by Emily Salvette [main]

I spoke at a Tea Party group meeting in Plymouth in mid-September. I explained how the Libertarian Party was the only party of limited government and free markets, and the whole room was nodding. They agreed with me that government is too big, that liberty is important, and that the role of government is to secure rights, not take from one group to give to others. They were nodding like Bobbleheads! But then that dreaded question came: “Since we have to beat the Democrats next year, isn’t it best to support Republican candidates who can win instead of splitting the limited government vote?” Unfortunately, many nodded in agreement with that statement, too.

After 30 years as a Libertarian, this argument is getting tiresome to me. The obvious truth is if people vote for Libertarians they will win. All those supporters of limited government who have been voting Republican since Richard Nixon have brought us to the mess we’re in today. Republicans--whose mission, by the way, is not limited government, but electing more Republicans--have supported bigger government at every turn: a bigger government for War, Welfare, Health, Education, Immigration, Business, Banking, you name it.

They had the presidency and control of both houses of Congress and wouldn’t cut government. In fact, those in the Republican Party who espouse limited government, such as Dr. Ron Paul, are routinely marginalized. Republicans haven’t heeded the call for less intervention, regulation and taxes in my memory. After decades of evidence to the contrary, why do tea party activists believe Republicans will suddenly take their message seriously now?

I asked the tea party folks that night to send a stronger signal: Do something that will let everyone know you’re serious about wanting smaller government and liberty for Americans. Don’t “split the limited government vote” by voting for Republicans; vote Libertarian. If everyone over the past 37 years who thought government was too big had voted for Libertarians, we’d be in much better shape today.

Not only would we have more champions of limited government in office, but the argument that people have a right and responsibility to be independent and manage their own affairs would be stronger and clearer. Maybe we wouldn’t, once again within a score of years, be talking about nationalizing health care (another argument I’m sick of). It’s time to cut the losses society’s incurred by voting for ersatz limited governmentalists. It’s time all the independents, libertarians, and people who value freedom vote for what they believe in and unite behind Libertarian Party candidates in 2010 so they can WIN. Thanks to all of you who are sending a clear message for less government and more freedom by supporting the Libertarian Party in Michigan!

Excitement is high for the LibertyFest banquet on Saturday, November 14 at the Ypsilanti Marriott at Eagle Crest. The hotel is right off I-94 just east of the I-94/US23 intersection—very easy to reach from wherever you’re coming from. You might
like to preview the evening’s guest speaker, David Littmann, by listening to an interview he gave in June on “The Greg Marshall Show” on WMKT- Traverse City. It’s available here at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy site.

If you haven’t already reserved, don’t forget the deadline is October 31. You may reserve by phone at 888-Free-Now, or online at our web site at www.mi.lp.org. You may also download a LibertyFest flyer from our web site to share with friends and family—the flyer includes a mail-in reservation form.

And don’t forget to send in your nominations for our Defender of Liberty or “Libby” Awards, which will be presented that night. Each year we honor our outstanding Libertarian volunteers and those in the community who have made a positive impact on freedom in Michigan. To nominate someone, just send a letter of 200 words or less describing why you believe he or she deserves the award to chair@mi.lp.org. Nominations are due by October 10. A three-person committee of Bill Hall, Greg Creswell, and Ben Bachrach will judge the entries.

LibertyFest will also kick off the Libertarian campaign season for 2010. As we gather to celebrate our accomplishments of the past year, it’s a good time to prepare for the important 2010 elections about a year away. David Littmann will discuss “Impact Issues for Candidates in 2010.” Wes will give us practical insight from his years as executive director of the Texas LP in his talk “Why Libertarians Make a Difference.” The program will be of an exciting and informative one, so please invite friends and family to hear these dynamic speakers.

