Wednesday, November 24, 2010

USS Rebel Crusader Mentioned In Wall Street Journal Article Covering Brooklyn Chili Takedown

The USS Rebel Crusader, a Star Trek/Sci-Fi fandom ship associated with the Pride Power Imperium, was mentioned in an article published in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, November 23, 2010. The article dealt with a Brooklyn Chili Takedown that took place in Park Slope on Sunday, November 21, 2010.

The article, entitled "In Brooklyn, a Chili in the Air" by Andy Battaglia, can be found at:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704243904575630872363195574.html

The relevant quotation from the article is the following:

Tom Stevens, a lawyer from Queens, learned about the event by way of a "Star Trek"/science-fiction "fan ship" on the internet called the USS Rebel Crusader, for which he serves as Commanding Officer. "My mom is always watching the food channels, so I think that influenced me," Mr. Stevens said of his decision to attend his first food competition. "But I'm very egotistic. I make my own judgments." Asked how he felt after eating so much chili, he replied, "I'm a little hot right now."

The USS Rebel Crusader is a Star Trek/Sci-Fi/Action Hero fandom ship associated with the Pride Power Imperium. It is a time ship equipped with ablative armour, phase cloaking and stealth technology. All members of its genetically enhanced crew have a life span of between 200-250 years and have enhanced strength, intelligence, health, virility and looks. The male members of the crew are also particularly well-endowed. The USS Rebel Crusader holds meetings, sponsors events, goes to movies, attends conventions, and shares sci-fi information as well as hard science news.

The ship's Yahoo Group is located at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/USS_RebelCrusader

The USS Rebel Crusader's slogan is "Semper Erectus". Its motto is "Never Go Off Half-Cocked" and its adopted quotation is "Wrong thinking is punishable; Right thinking will be as quickly rewarded!" (The Keeper - Talos IV)

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Alden Link Resigns MLP Membership In Protest To Its Treatment Of LPQC Members Sam Sloan & Dr. Tom Stevens

On November 23, 2010, Alden Link, the Libertarian Party's Candidate for Lt. Governor of New York State in 2010, resigned his membership in the Manhattan Libertarian Party in protest to the way it and the New York Libertarian Party has treated Libertarian Party of Queens County members Sam Sloan and Dr. Tom Stevens.

In an e-mail to Mark Axinn, New York Libertarian Party Chair and Manhattan Libertarian Party Secretary/Treasurer, Alden Link wrote the following:

I am saddened by the dispute between the LPQC and the MLP, with Tom Stevens and Sam Sloan in particular being victimized by the NYLP and MLP.

I feel my continued membership in the MLP is not in my best interests or that of the LPQC. Therefore, I hereby tender my resignation from the Manhattan Libertarian Party.

Should the two groups reconcile their differences with apologies to Tom and Sam, I would certainly reconsider this decision.

Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC Political Director, responded as follows:

I appreciate Alden Link ending his association with the Manhattan Libertarian Party. The MLP's County Committee declared war on the Queens LP by asking its Political Director to resign his membership and by suspending the membership of Sam Sloan, a prominent LPQC member, who was unanimously elected by the MLP membership to be its State Representative. In addition to that, Mark Axinn, as NYLP Chair, spoke in favor of forming a Special Committee to investigate charges against John Procida, the former LPQC Chair, as a prelude to taking action to suspend Procida's State Party membership, as was just done to former LPQC State Representative Dr. Tom Stevens, and LPQC member Sam Sloan, who the LPQC endorsed as its candidate for governor.

Mark Axinn believes the insults and injuries to the LPQC can just be swept under the rug and that by taking no further aggressive actions against the Queens LP leadership, that all will simply be forgiven. This will not happen!

I can confidently say the Libertarian Party of Queens County seeks peaceful, friendly relations with the Manhattan Libertarian Party. All that is required to restore good relations is an apology to Sam Sloan and myself with an invitation extended to us to rejoin the Manhattan Libertarian Party. 

Mark Axinn and the County Committee of the Manhattan Libertarian Party created this situation and it is within their power to resolve it. However, without justice, there can and will be no peace!

Alden Link is a member of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and is Chair of the Hudson River Valley Libertarians (covering Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia & Greene counties), a chapter of Empire State Libertarians.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Sam Sloan Shafted By The Manhattan LP's "Libertarian Ruling Junta"

What happens to a State Representative elected by the membership of the Manhattan Libertarian Party when he is not a member of and chooses to ignore the advice of the MLP's "Libertarian Ruling Junta"? The answer? He gets shafted, suspended and spirited out the door! That is what happened to Sam Sloan, who was unanimously elected by the membership of the Manhattan Libertarian Party at its Annual Convention held in January, 2010 at the Ukrainian East Village Restaurant located in Manhattan.

