Friday, March 31, 2017

LCI Exclusive: Voluntaryist Comic creator, Jamie Sherman covers the future of the series

Voluntaryist Origins
You can catch our previous interview with Jamie Sherman from March 16, 2016, hereThe interviewee, Jamie Sherman, the creator of Voluntaryist.  This comic series focuses on the battle for liberty and self governance/independence. You can contact the self proclaimed "Number 1 Libertarian comic universe in print" at his webpage.

DM:  LCI once again gets to chat with the man behind the hit comic "Voluntaryist," Jamie Sherman. Thanks for being with us, again. For those who may be hearing about this unique comic for the first time, give the readers a quick rundown on our main superhero.

JS:  “Voluntaryist” is the tale of a superhuman hero who finds himself pitted against the government as the government tries to enslave humanity once and for all.  He is a young man with extraordinary powers created through a chance encounter with cosmic radiation. His personal mission is to rescue his parents from government agents, but that objective is often frustrated with the likes of giant monsters, super-villains, and even the U.S. armed forces.

The story is centered around a young man named Jack Lloyd who is, in disguise, Voluntaryist. The series begins when Jack graduates from undergrad with a degree in mechanical engineering. He is a smart guy, but worked hard to get through school. His parents live on a farm and raise organic foods which they sell to local markets. Jack comes home after college to help his family for a short time so his father can recover from a hip surgery.

During the time home, Jack’s father and mother battle an eminent domain issue. The local government tries to take the family farm to use for economic development and possibly as a source for new fuel extraction. Jack’s father does not like government generally, and this is seen as leaving hints of impressions upon his son. Jack’s father refuses to sell the land and the government prepares to remove the Lloyd family with a court order.



DM: There's a huge new campaign going at indiegogo. What's the story with what is happening and what you expect? How are others able to get involved?

JS:  This Indiegogo is focused on telling the origins story of how Jack comes to be Voluntaryist. We are hoping to complete the full graphic novel so that we have a canon foundation for the rest of the series, one that we can showcase at conventions and use as a film storyboard. If fully-funded, we will produce a 50-page comic. You can get involved with the project with a perk support option at the Indiegogo campaign website. We have lots of cool options from action figures to supersuits. Every dollar helps us get closer to goal, and a completed comic is one that can be purchased later on-demand. (link: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/voluntaryist-origins#/)


DM:  For the record, I am a fan of the series and look forward to seeing this backstory. For those reading, if you have not picked up one of these issues yet, you will not regret it. If you are a fan of comics, Liberty, science fiction, you're going to have a good time. Correct me if I'm wrong, it's been a couple years since your first issue? How satisfied are you with the growth and the fanbase of the series?

JS:  I've been amazed at how much the comic notoriety and fan-base has grown. When I began, it was tailored to a very small segment of the population. There we're too many people who were both hardcore libertarians and comic book fans. I've been fortunate that both the interest in comic nerddom and libertarianism has exponentially risen since 2012. I went from a few hundred "Likes" on Facebook to over 5,000 on my comic series.


DM:  Would you be able to give us a sneak peak on any details coming in the near future after origins?

JS:  After origins, I intend to work on the intends dues chronologically. I will be writing stories and releasing them to build interest like I did with the origins script. I will also be seeking out avenues for an animated film.


DM:  Very exciting, especially with the animated film.  We had discussed that in previous interviews, and great to see things coming along to get to this point.  Next thing we know, there will be a movie script and deal made.  Not trying to rush things, but aim high!  Thanks again for spending time with us here at LCI.  Last words for our readers?

JS:  If you have talents, share them for liberty! We need more creative people who are passionate about liberty breaking into the mainstream culture whether it's comics, music, movies, or crocheting - true talent sticks out!


This contribution is from Seattle-based independent journalist, David Malekar, Editor in Chief for the Liberty Chronicle Independent; and publishes content to other online publications.

