[Lnc-business] Email Ballot 2017-18: Unity Statement

Mon Aug 28 09:45:51 EDT 2017

I vote No.

Sam Goldstein
Libertarian National Committee
Member at Large
8925 N Meridian St, Ste 101
Indianapolis IN 46260
317-850-0726 Phone
317-582-1773 Fax

On Mon, Aug 28, 2017 at 9:27 AM, Daniel Hayes <danielehayes at icloud.com>
wrote:

> David,
>
> This is not our resolution. The language isn't going to get cleaned up.
>
> Daniel Hayes
> LNC At Large Member
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Aug 28, 2017, at 8:24 AM, David Demarest <dpdemarest at centurylink.net>
> wrote:
>
> I agree that replacing “cities and States” with “private individuals”
> would be an appropriate rewording. Government revenue not stolen in the
> form of taxes to fund offensive military activities can be used privately
> by empowered individuals for charity and other private entrepreneur and
> volunteer social services.
>
>
>
> I change my vote to “Pass” until the wording is cleaned up with a clearer
> definition of the coalition commitment action limitations and removal the
> reference to “cities and States” that, despite being a better alternative
> to military spending, clearly has welfare state implications.
>
>
>
> Thoughts?
>
>
>
> ~David Pratt
>
>
>
> *2018 Omaha Roads to Freedom Un-Convention*
>
>
>
> *Freedom, Nothing More, Nothing Less*
>
>
>
> ~David Pratt Demarest
>
> Roads to Freedom Foundation, Founder
>
> LNC Region 6 Representative (IA, IL, MN, MO, ND, NE, WI)
>
> LSLA Vice-Chair
>
> LPNE State Central Committee, Secretary
>
> LPRC Board Member, Nebraska State Coordinator
>
> David.Demarest at LP.org
>
> Secretary at LPNE.org
>
> DPDemarest at centurylink.net
>
> DPrattDemarest at gmail.com
>
> Cell:      402-981-6469 <(402)%20981-6469>
>
> Home: 402-493-0873 <(402)%20493-0873>
>
>
>
> *From:* Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces at hq.lp.org
> <lnc-business-bounces at hq.lp.org>] *On Behalf Of *Caryn Ann Harlos
> *Sent:* Monday, August 28, 2017 8:08 AM
> *To:* lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Lnc-business] Email Ballot 2017-18: Unity Statement
>
>
>
> I change my vote to no.
>
>
>
> Chuck Moulton pointed this out, and I agree with him - there is another
> argument buried in here.
>
>
>
> ==> 4.  The annual cost of these bases to the American taxpayers is
> approximately $156 billion. The support of U.S. foreign military bases
> drains funds that can be used to fund human needs and enable our cities and
> States to provide necessary services for the people.
>
>
> Many LP members and LNC members were justifiably upset with the Iraq Exit
> Strategy produced by staff in 2010 (I think?) because it suggested taking
> troops from Iraq and redeploying them to Afghanistan and other places
> rather than simply reducing our military involvement.
>
> Similarly, instead of simply suggesting eliminating military spending (and
> reducing taxes as Libertarians would like), this resolution suggests
> re-allocating the funds to social welfare programs which should be
> cringe-worthy for anarchists and minarchists alike.  At least, that was my
> reading of "funds that can be used to fund human needs and enable our
> cities and States to provide necessary services for the people".===
>
>
>
> -Caryn Ann
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 28, 2017 at 6:39 AM David Demarest <dpdemarest at centurylink.net>
> wrote:
>
> I must admit that coalitions make me nervous unless they are confined to
> advocacy for specific actions like closure of all foreign military bases
> and reducing our offensive military presence on foreign shores and on the
> seas. While this motion is presented in the context of the broader
> Libertarian perspective, the proposed actions appear to be on target. I
> fail to see any “rent is theft” connection.
>
>
>
> As to the environmental issue, it is a well-established fact that
> governments and their military arms are by far the worst polluters and
> stewards of the environment. Our 25 existing and proposed 15 additional
> carrier strike forces are certainly not green-friendly floating wind farms.
>
>
>
> On the espionage issue, I am okay with privately sponsored foreign
> defensive espionage but government offensive espionage is a serious threat
> to not only the world community but inevitably trickles down into
> information gathering focused on citizens here at home for obvious
> unethical reasons disguised as scare-tactic protection from terrorists.
>
>
>
> Aside from my interest in a little more definition on the proposed
> coalition and its action limitations, I support this motion.
>
>
>
> Thoughts?
>
>
>
> ~David Pratt
>
>
>
> *2018 Omaha Roads to Freedom Un-Convention*
>
>
>
> *Freedom, Nothing More, Nothing Less*
>
>
>
> ~David Pratt Demarest
>
> Roads to Freedom Foundation, Founder
>
> LNC Region 6 Representative (IA, IL, MN, MO, ND, NE, WI)
>
> LSLA Vice-Chair
>
> LPNE State Central Committee, Secretary
>
> LPRC Board Member, Nebraska State Coordinator
>
> David.Demarest at LP.org
>
> Secretary at LPNE.org
>
> DPDemarest at centurylink.net
>
> DPrattDemarest at gmail.com
>
> Cell:      402-981-6469 <(402)%20981-6469>
>
> Home: 402-493-0873 <(402)%20493-0873>
>
>
>
> *From:* Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces at hq.lp.org] *On Behalf
> Of *Daniel Hayes
> *Sent:* Monday, August 28, 2017 6:00 AM
> *To:* lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Lnc-business] Email Ballot 2017-18: Unity Statement
>
>
>
> I vote NO.
>
>
>
> I am TOTALLY in for closure of all foreign bases. I immediately paused at
> the language that Caryn Ann just pointed out about Environmental damage.
> I was worried I was going to be the only "No". I would have worn that one
> proudly.
>
>
>
> I think I see another agenda from the authors here besides closing bases.
> I think we need to run away from this.
>
>
>
> I don't think our position on foreign bases is unclear either. Run away..
> bravely run away away...
>
>
>
> If "we" sign this, next thing you know, we will have members saying
> something absurd and antithetical to the fundamental principles of
> libertarianism (like property rights) such as, "Rent is theft".
>
>
>
>
>
> Daniel Hayes
>
> LNC At Large Member
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>
> On Aug 28, 2017, at 3:40 AM, David Demarest <dprattdemarest at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> Yes
>
>
>
> ~David Pratt Demarest
>
>
>
