For some reason I can not get on Yahoo groups today, so I am replying by
mail.
After reviewing Thomas Knapps Idea for A Boston Tea Party with its
possible Worlds Smallest Political Platform and possibly no ZAP pledge I can
not
support it, although it might be a good option for Classical Liberals and
fellow travelers of Libertarians.
I can see now that a true Libertarian Party must have the Pledge and
every member including state and local affliate party members must sign the
pledge. Of course it is very important that members holding or running for
political office must sign the pledge, it is also very important that party
leadership, committe members and key party employees having to sign the pledge
but
regular members vote for the party leadership at least indirectly if you have
members that are not principled you are going to have leadership that is not
prinicipled and party politicans that are not principled.
If a member does not like it then they can move on to other
options such as the Boston Tea Party, the Republican LIberty Cacus, The
Democratic Freedom Cacus or start a party suited to their taste, that is what
freedom
of association is about belonging to a group you like, starting new groups
and only having members you want.
The Old Nolan Quiz might actually make a good platform that would
fit in with a ZAP pledge and a prinicipled party. Possibly the immigration
clause should include a clear endorsement to defend parivate property rights
and
the repeal all taxes clause should clearly state that donations and or user
fees could replace taxes to fund the government.
Actually I'm coming around to concluding that donations would
be the best way at least for state and county government with federal
government being funded by a state government membership fee based on the
population
size of a state. I think with the government depending on donations that would
be one of the best ways to keep the government in check, if the government is
corupt and or inept the donations will dry up and a new government will be
founded, certanily there is no reason for a government to depend on the day to
day whims of the public they as several state governments do today set up a
rainy day fund to carry them over in periods when donations are light but it is
likely they will not be able to go year after year after years for decades
without going back and asking citizens for donations although the rainy day
fund
could be in such good investments that no more donations are needed, Alaska's
Permant Fund has averaged 10% since inception, it now has over 30 billion
dollars for a population of around 500,000 people, if no more oil Royality
funds
were added, state government could easily take out 1% every year or 300 million
dollars to run a limited state government and to pay its federal membership
even if annual returns are only 2% that is around 600 dollars per person, from
a
nationwide point of view that would be 180 billion dollars more that enough
to run a limited federal, state and county government system.. The Fund has
changed its investment policy to a more stable conservative of shooting for 5%
or
so, recently it was 4.5%.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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