It’s silly season again.
There are so many negative ads that…
This one was in the related videos. Not sure why. It’s catchy though…
Author Archive
The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth…
In Personal Responsibility, Politics, Republican, War on October 4, 2008 at 9:58 pm
…may God have mercy on their souls.
Scotty Boman: 20 Years of libertarian activism
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on October 3, 2008 at 8:16 pmvia IPR
Michigan Libertarian for U.S. Senate Scotty Boman has produced a YouTube video touting his two decades worth of libertarian activism. Included in the video are clips of Mr. Boman from TV shows stretching back to the 80’s, old letters to the editor and editorials, and more recent campaign activity.
Libertarian Vice Presidential candidate Wayne Root reacts to Biden-Palin debate
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Media, Politics, Republican on October 3, 2008 at 8:11 pmPosted on
Wayne’s blog. Root says he and Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin have very similar style, but that he is the only one one with the substance to match it.
After watching the Vice Presidential debate tonight, I have several opinions to share. I have a rather unique perspective- I’m the “other guy” not in the debate. I am the Libertarian Party Vice Presidential nominee. Now I know why I wasn’t invited- the two parties are so much alike, having me on that stage would have exposed them as the fakes they are. There is so little difference between the 2 major political parties, it was painful to watch as they tried hard to look different. But I digress. First let me analyze the winners and losers. Then I’ll get to the good, bad and ugly.
As far as winners- the clear-cut winner was Governor Sarah Palin. First, because expectations were so set so low. She did a very credible job- one that far surpassed what was expected of her. Second, because the biased liberal media once again has proven its own worst enemy. The media tried so hard to create the impression of Palin as being unqualified and “out of her league,” that they made her the big underdog. Palin more than rose to the occasion. What the media fails to understand is that America loves an underdog. The more the media belittles Palin, the more America (especially middle America) will rise to her defense. Third, the intellectual elite of this country thinks far too much of themselves. The pompous, arrogant “Beltway Insiders” crowd thinks that no moose-hunting, hockey mom and beauty queen contestant from the University of Idaho can ever debate them on a national stage. To the contrary, middle America loves to see one of their own do battle (and win) versus an elite D.C. establishment-insider like Senator Joe Biden. Most Americans- if given a choice- will always root for a Sarah Palin over a member of the millionaire boys club.
Palin lacks the U.S. Senate pedigree, law degree, or the D.C. Beltway credentials of Biden, but she has Reaganesque-like charm, charisma and middle American values. She also has something that even a brash New Yorker like me appreciates- CHUTZPAH. Sarah, in an “aw shucks” kind of way, is more confident of a speaker and debater than any 5-term United States Senator. Like Reagan, she knows how to connect to her audience- soccer moms and NASCAR dads (or as she calls them “Joe Six Pack”).
More than any other politician in the country, I understand why McCain took the gamble of a lifetime to choose Sarah Palin. She is a female me! We’re both unusual non-traditional politicians. I speak often of being a small businessman, home-school dad, S.O.B. (son of a butcher) and citizen politician, from a far Western frontier state like Nevada- where we love guns and hate taxes. Sarah talks of being a small-town hockey mom who hunts, fishes and shoots moose, from a far West frontier state like Alaska- where they love guns and hate taxes. We both come from humble blue-collar beginnings- my dad was a butcher, my mom a homemaker. Her dad was a teacher, her mom a homemaker. We both speak often about our beliefs in smaller government and more power to the people. We are both family-oriented with long-lasting marriages and large families- Sarah has 5 children, including a new baby; my wife Debra and I have been blessed with 4 children, including a new baby. We’re both young, enthusiastic, and passionate spokespersons for our political causes. We both get our supporters pumped up with enthusiasm. We are both proud of our lack of connections to Washington D.C. and fancy-pants lawyers or lobbyists.
And we both have a signature line that ties into who we are and where we’re from- Sarah talks of the difference between hockey moms and pit bulls- lipstick. I talk of the big difference between my hometown Las Vegas and Washington D.C.- in Vegas the drunks gamble with their own money!
McCain sensed in the “Palin style” what I’ve understood for a long time: America is looking for a hero, an ANTI-POLITICIAN. Someone who is not a lawyer; not an elitist; not an intellectual; who understands middle America and small town values; who will govern with common sense; who wants to give the power back to the people- NOT the lobbyists and corporate interests. So I say BRAVO to Governor Palin for a job well done. You “get it” in a way so few politicians do (or ever have).
But that is where my compliments end. And that is also where our similarities end. You see Sarah is much like me when it comes to “style.” But when it comes to substance and reality, not so much (as Sarah would say). You see I’m the real thing. I’m a Barry Goldwater-loving, anti-government, anti-tax rebel who despises politicians, lawyers, lobbyists, government spending, earmarks, waste and corporate welfare.
Read my lips: I will NEVER in my lifetime support a tax increase- taxes are already far too high. I pledge to lower taxes, and oppose any attempt at a tax increase. How’s that for putting a bold promise in writing? Etch it in stone- I will NEVER support a tax increase. When it comes to spending, I join great fiscal conservatives like Barry Goldwater and Dr. Ron Paul in playing the role of “Dr. NO”- I pledge to oppose any and every spending increase that is not authorized by the constitution. Government spending is already far too high. I will only vote (and fight) to lower government spending.
Governor Palin is not an anti-politician. She’s been a politician for 13 years now. She is not against tax increases- she has in fact supported tax increases. She is not against earmarks- as Governor of Alaska she has requested more earmarks (per capita) than most any other Governor in America. She is not against government spending- while she did cut some spending out of the budget, she also signed the biggest budget in Alaska history into law. She was not against the Bridge to Nowhere- she was actually for it, before she was against it. After it was killed by public opinion, she actually kept the federal money allotted for the infamous bridge. And unlike me (a home-school dad)- she certainly is no fighter for parental freedom and school choice. To the contrary, she has publicly denounced vouchers in speeches in front of Alaska teachers unions. So it appears Sarah’s “citizen politician” image is just that- an image portrayed by a skilled actress.
The Vice Presidential debate was most shocking to me for what it exposed- a 2 party system that I call big and bigger, dumb and dumber. There was no smaller government candidate on that stage in St. Louis. There were only 2 big government supporters arguing over how big to make it. The party of Goldwater is long gone. Palin and her running mate McCain support the $700 billion bailout that socializes the U.S. banking system- just like Obama and Biden. Palin used every opportunity at the V.P. debate to denounce “greedy Wall Street” just like Biden and Obama (instead of strongly stating the truth- that it was corrupt and incompetent government that caused our economic and credit crisis). Palin supports more government regulation over Wall Street- just like Biden and Obama. Palin supports carbon caps- just like Obama and Biden. Palin agreed that mankind has caused some degree of global warming- just like Biden and Obama. Palin thinks the federal government should spend more money on failing public schools- just like Biden and Obama. No mention by Palin of failing public schools; greedy teachers unions; the need for choice and competition; or Democratic politicians being bought and paid for by teachers union contributions. Note that Goldwater supported an end to all federal meddling and spending on education. Reagan promised to terminate the entire Department of Education (although he never did). Palin proudly promised to spend more on education. Palin never mentioned one program or cabinet department she would cut. Not one. I have no doubt that Goldwater and Reagan were rolling over in their graves after this performance.
And when it comes to taxes, Palin simply says she wants to lower taxes, while the Democrats want to raise them. But she never clearly stated a detailed case for dramatically lower taxation or spending. She had no answer at all when Biden pointed out that McCain has supported tax increases hundreds of times. Is this what it has come to? Both sides arguing over who has supported tax increases the most? Is a conservative now the candidate who has supported tax increases only 120 times, instead of 400 times by the liberal Democrat?
And when it comes to war, Palin obviously supports ever-expanding military budgets (and taxation) to support more intervention and wars all over the world. There was not a mention by either candidate of cutting foreign aid, military bases or waste in the pentagon budget. Perhaps major contributions by defense contractors got in the way of that possible policy difference?
In the end, this debate proved the differences between the two major political parties to be small. Both Biden and Palin stand for bigger government- the only debate is over how big. With Biden (and Obama) it’s always just a little bigger. Palin was chosen by McCain to win back conservative and Libertarian votes. She is an actress playing a part: the part of Wayne Allyn Root- a fiscally conservative, anti-tax, Libertarian small businessperson and citizen politician from a Western state, that wants to restore common sense and give power back to the people.
Every 4 years Republicans pull the same charade- then they get elected and go back to bribing corporate interests and spending like drunken sailors (no offense intended towards drunken sailors). Democrats don’t even bother to hide what they stand for- higher taxes, bigger spending, bigger government, more power to teachers unions. Republicans just hide their true intensions much better. They run for election as small government Libertarians, then get elected and expand government to record levels. I call it “the November surprise”- they talk like Libertarians, then govern like liberals. Only now- after all the decades of promises broken- it should no longer come as a surprise. Having me on that stage would have exposed the 2-party system for the sham that it is. I now understand why I wasn’t invited to spoil the party. But boy would it have been fun!
Wayne Root is the Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee on the Libertarian Presidential ticket of Bob Barr/Wayne Root. His web site is: www.ROOTforAmerica.com.
New video from ThirdPartyTicket.com asks that Nader, Barr, Baldwin and McKinney be included in the debates
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Media, Politics on October 3, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Trevor Lyman’s http://thirdpartyticket.com has released this new video. ThirdPartyTicket now has over 30,00 visitors and 7638 pledges out of 10,000 needed to stage a more inclusive Presidential debate in New York City. They are trying to collect the remaining pledges by October 8. Lyman previously staged “money” bombs which collected $6 million and $4 million for Ron Paul per day. He is asking that viewers share this video with their friends.
Libertarians file Connecticut ballot access lawsuit
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Politics on October 3, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Posted at Ballot Access News
On October 1, the Connecticut Libertarian Party filed a federal lawsuit to get Bob Barr on the ballot. Libertarian Party of Connecticut v Bysiewicz, 3:08cv-1513. The case is assigned to Judge Janet Hall, a Clinton appointee.
The state believes that the Libertarian presidential petition was 280 signatures short, but Libertarian volunteers have found 209 signatures that were erroneously invalidated. The volunteers haven’t finished re-checking all of the rejected signatures. The lawsuit evidence will include evidence of the revalidation work performed so far. The party also believes that while the petition sheets were in the custody of elections officials, 116 petition sheets were lost.
A discussion of some of the factors leading to the LP falling short in Connecticut follows in the comments at Ballot Access News.
Congress passes giant bipartisan screwjob of plebeians, 263-171 in the House and 75-25 in the Senate
In Constitutional Rights, Media, Personal Responsibility, Politics on October 3, 2008 at 2:46 pm
CNN reports
The measure passed by 92 votes, 263 to 171, with the plan picking up support on both sides of the aisle after going down to defeat in the House on Monday.
President Bush said he would sign the bill Friday.
“These steps represent decisive action to ease the credit crunch that is now threatening our economy,” Bush said of the provisions of the bill.
“The legislation is a critical step toward stabilizing our financial markets and ensuring an uninterrupted flow of credit to households and businesses,” Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, said in a statement.
From a facebook alert:
1) The American Government spends trillions of our tax dollars bailing companies out. When the CEO makes millions a year, there is no reason they need tax dollars to help them out.
And from the bailout proposal:
2) Section 5: Rights; Management; Sale of Mortgage-Related Assets.
(c) Sale of Mortgage-Related Assets.–The Secretary may, at any time, upon terms and conditions and at prices determined by the Secretary, sell, or enter into securities loans, repurchase transactions or other financial transactions in regard to, any mortgage-related asset purchased under this Act.
3) Section 8: Review.
Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.
4) Section 10: Increase in Statutory Limit on the Public Debt.
Subsection (b) of section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by striking out the dollar limitation contained in such subsection and inserting in lieu thereof $11,315,000,000,000.
5) Section 8 prohibits the constitutional right to petition the government. This legislation will be in violation of the US Constitution and many State Constitutions.
Bob Barr on privacy
In Civil Liberties, Constitutional Rights, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Media, Politics on October 1, 2008 at 9:35 pmPosted at Bob Barr blog
Bob goes into how our liberties have been put at stake by the Bush Administration and Congress, under both Republicans and Democrats. He blasts the recent FISA law and say, “When government grows so large that it knows virtually everything a person is doing, then you have no freedom.”
