LPM OnlineJune 8, 2004 |
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Schwartz Launches Campaign for Michigan Supreme Court
Leonard Schwartz launched his campaign for state Supreme Court justice on Memorial Day weekend. He started handing out campaign literature at community events. His campaign slogan is "Common sense on the bench."
Supreme Court does more than merely decide cases appealed from the Court of Appeals.
1. The Supreme Court issues rules governing lawyers and court procedure.
2. Supreme Court precedents create rules interpreting the state constitution and statutes.
3. Supreme Court precedents create rules of common law governing areas of law not governed by the constitution and statutes.
These rules effect how government bureaucrats and other people treat you, even if you never go to court. These rules should foster efficiency. It's common sense.
Democracy is based on the principle that you can manage your own affairs better than can government bureaucrats. Efficiency involves getting government bureaucrats off your back. It's common sense.
The Supreme Court is quasi-partisan. Candidates are nominated by political parties. But each candidate's political affiliation doesn't appear on the ballot.
In 2004, each party can nominate two candidates. The Libertarian Party nominated only Leonard. The Green Party didn't nominate anybody at its convention in May. The Democrats and Republicans will nominate their candidates in August. One Democrat and one Republican are running for re-election.
Leonard has been a member of the Libertarian Party since 1980. He is the election law adviser and campaign finance law adviser for the Libertarian Party of Michigan and its candidates. Leonard has been an officer of the state and county parties. In LPM's 2001 petition drive to restore ballot access, Leonard collected 2295 signatures, more than anyone else in the party. He ran for Oakland County prosecutor in 2000 and for a district court judgeship in 2002.
Leonard's website is www.Schwartz45.com. He is running to promote libertarianism. He is running to win.
Constitutional scholar Michael Badnarik selected as Libertarian presidential candidate ATLANTA -- In a stunning come-from-behind victory, Texas constitutional scholar Michael Badnarik has won the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination. Badnarik, 49, of Austin, Texas, won 423 votes -- or 54 percent -- from delegates at the Libertarian Party’s national convention in Atlanta on Sunday. Coming in second was movie producer Aaron Russo, followed by longtime radio talk host Gary Nolan. Badnarik’s victory was considered a shock because he had been beaten in the polls and primaries by both Nolan and Russo. According to many undecided delegates, Badnarik’s superior performance in the Saturday debates propelled him ahead of the other candidates. In an emotional acceptance speech on the convention floor, a surprised Badnarik declared, “Never in my wildest dreams!” Then he thanked delegates for their support and made it clear that his campaign will stay focused on forcing the government to abide by the Constitution. “The reason we can’t find a relationship between the Constitution and the government is that there is none,” he said. “If I can win the Libertarian nomination, there’s no reason I can’t win this election. We have a unique opportunity to change the world.” For the past three years Badnarik has been teaching classes on the Constitution, and his message of forcing the government to strictly abide by that document appealed to many Libertarian delegates. According to many political analysts, the Libertarian nominee could cost President George Bush the November election by attracting votes from frustrated Republicans in key swing states such as Wisconsin, Oregon and Nevada. According to a May 21 article by David Paul Kuhn, chief political writer for CBSNews.com, many conservatives are so angry over Bush’s spending increases that they may abandon the GOP in November, If that happens, the Libertarian nominee “may do for Democrats in 2004 what Nader did for Republicans in 2000” and cost Bush the election, Kuhn says. The Libertarian presidential candidate appeared on all 50 state ballots in 1992, 1996, and 2000, and the party is working toward that goal in 2004. Two other candidates, David Hollist of California and Jeffrey Diket of Louisiana, were eliminated in the first round of voting. In a separate vote, delegates chose Richard Campagna as their vice presidential nominee. Campagna, 52, is an attorney is Iowa City, Iowa. |
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