Our Recommendation for Amendment 9: NO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 17, 2018
Contact: Marcos Miralles,
Chairman, Libertarian Party of Florida
chair@lpf.org

 

Amendment 9, if approved, would ban both offshore drilling and indoor vaping as though they have anything to do with each other! The “Florida Ban Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Ban Vaping in Enclosed Indoor Workplaces Amendment” is perhaps the best example of what is wrong with the November ballot. Different subjects are combined forcing many voters to choose between things they like and things they do not. In this case, we like neither and suggest a NO vote. We’ll look at both proposals individually, even though we cannot vote on them separately.

Ban Vaping in Enclosed Indoor Workplaces (Proposal 65:) Adds use of vapor-generating electronic devices to current prohibition of tobacco smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces with exceptions; permits more restrictive local vapor ordinances.

LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF FLORIDA PLATFORM

PREAMBLE
Libertarians seek a society based on personal liberty and responsibility—a society in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives. This most desirable method of organizing society is the natural order that arises when the unalienable rights of individuals to life, liberty and property ownership are respected and protected.

People have the right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and pursue happiness in whatever manner they choose so long as they do not forcibly or fraudulently interfere with the equal rights of others. Libertarians welcome the peace, prosperity, and diversity that freedom brings.

V. VICE LAWS
1. Government should confine itself to protecting individuals from aggression, coercion and deceit. We oppose all laws and regulations that attempt to protect individuals from the consequences of their own behavior. While not necessarily condoning such activities, we advocate the repeal of all laws criminalizing gambling, possession and sale of drugs, and sexual relations between consenting adults. All those presently incarcerated or ever convicted solely for the commission of these victimless crimes should be pardoned and their records expunged.
2. Voluntary communities may enforce rules that prohibit certain activities to which all members subscribe, such as substance-free dorms.

X. ENVIRONMENT
2. We call for the restoration of every individual’s ancient, common law standing to sue for trespass any individual, business, government or other group that pollutes his or her property.
4. We support efforts to hold all individuals, businesses and governments accountable for the pollution they cause.

XI. HEALTH CARE
1. The most fundamental property right is an individual’s right to own and control his or her own body. All individuals have the right to determine their own health care needs and treatment. Government has no constitutional authority to interfere with the practitioner/patient relationship.

DISCUSSION

Florida voters banned smoking of tobacco products indoors with some exclusions such as bars in 2002. This proposal would include electronic tobacco “vaping” to that prohibition. Evidence of vaping harm is inconclusive and there is no evidence of the harm of “second-hand vaping.” We believe this is a choice for each establishment and its patrons to make. We do not believe such personal choices as smoking in public should be enforced in the state Constitution. We would vote NO on this proposal.

Ban Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling (Proposal 91:) Prohibits drilling for the exploration or extraction of oil and natural gas beneath all state-owned waters between the mean high-water line and the state’s outermost territorial boundaries.

LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF FLORIDA PLATFORM

I. STATE GOVERNMENT
5. State government should be removed entirely from the licensing process, including occupational licensing. It has produced no better results than private licensing and amounts to another tax.4

III. COURTS
2. We support restitution for victims of crimes or civil infractions at the expense of the perpetrator. The victim should have the right to pardon the perpetrator, provided the victim is not threatened or coerced.

X. ENVIRONMENT
2. We call for the restoration of every individual’s ancient, common law standing to sue for trespass any individual, business, government or other group that pollutes his or her property.

DISCUSSION

This proposal would permanently ban exploration and extraction of oil and natural gas drilling in the state’s territorial coastal waters. State law now bans oil drilling within a mile offshore of any submerged land within a bay, estuary, rivers, state parks, etc. In part it attempts to block federal authority to permit drilling in Florida’s coastal areas. This proposal also eliminates the ability of the Legislature to respond to a critical need or even safer drilling technology. We certainly want our beautiful state to remain beautiful, but we do not believe this is the best way to do it. We would vote NO on this proposal if we could.

– By J. Mark Barfield, Staff Writer

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