TERM LIMITS FOR ALL REPRESENTATIVE OFFICIALS: Joseph Sandy for Maryland State Delegate

TERM LIMITS FOR ALL REPRESENTATIVE OFFICIALS

When elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, I vow to present and support legislation to require term limits for all elected officials who represent the people of Maryland.

A term limit is a limit on the amount of time a representative may hold an elected office. Term limits are often thought to prevent long-term corruption and increase performance of representatives holding elected or appointed seats – making them work for you and me.

Members of Congress, for example, have no term limits – and that’s a HUGE problem. They have all the time in the world to build relationships with lobbyists for big-time corporations who will influence their legislation – instead of you and I being the primarily influences behind legislation proposed by our representatives. And with all the time in the world once occupying that seat, it doesn’t offer much incentive to get anything done.

Our founding fathers knew that people given power will eventually be corrupted by it if you give them unlimited time in a position of power.

If you put limits on the amount of time reserved for any one person to hold a position representing the people, they will more likely run for a position for the purpose of actually serving the people.

And with term limits in place, legislation proposed and enacted by our representatives will affect those very same representatives once they become constituents themselves.

It’s no secret and no surprise that career politicians aren’t very popular among the people. Often they’re too bent on re-election and holding onto party seats within a governing body to be open to compromising (“reaching across the aisle”) to work toward legislation that actually benefits the whole of the public.

So maybe we shouldn’t aspire to have CAREER politicians. There is all too often a significant disconnect between long-time public representatives and the community they are supposed to serve.

In limitless terms of public representation when long-time politicians have spent years amassing funds from lobbyists and big-name corporations & special interest groups, they often use those profits made while in power to get re-elected. It puts middle-class citizens, who are likely to be far less removed from the daily realities of the American workforce, at a major disadvantage when running against an incumbent long-term politician – even if, though considerably less-funded, they may actually a better fit for the job.

The fact is, the will of the people must be heard and will be heard – and this is my priority.

When elected, I vow to present and support legislation to require term limits for all elected officials who represent the people of Maryland.

I’m not a career politician. But I sure fulfill many roles of service in my life. I’m a member of several local community councils here in Baltimore, including the Greater Parkville Community Council and the Police Community Relations Council Precinct Eight. I am a healthcare professional working for over eleven years with world-class physicians and practitioners in delivering mental health care services to the regional community in need; I also provide hospice services to the regional community in need of ongoing palliative care via home & assisted living visitation. I assist at a local nonprofit animal rescue, an adoption service for abused animals in crisis; I’m a designated storm spotter for the National Weather Service; I am an ally and proponent of peer support recovery services for the community that has struggled with substance abuse, trauma, & related circumstances.  Public service is important in my life, and an informed public is close to my heart. I am NOT bought-and-sold, as are too many of our career politicians. And should I find myself selected for a ‘seat at the table,’ I vow not to settle-in indefinitely, as have TOO MANY POLITICIANS done for decades.

It is time to END LIMITLESS TERMS in public office. Our DEMOCRACY demands it. ACCURATE REPRESENTATION demands it. The FREE MARKET demands it. Our LAND OF THE FREE demands it. And THE PEOPLE demand it.

Term limits preserve our liberty.

FIGHTING SECTION 8 EXPANSION & ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: Joseph Sandy for Maryland State Delegate

FIGHTING SECTION 8 EXPANSION & ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

When elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, I vow to present and support legislation that emphasizes community preservation: we will protect and preserve our communities by fighting forced Section 8 expansion into our neighborhoods and by combatting illegal immigration in the state of Maryland.

Property owners have worked their entire lives making their homes and creating their livelihoods in this community, while property values plummet in neighborhoods with introduction & expansion of Section 8 residences. It’s no wonder that long-time residents of our communities are firmly against Section 8 expansion into, and within, our community.

It destabilizes the community and brings a hoard of social problems. The increase in crime threatens our safety daily, the safety of our most vulnerable neighbors, and of our own family members. Housing authorities throughout Maryland express ongoing concerns that many Section 8 households hold citizens with significant criminal records. Very often, these criminal records involve drug-related charges. Should we welcome Section 8 expansion into, and within, our community given these facts? I think not – and many long-time residents of Maryland agree with me.

An expansion of housing vouchers means an expansion of the false narrative that it is necessary to award publicly-funded homes to those who can demonstrate a need – and leaves nothing to be said about the efforts that many families make through struggle, sacrifice, and thrift to improve their residence prospects and avoid (or discontinue) dependence on this form of welfare.

Landlords often welcome Section 8 tenants into their properties because of the guarantee of direct deposit by the government for the majority of the rent due. The effect, sadly, upon the community is twofold: it takes opportunities away from working class families who would just as soon rent those properties, and it accelerates the decline in quality of living in the community. It accelerates the crime rate; it puts greater demand on public services (police & emergency services), which eventually leads to increases in taxation; it changes academic reputations of schools; an influx of low-income renters causes a lack of buying power in the community, and the economy further suffers. The entire community suffers.

 In latter 2017 Baltimore has announced that it will provide legal assistance, with taxpayer money, for immigrants facing deportation, as a part of the SAFE Cities Network. As an elected representative of the state of Maryland, specifically Baltimore County, I will vehemently oppose any initiative, directive, or legislation calling for publicly-funded assistance for individuals facing deportation, or illegal immigrants residing in our state. The fact is that the welfare state is tremendously expensive to taxpayers and I believe that only American citizens should reap the benefits of programs into which American citizens pay.

According to the Pew Research Center in 2017, there are likely over 11 million illegal immigrants in American today. As the ‘melting pot’ of the world, we have a rich history of welcoming immigrants from around the world to America – to become American citizens. The importance of becoming a citizen is complex, but it is worth noting that it officiates an individual to pay into, and reap the rewards of, a complex system of public services. Accordingly, we have a pathway for immigrants to attain United States citizenship. We must hold immigrants seeking to prosper and benefit by residence in America to the same standard – to be expected to apply for citizenship, or to otherwise conduct business in America entirely within the parameters of the law as applicable.

