Greeting
Special Notice
From the Chair
From the Political Director
From the Veep
Liberty Fest
National Opt Out Day, Metro Airport Front
New Thought-Control Threat to Liberty

Quote of the Month
Image of the Month

Book/Movie
Past Blast
Letters
Contacts
Calendar

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Welcome to the December 2010 issue of the online newsletter of the Libertarian Party of Michigan, the Michigan Libertarian. The newsletter is our main vehicle for sharing what's happening for Libertarians in Michigan. You may manage your subscription by going here or visiting our Web site www.mi.lp.org (same as www.michiganlp.org).

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The Libertarian Party of Michigan is sad to report that David Nolan, founder of the Libertarian Party, has died. He was living in Arizona, where he ran a solid race for the US Senate receiving 4.7% of the vote in a three-way race. In addition to founding the party, David created the Nolan Chart to replace the traditional (and misleading) left-right axis for describing political positions. Those of us who knew David personally will miss his charm, lightning-quick intellect, and incomparable passion for freedom. The New York Times obit is decent, revealing some early background many of us did not realize.

RIP NUMERO UNO PARA LIBERTAD

MOST EXCITING ELECTION, THANK YOU ALL!

Thanks to all our candidates.  Congratulations on your spirited campaigns that brought the message of limited government and more freedom to voters.  By garnering over one million votes, you once again demonstrated that the Libertarian Party is the most important alternative political voice in the state.  We also retained ballot status for the next two years, moved the LP line on the ballot up to the #3 position for the next 4 years, and were the balance of power in 1 race (Nathan Allen in state Rep District 39). To illustrate our candidates, here’s a story shared by Scott Dudek (state Rep, Dist 32):

I was out campaigning door to door in Chesterfield and had a great moment.  I was going door to door and the weather was perfect.  I came upon an older couple sitting on their front porch and engaged in conversation.  I informed them I was campaigning with only my own funds and would never be bought.  The older lady stood up and directed me to come closer as I did she reached out and hugged me as she said ‘We need more people like you.’  It really touched me as a candidate it verified I am the right choice.

Thanks also to all who supported the campaigns by volunteering their time, who put signs in their yards, passed out literature to their neighbors and friends, and/or contributed money.  We’re especially grateful to our young campaign workers, such as Justin Robillard and Paul Giuliano, and our new members who took active roles, such as Elena May. It’s great to see a new generation of LP activists!

A few special thanks:  Ben Kohl did a remarkable job setting up web sites for our candidates; Beth Acker and Denee Rockman-Moon processed the flurry of inquiries coming in to find out more about our candidates; Brian Wright kept up the LPM Web site and edited the Michigan Libertarian to get the word out about our candidates; our affiliate leaders kept the organizations running that supported our local candidates and also distributed signs and materials; Jamie Lewis at Cascade Printing helped with printing materials; and Political Director Bill Hall orchestrated this campaign season’s efforts.

In the coming weeks, the Affiliate chairs and the LEC will be talking about the campaigns and the support the state party provided.  We will also be discussing ways to make sure the LP is stronger for the 2012 elections.  I look forward to working with all of you to bring even more success to our party, our candidates and our campaigns.  Wishing you all a happy holiday season with your families.

ELECTION 2010: LESSONS LEARNED
by Bill Hall (politics@mi.lp.org)

Shortly after the November 3 general election I reported the raw election results, with some important footnotes regarding possible impacts on those results.  Go to this page if you haven’t seen that report.

In this article, I will try to distill the lessons I think we, as a party, learned from those results, or had confirmed for us once again:

1. Active Campaigning Makes a Difference.  The three highest percentage vote getters for State Representative in 3-way races -- Brandon Dickhausen 4.8%, Scott Dudek 4.3% and Bob Willett 4.3%, were active campaigners.  If we had more of our 83 candidates willing to actively campaign, more of our candidates likely would have done better at the polls.
2. Active Affiliate Parties Make a Difference.  In West Michigan, the LPWM fielded 29 candidates; including many State Senate candidates in both 2006 and 2010, and had monthly meetings leading up to the election that routinely drew as many as 20 activists.  If you look at just those LPWM State Senate races run in both 2006 and 2010, average percentages rose an incredible 42%, from 1.9% (lower than the 2006 statewide average of 2.2%), to 2.7% (higher than the 2010 statewide average of 2.3%).  And 4 out of 5 of the highest State Senate vote percentages in 3-way races came from West Michigan --  Bradley Cook 3.5%, Bruce Campbell 3.1%, Josh Lillie 3.1% and Jamie Lewis 2.9%.  The newly revitalized Great Lakes Bay Region (formerly Tri-City) Libertarian Party enthusiastically fielded 7 candidates.  In addition to Brandon Dickhausen’s excellent results noted above, Jay Longtain took 14.1% in his 2-way State Representative race.  And our dynamic new Livingston County affiliate fielded 5 candidates.  Todd Richardson received 3.3%, the LPM’s second highest vote percentage for State Senate.  Ron Sanderson took 3.4% in his State Representative race.  The encouragement and support local party affiliates provide is an important factor in garnering good election results.
3. We Should Run More Candidates for Local Races.  Our highest percentages tend to be garnered in local races, which are also more winnable.  For example, 3-way County Commission races:  Andy LeCureaux 7.5% (Oakland County Commission), Rodger Young (Livingston County Commission) 5.9%, Bettie Ellens (Kent County Commission) 4.7%.  And 2-way races where we were the only opposition:  Emily Salvette (Ann Arbor City Council) 21%, Robert Hornbrook (Ionia County Commission) 18.3%, John Hargenrader (Livingston County Commission) 14.1%. In the future, our affiliates should emphasize running active campaigns in local races, where affiliate support has the potential to make a big impact on vote percentages.  
4. More Candidates on the Ballot Means Fewer Votes for Us.  This year, so many people were motivated to run for office, whether as a Republican, Democrat, independent or other party candidate, that the ballots tended to include more candidates.  This was particularly true of the Congressional and Educational Board races, and to a lesser extent the State Representative races.  As a consequence, Libertarian candidates’ vote percentages in those races suffered.  In the past, our candidates drew more "protest" votes, because they were primarily running in 3-way races where they were the only third party candidate.  This is a lesson to keep in mind when allocating resources to future campaigns.  Try to choose races with fewer candidates.  Spend most of your resources in those races.

Now is the time for candidates and local affiliates to consider what lessons they learned from the recent election results.  They need to identify those lessons, record them and make sure they are followed in fashioning future election strategies.  And with luck, next time we’ll get better results.

ELECTION 2010: MY TAKE
by Dan Johnson (dan.johnson40@gmail.com)

Election 2010 saw more active Libertarian campaigns than ever before.  Jay Longtain, Jim Rogers, Michael Moon and so many others ran hard, aggressive campaigns to get the Libertarian message out.  LESS Government spending, LESS Government regulation, LESS Government oppression and MORE individual liberty, freedom and adherence to the Constitution. 

Ken Proctor and Scott Boman traveled from the far Northwest U.P. to the far Southeast of the state and everywhere in-between.  Bob Willett, Daniel Grow and others were seen on YouTube and in debates and forums in their districts.  Chaz Rodriguez spoke at an event to share the Libertarian ideology to an event called “A New Conversation,” comprised of diversity groups such as the Asian Professionals Organization, BL2END, Grand Rapids Young Professionals, the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Young Non-Profit Professionals Network of Greater Grand Rapids.  Jim Rogers’ campaign had outreach to the retired community.  The list of good things we did as a party and as individuals is endless. 

So, now the elections are over, what do we do?  We learn and we GROW.  We need to act now to get the young voters who have shown interest in volunteering or our retired members who have shown interest in becoming more active.  We need to hug these patriots tight and thank them for their efforts and for their service. 

We all know that a campaign can be draining; financially, physically and emotionally.  So let’s not get crazy…let’s not burn ourselves or others out.  Let’s look at the positives of this campaign season.  Let’s see how many elections we had an impact on or won.  Let’s see what our candidates have done to educate the masses on our platform.  Let’s encourage others to stay with us.  Let OUR generation be the one to lead the next generation into a mentality of true freedom as it was intended.  We can change the government, we CAN turn it around…but you can’t do it alone my friends.  Let’s keep marching forward, let’s keep growing, let’s stay active in our communities and local events and let’s continue to get the message out!  I wish you all the best of luck and I thank you all for your sincere and hard efforts to make this election cycle the most active and successful one we have ever had!

