The NC ABC system provides no benefit, but protects its territory with the full force of the state.

by Mike Ross, LPNC Treasurer and Libertarian Candidate for North Carolina Governor

Imagine for a moment that you are throwing a lavish party as a huge boon to your career. The catch is, you can’t afford the party. You hold the event at your home to save cost, but the catering, decorations, and particularly the fancy alcohol are beyond your means. 

To get around this, you charge for drinks. You aren’t looking to make a profit, so you charge just enough to cover the libations and catering. You bring in a tiny bit extra, all of which you donate to charity, for the karma. The party goes so well you are asked to do it again the next weekend.

This time, you up the charge on the drinks just a little. You still aren’t trying to make a profit, but party planning takes time, and you need to get some value back! Again, the party is a smash success, and you agree to throw one every Friday night. 

Eventually, these parties are your full-time income. You take people’s keys when they come in to make sure no one drives drunk, and you refuse to overserve, as you don’t want to see people get hurt or regret coming. The parties get more and more popular.

You aren’t making the alcohol you serve, but you are serving enough of it that you feel like you should report it as income. Being an honest taxpayer, you make no attempt to hide the money. Word spreads about the parties, until one day the police rush in, decked out in body armor and guns drawn, to shut you down and lock you up for the abhorrent crime of serving people drinks without the state’s blessing. 

—

On Saturday, March 11, the Gastonia PD raided a private business for being a speakeasy, a private facility serving alcohol without a permit. The owner had committed no other transgression. There is no information on how much the undercover sting operation cost the taxpayers. In return, though, the police confiscated:

"... 19 individual packed jello shots valued at $95. They also got 21 bottles of wine ($250 value), ten spirituous liquor bottles ($300), 82 beers ($200), an Apple iPhone ($200), a $300 laptop, and a $200 Square card reader."

This is an explicit example of the government interfering with the ability of private citizens to run a business. Instead of being given the room to succeed or fail on her own merits, the owner of this business was criminalized by the local government. 

Like the hypothetical above, the point at which the ABC can assert dominion is extortionary in practice, and arbitrary at best. Can someone not charge for their time when purchasing alcohol that’s distributed to others? What about charging for a party but serving alcohol for free? Or even buying someone drinks as repayment for something? 

Getting a liquor license is time consuming, expensive, and unnecessary, but it’s used as another way for the state to make money (nearly $23 million last year). If a license is granted, it puts that business under much more tax scrutiny than similar businesses, and holds them subject to ABC visits and pressures from appointed bureaucrats. Further, changes to regulations around alcohol production and consumption during quarantine proved how arbitrary and meaningless these restrictions are.

As governor, I will not watch the state close businesses and arrest people for “crimes” that have no victim and often provide benefits to the surrounding community. Nor am I willing to put police officers at risk by inserting them into situations or environments to enforce laws which exist solely to protect the interests of unelected government bodies. I will begin this by unwinding the corrupt ABC system on day 1.

I will ensure that your hard-earned dollars are used to stop actual violent crimes against person and property, while getting the government out of the way so you can earn more dollars without ridiculous state intervention. This is the core of my Liberty and Prosperity plan, to see all of North Carolina flourish under the simple idea of freedom.

By Joshua D. Glawson, Strategic Communications Adviser

"Fascism is the stage reached after communism has proved an illusion." -F.A. Hayek

November 10, 1898, is an infamous day that forever symbolizes the brute force of a tyrannical government leaving many murdered and others terrified for life and limb. With the unfolding of this day came the genesis of many of the draconian laws that carry the echoes of terror even today. These terrorists and their sympathizers eventually implemented liquor prohibition, alcohol control state laws - including the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, state income taxes, state sales taxes, restricted voting rights, various race-based laws, upholding of Jim Crow laws, and limited political representation. Their vicious control was tied to their racist, communist ideology. 

More than a race war or riot, the evil that took place on this day is widely considered the only successful coup d’etat in U.S. history where innocent lives were brutally taken, peaceful people were threatened and banished, property robbed and destroyed, and official government seats uncivilly stolen; and, all of this was accomplished without one single evildoer ever being held accountable for unjust atrocities.

This coup d’etat occurred right here in Wilmington, North Carolina. 

It had been around 30 years since the end of the Civil War and the signing of the Reconstruction Amendments, and many Southerners were still angered. By the 1890s, North Carolina had seen a significant increase in the number of Fusionists, who consisted of whites and blacks cooperating to create a post-Civil War state, with their own new set of pros and cons. The race-based cooperation angered the masses the most, leading to the production of numerous race-bait cartoons and articles leading up to November 10. It was the 1896 election of Republican Governor Daniel Lindsay Russell that sparked outrage for Democratic white supremacist leaders in North Carolina. 

