These Are the Libertarians Running for President in 2020

The race for the 2020 Libertarian Party presidential nomination is crowded, with some people you may know and others you may not. If you want more information from the candidates, in their own words and without outside bias, read on.

Some of you may remember that I competed for this nomination in 2015 and 2016. I traveled the country, debating other candidates, speaking to thousands of people, making television and radio appearances, newspaper interviews and podcasts, making phone calls for fund raising, and lots of marketing.  I left the race before the nominating convention and threw my support behind the eventual nominee, Governor Gary Johnson of New Mexico.

During the general election, I was a consultant to Johnson and managed many projects for the campaign. I was also the conduit between the campaign and the Libertarian Party leaders, and oversaw an advisory board of notable libertarians, communicating back and forth between this board and the campaign.

I stayed out of the fray in 2020, so at this point I am free to write an impartial article outlining the 2020 candidates.

Having been through the entire process from primary campaign to nomination to the general election and election night, I know that the eventual nominee has a gargantuan undertaking in front of them. They must travel without stop for over four months. They may have to do up to 75 media interactions per day. They will be under a constant magnifying glass, and every statement that they make is subject to scrutiny. If they make an error, that error will be amplified exponentially. Some people on their own side will attack them ferociously. They must fight the pollsters to be included in the same polling questions as the Democratic and Republican nominees. They must find a way to crack the Commission for Presidential Debates to allow them on the stage. 

From time to time, when they are exhausted, it may seem to them that they can’t do anything right.

But this nominee will be the national standard bearer for the Libertarian Party. No matter how friendly or unfriendly their colleagues may be, they must press on. They must remain dedicated and positive. They must keep the donations flowing in if their message is to be heard. They must have a strong and effective campaign staff.

This task is not for the faint of heart.

So here, I introduce you to the 2020 Libertarian candidates for President of the United States.  They are listed alphabetically in order to be fair. I requested each candidate put together a couple of paragraphs in their own words about their resume, their key issues, and something they want you to know about them. One candidate did not get back to me, so I included some info from his website. Every other candidate was kind enough to provide special responses for the purpose of this article. This list has changed drastically since 2019.

The candidates

Representative Max Abramson

Rep. Max Abramson (L-NH) is a two term legislator who has been working on criminal justice reform, drug policy, and small business issues. He has also been elected and re-elected to Budget Committee and Planning Board. Abramson graduated from Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and also attended classes at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, University of New Hampshire, and Piney Point, Maryland. A graduate of Auburn High School in Auburn, Washington, he worked as a merchant mariner and shipped out of Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Honolulu.

Sorinne Ardeleanu

Sorinne is the daughter of immigrant parents who escaped two different communist countries in the 1970s. She is an entrepreneur with a background in psychology, healthcare, sales, executive coaching, philosophy, theology, and neuroscience. She has spent the past decade correlating universal truths in order to understand what drives human behavior and how to influence others with integrity, to do what is for the greater good of ALL. She is also involved in the criminal justice reform movement, as well as the conscious capitalism movement.

Sorinne believes the greatest challenge and epidemic that Americans (and humanity) face today is having conflicting beliefs, due to a lack of positive role models who correctly follow the laws of logic. She believes that the current way that our government runs our country is disabling and disempowering its people, while creating more long-term suffering along with less sustainability for our species, and more dependency on the government rather than on themselves. Sorinne believes the role of government is to maintain order through logical and limited legislation, and to protect innocent people’s rights so that they may have opportunities to develop their own abilities and prosper.

Sorinne is running for the office of President of the United States of America as she believes it is her duty to lead the way, so that others may be inspired to learn how to overcome adversity and take control of and responsibility over their own lives rather than having government live its life through them. Sorinne has also spent the past decade developing her character and reasoning abilities, so that she would be physically, mentally, and spiritually fit and capable to be a Leader of the Free World. During this time, she has learned the value of all individuals understanding cause and effect, choosing to do sustainable work with integrity versus looking for shortcuts, as well as being proactive instead of reactive.

Ken Armstrong

Ken Armstrong has been called the “Libertarian unicorn” because of his unique qualifications for the White House. Twice elected to Honolulu County office, Ken is a former nonprofit executive and government official who was nominated for Federal Executive of the year.

