[LaurenceJGillis View Profile Posts: 21]

APRIL REPORT LPF EC Region 12 (2019)

For the meeting scheduled for April 28, 2019 

CHARLOTTE COUNTY: (unaffiliated, yet) EC: Chair; Vice; Secretary; Treasurer: (all tba)

David DeForest has been working with the Affiliate Support Committee . He is now working his list of LP voters in the county and has gotten some nibbles for possible new LPCC EC members. Also, he has opened a new LPCC website, which is both a work-in-progress and quite active at the same time. The draft handbook will be of considerable assistance to him.  BTW, if the LPF had its own beatification-and-canonization process, he would be my nominee. He plans to attend the Convention, so please make him feel especially welcome. (Laying down your cloaks and some palm fronds in his path would be a nice touch).

LEE COUNTY: EC: Chair: Rick Molek; Vice: Larry Gillis; Secretary: Ben Bachrach; Treasurer: Charlene Couillard; At Large: Alex Pilkington. 

A lightly-attended EC get-together of the LPLC EC was held March 19 at “Shoeless Joe’s” in Fort Myers. Salacious gossip about LPF personalities was exchanged, along with details of the 2020 LP Convention in Austin and certain SOE/LPF reports due later that month [all of which were submitted on time, thank you very much]. The quarterly business meeting was held on April 16 at “Sweet Tomatoes” in Fort Myers (a vegan-oriented buffet cafeteria, but still OK)

COLLIER COUNTY: EC: Chair: Rob Tolp; Vice: Peter Richter; Secretary: Jamie Cain; Treasurer: Scott Jaeger.

Their website remains quite active. I am unaware of their meeting schedule, but have invited myself several times.

MEDIA COVERAGE:   

 “Florida Politics” (FP hereinafter) published an article about a bill to abolish the Constitutional Revision Commission. I posted a Libertarian-flavored response. Identifying myself as a member of the LPF EC,  I said the FCRC should be retained and that members should be elected, not appointed by politicos: http://floridapolitics.com/archives/291495-repeal-of-constitution-revision-commission-headed-to-house-floor#comment-81273

I also commented on the FP article about a bill to further reduce the scope of the Sunshine Law, saying some exceptions were OK, but we should be aware of a bigger concern, namely the continuing legislative interference with the scope of this wholesome Constitutional provision. See: http://floridapolitics.com/archives/292264-sixty-days-for-4-1-19-a-prime-time-look-at-the-2019-legislative-session#comment-82356

FP noted the Legislature was again dictating school curricula (this time on human trafficking). I posted a comment, asking whether the Legislature should be involved at all, citing our Platform position on parental responsibility for education. See:  http://floridapolitics.com/archives/292362-bill-to-teach-students-about-dangers-of-human-trafficking-passes-second-house-panel#comment-82297

Senate Bill  1238 https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2019/01238 would permit concealed-carriers to carry in church, even if a school is on the premises, as long as it is OK with the church. I commented. http://floridapolitics.com/archives/292947-guns-in-churches-bill-under-consideration-today

NEW MEMBERS:

(None known at press time)

DEVELOPING ISSUES SPOTTED:

I suggested that a “Region 15” might be added to our LPF EC, to represent school-affiliated FL student Libertarian groups. Several legitimate concerns were raised.

Suzanne Gilmore highlighted State regulation of vegetable-gardens-on-the-lawn. This State activity is a powerful metaphor for what is wrong with this regulation-crazy State. We can get some serious mileage here, if we wish.

OTHER:   

The “Eagles for Liberty”, a student Libertarian group at FGCU in Fort Myers, recently held a meeting on “Hot Button Issues: Immigration”, with Bob Levy (Chairman of the Cato Institute).  More recently (April 4) they had a meeting to discuss the healthcare crisis. They are quite active.

I attended a Republican Liberty Caucus meeting in North Fort Myers on April 11. I think their reform-from-within efforts are doomed, for a variety of excellent reasons.

I will attend the State Convention in Tampa on May 3-4-5. I look forward to seeing many of you.
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In Liberty,

Larry Gillis, Cape Coral                                          April 25, 2019

Region12@lpf.org  and LaurenceJGillis@gmail.com   (Please use both)
Tel: 239-471-7173 (landline) or 305-563-9083 (Google Voice, messages)

The Libertarian Party of Florida reserves all rights and access to this email account, region12@lpf.org . Any correspondence, files, and other information contained are the sole property of the Libertarian Party of Florida. Any and all use of this property is at the complete discretion of the Libertarian Party of Florida, its officers, and its agents.
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[Chris Rose II View Profile Posts: 53]

Excellent report, as always, sir. Thank you. Looking forward to seeing you at Convention.

[Suzanne Gilmore View Profile Posts: 94]

Thank you for your informative report, an inspiration to us all. I particularly appreciate your ponting out issues we should/could be taking up. Where is our action on such topical issues?