From Laura Ebke, our Co-Midwest RLC Director:

For those who do not wander over to the National GOP website frequently, some changes occurred in recent weeks: the site has become much more “social networking” oriented.

Interestingly, the most popular “groups” to join seem to be those which might have some interest to RLC members. The Republican Liberty Caucus group can be found here. Be sure to go over there and sign in to up the standing of the RLC as one of the groups.

Other groups that might be of interest to those reading here (and you can join as many as you’d like — just like with Facebook and other social networking sites): Ron Paul Republicans (currently the most popular group); the Back to Goldwater Republicans; the Constitutionalist Republicans.

Whether you participate in these groups or not, adding to their numbers sends an important message to the larger Republican Party: libertarian-constitutionalist Republicans are here, and we need to be listened to.

2009 is the year of the party purge.

That’s one way of characterizing what has been taking place in the Republican Party as it relates to Republican Liberty Caucus members.

As voters that identify as Republicans continue to plummet to new lows (just 20 percent according to an October ABC/Washington Post survey), some state or local Republican Parties have targeted their most liberty-oriented members (undoubtedly members of the Republican Liberty Caucus) for removal.

An interesting strategy to build the Republican coalition — let’s boot out the Republicans that most value the Republican Party platform!

RLC members in Florida and Indiana — and, now, Tennessee — have been removed from elected positions, or have been targeted for removal.

Last week, the Davidson County Republican Party — representing the largest county in Tennessee — announced an effort to remove Vice-Chairman Matt Collins from his elected position. The Davidson County Republican Party Executive Committee voted 14 to 5 to begin the process to remove Mr. Collins from his position.

Collins is also the Vice-Chairman of the recently formed Republican Liberty Caucus of Tennessee. In response, the RLC has issued a press release defending Mr. Collins.

“This is the third state in the last year in which party insiders have tried to purge grassroots activists belonging to the Republican Liberty Caucus,” said Dave Nalle, National Chair of the Republican Liberty Caucus. Purges also took place in Marion County, Indiana, where RLC member Liz Karlson was removed from her Ward Chair position, and in Florida, where five Republican Liberty Caucus members were removed from the party for criticizing party leadership or opposing candidates with a history of fiscal irresponsibility and raising taxes.

The Republican Party has a tradition of diversity, tolerance, and support for freedom of speech and the right of dissent. The Republican Liberty Caucus is encouraging its members to contact RNC Chairman Michael Steele and Tennessee RNC Committeemembers Peggy Lambert and John Ryder to ask for their intervention in the matter. The RLC press release includes additional contact information for interested parties.

According to RLC Chairman Dave Nalle, “It looks like a weak faction which barely gained control of the county party decided that Matt Collins and his supporters threatened their positions of power, so despite the fact that he has not violated any rules, they decided to override the party members who voted him into office and force him out.”

Last Friday, the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Grievance Committee notified Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida Chairman Will G. Pitts of Jacksonville and four other Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) members that they have been removed from positions within the RPOF or are prohibited from serving in any official RPOF capacity for a period of no less than two years.

“The reasons for this ‘Party Purge’ are that we have collectively and individually called for a complete audit of the Republican Party of Florida finances, advocated for candidates not favored by party leaders, and that we are members of the Republican Liberty Caucus,” said activist Doug Guetzloe of Orlando, one of the ‘purged’ members.

Please help the Republican Liberty Caucus fight the Republican Party of Florida’s direct attack on Liberty Republicans.

Here are a few ways that you can help:

1) Contact RNC National Chair Michael Steele at (202) 863-8500 and the two Florida RNC Committee Representatives, Paul Senft [eMail] and Sharon Day [eMail].

You can link them to this article for details about the situation.

Please be respectful, as these parties may not be aware of the situation. Request that they investigate this matter and then take action against Jim Greer. Explain that Mr. Greer and the RPOF Grievance Committee overstepped its boundaries by booting out NUMEROUS elected representatives of grassroots Republican activists for no reason!

2) Write a letter to your local newspaper highlighting this issue. Please review our sample letters to the editor and our Florida media list.

