The official blog of the Libertarian Party

« August 2005 | Main | October 2005 »

September 30, 2005

A victory for gun rights in Louisiana

As LP.org previously reported, the New Orleans police superintendent declared that no residents would be allowed to carry firearms of any kind. This superintendent stated in a New York Times interview, "only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons."

On September 23, 2005, a federal judge at the United States District Court for the Eastern District in Louisiana issued a restraining order that temporarily stopped any further gun seizures from law-abiding civilians in New Orleans. The suit was brought by the Second Amendment Foundation and the National Rifle Association.

NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said after the court victory, "This is a significant victory for freedom and for the victims of the Hurricane Katrina. The court's ruling is instant relief for the victims who now have an effective means of defending themselves from the robbers and rapists that seek to further exploit the remnants of their shattered lives."

In emergencies like Hurricane Katrina, the right to bear arms becomes even more important. Robert Pratt, an Election Volunteer Coordinator in Lubbock, Louisiana commented, "The authorities always tell you to call 911. Well, with all the lines down, nobody in New Orleans could call 911. How could people protect themselves?"

Posted by at 04:30 PM | Comments (28)

The U.S. needs more refining capacity

After Hurricane Katrina, gas prices skyrocketed past three dollars a gallon. In the past week prices have fallen to an average $2.81 a gallon nationally.

Fearful of a gas shortage, consumers made a run to the pumps, causing part of the shortage. An underlying reason for the long-term increase in gas prices is the lack of gas refining capacity in the U.S.

Hurricane Katrina exposed how one major storm can deal a devastating blow to America's gasoline supply chain. According to the Wall Street Journal, Katrina alone shut down 10 percent of the national refining capacity.

A new refinery has not been constructed in the United States since 1976. The government has been limiting new refinery construction through excessive environmental regulations.

Refiners spent $47 billion in the past 12 years to comply with a host of environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Oil Pollution Act, the Safe Water Drinking Act and the Clean Water Act, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. By 2012 refiners will be required to comply with an additional 14 major environmental programs, such as the rule to reduce sulfur in gasoline.

The number of refineries in the United States has gone from 325 in 1981 producing 18.6 million barrels per day to 148 at 17 million barrels a day. The United States' refining capacity has gone down while the national demand for gasoline has increased 20 percent during that same period. The price is expected to continue to rise by 1.6 percent annually for the next 25 years.

The government has made it extremely difficult for a company to even attempt to construct a new refinery. Arizona Clean Fuels Yuma has been attempting to obtain the necessary permits for constructing a new refinery for almost seven years according to the Wall Street Journal. Furthermore, the permitting process is subject to court challenges and numerous bureaucratic delays.

If current environmental regulations remain unchanged, high gas prices and energy shortages will become commonplace, and could worsen in the future.

Posted by at 10:16 AM | Comments (55)

September 29, 2005

Woman gets ticket for sitting on park bench with no kids

A 47 year-old woman was sitting alone on bench in a New York City playground when two police officers approached her and handed her a ticket. Her offense? Not being accompanied by a child.

A New York City rule states if an adult is in one of the city's 950 playgrounds they must be accompanied by a minor. If a person violates the rule, they can face a $1000 fine and 90 days in jail.

According to New York City's ABC affiliate, Sandra Catena did not see the sign that displayed the adult accompaniment rule when she sat down on a bench in the Rivington Playground on Manhattan's East Side. She sat on the bench to wait for an arts festival to start. When the police officers approached Sandra Catena, they asked her if she was with a child. When she confirmed that she was not, she received a ticket.

A similar incident happened last year at another New York City playground. Gary McKenzie was waiting for his wife and kids to meet him while sitting on a bench in Wingate Park. McKenzie said an officer came up to him and "asked if my child was with me. When I replied no, he gave me a ticket."

McKenzie further complained, "the cop should have given me a warning or asked me to move. I didn't know there was such a law."

According to the New York City Parks Department, the rule is in place to keep pedophiles out of city playgrounds. Also many parents in the past have complained of adults in city playgrounds drinking and smoking near their children.

Referring to the arrest of Sandra Catena, the parks department said they hoped the police officers would use some common sense when enforcing the rule.

Posted by at 10:39 AM | Comments (36)

September 28, 2005

President Bush wants expanded military role for natural disasters

President Bush wants the Pentagon to be in charge of responding to natural disasters, terrorist attacks and mass disease outbreaks. He suggested to Congress to give him the authority to give the Pentagon automatic control in response to a natural disaster, terrorist attack or major disease outbreak. This would remove a governor's involvement in responding to a natural disaster and federalize the relief effort.

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour used their authority to decline President Bush's request to federalize their respective state's National Guard troops. The new plan suggested by President Bush would end gubernatorial involvement and the Department of Defense would become responsible for the oversight of the emergency response.

