Radio Ad for the Legislative Organization Day 2007

I won't take credit for writing this one alone. Team effort this time,

*********************

Libertarians say " its time to put up or shut up. "

Once again, high property taxes are hurting hardworking Hoosier families -- many are losing homes to foreclosure. Year after year the Old Parties have known this was coming. Yet they did nothing to deal with the root cause of the problem ----their own excessive spending.

The Libertarian Party has been preaching the solution for years...

Instead of pretending to fix the property tax ----Cut Spending

Instead of raising the sales tax -----Cut Spending

Instead of raising the income tax ------Cut spending

Instead of creating new categories to tax, or shuffling the tax burden from one pocket to another ------Cut Spending

Hoosiers know that no matter which combination of taxes are paid, wasteful spending is the real problem.

The Indiana Legislature once again is getting ready to confront their property tax disaster. Libertarians ask Hoosiers to challenge the Indiana Legislature to "put up or shut up." Contact your legislator and tell them to cut the spending!

Paid for by the Libertarian Party of Indiana

Radio Ad for the 2007 city elections

I wrote the following for the LP 2007 city races. It ran on two stations in Indy and then also in Wayne county. Kenn Gividen edited and offered suggestions.

**************************

Moms and Dads tell me they have concerns — concerns about Republicans and Democrats; they’re hurting hardworking families with high property taxes. Families are losing homes to foreclosure; some are dipping into college savings just to make ends meet.

Property Taxes are bad enough but now the politicians are talking about a mix of property taxes and payroll taxes. What this means to you is that instead of the politicians taking money from your kids's college fund, it will come directly from your paycheck... before you even see it.

Libertarians aren't like the big political parties. Libertarians believe that's wrong. Libertarians care about families.

Libertarians know that mixing property taxes and payroll taxes will hurt families.

Libertarians in office don’t vote for tax increases and will vote for spending decreases .

Tell the politicians that their wasteful spending is the real problem. Vote Libertarian November 6th.

Paid for by the Libertarian Party of Indiana

Response to a Liberty Tree Magazine Article

I was extremely disappointed on reading Kenn Gividen’s “Gay Agenda is Not Libertarian” in the September issue of Liberty Tree Magazine and felt a reply was in order.

First let me make a few points. I've known Kenn Gividen for a number of years now as we are both active in the Libertarian Party. I've voted for Kenn when he ran for Governor and I will vote for Kenn again if given the chance. I myself have been active in the LP for almost 10 years at a local, state and even national level. I've been active to a point where I ran and won a seat on the Greenfield City Council eight years ago. No small feat for a Libertarian. I think you could say I know Libertarians across the country and across the spectrum.

I'm also a Christian, brought up in the Pilgrim Holiness and Free Methodist Churches. I'm now an active ELCA Lutheran, currently on the St James Church Council and a board member of the non-denominational Love INC of Hancock County, an organization whose goal is "To mobilize local churches to transform lives of those in our community." I've also been married to the same women since 1978 and we have two kids. I think I can also speak to the Christian philosophy.

Without speaking in jest, this is the first mistake I've seen Kenn make. It pains me that it is such a hurtful mistake to Libertarians, gays and even Christians. Kenn has done exactly what so many have done to dedicated Christians over the years... he painted with too wide a brush and tried too hard to write to what he felt was the reader of the moment. In other words, he participated in “stroking,” as he called it.

I attended (along with Kenn if I remember correctly) the meeting where the LP was asked to support SJR7. We felt that SJR7 wasn’t about extra rights. The issue was asking for the same rights granted to you and me. The rights for all people to be as happy as they feel they can be just like you and me. It shouldn’t make any difference that they are sinners… just like you and me.

We are talking about people here. There is no more an all encompassing Gay Agenda about recruiting and getting special rights than there is a Christian Agenda where all movie theatres and dance halls have to be closed and TV's tossed out of the homes for the good of the youth. A few groups from both sides of the tracks and some individuals may have either of those sets of wants, but you and I both know that folks at both ends of the spectrum are a distinct minority.

As a Christian and as a Libertarian, I find it unthinkable that anyone would insist that any private group would be forced to associate or share their properties with a group that they felt was diametrically in opposition to their philosophy. The boy scouts shouldn't be forced to permit gays or pedophiles into their private club, churches shouldn't be forced to hire gays or adulterers if they choose not to and thoughts should not be a crime.