3) Call the Republican Party of Florida at (850) 222-7920 and (850) 222-7920. Give them a piece of your mind. Delmar W. Johnson, Executive Director of RPOF, voted to have RLC members banned from the party. Let Delmar and his staff know what you think about that!

4) Contact members of the RPOF Grievance Committee — the folks who voted to boot Mr. Pitts and other RLC members. Express your frustration — no, outrage! — that they are purging active Liberty Republicans from the party!

The members include:
Jim Greer (eMail): Phone is same as RPOF HQ: 850-222-7920
Tony DiMatteo, Chair of Committee (eMail): 727-398-5850
Delmar W. Johnson (eMail): 850-681-2063 or 850-222-7920
Doug Adkins (eMail): 904-261-2213
Linda Ivell (eMail): 863-602-9866
Deno Hicks (eMail): 904-819-9170
Richard Solze (eMail): 904-964-5803
Cynthia Henderson (eMail): 850-210-5385
Nancy Riley (eMail): 727-573-5222
Jason Broudeur (eMail): 407-963-9576

Remember, these are the same “leaders” who helped Barack Obama win Florida — a decidedly Republican state — last year. Perhaps party activists have had enough of their “leadership” — especially when they’re booting our fellow liberty-lovers from the party!

5) Join the Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida on Facebook and Yahoo. There is also a reform-oriented Facebook group called “Restore the Republican Party of Florida” operated by RLC member Nick Egoroff. Also, if you haven’t yet done so, please join the RLC or donate today!

6) Tune in to the weekly Republican Liberty Caucus Podcast LIVE on Thursday at 11 EST at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rlcradio. RLC Chair Dave Nalle plans to interview several of Florida RLC members who were involved in the situation. Hear their story and call in with questions!

Friends, we are winning.  The press is taking notice.  When the party leadership has to stoop this low, it is clear that we are having an impact.  Now is NOT the time to give up, but to keep on fighting!

The fight has just begun!

Our message of individual liberty, free markets, and limited government is gaining support all across Florida.

The Republican Liberty Caucus hopes to provide you with a courageous, principled, and committed voice for reform in the Republican Party.

Please take the above-outlined steps to defend our leading voices of liberty in the RPOF.  It’s the grassroots versus the establishment political class.  Your phone calls, letters, and donations will make the difference.

Yesterday the Republican Liberty Caucus issued a press release (pdf) and encouraged its members to contact media outlets to alert them of the outrageous behavior of the Republican Party of Florida and its Chairman Jim Greer towards RLC members and other Republicans who have been the target of a Stalinesque party purge.

These pages have already detailed this story and more news will follow.

RLC members like Will Pitts and John Stevens were punished by the Florida Party did nothing but express personal opinions which were not popular with a leadership which has no tolerance for dissent or speech which doesn’t match their version of political correctness.

The GOP has often been a “Big Tent” with room for diversity of opinion and a respect for the right of free expression, but in Florida under Greer the rules are more like those of the Democrats or the Soviet Communists who believed that slavish subservience to the party was more important than individual rights or diversity of thougth.

Grassroots Republican activists are being punished for their idealism and honest disagreement with the policies which have taken the Republican Party away from its principles of limited government and individual liberty in recent years — selling its soul to special interests, only buying a reduced status as a minority party in both houses of Congress and party registration.

Party leaders ought to be looking to the Republican Liberty Caucus for a new generation of leadership instead of singling them out for punishment for stating truths which are painstakingly obvious.

The Republican Liberty Caucus and our chapters and allies around the nation will continue to press this issue until the national party wakes up and cleans house in Florida.

We will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. We are in earnest, we will not equivocate, we will not excuse, we will not retreat a single inch, and we will be heard.

To view a PDF of the official letter sent to John Stevens from the RPOF, click here.

To view a PDF of the RLC press release on this issue click here.

Party Boss Jim Greer (photo below) has waged war on grassroots Republican activists in Florida!

On Friday, the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Grievance Committee (full list of members below) notified Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida Chair Will G. Pitts and at least four other RLC members that they have been removed from positions within the RPOF and prohibited from serving in any capacity for a period of at least two years.  Mr. Pitts also put on probation by the RPOF until 2012.

