LNC Hires New Executive Director Executive New Hires LNC
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WWW.LP.ORG Smaller Goverment - Lower Taxes - More Freedom The Party of Principle™ September 2009 The Official Newspaper of the Libertarian Party Volume 39, Issue 3 Republican Booed, Libertarian Cheered - Page 8 Local Libertarians in Action - Page 9 Letters to the Editor LP News LNC Hires New Executive Director ................Page 2 ibertarian National Committee (LNC) Chair William Redpath has Lannounced the hiring of Wes Bene- dict to serve as the new Executive Director Chairman’s of the Libertarian Party. Travelogue “I look forward to great things for the LP with him as Executive Director,” said Red- ................Page 4 path. The LP has operated without an Executive Director since May 2008. Benedict served as the Executive Director Affiliate News for the Libertarian Party of Texas from 2004 ................Page 14 to 2008. During Benedict’s tenure, the LP Texas recruited a record 168 candidates for the November 2006 elections followed by 173 in 2008. The number of elected Lib- ertarians in non-partisan Texas offices in- Upcoming Events creased from two to eight. ...............Page 15 “Our focus in Texas was on the basics of Inside the Cover continued on page 5 continued on page 7 PERMIT NO. 1541 NO. PERMIT Washington DC 20037 DC Washington OKLA CITY, OK CITY, OKLA 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 200 Suite NW, Avenue, Virginia 2600 U.S. POSTAGE PAID POSTAGE U.S. NON PROFIT ORG PROFIT NON Libertarian National Committee, Inc. Committee, National Libertarian Page 2 The Libertarian Party - www.LP.org September 2009 education to defense. ETTERS O HE DITOR Opportunity is knocking. Intelligent L T T E people are searching for options outside the two major parties. Please reconsider the Ready to Renew Your individuals, it should be greatly simplified. income tax plank of the Prosperity Plan so Comments on the LP’s All industrialized countries have an income that the Party can be perceived as the only Membership? tax. However, the U.S. is the only indus- party with practical solutions to the tremen- Plan for Prosperity trialized country that lacks either a value dous problems - and help save our country. added tax (VAT) or a sales tax. Make no Renew through the mail: s the Libertarian Party’s 2008 U.S. mistake, addition of one of these taxes will Allen Buckley Send a gift of $25 or more to: Senate candidate in Georgia (as be proposed soon to help pay for growth Smyrna, GA Libertarian Party I was in 2004), I’m disappointed of entitlements. When that happens, the 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Ain the “repeal the income tax” piece of the Libertarian Party must stand up and lead Suite 200 Prosperity Plan platform. I like the other the charge to defeat the proposal. f course, I agree with your thought- Washington, DC 20037 two pieces. (My 2008 U.S. Senate race In my U.S. Senate run last year, I pro- ful 3-point “Prosperity Plan.” I too went to a run-off, with the 60th seat poten- posed a simple income tax system with a have given this subject consider- Please note “Renewal” on the tially up for grabs.) poverty exemption, a 20 percent rate for the Oable thought and have a proposal on which memo line if paying by check. The door is wide open for a third party. first $25,000 of taxable income in excess I would appreciate your critique. To get in, the party must recognize the mas- of the poverty exemption and an “x” rate I believe it too would be best imple- To renew online: sive financial challenges our country faces – i.e. whatever rate is necessary to balance mented as a Constitutional Amendment. If and offer practical solutions. the budget for the year after considering all implemented, I believe it would return a Go to our Web site at How bad are the problems? A direct spending and all other taxes – for taxable considerable amount of usurped National https://www.lp.org/membership pre-2009 quote from the U.S. Government income in excess of the poverty exemption Power to the States while making federal Accountability Office (GAO): “GAO’s amount plus $25,000. spending more visible to state residents. I You may also start a monthly pledge long-term simulations continue to show Four deductions would be permitted: have no pride of authorship in the follow- online by clicking on “Contribute Today” ever larger deficits, resulting in a federal charitable contributions, retirement con- ing draft and would welcome professional on the main page of LP.org and selecting debt burden that ultimately spirals out of tributions up to current 401(k) plan limits, editing: the option to start a monthly pledge. control.” From a financial perspective, our high deductible health care premiums along