Libertarian Vice Presidential candidate Wayne Root: Just Say No to trillion dollar bailout
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on October 1, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Posted at Root For America
I’ve stated for months now on hundreds of talk radio shows across the USA that Republicans and Democrats have morphed into the same party- I call them big and bigger, dumb and dumber. McCain and Obama offer the same ideas- just with a slightly different right or left tilt. They both stand for corporate interests. You think only Republicans stand for Wall Street? Check the facts. Obama has gotten millions of dollars in contributions from corporate welfare queens like Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. You think Obama stands for change? When Obama is done with America, all we’ll have left is change.
The reality is that Obama TALKS about change. Just like McCain talks about being a fiscal conservative who believes in smaller government and lower taxes. It’s all just the usual talk at election time. I call it the “November political con game.”
Scotty Boman, Michigan Libertarian for U.S. Senate puts out new video
In Civil Liberties, Constitutional Rights, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Media, Politics on October 1, 2008 at 9:23 pmH/T IPR
In case you missed them the first time…
In Libertarian on October 1, 2008 at 8:29 pmHere are the most read posts at LFV thus far, and how many people have read them:
Top Posts for all days ending 2008-10-02 (Summarized)
Are you ready to be the voice of liberty for the Libertarian Party?
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Media, Politics on October 1, 2008 at 1:10 pm
From an LPHQ email:
Are you ready to be the voice of liberty for the Libertarian Party?
If so, you just may have your chance.
The election is 36 days around the corner, and the LP is gearing up for our first radio ads of the season, and we’re looking for you, the loyal supporter, for ideas.
Please submit your best script, or your own commercial, to contest@lp.org. Entries are to be 25 seconds long, and we’ll put the “Approved By” in it.
For ideas, listen to the Barr campaign’s radio advertisement here.
The deadline for submission is Oct. 3, and the winner will be notified within a week of the contest’s close. The top advertisement will be used in radio ads across the country.
So, put on your “creative caps,” and let us truly hear the “message of liberty!”
Schansberg encourages Hill to stand firm against bail-out
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on October 1, 2008 at 12:55 pm
September 29, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Schansberg encourages Hill to stand firm against bail-out
Dr. Eric Schansberg, an economics professor and the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 9th District, responded to the House defeat of the proposed $700 billion bail-out in the financial sector—and praised Rep. Baron Hill for voting against it.
Asked about Hill’s vote, Dr. Schansberg said, “It’s clear that Baron is not categorically opposed to another bail-out. And he’s not a fiscal conservative by any objective measure. So, I don’t know the reasons for his vote today. Maybe it’s the right vote for the wrong reasons. In any case, I’m thankful that he took a stand today for fiscal conservatism. Hopefully, he’ll continue to have a strong enough spine to hold that position.”
On fiscal conservatism in general and the bail-out in particular, Schansberg said: “At some point, we have to rely on markets again. And we can’t afford to borrow money to bail out industries and try to artificially boost the economy. All of our spending and debt threatens to devalue our dollar further and drive our economy into a ditch.”
On potential policy changes, Schansberg applauded Mike Sodrel’s proposal to suspend the capital gains tax and to revisit “mark-to-market” accounting rules: “From what I’ve read, ‘mark-to-market’ accounting rules are the most underrated cause of the current problems. Certainly, the sub-prime mortgage mess and government involvement in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are at the top of that list. But ‘mark-to-market’ combined with aspects of Sarbanes-Oxley seems to be a major contributor.”
For more information on the campaign, see: www.SchansbergForCongress.com
. To schedule an interview, contact Eric Schansberg at (812) 218-0443, Melanie Hughes at (502) 432-1930, or send an email to SchansbergForCongress@gmail.com.
Massachusetts Libertarian U.S. Senate Candidate Bob Underwood Blasts Bailout
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on October 1, 2008 at 11:58 amSept. 29
Springfield, MA. Libertarian U.S. Senate Candidate Bob Underwood today blasted the Paulson bank bailout. “The one group sure to lose is the American worker. That includes Americans who wish they were working. They’re struggling with their own mortgages, blamed if they’re not competitive on world markets, and now they get a bonus: Not only must they pay for their own housing, they must pick up the tab for someone else’s.
“The Donkey-Elephant dance went to bail out bankers, not to help the average American,” Underwood explained. “Some mortgage companies gave no-document loans, not even asking tax forms as evidence of income. Compare that with the grilling that most of us got when we applied for a mortgage. Under the bailout system, the executives who threw away their investors’ money will keep their mansions. Americans who could never qualify for a mortgage will be taxed to pay for homes for people who did qualify.
“Some people want to blame the person who just wanted a place to live. Borrowers just played their part in a bigger picture. For years bankers bet on inflation. As time went on, mortgage payments were supposed to get easier, because inflation drives up wages. The crisis came when outsourcing made salaries level. Borrowers couldn’t afford their mortgages.
“If you want more of the same, more ripoffs of taxpayers, just keep voting for Democrats and Republicans. For real change, vote Libertarian,” Underwood urged.
–30–
The mortgage crisis is part of a big picture discussed at
www.electbobunderwood.org
For more on why the bailout is a terrible idea, note economist-bloggers
Mike Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/
Bonddad
http://bonddad.blogspot.com/index.html
To contact the candidate:
Robert Joseph Underwood
83 Cherrelyn St.
Springfield, MA 01104-2441
rjunderwood2000@yahoo.com
Help stop the trillion dollar ripoff
In Personal Responsibility, Politics on October 1, 2008 at 11:40 am 
The following Senators are considered key votes. Please take a moment to call these Senators and urge them to cast their vote against this dangerous legislation. And please, call your two U.S. Senators and urge them to vote no as well.
Elizabeth Dole (NC) -
* D.C.: Phone: (202) 224-6342 Fax: (202) 224-1100
* Raleigh: Phone: (919) 856-4630 Fax: (919) 856-4053Norm Coleman (MN) -
* D.C.: Phone: (202) 224-5641 Fax: (202) 224-1152
* St. Paul: Phone: (651) 645-0323 Fax: (651) 645-3110Roger Wicker (MS) -
* D.C.: Phone: (202) 224-6253 Fax: (202) 228-0378
* Jackson: Phone: (601) 965-4644 Fax: (601) 965-4007Gordon Smith (OR) -
* D.C.: Phone: (202) 224-3753 Fax: (202) 228-3997
* Portland: Phone: (503) 326-3386 Fax: (503) 326-2900Lyndsey Graham (SC) -
* D.C.: Phone: (202) 224-5972 Fax: (202) 224-3808
* Greenville: Phone: (864) 250-1417 Fax: (864) 250-4322Ted Stevens (AK) -
* D.C.: Phone: (202) 224-3004 Fax: (202) 224-2354
* Anchorage: Phone: (907) 271-5915 Fax: (907) 258-9305
Trevor Lyman’s ThirdPartyTicket.com more than half way to 10,000 pledge goal for organizing alternative Presidential debates
In Politics on October 1, 2008 at 1:43 am
Trevor Lyman is more than half way towards his goal of raising 10,000 pledges to stage a debate with all the candidates who are on enough state ballots to have a mathematical chance of winning the election. Lyman is previously known for organizing Ron Paul’s money bombs. Currently, ThirdPartyTicket.com lists the number of people who have pledged to help fund the proposed alternative debate as follows:
9/29/08 – 5,782 pledges
9/28/08 – 4,695 pleges
9/27/08 – 702 pledges
Lyman proposes to hold the debate at a yet to be announced location in New York City. It will be broadcast by BreakTheMatrix.com, which is sponsoring the debate along with Free and Equal and Open Debates.
The candidates who are invited are:
Constitution Party Candidate: Chuck Baldwin
Democratic Party Candidate: Barack Obama
Green Party Candidate: Cynthia McKinney
Independent Party Candidate: Ralph Nader
Libertarian Party Candidate: Bob Barr
Republican Party Candidate: John McCain
BreakTheMatrix is also soliciting questions for the proposed debate.
As of this writing 6653 people have pledged to donate.
Libertarian Party of Alabama Chair Stephen Gordon speaks out about gas price gouging laws, gas shortages, and the Wall Street bailout proposal
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Media, Politics on October 1, 2008 at 1:37 am
In a pair of press releases, Libertarian Party of Alabama chair Stephen Gordon addresses the Wall Street bailout proposal that was narrowly defeated yesterday in Congress, as well as the gas shortages currently taking place in Georgia and several Southeastern states.
Gordon blames gas shortages on anti-price gouging laws which several states have passed, pointing out that neighboring states which have not passed such laws have no gasoline shortages.
In the second press release, Gordon points out that Libertarian Party Presidential candidate Bob Barr accurately predicted that more bailout proposals would follow the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bailouts.
Atlanta – For the last couple of weeks, the availability of gasoline has dominated the news in the Southeast. Georgia, which has stricter laws against “price gouging” than Alabama does, is suffering from long gas lines at the few service stations which have a remaining supply of petroleum.
Today’s Montgomery Advertiser calls for additional government intervention into the natural process of supply and demand.
“Some other Southeastern states take a different approach, and it would be wise for Alabama legislators to take a look at these laws,” the paper declared. “Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee prohibit any price increases that are not related to increased costs. A gas station may pass along to customers the higher costs it incurs for fuel, for example, but may not raise prices beyond that level.”
“As I live in Morgan County but work in Atlanta, I see the impact of government intervention into the retail gasoline market on a daily basis,” said Libertarian Party of Alabama Chairman Stephen Gordon. “I bought gas last night in Calhoun County, Alabama, but by the time I made it to Cobb County, Georgia, there was no gas anywhere to be found.”
“Consumers have no incentive to conserve gasoline when the prices are artificially low,” Gordon continued. “If the cost was higher, they would be driving less or using more efficient vehicles. Additionally, when gas prices become high enough, there is an increased motivation for gas station owners and operators to truck fuel in from greater distances – passing the additional cost on to consumers.”
An Associated Press article also published today anecdotally highlighted this point. “Right now, I’ll pay anything for gas,” construction worker Larry Jenkins said. “I don’t care if it’s $5 or $6 a gallon. I need it.”
“Alabamians should be proud that we beat Georgia on the football field over the weekend,” Gordon said. “We should also be proud that we have better public policy pertaining to price gouging than Georgia. Or would the Montgomery Advertiser prefer that we limit our football scores to no more than one touchdown per quarter?”
As evidenced by recent debate pertaining to federal bailouts, the Libertarian Party is the only political party in America opposed to government intervention in the marketplace.
Birmingham, AL – The U.S House of Representatives failed to pass the $700 billion bailout measure earlier today by margin of 205 to 228. Of the Alabama congressional delegation, Congressman Aderholt was the only person to vote against the bill.
“While I often find myself at odds with Congressman Aderholt, his vote today should be certainly be applauded,” said Libertarian Party of Alabama Chairman Stephen Gordon. “Unlike the two major parties, Libertarians support fiscal responsibility and oppose government intervention into the marketplace. Public opinion polling shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans agree with the libertarian position on this and many other issues.”
Today, the New York Times stated that “a majority of the House voted along with Bob Barr, the Libertarian who said, ‘We need to make Wall Street take the hit for its irresponsible investment decisions.’” Previously, Politico indicated that former Congressman Barr, who is running for President on the Libertarian Party ticket, had earned the bragging rights to say “I told you so” about the general bailout situation.
Barr accurately predicted that once the bailout floodgate is opened for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, it will be difficult to stop the process for other corporate or government entities. On Neil Cavuto’s Fox News program, Barr referred to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac intervention as “a BOFH. This is a bailout from hell.”
“Barr is consistently and courageously battling on principle for the rights of the common man — unlike most of our state congressional delegation, leaders from both parties on the Hill, as well as McCain and Obama,” said Gordon. “Obama claims to offer change, while he’s picking the pocket of the taxpayer to enrich major corporations. McCain’s claim of being a maverick is disingenuous at best, as his statements on the bailout place him in league with the president and the rest of the senior GOP leadership. The only presidential candidate supporting a constitutional limited role of government is Congressman Barr.”
The Libertarian Party of Alabama urges all Alabama voters to continue to contact their elected representatives and demand that they vote “no” on any current or future bailout proposal.
Stephen Gordon serves as the Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Alabama, Chair of the Libertarian State Leadership Alliance (national organization of LP state chairs) and as the eCampaign Manager for the Bob Barr 2008 Presidential Campaign.
Bob Barr in Reason Magazine counter-debate, Fox News, American Spectator, Politico Gameday and New York Times
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Media, Politics, Presidential Candidates on October 1, 2008 at 1:31 amBob Barr blog reports that video of the Reason magazine counter-debate with Libertarian Party presidential nominee Bob Barr is now available.
