Pension debt is going to take an even bigger chunk out of Nevada’s government budgets in the coming years, forcing cuts in spending that would otherwise go to schools, parks, road repair and public safety.

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By Daniel Honchariw 

When companies get too big to operate efficiently or competently, they go out of business — but in government, such failure actually protects the ever-growing bureaucracy.

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As we reflect on the tragedy in Las Vegas over the weekend, we at the Libertarian Party of Nevada (LPN) are warmed and heartened by what we witnessed in the aftermath of this horrific event. In the face of terror and tragedy Nevadans and Americans come together to help those in times of despair and need.

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By Ron Knecht and James Smack

Recently, James went to Portland, Oregon for a concert and to celebrate his 17th wedding anniversary with his lovely wife, Vicki.

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By Ron Knecht and James Smack

Lately, when we tune in or read national political news, it’s virtually the same stuff every day. If you’re watching a left-leaning outlet like CNN or MSNBC, or reading the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today or HuffPost, it’s almost all about either Russia or some leak from the White House.

If you’re watching Fox, it’s almost always about how the deep state is undermining the Trump Administration or the corruption of the Obama Administration.

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By Ron Knecht and James Smack

Sometimes Nevada can be, well, uniquely Nevada.

Perhaps this’s why, in this major fire season and after great amounts of snow and flooding from the melt, a state of emergency was declared. A state of emergency because recreational cannabis dispensaries are running out of weed!

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By Ron Knecht and James Smack

Many of our readers have probably not heard of Warrick Dunn, former running back for Florida State University and the National Football League’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons.

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By Ron Knecht and James Smack

On June 30 Nevada ended its 2017 fiscal year, and we observed yet again one of the more annoying problems in state government: the annual last-minute spending frenzy.

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This post was originally submitted on June 27. We apologize for the delay.

For now, this is the last regular column that will carry the Ron and Geoff byline. Geoff is leaving the Assistant Controller’s job July 1 for a new one.

James Smack, the Deputy Controller, will join Ron in the weekly column beginning next week. Geoff will make guest appearances now and then, we anticipate.

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As economists and public interest advocates, we’re very interested in the federal tax code and the various ways in which it creates, destroys or distorts economic incentives.

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Roughly a week ago, several white supremacists and members of the Alt-Right organized and attended the “Unite the Right” protest in Charlottesville. Three people were killed and several were injured by these protesters, who felt that a participation trophy erected by the grand-descendants of the losers of a war to defend the institution of slavery was worth assaulting and murdering for. During this event, the protestors started a “Blood and Soil” chant, which certain so-called “Libertarians” swear is not, in fact, a Nazi slogan and it’s “emotional hypochondria” to think it is.

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There is a great deal of recent controversy about the direction of the American energy industry. The sides of the debate are fossil fuels and renewable fuels. In the fossil fuels’ corner of the ring, you have round-the-clock reliability, high rates of production, and the support of thousands of American jobs. In the renewable fuels’ side of the ring, you have energy that doesn’t harm our atmosphere, is inexhaustible, and is readily available without having to use our military power to secure access to or from countries who dislike or despise us.

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Ron 'The American Dream' Johnson made a spectacular comeback in Las Vegas last Friday. Johnson won a well-earned victory after an 8-round match at the Westgate International Theater, sharing the ticket with another fight featuring Hector Camacho Jr. The light-heavyweight world champion boxer Ron 'American Dream' Johnson is a Las Vegas local favorite and also a proud Libertarian!

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I attended a meeting last night at the Clark County Government Building regarding the switch to voting centers on election day. These voting centers, similar to the way early voting works, will allow voters to go anywhere in Las Vegas on election day - not just their historic polling center. These will be used starting with the primary elections in 2018 county-wide and have already been successfully utilized for municipal elections this year.

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In the United States, a person becomes a legal adult at 18 years old. This is the age the government requires you to be before you can buy tobacco products, serve in the military, or vote in elections. 18 is meant to be the beginning of the challenges, responsibilities, and freedom of choice that is adulthood.

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While undergoing the process of interviewing for an internship at the Libertarian Party of Nevada, my thoughts on this subject became razor sharp, and I felt I should share why I believe the things I do.

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'Member that guy Austin Petersen? 'Member how he was so excited to take the Libertarian Party to the next level? Dr. Marc Allan Feldman even called him the "freedom ninja in your face libertarian" during his closing remarks at the 2016 Libertarian Party National Presidential Nominating Convention held at the Rosen Centre Hotel and Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Guess what? He is running for...

