Document:Libertarian Party of New York News (2000)

The following news appeared on the Libertarian Party of New York's website in 2000.

11/7/00: Election Day! Voting Libertarian is the best way you can send a message that you want to see smaller government, an end to the Drug War, respect for the Second Amendment, and an end to brutal acts of government like Kosovo and Waco. Libertarian candidates are the only ones who will unwaveringly stand behind these issues for you.

Are you tired of people telling you you are wasting your vote? Tell them about IRV. Instant Runoff Voting ensures that people can vote for the candidate they really want to see, and not worry about their least favorite candidate winning. Read more about how Libertarians want to reform the 'winner-take-all' American system of voting to allow people to have more voice in their government.

9/16/00: Libertarian Party member John Cain of Congers helped expose Rockland County Democratic Chair Paul Adler's acceptance of $370,000 in bribes and secret payments. Wired by investigators, Cain recorded Hillary Clinton associate Adler saying that he didn't get into politics "to lose money" and ranting about retaliation against an uncooperative board member. Adler was charged by federal prosecutors September 12. LPNY Press Release

9/7/00: The Libertarian Party of New York is challenging the political es tablishment with a slate of candidates that State Chair Richard Cooper of Westbury calls "everyday heroes." New Yorkers will have the chance to vote for Harry Browne and Art Olivier for President and Vice-President, John Clifton for US Senate, and Congressional candidates Scott Jeffrey (Manhattan-Queens) and Stephen Healey (Rochester). Press Release.

9/1/00: The Manhattan Libertarian Party, the New York County chapter of the New York Libertarian Party, elected a slate of officers and adopted bylaws yesterday. These events mark the official launch of a Libertarian Party presence in the borough of Manhattan. Press Release.

8/23/00: Libertarians filed yesterday in the State of New York. Candidates expected to be on the ballot November 7, 2000 include Harry Browne for President, Art Olivier for Vice-President, John Clifton for US Senate, and Congressional candidates Stephen Healey in the 28th District (Rochester) and Scott Jeffrey in the 15th District. Bill Bombard filed to be the sole opposition to 109th District Assemblywoman Elizabeth Little. Press Release.

8/12/00: Send in your signature sheets NOW! We're coming up on the deadline, we're almost there. (As of last week, we've collected 15,000, but still need another 10,000 to be challenge-proof.) Sheets should be sent to:

      Jeff Russell
      55 Via DaVinci
      Clifton Park, NY 12065-2903
You can look up Congressional Districts by zip+4 with this House of Representatives Locator.
7/29/00: A pro-self-defense rally was held in Albany today, at 'the Egg.' Libertarian candidate for Senate, John Clifton was a featured speaker.

Pictures of the rally, from Jacob J. Rieper, and coverage from the Albany Times-Union.

Women, find out more about the new organization that was set up to protect your right to defend yourself. The Second Amendment Sisters/Armed and Informed Mothers are accepting signups for charter memberships now, via i-charity. (They also have associate memberships for men.) The New York chapter of SAS/AIM was represented at the Albany rally today, and will be participating in other events this summer, and in the future.

7/11/00: Petitioning starts today! Petitions are available here in .doc format now, PDF really soon. Get started now! You can print out what'll you need to be successful this year: instructions, checklists, schedules. We only have six weeks--we'll need your help to get Harry Browne, John Clifton, and all our local candidates on the ballot.

7/2/00: Harry Browne to be the next presidential candidate of the Libertarian Party.

Out of a total of 878 votes cast by delegates to the 2000 Libertarian convention, votes were cast as follows:

493 Harry Browne
166 Dan Gorman
120 Jacob 'Bumper' Hornberger
 53 Barry Hess
 23 NOTA (none of the above)
  8 Dave Hollist
  5 L. Neil Smith
  9 Other Candidates
New York's vote was cast as follows:
  8 Jacob Hornberger
  7 Harry Browne
  5 Don Gorman
  1 Barry Hess
  1 Abstention
Harry Browne received 56.2% of the vote, enough to confirm him as the party's nominee on the first ballot. Attendees booed as Virginia announced one vote for George W. Bush.
6/22/00: A year ago, the U.S. declared success in Kosovo...what's happened since then? Libertarians are against intervention and for secession in cases of civil struggle, recognizing that our own independence came from such an assertion of freedom.

