News & Discussion – Franklin County Libertarians

The Illusion of Trust

A parable about banking.

Jenny the Banker has no money, or goods, to trade.

Judy the Gardner comes to Jenny and asks to borrow $10 so she can buy supplies from Jill the Grocer.

Jenny agrees to loan $10 to Judy in exchange for an additional $1 in interest.

Jenny calls Jill and asks for Judy to be given $10 worth of supplies.

Judy gets her supplies and plants a garden. The garden produces fruit and vegetables.

Judy sells the fruit and vegetables and earns $12.

She pays back Jenny the $10 and $1 dollar interest, and keeps $1 for herself.

Jenny then pays Jill the grocer for the $10 in supplies Judy bought.

Jenny has earned $1 from these transactions because Jill trusts Jenny to pay her later, and Jenny trusts Judy to pay her later. At no time has Jenny had any risk in these transactions beyond losing Jill’s trust.

This is an extremely simplified series of transactions to show how money is an illusion based on trust that we accept and allow to run our lives.

This is how credit cards work in real life.

Banks do not have money, or goods to trade. They only have their word that the credit they offer will be worth anything when you go to use it.

Write-In “John Stewart” for District 12!

OH District 12 Libertarians!

Please be aware, our own John Stewart, long time Libertarian activist, is running as write-in for District 12.
In addition to pulling a Libertarian Primary ballot you must write-in “John Stewart” for the District 12 US Congress election.

Not sure what district you live in?
Look up your Sample Ballot!
https://vote.franklincountyohio.gov/search-polling-locations

It will look similar to this!

Early primary voting is OPEN!

Get out and #VoteLibertarian

Remember you MUST ASK for a Libertarian ballot, do not just accept what is handed to you.

If you are told that is not possible or the poll worker acts confused contact LPO or FCLPO IMMEDIATELY. All poll workers should be trained to know and not impose their own bias on the process.

Franklin County Voters go to:
FRANKLIN COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS

1700 Morse Rd, Columbus, Ohio 43229 (Directions)

Franklin County Libertarians field 16 candidates for County Central Committee

Congratulations to the following candidates who have been certified for the County Central Committee election on March 17th, 2020!

Marie Myers	Columbus	Ward 46
Heather O. Sheets	Columbus	Ward 57
Albert L. Vest	Columbus	Ward 67
Chad Harris	Columbus	Ward 69
Christopher Gill	Columbus	Ward 77
Harold D Thomas	Columbus	Ward 84
Paul J Ridenour	Gahanna	Ward 02
Michael Sweeney	Gahanna	Ward 03
Drake Lundstrom	Gahanna	Ward 04
John S. Stewart	Gahanna	Ward 04
Jordan T Bertke	Hilliard	Ward 04
Scott T. Smith	Jackson Township
Patrick J Hoffman	Madison Township
Jennifer Lynn Flower	Prairie Township
Kenneth D. Holpp	Worthington	Ward 01
David Nadolny	Worthington	Ward 02

#VoteLibertarian

https://vote.franklincountyohio.gov/BOEL-website/media/Election-Info/2020/(1)%20Primary%20Election%20-%20March%2010,%202020/(2)%20Candidates%20and%20Issues/2020-Primary-Certified-Candidate-List.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3psP3_l1d1hjqbmByh02Cl6h9XhNKM0Bc_upKPAwTqmGQNf-fT2BLdQpc

The important role of Central Committee members

We’ve fielded a few questions about why it is important to have a vibrant and diverse County Central Committee. Beyond the vital roles CentCom provides for electing the Executive Committee, endorsing candidates and approving By-Law amendments, it also functions as a reliable pool of Libertarian Party affiliated electors for candidate and issue petitions.
Anyone that has spent any time collecting signatures for petition knows the unique struggle the process involves. Asking, getting a yes, checking a person is eligible, getting a valid signature, filling out the form, all steps that could cause trouble down the road.
As the Franklin County Libertarian Party grows and flexes is political abilities, we will benefit from more hands pushing and eyes watching for opportunity.
Growing our Central Committee is crucial to growing a strong and dynamic Libertarian Party.
We cannot do this without you and thank you sincerely for your effort. It is appreciated.
#VoteLibertarian

– Michael Sweeney
Chair, Executive Committee
Franklin County Libertarian Party of Ohio

Urgent Party Business – Become A Central Committee Member!