Several other Republican Party activists have also been purged, including former State Representative and Brevard County Chairman Jason Steele and former Chair of the Federation of Black Republicans and Orange County Committeeman Deon Long.

In the case of RLC Chairman Will Pitts, he criticized Jim Greer, Charlie Christ, George W. Bush and John McCain as is also Chair of the Republican Liberty Caucus — an organization that believes in the rights of individuals, a constitutionally-limited government, and free-market economics.

History and Background Information:

• List of press hits after the purge | 9/9/2009
• Complaint Against Will Pitts Filed by St. Johns County GOP
• RLC members Egoroff and Guetzloe Under Attack from RPOF;
• Greer Strips Orange County GOP Committeeman Deon Long of Post

The initial article, “Complaint Against Will Pitts Filed …”, explains the Republican Party of Florida’s objections to Mr. Pitts’ activism.

In addition to RLC member Will Pitts being reprimanded, lifelong Republican and RLC activist Nick Egoroff of Orlando has been expelled for four years. Additionally, Northeast Florida RLC Chairman John Stevens — himself a Republican Committeeman for his precinct — is ineligible to serve in any RPOF position until August 31, 2013.

According to Stevens, “In effect, I [will not be eligible to] serve again until 2016 since the election for the next four year term will be in 2012.”  Florida RLC Board member and Escambria County Committeewoman Elizabeth Campbell was expelled for six months and stripped of her position.

Doug Guetzloe, who has served on the Orange County Republican Executive Committee since 1980, was stripped of his position until at least 2013.

Says John Stevens, “WOW! All the work we have done for the party … and this is how we are treated by the RPOF.”

In response to the news, Orlando Area RLC Organizer Nick Egoroff intends to file a lawsuit against Jim Greer and RPOF. Please contact us if you would like to join in the suit.

The Florida GOP has systematically attacked the Republican Liberty Caucus since summer of 2008, when Jim Greer’s staff notified the RLC that it could no longer use the word “Republican” in “Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida”. They threatened a lawsuit against the RLC.

The RLC has used this title for nearly two decades in the state of Florida and obtained proper permission in writing long before Jim Greer or Charlie Christ came to rule the GOP in Florida.

On a personal note, I have followed the way Republican Liberty Caucus members and supporters have been treated in Florida both prior to and after Boss Jim Greer assumed Chairmanship.

There is no Republican Party leadership in the country that has acted as inappropriately toward grassroots activists as the RPOF under Mr. Greer.

Thankfully, (I believe) Mr. Greer’s time in any significant leadership position will be short.

Lord Acton was right: “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

This party purge is just the latest example of the significant impact that the Republican Liberty Caucus is having on local-level politics all across the country.

The first rule of politics is that you make the most enemies when you are successful.  These RLC members are extremely successful — so much so that Boss Greer decided to shut them up.

Take Action!

But the fight has only just begun.

Please contact “Chairman”-bossman Jim Greer, Florida GOP Media Director Katie Gordon, RPOF Grievance Committee members Jim Greer, Delmar W. Johnson (Executive Director), Tony Dimatteo (Chair), Doug Adkins, Linda Ivell, Deno Hicks, Richard Solze, Cynthia Henderson, Nancy Riley, and Jason Brodeur as well as RPOF Committeepersons Becky Reichenberg, Jon Woodard, and Bob Veit.  The latter three — members of the St. Johns County GOP — are responsible for the complaint against RLC Chairman Will Pitts.

Better yet, give them a ring on the phone:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RPOF: (850) 222-7920
Delmar W. Johnson, III, RPOF Executive Director: (850) 681-2063 or (850) 222-7920
[Note: Mr. Johnson voted to have our members booted from the party!]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony DiMatteo, Chair of Committee: (727) -398-5850
Doug Adkins: (904) 261-2213 or (904) 277-8566
Linda Ivell: (863) 602-9866 or (863) 802-5262
Deno Hicks: (904) 819-9170 or (904) 739-2115
Richard Solze: (904) 964-5803
Cynthia Henderson: (850) 210-5385 or (850) 422-1011
Nancy Riley: (727) 573-5222 or (727) 822-9111, ext.163
Jason Brodeur: (407) 963-9576
[Note: All of the above folks voted to have our members booted from the party!]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Becky Reichenberg: (904) 287-0752
Jon Woodard: (904) 797-5790
Bob Veit: (904) 794-1602
[Note: These three bullies filed the initial complaint against Will Pitts!]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RLC members, please let these “leaders” know what you think about their decision to expel grassroots Ron Paul supporters — each elected to their positions by Republican Party members — from participating in the Republican Party.

