I have decided not to seek re-election as State Chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania at the Annual Convention scheduled to be held on April 27, 2013.
I considered three factors before taking this decision.
The first was whether I deserved a second term based on the accomplishments of the Board and the Party under my leadership. By looking at our solid record of goals achieved and by the number of individuals urging me to run, I concluded that on this count, I should run for a second term.
Richard Winger of Ballot Access News wrote: “Tom Stevens led the Pennsylvania Libertarian Party to the greatest ballot access victory in the state party’s history. The Pennsylvania Libertarian Party’s 2012 ballot access victory was the first time any statewide minor party or independent candidate for statewide office has ever defeated a challenge backed by one of the two major parties.”
Roy Minet, John Karr and I were designated “Libertarian Ballot Access Heroes” by LP News for obtaining 18,000 additional signatures after problems were identified with the quality of the signatures obtained during the petition drive, which was considered over when I took office as Chair.
After a 9-week battle, with the help of 84 volunteers, the Gary Johnson Campaign, and the national Libertarian Party, we got Gary Johnson and our statewide candidates on the ballot. Gary Johnson obtained the highest vote total of any Libertarian Party Presidential Candidate in the history of the party. Rayburn Douglas Smith (LP Candidate for United States Senate), Betsy Summers (LP Candidate for Auditor General), Marakay Rogers (LP Candidate for Attorney General) and Patti Fryman (LP Candidate for Treasurer) all ran extraordinary campaigns and each received a significant number of votes over what Gary Johnson and Judge Gray got. As a result of all our efforts, the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania once again qualified for “Minor Party” status so people can again register “Libertarian”.
We won a series of lawsuits with decisions that will make obtaining ballot access easier in the years to come. Membership was up 87.8% from the April, 2012 Annual Convention through the end of 2012 and new LPPA County and Regional LP Chapters were formed in Bucks County, Berks County, Chester County, Monroe County, Lehigh County, Schuylkill County, Carbon County, Franklin County, Adams County, Montour County and Columbia County. Facebook Groups were also formed for at least 14 additional counties in the process of forming County Committees.
Our new website will be up by the Annual Convention and more federal lawsuits are in the works to make ballot access easier. Communication avenues were re-established, moderation was applied, hundreds of party members now observe party business on a regular basis and all our Standing and Working Committees are fully staffed and working on real issues every day. A new Life Membership was established and donations to the party are up in every category. The many other goals we achieved have been posted elsewhere.
The second factor I considered was whether as a practical matter, I could win re-election. I concluded this would not be a problem. The announced candidate for State Chair did not support Gary Johnson because he did not believe Gary Johnson was libertarian enough. In addition, he did not obtain a single signature for either Gary Johnson or the LPPA’s Statewide Candidates and did not volunteer a single hour to help defend our petitions against the GOP challenge but he had no problem in actively working for Ron Paul in the GOP primary. While four of the statewide candidates running against the incumbents are all active in Montgomery County, the statewide slate of candidates running for re-election come from a broad geographic region. Not one person has urged me not to run. To the contrary, I have been receiving offers of support from individuals who, despite illness and advanced age, were willing to make the trip to the Annual Convention to support me for re-election.
The third factor I considered was whether I wish to serve another term given the anticipated continuation of the politics of personal destruction, threats to my personal well-being and harassment taking place every day. My only goal has been to build the party in numbers and strength and I am finding my ability to continue to do that has been undermined by the efforts of those who oppose a strong Libertarian Party as a threat to liberty, who don’t believe in running candidates with the goal of winning elections, who exhibit their prejudices against those peacefully living in lifestyles of their choice, who are contacting new members and dragging them into the manufactured “infighting” so they lose interest in being active, and who would rather support Ron Paul and a “Vote for Nobody” campaign than support Gary Johnson and those statewide Libertarian Party candidates nominated by LPPA delegates in convention.
Given these circumstances, I feel that continuing to build the party to only see it torn down by radical anarchists and Toxic Libertarians is not the best use of my time and effort. Still, I will continue to help the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania in any way I can and I will always be friends with the scores of people who have worked hard to make this year a success.