Thursday, March 30, 2017

James Blair (L): Yelm, WA City Council candidate talks Public Safety and Empowering Local Community

James Blair, Yelm, WA City Council Position 7 candidate
James Blair, Yelm, WA City Council Position 7 candidate


James Blair of Yelm, Washington is running for City Council, Position 7.  You can follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jamesblairlpwa and find out even more information on the website at www.jamescblair.com.

DM:  Welcome to the 2017 campaign season, James; and thanks for speaking with the LCI about your City Council run for this year. What are your plans to do in your city as Councilman?

JB:  Thank you, David. I am excited for this election cycle, and I appreciate you reaching out for this interview. My plan as a City Councilman will be to provide a voice that is missing in today's politics. I believe we need to simplify Government to focus on the original intent. To protect Life, Liberty, and Property. Public safety and creating a prosperous community needs to be our #1 priorities.


DM:  What is the number one thing your community needs attention to, that you would see addressed as Councilman?

JB:  I have two major issues that I see equally important Making public safety a top priority for one. We just do not have the manpower in our Police Dept to effectively ensure protection of the community. I want to work towards prioritizing funds to ensure we have a minimum of two Officers on duty at all times. We still have times when only one Officer is on duty. This is unacceptable, especially given that this is not a new issue. It is unsafe for the public and for the Officer. At the same time, we need to find ways to make doing business in Yelm more attractive to both businesses and consumers alike. I want to work with the Community, Mayor, and fellow Council members to find ways to foster a welcoming business environment. One which will bring a variety of commerce and industry that will provide quality jobs and promote a thriving economy in our City.


DM:  What long term changes would you like to see occur with your fellow Council?

JB:  The biggest changes I would like to see is making Yelm more attractive to business. Yelm is a fast growing community, and still retains the small town feel. That is something unique to Yelm, and something we should hold on to. However, we need to bring quality jobs to Yelm. We need to attract manufacturing, logistics, and other industries. Part of that is to complete the Yelm bypass loop. With completion of the bypass, we can help to bring in those businesses.


DM:  Having more industries and jobs available in smaller towns provides a safety net for local citizens. Along those lines, any plans on encouraging trade schools to open up within city limits? Other thoughts on local school improvement?

JB:  Absolutely, bringing quality jobs to small towns would benefit everyone. Many people would rather work close to home than commuting long distances. I think a local trade school would be a fantastic idea! It's definitely something I would be interested in starting the conversation about. In conversations about our local schools, the biggest issues that have been brought up are over-crowding and safety concerns. I intend to learn more about these concerns and work to find solutions.


DM:  You've covered a lot of information regarding local changes and improvements. Any plans on further helping empower local nonprofits and charities that currently may be burdened by local restrictions? Are there any regulations you can think of that are affecting them?

JB:  Local non-profits and charities are where the real work is done. No government program will ever be able to efficiently provide the assistance that comes from these organizations. I will always do everything in my power to help them. I will be a strong opponent to any regulations that burden non-profits and charities from performing their operations.


DM:  What is your website and other social media pages that readers should be aware of and information on volunteering/donating for your campaign?

JB:  www.jamescblair.com
There is a link to my Facebook Page from the website.


DM:  Thank you for answering our questions during your busy campaign run, James. What closing thoughts would you like to leave with everyone reading?

JB:  My interest in politics came from witnessing the division in America through the 2016 election. I saw that same division in our local government in Yelm. We need people that are able to work with others in order to make things happen in the best interests of of the people in our town. I will be that person.

James Blair, Yelm, Washington City Council Position 7 candidate
James Blair, Yelm, Washington City Council Position 7 candidate

This contribution is from Seattle-based independent journalist, David Malekar, Editor in Chief for the Liberty Chronicle Independent; who publishes content to the WashCo Chronicle and other online publications.

