May 10: Deadline for candidate filing of personal financial disclosure
May 25: MoLP Convention, Ramada Inn, Columbia: Registration Form here!
July 3-7: NLP Convention, Washington, DC: Contact Chair JimGivens
Aug. 6: Primary election and election of County Committees
Nov. 5: General election
Your choices are important. Unless the MoLP offered you a real choice - both by providing you with truly alternative candidates at the polls and by giving you a voice in setting our goals and objectives - there would be no reason for us to exist.
Those of you who have made an extra commitment to liberty and the future of the Libertarian party by running for office have made a hard choice. Coming up with the filing fees isn't easy. Either is finding the time or resources for a campaign when you are a productive citizen rather than a politician. Your hard choice is one of the many that will get us where we're going - to a world of smaller, limited government, and freedom and opportunity for all.
At our state convention in May, each of you will have more choices. Choices about who you want to lead the party, how it is run, and how to most effectively communicate our message to the general public.
The main way we let voters know what we stand for is our Platform. The current platform, along with suggested new planks, is on Page 4. Proposed planks and the names of the proposers are indicated.
Two rival proposed "Statements of Principles" are also available. The MoLP does not currently have an "official" statement of principles - maybe we need one. Again, you decide.
One version, "Fundamental Beliefs of the Libertarian Party and Positions on Current Issues," is submitted by Dick Illyes. Many of you will recognize it. It was approved by the Membership Committee this year for use in prospect and new member information packets, and numerous copies donated by Illyes have been distributed around the state.
The rival Statement of Principles is submitted by Martin Lindstedt. It is a revision of text prepared by former Executive Director Bill Johnson before he resigned to work on a Republican campaign in Alabama. The original text was rejected at a statewide membership meeting to consider Platform issues.
Other issues for the convention include whether to allow proxy voting and our position on fusion - the practice of allowing one candidate to run on more than one party ticket simultaneously. It's your choice. Help shape the future of the party by attending the May convention.
Finally, note that this is your last opportunity to participate in the "Each One - Reach One" program. Over 30 names of prospective libertarians have submitted by members. Each received a personalized information packet. So far, two have become party members. If you know people who are interested in our message, send us their names. Last chance!
$25 - Quarter page $20 - Business card
"The Unclassifieds"
Personals, stuff for sale, whatever.
$5 for 15 words, 20 cents/word thereafter.
The cause of action as published by e-mail stated: "Relator has a First Amendment and Constitutional right to run for office regardless of whether Relator is a rich man or not." In fact, the First Amendment states: "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or of prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging he freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The Constitution, in Article I, Section 4, recognizes the right of the states to set the times, manner, and places of holding elections.
In Missouri, the requirement for candidates to pay fees ($50 to $200, depending on office) which are returned to the party is stated in RSMo. 115.317. The election law provides for persons who are financially unable to pay the fee to collect signatures instead.
The laws apply to the MoLP since it became an established political party in the state in 1992 by collecting almost 50,000 signatures to get statewide candidates on the ballot at a cost of over $30,000 and immense volunteer effort. The party was qualified when all the 1992 statewide candidates received more than the 2% minimum in their races (ranging from 2.6 to over 6%).
Motions to waive filing fees were twice introduced before the MoLP's State Expediting Committee. At the February meeting, Mr. Lindstedt's motion to waive fees failed for lack of a second. A similar motion to waive or refund filing fees on a case-by-case basis was introduced by Kevin Goodwin at the March 17 meeting.
Opponents argued that filing fees bring the party much-needed revenue and help objectively qualify candidates. Currently, officers and committee chairs pay most of the expenses associated with their positions due to lack of funds. Viable candidates, it was suggested, should be able to raise the fee as part of their campaign efforts.
Supporters expressed the view that candidates should not have to pay to run, but were also concerned that the party not lose all control of who runs on the Libertarian ticket. Various amendments to qualify the return of fees were proposed. The committee rejected the idea of selectively returning fees based on subjective measures such as whether the candidate is a "true" libertarian or has a "real" financial need by a vote of 8-3. The main motion failed by a vote of 7-4.
