Libertarian Party of Bernalillo County, New Mexico: 2013

Saturday, November 23, 2013

The Conversation

NOTES

Original article

Saturday, August 24, 2013

How did we ever survive . . . ?

How did we ever survive with such death machines available to the general public through the mail, with the only paperwork involved being the sales slip?

Why were there no rivers of blood and gore flowing through the streets on a daily basis?

Up until 1934, subguns could be purchased without any mandatory paperwork from any level of government – no required background checks, no mandatory fingerprinting or photographs, no ∅200 transfer tax, no requirement that you get your police chief or sheriff to sign off on your purchase.

In fact, the STEN gun advertised in the picture was made AFTER the National Firearms Act of 1934 had been passed and signed into "law" – the STEN was first developed in 1941, as World War II was getting started. You see, the Brits had dumped truckloads of military-pattern rifles and subguns into the North Sea after WWI, rather than let their private citizens have them. The fact that quite a few weapons had to be left behind during the Dunkirk evacuation compounded the matter.

In this case, Cadmus Industries' advert uses the phrases "airdropped to Maquis" and "used in ill-fated Rommel HQ raid."

And after the War, plenty of American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines brought weapons home in their duffel bags – not only war prizes such as specimens of the MG 42, FG 42, MG 34, Luger, MP 40, StG 44, Nambu pistol, etc., but they also brought home American and Allied weapons such as BREN guns, M1 rifles, M1 carbines and Browning Automatic rifles. Quite a few of those returning service members didn't bother to fill out any NFA paperwork, and quite properly so – the federal rules requiring such paperwork are quasi-Constitutional at best in the letter of the Constitution, the Declaration and the Bull of Rights. Where the spirit of the Founding Documents is concerned, the NFA-1934 is flat-out ANTI–Constitutional.

Yet there didn't seem to be many if any "active shooter" type of spree killers, of the kinds we saw at Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, Sandy Hook Elementary, Columbine High School, etc. Never mind that all of those locations had been legislatively designated as "gun free zones" since 1990 (thank you, (REPUBLICAN) George H. W. Bush!) where no one but law-enforcement personnel are permitted to carry weapons.

FOR FURTHER REFERENCE

STEN submachine gun – Wikipedia page / Modern Firearms page
MG 42 machine gun – Wikipedia page / Modern Firearms page
FG 42 rifle – Wikipedia page / Modern Firearms page
MG 34 machine gun – Wikipedia page / Modern Firearms page
MP 40 submachine gun – Wikipedia page / Modern Firearms page
Sturmgewehr 44 – Wikipedia page / Modern Firearms page

NOTES

Copyright © 2013 Libertarian Party of New Mexico, Libertarian Party of Bernalillo County, New Mexico and Mike Blessing. All rights reserved.
Produced by KCUF Media, a division of Extropy Enterprises.
This blog entry created with Notepad++.

Quote of the Day for Saturday, 24 August 2013

"The highwayman takes solely upon himself the responsibility, danger, and crime of his own act. He does not pretend that he has any rightful claim to your money, or that he intends to use it for your own benefit. He does not pretend to be anything but a robber. He has not acquired impudence enough to profess to be merely a 'protector,' and that he takes men's money against their will, merely to enable him to 'protect' those infatuated travellers, who feel perfectly able to protect themselves, or do not appreciate his peculiar system of protection. He is too sensible a man to make such professions as these. Furthermore, having taken your money, he leaves you, as you wish him to do. He does not persist in following you on the road, against your will; assuming to be your rightful 'sovereign,' on account of the 'protection' he affords you. He does not keep 'protecting' you, by commanding you to bow down and serve him; by requiring you to do this, and forbidding you to do that; by robbing you of more money as often as he finds it for his interest or pleasure to do so; and by branding you as a rebel, a traitor, and an enemy to your country, and shooting you down without mercy, if you dispute his authority, or resist his demands. He is too much of a gentleman to be guilty of such impostures, and insults, and villainies as these. In short, he does not, in addition to robbing you, attempt to make you either his dupe or his slave."