6/21/00: A double-barreled assault on gun rights in NY State: lawsuits against gun manufacturers, and FIVE bills that the senate will pass THURSDAY unless you make an all-out effort to stop them. Call, fax, email, write, show up in person if you can. 
1. Look up your Senators at GOA and call them
2. Call Pataki's office at 518-474-8390 as well, and tell him you are opposed to his gun control scheme. 
  - Talking Points from the NYSRPA

6/19/00: The Libertarian Party is having its national convention in Anaheim (California) this year. New York is allowed to send up to 45 delegates to the convention, and we have about 30 people signed up so far. The states' delegates to the convention get to vote on decisions that will affect the direction of the Libertarian Party through the 2000 elections and up until the next National Convention in 2002. Here's your chance to let your delegates know what you think about the choices they will have to vote on.

Peter McWilliams, brave soul 6/15/00: It wasn't anybody's business if he did.
Libertarians and medical marijuana advocates across the country will miss the energetic spirit of Peter McWilliams. The author of many NY Times best-sellers, including the lengthy defense of 'victimless crimes,' Ain't Nobody's Business if You Do, Peter joined the Libertarian Party at its National Convention in 1998. He was arrested soon after, for his support of a medical marijuana buyers club--after medical marijuana had been approved by the voters of California with Prop 215. The arrest and incarceration took a lot out of McWilliams, who was himself an AIDS and cancer patient. He was awaiting sentencing at home, trying to keep down his medication without the use of medical marijuana (due to court-mandated drug testing) when he passed away from asphyxiation on June 14th.

 - Peter's Web Site 
 - MAP News Archive About Peter

6/9/00: Westchester County passed two new laws yesterday to 'make a statement' about gun violence. One is to prevent people who break into your house from being able to use your gun, the other protects kids from being shot by cops who don't realize they are only holding a toy gun.

If we really want to protect kids, we'd better stop them from carrying wallets, too, and have them Promise me if an officer stops you'll always be polite / Never ever run away and promise mama you'll keep your hands in sight. Read the moving lyrics of "American Skin," The Boss ' Tribute to Diallo.

5/31/00: Libertarians mark Memorial Day condemning military adventurism. The Libertarian Party of New York's candidate for US Senate, John Clifton, a Navy veteran, is the only Senate candidate who both served in the military and rejects the Clinton/Bush/Gore unconstitutional foreign and military policies. More info

5/25/00: Ron Paul's bill to save religious institutions from government destruction is on its way to the Senate for approval. Will it be in time to save St. Luke's church building in New Cassel from a neighborhood group bent on its demolition? Your participation can help--find out more.

5/20/00: The Nassau and Suffolk County Libertarian Parties held their thir combined convention today in Islandia, New York.

Speakers included: 
Has Big Government Won? Reclaiming Our Lost Liberties, Raymond J. Keating, author, Newsday columnist, economist for the Small Business Survival Committee

The Case For Capitalism: How to Defend Economic Freedom, Professor Gregory Bush, economist

Facts are Facts: How Guns Save Lives and Rights, Robert F. Bauman, ex-policeman, LI Director of NY State Rifle and Pistol Association


5/15/00: About 20 libertarians and other second-amendment proponents were in Chappaqua, NY yesterday to provide an alternate view at a 'million moms mini-march.' More about the event, held on Mother's Day.

5/6/00: NYC-area libertarians joined thousands in a march to legalize marijuana that went from Washington Square Park to Battery Park. The OPH found many libertarians, and almost everybody who took the quiz was above the '50% aggression' line (mainly to the left, as would be expected). Pictures coming soon. What's an OPH, you ask?

