Support LPWS endorsed candidates and measures on November 3!

State House, 8th District: Committee to Elect Michael Harrington, 1507 Perkins Ave., Richland, WA 99352. (509) 946-2476.

State House, 9th District: Committee to Elect John Gearhart, PO Box 8, Palouse, WA 99161-0008, (509) 878-1371.

State House, 41st District: Committee to Elect James Brown, 14222 SE Allen Rd., Bellevue, WA 98006-1556, (425) 643-7846.

Washington State Civil Rights Initiative (I-200): 203 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004. (425) 450-1074.

Washington State Medical Use of Marijuana Act (I-692): Washington Citizens for Medical Rights, PO Box 2346, Seattle, WA 98111. (206) 781-7716.

LP is official opposition party in two races

Justice Richard Sanders won reelection to the State Supreme Court with a solid 65% majority. He remains the highest elected, self-described libertarian in America. And he won on principle.

In primary races for nonpartisan office, 50% or more of the vote means election. This may not be well known. On primary day, an email ''broadcast'' to party members brought seven responses. Each said they had planned to skip the primary, but would instead go out and vote for Sanders.

Sanders’ principled campaign won several major newspaper endorsements, with at least two including faint praise: ''The Court may not need nine Justices like Sanders, but it does need one.''

On the Court and elsewhere, libertarians have always provided the moral compass for just governance. It’s nice to see that finally recognized.

Kris Sundberg, our other endorsed Supreme Court candidate, achieved his perceived goal by beating establishment darling Hugh Spitzer. Spitzer tried to buy the race, with an unprecedented $200,000 campaign war chest.

Here again, a principled campaign confounded the pundits. But the pundits (and Sundberg) were astounded again. A totally unknown small-town lawyer who didn’t even campaign beat Kris by nearly 30,000 votes.

Seattle media analysts attributed the upset to Jim Foley’s political surname, and strong support in rural counties. Foley credits a well-crafted Voter Pamphlet statement, totally devoid of issues, that mentioned ''common sense'' three times. Principle trumped the establishment, but was in turn trumped by folksy soundbites.

The apparent lesson should not be surprising: combine principled positions and folksy soundbites … exactly what both Jim Brown and Mike Harrington have been doing.

In legislative races, James Brown and Mike Harrington finished with equivalent totals, creating a solid base for November. Neither had run for office previously. Harrington’s 13.5% was a two-way race in the 8th District. Brown’s 9% was a three-way in the 41st. Each faces a Republican incumbent in November, with no other opposition. Both GOP opponents look vulnerable in November, by opposing the popular and principled I-200 Civil Rights Initiative. Both incumbents also supported taxpayer-financed sports palaces.

John Gearhart’s 9th District was a disappointment, with slightly more than 4% of the vote. In three previous races, John was in the 20% range. A Democrat ran surprisingly strong in that District this time, with nearly 30%. The GOP incumbent, Larry Sheahan, may be in trouble. In the past, Gearhart (and the GOP candidate) have been able to ignore Democrats, when Democrats even ran.

John is running his most explicitly Libertarian campaign this year, but now needs to retool strategy and tactics to acknowledge a Democrat challenger. The campaign is distributing a folio of detailed position papers.

All three candidates now need money and volunteers. As announced in last month’s Project Bootstrap Report, ''soft money'' newspaper ads will appear late in the campaign, covering all three districts. As also suggested, we can’t outspend our opponents but we can outman them with precinct walkers—even if that means busing members from King and Spokane Counties.

These three races are our ''dress rehearsal'' for 2000. If we don’t do anything, as a party, then we won’t learn anything. Support our Libertarian candidates!

It looks like the political journalists' collective wish was granted. ''Please, please, please o god of journalism,'' they prayed, ''give us something to write about the state Supreme Court race.''

As you may have noticed, the state's political reporters did have something to write about in this normally dreary field. Mostly, it consisted of reporting cheap shots taken at one incumbent, Justice Richard Sanders, by what can only be described as the kind of legal amateurs that you find hanging around government offices at closing time, looking at the job postings. Most of this sniping was an attempt to portray Sanders as an erratic, agenda-driven judge.

