Libertarians supporting raw milk and midwives today in Dover

Sometimes lost in the shuffle over high-profile bills on topics like gun control, LGBT issues, or charters schools are a lot of other freedom-related issues that Libertarians are the only political party fully supporting.

Photo courtesy
Margie McKeown

For example, today in Dover advocates for HB 150 (legalization of raw milk sales) and against HB 194 (further outlawing midwives in Delaware) joined together to do some citizen lobbying at the General Assembly.

The LPD's Kent County Chair, Margie McKeown, is not only personally involved in both causes, but is getting the word out that the Libertarian Party is the only political party in Delaware that unequivocally and publicly supports both causes.

Here (lightly edited to allow for typing on FB on her phone) is her report:

The raw milk bill failed today. It was 26-14 1 absent. We left after 6:30 pm and the midwife bill still hadn't gone to the floor. They caucused after 2 bills for a very long time, pushing the other bills back to this evening. I talked to SO many people today. I made sure everyone I talked to the folks that  were in support of raw milk to the home birth so that they knew that the Libertarian Party supports both of these issues. I had at least 2 people say they are changing parties, and invited a few to our Kent County LPD meeting. I also gave contact info for David Eisenhour down in Sussex.  

Photo courtesy Margie McKeown

As far as the midwife bill, they were talking about limiting the penalty for a first offence to a cease and desist order instead of a felony charge, which was what this original bill did. [This amendment did pass.]  They were also talking about a panel to discuss it, but since they don't give midwives licenses... it sets them up to break the law.  When this was brought to some of the legislators' attention, they said they wanted to give the bill and info that we passed out a second look. 

Margie and future astro-physicist/
politician taking a stand

All and all we had a pretty good day. My daughter is a little tired, but she's a real trooper! She actually enjoyed watching the legislative process... Astro- physicist/ politician?? haha!

Now here is the breakdown on the two bills, so that Libertarians thinking about running in 2014 know who was for and against.



As far as HB 150 it was obviously not a down-the-line party vote:

On the other hand, on HB 194 it was a straight, down-the-line Demopublican/Republicrat unanimous assertion of State power over your decisions.

Here there is something particularly important to note:

This is the synopsis of HB 194:

This Legislation aligns the penalty for non-compliance with the non-nurse midwives law and regulations with the penalty for practicing medicine without a license.  It imposes civil and/or criminal penalties for violations of existing law.  The increase in penalties is necessary because people are acting in violation of current law and regulations and as such are exposing mothers and newborn infants to significant risk and harm.

This last sentence is either (take your choice) (a) propaganda and/or (b) an utter and absolute crock.

Ethical midwives (and I've met many and none who were not) will not attend a high-risk birth, and are very careful to lay out exactly the risks and benefits of any home birth.  There is no solid statistical evidence that in low risk pregnancies there is any greater danger to the mother or child when the birth is managed by a competent midwife.

Ironically, paramedics and just plain citizens assist in out-of-hospital births by the thousands each year, and their success record is good (and they are not held liable to criminal or civil penalties for so doing). Logic tells us that a low-risk birth in a home environment under the management of a competent midwife is much more safe than an impromptu birth beside the road somewhere being handled by an EMT whose total experience is having watched a single training video several years ago.

This is the message for those of you support raw milk and midwives, but have not investigated the Libertarian Party of Delaware:  we are on your side, and we will advocate for you.

Go here to find out when the next meeting occurs in your area; we'd love to meet you and talk about how we can help organize support.

You can also hook up with us via the Libertarian Party of Delaware Facebook page.

While you're at it, if so inclined, please visit our donation/subscription page.  We are planning to run candidates in just about every House race next year, and we will make these issues a factor in those races.  But we also need help doing so because special interests (big dairy conglomerates and medical societies) do not use their PACs to funnel thousands of dollars behind our candidates.  We have to do it ourselves.  So we are asking folks if they can afford a $5-$10/month subscription pledge.  With 100 people pledging $5/month our Executive Committee will have at least $6,000 to support our most competitive candidates.

If we can (and we think it's possible in 2014 and even likely in 2016) win a single seat in the House of Representatives, we can break the two-party hold on legislation and laws in Delaware, and change the game toward more individual freedom.

Please consider joining us.

For your $5 a month, think about this:  how much coverage and support have the Democrats or Republicans given to raw milk or home birth?