During discussion, Lindstedt threatened to sue the party if the committee did not vote in favor. He resisted suggestions that he settle the matter privately, by accepting offered contributions from those present, rather than by setting a policy that could weaken the party financially or encourage favoritism. At least one voluntary contribution accepted by Lindstedt.
On March 18 Lindstedt attempted to file for Governor by signing a Declaration of Inability to Pay but without presenting any collected signatures. According to administrators at the Secretary of State's office, Lindstedt threatened them (as he had the Committee) with a lawsuit if they did not accept his illegal filing. He returned on March 20 to file with checks representing "loans" he had obtained from his brother and "a militia friend."
At that time, he asserted to filing officials his intention of suing the party. Greg Tlapek, Chair of Cape Girardeau County, was in the office filing for Congress . He offered to pay the fee, but Lindstedt said he could not accept a gift. He also rejected Tlapek's offer to loan him half of the fee. In his purported suit Lindstedt asserts "by taking care of the matter privately, the MoLP could have avoided having this matter come to the attention of the court," even though he rejected private offers by party members to pay his fee.
Lindstedt communicated his suit to party members via e-mail on March 22. Tom Knapp of Springfield, a self-described personal friend of Lindstedt's, responded publicly to the message by saying that Lindstedt appeared to be asserting "a `right' to have your name printed on a ballot at taxpayer expense without any obligation to even gather a few signatures from the electorate you expect to send you to office."
Knapp remarked, "it is rather unusual for a self-proclaimed Libertarian to sue his own party for refusing to acknowledge a "right" to self-indulgence at the expense of the taxpayer without any effort being expected of said self-proclaimed libertarian. I'll have to remember that Libertarians are the ones who think that being "poor" gives you a right to preferential treatment. Funny, I thought that was the Democrats..."
In his message to party members Mr. Lindstedt stated: "Now I have gained both a lawsuit and can run for Governor on the Libertarian Party ticket." Knapp responded, "It would help if you had a case." -
The militia tends to be anti-authority and while libertarians also have little use for authority they believe that its more important to influence public opinion through the political process. Some in the militia believe that ultimately there will be a clash with an oppressive government. Libertarians don't want to overthrow the government, they just want to make most of it fade away. We believe that the best and only way to make permanent change is to change the way people in society think. This involves the non-threatening practice of education.
As a libertarian I have nothing against the militia, they should be allowed to
exist and function. However, I also believe that the strategy of the militia
is quite different than that of libertarians. The Libertarian Party began as a
non-violent political group, and we have made progress that way. There is a
need for both the militia and Libertarians, but the two don't necessarily mix.
Jim Higgins, St. Louis
Congratulations to all of you who have made the commitment to help build the Missouri Libertarian Party!
In 1992, the party offered candidates for president and all open statewide offices except governor - but only 3 Libertarian congressional candidates ran vs. the full slate of 9 offered this year. The party's 1992 gubernatorial candidate, Ogden Scoville of Springfield, an eclectic businessman and writer who had been a powerhouse in Republican politics in California before moving to Missouri and changing his party allegiance, died during his campaign. Because he had not signed a formal declaration of candidacy, the state refused to allow a substitution after the party achieved ballot access through petitioning.
In 1994, only 2 statewide offices were up for election, US Senate and Auditor. Libertarians ran for both and received enough votes to maintain the party's ballot access. Congressional candidates increased from 3 to 6. A record total of 47 candidates were offered by the party that year, including strong slates for county legislature in Jackson (KC) and St. Louis City.
Also notable in 1996 are two contested statewide primary elections, for governor and Lt. governor. There will also be a Libertarian run-off in the 5th Congressional District (refer to the Candidate List). The party's first contested primary election took place in 1994, when Ricky Jamerson of St. Louis lost to Bill Johnson in the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate.
Compared to '94, this year will apparently offer fewer Libertarian choices for state, county, and local offices. However, note that not all information about county and local filings has yet been reported. If you know of any Libertarians besides those listed on our web page who have filed for county or local office, please report them to Secretary Jeanne Bojarski or Webmaster Hugh Emerson .
