The American Pirate Party

[Razmear]

OK, I just learned of it's existence a few minutes ago, but this seems like a much better home for RP'ers than the Tea Party, and it already has some infrastructure in place and can coordinate with the International Pirate Parties.
Their website is at:
http://www.americanpirateparty.us/
and in glancing over their 'constitution' (actually a party platform) I read:

Section 3: Elections

Elections of CC members shall take place on the 7th of December annually. Any vacancies shall result in the announcement of the intent to open elections in one weeks time.

CC = Coordinating Council

So, if enough of us got our act together fast enough, and I know we've done more in less time in the past, we could have a RPer takeover of the Pirate Party this coming Tuesday.

Gotta run out for a few, let me know what you think of this opportunity. It seems that they are currently in a state of disarray, and we might be able to launch this into a real political force.

And besides, I've always wanted to be a Pirate :)

eb

[Agorism]

Heh I've had a look at their site before. I saw the guy speeding on his motorcycle. Seems like there would be little place for both a libertarian party and a pirate party, but I think it might be a good replacement for the libertarian party.

Then if liberals take over it, then we can still vote Constitution party.

[Kludge]

Totally non-viable until the old folks with corporate-given beliefs on copyright die off.

Until then, we already have two useless third parties.

Aside from that - by name alone, it's limited to a very narrow list of policies it'll focus on. We have thousands of US military dying overseas, and millions of civilians globally from war -- we have bigger issues than dismantling IP.

[Agorism]

If Pirate party is more explicit about being anti-copyright and anti-patent, then wouldn't this be preferable to libertarian party?

[Kludge]

If Pirate party is more explicit about being anti-copyright and anti-patent, then wouldn't this be preferable to libertarian party?

Yes.

... But still useless.

[Agorism]

I can see liberals gravitating to the Pirate Party if it was on the ballot as an excuse to have Mike Gravel included in the election.

[Kludge]

I can see liberals gravitating to the Pirate Party if it was on the ballot as an excuse to have Mike Gravel included in the election.

Coincidentally, there are many liberals in the LP, and Mike Gravel was actually up for LP nomination in 2008.

He was smashed in voting and booed at a debate for suggesting the US have a universal healthcare system.

[Andrew-Austin]

I have divided the bullet points on pirate party platform (thus far) in to three categories: the bad, the ambiguous/neutral, and the good. From the party website.


First, the bad. Bad in that it sounds like advocating interventionism/government management.

* We believe health care should be affordable and available to all citizens without discrimination based on history, genes, or income.

* We believe in the continued existence of Social Security as a public, government-operated entity.

* We believe in the preserving the integrity of Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuge and finding more effective means of achieving energy independence.

--------------------

The neutral, ambiguous in that this might translate to supporting either good or bad policy, or things I just don't care about.

* We believe in reform of the penal system to focus on rehabilitation and education rather than punishment and demonization.

* We believe in state, rather than local, funding for public education to maximize the ability of children to succeed in school, regardless of wealth of their communities.

* We believe in maximizing the efficiency of American industry and reducing environmental impact.

* We believe in complete Internet neutrality and progressive legislation regarding technology.

* We believe in reducing the power of filibuster by restoring it to its original place in Senate procedure, requiring simple majorities to pass laws.

------------------

The good. As in clear stances that most libertarians can agree with.

* We believe in total and comprehensible separation of church and state, allowing citizens to practice any religion they choose, or no religion at all.

* We believe that the government requires absolute transparency and accountability. Every single dollar spent, vote cast, and debate held by the government should be available in a clear, public format.

* We believe that the police should not have the right to arrest individuals for non-criminal acts, such as copyright infringement.

* We believe in the elimination of the double jeopardy loophole that allows for both state and federal prosecutions of the same crime.

* We believe in the maximization of personal liberty, including the decriminalization of most activities considered “consensual crimes.”

* We believe in putting an end to corporate personhood, including the ability of corporations to contribute to political candidates.

* We believe in withdrawal of the military from all foreign countries, with exceptions only for absolute necessity. In all circumstances, the deployment of American military forces must be accompanied by Congressional authorization.

[libertybrewcity]

I have divided the bullet points on pirate party platform (thus far) in to three categories: the bad, the ambiguous/neutral, and the good. From the party website.


First, the bad. Bad in that it sounds like advocating interventionism/government management.

* We believe health care should be affordable and available to all citizens without discrimination based on history, genes, or income.

* We believe in the continued existence of Social Security as a public, government-operated entity.

* We believe in the preserving the integrity of Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuge and finding more effective means of achieving energy independence.

--------------------

The neutral, ambiguous in that this might translate to supporting either good or bad policy, or things I just don't care about.

* We believe in reform of the penal system to focus on rehabilitation and education rather than punishment and demonization.

* We believe in state, rather than local, funding for public education to maximize the ability of children to succeed in school, regardless of wealth of their communities.

* We believe in maximizing the efficiency of American industry and reducing environmental impact.

* We believe in complete Internet neutrality and progressive legislation regarding technology.

* We believe in reducing the power of filibuster by restoring it to its original place in Senate procedure, requiring simple majorities to pass laws.

------------------

The good. As in clear stances that most libertarians can agree with.