He has worked as a college instructor and newspaper columnist. In his government service, he was NATO base commander, commanded humanitarian relief on the island of Kauai following Hurricane Iniki, and was a representive to the Pelagie Islands for the U.S. Consul General at Palermo during a time that put him in the crosshairs of the U.S. conflict with Libya. Out of specialty, he worked with the Surgeon General of the United States on a number of major policy issues and headed healthcare quality assurance for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Ken is a grauduate of U.S. Officer Candidate School and is a Weinberg Fellow of Hawaii Pacific University.

Daniel “Taxation is Theft” Behrman

Dan Behrman was born in Los Angeles, California. He has been married to his wife for seven years, and they have two rescue dogs. He and his wife currently split their time between San Antonio, Texas, and Cancun, Mexico. He has worked with multi-million dollar, international start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. He has had successful careers as a video producer, video editor, and software engineer. He is an international speaker, promoting the idea that taxation is theft. He believes that individual freedom is more important government control, and that we own ourselves, and we are not government property.

Behrman is the founder of the Taxation is Theft brand. He hosts a weekly podcast by the same name. He was motivated to run for office when he got tired of watching the government assault people, steal from people, and murder people. As president, he seeks to transform the federal government into one that interacts with its citizens on a purely voluntary basis. He believes individuals need to be free from the coercive nature of abusive taxation and regulations. He is a supporter of free markets, individual rights, and environmental and social issues.

“We can all get what we want, if we stop listening to politicians. The purpose of government is to protect our rights, not to tell us how to live our lives,” Behrman states.

Kenneth Blevins

My name is Kenneth Blevins. I’m a 35 year old, third generation pipe welder/fitter. I’ve been working or going to school since I was 16. I have a degree in Athletic Training from Oklahoma State University, where I learned the assessment, treatment and prevention of athletic injury, and where I learned skills I believe will be useful in treating the wounds of this nation caused by decades of corruption and career politicians. In my current career I have to understand blueprints, work with others to correct problems, and build the infrastructure that keeps this nation running. Although, I’ve never run for political office, I believe my education, work experience and ability to relate with the rest of the working class will help me lead this country in a way that is beneficial for everyone.

Many candidates will promise every body “free”/affordable services, a livable wage, or an end to ongoing military involvement overseas. My goal is to work on correcting all of the problems caused by government overreach by targeting the source of the problem. No, the answer to an inefficient overgrown government isn’t more government. The answer, in my opinion, is to get rid of those who have produced and compounded the problems in the first place: career politicians who have manipulated and system for personal gain. My solution to make the government work for the American citizens again involves reigning in congress by establishing Congressional term limits. By establishing term limits, eliminating retirement benefits and all incentives that promote corruption in the legislative branch, I believe we can uphold the Constitution and bring power back to the American People. We must also bring transparency into business of government. By exposing both the executive and legislative branches of government’s spending of tax dollars we can determine if our representatives truly hold our best interests in mind.

I’m not here to play on emotions, sling mud or tell lies. I’m running for President to make this nation’s government work for the citizens, to make sure this country is ran in a fiscally responsible fashion, and to make sure that your representatives up hold their oaths to you and the Constitution of the United States of America because m that’s how this nation was deigned and that is what the citizens of this nation deserve.

Governor Lincoln Chafee

Lincoln Chafee has served as a Mayor, a Governor, and a United States Senator. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Chafee graduated from Brown University. After working as a Farrier for champion race horses for several years in the western United States and Canada, Chafee returned to Rhode Island where he served on the Warwick City Council, before being elected Mayor in 1992. Chafee won reelection as Mayor three times by winning every ward in every district, despite being a member of a minority party.

Chafee began his term in the United States Senate in 1999 and was reelected in 2000. During his tenure, he served as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and as chair of the Near East Subcommittee. While in the Senate, he opposed warmongers in Washington to vote against the Iraq War, one of only 23 Senators to do so, and the only member of his former party.

After leaving the Senate, Chafee was elected in 2010 as the first Independent Governor in Rhode Island’s history. As Governor, he successfully championed the passage of the law granting freedom for same-sex couples to marry, successfully fought the federal government’s effort to expose a Rhode Island prisoner to the death penalty, lowered the state’s unemployment rate more than every state but one during the Great Rescission, and fought against using taxpayer money on crooked cronyism as one of the only Rhode Island officials against the 38 Studios deal.