A dark coalition of bigoted Democrats was aided by paramilitary support from the Ku Klux Klan and communistic Red Shirts, who terrorized, whipped, and murdered those who actively voted against them or voiced opinions that opposed their posturing, asserting domination, power, and control. Much like their more outright communist and socialist kindred spirits plaguing the world at that time - and for some time thereafter, they incited violence and silenced civil discourse by threatening all for what they perceived as "the common good."

Such devious efforts in North Carolina were led by people such as Furnifold Simmons, Alfred M. Waddell, Josephus Daniels, and Charles B. Aycock. These tyrants would lead a committee that started a slithering movement called the White Declaration of Independence in which they wanted to forcefully remove any and all power from blacks and prevent Republicans from serving in government within North Carolina. Many of their caricatures portrayed blacks as being lazy, drunkards, ignorant, rapists, and uncivil. They wanted to scourge the entire population of North Carolina to "purify" it in the way they thought best.

Furnifold Simmons rallied hateful troops by calling on men who could "write, speak, and ride" for the white cause in November 1898. Simmons particularly despised pubs and distilleries, more for political and racial reasons than for health or civic purposes, and worked tirelessly throughout his career to end them and make North Carolina the first Southern state to pass statewide Prohibition laws. He associated distilleries with black "Republican recruiting stations."

Alfred M. Waddell wrote and spoke loudly in front of crowds calling for mass murder and violence against blacks in North Carolina, encouraging white supremacists to kill any black man seen voting in November 1898. Waddell acted as significant support for Simmons and Aycock.

Josephus Daniels led the newspapers in printing of false narratives and racist propaganda, stoking the flames of racial tensions, fearmongering, and provoking outright violence. With his caricatured portrayal of black men, he associated any and all consumption of alcohol with belligerence, rape, and general fears of chaos. 

Charles B. Aycock ran his entire North Carolina political campaign around the ideas of what author Gregory P. Downs called, "[White supremacy and the] management of the state through education, public health, segregation, disenfranchisement, and alcohol prohibition." 

By the end of the bloody day of November 10, 1898, at least 60 people had been murdered, with some counts suggesting upwards of 200. The coup mocked existing laws, tore officials from their political seats, and set precedent for an era that would send a cruel message across the entire state while allowing the perpetrators to maintain significant control. 

For nearly 40 years, overall, Simmons held control and authority over North Carolinians in what is known as the "Simmons Machine" through acts of despotism, nepotism, and favoritism. This is still echoed throughout the alcohol control state laws, particularly with the appointing of officials in the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission network in North Carolina today. The legacy perseveres, perpetuating nepotism and favoritism at the sacrifice of civility, liberty, and markets, and all at the expense of taxpayers, entrepreneurs, tourism, market representation, business development, and job creation. 

When the first ABC store was opened in North Carolina by the General Assembly in 1935, after the repeal of the 18th Amendment, it was approved in order to raise more money and taxes for implementing the New Deal in the state while running a state monopoly on liquor and alcohol sales. It was a system that touted modern progressivism and extreme government control, while maintaining deeply embedded beliefs in eugenics and racist ideology associating blacks with alcoholism. 

Once the reign of terror by white supremacists, Red Shirts, KKK, and others had subsided, and the centralized control of communists and socialists began to deteriorate in North Carolina, the remnants dug in and have remained intact through control via fascist means. These have consisted of continuous powers over social, commercial, and political entities. Just as the economist F.A. Hayek noted in his book The Road to Serfdom, "Fascism is the stage reached after communism has proved an illusion."

Joshua D. Glawson is a writer and speaker in the Liberty Movement. He has been active with the Libertarian Party of California since 2015. He now resides in his home state of North Carolina. Check him out at Home - Joshua D. Glawson (joshuadglawson.com).

There is a rare opportunity that we can't afford to miss

by Rob Yates
LPNC Communications Director

Comic by Noah Zenger

Official positions, events, campaigns, support, and on and on. There is no time quite like the present to get involved...

It has been a big news month for North Carolina politics. Over the last few weeks, we saw several bills passed and become law. This includes the pistol purchase permit repeal, which Governor Cooper vetoed, and which the legislature subsequently voted to overturn, due in no small part to the pressure campaign of you, the people of North Carolina.

We saw a representative switch parties and the torrent of local, state, and national publicity that came with it. We saw the state house pass a budget and a medicaid expansion bill. We saw a bill introduced covering safety and emissions inspections, another bill that shifts power from the governor to the general assembly.

At the national level, yesterday "officially" ended a covid "emergency" that many of us had ceased to acknowledge years ago. We saw Trump get arrested, grandstanding for all at the Tennessee legislature, and the RESTRICT act quietly making its way to restrict our Liberty. It has garnered the moniker "The Online Patriot Act," which is truly ignominious company, as far as legislation goes. 

The machine moves forward regardless of how we feel about it. It's time to take a stand. 

The stars are aligned for us to gain significant ground

The year 2023 is the relatively infrequent election cycle where there are neither state nor national level elections. There are definitely elections, though. In fact, a number of city and municipal level races are coming up in 2023, including city councils, mayors, and other municipal-level elected position. We expect to have several candidates. There are open races for several more to join. (We will have coverage on running for office next month, including filing dates, what it takes, and what to expect, as well as resources for candidates.)

