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The following people have already registered for the LPM of Michigan Convention April 3-5 in East Lansing. If you have friends not on the list please call them to let them know that you certainly expect to see them at the Convention.
Ben Bachrach Robert Black Mike Brinkman Gary Bora Barbara Bradley William Bradley Bob Broda Judy Dollarhite Max Dollarhite Keith Edwards Marie Edwards Loel Gnadt Barbara Goushaw Vicki Hall Mark Heil Bruce Hoepner Christine James Doug MacDonald David Nagy Nancy O'Brien Tim O'Brien Teresa Pollok Kenneth Proctor Rosemary Racchi Bruce Smith Paul Soyk Greg Stempfle Lorna Tate Al Titran
The following article is the latest in the series of Op-Ed articles written by LPM Chair, Tim O'Brien. The articles are sent to newspapers across the state for use at their convenience, to help promote the Libertarian viewpoint. You can find previous Op-ed pieces on our web site at http://www.coast.net/~lpm/op-ed/
A few weeks ago I found myself at the Tampa airport more than four hours ahead of the scheduled departure time for my return flight to Detroit. After checking my luggage through, I went in search of one of those temporary lockers to safely stow my two cumbersome carry-ons until boarding time. After ten or fifteen minutes of wandering through various wings and levels of the terminal, I finally asked a security guard where I might find the self-serve lockers.
"Oh, we don't have those anymore," he answered.
"What?" I was incredulous. "Why not?"
"Terrorism," he responded matter-of-factly.
"Terrorism?" I asked innocently. "Was there a terrorist incident here?" I continued, feigning naivete.
A look of puzzlement spread over his face. "Well, no." This was clearly the first time that it ever even occurred to him that the question might be relevant. "But," he added triumphantly, "someone might put a bomb in one of those lockers."
"Right," I said with barely concealed exasperation. "Tell me, has anyone ever put a bomb at any airport anywhere in the United States?"
Just as he was beginning to get the hapless expression of someone unavoidably confronted by his own unthinking assumptions I decided to let him off the hook. Mumbling something about the fact that there was, on the other hand, someone standing right in front of him with an obvious need for a temporary locker, I took my discomforting questions and my carry-on luggage and went in quest of some place to while away the next four hours.
The need not having arisen before, I never noticed that the self-serve lockers were gone. And in view of the near hysteria over "terrorism" that has gripped the country, I'm guessing that Tampa is probably not unique in having taken this particular preventative measure.
Detroit Metro Airport officials recently announced a plan to spend half a million dollars to upgrade security systems here. The proposal comes on the heels of an incident in which a Chicago-bound passenger who had set off one of those walk-thru metal detectors, already late and frustrated at the pointless additional delay as she was asked to step aside for a more individualized scan, simply walked away from the security checkpoint in order to catch her flight. Naturally, a state of panic ensued. Entire terminals full of travellers were compelled to resubmit to security procedures. Even those who had already boarded airplanes were forced to disembark and prove to officials that they were not armed terrorists.
This was the fourth such incident in less than a year, hence the plan to enhance surveillance using additional personnel and remotely controlled cameras. (It occurs to me that a less expensive solution would be to simply imply that very sophisticated and ever vigilant video equipment already surrounds passengers. For a tiny fraction of the cost airport officials could merely post a few dozen signs that read: Big Brother is Watching You!)
Meanwhile, Wayne county officials had what county Executive, Ed McNamara, called "a knock-down, drag-out" discussion with Northwest, by far Metro Airport's largest carrier, regarding complaints about slow service -- both in passenger check-in and baggage handling.
"Northwest is very sincere about wanting to improve service in Detroit," Mr. McNamara said following the meeting. And in fact airline officials made what they're calling a "25-minute baggage pledge," apparently assuring customers even faster service than Domino's pizza stores (though I'm guessing the airline won't be offering a money-back guarantee.)
I have a few humble suggestions as to how Northwest could actually accomplish their goals, while saving money rather than having to make additional investments in high-tech gear.