Chafee moved from Rhode Island to Wyoming in early 2019. When registering to vote, he came upon the Libertarian Party, which was not an option in his former state. “When I went to register in Wyoming, I looked at the Libertarian Party and I was impressed,” Chafee said. “I went down the list and I see no foreign entanglements, no capital punishment, pro choice, no torture, no crony capitalism, anti-war, anti-deficit, pro free trade…I said ‘This is my party!’”

After meeting with Libertarians who encouraged him to run, Chafee decided to seek the nomination of the Libertarian Party for President early this year. “The issues of our time are clear: we must stop the escalation of endless war, reign in our skyrocketing deficits, and protect our personal liberties in the face of government encroachment,” said Chafee.

Lincoln and his wife Stephanie have been married for 30 years, and have three children, Louisa, Caleb, and Thea. He resides with his family in Teton Village, Wyoming, although you can find him on any given weekend at a Libertarian State Party Convention near you.

Keenen Wallace Dunham

Keenan Wallace Dunham is running for President 2020 as a Libertarian. Mr. Dunham has qualified to be placed on the primary ballots in California and New Hampshire and will be attending many Libertarian Party debates and state conventions this year. Mr. Dunham is Chair of the Horry County Libertarian Party and has aided numerous local candidates running for office since 2016. He is highly active in politics and community service. His campaign for US President consists of four domestic plans to expand the US economy.

Those are to Legalize Cannabis and Hemp nationwide, Legalize Gambling nationwide, Legalize and Regulate Bitcoin and Blockchain ledger technology, and Eliminate the Personal Income Tax.

His campaign also highly focuses on justice and rollback of the police state, the “Deepstate” and foreign intervention. Trade should be the focus of foreign dialogue and the sharing of knowledge. There should not be a restrictive national ID system limiting travel. The NSA, FBI, and HLS should not be allowed to gather citizen’s information without a crime specific warrant, and the 4th and 5th amendments followed regarding seizing or gathering personal information. Personal information is private property. Foreign aid and military bases should be rolled-back to stop foreign countries’ dependence on our resources.

Learn more about Keenan Wallace Dunham on his website:

Souraya Faas

Souraya Faas is a product of the American Dream, born on December 19, 1981 in New York City to a middle-class Armenian Catholic family from Aleppo, Syria. Throughout her life Souraya learned the value of hard work, sacrifice & dedication having watched her parents work together hand in hand till they became the successful business owners that they are today. Souraya’s conservative family values and upbringing led her to develop a kind and generous heart whose concern for the well being others would have her  become an activist from a very young age. Souraya won numerous awards and recognition due to her superiority as a public speaker, researcher as well as organizer of various community outreach projects.

At the age of 14 Souraya was told that she would make a good politician’s wife but that she could never be a politician because she was a woman. It was at that very moment Souraya was determined not only to become a politician, but more importantly a role model for other women as well as the youth in that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to.

Knowing she wanted to be a politician, Souraya made sure she covered all the bases and went on to received a Bachelor Degree in Political Science from Florida International University: minored in International Relations & Certified in European Studies in 2001. She later continued her education and received a Graduate Certification in Regional Studies with specialization in Latin American Comparative Politics in 2003, and another Certification in Asian Studies specializing in Middle East in 2005. She also received a Master’s degree in Political Science and Sociology in 2006. Souraya has been an educator for 20yrs and being fluent in English, Spanish & Arabic along with her understanding of Italian & French has helped her gain international recognition & popularity as she became a political commentator on foreign policy. 

In 2016 Souraya Faas made history becoming the youngest presidential candidate, first Latina woman, first millennial, first Armenian Catholic and first woman of Arab origin to be running for President of the United States. Souraya Faas is currently a Presidential Candidate seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party for the 2020 United States presidential elections. To learn more about Souraya and her stance on the issues that are important to you, follow her on all social media outlets: @SourayaFaas

Erik Gerhardt

I am a servant of the people and I wish to continue this as your President.  Always working with transparency and honesty to all my friends and clients.  As president I would implement my plan to lead by example by showing honesty, courage and respect in my actions.  With a preemptive climate change plan to be up and running ASAP.  I hope to champion a climate, immigration reform and a reenergization to our education systems with paid lunches for all children, higher pay for teachers and a in house daycare as a benefit for teachers nationwide.  