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If you have spent more than five minutes around the Libertarian Party you have certainly heard the expression "taxation is theft." There are many articles out there about why taxation is theft and to quickly go over it they will all basically tell you that theft is the taking of something by force or coercion without the owner's permission. These articles will then go on to tell you that the government forces you to pay taxes whether you agree to or not and will threaten you with jail or wage garnishment or both and therefore taxation is theft.

Many people in the Libertarian Party have started to do something called The Libertarian Tip. Basically here's how it works:

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FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

Las Vegas, Nevada​ (6/26/2017) - The Libertarian Party of Nevada condemns the prolonged brutality of the Maduro (Chavista) regime against the people of Venezuela, persisting to this day even as the Venezuelan state crumbles against the massive civil revolt. 

Simon Bolívar, the founding father of Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru said “Damned be the soldier who points his weapon at the people.”  The Maduro regime's crimes in the year 2017 include: 1) Kidnapping and disappearance of dissidents by police and the Ministry of the Interior; 2) Imposing martial law and summary execution of civilians, including journalists and unarmed minors; 3) Deployment of mobile paramilitary forces against unarmed civilians, such paramilitary forces having carried out kidnappings and extrajudicial killings.

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PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA

Las Vegas, Nevada​ (26/6/2017) - El Partido Libertario de Nevada condena la prolongada brutalidad del régimen de Maduro (Chavista) contra el pueblo venezolano, persistiendo hasta el día en que el Estado venezolano se desmorona ante la masiva revuelta civil.

Simón Bolívar, el padre fundador de Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia y Perú, dijo: "Maldito sea el soldado que apunta su arma contra su pueblo". Los crímenes del régimen de Maduro en el año 2017 incluyen: 1) Secuestro y desaparición de disidentes por parte de la policía y del Ministerio del Interior; 2) Imposición de la ley marcial y ejecución sumaria de civiles, incluidos periodistas y menores desarmados; 3) Despliegue de fuerzas paramilitares móviles contra civiles desarmados, tales paramilitares han realizado secuestros y ejecuciones extrajudiciales.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

Some people seem to have it all.

During our lives, we’ve noticed that many successful people we know in business also find time to stay physically fit, eat healthy diets, read broadly, soak up culture and stay well informed. And make a great home life for their children. The success of many high achieving people often isn’t confined to just one area of life but extends to a number of dimensions.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

Recently, Ron spoke to the Good Government Group in Douglas County. Among other things, he said that automation creates more jobs than it destroys. One thoughtful chap challenged that claim.

Is it true? Are robots and other devices and methods ultimately going to leave everyone unemployed?

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The 79th Session of the Nevada Legislature has finally ended! Armistice Day was Monday, June 5th, and I’ve been waiting to hear whether Governor Sandoval has chosen to sign or veto some of the most important bills we worked on. Overall, I’d say the 79th Session was a resounding victory for the Libertarian Party of Nevada. In Elliot Malin’s words, “we made out like bandits” - though not without some scattered defeats.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

We were amused recently to read latest propaganda from the nation’s largest trade union organization, the AFL-CIO, in its annual “Executive Paywatch” report.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

Ron’s high school freshman daughter Karyn is taking a 20th Century history and culture class that she enjoys, and she’s also decided she wants to be a film-maker. So, recently his family began a weekly movie series to chronicle the century, with an emphasis on how major events and developments affected people of each era.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

Among the great social changes that drove economic growth in the latter half of the 20th Century was the large-scale entry of women into the labor force. With more Americans working, family lifestyles changed rapidly.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

Bureaucrats love regulation. It provides jobs for some of them, so usually they’re happy to create new regulations and expand existing ones.

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Greetings once again from the front lines of the 79th Session of the Nevada Legislature! Today marks the 100th day of the session - only twenty days remain. This week was packed with activity - not only did I testify for or against many bills in their second hearings, I also actively lobbied many Assemblypeople on SJR4 and a potential ballot access bill for next session.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

It’s baseball season again, so we offer some thoughts on the great 1984 movie The Natural.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

For six years, most Republicans campaigning for federal office pledged to repeal ObamaCare. According to national polls, a majority of Americans have consistently opposed ObamaCare even when they otherwise approved of Barack Obama as president.

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As the 2017 Legislative Session winds up, we are reprinting some of the statements made by Wendy Stolyarov, Legislative Director for the Libertarian Party of Nevada, to the legislature regarding pending legislation. This statement is a reprint of her statement on Assembly Bill 383, which requires peace officers to be trained in the constitutional and lawful use of force.

