Harry Browne & Art Olivier for President & Veep
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The OfficialMont Newsletter of the Libertarian Party of Californiahly August 2000 Libertarians Elect National Officers in Anaheim: Harry Browne & Art Olivier for President & Veep ore than 1,100 delegates and describing Drug Prohibition as “a war on and attendees met for the the American people.” MLP National Convention Delegates voted to add language to the platform in Anaheim on June 30 to July 3. specifically opposing “hate crime” legislation. The Libertarian Party elected president and vice president A new “Family and Children’s Rights” plank nominees plus a new national was added (replacing the “Family Life” plank), chairman. The delegates also which explains the Libertarian perspective that selected other national committee families have a right to raise their children members including regional without government interference. The new plank representatives and made changes to underscores the notion that children have rights, the party platform. and deserve to be treated with justice — while also delineating the rights and responsibilities The theme was “America’s Future: of parents. Liberty, Responsibility, and Special events at the convention: Community.” • Peter McWilliams received a posthumous Champion of Liberty Award for his fight President: Harry Browne for medical marijuana. Vice President: Art Olivier • Michael Cloud was honored as the best Libertarian communicator. • Richard Rider won the Samuel Adams LNC Officers: award as Libertarian activist. LP Natl. Chair: James W. Lark • Ed Clark received the award for Lifetime LP Vice Natl. Chair:Dan Fylstra Achievement. LP Treasurer: Mark Tuniewicz LP Secretary: Steve Givot Media Coverage: LNC At-Large Members: • Potential audience of millions watched two Ken Bisson (Indiana) days of gavel-to-gavel coverage on C-SPAN. Art Olivier and his family celebrate his selection as Jim Turney (Virginia) • Seven talk-show hosts broadcasted live the LP Vice Presidential nominee. Eli Israel (Massachusetts) from the convention. Lois Kaneshiki (Pennsylvania) • Fox TV, the Fox News Channel, KABC-TV, Lorenzo Gaztanaga (Maryland) KNBC-TV, Orange County News, and Contents KCAL-TV covered the Convention. LNC Regional Representatives: • The Los Angeles Times, Worth, Maxim, the Government Horror Story Ed Hoch (Alaska) and Orange County Register, and The Christian Child Abuse Index, Page 6 Mike Dixon (Illinois), Region 1 Science Monitor, Associated Press and Reuters sent reporters. Scott Lieberman (California) and ▲ Calendar .......................................... 4 Joe Dehn (California), Region 2 Platform Changes: ▲ Convention ...................................... 5 Delegates removed a section from the “Women’s Sara Cotham (Indiana), Region 3 ▲ Chair’s Report ................................. 3 Rights and Abortion” plank that listed specific Michael (“MG”) Gilson de Lemos ▲ Director’s Report ............................. 6 laws and policies the party opposed, while ▲ (Florida), Region 4 keeping the statement that government should Exec Com Meeting Summary .......... 9 Richard Schwarz be kept out of the question [of abortion]. ▲ Letters to the Editor ......................... 2 (Pennsylvania), Region 5 Delegates also voted to make additions to the ▲ LPC Contacts ........................... 10, 11 Ken Lindell (Maine), Region 6 War on Drugs plank, specifically condemning ▲ Politics As Usual ............................. 8 police profiling policies and civil asset forfeiture, Deryl Martin (Tennessee), Region 7 ▲ Web Sites......................................... 7 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Monthly 38: MEDICARE FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS? FIGHTING ANTS – AND WASTE! August 2000 Some Libertarian advocates of this measure claim that Your recent articles in LPC Monthly regarding Editor: Betsy Mill Prop 38 “will result in a reduction in the tax burden California special districts did not talk about another Associate Editor caused by government-run public schools because per- avenue for Libertarians to get involved. I am the Joseph W. Dehn III pupil government expenditures are greater than the Program Manager for the Orange County Fire Ant Contributors voucher amount.” Authority, a division of the Orange County Vector Rodney Austin Their claim fails to consider the implications of Control District. We have 34 members on our Board Richard A. Bowen (1) additional spending for current private school of Trustees, but the program manager (me) has more Brian Lee Cross students, influence on the day-to-day operations, much like Mark Arner de France (2) “fully fund[ing] the demand for programs offered a city manager vis-a-vis the city council. Jerry Krim by the community colleges”, Our program is brand new and I was “given” 2.8$M Gail Lightfoot Paul Marsden (3) changing the funding formula for all K-12 to begin the program. I “returned” 1.4$M and our Juan Ros students, and program is on the way to being the first municipality Christopher Schmidt (4) giving the power to interpret that formula to the to eradicate the Red Imported Fire Ant. My job is Dennis Triglia Director of the Department of Finance. to put myself out of a job! Please read the text of the measure and draw your Richard A. Bowen, Program Mgr. OCFAA own conclusion. Mailing Address [email protected] LPC Monthly Even if the theoretical savings were possible, the BECOME A PERSUADER FOR LIBERTY! 