Greeting
From the Chair(s)
Run for Office
Marketing for Liberty Conference
The Boman Files
Give Me Liberty or Give Me a Grand Jury Prosecution

Image of the Month
Quote of the Month
Past Blast
Letters
Book Review
Contacts
Calendar

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Welcome to the February 2014 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 Website www.michiganlp.org).

From Mary
chair@michiganlp.org

"A free people claim their rights as derived from the laws of nature,
and not as the gift of their chief magistrate." — Thomas Jefferson

It’s another election year. Team D and team R are rolling out the goodies hoping to earn (read: buy with taxpayer money) the vote. Big government is magical to them. By executive order our governor will create a Michigan Office for New Americans and voila legal immigrant entrepreneurs will be more attracted to Michigan. Our president with a pen and drone (oops I mean phone) will initiate executive orders and presto many problems will be solved. Congress, who needs them? Constitution? Go away kids you bother me!

Libertarians know better.

The purpose of the Libertarian Party of Michigan is to further the principles of individual liberty as expressed in the Statement of Principles of the National Libertarian Party by nominating and working to elect candidates for political office and by entering into political information activities and affiliating with the National Libertarian Party. (Libertarian of Michigan Bylaws, Part II, Purpose). It’s time to execute measures to achieve that purpose.

I. Recruiting and assisting candidates. We nominate by convention. Unlike the R’s and the D’s we do not nominate through primaries, our candidates do not incur filing fees, and we do not accept government funding. The LPM will hold its nominating convention on Saturday May 17th in Howell Michigan. Details and registration will be posted to the website soon.

Right now I’m working on a Candidates Handbook. A one-stop shop that can be posted to the website or if funds allow, printed and distributed to affiliates and candidates. It would include but not be limited to:

1. How to become a candidate
2. A top 10 to do list
3. Candidate resources
4. Media contacts
5. Candidate press kit

If anyone knows if such a handbook already exists for the LPM, let me know so I’m not reinventing the wheel here. If anyone knows of any videos that were made of our candidate training sessions let me know so I can get those posted also. chair@michiganlp.org and webmaster@michiganlp.org

In this newsletter our Political Director Leonard Schwartz has written two articles about running for office and will be organizing candidate training session in the coming months. Affiliates will also be hosting their own candidate training sessions.

II. Marketing. Who knows, we may be one meme, media ad, etcetera from breaking out big time. Our message is timeless but the way we move our message is dated. Vice Chair Scotty Boman and At-Large member Arnis Davidsons have organized a “Marketing Liberty” conference on Saturday March 8th. The venue will be at 2722 E Michigan Ave., suite 22. Lansing Michigan (Upstairs from the Capital Area Libertarian Party headquarters). Media experts will be on hand you just need to bring the ideas. The time will be approximately 10 am to 5 pm. A free lunch will be provided courtesy of the LEC.

III. Fund Raising. I know with social media there is a lot you can do for free. But promoting our ideas and candidates takes a certain amount of money. The LPM also needs a physical headquarters and we are looking to rent a space in the Lansing area. To those who feel the LPM needs to be more visible at state fairs and other events with booths and tables that takes money too. It was decided at the January 19th LEC meeting to hire a professional fundraiser. It was done in the past and it worked fairly well. There are other ideas and events that will be announced soon so look for them on the website and facebook. As always your input and ideas are needed. So feel free to contact me or any of the LEC members.

In Liberty,
Mary

by Leonard Schwartz, Political Director

Become a Libertarian Party Candidate

One of the best ways to promote liberty and the Libertarian Party is by being a candidate. Even nominal candidates - those who spend virtually no time or money campaigning - help promote the Libertarian Party.

Why do even nominal candidates help? First, the more candidates we have on the ballot, the more attention the news media gives to the party and its active candidates. Second, by having many candidates, we tell libertarians that the Libertarian Party has many grass-roots supporters who show their support publically. For these reasons, the more candidates we have on the ballot, the more votes each candidate gets.

For what office should you be a candidate? The answer depends mainly on whether you plan to be an active candidate or a nominal candidate.

If you plan to be an active candidate, the most important factor is having fun. Being an active candidate is fun. Is there an incumbent whom you will enjoy criticizing? What issues do you like to discuss and in what race will those issues be important? Another factor is news media coverage. Reporters give small party candidates more coverage in races where one major party doesn't even have a nominal candidate. Reporters also give small party candidates more coverage where the race between the Democrat and Republican is likely to be close.

If you plan to be a nominal candidate, you can promote the Libertarian Party best by running for whatever position will be on the most ballots, but for which no LPM member wants to be an active candidate. This increases LPM's apparent importance, which increases news media coverage and votes for all Libertarians.