4/30/00: In their State Convention yesterday, 53 Libertarians from across the state elected John Clifton as the party's candidate for the 2000 Senate race. Libertarian Presidential candidates Barry Hess and Harry Browne and Libertarian Vice Presidential candidate Ken Krawchuk were among those who addressed the convention. LPNY Press Release.

4/27/00: To do: call all your friends and get ready to come to the 2000 Libertarian convention on Saturday. Why? You can hear John Lott speak--the author of More Guns, Less Crime. You will find out first who we've picked for a Senate candidate. Harry Browne will be there...is he running for president or isn't he? You'll be able to ask him yourself.

4/15/00: Tax day is Monday. As Libertarians, we're quite opposed to a tax on income...a tax discourages the thing it is applied to. As a special Tax-Day feature, we have a lengthy anti-tax argument presented at the Tax Symposium in Washington, D.C., on July 1st and 2nd of 1999, organized by Bob Schultz of We the People Foundation for Constitutional Justice. The various panelists each presented the results of their anti-tax research.

4/7/00: Yesterday, Ron Paul's HR-4084, the Church Protection Act of 2000, passed in the House. It was attached to HR-1776, The American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000. Paul's concern for churches' property being unfairly seized was inspired by reports about St. Luke's Pentecostal Church, an inner-city congregation in New Cassel, New York. Libertarian Nassau County Chair Richard Cooper helped bring Paul's--and the community's--attention to this church's cause. LPNY Press Release, and more about Paul's legislation from Liberty Study.

4/1/00: CENSUS TIME. The Constitution just requires we know how many people live in different geographical parts of the country, so that we know how many Congressmen to elect for proper 'proportional representation.' So, how about all those other questions? What are they for? LPNY helps you follow the news with some information on the laws governing the census: Census 2000: How Many, That's All.

Manhattan Chapter Regrouping
March 22, 2000--Thirty-five New Yorkers met in a room upstairs from Carnegie Hall Wednesday night. For the city once the epicenter of objectivist life, it had been pretty quiet lately--other than the monthly treat of our contemporary libertarian luminaries at the Junto. It seems this is about to change, as Kevin Smith takes the initiative in re-forming a chapter to represent the Libertarian Party in our unique city (along with the Queens chapter and the newly-formed Brooklyn chapter).
The members suggested ideas for getting the message out, they exchanged contact information, and discussed what it means organizing in a city like New York. One resolution is to have a database of the skills of members, so that we know what resources are available to work on projects. Another is to start writing press releases, an activity that can start now. Amazingly, all 35 members who attended are online, or have access to email. (Invitations were mailed via USPS to all current LP members in New York County. Announcements for the meeting were also mailed online.)

The next face-to-face meeting will be April 26. Until then, join in the (continual) online meeting: lpny_manhattan. (Free list service courtesy of eGroups.)

3/21/00: Convention Update: Harry Browne--investment advisor, author and 1996 Libertarian Presidential candidate--will appear at the New York State Libertarian Convention on April 29th in Yonkers, NY. For more information, please see the convention 2000 home page.

3/2/00: LPNY Press Release: Libertarians Sponsor Gail Bova Memorial Essay Contest open to students in New York state.

2/23/00: LPNY Press Release: Libertarians Salute Black History Month

2/14/00: Harry Browne kicks off his presidential campaign today, including a chat on the Alan Colmes Show (1050 AM). Politics1 covers the various Libertarian candidates for president in 2000.

1/24/00: The Town of North Hempstead's Community Development Authority (CDA) is trying to seize the new building of the St. Luke's Pentecostal Church. St. Luke's paid $130,000 for the building, and have only been offered $80,000 of that back. If St. Luke's Reverend Jackson refuses the offer, an action will be instituted in the Supreme Court of Nassau County to acquire the property by condemnation. See: Libertarians Defend Church's Property Rights (LPNY press release), and CDA Seeks to Acquire Church Property in the Westbury News.

1/13/00: Roy Innis and Gary Popkin spoke at a fundraising dinner for Mark Edgerton, who is the New Jersey Libertarian Party's gubernatorial candidate. Mark spoke about his commitment to campaigning. Gary encouraged everyone to run for a local office like school board, and Roy spoke about his past electoral experience. Roy will next be at a C.O.R.E.-sponored Martin Luther King Holiday Event on Monday. (more info.)

