Robert Butler, Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of Texas, has written 18 Steps to Win a Local Election, consisting of an handbook and workbook.
I highly recommend both of these to Libertarians running for office.
Both the handbook and workbook are easy to understand, easy to read, and systematically lay out the necessary framework all campaigns should follow.
Both only cost $25 as well. It is an incredible bargain.

As Libertarian Party national Vice Chair - I hear a lot about campaigns across the nation. A lot of good reports come from Texas.

The Texas Libertarian Party has really grown over the last six years, and is running very good candidates, and lots of them. It has also significantly improved its fund raising prowess, and has Robert Butler as Executive Director. Robert worked for the Libertarian Party of Indiana several years ago.

Here are some candidates and campaigns in Texas in which I'm hearing some good things:

1. John Jay Meyers 32 US House www.johnjaymyers.com 214-824-4150
2. David Smith 2 US House www.dsmithforcongress.com 832-329-5313
3. Robert Nowotny for State Rep 73 www.needtovote.com 830-228-5950
4. Jim Prindle 4 US House www.prindleforcongress 214-909-2311
5. Bruce West 8 US House www.brucewestforcongress.com 281-622-0732
6. Jim Strohm 21 US House www.strohmforcongress.com 713-242-8691
7. Jim Stutsman 25 US House 512-797-3905
8. Ed Mishou 27 US House 956-541-7091

Now who to list is always a subjective call, and information changes daily. I'm sure I've missed some good campaigns in Texas that deserve to be called out as well.

It costs money to communicate with the delegates at the Libertarian National Convention and to run for internal party office. Any help with money - helps!

You can help Wayne Root's campaign for National Chair by giving what you can by clicking here: http://www.rootforamerica.com/home/paypal.php

You can help Mark Rutherford's campaign for National Vice-Chair by sending a check or money order to Rutherford at 151 N. Delaware Street, Suite 1900, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 or by donating to Rutherford's political action committee by clicking here: https://atlasliberty.com/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=1

"May 10, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Knott defends FairTax proposal after Hill’s attack

In his May 5 press release, incumbent Democratic Congressman Baron Hill attacked the FairTax as “an extremist and economically-detrimental” idea and misrepresented the revenue neutral proposal as a “23 percent national sales tax on goods and services”.

Greg Knott, the Libertarian challenger for the 9th District responded to Hill’s misleading statements saying, “FairTax is just a better way to collect the same amount of taxes, and is not a tax increase for anyone except criminals. Drug dealers, prostitutes and other tax cheats in the underground economy currently pay no taxes because they don’t report their cash income to the government and don’t receive paychecks with payroll taxes already taken out. The FairTax forces these criminals to pay their fair share when they buy items at the store which will allow taxes to be lowered for honest middle class Americans while collecting the same amount of revenue to pay for government services.”

Asked who else benefits from the current tax system, Knott replied, “As the third wealthiest person in the world, Warren Buffet paid a 17.7% tax rate on his $46 million of taxable income in 2006, while his employees paid an average 32.9% tax rate (his receptionist's tax rate was 30%). I agree with Buffet that his real tax rate should not be lower than the people who work for him, and believe FairTax is the best solution to fix this injustice. Congressmen like Baron Hill also benefit from the status quo since they only pay social security taxes on $106,800 of their $174,000 salary while middle class Americans pay social security taxes on their whole income.”
When asked who will benefit most from the FairTax when it is passed into law, Knott said, “People who are unemployed or underemployed will benefit the most because economists have concluded export prices are inflated by an average of 20% due to federal hidden taxes. Removing the hidden taxes makes exports more competitive globally and will result in high paying manufacturing jobs flowing back to depressed areas like the Midwest. The working poor will also benefit since their paychecks will no longer be reduced by taxes and the sales tax rebate on poverty level spending will insure everyone is able to put food on the table and a roof over their head.”

Knott reminds Hoosiers who want FairTax to, “call 202-225-5315 and educate Baron Hill’s staff with the facts on fairtax.org so that he will co-sponsor the legislation. If Hill continues to block this progressive jobs bill then voters should fire him in November and elect me to send a message to Washington demanding common sense tax reform.”

For more information on “Knott for Congress, not politics as usual”, call campaign manager, Jonathan “Luke” Hilton, at 317-850-6078 or email nobullcongress@gmail.com.
END"

Indianapolis Libertarians should be very proud today.

Allison Maguire finished a strong fifth in a field of 13 candidates for Pike Township School Board. Unfortunately, only the top three finishers were elected to the board.

