August 2009 Page 1

Libertarian Strategy Monthly

Herding Cats Since May 2009
Volume 1 | Number 4 Saturday, August 1, 2009

“Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success
when they gave up.” Thomas A. Edison

In This Issue:
Pages 2-3 Privacy Alert: Issue Brief:
Opinion
Positive Political Excerpted From An Excerpted From An LP
Campaigning ACLU Press Release Press Release

Pages 3-5 In a letter to key Dr. Richard S. Kerr,

Opinion lawmakers, the American M.D., a West Virginia
Plan For Growth Civil Liberties Union Libertarian Party member
today joined 17 other civil and a retired doctor with
Pages 5-6 liberties groups to oppose 36 years experience,
Opinion
the Pass ID Act, a bill that asked President Barack
Upon Strategic Planning intends but failed to fix Obama Thursday to
the flawed Real ID Act of apologize for comments
Pages 6-9
Opinion
2005 designed to turn the made in press conference
Detailed and Unstructured state driver’s license into accusing doctors of
a national identity card. conspiring to make
Strategic Planning
The coalition letter was children sicker for profits.
Page 9 sent in preparation for a
News & Analysis July 15 hearing on the In his press conference,
LNC Meets In St. Louis Pass ID Act and includes Obama claimed, “…you
principles that should come in and you've got a
Pages 10-11 guide Congress in bad sore throat, or your
News & Analysis repealing, not fixing, the child has a bad sore throat
2010 LNC Race Real ID Act of 2005 so or has repeated sore
that effective driver’s throats, the doctor may
Pages 11-14 license policy can be look at the reimbursement
News & Analysis developed. While Pass ID system and say to
LP Staff Changes eliminates many of the himself, you know what, I
more costly Real ID make a lot more money if
Page 14 requirements for the I take this kid's tonsils
News & Analysis states, it leaves intact the out.”
Ferguson Quits LP same fundamental
structure created by Real “For President Obama’s
Page 14 ID. information, pediatricians
News & Analysis do not perform
Pessimism Grows “We are united in tonsillectomies. If he
opposing the Pass ID Act doesn’t know that, then
because we don’t want he has no business
Pages 14-15
Guest Article
‘National ID light,’” said centrally planning your
Tax Revolt Returns Chris Calabrese. family’s health care,” said
Dr. Kerr.

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 2

As Libertarians, we have the answers

Opinions of our guests do not that will benefit America. Instead of just
necessarily reflect the opinions of complaining how the Democrats and
Jake Porter or J.D. Porter Consulting. Republicans have failed, we must show
how our
ideas will
actually be
J.D. Porter
Positive Political
Campaigning of benefit to Consulting
Americans.
Conversing With Jake
To clarify, Business, Non-Profit,
the average and Political Services
By Jake Porter
American is
already able E-mail:
[email protected]
“Y esterday, I won the lottery.
to clearly
visualize
how the www.jakeporter.org
Now, I have to pay
Democrats
taxes on my
and
winnings. Oprah
Republicans have failed us though large
gave me a brand
budget deficits, attacks on civil liberties,
new car. Damn
high taxes, and unnecessary small
her! Now I have to
business regulations. Most Americans no
buy expensive car
longer need to be convinced the
insurance.” We have all heard this sort
Democrats and Republicans don’t have
of negative talk, maybe to a less extreme
the solutions necessary to improve the
level, by people at work, family, and
country. What they want is a solution
friends. Does talking negative win many
from us that will help them.
friends and make others want to be
around you or vote for you as a political
After stopping the negative political talk,
candidate? With the exception of a few
the next step is to stop selling issues and
rare exceptions of people that somehow
start selling benefits to the voters. In
manage to thrive on negative emotions
sales, a good salesperson will not sell
like ticks on dogs the answer is a
product features. The reason is that most
resounding no.
buyers do not care about product
features. Instead, they care about how
As we learned in the last Presidential
the feature benefits them. For example,
election people want to have hope for
you probably wouldn’t buy a car because
something that will benefit them. It is
it had an air conditioner. You would
no different than when selling a product
buy a car because their air conditioner
at a store. Just attacking a competitor’s
meant you would have a more
product does nothing to convince
comfortable ride to and from work. You
someone to purchase your product.
wouldn’t buy a car because it received
Sure, the consumer might not buy from
better gas millage. You would buy the
the competition, but they will also not be
car because better gas millage saves you
likely to buy from you.
money that you can save or spend on

