Libertarian International Organization

LIO Fellow political economist and integral historian of the under-studied the late Dr. Murray Rothbard's Titanic Man, Economy and State is now available on web in an audio suitable also for the disabled. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj1EKocQXls

The ground-breaking work seeks to re-organize economic knowledge in an axiomatic fashion based on the concept of prioritized action. It includes many discussions of voluntary options and the mechanics of coercive failures, and critiques of the limitations of many economic measures.

The treatise also provides a sweeping presentation of so-called Austrian economic theory, a reconstruction of many aspects of that theory, a rigorous criticism of alternative schools, and an inspiring look at a science of liberty that concerns nearly everything and should concern everyone says narrator Jeff Riggenbach, a noted activist.

More items are at the sponsoring http://www.youtube.com/user/LibertyInOurTime . Dr. Rothbard was highly interested in anarcho-capitalism, a potential application of Libertarian-direction entities, and studied it from the assumption of a society without Libertarians for purposes of methodological rigor.

LIO fan and former Libertarian  in the Costa Rica Congress Otto Guevara, left, meets recently with Chinese officials to examine better free trade and other common ground affecting Central America and Asia.

Fall 2011 Update: On July 17th, 2010, with the expansion of LIO friends, many pro-LIO activists with Libertarian and Liberal supporters began “Operation Democracy” with 3 dialogue goals:

1. Move the 41 remaining problem nations to federalist secular democracy options

2. Start Lib book clubs, Libertarian-interested communities, parties in all countries

3. Direct Democracy (DDIR), jury rule, and voluntary choice in all nations

LIO Operation Democracy builds on the prior and ongoing LIO Trident initiative begun in the 1950’s with Ezra Benson, and re-oriented in the late 1970’s, to encourage in all countries:

1. Citizen Diplomacy through Sister City Boards, core open democracy standards

2. Starting with ISIL and Atlas , Libertarian-oriented and LIO think tanks

3. World workshops and info-shares on using technology to street organize

The LIO curator advises—as always-- that all action and demonstrations be peaceful, respectful of public officials and forgiving of any wrongs, and work initially through solidarity/awareness-raising via personal and union/professional networks. Appeals to foreign help are not condoned, except for medical supplies. Purely defensive small arms in extreme cases sanctioned by the UN, while understood, are not helpful or advised, as these tend to attract big-power interference, terrorists, or military-industrial complexes. The LIO Friends helps share activist key items.

Much initial work was facilitated by the late David Nolan, lead founder of the US Libertarian Party. Unitarian and other lines of contact were explored. Relevant LIO Public Safety Group participants met simultaneously with leaders or their representatives in problem countries starting December 21, 2010 in a show of firmness to advise errant officials their time was up and suggest avenues of exile or reconciliation. 500,000 sheets or communications on organizing were distributed by community leaders; other civil society groups were discreetly encouraged to move forward. The aim was as a first milestone massive change in the Mid-East by the anniversary of 9/11 and the previous LIO ‘push’ that eased the fall of coercive Communism and many right-wing dictators.

As of September 2011, progress is ongoing and satisfactory, as LIO Friends and supporters at our Facebook and Twitter, many doing the work, are aware: Besides the autonomous and natural long-term work of the think-tanks and others, many have started or joined with e.g. social and phone network communication projects touching an estimated 2 million opinion-leader users in 51 countries. In no sense is LIO or users intervening in the affairs of other countries, but making people aware of voluntarist approaches and lines of dialogue to users secured UN Rights as a non-partisan resource. The curator and LIO cultural board, while aware, manage no details.

No action was taken in nations such as China except already continuing improvement, given current policy of eventual federalism, more market choice, and full democratization. Protests should address specifics working with officials in a frank and fraternal fashion wherever democratic processes are underway, and focus especially on system betterment.

Work will continue until all goals are achieved: Recent attacks by media and bloggers ridiculing or portraying Libertarians as: against democracy, oblivious to current protests, anti-Muslim, ineffective, helps fanatic radicals, creates chaos as in Somalia, etc. or that protests are driven by the CIA (presumably some are), are a triumph of US or extremist aid, etc. are disinformative.

RESOURCES::                                                                                                                                           

>  http://www.libertarianinternational.org/apps/blog/show/6130254-libertarian-dialogue-direct-democracy-in-all-nations

> http://www.libertarianinternational.org/apps/blog/show/6084703-lio-libertarians-in-1st-international-conference-to-help-open-last-authoritarian-countries

> http://www.libertarianinternational.org/apps/blog/show/5590381-islam-libertarians-lead-charge-

> http://www.libertarianinternational.org/apps/blog/show/6130254-libertarian-dialogue-direct-democracy-in-all-nations

> http://www.libertarianinternational.org/apps/blog/show/6533908-foreign-policy-2111-x-prize-projects-as-nasa-eyes-stars

> http://www.libertarianinternational.org/apps/blog/show/2943173-lio-head-libs-drive-citizen-foreign-policy-

> http://www.libertarianinternational.org/apps/blog/show/5492930-libertarian-romanians-ended-communism-lead-reforms

LIO Adviser Nobelist Milton Friedman revolutionized perceptions with his popular TV series 'Free to Choose' with key excerpts and his paradigm-busting interviews now free online. In this video he explains how no central planner coercively regulates a pencil into existence, but it occurs through the personal and voluntary networks of many across national and cultural boundaries.

