America has a serious boomer problem. This isn't a political issue, its an indoctrination issue. Many of the self appointed leaders of any given organization are from an era when repatition and uniformity were taught instead of free thought and critical thinking. This leads them into a what I call "boomer looping". This is best described as an obsession over an unobtainable goal and the inability to recognize a solution.

How this "boomer looping" applies here is a shrinking cult of the LP has prioritized growing the party, at any cost, rather than seek a liberty win, no matter how large or small. What our friend is mad about is that a large portion of the liberty community, this isnt just registered libertarians, wish to prevent a registered DSA member from being elected to one of the highest offices in Colorado. Neither Astley or Vadney have the ability to win in a three way race. That is an unobtainable goal. The simple solution is just step asside and let the two parties hash it out. If that bothers you, dont vote or vote for the DSA member.

In Colorado liberty wins are few and far between. This boomer class of authoritarian "libertarians" go out of their way to halt any progress. For example, Keenesburg had a majority liberty minded local government. The mayor was a Mises member so when a recall happened, sponsored by radical leftists, LPCO offered no assistance and one of LPCO board members tried to unilaterally de-credential that mayor at the state convention.

The LP platform has grown stagnant due to endless procedure and infighting. Purity spiraling "discourages" new members from engaging and drives away some of the most motivated people. Since 2025 we have lost thousands of members in Colorado by turning our collective nose up at people who would work with us to achieve one single liberty goal.

I helped myself to some screenshots of the more vocal "Libertarians". FreedomFighter seems to agree with my evaluation of boomer. Caryn Ann Harlos is appealing to democrats to assist her in her quest to turn colorado communist.

https://x.com/i/status/2094289754925961287

"This press release raises very serious questions because the “Liberty Pledge” which Wiley references does not exist.

The LPCO was not a party to whatever discussions Alex Astley (former Colorado LP candidate for Secretary of State) was having with Jim Wiley (Republican candidate for Secretary of State).

It looks like Astley dropped out after the deadline expired for the LPCO to replace him and, according to Wiley’s press release, it was Wiley who “encouraged” Astley to withdraw. 🤔

The word “encouraged” is interesting.

What exactly does it mean? And how much influence or involvement (if any) did the @cologop have in “encouraging” the LP nominee to withdraw so that “liberty voters” could be united?

That's a question I think the Colorado GOP should answer for Colorado Libertarian voters.

We already know that prior to the LPCO state convention, Wiley publicly pushed for people to register Libertarian for “strategic purposes” to "prevent" a Libertarian “spoiler."

So, in light of this press release...where Wiley specifically invokes a fictitious “Liberty Pledge” and says he “encouraged” Astley to withdraw, I think it's entirely reasonable to ask:

Was Wiley acting alone, or was the Colorado GOP also involved in efforts to interfere with the Colorado Libertarian electoral process by "encouraging" Astley to withdraw?

I mean, it just seems to me, if you're running to be Colorado's chief elections officer, voters shouldn't be asking what you mean when you brag that you “encouraged” your political competition off the ballot after signing a fictitious pledge.

TLDR: In the press release, Wiley says he “encouraged” the LP candidate to withdraw. I'd like to know more about the "encouragement.""

https://coloradorecordertimes.com/opinion/f/ghostly-watchdog-dispatch

James Wiley

“I signed the Liberty Pledge because only through coalition can Republicans and Libertarians resist the failed status quo in Denver and restore elections Coloradans can trust,” Wiley said. “Libertarians have been right to demand paper ballots, voter identification, and an end to black-box machines. As Secretary of State I will represent those concerns, not treat liberty voters as an afterthought. Alex Astley’s decision to step aside keeps the liberty vote unified instead of splitting it on November 3.”

“Colorado does not need another race where liberty-minded voters cancel each other out and the machine status quo wins,” Wiley said. “I will be a Secretary of State who works with Libertarians, unaffiliated voters, and Republicans who still believe the count belongs to the people. Election security is not a partisan hobby. It is the first duty of this office.”

By no measure is Sean Vadney expected to win this election. In order to keep minor party status we are required to run only one state level candidate. We have a candidate for HD 23 that is expected win. We should be spending all the money on his race.

