Libertarian shorts from around the nation

A round-up of Libertarian electoral news pieces too brief for me to post individually (at least this late at night):

Deathwatch North Carolina notices (without endorsing) North Carolina Gubernatorial candidate Mike Munger in a positive way:

DW was recently contacted by the Delaware Libertarian blog with a request to spread the word about NC gubernatorial candidate Dr. Michael Munger, who opposes the death penalty. DW does not endorse candidates for political office.

It gets him on the record with death penalty opponents.

In Georgia, Senatorial candidate Allen Buckley takes incumbent Saxby Chambliss to task for supporting earmarks and other pork:

Buckley said: “If elected, I’ll take a no earmarks, no pork, no subsidies pledge, and I will fight to permanently eliminate these wasteful expenditures from federal budgets. I would not vote for a bill such as the housing relief bill that Saxby Chambliss has voted for, as it rewards irresponsibility and increases the debt burden on future generations.” Buckley also said: “I hereby challenge Mr. Chambliss and the ultimate Democratic nominee to a debate on the prudence of earmarks, pork, subsidies, means of changing the tax and entitlements systems, and the financial soundness of continuously increasing federal spending and deficits in light of the GAO’s warnings.”

In Indiana's 9th Congressional District, Dr. Eric Schansberg rises from 4 to 5% in the polls, and has to referee the ongoing spat between his opponents over who conducted the nastiest campaign in 2006, and who will debate or share town meeting forums with whom:

Dr. Eric Schansberg said: “Baron [Hill] needs to look in the mirror. Both of them were responsible for the nasty campaigns they ran in 2006. Baron needs to apologize as well—not only to Mike [Sodrel], but to everyone in the 9th District—for subjecting us to so much mud-slinging and name-calling like ‘Millionaire Mike’. I commend Mike for extending the olive branch. Maybe if they both take responsibility and apologize, we can go forward and have an honorable campaign this time.”

On the debates, Dr. Schansberg said, “Even though it was completely hypocritical, I understand why Baron wouldn’t debate gas prices earlier this summer. But since Baron demanded a lot of debates in 2006 and since he’s so good at it, I’m sure he’ll have enough character and confidence to offer at least the same three debates we had then—in Bloomington, New Albany, and Jasper. I look forward to many opportunities to debate and discuss the issues that are important to the voters of the 9th District.”

In Texas's District 52 (State House), Lillian Simmons has been recognized by Americans for Prosperity for signing the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) pledge, promising that if elected, she will support the following:

First, the state government’s budget should not grow faster than the family budget.

Second, decisions about new taxes and spending projects should be made by taxpayers.

Election Advantage notes that in Montana the race between John McCain and Barack Obama has abruptly tightened into a 47-47 tie, and that the Libertarian vote (especially with Stan Jones running for Governor and drawing a consistent 3% in the polls) may prove decisive:

Something to keep an eye on here could be Libertarian Bob Barr, as 5% of Republicans but only 1% of Democrats say they would currently vote for a 3rd party candidate. It doesn't sound like a lot, but in the 2006 Senate race here, Democrat Jon Tester won by .87% while Libertarian Stan Jones won 2.55%.

Politics continues to get more and more interesting as we stumble closer to November.

Comment Rescue (?) and child-related gun violence in Delaware

In my post about the idiotic over-reaction to a New Jersey 10-year-old posing with his new squirrel rifle , Dana Garrett left me this response: One waits, apparently in vain, for you to post the annual rates of children who either shoot themselves or someone else with a gun. But then you Libertarians are notoriously ambivalent to and silent about data and facts and would rather talk abstract principles and fear monger (like the government will confiscate your guns). It doesn't require any degree of subtlety to see why you are data and fact adverse. The facts indicate we have a crisis with gun violence and accidents in the USA, and Libertarians offer nothing credible to address it. Lives, even the lives of children, get sacrificed to the fetishism of liberty. That's intellectual cowardice. OK, Dana, let's talk facts. According to the Children's Defense Fund , which is itself only querying the CDCP data base, fewer than 10 children/teens were killed per year in Delaw

The Obligatory Libertarian Tax Day Post

The most disturbing factoid that I learned on Tax Day was that the average American must now spend a full twenty-four hours filling out tax forms. That's three work days. Or, think of it this way: if you had to put in two hours per night after dinner to finish your taxes, that's two weeks (with Sundays off). I saw a talking head economics professor on some Philly TV channel pontificating about how Americans procrastinate. He was laughing. The IRS guy they interviewed actually said, "Tick, tick, tick." You have to wonder if Governor Ruth Ann Minner and her cohorts put in twenty-four hours pondering whether or not to give Kraft Foods $708,000 of our State taxes while demanding that school districts return $8-10 million each?

New Warfare: I started my posts with a discussion.....

.....on Unrestricted warfare . The US Air force Institute for National Security Studies have developed a reasonable systems approach to deter non-state violent actors who they label as NSVA's. It is an exceptionally important report if we want to deter violent extremism and other potential violent actors that could threaten this nation and its security. It is THE report our political officials should be listening to to shape policy so that we do not become excessive in using force against those who do not agree with policy and dispute it with reason and normal non-violent civil disobedience. This report, should be carefully read by everyone really concerned with protecting civil liberties while deterring violent terrorism and I recommend if you are a professional you send your recommendations via e-mail at the link above so that either 1.) additional safeguards to civil liberties are included, or 2.) additional viable strategies can be used. Finally, one can only hope that politici

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