LPM OnlineJune 16, 1998 |
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It is with deep regret that we announce the loss of a true friend of liberty, Jim Pietrangelo who passed away Monday morning. Jim and his wife Laurel have been active members of both the Libertarian Party of Michigan and the Libertarians of Macomb County as well Jon Coon's campaigns and Brass Roots. Jim will be sorely missed. Services for Jim will be held at the AH Peters Funeral Home at Schoenherr and Masonic in Warren on Thursday, June 18 at 7:00pm. In keeping with his wishes there will be no visitation. On hearing this news, LPM Chair Tim O'Brien stated, "We all mourn the loss of a dedicated fighter for the cause. He will be sorely missed. We are definitely the poorer and the weaker for his absence. Perhaps most of all, it saddens us that Jim did not live long enough to share in the triumph of actually reaching our goal. Still, the last thing he would want is for us to falter. There could be no greater tribute to his memory than to redouble our own efforts."
Primary Day, Tuesday, August 4, 1998, will provide a great opportunity to the Libertarian Party of Michigan for outreach to individuals who actually vote! Unlike primary candidates, our outreach takes place after the voters have exited the polls. Past experience has found that voters, having completed their "civic duty" by voting in the primary, are in a relaxed state and are receptive to receiving our literature. They of course, expect a barrage of literature upon entering the polls, but are curious and surprised that someone is giving them information after they have voted. Our pitch to them is simple and can vary, and may go something like this, "Hi sir/ma*,am. May I give you some information about the November Election?" Because this approach is polite and cordial the response is usually positive. Although it is only June, the Diane Barnes for State Board of Education campaign would like to take the lead in conjunction with the other candidates and sound the clarion call for poll workers come, Tuesday, August 4, 1998. We would be grateful and will gladly accept any time you could offer -- from all day, to before and after work, to mornings or evenings -- in other words, anytime that you can work that day. If you believe you are going to be home that day -- we could use your help. With this message, I am hereby requesting your help. Today, even though you may be uncertain, if in all likelihood you believe you will be available to help us as a poll worker on Tuesday, August 4, 1998, please respond to this request via my e-mail address at LNUSGMB.ZZYQNH@GMEDS.COM or by phone at (810) 977-3523. Please do so now! This would help us out greatly in planning for the primary. Allow me to thank you in advance for your consideration in helping us out on Primary Day, Tuesday, August 4, 1998.
Noticed in the VBCL Newsletter -
FREEDOM OF CHOICE - The most basic of all human rights.
SELFISHNESS is not doing what you want, it is trying to make others do what you want.
Please take a moment to read this! It is just a note to invite some of you to drop by online for some #libertarian IRC chat during the evening hours or whenever. In case you are unaware, chat rooms, similar to those found on local servers like AMERICA ONLINE are also available around the country and across the world. These servers and chat rooms are accessible through Internet Relay Chat (IRC), and are one of the primary areas on the internet. One logs on to IRC with a dedicated software program, similar to how one would log on to their email program. One such IRC chat software program is called MIRC, and available at no cost on the web at: http://www.mirc.co.uk Download it, install it, and you are almost on your way. While online, boot up the program, go to the file/setup area, select a server from the list provided (a nearby UNDERNET server is suggested, see the list), give your self a nickname, and click on CONNECT. In a few moments, you should be connected. If not, keep trying... As I recall, mIRC pretty much sets up itself. Once connected, type /join #libertarian to join the #libertarian channel. Type /help or click on help from the file menu to get some insight into some other IRC commands. Actually the knowledge of few commands are necessary. mIRC is user friendly and operates like a a typical windows program. #politics is another channel you may wish to check out. Actually hundreds of channels are available, however many deal with less wholesome activities. From the menu bar, one can find a /list command, if desired, to list the multitude of channels. I'm hoping I am not alone in my need to "chew the fat" with others of a similar mindset and either from nearby or from across the country. IRC appears to be an area of the internet waiting to be used in the pursuit of Liberty. Chat in #libertarian can be anything from casual chit-chat to the discussion of serious issues. Groups can meet at designated times or folks can just drop by at their convenience. Let's see if we can turn things up a notch and make something happen by utilizing this resource. Hope to see you there! Anyone having difficulties making mIRC work or connecting to #libertarian please drop me an email. If you know anyone who may be interested pursuing this, please pass this message along. Thanks for your time.