To become a Libertarian Party candidate, attend the LPM convention in May or complete your candidate paperwork beforehand. Except for Representative in Congress, candidates must be registered to vote in their district.

Become a Candidate for a Nonpartisan Office

Libertarians' greatest success is in nonpartisan elections. Over 200 Libertarian Party members currently serve in nonpartisan elected positions.

Community colleges, school districts, and villages hold elections in even-numbered years.

To become a candidate, file petitions and an "Affidavit of Identity." If the population of your district is less than 10,000, you need 6 valid signatures. If the population is greater than 10,000, you need 40 valid signatures. Instead of filing petitions, candidates for community colleges and school districts can pay a $100 nonrefundable fee. The filing deadline is July 22. Wayne County Community College is an exception; you need 250 valid signatures and the filing deadline is May 13.

Contact your county, school district, or village clerk to get forms and other information.

Although most cities hold elections only in odd-numbered years, some cities have elections this year. If your city will have an election, contact your city clerk to learn (1) the filing deadline and (2) the number of valid signatures you need. Also ask whether you can pay a filing fee instead and whether it is refundable.

A nonpartisan election is most winnable where there is a controversial issue. The issue need not have much practical importance. But it should stir voters' emotions. When running against an incumbent, the issue could be that the incumbent is incompetent or corrupt.

by Scotty Boman

SAVE THIS DATE!

What: Marketing for Liberty Conference.

Where: 2722 E Michigan Ave. [Old Headquarters, Current Capital Area Office]

When: Saturday March 8 10AM to 5PM

Who:

• Pat Clawson Frequent guest on TV talk shows & Former CNN Reporter
• Tim Obrien Advertising consultant / LPM Membership growth expert
• Helena Blakemoore Videographer - Movie Producer
• Derek Magill Campus Activist and Organizer
• Bill Gelineau Election result analyst
• Heather Richards-Wodrich Media Relations consultant
• Greg Marshall Radio Talk Show Host to TEA Party Market
• And more!

Why:

Libertarian ideas are more popular then ever, but interest in the Libertarian Party is at an all-time low. We must re-package the Libertarian Party of Michigan, in order to attract the thousands of libertarians in Michigan. Read more here: http://old.michiganlp.org/ENewsletters/201310/201310_ML.html#64 Check back for details and how to RSVP

By Brian Wright

Vice Chair Scotty Boman, was to have had a pretrial hearing on January 15 and then a jury trial—on the preposterous charge of trespassing—on January 29th, 8:30 AM. But these were precluded by Scotty’s attorney once again moving for dismissal. 36th District Court Judge Roberta Archer denied the motion, and Scotty’s attorney has filed an appeal. To allow time for an appeal, the trial will be delayed until some time in May.

The appeal will cost $1000, which Scotty cannot afford.

Please Contribute at this page where the full story is documented:

http://torunornottorun.org/help-with-appeal.html

by John V. McDermott:
Excerpt from Veterans News Now, January 22, 2014

…That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these United States Citizens and their fifty United States; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.

The last fifty year history of the present United States Federal Government is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these fifty United States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

Members of the United States Federal Government’s Executive Branch, Legislative Branch and Judicial branch did conspire fifty years ago to assassinate the duly elected President of the United States, to deceive the United States Citizens about the identity of their President’s assassins and to introduce a progressive program of mass deception, misinformation and corporal intimidation.

Members of the United States Federal Government have affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. As the result of the Military being made independent of and superior to the Civil Power, during the fifty year progressive program of mass deception, misinformation and corporal intimidation, the Military of the United States has consequently waged numerous criminal Aggressive Wars against Sovereign Nations which had not attacked the United States, and done so in spite of the lack of informed consent of the United States Citizens.

Members of the United States Federal Government have surreptitiously organized and deployed Armies of foreign al quaeda Mercenaries to instigate false flag works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy of the Government of a civilized Nation.

Members of the United States Federal Government have conspired to abridge the free press and free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by permitting an extremely high concentration and consolidation of ownership of print outlets and ostensibly Government regulated broadcast outlets of public news and information media. This extremely high and per se illegal concentration of news media ownership in combination with the fifty year progressive program of mass deception, misinformation and corporal intimidation has deprived the United States Citizens of the vital information necessary for the fulfillment of their duties as Citizens and thereby progressively deprived them of meaningful representation in the United States Federal Government.

