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News The official Newsletter of the Libertarian Party of Queens County
Promoting Liberty Made Easy:
Promote Libertarian
Party Candidates
Between elections, we Libertarians pull our hair out trying to figure out how to build our party organizations and promote liberty. Now that a campaign season is upon us, our job is easy: We can support Libertarian Party candidates as they carry the message of liberty to the public.
There are many ways to support LP candidates. Financial contributions-small and large-pay for advertising, campaign literature, postage, and phone bills. Letters to editors-of all media, including newspapers, magazines, and radio and TV stations -and calls to radio and TV talk shows are inexpensive yet effective ways of promoting our message. Even a few encouraging words on a postcard to a candidate can boost his or her morale. Perhaps most importantly, direct personal contact-with friends, neighbors, and co-workers-is the most time-honored way of spreading a message.
Harry Browne may be the most persuasive Presidential candidate the LP has ever fielded. Jo Jorgensen, Browne's Vice Presidential running mate, is similarly one of the LP's best-ever candidates. Browne's reason for running is convincing: "I didn't suddenly seize on reducing government as a campaign issue when I decided to run for President. I've been a libertarian for 35 years. And the only reason I'm running is to reduce government. I'm 63 years old. I have no interest in a career as a professional politician. I want to go to Washington for four years, clean up the mess, and then go home and live the rest of my life in peace and freedom." To contact the Browne campaign, call, write, or e-mail:
Harry Browne for President
c/o The Libertarian Party
2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 100
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: (202) 333-0008
E-mail: campaign@HarryBrowne96.org
Web site: http://www.HarryBrowne96.org
A major thrust of the Browne campaign is to have him included in the national Presidential debates. To express your support for his inclusion, write a brief letter to:
Debate Commission
601 13th Street NW, #310S
Washington, DC 20005
Closer to home, Mike Buoncristiano is running for Congress in New Jersey's 13th District (the Hoboken area). Buoncristiano was featured on page one of the July Libertarian Party News and spoke at the New York City Libertarian Organization dinner on June 27. He is an engaging, persuasive speaker. Buoncristiano's colorful campaign literature communicates the libertarian message succinctly and convincingly. Buoncristiano represents the LP ably and should do very well this November. To contact his campaign, write or call:
Mike Buoncristiano
450 Seventh Street, Suite 8
Hoboken, New Jersey 07030
Phone: (201) 217-0744
Fax: (201) 222-5535
E-mail: MTBin96@aol.com
Another libertarian candidate in New York City this year is Thomas Hamilton of Staten Island. Hamilton is running for the New York State Assembly in the 60th District. Although he's running on the Independence Party ticket, he is a member of the LP and is conducting a soundly libertarian campaign.
For the last eight years, Hamilton has produced New York Weekly Journal, a strongly libertarian public-access cable TV program. It is distributed in Staten Island and Brooklyn, and the LPQC is helping in Hamilton's efforts to expand its distribution. Hamilton's program has featured interviews with virtually all the political figures in his county, as well as some national figures. He even interviewed candidate Bill Clinton in 1992, atop the Staten Island Ferry! To support Hamilton's campaign, contact:
Thomas Hamilton
153 Arlo Road
Staten Island, New York 10301
Phone: (718) 727-1967
A campaign season is a period of tremendous opportunity. All of our efforts now, whether heroic or humble, will help bring the Libertarian Party's message to the American public. At least until election day, we can stop pulling our hair out, and work for liberty by working for our candidates.
By Jim Strawhorn & John Clifton
(Web Editor notes, post-election: Several other candidates who ran in NYC are members of the Libertarian Party. These include Andre Soleil, David Greene and Robert Flanzer. Robert Flanzer received nearly 15 percent of the vote and ran a strong libertarian campaign).
A Wasted Vote?
Do people ask you if a vote for a Libertarian Party candidate isn't just a wasted vote? We've all heard that at one time or another. Last year, in a discussion on CompuServe with a member of the New York State Republican Liberty Caucus, LPQC Chair John Clifton addressed that question admirably and eloquently. Here is a transcript of their exchange:
Republican: "Most of us gave up on the LP long ago when they started running people for office with little credibility or name recognition. Maybe if it was the Libertarian Party of the early '80's Clark days, things might be different. But today the LP is being run by the same crowd that gave Libertarians a whopping 228,000 vote total in the Presidential election of 1984: David Bergland, Sharon Ayers and Perry Willis.
"Gee, that certainly sounds like a recipe for success."
Clifton: "You are more of a winner if you vote your principles and lose than if you drop-kick your principles and win. The Republican and Democratic parties alike are moving full throttle towards the Total State-the GOP at jogging speed, the Dems at lightning speed. A GOP that can't even eliminate funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, or Amtrak, or end rent control and other boondoggles in New York, has no standing to declare itself capable of axing big programs later.
"All I needed to know about our illustrious Governor, George Pataki, before he ran, was that he kept a portrait of Nelson Rockefeller in his office. How can any self-respecting defender of limited government, in good conscience, vote for a Rocky feller, knowing how much damage that family has done to this country?
"As for the Washington set of GOP statist insiders, just look at what they've done. Calendar: January, Mexico bailed out; February, the Fourth Amendment curtailed, courtesy of the Contract; March, the Balanced Budget Amendment stalled; March, Term Limits limited; April, post-OKC GOP quells talk of radical opposition to big government; May, Budget Sham, as Republicans "reduce" spending by proposing to increase total spending over $300 billion over next seven years; June, anti-civil-liberties counterterrorism bill passed by Senate; July, Waco re-whitewashed, Vietnam relations normalized; August, Congress recessed (whew! we're safe, at least for the moment!); September, top Republicans talk openly about supporting a Powell candidacy; October, Clinton announces U.S. to intervene in Bosnia, with GOP in backroom agreement.