Organizing the event are Libertarian volunteers Julie Mack and Nan Bailey, along with State Chair Emily Salvette. If you would like to help or have questions, contact Emily at chair@mi.lp.org. Reservation details may be found at our Web site . It will be a wonderful evening where you can show your appreciation for our Libby Award winners, get ready for the 2010 elections and show your support for your Libertarian Party. Please don’t miss it!

Are you interested in helping an elected Libertarian councilman get reelected on November 3rd? If so I can use your help. I am busy attending city council meetings, city charter commission meetings, several meet-the-candidate events, Newspaper and radio interviews, participating on local blogs and on a local political Website called www.local-opinion.com. Please check out that site to see some of what I have been up to.

Where I can really use help is in writing letters to editor, 250 words or less saying I have worked hard and should be re-elected. I can send information on my accomplishments. There are two local papers that will print these. www.thetimesherald.com and www.thevoice.com. Letters can be submitted on line. The Times Herald deadline is in about two weeks.

I also have an Excel file with the names and addresses of those who voted in the last four elections and want to send a letter to each frequent voters in the districts I do best in encouraging them to vote and vote for me. Anyone interested in addressing envelopes? I would also like to look up the phone #'s for the frequent voters in those same districts so that we can do get out the vote calls to those districts. Interested in looking up phone #'s online?

This is a very heated race where the old guard who has controlled Port Huron for decades is trying to get their five candidates elected to replace most of the current council who was elected based on their previous set of incumbents being ousted after passing a plan to raise water rates at double-digit rates for six straight years. Local power brokers are funding these challengers and have pulled to former city mayors, a principal, a very popular retired city clerk, and the head of a local charity together to take back control. The current council has 5 of the 7 seeking reelection and are not well funded. In an August primary with low turnout the challengers took 4 of the top 7 spots with me finishing in ninth. A good turnout will help me and the current council as the average people like what we have done.

If you can help, my cell phone is 810-488-3485 and my email is iwantska@hotmail.com. I am also on Facebook. Thanks in advance.

Mark Byrne
Port Huron City Councilman,
Chair Libertarian Party of St Clair and Sanilac counties.

Lansing, MI - Michigan Senate and House concurrent resolutions (No. 4) to affirm the sovereignty of Michigan, and its residents, under the Tenth Amendment were approved by the legislature. These resolutions were officially supported by the Libertarian Party of Michigan at its 2009 Convention.

HCR0004 was introduced to the State House by Representative Paul Opsommer on January 22nd. State Senator Patterson, along with Senators Richardville, Brown, Cropsey and Sanborn, submitted SCR004 to the State Senate on March 3rd.

The Libertarian Party of Michigan resolved to back the resolutions at their annual convention on Saturday, May 23rd, in Jackson. The LPM statement read, “We support SCR004 of 2009 and HCR0004 of 2009, which have been introduced in the Michigan legislature. These resolutions affirm the sovereignty of Michigan, and its residents, under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and urge the federal government to halt its practice of imposing mandates upon the states for purposes not enumerated by the Constitution of the United States.”

The Michigan affiliate of the non-partisan “Campaign for Liberty” (an organization founded by Congressman Ron Paul), had an information table at the convention, and had already endorsed it as well. Campaign for Liberty continued to lobby for the measure.

On August 18th Activists from the Libertarian Party of Michigan, Michigan Campaign for Liberty, the Constitutional Coalition, Americans for Prosperity, We the People Congress, Michigan Tea Party and other grassroots activists converged on Lansing to attend a Senate committee hearing on the resolution. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to report SCR004/SR17 out of committee, with recommendation for approval, at the conclusion of the hearing.

After being passed by the State House, the efforts of many liberty activists paid off with a state Senate vote on Constitution Day: State Senators voted 33-0 in favor (4 not voting) to reaffirm Michigan's sovereignty under the 10th amendment.

Campaign for Liberty’s Wayne County coordinator, David Dudenhoefer wrote, “State Sovereignty under the 10th amendment tells the Federal Government that those powers not enumerated in the Constitution are reserved for the several states and to the people. It means if the federal government does something it ought not to, the States do not have to follow, nor can the Federal government impose upon the states that which would violate the Constitutions of the several states.”

