Saturday, August 21, 2010

Christopher Cantwell Ends His Bid For Congress After Libertarian Activists Fail To Support His Campaign

On August 17, 2010, Christopher Cantwell, who was nominated by the Suffolk County Libertarian Party for Congress in the 1st C.D., announced he was stepping down from the race due to his failure to gather the necessary number of signatures required to make it onto the ballot. Mr. Cantwell expressed frustration regarding the fact that libertarian activists failed to provide the support he was expecting to receive.

This was not an unexpected development especially since Christopher Cantwell was recently quoted as saying he believed the Second Amendment as currently written guarantees to all citizens the right to privately purchase and possess nuclear weapons and that he was prepared "to use violence in support of the cause of Liberty so long as it would have a worthy impact". While a number of libertarian activists were upset about these statements, others were even more concerned that Christopher Cantwell was an ex-convict who is returning to serve more jail time after the November election. The result was that many people sat on their hands while providing only lip service in support of his campaign.

While announcing his decision not to submit an insufficient number of petition signatures to the Suffolk County Board of Elections, Christopher Cantwell wrote:

For all my talk of responsibility being at the core of all things Libertarian, I let the responsibility for this race rest upon others. I rushed in head first, without organization or structure, without resources or means, without planning or clearly defined purpose. I just went ahead and did and said whatever came to mind at the moment, with the childish idea in my head that it would all work out because I stood for what was right, and good, and just. I cared not whom I offended, I cared not who supported my cause, I cared not for much but the idea in my own mind, which though I knew to be right, I also knew to be not well articulated...

I was angry, and rightfully so, as were most of my supporters, and even many of my detractors. And while I reject the notion that it is never good to come off as angry, I allowed my anger to consume too much of my message, and in the process alienated people with whom I should have been natural allies. I've realized through hard lessons over the course of this campaign, that alliances are necessary to achieve any goal, and while a candidate should not compromise principles, he need not ridicule everyone with whom he disagrees, and should work with people who agree with him enough to work with.

I attempted to run my campaign like a Libertarian would run a government, without central planning or demands. Emailing out electronic copies of petitions and asking everyone to do their best. This is a foolish thing to do in a campaign for office. Libertarianism is a philosophy of government wherein people should not be compelled to servitude by force of the state. But people freely enter into service when they join a campaign, people have the liberty to seek leaders, and those leaders then take on a responsibility of leading them into victory. I have failed in this sense of my responsibility to those who decided to follow me, by not providing them with the leadership they needed.

Long Island Libertarians, a chartered chapter of Empire State Libertarians, recently endorsed Randy Altschuler for Congress from the 1st C.D. in Suffolk County. Mr. Altschuler is a small government conservative who is seeking to obtain the Republican Party's nomination for Congress. Details regarding that endorsement are at: http://drtomstevens.blogspot.com/2010/08/long-island-libertarians-endorses-randy.html

Dr. Tom Stevens, who serves as Chair of Long Island Libertarians, has been in frequent contact with the Altschuler campaign and was convinced that a Cantwell candidacy would be an embarrassment to the Libertarian Party and would only siphon off votes that might ensure an Altschuler election day victory. It appears that the threat of a challenge to the Cantwell petitions alleging fraud may have influenced Cantwell's decision to drop out of the race since his plea bargain may have been revoked forcing him to face 4 years in a state penitentiary.

On this issue, Cantwell wrote:

Not that I fear it, but it is worth a mention that your partner in crime, Tom Stevens, sought to have me prosecuted for said fraud by encouraging the Altschuler campaign to make such threats, knowing that I have taken a plea bargain in my Felony DWI case in which I agreed to be sentenced to 45 days in county jail and plead guilty to a misdemeanor instead of the felony, which would be revoked and my allocution used against me at trial if I catch another charge no matter how frivolous. In other words, I submit insufficient petitions, statists charge me with fraud, lose their case, and I still get subjected to 4 years in prison for a crime that never took place. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Dr. Tom Stevens, Chair of Long Island Libertarians, said:

Many libertarian activists were concerned about Christopher Cantwell's opinion that the Second Amendment as currently written allows citizens the right to privately purchase and possess nuclear weapons and about his recent announcement that he is fully prepared to give his life and to use violence "in support of the cause of Liberty" so long as it would have "a worthy impact". Is Cantwell another Home-Grown Right-Wing Terrorist in the making? He already has a criminal history and often refers to himself as a Sovereign Individual as many extreme, right-wing militia members do. This ex-convict still serves in positions in the Suffolk County Libertarian Party and in the New York Libertarian Party. The only good news is that libertarian activists were aware of the public relations disaster his candidacy for Congress would have been and therefore denied him the support he needed to obtain ballot access. I encourage all Long Island Libertarians to support Randy Altschuler for Congress in the 1st C.D.

