The RAnts of RA

Dear Friends of Liberty,

All over the United States, Libertarians who conquered whatever ballot access hurdles they made third parties face, are now finding that they still have only a third-class status, with that status enforced by one group: the Media.

In Texas, James Werner, LP candidate for Governor, was denied access into a debate organized by Belo Corp. They allowed 4 people, including gadfly Kinky Friedman, to debate, so the old argument that “3’s a crowd” couldn’t be used this time. He’s now moving forward on a lawsuit.

Bob Smither Campaign

Also in Texas, Bob Smither is running against a Democrat and a write-in Republican in Tom DeLay’s former Congressional district. He’s the only candidate on both the Special and General elections ballots. According to both MSNBC and the New York Times, Smither doesn’t even exist, but the write-in sure does. Luckily, the locals do know he exists, because he’s walking the district, working hard, and quickly gaining steam in that race.

Bruce Guthrie Campaign

In Washington State, Bruce Guthrie, the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate, mortgaged himself to the hilt to the tune of over $1 million dollars for his campaign to meet debate requirements, and while the Media sponsors did finally agree to let him debate, it was touch and go there for a while, they still wanted to deny him equal access. It took over $1 million on the table to even raise the question of having a fair debate.

Bill Peirce Campaign

In Ohio, Gubernatorial candidate Bill Peirce’s campaign staff, in response to the Media locking him out of the debates, has resorted to wearing chicken suits in order to get any sort of press attention at all.

Phil Maymin Campaign

In Connecticut, Phil Maymin, candidate for the 4th District’s congressional seat, had a stellar showing in a 3 way debate, but pollsters won’t include his name in their polls since he’s gotten very media play, and the Media ignores him, since they, in turn, claim that they have no polling data supporting him.

This trend continues all over the country, in almost every race where we have a stake. This isn’t new, of course. In 2004, my friend Michael Badnarik, LP Presidential Nominee, partnered with Green Party Nominee David Cobb, and they got arrested the night of one debate between Bush and Kerry, right in front of the debate hall. Still, none of the major media even covered the story. A search on CNN.com that same night found zero articles on “Badnarik,” because they had never covered him or his campaign.

Barry Hess Campaign

Here in Arizona, I’m in the debates, and I’m holding my own…. in fact, some say I’ve won both debates so far. It has become clear that my true opponent in this race is neither Janet (D) nor Len (R). It’s the second hand reporting and coverage of the debates, primarily by the newspaper of record, the Arizona Republic, that distorts our message, and attempts to marginalize any prospect of 3rd party gains, but most importantly, violates the inherent right of the voters to judge for themselves by having all of the facts to consider.

The AZ Republic wrote, “Don’t blame yourself if you haven’t heard of Hess or much about his politics.” Somehow, it’s supposed to be our fault when they refuse to give fair and equal coverage to all candidates on the ballot. You see, since Libertarians stand on principles, and refuse to take so-called “clean” election funding (which is out of the pockets of taxpayers), we are not “legitimate” candidates, running “real” campaigns. Never mind that they ignore all of our outreach events (or report them as only taking place at “gun shows”). Never mind that they ignore endorsements, fund-raisers, press releases, and all of the other tools that we use, the same as the other candidates. Somehow we just aren’t campaigning ‘hard enough’ for them to take notice.

The actions of the AZ Republic, a big corporate media player, owned by Gannett, are unconscionable.

Other Libertarian candidates across the state are also suffering at the hands of the Republic, including Richard Mack, who is the only anti-war candidate in that race for Senate. The same ‘skewing’ happened with some of the Republican Gubernatorial candidates in their primary, and guess what? Some of those candidates are now openly endorsing me over the Republican who won the primary, and they are joining our complaint about media bias on the record, and on streaming video for all to see.

I’m tired of it, I’m sick of it, and I’m fighting back. Effective immediately, our campaign will be attacking public enemy #1, the true opponent of ‘clean elections’ and an informed electorate, the Arizona Republic and their biases in reporting the facts.