Granting ‘breaks’ to illegal immigrants – through public funding – is inherently wrong. As your elected representative, I will stand firmly against it.

When elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, I vow to present and support legislation that emphasizes community preservation: we will protect and preserve our communities by fighting forced Section 8 expansion into our neighborhoods and by combatting illegal immigration in the state of Maryland.

End Red Light & Speed Light Cameras & Other Mass Surveillance: Joseph Sandy for Maryland Delegate

ENDING MANY USES OF MASS SURVEILLANCE

When elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, I vow to present and support legislation eliminating and prohibiting the use of many forms of surveillance equipment, including red light & speed cameras on our roadways, without individualized warrants or probable documented suspicion of individualized wrongdoing.

In our innovative, ever-growing technological world, American citizens grow increasingly wary of unwarranted bulk data collection, domestic spying by our government, and the ever-growing prospect of loss of privacy. Sometimes you might as well say it seems there’s a camera on every corner of America. And it’s got its eye on YOU, all the time. Every phone call, every internet search, every keystroke, every text message, every social media post.

There are shockingly few laws in place regarding the state’s use of surveillance equipment and bulk data collection. Your every move can easily be tracked today – all without any individual warrant, or even any legitimate suspicion that you have done anything wrong. It’s as though the government is waiting for you to ‘slip up’ so that you can pay-up to the state.

Government use of drones, red light cameras, speed cameras, and all kinds of surveillance equipment leads to HUGE CORPORATE PROFITS for Big Business - and it comes right out of your pocket whether you like it or not. They make a FORTUNE from YOUR tax dollars when the state invests in this equipment – often without your knowledge, and most assuredly against most citizens’ consent.

Red light cameras and speed cameras lead to BREACHES IN CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT. Citizens are being falsely ticketed for vehicles that don’t even belong to them, or for vehicles in which the ticketed citizen was not the driver. Speed and red light cameras are well-documented as being error-prone. And yet this FRAUD is allowed to continue because the vendors of these devices make HUGE profits, and Maryland collects HUGE profits from citations that are EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to fight when a citizen is falsely cited. The devices aren’t even owned by the state government – in fact, they are owned by the vendors. It is the vendors who charge citizens a fine – one that is all too often in error, and then the state simply gets a cut of the profits. This is a FAILURE OF DUE PROCESS UNDER THE LAW, and that is a BREACH OF CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.

It is up to Marylanders to demand that it come to an end.

We the people have a choice – and it’s just not in Big Government’s interests to remind you of that. We have a choice, we have a right to be informed, and we have a right to individual privacy. It’s a human right and our own Supreme Court has upheld it in countless cases throughout time. Not to mention our right to DUE PROCESS UNDER THE LAW!

When elected, I vow to present and support legislation eliminating and prohibiting use of many forms of surveillance equipment, including red light & speed cameras on our roadways, without individualized warrants or probable documented suspicion of individualized wrongdoing.

We absolutely must choose the correct representative individuals who will bear our most basic human rights in mind – and remain ever-vigilant when our liberties are threatened. Joseph Sandy is committed to the cause.

Open Letter to Citizens of Baltimore County

AN OPEN LETTER 

TO THE

CITIZENS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY

It is foremost in the spirit of public service that I seek a representative position in the 42nd District Maryland House of Delegates where I may be of service to my neighbors in this district, this country and this State of Maryland. At the end of the day, my decision to run for office is all about ALL of YOU.

I’m not a “career politician,” a doctor (though I've worked with many), a lawyer, or an affluent businessman – after all, not everyone brings home a six-figure income annually. I’m a working-class Marylander making a fair living and I have no stakes in any representative position other than a sincere desire to bring principle, conscience, and the preservation of liberty to politics and public representation.

What sets me apart from the rest? For starters, I'm NOT a current or former politician, because we sure have enough of those. But more importantly, I'm NOT bought-and-sold, and am NOT obliged to "PARTY INSIDERS" - though I welcome their support if they truly believe in my message. What sets me apart from the rest, ultimately, is that by refusing the "red tape" that you find in politics that often keeps new faces from running for office, I can guarantee you that my ONLY allegiance is to YOU, and to the conservative values that matter to you. I don't subscribe to "politics as usual," I don't run local political clubs with access to high-profile "party favorites" and "party insiders." I'm a free agent who wants the same common-sense values and conservative approaches to legislation concerning OUR community.

I am a lifelong resident of Baltimore, Maryland, and a graduate of Loch Raven High School, the Community College of Baltimore County, and Towson University. I have come to fulfill many roles of service over the years. I’m a member of several local community councils here in Baltimore, including the Greater Parkville Community Council and the Police Community Relations Council Precinct 8. I am a healthcare professional working for over eleven years with world class physicians and practitioners in delivering mental health care services to the regional community in need; I also assist in providing hospice services to the regional community in need of ongoing palliative care via home & assisted-living community visitation. I assist at a local nonprofit animal rescue helping to house & care for abused animals in crisis; I’m a designated storm spotter for the National Weather Service; I am an ally and proponent of peer support recovery services for the community that has struggled with substance abuse, trauma, & related circumstances.

Public service is the most important part of my life, and an informed public is close to my heart.

My interest in the state of our communities, and my concern about our ever-growing authoritarian government, does NOT stem from some personal desire to find my way into a representative position with no term limit – in fact, actually, one of my main priorities is to dissolve limitless-term arrangements in public representation. The fact is that YOU deserve representation that HEARS YOU, which will propose & support legislation that directly BENEFITS YOU.

Because the truth is, this isn’t about me – this is about YOU, the Maryland citizen. We have a LOT TO GAIN from enacting the BEST CHANGES in our great state – clear, understandable, transparent changes. Specific action!

