February 2012 Open Thread

300 Replies

See descriptions under the previous open threads if you don’t know what the open threads are about (although it’s pretty self-explanatory).

Here is a video from Rap News AKA the Juice Media….

300 thoughts on “February 2012 Open Thread”

  3. LP Convention Questions !

    With roughly 100 days until the LP convention, what are you Ls thinking about the LP POTUS race.

    1. Who should be elected Chairman ?

    2. How many candidates will officially be nominated this year ?

    3. Will the balloting for POTUS go past the first Vote ?

    4. Will this be the year the LP breaks records in votes and money RAISED ?

    5. Can you enthusiasticly support any of the current candidates with your money and your grassroots activism, and if so which ONES ?

    6. If Ron Paul enters would you support him over all current candidates ?

    7. Can you agree that a balanced ticket (a P and VP representing ALL [sides] wings of the LP) is much better for Party building and moral (than a ticket like ’08 which had two former but recent Republican Party members ) or would a “celeb” ticket be best (Clint Eastwood/Penn Julette) or perhaps gov’t experience matters more (Paul/Johnson) to you ?

    8. Do any of you know anything personally or politically about Bill Still ?

    9.How much money raised pre-convention would impress you ? Say $5,000, $20,000, $50,000 or maybe $75,000 and could that sway your vote if the candidate shows some fundraising ability?

    *10. And finally what would be your ideal ticket for ’12 of the current announced candidates?

    Thank you for participating (and if you are a LP member I HOPE you will participate) roughly 100 days out !!! Also please let us know if you will be a delegate this year.

  5. Curt Boyd

    Not sure if anyone saw, but Americans Elect started their “draft” yesterday. So far, Ron Paul has 159 supporters to lead the way. Jon Huntsman has 94, and Buddy Roemer has 61.

  9. Curt Boyd

    6, 7 – I suppose if I had scrolled down a little, I’d have seen that…it’s early, and I’m tired!

  10. LNC Violated Bylaws?

    The LNC FEC report for the last month claims that the LNC is owed $4090 by a named person. The reason for the debt, allegedly owed to the LNC, is identified as “Reimbursement for Oregon Dispute Legal E”, and that amounts numerically matches payments by the LNC to an Oregon law firm, a firm now litigating against the LNC’s Oregon affiliate, Wes Wagner, Chair.

    LNC Bylaws specify that the LNC needs a 2/3 vote to borrow more than $2000. To the best of my knowledge, and I asked people on the LNC, no such vote occurred. Nonetheless, the LNC claims it has this debt that it is owed.

  12. Marc Montoni

    The LNC FEC report for the last month claims that the LNC is owed $4090 by a named person. The reason for the debt, allegedly owed to the LNC, is identified as “Reimbursement for Oregon Dispute Legal E”, and that amounts numerically matches payments by the LNC to an Oregon law firm, a firm now litigating against the LNC’s Oregon affiliate, Wes Wagner, Chair… LNC Bylaws specify that the LNC needs a 2/3 vote to borrow more than $2000. To the best of my knowledge, and I asked people on the LNC, no such vote occurred. Nonetheless, the LNC claims it has this debt that it is owed.

    I suppose the “named individual” is the one listed on the very last page of this report?

    Can that really be termed a “bylaws violation”? I suppose the “named individual” will cite some spending authority somewhere, and that therefore he has not contracted a “debt” per se.

  13. George Phillies

    Spending authority lets you *spend* money. The spending can always be said to be for ballot access, though there would perhaps need to be a specific authorizing vote. The item of interest is that the LNC *borrowed* money, has rules for doing so, and from available information did not carry out their rules. However, none of this blame should be dropped on the shoulders of the fellow who lent the NC money, assuming that he did make the loan, because those issues are the LNC’s issues and not the issues of the person whose generosity to the LNC is here commemorated.

  14. Be Rational

    “10 LNC Violated Bylaws? // Feb 2, 2012 at 10:01 pm

    The LNC FEC report for the last month claims that the LNC is owed $4090 by a named person.”

    Do you mean to say that the LNC owes $4090 to a named person?

    Did the LNC borrow or lend this money?

    If the person owes the money to the LP, perhaps the LP paid the bill and the person has agreed to repay the LP.

    or

    If the LP owes the person, the person made the arrangements with the lawyer and paid and now the LP has to pay the person – an arrangement out of convenience.

  15. George Phillies

    I meant what I said. Your ifs are entirely backward.

    “Do you mean to say that the LNC owes $4090 to a named person?” NO!

    NONONONONO!

    I said that — according to FEC filings — the LNC says the named person owes $4090 to the LNC. That’s the OPPOSITE of the LNC owing the person $4090.

    Whether or not the named person is aware of this LNC claim, or agrees that it is valid, is another question, so I am leaving the person’s name out of it.

  16. Thomas L. Knapp

    GP@15,

    You’re not being very clear here.

    You seem to be saying that by lending money, the LNC violated the bylaw relating to borrowing money.

    Lending is not borrowing.

  17. Jose C.

    1. Who should be elected Chairman ?

    Anyone but Mark Hinkle? Seriously I would have to see who the other candidates are and how they plan to grow the Party. But it should not be Mark Hinkle. The situation with the Oregon Party, the way the listing of the candidates who are seeking the nomination for President on the LP website has been handled, the near support of Republican Ron Paul, The selection of Carla Howl as Executive Director, etc. does not instill confidence in me. We need to go in a different direction.

    2. How many candidates will officially be nominated this year ?

    Seven. I will do what I can to make sure as many candidates as possible are nominated. I am sure others will assist me in this effort. We have done it in the past. We will do it again. The nomination process should not be hijacked by the Party establishment. The nomination process is not a coronation for Gary Johnson or Ron Paul.

    3. Will the balloting for POTUS go past the first Vote ?

    Yes.

    4. Will this be the year the LP breaks records in votes and money RAISED ?

    No. Not if the candidate is Gary Johnson. Why should we do better this year than we have in the past when we have had sexy candidates (Barr, Paul, etc.)? No one who supports Gary Johnson has explained why we would do better this year than we have done in the past. I would add of course if we nominate a rich Vice-presidential candidate and he or she spends a lot of money we could do better the Ed Clark did in 1980.

    5. Can you enthusiastically support any of the current candidates with your money and your grassroots activism, and if so which ONES ?

    Yes, I can. But I cannot and will not enthusiastically support Gary Johnson. I will vote for him but that is all I will do. If Gary Johnson gets the nomination I will enthusiastically support other Libertarian Party candidates.

    6. If Ron Paul enters would you support him over all current candidates ?

    No!!! Under no circumstance would I vote for or support Ron Paul. I have not voted for a Republican since 1980. That will not change.

    7. Can you agree that a balanced ticket (a P and VP representing ALL [sides] wings of the LP) is much better for Party building and moral (than a ticket like ’08 which had two former but recent Republican Party members) or would a “celeb” ticket be best (Clint Eastwood/Penn Julette) or perhaps gov’t experience matters more (Paul/Johnson) to you ?

    No, I cannot. In 1980 we did not have a balanced ticket and that was our best year ever. As to a celeb ticket I would not mind if a celeb who is a Libertarian ran for the Vice-presidential nomination. I would vote for that person. In 1980 actress Raquel Welch suggested she might vote for Ed Clark. Assuming she is a Libertarian and she showed up seeking the nomination for Vice-president I would vote for her.

    8. Do any of you know anything personally or politically about Bill Still ?

    No.

    9.How much money raised pre-convention would impress you? Say $5,000, $20,000, $50,000 or maybe $75,000 and could that sway your vote if the candidate shows some fundraising ability?

    I would be impressed if a candidate raised $20,000 to $50,000+. It might sway my vote. Four years ago Steve Kuby showed up at the convention with a campaign that was broke. That did not impress me.

    *10. And finally what would be your ideal ticket for ’12 of the current announced candidates?

    I am not sure. Anyone but Gary Johnson? I have to get more information about the candidates who have announced. I have to see them in action. How do they handle themselves in debates, how much media exposure they receive, how much money they raise, etc. are questions I have. I have contributed to RJ Harris.

  18. George Phillies

    @16 I did not say that the LNC lent anyone money. I see no evidence that such a thing happened.

    The paired transactions, whose accuracy may be challenged, indicates that the LNC borrowed money *from its own accounts* — advanced the money — and spent the money *for a good or service*, based on an asserted *commitment to be reimbursed* so that it will be made whole for the expense.

    Whether or not there actually was a commitment to reimburse is another question.

    The bylaw, however, is “The Party shall not borrow in excess of $2,000 total without prior approval by 2/3 vote of the National Committee.”

    It is as though the Smith 2020 campaign promised to reimburse Knapp Election Services $4090 if you would pay Jones for writing fundraising letters, Knapp Election Services paid Jones $4090 for election letters, and Knapp Election Services is now waiting in the hope that it will be paid the $4090 by Smith 2020.

    I am confident that the real Knapp would see the risk.

    Knapp Election Services is looking at a $4090 hole in its finances, a hole that must somehow be replaced (which is the essence of going into debt) but it did not lend Smith 2020 any money. Knapp Election Services served as a conduit with the effect that Smith 2020 would not show a payment to Jones on its records, and, incidentally, without any board of director vote authorizing the hole in its cash on hand.

  20. George Phillies

    @17

    Let us recall Hinkle’s promises as to what he would do. They follow. It is unclear that any of them other than ballot access are being met. We can also recall the people who endorsed Hinkle and/or lied about his opponents.

    Hinkle wrote:

    Here are just some of the goals that the LNC should undertake during the 2010 to 2012 term:

    Ballot Access in all 50 states (to the extent our members are willing to fund it).
    Membership growth among at least 2 key demographics: 1). young adults (we need fresh blood; and 2). business professionals (we need rich blood).
    Create single-issue coalitions with any other liberty-oriented organizations. Power in numbers!
    An online Congressional lobbying effort, something akin to DownsizeDC.org.
    Candidate and affiliate support training akin to the LP’s nationwide .Success. seminars of the late 1990.s.
    Internal education. We need to remind our members of why we exist and what we stand for. Ideological drift will doom the LP to an early death. This must not happen!
    Creation of a Liberty Sales Team: pay Libertarians a finder’s fee to obtain LP memberships.
    Creation of a Libertarian Speakers Bureau to provide Libertarian experts to discuss issues of the day with the media.

  23. George Phillies

    @18 One could also proposal that the transaction — in which the LNC functioned as a conduit, or so it claims — was beyond the imagination of the party’s founders when they wrote the bylaws.

    @22 Interesting point.

  24. paulie Post author

    No!!! Under no circumstance would I vote for or support Ron Paul. I have not voted for a Republican since 1980. That will not change.

    Did you vote for him in 1988?

  25. paulie Post author

    Four years ago Steve Kuby showed up at the convention with a campaign that was broke.

    Depends on what you mean by broke. Kubby had a room, and we had boxes of signs. And some buttons.

  26. Wes Wagner

    Well I finally did it. I figured it was time to pay my dues considering that I intend to go to Vegas and run against Mr. Hinkle or any of the other Starr-cabal for chairperson.

    Originally I had considered mailing in 2500 pennies in payment of my dues, in a nice flat rate US Postage box with a light activated audio player to belt out “zwanzig funfhundert Hinterpfennig” to the tune of “Neunundneunzig Luftbaloon”, but alas, I was certain the uberparliamentoonians would lay claim that it was not rendered in legal tender, so I used a credit card on the website instead.

    See you all in Las Vegas!

    -Wes Wagner
    PS: This is why we can’t have nice things.

  27. paulie Post author

    Let us recall Hinkle’s promises as to what he would do. They follow. It is unclear that any of them other than ballot access are being met. We can also recall the people who endorsed Hinkle and/or lied about his opponents.

    I endorsed Hinkle, although to my knowledge I told the truth about his opponents, all of whom I am friendly with to the best of my knowledge.

    I think Hinkle’s goals have been hindered by a majority of the LNC. From that, it does not follow that someone else would do better. It is possible they might, but I’d have to look at both their plan and their track record.

  28. paulie Post author

    Start with the campaign that is already $200,000 in the hole.

    Still, including the new report through the end of 2011?

  30. JT

    Jose: “The situation with the Oregon Party, the way the listing of the candidates who are seeking the nomination for President on the LP website has been handled, the near support of Republican Ron Paul, The selection of Carla Howl as Executive Director, etc. does not instill confidence in me. ”

    Of those things, I either like it or I don’t think it’s very important.

    Jose: “The nomination process should not be hijacked by the Party establishment. The nomination process is not a coronation for Gary Johnson or Ron Paul.”

    It never is. Whomever is nominated received the vote of the majority of independent delegates (on whatever ballot).

    Jose: “Yes [balloting for POTUS will go past the first vote].”

    Likely, but not much. Not as far as in 2008, IMO.

    Jose: “No one who supports Gary Johnson has explained why we would do better this year than we have done in the past. I would add of course if we nominate a rich Vice-presidential candidate and he or she spends a lot of money we could do better the Ed Clark did in 1980.”

    Has anyone who supports any of the other Libertarian candidates explained why they’d do better than in the past?

    Jose: “As to a celeb ticket I would not mind if a celeb who is a Libertarian ran for the Vice-presidential nomination. I would vote for that person. In 1980 actress Raquel Welch suggested she might vote for Ed Clark. Assuming she is a Libertarian and she showed up seeking the nomination for Vice-president I would vote for her. ”

    Not gonna happen. She does look damn good for being 71 years old now though.

    Jose: “I would be impressed if a candidate raised $20,000 to $50,000+. It might sway my vote. Four years ago Steve Kuby showed up at the convention with a campaign that was broke. That did not impress me.”

