Johnson Spending 2012

by: AUGeorge

Mon Apr 30, 2012 at 00:00:00 AM MST

In March, Johnson managed to raise closer to sixty thousand dollars, and paid his debt back down almost to $150,000.

Let's Offer a True Libertarian Message to America

by: Brian Irving

Sat Apr 28, 2012 at 06:13:30 AM MST

BURNET, Texas (April 28) - It's been nearly two years since I began this campaign to earn the Libertarian Party presidential nomination. From the beginning I stated my goal clearly and I've stuck to it. I said then that the Libertarian Party faces a critical test in 2012 and I want to make sure we're up to the challenge. The Libertarian message in 2012 must be a loud, clear and unequivocal call to stop the wars! Stop the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, stop the war on drugs and alternative lifestyles, stop the war on civil liberties - stop all war.

At every presidential debate, state party convention and event I've attended, I've asked libertarian activists to join me in saying 'I am not at war,' and I've been encouraged and inspired by their response. It has been my honor to take part in forums with my fellow presidential candidates. I've learned some things from them, and I hope they have learned some things from me.

The only thing that has changed is that today it's even more critical that the Libertarian Party's candidate for President of the United States is ready, willing and able to present a clear, principled, unwavering and unequivocal libertarian message that offers Americans radically different answers to our nation's problems, not variations or modifications of the false solutions promoted by Democrats and Republicans.

I believe I'm the person most qualified to fill that role. I've been a libertarian all my life; never have I been anything else. There is no learning curve for Lee Wrights as the 2012 standard bearer. I can wave the Libertarian flag high without exception or compromise.

We Libertarians are in the business of pulling up weeds like taxes and regulations, not planting new ones. We offer the American people true choices and rational alternatives.  The Libertarian Party can make a difference in 2012, but only if we are different, and our candidate for president is not afraid to be a true, principled libertarian. The libertarian promise of peace, prosperity and progress is a message Americans are longing to hear. We don't need to soften, refine or modify what we believe to win votes.

If you honor me with your nomination for President of the United States, I pledge to campaign like a libertarian, offer libertarian solutions to problems and issues, and eventually govern like a libertarian. I promise to always bear in mind that no matter what the question, freedom is the answer. If elected, I will be:

* A Libertarian president who conducts foreign policy on the basis of conversation and commerce, not bullets and bombs.

* A Libertarian president who supports our troops by bringing them all home now, leaving only embassy guards overseas.

* A Libertarian president who never orders American troops on any mission other than defending the United States of America from direct attack.

* A Libertarian president who never enters any "entangling alliance" or suggests giving foreign aid to any nation, no matter how friendly they are.

* A Libertarian president who never proposes to "reform" or "replace" the federal income tax, but who'll work to abolish it.

* A Libertarian president who never condones or orders the detention - let alone the killing - of any person anywhere, regardless of their citizenship and their suspected activities, be they criminal or terrorist, without due process of law.

Gandhi said that we must become the change we want to see in the world. In 2012, the Libertarian Party must become the change it offers to the American people. We need a presidential candidate who is willing to speak about change, real change, and not deviate from principle for political expediency. I believe that I am that candidate.  If you honor me with your nomination, I will offer the American people the change that will lead us all to liberty and freedom, and bring us peace, prosperity and progress.

R. Lee Wrights, 53, a libertarian writer and political activist, is seeking the presidential nomination because he believes the Libertarian message in 2012 must be a loud, clear and unequivocal call to stop all war. To that end he has pledged that 10 percent of all donations to his campaign will be spent for ballot access so that the stop all war message can be heard in all 50 states. Wrights is a lifetime member of the Libertarian Party and co-founder and editor of the free speech online magazine Liberty For All. Born in Winston-Salem, N.C., he now lives and works in Texas.

Lee Wrights for President
Contact: Brian Irving, press secretary
press@wrights2012.com
919.538.4548

LNC Meets in Orlando

by: AUGeorge

Sat Apr 28, 2012 at 00:00:00 AM MST

Randy Eshelman having resigned from the LNC, the LNC elected a new At-Large representative.  The vote was 10 for  Brett Pojunis and 6 for Wes Benedict.

The LNC met in Executive session from 10:55 to 12:22, 1:34 to 2,  4:15 to 4:30,  and 5:05 to 6:35.

The LNC encumbered for ballot access:  $60,000 for Illinois, $14,000 for Kentucky, $10,000 for Oklahoma, and $20,000 for West Virginia. The vote was 16-1, Norm Olsen opposing.

The LNC voted 15-1 that the Libertarian National Committee authorize and direct any officer to execute the informed consent letter drafted by Tyler Smith. After debate, voting on the main motion was as follows: Voting "aye": Blau (for Kirkland), Capozzi, Flood, Knedler, Lark, Mattson, Olsen, Pojunis, Redpath, Root, Rutherford, Sink-Burris, Visek, Wiener, Wolf.

