LPM OnlineApril 24, 2001 |
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HOLLAND - On April 16 Libertarians from Kent, Kalamazoo, Allegan, and Ottawa County assembled to protest high taxes and big government. Libertarians rallied outside of the Holland post office from 4-6 while last minute filers turned in their forms. At 6:00 the group assembled for a rally in support of lower government. The protest generated one protest-specific print article and one protest-specific TV news story. An additional print story and an additional TV news story mentioned the event when discussing tax day in general.
The Ballot Access Restoration Committee is planning its
first major mailing. We will be sending petitions (along
with other accompanying material) to our full list of
members and subscribers.
On March 27, 2001, state Representative Michael Switalski and eight other cosponsors introduced a bill that would burden home school families with a heavy and unfair testing requirement. House Bill 4521 would require each Michigan home school child to take the Michigan Educational Assessment test known as MEAP. Homeschoolers are understandably concerned, and outraged!, as should all parents, citizens, and libertarians be. We must not allow them to force homeschooling parents into "teaching to the test"; after all, look how miserably such standards are failing children already. How will this law be enforced? What will happen to children not scoring a certain level on the MEAP? Will they be forced to attend a state-certified school? Homeschoolers are doing very well on the whole (winning national spelling bees, getting accepted to major universities, etc), why does the government insist on interfering, yet again? The bill has presently been referred to the Education Committee. Representative Alan Sanborn (32nd Dist, R), does not believe that the bill will go anywhere. He suggested though, that we could help it meet it's demise by contacting members of the Education Committee and telling them that we do not support it. Please take a few minutes and contact at least several of these Committee Members, letting them know that they must not pass this bill, especially if any of these legislators are your own local representatives. The Education Committee Chair and other committee members are listed below. Chair, Education Committee Representative Wayne Kuipers, District 090 (R) P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909-7514 wkuipers@house.state.mi.us Vice Chair Representative Tom Meyer, Dist 84 (R) P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909-7514 tommeyer@house.state.mi.us Committee Minority Vice-Chair Representative John P. Hansen, Dist 52, (D) P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909-7514 jphansen@house.state.mi.us Committee Members: Representative Lauren Hager Representative Bill McConico Representative Irma Clark Representative Paul R. Gieleghem, Jr. Representative Ruth A. Johnson Representative Rose Bogardus Representative Paula Zelenko Representative Doug Spade Representative Paul N. DeWeese Representative Doug Hart Representative Joanne Voorhees Representative Gerald Van Woerkom Representative Jason Allen Representative Kenneth L. Bradstreet
The Liberty Leadership Council will be distributing free affiliate packets at the Convention in Frankenmuth starting on May 4th. Useful party building materials will be included in the packet. Those materials will be described in detail right here in this newsletter next week just before the Convention. Please have a representative ready to stop by and pick up your affiliate packet, it's free! If some affiliate cannot have a person pick up the materials, we will arrange delivery after the Convention.
Don't miss out.....its not too late! This years convention is being held in beautiful Frankenmuth, Michigan on May 4th, 5th, and 6th. Speakers include Lawrence Reed (President of the Mackinaw Center for Public Policy), RW Bradford (Editor of Liberty Magazine), and libertarian talk-show host Cameron Knowles. Our all-important petition kick-off drive will take place Saturday, in addition to elections, business, and several interactive classes and discussions. Please contact me to rsvp (jfitzpatrick@webtv.net or 989-781-7767) so we can all have a great time in Frankenmuth! I can't wait to see you there! |
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