Title:
Libertarians Press Fight Against Expanded Sales Tax
Author:
Tim O’Brien
Date:
6/25/2001
Year:
2001
Article:
6/25/2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Tim O’Brien
(248) 591-3733
(313) 562-5778

LANSING. The Libertarian Party of Michigan continued its fight on behalf of Michigan Internet users (called “Netizens” by cyberspace insiders) as party chair Michael Corliss testified against the “Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Administration Act” before the House Tax Policy committee last Thursday.

The bill (aka SB-433) would send four representatives from Michigan to a National Conference of State Legislatures meeting to negotiate a multi-state agreement to provide for interstate collection and remittance of sales and use taxes.
Although Libertarians are opposed in principle to the idea, the party chair kept his testimony to constitutional and practical arguments against the bill.

“The Michigan Constitution specifically gives you [the legislature] the power to levy and collect taxes,” observed Corliss. “I believe if this bill is adopted you’ll be turning over your taxing authority,” he said. The bill would give power to the four appointed Michigan representatives to negotiate a model sales and use tax system, a unified standard that would be a necessary part of the agreement. Further, the administration of the reciprocal tax system would ultimately be handed over to private companies.

He was especially concerned that the elimination of caps and exclusions could set the stage for Michigan to expand application of its 6% tax to services and possibly even food and medicine.

Corliss also noted that the bill was written in such a way as to insure that the appointment of all four Michigan representatives to the September NCSL meeting would be made by Republicans — a concern also expressed by Rep. William O’Neil (D-Allen Park).

The LP, long regarded as a non-factor in Lansing because of its minor party status, has turned that independence to its advantage by seeking support for its position on the bill from both sides of the aisle.

“It doesn’t matter to me why they vote ‘No’,” Corliss said. “We just want to see cyberspace continue to grow and prosper as a free trade zone. And,” he concluded, “we will work on this issue with anyone from any party who agrees with us on it.”

SB-433, strongly supported by the Engler administration, was said to be on a fast track until the Libertarians got actively involved a few weeks ago — first raising a grass roots groundswell of voter opposition in the form of phone calls and e-mails to legislators, then directly lobbying legislators and testifying at legislative hearings.

It now appears that the momentum has shifted so much that the bill may not even make it out of the House Tax Policy committee. No vote has been scheduled at this time.

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Title:
E-Tax Plan Derailed
Author:
Tim O’Brien
Date:
7/13/2001
Year:
2001
Article:
7/13/2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Tim O’Brien
(248) 591-3733
(313) 562-5778

HAZEL PARK. Governor Engler and the Republican hierarchy in the state legislature were dealt a stunning setback yesterday in their plans to facilitate collecting Michigan’s 6% tax on Internet purchases.

And the Libertarian Party, long-time champion of free trade and lower taxes generally, opponent of the stalled “Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Administration Act” particularly, is celebrating the success of its first, concerted, coordinated, multi-pronged lobbying effort, as the legislature adjourned for the summer without taking any action on the bill.

The LP began its campaign against Internet taxation more than a year ago with two weeks of radio advertising opposing the idea when it was first being advocated by Republican Governor John Engler.

In recent months party officials testified against the current bill at both senate at house committee hearings. A few weeks ago an op-ed opposing the bill was distributed to newspapers across the state. Party members were encouraged to call or write their legislators. And the LP-sponsored but nonpartisan SpeakOutMichigan.org web-based petitioning utility was also activated, generating more than 300 e-mails to legislators.
“Of course,” O’Brien hastened to add, “credit for this victory must be shared with state representatives Robert Gosselin (R-Troy) and Leon Drolet (R-Clinton Township). They may not be Libertarians,” he said, “but they are certainly champions of liberty.”

The two Republicans both serve on the house Tax Policy committee (which never reported out the bill). “Representatives Gosselin and Drolet were unflagging in their commitment to smaller, less expensive, less intrusive government,” O’Brien praised, “and tireless in their efforts within the legislature to rally opposition to SB-433. We are grateful for the courage they have shown in standing up to their party’s establishment.”
This success by the LP and the two maverick Republicans represents a substantial embarrassment to Michigan’s Governor, a vocal proponent of the idea of adopting a reciprocal sales tax compact among the states. Engler is poised to assume the chairmanship of the National Governors Association in August, unable to sell his pet proposal in his home state — with his own party in control of all three branches of government.

