LP Illinois News - May 2008 #1
The Presidential Race Gets Hotter
Bob Barr, former U.S. Representative from Georgia, announced this week that he is running for the Libertarian nomination for President. Bob joins a number of stellar Libertarian candidates, one of whom will be selected at the Libertarian National Convention in Denver over the Memorial Day weekend. For more information about the Convention, visit DenverLPCon.com.
If you are going to the National Convention and want to vote for your favorite candidate, call State Chair Val Vetter at 800-735-1776 to request delegate status. Don't wait, the list will be finalized Sunday, May 18.
Time to Roll Up Our Sleeves and Collect Signatures
To get our Libertarian candidates for President, Vice President, and Senate on the ballot in Illinois, we have to collect 42,000 petition signatures by June 15. That's less than a month away.
We have about 20,000 signatures so far, but they are mostly from the contractors we've hired. It's time for each of us to get out and collect signatures at every opportunity we can manage. The petition form and instructions are located on the Petition Drive page of the LPIllinois.org website. Please print a few petitions and collect signatures this weekend.
Recent additions to the Petition Drive page on the LPIllinois.org website to help you are:
- A Petitioning Rights Letter from LP Political Director Sean Haugh. The letter describes the Supreme Court's finding that ballot access petition circulation is "core political speech" for which First Amendment protection is "at its zenith." Feel free to print the letter and take it out with you petitioning.
- A list of petitioning events around the state. There are art fairs, music festivals, parades, and more scheduled within the next few weeks around the state. Find one close by you and fill a petition. Our thanks to Ed Rutledge for working on this list. Additions and corrections welcome. Send them to VLI@LPIllinois.org.
Petitioning Tips
- Car shows are great places to collect signatures. Attendees are typically not in a hurry and can be quite receptive to stopping to sign a petition. Look for one in your area over next few weekends and rev up your signature total.
- Carry a petition with you wherever you go. You never know when you will meet people who are willing to sign. Don't let the opportunity to collect easy signatures pass you by.
Our thanks to Eric Dubiel and Val Vetter for these tips. Send your tips to VLI@LPIllinois.org.
Not Collecting Signatures?
There are other ways you can contribute to getting Libertarians on the ballot in Illinois:
- Donate to the drive by visiting our website or sending your check to the Libertarian Party of Illinois, P.O. Box 1605, Chicago, IL 60690-1605. Our donations are still being matched by the Libertarian National Committee, so every $1 you contribute brings $2.50 to the drive. So, for example, a $250 donation is worth $625. It's a great way to multiply your contribution to the Party, so please give today.
- Validate signatures. It's critical that we know what percent of signatures collected would pass a challenge. There are State Election Board facilities in Springfield and Chicago where we can compare signatures to voter registration records. If you can spend 3 hours during a weekday doing this, even just once or twice, it would be of great help to the drive. Contact Crystal Jurczynski, VLI Chair, at (630) 876-1935 or VLI@LPIllinois.org to volunteer.
- Locate places to petition. Visit or call your local Walmart, Dominick's or other high-traffic store. Ask the store manager for permission to have one or two Libertarians petition there for 10 days (Friday – Sunday) or a week. Call Scott Kohlhaas (907) 337-3171 with any locations you get and he'll get petitioners there.
Libertarians for 9/11 Truth and Justice
It's been more than 6 years since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and those responsible still have not been brought to justice. If you would like to connect with other Libertarians about 9/11 issues, check out the Yahoo Group named Libertarians for 911 Truth and a website named Libertarians for Justice.
Impeachment Rumblings?
Unsurprisingly, an amendment allowing citizens to recall top Illinois elected officials failed to be passed by top Illinois elected officials. If that makes you wonder what is needed to impeach top Illinois elected officials, there are a number of helpful resources at Eric Zorn's "Change of Subject" area on the Chicago Tribune website. To find them, search for the word "impeach" in the right sidebar.
Those who are looking for another way to place recall power in the hands of citizens should look into the Illinois Citizen's Coalition. Bruno Behrend, one of the founders, spoke at the LP Illinois Convention last year in support of an Illinois Constitutional Convention. With the right people as delegates to the Convention, we could gain the recall power as well as fix other serious problems with our Constitution, like the ballot access laws.
Libertarian Meetings and Activities
The DuPage Libertarians will meet on Tuesday, May 20, to discuss Great Libertarian Books. Bring one or two of your favorites to share or pick up reading ideas from the other attendees. A notary will be present, so also bring signatures for the petition drive. Details can be found on DuPageLibertarians.org.
DeKalb County Libertarians will host a meeting on Saturday, May 24, at 1:30 p.m. at the Sycamore Café, 1170 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore. Both Dan Druck who is running for the 14th Congressional District, and Larry Stafford, our U.S. Senate candidate, will speak.
All are invited to join the DuPage Libertarians at the Kane County Cougars baseball game on June 14th. Enjoy family entertainment and the company of your fellow Libertarians. The game starts at 6 p.m. and is followed by a fantastic fireworks show. It's $25 for great seats and proceeds benefit Libertarian outreach. Parking is free. For tickets, call Jim Waldron at (630) 717-1830.
Libertarian Quote
"A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves." – Edward R. Murrow