Libertarian International Organization

US President and LIO Fellow Ronald Reagan here appoints a Libertarian official. MG was his personal representative to the leaders of the USSR and China with whom MG had a personal relationship, mediating the transition from totalitarian Communism. To get familiar with baby-step Libertarian civic concerns, read 'Voluntary City' by Beito, 'The Seamless City' by Baker, and check out the libertarian-interest work at www.reason.org ...Activists are urged to check out 'Take Back Your Government' by LIO Fellow Robert Heinlein.

By MG--Opinion piece for discussion by LIO Fans and dialogue groups. Please translate and share.

REUTERS: 19% of Americans now self-identify as 'libertarians'...most from Democrats, Center... We said it years ago at our site--we keep it front and center always in our lead article above--and in time this will be the case in every major area--Russia, China, India, EU, Latin America and already well there in smaller ones as Costa Rica...People were asked if the self-identify as libertarians. Says REASON in regard to the REUTERS Poll:

"...22 percent of Democrats said they were libertarians, more than the 18 percent of Republicans, and just a hair less than the 25 percent of independents....

Now note these people are informal users who get the general idea now, not large-L advocates as the article implies or formal small-l libertarian appliers/users with LIO. Worldwide there're 8 million homes on our d-base plus in a special side project 1.5 million homes with us, of which this 22% across the board number is our 'LIO Shadow"...Note also the Poll is significant as the first one where such a number of people readily self-identify as 'libertarian'--our aim is to continue to build LIO formals. RE: http://reason.com/blog/2015/04/30/19-of-americans-self-identify-as-liberta BTW as you pass this along let friends know about www.libertarianinternational.org I believe it as I'm meeting people who ask me out of the blue my famous line of  "if I've heard about Libertarianism?" Thanks...

WHAT THIS MEANS CULTURALLY

There's work to do. It means people like what they see so far, so don't stop. Always separate your favorite SMILE/Libertarian application from the fact that we help enable a range of choice of applications (which is what people like at first). Over the next 2 generations many will become small-l libertarian conscious applier/user formals in the 'LIO Libertarian lifestyle' and we aim for at least 1-5 homes per district as LIO pledged Libertarians (advocates/students of SMILE) referencing our SMILE dialogue platforms. This 19% figure is coming to a country near you.

WHAT THIS MEANS POLITICALLY

In brief, don't screw with L/libertarians. LIO Libertarians have since 1969 reversed the feared fall of civilization to so far led change for democracy in 150+ countries. While peaceful, dictators have died and armies fallen. They won't rest until people have the option of liberal secular democracy, then a lively federalism and localism increasingly respectful of UN rights and voluntary libertarian/SMILE concerns. Remember, LIO Libertarianism is not about imposing a political system or lifestyle, but a lifestyle/philosophy of peaceful dialogue that enables rights-based choice. But choice LIO fans will have. And informal 'libertarians'--what we call libertarian-interested--will too.

LIO is in outreach completely non-partisan. In the USA the www.lp.org acts as a vanguard libertarian-direction group bringing many issues to public attention. The demand for pro-Libertarians in public office who're properly trained--not just some well-intended newbie who loves the label--now outstrips our ability as a network and of the www.lp.org to supply. We advance because this is really a trailing indicator of the beginnings from when we began in 1969 of a profound pro-reason/reality and sweet reasonableness philosophical shift. Most libertarian civic change occurs by design via petition/direct democracy (as we see in Florida) and judicial notice. For many, a pro-Libertarian vote is a signaling device of current voluntary concerns in public policy. Thus as we saw in 2012, the Libertarian www.lp.org candidate Gov. Gary Johnson was saying some things, and after the election the other parties are now adopting them because the 1% centrist vote for rights that decides elections always leads, and that's us. (...as I've always said since 1969, I want conservatives to legalize drugs and communists to privatize. Is it happening? Look around you). In time (starting in the 2020's) LIO will contact all of these informal homes, recommend Libertarian lifestyle/SMILE tools, ask if they would like to register with us...and not just the US, but in time all countries starting with the rest of the Americas, EU, Russia, China, India. Speaking personally, from League days to the expansion I started in 1969, people like an alliance of families led by a clan with someone colorful and useful free stuff, world contact prospects, a benign rights and reason sensitive approach. In brief, starting in the US they'll become more informed and militant for voluntary choices, and proceed more from self-conscious attitudes and fuller conversancy.

This is the capstone of progressive Liberalism in all fields. This is like people realizing the earth is round. No, they may get details wrong and not sure of all the scientific proof. But they realize it's round. It is now irreversible.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR U.S .ELECTIONS--AND GETTING THE LIBERTARIAN VOTE

While I periodically e-mail (though I'll be stopping this soon as we transition to a new outreach system, so for a while all will happen simply by momentum) this 1.5 million, I tell no one how to vote. I do ask them to consider (in order) positive parenting, being a local volunteer or in non-partisan public office, and  reference the recommended deadlock electoral strategy above. These people are mission-driven by a general approach that will not change. Informals are clearly just getting familiar with libertarianist/SMILE tools and our experience is they may start with issues but end up with the relaxed approach and develop at their own pace, and like people sensitive to that approach. Many are community/professional  leaders with strong followings. Libertarian voter=Community Leader interested in rights, tolerance, voluntary tools. So attacking Libertarianism or attempting to lie or seduce them always backfires. They're primarily cultural, with politics and economies are just tools. They want to hear ideas on using voluntary tools for their often different values so they don't clash with others, not how someone is some bad guy. In the coming US presidential elections, here's what they want in brief and how it applies to the major candidates.