The Michigan Libertarians have vowed to make Cyberspace a free trade zone and joined this fight against Internet taxation with an almost religious zeal. “We know this is just one battle,” O’Brien said, “essentially, only a holding action. The Republicans have already promised to bring [SB-433] back as soon as the legislature reconvenes in September. But they will find us still standing our ground, throwing sand in the gears of the government juggernaut. We think back to our grandparents’ time and wish they would have stood firm back then against the income tax proposal. Well,” he concluded, “this is our time. We will not let our grandchildren down.”

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Title:
Libertarians Mourn Latest Drug War Casualties
Author:
Tim O’Brien
Date:
9/6/2001
Year:
2001
Article:

9/6/2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Tim O’Brien
(248) 591-3733
(313) 562-5778

HAZEL PARK. “On September 3 last year my [US] senate campaign took me to Rainbow Farm,” recollected Libertarian Party chair Michael Corliss. “I remember shaking Tom Crosslin’s hand, and telling him and his supporters that Libertarians fully endorse their right to grow and use marijuana on their own property.”

The Libertarian Party has, since its founding more than three decades ago, opposed drug prohibition on principle. “It’s shocking to realize,” he continued, “that exactly one year later — to the day — federal agents would shoot him to death.”

Grover (Tom) Crosslin was killed by an FBI sniper early Monday morning. The federal agent alleges that the marijuana legalization proponent first pointed a weapon at him.

“Tom was such a gentle soul,” Corliss added, “I find it impossible to believe that he ever threatened anyone. Rainbow Farm is another incident like Mount Carmel in Waco [Texas] where everyone for miles around said these were decent, honorable people and good neighbors. There were no complaints. There was never any trouble — until law enforcement authorities decided to make some.”

About 100 police, deputies and federal agents surrounded the farm on Friday after Crosslin failed to appear in court on marijuana and gun possession charges. There were also several structure fires on the property, which authorities speculated were deliberately set by Crosslin and his long-time partner Rolland Rohm rather than permitting the buildings to be confiscated under asset forfeiture laws.

Rohm was also shot and killed the day after Crosslin by another federal agent who asserted the same justification — that Rohm had aimed (but not fired) first at his killer.

“In view of recent federal atrocities,” LP executive director Tim O’Brien added, “some of us have become more than a little suspicious when there is not a shred of physical evidence to support official versions of these kinds of incidents. Isn’t it convenient for the FBI snipers that the only two other witnesses to what transpired in these separate confrontations are both dead? Does anyone believe,” he asked, “that authorities would accept such uncorroborated claims of self-defense from any of us?”

Libertarians mourn these needless deaths. “Tom Crosslin,” Corliss concluded, “believed that federal agents had no proper authority, based on the Constitution, to tell him he could not smoke whatever he wanted, as long as it harmed no one else. Tragically, he was dead right.”

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Title:
Leave Small Businesses Alone!
Author:
Ghazey Aleck
Date:
1/20/2002
Year:
2002
Article:
Libertarian Party Says Granholm Out Of Line

01/20/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ghazey Aleck, Chairman
1-800-608-7375

The Libertarian Party supports a free market and does not want small businesses being harassed by government over the law of supply and demand. “We do not find Attorney General Jennifer Granholm qualified to run your local grocery store let alone understand the economy and the law of supply and demand”, says Libertarian Party Chairman Ghazey Aleck.

The Attorney General and Gubernatorial candidate is suing many of your local gas stations / convenience stores for trying not to run out of gas on September 11th of last year.

Case in point comes from Bobbie’s Corner Grocery in Midland, Michigan one of many reputable businesses named in lawsuits, who are being accused of trying to keep some of their gas supplies from being bought up on September 11, 2001.

Consider too the chain of events. As we already know, in the morning of the September 11 terrorist hijacked four planes. Two were crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, one into the Pentagon in Washington DC, and one crashed in a Pennsylvania field while brave Americans struggled for control of the airplane from the hijackers. The people of the entire nation were shocked in horror. In fact, the tragedy made the whole world stand still.