In other Barr news, the blog has video of the candidate on the Fox program Your World with Neil Cavuto:
Barr had five campaign stops in the Charleston, SC area today, and has been given credit by the American Spectator, Politico Gamedayand the New York Times for helping to stop the Wall Street bailout.
His next campaign swing will be through Illinois and Indiana on Oct. 2-4.
Bob Barr blasts bailout in new campaign video
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on October 1, 2008 at 1:26 amPosted at Bob Barr blog
Bob (Barr) talks about the bailout plan and wonders why the Feds are just now trying to take on the issue when they’ve know about the problem for years.
Bob says it makes no sense to give them $1 trillion to do create the same problem all over again. He adds that Republican and Democrats are both guilty for the problem and the “bogus solution” they presented.
Bob Barr has two new books coming out
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on October 1, 2008 at 1:22 am
From an email from from Barr campaign manager Russell Verney:
When joining the campaign, I told Bob that I would require a few things for him.
First, I needed a campaign book that was extensive and made clear his libertarian values and how those solutions would put America back on the right track.
That book, Lessons in Liberty, will be available shortly on our web site.
I also asked Bob to put together another, personal book that explained how his beliefs have evolved over the years. I knew that I was asking for quite a bit but Bob delivered despite being consistently on the campaign trail since May.
Today, Bob’s personal book, Patriot Nation, was released and is available at www.thepatriotnation.com
Wayne Root also has a new book coming out, entitled The Conscience of a Libertarian.
Kooky pro-government conspiracy theories
In Activism, Big Brother, Censorship, Civil Liberties, Constitutional Rights, Cops Gone Wild, Corruption, Courts and Justice System, First Amendment, Human Rights Abuses, Law, Law Enforcement, Local Politics, Police State, Politics, Protest, Republican, Terrorism, US Government on September 30, 2008 at 2:02 pmA Letter from the RNC 8
Dear Friends, Family, and Comrades:
We are the RNC 8: individuals targeted because of our political beliefs and work organizing for protests at the 2008 Republican National Convention, in what appears to be the first use of Minnesota’s version of the US Patriot Act. The 8 of us are currently charged with Conspiracy to Commit Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism, a 2nd degree felony that carries the possibility of several years in prison. We are writing to let you know about our situation, to ask for support, and to offer words of hope.
A little background: the RNC Welcoming Committee was a group formed in late 2006 upon hearing that the 2008 Republican National Convention would be descending on Minneapolis-St. Paul where we live, work, and build community. The Welcoming Committee’s purpose was to serve as an anarchist/anti-authoritarian organizing body, creating an informational and logistical framework for radical resistance to the RNC. We spent more than a year and a half doing outreach, facilitating meetings throughout the country, and networking folks of all political persuasions who shared a common interest in voicing dissent in the streets of St. Paul while the GOP’s machine chugged away inside the convention.
In mid-August the Welcoming Committee opened a “Convergence Center,” a space for protesters to gather, eat, share resources, and build networks of solidarity. On Friday, August 29th, 2008, as folks were finishing dinner and sitting down to a movie the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department stormed in, guns drawn, ordering everyone to the ground. This evening raid resulted in seized property (mostly literature), and after being cuffed, searched, and IDed, the 60+ individual inside were released.
The next morning, on Saturday, August 30th, the Sheriff’s department executed search warrants on three houses, seizing personal and common household items and arresting the first 5 of us- Monica Bicking, Garrett Fitzgerald, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor, and Eryn Trimmer. Later that day Luce Guillen-Givins was arrested leaving a public meeting at a park. Rob Czernik and Max Specktor were arrested on Monday, September 1, bringing the number to its present 8. All were held on probable cause and released on $10,000 bail on Thursday, September 4, the last day of the RNC.
These arrests were preemptive, targeting known organizers in an attempt to derail anti-RNC protests before the convention had even begun. Conspiracy charges expand upon the traditional notion of crime. Instead of condemning action, the very concept of conspiracy criminalizes thought and camaraderie, the development of relationships, the willingness to hope that our world might change and the realization that we can be agents of that change.
Conspiracy charges serve a very particular purpose- to criminalize dissent. They create a convenient method for incapacitating activists, with the potential for diverting limited resources towards protracted legal battles and terrorizing entire communities into silence and inaction. Though not the first conspiracy case against organizers- not even the first in recent memory- our case may be precedent-setting. Minnesota’s terrorism statutes have never been enacted in this way before, and if they win their case against us, they will only be strengthened as they continue their crusade on ever more widespread fronts. We view our case as an opportunity to demonstrate community solidarity in the face of repression, to establish a precedent of successful resistance to the government’s attempts to destroy our movements.
Right now we are in the very early stages of a legal battle that will require large sums of money and enormous personal resources. We have already been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support locally and throughout the country, and are grateful for everything that people have done for us. We now have a Twin Cities-based support committee and are developing a national support network that we feel confident will help us through the coming months. For more information on the case and how to support us, or to donate, go to http://RNC8.org
We have been humbled by such an immense initial show of solidarity and are inspired to turn our attention back to the very issues that motivated us to organize against the RNC in the first place. What’s happening to us is part of a much broader and very serious problem. The fact is that we live in a police state- some people first realized this in the streets of St. Paul during the convention, but many others live with that reality their whole lives. People of color, poor and working class people, immigrants, are targeted and criminalized on a daily basis, and we understand what that context suggests about the repression the 8 of us face now. Because we are political organizers who have built solid relationships through our work, because we have various forms of privilege- some of us through our skin, some through our class, some through our education- and because we have the resources to invoke a national network of support, we are lucky, even as we are being targeted.
And so, while we ask for support in whatever form you are able to offer it, and while we need that support to stay free, we also ask that you think of our case as a late indicator of the oppressive climate in which we live. The best solidarity is to keep the struggle going, and we hope that supporting us can be a small part of broader movements for social change.
For better times and with love,
the RNC 8: Luce Guillen-Givins, Max Spector, Nathanael Secor, Eryn Timmer, Monica Bicking, Erik Oseland, Robert Czernik, Garrett Fitzgerald
Sarah Palin: competent? libertarian?
In Humor, Iraq War, John McCain, Media, Republican, Sarah Palin, Second Amendment, Terrorism, War on September 29, 2008 at 7:49 pmLet’s get the libertarian thing out of the way.
The answer is no
.
Lisa Nova presents a couple of humorous portrayals, giving different views of Palin’s competence level.
In Clip #1, Palin is portrayed as very competent (and ruthless).
In this one…not so much
Trillion dollar ripoff is dead…for now
In Congress, Economics, Libertarian, Personal Responsibility, Politics, Republican, Taxation, Terrorism, Torture, US Government on September 29, 2008 at 7:26 pm
The House version of the Congressional wall street bankers bailout ripoff is dead. Conservative Republicans united with liberal Democrats in a narrow victory against the muddled middle, but the fight is not over.
Terra Eclipse has united a diverse group of interests, including MoveOn, Downsize DC, True Majority, Campaign for Liberty, United Liberty, FreedomWorks and the National Taxpayers Union to oppose and track no votes in the Senate and possible future votes in the House.
Republicans blamed Pelosi’s scathing speech near the close of the debate — which attacked Bush’s economic policies and a “right-wing ideology of anything goes, no supervision, no discipline, no regulation” of financial markets — for the vote’s failure.
“We could have gotten there today had it not been for the partisan speech that the speaker gave on the floor of the House,” Minority Leader John Boehner said. Pelosi’s words, the Ohio Republican said, “poisoned our conference, caused a number of members that we thought we could get, to go south.”
Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., the whip, estimated that Pelosi’s speech changed the minds of a dozen Republicans who might otherwise have supported the plan.
Julie Hirschfeld Davis, “Stunning defeat for economy bailout; stocks plunge“, Associated Press, September 29, 2008
Libertarian Party of Louisiana chair explains factors that led to missing the deadline to put Bob Barr on the ballot
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on September 29, 2008 at 11:39 am
In a comment at Ballot Access News, the chair of the Libertarian Party of Louisiana explains why they missed the deadline to put Bob Barr on the ballot. Louisiana has one of the easiest ballot access requirements among all states, with no need to get signatures from voters – just a slate of electors to put the Presidential candidate on the ballot. There is an organized and active Libertarian Party in Louisiana, which is officially recognized as a political party by the state (unlike in some other states).
The Barr campaign’s attempt to complete the required paperwork got caught up in the confusion in the final week for regular filing, with both the electors needed to sign off on the papers as well as the Secretary of State’s office subject to evacuation due to Hurricane Gustav. Several smaller parties (including the Socialist and Reform Parties) also had the same problem. Several other parties and candidates avoided the problem by filing well ahead of the deadline.
The Libertarian and Socialist parties submitted their paperwork and sued the state, and the Libertarians (but not the Socialists) were initially granted injunctive relief by the court and placed on the ballot. However, an appeals court later reversed that ruling. The case is currently being appealed to the US Supreme Court.
Adrien Monteleone’s explanation of why the Libertarian Party was not among those that filed well ahead of the deadline:
We wanted to file these papers on the first day. However, the Barr campaign took it upon itself, without contacting the state party or the La SoS, to file and pay themselves. They did so incorrectly. The process of receiving the incorrect paperwork back from the SoS, forwarding to the Barr campaign for proper form of payment, and then getting it back in return took till the Wednesday before the Storm hit. It was on Thursday we were informed by the SoS that we in fact, as a recognized party, DID NOT need the payment. Had the SoS office been knowledgeable about the fact that we are to file in the same manner as the Dems and Reps from day one, we would have filed our paperwork on the first day.
Combine the Barr campaign’s lack of communication with the state party, the ignorance of the Secretary of State’s office of their own laws, and the hurricane closing the offices on the last day of filing (not to mention scattering some electors) and you see why we missed the Sept 2nd deadline.
Had we had even just the correct info from the SoS, the rest would have been irrelevant. The case required us to prove there was an action by the SoS which prevented us from filing – the combination of improper information of the requirements, as well as closing the offices on the last day (and lack of communication from them on re-opening) is what prevented the LPL from filing timely. Hence why we were granted the injunction.
In another comment on the same post, Richard Winger points out that
The Fifth Circuit opinion itself says the Dems & Reps didn’t file til Sep. 5. And, indeed, the Reps couldn’t have filed on Sep. 2, since they didn’t nominate for either pres or v-p until Sep. 3.
Fictional Reserve Banking
In Libertarian on September 28, 2008 at 11:31 pm
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From the desk of George Phillies
I suppose “zero’ is a fraction, but this is not what is usually meant by “fractional reserve banking”. Source is an LPMass member and attorney.
If this emergency bailout law passes.
12 USC sect. 461 defines the reserves that commercial banks (”depository institutions”) have to maintain.
http://uscode.law.cornell.edu/uscode/12/461.html#b
(b)(1)(A) defines “depository institution”, and (b)(2)(A) sets the reserve minimums. Long story short, commercial banks have to keep 3% reserve against “monetary policy” transactions up to $25 million, and between 8% and 14% (set by the Fed) on transactions above $25 million.
Now check the “Notes” for that section.
Pub. L. 109–351, title II, §§ 201–203, Oct. 13, 2006, §§ 201–203, 120 Stat. 1968,
provided that, effective Oct. 1, 2011, this section is amended— (1) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by striking “the ratio of 3 per centum” and inserting “a ratio of not greater than 3 percent (and which may be zero)” in clause (i) and by striking “and not less than 8 per centum,” and inserting “(and which may be zero),” in clause (ii).This amendment was scheduled to eliminate the reserve requirement entirely on 10/01/2011. I say “was”, because here’s this gem from the Emergency Act that Congress just published tonight:
SEC. 128. ACCELERATION OF EFFECTIVE DATE.
Section 203 of the Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2006 (12 U.S.C. 461 note) is amended by striking ‘‘October 1, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2008’’.In other words, the reserve requirements for commercial banks can be ZERO for ALL TRANSACTIONS as of this Thursday, if this monstrosity passes.
So…what do you think?
In Libertarian on September 28, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Not sure what to make of this. I have multiple copies sent to me by a whole bunch of people, but don’t know anything beyond what’s here. Anyone have a clue?
Oh, yeah, another thing: gas shortages all over the place, 1970s style.
Just how fucked are we? Your thoughts here, please.
