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[phylinidaho]

The man who ran for governor on the LP ticket was an absolute nut-case accused of being with the former group, but everybody in the LP disavows.  He still managed to pick up 2.5% of the vote in a four-way race, this despite being arrested for assaulting police officers with a sword while naked the day before elections, so the story goes.

On election eve, the former chair (who still holds an almost cult-like following in the party) issued a plea to llibertarians to vote for that "nut-case", (for the good of the party ) Just another example of his policy that any publicity is good publicity.

[varrin]

When and where will you be hiking in July? The snow delay at Kennedy Meadows (southern jump off to the High Sierra) has been as long as the end of June. The average start date is mid June. I have heard that there is a higher than normal snow pack this year. If there is a later than average start, there is a possibility that we could meet up somewhere.

Glen,

I don't have an exact schedule, but my first guess is we'll be going out of Edison lake to Mott Lake either the weekend of July 19-20 or July 26-27 (we'll probably make it a Friday-Monday trip).

Mott Lake is on the other side of the PCT from Edison so we'll actually be hiking a small portion of it to get in and out.  If we're in the neighborhood, we should hook up.  Of course, how would we know ahead of time?!?

V-

P.S. - I hear ya about the crazy nut thing.  The first person I have to work on is my wife ;-)

[Zxcv]

In Idaho, the Libertarian Party has little say over who runs as a Libertarian, since we do not register by party and anyone can run on any ticket. The party does not "run" any candidates, but merely endorses or fails to endorse (btw, we did not endorse the recent candidate for Governor).

Is that a general rule? Applicable to the big parties as well? If I understand correctly, anyone with an LP registration can run? Where are the opportunities (if any) to prevent such a person running (or run someone against him), for example if there is an LP-endorsed R? A caucus I suppose, but that means what? Who can attend and vote? Just anyone in the district with an LP registration?

I'm still trying to get a handle on how the process works, and I'm too lazy to dig through bylaws and state laws if I can avoid it!

[glen]

Hi Varrin

Vermillion Valley Resort on Lake Edison is one of my re-supply points and I expect to lay over for at least a day, But there is no telling when that will be.

Probably the best way to handle this is for you to check into an online journal a friend of mine will be putting together for me.

He is a semi professional photographer. He has lent me a very nice camera and will send all the film I want to use if in exchange I will take a series of 360 degree views from suitable places along the trail. He intends to stitch each 360 degree sequence together, put them into a virtual tour format and post them to a page on his web site.

He is currently working on a sequence I took from Seattle’s Space Needle. Once that is posted I will send you a link to the page. Better yet, I’ll start a thread on the Off Topic. Maybe there are a few other back country hikers among the FSPers who will be interested.

[Zxcv]

Say, can you guys find another place to carry on this conversation?  

[glen]

OK! OK! Geeze. Getting kicked off my own thread.  

Let us leave this Entmoot and get on with the adventure!

[phylinidaho]

Is that a general rule? Applicable to the big parties as well? If I understand correctly, anyone with an LP registration can run? Where are the opportunities (if any) to prevent such a person running (or run someone against him), for example if there is an LP-endorsed R?

Generally, the LP would not endorse an R (although this was done recently by one individual purporting to speak for the party). Those who have been reported by the county clerk or secretary of state (see below) are voted on and endorsed or not at the State LP Convention.

A caucus I suppose, but that means what? Who can attend and vote? Just anyone in the district with an LP registration?

Voters do not register by party. Any qualified person can file (by petition or filing fee) for any office, giving the name of the party under which he is running. If his party is not on the ballot, he must run as an independent.  Under Idaho Code 34-706, the County Clerk or Secretary of State (depending on the office) then notifies the political party of those who have filed for office under that party.

[Zxcv]

I said LP-endorsed R, but I meant FSP-endorsed R. I am trying to see how we can prevent the situation where there are more than one pro-freedom candidates on the ballot.

I'm wondering generally, what's to keep a D from running as an R? How do parties prevent bogus candidacies being filed by their opponents? I mean for example, say the D's wanted to run against an R that was really one of theirs. They could but their "mole" in as an R in the primary and if they could win that they control the election in that district.

[phylinidaho]

I'm wondering generally, what's to keep a D from running as an R?

Nothing, except activism to prevent his winning the Primary. Most voters vote the R primary, regardless of their party, because the winner there (except in a few districts) is a cinch to win the General election.

[Zxcv]

Wow, I didn't realize this means you have an open primary too. Should have realized this.

When you say "activism, to prevent his winning the Primary", how does this work? If Joe Blow signs up for a R primary, and he's never run before, how are people to know if he's really a D or an R? From his positions? Seems like he could lie (politicians have been known to lie...). So how do the phonies get weeded out?

It must be weird to be in a state where the general election is just a formality!

It's almost like it's not a 2-party state, and not even a 1-party state. It's an n-party state where all parties run as R's. Third parties could do well here if the individuals didn't care what party label was attached to him. Or am I missing something?

I'm now thinking FSP actually could fit into this picture pretty easily. We just run our people in the R primary, and work hard to get them the nomination (we'd normally be running native or long-term Idahoans, of course).

Of course once you get elected you have to answer to party leaders, or get shut out of all the good committee assignments. So that is one area where the ringers could be controlled.