In Liberty,
Dr. Tom Stevens
LPPA State Chair
RC @ 63,
You seem to be reading an awful lot more than is actually there into my argument that a word is a “reasonable descriptor.”
TK, OK seems you want to want fraudulent lying to only involve gain of some kind. To me, all lies are motivated by the desire to gain SOMETHING, although not necessarily materially.
KL@61, because I lack that crystal ball, I cannot know that your words “The best a LP candidate got in a three-way race with a Republican and Democrat was a measly 6.64% or something like that” refer only to specific elections. You did not write that part. If enough citizens finally grow weary of the anti-libery failures of bad government under Repubocratic party politicians, there will be Libertarians ready to serve with honor to promote Libertarian principles in public policy. In the emost recent election over 90% of incumbents won re-election, so despite all the grumbling, it is clear that this is the government that most people really want. I for one will not participate in supporting the failures of the Democrats and the Republicans. My experiences in the past three decades of voting show me that those gangs are not to be trusted, and that there are no magic Paulish exceptions. I strongly encourage all citizens to avoid the need for an idol or a hero and work to promote liberty and better government themselves. Heroes and idols cannot be trusted to live up to your expectations.
wolfefan @60, I agree. Despite KL’s unsupported accusation that I am “a member of the I-Hate-Ron-Paul-With- A-Burning-Passion-Club,” I do not care enough about the old gent to hate him. While I think his contributions to the “liberty movement” (whatever that is, really) are exaggerated, I am glad that awareness of some of his ideas have led people to the Libertarian Party. Despite of course how he almost never mentions the LP and does not encouraged his devotees to support the LP. I agree that many devout Ron Paul devotees who need a hero have been transferring their adoration to his son. The Republicans are obviously positioning Rand to follow his daddy in the carefully-orchestrated role of keeping libertarian-leaning voters in the Republican fold.
I meant the best percentage for a congressional election in 2012 where it was at least a three-way race.
Hi KL @56 –
He may not have written them, but they went out under his name with his permission and he happily accepted the money they generated for him. He also knew who wrote them, but denied that he did and later admitted he did but refused to name the author. Is any of that propaganda or lies?
I weary of the Ron Paul idolatry some libertarians participate in. That does not diminish his very real contributions to the cause of liberty. What does diminish those contributions is pretending that he is some sort of paragon who has never done things of which he should be ashamed. From what some write here it looks as if Rand is about to get the same hero-worshipping treatment.
Hey guys this post is supposed to be about ME, not Ron Paul. After all I AM the Libertarian Ballot Access Hero. I raised the LPPA membership by 1000%, and started 500 new county committees.
Krzysztof Lesiak, I find it unsurprising that a proponent of the ironically-named Constitution Party, that gang of Jesus theocrats, is defending Republican Ron Paul. But out of respect, let’s take your most interesting ideas individually. . .
KL: How many Libertarian Party members have been elected to Congress again in the party’s FORTY year history? How many LP members in Congress have passed bills to change public policy? How about the LP members have been elected to the Senate, should we talk about what they’ve accomplished?
EV: There have not yet been LP members elected to Congress in our 40-year history, compared to the 200-plus years various incarnations of the Republocratic Party have been dominating government. And none of that refutes any of my observations about Republican Ron Paul. What LP members are not doing in Congress alters nothing about how Ron Paul has not promoted liberty as I described above. But your red herring fallacy is worth a response on its own merits. You present as if Congress is the exclusive place where liberty happens. Your local elected officials have much more immediate control over your life than state and governments do. We vote on how high your grass is allowed to grow, how many pets you might be able to keep, where you can park your car, what you may and may not sell in local businesses, what your new construction may look like, and whether or not the police are directed to harass you on the way home from the bar. We should all want many more Libertarians at those levels of government, and should remember that aside from taxation bills, Congress rarely touches most citizens on a day-to-day basis, whereas local government does. You want effective grassroots action, get Libertarian selected to municipal and county government.
KL: a LP member (or any third party other than an independent for that matter) will never be elected to Congress in my lifetime.
EV: I hope you did not pay too much for that crystal ball, son, because you have been ripped off. You have no way of knowing that an LP candidate will never be elected to Congress in your lifetime. You don’t know how long you’ll live, and you cannot predict future campaigns. Your claim is empty.