Scotty Boman on Ron Paul Endorsing Chuck Baldwin
In Candidate Endorsement, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Politics, Ron Paul on September 27, 2008 at 11:55 pm
From the Miller Politics interview with Scotty Boman, the 2008 Libertarian candidate for Michigan US Senate.
Question: You say you are “running to further the Ron Paul/Libertarian ideals of Peace, Liberty, and Prosperity.” Recently the Libertarian presidential candidate, Bob Barr, has had a falling out with Rep. Paul and Paul has now endorsed Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party for President. What is your response to Paul’s endorsement of Baldwin over Barr?
Answer: My reflex reaction to this question was “No comment.”
I am a Libertarian Party candidate who has been a Ron Paul supporter since 1988. I am also a Libertarian candidate for United States Senate that has earned the support of many Chuck Baldwin supporters. So any answer I give could cost me supporters.
Nonetheless, I must comment; I didn’t get into politics to play it safe and avoid offending people. That’s what mainstream Democrats and Republicans do; stand for nothing to attract supporters who fall for anything.
I got into politics to support what I believe is the right kind of government, and to give people who share my political beliefs, a chance to vote their conscience. At the core of my philosophy of government, is the recognition that the initiation of force is a fundamental social evil born of irrationality. By “initiation of force” I am referring to acts and threats of violence or fraud that exceed what is necessary to protect oneself from the same.
The political application of this principal is to support laws and policies that maximize individual liberty, and minimize the victimization of people. The greatest potential victimizer is the government. To the extent that government is necessary, it must therefore be restrained. This is the libertarian philosophy.
The libertarian ideal of minimal government provides the best model for a prosperous, free, society: A community wherein people of different cultures, and diverse faiths can coexist. This way, even people who have irreconcilably different theologies, and personal moralities can live next door without the fear of sectarian violence.
On the Federal level, adherence to the Constitution with its Bill of Rights is essential to move in the direction of a free society. Without it I am not a candidate, and Ron Paul is not a Congressman.
I have been a Ron Paul supporter because his message is libertarian; Ron Paul being the messenger, is not the reason I support the message. Now he has endorsed a candidate who has previously endorsed him. Chuck Baldwin’s positions on most Federal issues are the same as those of Ron Paul, the Libertarian Party platform, and myself. Previously Dr. Paul refrained from endorsing any presidential candidate, in part due to his close relationship with the Libertarian Party. In fact, earlier that day Tom Lizardo told me Ron Paul would not endorse ANY candidate who was running against a nominated Republican. According to Paul’s blog, Bob Barr’s Snub tipped the scales. I understand the Congressman’s choice, but I will chose differently.
My November 4th vote only matters because it will be an expression of my beliefs. It will not plausibly choose the next president. By voting Libertarian, I won’t just be choosing a single candidate; I will be voting for the policies of minimal government. I will be voting for the Libertarian Parties Statement of Principles. I will be voting for the fine individuals (myself included) that were nominated to be presidential electors by the Libertarian Party of Michigan.
While our views on Federalism are very close, there are important difference between the Constitution Party (Taxpayers Party in Michigan), and Libertarian Party on the State level. Libertarians support maximizing individual liberty, at all jurisdictional levels: Federal, state, and local. As a federal candidate, I recognize and agree with the tenth amendment limits on the federal government. As a Libertarian, I would support less government intrusion at the state and local level.
In this age of tyranny it is vital that people of all faiths and backgrounds work together for their mutual liberty. The libertarian platform is one that supports religious freedom for all faiths. We wish to keep the tentacles of the state out of your church, temple or mosque.
Like Oktoberfest, only with tea
In Boston Tea Party, Charles Jay, Libertarian, Presidential Candidates, Thomas L. Knapp on September 27, 2008 at 6:48 pmPosted at Boston Tea Party website by Tom Knapp
Y’all,
The time period between now and the November 4th election is prime time for growing the party. Let’s give America some October surprises!
This week, our presidential candidate, Charles Jay, “got official” in two more states — Arizona and Montana. Not full ballot access, but write-in status. The activists in Arizona who decided to make that happen got it done in two days! “Favorite son” Barry Hess is the veep pick there. Expect to see some more write-in filings soon.
The presidential campaign also just invested in an advertising buy through Google ads, expressly aimed at party-building via an intro page on this site.
You can link to that intro page, too, of course, and we hope you will. For that matter, nobody’s going to stop you from throwing a little money into ad campaigns of your own to flog it!
Other upcoming stuff:
- I’ll be on-site (or, rather, as close as the Secret Service will let me get) in St. Louis, Missouri for the October 2nd “major party” vice-presidential debate. One of the party’s strongest supporters just sent me four marvelous “JAY-KNAPP — VOTE BOSTON TEA PARTY” signs to wave. They’re nice, big signs, too. We’re going to have a visible presence … if you’d like to be part of it, just show up and look for those signs!
- Charles Jay debates all the other presidential candidates who aren’t chicken on October 6th at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
- More media coming soon — I’ll get times, channels, etc. up as soon as they’re firm.
Yours in liberty,
Tom Knapp
Founder and 2008 Vice-Presidential Nominee
Boston Tea Party
Q&A with Bob Barr at Reason Magazine HQ
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Media, Politics on September 27, 2008 at 6:32 pm
On Friday, September 26 at Reason Magazine’s Washington DC Headquarters, Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr participated in the presidential debates with a live studio audience. Here, he makes his closing statement and fields questions from the audience; the moderator is reason Editor in Chief Matt Welch.
Bob Barr blog reports that
We are told that anywhere between 175 to 200 people were in attendance last night, that includes media.
Schansberg welcomes Sodrel and Hill to Jasper debate
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Local Politics, Politics, Press Release on September 27, 2008 at 4:16 pm
September 27, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dr. Eric Schansberg, the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 9th District, welcomed Mike Sodrel and Baron Hill to the debate in Jasper on October 21st. Schansberg committed to the debate in early September, just after the invitation was extended. Sodrel accepted the invitation on Wednesday. Hill jumped in on Friday, just meeting the debate committee’s deadline.
Schansberg said: “We’re looking forward to the opportunity to communicate with voters in the 9th District. It’s a shame that we only have one debate, but one is better than none. It’s too bad that it took so long to organize, but better late than never. And it’s unfortunate that it’s not a lot easier to set up a debate. We’d still like to see more opportunities—perhaps town hall meetings in places like Bloomington and Seymour, but that’s up to the other candidates. I love to talk about public policy—anytime, anywhere.”
On Hill’s late entrance, Schansberg speculated: “After Mike joined me on Wednesday, I think Baron had to jump in after that. On one hand, I don’t understand Baron’s sudden reluctance to debate—after so passionately calling for debates in 2006. On the other hand, given his answers to questions about gas prices, fiscal conservatism, Iraq, and so on—I can see why he’d want to avoid a debate.
For more information on the campaign, see: www.SchansbergForCongress.com
. To schedule an interview, contact Eric Schansberg at (812) 218-0443, Melanie Hughes at (502) 432-1930, or send an email to SchansbergForCongress@gmail.com.
Boston Tea Party Presidential candidate Charles Jay answers Obama-McCain debate questions
In Barack Obama, Boston Tea Party, Charles Jay, John McCain, Libertarian, Media, Politics, Presidential Candidates, Thomas L. Knapp on September 27, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Posted at cj08.com
(I wasn’t invited to Friday night’s presidential debate, but you knew I was going to weigh in anyway. My “participation” comes in the way of interspersing my responses into the actual text of the debate, which you will see below. All of those responses to the questions asked by moderator Jim Lehrer are in bold type. We ditched the rules for this one, and I used remarks in the rebuttal process as I felt were necessary; for the most part, since I had the advantage of being the last to answer, so to speak, I did single responses. This transcript is so long that it is being divided into two parts – the first is the part of the debate that explored financial issues, namely the bailout, which running mate Tom Knapp probably more accurately calls the “Ripoff”. The part that explores Iraq and foreign policy will come later on )
LEHRER: Good evening from the Ford Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Mississippi in Oxford. I’m Jim Lehrer of the NewsHour on PBS, and I welcome you to the first of the 2008 presidential debates between the Republican nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona, and the Democratic nominee, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois.
(And the Boston Tea Party nominee, Charles Jay)
The Commission on Presidential Debates is the sponsor of this event and the three other presidential and vice presidential debates coming in October.
Tonight’s will primarily be about foreign policy and national security, which, by definition, includes the global financial crisis. It will be divided roughly into nine-minute segments.
Direct exchanges between the candidates and moderator follow-ups are permitted after each candidate has two minutes to answer the lead question in an order determined by a coin toss.
The specific subjects and questions were chosen by me. They have not been shared or cleared with anyone.
The audience here in the hall has promised to remain silent, no cheers, no applause, no noise of any kind, except right now, as we welcome Senators Obama and McCain.
(APPLAUSE)
Let me begin with something General Eisenhower said in his 1952 presidential campaign. Quote, “We must achieve both security and solvency. In fact, the foundation of military strength is economic strength,” end quote.
With that in mind, the first lead question.
Libertarian Presidential candidate Bob Barr on the ‘debate that wasn’t’
In Barack Obama, John McCain, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Politics, Presidential Candidates, Press Release on September 27, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Writing in Huffington Post, Bob Barr says
There’s not a dime’s worth of difference between Senator McCain and Senator Obama. The viewers of this first presidential “debate” missed the opportunity for a true debate because the viewpoints I represent were not raised.
This was clearly a debate between big government and bigger government. The proposals for spending taxpayers’ hard-earned money for everything from bailing out Wall Street to bailing out Georgia (theirs, not ours) are simply irresponsible.
We, the United States, are living way beyond our means, and in this debate, there was not a single recognition–let alone an alarm cry–for the runaway spending of our government.
Barr denounces the “mad dash” to pass a trillion dollar “bailout” of Wall Street, calls for a Justice Department investigation of fraud and other criminal behavior at financial institutions, and stop the US from acting as the world’s policeman and occupying numerous foreign countries.
He concludes,
The debate tonight convinced me that neither McCain nor Obama want to, or can, change the direction of our country. With roughly 80 percent of all Americans saying our country is headed in the wrong direction, I am the only candidate who embodies their hope for true change.
The Washington establishment doesn’t want to face up to the challenges next administration will inherit. If you’re part of the 55 percent or more of voters who think the debates would be enriched by having me in them, let the news media know your feelings. The establishment will respond if public opinion is strongly in favor of my inclusion in the next two presidential debates.
Louisiana Libertarian Party appeals ruling that keeps Bob Barr off the ballot to U.S. Supreme Court
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on September 27, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Ballot Access News reports that on September 27, the Louisiana Libertarian Party filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking that Bob Barr be put back on the ballot. Previously, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana ruled that Barr’s filing fell within a three day grace period when the Secretary of State extended the deadline. The Secretary of State’s office was closed the week of the deadline, and some of the electors whose signature was needed for the paperwork were evacuated, due to Hurricane Gustav. Yesterday, the US Fifth District Appeals Court reversed that ruling.
Schansberg: “Are you kidding me?”
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on September 26, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Dr. Eric Schansberg, an economics professor and the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 9th District, responded to President Bush’s call for a $700 billion bail-out in the financial sector—and called on Rep. Baron Hill to resist the urge to vote in favor of it.
Asked about the bail-out, Dr. Schansberg said: “There are many reasons—large and small—to oppose the President’s proposal. To start with, it’s not constitutional. Beyond that, it’s not ethical. Why should the government take money from taxpayers to subsidize bad decisions by lenders and borrowers? Finally, it’s unlikely to be practical.”
Expanding on how the bail-out would work in practice, Schansberg said, “Why would we want to give money to those who have misused it? Why would one expect the federal government to do a good job with this? We should have never got involved with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. We shouldn’t have subsidized risky decisions. This is welfare for the rich and a bail-out for bankers.”
On the broader issue of bail-outs and fiscal conservatism, Schansberg said, “President Bush and his Congresses have been spending money like it grows on trees: $300 billion for a farm bill, $168 billion to try to bail-out the economy, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, etc. The list goes on and on. Unfortunately, the patience of lenders financing our expanding debt will not go on and on. The dollar has already taken a beating, resulting most notably in much higher gas prices. We must return to fiscal sanity or we risk driving our economy into a ditch. $700 billion? Are you kidding me?”
Referring to Rep. Hill, Schansberg said, “Baron’s claim to be a fiscal conservative is simply not supported by the evidence
. But in this case, he has the opportunity to be a fiscal conservative on this one vote—by voting against any such proposal. I hope he will show leadership and courage on this issue.”
