Organization launches to aid ‘liberty-minded’ independent candidates

The Independent Candidate Action Network, or I CAN, is a newly created organization designed to train independents and help them in their elections. They claim to “provide all the benefits of political organization without the burden and corruption of political parties.”

The organization seems to have been started by Robert Butler, a man who has worked for Libertarians, Republicans, and Independents. He says that, “”Real change for liberty needs to come from the bottom-up in a grassroots network, not top-down through a party.”

I CAN is trying to provide a comprehensive network to provide for all of the needs of an independent candidate. This will include seminars on various subjects, vendors, consultants, candidates, and even voters. So far, I CAN has over 170 members, including 7 candidates.

Somewhat contradictory to its claims of inclusiveness, I CAN is a home for the libertarian-leaning. Before joining the network, one must sign a mission statement and statement of beliefs:

Our Mission

1. To Protect, Promote, and Encourge the principles of Liberty at all levels of society and government

2. To Educate the public about the Founding Fathers and their principles of Liberty embodied in our

US Constitution.

3. To Recruit, Train, and Equip candidates for political office who agree with our Statement of Beliefs

Our Statement of Beliefs

Anyone who agrees with our Statement of Beliefs can become a member of the I CAN Independent Candidate Action Network. Please consider this statement thoroughly before signing. Any public official who signs this Statement and acts against their beliefs will be publicized to our members and the media.

1. I believe that government was instituted in the United States of America for the exclusive purpose of

protecting our rights and maintaining the rule of law necessary for a republic. Among these rights are    life, liberty, property, privacy, speech, assembly, association, worship, and self-defense.

2. I believe that every person has the same and equal rights before the law. Corporations, governments,   and other communities or associations do not have the same rights as people.

3. I believe that American government, at all levels, has become too large and too intrusive. The rate of    government spending must not be increased, nor should taxes be raised beyond their current levels.     Many taxes can be reduced, or replaced with user fees and other voluntary methods of finance.

4. I believe that the original intent of the founding fathers in the US Constition should again be enforced

as the law of the land. We have drifted away from the Constitution. We need to re-examine and        reshape our federal government with these principles in mind.