Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Dear fellow Libertarians,

As the presidential election season has begun to heat up, we have seen a greatly increased amount of traffic on LPO.org and on social media. Many new people are telling us they're fed up with Republicans and Democrats and they're asking how to become new members of the Libertarian Party of Ohio.

Here are my answers to the three most commonly asked questions:

1) Who is the 2016 Libertarian presidential candidate?

The Libertarian Party will nominate its candidates for president and vice president at our 2016 Libertarian Party National Presidential Nominating Conventionin Orlando over Memorial Day weekend.

Along with our 2012 nominee, Gov. Gary Johnson, and Ohios own LPO Central Committee Vice Chair Marc Allan Feldman, there are several other candidates. Visit this link for a current list of those who have announced their candidacy.

2) Is the Libertarian Party on the ballot in Ohio?

Right now, no. The Libertarian Party was denied a primary election by Senate Bill 193, which also denies us access to the general election.

However, we are currently arguing in state court that SB 193 violates the state constitution. A hearing on our motion for preliminary injunction is scheduled for April 5, 2016, with a ruling expected shortly thereafter. With a favorable ruling, we will have plenty of time to certify the Libertarian presidential candidate by August 10, 2016. We will also seek to have the LPO's other candidates who were prevented from running in the March 2016 primary restored to the general election ballot, a move that was successful in 2008 after the courts invalidated another unconstitutional ballot-access law.

We are also awaiting a final decision in LPO v. Husted, a federal court case. In that lawsuit, we believe we have demonstrated that the Kasich campaign and the Ohio Republican Party, among others, conspired to have our candidate for governor, Charlie Earl, improperly removed from the ballot, after his petition for candidacy had been certified officially. We are arguing that several involved in the documented conspiracy, including political appointees in the secretary of states office, were indeed government actors who may not violate the Constitution.

Meanwhile, we are gathering signatures as part of the Voter Freedom Drive, which would restore the Libertarian Party to the November election ballot is the court cases are not resolved favorably and in time.

3) How can I help the Libertarian Party?

By volunteeringgo here to fill in the form telling us who you are and what you can do. We need help in all of our divisionsPolitical, Communications, IT, Field Development, and Finance. We also need a deputy state treasurer.

By gathering signatures for the Voter Freedom Drivesee the details here, or email Political Director Tricia Sprankle at tricia.sprankle at LPO dot org.

By contributingThe LPO has no paid employees, but we have significant costs to cover each month, such as office rent, web hosting fees, the telephone bill, and copying and postage for petition forms.

We would also like to advertise on social media, on the radio, and even televisionbut we need you to support this.

Please make a monthly pledge of support and/or a one-time contribution here.

If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at chair at LPO dot org.

For Liberty,

Bob Bridges LPO Executive Committee Chair

Hi, my name is Aaron and Im a recovering Republican.

I was once like youI thought that if those of us who loved liberty and favored a retune to limited, constitutional government worked really hard, that we could take back the Republican Party and fix things.

If youre a libertarian Republican, like I once was, the aftermath of the Iowa GOP caucus probably has you upset. Rand Paul has ended his campaign, and 95 percent of your fellow Republicans chose candidates who dont seem at all comfortable with the notion of more freedom and less government in every area of American life.

Even though Ted Cruz, peering out from under his oil slick of a haircut, said that conservatives and evangelicals and libertarians and Reagan Democrats all coming together as one, you have an uneasy feeling. Or maybe its because Cruz did say that that you have a headache.

Eight years ago, I felt just like you. I voted for Ron Paul, then watched the GOP nominate John McCain. Though I knew that Obama or Hillary would be a disasterI simply couldnt support a corrupt Washington insider who has made a career out of attacking the First Amendment and advocating more war and intervention at every opportunity.

I had never voted for a Democrat, and I resolved to never vote for another Republican.

Why had I put up with for so long a party that always treated me like Lucy treated Charlie Brown?

As a College Republican at Wright State University, I helped campaign for the Republican Revolution of 1994, when Newt Gingrich, Dick Armey, and John Kasich came into power with promises to eliminated a handful of federal cabinet departments and to scrap the IRS in favor of a flat tax.

Those Republicans slowed the growth of federal spendinga tiny bit for a couple of yearsand did nothing to abolish, or even curtail, the IRS or any cabinet department.