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 3

other things. Similarly, few are going to Telegraph. Today, he is the owner of
vote for Libertarians because we favor a J.D. Porter Consulting, is the Alternate
free market approach to retirement. On to Region 6 of the Libertarian National
the other hand, they might be convinced Committee.
to vote for a Libertarian who allowed
them to keep more of their own money Libertarian Party of
and make the personal decision of where Tennessee-Plan For Growth
they wanted to invest their own money
for their own retirement. See, personal By Charles Wilhoit
responsibility doesn’t sound quite as
scary as the horrific sci-fi image people
create in their mind when you tell them
about the invisible hand of the free
market.
T he primary
objective of any
political party is
To sum up, the message of this article is to build a voter
simple. The American people already base sufficient
know how out of touch the Democrats to elect the
and Republicans are with the country so party candidates
you can quit talking dirty to the voters to public office,
and start explaining how your plans will the most important of which are
actually benefit them. candidates for the U. S. Congress and
(Photo of Jake Taken By Julie Stone) the Tennessee legislature.

A basic LPTN county organization will

J.D. (Jake) Porter, a 2008 Business require a minimum of three Libertarian
Administration graduate, previously Party members for each voting precinct
served as Chief of Staff to the George in each county. The County Chair, then,
Phillies Presidential campaign, Iowa is the kingpin in party growth. The Chair
Coordinator for the 2008 Bob Barr makes things happen!
Presidential campaign, and worked as
Business Manager for the Saint Joseph
Gold America Group
Discuss Ways To Build The Libertarian Party
August Calendar
www.goldamericagroup.com
August 1 Michael Badnarik,
1954

August 17 Davy Crockett,

1786

August 20 Congressman
Ron Paul, 1935

August 29 John Locke, 1632

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 4

Although we are just beginning, we are Your next step is to start your local
making good progress. We are few in recruiting. Right away you are going to
numbers. We can't expect to raise large be tempted to dream up all sorts of
sums of money. Good! Now we can media events to tell your public about
afford to be different. the Libertarian Party. Stop! There is a
better, more direct way and the expense
We are going to build from the bottom will be almost negligible compared to
up. We are going to depend on media events. Winning the next election
Libertarian volunteers for most, perhaps will get you all the media attention you
all, of the work. The ultimate payoff is could want. Sixty-four percent of the
that our party will then be controlled registered voters did NOT vote in the
from the bottom up instead of the top last congressional election. This
down as in the major parties. indicates to me that they are probably so
disenchanted with the two major parties
Your starting point is the Libertarian that they don't want either of them. If
Party National (LPN) database for your even half of them turn out to be
county, which lists your dues-paying Libertarians and we can convince them
members. It also lists those prospects to vote for Libertarian candidates, we
who have requested and received can win.
information from the LPN Headquarters.
Go to your county Registrar of Voters
First, contact your members by phone or and obtain a list of the registered voters
in person. Tell them that you seek their who failed to vote in the last election.
help in getting the County Party These are your most logical prospects.
organized. Do not write them a letter. It Arrange your list into precincts. Assign
is a waste of time and money. There is your members to his/her own precinct,
absolutely no substitute for personal give them brochures and get them started
contact. calling on these registered voters. Before
they start, though, be sure they have
Next, begin to contact the prospects just listened to the three-tape set The Essence
as you have done with the members, of Political Persuasion by Michael
using as many members to help you as Cloud. A large number of people will
possible. Obviously, the reason for join the Party if they are asked to do so
contacting the prospects is to persuade in a direct manner.
them to join the LP and become active
members of the County Party. What you Now remember, I didn't tell you it was
have started will become an ongoing going to be easy. It surely won't! Your
situation because you will be receiving members are going to be basically lazy
regular updates to the database. Get the and reluctant to get involved. Keep
system set up and stay with it. talking until most of them are convinced
that there is no other way to get their
When you feel that you have a sufficient Libertarian candidates elected. If they
number of members to warrant meetings, finally realize there is no way they can
start having them. Obviously, the sooner divert you from the path you have
the members get acquainted with each elected to take, they will be forced to
other the better. join you or forced to step aside!

