In a unanimous vote, Ken Krawchuk was chosen as the Libertarian Party’s 2014 gubernatorial candidate, and Henry Haller of Pittsburgh as lieutenant governor at the party’s annual convention on Saturday. Krawchuk and Haller were also the Libertarian nominees for the same offices in the 1998 and 2002 gubernatorial races.
“This is a great day for Pennsylvania taxpayers”, said Krawchuk, a 60-year-old entrepreneur who hails from Abington Township in Montgomery County. “The two old parties want to continue to expand a government that’s already too large, too expensive, and too intrusive. Libertarians are the only ones you can trust to defend the interests of the taxpayer.”
In an acceptance speech to be broadcast statewide to three million homes by the Pennsylvania Cable Network, Krawchuk pledged to focus on those goals that the governor can achieve unilaterally, without assistance from either the Legislature or the courts. This includes introducing budgets that eliminate the need for the personal income tax over four years, vetoing all tax increases and any unwarranted expansion of government, aggressively cutting waste and excessive spending via the line-item veto, eliminating parole for violent criminals, pardoning “victimless criminals”, and ending asset forfeiture, among many, many others unilateral powers granted to the Governor by the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Among his top legislative priorities are cutting taxes and spending via the Separation of Society and State, eliminating the government monopoly on public education, defusing the abortion debate, and reforming unfair ballot access laws that have erected huge barriers for independent candidates and third parties.
Lieutenant governor nominee Henry Haller, a 66-year-old small businessman from Pittsburgh, was a former Libertarian candidate for US Senate and state Senate before teaming with Krawchuk in 1998 and 2002. “It is an honor to again be on the ticket with Ken Krawchuk,” Haller said after being unanimously nominated. “I look forward to assisting him in spreading the message of liberty across Pennsylvania.”
Founded in 1971, the Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in the state and the nation, with over 150 elected and appointed officials currently serving in office nationwide, and 40 in Pennsylvania. Like the Founding Fathers, Libertarians believe that you have the inalienable right to conduct your life as you see fit, without interference, so long as you respect the rights and property of others. As a result, Libertarians favor a small, responsible government.
For more information about the Libertarian Party, the public is invited to contact the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania at www.LpPa.org or (800) R-RIGHTS, or the National Libertarian Party at Lp.org or (202) 333-0008.
For more information about the Krawchuk campaign, please visit the campaign website at www.KenK.org. The campaign can be contacted at Campaign@KenK.org, or 224-Krawchuk (224-572-9248).
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They also had to deal with the Tom Stevens drama. But they are back in better form now.
Ken–
I know I looked better 13 years ago than I do now. (Well, actually I look the same, but I am an anomaly.) Keep the older photo up!
Seriously, congrats on your nomination and to everyone in LPPA from reviving the state party after the turmoil of fighting the Republican challenge in 2012. I know that several of my members travelled to Philadelphia to help verify petition signatures, including my Hudson Valley Chair Donald Silberger who turned 84 last month.
Thanks Ken. This is actually Jed Ziggler’s article, but I was just speculating that he may have just found it using an image search. A lot of people might guess that IPR articles are put together with professional image shots supplied by the campaigns for each article, but usually that is not the case and I know in my case I usually just find the photos either with google image search, facebook, or off a campaign website and usually don’t spend much time on it, frequently less than a minute.
Can’t remember when the last time I saw you in person was BTW. Possibly at one of the LP conventions more recently, but it may have been way back in 2000 when I was up there in PA on petitions.
Mr. Phillies: I know for a fact that you’re a smart guy. So I’m at a loss to understand your comments about my stand on abortion. How can you say I want to “have young women endanger their lives and disrupt their lives by carrying unwanted children to term” when my website says, “it’s a request, not a demand. The woman can agree or not”? It’s not my choice; it’s the woman’s.
