Prop One is Defeated; Our Candidates Beat the Socialist Workers Party! Congrats to our candidates, and thanks to all who helped.

Uncertfied Vote Totals for Libertarian Candidates in NYC 2005

Audrey Silk for Mayor                    3,105     .25%
Jim Lesczynski for Public Advocate      17,034    2.22%
Ron Moore for Comptroller               12,629    1.67%
Joseph Dobrian for Manhat. Boro Pres.    2,891    1.17%
Gary Popkin for Brooklyn Boro Pres.      2,143     .82%
Claudia Flanagan for City Council D. 2     643    2.59%
Jak Karako for City Council - Dist. 4      358    1.03%
Thomas Ruks for City Council - Dist. 22    352    2.26%
Kenneth Cook (Rep/Lbt) for 43rd AD         417    9.50%

Uncertified Vote Totals Elsewhere

Anthony Futia, for N Castle Town Sup       221    5.26%

Tour to Oppose Prop One is Making Progress Proposal One, on the NY ballot in November, will: sharply curtail the governor's right to veto spending; guarantee late budgets every year; increase taxes every year; increase debt every year; allow legislators to enact budget changes in secret; remove the provision mandating that lawmakers lose their paychecks when the budget is proposed late; and remove all checks and balances--allowing the legislature to become the "constructor" of the budget; Press Release: Libertarians Call Budget Amendment a Trick

Vote Row "F" for Freedom! If you're in NYC, our candidates will be on Row F on your ballot. Check for the Statue of Liberty to make sure you have the right candidates! Audrey Silk for NYC Mayor Jim Lesczynski NYC Public Advocate Ron Moore for NYC Comptroller Joseph Dobrian Mahattan Borough President Claudia Flanagan City Council District 2 (East Village, Lower East Side) Jak Karako for NYC City Council District 4 (East Midtown, Upper East Side) Thomas Ruks for NYC Council, 22nd District (Queens) Gary Popkin Brooklyn Borough President Also, in Westchester: Anthony Futia Superintendant of the Town of North Castle

Read more about Proposition One at High Taxes NY and the Empire Center (the latter is in PDF).
The now-failed Prop 1 is chronicled comprehensively at UpstateBlog
Also Read Mark Bitz's press release about Prop 1 and print out flyers against the Proposal.

New Yorkers to Change Albany has a large truck carrying a 7-1/2 foot wide, 15 foot long, and 10 foot tall PIG touring NY to Stop the Pork! Contact Aaron Biterman to get more information about the tour.

Kings County Libertarian Ballot Access Victory
• Press Release/a>

Oct 12 The Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division, upheld a decision allowing Gary Popkin, candidate for Kings County Borough President, to stay on the ballot as a Libertarian. The petitions for two Libertarian Borough Presidents were combined this year so that petitioners could collect signatures from Queens voters in Brooklyn and Brooklyn voters in Queens on just one form. The precedent will make it possible for geographically-close groups of libertarians to combine various candidates onto one petition in the future. The win was featured at Ballot Access News, which tracks ballot access issues for minor parties across the U.S. Popkin v. Umane decision. Appellate Decision Denial of the Board of Elections' motion to appeal

Press Release: LPNY Chair John Clifton says Withdraw Now from Iraq!

Mondays at 10:30pm: Hardfire is a libertarian political talk show, produced in Brooklyn.
more information

Homeland Security in exchange for your liberty?
DMV licenses turning into National ID and Border Checkpoints in Essex County

September, 2005 Our campus chapters are starting to pick up speed again after the summer off. Our candidates continue to get a slight trickle of press, such as this NY Sun article about our mayoral candidate Audrey Silk. Our Brooklyn Borough President candidate, Gary Popkin, participated in the BP debate and received some coverage from Brooklyn Downtown Star, The Brooklyn Papers, and the The Queens Ledger.

August, 2005 There's an editorial in The Sun about Manhattan LP Chair Jim Lesczynski's lawsuit against the campaign finance board of New York City. Coerced speech is not free speech!

July, 2005 Once again, Manhattan takes the cake for getting media, with their "No Poker, no Peace" protest at 1 Police Plaza. Check out the photos and wrap-up at http://manhattanlp.org/. The North Country had an outreach booth at the annual Mayor's Cup in Plattsburgh. The Ithaca LP has been meeting with the local Coalition for Change, and so on. What are you doing in your area? Have your county organizer update us via the LPNY blog.

