I think we can all agree that there's not going to be a libertarian president this time next year (unfortunately). We're probably going to wind up with either Hillary "disarm the populace" Clinton or Donald "deportation squads" Trump.

If we want the various government institutions we live with to better respect our rights (or at least mitigate their growing authoritarianism) it will be critical over the next several years that we know what our priorities are.

I have some suggestions, but I'd also like to spur discussion about any libertarian priorities for the next several years that you guys may want to bring up. Here are my suggestions:

1) Get Rand Paul re-elected to the senate. Although imperfect, he's come out strong against the surveillance state and endless war, and has used every card in his hand to fight for libertarian outcomes on these issues. Given his tendency to filibuster, he may even be more valuable in the senate than he would have been in the white house. Donate to his campaign. Shill for him online. If you live in Kentucky, show up and vote for him.

2) Get pot legalized wherever you live. CO/WA/OR/AK are doing well- make sure everybody knows that. If Trump beats Hillary, we might even have the silver lining of a marijuana-friendly white house. Pot isn't necessarily all that important in its own right, but this is the first battle for libertarians to win in the war against the war on drugs. We can stop people from being thrown in cages for a crime that is not a crime, and the time is now.

3) Join with the Democrats for criminal justice reform. They're not our allies most of the time, but when they want to reduce prison sentences, hold the police accountable for their actions, and decriminalize a wide array of personal decisions, our interests align. If the democrats make gains in 2016 (likely outcome IMO), the votes will be there to make progress on these issues. If we apply pressure, we may be able to bring criminal justice reform higher on their list of priorities (hopefully at the expense of gun control or socialism).

4) Figure out who's running for your local/downticket offices, make calls to local politicians (they're much more likely to give a shit than national politicians are), and be familiar with the agenda items of local political parties. If we can't get what we want from the feds, we can at least tip the balance for the local powers, and let's face it- you'll encounter a lot more local police than federal cops. Here in CO, you really can buy, keep, and smoke marijuana without government interference despite federal prohibition. The feds have remarkably little power without local cooperation, and your vote is MUCH more powerful at the local level.

There's a lot of cynicism in this sub on account of presidential politics, but we have plenty of opportunities elsewhere. Let's make good on those opportunities using the tools we have available to us!

Please add to the list with your own ideas and/or critique mine.