LIBERTY FEST 2011*: A CELEBRATION OF LIBERTY
* (We honor our super LPM volunteers in 2010)

Saturday, February 5, 2011--Holiday Inn Gateway Center
5353 Gateway Centre, Flint, MI
6 p.m.to 10 p.m.

Program
Social time with cash bar: 6 - 7 p.m.
Plated dinner: 7 p.m.
Libby Awards: 7:45 - 8:30
Speaker: 8:45

Guest Speaker:
Charles Earl Communications Director LP of Ohio
Former State Representative for Ohio.

Cost
$50 basic level (until January 7th)
$70 sponsor level (name appears in program)
$95 Friend of Liberty level (name appears in program, reserved preferred seating, and free drink)

Reservations by January 7, 2011
Advance reservations by phone 1-888-FreeNow (mention LibertyFest reservations)

Open to everyone! Plan to bring your friends and family to enjoy this informative and entertaining evening. Come show your support for limited government in Michigan by supporting the Libertarian Party! Questions: Contact Denee Rockman-Moon (810-241-8561)
email: denee.rockman-moon@live.com

Mailin reservation form:
http://www.michiganlp.org/Webpages_Aux/2010LibertyFest_Registration.pdf

More information and online reservation:
http://michiganlp.org/Shared%20Documents/LibertyFest.aspx

We even have a postcard you can print off here:
http://www.michiganlp.org/images/Libbyfest_Postcard.pdf

OPT OUT DAY REPORT, METRO AIRPORT, ROMULUS, MI, 11/24/2010

Romulus, MI – An Opt Out Day event was held Wednesday, November 24th 2010 at Detroit Metro Airport in conjunction with advocate group “We Won’t Fly” in an attempt to educate travelers about the new TSA security theater.  Although the event was not an official Libertarian Party event, the concerns raised by We Won’t Fly are of concern to Libertarians.  Attendance was light and due to a lack of permit we could not pass out flyers.  However, we were able to garner excellent coverage as most local news media was on hand to cover holiday travel.  Interviews were held with two of the major local news channels (FOX-2 and WDIV-4) as well as WWJ News Radio, the Detroit Free Press and others.

The TSA-mandated choice of naked body x-ray scanners or enhanced pat-downs that resemble sexual assault was discussed along with radiation level, privacy, effectiveness, and search and seizure issues.   My hope is that these interviews along with the raised awareness of the event will incite concern or enough curiosity that others will begin to question the validity of this new security theater.  People that could choose not to submit to the new security theater were encouraged by We Won’t Fly to stay home or travel by alternative means.  Our observations of travelers for the time we were present was a consensus that the McNamara terminal had very low traffic volumes. 

For follow-up on the results of the event reported by We Won't Fly, please see: 
http://wewontfly.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/tsa-blinked-public-didnt-fly.pdf

Thank you,
Angela Fisher

NEWSPEAK BULLIES LIBERTY
by Scotty Boman
scottyboman@hotmail.com

“Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” – George Orwell -

There is a stealth attack on our liberties and most people don’t even recognize it.  Before people are conquered by coercion and force, they must be disarmed philosophically.  Once people accept a false premise, exalted opinion makers can use that premise to promote their agenda. 

A consistent philosophy is like a sophisticated piece of architecture or a machine; without structural integrity it will collapse or fail.  Sometimes there are specific elements of a structure that are needed to support the rest.  In a building it may be a cornerstone, keystone or column.  In a machine it may be a simple pin, filter, or chip.

The distinction between violence and communication is critical to liberty and civil society.  Without it there can be no principled defense of free speech, nor can there be principled objection to violence being used in response to speech.  The statist agenda has been well served by the recent MSM fixation on so-called “cyber-bullying.”  The phrase is such a clear example of Orwellian newspeak that I would expect this to be nothing more than hyperbolae or a metaphor.  “Bullying” is a phrase that has been associated with violence.  The use of “Cyber” as a prefix is consistent with the use of certain technology.  If the terminator starts making threats and beating people up, that’s cyber-bullying, but that is not how the phrase is being used.

People are being called cyber-bullies for making unwelcome remarks about peers and colleagues on the Internet.  This wouldn’t be a matter of concern, if the word-use were understood to be metaphorical.  For example, politicians will refer to “attack ads,” with full understanding that they need not draw a gun to defend themselves.  But talk show hosts, law enforcement officials, and politicians actually believe that verbal and electronic taunting is an act of violence.