What remains to be seen is if the legislature is willing to oppose efforts by the Federal Government to exceed its Constitutional authority when it comes to specific laws. Either way, liberty activists can rest assured that eternal vigilance can have results, and that they can point to this vote whenever a member of the State Legislature gives in to attempts by Washington to exceed its authority.

Links:

• Press release endorsing sovereignty
• Report from Campaign for Liberty about resolution
• Statement by State Senator Bruce Patterson

There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.

— Charles-Louis de Secondat (Baron de Montesquieu),
The Spirit of the Laws, 1748

...To share with your friends

Quote of the Day: “The JUSTICE Act will allow intelligence agents to monitor terrorism suspects while putting checks in place to ensure that law-abiding Americans’ privacy and civil liberties are protected.” — Sen. Daniel Akaka

SUBJECT: Rolling Back the Patriot Act

Following 9/11, Congress passed the gargantuan USA PATRIOT Act, without reading it. The PATRIOT Act and the FISA Amendments Act were written to protect Americans from terrorism, but they've left people unprotected from their own government.

The Patriot Act authorized "sneak and peek" warrants that allow the government to search your home without your knowledge. In 2008, this power was used just three times in terrorism investigations and 760 times in regular criminal investigations.

It also authorized National Security Letters (NSLs). NSLs allow federal agents to seize your personal records without a warrant, even when there's no suspicion of wrongdoing. The FBI can also prohibit you from telling anyone that you've been searched because of an NSL. The FBI was found to have abused this power thousands of times.

Under the FISA Amendments Act, the government can engage in wiretapping without a warrant.

The good news is that some parts of the PATRIOT Act will expire at the end of the year unless Congress renews them. This provides an opportunity to roll back many dangerous provisions. Toward this end Senator Russ Feingold introduced the JUSTICE Act (S. 1686) on September 17, Constitution Day. JUSTICE stands for the Judicious Use of Surveillance Tools In Counterterrorism Efforts. This bill would . . .

• narrow the scope of "sneak and peek" warrants so they can't be used in common criminal cases
• ensure judicial review of NSLs and require that they only be used in terrorism or espionage investigations prevent roving wiretaps of unnamed suspects that allow the government to monitor the conversations of innocent people
• revoke the retroactive immunity provision of the FISA Amendments Act that has shielded the telecom companies that collaborated with the government in illegal surveillance
• provide additional privacy protections outlined here

In short, the JUSTICE Act would give government agents powerful tools to spy on suspected terrorists, while preventing them from spying on YOU.

We would prefer to repeal the PATRIOT Act entirely, but until that can happen the provisions of the JUSTICE Act would move things in the right direction. Please take action to pass the JUSTICE Act.

Go to our new campaign "Roll Back the Patriot Act" and send your letter to Congress. If your Senator is on the Judiciary Committee, please also call him or her on the phone and urge him or her to support the JUSTICE Act. If your Senator is not on the Committee please call the Committee Directly to urge them to vote the JUSTICE Act out of committee. You can see a list of the Committee members here.

The phone number for the Senate Judiciary Committee is 202-224-7703.

Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

The following reviews have been contributed from LPM Webmaster Brian Wright's commentary and review site, The Coffee Coaster:

Movie
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
The high cost of coercive government applied to geography

You want to understand the real meaning of immigration control? Then I suggest you check out this movie and watch it multiple times.  A few weeks ago I reviewed The Visitor, an exquisite dramatic statement on the unique process the federal government (as any other leviathan-state) uses to crush citizens of Earth who happen to find themselves inside US boundaries with defective paperwork.  In that Oscar-worthy movie, the unfortunate paper-deficient world citizen was from the Middle East. In Three Burials, our victim is a 'border'-crosser from the south....
[full review] [main]

