For Immediate Release: October 13, 2010

Republican Liberty Caucus Endorses 482 Candidates from 43 States, 65 Percent of Candidates on November Ballots
Reform is Coming to the Republican Party; Battle Just Beginning

Contact: Aaron Biterman,
RLCStateChapters@aol.com

ARLINGTON, VA — With less than three weeks until the mid-term elections, the Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) has endorsed 482 candidates in 43 states, a record number of endorsements for the Caucus. Founded in 1991, the Republican Liberty Caucus is intent on electing a liberty-focused slate of legislators at the local, state, and federal levels to balance budgets, stop overspending, protect the free enterprise system, and return individual liberty and personal responsibility to citizens.

“Of the 482 candidates that the Republican Liberty Caucus has endorsed, 317 of them have won their primaries and moved on to the General Election,” according to Aaron Biterman, Vice Chair of the RLC. “Sixty-five percent of our candidates will be on the ballot for voters to select on November 2. This is a remarkable success rate for a grassroots organization focused on restoring constitutional government,” he said.

The RLC’s liberty slate includes Republican U.S. Senate nominees Sen. Jim DeMint (SC), Sharron Angle (NV), Joe Miller (AK), Christine O’Donnell (DE), Dr. Rand Paul (KY), Pat Toomey (PA) and Dr. Eric Wargotz (MD) as well as U.S. House candidates from 20 states. “This slate of candidates will advance an agenda of common sense solutions that the American people can be proud of. Americans are thirsty for jobs and a revived economy and only an agenda of less spending, debt, and government regulations will produce the results they seek,” said Biterman.

Commenting on the slate of candidates, Dr. John Hospers, a retired professor of Philosophy and 1972 Presidential candidate said, “I’m honored to be on the RLC’s current Board of Advisors, along with many associates, colleagues and other esteemed defenders of liberty. I support the RLC’s 2010 endorsed candidates, and am encouraged with the prospects of returning power to the people.”

The Republican Liberty Caucus, founded in 1991, exists to promote individual liberty, limited government, and free enterprise within the Republican Party.

The RLC will hold its 2011 Convention in Arlington, Virginia on February 12, 2011 and encourages media, liberty-minded citizens, and other interested parties to attend. Learn more about the organization at http://www.RLC.org/. A full list of endorsed candidates is available at http://www.rlc.org/endorsed-candidates-2010/.

David Harmer (photo) is the Republican nominee for US Congress, California CD 17 against two-term incumbent Democrat Jerry McNerney.

From Mother Jones, "Tea Party Frontrunner: Abolish Public Schools" Oct. 13:

It's fairly common for conservative political candidates to support eliminating the federal Department of Education. But in California, tea party darling and congressional candidate David Harmer has gone further. He's advocated eliminating public schools entirely and returning education to "the way things worked through the first century of American nationhood," when educational opportunities for poor people, African-Americans, women, the disabled, and others were, to say the least, extremely limited.

Harmer has a long history of pushing libertarian education policy. In the 1990s, he worked on education issues for the conservative Heritage Foundation, and published a book, School Choice: Why You Need It—How You Get It through the libertarian Cato Institute. He also coauthored an article in which public schooling is referred to as "socialism in education." In that piece, Harmer and coauthor Joseph Bast assure readers that they "are 100 percent committed to getting government out of the business of educating our children." They cite the "life-ruining effects of government schools" and argue for school vouchers—but only as a step toward for the eventual total elimination of the public school system.

Mother Jones goes on to quote an "expert" who says that nobody who is "serious" advocates abolishing public schools:

Harmer's is "a very extreme position," says Richard Kahlenberg, an education expert at the Century Foundation...I don't really know of serious people who advocate entirely abolishing the American public school system."

HarmerforCongress.com

Agricultural Heartland of California

Excerpted from the Benecia Herald "Connor: County needs ‘purple’ representative" Oct. 13:

The top three issues in Michelle Connor’s bid for the 8th District California Assembly seat: Jobs, jobs and jobs.

“If you don’t have a job, you can’t put food on the table,” said Connor, a Republican who is challenging incumbent Democrat Mariko Yamada.

A former Assembly campaign manager and field director for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2006 re-election, Connor links jobs, the economy and California’s struggle with its budget and said jobs need to be created “so the economy can get healthier.”

The Vacaville resident knows people in both major parties. As a political science major, she has interned with U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez... Later she switched parties and became what she calls “a libertarian Republican,” interning with U.S. Rep. Doug Ose, the Republican who represented the 3rd District...

