May 2026
April showers bring May election shenanigans
Hello Liberty Lovers of Riverside County!
If you would like an essay featured in the Liberty Letter, or if you read or watched something awesome that you think should be in the Suggested Reading of one of these newsletters, reach out to us at admin@rclp.us and let’s chat!
These emails may be too long for some email inboxes. If so, scroll to the bottom to find a link to read them in your browser (and don’t be afraid to click through to like and comment at Substack directly). All the contact information you need is also at the bottom.
And remember, every dollar you give The LPCA Candidate Support Committee is a direct investment in the fight against the State. Please make a contribution at https://www.candidate.fund
From the (Vice) Chairs
(Editor’s Note: This month, RCLP’s two vice chairs, Mitchell Pearce and Vincent Puccio, tag-team the newsletter. Mitchell is taking the Chair message section, and Vincent gets the news piece further on. Here’s Mitchell!)
In business, profit is what you have left after you’ve paid your bills. Without profit the business has nothing to pay its owners. The owners are on the hook for their employees’ and vendors’ payments whether the owners can eat or not. The US government has not been profitable for decades.
In 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks. The Federal government replaced the for-profit private screening officers with employees of the newly created Transportation Safety Administration, aka the TSA. Twice within this decade, TSA employees have worked without pay. Congress, the decisionmakers for payment, and thus the ones standing in the shoes of TSA’s owners, paid themselves while neglecting their TSA employees dependent on the decisions Congress made. Yet, Congresspeople’s paychecks arrived on time! In private business this would never be allowed to happen.
While Congress proved yet again they cannot run a business, TSA employees proved a loyalty to taxpayers neither Congress nor we taxpayers deserved. If TSA were to be abolished and replaced with private businesses, their airline customers would be sure the employees would be paid. No four hour waits because of staff shortages would be tolerated. Everything would run smoothly no matter how dysfunctional and irresponsible Congress continues to be.
Competition by security companies would force costs down and efficiency up in order to keep their contracts. And very importantly, the employees screening luggage and travelers for bombs would be paid on time. We could all rest easier. In fact, if this model of keeping government out of our businesses were to be employed whenever and wherever, government may start living within its means. Imagine!
You can make this dream become a reality. Register to vote Libertarian and vote libertarian. Stop wasting your vote on the same old fools who cannot balance a checkbook and have no respect for their workers or your tax dollars. Join us in our quest for responsive and responsible government!
Details on how to join are in their own section further down in this letter. Become a member and find your voice. Tell your friends!
–Mitchell Pearce
In the News: Melange (get it? May?)
(Editor’s Note: Vincent Puccio has a collection of thoughts on a variety of current events and recent topics. Enjoy!)
A few notable days went by this past month. The first was tax day, an infamous day in the heart of every libertarian. Without being too dogmatic, I believe that the majority of Americans think that the government services bought with their tax dollars constitute a pitiful return on their investment. Foremost in my mind is my “investment” in Social Security. If that money had been invested in a retirement account comparable to an IRA, most of us could retire on easy street. As it is, the system produces a small monthly check to “help” us with our retirements. Of course, the system depends on an ever-increasing number of workers who pay into the system to cover the checks for the retirees. However, in 1960 there were 5.1 workers per beneficiary. Today, that number is 2.8. If trends continue, a social security catastrophe will strike in 2035. I guess they just need more money! That is always the plan because our tax dollars become power in the hands of the political class as they grant favors to their allies and dole crumbs from the master’s table. Problems are always kicked down the road, and the answer to every crisis becomes more centralized power, more taxes, and more control over the citizens.
What then is the solution? Getting the right people elected is a great idea, but there’s another angle. We need to turn off the source of power for the political class. One step forward is to support passage of the OSTA, the One Subject at a Time Act, which would prohibit the addition of unrelated items into a piece of legislation. That way, a congressman couldn’t add anything he wanted, knowing it would pass because there are enough votes for the main provisions of the bill. You can check it out at this link. Taxation really happens when the money is spent. Then it is either paid for now or later with interest.
The second day is Earth Day. Please don’t confuse Earth Day, the political holiday, with the desire for clean air, clean water, and an environment free from industrial toxins. Earth Day has been a focal point for propaganda since it began in 1970. The Environmental Handbook, published for Earth Day 1970, asserted: “We must admit that our legal system of private property plus inheritance is unjust”. Handbook contributor, Keith Lampe, stated: “Competition (capitalism) must be phased out and replaced with cooperative economic models”. Christina Desser, executive director of Earth Day 1990, explained: “Whereas 1970 awakened people to the issues, 1990 needs to make the environment the screen through which all other decisions are made”. Environmental catastrophes, both real and imagined, were to serve as the social pressure for reigning in individualism in favor of state control and the embrace of socialism. While this was more of a Cold War era operation, it lingers today. Fun fact: they were already celebrating April 22nd in the Soviet Union, but not as Earth Day. See which famous socialist politician was born on Earth Day, albeit a few years earlier, by clicking here.
