- Upcoming Events
-
June 5, 2001 - 6:30 PM
- Monthly Meeting - LP of Wayne County Dinner 6:30pm. Program starts at 7:45pm.
- Location: La Trattoria Restaurant - Dearborn MI
- Contact: Joann Karpinski Phone: (313) 925-6917 E-mail: Momjoann@aol.com
-
June 11, 2001
- School Board elections. Get out and vote!
- Location: Your local polling place.
- Contact: Phone: 111-1111
-
June 11, 2001 - 7:00 PM
- Clare-Gladwin Libertarian Party Meeting. Topics covered will be petitioning, the Clare County Fair, Summer Parades and getting the Freedom 2001 Banquest in October put together, refreshments provided.
- Location: Grant Township Hall, 1 mile West of Jay's Sporting Goods on Surrey Road.
- Contact: Ghazey Aleck Phone: (989) 386-2699 E-mail: aleckfamily@voyager.net
-
June 12, 2001 - 7:00 PM
- LP of Oakland County Executive Committee Meeting. All dues-paying members are welcome. Business begins at 7:00 PM.
- Location: LPM Headquarters, 619 East Nine Mile in Hazel Park, just east of I-75.
- Contact: Chris Pellerito Phone: (248) 373-9411 E-mail: chair@lpocmi.org
-
June 13, 2001 - 6:30 PM
- Libertarians of Macomb County monthly meeting. Drinks and dinner at 6:30 PM, business begins at 7:00 PM.
- Location: Miles World Resturant, 17689 Masonic, Fraser, MI 48026, 810-415-4500.
- Contact: Diane Barnes Phone: (810) 774-1625 E-mail: dbarnes98@aol.com
-
June 14, 2001 - 7:00 PM
- The Ballot Access Restoration Committee meets the second and fourth Thursday every month -- until we submit petition signatures to the Bureau of Elections to be certified to once again be able to run Libertarian candidates in partisan races. All LPM members are welcome to attend and help with both the planning and execution of our petition drive.
- Location: LPMHQ, 619 E. 9 Mile, Hazel Park (just east of I-75)
- Contact: Nancy O'Brien Phone: (313) 562-5778 E-mail: nobrien321@home.com
-
June 20, 2001
- Monthly meeting of the St. Clair County affiliate.
- Location: Figaro's is located at 1503 11th Street, Port Huron, MI 48060. TX: (810) 987-3588. Join us for dinner at 6:00 PM. Business begins at 7:00 PM.
- Contact: Richard Friend Phone: (810) 982-7178 E-mail: rfriend@advnet.net
-
June 21, 2001 - 7:00 AM
- Regular monthly meeting of the Berrien County Libertarian Party.
- Location: Conference room of the Berrien Springs Public Library, located across from the Old County Courthouse in Berrien Springs MI
- Contact: Glenn Whitt, Secretary Phone: (616) 473-2764 E-mail: trombonist1@juno.com
-
June 24, 2001 - 1:00 PM
- The Libertarian Party of Shiawassee County would like to invite you to join us for a Celebration of Summer! Not a Fundraiser! Not a Political Event! Just an opportunity to relax and enjoy the company of friends! What to bring: Your choice of beverage; your choice of meat to throw on the barbie (hamburgers will be provided); any other food you want; your friends; your kids; your neighbors... Cards, Frisbees, Fishing gear.... It’s up to you! Let’s have some fun! Call for directions. (Participation in event is purely voluntary; the LPSC assumes liability for NOTHING)
- Location: Shiatown Park in rural Shiawassee County
- Contact: Ben Steele III Phone: (989) 288-5616 E-mail: bsteele1@tir.com
-
June 28, 2001 - 7:00 PM
- The Ballot Access Restoration Committee meets the second and fourth Thursday every month -- until we submit petition signatures to the Bureau of Elections to be certified to once again be able to run Libertarian candidates in partisan races. All LPM members are welcome to attend and help with both the planning and execution of our petition drive.
