LP Illinois News - August 2008 #1
Libertarian Party of Illinois Convention Announced
The Party is ON at our annual Convention October 3-5 at the Doubletree Hotel in Oak Brook. More details on the Convention will be provided as they become available (check our website, LPIllinois.org), but please reserve the weekend in your calendar today!
If you would like to join the Convention Committee, provide a workshop, or sponsor a favorite speaker (individually or with your Chapter) call 800-735-1776 or email Convention@LPIllinois.org.
Sunday of the Convention, we’ll have the LP Illinois Business Meeting. One of the topics is the LP Illinois Bylaws. Change proposals to the Bylaws should be emailed to the LP Illinois Secretary, Evonne Bennett, by August 21st. The current bylaws can be downloaded from our website.
Put Out the Welcome Mat
LP Illinois welcomes David Brady and the McHenry County Libertarians to the fold. David is the new LP Illinois Fundraising Chair and is also the Chair of our newest chapter in McHenry County. Congratulations and welcome messages can be sent to Fundraising@LPIllinois.org.
Campaign Update: Barr for U.S. President
Bob Barr is going to stop in Illinois this Friday, August 15! A Meet and Greet will be held at the Four Points Sheraton at O'Hare Airport (10255 Irving Park Road in Schiller Park, 847-671-6000).
From 6-7 p.m. Bob will meet the press, followed by an informal reception/fundraiser from 7-9. It’ll be $25 cash at the door. Hors d'oeuvres will be served along with a cash bar. Be sure to bring your checkbook and be prepared to have a great time with Libertarian candidate for President and former Congressman Bob Barr.
Please RSVP so we can tell the hotel how many people to expect by emailing Alex Talcott, alex.talcott@gmail.com or Dave Brady, dabrady63@comcast.net.
Our thanks to Alex and Dave for quickly organizing this great opportunity. Please help bring a big crowd by passing this item along to your friends and neighbors. So many people are hungry for an alternative to McBama—you provide a public service by telling them that a real choice, a better choice is available.
Campaign Update: Stafford for U.S. Senate
Tune in as Larry debates Constitution Party candidate Chad Koppie on Saturday, August 23rd from 7-9 p.m. The debate will air live online at BlogTalkRadio.com/MillerPolitics.
Larry has a new Yahoo Group that you can join to provide support and suggestions to his campaign. To join, visit groups.yahoo.com/group/LarryStafford. Larry’s campaign flyer can be downloaded from the Group’s Files area. Pass it around and let your friends know they have a real choice in voting this year.
Petition Drive Update
Presidential election years are the only occasions many Americans pay attention to politics. Having Libertarian candidates on Illinois ballots helps us capture the fleeting attention span of the American public and grow the liberty movement.
Our petition drive this year is scheduled to end August 15th, when the final paperwork is filed with the State Board of Elections. This culmination of our 50,000-signature petition drive was only possible through the hard work and generous donations of many Libertarians and friends.
While the signature gathering is over, the fundraising need is not. We are short of our goal by $1,546. If you did not contribute either signatures or dollars to our petition drive, we are asking you to contribute today and help us make up this difference and close the books.
Please send your most generous donation today to: Libertarian Party of Illinois, P.O. Box 1605, Chicago, IL 60690-1605. You can also donate securely online through our website. Please note “petition drive” with your donation so your contribution is directed appropriately.
If you are going to vote in November, please support the drive that is getting Bob Barr, Wayne Root, and Larry Stafford on your ballot. With your contribution, you’ll know that you did your part in bringing the Libertarian alternative to every Illinois voter.
Mid-West Mothers for Liberty Conference
The Mid-West Mothers for Liberty Conference, sponsored by The Mothers Institute, will be held Saturday, September 27th from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Vandalia, IL with an informal and optional reception following that evening. The South Central Illinois Mothers for Liberty Meetup Group will be serving as the event's host group. The Conference theme is "Radical Responsible Mothering." The fee is $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
For more information and to register, visit The Mothers Institute website at www.themothersinstitute.org or contact Jan Stover (618) 664-4760.
Libertarian National Committee Seeking Applicants for Bylaws Committee
The LNC will be selecting the 2010 Bylaws Committee at its September Meeting. Anyone interested in serving should email LNC Secretary Bob Sullentrup by mid-August at rwsully@att.net.
Demonstrable expertise, such as membership in the National Association of Parliamentarians, is desirable but not required. Members should expect to travel to at least one face-to-face meeting prior to the 2010 national convention.
Gun Bans Falling Down
Since the Supreme Court ruling on July 26 that individuals have the right to possess handguns in their homes for self-defense, cities with handgun bans have been forced to reexamine the issue or face expensive lawsuits. Already in Illinois, Wilmette (police gave a $750 ticket to a homeowner in 2003 after he shot an intruder), Morton Grove (created the nation’s first handgun ban in 1981), and Evanston have repealed their bans.
Lawsuits are pending against the bans in Chicago and Oak Park. Officials in these cities may yet choose to spend many taxpayer dollars fighting to keep law-abiding citizens disarmed. Stay tuned.
Marijuana Policy Project Online Expansion
Our friends at the Marijuana Policy Project have added video section and a blog to their online presence. Check them out at MPP.org and share the facts and tragedies associated with marijuana prohibition with your friends and neighbors.
Join the Party
Libertarians sometimes assume that joining the national Libertarian Party or their local chapter automatically makes them a member of their state party. Not so. If you have not officially become a member of the LP Illinois, please join us today. Members receive special members-only mailings and can take part in determining the direction and growth of our Party. Leap on board by visiting the join page of our website, LPIllinois.org. It’s fast, easy, and free.
Already a LP Illinois Member? Then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get involved. Moving our state in a libertarian direction requires the effort of every liberty-loving person. Find ideas for how you can contribute on the volunteer page of our website.