Natural Constituency For Libertarians

As many of you know, I enjoy playing poker. I also play online- only the free games. I really don't like the idea playing for cash online, because it's not the full game. If I'm going to play for cash, I want to be able to see real, live human beings in front of me, so that I can read them. It's a big component of the game.

But, if people want to play poker online for cash, they should have that right in America. It's your money. It's your life.

Online poker sites have sadly been located offshore, as they are banned from operation in the US. Imagine the tax revenue they could be bringing to our country! Now there is increased talk of extending the bans on online poker to include playing, not just operation, in the United States.

A new lobbying group, the Poker Players Alliance, has emerged to oppose any bans on online poker. There are some familiar faces leading the lobbying. From a Poker Players Alliance press release:

Three of the biggest names in poker-Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson and Greg Raymer-and Radley Balko of the Cato Institute joined Bolcerek on the panel, each explaining why efforts to ban online gambling are misguided.

"We are here today to speak about the growing threat to poker as it relates to the online game," said Bolcerek. "We are here to defend the game and express our opposition to Congress' efforts to kill the sport and restrict our civil liberties."

This is a natural constituency for the Libertarian Party to pick up nationally. The timing is good- Texas Hold 'Em is an enormous fad nationally.

At the same time, it is of interest to me is that the various state governments are very happy to have lottery gambling which they control. The state lotteries tend to take about 60-70% as their cut. They advertise on TV & radio encouraging people to play. I haven't heard any calls from Congress to the states to give up their lotteries. Internet gambling sites, on the other hand, take about 10% as their cut. If nothing else, the state lotteries are guilty of a sort of price gouging.

Municipal Micromanagement

Two new municipal ordinances make me glad I'm out of the business of rental properties.

Speedway's new ordinance is especially awful. Do you really want landlords to be police? This is what they will have to become if fines to landlords result from tenant misbehavior. From WIBC's report:

The Speedway Town Council has approved some tough, new apartment regulations, despite protests from apartment dwellers and landlords alike.

The ordinance requires owners of rental properties to pay an annual licensing fee as well as a permit fee, per rental unit. The licensing fees were set at $25 for a landlord with five or fewer units. Those with more than five units will pay a $125 fee.

The ordinance also allows the Speedway Town Council to revoke the operating license of rental properties if those addresses see a lot of police runs.

Opponents say the fees are too high, and say they’ll just give landlords an excuse to raise rents.

And to become extra nosy. It isn't worth it to a landlord to lose his license just because a tenant does a lot of loud late-night partying. So, higher rent is just the beginning of the landlord protecting himself all the way to the expense of the tenant.

Greenwood recently passed an ordinance prohibiting the rental of a home within three years of its' construction. From an Indy Star report:

Mayor Charles Henderson says his plan, motivated by what he describes as a sour housing development deal, is designed to help maintain property values.

"I want to send a message that people deserve some protection and that anybody that buys into an addition can feel comfortable it isn't going to be turned into a rental community," said Henderson, whose idea could also face an up-or-down vote tonight. "It would help protect folks that get crossed up."

The Mayor also sends the message that if you bought thinking you would be there for a while, but got transferred to LA or Chicago within three years, you have to sell and take a major loss in sales commissions to the realtor. After all, the first several years of any mortgage payments are mainly interest, with little equity being built. I guess these people who get crossed up aren't in the Mayor's 'protection' plan. And it does little to help property values. If you can't rent it, you have to sell it fast, which means you sell at a lower price, which reflects poorly on the neighborhood.

It also prevents newer, nicer housing from entering the rental market in Greenwood. Is this a sort of plan to keep renters in older, deteriorating houses?

Local governments sure are making it harder to be a landlord in Central Indiana- and a tenant!

Oh, It's Soooo Hard To Do!

Pity the poor state Republicans. They had to be told not to get all excited and begin making plans to spend revenues that came in above forecast. It's tough because on the one hand you have a governor who promised to eliminate the budget by a certain date. On the other, you have little other than tax-and-spend Republicans in the Statehouse. From Mike Smith's AP report, found in the Fort Wayne News Sentinel:

When state tax collections came in far above the April target, Gov. Mitch Daniels made a big deal of it.

He brought state Budget Director Chuck Schalliol to a weekly meeting with reporters and touted the fact that revenue for the month was $206 million more than projected in December.

...

It's a tough spot for Daniels, who has pledged to eliminate what was a $600 million deficit in early 2005 by the end of this fiscal year on June 30. He said in March that the state likely would be able to afford statewide full-day kindergarten next year. He even hoped it could be implemented by the start of the 2007-2008 school year.

Many Democrats, including state Sen. Vi Simpson of Bloomington, say it's time to get that done. The price tag would be about $140 million a year, according to the Legislative Services Agency.

...

Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert Meeks, R-LaGrange, said the state's first obligation should be eliminating the back payments. He said he was open to discussing full-day kindergarten, "but do we do that at the sacrifice of everything else?"

Meeks sent a letter to all Republicans, issuing a cautionary note about spending.

"I think it's way too early to talk about new programs," he said.

But, when the time is right, Republicans will be there to spend, spend, spend. Maybe sometime after June 30, when the Guv is in the clear.

Libertarians in the Statehouse wouldn't need a cautionary letter advising them not to go crazy on the spending.

It's an interesting article in other ways. Check out this item featuring Brian Bosma:

Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma said recently that "now that the state has balanced its budget," Indiana was in a position to move forward on new education opportunities. They could include a strong kindergarten program, state-funded textbooks for every child, remediation for struggling students.

It was just shown that the budget is not balanced. Could it be that he doesn't know the difference between red & black? Or, is that as Sen. Dirksen once famously said, "a billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you're talking about real money". We're only in the millions on this deficit, so maybe it isn't real money to Bosma yet, or to sadly unnamed State Senators. Again, from Smith:

The December forecast predicted that by the end of the two-year budget cycle in July 2007, revenues would exceed expenditures by $265 million. As fiscal leaders in the Senate note, that's not a lot of money distance between a deficit and a surplus when it comes to a current annual budget of about $12 billion.

This is how they think about your tax dollars. Had enough yet?

Rob Place's DC Report

As mentioned several times previously, Campaign Manager Rob Place attended the recent Campaigns & Elections seminar, "The Art of Political Campaigning" in Washington DC.

This was an incredibly valuable seminar for Rob and for the Kole Campaign, as we have come away with a streamlined plan for the months ahead. I have every confidence that what Rob learned will help us work smarter, and that we will see the results in November.

Here is Rob's report:

“Campaigns & Elections magazine put on a very professional conference. I was able to meet numerous other campaign operatives and political consultants from all over the country and quiz them on specific aspects of the Kole campaign. Most of the attendees were Republicans and Democrats, though there were a few independents and even some from other countries here to learn a few tricks of the trade.

Some of the messages were obvious – campaigns need three things: money, money, and more money. In today’s world consumers are bombarded with advertising on a constant basis, and the only way for them to hear your message is to reach out to them in a concerted, repetitious manner. This takes money – and lots of it. I’ve picked up a few good fundraising ideas, and you’ll be hearing about those in the weeks and months ahead. That being said, if you’d like to save us all some time you can just donate on Mike’s website right now.

Of course, the power of earned media shouldn’t be minimized and I’ve picked up a few tips on how to communicate effectively with reporters. Robert Trayhorn (of Sen. Rick Santorum’s campaign) and Flavia Colgan (of MSNBC) provided attendees with some excellent ideas on reaching out to reporters so that Mike is covered, but covered. Of all the workshops in the conference, this provided me with the most useful information.

The internet was another hot topic, and Joe Trippi (of Howard Dean fame) filled us on using websites and blogs to get a campaign’s message out. Mike’s been doing a great job with his blog already, and I would expect his opponents to follow his lead as the election season shifts into high gear. But will Todd Rokita and Joe Pearson allow public comments on their blogs? I doubt it, and they will be sending the message that they’d rather not have a frank discussion of the issues with Hoosier voters; unlike Mike, who is always happy to discuss the tough questions. In Joe Trippi’s playbook, score one for Mike.

I don’t want to go into specific ideas on strategy that I picked up, for obvious reasons. But needless to say, the trip was very informative, and really helped focus how successful campaigns need to be waged. I want to thank the Kole supporters who made this happen, and I hope to make you all proud in November!”

-Rob Place

I hope supporters will agree that this was a valuable, smart investment. If you haven't made a contribution in support of Rob's attendance at this seminar, please click through this link to make a donation. Contributions of even $10 go a long way.

Inclusion

It is gratifying to see letters like this one, in the South Bend Tribune:

I noticed in the May 23 Tribune it was reported the Democrats have named Joe Pearson as their candidate for Indiana secretary of state.

