LPM Online

February 19, 2002

Contents

  1. Upcoming Events
  2. LPM Leadership Conference
  3. SpeakOutMichigan.org -- Support HB 5237
  4. 3 Goals To Build Local And State Libertarian Parties
  5. LPM Organizational Plan Work Session Scheduled
  6. News Release--Death Penalty Offends Michigan Constitution

  1. Upcoming Events

    February 21, 2002 - 7:00 PM
    Information Meeting. We look forward to seeing you again. Everyone Welcome!!!
    Location: 746 Lee Street, South Haven (Bill Bradley's home)
    Contact: Bill Bradley Phone: (616) 637-4525 E-mail: bbradley@cybersol.com

    February 23, 2002 - 6:00 PM
    The Tri-City Libertarian Party is proud to announce its first annual Freedom Dinner! This event is for anyone interested in preserving liberty and our Constitutional freedoms. John Grether has accepted our invitation to speak at the event. His topic will be “From Terrorism to Tyranny”. Mr. Grether is a professor at Northwood University and an academic with the Midland Mackinaw Center for Public policy. The dinner will be held on February 23, 2002, at The Paddock, which is located at 1013 North Henry St. in Bay City. 6:00 Social Hour 7:00 Dinner Tickets are now available at a cost of $20.00 per person. Admission will be by ticket only — no sales at the door. For reservations, please contact Stephen M. Townsend at (989) 631-4853 or Rae Jozwiak at (989) 922-5226. As always you can e-mail president@makingfreedomring.com or jozie@mail.com
    Location: This year’s event will be held on February 23, 2002 at The Paddock on 1013 North Henry St. in Bay City.
    Contact: Stephen M. Townsend Phone: (989) 631-4853 E-mail: president@makingfreedomring.com

    February 27, 2002 - 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 Restaurant, 4033 W. 12 Mile Rd, Berkley. Sila's is 2 blocks west of Greenfield on Twelve Mile Road.
    Contact: Fred Martin Phone: (248) 738-9099 E-mail: Fredtmartin@aol.com

    March 5, 2002 - 6:30 PM
    Monthly Meeting - LP of Wayne County
    Optional dinner starts at 6:30pm
    Meeting with program starts at 7:45pm
    All are welcome to attend.
    Business: Election of New Officers
    Location: City Tavern
    14316 Michigan Ave
    Dearborn - between Greenfield and Schaffer
    Contact: Heather Pauli Phone: (313) 538-8208 E-mail: heatherpauli@hotmail.com

    March 5, 2002 - 7:00 PM
    Hillsdale / Branch Libertarians Monthly Meeting
    Location: Fillmore's for Steaks, US-12 in Jonesville, 2 blks west of M-99--in the restaurant, not the bar.
    Contact: James Parker Phone: (517) 439-2460 E-mail: jamesp@hillsdale.epcorp.com

    March 9, 2002 - 9:30 AM
    Libertarian Party of Michigan Winter Leadership Conference 2002

    9:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

    Steve Dasbach, Libertarian Party Executive Director, will be speaking about Building Party Membership. Other topics covered will include: Candidate Paperwork; Running for Office; and Getting/Using Voter Information.

    All party activists should attend, especially those interested in running for office or helping with a campaign.

    Optional buffet lunch available for $10.

    Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids

    5700 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

    Phone: 616-957-1770

    Crown Plaza is located 8 miles east of Downtown Grand Rapids on Interstate I-96 at Exit No. 43. Travel East on 28th Street 1/2 mile to Crowne Plaza.

    Contact: Ben Steele III Phone: (989) 288-5616 E-mail: bsteele1@tir.com

    March 11, 2002 - 7:00 PM
    Clare-Gladwin Libertarian Party meeting. Candidates, fundraising, membership drive and campaign finance. Organize a meet the candidate event for April.
    Location: Grant Township Hall, one mile west of Jay's Sporting Goods on Surrey Road.
    Contact: Ghazey Aleck Phone: (989) 386-2699 E-mail: aleckfamily@voyager.net

    March 12, 2002 - 7:30 PM
    LP of Oakland County Executive Committee Meeting. All dues-paying members are welcome. Business begins at 7:30pm.
    Location: LPM Headquarters, 619 East Nine Mile in Hazel Park, just east of I-75.
    Contact: Greg Dirasian Phone: (248) 417-2217 E-mail: greg@lpocmi.org