All my plans go hand and hand with an open mind to criticism and patience to make a clear and well thought out judgements for the benefit for all new and old citizens of the United States of America. I hope you will join me on my quest to reunite our great country for the true owners of this planet our children.  Father of our country is a powerful phrase that once represented the character of our founding Americans. All presidents should strive to be seen in the light of our founders and is my goal along with living up to them and their proud and unique way they lead our country.

Sincerely, Erik Gerhardt

Jedi Hill

Jedi Hill is an Amazon Bestselling Author, Professional Speaker, Real Estate Consultant, and Visionary who is dedicated to creating a world where We All Win! First you’re probably wondering if my name is really Jedi. Yes it is short for Jedidiah. Being the Jedi tells you about my philosophy of bringing Peace and Harmony to this country. The declaration of independence states You have the God given Rights of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness! Now liberty is often misunderstood, yes it means the freedom to do what you want. And you desire freedom right? Yes or yes!

The other aspect of liberty most of you don’t realize is having the power and resources in other words money to do what you want, thus being rich is your birthright. Do You want to be rich ? Yes or yes? As President, I will work on freeing your path to become rich, by reducing taxes and regulations that inhibit you from building your own business. Because being a business owner is your best path to becoming rich and it is small business owners that have helped this country overcome every adversity. Thereby Creating a country where #WeAllWin

One of the primary goals for my presidency is to manifest peace and harmony around the world so that we may literally create heaven (paradise) on earth. To that end I will work on creating a world harmony treaty that includes a universal bill of rights to be signed by all countries. Other Key Issues I will take care of utilizing influence on the private sector are fixing the Environment by cleaning up what is poisoning the food, water and air supplies. We will also privatize social security so you regain control of your retirement, Balance the budget, as well as improve healthcare and the economy by reducing regulation to spur growth and reduce prices.

Jacob Hornberger

Jacob is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation, a non-profit educational foundation whose mission is to present the principled case for the libertarian philosophy (and which, as a non-profit foundation, does not endorse his candidacy or any other candidacy). Jacob is campaigning on bringing the troops home, ending the drug war, and and on free markets.

Jo Jorgensen

In 2014 Megan Trainor sang, “it’s all about the base” and in 2016 Donald Trump proved it. Jo Jorgensen believes that the Libertarian Party’s base is simply too small. Her supporters believe that as Harry Browne’s 1996 vice presidential running mate, Jo is the candidate with the experience to grow that base. “In 1996, Harry Browne and I focused on membership and brought in around 8500 members, still the highest number recruited during a presidential campaign. In 2000, Harry’s campaign focused more on getting votes – fewer members were recruited and he received fewer votes than in 1996.” The campaign will be geared to recruiting people with the determination to fight for liberty in the long run. The metric will be Libertarian Party membership and the goal to double party membership.

The campaign plans to not waste time or resources on those who have already drunk deeply of the Kool-Aid, either Red or Blue, but to focus on voters who are repelled by the tribalism. Jo Jorgensen will be a traditional standard bearer in that her roll is to be visible and present principled and practical solutions to problems that the voters care about.

Currently, the issues that she intends to focus on include cutting spending to balance the budget, getting federal bureaucrats out of medicine and education, ending our involvement in foreign wars, and major criminal justice reform. In addition to extensive use of social media, she plans to travel the country visiting states where she is invited to assist down-ticket candidates and to focus on secondary markets where the visit of a non-legacy party candidate will have more media impact.

Her campaign is currently fundraising and expanding its volunteer staff. It can be reached at joj2020.com

Adam Kokesh

From the campaign website:

Adam Kokesh is 38 years old, an author, media host and political activist.  As a self described “voluntaryist”, Mr. Kokesh speaks to the benefit of voluntary choices rather than government force.

Mr. Kokesh states: The platform is simple. When elected, I will swear in, walk to the White House, and sign one executive order. This executive order will lay out the process for dissolving the federal government in a peaceful, orderly manner. With it, I will resign as President to become “Custodian of the Federal Government.” The only thing I will do as President before signing the order is pardon everyone convicted under federal law for victimless crimes. The executive order will appoint someone to head each federal department as “Custodians” who will carry out the plan outlined in the order.

Benjamin Leder

Ben Leder was born in the city of Dallas in 1983, and has been a lifelong resident of Texas.  Having been an entrepreneur since his early youth, Ben has enjoyed spending most of his adult life creating jobs for the people in our community.  Being a staunch advocate for the rights of the individual, Ben believes that the Libertarian brand is the best vehicle to carry the message of liberty forward.