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It’s been a little while since you’ve heard from me - the Legislative committees had a quiet period while legislation moved (or failed to) across the floors of both houses. This week, however, bills began to enter their opposite houses again - and I was able to continue our advocacy for or against a large number of bills. I was also interviewed on Talking Truth to Power with Jennifer Terhune and Brendan Trainor on Friday, April 28th - we had a great discussion about the Libertarian Party of Nevada’s work this Legislative Session, Donald Trump, North Korea, and a slew of other subjects. They’re interested in having me back on after the Session ends to get a final report from the LP, and I’ll be thrilled to join them.

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English version

Para distribución inmediata

LAS VEGAS (7 mayo 2017) - El Partido Libertario de Nevada se enorgullece en anunciar hoy el histórico lanzamiento del Partido Libertario Cubano - José Martí en La Habana. Tras la reciente persecución de los libertarios cubanos por parte del régimen Castrista, un grupo de activistas determinados en La Habana se unió en un partido político libertario llamado así por el padre fundador de Cuba, que murió en la guerra de independencia de España.

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Go to the Cuban LP blog

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPDATE (May 23, 3017) - Cuban Libertarian Party and Nevada Libertarian Party protest the night-time disappearance of Cuban LP spokesman Nelson Rodriguez Chartrand. Read more.

LAS VEGAS (May 7, 2017) - The Libertarian Party of Nevada is proud to announce today’s historic launch of the Cuban Libertarian Party - José Martí in Havana. Following the Castro regime’s recent persecution of Cuban libertarians, a determined group of activists in Havana banded together in a libertarian political party named after Cuba’s founding father, who died in Cuba’s war of independence from Spain.

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On behalf of the Mises Institute Cuba, the Libertarian Party of Nevada is pleased to announce the release of Eduardo Ramos Balaguer after a one-day detention.  Eduardo Ramos is a proud libertarian, a member of Mises Cuba, and a co-founder of the Benjamin Franklin Libertarian Library in Havana.  Ramos was arrested by officers of the National Revolutionary Police and State Security agents (the secret police) early in the morning.  The international libertarian community began protested against this arrest awithinh an hour, with many libertarians directly contacting various human rights watch groups and protesting to Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Relations.  Ramos and a 5th arrested libertarian [name not yet publicly disclosed] were released after a one-day detention.

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Following the U.S. Libertarian National Committee's denunciation of recent arrests, the Cuban regime has arrested another libertarian activist.  Eduardo Ramos is the fourth peaceful activist the Raul Castro regime has specifically targeted as a libertarian.  A photograph and a short, hasty press release from Mises Cuba says:

"We regret to report that one of the founders of the Benjamin Franklin Libertarian Library was arrested this morning by agents of the National Revolutionary Police and State Security agents [the Cuban secret police]. The libertarian they arrested was Eduardo Ramos Balaguer. He was seen by his companions last night when they visited the mother of Ubaldo Herrera, another libertarian detained [and still imprisoned] by the regime."

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

The Nevada Controller is the state’s Chief Fiscal Officer, and we take very seriously the duties of the office.

Among them are the responsibilities to ensure that all public funds are spent appropriately and within the bounds of existing legislation, bond covenants, grant restrictions, federal rules and other guidelines. We also design and monitor internal controls to prevent people from stealing or misusing taxpayer assets.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

We’ve striven all our lives to embrace positive change.

But we each do so in our own ways. Young Geoff has always been an early adopter of new technologies. Boomer Ron says he’s “a real Twentieth Century guy,” and prefers to see that new technologies are viable and enjoy widespread adoption before jumping on board.

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This is one of the statements submitted by Wendy Stolyarov, Legislative Director for the Libertarian Party of Nevada, to the Assembly. This statement expresses support for Assembly Bill 303.

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As you may remember from my last letter, things changed at the Legislature last week.The 79th Legislative Session has completed Round 1: April 14th was the bill deadline, and anything that didn’t get passed is now dead in the water. While some of our favorite bills died - like SB358, the ban on civil forfeiture, or AB237, the ban on capital punishment - our testimony and your support helped keep some other excellent pieces of legislation alive.

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It happens every paycheck I get. A big chunk of money is missing. Where does it go? To taxes. It is a common battle cry around the  Libertarian party, "Taxation is theft!" especially around tax time in April. But is it? Is taxation theft? Are taxes necessary? Let's examine this idea for a second...

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"There's three ways to do things: The right way, the wrong way, and the Max Power way."
"Isn't that the wrong way?"
"Yeah, but faster!"
- Homer J. Simpson and Bart Simpson in Homer to the Max (see clip)

So your state or county affiliate is overrun with people you don't like very much. Perhaps there's someone showing up to your events that periodically threatens to hospitalize people, openly supports eugenics (but not using the state, so that's, like, totally okay, right?), hides behind pregnant women, serves as a guest on openly anti-Semitic podcasts not once but twice, calls everyone that disagrees with him "communists", and "declares hostility against the Libertarian Party" - among other things. Maybe this person brings friends. Maybe you don't like these friends very much and openly say as much. Maybe they don't like that so much and persist in showing up to your events.