The article then went on to report that Pearson will be challenging Todd Rokita, the current holder of this very important office. The Tribune does a disservice to its readers, however, in failing to report Pearson and Rokita are also up against Mike Kole, the Libertarian candidate.

Furthermore, the Green Party is working to get Bill Stant on the ballot for secretary of state, something The Tribune recently reported.

The Tribune should stop pretending voters have only two choices come election time and tell the whole story every time.

Kathleen Petitjean
South Bend

I don't know Ms. Petitjean yet, but I'd like to. She knows the ballot status exactly, as newspaper reporters should, too. More voters would become better educated voters, as she is, if the whole story were told every time. You might even see better turnout at the polls.

IBJ Interview

I was interviewed by Chris O'Malley of the Indianapolis Business Journal earlier this morning. The subject was light rail and the possible project on the old Nickel Plate corridor that roughly parallels Allisonville Rd from Fishers to the Fair Grounds.

I've been making the case against the light rail for a few years now. Here are the bullet points:

• This project would cost a billion dollars without any overruns.
• A billion dollars gets about 4% of cars of I-69, on its best days, per MPO.
• IndyGo has an operating loss of nearly 80%, made up for by subsidies. Why extend this failure?
• A single corridor is hardly a network. How do you get around once de-trained?
• Indy is not a walking city, nor has the density where light rail works, as in NYC.
• Light rail isn't even the best use of the corridor. A trail & greenway would be.
• Light rail decreases adjacent property values while trails increase it.
• The people owning properties adjacent to the corridor haven't been asked what they want.

Mr. O'Malley indicated that the article would run in July. I can't wait to see it. Mainly, a lot of ranking Republicans- State Senator Luke Kenley, Hamilton County Commissioner Christine Altman, Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard, and Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear- are in favor of this boondoggle, and there has been very little questioning of the plan. The numbers are atrocious, and yet, there's the GOP going rah-rah. This is why Libertarians are firm that the Republican Party has nothing to do with fiscal conservatism.

Indianapolis once had a network of rails for commuters. It closed up shop in 1952, because it was losing money, even with a complete network. Why not open a bus line along this route first and see if it can hold its own? It would cost so much less than a billion.

Fighting To Claim Libertarians

It's funny- I almost wrote an entry on this thought a few days ago, when I noticed a Dionne column that used the word 'libertarian' in a positive light. Dionne isn't the first person I think of when I think of us, meaning libertarians. In fact, he's one of the last.

That's been happening a lot lately. I know, because I do searches in 20-50 media sites every day on the word 'libertarian' to see what comes up. More often than not in the past, the word 'libertarian' appeared alongside the word 'civil'. Now it seems, when a writer is ascribing virtue, they are describing someone or some policy as 'libertarian'.

Earlier this year, Mitch Daniels was describing himself (with the help of George Will) as a libertarian, and cited Virginia Postrel's book "The Future and its Enemies" as one of his guiding influences. Postrel is the former editor of the foremost libertarian monthly Reason.

Earlier today, Markos Moulitsas explained in great depth that he is a 'Libertarian Democrat'. For those who somehow don't know, Markos is "Kos", as in "Daily Kos"- the foremost political blog in the US, and the carrier of the chevron for many on the left in this country. Kos is featured in Time this week.

I don't think it is any coincidence that there is a very mainstream battle for libertarians. A recent report from the Pew Research Center, announced that only 9% of Americans are libertarians philosophically. So, the rest are liberal or conservative, right? Wrong. 15% are conservative, while 18% are liberal. The lion's share are ambivalent (42%).

That's useful information with the elections only 150+ days away, and Democrats and Republicans looking for ways to earn the edge. I don't know how you go about reaching people who are ambivalent. I do know how you go about reaching people who self-identify as clearly as libertarians do. You point out areas of agreement in order to lure them in. If either side can win that 9% libertarian bloc, they win in November.

Both left and right have the capacity to reach out to libertarians, because libertarians agree with those on the right who believe in economic liberty, while we agree with those on the left who believe in personal liberty. Expect a whole lot of pandering to us in the next 150 days. It's a good thing. It screams, "relevance".

The Kos entry is very telling. The first thing he does is bitch-slap the Libertarian Party. Harshly. That's because the one thing- the logical thing- that those who self-identify as libertarians should be doing is backing the Libertarian Party. Both left and right will be working hard to classify the LP as strictly irrelevant while singing the praises of our philosophy. That's quite a song and dance when you break it down. From Kos:

And what is the common thread amongst these candidates?

They are all Libertarian Democrats.

Ack, the "L" word! But hear me out.

Traditional "libertarianism" holds that government is evil and thus must be minimized. Any and all government intrusion is bad. While practical libertarians (as opposed to those who waste their votes on the Libertarian Party) have traditionally aligned themselves with the Republicans, it's clear that the modern GOP has no qualms about trampling on personal liberties. Heck, it's become their raison d' etre. (Emphasis is mine.)

What Kos points out about the GOP is correct. The thing he wants you to gloss over is that Dems haven't delivered on the civil liberties end either.

See, there's a reason I put the current poll up about wasted votes and failure to deliver. People are looking for alternatives this year like no other since 1974. Democrats really want to capitalize on flailing Republicans and lure new voters to undo Republican majorities. For their part, Republicans just want to hang on. Both will trot out the Wasted Vote Syndrome to thwart votes going to Libertarian candidates.

Indeed, this year, the biggest challenge I see for the Libertarian Party is to at last demolish the myth of the Wasted Vote Syndrome.

Mainly, there are wasted votes each November. If you are a libertarian and you wanted smaller government and less spending so you voted Republican, you wasted your vote. If you are a libertarian and you wanted more personal freedoms and you voted Democrat, you wasted your vote.

Once people realize that the only way to get what they want is to vote for candidates of the only party committed to libertarian principles, they will finally begin to get them.

Republicans enjoy burying libertarians in their Liberty Caucus, and why there is such a thing as the Log Cabin Republican is utterly beyond me. So, let's see what bogus holding corporation the Dems create for libertarians to be buried in this year, because you know they aren't going to go straight to the policy-making positions in the DNC any more than we did in the RNC.

The Kos post is getting a lot of comment among Libertarian bloggers: Cato-at-Liberty #1; Cato-at-Liberty #2; Reason Hit & Run; Hammer of Truth.

Jeff Pruitt asked me what I thought of Kos' take on Libertarianism. I think Kos gets some part of it, mainly the individual liberty part. That's the part I really expect the left to get. Remember, my roots as a youth were as a Democrat, because I believed strongly in the First Amendment and was opposed to a draft, and the Democrats were speaking my language on those things. Then Tipper Gore got involved with the PMRC, and it was all downhill from there with the Dems and me. It's true indeed that we have plenty of common ground, and I really am delighted to see Kos shine light on it. But, forgive my cynicism on the battleground. I've been taken for granted too many times in my short life thus far.

Stephen Gordon from Hammer of Truth says very well what I might say about Kos' take on corporate power and government:

That’s right, [Kos] actually said that government is a check on corporations’ power! Hello! Wake up and smell the reality. Government is the source of corporations’ power. Corporations have gotten very good at getting government to empower them to do whatever they want. Without government, corporations could not exist. And the less power government wields over the people, the less power the corporation can leverage to its own ends. (Emphasis original.)

There is nothing to be feared more than the government-business partnership. Government wields unlimited literal physical power, while business holds limited but vast financial power. Put them together and the little guy will be crushed like so much ant crap under the heel of a polished boot. The government-business partnership is precisely what gave us Kelo v. New London, a taxpayer funded Colts stadium with NK Hurst hanging on for survival, and thousands of other outrages.

Kelo wouldn't have been fighting to save his home without a developer partnered with the City of New London. NK Hurst wouldn't have had to fight to preserve their building if the Colts built their stadium on their own. Both would have told the developers, "Not interested!", and that would have been that. Only government has the power to evict. Corporations partner up to tap into it.

Government a check on corporate power. Sheesh. On that note, I could get going on the 'who is the utopian loon?' angle, but I think the point is made.

Update: The Kos post has more than 850 comments. They're worth skimming. While there is the Libertarian/fiscal conservative bashing and way-off descriptions of what a libertarian is, as you might expect, there is even more thoughtful dialogue. It's a glorious thing seeing libertarian ideas getting a serious hearing in a place like Daily Kos. Here's one particularly astute comment:

I think if you ask any libertarian to rank their trust of "government authority" in order from local, regional, state and federal choices, local would rank highest and federal lowest. So when you hear libertarians bashing government, most of the time it's the centralized federal government they're talking about. We all agree that all politics is local, but the Dems for some reason ignore that tenet to rush up to Washington to try to solve specific problems in a broad, one-size-fits-all approach which leads to massive bloat, waste and inefficiency. Libertarians I believe would rather the local/regional community address their issues in their own way, in ways that are most productive and relevant for their own communities, and look to their state level government for assistance only if needed. The federal government would be the LAST place they'd turn to solve problems in their communities. For Dems, it's the first place they turn, every time.