Mr. Leder became more formally involved in the party after the 2016 Presidential Election, when he observed a need for a more holistic approach towards achieving the goal of a world set free in our lifetime. The campaign is dedicated to a shift in strategy that involves reducing the reliance on major media outlets, by working with bloggers, podcasters, and social media.  The Ben Leder for President campaign intends to serve as a catalyst towards developing a stronger emphasis on marketable solutions, alternative media, and winnable races.

Ben is particularly proud of his National Sunset act, which begins with:  Upon adoption of the National Sunset Act all agencies – except universities, courts, and agencies established by the United States Constitution – will be abolished on a specific date every 12 years after creation or renewal unless the United States Legislature passes specific legislation to continue its functions.

His other important issues include fair migration, open market healthcare, restoring the 2nd amendment, taxpayer choice, human trafficking interdiction, equal rights and the modernization of education.  To read more about Ben’s legislative agenda, you can find it at www.benleder.com .

John McAfee

To most active Libertarians, John McAfee needs no introduction. Indeed, most Americans have heard the name McAfee at some time during their lives. Considered by many, friend and foe alike, to be the most libertarian candidate on the stage while seeking the 2016 nomination, he is again seeking the nomination of the only party to embrace his personal mantra: freedom.

Equally familiar to most Libertarians is the concept of NOTA, or None Of The Above. Most internal surveys, polls and contests within the Libertarian offer the option, out of recognition that the best answer is sometimes to reject all suggestions. But here most of America is a step behind. Most people don’t know what NOTA means, and it is not an option in most elections.

In 2020 John McAfee aims to teach America the meaning of NOTA, and why it is the best answer that can be given until some things are fixed. Our slogan “Don’t Vote McAfee” tells the world we don’t want their vote. John McAfee could never be elected to, is not qualified for, and will not serve in the office of President. Americans that love freedom, detest our rigged and corrupt system, and want to make a statement will have a better option than going home.

If nominated, John McAfee will run a campaign from exile that will make the entire world take notice. It won’t be traditional, and many won’t like it. But more than anything else the Libertarian Party could do, nominating John McAfee can strike a blow against the credibility of the system, as well as pave the way for a new generation of Libertarians.

John Monds

Monds made history in the 2008 Georgia Public Service Commissioner race when he became the first Libertarian candidate to receive over 1 million votes. He made history again in 2010 when he became the first African-American candidate to appear on the ballot for Governor in the state of Georgia. In his various campaigns Monds has received over 1.8 million votes as a Libertarian candidate in Georgia. Monds lives in Cairo, Georgia where he has been married to Dr. Kathaleena Monds for 21 years. They have four children, Akintunde, Cazembe, Halima, and Malik. Monds earned a degree in Business Administration from Morehouse College with a concentration in Banking and Finance. For the past 20 years he has homeschooled his children and two of his students have received their college degrees.

Monds has been active in his community through various organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc, and the NAACP. He enjoys classic Volkswagens, gardening, and genealogy. John Monds has been an active member of the Libertarian party for 15 years. He became a Libertarian after reading the platforms of all the political parties in Georgia. He got excited about the Libertarian Party because this is the party that is “serious about freedom”. Monds said “I am running for President to take a stand for individual liberty.” Monds was inspired to run by his great-great-grandparents, Columbus and Morning Ferguson who were slaves on the Ferguson farm in Talbot County. Monds says, “I am running to honor them and all the other freedom fighters.”

Steve Richey

Born in Indiana to a deeply religious family with nomadic tendencies, we promptly moved to Ohio and then West Virginia before I had my first memories. Before returning to Indiana for college, I lived in Lost Creek, Kentucky, then Florida, then back to Kentucky (this time it was Western KY) for high school. After college I joined FedEx in Indianapolis, and 23 years later find myself driving a FedEx truck in Honolulu and raising my half-Japanese kids as Buddhists. Somewhere between, I’ve visited 43 states and several foreign countries for fun and family. Why does this matter? Because no matter where in America YOU live: I’ve probably been there, I’ve experienced your culture, I’ve eaten your food, and I know your values. I have a lot in common with every American I’ve ever met! The American People SHOULD have a lot in common with their President!

