The College Libertarian will be closing out the semester with one final event. We'll have some folks out in the brickyard today collecting signatures for our ballot access petition. The Libertarian Party needs over 100,000 signatures to get back on the ballot for '08.

Even if you aren't a Libertarian, there's something to be said for electoral choice. I hope any of you that find yourselves in the brickyard today from 11-6 will stop and take a few seconds to sign.

This will also be one of your last chances to purchase tickets to win the TASER C2 that we're raffling off.

http://www.taser.com/ctwo/index.htm

Tickets are $2 for men and $1 for women.

[Edited on April 25, 2007 at 9:02 AM. Reason : ']

4/25/2007 9:02:02 AM

HAHAHAHAHAH

4/25/2007 9:05:14 AM

How did libertarians get kicked off the ballot? I thought they had a fairly strong representation in NC?

4/25/2007 9:06:58 AM

Because no one votes libertarian.

4/25/2007 9:11:30 AM

The standard for remaining on the ballot was impossibly high for a third party, 10% in the Presidential or Gubernatorial race, hard to pull off when all your resources have to go just to getting on the ballot in the first place.

For the next election cycle, the standard has been lowered to 2%. However, we still need over 100,000 (67,000 verified, IIRC) signatures to get back on.

4/25/2007 9:18:12 AM

Reminds of when Nader was trying to get in on the presidential debate.

4/25/2007 9:25:23 AM

Is there a way I can sign the petition online?

4/25/2007 9:41:24 AM

Not that I know of.

However, you can download this form,

http://www.lpnc.org/get_involved/Petition_forms/Petition.pdf

Fill in your information. Get your friends to fill in theirs a well, and send it to.

Libertarian Party of NC
attn: petitions
PO Box 28141
Raleigh, NC 27611

4/25/2007 9:45:20 AM

You gonna be out there, dude?

4/25/2007 10:17:00 AM

Of course.

4/25/2007 10:24:37 AM

what's the point?

you guys will never impact an election anyways

4/25/2007 10:40:33 AM

What's the point of having parties at all? Why don't we just let the top 1% of wage earners in the nation pick who they want to be president and give that person a lifetime term in office?

4/25/2007 10:43:40 AM

Quote :

"What's the point of having parties at all?"

good excuse to drink and the chance to meet loose women

4/25/2007 10:47:33 AM

most people don't even know what libertarian is... otherwise there might be a bunch more.

4/25/2007 10:48:56 AM

I think part of the problem is that while the libertarian ideal may appeal to many people (myself included), many people that are hardcore libertarians come across as kind of crazy. Plus it is very annoying that many libertarians have decided to fall in line with the republicans when the current republican party is almost the exact opposite of libertarianism. Granted the old school conservative thought of minimal government was in line, but that is hardly the case now.

4/25/2007 10:54:13 AM

I would sign the petition, but it seems like a needless exercise of big government to add a bunch of irrelevant stuff to the ballot.

4/25/2007 11:10:35 AM

Quote :

"most people don't even know what libertarian is... otherwise there might be a bunch more."

too bad the LP party here only represents a few of them

4/25/2007 11:45:35 AM

Quote :

"what's the point? you guys will never impact an election anyways"

Dunno. With so many disgruntled Republicans this year, they might just peel off enough to cripple what's left of the GOP machine.

4/25/2007 11:48:53 AM

Quote :

"many people that are hardcore libertarians come across as kind of crazy."

The Libertarian Reform Caucus is working on that aspect. http://www.reformthelp.org/

During the 2006 Libertarian National Convention, The Reform Caucus was able to get rid of many of the more extreme planks of the party. The goal being to actually get Libertarians elected on more moderate platforms.

4/25/2007 11:52:00 AM

Please do sign the petition people, assuming you don't object to third parties being listed on the ballot. Concerning getting Libertarians elected, I know a lot of them who think it is more useful to focus on influencing mainstream policies instead of getting votes.

4/25/2007 12:12:00 PM

fuck a third party.

they're all a waste of goddamned time until you change the electoral laws that ensure (1) they will never EVER win anything, and (2) they can be used by one party to sabotauge the other.

if i were going to do any work whatsoever for the Libertarian/Green/Socialists/Constitutionalists/whoever.... i would work to prevent them from getting on any ballots.



[Edited on April 25, 2007 at 6:32 PM. Reason : ]

4/25/2007 6:31:28 PM

Quote :

"fuck a third party. they're all a waste of goddamned time until you change the electoral laws that ensure (1) they will never EVER win anything, and (2) they can be used by one party to sabotauge the other."