– Lysander Spooner

FOR FURTHER REFERENCE

Friday, March 1, 2013

Press Release about BCSO "Buy-backs"

LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF BERNALILLO COUNTY RESPONDS TO COUNTY-SPONSORED
GUN "BUYBACK" EVENTS OF FEBRUARY 9th AND 23rd, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (3/2/13)
Contact: Mike Blessing, County Chair – 505-249-1248
Alternate: Elizabeth Hanes, LPNM Press Secretary

[ALBUQUERQUE] – The Libertarian Party of Bernalillo County New Mexico (LPBC) strongly condemns the use of taxpayer money to conduct so-called "buybacks" of firearms in Bernalillo County. Such activities constitute a waste of tax dollars and do nothing to serve public safety.

"First, this wasn't a buy-back event at all. The word 'buy-back' assumes that you originally owned the guns and are buying them back, when the truth is that the firearms purchased by BCSO weren't owned by Bernalillo County in the first place," said LPBC Chair Mike Blessing. "Second, this event was advertised and reported upon as some sort of 'public service,' in order to 'get the guns off the streets.' This is code-speak from the victim disarmament crowd for getting firearms away from private citizens, whom as 'we all know,' 'can't be trusted' with any weapon more powerful than a plastic straw loaded with spitballs."

At the event, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office reportedly confiscated 333 firearms, some of them assumed to be stolen property. Criminals turning in stolen weapons were subsequently compensated – no questions asked – using taxpayer dollars, thereby creating great incentive for these lawbreakers to target law-abiding gun owners for burglary.

"The LPBC decries this waste of taxpayer money, not only the $50,000 paid out to individuals surrendering firearms but also the wages of law enforcement officers conducting the event," Blessing added. "The LPBC will continue to work to abolish this sort of nonsensical activity by our county officials."

-30-

ABOUT THE LIBERTARIAN PARTIES OF NEW MEXICO AND BERNALILLO COUNTY

Established in 1972 by Margaret Mathers in Farmington, LPNM is the third-largest political party in the state. LPNM seeks to preserve personal liberty and freedom by opposing new or more restrictive laws, new or more expensive spending programs, and new or higher taxes. Guided by the Non-Aggression Principle, which opposes the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals, Libertarians promote peace, personal freedom, and unfettered capitalism.

The Libertarian Party of Bernalillo County was started in December 1997 as a county-level affiliate of the LPNM.

Official LPNM website: http://lpnm.us

Official LPBC website: http://lpbcnm.blogpsot.com

NOTES

Reposted –
1. The Weekly Sedition – Wordpress / Yahoo!
2. Duke City Fix / Tea Party Nation

Copyright © 2013 Libertarian Party of New Mexico and Libertarian Party of Bernalillo County, New Mexico. All rights reserved.
Produced by KCUF Media, a division of Extropy Enterprises.
This blog entry created with Notepad++.

City Oversteps Bounds in Attempting Minimum Wage Enforcement

CITY OVERSTEPS BOUNDS IN ATTEMPTING MINIMUM WAGE ENFORCEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (3/1/13)
Contact: Mike Blessing, State Chair
Alternate: Elizabeth Hanes, Press Secretary

[ALBUQUERQUE] – The Libertarian Party of New Mexico (LPNM) strongly condemns the decision by Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry and City Attorney David Tourek to pursue legal action against Route 66 Malt Shop regarding wages allegedly not paid to an employee under Albuquerque's minimum wage law.

"It's not the city's job to enforce wage and hour law," said LPNM State Chair Mike Blessing. "This responsibility falls to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. In fact, the DWS website provides clear guidelines on how to file a claim. Why isn't the city attorney directing the complaining employee to these proper resources?"

In various statements made to the media, Tourek has claimed the city flip-flopped on the issue of representing former employee Kevin O'Leary in an action against Route 66 Malt Shop because "no one was coming forward to help him." Tourek had previously stated the city should not intervene in the dispute and that O'Leary's only recourse was to "hire a private attorney."

"The assertion that O'Leary – or any employee – with a wage and hour claim needs to 'hire a private attorney' in order to resolve the issue is patently false," Blessing said. "First of all, the DWS provides a wage claim procedure specifically available to 'any employee who cannot afford an attorney, and has not been paid his/her earned wages.'^[i] Not only does DWS spell out on its website the exact procedure to be followed to make a wage claim, it provides a specific form for Albuquerque employees^[ii]. Furthermore, any claimant can represent him– or herself pro se in an action against the employer in Metropolitan Court."