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 5

These are my suggestions and they are Why should we not have a long record
based on my experience. I feel very of strategic planning, strategic thought,
strongly about what I have written, and strategic analysis?
simply because I have "been through the
mill" and know what works and what We are the party of capitalism. How can
doesn't work. Of course, you are under we affect to be ignorant of a process
no obligation to follow these known to every serious merchant, from
suggestions. It's entirely up to you. Don't the automobile magnate balancing
hesitate to challenge me or ask between profit and business share --- to
questions. the donut magnate contemplating a
_________________________________ cappuccino machine next to the
percolator?
Charles Wilhoit, Captain USN (Ret.) is a
former Chair of the Libertarian Party of There are many tasks we can ask or
Tennessee and in 2002 was a candidate expect or demand of our Party's elected
for Governor. leadership. Some are more fundamental
than others. Some are more attainable
Upon than others. None is more basic than the
Strategic ability of leaders to set forth a coherent
strategic vision for our party, to identify
Planning
a path for realizing that vision, to
implement that path, and to improve that
By Dr. George
path based on practical experience.
Phillies
Our Party's history includes some very

S trategic
different strategic visions. To see them,
we need go no further than statements
emanating from past candidates for
Planning is not a new idea.
National
Chair. Your Ad Here!
Businessmen have been doing it for
Consider the
millennia. The Hellenic philosopher
strategic Contact:
Archimedes, challenged 'if you're so
images
smart, why aren't you rich', is said to
presented by jdporterconsulting@g
have used strategic planning: He
Kent Guida mail.com
anticipated an excellent olive harvest
(National
and used out-of-season options trading
Chair for advertising rates
to corner the market on olive presses,
candidate,
thereby becoming wealthy.
1981) and
David
We are not a newborn, fledgling political
Bergland
party. We are more than 30 years old. 28
(National
years after their births, America's other
Chair candidate, 1998) in their campaign
great political parties---Federalist,
literature. I'm not going to argue whose
Democratic, Whig, and Republican---
vision was better. I'm only going to
had all elected Congressmen, Senators,
contrast the strategic visions. I'll show
and Presidents.

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 6

that our Libertarian Party has long had a • fundraise for the national party
sense of strategy and tactics. I'll show and Project Archimedes from
that historically we have had very wealthy Libertarians
different strategies proposed to us. What • expand activist training and
did these two candidates propose? Libertarian education programs
• be the party's spokesman to the
In his 1981 document, Kent Guida press and the public
identified "...the key element in the
success of the Libertarian Party is the Note the dramatic difference in strategic
individual activist who (will) help the visions. One candidate focused on
party grow and succeed..." Guida individual activists and helping them to
demonstrated the sort of activities he build a solid national base for the Party.
would perform as National Chair. He The other focused on the Washington
compiled a "Blueprint for Libertarian headquarters, Washington staff, and the
Activists" sharing experiences of national party's membership and
Libertarians from coast to coast. Core operation. There can be no doubt:
issues were: historically, we have been presented
with a range of alternative strategic
• establishing successful local visions.
groups
• sustaining extant groups via A third strategic vision is enunciated in
activism the Clean Slate Action Program's "Stand
• internal communication Up for Liberty!", available on the web at
• candidate recruitment and http://www.cmlc.org, and as an eBook
electioneering and trade paperback at
• Libertarian education -- the http://3mpub.com/phillies
Speakers' Bureau
• fundraising by local groups for Detailed and Unstructured
local projects Strategic Planning
In his 1998 letter, David Bergland By Dr. George Phillies
proposed a series of actions that he
would perform, actions targeted at
'making us a Party too big to ignore',
including: W hat is a Strategic Plan?

• appoint Steve Dasbach as full- Strategic Planning is not a new idea.

time, paid CEO Successful businessmen have been doing
• keep the Dasbach Headquarters strategic planning for millennia.
team
• increase the number of activists 25 years ago, it was understandable that
and donors "...by 'rolling out' the newly-founded Libertarian Party
Perry Willis's 'Project would have done little in the way of
Archimedes'..." with the intent of strategic planning. In 2000, a quarter-
doubling or quadrupling our century later, the elected National
membership by specified dates Committee should routinely treat

