The Libertarian Penn

LPPa/NJLP Libertarian Candidate Debate 3-15-2008

2008-03-18T14:22:00.002-05:00

This debate featured 9 candidates seeking the Libertarian Party's nomination for President of the United States:

Jim Burns
Daniel Imperato
Bob Jackson
Michael Jingozian
Alden Link
Robert Milnes
George Phillies
Wayne Allyn Root
Christine Smith

Master of Ceremonies: Ken Krawchuk
Expert Panelist: Michael Badnarik

After watching, please take a moment to answer the poll question on the right.

Part two of Local Government In PA

2007-09-23T21:03:00.000-05:00

Political Subdivisions:

School Districts:

Under the current system, providing for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education is a commonwealth responsibility as stated in the Commonwealth Constitution. To carry out this responsibility, the General Assembly created school districts and school boards. It conferred broad legal powers to the local boards, making them autonomous in many of their operations. Rules and regulations of the State Board, guidelines of the Department of Education, opinions and interpretations of the state attorney general and court decrees all influence local board operation. State and federal mandates also pose significant restrictions on the authority of school boards.

School boards have three main functions: planning, setting policy and evaluating results. School boards can elect superintendents, hire employees, levy taxes, provide for school buildings and grounds, adopt rules and regulations for school activities, and provide for special education in addition to other functions. This can be an excellent opportunity for a candidate to be involved in the local community, provided the candidate is prepared to address the numerous functions and restrictions school board members must face.

Municipalities:

Counties:

Counties serve as agents of the commonwealth for law enforcement, judicial administration, and the conduct of elections. They are also responsible for property assessment and planning. They maintain hospitals, provide homes for the aged and perform welfare functions. They may be involved in solid waste disposal and public health, and may support public libraries and community colleges.

Generally, the governing body of counties is a three-member board of commissioners, with a number of other offices generally independent of the commissioners. These include sheriff, district attorney, prothonotary, clerk of courts, register of wills, recorder of deeds, and two jury commissioners. There is also either a controller or three auditors and the treasurer who serve as the financial officers. The governing body has the power to appoint certain officers and levy certain taxes.

This is the basic layout of county government. Six counties, Allegheny, Delaware, Erie, Lackawanna, Lehigh, and Northampton have adopted home rule charters, which may modify how the county government is constructed. This may include a county executive or alternative in place of three commissioners, and may alter the number and structure of row offices. In these counties it is beneficial to determine what elected offices are available. There are many elected positions that may be suitable for candidates with an interest in a specific area at the county level.

Municipal Corporations:

Cities, town(s), boroughs and townships also have governing bodies that have authority to make policy decisions, levy taxes, borrow money, and direct the administration of government through appointees. These entities have broad powers to secure the health and welfare of residents, maintain local roads, and provide for fire and police protection, parking and traffic control, local planning and zoning, parks and recreation, garbage collection, health services, libraries, licensing of businesses, and code enforcement. These functions may vary slightly depending on the stated powers within the specific codes, however they all perform the same basic functions.

Cities:

Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Scranton all have home rule charters. All have strong mayors with broad appointive powers and with veto power that may be overridden with a two-thirds vote of the city council. Candidates for these offices should be aware of the mayoral authority and the limitation of council positions before seeking office.

Third Class Cities:

These cities operate under a commission form of government. The mayor and four other council members are elected at-large, constituting the commission. A controller and treasurer are also elected. Some cities have adopted a council-mayor form of government with five, seven or nine members of council, where the mayor is elected separately. Others have adopted a council-manager form whereby a manager is appointed by the council. Still, 16 others have adopted a home rule plan. Please check with the particular city to determine what offices are up for election.

Boroughs:

Most boroughs operate under a weak-mayor form of government. The mayor is one of seven council members elected at-large. In boroughs divided into wards, at least one and no more than two council members are elected from each ward. A tax collector and auditors are also elected. There are 20 boroughs with home rule charters, and this may modify offices up for election.

Townships:

First class townships are governed by 5 commissioners elected at-large or up to 15 elected by wards. A treasurer, tax collector and three auditors or a controller are also elected.

Far and away, most municipal corporations (over 1,400) in Pennsylvania are second class townships. These are governed by a three-member board of supervisors, or by referendum, a five-member board. A tax collector and three auditors are also elected.

There are also a small number of townships that have adopted home rule charters, so it may be worthwhile to inquire about elected offices in your municipality before seeking elected office.

Authorities:

These are not general government entities and do not have elected positions. They are established by municipalities, however often function independently. They may only operate within the authority granted to them by the establishing bodies.

The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania would like to encourage citizens to participate in their local government by becoming elected officials. It is an opportunity to be involved in the community and have an impact on decisions affecting the lives of you and your neighbors.

The information in this article was provided in large part by The Pennsylvania Manual, which is published through the Bureau of Publications and Paperwork Management, Department of General Services of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Candidate Article, Clarion County Commissioner

2007-09-20T20:24:00.000-05:00

Michael J. Robertson

Libertarian Party Candidate for

Clarion County Commissioner

Michael J. “Mik” Robertson is pleased to announce his nomination as the Libertarian Party candidate for Clarion County Commissioner. Mr. Robertson was born in Pittsburgh in 1964 and was raised in southern Allegheny County. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1982 then attended Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he graduated with a degree in geology.

In 1991 he joined the Business/Environment program of the United States Peace Corps, working for two years in Wigry National Park in northeastern Poland. In that time, he performed evaluations of surface water bodies in the park and sought funding sources to conduct baseline environmental studies to determine cleanup standards for industrially polluted areas of Poland. It was during this time that Mr. Robertson was able to observe firsthand the devastating effects an authoritarian form of government can have environmentally, economically and socially.

Mr. Robertson and his wife Margaret moved to their current residence in Licking Township in January 1999. The couple currently operates a farm specializing in certified naturally grown produce with their daughter Claire, age two. Mr. Robertson also works as a geologist with an environmental consulting firm. For the past seven years Mr. Robertson has served as chairman of the Licking Township Board of Supervisors, and also serves on the executive boards of the Clarion County Association of Township Officials and Clarion County Sewage Association.

Mr. Robertson believes that his candidacy for county commissioner will offer a clear choice for Clarion County voters, and looks forward to discussing issues with Clarion County residents. As a Libertarian, he believes in the importance of individual liberty, personal responsibility, and small government, with an emphasis on local control. Local control is important because that is the way individual voters can have the most impact on the government. This is something that neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party seems to want.

From a Libertarian perspective, Mr. Robertson believes the primary function of government is to secure the rights of the individual. There must be a fair set of laws that do not favor certain interests to the detriment of others. There must be a justice system that can prosecute those who use force or fraud to violate individual rights or unduly place others in harm’s way. It is not the role of government to forcibly take money or property from individuals to give to other private entities or promote special business interests.

What is needed in Clarion County is local government that operates efficiently, effectively, and coordinates efforts of the county, boroughs and townships. County government must be open to residents and businesses, with a clear open records policy. The county needs efficient methods to record property changes and share information with municipalities. The county must have broad and general subdivision and land development regulations that respect the rights of property owners and can be readily modified by municipalities to meet specific local needs.

The county government must utilize the resources available to remove impediments to local business development and allow local communities to determine their own futures. This cannot be done through additional regulation, but by working with other agencies and institutions in the area to create opportunities that foster free enterprise and promote a sense of community. In this way, the quality of life in Clarion County can improve for generations to come.

Chair Message

2007-09-13T22:35:00.000-05:00

The Importance of Voter Registration

Michael J. “Mik” Robertson

Chair, Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania

Municipal elections are around the corner and a presidential election is looming before us. Now is the time to focus on the importance of voter registration to the Libertarian Party. When legislators, political analysts, members of the press, and many in the general public evaluate the strength and support of a political party, voter registration numbers are viewed as a key measure.

Using this standard, the Libertarian Party remains the third largest political party in the commonwealth, with many more registered voters than the Green Party and Constitution Party (fourth and fifth largest, respectively) combined. Even so, there remains a substantial gap between the second largest political party and us. To bring a consistent challenge the political culture in Pennsylvania, it would help to close that gap.

While over 35,000 voters in Pennsylvania have expressed their discontent with the current system and registered to vote as a Libertarian, I have spoken to many people who agree with the ideas of the Libertarian Party and would like to see a different direction in government, but are reluctant to change their voter registration.

One reason for this is the two major parties perpetuate the myth that the United States has a two-party system and any change must be brought about within this framework. The myth is enhanced by publicly funded nominations and conventions for two political parties, gerrymandered election districts, unequal ballot access laws, and campaign finance laws that deter any real opposition.

This leaves us two political parties claiming at every general election that a vote for the other major party candidate will result in the end of western civilization. Any vote not for them is a vote for the other major party. This appalling scare tactic is used more often in presidential elections. Rest assured, it is not true and you can safely vote for the candidate of your choice.

A more subtle tactic used to perpetuate the current system is to suggest that support for a particular candidate in one of the major parties in the primary election can help change that party and therefore bring about change in government. This is another myth. The leaders of both major parties have become addicted to money and principles have gone out the window.

Although it may seem like a good idea to vote for a major party maverick candidate in the primary election to foster change, the net effect is negative. Party leaders see the participation as a sign of support for their party, and once the candidate is done, it’s back to square one. On the unusual occasions when such a candidate is successful, major party leadership will step in to mute any significant change in the status quo.