Military involvement on this level is illegal under current American law. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 prohibits federal troops from performing law enforcement duties.

Many Americans oppose using the U.S. military to perform police duties on American soil. The national security policy counsel for the ACLU, Timothy Edgar said, "using the military in domestic law enforcement is generally a bad idea. I'm afraid that it will have unforeseen consequences for civil liberties."

Edgar further added, "Our strict separation between military and civilian power is one of the things that separates us from Latin America, for example. Changing that would put us on a huge slippery slope."

Even some military experts believe having the Department of Defense in charge of responding to emergency disasters would sap its resources and make disaster relief a low priority, according to the Wall Street Journal. David Liebersbach, the director of Alaska's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said, "asking the military to lead disaster management would require huge amounts of resources and effort to coordinate with local governments. It would be a distraction from their war-fighting missions."

Liebersbach also found through his experience that the military has problems running emergency disaster response because "they're not very used to working with civilian populations that have rights."

The Bush administration is looking to correct the slow federal response to Hurricane Katrina with expanded federal control in response to emergency disasters and by significantly reducing a state's authority to respond.

Posted by at 02:55 PM | Comments (32)

September 27, 2005

New study finds federal regulations cost the American public $1.1 trillion

A study conducted by W. Mark Crain, a George Mason University economist determined federal regulations cost consumers and businesses $1.1 trillion every year, with a disproportionate burden falling on small businesses. If each American household paid an equal share, each would owe $10,172.

According to the study, these regulations cost $2,400 on a per-employee basis, creating a financial burden that is 45 percent greater for small businesses.

Environmental and tax compliance regulations are the driving force in what causes the most severe burden on small businesses. For example, the cost of tax compliance is 67 percent higher in small firms than the cost in large firms.

Even though regulations burden businesses, it does not mean consumers are not affected. Often times, businesses will look to pass on the regulatory costs to consumers, when they can, in the form of higher prices.

Federal regulations are frequently overlooked by the general public and are less visible than taxes or spending. Through regulation, Congress can implement new programs without having to spend tax dollars to fund them. According to the Cato Institute, the passing of new regulations allows Congress to avoid accountability and blame agencies for costs.

In the absence of a third party evaluation, it is unclear whether the 'benefits' truly outweigh the 'costs' of a federal regulation, since many agencies perform self audits that almost never declare a particular regulation unnecessary.

Posted by at 03:26 PM | Comments (37)

September 26, 2005

Bush administration's new priority: Adult pornography

U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has made fighting obscenity one of his top priorities. It is part of a Congress-mandated initiative to wage war on pornography. The FBI is currently recruiting agents to join an anti-obscenity task force.

According to the Washington Post, the task force will have eight field agents, a supervisor and some support staff to gather evidence against "manufacturers and purveyors" of adult pornography.

Apparently terrorism, public corruption, cyber-crimes, money laundering and even child pornography are much lesser priorities to the Bush administration.

A FBI headquarters memo that was reported in the Washington Post stated "based on a review of pass successful cases in a variety of jurisdictions", the best chance in obtaining a conviction with pornography is to include behavior such as "bestiality, urination, defecation, as well as sadistic and masochistic behavior."

The creation of the anti-obscenity task force has not generated much enthusiasm among FBI agents. One anonymous agent said "I guess this means we've won the war on terror. We must not need any more resources for espionage."

The impetus behind the "war on porn" is Christian conservative groups, such as the Family Research Council who see pornography as a threat to families and children.

Much to the distaste of Christian conservatives, porn has become more accepted and mainstream. Established corporations such as Time Warner, Inc., Marriott, DirectTV, and the Hilton hotel chain depend on pornography as a major source of revenue.

According to the Justice Department's Brian Roehrkasse, fighting the war on terrorism is still their top priority but "it is not our sole priority. In fact, Congress has directed the department to focus on other priorities, such as obscenity."

Posted by at 05:02 PM | Comments (41)

September 24, 2005

LP Weekly Update - 092405

Dear Friends,

I write to you this Saturday morning after watching the impact of hurricane Rita through the night and morning hours. I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief as the damage and loss of life will not compare with that seen by Katrina. We will keep an eye on the situation throughout the weekend and if we identify any communities that are in need of direct assistance we will send an alert to our e-mail list.

While we monitor the situation on the Gulf Coast, we haven't taken our eyes off of the politicians in Washington. President Bush, as noted in the Washington Post, is attempting to regain his "swagger" by keeping a close watch over Texas. The president had planned on intervening in the situation by meeting search and rescue teams yesterday, possibly slowing relief efforts. Thankfully, common sense got the better of him and he decided to head to Colorado to monitor the situation.