Got that right! Libertarians are not anarchists, as is often misstated. We fear centralized power, so when you hear a Libertarian describe Democrats as 'evil', 'completely wrong', or as 'opposite to Libertarian', understand that it's hyperbolic speech, but mainly a reaction to centralized government power.

Hat tip to Jeff Pruitt for the original Kos post, and to Andrew Lee for this comment.

How's Your Poker Face?

As many of you know, I enjoy playing poker. I have no idea if I have a good poker face or not. Here are some funny commercials from pros that were rejected by TV networks for air. Link.

I don't know- I think the one with Eric Siedel is airable.

Just a reminder: For those wanting to host a fundraiser at their home, I'm delighted to do Texas Hold 'Em nights.

Hold 'Em is an easy event to run because of its structure. There is no buy-in because that would be illegal gambling. There is a donation to the campaign, and then we play for fun using chips. You can find out whether or not I have a good poker face.

I'm available to do this almost every Friday night from now until Election Day. Contact Jenn Bradshaw by email to set it up.

Regulating Fun Out of Existence

In our quest to minimize potential harm to Americans, but especially to children, we have gone a long way towards squeezing the fun out of youth. The latest threat? Discussions about squirt guns. Check this out, from the Indy Star:

"I don't like squirt guns," said Mendez, 45, of the Northside. "I think toy guns send the wrong message, because what's next? I don't even like my daughter to touch them."

What a load. With that reasoning, let's ban driving 20 miles per hour, because it sends the wrong message. What's next? 55mph? 65?

In order to eliminate all the things that could potentially lead to other things, should we ban all the video games, the TV shows and the books? How about banning butter knives, because they could lead to cutting people, or, banning fire, because someone might think of burning someone. Good grief!

Squirt guns are just like anything on TV. It requires a parent to sit down with the child and explain. With toy guns, you explain to the child that real guns can kill, and that the toy gun, the squirt gun, is made for fun. You don't aim it at another child's face. You squirt each other to cool off, or to play tag, but not to hurt another. That's it.

I know that's really hard for many of today's selfish auto-pilot parents to get their arms around. Selfish, because they don't take the time to be parents, to talk to their kids. Don't leave parenting up to the government. Be the parent. You'll help preserve freedom in this country, you'll preserve your child's fun, and who knows, you might even draw closer to your child in the process of talking to them about how to use objects properly.

Black Expo Muncie Parade

I was delighted to be invited to march in the Black Expo Muncie parade by Carrie Dillard-Trammel, the Libertarian candidate for Indiana House, District 34.

Carrie knew absolutely everyone on the route. I have never seen a candidate sought out for hugs by so many people watching a parade. I thought Dan Drexler knew everybody, but he has nothing on Carrie, at least in Muncie.

Here are some pics from the parade.

Update From Washington

Campaign Manager Rob Place checked in with a quick report on the Campaigns & Elections seminar in Washington DC.

Rob has gathered some key ideas for the structural organization of the Kole Campaign, that we do not currently have in place- but will when he returns.

Rob has been sharing campaigning ideas with a candidate for Oregon governor, and even a Senator from Bermuda.

A very productive and interesting first morning at the seminar! More reports to follow.

Mr. Place Goes To Washington

Kole Campaign Manager Rob Place is off to Washington DC tomorrow to attend a critical seminar hosted by the highly respected Campaigns & Elections magazine, entitled, “The Art of Political Campaigning”.

Ds & Rs at the highest levels send their staffers to this seminar when it is offered because the information is so valuable. This is training Libertarian staffers unfortunately do not take advantage of frequently enough.

Because of Rob's and my commitment is to be the best we can be, Rob is going. Check out the seminar agenda!

If you support this kind of effort on Rob's part, and on the part of the Kole Campaign, please support us with a contribution to offset the cost, which was around $1,000 prior to any power lunches Rob may set up on the fly while there. Link to make an online donation.

Look for a report from Rob, with photos.

Rokita Catching Arrows

It was interesting to see an item in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette on the upcoming Democratic convention, where attention was given to incumbent Republican Secretary of State Todd Rokita, and to the political dynamics attached to winning Secretary of State:

The incumbent, Todd Rokita, should be vulnerable – he strongly supported an unnecessary voter ID law, and he refused to intervene in problems surrounding
voting machines until it became politically expedient to do so.

The secretary of state is Indiana’s top official overseeing elections and also has key duties in regulating corporations. And, to settle the question of which party controls the state House of Representatives in the event of a 50-50 tie, the party of the secretary of state would be given House majority status.

Not very flattering for Rokita. The Journal Gazette can round that out when they pick up my press release.

The 50-50 Indiana House tie possibility is coming up repeatedly, and as a watchdog effect should the Democrat win. Watchdog? It just means that partisan power shifts on party line votes. That's no watchdog. What would be a watchdog would be to have the Libertarian candidate win the Office. I'm not beholden to either Ds or Rs. Votes would only be predictable in one way- in favor of smaller government, every time.

Latest Press Release

The Kole Campaign has recently issues the following press release. I felt it was important to be out front on some important issues. While the press has taken the cue from Democrats on Voter ID as a top issue, I believe the turnout itself is a much greater issue.

As Secretary of State, encouraging turnout will be one of my a top priorities.

Primary Election Turnout Embarrassing

Kole Questions Secretary of State’s Priorities

Fishers, IN- It looks like the Secretary of State’s Office put the cart before the horse, spending $1.2 million on Voter ID education. It begs the question, why educate people on how to do something they aren’t likely to do?

The statewide turnout for the 2006 primaries was 23%. Several counties had shockingly low turnout numbers: Hamilton, 17%; Allen, 16%, Marion, 14%; Monroe, 13%, St. Joseph, 13%.

“I would be embarrassed by the primary turnout numbers, if it happened like this on my watch,” said Kole, adding, “Voter ID is a fine idea. Getting people to vote is an even better idea. As Secretary of State, I will make it a priority to encourage all Hoosiers to vote- regardless of political affiliation.”

Voter ID was an important part of the Republican legislative agenda in 2006, so it came as no surprise that current Secretary of State Todd Rokita, a Republican, made a big production out of promoting the Voter ID, spending $1.2 million on TV, radio, and print ads in all 92 counties1.

But, was the advertising the best use of taxpayer dollars, especially given the light turnout at the recent primary elections? Shouldn’t Rokita have spent that money and energy encouraging all Hoosiers to vote? Libertarian candidate Mike Kole thinks so.

“As the state’s top elections official, encouraging voter turnout should be the Secretary of State’s top priority,” said Kole.


It can’t be said that Rokita made no effort to encourage turnout. It’s just that it wasn’t directed at Hoosiers.

“I was floored when I saw Rokita’s press release encouraging Katrina evacuees to vote in Louisiana2,” said Kole, adding, “I didn’t realize voters from Louisiana were the Indiana Secretary of State’s responsibility.”

But there wasn’t even as much as a press release urging Hoosiers to vote, let alone an ad campaign.

Kole asks, “Why did a handful of people from Louisiana merit more attention than a few million Hoosiers? Why was Voter ID education more important than actually getting Hoosiers to the polls so they could show their Ids? These are big mistakes. The people of Indiana deserve better,” said Kole.


Hoosier voters are the priority. Let’s get Hoosiers to the polls first.

Having an ID isn’t that tricky a concept, and didn’t merit $1.2 million in taxpayer dollars spent.

Mike Kole will have his priorities in order as Secretary of State.


1 http://www.in.gov/sos/press/2006/03152006.html
2 http://www.in.gov/sos/press/2006/03222006.html

Old, Old Tax Defeated

Astute libertarians have long and often cited an excise tax on long-distance telephone calls as proof that there is nothing quite so permanent as a temporary tax, and that yesterday's luxury becomes today's staple.

This temporary tax was enacted in 1898, in support of the Spanish-American War. Most Americans don't know squat about this war, much less remember the Maine, and yet they had been paying the tax on long-distance calls their entire lives. I guess this means the War is finally over! Hurrah!

The tax had been in the courts for years, and the federal government finally gave up after many appeals. From a Reuters report:

In a statement, U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow also urged Congress to repeal the excise tax on local telephone service.

The Justice Department will no longer pursue litigation on the long-distance issue, the statement said.

The Treasury Department said taxpayers can claim a refund on their 2006 returns for the long-distance tax, which was established in 1898 as a luxury tax on wealthy Americans who owned telephones.