Dr. Tom Stevens is the Founder of Empire State Libertarians and Libertarian Patriots of New York. He also serves as Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Randy Credico, Libertarian Party Candidate For U.S. Senate, Says "I'm Not A Libertarian. I'm A Liberal."

Just hours after the Libertarian Party in New York State filed over 34,000 petition signatures to get Randy Credico on the ballot as its candidate for United States Senate against Charles Schumer, it was reported by Tom Brune of New York Newsday on August 17, 2010 that Mr. Credico recently said, "I just need a #!%^#$& line to be on in the general election. I'm not a libertarian. I'm a liberal."

Gary Popkin, State Representative for the Brooklyn Libertarian Party, said:

Claiming NOT to be a libertarian might be viewed as favorable in some places, such as Manhattan's upper west side, and might get us more votes than it loses, votes against wars, the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act, bailouts, and corporate welfare.

Jim Lesczynski, Director of Media Relations for the Manhattan Libertarian Party, disagreed:

I don't see how it can be viewed as favorable by anyone for him to announce to the world that he's a Machiavellian jerk who just used us and told us whatever we wanted to hear in order to get our ballot line. Traditionally, politicians wait until after election day to reveal that they're lying weasels.

Former New York State Libertarian Party Chair Richard Cooper said:

I won't waste my vote on Credico. I will write-in John Cain, who should have been our nominee for governor instead of the two egomaniacs (Warren Redlich & Sam Sloan) who were at the convention.

But Mark Axinn, current New York Libertarian Party Chair, defended Credico saying:

Randy came to the Manhattan Libertarian meeting in New York. He won the nomination in Albany. He petitioned for us. He opposes the drug war, the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, corporate welfare and bailouts. He brings people to the Libertarian Party who never knew of it before. We are not right-wing Republicans and we should not act precipitously based on one rather unfortunate comment in one newspaper one time. I heard him tell people to vote for him on the Libertarian line about a dozen times on Fred Dicker's radio show in Albany two days ago. Does that count? Or, in this age of purifying the Party, do we lop off candidates' heads too?

I am not issuing statements telling people to ignore the choices of the delegates at the Convention. To the contrary, I hope the voters will vote the entire Libertarian line.

If Randy Credico's petition signatures are not successfully challenged, he will be the candidate of both the Anti-Prohibition Party and the Libertarian Party for United States Senate against incumbent Senator Charles Schumer.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Sam Sloan Loses LP Gubernatorial Nomination Challenges On Procedural Grounds

On Tuesday, August 17, 2010, the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division (First Department) rejected two appeals taken with respect to Orders issued by Supreme Court Justice Edmead on cases brought by Sam Sloan claiming the nomination and election process of the New York State Libertarian Party was rigged in favor of Warren Redlich, the eventual nominee. Justice Edmead dismissed Sam Sloan's two gubernatorial nomination challenges on procedural and technical grounds and the Appellate Division's upholding of Justice Edmead's Orders means that the substantive issues raised in Sam Sloan's lawsuits will never be litigated.

Sloan's first lawsuit sought the opportunity to communicate with the 400-500 members of the New York State Libertarian Party so he could send them campaign literature and encourage them to attend the New York State Libertarian Party Convention, which was held in Albany, New York on April 24, 2010. Both Sam Sloan and Kristin Davis, who is now running for governor as the candidate of the Anti-Prohibition Party, were denied the right to campaign and lobby the eligible voting delegates and, as a result, Warren Redlich was handed the nomination with only 27 delegates voting for him. Justice Edmead ruled that since the margin of victory for Redlich over Sloan at the State Convention was more than just a few votes, that the issue was moot. Sloan felt Justice Edmead made an error in law when she ruled in this manner because he argued that if he had the opportunity to lobby all eligible delegates that many more would have attended the convention.

Sloan's second lawsuit sought to set aside the actual vote at the State Convention that handed the nomination to Warren Redlich on the grounds that fraud actually took place during that nomination process. Ignoring the fact that the State Party did not seem to have a complete list of voting delegates, the actual voting process was conducted on the "honor system" with individuals, regardless of whether they had a wristband entitling them to vote, being permitted to submit votes on scraps of paper into a passing hat. Sloan had at least two witnesses who saw people vote more than once, who saw ineligible individuals vote and, who, in one case, saw someone collect another person's ballot and pocket it instead of placing it into the passing hat. Justice Edmead dismissed this lawsuit on the grounds that the New York State Election Law states that challenges to actions that take place at the convention of a party committee must be commenced within ten (10) days of the convention being held. Sloan felt Justice Edmead made an error in law because the New York State Libertarian Party is not a major or minor party in New York State and is, therefore, not subject to New York State Election Law when it comes to issues of internal party structure and rules.

The dismissal of Sam Sloan's appeals means that the substantive issues of whether candidates seeking the nomination of the New York State Libertarian Party have a legal right to communicate with voting delegates to lobby them in advance of the State Convention and whether a nomination process conducted on the "honor system" can be upheld when there is evidence of actual fraud and ballot-stuffing, will never be addressed.