After the initial impact people became understandably worried and confused. Many of your neighbors panicked and flooded gas stations all around Michigan buying as much gasoline as they could, filling up their cars and every gas can they could get. With demand for gasoline growing rapidly with little to no end in sight, Bobbie Jean Harvey, Owner of Bobbie’s Party Store felt he had to take action.

Mr. Harvey knew that the supply of gasoline was not disrupted by the terrorist attacks but you couldn’t convince his customers. Mr. Harvey saw his gasoline supplies quickly dwindle from thousands of gallons to a few hundred, and the prospect of running completely out loomed ominously over his livelihood. Signs saying “out of gas” for a number of days would not only hurt his business but would exasperate the panic. He would not be getting more gas until his regularly scheduled delivery later in the week and he knew many of his loyal customers, the ones who were not panicking, would need gas before then.

What did he do? He asked people to move down the road. He didn’t put up a neon sign. He raised his prices higher than his competition just one mile down the road to encourage people to buy gas from them. This is a classic example of the law of supply and demand in a free market.

Mr. Harvey and many other businessmen who did the same thing to save what little gas they could to keep their business alive for the days to come before being re-supplied are now being told they broke the law.

According to Jennifer Granholm, it is against the law to keep supplies of merchandise your customers need. It is wrong for you to encourage your customers to buy from somewhere else. It is wrong to change you prices pursuant to the law of supply and demand. It is wrong for a small business person to make the best judgment possible to survive. It is wrong to compete in a free market.

Chairman Aleck asks, “Is this the person we want as our next governor? If Ms. Granholm wants to run a gas station let her apply to the local 7 -11. As Governor we need more than a gas station manager.”

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Title:
Engler’s Favoritism Plan Wrong For Michigan Workers
Author:
Ghazey Aleck
Date:
1/24/2002
Year:
2002
Article:
01/24/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ghazey Aleck
1-800-608-7375

In his final State of the State address, Governor John Engler has shown his true colors. He and the Republican Party want to sell out the hard working families of this state to the highest bidder.

In his speech to the joint session of the State Legislature, Governor Engler explained how he wants to extend ‘special favors’ to the fuel cell research and development industry. These favors will range from tax breaks, state assistance for worker training, and economic development grants costing the people of this state millions of dollars.

According to the Libertarian Party of Michigan Chairman, Ghazey Aleck, “these favors it will be paid for on the backs of the regular working person and give no regard to business proprietors already employing millions of Michigan’s citizens right now.”

With Michigan unemployment now hovering around 6%, Mr. Engler should be looking at the overall job market in Michigan. Lowering overly burdensome taxes and restrictive laws on businesses should be the focus of our elected leadership.
Mr. Aleck said, “Many businesses and industries have already invested in Michigan by building and employing millions of Michigan’s citizens. They are the ones employing the other 94% of the workforce and they are the ones that should get the consideration. As a state, we should create an environment where all businesses prosper, not just one industry that some politician is trying to lure here.”

Mr. Aleck continued by saying, “It seems John Engler and the Republican party want to create an environment where they can sell out to the highest bidder. This is a dangerous practice. One only needs to look at the current Enron controversy to see how such favoritism can hurt the regular working person.”

It appears that the corporate leadership of Enron bought ‘special favors’ from both the Republican and the Democratic Parties. They gave campaign contributions that ran into the tens of millions of dollars to members of both political parties for ‘special favors’. What happened was nothing more than legalized bribery.

All the while Enron apparently turned their backs on the hardworking families they employed. Many of whom lost their entire life savings in the collapse.

Michigan deserves better. Instead of getting into a bidding war with states like New York and California, we must make a better business environment for all Michigan businesses, not sell out to the highest bidder for so called ‘special favors’. The regular working person deserves to prosper by a more expansive plan for economic development, not one based on favoritism.

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Title:
Libertarian Party Back On Ballot For 2002
Author:
Ghazey Aleck
Date:
2/1/2002
Year:
2002
Article:
Expects Record Number Of Candidates

02/01/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ghazey Aleck
1-800-608-7375

The Libertarian Party of Michigan received notification on February 1, 2002 from the Michigan Secretary of State that they have turned in the requisite number of valid petition signatures to be on the ballot for the 2002 general election–although the Board of Canvassers will be the one to make it official by certifying it in about a month.