What do you do?

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LP Nevada Executive Committee resolves fascists aren't welcome to run for office, show up to LP Nevada events.

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Though my time at the Legislature was cut short last week due to a family bereavement, the Libertarian Party of Nevada still managed to testify or otherwise comment on many important bills.

Before I tell you what we were busy with this week, though, you should know what’s coming up! To share your opinion on any of these bills with the legislators and committees reviewing them, go here and type in the relevant bill number. It’ll send your message directly to the sponsors and co-sponsors. As some bills have more than ten sponsors, this is a great time-saver.

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This was originally posted on Vice-Chairman David Colborne's Facebook wall.

It has come to my attention that there is a bit of confusion regarding my feelings surrounding the deservedly failed senatorial candidate that calls himself "Augustus Sol Invictus" and surrounding what I think the appropriate measures are to deal with him and his allies. Given my sense of humor, that is not surprising, so I'd like to take a moment to speak frankly about him, the danger he is to the Libertarian Party and the State of Florida, and what responses should be taken to eliminate that danger.

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Instituto Mises Cuba
Biblioteca Libertaria "Benjamín Franklin"

Para distribución inmediata:

En el día de ayer, 5 de abril, aproximadamente a las 12:30 pm, dos agentes de la Seguridad del Estado se personaron en la vivienda de los activistas y esposos libertarios, Heriberto Pons Ruiz y Caridad Ramírez Utria, la cual se constituye en la Sede de la Biblioteca Libertaria "Benjamín Franklin", en busca de Heriberto Pons.

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Mises Institute Cuba
Benjamin Franklin Libertarian Library

For immediate distribution:

Yesterday, April 5, at approximately 12:30pm, two State Security agents were came to the home of libertarian activists and spouses, Heriberto Pons Ruiz and Caridad Ramírez Utria, looking for Heriberto.  The home doubles as Headquarters for the Benjamin Franklin Libertarian Library.

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On March 13, the Storey County Clerk announced that a Special Recall Election will be held on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, for the purpose of a Recall Election of Gerald Antinoro, Storey County Sheriff. Given the strong support enjoyed by the Libertarian Party and its message of limited government in Storey County, as expressed both through higher than average voter registration numbers and higher than average support for Libertarian Party presidential candidates, we feel it is appropriate to make a public statement regarding this special recall election.

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Ubaldo Herrera Hernandez and Manuel Velazquez Visea have lit some huge brush fires of liberty in the short time since their arrest by State Security and incarceration in the Cuban Gulag.  After 10 Libertarian state parties in the United States, as well as the Libertarian parties of Spain and Russia, condemned the action and called for the release of Herrera and Velazquez, the U.S. (national) Libertarian Party published the following:

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International support keeps growing for the now-famous Cuban libertarian prisoners, Ubaldo Herrera and Manuel Velazquez.  In recent demonstrations of support for the prisoners and opposition to the regime that sent them to Melena del Sur, the Cuban Gulag, libertarians in Colorado, Guatemala, and Chile took a public stand against the Castro regime's oppression of libertarians associated with Mises Cuba and the Benjamin Franklin Libertarian Library in Havana.  The parties involved are the Libertarian Party of Colorado, a libertarian talk radio celebrity in Guatemala City, and independent libertarians in Santiago, Chile.

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At the end of this week, we’ll be halfway through the 2017 Legislative Session! We’re also coming up on April 14th, the deadline for new bills. And good thing, too - these politicians are churning out legislation like their lives depend on it! We testified or sent in statements on sixteen different pieces of legislation this week. That’s a new high score!

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In 2015, at the Libertarian Party of Nevada Convention, I submitted a resolution to the floor stating, basically, that the LPNevada would work with ANY group that aligned with our philosophy of individual liberty and less government, while also stating that we would oppose ANY group that was working against our philosophy of individual liberty and less government, regardless of whether it was the same group on two different issues.

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We teach our children key lessons to prepare them for life.  So, recently, Ron explained to daughter Karyn another episode of: How the World Works.

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You’re reading this because you wanted to know how to encrypt your traffic for one reason or another. This guide is most useful for persons looking to hide their activity from an ISP in response to the recently passed legislation allowing your ISP to monitor, record, and sell your user data without permission. It also may be useful for people who are working actively to oppose persons in power, or people trying to protect their data from snooping cyber-criminals or governments.

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Things are heating up at the Nevada Legislature, and the Libertarian Party of Nevada is bringing you a front-row seat to the political pyre. We testified or sent in statements on ten different pieces of legislation this week - talk about busy!