In 2020, NC broke records as we pushed $1 billion dollars in total campaign spending. While spending was not that insane in 2021, it was still the most expensive down-ballot election year in history. We bounced back in 2022, with nearly $200 million in campaign spending, and 2024 projections are already at $150 million and more for the governor race. 

Here in quiet, little 2023, though, spending is not expected (as of right now) to cross the $30 million mark total, and some projections are significantly less than that. The fundraising reports are coming, and the Republicrats and Democrans are predictably building up their war chests by cozying up with the big donor special interest groups who own their souls and ultimately control legislative action. But next year promises to be a doozy for spending and partisan aggression, and next year's candidates are locking down the money they need to turn their "base" into aggressive attack dogs against their opponents, while they all talk about "democracy."

Given that so much of the machine will be looking ahead, we have the chance to win races where we will be on relatively equal footing against uniparty candidates who don't have an unlimited ATM at their disposal. Further, the apparatus is in place. We have great candidates, infrastructure, materials, support, strategy, and the data to back it all up. However, these races take time and resources to win. We need people to message, phone bank, table events, fundraise, and so much more.

Every tiny contribution matters. They add up to a #2023goldrush.

So much more to do now and into the future

It isn't just local campaigns this year where there is opportunity to get involved. We have an immediate need for an Outreach Director as well as three committees that we are looking to fill. There are a number of other open director and staff positions for those of you who want to share your talents.

Especially with the success of the pistol purchase permit efforts, we are looking to effect positive legislative change where we can, and that takes resources. We already have people in NC working on driving legislative changes in a number of areas (which the Tar Heel will cover in detail in future editions). If you have ever wanted to be involved with the legislative side of things, but not running for office, let us know, and we can connect you.

We have a highly dedicated IT team that always needs good people for our internal development initiatives around data, website refreshing, and CRM maintenance, among others. The communications team needs people to contribute content, help build out our social media profile, edit, handle regular press releases, develop press contacts, and craft messaging and design materials. Our affiliates team needs support and people to start and join local affiliates. There are events through the summer, fall, winter, and into next year where we need people to manage our tables and actively engage with the crowds, building our presence and spreading our message. 

Two candidates have announced their campaigns for governor next year, and they will both need people to help them compete. And then there will be a full slate of other candidates on ballot in 2024, and they will need the same support as candidates this year.

But mostly, we need you to represent the LPNC in North Carolina. We need you to spread the message and help other people see what we do. We need to come together to push back against self-interested, and well-funded, forces dedicated to advancing their own causes at the expense of our Liberty.

by Rob Yates, Communications Director

This February, the Libertarian Party organized the "Rage Against the War Machine Rally" in Washington D.C. Hundreds of people gathered at the National Mall to protest the government's endless wars and military interventions overseas.

I attended the "Rage Against the War Machine Rally," and I am sharing my experience hoping to inspire increased activism against the war machine and the military industrial complex from coast-to-coast.

The rally opened on the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial, with Lincoln’s 19-foot marble statue the backdrop, and the Reflecting Pool the centerpiece for the audience facing the stage, as the Washington Monument towered in the distance. D.C. is a beautiful city, a shiny veneer covering the corruption it hides within, and the blustery wind of the late-winter weather formed a stark contrast with the energy of the audience who gathered for the speakers before marching to the White House.

The list of speakers was a venerable who’s who of activists from across the political spectrum, all fighting to end the incredible death, destruction, and suffering that is an inevitable consequence of military conflict between nations. Among the notables who took the podium were Jimmy Dore, Scott Horton, Dennis Kucinich, Cynthia McKinney, and Roger Waters (on video).

As speakers took to the stage, the crowd listened with rapt attention to insight around the root causes of war and violence, and the ways in which the United States has played a central role in perpetuating these conflicts. The speakers called for an end to the never-ending wars in Iraq, Yemen, and Syria, (and that's the direct military action we know about...), to stop funding a proxy war in Ukraine, and for the United States to redirect its resources towards addressing the urgent domestic issues that are currently facing our country.

An Army veteran spoke of his own experiences on the front lines and how they led him to question the legitimacy of the wars he was fighting. He argued that the U.S. government's policies in the Middle East have only created more instability and violence, and that a more peaceful and non-interventionist approach is needed.

A college student (and self-described Libertarian) criticized the government's use of taxpayer money to fund military interventions around the world. She argued that this money could be better spent on domestic priorities like healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

Of course, the speaker list, and the rally itself, was headlined by Liberty icon Ron Paul, who spoke passionately about the need to end the endless cycle of conflict and bring our troops home. Dr. Paul is a well-known vocal critic of U.S. foreign policy and has been a leading voice in the anti-war movement for decades.