I am committed to proposing and supporting legislation that protects & preserves our Baltimore County communities by fighting forced Section 8 expansion into our neighborhoods and by combating illegal immigration in our communities. Property owners have worked their entire lives making homes and creating livelihoods in our communities, and the increase in crime levels threatens our safety, the safety of our most vulnerable neighbors & family members, and diminishes property values. We must work to reclaim our right to privacy and fight warrant-less surveillance in Maryland, too – including fighting the many-times failed red light & speed camera gimmicks, as studies have shown increases in accidents (including dangerous intersection collisions that occur following the installation of speed & red-light cameras), while they have a proven track record of being faulty and often unjustly drain taxpayers of millions of dollars of hard-earned income across the nation annually when citations are issued in error. Like forced Section 8 expansion in our community, the red light & speed light camera program is a prime example of underhanded "backroom deals" at the expense of liberty.

My friends and neighbors, this is not what the American Dream is supposed to be. We must act, and we require strong, like-minded leadership at the forefront of our efforts to preserve our communities.

And let's be honest: all too often, politicians have LET US DOWN for YEARS. Each time they’re elected for representative positions, they claim that they’ll enact “real change,” so much that it’s become cliché – but the truth is, they’re all too often only interested in GROWING BIG GOVERNMENT, REGULATING YOUR INDIVIDUAL CHOICES, and ultimately SPENDING MORE OF YOUR TAX MONEY. The only real difference between too many politicians is WHERE they want to spend YOUR money.

Perhaps one reason “career politicians” tend to be so unpopular is that they’re so easily bought-and-sold. Corporate lobbyists, crony capitalism, and the like – we hear about this all the time.

But I'm NOT bought-and-sold, as are too many of our career politicians. This campaign relies upon YOUR VOICES and MY PRESENCE. My campaign is as transparent and as clean as they come.

The fact is, a vote for Joseph Sandy is a vote for SMALLER GOVERNMENT and GREATER INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, period!

Let's RESTORE AND PRESERVE LIBERTY together, and keep the right principles and conscience at the forefront of our Baltimore communities.

Marylanders deserve the best.

We CAN and MUST enact change.

I am a REAL PROSPECT for REAL REPRESENTATION and REAL CHANGE for Maryland.

Yours in Liberty, 

Joseph D. Sandy
www.ElectJoeSandy.com

By Authority of Friends of Joseph Sandy – Maurice Grace, Treasurer

Announcement of Official Candidacy for Maryland State Delegate District 42B

Joseph D. Sandy for State Delegate 42B

Announcement of Candidacy

October 25, 2017

Today I officially enter the race and become a candidate on the books for a seat in the 42nd District Maryland House of Delegates.

I’m running because I believe that public representation is in desperate need of an influx of “everyday Joe’s” who aren’t wrapped-up in allegiance to political parties, who haven’t been ushered into politics and public representation by “party insiders,” and who, rather than subscribing to “politics as usual,” are legitimately devoted to the people & wellbeing of our community. For far too long, politicians far too often have a reputation of letting us down.

So how do you know I am dedicated to the people and wellbeing of our community? Public service is perhaps the most notable and important part of my life, and as such, I have come to fulfill many roles of service to the community. I’m a member of several local community councils here in Baltimore, including the Greater Parkville Community Council and the Police Community Relations Council Precinct Eight. I am a healthcare professional working for over eleven years with world-class physicians and practitioners in delivering mental health care services to the regional community in need; I also provide hospice services to the regional community in need of ongoing palliative care via home & assisted living visitation. I assist at a local nonprofit animal rescue, an adoption service for abused animals in crisis; I’m a designated storm spotter for the National Weather Service; I am an ally and proponent of peer support recovery services for the community that has struggled with substance abuse, trauma, & related circumstances.

Likewise, an informed public is close to my heart – so let me tell you what sets me apart from the rest. To state the obvious, I’m not a current or former politician, because we sure have enough of those. I’m not bought and sold, and will not be obliged to “party insiders" - though I welcome their support if they truly believe in my message. I’ve refused the “red tape” and conditions we sometimes find in political circles that can present as deterrents from new faces entering races, I can guarantee you that my only allegiance is to you, and to the conservative values and fiscal responsibility that matter to so many in our communities. I don’t subscribe to “politics as usual.” I don’t run local political clubs with access to high-profile favorites & insiders. I’m a “free agent” who wants the same common-sense values and conservative approaches to legislation concerning our community – just like so many of you.

Some folks will inevitably question my experience and ask me what qualifies me for the job, since they’re so used to predominantly seeing attorneys, businessmen, and “well-to-do” people in positions of public representation. Political parties, officials seeking re-election, and big-wheels often count on voters believing that elected representatives must be individuals of notable affluence in the community. As for me, I’m a working-class Marylander making a fair living and I have no stakes in any representative position other than a sincere desire to bring principle, conscience, and the preservation of liberty to politics and public representation. So what business do I have in the race?

I hope that my aforementioned resume of public service in the community today lends itself to my investment in the community, for starters. All you really need is that very desire to enact change that reflects principle, conscience, and liberty; you don’t have to be an attorney, a businessman, a doctor, or a big-wheel to represent the people. We don’t need another wealthy “party favorite” getting their palms greased by big name donors, upheld by a significant campaign team making them look polished & pristine while being endorsed by current and former favorable politicians. What do we need instead? Individuals of honesty and humility – candidates who are genuinely willing to listen to people and learn from them. There isn’t much room for ego. One must compromise, but also stand their ground on behalf of the constituency. As such, I’m a “straight-shooter” because I’m not obliged to party insiders and established politicians – I welcome their support, but I’m not obliged to them. Instead, I’m obliged to the community I intend to serve. One must be humble, give credit where it is due, and respect liberty first and foremost. And one who succeeds at being elected to office shouldn’t plan to do it forever as a career. The founding fathers knew better, and I respect that tremendously. That’s why one of my main platform issues is the importance of term limits, and supporting legislation that calls for them.

It's not “experience” that counts the most. It’s drive that counts. It’s investment that counts.

Today we remember Ronald Reagan as one of the greatest leaders of our nation – we often draw reference to the Reagan years and to his legacy on the American landscape. Remember that Reagan was mocked and criticized by his opponents for a supposed “lack of experience” – as were countless others who have since left their respective marks on history.

Yes, my sole allegiance is to preservation of fiscal conservatism and individual liberty of the members of this community – and part of that is my willingness to be that “straight shooter,” unencumbered by whether my observations and plans are held in high regard, or frowned-upon, by big-name donors, and whether or not I am “doing right” by party insiders. Because the time has come that it isn’t about them anymore – it’s about us, and it’s about you. I’m smart, I’m articulate, I’m driven, I work hard, and I apply myself by listening to the members of the community and embracing this opportunity as a way to remain ever-vigilant of what matters most to the people of our community – and to be frank, we deserve such leadership in positions of elected office. Many times, I have said I am here for you, I am available to you, and I always have been – that will not change.

I’m running to emphasize community preservation: I am committed to proposing and supporting legislation that protects & preserves our communities by fighting forced Section Eight expansion into our neighborhoods and by combatting illegal immigration in our communities. Property owners have worked their entire lives making homes and creating livelihoods in our communities, and the increase in crime levels threatens our safety, the safety of our most vulnerable neighbors & family members, and diminishes property values.

I’m running to combat unnecessary government surveillance in Maryland: for starters, on our very roadways, where we have recently re-instituted & expanded the grossly error-prone red light & speed light camera program that previously failed on multiple occasions in Maryland and in many other states. I don’t think that you and I should be subject to warrant-less surveillance technology that only definitively serves to bleed citizens of their hard-earned money, thereby yielding huge profits for the state – as well as the third-party manufacturers who keep a cut of your money. While proponents of the program will wave alleged proof that there is a benefit to public safety, studies have conversely shown increases in accidents, including dangerous intersection collisions, that occur following the installation of speed & red-light cameras. Speed limits & signal timing have been manipulated dangerously in states that employ their use. Top employees of some of the device manufacturing corporations have been convicted of bribery and fraud. The use of these devices in Maryland is a prime example of underhanded "backroom deals" at the expense of liberty.

I’m running because we have career politicians with decades of time in public office, while I believe in the efficacy of term limits for optimal public representation in seats of elective office.

I’m running because I am an ally of peer support recovery in the community of individuals that seeks to take personal accountability in overcoming addiction and substance abuse – and we have a dire, crippling, tragic opiate epidemic on our hands in this state. I know firsthand that one can turn the path of their life around, and I know that no single treatment modality works universally for everyone struggling with substance abuse. Recovery doesn’t look exactly the same for everyone – but it is very much within reach for all who suffer. I’d like to see additional diverse approaches to improvements in public health & safety, especially in substance abuse recovery & rehabilitation.

And I hope to have the opportunity to continue to share with you the ongoing list of reasons that I’m running, in coming days, weeks, and months. More importantly, I hope you’ll be vocal in sharing your concerns, hopes, goals, and ideas for how we may strive to preserve & improve the community we share.

Whatever your convictions and priorities, and however you identify politically, I hope that we as a community can agree that Marylanders deserve the best.

Let’s work to restore and preserve liberty together, and keep the right principles and conscience at the forefront of our Maryland communities. That is my wish for our state and our society.

It is an honor to announce my official candidacy today, and it will be an ongoing honor and pleasure to work over the course of the next twelve months to earn your faith in my potential to be an elected leader in our Maryland community within the 42nd District House of Delegates.

In Liberty now and always,

Joseph D. Sandy

ElectJoeSandy.com
facebook.com/ElectJoeSandy
By Authority of Friends of Joseph Sandy - Maurice Grace, Treasurer

An Open Letter to my Friends & Colleagues in the Libertarian Political Party

To my Friends & Colleagues in the Libertarian Political Party in Maryland and Abroad:

The Chair of the Libertarian Party of Maryland recently dedicated his July report for state party members to addressing the ‘ongoing battle’ about winning elections, following the state convention back in April when I made statements to the attendees suggesting a ‘bottom-up’ approach to winning seats in public office (start local, grow from there) and actually getting libertarian candidates in seats of public office. I subsequently received the nomination & endorsement of the state party for a candidacy for State Delegate by unanimous vote that day. It was a great day – it was a proud day for me, to secure the endorsement of a political party that is now over twenty thousand voters strong in Maryland. In Bob’s July report in the newsletter, he states, “Winning elections for LP candidates would be great. It would give us more attention, more legitimacy … But it isn’t necessary for Libertarians to bring about a libertarian state or country.”

He went on to discuss the difficulties that minor parties have getting candidates elected to public office. He states that no minor party candidate has been elected to office in Maryland since 1916. He draws on “significant ballot access hurdles and restrictions.” And after citing the incredible amounts of money it takes to get candidates elected to public office, and how that is far beyond the reach of the Libertarian Party in the United States today, Bob made some important, significant, and truthful points. Bob reminds us that state leadership is not committed to getting candidates elected, because they CAN’T BE – the party simply isn’t large enough, well-enough funded, and the odds are stacked against third-party candidates in so many ways today.

He summates that “Libertarians don’t need to get elected to get our policies enacted,” that “when candidates insist they have to win, they are setting themselves up for failure,” and lastly, “it would be nice for LP candidates to get elected to office, but I don’t need for them to do so.”

After several months of hundreds of conversations with liberty-minded citizens here in Maryland and all around the nation of all different political affiliations, and months of scouring social media posts, it has become increasingly more and more obvious that all of the above statements are absolutely true. The aim of the state Libertarian Party CANNOT be to get candidates elected into public office - because at THIS point in time, in 2017, it simply can’t beat the obstacles & hurdles, or garner enough support from the citizens of the nation, to get its candidates elected at the polls. The party nominates candidates purely for the sake of challenging the establishment in order to strongarm the establishment to consider pro-liberty policies. I get it. I’m not challenging that it works, either – as Bob points out, the Socialist Party that never got more than 6% of a presidential vote continued throughout the first half of the 20th century to run candidates that took 10-15% of the votes in three-way races and forced Democrats and Republicans to enact their policies over time.

Five other people at that state convention this year were nominated for candidacy in 2018. I’ve come to know each of them personally - these candidates and I have been all over the state of Maryland together, we’ve spent countless hours in conversation, and we’ve done a lot of work together, reaching out to everyday working Americans like ourselves all over the state. I have the utmost faith that they will run clean, transparent, and respectable campaigns. I support them in their pro-liberty convictions, and that will not change. I’ve come to consider these fine folks to be friends.

Something I’ve learned along the way is that people care about their livelihoods, and they care about their communities. They want real, practical, solutions to the problems that threaten our liberty and our livelihoods in our communities. They want practical leadership. And so do I.

One of the problems the State Chair failed to mention is the public perception of Libertarians today. Here’s a prime example: we have a Vice Chair of the National Party who has denigrated citizens who serve our armed forces and our freedom with honor, and who teach our children in schools, and who work federal government jobs to put food on the tables of their families. I cannot, in good conscience, support leadership who isolate and exclude members of our own communities, including civil servants, active duty military, and veterans, all for the sake of exposure, for shock value, for publicity stunts, for their own candidacies and this notion of 'abolish it all overnight,' 'dismantle everything in the government,' 'do away with all taxation immediately,' etc. The fact is, the ‘rebel yell’ of the more ‘extreme’ members of the Libertarian Political Party isn't winning its way into representation in our communities, partly because in order to enact the best changes for our communities, we must embrace actual practical solutions that make sense to the people in our communities. Being taken seriously-enough to be embraced, or even just recognized as legitimate, by the majority of America involves a degree of organization and cohesion that might be achievable in another twenty or thirty years for the Libertarian Political Party, but simply isn’t adequate to the everyday American citizen today to garner support.

Reduction in government requires pragmatic cuts over time, rather than immediate elimination of whole agencies, entities, and structures that have stood in place for a very long time. Most everyday people know this, as do I. Many of the candidates who have sought the nomination by the party know this. Many members of the Party know this. In fact, there's no rule that demands an 'overnight' strategy for the Libertarian Party's vision of minimizing government. Viewpoints and strategies within the Party vary far and wide. Still, it is my belief that the more 'extreme' variations of dismantling government and radically altering the status-quo is generally offputting to citizens today and stands in the way of garnering more support from everyday people - especially when you have folks in leadership positions who would seem to sometimes advocate such extremes.

Of course, it makes absolutely no difference to Party leadership that Libertarians won't be getting elected to represent the citizens of our great nation on any sort of sizeable scale, because as leadership has stated, that doesn’t seem to be their mission anyhow.

But I’m not a guy who is here to offer impractical or hypothetical-at-best solutions to the citizens of my intended constituency.

And ultimately, my loyalty is to the people of Baltimore County and the great state of Maryland, rather than to a political party. We must ALWAYS put PEOPLE before PARTY affiliation.

Bearing that in mind, and having spent months and countless hours reviewing citizens’ responses to the pressing issues in local communities, having given tremendous consideration to viewpoints of how to best advance liberty and the betterment of the lives of those in my own community where I was born, raised, and have made a life for myself – I have come to a necessary decision regarding my pending political campaign here in Baltimore County. I have made this decision for you as citizens yourselves, for our communities, and for the sake of liberty.

With humility, gratitude, and unwavering loyalty to the people of Maryland, I have proudly made the decision to run with the Republican Party in my pending candidacy for State Delegate in the 42nd District of the Maryland House, encompassing most of Baltimore County, Maryland.

We need folks in public representation who believe in lessening taxation, lessening regulation, and maximizing individual liberty. My views and platforms are embraced by liberty-minded citizens of Maryland every single day. A third platform I advocate, of enacting term limits for representative officials across the board, is not so much a partisan issue as it is an issue of integrity in our leadership.

We MUST address the most important issues concerning everyday folks here in Baltimore County, and in the great State of Maryland – and the Libertarian Party just isn’t enough-supported by everyday working citizens of our great State of Maryland, or enough-dedicated to getting candidates they nominate actually elected, for me to push forward a campaign exclusively representing the Libertarian Party today. I intend to work for the People, and it has become clear to me that the People have spoken – this is the best way to enact real change in our communities.

Marylanders know the importance of less taxation, less government interference & regulation, and the greatest individual freedom – my hope is that, as I continue to support your efforts to advance liberty throughout Baltimore County, Maryland, and our great nation, that you will support my efforts to advance liberty alongside strong Republican leadership who work diligently for the betterment of our local communities.

You see a lot of “debate club” atmospheres within the Libertarian Political Party, which is great for exploring the fundamentals of the liberty movement.

That being said, practical, applied leadership requires something more.

And that’s what I intend to offer.

Regardless of political affiliation, we need folks who aren't hung-up on fringe issues that all-too-often separate liberty-minded citizens from one another – and most importantly, we need leaders who aren't getting their palms greased by wealthy, big-name donors and dollar signs. I believe to the core that I am the man for the job, and that I will serve our best interests – those of liberty, property, and our livelihoods – with due integrity, respect, and vigor.

We need folks from humble, middle-class backgrounds, who actively participate in community events, who volunteer locally, who work in human services, who know and understand what is at stake, who wish to preserve our communities and our property values, folks who want a return to a way of conscience and responsibility in the way we treat our neighbors and conduct business with one another in our communities. And we need representation that sets the example by respecting our civil servants (who are so often our very own neighbors). I think you will find that I fit such a description in my plethora of duties in which I serve our community in my everyday life.

We do need folks who believe in lessening taxation, lessening regulation, and maximizing individual liberty.