Before I tell you what we were busy with this week, though, you should know what’s coming up! To share your opinion on any of these bills with the legislators and committees reviewing them, go here and type in the relevant bill number. It’ll send your message directly to the sponsors and co-sponsors. As some bills have more than ten sponsors, this is a great time-saver.

The biggest bills hitting the Legislature this week are…

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Each year as spring arrives, we watch life renew itself and are reminded of the path of history, the evolution of mankind and our role in the universe.

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Lawyer Nelson Rodriguez Chartrand (center) supervises some updates for the Benjamin Franklin Libertarian Library

BREAKING NEWS!  A third Cuban libertarian activist was arrested by State Security, the political police in Cuba.  Yesterday the Benjamin Franklin Libertarian Library, a functional library run by libertarian volunteers, held its first conference yesterday in Havana.  Three days before the conference, last Tuesday, State Security threatened every member of the Benjamin Franklin Libertarian Library, and also threatened every member of Mises Cuba and known libertarians, not to attend this conference.  Discussion of free markets and limited governments are a direct threat to the Castro's neo-Stalinist regime.

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I was out of town this week, but the Session didn’t stop - so neither did I. The Libertarian Party of Nevada still sent in statements on six pieces of legislation, many of which I mentioned to you in my last letter.

Before I tell you what we were busy with this week, though, you should know what’s coming up! To share your opinion on any of these bills with the legislators and committees reviewing them, go here and type in the relevant bill number. It’ll send your message directly to the sponsors and co-sponsors. As some bills have more than ten sponsors, this is a great time-saver.

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Libertarian activists Manuel Velazquez (left) and Ubaldo Herrera (right) before their arrest

The campaign to raise awareness of two Cuban libertarian activists thrown in the Gulag just took a turn for the better.  The world is hearing the cries of the victims' families!  Mises Cuba and the incarcerated Cuban libertarian activists were mentioned recently in a Forbes article.  The issue was also explored in greater detail by celebrity talk show host and libertarian activist Gloria Alvarez.  This follows multiple U.S. Libertarian state parties being joined by the Libertarian Party of Spain and the Libertarian Party of Russia in condemning the incarceration of Ubaldo Herrera Hernandez and Manuel Velazquez Visea, and calling for their immediate release.

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This is the final column in a series presenting findings and conclusions of Nevada’s 2016 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), posted at controller.nv.gov.  Here, we present policy recommendations based on our analysis of issues in the PAFR.

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The Mexican Revolution is likely the most important chain of events in the history of Mexico, perhaps more so than Mexico’s war of independence.  Its crowning achievement is the 1917 Constitution, still in effect today.  One of the leading attributes of the Mexican Revolution is the rise of citizen armies, what U.S. legal tradition recognizes as the ‘unorganized militia’ of able-bodied armed men organizing into military units.  Though the grievances, politics, motives, and goals of the different revolutionary factions and leaders differed, there’s much about the Revolution to be seen from a libertarian point of view.

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The 79th Session is starting to warm up. This week, the Libertarian Party worked on a whopping eight bills.

Before I tell you what we were busy with this week, though, you should know what’s coming up! To share your opinion on any of these bills with the legislators and committees reviewing them, go here and type in the relevant bill number. It’ll send your message directly to the sponsors and co-sponsors. As some bills have more than ten sponsors, this is a great time-saver. 

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Our Founders and the classical liberal intellectuals they followed got the basics of government right and thus launched two centuries of freedom and opportunity leading to hope, unprecedented economic growth and astounding human flourishing and wellbeing.

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This is the eighth column in a series presenting findings and conclusions of Nevada’s 2016 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), posted at controller.nv.gov.  Here, we address critical problems facing economic growth in Nevada.

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Two Cuban libertarian activists, Ubaldo Herrera Hernandez and Manuel Velazquez Visea were arrested on February 2, 2017 by Cuba's political police.  The two activists were convicted of attempted assault and facing new charges for distribution of "enemy propaganda."  This "enemy propaganda" was in fact the writings of Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, and other laissez-faire economists and philosophers--all of which threatens the Castro regime and Communist Party's grip on the island nation.  Herrera and Velazquez are both imprisoned in the Melena II labor prison, Cuba's equivalent of the Soviet Union's Gulag.  

The Libertarian Party of Nevada issued a press release on February 9 condemning the Cuban government and the Communist Party of Cuba, and demanding the immediate release of Herrera and Velazquez.  Shortly after, this became a movement.  The Libertarian state parties of New Hampshire and Oklahoma jumped on board, also calling for the release of Herrera and Velazquez.  We were then joined by LP Indiana, LP New Mexico, and the Libertarian Party of Spain.  In the last week LP Florida and LP North Carolina have joined the international movement to free these libertarian political prisoners.