Based on current information, the party is just 4 candidates short of meeting the 1994 record of 47 candidates and may yet surpass it. Unfortunately, a number of state senate and representative incumbents will run unopposed again in this election. If this is the case in your district, or if you regret not having thrown your hat in the ring for any reason, there's still a way to get on the primary ballot. Check with your local election authority about the requirements for declaring yourself a write-in candidate for the August 6 primary election. A few write-in votes on the Libertarian primary ballot should get you on the ticket for the general election.
Geographically, the St. Louis area organizations (including Jefferson County) are to be commended for fielding the greatest number of candidates at all levels. Three of the 9 congressional candidates, 2 of the 3 State Senate Candidates, 7 of the 15 State Rep. candidates, and 2 of 7 county/local candidates are from the St. Louis area. Three of the 7 candidates for statewide offices also hail from St. Louis. The Mid-Missouri Libertarians deserve recognition for largest increase, with 6 candidates running in the Columbia/Jeff City area vs. only 2 in 1994.
Although not all party activists agreed with the strategy of loading the top of the ballot rather than encouraging qualified candidates to run for lower, more achievable offices, it's arguable that this resulted in the best use of the party's current resources. Said Chair Jim Givens, "After the primaries, we will have a slate of top-notch candidates for statewide and congressional offices, and this will generate considerable press coverage across the state. Voters will become more aware that there is a viable third-party alternative in Missouri. It's shaping up to be a breakthrough year for us."
These requirements apply to state (statewide, state senate, state rep.) and county candidates. Congressional candidates are subject to federal rules. Detailed information about both sets of requirements is provided in packets being prepared by the Candidate Support Committee which all candidates will be receiving soon. Also review the packet you received when you filed.
For state and county candidates, the first filing deadline is April 20. You must file either the Statement of Exemption or the Statement of Committee Organization and Committee Disclosure Report. File a Statement of Exemption if you do not intend to spend more than $1000 in the primary and another $1000 in the general election. You are then EXEMPT from any additional financial reporting for your campaign. You can also revoke your Exemption and establish a Committee at a later time.
If you do not file either the Exemption OR the Committee reports on time, you WILL be fined $10 a day. After 30 days, the fine goes up to $100 a day until you comply. They count Saturday and Sunday.
The deadline for filing the Personal Financial Disclosure Statement is May 10. If you don't file this form, your name will be removed from the ballot! These forms must be filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission in Jefferson City and your local election jurisdiction (county clerk or board of elections).Ignorance is a good excuse, but does not negate these fines.
Special note: if you are a candidate for party county committee, you do not need to file these forms (unless you raise more than $1000). If you are running for a statewide office you CAN NOT raise money for your campaign while the legislature is in session. If you have raised money not knowing this, you should return it. The legislature ends its session in mid-May.
The financial filing requirements can be a pain. But if we want to be a political party and win political office, we must play by the rules. Maybe someday we can change them. -
EDUCATION
* Eliminate state and federal control of local schools
* End restrictions on home schooling
* Move toward privatization of government public schools
* Oppose Goals 2000, Outcome Based Education, and Senate Bill 380
HEALTH CARE
* Allow the free market to offer a wider range of competitively priced services by relaxing restrictions on nurse practitioners, midwifery, alternative medicine, and self-medication
* Make all medical expenses tax-deductible
* Establish tax-free "MediSave Accounts"
TAXES
* Require voter approval for all tax increases or new taxes
P: Support the third Hancock Amendment (no tax increases without voter approval) - Martin Lindstedt.
