Barr mentioned in the Onion

I take it as a positive sign whenever a humorist mentions a Libertarian candidate. It's not late night, but it will do.

Come to the local Firehouse Theatre and show your support with the Libertarian Discount

Set in Rome City, Indiana an hour northwest of Fort Wayne on State Route 9, in 1929. A small ensemble of local actors present the love story of Max and Millie who are struggling to established a life together near Sylvan Lake amid the economics of the roaring twenties into the hardships of the Great Depression. Hope and despair, G-men and gangsters, radio, talkies and print all collide to unfold this presentation as a 1920’s film while also telling the concurrent story of Al Capone as it interweaves the societal fabric of early twentieth century Mid West America.

The Firehouse Theater, operated by former LPAC officer Jeannette Jaquish, is located 1245 East State Boulevard (just east of Crescent Avenue aka Stellhorn Road/State Road 37) is presenting the newest play Al Capone and Me by local award winning author and educator, Ruth Tyndall Baker, with four remaining shows on the 31st of May and the 1st, 7th, and 8th of June.

The shows on the 1st and 8th start at 3p.m.; while the shows on the 31st and 7th start at 7p.m., with the option of dinner (for an extra fee) an hour before the show. Please RSVP if you wish to attend the dinner @ 260-750-9013. Ticket prices for this show are normally $10 for adults and $6 for children ages 8-13 (children younger than eight are asked not to attend) but with the new Liberty Discount not only will you get $3 off normal adult ticket prices and $2 dollars of a child's ticket but an additional donation will be made to the Libertarian Party of Allen County.

For more information about The Firehouse Theater please visit their website.

Communists offended by new "Indiana Jones" movie

After six decades of Cold War movies, they are getting their panties in a bunch over this? After 74 years of oppressing people and gross economic mismanagment, I don't think that Russian communists should be worried than this movie is going to tarnish their image.

Just A Friendly Reminder: May Business Meeting and Part 2 of our Annual Convention is Wednesday

May Business Meetings &
LPAC Annual Convention

The Annual Convention has been continued
from the April Meeting to the May Meeting
on WEDNESDAY, May 28th 7:00-9:00p.m.
Jack and Hillary Evans residence
4205 North Washington Road
(West of Ardmore near Noll Park)

Only State and National Members
may vote during LPAC Convention.

Vote For Bob

Former US Congressman Bob Barr is the 2008 Libertarian Candidate for President of the United States. I'll offer him the use of my signs.

EDITOR'S UPDATE:
Wayne Allyn Root also secured the Vice Presidential Candidacy @ the Libertarian National Convention

Citilink trying to cut services before improving them while they have the greatest opportunity to do so

Scott Bryson writes over at American Societal Review and covers the story pretty well so I will defer to him for now.

The Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corporation/Citilink will host the following community information sessions:

Monday, June 2, 6:45-8:30am & 3:45-5:30pm Citilink Superior Street Transfer Facility

Tuesday, June 3, 4:30 - 6:30pm, Fort Wayne Urban League, 2135 S. Hanna Street

Wednesday, June 4, 10:30-Noon, Citilink Administrative Offices, 801 Leesburg Road

Thursday, June 19, 4:30-5:30, Public Hearing, Citilink Administrative Offices, 801 Leesburg Road

Copied from What's Going Down(town) by Scott and Brian Spaulding

Jury duty

I received a jury duty survey the other day. I would guess that being a card-carrying Libertarian would probably keep me from serving as a juror on a drug case. Other than that, I really do look forward to serving on a jury.

I believe that jury duty should be a civic obligation contingent on whether or not one chooses to vote. When a person votes, that person is expressing a preference on who should enact new laws. Since it is more important to enforce existing laws than it is to pass new laws, a person who chooses to vote must also be willing to serve on a jury.

Having said that, if anyone out there wishes to decrease their odds of being picked for a jury, simply do the following:
1. Go to www.lp.org and become a member today.
2. Vote Libertarian. A libertarian society would mean fewer laws, and thus fewer criminal trials involving juries.