My question is not an idle one. Since you’re intelligent, I’d like you to spell out your objection to see if I should be adjusting my stand. I’m always open to improvements. FYI, I’ve taken my pro-option approach to the Sunday morning protests at abortion clinics. The pro-lifers love it because it saves more babies. The pro-choicers love it because it preserves their right to choose. The *only* objection I’ve heard was from a woman who asked, “What if I just want to kill it?”
Paulie: That headshot of me is 13 years old! I do have an updated photo on my campaign website at http://www.KenK.org/headshot. Not sure it has the gravitas Erik is looking for, though. It’s on my list to get a new photo taken.
Jed: Absolutely I’m in favor of full LGBT rights. To quote one of my favorite sound bites, “What’s good for the goose and gander is good for the goose and goose, and the gander and gander.” Depending on the venue, I sometimes add, “And the gander who used to be a goose, and vice versa, or the goose who appears to be a gander, and vice versa, and other combinations that I’m sure I’m missing.” It’s none of my business what you do in your private life, so long as you respect the rights and property of others.
Mike: Thanks for the kind words about my novel, Atlas Snubbed (http://www.AtlasSnubbed.com). I’m calling it my “platform novel” because a lot of the ideas I’m running on are presented there as fiction. The biggest is the “Separation of Society and State”, which is a very Libertarian, workable alternative to the welfare state and over-regulation (http://www.KenK.org/soss). It’s one of my main goals for the campaign to get that concept out there. That, and my pro-option approach to defusing the abortion debate. And also to have a lot of fun! The debates are the best part because it’s pretty trivial to make the other candidates look bad. And being a Toastmaster certainly helps my performance at debates. I highly recommend all Libertarians join Toastmasters. We have the best message on the planet–Liberty–but it’s useless if we can’t communicate it.
Joe: President?? One campaign at a time, please!! 😉
All: Thanks for the kind words!
– Ken
——————————————–
Ken Krawchuk
Libertarian for Pennsylvania Governor
Championing the Separation of Society and State
Krawchuk ’14
c/o PO Box 260
Cheltenham, PA 19012
224-Krawchuk (224-572-9248)
KenK@KenK.org
Campaign website: http://www.KenK.org
Campaign e-mail: Campaign@KenK.org
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/KenK2014
Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/KenK2014
Platform novel: http://www.AtlasSnubbed.com
I don’t think we used a publicity photo, it may have been just a google image search.
Ken needs a new publicity photo. He has more gravitas now.
We don’t negotiate with terrorists 🙂
He’s got my vote.
Best wishes to Ken and Henry. They are truly dedicated and brave.
Ken Krawchuk should run for President in 2016.
“George Phillies – LNC Ballot Access February 25, 2014 at 6:51 pm
The gentleman’s idea of ‘defusing’ the abortion issue is to have young women endanger their lives and disrupt their lives by carrying unwanted children to term.”
This is a mischaracterization of his position. I would suggest reading what he has to say about the issue again.
God bless you Jill. Let’s make a deal. If you don’t want me to discuss the Bible, I will stop if you publish my treatise part two. Thank you.
Cheap bottom disclaimer. I see talk about money for things to deliver a baby, but not for actions in the other direction.
That’s not true George, if you read the whole page he eventually states ”
By the way, there is a fourth option, sort of a default option.
Think about it: if no woman agrees to bring the baby to term, or near enough to term to be delivered safely, if no one agrees to adopt the unborn child, and if no one finances the medical research necessary to save the child, then we have exactly what we have today: abortion on demand. “
The gentleman’s idea of ‘defusing’ the abortion issue is to have young women endanger their lives and disrupt their lives by carrying unwanted children to term.
His book Atlas Snubbed is a must read. I highly enjoyed it.
Just as I figured, but thanks for clarifying. 🙂
I think it’s a stretch to call him anti gay marriage. His LGBT Issues page seems pro gay rights to me.
CLC, you’re starting your old bad behaviors. Do you want to stay or not?
God blesss you Jed. Please read Genesis 19.
Our Campaigns lists him as anti gay marriage. Would like clarification on this.
Ken Krawchuk has done a fine job representing the Libertarian Party as a candidate in the past, and I’m sure he will do so again.