Snow, at a press conference on Capitol Hill with lawmakers, said the tax was "antiquated" and well-rid of.

"It's not often you get to kill a tax, particularly one that goes back so far in history," Snow said, adding that Treasury was pleased to concede this tax was no longer useful.

There really ought to be deeper criteria for a tax than its usefullness. It would be useful for me to grab a million dollars from somebody, but that whole morality thing gets in the way. Still- I'm grateful for the result.

Outstanding additional info is available on the TaxProf Blog.

Hat tip to Leo Morris of the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel for his entry in his blog.

Update: See Michael Jarrell's entry in his blog Un-Civil Defence.

New Poll Time

I left the last on up for a long time. Here are the results:

In the major media, are Libertarians adequately included in coverage?

10% Yes- Until they are elected to more offices, they shouldn't get much coverage.
68% No- Libertarians have good policy ideas and ballot access besides. They deserve more.
2% No- They get too much coverage already! Whatever happened to the 2-party system?
21% Major media? You mean, old media.

The new poll tackles the Wasted Vote Syndrome. As a Libertarian candidate, I frequently hear this: "I like what you guys are about, but I'm afraid that if I vote for you, you won't win, and I'll help the party I like the least to win". That's the Nader Effect.

I'm not so concerned about Libertarians and the Nader Effect in this cycle. I am concerned about the Wasted Vote Syndrome. It is something my campaign will tackle head-on in the run-up to the election.

Be sure to vote!

Libertarians Party To Suit

The Libertarian Party of Indiana announced that it is party to a class action lawsuit in response to NSA interactions with telecommunications compaines. From the LPIN press release:

[T]he Libertarian Party of Indiana is a plaintiff to the lawsuit filed in Indiana and U.S. courts today against a group of telecommunications companies, including the nation's largest service providers.

The class-action lawsuit challenges the telecommunications companies illegal actions in permitting the National Security Agency ("NSA") and affiliated governmental agencies to intercept, monitor and conduct surveillance on their customers' wireline and wireless calls and internet communications without proper authorization.

“This is worse than McCarthyism,” [LPIN Chair Mark] Rutherford said. “These searches are so broad that people with absolutely no relationship with terrorists have had their phone records searched.”

While the LPIN is a state organization that has focused on state and local issues because our candidates run for state and local office, we have not lost sight of issues that affect Hoosiers that are outside the scope of those state and local offices.

The full release can be viewed on the Libertarian Party of Indiana's webpage.

Click It, Ticket, or Are All The Murders Solved?

I really don't like the nationwide Click It or Ticket campaign. Mostly, my safety is my business and not a police matter. Also, as police matters go, I prefer to have all the murders, rapes, and other violent crimes solved before police officers are directed to stand at the roadside to see if motorists are wearing seat belts.

Here's a great perspective on it from Walter Williams:

If we accept the notion that government ought to protect us from ourselves, we're on a steep slippery slope. Obesity is a major contributor to hypertension, coronary disease and diabetes, and leads not only to many premature deaths but billions of dollars in health-care costs. Should government enforce, depending on a person's height, sex and age, a daily 1,400 to 2,000-calorie intake limit? There's absolutely no dietary reason to add salt to our meals. High salt consumption can lead to high blood pressure, which can then lead to stroke, heart attack, osteoporosis and asthma. Should government outlaw adding salt to meals? While you might think that these government mandates would never happen, be advised that there are busybody groups currently pushing for government mandates on how much and what we can eat.

I love salt, and I can eat all I want. I have low blood pressure. I eat 3,000 calories a day and at 37, I'm rather trim. One-size-fits-all laws just don't fit.

Mandates on food were laughed at as absurd by the people pushing smoking bans just two years ago. Within the last month, soft drink vendors pulled some offerings from school vending machines, seeing the writing on the wall. It's come further in a short time than I would have ever dreamed.

Look- I don't smoke, I drink rarely, I generally avoid fried food, I never use drugs. I even rarely use aspirin when I have a headache. I wear my seat belt, and I try to get regular exercise. I do none of these things because of any law or warning label. I do these things because they make sense to do them.

Culturally, there are good reasons to be concerned. Just wait until you see your restaurant menus after food gets worked over by snobbish health nannies who expect it only to hit McDonald's and other fast food joints. Ever taken a look at the calorie and fat numbers on Kobe steak or your brie? The entire menu of the average Mexican or Indian restaurant would be banned.

Life is full of choices- or should be. Sometimes, we like to enjoy things that we know aren't good for us. These things give us pleasure. At the rate the busybodies are going, life in America is going to go from the vibrant cornucopia of cultural opportunities to a gray, bland, but safe stale humdrum.

I find it very interesting and curious to learn who today's puritans are. It's time to step back and see what we are doing to our culture. What's the big deal about seat belts? To get it, ask a biker about lid laws, or ask a French chef what he thinks about doing without butter or cream. It's losing liberty and losing joy, bit by little bit.

Judge Rules Against Carmel in Forced Annexation Issue

Excellent breaking news for supporters of property rights and the right to self-determination, as a Judge has ruled against Carmel's effort to forcibly annex the Southwest Clay area. From the Indy Star's initial report:

Hamilton Superior Court Judge William Hughes issued the ruling this morning in favor of four petitioners fighting annexation of the area. The ruling comes after a three-day trial at the end of February.

Hughes found that Carmel had not met its legal burden to prove annexation is in the best interests of Southwest Clay Township residents. Hughes is the same judge who, in October, blocked Carmel's attempt to annex Home Place, the 1.4-square-mile community just east of southwest Clay Township. The city is appealing that decision.

Of course the City of Carmel is appealing. These are tax-and-spend Republicans at work!

Residents of Geist have been watching for developments in this case, as Fishers had shelved its' plan to forcibly annex Geist neighborhoods until they learned the results of the Carmel-SW Clay case.

It is likely that the Fishers Town Council will now either give up on its forced annexation plans or further shelve the item to await the outcome of Carmel's appeal. That could be a very lengthy wait.

Here are some details from Tom Britt's report on atgeist.com:

First, SW Clay already receives adequate police and fire protection. The legal issue that arose was whether or not SW Clay “provides” their own fire protection since they hire Carmel firefighters and own the firestation that they use. In their case, just as is the case with Geist homeowners, Clay Township actually built the firestation and has a contract with Carmel to provide firefighters and staffing. The judge ruled in favor of SW Clay and agreed that through this relationship, they were already providing this service.

Secondly, the court agreed with landowners that the tax impact would be “significant”. In this case, SW Clay residents were looking at a 21.4% property tax increase; the same type of increase Geist property owners would be looking at. By pulling tax records of the remonstrators, Carmel tried to show that the residents could afford a 21.4% increase. However, the judge ruled that it didn’t matter if they could afford it or not, it was significant and that was all that mattered.

Thirdly, Judge Hughes did not see this annexation in the best interests of SW Clay landowners. Remember, in order for a municipality to overcome a remonstration, they have the burden of proof that the annexation is in the best interests of the residents. He cited that Carmel had not provided sewer or water to the entire territory, and therefore this was not in the SW Clay residents’ best interests.

Obviously these forced annexations aren't in the best interests of those being subjected to it. In business, this is the equivalent of a hostile takeover, or in foreign policy, an act of war. When people believe being added to a municipality is in their best interest, they voluntarily petition to be annexed.

Let's hope to appeal is summarily dismissed.

Marion County Meet-Up Tonight

Did you miss the Hamilton County Libertarian Meet-Up last night? No problem- go to Marion County's tonight!

Where: Borders Book & Music, 8675 River Crossing Blvd, on Indy's north side. Borders phone: 317-574-1775

RSVP if you will be there, or if you can't and would like to get on the email notification list. Follow this link to RSVP.

Hamilton County Meet-Up Tonight

Come out to Claude & Annie's in Fishers tonight from 7:30-9:00 for a casual Libertarian Meet-Up. No boring business meetings, just fun, stimulating conversations on issues of the day and libertarian perspectives.

Claude & Annie's is located on the southwest corner of SR 37 & 141st Street in Fishers, in the strip behind the Speedway station. See you there!

RSVP by following this link. It's useful to sign up so that you can get notifications of future Meet-Up events.

Finally, Another Challenger

I was beginning to think that the Democrats were going to forget about running a Secretary of State candidate, but yesterday a soft announcement was made that there will in fact be a Democrat in the game.

The reporting was interesting. The Indy Star report pointed to a wonderful reason to elect Mike Kole Secretary of State:

After governor, no office is more important to the political parties than secretary of state. If the House is tied 50-50 after this November's general election, the party that wins this office also wins control of the House.

Take us right to the top in the House! Elect Kole!

