The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPA) held its first annual statewide Holiday Party on Saturday, December 15, 2012 from 12 noon to 3:00 p.m. at the Shady Maple Smorgasbord located at 129 Toddy Drive, East Earl, PA 17519, which is in Lancaster County.
Twenty-four people attended including Bill Redpath, a member of the Libertarian National Committee; Paul Rossi, the attorney who helped the party successfully defend its petitions against a GOP challenge this past Summer & Fall; Dr. Tom Stevens, LPPA State Chair; Betsy Summers, LPPA Eastern Vice-Chair; Roy Minet, Chair of both the Marketing and Media Relations Committees; John DiLiberto, Judicial Committee Member; Nicholas C. Hillman, Bucks County LP Chair; Brad Cooper, Bucks County LP First Vice-Chair; Marc Connuck, Bucks County LP Second Vice-Chair; Andrew McReynolds, Carbon County Representative for the Libertarian Party of Lehigh Valley; and Richard Schwartzman, Chester County LP Second Vice-Chair.
Besides Bill Redpath, who drove up from Virginia, the following counties were represented at the Holiday Party:
Marc Connuck (Bucks County)
Brad Cooper (Bucks County)
Diana Hillman (Bucks County)
Nicholas C. Hillman (Bucks County)
Andrew McReynolds (Carbon County)
Douglas Miller (Carbon County)
Joshua Chaires (Chester County)
Richard Schwartzman (Chester County)
Chuck Boust (Cumberland County)
Seth Freiberg (Dauphin County)
Joel Hammer (Dauphin County)
Paul Thompson (Delaware County)
Roy Minet (Lancaster County)
Fred Musser (Lancaster County)
Tracey Musser (Lancaster County)
Donald Noll (Lancaster County)
Paul Rossi (Lancaster County)
Alex Humanick (Lehigh County)
John DiLiberto (Luzerne County)
Betsy Summers (Luzerne County)
Dr. Tom Stevens (Philadelphia County)
Karla A. Felty (Schuylkill County)
Shawn M. Felty (Schuylkill County)
With individuals from eleven (11) Pennsylvania counties attending, there is already talk about the LPPA scheduling a Holiday Party for next year.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
The Future Is In Your Hands - An Article By LPQC Member Ed Konecnik
Ed Konecnik, a member of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, submitted the following article for publication:
The Future Is In Your Hands
by Ed Konecnik
Flushing, New York
November 5, 2012
It has been prognosticated that the two momentous and consequential events of 2012 will be the end of the Mayan calendar and the possible re-election of President Barack Obama. Either event has the potential to cause some dismay and discomfort.
Before you vote, please consider the following: are we as human beings not really responsible for our own acts, so that we need a government to direct and control us? Must we yield our individual rights to a ruling elite that makes laws it wishes and forces them upon everyone in any manner it wishes? Do we wish to institute the welfare state policies of Greece and other European Union countries whose economies have been devastated to the brink of ruin? Do we really believe we can legislate the poor out of poverty and multiply wealth by dividing it?
Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged warned: "When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing; when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods but in favors; when you see that men get rich more easily by graft than by work, and your laws no longer protect you against them, but protect them against you, you may know that your society is doomed."
Should we prepare for more than one cataclysmic event in 2012?
We can't change the Mayan calendar but we can vote.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Democrats & Republicans Will Give You More Of The Same - An Article By LPQC Member Ed Konecnik
Ed Konecnik, a member of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, submitted the following article for publication:
Democrats & Republicans Will Give You More Of The Same
by Ed Konecnik
Flushing, New York
November 2, 2012
Don't be despondent if your candidate does not win. Let me assure you it matters not a whit. For over a half century, Democrats and Republicans have taken turns at presiding over the economy, guiding and managing our national debt, deficit and social programs to the brink of bankruptcy. We have spent many decades switching seats but changing nothing. Both parties continue to debate how to spend more money we don't have and matters that are trivial in comparison to the fiscal crisis we face. We have been doing the same thing, that is, voting for one or the other expecting different results, a process Albert Einstein called insanity.
Do you think this election will be different? Check your premise. Both parties endorse the core principle of a powerful beneficent government and supported TARP, bailouts for the auto industry, banks, etc. Few politicians speak of solutions and even fewer about our debt crisis, impending bankruptcy of Social Security and Medicare and unsustainable social welfare programs. There's no way to increase taxes to the degree necessary to cover those benefits without draining capital from the economy and sharply reducing the middle class standard of living. There aren't enough taxes to raise from the wealthy and businesses to deal with what we face and no one is talking about scaling back the size of government in order to live within our means. Americans owe a sum of money we can never ever repay.
The results of this election will ensure the size of government and our debt will continue to grow and we will again be lulled into a false sense of security and apathy. As a nation, we are inexorably moving towards an illusory utopia of social justice and equal outcomes for all - that is, until we run out of other peoples money.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Libertarians Say The Innocent At Penn State Should Not Be Punished
Dr. Tom Stevens, Chair of the Libertarian Party of
Pennsylvania, issued the following statement today on behalf of the party after
its Board of Directors voted to take this stand at a meeting held on Saturday,
July 21, 2012, in Millheim, Pennsylvania:
Some argue that Penn State the institution should be punished for the actions of a few. But an institution cannot be punished; only individuals can be punished. Any attempt to sanction an institution just punishes the individuals currently affiliated with it and that is unjust. Clearly, present and future Penn State students and, indeed, the Penn State community at large have zero complicity in the Sandusky Scandal. A ham-handed response is not called for. The NCAA actions against Penn State will have a huge negative impact on current and future students and will harm many businesses that support the local economy.
"Former Penn State Assistant Football Coach Jerry Sandusky
has been convicted and awaits sentencing.
Others who engaged in criminal activity or legal negligence are being
investigated and in time will be dealt with in accordance with the law once all
the facts become known. However, it is grossly unjust to allow emotional
outrage at the presumed actions or inactions of an isolated handful of
individuals to result in the punishment of innocent Penn State students and the
many businesses that thrive in and around State College due to the success and
prestige of Penn State and its academic and athletic programs.
Today’s NCAA penalties against Penn State’s college football
program end up creating more victims and punishing the wrong people. Not
allowing Penn State to participate in Bowl Games for 4 years harms the careers
of current and future players. Cutting back on scholarships Penn State can
offer prevents the school from recruiting the best players in the years to
come, which hurts the entire football program as well as the reputation of the
school. Striking victories from the record books as if they never took place is
downright Orwellian and again harms the wrong people.
Some argue that Penn State the institution should be punished for the actions of a few. But an institution cannot be punished; only individuals can be punished. Any attempt to sanction an institution just punishes the individuals currently affiliated with it and that is unjust. Clearly, present and future Penn State students and, indeed, the Penn State community at large have zero complicity in the Sandusky Scandal. A ham-handed response is not called for. The NCAA actions against Penn State will have a huge negative impact on current and future students and will harm many businesses that support the local economy.
If additional individuals are found to have been guilty of
criminal activity, they should be punished accordingly, but no penalty should
be enforced that harms even one innocent person."
i
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Applause! Applause! Review of The Rocky Horror Show at Cultural Arts Playhouse by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens
This review of the musical The Rocky Horror Show performed at the Cultural Arts Playhouse was written by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens and published in Volume X, Issue 2 (2012) of the online edition of Applause! Applause!
The Rocky Horror Show
Cultural Arts Playhouse (625 Old Country Road, Plainview, NY)
Reviewed 7/8/12
The Rocky Horror Show, a long-running horror comedy stage musical, opened in London, England on June 19, 1973. It was written by Richard O'Brien, produced and directed by Jim Sharman. It tells the story of a newly engaged couple, Brad and Janet, who get a flat tire in a storm and visit the home of a transvestite scientist in search of a phone to call for help (This was, of course, in a time before cell phones). That scientist, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, was in the process of unveiling his new creation, Rocky Horror, who he intends to marry (Frank's previous partners were Eddie and originally, Columbia). The musical was adapted into the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which today has a worldwide cult following. The Rocky Horror Show had a revival on Broadway, which did not last long, but a second revival from October 2000 to January 2002 at the Circle in the Square Theatre was nominated for Tony Awards in the Best Actor, Best Costume Designer, Best Director and Best Musical Revival categories.
The Rocky Horror Show at Cultural Arts Playhouse, playing Saturdays at midnight through August, provides an enjoyable experience to all who are lucky enough to see it. If you are a "virgin" (someone who has not seen the play before), the audience participation and call backs might irk you but it is all part of the fun. What started as ad lib responses to the script of the play or movie has evolved into more tightly scripted acceptable responses occasionally altered by creative new lines and modern cultural references. A wrong call back might draw a bad reaction but a good one will be applauded. The only problem is that a prejudiced audience member might feel they have permission to express their distaste for something they observe such as Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Rocky going arm in arm to their bridal suite after getting married. Just as audience members continue to call Janet a "slut", others could, in theory, call Brad or Frank a "fag" or say, "why don't you come out of the closet already" not fully understanding the multi-leveled sexual preferences portrayed in the script.
While the play may be a parody of "B" Science Fiction movies, I believe it has drawn its large fan base due to its basic message that it's O.K. to be different. Dr. Frank-N-Furter, played with attitude by Phil Rosenburg, is a self-confident, but vulnerable, transvestite who sexually seduces both Brad and Janet, innocent kids who end up experiencing more than they anticipated before the night is over (and it's not even "half-bad", is it?). Riff Raff, a drug-using hunchbacked handyman, and Magenta, his sister and the maid, are servants who have a problem with Frank's "extreme lifestyle" yet it is implied by their "elbow sex" dance they may actually be sleeping with each other. Finally, all Frank's guests who do the Time Warp are dressed very uniquely sending the message that all are welcome in this menagerie of aliens from Transsexual, Transylvania, and by extension, you are welcome no matter how unconventional and abnormal you may be. This all comes across as encouraging people to be themselves and this message is a universal one with great attraction to young people seeking to develop their own unique style and identity.
Overall, the cast was very talented. Phil Rosenburg commanded the stage as he needed to in the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. William Manton and Samantha Kramer as Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, respectively, were believable as the innocent kids. Danielle Jenkin was impressive as Columbia. Ashley Nicastro and Matthew DeMaria as Magenta and Riff Raff succeeded in making the audience dislike their characters (As an aside, it appeared by his costume that Riff Raff came from the planet Ork instead of the planet Transsexual). There was alternative casting as Maggie Robinson, a woman, played both Eddie and Dr. Scott. Jesse Pimpinella was perfect as Rocky. If you're going to make yourself a man, then Jesse, given his good looks and attractive body, is the man you'd want to make. Mike Visconti as the Narrator really hit some high notes by improvising dialogue and scenes such as when he continued to offer his cell phone to Brad (who was looking for a phone to call for help) and when he continued to "come on" to Rocky once even attempting to kiss him. However, then there were moments that didn't work quite so well such as when he over-reacted to audience call backs or when he placed his hand up between his and Jesse's lips because he didn't tell Jesse or the Director what he planned to do. Zachary Levy did a great job directing this production allowing for improvisation that resulted in Dr. Scott, the rival scientist, getting killed in the end when he didn't move off stage fast enough. Such unexpected plot twists can add a new dimension of enjoyment to watching this musical.
All your favorite musical numbers are here including Science Fiction/Double Feature, Time Warp and Sweet Transvestite but if I had to choose the song that best reflects the theme of this musical, I would say it's "Don't Dream It, Be It!"
The Rocky Horror Show at Cultural Arts Playhouse, playing Saturdays at midnight through August, provides an enjoyable experience to all who are lucky enough to see it. If you are a "virgin" (someone who has not seen the play before), the audience participation and call backs might irk you but it is all part of the fun. What started as ad lib responses to the script of the play or movie has evolved into more tightly scripted acceptable responses occasionally altered by creative new lines and modern cultural references. A wrong call back might draw a bad reaction but a good one will be applauded. The only problem is that a prejudiced audience member might feel they have permission to express their distaste for something they observe such as Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Rocky going arm in arm to their bridal suite after getting married. Just as audience members continue to call Janet a "slut", others could, in theory, call Brad or Frank a "fag" or say, "why don't you come out of the closet already" not fully understanding the multi-leveled sexual preferences portrayed in the script.
While the play may be a parody of "B" Science Fiction movies, I believe it has drawn its large fan base due to its basic message that it's O.K. to be different. Dr. Frank-N-Furter, played with attitude by Phil Rosenburg, is a self-confident, but vulnerable, transvestite who sexually seduces both Brad and Janet, innocent kids who end up experiencing more than they anticipated before the night is over (and it's not even "half-bad", is it?). Riff Raff, a drug-using hunchbacked handyman, and Magenta, his sister and the maid, are servants who have a problem with Frank's "extreme lifestyle" yet it is implied by their "elbow sex" dance they may actually be sleeping with each other. Finally, all Frank's guests who do the Time Warp are dressed very uniquely sending the message that all are welcome in this menagerie of aliens from Transsexual, Transylvania, and by extension, you are welcome no matter how unconventional and abnormal you may be. This all comes across as encouraging people to be themselves and this message is a universal one with great attraction to young people seeking to develop their own unique style and identity.