Sam Sloan has said he is in the process of preparing a Motion for Leave to Appeal both cases to the Court of Appeals, New York State's highest Court and that he intends to file that Motion in Albany on August 19, 2010.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Stevens Resigns Manhattan Libertarian Party Membership

On August 16, 2010, Dr. Tom Stevens, former four-term State Representative of the Manhattan Libertarian Party, resigned his MLP membership. He did so at the request of Mark Axinn, MLP Secretary, who wrote the following to Dr. Stevens earlier in the day:

Several officers of the MLP are concerned that some of your recent activities are at variance with the objectives of the Manhattan LP. In particular, you have formed organizations and reserved domain names which are substantially similar to those already in use by the State party, perhaps with the intent to confuse and divert potential supporters of the LPNY. You have publicized and perhaps encouraged some or all of Sam Sloan's recent activities, including his filing of fraudulent petitions at the BOE claiming to be the Libertarian Party candidate. Earlier today, you indicated your willingness to resign your membership in the MLP. I believe that may be in both the MLP's and your best interests at this time and therefor request that you do so.

Dr. Stevens responded to these charges as follows:

I did purchase the domain names lpny.org, lpny.net and lpny.info for the Libertarian Patriots of New York organization I formed on May 31, 2010. Those domain names were not in use and I reserved them. On July 4, 2010, I also formed Empire State Libertarians, which is not a Libertarian Party organization. These domain names and organizational names are not "substantially similar to those already in use by the State party" and I did not form them "with the intent to confuse and divert potential supporters" of the State Libertarian Party.

As for Sam Sloan, I advised him not to file suit against the State Party and I was unaware that any petitions were filed on his behalf. In fact, I believe Sam Sloan was unaware his son was going to file those petitions. I did publicize Sam's actions and lawsuits on my blog because I thought it was newsworthy.

None of my actions are "at variance with the objectives of the Manhattan LP." Nevertheless, I did promise to resign if I was asked to do so and since I am a man of my word, I followed through on the resignation when it was requested. I am sad this request was made and I believe it reflects the latest trend in the State Libertarian Party to suspend and seek to expel all critical voices who have tried to make the party a more effective political entity.

Dr. Tom Stevens is the Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and is the Founder of Empire State Libertarians. He served as the elected State Representative for the Manhattan Libertarian Party from January 10, 2004 to January 8, 2005, from January 8, 2005 to January 21, 2006, from December 11, 2006 to January 20, 2007 and from January 20, 2007 to May 14, 2007.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

John Procida, LPQC Chair, Grants Permission To LPNY, Inc. To Use The "Libertarian Party" Name

Pursuant to the provisions of the New York State Not-For-Profit Corporation Law, a newly forming corporation using the name of an existing political party must attach to its Certificate of Incorporation the consent of the chairman of that political party in the county where the new corporation will maintain its principal office. John Procida, the duly elected Chair of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, a chartered chapter of Free Libertarian Party, Inc., the officially chartered New York State affiliate of the national Libertarian Party, recently gave his permission for a new Queens County-based Libertarian Party organization to be incorporated. The name of that new Libertarian Party organization is Libertarian Party of New York, Inc. and it was incorporated pursuant to the laws of the State of New York on August 9, 2010.

Dr. Tom Stevens, Political Director of Libertarian Party of Queens County, commented on the incorporation of Libertarian Party of New York, Inc. as follows:

I do not believe that the consent of John Procida, LPQC Chair, was required for the incorporation of Libertarian Party of New York. Both the words "libertarian" and "party" have been used generically for decades and the "Libertarian Party" as an entity has never obtained "political party" status under New York State Election Law because it has failed to obtain 50,000 votes in any past gubernatorial election. However, just in case the argument is made that a consent was required because the Libertarian Party is a recognized "political party" under the laws of the State of New York, the incorporator of Libertarian Party of New York, Inc. obtained the consent of John Procida, LPQC Chair, to use "Libertarian Party" in the name of this new Queens County-based corporation. I thank John Procida for using his legal authority in a manner that will continue to promote libertarianism more effectively than it has been promoted in the past.

Sam Sloan Beats Warren Redlich To The New York State Board Of Elections To Claim The "Libertarian Party" Name

On August 12, 2010, Sam Sloan, who has two cases pending in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, contesting the gubernatorial nomination of Free Libertarian Party, Inc., became the first candidate to file an Independent Nominating Petition for Governor of New York State seeking to run under the "Libertarian Party" name. Sam Sloan's petitions list his name as the gubernatorial nominee instead of Warren Redlich but then lists the other statewide candidates that also appear on the Independent Nominating Petition that Warren Redlich has been circulating. When Warren Redlich's team files his petitions, the policy and procedure of the New York State Board of Elections will require them to call Redlich and ask him to select a different party name to run under.

