Libertarians Begin to File for 2010 Elections

Several Libertarians filed to run for office on February 8, the first day of filing for the 2010 elections.

Those filing at the State Board of Election on Monday included Dr. Mike Beitler of Greensboro, filing to run for US Senate, Thomas Hill of Concord, seeking the office of US Congress, District 8, and Tom Rose of Benson, filing for US Congress, District 2. Additionally, filing at their county Boards were Richard Evey of Morganton, who filed for State Senate, District 44, and Jeff Simon of Greensboro, who filed for NC House, District 62.

Filing continues until noon on February 26.

Discover more about these and other Libertarian candidates in this year's NC election by checking 2010 Election.

Mike Munger on Libertarian Positions

Note from Mike: There is a mistake. The 70% figure is an exaggeration, for LASIK. And the numbers are wrong. Instead, it should be more like 50%, and the cost has gone down from $2,500 to $1,250.

Appeals Court Panel Rules for State Tue, 20 Oct 2009

RALEIGH (Oct. 20) — The N.C. Appeals Court decision upholding the state's restrictive ballot access laws is "a shameful day for our state," said Dr. Mike Munger, 2008 Libertarian Party candidate for governor.

"I am sympathetic to the position the judges find themselves in," Dr. Munger said. "While we wish that the other two members of the panel had voted with Judge (Ann Maria) Calabria, the core problem here is in the General Assembly."

Dr. Munger, chair of Duke University political science department agreed that judges properly show substantial deference to the legislature in these sorts of 'time, place, and manner' of elections.

"But at some point our justice system is going to have to take up the cause of the citizens, because right now the General Assembly is letting us down," he said.

"The North Carolina Constitution guarantees a citizen's right to vote for the party or candidate of their choice. Right now, that right is being denied. The courts are bending over backwards to give the legislature a chance to make this right. So, for now, the ball is once more in the court of the General Assembly."

"The problem is that neither the Democrat nor Republican power-brokers want to let anyone else in on their duopoly," said Barbara Howe, Libertarian Party state chair.

Howe said that in the next election cycle, North Carolina will probably have the largest signature requirement of any state, an estimated 90,000 signatures just to be able to put a name on the ballot.

"Our question to the General Assembly is: Are you going to continue to shame North Carolina with some of the most restrictive laws in the nation," said Howe.

"Or are you going to bring laws in North Carolina into balance with those of the rest of the states? States like South Carolina, which require only 10,000 signatures to get on the ballot? Or Tennessee, which requires only 25 signatures."

Since this was a 2-1 decision the full court will automatically hear the case if one of the parties requests it. Howe said the Libertarians will almost certainly make such a request.

Howe said Libertarians were heartened by Judge Calabria's dissenting opinion, in which she said, "North Carolina's two percent statewide requirements for both ballot access and ballot retention place too onerous a burden on the fundamental rights of members of third parties under the State Constitution."

Judge Calabria noted that the state permits ballot access under far less burdensome requirements for unaffiliated candidates, and thus has proven that it can accomplish its "compelling interest" in ballot regulation in a less restrictive fashion.

The "… compelling interests of the people of North Carolina … are thwarted by the ballot access statutes," the judge said.

While it is ultimately the role of the legislature, rather than the court, to determine a precise method of ballot access and retention, she said. "However, ballot access statutes must, at the very least, allow both political parties and unaffiliated candidates equal access to the ballot," she said.

The law is especially unfair because it forces a new or previously unqualified party to either qualify statewide, or not at all, Judge Calabria said.

The majority decision included a comment that Texas' ballot access law had been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, and that Texas law also requires a party to qualify statewide or not at all. This is an error, according to Ballot Access News.

"In fact, Texas has always had procedures for a party that is not qualified statewide to get on the ballot in a single county," reported Richard Winger, a nationally-recognized ballot access expert. Winger testified on behalf of the Libertarian Party at the trial.

"This decision, like the original decision by the Superior Court, completely fails to mention any of the other issues we raised, including the issue of whether the state should let voters register with parties that aren't ballot-qualified," said Howe.

The case was filed in 2005.