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 7

strategic planning as a primary task. would ensure that any needed

Failure to treat strategic planning as a fundraising took place in early 1999 --
primary task -- as marked, for example, leaving plenty of time for unexpected
by the lack of a long-since-approved contingencies. Any needed commercial
strategic plan based on analysis and petitioners would be hired in 1999, as
outcome assessment -- would represent a needed state by state, getting low 1999
gross failure of the national party petitioner prices without disrupting other
leadership. Party operations. In contrast, without
effective strategic planning, fundraising
What do we mean by planning? might be a late 1999 emergency,
disrupting normal Party operations and
In some cases, we can be quite detailed. leaving it uncertain if petitioners could
In other cases, we must be far less be hired before their rates rose to
specific. In every case, we must election-year levels.
remember that we are a party of
individuals, many of whom are strong Detailed strategic planning for 50 state
individualists. Libertarian Leadership ballot access can be done state by state,
usefully consists of proposing projects, by local and state organizations with
mobilizing support for activists who are national support. We cannot always
actually doing real work, and leading predict every step; the Democratic-
from the front by doing real work Republic duopoly party can always
yourself. Efforts to lead by telling other change the rules on us. However, most
people what they should do are relatively of the time we can anticipate most of the
less effective. needed steps, and that is usually good
enough.
Suppose that we adopted "every voter
should be able to Vote Libertarian! at For other strategic paths, planning is
least once in every major election" as a necessarily far less precise.
major party objective. That objective
ensures that the party name -- whether Consider Federal politics. One of our
printed on the ballot or spoken by party's objectives is a working majority
candidate and surrogates -- is kept at in Congress and a series of elected
least slightly before the voting public. Libertarian Presidents.**
That objective demonstrates that we are
not a Here Today, Gone Tomorrow What is the path to that objective? Will
Party like the "parties" of Henry we first elect a President, and rise into
Wallace, George Wallace, John Congress on her coat-tails? Or will the
Anderson, and Ross Perot. Chief Executive be the last position to
fall to our Party, captured after town
A partial path to that objective would be councils and state legislatures are solidly
to insure 50-state ballot access for our Libertarian from sea to shining sea?
Presidential candidate, as was done in That's close to unpredictable. Perhaps
1980, 1992, and 1996.* To travel that we build from the foundation up.
path via strategic planning, one would Perhaps some future Dwight David
identify well in advance what had to be Eisenhower experiences the Libertarian
done in each state. Strategic planning apotheosis, writes a good Libertarian

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 8

book, spends several years investing his

4 People That Can
talents in our party, and then asks for our
Presidential nomination. Benefit Your
Campaign
No matter the path, this objective will
not be reached in the near future. We Campaign Manager-
have never elected even one Libertarian
to the United States Congress, nor to the A good campaign manager
Senate. Despite the heroic efforts of Neil will assist you in setting
Randall and Don Gorman, we don't even goals, implementing
have an enduring presence in a single strategy, communicate with
state legislature. In the next few election staff, and keep you
cycles, it is unlikely that we will be more informed on campaign
than a small Congressional minority. progress.

When the objective is very removed Communications Director-

from the present, detailed planning is
impossible. The best one can do is to A communications director
create the circumstances that appear will be working with the
necessary for Libertarian Political media, sending press
victory. We may not know exactly how releases, and defending your
we will take a majority, but we can reputation from negative
identify foundation stones that we must attacks.
emplace before we succeed. At first, our
efforts will lead to skeletons that are Treasurer-
shadows of the structures created by the
other major parties. As time goes on, It is critical that you have
these skeletons will gain the solidity and someone competent to
effectiveness of the corresponding report your campaign
structures maintained by the finances and expenditures.
Democratic-Republicans.
Volunteer Coordinator-
In the next letter "The Iron Pentagon" I
will identify some of those foundation A volunteer coordinator will
stones. I'll do some strategic analysis. make sure you have
My analysis suggests things that we need volunteers and that those
to do for the future. My analysis also volunteers have something
shows things that our national leadership productive to do.
should have been doing to assist us in
achieving the Libertarian future. Volunteer coordinators must
be able to motivate,
----------------------------------------------- delegate, monitor, and
organize a large group of
*Observe the difference between "50- people.
state ballot access" as described here and
as described by some other authors. To

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 9

some authors, 50-state ballot access is a they eliminated the need for a plan as
deed of self-validation proving to us how previously required in the policy manual
good we are, an end in itself, no matter which basically eliminates any strategic
whether or not there is any evidence that plan. While I would say the LNC
having 50-state rather than (say) 46-state needed a different strategic plan,
ballot access directly improves our eliminating it and replacing it with
party's position. Here 50-state ballot nothing does not seem wise.
access is identified as a method to Unfortunately, there was not any actual
achieve a quantifiable objective, namely discussion of goals or strategy.
improving public recognition for our
Party by ensuring that in alternate Libertarian Strategy Monthly requests
Federal elections every voter sees a that when Libertarians elect the next
Libertarian on the ballot. Libertarian National Committee they
make sure their representatives not only
**Having attained a political majority, understand the importance of goal
that majority must also be defended. If setting and planning, but also follow
we do not defend our majorities, the through and set goals, implement
libertarian tax cuts of a Libertarian strategic plans, monitor the progress, and
President and her Congress will simply make necessary changes.
be reversed by Democratic-Republican
successors.