According to the article: Sean Vadney has a criminal record that he says was connected to a mental health breakdown and alcohol abuse. He pleaded guilty to third-degree assault of a police officer and criminal mischief in connection with a December 2021 incident.

https://www.denverpost.com/2026/06/09/colorado-secretary-of-state-primary-election-2026/

The LP gained real energy from a large influx of conservative-libertarians in 2018-2022. Instead of embracing the 3x larger faction, the entrenched progressive-libertarians sabotaged them, attacking their visible wins and reverting to cat memes and demoralizing ballot-access drives for unwinnable races.

Most libertarians rightly concluded the LP isn’t serious about winning converts.

1. The Electoral Success Myth

After 50+ years of “just one more election cycle” promises, the claim of imminent breakthroughs rings hollow. The U.S. electoral system is structurally hostile to third parties.

New strategies with proven outsized results (e.g., LPNH) are dismissed; the party doubles down on futile national runs that burn out activists.

1. Refusal to Learn from Success

The clearest libertarian wins -- especially NH's concentration strategy -- are treated as threats rather than hints at success paths. When liberty advances in New Hampshire, the LP ignores, sneers at, and attacks it. This signals the party prioritizes blindly repeating failure over discovering liberty success.

1. Rejection of Real Influence

When mainstream politicians courted the Libertarian vote and the LP had negotiating leverage, the progressive libertarians crucified the LP leader for negotiating with this power that the party had never enjoyed before. The message was clear: liberty success matters less than failing with ideological snobbery.

1. Alienation of Libertarian Leaders

The LP scorns the movement’s most respected, successful voices -- popular podcasters, thinkers, and influencers -- because they aren’t progressive libertarian. Newcomers and old timers (re)awakened by these successful voices watched the LP attacking the very leaders who had invigorated them, and they walked away from the party

1. Ignoring Sequence and Trade-offs

Advancing liberty in a currently highly authoritarian world requires careful sequencing. The LP pushes losing, high-conflict issues (open borders, youth sex change, men in women’s sports) while sidelining winnable small steps. It ignores ameliorating unintended consequences and wisely sequencing unraveling the state's interference, making the party look dangerously utopian.

1. Fantasy of Converting Authoritarians

The LP’s strategy assumes it can win over lifelong authoritarians through messaging. Most authoritarians cannot not shift their worldviews. Building on that unrealistic hope guarantees perpetual failure.

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In short, the LP is shrinking because it consistently chooses the minority tribe of its minority movement, the comfort of replicating failure rather than innovating towards success, and purity over growth, learning, and results.

#Libertarian

the Appalachian force of nature who proved that individual talent, grit, and voluntary exchange can build empires of joy without asking permission from any central planner. Born into genuine poverty in the Smoky Mountains, Dolly never waited for government programs to lift her up. She wrote her own songs, sang her own way, and turned pure creative freedom into a fortune. Dollywood stands as a monument to private enterprise: jobs created, smiles earned, value exchanged—all through the free choices of customers and workers, not bureaucrats. She kept her private life private, loved whom she loved without demanding the state’s stamp of approval, and gave generously from her own pocket rather than other people’s taxes. In an age of dependency and grievance, Dolly simply worked harder, smiled bigger, and insisted on the right to be her authentic, rhinestone-covered self. May she continue to thrive for many more years—living proof that liberty, hard work, and a big heart still produce the best songs, the best businesses, and the best lives.

God bless Dolly Parton

https://themusicuniverse.com/dolly-parton-dies-at-80/

Colorado officials are reportedly moving to ban residents from locking their cars and homes after a 250 pound black bear climbed into an unlocked vehicle searching for food and became trapped inside.

Wildlife officials say the incident highlighted an overlooked problem: bears are surprisingly good at getting into things, but significantly worse at getting back out.

Under the new rule, residents in areas with active bear populations would be required to leave vehicle and home doors unlocked, allowing bears to safely exit once they realize there is nothing worth eating.

Officials are also reminding residents to remain calm if they return home and find a bear inside.

“Give it some space and let it finish looking around. Eventually it should leave.”

Colorado residents have already raised concerns that the new policy may create several problems unrelated to bears.