In his speech, Dr. Paul emphasized the importance of liberty and individual rights. He argued that the government's obsession with global military domination is a violation of the principles of limited government and non-interventionism. "We cannot maintain a free society at home while constantly waging wars abroad," he declared to cheers from the crowd.

Dr. Paul also praised the efforts of fellow anti-war activist and former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, another featured speaker. Gabbard, a Democrat who famously resigned from Congress in 2022 over the federal government's captivity to special interests, including those who promulgate endless wars, has been a frequent ally of Libertarians on issues of foreign policy. In her own speech at the rally, she reiterated the need for a foreign policy of restraint and diplomacy, arguing that "our strength as a nation lies not in our military might, but in our moral authority."

One of the most striking aspects of the rally was the diversity of the attendees. People from all walks of life came together to voice their opposition to war and the military-industrial complex that fuels it. There were veterans of past conflicts, many of whom had been disillusioned by the realities of war and the toll it takes on soldiers and civilians alike. There were families who had lost loved ones in wars overseas, as well as young activists who had grown up in a world where war has been a constant presence throughout their lives.

Politics were cast aside for the day, with members of every party represented, united in the common humanity of wanting to end the suffering perpetuated on innocent populations by the infliction of military aggression.

Of course, the Libertarian principles of limited government, individual rights, and non-interventionism were on full display at the rally. Many of the speakers and attendees argued that the government's endless wars not only violate these principles, but also harm the very people they claim to be helping. Nothing violates core Libertarian principles more deeply and more completely than wars of aggression, and members of the party showed up to defend those most defenseless, the victims of the United States government’s infinite war campaign.

As Dr. Paul and others pointed out, the principles of liberty and non-interventionism are not just important for moral reasons, but also for practical ones. The endless wars and military interventions overseas not only cost trillions of dollars, but also result in the loss of countless innocent lives and destabilize entire regions of the world.

The Libertarian Party, along with allies like Tulsi Gabbard and other anti-war activists, are working to build a movement that puts an end to the war machine and promotes a more peaceful and prosperous world. As Dr. Paul put it in his speech, "the cause of liberty and peace is not an easy one, but it is a righteous one."

by Joshua D. Glawson

Growing up in North Carolina, I spent many Summer days playing in the forests. My friends and I would trek deep into the woods to play hide-and-seek, build forts, make bows and arrows, climb trees, and play along creeks and rivers. Before heading out the door, my grandmother often told me to search for quartz rocks for her - they were her favorite, especially purple amethyst. Simply walking into a wooded area or along a creek, it is quite common to find pieces of various types of quartz scattered about. North Carolina is filled with quartz and gemstones, including aquamarine, citrine, smoky quartz, and amethyst.

It was years later that I discovered when you find an abundance of quartz, you can also find pyrite and actual gold. With North Carolina being plentiful in quartz and gold, many lapidarists, miners, and geologists frequent the state. The way these scientists can quickly tell the difference between pyrite and actual gold is by scratching it with a piece of copper or hitting it with a hammer. Pyrite will not scratch with copper, but it will shatter with a strike of a hammer. Gold, on the other hand, will scratch with copper, but not break with a strike of a hammer. To purify the gold, it is then put in a fire to rid it of impurities.

Although geology and physical geography were some of my most memorable courses in college, my major was political science. In my field of study, we often become inspired by the world around us and apply those ideas to the study of politics and government.

North Carolina is not only filled with quartz and hues of purple amethyst, but it has also become a purple-voting state. This means the voting population has become equally Democrat and Republican, with unaffiliated voters surpassing them both. Of course, "unaffiliated" does not mean these voters do not tend to vote Democrat or Republican. Rather, there are specific issues unaffiliated voters do not believe are being answered by either of the two main political parties. I believe this is an opportunity to search the political landscape for something deeper buried in this political purple pattern - the gold of liberty.

Increasingly, many Gen-Z voters are finding they do not resonate with either Democrats or Republicans, while older voters are getting tired of the political turmoil and feel frustrated with the limitations of the two-party representation. There are several issues on which North Carolinians on both sides of the blue and red aisle are finding agreement.

Such purple topics include: ending many of the limitations of the alcohol control state laws in the archaic ABC system; making changes to the bureaucratic laws that prevent more affordable and alternative housing options; ending the brunt of the overreaching laws associated with the war on drugs; and, combating the increased costs of medical services and health care due to strict limits of health insurance and Certificate of Need laws. With this fertile, purple, political ground gold, i.e. Liberty, can be found. Of course, testing will need to take place to determine if this is fool’s gold or actual gold.

Beyond cops merely scratching the surface and the faulty forged proclamations of judges’ gavels, North Carolinians are feeling the fire of a political refinery that will determine the purity of gold that exists in the state. Some of the impurities have included severe limitations on personal liberty, curbed small and large business development, restrained affordable housing options, persistent mass incarceration, ceaseless civil asset forfeiture, and hindered health care provisions. If North Carolinians can come together to rid the state of these purple political impurities, as the writing is on the wall, the gold of Liberty can glisten while the destructive overreach of the state can be left numbered, weighed, and divided.