LNC Meets In St. Louis

“A fter all is said and done, a lot

more is usually said than done.”
(Unknown)

On July 18 and 19th, the Libertarian

National Committee held a meeting in
St. Louis, Missouri at what will be the
site of the 2010 national convention.

Some good did occur at the meeting and

many important issues were discussed;
however, much time was also spent on
parliamentary procedure and factional
party fighting.
Photos By Julie Stone
When the strategic plan came up for
discussion, the LNC did find a creative
method to eliminate the 2001 strategic
plan without actually removing the plan
itself. Instead of eliminating the plan,

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 10

2010 LNC Race Updates Secretary:

Former Libertarian Party of Illinois

I t has been a very busy month with

Chair, Dave Brady, has ended his
exploratory campaign for LNC Secretary
and resigned as the Illinois party Chair
candidate announcements for the next
Libertarian National Committee officer because of a job opportunity which
positions. would not allow him to remain as a party
officer.
Position Declared Potential
Treasurer:

Chair Mark Bill Roger Gary had announced that he is

Hinkle Redpath* running for LNC Treasurer. According
to an e-mail forwarded to Libertarian
Ernest Strategy Monthly, Mr. Gary has the
Hancock following experience:

Jake Porter Relevant Professional

Experience:
Wayne Root
BBA - Accounting - University
of Texas at Austin
Treasurer Roger Gary Aaron Starr*
Note: * Indicates Incumbent 5 years Internal Revenue Service
- Tax Examiner Austin, Texas
Chair:
Comptroller - RailTex, Inc. -
Mark Hinkle, the San Antonio, Texas
Region 2
Libertarian General Manager Shortline
National Development - San Antonio,
Committee Texas
Representative,
has officially Chief Operating Office,
announced he is Corporate Secretary, Board of
running For LNC Directors - Texas Southern
Chair. Railroad - San Antonio, Texas
Wayne Root

2008 Libertarian Vice-Presidential Chief Financial Officer -

nominee Wayne Root who was once Amazon Forms One, Inc. - San
reported to be running for Chair if Bill Antonio, Texas
Redpath did not seek reelection is not at
this time a candidate for Chair. Board of Directors, Audit
Committee - San Antonio

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 11

River Authority (a State Agency) Strategy Monthly has received many

positive comments about Austin’s work
Battalion Executive Officer, and wishes him well in his future
Adjutant, Intelligence Officer – endeavors.
Texas State Guard
Wes Benedict has become the new
Libertarian Experience Executive Director of Libertarian Party.
Mr. Benedict was the former Executive
Life Member of National and Director of the Libertarian Party of
Texas parties since 1977. Texas

Numerous party offices including Mr. Benedict has sent the following
Texas State Chairman 1984-1988 message to Libertarians:
Tied for Vice Chair, LNC first
ballot - 1987 From the desk of Wes
Benedict:
One term as alt regional rep LNC
early 1980s Dear Friend of Liberty,

Currently on Texas State I am excited and honored to have

Libertarian Executive Committee been hired as the new Executive
Director of the Libertarian Party
Elected to San Antonio River at our headquarters in
Authority (a state agency) 6 Washington, DC.
years.
I've been on the job for one week
15 years on Local Selective now, and I've found that we have
Service Board a fine group of talented and
enthusiastic staff and volunteers
Listed in Who's Who in whom I'm pleased to be working
American Politics and Who's with.
Who in America.
Unfortunately, our national
Libertarian Party Staff headquarters has faced some
setbacks in recent years. In
Changes
particular, our party is hurting
financially. Our budgeted
Austin Petersen leaves, Benedict new
revenue is $1.2 million for 2009,
Executive Director
but we're currently running about
$75,000 short.