    I think $20,000 is a pretty low minimum. In 2004, both Aaron Russo and Gary Nolan raised substantially more than that pre-nomination. Nobody who has only raised $20,000 should be nominated.

  32. JT

    Wagner: “Originally I had considered mailing in 2500 pennies in payment of my dues, in a nice flat rate US Postage box with a light activated audio player to belt out “zwanzig funfhundert Hinterpfennig” to the tune of “Neunundneunzig Luftbaloon”.

    You’re a buffoonzig.

  33. Darryl W. Perry

    @31
    “Pennies are legal tender.”

    Someone needs to let every court house in the country know this. I’ve been told by several that they are allowed to refuse payment in small change.

  36. Jose C.

    Depends on what you mean by broke. Kubby had a room, and we had boxes of signs. And some buttons.

    Paulie, I mean no offense but you must know this does not cut it. Showing up at the convention with only a room, signs, and buttons seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party for President and seeking the office once held by Washington, Lincoln, and Kennedy does not cut it.

  37. paulie Post author

    @34 Hmmmmm.

    Congratulations on your sound decision, which I heartily endorse.

    You’re endorsing Wagner for Chair?

    @35

    LOLOL

    @36

    I would have much preferred to have had more money.

    However, I’m pretty sure Badnarik got to the 2004 convention without much money, and ended up raising about as much as Barr did four years later post-nomination, so I’m not sure that amounts raised pre-nomination are really all that significant.

  38. Thomas L. Knapp

    GP@18,

    As you know, I tend to often agree with you on matters of internal governance.

    But no, the LNC spending money and expecting to be reimbursed is not “borrowing from its own accounts.” It is lending money from its own accounts.

    There certainly might be an impropriety involved, but if so that impropriety doesn’t involve the LNC borrowing money.

  39. Thomas L. Knapp

    JC@36,

    The Kubby campaign raised and spent ~$17.5k, and was not in fact “broke” upon arrival in Denver.

    It’s true that we never had as much money as we’d have liked, but we did a lot with what we raised.

  40. Jill Pyeatt

    WW @ 26: So, you’re officially running for chair? I’ve been hoping to compile a list this week. Have you started a campaign, or written up an announcement that we can post here? The convention is now (shockingly) only 3 months away!

  42. paulie Post author

    Someone needs to let every court house in the country know this. I’ve been told by several that they are allowed to refuse payment in small change.

    If they are not legal tender, what are they – counterfeit? LOL

  43. JT

    Paulie: “How much more?”

    I remember hearing the figures and thinking that Badnarik was far behind them. I think Nolan had raised more than $70k, but I’m not sure how much more. I forget Russo’s figure, but it wasn’t far less than Nolan’s.

  44. George Phillies

    @43

    The FEC reports are quarterly, making it hard to give a useful number, but here are the numbers from what appear to be the FEC reports at the end of March:

    Badnarik 28329
    Nolan 80776
    Russo 24255

    Recall that Russo started quite late.

  45. Steven R Linnabary

    @26

    I hope you have reserved your hospitality suite at the Ohio LP state convention in Columbus March 30, 31 & April 1st.

    I expect any serious candidate to hustle for my support.

    PEACE

  46. JT

    Thanks for the numbers. I think that’s why I thought more of Russo’s fundraising–because he had only entered the race in January 2004. Badnarik had been in the race for an entire year before then and barely beat Russo money-wise.

    I knew that Nolan had raised more than 70k though. If he can raise 80k pre-convention, then I think it’s reasonable to expect any serious candidate for President to have raised at least $50k by that time.

  47. paulie Post author

    Ron Paul wasn’t running that year, the LP had more members (pre-zero dues), etc.

    Again, if Badnarik post-nomination raised roughly the same amount as Barr, why is pre-nomination fundraising that important?

  48. JT

    Paulie: “Ron Paul wasn’t running that year, the LP had more members (pre-zero dues), etc.”

    True and true (hadn’t the membership total already fallen precipitously by then though?). But a $50k threshold still shouldn’t be terribly difficult to reach for an attractive candidate who has been in the race for months, IMO. I’d hope that in some years the LP would have a candidate for President who has already raised $100k pre-nomination.

    Paulie: “Again, if Badnarik post-nomination raised roughly the same amount as Barr, why is pre-nomination fundraising that important?”

    Because I think a candidate who can get more people to fork over their money pre-nomination is more likely to motivate people post-nomination as well. I also like a candidate to have a solid campaign in place pre-nomination so that it doesn’t have to be cobbled together afterward and learn on the fly. That was one of the criticisms of Badnarik’s post-convention campaign managers after the election was over.

  50. JT

    Paulie: “I’d hope that in some years the LP would have a candidate for President who has already raised $100k pre-nomination.”

    Of course, that assumes a total membership not much greater than it is now. If the membership is much greater, then I’d expect more.

  51. JT

    Knapp: “IIRC, a significant chunk of the money raised by Nolan came from him selling his house and making a large personal loan to his own campaign.”

    Could be. Put his money where his mouth is then to get his campaign structure in place.

  53. paulie Post author

    JT

    Paulie: “I’d hope that in some years the LP would have a candidate for President who has already raised $100k pre-nomination.”

    I didn’t say that, you did.

  54. Inspector Clouseau

    If Wes Wagner is going to run against Hinkle, then I nominate Brad Spangler for VP.

    This will guarantee that no one will use force from the LNC. Can’t hurt anyone if you don’t show up.

    Peace, Love, and truth.

  55. paulie Post author

    hadn’t the membership total already fallen precipitously by then though?

    Yes, it was off quite a bit from its high in 1999-2000, but still well above current levels.

    Paulie: “Again, if Badnarik post-nomination raised roughly the same amount as Barr, why is pre-nomination fundraising that important?”

    JT: Because I think a candidate who can get more people to fork over their money pre-nomination is more likely to motivate people post-nomination as well.

    p2: Yet Badnarik was able to raise about the same amount as Barr post-nomination. How do you explain that if what you think is correct?

    I also like a candidate to have a solid campaign in place pre-nomination so that it doesn’t have to be cobbled together afterward and learn on the fly. That was one of the criticisms of Badnarik’s post-convention campaign managers after the election was over.

    Of course, I’d prefer a campaign to not have to play catch-up. However, Badnarik’s post-convention FR and vote totals were not too far different from Barr’s, so I question how much that actually matters.

  56. paulie Post author

    JT,

    George Phillies raised around $100k pre-nomination (mostly his own money). How much of a factor was that in your decision of which candidate to support for the nomination in 2008?

  57. JT

    Paulie: “I didn’t say that, you did.”

    You’re right! I meant to put my name before that quote, not yours. Sorry about that.

  58. paulie Post author

    I’d hope that in some years the LP would have a candidate for President who has already raised $100k pre-nomination.

    I think Browne raised about a million.

  59. Thomas L. Knapp

    JT@51,

    “Could be. Put his money where his mouth is then to get his campaign structure in place.”

    Not really. He did that right before the convention because his campaign was dead in the water financially.

  60. JT

    Paulie: “Yet Badnarik was able to raise about the same amount as Barr post-nomination. How do you explain that if what you think is correct?”

    Paulie: “Of course, I’d prefer a campaign to not have to play catch-up. However, Badnarik’s post-convention FR and vote totals were not too far different from Barr’s, so I question how much that actually matters.”

    First, I said “more likely.” Second, how much did Barr raise pre-nomination?

    Paulie: “George Phillies raised around $100k pre-nomination (mostly his own money). How much of a factor was that in your decision of which candidate to support for the nomination in 2008?”

    To me, the pre-nomination effort (including money raised) carries the same weight for every person seeking the Libertarian nomination. It’s not the most important factor to me, but I do consider it. As far as I know, Phillies has always done a good job organizationally in his endeavors. Other qualities made him unacceptable to me.

  61. JT

    Knapp: “Not really. He did that right before the convention because his campaign was dead in the water financially.”

    To keep his campaign structure in place then.

  62. JT

    Paulie: “I think Browne raised about a million.”

    Yeah. I meant in the future about the 100k (unless the LP is huge compared to what it is now).

  63. Darryl W. Perry

    @42
    According to the Treasury

    The Legal Tender Law “… means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor.”
    I’ve heard from someone who asked: that a fine, fee or tax is not considered a “debt” – therefore the County cn refuse payment in coins.

    Last year, I paid my vehicle registration in singles.

  65. Darryl W. Perry

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  67. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    Stewart Rhodes, founder of OathKeepers talks about the NDAA, and why massive civil disobedience is needed in conjunction with a military stand down.

    I have been contacted by a number of soldiers asking what they can do on practical terms to fight what is happening to our country.

    I wanted to respond in a video, but I felt that the best person to give that answer would be Stewart Rhodes.

    Stewart’s work has had a massive impact on my thinking, and on the way that I approach this topic, so I’m very happy to have him here to communicate his perspective directly.

    Please support the OathKeepers

  68. George Phillies

    @56

    At the time of the nomination I had raised $219,910. That included at the time of the convention $100,000+ in cash-on-hand ready for the general election campaign, if had I been the nominee.

    …Phillies

  69. Jill Pyeatt

    PwC @ 67: I agree that Oathkeepers is a worthy and necessary organization, but I hope it doesn’t come down to massive civil unrest. That would give the government the opportunity to declare martial law–and that would be a very bad thing.

  70. Jose C.

    @56 I had raised $219,910. That included at the time of the convention $100,000+ in cash-on-hand ready for the general election campaign, if had I been the nominee.

    Wow. We made a mistake. I did support and vote for George for the nomination.

  71. Deran

    Oath Keeper oath #5 “Orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty”.

    “asserts its sovereignity”? As in secedes from the US? Restores slavery? Deports people the state deems undesirable? What exactly?

    IMHO “states’ rights”, “state sovereignty” always smacks of segregationism by another name. In this case I assume it is Spanish speakers that would be segreated?

    I’m in agreement that NDAA and Obama’s signing statement are a continuation of the post Sept 11 national security state that President Cheney initiated, but I don’t see a paramilitary org of former cops and soldiers as being a useful answer. O.K. strikes me as sort of, er, brown shirty? Or at least “freikorp”- or “squadristi”-like ?

  72. paulie Post author

    “asserts its sovereignity”? As in secedes from the US? Restores slavery? Deports people the state deems undesirable? What exactly?

    IMHO “states’ rights”, “state sovereignty” always smacks of segregationism by another name. In this case I assume it is Spanish speakers that would be segreated?

    Things I don’t think would happen if Tenthers got power in the US: Restoration of chattel slavery or state mandated racial segregation.

    Things that I think might happen if Tenthers got power in the US: State bans on Islam, abortion and homosexuality; mandatory Christian prayers in government schools and courts (among other state institutions); state neutral policies on private racial discrimination; state roundups and deportations of undocumented workers; massive expansion of the death penalty.

  73. Alaska Constitution Party

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    AKCP Chairman, J.R. Myers appointed to 3 year term on Board of Directors of the Haines Borough Fire Service Area #1

    Haines Borough Government
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    The following service areas are currently established within the Haines Borough. Title 7 of the the Borough Code describes the process for establishing additional service areas or abolishing existing ones. Each board is also governed by HBC 2.60…

  74. Precede with Caution, via Lake

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  77. Darryl W. Perry

    I hand delivered a letter to the office of each of the members of Congress who supposedly represent me in DC requesting a repeal of sections 1021 & 1022 of NDAA.
    The secretary at John Cornyn’s office said, “I want to let you know that the final version doesn’t apply to U.S. citizens.
    I replied “it says requirement for military detention, not ability” it also exempts the FBI, CIA, and other federal, State & local agencies from being able to detain citizens!
    He replied, “hmm, I never thought about it like that.”

  78. Deran

    @72, thanks, Paulie. I’m not as up on O.K.. Either way, not so good, imo. Still a bit freikorp/squadristi for my tastes.

  81. paulie Post author

    Would Americans Elect be worth its own category on here?

    Mulling it over. On the one hand they will certainly be significant this year, as the Reform Party was in 1996 and to a lesser extent 2000, and as the AIP was in 1968 and 1972. On the other hand, will they last? The LP has been around for 40 years; the GP and CP for 20. Had IPR been around all that time, would we have categories for those parties and others that have come and gone?

    I’d be interested in what others think about this.

  82. wolfefan

    Hi – Jill mentioned a birther case before an administrative law judge in GA last month. Apparently the plaintiff’s lawyers turned down a default judgment (since the government lawyers boycotted the hearing) and wanted to introduce evidence. After considering their evidence, the judge ruled against them. Here’s a link that contains links to the decision (along with another similar decision or two). I think this is something like the 70th such case to be thrown out.
    http://volokh.com/2012/02/05/georgia-administrative-law-judge-rejects-claim-that-president-obama-isnt-a-natural-born-citizen/#comments

  84. wolfefan

    It does take a special kind of lawyering to lose when the judge offers you a default judgement. Behold Orly Taitz, Esquire – Alan Keyes’ attorney of choice! 🙂

  85. NewFederalist

    Would Americans Elect be worth its own category on here?

    “Mulling it over. On the one hand they will certainly be significant this year, as the Reform Party was in 1996 and to a lesser extent 2000, and as the AIP was in 1968 and 1972. On the other hand, will they last? The LP has been around for 40 years; the GP and CP for 20. Had IPR been around all that time, would we have categories for those parties and others that have come and gone?

    I’d be interested in what others think about this.”

    The Prohibition Party has been around for 143 years and doesn’t have its own category.

  86. paulie Post author

    It’s no longer a particularly significant party, though.

    The LP, GP and CP have all been relatively significant parties that ave not been flashes in the pan. The LP and GP are also part of significant international movements, especially the GP.

  87. NewFederalist

    Well, in that case… wait until AE exceeds the LP and GP and CP in ballot status. That shouldn’t take too much longer. They are already ahead of the CP.

