Libertarian to run for State Delegate

Editor, Times West Virginian:

Your "Our Opinion" article "Filing deadline near; Where are all the local candidates?" from 1998-02-05 Thu proved to be a valuable wake-up call that may have gone unheeded by the Republicans. In receiving a call from one of my Republican friends this afternoon some 30 minutes after the deadline for filing candidacy paperwork, he knows of no Republican contender for the 43rd District State Delegate seat. The Young Republicans often spoke last year of the failure of the multi-party system in West Virginia. If this proves to be true, it would be, as you stated, quite disappointing.

However, the Libertarian Party, the largest party after the Republicans, is experiencing an incredible growth spurt within West Virginia, home of the Free Mountaineers, leading the other states in Party membership growth with a rate of about 150% per year. Our principles of freedom in both our economic and personal lives offers the voters a choice that neither of the other two major parties provide separately. These disaffected citizens are responsible for the bulk of our new membership: they have found a home within the Libertarian Party of West Virginia that is consistent with their own core principles.

On Friday I filed my precandidacy paperwork with the County Clerk. On May 9th, I am expected to be nominated at the LPWV convention as our candidate for the 43rd District State Delegate seat. Please find the press release announcing my candidacy attached.

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PRESS RELEASE
Marion County Libertarian Chair to run for State Delegate

David Croft, Marion County Chair of the Libertarian Party
of West Virginia (LPWV), announces his candidacy today for
the 43rd District State Delegate seat.  His issues of focus
include:

* School Vouchers
* Initiative, Referendum, and Recall (IR&R)
* Family Automobile Tax Elimination
* Support for the Police and Courts
* Property Owner Rights
* Deregulation
* Smokers Rights
* The Right to Bear Arms
* Reduction in Unnecessary Government
* Government Restraint
* Government Accessibility

"My candidacy is part of a Party-wide organizational plan to
establish presence on the ballot to let voters know that they
have a real choice.  Libertarians have made significant
progress by achieving major party status on the West Virginia
ballot and we intend to keep it by running candidates in
every election.  By voting for the Libertarian on your
ballot, you will be sending a clear message to the other two
major parties that you will not tolerate government
interference in your personal lives or in your workplaces.
Free Mountaineers will now be able to say to government
busybodies, whether it be personal or professional, it is
none of their business!"

David Croft may be reached by phone at (304) 363-7913
or electronic mail at "croft@computer.org".  Further
information may also be found on the World Wide Web
at "http://www.alumni.caltech.edu/~croft/lp/".

Paternalism and Smoking

I sent the following letter to the Editor on January 24th.

Editor, Times West Virginian:

I've seen a lot of stories and comments in your fine newspaper recently about good people speaking in support of a smoking ban. What these well-intentioned folks need to consider is that they are advocating paternalism. "Paternalism" is a form of soft "Big Brother"-ism in which the government tells us what is good for us without giving us any personal responsibility. As an example, the recent rumors I've heard about a proposed law to require all snow skiers to wear crash helmets just adds to my concern. These kinds of things indicate a bad trend and are really not the business of the government.

What we need at this point is a new amendment in our state constitution which would recognize and guarantee the right of free adults to take on personal risks and their consequences. It should be a statement that conveys the understanding that the only legitimate purpose of government is to protect the rights of its people, not to protect them, rights or no rights, against their will. Given that, allow me to propose the following for your consideration:

"The right of a competent and consenting adult to engage in behavior that risks harm to his person or property, but otherwise does not violate the rights of others, shall not be infringed, abridged, or denied."

1998 Mar 14 Sat	LPWV ExeCom Meeting
1998 May 09 Sat	LPWV State Convention
1998 May 12 Tue	Election Day
1998 Jul 02-05	LP National Convention

Periodic

• LPWV Marion County mailing list registration form
• List of cities and towns in Marion County
• List of elected officials representing Marion County
• Dates of forthcoming elections
• Libertarian Party perspective on Marion County issues
• Local recruitment opportunities and events

• Recruit a campus representative for Fairmont State College