Overall, the cast was very talented. Phil Rosenburg commanded the stage as he needed to in the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. William Manton and Samantha Kramer as Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, respectively, were believable as the innocent kids. Danielle Jenkin was impressive as Columbia. Ashley Nicastro and Matthew DeMaria as Magenta and Riff Raff succeeded in making the audience dislike their characters (As an aside, it appeared by his costume that Riff Raff came from the planet Ork instead of the planet Transsexual). There was alternative casting as Maggie Robinson, a woman, played both Eddie and Dr. Scott. Jesse Pimpinella was perfect as Rocky. If you're going to make yourself a man, then Jesse, given his good looks and attractive body, is the man you'd want to make. Mike Visconti as the Narrator really hit some high notes by improvising dialogue and scenes such as when he continued to offer his cell phone to Brad (who was looking for a phone to call for help) and when he continued to "come on" to Rocky once even attempting to kiss him. However, then there were moments that didn't work quite so well such as when he over-reacted to audience call backs or when he placed his hand up between his and Jesse's lips because he didn't tell Jesse or the Director what he planned to do. Zachary Levy did a great job directing this production allowing for improvisation that resulted in Dr. Scott, the rival scientist, getting killed in the end when he didn't move off stage fast enough. Such unexpected plot twists can add a new dimension of enjoyment to watching this musical.
All your favorite musical numbers are here including Science Fiction/Double Feature, Time Warp and Sweet Transvestite but if I had to choose the song that best reflects the theme of this musical, I would say it's "Don't Dream It, Be It!"
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Applause! Applause! Review of Hair at Cultural Arts Playhouse by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens
This review of the musical Hair performed at the Cultural Arts Playhouse was written by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens and published in Volume X, Issue 2 (2012) of the online edition of Applause! Applause!
Hair: The American Love-Rock Musical
Cultural Arts Playhouse (625 Old Country Road, Plainview, NY)
Reviewed 7/6/12
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. It originally debuted in October, 1967 at Joseph Papp's Public Theater, subsequently had a 45-performance run at The Cheetah, a midtown Manhattan discotheque, and opened at the Biltmore Theater in April, 1968 for a Broadway run of 1,750 performances. There was a Broadway revival of Hair in 1977 that ran for only 43 performances but on March 31, 2009, another Broadway revival won the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for best revival of a musical.
The story is about Claude, a Polish boy from Flushing, Queens, who speaks with a fake British accent (claiming he is from Manchester, England) and his dilemma in deciding whether to burn his draft card, as his friends have urged him to do, or to report for duty and fight as a soldier in Vietnam. Claude eventually decides to serve his country and, of course, dies. That's basically the story, except that in-between, all the members of his Tribe are hanging out, getting high, sleeping with each other, remaining unemployed, mooching off their parents, making fun of curious but supportive outsiders, demonstrating against the Vietnam War and acting as irresponsible, immature, not-particularly enlightened young people who have absolutely no idea what it took to fight for and defend the freedoms we enjoy in this country today.
If you like Hair and the musical numbers in it, then you will be very pleased with this production. It has an excellent cast with enormous talent. Taneisha Corbin and Kyle Petty were both very impressive in the various roles they played with Taneisha shining through vocally in Aquarius and Kyle Petty hitting a home run singing Colored Spade. Ashley Nicastro was also a stand-out singing Easy To Be Hard. I have never been a fan of most of the songs in this musical and I have no intention of ever owning the soundtrack. Still, there are those few numbers people associate with this musical that are always audience pleasers. Specifically, Aquarius, Hair, Good Morning Starshine, The Flesh Failures (Let The Sun Shine In), Easy To Be Hard and I might add What A Piece Of Work Is Man to the list. The rest of the numbers do nothing for me and are quite forgettable.
The highly controversial nude scene has been removed from the end of Act 1, Claude and Berger do not kiss in this production and contemporary underwear is sometimes revealed in place of the traditional loincloth. Perhaps the morality of this musical was shocking to audiences who first saw it in the late 1960s as was the novelty of seeing hippies congregating on stage doing all the things they were probably doing on the street and in parks. Perhaps the modern day equivalent would be the Occupy Movement, which has fewer drugs and ill-defined goals.
It is hard to single out individual actors since so many of them have talent but Brooke Grossman, who played Marjorie, is clearly headed for stardom and a long-term career in the arts and Michael Marmann, who was Woof in this production, continues to impress me as a extremely talented actor with great potential.
Hair runs at the Cultural Arts Playhouse through August 5, 2012 (Friday & Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., Sundays at 7:00 p.m.) Tickets cost $20.00 if purchased in advance and $25.00 if bought at the door. For more information, visit http://www.culturalartsplayhouse.com/
Hair: The American Love-Rock Musical
Cultural Arts Playhouse (625 Old Country Road, Plainview, NY)
Reviewed 7/6/12
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. It originally debuted in October, 1967 at Joseph Papp's Public Theater, subsequently had a 45-performance run at The Cheetah, a midtown Manhattan discotheque, and opened at the Biltmore Theater in April, 1968 for a Broadway run of 1,750 performances. There was a Broadway revival of Hair in 1977 that ran for only 43 performances but on March 31, 2009, another Broadway revival won the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for best revival of a musical.
The story is about Claude, a Polish boy from Flushing, Queens, who speaks with a fake British accent (claiming he is from Manchester, England) and his dilemma in deciding whether to burn his draft card, as his friends have urged him to do, or to report for duty and fight as a soldier in Vietnam. Claude eventually decides to serve his country and, of course, dies. That's basically the story, except that in-between, all the members of his Tribe are hanging out, getting high, sleeping with each other, remaining unemployed, mooching off their parents, making fun of curious but supportive outsiders, demonstrating against the Vietnam War and acting as irresponsible, immature, not-particularly enlightened young people who have absolutely no idea what it took to fight for and defend the freedoms we enjoy in this country today.
If you like Hair and the musical numbers in it, then you will be very pleased with this production. It has an excellent cast with enormous talent. Taneisha Corbin and Kyle Petty were both very impressive in the various roles they played with Taneisha shining through vocally in Aquarius and Kyle Petty hitting a home run singing Colored Spade. Ashley Nicastro was also a stand-out singing Easy To Be Hard. I have never been a fan of most of the songs in this musical and I have no intention of ever owning the soundtrack. Still, there are those few numbers people associate with this musical that are always audience pleasers. Specifically, Aquarius, Hair, Good Morning Starshine, The Flesh Failures (Let The Sun Shine In), Easy To Be Hard and I might add What A Piece Of Work Is Man to the list. The rest of the numbers do nothing for me and are quite forgettable.
The highly controversial nude scene has been removed from the end of Act 1, Claude and Berger do not kiss in this production and contemporary underwear is sometimes revealed in place of the traditional loincloth. Perhaps the morality of this musical was shocking to audiences who first saw it in the late 1960s as was the novelty of seeing hippies congregating on stage doing all the things they were probably doing on the street and in parks. Perhaps the modern day equivalent would be the Occupy Movement, which has fewer drugs and ill-defined goals.
It is hard to single out individual actors since so many of them have talent but Brooke Grossman, who played Marjorie, is clearly headed for stardom and a long-term career in the arts and Michael Marmann, who was Woof in this production, continues to impress me as a extremely talented actor with great potential.
Hair runs at the Cultural Arts Playhouse through August 5, 2012 (Friday & Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., Sundays at 7:00 p.m.) Tickets cost $20.00 if purchased in advance and $25.00 if bought at the door. For more information, visit http://www.culturalartsplayhouse.com/
Friday, June 15, 2012
Libertarian Party Of Pennsylvania Elects Judicial Committee For 2012-2013 Term Of Office
The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPA) held its annual State Convention on Sunday, April 22, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Princess Ballroom of the Best Western Genetti Hotel & Conference Center located at 77 East Market Street in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
During the Business Session of the State Convention, the following individuals were elected to serve on the LPPA's Judicial Committee:
Wm. Martin Sloane
Roy A. Minet
Michael J. Robertson
Timothy A. Russell
Lou Jasikoff
When it was later determined pursuant to the LPPA Bylaws that Lou Jasikoff was ineligible to serve due to the fact he serves on the Board of Directors in the capacity of Immediate Past Chair, the Judicial Committee met and appointed Marakay Rogers to fill the vacancy. At that time, they also selected Wm. Martin Sloane to serve as Chair. Roy A. Minet subsequently resigned on May 29, 2012 after being designated Media Relations Committee Chair by the Board of Directors since he expects to serve as a voting member of the Board in relation to that capacity. John DiLiberto was selected to replace Roy Minet on the Judicial Committee and notice of said election has been made to the Board of Directors as required by the LPPA's Policy Manual.
As of today, the current members of the Judicial Committee of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania are the following individuals:
Wm. Martin Sloane, Chair (Cumberland County)
Michael J. Robertson (Clarion County)
Marakay Jessica Rogers (York County)
Timothy A. Russell (Venango County)
John DiLiberto (Luzerne County)
During the Business Session of the State Convention, the following individuals were elected to serve on the LPPA's Judicial Committee:
Wm. Martin Sloane
Roy A. Minet
Michael J. Robertson
Timothy A. Russell
Lou Jasikoff
When it was later determined pursuant to the LPPA Bylaws that Lou Jasikoff was ineligible to serve due to the fact he serves on the Board of Directors in the capacity of Immediate Past Chair, the Judicial Committee met and appointed Marakay Rogers to fill the vacancy. At that time, they also selected Wm. Martin Sloane to serve as Chair. Roy A. Minet subsequently resigned on May 29, 2012 after being designated Media Relations Committee Chair by the Board of Directors since he expects to serve as a voting member of the Board in relation to that capacity. John DiLiberto was selected to replace Roy Minet on the Judicial Committee and notice of said election has been made to the Board of Directors as required by the LPPA's Policy Manual.
As of today, the current members of the Judicial Committee of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania are the following individuals:
Wm. Martin Sloane, Chair (Cumberland County)
Michael J. Robertson (Clarion County)
Marakay Jessica Rogers (York County)
Timothy A. Russell (Venango County)
John DiLiberto (Luzerne County)
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
LPPA Joins Double Region & Votes To Send Jim Lark Of Virginia To The LNC As Its Voting Region 5S Representative
Article 8.2.c of the national Libertarian Party bylaws allows the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania to band together with other affiliates to form a "representative region" to gain voting representation on the Libertarian National Committee. That bylaws section, in relevant part, reads, "Affiliate parties may, by mutual consent, band together to form "representative regions," and each such "region" with an aggregate national party sustaining membership of 10% or more shall be entitled to one National Committee representative and one alternate for each 10% of national party sustaining membership." The region formation period began 90 days before the start of the national Libertarian Party convention (which was February 3, 2012) and ended the second day of the convention (May 4, 2012).
Dr. Tom Stevens, elected LPPA Chair on April 22, 2012, led the negotiations on behalf of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, obtaining feedback from party members along the way. Eventually, after much discussion regarding what affiliates would be included and what the Regional Formation Agreement would say, Dr. Stevens signed off on an agreement placing the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania in the southern part of a double region currently referred to as Region 5.
Region 5 South (the southern part of double Region 5) consists of Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia & West Virginia. The Regional Representative for Sub-Region 5S is Jim Lark of Virginia. The Regional Alternate Representative is Scott Spencer of Maryland.
Region 5 North (the northern part of double Region 5) consists of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Regional Representative for Sub-Region 5N is Rich Tomasso of New Hampshire. The Regional Alternate Representative is David Blau of Massachusetts.
The Regional Formation Agreement for all affiliates in Region 5 is the following:
Removal of the Region 5S representative or alternate representative requires a vote of the majority of the entire number of state chairs of the Region 5S affiliates. In addition, the total sustaining membership of the state affiliates whose chairs have voted to remove a representative or alternate representative must constitute a majority of the total sustaining membership of the Region 5S state affiliates as of Oct. 31, 2011.
A vacancy in the position of the Region 5S representative or the alternate representative may be filled by a vote of the majority of the entire number of state chairs of the Region 5S affiliates.
The chairs of the Region 5N affiliate parties may remove the regional representative and/or the alternate regional representative selected by those affiliates.
Removal of the Region 5N representative or alternate representative requires a vote of the majority of the entire number of state chairs of the Region 5N affiliates. In addition, the total sustaining membership of the state affiliates whose chairs have voted to remove a representative or alternate representative must constitute a majority of the total sustaining membership of the Region 5N state affiliates as of Oct. 31, 2011.
A vacancy in the position of the Region 5N representative or the alternate representative may be filled by a vote of the majority of the entire number of state chairs of the Region 5N affiliates.
After the nominations for the position of Region 5S regional representative and the nominations for the position of Region 5N regional representative have been opened, a state affiliate party may join or withdraw from this agreement (and thus join or withdraw from Region 5) only with the written consent of all of the chairs of the other state affiliate parties in Region 5.
Dr. Tom Stevens, elected LPPA Chair on April 22, 2012, led the negotiations on behalf of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, obtaining feedback from party members along the way. Eventually, after much discussion regarding what affiliates would be included and what the Regional Formation Agreement would say, Dr. Stevens signed off on an agreement placing the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania in the southern part of a double region currently referred to as Region 5.
Region 5 South (the southern part of double Region 5) consists of Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia & West Virginia. The Regional Representative for Sub-Region 5S is Jim Lark of Virginia. The Regional Alternate Representative is Scott Spencer of Maryland.
Region 5 North (the northern part of double Region 5) consists of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Regional Representative for Sub-Region 5N is Rich Tomasso of New Hampshire. The Regional Alternate Representative is David Blau of Massachusetts.