  88. paulie Post author

    I don’t know that they will necessarily exceed the LP, because it’s not a foregone conclusion that the LP will fail anywhere this year; I think the LP has a decent chance at full ballot access. The Greens may have a shot at that too, though it’s less likely.

    Again refer back to my previous comment…had IPR been around in 1996, or less plausibly in 1968, we would now have categories for the AIP, Reform, New Alliance, and maybe some other parties under that standard.

    I haven’t necessarily made up my mind – would like to hear what other people besides the two of us think and why – but at the moment I’m leaning towards only having categories for parties that have been fairly significant in the last 3 plus presidential election cycles.

  89. NewFederalist

    AE may exceed the LP because of NC, OK and now OR. OR could become a replay of AZ in 2000.

  90. Ad Hoc

    LP has NC and is well on its way in OK. It also has plenty of time to get ballot access in Oregon if it needs to, although no one has yet said that LPO will not put the LP national ticket on the ballot, so they may not need to.

    Actually, Wagner has said that if his group is seated as delegates at the national convention they will put the national ticket on.

  92. Thomas L. Knapp

    @88,

    Creating a category is as hard as clicking on “categories,” clicking on “create new,” and typing in a name for the category.

    The addition of any new taxonomic term of any type adds value to the site in terms of search engine optimization, user ability to more narrowly define what he or she is looking for, etc.

    So, in the absence of some important reason to limit categories to “major” things and consign “minor” things to e.g. tagging, the more categories the merrier.

    BUT! One important reason per the previous paragraph would be if one expected the number of categories to mushroom so that they become unwieldy when trying to post (“hmmm, which of the 490 categories we have should I put this thing in?). I’ve blogged at at least one site where I probably spent as much time scrolling up and down the fucking category list as I did writing the post.

  93. paulie Post author

    Tags and the search box help find what people are looking for, and I don’t like scrolling up and down the list of categories. In fact the original IPR rule which has fallen by the wayside was to never add categories. However we have added Prop 14, Liberty/Free Market Parties, Open Threads to the original ones. Not sure whether any of those additions were necessary or good.

  94. Vote4MarkQuick

    U.S. Rep Scott Garrett, a five-term congressman, faces challenges in expanded district
    By Phillip Molnar | The Express-Times

    U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett dodged a potentially tough battle when his likely Democratic challenger decided against facing him in November’s election, but he now faces a more immediate hurdle.
    Republican Michael Cino, 48, of Bergen County, has filed paperwork to run against Garrett, R-Warren/Sussex, in New Jersey’s Republican primary June 5.
    Post-primary, candidates from the Reform and Democratic parties have announced they will take on the nominee.
    Cino said Garrett has done too little to help the economy and coddles big banks, insurance companies and hedge funds.
    “At some point, the Republican leadership have to say this guy’s not effective,” Cino said.
    Cino called himself a fiscal conservative who plans to go into the campaign “full-steam ahead.”
    Garrett, a five-term congressman, defended his record in an email Friday.
    “My focus is on the job the people elected me to do, and that’s to reduce taxes, cut spending and change government so that it lives within its means,” he wrote. “Getting our nation’s fiscal house in order and our economy back on track is critically important, and that’s why it has my full attention.”
    Cino, the co-founder of Cino Oil Co., lost to Garrett in the Republican primary in 2006.
    Garrett’s district was expanded after redistricting — required by the country’s population shifts — in December.
    He was given the GOP advantage in the new district, prompting fellow incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman to abandon a battle between him and Garrett.
    A Bergen County Democrat has already thrown his hat into the ring to challenge the winner of the Republican primary.
    Teaneck Deputy Mayor Adam Gussen announced plans earlier this month to run.
    “(Garrett) has become a caricature of himself,” Gussen said in a statement, “trying to outdo the most right wing of the right wing, the most conservative of the conservative.”
    Gussen said Friday afternoon Garrett fails to represent the varied population of New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District.
    “That diversity is where Scott Garrett falls short,” he said.


    Mark Quick, of Frelinghuysen Township, confirmed Friday he would run against Garrett in November as a Reform Party candidate.
    Quick lost against Garrett in 2010 running as an independent.
    He said he decided to run again because he felt Garrett has done too little to fight illegal immigration and support local communities.
    “Scott’s been in Washington, D.C., too long and is completely disconnected from the district,” Quick said.
    New Jersey’s newly redrawn 5th Congressional District covers Belvidere, Hackettstown, Washington and the townships of Allamuchy, Blairstown, Frelinghuysen, Hardwick, Hope, Independence, Knowlton, Liberty, Mansfield, Oxford, Washington and White; most of Sussex County and parts of Passaic and Bergen counties.
    Voters will go to the polls this year under the new boundaries.
    Regardless of who faces Garrett, they are up against his more than $1.5 million campaign war chest.
    Cino said candidates in the 21st century have more opportunity to fight against wealthier candidates because of new technology.
    “There’s many other ways available now to get your word out,” he said.

    http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/express-times/index.ssf/2012/01/us_rep_scott_garrett_faces_pri.html

  95. Catholic Trotskyist

    There have been rumors that I am planning to run for LNC chair. I would like to state that I am not planning to run for LNC chair, or for any position on the LNC.

  96. Curt Boyd

    For what it’s worth, I got an e-mail from the Citizens Party today, saying they won’t field a presidential ticket or have a national convention this year because “fundraising has virtually stopped for a few months now.”

  97. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    Contact your representative today, and Congress might very well pass its first piece of meaningful ethics legislation in years.

    The bipartisan STOCK Act would make it clear that Congress is subject to the same laws against insider trading that apply to the rest of America.

    Considering the frequent meetings between corporate lobbyists and congressional members, this circumstance is ripe for corruption.

    Urge your representative to pass the STOCK Act.

    Rick Claypool, Public Citizen’s Online Action Team
    action@citizen.org

    Public Citizen has been leading the fight for passage of this legislation for years (it was first introduced in 2009).

  98. Steven Berson

    I received the following email yesterday. It seems the nascent Citizens Party – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_Party_of_the_United_States – formerly known as the New American Independent Party – based around a centrist platform and organized mainly with a “social media” style online forum – is having problems getting off the ground in a timely way. See email below:

    A message to all members of Citizens Party
    Dear Citizens Party member,
    The Citizens Party will not be holding a 2012 National Convention or be nominating or endorsing a Presidential ticket in 2012. Our fundraising has virtually stopped for a few months now. We cannot afford a convention, let alone the cost of gaining ballot access. We will be making a lot of changes to the party and the website in the weeks and months ahead as we re-focus on the long term.

    Visit Citizens Party at: http://www.votecitizens.org

  99. News Hound

    News Hound // Feb 7, 2012 at 4:09 pm

    http://www.lp.org/blogs/staff/vote-should-the-libertarian-party-list-presidential-candidates-at-its-web-site

    Vote: Should the Libertarian Party list presidential candidates at its web site?
    posted by Staff on Feb 07, 2012

    Dear fellow Libertarians,
    Members of the Libertarian National Committee have been debating whether or not to list presidential candidates at our web site, and if we do, whether to qualify those who are posted.
    There are good arguments for all sides.
    Examples of reasons for listing Libertarian presidential candidates:

    To inform members and, in particular, delegates who must choose our nominee.
    To inform the media and the general voting public, some of whom will vote in primaries.
    To offset the lack of institutional and media support for Libertarian Party candidates.

    Examples of reasons not to list presidential candidates:

    To screen out candidates who are not dedicated to advancing our libertarian agenda, or who actually oppose it.
    To exclude individuals who appear to be disingenuously using the LP.
    To disqualify candidates who are running for the nomination of more than one party.
    To avoid publicizing candidates whose presentation is viewed by most Libertarians as embarrassing or inappropriate for a presidential candidate and who could reflect badly on the party.

    Many Libertarian National Committee members have struggled with the right approach to balancing these issues. Despite several attempts to come up with objective criteria, no ideal approach has yet been found. Some argue that the disclaimer now posted at LP.org is sufficient to demonstrate that listed candidates do not necessarily meet with the approval of the party and its members. (Note that candidates can still run for the Presidential nomination whether or not they are listed.)

    An LNC motion to decide whether to entirely remove the list of candidates is currently pending.
    What’s your view? Vote today on how you think this delicate matter should be handled.
    In Liberty,
    Carla Howell
    Executive Director
    Libertarian National Committee
    P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party with a mission to give voters a choice for much less Big Government, much lower taxes, and much lower government spending. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

    3 News Hound // Feb 7, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    http://www.lp.org/poll/should-the-libertarian-party-list-presidential-candidates-at-its-web-site

    Polls

    Feb 07, 2012

    Should the Libertarian Party list presidential candidates at its web site?

    Yes. List every Libertarian presidential candidate that we know of without qualification.
    21% (91 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who is a dues-paying member of the LP and has a functioning web site.
    25% (108 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who meets the above criteria, plus meets the approval of at least 5 LNC members.
    15% (66 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who meets the criteria and is not disqualified by at least 12 (2/3rds) of LNC members.
    16% (70 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who petitions LP members and gets at least 100 to approve their being listed.
    13% (57 votes)

    Use other limits, or do something else: Go to our Facebook page and post your ideas!
    3% (14 votes)

    No. Candidates should generate their own publicity and makes themselves known to LP members.
    6% (27 votes)

    Total votes: 433

  102. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    Perhaps we have even more reasons to fight the Rs and Ds:

    voiceofsandiego.org [Mayor’s Race, Nathan and the Duke]

    San Diego mayoral candidate Nathan Fletcher’s rise through local politics has been swift and successful.

    But there’s one stop he prefers to breeze past: his stint as district director for jailed former Congressman Duke Cunningham.

    Read our our in-depth story ………….

  110. Nicholas Sarwark

    @99: So a solid 46% of respondents want less qualification than getting some arbitrary # of LNC members to support a candidate. Sounds like the ED could allow all dues paying members with a website be listed and keep 46% of the members happy.

  115. paulie Post author

    I think it’s mostly members, or at least people subscribed to the email list or facebook page. The number of votes far out paced a poll that has been open longer, so I don’t think it’s just random visitors to LP.org to any large degree.

  116. paulie Post author

    @113 I don’t agree with Larken Rose’s reasoning. Revolutionary changes historically usually happen not when things get to a breaking point of being terrible enough from the revolutionaries perspective, but when changes are already happening in the direction revolutionaries want but not rapidly enough for them. This is true of both violent and peaceful revolutions.

    In other words, Rose should endorse Paul, not Romney, to achieve his stated objectives.

  118. zapper

    RE @ 99

    A combined total of 44% (under 3 slightly different systems) want some kind of human decisionmaking to determine who is listed.

    3% want some kind of unknown limitation.

    46% want to allow essentially anyone to be listed

    Only 6% want the LP to forego listing presidential candidates altogether.

  119. JT

    Paulie: “I think it’s mostly members, or at least people subscribed to the email list or facebook page.”

    I agree. Why would a majority of the respondents not be members of the LP? Why would many non-Libertarians care if the LP lists every announced candidate for President on its website or not?

  120. Humongous Fungus

    Current results for that poll

    Should the Libertarian Party list presidential candidates at its web site?

    Yes. List every Libertarian presidential candidate that we know of without qualification.
    24% (519 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who is a dues-paying member of the LP and has a functioning web site.
    21% (471 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who meets the above criteria, plus meets the approval of at least 5 LNC members.
    17% (378 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who meets the criteria and is not disqualified by at least 12 (2/3rds) of LNC members.
    17% (365 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who petitions LP members and gets at least 100 to approve their being listed.
    11% (235 votes)

    Use other limits, or do something else: Go to our Facebook page and post your ideas!
    3% (66 votes)

    No. Candidates should generate their own publicity and makes themselves known to LP members.
    8% (170 votes)

    Total votes: 2204

  121. George Phillies

    All of these choices are better than the 2008 rip-off.

    I am, however, still inclined to support Marc Montoni”s suggestion, so long as it is in working order: point everyone at the Politics!.com site, so that they see the *really* odd people running for the nomination of the Democratic and Republican parties.

    For example, none of our candidates believe that the CIA implanted brain chips into their head, and that they are running for re-election for their fifth term as President. For one of the other major parties, well, I am quoting from a real candidate.

  124. Ad Hoc

    Not finding much of anything related with a google search for porfest 2007 “presidential debate.”

    I only looked on page one of the search results though.

  127. Darryl W. Perry

    Here’s the list of the candidates included in the debate

    Lee L. Mercer (Democrat)
    http://mercerforpresident2008.com/

    Daniel Imperato (Independent)
    http://www.imperatobrooks.com

    Don Allen (Independent)
    http://donaldkallenforpresident.com/

    Ruth Bryant White (Independent)
    http://www.rbwforpres2008.com/

    George Phillies (Libertarian)
    http://phillies2008.org/

    Daniel Gilbert (Republican)
    https://www.wethepeopleforpresident.com/

    Elvena E. Lloyd-Duffie (Republican) n/a

    Rev. Edward Allan Buck (Republican)
    http://commonman.info/

    Richard Michael Smith (Republican)
    http://www.rmsmith2008.com/

  128. Ad Hoc

    Cool, you got it down to five choices for me, four of which have a website. Haven’t checked yet which if any of those sites still work four plus years later.

  131. Darryl W. Perry

    MISSING PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES ENFORCEMENT:
    “There is some concern about the Missing Persons in the United States enforcement. I will enforce Missing Persons missing enforcement regulating itself with its regulations pertaining to itself according to its enforcements to locate missing persons 100% and to stop kidnappings 100%. ”

    THE DISCIPLINE OF REGULATING THE U.S. GOVERNMENT:
    “There is some concern about the U.S. Government regulating the U.S. Government. I will enforce regulating issues pertaining to the U.S. Government regulations and according to the U.S. Government enforcements. ”

    You can’t make this stuff up!

