Mises Caucus

Mises Caucus
General Information
Chartered:	2017
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The Libertarian Party Mises Caucus was founded in 2017 by Michael Heise and other Libertarians to promote Austrian economics within the Libertarian Party, to to stress the importance of sound economics as critical to the Libertarian Party message, and to advocate applying the science of human action—praxeology—in Libertarian Party efforts to counter the statism of both Democrats and Republicans.

The Platform of the Libertarian Party Mises Caucus

The following are the planks of the platform the Libertarian Party Mises Caucus:

Plank 1 – Property Rights: We recognize the right to property as natural and self-evident, and advocate private property rights from both an ontological and utilitarian perspective. Private property rights naturally extend from the central libertarian principle of self-ownership. Accordingly, we condemn all initiatory violence towards a person’s life, liberty, and property, adhering to the Non-Aggression Principle as the fundamental moral axiom informing all political decisions.

From a utilitarian perspective, we also contend that private property is the best way to avoid conflict between individuals. It is the prohibition, theft, infringement on and regulation of private property that creates conflict in the world. Private property rights in scarce resources must be established and defended. We therefore pursue privatization and decentralization wherever possible.

Plank 2 – Self-Determination: The Mises Caucus recognizes that freedom of association manifests itself politically in the form of absolute right of self-determination. The Austro-libertarian tradition favors decentralization – subsidiarity, secession, nullification, localism – and reduction of government wherever possible as a means of expanding choice and competition in governance for all individuals. Mises wrote, “If it were in any way possible to grant this right of self-determination to every individual person, it would have to be done.” To this end, the Mises Caucus favors radical decentralization of, and secession from, all government and political units. Plank 3 – Economics: The Mises Caucus believes economics is not a self-contained discipline. It is the study of human action and, specifically, the efforts of acting human beings in dealing with the reality of scarcity. As students of praxeology, we believe all actors have purpose, and thus respond to incentives.

Our position is that government interference in the market skews natural incentives, creating unintended consequences that breed inefficiency, conflict, and unnecessary costs. As such, we adhere to the Austrian theory of economics and, further, take an unapologetic free market approach to any and all economic issues. We advocate coupling deregulation and privatization with tax reduction and abolition to achieve truly free enterprise.

Plank 4 – Money: The Mises Caucus vehemently condemns all forms of government monopoly and centralization as coercive and harmful. This is especially true regarding money, the cornerstone of a market economy. Sound money serves as both a medium of exchange and store of value. Currency should never be held captive by the harmful effects of state monopolies. We reject central banking, in favor of decentralization and free market solutions. Accordingly, we advocate abolishing the Federal Reserve System. In a market banking system, private forms of money – from precious metals to cryptocurrencies – will flourish.

Plank 5 – Decorum: The discussion surrounding the proper role of government in society is one of ideas. As Mises himself pointed out, “Everything that happens in the social world in our time is the result of ideas. Good things and bad things. What is needed is to fight bad ideas.” Ludwig von Mises was a brilliant moral philosopher and an accomplished economist, but above all, he was a gentleman. We intend to conduct ourselves in a way that honors his tradition, while exhibiting the utmost decorum in the battle of hearts and minds.

Plank 6 – Lifestyle Choices: The Mises Caucus takes no stance on personal, cultural, and social preferences. One’s lifestyle is merely an extension of their self-ownership. Thus, no individual can rightfully claim jurisdiction over the lifestyle of another. We assert only that any and all lifestyle choices must accord with the Non-Aggression Principle. As Murray Rothbard once wrote, “Libertarianism does not offer a way of life; it offers liberty, so that each person is free to adopt and act upon his own values and moral principles.”

Plank 7 – Identity Politics: The Mises Caucus categorically rejects all forms of identity politics as nothing more than weaponized tribal collectivism that is antithetical to individualism.

