2006 LibertyFest

November 18, 2006

The banquet was at the Original Cottege Inn Resturant in Ann Arbor.

Winners:

Bill Hall
Gregory Creswell
Tim O’Brien
Arthur Gulick

Proposal 2 Architects were among those honored:

Two people who were instrumental in making The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (Better known as Proposal 2) a success were honored at The Libertarian Party of Michigan’s “Liberty Fest.” While they are less well known than Jennifer Gratz and Ward Connerly, Gregory Creswell and Tim O’Brien were also key players. Creswell (Spokesperson of Liberty) and O’Brien (Producer of Liberty) were organizers for the MCRI petition effort since 2003. O’Brien was on the original MCRI Committee in 2003, and lead the MCRI Grassroots organization in 2006. Creswell was a community organizer in Detroit throughout the effort, and made support for the initiative the centerpiece of his campaign for governor.

After conceding defeat in the gubernatorial vote Creswell went on to say, “I bet plenty of people are surprised at the victory of Proposal 2!” Creswell was the only gubernatorial candidate to support the statewide proposal, also known as the Michigan Civil Rights initiative. “I have been working on the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative from the beginning. I was an organizer of the first attempt to get it on the ballot, I was a petitioner in the most recent effort, and I was a community organizer as well as the only pro-MCRI gubernatorial candidate.”

Gregory Creswell wins Spokesperson of Liberty Award.

Tim O’Brien was the central organizer of the grassroots effort that placed “Equal means Equal” signs, pamphlets and brochures around the state. O’Brien and his wife Nancy have also supported Pro-MCRI candidates via their work in Small Government Alliance (PAC). Nancy received a Liberty Fest award in 2001.

“One United Michigan made much of what they called ‘A secret society from California’ brining MCRI to Michigan.” Said LPM Chair Scotty Boman, “Well we are from Michigan. We have been around since 1972, but I suppose we are a secret society, since more people have heard of the Illuminati than have heard of the Libertarian Party of Michigan.” Boman mused. “We don’t want to be a secret society. We even paid for radio ads that positioned us as the only political party to agree with the majority of Michiganders on MCRI.”

Bill Hall Honored on his First-Class Attorney General Campaign and Years of Legal Service to the Libertarian Party:

Bill Hall Received the Promoter of Liberty Award. He attracted nearly 2% of the vote in his attempt to unseat Attorney General Mike Cox. He invested heavily in a professional statewide campaign that championed the equal parenting cause, and medical marijuana. He distributed slick full color pamphlets and aired professional radio ads.

Bill Hall wins Promoter of Liberty Award

Throughout the years he has lent his legal expertise to the state and national Libertarian organizations.

Gulick Gets One of Two Producer of Liberty Awards:

The Second Producer of Liberty award was presented to LPM secretary Arthur Gulick. Gulick has quietly advanced the Party with Professionalism, smart work, and an attention to detail.

Gulick has always been willing to step in and solve problems when his help was needed. He has done so without any pressure or complaint.

He came to the rescue when the LEC was short staffed. He has always been modest about his roll in the party and reacted with joy and surprise upon receiving the award.

Liberty Fest featured prominent business strategist Jim Boyle and was held at the Original Cottage Inn Restaurant.

Boyle gave an in-depth speech on how to dissect the numerical quagmire presented by government entities as budgets. He spoke about the danger of unfunded liabilities, and how Libertarians could get politically involved in response to the impending financial crisis.

Jim Boyle on the danger of unfunded liabilities.