News
- Details
- Written by: Sean Colon
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
Mike Gravel, former Democratic Senator of Alaska and Presidential Candidate, just announced recently that he has joined the Libertarian Party. At first I didn't know what to think because I don't know much about Gravel. I had seen him in the debates once and he seemed bitter and angry but a lot of times Ron Paul can come off as angry as well. I checked his campaign site and went over his issue stances and found that I wholeheartedly agree with him 65% of the time and very much disagree with him the other 25% and am iffy on the last 10%. This is my breakdown on what I agree and disagree with and why.
- Details
- Written by: Sean Colon
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
The Hudson County Sheriff's Office caught 57 fugitives this month in what was called "Operation Talon". I consider this quite an accomplishment for one County Sheriff's Office. Though the news worthy part of this story is in how they got caught, they cut off their welfare benefits. After finding that their benefits were cut these geniuses went to the county welfare office to complain. The police waited there and arrested every single one.
- Details
- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Latest News
Congressional Quarterly Inc, has ranked New Jersey as number 7 of the best states to live.
However few NJ residents are finding it affordable to live here. The National Taxpayer's Union has determined that NJ residents work until May 7th just to pay their taxes. This places NJ as the 2nd worst state in the Union (just behind Connecticut).
- Details
- Written by: Sean Colon
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
A quote from today's Star Ledger states the following:
New Jersey's 15-year-old Local Redevelopment and Housing Law requires that an area be declared blighted before a municipality can use eminent domain to take a property and sell it to private developers.
- Details
- Written by: Webmaster
- Category: Candidates and Elections
On Friday Dr. Mary Ruwart announced that she will be seeking the Libertarian nomination for president. She joins a crowded field of candidates, many of which have been campaigning for the nomination for a long time.
- Details
- Written by: Walter M. Luers, Esq.
- Category: Open Government Advocacy Project
Citizen oversight of government is essential. To perform adequate oversight of New Jersey public agencies, which include public schools, municipal, county, and much of State government, citizens must have information. In New Jersey, one of the tools citizens can use to acquire information is the Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”). Under OPRA, citizens have the right to inspect or request copies of “public records,” which are broadly defined as:
- Details
- Written by: Sean Colon
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
The Supreme Court is hearing District of Columbia v. Heller which will decide whether the 2nd Amendment gives rights to bear arms to the people or to the militia, or both for that matter. Right now the NY Times is reporting that a majority of the justices seem to be interpreting the 2nd Amendment as the right of the people to bear arms. This will be a great moment in history where one of our most vital rights, that of our right to have the ability to defend ourselves, family, and country, by bearing arms will be reinstated. There is one problem though, the Supreme Court is not so ready to decide what that means for gun control laws.
- Details
- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Candidates and Elections
The highlight of the convention was the LP Presidential Candidate debate. There were 9 candidates present. Most of them are pretty good. I'll leave it to the website viewer to decide which of candidate is worthy of our nomination. Click the Read More link to view the debate. When done be sure to vote in our poll.
- Details
- Written by: Chris Wuestefeld
- Category: Letters to Editor
The following was sent to the Star-Ledger’s letters-to-the-editor in response to an article that appeared on today’s front page.
- Details
- Written by: Sean Colon
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
In NJ anyone younger than 19 years old cannot buy cigarettes and now they are passing a law that will make it illegal to smoke in public if you are under 19. This is a very sad state of affairs. With all the pressing issues which our great state must deal with our elected officials are focusing on attacking our right to buy and smoke cigarettes. Now I don't smoke myself and I discourage all my loved ones from smoking, but to tell a legal adult, someone who can vote and die for their country, that they cannot buy or smoke cigarettes is ludicrous. It's the Nanny state telling its little children what they should do and what they shouldn't do, except instead of being sent to your room you are being fined and imprisoned. They are taking our freedoms one year at a time and it is unacceptable.
- Details
- Written by: Sean Colon
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex), who's office I drive by quite often since it is near where I work, is crafting a bill that will bring Universal Health Care to NJ. It will force everyone in the state to buy health insurance and will require the raising of taxes to fund this program on a continual basis. And here is the kicker... Corzine is supporting this bill despite the fact that he has sworn to freeze state spending. Hmmmm... you mean to tell me that Universal Health Care won't raise state spending? And how about the $56 billion or so hole in the state pension fund? How does the state of NJ plan to plug all its holes in the budget by making the largest sinkhole of all?
- Details
- Written by: Sean Colon
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
I attended the joint convention and it was a great experience. I met an array of VIP Libertarians, watched the presidential debate, and got elected to the position of Vice Chairman of the NJ Libertarian Party. I have to thank Lou Jasikoff for all the work he has done last year as Chairman and also for the opportunity that he and the rest of the party are giving me this year to further the cause of liberty in the state of NJ. I was also elected Chairman of the joint Somerset, Middlesex, and Union Libertarian County Committee. I have always believed that the key to success in our state is to establish strong local grassroots organizations and I am glad that I am now in a position to head up that effort. The slate of elected officials of the NJLP for this year is as follows:
- Details
- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Student Rights
Recently Mike Gomba, a Senior at my town's High School (Allentown/Upper Freehold), wrote a letter to the editor arguing that suspicionless drug testing is a perfectly acceptable practice for society to embrace. He claims that “it is for our benefit, our safety”. He gives the common statist excuse that if you have nothing to hide then you should gladly give up your rights.
While I applaud his choice not to partake in drugs, I find his attitude sickening and immoral. Our Constitution defines the moral underpinnings of our nation. It was written not to grant us rights, rather it enumerate rights that are fundamental and existed prior to government.
Subcategories
NJ Libertarian Blog
Imported from NJ Libertarian News from the published feed
Videos
This is a page of various videos that we have either created or found interesting. Be sure to check out and follow our YouTube page.
Open Government Advocacy Project
The Open Government Advocacy Project is a committee of the NJ Libertarian Party. Its goal is to ensure transparency and accountability at all levels of government. Articles posted here are a subset of the work of the committee. For more information visit the Open Government Advocacy Project blog.
If you would like to demand accountability and ensure that your local governing body or school board adheres to the Open Public Records Act we can help you request information from them. Contact John Paff, the project chair here.
Insight New Jersey
NJ government is huge and complex. Private industry is shrinking while the size and cost of government bureacracy continues to grow. The articles posted here provide a guide of the NJ State Government and can be used by citizens and candidates for office to evaluate what departments can be reduced drastically in size.
We'll start with just some of the departments and provide a breakdown on what they do (or purport to do), how many employees they have and how big their budget is.
Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project
The New Jersey Libertarian Party's Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project (“the Project”) seeks to get New Jersey municipalities to repeal loitering ordinances that should have been -- but were not -- repealed when the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice was enacted in 1979. The Project has successfully had loitering ordinances repealed in over 30 towns. For a summary listing of all the towns see Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project page.
Police Accountability Project
The Police Accountability Project is a committee of the NJ Libertarian Party. Its goal is to search out cases of police misconduct, file former Internal Affairs (IA) complaints when appropriate, and to publicize violations of rules and laws by the police. There may be other stories posted on the NJLP Police Internal Affairs Complaint Blog page.
If you would like to help or know of a case we should be looking at, contact the committee at
Legislative Affairs Committee
The Legislative Affairs Committee was created to allow a select core of Volunteers to take action on legislation and policies which directly affects the people of New Jersey.
[INTRO VIDEO - HOSTED ON NJLP STATE YOUTUBE AND EMBEDED HERE]
Staff
Legislative Director and Committee Chair
Volunteers: