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Published for friends and supporters of the Libertarian Party Liberty Pledge >NEWSLETTER v JULY 1996 Libertarian National Committee, Inc. ♦ 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100 ♦ Washington DC 20037 ♦ (202) 333-0008 LP National Convention nominates for president x'96 Browne vows to try to win entry into presidential debates; Jorgensen wins VP slot ith an overwhelming first-ballot victory, best- following the convention. selling author Harry Browne won the presi- ■ David Broder wrote in his nationally syndicated W dential nomination of the Libertarian Party at column on July 10: "Browne is articulate and quick-witted, their national convention this weekend. and he'd undoubtedly draw votes if he could . . . muster His next goal: A ballot spot in all 50 states and an enough support to be included in the presidential debates. invitation to the televised presidential debates this fall. That is a long shot, but there'd be some value in having 100 In the week following the convention, two newspa- million Americans hear him . . ." pers and two prominent political columnists urged ■ An editorial in the Denver Post on July 11 stated: "As Browne's inclusion in the debates. a party, the Libertarians have clearly earned inclusion in Browne, 63, won more than 68% of the votes from the this fall's [presidential] debates. It would be fair to set 1996 600+ Libertarian Party delegates gathered at the Hyatt debates between Clinton, Dole, and Browne as representa- Capitol Hill hotel in downtown Washington, DC, on Satur- tives of the only parties to meet the present yardsticks for day, July 7. He defeated challengers Rick Tompkins (who national recognition." won 12% of the vote), None Of The Above (10%), ■ The Times-Herald Record (Middletown, NY) on July 9 (5%), and Doug Ohmen (3%). wrote: "[Browne's] presence at the debate table would In his acceptance speech to the make for livelier . . . and more meaningful discussion." cheering delegates and alive C-SPAN ■ Washington Post columnist Colman McCarthy wrote audience, Browne posed the ques- on July 13: "Harry Browne, well spoken and not sponging tion he said might change the direc- on taxpayers, deserves a place at whichever forum hosts tion of government once and for all: Clinton-Dole debates." "Would you be willing to give up Browne, a resident of , writes an invest- your favorite government programs ment newsletter and is the author of nine books, including if it meant you would never again his recent campaign manifesto Why Government Doesn't have to pay income tax?" Work, the #1 bestseller You Can Profit from a Monetary If elected, Browne promised to Crisis, and How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World. immediately abolish the income ■ Harry Browne The convention received considerable media cover- tax and deliver "huge tax cuts now, age, with more than 50 newspapers, magazine, and radio huge spending cuts now, [and] a balanced budget now." journalists — and two separate camera crews from CNN — Again and again, Browne returned to the central theme attending the four-clay event. Stories about the convention of his campaign: "Government doesn't work. People ev- appeared in most major American newspapers, including erywhere recognize that government doesn't work. It , the Times, the Wall Street doesn't deliver the mail on time; it doesn't keep the cities Journal, and USA Today. safe; it doesn't educate our children properly," he said. The party's 800# received more than 10,000 calls dur- "Government has failed. So we don't want to reform ing the convention, and calls continued to pour in at the the federal government. We don't want to slow its growth. rate of 250 to 500 a day during the following week. We don't want to improve the management of it. We want Also at the convention, National LP Chairman Steve to reduce it to the absolute minimum possible," he said. Dasbach was re-elected to office by a large margin, defeat- Winning the VP slot was , 39, president of ing challenger Gene Cisewski 58% to 33%. (NOTA won 9%.) a software duplicating company in South Carolina. Karen Allard was re-elected as Vice Chair without oppo- Browne's campaign to be included in the fall's presi- sition, as was Treasurer Hugh Butler. re- dential debates won an immediate boost in the days placed John Famularo as LP Secretary. Liberty Pledge News • July 1996

M r SUNDAY, JULY 7, 1996 All THE WASHINGTON POST CAMPAIGN '96

Doomsaying Author of 70s Gets Party's Nod for Presidential Bid

American people are fed up with will get past the hurdle of irrele- By David S. Broder Watalistat Post Sufi Writes this wasteful, extravagant govern- vancy and draw tens of thousands ment. They are on our side now. of new members to our cause." Twenty-five years after its birth, We are mainstream." The Libertarians, who held their the Libertarian Party yesterday Jorgensen said Republicans who first meeting in a Denver living began another push for big-league promise smaller government and room in 1971, appeared to be political status by nominating as its lower taxes "give us the equivalent poised for a breakthrough in 1980, presidential candidate a man who of 1-900 sex. They tell us how when nominee won al- made a personal fortune by pre- much they want us and how good most a million votes—five times dicting economic ruin. it's going to be. But when we hang the previous high mark. But sup- Harry Browne, the 63-year-old, up, we realize they've cost us a lot port lagged during the years of the best-selling author of such books as of money ... and they're never go- "Reagan revolution," and in 1992, "How You Can Profit from a Mone- ing to come over." 's self-financed indepen- tary Crisis,' won an easy first-bal- Browne, a polished platform and dent bid drew almost 70 times as lot victory over five rivals in voting television performer, said in an in- many votes as went to Libertarian by 605 delegates at the Libertari- terview that his immediate goal is . ans' weekend convention here. to show enough support in the polls Browne said he hopes to draw a Jo Jorgensen, 39, a Greenville, that he is invited to join President clear distinction between himself S.C., computer software company Clinton, former senator Robert J. and Perot, if the Dallas billionaire, owner, won the spot of vice- Dole and the nominee of Ross Per- runs again. "He wants to get under. ' presidential candidate for the party ot's Reform Party in this autumn's the hood and tinker with the en- • that promises to radically reduce televised presidential debates. gine," Browne said in the inter- • the federal government, abolish "If I'm at 10 percent, they won't view. I want to throw the engine virtually all federal taxes and shut be able to keep me out," he said. "If out and replace it with a much down both overseas military bases I'm at 1 percent, I shouldn't be in- smaller motor. He just wants to and the "war on drugs," in order to cluded. It won't be easy, but it is manage big government better. increase individual freedom. possible, and no other single step We would go much further than The Libertarian presidential would do as much to establish our that." PHOTOS carKUM .011414-14 VIASHI.T001 POST candidate won more than 900,000 credibility." In his speeches Friday and yes- New Jersey delegate Ed Wleumann waves his sign as presidential votes in 1980, but in 1992 the par- Aides said the party already has terday and in the interview, nominee Harry Browne Is Introduced at the Libertarian convention. ty's nominee won only 291,000 ballot position in 33 states and ex- Browne outlined a series of posi- votes, despite being on the ballot in pects to qualify in all the others by tions which he said "you won't hear • End the federal income tax and president, it is none of my busi- all 50 states. late summer. Browne, who has or trying to all other "direct government taxes, ness." Browne and Jorgensen, in their been campaigning for the nomina- steal": and replace them with nothing." Browne gained attention in the acceptance speeches, insisted that tion for two years with personal • End the federal role in law en- Existing tariffs on foreign goods 1970s with bestsellers and lectures the rebellion against "big govern- funds, said he is about to pass the forcement and anti-drug efforts, would be enough to finance the re- predicting runaway inflation, a ment" and the other parties, by $1 million mark in fund-raising, abolishing the FBI, the Drug En- making federal functions, he said, deep recession or depression and a both young people and their par- adding, "If we can raise $10 mil- forcement Agency and the Bureau adding, "I will challenge every monetary crisis—and prescribing ents, could make this a break- lion, we can be a major force in this of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. American to decide if he would ways a shrewd investor could with- through year for the Libertarians, election." Predicting that "drug use would give up his favorite government stand the general ruin. His views who argue that their platform During a debate Friday with his decline radically and there would were frequently ridiculed by pro- would restore the Founders' con- rivals for the nomination, Browne be no drug gangs" if all drugs were program in return for no income tax the rest of his life." fessional economists, and he ac- . cept of limited government. conceded that "we have only a legalized for people of all ages, knowledged yesterday that "I • "We are not alone," Browne, told very, very long-shot chance of win- Browne said it "is not the presi- • Provide a missile defense for the United States, but scrap all offen- learned in the 1970s you can't pre- - the cheering delegates and a ning, but if we get out of the 1 per- dent's business to tell anyone to dict the timing of events. I still SPAN television audience. "The cent class and get 5 percent, we 'just say no.' " sive weapons and overseas bases. "We can be more sense, at much think we're headed for trouble, but lower cost, if other nations under- it might come next week or 20 stand we are no threat to their se- years from now." curity and we will not intervene in Browne said in the interview that he had not bothered to vote their struggles," Browne said. between 1964 and 1994, "because • End Social Security, substituting I could see no difference between "a firm contract with private insur- Barry Goldwater and Lyndon John- ance companies" for current recipi- son" or any of the later Republican ents and telling those now paying and Democratic nominees. But "I Social Security taxes that those de- became aware of the change in the ductions will stop and they can political climate of the country," start their own retirement plans. with even conventional politicians Browne also said he would phase like Clinton acknowledging that out Medicare and Medicaid, but "the era of big government is had no specific proposal in that ar- over." ea. Radio ads for Browne's cam- On the abortion issue, Browne paign will start here Monday, "so said he would end any federal role, the national journalists will know either in fmancing,,or restricting we are rrious," he said, and ex- abortions, and leaveany regulation pand across the country as finances to the states. "This fans* so elm- allow. tionek," he Said, "because science One thing he will not do, he said, has not determined when life be- is accept federal matching money gins. My personal view is that we for his campaign. "I do not believe Author Harry Browne addresses the convention In Washington atter receiving the nomination for president. should err on the side of caution, so in welfare for individuals, corpora- Browne told supporters, "The American people are fed up with this wasteful, extravagant government." I think abortion is wrong, but as tions or politicians," Browne said.

A The Washington Post Washington, DC, July 7, 1996 Liberty Pledge News • July 1996

PAGE A4 / SUNDAY, JULY 7, 1996 * ajc Washington VAnteo Browne is Libertarian presidential nominee grown to the third-largest party in America. The party's best showing Tax foe tapped came in 1980, when presidential candidate Ed Clark drew 921,299 as party choice votes. In 1992, candidate Andre Marrou received 291,000 nation- on first ballot ally, but party officials point to rapid growth in other areas.

By K.L. Billingsley Bill Winter, the party's commu- THE NMSMINGTOM TIMES nications director, said that in the 1992 elections more than 650 Lib- The Libertarian Party yester- ertarian candidates ran for office, day nominated Harry Browne its including 82 for Congress, 15 for 1996 candidate for president of the Senate and 15 for governor. Overall United States. more than 2.2 million people voted Mr. Browne, 63, of Franklin, for Libertarian candidates and 11 Thnn., is the author of "Why Gov- were elected or re-elected, includ- ernment Doesn't Work," a core ing state legislator Don Gorman in theme of the party's annual con- New York and Bonnie Flickinger, vention winding up here this week- mayor of Mareno Valley, Calif end. "We are more successful now "The Democrats and Republi- than ever in our history," Mr. Win- cans come before you at election ter said. time and tell you what you want to "I wouldn't be running if I hear — that they've changed their thought there were no chance of stripes;' said Mr. Browne in his ac- winning," said Mr. Browne in a ceptance speech. But the candi- statement. "Most people are on date, who carried 416 of the 605 our side; the challenge isn't so delegates on the first ballot — 68.7 much to persuade them that our percent of the vote — charged that alternative is right as it is to let it was all talk and no action. them know our alternative exists." "We Libertarians are going to The diversity among the dele- get the federal government out of gates, from SO states, suggested everything not specified in the that the party is casting a wide net. Constitution;' he said. "We want Some wore three-cornered hats huge spending cuts now. We want and came festooned with buttons huge tax cuts now. We want a bal- bearing slogans such as "There is anced budget now." no government like no govern- AP The candidate has promised to Harry Browne of Franklin, Tenn., and his wife, Pamela, greet Libertarian Party members in Washington ment." Young people with nose yesterday after his nomination for president on the first ballot with 68.7 percent of the vote. slash federal spending by 50 rings jostled with businessmen in percent the first year and immedi- tailored suits. A brightly clad ately balance the budget. Lib- skater bore a Harry Browne sign ertarians, according to a party at Union Station. statement, "favor dramatically Speakers at the convention in- shrinking the size and cost of gov- cluded Nadine Strossen, president ernment and eliminating laws that of the American Civil Liberties Delegates don't come out of a mold stifle the economy and control Union, columnists Doug Bandow much more interesting than any people's personal choices." and Joseph Sobran, Grover Nor- By Chris th,t7y In an interview with The Wash- quist of Americans for 1)3X Re- THE VMSH at the Republican or Democratic ington Times, Mr. Browne chal- form, and Clifford Theis, whose "Among conventions. lenged voters to give up their fa- topic was "Why Christians Must Across the hall from where Libertarians, "We're having a lot more fun vorite federal program in return Be Libertarians." Marshall Fritz of Libertarians were nominating than those delegations are:' Mr. for elimination of the income tax. the Separation of School and State Harry Browne for president, a Libertarians can Treynor said. "At least on the "That's what we'll do," said Mr. Alliance challenged Libertarians sign advertised a 2 p.m. seminar floor, we are." Brown. "We will replace the in- not to support the educational titled "Hemp and Politics." let down their hair He said some newcomers had come tax with nothing." vouchers favored by some Repub- One delegate had a copy of the or let down their trouble understanding the tradi- Mr. Browne said that younger lican candidates. Bill of Rights on his red T-shirt, tional "None of the Above" entry voters were "intuitively libertar- The Libertarians' vice pres- covered by the words, "Void guard." on the Libertarian ballot, which ian" but often declined to vote be- idential candidate will be Jo Jor- Where Prohibited by Law." — Delegate Dan Karlan this year got 10 percent of the cause of the "con game" that the gensen, a mother of two who heads Four of the six Libertarian vote. Democrats and Republicans are a software firm in South Carolina. nominees failed to get as many Carl Vassar, an engineer from playing with Social Security The A Libertarian since her college votes as "None of the Above" did. The nation's third-largest Thimbull, Conn., is leading his candidate criticized the election days at Baylor, where she read The Libertarian Party Conven- party, now 25 years old, prides state's delegation and petitioning machinery that excludes the Lib- Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged:' Mrs tion is not a typical political get- itself on its diversity of opinions to get on the ballot himself as a ertarian Party candidate from Jorgensen rejects the idea that a together, and party loyalists rel- almost as much as its mantra candidate for state senator. He presidential debates, but he had no vote for a Libertarian is a wasted ish it. about decreasing government. said the laissez faire atmosphere complaints about the media cover- vote. "We're home," said Dan Kar- Delegates here have pressed for around the convention hall is in- Ian, a delegate from Waldwick, age, which he called "fantastic." "A vote for a Republican is a issues such as income tax reform dicative of the party itself. N.J., who sported a blue suit and Major electronic and print me- wasted vote because they won't de- and a balanced budget, as well as "Some of the people here are dia covered the convention, which liver a smaller government." She mesh loafers. "Among Libertar- legalizing drugs and outlawing very casual," Mr. Vassar said. bore the bustle and enthusiasm of charged that the Republicans and ians, Libertarians can let down prescriptions. "We don't feel like we have to be- their hair or let down their guard. a major-party gathering. Democrats amounted to a "one Sam Treynor, a delegate who have in any one way as long as we We can't do that when we're at party system" and predicted that owns a truck dealership in Hous- respect the rules of the conven- A group of disaffected Repub- home." licans and Democrats launched Generation X voters would eventu- ton, said the debates have been tion." the party in 1971 and it has since ally give the nod to Libertarians.