The Libertarian Party completed an expensive and time consuming 6 month petition drive at the end of October 2001 to keep their party on the ballot after losing ballot status solely because their presidential candidate did not get an arbitrary number of votes required by Michigan election law–a law Libertarians call outdated and unfair since all of their other statewide candidates did get enough votes to keep them on the ballot.

Their focus now is to engage the Republicans and Democrats in the 2002 election by recruiting a record number of candidates providing voters with a viable alternative choice. According to current statistics, over 60% of Americans want more than just two choices on the election ballot. Making matters worse, oftentimes incumbents go unchallenged in national, state or local elections throughout the State of Michigan leaving the voters even more frustrated. The Libertarian Party expects to be that second or third choice voters have been looking for.
Even though the Libertarian Party was forced to use significant resources and manpower just for the opportunity to nominate candidates for office, the process has brought party members together and made them stronger. According to the state party chairman, Ghazey Aleck, the Libertarian Party expects a record number of active candidates for 2002.

Aleck said, “Even though we were temporarily off the ballot after the 2000 election, the Libertarian Party saw five libertarians elected to non-partisan offices. We also expect a record number of candidates to be running competitively for local and State partisan offices this year. This is an extraordinary set of accomplishments especially since we were also conducting a 6 month petition drive that collected in excess of 45,000 signatures to restore our ballot status.”

Since 2000, four libertarians were elected to city council. On January 7, 2002 libertarian Bill Bradley was appointed to the city council of South Haven. He joins Fred Collins (Berkley), Andy LeCureaux (Hazel Park), Martin Howrylak (Troy) and Mark Owen (Owosso) previously elected to city council. Also, in 2001, libertarian Jeff Steinport was elected to the Grand Rapids School Board. All of these offices were non-partisan races.

In the 2000 election, the Libertarian Party fielded 110 candidates statewide. This was clearly more than any other third party. They expect to not only emerge this year with more candidates, but to start winning partisan elections. The Libertarian Party is fighting to restore individual rights while insisting on personal responsibility. The cornerstone of their beliefs comes from the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence.

Michigan’s third largest and most active political party now has its sights aimed at winning partisan offices in this year’s elections. Chairman Aleck summed up his party’s chances by saying, “we expect to be the political story of 2002 because this will be the year that a third political party will start winning partisan races in Michigan.”

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Title:
Attempt to Impose Death Penalty Offends Michigan Constitution
Author:
Ghazey Aleck
Date:
2/18/2002
Year:
2002
Article:
02/18/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ghazey Aleck
1-800-608-7375

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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Title:
Michigan Senate Plan For Rewarding Run Down School Districts Punishes Everyone
Author:
Ghazey Aleck
Date:
2/28/2002
Year:
2002
Article:
02/28/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ghazey Aleck
1-800-608-7375

Do you happen to live in one of Michigans better school districts that maintain their buildings and property? How dare you! Didn’t you know that the Republicans in the Michigan State Senate want to punish you for it?

Senate Republicans have proposed a new state bond that would reward school districts that have allowed their infrastructure to fall into disrepair by poorly maintaining their facilities. The new proposed $2 Billion bond will go to finance those badly managed school districts.

Finally, the best part of this reward is that the whole state will pay for it with their taxes. In other words, you get to pay for their mismanagement. How do you like them now?

The Libertarian Party of Michigan says people are getting fed up with government officials rewarding poorly managed schools and making the rest of us pay for it. Now is the time for our state leadership to cut funding to failing schools and to increase school choice. Parents will naturally select safe, well-managed school for their children when they are given back the resources to have the ability to choose what is best for their children themselves.

According to Diane Barnes, candidate for the Libertarian nomination for State Board of Education, “No school district should be rewarded for failing to maintain the most basic of facilities such as buildings. Part of every school’s budget is supposed to be used for the upkeep and maintenance of buildings. By providing this bond to assist schools that have failed to maintain their buildings is the same as rewarding them for their neglect.”