Dr. Tom Stevens, Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, explained the possible scenarios that can take place as follows:

It is my legal opinion that the "Libertarian Party" has not obtained "political party" status in the State of New York and is not subject to the provisions of the New York State Election Law because it has never obtained 50,000 votes in a gubernatorial election. As a result of this fact, the corporation known as Free Libertarian Party, Inc., the New York State chartered affiliate of the national Libertarian Party is more in the nature of a private club. It may hold a "convention" to decide who will run but those candidates still need to run for office as "independents" circulating Independent Nominating Petitions, not as the official nominees of a political party recognized under the Election Law. The first to file, in this case Sam Sloan, gets to select his choice of party name and he selected "Libertarian Party". Candidates filing Independent Nominating Petitions for the same office after that first filing, will be asked to select other party names.

It is highly unlikely the New York State Board of Elections will reject the Sloan petition as being inadequate on its face before the deadline for submitting Independent Nominating Petitions has passed since any petition signatures submitted for the other five statewide candidates on the Sloan petition will be added to the signatures submitted for those candidates on the Redlich petition. Even if the New York State Board of Elections ultimately determines after General and Specific Objections that the number of petition signatures submitted on behalf of Sam Sloan as the gubernatorial candidate of the Libertarian Party are insufficient, that does not resolve the issue that Warren Redlich will probably have already been asked to select a different party name. To address this issue, the Redlich team will need to file a lawsuit in the Supreme Court of the State of New York seeking an injunction against Sam Sloan forbidding him to use the "Libertarian Party" name on the grounds he was not nominated at the "convention" held by Free Libertarian Party, Inc. but that issue is already the subject of two Appellate Division cases currently pending. That lawsuit will also need to name the New York State Board of Elections as a defendant in order to compel them to allow Warren Redlich to run as the Libertarian Party candidate for Governor.

These possible scenarios may or may not happen. They have been constructed based on my legal knowledge and political expertise. How the situation actually pans out may be completely different than we can anticipate or predict. While the number of petition signatures submitted on behalf of Sam Sloan as the Libertarian Party candidate for Governor of the State of New York appear from reports I have received to be short of the number of valid petition signatures necessary to qualify for placement on the ballot, Mr. Sloan's mere filing of a petition has created real legal issues that will need to be resolved.


Dr. Tom Stevens is the Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and the Founder of Empire State Libertarians.

Long Island Libertarians Holds Luncheon At Taverna Kyclades In Queens County, New York

On Saturday, August 14, 2010, Long Island Libertarians hosted a Luncheon at Taverna Kyclades located at 33-07 Ditmars Blvd. in Astoria, New York. Nine people were in attendance including Carl Person, the Libertarian Party's candidate for Attorney General and John Clifton, the Libertarian Party's candidate for United States Senate (against Gillibrand) . Sam Sloan, who is still contesting the nomination of the Libertarian Party for Governor, and Dallwyn Merck, who serves as Vice-Chair of Downstate Libertarians, also attended. The Luncheon was hosted by Dr. Tom Stevens, Chair of Long Island Libertarians.

Long Island Libertarians is a chartered chapter of Empire State Libertarians. It promotes libertarian activism in Kings County, Queens County, Nassau County and Suffolk County. On August 7, 2010, Long Island Libertarians endorsed Randy Altschuler, who is seeking election to Congress from the 1st Congressional District (New York).

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Libertarian Patriots Of New York Changes Its Name To Libertarian Patriots

On August 9, 2010, the Governing Board of Libertarian Patriots of New York changed the name of the organization to Libertarian Patriots in order to accommodate the patriotic libertarians throughout the country who requested an opportunity to join on the grounds that the issues they face in their states are identical to those faced by patriotic libertarians living in New York State.

Libertarian Patriots of New York (LPNY) was originally founded by Dr. Tom Stevens on May 31, 2010 in response to his anger that a deliberate decision was made by anti-patriotic anarchists not to fly the American Flag at the Libertarian Party's National Convention that was held in St. Louis, Missouri over Memorial Day Weekend and their subsequent negative comments about the United States of America in general.

Libertarian Patriots is a group of proud, patriotic Americans who respect and honor this country, its Founding Fathers, and the United States Constitution, while supporting libertarian principles such as support for a smaller government, lower taxes and more individual freedom.

If you are interested in membership or a leadership position in Libertarian Patriots, contact Dr. Tom Stevens, our Founder, at DrTomStevens@aol.com

More information about Libertarian Patriots can be found at http://www.lpny.org/ and on its Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=111650602215541&ref=ts

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Objectivist Party Holds Two-Day National Convention In St. Louis, Missouri Over Memorial Day Weekend

The Objectivist Party, founded by Dr. Tom Stevens on February 2, 2008, held a two-day National Convention in St. Louis, Missouri over Memorial Day Weekend, 2010.