In late January, 2010, Sam Sloan announced he would run for the gubernatorial nomination of the Libertarian Party against Warren Redlich and Kristin Davis. When Davis and Sloan were denied the opportunity to communicate with the 400+ eligible voting delegates to encourage them to attend the NYLP Annual Convention and to support their candidacies, Kristin Davis dropped out of the "rigged" process and formed her own party, eventually running for governor as the candidate of the Anti-Prohibition Party. After 27 delegates handed Warren Redlich the Libertarian Party's gubernatorial nomination in an election run by Mark Axinn on the "honor system", Sam Sloan instituted two lawsuits, which were eventually dismissed on technicalities.

Ron Moore - Manhattan LP Chair and Mark Axinn - MLP Secretary/Treasurer consider themselves part of the entrenched leadership of the Manhattan LP and refer to themselves affectionately as the Libertarian Ruling Junta reflecting their perception of themselves as an entrenched anti-democratic force. They requested that Sam Sloan, the elected MLP State Representative, terminate his lawsuits, that he stop criticizing Warren Redlich, and eventually that he resign. Sam Sloan sought advice from Dr. Tom Stevens, the elected State Representative from the Libertarian Party of Queens County. Dr. Stevens told Sam Sloan that he was elected by the membership and that he is answerable only to them. Dr. Stevens reminded Mr. Sloan that the County Committee of the Manhattan Libertarian Party did not select him to be the MLP State Representative and that they could not dictate to him what stands he should take, what words he can speak and certainly cannot force his resignation. Article VI, Section 7 of the MLP bylaws provide a procedure for an "officer" to be impeached for good cause by a 3/4 vote of the County Committee but the State Representative is not an "officer" according to the MLP bylaws and is therefore not subject to this provision. Dr. Stevens advised Mr. Sloan to do as he saw fit and to represent MLP members to the best of his abilities and according to his own judgment.

The County Committee then voted to "suspend" Sam Sloan's membership in the Manhattan Libertarian Party, effective August 11, 2010, as a back-door method of shafting him and removing him from his position as the elected State Representative. In an e-mail to Dr. Stevens, Mark Axinn set forth the grounds for Sam Sloan's suspension.

Mark Axinn said:

He was suspended in part because he refused to resign as State Committee rep. when requested to do so. I believe the by-laws are ambiguous on whether the State rep. can be removed like other officers can be, and that is something we must clean up at the next Convention.

Justification for Sam's removal is crystal clear and, unlike the State Committee action against you, I personally supported it without hesitation. I have helped Sam and defended him against others for a long time and his response was to sue the LPNY and me. He has caused me to spend over $5000 of my own time on his two bullshit lawsuits, which even if the claims therein were true (which they are not) does not justify his use of the State against me, the LPNY and its duly nominated choice for Governor.

I warned Sam about a million times what was happening and he ignored me and flouted my advice, perhaps taking the wrong advice from others and perhaps on his own initiative. That was his decision.

The problem is that Article IV, Section 3 of the MLP bylaws allows only three grounds for the suspension of the membership of an MLP member and Sam Sloan was in violation of none of those provisions. The three grounds are:

1. follows a continued public course of action which they should reasonably know to be contrary to the Objectives and Principles of the MLP as set forth in Articles II and III of these By-Laws;

2. claims to represent the MLP while they should reasonably know they have no such authority; or

3. knowingly, seriously and repeatedly disrupts meetings or activities of the MLP.

Clearly Sam Sloan did not represent the MLP without authority and he certainly did not disrupt any meetings or activities of the MLP so what about following a "continued public course of action" contrary to the Objectives and Principles of the MLP? Well let's look at Articles II and III:

Article II: Objectives

The MLP is a political organization that has as its primary objective the extension of individual freedom to its furthest limits, subject to reasonable prohibitions to prevent the initiation of force and perpetration of fraud. In recognition of the fact that the initiation of force by government has been an instrument for the expropriation of individual rights and freedom, which has in turn caused or enable much unnecessary suffering in human society, the MLP enters the political arena for the avowed purpose of limiting the intervention of government to the prevention or violence against person and property, as well as fraud, and the development and protection of property rights.

Article III: Principles

1. That each individual possesses the inalienable right to life, liberty, justly acquired property and the pursuit of happiness.

2. That no person or institution, public or private, has the right to initiate the use of physical force against another absent the justifications mentioned herein.