Additionally, please contact RNC Chairman Michael Steele [eMail] at (850) 222-7920 and Florida National Committeepersons Sharon Day [eMail] and Paul Senft, Jr [eMail].

It is likely that Steele, Day, and Senft are unaware of the ‘purge’.  Please be polite and kindly inform them of the situation.  Then ask for their intervention in this matter.

Also, please write letters to the editor on this issue. Sample letters and a media list are available at this website.  Also, here is a link to six ways you can TAKE ACTION in response to this purge.

Finally, please donate to the Republican Liberty Caucus today so we can effectively fight these charges against our cherished members and supporters.

Dear RLC of Florida members:

What an exciting five months it has been since our RLC of Florida State Convention. The newly seated RLC of Florida Board of Directors is been off to a great start in accomplishing our 2009 Strategic Objectives (.doc).

Below please find a brief update to things that are occurring around the state:

Chartering Local Groups

Our 2009 Strategic Objectives placed high priority in assembling organized groups of RLC Chapters around the state. By having organized groups that regularly meet, discuss upcoming events and get to know one another, we will become more effective at spreading the message of liberty.

We officially chartered our first two groups: Northeast Florida, Chaired by John Stevens and Central East Florida, chaired by Matthew Nye. Both of these men and their boards are demonstrating great leadership and are now holding regular RLC meetings with upwards of 150 persons in attendance.

Additionally we have groups in Tallahassee, Pensacola, Clay County and St. Johns County actively working to become chartered. We have a student in the University of Florida Law School that is in the process of chartering a UF School of Law RLC group.

If you are interested in starting a county chapter or a student chapter formed and chartered please contact RLCFL Vice-Chair Steven Talcott Smith or Board member Michael Durden.

The Chartering Committee completed a chartering application template for local groups to easily become chartered by the RLC of Florida. Essentially, the group needs paid ten members within a county or student group to petition to become chartered. Also, we have a standing conference call for all leadership around the state who wants to become more active. If you would like to begin building a group, we welcome your participation.

Marketing / Promotions

The Northeast Florida Marketing Committee group created a fantastic standard template website for use by newly chartered groups to promote their regional or county group. You can view the new Northeast Florida RLC website template at www.rlcnef.org. Special Thanks goes Kimberly Wells, the NE Florida Vice Chairman, and Erik Setzer, NE Florida RLC Board member, for their work in developing this new website.

Additionally, we are raising money for printing of new Rack Cards, Brochures, and the new 18 Page Liberty Guide. The Liberty Guide will be a magazine type document that can be given to our state legislators or fellow Republicans in the local Republican Executive Committee’s to provide an understanding of the RLC Positions. We anticipate this entire project costing approximately $5,000 for printing. The design and graphics work of these projects are substantially complete with minor edits needed. If you are able, please make a generous donation to the RLC of Florida to help promote our cause.

Committees

We have numerous committees that are working on membership, chartering, marketing, activism, legislative issues, and numerous other topics. If you would like to join one of these state committees, please let me know. A follow up e-mail is forthcoming to discuss the committees in more detail.