- Location: LPMHQ, 619 E. 9 Mile, Hazel Park (just east of I-75)
- Contact: Nancy O'Brien Phone: (313) 562-5778 E-mail: nobrien321@home.com
- More
- For more events, see the online calendar at:
- http://www.michiganlp.org/lpmonline/events.php
- Child Support and Responsibility
by Tim O'Brien
The following article is the latest in a series of
Op-ed articles written by LPM Executive Director Tim O'Brien
and submitted to news outlets across the state for
publication. This current article was published on May 23,
2001 in the Detroit News and can be viewed on their web site
at:
http://www.detroitnews.com/2001/editorial/0105/22/a09-226830.htm
The sound and fury continue over the problem of what
self-proclaimed children's advocates used to alliterate
"Deadbeat Dads," but have now politically corrected to the
much less lyrical "Deadbeat Parents." (Mere posturing,
really -- only 3% are "Deadbeat Moms.")
The federal government has been pressuring our state to
create a unified database to administer child support
payments. The state has in turn threatened the ten counties
that haven't yet joined.
Convinced that centralization is the solution, the latest is
a federal edict that all states incorporate Social Security
numbers into their drivers licenses to create a national ID
(something the original proponents of the Social Security
system absolutely swore on the Bible, the Constitution and
their sainted mother's memory would never, ever be done) to
facilitate tracking across state lines those who are under
child support orders.
Ironically, we wouldn't have nearly the magnitude of the
problem if the government hadn't abdicated one of its most
fundamental responsibilities -- providing a forum for
dispute resolution -- by adopting a seriously flawed
"No-Fault" divorce law back in 1972.
The catalyst for the change is easy to understand.
Social institutions in general were beginning to crumble as
the "If it feels good, do it" generation transmogrified into
the "me" generation, just as its members started coming of
age.
And, despite the fact that marriage is often called a
"contract," it isn't. One of the basic criteria for forming
a valid contract under centuries-old common law is that it
must be enforceable.
While two people might promise one another eternal love and
devotion, as a practical matter there is no way to make a
legally binding agreement to that effect.
So, the law was modified to allow for "No-fault" divorce,
eliminating the need for a merely dissatisfied spouse to
specify grounds in order to be released from his or her
marriage "contract."
Since by legislative decree a showing of fault is no longer
necessary, either party may breach the putative contract and
incur little, if any, liability.
This situation, already both unfair and profoundly
life-altering for the innocent spouse, becomes truly
traumatic when there are also dependent children.
At least, it does if the defendant is the husband/father.
This circumstance is in fact the first blow in the knockdown
that presages virtually every "Deadbeat Dad."
A plaintiff wife/mother comes into court suing for
dissolution of her marriage contract, stating no grounds
whatever beyond the incontestably vague assertion that
"there has been a breakdown in the marriage relationship to
the extent that the objects of matrimony have been
destroyed."
Then, since the contemporary social presumption is that "the
best interests of the child" are to be raised by mom, she is
almost always granted full, physical custody.
Thus, she lays claim to the innocent defendant's children.
And, in order to facilitate raising those children, his home
and all of their (previously, jointly held) property, as
well.
In other words she essentially retains his life. She merely
has him forcibly removed from it.
Needless to say, this sometimes provokes just a bit of
resentment from the dispossessed and banished
husband/father.
Next comes the "two-punch."
The fact that mom is not even financially capable of
supporting his home and children is remedied by compelling
him to continue to pay many of his erstwhile family's bills
-- his own (now separate) needs, notwithstanding -- handing
over a third or more of his income for as much as the better
part of the next two decades. He is, incidentally, legally
prohibited from demanding any kind of accounting of what
becomes of the money.
Unsurprisingly, some in such circumstances are less than
enthusiastically cooperative.
But, any objections are met by the indignant accusation that
he is attempting to shirk his responsibilities. Of course,
in point of fact, "Deadbeat Dad" was never actually offered
the option of retaining them.
Now, there's really not much we can do about people -- male
or female -- who will selfishly turn their spouse and
children's lives upside down by ripping apart a family
without even offering a coherent reason. A contract to love
someone is, as previously observed, unenforceable.
However, we could greatly reduce the child support
collection problem by simply amending our no-fault divorce
law to give the (rebuttable) presumption of custody of any
minor children to the defendant, regardless of gender.