Sanders, we should remember, dissented when the legislature said the people shouldn't have the right to a referendum on The People's Baseball Stadium in Seattle, since the stadium was vital for the peace, safety and health, or something, of the state of Washington. Sanders also attacked the commitment of sex offenders who have served their legal sentences. He found that a person does have a right to resist an arrest that he believes to be illegal, and that the terminally ill do have a right to medical marijuana.

He was overruled in the cases I've referred to, but his opinions on self-defense, drug laws, and public-private partnerships-in-crime couldn't be better as far as I am concerned. They harken back to a happier time for constitutional law. But his opponent, senior assistant attorney general Greg Canova complained about Sanders' dissent on the issue of public subsidy of legal aid to the indigent in civil matters.

Forgive me, but isn't legal aid something lawyers are supposed to do on their own dollar, as pro bono work? Wouldn't that be a good way for them to pay back society for their massively subsidized legal educations? And in civil matters, as opposed to criminal cases, can't they defer their fees until after a judgment is awarded? That's what those lawyers who advertise on television say they do.

Since public subsidy of legal advice duplicates common practice in the private sector, Sanders was legally, and also morally and practically correct in his dissent.

One candidate for another position on the bench, the somewhat inexperienced wife of a state legislator with a couple of axes to grind against Sanders, was quoted saying a particularly silly thing: ''Justice Sanders says he's very defensive of liberties. But he's very selective about the liberties he defends.''

Wrong again. There is just one liberty. It is the liberty, preserved in the best parts of our state constitution, not to be robbed by politicians on behalf of either stadium builders or lawyers. And that's no reason to be ''defensive'' at all.

There was a local victory in Island County I would like to use as an illustration of what we can accomplish.

Success came with the defeat of the South Whidbey swimming pool. The Vice-Chair of the Island County party, Brett Wilhelm, formed a PAC to defeat the $6,800,000 pool, whose annual maintenance costs would have run $200,000 in a community of only about 12,000 people.

That is a relatively small victory with a very large lesson attached.

One person leading the charge saved the people on South Whidbey several million dollars. Here is some of what Brett did:

• Raised over $2,000 to fund a postcard mailing to the more than 8,000 registered voters in the area, with the Libertarian message that no one should be forced to pay for someone else's recreation.
  
  
• Recruited & coordinated volunteers to label, apply postage and mail the postcards.
  
  
• Made a few original bumper stickers such as ''Friends don't make friends pay for pools'', which he sold as a fund-raiser. I witnessed him collect $350 for 3 bumper stickers!
  
  
• Encouraged other members to write letters to the editor.
  
  
• Was asked to speak at a Candidates and Issues Forum as the ''Con'' position on the pool. They ended up sticking with the first speaker they had asked, who had a perceived conflict of interest. However I was a speaker at the forum on the ''Con'' side of another issue, thanks to this effort, which gave me a chance to work the crowd on the pool issue.
  
  
• The first round of postcards was timed to start arriving to the absentee voters the day of the forum to help tie us into the pool issue, even though we weren't the official ''Con'' speakers.

The bond and the levy went down to defeat by nearly a 2 to 1 margin.

This demonstrates what can happen when just a few people organize to achieve a Libertarian victory. All politics IS local.

Is there a candidate, initiative, levy or bond in your area you would like to win or defeat in the November election? Are you willing to apply a similar strategy to affect the outcome?

The more locally focused we become, the more effective we will be. I hope you will attend when Town Committee formation meetings come to your area.

We will need to devise and implement such strategies to win local partisan and nonpartisan, elective and appointive positions in 1999. As a result, we will also have our grassroots network better established and experienced when we are running candidates for statewide office in 2000.

Perhaps the best project where a strategy can be created and implemented at the local and county level is petitioning to put home rule up for vote in your county, as they have done in Skamania County. Win or lose, Skamania has set the example we should all follow. If we can establish government based upon personal freedom and self-responsibility locally, people will start asking themselves why we need federal departments such as education, health and human services, etc.

