Liberty Blog
Liberty for all: A goal achieved at the local level
Changing the big picture starts with small efforts
We all have our reasons for being Libertarians. Some of us believe there should be no government and no taxes. While some of us are progressive civil libertarians or moderate economic conservatives who support small government. What we all share is the belief that the rights of the people to live freely stand above all other concepts in our governance. This is why we chose to support the Libertarian Party and why we are important to the future of our Party.
The future and growth of the Libertarian Party has to start at the local and State level. At this Level is where you and I as Libertarians can shape that future. This is where we and the Libertarian Party become so important to each other.
We have struggled to win elections with the system stacked against us. We have struggled to grow our registration numbers. We have struggled in many ways and yet our Party continues to fight for us. Whether by monitoring for free and fair elections or by petitioning our elected officials on our behalf; the Libertarian Party is there for us. It carries the torch of Liberty and stands as the public face of our personal beliefs and values.
I know, I know; you don’t agree with party leadership. You don’t like tenets of the party’s platform or like many Libertarians you don’t want to support a centralized authority. These are the arguments we hear daily. These are the reasons many of us as Libertarians, past, present and future, have come up with to NOT support our party. To NOT give us a fighting chance at winning elections. To NOT be represented in our government and to NOT be a driver of change in that government. We have chosen our own personal dogma over our fundamental beliefs and higher goals.
At the heart of Libertarianism is the belief that we do not need government to manage our volunteerism and charitable natures. It is the inherent responsibility of every citizen in a free society to give of themselves in support of that society. We should choose to do these things not because it is demanded of us, but because it is the duty of free citizens to support each other and our hallowed institutions.
Our success depends upon your participation; especially at the local level, where we can grow our party’s base, shape our party’s platform, and groom our party’s future leaders. Volunteers are crucial to our future success and expanding our base to help us achieve the magic numbers; 2% of the highest vote getter, 5% of the total vote, 11% of registered voters — or better.
We need people to attend community events, set up booths & tables and talk about how being a Libertarian is important to them. We also need people to knock on doors, to grow our voter rolls and help our local Candidates get elected.
We need to make our voices heard by attending local committee meetings, to shape our platform and define the issues. We also need experienced and motivated leaders to act as Committee Members, Campaign Chairs, Treasures and Candidates.
Financial support is also integral to the Party’s growth. There is no denying that. The party needs funding to market, grow our voter rolls and get the word out that Libertarians are a political force in this nation. That we are poised to grow. We need to be able to fund space for meetings, committee offices, staff and events. We need to buy marketing materials, digital media and provide the Party with the infrastructure to grow and meet those magic numbers.
Whether it’s $5 or a jar of quarters. Whether you want to be a recurring donor or make a single contribution to support the Party or a local candidate. Every dollar helps. Every contribution will be put to good use.
In the end, no matter how you feel about the Party’s leadership or platform, we all have the same goals; to make Libertarianism an impactful political movement, to grow our party and to be the voice of the people who no longer feel like they have one.
Please consider taking the time to volunteer or donate to support the Libertarian Party and help us grow. Help us become what we all want to be; a powerful voice for freedom in our nation. Thank you and LIVE FREE!
Paul Nicotera is 12 year resident of Montgomery County and has been a registered Libertarian since 2013. Paul is a Senior Manager at a Fortune 500 Telecom and has worked in the telecom Industry for over 20 years. He is a Veteran of the United States Army who has served in Germany and Bosnia. He is a husband and father of three. Paul is also the 2019 Libertarian Nominee for Ward 3 Commissioner in Upper Dublin, PA.