KL: Ron Paul has done a great job educating the public and bringing attention to so many issues.
EV: And despite all that educating, citizens still vote for Republocratic Party politicians who bloat the government and intrude on citizen liberty. We get NDAA, the Patriot Act, massive spending, and a growing deficit despite his alleged “great job.” He’s accomplished nothing more substantial that building a cult following. Every bit of effort spent adoring Republican Ron Paul is effort lost to an actual chance at reforming the status quo by electing LP candidates. You’ve been duped.
KL: Now Rand is continuing his legacy in the Senate, while solid liberty movement allies like Justin Amash, Thomas Massie, Kerry Bentivolio etc are working diligently in the House.
EV: All of these so-called “libery movement” politicians are various sorts of rightwingers who align with the liberty-squashing, government-bloating Republican Party, preaching fiscal conservatism and pretending it’s individual liberty. They are complicit in the Republocratic Party stranglehold on government. They, like Republican Ron Paul was, are encouraged by the GOP because they lure libertarian-leaning gullibles to keep voting Republican.
KL: The best a LP candidate got in a three-way race with a Republican and Democrat was a measly 6.64% or something like that.
EV: This is incorrect. You may find accurate LP candidate election returns at http://www.LP.org, and my own experience as a Libertarian Party candidate has differed from your claim. For town council I have been elected and re-elected over both Ds and Rs. In a three-way race for state representative in 2010, my campaign earned just under 10% districtwide in a Republican-dominated region (80% are registered GOP), and I earned over 14% in one county and beat the Democrat in three precincts. In my two-way race for state representative in 2012, I earned 17% of the vote in a contest with the Republican incumbent of the same Republican-dominated district. LP data shows that the days of single-digit-only returns are in the past. The tide is slowly shifting, no thanks to people like you who continue taking the bait the Republican Party sets out for you.
KL: Seems as though the party has a LONG way to go.
EV: Sure, but the Republocrats have had 180 years. It’ll take even longer if gullibles like you keep supporting them and their failures instead of working for reform by building a Libertarian alternative.
KL: Right now it seems as the only thing they will ever win is local nonpartisan races.
EV: False. See above.
KL: Not hating on the LP, we just live in a two-party stranglehold.
EV: You and your ilk are responsible for that stranglehold when you vote Republican and promote all those Republican politicians you praised above.
KL: I mean not being able to elect a single state legislator is pretty bad.
EV: The premise of this statement is inaccurate.
RC@ 55,
“TK, so, as you see it in my imagination, all liars are frauds.”
There, fixed that for ya.
Krzysztof @ 56:
“He didn’t’ even write does damn newsletters. ”
Maybe he didn’t. I even think that he probably didn’t. But his story has changed so dramatically that it’s impossible to escape the conclusion that he’s an lying sack of shit. Which shouldn’t be that much of a surprise, given that he’s a career politician.
He didn’t’ even write does damn newsletters. I’m tired of hearing CNN and Faux “News” propaganda just being regurgitated. Ron Paul has never talked like that and is the furthest thing from a racist/homophobe/anti-semite, any other label I missed perhaps?
TK, so, as you see it, all liars are frauds.
Have you ever lied?
In my experience, everyone lies, so by your logic, everyone would be a “fraud.” Seems a bit harsh to me, if that’s where you’re going with this. But, yes, NewsletterGate was VERY disappointing to me as well.
KL @ 48,
“Oh nice Ron Paul is now a fraud?”
Fraud is “theft by deception” — that is, lying to gain something you couldn’t get by telling the truth.
We know that Ron Paul is a liar, because he’s been caught publicly and flagrantly lying (“yes, I wrote that and I stand by it, you’re just taking it out of context … [eleven years later] … no wait, I didn’t write that after all even though I said I did 11 years ago, and I denounce it even though I stood by it 11 years ago — it was a ghost writer whom I’m not going to identify, and even though I claimed to have written it and to stand by it 11 years ago, now I’m going to try to convince you that I’ve never heard of it before now because I didn’t pay attention to things that went out under my name back then, I just cashed the checks”).
It’s not that much of a stretch to believe that the reason he lied was to gain something — specifically, to get elected and re-elected to Congress, and possibly to get nominated and elected to the presidency of the United States.