For more information on the campaign, see: www.SchansbergForCongress.com
. To schedule an interview, contact Eric Schansberg at (812) 218-0443, Melanie Hughes at (502) 432-1930, or send an email to SchansbergForCongress@gmail.com.
Bob Barr’s contribution top $1 million
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on September 26, 2008 at 9:17 pm
The contribution countdown ticker at BobBarr2008.com has topped $1 million for the first time.
This caps off what deputy campaign manager Shane Cory describes as a wild week
Earlier this week, we received word that our case in Texas — where both John McCain and Barack Obama failed to certify their place on the ballot by the deadline — was denied.
The Texas Supreme Court denied it without comment. The order simply read, “The following petition for Writ of Mandamus is denied.”
The court did not even bother to make an argument as to why it’s acceptable for the two major parties to ignore the law.
If that’s not evidence of a double standard, I’m not sure what is.
Given our limited financial resources and limited time, we cannot appeal the decision at this time.
But here’s some great news!
Earlier this week, we won our substitution case in Massachusetts and will be on the ballot in the Bay State.
The following day, word came out of Baton Rouge that we won our case in Louisiana and will be on the ballot there as well!
We’re now on the ballot in 46 states and are awaiting word and action in Maine, Connecticut and Oklahoma.
Cory goes on to describe the future plans of the campaign:
Today, we’re kicking off our radio campaign in targeted states! Click here to listen to the first ad.
Next week, we begin our national television campaign.
We’re getting a heck of a deal on our radio spots and paying about $2 per spot.
Barr has recently published pieces asking to be included in the bailout discussions, as well as an op-ed in USA today asking to be included in the debates. He has called on the bailout to be rejected and offered to take McCain’s place in a debate with Obama.
If Obama does not accept, Barr will appear tonight in a live “counter-debate” at Reason magazine:
Please join reason, either in person or online, for a live counter-debate on Friday, Sept. 26, with Libertarian Party nominee Bob Barr, who will respond to John McCain, Barack Obama and moderator Jim Lehrer in real time. We will be live-blogging Barr’s responses at Hit & Run, and videotaping the whole proceedings, which will include a brief post-debate Q&A with reason staffers, bloggers, and other interested parties. The fun begins at 8:00 PM, the debate starts at 9:00 sharp, and the drinks will be provided by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. In a year rich with libertarian politics, the only place you’ll hear a candidate talking libertarian ideas will be in reason’s Washington headquarters.
What: Bob Barr debates the presidential debaters
When: Friday, September 26, 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM
Where: Reason HQ, 1747 Connecticut Avenue NW (near S Street)
RSVPs: A must. Send e-mail to events@reason.com, or call 310.391.2245.
Bob Barr removed from Louisiana ballot
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on September 26, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Posted at Ballot Access News
On September 26, the 5th Circuit removed Bob Barr from the Louisiana ballot. The three judges were Carolyn King (a Carter appointee from Texas), James Dennis (a Clinton appointee from Louisiana), and Priscilla Owen (a Bush Jr. appointee from Texas). The action was taken without any hearing. The case is Libertarian Party et al v Dardenne, 08-30922. Technically, the ruling only stays the decision of the U.S. District Court, and a ruling on declaratory relief will be held after the election.
The five-page order says that the state will suffer irreparable injury if the stay is not granted. That irreparable injury is that “absentee voters in the military and overseas will receive two ballots with different candidates, with a resulting likelihood of confusion and duplicate voting.” The ruling also says, “We recognize that the stay will inflict harm on the Libertarian Party, but we believe that the harm may well be of their own making.” The party has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the stay.
This brings Barr back down to 45 state ballot access, one state short of Ron Paul in 1988 and Ralph Nader this year. However, he still has court cases in Maine and Oklahoma, and a recount challenging the Connecticut Secretary of State’s determination that the Libertarian Party petition did not have enough valid signatures is underway.
Latest George Phillies media appearances
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on September 26, 2008 at 9:09 pm
George Phillies, a Libertarian Presidential candidate currently on the ballot in NH, will be on TV — broadcast is Sunday
George Phillies interviewed by Todd Andrew Barnett and James Landrith 6PM Friday
http://www.nowlive.com/libertycaptalklive
In the eighty-eighth episode, Todd and Jim asks panelists LP presidential candidate George Phillies, LP activist Lidia Seebeck and her husband blogger Michael Seebeck, and The Liberty Conspiracy talk radio show host Gardner Goldsmith on topics such as Gard’s firing from 107.7 WPTL The Pulse, Bob Barr’s declining candidacy, the fall of the LP, the domestic and worldwide financial crisis (including the bailouts), and the never-ending McCain/Obama saga. In the second half of the second hour, Todd and Jim talk about AP News of the Day.
Reason.com to livestream Bob Barr debate commentary
In Libertarian, Media, Politics on September 26, 2008 at 9:01 pmReason.com to livestream Bob Barr debate commentary:
http://reason.com/blog/show/129069.html
For those who can’t make it to the Bob Barr event in reason’s DC HQ tonight, we’ll be experimenting with a live stream online. The stream will go live at http://www.mogulus.com/reason at 8:55 [pm Eastern time] with Bob Barr answering debate questions in real time. Comments will be enabled on the streaming site, so you can participate in the festivities no matter where you are.
Michigan Libertarians: Don’t bail out the bankers, throw out the incumbents
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Politics on September 26, 2008 at 8:59 pm
DON’T BAIL OUT (THE BANKERS); THROW OUT (THE INCUMBENTS)
9/26/08
CONTACT: Libertarian Party of Michigan Chair Bill Hall, 616-460-9516 or Media Coordinator Mark Norrod, 616-902-0086
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE ISSUED BY ALL 16 LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF MICHIGAN CANDIDATES FOR US CONGRESS –
Scotty Boman US Senate; Daniel W Grow, US House District 1; Dan Johnson, District 2;
Erwin J Haas, District 3; Allitta Hren, District 4; Leonard Schwartz, District 5; Greg Merle, District 6; Kenneth Proctor, District 7; Will Tyler White, District 8; Adam Goodman, District 9; Neil Kiernan Stephenson, District 10; John J Tatar, District 11; John Vico, District 12; Greg Creswell, District 13; Rick Secula, District 14; Gregory Scott Stempfle, District 15
Libertarian Scotty Boman, candidate for U.S. Senate, joined Michigan’s candidates for all 15 U.S. House of Representative seats to renounce the proposed financial bail out of the mortgage banking system. “These problems were caused by the Republican and Democratic politicians in DC and the Federal Reserve!” Boman continued, “They created the government monopolies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They required them to insure no-money-down loans at artificially low rates to people without the ability to pay them back. They inflated the money supply, driving down interest rates, and artificially inflating home and asset values. Giving the same incompetent government regulators even more control over the market would be insane.”
Leonard Schwartz, US House candidate for Michigan’s 5th District expressed similar outrage. He summarized the situation, “These firms made loans, which is naturally a risky business. They made a lot of money on most of those loans. Now they want us to pay for the ones that went bad. This situation is the same as if a casino wanted to keep all the wagers they won, but wanted taxpayers to cover all their payouts.”
“Their proposals are simply wrong,” stated Daniel Grow, 1st District candidate for U.S. Congress. “Banking is already highly regulated.” Mentioning the Securities and Exchange Commission, the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and prosecutions by the US Department of Justice, Grow added, “Loose monetary policy and efforts to expand home ownership caused this crisis, and further regulation will not fix anything.” Attacking the bail-out proposals, Grow said, “Pumping in more money will at best only temporarily delay necessary adjustments, ultimately bringing a worse crisis, and is a thinly veiled effort to seek short-term political gain.”
Dan Johnson, candidate for the 2nd District, declared, “It is us hard-working Americans who work, save to buy a home, and pay our bills who are being asked to mortgage not only our future, but our children’s and grandchildren’s future to pay for this. We need to stop this now, and we need to elect a Libertarian Congress in November. Otherwise, we risk further federal manipulation of our economy, which will ultimately fail and drive us into a deeper and longer depression than will occur naturally without further manipulation. Should this bailout go through, we will have handed the inmates the keys to the asylum.”
Scotty Boman offered this proposal: “The fastest way out of this mess is to free those hard-working Americans who have demonstrated they are responsible with their finances to continue to work hard, invest in our economy, and create jobs. We must not tax, regulate and penalize them to bail out those on Wall Street and Main Street who have demonstrated they are not responsible, and will likely do the same thing again, and expect yet another bail out.”
Libertarian Mike Munger in historic WUNC-TV gubernatorial debate
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Local Politics, Media, Politics on September 25, 2008 at 7:20 pmRALEIGH (Sept. 26) — For the first time in modern North Carolina history, a gubernatorial debate included a third party candidate. Libertarian Mike Munger appeared last night with Republican Pat McCrory on WUNC-TV.
The third candidate in the race, Democrat Beverly Perdue, declined to participate.
Munger thanked both WUNC-TV and McCrory for making this event possible. “A simple respect for the democratic process requires that all views to be heard,” he said. “The fact that we are both here tonight shows that neither one of us is afraid of making sure all views are presented to the public.
The debate was friendly, even when the candidates disagreed, and peppered with Munger’s usual quips.
Munger called the calls for off-shore drilling “a gimmick” that will only produce a “drop in the ocean of oil.”
He characterized as “economic prostitution” incentives used to lure businesses to North Carolina . “A business that comes to North Carolina for money will leave North Carolina for money,” he said.
In addressing construction of large, new buildings for schools and other public facilities, Munger said “I’m a political scientist; I know the technical term for this: BSOs – Big Shiny Objects.”
Both he and McCrory hit hard at the secrecy and corruption rampant in state government. “We have a play-to-pay system. We sell legislation and auction off public policy,” Munger said. He pledged to bring openness to government saying “Sunshine is the best disinfectant.”
When asked about the problems with the mental health system overhaul, Munger quipped, “It didn’t look like an overhaul to me. It looked more like a frat party. There was no unaccountability and no oversight.”
The use of the governor’s veto power is “like spanking your child: It means you’re a bad parent, that you haven’t successfully used all of the things that should come before that. Now maybe it sometimes still happens, but it really means it’s a failure for you, and it’s a failure for the child.”
Even though Perdue was absent, her name did come up during the debate, particularly during the discussion on education.
“Bev said she did not want to have all the same paradigms but she also said the governor is responsible for education,” Munger pointed out. “Why aren’t parents responsible for education?”
The sharpest difference between Munger and McCrory came on the issue of the death penalty. Munger said unequivocally he would commute the sentences of all prisoners on death row to life in prison without parole.
“I don’t think we have any business with the government killing our citizens,” he said. Munger believes the death penalty is administered unfairly. “Punishment shouldn’t depend on the color of your skin or how much money you have to pay a lawyer,” he said.
McCrory would immediately resume executions because “it was the people who said this person tragically deserves death as a result of the horrendous crime they committed …”
In closing, Munger addressed the myth that voting for a third party is a wasted vote. One vote does not decide an election, but it can send a signal, he said.
“Unless you have Jedi powers, you’re not going to be able to control the way other people vote,” he said. “You have one precious vote. Your decision on how to cast it will send a signal to our leaders in Raleigh.”
WUNC-TV will air a second gubernatorial debate Oct. 8. Perdue has also declined to participate in this event. Munger will participate in the final debate Oct. 15. It is sponsored WSOC-TV, WTVI CHARLOTTE and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg League of Women Voters. Perdue has accepted this invitation.
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___________________________________________________________________________________________
LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF NORTH CAROLINA
PO Box 28141 Raleigh NC 27611 * 877.843.5762 * www.LPNC.org
Brian Irving, Communications Director, 919.538.4548
Bob Barr on American Morning
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Media, Politics on September 25, 2008 at 7:16 pm
via Bob Barr blog
Bear with us: another proposed petition about the bailout
In Libertarian on September 25, 2008 at 12:08 pm
This is a proposed petition. You can suggest draft changes at Brad Spangler’s blog.
To President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin of the Russian Federation,
Thank you for the opportunity to address you in this petition.
The Russian News and Information Agency (RIA Novosti) recently published an opinion article written by British historian and political analyst John Laughland. Laughland suggested that the Russian government consider making the rouble convertible into gold. The article can be found here:
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20080924/117072937.html
We ask that you please consider Laughland’s proposal.