The lack of publicized dissension to this doublethink is mind numbing.  Most pre-schoolers of the prior generation had superior intellectual integrity to the opinion leaders of today.  They had a simple, though accurate phrase, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names will never hurt me.”  The degree to which a person believed the phrase was the degree to which the outcome would support it; the words may be harmless, but the response one has to them may not be.

It has now become politically correct to disarm those who are most vulnerable, and convince them that they are emotionally defenseless, against criticism.  As a teacher, I have seen the so-called “anti-bullying” hype that gives the impression that the way to address criticism is to silence the critic.  Rather than learning that ideas are to be fought with better ideas, youth are learning that unwelcome criticism must be fought by silencing the critic.  Civil liberty considerations not withstanding, this is a terrible disservice to young people.  So long as someone takes ownership of his or her responses, he or she has a way to preserve his or her self-esteem amidst a surge of insults.  Without these coping tools, the object of the taunts is helplessly waiting for help from others.

This leads me to the next critical piece of the philosophy that is in danger.  The distinction between one person’s actions and those of another.  Once again, the intellectual integrity of most pre-millennial preschoolers towers above the philosophical cesspit of contemporary pundits.  The childhood wisdom would be encapsulated in a rhetorical question: “If someone dared you to jump off the bridge would you do that too?”  Back in the day this would prompt a person to reflect on the stupidity of blaming his or her actions on the fact that someone else dared him or her to do it.  These days it could be cause for prosecution. 

Nowadays, pundits will say that unwelcome words or online postings “cause” a suicide.  Remarkably, this double-think goes unchallenged.  This is one of those cases where the truth is so self-evident that explaining it becomes difficult.  The word “suicide” is reserved for killing one’s self.  By definition the killer and the victim are the same person.  To say someone else caused a suicide is to say that the act is not what it is.  This is not just a matter of minutia.  People are often put in prison or executed for killing other people.  By definition the victim causes the suicide.

The reader may choose to respond with anger and disbelief, but the fact of the matter is that suicide victims cause their own deaths.  Putting the truth plainly is not the most sensitive thing to do, but often it is the kindest thing to do.  Tragically, statists exploit the grief of suicide victims families.  Rather than guiding them to acceptance and helping them move on, suicide victims are used as poster children for laws that squelch discourse, and empower bureaucrats.  Personal tragedies, childhood crushes, and teachable moments become part of a media circus, with children playing the Orwellian character, “Boxer” in the center ring.

The immediate outcomes are personal, but the paradigm shift this facilitates is even more abominable.  If a writer is responsible for the way readers respond, then all writers are potential unwitting murderers.  This not only has the effect of incriminating the innocent, but also absolving the guilty; if the author of an email or posting can “cause” a person to kill him or her self, the author could also “cause” a person to kill someone else.  Thus a killer could use the “somebody dared me to do it” defense!

Some readers may think I am being alarmist, and that these semantic sins won’t have legal consequences.  Unfortunately, the tree of irrationality is already bearing tyrannical fruits:

• I attended a school assembly where an FBI agent told children that he has had to arrest kids for sending unwelcome emails, and they have been taken from their parents and put in juvenile detention. Missouri has made “cyber-harassment” a Class D felony.
• State Representative Lisa Brown supports similar legislation in the Michigan Legislature.  She supports fines for adults who make unwelcome remarks about other adults in blogs.

I have made a distinction here between words and violence, but I don’t wish to say words are of no consequence…. Just the opposite.  Words communicate ideas.  Belief in certain ideas can be lethal.  The philosophy we have, guides our response to the words we hear.

When one’s philosophy equates words with violence, one is inclined to respond with violence.  Not only does this bring greater tragedy, but it does nothing to defeat the depraved ideas.  Brute force is impotent against flawed beliefs.  The best way to defeat false beliefs is with the truth.  This is much easier said than done, but that doesn’t make it less true.  The ultimate alternative is the draconian approach of criminalizing ideas and executing heretics.  In the battle of ideas there is no substitute for philosophy.