So yeah, “fraud” seems to be a reasonable descriptor.
I guess I’m being pretty negative with my analysis. It’s just seems to me the more I observe and research into politics, the more I think that it may be after all impossible to ever destroy the two-party duopoly. I’ve poured over many, many election results, and it just seems to me that if one is running to win they should join the Dems or GOP. It’s kind of sad how third parties lose year after year after year and so badly, too.
The best a LP candidate got in a three-way race with a Republican and Democrat was a measly 6.64% or something like that. Seems as though the party has a LONG way to go. Right now it seems as the only thing they will ever win is local nonpartisan races. Not hating on the LP, we just live in a two-party stranglehold. I mean not being able to elect a single state legislator is pretty bad.
“He has sponsored 620 measures, but only four made it to a vote on the House floor and only one has been signed into law. That’s 1/620. Also known as 0.1613% That’s how effective he’s been at actually reforming public policy.”
How many Libertarian Party members have been elected to Congress again in the party’s FORTY year history? How many LP members in Congress have passed bills to change public policy? How about the LP members have been elected to the Senate, should we talk about what they’ve accomplished? 😉
My point is, a LP member (or any third party other than an independent for that matter) will never be elected to Congress in my lifetime. Unless their are billionaires like Peter Thiel, which is going to be hard to find, I bet. Ron Paul has done a great job educating the public and bringing attention to so many issues. Now Rand is continuing his legacy in the Senate, while solid liberty movement allies like Justin Amash, Thomas Massie, Kerry Bentivolio etc are working diligently in the House.
“Krzysztof Lesiak,” you have invoked Godwin’s Law. But it took almost three days, so you do not win the internet.
I do not know what “going anywhere with your party” means. I’m just one guy working to bring Libertarian principles into public policy in my community as often as possible. So far, so good.
Andy@42, the LP platform is very clear: “Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides, we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration.” Your favorite Republican has voted to allow government to be kept IN the matter and intrude on a woman’s control over her own body. He even signed the so-called Personhood Pledge, a blatant promise to use government force to control women. Republican Ron Paul would oppose federal control over women but allow state cntrol over women. That’s not liberty for female citizens. The 60% of women you cite are free to oppose anyone inflicting an abortion upon them. That’s liberty.
Republican Ron Paul voted FOR continuing to force peaceful people to get a piece of paper from the government before they can work and live wherever they can arrange to work and live in the free market. That’s not liberty. Lots of politicians have voted to keep noncitizens from welfare programs. That’s anot about liberty- – it’s about responsible stewardship.
Of course it would be best to get government out of the marriage business entirely, but until then, government must never perpetrate sexual discrimination. Republican Ron Paul weaseled out of a vote but repeatedly spoke in favor of DOMA, legislation that allows federal tax-funded benefits and services to be given to some couples but not others based on the shape of those couples’ genitalia. He voted AGAINST allowing gay couples to adopt homeless children in D.C. This is not equal protection of the laws. Marriage should not be a state nor a federal issue– it should be a person issue. States do not have rights, individual people do.
I think the “pro-liberty movement” too often means “gullible people voting for Republicans who say what they want to hear.” Ron Paul has done a lot for the pro-Ron Paul movement, but not much for getting Libertarian principles in public policy. He has sponsored 620 measures, but only four made it to a vote on the House floor and only one has been signed into law. That’s 1/620. Also known as 0.1613% That’s how effective he’s been at actually reforming public policy. But he serves the purposes of the Republican Party well, keeping gullible libertarian-leaning people voting Republican again and again instead of promoting an alternative to their failures. And now that’s he’s too old, they are settign up Rand Spawn of Ron to do the job of keeping the Paulites voting Republican.
“Jealous of Ron Paul” is a popular mantra of the Church of Paul. The devotees need to feel good about their hero. You may adore him I do not trust him, nor do I trust his fans, in part because I know “fan” is short for fanatic,” and fanatics are dangerous.