WHAT PRO-LIBERTARIAN VOTERS WANT

1. Be nice to Libertarians. Say you're respectful of pro-libertarian voters and will appoint some Libertarians.
2. Pledge to address discriminatory statutes against small parties and encourage direct democracy.
3. We'll do the rest. And remember--acting in every state and foreign country bit by bit.

THE 2016 US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: GETTING THE PRO-LIBERTARIAN VOTE

The Libertarian deadlock strategy means the Presidential /Senate election is always for the Democrats to lose by ignoring pro-libertarian concerns.

Obama has done as well a job as can be expected, sensitive to libertarian-interested Democrats and in other parties. He's championed space-exploration privatization, legalized guns in certain parks, a middle class tax cut. He gave us a Black President settling many issues. Great. Now Libertarian-interested voters want more.

1. Hilary Clinton has the advantage that she is the progressive Democrat and also a long-due woman, but has shown no Libertarian-ideas interest and has an honesty issue.
2. Jeb Bush has cheerfully appointed many LIO Libertarians as Florida Governor, paid attention to Libertarian contributions, and implemented many libertarian-direction policies. He has a too-conservative rhetoric issue. Still, he may yet position himself as the libertarian-friendly practical progressive at heart--and win the day.
3. Rand Paul has forever lost wide pro-libertarian support by attacking libertarianism and advocates some strange stuff. He may recover it and seems to have realized his blunder, and is raising good questions.
4. Gary Johnson, the likely www.lp.org candidate, in the last election specifically reached out to various groups who responded well. Blacks, Muslims and thoughtful youth loved him according to our surveys. His Libertarianist management approach of a single message adorned with going to groups, asking what they need, and getting them aware of how a libertarianist voluntary approach might help in a respectful way, if continued, could bring a 2% vote from across the spectrum. Other candidates know the LP vote is different--they're dealing with an organized and growing pressure group that reflects a larger public interest.

A prediction: In a few years pro-libertarians will have a choice of libertarian-interested candidates from all parties.

Yes, at times  the LIO Libertarian-driven advances in the US are easy to forget with the tales of abuses going on...until we reflect that thanks to Libertarian-led coalitions and attitudes, what is really happening is old abuses are coming to light and being addressed. How might  these considerations apply in your country or region?

Petra Kelly, LIO Fellow, Founder of Modern Green Movement

LIO Fellow (then Advisor) scientist John McConnell led way for Earth Day, here with Earth Day flag. LIO Flag is the same but on white with blood-red accents.

Takeaway: Let’s not forget ‘Passive Green’ is the basis; Green is being used to justify backfiring anti-solutions.

By MG

• While accomodating voluntary deviations, LIO Libertarians dialogue for Green Garden Earth. A lot of people spend a lot of ink and a lot of money to keep you from understanding that. Such disinfo didn’t work for the Communists, who’re now officially libertarian-friendly pro-privatization now. It won’t work for these guys. So share this as basis of debate. Also: http://www.libertarianinternational.org/apps/blog/categories/show/161118-space-sea-gardenearth
• I helped develop Earth Day, and created the Green ‘libertarian socialist’ movement with my then companion Petra Kelly as well. Those were tough times. The ‘progressive’ left hated ecology as ‘bourgeois indulgence’ along with LGBT rights, pot legalization, suing polluters, and all LIO Libertarian dialogues they now claim to love. Today it’s a civil war among progressives between the growing libertarian-receptive vs. dying neo-Marxists whose only hope is that new generations will forget that Communism=Mass Murder.They knew a Libertarian threat when they saw one. They knew that if they conquered the world, my Green virus would destroy them. They tried to kill me; LIO Libertarianism ended them; Petra was murdered by the Communists. The neo-Communists/Marxists have been trying to take over the Green movement since. They pretend they’ve been always pro-Green and pro-localism. Yet ‘Green’ is a household term. New people may have trouble defining it (as with Libertarianism) but they know it when they see it, and increasingly like it. In the US, 22% of all political parties are self-identified informal (non-LIO) libertarians (small-l libertarian=aware applier)...and many more try to be Green. 'Greening of America' is here.
• So we must not hesitate to discuss: That Green is about keeping a small, sustainable, and voluntary presence. It involves thinking about costs and benefits cradle-to-recycle on new technologies--which gives results sometimes counter-intuitive. It doesn’t involve unnatural vast coercive programs but personal-local organic good sense. Many officials don’t get that, seeing a coerced regulation as salvation, instead of a sinecure for old tech and new bribes. In this the extreme left conspires as usual with the extreme right. Hence the need for LIO/libertarian-inspired campaigns e.g. calls to not tax small homes in town and country, or to legalize urban gardens/mini-farming, public breastfeeding, medicament and vaccine data and choice, solar panels, low-pollution vehicles, class suits for pollution, prepping, etc.
• Where I live we just won long battles to legalize pedi-buses, protect bicycle lanes, and Green taxis. A proposal for a polluting ‘Green’ public light rail so costly one could have bought everyone a new Prius every year was defeated. Florida libertarians have revived a coalition to remove anti-Green statutes (While things like started in 1969 when we united for direct democracy this now uses, extremists sell a narrative that libertarian-catalized broad coalitions are odd: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/01/16/green-tea-coalition-strange-bedfellows-fight-for-solar-power-in-sunshine-state /  
• Yes, we’re just beginning to understand how Green=Continual improvement. But what this process doesn’t involve are vast new coerced programs on climate (are officials reducing pollution--or forcing corporate terraforming?); or to forbid autonomous living; or forced gee-whiz techno-tools that reduce choice to raise costs, involve questionable ‘new’ materials, and backfire—like the recent lighting mandate in the USA banning older bulbs. Green tools for future focus:

o Legality of self-sustaining untaxed Green Homesteads in country and city for every family

o Insulation back-engineer of e.g. walls, appliances that naturally cool, heat, save money in buildings

o Legality of local low-impact vehicles that use batteries, pedals, etc.

o Legality of self-regulating farmer market’s in every neighborhood—not just set areas

o Study of ideal organic soils with encouragement of home-based food production, prepping

o Community progressive air/water pollution reduction guidelines and barrier walls

o Legality of tax-free/deductible organic co-ops, no-pollution agreed zones, firms, retrofits

o Use cap-and-trade to directly grant search for promising low-pollution technology as intended

o Focus on voluntary choices--and not taxing, seizing, or regulating the above when they work

Earth Day is one tool to raise awareness. But Green solutions, like all voluntary choices, start and end at home.

Check out: http://reason.com/blog/2014/09/21/joel-salatin-against-elitism-at-lpac2014

...3-point Obamacare was promised but never delivered ( except for things companies couldn't do due to anti-trust blocks*). So let's have dialogue on the original proposal 1) Optional  national plan funded by efficiencies--and an autonomous trust(s), not current political football; 2) Any private (or no ) plan we like; 3) Public-official plans available to the...public.

Also: End the extreme left-wing provision (supported by some extreme right-wing corporations) in 1986 tax act that hampered large non-profit cash accumulations for non-profit endowments--preventing the then non-profit Blue Cross and doctor co-ops plan to provide free/low-cost private healthcare choices for all including immigrants by 1998. Plus silly rules as e.g. restrictions on cross-state purchases.

 *Such as jointly ignore previous conditions. And what about full dental?

NOTE: We're starting a new feature of occasional 'quick analysis' on dialogue topics by the LIO curator or approved by him. Does not represent views of all LIO participants.

Release the product-liability lawyers! A major problem is that in the US and other countries much vaccine-problem data is kept secret by law. Time for open information--and let the jury process drive betterment by flagging problem medicines, data helping quality improvement. Note: FYI US present system under attack--of government-paid but secret compensation for vaccine problems and conscience exemptions--was devised by LIO principals led by MG, Hospers. Time to take the next step and release the data, says MG, and not get tangled in another false-choice debate: restore the power of juries to decide case-by-case as with other medical products.

Is this what the current call for coerced vaccinations for all--and criminalizing even questioning vaccines-- is trying to end? http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/index.html

An example of the debate going on: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/02/15/the-top-6-reasons-why-parents-are-choosing-not-to-vaccinate-their-kids

NOTE: We're starting a new feature of occasional 'quick analysis' on dialogue topics by the LIO curator or approved by him. Does not represent views of all LIO participants.

 League fan General Eisenhower and JFK called Sister Cities the true defense of democracy--not the US or other military. They met in then LIO curator's Paul Gilson's home to formulate what became the US policy to replace its military with peace organizations.

The LIO and its predecessor, the Libertarian-Liberal League, has been encouraging dialogue and activist contact to bring about world peace through legalization of highly particpative and Federal Liberal Democracy and Libertarian-based community. Libs approach Foreign policy as the province of the pacific citizen, not primarily of public officials however defined--no more then medicine or daily health is about just emergency ambulances.

Most military officials now agree, deploring 'mission creep' and other mis-use of troops for every emergency while discounting the primary role and the need for  diplomats, private support groups and the average citizen. As one activist in Serbia, Tim Krsmanovic --honored with other Lib/LIO supporters who led the transition from coercive communist dictators-- put it: Don't send Marines, send Libertarian ideas ( See www.isil.org/resources/fnn/2003summer/vilnius-report.html ;).

Pro-libertarian candidates, public officials, and LIO Friends who wish to explain Libertarian themes to the public should be aware of publicizing the '3P' process. that Libertarianism does not focus on emergency-foreign/military policy but helping define and lead on  inter-foreign policy and civil defense truly led by citizens to bring peace, cultural exchange, and mutual trade and prosperity among inhabitants of  sister democracies--and handle emergencies by, on the whole, preventing them while laying the better basis for citizen networking of their own more nuanced response.What is 3 P?

1. Proaction through citizen-paradiplomacy and prepping leaders.
2. Problem-reaction by limited official, private/private-public character responders.
3. Problem elimination through aggressive  Lib program spread.