  132. zapper

    RE @ 120

    So, now, according to your latest numbers, Libertarians choices for how to list Presidential contenders for the Party nomination breaks down as follows:

    A combined total of 45% (under 3 slightly different systems) want some kind of human decisionmaking to determine who is listed on the website – similar to the current system.

    3% want some kind of unknown limitation, but some kind of limits.

    A combined 45% in two systems want to allow essentially anyone who asks to be listed

    Only 8% want the LP to forego listing presidential candidates altogether.

  133. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    and on the non Lib front:

    Bowen: List All Candidates for [California] Peace and Freedom Primary

    Thursday, February 9, 2012: “Phil Sawyer”

    For 36 years, the California Secretary of State has listed the majority of candidates on the ballots for minor party primaries.

    However, in this presidential election, Debra Bowen, California Secretary of State, has excluded two of the candidates.

    We call on Debra Bowen to list all four of the declared presidential candidates–Stephen Durham, Stewart Alexander , Peta Lindsay, and Rocky Anderson–on the primary ballot.

    That’s why I signed a petition to Debra Bowen, California Secretary of State, which says:

    “List all declared candidates for the Peace and Freedom Party presidential nomination–Stephen Durham, Stewart Alexander , Peta Lindsay, and Rocky Anderson–on their primary ballot.”

    http://signon.org/sign/bowen-list-all-candidates?source=s.em.mt&r_by=2463028

    Thanks!

  134. paulie Post author

    So, now, according to your latest numbers, Libertarians choices for how to list Presidential contenders for the Party nomination breaks down as follows:

    A combined total of 45% (under 3 slightly different systems) want some kind of human decisionmaking to determine who is listed on the website – similar to the current system.

    3% want some kind of unknown limitation, but some kind of limits.

    A combined 45% in two systems want to allow essentially anyone who asks to be listed

    Only 8% want the LP to forego listing presidential candidates altogether.

    Numbers are still coming in, but at a much slower pace and the percentages are not changing much. You can check them as they come in at

    http://www.lp.org/poll/should-the-libertarian-party-list-presidential-candidates-at-its-web-site

  137. RPNJ

    Attention Reformers,

    The Reform Party of New Jersey will hold its 2012 State Convention on April 14th, 2012 at the John F. Kennedy Library, 500 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey.

    The event will feature several high-profile guest speakers, including Reform Party presidential candidate Andre Barnett, as well as a meet and greet with RPNJ candidates for Congress, Senate, and local office.

    Additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

    The call to order will occur at 11:00AM.

    Those interested in attending the event should contact Chairman Jacob Zychick at ReformPartyNJ@Gmail.com or visit our Facebook event page at http://www.facebook.com/events/345248995497835/.

    Remember that they talk about reform…but we are Reform!

    We hope to see you there!

    -RPNJ Executive Committee

  138. NewFederalist

    Now that Fox Business Network has cancelled Freedom Watch I wonder if there will be any sentiment to involve Judge Napolitano in presidential or vice presidential discussions within Americans Elect or the LP or the CP? He sure has a forceful delivery and and appears to have high energy! I know John Stossel’s name has been mentioned in the past but I have never heard any rumblings about Andrew Napolitano.

  139. 24/7 the T-Rex of Talk Radio

    Reminder! TONIGHT !!! ALL libertarians WELCOME, please tune in as it should be an interesting chat .

    Highly Successful Gov. Gary Johnson,now running for President as a Libertarian invites everyone to a Video Townhall TONight @ 9 PM EST, 8 PM CST, 7 PM MST & 6 PM PST.

    Harvard Professor Jeffrey Miron, author of “Libertarianism, A-Z”, is the expert whom Governor Johnson credits as his economic adviser will Co-Host. Ask LIVE questions on video Monday Night. https://www.facebook.com/events/319170208124849/

    Gary Johnson 2012: The People’s President – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54PLUhpL8Y4&feature=related

  140. matt cholko

    What does it take for Milnes to get his IPR commenting “rights” restored?

    I’m not going to lead some popular movement on his behalf, but I would like to see him given another chance.

  141. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    Obama’s decision on the super PAC: Stand on principle or increase the risk of losing re-election?

    February 14, 2012 by jimmycsays

    Sometimes, my beloved New York Times tends to get too liberal and idealistic for my Democratic tastes.

    One of the things I love about The Times is that it holds politicians to extremely high standards — as it should, of course — and seldom lowers the bar.

    But in an editorial last Wednesday, The Times held President Barack Obama to an unrealistically high bar, in my opinion, when it chided him for deciding to cooperate with a super PAC called Priorities USA Action.

    The Times said that Obama’s announcement “fully implicates the president, his campaign and his administration in the pollution of the political system unleashed by Citizens United and related court decisions.”

    By agreeing to play ball with a super PAC, the editorial went on, Obama “gave in to the culture of the Citizens United decision that he once denounced as a ‘threat to our democracy.’ “

    The editorial ran under the headline, “Another Campaign for Sale.”

    The subhead said, “President Obama reverses position and joins the sleazy ‘Super PAC’ money race.”

  142. paulie Post author

    What does it take for Milnes to get his IPR commenting “rights” restored?

    I’m not going to lead some popular movement on his behalf, but I would like to see him given another chance.

    Duly noted.

    I’m interested in other people’s views on that, but there may also be a silent majority that won’t even read, much less join in, the comments if there is too high of a noise to signal ratio.

  143. matt cholko

    “I’m interested in other people’s views on that, but there may also be a silent majority that won’t even read, much less join in, the comments if there is too high of a noise to signal ratio”

    I don’t doubt it, and that must be considered. It is clear that Milnes has abused many threads on IPR, and I don’t feel like he is owed anything. However, he did occasionally have something of substance to say, and I found some of his PLAS talk mildly entertaining.

    I stopped by his website the other day, and I saw that he responds to comments/posts on IPR over there. It seems that IPR is a big part of Milnes life, and that got me to thinking about whether he should be allowed back here…..

  144. Thomas L. Knapp

    @142,

    “there may also be a silent majority that won’t even read, much less join in, the comments if there is too high of a noise to signal ratio.”

    So should those of us would prefer he not be banned do likewise until that’s fixed?

  146. Paulie

    Regardless of what we do some people won’t like it.

    I am not the only one who gets to make that decision.

  147. JT

    Paulie: “I’m interested in other people’s views on that…”

    My view is no. He had plenty of warnings about his posts and chose not to listen. He instead acted like a petulant child. I also hated him littering thread after thread after thread with his PLAS idea and being abusive toward people who don’t agree with him. He should’ve been banned before he was. I say keep him off.

  150. William Saturn

    I think IPR should unblock Milnes. This site is important to him, and perhaps he learned his lesson and won’t repeat what got him blocked.

  151. Catholic Trotskyist

    Agree with William. Milnes did not harm the discussions about this site, which are expected to be a bit eccentric, since this is a site about third parties after all. Also as a person who was probably almost banned in the past, I’d always like to see our open discussion policy continued and strengthened.

  152. Thane Eichenauer

    I disagree with WS@150 and CT@151. Milnes’ comments didn’t add anything to the site and did disrupt productive discussion.

    IPR was very tolerant of Milnes. That tolerance did not increase my enjoyment of this site. Perhaps there is a group of people willing to put money, time and energy to creating and maintaining a Fusion Party Watch news and commentary site where Milnes would be welcomed. Any takers out there?

  153. Alaska Constitution Party

    Further clarification on proposed changes to Alaska election regulations.

    Dear Mr. Myers,

    This regulation does not change the manner in which a political group or recognized political party is established. These provisions are found in 6 AAC 25.140, AS 15.80.008 and AS 15.80.010(24) and (25). No changes are being made to how a political group is formed or how one becomes a recognized political party in Alaska.

    The regulation you are questioning is 6 AAC 25.145 – TRACKING POLITICAL AFFILIATION ON VOTER REGISTRATION AND ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION FORMS. When a recognized political party no longer desires to be a recognized political party in Alaska, their name is removed from the voter registration and absentee ballot applications or if the recognized political party does not meet the recognized political party requirements as established under 6 AAC 25.140, AS 15.80.008 and AS 15.80.101(24) , this regulation allows them to maintain their name on the application as a political group upon submitting their application information to the division.

    The same would hold true for a political group who is no longer interested in obtaining recognized party status. This was the case with the Republican Moderate Party. They were a political group who notified the division they were disbanding and no longer would be a political party in Alaska. Thus, their name was subsequently removed from the voter registration and absentee ballot applications. However, until that notification, the division maintained the Republican Moderate Party name on the applications.

    Finally, for clarification, this regulation is currently in effect. The division is only proposing to change a portion of the regulation that will allow us to print the name of the political group on our applications to be in line with a practice we are currently doing. We are not changing any other part of this regulation.

    Sincerely,

    Carol A. Thompson

    Absentee and Petition Manger
    State of Alaska
    Division of Elections

    907-375-6400

  155. paulie Post author

    won’t repeat what got him blocked.

    I’d bet heavily against that.

    I’ll probably take a long absence myself if that’s what people want here. Maybe permanently this time. Milnes is already on record saying that would be a good thing.

    I think he’ll be more of an ass than ever if he’s back here, and I think the place has been more sane without him, but if most people here value his contribution have it your way. I need an excuse to stop spending so much time here and this could be it.

  156. William Saturn

    I said “perhaps” that would happen. If he does repeat the behavior then he can just be blocked again.

  157. matt cholko

    I would also bet that Milnes behavior won’t change significantly. However, that doesn’t sound like a good reason not to give him an opportunity to prove us all wrong. Like Mr. Saturn said, if he keeps up the same old BS then he can be blocked again.

    In my mind, Milnes would be permanently tolerable with about a 40% overall reduction in annoyingness. 40% less PLAS on threads where it doesn’t belong, 40% less name calling/assholishness to people that disagree with him, and 40% fewer instances of 10, single sentence posts in a row.

  158. paulie Post author

    For anyone who has any doubts about what Milnes plans to talk about if he returns to IPR, here you go:

    2/11 OK everybody, if I was permitted/allowed to comment in IPR I would reply to Richard Winger’s comment 26 on Jason Gonella:Open Letter to Gary Johnson. FEB. 10, To wit: Yes, I noticed that too, Richard. The Green nomination seems to be locked already. Two women. Hey, wait a minute…wasn’t their ticket in 2008 also two women?…& wait another minute…both racial minorities? & wait another minute…are both Stein & Barr Jewish? Hmmmmm…another coincidence? & in 2008 both the LP nominees men. Now the LP nomination seems a lock-two men AGAIN. I think we can diagnose the LP as paternalistic/counterrevolutionary & the GP maternalistic/revolutionary. This confirms my observation that the LP is dominated by rightists. The GP men would tend to be feminists hence deferential to the women & minorities. The LP men would be the opposite. & overcompensate towards minorities, which would confirm my suspicion that the BTP is failing to take action against Briscoe because she is-as far as we know-black. FURTHER, she may very well have been selected for this particular covert operation because she is black-AND FEMALE in anticipation of BTP reluctance to take action against her. FURTHER, this would tend to confirm my hypothesis that this operation was intended to secure & retain the BTP nomination long enough to sabotage PLAS. Further, this would tend to confirm my hypothesis that reactionary think tanks have ALREADY studied PLAS, probably long ago, and determined that it could work therefore worthy of sabotage. Ingenious filthy bastards, these reactionary think tanks, aren’t they? Unfortunately, quite formidible also.

    FURTHER, the FBI may very well not investigate as paulie implied in an IPR comment. But not because-as he also implied-of lack of sufficient evidence or jurisdiction etc., but because they are in an awkward position. I have requested they investigate a covert operation, which they either are deeply involved in or know damn well who is & do not want to expose them. paulie is an asshole, which I would rather write in IPR comments.

    Much more at http://www.robertwmilnesforpresident.com/ …enjoy!

  159. Thomas L. Knapp

    Hadn’t looked at Milnes’s site in awhile. Teh Krazy has not dissipated any.

    Quite the opposite, in fact.

    Imagining that you have a chance to be elected president if only an unknown, unfinanced party will nominate you is one thing.

    Imagining that the resources of IPR, the LP, the BTP, various think tanks, the entire federal government, the Illuminati, rogue remnant elements of the Kempei-Tai operating (via consular privilege) out of the secret Nazi base in Antarctica, et. al have been mobilized for the sole purpose of preventing said election …

    … well, that’s an order of magnitude beyond where he was even a month ago, when all the aforementioned parties were merely watching him masturbate through his TV.

    If I didn’t oppose involuntary commitments on principle, I’d say he should be locked in a rubber room for his own safety and given a LeapPad with the Spelling Game cartridge so that he can convince himself he’s actually running the world from his advanced computing center.

  160. matt cholko

    I wonder if Milnes is seeking the AE nomination. Their “balanced ticket” idea seems to be reasonably in line with Milnes’ PLAS. I am sure he can get the 50,000 (or whatever number it is) necessary clicks.

    😉

  163. Melty

    @160 sho nuf… AE is perfect for Milnes. He can start his own draft commitee for himself on there…the works!

  164. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    voiceofsandiego.org [In-Depth]
    In Fire Blame Game,
    SDG&E Wants a Blank Check

    Under an SDG&E proposal, a jury could find that the company could’ve prevented three [wild] fires that ravaged San Diego in 2007.

    And customers would still see their bills go up.

    Read our in-depth report.

    Support Local Independent News!

  166. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    Jacqueline Salit, the president of IndependentVoting.org, long a player in New York City and national politics, is currently playing on a different stage – at the Castillo Theatre on 42nd Street, where she’s appearing as Founding Father James Madison in a revival of Fred Newman and Annie Roboff’s political musical, Sally and Tom (The American Way).