The Regional Formation Agreement for all affiliates in Region 5 is the following:
Agreement Concerning the Formation of Region 5 for the 2012-2014 Term of the Libertarian National Committee
The state affiliate parties of Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia agree to form a representative region for the 2012-2014 term of the Libertarian National Committee. Since the total sustaining membership of these affiliates (as of Oct. 31, 2011) is 2,771, this representative region is entitled to select two regional representatives and two alternate regional representatives.
The administration of this region, to be known as Region 5, will operate according to the following rules:
The affiliate parties of the states of Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia will form a sub-region to be known as “Region 5S” (or “Region 5 South”).
The affiliate parties of the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont will form a sub-region to be known as “Region 5N” (or “Region 5 North”).
The Region 5S affiliates will be responsible for the selection of one regional representative and one alternate regional representative. Similarly, the Region 5N affiliates will be responsible for the selection of one regional representative and one alternate regional representative.
The chairs of the Region 5S affiliate parties may remove the regional representative and/or the alternate regional representative selected by those affiliates.
The state affiliate parties of Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia agree to form a representative region for the 2012-2014 term of the Libertarian National Committee. Since the total sustaining membership of these affiliates (as of Oct. 31, 2011) is 2,771, this representative region is entitled to select two regional representatives and two alternate regional representatives.
The administration of this region, to be known as Region 5, will operate according to the following rules:
The affiliate parties of the states of Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia will form a sub-region to be known as “Region 5S” (or “Region 5 South”).
The affiliate parties of the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont will form a sub-region to be known as “Region 5N” (or “Region 5 North”).
The Region 5S affiliates will be responsible for the selection of one regional representative and one alternate regional representative. Similarly, the Region 5N affiliates will be responsible for the selection of one regional representative and one alternate regional representative.
The chairs of the Region 5S affiliate parties may remove the regional representative and/or the alternate regional representative selected by those affiliates.
Removal of the Region 5S representative or alternate representative requires a vote of the majority of the entire number of state chairs of the Region 5S affiliates. In addition, the total sustaining membership of the state affiliates whose chairs have voted to remove a representative or alternate representative must constitute a majority of the total sustaining membership of the Region 5S state affiliates as of Oct. 31, 2011.
A vacancy in the position of the Region 5S representative or the alternate representative may be filled by a vote of the majority of the entire number of state chairs of the Region 5S affiliates.
The chairs of the Region 5N affiliate parties may remove the regional representative and/or the alternate regional representative selected by those affiliates.
Removal of the Region 5N representative or alternate representative requires a vote of the majority of the entire number of state chairs of the Region 5N affiliates. In addition, the total sustaining membership of the state affiliates whose chairs have voted to remove a representative or alternate representative must constitute a majority of the total sustaining membership of the Region 5N state affiliates as of Oct. 31, 2011.
A vacancy in the position of the Region 5N representative or the alternate representative may be filled by a vote of the majority of the entire number of state chairs of the Region 5N affiliates.
After the nominations for the position of Region 5S regional representative and the nominations for the position of Region 5N regional representative have been opened, a state affiliate party may join or withdraw from this agreement (and thus join or withdraw from Region 5) only with the written consent of all of the chairs of the other state affiliate parties in Region 5.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Libertarian Party Of Pennsylvania Establishes Life Membership Category
On May 29, 2012, the Board of Directors of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPA) voted to establish a Life Membership category for the first time in the organization's history. The issue of establishing a Life Membership was first brought up by Dr. Tom Stevens, LPPA State Chair, at the Board of Directors Meeting held immediately following the State Convention held in Wilkes-Barre, PA on April 22, 2012. The issue was referred to the Membership Committee whose members offered feedback on the proposal.
During the Membership Committee's Report presented at the Board of Directors meeting held by teleconference on May 29, 2012, Ron Goodman, the newly reappointed Membership Committee Chair, made the following motion that was seconded by Tim Havener and which passed unanimously:
MOTION: to establish a Life Membership category for the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania to cost $500.00; $150.00 (if purchased by August 31, 2012) by individuals who have been LPPA members for the past five (5) consecutive years, or who, during the past five (5) years have served as a statewide LPPA officer (Chair, Western Vice-Chair, Eastern Vice-Chair, Secretary or Treasurer), a Standing or Working Committee Chair, or as an officer in a local chartered LP county organization.
The current annual dues required of a Regular Member is $15.00. Students can join for $5.00 a year. Anyone interested in showing their support for the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania by purchasing a Life Membership can do so by clicking on the following link where you can make a one-time contribution:
http://www.lppa.org/actions/contribute-to-the-lppa.html
After you purchased your Life Membership, tell Dr. Tom Stevens, LPPA State Chair, you have done so and let him know how much you contributed. You can contact him at DrTomStevens@aol.com
Dr. Stevens has asked Patti Fryman, LPPA's State Treasurer, to establish a special fund into which all monies collected through the purchase of Life Memberships can be documented and preserved for future use in "party-building activities".
During the Membership Committee's Report presented at the Board of Directors meeting held by teleconference on May 29, 2012, Ron Goodman, the newly reappointed Membership Committee Chair, made the following motion that was seconded by Tim Havener and which passed unanimously:
MOTION: to establish a Life Membership category for the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania to cost $500.00; $150.00 (if purchased by August 31, 2012) by individuals who have been LPPA members for the past five (5) consecutive years, or who, during the past five (5) years have served as a statewide LPPA officer (Chair, Western Vice-Chair, Eastern Vice-Chair, Secretary or Treasurer), a Standing or Working Committee Chair, or as an officer in a local chartered LP county organization.
The current annual dues required of a Regular Member is $15.00. Students can join for $5.00 a year. Anyone interested in showing their support for the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania by purchasing a Life Membership can do so by clicking on the following link where you can make a one-time contribution:
http://www.lppa.org/actions/contribute-to-the-lppa.html
After you purchased your Life Membership, tell Dr. Tom Stevens, LPPA State Chair, you have done so and let him know how much you contributed. You can contact him at DrTomStevens@aol.com
Dr. Stevens has asked Patti Fryman, LPPA's State Treasurer, to establish a special fund into which all monies collected through the purchase of Life Memberships can be documented and preserved for future use in "party-building activities".
Thursday, May 31, 2012
The Real "Birther" Issue: Is Barack Hussein Obama A Bastard?
Alton Yee, Director of Fundraising for the Manhattan Libertarian Party, gave us permission to re-publish the following article, which he originally posted at the MLP's website:
The Real "Birther" Issue That Obama Is Deathly Afraid Of
by Alton Yee
May 29, 2012
A hallmark of certain hardcore "birthers" is the belief that Obama was born in Kenya. According to the drill, Stanley Ann Dunham (Obama's mother, henceforth "Ann") traveled to Kenya in 1961 and gave birth to Obama. And since Obama was born in Kenya, he cannot be a "natural born citizen," and therefore he is ineligible to be the President.
Those may very well be the facts, but lately I've wondered about the "logistics" of Ann's odyssey to Kenya. Specifically, how did she get there? Indeed, how would a very pregnant Ann travel the 10,729 air miles from Honolulu to Nairobi?
Let's see. Since jet travel only started to become popular in 1961, she was unlikely to fly the entire trip by jet. More likely, her trip would have combined jet- and propeller-driven airplanes. And most likely, her trip would have required several stops, perhaps upwards of ten, with layovers of hours, even days. It would have been a long, uncomfortable, exhausting trip, especially for a young woman in her, presumably, third trimester and traveling alone. Who paid for this expensive trip? How did she pay for her food and lodging? How did she manage all the paperwork involved? How did she even manage her luggage? (BTW, which airline would allow a woman in her third trimester to fly?)
Still, once she arrived at Nairobi, how did she travel the 274 miles to Mombasa, the town where she's alleged to have given birth to "The Anointed One"? By train? By bus? Perhaps townspeople related to Obama, Sr., Ann's alleged husband, met her at Nairobi and transported her by car or cart driven by an African beast or two. Whichever, the ride would had been a long, bumpy, jarring, uncomfortable one. (Can you say, "miscarriage"?)
How long do you suppose the entire trip took? Days? Weeks? Months? If we take educated guesses on the total time spent in the air, during layovers, and caused by inevitable delays and cancellations, plus the time for the ground transport to Mombasa, and we add them up, I think we can reasonably say 10 to 14 days. Yes? To be safe, let's say it's at least two weeks. The return trip would no doubt had taken just as long, if not longer.
Now that we have an idea of the "logistics" involved for a trip from Honolulu to Kenya in 1961, unless someone who worked as a Travel Agent in 1961 tells me otherwise, I think it's unlikely, even impossible, for Ann to have traveled to Kenya in 1961 and give birth to Obama, Jr. So I must conclude that the entire "birther" issue about Obama's Kenyan birth is one, big, fat, red herring. (Question to Birthers who are fans of Obama's Kenyan birth: Since a round trip from Honolulu to Mombasa in 1961 probably took about one month, is this travel time accounted for in any of Ann's meticulously researched biographical timelines?) Yet, Obama wants very much to keep this issue alive to distract us from the real "birther" issue that he's deathly afraid of.
Which one is that?
It's not the one that correctly declares he's ineligible to be POTUS because he doesn't meet the Constitution's "natural born citizen" requirement. This issue is based on his "stipulated" birthplace as Hawaii. and his father's, Barack Obama, Sr., birth in Kenya.
While Obama no doubt understands this issue, and may even think it correctly applies to him, it doesn't concern him. That's because he knows that since he's the sitting President, no one could touch him with this issue—even when he seeks reelection. Besides, he knows who his real father is.
Who is Obama's real father? It's certainly not Barack Obama, Sr. (If you believe he's the real father, then I have a bridge I like to sell you.) But it's likely he was a willing pawn in the cover-up to lend "legitimacy" to the future occupant of the White House. And while it appears he lent his name to baby Obama, it's unlikely he married Ann, since no marriage license was ever found. Nor has anyone ever claimed to have attended such a wedding, even if it took place at City Hall. There are no photos, no reception guest list, no receipts for celebratory cake and wine—nothing to prove a marriage took place! (Folks, here's an "unspeakable" truth that's hiding in plain sight: Barack Hussein Obama is, quite literally, a bastard.)
So, just who is Obama's real father? Frank Marshall Davis, a black communist, is a likely candidate; some consider him the front runner. Malcolm X, the one and the same, is another likely candidate. Sammy Davis, Jr., not so much. A very credible, "dark horse," candidate is Stanley Durham, Obama's grandfather, when he inseminated an "unknown black woman." (For details about these probable fathers, go to: http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/a_further_inquiry_into_obamas_1.html)
And we must consider the possibility that Ann is not Obama's mother, after all. (I'd sure like to see her body exhumed for a DNA match, don't you?)
In any case, I doubt that Obama was born in Kenya. I also doubt that he was born in Hawaii. Indeed, if Obama was ever issued a birth certificate, it probably wasn't Hawaiian issued, despite his claims to the contrary. For that matter, I think the intransigent reluctance of the Hawaiian authorities to show Obama's supposed "actual" birth certificate is part of a conspiracy to cover up the identity of Obama's real father. But wherever Obama's actual birth certificate was issued, it will show who his real father is. Once his identity is finally reviewed, Obama's carefully crafted biographical narrative will fall like a house of cards. The populace will then clearly see Obama for the liar that he is.
Who is Obama's real, biological, father?
That's the real "birther" issue that Obama is deathly afraid of.
The Real "Birther" Issue That Obama Is Deathly Afraid Of
by Alton Yee
May 29, 2012
A hallmark of certain hardcore "birthers" is the belief that Obama was born in Kenya. According to the drill, Stanley Ann Dunham (Obama's mother, henceforth "Ann") traveled to Kenya in 1961 and gave birth to Obama. And since Obama was born in Kenya, he cannot be a "natural born citizen," and therefore he is ineligible to be the President.
Those may very well be the facts, but lately I've wondered about the "logistics" of Ann's odyssey to Kenya. Specifically, how did she get there? Indeed, how would a very pregnant Ann travel the 10,729 air miles from Honolulu to Nairobi?
Let's see. Since jet travel only started to become popular in 1961, she was unlikely to fly the entire trip by jet. More likely, her trip would have combined jet- and propeller-driven airplanes. And most likely, her trip would have required several stops, perhaps upwards of ten, with layovers of hours, even days. It would have been a long, uncomfortable, exhausting trip, especially for a young woman in her, presumably, third trimester and traveling alone. Who paid for this expensive trip? How did she pay for her food and lodging? How did she manage all the paperwork involved? How did she even manage her luggage? (BTW, which airline would allow a woman in her third trimester to fly?)
Still, once she arrived at Nairobi, how did she travel the 274 miles to Mombasa, the town where she's alleged to have given birth to "The Anointed One"? By train? By bus? Perhaps townspeople related to Obama, Sr., Ann's alleged husband, met her at Nairobi and transported her by car or cart driven by an African beast or two. Whichever, the ride would had been a long, bumpy, jarring, uncomfortable one. (Can you say, "miscarriage"?)
How long do you suppose the entire trip took? Days? Weeks? Months? If we take educated guesses on the total time spent in the air, during layovers, and caused by inevitable delays and cancellations, plus the time for the ground transport to Mombasa, and we add them up, I think we can reasonably say 10 to 14 days. Yes? To be safe, let's say it's at least two weeks. The return trip would no doubt had taken just as long, if not longer.