1/8/00: The Hon. Jeffrion Aubry spoke at the Queens County LP meeting, on on repealing the Rockefeller drug sentancing laws. He is not in favor or legalizing all drugs, due to what he saw when he was growing up, but he did say that he would be in favor of a bill removing all penalties from less harmful drugs like marijuana, methadone and ibogaine, to help people back down from harder drugs.

1/3/00: The world seems to have survived the transition from the nineteen hundreds to the two thousands. Like the god this month is named for, we find ourselves looking both backward and forward into time to review our position.

Looking back: The Freedom Forum's Privacy Time Line, going back to 1890, chronicles the legal balancing act between privacy and free speech--both principles important to libertarians. 
(outside links will appear in a new browser window)

CATO's calling this The Greatest Century That Ever Was (HTML summary, report is in PDF format).

Looking Forward: It is expected that on February 15th, the U.S. will incarcerate its two millionth prisoner, double the number from a mere ten years ago, and ten times the number in 1970. For a country with 5% of the world's population (which hit 6 billion in November), we will have 25% of the world's inmate population, according to The Punishing Decade, a study released by the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. More than half of these prisoners are non-violent offenders, and the largest category of prisoners is drug law offenders.

Let's get to work! It's an election year!

2000 Events
When: January 4, 2000, 7pm
What: Hudson Valley Libertarians meeting
(Meetings are the first Tuesday of each month.)
Where: "College Diner" in New Paltz, one block east of the thruway exit on route 299.

When: January 6, 2000, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
What: Joan Kennedy Taylor, author of What to Do When You Don't Want to Call The Cops: A Non-Adversarial Approach to Sexual Harassment, speak to the Junto (more info on her book in the CATO Store)
(Junto is a libertarian discussion group held the first Thursday of each month.) 
Where: 2 East 63rd Street, NYC

When: January 8, 2000, 10am to noon
What: Queens County Meeting: Hon. Jeffrion L. Aubry, Member, New York State Assembly (D-35th District) speaks on repealing the Rockefeller Drug Sentencing Laws. 
Where: Bohemian Hall 29 - 19 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY (directions)

When: January 8, 2000
What: Deadline for Free NY Articles
Where: send items for inclusion in the LPNY newsletter to Jeff Doty, the editor.

When: January 9, 2000
What: Central NY LP Meeting
(CNY LP Meetings are held the second Sunday of every odd month)
Where: 300 Tulip Street (office building) in Liverpool, NY

When: January 13, 2000, 7pm
What: Fundraiser for NJ Libertarian candidate for Governor, Mark Edgerton. Speakers include Gary Popkin, a Junto member and a recently elected libertarian, Mike Buoncristiano, the original campaign manager for the Murray Sabrin campaign. $40/person (includes dinner). 
Where: Hunan Fifth, 323 5th Avenue, near 32nd street

When: January 18, 2000, 8pm
What: The Libertarian Party of Nassau County kicks off its Year 2000 schedule with a forward-looking talk by member Thomas Kearney: "How To Retire Rich and How The Government Prevents You From Doing It"
(The Nassau LP meet the third Tuesday of each month.)
Where: in the downstairs conference room of 230 Plaza, 230 Hilton Avenue, Hempstead. (more info)

When: February 12, 2000, 10am-5pm
(The state committee meets quarterly.)
What: LPNY State Committee Meeting
Where: The usual location: the meeting space upstairs at the rest stop at Sloatsburg on the NY State Throughway (between exits 15 and 16)

When: February 15, 2000, 8pm
What: Long Beach member Daniel Reilly will speak for firearms freedom at this meeting of the LP of Nassau County. Dan was an FBI agent for 31 years and a state trooper for 4 years. Retired from the FBI, he is a college instructor and private investigator. 
(The Nassau LP meet the third Tuesday of each month.)
Where: in the downstairs conference room of 230 Plaza, 230 Hilton Avenue, Hempstead. (more info)

NYSee the Chapter Meetings page for local Libertarian meetings.