    American Story of Love, Slavery and Compromise

    Running at the Castillo Theatre for six weeks from February 17 through March 25, Sally and Tom (The American Way) examines the 30-year relationship between Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemings, a relationship that produced five children and embodies the wrenching conflict between democracy and slavery,and its legacy of racism that continues to shape America to this day.

    In this polarizing presidential election year, with the meaning of “the American way” itself being hotly contested, Salit makes her acting debut in a play that examines the extreme power struggles and ugly campaigning that shaped our nation’s course in the early years of the Republic.

    In an ironic twist, Salit – a political independent who is outspoken against party control of American politics – plays the author of the Constitution, a man who deeply opposed political parties but ultimately founded one.

    Salit has a 30-year history in independent and insurgent politics.

    She managed Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s three successful campaigns on the Independence Party line and was a key strategist in the effort to bring non-partisan election reform to New York City.

    Her book, Independents Rising, published by Palgrave Macmillan, will be in stores in August.

  167. paulie Post author

    Perhaps there is a group of people willing to put money, time and energy to creating and maintaining a Fusion Party Watch news and commentary site

    http://www.crazyforliberty.com/ has a completely open comment policy (as of the last time I checked). Not even spam is filtered out.

  168. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Gerdes of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Bagram Office recently told Freedom Builder, a Corps of Engineers publication. “We’re transitioning… into a long-term, five-year, 10-year vision for the base.”

    Whether the U.S. military will still be in Afghanistan in five or 10 years remains to be seen, but steps are currently being taken to make that possible.

    U.S. military publications, plans and schematics, contracting documents, and other official data examined by TomDispatch catalog hundreds of construction projects worth billions of dollars slated to begin, continue, or conclude in 2012.

  169. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    Friend of United for Peace and Justice

    Nine years ago today, UFPJ led U.S. anti-war activists in an historic demonstration of grass-roots opposition to war in Iraq. Over 11 million people around the world took action making it the biggest protest in history. Worldwide the “power of the peaceful” was recognized by the media as the world’s Second Superpower. The troops are finally home from Iraq while fighting continues in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Now a war in Iran is looming.

  170. Darryl W. Perry

    I watched the movie Man of the Year (with Robin Williams) today and couldn’t help notice the horrible misunderstanding of ballot access and election laws.

    The main character (Tom Dobbs) announces on Sept 2 that he is running for President and winds up on 13 ballots. Based on petition deadlines for independent candidates; (barring lawsuits) it would have been impossible for him to have made more than 9 ballots.

    Also, he wins the election with 175 Electoral Votes – which is impossible. It takes 270 to win an Electoral College majority and there is no way that 175 EV’s would be the most if only 3 candidates received EV’s.

  171. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    SOME TIMES EVEN THE MSM GETS IT!

    “Missouri is picking up some unsavory distinctions.

    Weak laws make it a magnet for payday loan shops, dog-breeding operations and cigarette vendors.

    At the same time the state spends too little on education, and its public health outcomes are abysmal.

    It is no coincidence that Missouri also has the nation’s weakest ethics and campaign finance laws.

    Good government can’t thrive when special interests are sucking up all the oxygen.

    The Missouri legislature hasn’t accomplished much of late.

    Passing legislation to clean up its own act would be a signature achievement and lay the groundwork for better things to come.”

    Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/15/3431684/the-stars-editorial-cash-rules.html#storylink=cpy

  172. George Phillies

    @170 he would only need to finish in the top 3. He would then need to carry a majority of the 50 votes in the U.S. House, which for a third party candidate with no Congressmen might be a challenge.

  173. Darryl W. Perry

    @172 – the movie script has him elected on election night, no vote in the U.S. House.
    SPOILER
    .
    .
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    .
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    .
    Near the end of the movie, he resigns before taking office. The narrator mentions a re-vote, in which the incumbent wins.

  174. Darryl W. Perry

    B.A.N. reports that Puerto Rican voters will vote in a plebiscite on November 6.

    See the article here

    Puerto Rico will vote on November 6, 2012, on what its future political status should be. The first question will ask the voters if they are satisfied with the status quo. The second question will ask voters to either support or oppose three alternatives: (1) statehood; (2) independence; (3) free association with the United States as an independent country. The third alternative is somewhat like the relationship between the United States and three former possessions, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. Although those three countries are independent, they have a special relationship with the United States. The U.S. handles their postal system, and post offices in each of them have U.S. zip codes. Also, their citizens may freely travel between the United States and their home countries.

    This is great news! I’ve supported such a plebiscite for years – and even made it part of my platform as a write-in candidate for US Senate in 2008.

  175. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    The consortium of concerned patriotic partners behind theintolerableacts.org is not focusing solely on state assemblies, however.

    [Sheriffs are provided with a sample resolution, as well. ]

    In that document, a participating county sheriff can express his view that
    all provisions of the NDAA which are unconstitutional, including as noted herein above, were and are null and void from their inception and will not be implemented, enforced, or otherwise supported in this county, and it is the express policy of the Sheriff that no officer, employee, or agent of the Sheriff’s Office may implement, enforce or otherwise support, directly or indirectly, any of the above noted unconstitutional provisions including seizure, detention, or trial by the United States Armed Forces, and/or any other agents of the United States government, both foreign and domestic, of any person, including any United States citizen and/or lawful resident within this county, and that a violation of such policy will be deemed a violation of their oath of office and/or employment, and will subject them to discipline up to and including termination and potential arrest for assault, battery, kidnapping, unlawful detention, and other unconstitutional actions under the color of law.

    According to Fry, renowned constitutionalist Sheriff Richard Mack, former sheriff of Graham County, Arizona, and founder of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA), introduced the model sheriff’s NDAA resolution.

    Americans zealous to protect their Republic and the Constitution that limits the power of the government thereof are advised to contact their county and state elected representatives to encourage them to review the model resolutions provided at theintolerableacts.org and to present them for consideration to the appropriate lawmaking body.

  177. Catholic Trotskyist

    Libertarian presidential candidates James Ogle and Miss Joy Waymire participated in a town hall meeting about US Parliament on Talkshoe, with a special guest toward the end of the show. Recording will be posted somewhere soon.

  178. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    The Whig Academy is live after years of development.

    The first module, leadership, contains 19 lessons and the first six are up for you to use.

    http://www.modernwhig.org/content/whig-academy

    Whigs are proud to support Whig members Pat Martin and Joe Brown for U.S. Congress in 2012.

    Pat is running in Oklahoma and Joe is running in Missouri.

    ………. more about Pat Martin at http://martinforcongress.wordpress.com/ and Joe Brown at http://www.electjoebrown.org/

    There is also forthcoming news about for possible support of presidential candidates.

  179. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    March 10th Conference [Boston area ??????]
    [Pirate Party] Talk Lineup

    We are putting the finishing touches on the schedule for our March 10th Pirate Party conference: Politics: share, remix, reboot.

    David House, a researcher at MIT who helped set up the Bradley Manning Support Network, will be giving a talk entitled:

    Going toe-to-toe with the state: navigating the challenges of a digital activist.

    Shauna Gordon-McKeon, organizer for the Boston Sunlight Foundation, will talk about some of the programming projects transparency activists are using to open up government data.

    Writer and publisher Cecilia Tan, and Shane Bugbee will be on the Tales from the Net: Making a living at being creative panel.

    Michael Anderson will give a talk called Fight Ridiculous With Ridiculous: The Guerrilla Tactics of Fair Use.

    Exploring Kopimism by Lauren Pespisa

    Patents Upending by Erik Zoltan

    Fair Use for Activists by Chris Walsh

    How to Run for Office by James O’Keefe

    We will also have time for open discussion of where the Pirate Party should go and what issues we should focus on.

  180. Deran

    While I don’t like to gang up on people, I will say that not having Milnes and Ogle flooding this sites comments makes it much more interesting for me.

    I end toward being very pro-freedom f speech, but I also think that the internet has too much signal noise in general, but topic specific sites seem to me to function best (as far as ongoing discussions, getting mass eyes on the site, controlling trollism seems a very practical matter.

    In otherwords, maybe let Milnes on the Open Thread, but I suspect his compulsion toward chatter makes that a dubious proposition.

    If I had a wish for IPR, I’d wish more Leftists read it and were involved in the discussions. I find the libertarian capitalist discussions interesting, but…

  181. Marc Montoni

    I agree with Paulie, Thane, Deran, and others. There are other outlets for Milnes.

    Milnes takes advantage of the existence of this site. Paulie, on the other hand, makes its existence possible.

    No one else puts the time into it Paulie does (although he probably should make an effort to pace himself so he doesn’t burn out); and frankly the times when Paulie hasn’t been able to put up articles, the site slows down precariously.

  182. Thane Eichenauer

    MC@157
    QUOTE I would also bet that Milnes behavior won’t change significantly. However, that doesn’t sound like a good reason not to give him an opportunity to prove us all wrong. UNQUOTE

    It doesn’t? It sure does to me.

    As for “Milnes would be permanently tolerable” with a 40% reduction in objectionable behavior. Really? Only 40%?

  184. paulie Post author

    In otherwords, maybe let Milnes on the Open Thread, but I suspect his compulsion toward chatter makes that a dubious proposition.

    I know of no way to allow anyone to comment on one thread and not others here.

    If I had a wish for IPR, I’d wish more Leftists read it and were involved in the discussions. I find the libertarian capitalist discussions interesting, but…

    I’ve tried to recruit without much luck.

  185. zapper

    Paulie works hard, adds content, information and balanced discussion to IPR He makes this site much more interesting, entertaining and enjoyable.

    Milnes and Ogle offer repetitive, one-track noisome spamming that detracts from IPR, wastes readers’ time and drives people away.

    The choice was clear, the right decision has been made.

    My thanks to Paulie for all that he does on IPR.

  188. paulie Post author

    http://www.lp.org/blogs/staff/2012-libertarian-presidential-candidates

    The candidates running for the Libertarain nomination for president have been removed per the vote of the Libertarian National Committee.

    ==========================================================================================================================================

    http://www.lp.org/poll/should-the-libertarian-party-list-presidential-candidates-at-its-web-site

    Should the Libertarian Party list presidential candidates at its web site?
    Yes. List every Libertarian presidential candidate that we know of without qualification.
    27% (712 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who is a dues-paying member of the LP and has a functioning web site.
    21% (557 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who meets the above criteria, plus meets the approval of at least 5 LNC members.
    16% (421 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who meets the criteria and is not disqualified by at least 12 (2/3rds) of LNC members.
    15% (404 votes)

    Limited: List every candidate who petitions LP members and gets at least 100 to approve their being listed.
    10% (270 votes)

    Use other limits, or do something else: Go to our Facebook page and post your ideas!
    3% (68 votes)

    No. Candidates should generate their own publicity and makes themselves known to LP members.
    7% (191 votes)

    Total votes: 2623

  190. George Phillies

    @188 And there’s a winner!

    The “betting pool” someplace up some thread was whether or not the rules for listing Presidential candidates on LP.org would be changed again, and if so, how often.

    The ‘zero’s appear to have lost to the ‘one’.

    Naturally, no money will change hands.

  191. William Saturn

    Apparently the LP national committee members are not advocates of democracy. 93% is a clear majority.

  192. Darryl W. Perry

    wtf?
    47 % wanted either ALL candidates listed or only wanted 2 criteria
    43% wanted more strict criteria
    3% had other ideas
    and
    7% didn’t want ANY candidates listed.
    The LNC went with the 7%

    Why even ask the question if they aren’t even going to remotely go with what the members wanted?

  193. George Phillies

    The question was asked after the motion was made and LNC members were voting. The question was asked by Hinkle’s appointee as National Chair, without a rational search process, and had the effect of embarrassing Hinkle’s opponents on the LNC.

  195. Jill Pyeatt

    Is anyone else getting personal emails from Milnes? I wonder where he got my address. Can he read this site, but just not comment, or is he unable to access us at all?

  196. Dennis

    Time for a Roemer Revolution
    Posted on February 15, 2012
    By Dennis “DJ” Mikolay

    “Super Tuesday,” widely regarded as the single most important day in the presidential primary season, is quickly approaching, and while the Republicans have long perpetuated the idea that it would be ready to mount a formidable challenge to President Obama, the truth of the matter is the Grand Old Party really doesn’t look so great at the moment.

    Divided by factions and ideological schisms, there is no clear-cut nominee amongst the five Republican presidential hopefuls. While Barack Obama began campaigning long ago, the GOP has found itself running in circles, unable to reach anything close to a consensus as to whom they will support.

    For some insight into the mess that is the Republican Primaries, consider the following: the politically moderate Mitt Romney, long presumed to be the party’s torch bearer, suffered several defeats to the extremely socially conservative Rick Santorum. It was an upset that few pundits actually saw coming.

    While one could make the case that many primary voters will likely be voting against Romney and not for Santorum, it is important to recognize that if either of these individuals receive the nomination, it will determine exactly how far to the right the Republican Party wants to position itself when challenging President Obama. Strategically speaking, the best place to attack Obama is likely near the center, turf that is wholly unfamiliar to Santorum.

    Meanwhile Ron Paul, the last libertarian standing in the GOP field, has been quietly snatching up convention delegates. While the media is quick to dismiss the physician-turned-Congressman as an irrelevant crazy person, if Paul decides to stay in the race up until the convention, his possession of delegates could throw a wrench into the works. Will he become the nominee? Most likely not, but he has never been one to tow the party’s line, and that could cause a stir down the road.

    And then there is Newt Gingrich, who seems to have already set his eyes beyond the White House, focusing instead on lunar colonization. While he might be the only candidate courageous enough to take a stand in the ever-popular “should we colonize the moon” debate, his earth-based support has drained considerably in recent weeks. Even the most idealistic of Newt’s supporters are becoming skeptical of his chances and yet he continues to chug along.