In other words, we will reestablish our constitutional republic as the natural, self-evident form of government.

Thanks,

Mary

by Kelly Haughton

The second in a continuing series of bimonthly columns on running for nonpartisan office in 1999.

The Libertarian Party of Washington is recruiting candidates for nonpartisan office in 1999. We need dozens of candidates for city councils, school boards, port commissions, fire commissions, park boards and other positions. I hope you will consider running for office.

There are several potential reasons why Libertarians might want to run for office. Here are some:

1) An interest in community service. Yes, even Libertarians can be interested in voluntary community service. Making sure that Ritzville is run in a fiscally prudent way is an admirable calling.

2) An interest in politics. Running for office can, for some people, be an exciting experience in and of itself.

3) A desire to spread libertarian ideas. A campaign gives you a forum for speaking out on the issues. Serving in office really gives you an opportunity to influence policy.

4) You believe the incumbent is doing an awful job and you can do better.

If you decide you are interested in running for Clallam County Park and Recreation Commissioner or Prosser School Board, what are some of the impediments? One of the first things you run into is the Public Disclosure Commission. The purpose of the PDC is to let citizens know about politicians’ potential conflicts of interest. From the perspective of a candidate, it feels like an invasion of privacy and a pain in the neck.

Before making your final decision to run, check out which forms you will have to fill out and assess how you will feel filling them out— or whether to recruit a treasurer and/or campaign manager. Remember, for different offices there are different requirements. Ask your County Auditor about the requirements for the race you are considering.

In my 1995 race for Pierce County Charter Review Commission, I was required to fill out a ''Personal Financial Affairs Statement'' and periodic reporting on how much I had raised and spent on my campaign. My perspective was that I did not have to reveal anything that people could not have figured out from knowing my job and going to my house.

The periodic filings on my campaign spending were time-consuming, but not difficult. I spent $1000.

Reviewing the forms is an important step to deciding whether you’ll need to recruit a staff. Do it now.

Please consider running for office in 1999. It is important for the growth of the Libertarian Party here in the state of Washington. We need people to run for Kittitas County Fire District Commissioner, Longview Port Commissioner and Vashon-Maury Park and Recreation Commissioner.

Next time: recruiting a Campaign Manager and/or Treasurer.

Who should consider running?

by Mike Hihn

Back in June (''What makes a good candidate?''), I reported favorably on something I heard at a regional meeting: most good candidates start with a sense of outrage, then turn that into constructive outrage. It sounded familiar. That’s what got me, and many other Libertarians, elected. But that’s the ''old'' Libertarian Party. The new, grassroots, Libertarian Party needs something else—something additional.

Outrage still works, especially for higher offices. But for purely local races, where we can and do win, voters are often looking for something else.

Dave Swann wasn’t elected in White Salmon for his outrage. It wasn’t outrage that caused Tom Hayden to create and seek election to the Deming Diking District. Margaret Wiggins was not elected to the Northshore Utilities District by shaking her fist.

It was a sense of community, small town values, a purely positive solution to a pressing community problem, a desire to contribute something of their judgment and talents.

Their campaigns were not crusades under a Libertarian banner. They each joined the party after being elected. But, they govern as Libertarians. And they are leaders in their communities. Isn’t that what we want, to govern and to lead?

Dave Swann says he’s almost always on the losing side of a 4-1 vote on city council. We’ve already reported how he defeated civil asset forfeiture in his town. This year, he says privatizing trash pickup is on the table again. When was it last on the table, I asked. ''Six years ago,'' he replied. Six years! Dave plays the cards as they’re dealt. If he was driven by outrage, he’d probably lose his ability to persuade other council members, and would likely have burned out long ago. He’s in his fourth term.

It’s not just Dave’s legislative victories, which are admittedly still rare. It’s being there, having a chance to persuade, serving his community, a form of volunteering.