Now that we have an idea of the "logistics" involved for a trip from Honolulu to Kenya in 1961, unless someone who worked as a Travel Agent in 1961 tells me otherwise, I think it's unlikely, even impossible, for Ann to have traveled to Kenya in 1961 and give birth to Obama, Jr. So I must conclude that the entire "birther" issue about Obama's Kenyan birth is one, big, fat, red herring. (Question to Birthers who are fans of Obama's Kenyan birth: Since a round trip from Honolulu to Mombasa in 1961 probably took about one month, is this travel time accounted for in any of Ann's meticulously researched biographical timelines?) Yet, Obama wants very much to keep this issue alive to distract us from the real "birther" issue that he's deathly afraid of.
Which one is that?
It's not the one that correctly declares he's ineligible to be POTUS because he doesn't meet the Constitution's "natural born citizen" requirement. This issue is based on his "stipulated" birthplace as Hawaii. and his father's, Barack Obama, Sr., birth in Kenya.
While Obama no doubt understands this issue, and may even think it correctly applies to him, it doesn't concern him. That's because he knows that since he's the sitting President, no one could touch him with this issue—even when he seeks reelection. Besides, he knows who his real father is.
Who is Obama's real father? It's certainly not Barack Obama, Sr. (If you believe he's the real father, then I have a bridge I like to sell you.) But it's likely he was a willing pawn in the cover-up to lend "legitimacy" to the future occupant of the White House. And while it appears he lent his name to baby Obama, it's unlikely he married Ann, since no marriage license was ever found. Nor has anyone ever claimed to have attended such a wedding, even if it took place at City Hall. There are no photos, no reception guest list, no receipts for celebratory cake and wine—nothing to prove a marriage took place! (Folks, here's an "unspeakable" truth that's hiding in plain sight: Barack Hussein Obama is, quite literally, a bastard.)
So, just who is Obama's real father? Frank Marshall Davis, a black communist, is a likely candidate; some consider him the front runner. Malcolm X, the one and the same, is another likely candidate. Sammy Davis, Jr., not so much. A very credible, "dark horse," candidate is Stanley Durham, Obama's grandfather, when he inseminated an "unknown black woman." (For details about these probable fathers, go to: http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/a_further_inquiry_into_obamas_1.html)
And we must consider the possibility that Ann is not Obama's mother, after all. (I'd sure like to see her body exhumed for a DNA match, don't you?)
In any case, I doubt that Obama was born in Kenya. I also doubt that he was born in Hawaii. Indeed, if Obama was ever issued a birth certificate, it probably wasn't Hawaiian issued, despite his claims to the contrary. For that matter, I think the intransigent reluctance of the Hawaiian authorities to show Obama's supposed "actual" birth certificate is part of a conspiracy to cover up the identity of Obama's real father. But wherever Obama's actual birth certificate was issued, it will show who his real father is. Once his identity is finally reviewed, Obama's carefully crafted biographical narrative will fall like a house of cards. The populace will then clearly see Obama for the liar that he is.
Who is Obama's real, biological, father?
That's the real "birther" issue that Obama is deathly afraid of.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Libertarian Party Of Pennsylvania Deletes LpBoard-Discussion & LpBoard-Philosophy Yahoo Groups
The Board of Directors of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPA) met on May 29, 2012. At that meeting, the Board authorized the deletion of the LpBoard-Discussion Yahoo Group and the LpBoard-Philosophy Yahoo Group. Both groups were owned by Chuck Moulton, a former LPPA State Chair.
Dr. Tom Stevens, current LPPA State Chair, contacted Mr. Moulton to inform him of the Board's decision. Mr. Moulton transferred ownership of the groups to Dr. Stevens, who deleted them in accordance with the decision of the Board.
Dr. Tom Stevens, current LPPA State Chair, contacted Mr. Moulton to inform him of the Board's decision. Mr. Moulton transferred ownership of the groups to Dr. Stevens, who deleted them in accordance with the decision of the Board.
Free From Freedom - An Article By LPQC Member Ed Konecnik
Ed Konecnik, a member of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, submitted the following article for publication:
Free From Freedom
by Ed Konecnik
Flushing, New York
May 29, 2012
Elections have become public auctions of private goods. Voters have figured out that they could vote themselves more money from the treasury by voting for people who promised to give them more money in exchange for electing them.
The people getting free stuff outnumber the people paying for that free stuff. We are nurturing contempt for private property, destroying self-reliance and self-responsibility. Will we vote for those who will redistribute our wealth and limit our freedoms in the name of “social justice”? Will we acquiesce to bureaucrats who are determined to dictate how we live our lives? If we sanction the subserviance of individual interests to collective authority, we disregard the Constitution at our peril.
History is replete with chronicles of the immorality, dishonesty and exploitation of collectivist societies. In those societies, the individual has a reality only as part of the group, value only insofar as he serves it. People who join demonstrations and protests demanding somebody’s “fair share” do not recognize private property and they reject personal responsibility. Collectivist ideology contends the government determines how individuals may live their lives for the benefit of society. Individual rights and choices are limited or eliminated for the “greater good.”
There are some who think it is unimportant who wins or loses in the next election because the changing of “masters” has no effect on freedom. However, the results may reveal the depth of our dependency and aversion to individualism. If choices and decisions required to effectuate self-sufficiency and self-determination are an irksome burden, we will vote to join the mob and mass movement to escape individual responsibility and be free from freedom.
Free From Freedom
by Ed Konecnik
Flushing, New York
May 29, 2012
Elections have become public auctions of private goods. Voters have figured out that they could vote themselves more money from the treasury by voting for people who promised to give them more money in exchange for electing them.
The people getting free stuff outnumber the people paying for that free stuff. We are nurturing contempt for private property, destroying self-reliance and self-responsibility. Will we vote for those who will redistribute our wealth and limit our freedoms in the name of “social justice”? Will we acquiesce to bureaucrats who are determined to dictate how we live our lives? If we sanction the subserviance of individual interests to collective authority, we disregard the Constitution at our peril.
History is replete with chronicles of the immorality, dishonesty and exploitation of collectivist societies. In those societies, the individual has a reality only as part of the group, value only insofar as he serves it. People who join demonstrations and protests demanding somebody’s “fair share” do not recognize private property and they reject personal responsibility. Collectivist ideology contends the government determines how individuals may live their lives for the benefit of society. Individual rights and choices are limited or eliminated for the “greater good.”
There are some who think it is unimportant who wins or loses in the next election because the changing of “masters” has no effect on freedom. However, the results may reveal the depth of our dependency and aversion to individualism. If choices and decisions required to effectuate self-sufficiency and self-determination are an irksome burden, we will vote to join the mob and mass movement to escape individual responsibility and be free from freedom.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Social Insecurity - An Article By LPQC Member Ed Konecnik
Ed Konecnik, a member of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, submitted the following article for publication:
Social Insecurity
by Ed Konecnik
Flushing, New York
May 25, 2012
The appearance of ads imploring us to "vote for change", "make a difference" means election time is here. Most elections do not effectuate change but rather legitimize and reinforce the status quo since 85% of incumbents are returned to office. We have become an acquiescent dependent flock of sheep denying the gravity of the challenges we face. With no federal budget for three years, a 16 trillion dollar debt, impending bankruptcies of Social Security and Medicare, uncontrolled entitlement spending, is anyone minding the store? More importantly, does anybody care?
Few in the media and even fewer politicians call attention to our perilous predicament. Our sad state of affairs goes unnoticed and unexamined because we have been duped into apathy by a false sense of security. Among the most blatant and egregious examples of deception and violation of individual rights is the Social Security System. Consider the following: if after a lifetime of mandatory contributions to Social Security you die before you can collect, who gets that money? In 1981, employees of Galveston County Texas opted out of Social Security for a private alternative retirement plan. Workers who earned $51,000 per year receive $3,100 a month compared to SS benefits of $1,368. Workers who earned $75,000 receive $4,540 compared to SS benefits of $1,645. Most importantly, employees own their retirement account and it can be passed on to their heirs. Social Security is a Ponzi scheme but sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.
Since we have been nurtured to believe the government knows best and is solely responsible for our welfare, most will take the path of least resistance, follow along with the crowd to gain a sense of false safety and shirk personal responsibility. There is no doubt we have met the enemy; it is us.
Social Insecurity
by Ed Konecnik
Flushing, New York
May 25, 2012
The appearance of ads imploring us to "vote for change", "make a difference" means election time is here. Most elections do not effectuate change but rather legitimize and reinforce the status quo since 85% of incumbents are returned to office. We have become an acquiescent dependent flock of sheep denying the gravity of the challenges we face. With no federal budget for three years, a 16 trillion dollar debt, impending bankruptcies of Social Security and Medicare, uncontrolled entitlement spending, is anyone minding the store? More importantly, does anybody care?
Few in the media and even fewer politicians call attention to our perilous predicament. Our sad state of affairs goes unnoticed and unexamined because we have been duped into apathy by a false sense of security. Among the most blatant and egregious examples of deception and violation of individual rights is the Social Security System. Consider the following: if after a lifetime of mandatory contributions to Social Security you die before you can collect, who gets that money? In 1981, employees of Galveston County Texas opted out of Social Security for a private alternative retirement plan. Workers who earned $51,000 per year receive $3,100 a month compared to SS benefits of $1,368. Workers who earned $75,000 receive $4,540 compared to SS benefits of $1,645. Most importantly, employees own their retirement account and it can be passed on to their heirs. Social Security is a Ponzi scheme but sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.
Since we have been nurtured to believe the government knows best and is solely responsible for our welfare, most will take the path of least resistance, follow along with the crowd to gain a sense of false safety and shirk personal responsibility. There is no doubt we have met the enemy; it is us.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Judge Jim Gray Wins Libertarian Party's Vice-Presidential Nomination
After winning the Libertarian Party's Presidential Nomination, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson urged the delegates attending the Libertarian Party's National Convention to select Judge Jim Gray of California as his Vice-Presidential running mate. Judge Gray won the nomination with 59.5% of the vote.
In a speech made to the delegates before the vote, Gary Johnson said, in part:
This is about winning...I believe that Jim Gray affords the best opportunity to win and I want you to know that in this process, we interviewed a lot of candidates as potential Vice-Presidential candidates and without question, I think Jim Gray does a better job when it comes to articulating libertarian ideals and beliefs than anyone else.
R. Lee Wrights of Texas and Jim Burns of Nevada, in anticipation of losing the Libertarian Party's Presidential Nomination to Gary Johnson, actively urged their supporters to write their names on the Vice-Presidential tokens all delegates received so they could be formally nominated as candidates for the Vice-Presidential Nomination of the Libertarian Party. Their bids for the consolation prize proved unsuccessful.
On Saturday, May 5, 2012, the Libertarian Party nominated former California Superior Court Judge Jim Gray for Vice-President of the the United States. Judge Gray won the nomination on the first ballot obtaining 357 of the 600 votes cast for an impressive 59.500% of the total vote. R. Lee Wrights of Texas came in second with 229 votes (38.167%), Jim Burns of Nevada was third with 6 votes (1.000%). There was one write-in vote (.167%) for Sam Sloan and six people voted for None Of The Above (1.000%).
The Libertarian Party National Convention was held from May 3-6, 2012 at the Red Rock Casino, Hotel & Spa located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In a speech made to the delegates before the vote, Gary Johnson said, in part:
This is about winning...I believe that Jim Gray affords the best opportunity to win and I want you to know that in this process, we interviewed a lot of candidates as potential Vice-Presidential candidates and without question, I think Jim Gray does a better job when it comes to articulating libertarian ideals and beliefs than anyone else.
R. Lee Wrights of Texas and Jim Burns of Nevada, in anticipation of losing the Libertarian Party's Presidential Nomination to Gary Johnson, actively urged their supporters to write their names on the Vice-Presidential tokens all delegates received so they could be formally nominated as candidates for the Vice-Presidential Nomination of the Libertarian Party. Their bids for the consolation prize proved unsuccessful.
On Saturday, May 5, 2012, the Libertarian Party nominated former California Superior Court Judge Jim Gray for Vice-President of the the United States. Judge Gray won the nomination on the first ballot obtaining 357 of the 600 votes cast for an impressive 59.500% of the total vote. R. Lee Wrights of Texas came in second with 229 votes (38.167%), Jim Burns of Nevada was third with 6 votes (1.000%). There was one write-in vote (.167%) for Sam Sloan and six people voted for None Of The Above (1.000%).
The Libertarian Party National Convention was held from May 3-6, 2012 at the Red Rock Casino, Hotel & Spa located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Libertarian Party Nominates Gary Johnson For President
On Saturday, May 5, 2012, the Libertarian Party nominated former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson for President of the United States. Governor Johnson won the nomination on the first ballot obtaining 419 of the 595 votes cast for an impressive 70.420% of the total vote. R. Lee Wrights of Texas came in second with 152 votes (25.546%), Jim Burns of Nevada was third with 12 votes (2.017%) and Carl Person of New York came in last with 3 votes (.504%). There were six write-in votes (1.008%) for other candidates not formally listed on the ballot and three people voted for None Of The Above (.504%).
Addressing the delegates immediately after obtaining the Libertarian Party's Presidential Nomination, Governor Johnson said, in part:
I humbly accept the nomination. Thank you very much. I am going to make a pledge to all of you. None of you are going to regret what happened here today...The goal needs to be to actually win in November.
