If you're having problems reading this newsletter, please view the original at http://www.ldp.org.au/news/Apr09newsletter.html

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Peter Whelan Visits Vic Branch

LDP National President, Peter Whelan, visited Melbourne during March and took the opportunity to host a get together of active members of the LDP. The evening was attended by a number of Victorian members and Whelan was able to engage them in healthy discussion on the history and background of the LDP. The evening was organised by Ross Currie, the Victorian member of the Federal Executive of the LDP. The evening included a “handing over” ceremony of the official LDP logo, which will be used to promote future monthly Victorian Branch meetings. (photo shows Peter Whelan and Ross Currie)

Whelan emphasised that time was running out for registration of LDP in Victoria, to enable the party to contest the next State election. He urged all members to sign up their friends and family, to achieve the 500 members required.  Several other membership drive activities are also being planned. Details will appear on the www.ldp.org.au web site, policy blog http://ldpblog.wordpress.com/ or LDP site on Facebook.   

  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Economy

Thanks to David Leyonhjelm

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

This is scary!! If there is another shock in the USA we will be up to our necks in the smelly brown stuff. A possible trigger is a dramatic downturn in the commercial property market as strip mall owners start to default.

From :  The Daily Reckoning

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Socialism

An economics professor at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX said he had never failed a single student before but had, once, failed an entire class. The majority of that class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said ok, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism.

All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A. After the first test the grades were averaged, everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. But, as the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too, so they studied little. The second Test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around the average was an F.

The scores never increased as bickering, blame, name calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for anyone else. All failed to their great surprise and the professor told them that socialism would ultimately fail because the harder to succeed the greater the reward but when a government takes all the reward away, no one will try or succeed.

THE PROBLEM WITH SOCIALISM IS THAT YOU EVENTUALLY RUN OUT OF OTHER PEOPLES' MONEY.
Margaret Thatcher

Thanks to David Leyonhjelm

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

LDP Press Release 3 April 09

LDP opposes bikie legislation

The legislation that removes basic rights of NSW citizens in order to give police additional powers to control motorcycle gangs is opposed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

"When the LDP is in a position to implement its policies, this legislation will be among the first to be repealed. It is equally contemptible as terrorism legislation that allows authorities to secretly detain people for questioning," said LDP President Peter Whelan.

"There are ample laws to address the criminal activities of bikie gangs with no need for more. Violence, drug dealing and conspiracy are already serious crimes. The police simply need to enforce them, free from the grandstanding of politicians. 

"The new law will inevitably be ignored by criminal motorcycle gang members, just as they have ignored the coercive powers of the NSW Crime Commission. Innocent gang members will then be jailed simply for meeting their fellow members. This will attract publicity and the community will, legitimately, be outraged at the injustice. The law will then be quietly ignored until it is once again used against a group that can be collectively demonised by politicians desperate for votes. Firearm owners know all about this nonsense."

"NSW politicians ought to remember the words of Benjamin Franklin, who wisely said, "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both,"  said Mr Whelan.

The LDP also condemns the Coalition and minor parties for failing to oppose the legislation. 

"The Liberal Party was once liberal," said Mr Whelan. "These days the only consistently liberal party is the Liberal Democrats. All the other parties that oppose the legislation are left wing."

For more info regarding how to get there go here.

Vic Branch

7.00 pm

Wednesday

6th May

Cafe on Bourke

For more info go here

  (1)   I wish to remain a member of the LDP but do not wish to receive the newsletter

  (2)   Please use the following alternate email address (don't forget to add the new address !!)