The first session of the National Convention was held on Saturday, May 29, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m. at Show-Me's on The Landing located at 724 North First Street, St. Louis, Missouri. The website is http://www.showmes.com/

The second session of the National Convention was held on Sunday, May 30, 2010 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at The Kitchen Buffet & Bistro (inside Lumiere Place Casino) located at 999 North Second Street, St. Louis, Missouri. The website is http://www.lumiereplace.com/thekitchen_buffet.aspx

During the first session of the National Convention of the Objectivist Party, the delegates in attendance approved of the direction, policies and organizational structure set by the Governing Board for the Objectivist Party and gave the Governing Board full authority to continue to run the Objectivist Party as it has since the party's founding on February 2, 2008. The delegates also unanimously reaffirmed their full confidence in the leadership of the Objectivist Party.

During the second session of the National Convention of the Objectivist Party, the delegates unanimously nominated Thomas Robert Stevens to be the candidate of the Objectivist Party for President of the United States in 2012 and Alden Link to be the candidate of the Objectivist Party for Vice-President of the United States in 2012. Dr. Tom Stevens is currently a resident of New York. Alden Link is currently a resident of both New York and Florida.

Dr. Tom Stevens and Alden Link were the nominees of the Objectivist Party for President and Vice-President, respectively, in 2008. They appeared on the ballot in Colorado and Florida.

More information about the Objectivist Party can be found at http://www.objectivistparty.us/

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Christopher Cantwell, LP Congressional Candidate In New York, Looking Forward To Using Violence To Pursue The Cause Of Liberty

Is former and future ex-con Christopher Cantwell, the Suffolk County Libertarian Party's nominee for Congress in the 1st C.D., a potential right-wing, home-grown terrorist?

There appears little doubt this is true, especially since in a statement made on August 7, 2010, Christopher Cantwell said he wouldn't mind "sacrificing" his "body for Liberty" and "would die for it if it made a worthy impact". Mr. Cantwell recently decided not to use violence against Park Police officers who objected to his petitioning on park grounds but responded as follows when challenged as to why he did not use violence in this instance: "I did not think violence was the most effective way to pursue the cause of Liberty. Though at other moments, it may very well be, and I look forward to participating then."

Mr. Cantwell's full statement was:

I've been beaten before, not that big a deal. Arrested too, I had enough cash for bail. I don't mind sacrificing my time or my body for Liberty. Truly I would die for it if it made a worthy impact. It just so happened, that at this particular moment, I did not think violence was the most effective way to pursue the cause of Liberty. Though at other moments, it may very well be, and I look forward to participating then.

Dr. Tom Stevens, Founder of Empire State Libertarians, responded:

I am very disturbed by the fact that the Suffolk County Libertarian Party has endorsed an individual who looks forward to participating in violence as a means to pursue liberty. Violence is never an effective way to pursue the cause of Liberty and only turns law-abiding people against the right-wing terrorists and their causes. I would think that Christopher Cantwell would have learned that lesson after seeing how the country turned against Timothy McVeigh. The only way to change the hearts and minds of Americans to make them more conscious of the benefits of smaller government, lower taxes and respect for our constitutional principles is through reasoned debate and non-violent political advocacy.

I do not believe Christopher Cantwell is lying about his willingness to turn to violence and become a martyr for the cause of Liberty. This is a man who is an ex-convict and who, in November, will be a convict again; this time to serve a short jail sentence on what could have been a 4-year stint in the state penitentiary, had he not plea bargained at the last moment. I have no doubt, based on the reactions and behavior I have observed, that Christopher Cantwell is serious about looking forward to using violence to pursue the cause of Liberty. I am shocked the Suffolk County Libertarian Party would embrace such a man as a candidate for Congress and that Free Libertarian Party, Inc., the State Affiliate of the national Libertarian Party, would elect such a man to serve on its State Committee as an At-Large Representative.

Dr. Tom Stevens is the Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and is Founder of Empire State Libertarians.

Long Island Libertarians Endorses Randy Altschuler For Congress (1st C.D. NY)

On August 7, 2010, Long Island Libertarians, a chartered chapter of Empire State Libertarians, announced its endorsement of Randy Altschuler for Congress from the 1st Congressional District (New York), which is located entirely in Suffolk County. In announcing the endorsement, Dr. Tom Stevens, Chair of Long Island Libertarians, said, "Randy Altschuler is a candidate who believes in smaller government, lower taxes and respect for the constitutional rights of all Americans."