[phylinidaho]

When you say "activism, to prevent his winning the Primary", how does this work? If Joe Blow signs up for a R primary, and he's never run before, how are people to know if he's really a D or an R? From his positions? Seems like he could lie (politicians have been known to lie...). So how do the phonies get weeded out?

They don't always. Of course, they claim they have "seen the light" and switched parties. What I meant was that the Republican Party would have to spend money and effort to make sure the legitimate candidate wins the Primary.

It must be weird to be in a state where the general election is just a formality!

It's almost like it's not a 2-party state, and not even a 1-party state. It's an n-party state where all parties run as R's.

There are pockets - my legislative district, for instance - where the Rs don't even bother to run a candidate, because the D will win.

Third parties could do well here if the individuals didn't care what party label was attached to him. Or am I missing something?

I'm now thinking FSP actually could fit into this picture pretty easily. We just run our people in the R primary, and work hard to get them the nomination (we'd normally be running native or long-term Idahoans, of course).

Of course once you get elected you have to answer to party leaders, or get shut out of all the good committee assignments. So that is one area where the ringers could be controlled.

I'd say that's a pretty good assessment.

[exitus]

Some more news out of Boise, Idaho:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/News/story.asp?ID=34901
"The Basque journalist with close ties to Boise was accused two weeks ago of being a spokesman for ETA . . ."

"Some Boise Basques know Otamendi personally. He first spent time here in the 1980s. Most recently, he covered Cenarrusa and state Rep. David Bieter as they convinced the Idaho Legislature last year to approve a statement supporting self-determination for the Basques of northern Spain and southern France. "

"Spanish officials and the Bush administration fought that memorial of support. But Idaho has the largest and most politically powerful Basque community in the United States, and many European Basques hope their Amerikanuak relatives will influence the United States to one day back them against the Spanish government in Madrid. "

"The 15,000 Euskaldunak in Boise make up one of the largest Basque populations in the world — third after an enclave in Argentina and the people who live in the coastal and mountainous region the Basques call Euskal Herria, and which the rest of the world calls Spain and France. "

"Their grandparents came here in the late 1800s, and more came in the early days of Francisco Franco´s fascist regime, which started with the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. Many of them were dispossessed of land and tormented by the bombing at Gernika, which Franco orchestrated with the Nazis to squelch Basque resistance to his Nationalist party. The Generalissimo outlawed any showing of Basque culture or pride.

So the Boiseans each have a history, like Artiach, whose mother was imprisoned by Franco and whose cousin has been in prison for 20 years.

Cenarrusa has been among the leaders of Basque Americans for decades. In 1972, after visits to Spain, he pushed a memorial through the Legislature that outlined the injustices he attributed to Franco, who ruled until he died in 1975."


"The Spanish government fought the Idaho Legislature´s support of the Basques by pressuring officials in Washington.

Madrid does not want Washington to support any program or idea like the memorial,” Otamendi said.

And in fact, the Bush administration fought the memorial last year, eventually convincing Idaho lawmakers to write a compromise version that said the state had “unqualified support” for the United States and other countries´ “war on terrorism.”


emphasis is mine

[DanTheTileMan]

[quote author=exitus And in fact, the Bush administration fought the memorial last year, eventually convincing Idaho lawmakers to write a compromise version that said the state had “unqualified support” for the United States and other countries´ “war on terrorism.”[/i]

It seems that in these times of Patriot Act I, and now II, the US may not be any better or worse than Spain is now.  They have Spanish Guardia Civil, and we have Homeland Security.  At the rate we're going we will be just as bad as pre-1975 Spain, headed for a 1930's Franco-styled Bush regime.

Dan the Man
*************************************************
The Sacred Rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records.  
They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature,
by the Hand of the Divinity itself, and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power.  
 - Alexander Hamilton (An essay, "The Farmer Refuted," 1775)

More Good Stuff at www.lexrex.com

[exitus]

You must be thinking along the same lines as me, Dan.

One important ingredient of those events that brought about The Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the birth of a free nation, was a whole host of immigrant population accutely aware of the tyrrany of the reign of kings.

People who have first-hand eyewitness understanding of the terrors of fascism understand the need for liberty, with a little focused education efforts and awareness of the principles of liberty and the events of today, I am sure that would be close to 15,000 people who would stand in our favor.

I was not aware that the Basque population in Boise was so politically active and motivated, I regard these 15,000 basque individuals as a definite positive for Idaho as our nation sinks deeper into the fascism that is becoming more and more apparent.  

[DanTheTileMan]

Well, Exitus, anytime you can find a community that keep has roots, a cause, or common beliefs, you have the potential for quick results in numbers if you can convince them to join with FSP.  You have the Basques, Patriots, tax-rebels/reformers/protesters (whatever invective label the government is currently using), bikers, other freedom political parties, and gun owners.  If you were addressing a gun ownership issue, wouldn't you enlist the help of the Jews for the Preservation of Firearm Ownership?  So why don't we enlist the Constitution Party members, etc., in addition to the Libertarian Party?  See my post: today in http://forum.freestateproject.org/index.php?board=7;action=display;threadid=1284;start=45;boardseen=1