I’ve been asked, ''But are they Libertarian enough?'' They include the same mix of ''purists'' and ''moderates'' as our overall party membership. And for now, they’re the only ones moving public policy in a libertarian direction.

Do you see yourself in any of this? We, in leadership, keep cajoling members to attend board and council meetings, get involved in their communities, and then consider running for office. Should we spend more time finding out who’s already involved in their community? That’s what the older parties do.

Recall Jim Campton’s race for Federal Way school board last year? He was asked to run for this nonpartisan office, by Republicans and Democrats he’d met through his civic involvement—because of his many years in community volunteer work.

At the purely local level, the most likely Libertarian candidates are already involved in their community, or already attending and speaking out at board and council meetings. If that’s you, you may not have been asked yet to run next year. You are being asked now. You’re our best hope.

Do we already have enough members involved in their community? Or can we all help recruit a lot more? Read on.

How to add 75 Libertarians to elected office, without spending a dime, and without waging a single campaign

In the previous article, you read that three elected Libertarians joined the party after they were in office. Until then, they were like most of us once were—libertarians, but didn’t know it yet. How many others are there, already in local office, who are libertarians but don’t know it yet?

This state has over 4000 elected local officials. On percentages alone, at least 200 should be libertarian. If we can find and enroll just 50 of them, we’d have more Libertarians in office than any state in the country! And it’s not that hard to do. It’s already been done.

Carol Williams, a West King County activist, personally contacted every candidate last year, in her city of Shoreline. She then mailed a personal letter with a Nolan Chart (World’s Smallest Political Quiz). Carol’s effort created one new party member immediately. A second one recently ordered a Membership Info Kit.

That’s one small city. What could we do statewide?

Dave Swann was in office five years before he saw our 1996 national convention on C-SPAN. He phoned the 800 number, received an Info Kit, and joined the party. He’s no longer alone on city council. He now has a party, a movement, and resources behind him.

Those other libertarians in office—the ones who don’t know about us yet—must feel very lonely and isolated. They need us, and we need them.

In the partisan elections of 2000, we can use a tactic proven in New Hampshire. There, Libertarian candidates for partisan office are endorsed by ten or more other Libertarians in public office. Is that impressive? You bet.

This is yet another reason to attend local board and council meetings—to look for prospective members, candidates and officials. That could be someone now in office. It could be someone who attends and speaks out. It could be a candidate you liked last year. It could even be your neighbor.

Here’s also another reason to form a Libertarian Committee in your town. Your Town Committee can provide support and volunteers to those yet-unknown Libertarians.

If you ever want voting control of your city council, this is where you start.

''I can handle this one,'' Ken Houghton joked to the King County email discussion group. He had just applied for appointment to the King County Boating Advisory Commission. Hey, somebody’s got to do it.

Ken’s appointment was confirmed in mid-September, to a term expiring June 30, 2001. Every new appointment or election sets a new record for the Libertarian Party in Washington State.

New Region: Benton/Franklin Counties

On Augiust 8th, a new region was organized for Benton and Franklin Counties. Mike Harrington will Chair the new party. Dave Carson is Vice-Chair. The Secretary/Treasurer is Jocelyn Langois. Gary Paulson is Membership Chair and Database Manager.

We now have 13 organized regional parties, covering 22 counties with 87% of all party members.

Update: Young Libertarians

By the time you read this, Washington Young Libertarians should be a state-chartered nonprofit corporation. According to Jayne Peralta, state project manager, the new group is attracting more interest every week, but has deferred enrolling members until the corporate status and bank account are properly established.

Jayne reports over a hundred identified young prospects, mostly obtained at this year’s HempFest, their first public event. The first ''heavy-duty'' YL volunteer has been recruited, Chip Barron. (For more thoughtful readers, yes, that’s the son of state party founder Skip Barron.) Jayne and Skip now function more like partners, in creating all the necessary infrastructure and networking. Next to come: a PO Box and pager.

For semi-social gatherings, YL ''Movie Nights'' are a rough equivalent to the popular supper clubs in King County. The first screening was Fountainhead.