If the official Candidate Listing for the Primary Election of August 4, 1998 (dated June 2, 1998) is accurate, Election '98 has some interesting twists to be aware of … ==> Open Seat Races: There are no open seat races for Congress. There are 5 open seat races for the Michigan State Senate (which has 38 seats). Districts 3, 9, 17, 29, and 33 are the open seat races. The LP is contesting 15 State Senate seats, one of which is an open seat race. David Nagy is our candidate for the open seat in District 9. [This also means that as many as 33 State Senators will get the boot in 2002 as a consequence of term limits.] There are 63 (see Family Affair below) open seat races for the Michigan State House of Representatives (which has 110 seats). The LP is contesting 35 State Rep seats, 19 of which are open seat races: 15 Gregory Stempfle 19 John J. Tatar 24 Kathie Orvis 27 Thomas R. Sydlow 31 John W. Fagan 33 Joseph L. Zemens 34 Terrence Ray, Adams 35 Pam Collins 41 Lorna Tate 46 Mark R. Carney 54 Dan LaFavers 67 George Sise 77 Glenn A. Barr 79 Scott Beavers 80 William Bradley 81 Peter Porcaro 85 Max Dollarhite 86 Will White 97 Allen Bauer ==> Lucky Breaks -- 2 Ways! Bruce Smith, Libertarian Candidate for Representative in Congress District 2, and Dan Marsh, Libertarian Candidate for Representative in Congress District 4, have incredible opportunities in the 1998 election. Only the Libertarian and Republican parties are contesting all 16 US Congressional Districts in Michigan. The Democratic party couldn't find candidates to run against republican incumbents Peter Hoekstra (2nd) and Dave Camp (4th). ==> Missed Opportunities -- Uncontested Races. The Democratic party will be taking a Michigan State Senate seat (3rd district) and a Michigan State Rep seat (14th district) uncontested! Neither the Rs, nor the Fs (Reform party … sorry, but R is already spoken for …), nor the Ls have a candidate in either of these races. ==> Bad Breaks -- 4 Ways! In 1996, I ran for Congress in the volatile 8th District. Good thing I got that out of my system then, because my successor, Ben Steele III, has his work cut out for him in a 4 way with Incumbent Debbie Stabenow, Republican Susan Grimes Munsell (an ex-state rep), and Reform party candidate John Mangopoulos. In Macomb County, Gerald J. McKeon, Libertarian Candidate for State Rep District 30, will be fighting a four way with 1 of 4 Republicans (probably incumbent Sue Rocca), 1 of 2 Democrats, and Reform party candidate Robert Murphy. ==> The Rest of the Reform Party Slate. I have already mentioned 2 Reform party candidates. The third and final offering of the Reform Party in 1998 is Paul Jensen. Paul had originally announced his intentions to sit in the Governor's chair via flyers posted in Ann Arbor. He must have opted for the latter half of his Gubernatorial slogan: Rigid Flexibility, because he gathered his 31 signatures and entered the primary for State Rep District 53. The Reform party may still nominate candidates for the statewide educational boards and for Supreme Court Justice by Convention. Right now they have 3 candidates. They may have as many as 13. This is surely no comparison to our healthy campaign activities including 91 candidates (probably 94 … Ann Arbor will be nominating candidates for City Council at an Ann Arbor caucus on July 30, 1998). ==> A Very Interesting District … Nick Stoner, Libertarian Candidate for State Rep District 25, must be scaring the you-know-what out of the Ds and Rs. The Rs are going to run Mr. Stone against our Mr. Stoner. Incumbent Gloria Schermesser, who slithered onto the 1996 ballot less than two weeks before the election after nomination by a 'special caucus' to fill the DeMars slot vacated by his unexpected demise, is facing off against the 1996 widow in the D primary. ==> Natural Law Party The Natural Law Party, which has done an excellent job in contesting Congressional races over the past couple of elections, has no candidates at this time. ==> Family Affair Term limits is changing the face of politics. And, in some cases, the face is all that changes … the names remain the same! Widows: Maria Carl (R) is seeking the seat formerly held by her now departed husband (State Senate, District 12) and now held by David Jaye (R). She tried this immediately after her husband died, too. Having failed then, I seriously doubt she stands a chance now. D. DeMars (D) is seeking the seat formerly held by her now departed husband (State Rep, District 25) and now held by Gloria Schermesser (D). Same last name, same address: Morris Hood is running for State Rep, District 11, now held by Morris Hood, Jr. Janet Kukuk is running for State Rep, District 33, now held by Alvin Kukuk. Joanne Voorhees is running for State Rep, District 77, now held by Harold J. Voorhees. Mary Ann Middaugh is running for State Rep, District 80, now held by James Mick Middaugh. Same last name, different address: Charles Oxender is running for State Rep, District 59, now held by Glenn S. Oxender. Martin J. Griffin is running for State Rep, District 64, now held by Michael J. Griffin. Of course, there is nothing new about this trick. It has happened numerous times before, such as Carolyn Kilpatrick, Kwame Kilpatrick, or Sal Rocca, Sue Rocca … ==> Stay Tuned! This is going to be the best election year yet for the Libertarian Party!
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