A slightly abbreviated version of this article originally appeared in the Carolina Journal

Joshua D. Glawson is a writer and speaker in the Liberty Movement. He has been active with the Libertarian Party of California since 2015. He now resides in his home state of North Carolina. Check him out at Home - Joshua D. Glawson (joshuadglawson.com).

A lot of Liberty packed into one weekend

by Rob Yates
LPNC Communications Director

Comic by Noah Zenger

A spirited reception, a campaign announcement, bylaws and new officers, and an all-star lineup of speakers...

The Silicon Valley Bank crash was actually a fitting backdrop for a full, productive weekend at the LPNC State Convention, with its theme of "Celebrate Local" a stark contrast to the national news headline.

I want to start by saying how gracious and helpful the staff at the Village Inn was. The service was excellent, the accommodations were comfortable, and we were allowed to conduct our business in peace. Shout-out to the woman at the counter (withholding her name for privacy reasons) who gave Treasurer Mike Ross and I some hope with her pursuit of Liberty.

Friday Evening

Registration and the welcome reception began Friday evening in the hotel bar. Old friends, familiar faces, and new Liberty warriors all came together to share some laughs and libations as we geared up for the weekend ahead.

We were happy to spare a few minutes to listen to Kelly Mann, Grassroots Director for The John Locke Foundation, who dropped by to share details on the wonderful and in-depth research the John Locke Foundation provides. Kelly is also a contributor to the Carolina Journal. If you are not using the resources these two entities make available, you are selling yourself short.

Of course, the highlight of the evening was Mike Ross announcing that he would be seeking the Libertarian nomination for North Carolina's gubernatorial race in 2024. After a poignant introduction by Liberty warrior Pastor Moses Colbert, best known for his ardent and selfless defense of those who have nothing, Mike gave his announcement speech to the gathered convention attendees. The crowd was boisterous with excitement, and the applause was loud as Mike finished his speech and introduced his team.

Saturday Business

Saturday started off extraordinarily smoothly given the unusual requirement that a convention Chair needed to be selected. Fortunately, LPMeck Chair Steven DiFiore was up to the task, and he did an outstanding job of, as one of the younger attendees put it, "herding cats, only they all have their claws out."

Steven delivered the State of the Party address for outgoing Chair Joe Garcia, and we observed a moment of silence to memorialize fallen Liberty warriors Donald Reid Deal and Tom Howe. After that, it was down to business.

Somehow, we got through ten bylaw amendment proposals, one resolution, and a 90-minute lunch break before Executive Committee and Judicial Committee elections began. There were even two votes that received unanimous support, proving that nothing is impossible.

Once nominations began for EC positions, I was struck by how many qualified and passionate people we have working together in the party. Elections went quickly, and we ended up with an exciting slate for the EC (I plan to get interviews with each of them in the upcoming weeks), as well as the Judicial committee.

For LPNC Executive Committee, the delegates elected:

• Chair: Ryan Brown
• Vice-Chair: Sean Haugh
• Secretary: Dee Watson
• At-Large: Christina Aragues
• At-Large: Nick Taylor
• At-Large: Mac Browder
• At-Large: Angela Humphries

For Judicial Committee, the delegates elected:

• Ken Penkowski
• Phil Jacobson
• Steven DiFiore
• Tom Bailey
• Sarah Brady

Saturday Evening - Time to Let Loose

Our speakers began as we were finishing up dinner, and we were lucky to have two of the most effective and powerful voices in the Liberty movement address us. Dan Smotz, host of The System is Down podcast, was the opening speaker, and Larry Sharpe was the keynote speaker. Their speeches, while different in substance, covered similar themes, as they called for party unity, reinforced the need for hard work, extolled the advantages of putting aside your ego to communicate, and closed with messages of hope.

We went straight into the auction, emceed by Larry. Items ranged from questionable to exceptional, but all those who won their bids were happy, and we raised some money to boot.

Sunday Forums

Sunday's session opened with energy, despite the weight of the time change hanging over us, as Christina Aragues gave a detailed seminar on how to run a successful campaign. Christina is an experienced candidate who has run some of the most successful campaigns in LPNC history, and she gives a fun and informative perspective on how to replicate her success.

Next was the Governor candidate forum. Mike Ross answered questions about education, the second amendment, criminal justice reform, and nullification, among others, laying out his plan for a successful Libertarian candidacy and governorship. When he thought he was finished, the three presidential candidates each surprised Mike with a question of their own before their panel started.

As mentioned, the next item on the agenda was a panel with presidential candidates Chase Oliver, Mike ter Maat, and Jacob Hornberger. They answered questions about their candidacies, their solutions to problems we are facing as a country, Libertarian messaging, and host of others for about 45 minutes. The session was engaging and educational from three exemplary stewards of the Liberty movement and representatives of the party.