A The Washington Times Washington, DC July 7, 1996 Liberty Pledge News • July 1996

David S. Broder Convention Live-Wired Libertarians With a

If America's future is really going to enforces the laws needed to protect be found on the Internet, then the party personal liberty. Difference to watch in the 21st century may well Their presidential candidate received turn out to be the Libertarians. almost 1 million votes in 1980, but If nothing else, Harry Browne, the hers of the nation's largest and most Libertarian Party presidential candi- I have no idea how many of the people they've never come close to that since. organized third party keep improving. date, knows a historic moment when it whose lives now center on the computer- Browne is articulate and quick-witted, This fall, more than 1,000 Libertarian arrives. It helped that he caused it. At ized communications network espouse and he'd undoubtedly draw votes if he candidates will be in local, state and the recent national nominating conven- .the radical anti-government philosophy of could raise enough money to get on national races. tion in Washington, Brown declared to the Libertarian Party. But a weekend of TV—or muster enough support to be Libertarians are shackled with sever- the party faithful: "Like Bob Dole, Bill interviewing at the Libertarians' presi- included in the presidential debates. al problems. The party attracts the Clinton, and , dential nominating convention here That is a long shot, but there'd be hate-the-feds set that listens to I've qualified for . But - showed unmistakably that a high per- some value in having 100 million Amer- Browne's demands for "huge tax cuts icans hear him ask what he says is the unlike [them], I do not believe in wel- now, huge spending cuts now, a bal- centage of the 600-plus delegates work fare. Not for politicians, not for individ- and play every day in that newest of key question: "Would you be willing to anced budget now" and concludes sim- uals, not for corporations. So I am the electronic universes. give up your favorite government pro- plistically that Utopia has arrived. first presidential candidate in American Away from the brash talk, Libertarian James Lark, who teaches systems en- gram if you didn't have to pay any history to qualify for matching federal scholarship, as found in the writings gineering at the University of Virginia income tax the rest of your life?" He campaign funds and refuse to take from the 20-year-old Cato Institute in and serves as an adviser to a growing seems to think millions would say yes. I'm not so sure how many would reject them." Washington, is reasoned, non-ranting, network of eight Libertarian organiza- As they have a habit of doing every often fresh and as worthy of a place in tions on and off the campus, said the the concept of using government to bol- ster the general welfare or willingly four years since 1972, Libertarians the national debate as any agenda ad- affinity is natural. "People who use math- again have found a candidate of honed vanced by those of conventional mind. ematically based systems think logically, dispense with the FBI, the Drug En- forcement Administration, the national intelligence and decent moral purpose. Thanks to full coverage of the Liber- and is a nice, clear set of parks, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Browne, an investment adviser and tarian convention by C-SPAN, the pub- propositions, logically linked." Security—all of which would be abol- author, has a clearheaded loyalty to the lic had a chance to shape an opinion on Patricia McCune, an employee of the ished, privatized or sent back to the party's principles of minute and uncoer- the party and its people. The 700 Denver-based TCI cable news channel, states by a Libertarian regime. dye government, personal freedoms delegates had no back rooms, heard no said her company has found a surprising But I left the convention thinking and responsibilities, and allegiance only trivial speeches about candidates' war hit with a weekly program called 'Damn these folks, easily dismissed as computer to government roles cited in the Con- records or alleged character flaws, and Right," which it bills as the first Libertari- geeks and nerds, may be the advance stitution. were not subjected to displays of fake an cable show. "I love these people," she guard of a more significant movement in Libertarians, with 125,000 regis- party unity. Choosing among five preSi- said. "They are different, but they have a decades to come—as more Americans tered voters and 15,600 dues-paying dential nominees, 