[Republication of the unabridged article with credit to Scotty Boman is welcome]

THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. — First passage from The Crisis, by Thomas Paine

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Note: Click on the image or this link (http://www.tsascansmag.com/) to visit a public service site to contribute suggestions about what needs to be done about the budding TSA porn industry. Please submit photos and cartoons for inclusion in the monthly newsletter by sending them to E-Newsletter@michiganlp.org

The following review excerpts are courtesy LPM Webmaster Brian Wright's commentary and review site, The Coffee Coaster. If you would like to submit book or movie reviews please notify the editor.

Movie Review
The Best Years of Our Lives
Bette Davis' favorite movie of all time __ 9/10

The Best Years of Our Lives gives us the reality—not in the brutally honest terms of more recent antiwar movies such as Coming Home or documentaries like Hearts and Minds, which tear the lid off Hell—at least without the deep levels of sugarcoating the Western warfare-statist propaganda machinery inflicted on us in the next decade. In any case, we learn a little about the many problems of men coming back from the killing fields of that time. [Full Review]

Book Review
Wednesdays with Diether
Opinions, Observations, and Reminiscences
from His Weekly Kalamazoo Gazette Column, by Diether Haenicke

In Disgusted in Oshtemo, a frequent visitor to Kalamazoo complains that while her car was stopped "... five Western students standing on the loading area of a pickup truck pulled down their pants and bared their rear ends right into my face. Although I could not see their faces..." Diether commiserates with the presumably elderly Mrs. Catery, then offers this:

"However, I am puzzled by one question. If indeed you could not see the persons' faces but only those anatomical areas that so disgusted you, how could you tell that you were exposed to students, and Western students in particular? Is there a common denominator that identifies certain rear end features as those of Western students?" [Full Review]

Take a stroll down memory lane with this excerpt from one of the longest-running state Libertarian newsletters. Today, check out the December 1976 issue. 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.

In Response to Pro-Republican Letter
Repeat from previous month

I think someone's been smoking ropey dopey. Let's take a look at what the GOP has given us (or more rightly, taken away) since 1980:

1. Asset Forfeiture - violation of the Constitution's Due Process clause
2. WAR - costing nearly 3/4 of a Trillion dollars per year, not counting all the other money spent on our imperialistic foreign policy.
3. Suspension of Habeas Corpus - thanks Mr. Bush
4. the Patriot Act, including warrantless wiretapping.
5. Crackdown of "Border security," which means less freedom for Hispanic-Americans, as well as cheap labor for Corporations.
6. NAFTA, which allows American manufacturers to build plants overseas and get rid of scores of American workers (building a HUGE trade deficit).
7. McCain's bill that he co-sponsored with "Independent" Joe Liebermann so that the government can arrest anyone they suspect of possible terrorism, and hold them until the endless war is over without due process or trial, etc......
8. Bigger Drug War budgets, which empowers gov't even more (just like Border Security).
9. Medicare Drug Prescription program
10. Americans with Disabilities Act

I'm sure we could add hugely to this list. I'll stop for now.

Ed Burley
Traverse City MI

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.

December 1 - 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 Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@gmail.com

December 1 – LP of South West Michigan 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, wbradley@i2k.com 269-637-4525, or Dan Grow, grow.daniel@gmail.com.

December 2 – Wayne County LP Monthly Meeting – 7 p.m. - Kiernans Steak House, 21931 Michigan Ave, Dearborn (at Monroe). Bring photos and stories about David Nolan we'll remember the LP founder. Contact Ray Warner, 313-598-3666

December 4 – Livingston County Holiday Party The Livingston County affiliate will NOT meet in December. However, James and Renee Lewis have invited us to their annual holiday party on Saturday, December 4, 2010 beginning at 7 p.m.
Appetizers and holiday beverages served, bring what you'd like, too.
The Lewises do have a couple of dogs, friendly of course, just FYI.
Contact Tim Keirnan at Chair.LivingstonLP@gmail.com for details.

December 5 – Libertarian Executive Committee Meeting – 4:00 pm 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.

December 6 – Great Lakes Bay Region LP - Monthly Meeting – The group meets on the 1st Monday of the month. Dinner at 6, meeting at 7 at Damon’s, 4960 Towne Centre Rd, Saginaw Township, MI 48604 (off Tittabawassee, just west of I-675 at exit 6). Everyone interested in liberty from Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, Genesee, Huron, Lapeer, Sanilac and Tuscola counties is invited. Contact Al Chia, chia4senate@gmail.com or Denee Rockman-Moon, denee.rockman-moon@live.com.