Just as the effort to clean sweep legislators in the general assembly, replacing them with candidates of the same two parties, resulted in no significant change in our Commonwealth, so is it likely that support for any national candidates in the major parties result in no significant change in national politics. The two major parties have essentially become two sides of the same coin, with larger, more intrusive government for all.

Most major changes in American politics and government have been when a challenger political party arises to bring about or follow through with change. Political parties may be hard to define in our country’s early stages, at least until federal nominations were no longer made by congress. However, it is clear that the entrenched two-party system we currently have is a relatively recent development, not an American tradition. When substantial changes in American government occurred, it was often spurred by the rise of challenger political parties.

Examples include what became known as the Democratic-Republicans in 1800, the Whigs in the 1830’s, the Republicans in the 1850’s, the Socialist and Progressive Parties in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and more recently Ross Perot’s Reform Party. Even though not all of these parties enjoyed significant electoral success, many did have broad popular support and substantial impact, albeit in some cases briefly. Sadly, in many of these cases the impact was to increase the scope and authority of government or was short-lived.

In order to reverse the trend of expanding government, we must learn some lessons from the past. We will be most effective if we consolidate our efforts to build a credible political party for the long term. While there certainly are major party candidates meriting our support, the best support we can give them is to develop a party where their views are not downplayed, where they will not be hushed by party leadership, and where they can do their job as elected officials to secure the rights of the individual.

This is why it is important that we show the strength of our party whenever and wherever we can. Maintaining a Libertarian voter registration is one unequivocal way to show the two major parties there are still those who believe in individual liberty, personal responsibility, and limited government. It cannot be construed as support for another party or a system that suppresses opposition views.

If you are not currently registered Libertarian, go to the post office or county election office and change! To bring about a lasting reversal of the trend toward more government, we should all be proudly registered Libertarian voters!

2007 Local Election Opportunities

2007-03-21T21:32:00.001-05:00

Berlie Etzel, WVChair@lppa.org

The 2007 election year gives us a very good opportunity to get Libertarians on the ballot and to get them elected. Numerous local and county-level positions are often left “open” at the Primary Election Date (May 15th) and also on election day (Nov. 6th).

There are two ways to get on the ballot for Nov. 6, 2007:

Method One: Write-in on May 15th.
By checking with your county election officer and asking for a copy of the D and R Primary Ballot, you can then see at a glance the “open” positions. The D and R have not even bothered to get a couple signatures, or they forgot to get the minimal amount of signatures! What can you do? Just prepare about 30 small slips of paper to hand out outside the polling place. An example for Auditor might read like this:

Please write in:
Berlie Etzel
For: Township Auditor
6 Year Term
Vote for one only.
Do not leave this in the booth.
Thank you!

Begin passing these slips out to the D or R ‘s as they come to the polling place. You may pass them out to all, depending on the “open” situation! Don’t begin until 5 P.M. Why? We don’t want to awaken them to their own lack of action, and they may track down a bunch of their voters to keep you from being on the Nov. 6 ballot. This actually happened twice locally!

If enough votes are written in for you, either on the D or R, or both, you will be on the November ballot. Ballot position is everything!

Method Two: The day after the Primary is over, you can begin collecting signatures on the “Nomination Paper” to get on the ballot as a Libertarian. Be sure that this is not a “Petition” paper used by the D/R’s.

The nomination papers can be signed by any registered voter of the district. Collect more than the minimum required number for that position. It may be as few as 10, but get 20 or 30 to be sure that all are officially registered. You have until July 31st to submit the paper to the county election office.

If successful on Method 1 and Method 2, your name will be listed in the Libertarian, Republican, and/or the Democratic positions on the ballot.

Some positions of Auditor, Constable, Township Supervisor, Tax Collector, Sheriff, District Attorney, Magistrates, County Commissioners, etc. are up for election this year.

For example, the Auditors’ positions are in all precincts, rotating in 6 year terms. My wife, Rochelle, and I, have been auditors of our township. In our second-class township, we had the opportunity to control spending, stop fraudulent bidding processes and set the wages and benefits of the working supervisors. We believe that the auditors position for Libertarians is perfect for our limited-government stand.

I would like to add that the auditor does not need to be a certified accountant, or CPA. You are elected, and can immediately check-the-books, so to speak! An annual audit is done in January. There is the opportunity to go to a one-day training provided by the township and the Auditor-General of Pa. (Fully paid by the township.)

At the present time, I am an elected Constable, and Rochelle is the tax assessor. She does not prefer this position, but until the taxes are reduced or eliminated, they ought to be correct.

In whatever township, borough, town, or city you live, please check out the possibilities, and help to replace the D/R controllers with true Libertarians!

Berlie Etzel is the LPPa Western Vice Chair and currently serves as Constable of Ashland Township.

Message from the Chair (March 2007)

2007-03-21T21:28:00.000-05:00

Michael J. “Mik” Robertson, chair@lppa.org

Looking forward for the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania there are some exciting times ahead. Not only do we have our state convention coming up on May 5 (and I hope everyone can attend) this is a year for municipal elections. We have some information in this edition we hope will inspire more Libertarians to get involved in the decision-making process in their local communities.

Being an elected official in local government can be challenging and often not very financially rewarding, but can offer a lot of insight into the way government functions in our commonwealth. This insight can help to clarify some of the problems with government and lead people to develop solutions. I encourage anyone who is interested to run for office.

Also in the future we have some significant issues to address with the commonwealth legislature. Not only do current election laws limit the choices of the voter by unreasonably restricting ballot access, but votes cast by some voters are not counted and reported in the same way as others. This must change if we are to meet the free and equal election mandate of our Commonwealth Constitution.

Some states have taken the bold step of declining to enforce the provisions of the federally mandated REAL ID act. This act would require the creation of a national database based on the state driver’s license and provide for linking that information to a number of other entities, creating immense control over personal information in the hands of a few. We will support any action of the legislature to stop this intrusion into the personal lives of individuals.
In addition to these issues and the promotion of individual liberty, personal responsibility, and limited government, there is another item on which I would like the input of all our members. There is continued talk of a constitutional convention in the Commonwealth. This means re-writing the Commonwealth Constitution is being considered. If this were to take place, how would the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania write our constitution?

I ask all of our members to read, or re-read the Pennsylvania Constitution, over the next couple of months. Think about what you would like it to say. Pick parts you like and parts you don’t like. Let us know which sections you would change or keep and why. This is an issue I would like to explore and share with our readers. Please e-mail your suggestions to chair@lppa.org, or you may leave a voice mail or send a fax to 1-800-R-RIGHTS (1-800-774-4487). Thank you and your support is greatly appreciated.

Michael J. “Mik” Robertson is the chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania. He currently serves as Licking Township Supervisor.

Understanding Local Government in Pennsylvania (Part 1)

2007-03-21T21:26:00.000-05:00

Michael J. “Mik” Robertson, chair@lppa.org

In order to understand what it means to be a local elected official in Pennsylvania, first it may help to identify how local government is set up. Local government in Pennsylvania is divided into a number of overlapping government entities in which each citizen lives. The four main types of entities are: Political Subdivisions, Municipalities, Municipal Corporations, and Local Authorities.

Political Subdivisions include municipalities and school districts.

Municipalities include municipal corporations and counties.

Municipal Corporations include cities, boroughs, town(s) and townships.

Local Authorities include municipal authorities and other bodies created by one or more political subdivisions pursuant to law. Examples are economic development authorities, recreation boards, and water or sewer authorities.

In January 2003, there were 67 counties, 56 cities, 961 boroughs, 1 incorporated town, 1,548 townships, 501 school districts, and 2,015 authorities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All Pennsylvanians reside within one county, one school district, and one city, town, borough or township. Local authorities are not present in all parts of the commonwealth.

In addition to these, political subdivisions, except boroughs, are further divided into classes based on but not necessarily conforming to population. The General Assembly can adopt legislation specific to any single class of political subdivision. The different classes are:

Counties: 9 Classes (First Class, Second Class, Second Class A, and Third through Eighth).

Townships: 2 Classes (First and Second Class)

Cities: 4 Classes (First Class, Second Class, Second Class A, and Third Class)

School Districts: 5 Classes (First Class, First Class A, and Second through Fourth)

Each class of municipality operates under its own code of laws setting the structure and powers of local government. These are the County Code, Third Class City Code, Borough Code, First Class Township Code, Second Class Township Code, and Public School Code.

Cities of the First Class, Second Class and Second Class A each contain only one municipality, those being Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Scranton, respectively. There are also only one first class county (Philadelphia) and one second class county (Allegheny).

There is extensive general legislation regarding municipalities that both grant powers and place restrictions on local government activities. These include things like the Municipalities Planning Code, the Sewage Facilities Act, and the Local Government Unit Debt Act. The Sunshine Law requires public agencies to discuss and act upon business only at meetings open to the public.

There are also provisions in the Commonwealth Constitution allowing municipalities to select home rule or optional forms of local government, allowing citizens to determine what structure their local government will have and what services it will perform. A home rule municipality does not have its powers and organization determined by the commonwealth legislature.