    With the Republican Party’s presidential nomination is still largely up for grabs, pundits have had a field day speculating as to which of the above stated candidates is going to deliver his acceptance speech in Florida this August. The candidates themselves, anxious to secure their spot on the stage, have turned their attention away from the issues that concern Americans, and instead focused their efforts on the timeless art of mud slinging.

    It is a disheartening realization that has left many voters thirsty for another voice. Few likely realize that there is a fifth Republican contenders, one whose name is almost never mentioned among the speculated victors. Despite an impressive resume, outstanding qualifications, and a concrete platform for economic and political recovery, Governor Buddy Roemer has been almost completely ignored by the Republican Party and the mainstream media.

    To understand why the Republican Party harbors such disdain for the candidacy of a man who could very likely beat Barack Obama and restore stability to an otherwise divided America, one must examine his platform.

    Unlike Rick Santorum, who has relied on social issues as his vehicle for success, or Mitt Romney who utilizes chameleon-like charm, Governor Roemer has left the social issues and politicking to his opponents, breaking with the GOP’s line to promote fair trade, campaign finance reform, and revamped foreign policy. And as an added bonus, all of his policies are centered around planet earth!

    For years now, the American public has complained that politicians are no longer beholden to the people and are instead indebted to special interests groups and political action committees. The rise of the controversial SuperPACS during this election cycle have once again sparked public outrage as to who is funding our government, and to whom our elected officials really answer.

    While the cries for campaign finance reform largely fell upon deaf ears, Roemer has spent the last several decades listening to the public’s concern, and in turn, has called for widespread reforms to the way campaigns are funded. The Roemer for President campaign refuses to accept any special interest money, self-limits its contributions at $100 per donor, and has promised full disclosure of its funds to the FEC.

    If elected, Roemer has promised to force the special interests out of politics. While there are those who erroneously believe that corporate entities and special interest groups are “people,” one must realize that America will never return to the great nation it once was if we continue to sell our Chief Executive to the highest bidder. Unfortunately, Roemer has learned that it is hard to gain traction in a corporate controlled party when your platform is dedicated to combating the special interests.

    Roemer’s opposition to the neo-conservative ideals that have overtaken the Republican Party becomes apparent when one examines his economic policy; he is the only presidential candidate who opposes NAFTA, the trade agreement that sold America’s industry to Mexico, resulting in a vast drain of available jobs for our citizens. He also opposes “free trade” with China, arguing that one cannot engage in a free market system with a national that artificially manipulates its economy and production.

    Governor Buddy Roemer is more than qualified to be president, and the majority of Americans would likely embrace his platform if only they could be exposed to it. But the clock is ticking towards election day, and the Republican Party has yet to display even a minute amount of respect for the Roemer campaign.

    This has prompted Roemer to seek other avenues. While he has expressed interest in seeking the nomination of Americans Elect in the past, there is currently a movement within the Reform Party, founded by Ross Perot in 1996 as a means of advancing fair trade and campaign finance reform, to draft Roemer as their nominee. Roemer seems like a perfect fit in the party that ran candidates like Ross Perot, Pat Buchanan, and Jesse Ventura.

    The fact of the matter is simple: it is time for Buddy Roemer to leave the Republican Party behind. He has remained above their tomfoolery for years, and there is no reason for him to remain in a party that doesn’t share his ideals or ethics.

    The coming weeks will prove themselves to be very exciting to students of political science. The Republican candidates will likely become even more blood thirsty, ignoring the issues in favor of personal assaults and negative campaigning. The Republican Party’s National Convention draws ever closer…but then again…so does the Reform Party’s.
    http://populistapproach.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/time-for-a-roemer-revolution/

  197. paulie Post author

    Is anyone else getting personal emails from Milnes?

    I used to but don’t anymore.

    I wonder where he got my address.

    Do a search and see where all your email address may be listed. You may also have been copied on the same email(s) with him at some point.

    Can he read this site, but just not comment, or is he unable to access us at all?

    He can read. He frequently responds on his site/blog.

  199. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    “Khader Adnan, a 33-year-old member of the Islamic Jihad militant group, agreed to resume eating immediately, the Justice Ministry said.

    The statement said that if “no new additional substantial evidence” emerges against Adnan, he will be released on April 17, when a current, four-month detention order is to expire.

    It said that Adnan had accepted the deal through his attorney.

    Adnan’s supporters had expressed concern in recent days that he might not survive much longer.

    Doctors who have treated him say he has lost some 60 pounds (30 kilograms), his hair was falling out and that he barely had strength to speak.

    Tuesday’s compromise was announced shortly before the Israeli Supreme Court was to hold an emergency hearing on Adnan’s appeal.

    The court moved the hearing up by two days in light of the concerns for Adnan’s health.

    He has been held in an Israeli hospital for several weeks because of his condition.

    Adnan’s wife, Randa, was ecstatic over the news.

    “This is of course a victory,” she said in a telephone interview.

    “The Israelis had no proof and that’s why they’ve agreed to these four months,” she said.

    She laughed, and supporters could be heard screaming with joy in the back ground …….”

    Ole Israel, Master of Modern PR

    and having not learned a thing from Ireland’s ‘The Troubles’ ………..

  200. Put a Libertarian on Mount Rushmore!

    President’s Week Fund Raiser – Put a Libertarian on Mount Rushmore!
    http://www.facebook.com/events/117224821737023/

    Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:00am until Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 11:30pm..

    http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/

    There are four Presidents on Mount Rushmore. Washington was elected without a party. Jefferson was elected as the first Democratic-Republican. Lincoln was elected as the first Republican. Roosevelt left the GOP and formed the Bull Moose Party.

    Mount Rushmore represents new starts. Break from the establishment and support the message of liberty you and America are yearning for.

    Let’s bring our message of liberty to everyone in America this election. Donate Today.
    http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/

  202. Homeland Security

    I’m dreaming of a white homeland
    Just like the ones I used to know
    With illegals deported,
    jobs no longer exported,
    Israeli lobby told to go

    I’m dreaming of a white homeland
    With every comment that I write
    May your days be merry and bright
    And may all your descendants be white!

  204. Catholic Trotskyist

    US Parliament does indeed exist. US Parliament does not have a current impact on our government yet, but this year is when several parties will finally agree to work together as a team. Our talk show also has stimulating political discussions, including a guest who attended the America’s Party online convention. The US Parliament is also a good vehicle for the pro-peace, pro-life, anti-poverty message of Catholic Trotskyism. Amen.

  205. NLPer

    So when will Robert Milnes seek the Natural Law Party nomination? Or why not petition as an independent in NJ–only 800 signatures.

  208. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    hope you will join us as we honor

    this year’s [NYCP] recipients at our

    J. Daniel Mahoney Award Reception

    in Albany, NY on March 12, 2012

    in the Albany Room on the Concourse Level

    at the “four corners” of Empire State Plaza

    5:30 to 7:30 PM .

    Congratulations to

    Maryanne T. Hughes and James Maxwell

    this year’s recipients.

  209. NewFederalist

    @ 207… I am aware of that but there is no national organization any longer. The TM guru decided to go another direction. Some state party organizations survive just because they still run candidates and get enough votes to stay ballot qualified. Hey! Perhaps the BTP should go after the NLP organizations… Hmm. That would give you ballot status in two more states than currently!

  210. ONLINE Townhall TONITE Join Us!

    Town Hall Wednesday with Governor Gary Johnson

    & Special Guest Adrian Wyllie, LP FL Chair.

    Wednesday Night, February 22, 2012
    5 pm PST,6pm MST, 7pm CST, 8pm EST

    Our next on-line Town Hall will be held Wednesday evening, February 22, 2012. I will be joined for this informal on-line chat by a very special guest Adrian Wyllie.

    Adrian is the Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Florida. He is also a host of a syndicated radio program that focuses on libertarian issues, and is well-known as a constitutional activist for his challenges to the Real ID Act and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

    Please join us on-line at 5:00pm PST, 6pm MST, 7 pm CST, 8:00pm EST this Wednesday. To participate, go to

    http://www.garyjohnson2012.com.

    If you do not have a web camera, you can still participate via text questions. Please note that, if you log on before the video chat actually begins, you may need to refresh your browser to join. Also, you will see a volume icon on the screen, which may be automatically muted until you “un-mute” it or adjust the volume.

    If you can’t join us “live”, and would like to watch the video later, you can always go to Yowie.com to view my video archives.

    These informal on-line video chats are an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas regarding important issues of the day, and I urge you to participate if you can.

    Again go to http://www.garyjohnson2012.com at 5:00 pm PST, 6:00pm MST, 7:00 pm CST, 8:00pm EST TONITE Wednesday evening and join what I am sure will be a great discussion.

    Hope to see you on-line Wednesday evening, February 22th, 2012.

    Governor Gary Johnson

    –
    We may not agree on all points, but few will say Gary Johnson ducked questions or refused to debate other LP candidates as others have in the past. Please join us and call in your question ! Thanks.

    THE R{3VO|}UTION CONTINUES – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF5V4vbL_WE&feature=related

  213. Thomas L. Knapp

    GP@211,

    I heard this morning that they’re planning to try and pull the mandatory delegate poll tax scam again as well, to a minimum tune of about $100.

    Anyone recall if bylaws changes to enable that were passed in 2010?

  214. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    New Fed, independently and separately, Phil Sawyer, Don Lake, and others suggested that Reform Party units initiate ‘friendly take overs’ of state NL organizations. Such as California [blocked viciously by John Blair]. Over all the response was ‘underwhelming’.

  215. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    [Media Event]

    The Tenth Amendment Center is building a coalition across the political spectrum to nullify federal kidnapping powers in the NDAA.

    On Thursday, we’ll be holding a join Media Conference for press, bloggers, and the like.

    …… SAT February 25th TAC at Liberty Forum – NH

    ……. FRI March 2nd Baltimore/Severn, MD

    ……. Mar 31st – Tom Woods, Sheriff Mack Nullify Now! [Philadelphia]

    Crowne Plaza: Liberty, Constitution, and Declaration Ballrooms [Philadelphia Downtown]
    Michael Boldin, Tenth Amendment Center Founder and Executive Director

  216. Darryl W. Perry

    I’ll be putting together a “voter guide” for the LP National Convention. What questions do you think the candidates seeking the Presidential nomination should answer?

  217. NewFederalist

    I guess the first question is why is the chair of a competing party putting together a voters guide?

  219. Nicholas Sarwark

    @213: I was on Bylaws for that convention and I believe all bylaws proposals that would enable a fee for a delegate to vote were defeated.

    I suppose it’s possible that the Convention Committee believes that they can “just do it.”

    On the bright side, it sounds like the convention website is finally up.

  222. Ad Hoc

    In the meantime here’s what they are sending out….

    40th Anniversary Libertarian National Convention

    Homecoming and Reunion for Libertarians

    May 2-6 Red Rock Resort Las Vegas, NV

    “Why Haven’t You Been Told These Things About the Libertarian National Convention this May 2-6?”

    1. This is a Libertarian National Convention Unlike Any Other in LP History.

    2. Key LP Movers and Shakers of the Last 40 Years Are Coming to this Gala Event

    3. These Fascinating Libertarians are already Confirmed Speakers, Panelists, and Presenters:

    Tonie Nathan, 1972 Libertarian Vice-Presidential Candidate

    AND the first woman to ever receive an Electoral Vote

    Ed Clark, 1980 Libertarian Presidential Candidate

    David Bergland, 1984 Libertarian Presidential Candidate, author Libertarianism in One Lesson

    Dr. Nancy Lord, 1992 Libertarian Vice-Presidential Candidate

    Carla Howell, 2000 Massachusetts Libertarian U.S. Senate Candidate Against Teddy Kennedy. 308,860 votes.

    Robert Poole, co-founder REASON.

    Alicia Garcia Clark, National Libertarian Leader and Chair

    Michael Cloud, Libertarian Campaign Guru, author Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion.

    Sharon Harris, President, Advocates for Self-Government.

    NEW CONFIRMED –

    Judge James Gray, Libertarian, CA

    Judge John Buttrick, Libertarian, AZ

    Norma Jean Almodovar, LP Lt. Governor Candidate CA, author, From Cop to Call Girl, featured on ’60 Minutes.’

    Elected Libertarians Panel, with names to be announced.

    PLUS Friends of Libertarian Heroes Who Have Passed Away Will Share Stories About: David F. Nolan, founder, Libertarian Party. Dr. John Hospers, first Libertarian Presidential Candidate. Harry Browne, Unforgettable 2-Time Libertarian Presidential Candidate. Dr. Murray Rothbard, Austrian Economist. Marshall Fritz, founder, Advocates for Self-Government.

    PLUS Several Surprise Libertarian Luminaries.

    4. This May be Your First, Last, or Only Chance to Meet These Fascinating Libertarians who created and shaped and developed the Libertarian Party during our first 40 years.

    5. Every Living Libertarian Party Member is Invited

    6. Libertarian Party Members are coming from all 50 states

    PLUS, you’ll get meet and talk with the 2012 Libertarian Presidential Candidates – and, if you choose to be a delegate, you will help select our 2012 Libertarian Presidential Nominee.

    You’ll Get to Meet and Talk with Libertarian Party Leaders of the last 40 Years – and, if you’re a delegate, help choose our new LP leaders.

    PLUS, candidate trainings, activists training, state party leader training.

    PLUS, there will be bunches of receptions and parties. Some quiet and friendly. Others noisy and fun. There will be widespread, unregulated fun – and spontaneous laughter.

    All for You.

    This Convention is a Celebration of You. Of Your Libertarian Principles and Memories and Dreams. Of the Past, Present, and Future of Your Liberty – and Ours.