Examples:

DISCUSSION TOPICS

The LIO hopes that all countries will legalize  insured militia/emergency groups and limit their armed forces to emergency-self-defense/internal operations with even formal abolition of the military component as Costa Rica has done. The UN guarantor nations--China, France, Great Britain, Russia, US the same with the US continuing the movement towards itself providing world assistance to Article 33 help on consultation with appropriate partners, especially where humanitarian--instead of lengthy interventions . We encourage dialogue on ending all forms of draft, emphasis on diplomacy, and transparent voluntary endowments to fund armed forces--not destabilizing coerced taxation or deficit policies unknown tomost citizens-- while not passing statutes which interfere with citizen's righs to arm themselves or have emergency preparations. No country should involve armed forces except to help protect observers of democratic-secular transition or elections; in emergency disaster operation where requested; and where terror is a factor should emphasize rewards for turning in suspects for a fair trial by a jury with primary work by police and citizen advice to local officials which has proven most effective and respectful of local rights.

A NEW PARADIGM

The LIO will continue to inform distinguished statespersons and diplomatists of all parties and countries of these SMILE-interest themes. As LIO interested public officials grow in each country these views continue to become the normalized paradigm. The LIO encourages all supporters in initiating presentations and dialogues on these lines. Foreign policy, with the presence of  pro-Libertarians and LIO activists in every country, is becoming increasingly irrelevant as the 3P themes spread.

Candidates, activists and public officials should focus on a) How they can stautes get out of the way of the 3 P process; b) Encourage citizens through non-coercive tax/ non-monopoly community entities within their jurisdiction, c) See that public agencies are on -point and not misused for politicizing reasons through transparency. A presidential or local candidate might e.g. focus dialogue on starting a national-local conversation on what citizens can do or are doing to lead the process, and cost containment through suggestions by the responders.

• www.ptpi.org/
• www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_Cities_International 
• www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradiplomacy
• www.isil.org/resources/fnn/2003summer/vilnius-report.html

Prepared by Ralph Swanson with Barbara Branden 2009 and privately circulated to Islamic leaders. Revised and late published 2014 in 2015.

Past LIO co-ordinator/curator Libertarian Etienne Gilson--hailed as both the greatest Humanist and Catholic Philosopher since Aquinas--developed the citizen Liberal, Great Books, lifelong learning/self-education, religious documentation and interdisciplinary movements. His protege and successor, LIO co-ordinator M. Gilson, says this:  

How do we educate to a just, humane world? What tools do parents and self-educators need immune from the fancy of the day?

In recent years technocratic themes have grown again. They've rallied in the call for the importance of 'S.T.E.M.' education from toddlers to Presidents--i.e. conversancy and available education on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Educators and worried parents point to people with 'useless' social science degrees. Cases occur where these deservedly get little interest from employers impatient with lack of basic mathematical or current technical expertise or even negativity.

This has unfortunately combined with reactionary elements of the extreme. These groups are trying to disvalue a humanist, secular education. Such education puts the facts in perspective for correct application. Where they propound a variety of anti-reality of climate change, anti-evolution, and anti-markets or rights themes such proponents correctly view tolerant and fact-focused science informed by social reality as the enemy. In the US, members of the Congress Science Committees and other technical groups have recently told children that all evolutionary Science is the work of Satan. An example of the good of this trend is the www.spc.org  a low-cost college that trains on science and market-ready technical degrees--but has a requirement to study practical ethics all but unique in the USA. An example of what is wrong is a call led by some extreme religious-conservative US Republicans and misguided academics to charge humanities students more as 'less useful' to the State (  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/25/state-proposal-vary-cost_n_2014802.html ) as not based on S.T.E.M. …So helpful tools morph into 'unintended' imposed consequences. The prospect of a democratic society or large companies conned by extremists with either naive social scientists OR ethics-free engineers in tow gives pause. Is Liberal education itself--the experience-tested toolkit of a Liberal or kindly, free person-- the real target?

To this end I have recently held a workshop for educators on what I have dubbed B.A.S.E. as equally key in education. Both S.T.E.M. and B.A.S.E.--along with tutoring in exercise, health, and emergency-military organization--are components of a humane, Liberal education.

o Basic concepts of method: Philosophy, logic, systems theory, goal analysis, axiomatics, brainstorming, scientific methods and paradigms, rights development; interdisciplinary and comparative studies in religion, affairs, and sciences supported by life-long interest in Great Books and new skills. So-called Austrian Economics is helping revolutionizing social science by a) An axiomatic approach, and b) A medical organic systems approach i.e. where it treats coercive systems as a social pathology. Lawyers see things business people do not, geographers led many discoveries of geology, people win prizes for ideas in one field that were in fact long known in another.

o Art-humanities, languages, & aesthetic craft: Art is how people model their visions, make things enjoyable, and appreciate the cultural philosophies of others. A picture is worth a thousand words, a great speech many dry treatises to getting action. This includes appreciation, history, and basic techniques in writing, plastic and other self-expression.

o Social sciences and Psychology. Einstein revolutionized physics looking at a social science equation. A mass of social science discoveries have entered common lingo from life-phases to denial complexes. Doctors have discovered hospitals that take account of social science interactions and simple techniques discovered by social scientists thrive. Thus, tools such as color-coding and encouragement of an informal communication atmosphere have fewer iatrogenic mistakes with happier patients who get better quickly. A technologist or scientist unaware of the history of the subject re-invents flat tires.

o Entrepreneurship including Law, Business, Economics, Community Organizing, and Management. LIO Fellow the late George McGovern avowed that his military-techno and social science education led to many proposals that were a disaster. He would have realized that they were a mistake if he had spent a year running a business. This line of learning should be supported by basic certification in a working person's technical skill and, dare I say experience in a union and working person environment as well, not just business field trips.