Legislative Initiatives

On the legislative front, there are numerous exciting pro-liberty pieces of legislation pending in the Florida legislature this year that that the Board of Directors will be considering. We will be taking Board action to pass resolutions for and against legislation. If there is a bill that you feel the board should support or oppose, please let us know. We will be assembling a committee to head up our annual Tallahassee trip. If you would like to serve on this committee please let us know. Below are some of the specific pieces of legislation with links that the Board will be considering resolutions in support or opposition:

Support:

HB 21 Florida Firearms Freedom Act

Original Bill Filed: http://myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h0021__.xml&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=0021&Session=2010

HM 19 – Limiting the Scope and Exercise of Federal Power

Original Bill Filed: http://myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h0019__.xml&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=0019&Session=2010

HJR 37 – Health Care Services

Original Bill Filed: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h0037__.xml&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=0037&Session=2010

Floridians for Smarter Growth Initiative

http://www.florida2010.org/index.php

Oppose

Hometown Democracy – Amendment 4 – a statewide “Vote on Everything”

Read and learn more about this dangerous communistic initiative

http://www.florida2010.org/aboutus.php

Candidate Campaign Endorsements

RLC Members around the state are actively working on a number of local and state campaigns. Additionally, candidates are seeking endorsements from our state board. If you would like to serve on the Candidate Endorsement Committee, please e-mail me.

Conclusion

It is a pleasure to serve as the Chairman of the RLC of Florida. We are never at a loss of events to attend, candidates to support or legislative efforts to rally behind. It is all of you that are the Patriots and the true Public Servants. The true public servants are those Patriots who tirelessly dedicate their time and energy without payment and their treasure without thought of monetary gain; whose efforts are often met with criticism and seldom without thanks; yet they remain undeterred in the glorious Cause of Liberty for themselves, their fellow man and their posterity.

It is these Patriots who have and will preserve our American way of life. We are making a huge difference in the public debate. Thank you the opportunity to serve this group during this exciting times.

Sincerely,

Will Pitts
Chairman

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Below you will find links and articles relating to the legislation being considered by the RLC of Florida Board of Directors:

Regulation of Firearms: Creates Florida Firearms Freedom Act; provides legislative findings & definitions; provides that specified firearms, firearm accessories, & ammunition for personal use manufactured in state are not subject to federal law or regulation; provides that importation into state of specified parts & incorporation of such parts into firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition manufactured in state does not subject firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition to federal regulation; provides that certain basic materials are not subject to federal regulation of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition under interstate commerce; provides that specified firearm accessories imported into state from another state do not subject firearm to federal regulation under interstate commerce; provides legislative findings with respect thereto; provides exceptions; provides applicability; requires that firearms manufactured & sold in state must bear indicia of manufacture by specified date.

Limiting the Scope and Exercise of Federal Power: Urges Congress to honor provisions of U. S. Constitution & U. S. Supreme Court case law which limit scope & exercise of federal power.

HJR 37 – Health Care Services

Health Care Services: Proposes creation of S. 28, Art. X of State Constitution to prohibit laws or rules from compelling any person, employer, or health care provider to participate in any health care system; permit person or employer to purchase lawful health care services directly from health care provider; permit health care provider to accept direct payment from person or employer for lawful health care services; exempt persons, employers, & health care providers from penalties & fines for paying or accepting direct payment for lawful health care services; permit purchase or sale of health insurance in private health care systems; & specifies what amendment does not affect or prohibit.

Articles of Interest Relating to the Above:

Will Florida Ban National Health Care?

Plakon and Baker File Florida Health Care Freedom Act (.pdf)

Florida reacts to Federal overreach, joins 10th Amendment reserved rights effort

Baker sponsors 2nd Amendment protection bill in Legislature

As many of you will have heard by now, the Democrats have struck back against Town Hall protesters and grassroots activists who just want to be heard and ask their representatives reasonable questions. They are sending out thugs from the notorious SEIU to make sure that only their picked shills get into the Town Hall events and to intimidate protesters. The union thugs have already injured several activists, destroyed video equipment and in a bit of good news three of them were arrested for attacking a protester in St. Louis on Thursday. Their goal is to silence you and make sure that only one viewpoint on health care gets discussed.

There are several health care Town Halls coming up this weekend, but the big ones are going to be the two appearances by Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold, one in Chaseburg on Saturday morning and the other in La Crosse in the afternoon. Feingold has a high profile and is a major tax and spender and a big supporter of socialized medicine. He’s controversial enough to attract a big crowd and we expect a lot of RLC members and members of other liberty-oriented groups to show up at his events. I fully expect the SEIU to send thugs to every future Town Hall, but their presence will be especially strong at the Feingold events because of his high profile and the strong union presence in Wisconsin.