Our policy analyst, Matt Dailey, has been busy this week uncovering government outrages and sheer silliness. Be sure to check the LP.org blog to read his work. This morning Matt has been deployed to the Iraq war protests here in Washington, D.C. to meet with the various groups. We'll get his report later in the week along with a few photos.

This week at Headquarters, we began installation and testing of online course software that will enable us to offer various political courses to our members and state affiliates. Course development will begin next week with the hopes of launching our first courses in the coming months.

Additionally this week, we began planning for a voter identification project. Our competitors, the R's and the D's, have been utilizing voter databases for many years. We'll be jumpstarting the project so that the LP can gear up for the 2006 elections. I'll be sure to send regular updates as to our progress and what you may be able to do to assist with our efforts.

Right now, your financial assistance is crucial as we experienced a sharp drop in donations after hurricane Katrina. To help us continue moving forward with the above projects, a donation from you of $25, $45 or more would be put to immediate use. To make an online donation right now, click here.

You can take your support a step further by joining our pledge program. Pledges can now be set up over our website, so to start your monthly pledge today, click here.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us directly by sending an e-mail to info@lp.org or by calling 202-333-0008.

Best Regards,

Shane Cory
Chief of Staff
National Libertarian Party

Posted by Shane Cory at 02:01 PM | Comments (17)

September 23, 2005

Warning: French fries may cause cancer

California's attorney general, Bill Lockyer is trying the force food companies to place warning labels on French fries and potato chips. It is not because they contain unhealthy trans fats but because they contain a chemical called acrylamide. This chemical has been known to cause cancer in laboratory rats and mice, but has not been proven to cause cancer in humans.

Acrylamide is created when the amino acid asparagine is heated above 250 degrees in the presence of sugars and starches. Starchy foods like potatoes and French fries have high levels of the chemical. Foods such as breads, cereals, and roasted nuts contain low levels of acrylamide.

The attorney general has already filed suit against McDonald's, Burger King, Frito-Lay and six other food companies to force them to place labels on fries and potato chips sold in California as reported in the New York Times. Most likely the warning label would state: "This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer."

The state of California's move to place labels on potatoes and fries is being opposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The federal agency has wide authority to regulate labels on food products. Lester M. Crawford, the FDA commissioner said any attempt by California to regulate acrylamide could "conflict with federal law."

The FDA went even further, commenting that high consumption of foods that contain acrylamide would not pose a health risk. In addition, the FDA voiced concerns about using labels, stating they would "confuse consumers" and create "unnecessary public alarm."

Critics say the California attorney general is using a double standard. Elizabeth Whelan, executive director of the American Council on Science and Health notes that black olives also have high acrylamide levels. In a New York Times interview, Whelan comments, "this is really just another attack on what we call junk food". Black olives have a high level of acrylamide due to the chemical process which gives them their black color

If the California attorney general does not succeed in its suit, legal observers say it could lead to further action. Other states look to California as a regulatory trendsetter.

Posted by at 05:15 PM | Comments (34)

September 22, 2005

Florida Libertarian organizes car wash for hurricane victims

Florida Libertarian Scott Palacheck was looking to organize something on his own to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. He decided to organize a car wash where he lives in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Scott Palacheck is not the only Libertarian who is getting involved; another local libertarian group, the Libertarian Party of Pinellas County organized a blood drive and solicited donations for the American Red Cross.

The car wash took a life of its own and grew in popularity. "The car wash blossomed into a neighborhood event," Palacheck commented. Many local businesses contributed to the event. CVS Pharmacy donated the use of their parking lot for the car wash. The local McDonalds donated hamburgers to feed volunteers. Fast Signs, a local sign business donated two banners to advertise the event.

The charity event became so popular the mayor of St. Petersburg, Republican Rick Baker made a surprise visit and engaged the volunteers in conversation. The local newspaper Tampa Tribune covered the car wash in a Sept. 10 article.

The charity car wash started early in the morning and raised over 700 dollars in less than eight hours. All the proceeds went to the Tampa Bay chapter of the American Red Cross.

Palacheck discussed volunteering in an interview, saying "Helping people is non-partisan." One car wash customer complimented the volunteers saying "These are good young people. Bless them. It's just amazing."

Palacheck plans on keeping the website that helped coordinate the car wash, DisasterHelp, up and running to continue to organize or publicize future charity events.

Posted by at 11:40 AM | Comments (27)

New Jersey LP gubernatorial candidate faces setback with the debates

Jeff Pawlowski, the Libertarian Party candidate for the New Jersey gubernatorial race received a hearing yesterday at Middlesex County Superior Court that forced the New Jersey Network (NJN) to "show cause" on why they excluded him from the Sept. 20 televised debate.

