Eric Sundwall

We'll remind Mr. Trippi of a glaring weakness in his other general argument. His revolution will never take place as long as two parties dominate the process. Their institutional and monetary power is here to stay for a while. This little campaign can't fight the carpetbagger with the corporate war chest or the all around numbers rich incumbent. It can raise a defiant fist.

One hundred and fifty years ago an aspiring periodical would have covered a local business man seeking a seat in Congress. Today labels and electoral inevitability only require reporting all the 'Benjamins'. As discouraging as this reality may be, it is also heartening when one thinks of possible alternatives. Fortunately voters are not as pliable as some would like to think. The reality is that insiders are.

An effort that simply beats up the incumbent is truly short on ideas. Our plan to release policy 'white papers' throughout the campaign should provide enough substance for the elites to take notice. For mere pennies on the comparative dollar, we'll prove that ideas have greater power then simple numbers.

The much anticipated LPNY convention in Albany was held on Saturday. Former Governor of Massachusetts William Weld cracked a nut that may have national implications. If Mr. Weld gets the Republican nod this endorsement may go far in replacing the Conservative Party as one of NY's kingmakers. The next few months will be interesting.

Fred Lebrun dropped a term in this week's TU that I hadn't seen in that context. I believe "Historic Inevitability", is the approach to political truth that most media parlay. Candidates and parties succumb to it all the time. We just know that Hillary & Elliot will win their political fight. But in the mean time our former restaurant reviewer and our cut and paste reporters will fill in the space so all those trees can keep coming down so Mr. & Mr. Smith can read their paper in the morning. Those high-speed connections just aren't worth it yet.

Times Union Publisher Rex Smith pontificates candidate coverage;

" So let's say you woke up one morning and decided the patriotic thing to do was to run for public office -- to offer yourself to voters as a servant of their interests, determined to do something good for your community."

We'll figure that this will be the strategy of the red and blue when it comes to debating.

The ten percent polling threshold maintained by the LWV or perhaps no office space will
keep the real anti-war candidate at bay. We'll certainly have position papers. There should be a money consideration. The incumbant ought to spend at least a dollar of his own money.

Touting itself as the first public poll in the 20th Congressional District, no metric was provided for our campaign.

It's one thing when Rex Smith doesn't care, but it's completely another when an organization purporting to serve some public good gets involved.

Mr. Thompson of the Glens Falls PostStar interviewed us on Friday.
The article was in Sunday's paper. It is also available online.

Liz Benjamin did a bang up job determining the mystery objectors today.

I copied her at 8:30 about our situation and she was done before the day's whistle.

Despite the recent tortures of lawyers and bureaucrats we were happy to see an endorsment of sorts.

A diarist at Democracy in Albany named Alfred Newman posted on August 28th. We missed it due to exhaustion from petitioning and the subsequent challenges. We do appreciate it though and hope we can be there when you pull the lever.

Here's Eric's rant in response to a TU blog entry.

During the campaign I had the pleasure of working with my old buddy Warren Redlich. He took a real hit for me. He didn't have to go to the mat for me against my three objectors who happened to employ the same lawyer as Congressman Sweeney. But he did. I'm immensely grateful and support Warren's effort whole heartedly.

Jeff Russell is the LPNY's U.S. Senate candidate for 2006. He's in the toughest possible position this year. He's running against Mrs. Clinton who has gobs of money and every expectation for another grab at the White House.

Nothing of note in regards to courts and lawyers.

We did get some press from some young journalists at Metroland and the Register Star.

See this link for Sunday's Register Star.

Here's the text . . .

A good number of LP candidates across the country are making news this election season. I was happy to see Phil Maymin in CT get into his debates. Phil did a stellar job. He counterd mainstream politics with solid answers and solutions. I especially like how he conserved his time and was able to shred an old MSM bobblehead. Roads. Everyone wants to make Libertarians justify roads. Despite the shortcomings of the Fairtax idea, it's an opportunity for people to consider actually eliminating others. Here's what some other noteworthies this cycle.

One of the reasons I became active in the LPNY was the Senatorial campaign of Dr. Donald Silberger. His radio interview with Alan Chartock confirmed my desire to work with people identifying Liberty as the greatest political goal. This photo of Don and me is at the Catskill Bi-Centennial this last summer. We also worked the Rhinebeck Fireman's parade with Thomas Ruks a few weeks before this. Ruk's once referred to Don as the 'fire' of the LPNY. Don is twice my age and I had trouble keeping up with him during petitioning. He simply asked every human being he came across for the right to be on the ballot. Don's bid for Lt. Governor includes this latest HardFire episode. The cool part about the Net is that this show hasn't even aired yet and will now be available before the Sunday morning yappers start their thing. I miss David Brinkley, he was Don's era also.