Hundreds of grassroots activists and hundreds of union thugs bent on keeping them from exercising their constitutional right to seek redress of their grievances is going to be a volatile situation. Whether you’re going to confront Senator Feingold on Saturday or attend one of the other Town Hall around the country over the next month, you need to be prepared.

The SEIU thugs will be there looking to rough people up and throw their weight around. Many of them will be wearing their purple logo t-shirts, but some are likely to be posing as ordinary citizens. Their goals will be to deny you access and provoke incidents which their bosses can play up in the media to make us look like a violent mob.

Your goal should be to get into the Town Hall event, ask questions and ask the speaker the hard questions which we already know they aren’t prepared to answer. You want to get this on video and you don’t want to get kicked out or shouted down.

If you want to get into the hall and play a role you don’t want to be wearing buttons or carrying a poster. In particular, don’t bring anything associating Obama or the Democrats with Nazis or Nazi symbols. Nancy Pelosi and the left media like to seize on those images and then make the ridiculous claim that you’re a Nazi. Bring compact digital video equipment you can fit in your pocket and can afford to lose or have broken, and keep it in your pocket until you need it. If you come in a group make sure several of you have video capability while others are prepped to ask questions. Be prepared to lie to the SEIU gatekeepers. Wear an Obama button. If they ask, tell them you’re a Democrat or a teacher at a local school and a union member. Go to your county Democratic Party website and look up the names of minor party officials like the Precinct Captain for your area. Drop that name and tell them he invited you.

One of the latest reports is that Democrat Party operatives are going through the crowds questioning people about their political views and why they are there. They are looking for ways to spot the “troublemakers” who they need to keep out of the event. A good response for them is “I’m just here to find out more about health care reform” or tell them that you want to know more about how the public option will help you get cheaper insurance. You don’t want to appear too knowledgeable. You want to make them think you are hopeful but confused and looking for information.

If you manage to get inside don’t start chanting or causing a disruption until it becomes clear that you and others who came with you aren’t going to get to speak or get anything useful on video. If they decide to eject you from the hall, turn on the drama and get it on video. Remember the “don’t tase me bro” guy. Speak out. Ask them why you’re being kicked out. Tell them you just want to be ask a question about health care. A specific complaint caught on video is much more effective than a protest chant. If you don’t get in at all or end up ejected, that’s the time to start chanting and raising a ruckus.

If you don’t get into the meeting or end up confronting the SEIU thugs at the door or outside of the hall, talk to them and get it on video. Ask them why they’re there and who they work for. Even ask them the questions you wanted to ask inside. Ask them if they’ve read the Constitution. Keep them off balance. Don’t let them provoke you and if they start calling you names or shoving you don’t respond with violence. Stay with your friends, stand up to them but don’t lash out. I’ve heard some activists boasting that they know martial arts or are going to be armed. That’s a terrible idea. Whoever has the superiority of numbers or force will look like the bully and if that’s us then they can use it to make us look bad. If there’s a riot it won’t matter who started it, the media will blame it on us.

Whatever happens, catch it on video. Right now they think they can get away with anything because the mainstream media isn’t reporting our side of the story. They’re telling the story the way the left wants it to be told. But if there’s enough video people will find it and no one will be able to suppress the truth. Be informed. Be outspoken. Get it on video.

The folks at The American Constitution and Capitalism Defense Front (Active), have come up with an interesting idea.

They’re calling for a nationwide strike of citizens against the government, turning the international socialists’ tactics against them and possibly launching a movement which will have even more impact than the Tea Parties have had.

At a time when the extreme left has become the establishment, those who support traditional American values of liberty and free enterprise are by default the radicals, just as we were in 1776 when we opposed the tyranny of British rule. I don’t agree with all of the beliefs and methods which groups like ACTIVE and the Patriotic Resistance and Bureaucrash advocate, but this idea of adopting the methodology and rhetoric of the radicals of the 60s in the fight against the growing power of the leftist state in America is very appealing.