Today marks the start of a new Hess For Governor campaign fund raising effort to raise at least $25,000 to purchase radio and print ads specifically attacking the blatant and shameless media bias of the AZ Republic, Arizona’s “newspaper of record.” Please contribute to this, and help us.

Proceeds from this fund raising drive will be used to purchase spots in reputable media sources that have fulfilled their civic and moral duty to completely, accurately, and fairly report on the race for Governor of Arizona. These funds will not be used to attack the position or programs of Governor Janet Napolitano (D) or Challenger Len Munsil (R). The ads will specifically target the media bias of the Arizona Republic, and how it has abused the right of the public to have all of the facts about all of the candidates; not just those that support the Republic’s own editorial biases and its desire to steer government policy and public opinion.

Now is the time to step up to the plate. I need your help. We need to send a strong message to Big Media that we aren’t afraid to go after them directly, and no longer play along, just waiting for them to throw us a bone once in a while.

On Nov 7th, every voter in Arizona will have 3 choices for Governor, not 2.

Our goal: We will make sure they know which reporters can count to 3, and who just stops at 2. (Sometimes, they’ll count to 2.1, or 2.5, and then tell us we’re lucky they even mentioned us.) If you want to know what sort of radio and print ads we’ll run, it’ll be that simple a message:

We trust the voters to count to 3, but the Arizona Republic stops at 2. Wonder why?

If you are not convinced, go to the website and watch the two debates so far, and then compare what you see in the debates to the reporting the AZ Republic and others have done about it… Then please donate so we can go on the offensive against the real enemy of Libertarians: Media Bias.

Help us to send a strong message to the Media giants that “We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore!” Donate now. Even a small donation will go a long way in paying for print and radio ads. If you’d like to donate matching funds, Make a matching Donation. We know that the community can generate major funds when the cause is a good one.

As always, I remain at your service–

Barry Hess

Vice Chair of the Arizona Libertarian Party, and Candidate for Governor.

by: Randall Terry, President
Society for Truth and Justice

Note: Copies may be made and distributed in any way possible. For interviews with Randall Terry please contact Gary McCullough at (202) 546-0054 or (904) 819-9450

The upcoming election in California has resurrected a reoccurring debate in the Republican Party – one that has threatened to rend the party in two. That debate, to use the kindest language of each side, boils down to this: Should voters remain true to "principle," and support Tom McClintock? Or should they vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger, because he alone can defeat Cruz Bustamante, and it would be better for the party, California, and the nation to have a Republican governor?

As the contest draws to a close, various "field generals" – conservative talk show hosts and pundits – are lining up behind Schwarzenegger and trying to bring their troops with them. Party leaders in DC and California are supporting Schwarzenegger, and even one major religious right figure has endorsed Schwarzenegger. What should we do?

The question plagued me until I remembered a critical political contest that occurred not too long ago. On one side was the underdog; a man of clear principles. At every step of the process, he never polled more than 30%. With him were the dedicated, sacrificial, energetic ideologues. A few people of stature supported him, but most of the press thought his campaign a long shot at best, and sided with the clear front-runner.

The front-runner in that race had deep pockets, greater resources in manpower, better name recognition, and about 70% grass roots support. He had ideological problems, and some bad press for past errors in judgment, but he was clearly the front-runner; not to mention his family had been key political players for three generations.

Then I considered the "field generals" and insiders in that contest. One man especially stuck out. He was a fairly significant player in the campaign of the underdog. He knew him personally, knew campaign details and strategies, had access to donors, and even led some of the troops. He believed in the principles of the underdog. But after countless missteps, poor strategies, bad press, floundering fundraising, and the glaring polling data, he felt it was his duty to the country to back the winner.

And as any good field general would do, he sought to bring his base of operations and troops with him for the good of the party and the nation. As I pondered this race, and especially this "field general," I knew what my duty to my party and our country was.