State Teams

The Libertarian Party Mises Caucus has teams established in many of the states. The following is the current list of state team leaders:

1. Alabama: Anthony Peebles and Tom Hopf
2. Alaska: James Ashton and Adam Scwemley
3. Arizona: Keith Gallardo and Adam Snell
4. Arkansas: Ben Smith, Matthew Mears, and Linnea Gabbard
5. California: Angela McArdle, Brandon Nelson, Matthew Ryan Butts, Ryan Lopez, and Samuel Ulloa
6. Colorado: Kyle Furey, Martin Funkhowzer, and Andy Buchkovich
7. Connecticut: Lance Leduc, Stephen Dincher, and Matt Lup
8. Delaware: David Hynes, Lee Tark, and Chris Velrath
9. Florida: Mitchell Wiecek, Chaz Sanders, Davie Parrish, Julia Hall, Celicia Slafter, and Robert Vinson
10. Georgia: Marc Douglass, Bobby Rouse, and Thomas Nickles
11. Hawaii:
12. Idaho: Aaron Manson, A.J. Ellis, and David Hynes
13. Illinois: Ben Baker, Ryan Mahoney, and Thomas Francis
14. Indiana: Candace Alexander and Clyde Darrin Myers
15. Iowa: Joseph Howe
16. Kansas: Tim Giblin and Tabre Perez
17. Kentucky: Randall Daniel and Jacob Clark
18. Louisiana: Brandon Leleux
19. Maine: Harrison Kemp, Jeremy Lizzotte, and Andy Bragg
20. Maryland: Otto Dassing, Alex Schlegal, Tim Miller, and Chris Gannon
21. Massachusetts: Brodi Elwood, Jason Brand, William Moberg, and Johnathan Drury
22. Michigan: Connor Nepomuceno, Thomas Scott, Andrew Chadderdon, Joseph Hartman, and Steven Fox
23. Minnesota: Jeremy Pollock and Derek James
24. Mississippi:
25. Missouri: Dustin Branneky, Robin Dominick, and Brian Meyers
26. Montana: Montana Kruse and Jacob Kitson
27. Nebraska: James Herrold
28. Nevada: Charles Melchin, Matt Baldoni, Jeff Hurley, and Adam Sanacore
29. New Hampshite: Benjamin Richards, Erik Sawyer, and JD Olitzky
30. New Jersey: Mike Rufo, Michael Graves, and Nikhil Sureshkumar
31. New Mexico: Michael Cordova, Lauren Cordova, and Stratton James-Davis
32. New York: Susan Overeem Cummings, Dustin Tait, Anthony De Cubellis, Justin Carman, and Theresa Gosart
33. North Carolina: Joe Garcia, Thomas Bivens, and Chase Roycroft
34. North Dakota: Dylan Stuckey
35. Ohio: Louran Schott, Drake Lundstrom, Dan Experience, and Taylor Magill
36. Oklahoma: Kenn Williamson, Robert Lorrah, and Todd Hagopian
37. Oregon: Ryan Tracy, Will Hobson, Nick Kostenborder, Willy Johnson, and Peter Vandenberg
38. Pennsylvania: Michael Heise, Jeff Douglass, Luke Ensor, Marc Bozzacco, and Phil Krachun
39. Rhode Island: Mike Rinaldi
40. South Carolina: Kennan Dunham
41. South Dakota:
42. Tennessee: Sam Shaw, Brandon McNaughton, Dave Benner, and Nicholas Birkbichler
43. Texas: Amy Brown, Colby Meise, Patrick Mitchell, Tim Cox, Brad Lammi, Daniel Lee, Nathan Pier, Joe Burnes, Clint Pohler, and Jeinay LeBlanc
44. Utah: Phil Lammi, Tim Heise, and John Molnar
45. Vermont: Archie Flower and Olga Mar
46. Virginia: John Kennedy, Andrew Watkins, Paul Bracco, and Matthew French
47. Washington: Whitney Davis, Miguel Duque, John Bowen, and Conor Kirkman
48. West Virginia: Brianna Stock
49. Wisconsin: James Reilly, Patrick MacFarlane, Joseph Ecklund, and Jacob Bodlig
50. Wyoming:

External Links

• Libertarian Mises Caucus Website.