For decades LIO participants and fans have been promoting things like teaching logic and comparative culture and religion-atheism in elementary school; entrepreneurial education in middle school; great books reading and philosophy in high school. They have worked to end the common practice of training S.T.E.M. graduates in everything except formal logic and actual scientific method so they remind one of artists who can't name colors. They have emphasized that home schooling always occurs and has to be made primary and conscious; welcomed student-run Sudbury schools; fought to legalize free and low-cost by-test Liberal colleges; and fought for free and low-cost life-long and web learning. Now it has a name: along with S.T.E.M. we need, I suggest, a B.A.S.E. focus. Gandhi was a lawyer, Socrates a stone-mason, Hildegard of Bingen revolutionized arts and science while she and ran a community; and I'm a multi-disciplinarian with a union card. LIO has always encouraged prospects like Rand's New Intellectual in modern times: The leader comfortable and respectful of all fields and basic humanity. Culturally, citizen groups like ‘Socrates Café meet a need. Teachers are discovering that using the Peloponnesian Wars is immediately understood by ghetto kids who see those conflicts daily.

The current trend is to integrate S.T.E.M. and what I have named B.A.S.E. in an ongoing learning environment. In what scenario do we need S.T.E.M. students going to colleges where B.A.S.E. is not prized? Specialization tied with appreciation and comfort for the general is what does the trick for most. One usually doesn’t need S.T.E.M. bridge-builders who build marvels that don't work because they ignore the (B) interdisciplinary impacts, are (A) ugly and thus avoided, create (S) traffic jams and accidents by ignoring how drivers actually drive, and (E) cost 3 times more than they should have –except, perhaps, in a armrest-gripping Disaster Movie with Nicholas Cage or Charlton Heston to the rescue.

______________________________

RESOURCES:

• Great Books ( I suggest of every relevant culture, not just the West): http://www.greatbooks.org/
• Lifelong learning community-base example: http://www.thelifelonglearningacademy.com/
• Free books of all kinds: http://www.gutenberg.org/
• Daily Lib-interest tips/learning: www.TheLibertarian.Info
• Lib education/unschooling  efforts with LIO: http://www.libertarianinternational.org/apps/blog/show/4786655-laura-mascaro-libertarian-unschooling-truly-free-schooling-spreads  Many useful links

Libertarian International Organization Fellow Marla Gilson was the "driving force' for world attention to the needs of the differently abled, said admirers, and a key person in promoting both Jewish benevolent causes such as Hadassah and working for peace. 

Marla Gilson was a key LIO Advisor in bringing forth Libertarian approaches to understanding the needs of the differently abled and ending invidious discrimination.

The matter is still widely misunderstood even among some Libertarian supporters, who forget that there are 2 kinds of private entities--ones of public character such as common carriers and entities seeking to engage the general public, and those that are purely private of restricted membership to which public standards--menat to address the e.g. expectations of the less-informed public-- don't apply.

As she put it, "A Jewish study group is immune to the standards; one open to all persons must follow them."

Admirers say she worked brilliantly in the US in:

1. Joining together and doing needs assessments for once disparate groups, and pateiently educating uncomprehending or bigoted leaders...
2. Championing statutes ending where 80% of the discrimination existed--public facilities and government programs--such as better wheelchair access on sidewalks including the emblematic ramps as intersections spreading worldwide
3. Sensible statutes for private entities of public character such as stores open to the public, while preventing attempts to regulate purely private clubs and associations such as religious or fraternal groups of limited reach. At the same time, she encouraged such groups to adopt the public standards whenever feasible, and worked to bring all parties together in 'win-win' compromise. She also worked to prevent mis-use of stautes for anti-business, anti-union, or other agendas, typically by creating unrealistic staututes meant to drive policy as a hidden tax.One result was her "or equivalent: caveat in stautes so people could seek the most cost effective option possible.

The LIO periodically contacts members or in-laws of the Gilson and Monfort-de Lemos clans to see if they're interested in participation. She also worked through LIO Group to bring the concepts to all countries, noting that purportedly 'worker-friendly' coercively socialist-communist countries were the worst offenders in many cases--along with agencies that sought to exempt themselves from their own rules, such as the US Congress itself. A staunch advocate of reproductive freedom, she was in recent years involved in projects to fight genetic discrimination such as misuse of abortion to kill fetuses for genetic reasons--while uniting over 1000 scientific and advocacy groups to study ending all disease through e.g. pre-conception genetic engineering, working within the LIO co-ordinator's and original modern Libertarian view that the issues of abortion (which includes contraceptive use and caesarians) and unborn protection (e.g. non-destructive removal of embryos for humane reasons alone) are distinct and the rights status of the unborn utterly irrelevant just as it would be in the case of an adult which is driving innovations such as snowflake babies. She also worked quietly for separate and friendly states in the Mid-East of eventual Liberal secular character. In addition, she champoioned legal and cultural changes to allow business innovations such as work-at-home and flextime, which were often hampered by local statutes. According to her bio at http://www.geneticalliance.org/bio.gilson :

"...Marla Gilson is the Director of Hadassah’s Washington Action Office, a post she has held since 1997. Hadassah is the largest women’s membership organization in the US Marla is a registered lobbyist and advocates on health policy, domestic legislation, and U.S.-Israel relations. Her background includes extensive legislative, political, managerial, and administrative experience.