"This is a victory for liberty? This is a Revolution? If it is, who needs the status quo?"
A Libertarian Party victory may be a long shot. But if you really want to waste your vote, then vote for a Republicrat or a Demopublican.
By Jim Strawhorn
The LP National Convention:
A Delegate's Experience
I was among six LPQC members who attended the Libertarian Party's National Convention in Washington during the July Fourth weekend. We were in the company of well over a thousand Libertarians from all across America. I'm sure they would agree that it was an exhilarating event. Being in the company of so many other Libertarian activists has given me increased determination to see the Libertarian Party grow exponentially here in New York City.
Within minutes of reaching the Marriott Regency Capitol Hill Hotel, I met Irwin Schiff (for the second time; I first met him at the LPNY convention in April), Don Ernsberger (a founder of the Libertarian movement), and finally had the chance to speak briefly with Jo Jorgensen. And this before I even checked into my room. Only moments after checking in and dumping my luggage, I joined Blay Tarnoff and Jeff Russell in the hotel's lounge. There I had a number of fascinating conversations with various NatCom members and candidates. Without even taking the time to eat, a number of us rushed out to attend the "Liberty in Words and Music" celebration at the Jefferson Memorial. Unfortunately, most of us were following the schedule published in Libertarian Party News. As about half the crowd arrived, the other half was leaving-the event was already over, the result of the only real scheduling snafu of the convention. LPQC Vice Chair John Procida had also arrived at the "scheduled" time, only to miss the event. Oh well.
The rest of the convention was a whirlwind of intense activity. Although I thoroughly enjoyed Jacob Hornberger's keynote address and a speech by Richard Boddie in particular, I was especially interested in the official business proceedings on the floor of the convention and was present for nearly every vote. Even though I held three tickets for break-out events, I only attended one, a speech by Marshall Fritz on "Why Libertarians should not support School Vouchers." It inspired me to finally join The Separation of School and State Alliance. There were more than 25 speakers at the convention and almost every Libertarian issue was discussed. I preferred the theater of the convention floor.
A few issues raised in approving the platform became extremely contentious. There was an especially strong (and ultimately successful) movement to eliminate the Children's Rights plank from the platform. I'm still carefully studying that issue, and I plan to write a letter to the Platform Committee for the next convention. A number of other intense movements over Women's Rights and Gay Rights (changed to Sexual Rights to avoid giving special status to a particular group) became contentious on the floor. I tended to think for myself and on a few occasions broke ranks with my fellow New York delegates. I think a strong New York City Caucus of delegates at future conventions would be a good idea.
The Presidential candidates' debate was particularly impressive. To my mind, Irwin Schiff and Harry Browne were the two best candidates, although a number of New York delegates supported Rick Tompkins. Because it was clear that Harry Browne would get the nomination, and Schiff needed pledges from 35 delegates to be on the first ballot, I decided to give Schiff my pledge. I was one of only four New York delegates to vote for Schiff, but I do, of course, resolutely support Harry Browne now that he has the nomination. Harry Browne's acceptance speech was inspirational. (A number of us are sharing various tapes. If you come to a meeting at Shaheen, I'm sure you could arrange to borrow one.)
I particularly had fun joining fellow LPQC member Jim Harris at a number of parties in the hotel. We managed to meet quite a few influential supporters of grassroots organizations. So many people asked for copies of LPQC News, I had to go to a copy machine a run off half a ream of paper. I assure you, the LPQC is now well known and recognized on the national level. I'm sorry to say that I didn't get to the Presidential banquet, but I am pleased to report that it raised a record $150,000!
Although I did get out to see the National Symphony Orchestra and the fabulous fireworks on the Fourth of July, I generally only left the hotel to pick up a few meals at the deli across the street.
Even if I'm not elected as a delegate for future conventions, I will try to continue to attend. It is truly a delight to be in the company of those who support the true ideals of freedom!
Bradford R. Arter
We Apologize . . .
We apologize for missing the August/September issue of LPQC News. This was mostly my fault, because I failed to provide the rest of the crew with a production schedule; then I encountered serious computer problems, etc., etc. (If you'd like to help with the newsletter, please feel free to call me at home-(718) 639-3294.) Meanwhile, we decided to make the best of the situation by adjusting our publication schedule. We've changed the current issue to September/October (thus losing August 1996 forever); our final issue this year will be a November/ December (instead of December/January) issue, and 1997 will begin with a January/February (instead of February/March) issue. We hope our lateness (or even this tangled apology) has not caused anyone undue distress or inconvenience.
By Jim Strawhorn
Web Editor Notes: The web site contains selected past issues of The LPQC newsletter. Please subscribe to the printed edition for current newsletters. Subscription notes at bottom,
Libertarians stand for individual liberty, self-responsibility, and freedom from government-on all issues at all times. If there's a problem, our first question is not, "How can government solve this problem," but "What government program must be eliminated to improve this situation?"
from Harry Browne's
Campaign Platform
Jim Strawhorn, Editor
Bradford R. Arter, Associate Editor
John Clifton, Contributing Editor
Elliott Werner, Web Site Editor
LPQC News is published bimonthly by the Libertarian Party of Queens County (LPQC). Subscriptions: included free with LPQC membership; $6/year to non-members. Opinions expressed in LPQC News are not necessarily official positions of the membership or the officers of the LPQC. Please direct all correspondence to: LPQC News
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