From her campaign website:

California’s economic woes have risen largely out of economic irresponsibility on the part of the Legislature’s mismanagement of the budget due to one party rule. Sacramento’s answer to the problems that face our state is to continually pass bills and fund programs that spend money, drain the economy and do not fix California’s growing list of problems.

The budget as a whole needs to be evaluated from the top, down, and ineffectual expenditures need to be eliminated.

A budget cap would help to keep the expenditures from outweighing the state revenue for the fiscal year.

California’s government is overflowing with bureaucratic boards filled by appointments given by the governor and legislators. These non-elected appointees hold the power to create bureaucratic nightmares over the lives of California citizens. The members of these boards facilitate the social regulations that cost the state millions of taxpayer dollars a year, and push small and large businesses out of California. The boards need to be made culpable for their actions, and in many cases, they need to be consolidated. We need to see if it is feasible to consolidate duplicated jobs across state agencies and combine agencies that have similar missions.

Photos of Connor from campaign website, campaigning at Solano County Fair.

Embarrassing Photo Surfaces

From Eric Dondero:

Everywhere you go in Maine, the topic of discussion is the major smack-down by Paul LePage, Tea Party Republican for Governor of his Democrat opponent Libby Mitchell in Sunday night's debate.

In brief: Mitchell hit LePage on recent controversial statements including the Waterville Mayor saying if Obama hurt Maine's economy he'd tell him to "go to hell."

She can be heard in the video saying: "As Governor you have to be respectful of the President... at all times."

LePage shot back saying he had seen a photo of Mitchell holding a sign saying George Bush was an "International Terrorist." In the video, Mitchell completely denies such a photo exists. The next day, a right-leaning blog As Maine goes... published the photo. Now, all of Maine's media (and New England) is abuzz over Mitchell's blunder. Mitchell issued a statement of apology late yesterday.

The very latest poll has the race virtually tied with LePage at 29% to Mitchell 28%.

Editor's Note - As Maine goes... has two libertarian contributors, fmr. state legislators Stravos Mendros and Ken Lindell of the Republican Liberty Caucus.

Media Blackout!

From Eric Dondero:

Symbols of the National Socialist Party (NAZIs) such as the ones in the photo to the left, were recently spray-painted on signs of a Jewish Republican candidate for Maine State Senate.

Blogger Al Diamon DownEast.com "Tardy Reporting" explains:

Last week, somebody defaced some of Republican state Senate candidate Roger Katz’s campaign signs in Augusta with anti-Semitic slurs. The wording of the messages indicated the graffiti was probably not the work of kids, since it mirrored phrases favored by neo-Nazi hate groups (including the acronym “ZOG,” which stands for “Zionist Occupation Government”).

You’d think that such an incident might be news, particularly since Katz is the city’s mayor, and the vandalism was reported to police. But the Kennebec Journal didn’t seem to think the story merited coverage. Nor would it allow publication of at least two letters to the editor on the subject — one of them from a city councilor.

That embargo remained in place for nearly a week, ending on October 8, after the story showed up on WGME-TV out of Portland. Even then, the KJ gave it only a brief mention in the second section.

According to a person familiar with the editorial thinking at the KJ, the story was suppressed because the paper feared reporting on it would encourage more anti-Semitic incidents.

I assume that means no more coverage of murder, robbery, rape, and corruption, as well.

The Libby Mitchell state senate seat

Katz is a popular 4-term fiscal conservative Mayor. He's also a respected lawyer, prominent community patron, and ironically, a benefactor of the Maine Holocaust and Human Rights Center (pdf).

The Kennebec Journal describes the race "Political veterans compete":

Rep. Patsy Crockett, D-Augusta, is taking on Republican Roger Katz, mayor of Augusta, in the race for state Senate District 24.

The winner will replace Senate President Libby Mitchell of Vassalboro, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee...

Crockett, who has served two terms in the House, and Katz, who has served as mayor for four years, agree jump-starting Maine's economy is the top priority facing lawmakers in the next Legislature.

Reducing the cost of energy, health insurance and income taxes are all key to making Maine's business community thrive, Katz said.

"There are some areas where I think we can cut back on state spending and then when the better times do return to Maine and we have more revenue available, instead of funding new, expanded programs, that's the opportunity to really lower the income tax rate and to keep it lower," Katz said.

Crockett supports nationalized health care and opposes energy competition.