Marla has been working on or around Capitol Hill for over 30 years: on Capitol Hill for Congresswoman Bella Abzug (D-NY) and Congressman Bob Traxler (D-MI), and around the Hill as the Director of Community Relations, registered lobbyist at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and director of the Washington Office of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. She also worked in the Presidential campaigns of Mondale/Ferraro and Dukakis/Bentsen, and the Senate re-election campaign of Paul Sarbanes. Marla helped create the Coalition for Genetic Fairness and is currently on its executive committee. She serves on the board of the Coalition for Advanced Medical Research (CAMR) and is a member of the Board of Governors of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice."

In a twist exemplifying the still formidable forces of bigotry and incomprehension that she addressed, she herself was fired for becoming handicapped by her organization then fighting disabled and aging discrimination--the Association of Jewish Aging Services-- in a story that has galvanized activists worldwide.See: http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/03/29/3086608/longtime-activists-leukemia-sparks-bone-marrow-donor-drive  and http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/06/marla-gilson-fired-from-t_n_845641.html

In contrast, Marla's doctor was an Egyptian--even her last act modelling her work for understanding and reaching out.

Said LIO curator Michael Gilson-De Lemos (MG): "She was the sort of modest but firm person at the nexus of LIO/Libertarian voluntary and rights-awaremethods, Liberal tolerance and cultivation of mind, and balanced progressive cultural and scientific sensibilities that are LIO's essence. If you wish her monument, look about you."

.

Anthony Atala demonstrates work on rejection free printable organs that will both solve the organ donation crisis and make practical immortality in reach within decades, suggest experts. Libertarians are holding workshops to head off efforts to block the organs by fanatical groups.

So called 'printable' organs that are rejection free, cheap to make and use evolving computer technologies are being demonstrated and developed, and initial trials of bladdrs are called highly promising. Most experts feel the complete technology is not kust a matter of if but when, including some form of brain extension. or regeneration.

Sadly, many non-progressive groups are alarmed at the prospect of human extended life or low cost medical care free of enforced monopolies or privileged establishments. LIO Libertarians are at work holding non-partisan workshops to head off efforts to make the organs illegal or prohibit research by so called 'pro-life' groups. More information at the TED Conference series is here: http://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_atala_printing_a_human_kidney.html

The groups are already approaching legislators to expand rules against cloning, abortions and contraceptives to justify prohibiting any research on the life-saving organs or to bring about immortality. Other groups are setting out trial ballons to mis-use patent laws to keep costs high through regulation of people using their own organs as a base.

Participants on the LIO Friends group will be asked to be alert to the issue locally and consider holding informationals and chats with local community leaderrs, academics, and their own personal circle over the next few years as these and similar technologies come to reality. LIO users have in the past paved the way for personal computers, space tourism and cell phones, among others, with such proactive campaigns and informationals, rather than reacting to ill-considered legislation or drifting social attitudes.

LIO Friends and Local Libertarians and Liberals are in world action and continue world contact and local efforts showing that 'national policy' when restrictive of rights is increasingly a thing of the past.

They report drug and food liberalization and decriminalization efforts may bear fruit in several countries.The efforts are non-partisan, not advancing legislation per se but the removal of blocks to more voluntary efforts. A growing number of  people are concerned that restrictive laws hamper life extension and quality efforts, citing use of marihunana for cancer pain and survival, vitamin and mioniral supplements with the ill-effects of denatured foods, and the use of traditional drugs for mental improvement and stress--and pave the way to mandatory treatments that historically often are revealed as bad medicine, or anti-cloning laws that may hinder life-ectension technologies.

In Uruguay a series of workshops has led to a Marihuana proposals backed by major parties that are expected to pass.

In Marshall Islands a plan to completely legalize recreational drugs, tax the revenue, and use the taxes to build sea walls and assist other ecological projects is under study.

In Mexico meetings have been held to decriminalize such drugs and use the revenue for infrastructure projects with major figures of several parties, reviving a plan that passed the Mexican legislature. In addition, groups are meeting to look into protection of traditional foods and remedies.

In Europe a petition effort is underway against attempts to regulate or ban food supplements and natural foods with some medicinal effect such as Vitamin D and Bee Pollen.

In the US great headway is being made via direct democracy and initiative efforts focused on medical marihuana and a variety of issues from protection of Vitamin supplements to proper and open labels for genetically engineered foods.

Life Extension Youtubes featuring LIO Fellows and advisory friends are being posted and spreading information. To take a look and explore the tools see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoQht_yE3HA  LIO encourages interest in voluntary programs of research on Life Extension as part of the general Libertarian project of empowering the person.

Libertarian light Ken Bisson, MD, is an advocate of best practices in weight loss and longer life in the US, and has created centers in many cities.

LIO advisory Fellow and friend Ken Bisson, MD, is a dedicated rights activist known for his work in several Libertarian political and non-partisan groups (  http://www.theadvocates.org/about/board-of-directors  ), as a former Vice-Chair of the US Libertarian Party, and as host of a periodic cruise to bring activists and thinkers together to share perspectives.  He is known in his area for Libertarian-based analyses of problems and gentle presentation of more voluntary solutions. Recently, he was appointed to public office in his County's Planning Commission.