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Libertarian Party of King County, WA Chapter Convention Launch 3.18.2017 (Including Interview with LPWA Chair candidate, Randy McGlenn)

Libertarian Party of King County holds it's first convention of 2017
Libertarian Party of King County holds it's first convention of 2017


LCI Exclusive Interview with Randy McGlenn, candidate for 2017 LPWA Chair

 

*Editor Note* Thanks to Randy for talking with us after the convention for a quick interview on what LPWA Chair means to him and goals for 2017

 


Minutes Credits: Alex Love is an independent journalist from Lynnwood, WA / Phoenix, AZ. He is a community servant and activist who also runs a non profit called Love 4 Liberty.
 
Video Credits: This contribution is from Seattle-based independent journalist, David Malekar, Editor in Chief for the Liberty Chronicle Independent; and publishes content to other online publications.

 

Libertarian Party of King County, WA First Convention 3.18.2018 - Introduction about LPKC by Michelle Darnell 1 of 11
(13 Minutes 29 Seconds)

 

History was made in King County Washington, Saturday March 18th. The Libertarian party of King County held its first convention, ratified its by-laws and elected its first official board. Acting chair, Michelle Darnell, opened the meeting with “Tell us why you are here today!” James Sherman responded “Taxes!” Someone else yelled “second!” Adam Owen responded “15 dollar minimum wage in Seattle, 13 in WA state!” David Malekar “Identity politics have run amuck and everyone gets offended by the truth.” Jeff Jared “I’m worried about King county and Seattle in particular. I am seeing a fu-fufication of Seattle. It’s like San Francisco; too expensive to live there. It’s becoming elite because of progressive tax policy of the left.” Michelle Darnell added “On the top of my list is the homelessness problem, increasing rents, poverty, rapidly increasing taxation, regulations, injustice in courts, and the fact our leaders seem out of touch, touting “mo money mo money!” Michelle went on to discuss the values statement of the LPKC, and what is meant by the Love, Logic and Liberty slogan. She said “One of the things I hear when talking to people in the community is that “Libertarians don’t have any compassion.” “People think we just want people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and dismantle the safety net.” “This is not true. Capitalism has brought more people out of poverty than any government program it IS the compassionate solution.” Libertarians have a lot of talent and sophisticated ideas but we must reach hearts to change minds. Freedom empowers while excessive taxation and regulation is binding. The LPKC also seeks to build bridges with all people who share our values even people from other parties. We are stronger united. Love. Logic. LIBERTY

 

 

LPKC, WA First Convention 3.18.2018 - Kirkland City Councilman, Toby Nixon 2 of 11
(39 minutes 33 seconds)

 

Lifetime LP member, Ran as state representative in Georgia in 1990 received 6.9 percent in a 3 way race. Appointed to fill a legislative vacancy in 2001.  Elected as a fire district commissioner in district 41. 2011 elected to Kirkland city council and reelected without opposition in 2015. First got into politics in Jr High school. Got into “party politics” in 1980. Wanted to be involved in some way. Petitioned to get John Anderson on ballot in Florida. First Libertarian legislative candidates to run TV ads. He talks about his experiences with running for various offices, taking out unnecessary government departments, and how to run an effective campaign.

 


 

LPKC, WA First Convention 3.18.2018 - James Passey, Seattle City Council, Position 8 candidate 3 of 11
(57 seconds)

 

Need 400 signatures and $10 from each signee to be qualified for Democracy Voucher. Explains why a Libertarian would take a Democracy Voucher.

 


 

LPKC, WA First Convention 3.18.2018 - Burien City Council Position 1 candidate, Charles Schaefer 4 of 11
(1 minute 11 seconds)

 

Attends City council meetings regularly. Big issue is city’s zoning regulations.

 


 

LPKC, WA First Convention 3.18.2018 - Seattle Mayor Candidate, Casey Carlisle 5 of 11
(1 Minute 42 Seconds)

 

He is asking for feedback from the community. Asking for donations to help campaign.

