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Although many people like to think of the United States as a “democracy”, the American political system has never been truly democratic. One important example of this is the electoral college system, where it is possible for candidates to win elections even though they were not really elected by the majority of the people. This article by Scott Burton, who was an independent candidate for U.S. Congress in 2006, provides a good overview of the electoral college system, explains why it is flawed, and suggests some possible reforms that would make the system more accurately reflect the intent of the voting public.

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This article by Aaron Turpen of MilitantLibertarian.org points out some of the problems with the McCain-Feingold act that was passed back in 2002. While the style of this piece might seem a little “ranty”, I agree with the general gist of it.

In general, campaign finance “reform” has done nothing to stop political corruption and is actually hurting independent candidates and alternative parties like ours by severely restricting contributions from individuals. Meanwhile, the Big Two parties continue to get around the laws by funneling millions of dollars through their PACs (Political Action Committees) and other affiliated organizations. These stupid laws need to be repealed and full rights of political free speech should be given back to the people.

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New supplies have arrived at LPStuff.com, an e-commerce site that sells Libertarian Party merchandise and other libertarian-themed items. The most recent arrivals include Christmas ornaments printed with the LP logo, two new sizes of Libertarian Party coffee mugs, and new shipments of books, including the original hardcover edition of Harry Browne’s Why Government Doesn’t Work.

This is a good opportunity for us bum marketing enthusiasts and other money-making aficionados who have libertarian leanings to support our cause, as a portion of the item sales helps to fund the LP and other related organizations. Meanwhile, I am hoping that the site eventually sets up an affiliate program of some sort that would allow commissions for referred product sales. This would allow people like me to support the cause of liberty and make some money at the same time, which of course is one of the primary objectives of any Libertarian Internet marketer!

Until then, we can read the content of the latest email below and also check out the LP Stuff Forum, where we can register our opinions and suggestions with the current staff of LPStuff.com.

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One of the ways in which we Libertarians can have an impact on the political process is by writing letters to the editor and getting them published in various newspapers or other media outlets that allow it. This is one method in which we can get our message out to the public, particularly the non-tech savvy part of the public that still relies on newspapers and other traditional print media as their main source of political news and information.

However, many people may not realize that writing letters to the editor requires a certain amount of skill, and not just anyone with an opinion is able to write them well enough to pass editorial muster and actually have them published. Although it is by no means a substitute for competence in basic writing skills, this article by James C. Hess provides us with a pretty good primer on how we can recover this “lost art”.
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This commentary by Joel D. on the recent seizure of margarine from a Wal-Mart in Quebec highlights the connection between stupid laws, black markets, and government inefficiency. After procuring the rights to publish this article, I did a little research on this story and discovered that there is a silly law in Quebec that prohibits manufacturers of margarine from making the color of their products appear too much like the color of natural butter. Apparently it was this “butter colored” margarine that prompted this seizure of some 72 tubs of Becel margarine back in 2005. Joel’s observations on the issue seem pretty funny in this instance, but they also remind us of the insane consequences of attempting to ban the peaceful use of substances that people actually want to buy.
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Libertarian Party Executive Director Shane Cory sent out his latest email update to the subscriber list today, summarizing some of the party’s accomplishments during 2007, informing us of the current status on ballot access issues, and making another pitch for some much-needed donations. If you happen to be a current LP member or are simply tired of the “business as usual” politics of the other parties, please consider voting with some of your dollars and making a donation. As I have discovered in my 13 years as a member, running an effective political party is a very difficult task, especially in a country such as the United States. Significant amounts of money and advertising are required just to be taken seriously, although once the momentum gets going and a certain critical mass is reached, our job should become somewhat easier due to free publicity from the major media outlets.

In the text of this update, I have reconstructed the active links from the email, including the one for an encouraging article from the Washington Times:
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An e-commerce site called LPStuff.com that has offered Libertarian Party products and campaign supplies since February 2006 is now expanding its selection to include some back to school themed items such as bags, backpacks, and stationery. The site is gradually accumulating a good collection of T-shirts, bumper stickers, campaign literature, and other items that are useful for promoting the Libertarian Party and increasing public awareness of our existence. The email update from earlier today details the latest sales promotion:
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Last week, a gun buyback program sanctioned by the city of Chicago became the scene of a delightfully ironic event that embarrassed gun control advocates and was hailed as a victory for those of us who care about our right to keep and bear arms.

When members of a group called Guns Save Life, also known as the Champaign County Rifle Association, heard about plans by the city to host a gun turn-in at 23 church locations and pay $100 in the form of a prepaid MasterCard for each firearm, they came up with an ingenious plan. Since the organizers of the gun buyback did not place any restrictions on the type or functionality of the firearms they would accept (they only needed to look like “real” guns), the Guns Save Life members pooled together a pile of 23 old, rusty, and practically useless guns estimated to be worth less than $100 actual market value and sold them off for a cool $2300. The details of exactly how all of this transpired are quite hilarious and are described in this forum thread at TheHighRoad.org. The full thread is now five pages long, but I would encourage anyone who believes in the basic rights of self-defense and firearms ownership to read it if you have the time.

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The leadership of the Texas LP is hoping to expand county organizations in the state by traveling to various cities, meeting with current members, and organizing outreach efforts to increase support for the party. Earlier today, I received an email from Patrick Dixon explaining the important details, so I would like to pass on this information to any Texas Libertarians out there who are not currently subscribed to the email lists but might be interested in organizing or attending meetings in your local area later this year.
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Shane Cory, the Executive Director of the National Libertarian Committee, sent out a fundraising letter to the email subscriber lists today, pointing out some encouraging developments in our membership trends and hoping to bring in the donations required for us to overcome the outstanding ballot access barriers in preparation for the 2008 election season. So far, 26 states are definitely “in the bag” and will not require further attention, but a major petition drive is currently underway in North Carolina. Party members in several other states are waiting until the laws allow us to officially start collecting signatures. Ballot access status in Oklahoma and Pennsylvania is currently on hold pending decisions by the state courts.
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The national Libertarian Party has announced that their convention for officially nominating candidates for President and Vice President will take place a little less than one year from now.
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The Libertarian Party of Ohio has received a significant boost in its struggle to overcome ballot access barriers when Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner issued a new ruling that reduces the amount of signatures required to get on the ballot by half and extends the filing deadline for primary elections by three weeks.
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Today I received an email from Wes Benedict, Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of Texas, regarding a statewide election that will be held on May 12. I know that many of you will not be affected by this, but since I happen to be a Texas resident and know that I have a few readers who are also living in this state, I want to pass along the relevant information that I have discovered so that you will be able to cast an informed vote.

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In a follow-up to yesterday’s post about the Fair Tax debate, here is a summary of what I have been able to determine are the major pros and cons of the Fair Tax (or national sales tax) as it is currently written:

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Since today is April 15, the infamous “Tax Day” here in the USA, Stephen Gordon over at the LP Blog has decided to declare an open thread for this weekend so that we could discuss various tax-related issues. Perhaps not surprisingly, much of the debate thus far has centered around the so-called Fair Tax, a proposal to replace the current income tax scheme with a uniform national sales tax.

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