3. That all individuals are entitled to choose their own lifestyles, as long as they do not forcibly or unduly impose their values on the property or person of others.

4. That the only moral basis of politics is the development, preservation and protection of individual rights. 

5. That the voluntary and unrestricted exchange of goods and services is fundamental to a peaceful and harmonious society.

Sam Sloan, the elected State Representative for the Manhattan Libertarian Party, clearly did not engage in a "continued public course of action...contrary to the Objectives and Principles of the MLP" and in fact, you could argue that by instituting lawsuits to expose fraud, he was acting in a manner consistent with the Objectives and Principles of the MLP. In addition, his failing to resign when the Libertarian Ruling Junta asked him to provides no grounds for his membership suspension under the MLP bylaws.

Despite these facts, a Suspension Hearing was held. Majoritarian Tyranny voted to Shaft Sloan and by suspending his membership, the County County effectively removed him as the State Representative of the Manhattan LP, appointing in his place Eric Sundwall, a resident of the Capital District LP, who also was serving as the Campaign Manager of Warren Redlich.

Abuse of power should be condemned especially when it takes place in a Libertarian Party organization. Sam Sloan and the membership of the Manhattan Libertarian Party are owed a formal apology for the authoritarian actions taken by the County Committee of the MLP in violation of the provisions of their own By-Laws.

Dan Halloran - The 1st Governor Elected On The Libertarian Party Line?

New York City Council Member Dan Halloran represents 161,000 constituents and is the highest elected Libertarian Party official in the nation elected from a single district in a partisan race. He ran as a fusion candidate and appeared on the ballot in 2009 as the candidate of the Republican, Conservative, Independence and Libertarian Parties. He credits the Libertarian Party for giving him the votes he needed to win since the number of votes he received on the Republican Party line alone were insufficient to beat his Democratic opponent. What is the next step for Dan Halloran and how might he end up becoming the first Libertarian Party candidate to be elected Governor of a state?

On Saturday, November 13, 2010, Dan Halloran was the guest speaker of the Libertarian Party of Queens County. During that meeting, he mentioned his commitment to serve as a New York City Council Member for only two terms even though he is eligible to serve for three terms under the grandfather clause attached to the amendments to the New York City Charter, which were approved this year. He also mentioned during his speech that he may be called upon to run for State Senate in the 11th Senatorial District since 38 year incumbent Republican Party member Frank Padavan lost that seat this year. If he does run for the State Senate, he will be able to do so in 2012 without risking his City Council seat, which is up for re-election in 2013.

If Dan Halloran won the State Senate seat in 2012, he could run for Attorney General of the State of New York in 2014 and then run for Governor in 2018, at the earliest. While my time line may be off, I believe the path I have spelled out is a reasonable one to give Dan Halloran a shot at becoming Governor of the State of New York. While addressing the Libertarian Party of Queens County, Mr. Halloran stated he believed the Libertarian Party's first Governor would be an individual running as a fusion candidate with our endorsement. Of course, Queens LP members shouted they'd like that person to be Dan Halloran himself.

Dan Halloran is a member of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and the national Libertarian Party. He attended the Libertarian Party's National Convention in St. Louis, Missouri in 2010 as a delegate from New York State.

Friday, November 12, 2010

John Procida Resigns As LPQC Chair Calling The New York State Libertarian Party "Worthless, Good-For-Nothing & Ineffectual"

John Procida, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, resigned from his position as LPQC Chair on Saturday, October 9, 2010 after the State Committee of the New York Libertarian Party failed to provide him with the written apology he had demanded. Mr. Procida was upset that the State Committee had formed a Special Committee to investigate whether to suspend his membership in the State Party.

John Procida was the third member of the Libertarian Party of Queens County to be targeted in this manner since June, 2010. Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC State Representative, was the first LPQC member to have his State Party membership suspended by the State Committee. In response, Dr. Stevens resigned his Life Membership in the New York Libertarian Party. Sam Sloan, an LPQC member who also was the elected State Representative for the Manhattan Libertarian Party, was the second LPQC member who was targeted. His membership was also suspended and he chose not to appeal that decision.

After not receiving the apology he requested, Mr. Procida decided to sever his ties with the State Party, which necessitated his resignation as LPQC Chair since maintaining his State Party membership is a requirement for his serving in that position. When announcing his resignation, he called the State Party "worthless", "good-for-nothing" and "ineffectual".

John Procida announced his resignation as LPQC Chair at the Executive Committee Meeting of the Libertarian Party of Queens County that was held on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at Bohemian Hall in Astoria, New York.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Personal Freedom Party Adopts Slogan

On November 11, 2010, the Personal Freedom Party adopted the following Slogan:

Tell Your Children! Fight The Menace! Kill The Devil! Save The Country!

