Preliminary Observations by Patrick Killough (who attended the meeting described)

In Austin February 17, 2003  Michael Badnarik, 48, announced his campaign to seek Libertarian  Party nomination for President of the United States during the late May  2003 Party Convention in Atlanta, Georgia.

He has a strong, controlled speaking presence and seems a younger, handsomer  Leonard Nimoy (Mr Spock portrayer in the Star Trek TV series). He wore a suit and tie, stood erect, seemed both friendly and dedicated. He realized that he had to defend a broad spectrum of libertarian values without seeming devoured by some one good to the exclusion of others. He is a good, assured communicator and his goal of winning TV time is reasonable, attainable and likely to bear good fruit for his party.

On Wednesday February 19th Michael Badnarik spoke twenty minutes (from 6:37 p.m. to  7:17) p.m. and then took questions from an audience of six local (all Canyon Lake) people and to Rick McGinnis, VP, Travis County Libertarian party and two representatives of the San Antonio press.  The gist of what Mr Badnarik said is as follows:

During the Viet-Nam war I was in high school. I wondered why we were in that fight. Around 1983 I began to study the US Constitution. I found little correlation to the US Government as it actually behaved.  Later I realized why I didn't find correlation: there is no correlation. Most or at least much of what the US Government does is unconstitutional. For example, the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. The government which is supposed to protect us spends more time violating our rights than upholding them.

In Austin we can't keep the money we earn. All we have left over from taxes goes to keeping us alive via two or three jobs apiece.

I have developed an eight-hour course on the Constitution. A basic distinction that emerges is between rights and privileges. You don't have to ask for permission to exercise a right. A privilege you exercise on someone else's authorization. I have a right to walk around on my own land but only a permission, a by-your-leave, i.e. a privilege controlled by you to take short cuts across your land. Rights and privileges are opposites.

In America we the people have rights. We give Congress 18 enumerated privileges.

So I don't need a PERMIT to carry concealed weapons. The Second Amendment is my favorite. We need arms to protect ourselves. From whom? From the government, alas. The King told the troops to collect guns at Lexington and Concord.

How far do you think the courts have gone in limiting our freedom of speech? Are we free to do more than play scrabble and fill in crossword puzzles?

Congressmen swear an oath. This lays a fiduciary obligation upon them. And most of them perjure themselves.

And what of Homeland Security? It means ten year olds and 80 year olds are searched. Sky marshals are permitted to carry weapons on board a plane. But the security guards make them check their nail clippers. Where is the sense of that? Now we have 22 agencies under one man. That is sort of the way Hitler acquired his power. He asked for more and got it given to him.

The Patriot Act allows the FBI to do "sneak and peek" searches, putting everything back they way they found it. They don't have to tell you they have done it for 90 days. They may copy your computer's hard drive. I don't want anyone going through my sock drawer. The Patriot Act eliminates the 4th Amendment. And here comes the Patriot Act, Part Two!

Do I believe in capital punishment?  Absolutely!  I think everyone in the Capitol should be punished.

Coming:  the government's Total Information Awareness program. The government will register every fact about you, will know every book and video you check out..

Arms control, American arms control began after the Civil War. Freed slaves did not have the RIGHT to keep and bear arms.  Instead they were given privileges which can be taken away at any time.  Although these privileges originally applied only to blacks, they have gradually spread to everyone.

When I lived in California I paid 48% of my income to a combination of national, state, county and local government. The Founding Fathers argued that after 33%, personal liberty is lost. In California, by that logic, I should have risen up and overthrown the government 15 percentage points earlier.

What of shots against anthrax and small pox? Some people who try forcing that on free men may find out that a 45 caliber creates a bigger hole than a syringe (note: said with a smile; audience laughs).

What have I done for liberty?

I created and teach an eight-hour course on the constitution. I began running (unsuccessfully but with grrowing support) for state office. My motto is "Lighting the Fires of Liberty one Heart at at Time."

The goals of my campaign:

--(1) double national membership of the Libertarian Party. For $25 you can join the Libertarian Party.

--(2) win my party's nomination for President at the Atlanta convention on the last weekend in May 2003.

--(3) That publicity will allow me to command TV time to spread my message.

--(4) Win two million votes nation wide--versus the previous high of one million votes. I will not win the Presidency But I will be a voice. If two million people vote Libertarian, it will be a statement that a lot of people--a number growing very fast-- don't like things the way they are.

I am a mainstream patriot. I am with Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry.

What can you do? A lot.

--(1) Sign up for my newsletter. Read the archives on my web site http://www.badnarik.org.

--(2) Send emails to friends.

--(3) Volunteer your time. Help Rick McGinnis and Sharon Blanding organize Comal County for the Libertarian Party.

--(4) Run for office yourself. You won't feel helpless any more.

--(5) Pass out flyers. Empower word of mouth. Tell your friends.

--(6) Join the Libertarian Party for $25. Send your application via my treasurer. I want to take credit (nationally) for all who sign up through me. Help me get my message on television. Your $25 goes to Washington headquarters who send half back to the State organization.  Thank you.
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Selected Q & A:

(1) Q: Why pay $25 to join the Libertarians? You don't pay to be a Democrat or Republican.

A: we are starting so far back we need a financial jump start.

(2) Q: where is the logic of coercing children to get an education?

A: Want to know the real reason? To teach kids to defer to the teachers now and to authority ever after. Through the 1960s American kids led the world in what they knew for their age. They still prayed in school. Now we aren't even in the running any more. Every one should be able to pick  his/her own school. See http://www.sepschool.org.

(3) Q: What about the war on drugs?

A: The cure is worse than the disease. I have never touched drugs. I might counsel others not to use them, but it is up to them. If we legalize drugs they will be cheap and there will then be no incentive to smuggling. Government thrives on addictive personalities.

-OOO-

Canyon Lake, Texas
02/23/2003