Ladies of LIberty
by Cokie Roberts

Ladies of Liberty presents a lot of information about important—by which I mean central to American political or cultural history—women in the early years of the country.  As we learn from reading John Adams, the success of the American experiment was far from assured; indeed, the constitutional republic of America represented a near-miraculous shift in human consciousness:  Prior to its founding, men saw themselves as subjects of rulers; afterward, men saw themselves as rulers of rulers.  And Cokie Roberts reminds us, "So did the women."
[full review] [main]

Special CC Rant: Free Plaxico Burress!
From the Coffee Coaster Midweek Meander 090923

Editor Greg wanted bw to repost his defense of Plaxico Burress, under the principle of defending the undefendable. So here it is:

Let me start off by mentioning a serious criminal violation of the Constitution perpetrated by the government of New York City against one Plaxico Burress, former standout wide receiver for the New York Giants. He was sentenced a week ago to a mandatory minimum of two years for possession of a firearm! We forget with all the publicity for Mr. Burress—and the personal tragedy for him (in the atrocity committed by the government)—that thousands of other individuals exercising their second-amendment freedoms are similarly bashed on a daily basis. Free Plaxico and all the others.

And while we’re at it, liberate the hundreds of thousands of political prisoners from the modern institution of human slavery known as the War on Drugs.
[full rant] [main]

Take a stroll down memory lane with this excerpt from one of the longest-running state Libertarian newsletters. Today, check out the July/August issue of 1992. Click on this link for the full PDF version of this newsletter.

Newsletter editor Greg Stempfle has compiled the entire body of available Michigan Libertarian newsletters up on this page of the LPM Website.

To the LP of Michigan:

Regarding the letter to the editor in the previous Michigan Libertarian, I'd like to comment that, IMHO, Glenn Beck is not a libertarian... he's another big government, pro-empire and pro-war Republican. One cannot be a libertarian and a neoconservative. The acid test is whether he supports the following:

• an immediate (or at least rapid) end to the American military empire
• an immediate end to the drug war
• an immediate (or at least rapid) end to the Fed and income tax
• a full citizens' investigation into the obviously fraudulent government story on the 9/11 attacks
• prosecution of the Bush-Cheney-admin psychotic killers, torturers, and warmongers (and any Democrats or other officials who went along)... at the highest level

It's simple, and with the exception of perhaps #3—neocons tend to love the Fed because of the vast sums it enables to be raised for the war machinery—Mr. Beck doesn't measure up. A Big Government Republican is an enemy of liberty, and Beck is a Big Government Republican... blowhard/gasbag. Did I get his positions wrong? Maybe he waved an American flag once or something...

Logan Brandt

We would like to hear feedback from you, real people, on any little thing, preferably with something short and punchy. Please voice your comments or opinions to the newsletter editor, Greg, via email by the 25th of the month... and we will post them.

October 1 – Wayne County Monthly Meeting – Cheli's Chili Bar, 21918 Michigan (corner of Oakwood Blvd) Dearborn. Dinner orders at 7 pm, meeting at 8 pm. Weather permitting, we’ll again be on the roof. Contact Ray Warner, 313-598-3666

October 3 – Detroit Michigan Medical Marijuana Symposium - 9 am -5 pm - Wayne State University Law School - Partrich Auditorium - Keynote speaker: Professor Robert Sedler. There will be panels on legal, medical, and civil issues. LP activist and Hazel Park City Councilman Andy LeCureaux will speak on the civil panel. Admission is free, but there is a $5 fee for lunch and materials. Seating is limited, so you need to register ASAP. For more information and to download a registration form, go to www.mimjinfo.org. Contact Leonard Schwartz, leonard@leonardschwartz.us

October 4 – Libertarian Party of Michigan Libertarian Executive Committee meeting – 4:00 teleconference. All LPM members may dial in to listen 218-844-3366, pin #576532 (long distance charges may apply). Contact Emily Salvette chair@mi.lp.org 734-645-5809.