The following are excerpts of statements made by Randy Altschuler regarding his positions on issues:

I am a proud fiscal conservative committed to free market principles. My top priority is to promote proven pro-growth and low tax policies for the First Congressional District and our nation. I know that low taxes, a renewed focus on revitalizing small business and the indefatigable spirit of American ingenuity promises to return our country to economic prosperity. That's why I signed Americans for Tax Reform's "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" -- opposing any effort to raise taxes. As a small businessman, I know firsthand the challenges of starting a business from scratch, meeting a payroll and the pride that comes with creating jobs. Today, hardworking Long Islanders feel the burdensome effect of a Democrat-controlled Congress, with no check and balance on their authority. Their big government model of massive spending and higher taxes has produced anemic growth and few jobs for our struggling economy. We must stop the Washington politicians from spending trillions of dollars we don't have and strapping future generations with massive debt we can't afford. It's essential that we cut the corporate tax rate which serves as a stranglehold on the competitiveness of American companies abroad. Government's proper role in the economy is to facilitate opportunity for individual initiative and entrepreneurship -- not to stifle its growth with ever-increasing financial and regulatory burdens. I believe my experience building companies and creating jobs has prepared me to contribute to changing the culture in Washington from day one.

We must support our nation's military by providing the best training, technology and equipment available. I am committed to ensuring that America stands ready to effectively confront the global security challenges of the 21st Century, such as terrorism and nuclear proliferation. We must ensure: that our military remains the world's strongest and most agile, able to handle traditional and evolving threats; that our intelligence community receives the full backing of the federal government -- in word and deed -- and becomes ever more proficient at anticipating impending danger; and that we continue to nurture the international alliances and relationships that promote peace and security.

I will work tirelessly to preserve the rights of the individual and our state by upholding the constitutional limits and restraints placed on government by our nation's founders. I will fight to defend every law-abiding American's right to protect their family and property.

Randy Altschuler is seeking the nomination of the Republican Party for Congress in the 1st C.D. and is seeking to unseat Tim Bishop, the incumbent Democratic Congressman. Long Island Libertarians considered endorsing Christopher Cantwell, the nominee of the Suffolk County Libertarian Party for Congress from the 1st C.D., but rejected him on many grounds, including the fact that he is an ex-convict and a future convict, and because Mr. Cantwell believes the United States Constitution as currently written entitles United States citizens to purchase and privately own nuclear weapons, a position that caused Jeff Grizlo, a Suffolk County resident, to call him "Kooky Cantwell".

On May 2, 2010, Mr. Cantwell posted the following to a Libertarian Party Yahoo Group:

I’ve had the nuclear 2nd Amendment discussion before and I agree, the Constitution does not define arms, so I see legitimacy to the argument that the 2nd Amendment, as written, would provide such a protection as radical as that may be, a Constitutional Amendment defining arms would be required to outlaw private ownership of nuclear weapons.

On May 6, 2010, Jeff Grizlo, Executive Vice-President of Rising Action who is also a Suffolk County resident wrote:

I am used to people getting elected to Congress who later get arrested. It is an interesting twist in the natural order of things and certainly a change in tactics for the Suffolk County Libertarian Party to consider nominating an ex-con right up front. People deserve second chances but there are a few problems with this particular prospective candidate. While he was incarcerated in the year 2000, he has been very silent about the circumstances that surrounded his arrest and conviction. All he has said is that he did not go to prison for "good behavior" and that if he raped a 4 year old girl, he would like to think the Suffolk County Libertarians would not be considering given him their nomination. I am not so sure. In addition to being an ex-con, there is evidence that he has not been fully rehabilitated. According to recent reports, he is currently awaiting trial on a D.W.I. charge. Finally, I recently criticized Christopher Cantwell for his stated belief that the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution as currently written gives a constitutional right to all citizens to privately own and possess nuclear weapons. For that stand, I called him Kooky Cantwell. So basically, the Suffolk County Libertarian Party is set to endorse an alcoholic, ex-con who believes everyone has a current constitutional right to own and possess nuclear weapons. Perhaps it's the Suffolk County Libertarian Party that should be called kooky!

Dr. Tom Stevens, Chair of Long Island Libertarians, provided this update:

It appears that at the time this discussion was taking place, Christopher Cantwell was facing an upcoming trial on two felony charges that promised to land him in prison for four years. On the eve of trial, he plead guilty to misdemeanor charges and agreed to serve time in jail after Election Day in November.

The following are excerpts from a statement made regarding this issue by Christopher Cantwell on June 22, 2010:

While I was on a date, on Saturday March 7th 2009 at 3:30am, I was pulled over for doing 55mph in a 40mph zone in Easthampton NY. I had been drinking...The officer asked me to exit the vehicle and perform some sobriety tests...His police report stated that I failed all 3 tests...I was taken to the station, and there I was asked, under threat of my license being suspended, and my being arrested, and my vehicle seized anyway, if I would submit to a breath alcohol test...I was charged with one count of felony driving while intoxicated; per se, and one count of felony driving while intoxicated...I have, the entire time, intended to fight these charges, relying on the last hope for Justice in America – a Jury of my peers. But, in the last hours before jury selection a final plea offer was made. The offer was that I would be sentenced to 45 days in the county jail, of which I will serve 30, minus the 1 day I had in from my arrest, and plead guilty to one misdemeanor count of DWI per se. If I was found guilty at trial, I would have faced a felony conviction and up to 4 years in a state penitentiary. The arrangement was worked out so that I will return for sentencing on November 15th 2010, after the election, and my 30th Birthday which is on November 12th. I will be released before Christmas, and before I would take office if elected.

