October 2024
Surprise! But is anything really a surprise anymore?
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.
From the Chair
Here we go. The big runup to the election, where nobody is surprised at all that this is how it’s likely to go down:
Meanwhile, parts of the southeast are shredded. Do you even remember that something happened in North Carolina recently? You might not. But it did. And in North Carolina, a whole bunch of people are re-learning some age-old lessons that they may have forgotten: know your neighbors, stock emergency supplies, and don’t count on government to do a single solitary thing to help you. If they even notice. Which you may need to resort to something like this to do:
You can’t count on government to “be there” for you. Don’t bet your life on the assistance of people you know you can’t trust.
Go meet your neighbors. Local action matters. See you at the townhall.
–Loren Dean
In the News: Propositions
Let’s talk about the propositions on the ballot this election. Here are the positions taken by the LPCA, for your reference and consideration:
Proposition 2: Public Education Facilities Bond Measure
LPCA Endorsed Position : NO
Reason: The Libertarian Party opposes taking dollars from the people at all, let alone using taxpayer dollars to fund large-scale government projects like school construction. The state will misallocate funds, leading to inefficiencies and a lack of accountability.
Proposition 3: Fundamental Right to Marry
LPCA Endorsed Position : YES
Reason: Government should remove itself from marriage as an institution altogether. But if the government insists on being involved, the institution needs to be evenly accessible.
Proposition 4: Climate Bond Measure
LPCA Endorsed Position : NO
Reason: The state should not be entrusted with more taxpayer funds of any sort for any reason, as it mismanages resources and fails to deliver effective solutions.
Proposition 5: Housing and Public Infrastructure Bond Measure
LPCA Endorsed Position : NO
Reason: This measure is intrusive and undermines the real estate industry by placing additional burdens on taxpayers. Local governments should never sign loans collateralized with their neighbors’ property.
Proposition 6: Ban Involuntary Prison Servitude
LPCA Endorsed Position : no opinion
Reason: As uncomfortable as it may make people, there are good faith arguments to be made on both sides of this question. Vote your conscience.
Proposition 32: $18 Minimum Wage Increase
LPCA Endorsed Position : NO
Reason: The government should not interfere in the employer-employee relationship by mandating wages. Such regulations lead to higher prices for consumers, force businesses to close, & harm the economy by reducing job availability.
Proposition 33: Rent Control Expansion
LPCA Endorsed Position : NO
Reason: The government should not regulate rental prices. Imposing rent controls places economic strain on landlords and disrupts the housing market, ultimately harming both property owners and tenants by reducing available housing options.
Proposition 34: Effort to Require Healthcare Group Patient Spending
LPCA Endorsed Position : no opinion
Reason: This is a bizarre and byzantine proposal, and is worth voting no on for that alone, but vote your conscience.
Proposition 35: Permanent Funding for Medi-Cal
LPCA Endorsed Position : NO
Reason: Governor Newsom’s assurances do not address the broader economic implications for all Californians. This will lead to inefficiencies in resource distribution.
Proposition 36: Penalty Increase for Theft and Drug Trafficking
LPCA Endorsed Position: no opinion
Reason: We wish the two halves of this proposition could be separated. Your vote on this will be determined by which half you prioritize higher. Vote your conscience.
Election 2024 Updates
Ballots
You should have received your ballot in the mail by now. Chase Oliver will be on it, and you should vote for him. Why? Two reasons. First, voting your conscience is never a wasted vote, and you know full well he’s an exponentially more libertarian candidate than either of the freakshows the legacy parties are putting forward. Second, a growing third-party movement matters at the local level, where freakshow candidates are birthed by their respective political machines. Active third-party involvement at the local level can start strangling the careers of these monsters in the cradle. Use your POTUS vote this year to declare your independence and put your local councilcreatures on notice.
The Voter Guide
You have probably also already received your voter guide. It includes information on local ballot measures, which are happening in many different towns across the county. You should read this guide. It looks like this:
Be an Election Officer
The RivCo ROV is still hiring for Election Officers for the November election. This is a great way to earn a little extra money during the election. It also gets you a front-row seat to everything about voting in the county. This kind of information is good to know. Find details here: https://voteinfo.net/county-riverside-registrar-voters-seeking-election-officers
Chase Oliver for President!
Maybe there’s a political party that believes you have a better sense of how to spend your own money. Maybe you should help out the campaign of their presidential nominee. Want to get involved with the Chase Oliver for President campaign? Hint, yes you do. Start here: https://votechaseoliver.com/get-involved/
After filling that out online, you should get an invite to a Slack server where volunteers and supporters are chatting and organizing. Now’s the time to get involved!
More Suggested Reading/Viewing/Listening This Month
September marked the anniversary of George Washington’s farewell address. The Tenth Amendment center has some reminders about some of the warnings he sounded in that important but oft-ignored message. Check it out here: https://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2024/09/2-ignored-warnings-from-george-washingtons-farewell-address/
Matt Taibbi gave a speech recently with more crucial warnings and encouragement for Americans. You should read it:
https://news.lp.org/ is the website for the Libertarian Party news portal. What was once a periodic newsletter is now a 24/7 web presence. 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
22 October 2024: Chase Oliver Speaking Engagement
He will be at The Abbey, in West Hollywood (692 N Robertson Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069) from 7-9pm. Go meet a presidential candidate!
23 October 2024: Free & Equal Debate
The F&E debate in Los Angeles has been rescheduled to this date. More details as they are known. Watch our website for details as soon, which we will post as soon as we have them.
9 November 2024: Q4 county central committee meeting
Our last quarterly meeting of the year. Come complain about the election and look ahead to 2025! As usual, we'll get lunch at 11 and the meeting will start at noon.
Voter Registration and Party Membership
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 national Libertarian Party as a “sustaining member" by signing the membership application statement and paying dues (currently a minimum of $25 per year) to the national organization. Note that while paying dues at the state level (California) makes you a local "central committee member," national membership is separate.
If you aren't a dues-paying member at all, you can join as a national member AND as a state/county member using a single online form:
Combined National/State/County Membership Form
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