    You’ll remember this 40th Anniversary Libertarian National Convention for the rest of your life.

    ***

    Because You Are A Life Member of the Libertarian Party

    OR

    Because You Bought a Gold Package to a Past Libertarian National Convention…

    You Are Receiving This Special, Exclusive Invitation…

    Only 1,314 Life Members and past Gold Package Buyers are receiving this special briefing – and Exclusive Invitation.

    You Are Cordially Invited to Attend

    The 40th Anniversary Libertarian National Convention

    Homecoming and Reunion for Libertarians

    Liberty Will Win

    Because of who you are and what you have done to support liberty and the Libertarian Party, we are offering you an extraordinary value Gold Package – with a rock bottom, discount price.

    $790 Gold Package Value – 50% Discount – Only $395

    for the first 100 of you who register.

    Only 32 Gold packages left at this price!

    Here’s what you get:

    Gold Package – $595 Base Price

    Presidential Banquet
    Saturday Lunch
    Friday Lunch
    Gold VIP Post-Debate Presidential Candidate Reception Friday
    David F. Nolan Reception Wednesday
    All Scheduled Speakers

    PLUS

    These Special Bonuses for Gold Package Buyers

    Express, First Class Gold Convention Check-In
    Premium Front Rows Seating at the Presidential Debate
    Express, First Class Entrance to the Presidential Banquet
    Reserved Tables at the Presidential Banquet – & more spacious seating
    Wine
    One or two Libertarian VIP’s Hosting each table
    AND Two Surprise Gifts – one will be shipped to you this week

    Special Bonuses are a $195 Added Value

    Base Gold Package + Special Bonuses = Value of $790

    Because of Your Support for the Libertarian Party,

    Because this is the 40th Anniversary of the Libertarian Party,

    If You are one of the first 100 Gold Package Buyers…

    You can buy this $790 Value for Only $395 – a 50% Savings.

    Only 32 Gold packages left!

    Buy Your 2012 Presidential Convention Gold Package Today for only $395.

    Act Now. You Can Buy Your Gold Package with Credit Card or Debit Card.

    Paid for by the Libertarian National Committee
    2600 Virginia Ave, N.W. Suite 200, Washington D.C. 20037
    Content not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

  223. Chuck Moulton

    They are only sending the website link and registration info to life members and to people who bought gold packages in years past. The only option on the website now is a gold package.

    I bought a gold package, but instantly regretted it because I subsequently found out there will be floor fee shenanigans again this year.

    I’ll be writing extensively about the floor fee issue in the next few days as soon as I verify a few facts.

  225. Safeguard Liberty

    Who is the ninny nanny who keeps taking down legitimate comments, including ones that are on topic and not even rude, so long as they are not politically correct on the matter of race?

  227. Let the T-Rex of Talk Radio Entertain U2day

    Libertarian Party of Georgia – Annual State Convention
    Come one come all! This Saturday, Feb 25, at 3:30pm, a debate of the following LP Presidential candidates will be held at the Mahler Auditorium, UGA Conference Center and Hotel 1197 South Lumpkin Street, Athens, GA:

    Bill Still
    R. Lee Wrights
    Gov Gary Johnson
    Leroy Saunders
    Carl Person
    Ralph Beach

    Hope to see you there!

    —

    Good to see the former homeless guy is showing up and included.

    For any attendees or later video viewers pay attention to how Still performs and watch how he attacks Johnson. Should be the most interesting debate yet !!! Still actually believes he should be the nominee and will attempt to take Johnson OUT before the convention !!! Hopefully Still and Johnson will be placed next to each other on the podium!
    That should add to the FUN !!

    Ron Paul & Gary Johnson in same Debate – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHGxO1XhwkU&feature=related

    THE R{3VO|}UTION CONTINUES – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF5V4vbL_WE&feature=related

    Gary Johnson 2012: Don’t Get Fooled: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNXdoeF3KaM&NR=1

  228. No Johnson 2012 Filing

    The Johnson 2012 campaign, which has raised more than $100,000 and therefore is required to be filing monthly with the FEC, has yet to make its filing covering January.

    Of course, if an ability to raise money were said to be one of your virtues, and you were actually $200,000 in the hole, you too might feel a brief temptation to hide how you were doing.

    …George Phillies

  229. Robert Capozzi

    228 gp, actually, accounts payable balances have nothing to do with the ability to raise money; it’s a function of matching expenditures with income.

    Whether a shortfall creates a temptation to “hide” something may or may not be true, but I suspect GJ’s managers are all over the matter.

    I do wonder: When you narced to the FEC on the LNC, did you announce it widely?

  230. Who is the Authentic Libertarian?

    Question:

    Out of the current presidential candidates for the LP, who is the “Authentic Libertarian?”

    Is it Wright?, Johnson?, Still?, etc.

    The Republican party can’t find there “Authentic Conservative.”

    hmm.

  234. bruuno

    Question for the 3rd Party experts- I saw that America’s Party nominated Tom Hoefling for President. Here is my question, is the AIP in CA still closely allied with America’s party, have they gone back to the Constitution Party, or are they essentially on their own now?
    Also does anyone know if America’s Party has really done anything since running Alan Keyes in 2008. Seems like I have heard very little from them.

  235. Robert Capozzi

    232 jhf (gp): The Republicans need to speak the right words: Mirror, mirror, on the wall, Who’s the nuttiest of them all?

    me: Happened to watching Morning Joe y’day, and they all were talking about how insane the GOP is…the field downplays the many economic issues where BHO is weak in favor of contraception and forced vaginal-probe sonograms. The panel seemed puzzled by just how hard (social) right the GOP has become. They wondered why the GOP is not appealing to the middle, which one characterized as “fiscal conservative and socially libertarian.”

    Mark Halperin even suggested this could lead to a realignment.

    Is the LP up to participating in such a realignment? Or will we persist in fixating on purity fetishes?

  236. paulie Post author

    @234

    They definitely have not gone back to the CP, although a CP-aligned faction keeps suing them to regain control without any luck thus far. As far as I know they have no affiliation with America’s Party now either, but I could be wrong. I think their plan this year might be to sell their ballot access to the highest bidder, although I may be getting that from their CP-aligned opposition, so take it with a caveat.

  237. bruuno

    #236
    Thanks paulie. Aren’t the AIP having a primary in CA? I gather that unlike the P & F it is mostly a ‘beauty’ contest?

  238. paulie

    As I understand it both are non-binding “beauty contests” with the actual party nominees to be determined at the party conventions.

  239. paulie

    Sent to IPR email list

    Got a voicemail from Dr. Phillies letting me know that IPR is free to use articles from GoldUSAGroup.com, and that a series of articles will be posted there in the next few days. The subject matter of the website is mainly internal LP conflicts, which judging by past thread comment counts is a matter a lot of IPR readers are interested in. Cced in case I misunderstood anything.

    I have not been able to post articles myself because the only computer I have regular access to is in the lobby of the motel here. It needs to be used by other people and is painfully slow. I’m not sure when Andy will get back here to ND from **. He’s usually pretty good about letting me borrow his computer when he’s here.

    I’ve also been forwarding a lot of articles from contact.ipr and other sources to IPR-2, but few if any of those get posted to IPR. I hope some of you will find time to post some of those.

    Also, I noticed that Tom unsubscribed to the email list; not sure if anyone else has. I hope it’s not because I forward too many articles to it.

    My phone seems to not be any good at holding a battery charge any more, but phone calls are still welcome at 415-690-6352 any time. If my phone is dead or dying, I’ll call back when I charge it up. Other than computer access issues, I’m OK, and hope all of you are doing well also.

    -paulie
    West Fargo, ND

    website note: If any of you are not signed up to post articles here and would like to be, please let me know. We are looking for people to post news stories and other people’s editorials, not your own editorials. You can post as often or as rarely as you wish.

  240. paulie

    They wondered why the GOP is not appealing to the middle, which one characterized as “fiscal conservative and socially libertarian.”

    Maybe, if you don’t look at details, such as “gun control” (victim disarmament) among other issues.

    Mark Halperin even suggested this could lead to a realignment.

    Pundits talking about realignment happens much more frequently than actual realignment, although I would not rule anything out.

    Is the LP up to participating in such a realignment? Or will we persist in fixating on purity fetishes?

    Given the presidential ticket of 2008, and the platform changes that have taken place, among other things, I don’t think the purity issue is what is holding the LP back now. It’s more a case of the LP would like to sell out but nobody’s buying.

    Institutional barriers continue to be the main obstacles to alt parties.

    That’s not to say that it will never be possible to overcome those. Perhaps Americans Elect will provide some process-oriented lessons that the libertarian movement can put to use in future cycles in making the LP more effective in real world politics. There are quite a few small l libertarian multimillionaires and billionaires, and if any of them can be persuaded to sink real money (even if not time) into the LP, it may yet become a lot more than what it has been.

    Other things (also not highly likely) could kick things into higher gear – for example, a Ron Paul LP run.

    I think that the LP could also appeal to a lot of people, mostly but not exclusively young, who cluster around the left-center-libertarian portion of the Nolan Chart. They often times end up voting Democratic or Green or not voting at all, and recently many of them have been supporting Ron Paul. They also happen to be the biggest cluster of all college students, according to my polling and that of some other people.

    To their credit, Gary Johnson and Lee Wrights have both been stressing themes that appeal to this group. RJ Harris has been trying to make inroads with the Ron Paul movement, which also appeals to many of the same people.

    While I have some reservation about all of these candidates, I’m also cautiously optimistic.

  241. NewFederalist

    paulie- what do you think of Virgil Goode and the CP nomination? I have heard there are some reservations about his past congressional voting record just like in 2008 there were LP concerns about Barr.

  243. paulie Post author

    what do you think of Virgil Goode and the CP nomination? I have heard there are some reservations about his past congressional voting record just like in 2008 there were LP concerns about Barr.

    As I understand it Goode is out of step with the CP on foreign policy, but since much of the leadership supports him it is not likely to keep him from getting the nomination.

  245. Darryl W. Perry

    Reposted at http://bostontea.us/node/1095

    Per Article 9 h) of the BTP bylaws, the requisite number of party members have requested a review of the Chair’s decision to retain Tiffany Briscoe as the BTP Presidential nominee.

    The poll will remain open until 7:15PM (CDT) Tuesday March 6, 2012. A 2/3 majority is required to overturn the decision.

    A “yes” vote is a vote to overturn the Chair’s decision.

    http://bostontea.us/node/1094

    Per BTP precedent, new member registration is disabled during polling.

  246. Robert Capozzi

    240 p: Pundits talking about realignment happens much more frequently than actual realignment, although I would not rule anything out.

    me: Realignment in the majors takes a few cycles. The solid used to be Solid for the Ds in my lifetime, for ex.

    As of today, if Santorum gets the R nomination, he could cause the GOP to implode. To the general population, some of his ideas begin to rival extremist ideas even on the fringes of the LP. (For ex., opposition to contraception seems nearly as loopy as bestiality legalization.) That the man is a serious contender at this stage tells me that the primary-voting Rs are a pretty fringy bunch.

  247. Darryl W. Perry

    @246 – that depends on how you define “fringy”. Technically “fringe” means “outside of the mainstream.”
    Santorum seems to be fairly “mainstream” which would exclude him from being “fringy” – though, it does not prevent him from being “kooky”

  252. Ad Hoc

    The Romney dog story is really repulsive, yet true. Click on Romney’s name at that link for the disturbing details.

  256. matt cholko

    I got the joke Darryl.

    As for Dave Mustaine, the frontman of the greatest band ever, endorsing Santorum, here is his clarification: “I didn’t say that. I said that he’s the one that I’m looking at.”

    Find more here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/21/dave-mustaine-megadeth-gay-marriage_n_1291920.html

    Now, the fact that he has even considered endorsing such a worthless piece of garbage, and the fact that he is anti-gay marriage, and the fact that Megadeth’s latest album sucked are all legitimate complaints.

  257. Ad Hoc

    @255-6 I got it and deadpanned.

    Actually, people in the porn business hate small s santorum and do a lot of work to avoid it.

    Much like big s Santorum, it is unsanitary, unsightly, malodorous and generally unpleasant.

    Given the definitions @250, the plausible Romney-Santorum Republican ticket takes on new meaning.

  259. LibertarianGirl

    @26…LOL , Hinkle is NOT in the infamous “starr cabal” …….i havent liked everything Mark has or hasnt done or been perceived to have dont but when both sides think you work for the other then you must be doing something right ….:)

  260. Robert Capozzi

    247 dwp, these terms are indeed all subjective. Basically, if it has anything to do with sex, Santorum seems trapped in a 1950s mindset. A fairly large portion of the GOP seems to be there, too, but that is — in my estimation — a fairly small minority of the general population.

    If Ike or Truman had Santorum’s anti-contraception views back then, it might not have been a fringe view. In 2012, I’d say it is fringe.

  261. Catholic Trotskyist

    National Socialist Movement’s 2008 presidential candidate, Brian Holland, was interviewed on Coast to Coast AM last night. He announced that he was an informant for the FBI for over 10 years against white supremacist movements, including for his entire presidential campaign! He’s actually a regular conservative Republican.

  262. Darryl W. Perry

    http://www.freepatriot-press.com/2012/02/acta-internet-censorship-law-that-can.html

    Just last month millions of Americans rallied to defeat SOPA and PIPA. However, something worse has crept in the back-door and may not be able to be repealed. In October 2011 President Obama signed an international agreement called the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement or ACTA.

    A letter from Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison says, “The Obama Administration negotiated the ACTA as an executive agreement. Therefore, the agreement does not require congressional approval, unless the agreement contains statutory changes to current U.S. law. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) claims that ACTA is consistent with U.S. law and enacting legislation from Congress is unnecessary.

