LP Illinois News - March 2008 #1
Petition Drive Gets Green Light
The petition drive to get Libertarian candidates for U.S.President, Vice President, and Senate on the November ballot in Illinois is a "GO."
We need your help in the massive effort to collect over 40,000 petition signatures. You can:
- Collect signatures starting March 25th. The petition form will be available on our website, LPIllinois.org , by that date. Instructions (Five Steps to Petitioning Success ) and FAQs are already posted there. Every signature takes us one step closer to achieving our goal.
- Donate to the drive. Every dollar helps us pay petitioners to collect additional signatures. Send checks to: Libertarian Party of Illinois, P.O. Box 1605, Chicago, IL 60690-1605. (If you already pledged to the drive, now's the time to send your check!) You can also donate online at our website, LPIllinois.org.
- Join the Vote Libertarian Illinois committee or simply let us know you wish to help. We need people who can write fundraising letters, stuff envelopes, mentor others in how to successfully petition, notarize documents, and more.
- Become a Petition Coordinator. We need people in every area of Illinois to collect petitions, see that they are notarized, and forward them to Springfield.
Petition Drive Challenge Pledges
We still have 2 challenge pledges looking for takers: our first is an anonymous $1000 pledge if matched by another individual $1000 pledge. The second is by Julie Fox, who has pledged to collect 500 signatures, but will collect another 500 if someone will match her 1000 signature pledge.
A match to either of these challenges would give the petition drive a huge boost. Accept the challenge by calling 800-735-1776 or emailing VLI@LPIllinois.org.
Dan Druck for U.S. Congress, 14th District
Dan Druck, a member of the newly-formed Fox Valley Freedom Coalition, has announced that he will be running for Dennis Hastert's former seat in Congress. (The Fox Valley Freedom Coalition formed from the Fox Valley Ron Paul Meetup group.)
Dan is an Air Force veteran who has his own architectural firm and lives in Huntley. He ran for Congress against Phil Crane in 1996. He is a Nolan chart columnist.
Dan is going to need 10,000 valid signatures to get on the ballot in this race. Ken Prazak, Dan's campaign manager, has already pledged 1,000 signatures. To help Dan, contact Ken at ken@freedomrings.net or 847-426-1974.
More Candidates Wanted
Do you enjoy talking about libertarian solutions to national problems? Join our candidates Chris Bennett, Dan Druck, and Larry Stafford in running for national office. Illinois has 18 other U.S. Congressional District seats ready for a Libertarian candidate.
You don't have to give up your day job to be a candidate. Visit LPIllinois.org/campaigns for more information about the benefits and responsibilities of running and email Dave Kelley, our Campaigns Chair, to express your interest.
Anti-War Activism
It's been 5 years since the invasion of Iraq. More than 30,000 of our troops are dead or wounded. We've spent trillions of dollars. And there's no end in sight.
Peace demonstrations will be held across the state and in Washington D.C. this month. For information on activities in your area, use the search function at 5yearstoomany.org.
You can also read an outstanding article, War Is a Government Program, by Sheldon Richman, on The Future of Freedom Foundation website, FFF.org.
"A state of war only serves as an excuse for domestic tyranny."
- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Anti-Drug War Activism
Medical marijuana bills have been introduced in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly. Both bills are known as the "Alternative Treatment for Serious Diseases Causing Chronic Pain and Debilitating Conditions Act." This legislation would protect seriously ill patients from arrest for using medical marijuana. Qualifying conditions include: cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), Crohn's disease, and Alzheimer's.
Please write your legislators today asking them to support medical marijuana legislation. You can find contact info for your legislators at the Illinois General Assembly website or by using the Medical Marijuana Project's automated service.
If you are a patient who could or currently does benefit from the medical use of marijuana, please send an email with a brief description of your condition, address, and contact number to Nathan@mpp.org.
Why Libertarians Offer the Better Choice
Ken Prazak got a fantastic Letter to the Editor published in The Courier News titled Libertarians Offer Better Choice. He discusses the failures of both the Republicans and Democrats and why people should choose the Libertarian Party.
Check it out and get inspired. When your letter is published, send the link to News@LPIllinois.org.