Archive for the ‘Press Releases’ Category
Vermont Libertarian Party
http://www.vtlp.org/
Hardy Machia, Chair
chair@vtlp.org
802.372.9512 (home/work)
802.238.3437 (cell)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2006
US SUPREME COURT SIDES WITH LIBERTARIANS, UPHOLDS POLITICAL FREE SPEECH
As Vermont Libertarian Party Chair Hardy Machia predicted in February, the US Supreme Court overturned Vermont’s onerous campaign finance laws. Libertarians in Vermont are cheering upon hearing the news.
A 6-3 decision in the Randall v. Sorrell case by the US Supreme Court threw out the restrictive spending and contribution limits on candidates and political parties passed by the Vermont legislature in 1997.
Vermont Libertarian Party Chair Hardy Machia said, “This is a huge win for political free speech in Vermont. The right to speak your mind, the right to use your hard-earned money to spread your message–either directly or via a candidate of your choice–ought never be infringed. This decision helps level the playing field between the entrenched parties and newer parties who have fresh ideas and are seeking to be heard.”
Libertarians want to strike at the root of the problem of money buying political influence.
Large amounts of campaign spending are just a symptom of the problem: politicians being able to dole out a lot of special favors and other types of pork while in office. Libertarians believe that government spending is out of control and that we can fix the problem by electing libertarian legislators.
Audio Quote by Hardy Machia:
Links to old press releases on topic:
- PR: Libertarian Challenge of Campaign Finance Law Being Heard
- PR: Libertarian Chair Predicts Campaign Finance Law Will Not Stand
VERMONT LIBERTARIAN PARTY RELEASES LOCAL OFFICIAL SURVEY RESULTS
Montpelier: The Vermont Libertarian Party announced the survey results of local officials for 2006. There were 12 questions ranging from eminent domain to death with dignity. Responses were received from 31 towns across Vermont.
Hardy Machia, Chairman of the Vermont Libertarian Party, stated, “The survey responses highlight the need for a state government and party that better represents the respondents’ views.
Nearly all survey respondents wanted much tougher eminent domain restrictions. Only one respondent agreed with the weak bill passed by the Vermont Legislature this year.
Seven out of ten respondents thought spending should be reduced instead of raising gas taxes. A backlash of protest and some moderate leadership in the Senate removed the gas tax increase passed by the Vermont House.
Nearly all survey respondents thought we needed major reforms in health care, but were split 40-60 on whether a single payer system or free market system was the better way to accomplish those goals.
Support for Death with Dignity and treating marijuana like alcohol both had strong support, with over 80 percent supporting both these reforms.
Zero respondents thought our school system was working great. Getting out of No Child Left Behind received majority support, as did, public and private school choice, limiting spending to the rate of inflation, and shifting funding to an income tax instead of the controversial Act 68 & 68 property tax distribution.
Seven out of ten respondents thought Vermont’s state budget should be 4 billion dollars or less, with a quarter of respondents believing spending should be rolled back to 2002 levels, 3.3 billion. The Governor and Legislature passed a budget that was a 400 million in excess of 2005′s budget of four billion.
The open-ended question on the biggest issue facing their town revealed that education funding is still a top priority for many towns, followed by roads.
The Vermont Libertarian Party has been active in Vermont politics for over 30 years. Vermont Libertarians have served in local office throughout the state. The National Libertarian Party was founded in 1971 and is the third largest political party in the United States. Millions of Americans have voted for Libertarian Party candidates in past elections throughout the country. Libertarians believe the answer to America’s political problems is the same commitment to freedom that earned America its greatness: a free-market economy and the abundance and prosperity it brings, a dedication to individual liberties and personal freedom, and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace, and free trade.
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Posted in Press Releases | 
Tags: death with dignity, eminent domain, local offiicials, marijuana, school funding, survey, Taxes, vermont | 
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LIBERTARIAN PARTY?NEWS RELEASE:
May 25, 2006
Vermont Libertarian Party Adopts New Platform
(Montpelier) The Vermont Libertarian Party (VTLP) adopted a new platform at their state convention in Montpelier. Their single-page platform covers the specifics of fifteen areas libertarian legislators will work on over the course of the next few legislative sessions.
Hardy Machia, chairman of the Vermont Libertarian Party, stated, “We taken another step into the realm of practical politics with our new platform. It lays out a sensible middle ground toward more freedom, lower taxes, and smaller government-which a majority of Vermonters support.”
A few highlights of the Libertarian platform are:
1. ECONOMY: We believe in competitive free enterprise as the source of wealth for our people, jobs for our labor force, and the tax base necessary to support the legitimate demands of government.
2. TAXATION: We will adopt a Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights to limit the growth of government to the rate of inflation, and to require a voter referendum to raise any tax.
4. PROPERTY RIGHTS: We will protect the human right of private property ownership against government regulation, confiscation and eminent domain.
8. HEALTH CARE: We believe health care should be affordable and available to all Vermonters. We believe health care decisions are between patient and doctor, not patient, doctor and legislature.
15. LIBERTY: We will pass up every opportunity to tell peaceable, independent Vermonters how to live their lives.
The VTLP’s 2006 platform is available online at
http://www.vtlp.org/main/media/papers/VTLPPlatform.pdf
Congratulations to Hunter Melville for his appointment to Town Grand Juror in Woodstock.
Just before town meeting in Woodstock Hunter noticed no one was running for Grand Juror. He mounted a quick write-in campaign and got 29 votes. He needed 30 votes to win a write-in election, so he had to be appointed by the Selectmen for the position, which they did last week.
SPEAKERS LINEUP FOR VERMONT LIBERTARIAN PARTY CONVENTION
The Vermont Libertarian Party will hold its Convention on Saturday, April 29, from 9:30 AM to 4 PM at the Capitol Plaza Hotel & Conference Center in Montpelier.
During the morning business meeting, Vermont Libertarians will reaffirm and amend the state Party platform, and elect delegates to represent Vermont at the National Libertarian Party Convention.
An onsite luncheon will follow the business meeting and in the afternoon, convention attendees listen to a variety of guest speakers, followed by a social hour.
The speaker line up is:
- Ethan Allen travels through time to add some revolutionary gusto to the
party. - Rob Williams, Vermont Commons/Second Vermont Republic
- Martin Harris, Citizens for Property Rights
- Rob Roper, FreedomWorks
- Professor Frank Bryan, Keynote Speaker – Writer, humorist, and foremost
expert on Town Meeting Democracy
“We have a great lineup of speakers for our convention this year, and they’ll be covering a variety of issues that are very important to all Vermonters,” said Hardy Machia, chair of the Vermont Libertarian Party.
Attendance at the 2006 Vermont Libertarian Party Convention business meeting is free and open to the public, though only registered party members may vote on the convention floor.
A small fee is required to attend the afternoon luncheon and activities.
To schedule media interviews for the day of the Convention, please call Hardy Machia at 802-372-9512 or e-mail chair@vtlp.org.
The Vermont Libertarian Party has been active in Vermont politics for over 30 years. Vermont Libertarians have served in local office throughout the state. The National Libertarian Party was founded in 1971 and is the third largest political party in the United States. Millions of Americans have voted for Libertarian Party candidates in past elections throughout the country. Libertarians believe the answer to America’s political problems is the same commitment to freedom that earned America its greatness: a free-market economy and the abundance and prosperity it brings, a dedication to individual liberties and personal freedom, and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace, and free trade.