Upon enactment of this Amendment to A message will go to LPHQ and someone country is in trouble. Printing of money with contributions to health savings ac- the Constitution of the United States of will be contacting you shortly. is not a solution – and regulation of the counts (HSAs) and primary home mortgage America, the Sixteenth Amendment to that Federal Reserve Bank is a must. interest. Dividends would be tax-deduct- Constitution is repealed and henceforth the Renew over the phone: Many people despise the income tax ible to corporations to the extent paid to Federal Government of the United States Call the National Office at because it taxes economic success. These individuals and individuals would include will submit its annual budget to the states same people fail to find fault in a consump- dividends in ordinary income. Capital for proportional payment from each state to (202) 333-0008 between the hours tion tax that taxes enjoyment of the suc- gains would be subject to a 20 percent the United States Treasury. This submission of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. eastern, cessful. Having debated Fair Tax experts tax after indexing the cost of investments to the States will be made not later than six Monday through Friday. and written a book and articles on the Fair for inflation. I also proposed cutting the months prior to the beginning effective date Tax proposal, I am certain the numbers do maximum corporate rate from 35 per- of the budget and payment from the States If calling after hours, please leave a not come close to working and the proposal cent to 25 percent, regulating the Federal will be due not later than four months from message and we will return your call will never become law. Reserve Bank and cutting of spending by receipt of their portion due. Each states as soon as possible. There is no doubt our income tax sys- 25 percent. I enumerated each area where tem is a complex mess. Particularly for I would fight for cuts, from entitlements to continued on page 6 Libertarian Party News SEND NEWS, ARTICLES, (ISSN 8755-139X) is the official ESSAYS OR newspaper of the LP News PHOTOGRAPHS: Libertarian Party® of the United Libertarian Party States. Opinions and articles L P N E W S : 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 200 published in this newspaper do not A publication of the Washington, D.C. 20037 necessarily represent official party Libertarian Party Phone: (202) 333-0008 positions unless so indicated. E-mail: [email protected] Produced by: Libertarian Party NATIONAL CHAIR: Headquarters SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: Libertarian Party E ditor E M E R I T U S : William Redpath 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 200 Karl Hess • 1923-1994 2600 Virginia Ave, NW, Suite 200 Washington, D.C. 20037 Washington, D.C. 20037 Or call: (202) 333-0008 E-mail: [email protected] The Mission Statement of the Libertarian Party: “To move public policy in a libertarian direction by building a political party that elects Libertarians to public office.” Vol. 39, Issue 3 The Libertarian Party - www.LP.org Page 3 Please help: Budget Slashed from $1.6 to $1.2 Million, The Parliamentarian But We’re Still $75,000 Behind With LP Parliamentarian M Carling It’s an honor to be serving as your new Executive Director. Table or Postpone? Unfortunately, the first thing I have to report is bad news. I need your help fast. n the LP, the motions to Lay on the Table and to Postpone are often used The Libertarian National Committee slashed its budgeted revenue from $1.6 million in 2008, to $1.2 mil- Iincorrectly. lion in 2009. But as of June 30, 2009, the party was already $75,000 short. There are two variants of the motion to Postpone: Postpone to a Certain Time and I hope you will send a donation in the included envelope to help get the Libertarian Party back on a Postpone Indefinitely. growth trajectory. The motion to Postpone to a Certain Time is the proper motion to use when the intent is to take a matter up again at a later time. Republicans and Democrats continue to take away our freedoms and deliver huge government growth. This is the motion, not the motion to Lay Because Republicans have failed to respect liberty on economic issues, and Democrats have failed to on the Table, to use to postpone a question respect civil liberties, the Libertarian Party is uniquely positioned to capture the support of a huge seg- to be taken up either at a specific time or ment of Americans who distrust big government and want more freedom. after another specific question. Debate is limited to the merits of postponement and However, survival of the Libertarian Party is not guaranteed. Most political parties fade away pretty cannot go into the merits of the main mo- quickly.