 


 

Libertarian Party of King County, WA First Convention 3.18.2018 - Amanda Carter 6 of 11
(2 Minutes 21 Seconds)

 

 What are we doing as a community, individuals or as a party?

 


 

LPKC, WA 1st Convention 3.18.2018 - Randy and Tiffany, Chair/Vice Chair candidates for LPWA 7 of 11


Talking about the “infighting” issue within the LP. Doesn’t happen in King or Kitsap Co LP's.

Tiffany talked about keeping moral high. They want to create a strong presence in WA state. Randy talks about positivity and success. 

 

LPKC, WA First Convention 3.18.2018 - LPWA Region 2 Associate Director of King County Endorses Randy for Chair and Tiffany for Vice Chair of LPWA 8 of 11
(18 Seconds)




LPKC, WA First Convention 3.18.2018 - Robert Parker Endorses Randy and Tiffany 9 of 11
(1 Minute 36 Seconds)





LPKC, WA First Convention 3.18.2018 - Hank Myers, Redmond City Councilman 10 of 11
(2 Minutes 37 Seconds)

 

Get involved in your city at a grassroots level. A little Q&A with Hank.

 

 

Libertarian Party of King County, WA First Convention 3.18.2018 - Closing Remarks with Michelle Darnell 11 of 11
(3 Minutes 28 Seconds)

 

There’s tons of work to do here! Talk to friends and neighbors to build the movement.

 


Elected officials from the convention are as follows:

LPKC Chair: Michelle Darnell
LPKC Vice Chair: Matt Durbin
LPKC Co-Chair: Billy Doyle
LPKC Outreach Director: Adam Owen
LPKC Political Director: David Johnson
LPKC Secretary: Bill Herman
LPKC Treasurer: Charles Schaefer
LPKC IT Director: Steven Hoag
LPKC Area Director 1: Alex Love
LPKC Area Director 2: Brendan Roman
LPKC Area Director 3: James Sherman

Friday, March 24, 2017

LCI Exclusive: Liberty Link Media Group's Nicholas Veser talks Libertarian Daily Headlines

Liberty Link Media Group's Nicholas Veser during a Being Libertarian, Daily Headline Segment
Liberty Link Media Group's Nicholas Veser during a Being Libertarian, Daily Headline Segment
DM: Liberty Link Media had taken the Libertarian movement by surprise in the last couple months. We have the privilege of talking with Nicholas Veser. Thank you for joining LCI to chat about LLM. Let's start with how it began and what idea came along to create this daily soundbite video production and news?

NV:  My wife and I have always been very liberty-minded, but last year we engaged more with the content we were seeing online during the Johnson campaign, and were disappointed with the packaging of the message. I realized that there was no production company out there who was strictly focused on propping the liberty movement up through the power of professional video content. We were also the victims of cronyism at a level we never thought possible before, which really made this more of a calling for both of us. With an 11 year career in TV/Media, I knew exactly what I was looking for when vetting DP's, writers, and editors. Therefore, I was able to get some solid people in place in several markets pretty quickly. After meeting my Senior Producer, Dustin Karrat, we decided it would be good idea to fulfill our desire to be a leading voice in activism while simultaneously bringing brand recognition to our company by creating short, and easily digestible headlines that not only appealed to libertarians, but also appealed to those people who were disenfranchised by the two major parties.


DM:  People are aware of the "Daily Headline" videos, but what other content do you produce and plans for upcoming new content?

NV:  Our headlines have seen some popularity, but our core competencies are on the production side of things. The "Choose Freedom" segment that we did for the Libertarian National Committee is a better example of our production work. We will be producing a segment covering the Mid-Atlantic Liberty Festival in connection with the LPPA state convention in the beginning of April, and have several other projects in the works. Some are for candidates, and some are for libertarian organizations. Additionally, we have partnered with Being Libertarian, and this is excellent news for our distribution channels allowing for some exciting content opportunities in the future.