Working with other LIO Fellows, in a masterstroke Nobelist Milton Friedman organized a TV series that went direct to the public to overcome tired views on economics and circumvent coercive state educational monopolistic bureaucracies in the US and Canada, launching renewed interest in voluntary choice and recognition that the lack of choice was the real block to actual solutions to poverty, war, and other matters...and playing a key role in reversing the trend against science and for increasing totalitarian measures. Dr. Friedman focused on Libertarian-oriented and directional concepts, and his own scientific work.

So say admirers. Now the series is available online along with other free interviews of the paradigm busting social scientist who travelled the world meeting with young thinkers and established opinion leaders to promote consideration of freer markets, intentional community, and dialogue for the end of oppressive measures mandating the draft and recreational drug and personal lifestyle punishments--and legalization of communal voluntary communities and networks.

Judge for yourself, and link or share the link with friends if you like his approach.

People in Asia open new local project thanks to Openworld: http://www.openworld.com where Somali activists and Libertarians are not only fighting for a better Somalia on a democratic-localist and market model free of the remnants of government and other imposed terror, but spreading tools worldwide for improvement based on their insights and advice of development experts on voluntary options.

 (See earlier article on Somalia and Somaliland below)

A Somali Investor inspired by Libertarian development tools and an LIO Fellow are among those at work using the concepts and the web to empower under-served people around the globe, and hope their work will inspire similar efforts. Among other items, users are informed by tools of Libertarian choice, Liberal tolerance, and progressive action to implement the needs of the users in simple and cost-effective ways.

Soleman Abdi Idd, founding Chairman of Openworld Inc., is a Somali-born investor and entrepreneur active in private sector environmental initiatives, ecotourism, agricultural ventures, and free economic zone development in Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East.

LIO Fellow Mark Frazier, Openworld's President, has experience in developing market-oriented initiatives for private and public sector clients in 56 countries. A graduate of Harvard University and former Visiting Fellow of the Lehrman Institute, he is a past publisher and managing editor of Reason magazine as well as cofounder of the Local Government Center, springboard for Reason Foundation's privatization practice. He specializes in economic reforms, free zones for knowledge industries, sustainability strategies for self-help groups, and skills diffusion initiatives in emerging economies.

GROWING LIST OF PROJECTS

The group networks volunteers, investors, people with proposals and contributors who simply like the concept. Among the projects underway, according to the site:

>The Horizon Lanka Academy in Sri Lanka. Openworld and its partners are helping to fund microscholarships, work-study projects, student creation of eLessons, and a dedicated internet connection for a pioneering private school launched on a volunteer basis in rural in Sri Lanka. The project has attracted diaspora funding for land grant and building endowments to help ensure its future, and gained national media and political support as an example for villages across the country.

>eCenters and Microscholarship Funds in Kyrgyzstan. With support from the Academy for Educational Development and a $100,000 catalytic microvoucher challenge grant from USAID, Openworld has assisted private telecenter operators in this Central Asian country in extending online learning and certification opportunities at grassroots levels, following local commitment of land grants as endowments for ongoing microscholarship funds. A multimedia presentation on their progress -- with more than 5000 microvoucher recipients over the first 18 months -- can be seen here.

>Strategy development for Business Parks and eGovernment initiatives in Eastern Europe. In response to the growing interest of municipalities in private sector-led eCenters and Business and Technology Parks, Openworld and its partners have been working with communities to design "quickstart" facilities and development tenders for land grant concessions that offer liberalized business climates.

VIRTUAL TOOLS

In addition, Openworld is extending catalytic offers of microscholarships, work-study projects, and in-kind contributions -- including video cameras, notebook computers, and software -- to local self-help initiatives interested in endowing microvoucher funds and "eAcademies" through land grants in Somaliland, Gabon, and Haiti.

Openworld and its partners also have a range of online projects to promote sustainable eLearning opportunities and to support private sector-led projects that can generate resources for local microscholarship funds. These include:

>Launching an "Assisting Entrepreneurial Schools" portal with resources for market-based learning alternatives to succeed, including information on microscholarship funds, land grants, and opportunities to engage students as designers/co-owners of new for profit schools and eLearning ventures;

>Preparing a Virtual Business Incubator CD - with funding from USAID's Regional Competitiveness Initiative - for jobseekers and freelancers in Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro to find projects in rapidly-growing online free markets for telework (click here to request a copy);

>Offering "Openworld Presenter" freeware/shareware authoring tools for creation of eLessons that can fill gaps in existing educational systems;

>Using free Skype internet calling software for diaspora and other volunteer faculty to offer online "English as a Second Language" practice sessions for schools serving poor communities;

>Working with FLOW -- an emerging movement for liberating the entrepreneurial spirit and focusing it on the goals of sustainable peace, prosperity, and happiness -- to engage students in cross-cultural exchange to understand and develop Openworld approaches to local social and economic development; and

>Providing digital toolkits in international and local languages for private development of eAcademies, eCenters and Technology Parks around the world on a success-sharing basis with nonprofit organizations.

>Click the siute for more on tools for e.g. global eAcademies , Bulgarian eCenters and Business/Technology Parks, and Krygyz eCenters.

Said LIO curator Michael Gilson-De Lemos: "You can teach someone to fish, or show  how to fish--or best of all teach how to start a fish farm. In my opinion the combination of such networking sites and making assistance programs non-coercive and better accountable make the Libertarian approach-- of dialogue for international understanding while ending poverty and teaching wealth creation so the free markets and intentional community or co-op proejects are a ready tool, not a mystery-- a growing reality to end humanity's true foes: poverty, ignorance, and mutual fear. We heartly encourage interest in such projects especially of people reaching across borders to share their experience where it may help others." 