We need representatives who, unlike the Baltimore County Council and County Executive have recently demonstrated, will actually take a stand for legislation against the expansion of Section 8 Housing Vouchers being mandated into our communities, which have the potential to negatively impact our property values significantly, and thereby, our hard work and our livelihoods.

We need representatives who will fight the ‘surveillance state,’ the recent reinstatement of red light & speed cameras on our roadways, which do little more than garner tremendous profits for the government and for the manufacturers and owners of those devices. They’re error-prone, there’s no actual proof that they provide any sort of public benefit, and the implementation of them has failed the people on multiple occasions, in multiple locations, throughout our nation – including right here in the State of Maryland.

We need to look at our actual terms of public representation, and we need to look at how term limits for those in seats of public office benefit the citizens of our communities. The Founding Fathers warned against unlimited terms of representation. Congress is a great example of how ‘career politicians’ tend to disappoint those they are appointed to represent.

These are all platforms with which you are undoubtedly quite familiar in your respective constituencies (for those of you who are also seeking a position of public office) and in your own communities.

I look forward to continuing to be in touch as we move into the election year 2018 and I have many opportunities to give my community a firsthand look at who I am, what I offer, and of my intended contribution to my community as I work alongside liberty-minded leadership for the community we share.

I hope to be of service to you as I continue to see so many of you in the community over the next year. I am here for you, I am available to you, and I always have been.

In Liberty, now and always,
Joseph D. Sandy
ElectJoeSandy.com
Facebook.com/ElectJoeSandy

Marylanders, We Owe It To Our Veterans

Marylanders, We Owe It To Our Veterans

Libertarians & advocates of liberty are traditionally non-interventionist when it comes to matters concerning the nation’s military. That’s not to say that they don’t recognize the need for national militia and that many believe in a robust one for national security – but they don’t generally endorse policing the world. They believe in individual liberty here at home, and tend to agree that what happens to Americans on American soil is at the forefront of our priorities.

Sadly, in the past several months, there are many folks to be found within Libertarian circles, think-tanks, and various online forums who feel that better-known member(s) of the Party (leadership) have made statements in recent months that would suggest a proverbial “war on the military.”

I can’t speak for members of the National Libertarian Party, or the Libertarian Party of Maryland, but I understand that individual stances & viewpoints can be diverse, especially within smaller third-party political circles. Individual stances on particular issues may periodically differ from the official platforms of state and national political parties, to some degree, depending on the person and his/her beliefs. After all, we none, all of us, feel precisely the same regarding every issue, even when we may assume the same political affiliation/identity (Democrat, Republican, Independent, etc.). Some lean a little more progressive, some more conservatively, and you see this within every nationally-recognized political party.

For me, as I prepare to launch a campaign here in Maryland in 2017-2018 to represent the 42nd Legislative District in the Maryland House of Delegates, I consider my platforms carefully, and I make the effort to consider how such matters affect my potential constituents should I find myself elected to a seat at the table.

After all, my goal has always been to represent EVERYONE within my constituency, regardless of HOW you identify. Loyalty is first and foremost, always, to the People, before it is ever to a political party. That's my stance.

If I am to speak again of matters concerning the militia, briefly, I will say the following, having never been a serviceman, and not having an automatic proclivity to understanding a military lifestyle or having fought with my own life & limb for my nation:

In my own campaign, I feel qualified to focus attention on our veterans here at home – specifically, ARE WE TAKING ADEQUATE CARE OF OUR VETERANS?

Are we providing them the resources they need to meet the challenges they face when they come home and reintegrate into society?

What about our long-time veterans, those who have BEEN HOME?

What about homelessness within the veteran community?

What about substance abuse, chemical dependency, and mental health disorders? Where do we stand? What can we do differently, and what can we do BETTER? This is especially important to examine in the State of Maryland where we have an opioid epidemic that is practically beyond measure.

So when it comes to matters concerning our militia, and military spending, I'm going to focus my efforts respectively considering the seat I am looking to occupy in representation. Accordingly, I'm going to address the needs of our veterans here in the great State of Maryland. I'm going to continue to show the proper respect that I personally feel they are due, regardless of what some extremists within some political parties may say about those fine men and women who serve the American people and defend us.

I look forward to exploring these matters with you between now and Election Day in November 2018. I look forward to doing my homework, relying on your constructive input (and/or criticism, honestly), and doing all I can do to plan to tackle matters within our community from a perspective that affects us all positively, no matter who we are, no matter our individual convictions and beliefs, for the betterment of our entire community.

In Liberty, now and always,

Joseph D. Sandy

JDforLiberty.com

Reflecting on the Maryland General Assembly Session 2017

Joseph D. Sandy

Upcoming Candidate, Maryland Delegate 2018

Reflecting on the Maryland General Assembly Session 2017

On state’s attorney general with power to sue drug companies for price gouging:

I’m generally in agreement with the state’s attorney general being able to sue for gouging. There’s a good argument for the importance of regulations around price gouging. The ‘transaction under duress’ argument makes the most sense to me – that is, that in times when there is literally no choice but to purchase a product, the demand curve isn’t flexible and the usual trends in supply & demand no longer apply.

On the Maryland General Assembly’s failure to expand the marijuana industry further:

To be brief, any further expansion in medical marijuana would have been beneficial in our state. I understand that there were hang-ups regarding whether or not companies who were suing the state for being ‘booted down the line’ in applications for licenses should just be permitted said licenses. But nonetheless, any expansion would have been beneficial, in my opinion. Regarding medical marijuana in this state, there is allegedly evidence suggesting that the heroin epidemic may be combated in part through use of medical marijuana. While there is clearly much research to be done, my stance is as follows: if it yields promising results in helping to combat our debilitating opioid epidemic, that’s a primary reason why I support growing the medical marijuana industry in our state. I’m a realist, but we should have seen further progress this year. We did away with alcohol prohibition in the country many years ago when we tried it and it failed – but I'm only currently willing to endorse expansion of the marijuana industry as a medical product, just as I'm unwilling to endorse legalization of other presently-illegal drugs for legal recreational use, because I believe we need to further study the potential implications and drawbacks it may have on the society as a whole.

