The Lilac Party!

By Nic Weyand, Founder and Chair

This is the first post on my new blog, so I might as well start with a big one: I have filed with the FEC to start a new political party—the Lilac Party!

Why Lilac?

Lilac is about optimism and hope! While other parties focus on what's wrong, we focus on what's possible. We're building a movement that proves progressive policies aren't just idealistic dreams! We can have real, practical solutions that work!

I'm a far left socialist who personally identifies as a progressive leftist, and the Lilac Party represents the furthest left you can get in American politics. But this isn't about ideology for ideology's sake. This is about looking at what every other developed nation has accomplished and asking: why can't the greatest nation in the world do better?

The Universals: What We Stand For

Our core platform centers on "The Universals"—a series of universal programs, services, and systems that provide what every other developed nation has, and more:

Universal Healthcare - Healthcare is a human right, not a privilege for those who can afford it.

Universal Basic Income - Economic security. That allows people to pursue education, care for family, or start businesses without fear of homelessness or hunger.

Universal Childcare - Supporting families by ensuring every child has access to quality early education and care.

Universal Education - Pre-K to PhD, because an educated populace is the foundation of democracy, and a strong society overall.

Universal Housing - Safe, affordable housing for everyone.

Universal Internet Access - In the 21st century, internet access is as essential as electricity. With newer technologies like 5G, powerline and satellite-beamed connectivity, we have more than enough capability to provide free internet to everyone.

Universal Family & Medical Leave - Time to care for newborns, sick relatives, or your own health without losing your job.

Universal Public Transit - Connecting communities while reducing environmental impact.

And more being debated as we grow!

Economic Justice

We believe in progressive taxation: the more you earn, the higher percentage of your income you pay in taxes. This isn't punishment for success—it's investment in the society that made that success possible.

Closing tax loopholes and ensuring the wealthy pay their fair share is fundamental to funding the programs that benefit everyone. We support fair pay, strong labor protections, and repealing "Right to Work" legislation.

Our job guarantee system focuses on community projects and retrofitting buildings. While you could technically ship a whole building overseas for repairs, it's usually cheaper and better for locals if you give people jobs to fix old and decaying infrastructure. It also gives people something to be proud of and something fulfilling to do.

Human Rights Are Universal

Trans Rights ARE Human Rights! I can't believe this obvious fact has to be stated, but here we are. We look back at the oppression of minorities throughout history in a negative light, so why are we still discriminating today?

Discrimination is wrong. It is wrong to say someone isn't allowed or accepted anywhere because of their race, religion, gender, age, or any other aspect of their identity.

The Lilac Party makes a clear exception for conservatives. If you're a conservative in 2025 and wondering why your kids don't talk to you, that's a you problem. But you can learn and grow out of conservative ideology!

As a gay man with trans friends, I not only see you and know you—I accept you. You don't deserve what's been happening, and I'm sorry. I will do everything I can to make things right.

Prison Reform: Rehabilitation Over Punishment

Punishment doesn't work. Rehabilitation does.

Punishment might enforce fear, but it doesn't teach morality. Fear is not respect. Punishment and fear creates victims, and perpetuates a vicious cycle of abuse. We've tried being "hard on crime" my entire life, leading to mass incarceration and the failed war on drugs.

The statistics speak for themselves: the National Institute of Justice shows that our punishment-focused system guarantees an 83% re-arrest rate within 9 years of release. Eighty-two percent of prisoners are arrested again within just 3 years.

Meanwhile, Norway transformed its prison culture from "Masculine" punishment in the 1980s to "Rehabilitative" in the 2000s. Their recidivism rates dropped from 60% to 20%. Norwegian prisoners aren't locked in cells—they have rooms with TVs and access to classes like auto repair or culinary arts. They can leave with diplomas and job prospects.

In the UK, there were over 10,000 assaults on prison staff in 2018 alone. Norwegian prison leadership couldn't even recall the last time there was violence at their facilities.

It comes down to a question of bloodlust: do you want prisoners to fight and die constantly? Do you want to throw away the key and lock them away forever? Americans have answered yes, and it's clearly wrong. This isn't just a problem with prisoners—it's a problem with how we as Americans view and treat people in our justice system.

Environmental Solutions

Climate change is real, it's happening, and we can stop it—even reverse it!

I encourage you to read Drawdown or check out drawdown.org for solutions you can implement right now, from swapping old AC units for heat pumps to simply filling your tires with proper air pressure to increase mileage. (Please check the manufacturer PSI printed on the tire itself—don't overinflate!)

Nothing sucks the life out of people like climate change discussions because Americans only hear bad news and rarely hear about the remarkable progress being made. That needs to change, and I'll cover this more in future posts.

Looking Forward

There's obviously much more to cover, and I'll get to that in future updates. For now, know that I'm working on building the Lilac Party with the goal of winning the presidency in 2028. Unlike third parties of the past, I intend to win.

If you're interested in being a state or local party member, or wish to donate when we begin accepting party donations, contact me at Nic@LilacParty.US or NicWeyand@ProtonMail.com (preferred).

Legal Disclaimers

Important: I have a committee ID with the FEC (Committee ID #C00899518), but this is not approval. They could still reject my filing for any reason. We have no official word from the FEC about the Lilac Party's status, and there have been zero endorsements besides me, Nic Weyand, founder.

Technically, my last name on FEC records is still "Nicholas Paul Schweitzer"—my birth name rather than my adoptive family name. I have paperwork in family court to legally change it to just Nic Weyand. I haven't gone by Nicholas Schweitzer since high school, but I never got it officially changed due to bureaucratic catch-22s involving newspaper publication requirements.

About donations: I have not taken any donations for Lilac and will not until I get approval from the FEC. If you support me through this site, Patreon, Ko-Fi, etc., that money goes to me, Nic Weyand, personally—not to Lilac. I will set up separate donation systems for Lilac if and when I get FEC approval.

TL;DR: The Lilac Party takes no money at this time.

I will be open and transparent throughout this process. If I'm to become your President, I need to earn and maintain your trust. This isn't a single act—it's a marathon. Should I serve two terms, I'm starting a 12-year sprint: running until 2028, and ideally serving until 2036.

Then I'll have a weird post-Presidential career making comedy films. It'll be great.

While I appreciate any donations to support my work, I want to be clear: these go to me as an individual for now, helping with rent and groceries. Leftover revenue would go toward making the Party bigger and better, including hiring lawyers and staff across all 50 states. This is real and serious—I actually filed paperwork with the US Government and everything. But I also need to pay bills and buy groceries!

This page is currently a temporary setup while I work on a better site. I had to meet a deadline with the URL LilacParty.US, and I'm running this solo while pending FEC approval.