Supreme Court on Eminent Domain Gary Popkin, Libertarian candidate for Brooklyn borough president, posted this reaction after the Kelo decision.

Now the Supreme Court has administered the coup de grace. The total destruction of the American republic is complete. Now, no home, no corner business, no farm, no factory anywhere in the nation is safe from some politician's idea of the public good. The right of private property, the right of people to be secure in their homes, is demolished. The floodgates are opened. Politicians everywhere will be looking to see whose property they can steal next to increase tax revenues.

Theft is now legalized as the law of the land.

SUMMER EVENTS IN ITHACA: 6/9 OPH table on the Commons, 6/17 monthly meeting, 7/3 & 7/4 Ithaca Libertarians & FSP Campout & Celebration - it's partytime! 7/15 monthly meeting, 8/13 OPH table on the Commons, 8/19 monthly meeting. more information

As MPP writes, "in other states, legislators are fully aware that the Court's decision doesn't change their power to protect patients from arrest. Yesterday, Rhode Island senators passed medical marijuana legislation by a 34-2 vote. We need you to act now, so that New York patients aren't left behind." Tell Senators Bruno and Leibell to not abandon patients:
Send a message to Bruno Then, Send a message to Leibell

October, 2005 Eric Sundwall writes about Howard's visit to Columbia County. Then, Howard's trip makes the NY Times! Back in Saddle, Preaching Drug Legalization. Audrey Silk, a retired police officer and our candidate for NYC mayor, was on hand to welcome him to NYC. Jim Lesczynski gets mentioned and endorsed by the Grand Street News. Audrey Silk gets mentioned in The NY Sun, and her "Smoke Bloomberg" lighters were mentioned on the Village Voice's campaign blog.

This Supreme Court decision comes as Milton Friedman and 500 other economists urged legalization of marijuana.

FREE BUFFALO! Convivial crowd calls for revolution reports the Buffalo News. Syndicated (libertarian) columnist James Ostrowski has a huge event to kick off the new think tank he's starting to help get Buffalo's budget and government back under control.

5/16/05 The Supreme Court overturns laws discriminating against out of state wine-sellers. New Yorkers should be able to order wine on the Internet now, from say, Oregon or anywhere on the West Coast. Otherwise, the state will have to prohibit in-state mail-order sales from Finger Lakes wineries and NY-based wine stores, like Bedford Wines, as well. ABC News reports: "The 5-4 decision overturns laws in New York and Michigan, which supporters said were aimed at protecting local wineries and limiting underage drinkers from purchasing wine without showing proof of age. In all, 24 states have laws barring interstate shipments." The court's decision is available online. The Washington Post commented on The Wine Decision's Aftertaste. 5/28 update N.Y. wine bill may need work: Pataki's measure differs from legislators' version

05/11/05 ITHACA-- LTE published today, latest Ithaca Libertarian newsletter published 5/10, OPH table on Sat., 5/14 across from Progressive/Green/Bush Must Go headquarters on the Ithaca Commons, monthly mtg. on 5/20 - usual place & time. More about our dynamic chapter in the Finger Lakes.

5/7/05 The Manhattan LP have a full day, starting with the Marijuana March, and finishing up at the BOOT Bloomberg fundraiser in the evening!

5/3/05 Libertarian candidate for NYC mayor Audrey Silk gets mentioned in NY Newsday.

Newsday Quote: Silk said she is appalled at how easily New Yorkers have submitted to having their behavior enforced by law.

5/1/05 Social Security debate: "The best we could do is phase it out slowly," explains Suffolk LP member Estelle Edwards in her essay Fixing Social Security.

04/27/05 ITHACA-- Events for the Spring and Summer in Ithaca will include OPH outreach tables, social events, meetings and a BIG overnight Libertarian - FSP campout and BBQ over the Fourth of July!

04/21/05 KINGS-- by Gary Popkin / The annual Mermaid Parade will be held at Coney Island this year on Saturday, June 25. You may go to the official parade web site.

Convention Information and flyers

Andrew Gardner reports: I was there last spring with some friends of mine. They have a pool and a jacuzzi! Remember to bring a bathing suit!