Dr. Tom Stevens, Chair of Long Island Libertarians, said:

After considering the qualifications and positions of all the candidates seeking election to Congress from the 1st Congressional District, there was no doubt in our minds that Randy Altschuler is the candidate who will best represent libertarian principles and who has the credibility to actually get elected to Congress.

Long Island Libertarians is a chartered chapter of Empire State Libertarians representing libertarians and libertarian-minded individuals in Kings County, Queens County, Nassau County and Suffolk County.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Empire State Libertarians Endorses Alden Link, Libertarian Party Nominee For Lt. Governor Of New York State

On August 5, 2010, the Governing Board of Empire State Libertarians endorsed Alden Link, who is the Libertarian Party Nominee for Lt. Governor of New York State.

Alden Link received the endorsement of Empire State Libertarians after indicating to the Governing Board his full agreement with the following Candidate Endorsement Statement for Election Year 2010:

If elected, I will take action to bring about smaller, more efficient, government as well as fewer and lower taxes. I intend to work to stimulate the economy and to create jobs by reducing corporate taxation and bureaucratic regulation. I do not believe it is the government's role to bring about social change, to redistribute wealth, or to pass laws criminalizing conduct that causes no direct harm to others. I will do what I can to bolster the value of our currency, to reduce the national debt, to better defend our borders, to keep our military strong, and to protect those individual rights guaranteed to all Americans in the United States Constitution.

Mr. Link also agreed to place the fact of his endorsement by Empire State Libertarians and the Candidate Endorsement Statement on his website. Those references are located at:
http://aldenlink-for-ltgovernor.com/alden-link-candidate-for-lt-governor-of-nys.html

Alden Link has also promised to work to:

Reduce government.

Make the Lt. Governor's job a part time position for half pay.

Reduce or eliminate non-funded State mandates for local governments.

Stop enforcing marijuana laws and make use and possession legal.

Support all second amendment rights.

Provide equal rights for all people regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation.

Clear jails of non-violent drug offenders.

Make property taxes affordable.

Eliminate State government except for infrastructure: roads, bridges, and police.
Dr. Tom Stevens, Founder of Empire State Libertarians, stated:

Alden Link becomes the first candidate formally endorsed by Empire State Libertarians for Election Year 2010. We are proud to offer him our support and wish him the best of luck in his campaign to be elected Lt. Governor of the State of New York.

Dr. Tom Stevens founded Empire State Libertarians on July 4, 2010.

Gary Popkin, Former Brooklyn LP Chair, Supports Regressive Taxation & Children Starving As "A Great Incentive" For The Poor To "Get Rich"

On August 2, 2010, Gary Popkin, the former Brooklyn Libertarian Party Chair and current State Representative for the Brooklyn LP, announced his support for regressive taxation. He also stated his belief that starving children provide "a great incentive" for the poor to "get rich"!

His full quotation on the matter is as follows:

I think regressive taxes are good. Taxing poor people at a higher rate than rich ones gives the poor an incentive to get rich and get out of that high tax bracket. I think children starving presents a great incentive, too.

There is no evidence this statement was made in jest or as a joke. It was made as part of a general discussion taking place on the issue of taxation and made as a counterpoint to an argument being put forth that gasoline taxes hit the poor most directly.

Dr. Tom Stevens, Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, responded as follows:

Although the Supreme Court of the United States disagrees, I believe that taxing citizens at a higher or lower rate depending on how much money they earn violates the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution. If the Income Tax Rate is 10%, then a person making $10,000.00 should pay $1,000.00 and a person making $100,000.00 should pay $10,000.00. It is unconscionable to tax the higher income earning citizen at a rate of 30% and force him to pay $30,000.00. It would be even more unjust for the low-income earning person to be taxed at a higher rate than the higher-income earning person. In my opinion, that would not provide "the poor an incentive to get rich and get out of that high tax bracket" as Gary Popkin suggests. Breaking out of poverty is not a simple process. Often, poor people have attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that prevent them from breaking out of their circumstances. I also do not believe that allowing children to starve will provide the "great incentive" Gary Popkin believes it would to encourage poor people to "get rich". It is statements such as these by Libertarian Party leaders that illustrates why the party hasn't been able to obtain ballot access in New York State for almost four decades.

Dr. Tom Stevens is also the Founder of Empire State Libertarians and Libertarian Patriots of New York.

Objectivist Party To Celebrate Skyscraper Appreciation Day On August 10th

Skyscraper Appreciation Day, founded by Dr. Tom Stevens, is celebrated on August 10th, the birth date of William Van Alen, the primary architect behind the construction of the Chrysler Building, one of the most popular skyscrapers in New York City. Dr. Stevens started Skyscraper Appreciation Day so people can appreciate the engineering and architectural marvels we know as skyscrapers, which represent the triumph of reason and of man's industrial nature.