In a show of party unity, R. Lee Wrights, who was Gary Johnson's closest challenger, told the delegates, "Let's get this guy elected!"
Dr. Tom Stevens, State Chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, said:
Gary Johnson is going to be a great spokesperson for libertarian principles and I expect we will all be proud of how he conducts his campaign as the Presidential Nominee of the Libertarian Party.
Delegates from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania gave Governor Johnson 75% of its total vote. In announcing the count to the National Convention in my capacity as Pennsylvania Delegation Chair, I made the following statement:
"Mr. Chairman. The Delegates from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, and the State that proudly kicked Rick Santorum's ass out of the Senate casts 2 write-in votes for Sam Sloan, 1 vote for Lee Wrights & enthusiastically casts 9 votes for the next President of the United States, Gary Johnson."
I was also pleased to learn that Kate, Gary Johnson's fiance, is originally from Pennsylvania so if there is a White House wedding, as Gary Johnson predicts, I expect we may be able to get a few invitations to attend.
The Libertarian Party National Convention was held from May 3-6, 2012 at the Red Rock Casino, Hotel & Spa located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Addressing the delegates immediately after obtaining the Libertarian Party's Presidential Nomination, Governor Johnson said, in part:
I humbly accept the nomination. Thank you very much. I am going to make a pledge to all of you. None of you are going to regret what happened here today...The goal needs to be to actually win in November.
In a show of party unity, R. Lee Wrights, who was Gary Johnson's closest challenger, told the delegates, "Let's get this guy elected!"
Dr. Tom Stevens, State Chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, said:
Gary Johnson is going to be a great spokesperson for libertarian principles and I expect we will all be proud of how he conducts his campaign as the Presidential Nominee of the Libertarian Party.
Delegates from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania gave Governor Johnson 75% of its total vote. In announcing the count to the National Convention in my capacity as Pennsylvania Delegation Chair, I made the following statement:
"Mr. Chairman. The Delegates from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, and the State that proudly kicked Rick Santorum's ass out of the Senate casts 2 write-in votes for Sam Sloan, 1 vote for Lee Wrights & enthusiastically casts 9 votes for the next President of the United States, Gary Johnson."
I was also pleased to learn that Kate, Gary Johnson's fiance, is originally from Pennsylvania so if there is a White House wedding, as Gary Johnson predicts, I expect we may be able to get a few invitations to attend.
The Libertarian Party National Convention was held from May 3-6, 2012 at the Red Rock Casino, Hotel & Spa located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Dr. Tom Stevens Elected State Chair Of The Libertarian Party Of Pennsylvania
The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPA) held its annual State Convention on Sunday, April 22, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Princess Ballroom of the Best Western Genetti Hotel & Conference Center located at 77 East Market Street in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. At that convention, Dr. Tom Stevens, the Chair of the Libertarian Party of Northampton County, was elected LPPA Chair with 60% of the credentialed delegates in attendance voting in his favor. Coming in second with 40% of the vote was Erik Viker, the Chair of the Libertarian Party of Snyder County. Twenty-five (25) delegates voted in the race. Also elected were Betsy Summers as Eastern Vice-Chair, Jim Fryman as Western Vice-Chair, Erik Viker as Secretary and Patti Fryman as Treasurer.
Speaking about his election, Dr. Tom Stevens said:
I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to serve as State Chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania. I look forward to working with the other elected officers, the members of the Board of Directors, and all party members willing to put in a little time to help make the LPPA a more effective and influential political party. While much needs to be done, I am encouraged by the fact that I am not alone and that there are many knowledgeable party members willing to provide me with advice and support during the coming year. I intend to work hard every day to address the challenges and to take advantage of the opportunities that will present themselves. I am optimistic about the future of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania. I am confident we can attract many new members and help them develop their leadership potential as they work to advance the cause of liberty.
Dr. Tom Stevens served on the national Libertarian Party's Judicial Committee (2006-2010), attended LPUS National Conventions as a Delegate (2004-2012), appeared as a commentator on over 200 national television shows, was the Producer & Host of a cable television show entitled In Focus, twice served as President of the Hofstra School of Law Alumni Association, was Campaign Manager for Libertarian Presidential Candidates Alden Link and Carl Person, and founded Rising Action, a Freedom Activist Network.
Speaking about his election, Dr. Tom Stevens said:
I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to serve as State Chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania. I look forward to working with the other elected officers, the members of the Board of Directors, and all party members willing to put in a little time to help make the LPPA a more effective and influential political party. While much needs to be done, I am encouraged by the fact that I am not alone and that there are many knowledgeable party members willing to provide me with advice and support during the coming year. I intend to work hard every day to address the challenges and to take advantage of the opportunities that will present themselves. I am optimistic about the future of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania. I am confident we can attract many new members and help them develop their leadership potential as they work to advance the cause of liberty.
Dr. Tom Stevens served on the national Libertarian Party's Judicial Committee (2006-2010), attended LPUS National Conventions as a Delegate (2004-2012), appeared as a commentator on over 200 national television shows, was the Producer & Host of a cable television show entitled In Focus, twice served as President of the Hofstra School of Law Alumni Association, was Campaign Manager for Libertarian Presidential Candidates Alden Link and Carl Person, and founded Rising Action, a Freedom Activist Network.
Gary Johnson Wins Presidential Straw Poll At New York Libertarian Party's State Convention
The Libertarian Party of New York held its State Convention on April 21, 2012 at the Ukrainian East Village Restaurant located at 140 2nd Avenue in Manhattan. Gary Johnson, R. Lee Wrights, Jim Burns and Carl Person, all who are candidates seeking the Libertarian Party's Presidential Nomination in 2012, participated in a debate after which 41 of the delegates in attendance voted in the straw poll.
The results of the New York Libertarian Party's Presidential Straw Poll were as follows:
Gary Johnson - 26 votes (63.41%)
R. Lee Wrights - 11 votes (26.83%)
Jim Burns - 3 votes (7.32%)
Carl Person - 1 vote (2.44%)
Sam Sloan, the elected Treasurer of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and the elected Secretary of the Libertarian Party of San Francisco, who is also seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party for President and maintains residences in the Bronx (NY) and in San Rafael (CA), flew in from California to participate in the debate but was not permitted to do so.
Mr. Sloan, told us during a sit-down interview at Cracker Barrel in Mt. Arlington, New Jersey on April 22, 2012, that he was told the Manhattan Libertarian Party that was hosting the State Convention had decided to exclude him from participation. Mr. Sloan said, "It is my belief the delegates attending the State Convention should have decided whether to allow me to participate in the Presidential Debate but apparently that is not the way they do things in New York. Given my past experiences with the the handful of individuals who have dominated the New York LP for decades, I cannot say I was surprised. However, I was disappointed I was not given an opportunity to share my ideas with the assembled delegates."
The results of the New York Libertarian Party's Presidential Straw Poll were as follows:
Gary Johnson - 26 votes (63.41%)
R. Lee Wrights - 11 votes (26.83%)
Jim Burns - 3 votes (7.32%)
Carl Person - 1 vote (2.44%)
Sam Sloan, the elected Treasurer of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and the elected Secretary of the Libertarian Party of San Francisco, who is also seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party for President and maintains residences in the Bronx (NY) and in San Rafael (CA), flew in from California to participate in the debate but was not permitted to do so.
Mr. Sloan, told us during a sit-down interview at Cracker Barrel in Mt. Arlington, New Jersey on April 22, 2012, that he was told the Manhattan Libertarian Party that was hosting the State Convention had decided to exclude him from participation. Mr. Sloan said, "It is my belief the delegates attending the State Convention should have decided whether to allow me to participate in the Presidential Debate but apparently that is not the way they do things in New York. Given my past experiences with the the handful of individuals who have dominated the New York LP for decades, I cannot say I was surprised. However, I was disappointed I was not given an opportunity to share my ideas with the assembled delegates."
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
America's Economic Decline & Decreasing Dollar Value Cannot Be Reversed Without Full Recognition Of The Crisis We Face - An Article By LPQC Member Ed Konecnik
Ed Konecnik, a member of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, submitted the following article for publication:
America's Economic Decline & Decreasing Dollar Value Cannot Be Reversed Without Full Recognition Of The Crisis We Face
by Ed Konecnik
Flushing, New York
April 9, 2012
I have reluctantly concluded that the economic, political, and cultural challenges we face may never be resolved. The truth about our country’s condition and prognosis is not reported by the media and is often misstated, obfuscated, edited or distorted. In addition to the uninformed, there are many who dismiss criticism of the administration as mean-spirited, bigoted and even racist. Few consider 16 trillion dollars of national debt and the unsustainable obligations of Social Security and Medicare a crisis portending economic calamity. How can we save our republic when there is no consensus that there is even a problem?
To make matters worse, there are those who will tolerate bureaucratic coerciveness as long as it meets their needs and agenda. To wit: there is no provision in the Constitution for unelected “czars”. Eventually a new mob of bureaucrats institutes their notion of “benevolence” and the cycle repeats ad infinitum. There can be no doubt our republic has succumbed to the rule of men and abandoned the rule of law.
The Constitution is not a document that limits the rights of man, but a document that limits the power of government over man. Intellectual honesty demands we recognize that without the constraints of the Constitution, we are subject to mob rule. There can be no agreement, no “reaching across the aisle”, no accommodation with those who reject the tenets of the Constitution. How does one negotiate with thieves who believe private wealth is community property and must be redistributed?
You may reject my propositions but the fact remains that nothing will be solved not because we can’t see the solutions but because we can’t see the problems.
America's Economic Decline & Decreasing Dollar Value Cannot Be Reversed Without Full Recognition Of The Crisis We Face
by Ed Konecnik
Flushing, New York
April 9, 2012
I have reluctantly concluded that the economic, political, and cultural challenges we face may never be resolved. The truth about our country’s condition and prognosis is not reported by the media and is often misstated, obfuscated, edited or distorted. In addition to the uninformed, there are many who dismiss criticism of the administration as mean-spirited, bigoted and even racist. Few consider 16 trillion dollars of national debt and the unsustainable obligations of Social Security and Medicare a crisis portending economic calamity. How can we save our republic when there is no consensus that there is even a problem?
To make matters worse, there are those who will tolerate bureaucratic coerciveness as long as it meets their needs and agenda. To wit: there is no provision in the Constitution for unelected “czars”. Eventually a new mob of bureaucrats institutes their notion of “benevolence” and the cycle repeats ad infinitum. There can be no doubt our republic has succumbed to the rule of men and abandoned the rule of law.
The Constitution is not a document that limits the rights of man, but a document that limits the power of government over man. Intellectual honesty demands we recognize that without the constraints of the Constitution, we are subject to mob rule. There can be no agreement, no “reaching across the aisle”, no accommodation with those who reject the tenets of the Constitution. How does one negotiate with thieves who believe private wealth is community property and must be redistributed?
You may reject my propositions but the fact remains that nothing will be solved not because we can’t see the solutions but because we can’t see the problems.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
We Have Abundant Energy For All Time
The following article entitled "We Have Abundant Energy For All Time" was published on April 2, 2012 by Melissa Brookstone, Author & Founder of "The Planetary Bill Of Rights Project":
For decades now, the United States has been bogged down in a futile and time-wasting debate between environmental extremists and more rational people, about what path to take for the "energy independence" we all long for. The environmental extremists have been winning, and we're still dependent on foreign oil. Gas prices are sky high, and experts in the industry tell the Planetary Bill of Rights Project that it has as much to do with refinery capacity as it does with crude oil prices. No new refineries have been allowed to be built in about the last forty years, and about twenty refineries have actually had to shut down because of more extreme environmental regulations.
We see the effect of having a refinery here in the Denver area, where our gas prices are often twenty five to thirty cents below the "national average", because we have our own refinery. Every time we drive by and see the cloud of steam rising from it on cold days, we think; There's 25-30 cents off our gas prices.
Intelligence experts also tell us that Iran's decades-old evil totalitarian dictatorship would soon collapse if oil prices fell too much, so their "leaders" are always stirring up tensions in the middle east, for profit and to retain their power and control over people who deserve to finally be free.
Yet "alternative" energy in the forms of wind and solar have yet to become economically competitive in the free market, and largely remain pet projects of government agencies, which waste tax slave money on them to no end, without any significant changes in this situation. Not to mention that the sun doesn't always shine and the wind doesn't always blow, so these are not consistent and reliable energy sources, and never will be. They could fill every square inch of space in the United States with solar panels and it would not be enough to power the whole nation's electricity needs alone, just during daylight hours with full sunshine over the entire nation.
And our current government, beholden to the environmental extremists, claims that "drill baby drill" is not viable either, because it would take years to see significant results. Yet they've been blocking it for decades - we could have seen results decades ago, but they were blocking it this whole time! And the current administration has blocked all drilling in the gulf, most offshore drilling, and the pipeline from Canada now, and then they're claiming credit for increases in production despite their policies, that were initiated during the last administration and this administration has been unable to block!
So what's an energy-weary nation to do?
Well what about nuclear energy?
"There is enough nuclear fuel to last far longer than man will inhabit the earth." - Physics Professor Emeritus Dr. Howard Hayden, author of The Energy Advocate.
