficits and debts.

What does the act do? Almost half of act’s cost in the amount of $369Billion provides tax credits and tax-payer paid subsidies toward climate change initiatives in the United States. These public monies will go to subsidize, among other things, electric vehicle purchases, building renewable energy production, clean hydrogen centers and hubs, and carbon trapping and carbon storage mechanisms.

In short, this $369B part of the Inflation Reduction Act directs public investment to private individuals and business entities. Notwithstanding the need to take action on climate change, and like many federal and state programs, this act provides in the end more welfare for the rich. It favors a few citizens and not in the name of reducing inflation or protecting private property.

As the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin clearly states in its platform, in regards to the current economic system: “We oppose the granting of subsidies, tax credits, special privileges, etc., on private individuals, businesses, corporations, or industries by the government, including in the name of ‘economic development’ or ‘job creation.’ We believe that lower taxes and regulatory costs should be extended across the board to all businesses in Wisconsin, on an equal basis, and that the government picking winners and losers in the market is a recipe for corruption.”

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

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 .