Even a blind pig gets an acorn every once in awhile. That's Iwejian speak for even President Obama, the senate and congress can't do everything wrong all the time. I think our president is a quick learner and might have even caught on about a few things. He certainly got that message about change in November. Our senate and congress? Same, just slower. The American voter? They might be catching on too.
Will the world end in 2012? Will the value of the FRN reach zero in 2011? Do you have a year of food stashed in the basement, just in case? For those who don't already have one, are you going to get the new Iowa concealed carry permit in 2011? Have you carried for years without one anyway?
We are possibly seeing the end of the beginning in the drug war. Legalization of marijuana failed in California with a closely contested outcome. Currently California will only fine you for possession and medical use is legal. Medicinal use in Iowa will be legal someday, probably within my lifetime, but don't hold your breath. I guess it boils down to this: do our leaders actually have principles, other than getting elected, that assist them in leading? Are we back to discussing blind pigs and acorns again.
Gays openly serving in military? The writing is on the wall.
The libertarian lead ballot initiative in Massachusetts to reduce their state sales tax failed. This was the third try by Carla Howell's group at reducing or eliminating any state tax. It has proved to be another Pyhrric victory for the state's unions. They have spent large amounts of money advertising against it to maintain their cushy arraignments while many businesses leave for greener, less taxed, pastures, usually New Hampshire.
The Free State Project in New Hampshire; at its current rate of growth should achieve success in 36 years.
Iowa, despite a valiant effort by Eric Cooper and many volunteers, did not achieve major party status for the LP. Other states maintained or gained ballot access. None lost it. At least two dormant state parties became active again.
Something to think about: The only way to get more LP votes is to get more LP members. Newsletter subscription and voting membership has stayed stagnant over the past 4 years despite nearly 1200 registered members. Are you doing your part to bring people into the party? The growth of the Tea Party movement should have been the growth of the Libertarian movement.
The Tea Party movement is mostly about taxes. Or is it deficits. Who knows? They certainly haven't made their minds up yet. Greece and France both proposed austere budgets to control their deficit spending, and rioting broke out in the streets. Britain is cutting their budget substantially and their public sector work force by nearly 600 thousand jobs. The people of Britain are being very British about it. Will America finally take the hint and do something about their deficit? Will we take after France or Britain?
Story about debit: If you earn $30,000 a year and are $100,000 in debit you can conceivably get out of it. If you earn $30,000 a year and are $1 million in debit, there is no possible way. Is America closer to the second status than the first? Can countries go bankrupt? Can super powers go bankrupt?
China, silver, imports, rare earth metals, currency values – that story is way too big for a paragraph. I'm just sure that before 2011 is out we'll know all about it.
Same sex marriage mandated legal by the courts – not the best way to go but it happened.
Three Supreme Court Justices voted out. Is a shell shocked judiciary a good or a bad thing? Many voters (about 25%) always vote to remove the judges when they come up for a vote. This year it was twice that. The voters have had their say on judicial retention. I've heard the words competency, self serving, and arrogance of power repeated more than a few times. Whether you believe they decided correctly or not, do not lament them losing their jobs. They will find other jobs. Elected or appointed officials should never view their positions as a lifetime placement. Even editors of small newsletters can be replaced.
I have also heard many people speak about Iowa's insular institutions. Too many of Iowa's professionals are educated here and stay here. As the fourth or fifth most rural state in the nation maybe that can't be helped. However hearing we are first in the nation in judicial stupidity is not a title I'm proud of. Will the incoming legislature and governor straighten things out or is the system itself to blame? More blind pigs and acorns?
Other third parties in Iowa. We have seen a great decline in the Green Party as it only had one member running for state house. Is it dead yet? I don't know. The Iowa Party with its candidate Jonathan Narcisse probably prevented our party from achieving major party status this year. We will never know for sure. The big question is, will it still be around during the next several elections. The Constitution Party (our own American Taliban) fielded a candidate for congress in the second district. Is it worth worrying about? The Socialist Parties also ran candidates yet I doubt any of their candidates recruited potential libertarian votes.
Studies have shown that fully 50% of libertarian voters would not vote at all if there wasn't a libertarian option. Of the remaining 50% polls show a vote split 50/50 to 70/30. Conventional wisdom holds that with more parties running there should be a more equal spread among votes. Are other third parties our friends or our enemies? If they help us get our message out and decrease the monopoly of the statist parties then they are our friends. When they pollute the process with weirdness they are our enemies because we all get painted with the same broad brush.
And finally it should be noted that David Nolan, our party's founder died this past November shortly after his race for a senate seat in Arizona. He will be missed but definitely his legacy will live on.