NLF expands scope under Shepard

The Northwest Legal Foundation (NLF), a public-interest law firm, has not been explicitly libertarian. Its primary focus has been on property rights, based solely on its primary funding sources.

The main mission of NLF won’t change, even with a prominent Libertarian like Richard Shepard as Executive Director. Shepard, a former LPWS State Chair, told WL, ''We can’t become a state version of the libertarian Institute for Justice. But we will expand our scope into broader, more libertarian cases, as and if funding becomes available.''

To broaden NLF’s funding base, Shepard recently obtained the LPWS mailing list (which is available to any member) and began advertising in this newsletter.

NLF is now preparing an amicus brief in support of Oscar‘s II Restaurant in Seattle. The black-owned restaurant was recently ordered to close by city officials, a move strongly opposed as racist by local Libertarians. The West King LP’s Liberty Supper Club now meets at Oscar’s to show its support.

The restaurant was charged with ''not doing enough'' to curtail drug dealing on its premises, despite obeying City demands to hire private police and conduct regular bathroom inspections. There is no evidence that Oscar’s itself is involved in drug sales. There is evidence of drug dealing in nearby restaurants which are not black-owned, but have not been harassed by the City.

Racism aside, Shepard compares the abatement order to shutting down city parks because drug dealing happens to occur in them. NLF’s brief will argue the City has no right to force private businesses to implement the City’s own policing powers.

Northwest Legal is using private funding to provide legal help for the Skamania County Home Rule Charter, described next.

Skamania Charter stonewalled

We’ve been reporting the progress of LPWS members Lori and Jack Loranger, elected Freeholders in Skamania County. Working with 14 other Freeholders, the Lorangers have been drafting a ''home rule'' charter for approval by Skamania County voters.

As reported in last month’s Projects Report, the proposed Charter is highly libertarian. Here are a few examples.

1. Legislative authority would revert to the people. A popular vote would be required for all taxes and laws.
2. All proposed laws would first have to be judged constitutional (state and federal) by a panel of county legal officials.
3. The county ''welfare'' function would consist of a Charity Facilitator, to assess needs and manage voluntary donation drives.
4. Warrantless searches and seizures would be forbidden.
5. ''Fully informed juries'' would have the right to judge both the law and the facts.

The proposed Charter was endorsed by a majority of remaining Freeholders on September 1, and submitted to the County Auditor for the November ballot.

Then came the stonewalling.

The Auditor refused to ballot-certify without a resolution by the County Commissioners, who refuse to comply. The clock is ticking, as the measure must be advertised for four consecutive weeks prior to the election.

The County Prosecutor weighed in with a legal opinion, including what he calls the Bozo test: ''Any Bozo that looks at the charter and the constitutional requirements could easily conclude that the instrument, on its face, is invalid.''

Is that true? The Loranger’s promptly added the constitutional requirements to their charter web site, and encouraged voters to judge for themselves. Go to http://data-serve.com/homerule/bozotest.html.

Needing legal help, the Lorangers have engaged the Northwest Legal Foundation, where Richard Shepard is Executive Director. In a letter to county officials— which they’ve declined to even read— Shepard cited a precedent where the State Supreme Court ruled elected officials have no power to keep a qualified measure off the ballot, even if they believe it to be unconstitutional

Research by Jack found that county officials also stalled a home rule charter in Clallam County, 20 years ago. The people eventually prevailed there, according to Lori. Lori also told WL that the arrogance of Skamania County officials is moving undecided voters into their camp.

The principle here is the same as any other home rule proposal, including secession. The very essence of self-government is the people decide how they shall be governed. In Skamania County, legislative powers would be taken from the commissioners and revert back to the sovereign citizens. Technically, it remains to be seen whether this recapture of power is indeed the will of the people. The Lorangers are eager to find out. The commissioners are afraid to. That alone says a lot.

County administration seems to have won the immediate battle. It’s unlikely the measure can still appear on the November ballot. But there is no deadline.