We are pleased to report that the Franklin County Board of Elections has accepted our plan to be included in the March 17^th, 2020 Ohio primary election.

Seven years, $250 thousand dollars, hundreds of volunteer hours and 102 thousand signatures from liberty minded Ohioans. This is what it has taken for the Libertarian Party of Ohio to be recognized and allowed to participate in Ohio public elections again.

We have pushed this as far as we can. We need you to take the next step and lead the Franklin County Libertarians to success.

I am inviting you to get involved and submit the linked Declaration of Candidacy to become a member of the Franklin County Libertarian Party Central Committee. Print out the form, fill it out, put it in an envelope, add a stamp and place it in the mail before Dec 18th. You do not need any signatures beyond your own! When your declaration is received by the Board of Elections you will show them that Libertarians are more then arm-chair activists; we are in our communities, contributing and working.

What does it mean to be a Central Committee Member?

Partisan Duties & Responsibilities

Here is a list of opportunities for every township or ward committee member.

Represent the Township or Ward to the Party
Attend meetings of the Libertarian Central Committee to organize and supervise the County Libertarian Party operations and to endorse candidates (3 or 4 a year).
Vote in the election of local Libertarian Township or Ward Leaders.
Participate in local and county meetings and events.

Local Non-Partisan Leadership

As a Central Committee Member in your ward or township, you are a leader in your neighborhood regardless of the strength of our party in your community. You will find that candidates and public officials of all parties will be interested in your ideas as to what needs to be done in your community.

We have little time for this crucial next step. The filing deadline, Dec 18^th, is fast approaching. We need as many Libertarians as possible to make their voices heard and loudly show the establishment that we will not be silenced or held back.

We are counting on you to move the Franklin County Libertarian Party forward again.

Thanks in advance.

Your colleague in liberty,
Michael Sweeney
Chair, Executive Committee
Franklin County Libertarian Party of Ohio

URGENT PARTY BUSINESS

MAIL FORM BEFORE DEC 18th

Declaration of Candidacy – No Petition – Party Primary – County Central Committee (PDF)

FILLING OUT THIS FORM:

The Ohio Primary Election date for this form is:

3/17/2020

The Franklin County Libertarian Party of Ohio Central Committee is organized around wards or township.
If you live in a city such as Columbus, Dublin, Gahanna, Westerville, Grove City, etc, you will fill in the line:

• Ward ________ City or Village of __________

If you do not live in a city, but an unincorpo- rated area of a township then fill in the line:

• Township of __________

Not sure what ward or township you live in? Look it up.

https://vote.franklincountyohio.gov/Search- Polling-Locations/

MAIL FORM TO:

Franklin County Board of Elections
c/o Declaration of Candidacy
1700 Morse Rd
Columbus, Oh 43229

Celebrate our wonderful Volunteers and Candidates!

Volunteer Appreciation Party, Dec 13th 7pm
The FCLP will be holding our monthly social and celebrate our wonderful volunteers and candidates at Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse, 3055 Indianola Ave, Columbus. Celebrate our fantastic volunteers with food, drinks, door prizes and raffle! A years worth of hard work, knocking on doors, spreading liberty and getting it done!
Stay till 11pm and catch The Killer Raccoons 2 movie!

Facebook Event | Directions

We’ll have door prizes and multiple raffles again! You could win this sweet LP ball cap, T-shirts or buttons!

Unable to attend? Please donate to help make this and future events happen!

Election Night Brings Two New Libertarian Mayors to Ohio

By Patrick Glasgow / November 6, 2019

Columbus, Ohio – In the first local election cycle since regaining ballot access, the Libertarian Party of Ohio celebrated five wins on Tuesday’s election night. The two biggest wins are Mayor Elect Cassandra Fryman of Plymouth, Ohio and Mayor Elect Daniel Harmon of Thornville, Ohio. Winning re-election are Huber Heights Councilman Glenn Otto and Gasper Township Trustee Eric White. Also winning is Michael Chumley being elected to the West Clermont School District Board of Education.