A home rule municipality can exercise any power and perform any function not prohibited by the Commonwealth Constitution, the General Assembly, or its home rule charter. There are 71 municipalities that have adopted home rule charters, including 6 counties, 19 cities, 19 boroughs and 27 townships.

One distinct benefit to Pennsylvania’s system of local government is that it allows citizens ample opportunity to participate in local government and address issues of concern to the community. In order to be more comfortable seeking an elected office in one of Pennsylvania’s municipalities, it may help to see generally what they do.

Look for part 2 in the next issue where we explore the functions of government in Pennsylvania.

Governor Rendell Wages War on Wallets

2007-03-21T21:23:00.000-05:00

Harrisburg, PA – The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania Research Committee today released its review of Governor Rendell’s proposed 2007 budget.

The review is highly critical of Rendell’s plans to increase spending, raise a number of taxes and extend Harrisburg’s meddling even further into the marketplace and into individual lives.

Ron Satz, Ph.D., the research chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, remarked that, “The governor’s budget proposal accelerates us in the wrong direction. While history shows that small government, low taxes and free enterprise are necessary for prosperity, this budget only gives us higher taxes and more spending on new and expanded Harrisburg government programs.”

Rendell’s budget would increase total state general-fund spending by 3.6% to $27.3 billion. Rendell’s increased spending will be funded by:

• A higher PA sales tax

• A new electricity consumption tax

• A new tax on oil producers and suppliers

• Higher cigarette taxes and new taxes on other forms of tobacco

• A new payroll tax on employers who do not provide employee health care benefits

• Increased municipal solid-waste disposal fees

• Higher taxpayer debt obligations via more state bonds

Rendell plans to use this money to expand the state government’s involvement in pre-K and primary education as well as health care. Parents, students and health care consumers will pay more yet lose control of these most personal aspects of their private lives.
“This is a bad budget for Pennsylvanians” concluded Satz. “Governor Rendell continues to adopt the failed big government approach of trying to ‘run’ Pennsylvania from the top down. The key to reviving Pennsylvania is for Harrisburg to stand aside to let individuals keep more of their money, and let Pennsylvanians’ personal situations and choices target real needs.”
The report, which consists of a summary of 18 critical concerns regarding the proposed budget, along with the LPPa’s comments and alternatives, is available on the Lib Penn blog (www.libpenn.blogspot.com).

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in both Pennsylvania and the United States. Nationwide there are over 200,000 registered Libertarians with organizations in all 50 states. Libertarians serve in hundreds of elected offices throughout the nation.

LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF PENNSYLVANIA
RESEARCH CHAIR REPORT
March 3, 2007 Board Meeting

Ronald W. Satz, Ph.D., RP

Critique of Governor Rendell’s New Budget Proposals

I will summarize each of the Governor’s proposals together with what I consider to be the appropriate LPPa response.

1. Governor: Increase total state general-fund spending by 3.6% to $27.3 billion.
LPPa: Reduce total state general funding spending to provide for the police, courts, part-time legislature, and one executive department to protect life, liberty, and property. Nothing else.

2. Governor: Increase the state sales tax from 6% to 7% to help provide property tax cuts, along with gambling revenues, of $900 million next year.
LPPa: Eliminate all income taxes and begin reducing the sales tax. Property taxes should be based on the actual cost of protecting buildings and land, not for raising money for schools. Schools should be paid for by their users.

3. Governor: Impose a new electricity consumption tax to pay off $850 million in borrowing for alternative power development and energy conservation.
LPPa: Eliminate or reduce regulations on power companies so that they will make private investments to improve energy efficiency.

4. Governor: Increase municipal solid-waste disposal fees by $2.75 per ton for hazardous-waste cleanup.
LPPa: Privatize solid-waste disposal operations.

5. Governor: Impose a new tax on oil companies’ gross profits and exempt those companies from the state’s corporate net income tax.
LPPa: Eliminate all income taxes. Don’t single out an industry.

6. Governor: Increase the cigarette tax from $1.35 to $1.45 per pack, levy a new tax on other forms of tobacco and impose a new 3% payroll tax on employers who do not provide employee health care benefits.
LPPa: Stop levying special taxes on products the government doesn’t like. Let the free market handle health care benefits.

7. Governor: Boost overall education spending by 6%.
LPPa: Privatize education.

8. Governor: Expand accountability block grants for pre-K and kindergarten by $100 million.
LPPa: Let parents decide on pre-K and kindergarten programs for their children.

9. Governor: Expand programs for special education students, improve elementary science education, make academic programs in 30 high schools more rigorous and provide laptops.
LPPa: Ask Corporate America to get involved in the education of young people, at no charge to taxpayers.

10. Governor: Ban smoking in workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
LPPa: Let workplaces, restaurants, and bars decide for themselves whether to have smoke-free areas or not.

11. Governor: Expand by more than 18% an early intervention program for 76000 children age 5 and younger.
LPPa: No evidence exists for the benefits of such a program. Stop wasting taxpayer money!

12. Governor: Increase Corrections Department spending by 13% to handle growth in the state prison population by adding beds and to reduce recidivism by treating substance abuse and better monitoring inmates after they are released.
LPPa: Release non-violent drug offenders, which should eliminate the need for additional spending here.

13. Governor: Make possession of a stolen gun a felony, require police notification whenever a gun is lost or stolen, let local communities restrict the distribution and use of handguns, and limit gun purchases to one per month.
LPPa: Quit encroaching on our Second Amendment rights.

14. Governor: Establish the “Energy Independence Fund” to pay for such items as conservation initiatives, solar energy, research, research, support for emerging clean-energy products and companies, and purchase of low-power appliances.
LPPa: Get out of the way of a free market in energy.

15. Governor: Seek legislative and voter approval for $850 million in bonds to encourage alternative energy development and energy conservation.
LPPa: Repeat--get out of the way of a free market in energy.

16. Governor: Create a $500 million Jonas Salk Legacy Fund to foster biomedical research funded by tobacco settlement revenue.
LPPa: Tobacco settlement money should only go to those affected by tobacco company fraud, if any. Otherwise the money should be returned to the tobacco companies.

17. Governor: Lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike to a private company to raise $965 million for roads and bridges.
LPPa: Sell the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the highest bidder; let them handle the maintenance.

18. Governor: Tax oil companies’ gross profits to raise $750 million for mass transit.
LPPa: Privatize mass transit. Stop stealing from oil companies.

2007 LPPa Camping, Hiking and Conversation Outing

2007-03-21T21:21:00.000-05:00

What could be better than camping, cooking and having great conversation with fellow Pennsylvanian Libertarians? Well, camping, cooking and having conversation near Ricketts Glenn State Park.

The LPPa will be having the monthly Board of Directors meeting at Red Rock Mountain Campground. Campsites are available by calling (570) 925-5039. Call soon, they fill up. Ask to be near the Dively and LPPa campsites.

If you have never been to Ricketts Glenn, you have never seen 21 of the most gorgeous waterfalls in the northeast….one is 94’ tall. The hike to see all 21 falls is about 4 miles, moderate terrain.

It truly is one of the most scenic areas in Pennsylvania, comprising 13,050 acres in Luzerne, Sullivan and Columbia counties. A varied selection of recreational opportunities includes: camping, cabin rental, swimming, fishing, boating, hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, viewing numerous waterfalls and winter sports.

Red Rock Mountain Campground is located 30 miles north of Bloomsburg at 22 State Route 487 Benton, PA. My family is planning on camping Thursday, August 9th – Sunday, August 12th. The board meeting will be Saturday, August 11th, 12pm – 4pm. We hope you and your family can join us. Call me at (717) 343-8474 or email at weneedjohngalt@yahoo.com if you have any questions. For directions and more information on Ricketts Glenn, visit http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/rickettsglen.aspx.

Barry Dively – August 2007 Board Meeting and Camping Chairman, LPPa

LPPa Resolves to Support Art Farnsworth

2007-03-21T21:18:00.000-05:00

On February 3rd, 2007 the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania issued this resolution in support of long-time Libertarian activist, frequent candidate and former LPPa Treasurer, Arthur Farnsworth.

In December 2006, Farnsworth was wrongly convicted of federal tax evasion. He is currently awaiting sentencing. The resolution was offered as a small token of support for a Pennsylvania patriot who dares to ask questions.

Whereas, government prosecutors have proclaimed in numerous cases that the federal income tax laws are too complex for citizens to comprehend, and

Whereas, government prosecutors have proclaimed in numerous cases that citizens must rely upon lawyers and CPA’s to interpret federal income tax laws for them, and

Whereas the current interpretation of the income laws are questioned by attorneys, C.P.A.’s, former I.R.S. agents, members of the tax honesty movement and other prominent citizens, and

Whereas representatives of the federal government have repeatedly refused to meet with representatives of the tax honesty movement to discuss the questions surrounding federal income tax laws, and

Whereas the government has refused to respond to the citizens redress of grievances regarding federal income tax laws, and

Whereas citizens are prosecuted and convicted without ever being informed of the specific sections of the federal income tax laws that apply to them, and

Whereas, federal judges mislead juries through sworn oaths into believing they must apply the law as professed by the judge, thereby denying juries their full rights based upon centuries of legal precedent to judge the law as well as the facts, and

Whereas, income taxes are intrusive and necessitate governments at all levels to violate the privacy of citizens, and

Whereas, government spending has resulted in oppressive taxation, and the further abuse of our citizens, and

Whereas, the income tax system is repugnant to the concepts of freedom and liberty upon which this nation was founded, and

Whereas Arthur Farnsworth has been convicted of tax evasion despite numerous notifications and correspondences requesting clarification of the income tax laws, and

Whereas, Arthur Farnsworth is a devout, civic minded and model citizen whose only apparent crime was to question the income tax laws, and
Whereas others have likewise been convicted of tax evasion for simply questioning the current interpretation and enforcement of income tax laws,

We, the members of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, hereby resolve that the government should respond to all petitions for redress of grievances, meet with representatives of the income tax honesty movement, pardon Arthur Farnsworth and all of those who have been convicted of failing to comply with the federal income tax laws and forever abolish this abusive and oppressive system of taxation on incomes.