> On Aug 28, 2017 2:22 AM, "Caryn Ann Harlos" <carynannharlos at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> Yes
>
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 28, 2017 at 1:07 AM Alicia Mattson <agmattson at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> We have an electronic mail ballot.
>
>
>
> *Votes are due to the LNC-Business list by September 7, 2017 at 11:59:59pm
> Pacific time.*
> *Co-Sponsors:*  Vohra, Bittner, Harlos, Demarest
>
> *Motion:*  The Chair is authorized by the LNC to sign the following
> petition on behalf of the LNC:  http://noforeignbases.org/
>
> --------------------Resolution Text--------------------
>
>
> Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases
>
> Unity Statement
>
> We, the undersigned peace, justice and environmental organizations, and
> individuals, endorse the following Points of Unity and commit ourselves to
> working together by forming a Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military
> Bases, with the goal of raising public awareness and organizing non-violent
> mass resistance against U.S. foreign military bases.
>
> While we may have our differences on other issues, we all agree that U.S.
> foreign military bases are the principal instruments of imperial global
> domination and environmental damage through wars of aggression and
> occupation, and that the closure of U.S. foreign military bases is one of
> the first necessary steps toward a just, peaceful and sustainable world.
> Our belief in the urgency of this necessary step is based on the following
> facts:
>
> 1.  While we are opposed to all foreign military bases, we do recognize
> that the United States maintains the highest number of military bases
> outside its territory, estimated at almost 1000 (95% of all foreign
> military bases in the world). Presently, there are U.S. military bases in
> every Persian Gulf country except Iran.
>
>
>
> 2.  In addition, the United States has 19 Naval air carriers (and 15 more
> planned), each as part of a Carrier Strike Group, composed of roughly 7,500
> personnel, and a carrier air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft — each of which can
> be considered a floating military base.
>
>
>
> 3.  These bases are centers of aggressive military actions, threats of
> political and economic expansion, sabotage and espionage, and crimes
> against local populations. In addition, these military bases are the
> largest users of fossil fuel in the world, heavily contributing to
> environmental degradation.
>
>
>
> 4.  The annual cost of these bases to the American taxpayers is
> approximately $156 billion. The support of U.S. foreign military bases
> drains funds that can be used to fund human needs and enable our cities and
> States to provide necessary services for the people.
>
>
>
> 5.  This has made the U.S. a more militarized society and has led to
> increased tensions between the U.S. and the rest of the world. Stationed
> throughout the world, almost 1000 in number, U.S. foreign military bases
> are symbols of the ability of the United States to intrude in the lives of
> sovereign nations and peoples.
>
>
>
> 6.  Many individual national coalitions — for example, Okinawa, Italy,
> Jeju Island Korea, Diego Garcia, Cyprus, Greece, and Germany — are
> demanding closure of bases on their territory. The base that the U.S. has
> illegally occupied the longest, for over a century, is Guantánamo Bay,
> whose existence constitutes an imposition of the empire and a violation of
> International Law. Since 1959 the government and people of Cuba have
> demanded that the government of the U.S. return the Guantánamo territory to
> Cuba.
>
>
> U.S. foreign military bases are NOT in defense of U.S. national, or global
> security. They are the military expression of U.S. intrusion in the lives
> of sovereign countries on behalf of the dominant financial, political, and
> military interests of the ruling elite. Whether invited in or not by
> domestic interests that have agreed to be junior partners, no country, no
> peoples, no government, can claim to be able to make decisions totally in
> the interest of their people, with foreign troops on their soil
> representing interests antagonistic to the national purpose.
>
> We must all unite to actively oppose the existence of U.S. foreign
> military bases and call for their immediate closure. We invite all forces
> of peace, social and environmental justice to join us in our renewed effort
> to achieve this shared goal.
>
> ---------------End of Resolution Text---------------
>
> -Alicia
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lnc-business mailing list
> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>
> --
>
> *In Liberty,*
>
> *Caryn Ann Harlos*
>
> Region 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska, Arizona,
> Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann.
> Harlos at LP.org <Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org>
>
> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
> <http://www.lpcolorado.org>
>
> Chair, LP Historical Preservation Committee
>
>
>
> A haiku to the Statement of Principles:
>
> *We defend your rights*
>
> *And oppose the use of force*
>
> *Taxation is theft*
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lnc-business mailing list
> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lnc-business mailing list
> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lnc-business mailing list
> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>
> --
>
> *In Liberty,*
>
> *Caryn Ann Harlos*
>
> Region 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska, Arizona,
> Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann.
> Harlos at LP.org <Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org>
>
> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
> <http://www.lpcolorado.org>
>
> Chair, LP Historical Preservation Committee
>
>
>
> A haiku to the Statement of Principles:
>
> *We defend your rights*
>
> *And oppose the use of force*
>
> *Taxation is theft*
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <Untitled attachment 00278.txt>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lnc-business mailing list
> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lnc-business mailing list
> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://hq.lp.org/pipermail/lnc-business/attachments/20170828/8b9cb9b9/attachment-0002.html>