Big numbers in this race will make political life in Indiana very interesting. I think it's clear that the Ds & Rs underestimated Libertarian tenacity and endurance when they wrote the rules, never expecting that we could reach their thresholds. We have, and we are continuing the climb up the ladder!

Great Time in Harrodsburg

Big, big thanks to the Monroe County Libertarians, including Margaret Fette, Bob Grisham, Duncan Adams, and Sandy May Parkes, for putting together an excellent parade and fair presence in Harrodsburg Saturday.

This event helped kick off Kole's Parade Brigade. After all, everyone loves a parade. I think the pictures show that abundantly.

Photo info: Top photo, from left is Margaret Fette, Sandy Parkes May's son and two friends ready to pass out candy. Second photo: Sandy and Margaret enjoying a moment just before the start of the parade. Third photo: Bob Grisham staffs the Libertarian Party booth at the Community Center. Bottom photo: Duncan Adams gives me a good-natured ribbing.

This was just an excellent event. The people of southern Monroe County were very interested in Libertarian postions on issues such as extending I-69 and taxes, especially. There was a lot of 'looking for a complete change from Rs & Ds' sentiment expressed. We made it a point only to distribute literature to those who wanted it- and we gave it all away.

I love doing the small-town events, because the statewide candidates rarely appear here. People were very appreciative. Plus, I had an awesome lemon pepper pork loin sandwich!

We'll be at parades and fairs around the state this year. Come join the fun and support the campaign! Contact Rob Place to join the Parade Brigade!

Black & White Fundraiser

The Geist United Opposition held it's dinner fundraiser tonight at the Bella Vita Restaurant, and it was quite a success. The upstairs bar area was packed, and the auction items saw a lot of bids.

In fact, Ame & I won two bids- for wakeboarding lessons (Alex will get those) and for house cleaning service (we'll all enjoy this!). Here are some pictures from the evening.

Talking forced annexation issues.

Having fun with Geist residents

With Ame at the auction tables.

Where is the Libertarian Party Going?

Leo Morris recently blogged his thoughts on Ryan Sager's recent Real Clear Politics article on the Libertarian Party. Interestingly, Leo says:

It's astonishing, really, that libertarians have split themselves almost 50-50 between the two major parties. If they both advocate big-spending government, I suppose it doesn't really matter much who libertarians let themselves be marginalized by.

He's absolutely right.

If you believe in libertarian principles but are voting either Republican or Democrat, you are wasting your vote. Look to Mike Pence as the prime example.

Pence took a completely libertarian position on federal spending- it's out of control, it's too much, and it's his party that needs to change things because they control majorities in both the House & Senate, plus they have the Executive branch and the veto power.

So what happened? the GOP leadership took Pence to the woodshed, smacking him down hard. Republicans are addicted to spending.

Mainly- why should elected Republicans change their behavior if the small government people keep giving them their votes? Answer: They have no reason to. They keep getting the votes.

Unless and until small-l libertarians vote capital-L Libertarian, Republicans can take fiscal conservatives for granted. Of course, this equally applies to the small-l libertarians who vote Democrat because they seemingly line up on many social issues.

I understand that one of the most powerful reasons small-ls vote major party is to vote against the major party they fear the most. However, voting for something that's half awful in order to prevent something that's completely awful still yields something half-awful. Do half-awful frequently enough, and you get something completely awful anyway.

As for the Sager article, I don't deny his assessment of the Libertarian Party overall. Indiana is one distinctly different state, as compared to the national party and most state affiliates. I really wouldn't expect him to single out Indiana as an exception in a generalized, short article.

Indiana is setting the example for the national party and state affiliates by taking an incremental rather than absolutist, utopian position. We have listened to the concerns average voters have about the utopian positions. Heck- listening to the public is something the major parties' officials ought to do more of. We have a well-organized party, we run a good number of qualified candidates, and we are talking about issues that matter to people- not merely our pet issues.

I hope Libertarians across the country read the Sager article and take heed. There is much to learn from criticism, and Sager's is fair.

I also hope small-l libertarians take heed of Morris. There is much to learn in his criticism of small-ls who vote major party.

Thanks to Jeff Pruitt for pointing out the Morris post!

Update: The Cato Institute's John Samples has a blog entry on Pew's research, with analysis:

One-third of Pew’s libertarians are between 18 and 29 years of age. Libertarians are thus fifty percent more likely to be found among the young than in the population as a whole. They are also much more likely to be found among the youngest cohort than are conservatives or populists.

So the present may seem bleak for libertarians. But just wait. Help is on the way.

Indiana Libertarians have already discovered this trend. One of the most successful outreach areas has been the numerous College Libertarian groups statewide. I have visited the Notre Dame and Indiana Wesleyan groups, and they draw numbers that exceed their Democratic and Republican counterparts.

Kole's Parade Brigade

They say everyone loves a parade. This campaign season, we're going to be enjoying a lot of parades!

Join the fun with the Kole Campaign Saturday afternoon at the Harrodsberg Heritage Days, in southern Monroe County. Mapquest link. Line up begins at 1pm, and the parade starts at 2pm.

There is more Libertarian outreach available than just the parade, as there will be an info booth staffed with volunteers, Friday from 6pm-dusk, and Saturday from 10am-dusk.

This is a great opportunity to increase Libertarian visibility, Kole name recognition, and to promote our positions on key issues, such as opposition to new terrain I-69; support for referrendums on DST towards self-determination on the county level; and support for property rights.

I'll look forward to marching with you Saturday!

Help Needed!

The Kole Campaign Team are always looking for ways to learn the best techniques and strategies for winning the election. Therefore, Campaign Manager Rob Place will be attending Elections & Campaigns magazine's upcoming seminar entitled "The Art of Political Campaigning". The seminar is in Washington DC, and runs June 1-3.

Serious teams subscribe to Elections & Campaigns because their insights are proven and invaluable. Serious teams attend E&C's seminars for the same reasons. Link to the seminar details.

We're serious about this election. We need $1,000 to get Rob there. Won't you help today by contributing?

Please follow this link to donate.

14 Days, And Counting

14 days after the primary election, the Secretary of State's website still does not have all of the numbers from the elections. Link to 2006 primary results page.

Significant counties such as Allen and Hamilton are not even listed. Why the major delays? The press releases out of the Secretary of State's office prior to the primaries indicated that everything was working smoothly. Is this smooth? Link to SOS press releases.

This info should have been fully compiled and available online within 48 hours of the conlcusion of the elections.

Rex Bell's View on Libertarians and the Star

Wayne County Chair Rex Bell's "My View" letter was printed in today's Star. It addresses recent Star columnist comments about Libertarians, but more importantly, shows the value of our presense on the ballot and addressing policy issues. From the letter:

All across Indiana, the Libertarian Party steps up whenever the government feels its interests trump the rights of property owners.

From LaPorte County, to Hamilton County, to Floyd County, people can depend on the Libertarians to be the only party that will consistently oppose forced annexations and smoking bans on private property. The Libertarians are the only party that consistently and honestly calls for an end to property taxes, and for reducing the size, scope and cost of government.

Is there a place in our political system for a party that is uncompromising in its quest for limited government and individual freedom? Is there a place in that system for a party that is unapologetic in its support for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights? I think there has to be. I also think it will be a sad day in our history when there isn't.

Thanks, Rex.

Actually, it's a great letters section today. My second-favorite is from Gary E. Spittal of Indianapolis. Here's just one great line from his letter:

Is there a Republican left in Congress who can claim to be a fiscal conservative without provoking raucous laughter?

Sure, there are a few. But they all get taken to the woodshed by Republican leadership when they push too hard.

In The Eye of The Beholder

I was somewhat mystified by this recent Indy Star article, that featured widespread complaints about heavy truck traffic on I-465.

I find that I-465 traffic is actually fairly pleasant, especially when compared with Chicago, or with Cleveland, where I spent many years on the highways. In my work as a Right-of-Way Agent and as a statewide candidate, I am driving I-465 virtually every day, at virtually any time of day. Sure- rush hours can be rough, but at least things generally keep moving.

Besides, the heavy truck traffic is very positive in a symbolic way. The trucks represent thousands of logistics jobs located in Indiana. You can't have those jobs without the trucks. From the Star report:

Capitalizing on the city's central location, as well as FedEx overnight service, manufacturers and distributors have filled about 16.5 million square feet of new distribution space since 2002. Projections call for at least 2 million additional square feet to open this year, reports Colliers Turley Martin Tucker, an Indianapolis real estate firm.

The new construction would bring the total volume of distribution and industrial space under roof in metropolitan Indianapolis to 217 million square feet -- a 9 percent gain since 2002.

That 9 percent equals the space in 20 buildings the size of Downtown's tallest skyscraper, 48-story Chase Tower, which contains 905,188 square feet.

