by Brian Irving
Libertarian for NC Senate 16

Common Cause asked candidates for the General Assembly to pledge to support the creation of an independent, nonpartisan redistricting process for Congressional and legislative districts in the 2019 legislative session.

The results are in. I’m proud to say Libertarians had the highest percentage of yes pledges: 33 (of 34) Libertarian candidates said yes; 120 (of 169) Democrats said yes; only 26 (of 170) Republicans said yes. One other Republican responded “Yes-Maybe.” I counted him as a yes. In addition, one unaffiliated and one Constitution Party candidate said yes.

Conspicuously absent from the yes pledges, however, are the leaders of the old establishment parties, Republicans Rep. Tim Moore, current House Speaker, Sen. Phil Berger, current Senate president pro tem, and his presumptive Democratic successor Sen. Dan Blue.

For those of you who know how the legislature really works, unless the majority party leaders support on a bill, it won’t go anywhere. And it doesn’t matter what party it is.

Rep. David Lewis, House elections committee chair, who would presumably remain a major voice in that body if Republicans retain control, was openly hostile to the pledge. He responded, “It can’t be done.”

No, it cannot. So long as the establishment parties control the legislature and partisan loyalists chair committees.

William “Beau” Meredith was the Libertarian candidate to represent District 49, which includes Asheville and northern Buncombe County, in the North Carolina State Senate. On July 28, he lost his life in an automobile accident in Colorado. He was 49.

The Libertarian Party of North Carolina is joined in sorrow at Beau’s passing and offers its respects to his family. To honor him, we share this reminiscence from his longtime friend and fellow party member Bernard Baruch Carman.

William Beau Meredith

June 17, 1969 – July 28, 2018

William, or “Beau” as he was commonly called by his friends, was in a horrible automobile wreck on July 28 that claimed his life at the young age of 49.

News of this tragedy came as a shock to all his friends, and of course the brunt was felt by his mother, Linda, who received the phone call that morning from the authorities. His family held a private reception in Charlotte, and a memorial included the spreading of Beau’s ashes here in the WNC mountains that he loved so much—the place he resided and called “home” for the majority of his adult life.

Libertarian Party of Wake County Press Release

North Carolina requires licenses for almost 200 occupations, including such rarely licensed professions as floor sanders, sign language interpreters, locksmiths, and even... chick dealers. “Why,” asks Travis Groo, Libertarian candidate for state House 11, “what’s a chick dealer?”

The General Assembly wants you to believe these licenses keep us safe, said Groo. “That’s not true,” he asserts. “James Madison wrote that government can never be just, and property can never be safe, if ‘arbitrary restrictions, exemptions, and monopolies deny to part of its citizens the free use of their faculties and free choice of their occupations.’”

“You have the right to work and earn an income without burdensome restrictions on your profession of choice, and I value your right to keep 100% of the fruits of that labor,” he said. “Help me get elected and I will work to eliminate every unjust, unnecessary state licensing requirement that really just needs to go away.”

“Vote like your freedom depends on it.” Vote People. not Politics.

We are excited to be accepting applications for the temporary, paid position of Public Relations Coordinator! Qualified applicants will be able to successfully increase campaign visibility, secure candidate interviews, and draw statewide attention to our most competitive and unique races. Applicants should also be prepared to share their knowledge with volunteers to help ensure the LPNC’s continued progress in presenting and promoting superior political candidates.

The position will likely require a commitment of 10-20 hours weekly and will last until the end of the election cycle. If this sounds like the job for you, email your resume to [email protected]. Resumes will be accepted until Friday, 9-14-2018, at midnight.

We look forward to hearing from you!