Tourek claims the city's decision to represent O'Leary is "an exception."

"We can only ask ourselves why O'Leary should receive assistance from the powerful resources of the City Attorney's office when so many other Albuquerque employees are denied such assistance," Blessing said. "The bottom line is the city has no business intervening in a wage dispute, period, let alone doing so selectively – presumably based on the high-profile nature of the case."

The LPNM opposes any mandatory minimum wage law as being contrary to the principles of free market economics.

-30-

ABOUT THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF NEW MEXICO

Established in 1971, LPNM is the third-largest political party in the state. LPNM seeks to preserve personal liberty and freedom by opposing new or more restrictive laws, new or more expensive spending programs, and new or higher taxes. Guided by the Non-Aggression Principle, which opposes the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals, Libertarians promote peace, personal freedom, and unfettered capitalism.

[i] http://www.dws.state.nm.us/Mobile/Business/Resources/WageClaimProcedures

[ii] http://www.dws.state.nm.us/Portals/0/DM/Business/Wage_Claim_Albuquerque.pdf

NOTES

Original article
Reposted –
1. The Weekly Sedition – Wordpress / Yahoo!
2. Duke City Fix / Tea Party Nation

Copyright © 2013 Libertarian Party of New Mexico and Libertarian Party of Bernalillo County, New Mexico
This blog entry created with Notepad++.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Responding to the BCSO "Buy-Back"

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Responding to the BCSO "Buy-Back"
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:19:37
From: Mike Blessing
To: Tom Zdunek, Debbie O'Malley, Art De La Cruz, Maggie Hart Stebbins, Lonnie C. Talbert, Wayne A. Johnson, Dan Houston

Dear Commissioners, Mr. Zdunek:

Recently I was surfing the web and found the following:

BernCo Compass: Gun Buybacks, Strip Club Rules and Downtown Housing

Here's the pertinent part:

Issue: Gun Buyback

The county conducted its first gun buyback day on Saturday, Feb. 9, in the North Valley. People who anonymously surrendered their firearms were compensated – no questions asked. If the weapons were stolen, they were to be returned to their rightful owners. Deputy County Manager Tom Swisstack said the program brought in 333 weapons, seven of which were assault rifles. The $50,000 put up by the county for purchasing the guns ran out within two hours.

Swisstack added that it’s the most successful buyback day in the state so far. He thanked Sheriff Dan Houston for doing an outstanding job, and Commissioner Debbie O’Malley for moving the program forward.

BernCo View

O’Malley thanked everyone for the compliments but said when she got to the North Valley Command Center on Saturday, she was surrounded by other gun traders in the parking lot. They waited outside harassing folks, she said, telling them they would buy the guns for more than the county was paying. She said she was surprised people could do that kind of gun trading in a parking lot without permits.

Swisstack assured that next time, the sheriff would block off the area around the substation. The next buyback day is Saturday, Feb. 23, at the South Area Command Center (2039 Isleta SW).

First, this wasn't a buy-back event at all – the word "buy-back" assumes that you originally owned them and are buying them back, when the truth is that the firearms purchased by BCSO weren't owned by Bernalillo County in the first place.

Second, this event was advertised and reported upon as some sort of "public service," in order to "get the guns off the streets." This is code-speak from the victim disarmament crowd for getting firearms away from private citizens, whom as "we all know," "can't be trusted" with any weapon more powerful than a plastic straw loaded with spitballs.

Third, the ONLY good thing about these "buy-back" events is that BCSO is apparently to return any firearms found to have been stolen back to their rightful owners.

Fourth, considering Tom Swisstack's anti-Constitutional comments of " . . . next time, the sheriff would block off the area around the substation," perhaps it's time that Bernalillo County picked out a new Deputy County Manager. As well as a new Sheriff if Dan Houston goes along with this.

It seems that I have until 1 May 2014 to gather sufficient signatures to recall Mr. Houston, and 1 May 2016 to do the same for Ms. O'Malley.

_______________________________________________________________________
Mike Blessing / Phone – 505-249-1248
State Chair, Libertarian Party of New Mexico – http://lpnm.us

Who owns you? Who runs your life? Who should – you or someone else?
Freedom is the answer – what's the question?