The last twenty year history of the United States Federal Government is a history of staged violent domestic events perpetrated surreptitiously by the United States Federal Government, causing the highly publicized deaths of thousands of United States Citizens and intentionally misleading public opinion by falsely blaming the sensationalized events upon persons and Nations not wholly responsible for the events. These domestic false flag terror and intimidation events have been used to justify clandestine legislation, to justify warrantless surveillance of United States Citizens, to justify search and seizures otherwise prohibited by the U.S. Constitution and to justify criminal Aggressive Wars against Sovereign Nations which had not attacked the United States....

And then Mr. McDermott goes into useful detail for a full citizens' prosecution if not a revolution.
http://www.veteransnewsnow.com/2014/01/21/a-declaration-of-independence-in-virtual-congress/

Thank you, Patrick Henry.

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"I’m just an ordinary guy with nothing to lose." — Lester Burnham

 

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Take a stroll down memory lane with this excerpt from one of the longest-running state Libertarian newsletters. Today, check out the first newsletter we have on file, March 1975. Click on this link for the full PDF version of this newsletter.

Former editor and LPM archivist Greg Stempfle has compiled the entire body of available Michigan Libertarian newsletters up on this page of the LPM Website (most if not all of the newsletters have been transferred over to the new site if you have a particular issue you're interested in and it doesn't show up on the page, please contact Webmaster@michiganlp.org).

 

Reminder to sign petition against the Detroit police state...

 

Dear Friends,

 

Please take a moment of your time and look at this story. I know Mr. Boman, and can't imagine what he did to deserve this treatment. I pray you will sign the petition. Thanks and best regards. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/828/669/441/dont-prosecute-victim-of-rogue-cops/

 

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,

 

Nicholas Sundquist

 

Some Ideas from a Man who Needs Medication

 

Dear Friends,

 

Recently I was making plans to visit with a lady friend and discuss politics. I offhandedly told her, "I'll notify the NSA, but then I probably don't have to." Which immediately brought up a fascinating idea:

 

What if we have millions of Americans to just start notifying the NSA via some official communications circuit—we would cc, like, the New York Times—about all our gatherings, meetings, calls, etc. Do a citizens' core dump on the NSA. Better yet, on a particular day, millions of Americans—Europeans, too—send letters and parcels via the snail mail to one of the NSA's data centers, see if we can bury them in useless data. Gum up the works. I'll bet it would only take a million people. Put together a Website, make it a recurring exercise, like throwing tea bags… hey, that's it! Send them letters with tea bags in them. Let's think on it some.

 

Years ago some Libertarian guy suggested that on July 2, it would be declared Decrim Day, that day everyone who had committed a consensual crime would descend on the police offices of the country to turn themselves in. "Hey, sergeant, I cannot tell a lie, I smoked a joint." Guerilla theater.

 

Americans just never have any fun anymore, they spend way too much time behind their computer screens. We need to get out. Also, we could also show up en masse, young and old, little old ladies, at the police state's fusion centers to volunteer to pepper spray grandmothers and pregnant women or shoot rubber bullets at the genitals of teenage boys. See what the nimrods in charge say. Video the whole thing. What fun. News at 7!

 

Crazed Hothead (Oh, Nurse! Nurse! Bring the Thorazine.)

 

 

[Submissions of reviews are solicited for this Michigan Libertarian Book Review feature.
Please contact us via webmaster@michiganlp.org -- ed.]

Book Review
StarTram: The New Race to Space (2013)
by James Powell, George Maise, Charles Pellegrino
Reviewed by Brian Wright
Humanity Strikes Back!

StarTram is a epochal modern book of human liberation—equivalent to Renaissance scientists explaining how to set sail for the New World. Back then, if you’ll recall, not everyone in the feudalist Old World was overjoyed to see their serfs given clear directions to alternative, oligarchy-free real estate. Today really isn’t much different: over the centuries the Medieval ownership class pretty much figured out how to climb back in the global saddle. The last thing the Syndicate, the Cartel, THEY—call it what you will—wants is millions and billions of productive people working together in freedom for an unparalleled future in the stars of health and wealth who don’t need THEM… their wars, their debt, their suffocating economics, their prisons, or their policemen pepper-spraying grandma. [Full Review]

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For those who do not have online access, we are screenprinting the Mar 2014 calendar:

 

More... For all events, see the full online calendar on the Website:
http://michiganlp.org/?page_id=61 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://old.michiganlp.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.michiganlp.org (or www.mi.lp.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 (888-373-3669). Subscribe/Unsubscribe to Newsletter [Note: Just send us a message via our Contact page, and we will add you to the list.] We respect all unsubscribe requests.

Newsletter URL (Webpage address for this issue of the ML):
201402_ML.html

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