Allison is currently on the Central Committee of the Libertarian Party of Indiana, representing the 7th Congressional District.

Jo (Josephine) Coleman placed a strong third out of seven candidates for an at-large position on the Indianapolis Public School's board. She has been an officer of the Libertarian Party of Marion County.

Both didn't hide their Libertarian ties, and wore them proudly during these non-partisan races. They both know that non-partisan refers to how one gets on the ballot and is labeled on the ballot. It does not mean you can't proudly be a Libertarian and say so.

Lastly, the Libertarian Party of Marion County also endorsed Paul Ogden, who finished sixth behind Allison Maguire.

Here are the results of both races:

Indianapolis School Board at-large (only one elected):

Chequrita (Cece) Booker, 1,626, 9.01
Josephine Coleman, 2,674, 14.82
Justin Paul Forkner, 2,580, 14.30
Ronald (Ronnie) Hampton Jr, 1,581, 8.76
William Jackson, 1,292, 7.16
Leroy Robinson, 3,789, 21.00
Andrea J. (Annie) Roof, 4,503, 24.95

Pike Township School Board (top three finishers elected):

John E. Brown, 2,194, 11.76
David S. Copher, 1,344, 7.20
George E. Crooks, 1,229, 6.59
Thomas Allen Haynes, 662, 3.55
Eric Huffine, 2,056, 11.02
Carl Z. Liggins Sr., 1,243, 6.66
Allison Maguire, 1,784, 9.56
Tammy D. Moon, 876, 4.69
Paul K. Ogden, 1,529, 8.19
Brownell Payne, 534, 2.86
Regina Randolph, 2,395, 12.83
Wanda N. Thomas, 720, 3.86
Yvette R. White, 2,094, 11.22

The next meeting of the Washington Township Libertarian Club is Wednesday, May 19th from 7 to 9 pm at Cornerstone Coffee/Moe & Johnny's at 54th and College.

Many, many thanks to Washington Township Libertarian Douglass Gaking who is organizing and spearheading this meeting!

Learn more about it on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mwrutherford#!/event.php?eid=105578559485803&ref=mf

This is going to be a good year for the Libertarian Party of Indiana. So far, at the State Convention and various County Conventions, 59 Libertarians have been nominated for partisan office. Additionally, two Libertarians are running for non-partisan school board positions.

As I've done for several election seasons, I'm keeping a track of Indiana Libertarian candidates at the right top of this page. Let me know who I've missed. I believe Rush County and maybe Lake County have nominated candidates for local office, but I don't have reliable information on this as of yet.

I am seeking the Vice Chairmanship of the Libertarian Party at its national convention in St. Louis this May 28th through 31st.

Chard Reid is seeking the Libertarian Party of Indiana nomination for Indiana's Fifth Congressional District this Saturday, April 21st. He is an Economics teacher at Heritage Christian School in Indianapolis.

He also is a graduate of Anderson University.

There are three new Libertarian Party of Indiana county chairs in Indiana. They are:

Allen - Russ Scribner
Hancock - Rob White
Monroe - Luke Hilton

Jason Cooper has been named organizing Chair for Knox County and its efforts to affiliate with the Libertarian Party of Indiana:

Past and current Libertarian officeholders from Marion County, Indiana (Indianapolis) taken at a gathering in February 2010 of Marion County Libertarians at the downtown Indianapolis Antelope Club. From left to right, Brad Klopfenstein (former member of the Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals), Ed Coleman (Indianapolis City-County Councilor), Mark Rutherford (Indiana State Public Defender Commission, Chairman), Chris Spangle (Indiana HAVA Commission), Tim Maguire (former member of the Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals).

At its annual convention last Saturday afternoon, the Libertarian Party of Marion County (Indianapolis) nominated the following candidates for office:


James Madjak, Marion County Assessor
Garry Adams, Franklin Township Trustee
Drew Bisson, Wayne Township Trustee
Christopher Bowen, Lawrence Township Trustee
Zachary Capehart, Center Township Trustee
Richard Cunningham, Washington Township Trustee
John Henderson, Perry Township Trustee
Erik Morris, Pike Township Trustee
Mike Bishop, Pike Township Constable
Jared Wales, Decatur Township Trustee

The terrorists have succeeded in causing us to turn our political principles upside down.

The police are toting machine guns on New York City subways.

Shame Presidents Bush, Shame President Obama, Shame Mayor Bloomberg, etc., etc., etc. . . .

Your names will never be uttered with praise among the defenders of freedom and liberty.

Amisha, Swaraj, Satyagraha - Ghandi