All factions of the political leadership of the United States government appear determined to wreck the value of the U.S. dollar. We are not optimistic that U.S. political leaders will adopt a wise monetary policy. Not only is this bad for the people of the United States, but because the U.S. dollar is so widely used it is bad for the people of the world.
We believe the Russian government has an opportunity to provide stability for the world economy during this time of crisis created by the U.S. government. We believe potential Russian adoption of a gold standard supports such efforts.
We ask this also on behalf of our own selves and all Americans who truly wish to prosper. You will recall, gentlemen, that the U.S. dollar once served as a stable currency for the informal economy in the Soviet Union. You may recall that this so-called “black market” did perhaps more to make life bearable for the ordinary Russian than the official economy did. We ask that the Russian government now return the favor by adopting a gold standard, creating a currency that can undisputably be trusted within the U.S. informal economy that must grow as the emerging U.S. police state grows in power.
Most urgent private message
In Children, Corruption, Crazy Claims, Economics, Fraud, Human Rights Abuses, Humor, Lies and the lying liars who tell them, Media, People in the news, Personal Responsibility, Politics, Taxation, Terrorism, US Government on September 25, 2008 at 1:00 am
Dear American:
I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.
I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had a crisis that has caused the need for a large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.
I am working with Mr. Franklin Raines, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. You may know him as the Chief Economic Advisor for Senator Obama’s presidential campaign, and the former head of Fannie Mae from 1999 to 2006.
Let me assure you that this transaction is 100% safe. Mr. Raines is completely trustworthy with your money. His record speaks for itself.
This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of friend so the funds can be transferred. Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to wallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.
Yours Faithfully
Henry “Hank” Paulson
Minister of Treasury
First State Chairman of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire
In Candidate Endorsement, Chris Bennett, George Phillies, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Local Politics, Politics, Press Release on September 24, 2008 at 10:57 amSTATEMENT BY ARTHUR W. KETCHEN
I want to announce my full and unequivocal support for the candidacy of George Phillies for President of The United States and Christopher Bennett for Vice President of The United States. For this is the only real Libertarian ticket for those offices on the ballot anywhere.
For Bob Barr, the choice of the Libertarian National Convention, is in point of fact anything but a Libertarian. Barr is a state’s rights advocate, where any real Libertarian is an individual rights advocate
who recognizes that “states rights” come a very far distant second, conditional upon how absolutely individual rights are upheld in any given state. Barr favors one religion over others,ignoring the
fundamental truth that if you lay your life on the line for this nation in the United States armed forces you have a right to observe the religion of your choice in those armed forces. An American is an
American, regardless of religious creed! And furthermore, if we are to acheive the ideal of limited government,we must end the nefarious cult of religious “leaders” giving blessing to the state, and the state favoring any one religion. In his inability to recognize the above truths and in his equivocation on questions that should have a clear answer Bob Barr still talks like the Republicrats. Indeed the cause of truth would be better served if Bob Barr ran as the candidate of the Know Nothing Party than the Libertarian Party.In choosing Barr, or even considering him the Libertarian National Convention majority betrayed the Party Of Principle which I and other members of the first National Convention in Denver founded in 1972. And the 2008 Libertarian National Convention also attempted to deny the American people a choice at the polls.
But in New Hampshire there is a choice. In November citizens can vote for George Phillies for President and Chris Bennett for Vice President. For the Phillies/Bennett ticket stands for clear consistent choice. George Phillies and Chris Bennett know full well that you cannot have economic freedom without civil liberty, that social freedom and a free market are inseparable. That a house divided against itself cannot stand!
If you are a Libertarian and planned on voting Libertarian in any event in November I urge you to vote Phillies/Bennett. Your vote will count for it will send a message to LP National and the state organizations that you want Libertarians running as Libertarians, not the hand me down failures from the Republicrats with their tired theocratic/socialist myths and lies.
If you are not yet a Libertarian this current economic mess should make you one. And if you perceive rightly that voting for the Republican and Democratic candidates is indeed a vote thrown away, then I urge you to vote Phillies/Bennett for that is a vote for the future if America is to have one! We have no where to go but up!
Arthur W. Ketchen
New Hampshire Delegate to the 1972 Libertarian National Convention
First State Chairman of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire
Bob Barr loses Texas lawsuit to knock McCain, Obama off the ballot
In Barack Obama, Courts and Justice System, Democrats, John McCain, Law, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Politics, Presidential Candidates, Republican on September 23, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Posted at Bob Barr blog
The Texas Supreme Court has ruled against us:
The Texas Supreme Court, without comment, just denied Libertarian presidential candidate’s Bob Barr attempt to keep the names John McCain and Barack Obama off the state’s November ballot.
Mr. Barr, a former GOP congressman from Georgia, had argued in legal briefs that both major parties had busted the state’s Aug. 26 deadline for certifying their presidential candidates as they would appear on the Texas ballot. Neither McCain nor Obama had been officially nominated by their party conventions by the deadline. And Sarah Palin hadn’t even been added to the GOP ticket.
But the Democratic and Republican state parties had filed official documents with the Secretary of State stating their presumed presidential candidates. The Democrats threw in Joe Biden’s name and the Republicans said they would report back with the name of their vice presidential contender, which they did.Apparently, the Supreme Court felt that was sufficient, especially in light of the catastrophic alientation of voters if neither of the major party candidates could appear on the November ballot.
No one cares about alienation of voters when it is a Libertarian Party candidate who is kept off the ballot due to restrictive ballot access laws authored by Republicans and Democrats.
I will have a copy of the decision shortly.
Boston Tea Party comments on Libertarian National Committee meeting
In Boston Tea Party, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Libertarian Politics 2008, Media, People in the news, Politics, Press Release on September 7, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Press Release
“Libertarian National Committee Goes on Witch Hunt”
The Libertarian National Committee spent almost 2 hours in executive session today condemning Angela Keaton for making supposed sexist statements about 2 national committee staff members. Ms. Keaton will publicly apologize for making such statements. Mr. Redpath has been trying to remove Ms. Keaton from the national committee for a long time now but was unable to do it this time. He will keep trying. Redpath has made it known that he will do anything he can to remove any of the people
who align themselves against the reform caucus.
Meanwhile those same people will not address the situation of Tom Stevens. He is a Presidential Contender on at least 2 state ballots: Florida and Colorado and aspires to be on others. Tom Stevens is the head of a competing political party known as the “Objectivist Party” The Objectivist
Party was formed by Thomas R. Stevens in February 2008. Tom Stevens is a long time NY Libertarian Party activist.Contrary to the best interest of the Libertarian Party Mr. Stevens is currently serving on the National Libertarian Party’s Judicial Committee, The New York Libertarian Party State Executive Committee and the Queens County Libertarian Party Executive Committee. He is also serving as a New York Presidential Elector for Libertarian Party Candidate Bob Barr.
He continually says he is Bob Barr’s opponent so he can get Mr. Barr more votes. Besides being ludicrous, such actions are a violation of Florida law.
And the man continues to hold important positions in the Libertarian Party, The Libertarian National committee continues to refuse to do anything about it while persecuting an overly friendly but harmless woman.
Bill Redpath and the other officers of the National Libertarian Party should be removed forthrightly before they take the Libertarian Party into the gutter and into oblivion.
As a 34 year activist for the Libertarian Party I had to leave the Libertarian Party because of these people. I now have taken up direct opposition to them by becoming the Florida Favorite son “vice presidential candidate” for the budding “Boston Tea Party,” which is the replacement of the once “Party of Principle” and the only political party with 2 libertarian candidates on the national ballot.
Thank You,
John Wayne Smith, Chair
Boston Tea Party of Florida
http://www.bostontea.us
2008 Vice Presidential Candidate for the Florida Boston Tea Party
CEO, 1000 Planets, Inc.
Building a Private Road to the Stars!
Http://www.1000Planets.com
203 W. Magnolia St.
Leesburg Florida 34748
Dear Libertarian, help us with our convention!
In Libertarian, Libertarian Convention, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics 2008, Politics on September 2, 2008 at 11:39 pmFrom the Libertarian Party:
Dear Libertarian,
The Libertarian National Committee will soon be deciding on a location for our 2010 national convention. It will most likely be held during the Independence Day weekend, over two-and-a-half days in the window of July 1-5.
If you have never attended a national convention before, it is something you do not want to miss.
Several locations have been put forth as possible venues, and the Convention Oversight Committee would like to know your preferences. Since we have been in Denver and Portland recently, a site in the east would provide some desirable balance.
Please take a quick moment to fill out this very brief survey
to share with us your thoughts about some possible convention sites.
Thank you for your input!
Admiral Michael C. Colley
Chair, Convention Oversight Committee
Libertarian National Committee
One of the options in this survey is on board a cruise ship departing from Ft. Lauterdale. This would make the cruise fee mandatory for attendance and require a passport, since cruises are required by law to make an international stop.
Better Websites for LP Candidates
In Libertarian Party-US, Politics on August 24, 2008 at 3:56 amHe reviews several LP candidate websites, including a couple of current and former LFV writers, pointing out the good and bad aspects of their website presence from a political advertising viewpoint, and provides a number of general purpose tips.
The following is an excerpt; the full post contains what appears to be a commercial for the author’s potential web design and management services.
I would recommend current and prospective candidates visit the original article to get an idea of what such services cost, regardless of whether they end up employing the author or a competitor.
While doing research for Libertarian Party Candidates earlier this month, I noticed that most of the more than 550 LP candidates running this year do not have websites. And of those who do, few are effective. By effective I mean:
Effective Candidate Websites are
- professional-looking and aren’t straight out of 1995.
- highly readable: good-looking large fonts and plenty of white space. Not overly “busy”.
- well-organized: clear navigation. Put the important information on the front page.
- interactive: the candidate communicates regularly and visitors can leave comments.
- easy to remember: a short domain with the candidates’s name and desired office.
Why are Candidate Websites Important?
Good candidate websites are critical! A website doesn’t cost much and once it’s created, it doesn’t require much work to maintain it. But it has a wide reach and can be a fantastic resource for press and bloggers who want to write about you. Without a website, your candidacy may as well not exist, but if you do it right – investing some thought and creativity – the impact can be breathtaking.
The Political Newbie who Raised $100,000 with his Website
Take the case of political novice and Democratic candidate for Kansas State House Sean Tevis, who produced a brilliant cartoon about running for office. Interest generated by Internet visitors resulted in $100,000 in contributions and positive nationwide press. Imagine if you could get these kinds of results from your website.
Let’s take a look at some LP candidate websites, what they got right and where they went wrong.
Latest Boston Tea Party endorsements, organizational news
In Chris Bennett, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Local Politics, Politics on August 13, 2008 at 11:43 amLatest affiliates and endorsements from the Boston Tea Party
New news at the top 12 August 2008 The Boston Tea Party’s national committee has voted to endorse Tom Knapp for Congress in Missouri. Tom represents the Libertarian Party in that race. Our Indiana affiliate has voted to endorse Rex Bell in Indiana.
10 August 2008 Our ranks continue to swell. We now have 222 members on this site, 276 on our main Facebook group. We added a Kansas group to our set of affiliate groups on Facebook. http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=27131827190
Invite your friends to join the party today!
8 August 2007 The Boston Tea Party national committee has unanimously endorsed George Phillies for president of the United States and Chris Bennett for vice president in the states of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, where the two are on the ballot representing the Libertarian Party. The vote was six in favor with one not voting (Chris Bennett is an at-large member of the Boston Tea Party’s national committee and chose not to vote given his conflict of interest in the result).
Commenting on the news, Boston Tea Party chair Jim Davidson said, “We nominated Charles Jay and Tom Knapp for the offices of president and vice president of the United States because we did not find the nominees of the Libertarian Party to be suitable. We did not do so because we have any essential objection to the Libertarian Party, nor to many of the fine people working within it. We did so because we wanted a libertarian candidate to be on the ballot. Obviously, we don’t have time to get our candidates on the ballot in every state. So, we were especially gratified to learn that actual libertarians who favor smaller government on all issues and at all levels are on the ballot in New Hampshire and in Massachusetts.”
Charles Jay may qualify as a write-in candidate in either state for those Boston Tea Party enthusiasts for whom there are no substitutes. New Hampshire has officially declared that George Phillies will be on its ballot, and unless a lawsuit brought by the ACLU changes things in Massachusetts, George and Chris are also on the ballot there. While it is clear that neither Charles nor George is going to be president at the beginning of next year, it is essential that there be presidential candidates to carry the message of libertarian values to the American people in this election year. The national committee of the Boston Tea Party regards it as excellent news that there happen to be two presidential candidates qualified to carry that message this year.
