Libertarian Party

Michigan Libertarians Say “Free Assange! Stop Police Brutality!”

April 19, 2019

Bay City, MI – Delegates to the Libertarian Party of Michigan state convention made their feelings about the abuse of power clear over the weekend.

Over two-thirds of those attending the event at the Courtyard by Marriot in Bay City want to see the firing and prosecution of law enforcement officers who use excessive force, as well as those in the judicial branch who enable them.  They expressed this sentiment in the resolution that read…

“Whereas the initiation of force by state police officers is often done under false or unclear pretenses,
that all individuals possess the same set of rights,
that individual rights are not suspended when accusations are made against an individual,
and that a free society cannot co-exist within a militarized police state.

We, the Libertarian Party of Michigan, resolve
that awarding impunity to police who violate the individual rights of an accused is more harmful than the alleged crime itself,
that the perpetual betrayal of the public’s trust by law enforcement officers is an indication of a culture of tyranny,
and that the judges and the state police officers responsible for protecting or participation in this systematic aggression should be immediately removed from their positions of authority and prosecuted for the crimes they committed in their betrayal of the people.”

The convention also appears to be a hotbed of support for Wiki Leaks founder Julian Assange.  Most Libertarians view him as a political prisoner who is being prosecuted to punish him for exposing “the most grievous of crimes” by government officials.  They expressed this in the following resolution:

“Whereas the Libertarian Party of Michigan holds that the most grievous of crimes is the mass murder committed by the federal government overseas,
Whereas journalism is not in any way, shape or form, a crime and is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution,
Let it be RESOLVED that whistleblowers “crimes” provide a valuable service for the American people, and that Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, and all other whistleblowers, journalists and their publishers must have all charges dropped and be released from detention immediately.”

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The Libertarian Party of Michigan, PO Box 27065, Lansing, MI 48909; www.michiganlp.org, Phone: 1-888.FREE.NOW. Paid for with regulated funds by the Libertarian Party of Michigan Executive Committee, Inc. d/b/a the Libertarian Party of Michigan. Not authorized by any candidate.

Proposal 1 Not Good Enough for Michigan Libertarians

April 20, 2019

Bay City, MI – While many Michiganders are looking to last year’s Proposal 1 as the conclusion of the decades long marijuana legalization movement, delegates to the Libertarian Party of Michigan state convention last Saturday April 13 saw it as a beginning, and they are looking ahead to more reforms.

Many of those attending the convention in Bay City expressed dismay at the taxes that will be levied on cannabis and are disturbed by the continued incarceration of people imprisoned for marijuana related activities before they were legalized.

Over two-thirds of the delegates voted to endorse the following resolution:

Be it resolved, that the Libertarian Party of Michigan supports the amendment to the Michigan Constitution proposed as of this date by End Prohibition Michigan.

Proposed language to amend the Michigan Constitution
This proposal would add a new Section 28 to Article 1.
The natural, lawful, unalienable and absolute rights of the people to cultivate and utilize the natural plant known as Cannabis shall not be infringed. These rights include, but are not limited to, the possession, consumption, growing, manufacturing, delivery, treatment, purchase, sale, transfer, storage and transport of any plant, seed, flower, leaf, mixture, derivative, extract, product, or preparation of any Cannabis plant for personal preparations including, but not limited to the recreational, religious, medical, development, educational, commercial and industrial purposes within the State of Michigan.
All local and state penalties shall be repealed, nullified or otherwise abrogated.
No fines, fees, regulations, or penalties to diminish the use of cannabis shall be applied or allowed.
Any tax levied shall be in accordance with the current State of Michigan sales tax code. Cannabis used for medicines and foods shall be exempt from all taxes. No other taxes shall be levied.
All prior and current non-violent Cannabis related convictions shall be null and void and the records of such convictions expunged from the records.

End Prohibition Michigan

Lansing, Michigan;  4/20/19: The ballot initiative committee known as End Prohibition Michigan is proud to have received the endorsement of the Libertarian Party of Michigan at their Spring Convention on April 13.

As today is an important date in the cannabis community, we celebrate this endorsement as an important step toward not just being legal, but being lawful.

End Prohibition Michigan was formed to ensure that Michigan citizens who use cannabis are freed from the toxic effects of a long war on the plant.  While voters approved Proposal 1 by a wide margin last November, there are many ongoing effects of the political, regulatory, and financial war on cannabis that simply were not addressed by the so-called “recreational” proposal.

End Prohibition Michigan is proud to accept the endorsement of the Libertarian Party, who has long supported the ideas of free use of cannabis.  EPM, a registered 503(c) non-partisan committee, plans to reach out to all the political parties, medical societies, criminal justice groups, and others who recognize how destructive past policies have been in our state.

Interested parties can learn more at:  EndProhibitionMichigan.org

Norm Peterson – Outreach Committee / Secreatary
Murry Rea – Chairman