There has been no national media attention of the Nazi grafitti story outside of Maine. Only Maine right blogs have mentioned the specific message on the grafitti. Additionally, the ME Democrat Party has remained silent on the incident.

Reporting from Maine. (Photo on top, a depiction, not actual incident. No photos have been made available by the Sheriff's Dept.)

Fox News commentator John Stossel had words of praise for West Virginia businessman and candidate for US Senate John Raese.

From Fox News "One Republican Gets It" Oct. 12:

The tight West Virginia senate race seems to have an actual small-government Republican: John Raese.

"The minimum wage is something that FDR put in place a long time ago during the Great Depression," Raese told ABC News Top Line. "I don't think it worked then. It didn't solve any problems then and it hasn't solved any problems in 50 years…

One of the best things I can say… you get the government out of micromanaging the economy -- you don't want government to set price controls, you don't want government to set wage controls. It's an archaic system that frankly has not worked."

Asked if the federally mandated minimum wage should be abolished, Raese answered, "absolutely."

Amen.

The minimum wage makes some workers better off, but it leaves others – usually the youngest, least-trained workers – without jobs at all. A study by economists this summer compared the change in employment in states where the minimum wage rose (37 of them) to those where it stayed the same (13.) In the states where the minimum wage rose, unemployment rose more. The total effect? 114,000 teen jobs lost.

The latest polls show Raese 3 to 6 points ahead.

Not your GrandPappy's Grand Old Party anymore

From Eric Dondero:

California's top Republican ladies display their cultural libertarian side. Meg Whitman for Governor and Carly Fiorna for Senator have a rare joint appearance at a southern California Hispanic event.

As sometimes libertarian Art Pedroza of Orange Juice blog describes it:

Republican candidates Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina got wasted in Newport Beach this past Friday, with shots of tequila...

The SFGate Blog reports the details:

In a year of crazy campaigning, this video from the weekend's Hispanic 100 Lifetime Achievement Award event ranks as a keeper -- with Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman and U.S. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina showing off their inner Latina with some help from Jose Cuervo.

NBC News put it this way: "Republicans Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina having a little fun and downing shots a tequila Friday night, going along with tradition during a Hispanic 100 award gala in California. Fiorina was very animated at the beginning of her speech, calling for shots of tequila before every speech and then even let out a high-pitched trill of the tongue."

Note - Mimi Waters, who also participated in the Tequila salud threesome, is the Republican cadidate for State Treasurer.

Putting us on a Road to Serfdom

by Stephen R. Maloney

Christine O'Donnell's opponent, career politician Chris Coons, is a Marxist elitist, a man committed to supporting the alien philosophies of Obama, Reid, and Pelosi. Like them, Coons is dedicated to the demolition of our private economy, the suppression of our fundamental liberties, and the "fundamental transformation" of our society into a nation of serfs.

Under Obama, the number of unemployed Americans has increased by 2.5 million. The number of our people on food stamps has grown from 32.8 million to 41 million. Mortgage foreclosures are at all-time-highs. Economic growth is nearly non-existent. This is the "Obama agenda," one that produces unwanted change and hopeless. It's the same agenda Chris Coons has vowed to support.

Coons once described himself as a "bearded Marxist," although he now claims he made the remark tongue in cheek. However, an older, but not wiser, Coons has supported Obama's reckless borrowing of money from China and Saudi Arabia. He's backed the unsavory deal where China buys our excessive debt -- and in exchange we send them American jobs. Coons has supported the nationalization of half the American economy -- through government takeovers of the auto industry, the banking industry, and the health care industry. Coons also supports "cap-and-trade," the giant energy tax on all Americans that marks the beginning of the end for the private energy industry.

People who support such unwise actions are known as Marxists. In short, with Chris Coons, the beard is gone, but the Marxism remains. He sees no problem with over-spending, over-taxing, and over-regulating. He has basically given up on the concept of a self-reliant society and favors instead a dependency society.

With your help, Christine came from behind to defeat the supposedly unbeatable Mike Castle. Now, she's depending on you -- and others like you -- to beat Marxist elitist Chris Coons. Christine2010.com

Sarah Palin tweated an endorsment of come-from-behind physicist for Congress Ruth McClung:

Ruth McClung is the smart choice for Congress in southwestern Arizona. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that our country is on the wrong track under the leadership of Obama, Pelosi, and Reid; but Ruth actually is a rocket scientist! Ruth’s commonsense fiscal approach to job creation and reining in reckless government spending is in sharp contrast to her opponent’s liberal record. In fact, Ruth is running against a four term incumbent who is so out of touch that he actually called for a boycott of his own constituents. It’s simple: The people of Arizona’s 7th Congressional District deserve better. Please visit Ruth’s website at http://www.ruth4az.com/ and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

TucsonCitizen.com notes:

This is going to get McClung some press coverage, and no doubt some national money.