FedEx officials say their 600,000-square-foot addition will increase traffic flow only a trickle, by about 25 trucks daily.

However, the sheer accumulation of warehouse space across the region has driven up truck traffic.

Empty roads are more convenient to drive, but represent a lack of economic activity, let alone growth. As for me, I'll smile today when behind a semi-trailer.

Calendar Filling Up

Be sure to go to my campaign website frequently to look for events near you. I'll make appearances in Hamilton and Monroe Counties this week.

The next one is Tuesday evening in Fishers. The Libertarian Party of Hamilton County is hosting a 7:30pm Meet-Up at Claude & Annie's Restaurant, at the intersection of SR 37 & E. 141st Street.

All are invited, whether dyed-in-the-wool Libertarian, curious about Libertarian politics, or interested in a spirited debate. Register here, or just show up.

Complete Numbers, Please!

13 days after the primary election, the Secretary of State's website still does not have all of the numbers from the elections. Link to 2006 primary results page.

Will we have to wait this long after the general election, too?

Geist Notes

Friday, May 19 is the next fundraiser for the Geist United Opposition, with a "Black & White" dinner at Geist's own Link to online registration.

The theme is "Black & White"- so named because to the GUO members, the issue is black and white, and forced annexation is wrong. Attendees are encouraged to wear black and white business casual attire.

The purpose of the fundraiser is to prepare for the legal costs of fighting the forced annexation. The cost is estimated at $120,000. Bella Vita is donating the food & drink, so the donations will not be chewed up by the costs. Thanks to Bella Vita!

Dinner In Vincennes

Last night was delightfully spent in Vincennes as the guest of J.A. Thomas, at the 630 Restaurant.

Thomas is a Libertarian candidate for Indiana House in District 64, and hosted the dinner as a means to introducing himself and the Libertarian Party to the people of Vincennes and Knox County. LPIN State Chair Mark Rutherford and Executive Director Mark Rutherford also made the trip.

The dinner setting allowed us to have more intimate conversations on Libertarian policy and issues than a routine stump speech with Q&A would ever permit.

Those dining with us were very interested in our ideas and expressed a theme we hear statewide: we gave the Republicans a chance with a majority, and they blew it. It was perfect, as I have been very eager to take the "wasted vote syndrome" on directly. I pointed out how there certainly are wasted votes each November. Every time someone votes Republican expecting lower taxes and smaller government, that person wasted his vote. If you really want these things, you have to vote Libertarian.

Rutherford & I were interviewed by Tony Cloyd of WVUB-FM, the 50,000-watt NPR radio station at Vincennes University.

630 was an amazing surprise. The decor and atmosphere are what you might expect of an upscale, exclusive downtown Indy restaurant. And yet, the offerings were extremely reasonably priced. Excellent pick, J.A.! When in the area, you owe it to yourself to check out the 630 in Vincennes.

LP News Spotlight

The Kole Campaign was recently featured on the national Libertarian Party's website, and also in a fundraising newsletter. Link to article.

It's pleasing to get the recognition of the national party. A lot of LP races for ballot status are races for survival. This race is not for survival, but for something far more exciting for party faithful- Major Party status per Indiana election laws.

Hendricks County Golf Outing

It's not too late to sign up for this Saturday's golf event in Hendricks County. Follow this link for online registration. It's very conveniently located for anyone coming from Indy, Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, Brownsburg, Danville, Speedway, Mooresville, and Greenwood. Heck- I'd come from Fort Wayne, but that's just me.

Where: Oak Tree Golf Course 4710 East US 40 Plainfield, IN 46168 317-839-6205
Oak Tree Golf Course is located on U.S. 40, just 10 minutes west of Indianapolis

When: May 13, 2006 ~ Play begins at 1:00 p.m.

Cost: $70 for an individual entry

Details: Shotgun start / scramble play
Closest to pin competition on one hole (to be determined): $50 gift certificate to pro shop
Dinner provided afterwards at the Elk's Club
Door Prizes awarded at Dinner
Cost includes fees and cart for play, beverage cart availability, and awards dinner afterward at Elk's.

I will provide a sleeve of golf balls for every participant. Plus, I'll speak at the dinner. Come to think of it, I don't think I am set up in a foursome yet, so why not register and ask to play in my group. I'll make you look like a pro!

For more info, email Todd Singer at: countychair@lphc.org

More Forced Annexation

I recently received an email from a resident of Jeffersonville, in Clark County, just on the other side of the Ohio River from Louisville. He advised me that Jeffersonville is considering a forcible annexation of his and other neighborhoods, and is currently in study on the issue. I'll look forward to reading news reports from the area, and to talking with supporters there.

I urge the Libertarians in Clark County to jump all over this, in favor of the right to self-determination, and opposed to forced annexation. Issues that matter are issues that hit close to home- and there is nothing closer to home than the home itself.

If the citizens wish to voluntarily annex, support them. It the people wish to have a direct vote on the matter, support that. No way should a government that is not their representative at the time of the vote ever make a decision to incorporate a group of people. Not in the United States, the Home of the Free.

We wouldn't stand for it if it were Mexico trying to annex Arizona. We shouldn't stand for it if it's Jeffersonville, or Carmel, or Fishers trying to annex neighborhoods forcibly.

Rutherford Letter in Star

Libertarian Party of Indiana State Chair Mark Rutherford's letter on fair elections was printed in today's Star. The letter:

Libertarians all in favor of user-friendly voting

Five cheers for the Star editorial "Let's try user-friendly voting" (Focus, May 7). An end to gerrymandering, increased hours at the polls, inclusive rather than exclusive ballot access, fall school board elections and the proper use of modern technology for voting should be on "the tip of the tongue" of every candidate this fall. You'll hear about these from Libertarian candidates again this year!

Mark W. Rutherford
Chairman, Libertarian Party of Indiana
Indianapolis

You have already been hearing about these issues from me. I hope that other Libertarian candidates will also discuss these issues when the opportunity arises.

Here are the five points Rutherford references, from the original Star editorial:

1. End gerrymandering: It's the single most important step needed to encourage competitive races and increase turnout.

Gerrymandering results in the creation of safe political districts, usually for incumbents, and leads to lopsided results. Many potentially strong opponents choose not to run when they see little chance of winning. The major political parties tend to offer few resources to the inexperienced opponents recruited to take on entrenched incumbents in the legislature and Congress. The results are predictable months in advance.

It's the voters, however, who are the true losers.

The Indiana House this year passed legislation that would have put a halt to gerrymandering in the state. The bill died in the Senate.

With Bob Garton out of the way, the new Senate leadership should make approval of gerrymandering legislation a priority.

2. Increase hours at the polls: This suggestion always sets off groans from loyal poll workers who put in long, exhausting days in May and November. But, really, a 6 p.m. close is entirely too early in an age where few workers are released from jobs by the 5 o'clock whistle, commutes are long and most households sport dual incomes.

Other states have figured out the challenges of staffing polls until 8 p.m. or later. Indiana surely can as well.

3. Encourage third parties: Everyone from Libertarians to Greens has complained about Indiana's obstacles to third-party ballot access.

Allowing minor parties to field more candidates might not make much of a difference after the votes are counted. But greater choice should drive up voter participation, a good thing for a society trying to encourage a sense of power and purpose among ordinary people.

4. Shift school board elections from the spring to the fall: Granted, this one would give voters even less of a reason to show up for the May primary. Yet, the move undoubtedly would increase voter participation in selecting representatives to fill these vital local offices.

5. Embrace technology: We live in an era when companies around the world can share sensitive information with one another over the Internet; folks can lounge in their pajamas while trading stocks, paying bills and managing bank accounts; ordinary customers can, using credit cards, purchase everything from plane tickets to California wine.

(Emphasis is mine. These are things I have been talking about.)

In a side note, it appears that Libertarians have received increased inclusion in the Star since the Tully article. If that's what it takes, I'm all for it.

Indy Meet-Up Wednesday

The Marion County Libertarian Meet-Ups are going strong, with their May 'After Hours' event happening tomorrow.

Meet downtown at Bearno's Pizza beginning at 5pm. Bearno's is located at 1 N. Pennsylvania St.

This is an excellent opportunity to relax with others who have an interest in discussing the issues of the day, and of course, Libertarian free-market politics.

Senate 41 Notes

Long-time State Senate Pro Tem Bob Garten was defeated in the Republican primary by challenger Greg Walker, instantly making the race for Senate 41 one of the most interesting. Mainly, Walker has some interesting baggage.

But first, a plug for Kenn Gividen. He ran for Governor in 2004 as the Libertarian candidate, opposite Republican Mitch Daniels and Democrat Joe Kernan. Here is a link to Kenn's new campaign website.

