News
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- Written by: Lana Leguia
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
New Jersey Libertarian Party members,
I am excited at the prospects for our candidates this year. Reflecting on my performance in 2024, I can confidently say that I did the best I could with the limited resources I had and the internal and external barriers I had to break through. I can also confidently say that given everything I have learned, the connections I have made and the experience I gained - there is plenty I could have done better. I am far from perfect. It is no secret that my priorities as a board member have always been what is best for the New Jersey Libertarian Party’s integrity and what is best for our candidates. Everything I have done up to this point and everything I plan to do in the future will be to elevate the NJLP and its candidates.
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- Written by: Steve Friedlander
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
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Steve has been a libertarian Party member since the founding. He resides in Mercer County. |
The Libertarian Party needs to broaden its appeal in order to attract a wider spectrum of voters. It can do this by embracing classical liberal principles that are an integral part of America’s tradition. Its messaging should convey the idea that voting Libertarian is a vote for these time-honored principles. Even though most people may not be familiar with the term, classical liberal principles are quintessentially American and should appeal to a broad segment of the population.
- Classical liberalism is a tradition that grew out of the Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries and was articulated by thinkers like John Locke and Adam Smith among others. Their ideas of individual freedom, limited government, free trade, and democracy were embraced by America’s founding fathers and embodied in the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. Modern day libertarians should be “squarely in the great classical liberal tradition that built the United States and bestowed on us the American heritage of individual liberty, a peaceful foreign policy, minimal government, and a free-market economy.”[1]
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Open Government Advocacy Project
On January 7, 2025, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, agreed to a $1,209,760.08 settlement to resolve a 2019 lawsuit filed by a former university police sergeant who alleged that he was wrongfully terminated for exposing widespread misconduct within the Rutgers-Newark police department. The alleged misconduct included drinking on duty and covering up a drunk driving accident caused by an officer.
In his lawsuit, former Sergeant Michael Jason Farella, who had served with the Rutgers Police Department since 2001, claimed that in August 2017, he anonymously reported various instances of misconduct to university officials, including then-Police Chief Kenneth Cop and Deputy Chief Michael Rein. His allegations included supervisors sleeping on duty, receiving pay despite not showing up for work, officers conducting personal business while on the clock, drinking beer while on duty, overtime fraud, and the mishandling of disciplinary files. Additionally, he reported an incident involving an officer who, while driving intoxicated for the second time, crashed into a parked car and injured a female passenger—an event he claimed was subsequently covered up by the department.
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- Written by: Jason Howell (Guest Author)
- Category: Selected Blogs
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Jason Howell is the Public Lands Advocate with the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. He is a New Jersey Volunteer Master Naturalist and Wilderness First Responder. Jason creates film and video projects for PPA. Jason is a board member of the Rancocas Conservancy, a senior fellow of the Environmental Leadership Program, an avid canoeist, hiker, and wilderness skills enthusiast. |
“We were the first nation in the world to say that our most magnificent, majestic, and sacred places should not be the exclusive domain of royalty or the rich and well-connected — they should be available to everyone and for all time. That was an American idea. It was the Declaration of Independence being applied to the landscape” – Dayton Duncan author of “America’s Best Idea”
Parks and open space, and the concept of the frontier has been important part of the concept of liberty and freedom within the United States since before the revolution. Only in America, a place of untamed wilderness, did the spark of liberty grow into a flame of enduring freedom. Now that the flame has been alight for almost 250 years, we must find ways to keep fueling the fire. The fiber of the country is made from those who set out from their familiar surroundings, to points and challenges unknown. While today there may not be a new frontier beyond the horizon, we can keep that spark of courage, creativity, and imagination alive in our world-class system of national parks, forests, and state parks and forests and other areas of open space.
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- Written by: Lana Leguia
- Category: Candidates and Elections
Why are you running for public office?
This is a question you will be asking yourself over and over during your campaign. When things get hard, you will ask yourself, “Why in the heck did I even want to do this?” Throughout the process your answer may even change. It is vital you look within yourself. What is calling you to do this? What do you want out of this? The answers to these questions will give you strength to keep going and push harder. Vying for public office opens yourself up to personal scrutiny. Your home, family, career, past mistakes, wardrobe, personal interests, and your integrity will be fair game to arbitrary, often unfair judgement, and it will be draining. Vying for public office is also a huge time commitment. Even as a paper candidate you may have to spend hours collecting signatures. If you plan on challenging the incumbent, you will eat, sleep and breathe your campaign for 9 months. I am going to be very honest with you, running for office is a lot of work for very little payoff - especially as a libertarian. Your reason needs to be altruistic or you will lose steam very quickly.