Libertarian Party of California and Presidential Candidates respond to Marriage Equality decisions

First let's start with the Libertarian Party of California (Courtesy of Third Party Watch):

The Chair of the Libertarian Party of California said today’s California Supreme Court decision regarding same-sex marriage was the right one, but that it is only a small victory in the larger battle against government interference in marriage.

Kevin Takenaga, chair of the Libertarian Party of California, issued the following statement:

“People who truly cherish freedom see today’s Supreme Court decision as a victory for liberty and common sense. There’s no reason why consenting adults should not be allowed to marry so long as their arrangement doesn’t interfere with any other individual’s ability to live their life in any way they want to.

“Many supporters see the decision as a repudiation of bigotry and narrow-mindedness. But Libertarians also see it as a step towards a revision of the larger public policy issue surrounding marriage. Californians should start asking their elected officials why government is involved in granting marriage licenses at all.

“Adults should be allowed to arrange their personal, financial and legal affairs in any way that best suits their needs. Businesses make private contractual arrangements all the time. Arrangements in the name of marriage should be no different.”

Now the Libertarian Party's POTUSA Candidates (also via Third Party Watch):

Bob Barr | Mike Gravel | George Phillies |

Maplecrest Extension

I was on the fence on the Maplecrest extension project. The purpose of a road is to reduce travel time. If enough time and fuel would be saved by a new road, then the new road construction would be worthwhile.

From Kevin Leininger

Whatever the project's economic impact, it would yield other benefits, said Dan Avery of the Northeast Indiana Regional Coordinating Council, a transportation planning agency. By 2036 the project would reduce travel by 28,500 miles daily, resulting in a savings to drivers of $23.9 million over 25 years. It would also reduce automobile emissions - an important consideration, Councilwoman Paula Hughes said, because Allen County's air quality has at times failed to meet federal standards.

They could have sold me on it if the gas savings to drivers was high enough. According to their own figures, it would take over 50 years to pay for itself through reduced fuel consumption. That’s assuming people still drive cars in the year 2058. Would you start a business that would not make a profit for 5 decades?

It would be like spending $1000 to save $20 a year. You could make more money than you would have saved if you just put that money into a CD.

Hat tip to Fort Wayne Politics

Want to move to the southeast side?

For the low, low price of $129,800 you can live in the same part of town that Phil Marx and I live.

I appreciate the intent the city's intent to revive my corner of the city, but not it's effort. Right now, low cost housing is the southeast quadrant's strongest selling point. I live here because I was able to buy a house for $30K. While low house prices are lamented by many economists, that is exactly what attacts young people to an area. For many folks my age, it is either live on the south side or live with their parents.

Trying to sell a southeast home for 100K is like slapping a Cadillac logo on a Chevy Cavelier and trying to charge twice as much. It may be a good quality home or car, but it simply isn't worth what you are trying to charge for it.

The city also should not be offering grants to those who can afford their own housing

Libertarians At Large goes live from 7-8 pm

Our live hour long call in show Libertarians At Large is hosted by Doug Horner and airs on channels Comcast 57 and Verizon 27 from 7-8 p.m. Tune in as tonights guest will be K. P. Nfr from the Libertarian Party of LaPorte County Indiana. Call in to ask questions or just let us know you are listening. The number is 260-422-8708. Contribute to the conversation.

As always the Libertarian Party of Allen County would like to thank Access Fort Wayne and The Allen County Public Library for providing us these opportunities to serve the public and promote the discussion at all levels of government about what is best for the future of of our communities, state, and nation.

What You Can Do About Gas Prices

As a Libertarian, I cheerfully point out that the federal government is the world's largest consumer of fuel, and that it would use less gas if only it reduced it size and scope. But aside from being used by politicians like me to further our own agendas, high gas prices also encourage people to reduce their own personal consumption. By exercising some personal responsibility, you can do more to reduce what you spend on gas than the government is able or willing to do about gas prices.