LLMG's Video of "Choose Freedom"


DM:  What have you enjoyed the most so far with everything happening in LLM and what has been the worst thing?

NV:  It's good to have a message that we can get out to as many people as possible. Dustin and I are often split on the topics we discuss, but we are also the two people ultimately making the call on all content. When we started I don't think either one of us really expected anyone to care what we had to say so it's nice to see how many people do. Our recent partnership with Being Libertarian has also been an exciting step toward achieving our goals.

The down side is the lack of urgency we have seen from some in the freedom movement. There seems to be several forces pulling in many opposite directions and in some cases, priorities that do not match the urgent need to move our message to the forefront of the American political discussion. This only applies to some, certainly not everyone within the movement.
Liberty Link Media's Nicholas Veser with LP Vice Chair Arvin Vohra, LP Chair Nicholas Sarwark, and 2016 LP Presidential candidate Larry Sharpe
Liberty Link Media's Nicholas Veser with LP Vice Chair Arvin Vohra, LP Chair Nicholas Sarwark, and 2016 LP Presidential candidate Larry Sharpe

DM:  At this moment in our time line, there is a lot of in-fighting within the Libertarian Party that sees rises of factions in pragmatism, radical spectrum, far left and even far right ideologies. Personally, I think pragmatic Libertarians will be the ones who stay the course and will be the future and elected candidates of the party. Pragmatic as in inching the community towards the end goal of libertarianism with realistic approach rather than just hitting the "reset button." People have been conditioned to reject liberty over the last 100+ years in the United States and need to have their path laid out toward liberty rather than expecting them to accept personal responsibility overnight. What is your take on this and what do you see being the "victor" from this battle?

NV:  I look right past those who make the argument that we can go from society today to full libertarianism. Without some form of revolution, it's impossible. Who knows? There are several things that could happen, but I prefer to latch on to reality and understand that pragmatism is the only way we will ever be heard. Therefore, a pragmatic approach is the only possible victor. I also think libertarianism can be easily understood once it is applied to ones life. You can have very personal moral feelings about something, but not think the state should be legislating that moral decision. Once people truly embrace that it should lead to less infighting. As for my own view on infighting, I have no use for it. It doesn't move me, my company, or my ideals forward so I do not partake in it nor do I pay attention to it.

DM:  It's been great having you with us and we will need to follow up again after some time has passed. Closing out, what words would you like to leave with readers about the future of Liberty Link Media and any ways they can be involved to help or donate?

NV:  Thanks for having me. The only thing I would want people to be aware of is that we handle pretty much any type of production you can think of. From events, to political ads, to sizzle reels; we do it. If you are a company or organization in 2017 or even a political figure, and you aren't using video to promote your product, service, or brand then you have already lost. I hate to be so candid, but I prefer not to pull punches. Even if you need advice on how to go about getting done, email me at jnicholas@libertylinkmedia.com.

Liberty Link Media Group
Website: http://libertylinkmedia.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/libertylinkmedia/

This contribution is from Seattle-based independent journalist, David Malekar, Editor in Chief for the Liberty Chronicle Independent; and publishes content to other online publications.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

LCI's Anniversary, Year One - It's Only Just Begun

Liberty Chronicle Independent celebrates it's first anniversary, created on March 12, 2016
Liberty Chronicle Independent celebrates it's first anniversary, created on March 12, 2016

If you had told me 10 years ago that I would be an Editor of a news aggregator for Third-Parties, Liberty minded candidates/politicians and groups, I'd have told you that you were crazy.  Here we are though, 2017 and celebrating the first anniversary of LCI.  We have published over 80 articles filled with media releases by liberty candidates and interviews with them, from all over the world.

Snapshot of LCI during the the first week of launch
Snapshot of LCI during the the first week of launch
Press access to the action packed election year of 2016 with Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, and even sitting down and talking with Gary Johnson.  I was there for all of those, including the live-streamed breaking coverage of the 2016 Orlando, FL Libertarian National Convention that established us as a global news site across the world, getting viewership live from Germany, Russia and other major countries.

