LPM Online

December 14, 1999

Contents

  1. Upcoming Events
  2. Presidential Campaign Committee Forms
  3. Convention 2000 National Committee Appointments
  4. Eastpointe Residents Call For Investigation of Board Members

  1. Upcoming Events

    December 14, 1999 - 7:00 PM
    Libertarian Party of Lapeer/Genesee December Meeting: Tuesday, December 14th, 7 pm at Whitey's Restaurant, Davison. Whitey's is about one mile north of I-69 on M-15 in Davison. Take a break from the Holiday madness and join us; on the agenda, Bill of Rights day and Libertarian activism for the coming year.
    Location: Whitey's Restaurant, Davison.
    Contact: Trish Marie Phone: (810) 742-7268 E-mail: Trishmare@aol.com

    December 15, 1999 - 6:00 PM
    Meeting of the Saint Clair County Libertarian Party. Join us for dinner at 6:00 PM. Business begins at 7:00 PM.
    Location: Applebees restaurant located at 3700 Pine Grove Avenue, Fort Gratiot, MI 48059. Restaurant phone: (810) 984-5682
    Contact: Eric Wojciechowski Phone: (810) 795-3975 E-mail: ewojo@worldnet.att.net

    December 15, 1999 - 6:30 PM
    LP of Oakland County General Membership Meeting. Public welcome. Meet for dinner at 6:30PM, business begins at 7:30PM.
    Location: Sila's, 4033 W. 12 Mile Rd., Berkley. Sila's is located 2 blocks east of Greenfield on 12 Mile Rd.
    Contact: Greg Dirasian Phone: (248) 592-9731 E-mail: greg@newsnetpipeline.com

    December 16, 1999 - 6:30 PM
    Envelope stuffing for Libertarian Presidential Campaign Committee - we need lots of help. Possibility exists that we may even sing Christmas Carols while stuffing envelopes.
    Location: Home of Barb Goushaw, 19514 West Nine Mile Road, Southfield MI (between Southfield and Evergreen Roads. Call or e-mail Barb Goushaw if you need better directions.)
    Contact: Barb Goushaw Phone: (248) 355-5058 E-mail: bgoush@aol.com

    December 19, 1999
    Holiday Bowling Party from 2-4 p.m. Come enjoy the holiday spirit and get acquainted with fellow Libertarians. Everyone welcome!
    Location: Brighton Bowl, 9871 E. Grand River, Brighton, MI
    Contact: Teresa Pollok Phone: (810) 229-0737 E-mail: tpollok@livingonline.com

    December 20, 1999 - 7:30 PM
    Attorney Greg Schmid of Personal Responsibility Act 2000 fame will be in Saginaw speaking at the general membership meeting of the Tri-City Libertarian Party. If you are in the area, or simply want to help end this insane war on drugs, please come and support this ballot initiative.
    Location: Howard Johnson's restaurant on M-84, right next to I-75, exit 160.
    Contact: Clint Foster Phone: (517) 671-TCLP E-mail: freelandmi@aol.com

    January 12, 2000 - 6:00 PM
    Libertarians of Macomb County monthly meeting. Drinks and dinner at 6:00 PM, business begins at 7:00 PM
    Location: Heinzman's Heidelberg, 43785 Gratiot, Clinton Twp, just north of Mt. Clemens.
    Contact: Keith Edwards Phone: (810) 777-7468 E-mail: keithmarni@aol.com

    January 13, 2000 - 7:00 PM
    Monthly meeting of the LPWM
    Location: Brann's on Leonard at the I 131 expressway
    Contact: Erwin J. Haas Phone: (616) 942 7674 E-mail: haas@iserv.net

    January 24, 2000 - 6:30 PM
    Meeting of the LPM Presidential Campaign Committee.
    Location: Home of Barb Goushaw, 19514 West Nine Mile Road, Southfield MI (between Southfield and Evergreen Roads. Call or e-mail Barb Goushaw if you need better directions.)
    Contact: Barb Goushaw Phone: (248) 355-5058 E-mail: bgoush@aol.com

    February 6, 2000 - 1:00 PM
    Libertarian Party of Michigan Executive Committee meeting. All members of the LPM are welcome, but if you are not an LEC member or one of its appointees, please let us know you are coming so we can accomodate extra persons, thank you.
    Location: Home of Tim and Nancy O'Brien, 17015 Cicotte, Allen Park (313-562-5778).
    Contact: Stacy Van Oast Phone: (810) 784-8783 E-mail: stacyvo@eesc.com

    More
    For more events, see the online calendar at:
    http://www.michiganlp.org/lpmonline/events.php

  2. Presidential Campaign Committee Forms by Mark Heil

    The LPM Presidential Campaign Committee held its first meeting on Wednesday, December 8, 1999. At that meeting, the committee organized itself into several subcommittees to perform the various tasks for the upcoming presidential campaign in Michigan and discussed a broad outline of the committee's plans and goals.

    The ballot status of the LPM is dependent on the vote totals that our presidential ticket receives in the November, 2000 election since that race will be our "top of ticket". Our presidential ticket must win a minimum 20,555 votes to maintain our current ballot status. This is extremely important because if we lose that status we will have to mount a petition drive for at least 30,272 valid signatures to get back on the ballot in 2002. Such a petition drive could cost us over $90,000 to fund!

    Therefore, the Presidential Campaign Committee was formed so we will have a sound campaign infrastructure in Michigan in place for whoever wins the LP nomination for President at our national convention in July. A strong statewide campaign should give us our best chance to ensure that we win the necessary votes. The committee chair, Barb Goushaw has also stressed the importance that the campaign committee acts with neutrality throughout the internal process of selecting the party's nominee. This will help prevent any conflicts between the committee and the eventual party nominee.

