If I can have a few minutes of your time, I'd like to share a few words about a fellow Libertarian who is running for national chair of our party. Although we live in different states and I've only met him a few times in person, I consider him a role model as well as a friend and am proud to support him. (I did not tell him I was going to do this or run these comments by him before sending them out, so I alone am to blame for whatever errors or offending opinions they may contain!) I do so because I believe he offers the vision and leadership we need to get the Libertarian Party back on track and inspire a new generation of young libertarian activists who've been turned on to the ideas of liberty by the Ron Paul campaign and get them involved with the LP and the ongoing struggle for liberty.
Ernest Hancock is an incredibly dynamic, hard-working activist and a principled, uncompromising libertarian. Among other notable accomplishments too numerous to list here, Ernest is the guy who came up with the now famous "Ron Paul r3VOLution" slogan/logo that has played a huge part in the presidential campaign that has taken our freedom movement to new levels. Not only was he responsible for this first-rate idea which has helped radicalize many Ron Paul supporters, but for months has been helping it spread like wildfire by getting out on the road and hustling the message all over the country as well as via the Internet. Here, in one of the many exciting videos he has produced, narrated, and put up on the Web, activists are erecting large billboards in southern California on the highway from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, having fun, and encouraging others to copy their efforts:
http://www.ronpaulnation.com/tv.html#ron_paul_revolution_big_interstate_billboards
Obviously, Ernest Hancock is not a technocratic, managerial, buttoned-down, inside-the-Beltway kind of guy. He is a plain-spoken, sleeves up, big-picture kind of guy, a fearless, outspoken, fun-loving advocate of liberty. He is one of us, an activist's activist. He has always put fighting for freedom ahead of party politics. If you go to any of his websites -- sites like FreedomsPhoenix.com, ErnestHancock.com, TheLFactor.org -- you'll find them chock-full of material promoting libertarianism to the public and touting the candidacies of himself and other LP members for public office. There is however scarcely a word about his candidacy for national chair.
That's one reason I decided to write this email and do my part to help get the word out among LP members that Ernie is running and deserves our support. Libertarians of all people understand that the kind of person you want wearing the general's hat is someone who's a natural leader but is nevertheless on some level ambivalent about wanting the job, because we know it is never safe to entrust power to those who are too ambitious for it or enjoy wielding it too much. Libertarians know that the kind of person you want in the top job is someone whose attitude is "Hey! Go out and do it yourself!" and who then inspires, leads by example, and shows you how to get it done. If you watch the video linked above, I think you'll understand that this describes Ernest Hancock in a nutshell. From what I know of him, I think no one would be happier than Ernie himself if the Libertarian Party were in such great shape that he could just focus on spreading the message of libertarianism to the public and leave the running of the Libertarian National Committee to others.
Unfortunately this is not where we are today. LP membership is way down from where it was a few years ago. Our platform has been gutted by misguided "reformers." Our national website and newsletter offer cheerleading fluff and an often context-free focus on "winning," while tiptoeing around Libertarian ideology. We have a crop of presidential candidates whose positions are probably on average less libertarian than ever before in the party's history, including a slick "Millionaire Republican" being given frontrunner billing on LP.org in recognition of nothing more than monetary donations to the LNC. We have an LNC whose "star" member (at least, apparently, in the eyes of much of the LP's leadership) is a former Republican member of Congress whose pro-freedom credentials on many issues are open to question. Hardcore libertarian activists have been discouraged and disempowered within the party by trends like charging delegates "floor fees" to participate in conventions, and packing the Platform Committee with insider-appointed members committed to agendas like further watering down our platform and scrapping the LP's long-standing non-initiation of force pledge. Some of our best activists have become disillusioned with these and similar trends and dropped out of the party.
In short, the Libertarian Party is in crisis, even at a time when the Ron Paul campaign in which Ernest has played such a vital role has demonstrated the potential of libertarian ideas to move the masses and inspire young people to get involved; even at a time when the United States is on the brink of recession and perhaps even economic collapse, and more in need of our radical freedom message than ever. At this critical juncture we need a Libertarian national chair whose ideological focus, passion, and commitment to our cause are second to none. We need Ernest Hancock to lead our party back to core principles, to motivate a new generation of freedom activists to join us and bring to the LP the energy and enthusiasm that they have brought to the Ron Paul campaign.
A few Libertarians argue that supporting a Republican and rallying members of the Arizona LP behind him, even one with the libertarian track record and credentials of Dr. Paul, was wrong, and that this somehow disqualifies Ernest Hancock from being our chair. I completely disagree. The Libertarian Party desperately needs a chair who recognizes that libertarian *ideas* come first, and that the LP is just a *vehicle* for those ideas, not an end in itself. The attitude that all we need to do in order to "succeed" is to focus on "marketing" the LP "brand name" into mainstream prominence, and stop making such a fuss worrying about what Libertarians *actually stand for*, is part of what has gotten us into the mess we're in now. I have no doubt whatsoever that an LP headed by Ernest Hancock will be much *less* at risk of becoming "GOP-lite" than is the case under our current leadership.
Please join me today in writing Ernie <ernest@...> a note endorsing his candidacy. If you can come to the Libertarian national convention in Denver (May 22-25, 2008) as a delegate from your state and pledge him your support, I urge you to do so. (Note -- you can find information here on how to become a delegate.) If you cannot make it to Denver, please consider making a small donation to his campaign for chair, so that he will have a fraction of the resources available to him in this race that he has generously given from his own pocket over the years toward the cause of liberty.
(mail checks to)
Ernest Hancock for LP National Chair
5739 North 11th Way
Phoenix, AZ 85014
One thing you can count on is that Ernest will know how to get the most mileage out of any donation you send!
Thank you for listening, and, if you are getting this email directly rather than via a list, for tolerating this mass pitch for a candidate. You know I don't make such appeals very often, but this is important. (If you want to call me up and chew me out, or give any other feedback, my home phone number is below.)
The battle for the heart and soul of the Libertarian Party is winnable, but everyone who wants to see us stand by our ideas needs to step up to the plate. Let's take our party back!
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))
(415) 621-7932
Outreach Director/Secretary, Libertarian Party of San Francisco
Libertarian Party of California Platform Committee Rep.
California LP Executive Committee At-Large Rep. (2001-2002)
San Francisco LP Chair (1998-2000)
Candidate for SF Board of Supervisors (2006)
Candidate for Board of Education (2004)
Candidate for SF Board of Supervisors (2002)
Candidate for State Assembly (2001)