Meanwhile, President Trump is trying to effect regime change in Iran through military action. (Did you know that every time the US drops a bomb, somewhere a neo-con gets his wings?) Of course, the Iranian regime is terrible, but ultimately, change will only come from the Iranian people. A free Iran would be great, especially for its people. Iran sponsors terrorism, is cruelly murderous and repressive, and is an ally of other repressive regimes. The entire world would be better if Iran became a liberal and open society. Unfortunately, the rush to military action may have serious consequences. If regime change does not occur, we will be left with an inflamed situation with a potentially emboldened Iran and an America that looks impotent. This is a situation where the Trump administration has rolled the dice, hoped for the best, and called it strategy. I hope this is not a case of kicking the anthill without shoes on. And besides, a liberal and open society, a society with democratic values, resorts to force only as a last resort, not as a first solution. We cannot bomb the world into a state of democracy. And finally, military interventionism is not compatible with a nation that wishes to maintain its liberty. Military interventionism is the siren call of empire and the death of republics.
Finally, Cole Allen attempted to assassinate President Trump and other officials. Political violence is becoming far too common in the United States. Also, the idea that political violence can be acceptable has been growing among segments of the population. Most notably, 22% of those between 18 and 29 believe that political violence can sometimes be justified. You can view the information at this link. I am particularly proud of the Libertarian Party’s commitment to non-violence as expressed in the Non-Aggression Principle. In fact, when a person applies for membership in the Libertarian Party, that person certifies that they “do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals.” I challenge all Americans, people everywhere, and particularly members of the Republican and Democratic Parties to publicly champion non-aggression and require a statement in the belief in non-violence for their members as well. But I won’t hold my breath.
–Vincent Puccio
More Suggested “Reading” This Month
(It’s not always reading; it’s the internet, you know how it is)
You couldn’t mock the Southern Poverty Law Center enough BEFORE they got caught bankrolling racists so they’d have something to fight. We libertarians have a pretty good sense of market dynamics; sit for a moment with the SPLC’s apparent idea that the supply of racism is so small it has to be subsidized to meet demand. If the SPLC is going to give money to people they claim to hate, though, it’s worth mentioning that the LP is on their radar, too. Where’s our check, guys!? Matt Taibbi has some thoughts on the mess the SPLC finds itself in.
Jon Miltimore from FEE has some great commentary on rediscovering individual agency. Individuals dealing with each other as free traders is what can ultimately fix everything, and as tempting as collectivism is, it’s just not ever going to bring prosperity.
Unfortunately, collectivism is what’s on the menu in a whole host of ways. One particularly irksome appearance is the upcoming DIGNIDAD act. DataRepublican (give it a chance) has some very interesting thoughts on this, and while DR’s commentary comes through a “conservative” lens, the article offers us libertarians some good ammunition for opposing such things as this.
Elizabeth Nickson has some extreme food for thought regarding the Gaza situation. From the libertarian perspective, this is a horror story, but … maybe not? Reality is a hard thing, but how real do things need to get to improve?
https://thetorch.media/ is an independent libertarian web portal publishing articles from all across the spectrum of liberty-loving thought. They’re worth a look.
https://news.lp.org/ is the website for the Libertarian Party news portal. Check it out, subscribe there for updates, and check out how to contribute yourself!
Calendar Notes
As always, bookmark and regularly check our website for the most up-to-date event details: https://rclp.us
21-25 May 2026: LNC Convention
This is the national big one, this time in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Registration is open at https://www.lnc2026.com/.
2 June 2026: Primary Day
The top two primary is stupid, but it’s the way the game is being played right now. Even if you hate all the candidates, at least vote against the tax and bond measures (because there’s almost certainly going to be one or more on your ballot, and they’re all bad since, you know, taxation is theft). And write in Eric Stalter for County Supervisor in district 5.
Voter Registration, Party Membership, and Candidate Support Donations
If you vote, be sure your registration is Libertarian. Whether you vote or not, stay abreast of your registration details on the California Secretary of State page at this link: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/cavoter
Being a registered Libertarian voter certainly allows you to call yourself a real libertarian. However, there is more you can do. You can join the Libertarian Party of California as a dues-paying member! Note that while paying dues at the state level (California) makes you a local central committee member, national membership is separate. Join with this online form: https://lpca.app.neoncrm.com/forms/join
The LPCA Candidate Support Committee exists to give our candidates what they need to compete: website resources, data analytics, voter outreach tools, and more. These things are unglamorous but extremely important, and the need to fund that infrastructure is critical. $25 makes a difference. So does $250. So does $2,500. Every dollar you give is a direct investment in the fight against the State. Please make a contribution at https://www.candidate.fund
Join us in taking a stand for a world set free!
Find us on the web at https://rclp.us
Email us at admin@rclp.us
LPCA Discord server: https://discord.gg/wfXzapGsTd
LNC Discord server: https://discord.gg/fxdH2bre