LIO Fellow Dr. Russell Means confers with Fellow, US feminist leader, satirist and researcher Carol Moore who exposed official corruption at Waco in a bestseller, and now champions spreading interest in micro-communities and legal mechanisms for autonomy and secession  as key conflict management and choice tools that reduce, not increase, conflict and choice.

 Her site has new book with profile (http://carolmoorereport.blogspot.com )

Shortly after the fall of Communism, Czechoslovakia faced civil war from long- standing tensions among her two major ethnic groups, which Communist leaders had used to oppress each other and so strengthen their position, say critics. Inspired by pro-Libertarian leader Vaclav Klaus, who has indicated that one should not rush to secession but it is valid to put on the table, the groups instead separated into two countries which were then better positioned to resolve differences and are now firm allies. In contrast, countries such as Iraq, Yugoslavia, Somalia, Israel, Afghanistan, Pakistan,  and others attempted to force centralization creating war-torn breakups or conflict that have drawn the whole world into supporting seemingly endless peacekeeping missions. Sometimes a bad social bargain, like a bad partnership, needs to be dissolved. Which is the wiser path?

Researcher and activist LIO Adviser Carol Moore has no doubts, working for decades to encourage interest in peaceful and rights-based devolution as a powerful tool of  conflict-reduction, conciliation and lifestyle choice; and of protection of minorities and cultural groups. Interest is increasing each decade in secession- and increased autonomy- based tools as a positive, natural and normal way of handling issues:

• In 1979, LIO advisors helped end war in Namibia centering dialogue on localism
• The Soviet Union devolved into a confederation, China has set a policy for eventual localism in a "United States of China" and the most peaceful and prosperous part of Iraq, the north, simply separated de facto to manage its affairs.
• While Europe expands as a common entity on federal lines, attention increases towards more local rule and autonomy, and use of traditional languages.
• Interest in charter cities, co-operatives, and intentional communities is spreading. States such as California and Florida have developed streamlined charter city and community association procedures. In the US many communities are disincorporating and hiring public services from private companies. Designed communities, once denounced as crazed Libertarian anarchism, have become a business as consulting companies provide plug-and-play methods and services. People are discovering personal secession from non-functional public entities as choice and local opt-outs increase.Examples of increasingly non-coerced service exist in every area from roads to pension plans. Co-operatives or services helping people to aid families abroad, to barter, to getting discounts have blossomed with the internet.
• In the US, there is legal interest in increasing state autonomy and devolution to local and personal levels. Piecemeal service secession has garnered interest. Said one policymaker in a recent brainstorm: "Why not 50 Social Security, medical and other programs? Why not cities competing by offering local services as they do library systems?" Some communities have encouraged local barter, money and other systems led by community groups down to the neighborhood level. In Vermont, the state may not participate in the Obamacare plan, citing what it feels is its own superior state plan; in the capital, Burlington, a food-co-op with local farmers toprovision a good part of the city has attracted international attention. Incidents such as Waco, however, where the long established principle of letting religious and voluntary communities mostly find there own way was ignored suggest there is much to do.

Moore consults on secession tools, urges use of the approach in big ways or small as a normal method of addressing problems and discovering solutions.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1-Share or link to this article; look into local co-operatives that may exist already

2-Inventory issues in your life where you can most benefit

3-Propose secession and personal opt-out as a method of handling local problems

RESOURCES:

• http://www.vtcommons.org/blog/carol-moore Secede and Survive discussion, also http://www.secession.net tools and encouragement
• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1007&bih=513&q=charter+city&aq=f&aqi=g7g-m3&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai= Charter cities information
• http://books.google.com/books?id=eyiYdWygQBcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=secession&source=bll&ots=a9Afg3FEcM&sig=UEt7uNFTwzItMRN57UUPgV2iegQ&hl=en&ei=fiMUTcO3G8P48AbH9tjJDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=16&ved=0CGYQ6AEwDw#v=onepage&q&f=false Free E-book on a secession strategy
• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1007&bih=513&&sa=X&ei=TiQUTaujK8G88ga_l6jvDg&ved=0CBMQvwUoAQ&q=temporary+autonomous+zones&spell=1 TAZ concept
• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1007&bih=513&q=form+a+co-operative&aq=f&aqi=g-m1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai= About co-operatives
• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1007&bih=513&q=intentional+community&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai= Intentional community
• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1007&bih=513&q=libertarian+municipalism&aq=f&aqi=g1g-v8&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai= Libertarian municipalism tools

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.

The Lifeboat Foundation, here in a Popular Science article, is one of a growing number of efforts  founded by Libertarians and LIO Friends to proactively address emerging issues to safeguard humanity against the worst while networking on opportunities for the best, and has been praised by government military strategists as "Way ahead of us." LIO Fellows are also well involved. See:  http://lifeboat.com/ex/main

A common and foolish argument against voluntary action is people are too greedy, irrational or stupid to be trusted, which may perhaps say more about the subconscious world of the critic than humanity.

LIO, Libertarian-direction or using activists  have  historically been at the forefront of efforts to safeguard the future and provide tools empowering average people.The best plan for the future is not ban but unblock discussion of many plans for the future respectful of rights--the appropriate method for emerging issues.

One pilot project seeks to vision the very protection of the future itself. The Lifeboat Foundation brings together many experts and the interested general public to discuss and take personal action on an array of projects somewhat on the LIO advisory network model. It was founded by Libertarian activists who contacted an array of innovative thinkers both recognized and 'out of the box.'