2016 Presidential candidate of Libertarian Party, Gary Johnson being interviewed by Liberty Chronicle Independent Editor in Chief, David Malekar
2016 Presidential candidate of Libertarian Party, Gary Johnson being interviewed by Liberty Chronicle Independent Editor in Chief, David Malekar
We preformed over 30 interviews with Liberty based candidates since LCI's inception and hope to double that, triple, quadruple and so on.  Personally, your Editor in Chief is based out of Seattle, Washington and is able to give locals to the area exclusive video interviews that set them apart in the running of 2016.  Great candidates such as 2016's Public Lands Commissioner runner, Steve McLaughlin and Attorney General candidate Joshua Trumbull, both for Washington state.  Other notable coverage from WA was exclusive Press Access with Milo Yiannopoulos where there was a shooting and I was not allowed to leave the building due to security concerns.  One of the videos from the event can be seen below where antifa protestors clashed with attendees and police.

You can watch all of the coverage here at the following link, including my full coverage of Milo's presentation from the exclusive Press area: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnWa6nC3vPW9bQ-DUuQ8ziO2l6o8Z8c4l

LCI had and still maintains many independent contributors and their articles, such as Ken Buckler (former E.I.C.) with articles that were featured on the front page of the Libertarian Party's website.  Articles by Chaplain Scott Scrimshaw who wrote amazing pieces during the Gary Johnson campaign.  A notable personal favorite of mine is the article about how everyone was (and still is) afraid of Hillary Clinton, from all sides of the political spectrum.  We were able to make impacts with local individuals such as Mike Lapointe who worked day and night towards community development and helping the homeless of Everett, WA and surrounding Greater Seattle area.  The Facebook page of Liberty Chronicle Independent saw major numbers for a starting site with some months hitting half a million combined views between the website, Twitter, and Facebook page.

Liberty Chronicle Independent Facebook page view stats
LCI saw impressive numbers for being new to the news scene during it's inception year

Just a few days ago at the time of this article's release, I was informed that LCI is now being used as a source on Wikipedia, citing the 2014 and hopefully 2018 Libertarian Governor candidate of Maryland, Shawn Quinn.

LCI is being sourced via Wikipedia
LCI is being sourced via Wikipedia, a place in history books forever.
What an incredible year.

So what lies ahead for LCI?  More, much more.  This is only the beginning.  The goal is to have independent contributors from every state, even from around the world.  The mainstream media is dying.  People are rejecting the old two party system.  Currently, Gen Z is growing up with Liberty as the idea of "counter-culture."  This is the future of media and news.  LCI's news ticker grabs information daily from across the world for Libertarian, Green and Constitution Party, New Right and much more liberty minded news.  The expansion of news coverage will only continue.

Liberty Chronicle Independent Editor in Chief, David Malekar covers Milo Yiannopoulos live at University of Washington via the Press Box
Liberty Chronicle Independent Editor in Chief, David Malekar covers Milo Yiannopoulos live at University of Washington via the Press Box - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePF78xrzSQY
If you are interested in getting a start into journalism and writing about Liberty, do not hesitate to contact us through the Facebook page.  Who knows?  You could be the next Milo Yiannopoulos or Tomi Lahren of the Independent news media?  Maybe even, just maybe, close the level of Editor of LCI prestige of David Malekar? Chuckling while typing that, you can achieve any level of greatness with effort.  As one of our regulars on LCI, Michelle Darnell would say, "be the change you wish to see."