This activity may pale compared to his dedication to public health through better information. In recent years he has carefully studied general government recommendations, best practices in diet and weight loss, and how they relate to individualized genetic factors revealed through testing. He has developed an approach and  organized a system to deliver his methods to people living in many areas. One might say the idea is not only that a simple but satisfying diet--which some may find very different from over-generalized official rules -- combined with good health practices is the best. In addition, both diets and adherence can benefit from being individualized.

He continues his scientific and presentation work with peers. The public may consider his group, which provides free consultations, at:

http://www.resultsweightloss.com/how-we-work/medical-staff/dr.-bissons-story

LIO Libertarians  with Life Extension Researchers

Researchers and activists including LIO Libertarians and advisors have announced they continue a push for effective immortality, possibly in a generation.

If a person were immortal, statistically accidents would kill them in about 700 years, according to LIO curator Michael Gilson-De Lemos, who praised the effort and helped change thinking organizing the "Committee for Elimination of Death" in the '70's which met with many scientists and leaders and so changed the paradigm allowing scientists to think in terms of life extension and immortality, not just disease cures. Effective biological immortality would be a great step, and would drive dramatic safety and anti-coercion life-quality  improvements--and is a major interest of LIO in bringing together and encouraging effort in the SMILE initiative.

Dubbed the Manhattan Beach project, the initiative works to focus scientists and business on specifics that would lead to breakthroughs, starting with a working group of the top workers in the subject, including in actual aging reversal.

Resources:

> http://www.manhattanbeachproject.com/

> http://www.redicecreations.com/article.php?id=9062

> http://hplusmagazine.com/2009/09/28/aubrey-de-grey-singularity-and-methuselarity/

What You Can Do:

> http://www.maxlife.org/

> http://www.maxlife.org/force-download.php?file=Life-Extension-Express.pdf ( Longevity self-help program)

Libertarian International Organization Adviser Dr.  Roy Walford championed suggestions on telomere research, exercise and diet studies for life extension that were called "laughable" and "life extension looneytarianism" but scientists aren't laughing now. Nor are the experimental mice now enjoying dramatically increased lifespans, age reversal as exciting research with discovery of tools that anyone can use continues.

In the mid-1970' s LIO Co-ordinator visionary Michael Gilson-De Lemos ("MG") , and LIO Board members Philosopher and Futurist Dr. Timothy Leary, Science Writer Peter Ritchie, Life Extension Biologist Dr. Roy Walford, futurist and science proponent to world youth G. Harry Stine (later board chair) and Social Critic Robert Anton Wilson formed the Intenational Committee for the Elimination of Death. The group was later advised by Dr. Robert Atkins, who had concluded that mandated government policies, bizarre diet and exercise policies in public schools that were also spilling into privater schools, over-vaccination, and perverse diet and anti-supplement and fiber consumption suggestions to the public warped by incentives from tax-funded corporate and government research were having the reverse effect: namely shortening life, increasing a host of minor but debilitating ailments,  and, he predicted, setting the stage for a diabetes and obesity epidemic in advanced countries now spreading.(Dr. Atkins recommended daily walks, mineral water, regular check-ups, and diets rich in fiber and healthy fats such as olive oil, but low in sweet carbohydrates such as sugar and starches as a starting point of study.)

Its object: Change the paradigm that made Life Extension studies a virtual taboo or something dismissed as hopelessly utopian. The Committee aggressively used the LIO approach of personal contacts, writings, and interdisciplinary dialogue, along with collecting promising materials and seeing that they were publicized to inform public opinion. Dramatic ideas such as aging reversal, brain transplants, public health and lifestyle information geared to life extension instead of reactive illness prevention, and genetic engineering were amomg those presented. The contact group soon addressed many scientists, policymakers, and thinkers. Leary and Wilson also proposed the initial SMILE concept which, modified, is the current focus of LIO activity which we report here.

PARADIGM CHANGE

Dr. Walford pioneered substantial research in diet changes and longevity. Dr.Leary wrote extensively and worked tirelessly to remove legal blocks to the internet as an essential research tool. Ritchie spoke with journalists, promising students and scientists of over 80 countries, and proposed cloning, then almost unknown to the public, as a possible avenue. Stated MG: "We must change the paradigm to back-engineering. If scientists assume it is possible to have both incremental and dramatic advances, they'll look for where they might be instead of worrying about offending religious fanatics and moneybag politicians and leaders with destructive or simplistic agendas. Right now laws prevent exercise facilities in some jurisdictions. We must not await scientific revolutions but make them thinkable as one generation moves on," he said, referring to Kuhn's book Structure of Scientific Revolutions."We personally may not survive but may 'Kill Death' from the grave, so to speak."  Dr. Leary summarized it as "Voluntary choice + Focus= Long life spans"

The group suggested lines of research and discussion including the effect of telomeres, transplant research and genetic mapping, and urged journalists to research and publicize an array of simple things people could do that would increase their lives. members proposed that by simultaneously persuading people to extend life by lifestyle changes while new avenues of research produced results, "effective immortality" might be attained in this century. LIO suppporters are also working on making cryogenic freezing of bodies for revival with superior future science increasingly legal, tax free and easy in a growing number of jurisdictions. LIO continues to encourage choice based approaches as essential to the prosperity and education level that raise public health.