4/25/2007 6:34:13 PM

waste of time

4/25/2007 6:36:14 PM

^^^ The idea that in a democracy everyone should only be allowed to choose between piece of s*** #1 and piece of s*** #2 is absurd. Don't like that? Change the system, support IRV for a start.

Thankfully, I think that view will die some in this coming election. Are conservatives really going to vote for Giuliani if he wins the nomination? Likewise for Hillary and liberals? You're having a laugh. Party pride is dead in modern-day America. The majority of people support principles, not party. I've heard from a lot of right-wingers that are pissed off with the Republican Party, and I've heard from a lot of left-wingers that are pissed off with the Democratic Party. Both parties are beyond stale, all it takes is one realigning election and the world will look a lot different. The Democratic Party is so fractured anyway, the only reason it stays together is to have a chance to win presidential elections. What does Heath Shuler and Dennis Kucinich have in common?

We're coming up on a very interesting election, no runaway nominee, very controversial major candidates in both parties, heated party conventions are on the horizon that would make 1968 peaceful by comparison...beautiful.

[Edited on April 25, 2007 at 8:24 PM. Reason : .]

4/25/2007 8:14:36 PM

Quote :

"waste of time"

Perhaps...but always better than unbridled cynicism.

Maybe a big issue will catapult the LP into prominence someday. After all, the Republican party began as a third party. Its anti-slavery platform helped moved it into electorial success.

4/25/2007 10:16:51 PM

if the LP can displace the republicans, then sure. i'd go for that.

but third parties never succeed except at the death of one of the major two.

spend your time on something more productive than LP campaigns. you know, like changes to the US Code that defines electoral laws that guarantees a two-party system in this country in the first place.

4/25/2007 11:18:47 PM

Quote :

"Are conservatives really going to vote for Giuliani if he wins the nomination? Likewise for Hillary and liberals? "

Guiliani ain't going to win no GOP nomination. see the "new 9/11" thread.

I, personally, am going to make effort to suppor the candidate most likely to defeat Hillary's bid for the Dem nomination. That this person increasingly seems to be Obama makes me

dont forget just who the people who caucus and vote in primaries actually are. it ain't the typical voter.

4/26/2007 12:58:31 AM

Quote :

"Thankfully, I think that view will die some in this coming election. Are conservatives really going to vote for Giuliani if he wins the nomination? Likewise for Hillary and liberals? You're having a laugh. Party pride is dead in modern-day America. The majority of people support principles, not party. I've heard from a lot of right-wingers that are pissed off with the Republican Party, and I've heard from a lot of left-wingers that are pissed off with the Democratic Party. Both parties are beyond stale, all it takes is one realigning election and the world will look a lot different. The Democratic Party is so fractured anyway, the only reason it stays together is to have a chance to win presidential elections. What does Heath Shuler and Dennis Kucinich have in common?"

That's not true at all. The parties are as strong as what they once were.

4/26/2007 9:38:46 AM

^ Are they strong because people genuinely believe in the party principles (and if someone knows what those principles are for either of them, feel free to tell the rest of us), or because of tradition and they have a spot on the ballot? How are Heath Shuler and Dennis Kucinich in the same party? How are Lincoln Chafee and Tom Tancredo in the same party?

4/27/2007 10:08:16 AM

because they largely have the same philosophical basis. seriously, go listen to Heath talk about why he is a Democrat.

Why is there government? Is government good or bad? What should the ultimate aim of government be?

How you come down on those questions is what makes people like McCain(circa 2000) and Gingrich be part of the same party.

4/27/2007 1:52:40 PM

^ So what's the philosophy? What's the principles that binds Shuler to the Democrats as well as Kucinich?

[Edited on April 27, 2007 at 5:45 PM. Reason : .]

4/27/2007 5:44:44 PM

I should probably download this and fill it out.

4/27/2007 5:46:35 PM

According to Ballot Access News, 69734 signatures from registered voters are required in North Carolina, and as of March 1st the Libertarians have 44500.

http://www.ballot-access.org/2007/030107.html

4/27/2007 8:29:22 PM

I got my new voter registration card today.

I knew what it was going to say.

I heard the news last year.

But still, when my eyes hit the page, the big capital letters:

UNA

glared back at me.

This fucking makes my blood boil.

I mailed it back, writing "Libertarian" in the "New Political Party Affiliation" blank on the back.

Of course, I expect that they'll send me yet another new card with "UNA" still on it, perhaps accompanied by a letter explaining that I can't be a registered Libertarian in NC anymore.

I will send it back again, noting the same change.

Then I will send back yet again,

and again

until they sue me to stop

then I'll call a lawyer and some journalists.