Since last month’s report, Libertarians have been asking what they could do to help. Not much, says Lori. Freeholders have a budget to publish the charter in local media, once ballot status is approved. Northwest Legal Foundation may to need to solicit additional funds for legal work, but it’s too soon to tell.

We’ll keep you posted.

Citizens’ Self-Defense Act (I-211)

This is an initiative to the legislature, authored by Alan Gottlieb and endorsed by the LPWS. I-211 is part of a nationwide effort to have individual states recognize concealed pistol permits issued by other states. Similar legislation has passed both houses, only to be vetoed by Governor Locke.

Locke’s stated objection has been addressed. I-211 would grant reciprocity only to out-of-state permits that require a criminal and mental health records check. The holder must be age 21 or older.

The petition deadline is December 31st. Petitions may be ordered on the web site, http://yeson211.com, or by phoning (425) 454-4915.

by Ernie Ludwick

In 1981, I was having trouble in advanced calculus class at the University of Washington. Since my friend, a fellow physics major, expressed similar frustration, we decided to seek tutoring at a free campus student center his buddy had told him about.

When the tutor walked into the room, he scanned the small group of students. I felt a bit uncomfortable when his gaze fixed on me. Frowning, he said, ''You’ll have to leave. This service is for minority students only.''

My friend, who was black, rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. It hadn’t occurred to me that the others in the room were Asian, Mexican, etc. I saw only fellow students. I left, humiliated.

Later, my friend was apologetic, but tried to explain, ''I don’t think it’s so bad to give your stepchild a little extra at the supper table today to make up for a life of mistreatment and hunger in the past.'' I indignantly declared that ''You don’t do away with a wrong practice by doing more of it!''

Our friendship never overcame the gulf created by that small act of racial discrimination. We both went on to receive degrees in physics. His grades gradually rose while mine hovered in the B’s and C’s. Today, I don’t really give a damn that Mark went on to become a distinguished research physicist at a prestigious institution, while I drifted to a more hedonistic lifestyle and went into the construction and real estate business. That was more a function of individual choice and self-discipline than it was the result of a little preferential tutoring.

What I remember the most is my introduction, with a psychological slap in the face, to a system that made me so much lower than my presumed peers that I couldn’t even stay in the same room with my friend. And it is the resulting loss of that friendship that I regret the most.

How organized labor has fun with your money

by John M. Tyson

Most of us use state government services infrequently. We renew our driver’s license. If we're really unlucky, we might visit the courthouse. When Aunt Nellie visits from Iowa, we may take her to see the Capitol dome. So why does the cost of government continue to rise—faster then either inflation or demand for services? The author, having worked 15 years for state government, believes the payroll is 30% more than necessary to provide even current levels of services and programs.

There are two major contributors to these bloated payrolls: organized labor and government’s redistribution of wealth.

Organized Labor. Public sector unions thrive by providing two ''services'' always visible to their members: protecting poorly performing state employees and featherbedding public sector employment rolls.

Elected and appointed officials have little reason to fight the union because larger organizations mean larger salaries for managers. And labor unrest is disconcerting to the general public, which is swayed by distorted labor claims and fears that a government shutdown will in some way hurt them. Thus, an administration sincerely interested in belt-tightening must battle organized labor and must wage an aggressive PR program to allay public fears of a shutdown. The systemic impediments to an efficient work force placed by unions and the civil service system—over no management resistance—are difficult to overcome; a manager who attempts to do so commits career suicide.

Government Wealth Redistribution. Government redistributes wealth in two ways. First, it pays employees more than they will earn in the private sector and second, it expands its payroll, inflating the work force employed by the public sector instead of the private sector.

State government advances the underclass by employing people who have insufficient skills, education or attitude to gain a ''living'' wage in the competitive private sector. Generally these people have no motivation to provide quality or efficient customer service. Most never leave and only a pitiful few will ever be fired.

The DSHS ''WorkFirst'' program, has reduced our AFDC caseload by 18%. The relationship between caseload and staff is not linear, but some reduction in staffing should occur. Instead, the welfare administration will add 7% (180 staff) to its payroll by June 30, 1999. Why? To devote resources to the ''hard to place'' Locke tells the public.

