The Tarrant County Libertarian Party Website

Tarrant County Libertarian Party - Welcome to the Tarrant County Libertarian Party!

I recently visited the Tarrant County Libertarian Party website, just to see if I could get involved.
Not a lot happening over there.
Events listed? None.
Blogs? None.
Rallies? Meetups? Strategy sessions? None.
News? A June 2004 posting called "Welcome to The Tarrant County Libertarian Party".
I prefer to believe this is because we Libertarians are too busy leaving everyone alone.

Here's their FAQ section, for those of you who can't be bothered to click links. It's a good summary of basic beliefs. All italics are mine:

Frequently Asked Questions About the Libertarian Party

In order to provide a better understanding of the Libertarian Party, we've provided this list of some of the most frequently asked questions about the party. Here's one I'd like to ask....Where the heck are you people?

What is a Libertarian?

Libertarians believe that you have the right to live your life as you wish, without the government interfering -- as long as you don’t violate the rights of others. Politically, this means Libertarians favor rolling back the size and cost of government, and eliminating laws that stifle the economy and control people’s personal choices.

Are Libertarians liberal or conservative?

Libertarians are neither. Everyone who does surveys, PLEASE get this in your heads....There ARE other choices. Unlike liberals or conservatives, Libertarians advocate a high degree of both personal and economic liberty. For example, Libertarians agree with conservatives about freedom in economic matters, so we're in favor of lowering taxes, slashing bureaucratic regulation of business, and charitable -- rather than government -- welfare. This is one of the many reasons I strongly favor the Social Ministries programs we have at Broadway Baptist Church. See previous posts. But Libertarians also agree with liberals on personal tolerance, so we're in favor of people’s right to choose their own personal habits and lifestyles.

In a sense, Libertarians “borrow” from both sides to come up with a logical and consistent whole -- but without the exceptions and broken promises of Republican and Democratic politicians. That's why we call ourselves the Party of Principle. And you can see how many of us there are by looking at the website.

Where do Libertarians stand on the subject of eminent domain?

Libertarians would close the exceptions and loopholes in the state prohibition against the use of eminent domain for private economic development. Take that, Jerry Jones. Under no circumstances should government have the power to force the transfer of land from private entity to another against the will of the owner. This is where the Kincaid's Hamburger's mess gives me a headache. The land and the building belong to the people in Oregon. See previous post....Additionally, we believe that property owners displaced through eminent domain should be compensated 125% of the fair value of their property to compensate for their moving expenses and inconvenience.

What about gun control??

Libertarians advocate the legalization of "open carry" firearms, including handguns, without a license. This includes recognition of the right of gun owners to bear arms while driving. I can't quite go that far. I know too many gun owners. We need some form of control because of parolees, probationers, the mentally ill, etc. But it would be nice to be packing heat in church, wouldn't it?

What is the position of toll roads?

Libertarians oppose the Trans Texas Corridor Act, a costly boondoggle intended to benefit land developers through the abuse of eminent domain and the power of highway monopoly. Further, we support legislation that would forbid tolls on any highway right of way which was obtained with tax dollars or through the use of eminent domain or condemnation. Libertarians uphold the right of private enterprise to construct and operate private toll roads, provided that those private toll roads were not established by coercive government power. Well said. The Trans Texas Corridor will be a great thing for the state, and the nation, in my opinion. But you gotta pay people for their land. The 125% figure would do nicely.

I'm really concerned about government spending. What is the Libertarian view on that?

Libertarians support balancing the budgets at all levels of government within the state without increasing net taxation. We support a moratorium on bond issues and all other forms of borrowing money, giving top priority to the repayment of government debts. Once government debt and wasteful spending are eliminated, the savings must be returned to the people of Texas in lower taxes. It'll never happen, but it sounds good. Unfortunately, we're going to keep Spending Like Spitzer^tm

What would Libertarians do differently to improve public education?