Should you give up driving to work? As long as the time you save by driving is worth more than the gas you burn, then it makes perfect economic sense to drive instead of walking, biking, or riding the bus. But you could consider using your time productively while riding the bus by doing work on your laptop. You might also consider canceling your gym membership and ride your bike for free.

Maintain your car better. Change your oil every 3000 miles. Change the air filter whenever it looks dirty. Keep your tires inflated. Clean out all that crap that you've been storing in the trunk or the back seat. Unecesary items in a car reduced fuel milage.

Should you get another car? If the amount you expect to save on gas is greater than the expected depreciation of the car's value, than it would make sense to buy that car. But if you are going to sell that hybrid in 5 years as soon as the fad is over, you might end up selling that car for $10,000 less than what you paid for it while only saving $2000 on gas.

Activity @ TInnel Vision

As of last Wednesday there is activity on Kody Tinnel's Vision with rumors of normal blogging soon. Welcome back to the blogoshpere Kody your wit and demonstrative will have been missed.

The City is in deficit spending mode and they cant make the tough decisions

They want the publics help in deciding what services are to be cut... according to a recent JG story by Benjamin Lanka: Mayor Henry said the following:

Mayor Tom Henry on Thursday wrote off increasing local income taxes as a way to help balance the city’s budget, at least for 2008. Goldner and Councilman Tom Smith, R-1st, applauded the mayor’s decision not to ask for an income tax increase, although Smith said Henry’s decision was more of a formality. Tom Smith said “There’s no chance the council would raise the local option income tax,”

(Class, this is called talking out of both ends of your body, eer, sides of your mouth)

Mayor Henry also said:

1. City must find a way to trim $5.8 million from next year’s budget.

2. Council was wise not to raise the tax last year, and “this year I am going to ask them not to use it again.”

3. Council last year trimmed the 2008 city budget by $3.7 million

4. City faces a budget deficit of $13.2 million in 2010.

5. Henry said he recently approved financing the council’s 2008 CEDIT projects.

5b. Each district council member receives $450,000 in county economic development income taxes.

5c. The three at-large council members split an additional $450,000.

Councilwoman Karen Goldner, D-2nd, said she was glad the 2008 projects were approved. She also said while cutting some of the CEDIT projects might help in the short term, the city must continue to invest in its streets and sewers.

(EDITOR: That is a total of $3,150,000 that we could have gotten back in a tax break or they could have used to balance the budget deficit)

Goldner and Smith represent the neighborhoods in the northeast partnership. They said the mayor’s public meetings were a good start to determining spending priorities. To help fill those deficits, Henry asked residents to place stickers on boards listing general city services, such as police protection and neighborhood code enforcement. Each attendee was given 10 stickers to put next to the services they believed were most vital. The process is planned to be repeated over the next two weeks as Mayor Henry meets with other area partnerships, and the results will be used to help prioritize city spending.

(look ma I got stickers)

Goldner said the task of finding all the cuts would be difficult.“The problem is, the city really doesn’t do anything stupid,” she said. Goldner also said one resident suggested cutting the city’s leaf collection.

(that second statement is a lie! How many condos at Harrison Square have been purchased?)

Robert Bastian, who attended the partnership meeting, said he had concerns about the money the city was spending on its trail system. While he said he liked trails, he wasn’t sure it was the best use of the city’s money. “I’d rather see my money spent on law enforcement, fire protection – stuff like that,” he said.

(BINGO!!)

In addition what about the money from the Light Lease Annuity we have not heard much about that since the election last year but then again he wants us to forget about that till 2009, anyway, so oh well. And how much money was spent on North River and we still dont know the details of the Impact and Environmental Surveys?