This contribution is from Seattle-based independent journalist, David Malekar, Editor in Chief for the Liberty Chronicle Independent; and publishes content to other online publications.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

The Real Authoritarians vs Trump by Rosario Sicario

President Donald Trump

There has been a lot of hype about supposed Russian connections with the Trump campaign/administration. Any reasonable person can see there is a lot of smoke but no fire. The only solid “links” have been General Mike Flynn’s contacts with the Russian government, which was part of his job as national security adviser, and Paul Manafort, Trump’s convention manager, who helped Viktor Yanucovich’s campaign in Ukraine. In short, all of the supposed links between President Trump and Vladimir Putin are tenuous at best. Regardless, it doesn’t stop the Mainstream Media from pushing this fiction in what is clearly an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the 45th President by accusing him of being an authoritarian puppet of the Kremlin. Even though it’s fiction, it’s made strange bedfellows of the cucked #NeverTrump republicans and the bitter Democrats that still cannot come to terms with the real reasons that they lost the 2016 Presidential election.
There seems to be one theme that unites the #NeverTrump and Left in their opposition to the God Emperor, America’s LORD and Savior, the 45th President of the United States – Donald J. Trump. That theme is that Trump is an authoritarian. Yes, you read that right, our President is supposedly looking to singlehandedly destroy our Republic, decimate our institutions, and usher in a new era of mass oppression under his reign such as we haven’t seen since the 1930s.
What the fake news, mainstream media that gives voice to this absurd narrative fails to inform you about is that the US has already been living under an oppressive regime that has been eroding our liberties for years. Ever since FDR, our federal government’s bureaucracies have been growing like a malignant cancer. Our politicians have created department after department, passed law after law, and executive order after executive order that has encroached on our Constitutional Rights. This deep State regime allows the NSA to spy on us, the IRS to target us for contrary political beliefs, and even allows the TSA to molest us should we choose to board a flight.
If the definition of authoritarianism is:
of or relating to a governmental or political system, principle, or practice in which individual freedom is held as completely subordinate to the power or authority of the state, centered either in one person or a small group that is not constitutionally accountable to the people..”
Then how can we not acknowledge that we have been already living under that kind of system for decades? The truth is we have had an “authoritarian” government since Kennedy was assassinated – we’ve had a government controlled by the special interests of the military-industrial complex, Wall Street, and multinational corporate interests. Why? Because most of our US politicians, especially those that have served as POTUS, have been mere puppets of these interests. Indebted to them by their campaign contributions. Furthermore, none of those special interests groups are accountable to the American public. None. Not one.
Imagine the worst thing about President Trump that you possibly can but the one thing that is undeniable is that he is not controlled by these special interests. How do we know that? His FEC filings, most of his campaign contributions came from individual donations and out of his own pocket. We know that all of the special interests monies went to opposing, not supporting him. In light of this, it is easy to see why brainwashed individuals on the “left” taking in heavy doses of CNN, NY times inspired fake news could be lead to believe our that President is an authoritarian simply because he is taking bold lawful actions that our past Presidents have needed permission to do. He is wielding the authority of the executive branch in the way that he’s sees fit to make America Great Again. Not the way Bill Kristol and the neocons want, not the way the Left wants, not the way the special interests groups want, and that has to make a lot of those people very angry, so they’re lashing out. Let them eat cake.
True patriots like us don’t see Trump as a Mussolini or Hitler, albeit some of us like to use that trope to gaslight the Left, but in our heart of hearts we see our President as a champion of liberty and American exceptionalism. For years he has seen our Nation being ripped off while American workers got the short end of the stick in a Global economy. President Trump has seen how political correctness warped our culture by restraining free speech and expression, so he ran a very anti-PC campaign that galvanized the support of college-aged males that contributed to his massive electoral victory in critical swing States. Bottom line, Trump isn’t an authoritarian, but he will act with his executive authority unapologetically to make America safe, prosperous, wealthy and greater than ever before.
Rosario Sicario is an independent journalist from Washington.

All contributors to The Liberty Chronicle Independent are independent, volunteer contributors.