Also making great strides in Northeast Ohio is Brandon Bobbit who ran for Elyria City Council in the 7th Ward. He made recent history by taking the largest percentage of the vote in a partisan race for the Libertarian Party of Ohio since 2014. Elyria, you haven’t seen the last of Brandon. In a statement by his campaign last night “…we will continue to find ways to serve this community (Elyria).” Also in Northeast Ohio, State Central Committee member Joseph Loyd was defeated for Chardon City School Board, but managed to help win the fight against a $76 million bond issue.

Central Ohio also had its fair share of bittersweet news on election night. Long time Libertarian activist Tricia Sprankle, lost her race for Gahanna City Attorney to a massive old party machine. Having raised an unheard of amount of donations for a City Attorney race, she only lost by 854 votes and pulled in 44.56% of the votes cast. Franklin County Libertarian Party’s other major race was Jennifer Flower. Her long fought battle for Prairie Township Trustee ended with her in second place in a 4 way race with 30% of the vote. Over in Coshocton County, Former State Central Committee member Robert Leist took 16% of the vote in a 5 way race for Coschocton City Council at Large.

As you may recall, the Libertarian Party of Ohio regained ballot access in the summer of 2018 when it turned in over 102,000 signatures from citizens from all 88 counties. Since regaining ballot access, the LPO has run over 30 candidates for Federal, State, and Local offices. In order to retain ballot access the Libertarian Party Presidential nominee will have to obtain 3% of the votes cast in the State of Ohio. Find out more about the Libertarian Party of Ohio by visiting www.lpo.org or emailing info@lpo.org

Source : https://lpo.org/election-night-brings-two-new-libertarian-mayors-to-ohio/

It’s That Time Of Year

Once again we reach that time of year where we are given the privilege of participating in the governance of our communities. Once again candidates promise the voters things they can’t possibly deliver. Once again voters believe them.

Also, once again, you will be told that you only have two choices, Republican or Democrat.

Once again, that is a lie.

I have never seen anywhere outside of police state efforts directed solely to limit voter’s choices at elections.

The State of Ohio has already knocked the Green Party off the ballot and tried to knock one of our own candidates off but were thwarted by the Ohio Supreme Court (thank you Rob Bender).

I’ve no doubt they will try again in 2020.

The only way to stop that is to make our voices heard and on Tuesday, November 5^th, we will have the chance to do just that.

We have three endorsed candidates running for offices in Franklin County in this election: Tricia Sprankle, running for City Attorney in Gahanna, Jennifer Flower, running for Prairie Township Trustee, and Rob Bender, running for Reynoldsburg City Council for Ward 3.

If you live in these communities you can help put these three into office, but only if you actually vote.

To quote a line from Babylon 5, “If we don’t create the future, someone else will.”

Ken Holpp, Communications Director, FCLPO.

Volunteer Lobbyist Needed!

If you live in Central Ohio and would like to lobby the General Assembly, LPO is looking for a volunteer lobbyist to do just that.
Basic requirements are: business casual attire, be polite but persuasive, be available to attend (and sometimes testify in) legislative hearings on less than a week’s notice, and live in Central Ohio. Selected person will be trained to identify bills of interest to us, define action items for us to take in support or opposition to those bills, and will introduce the selected person to a group of Statehouse lobbyists who meet monthly and who can provide advice and support.

It can be a bit demanding from time to time — at other times, it can be very easy. Unfortunately, when the legislature is in session, you can’t always know which it will be.
Use our contact form below to learn more!

Here are some things you can do to help the Libertarian Party in Franklin County:

Volunteer. We need petition circulators, people to staff our booths at fairs and community events, host social and educational events, and raise money. If you have a special skill you would like to share with us, let us know that, too!
Run for office. We are looking for state House and Senate candidates in 2018, and for municipal and school board races in 2019. Don’t be shy — we can give you the help you need to get started.
Donate money. Every dollar you can give helps spread the cause of liberty!

Restoring liberty to Central Ohio will take many people with many talents!

Contact FCLPO

Mailing Address:
Franklin County Libertarian Party
c/o Ohio Libertarian Party
PO Box 29193
Columbus, Ohio 43229

Office Address:
Franklin County Libertarian Party
c/o Ohio Libertarian Party
6230 Busch Blvd, Suite 102
Columbus, Ohio 43229

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