I repeat: our state government employs and thus improves the standard of living of people who cannot earn a decent living outside the public sector. It gives your money to people with whom you would not choose to do business.

Remember the KOMO expose of the $40,000 fish tank at the new Department of Ecology in Lacey a few years back? The state has 88,000 employees, in the author’s view 26,000 too many. Given the average pay of a state employee, the elimination of just one position would have paid for that fish tank. Frankly, I’d rather spend the money on fish.

The state could operate every current program at current levels and return $1.4 billion (yep, that’s $40,000 per head) to your checkbook. What would you do with your share?

Other state LPs sue to get what we already have, and to repeal what Major Party status would require us to do

by Mike Hihn

In previous newsletters and Project Reports, we’ve outlined the requirements for Major Party status in this state. This month, we report arguments against seeking Major Party status for as long as possible.

Many party members—including past state officers and the national Political Director—believe Major Party status would actually damage our state party. Washington is highly supportive—and actually nurtures—minor parties. We nominate in conventions that we control.

The biggest Major Party benefit is no more petitioning by our candidates. But Washington State has the easiest ballot access in the country. Statewide races, including President, need only 200 signatures. State legislature requires only 25.

As a Major Party, our candidates would be nominated in a blanket primary. Any third-rate Republican or Democrat with name recognition, but no hope of winning his own party’s primary, could beat our own candidate in the primary and be ''our'' candidate in November.

If we have no candidate, anyone could walk in and file as the Libertarian candidate. With only 1% in the primary, that candidate would advance to the general election as ''our'' candidate.

That’s what the Reform Party faces this year. I recently had coffee with the Reform candidate in my congressional district.

He’s actually a Naderite, promoting a massive nationwide public housing program and a nationwide mag-lev public transit system. He has no interest in the Reform Party, but he’s their candidate. He was their only filer. If we were the Major Party instead of Reform, he’d be our candidate this November.

In other states, most recently California, Libertarians file lawsuits to repeal requirements for open primaries. What they want is what we already have—nomination by Libertarians only, which can happen here only at a convention. In other words, seeking Major Party status would reject the ballot requirements most favored by Libertarians across the entire nation. We’d be seeking a ballot status that other states parties sue to get away from.

Opponents argue that we should delay seeking Major Party status, and even discourage statewide candidates, until we’re strong enough to defend our ballot line. That could mean a certain membership level, or a certain number of Libertarian state legislators, whatever. That was also the advice of Ron Crickenbeger, at this year’s state convention Hospitality Suite.

Crickenberger is the LP’s National Political Director. His home state of Georgia has partisan primaries, but permits cross-party voting. When our own situation came up at the Hospitality Suite, Ron urged the delaying of Major Party status as long as possible.

Sooner or later, we must of course become a Major Party as defined by statute. Nobody denies that. The issue is when do we abandon control of our own nominations—or perhaps even sue to change the law. Not until we have to do so, say most of those who have most thoroughly studied the issue.

What do you think? Write and tell Washington Libertarian.

Executive Committee, August: Two initiatives endorsed, Directorship in jeopardy, 1999 state convention strategy

The August meeting of the State Executive Committee was held in Ellensburg. A new region for Benton/Franklin Counties was officially chartered. The region had been organized earlier the same day, as reported elsewhere.

Written reports on this year’s National Convention were presented by State Chair Mary Maas, and by Executive Director Mike Hihn. After minor editing, they will be posted to the LPWS web site.

Two initiatives were unanimously endorsed. Initiative 692, the Washington State Medical Use of Marijuana Act, will appear on the November ballot. The Citizens’ Self-Defense Act (I-211), is still gathering petitions as an initiative to the legislature. See details elsewhere.

The proposed budget for FY1999, starting August 1, was again deferred. But one line item was approved, increased Regional Support.

Also approved was $300 from the Discretionary Fund, to support a volunteer Communications Manager. The Communications Manager will become familiar with various outreach materials, primarily from the Advocates for Self-Government, then serve as liaison to local parties. Goals include supporting local Speakers Bureaus and providing materials for local outreach events.