Back in the early days of the Libertarian Party this is very much the approach which we took. As editor and a columnist for Liberty magazine back in those days I was constantly writing articles which sought to capitalize on the enthusiasm of student radicalism and direct it against the terrible policies of the Carter administration. In the Students for a Libertarian Society (SLS) we were borrowing ideas from the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) (which had preceded us by about a decade) and we were drawing on the hardcore anarchism coming out of the anti-government riots and the punk music coming out of England in the late 70s. At the time there was only so far we could go with the idea, because Carter’s incompetence made his administration too soft a target and the entire dynamic changed when Reagan came into power and drew a lot of libertarians including myself more into the political mainstream.

The days of Reagan are long gone now and the champions of liberty are the underdogs again. This time we have a statist establishment to oppose that is much more powerful and much more dangerous than Jimmy Carter ever dreamed of being. The time really is ripe for a liberty revolution, and the tactics of the revolutionaries of the past are now ours to use. The liberty movement has made a lot of strides in the last couple of years and generated a huge diversity of organizations and issue groups, both inside the Republican party and among independent voters, but it’s clear that a lot of these groups are looking for opportunities to take action in more radical and dramatic ways.

The Tea Parties brought a lot of different groups together with a common goal, but their effectiveness is inherently limited and they have been successfully undermined by a media disinformation campaign to portray them as “astroturf” events because of the involvement of Republican party groups and big money advocacy groups like FreedomWorks. As an idea they have also lost momentum from being overused and have pretty much run their course as an effective protest campaign.

Whatever succeeds the Tea Parties needs to go even deeper into the grassroots and nothing could do this more effectively than a protest which is purely based on individual action. Instead of gathering together into a group and marching or rallying, every person can take action on his own, but coordinated on a nationwide basis. That’s what makes something like a general strike such an appealing idea. If enough people can be involved to really represent the high level of dissatisfaction in the country, the results could be impressive and impossible to ignore.

The only problem is the timing. I assume that those who have proposed a date of November 4th picked that date because it’s the one-year anniversary of the election and because it gives plenty of time to organize a nationwide protest. The problem is that by then it’s likely to be too late for even a wildly successful strike to have any impact on the most serious threats from the Obama regime. If we don’t stop Obama and Pelosi as quickly as possible we are going to be out of luck. Cap and Trade and ObamaCare will be done deals by November 4th and we’ll be well and truly screwed as a nation. These socialist programs will never be reversed once they are implemented, so we need grassroots protest on a huge scale before the end of the Summer.

I love the irony of using classic radical tactics against this government, because the truth is that they may have started out as radicals, but they are now the establishment and we are the radicals. So grab a copy of Rules for Radicals, Steal this Book or Stir it Up and learn the tactics that used to drive our enemies, because they’re ours now and it’s time to turn the tables on them.

This nation was founded by radicals and it will take a new generation of radicals to reclaim our stolen liberty. Founding radical Sam Adams said: “It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.” We are the new irate minority – sons and daughters of liberty like Sam Adams – and a general strike might be just the kind of brushfire we need.

Florida RLC Chair Will Pitts.

In what continues to be an ongoing battle between the Republican Party of Florida establishment and the Republican Party of Florida grassroots activists, the St. Johns Republican Party Executive Committee passed a resolution requesting the Republican Party of Florida Chairman (Jim Greer) have Will Pitts — elected Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida Chairman — “banned from attending Republican Party functions, including sanctioned clubs of the Republican Party”.

Additionally, they resolved that Mr. Pitts be removed from the party under Fla. Stat. 103.161. Under this statute, “An individual removed from office by the chair shall not be eligible to serve on the state executive committee or any county executive committee of the political party for a period of no less than 4 years from the effective date of the removal.”

In 2008, the Republican Party of Florida sent a letter to the Republican Liberty Caucus explaining that the RLC would have to refrain from using the word Republican in its title because the state party owned the word “Republican”.  Of course, the RLC had previously been granted permission to use the word “Republican” and had the documentation to prove it, dating back well over a decade.  That was just the first of the Republican Party of Florida’s many recent attempts to rid themselves of principled, liberty-loving Republicans.