The only thing that matters in life is Sustainability. Every decision, every choice, if repeated indefinitely: must create a positive outcome! This is an especially important principle for guiding the Leaders of our great nation, yet the USA fails the Sustainability test on many fronts! Here are three areas in which the unsustainable actions of our Leaders will destroy, within our children’s lifetime, the American Dream we all share:

1. National Debt – How can anyone believe our economy is doing well when our Federal Government lost more than a Trillion dollars JUST IN 2019!!?? The average American has more debt than savings, and the bankruptcy rates for farms and small businesses are near record highs. As a nation, we are nearing a default or bankruptcy – and no one in Washington DC is willing to even TALK about it!

2. Perpetual Global Warfare – Our Founders broke away from the British Empire because Imperialism is unsustainable. Now, with American military forces active in more than 100 countries, we’re back to building a new empire – the American Empire. In fact, American Imperialism is the largest contributor to the impending American Bankruptcy! Our leaders are getting rich “Protecting our Freedom” by bombing people in other countries who probably wouldn’t hate us if we weren’t BOMBING THEIR COUNTRIES! It is impossible to know Peace, until War becomes unprofitable.

3. Environment and Climate Change – All around the world, climate change is ongoing. Governments don’t want to talk about it, because correcting the effects of our past excesses is going to be expensive. Or we could all starve to death when food production becomes impossible. Think about it: we grow food in areas that have good soil and rainfall. Climate change affects WHERE it rains, so what happens when the good soil and the rainfall are no longer in the same places? Our oceans are choked with plastics, so don’t expect that we’ll all just be eating seafood instead!

I never wanted a life in politics, and to this day: I DO NOT WANT TO BE PRESIDENT! But I have a responsibility to provide MY kids and YOUR kids with a secure and sustainable future: and the only position in America with the power to effect the necessary changes we so desperately need: is the Presidency. I don’t need to be rich or famous: I’m just trying to make the American Dream sustainable again.

Steve Richey

SteveRicheyforPresident2020@gmail.com

Sam Robb

I’m a Pittsburgh native, a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, and a Christian. After serving as a U.S. Naval Officer, I returned to Pennsylvania and taught myself computer programming. I used those skills over the next 30 years to build technology startups into companies. Along the way I had an amazing woman take me as her husband, and together we adopted three incredible girls. I enjoy reading, writing, teaching, and urban hiking/photography.

I grew up in a Democratic area and household, but registered as a Republican in college. After watching year after year of failed promises, I finally said “Enough!” In 2012 I switched my party registration and became a big-tent, pro-life Libertarian. Because of my background, a large part of my Presidential campaign is about outreach. I intend to show disaffected voters that we have a common problem – government – and a common solution – liberty. As President, my administration will cut government, eliminate taxes, and reform our broken immigration system.

Vermin Supreme

CHOOSE WISELY.

Only ONE candidate PROMISES more FUN than YOU can IMAGINE this ELECTION year. Only one candidate offers YOUR CHOICE of TIMELINES!

MOAR Liberty.

BIGGER Freedoms.

LESS Government.

PONY Bacon.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, all men are created equal, … endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it” – Declaration of Independence

“We, the members of the Libertarian Party, challenge the cult of the omnipotent state and defend the rights of the individual. We hold that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose.” – Libertarian Party Platform

“There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious,…you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears … to make it stop! …you’ve got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it — that unless you’re free, the machine will be prevented from working at all!” – Mario Savio

Funcentration Camps – Not just for kids.  #GlitterBomb2020 #Vermin2020

Arvin Vohra

Arvin Vohra is running for president to end the welfare state and end the income tax. He has pledged to, on his first day, pardon Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and Ross Ulbricht, followed by all nonviolent drug users, drug sellers, drug kingpins, people in prison for only weapon possession charges, and people in prison for cryptocurrency charges. He is also encouraging people to become pardoners in chief themselves, by using jury nullification to say “not guilty” if the supposed crime has no victim, and reminds people that jury nullification brought freedom of the press to America.

His foreign policy stances focus on ending all military welfare, and cutting the military down until it is barely large enough to provide defense for the United States only, not Europe, Saudi Arabia, or Israel. He has pledged to bring all the troops home, shut down all foreign military bases, leave NATO, and cut taxes accordingly.

Arvin Vohra is the former Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party, an entrepreneur, the author of several books, including Pull Out: Men, Modern Life, and Mutiny.

