Eric Sundwall

Dear Mr. John Ensign,

Your outfit recently sent me a message soliciting twenty dollars and eight cents in order to help the GOP get back the Senate. Aside from the usual banal claims of security and traditional values, your appeal lacks any pizazz or genuine appeal to someone like myself who is an enrolled Libertarian and never a Republican. Unfortunately I seem to be on the list and my only succor is the ability to respond to what I guage to be about 500 visitors a day to this site and another.

As far as New York is concerned, you haven't been able to put a winning candidate in office since Al Damato. Needless to say, I preferred even Pat Moynihan to him. It's hard for me to believe that unless Hillary wins the White House there will be no change in colors for beleaguered New Yorkers whose embarrassment is never assuaged by the latest failure of the GOP. I proudly carried almost a thousand signatures last summer for Jeffrey Russell in his attempt to unseat the former first Lady from the Senate. I'm not about to shift seats to a bigger doomed vessel in New York.

I didn't want to overshadow Senator McCain's announcement in New Hampshire with my own announcement for President, so I have given some pause to that consideration. With the prospect of Mark Burnett's new reality show and some seed money from the Gates Foundation, I'm willing to reconsider if certain stars align however. Before becoming a full fledged libertarian I always thought the possibility to run was always there. In college I would often bet gullible bar mates I could name the college or lack thereof of any President. Despite an inability to verify it on the spot, I made a convincing enough case to merit a few rounds.

Libertarians often seek to educate the public about their ideas on government, economics and individual liberty. This comes as a result of dearly held convictions and the acknowledgment that true electoral victory is unlikely in the current electoral context of 'winner takes all' and 'lesser of two evils' psychology. The prospect of some real money (say sixty million) might make such a candidacy viable however. The Gates foundation is proposing a political fund which asks candidates to speak toward society's educational needs and problems. While I'm pretty certain they are not considering our candidates in their scheme, I'd be willing to go out on a limb and state that I would discuss education as my top priority, rather than a close seventh as the American public rates it.

There's some buzz about the online Presidential debate hosted by Yahoo, Slate & The Huffington Post. Apparently sometime after Labor Day Charlie Rose will host the Dems and GOP in a new format that will probably be just another set of scripted platitudes influenced by high priced consultants on the electoral gravy train.

It's understandable that the elites at Slate and the Huffington Post may only want major gig participation, but why Yahoo ? Have the folks from Silicon Valley jumped on board with the two party scam with no consideration to third party efforts ? The Libertarian Party maybe the hottest ticket to ballot access for any candidate willing to express a penchant for Liberty. Over a dozen candidates from all walks of life are currently seeking the nod from what some consider ''anarchists in camouflage'. While this may be an anachronistic label, the reality of it's staying power in the process lends itself to some degree of concern and legitimacy. I would urge people to consider a grassroots movement to boycott Yahoo ( and perhaps PBS) in light of these events.

Chairman Robert (Mike) Duncan,

I recently received a spiffy packet from your organization with a large picture of the President and the First Lady. You state;

I hope you are proud to receive the enclosed personalized photograph of [the] President . .

Considering that I have never been enrolled as a Republican, I did find this outreach somewhat curious rather than a source of pride. The fact that I currently serve on the Libertarian National Committee doesn't entitle me to the expectation that you know who I am. None the less, I am taking this opportunity to write back and return the contents with a request that you consider joining our party in an effort to reduce government, withdraw from Iraq and promote the ideals of the free market.

As you may know former Congressman Bob Barr recently accepted a position on the LNC for what we call Region 4. As you know, Mr. Barr was formerly a Republican. His steadfast belief in personal freedom and the harm of an ever increasing encroaching Federal government has caused him to work closely with the ACLU and recently the Marijuana Policy Project. While you have;

. . no doubt that our nation is safer, freer and more prosperous today because George W. Bush is our President.

I do. Aside from any non-interventionist assumptions that I could make as Libertarian ( and the corresponding accusations of isolationism one must suffer ), I believe your support for Mr. Bush has fundamentally put America at risk strategically and financially. That fact that 'libertarian' oriented voters and the Party itself, has placed Democrats in power in the Congress should in no way absolve many of those who now seek to replace him.

My wife used to be an enrolled Dem before I ground her down and got her to change. Somehow the Hillary and Obama machines must still hold and sift through old records. Perhaps the NYS BOE info is just under that intense competitive pressure that all bureaucracies feel, right. As Libertarians we constantly try to adapt and reinforce approaches that should work. Thus, proper fund raising letters and their efforts are often discussed refined and ultimately do no good because we're not percieved as 'winners'. Here's some excerpts of a 'winners' losing ideas . . .

I'm a Republican, but she is working hard for the farmer," and that is more important than politics, Hanselman said.

This recent quote in an upstate paper says a lot about the state of the country. It belies the fundamental misunderstanding that Congresswoman Gillibrand has about economics and the value she places on politics. As a good libertarian it doesn't require too much digging to find elucidation of why subsidies and price controls don't work. Not that they are bad per se or justified based on some other valuation or purpose. Simply that they don't work.