A ustin Petersen, Director of My job is to turn this situation

around. I need your help.
Outreach and Affiliate Relations, will be
leaving the Libertarian Party staff on
While we are struggling at the
August 19th to take a new position at
national level, I hope that after
another organization. Libertarian
reading about my background

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 12

and our record-breaking as the CEO. After fixing a lot of

accomplishments in Texas, problems and
where I served as Executive restoring it to Your Ad Here!
Director for over four years, health and
you'll give us a chance and show profitability, I Contact:
your support by making a large sold it in
contribution of $5,000, $1,000, 2003. jdporterconsulting@g
$100, or whatever you're willing mail.com
to donate. That's when I
got really for advertising rates
We need your show of support active with
now. the
Libertarian
Call us at 202-333-0008 to make Party.
a donation by phone. Ask for
me, Wes Benedict (extension In 2004, the Libertarian Party of
222) if you'd like to discuss the Texas had to collect 45,540 valid
Libertarian Party with me signatures to get back on the
directly. I will ask you to sign up ballot. Since I had time on my
for a monthly contribution, hands and some money in the
which gives us a predictable and bank, I volunteered for six
reliable source of funds. months full-time without pay to
help organize our petition drive.
A little bit about my I traveled at my own expense
background: I first joined the across Texas training and
Libertarian Party in 1996 after working with volunteers and paid
coming across a Libertarian petitioners, paying for my own
booth at the University of gas and motel rooms.
Michigan. At U of M, I earned
my master's degrees in business We were successful, and Texas
and engineering. I also hold a Libertarians have been on the
degree in mechanical engineering ballot ever since.
from the University of Texas.
After the petition drive, I was
After graduating from Michigan, hired to serve as the Executive
I moved to Georgia. I became Director of the Libertarian Party
active with the Libertarians there, of Texas. The Texas LP had
started an e-newsletter, and been in a chaotic state for a
served as the Cobb County LP while, with outdated information
Chair. on its website, an unmaintained
database, and a lot of infighting
In 2000, I moved back to Austin, and discord.
Texas, bought one-third of an old
kitchen and bath countertop Nevertheless, with lots of hard
manufacturing business with work targeted in the right areas,
about 20 employees, and served Texas Libertarians came roaring

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 13

back and broke many records in platforms. I supported

2006 and again in 2008. A few candidates with radical,
highlights: moderate, left-leaning, and right-
leaning libertarian platforms.
* A record 173 LP candidates 3) I tried to make sure the
were nominated for office in messages coming directly from
Texas for the November 2008 the party were balanced between
elections, which was 29% of the attacking Republicans and
nationwide LP total. Democrats.
* While Texas has only 8% of 4) I tried to give Texas
the total U.S. population, Texas Libertarians realistic goals they
Libertarian candidates in 2008 could achieve, and by and large
received 28% of the U.S. House they achieved them.
and 44% of the State
Representative votes received by My experience in Texas tells me
Libertarians nationwide. that with a staff to support our
* Libertarians known elected to affiliates and get our candidates
nonpartisan offices in Texas on the ballot, we can make strong
increased from 2 to 8. progress. Libertarians will step
* Texas LP donor base increased up to the plate to run for office,
from under 300 in 2005 to over volunteers and donors will lend a
900 in 2008. hand, and more voters will vote
* $244,000 was raised for the Libertarian.
Texas LP in the 2007-2008
election cycle, which was far I appreciate the generosity of
more than any other state past donors to the Libertarian
Libertarian party. Party. However, I'm asking for
more support now so we can get
I can't guarantee results like that our national party into healthy
nationwide, but I will do my best. financial shape.
I think we've got a great shot at
it. Please visit our website (LP.org)
and make a $5,000, $1,000, or
A few of the approaches I used in $100 donation, or whatever
Texas: amount you can. Or call us at
1) I encouraged people to run for 202-333-0008 to make a
any office they were willing to contribution by phone. Ask for
run for, and to run whether they me at extension 222 to discuss
had a realistic chance of winning, the party and make a monthly
or were just likely to get a few contribution.
percent at the polls to help build
the Libertarian Party. I've run for Sincerely,
office five times, so I knew what
other candidates go through and Wes Benedict
could coach them. Executive Director
2) I didn't nitpick the candidates' Libertarian Party

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 14

[email protected] Pessimism Grows

202-333-0008 x222

Publishers Note: To show my support

for Wes Benedict, I have pledged to
donate an additional $50 to the national
“I s the best of the free life behind us
now and are the good times really over
party. for good?” Merle Haggard

Ferguson Quits Libertarian According to a new Rasmussen poll 49%

Party Joins The GOP of Americans now believe the best days
of America are in the past while only
38% view things more positively and