Jeff Pruitt now at Fort Wayne Politics and Mike Sylvester last year on this blog as well as myself on F6 went round upon round of how the City was going to screw everything up. We are consistently being proven right. It is time for the citizens of Fort Wayne to collectively give a crap and recall the mayor or for the City Council to give a vote of no confidence - Henry is a balloon when it comes to leading or managing the City.

Future meetings where the citizens get to play with stickers
and tell the City how to do its job are:
Southeast Area Partnership
: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at
Calvary 3rd Presbyterian Church,
4700 S. Anthony Blvd.

Northwest Area Partnership
: 6:30 p.m. Thursday
North Ridge Baptist Church,
1300 E. Cook Road

Southwest Area Partnership
: 6:30 p.m. May 21
Taylor University’s Eicher Commons,
1025 Rudisill Blvd.

LP POTUSA Candidate does Soulja Boi, LOL!

To find out more about Senator Mike Gravel visit his website
To find out more about all candidates for LP POTUSA
Hat tip to John Good for the video @ Left In Aboite

I am not trying to be a prude however do we really want our kids dancing to the lyrics of forced masturbation while treating women like crap and being on the down low (in the closet, but with force) with being gay, and not telling your partners? And on another note people complain about me saying "Grab your future by the balls and crank them till it comes!" but they don't have an issue with these lyrics? If anyone needs the lyrics explained email me privately. Here are the lyrics for yourself:

[Chorus: x2]
Soulja Boy Off In This Hoe
Watch me Crank And
Watch me Roll
Watch me Crank Dat Soulja Boy
Then Super Man Dat Hoe
Now, Watch me Yua....
(Crank Dat Soulja Boy)
Now, Watch me Yua....
(Crank Dat Soulja Boy)
Now, Watch me Yua....
(Crank Dat Soulja Boy)
Now, Watch me Yua....
(Crank Dat Soulja Boy)

[Verse 1:]
Soulja Boy Off In This Hoe
Watch me Lean And Watch Me Rock?
Super Man Dat Hoe
Then Watch me Crank Dat Robocop?
Super Fresh, Now Watch Me Jock
Jocking On Them Haterz Man
When I Do Dat Soulja Boy
I Lean To The Left And Crank Dat Thang
(Now Yua)
I'm Jocking On Yo Bitch Ass
And If We Get The Fightin
Then I'm Cocking On Your Bitch
You Catch Me At Yo Local Party
Yes I Crank It Everyday
Haterz Get Mad Cuz
"I Got Me Some Bathin Apes"

[Chorus x2]

[Verse 2:]
I'm Bouncin On My Toe
Watch Me Super Soak Dat Hoe
I'ma Pass It To Arab
Then He Gon Pass It To The Low (Low)
Haterz Wanna Be Me
Soulja Boy, I'm The Man
They Be Lookin At My Neck
Sayin Is Them Rubberbands Man (Man)
Watch me Do It (Watch Me Do It)
Dance (Dance)
Let Get To It (Let Get To It)
Nope, You Can't Do It Like Me
Hoe, So Don't Do It Like Me
Folk, I Seen You Tryna Do It Like Me
Man That Shit Was Ugly

[Chorus x4]

Study shows conservatives are happier

This study shouldn't suprise anyone. A conservative is a person who wishes to preserve society as it currently is. A person who is content with the status quo has that much more reason to be happy than someone who wishes things were different.

Does this mean that Libertarians are unhappy people? I don't know for sure, because I don't have much observational data. It is not as if Doug Horner and I sit down and talk about our feelings over a cup of chai. But our party is growing, so that is reason enough for me to be happy.

Happiness is relative, though. A man who moves out from under a bridge and into a studio apartment will be happier than a man who is forced to sell his Beverly Hills estate and move into a smaller mansion. Likewise, a Libertarian who wins 8% in an election is bappier than a Republican who gets 41%.

The priorities of large cities

Aside from the presidential election, this should be an interesting year for Washington DC. We get to see if their new stadium solves that city's problems.

Fort Wayne's murder rate is up and a new ballpark is being built. Are we a big city yet?

