April 6, 2013

The Livingston Libertarians are lucky to have two passionate candidates running for vice-chairperson of the group, James Weeks II and Michael Brennan.

The election for vice-chairperson will be held at the Livingston Libertarians’ social meeting at Cleary’s on May 2nd at 7:00. 

The winner of the election will replace former vice-chairperson Dan Goebel, who became chairperson after Pam Sanderson announced her resignation.

The vice-chairperson candidates were asked several questions about their reasons for running, ideas for the office, etc.

Good luck to both candidates!

Q1) Why you want to be vice-chair of the Livingston Libertarians?

Brennan: I am willing to serve as chair to bring unity to the LPLC. I am willing to serve in any capacity to facilitate the future growth of the party, first at the local level and then at the state level. I am bound by logic, critical thinking, and conscience. In this way, I am a moderate. I am willing and able to hear every argument.

Weeks: I want to be vice-chair so that the party can focus on growing the party and spreading the libertarian message in the county. Livingston County is known as the epicenter of libertarianism in the state and we, as a party, need to make that grow even more. How we do that is getting out and talking with the community. More than once a year, regular activism is needed so the people know we are here. We must not take a back seat and let the GOP have all the fun. The LPLC needs to make a show at other festivals and events in the community as well as sending out press releases regularly. I feel the party needs to take a more active roll in the community and not just during election time.

James Weeks II

Q2) What ideas you have to unite the Livingston Libertarians?

Brennan: In an effort to unite the party I will focus on those issues foundational to the promotion of Liberty. I am a critical thinker, able to weigh issues to mediate discussion. While I appreciate extreme views on issues, I believe in resolution without compromising value systems. To me, this means working within the system to educate people about their natural rights and getting candidates elected that will promote this educational view of liberty rather than “in-your-face-politicking.”

Weeks: Well, we need to focus on issues of significance and not on petty disagreements about who is more libertarian than the other. If all libertarians agreed on everything we wouldn’t be very libertarian now would we?

Q3) What ideas you have to help grow the Livingston Libertarians and elect candidates?

Michael Brennan

Brennan: In effort to grow the party, I will continue the advertising campaign, and invite people to social gatherings. I want to encourage participation in community outreach events to inspire conversation with our neighbors about liberty. Events could include community cleanup under the banner of the LCLP. Grass root type rallies to build an audience. Community learning which encourages forward, critical thinking. I’ve been teaching Constitution classes through the Libertarian perspective.

Weeks: We need to get out in the community and make our presence known. The more people who know we are here the more likely they are to show up to meetings and vote for our candidates.

Q4) Please give any biographical info that might help people make a choice. For example, how long have you lived in the area, how long have you been a Libertarian and active, etc

Brennan: I have been an active member of the Libertarian party for about 3 months. I have been a nominal Libertarian for nearly 5 years.

My family moved from Massachusetts to Brighton, MI in 1981. I was just about turn 2 years old. I lived in Brighton for the next sixteen years and graduated from Hartland High School in 1998. I moved to Massachusetts to pursue a degree in Elementary Education from Eastern Nazarene College. I wanted to teach elementary students because they are the most excited learners.

Weeks: I have lived in Livingston county almost all my life, I grew up here. I have been a “small l” libertarian for as long as I can remember, even before I knew the word libertarian.

I became active in the party about two years ago after finally finding out about the meetings while I was doing some activism on my own. Someone from the party walked up to me and told me about the LPLC, and that is when I was introduced to the group. However I did not officially join the party, with State Party membership, until I decided to run for State Rep last year. That is why I feel we need to get out and be active in the community, I would not have known about the LPLC had I not been approached and informed about the LPLC.

Q5) Is there any other information about yourself, your beliefs etc. that would help people know you better?

Brennan: I believe that in most things, people need to be responsible for their personal value system. I believe that the Law is universal –for example, gravity was a discovered law. I believe that revealed Law provided in the Egyptian Exile by Moses were Laws already common to everyone.

I believe that the Constitution is still an effective document. It is weightier than a contract because people gave their lives for the perpetuation of it. Some claim that it is an illegal document because the congressmen were sent to amend the Articles of Confederation and instead drafted the Constitution. However, that is not the end of the story. Every state in the Union must ratify the Constitution before becoming part of the Union. This means that every one of the fifty states acknowledges and submits to the Constitution as Law for the protection of the Natural Rights; life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (which is to be understood as the ownership of private property according to the founders).

I believe that the Constitution exists to limit the government and that the Law exists to protect the people’s unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and Property as stated in the Declaration of Independence, and that no form of tyranny can usurp the rights of the individuals as it is they who create or diminish governments made up by the people and for the people.

Weeks: As many in the party know I identify as a Voluntaryist, which means I apply the Non-Aggression Principle to everyone, and don’t feel a funny hat or shiny badge grants extra rights that we as individuals don’t have naturally and that all interactions between individuals must be voluntary. Some call this extreme, but I feel that it is the only moral way for society to be. We must place the Non-Aggression Principle where it belongs as the center point of all interactions. As was said by Thomas Jefferson “I would rather live in a world of too much freedom, than not enough.”