* Prohibit sales taxes on food and prescription drugs
* Initiate ceilings on personal property taxes
* Eliminate the Missouri state income tax
* All state and local government functions should, where possible, be funded by user fees
JUSTICE
* Support victims' rights and restitution
* Repeal statutes regarding victimless crimes
* Oppose formation of a Missouri Bureau of Investigation
* Privatize prison and parole programs and demand accountability
* Eliminate mandatory sentencing
* Support a Fully Informed Jury Amendment
* Restore Second Amendment rights
P: Offer victims choice of a private prosecutor - Kevin Klug
P: End monopoly enforced by the American and Missouri Bar
Association - Martin Lindstedt
P: .No "Sovereign Immunity" for criminal acts of omission or commission
performed by judges, prosecutors, and policemen - Martin Lindstedt
JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
* Eliminate mandated benefits
* Restore a free market by removing the crazy-quilt system of subsidies
* Eliminate tax abatements for favored businesses, fees (other than user fees), licenses, occupational licenses, and the private use of eminent domain
* Privatize government businesses and terminate state competition with private firms
ELECTIONS
* Support fair ballot access and free and open elections
* Oppose gerrymandering
* Support proportional representation of popular vote for electors in presidential elections
* Support reduction of signatures required for ballot initiative
* Allow voters to vote for "None of the Above"
P: Paper Ballots, allowing for re-inspection, shall be henceforth used in
elections, i.e. no purely "electronic" or "computer" voting- Martin Lindstedt
P: The government shall enact no candidate qualifications beyond
Constitutional requirements - Martin Lindstedt
P: Allow "open" ballots within primary elections so that voters can choose
one candidate for an elected position from among choices offered by different
political parties instead of having to vote "straight ticket" - Martin
Lindstedt
* Define an explicit right to privacy in the Missouri Constitution
P: 10th AMENDMENT RESOLUTION - Martin Lindstedt
P: Hold a ballot initiative and referendum to place in the Missouri
Constitution enforcement of the U.S. 10th Amendment
P: No federal or State law, statute, or regulation shall be enforced, or no
arrest made outside of Federal or State property without the support and
supervision of the relevant County Sheriff's Department.
P: No municipal or county statute, ordinance, or regulation shall be enforced
on private property except common-law customs and injunctions against
violations of life, liberty, or property.
P: Citizens shall be allowed to use any and all measures up to and including
deadly force against any government official violating unalienable rights to
life, liberty, or property under color of law. However, citizens will be held
to account for using such measures, afterwards.
P: There is no such thing as sovereign immunity. Government agents are
responsible for any crimes they commit on or off duty.
P: REPEAL DRUG PROHIBITION - Mark Oglesby
P: The government shall not make any laws regarding tobacco or alcohol use on
private property.
P: Smoking and tobacco use shall be permitted in one or more allotted smoking
rooms in public buildings and offices. If a person desires to use tobacco in
work spaces, that person shall be allowed to provided any and all co-workers
agree.
P: There shall be no special taxes on alcohol or tobacco above
double the level of taxation for food items.
P: No person shall be fined or imprisoned for the private use of any drug or
narcotic.
P: All persons imprisoned for the private use of drugs shall be pardoned and
released immediately.
P: Any person imprisoned for the sale of marijuana shall be pardoned and
released provided that the sale was not to a minor, or that any felony was
committed arising from the sale.
P: CONCEALED CARRY - Martin Lindstedt
P: Revision of Article I, Section 23, Constitution of Missouri, Bill of
Rights. The Exception, "but this will not justify the wearing of concealed
weapons," is to be stricken. Any citizen who has not been convicted of a felony
involving the use of a weapon shall be allowed to carry a concealed weapon
without need for any permit or license.
P: Any person convicted on the charge alone of carrying a concealed weapon
shall be released from prison immediately.
P: THE MILITIA - Martin Lindstedt
P: Any citizen willing and able to carry a weapon shall be allowed to own and
use any weapon suitable for resisting criminal activity or government tyranny
-- foreign or domestic.
Harold Sheil
Libertarian Committeeman
and Freedom Fighter
Harold Sheil, a Clay County Libertarian Committeeman and retired fire batallion chief, died at his home in the early hours of Thursday, March 14. Sheil was personally responsible for defeating a Kansas City Police Department proposal to purchase a robot photo machine to issue "automated" speeding tickets.
Sheil was also responsible for organizing a 1995 protest against blanket searches of everyone who entered Swope Park in Kansas City, mainly residents of the surrounding black community. He was joined by members of the Libertarian Party, the Western Missouri Shooters Alliance, and the Missouri 51st Miltia, for whom he served as Press Officer. The KCPD immediately suspended the practice.
In his memorial speech, WMSA's president, Kevin Jamison said: "Harold was always `good to go.' We will miss Harold for his passion for freedom and fearless mein in the heat of battle."