Those wishing to help offset Art’s substantial legal bills can send contributions to: Farnsworth Legal Fund, 706 Sunnyside Ave., Norristown, Pa. 19403. Contribute online at: www.helpart.org.

Art can be contacted through his website: www.artfarnsworth.org.

LPPa Seeks Executive Director

2007-03-21T21:17:00.001-05:00

The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania is seeking an Executive Director. This person will supervise the day-to-day operations of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, advise on and implement policies established by the Executive Board and coordinate activities of committees and county chapters to accomplish party objectives. In addition to working with existing state and county party organizations, the successful candidate will be expected to strongly support the development and execution of fund raising plans. Compensation will be directly related to the ability to assist the party in raising funds for its programs.

The Executive Director will start as a part time position, and with success in fund raising will become a full time position. The successful candidate must be a self-motivated individual able to work with diverse elements of our party, be able to effectively communicate with the media and the public, and have good analytical, organizational and presentation skills. The successful candidate must be able to represent our political party to its members and the public with confidence and competence, and should have prior experience that suggests proficiency in this area.
If you are interested in this challenge, send us a complete resume including a salary/wage history and three references to: Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, Attn: Executive Director Committee, 3915 Union Deposit Road #223. Harrisburg, PA 17109

Or fax to: 1-800-R-RIGHTS. Responses received by April 10, 2007 will receive first consideration.

2007 LPPa Convention Details Announced

2007-03-21T21:15:00.000-05:00

Saturday, May 5th: Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

The 2007 convention of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania will be held on Saturday, May 5, 2007 at the Radisson-Penn Harris Hotel in Camp Hill, PA.

The convention is being held in a central location this year in order to give everyone the opportunity to attend. There is a special room rate of $104.00 available for Friday and Saturday night for those who need to travel. There are only a few rooms that have thus far been set aside at this rate. If we have a strong showing of interest in attending the convention, there is a possibility of getting additional rooms at this rate. So, if you think you want a room, the earlier you send your convention form back, the more likely you will be able to get the room at the special room rate. An added bonus for sending your form back early is you get a discount on the convention rate.

There will be both morning and afternoon business sessions. We hope all convention attendees will participate and vote on the issues at hand.

One of the most important business issues is the election for next year’s Executive Board members. If you, or a worthy Libertarian that you know is interested in serving on the Board, it is in your best interest to be at the convention to nominate your candidate or have someone nominate you. Other business items will include proposed bylaws or platform changes, and the vote on the retention of platform planks.

A continental breakfast, a box lunch, a pre-dinner reception and a sit-down dinner are included in the price of the convention. We anticipate presentations from several contenders for the Libertarian Party ‘s Presidential nomination. Registration opens at 7:30 am on May 5, 2007 and dinner concludes at 9:00 pm.

It will be difficult to follow the screening of Aaron Russo’s film America: Freedom to Fascism last year as our Friday night offering. We are still looking into various presentations that would be of general Libertarian interest for Friday evening so that those who arrive the night before will have a planned activity. Of course, the Montgomery County Libertarians will be hosting their annual hospitality suite on both Friday and Saturday nights. Good conversation, interesting topics and your choice of adult beverages is assured (which is never a bad way to spend an evening).

There will be a short break between the afternoon business session and the pre-dinner 1788 Society VIP reception, providing an opportunity to meet with Libertarians from across the Commonwealth. It will be a chance to meet new friends, touch base with old ones, and recharge the batteries for the work we have ahead of us.

Now is a good time to be a Libertarian; we have some dynamic personalities who are vying for our Presidential nomination and we have the opportunity to hear some of them at the convention. You won’t want to miss your chance to meet the Presidential candidates in a relaxed atmosphere before the campaigns kick into high gear.

Register for the 2007 LPPa Convention Online Today
www.lppa.org/convention

2007 Porcupine Freedom Festival

2007-03-20T17:23:00.001-05:00

The Wynnewood Institute Presents:

2007-03-20T17:04:00.000-05:00

Globalization, Employment and Outsourcing
Tim Kane, Ph.D., Director, Center for International Trade and Economics (CITE) at the Heritage Foundation

Dr. Kane is one of the country’s leading scholars on economic policy issues. He has investigated intensively both the benefits and the negative consequences of globalization, including the rapid growth of outsourcing and its effects on employment. In this lecture he will argue that while globalization undoubtedly brings distress to some, its overall benefits to society vastly outweigh these costs.

Time: Tuesday, March 27, 7:30 p.m.
Location: Wyndham House, Bryn Mawr College, 101 North Merion Avenue,
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010.
Admission: $20, Students (with ID) $5, Members Free.
RSVP to (610) 642-0618 or wynnewood@wynnewood.org

Spring Courses:

Freedom and Society: Classical Liberalism in the Twentieth Century
Prof. Thomas Patrick Burke

Towards the close of the twentieth century the free society with free markets came to be accepted increasingly in the political life of nations around the globe as the ideal. This has largely been due to the work of outstanding thinkers who have explained what the free society means and why it is right and good, as well as to its demonstrated success in improving the conditions of human existence. In this course we will study the most influential of these thinkers. We will also discuss objections to classical liberalism and threats to the liberal order.

Time: 8 weeks; Wednesdays, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Commencing March 28.
(Note: this course will be interrupted from April 19 to May 10 so that members can take advantage of Prof. Scruton’s course mentioned below. It will resume on May 16 and conclude on June 6.)
Location: Walton Hall, Eastern University, 1300 Eagle Road, St. Davids, PA 19087
Cost: $275

Beauty and Its Modes
Prof. Roger Scruton

What do we mean when we praise a landscape, a painting, a piece of music or a person as ‘beautiful’? Does this word have a single meaning, and does it denote a single value? Why do we describe the object of sexual attraction using the same term that we use to describe a successful work of art? What is, and what ought to be, the place of beauty in the hierarchy of values, and how is it related to moral, political and personal ideals?

Those are just some of the questions that will be covered in this stimulating course, covering some of the groundwork of philosophical aesthetics, as well as problems and arguments in the philosophy of mind. We shall look at what has been said about beauty by the great philosophers, and also at what is possible to say about it now.

Time: 4 weeks; Thursdays, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
April 19 to May 10.
Location: Walton Hall, Eastern University, 1300 Eagle Road, St. Davids, PA 19087
Cost: $475

Note: Both courses may be taken for a combined fee of $650.
For more details go to www.wynnewood.org (Events). Registration is required: (610) 642-0618 or wynnewood@wynnewood.org.

www.wynnewood.org

“Introduction To The Constitution” with Michael Badnarik

2007-03-20T17:03:00.000-05:00

“Introduction To The Constitution” with Michael Badnarik

Saturday, April 21, 2007
9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Philadelphia Inquirer Building
Schuylkill River Rd. and 3rd St.
King of Prussia, PA

Would it surprise you to discover that the United States is NOT a democracy?

Would you like to know - once and for all - what the “electoral college” is, and why we have it?

If you don’t need a government permit to exercise your First Amendment rights, why do other people need a government permit to exercise their Second Amendment rights?

Would you sign the Declaration of Independence today if it meant that Homeland Security would arrest you for being an “enemy combatant”?

Michael Badnarik is an author, Constitutional scholar, and was the 2004 Libertarian nominee for President of the United States. He is currently traveling across the country presenting his highly acclaimed class on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Even if you think you know the Constitution well, you’ll be shocked at how much you were never taught. Come experience the passion and drama that shaped the birth of our country.

At the end of the day you will understand why it is important to continue “Lighting the fires of Liberty, one heart at a time!”
Full day class: $125
(Includes an autographed copy of Michael’s book: Good to be King)
Save $25 by registering before April 7th.

For more information email jamesbabb@mac.com or call 610-539-8825. Space is limited.

Register now at www.ConstitutionPreservation.org

“Michael Badnarik has created a constitutional primer that will edify and entertain schoolchildren and seasoned libertarians alike.”
- Congressman Ron Paul

Local Libertarian Meeting Information

2007-03-20T16:50:00.000-05:00

For additional local meeting information, visit: www.lppa.org/counties
Disclaimer: Although this information is accurate at the time of printing, meeting schedules are subject to change. It never hurts to verify a meeting with the local contact.

