Liberty Union Meeting July 08, 2018
Upper Valley Food Coop, White River Junction
Attending:
Norm
Murray
Marina
Lynn
Laura
Reid
1. Discussion of the advantages of participating in electoral politics as a Minor Party. As
A Minor Party Liberty Union is able to choose candidates that best represent our
principles. Candidates are nominated by committee respective to the level of the office.
State Committee nominates candidates for federal and statewide offices. County
committee nominates candidates for county offices, state representatives and state
senate. Town committees nominate for Justices of the Peace.
2. Discussion of the role of socialism and socialist participation in U.S. politics at present
and historically. The alternative parties, Democrat and Republican—Tweedledee and
Tweedledum*—operate as one party, two sides of the same capitalist coin, flipping back
and forth with each election.
The “Sanders Revolution” during the 2016 election cycle galvanized the energies of the
generation entering the electorate between 2000 and the present, subsequently co-
opting these energies with the notion that the Democrat party can be “socialized.” As a
consequence of the policy of removing mention of the history of Socialism, the Labor
Movement, the Anti-War Movement—let alone what the U.S. actually did to Korea, the
Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Americas south of the “southern border—from the
history curricula taught at the high school level throughout the U.S., the notion that there
is value in seeking out that history and understanding the history that created the
present is absent from conscience and public discourse. One remedy is offered by the
on line Socialist Reading and Discussion Group hosted on Facebook by new Liberty
Union member, Reid Kotlas. Marina will link the Liberty Union Facebook page to this
Socialist Reading and Discussion Group page. If you do not participate in Facebook,
Murray is downloading the readings as they are posted and will be happy to forward
them to anyone interested (see email address below).
Some conclusions:
“You can’t shift a window (the Overton Window for example). Instead you have to build
a whole new building.”
As socialists we can not compromise our principles for any reason of expediency. (This
pertains to our choice of candidates to represent Liberty Union in this year’s election
cycle. Filling the ballot with candidates may be less important than selecting candidates
who truly represent and can speak for Liberty Union and Socialism for selected
positions on the ballot, leaving some offices vacant.)
Proposal for a sign to carry during election cycles: “DON’T THROW YOUR VOTE AWAY
– VOTE SOCIALIST – VOTE LIBERTY UNION!”
Two quotes from socialist Helen Keller (1880-1968) which might be helpful at currenttime:
*“We, the people, are not free. Our democracy is but a name. We vote. What does that
mean? It means we choose between Tweedledee and Tweedledum. We elect
expensive masters to do our work for us, and then blame them because they work for
themselves and for their class.”
(this quote was formerly on the masthead of the Liberty Union Party Platform)
“I can not do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail to the something that I
can do.”
3. Introduction of Resolution to denounce and oppose white nationalist and new-
Nazi groups and their actions (text of this resolution will be on the Liberty Union
website as soon as its language is finalized). The intention is to send this Resolution to
all legislators in the Vermont House and Senate, with a cover letter seeking sponsors
and response. Email correspondence can be followed by mailed correspondence to
selected legislators. This will serve as a litmus test of the principles and courage to act
upon those principles of the people who have been chosen by the electorate to
represent us.
4. Introduction of Resolution to announce and affirm that Vermont is a welcoming
state with open borders (text of this resolution will be on the Liberty Union website as
soon as its language is finalized). This Resolution is currently in the hands of
Representative Mollie S. Burke(D) Windham 2-2, seeking her sponsorship in the next
legislative session, January 2019. There is also a proposal to forward the Resolution to
Migrant Justice for their comment and with an invitation to join Liberty Union in
promoting it for consideration by the legislature.
5. The Joint resolution affirming all Vermonters’ right to freedom of expression
and dissent through nonviolent means of expression and assembly and that the
State of Vermont must ensure the protection of these fundamental rights
introduced by Representatives, E
Alice M. Emmons (D) Windsor 3-2 and Susan Buckholz (D) Windsor 4-1, in the 2018
session of the Vermont Legislature expired in committee and will be reintroduced in the
January 2019 session. In the meantime, research on legislation curtailing these rights in
over 30 states continues. (The text of this Resolution, initially drafted by Liberty Union in
March 2017, will be posted on the Liberty Union website in its current form shortly.)
6. Update on candidates:
—Reid is considering offering his service as a candidate for Liberty Union. This decision
will be finalized at the August 5th meeting of the State Committee and Liberty Union
membership.
—Marina will offer her services as candidate for State Auditor in the interest for
continuing to promote transparency in the state’s financial affairs.
—Mal has agreed to be the candidate for Secretary of State.
—Rosemarie has agreed to be the candidate for Attorney General.—Murray has agreed to be a candidate, but is as yet undecided which office she will be
a candidate for. (She will not however be the candidate for State Treasurer as this
offices does not provide sufficient opportunity to speak at public forums and debates).
—Jerry and Aaron are candidates for State Senate from Windham County.
—Boots is considering candidacy for State Legislature.
Nomination of candidates and their respective paperwork will be finalized on August 5th
and delivered to the Office of the Secretary of State on or before the deadline of August
9th.
(Kindly email Murray—murrayngoima@gmail.com—directly if you need a Consent Form
and a Financial Disclosure form, the latter required for all in-state candidates except
those who will serve at town or county level. Also if you would like to offer your services
as a candidate for Justice of the Peace, Murray can provide you with these forms and
information. The filing deadline for Justices of the Peace is August 17th.).
7. ICE officers have made random searches of passengers on Greyhound busses
arriving and departing from their terminal in White River Junction. This is being
investigated by Liberty Union.
Also, there are lighted billboards on Interstate 91, between exits 6 and 7, announcing
“rolling roadblocks” starting July 10th. The reason for these rolling roadblocks—highway
construction or immigration surveillance—has not yet been ascertained.
8. Two more Resolutions on the Liberty Union agenda—one affirming a Woman’s Right
to Choose and protecting Roe v. Wade in Vermont, the other pertaining to accessibility
to curriculum and credit from Community College of Vermont for disenfranchised and
economically challenged people—await consideration and action. These will be taken
up at the Liberty Union meetings in September or October.
9. Updated Contact Information for the Liberty Union Party!!!
Liberty Union Party, P.O. Box 792, White River Junction, VT 05001-0792, tel.
802-757-3809, www.libertyunionparty.org
(The most recent version of the Liberty Union Platform has been updated to reflect this
information; available form the website, hard copies at next meeting, or by emailing
Murray)
10. Next Meeting, August 5, 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the Upper Valley Food Coop, White River
Junction,
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