But environmental extremists point to Chernobyl and post tsunami Japan as examples of why we should still fear nuclear energy, while they chant the tired old mantra of the 50's and 60's, "NO NUKES!".
But give reason a chance.
Chernobyl was a 1950's technology nuclear reactor and didn't even have a modern containment vessel. That design also allowed it to fail in the meltdown mode, also known as "China Syndrome" after the sensationalized but unrealistic anti-nuclear Hollywood propaganda movie.
The Japanese reactors that leaked were a little more advanced - 1970's technology. They leaked because they weren't designed for the stress that they underwent from the tsunami. No one ever expected it. And what was the ratio of people killed by them, compared to the numbers killed by the never-previously-experienced tsunami?
And the fact is that IPN has spoken with nuclear engineers and the technology has changed so immensely since the 1950's and the 1970's, that comparing nuclear reactor technology from then, to the safe clean designs of today, would be like comparing a 1950's ( all vacuum tubes ) or 1970's CRT TV set to a LCD flat screen HDTV of today.
In fact, we're told that today's nuclear scientists have safe clean and pre-designed and packed nuclear reactor designs that could be pre-approved and built en masse all over this country. They even found new methods to recycle the waste. If one were to be subjected to forces of nature that exceeded the Japanese tsunami, it might break off and roll down the street without ever leaking.
So the differences in technology are truly amazing.
In the 21st century, it would now be entirely possible to rapidly construct pre-packaged and approved safe clean nuclear power plant designs that could power this whole nation, every home, business and car for all time to come, without ever having to be dependent on foreign oil or other fossil fuels again. Yes, total independence. It need only be declared, and the obstructionists who seem to hate all presence of humanity on the face of the earth, would need to be swept out of the way, in the name of true progress and "the greater good".
In fact there's even better news. It could all be built with private investment money. All that would have to be done, is to clear the way for private entrepreneurs to be able to safely invest for the long term ( decades, even centuries into the future ), without the threat of environmental obstructivist lawsuits and government regulations that now harass them so badly that they won't even consider it. Then consortiums could be formed to gather private investment money and build safe clean nuclear power, that would work when the sun didn't shine and the wind didn't blow, for as long as humans would inhabit the earth.
We have the technology, the uneducated obstructionists and/or those with anti-human and/or socialist political agendas that don't want the United States to succeed and prosper, are the only things stopping us now!
For decades now, the United States has been bogged down in a futile and time-wasting debate between environmental extremists and more rational people, about what path to take for the "energy independence" we all long for. The environmental extremists have been winning, and we're still dependent on foreign oil. Gas prices are sky high, and experts in the industry tell the Planetary Bill of Rights Project that it has as much to do with refinery capacity as it does with crude oil prices. No new refineries have been allowed to be built in about the last forty years, and about twenty refineries have actually had to shut down because of more extreme environmental regulations.
We see the effect of having a refinery here in the Denver area, where our gas prices are often twenty five to thirty cents below the "national average", because we have our own refinery. Every time we drive by and see the cloud of steam rising from it on cold days, we think; There's 25-30 cents off our gas prices.
Intelligence experts also tell us that Iran's decades-old evil totalitarian dictatorship would soon collapse if oil prices fell too much, so their "leaders" are always stirring up tensions in the middle east, for profit and to retain their power and control over people who deserve to finally be free.
Yet "alternative" energy in the forms of wind and solar have yet to become economically competitive in the free market, and largely remain pet projects of government agencies, which waste tax slave money on them to no end, without any significant changes in this situation. Not to mention that the sun doesn't always shine and the wind doesn't always blow, so these are not consistent and reliable energy sources, and never will be. They could fill every square inch of space in the United States with solar panels and it would not be enough to power the whole nation's electricity needs alone, just during daylight hours with full sunshine over the entire nation.
And our current government, beholden to the environmental extremists, claims that "drill baby drill" is not viable either, because it would take years to see significant results. Yet they've been blocking it for decades - we could have seen results decades ago, but they were blocking it this whole time! And the current administration has blocked all drilling in the gulf, most offshore drilling, and the pipeline from Canada now, and then they're claiming credit for increases in production despite their policies, that were initiated during the last administration and this administration has been unable to block!
So what's an energy-weary nation to do?
Well what about nuclear energy?
"There is enough nuclear fuel to last far longer than man will inhabit the earth." - Physics Professor Emeritus Dr. Howard Hayden, author of The Energy Advocate.
But environmental extremists point to Chernobyl and post tsunami Japan as examples of why we should still fear nuclear energy, while they chant the tired old mantra of the 50's and 60's, "NO NUKES!".
But give reason a chance.
Chernobyl was a 1950's technology nuclear reactor and didn't even have a modern containment vessel. That design also allowed it to fail in the meltdown mode, also known as "China Syndrome" after the sensationalized but unrealistic anti-nuclear Hollywood propaganda movie.
The Japanese reactors that leaked were a little more advanced - 1970's technology. They leaked because they weren't designed for the stress that they underwent from the tsunami. No one ever expected it. And what was the ratio of people killed by them, compared to the numbers killed by the never-previously-experienced tsunami?
And the fact is that IPN has spoken with nuclear engineers and the technology has changed so immensely since the 1950's and the 1970's, that comparing nuclear reactor technology from then, to the safe clean designs of today, would be like comparing a 1950's ( all vacuum tubes ) or 1970's CRT TV set to a LCD flat screen HDTV of today.
In fact, we're told that today's nuclear scientists have safe clean and pre-designed and packed nuclear reactor designs that could be pre-approved and built en masse all over this country. They even found new methods to recycle the waste. If one were to be subjected to forces of nature that exceeded the Japanese tsunami, it might break off and roll down the street without ever leaking.
So the differences in technology are truly amazing.
In the 21st century, it would now be entirely possible to rapidly construct pre-packaged and approved safe clean nuclear power plant designs that could power this whole nation, every home, business and car for all time to come, without ever having to be dependent on foreign oil or other fossil fuels again. Yes, total independence. It need only be declared, and the obstructionists who seem to hate all presence of humanity on the face of the earth, would need to be swept out of the way, in the name of true progress and "the greater good".
In fact there's even better news. It could all be built with private investment money. All that would have to be done, is to clear the way for private entrepreneurs to be able to safely invest for the long term ( decades, even centuries into the future ), without the threat of environmental obstructivist lawsuits and government regulations that now harass them so badly that they won't even consider it. Then consortiums could be formed to gather private investment money and build safe clean nuclear power, that would work when the sun didn't shine and the wind didn't blow, for as long as humans would inhabit the earth.
We have the technology, the uneducated obstructionists and/or those with anti-human and/or socialist political agendas that don't want the United States to succeed and prosper, are the only things stopping us now!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
No Salt For You! - An Article By LPQC Member Ed Konecnik
Ed Konecnik, a member of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, submitted the following article for publication:
No Salt For You!
by Ed Konecnik
Flushing, New York
April 1, 2012
Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged, warned “We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force.”
Consider the following: New York City “food police” banned charitable food donations to homeless shelters because it does not meet governmental nutritional standards; some school authorities deemed lunches packed by moms brought from home as inadequate and confiscated them; and a proposed law in New York City states “No owner or operator of a restaurant in this state shall use salt in any form in the preparation of any food…”.
To my dismay, e-mailing my friends and family about these and similar examples of bureaucratic coerciveness has cost me some friendships and caused some family strife. I was advised articles and editorials challenging government mandated beneficence are automatically deleted with an admonition to cease further contact and to consider anger management. Why is support of individual rights always dismissed as mean-spirited and hateful? Why does the defense of constitutional principles and individual liberty inspire such vitriol and alienation?
I’m not sure who poses the biggest danger to our republic: those who subscribe to authoritarianism or those who acquiesce and are unaware of the consequences on our lives, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
Thank you for the opportunity to contribute my proverbial two cents. I am comforted by the occasional supportive phone message and that I have not yet been asked to cease contact with you. As long as I am not being “deleted”, I am grateful we can share ideas and even agree to disagree.
No Salt For You!
by Ed Konecnik
Flushing, New York
April 1, 2012
Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged, warned “We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force.”
Consider the following: New York City “food police” banned charitable food donations to homeless shelters because it does not meet governmental nutritional standards; some school authorities deemed lunches packed by moms brought from home as inadequate and confiscated them; and a proposed law in New York City states “No owner or operator of a restaurant in this state shall use salt in any form in the preparation of any food…”.
To my dismay, e-mailing my friends and family about these and similar examples of bureaucratic coerciveness has cost me some friendships and caused some family strife. I was advised articles and editorials challenging government mandated beneficence are automatically deleted with an admonition to cease further contact and to consider anger management. Why is support of individual rights always dismissed as mean-spirited and hateful? Why does the defense of constitutional principles and individual liberty inspire such vitriol and alienation?
I’m not sure who poses the biggest danger to our republic: those who subscribe to authoritarianism or those who acquiesce and are unaware of the consequences on our lives, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
Thank you for the opportunity to contribute my proverbial two cents. I am comforted by the occasional supportive phone message and that I have not yet been asked to cease contact with you. As long as I am not being “deleted”, I am grateful we can share ideas and even agree to disagree.
LP News Rejects Solicited Statements Of Candidacy Submitted By Libertarian Presidential Candidates Sam Sloan, James Ogle, Leroy Saunders & Barbara "Miss Joy" Waymire
Presidential Candidates running for the Libertarian Party nomination submitted 175-word statements for the upcoming issue of LP News, the national Libertarian Party newsletter. Carla Howell, Libertarian Party Executive Director, recently wrote an e-mail to Sam Sloan, James Ogle, Leroy Saunders and Barbara "Miss Joy" Waymire, to tell them their statements would not appear in the upcoming issue of LP News.
That e-mail from Ms. Howell, which was forwarded by one of the rejected candidates, reads as follow:
I am writing to 4 of you whose candidacies had not qualified for inclusion on the LP.org web site (back when we posted POTUS candidates there - no longer).
While I am not permitted to post your candidacies at that web page, I offered to include you in the upcoming issue of LP News, and each of you made a 175-word submission - thank you.
Regretfully, we were short of space and forced to cut a good deal of the content we would have liked to include. So your submissions did not make the issue.
In order to give your campaigns some exposure to our members, I have posted a blog that includes you along with the other 6 candidates. You can see the blog post here:
http://www.lp.org/blogs/staff/presidential-candidates-submit-statements-for-lp-news
I believe you all bring merits to the presidential race, and wish you the best of luck in your campaigns.
The 175-word Presidential Candidate Statements of Sam Sloan, R. Lee Wrights, James Ogle, Bill Still, Carl Person, Leroy Saunders, Jim Burns, RJ Harris, Barbara "Miss Joy" Waymire and Gary Johnson, are the following:
Sam Sloan
In 2010, I was runner-up for the NYLP's Gubernatorial Nomination. I served as Media Relations Director and as State Representative for the Manhattan LP. I serve as Treasurer of the Queens LP and as Secretary of the San Francisco LP. I am a Book Publisher, Chess Champion and was the last pro se litigant to orally argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court and win. I have eight children (one daughter who served in the U.S. Marines in Iraq & two sons in the U.S. Army who are about to be deployed to Afghanistan).
I will end the War on Drugs and the War on our Civil Liberties. I support our country’s right to self-defense but generally oppose any foreign military interventions.
I will use my candidacy to expand the base of the LP by adopting the Stevens’ Strategy (named after Dr. Tom Stevens), which involves reaching out to individuals alienated from the political system (e.g. polygamists, nudists, atheists, Buddhists, home-schoolers) and offering them a long-term home in the Libertarian Party.
R. Lee Wrights
The Libertarian Party can make a difference in 2012, but the only way we can do that is by being different. We can only make a difference if our presidential candidate is willing and able to present a clear, principled, unwavering and unequivocal libertarian message that offers Americans true choices and rational alternatives.
We can only make a difference if we're not afraid to offer a radically different answer to our nation's problems, not variations or modifications of the false solutions promoted by Democrats and Republicans.
The libertarian promise of peace and prosperity is a message Americans are longing to hear. We don't need to soften, refine or modify what we believe to win votes. Instead, we must embrace our beliefs and wear them proudly.
As the Libertarian candidate for President of the United States, I'll make this bold stand. I've never been afraid to speak truth to power, and I won't stop now. I'll guarantee that in 2012 the Libertarian Party is the difference that makes a difference.
James Ogle
My name is James Orlando Ogle. My logo is Joogle, and Google derived from my logo in 1997 because I started a virtual parliament that allows all voters to work in unity based on marked ballots kept as proof under ranked choice majority voting, while giving every voter more liberty to self-categorize as they wish.
I have innovated the ranked choice consensus voting system which guarantees that legislation can be approved by allowing multiple alternatives to be ranked, the more the better, so that items with 100% approval can be approved by consensus.
In addition, ranked choice majority voting can be used to find alternatives in Congress, where any item receiving 50% plus one vote can be considered approved by a simple majority, thus doing away with all the fighting and bickering that you're used to seeing in politics.
I won the Libertarian Party primary with 52.7% of the total votes cast on these planks, along with philosophy of the the non-initiation of force, smaller government and more liberty. Please see USParliament.org for more information: http://www.usparliament.org/google2012.php
Bill Still
The main problem troubling all Americans is the economy. Unfortunately, central banks (China, England, European Central Bank, and Japan) have pumped over $7 trillion into the world economy. This “hot” money is making all stock markets rise and this is the main “economic” number people pay attention to, unfortunately.