LPPa Board Meeting: April 14, May 12, June 9
When: 2nd Saturday, 12:00 PM
Where: Usually at the Ted’s Bar & Grill 6197 Allentown Blvd., Harrisburg, PA 17112. www.tedsbarandgrill.com
Contact: secretary@lppa.org, 800-R-Rights

Allegheny: April 18, May 16, June 20
When: 3rd Wednesday, 7:00 PM
Where: Ritter’s Diner, 5221 Baum Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Contact: Harold Kyriazi, allegheny@lppa.org, www.lppgh.org

Berks: April 5, May 3, June 7, July 5
When: 1st Thursday, 7:00 PM
Where: Dempsey’s American Kitchen, Route 222 & 724, Shillington, PA 19607
Contact: Dave Tartaglia, berks@lppa.org

Bucks: April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11
When: 2nd Wednesday, 8:00 PM
Where: Applebees, 1745 S. Easton Rd., Doylestown, PA 18901
Contact: Maurice Reeves, bucks@lppa.org

Centre: April 9, May 14, June 11, July 9
When: 2nd Monday, 6:00 PM
Where: Golden Wok, 332 W. College Ave., State College, PA 16801
Contact: Tom Martin, centre@lppa.org

Chester: April 5, May 3, June 7, July 5
When: 1st Thursday, 7:30 PM
Where: Inquirer Building, PA 320 and PA 23, King of Prussia, PA. 19406
Contact: James Babb, jamesbabb@mac.com, 610-539-8825

Clarion: March 17, April 21, May 19, June 16
When: 3rd Saturday, 1:00 PM
Where: BJ’s Eatery Restaurant, High Point & Canoe Ripple Roads, one-quarter mile north of Exit 53 on Interstate 80.
Contact: Michael J. Robertson, kalzone@alltel.net, 814-358-2882

Cumberland: April 9, May 14, June 11, July 9
When: 2nd Monday, 7:00 PM
Where: Market Cross Pub, 113 N. Hanover St., Carlisle, PA 17013
Contact: Ron Goodman, cumberland@lppa.org, 717-243-5708

Dauphin: May 17, Aug. 16, Oct. 16, Nov. 15
When: 3rd Thursday, 7:00 PM
Where: Hilton Harrisburg, 1 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg, PA 17101
Contact: Barry Dively, dauphin@lppa.org

Delaware: April 16, May 21, June 18, July 16
When: 3rd Monday, 7:30 PM
Where: Casey’s Restaurant, 812 Lansdowne Ave., Drexel Hill, PA 19026
Contact: David Jahn, delaware@lppa.org
Erie: April 8, May 13, June 10, July 8
When: 2nd Sunday, 2:00 PM
Where: Libertarian Notary, 12746 Rt. 19 South, Waterford, PA 16441
Contact: Tom Giles, erie@lppa.org, www.lppa.org/erie, 814-835-1048

Lebanon: April 8, May 13, June 10, July 8
When: 2nd Sunday, 2:00 PM
Where: Paolo’s Restaurant, 133 W. Lincoln Ave., Myerstown, PA 17067
Contact: Ray Ondrusek, lebanon@lppa.org, 717-866-4967
Montgomery: April 5, May 3, June 7, July 5
When: 1st Thursday, 7:30 PM
Where: Inquirer Building, PA 320 and PA 23, King of Prussia, PA. 19406
Contact: James Babb, montgomery@lppa.org, www.montcolp.org, 610-539-8825

Philadelphia: March 20, April 17, May 15
When: 3rd Tuesday, 8:00 PM
Where: Raven Lounge, 1718 Sansom St., Philadelphia PA 19103
Contact: Phil Hodgson, chair@lpphilly.org, www.lpphilly.org

York: March 26, April 23, May 26, June 25
When: 4th Monday, 7:00 PM
Where: First Capital Dispensing Company, 57 N. Pershing Ave., York, PA 17401
Contact: Karl Spangler, york@lppa.org, www.yorklp.org, 717-292-6618

Don’t miss the 11th Annual Montgomery County Hospitality Suite at the LPPa Convention!

2007-03-20T16:43:00.000-05:00

Don’t miss the 11th Annual Montgomery County Hospitality Suite at the LPPa Convention!

Join us Friday and Saturday night after the regular convention events for libations and conversation with your fellow Libertarians. All attendees of the 2007 Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania’s Annual Convention are invited to attend.

Purchase your tickets at the convention registration table.
One night: $17.76, Both nights: $30.00
(Includes open bar and light snacks)

Past events raised enough money to print the thousands of petitions required for 2004 ballot access. All money raised will support Libertarian activities in Pennsylvania.

2007 Election Schedule

2007-03-20T16:39:00.000-05:00

The following time line is recommended for individuals and/or County Committees to get Libertarians on the ballot and to WIN elected positions. It is not as difficult as you may think. Although we continuously lobby, debate, and educate the local D/R leaders, the best thing to do is to REPLACE them!

January 1 through April 13
• Register as Libertarian.

May 8
• Get samples of the D and R ballots for the Primary.
• Check them for 0PEN positions, or “only one” positions.
• Write-in possibilities are often available.

May 15
• Primary Day
• Distribute write-in slips at a proper distance from the election building.

May 16
• Begin collecting signatures on the nomination papers for Libertarian candidates.
• Signatures of ANY registered voter count!
• The required number of signatures is 2 % of the votes previously cast for that district. It could be only ten.
• Collect an additional 30% signatures more than the required number.
• Turn in the notarized nomination papers, along with a financial statement.

July 31
• The last day to file the nomination papers. (Don’t wait until the last day.)

November 6
• Election Day. Vote Libertarian!

For further information please contact:
• Mik Robertson, LPPa Chair, chair@lppa.org, 814-358-2882
• Dave Jahn, LPPa Eastern Vice Chair, evchair@lppa.org, 610-461-7755
• Berlie Etzel, LPPa Western Vice Chair, wvchair@lppa.org, 814-797-2855

Ballot Access Update, by Chuck Moulton, chair@lppa.org

2006-10-28T14:26:00.000-05:00

We’ve been fighting the ballot access battle on several fronts. The Libertarian Party has been very active in the Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition (PBAC), a coalition of all minor parties in Pennsylvania, including Libertarian, Green, Constitution, Reform, Nader, and many others. A lawsuit was filed in federal court to challenge the signature requirement. I’d like to update you on our progress.

PBAC lobbied the Governor’s Election Reform Task Force in April of 2005, which resulted in the task force recommending that the election laws “should be amended to provide greater access to the ballot for minor political parties and political bodies.” In September of 2005 PBAC developed legislation called the Voters’ Choice Act that would eliminate signature requirements for minor parties and base ballot access on a voter registration threshold.

This legislation was given to every state representative and state senator and many activists arranged meetings with their state legislators to advocate for the bill. A number of sponsors and co-sponsors were lined up. In January of 2005, PBAC made a presentation to the state senate’s State Government Committee on the Voters’ Choice Act. Unfortunately since that time the chair of the State Government Committee, Paul Clymer, has blocked the Voters’ Choice Act from being introduced. Legislators are afraid to go around Clymer. At this point PBAC is planning its strategy for lobbying the newly elected state legislature for the 2007-2009 term.

Several minor parties and minor party candidates joined together to fight the signature requirements in federal court, including Libertarian Ken Krawchuk. Central theories of the case were that minor parties had already demonstrated a modicum of support through their vote totals which qualified them to be minor parties (an equal protection argument) and minor party candidates should not be forced to get signatures outside of their party to be nominated by their party (a freedom of association argument). U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III said a formula that requires minor party candidates to collect 67,070 signatures this year is constitutional and reflects a legitimate state interest because it prevents “ballot clutter.”

The plaintiffs immediately appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. Circuit Judges Smith, Aldisert, and Roth again ruled against minor parties; however, their decision contained key factual errors. For example, it rested its conclusion on the incorrect premise that political bodies (political parties that had not qualified as minor parties) could not stack candidates on their petitions. Due to the factual errors, plaintiffs appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit En Banc, which means all the judges of the 3rd Circuit will decide the case instead of just three of them. That case is currently pending. If plaintiffs lose that case, they intend to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Green candidate Carl Romanelli was able to collect 100,000 signatures, partly by reaching out to Santorum supporters for donations on the theory that Santorum’s chances would be improved with Romanelli in the race. After the board of elections accepted his signatures, Democrats sued to get him kicked off the ballot. By exploiting technicalities such as signers who forgot to write the date or put information in the wrong boxes, they persuaded the court to remove Romanelli. Romanelli challenged the decision on two grounds: 1) the judicial retention election from 2005 should be used to determine the 2% requirement, making it 10,000 signatures instead of 67,000; 2) qualified electors should include all Pennsylvania citizens over 18 instead of just registered voters. He lost his cases on both these issues, but he plans to appeal. Romanelli was slapped with a $90,000 fine for court costs and a $800,000 fine for the Democrat attorney fees. Earlier this year the Nader campaign was fined $80,000 for defending itself in court. Some libertarians wonder whether it will ever be possible to run a statewide candidate again under these circumstances.

Important links:
www.paballotaccess.org
www.ballot-access.org

Election Day, Nov. 7th: We need you!, by Chuck Moulton, chair@lppa.org

2006-10-26T18:56:00.000-05:00

Our candidates need your help. These libertarian heros have dedicated countless hours of their time to petitioning for ballot access, putting together campaign websites, reaching out to the media, debating their opponents, and going door to door. In addition to their time they’ve invested their money in yard signs, literature, and advertisements.