On banning fracking in Maryland:

We probably should have left the fracking debate alone as much as possible – and not moved to ban it altogether in Maryland – and here’s my justification. Fracking is a technology, and as we know, given several years’ time, we are liable to develop technology that is considerably more environmentally-sound than our present methods. Secondly, we don’t know the extent of the environmental risks, and that being said, given several years’ time, we are liable to have a much better understanding of the risks, and the cost associated with methods to combat those risks. Thirdly, we know that natural gas is at a low price which will gradually rise over time, as does most or all forms of energy we use. Altogether, the idea is that if we do nothing now as far as banning it, we could develop much more cost-effective, sound, environmentally-friendly methods to tapping into a limited resource efficiently.

On mandating most Maryland employers to provide five paid sick days’ leave to employees:

I’m most always opposed to government mandates regarding competitive incentives within the market – they should be left largely, if not entirely, to the market.

On providing Baltimore’s school system with extra funding to close a $130 million gap:

The fact that there is an alleged $130 million gap is yet another sad example of the failure of the public school system, and why we need to look at expanding alternative education options that actually address the needs of growing young minds. Preferably, alternative means to education than those that cost the taxpayers in Maryland $20 billion annually. Even charter schools are a move in a better direction, despite being funded by taxpayers, because they at least get the government out of the curriculum and operations within those centers of learning.

On the nation’s first law to protect Planned Parenthood from federal budget cuts:

Planned Parenthood shouldn’t be federally funded, period. It's one of far too many private business entities receiving federal funding. I know a lot of people who question the morality of some of the services provided by Planned Parenthood - I am myself pro-life, by the way - regardless, this is more about whether every taxpayer should have to foot the bill for the services provided by Planned Parenthood, whether they like it or not - and I don't believe they should have to. It is within the means of Planned Parenthood to ensure that it continues to be able to provide services to the communities it serves – without federal funding. That’s where philanthropy, charity, and voluntarism come into play.

On a law to grant tax breaks to manufacturing firms that bring jobs to areas with high unemployment:

I generally support this, because I support tax breaks, period – although truthfully, I’m more focused on state tax breaks for the individual working taxpayer.

On the legislature rejecting plans to let an independent commission draw legislative boundaries, rather than politicians:

Of course politicians on both sides of the aisle in the General Assembly rejected it! I completely support Larry Hogan’s idea to let an independent commission decide the district boundaries. We would eliminate gerrymandering that way. About the only way to combat the gerrymandering, in my opinion, is by gubernatorial executive order, if that is possible. But naturally, it isn’t high on the priority list. It should be.

On the General Assembly overriding a veto of limits on how the state can intervene to help failing schools:

The State should not be intervening in failing schools. All that the State is doing, then, is throwing more money at a growing problem – at a sinking ship. The proof is right there. We shouldn’t be trying to mask the problem. If anything, we need to drive new strategies for educating our students. We need free market alternatives – many already exist, and we need to open up to those possibilities, draw awareness to them, promote charter schools, alternative schooling options, etc.

On tax breaks for retirees and law enforcement:

Excellent – not only am I a proponent of any and all individual tax breaks for taxpaying citizens in Maryland, but I feel it’s important to acknowledge and show respect to the public servants in law enforcement who have dedicated their working lives to keeping our communities safe. I’m a proud member of my local area’s Police Community Relations Council and believe in collaboration and open communication at the local community level between the citizens of those communities and the public servants who are here for the safety of those citizens.

On the prospect of legislative ban of guns on all college campuses:

I’m not sure why a bill was proposed to ban guns on college campuses, since they’re already banned on college campuses by the colleges themselves. Personally, I disagree with colleges’ decisions that guns should be banned on their campuses, just as I believe that gun-free zones promise absolutely no safety to the individuals within them (and quite possibly point out ‘sitting duck ranges’ for those who would do harm to such innocents). But I believe that colleges have the right to ban guns on their campuses if they choose, just as students have a choice about whether or not to attend a college when considering its rules. I don’t think there should be a legal mandate coming from the General Assembly and passed through the Governor that essentially overrides a college’s rules. Luckily, no such bill made it through to any level of fruition. 

To get in touch, reach out directly!

Submit an inquiry via one of the below-listed means of contact.

Expect a posting within 24-48 business hours.

CONTACT JOE SANDY

FriendsOfJosephSandy@gmail.com

facebook.com/ElectJoeSandy

twitter.com/j_d_sandy

JDforLiberty.blogspot.com

JDSandy.com

On the Issues: An Ongoing Q&A Session

The Drug War, Overspending, Gerrymandering, the Environment, & More

“What response will you have for your opponents on the drug war? What plans do you have to garner support from your peers in Washington? What compromises are you willing to make in regards to incrementally changing the way it is approached? And how will you get marijuana legalized in this state?” –Sara F., Elkton, Maryland

For starters, there’s a hugely-overlooked aspect of the Drug War that costs the lives of so many of our citizens who would otherwise reach out for help – and it’s their reluctance to do so, out of fear of the ramifications of doing so. In other words, we don’t have the numbers of people reaching out for help that we could have because they’re afraid of legal ramifications & charges. If we want to get to the core of public health, I believe we have to take measures to enable citizens suffering with chemical dependency to reach out.

There is also an "all-or-nothing" misconception among members of our communities that we must make a choice: to either legalize drugs across the board and release nonviolent distributors of illegal drugs from incarceration, or lock-up anyone and everyone found in possession of drugs the same as we do illegal distributors of drugs. I don't subscribe to this philosophy. To be frank, I believe we can be firm on distributors of illegal drugs to the community, while offering new treatment options through the free market to the public, increasing the presence of chemical dependency counselors among concentrations of high-risk youth in our schools, advocating peer support recovery, and working to de-stigmatize the disease of addiction.