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LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF NORTH CAROLINA
PO Box 28141 Raleigh NC 27611-8141 * 877.843.5762 * www.LPNC.org
Contact: Barbara Howe, 919.475.2371

Next Step: NC Supreme Court Tue, 20 Oct 2009

The Court of Appeals today filed their opinion in the LPNC's lawsuit challenging the Constitutionality of North Carolina's ballot access laws. Judge Calabria's dissent from the majority means the NC Supreme Court will now have the opportunity to affirm all citizens' rights to equal ballot access.

DR. MIKE BEITLER ANNOUNCES FOR U.S. SENATE

GREENSBORO (Sept. 8) --Dr. Michael Beitler (pronounced Bite-ler) will announce his candidacy for the Libertarian Party's nomination for the U.S. Senate September 17 at a press conference in the Piedmont-Triad International Airport Marriott Hotel at 7:30 p.m.

Dr. Michael Munger, 2008 Libertarian gubernatorial candidate and Barbara Howe, North Carolina Libertarian Party chair will also speak at the press conference.

As a U.S. Senator, Beitler promises to dramatically reduce the size of the Federal government. "The big-spending, big-government advocates, both Democrats and Republicans, must be stopped. We are beyond the point of simply reducing government program budgets; now we must abolish entire government programs and agencies," he said.

Beitler is a business practice professor in The Bryan School of Business and Economics at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. "I tell my young students, I am ashamed of what the baby-boom generation is doing to the futures of young Americans. An inheritance of tens of trillions of dollars in debt is a disgraceful legacy," he said.

He is the host of Free Markets With Dr. Mike Beitler, an internet-radio show that airs on the VoiceAmerica Business Network. Beitler is the author of three business books used in MBA programs and Rational Individualism: A Moral Argument for Limited Government & Capitalism, a book about his libertarian political philosophy.

Beitler believes his experience as a chief financial officer in banking and his current work as business consultant will allow him to quickly see which government programs and agencies must be eliminated. "I will have a contract with the citizens of North Carolina. If I cannot accomplish the goal of abolishing government programs and agencies, the citizens of North Carolina can fire me mid-term," Beitler promised.

Beitler has three adult children. He and his wife, Danielle, live in northwest Guilford County.

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MIKE BEITLER Libertarian for U.S. Senate
Contact: Brian Irving 919.438.4548

Op Ed: Political Bait and Switch Tue, 16 Jun 2009

by Barbara Howe, LPNC State Chair

Democrats in the General Assembly are engaging in the typical political version of "bait and switch" in dealing with the state's self-imposed budget crisis. First, they propose supposedly dramatic cuts in programs that are important to powerful special interest groups, then when there is an outcry from these lobbyists, they propose new taxes.

They simply don't have the courage to face the real issue — spending. The problem is not that we don't have enough money to run state government. The problem is we have a state government that tries to run everything — and fails.

The proposed budget cuts were calculated to arouse opposition from groups dependent on government handouts. Then, politicians can claim they are responding to the "will of the people" when they raise taxes. They supported this hoax by allowing the only public hearing held on the budget to be commandeered by a swarm of state government bureaucrats and "private" groups dependent on government handouts. These tax and spend sycophants played a variation of the NIMBY (not in my backyard) gambit by suggesting cuts in the other guy's budget.

House Democrats showed contempt for the State Constitution by ramming the tax hikes through in the middle of the night, dismissing the constitutional mandate of voting on two separate days by holding one vote and 11:30 p.m. and the other 38 minutes later, at 12:08 a.m.

Comments like those of Rep. Hugh Holliman (D-Lexington) are typical of the way politicians label anyone who opposes government handouts as uncaring. According to the News & Observer, Holliman told legislators "I don't think there is anybody in this room that feels like we don't need teachers in the classroom, who feels like we don't need to help our elderly, who feels like we don't have to help our developmentally disabled."

Sure libertarians want to help teachers, the elderly, the developmentally disabled. We just prefer to do it ourselves, personally and directly, and with our own money. We do not believe it is moral or charitable to force other people to pay for things we believe in.

Libertarians believe government should be limited to protecting life, liberty, and property. All other matters are best handled by voluntary associations of individuals.

We propose a positive alternative to the failed welfare state. Our vision is a society based on individual responsibility and private charity. Once people are free to keep all the money they earn, they will be able to offer direct individual aid that is truly compassionate.

That's the way America used to be.