4244 Mt. Hukee Ave. advertised application of that savings to tax reduction I call on all Libertarians to participate each and San Diego CA 92117 is pure fantasy. The state would experience the every day in the 2000 election by convincing voters increased spending for the vouchers (potentially E-mail Address to not only VOTE LIBERTARIAN but join in raising income taxes to pay for them), but it would be [email protected] convincing other voters as well.. up to the counties and school districts to realize the Gail Lightfoot, [email protected] Fax Number implied “savings” by firing employees and closing ○○○○○ (858) 565-8901 public schools. Then, yes, in theory they could ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ “reduc[e] the tax burden” by issuing property tax picking up the tab? Subsidies always increase prices Online Edition rebates (of the money they formerly spent on schools) and the one who pays the piper always calls the tune. http://www.ca.lp.org/lpcm/ or by lowering property tax rates. That scenario doesn’t Good-bye, “affordable” “private” schooling! sound very likely, does it? This proposition is the exact opposite of Harry SEPTEMBER Deadline Browne’s “Great Libertarian Offer”: It is the answer Online Only Issue Would vouchers benefit private education? Like Prop to the statist question “What is your favorite AUGUST 15, 2000 38, Medicare was once touted to save money and enhance private health care using similar arguments. government program that doesn’t exist yet?” Has medical care gotten cheaper–or more expensive? I will vote against Prop 38. Will you? Has government involvement in health care Christopher Schmidt, Secretary, R41 LPC Monthly is the official decreased–or increased–since taxpayers started (San Mateo County), [email protected] newsletter of the Libertar- Continued in next column ian Party of California. Opinions contained herein do not necessarily represent | LP POSITIONS ON PROPOSITIONS ? official party positions un- less indicated. The Executive Committee of the LPC has taken the following positions on propositions to be voted on in LPC Monthly is published the November election. twelve times a year. NO Prop. 32: AB2305 “Bond: Veteran's Bond Act of 2000” Send materials for publi- NO Prop. 33: ACA 12 “Legislature: Retirement” cation to LPC Monthly’s [NEW] Prop. 34: SB 1223 “Campaign Contributions and Expenditures” (No position taken yet) mailing address. All sub- missions are subject to YES Prop. 35: “Public Works Projects. Use of Private Contractors for Engineering and Architectural editing. Deadline is the Services. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.” fifteenth day of every YES Prop. 36: “Drug Treatment Diversion Program. Initiative Statute.” month. YES Prop. 37: “Fees, Taxes. New Definitions, Vote Requirements. Initiative Constitutional Send changes of address to Amendment.” national office: Libertarian Party YES Prop. 38: “School Vouchers. State-Funded Private and Religious Education. Public School 2600 Virginia Ave. NW Funding. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.” Suite #100 Washington DC 20037 NO Prop. 39: “School Facilities. 55% Local Vote. Bonds, Taxes. Accountability Requirements. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.” (Son of Prop. 26) 2 LPC Monthly August 2000 OPINION From the Chair: e, as a Party, set two main internal run event ever. We selected candidates, revised the party platform Wgoals this year: and had the opportunity to meet Libertarians from all over the nation. 1. Increase our dues-paying membership LPC has endorsed the goal of running 200 candidates in 2000: to 7,000 Operation Breakthrough is in full swing. See Juan Ros’s notes on 2. Increase our monthly pledge base to page 6. I’m confident that when the deadline is upon us, we’ll $6,000 per month. have reached our goal (200) and stretched beyond it, nearly Goal 1: The July 31st membership statistics doubling our best previous year for the total number of candidates running. are NOT good. Our national membership MARK HINKLE figure now stands at 6138. This is a one- Money is running short. Isn’t it always? month drop of 235 dues paying members. However, Operation With a new office, new part-time helper, and the expenses of Breakthrough may wipe out that dip.