October 6 – St. Clair and Sanilac Counties Monthly Meeting – LP group meets the 1st Tuesday of the month starting at 6 pm at Military Street Music Cafe, 1102 Military Street (downtown), Port Huron. Contact Mark Byrne, 810-987-9856, iwantska@hotmail.com

October 6 – Macomb County Monthly Meeting of the Libertarians of Macomb County. LMC meets on the 1st Tuesday of the month. All members of the Libertarian Party, their friends and family, and anyone interested in learning more about the LP are invited to attend. The meeting begins at 7:30 but feel free to join us for good food and conversation at 6:30 pm at the Loon River Café, 34911 Van Dyke Ave, Sterling Heights. Contact Jim Allison, jim.e.allison@gmail.com

October 7 – Washtenaw County LP of Washtenaw County Monthly Business Meeting -7 to 9 pm at Classic Cup Cafe, 4389 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor (In the Parkland Plaza west of Ann Arbor). Contact James Hudler, 734-475-9792, or Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@comcast.net

October 7 – Event: EFFECTIVE ACTIVISM - Leon Drolet, David Didenhoefer, Sean House "Learn how to be effective in little time with no help!"
Meeting Start Time: Wednesday, October 7 at 7:00pm
End Time: Wednesday, October 7 at 8:30pm
Where: Berkley American Legion—not an official LPM meeting, but highly vouched for among the leadership. Contact S. Boman at: scottyeducation@yahoo.com

October 7 – South West Michigan LPSWM Executive Committee Meeting – 6:00 – 6:50 pm at IHOP, 1981 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor. Guests are welcome. Followed by: Round Table Political Forum hosted by the LP of South West Michigan. 7-9 pm at The Livery, 190 Fifth St, Benton Harbor. Visitors are welcome to participate. Contact Bill Bradley, 269-637-4525, secretary@lpswmich.org

October 13 – Capital Area Capital Area LP Monthly Meeting – 7 pm at former LPM office, 2722 E Michigan Ave, Ste 22, Lansing (park and enter in back). Contact Will Tyler White, 517-349-3806, whitewi5@msu.edu

October 14 – Oakland County Monthly Meeting of the LP of Oakland County. 6:30 pm dinner, 7:30 meeting. Sila's Restaurant, 4033 W. 12 Mile (2 blocks east of Greenfield), Berkley. Please join us in planning out and implementing the next phase of a Libertarian presence in Oakland County. Contact Jim Fulner, LPOC Chair, jim.fulner@parrot.com

October 21 – Washtenaw County LP of Washtenaw County Social/Work Meeting -7 to 9 pm at Classic Cup Cafe, 4389 Jackson (In the Parkland Plaza west of Ann Arbor). Contact James Hudler, 734-475-9792, or Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@comcast.net

October 27 – Calhoun County Monthly meeting of the LP of Calhoun County Executive Committee, 7 p.m. Please contact Jack Worsham for location. (269) 963-2679, WORSHAM74@aol.com

November 3 – Macomb County Monthly Meeting of the Libertarians of Macomb County. All members of the Libertarian Party, their friends and family, and anyone interested in learning more about the LP are invited to attend. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm but feel free to join us for good food and conversation at 6:30 pm at the Loon River Café, 34911 Van Dyke Ave, Sterling Heights. Contact Jim Allison, jim.e.allison@gmail.com

November 3 – In Many Communities in Michigan ELECTION DAY – Support your local Libertarian Candidates: Mark Byrne in Port Huron, Tom Hren in Big Rapids, Andy LeCureaux in Hazel Park, and Greg Merle in Battle Creek!