Issues addressed range from matters of immediate concern to long term issues such as misbehaving nano-technology and the threat of asteroid collisions or stellar events. The idea is to promote public discussion and also ideate concrete plans that the average person or small community can do something about, not just international or large efforts and not dependent on politicized governments or large corporations. The program raises funds, promotes fora, and positions discussion among other actrivities, and particpants also meet with senior policymakers to exchange perspectives.

Examples of discussions or projects underway include a post-coercive and post-political world, faster than light travel, non-punitive ending crime and terror , contact with leaders on the need for plans to handle 'first contact' and needed legal mechanisms, milestones to end poverty, a flexible civil defense able to withstand surface destruction for decades by a e.g. disruptive asteroid strike or supervolcano eruption, safeguarding heirloom seeds and genetic codes, and a chart with likely threats to and opportunities for humanity in the next few thousand years. Many participants say a main benefit is they're spurred to more informed and personal action. Often they had been quietly working on projects with little hope of public interest until they had this tool for interdisciplinary feedback and public and policy interest,

LIO platforms network without endorsement LIO Friends--those generally supportive of the broad LIO project and using voluntary tools--and other participants in these and similar efforts to assist inspiration, comparison of best practices and mutual exchange of data. In particular, we encourage interest in similar but micro-projects in communities and even families as the data or potential needs become better defined in public awareness.

LIO Welcome Host Ecuadorian Astronaut Commander Ron Nader embodies, as a non-partisan advocate of peace and education of under-served youth, LIO interests in dialogue on voluntary approaches, global multi-culturalism, future and proactive focus, and  respect for the aspirations of each individual to do great things.

As some leaders predict a centuries-long "War on Terror" and declining civil liberties it may be we need to re-vision. What will "foreign policy " be a century from now? Will we, 100 years from now, leave these problems behind?

In 1976 LIO began to network a series of workshops to re-orient humanity away from the cold war and towards peaceful and private colonization of space and the sea respectful of non-human life and ecologies, and voluntary public programs. We're beginning to see the results after a generation of discussion, private experimentation, and massive changes in attitude: If LIO Libertarians have anything to do with it, in the future  'foreign policy'  will be merely formal as humanity unites in peaceful development of space with growing legalization of voluntary and non-coercive means...prepares space arks for stellar colonies...debates the prospects of FTL or Faster than Light speed travel...and begin by highlighting and spreading projects for just that that are well underway, many catalyzed or supported by LIO Friends  as can be seen from the X-Prize lists at:

• A list of X -prize general items @ http://space.xprize.org/
•  http://www.googlelunarxprize.org/

For example:

• The Google Lunar X PRIZE is a $30 million competition for the first privately funded team to send a robot to the moon, travel 500 meters and transmit video, images and data back to the Earth.
• The Ansari X PRIZE, won by Burt Rutan and Scaled Composites in 2004, was a $10 million competition to build a privately funded craft that reaches a sub-orbit of 100 km twice in two weeks.
• The X PRIZE Cup is an annual two day air and space expo designed to bring together all sections of the aerospace industry to demonstrate their capabilities for the general public.
• The Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander X CHALLENGE is a two-level, two million dollar competition requiring a vehicle to simulate trips between the moon’s surface and lunar orbit.
• Thanks to Lib-led legal simplification, private space Mars ventures are under discussion, http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/21/musk_mars_dragon_claim/
• Prodded by private envisioning groups, now NASA is discussing inter-stellar travel as part of the debate: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/03/24/nasas-100-year-starship-project-sets-sights-interstellar-travel/

In addition, cultural change is accelerating:

• Many US States have begun work on private-public Spaceports
• Movies such as Avatar, widely prasied by Libertarians and Liberals as showing how we should not proceed, show a deepening public discourse
• Science Fiction stories that re-envision government as a center of information along lines proposed by Madison, playing a modest and advisory role for a peaceful and educated society
• Meetinmgs by policymakers to prevent areas of conflict in space use and invite co-operation and private involvement on a voluntary scale
• Growing involvement is itself an engine for peace and public information.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

>Encourage a local workshop on your community 100 years from now as a peaceful community

>Examine policies that may be hindering development and choices

 Teen Libertarian in public office LIO Activist Charles Peralo meets US New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, who is studying Libertarian ideas.

(This is the first of a series of micro-articles on the Libertarian future by David Nolan-key founder of the US Libertarian Party- with LIO past Advisory Chair Ralph Swanson.)

There is no question in my mind that while many of their elders timidly debate and criticize, or call for us to dilute 'too radical' Libertarianism into some sort of conservatism or to even lie to get elected, young Libertarians are forging ahead and being the Libertarian future in public administration--not only in the US but around the world.

I urge young Libertarians and local Libertarian leaders of whatever group to look into opportunities for public service such as activism and appointive boards. The fact that we're seeing Libertarian teens get in public office and champion 'radical' Libertarian ideas successfully should wake us all up. Teens are showing they can do much more than attend a college or high school club. There've been non-partisan teen mayors and council people, and I predict we'll see Libertarian ones. That's not all. The social entrepreneurship and activism projects especially on the net are stunning. Film, helping the poor, starting new ventures, it's amazing.

Let's learn from these teens! Do something today: Carefully study Libertarian ideas or successes we can adapt to our communities, have a good and polite attitude, and get involved. --David Nolan

_________________________

Young Libertarians are making a difference and setting an example sharing voluntary concepts and LIO concepts in non-partisan public office, activism, and more.