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The Libertarian Party of Russia has joined the international movement of dedicated libertarians calling for the freedom of jailed activists.  Ubaldo Herrera Hernandez and Manuel Velazquez Visea were arrested February 2, 2017 by State Security.  The Cuban libertarians are interned at the prison Melena II, part of Cuba's Gulag-style labor prison system.  The Libertarian Party of Russia published the following statement:

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It would be grossly unfair for PPACA to impose new benefits and limits on Americans without also attempting to cope with what has become an excessive cost for Medicare.

Over the years, Medicare’s share of our population has grown, as has the number of years each beneficiary is expected to live. Of the original 1900 cohort, 45% had survived to age 65. Those that did enjoyed a life expectancy of about 12 years for men, and 15 for women. 65% of 1950’s cohort, the current one, is expected to reach age 65 this year with life expectancies of about 18 years for men, and 20 years for women. New and improved expensive medical treatments contribute their share of expense. Even with deep discounts of provider bills by the original fee-for-service Medicare, costs wildly exceed premiums collected—1.45% of income to $200,000, then 2.35% on any excess.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

This is the seventh column in a series presenting findings and conclusions of Nevada’s 2016 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), posted at controller.nv.gov. Here, we address the Nevada Public Employee Retirement System (PERS).

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This afternoon, the Libertarian Party of Nevada stood with the ACLU and TAGNevada in support of SB110, a bill that will exempt trans individuals from the legal requirement to publish notice of a name change in a newspaper for three weeks. This requirement poses not only a handout to crony capitalist newspapers, but also a violation of the privacy of trans people who may be outed by the requirement - or targeted with harassment or violence if listed publicly. SB110 removes a privacy-destroying bureaucratic requirement for trans people, and the LP looks forward to supporting it as it moves through the legislature.

Below is the statement I read at this afternoon's hearing:

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After days of anxious waiting, Libertarians around the world finally have updated news on two imprisoned Cuban libertarian activists.  Ubaldo Herrera Hernandez and Manuel Velazquez Visea were arrested by State Security (Cuba's secret police) on February 2 and detained in a jail in Mayabeque province.  They were being charged with attempted assault, but Mises Institute Cuba's libertarians are unanimous in asserting that both men were targeted for "dissident activism."  As of today, our sources on the ground in Cuba confirm that both men were indeed convicted on falsified charges, are in a labor prison, and now face additional criminal charges.

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Obamacare’s notion of equal entitlement, and its mandate to purchase coverage follow from its misinterpretation of basic premises of our Declaration of Independence. The first of these is that all men are created equal. That is the wording in The Declaration, but surely its writers knew differences exist among men and between men and women and among women. They assumed, I have a feeling, that given the document was political in nature, its remark about all men being created equal should be understood as “created equal in the eyes of the law.”

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

This is the sixth column in a series presenting findings and conclusions of Nevada’s 2016 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), posted at controller.nv.gov. Here, we address the economic outlook.

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Nevada, like many states, is blessed with a part-time citizen legislature. Because it only meets for 120 days every two years, however, the legislature has to pack a lot of work into very little time, which means they need people like you and me to let them know what bills are worth passing and which bills need to die quickly.

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The civil rights and human rights case regarding the two jailed Cuban libertarian activists just took a dark turn.  As of this afternoon, Mises Cuba reports that Ubaldo Herrera Hernandez and Manuel Velazquez Visea are incarcerated in Cuba's infamous Melena II prison.  Various human rights groups have documented conditions at Melena II, and it's Cuba's equivalent of the Gulag in Soviet Russia and the labor camps in North Korea.  

Five Libertarian state parties (Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Indiana, and New Mexico) and the Libertarian Party of Spain (P-LIB) have already published denunciations of the Cuban government and the Communist Party of Cuba, and these parties are calling for the immediate and safe release of the political prisoners.

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The Libertarian Party of Indiana has joined the international movement to free the jailed Cuban libertarian activists, Ubaldo Herrera Hernandez and Manuel Velazquez Visea.  According to Mises Cuba founder Joisy Garcia, both men were targeted by State Security for their "dissident activities" of meeting to discuss limited government, free markets, and libertarian theory, all of which are a threat to Raul Castro's authoritarian regime.  They've been detained since February 2 on false charges of attempted assault.  LP Indiana joins LP Nevada, LP New Hampshire, LP Oklahoma, and the Libertarian Party of Spain (P-LIB) in the movement to call out the Cuban government and demand the immediate release of the jailed libertarian activists.