THE UNCLASSIFIEDS
Personals, stuff for sale, whatever.
$5 for 15 words, 20 cents/word thereafter.
Bozarth Texaco
1301 Frederick
St. Joseph, MO 64501
(816) 364-5533
Full & Self Service
Automotive Repair
Monday-Saturday 7-6 P.M.
Your Personal Astrology Chart and Fascinating Interpretation - Only $15 Send your birth month, day, year, place, and time (if possible) to: M.A. Gassmann, 1038 Woodland Trails Dr., Fenton, MO 63026. Your satisfaction guaranteed, or your money back.
Or Constitutional.
But don't worry. Check out Choices are the last thing allowed by Secretary Bojarski
and the rest of the Expediting Committee.
If past history is any guide, 10 or 12 of the Expediting Committee will indeed roll over
to majority will -- if over 35 members are present to keep them in line. However, if you re-elect most of these
Fascist idiots to the Expediting Committee, count on them to do things in your name,
most of them antithetical to "Choice."
Don't believe me? Re-examine this issue of Showed Me Fascism. Now let me direct
you to how they performed at the September 17, 1996 Platform Convention, disenfranchising
eight members of the MoLP. Then look real close (especially at the paper copy) at how
Editor Bojarski printed the Platform presented. Then compare it to that which
was delivered to her. She stripped away the chances for 200+ paid Party members to vote on it,
preferring to keep it among the minority members who have nothing better to do than attend ExpCom
meetings and Conventions. Do you see the original [Y] [N] tags next to it?
Last December, this ExpCom Delegate proposed a vote of the General Membership of the Draft Platform
after it was published in Showed Me Fascism's Jan-Feb. 1996 issue. Then rough spots could be
hammered out.
This motion was, of course, denied. Far be it for you MoLP peasants to get to vote on the Platform.
So much for choice.
By all means, exercise your choices wisely this May 25, 1996. But please, hang around to ensure that the ExpCom
behaves itself the rest of the year.
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Martin Lindstedt - prisoner of Conscience
Jasper County Jail
405 E. 5th St.
Carthage, Mo. 64836
[Dear Martin: This was sent to Jeanne B. in K.C. for
printing in the next issue.]
Sat., April 27, 1996
IN RE: PAYMENT OF CANDIDATE FEE PER STATUTE
Letter to SHOW ME FREEDOM
As a Libertarian and candidate for public office, I
wish to respond to the article on page 7 of the March/
April issue regarding payment of filing fees.
First, let me point out that the local Democratic party
committee here in Springfield (Greene County) does return
the filing fee to their candidates for county office. So it
can be done, without any of the theoretical problems arising
that were mentioned at the February meeting of the state
expediting committee as reported in the article.
From the legal viewpoint, I have previously pointed out
that the constitution does not give the legislature of Mo.
the authority to pass a law requiring a citizen to pay money
to another citizen or group of citizens such as a political
party committee. If anyone thinks otherwise, please inform
me where the authority lies. Should any court seek to
enlarge the constitution by looking for a "penumbra" of
existential rights, their decision will be null and void
"ab initio."
Tom Knapp's theory that we should not have the right to
have our name printed on a ballot at taxpayer expense, is
without foundation, since the filing fee does not go to pay
for election costs anyway, but goes into private pockets.
Perhaps a bigger problem under the current statutory
setup is the lack of equality afforded candidates, since a
candidate such as myself paid the filing fee to myself -- I
am the only Libertarian Committee person in Webster County,
and I decided to refund my own filing fee to myself! So why
should Martin Lindstedt have to pay a filing fee, just
because the state committee is money hungry? Doesn't this
reek of the type of greed exemplified by the current roster
of politicians? Why can't the Libertarian Party be the
party of difference -- if we don't believe in taxes for
the government, we certainly shouldn't be taking money from our
fellow Libertarians under the power of a statute!! Let's
not be hypocrites, but show the public by our actions that
we really are different in a better, more noble, way.
Sincerely,
-s-
Leon Moyer, candidate for county commissioner
Rt. #7, Box 59
Rogersville, Missouri 65742
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