    Your help in this undertaking is vital to its success! Please contact any of the following people to volunteer for any of the listed subcommittees. At this stage we especially need liaisons for each of the LPM's local affiliate parties to help coordinate our activities at the local level.

    
    LPM Presidential Campaign Committee
    Chair - Barb Goushaw, 248-355-5058, Bgoush@aol.com
    
    Statewide Coordinator
    Stephen Saletta, 734-477-5193, ssaletta@ONLINE.EMICH.EDU
    
    Advertising Committee
    Chair - Tim O'Brien, 313-562-5778, TObrien321@aol.com
    
    Banners and Signage 
    Chair - Fred Collins, 248-321-6355, HRHCollins@aol.com
    
    Candidate Liaison
    Barb Goushaw, 248-355-5058, Bgoush@aol.com
    
    Database
    Ben Bachrach, 313-322-7096, Ben45@AOL.COM
    
    Events Committee
    Chair - Bruce Hoepner, 248-355-5058, hoeps@aol.com 
    
    Finance Committee
    Chair - Leonard Schwartz, 248-546-3569, av146@detroit.freenet.org
    
    Fundraising Committee
    Chair - Greg Dirasian, 248-592-9731, greg@newsnetpipeline.com
    
    Liaison with Senate Campaign
    Chair - Ben Bachrach,  313-322-7096, Ben45@AOL.COM
    
    Literature Committee
    Chair - Greg Stempfle, 313-565-4407, stempfle@hotmail.com
    
    Media Committee
    Chair - William  Shotey, 313-278-3673
    
    Newsletter Liaison
    Mark F  Heil, 810-468-0509, markfheil@worldnet.att.net
            
    Targeted Focus Study
    Chair - Jeff Hampton, 248-542-9547, betasale@concentric.net
            
    Website
    Greg Dirasian, 248-592-9731, greg@newsnetpipeline.com
    

    The LPM Presidential Campaign Committee will hold a regularly scheduled monthly meeting on the fourth Monday of each month beginning on January 24, 2000 at 6:30 PM at Home of Barb Goushaw, 19514 West Nine Mile Road, Southfield MI (between Southfield and Evergreen Roads. Call or e-mail Barb Goushaw if you need better directions.) Of a more urgent status, there will be a meeting to stuff envelopes for a fundraising letter this Thursday, December 16 at Barb's.

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  3. Convention 2000 National Committee Appointments by Ken Bisson (Region 3 LNC Rep)

    Congratulations are in order. The leadership of Region 3 was recognized by the LNC this weekend by their selection of Committee members for the 2000 Convention Committees.

    Among the ten positions selected for the Platform Committee by the LNC, Region 3 won seats for Erin Hollinden (IN), Tim O'Brien (MI), John Brown (WV), and Donald Gallick (OH). A second Michigander was selected as second alternate, Keith Edwards. Since both Ohio and Michigan will add another member, the final 20 member Committee will have 6 Region 3 members. Our 10 % Region will hold 30 % of the seats. John Buttrick of Arizona was selected and appointed to be interim chair.

    Among the ten Bylaws Committee appointments were Greg Dirasian (MI), and myself (interim chair). Although the agenda during Presidential Nominating Conventions does not call for a Bylaws Committee report, we will convene and deal with issues, calling for space on the agenda for any extraordinary items, if appropriate.

    Credential Committee appointments will be made at the March meeting. A few more seats on the Bylaws Committee will be filled then too. The March meeting will be in Chicago on the 11th and 12th.

    All of you who have served in the past have done a great job, earning the respect of the LNC and myself. Thank you for once again helping Region 3 lead the way! It was my pleasure to have assisted your nominations and success through the selection process.

    Best Wishes,

    Ken

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  4. Eastpointe Residents Call For Investigation of Board Members by Diane Barnes

    The following press release was sent by Libertarian activist and past State Board of Education candidate, Diane Barnes.

    
    December 2, 1999
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Diane Barnes
    (810) 774-1625
    
    

    Eastpointe Residents Call For Investigation of Board Members

    A group of Eastpointe parents and taxpayers have organized to see to it that the waste, misappropriations and "sweetheart deals" in the East Detroit schools comes to an end.

    "We won't be happy until someone is held accountable for the scandal that has rocked our district," said Diane Barnes, a local activist who lost her run for a board seat in the November election.

    Undeterred by her failure to overcome the power of incumbent politicians, she is spearheading the new organization, the East Detroit Parents Association.

    "Board members are paid a salary out of public money to oversee the use of our tax dollars. They have failed utterly in this responsibility. If we can't trust them with our money, how can we trust them to make decisions about our kids education?"

    Since board president, Larry Burton, was quoted in the press recently as saying that "there was no oversight on the board of education," the East Detroit Parents Association is challenging Mr. Burton to use the law to investigate and remove board members for misconduct.

    "The Michigan Revised School Code (MCLA380.415 Article 1 Part 6) allows for a process in which school boards can remove any member(s) that has neglected their duty to the taxpayers," Barnes observed. "The law allows for the board to remove, by a 2/3 vote any member 'for corrupt willful misfeasance or malfeasance in office.'"

    Getting a 2/3 vote may be difficult Barnes admits, but says that this isn't the point.

    "Whether or not Larry can muster the 2/3 vote needed is not the question," she said. "If he suspects misconduct by his fellow board members, he has a duty to the taxpayers to do something about it. And, if he doesn't," she concluded, "there are other options available to us."

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