Pawlowski's campaign used the argument because NJN is a public funded television and radio station it cannot prevent the candidate from participating in the debate. NJN at the hearing cited "editorial and journalistic privilege" for the reason behind excluding Pawlowski.

Unfortunately the judge ruled in favor of New Jersey Network and did not grant the order to stop the debate. The judge felt the Pawlowski campaign did not demonstrate that their exclusion from the debate would cause irreparable harm to the candidate. Since there would be other debates scheduled at a later date, the judge ruled the exclusion from the first televised debate would not cause irreparable harm to the campaign. The Pawlowski campaign has countered by being left out of the debate they are missing critical media exposure with less than 7 weeks to the general election.

The campaign team further argued Pawlowski was deemed a qualified candidate for the public debates by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission having raised $300,000 in deposits and therefore should have been included in the NJN debate.

The Pawlowski campaign was notified just a few days before the date of the hearing and subsequently had little time to prepare despite retaining a legal counsel. Jay Boucher, vice president of the Pawlowski campaign said they might bring another case against NJN.

Pawlowski is scheduled to appear in the Oct. 18 debate where the primary sponsor is the League of Women Voters. It is still unclear whether all four candidates will appear at the Oct. 18 debate. Also the regional news cable channel, News 12 has invited Pawlowski to a debate on Nov. 3.

Posted by at 11:00 AM | Comments (8)

September 21, 2005

Iowa District 1

In this installment of our ongoing series that takes an early look at the 2006 House races we examine Iowa's first congressional district. The seat is now held by Republican Jim Nussle who has decided to enter the Iowa gubernatorial race. This congressional race is already shaping up to be a crowded field of candidates. The first congressional district of Iowa consists of the northeastern corner of Iowa and includes the cities of Manchester, Independence, and Davenport.

Iowa State Rep. Bill Dix is the early Republican frontrunner, having already raised over $200,000 for his campaign. The other two declared Republicans competing for the party's nomination are Brian Kennedy, political consultant and former Republican state chair and Mark Whalen, hotel and restaurant owner.

For the Democrats, former Iowa Trial Lawyers Association President Bruce Braley is leading the pack among his fellow party candidates. Community Development Executive Rick Dickinson and former State Senator Bill Gluba are the other Democrats who will meet in the party primary.

The Libertarian Party does not have a declared candidate for this congressional race. The district has been competitive in recent elections. In the 2004 1st congressional race Jim Nussle beat Bill Gluba 55 to 43 percent. A Libertarian Party candidate entering the race could act as a "spoiler" and hurt the other two major party candidates.

Posted by at 01:40 PM | Comments (21)

September 20, 2005

British food aid for hurricane victims held up by the FDA

The British government in an effort to help victims of Hurricane Katrina shipped 400,000 MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) to the United States.

The Food and Drug Administration astonishingly impounded the food aid and declared it unfit for human consumption. These ration packs are the very same used by British troops stationed in Iraq.

Britain is not the only country where aid they sent to the U.S. is being delayed, food from Spain and Italy are also being held up.

The reason behind the delay is FDA restrictions regarding the import and export of meat. Due to the fact the MRE's have meat content and are from Britain federal regulations say it must be destroyed. These import restrictions are a result from the mad cow disease scare from the 1990's.

A British aid worker commented, "If they are trying to argue there is a BSE [mad cow disease] reason then that is ludicrously out of date. There is more BSE in the States than there ever was in Britain and UK meat has been safe for years."

If this bureaucratic mess is not straightened out soon, all of the 400,000 MRE's donated by Britain will be burned at an FDA incineration plant according to the UK Mirror.

Ironically, American soldiers are allowed to use the very same food packs when under NATO command.

Posted by at 02:56 PM | Comments (22)

September 19, 2005

George W. Bush turning into LBJ?

In the wake of the much criticized federal response to Hurricane Katrina, President Bush addressed the nation from New Orleans last Thursday in a rare primetime speech. Bush's approval ratings have sunk to new lows for his presidency.

To counter the public perception of the president's lack of leadership during the crisis, Bush vowed to use the full power of the federal government, working with state and local authorities for the reconstruction effort. He promised "federal funds will cover the great majority of the costs of repairing public infrastructure in the disaster zone."

Looking to rebuild his image Bush outlined his reconstruction plan that included more federal involvement despite their slow response and promised plenty of federal handouts.

Rather than have the federal government step aside and let the state and local governments and private charities that are closer to the situation take the lead in the reconstruction, President Bush is using the opportunity to expand federal power.

He has directed the Department of Homeland Security to register any evacuee living in a shelter, church or private home no matter if they are in the Gulf region, using the reason "we need to know who you are, because many of you will also be eligible for broader assistance in the future."