This makes Obama’s re-election much easier. But wait, wait: A hot money bubble is very temporary – typically 18 months – enough to get Obama through the election certainly.
The problem is that the quantity of money is not in the hands of we, the people. We have ZERO control over the QUANTITY. Banks and central banks are in complete control over the quantity of money in every nation on earth. I’m the only candidate anywhere who understands this and knows what to do about it.
1. No more national debt. A sovereign nation does not have to borrow. We borrow from banks and central banks and thereby we have a nation that has lost its sovereignty to the biggest banks.
Carl Person
2012 should be our year, but we need to sell our party to voters. Being against war, taxes, regulation and in favor of personal freedoms is insufficient. We need to show voters through specific issues of importance to them (i.e., jobs, homes, education, business opportunities) that Libertarianism provides the desired solutions for voters. My issues (targeted deregulation to let small business create jobs, provide needed vocational training and create prosperity, and option to stay in foreclosed homes) will attract millions of voters who have lost almost everything through their elected Republicans and Democrats. No candidate in any party except me has specific, workable proposals to reach voters and attract their vote. 20,000,000 jobs can be created through my plan “First 3 Are Free” (i.e., treated as independent contractors, as a head start for small business); preemptive legislation to let small business advertise for capital (now illegal), and preemptive legislation to deregulate higher education and vocational training, to train millions of unemployed, underemployed, retirees, disadvantaged to become highly-paid “Technical Assistant to Small Business Owner”.
Leroy Saunders
The American people are fed up with big government this is why I believe the time is right for us Libertarians to stand up and take the lead. We have the most powerful political message lower taxes, less government, peace and more freedom is not enough. Its not enough to put forth a different message you must also put forth a different candidate. Americans overwhelmingly do not trust politicians so why put forth another politician? We have to give the voters a clear cut choice. We must elect a game changer. An average American that can resonate with the people. An average American has the ability to tap into their emotions and the frustration of the people. If you do this you can and will inspire those same people to act and that is how we make history and elect the first Libertarian President! A candidate that can galvanize Americans and transmit to the people how through Libertarian principles their lives can be profoundly better. This is why I should obtain the Presidential nominee of the Libertarian party!
Jim Burns
Libertarians, I want to say thank you. Thank you because you are special: Special because you are chosen: Chosen because you made a choice. Your choice is libertarianism. Libertarians believe that people should be allowed to live as they choose so long as they do not initiate force, threaten to initiate force or engage in fraud. When Libertarianism is adopted, we will enter an age of Peace, Prosperity and Progress. You are special people because of your knowledge and with that knowledge you are among the only people who can bring us all: Peace, Prosperity and Progress. We are not better than anyone else. We are just people – but, because of our knowledge and choices, we do have it within our power to bring us all Peace, Prosperity, and Progress. Our task is not easy, nothing of value ever is. I am Jim Burns. I am seeking the Libertarian Party nomination for President. http://www.jimburnsforpresident.com/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000094450639
PO Box 1139, Beatty, NV 89003, 541-261-4163, 702-722-9494
RJ Harris
My name is RJ Harris and I am running for President of the United States to restore Freedom, Liberty the Constitution and the Republic. To do this as president I will end our foreign policy of interventionism, close GITMO and cease its tortuous activities, stop foreign aid hand-outs, end the drug war by pardoning all non-violent drug offenders, end the Federal Reserve System and restore sound currency, stop all unconstitutional federal spending and close all unconstitutional federal agencies, restore a Department of Justice which looks inwards towards our government instead of outwards towards We the People and I will place my oath of office to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States above all Congressional attempts to promulgate unconstitutional and freedom infringing legislation. To do all of that I need your support and your votes and I sincerely and humbly ask that from you today. In return I will fight for our freedom and defend our liberty message, without fear, in both the media and on the debate stage. Thank you.
Barbara “Miss Joy” Waymire
Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, employee, employer, sole proprietor, Jill of All, Master of None, self-sufficient, and a desire to serve the will of the people; by, for and with the people as a Team.
None look for the root of the issues; the trampling of Individual Freedom and the stripping of the State’s Powers.
I stand for Individual Freedom. Many have confused Freedom with equality under the law.
You cannot extend the “Olive branch of Peace” with military bases to enforce it. I support closing all foreign bases and reducing the size and scope of the military to protect the citizens and our borders.
I support abolishing the Federal Reserve and restoring a sound currency, backed by silver, gold and other precious metals.
I support Term Limits and per diem pay over Congressional salaries, perks and pensions. Politics was not intended to be a career choice, for then the career becomes foremost over the people.
I support closing useless departments such as: Commerce, Education, etc.; reducing government expenditures; a balanced budget.
Gary Johnson
America, for the first time in modern history, is poised to reject the tired two-party duopoly that has brought the nation to its knees economically, while firmly implanting government in every aspect of our lives, families and businesses.
After many months of traveling the country and hearing the concerns and aspirations of thousands of Americans, I am more convinced than ever that the real majority today consists of individuals who not only want a government which spends less, but also does less. Less management of our lives. Less manipulation of our money. And less involvement in wars and nation-building we can neither afford nor justify as clear national interests.
That majority wants and deserves not only a voice in this election, but a viable candidate who has governed – successfully -- on the basis of libertarian principles. I am that candidate, and I ask for the support of Libertarians across the nation as we make history in 2012. http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/
That e-mail from Ms. Howell, which was forwarded by one of the rejected candidates, reads as follow:
I am writing to 4 of you whose candidacies had not qualified for inclusion on the LP.org web site (back when we posted POTUS candidates there - no longer).
While I am not permitted to post your candidacies at that web page, I offered to include you in the upcoming issue of LP News, and each of you made a 175-word submission - thank you.
Regretfully, we were short of space and forced to cut a good deal of the content we would have liked to include. So your submissions did not make the issue.
In order to give your campaigns some exposure to our members, I have posted a blog that includes you along with the other 6 candidates. You can see the blog post here:
http://www.lp.org/blogs/staff/presidential-candidates-submit-statements-for-lp-news
I believe you all bring merits to the presidential race, and wish you the best of luck in your campaigns.
The 175-word Presidential Candidate Statements of Sam Sloan, R. Lee Wrights, James Ogle, Bill Still, Carl Person, Leroy Saunders, Jim Burns, RJ Harris, Barbara "Miss Joy" Waymire and Gary Johnson, are the following:
Sam Sloan
In 2010, I was runner-up for the NYLP's Gubernatorial Nomination. I served as Media Relations Director and as State Representative for the Manhattan LP. I serve as Treasurer of the Queens LP and as Secretary of the San Francisco LP. I am a Book Publisher, Chess Champion and was the last pro se litigant to orally argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court and win. I have eight children (one daughter who served in the U.S. Marines in Iraq & two sons in the U.S. Army who are about to be deployed to Afghanistan).
I will end the War on Drugs and the War on our Civil Liberties. I support our country’s right to self-defense but generally oppose any foreign military interventions.
I will use my candidacy to expand the base of the LP by adopting the Stevens’ Strategy (named after Dr. Tom Stevens), which involves reaching out to individuals alienated from the political system (e.g. polygamists, nudists, atheists, Buddhists, home-schoolers) and offering them a long-term home in the Libertarian Party.
R. Lee Wrights
The Libertarian Party can make a difference in 2012, but the only way we can do that is by being different. We can only make a difference if our presidential candidate is willing and able to present a clear, principled, unwavering and unequivocal libertarian message that offers Americans true choices and rational alternatives.
We can only make a difference if we're not afraid to offer a radically different answer to our nation's problems, not variations or modifications of the false solutions promoted by Democrats and Republicans.
The libertarian promise of peace and prosperity is a message Americans are longing to hear. We don't need to soften, refine or modify what we believe to win votes. Instead, we must embrace our beliefs and wear them proudly.
As the Libertarian candidate for President of the United States, I'll make this bold stand. I've never been afraid to speak truth to power, and I won't stop now. I'll guarantee that in 2012 the Libertarian Party is the difference that makes a difference.
James Ogle
My name is James Orlando Ogle. My logo is Joogle, and Google derived from my logo in 1997 because I started a virtual parliament that allows all voters to work in unity based on marked ballots kept as proof under ranked choice majority voting, while giving every voter more liberty to self-categorize as they wish.
I have innovated the ranked choice consensus voting system which guarantees that legislation can be approved by allowing multiple alternatives to be ranked, the more the better, so that items with 100% approval can be approved by consensus.
In addition, ranked choice majority voting can be used to find alternatives in Congress, where any item receiving 50% plus one vote can be considered approved by a simple majority, thus doing away with all the fighting and bickering that you're used to seeing in politics.
I won the Libertarian Party primary with 52.7% of the total votes cast on these planks, along with philosophy of the the non-initiation of force, smaller government and more liberty. Please see USParliament.org for more information: http://www.usparliament.org/google2012.php
Bill Still
The main problem troubling all Americans is the economy. Unfortunately, central banks (China, England, European Central Bank, and Japan) have pumped over $7 trillion into the world economy. This “hot” money is making all stock markets rise and this is the main “economic” number people pay attention to, unfortunately.
This makes Obama’s re-election much easier. But wait, wait: A hot money bubble is very temporary – typically 18 months – enough to get Obama through the election certainly.
The problem is that the quantity of money is not in the hands of we, the people. We have ZERO control over the QUANTITY. Banks and central banks are in complete control over the quantity of money in every nation on earth. I’m the only candidate anywhere who understands this and knows what to do about it.
1. No more national debt. A sovereign nation does not have to borrow. We borrow from banks and central banks and thereby we have a nation that has lost its sovereignty to the biggest banks.
Carl Person
2012 should be our year, but we need to sell our party to voters. Being against war, taxes, regulation and in favor of personal freedoms is insufficient. We need to show voters through specific issues of importance to them (i.e., jobs, homes, education, business opportunities) that Libertarianism provides the desired solutions for voters. My issues (targeted deregulation to let small business create jobs, provide needed vocational training and create prosperity, and option to stay in foreclosed homes) will attract millions of voters who have lost almost everything through their elected Republicans and Democrats. No candidate in any party except me has specific, workable proposals to reach voters and attract their vote. 20,000,000 jobs can be created through my plan “First 3 Are Free” (i.e., treated as independent contractors, as a head start for small business); preemptive legislation to let small business advertise for capital (now illegal), and preemptive legislation to deregulate higher education and vocational training, to train millions of unemployed, underemployed, retirees, disadvantaged to become highly-paid “Technical Assistant to Small Business Owner”.
Leroy Saunders
The American people are fed up with big government this is why I believe the time is right for us Libertarians to stand up and take the lead. We have the most powerful political message lower taxes, less government, peace and more freedom is not enough. Its not enough to put forth a different message you must also put forth a different candidate. Americans overwhelmingly do not trust politicians so why put forth another politician? We have to give the voters a clear cut choice. We must elect a game changer. An average American that can resonate with the people. An average American has the ability to tap into their emotions and the frustration of the people. If you do this you can and will inspire those same people to act and that is how we make history and elect the first Libertarian President! A candidate that can galvanize Americans and transmit to the people how through Libertarian principles their lives can be profoundly better. This is why I should obtain the Presidential nominee of the Libertarian party!
Jim Burns
Libertarians, I want to say thank you. Thank you because you are special: Special because you are chosen: Chosen because you made a choice. Your choice is libertarianism. Libertarians believe that people should be allowed to live as they choose so long as they do not initiate force, threaten to initiate force or engage in fraud. When Libertarianism is adopted, we will enter an age of Peace, Prosperity and Progress. You are special people because of your knowledge and with that knowledge you are among the only people who can bring us all: Peace, Prosperity and Progress. We are not better than anyone else. We are just people – but, because of our knowledge and choices, we do have it within our power to bring us all Peace, Prosperity, and Progress. Our task is not easy, nothing of value ever is. I am Jim Burns. I am seeking the Libertarian Party nomination for President. http://www.jimburnsforpresident.com/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000094450639
PO Box 1139, Beatty, NV 89003, 541-261-4163, 702-722-9494
RJ Harris
My name is RJ Harris and I am running for President of the United States to restore Freedom, Liberty the Constitution and the Republic. To do this as president I will end our foreign policy of interventionism, close GITMO and cease its tortuous activities, stop foreign aid hand-outs, end the drug war by pardoning all non-violent drug offenders, end the Federal Reserve System and restore sound currency, stop all unconstitutional federal spending and close all unconstitutional federal agencies, restore a Department of Justice which looks inwards towards our government instead of outwards towards We the People and I will place my oath of office to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States above all Congressional attempts to promulgate unconstitutional and freedom infringing legislation. To do all of that I need your support and your votes and I sincerely and humbly ask that from you today. In return I will fight for our freedom and defend our liberty message, without fear, in both the media and on the debate stage. Thank you.
Barbara “Miss Joy” Waymire
Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, employee, employer, sole proprietor, Jill of All, Master of None, self-sufficient, and a desire to serve the will of the people; by, for and with the people as a Team.
None look for the root of the issues; the trampling of Individual Freedom and the stripping of the State’s Powers.
I stand for Individual Freedom. Many have confused Freedom with equality under the law.
You cannot extend the “Olive branch of Peace” with military bases to enforce it. I support closing all foreign bases and reducing the size and scope of the military to protect the citizens and our borders.