One deferred project, a test mailing to develop non-member donors, had been approved at 500 pieces. This was increased to 1000 pieces, to provide a better test and because 500 pieces are too few for two-color printing.

Mike Hihn reported that the Directorship is in jeopardy, including the goal of emulating the National Party‘s success with professional staff. The current level of funding makes it unlikely that a full-time replacement Director can be hired next year, the terminal objective of Hihn's contract with the party. The Directorship, which is already full-time, now pays less than $500 per month. Hihn will propose solutions to get back on track at the October 10th meeting.

1999 State Convention. An overall strategy for next year’s state convention was approved, again combining speakers and workshops, but with greater outreach potential. An all-day ''Liberty Summit'' will feature a lineup of speakers on a variety of libertarian topics, with tickets promoted to the general public. A Saturday ''Speaker/Luncheon'' will also be promoted to the general public.

Also on Saturday, panels and workshops will provide step-by-step training and discussion for potential nonpartisan candidates in 1999. Saturday evening will again feature a Hall of Fame Awards Banquet, with the business meeting on Sunday.

As outreach to the general public, Convention Chair Mike Hihn compared this year’s Harry Browne speech to a rifle shot. The shotgun approach, at least six speakers, should attract more libertarian-leaning non-members, and more media attention.

Speaker selection will include issues from both the left and the right, as traditionally defined, and include rural issues.

Michl, Rathjen named convention subcommittee chairs

Pat Michl (Sumner) has been appointed to Chair the Rules Committee at next year’s state convention. The Rules Committee proposes parliamentary rules that govern the convention, and may appoint a Parliamentarian. Michl is an advocate of open conventions that encourage delegate participation. Her intention is a set of Rules that facilitate, instead of being an obstacle to, convention business.

Art Rathjen (Hoquiam) will chair the Resolutions Committee. The Resolutions Committee initiates, reviews and recommends convention resolutions. Rathjen’s goal is to develop convention resolutions with an eye toward how they can be promoted in post-convention press releases.

Volunteers still needed

State convention. The Nominating Committee needs two more co-chairs. The objective is to recruit at least two candidates for each four state offices then open: State Chair, plus the Campaigns, Membership and Finance Chairs.

Mike Hihn, subcommittee chair, will recruit from King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties. One co-chair is needed for the balance of Western Washington, plus another to recruit from east of the mountains. Contact Hihn for details.

Administration. The following state-level volunteer positions require only 1-3 hours per month. All have Project Manager status.

Having spoken with several applicants, the tasks can now be defined more sharply. Contact Mike Hihn.

Regional Support Manager. Primarily assist with regional newsletters, final layout in a provided template. Regions supply all copy, of roughly the proper length. Requires Word97 or Publisher98.

Assistant Editor, Washington Libertarian. Bimonthly, convert the printed newsletter into an online edition. Requires HTML editing software.

Communications Manager. Become familiar with outreach and training materials, from mostly Advocates for Self-Government, then work with regions to match with their needs. For example, the Advocates has an off-the-shelf Speakers Bureau. All needed materials are budgeted.

Campaigns Committee. A project of John Gearhart, state Campaigns Chair, coordinated by the Director. Draft a 4-5 page, step-by-step candidate guide, for inclusion in a larger Regional Resource Manual. We already have one volunteer for this project, Jesse Malkin, and still need at least one more.

Contributors

Brien Bartels (Ellensburg) is an assistant editor at Liberty magazine and Public Relations Chair for the LPWS.

Ernie Ludwick (Bellevue) chairs the Bellevue Libertarians and is Regional Representative to the State Executive Committee from East King County.

John Tyson (Lacey) was a 1997 candidate for the Lacey Fire District. He is now helping to organize Thurston County.

Mailed prox the 1st of even-numbered months. Editorial and advertising close 15th of the prior month. Submissions are encouraged, preferably in any PC format. Please query the editor before submitting.