Kenn is in favor of smaller government, lower taxes, and eliminating property taxes. Very common sense stuff. He stands as an excellent choice for those voters who can't vote Democrat because of their commitment to bigger government and higher taxes, but are unwilling to vote for a candidate with the baggage Mr. Walker brings.

The man is in favor of public flogging. Public flogging! I tell you- the Republicans are real kooks. Wither the 8th Amendment?

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. (Emphasis mine.)

Public flogging is most certainly unusual, having not been seen in this country in any living person's lifetime. I have many friends from the coasts who think that a trip to Indiana is a trip back in time. Positions like Walker's just make me have to explain more and plead, "honest- he's an isolated case".

Someone has come up with a parody website on Walker's position on flogging. Link to www.theflogger.com.

Garton screwed up by continuing to back lifetime health benefits for himself and his statehouse fellows, and accordingly paid the price. However, if they elect Walker, the people of District 41 will have merely exchanged one of-touch Republican for another.

Support Kenn Gividen!

Double Duty

Welcome to readers from Fort Wayne, who are checking in here via Mike Sylvester's blog!

For those outside Fort Wayne, Mike Sylvester is the Chair of the Libertarian Party of Allen County, and a recent candidate for school board. His wife Karena is a CPA and Mike is working towards earning the same status, as they work together in an accounting business. With tax season and the election over, they have left for the Adirondacks and Canada for a much deserved vacation. While they are away, I will be filling in on Mike's blog.

I'm going to try to avoid too much duplication, so be sure to check both blogs with the usual regularity!

Another Star Letter

The Star carried a second letter responding to the Tully column, defending the Libertarian Party as worthy of inclusion, and as a party contributing value to the process. David Falls of Indy writes:

Tully acknowledges, "In many debates, the Libertarian candidates actually provide the straightest answers." If The Star and other news media were to include such comments, along with those of Republican and Democratic candidates, citizens would have more varied perspectives to consider.

Even if third-party candidates are never elected, their straight answers during the campaign can help create the context in which those who are elected function.

Similarly, if The Star were to make citizens aware of good proposals offered by third-party candidates, citizens could work to realize them, regardless of whether their proponents receive the most votes on Election Day.

This is one of the things I pointed out to Tully, but wasn't printed: Much of the third-party agenda of the early 20th century Socialists and Progressives became law. Think only of labor relations to see how they got their agenda across while rarely being elected. Minimum wage laws, the 40-hour work week, and child labor laws are just a few of the ideas those parties of yore put forth.

Similarly, while Libertarians run to win, there are secondary objectives that can be achieved, win or lose. You may recall the effect Kenn Gividen had on the gubernatorial debates of 2004, as Mitch Daniels repeatedly complimented Kenn on good ideas. In particular Kenn touted a plan to eliminate property taxes. In 2006, the legislature began considering ways to reduce and even eliminate property taxes. They haven't gotten the job done yet, but the item is on the table, and it wouldn't have been if not for the inclusion of Kenn Gividen and the Libertarian Party. Kenn is now running for State Senate.

This is one of the things I intend to do this year- put issues on the table for co-opting by the other parties. When I start polling in the 10s and 20s, my opponents are going to take note, and they are going to steal my issues in an attempt to hammer my numbers down. That's a victory. They begin carrying my agenda.

This is why Libertarians are pushing a 1% across-the-board budget cut. Republicans haven't been rushing in to cut spending, even though everyone knows it needs to be done. When they see this resonating with the voters, someone will take it from us. Great! Then we start pushing for a 2% budget cut, and a reduction in the state income tax to 2%.

As you can see, there is great value in having the Libertarian Party on the ballot. Keep the positive letters coming!

Excellent Response in Nuvo

Steve Hammer's article in defense of the Libertarian Party is greatly appreciated, after and in response to the Tully hatchet job. Sure, Nuvo likes to take shots at the Star whenever possible, but Hammer makes key points on major media today. The Star talks a good game on diversity, but how strong are they on actual inclusion? Choice jems from Hammer's column:

It does, indeed, suck when a journalist has to cover all of the aspects of his or her assigned beat, instead of relying on press releases from the Republican Party, and Tully wrote passionately about just what an inconvenience it is.

He mocks a Libertarian candidate who e-mailed him asking for more press. And when the candidate responded to a Tully phone call, Tully mocks him again for calling him back.

and

Libertarians don’t get the attention given the other candidates because political reporters are trained to ignore the important issues and instead focus on things such as poll numbers, intraparty fighting and attack ads.

Candidates who insist on sticking to the issues are ignored and attacked. Is it any wonder that our elected officials are mostly Ken and Barbie dolls who preen for the cameras without ever actually saying or doing anything?

and

Tully may not like the Libertarians because they could cause him more work, but the message the party has to offer is interesting and vital information for the state.

I will say this: Tully spelled my name right in his column, and used it several times. I'm very grateful for that. Had he included the campaign website www.mikekole.com, that would be even better. Indeed, he is cordially invited to trash me monthly so long as he includes the campaign website, and perhaps has the paper print my campaign logo:


Hammer's and Nuvo's response is greatly appreciated. We do focus on issues. We do stay away from attack ads. And, we do return phone calls.

Ten Amendments Day?

A great, underpublicized idea is out there- a day of celebration for the Bill of Rights, for May 7.

I like it. The Bill of Rights- the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution- enunciate many of what Americans consider their basic freedoms: the right to free speech, free assembly, and a host of others.

Hint: I'd list more, but I agree with Star Columnist Sheila Suess Kennedy's assertion that most people are unaware of the 10 Amendments, either having never read the Constitution, or having forgotten their civics lessons of so many years ago. You should read it! Heck- even the ACLU, who should be a defender of all 10 Amendments, conveniently omits the 2nd Amendment from its consideration, and was silent on the 5th as regarded the stadium and NK Hurst Co., which is important to consider in eminent domain cases.

Three great paragraphs from Kennedy's column:

Whatever the reason, Ten Amendments Day is a great idea. Too few Americans know much early American history; fewer still have ever read the Constitution or the Bill of Rights, or the Federalist Papers and the arguments for and against the addition of a Bill of Rights to America's Constitution. Without that background, it is impossible to appreciate how radically America's constitutional system changed what was then thought to be the natural order of things.

Before the United States, the right of a government to exercise authority over its individual subjects was taken for granted -- indeed, it was thought to be divinely ordained. America's Founders asked audacious, previously unimaginable questions: What is the proper role of the state? What are the limits of its legitimate authority? Do individual citizens have rights that governments must respect? If so, what are those rights?

Democratic processes are important, but America was not originally conceived as a democracy as we currently understand that term. The emphasis was on individual liberty, and the creation of checks and balances intended to limit the reach of official power. As important as many other governing innovations were, and have been, the real genius of the "American experiment" was this recognition that government's power over the individual conscience must be limited -- that the important question was not "who is right and who is wrong" but "who gets to decide." (Emphasis is mine.)

Doesn't sound like the consideration given to the people by our Republican and Democratic lawmakers, at any level, does it? These are the considerations Libertarians give first to their policy proposals.

Read the Bill of Rights some time soon. You'll be mightily impressed with the wisdom of the Founding Fathers, and yet the simplicity of the document. Link to info on

Good Coverage From Michigan City

The MC News Dispatch covered the Libertarian state convention, with some nice quotes from my acceptance speech included. (You may need to complete a free subscription to view the full article.) From the report:

Even though the Libertarian Party was not on Tuesday's primary ballot, the party made a bit of news with the announcement of several candidates for state office.

Mike Kole was announced as the party's candidate for secretary of state.“My candidacy is a referendum on the Mitch Daniels administration,” Kole said, adding that frustrated Republicans and Democrats can voice their displeasure by voting for Libertarians. “Across the state, the Republicans have taken their majorities and their advantages and have run roughshod over Hoosiers.”

Kole said daylight saving time and the Toll Road lease were examples decisions by Republicans that ran counter to the wishes of the public.

“With Republicans like these, who needs Democrats?” said Kole, who made his comments at the statewide Libertarian convention in Indianapolis this past week.

Michigan City is in LaPorte County, where the populace is on fire over Major Moves and DST. Incumbent Republican state representative Mary Kay Budak was unseated in her primary election, largely because she ignored the interests of her constituents and served the governor first with her votes.

The Libertarian positions on these issues resonate strongly in LaPorte County. We held that the toll road should not fuel a redistribution of wealth program, with the people of the northern counties paying to build roads in other parts of the state. Libertarians are not socialists. We held that DST should have been left to a vote of the people on a county-by-county basis. Libertarians believe in the right to self-determination.

Radio Ad Text

The following is the original text from the radio ads that the Kole Campaign ran in the days leading up to the Primary Election. Unfortunately, while it was a great speech, it was much more than a 60-second radio ad. It was significantly edited to fit inside those parameters.