In 2000, I voted for George W. Bush, impressed by his promises of substantial tax cuts, privatization of Social Security (at least partially), and a humble foreign policy that rejected intervention and nation-building.

Of course, W delivered a bigger and more brutal expansion of government, in terms of sheer size and scale, than any other president. A national debt that doubled from about $5.8 trillion to about $11.9 trillion, yearly budgets that increased a total of more than 50 percent, and two horrible wars that will end up costing more than $6 trillion, not to mention the lives of more than 8,000 U.S. and coalition fighters, and at least a few hundred thousand civilians.

No Chuck, this time is for realIll hold the football in place so you can kick it.

A lot of sincere people stuck with the GOP through the depressing campaigns of both McCain and Romney (the man who created the model for Obamacare and in a presidential debate assured voters that a Romney administration would INCREASE domestic spending over Obama levels).

Many thousands worked for Ron Paul in 2008 and, especially, in 2012, when the GOP resorted to back-room chicanery to protect against even the remote chance that Pauls delegates could disturb the Republican convention.

Since then, Ron Paul supporters have scattered, some becoming Libertarians to back Gary Johnson, some giving up on voting altogether, and some backing Rand Paul, in hopes that he could build on his fathers work.

I never was a fan of Rand, but Im not here to debate his beliefs or campaign strategies, or to gloat. Even if you believe that Sen. Paul was libertarian enough to earn your support, it nows seems to me that the results in Iowa, taken with the polling data and general tone among Republican candidates and primary voters, suggest that the only libertarians who can expect that spending their time, their hard work, and their votes on the Republican Party are the quislings who are paid by Republicans to entice libertarians to support Republicans.

Nicholas Sarwark is the national chairman of the Libertarian Party, and he said it best:

You can't turn McDonald's into a vegan restaurant with some motivated cashiers and fry cooks. The people in charge want to sell burgers.

When you want to be part of a party that is committed to all of your freedoms, all of the time, the Libertarian Party is ready to welcome you home.

Those of us in the Party of Principle are waiting with open arms. This year's crop of Republican and Democrat contenders are turning off giving American voters like never before.

If you truly love liberty, then stop beating the dead elephant and help us with the hard work of making sure American votersespecially here in Ohiofind the word LIBERTARIAN when they look for a better choice at the ballot box this November.

To get in touch with someone who can help you get to work as a volunteer with the Libertarian Party of Ohio, email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fill in this form.

Aaron Keith Harris is communications director for the Libertarian Party of Ohio.

LPO Communications Director Aaron Keith Harris interviews John Fockler, a former (?) Libertarian candidate for US Senator from Ohio.

Fockler discusses "The Race That Wasn't" his recent article for the Libertarian Party of Ohio website, and other important issues in Ohio and national politics, including marijuana reform.

Due to the current exclusion of the Libertarian Party from the electoral process in the State of Ohio, in accordance with our Constitution and Bylaws, elections for our Central Committee will take place according to Congressional Districts, at the locations, dates, and times listed below.

If you are unsure which Congressional District you reside in, please consult the following map: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/upload/reshape/congressional/Congressional-Statewide.pdf

Dist

Representative(s)

Election Date/Time

Meeting Location

Nomination Deadline:

1

Sarah Bevins

Scott Pettigrew

March 15th, 20167:30 pm

Flipdaddys Burgers & Beers12071 Mason Montgomery Rd

Cincinnati, OH 45249

January 30, 2016

2

Will be held at the same date, time & location as the elections in District #1

3

Harold ThomasSulu Hank Kelley

March 15th,, 2016

7:30 pm

LPO Headquarters, Conference Room

2525 Tiller Lane

Columbus, OH

January 30, 2016

4

Gregg Norris

No election filed.

5

Don Kissick

Sarah Kissick

March 7, 2016

Smoke-E's

125 E. Main St.

Leipsic OH 45856

January 22, 2016

6

Chris Armstrong

No election filed.

7

Tom Coyne

Jonathan Gentsch

No election filed.

8

Bob Coogan

March 15th, 20167:30 pm

Flipdaddys Burgers & Beers12071 Mason Montgomery Rd

Cincinnati, OH 45249

January 30, 2016

9

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