What: Cato and The Economist will co-host "Solving the Global Public Pension Crisis II: The Privatization Revolution," to evaluate successful privatization efforts.
When: March 9-10
Where: New York City
More Info: Visit http://www.cato.org/events/pensions/ for more details!

What: Gun Show 
When: March 17-19
Where: Saratoga Springs, NY: City Center
More Info: NEACA (518) 664-9743

What: Friends of NRA Event
When: March 18
Where: Lockport, NY
More Info: Anne Clark (716) 589-5239

What: Gun Show
When: March 18-19
Where: Cortland, NY: National Guard Armory
More Info: Mid Atlantic Arms Collectors, (570) 679-2250

When: March 24-26, 2000
What: Foundation for Economic Education -- Student Programs 2000 
Spring Undergraduate Seminar in Economics and Philosophy
College undergraduates are invited to Irvington-on-Hudson, New York for FEE's annual spring seminar, which introduces the principles underlying personal liberty and free markets. During this three-day program, issues including Social Security, free trade, globalization, and the ethics of markets will be addressed.

When: April 29, 2000
What: Libertarian Party of NY State Convention
Where: The Royal Regency in Yonkers 
For more info, please see the December issue of Free New York.

When: May 13, 2000, 10 AM
Where: 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria
What: Queens Country 2000 Annual Convention
Info: John Procida, 718-746-5500

When: May 20, 2000, 12 noon
Where: New Grand Buffet, Islandia
What: Long Island Libertarian Convention
Info: Barry Loberfeld, (631) 543-3510

When: 7:00pm Thursday, May 25th
What: 2000 Friends of NRA Banquet for Kings County
Where: Hudson River Yacht Club, Ave. U & Bergen Avenue, Brooklyn.

When: June 24, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
What: Second Amendment rally...Libertarian Senate Candidate John Clifton will appear
Where: State Capital Steps and East Lawn of the State Capital, Albany

What: OPH@PrideFest 
When: June 25. PrideFest runs from 11am to 10:30pm, but it's most important for you to be there between 2pm to 7pm
Where: Spot 143, on Washington St between W Houston and Clarkson (lower Manhattan)
More Info: join the lpny activists list!

When: June 24-29
Where: New York
What: Foundation for Economic Education -- Student Programs 2000 
Freedom and the State
Are you curious about free market ideas, but not sure what all the fuss is about? Please join us as we explore issues of individual liberty, the rule of law, free-markets, and politics. A challenging and intensive week for students.

When: Thursday, June 29, 9am to 5pm 
Where: National Press Club, Washington, D.C.
What: 4th Conference on the Fraudulent and Illegal Operations of the Federal Income Tax, sponsored by the We The People Foundation for Constitutional Education.

When: July 3 or 4
What: Campaign Joint Appearance, Statue of Liberty/Battery Park,NYC 
Who: Candidates Clifton, Edgerton, Armstrong

When: July 6, 7 PM
What:Junto Meeting
Where: NY Academy of Sciences, NYC

When: July 17, 7:30pm
What: LP Senatorial Candidate speaks out against Eminent Domain
Where: Union Baptist Church, New Rochelle

When: July 18, 7:30pm
What: LP Nassau Meeting
Where: 230 Hilton Ave., Hempstead, NY

When: July 22, 2pm
What: CEMOTAP Meeting
Where: South Ozone Park, NY

When: July 28-30
What: Petitioning/OPH at the 9th Annual HempSplash / High Times WHEE Festival Environmental/Reform Festival & Concert. Over 30 performers, including Hypnotic Clambake, Dave Nelson Band, Natty Wailer & His Reggae Blues Vibe, Dude of Life, THC (The Hydroponic Cryptonite), Granola Funk Express, Half Step, The Deadbeats and Joe Wiggleston, Jr.
Where: Echo Lake Resort & Campground, Afton, NY (north of Binghamton). 
More Info: 914-255-7609, www.hempwine.com