My name is Mike Kole. I’m a Libertarian candidate for Secretary of State. You won’t be able to vote for me when you vote in the Primary Election, and that’s worth thinking about.

Libertarians are not part of the Primaries. Even though it might be perceived that Libertarians are shut out of the process, we like it that way. We select our candidates at county and statewide conventions, sparing the taxpayers the cost of staging our private, political party business.

The Republicans and Democrats also like the primary process just as it is. That should be no surprise- they wrote the rules. They like that the taxpayers pay for their private business. They like the fact that when voters take a partisan primary ballot, they learn who their supporters are, and who to raise money from. They’re happy that Libertarians do not have this tool.

But, what’s good for the political parties can be bad for voter participation. In 2004, with all the star power of presidential and gubernatorial candidates, the turnout in Marion County was only 13%, and 21% statewide.

That trend will likely continue this year, as Hoosiers who scratch vote, or who consider themselves independents, and Libertarian voters often feel shut out of the process because they do not have an interest in taking a partisan ballot.

That’s a shame, because there are also important non-partisan races on the primary ballot, such as for school board.

School Board offices are very important, as the people elected to these offices have a great deal of influence on how our children are educated, and on the amount of tax dollars taken from the public to fund the schools.

While the Secretary of State’s office spent more than a million dollars educating Hoosiers about the new voter ID law, it didn’t even spend a penny to advise that any registered voter can vote in the primary, even if they don’t want a partisan ballot. It’s hard to figure why so much money was spent on educating people about having an ID for an election they probably aren’t going to participate in. Cart and horse, I’m afraid.

It is my hope that we can do away with the Primaries in Indiana in the near future,
sparing the taxpayers the expense of private political party business, and shifting the School Board races to Fall, when the turnout is higher.

Until then, I encourage every registered voter to exercise their civic privilege and vote in the Primaries. Please come out to vote on Tuesday, May 2. The non-partisan voter merely needs to ask for the school board ballot to participate.

Then in November, you’ll be able to vote for Mike Kole for Secretary of State, and a host of other Libertarians who believe in fair elections, lower taxes, and smaller government.

This message paid for and authorized by the Committee to Elect Mike Kole. Ame Langmack, Treasurer.

A later post will have the edited script, and an audio link to the actual ad.

Quick Election Return Notes

It was interesting to scan the returns this morning. All of my Republican friends lost their bids in the primaries. This surprised me initially, but then I started thinking about what they all had in common:

Good people, not running terribly active campaigns, and spending little or no money.

See, it doesn't matter much if you are a Libertarian, a Republicans, or a Democrat- if you don't have volunteers at polling places, go door-to-door, put up signs, or advertise, you don't win.

Conversely, our Libertarian success rate has been proportional to our activity. Where we have won, we have combined a well-known name with solid door-to-door, and hit a key issue. Where we have had near misses, we have had solid door-to-door. Where we have done moderately well, we might have had good press, or bought some advertising, or hit a key issue, but had no combination of these.

Lessons: There is no substitute for door-to-door. Combine that with two or more strong factors, and you will show well.

The strongest candidate who does the least is defeated by the weakest candidate who does the most.

Let's make sure to take our strong messages and combine them with solid activity and support, financial and otherwise. Then, we'll win.

Whine & Cheese

In response to the Tully column, we were thinking that we'd have some fun with it, staging a "Whine & Cheese" event. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, Indiana Blog review has written about my episode with the Star, and highlighted something I said about it:

Ironically, Tully was putting me on the spot to demonstrate the relevance of my party. Really, I'm hard-pressed to discover the relevance of the Star and of Tully's column. Based on the content, it's clearly nothing to do with the public discourse, the ideas therein, or even news. [emphasis added]

I like their emphasis.

Victory in Greenfield!

Two sides on a $99.9 million school bond issue collected signatures in Greenfield recently. Hancock County Libertarians backed the signing of the blue petition, which opposed the bond.

The blue petition carried the day. From the Indy Star report:

Opponents collected 3,912 signatures against the project compared to 3,301 signatures of residents supporting the districts plan, Superintendent Linda Gellert said Monday.

Gellert said she was particularly disappointed with the results given school officials' efforts to create a plan based on public input and consensus-building.

Given the results of the petitions, I'd say that the efforts to build consensus was won by the fiscal conservatives here, and not the school officials and the fiscal liberals.

Let's face it: $100 million is an awful lot of money. Consider that this figure was decided by littler more than 7,000 Greenfield residents. It is easy to see the value of getting involved and putting forth a serious effort. If just a handful fewer citizens carried the blue petition, the difference would have been $100 million. It's staggering to ponder.

Congratulations to the taxpayers of Greenfield!

Primaries Tuesday

Calling all voters! Make sure to vote! Sure, you aren't interested in taking a partisan ballot. Never fear- there are still important school board positions up for grabs.

Remember- if you aren't asking for a partisan 'D' or 'R' ballot, you are asking for a school board ballot. Libertarians, Greens, independents, and non-partisans are very much eligible to vote, even if the Secretary of State's office didn't spend a million bucks educating you about it they way it did for voter ID.

In Allen County, be sure to vote for Mike Sylvester. He is running for school board, is a Libertarian, is a fiscal conservative, and has been a vocal critic of the atmosphere for free speech by students at Carroll High School. Mike has my hearty endorsement!

Those who do pull a Republican primary ballot (tsk tsk!) may be interested in voting for Bill Larsen. He is the most knowledgable person I have ever met on Social Security issues. He is running against Mark Souder.

In Marion County, Barry Campbell is running for school board, for an at-large post. Barry has my endorsement. He is a solid Libertarian, and was an excellent candidate for Sheriff in 2002.

In Marion County's Washington Township, Greg Wright and Don Barr are endorsed by a host of notables, and by me. They are part of the Washington Township Concerned Citizens, who actively initiated a remonstrance and then negotiated a reduction to an enormous bond proposal. Libertarians Dan Drexler and Sam Goldstein are a part of the WTCC, a tri-partisan group that agrees that too much money is spent bonding lavish building projects. Notably, while Wright and Barr are backed by citizens in the Township, their opponents are backed by the teachers union.

Gregg Puls is running for school board in Hamilton County, Delaware Township. He is the former Treasurer of the Libertarian Party of Hamilton County. Although he sold his soul to the Evil Empire, er GOP, I still like and respect Gregg tremendously. As I also live in Delaware Township, he gets my vote.

I have many friends in Hamilton County who also running on the GOP primary ballot. Although I won't advise anyone to take a partisan primary ballot, those who do may have an interest in voting for Bob Thompson in Fall Creek Township. Bob is a firm opponent of forced annexation, and that will almost certainly get him elected. Also, Darren Wilson is running for a Washington Township post. Darren's a good guy, and a fiscal conservative, which isn't always the case on the GOP ballot. Rick Ehlin is running for a Delaware Township post. He's a good guy too, and a new daddy, which has a way of making for an extra conscientious official.

Good luck to all of these folks! Remember- ask for the school board ballot.

Indy Star Notes

I scan many Indiana media websites every morning, to see what is, or isn't, being said about Libertarians. Given the recent hatchet job done on me by Matt Tully, it was interesting to do a search on the word "Libertarian" today on the Indy Star's website and find a new article link. Did the Star maybe provide some coverage for our convention? Perhaps a letter to the editor with my positions on the upcoming primary elections? Maybe- a guy can dream, right?- a follow-up to the Tully smear piece with a counter-article?

No. A nice, favorable article by Dan Carpenter on Bill Stant, who is trying to get the Green Party on the ballot by securing the needed signatures.

I was happy enough for Bill. His task is difficult, and thankless. I know because the Libertarian Party of Indiana has successfully done what he is trying to do, twice- in the 1980s, and then in 1994. It happened twice because the Ds & Rs in the state legislature increased the threshold by 4x after the Libertarian Party secured the necessary signatures and attained ballot access the first time. Moreover, I carried petitions for the Libertarian Party of Ohio when I lived there. Ohio's ballot access is even more difficult, with the threshold being a 5% result in the Presidential elections.

So, I have deep sympathies for Bill Stant and the Greens. My campaign manager Rob Place recently put in a call to Bill to wish him well, and offer our support for his cause of ballot access.

So, it was curious to read this line in the Carpenter article:

Breaching the gates without money has "quixotic" written all over it. The Libertarian Party, the only third party with Indiana ballot status, has negligible policy impact and has actually fought the Greens rather than seeking to coalesce.

Let me repeat that my campaign called Bill Stant to personally offer support. So, how is that we are fighting with them?

Another Star hatchet for the Libertarians? You make the call.