So what did Will Pitts do that was so wrong that he should be removed from the party? He:

1. attended a a rally in Minneapolis hosted by the Campaign for Liberty and wore a “Ron Paul” button on his lapel after the Republican primary;
2. attended an End the Fed (Federal Reserve Bank) Rally in Jacksonville; and
3. has spoken or written words “harmful to the GOP” — especially with regards to RPOF Chairman Jim Greer and Gov. Charlie Crist by stating they are “pathetic and embarrassing” and regarding Sen. John McCain and President George W. Bush.

Will Pitts is a small businessman who, in 1996, founded his company, the WG Pitts Company, a construction and real estate development firm serving Northeast Florida.

On July 25, he will have to report to the Republican Party of Florida at 1pm in Kissimmee, or be removed from the party.

On the coversheet of the RPOF Grievance package was a copy of the county resolution. It is obvious that this grievance was orchestrated by State Committeeman Jon Woodard and State Committeewoman Becky Reichenberg despite being filed by a Bill Blythe.  Not surprisingly, Wynona Mayer and John Stevens, who opposed Reichenberg and Woodard for their State Committee seats in 2008, were also named in the resolution to have removed form the Republican Party.

Last year, Reichenberg, Woodard, and former Chairman Bob Veit switched meeting dates and times and changed local rules to prohibit new members from joining the party that would not support them. Veit also said the Republican Liberty Caucus “represents narrow political philosophy … that had limited appeal to Republican voters no less all voters”.

But the establishment is clearly in control of the GOP.  Under their leadership, the party has shrunk to only 23 percent of Americans self-identifying as Republicans.  And they presided over the least popular, least effective Presidency in recent memory.  Not only that — but the establishment has totally hijacked the Republican Party from the grassroots activists who made it so successful throughout the 1980s and again in the mid-90s.

Please contact Bob Veit, Becky Reichenberg, and Jon Woodard to express your disappointment with their efforts to reduce the size of the Republican Party.

Please also contact Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer and politely request that Mr. Pitts be permitted to continue his participation in the Republican Party of Florida.

After many months of hearing about H.R. 1207, Ron Paul’s bid to audit the Federal Reserve, the resolution has finally advanced to a phase where grassroots citizens can have a say on the matter via their member of Congress. That’s because H.R. 1207 is now in the House Financial Services Committee, whose member list is here.

Paul’s legislation, which would reform the manner in which the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is audited by the Comptroller General of the United States and the manner in which such audits are reported. As of this writing, the legislation has 71 co-sponsors, making it perhaps a historical piece of legislation for the oft-lonely Congressman from Texas.

Not surprisingly, nearly all RLC-endorsed candidates in Congress have signed on to co-sponsor this legislation.

Some of the surprises on the list of co-sponsors, at least from my perspective, include Republicans Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Dean Heller (R-NV), Mary Fallin (R-OK), Rodney Alexander (R-LA), and Rob Wittman (R-VA).  Most of the Democrats who have signed on are, in my estimation, often “go at it alone” types such as far-left Peter DeFazio (OR) and Pete Stark (CA) and Blue-Dog Dems. Gene Taylor (MS) and Steve Kagen (WI). A few powerful Democrats have also signed on, such as Lynn Woolsey (CA) and Neil Abercrombie (HI).

For many months now, RLC members across the country have spent quite a bit of time promoting H.R. 1207. For example, in Alameda County (Bay Area) California, where the RLC holds a majority of members on a very large County GOP Executive Committee, a resolution supporting H.R. 1207 passed.

The resolution, championed by California RLC Secretary Walter Stanley and California RLC Board member David LaTour, says, in part, “We applaud transparency and accountability in government and reject government secrecy involving monetary policy that impacts the entire economy.”

A resolution supporting H.R. 1207 also passed in the Sonoma County GOP, thanks to the efforts of California RLC Chair Matthew Heath.

Similar resolutions are being worked on and introduced in other localities throughout the country.

The official Audit the Fed Facebook group has over 3,000 members. Please write the House Financial Services Committee members today and ask them to advance H.R. 1207 to the House floor.