For the underdog, you will remember, was George Washington. The front-runner was George III, and the field general was Benedict Arnold – who history holds as a traitor.

Benedict Arnold betrayed his principles, the innocent victims of tyranny he had vowed to defend, his faith in God, and the troops he led who had trusted his judgment.

Let the obvious comparison sink in. The front runner – Schwarzenegger – supports the brutal murder of children by abortion. Schwarzenegger denies the Second Amendment right of Americans to own the firearm of their choice. Schwarzenegger supports "domestic partnerships" simply "homosexual marriage" by another name.

If we are heartless enough to betray the innocent victims of murder (pre-born babies) by supporting Schwarzenegger; if we are foolish enough to vote for a man who would steal (on the installment plan) our right to self-defense; if we calloused enough to support a man who would destroy the definition of family, we should not be surprised if we wake up ten or twenty years from now to find that the Republican Party is a moral cesspool.

We could have Republicans running the government while murder flourishes, self-defense languishes, the family is trampled, and "Big Brother" is crushing our liberties. Will you feel better because it’s done by those who have an (R) after their name?

Now I address my fellow field generals – if we are so eager to back a winner that we would betray our most sacred principles, are we any better than Benedict Arnold?

Support of Schwarzenegger is doubly offensive when a man of the character and stature of Tom McClintock is in the race. He is devoted to the principles of justice and liberty. He is 100% pro-life; he is pro Second Amendment; he is against homosexual domestic partnerships; he is fiscally conservative; he’s a State Senator who has been elected many times; and he is close enough in the polls that he can actually win.

Backing Schwarzenegger is a betrayal of all we hold dear. To deliver our troops to him is treachery. Face it; if Schwarzenegger had a (D) after his name we’d say he was a Hillary Clinton clone, the first cousin of Beelzebub.

Don’t betray your conscience and insult Heaven with vain excuses. Schwarzenegger will allow children to be burned to death in the womb; he defends the dismembering of children by suction abortion; he will make it a crime for you and me to stand against "homosexual rights;" and rob us of our right to self-defense. And don’t exclaim that he is against "partial birth abortion." That only ensures that late term babies will be murdered in some other barbaric manner – with Conan the barbarian defending the death camps.

This brings me to the real issue; duty to our party, and duty to our nation. Only our allegiance to principle will save our party from self-destruction. Our duty to our children and America’s future require that we not assist unethical tyrants in their pursuit of power.

We have a duty to resist, obstruct, and defeat those in our party who seek to remake it into the party of murder, tyranny, and sodomy. Anything less than fidelity to moral principle is inexcusable, especially in a race that offers a leader like McClintock.

I end with this picture. If you are in a dysfunctional family, and your father has a history of domestic violence, are you helping your family to hide his crimes and abuse? Are you an enabler; or the one seeking to break the cycle? The GOP family needs healing. We must stop pretending that violence and treachery against liberty are OK in our "big tent."

So I ask you, will you side with an abusive (R) and turn your back on the innocent? Will you betray your conscience by aiding someone who despises what you stand for? Or will you side with a proven champion of Truth, Freedom and Justice?

If the field generals in our midst would stop aiding the enemy by pulling their troops towards the barbarians, we could shortly see Governor Tom McClintock. I’m sure the other principled underdog – President George Washington – would concur.

Randall Terry
3501-B North Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 394
Saint Augustine, Florida 32084
(904) 819-9450
Fax (904) 819-9412

Today I read an article on InsightMag.com that, quite frankly, gave me the chills.

Things have gone rapidly down-hill since the horrific events of September 11th, 2001. The horror is that the ‘terrorists’ could have the audacity to kill thousands of people, and jubilantly cheer at their demise. This has not been questioned.

However, the real tragedy in the WTC and Pentagon attacks is that the US Federal Government and individual States have immediately and collectively undermined the will of our great nation, in the name of ‘security‘.