7 August 2008 BTP at-large representative Chris Bennett has accepted the request of George Phillies to be his running mate in New Hampshire. The national committee is considering an endorsement for the two in NH and Massachusetts, where they’ll be on the ballot.
29 July 2008 Good news everybody! We’re officially a party in Florida, so members there can register to vote as Boston Tea Party-goers. We have a team in Florida putting together electors for the ballot application there. The same is true in Tennessee and in Louisiana. The Jay campaign is raising funds for ballot access work in other states – visit CJ08.com for details.
We have affiliates forming in several states. If your state isn’t listed on our contact page, please contact the chairman for help in forming one! We now have over 200 members on this site and nearly 250 members on our Facebook group.
Deadline for Barr extended in Maine
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Local Politics, Politics, Presidential Candidates on August 13, 2008 at 2:20 am
Earlier, we reported that Bob Barr had missed the deadline to be on the Maine ballot. The signatures were due in to town clerks by August 8, and the LP had failed to submit enough signatures on time. However, Ballot Access News has updated its entry.
UPDATE: It appears that the Maine town and county clerks are using their discretionary powers and are accepting the slightly late filing by the LP. The actual state deadline is August 15, so the petitions will still meet that more important deadline.
The Barr campaign petitions now have 5,520 signatures, which should be enough to make the 4,000 valid requirement.
Thanks to Eric Garris for this news.
Barr misses Maine deadline
In Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Politics on August 12, 2008 at 11:17 am
Also posted at Independent Political Report
Hot on the heels of the failure in West Virginia (additional discussion at Ballot Access News and Last Free Voice), Ballot Access News reports:
On the deadline date of August 8, Bob Barr submitted a total of 3,200 signatures to various town and city clerks in Maine. State law requires 4,000 valid signatures to get on the ballot.
Over the weekend, petitioners obtained another 2,000 signatures, which they had hoped to turn in to the clerks on Monday. The signatures are not due at the Secretary of State’s office until Aug. 15. If the local clerks choose to take the late signatures, Barr could still qualify, since the additional signatures would potentially give him 5,200 total.
If the officials fail to accept and certify the late signatures, LP officials plan to go to court.
Maine joins Oklahoma, Massachusetts and West Virginia among states which the Barr campaign is suing to be on the ballot. The Barr campaign also raced to the deadline in Connecticut, as well as in New Hampshire, where the LP failed to qualify in 2004 and 2006 and where George Phillies will be on the ballot either alongside or instead of Bob Barr as a Libertarian Presidential candidate. The results of the last-minute pushes in Connecticut and New Hampshire are forthcoming.
Another possible concern for the campaign is the District of Columbia, which pre-nomination LP ballot access plans had written off (along with West Virginia and Oklahoma). According to the chart at Ballot Access News, with a week left to go, DC reports only 300 signatures gathered for Barr. Although the District requires only 3,883 valid signatures, petitioning in the district is made more difficult than in other places because non-DC residents make up a substantial portion of the DC workforce and nightlife, and because of the high prevalence of tourists, people who are disqualified (or believe they are disqualified) from voting by reason of a criminal record, and those who are not (or believe they are not) allowed to sign petitions because of their government job.
The LP has been on the ballot in 48 states or more plus DC in every election since 1992.
LPKY repudiates Landham again
In Activism, Celebrities, Crazy Claims, Iran, Iraq War, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Middle East, Minorities, People in the news, Police State, Politics, Protest, Terrorism, War on August 5, 2008 at 2:36 amPolitickerKY reports that Sonny Landham, the controversial Kentucky candidate who advocates economic nationalization, culture wars, and the use of a tax-funded military to conduct a war of genocide so that the US can appropriate other people’s oil, has been repudiated by the LP a second time. It appears that Sonny Landham will not be on the ballot at all this year.
For anyone who is not familiar with this story, Independent Political Report previously covered it here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Many of the same Landham stories, and a few others, received additional comments at Last Free Voice:
Worst candidate actually on the ballot this year?
Todd Andrew Barnett condemns LP Senate candidate Sonny Landham for anti-Arab remarks
Letters from LFV mailbag: Gene Trosper on Sonny Landham
Lance Brown launches petition re Sonny Landham’s racist remarks
LPKY: Landham “not on the ballot yet, and we control ballot access”
Libertarians drop Sonny Landham
Sonny Landham: the floater that just won’t stay flushed
LPKY withdraws support from Landham
Landham: back on the LP ballot line?
The PolitickerKY story:
An effort to re-nominate former actor Sonny Landham as the Libertarian Party of Kentucky’s U.S. Senate candidate was rejected by a vote of the party’s executive committee, chairman Ken Moellman told PolitickerKY.com today.
“The motion to put Sonny back on failed,” said Moellman. “At this point, it appears he will not be our candidate.”
After a month as the prospective Libertarian candidate, Landham was stripped of the party’s support after he made a string of anti-Arab comments topped by what could be interpretted as advocacy for a potential Arab genocide.
The Party’s executive committee initially voted unanimously to withdraw Landham’s nomination on July 28, after earlier launching a petitioning campaign to gain ballot access for both Landham and Libertarian presidential nominee and former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr, of Georgia. That campaign gained 7,700 signatures, according to Moellman, which is more than required for ballot access.
After losing the nomination, Landham said he would continue as an independent candidate, but it became clear he would have to collect 5,000 “original” petition signatures for ballot access – a task deemed “impossible” by Moellman, given the limited time window.
The vote to re-nominate Landham as a Libertarian came about because Moellman said it was not the party’s goal to kick Landham off the ballot entirely when removing their nomination.
“There are other factors involved here. It’s more for the third party and independent movement in general,” said Moellman during an appearance last week on the Weekly Filibuster radio program. “While that is not directly related to the LP, we have some concerns in that regard.”
Still, the Party’s executive committee ultimately did not embrace those factors, rejecting the efforts to renew Landham’s ballot slot.
Moellman said the second vote came after the party received comments about Landham’s candidacy from across the country after his controversial remarks about Arabs. A “majority” of the feedback was received from outside of the state, and Moellman said “100 percent” of that communication was opposed to Landham.
From within the state, Moellman indicated responses were “pretty minimal,” noting 60 percent of them were against Landham’s continued candidacy as a Libertarian, with 40 percent supporting Landham. Moellman noted that those Kentuckians contacting the party were largely not Libertarian Party members.
With petitions for ballot access due in to the Secretary of State’s office by August 12, the Libertarians are armed with signatures but no Senate candidate.
Moellman said the party was investigating their legal options and the possibility of replacing Landham, though early indications from the Secretary of State’s office were that the signatures could not be applied to another candidate.
Landham did not return requests for comment.
LibertarianPartyCandidates.US tracks races all over the country
In Libertarian Party-US on August 5, 2008 at 1:40 amI’ve previously listed the LP candidates here, here, here and here. Now, George Donnelly has turned this list into its own website with graphics and continuous updating. George explains:
An Effort to List all LP Candidates
We Libertarians need to know how many candidates we’re fielding for office. Which states are fielding full slates? no slates? Who are the candidates, what do they look like, what is their history, what are their positions and motivations?
This is all very basic but, before Libertarian Party Candidates (LPC), you could not find all this information in one place.
It’s important to see how well (or poorly) we Libertarians are doing at challenging the Republicrat duopoly at the ballot box. Hopefully LPC will serve as a measuring stick and as an incentive to run more and better candidates in 2010, 2012 and beyond.
Background
When Paulie pointed out in July of 2008 that LP.org doesn’t list all the Libertarian Party candidates running for office, it piqued my interest. How can we expect people to support and vote for Libertarian candidates if they don’t even know who they are – or even that they exist?
So, after chatting with Paulie, I decided that Libertarians might like a website where they can find all LP candidates in one convenient place.
Thanks to Paulie, the state parties and others that have collected the raw information presented here. All I did was design the site and enter the data.
Future Years
The site was built in a hurry during my spare time in the last couple weeks of July 2008, but I plan to significantly improve it for 2010 and beyond. Your sugestions and comments will help make that a reality.
Please Share your Feedback
Please feel free to contact me, George Donnelly, at me@georgedonnelly.com with any suggestions, ideas, complaints or whatever. I’m open to developing the project in new directions. I’m also interested in other strategies to advance the cause of liberty.
According to the site, the LP is running
* 15 for US Senate
* 109 for US House
* 5 for State Governor
* 4 for State Lt. Governor
* 1 for State Treasurer
* 3 for State Attorney General
* 2 for State Auditor
* 22 for Other State Offices
* 42 for State Senates
* 216 for State Houses
* 3 for Local Executives
* 26 for Local Legislatures
* 6 for Judge
* 12 for Sherriff or Constable
* 78 for Other Local Offices
* 546 Total LP candidates
West Virginia Libertarian petition reportedly fails
In Green Party, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Politics on August 1, 2008 at 2:28 am
According to a field report by one of the Libertarian petitioners on the ground in West Virginia, as of tonight’s final turn-in of signatures by petitioners to the campaign, the LP gathered only around 12,000 raw signatures, falling short of the 15,118 required by state law. While additional signatures would be required to survive a challenge, the bare minimum required by law would have been enough if there was no challenge.
Richard Winger reports in Ballot Access News, “No other state is like Illinois, where even a petition with a number of signatures below the legal minimum is sufficient if no one challenges”.
If this field report is accurate, it would mean that Bob Barr can be on the ballot in at most 48 states, unless he wins his lawsuit in Oklahoma.
The Nader and Constitution Party petitions appear to have enough signatures, and the Green Party is on the ballot through its affiliate, the Mountain Party.
In another post at BAN, Richard Winger writes:
West Virginia and North Carolina are tied for having the nation’s second-highest presidential petition requirements (each requires a petition of 2% of the last vote in a presidential election year). Only Oklahoma is worse, at 3% of the last presidential vote.
Both the Libertarian and Constitution Parties are making a massive effort to finish their West Virginia petitions, which are due August 1. This newspaper story about the Libertarian petition says 40 to 50 circulators are working in the state. The story doesn’t feature the Constitution Party, but it also has many circulators in the state this week.
West Virginia was one of 4 states in which Ron Paul didn’t get on the ballot in 1988, when he was the Libertarian nominee. The Constitution Party has never been on the West Virginia ballot for president, but the party has more organizational strength now than it has ever had. In 2000, its presidential nominee, Howard Phillips, was only credited with 23 write-ins in West Virginia, but its 2004 presidential candidate, Michael Peroutka, was credited with 82 write-ins in West Virginia.
Nader did his West Virginia 2008 petition earlier in the year, collecting 30,000 signatures, double the requirement. The Green Party’s affiliate in West Virginia, the Mountain Party, has been ballot-qualified starting in 2000.
I’m a whore and a glory hole slut
In Civil Liberties, Constitutional Rights, Corruption, Crazy Claims, Crime, Economics, Entertainment, First Amendment, Green Party, Humor, Law, Libertarian, Libertarian Convention, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Libertarian Politics 2008, Politics, US Government on August 1, 2008 at 12:24 am— In lpradicals@yahoogroups.com, “Rachel Hawkridge” wrote:
Last nite, I was reading one of the blogs, and someone called paulie a whore for helping to get Barr on the ballot, when he’s not a supporter of the nominee.
I roared with laughter . . . paulie gets paid. I did it for free.
Guess that makes me . . . a slut? ;o)
BTW, paulie said “Thank you.”
p] Actually, I’m both a slut and a whore. For instance, I got Barr on the ballot in Arkansas for free. To make matters even worse, I didn’t even know it was for Barr at the time, since he wasn’t nominated yet and hadn’t even announced, so I guess that makes me a glory hole slut to boot, in addition to being a whore.
Also, I’m a pimp, in addition to being a slut and a whore, because I make part of my living collecting overrides for managing crews of petition gatherers sometimes. And I am in no ways faithful to the Libertarians. Right now I’m doing a three-way, and negotiating to add one or two more clients at the same time. And I’m not using a condom with any of them! I guess that makes me a dirty whore.
Not only that, but I kiss and tell: I offered to write either pro- or anti- Barr polemics to the highest bidder. I’m thinking of selling my vote, too, although I guess the buyer would just have to trust me that I stayed bought.
