 |
The LP WIre- News and Views of the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin -November 2025
From the Chair No Kings, No Enemies: Building a More Peaceful Future Through Liberty In a time where every headline seems designed to divide, and every conversation feels like a battlefield, No Kings was more than just a rally, it was a message. A declaration that the path forward isn’t about bowing to power, left or right. It's about breaking the cycle of political extremism, tribalism, and rhetoric rooted in hate. Libertarians showed up at No Kings not to blend in, but to stand out. To stand apart from the performative outrage and identity politics that dominate today’s discourse. We know that peace isn’t born from choosing a side in a culture war, it’s born from refusing to accept that there must be sides at all. The duopoly thrives on division. Fear is their tool; loyalty to party is their currency. But Libertarians don’t ask for loyalty, we ask for thought. For dialogue. For principles over personalities. Our goal is not to replace one king with another, but to abolish the throne. We believe in decentralization of power, non-aggression, and voluntary cooperation, not because it’s convenient, but because it’s the only lasting path to peace. When people are free to live their lives without coercion, we remove the fuel that drives resentment and hate. The truth is: hate doesn’t flourish in freedom, it withers. When we allow people to speak, live, trade, and associate freely, we break the cycle of "us vs. them." We stop waiting for saviors and start becoming neighbors again. Changing this environment won’t come from more anger, more censorship, or more control. It will come from brave, uncomfortable conversations. It will come from showing up at liberal rallies, conservative events, and everywhere in between, to prove that liberty belongs to no single tribe. Our task now is to carry that energy forward in any productive way we can. Not just to oppose tyranny, but to build something better in its place, a future where peace, civility, and humanity can thrive. Reese Wood - Chair, Libertarian Party of Wisconsin
How Americans Feel about Politically Motivated Violence In a September 10 YouGov Poll https://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/52960-charlie-kirk-americans-political-violence-poll the numbers supposedly show that more liberals believe that violence against political figures is justified than conservatives. The poll supposedly shows that more conservatives believe that gun related deaths are just the price we pay for being able to have guns. The poll also shows that who is killed or assaulted is probably a greater influence on your beliefs than any other factor. In other words, if someone in an opposing group is assassinated or assaulted it is not nearly as bad than if someone in my group is. No brain-er that one. The WIre reminds its reader that all polls are subject to bias and errors. Read the article and make your own conclusions. Over fifty years ago at our party’s founding we decided that violence is never justified in the pursuit of political ends. We have all taken the pledge, “I certify that I oppose initiation of force to achieve political or social goals.” It is unfortunate that all political party members in the United States do not take that pledge. One of the Ginger / Mary Ann questions of the LP is, who is more likely to kill you, a righty authoritarian government or a lefty authoritarian government? The only answer that makes sense is, does it really matter when you are dead?
Congressional District Representatives at 6 Months At our state party’s last convention we passed a resolution that all CD Reps would try to contact as many members in their district as possible, assist in hosting events in their district, assist any candidates running for office, assist in recruiting candidates, and assist in keeping the lists of members in their district accurate. The state party’s membership director has most likely been breathing down their necks on that last issue. The other four issues, you should have heard about from your CD Rep by now. “How are you doing? Have we met and talked politics already? Are you interested in running for office? Are you interested in helping someone in the district run for office? Have you been to any of the events we’ve hosted?” Simple stuff. If it hasn’t happened then you need to contact your CD Rep and ask, “What can I do to help?” They are probably over whelmed by the responsibilities of their position to handle it alone. Getting in touch with your CD Rep is easy if you know your congressional district. Send a message to [email protected] if you live in the first district. [email protected] if you live in the second district, and so on.
Events
Platform Committee Meeting There will be no Platform Committee meeting held in November. The next meeting will be held December 29 at 8:00 p.m. on Zoom. If interested contact Tyler Danke at [email protected] LP National Regional Representation Our state party is represented at national as part of a region. The national LP has regions of theoretically equal voting numbers rather than giving a vote to all states regardless of their voting potential. Our regional representatives serve as voting members on the Libertarian National Committee – our ruling body. Our delegates at convention are responsible for selecting regional representation. In August of this year The WIre asked our representatives what does the party hope to accomplish at the 2026 off year convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan? What might an individual attending the convention hope to get out of it? Is there anything an individual in the Wisconsin state party can do to influence their representatives? Is there anything you have done, during your term in office, that you feel particularly proud of? Do you have a plan for our region’s future? Do you have any thoughts / goals for the future of our party? Our Regional Representatives were asked to have their responses into The WIre in time for the December issue. National dues paying members have a right to run for these positions. There usually is time and travel involved which makes these positions unavailable to many members. Some state parties support their members in this. Ours has not in the past [email protected] [email protected] representatives email’s The WIre has been told that the Regional Representatives are familiarly or affectionately referred to as Wahoos. That says a lot. The New Libertarians ? Reason Magazine commenting on two Libertarian candidates, one running for governor and the other for U.S. Senate, that are showing a new face of the party. “Their campaigns also reflect a quiet shift within Libertarian Party politics. After years dominated by ideological purity—intensified by the party's 2022 Mises Caucus takeover—Kaplan and Laehn represent a turn toward running candidates with a more voter-focused approach. Their brand of libertarianism appears to emphasize civic empowerment and local reform over abstract theory, meeting disillusioned voters where they are.”
Linux Distro - Tails "Tails is a portable operating system that protects against surveillance and censorship." That is the way that Tails describes itself. It is a security oriented operating system that runs off of a DVD or USB drive. Most telling is an endorsement on the Tails homepage from Edward Snowden. It is the editor’s opinion that Libertarians commit far fewer crimes and acts of violence than your average Republican does, however not being part of their party we are more likely to be targeted by the Justice Department or any of the other partisan branches of the government than they are. Why take chances?
Short Bits The Wisdom of Douglas Adams Many people know Douglas Adams as the author of “Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Before that he was script editor for the BBC television series “Doctor Who.” In writing about that experience he said that he always tried to show three things; that friends are important, growing up does not mean leaving your feelings behind, and the most dangerous thing in the universe is someone who has lost the ability to laugh at themselves. Quote from Milton Friedman "Government has three primary functions. It should provide for military defense of the nation. It should enforse contracts between individuals. It should protect citizens from crimes against themselves or their property. When government - in pursuit of good intentions tries to rearrange the economy, legislate morality, or help special interests, the cost comes in inefficiency, lack of motivation, and loss of freedom. Goverment should be a referee, not an active player." |