* We believe in total and comprehensible separation of church and state, allowing citizens to practice any religion they choose, or no religion at all.

* We believe that the government requires absolute transparency and accountability. Every single dollar spent, vote cast, and debate held by the government should be available in a clear, public format.

* We believe that the police should not have the right to arrest individuals for non-criminal acts, such as copyright infringement.

* We believe in the elimination of the double jeopardy loophole that allows for both state and federal prosecutions of the same crime.

* We believe in the maximization of personal liberty, including the decriminalization of most activities considered “consensual crimes.”

* We believe in putting an end to corporate personhood, including the ability of corporations to contribute to political candidates.

* We believe in withdrawal of the military from all foreign countries, with exceptions only for absolute necessity. In all circumstances, the deployment of American military forces must be accompanied by Congressional authorization.


the pirate party sucks!

[Andrew-Austin]

the pirate party sucks!

I wouldn't say it sucks, it just doesn't sound better than the libertarian party. Plus, how far can a party go with that kind of name. Not very far at all.

"Yaaargh matey, you just be a land loving pessimist!"

[Vessol]

Meh, just a social democrat party under a new name.

[Imperial]

FA Hayek also agreed with the concept of social insurance, so you are really only looking at two negatives.

[Kludge]

FA Hayek also agreed with the concept of social insurance, so you are really only looking at two negatives.

No, it's really still three from a libertarian standpoint, even if Hayek disagrees.

[Razmear]

Back from my little errand.
Some points, Pirate Parties are already recognized in a few countries, having members in Parliaments etc. The Pirate Parties are also instrumental in assisting with the current Wikileaks issues.
Re: their platform. If RP'ers become the Controlling Committee, we can change the platform to a more Constitutional Libertarian one.
Re: The Libertarian Party. The LP lost me when they nominated Barr and Root, I'm a Brown and Badnarik type of Libertarian and no longer associate with the local or national LPs.
Re: The Constitution Party. They are a bit to Christian-centric for my tastes. I have nothing against Christians, but I don't want to see the 10 Commandments become the law of the land either.

I'll have to look more into the International Pirate Party platform, but at this point the American Pirate Party could be ours for the taking. Their elections are done online, and we obviously rule the web.

eb

[Razmear]

http://int.piratenpartei.de/Pirate_Manifesto_parties_at_a_glance

A better look at the Pirate Parties than the American page.

[ronpaulhawaii]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/07/massachusetts-voters-can-now-register-as-pirates/


The Massachusetts Election Division has approved the Massachusetts Pirate Party as a political designation, allowing voters in the state to register as a "Pirate."

[Matt Collins]

Well shiver me timbers!

[Anti Federalist]

Shit...misleading thread title was misleading.

I was all set to sign up:

http://www.swordplayla.com/images/characters/pirates/pirate44-xl.jpg

[Sentient Void]

Fuck the pirate party. Short-sighted economic ignoramuses.

Party-wise, as useless as the Libertarian party is - it's still a helluva lot better than this crap.

I just wish the abolishment of IP was part of their platform. Oh, and that government policies restricting third parties and making it particularly difficult for them to be effective were also abolished.

[ronpaulhawaii]

Shit...misleading thread title was misleading.

I was all set to sign up:

http://www.swordplayla.com/images/characters/pirates/pirate44-xl.jpg

arrrgghhh, you'd need to move south to MA, matey... is official there...

[Anti Federalist]

arrrgghhh, you'd need to move south to MA, matey... is official there...

Yarrr, nay, no Mass for me, says I.

[gregb]

Blackbeard and Ben Franklin deserve equal billing for founding democracy in the United States and New World

Like the American revolutionaries, pirates developed three branches of government with checks and balances. The ship captain was elected, just as the U.S. president; the pirate assembly was comparable to Congress; and the quartermaster resembled a judge in settling shipmate disputes and preventing the captain from overstepping his authority, he said.

Richard Burg, an Arizona State University professor and expert on pirates, said Acosta is performing a great service by emphasizing pirates’ democratic and egalitarian ways. “The men who sailed under the skull and crossbones were ordinary folk, like America’s revolutionaries, standing firm against oppressive governments and economic systems,” he said. “Mr. Acosta is one of the few scholars who understand this.”

Slaves fleeing plantations were welcomed on pirate ships, where they shared an equal voice with white sailors, he said.

“They didn’t bury their treasure, they spent it, helping colonies survive that couldn’t get the money and supplies they needed from Europe,” he said.
http://news.ufl.edu/2006/06/28/pirates/

[Carehn]

Pirates pales in comparison to this party... http://www.rentistoodamnhigh.org/

[acptulsa]

LOL at the '.edu' website claiming that each and every pirate ship was a model of a tripartate republic. Like you had to have free and fair elections for captain to be a member of the Pirates' Union or something...

[cindy25]

a pirate party, or at least the issue, can be used in certain states or districts. I could see Patrick Leahy being a target; no one is pro-copyright, and the industry gets its support only because of the money they pass around.

[Ray]

Rofl I like how they say "These days countries are run not by government, but by private corporations such as oil companies, telecommunication companies, online life insurance quotes and so forth." but online life insurance quotes is linked to "http://www.einsured.co.uk/"