Wrong reasons to run for office ❌
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- Written by: Paul Baratelli
- Category: Press Releases
The New Jersey Libertarian Party (NJLP) is proud to endorse Jeremy "Spike" Cohen for the position of Secretary of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) in the next presidential administration. Here's why Spike Cohen stands out as a prime candidate for this role for the libertarian party:
Proven Track Record: Spike Cohen's background as a Libertarian activist, having run as the Libertarian Party's Vice Presidential candidate in 2020, demonstrates his commitment to reducing government overreach. His experience in advocating for individual liberty and economic freedom aligns perfectly with the principles needed to reform housing policy.
Philosophical Alignment: Cohen's libertarian principles support the idea of housing as a market-driven necessity rather than a government-regulated entitlement. His advocacy for minimal government intervention in personal and business decisions would encourage policies that support private sector solutions, innovation in housing, and reducing regulatory burdens on developers and homeowners.
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- Written by: Paul Baratelli
- Category: Press Releases
Trenton, New Jersey – November 14, 2024 – The New Jersey Libertarian Party today announced its endorsement of U.S. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) for the position of Secretary of Agriculture in the incoming presidential administration.
Statement from the NJLP Chair Paul Baratelli:
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- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Latest News
Cato has released their 2024 Fiscal Policy Report on America's Governors. Our Governor, Phil Murphy, has been given a grade of D or 42 points. This is an improvement from the 2022 Report (F/29) and the 2020 Report (F/32).
Below is their report on New Jersey taken from the report (Creative Commons license). Read the full report here.
Phil Murphy, Democrat
Legislature: Democratic
Grade: D
Phil Murphy worked at Goldman Sachs for two decades. He also served as finance chair of the Democratic National Committee and as US ambassador to Germany. Unlike his predecessor in the governor’s office, Chris Christie, who rejected tax hikes, Murphy supports them and receives a low score on this report.
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- Written by: Ms. Arielle Shack
- Category: Press Releases
TRENTON, NJ, UNITED STATES, November 4, 2024 -- The New Jersey Libertarian Party (NJLP) urges voters to elect its slate of candidates. To reach more voters, the party launches a new ad campaign showcasing these candidates and their dedication to liberty.
NJLP Candidates
Chase Oliver for President has traveled the country, engaging in town halls, debates, and community events to advocate for reducing federal overreach and empowering local governance.
Mike ter Maat for Vice President emphasizes fiscal responsibility and individual freedom, connecting with voters at events nationwide.
Ken Kaplan for U.S. Senate has engaged with communities statewide, promoting the need to reduce government intrusion.
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- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Candidates and Elections
Please provide whatever support you can to our candidates! Senate and Congressional candidates can be supported via our Federal Fund. Local candidates can be supported via our State Fund.
If you are interested in running under our banner next year contact the state board and fill out a questionnaire.
Connect
Chase Oliver
President of the United States
Chase Oliver’s campaign for Georgia’s hotly-contested U.S. Senate seat attracted national attention, leading Rolling Stone to dub him the “most influential Libertarian in American.” He is a passionate and energetic champion for the rights of all individuals against the growing power of the state. This 38-year old is bringing the energy the duopoly will have a hard time competing with.
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- Written by: Joseph Dunsay
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
July is mad pride month. This has personal meaning to me, because I am a mad person, a person who has been through the mental health system. Mad people in New Jersey face systematic discrimination from the state that can deprive them of their freedom without due process. They can be incarcerated and forcibly injected with drugs without ever being charged with a crime. In my experience, psychiatric wards are more comfortable than prisons and have better food, but they still have locked doors that prevent psychiatric patients from seeing loved ones or going about their daily lives. The drugs given to mad people involuntarily also have unpleasant side effects. Some of them can be quite dangerous. We should fight for the rights of mad people to live free of this coercive psychiatric system.
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project
On March 26, 2024, due to outreach from Jim Tosone of the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Preempted Repeal Project, the Borough of Park Ridge in Bergen County repealed fifteen sections of its Peace and Good Order code.