"If you wanna live long on your own terms
You gotta be willing to crash and burn"
– Motley Crue, "Primal Scream"

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Musings of a Libertarian Buddhist

Musings of a Libertarian Buddhist
by Ish Calleros

Recently, I was challenged by an Obama supporter friend of mine. A fellow "Buddhist" as to my views on gun control. The fact that I thought guns kept people safe from criminal and tyrannical activity apparently disqualified me from walking as did The Buddha.

This statement already illustrates the problem at hand. Coercion.

Libertarian values at their core center around the idea of non-aggression. Non-coercion. It is this idea that attracted me to the Libertarian political philosophy. Simply put, do not coerce others in any way, shape, or form. Religion, in my opinion is one of biggest forms in which people attempt to coerce people. By trade, I am a martial arts instructor. I tell my students all the time that bullying can occur physically, mentally or spiritually. I teach them to watch for signs of bullying and to never fall victim to it. Spiritual bullying can be very intense in nature. It can lead to murder, mass murder, or genocide.

That being said, what attracted me to Buddhism as a spiritual practice (read: not religion) was the idea of letting go of judgment as a way to improve the self. When you take the ideas of Siddhartha Gautama the man (The Buddha), he was very wise in leaving room for questioning his teachings. "If you find The Buddha, kill The Buddha" being one of my personal favorites, he encouraged revolutionary thought. Even if it were against his own ideas. He very carefully closed the door on any who would make a deity out of him.

Yet many did. Many do. To the point where when you mix Buddhism with modern "Democrat" beliefs, you get coercion. "You can't believe in gun rights and The Buddha's teachings at the same time." I disagree. In fact, if you look at the evidence, it would appear that Buddhism as a philosophy is more geared to Libertarian thought than other forms of spiritual practices while still leaving room for others who have different spiritual inclinations. Example: The Buddha said, "no one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." Were he a statesman saying this exact line, it might come at a time just before he gets rid of entitlement programs. In fact, that single line almost excludes Democrats from his teachings, not Libertarians. He goes on to say; "The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you. Depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed." I can assure you, right along with my Buddhist principles, I will not be taking any handouts soon. Seems pretty downright Libertarian to me.

I am not the only one who believes the belief systems are seamlessly compatible. Robert A. Meyer calls it "The Way of the Libertarian Warrior." His writings blend his idea of the Zen Buddhist – a peaceful warrior-with hard-hitting Libertarian edge: "When Patrick Henry said 'give me liberty or give me death,' he wasn't joking. He understood an eternal truth. Government subjugation of an individual's body, mind, and spirit amount to a living death."

The man understands the biggest bully known to man: The Government, and he will not take it lightly. Not a man lacking in diligence. And what did The Buddha say about diligence? "To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent."

Moving on to compassion, another Buddhist principle, I will give you a peek into my martial arts classroom. I tell the children as well as adults, "self-reliance is compassion in action. Loving yourself so much that you will defend yourself is actually the highest form of love. How can you love another human or be compassionate with one if you have none for yourself? Love yourself. You deserve it." Any compassion that you are capable of giving is because you are self-reliant to have something to give. When giving of your own free will, that is true compassion. Plus, the person receiving gets to feel true gratitude. How spiritually devoid is a transaction then when coercion is involved? In fact, the spiritually inclined man in me believes that coerced giving is "evil." You promote resentment from the giver. The person on the receiving end does not feel gratitude but entitlement. And the receiving party actually resents the giver for having more. When done in freedom, there is gratitude and compassion sprung forth into the universe. The government wants us to feel that the evil is not wanting to be forced to give. Again, I will refer back to the Buddha here: "virtue is persecuted more by the wicked than it is loved by the good."

The more I study and feel from within, I know that no other political philosophy can actually make sense to my Buddhist principles other than the Libertarian party. So I am grateful to the person who questioned my positions on gun control and the Buddha. It inspired a deeper introspection that reaffirmed my already solid principles.

Ish Calleros is the owner and operator of Kung Fu San Soo of Albuquerque

Copyright © 2013 Libertarian Party of New Mexico, Libertarian Party of Bernalillo County, New Mexico and Ish Calleros. All rights reserved.

Produced by KCUF Media, a division of Extropy Enterprises. Webmaster Mike Blessing. This blog entry created with Notepad++.