Don't worry, I won't expect much. One man can't do anything.

And oh yeah,

one more thing:

All you third party haters are pussies,

otherwise you'd tell me where you live so I can come over and clean my car with your face.

Damn I'm angry.

I must need dinner and a bonghit.

[Edited on June 25, 2007 at 5:45 PM. Reason : ah yes....much better now....sry 4 that]

6/25/2007 5:22:33 PM

Make sure you sign the Ballot Access petition to get our party back on the NC ballot.

http://www.lpnc.org/get_involved/ballot_access.html

6/25/2007 11:24:14 PM

time to bury the Libertarian Party with all the other dead 3rd parties in US history.

i dont care if you guys have been around longer than most.

you still cant ever garner more than 5% of the popular vote

[/thread]

6/26/2007 10:19:23 PM

"Annoy a Politician...vote Libertarian!"

6/27/2007 1:38:43 AM

Annoy your parents: use your bedroom in your folks' basement to hold Libertarian Precinct Meetings.

6/27/2007 1:58:42 AM

sounds like joe is running scared..... aha

keep fooling yourself, buddy

[Edited on June 27, 2007 at 2:25 AM. Reason : []

6/27/2007 2:10:39 AM

"vote Libertarian... then sign up to join the Buckshot County 82 and a half division free militia!"

6/27/2007 3:01:43 AM

Quote :

"keep fooling yourself, buddy"

yeah... cuz you guys are really gonna win it this time. i know.



i predict your presidential candidate will get < 2% of the popular vote. and any senate or house candidates will get < 5%

just like every election.

say, why dont you guys team up with the Lyndon LaRouche people? strength in numbers. pool your resources.

6/27/2007 5:26:24 AM

As long as clowns like Neil Boortz shroud themselves in the cloak of being a Libertarian I will be more than happy to have DEM on my voter registration.

6/27/2007 7:12:10 AM

Quote :

"i predict your presidential candidate will get < 2% of the popular vote. and any senate or house candidates will get < 5%"

Sadly, that's probably a good guess.
But if you're a fan of capitalism, individual rights and smaller gov't...there's nothing for you in either the demo-publican parties. They both suck.

And I'm losing faith that politics is the way to run a country.

6/27/2007 9:57:42 AM

typically, does the candidate running as a libertarian fully know going in he's not going to get close to winning or does he truly think he has a shot

6/27/2007 10:30:09 AM

^
At this stage, libertarian candidates usually realize that they get into the fight more to raise awareness than to win.

We've had almost 100 years of statists gradually pushing the country into tyranny. Today, Libertarians provide a much needed function: to remind and reawaken our love of liberty, individual rights and limited go'vt that hopefully still beats in our citizen's hearts.

6/27/2007 10:48:39 AM

^well put....


* * * wipes tear from eye * * *

Quote :

"i predict your presidential candidate will get < 2% of the popular vote. and any senate or house candidates will get < 5%"

BECAUSE IT'S CLEARLY A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD!!!1
JFC, shut up....

6/27/2007 11:44:16 AM

Quote :

"BECAUSE IT'S CLEARLY A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD foundational to our constitutional government!!!1"

like it or not, our two party system is the "reality on the ground".

now work with it, or please to shut the fuck up.

thanking you greatly.




[Edited on June 27, 2007 at 1:35 PM. Reason : ]

6/27/2007 1:34:52 PM

Libertarians will have access for the Presidential ballot in all 50 states.

The (L) will just look like an (R) next to Ron Paul's name.

6/27/2007 2:39:24 PM

Quote :

"most people don't even know what libertarian is... otherwise there might be a bunch more"

I for one wouldn't mind being explained to what the libertarian party is about. I could google it but I would rather someone tell me in their own words why they have chosen the libertarian party. PMs would be better since I'll more than likely forget I ever posted this.

6/27/2007 2:54:38 PM

^pm sent

but I'll post it, too:


Here's a brief:

Socially liberal:
legal drugs, legal gambling, legal prostitution, legal sex between consenting adults, legal immigration, etc.
&
Economically conservative:
end taxes, end subsidies, end minimum wage laws, no national (aka socialized,) health care, etc.

-or-

They are based on principle (see below). They are the only modern party that actually believes the Constitution and thinks we should continue to follow it.

Libertarian principle:

One can do anything they want (liberty) as long as it doesn't infringe or harm anyone else's person, property, liberty, or equal right to the same.

IOW:

Libertarians do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals.

Another way to look at it is: Subtract the corporatist fascism and christian theocracy from the Republican Party. What's left is sort of like Libertarianism.

6/27/2007 3:56:38 PM