WWW.LP.ORG M i n i M u M G o v e r n M e n t • M a x i M u M F r e e d o M The Party of Principle™ Order Quiz Door Hangers on Page 7 August 2010 The Official Newspaper of the Libertarian Party Volume 40, Issue 3 Meet Your 2010 Libertarian Party Candidates - Page 7 Redpath Takes Top Honors at Convention - Page 8 Chairman’s LPLibertarians Launch News Quiz Across America Corner by Arthur DiBianca courage people to visit the LP website to ..................Page 2 join the party. I want to put every willing Libertarian “One of the things that has always in America to work!” says Wes Bene- frustrated me is when people contacted the Letters to the “dict, executive director of the Liber- Libertarian Party offering to volunteer, but Editor tarian National Committee. we didn’t have a good way to put them to .................Page 3 The LP is implementing a plan to dis- work,” said Benedict. “This has proved to tribute Libertarian door hangers to volun- be a great, simple way for both new and teers nationwide. The effort is titled “Quiz long-time Libertarian volunteers to pro- Across America.” mote our party.” State Affiliate In each of the 2006 and 2008 elec- While the Libertarian Party is al- News tion years, while Benedict served as the ways looking for new candidates and ..................Page 5 executive director of the Libertarian Party party officers, those activities can require of Texas, the state party printed and distrib- a significant investment of time, and lots uted about 200,000 Libertarian door hang- of people aren’t able to make such a big ers. “In 2010, I’m hoping we can send at commitment. “Putting up 200 door hang- What Have You least a million of these all across America,” ers just takes three or four hours in an aver- Missed at LP.org? said Benedict. age urban or suburban neighborhood,” said ...............Page 16 The door hangers feature the World’s Inside this Issue Smallest Political Quiz and brief informa- ...continued on page 6 tion about the Libertarian Party. They en- See larger images inside on page 6. 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. Libertarian National Committee, Inc. Committee, National Libertarian NON PROFIT ORG PROFIT NON PAge 2 the LibertAriAn PArty - www.LP.org August 2010 Folks who support partisan races see the Party and to the cause of freedom. Chairman’s Corner value in getting the name Libertarian be- So, rather than view these two strat- fore the voters and the media, and will fund egies as mutually exclusive, let’s change cause our membership numbers are slowly them voluntarily. that paradigm and see it as meeting the rising, I think we’re doing a slightly bet- Folks who support local winnable needs of both groups. An Introduction ter job of listening. And our finances are races will fund them voluntarily. And, of course, there are folks who by Mark Hinkle much improved as well. Another good Folks who support non-winnable rac- reside in both camps. sign we seem to be on the right track. es will fund them voluntarily. I’ve run for non-partisan office twice his is my As a service organization, which is Folks who support top-down man- and the State Assembly five times, and I first col- what the LP is, we have to serve our mem- agement (LNC directed projects) will fund am currently running in a special election Tumn as bers and donors—our customers—or they them voluntarily. in California’s 15th State Senate district. LNC Chair. go elsewhere. Folks who support grassroots organi- Plus I’ve given funds to winnable races Let me By the way, while serving as a re- zations will volunteer and fund them vol- (John Inks for City Council most recently) briefly introduce gional representative on the LNC these last untarily. and to non-winnable races, such as every myself. I’ve been two years and since becoming LNC Chair, Folks who want to run on a reform presidential candidate since John Hospers. involved with the I’ve become more aware of the talented platform with interim strategies will do so. And I’ve given money to ballot access, Libertarian Party and very dedicated staff we have at LP Likewise, radicals will run on a radi- even though California, where I live, al- since voting for Headquarters. We’re very fortunate that cal or anarchist platform. ready has ballot access. And I’ve written John Hospers for we have a very bright and very hardwork- The LP, as an organization, must sup- so many anti-tax and anti-bond measure President in 1972, and I officially joined in ing HQ staff. They know how to make port all of these strategies because that’s statements that I’ve lost count. 1974. I’ve been at this a long time. things happen. what our membership wants. Even if we So, let’s stop viewing these strate- I’d like to share a lesson I’ve learned Some folks want the LP to run more could, and we can’t, why would we want to gies in terms of what’s “right” and what’s along the way. During my time in the Par- candidates for local winnable races. Hope- stop anyone from pursuing a strategy they “wrong” or what’s “more cost effective” or ty, I’ve seen plenty of post-election blues, fully no one is against that idea. I certainly think will work and especially if they’re “less cost effective” and view them instead infighting, and finger pointing. I’ve heard am not. putting their time, money, and talent where as multiple strategies that have supporters just about every possible organizational And other folks, myself included, their mouth is? who are willing to support them. And we, strategy championed, from grassroots to want to see the LP run a Libertarian presi- Ditto for those who want educational as a service organization, need to support top-down and everything in between. dential candidate, even with little hope of campaigns or any other type of campaigns, all of our customers. If we don’t, they During my race for LNC Chair, I that candidate getting elected. Ditto for such as campaigns against tax or bond won’t come back. heard from a number of activists, and even U.S. Senate races, Congress, and most measures. In the long term, if one of those many more since being elected. Some want us state legislative positions, which are just To exclude any group is to weaken strategies is the “right one,” we’ll have to concentrate only on winnable (typically not winnable currently. the organization and prolong our fight for helped the cause of freedom. non-partisan) races, while others want to So, where’s the conflict and why the freedom. Nothing wrong with that, is there? show the flag in partisan races with the LP disagreements? If those who support winnable cam- Logo waving proudly. Here’s how I see it: some folks who paigns are more persuasive or more suc- My job as LNC Chair is to facilitate support candidates running for local office cessful, they’ll likely raise more money. as many of these strategies as we can, with see money spent on non-winnable races as So, they’ll get more of what they want. the limited resources we have available. a waste of money. Ditto for those who want the LP to Our members and donors really do But, since it’s not their money, why run more candidates for partisan offices. tell us what they want from the LP. Some- should they object to other people funding For the most part they are non-winnable times we listen well, sometimes not. Be- non-winnable races? currently, but they provide other benefits to 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 The Purposes of the Libertarian Party: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 200 published in this newspaper do not The Party is organized to implement and give voice to the principles embodied in the State- Washington, DC 20037 necessarily represent official party ment of Principles by: functioning as a libertarian political entity separate and distinct from all Phone: (202) 333-0008 positions unless so indicated. other political parties or movements; moving public policy in a libertarian direction by building E-mail: [email protected] a political party that elects Libertarians to public office; chartering affiliate parties throughout NATIONAL CHAIR: the United States and promoting their growth and activities; nominating candidates for Presi- Send AddreSS chAngeS to: Mark Hinkle dent and Vice-President of the United States, and supporting Party and affiliate party candi- Libertarian Party 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 200 dates for political office; and, entering into public information activities. 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20037 Washington, DC 20037 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (202) 333-0008 L P N E W S EdITor: Email: [email protected] Wes Benedict [email protected] VoL. 40, issue 3 the LibertAriAn PArty - www.LP.org PAge 3 credible economist I’ve read concur that Hoover, FDR and their misguided stim- The Time is Now Letters to the editor ulus programs and economic controls succeeded in prolonging what should he liberty movement is larger and Strategy Recommendations solutions).