Oh nice Ron Paul is now a fraud? Good luck going anywhere with your party sir 🙂 Guess you are a member of the I-Hate-Ron-Paul-With-A-Burning-Passion-Club that also includes George Phillies? lol
Babb @43, I told the LPPA delegates I’d follow the bylaws to the letter and I called Republican Ron Paul a fraud, so of course Tom won. Babb@45, I always vote for somebody in real elections.
Andy, I couldn’t agree with you more!! It irks me great how some “Libertarians” have the nerve to criticize Ron Paul like Erik over those issues and what not. PEOPLE NEED TO GET THIS INTO THEIR HEAD: Ron Paul has done WAYYYYYY more to advance libertarianism in America and across the globe than the LP did in 40 years of its existence. I’m not hating on the LP mind you, but this is simply true. I mean come on, Gary Johnson’s ENTIRE base was pretty much Ron Paul supporters, and if it weren’t for RP, he likely never would have made it big and broken the record that he did on Election Day.
And on abortion. Damn it why do these pro-choice people think they hold a monopoly over what the so called libertarian view on abortion is? How can denying life at conception possibly be compatible with libertarianism? Keep in mind you have some fine people in your camp, like the radical feminist eugenicist Margaret Sanger who founded Planned Parenthood.
I don’t want to turn this thread to this hot topic issue, but here’s one fun fact for you guys: Guess who first instituted and promoted the concept of abortion in Poland? It was good ‘ol Adolf Hitler himself, on March 9th, 1943. Guess the Fuhrer knew this was an effective way of slowly killing of the Poles.
How do the pro-abortionists feel about having such a prominent historical figure on their side? 😉 Ok, ok. I’m not comparing anyone to Hitler, and I hope no one’s too offended. But this is purely historical fact, you can go and look it up for yourself.
Oh Erik V, welcome to the Vote for Nobody Campaign.
Of Course, one could have supported Gary Johnson who currently is a politician who opposes Libertarian Party positions on Guantanamo, taxation, foreign intervention, and the drug war, Not sure what else is left, but that is enough for this post…
OH, and he only became a Libertarian immediately after failing as a Republican and 10 minutes before accepting the National LP endorsement…
This is not meant to disrespect Gary Johnson, but it is meant to send a message that there were no “holier than thou” candidates running for president in 2012.
It did not stop people from supporting Gary, and I made no effort to stop others from supporting Gary, other than to tell people, when asked, that I PERSONALLY did not support him.
Steve Scheetz
Eric Vicker was the alternative to Doctor Tom at the last convention. Can you really blame the membership for the outcome?
“a politician who opposes Libertarian Party positions on immigration, women’s rights, and equal protection of the laws.”
Wow, another false portrayal of Ron Paul’s views. I’ve already debunked this on this site multiple times.
First off, the Libertarian Party is NOT a pro-abortion party, it is a party that is divided on the issue, and Ron Paul has said that it should go back to the states. Other than this, I don’t know what “women’s rights” issues you are speaking of here. A recent CNN survey indicated that 60% of women are opposed to abortion. Also, what if the fetus facing abortion is a female?
Ron Paul VOTED to INCREASE visas for foreign workers in the USA. Yes, he voted IN FAVOR of MORE foreign workers coming to the USA. He also voted AGAINST putting a fence on the border. Ron Paul is opposed to immigrants coming in and being added to welfare roles (a view which is held by many LP members), but he has also said that if we really had a free market instead of a socialist state that the economy would be booming so much that most people would welcome immigrants instead of being afraid of them.
Ron Paul is in favor of equal protection of the law. I imagine that this is probably some ridiculous comment about wanting for federalize illigitimate and unconstitutional marriage licenses, as if real libertarians believe that people should get marriage licenses (which they do not). Ron has said on multiple occasions that he does not support banning gay marriage, but he also correctly points out that it is not a federal issue.
Yep, another person who is jealous over the fact that Ron Paul has done more for the pro-liberty movement than anyone else in a long time. There is not one person who is currently in the Libertarian Party who has done as much good for the cause of liberty as Ron Paul.
I like Roy personally and was disappointed to learn he had changed his voter registration to Republican to support a Republican Party politician in that tax-stealing “primary election” racket, a politician who opposes Libertarian Party positions on immigration, women’s rights, and equal protection of the laws.