November 3 - St. Clair and Sanilac Counties Monthly Meeting – LP group meets the 1st Tuesday of the month starting at 6 pm at Military Street Music Cafe, 1102 Military Street (downtown), Port Huron. Contact Mark Byrne, 810-987-9856, iwantska@hotmail.com

November 4 – Washtenaw County LP of Washtenaw County Monthly Business Meeting -7 to 9 pm at Classic Cup Cafe, 4389 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor (In the Parkland Plaza west of Ann Arbor). Contact James Hudler, 734-475-9792, or Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@comcast.net

November 4 – South West Michigan LPSWM Executive Committee Meeting – 6:00 – 6:50 pm at IHOP, 1981 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor. Guests are welcome. Followed by: Round Table Political Forum hosted by the LP of South West Michigan. 7-9 pm at The Livery, 190 Fifth St, Benton Harbor. Visitors are welcome to participate. Contact Bill Bradley, 269-637-4525, secretary@lpswmich.org

November 5 – Wayne County Monthly Meeting – Note: We will be meeting at 7 pm at Kiernan's Steak House, 21931 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48124-2379, (313) 565-4260. Contact Ray Warner, 313 598 3666. Dinner orders at 7 pm, meeting at 8 pm. Contact Ray Warner, 313-598-3666

November 10 – Capital Area Capital Area LP Monthly Meeting – 7 pm at former LPM office, 2722 E Michigan Ave, Ste 22, Lansing (park and enter in back). Contact Will Tyler White, 517-349-3806, whitewi5@msu.edu

November 11 – Oakland County Monthly Meeting of the LP of Oakland County. 6:30 pm dinner, 7:30 meeting. Sila's Restaurant, 4033 W. 12 Mile, Berkley (2 blocks east of Greenfield on south side of 12 Mile). Please join us in planning out and implementing the next phase of our Libertarian presence in Oakland County. Contact Jim Fulner, LPOC Chair, fulner@gmail.com

November 14 - Ypsilanti LibertyFest – 6 pm to 10 pm at Marriott at Eagle Crest Resort, 1275 S Huron St, Ypsilanti (off I-94 at exit 183). Gala dinner to celebrate Liberty! Defender of Liberty Awards; guest speakers: David Littmann, Mackinac Center Sr. Economist, and Wes Benedict, National Executive Director of the Libertarian Party. $50/$70/$95 per person; reservations by October 31 by calling 888-Free-Now or online at www.mi.lp.org.

November 18 – Washtenaw County LP of Washtenaw County Social/Work Meeting -7 to 9 pm at Classic Cup Cafe, 4389 Jackson (In the Parkland Plaza west of Ann Arbor). Contact James Hudler, 734-475-9792, or Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@comcast.net

November 24 – Calhoun County Monthly meeting of the LP of Calhoun County Executive Committee, 7 p.m. Please contact Jack Worsham for location. (269) 963-2679, WORSHAM74@aol.com More... For more events, see the online calendar. Another Important Link… The last print edition of the Michigan Libertarian is available online here. The Michigan Libertarian ONLINE… is distributed on the first of each month. Send calendar events and news articles by the 25th of the prior month to: e-newsletter@michiganlp.org

More...
For all events, see the full online calendar on the Website:
http://www.mi.lp.org/Shared Documents/Calendar.aspx

The Michigan Libertarian is published/posted on the first of each month. Send calendar events and news/articles to e-newsletter@michiganlp.org by the 25th of the prior month.

The Michigan Libertarian debuted on August 1, 2009 and replaced the monthly LPMOnline.  It will go out on the first of every month and will be distributed free to anyone who signs up, which can be done at the LPM web site www.mi.lp.org (or www.michiganlp.org).

LPM members who need a hard copy may request one be mailed to them by contacting e-newsletter@michiganlp.org or calling the LPM toll-free number 888-Free-Now.

Subscribe/Unsubscribe to Newsletter
You are subscribed to a newsletter email list on: #Homepage# Click here to modify your message preferences or to unsubscribe from any future mailings. We respect all unsubscribe requests.

Newsletter URL (Webpage address for this issue of the ML):
http://www.michiganlp.org/ENewsletters/200910/200910_ML.html

###