Voting "nay": Ruwart Abstentions: Craig, Hinkle

Ms. Visek moved  and the LNC voted 14-2: Ordered, that the LNC directs the Chair and Staff to cause the books and FEC reports to be corrected within seven days to reflect that no   receivable was ever due from Aaron Starr.

Following debate, voting on the main motion was:
Voting "aye": Capozzi, Flood, Knedler, Lark, Mattson, Olsen, Pojunis, Redpath, Root, Rutherford, Sink-Burris, Visek, Wiener, Wolf
Voting "nay": Hinkle, Kirkland
Abstentions: Craig, Ruwart

The LNC voted 16-1 to create another building committee.  Voting "aye": Blau (for Kirkland), Capozzi, Flood, Hinkle, Knedler, Lark, Lieberman (for Craig), Mattson, Redpath, Root, Rutherford, Ruwart, Sink-Burris, Visek, Wiener, Wolf.
Voting "nay": Olsen

The LNC took up the floor fee.  Mr. Olsen moved with regard to the 2012 convention in Las Vegas:
SEE BELOW FOLD

George Phillies on What the LP Needs

by: AUGeorge

Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 19:40:51 PM MST

Today is income tax day.  As I write, millions of Americans are sending their   hard-earned dollars to Washington. Congress needs another fix, so we're giving them more money to waste.

We're Libertarians.  We want to end the warfare state.  End the racist war on drugs. End corporate welfare. End the surveillance state. Retire the TSA pornatrons.

If we want to win, we need an effective Libertarian Party.

That's why I'm running for Party Treasurer.

I'm George Phillies.  I'm Treasurer of my State Party.  I've served as our State Chair.

You might ask - isn't 'Treasurer' where we want an accountant?  Not really.  Our FEC filings are done by an outside consultant.  All financial transactions, from opening envelopes to writing checks, are handled by our professional staff.  Yes, the Treasurer has legal responsibilities, but our Treasurer is not our accountant.  The Treasurer's responsibilities lie on a higher level, namely seeing that our financial efforts serve our party effectively. That's where my Massachusetts experience comes to the fore.  I turned our state party around. The same methods will turn around our national party.

When I became State Chair, my state party had collapsed.  Membership and income were crashing. The Party Newsletter was missing in action. Hard work and new policies, work and policies created by me and my friends, turned Massachusetts around.  Our membership and income are rebounding.

MORE BELOW FOLD

2016 Convention Site Up in Air

by: AUGeorge

Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 00:00:00 AM MST

Then the hotel failed to honor its offer.  There was a proposal to move the convention date back several weeks to April 28-May 1.  There followed an astonishing amount of debate, including LNC members trying to convince the LNC member from one state that he did not understand his own state's election laws and its practical consequences, and other LNC     members trying to convince a different LNC member from a northern state noted for its snow that winter driving on date certain is not pointlessly hazardous.

 That motion failed 9-9:  Voting "aye":  Knedler, Mattson, Pojunis, Redpath, Root, Rutherford, Sink-Burris, Wiener, Wolf.  Voting "nay":  Craig, Flood, Hinkle, Karlan, Kirkland, Lark, Olsen, Ruwart, Visek

There was also a motion  with a complicated set of conditions for staying in LA, followed by

"In the event that no alternate site is recommended that meets the above criteria, the LNC authorizes the Chair to enter into a contract for the 2016 Libertarian National Convention at the Rosen Center in Orlando Florida in the date range of May 26-May 31, 2016."

Voting on that motion is advancing.

Ruwart: If $94, Why Not $9400?

by: AUGeorge

Thu Apr 26, 2012 at 00:00:00 AM MST

Our affiliates want to be the sole selectors of who the delegates will be; they don't want National to be able to impose any other restrictions.  That's why the bylaws read as they do, that the delegates are selected by the affiliates.

From the standpoint of affiliates who fear that National will start trying to dominate the affiliates (much like the states have become dominated by the federal government), the registration fee seems like a way for National to deny affiliates representation.  If you interpret our bylaws as allowing a floor fee, then why not make it $940 instead of $94?  Why not make it $9400 and let only those who will "pay to play" vote?  A fee that determines whether or not a person can vote is called a "poll tax."  This is why the bylaws specify that only the affiliates pick the delegates.  If National can add additional barriers, National makes the final decision, not the affiliates.

LPTN Denies Validity of Floor Fee

by: AUGeorge

Wed Apr 25, 2012 at 00:00:00 AM MST

Whereas the advertisements and information for the 2012 National Libertarian Party Convention indicate that a convention fee will be required for a delegate to vote on the floor of the convention, and

Whereas the 2012 National Libertarian Party Convention is a presidential nominating convention, and

Johnson Suit Dropped

by: AUGeorge

Tue Apr 24, 2012 at 19:06:40 PM MST

Credentials Committee Obstructs Oregon Delegation

by: AUGeorge

Tue Apr 24, 2012 at 00:00:00 AM MST

Return to March 14, when a message apparently from Emily Salvette to the State Chairs read:

"Dear State Chairs:

We are less than three weeks away from the delegate list submission deadline (April 3) and we still don't have any entries for 20 states: AK, CT, DC, DE, HI, IA, LA, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, NH, NM, OR, SD, WA, WI, WV and WY. These states must enter at least one name, street address & voter status by April 3. Additionally, would these states go in and select a voter status (delegate or alternate) for their entry: AL, CA, GA, KS, KY, MD, ME, MS, MT, SC, TN, UT, VT.  Please provide a street address and voter status for your entry, NC.