    March 13, 2002 - 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

    March 24, 2002 - 1:00 PM
    The LPM Organizational Plan Work Session, will be held at LPM Headquarters on Sunday, March 24, starting at 1:00 pm. Those interested in participating, please download the plan (www.michiganlp.org/orgplan/), read it, and bring a copy with you to the meeting. Emily and Stacy will facilitate and lead the discussion. We'll start by explaining the plan and its finer points, and then we will facilitate the work (any motions) that result. This is intended to be exactly what it's called--A Work Session. So anyone prepared to roll up their sleeves and get to work is welcome!
    Location: LPM HQ
    619 E Nine Mile Rd
    Hazel Park MI 48030
    Contact: Emily Salvette Phone: (248) 591-3733 E-mail: salvette@ameritech.net

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

  2. LPM Leadership Conference by Diane Barnes

    Notice designed by Matt Jozwiak

    Thinking about running for office? Then, join us at the fabulous Crown Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids. On March 9 the Libertarian Party of West Michigan will host our annual "Leadership Conference". This year will be the best yet! Come & learn everything you need to know about campaigning & building party membership . Workshops and presenters will be --The Libertarian Party National Director Steve Dasbach: "A Strategic Plan for Successful Party Building", Expert Campaign Manager Barb Goushaw: "Making Sense of Voter Data or Don't Irk The Clerk", State Chairman/Liberty Leadership Council Founder Ghazey Aleck "Campaign Paperwork Made Simple" and Liberty Leadership Council President Stephen Townsend 'Practical Campaigning'.
    Crown Plaza Hotel is located at 5700 28th St SE, Grand Rapids 616-957-1770
    Lunch is $10 Pre-registration is required by calling or E-mailing Diane Barnes- 586-774-7611 or Dbarnes98@aol.com
    There may be more info at the LPM WebSite: www.michiganlp.org

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  3. SpeakOutMichigan.org -- Support HB 5237 by Leonard Schwartz

    SpeakOutMichigan.org -- End the Top-of-Ticket Rule

    A political party loses its ballot status, under current Michigan law, if its top-of-ticket candidate (the one whose name appears nearest the top of the ballot) gets less than one percent of the votes cast for the successful candidate for secretary of state.

    The Libertarian Party of Michigan had nine statewide candidates in 2000. All but one of them got more than enough votes for LPM to retain its ballot status. Unfortunate the one candidate who failed to get enough votes was our top-of-ticket candidate -- our candidate for president.

    To regain ballot status, LPM had to conduct a petition drive, which was time-consuming and expensive. It used up resources that we would rather use to get our message across.

    House Bill 5237 would make it easier for small political parties to stay on the ballot. It would allow a party to retain its ballot status if any of its statewide candidates got at least one percent of the votes cast for the successful candidate for secretary of state.

    Please ask your state senator and representative to support House Bill 5237.

    SpeakOutMichigan provides an easy way for you to send e-mail to them. It provides a prewritten letter, to which you can add personal comments. Type in your zip code and SpeakOutMichigan will determine who your state legislators are and send them the letter. It takes only a minute or two.

    Please include your street address. This will clearly indicate that you live in their district. Legislators are mainly concerned with the opinions of their constituents.

    SpeakOutMichigan also provides an easy way for you to send e-mail to your friends so that you can ask them to contact their state legislators. Again there is a prewritten letter, which you can edit.

    SpeakOutMichigan is sponsored by the Libertarian Party of Michigan. Either go to www.michiganlp.org and click SpeakOutMichigan or go to www.SpeakOutMichigan.org.

    A better way to lobby for HB 5237 is to send snail mail letters to your legislators. They probably consider constituents who take the time and money to send snail mail more important than those who use e-mail. You can copy the prewritten letter from SpeakOutMichigan and paste it into a snail mail letter.

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  4. 3 Goals To Build Local And State Libertarian Parties by Ghazey Aleck

    The Libertarian Party of Michigan is steadily becoming a political force in Michigan politics. We can do one of two things with this. We can embrace growth and try to make a political difference by promoting growth or we can become protective and clubby by guarding bits of turf and stunt the growth. I am for promoting growth.