• Charles Peralo is a Teen Libertarian and LIO activist in appointive (adlective) public office on a Youth Advisory Board for his County in New York, where he provides perspective on market issues. He's also working on a variety of informational and activist projects, such as a computer tutorial service for seniors and work on a project to conceptualize Libertarian-interest see communities. At a meeting with David Nolan, Peralo was told  youth "...like you are the future of the movement."
• Kennon and Kira Gilson are Teen Libertarians on a record joint 12 several advisory boards and Quanggos in Florida, including County Youth Advisory, Library, and others where they've helped derail tax and fee increases, provided needed info on park privatization, and are developing websites to help private assistance for the homeless and get tax and rate relief for people who use energy efficient home improvements or produce electricity utilities can buy working as non-party and non-partisan Libertarians, and introduce more voluntary tools to better public safety.
• Jaroslav Romanchuk of www.isil.org led, as a youth activist, key efforts that resulted in the transition of the Eastern bloc to democracy and now is working in Belarus where he ran for president galvanizing a new movement, has founded a think tank, and speaks to groups around the world on Libertarian-oriented topics.
• In countries from the UK to the Philippines, LIO Libertarian and Liberal teens and college youth are often leading the way working on democracy improvement, ballot access, media, and social entrepreneurship projects.

J. Romanchuk shares his work at a talk at  the CATO Institute.

RESOURCES:

>Check for or urge appointive offices or projects in your area that welcome youth participation

--R. Swanson

Ayn Rand became involved with LIO in the 1930's, became inactive, and was re-activated shortly before her death. The artist-philosopher revived interest in Aristotelianism as a modern approach--through her work as an advocate of focused awareness, causal thinking, self-empowerment,and constitutional freedom.

April 15 was, in the Roman calendar, associated with Libertarian freedom, and is when a new movie based on Philosopher Ayn Rand's romantic thriller, Atlas Shrugged, comes to the screen--after an equally epic saga to be made and distributed in the face of sceptics.

The story presents the overthrow of a US totalitarian government when the most productive people simply go on strike, creating a domino effect and leading to a televised speech where the hero outlines an objective and secular philosophy and the relation of totalitarianism to arbitrary thought and action. Rand was vilified for years--and lionized--as her work was perversely misrepresented as e.g. fascist. The attached national TV appearance in the US greatly increased interest in her best selling books and acceptability in the electronic media. Rand was not associated with the US Libertarian Party after an unpleasant experience with anti-Rand religious fanatics led to doubts about its role. LIO advisors are presently reviving the New Intellectual Society next year, the oldest group dedicated to studying her work and publicizing Aristotelian concepts for the average person.

Rights advocates across the world are already calling for movie versions in their own languages in a unique phenomenon. Links to the movie trailer in English and Spanish, along with trailers of her other movies, are available at our Libertarian International Organization Facebook--please page down the Wall. Her work, Anthem, is a free-ebook at the Libertarian Book Club linked @ http://www.libertarianbookclub.org   . Her work has been published in her native Russia, where, though long by US standards, they're considered by some somewhat short in the land that created the 18 hour movie and epic super-long novel.

Says LIO past Advisory Chair R. Swanson, " I knew the woman and she was deeply interested in our cause and the need for the spread of a rational philosophy as the foundation for other improvements. She was very enthusiastic about the concept of a completely voluntary society from a constitutional point of view and the heroic spirit of everyday people. She was drill-sergeant tough with her students as one would expect of a no-nonsense philosophy teacher who won't let you get away with anything, but 'off-duty' and personally was a kind and tolerant person who was at heart an artist. She felt the answer to family problems and the future were things that empowered the child such as Montessori education and the like. As a self-taught immigrant, that she wrote with such a poetic command of English was incredible. She had courage when others faltered. Her husband was a very surprising person, an artist who made them a fortune in real estate with a knack for summarizing complex issues with pithy comments out of the blue."

Note: The Roman April 15 festival related to a community event of resolving rights and sharing goods in a community meal related to a sacrifice of cattle to Tellus, who guarded rights and boundaries. There is a tradition that people were freed at this time or assumed citizenship. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fordicidia In the US, April 15 is also when unpaid income taxes are due.

RESOURCES:

• http://www.atlassociety.org/ Publicizes and studies her work
• http://www.atlas-shrugged-movie.com/ Info blog on movie
• http://www.amazon.com/Ayn-Rand-Her-Own-Words/dp/B004KDYQY4/r Upcoming  where she answers FAQS in her own words

Along with insterest in voluntarist Seastead and colonies in the Ocean, LIO Libertarian activists and Friends are working to lead or promote coastal eco-parks with no unsafe offshore drilling, and homesteaded fisheries and no-go zones to better preserve sea life:

• A group in Florida is working to make the offshore a park area of around 500 miles, with insured and third-party monitored (instead of regulated) safe drilling. In time residents may also homestead areas for receational purposes and boat living atomatically with their landed Florida homestead..
• In Asia activists have saved species and small fisherman from over-fishing by favored companies by advancing homesteaded zones owned by local communities, trusts to preserve certain species, or native families.
• Activists are working worldwide on no-go zones as mid-ocean parks to cobat dead zones, and to encourage courts to adopt a zero-toerance pollution policy of all shores, rivers. Governments, usually through corporate monopolies, special laws preventing court lawsuits,  or military porograms, account for over 90% of the pollution, say many experts and bodies including the US GAO.