But as far as running meetings and signing papers goes, the LPPA could do much worse than Roy. Steve Scheetz would be fine too. Anybody would be mostly harmless if he/she stick to the LPPA bylaws responsibilities for state chair and avoids playing visionary or governing strategist. And because 3/4 of the anti-Tom material has been about his use of official communications moderation power to punish those who don’t support him, the next chair could do well to give Facebook page and group email moderation responsibilities to somebody else who behaves with a tolerant hand, removing only the most egregious personal attacks and spam.
I’ll email Mr Minet and ask him if he’d like to write a statement of candidacy for us here. Please let us know if anyone hears of any other candidates for chair.
Tom Stevens posted this on a FB PA page:
Roy Minet Announces for LPPA State Chair:
I have been approached by multiple people multiple times suggesting that I should run for state chair. Since Tom Stevens announced that he will not stand for re-election, such requests have intensified. I assure you that being chair has just not been on my radar. Believing that the party needs and can benefit greatly from good marketing, I have felt that area is where I can make the greatest contribution.
The pitch that I hear most often is that I am impartial, not a part of any “faction” and may be the best person to unify our members behind doing the things necessary to become a successful political party. I have spent a lot of time working for the LPPA (as well as the LP) and I surely do want us to succeed. So, hoping that the above pitch is true, I will run for chair.
In order to decide whether or not you want to vote for me, you deserve to have some idea what you’d get if I were elected. Those who have been LPPA members for some time probably have a very good idea as to how and in what direction I would lead our party. However, we have many newer members who may have no clue. Because of prior commitments, I am unable to address this immediately, but by Tuesday evening, I will post more specifics on the LPPA.org Forum as well as be available to respond to any inquiries. I do not (and should not) have access to the LPPA membership database, so in general, anyone desiring additional information will need to check the Forum or email me (after Tuesday).
Between now and our convention, I will make myself as available as possible.
Roy Minet
NewFederalist@36, I can enjoy the ongoing show via the internet postings, and not have to endure the boring speeches and tables littered with character-assassination leaflets in a dingy Danville hotel meeting room. Brushing the stray popcorn off my keyboard is easy. None of the current factions have impressed me enough to join them.
Contrary to Stevens’ claim, which as far as I know is still planned to be published in the region report and posted at LP.org, I have not issued any endorsements. I don’t know Steve Scheetz or Roy Minet and from what I do know about them they both sound like sincere, hard working activists and true libertarians.
As far as I know neither of them is a control freak who intends to run his state party like a petty dictatorship. As others have said here there may be more candidates who are not announced yet. Also, I’m not sure that anyone in Pennsylvania cares, or should care, who I would endorse. Why would they?
I did make my views known that LPPA would be better off without Dr. Stevens at the helm, an opinion I continue to stand by, and as far as I can tell that will be the case soon enough regardless of who wins the election.
I trust Pennsylvania Libertarians to examine their options and make an informed choice about who should best lead their state party, and I’ll limit my involvement to providing coverage of the race to the best of my ability. Unless I learn of a pressing reason to issue an endorsement, I don’t plan on doing so. I will share my opinion if I feel like it, but unless I actually say I’m endorsing someone – I hope that the official minutes of the national and state LPs don’t put words in my mouth.
But the popcorn, Erik… the popcorn!
After the fiasco of the past year in the LPPA do not look to me for a surprise chair campaign. I do not even plan to go to the business meeting just to vote “none of the above” on the chair ballot. The platform proposals are harmless and anyboy can do the clerk-work of the other officers.
Last year I was asked to run as an alternative so it was not a one-person ballot. You should ask Tom Stevens if he considers me his pal. I don’t have any pals; everybody in the LPPA annoys me for different reasons. Maybe that makes me objective. My chair campaign efforts last year were limited to a few remarks at the business meeting (“I won’t do a damn thing as state chair that you should be doing for yourself, and Republican Ron Paul is a fraud”). Tom campaigned very hard, in part on the position that I was so mean you guys. The delegates wanted somebody who would do more than the bylaws required of the state chair and got what they asked for.
Steve Scheetz wrote (@33):
I don’t know Roy very well, but he was very dedicated and pleasant to work with on the petition challenge.