Why are the Republicans and Democrats more successful than Libertarians? It’s not their philosophy... most Americans support smaller government and more freedom. Part of it is ballot access restrictions and media blackouts that don’t give Libertarians an opportunity to compete on a level playing field, but there is a much more important distinction. Republicans and Democrats support their candidates. Those candidates can expect an army of volunteers to collect signatures, man polls, put up yard signs, spread the word, and staff the campaign. It’s time we got serious about elections and started supporting our candidates better.

“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke

Are you a good man who is doing nothing? It’s easy to sit on the sidelines and rationalize your decision assuming someone else will step forward. In my years as a libertarian activist, I’ve learned far less people step forward than you’d think.

I’d like you to remember the following activist mantra (10 words, 2 letters each): If it is to be, it is up to me.

That mantra is short, easy to remember, and true. Whenever you are frustrated about government or want to complain about politics, I want you to think of that mantra. We libertarians need to take personal responsibility for our own government, our own political party, and our own candidates.

What do I want you to do? It’s simple. Our candidates need poll workers to hand out literature on election day.

The average state representative candidate has 30-40 polling places in his district. Unfortunately a person can’t be in 30 places at once, so he needs help. Having a personal representative at a polling place significantly increases vote totals.

Though working a poll for even a few hours is helpful, we really need all day volunteers. Can you spare one day a year for liberty? Or is liberty not that important to you?

Since 2002 I’ve worked a polling place on election day and primary day every year. You learn a lot about how elections work at the grassroots and you can really make a difference. Often it is a voter’s first exposure to the Libertarian Party and the libertarian philosophy. Some voters will run right by and be palpably rude to you. Others will be polite and start a conversation. Either way, seeing a libertarian poll worker and a libertarian sample ballot subconsciously tells them the Libertarian Party is a growing force in politics.

You will have an opportunity to discuss issues with the Democrat and Republican committee people all day long. Again, some are rude or hopelessly socialist. However, I’ve found most of them are good people who are open to the libertarian viewpoint. Invariably I convert some of them to libertarians by the end of the day and they get to see that libertarians are normal people just like them. It’s easier to convert an activist into a libertarian than a libertarian into an activist.

Organizationally you’ll be very impressed by the Republicans and/or Democrats (in some precincts one of those parties dominates and the other is nonexistent). I’ve found they know many of the voters by name and can make small talk about their kids or work from memory. They keep track of who has voted and who hasn’t, then they call their supporters who haven’t voted yet.

If we want to get serious about politics, we need to support our candidates better. As we offer more support, we will attract higher quality candidates. Election day is our best opportunity to spread the libertarian message to voters... let’s not squander that opportunity by leaving polling places void of a libertarian presence.

I’m working a polling place for a Libertarian candidate on election day. Who is with me?

Chuck Moulton is the LPPa Chair and LNC Vice Chair.

Jose Padilla and the Military Commissions Act, by Jacob G. Hornberger, jhornberger@fff.org

2006-10-26T18:27:00.001-05:00

Anyone who hoped that U.S. military detention of Americans accused of terrorism expired with the transfer of American citizen Jose Padilla from military custody to Justice Department custody have seen their hopes dashed by the Military Commissions Act that the president signed into law yesterday. Although the act limits to foreign citizens the use of military tribunals and the denial of habeas corpus, any person, including American citizens, can still be labeled and treated as an “unlawful enemy combatant” in the war on terrorism.

What does that mean for the American people? It means the same thing it did for Jose Padilla. You’ll recall that Padilla was arrested in Chicago for terrorism and transferred to military custody, where, according to Padilla, he was tortured and involuntarily injected with drugs.

The government’s position is that since the entire world is a battlefield in which the war on terrorism is being waged, U.S. officials now have the power to arrest any American suspected of terrorism, place him in military custody, and subject him to the same “unlawful enemy combatant” treatment that Padilla received, until the war on terrorism has finally been won, no matter how long that takes.

You’ll recall that the government’s position was that Padilla, as an “unlawful enemy combatant” suspected of having committed terrorist acts, was not entitled to the procedural rights guaranteed to criminal defendants in the Bill of Rights, including the rights to counsel, due process, and trial by jury.

The district court ruled in favor of Padilla at his habeas corpus hearing, but the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision, upholding the government’s “unlawful enemy combatant” argument for Padilla and, by implication, all other Americans.

Before the Supreme Court could rule on Padilla’s appeal from the Second Circuit’s decision, the government announced that it wished to transfer him from military control to federal-court control on the basis of a grand jury indictment charging him with terrorism. The Supreme Court permitted the transfer and declined to hear Padilla’s appeal because the case was now “moot,” given that Padilla was no longer being held by the military but instead was being held by the Justice Department as a criminal defendant. That left the Second Circuit decision upholding the “unlawful enemy combatant” designation intact.

Even if Padilla is acquitted in the federal-court action, there is little doubt that the Pentagon will immediately take him back into military custody as an “unlawful enemy combatant” in the war on terrorism, requiring Padilla to once again embark, in a habeas corpus proceeding, on a long legal journey to the Supreme Court.

Currently, under the Second Circuit’s decision in Padilla, and now also under the Military Commissions Act, the president has the power to order the military arrest and incarcerate any number of Americans suspected of terrorism. Americans would still have the right to file a petition for writ of habeas corpus in federal court because the Military Commissions Act cancelled that right only for foreigners, not Americans. Keep in mind, however, that a habeas corpus hearing is not a full-blown trial to determine guilt or innocence but is simply designed to determine whether the government has legal justification for holding a prisoner. All the government would have to do at the habeas corpus hearings is provide some evidence that the Americans it is holding in military custody have engaged in some act of terrorism and then cite the Second Circuit opinion and the Military Commissions Act in support of its power to continue detaining them.

Of course, the cases would ultimately go to the Supreme Court, but that would inevitably entail a lengthy delay, a period of time during which lots of Americans could be tortured, abused, and even “accidentally” killed, just as foreign “unlawful enemy combatants” in U.S. military custody have been. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the Supreme Court will rule against the government.
How does an American who is labeled an enemy combatant ultimately get tried? Answer: he doesn’t. Under the Military Commissions Act, trial by military tribunal is limited to foreigners. So, even though Americans still have the use of habeas corpus (so far) to test whether their detention is lawful, if the Supreme Court ultimately upholds the “unlawful enemy combatant” designation for people accused of terrorism, Americans will be returned to indefinite military custody as “unlawful enemy combatants” if the government has provided some evidence of terrorism at the habeas corpus hearing.

The irony is that while foreigners will be accorded the kangaroo tribunal treatment, Americans accused of terrorism will continue to languish in military prison indefinitely without the benefit of a trial. Of course, given that the tribunals will have the power to impose the death penalty, Americans might do well not to complain about their indefinite detention.

Mr. Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. He will be among the 22 speakers at FFF’s upcoming conference on June 1-4, 2007 in Reston, Virginia: “Restoring the Constitution: Foreign Policy and Civil Liberties” (www.fff.org/whatsNew/conference.htm).

Libertarian Takes Aim, by Quince Eddens, EVChair@lppa.org

2006-10-26T18:27:00.000-05:00

To keep and bear arms is an immense right, duty and responsibility. Expert training is mandatory if you wish to exercise that right safely and competently.

Though I attend a private shooting range several times a week, I knew that I did not possess the knowledge needed to use deadly force to protect myself or my loved ones should that terrible day arrive. Then, I heard about Front Sight Academy near Las Vegas and ordered their free DVD (www.frontsight.com ).

On October 5th, I arrived at Front Sight to attend a 4 day tactical handgun course with Dave Champion, host of American Radio Show (www.americanradioshow.us ) and 34 of his clients and listeners.

There were over 250 people attending the various 4 day courses, 25 police, 9 Sheriffs, 15 military and the rest civilians. Nevada is an “open carry state”, so we had our guns on all day. What a great feeling!

The first morning at the firing line, I partnered with the wife of a friend I met at the Larken Rose trial. Peggy was very nervous, but with individualized instruction, she was drawing her gun from the holster and shooting accurately by noon! Think it’s easy? It’s not. That’s why most ranges do not allow shooters to draw from the hip. Most people have not received that kind of training and could hurt themselves or others.

I learned the correct way to squeeze a trigger. Simple? Yes. Easy to do it wrong? Very. Could a bad trigger press get you killed in a gun fight? Absolutely.

Our average day was 12 hours long. One day was 14 hours because we did 2.5 hours of night shooting…yep, in the dark! Why? Because 85% of all gun fights happen after sundown. We were drilled on how to acquire our guns and our tactical flashlights into a battle stance and fire accurately into the chest and head area of our moving targets. We fired at 7,10, and 15 yards. It seems kind of close until you hear the statistics that most gun fights are within 21 feet, the majority being within 5 feet!

We were trained in simulated buildings, to search and clear, room by room. The instructor had a talon attached to the back of my belt and narrated a scenario, playing all the characters as I went through the building. Suddenly (and I do mean suddenly) my instructor would start screaming, “Honey, he’s got a gun”, “Help me” , “He’s going to kill me”, then a door flies open revealing a photo image of a bad guy holding a gun to the head of a woman. I draw and take the head shot. BOOM. Got him.