The Objectivist Party, which Dr. Tom Stevens founded on February 2, 2008, will celebrate Skyscraper Appreciation Day on August 10, 2010 and will encourage its members to do one or more of the following:

1. Research the history of skyscrapers.

2. Visit an interesting skyscraper near your home.

3. Select photos of your favorite skyscrapers and post them to the "Photos" section of the Skyscraper Appreciation Day Facebook Group located at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=41259490414&ref=ts

4. Visit "The Skyscraper Museum", a private, not-for-profit, educational corporation devoted to the study of high rise buildings, which is located in lower Manhattan. http://www.skyscraper.org/home.htm

5. Help spread the message of Objectivism and of the importance of human reason by joining the Objectivist Party http://www.objectivistparty.us/ by sending your full name and address, e-mail and contact phone number (indicating if it is a cell or home number) to Dr. Tom Stevens, Objectivist Party Chair, at DrTomStevens@aol.com (Membership is free and is open to anyone in the world)

Ayn Rand loved skyscrapers, not only for their phallic erectness, but also because they symbolized exactly what she stood for and what she thought was best about not only our country but the whole of Western civilization. She wrote the following paean to one such building in The Fountainhead:

The building stood on the shore of the East River, a structure rapt as raised arms. The rock crystal forms mounted in such eloquent steps that the building did not seem stationary, but moving upward in a continuous flow - until one realized that it was only the movement of one’s glance and that one’s glance was forced to move in that particular rhythm. The walls of pale gray limestone looked silver against the sky, with the clean, dulled luster of metal, but a metal that had become a warm, living substance, carved by the most cutting of all instruments - a purposeful human will; the skyscrapers, the shapes of man’s achievement on earth. (The Fountainhead, pgs. 300 & 327)

In an article entitled "The Skyscraper: A Gesture To Reason, Freedom and Human Life" (April 27, 2003) published in Capitalism Magazine, Joseph Kellard wrote:

The skyscraper's true symbolic gesture is captured best by philosopher Leonard Peikoff, when he said of his associate Ayn Rand: 'New York, the skyscrapers, everything that man had traversed from the time of the cave to the time of this glorious and industrial civilization, that was to [her the pinnacle of human achievement in physical terms.] It wasn't just acquiring philosophy. It was acquiring ideas, acquiring science and then remaking the earth accordingly. And she couldn't think of a more splendid and exciting and beautiful place than that view that you get of the skyscrapers when you don't see the details of each one, but the mass of ingenuity and talent soaring for the sky.'

Regarding New York's skyline, Ayn Rand said:

I would give the greatest sunset in the world for one sight of New York's skyline... The sky over New York and the will of man made visible. What other religion do we need?... When I see the city from my window - no, I don't feel how small I am - but I feel that if a war came to threaten this, I would throw myself into space, over the city, and protect these buildings with my body.

Dr. Tom Stevens currently serves as Chair of the Objectivist Party and as President of the Objectivist Party of New York. He founded Skyscraper Appreciation Day in 2008.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Objectivist Party Of New York Members Demonstrate Against Charlie St. Cloud

On Saturday, July 31, 2010, members of the Objectivist Party of New York demonstrated in front of the AMC Loews Fresh Meadows 7 movie theater in Queens, New York encouraging people not to see Charlie St. Cloud, the new movie starring Zac Efron. OPNY members were particularly upset with the mysticism and supernatural elements portrayed in the film.

OPNY members participating in the demonstration held signs that read:

There Is No White Light!

Dead People Cannot Be Seen!

There Are No Miracles

Half-Dead People Don't Suddenly Appear In Cemeteries Leaving Notes!

Stop Being Superstitious! This Is Not The 12th Century!

Dead Boys Cannot Set Off Flares!

Touching A St. Jude Medal Cannot Bring Someone Back To Life!

Use Your Logic & Reason!

Dr. Tom Stevens, OPNY President, said:

When individuals see television shows and movies that treat the existence of gods, ghosts, angels, miracles and magic as being real, people without good reasoning abilities tend to believe such things may be possible because science cannot prove for sure they don't exist. However, when someone believes in mysticism and is superstitious, the burden of showing that such things exist lies with them. It is deeply depressing to think many people in this world still have faith in fantastic explanations for what takes place in the natural world and that supernatural forces intervene on a regular basis to alter reality to benefit them. No one can see or speak to the dead, aliens are not abducting people, knocking on wood has no effect and everything does not happen for a reason. I hope one day all people will use logic and reason to lead productive, purposeful lives. A culture dominated by movies such as Charlie St. Cloud does not help the human race to progress rationally and intellectually. In fact, it has the opposite effect.

Dr. Tom Stevens founded the Objectivist Party on February 2, 2008 and currently serves as its Chair. He also serves as President of the Objectivist Party of New York.