December 11 – Holiday Gathering for Oakland County Libertarians
When: Saturday, Dec. 11; 7-11pm
Where: home of Dianne & Randy Szabla 32034 W. 13 Mile Farmington Hills MI 48334 west of Orchard Lake Road BYOB. Please bring food to share. Contact: Dianne, 248-626-6322, DianneSzabla@aim.com

December 14 – 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

December 14 – LP of West Michigan Monthly Meeting – 6:30 pm. The LPWM meets on the second Tuesday of each month at Perkins Restaurant, 5121 28th St SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512 (just off I 96). Contact Nick Sundquist, Nicholas.sundquist@yahoo.com, 231-750-5468

December 15 – Libertarians of Macomb County Monthly Meeting - 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

December 15 – 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 Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@gmail.com

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

January 3 – Great Lakes Bay Region LP - Monthly Meeting – The group meets on the 1st Monday of the month.  Dinner at 6, meeting at 7 at Damon’s, 4960 Towne Centre Rd, Saginaw Township, MI  48604 (off Tittabawassee, just west of I-675 at exit 6).  Everyone interested in liberty from Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, Genesee, Huron, Lapeer, Sanilac and Tuscola counties is invited. Contact Al Chia, chia4senate@gmail.com or Denee Rockman-Moon, denee.rockman-moon@live.com.

January 5 - 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 Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@gmail.com

January 5 – LP of South West Michigan 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, wbradley@i2k.com 269-637-4525, or Dan Grow, grow.daniel@gmail.com.

January 6 – Wayne County LP Monthly Meeting – 7 p.m. - Kiernans Steak House, 21931 Michigan Ave, Dearborn (at Monroe). Contact Ray Warner, 313-598-3666

January 6 – Livingston County LP Monthly Meeting - 7-8:30 pm. The Livingston County LP meets the first Thursday of each month at Cleary's Irish Pub, 117 E Grand River Ave, Howell 48843 (non-smoking area). The meeting will have 4 parts: Mingling (over dinner, if you want), studies in liberty, news and party business. Contact Tim Keirnan mailTim@sbcglobal.net

January 11 – 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

January 11 – LP of West Michigan Quarterly Meeting – 6:30 pm. With the elections over, the  LPWM moves to a quarterly meeting schedule. Join them the second Tuesday in January at Perkins Restaurant, 5121 28th St SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512 (just off I 96). Contact Nick Sundquist, Nicholas.sundquist@yahoo.com, 231-750-5468

January 19 – LP of Oakland County Monthly Meeting – The LP of Oakland County meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. 6:30 pm dinner, 7:30 meeting. Sila's Restaurant, 4033 W. 12 Mile (2 blocks east of Greenfield), Berkley. Contact Jim Fulner, fulner@gmail.com

January 19 – Libertarians of Macomb County Monthly Meeting - 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

January 19 – 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 Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@gmail.com

January 25 – LP of Calhoun County Monthly Meeting - Executive Committee, 7 p.m. Please contact Jack Worsham for location. (269) 963-2679, WORSHAM74@aol.com

February 5, 2011 – LibertyFest Dinner - Gala dinner and presentation of the 2010 Defender of Liberty Awards. Guest speaker is Charles Earl, former State Representative from Ohio and now the LP Ohio Communications Director.
Where: Holiday Inn Gateway Centre in Flint.
When: Tickets $50-$95 per person.
Contact Denee Rockman-Moon denee.rockman-moon@live.com

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More...

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

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

Note: The final print edition of the Michigan Libertarian is available online at http://www.mi.lp.org/Past%20Newsletters/ Michigan%20Libertarian%2038.2%20summer%202009.pdf

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 is one of the longest-running Libertarian newsletters in the country, debuting in 1973 shortly after the founding of the Libertarian Party of Michigan. The "new" Michigan Libertarian (a predominantly online version) debuted on August 1, 2009 and replaced the weekly LPMOnline and the printed-and-mailed ML.  We will post the newsletter on the Website and deliver via email on the first of every month. A printed version of the new Michigan Libertarian will be sent free to anyone who signs up, which you may do 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.

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