I am a tremendous proponent of mental health & substance abuse services, and am a supporter, especially, of peer support recovery. But I want for our state to explore free market services that aim to support recovery from addiction without the legal ramifications that deter those who suffer from seeking the support they so desperately need, while we de-stigmatize chemical dependency & addictions and offer free-market solutions to getting people the help that they need. I believe free-market options would yield a wide array of treatment approaches for individuals looking to overcome chemical dependency.

As far as garnering support, I believe my appeal to de-stigmatization of both mental illness and addiction, and the services provided therein, speaks to progressive America, and I believe free market alternatives speak to fiscally-conservative America.

Regarding compromises, and without being too lengthy on the subject: I'm a realist, as opposed to someone who believes we can "End the Fed NOW," "Shut it down IMMEDIATELY," and take those sorts of "all or nothing, right NOW" approaches popular in many "liberty" circles. Change doesn't happen overnight. I’m a practical, solution-oriented problem solver. What I can do is reach out to both sides of the bipartisan aisle and work towards more free market options that minimize government involvement and put real-life, practical solutions in our communities back in the hands of the people. But change happens incrementally, and in steps. It's a process. And I'm willing to work with the best interests of the People in mind.

Regarding medical marijuana in this state, there is allegedly evidence suggesting that the heroin epidemic may be combated in part through use of medical marijuana. While there is clearly much research to be done, my stance is as follows: if it yields promising results in helping to combat our debilitating opioid epidemic, that’s a primary reason why I support growing the marijuana industry in our state. I’d like to see the state get to a point where we can eventually leave taxation out of the equation, too – but again, change of this magnitude takes time, realistically, and I understand that. We did away with alcohol prohibition in the country many years ago when we tried it and it failed – and I’m all for doing away with marijuana prohibition for medical purposes - but we owe it to ourselves as responsible members of society to consider the implications of legalizing marijuana, along with other mind-altering drugs, for recreational use.

A truly winning deal, in my opinion, is one in which all parties benefit. If it yields results for public safety & health, it supports the free market, it is a preservation of individual liberty, there is verifiable proof of all, and on top of all that benefit, if it also appeases both sides of the aisle in some regard, it's something worth getting-behind.

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“If you want to cut taxes you're going to need to cut spending, so what part of Maryland's government would you cut first?” –Matt B., Rising Sun, Maryland

A sizeable chunk of the 40 billion dollar Maryland budget has gone in part to early childhood through higher education, libraries, community colleges, & transportation. I'd start there, and suggest free market alternatives. I mean, regarding transportation alone, we’re living in the era of Uber. It’s a beautiful time to be alive. The market and business innovation have provided options we didn’t have years ago. I also support tax credits or refunds for families who choose homeschooling or send children to alternative schools. The fact that there is an alleged $130 million gap is yet another sad example of the failure of the public school system, and why we need to look at expanding alternative education options that actually address the needs of growing young minds. Preferably, alternative means to education rather than those that cost the taxpayers in Maryland $20 billion annually. Even charter schools are a move in a better direction, despite being funded by taxpayers, because they at least get the government out of the curriculum and operations within those centers of learning.

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“What Solutions do you have to fix the problem of gerrymandering in the state of Maryland?” –Joe C., Damascus, Maryland

I support Governor Hogan's common-sense approach to combating gerrymandering: charge an independent commission with the authority to draw lines. Why in the world would we allow legislators and representatives of a body of the People the authority to shift the lines to better fill their voting pool with people who support their campaigns? It's unreal, the lunacy. Representatives of the People are just that: representatives of the People. In a nutshell: One does not (well, SHOULD not) change the district lines to better-suit one's intentions in representation of a district. Rather, one changes his/her intentions in representation of a district so that it reflects the needs of the people in said district. The former is immoral and ludicrous, and I intend to bring conscience and morality back to the table.

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“My question is about the environment. Maryland is facing a lot of issues with pollution-the bay, the Inner Harbor, and even a lot of the river systems throughout the state. How should we solve this problem?” –Kristin D., Baltimore, Maryland

There is no one answer to all of these problems, but I believe that first and foremost, we have to increase the amount of public awareness and community involvement in the cleanup of our watersheds & waterways. I am a member of the Greater Parkville Community Council here in Baltimore, and in my immediate area, follow a group of dedicated and concerned citizens who volunteer their time and efforts to the local waterways, making efforts throughout the year to do manual cleanups - very hands-on. And it is my firm belief that we need to increase community awareness of the dire need for attention to our environment here in Maryland - and we need to reach out to our communities, organize at the local level, and reach out ourselves to volunteer to assist. I'm big into volunteerism at the local community level. I'm big into the importance of local community awareness, and I think we're severely lacking in that department. We turn on the news and we follow politics at a national level, and maybe we watch documentaries such as An Inconvenient Truth – but then what are we really doing at the local level, most of us? Most people aren't doing much – for the same reason we are facing so many of these issues in the first place – because there is a fundamental lack of awareness for environmental issues in our very own communities here in Maryland. If we get people in-the-know, and we start changing from the ground up, we start combatting some of the bigger threats to our environment. We start talking about legislation to protect our environment when people start buzzing about it, and they don't start buzzing about it until they're in-the-know. I hope to have more solutions with time. I hope to foster a relationship with people whereby they speak up with their ideas, with their concerns. I hope for that to be the core basis of my representation. I hope to collaborate in creating innovative ideas to combat our environmental concerns here in Maryland. And that's why it is so fundamentally important that we have this dialogue.

To get in touch, reach out directly!

To be featured in the ongoing Q&A ‘session’ at JDforLiberty.com and via social media, submit an inquiry via one of the below-listed means of contact. Expect a posting within 24-48 business hours.

CONTACT JOE SANDY

JDSandy@rocketmail.com

facebook.com/JDSandyBaltimore

twitter.com/j_d_sandy

JDforLiberty.blogspot.com

JDforLiberty.com

JDSandy.com