Local Politics Part One: Your Questions, Some Answers, and Snarky Commentary

Is it unethical for a Libertarian to vote in a closed primary state like Indiana?

That is technically improper as the two major parties absorb their membership roles based on whom votes under which party. However there are two mitigating circumstances which one must consider before choosing to refrain from a primary vote.

According to the basic concepts of Libertarian ideology, the movement, and the bylaws of the Party, you can be a member of more than one political party and still be a Libertarian. Republicans and Democrats might have an coronary over that practice but we still welcome them with open arms to consider our new paradigm of doing things instead of just dealing with politics as usual and the constant pressure of choosing the lesser of two evils. For Example, POTUSA candidate Dr. Ron Paul is both a Republican and a Libertarian.

In addition there is a issue of tradition of practice usurping application of the law, IC 3-10-1-6.

For instance, in the last gubernatorial primary election four years ago, the citizens of Indiana made a decision of their conscience to vote in the Republican primary assuring that Eric "no gay marriage or bust" Miller and his religious zealot cronies didn't come to power by voting for his opponent, Mitch "sell off the state to the highest bidder" Daniels. Did they make the right decision? At the time, an emphatic "Yes!".

In local politics, the practice of bouncing voters between parties is more celebrated publicly and encouraged regularly by both major parties and candidates. There was the old controversy when Graham "build it and they will pay us back in a century" Richards ran against Linda "my family deserves more power" Buskirk whom beat out (stole from) the better candidate of Joseph "reiff of the shire" Squadrito in the primary. There was an active move by Republicans to adamantly vote for Richards over Buskirk whom most felt was a (fill in the blanks, 3 words) and the Party's favorite or enthroned candidate. Was it the right decision? At the time, a fortunate "Yes".

But why did you have to reelect him again in the form of Tom "did you forget to raise the tax levies again" Henry? Oh that's right, the Republicans cant put up a decent candidate or stand behind the one the people choose over their poster child, whom is also up for reelection this year in the other elected executive office he holds currently. Which brings us finally to the example of last years community/civil elections which caused the current state of affairs as far as politics in Allen County goes.

As I like to call it, The Kelty Konundrum, since there are so many issues both legally, politically, and morally, was the hay bale that finally broke the elephants back and showed the fat and the wrinkles for what they are, a broken schismatic political association with a bunch of people fighting for power in a social society rather than serving the citizens of Allen County based on committed ideals and realistic plans of action (please note: the previous statement doesn't apply to all party members just the ones putting their heads up their own and each other's posteriors). It will be interesting to see if the Squirrel Society or the Ron Paul Revolution Groups can pull of a coup d'ta with the Precinct Committee Chairs and Delegates to the either the Allen County or State Conventions of the Republican Party.

What is the current state of affairs in Allen County politics?

The Republican Party of Allen County is broke and shortly to be evicted from its lavish office that was renovated several years ago to be a "lasting testimony" to its Chair's leadership (turn and cough three times) and vision for the future. The Democratic Party of Allen County while gaining so much in the Common Council race last year also is having its share of bad leadership activities and may have opened itself up to campaign finance fraud as reported by local CPA and LPAC's 3rd previous Chair, Mike Sylvester, @ Fort Wayne Politics.

We are not immune from controversy either.

LPAC at the beginning part of this year lost two of its previous Chairpersons to the "dark side", and we had a few CFA forms get filed late last year. It has been a slow but steady transition of power. Because we had the mechanisms in place via our bylaws, some damn good common sense amongst the officers that are currently in charge, and a committed core membership, we were able to succeed in the transition.

We are in the process of posturing LPAC for a full slate of activities in and around the local community and a county wide outreach for this election cycle and into the years that follow. We are not just asking for your vote this fall. We are offering a viable alternative to having to choose between the lesser of two evils. We are asking everyone to help us bring a vision of a different way of doing business throughout all of Allen County's political landscape for years to come. Thank you!