It is, after all, not unreasonable to presume that "the best
interests of the child" will be better served by remaining
with the parent who does not abandon commitments for
frivolous reasons and wants to maintain the family.
The spouse/parent who still wishes to leave may, of course,
do so -- with his or her clothes and any other personal
belongings. The more dedicated, responsible party should
keep the children, home, property, and claim on future child
support.
The immediate effect of such a change would undoubtedly be a
plummeting divorce rate, thereby reducing the necessity for
child support orders to begin with.
The difficulties of collecting in the few remaining cases
would be significantly reduced since the only parents who
would incur such obligations are those who have voluntarily
taken them on in exchange for being released from the
marriage "contract."
And the rest of us could skip getting a national ID.
Back to Contents
- MCUL 2001 Campaign School
by Todd Stabenow
The Michigan Credit Union League (MCUL) is proud to
announce our 2001 Campaign School. The MCUL Campaign School
is designed to provide candidates, potential candidates, or
just political activists who like to volunteer, with the
tools needed for political advancement.
You can view the complete agenda, register online, or
print out a form to fax/mail in at the following URL:
http://www.mcul.org/mcul_campaign.htm
Experienced national and state leaders will lead MCUL
Campaign School. Highlights of the attached agenda and
registration information: John Truscott, former Director of
Communications to Governor John Engler; U.S. Senator Debbie
Stabenow; former State Representative and current
Co-Director of the Michigan Political Leadership Program
(MPLP) at MSU, Lynn Jondahl; and Jim Sype, Director of
Constituent Relations for the House Democratic Caucus.
From the national ranks, we are proud to present former
National Political Director for the National Federation of
Independent Business (NFIB), Jeff Butzke, named one of the
"Top Political Action Leaders in America" by Campaigns and
Elections Magazine, and CUNA's Vice President for Political
Action and Grassroots, Richard Gose.
Please use the attached URL to register via mail, fax
or online and let us know if you will be able to join us on
June 14. If you have further questions regarding MCUL
Campaign School, please contact me.
Feel free to forward this on to anyone who may be
interested in taking advantage of this opportunity.
Todd Stabenow
Grassroots Coordinator
115 West Allegan, Suite 910
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: 517.482.1062
Fax: 517.482.3762
E-mail: tds@mcul.org
Web site: www.mcul.org
Back to Contents
- OTTAWA COUNTY LIBERTARIANS JOIN HISTORICAL DISTRICT FIGHT
by Jason C. Miller
For immediate release:
May 27, 2001
Fore more information:
OCLP Vice Chair Tim Campbell
(616) 738-6033
OTTAWA COUNTY LIBERTARIANS JOIN HISTORICAL DISTRICT FIGHT
HOLLAND—The Ottawa County Libertarian Party officially
joined the fight to halt the expansion of the Holland
Historical District at their Tuesday meeting in Holland.
OCLP Vice Chair Tim Campbell, filling in for Chair Roger
Bouwman who was out of town on business, described the
historical district as an “Example of everything wrong with
local government. The historical district expansion will
strip residents of their property rights and place control
of their homes in the hands of bureaucrats.”
Campbell went on point out the hypocrisy of the proposed
expansion. “Many of this expansion’s proponents don’t live
in historical houses. Let’s see the city commission live up
to the standard’s it wants to put on other people.”
Libertarians aren’t opposed to history, Campbell added, they
are opposed to taking away property rights. Libertarians
believe that people should voluntarily organize to keep
homes historic, rather than forcing it on others.
The Libertarian Party joined the fight after Bill Leonard, a
resident of the area affected by the expansion proposal,
attended their meeting and asked for their support.
Libertarians plan on starting a letter writing campaign,
aiding in protests, and helping to purchase NO HISTORICAL
DISTRICT yard signs.
Back to Contents
- Lady Liberty wins award
by Jason C. Miller
Jamestown -- The Van Buren County Libertarian Party's
lady liberty statue took second place in the Jamestown
Township Memorial Day Parade. Jason Miller entered the
float on behalf of his school board campaign. Libertarians
from Ottawa and Allegan County helped with the float as well
as several people from the Hudsonville School District.
Contact Bill Bradley if you would like to use Lady Liberty.
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