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project
On February 15, 2024, following outreach from Kim Skorka of the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Preempted Repeal Project, the Borough of Oceanport in Monmouth County took action to abolish Article 1 of its Peace and Good Order code, which aimed to govern "Disorderly Conduct."
Oceanport's ordinance, like many others of its kind, was outdated and broadly defined. For instance, it included provisions that banned disorderly behavior in public places or even within private residences if it caused annoyance to others. Another part of the repealed ordinance prohibited allowing any premises to be occupied by individuals engaging in noisy, disruptive, or disorderly activities, or by those identified as prostitutes, gamblers, or vagrants.
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- Written by: Webmaster
- Category: Candidates and Elections
PETITION BASICS
Download, print and circulate a petition. Any New Jersey resident can circulate a petition for any candidate, but only people who live in the district can sign for that office.
We have a Guide To Petitioning posted on the NJLP website. I find the most useful approach to use is to state "Excuse me I'm trying to get a friend of mine on the ballot. Are you a registered voter?"
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- Written by: Webmaster
- Category: Candidates and Elections
PETITION BASICS
Download, print and circulate a petition. Any New Jersey resident can circulate a petition for any candidate, but only people who live in the district can sign for that office.
We have a Guide To Petitioning posted on the NJLP website. I find the most useful approach to use is to state "Excuse me I'm trying to get a friend of mine on the ballot. Are you a registered voter?"
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- Written by: Webmaster
- Category: Candidates and Elections
The following candidates have been officially endorsed by the New Jersey Libertarian Banner to run under the Libertarian banner for the November 2025 election:
- Vic Kaplan for Governor
- Bruno Pereira for Lt. Governor
- Lana Leguia for Legislative District 24
- Samuel Thomas for Newark Township Council
Please provide whatever support you can to our candidates! Senate and Congressional candidates can be supported via our State Fund. Local candidates can be supported via our State Fund.
If you are interested in running under our banner contact the state board and fill out a questionnaire.
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- Written by: Paul Baratelli
- Category: Chair's Report
The Libertarian Non-Aggression Principle is a key tenet of the libertarian philosophy, emphasizing the importance of individual freedom and the right to self-ownership. This principle serves as a moral guide for libertarians, shaping their conduct and behavior in both personal and political spheres. In this essay, we will explore the Libertarian Non-Aggression Principle, its moral foundation, and its implications for the conduct and behavior of libertarians.
At its core, the Libertarian Non-Aggression Principle is based on the belief that individuals have the right to live their lives as they see fit, as long as they do not harm others. This principle is grounded in the moral philosophy of libertarianism, which emphasizes the importance of individual freedom, self-ownership, and voluntary association. By adhering to this principle, libertarians seek to minimize the use of force and coercion in society, promoting a culture of peace and cooperation.
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- Written by: Christopher G. Russomanno
- Category: NJ Libertarian Blog
At the time of the founding of the United States of America, and at various times thereafter, there was much heated debate over whether the new nation should have a central or national bank. The founders had seen what havoc was wrought by the Bank of England, a central bank, and the detrimental effects it had on that nation and its empire by a devaluation of its currency which enabled the never-ending stream of wars in which it was involved. The founders also had a vivid memory of what happened when the government run colonial bank created rampant inflation by printing an infinite amount of paper money. Inflation is a hidden tax which robs people of the value of their money by devaluing the currency. This is used to pay for the government’s debts. Accordingly, there is no provision in the constitution for the creation of a central/national bank. Therefore, the Federal Reserve (the Fed) system of banking in the United States of America is unconstitutional because of its ability to print unlimited amounts of fiat currency, or paper money, thereby robbing people of the value of their dollar.
In determining the constitutionality of a central bank, with the ability to create unlimited amounts of paper currency, we can look to the constitution, our founding document, itself: “Article I Section 8 says that, The Congress shall have the power ... To coin money, regulate the value thereof ... and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures…To borrow Money on the credit of the United States.”1 In Pieces of Eight, Edwin Vieira explains in detail why the founders used such explicit language when writing this part of the constitution:
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- Written by: Paul Baratelli
- Category: Chair's Report
2024 NJLP Convention Business Meeting
March 3rd, 2024
Proposed Agenda
08:00 Conference Begins, Credentials, Setup