Fmr. Libertarian Party of Virginia Chairman, and longtime Republican Liberty Caucus member Ric Sincere had the opportunity recently to interview Lt. Governor Bill Boling.

One of the highlights of the interview was Boling's pledge that the Bob McDonnell administration plans to privatize the state-run liquor stores.

From The Charlottesville Libertarian Examiner:

One of the signature issues in McDonnell’s efforts to reform and reshape Virginia state government has been a proposal to privatize the state’s monopoly on the wholesale and retail sale of distilled spirits – often expressed in shorthand as “ABC privatization.”

In an exclusive interview with the Charlottesville Libertarian Examiner on Friday afternoon, Bolling gave his assessment of the plans to privatize Virginia’s ABC system.

“Our fundamental belief in why ABC should be privatized,” Bolling said, is that “we don’t believe that a core responsibility of state government is selling Jack Daniel’s and Grey Goose to the people of Virginia.”

Rather, he said, “there are other things that we need to be focused on. We believe that the private sector can do that” – sell alcoholic beverages – “and they can do it effectively.”

Photo - Bolling in background on the right.

From Eric Dondero:

From an LPT release:

AUSTIN, TEXAS - October 11, 2010 --
The Libertarian Party of Texas has released its ratings of state legislators for the 2009 session.
"Our scorecard helps identify those legislators that are closer or further away from our principles" says state chair Pat Dixon. "As we approach election day, it is important for our membership and voters to understand where legislators rate on personal and economic liberty."

The scorecard rates legislators on a scale of 0% to 100% for both Personal Liberty and Economic Liberty and the results are indicated on a Nolan Chart.

This scoring is not a perfect indicator of whether a legislator is aligned with Libertarian philosophy, but does provide a relative ranking to help distinguish between legislators further or closer to the principles of the Libertarian Party.

Dixon adds "Very soon voters will have an opportunity to determine who will occupy these seats in the next session. The only way to ensure that your legislator will work for personal and economic liberty is to vote Libertarian."

On the scoring chart Republicans on the House side, almost to the man (and woman) score much higher on the Libertarian scale than the Democrats. On the Senate side there's much more variety, with a few sprinkled low Republican scorers. However, all the top scorers were Republicans.

2009 Texas Senate Legislative Ratings

The senate members with the 5 worst total score ratings were:
1. Royce West, Democrat, district 23, total score 10
2. Rodney Ellis, Democrat, district 13, total score 15
3. Eddie Lucio, Democrat, district 27, total score 15
4. Eliot Shapleigh, Democrat, district 29, total score 15
5. Judith Zaffarini, Democrat district 21, total score 15

The senate members with the 4 best total score ratings were:
1. Mike Jackson, Republican district 11, total score 66
2. Thomas Williams, Republican district 4, total score 61
3. Dan Patrick, Republican district 7, total score 51
4. Troy Fraser, Republican district 24, total score 51

2009 Texas House Legislative Ratings

The house members with the 3 worst total score ratings were:
1. Carol Alvarado, Democrat district 145, total score 5
2. Rafael Anchia, Democrat district 103, total score 8
3. Elliott Naishtat, Democrat district 49, total score 8

The house members with the 3 best total score ratings were:
1. Ken Paxton, Republican district 70, total score 93
2. Jodie Laubengerg, Republican district 89, total score 90
3. Debbie Riddle, Republican district 150, total score 90

The full scorecard can be found at lptexas.org

Note - Senator Mike Jackson represents Galveston and the Texas Gulf Coast, approximately the same area as Congressman Ron Paul - Lake Jackson.

Personal Note - Senator Jackson happens to be my Senator for Brazoria County.

The Libertarian Party of Indiana is committed to showing voters that Libertarianism is not an abstract ideal. It is a workable philosophy for modern politics. Several months ago, our staff put together two documents for our candidates to identify problems and solutions in not only Indiana politics, but national politics as well. We are releasing [...]

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Libertarian Party of Indiana Senate candidate Rebecca Sink-Burris on Immigration: This video was embedded using the YouTuber plugin by Roy Tanck. Adobe Flash Player is required to view the video.

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