Mark Whitney

Everybody loves a good story. If there’s one thing Mark Whitney has, it’s definitely an incredible story! The Vermont native, vying for the Libertarian nomination to run for the highest office in the land, adheres to a platform rooted in basic liberties. Whitney wants voters to know that the highest seat in America actually belongs to the citizen. He also believes that the Presidential seat has the potential to be the most Libertarian office in the country. This concept could be implemented by citizens first choosing to vote for people instead of adhering to traditional party lines. Second, they must elect a President who encourages legislative power to be more concentrated in the local levels of government- all the way up to the individual.

Mark is married to his childhood sweetheart, Julie, with whom he had two sons. He says his “sons are more successful than I ever was- which is the best that any father could ask for.” It was character traits like persistence, a willingness to listen and the ability to get outside the box for truly innovative problem solving that made his sons successful. These same things are at the heart of who Mark Whitney is and will make him successful as President of the United States. That’s why his campaign slogan is, “keep banging”, “if you keep knocking, they’re bound to let you in!”

If you ask Mark for a generic summary of his life he’d say, “In my twenties I dug a hole. In my thirties I dug out. In my forties I rebuilt everything and, in my fifties, I killed it! Now, in my sixties, I’m ready to serve others and show them how to capitalize on the remarkable freedoms we are so fortunate to have here in the United States.” It was those same freedoms, found in the rights granted by the First Amendment, that led Mark to educate himself in law practice while facing 225 years in federal prison. Mark put up a stellar defense that, after three separate appeals, greatly reduced his sentence. He went on to write, produce and star in an award winning performance called “Fool for a Client” that highlighted those experiences. In 1999 he established Law.net, a web-based reference system that makes legal information readily available to anyone needing access to it.

Andy Williams Jr.

Andy Williams Jr. is a licensed Baptist minister and Libertarian candidate for President of the United States who, rather than shy away from the many tumultuous chapters in his life, uses them as fuel for the fire he now feels in his quest for social justice. The great grandson of sharecroppers, Williams was raised in a white middle-class family by his black father and white stepmother, but got involved in gangs and street crime after they separated when he was 12.

Williams dropped out of high school, joined a gang, was arrested for robbery and went to prison. Although he vowed never to go back to prison, he was charged with drug possession a few months after his release but beat the case in a bench trial. Shortly after beating his drug possession charge, he was sent to a mental health institution after being declared unfit to stand trial.                                                                                                                                                                
After witnessing his girlfriend’s brother murdered in his front yard, Williams moved his family to safer community, got a job at a car dealership and vowed to turn his life around. He became an ordained minister, started a mortgage company, and found a community group called Give Hope, aimed at reducing violence and empowering men to lead more healthy and productive lives. Williams served on several nonprofit boards, focusing on such topics as immigration, wrongful foreclosures, criminal justice reform and sustainable housing.

After giving up a fighting a wrongful foreclosure for thirteen years against the Bank of New York Mellon, Williams received a Bachelors of Arts degree in Paralegal Studies from Lewis University and started working in a law firm. A few years later he started Freelance Paralegal Services and launched a consumer and human rights advocacy group.

His passion for social justice is also fueled by the suicide of a gay brother and a brother who died of an opioid overdose. After a 2019 mass shooting in his hometown of Aurora by his childhood friend Gary Martin, Williams, is more committed than ever to making a difference. On August 17, 2019 he publicly announced his campaign for President of the United States.

Williams is running as the Human “Right” Candidate with what he calls the Occupy Campaign: 1) OccupyFathersHouse-the Spiritual campaign; 2) OccupyWhiteHouse-the Personal Campaign; 3) OccupyCongress– fill the 468 seats congressional seats Liberty minded people;4) OccupyBigHouse-Criminal Justice Reform; 5) OccupyMasters House-Ancestors built the White House; 6) OccupyPuertoRico-grant them the right to vote in our election; 7) Occupy the PromiseLand-Free at Last, thank God Almighty we are free at last by getting rid of the duopoly system that oppresses people.

***

The Libertarian Party will choose its presidential and vice presidential nominees at their convention in Austin, Texas, between May 21 and May 25, 2020. The nominee is chosen by over 1,000 delegates at this convention.

I wish all the candidates the best of luck, and I want to thank the candidates for their efforts to create special content for the readers of this article.