The day and the event closed with a presentation by Kim Acer covering our affiliate strategy. She explained where we stood, where we would like to see growth, and how we plan to achieve it. For a theme of "Celebrate Local," instead of the contrast of the national background under which we opened convention, Kim's affiliate discussion was a perfect and appropriate ending. I highly encourage anyone who is not currently participating to join your local affiliate or start one yourself; we have several unaffiliated counties waiting for you to organize.

There is plenty more to come from convention. There are videos, pictures, speeches, and additional write-ups and interviews, but I wanted to make sure to capture some of the magic of the weekend quickly, before it got too far away. Zac Lentz and the convention planning committee nailed it. Now it's time to take the energy from this weekend and ride that to so much success for the party.

by Joshua D. Glawson

It is often said that North Carolina was "First in Freedom." From the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and the Halifax Resolves, North Carolina became the first state to resist the tyranny of Great Britain. Yet, throughout NC state history there have been incremental attacks on that freedom, whether through state controls, state income taxes, bureaucratic red tape, or an overzealous police force. This deterioration of Liberty in North Carolina is hastening.

According to World Population Review, North Carolina now ranks as number 18 in freedom, as of 2023, while, according to the Cato Institute, North Carolina was number 16 in 2019. North Carolina was ranked number 10 in the US as of 2008.

Cato's report suggests the main reasons for the decline in freedom within the state have been caused predominantly by state fiscal spending policies, dwindling affordable housing supply caused by bureaucracy, stringent controls on occupational freedoms, higher percentages of victimless-crime incarcerations, and lower-than-average personal freedoms permitted by state and local laws.

Health: North Carolina spends nearly twice as much tax dollars on hospitals as other states when compared to tax percentages. With regulations preventing the expansion of the private medical market in the state, Certificate of Need laws have increased state spending on hospitals while simultaneously limiting patient access to medical care. These regulations have undermined the quality of medical care available in North Carolina. US News has ranked NC as number 30 for health care.

Housing: In the NC housing market, there has been steady growth over the past decade, but affordable housing has also become an issue. The John Locke Foundation notes that this is primarily due to state regulations that put strict limits on lot sizes, home sizes, parking, multi-unit housing, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). These bureaucratic limitations have prevented people from creating more affordable housing and a possible source of income, while cookie-cutter neighborhoods by larger corporations continue to populate large swaths of the state.

Civil: When comparing North Carolina's victimless crimes incarceration rates, punishment percentages, and civil restrictions to the rest of the US, a recent report has ranked North Carolina at a dismal 42 out of 50 states. This goes beyond the overreaching ABC control state policies, perpetuation of the unjust War on Drugs, marijuana legalization, out-of-touch digital gambling policies, and strict approaches to gun laws (35/50). The Institute for Justice has indicated that North Carolina's Department of Justice continues large transfers of taxes to the DOJ in their equity program, and some of that money is obtained from asset forfeiture programs.

With these three key areas in mind, we as Libertarians of North Carolina can begin working together towards making improvements and corrections. If we continue to focus solely on big-picture and national-level ideas, we will miss our mark here in our own state of North Carolina. Change begins within each individual and works its way outward through our relationships, our work, our cities, our counties, our state, our region, and finally to the national level and beyond. By focusing more of our energy and efforts on these we can show true improvement and incremental progress for our Movement and the state of North Carolina in the name of Liberty. But we can't do it alone, we need your skills and abilities.

Just as free and voluntary division of labor brings success in unhampered markets, this microcosmic Movement in North Carolina will only gain ground with your help. Whether that help is writing articles, tabling or boothing, writing our representatives or our senators, petitioning, public protesting, helping with your Libertarian Party county website, podcasting, providing video and marketing materials, sharing ideas, etc., we will be far more successful with you on our team.

How long will it take you to make a decision? Should you wait until NC plummets to rankings across the board of 50 out of 50, or do we do something about it now while we have a chance? Are you dreaming that Democrats or Republicans will be swayed? Do you wait on the state to make appropriate changes, or are you a person of action that takes your sovereignty into your own hands?

We need you to help reignite the torch of Liberty in the hearts and minds of fellow North Carolinians, to remind the state and the rest of the country why we were First in Freedom.

"The urge toward action, i.e., improvement of the conditions of life, is inborn in man. Man himself changes from moment to moment and his valuations, volitions, and acts change with him. In the realm of action there is nothing perpetual but change." - Ludwig von Mises

Joshua D. Glawson is a writer and speaker in the Liberty Movement. He has been active with the Libertarian Party of California since 2015. He now resides in his home state of North Carolina. Check him out at Home - Joshua D. Glawson (joshuadglawson.com).

The way news travels is no accident

by Rob Yates
LPNC Communications Director

Comic by Noah Zenger

Media is designed to stoke fear and sow division. Fortunately, we are able to ignore it.