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The Libertarian Party of Oklahoma (LPOK) joined the Libertarian Parties of Nevada (LPN), New Hampshire (LPNH), and Spain (P-LIB) in speaking out on behalf of jailed Cuban libertarian activists.  LP Oklahoma, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Spain have condemned the Cuban government and Communist Party of Cuba for the arrest and detention of Ubaldo Herrera Hernandez and Manuel Velazquez Visea.  LPN, LPNH, LPOK, and P-LIB demand the immediate and safe release of Herrera and Velazquez.

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The Libertarian Party of Spain has joined the Libertarian Parties of Nevada and New Hampshire in condemning the Cuban government for the arrest and unlawful detention of two libertarian activists.  In a Spanish-language news release, the Spanish Libertarians announced:

The Libertarian Party of Spain (P-LIB) strongly condemns the arbitrary imprisonment of two Cuban libertarian activists, Ubaldo Herrera Hernández and Manuel Velasquez Visea, perpetrated several days ago by the island's brutal communist regime, and demands its immediate release.

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Obamacare asserts that each and everyone of us is entitled to equal and comprehensive healthcare.  Delivering on this promise is another matter.  Although PPACA is demanding about what treatment is to be a covered charge—annual exams, routine maternity, mental health, and so on, it is less so about how and where benefits are to be paid.  Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield offers a good example of what this means for individuals and families.

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This weekend, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire issued the following statement on their website:

The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire answers the call from the Libertarian Party of Nevada in the condemnation of the Cuban government for arresting libertarian activists. LPNH Chair Darryl W. Perry stated “I’d like to thank LP Nevada for taking the lead on this issue, and encouraging other state LP affiliates to join in on the condemnation of the Cuban government’s arrest of two libertarian activists and in calling for their immediate release.”

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

This is the fifth column in a series presenting findings and conclusions of Nevada’s 2016 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), posted at controller.nv.gov. Last time, we discussed state spending and revenue trends in K-12 education. Here, we address key policy issues.

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Vea la copia oficial aquí. 

Para distribución inmediata

Las Vegas, Nevada (10/2/2017) - El Partido Libertario de Nevada condena el arresto y detención de dos activistas libertarios por parte del gobierno cubano, y exige su liberación inmediata. Ubaldo Herrera Hernández y Manuel Velasquez fueron arrestados el 2 de febrero por policías secretos, agentes encubiertos de la Seguridad del Estado vestidos de civiles. Ambos activistas siguen detenidos bajo acusaciones falsas de "ataque".

Mises Cuba, la rama independiente cubana del Instituto Ludwig von Mises, confirmó que siguen detenidos. El PL de Nevada afirma que Herrera y Velasquez fueron elegidos específicamente por su activismo pacífico, promoviendo un gobierno limitado y mercados libres. Son presos políticos cuyas acciones no han dañado a nadie ni han dañado ninguna propiedad, y deben ser liberados inmediatamente.

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See official copy here.

For immediate release...

Las Vegas, Nevada (10 February 2017) – The Libertarian Party of Nevada condemns the Cuban government’s arrest of two libertarian activists and calls for their immediate release. Ubaldo Herrera Hernandez and Manuel Velasquez Visea were arrested 2 February 2017 by plainclothes secret policemen.  Both activists are still detained on trumped up charges.

Mises Cuba, the independent Cuban think tank based on Auburn, Alabama’s Ludwig von Mises Institute, confirmed their ongoing detention.  Both men were specifically targeted for their peaceful activism promoting limited government and free markets. They are political prisoners whose actions have harmed no one and damaged no property.

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Obamacare, the 2,409 page Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 was written and passed with the claim that it would correct an inefficient and unfair market for health care, one for which government itself shares the blame.  The Act would force insurers to issue full and comprehensive coverage to all applicants at an affordable price regardless of their state of health, and deny them the right to impose any limits on pre-existing conditions.  It would also fix problems with Medicare where even with drastically reduced doctor and hospital payments, Medicare costs continue to run beyond bounds.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

This is the fourth column in a series presenting the findings and conclusions of Nevada’s 2016 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), posted at controller.nv.gov. Here, we address K-12 education.

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Milo Yiannopoulos is surrounded by controversy.  The dramatic episode of Milo Yiannopoulos's canceled speech and leftist riots on campus and in the streets of Berkeley has been a drama of confusion. The most widespread images include the black-clad anarcho-communists, waving their black flags as windows are broken, bonfires ignite, and they face off against the police. Here are the facts about what Milo Yiannopoulos has said, done, and planned to do.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

This is the third column in a series presenting the findings and conclusions of Nevada’s 2016 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), posted at controller.nv.gov. Here, we address health and social services.