Says the LIO curator: "We would not pollute the family swimming pool or pond for ducks and fish. The ocerans are the family swimming pool and pond of the children of Earth. A system of dialogue and contractual entities is already showing the way."

David Nolan championed new rights parties of voluntary solutions.

--By Ralph Swanson, LIO Past Advisory Chair

A series of joint short articles with US Libertarian Party founder David Nolan addressing LIO topics of interest under the title "The Libertarian Future" will be published here under my byline. The articles will include criticisms of current problems in the US LP, reviews of hard-to-get activist data, and positioning of LIO projects Nolan was advising and championing, including global spread of LIO and additional Libertarian-direction parties.

The articles were created in the late '90's for when they were needed; and had been finalized by Nolan after recent review. They were slated for issue about the upcoming 40th anniversary of the US LP founding starting last December. My final editing review has been delayed due to Mr. Nolan's untimely passing on, and my recent health issues since December. I hope you anjoy them.

The LIO site will start a new format of topics in April, 2011 (Updated May, September 2011). Each month will be dedicated to a key theme of interest to friends and activists, along with thinkpieces and profiles of current interest. The format is approximate and will be introduced gradually. As themes are updated we will return to about 5-12 thinkpieces yearly centered mostly on LIO Fellows

• Starting in March  four months will deal with the four segments of the LIO program for civic betterment (Democratization for choice, De-coercive law, Devolution for choice of services and international Development of peace );
• In  August and September  special focus on LIO Friends and their exemplery and autonomous personal projects of partcipation or leadership in advancing voluntary alternatives, editorials, advisories, and project statuses..
• October -February monthly focus on each area of the SMILE initiatives with the work of LIO Fellows.
• In July Highlights of the last year in building Libertarian-interested community and Liberal structures and update on conferences and events of interest: the "I LEAP!" areas of building Libertarian-interested networks and community e.g. Interpersonal, Legislative/Coalition and Think Tanks, Educative/Action Community, and Public Administration/ Public Office Key by LIO Friends.

As always, items will focus on reviews of lead Libertarians and LIO fans at work, plus data, advisories and examples of voluntary action that refute mistaken paradigms on what Libertarians are actually doing--while providing useful templates for team action and discussion.

From time to time a PDF e-zine style summary of Libertarian action suitable for creating flyers based on the items will be linked, as we say, in due course. Mayl 2011 will therefore focus on Development for international peace and the key projects underway.

LIO Senior Advisor Harry Browne passed away 5 years ago this week.

While newspapers and officials blamed the economic crisis on "too much" Libertarianism, claiming it proves freedom false, Libertarians were actually doing well following the "Libertarian Lifestyle" precepts of "people's philosopher and economist" Harry Browne, a US best-selling author who passed away 5 years ago this week.

Browne, who with other LIO advisors helped lead the USLP to its largest size in paying members and people in office to date by 2002--and was a twice Libertarian presidential US candidate helping smash down ballot access barriers--proposed a simple system of portfolio or investment class management for all economies.The public educator wrote many best-selling books on applying Libertarian concepts to better relationships, businesses, and public finances; and was consulted by many world leaders.

His system ( in his book Fail Safe Investing ) was based on the idea that one must not passively accept the market but 'manage upwards' with proactive thinking. Far from depending on government to regulate the economy coercively, one was best advised to realize that very regulation was the main danger and act both to defeat it, and be ready for inevitable economic changes for better or worse. The system was meant to be usable by the average person to safeguard key investments meant to produce basic income against 'officials misled by crackpot statist theories' tampering with free markets, which he held was the main reason for recurring and major economic crises.

He pointed out that by annually re-adjusting one's investments among cash, bonds, stocks, and metals such as gold each year, at least one of them grew in any economy and the re-adjustment served as a "circuit breaker" or bulwark against problems with the others. The portfolio should be the main focus of activity until it produced sufficient income. If one was willing to dedicate the time, he also recommended a second portfolio divided among home and real estate, home business, community help and disaster insurances. The disaster preparation ranged from additional cash and asset reserves to catastrophe insurance to some assets abroad to e.g. an extended supply of food, guns and medicine, and water for emergencies or major catastropes. Only with this basic security should the average person consider more speculative investments, he proposed, which would become better as the public became more informed; and nations naturally better civil and emergency defense.

Browne also felt the system would, as it spread, pressure errant officials towards reforms as they saw their policies outwitted. Widespread adoption would itself help stabilize economies while increasing investor education. Libertarians who used the system, for example, saw their portfolios rise with gold investments and automatic removal from deteriorating real estate, while automatically positioned for better investment at the lows due to more cash and survival stores for long term unemployment. In addition, he felt that the system helped critique public finance towards more stable and proactive policies and away from e.g. deficit financing and uncontrolled taxation. Similarly, he advised banks and business to use a similar philosophy with cautious reserves, which are still there while others sank or sought government bail-outs in the crisis, say fans of his approach.

Browne left a legacy of applied Libertarianism for improving households, relationships, workplaces, and citizen action in his many books; plus a project meant to help the public easily contact officials he hoped would be an example worldwide, www.DownsizeDC.org

 WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Check out: http://www.trendsaction.com/ and http://www.harrybrowne.org/
• Review your portfolio and set up a savings and investment plan
• Encourage local public entities and fiorms to use stabilizing investments
• Use www.DownsizeDC.org for monthly e-activism or start one locally

LIO Fan turned Fellow Christina Tobin discusses election improvements with Mr. Grayson, Kentucky, USA Secretary of State.