Instantly, another bad guy appears from nowhere, BOOOM, BOOOM. I delivered two clean shots to the chest cavity. “He’s not down”, He’s not down”!!!!! “Head Shot” !!!!!! BOOOOM. Right on.

This might seam a little sleepy reading it in the Lib Penn, but let me tell you, my heart was pounding out of my chest doing these scenarios. The instructors make it as real as they can, because they want us to know what the pressure can do to your shooting skills.

Everyday while we ate lunch in the main hall, we would attend a lecture and presentation dealing with all of the other important aspects of deciding whether to use deadly force or not. These lectures included graphic police footage of cops getting killed due to careless mistakes or mistakes made under fire. The clip that affected me most was of a cop that pumped 5 357 magnum slugs into an attacker, turned to radio for help, and the attacker was able to get a 22 caliber shot into the cop…and killed the cop. Moral of that lecture? Find cover!!!

In summary, I believe that if we are ever to reinstate the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, we must exercise our rights…use them. Talking about them won’t cut it. Hoping that we can elect someone that will “give” our rights back…won’t do it. A right is like a muscle. If you don’t use it, it will wither away. Exercising the right to use deadly force to protect yourself, requires the best training you can find. I found it at Front Sight.

Quince Eddens is the LPPa Eastern Vice Chair.

Write In Your Votes, by David Jahn, djahn@comcast.net

2006-10-26T18:19:00.000-05:00

Pennsylvania has the second worst ballot access laws in the nation. As a result, it is one of only four states that won’t have any third party candidates on the statewide ballot this year.

Carl Romanelli of the Green Party was the only one to gather sufficient signatures for U.S. Senate, but the Democrats acted swiftly to challenge his signatures in the courts. You’ll recall they did the same thing to torpedo Ralph Nader’s presidential campaign two years ago. In the end, Carl was kicked off the ballot, subjected to court costs and ordered to pay the Democrats legal fees which could amount to one million dollars.

The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition (www.paballotaccess.org) had hoped to improve our ballot access laws. They proposed the Voters Choice Act and urged legislators to adopt it in time to ease this year’s requirement of over 67,000 signatures for a statewide office. Instead of acting quickly, our legislators did nothing.

We can’t allow the two old parties to monopolize our state’s elections while limiting voters choices and forcing every one else into the political basement. So, what are we civilized citizens to do?

The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition is urging everyone to write-in their vote for our statewide candidates. We are urging people to write-in NOTA in those races where they aren’t satisfied with the limited choices and there are no Libertarian write-in candidates. Lastly, we would encourage everyone who, because of their duties, occupation or business (including leaves of absence for teaching, vacations, and sabbatical leaves), expects on Election Day to be absent from his/her municipality of residence during the entire period the polls are open for voting to vote via absentee ballot.

Historically, this state does a poor job of counting write-in votes. That is why we are asking everyone to confirm their write-in votes were tabulated and reported to the county and state election officials after the election. It is our hope that after confronting the daunting task of certifying this election with substantial write-in votes from all of the minor parties, the election bureau will join our efforts to enact ballot access reform in this state.

The goal is to have independents and members from every minor party urging citizens to cast their votes via write-in at the November election. We will strive to make Election Day handouts available through local party leaders. The handouts will also be available for download from various web sites including the Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition website listed above.

We hope you will support our continuing efforts to improve ballot access laws in Pennsylvania.

David Jahn is the Immediate Past LPPa Chair and a member of the Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition.

2006 Libertarian Candidate Guide

2006-10-26T18:14:00.000-05:00

Eight Libertarian Heros are on the Ballot!

Tom Martin
State Senate, District 34
(Centre, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry and Union Counties)

http://members.aol.com/martin4senate
martintfre@aol.com, 814-692-7304

Tom Martin has a degree in biology from Penn State University. He is a software engineer at Penn State with certifications in Oracle databases and Microsoft servers. Tom and his wife Terry are proud parents of their 14 year old son Charlie. Tom is an Assistant Scoutmaster in his son’s Boy Scout troop and a soccer referee. In 2005 he was elected to a second term as Auditor of Huston Township. He ran for state representative in 2004 and U.S. Congress in 2000, 2002, and 2004. This year Tom is also a write-in candidate for U.S. Senate.

Top 3 issues:
1. Ballot Access – free and fair elections for Americans
2. Term Limits – term limit legislators and time limit their legislation
3. Spending – IT’S THE SPENDING, STUPID!

Contributions: Please send checks to: Tom Martin for State Senate, 298 Shultz Hollow, Julian, PA 16844
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Ed Tonkin
State Representative, District 5
(Crawford and Erie Counties)

tonkin4congress@aol.com, 814-835-9411

Ed Tonkin graduated from Hillsdale College in 1979 with a degree in history. He is a former traveling industrial salesman and the married father of three children. In 1996 Ed Tonkin ran for U.S. Congress against Chris Shays in Connecticut’s 4th district. Currently Ed is disabled, undergoing dialysis three times a week because of kidney problems. This year Ed is also a write-in candidate for U.S. Congress in the 3rd district.

Top 3 issues
1. Property rights – put teeth in eminent domain restrictions overturning Kelo
2. Citizen legislature – term limits, cut salaries and eliminate pensions, barracks for living quarters
3. Education – separation of school and state

Contributions: Please send checks to: Ed Tonkin for State Representative, 1404 Pasadena Dr., Erie, PA 16505
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Demo Agoris
State Representative, District 48 (Washington County)

www.a7s.us, a7s@juno.com, 724-745-6670
53 W Pike St, Houston, PA 15342-1428

Demo Agoris has a degree in Meteorology from Penn State University. Demo served in the Pennsylvania air national guard. Currently he is a small business owner who manufactures candy and invests in real estate. His philosophical mission is motivating others to use positive leadership in their daily problem solving life. Demo Agoris was elected to the Houston borough council in 1995 and served as Chair of Houston’s Government Study Commission. In addition, Demo ran for state representative in 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004.

Top 3 issues
1. Accountability – require officials to abide by voter referendums
2. Citizen legislature – term limits, reduced pay, no pensions, and no benefits for all past and current elected officials
3. Health care – limit attorney’s fees to 10% ($100,000 maximum)

Contributions: Candidate is not accepting donations.
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Michael J. “Mik” Robertson
State Representative, District 63
(Armstrong and Clarion Counties)

kalzone@alltel.net, 814-358-2882
614 Canoe Ripple Rd, Sligo, PA 16255

Mik Robertson and his wife Maggie are the proud parents of their 19-month old daughter Claire. Mik is Chair of the Licking Township Board of Supervisors (appointed in 2000, elected in 2001 and 2003), Vice-Chair of the Clarion County Sewage Association, and is a member of the executive board of the Clarion County Association of Township Officials. He also served on the Licking Township-Callensburg Borough Regional Planning Committee. Mik has a BA degree in Geology from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a project geologist with Letterle & Associates in Franklin, PA and operates a farm with his wife. In 2003 Mik ran for Clarion County Commissioner, and in 2004 he ran for state representative and state senator.

Top 3 issues
1. Election reform – improve ballot access; eliminate public funds for political party activity
2. Education – improve educational choice and reduce state government mandates on schools
3. Welfare – end corporate welfare and reform community revitalization funding

Contributions: Candidate is not accepting donations.
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Kat Valleley
State Representative, District 70
(Montgomery County)

www.kat2006.com, kvalleley@comcast.net
267-664-9391

Kat Valleley and her husband are the proud parents of three kids: Kate, Sarah, and Timmy. Kate attends a charter school; Sarah and Timmy are homeschooled. Kat is a realtor with Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors. Her hobbies include reading, piano, singing, and video games.

Top 3 issues
1. Taxes & Spending – reduce spending, reduce taxes
2. Education – put parents back in control with competition: promote homeschooling, charter schools, and other alternatives
3. Accountability – give citizens no less than ten business days to review and comment on legislation

Contributions: Please send checks to: Friends of Kat Valleley, PO Box 276, Kulpsville, PA 19443
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James Babb
State Representative, District 157
(Montgomery and Chester Counties)

www.jamesbabb.com, jamesbabb@mac.com
610-539-8825

James Babb and his wife Christina are proud parents of two young daughters: Dorothy and Violet. James is a small business owner running TRA Consulting, LLC, which provides expert sales, marketing and advertising services. James is Chair of the Libertarian Party of Montgomery County. He helped with the petition drive in 2004 which successfully got Michael Badnarik and Betsy Summers on the ballot. A professional percussionist in several bands, he has a passion for music. His other interests include travel, nature photography, and science. James ran for state representative in 2004, when he earned 11%.

1. Taxes and spending – It’s your money; eliminate spending not explicitly authorized by the Pennsylvania constitution
2. Education – End compulsory government schooling, put parents back in charge.
3. Environment – Hold polluters responsible instead of taxpayers; end pay-to-pollute programs

Contributions: On-line at www.JamesBabb.com or by mail to: Babb for Pennsylvania, PO Box 2106 Southeastern, PA 19399. Gold and silver accepted.
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Jeremy Levan
State Representative, District 129 (Berks County)

www.voteforjeremy.610knows.com, jeremywlevan@aol.com, 610-643-6281, 159 Pennbrooke Ave, Robesonia, PA 19551

Jeremy Levan is 24 years old. He works part time at Turkey Hill Minit Markets while pursuing his education through distance learning online. In his spare time Jeremy is an amateur musician with a local band singing and playing guitar, bass, and synthesizer. Up until recently he ran 610knows.com, a news and media website focusing on Pennsylvania politics; however, the website is on hiatus while he campaigns.