I thought it might help to answer some Frequently Asked Questions:

How do I log into the Credentialing database?

Contact Ben Bachrach (benbachrach@gmail.com) to get a user id and password. Log in at http://www.qsdmbb.com/lpdNet/s...

MORE BELOW FOLD

Hinkle Condemns LNC Gang of Ten

by: AUGeorge

Mon Apr 23, 2012 at 00:00:00 AM MST

"As you may know, the LP's web site use to list all of the names of the folks who were seeking our nomination for President. You may also know, I ran a poll on our web site where over 3,415 (so far) voted 93% to list those candidates (with various degrees of restrictions) and only 7% said keep them all off.

"The LNC voted to remove the list of candidates from the web page.

Root Urges Supporting Republicans

by: AUGeorge

Mon Apr 23, 2012 at 00:00:00 AM MST

"I, I think the important thing now is to make sure Obama is not elected, and, and that means, in my mind, I mean I would, listen, I'd love if a Libertarian like Gary Johnson, the two-term governor of New Mexico, would actually get elected President, but I think we all know that's not going to happen, so therefore it's gotta be Romney, there's no choice, ..."  Root went on to predict what a Romney administration would do.

Other Libertarians were offended by Root remarks "the lesser of the two evils is certainly Romney but they're both bad choices" and "it's big government guys on both sides."  Those phrases spread the pernicious meme that there are only two political sides.  Others view Root's claim that Obama is a Marxist as being totally off the wall.

MORE BELOW FOLD

What Should the Libertarian Party Do?

by: AUGeorge

Sun Apr 22, 2012 at 09:17:07 AM MST

Two years ago, I ran for National Chair as part of the New Path slate.  We offered a clear set of proposals. Unfortunately, the delegates had other opinions, and the results are now apparent.  

The Impending Crisis

Two years ago, 'we face an existential crisis' was James Oaksun's prophetic warning.  How right he was! Party membership and income are still falling.  

SOLUTIONS BELOW FOLD

Membership?  Some of us remember the start of 2004, when we had 19410 members.  By the start of 2009, that was down to  15178 members.  At the starts of the next three years, what had happened?  In 2010, we were down to 14412 members.  By the beginning of 2011, we were down to13872 members, while in the beginning of 2012, we were down to  

LNC Should Suspend Root

by: AUGeorge

Sun Apr 22, 2012 at 09:11:48 AM MST

Whereas LNC At-Large Representative Wayne Root has publicly urged that Libertarians should vote for Mitt Romney and disparaged the electoral prospects of Gary Johnson,

And Whereas LNC At-Large Representative Wayne Root had urged that Florida Libertarians should not run a candidate against Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio,

And Whereas At-Large Representative Wayne Root had spoken favorably of the tragic circumstance that Republicans such as Sharon Angle had no Libertarian opponent,

And whereas these acts of disloyalty to our party are directly contrary to the party objective of establishing a political party separate and distinct from all other political parties and weaken membership support for our august Party,

And whereas the LNC finds that the above reasons are sufficient cause to justify suspending a member from the LNC, therefore

Be it resolved, that Wayne Root is hereby suspended from the Libertarian National Committee."

Bylaws Changes Endanger Our Party

by: AUGeorge

Sun Apr 22, 2012 at 08:29:38 AM MST

The LNC would now be elected by e-mail ballot of the entire membership. Because the incumbents control the mailing list and the newsletter -- on the rare occasions that they publish one -- it would become almost entirely impossible for any insurgent slate to advance.  Not to mention, of course, that the third of the American people who really do not use email will be excluded  from participating in our party's governance.

Another Bylaws change would eliminate 'state delegations' unless 90% of seats at the previous NatCon had been full. Perhaps someone remembers if this has ever happened...not in the last dozen years is the best I can say. Instead, under the new rule anyone who is a member of the National party can walk in and become a delegate. Officers of state parties, if they are members of their state party and not the national party, would not be eligible to be delegates.

Yet another Bylaws change would require delegates from states with Libertarian Party registration to have registered Libertarian. This rule, which would cause us locally yet more difficulties with ballot access, should be recognized as another covert    attack on the Massachusetts Libertarian political movement. For example, under this rule our Massachusetts US Senate candidate Joe Kennedy would not have been eligible to be a convention delegate.

MORE BELOW FOLD

California ExComm on Johnson

by: AUGeorge

Sat Apr 14, 2012 at 00:00:00 AM MST