The last year has seen continued and dramatic paradigm change as a new generation that grew up hearing such ideas moves into place. A generation later GOOGLE reports that mice experience age reversal with new telomere research. In addition millions of links may be found addressing the cluster of issues such as things people can do to extend life, such as moderate daily exercise; and counter-intuitive strategies such as moderate consumption of wine, alternate fasting or low eating days, and more. As scientific interest grows, so do popular magazines and websites. The public should remain cautious, however, of promises of wonder cures and supplements.

LIO Libertarians have been always interested in removing blocks to lifespan extension. Public Health blossomed as laws and customes that effectively created unhealthy cities ( where, for example, water supplies were placed next to waste disposal; or laws prevented suing to remove polluting entities) were removed; and a world effort advanced by the LIO's then Liberal and Individualist clubs in many countries to normalize bathing, then viewed as immoral by many religious fanatics then in power, was implemented starting in the 1830's.

Several Life Extension researchers have recently joined the board and will be profiled in future items as the effort moves to the next generation.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

1. Use the tools already available to get informed and extend your life
2. Challenge leaders to support non-tax funding of innovative research
3. Share this article and suggest the subject be addressed in local schools

RESOURCES:

•  http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/646565.html Telomeres and aging reversal
• http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=life+extension+&aq=f Youtube has many videos discussing life extension
•  http://www.immortalhumans.com/some-simple-ways-to-increase-your-life-span-%E2%80%93-perhaps-even-to-a-the-healthy-100-years/ Simple ways to increase life span
• http://inhumanexperiment.blogspot.com/2010/05/does-intermittent-fasting-increase.html Fasting discussion
• http://www.walford.com/ Dr. Walford site
• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=ways+to+increase+lifespan&aq=f&aqi=g-v1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai= Over 6 million results reported on Lifespan increase

LIO Libertarians have been key in growing Life Extension movement

The popular Libertarian opinion blog www.LewRockwell.com has a growing number of articles on Life Extension topics. The group, derived from the old Center for Libertarian Studies, includes several LIO friend and advisory board members, and is headed by public intellectual Lew Rockwell. The blog has been bringing increasing focus to the topic, from little-noticed scientific reports to polemics on backfiring legislation to surprising tips on simple things people can do that improve life span at little cost.

In 1976 the LIO organized a group to identify and address legal and cultural blocks to the concepts of immortality, cryogenics, and in general Life Extension. The group included an array of cutting edge scientists such as Dr. Atkins and Dr. Roy Wafford ( http://www.walford.com ). Since then LIO advisors and others have written an amazing array of articles, sponsored conferences, developed magazines, and been involved in nutritional and scientific advances so Life Extension has become a respectable topic and growing area of scientific research.

Here are some articles you'll find searching the site:

Can a State of Hibernation be Molecularly Induced in Humans? by ...Dec 12, 2007 ... Life extension. Recently researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center put a roundworm into a state of hibernation using ...

www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi78.html   - Cached - Similar

What If There Really Were an Anti-Aging Pill? by Bill SardiAug 24, 2010 ... One envious company, which brands itself as the leader the field of life extension, posted a website by a fictitious person (Mark Miller), ...

www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi177.html  - Cached

Can Humans Live Longer?: What we can learn about anti-aging from ...by B Sardi

The majority of the life extension attributed to estrogen, about 2.3 years, occurs only among women with coronary artery disease who take hormones. ...

www.lewrockwell.com/orig/sardi10.html  - Cached - Similar

If You Want to Age Gracefully – Don't Eat This by Joseph MercolaAug 18, 2010 ... The most widely accepted idea for life extension is the free-radical theory, which says that as you age, you begin to "self destruct," ...

www.lewrockwell.com/orig5/mercola52.1.html  - Cached

The Tortoise and the Hare: A Modern Revision by Gary NorthIf you're talking life extension, the big improvements were these: wire mesh screens that kept out insects, separating water supplies from latrine areas, ...

www.lewrockwell.com/north/north216.html  - Cached - Similar

Will Nanny Hour Put an End to Happy Hour? « LewRockwell.com BlogNov 23, 2008 ... Also see an article on how high-fructose corn syrup causes fatty liver disease in the latest issue of Life Extension magazine (not online ...

www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/24139.html  - Cached

Waxman's Anti-Supplement Bill Amendment « LewRockwell.com BlogMay 1, 2010 ... This is what was reported on the Life Extension website. This is a sneaky, totalitarian, corporate state-favoring move to rehash a bill that ...

www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/56941.html  - Cached

How I Lost 100 Pounds by Formerly SphericalJun 10, 2010 ... If not, get the LEF "Life Extension Panel." The test results will show if any of your readings are abnormal. After 6–7 months, ...

www.lewrockwell.com/orig11/spherical1.1.1.html  - Cached

When the Machines Take Over by Bill WalkerJul 15, 2008 ... Extension of human life span or intelligence would be prohibited. This is very important to Skynet, so religions, entire academic ...

www.lewrockwell.com/walker/walker33.html - Cached - Similar

www.lewrockwell.com/murphy-s/murphy-s13.1.html - Cached