Bush during his speech, completely abandoned trying to portray himself as a conservative modeled after Ronald Reagan and fully embraced a more free-spending liberal image that resembled Lyndon B. Johnson.

Bush used language in his speech that echoed the Great Society, "We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action. So let us restore all that we have cherished from yesterday, and let us rise above the legacy of inequality." Like LBJ, Bush has devised several new federal initiatives such as Gulf Opportunity Zones, Worker Recovery Accounts, and an Urban Homestead Act.

The current estimate to rebuild the Gulf Coast is in the neighborhood of around $100 billion. Despite runaway spending and the ongoing occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, Bush has already promised there would be no need for a tax increase, vaguely stating he would cut "unnecessary spending."

Bush was also unfazed about the pending hit to the federal budget, commenting, "well, it's going to cost whatever it costs."

Posted by at 03:27 PM | Comments (45)

September 16, 2005

Hurricane Katrina creates storm of wasteful spending

To fund the reconstruction in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Congress recently approved $62 billion to be contributed to the effort. The majority of the funds will go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

To combat the initial slowness of their response, the federal government has moved to a hurried, hastily organized large-scale relief effort, complete with the handing out of $2000 debit cards to hurricane victims with almost no restrictions. There have already been reports of the debit cards being used for recreational purposes such as purchasing designer handbags and being used at strip clubs in the Houston area according to WorldNetDaily.

There have already been accusations of fraud and waste resulting from no-bid hurricane relief projects awarded by FEMA. The companies who received the contracts have political connections with the Bush administration, such as the Fluor Corporation of California, a major contributor to the Republican Party and the Shaw Group of Baton Rouge who is a client of Joe M. Allbaugh, former director of FEMA and President Bush's campaign manager in 2000 and currently a consultant as reported in the New York Times.

In the Wednesday edition of the New York Times it was reported a Halliburton subsidiary, Kellogg Brown & Root received a $500 million contract from the Defense Department to perform major repairs at Navy facilities.

Congress has allowed federal employees who are involved in the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts the use of government-issued credit cards with a new credit line of $250,000. Many critics have said the enormous increase in the spending limit is an invitation for abuse.

Over 250,000 federal employees have government-issued credit cards with a credit limit that is usually $2,500.

There has been documented abuse of government-issued credit cards by federal employees in the past. Some of the wasteful purchases included hiring prostitutes, gambling activity, and breast implants. Navy employees even used their government-issued cards to purchase New York Yankees and Los Angeles Lakers tickets as reported on FoxNews.com.

This is not the first time in the aftermath of a hurricane where the federal government mismanaged millions of dollars in relief funds. FEMA was severely criticized for financial mismanagement after a hurricane hit Florida in 2004.

It appears Hurricane Katrina has also created a storm of wasteful federal spending.

Posted by at 02:29 PM | Comments (52)

September 15, 2005

Judge Roberts confirmation hearings

The confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge John Roberts are winding down, with a projected Senate vote by the end of September.

As with past nominees who appeared before the committee, Roberts declined to answer questions that would reveal how he would rule in a particular case or his views on certain controversial issues.

Judge Roberts was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and therefore does not have a long established record of rulings. During questioning by senators on the Judiciary Committee, Roberts did give some insight into his personal views.

Roberts indicated he would follow the Constitution when deciding a case, but does not take a rigid view of the document. He believed the Supreme Court should have a limited role to interpret the law and not make policy as reported on FoxNews.com.

He believes the right to privacy is protected under the Constitution. He also agreed that the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war. In supporting American sovereignty, Roberts opposes the use of foreign law in deciding U.S. court cases.

This comes as encouraging news to libertarians. On the other hand, Roberts is a nominee of President George W. Bush and the administration could very well be hiding some of Robert's legal views that might reflect a far-right agenda. It has been reported in USA Today President Bush is looking for court nominees that are similar to conservative justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

Some speculate, based on Roberts' testimony on Wednesday, he would be a justice modeled after Rehnquist, where he previously worked under as a law clerk.

It remains unclear to what kind of chief justice John Roberts will turn out to be. When looking at the Roberts nomination in light of President Bush's past decisions, it does not inspire much confidence.

Posted by at 04:46 PM | Comments (42)

September 13, 2005

Taking Katrina to a New Extreme

This week's "outrage" is a must read. In case you missed it, here's an excerpt:

In disarming people who have committed no crime -- and who own their firearms legally -- the police are creating new enemies and robbing themselves of valuable allies in the struggle against mayhem in New Orleans.

As a press release from the Gun Owners of America noted, there have been many reports of gun owners defending themselves against armed intruders and looters -- many of whom were released from local prisons by so-called public servants.