States have started issuing mandates requiring vaccinations against any ‘contagious diseases‘. Since all diseases that can be vaccinated against are contagious by definition – why bother vaccinating against something that isn’t contagious? The wholesale effect of this is that it would immediately force foreign substances into the veins of every American and/or effectively create state-run concentration camps for the purpose of isolating them in the name of ‘quarantining‘ the uninfected from the general populace, under the assertion that *they* are the source of risk. These immunizations & quarantines will be government controlled, and unpetitionable; those people that are not infected and refuse immunizations will be taken from their homes and placed in government-controlled concentration camps without due process and would not even be allowed to petition their government for redress of grievances.

The above situation disappoints me greatly. But it is dwarfed by what the federal government has done. Would you approve a ‘pay rate change’ from your employer without seeing what the change would include? You expect it to be an increase, of course – any employer that had the audacity to do otherwise is insane, right? So you have every reason to trust them, don’t you? I didn’t think so. Would you still be reluctant if your employer said that it was a very reasonable change, and that it was for your own safety that you did not see the actual new value until after you signed a contract setting this sealed ‘rate’ in motion? Of course you’d be reluctant. Would you trust your federal representatives to vote for legislation that they were not allowed to read? After all – any legislation that the author says is ‘good for you’ must be, right?

If you’re not outraged at the very thought of this, perhaps you’ll be more outraged after hearing what the actual bill contained… including provisions to enable ‘representatives’ of any unnamed level of government to break into your home, property or business without a warrant – nor even reasonable assertion of what they hope to find, and without telling you – before or after. And they can tap your telephone, email, internet connection, any other digital or analog device on suspicion of ‘terrorist’ related activities, while maintaining the broadest possible definition of terrorism, even broader than the dictionary.

With the sweep of his pen, Bush has completely obliterated the 4th Amendment and Due Process. The entire intent of the Founders has been rendered asunder before Bush has fulfilled his first year in office. I’m ashamed that I supported him.

It’s time to make amends. There is no easy means of undoing what I’ve done, but there are steps I can take; as can you. It won’t be long before the government exploits these new ‘powers’ to their ultimate end – a complete and total compromise of your every Right.

• Prepare for the worst. I truly believe it is time for a new revolution. I don’t see any other way to reverse these dire actions which are already in motion.
• Get a gun. No… get several. Don’t forget ammunition.
• Keep your eyes peeled for injustice – speak out when you see it. If they know someone is watching it will make it more difficult to blatantly invade your rights.
• Get a partner. Don’t go anywhere alone anymore. A single victim is much easier to overwhelm than a pair. The presence of a second person also increases the chances that if something does occur others will find out about it.
• Don’t rely solely on digital communication. Since the WTC and Pentagon attacks, Carnivore has been beefed up enormously. Assume that every byte from every email and webpage you ever visit has been, and will continue to be, tracked by the government. If you need anonymity for your actions on the Internet consider using a public terminal that does not log your presence – like a college computer room, library, large computer vendor or internet cafe. If anonymity is very important create a new contact profile on a public forum like Yahoo, Hotmail or Mail.com – and use a public forum so _direct_ contact with your partner is not necessary. Consider posting to completely different forums and providers when further communication is necessary.
• Don’t trust the postal service. The USPS has recently implemented ‘anti-terrorism’ policies in the interest of ‘public safety’. To that end they have failed to actually tell the public their new policy. I imagine this is to prevent potential terrorists from circumventing the new procedures in the distribution of bio-chemical agents via postal mail. Though I respect their proposed intent, the means by which they are [arguably] accomplishing it are no better than the alternative: neither of which work, and there is now no reason to trust that the USPS is not abusing their position to exploit completely unrelated material as a pawn of the government. Privatization of USPS? Yeah, right.

I haven’t really been in a mood lately to provide much more than partial aid to anyone in distress. For that I apologize. It is my hope that the future will once again be as optimistic as it usually is… I just don’t see it anytime soon.

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall

It’s truly amazing how quickly he forgot what he was there to defend.