Steve Scheetz wrote (@Statement from Steve Scheetz, #2)
I wonder if this motivated Roy to run… Roy had been in charge of the Marketing Committee for years IIRC.
Roy Minet is a decent dude, I am looking forward to a debate on real issues instead of this silliness that keeps getting posted by Tom Stevens.
Welcome to the race Roy!!
Sincerely,
Steve Scheetz
According to post by Tom Stevens on the LPPA Facebook page, it appear a co-organizer of the Lancaster County for Ron Paul Meetup group has announced that he is running for LPPA Chair.
http://www.meetup.com/Lancaster-County-for-Ron-Paul/members/6753006/
It’s getting interesting. Marakay Rogers has also declared intentions to run as LPPA secretary in compliment to Roy Minet. I also wonder why it’s Stevens introducing these candidates. He’s making it very clear who he is endorsing and backing. Very strange.
You may recall a previous thread where it was brought up that Erik Viker was a dormant candidate lying in wait until Stevens made a move. I guess we now see this may be true even if it’s not entirely accurate. Substitute Roy Minet for Erik Viker and there you go. Unless Viker throws his hat in and then it really turns to a mess.
I will say that from working with Roy Minet I’ve gotten the impression he’s a kind of go along to get along guy but the fact he’s stepping in only after Stevens dropped out does beg questions.
You have to wonder with regard to the LPPA which group is really the wolf pack and which group is really just stalking horses. Hard to tell at this point but it’s become more and more clear as the convention nears. NOTA is looking like a real option to me sorry to say at this point.
Roy Minet is running for LPPA chair now too.
Perhaps he’ll focus his attention on the Objectivist Party? Does everyone forget that he ran for President against Gary Johnson?
it really is up to the libertarians who choose to participate. the more that turn up for the convention the harder it will be for any particular block to dominate. If you are a Pennsylvania libertarian then show up. We all might enjoy the Surprise Surprise!
To be clear. I am not speculating on who is running, or who is going to back stab whom…..
Frankly it is exhausting to continue to contemplate. I wrote up a plan. It is the plan I am running on..
It is located right here: https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/statement-from-steve-scheetz-candidate-for-lppa-chairman/
Sincerely,
Steve Scheetz
I didn’t think it was possible but this just keeps getting worse!
Oh, it can get much, much worse, and will.
Mik Robertson have any plans to run again?
I didn’t think it was possible but this just keeps getting worse!
Erik Viker did say he will run for chair is no one else got involved but he wasn’t up to challenging his pal Tom Stevens. Now that he is no longer i the way, look for Viker to play nice guy and put a block on Scheetz and the anarchist crew. The circus is just getting underway folks.
I don’t think Viker can beat Scheetz.
Stevens will need a better surrogate.
It now appears that Tom Stevens has started a slash and burn campaign.
The Meetup groups of the counties that have endorsed Steve Scheetz for Chairman of the LPPA have been deleted. Tom had been the admin of these pages, either becasue he started them, or because he used his title to coax the County Chairs to make him the admin of their Meetup group.
Perfect opportunity to create new meetup groups for all those counties which he is not in charge of.
Move quickly for best results.
@19
Steve Scheetz and I spoke to the members of the Pennsylvania Tenth Amendment Center, the Pittsburgh Libertarian Party, the Pitt Students for Liberty, the Duquesne Young Americans for Liberty and the Pittsburgh Americas Future Foundation last weekend in Pittsburgh at the screening of the Tenth Amenedment Centers movie “Nullification the Rightful Remedy”.
Following that Steven and I attended Liberty on the Rocks Pittsburgh and spoke with many LPPA members in attendence.
We will also be returning to Pittsburgh on March 23 to meeting with the Pittsburgh area LPPA members on Saturday evening.
While on our drive to and from Pittsburgh we are going to be doing a whistle stop tour of other LPPA affilated County LPs.
through the grapevine
That must be one big, ugly, pod.
@17 the western hinterland bunch has always been in the Stevens chute should a last minute salvo be necessary. Erik Viker is likely to join that group like he did in the time preceding stevens. Has Viker declared his intent for chair yet?