LIO fans continue expanding their work in bringing low-requirement and fair ballots and elections to every country. One target is the US itself, where Libertarians have been chipping away at laws over 4 decades that made third parties difficult until a few years ago...but much remains to be done. Christina Tobin co-ordinates various coalitions and efforts in the US that work for fair ballot access and elections, inspiring many worldwide to work to improve democracies on a non-partisan basis to better citizen participation.

Common ballot problems, advocates say, include nonsense requirements, unrealistic signature levels, ill-trained officials, bizarre party qualifications, and openly hostile legislation.

RESOURCES:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_Tobin
• http://www.freeandequal.org/

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.

Brazil's 'Super-Green' Mayor Antanas Mockus helped citizens work wonders with 'market-friendly' Green policies and community problem solving groups. He now leads a consulting venture, has spoken at Harvard, and has run for President, sparking further reform: http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2004/03.11/01-mockus.html

Extreme Conservative and pseudo-Libertarian critics of Libertarianism love to claim Libertarians should get practical, stop talking about philosophy, avoid 'extreme' ideas, recognize democracy and freedom conflict,  and join the conservatives to attack everyone else in expensive campaigns. They apparently have not met Columbia's Antanas Mockus.

Philosopher, past University President  and mathematical theorist Mayor Antanas Mockus who, as a Green, emphasizes his trans-partisan and collaborative posture, has revitalized transpartisan use of Libertarian tools doing things by 'unleashing people power' many Libertarian advocates elsewhere might otherwise fear pre-mature. As mayor of the capital, Bogota, in two non-consecutive terms, he evidenced Libertarian tools that:

•  De-localized governance to thousands of local 1000 voter or less problem solving groups who quickly found methods to do more with less taxes
• Abolished the police force for volunteer watches and the 7000 local groups, with the result of plummeting crime and incidents ( the municipal force was retained), including 70% drop in murders
• Leadership by example and incident focus activities--derided as stunts by an uncomprehending media--that cut water waste, domestic violence and traffic incidents dramatically
• Market /choice based policies that kept unemployment rates stable despite worsening conditions elsewhere and helped cut taxes and rules
• Voluntary taxes increased revenues 10% covering projects proposed by the groups, massively increasing sewer and water services, for example.

Mockus is one of the growing number of  non-partisan "non-Libertarian Libertarians in public office" who use Libertarian-oriented devolution, best practice, and choice tools as a starting point of study by citizen groups that, when empowered to look at all the data, put them to work. Continuing his work with the new mayor, the result was  to "...in less than 10 years turned one of the world's most dangerous, violent and corrupt capitals into a peaceful model city populated by caring citizens" according to the promotion of a movie on him. Mockus felt this worked well with Green Values of localism and more.

His consulting group at http://www.corpovisionarios.com/ continues the work internationally. Page down at our site for similar stories of mayors and public officials using LIO and Libertarian tools.

Presently having been in more public offices as a Libertarian than any Libertarian, the Libertarian International Organization Co-ordinator, Platform Visionary, Philosopher, Movement co-founder, Fortune 500 consultant  and retired Union Member Dr. Michael Gilson-De Lemos encourages Libertarians not just to support  debate on 'Unions for All'--but to go on the offensive and suggest 4 of them.

Editorial

Since the inception of the modern Libertarian project, I've encouraged all Libertarian and Liberal leaders in our network to advise dialogue on bettering union representation for all. I wish to extend that encouragement to the 600,000 who have taken the Libertarian pledge, and the growing number of LIO fans and supporters as citizen activists.

People have an absolute right to a union if one accepts they have an absolute right to attorney representation or agency, and fair mediation by the agents involved. This right is a natural one, which neither can be bartered nor contracted away. Additional support from the right to association is commonly asserted.

UNIONS ARE POWERFUL TOOLS

Unfortunate problems with unions have, according to many scholars, arisen from coercive attempts of official interference, not any problem with unions per se. Examples are given of mis-action on the extreme left where unions become little more than mouthpieces, and the extreme right proting infiltration by organized crime or capture by corporate entities. Confusion may have also arisen from the common-law practice of disallowing unions in small businesses where no agent is required and there is a more intimate relationship such as entities that do not make a public offer such as certain religious ones; and legal doctrines claiming professionals, government workers, free-lancers and others cannot unionize with legal benefit or form co-operatives without official permission; of forced union participation and the like. At the same time, the rights of employers to form unions under color of professional and lobbying groups, whether public or not, is often and rightly treated as beyond discussion. That in various countries unions must seek alliance with one political party or another to be heard is itself to many quite strange when all parties should vie for the honor and work to suppress class hatreds. In my opinion the wonder is that professional attorneys do not rush to champion the issue, suggesting how confused conceptions are, and the failure to realize the issue is not just unions, but choice of representatives.

Since the time of the Enlightenment Libertarians through this network have encouraged unions of every description, associated co-operatives and mutuals, and the choice thereof. From the work to bring dignity to the enslaved and ballot-disenfranchised, to the Pittsburgh statement in the 1800's to the IWW and more, participants have sought to assert the simple position that people can choose representatives both public and private, that these representatives both prevent and mediate many minor problems that can become major through common-law mechanisms of collective bargaining, the strike, third party mediators, and more; and an informative union of well-paid professionals and choice of unions is the best friend of the honest business or public agency in the same way as is an informed, well-paid and engaged customer or investor. Unions have led the way to implementing Libertarian co-operative ideas that enhance community while empowering the individual such as mutual banks and savings insurances, credit unions, access to the stock market once reserved to those favored by unjust laws, and pensions for their workers. Where every ally betrayed unions, Libertarians did not, because they view them as a right, a powerful tool of social betterment and mediation.