While some bemoan the lack of choice between the two mainstream candidates, libertarians are restoring dialogue to the debate. While I know Chris Garvey from my work in the party, I did have the opportunity to participate in the Eminent Domain Rally in Albany in April with Rachel Treichler. Not sure who the Socialists guy is, but hey, who gave him the opportunity to promote his anti-capitalist message ? Libertarians of course ! Here's the new HardFire episode featuring the People's candidates:

If you get a chance go over and lend support to the idea that other candidates who are in fact on the ballot have a chance to debate the Big People. Not too sure it will help or have any effect on things. the culture of the power elite is petrified of open and honest debate. Give it a try. As they say when they try to invoke the Math Tax (the lottery) - Ya never know. This is not an ideological driven message or idea. Notice the diversity of interests on the list. BTW - Vote Third Party anyway.

As we get closer and closer, consider wasting your vote this year for Governor. We only need 50,000 votes in order to get real candidates running next cycle. That's truly a drop in the bucket. Outraged you can't vote for Sundwall this year ? Vote Clifton Silberger this year. Maybe you could run next time. No reasonable idea refused.

The Times Union came out in favor of Kirsten Gillibrand on Sunday. Aside from the usual editorial pandering and self-righteous prattling they claim the following:

'She has been against the war in Iraq from its ill-conceived beginning and offers a sensible course that recognizes the failure of President Bush's mission and envisions a negotiated political solution that would allow a deadline to be imposed for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.'

Envisioning something and making it possible are two seperate things. The reality is that Mr. Bush was given a blank check and no freshman Congressman will persuade the powers to be otherwise in future forays. My recollection is that 'no permanent bases' and Iraqi's should have a stake in their country and oil. No tacit acknowledgement that the undeclared 'war' was unjust or unjustified. I recall the editorial board interview with the PostStar in Februaryand Ms. Gillibrand gave a qualified answer at best. Calling for the initiation of the War Powers Act would be evidence of opposition. Paid strategists would never be so bold in a tepid electoral environment like the 20th CD.

Americans take heart. Despite the nastiness of the Red & Blue this campaign season, real third parties are emerging from the primordial electoral ooze. We are Libertarians and Greens.

Every cycle we battle impossible ballot access laws and still manage to lend our voice to the process. The socially tolerant and fiscally responsible message of both parties will resonate with more and more Americans as they cease to be fooled by the machines.

I proud to be a part of that process. I like the radicals. I like the moderates. I like anyone with an alternative voice and awareness.

We are young and capable. We are strong and smart.

We value the future and understand the past . . .

Having relegated the Capital Confidential's voyeuristic political blogging to a brief daily scan, I found this piece by Caleb Johnson of the Keene Free Press a delightful change, here's an excerpt about a recent trip by Hillary to New Hampshire and some Ron Paul too;

She even agreed wholeheartedly with a questioner who said that the government needs to provide free universal college education. But she failed to put forward any ideas for paying for her programs. She criticizes the President for spending money that the country doesn't have, and then in the next breath proceeds to draw up her own spending sprees. Her position on health care was no different. She asserted that the country needs universal health care, provided freely to all citizens. We all need three meals a day too. But that doesn't mean government should pay for it. But again, Clinton put forward no plan for paying for her schemes. . . . . Overall, Clinton's visit to Keene was disappointing. A friend described her performance as “thirty minutes of clichés.”

After such a brutal put down you would think that the Ron Paul article to follow would be as harsh as the Senator's shakedown. I was pleasantly surprised. My own critique of his Free State speech was harsher. Here's Johnson on Paul . . .

The Turning Stone and all other state sponsored gambling should be shut down. I once stopped in the Turning Stone with a buddy a few years back on a business trip. I couldn't just pop twenty bucks into the slots without getting a card and essentially 'registering' my transactions. After refusing such nonsense, as my buddy went happily off to waste his money, I figured the bar would be a good spot to spend some otherwise wasted time. Lo and behold no alcohol on the premises! Needless to say it was my one and only visit. Why do we allow these restrictive means and measures into our personal vices ? What happens when government subsidizes or licenses these 'services' ? One could argue that free market casinos are less fraudulent than government as a whole.

As one of those disparaged political outsiders its very hard to watch the Red & Blue debates and feel any satisfaction or hope that my outlook will ever be reflected on any large scale. As enrollment declines in both major parties, a large poll of non-affiliated voters just wait for the inevitable choice between which side of the head they will be struck on. The other half of the American voters opt out altogether and are vilified by self-righteous followers of a system declaring their ambivalence some sort cancer on democracy.

Watching the CNN debates this last week amplified two prominent issues. The GOP seems hell bent on a fence for Mexico's border and the Dems are splitting hairs about universal health care. While neither issue will be as important as the trillion dollar war on terror, each carries its own political baggage . . .

Congresswoman Gillibrand is baffled that someone would tell her that high oil prices aren't caused by the evil speculators. Of course do-gooder lawyers would always reach for the regulatory button when confronted with any problem. It's their job after all.

Bob Murphy has a great article about this over at the Mises site. Murphy's point ?

The crucial point to remember is that there is nothing magical about government officials. There is no intrinsic reason to expect them to better forecast future disruptions in oil imports.

I know this rings hollow for all those afflicted with governmentis, but the idea that the strategic reserve (and even the Federal Reserve) is something that the government can control or eliminate will simply never be on the table for these types.