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Title:
Property Rights in Michigan? What Property Rights?
Author:
Ghazey Aleck
Date:
3/5/2002
Year:
2002
Article:
03/05/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ghazey Aleck
1-800-608-7375

Amos Weaver of rural Gladwin County is only one of a growing list of Michigan citizens who have discovered that you don’t own the land you pay for.

Forget for a moment about the fact that the government will take your property away from you for non-payment of the rent they charge you (called taxes), and forget about the way they tell you how to use their rented land through unreasonable enforcement of zoning laws too. The government has more ways to get you than you can ever imagine.

On January 31 of this year Mr. Weaver, joined by a number of his fellow Amish neighbors, found out it is illegal to occupy a dwelling without specific water and sewer systems. The case is still pending in the 80th District Court.

It doesn’t matter that his community has been living this way for hundreds of years. It doesn’t matter that the land is bought and paid for. It doesn’t matter that he has diligently paid his property taxes. It doesn’t even matter that he is happy and no one is getting hurt.

The government tells what you can, and what you cannot do with your own property right down to the type of toilet you can use. In other words you simply rent the land from the government because they ultimately decide every aspect of how you can use the land.

According to Libertarian Party of Michigan Ghazey Aleck, “This is wrong in so many ways. Mr. Weaver is guaranteed protection under the United States Constitution for freedom of religion. More importantly, it is the government’s job is to protect the rights of property owners not destroy them. Ownership means doing what you want when you want as long as you do not hurt anyone else in the process, and the government should have no authority to circumvent the rights of property owners. What has this country come to?”

The battle is not over for Mr. Weaver. If convicted he could face a fine and 90 days in jail — just for living happily on his own property.

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Title:
Michigan Wiretapping: A Law You Can not Live with
Author:
Ghazey Aleck
Date:
3/14/2002
Year:
2002
Article:
03/14/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ghazey Aleck
1-800-608-7375

The next time you place an order by credit card on your phone or call your mother you may have to wonder exactly who is listening in. Through no fault of your own, you may be giving valuable and personal information to complete strangers you have never met.

This information could then be used for a number of nefarious purposes: to discredit political activists, to make purchases on your credit card, or even to steal your identity. And worst of all, it will be legal to obtain such information from your private discussions in Michigan if a new wiretapping law passes.

The Michigan State Senate recently passed Senate Bill 803 and if it becomes law, you or someone you love could be the target of Michigan’s new secret police. The new secret police will be able to enter your home, place listening devices, rifle through your computer and never tell you they were even there. Not only could they be listening in on your activities, you might be one of the 169 (on average) innocent people who are overheard by each of these cloak and dagger operations.

Government officials have abused surveillance operations for as long as these techniques have been in available. In the 1960’s, J. Edgar Hoover, head of the FBI, with the permission of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, got permission to do ‘wiretapping’ on none other than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. What did Hoover do with this information? He leaked portions to the press to discredit Dr. King and his cause and portray him as a communist.

If passed, it is possible ambitious politicians like Gubernatorial candidate Jennifer Granholm, who under the new law gets to approve (hand pick) the judges who would approve the wiretaps, could use this law to spy on her political rivals and leak information to the press or things even worse, not to mention what individual members of the secret police might do.

According to Libertarian Party of Michigan Chairman, Ghazey Aleck, “There has not been such an assault on individual rights since the Nazi’s controlled Germany, and we all know what happened with such unlimited government power. The Michigan State legislature is heading down a slippery slope that could end with the destruction of your right to live unmolested and in private. The Michigan Attorney General should be out to protect your right to live in peace and privacy. She should not endorse secret police tactics of any kind. Law abiding people should never have to be afraid of the police, yet this is what is being accomplished by the onslaught of laws like these.”

If you think these kinds of tactics should never be allowed in a free society like the United States, the Libertarian Party of Michigan agrees with you. Laws like these had been a mainstay with the KGB in the former U.S.S.R. It should never be allowed to occur in the United States.

Yet, it may already be too late. With the support of Michigan Governor John Engler, Lt. Governor Dick Postumous, and Attorney General Jennifer Granholm, Michigan families will probably soon be under the watchful eye of ‘Big Brother’ turning Michigan into a modern Third Reich. Speak up now, or watch what you say later, it’s your choice, not theirs.

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