I support abolishing the Federal Reserve and restoring a sound currency, backed by silver, gold and other precious metals.
I support Term Limits and per diem pay over Congressional salaries, perks and pensions. Politics was not intended to be a career choice, for then the career becomes foremost over the people.
I support closing useless departments such as: Commerce, Education, etc.; reducing government expenditures; a balanced budget.
Gary Johnson
America, for the first time in modern history, is poised to reject the tired two-party duopoly that has brought the nation to its knees economically, while firmly implanting government in every aspect of our lives, families and businesses.
After many months of traveling the country and hearing the concerns and aspirations of thousands of Americans, I am more convinced than ever that the real majority today consists of individuals who not only want a government which spends less, but also does less. Less management of our lives. Less manipulation of our money. And less involvement in wars and nation-building we can neither afford nor justify as clear national interests.
That majority wants and deserves not only a voice in this election, but a viable candidate who has governed – successfully -- on the basis of libertarian principles. I am that candidate, and I ask for the support of Libertarians across the nation as we make history in 2012. http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/
Sam Sloan's Foreign Aid Package Would Focus On Building Railroads In Afghanistan & A Road From The Port Of Karachi To Tajikistan Instead Of Giving Billions Of Dollars In Aid To Israel
Sam Sloan, a candidate for the Libertarian Party's Presidential Nomination, issued the following position paper with respect to his foreign aid priorities if elected President of the United States:
Sam Sloan on Foreign Aid
I believe that Ron Paul and most Libertarians want to abolish all USA Foreign Aid. I do not agree. I am in favor of some foreign aid. The difference is I make a distinction between true foreign aid, that actually aids the people, and foreign invasion that just kills some people on the pretext of “foreign aid”.
I have two pet foreign aid projects I will carry out if I am so fortunate as to be elected president. Both are big projects that only the USA has the resources to carry out, yet will cost far less than the billions the USA is using now to fight foreign wars.
The first proposed project is a railroad across Afghanistan. A little appreciated fact is there is not even one mile of railroad track inside Afghanistan, almost the only country in the world about which this is true. The reason is the old kings and tribal chiefs of Afghanistan were fearful of modern technology and the threats it would bring to their rule, so they would not allow a railroad to be built.
The result is all the surrounding countries have built railroads right to the border with Afghanistan, but never crossing the border. The Iranians have built a railroad track right to the border of Islam Qala near Herat. I have been there. The Russians have built a railroad right to the border of Termez near Mazar-i-Sharif. The British built railroads to the entry points at Landikotal - Torkham and Chaman near Kandahar. I have been to most of these places.
It is truly a shame that the Afghans have never allowed a railroad to be built in their country. If this Afghanistan railroad were built, then all of these lines would be connected together and goods, services and people could be transported all the way from Europe to India and beyond, as there are good rail links connecting all of these places except for in Afghanistan.
Since our occupation army is already there, we could build this railroad in a few weeks. We are already spending billions there and accomplishing nothing. This project would cost peanuts and have permanent value.
One problem is that all these different existing railroad lines have different gauges. The Russians use a wider gauge than the British and the Iranians. Naturally, it is desirable for railroad cars to be able to run on the same tracks all the way from Western Europe to India and China. This is a difficult problem but I believe there is a solution.
The second project I want to build is the Tajikistan Road. This is a new idea, already at the thinking stage. Just thinking about this is progress because until a few years ago this idea was unthinkable. The idea is to build a road from the Port of Karachi to Tajikistan.
The Tajiks have already been talking about this and have signed onto this project. I am not sure if they thought of it or if we thought of it but in any case the Tajiks like it because it would give them access to the Indian Ocean.
There are a lot of problems with this project. The first problem is back in the 1960s, the World Bank loaned a billion dollars to Pakistan to build a road from Karachi to Peshawar. The money wound up in the Swiss Bank Accounts of the military rulers of that time and thus the road was never built. We then forgave the debt. So, this time, we build the road. The Pakistanis cannot be trusted to build their own road.
A key link of the proposed Tajikistan Road had just been completed, or nearly completed. This is the Lowari Tunnel connecting Chitral to the rest of Pakistan. It is the Lowari Tunnel that makes the Tajikistan
Road feasible. Without it, the only way through the Hindu Kush would be up the Kunar River in Afghanistan, an area of heavy fighting both now and traditionally, making a road there unfeasible.
To get from Chitral to Tajikistan there are two possible routes. One is over the Dorah Pass to Badakhshan in Afghanistan. The other is over the Broghol Pass to the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan. Both routes have their adherents. The Dorah Pass route is the shortest in number of miles. However, the Dorah Pass is 2,000 feet higher than the Broghol Pass. It is 14,108 feet. This is about as high as the peak of Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the Continental United States.
Perhaps more importantly, the Badakhshan side of the Dorah Pass was the scene of the heaviest fighting in the Wars in Afghanistan. The wars were so intense that entire regions were depopulated. Only now people are starting to come back and live there. For this reason, I believe that the Dorah Pass is unsuitable.
Broghol Pass, which I favor, does not have these problems. The road would be about one hundred miles longer. It would go up the Yarkhun Valley. There has never been any fighting there. The terrain is relatively flat. It would not be difficult to build a road there. I know this because I have been there, by the way.
The extra hundred miles should not be a big problem in view of the importance of this road. The Broghol Pass is only 12,460 feet high. This might seem a lot but the good thing is the egress to the pass is relatively flat. There is not much danger of avalanche.
One may wonder why it was necessary to build a tunnel under Lowari Pass which is only 10,230 feet high but not under Broghol Pass which is 2,230 feet higher. The answer is Lowari Pass is surrounded by high
mountains and an avalanche can strike without warning at any moment.
Every Spring when the snows are melting a few people are killed trying to cross Lowari Top. Three people were killed by avalanche there just a few days ago. This is why it was necessary to spend a billion dollars to build a tunnel under there.
By the way, the Lowari Tunnel was built by the Koreans. The Pakistanis could not build their own tunnel.
The Broghol Pass is not merely the best way to cross. It is just about the only way to cross. It is 2000 feet lower than any other mountain pass in the area and takes you directly in about 12 miles from the headwaters of the Indus River to the head waters of the Amu-Darya River and Tajikistan. It is the only good route to cross the Pamir Knot. When the British discovered this pass late in the 19th Century, they were fearful that the Russians would use this pass for the invasion and conquest of India. There is no other suitable way for an
army to use as an invasion route to cross the Hindu Kush - Himalaya Mountain Range.
I think you will agree that these two are worthwhile projects, but you will no doubt be asking why should we bother with these people. Why not just let them stew in their own juice?
My response is that we are giving billions of dollars to a certain favored country* and, as far as I can tell, we are accomplishing nothing, zero, over there. What have we accomplished there, besides making enemies? These two projects I propose will change the demographics of the world for the better. The Afghanistan Railroad Project will connect England and France by rail with India and even points beyond if we can solve the Burma Problem. The Tajikistan Road will connect not only Tajikistan but Kyrgyzstan and the other Central Asian Countries to the South Sea. These projects should be done and only the USA has the resources to do them.
Finally and most importantly, not one person will be killed by the USA in doing these projects, unlike most of the other USA so called “foreign aid” projects that involve killing lots of people.
* As far as defending Israel is concerned, our job is not to defend Israel. They should defend themselves. They have been getting billions of dollars from us every year and they already have every weapon of mass destruction known to man, including the A-Bomb, so they should be able to defend themselves.
Sam Sloan on Foreign Aid
I believe that Ron Paul and most Libertarians want to abolish all USA Foreign Aid. I do not agree. I am in favor of some foreign aid. The difference is I make a distinction between true foreign aid, that actually aids the people, and foreign invasion that just kills some people on the pretext of “foreign aid”.
I have two pet foreign aid projects I will carry out if I am so fortunate as to be elected president. Both are big projects that only the USA has the resources to carry out, yet will cost far less than the billions the USA is using now to fight foreign wars.
The first proposed project is a railroad across Afghanistan. A little appreciated fact is there is not even one mile of railroad track inside Afghanistan, almost the only country in the world about which this is true. The reason is the old kings and tribal chiefs of Afghanistan were fearful of modern technology and the threats it would bring to their rule, so they would not allow a railroad to be built.
The result is all the surrounding countries have built railroads right to the border with Afghanistan, but never crossing the border. The Iranians have built a railroad track right to the border of Islam Qala near Herat. I have been there. The Russians have built a railroad right to the border of Termez near Mazar-i-Sharif. The British built railroads to the entry points at Landikotal - Torkham and Chaman near Kandahar. I have been to most of these places.
It is truly a shame that the Afghans have never allowed a railroad to be built in their country. If this Afghanistan railroad were built, then all of these lines would be connected together and goods, services and people could be transported all the way from Europe to India and beyond, as there are good rail links connecting all of these places except for in Afghanistan.
Since our occupation army is already there, we could build this railroad in a few weeks. We are already spending billions there and accomplishing nothing. This project would cost peanuts and have permanent value.
One problem is that all these different existing railroad lines have different gauges. The Russians use a wider gauge than the British and the Iranians. Naturally, it is desirable for railroad cars to be able to run on the same tracks all the way from Western Europe to India and China. This is a difficult problem but I believe there is a solution.
The second project I want to build is the Tajikistan Road. This is a new idea, already at the thinking stage. Just thinking about this is progress because until a few years ago this idea was unthinkable. The idea is to build a road from the Port of Karachi to Tajikistan.
The Tajiks have already been talking about this and have signed onto this project. I am not sure if they thought of it or if we thought of it but in any case the Tajiks like it because it would give them access to the Indian Ocean.
There are a lot of problems with this project. The first problem is back in the 1960s, the World Bank loaned a billion dollars to Pakistan to build a road from Karachi to Peshawar. The money wound up in the Swiss Bank Accounts of the military rulers of that time and thus the road was never built. We then forgave the debt. So, this time, we build the road. The Pakistanis cannot be trusted to build their own road.
A key link of the proposed Tajikistan Road had just been completed, or nearly completed. This is the Lowari Tunnel connecting Chitral to the rest of Pakistan. It is the Lowari Tunnel that makes the Tajikistan
Road feasible. Without it, the only way through the Hindu Kush would be up the Kunar River in Afghanistan, an area of heavy fighting both now and traditionally, making a road there unfeasible.
To get from Chitral to Tajikistan there are two possible routes. One is over the Dorah Pass to Badakhshan in Afghanistan. The other is over the Broghol Pass to the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan. Both routes have their adherents. The Dorah Pass route is the shortest in number of miles. However, the Dorah Pass is 2,000 feet higher than the Broghol Pass. It is 14,108 feet. This is about as high as the peak of Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the Continental United States.
Perhaps more importantly, the Badakhshan side of the Dorah Pass was the scene of the heaviest fighting in the Wars in Afghanistan. The wars were so intense that entire regions were depopulated. Only now people are starting to come back and live there. For this reason, I believe that the Dorah Pass is unsuitable.
Broghol Pass, which I favor, does not have these problems. The road would be about one hundred miles longer. It would go up the Yarkhun Valley. There has never been any fighting there. The terrain is relatively flat. It would not be difficult to build a road there. I know this because I have been there, by the way.
The extra hundred miles should not be a big problem in view of the importance of this road. The Broghol Pass is only 12,460 feet high. This might seem a lot but the good thing is the egress to the pass is relatively flat. There is not much danger of avalanche.
One may wonder why it was necessary to build a tunnel under Lowari Pass which is only 10,230 feet high but not under Broghol Pass which is 2,230 feet higher. The answer is Lowari Pass is surrounded by high
mountains and an avalanche can strike without warning at any moment.
Every Spring when the snows are melting a few people are killed trying to cross Lowari Top. Three people were killed by avalanche there just a few days ago. This is why it was necessary to spend a billion dollars to build a tunnel under there.
By the way, the Lowari Tunnel was built by the Koreans. The Pakistanis could not build their own tunnel.
The Broghol Pass is not merely the best way to cross. It is just about the only way to cross. It is 2000 feet lower than any other mountain pass in the area and takes you directly in about 12 miles from the headwaters of the Indus River to the head waters of the Amu-Darya River and Tajikistan. It is the only good route to cross the Pamir Knot. When the British discovered this pass late in the 19th Century, they were fearful that the Russians would use this pass for the invasion and conquest of India. There is no other suitable way for an
army to use as an invasion route to cross the Hindu Kush - Himalaya Mountain Range.
I think you will agree that these two are worthwhile projects, but you will no doubt be asking why should we bother with these people. Why not just let them stew in their own juice?
My response is that we are giving billions of dollars to a certain favored country* and, as far as I can tell, we are accomplishing nothing, zero, over there. What have we accomplished there, besides making enemies? These two projects I propose will change the demographics of the world for the better. The Afghanistan Railroad Project will connect England and France by rail with India and even points beyond if we can solve the Burma Problem. The Tajikistan Road will connect not only Tajikistan but Kyrgyzstan and the other Central Asian Countries to the South Sea. These projects should be done and only the USA has the resources to do them.
Finally and most importantly, not one person will be killed by the USA in doing these projects, unlike most of the other USA so called “foreign aid” projects that involve killing lots of people.
* As far as defending Israel is concerned, our job is not to defend Israel. They should defend themselves. They have been getting billions of dollars from us every year and they already have every weapon of mass destruction known to man, including the A-Bomb, so they should be able to defend themselves.