    “The Obama Administration’s unilateral actions, however, raise two important questions. First, is the Administration’s end-run to avoid Congressional review constitutionally supportable? Second, without Congressional review, how can we be satisfied that the ACTA would strike a constructive balance between protecting U.S. economic interests and individuals’ online privacy?”

    While these questions may never be answered in the United States, the European Court of Justice will review ACTA to clarify whether or not the agreement and its implementation are fully compatible with freedom of expression and freedom of the Internet.

    PCMagazine reports that EU Commissioner Karel De Gucht is stressing the idea behind ACTA is to “raise global standards of enforcement of intellectual property rights.” De Gutch says the standards are already in place in Europe, but getting other countries to agree will help European countries “defend themselves against blatant rip-offs of their products and works when they do business around the world” and that ACTA will not change European law.

    The USTR is saying that ACTA will not change existing U.S. law, either. That begs the question: if ACTA will not change any existing law, what is the point of the agreement?

    The Electronic Frontier Foundation reports, “The Fact Sheet published by the USTR together with the USTR’s 2008 ‘Special 301’ report make it clear that the goal is to create a new standard of intellectual property enforcement above the current internationally-agreed standards.” EFF also reports, “a document recently leaked to the public entitled ‘Discussion Paper on a Possible Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement’ from an unknown source gives an indication of what content industry rightsholder groups appear to be asking for – including new legal regimes to ‘encourage [internet service providers] (ISPs) to cooperate with right holders in the removal of infringing material’ criminal measures and increased border search powers.”

    It seems to me that ACTA will increase the power of ISPs and encourage them to remove content. It is yet to be seen if ISPs will only remove copyrighted material or if they will move to censor politically objectionable content and possibly stifle the free press.

  265. Ad Hoc

    Milnes urges everyone to vote yes

    Shall the membership overturn the Chair’s decision to retain Tiffany Briscoe as the Presidential nominee?

    http://bostontea.us/node/1094


    2/27 BTP members. The vote to remove Briscoe is VERY close. PLEASE vote YES.

    SOMETHING is definitely wrong with the Briscoe campaign. I have called for investigations. BY Chair, the FBI, by investigative reporters etc. I have seen little of that. So I have tried to investigate it myself. Last night I looked up her Facebook entries. Evidently she started in the democratic primary as a write in candidate in Maryland. When asked a question about Israel, Crevaux answered it saying the campaign was working on a platform which would be done soon. We heard that same thing plus she was working on writing a book after her nomination by btp. I said but btp ALREADY has a platform. So from this and other bits of evidence I have come to the conclusion that Briscoe/Crevaux were running a scam on the democratic party. then somehow they transferred their scam to the BTP. The reasons for this I do not know. But I suspect the scam was diverted to the BTP by whoever is behind that as a covert operation. In other words a simple fraud scam against the democratic party was turned into a covert operation against the BTP. PLEASE vote out this scam asap. We can continue the investigation later. We need to get a radical ticket in place-in the least. Not either a scam or a covert operation.

    I note that Thane Eichenauer stated he voted no. He is a known rightist & is against my return to ipr with commenting privileges restored. The fact that a known rightist is a member of btp tells us that btp has the same problem as the lp. Infiltration by rightists. I’m hoping that btp is not DOMINATED by rightists like the lp. But this close vote shows that the rightists are present. It looks like they are about 1/3 judging by the vote. Which would mean that this will be a VERY close vote if it goes by a right/left pattern.

    This is an urgent matter that will determine the future of our nation! What are you waiting for? Get on over there and vote!

    It’s 8-4 and yours could be the deciding vote…

  266. For Shame

    LP should officially condemn Barr’s endorsement of Gingrich and make it known that we as a party do NOT endorse Newt.

  269. Humongous Fungus

    @257

    Bob Barr’s suggestion that libertarians should support Gingrich has resulted in an explosion of Romney-Santorum all over computer keyboards, monitors and their environs around the world.

  271. Son of A Preacher Man

    NF, which comments are you referring to? Is this a general comment on the current state of the world, or something more specific? In order to answer the question, we must know the question.

  274. Darryl W. Perry

    Looks like the LNC is trying to (again) impose a poll tax on delegates. I just got the following in my email:

    You Are Cordially Invited to Attend

    The 40th Anniversary Libertarian National Convention

    Homecoming and Reunion for Libertarians

    Liberty Will Win

    Because of who you are and what you have done to support liberty and the Libertarian Party, we are giving you a choice of 4 different Convention Packages: Gold, Silver, Bronze, or TANSTAAFL – each with a rock bottom price.
    Look over all 4 choices. Which do you want? Which fits your situation and budget?

    Gold Package

    * Presidential Banquet & Reception
    * Saturday Lunch & Speaker
    * Saturday Wake-up Speaker
    * Gold VIP Post-Debate Presidential Candidate Reception Friday
    * Friday Lunch & Speaker
    * Friday Wake-up Speaker
    * David F. Nolan Reception Wednesday
    * All Breakout Speakers

    PLUS:
    These Special Bonuses for Gold Package Buyers

    * Express, First Class Gold Convention Check-In
    * Premium Front Rows Seating at the Presidential Debate
    * Express, First Class Entrance to the Presidential Banquet
    * Reserved Tables at the Presidential Banquet – & more spacious seating
    * Wine at Banquet
    * One or two Libertarian VIP’s Hosting each Banquet table
    * AND Two Surprise Gifts – one will be shipped to you this week

    Base Gold Package Value: $595
    Special Bonuses Value: $195
    Total Value: $790

    Your Price: $445 ($345 Savings / 44% Discount)

    Because of Your Support for the Libertarian Party,

    Because this is the 40th Anniversary of the Libertarian Party,

    We are offering You this $790 Value for Only $445 – a 44% Savings – if You are one of the first 100 Buyers of this offer.

    $445 Gold Package – Buy Now

    Silver Package

    * Presidential Banquet & Reception
    * Saturday Lunch & Speaker
    * Saturday Wake-up Speaker
    * Friday Lunch & Speaker
    * Friday Wake-up Speaker
    * David F. Nolan Reception Wednesday
    * All Breakout Speakers

    Silver Package Price at Door: $495
    Your Price: Only $395 ($100 Savings / 24% Discount)

    Discount Price for the first 75 Silver Package Buyers
    $395 Silver Package – Buy Now

    Bronze Package

    * Presidential Banquet & Reception
    * David F. Nolan Reception Wednesday
    * All Breakout Sessions (NO Wake-up or Lunch Speakers)

    Bronze Package Price at Door: $395
    Your Price: Only $295 ($100 Savings / 25% Discount)

    Discount Price for the first 75 Bronze Package Buyers
    $295 Bronze Package – Buy Now

    TANSTAAFL Package

    TANSTAAFL is the minimum required payment for Delegates and Alternates to enter the Convention to participate in Libertarian Party business, and in Libertarian Delegate meetings and activities.

    “TANSTAAFL” is longtime libertarian acronym, which means:

    “There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch”

    Some Libertarian Delegates want to attend only business sessions. They should NOT be required to buy more expensive Convention Packages just to be a Delegate at the Libertarian National Convention.

    TANSTAAFL Package allows these to pay only the cost of what they choose.

    Each attendee must pay his share of the basic costs of putting on this Libertarian National Convention. The costs of the meeting rooms, the tables and chairs, audio-visual systems, LP support staff, Parliamentarian, printing and shipping materials, and so forth for several days of Libertarian Party National business.=

    These costs are included in the Gold, Silver, Bronze, and TANSTAAFL Convention Packages.

    Paying Delegates and Attendees will NOT be forced to pay the Convention costs of ‘Free Riders.’

    TanstaafC: “There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Convention”
    $94 TANSTAAFL package – Buy Now

    Don’t Miss Out. Act Now.

    You Can Buy Your Gold, Silver, Bronze, or TANSTAAFL Package with Credit Card or Debit Card.

    Just Click and Pick.

    Paid for by the Libertarian National Committee
    2600 Virginia Ave, N.W. Suite 200, Washington D.C. 20037
    Content not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

  275. Jill Pyeatt

    My goodness, that’s expensive, especially for people who have a long distance to travel.

  278. Precede with Caution, via Lake

    the Post reported, “Colorado groundwater was contaminated in 58 spills this year.

    Streams were contaminated 18 times.” [1]

    The oil and gas association responsible for the ad is hiding behind semantics, when the misleading implication of the words “not one instance of groundwater contamination” is quite clear.

    The companies that want to develop those resources can afford to do it right, but the only way they will feel the pressure to do so is if the citizens of Colorado understand the facts.

    Click here to send a message to Gov. Hickenlooper, urging him to withdraw this misleading ad.

    Sincerely, Joanne Kron ©2005-2011 ProgressNow Colorado. All rights reserved.

    This email was sent to: jcoffey9991911@yahoo.com

  279. Jill Pyeatt

    I believe Hinkle is running for re-election, Darryl, but those are the only three I know of.

    I hope they don’t kill each other. I expect quite a contentious fight .

  280. matt cholko

    It costs $100 to attend the business session only? That is incredibll expensive. If that is truly just covering the LP’s costs, then there damn sure better be a shitload of marble and gold in this place.

  283. Darryl W. Perry

    Free Patriot Press is putting together a voter guide for the 2012 LP National Convention. All announced candidates (with publicly posted email addresses) for the LP Presidential nomination, as of February 29, were sent the following questions.

    1) Congress routinely passes bills that are hundreds of pages long and contain multiple unrelated sections. Some examples being the “indefinite detention provision” of the National Defense Authorization Act; a provision to ban online gambling added into the 2006 SAFE Port Act and REAL ID (which failed to pass on it’s own merit) added to a military spending bill. If elected President, would you urge Congress to stop this practice?
    Why or why not?
    If yes, would you urge Congress to pass the One Subject at a Time Act?

    2) Many bills – especially the “major legislation” – are hundreds of pages long and many are not finalized until hours before being brought up for a vote, thus giving Congressmen little time to read the bill. Do you believe that Congress should read the bills that they vote on?
    Why or why not?
    If yes; would you urge Congress to pass the Read the Bills Act, which would require bills to be read in full on the floor of both houses of Congress and posted online at least seven days before being brought up for a vote?

    3) The U.S. military currently has troops in 158 nations (not counting military personnel at Embassies) with undeclared “wars” in at least a half-dozen countries. Do you support the continued presence of military around the world?
    Why or why not?
    If yes; please explain how this ensures “freedom” (even though the Congress has passed laws that have destroyed the Bill of Rights) and does not create enemies?

    4) The Congress has been passing legislation to infringe on the individual rights of people for decades. Do you support a repeal the USA PATRIOT Act, Military Commissions Act and FISA?
    Do you support abolishing the NSA, TSA, CIA and any other federal agency that infringes on individual rights?
    Why or why not?

    5) Before the creation of the Federal Reserve, inflation was virtually non-existent in the United States; since it was created and given a monopoly on creation of currency, the value of the U.S. Dollar has declined 97%. Do you support abolishing legal tender laws that force people to use the Federal Reserve Note instead of a commodity backed currency of their choice?
    Do you support auditing and/or abolishing the Federal Reserve?
    Why or why not?

    6) Do you have a plan to balance the federal budget and reduce the size, scope and power of the federal government? If so, what is your plan?
    If not; why not?
    What is your opinion of repealing the 16th Amendment and thus repealing the federal income tax?
    If in favor, how do you propose funding the federal government?

    7) Do you support allowing citizens of the several territories of these United States of America to decide for themselves whether or not they wish to become a State or an independent country?
    Why or why not?
    Do you support extending this right of self-determination to members of Native American Indian tribes? Why or why not?

    8) Since Congress is authorized by Article IV Section 4 of the Constitution of these United States to create federal election law, would you urge Congress to pass a federal ballot access law which eases the requirements for placing a minor party and/or independent candidate on the ballot for Congress and President?
    Why or why not?
    If yes, what is your ideal ballot access requirement?

    Candidates were asked to provide answers of no more than 125 words per question, no later than April 15.

  287. ONLINE Townhall TONITE Join Us!

    Upcoming Town Hall
    Governor Gary Johnson will be hosting another town hall – please join us and ask the Governor questions live! All town halls will be hosted at http://www.garyjohnson2012.com
    What: Drug Reform
    When: Thursday 3/1/2012 9pm CST, 10pm EST/7pm PST
    Co-host: Judge James Gray, author of Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed and What We Can Do About It – A Judicial Indictment of the War on Drugs is a fierce and vocal opponent of the failed War on Drugs.
    More information
    https://www.facebook.com/events/207825449316216/

  288. Ad Hoc

    @285 I don’t know who Rockwell’s source is, but my own assessment is that if Ron Paul were to decide he wanted the LP nomination, he could do so minutes before the vote and still win.

  295. Deran

    Another well writtten article on The North Star, which is an indepdnent socialist blog. This article is about the upcoming City Council election this November in Minneapolis MN. It focuses on the Socialst Alternative/Occupy and Green Party candidates.

    http://www.thenorthstar.info/?p=7050

    I’ll repost in March’s Open Thread. I realize it’s not as exciting as what the LNC had for lunch, but there you have it.

  296. Jill Pyeatt

    I moved up the February thread last night because it had fallen off the right column. There’s no rule about who starts the thread for the new month, but it tends to be Paulie or I. He usually has an amusing video to post along with it, and I usually don’t, so I try to give him some time to post the thread first. We’re not terribly formal around here.

  297. paulie Post author

    Whoah…how’d you end up in last year’s February? LOL.

    I’ll post the story in a bit, now that I’m posting articles again…

  299. paulie Post author

    Jill – I can post this coming month’s thread tomorrow. This was from last year. Not sure how Deran landed here.

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