But here we find Kenn, “stroking” the reader and presenting only a portion of the story. The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association had requested that the property in question be considered “public” by a state government board. In return, they were given a substantial tax break. A mixture of poor research and planning by the OGCMA, a plethora of confusing and overbearing laws written by the folks that many of you have voted for in the past and activists with poor taste resulted in that mess. It was truly a team effort.

How does the Christian Libertarian feel about the gay issue? Just like every other sinner, we invite them to church to hear the word of God. We show them daily how Christians are supposed to act... inclusive and with grace, hoping they get the point and decide to take the right path.

The ELCA is currently going through the discussion of permitting homosexual pastors in active relationships and of permitting the weddings of gay couples. I've been outspokenly against both. While every pastor is a sinner, we don't permit blatant murderers or thieves or adulterers to hold the pulpit. I don’t believe we should condone the marriage of homosexuals in our churches. That sends the wrong message to our youth and to society as a whole.

Am I telling the government to use its power to make people live like a Christian? No, and if any person chooses to take that path they are clearly going against the wishes of Christ. You and I have been clearly told to tell sinners the good news. If rejected, we are only to brush the dust from our feet as we go down the road looking for the next sinner.

Kenn, I love you and I love what you’ve done in both the Christian and Libertarian communities over the years. One slip won’t change that.

A Statement of Fact.

Tax money should never be used for advertising.

If a government agency has to advertise it's wares in order to get 'customers', it shouldn't be in business.

Letter to the Editor Submission - Dick got it wrong again.

“You better get your facts straight….” How many times have different councils heard that? Whenever Dick Pasco is getting ready to proclaim what he wants everyone to think he knows, that is how he starts out.

A few years ago, when council was caught violating the open door laws during budget meetings, his published stance was that no one can keep up with all of those laws. Now he claims that a 20 year politician shouldn’t be expected to know all of those laws.

You know what? He’s right.

Government is too big and there are way too many regulations for anyone but a lawyer. Interestingly enough Dick has been a big proponent of more regulation on the people that he rules. If you don't believe it, take a look at the current zoning code in its bloated form. Does he expect everyone to memorize that document? He sure does, because he approved the fines and fees that go along with it.

With that said, I invite all of you to take a look at the banner outside of Dick’s house and maybe you should mention to him that he needs to get the facts straight… the election is in 2007, not 2008.

Is it a big deal?

The newspaper has devoted a lot of space to the fact that we currently have 3 members of city council that are either paid police or firemen. After the November elections, we could potentially have 4 with a 5th having a son that is on the Greenfield Police force and a husband that was a volunteer on the fire department.

Is that a bad thing? Is it that big a deal? The real answer is that it depends on the people in office.

First off, you can't prohibit them from running for office. Yes, i know that there are currently some national laws that do... but do you really believe it is constitutional? Is it the right thing to do to keep someone off the ballot based on their job? Most people would say no.

With that said you can end up heavily loaded with public safety people on council. The fire department is a huge voting block. If they throw their support towards a candidate, then you have each department member, his immediate family, much of his larger family and many neighbors voting that direction also. It turns out to be an election based on community associations... just like most small town elections are.

I was on City Council from 2000 thru 2004. We had one council member that was married to a FD Volunteer and had a son on the PD. We had one council member that was an ex-volunteer. That was it as far as direct public safety ties. We spent a ton of money on both departments. My campaign was based on getting a new ladder truck and providing take home police cars. I also was a proponent of thermal imaging cameras. Each of those items had been proposed in years past but were ignored. All were purchased during my 4 years.

Purchased items that I didn't like included the fire training trailer. We also turned a project calling for separate showers for the women into a $1.2 million expansion. I was in favor of the showers... not the other $1.15 mill.

I think what I'm saying is that the money will be spent. Some of it in needed ways and some just because it is a "want". I think very little of it depends on who is voting.

I also think that a public servant voting on thier own raises or monetary items that directly affects them could be taking part in political suicide... but maybe not. Our legislators at the state and national level do it every year but you folks keep voting them back into office. Is it immoral or unethical? I don't think so.

How is this for a start?

I certainly believe that God has control over whom I marry.

I adamantly disagree that it is any politicians business.

I'm straight and have been married for 29 years this Sunday. The politicians battle gay marriage for the votes. For the life of me I can't figure out why the pharisees don't leave 'em alone.

Is it a sin? Yes, but you can't make law that creates Christians. Will the real Christians please brush the dust off your feet and walk away!