The phrase was used in the song "Reefer Madness" from Reefer Madness: The Musical, which is a musical satire of the 1938 cult movie classic Tell Your Children (now commonly referred to as Reefer Madness).

The Personal Freedom Party was founded by Dr. Tom Stevens on June 6, 2010. Its initial focus is to recruit candidates to run for pubic office in New York State as well as to seek out pro-liberty individuals willing to serve in leadership positions.

The Personal Freedom Party's main objective is to run a full slate of statewide candidates in 2014 and to obtain 50,000 votes for its gubernatorial nominee so the party can obtain "minor party" status under the election law of the State of New York.

Stevens Will Not Organize For Ron Paul This Presidential Election Cycle

Given the high probably that Ron Paul will again seek the nomination of the Republican Party for President in 2012, Dr. Tom Stevens has announced he will not serve as an Organizer or Coordinator on behalf of the Ron Paul Campaign in any official or unofficial capacity.

In 2007 and 2008, Dr. Stevens served as Political Consultant and New York Coordinator for the independent Paul For President Coalition. In that capacity, he formed scores of Ron Paul Meetup Groups throughout the country and ran them until local activists could take them over. He then formed additional Ron Paul Meetup Groups and repeated the process. He provided critical political expertise that resulted in developing extensive grassroots support for the candidacy of Ron Paul. Press Releases were sent out, Conference Calls were held. Yahoo Groups were formed and County Coordinators were appointed throughout the nation. Major fundraising competitions were held and new activists were trained in how to be effective getting out the message to potential voters.

Dr. Stevens also formed the Paul Power organization and Ron Paul's Liberty Corps to promote the Ron Paul Presidential Campaign. These two groups provided the Ron Paul Campaign with many local activists and staffers and they worked to promote the numerous Money Bombs that proved to be so important in getting the message out to potential voters during the Presidential Primary Season.

When making this announcement, Dr. Stevens said:

I do not want my decision to be interpreted as a lack of support for another Ron Paul candidacy. If Dr. Paul won the Republican Presidential Nomination, which is possible, I believe that would be a great advance for pro-liberty political forces in this country. I originally got involved in 2007 to support Ron Paul at a time when no grassroots organization existed. I offered my time and political expertise to build support for his candidacy and in this regard, I believe I made a significant contribution. During this Presidential Election Cycle, I can focus my attention on other political activities I am committed to and can do so with the confidence that others are now in place to do what will be necessary in the weeks and months ahead.

Dr. Tom Stevens is a registered Republican Party member residing in New York State. He is the Founder of Empire State Libertarians and Libertarian Patriots. He is also the Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Personal Freedom Party Adopts Platform

On November 5, 2010, the Personal Freedom Party, founded by Thomas Robert Stevens, announced the adoption of a Platform it intends to use as a candidate recruitment tool and as the basis for future campaigns for public office.

The Personal Freedom Party Platform includes support for the:

Legalization of Marijuana
Decriminalization of Prostitution
Legalization of Gambling
Lowering of the Voting Age
Legalization of Gay Marriage
Elimination of Excessive Taxation
Elimination of Excessive Regulation

The Personal Freedom Party was founded by Dr. Tom Stevens on June 6, 2010. Its initial focus will be to recruit candidates to run for pubic office in New York State as well as to seek out pro-liberty individuals willing to serve in leadership positions.

The Personal Freedom Party's main objective is to run a full slate of statewide candidates in 2014 and to obtain 50,000 votes for its gubernatorial nominee so the party can obtain "minor party" status under the election law of New York State.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Dr. Tom Stevens, Objectivist Party Chair, Endorses Tom Tancredo In The Colorado Gubernatorial Race

Dr. Tom Stevens, Founder and Chair of the Objectivist Party, has endorsed Tom Tancredo for Governor of Colorado. Mr. Tancredo is running as the candidate of the American Constitution Party against John Hickenlooper, the Democrat, and Dan Maes, the Republican.

Dr. Stevens has encouraged all Objectivist Party members living in Colorado to cast their gubernatorial votes for Tom Tancredo, in light of the fact that the Objectivist Party of Colorado decided not to run a candidate for Governor this year and because of Tom Tancredo's stands on the issues, namely his support for lowering taxes, limiting state spending, protecting 2nd Amendment Rights and ending illegal immigration.

For more information, visit Tom Tancredo's website at: http://www.tancredoforgovernor2010.org/