If this sort of thing turns you on, read all about it at
http://lastfreevoice.wordpress.com/2008/07/30/bob-barr-recants-position-on-wiccans-in-the-military/
Landham: back on the LP ballot line?
In Celebrities, Crazy Claims, First Amendment, Immigration, Iran, Iraq War, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Middle East, Military, Minorities, People in the news, Politics, Second Amendment, Terrorism, War on July 30, 2008 at 5:48 pm
PolitickerKY reports
The Libertarian Party of Kentucky will reconsider its endorsement of Senate candidate Sonny Landham Wednesday evening, just days after initially disassociating their party from his bid. This news comes after the office of Kentucky’s secretary of state announced yesterday that Landham would need 5,000 new petition signatures to secure ballot access to run as an independent.
“We’re really stuck,” said Libertarian Party chair Ken Moellman. “We don’t necessarily want to kick him off the ballot.”
The requisite signatures for Landham’s ballot access were already reportedly obtained by Libertarian canvassers, but – without the Libertarian endorsement – Landham would need original signatures for an independent candidacy.
With an August 12 deadline for petition submissions, Moellman has said obtaining 5,000 new signatures in that window would be “impossible.”
Landham was initially stripped of the Libertarian Party’s endorsement in a unanimous 9-0 vote of their executive committee on Monday night. That vote came after Landham made a series of anti-Arab comments that culminated in his advocacy for a potential Arab genocide.
“When you are in a war, you kill every thing that moves,” responded Landham, when asked if he supported such a dramatic position.
Libertarian Party leaders initially sought to distance themselves from Landham’s comments, with Moellman noting they were not in line with the Party’s philosophy.
With his candidacy in the balance now, Moellman says Kentucky’s difficult ballot access process has the Party reevaluating its decision.
“Now, he will have one of two options,” said Moellman. “A – he runs as a Libertarian or, B he doesn’t run.”
“Our goal was not to kick him out,” added Moellman. “We are in a tough spot.”
Moellman said the ten-person state Libertarian Party Executive Committee will use an “online” voting system tonight to determine whether to reinstate Landham’s endorsement.
“We’re trying to work it out,” added Moellman.
Moellman said their dilemma would not exist if Kentucky’s ballot access procedures did not require 5,000 signatures for “third-party” candidates.
“I wish ballot access was a heck of a lot easier,” said Moellman, who said the number of signatures required for Democratic and Republican candidates was two – a far easier number for Landham to obtain as an independent candidate.
At
Delaware Libertarian, Steve Newton explains why this is of national significance:
A Secondhand Conjecture is not a Libertarian blog, although it certainly displays some pretty consistent libertarian leanings.
As I read this post analyzing the Sonny Landham flap and the Libertarian Party of Kentucky, I think Lee hits it right on the money:
Looks like the Libertarian Party of Kentucky has dumped Sonny Landham, previously their clinically insane pick for US Senate. Good for them. Even if given the psychopathic nature of Landham’s views, I feel a little like I’m congratulating them for breathing.
While the Obama campaign might like to think that the LP could pose a serious threat to John McCain in Georgia, the Landham misadventure only reminds me yet again of the extraordinary amateurishness that seems to characterize almost all Libertarian Party political campaigns. There’s simply no excuse for failing to properly vet a candidate you intend to challenge for the seat held by the Senate Minority Leader.
As a former Hollywood actor and convicted criminal, it wouldn’t have been particularly difficult to uncover Landham’s violent imagination or deplorable associations with rightwing hate groups. A simple YouTube and Google search might have sufficed in fact.
I recently quoted a representative of the Libertarian Party of Texas noting that we need fewer paper candidates, and more people out there actually campaigning. True. But we also have to stop feeling so needy that we open our arms to accept people who are not only not Libertarians, but whose calls for bombing other countries over trade issues make us look like total losers.
Reminder: there’s still a
petition for the LPKY to not give its ballot line to Sonny Landham.
Texas Senator puts the corny in Cornyn
In Congress, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, US Government on July 30, 2008 at 10:27 am
This is a limited time offer. Operators are standing by….
In Economics, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Politics on July 30, 2008 at 3:11 amVia disinter
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Susan Davis reports:
In perhaps the most desperate sounding e-mail solicitation yet this election cycle, third party Libertarian candidate Bob Barr’s campaign manager sent out a plea today to supporters to raise $15,000 each day this week—or else.
Under the subject line, “Have I said or done something to offend you?” Russ Verney writes, “You see, I have to report that unless we receive and immediate cash infusion of $85,000, our progress will stop dead in its tracks. To be very blunt, I am presently faced with bills equaling our bank account balance, and I know there are many more expenses on the horizon.”
According to the latest report with the Federal Election Commission, Barr’s campaign had just $69,000 cash on hand at the end of June, and he raised just under $200,000 last month.
If you donate in the next 15 seconds, you can get a Bob Barr bumpersticker at no charge!
Bob Barr recants position on Wiccans in the military
In Big Brother, Censorship, Civil Liberties, Constitutional Rights, First Amendment, Law, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Military, Minorities, Nanny State, Politics on July 30, 2008 at 1:41 am
From Nate Uncensored (excerpt):
Apparently someone did get around to asking Bob Barr some substantive questions when he made an appearance at Netroots Nation. Ed Brayton (Dispatches from the Culture Wars) asked Barr if he would now, as Libertarian candidate, repudiate his 1999 attempt to prohibit the practice of Wicca, a neo-Pagan religion, on military bases. Barr said that he has changed his mind, citing “reports” that the practice of Wicca was causing problems that are apparently not an issue now. Brayton writes:
I did ask him for any specific problems that were reported to him back in 1999 by these military leaders, but he said he didn’t want to get into specifics. I’m sure that’s because there are no specific incidents and those military leaders who complained to him did so out of bigotry, or because the problems it caused were really caused by bigotry against Wiccans. He likened it to his stance on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell for gays, which he previously supported but now that it’s clear that allowing gays to serve doesn’t really cause any problems with unit cohesion and good order, he thinks it should be repealed and they should be allowed to serve openly.
Sonny Landham: the floater that just won’t stay flushed
In Celebrities, Crazy Claims, Libertarian Party-US, Minorities on July 29, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Posted at
Ballot Access News
Unfortunately, on July 29, the Kentucky Secretary of State retracted his ruling that the Libertarian Party of Kentucky could choose to have Sonny Landham on the November ballot as an independent candidate for U.S. Senate instead of as a Libertarian. Now the choices are either: (1) the party can submit its petition in early August and have Landham listed as a Libertarian; (2) the party can submit its petition in the middle of August, which will mean that the petition will only be valid for president and vice-president, but not U.S. Senator (the deadline for the presidential and vice-presidential candidate is in early September, but the deadline for all other office is in early August). In that case Landham won’t be on the ballot at all.
Libertarians drop Sonny Landham
In Libertarian on July 29, 2008 at 1:01 pm
On last night’s Weekly Filibuster, Libertarian Party political director Sean Haugh revealed that the Libertarian Party of Kentucky is dissociating itself from Sonny Landham. He explained that the LPKY needed to wait until today to find out the ramifications for dissociating itself from Landham for the purpose of getting Barr/Root and LPKY on the ballot, since he was listed on the petition.
The Secretary of State told them today that they could go ahead and file the petition, and then dissociate themselves from Sonny, who would then run as an independent rather than as a Libertarian. In response to my question whether the LP would continue to get signatures for Landham, I was told that the LP there has all the signatures they need and is just sorting and filing them. Presumably, both Barr and Landham have a comfortable enough margin to assure that they will both be on the ballot.
Libertarians help San Francisco prostitution decriminalization measure get national publicity
In Libertarian on July 29, 2008 at 12:51 pmPosted by Starchild on LP Radicals Yahoo group. Starchild is an activist with the San Francisco LP.
Most prominently, as many of you know, Carol Leigh (aka Scarlet Harlot) was on the Bill O’Reilly show. Unfortunately he did not give her much time to address the issue, as she had to spend most of the
scant time he let her talk during the segment trying to counter his insistence on regulation. Some of Carol’s facial expressions as she’s listening to O’Reilly blather on are priceless! Here is the link she
posted, which also has a short segment from our press conference featuring independent congressional candidate Cindy Sheehan giving her support:
http://sanfranciscodecrim.blip.tv/#1117401The San Francisco Sentinel has a story on the measure that quotes Maxine as quoted by the Chronicle. Interestingly, the picture with the story depicts a young man on the street instead of a young woman for a change. Annoyingly, they also provide a link to SAGE, and do not allow comments on this story:
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=14808A couple pieces in the libertarian blogosphere including from David Weigel of Reason Magazine focus on my role in the measure. The material isn’t accurate in every particular (guess that’s true for
most of the coverage we’ve gotten, come to think of it), but any attention in places where the audience is likely to be supportive is a good thing…http://reason.com/blog/show/127666.html#comments
http://www.quotegator.com/2008/07/22/save-us-starchild/And a few more sightings of the AP wire story on the measure qualifying that I don’t think made my last list, including in the SF Examiner and USA Today…
http://www.examiner.com/
a-1495590~Prostitution_decriminalization_makes_SF_ballot.htmlhttp://www.kmir6.com/Global/story.asp?S=8702316
http://origin.montereyherald.com/state/ci_9933781?nclick_check=1
http://www.propeller.com/story/2008/07/19/prostitution-measure-makes-
in-onto-sf-ballot/http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-07-19-prostitute_N.htm
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-
prostitution-measure,0,236257.storyhttp://www.newsobserver.com/2188/story/1147334.html
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_9934232
Also, unrelated to our effort but worthy of note, is a story from April about an attempt to legalize prostitution in the country of Kyrgyzstan:
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))
Technically legal signs for libraries
In Activism, Big Brother, Censorship, Civil Liberties, Constitutional Rights, First Amendment, Human Rights Abuses, Law Enforcement, Police State, Protest, Terrorism on July 27, 2008 at 1:57 amFrom librarian.net
Worst candidate actually on the ballot this year?
In Politics on July 25, 2008 at 3:38 amA message I received on facebook:
Who are the worst candidates actually appearing on the ballot this year? Send your picks to info@politicsmagazine.com today.
We’ll keep your suggestions anonymous.
The floor is open for nominations. I haven’t given it much thought yet. So far, this guy appears to be in the lead for the LP candidate for this dubious honor.
No, seriously, I could swear the water in this pot is getting a little hotter…
In Big Brother, Civil Liberties, Constitutional Rights, Cops Gone Wild, Corruption, Drug War, Law Enforcement, Police Brutality, Police State, Terrorism, War on July 24, 2008 at 11:24 pmPosted at Rad Geek
These are scenes from a SWAT team training exercise in Floyd County, Georgia, in which a squad of heavily armed paramilitaries practice storming, sweeping, and occupying a house, while dressed in military-style fatigues and heavily armed with assault rifles, body armor, gas grenades, etc. The training exercise is part of a recruitment video that the Floyd County Public Safety department is preparing, in order to show potential [job] applicants what Floyd County Public Safety is all about, apparently because Floyd County cops want to hire on even more of the kind of people who would be attracted to the prospect of doing things like this all day, and who believe that this sort of thing is what policing is all about:
And here’s the reality…
Eva Orner on the Alex Jones Show
In Activism, Celebrities, Censorship, Civil Liberties, Constitutional Rights, Entertainment, First Amendment, Protest, Terrorism, War on July 24, 2008 at 10:52 pmPosted
at Anomaly TV by Floyd Anderson
7/17/2008 – Alex welcomes Australian film producer Eva Orner, who produced the documentaries Taxi to the Dark Side and Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Listen to the August 29, 2002 Interview with Hunter S. Thompson by The Media Report's Mick O'Regan
Ohio Libertarian Party is Safely on the Ballot
In Democrats, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Libertarian Politics, Politics, Republican on July 24, 2008 at 10:34 pmposted at Ballot Access News
The Ohio Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner, has decided not to appeal last week’s U.S. District Court order putting the Libertarian Party on the ballot. This will be the first time any party, other than the Democratic and Republican Parties, has appeared on the ballot in Ohio since 2000.
Wayne Root denies ‘Iranian cockroaches’ comment
In Iran, Libertarian, Libertarian Party-US, Middle East, War, Wayne Allen Root on July 24, 2008 at 10:32 pmPosted at Libertarian Peacenik
According to the Classical Liberal blog, “land developer Treg Loyden” spoke with Wayne Allyn Root on the campaign trail, and heard Root say:
“America should just let Israel alone, defend itself, and go nuke the hec