Using their constitutional right to own and bear arms, these people protected themselves rather than relying on a police force that was in disarray.

And how are they thanked by bureaucrats in the city of New Orleans? They find themselves vilified by a police state intent on criminalizing those who defend themselves. The police in New Orleans (as in many other American cities) have proven that they aren't capable of protecting the citizenry -- witness murders, rapes and various other violent crimes in the Superdome, which was set aside as an official safe area -- and they now want to ensure that the citizens aren't able to defend themselves, as well.

New Orleans' law-abiding citizens have suffered enough. They've been hit by mighty winds, by flooding caused when ill-maintained government-funded levees broke, by opportunistic looters who roam the streets looking for unprotected homes, and by a government that has turned away assistance from many sources.

Provide your thoughts below.

Posted by Shane Cory at 10:31 AM | Comments (47)

September 09, 2005

LP Weekly Update - 09/09/05

Dear Friends,

We've been busy this week with assistance efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. We initially intended to locate a few families who needed assistance but we actually identified an entire town that could use our help - Franklin, LA.

Let me take a minute to tell you about the situation in Franklin.

Once the levees broke in New Orleans, the churches in Franklin led by the mayor of Franklin immediately set up 15 shelters around their small town. The first residents in the shelters were Red Cross volunteers who were lost on their way to New Orleans. Upon leaving, the Red Cross told the leaders of Franklin that they were doing a great job and there was nothing that they could do better.

The evacuees of New Orleans began to stream into Franklin shortly thereafter. They took in 75 people the first night and the number quickly grew to 500. The small community is doing its best to meet both immediate and long-term needs. They have already relocated 40 families to new homes with the deposit, first-month's rent, and utilities paid. So far, Franklin - with a population of 8,500 - has helped 3,500 people.

Franklin is doing the best job possible on their own without FEMA or government support. Knowing this, the government is now trying to take over operations. According to Brad Bullock, pastor of the one of the largest churches in the town, "they want the credit for doing a good job." The mayor and the leaders of the community do not want FEMA to come in and mess things up with their red tape and bureaucracy.

I alerted you and other members earlier this week via e-mail to the situation in Franklin and the support is already coming in. The great news about helping this community is that 100% of the donations sent to Franklin will go to the victims of Katrina.

If you would like to support the victims of Katrina that are sheltered in Franklin, LA, please send support to the following address:

First Assembly of God
1096 Northwest Boulevard
Franklin, LA 70538

Specify "For Hurricane Relief" on all checks

Our staff has been assisting those affected by Katrina on top of their daily duties. However, we have already begun to feel the financial impact of this disaster. The returns on our fundraising efforts have taken a large hit since the hurricane landed last week. We expect this to be ongoing for some time as our supporters are stretched thin assisting others. You may recall that the LP took a major funding hit following the terrorist attacks four years ago.

If you have the ability to make an extra donation to the National LP at this time, your help would be greatly appreciated. To contribute online immediately, visit our contribution page at LP.org. If you would like to set up a monthly pledge, please contact Jessica Wilson by sending an e-mail to pledge@lp.org.

Thank you for your assistance to our hurricane relief efforts and for helping us through this time as well.

Best Regards,

Shane Cory
Chief of Staff
National Libertarian Party

Posted by Shane Cory at 05:35 PM | Comments (29)

Katrina's Final Act

By Stephen Gordon

From the Arizona Republic:

Compass, the police superintendent, said that after a week of near-anarchy in the city, no civilians in New Orleans will be allowed to carry pistols, shotguns or other firearms of any kind.

"Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons," he said.

Both novelists and historians agree that when a police state obtains enough power to begin absolute tyrannical control, there are several things they always do: declare martial law, establish curfews, force movements of large bodies of people, disrupt private commerce enough that people are forced to rely on the government, and seize private weapons.

Hitler did it. Various Soviet leaders did. America is not blameless in this regard, as we interned the Japanese during WWII and treated the Native Americans with much greater horrors. The movie Red Dawn is being played out before our eyes, but with a relocation of the setting from Colorado to Louisiana -- and our own government being the oppressor this time.

The article continues:

But that order apparently does not apply to the hundreds of security guards whom businesses and some wealthy individuals have hired to protect their property. The guards, who are civilians working for private security firms like Blackwater, are openly carrying M-16s and other assault rifles.

Compass said that he is aware of the private guards but that the police have no plans to make them give up their weapons.

The ubiquitous criticisms of the government for refusing to let water, medical supplies and food into the area are bad enough. The amount of medical, utility, and rescue workers who have not been allowed into the disaster area, or misused for PR purposes is worse. But the story continues to become scarier . . .