All content is property of its respective independent contributor. The Liberty Chronicle Independent and its Editor make no claims or endorsements regarding independently contributed content.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Former 2016 Oklahoma House of Rep. Libertarian candidate Erin Adams, talks 2017 Projects, Advice for Candidates and 2018 LNC

Erin Adams speaking before the 2016 Libertarian National Convention
Erin Adams speaking before the 2016 Libertarian National Convention

DM:  LCI is welcoming back Erin Adams, former candidate for House of Representatives of Oklahoma in 2016.  Erin, it's a pleasure to speak with you again.  How did the ending run of your campaign trail turn out?  What was the support and feedback like from voters?

EA:  Thanks so much for having me back! I was blessed with an incredible campaign team and because of their help, in my three way race, I pulled in 5.7% of the vote. We achieved that with less than 4k in a district with 14 registered libertarians.


DM:  It was a great effort in a very tough race.  Many do not understand the amount of financing that goes into running a campaign and to get such results on a small budget is positive news.  What do you feel could have changed the outcome to a higher number in your area?  Advice that you can both use yourself for future runs and other Liberty candidates?

EA:  I think that part of the equation was that Libertarians had just received ballot access, We went 16 years without it, so there were many people who had no Idea what we were about. I hope to see higher numbers here for our candidates moving forward. Another issue that seemed to be prevalent here was the exclusion of Libertarian candidates from public forums and debates and changing that may mean we need to file a few law suits. In my race, I feel like I could have maybe pulled higher numbers if I had devoted ALL of my time to my campaign. I was Filling a rather large role with the Johnson campaign at the same time and I do not regret that at all.

Advice? Start early, get comfortable asking for help and money. Learn to listen. I think it is really important to be fair, honest and timely in your message. Knock on EVERY door. Build a team. Without my team I would have gone nowhere. I built my team partially by reaching out to universities and getting some internships set up, And I had some amazing Volunteers! Once you get that team built, get out of their way, let them do what they do, the right team will make you better.  I know for myself, Public speaking is not my strong point so because of that I founded the Oklahoma Libertarian Toastmasters Group. Toastmasters is a wonderful organization who offer a lot of value to Candidates not only in increasing our public speaking skills but also in growing in our leadership abilities.


DM:  What plans do you have for 2017 and going forward? Oklahoma Libertarian Toastmasters Group, for example. What website and social media links can you provide for this and other projects you may have going or will be working on?

EA:  I am very excited about my work at The Feldman Foundation. Our candidate training's are just a small part of what we do but they are my favorite part of what we do as well. Our web page is https://feldman.nationbuilder.com. Our Toastmasters group is growing and you can check it out on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1903435239935207/.
I was Fortunate to be Included on the LNC convention oversight Committee and I am really excited about the 2018 convention. I would encourage Everyone to start planning to attend now as there are some really good workshops and seminars included. 2017 is going to be a very busy year. I am also involved with several caucuses and hold positions on several state level caucuses. I am always doing something, I average about 14 hours a day, 7 days a week and I feel so fortunate that that is the case. I do what I love, what I believe in, every single day! What could be better? If there is anyone out there looking to take a more active role in the party or the movement, Please reach out!


DM:   If you could tell Libertarian Party National one piece of advice going into the 2018 convention, what would it be?

EA:   Wow. That is a BIG question! I think it would be that we must stop communicating in our own little "echo chamber" . We desperately need to increase outreach and work harder at how we craft our message. The message of Liberty is compelling and it always will be, but when we fail to articulate that, everyone suffers. Our Principles are clear, Our message must be as well.


DM:  Erin, it's been great having you back with LCI. We certainly look forward to speaking again. One last question, will you be seeking the 2020 Libertarian Party Presidential or Vice-Presidential nomination?

EA:  I most certainly will not ;)
 
Erin Adams, former 2016 House of Representative Libertarian candidate for Oklahoma
Erin Adams, former 2016 House of Representative Libertarian candidate for Oklahoma

This contribution is from Seattle-based independent journalist, David Malekar, Editor in Chief for the Liberty Chronicle Independent; and publishes content to other online publications.