L ibertarian Strategy Monthly has

believe that America’s best days are yet
to come. The number of pessimistic
Americans appears to be increasing as
some very disappointing news to report.
Mike Ferguson, who has been a just a month ago 44% believed
Libertarian Party activist for 14 years, America’s best days were in the past.
has left the Libertarian Party and has
joined the Republican Party. Source:

Ferguson is an elected Alderman, former http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_conten

t/politics/mood_of_america/mood_of_america_a
candidate for Lieutenant Governor of rchive/benchmarks/44_say_america_s_best_days
Missouri, and was Congressman Barr’s _in_the_past_38_say_best_is_yet_to_come
National Field Director during last
year’s Presidential campaign. The Tax Revolt Returns!
Additionally, Mr. Ferguson is a frequent
guest radio show host in Columbia, By Donald Meinshausen
Missouri.

What is most surprising about this story

is that Mike has endorsed Republican
Congressman Roy Blunt for United
T ax revolts have been with us for
thousands of years. According to David
States Senate. Burg’s encyclopedic work there have
been hundreds of tax revolts in world
Donate To Keep history. These have happened on every
continent, among every people as a
Libertarian Strategy national, provincial or local affair.
Monthly Free Online! Sometimes they have been labeled as
being peasant, anti-war or anti-
www.jakeporter.org/donate imperialist revolts. But all of them had
the main issue of anger against
burdensome and unfair taxation. Let me
put it this way: What labor organizing is
to the left taxpayer organizing is to us. It
is organizing on the basis of a palpable,
onerous, cancerous oppression.

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly

August 2009 Page 15

In all my years of libertarian political just a few months ago. Anti-war and
activism I have never seen such a anti-drug war activists can use this
potentially revolutionary groundswell as opportunity to expose the wastefulness
what is going to happen this April. As a and horror of these depredations of our
result of the insane socialist stimulus liberty. What a tremendous opportunity
package there were Tea Bag Tax Day to recruit and inform concerned people
Protest Rallies were held in over 800 left or right of what we are all about. Be
cities in America and attracted over diplomatic and remember we are
800,000 people like us. The rally in building a broad based anti-tax coalition
Chicago got over 30,000 people. The here. Leave the anarchist stuff at home
greatest victory that the modern day until we do more education.
libertarian movement has ever won
before was the passage of Prop13, an Now is the time for ALL libertarians to
anti tax initiative in California. This is reach out to this movement and offer
bigger, because the stakes are higher. support to this worthy struggle to push
The next round of protests is on the July back statism. That means all think tanks,
4th weekend protesting Cap and Trade media and activist groups from C4L to
as well the bailouts. voluntaryist. Whether you are in or out
of politics be there. We'll remember
The war that ended up with British your good works here when you ask us
getting the Magna Carta started as a tax for support. Contact your conservative
revolt. So did the American Revolution. friends as well as your counter culture
Research has shown that every revolt ones.
was caused by taxes, slavery or war
(basically they are all the same). One Watch the video called "We the People”.
lesson learned is that any new tax must This video shows Ron Paul and all these
be immediately challenged or people wonderful signs being held at previous
will grudgingly accept it as normal. One rallies. Signs that read: “Ayn Rand was
sign held up at a demonstration says it right”, “Free Markets Not Free
all: “Big Government is the Last Stage a Loaders”, “Nationalization is Theft”;
Nation Goes Through Before It Dies.” “Keep your socialism we want
Capitalism”. All this with John Lennon's
Yes, many of these events are being "Power to the People" playing! And he
funded and run by GOPers and ends it all with a phrase from John Galt's
conservative talk show hosts. So what? speech! These are our people coming
Good libertarian organizations have there. To see it watch”
tabled at CPAC for years and we recruit
more libertarians than ever from them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzP
I’m glad that the GOP and the radio mzfv5rJQ
stations are doing the hard work and
taking the responsibility of organizing 20 Congressman
Free Online Ron Paul, 1935
Libertarian Strategy
this event. This will be a tremendous Monthly Subscription!
opportunity to show our fellow outraged
citizens of how the GOP organized the Subscribe To The Libertarian Strategy
first bailout, supported socialist lending Monthly Online For Free:
policies, earmarks, pork barrel spending
Visit: http://jakeporter.org/lsm

© 2009 Jake Porter--all rights reserved Libertarian Strategy Monthly