When: July 29, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
What: Gun Rights Rally
Where: 'The Egg' at the Empire State Plaza, Albany

When: August 5
What: COSY Midsummer Gathering, and campaign fundraiser
Where: Coney Island
More Info: Mail to boba-in-y2k@egroups.com will get to Bob, who may then pass it on to the campaign team

When: August 26, 1-6 PM
What: Long Island Libertarian Cookout
Where: 426 Center St., corner of Liivingston Street, Westbury, NY

When: August 27
What: Clifton campaign appearance at the Pakistan Independence Day Fair
Where: Madison Ave. from 41st to 26th St.
More Info: (212) 693-1660

When: Thursday August 31st, 8:00 PM - 9:45 PM
What: Manhattan LP meeting
Where: Carnegie Hall, 154 W 57th St 9th floor (Corner of 7th Avenue)

When: September 2, 2000, 10am-12:30 pm
What: Brooklyn Council of Churches meeting
Where: 8th Avenue between 47th and 53rd streets

When: September 2, 2000, 1-3pm
What: Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit
Where: Washington Square between 3rd St. and 12th St.

When: September 3, 2000, 10 am-12:30 pm
What: Brazilian Street Festival
Where: West 46th St bet 6th Ave. and Park Ave.

When: September 3, 2000, 2-4pm
What: St. Lucia USA Caribbean-American Day Festival
Where: Webster Ave between 233rd St. and East Gunhill Road

When: September 4, 2000, 10 am to 1 pm
What: West Indian Day Carnival
Where: Eastern Parkway between Utica Ave and Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn

When: September 4, 2000, 2-5pm
What: Manhattan East Community Assn Street Fair 
Where: 3rd Ave. bet 34th St. - 42nd St.

When: September 8, 2000
What: Financial Privacy Trade Show & Expo, NYC
More Info: 212-363-8200 x277

When: September 10, 2000, 1-4pm
What: Rochdale Community Fair
Where: Rochdale Village Cooperative Center, Queens

When: September 6-10, 2000
What: UN Millenium Day Protests
Where: Dag Hammarskjold Plaza and elsewhere, NYC

When: September 8, 2000
What: UN March
Where: Start at Central Park Bandshell, march south at noon on 5th Avenue, then east on 47th Street to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza

When: September 16, 2000i, 11am - 2pm
What: C.O.R.E. Street Fair
Where: University Place bet 8th St. - 13th St.

When: September 17, 2:00 pm
What: Central NY Libertarian Convention: LP Senate candidate John Clifton will be speaking
Where: Manlius Masonic Temple, 321 East Senaca Street, Manlius, N.Y.

When: September 21, 2000, 7-9pm
What: Rockefeller Drug Law Forum
Where: New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th St., New York City

When: September 23, 2000, 2pm
What: CEMOTAP (Black Progressive Group) Meeting
Where: South Ozone Park, Queens

When: September 24, 2000, 1-4pm
What: SAFE Right to Carry Conference
Where: Melville, LI

When: September 24, 2000
What: NY IS BOOK COUNTRY
Where: Fifth Avenue, 42nd-57th Streets

When: October 7th, 9am to 4pm
What: NY State Rifle & Pistol Association Annual Meeting
Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel, 66 Hale Avenue, White Plains, NY. Phone 914/682-0050. Luncheon $25. Exhibits free. Legislative seminar 10am-11am "Gun Politics: Reality vs Fantasy". map and directions from Yahoo

When: October 14th, 11am-12:30pm
What: Libertarians Rally For St. Luke's Pentecostal Church. Rev. Jenkins from St. Luke's, Libertarian Senate Candidate John Clifton and LPNY State Chair Richard Cooper will speak.
Where: Supreme Court Building, Supreme Court Drive and County Seat Drive, Mineola.

When: October 21
What: Annual meeting of the Property Rights Foundation of America. $60 to attend, Reginald Jones will be speaking there.
Where: Turf Inn, Colonie, NY.

Let us know if you have other events you'd like to announce here.