416 delegates voted lot to say. They are creating a communi- join them in that personalized, almost members, have a noticeable political for Browne and 60 for "none of the ty of their own on the Internet, and the isolated world of computer communica- edge over third parties, from the above" as a "reminder" of discontent. rest of the country will come into it." tion—so different from the town meeting Greens to the Iowa-based Natural Law Convention speakers included Na- "Different" doesn't begin to capture and its offshoot, representative govern- Party: They hate breadth that appeals dine Strossen of the ACLU—who won the oddball flavor of this 25-year-old ment. to the left, right and disenchanted why- a four-minute standing ovation for her party, which expects once again to be on Richard Burke's story hints at what vote-for-anyone Republocrats in be- ideas on privacy rights and civil liber- the ballot in all 50 states, with its presi- could come. The 32-year-old, self- tween. ties—and Chuck Olson, whose brave dential candidate, Harry Browne, the employed Beaverton, Ore., small-sys- To the left, Browne invites a look at offering was "Why I Am a Pro- Govern- author of best-selling books on how to tems phone and computer consultant cast his thinking on the nation's most expen- ment Libertarian." survive what he sees as the impending his first vote (back home in Nebraska) for sive federal program. warmaking: If only Republicans and Democrats economic crisis, and his running mate. Jo Ronald Reagan, but found too many of are almost always at war—cold or hot, at their predictably managed and mani- Jorgensen, owner of a South Carolina his fellow Republicans "very intolerant." but a conflict nevertheless. . . . And cured conventions would be as fearless- computer software company. As a student at Portland State Universi- what is the object of all this war? Why, ly diverse. The same for the television Their platform calls for cutting the ty, he joined the Democrats "because of peace, of course. We are always fight- networks and sponsors of this fall's federal government back at least 90 their social tolerance, but disagreed with ing to bring peace to the world. We will debates. Harry Browne, well spoken percent, abolishing the income tax, scrap- their philosophy of having the federal have peace even if we have to kill and not sponging on taxpayers, de- ping offensive military weapons and over- government redistribute wealth." thousands to get it." serves a place at whichever forum seas bases, eliminating the FBI and end- He became a Libertarian in 1990 and, For conservatives who claim they hosts Clinton-Dole debates. ing what Browne calls "the insane war on on his third try, was elected to a three- want government off their backs, Lib- To keep out the Libertarian would drugs." They regard Democrats as hope- member Beaverton-area school board, ertarians would loosen the shoulder be yielding to the might of the two lessly addicted to big government, Re- where he holds the balance of power. "I straps to drop federal involvement in main parties, twins in their zeal to pass publicans as frauds who promise but can block the Republicans from imposing housing, education, welfare, drugs, state laws in limiting ballot access to don't deliver relief from Washington, and their social values on the schools and I crime control and anything else not third-party candidates. At the least. Ross Perot's Reform Party as mere can block the Democrats from imposing sanctioned in the Constitution. Browne's quickness of mind would tinkerers with Leviathan. their spending schemes," he said. "We Browne sees a market for his ideas raise TV ratings and keep the public Only their own form of radical sur- can become a force in these local, non- in both the large talk-radio audiences from flicking to "Geraldo" reruns or gery, they say, can restore the Founders' partisan races, where we have parity of and among 20- to 30-year-olds who more pundit analysis of low voter turn- dream of a nation where the scope of resources, and build the grass-roots base have no party affiliations yet. The nur. out. individual freedom is essentially unlimit- we need to become a more mature party ed, where social problems are solved by at the state and national level. And the private charity or left to local and state Internet and the talk shows will give us a A The Washington Post governments, and where Washington way to spread our views." simply provides an adequate defense and Beam me up, Scotty. Washington, DC July 10, 1996

411 The Washington Post Washington, DC July 13, 1996