Take Back Our State Tea Party Thu, 21 Apr 2009

The LPNC will participate in the Take Back Our State Tea Party, a protest against the billion dollar state tax increase. The rally is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3 from 4:30 to 7:30 pm on the Halifax Mall in Raleigh. (Halifax Mall is the large lawn behind the General Assembly Building and beside the Legislative Office Building, on Lane Street between North Salisbury and North Wilmington Streets). Americans for Prosperity and the Take Back Our State Coalition are the rally sponsors.

On June 3, join others in downtown Raleigh to tell our legislators we are Taxed Enough Already!

In these difficult economic times, our State Representatives are considering over a billion dollars in new taxes. North Carolina taxpayers are losing their jobs and their homes. Come to Raleigh to tell them: "Not another dime!"

Register here. AFP will operate a bus shuttle from several points throughout the state.

If you can help at our table, please contact Brian Irving.

End abuse of power by removing the power to abuse Wed, 1 Apr 2009

by Barbara Howe

The "voter owned elections" bills currently circulating in the General Assembly will do nothing to end corruption in government. Like most legislation, the title belies the real intent. Rather than insure voter ownership of elections, the bills will strengthen the grip of the Democrat-Republican duopoly that controls our state government.
[Read rest of op-ed]

Bylaws Committee Proposals Mon, 23 Mar 2009

The Bylaws Committee has a series of proposed changes for review and comment here.

We are experimenting with the wiki as a way to not only present, but also collaborate on, proposed changes to the Bylaws, so please be patient and make any comments in the 'discussion' tabs for each proposal rather than on the main page for each proposal.

We are also still soliciting new proposals from the membership, so if there's something that irks you about the Bylaws (or just something you think that could be better) and you don't see a solution offered, now's your chance to shine!

Susan Hogarth, Bylaws Committee Chair

Libertarians applaud Gov. Perdue's call to reduce, cut state programs Mon, 9 Mar 2009

RALEIGH (March 9) — Governor Bev Perdue's first address to the General Assembly contained no surprises, as predicted, but North Carolina Libertarians were pleased to hear some familiar themes in the speech.

"We applaud Governor Perdue's tough statement that she will reduce and cut state programs," said Barbara Howe, state party chair. "We're glad she finally is on board with what Libertarians have been saying all along and anxiously await to see if she has muscle behind her decision to cut the fat."
[Read rest of news release]

2009 State Convention — Next Move: Building on Success Thu, 19 Feb 2009

Join the Libertarian Party of North Carolina as we ponder our Next Move: Building on Success at our annual State Convention in Burlington April 17-19, 2009. As we look forward to the next several years without the onerous task of collecting signatures for ballot access, what strategy should we adopt to help move the LPNC toward future successes?
[Read complete information]

Libertarians Propose The Liberty Agenda Wed, 28 Jan 2009

RALEIGH (Jan. 28) -- The North Carolina General Assembly should focus on annexation, public education, open elections, and corporate welfare during the upcoming session, the Libertarian Party of North Carolina said today in announcing The Liberty Agenda for North Carolina.

"These are the major challenges facing the people of North Carolina, because they address fundamental rights," said Barbara Howe, state party chair. During the 2008 campaign, gubernatorial candidate Mike Munger and several legislative candidates promoted this agenda.
[Read rest of news release]

Ballot Access News Fri, 23 Jan 2009

Libertarian, Green Parties File Brief in North Carolina State Appeals Court

On January 21, the Libertarian and Green Parties filed their brief with the North Carolina State Court of Appeals. The case is Libertarian Party of N.C. et al v State, COA08-1413. The brief focuses mostly on the ballot access laws, but it also includes other election law issues, such as the state's policy of forcing all minor party registrants to become [unaffiliated], when their party goes off the ballot.

The state will probably file its brief in late February, and then the case will be set for oral argument.

Libertarians Say Let the People Decide on Annexation Wed, 14 Jan 2009

RALEIGH (Jan. 13) -- The General Assembly's Joint Commission to Study Municipal Annexation should tell the state legislature it's time to let the people decide, a Libertarian Party of North Carolina spokesman said today.

"The commission heard the voice of the people loud and clear at their January 6 public hearing — again," said Brian Irving, communications director. "The sea of red shirts forced annexation opponents have adapted as their attire flooded the packed hearing room."
[Read rest of news release]