| LIBERTARIAN PARTY ORGANIZATION
FORMED IN COMAL COUNTY, TEXAS
Notes by Patrick Killough 02/23/2003 An article in Kirk Douglas’s CANYON LAKE WEEK for February 12, 2003 called to my attention (page 9) that Libertarians would meet in New Braunfels at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday February 19 at Luby’s cafeteria “to discuss the formation of Libertarian groups in Hays, Caldwell, Comal and Guadalupe Counties. ... You’ll also meet Michael Badnarik, from Austin, who has just announced his candidacy for U.S. President. “ The meeting is “free and open to the public.” I contacted the listed contact person, Rick McGinnis at 512-413-5928 (email: rmcginnis@austin.rr.com), who confirmed that the event was still on. So I went. From that evening here are the highlights about organizing the Libertarian Party of Comal County, Texas. From 6:30 until 6:37 p.m. (when he introduced the speaker, Presidential candidate Michael Badarnik) Rick McGinnis opened and presided over the meeting. There were six local people, all from Canyon Lake, and two representatives of the press. Mr McGinnis is Vice President of the Travis County (Austin) Texas Libertarian Party.His email address is Rmcginnis@austin.rr.com with web site at http://www.AustinLiberty.org. He sketched the rise of the Texas Libertarian party from virtually nothing as recently as five years ago. Travis County is now the hub of state-wide Libertarian activities. One of the party’s goal is to run ever more candidates for local and state office. By 1999 Libertarians were running candidates in 15 counties (note: of 254 in Texas). Our point of departure is the U.S. Constitution. We give early warning when liberties are being threatened. Mr McGinnis then said that Comal County has no Libertarian Party organization. He then introduced Sharon Blanding
Sharon’s task is to form a Comal County group, hold elections and set to work getting the Libertarian party message out. He then introduced the speaker, Presidential candidate Michael Badnarik. Thirty minutes later Mr McGinnis returned to the organization of Comal County Libertarians. He spoke as follows and answered questions for the next 20 minutes: If you look back to the year 1750, the thirteen English-speaking colonies of North America were full of loyal, fervently English subjects of the Crown. By 1775 they were in revolt. A year later they declared themselves 13 independent states. What had happened? A sizable percentage of them no longer felt free, or possessed of the rights of Englishmen. They followed Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry. “Give me liberty or give me death” rallied them. Mr Badnarik has told us how far the Texas Libertarians have come in five short years. Now it is time to organize Comal County. Our goal from party headquarters in Austin is to help local people organize four counties along I-35 between Austin and San Antonio--Coma, Guadalupe, Hays and Caldwell and then unite them into a larger Central Texas Libertarian Party group. We plan to host a meeting of the Central Texas Libertarians at 6:00 p.m. on March 11th at Luby’s cafeteria in San Marcos to hear Geoffrey Neale. Geoff is Chairman of the national Libertarian Party. Fortunately for us he lives in Austin. [(http://www.GeoffreyNeale.com) email: liber8or@austin.rr.com home phone: 512-263-1681; cell 512-554-1523.] Neale is concentrating on future planning. Let me now showcase once again Sharon Blanding. From Austin we have asked her to organize Comal County. This was far from a hard sale. Indeed, Sharon approached us to volunteer for this. Our larger plan is next to organize fifty counties centered on Austin. We are not narrowly Libertarian Party people. We know that libertarians exist in other political parties, most notably US Representative Dr Ron Paul of Victoria (14th District). What America needs is more friends of liberty wherever they can be developed. From Austin we make available a Distinguished Speakers Series. And a Speakers Bureau. So please sign up to join the party. Your $25 will bring you a steady flow of great literature. [NOTE: among the handouts in New Braunfels was a 22 page brochure called A NEW VISION FOR AMERICA: LIBERTARIAN PARTY--AMERICA’S BETTER CHOICE IN POLITICS. It is very well written and presents a balanced approach to issues.] -OOO-
Patrick Killough
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