Top 3 issues
1. Property taxes – abolish all property taxes on a citizen’s owned-occupied, primary residence
2. Education – voucher system for public schools, tax credits for homeschool and private school, privatize extra curricular activities
3. Health Care – tort reforms capping non-economic damages and attorney contingency fees in medical malpractice cases

Contributions: Please send checks to: Jeremy Levan for State Representative, 159 Pennbrooke Ave, Robesonia, PA 19551
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Ray Ondrusek
State Representative, District 102
(Lebanon County)

www.rayondrusek.org , ray@rayondrusek.org
717-866-4967, 300 W Park Ave, Myerstown, PA 17067

Ray Ondrusek is a computer software developer and has been Chair of the Libertarian Party of Lebanon County since 2003. He previously worked as chief engineer at his college radio station, a systems programmer in compiler construction, a carpenter, and an adult education teacher of Solar Energy and Conservation. He is an amateur musician who composes music using the piano, trumpet, and electronic music synthesizers. His hobbies include skiing, hiking, hunting, and flying airplanes. Ray ran for state representative in 2002 and 2004.

Top 3 issues
1. Crime – end parole for violent criminals
2. Health care – promote competition in a free market to ease escalating health care costs
3. Welfare – reform welfare and public assistance; end corporate welfare
Contributions: On-line at www.rayondrusek.org/contribute.html

2006 Ballot Access Petition Drive Results

2006-10-26T18:09:00.000-05:00

These are the people that put our candidates on the ballot! Kudos to everyone who participated!

Circulator, County, Signatures

Thomas A. Martin, Centre, 1372
Berlie R. Etzel, Jr., Clarion, 1216
Edward Tonkin, Erie, 1207
Jeremy Levan, Berks, 489
Demo Agoris, Washington, 412
James Babb, Montgomery, 367
David Posipanka, Allegheny, 357
Raymond Ondrusek, Lebanon, 314
James Deitz, Jr., Lebanon, 165
Kathryn Valleley, Montgomery, 136
Eric Alan Paul, Lebanon, 130
Larry Goulart, Montgomery, 120
Michael Deasey, Bucks, 117
Margaret Broadley, Chester, 108
Jessica McLaughlin, Montgomery, 104
David Owens, Chester, 100
Harold Kyriazi, Allegheny, 93
James Gross, Montgomery, 73
Ronald Goodman, Dauphin, 70
William Keslar, York, 63
Michael Turner, Berks, 60
Alan Yottey, Cumberland, 60
Dalissa L. McEwen, Montgomery, 60
Barry Dively, Dauphin, 58
Timothy P. Valleley, Montgomery, 38
Mark Shay, Delaware, 31
Anthony J. Lewandowski, Washington, 31
Nicholas Kyriazi, Allegheny, 28
Jeanne M. Haines, Montgomery, 19
Pete Sena, Montgomery, 18
Erin Duskin, Lebanon, 18
William Markle, Allegheny, 16
John Haley, Montgomery, 15
John Ewbank, Berks, 14
Denise M. Petrasic, Lebanon, 13
Jeffrey Lupowitz, Berks, 12
Leon Johnson, Lycoming, 8
William Wynn, Chester, 7
John D. McDivitt, Dauphin, 3
Paul Kuhn, McKean, 2

Total Signatures:7524

Local Meeting Information:

2006-10-26T17:57:00.000-05:00

Disclaimer: Although this information is accurate at the time of printing, meeting schedules are subject to change. It never hurts to verify a meeting with the local contact.

For additional local meeting information, visit: www.lppa.org/counties

LPPa Board Meeting: Nov. 11, Dec. 9, Jan 13
When: 2nd Saturday, 11:00 AM
Where: TBD
Contact: secretary@lppa.org, 800-R-Rights

Allegheny: Nov. 15, Dec. 20, Jan. 17
When: 3rd Wednesday, 7:00 PM
Where: Ritter’s Diner, 5221 Baum Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Contact: Dave Powell, allegheny@lppa.org, www.lppgh.org, 412-904-2976

Berks: Nov. 2, Dec. 7, Jan. 4
When: 1st Thursday, 7:00 PM
Where: Dempsey’s American Kitchen, Route 222 & 724, Shillington, PA 19607
Contact: Dave Tartaglia, berks@lppa.org

Bucks: Nov. 8, Dec. 13, Jan. 10
When: 2nd Wednesday, 8:00 PM
Where: Applebees, 1745 S. Easton Rd., Doylestown, PA 18901
Contact: Maurice Reeves, bucks@lppa.org

Centre: Nov. 13, Dec. 11, Jan. 8
When: 2nd Monday, 6:00 PM
Where: Golden Wok, 332 W. College Ave., State College, PA 16801
Contact: Tom Martin, centre@lppa.org

Chester: Nov. 22, Dec. 27, Jan. 24
When: 4th Wednesday, 7:30 PM
Where: Courtyard Inn, 929 S. High St., West Chester, PA 19382
Contact: David Owens, chester@lppa.org

Clarion: Nov. 18, Dec. 16, Jan. 20
When: 3rd Saturday, 1:00 PM
Where: BJ’s Eatery Restaurant, High Point & Canoe Ripple Roads, one-quarter mile north of Exit 53 on Interstate 80.
Contact: Michael J. Robertson, kalzone@penn.com, 814-358-2882

Cumberland: Nov. 13, Dec. 11, Jan. 8
When: 2nd Monday, 7:00 PM
Where: Market Cross Pub, 113 N. Hanover St., Carlisle, PA 17013
Contact: Ron Goodman, cumberland@lppa.org, 717-243-5708

Dauphin: Nov. 16, Dec. 21, Jan. 18
When: 3rd Thursday, 7:00 PM
Where: Hilton Harrisburg, 1 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg, PA 17101
Contact: Barry Dively, dauphin@lppa.org

Delaware: Nov. 20, Dec. 18, Jan. 15
When: 3rd Monday, 7:30 PM
Where: Casey’s Restaurant, 812 Lansdowne Ave., Drexel Hill, PA 19026
Contact: David Jahn, delaware@lppa.org

Erie: Nov. 11, Dec. 9, Jan. 13
When: 2nd Sunday, 2:00 PM
Where: Libertarian Notary, 12746 Rt. 19 South, Waterford, PA 16441
Contact: Tom Giles, erie@lppa.org, www.lppa.org/erie, 814-835-1048

Lebanon: Nov. 11, Dec. 9, Jan. 13
When: 2nd Sunday, 2:00 PM
Where: Paolo’s Restaurant, 133 W. Lincoln Ave., Myerstown, PA 17067
Contact: Ray Ondrusek, lebanon@lppa.org, 717-866-4967

Luzerne: Nov. 15, Dec. 20, Jan. 17
When: 3rd Wednesday, 8:00 PM
Where: Mark II Restaurant, 400 Kidder St., Wilkes Barre, PA 18702
Contact: Brian Bergman, luzerne@lppa.org

Montgomery: Nov. 2, Dec. 7, Jan. 4
When: 1st Thursday, 7:30 PM
Where: Inquirer Building, PA 320 and PA 23, King of Prussia, PA. 19406
Contact: James Babb, montgomery@lppa.org, www.montcolp.org, 610-539-8825

Philadelphia: Nov. 21, Dec. 19, Jan. 16
When: 3rd Tuesday, 8:00 PM
Where: Liberties Bar, 705 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19123
Contact: Phil Hodgson, chair@lpphilly.org, www.lpphilly.org

Schuylkill: Nov. 1, Dec. 6, Jan. 3
When: 1st Wednesday, 7:00 PM
Where: Roman Delight, Rt. 61, Orwigsburg, PA 17961
Contact: Wanda Keefer, schuylkill@lppa.org

York: Nov. 27, Jan. 22
When: 4th Monday, 7:00 PM
Where: First Capital Dispensing Company, 57 N. Pershing Ave., York, PA 17401
Contact: Karl Spangler, york@lppa.org, www.yorklp.org, 717-292-6618

You can make a difference!

2006-10-26T17:54:00.000-05:00

Would you like to apply your specific skills to the advancement of liberty? We currently have openings available on our committees that need to be filled with active, energetic, and dedicated people like you! Whether it is for a few hours a week or a few hours a month, we will gratefully accept your call to action. Do not wait. Contact us today and get involved with the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania!

Election: Chuck Moulton
election@lppa.org

Fund Raising: David Jahn
fundraising@lppa.org

Legal Action: Gregory Teufel
legal@lppa.org

Legislative Action: Ken Krawchuk
legislative@lppa.org

Membership: Ron Goodman
membership@lppa.org

Research: Ron Satz
research@lppa.org

Convention: Karen Simons
convention@lppa.org

Media Relations: Doug Leard
media-relations@lppa.org

Newsletter: Bill Keslar
newsletter@lppa.org

Website: Chuck Moulton
website@lppa.org