The combination of martial law, curfews, forcible removal of people from their private property, diasporas (at gunpoint) of a very unique local culture, mandated resettlement, and seizure of private weapons has created a new breed of hurricane victim. In New Orleans and surrounding areas, the U.S. Constitution is now as dead as the storm victims. The devastation started by Mother Nature is being completed by the state.

Posted by Shane Cory at 03:35 PM | Comments (35)

Colorado District 7

In this installment of our continuing look at the 2006 House races we take a look at Colorado's 7th Congressional District. It is a district located in the Denver suburbs. The incumbent Bob Beauprez is another congressman who is leaving his office to pursue the Colorado governorship. Political pundits consider this open seat to be competitive.

The early frontrunner for the Republicans is state education chairman Rick O'Donnell. The other active Republican candidate is Mark Paschall, the Jefferson County Treasurer. For the Democratic Party, former State Senator Ed Perlmutter leads the early polls in his party. Other candidates include former State Rep. Peggy Lamm and attorney Herb Rubenstein.

The Libertarian Party of Colorado does not have a candidate yet for the race according to Colorado State Chair Travis Nicks. He stated that as of now no one has come forward yet expressing interest in running. Nicks further stated any interested parties in running for the seat should contact their Campaigns Director, Leah Kelley at campaignsdirector@lpcolorado.org or at 303-268-6015.

Posted by at 12:22 PM | Comments (8)

September 08, 2005

Katrina Assistance Alert - Efforts in Franklin, LA

Dear Friend:

Pastor Brad Bullock just contacted us regarding the efforts to assist hurricane victims in Franklin, LA. He is the pastor of the First Assembly of God, one of the largest churches in Franklin.

A network of churches in Franklin was quick to aid the victims of Katrina and a fund has been setup to offer direct aid for those in need, information is listed below.

The Franklin community is finding homes and providing first month's rent and utilities for individuals who can provide a proof of income. Pastor Bullock will let us know how we can assist those who do not have income or lost their jobs in the disaster.

Pastor Bullock also noted that they sheltered the Red Cross for a day as they were lost on their way to New Orleans. The Red Cross moved on from Franklin saying that they were doing a great job and they could not do much better. Bullock also noted that the government is now attempting to take over shelter and aid efforts in the town. They are resisting as the network of churches has no "red tape" and has already found homes for 20 families.

To assist this Franklin community and their efforts to help the victims of Katrina, send goods, or donations to the following:

First Assembly of God
1096 Northwest Boulevard
Franklin, LA 70538

Specify on all checks "Hurricane Relief"

Last Minute Update: I just spoke with the mayor of Franklin, Raymond Harris. He verified that the best way to give financially to the effort is to send to the church above who has setup a pooled account for the community (note that donations already sent to the Full Gospel Community Church will be redirected to the pooled account).

Mayor Harris stated that they specifically need medical supplies (not Tylenol or aspirin), women's underwear and bedding material (sheets, blankets, cots, etc.). This is in addition to financial support for housing expenses. If you need specifics on the needed medical supplies, please contact the church directly at 337-828-7000 (you may receive a busy signal but please keep trying).

Please refer any questions and note your support by writing to us at Katrina@lp.org.

Best Regards,

Shane Cory
Chief of Staff
National Libertarian Party

Posted by Shane Cory at 01:40 PM | Comments (0)

Katrina Assistance Alert - Full Gospel Community Church

Dear Friend:

The National Libertarian Party has been working to locate families and organizations that desperately need assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We will be e-mailing and posting details on LP.org as information flows in.

Louisiana State Chair Vinson Mouser will work to keep us up to date regarding individuals and families who are in need along with displaced members of the Libertarian Party. We greatly appreciate his assistance and service.

Mr. Mouser alerted us just a few minutes ago of a small church in Franklin, LA that is in need of "everything" - financial assistance, canned food, clothing, etc. They are housing and assisting victims of Katrina along with placing people in the homes of their members.

Below is the message from Lee Horne relayed through Vinson Mouser:

----------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a recent email from Lee Horne, our Representative in the Bayou District. Included is the information about the church etc..

A pooled account for the community has been established and checks may be mailed to:

First Assembly of God
1096 Northwest Boulevard
Franklin, LA 70538

Specify on all checks "Hurricane Relief"

Canned food, dry goods, commodities, in other words, STUFF that is not money can be sent directly to the church:

Full Gospel Community Church
627 Twelfth Street
Franklin, LA 70538-0999

------------------------------------------------------------

If you have information on victims of Katrina who need assistance, please call 202-333-0008 or write to Katrina@lp.org.

Best Regards,

Shane Cory
Chief of Staff
National Libertarian Party

--------------------------------
UPDATE
--------------------------------

I just spoke with Mrs. Davis at the Full Gospel Community Church. More families came in last night from other shelters where conditions were poor. She also noted that a mother needed help with funeral arrangements for her two babies who drowned in the flooding. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Additionally, Mrs. Davis will be staying in contact to let me know if any families are willing to relocate to other areas. Once we have more information, I will post as soon as possible.