Go to any major media source and do a quick scan of the headlines. This test applies to individual sources, like Fox News or the NY Times, as well as amalgamations of other news sources, like MSN dot com. Count the number of headlines that are designed to create tension or spark anxiety. Then count how many announce some sort of positive development, relief, or uplifting news. The disparity is chilling.

This phenomenon is not the sole purview of news on the national stage. Check out any local NC state or city news site or Twitter feed. See how many times the word "breaking" appears, or some derivative, placed strategically and deliberately to trigger people's visceral fight-or-flight response and drive more clicks and extended lingering on that site.

News is a commodity

Media outlets have battled each other for market share supremacy since corner store readership and annual delivery subscriptions were the prime metric for daily newspapers. As the airwaves became the dominant vehicle for the distribution of information, first through radio and then television, ratings were the driving force motivating news agencies, as ratings equaled advertising dollars.

This model was hypercharged with the rise of the 24-hour news networks. The public-facing product backed by massive corporate conglomerates had to continually convince potential viewers that they had a better product than other channels, and also that it was necessary to keep watching.

To accomplish this, a model emerged based on quick soundbites implying urgency. Warnings lights flashed, alarms sounded, and intense messaging triggered actual anxiety at the prospect of missing a report. This approach, of consistently outdone hyperbole, proved so effective that it spread to sports, pop culture, and even weather reporting.

An unfortunate consequence of this anxiety-inducing marketing model for the news is that, as viewership settled around nebulous "right" and "left" political persuasions, people began to view anyone on the other side as a potential enemy.

Certainly, this is not to imply that political polarization is a recent phenomenon. Rather, while the bulk of the vitriolic political rhetoric historically ebbed and flowed around major election cycles, we found ourselves immersed in "reporting" that sought to present every snippet or sound bite as life-or-death important. (I know this itself sounds hyperbolic. There is not enough room to fully explain here, but I have written on this in detail if anyone is interested).

The internet as a news source

Now we are faced with a news model where the internet is by far the primary method of information distribution. Manifestations range from classic media websites, to social media, to podcasts, and encompasses every other variation of sharing information at the speed of light at our disposal. This drives multi-faceted outcomes.

Subscription-based services for journalists and content creators who value truth and nuance have exploded in popularity, showing that some modicum of sanity remains in our national discourse. In contrast, bad information, lies, viral clips lacking context, and even ideological purity tests have all found fertile soil in a world where those with ill intent can say most anything without facing direct consequence, and those with pure intentions acting in good faith and pursuing truth suffer punishment for deviating from approved messaging.

To add to this, the government, including federal law enforcement agencies, are actively engaged in controlling the narrative spread online. Our tax dollars go to throttling free speech and paying professional rabble rousers like "Brooklyn Dad Defiant" and "JoJofromJerz," who serve only one function - to divide people around political ideology and further a government narrative.

To make matters worse, advertising dollars now come from metrics like clicks and the average time per user on a site. With an exponentially larger pool of competitors, those information peddlers who cannot distinguish themselves based on quality or competence instead push the most egregious distortions of the truth in the pursuit of fear-mongering for followers.

For example, late in 2022 I read a headline in a local city paper, "Child Deaths from COVID in NC Increase by 140% Over Last Year." The article itself didn't give the number of covid-related deaths. It talked about anecdotal reports of doctors concerned about strained health systems, it talked about the importance of getting your children vaccinated, and it talked about how dangerous covid was to children under 18 as proven by the increase in deaths not actually reported in the article.

Technically the headline was accurate. Seven children had died with covid in the first 12-month period covered, and ten in the second 12-month period, roughly a 140-percent increase. In fact, total deaths under 18 related to covid in North Carolina since the pandemic started: 31. Again, that's total. That barely registers statistically. But fear-mongering around covid was the acceptable position to take, and so that's what was being pushed by news agencies at all levels who depend on advertiser dollars and feel the pressure from government-backed harassment campaigns.

Celebrate Local!

National news is mostly a waste of time, excepting some entertainment value. The tactics adopted by large news organizations remain effective, however, and local state, county, and city news affiliates have adopted these methods, stoking fear and driving polarization.

The good news is that all we need to do is ignore the fear-mongering messaging. It really is that simple. Instead, use that time and energy to go make change where you can actually have a meaningful impact. In this newsletter, we have contributions from people like Joshua Glawson, who is looking for assistance in visiting designated social areas in cities around NC as a way to combat the ABC tyranny. Or Eric Rowell, who is holding local politicians' feet to the fire, demanding that they practice what they preach. Or our very own Phil Jacobson, who brings some common sense to the Ukraine war funding discussion.

We have so many places where volunteers can do wonderful things, help people, and make the world a better place. Turn off the news, and go to your next county affiliate meeting. I promise, you will be happy you did.

It's time to change the world, starting in our own backyards

by Rob Yates
LPNC Communications Director

Comic by Noah Zenger

If we want to be vehicles for meaningful, positive change, we must remember to keep our focus local.