    If you are for growth, three goals must be accomplished and made the centerpiece of both the local and State parties. We must become 1)inclusive in every way possible, 2) practice open and fair disclosure and 3) put the party first.

    To be inclusive in every way, we must avoid anything that would exclude or chase off members and volunteers. We want to encourage volunteerism and membership alike. We must allow for dissent even from the inactive members--this is called tolerance (to allow, to respect, to put up with). Membership means to belong. In order for people to feel like they belong, they must feel comfortable in participating and comfortable with the idea that they can participate whenever they want. The process must be open to everyone. Statements like, "unless you contribute $100 or 100 hours, you have no right to complain" promotes exclusion and I would prefer and suggest instead, " Thank you for your comments and interests. We will take them into account. Right now, those who have been involved in the project, feel this is the best course of action and majority rules. You are, however, welcome to come and participate and try to convince us of a better way."

    To engage in open and fair disclosure, means that all committees, parties and party officers must let people know what is going on all the time and invite particpation whenever possible. This also helps to include. The biggest problem in any organization and with interpersonal relationships is the inability or failure to communicate correctly. People assume the worst unless they have been honestly communicated with. While important strategies requiring some secrecy cannot be immediately disclosed openly, all matters of the party must be open and fully disclosed. Important matters of strategies can be delayed but must also be ultimately disclosed at the earliest opportunity.

    Putting the party first holds everything together. Promote with the members that even if they dissent unsuccessfully, that's politics. You win some and you lose some. You may lose today but win tomorrow. We must embrace the process. We must put the party first and move on. There is no better political party to belong to even with our warts or misconceptions. The point is to stick with the party and make it better.

    These 3 goals must be implemented to promote growth. These are my goals and I hope all of the party leadership can see their way clear to adopt them as well.

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  5. LPM Organizational Plan Work Session Scheduled

    An LPM Organizational Plan Work Session, will be held at LPM Headquarters on Sunday, March 24, starting at 1:00 pm. Those interested in participating, please download the plan (www.michiganlp.org/orgplan/), read it, and bring a copy with you to the meeting. Emily and Stacy will facilitate and lead the discussion. We'll start by explaining the plan and its finer points, and then we will facilitate the work (any motions) that result. This is intended to be exactly what it's called--A Work Session. So anyone prepared to roll up their sleeves and get to work is welcome! Location: LPM HQ 619 E Nine Mile Rd Hazel Park MI 48030 Contact: Emily Salvette Phone: (248) 591-3733 E-mail: salvette@ameritech.net

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  6. News Release--Death Penalty Offends Michigan Constitution

    News Release for Immediate Release

    Contact: Ghazey Aleck

    1-800-608-7375

    Attempt to Impose Death Penalty Offends Michigan

    Constitution According to Libertarian Party

    The Libertarian party sympathizes with the family of Rachel Timmerman. Her killer should be punished to the fullest extent of Michigan law. However, the Libertarian Party of Michigan does not believe that our federal government should circumvent the Michigan Constitution by attempting to impose the death penalty for a crime that occurs in Michigan.

    Marvin Charles Gabrion II, who is charged with the death of the 19 year old Rachel Timmerman, should not be charged with the death penalty. The voters of Michigan have chosen not to have a death penalty. To have the federal government come in here and run rough shot over our state constitution is unconscionable and intolerable.

    In 1846, just 9 years after becoming a state, Michigan became the first English speaking government in the world to outlaw capital punishment for all crimes except treason against the state.

    Federal prosecutors are going to face a huge uphill battle to even prove this murder occurred in the Manistee National forest in the first place. So while federal prosecutors waste taxpayer dollars because they think this murder occurred within a federal jurisdiction, we do know it happened in Michigan.

    The Libertarian Party of Michigan is demanding that Governor John Engler do what he was elected to do. Uphold the Michigan Constitution and represent the citizens who elected him. Stand up to your friend, President George W. Bush, and remind him that this is Michigan, not Texas.

    According to Libertarian Party of Michigan Chairman Ghazey Aleck, "It doesn't matter what side of the death penalty debate you come down on. Governor John Engler must uphold the Constitution of the State of Michigan and thereby represent the will of Michigan voters by ensuring that there is no death penalty in this case."

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