I knew Marakay Rogers and Dr. Tom Stevens were two peas in a pod. At a conference in MD last year, she repeatedly referred to certain community members in attendance as beaners. When her humor fell on flat ears she simply told everyone to lighten up. I’m not saying she’s anything like Stevens in that regard but this certainly explains her behavior a bit.
Erik Viker did say he will run for chair is no one else got involved but he wasn’t up to challenging his pal Tom Stevens. Now that he is no longer i the way, look for Viker to play nice guy and put a block on Scheetz and the anarchist crew. The circus is just getting underway folks.
Tom Stevens although not “seeking” the re-election of the Chairman of the LPPA, appears to be cobblng together a slate of candidates of his own to run against the announced candidates.
The intention was revealed in this post to the Libertarian Party of Pittsburgh’s Facebook page.
A number of new candidates for State Chair intend to announce within the next two weeks. I could easily support any of them over the “Vote for Nobody” and “Gary Johnson wasn’t a libertarian” crowd
https://www.facebook.com/groups/310021712360421/permalink/607219782640611/
It now appears that Tom Stevens has started a slash and burn campaign.
The Meetup groups of the counties that have endorsed Steve Scheetz for Chairman of the LPPA have been deleted. Tom had been the admin of these pages, either becasue he started them, or because he used his title to coax the County Chairs to make him the admin of their Meetup group.
Your a class act Tom Stevens.
Dr Steven better not be coming down to FL. We already have idiot authoritarian secessionist Adrian Wyllie down here, we don’t need anymore idiot wannabe dictators trying to take over the party.
It’s not the Vatican, though. The latitude of Vatican City is north of PA and NY 🙂
My best guess is Florida. Alternatively, it could be Alabama (since that is my sort-of home state) or Maryland, since it’s next in line of geographic procession.
The email address appears to be correct and the IP it was posted from is not popping up as having left past comments at IPR. If you want to make sure you can contact her by email.
Does anyone think she left the comment at 2, or was that a prankster?
Marakay Rogers has been an asset to the Pennsylvania Libertarian Party. As the party’s nominee for statewide Superior Court Judge in 2009, she polled 8.05%, the best showing in the party’s history for a statewide Pennsylvania race. As an attorney she has helped the party with its myriad ballot access fights during the past six years. Also because she is an attorney, she was able to be on the ballot in both 2012 and 2008 as the party’s nominee for Attorney General. Back in 2004, before she joined the Libertarian Party, the party had no one willing to run for Attorney General who met the constitutional qualifications. Both times she was the Libertarian nominee for Attorney General, she polled enough votes to give the party “party” status, although admittedly being a qualified party in Pennsylvania doesn’t get much, because of a separate law that says only qualified parties with 15% of the registration are on the ballot automatically.
I wonder if poster @7 is on to something with the use of the word “we” by Marakay Rogers. I always wondered how she made the transition from the Greens to the LP.
This is good for the Libertarians in Pennsylvania.
Someone on facebook suggested “down south” might be Venezuela. LOL
Marakay Rogers @2 said:
“Thank you for doing right by us, Dr. Stevens. We will be much better off down south — far away from the Toxic Libertarians. Anyone who stays probably isn’t worth much, anyhow.”
So where are you and Tom Stevens relocating to since you said, “We will be much better off down south”?
For those of you not from PA we had Marakay Rogers, just like Tom Stevens is a party hopper and not a big “L” Libertarian.
Here is a video of her supporting universal healthcare when she was with the Green Party not too long ago, not a very Libertarian if you ask me.
http://www.gp.org/video/2006stateofunion/video2.shtml
I would say if she and Tom are both moving “down south”, good riddance to both of you.
Mr. Stevens does not seem to understand that libertarians are more principled and won’t always support someone simply because they are the Libertarian Party nominee.
Kudos for the ballot success in PA but it sounds like the LP, on any level, is better off without Mr. Stevens in the long run.
Down south? Does he now have a new state in his sight now that the LPPs called him out?
Let me guess…Florida?
I wonder how many of his new show called County committees will now be OP.
Down south? Does he now have a new state in his sight now that the LPPs called him out?
Thank you for doing right by us, Dr. Stevens. We will be much better off down south — far away from the Toxic Libertarians. Anyone who stays probably isn’t worth much, anyhow.
Good riddance, scumbag.