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Opposing open borders in favor of strict border control, especially by means of the state, is antithetical to liberty. War is the health of the state, but the same can be said about strict border control, which requires the militarization of borders. If war is the health of the state, then militarized borders are also the health of the state. It takes a large, strong state to significantly and effectively shut down an international border.

Confused Trump-supporting libertarians are increasingly abandoning their laissez-faire and anarchist principles to rally around their standard-bearer and his red ball cap, ever ready to be cheerleaders for border security and militarization becoming the health of the state. Many of them love making the claim that open borders are a communist concept (referring to humanistic Marxism, rather than Marxist-Leninism). However, a simple study of history (read: reality, not political theory) will reveal that strict border controls is a virtue taken directly from the playbook of Marxist-Leninist and outright Stalinist regimes.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

Recently, we’ve discussed overall state spending and revenues, and in coming weeks we’ll review the spending and performance in major areas such as education and health and social services.  So, it’s timely and appropriate to answer the question: How has the controller’s office done at managing its own spending and delivering services to Nevadans?

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

This is the second column in a series presenting the findings and conclusions of Nevada’s 2016 Popular Annual Financial Report. Here, we address state revenues.

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This was originally published in a heavily edited, toned down version by Liberty Hangout.  LP Nevada gives you this uncensored editorial in all its Libertarian glory.

One of the top reasons some libertarians support Donald Trump is because his very existence and daily life is an attack on political correctness and the PC culture that seems to dictate policy these days. In other words… the liberals were mean and they need Donny to make the environment safer for them.  That’s nice, but as John Wayne the Duke said, “Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway.” 

To be fair, I really like Trump’s twitter page—it’s beyond entertaining.  However, it’s just not complete without Mark Hamill doing those Joker voices.  I understand how PC culture bothers people on a deep level, but no one should need a rude demagogue to protect them from the PC atmosphere.  They ought to hop on their computer right now and start writing criticisms of the PC culture!  Saddle up already, cowboys!  Quit asking for permission! (Just don’t use popular alt-right lingo like ‘beta’, ‘cuck’, and other words that sound like they were plagiarized from a school shooter’s manifesto.)

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

This column is the first in a series presenting the findings and conclusions of Nevada’s 2016 Popular Annual Financial Report, which we wrote and issued as part of the Controller’s office normal activities and duties. Here, we address state spending.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

As 2016 winds up, we reflect on the homages we paid to great professionals and human beings we’ve long admired as they graciously ended their illustrious careers. They included Vin Scully, Tim Duncan and Charles Osgood. We’ll deeply miss the mastery and character with which they executed their crafts and enriched our lives.

Today, we add Thomas Sowell.

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Exactly 5 years ago I stepped on an airplane at Des Moines International Airport, having spent the last two weeks working my tail off for the Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign.  The Iowa Caucuses were a glorious time.  Ron Paul was the GOP front-runner before Fox News manufactured Rick Santorum's narrow victory.  That was realistically the closest the liberty movement has been to taking the White House and rolling back the federal government through the executive route.  We didn't make it, but I only regret that I couldn't do more.  I never thought I'd see the day when people in the movement openly criticize Ron Paul as un-libertarian (it would have absolutely been heard of 5 years ago).  Nonetheless, here's the truth about the recent snippy exchange between Ron Paul and LNC Chair Nick Sarwark:

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I'll freely admit to creeping on Lauren Southern's twitter profile on a weekly basis.  She shared something today that's important and an item for clarification: the concept of 'clovergender.'  (By the way, Lauren, I must confess: your beauty, your wit, your take-no-prisoners style, and your passionate hold on your principles make you ridiculously attractive in my eyes.  I'm madly in love with you [some days], but I've gotta admit that trolling liberals and telling them you identify as an attack helicopter is a total dick move.  It's not nice to knowingly mess with the mentally ill, period.  You're a role model for millions and you're better than that.)  

In the last 2 days a definition of "Clovergender" has gone viral, with a number of social media accounts and amateur blogs nobody cares about going absolutely bananas over this.  Clovergender or 'kindergender' supposedly applies to adults who never mentally develop beyond the age of 13 and believe they're permanent children or preteens trapped in an adult's body.  Hence, they have romantic feelings or sexual attraction to kids and preteens.  Sounds like a major red flag!

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*** NEWS RELEASE ***

** Libertarian Party of Nevada announces 2017 State Convention **

January 21st, 2017 at the Opportunity Village: Oakey Campus in Las Vegas, NV area; credentialing starts at 9 am and the call to order is 12 pm.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

Long ago, most people had to work nearly all their lives because very few folks could accumulate enough resources to support their families without working an occupation.

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By Ron Knecht and Geoffrey Lawrence

We are humanists and, so, optimists.

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