First, end the silly baggage check-in third degree. "Did you pack your bags yourself?" and "Have you had your bags since you packed them?" and "Has anyone asked you to..." &c., &c.
You will recall that this routine was put in place by a hyperventilating congress right after TWA flight 800 out of New York exploded shortly after take-off a couple of years ago, ostensibly as a result of a terrorist bomb. We have, of course, since learned that all indications are that the disaster was caused by some kind of mechanical failure, probably having to do with explosive vapors in a mostly empty fuel tank, and that there are no indications whatever that the plane was destroyed by terrorists. But government regulation is a ratchet going in one direction only. Once in place, new restrictions are virtually never undone, even when it is subsequently shown that they were based on false information to begin with.
Second, skip the photo I.D. verification -- another of those "minor inconveniences" most people assume is needed to combat terrorism. I suspect it actually has more to do with airlines policing their own 'frequent flier' programs than with passenger safety.
Third, take out all of the metal detectors and x-ray machines, as well as all of the security personnel needed to operate them. In a moment of unprecedented common sense and candor former U.S. Department of Transportation inspector general, Mary Schiavo, recently observed that "Professional terrorists are not going to try to smuggle bombs and weapons through the x-ray point." Gee, do you think?
No one has even threatened an airplane in the U.S. since our federal officials announced more than three decades ago that they had come to the astonishing insight that it was probably not prudent to refer to those who seize our commercial planes and force them to go to Cuba as "hijackers" while calling those who did the same thing coming from the opposite direction "freedom fighters." A reciprocal agreement with the Castro regime ended the problem back then. Yet every airport in the country has been operating as though in a state of siege ever since, coming up with ever more absurd ways to inconvenience millions of travellers.
Like taking out all of the temporary storage lockers, for instance.
After having left that security guard behind and wandering through the Tampa airport, bags in hand, for another ten minutes, I finally settled in a small cafeteria-style restaurant, propped my burden in a couple of chairs, and sat down to watch CNN on the overhead TV and drink a half dozen cups of coffee.
President Clinton and various state department officials, as well as several pundits and some highly-placed Republicans (in a show of bi-partisan support) were solemnly castigating Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and rattling metaphorical sabres. There seemed to be unanimity of opinion that the logic of the situation was inescapable:
1.) Iraq may still possess and/or be in the process of manufacturing chemical or biological "weapons of mass destruction."
2.) The Iraqi government is under the absolute control of a person of questionable stability who has already demonstrated a willingness to use these weapons against his own civilians and, therefore,
3.) Though there is little hope of eliminating either the Iraqi leadership or their weapons-making capacity, we should, nevertheless, go give them a good swift kick in the pants.
Well, if I'm going to be forced to put up with all of these airport inconveniences, I thought to myself as a listened to the official bluster, it's good to know that at least my government is busily justifying all of this paranoia.
The early registration deadline for the LPM convention has passed. Prices at the door are as follows:
Full package $150 Saturday & Sunday $135 (includes all listed below) Sat. Breakfast $20 Sat. Banquet $80 Sun. Brunch $30 Seminars Only $75 Meal Choice: Woodland Style Chicken Roast Prime Rib Atlantic Salmon Special Dietary needContact Mike Brinkman at Brinkman1@aol.com for more information.
The Libertarian Party of MidWest Michigan elected new officers at its March 14th meeting. The new LPMWM officers are:
Chair - Brian Kluesner Vice Chair - Greg Willis Secretary - John Willis Treasurer - Carston Seales Trustee - Floyd Willis
Full Slate In ’98
If you have ever thought about running for office, now is the time! At the March 25th meeting we will be helping our candidates get ready for this years elections. Each candidate for Oakland County will be approved by the membership at this meeting and their names will go to the Michigan Conference (April 3-5) where they will be made official. It is very important that anyone wanting to run as a Libertarian Candidate in or around Oakland County attend the March 25th meeting.
Positions that are still available: Michigan Senate Districts 13, 14, 16 and 28 Michigan House Districts 34-40 and 42-45These are the ones which are in or cover part of Oakland County. State Representative and Senate candidates are required to live in the district they run in.