Monday, January 28, 2013

OUR America Initiative Rally with Gary Johnson and Judge Jim Gray

Date – Monday, 8 April 2013
Time – 6:00 PM
Location – UNM Student Union Building (1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131)

2012 Libertarian Presidential Candidate (and former two-time New Mexico Governor) Gary Johnson and 2012 Libertarian Vice Presidential Candidate Judge Jim Gray will kick off their 2013 OUR America Initiative Nationwide Campus Tour at the University of New Mexico Student Union Building on Monday April 8th at 6:00 PM.

The OUR America Initiative seeks to broaden the parameters of the public policy debate of current topics in the national arena. We look to enlighten the population about civil liberties, free enterprise, limited government, and traditional American values. It is our aim to increase the amount of discussion and involvement regarding all-important issues.

Hosted by Governor Johnson's UNM fraternity (Sigma Alpha Epsilon), this event will feature Governor Johnson and Judge Gray addressing the audience about issues facing America in 2013, followed up by an open question and answer session.

Attendance is open (and complimentary) to the UNM student body as well as the general public.

As part of the policy of the OUR America Initiative, information booths (complimentary) will be made available to all social and political groups interested in participating.

If your organization would like to reserve a booth (space is limited – first come, first serve), contact the Our America Initiative by leaving a comment below.

For more information about the OUR America Initiative (donations accepted), go to: http://ouramericainitiative.com/

Afterwards, some of us will get together at the Frontier Restaurant (2400 Central Ave SE) for an informal no-host meet-and-greet.

Reposted around the web – Duke City Fix / Facebook / FreedomConnect / Google Plus / NMPolitics.org / Tea Party Nation

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Albuquerque Liberty Forum -- February 2013

Date – Thursday, 14 February 2013
Time – 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Location – Frontier Restaurant (2400 Central Ave SE)

Albuquerque Liberty Forum is a no-host dinner, with discussion of issues important to libertarians, capitalists (anarcho- and otherwise), objectivists, extropians, Tea Partiers and Constitutionalists.

We're currently meeting at the Frontier Restaurant at 2400 Central Ave SE, in Albuquerque, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

The Frontier does NOT serve alcohol. As such, this will be an open-carry-friendly event (concealed and Constitutional carriers are welcome, too!)

Suggestions for speakers are welcome – let us know in advance if you want to address the group, so we can promote you!

Scheduled speakers will have thirty (30) minutes to make their case, then should be open to questions from the audience.

Unscheduled speakers wanting to address the group will have five (5) minutes to make their case at the chair's discretion, then should be open to questions from the audience.

Audience members are requested to ask questions of the speaker as opposed to making statements. All speakers will be considered to have consented to being recorded, including but not limited to audio or video devices, and for public distribution of those recordings (YouTube, etc.).

Handouts are welcome and encouraged. Assume that any printed material handed out is for public distribution.

Agenda for this event

Round-robin introductions (if needed)
Updates, notices about upcoming events
Speaker – Mike Blessing, Libertarian candidate for State Representative, District 16
Q&A for Mike Blessing
General discussion

Reposted around the web –

Backpage / Craigslist / Duke City Fix / Facebook / FreedomConnect / Google Plus / NMPolitics.org / Tea Party Nation

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Albuquerque Liberty Forum -- January 2013

Date – Thursday, 10 January 2013
Time – 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Location – Frontier Restaurant (2400 Central Ave SE)

We're currently meeting at the Frontier Restaurant at 2400 Central Ave SE, in Albuquerque, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

The Frontier does NOT serve alcohol. As such, this will be an open-carry-friendly event (concealed and Constitutional carriers are welcome, too!)

Suggestions for speakers are welcome – let us know in advance if you want to address the group, so we can promote you!

Scheduled speakers will have thirty (30) minutes to make their case, then should be open to questions from the audience.

Unscheduled speakers wanting to address the group will have five (5) minutes to make their case at the chair's discretion, then should be open to questions from the audience.

Handouts are welcome and encouraged. Assume that any printed material handed out is for public distribution.

Agenda for this event

Round-robin introductions (if needed)

Updates, notices about upcoming events

Speakers wanting to address the group as a whole

General discussion

Reposted around the web – Facebook / FreedomConnect / Google Plus

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Friday, March 1, 2013

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Monday, January 28, 2013

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