--------------------------------
UPDATE - 2
--------------------------------

The passenger van for the church just went out. They are in need of a large van to help shuttle victims. If you have a van that can be donated, please contact Mrs. Davis directly at 337-828-0080.

Posted by Shane Cory at 11:29 AM | Comments (9)

September 06, 2005

Ways to Help Hurricane Katrina Victims

Listed below are ways you can help those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

For those who wish to volunteer living nationwide:

Network for Good (http://www.networkforgood.org)
Website where people can search for volunteer opportunities at charitable organizations in their area.

VolunteerMatch (http://www.volunteermatch.org)
Online resource for those looking to get involved in the hurricane relief efforts

America's Second Harvest (www.secondharvest.org)
Nationwide network of food banks. Food donations from individuals or companies accepted. Check their website for more details and to sign-up.

Katrina Disaster Assistance: Accommodations Locator (http://www.rc-katrina.com/)
Website sponsored by The MoveOnIn Network that provides an opportunity for anyone residing in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana or Alabama that are willing to offer temporary accommodations for those displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

HurricaneHousing.org (http://www.hurricanehousing.org)
Online clearinghouse where anyone can sign up online to offer housing to hurricane victims and where hurricane evacuees can locate housing.

For those who wish to volunteer that live in the Houston area:

Volunteer Houston (http://volunteerhouston.org/)
Connects volunteers in the Houston area to local non-profit organizations involved in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts

Greater Houston YMCA (http://www.ymcahouston.org)
Collecting prepaid grocery, gasoline and phone cards. Donations will be accepted today, September 6 at Sharpstown Mall, Thursday, September 8 at Memorial City Mall and Friday, September 9 at Almeda Mall, noon-7 p.m. each day. Houston-area YMCAs will accept cards through September.

Houston Food Bank (www.houstonfoodbank.org)
The Houston Food Bank needs volunteers and paper goods, cleaning supplies, bottled water, peanut butter, heat-and-eat foods, single-serving foods and snacks that don't require refrigeration, and cash. Information: 713-223-3700

Star of Hope (www.sohmission.org/main.asp)
24 Hour Info Line: 713-226-5499
The United Way has designated Houston's Star of Hope Mission as one of the main distributors of clothes for victims of Katrina.
Star of Hope will be accepting donations of clothes (including new underwear and diapers) ANY HOUR OF THE DAY at any of their three Shelters:
Women and Family Emergency Shelter: 713-222-2220
Transitional Living Center: 713-748-0700
Men's Development Center: 713-227-8900
Please visit their website for further information on specific needs.

For those who wish to volunteer that live near Louisiana:

LifeShare Blood Centers
Donors who are at least 17 years old can donate blood from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Baton Rouge General Medical Center Mid City, 3600 Florida Blvd. and from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the General's Bluebonnet campus, 8585 Picardy Ave. (225) 383-7728. There are also centers in Alexandria, Bossier City, Monroe, Shreveport, Lake Charles and Beaumont, Texas.

People with boats
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries wants potential volunteers offering to use their personal watercraft to call the department before going to the rescue area. They must be able to transport and operate their boats, have provisions for three days - including fuel, food, water and bedding, and be able-bodied and capable of lifting 100 pounds. The telephone numbers are 225-765-2706 or 1-800-256-2749, ext. 0. Those lines will be answered from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays.

Womem's Hope Center
The Women's Hope Center in Denham Springs needs diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, juice, car seats, baby bedding, new baby bottles, baby clothing. Anything a mother and baby/toddler can use. Drop off at 222 Veteran's Blvd. Suite C off Range Ave. today, Friday and Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call (225) 665-0214 or (225) 665-0246. Monetary donations can be mailed to: P.O. Box 1240, Walker, La. 70785.

Volunteers at LSU
Health-care volunteers are needed at the Baton Rouge campus. Shoes and men's clothing also are needed. New Orleans area evacuees are expected to be at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and the Carl Maddox Field House for several days.

Lafourche Parish
Kajuns for Katrina, spearheaded by state Rep. Karen St. Germain, D-Pierre Part, and the Pierre Part Knights of Columbus Council 5352, are preparing meals and collecting truckloads of relief items for New Orleans area refugees sheltered at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.
Residents may drop off clothing and bedding at Pierre Part Middle School, hygiene items and nonperishable food products at Too's Seafood and Steak House and monetary donations made to the Kajuns for Katrina fund at any Hibernia National Bank branch. (985) 252-0100.

Posted by at 01:29 PM | Comments (62)