If you have internet service, please look us up! http://members.aol.com/ardentinvs/Libertarian/Index And let us know what you think! Ardentinvs@aol.com
I've made this section because it seems that 2% of Oakland County is doing 90% of the work that needs to be done. This is a list of projects that are currently in need of someone to do them. I’ve broken them down into small pieces so they aren’t quite so intimidating.
Phone help:
If you have a phone and a few hours, we need you to call about 10-20 people in your local area from our membership list. Subjects: Renewal, Monthly pledge, Candidate contributions and volunteer work.
County Clerk:
If you travel near the Oakland County Buildings we need someone who can pick up and deliver information from the County Clerk’s office on an as need basis.
Press Releases:
We need to collect the political reporter names and fax numbers from as many local papers as we can get.
Local Events:
Do you read the local papers? Can you clip and mail or fax to us events where we could set up a booth?
Outreach:
Can you pick up and deliver our brochures and newsletters to local businesses?
If you can do even part of one item above it would greatly reduce the work load and help us get our message out to more and more potential members. If you can help please call Lorna at 248- 588-6103(day) or 248-740-0292 (voice mail.)
‘If not you, Who? If not now, When?’
Perhaps you have been considering running for office, but you are not sure what district you live in and whether or not there is already a candidate for that office. Here is a list of maps that will help you locate your district.
U.S. Congressional Districts http://www.state.mi.us/dmb/mic/images/maps/congress.gif State House Districts (Excluding Metro Detroit) http://www.state.mi.us/dmb/mic/images/maps/houswd.gif State House Districts (Metro Detroit Only) http://www.state.mi.us/dmb/mic/images/maps/houtri.gif State Senate Districts (Excluding Metro Detroit) http://www.state.mi.us/dmb/mic/images/maps/swsen.gif State Senate Districts (Metro Detroit Only) http://www.state.mi.us/dmb/mic/images/maps/sentri.gifIf you would like to see if there is already a candidate for the district, you can check the candidate list that was published in last week's LPM Online at:
http://www.michiganlp.org/lpmonline/N19980317.shtml#MI9If you are interested in running, contact Doug MacDonald at dm@compserv.net.
The Andrews University Libertarian Society has been successful at making arrangements with Andrews University Student Activities Office to show the Academy Award-nominated documentary "Waco: The Rules of Engagement" three times during the week of 19 April 1998, the anniversary of the burning of the Branch Dividian compound in 1993. Exact dates and times are not available yet. This will be treated as a recruitment event for the Andrews University Libertarian Society and the Libertarian Parties of Berrien County and of Michigan. Any help or suggestions in making this a successful event would be appreciated.
The documentary will be shown in the Mutch Recreation Center, which is located in the Campus Centre of Andrews University. Andrews University is located at the north end of Berrien Springs, Michigan on St. Joseph Ave (Old U.S.-31) just south of the U.S.-31 Bypass.
Please contact Glenn Whitt by electronic mail at whitt@andrews.edu or by phone or fax at 616-473-5708 for additional information. All are welcome.
In last weeks newsletter I reported that Macomb County was the second county in MI to fill up the ballot for the upper level races. But Macomb was actually 3rd. Livingston became the third when Ben Steele of Shiawassee County announced his campaign for US Congress in the 8th District. A short while thereafter, Dan Marsh announced his campaign for US Congress in the 4th District, thus filling Shiawassee's ballot. Then came Macomb ... but, if it is any consolation to the Macomb folks, they have many more candidates than either Livingston or Shiawassee ...
Since last week's newsletter, Malcolm Johnson has announced his race for US Congress in the 9th District. Also, John Loosemore will be running in the 1st District instead of Cyndi Ask.
Since last week's newsletter, Bill Hall has announced his campaign for U of M Board of Regents and David Raaflaub has announced his campaign for Justice of the Supreme Court. With these announcements we have candidates in all of the statewide campaigns for Educational Boards and the Supreme Court.
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