Mid-November of last year, the Federal Reserve announced that it was running a twelve-week pilot, partnering with several massive banks, to test a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) for the U.S. Dollar (if you are unfamiliar, here is the Fed's definition and description, and here is an objective description). Few major press outlets covered the story in earnest, and those that did gave a brief and cursory summary of a project that could "speed up payments."

The Fed, unsurprisingly, has not published any examination of the downside of a CBDC, but has released a "study" that masquerades as objective, while the White House was lauding the possibilities a CBDC presents before the pilot was announced.

I want to make sure I am crystal clear about this… There is perhaps no current lever available to the government that is more potentially dystopian and tyrannical than a CBDC. Any potential upsides of CBDCs are dwarfed against the ability of the Fed to simply turn off your money for any reason – wrongthink (by their definition), exceeding some arbitrary carbon cap, donating to the wrong candidate, purchasing the wrong book, refusing a medical procedure…

I predicted these developments years ago, which certainly fueled my reaction. I make no claim to prescient prognostication; rather, it is easy to foresee that, when granted tools enabling greater control of the population, the state and its actors will inevitably use them.

My first instinct on reading that CBDCs were becoming a reality in the U.S. was to write something and immediately send it out to our entire subscriber base. I wanted alarm bells ringing and red lights flashing.

I actually wrote, "This is the hill we die on!" on our message boards. My penchant for the dramatic notwithstanding, I maintain that the potential for abuse of a Federal Reserve sponsored CBDC is so draconian that we should, in fact, do something. I encourage you to all contact your representative and senators and demand that an actual U.S. CBDC never see the light of day.

Avoid the distraction of federal politics

In this newsletter, I try to give a lot of space to the people who have given decades of their lives fighting for Liberty. We are in a unique situation right now, as Libertarians, where – distant as it may be – there is a real light at the end of the tunnel, if we are simply willing to run it down. But the people who set this table… they had no idea if they would ever enjoy the fruits of their labor. We all fight for Liberty for Liberty's sake, but the founders of the party and the LPNC had no expectation of success, and yet they fought on.

When I sent out the distress signal about CBDCs, the response was surprising. People who are much wiser than I were not against me writing something about it – they were supportive, in fact. But they were skeptical of impact and cautioned on expectations. We had to fight for eight months to get 45 minutes of body camera footage released for one incident in Gastonia; how can we expect to drive change at the Federal Reserve and why should we waste time and energy there?

I encourage you all to be fully educated regarding all the ways our tyrannical federal government surveilles your activity and restricts your rights. But the fact is, federal politics, impactful as they may be, are ultimately a distraction. For every onerous Federal policy we lament, there are myriad onerous city, county, and state policies we are ignoring. That opens the floodgates for much bigger government imposition.

A call to action

I can't tell you what to do, nor would I want to. It's antithetical to everything in which I believe. I can tell you, though, that there has never been a more opportune time for our message to spread. The number of unaffiliated voters is higher than registered Dems or Repubs, driven by a more than 100-percent increase since 2004. Disenchantment with the two-sided uniparty has never been higher.

We have the best message, but the forces that oppose us are powerful, well-funded, and have huge reach. Relying on the power of our message alone to advance Liberty is screaming into the void when facing the selective and targeted narrative control fostered by the front line of the state and its behemoth information apparatus.

The solutions are right there waiting for each of us to take action. Give $5 a month; volunteer one hour a week; run for local office; speak at a city council meeting; join a school board; join a county affiliate; bring a friend to a meeting; attend state and affiliate conventions; email a representative each day; phone bank for an hour; attend a tabling event; share the right book with a friend… The list of possible action extends to the horizon.

If you aren't sure where to start, reach out; I promise our Volunteer Coordinator has plenty of opportunities. Start small, it all makes a difference. Just do something.

Think locally, act locally, change the world

I hate the cliché of the new year representing some nebulous opportunity to make a change, but I recognize the perfection of the timing. Make 2023 the year you find a way to give what you can to the cause of Liberty, right here in North Carolina.

We need to win locally to stop the tidal wave of authoritarianism that is the natural consequence of a people ceding political power. Let's change the political landscape in North Carolina so that we would never worry about something like federal control through CBDCs because the tyrannical arm of the federal government would know better than to ever try and invade North Carolinians, physically, virtually, financially… and we, our children, and their children, never have to fear the government again.

LPNC Political Director talks NC with Larry

Dee Watson, LPNC's very own Political Director, NC candidate, activist, mom, and Liberty warrior, sat down with Libertarian Renaissance man Larry Sharpe to talk all things North Carolina politics. The discussion covered education; police reform; Pastor Moses, Joshua Rohrer, and Gastonia; NC Liberty developments and what's next; and a lot more. Take a few minutes to listen to this insightful, funny, considerate, and passionate conversation between two of the staunchest mainstays at the vanguard of the Liberty movement.

Watch the full discussion here.