UNIONS AS CHAMPIONS OF FREE CHOICE

Unions, not rich fatcats looking for illegal but officalized  favors, ended coercive Communism. In the work against coercive Communism and current work to mediate improvements in the Middle East and Africa, Libertarian International Organization friends have found budding unions from local co-operatives to physicians for rights key avenues of dialogue, communication, and action. Let us remember that it was Unions in contact with LIO and others that led the transition from coercive Communism and spread education on free enterprise and other Libertarian-interest concepts, often on pain of death. They have been reliable partners to business and managers in participatory management, self-driven quality improvement and health regulation, and low-cost employee education. Consumer unions and co-operatives provide better product informatiuon, and even unwittingly pioneer free-market alternatives such as free-goods stores and other ventures that confound the homilies of ideology bound economists.

In the US today, for example, Unions of government employees are, after preconceptions are addressed and clarified, among the most interested and intelligently critical supporters of Libertarian proposals for more choice and voluntary options in programs, and effective mentors  and allies in exposing local rackets. One may make an argument that many of the crises of today are the result of legal interference with co-operatives and unions: Unions were in many countries well advanced in providing low cost and universal health care, education, small business assistance, negotiating nationally for higher wage levels than obtainable by politicized minimum wages or wage regulations forced by officials, and national defense when officials stepped in so 'common workers' could not tell their betters what to do through hiring them. That is to say, for example, why debate the wonders or evils of government health care for all as an only choice ...when union-driven health care for all is possible?

ONE WORKER, 4 UNIONS

Unions and the attendant co-operatives can do wonders. While many countries struggle to normalize one union, reformers in countries such as Germany have created systems where workers regularly belong to 3 unions at once: One for the business, one locally, and one professional, each handling different areas such as workplace disgreements, wages, and betterment of the profession and mediating economic surprises as a whole. True, there is much to be improved, but the modern Libertarian movement and LIO champion not issues but the process and the voluntary tool, recognizing that the answer to misuse is more choice and transparency, not deadening laws by secret groups.

There is no reason except legal barriers why people should not automatically belong to 3 such unions in all countries; to a 4th consumer and bartering co-operative union as well; that these unions should be free of charge and offer many services that eventually takeover many or all "public services" if desired, or at least offer them in parallel; and unions should not represent managers; that people should be able to join any union they wish or several at once; and membership be portable across any border. 

CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS

Therefore I'm honored to praise those seeking to develop new union alternatives and their study and improvement as essential to both designed community choices and logical and beneficial use and operation of free and Libertarian markets by the average person, and so deserve every interest from Libertarian supporters and those using Libertarian-oriented ideas and tools, who in turn have already created pilot barter groups, co-ops and exchanges in many areas; and consumer unions in many countries to mediate tax issues and the like. I and those with me are committed to those who say: Choices in free markets, public programs, unions and more in an economy without taxation but a voluntary social contribution will, against every sceptic, prove a sure engine for retirement at 45, doubling of public and other worker salaries, and increased free or lower cost services in all nations for all if we, citizens, will let people experiment and try. Has that not been the trend for 200 years? Let us converse with those who say we must accept tiny pensions at 72, low wages, shoddy services, their government by surprise.

 RESOURCES:

• http://www.freelancersunion.org/ Free union model
• http://www.worldtaxpayers.org/members.htm Taxpayer unions
• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1007&bih=515&q=barter+co-operatives&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq= Barter & Co-op news
• http://www.freestoreportland.org/ Free store pilot
• http://www.consumersunion.org/
• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1007&bih=515&q=consumidores+libres&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq= Free Consumer movement in Latin America
• http://www.ituc-csi.org/

The advice of the co-ordinator is respectfully offered for general guidance to induce contrarian debate, and study of alternatives of a voluntary nature protective of rights.

For decades LIO's Milton Friedman worked on issues internationally from abolishing the draft to freeing up markets and ending poverty with limited government tools. Now his relative Patri Friedman is an LIO Fellow and helping people discuss how to bring more societal choice through small and designed community tools, especially free cities and new mini-countries. In addition, his network includes people working on cleaning up the oceans and other ecological issues using market or voluntary tools.

Friedman has brought together interested activists from around the world to study and present commercially viable sea communities and alternatives such as charter communities. He invites those interested to join his groups and monitor and contribute with the many intellectuals, business investors, and interested consumers involved. The LIO encourages general use of Libertarian and voluntaristic tools to design innovative and stabilizing communities, eco-villages and co-housing experiments, and dialogue on clean oceans with residential but minimal industrial or drilling use by e.g. coastal eco-parks with both common and family permenent seastead use.

The USA has over 15,000 competing governments, and people increasingly accept that once territorially based public services can be privatized by firms or non-profit groups and offered locally or on the market e.g. phone service co-operatives  or competing cell phone companies instead of a state monopoly as existed before Libertarians got involved. In addition, Libertarians have driven a relaxation of localism impediments leading to an explosion of designed communities and housing co-operatives in e.g. the US  that act with whatever level of governance participants desire. Many feel what the Friedman group is studying is an important next step.

RESOURCES:

• http://www.seasteading.org/blogs/main/2010/12/03/the-future-free-cities-conference-2011-announcement Seasteading
• http://athousandnations.com/ Cambrian Explosion in Governance
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkdqqpkDVyQ Eco-village ideas
• http://www.projectkaisei.org/ Clean oceans