Libertarians seek to abolish the Federal Department of Education and repeal all unconstitutional federal mandates on state-run public education. For those who think this is extreme, look at the union-backed proposals to eliminate Home-schooling in California....Libertarians seek to challenge in the courts the federal government’s authority to regulate in any way the operation of state-run public schools.Libertarians would establish a true competitive market in education by repealing all restrictions on transfer from one public school to another or between public and private schools. See Milton Friedman on School voucher programs. Further, we would repeal all laws which interfere with the right of parents to home school their children. To achieve this, we would repeal all compulsory attendance laws. The public school system, originally established as the school of last resort, should not enjoy a monopoly on the education of Texas children. Yeah, anytime you see the word Monopoly without the words "Parker Brothers", we libertarians believe that someone is getting ripped off.

What is the Party's position on gambling?

Libertarians would legalize casino and other types of gambling. Libertarians recognize that fraud in gambling is just the same as any other form of fraud. Libertarians therefore seek to ensure that those who operate crooked games, including public officials, are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But God help me and my poor family if they ever make Blackjack legal in Fort Worth....

Do Libertarians take a position on judicial reform?

Libertarians support judicial reform allowing juries not only to judge the case, but the validity of the law itself. All juries should likewise be informed of their rights to interpret the law and vote their conscience before deliberations in criminal and civil cases. I haven't run into that one before. I can just see a group of us Fort Worth/Funkytown Eastsiders going into deliberations and rewriting the fundamentals of 500 years of British Common Law.

How about police powers and no knock warrants?

Libertarians support legislation or judicial rules that forbid the execution of “no-knock” warrants unless there is probable cause that they are necessary to avoid death or serious injury to an innocent person. We require that all warrants be presented to the subject for examination, with an original signature and a copy of the affidavit attached, and that the subject have an opportunity to contact the court that issued the warrant to verify its validity. Yep. I'm with them on this one.

Ok, now for the big question - given all the media coverage and recent debate, what is the Libertarian Party's stance on immigration and the border?

This one gets a little wordy. Libertarians are essentially pro-immigrant. Go ahead and skip to the bottom, unless you're killing a lunch break....Immigration is among the most contentious issues facing America today, and the specters of terrorism and war have only added fuel to an already fiery debate.By any reasonable measure, properly regulated immigration is not just beneficial to the American economy but indispensable to the goal of a nation of freedom and opportunity. This nation was built on immigration. Allowing peaceful people to enter our country appropriately is not just an option. It’s a benchmark by which we measure whether or not we’re living up to the American ideal. Coupled with a benign foreign policy, it is what makes America the beacon of Liberty in what was once and would be again an otherwise dark world for most people.Peaceful immigrants should be allowed to enter the US at conveniently located Customs and Immigration stations, subject only to brief vetting to ensure that they are not terrorists or criminals, and reasonable consideration of the nation’s ability to assimilate them.Coupled with reasonable immigration for the peaceful, we must maintain a vigorous national defense against our enemies.Terrorists and criminals who attempt to enter the US via a Customs and Immigration station should be denied entry and, where applicable, arrested and detained or extradited.Terrorists and criminals who attempt to enter the US via other points along its 95,000 miles of border and coastline should be treated as what they are: invaders against whom we must respond. As long as our defense forces restrain themselves to reasonable rules of engagement, doing this will much better guarantee our security with little risk of dire consequences to occasional innocent refugees.The privilege of entering the United States is not the right to invade the United States in contest with its legitimate interest in securing itself against those who would do it harm. It doesn’t matter whether the invasion is in the form of an organized military unit or a privately-executed mass movement assisted by a foreign government.We should not have to worry about foreign nationals moving in just so they can eat out our substance on the dole. Still, the possibility of “safety net” abuse is not a good excuse for excluding immigrants. The so-called safety net is not a solution for the plight of poor immigrants. It is, for immigrants as much as for native-born citizens, an insidious enticement to laziness. Real immigrants don’t want welfare, and private charities could handle their occasional start-up needs.
Like the great Kinky Friedman said on the radio last week, we have to ask ourselves "Who would Jesus deport?" Especially since so many illegals are named Jesus?

"They're God's children too" - John McCain

They didn't say anything on this site about our totally wasteful War on Drugs, and they don't specifically mention Subsidies, Tariffs, Import Quotas, NAFTA, minimum wage legislation, The Federal Reserve, the gold standard, licensing requirements, of any of the other Hobbyhorses that I like to ride.

But after all, it is their site. I wouldn't want to bother them.