Santa Clara Libertarian Volume 27, Issue 4 April 1999 For Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness -------------------------------------------------- OPERATION EVERYONE BEGINS WITH 10 FREE CARDS & YOU -------------------------------------------------- Inside This Issue * Operation Everyone * Chair's Column * Tax Day Protest * Newsletter Reporters and Writers Wanted * Schedule * Officer List * Membership Form -------------------------------------------------- Can We Create an LP Growth Revolution in Silicon Valley with OE? Let's All Give it a Try and We'll Find Out. Marv Rudin LPSCC Chairman * First it'll depend on your passing out the cards. * Second, it'll depend on whether the cards are persuasive enough. * Third, it'll depend on making it easy for the sold prospects to register Libertarian and for the unsold but interested prospects to learn enough about the party to enable them to make an informed decision to join. The 2nd and 3rd steps of the OE process are designed and plans are in place. The means for the 1st step of this practical way of growing the party without reliance on major money or media coverage - the OE cards - is now in your and all 614 other members' hands (see envelope with 10 OE cards enclosed). So step 1 is now up to you and the other members. Don't procrastinate. Break the ice! Hand a card to someone this very day and start the OE habit. After the first, please pass at least one more card within the week and continue to pass at least two cards each week until all 10 cards are gone. Please finish no later than May 31. If you will do that, we will be able to evaluate the results of this OE trial before August 31. Completion of passing OE cards by May 31 will allow adequate time - 2 months - for prospects to send in their registration forms, and for the county registrar's office to sort its voters list. They will provide us with a list of new Libertarian registered voters, which our phone team can poll to find out what caused them to register LP. Card Passing Instructions Usually you'll be able to do it without saying a word. Wherever you go, always have your OE cards handy in an easily accessible place - typically your shirt, coat, or purse pocket. When you meet a friendly person no matter where you happen to be, don't put it off no matter how engrossed you are. Pull out a card and hand it to them. Usually they'll take it, take a quick look and put it away in a pocket. But if they stop to look at it quizzically, don't allow its intrusion to interrupt what they were doing. Just say, "Please take a look at it when you get home." That'll free them to continue what they were doing and they'll respect you for your consideration. Of course, this starts with encountering friendly people. If you're wondering how to find them, the answer is very simple. You can create them. How? Just look people in the eye and smile at them and they usually smile back. Then offer them a card. Want More Cards? Once you get in the swing of it and see how easy and fun it is to at last do something about party growth, you may want more OE cards. An extra 2000 cards were printed and 40 additional cards will be available with the May newsletters to the first 50 members who donate as little as $2 to help to cover the Operation Everyone cards and mailing prep. Just send a check to our LPSCC office (see address on last page) or call with a credit card number to the party's telephone line 408-243-2711. Why Operation Everyone? We have a "Silent Majority" in our party. I know - I was one of them for years. You're very likely one of them too. They are the members who pay their dues and hope the party will grow without their having to do anything more. They don't want to preach to others or argue politics - politics and religion are delicate subjects. Discussing them with neighbors, friends, or acquaintances can strain relations. They don't want to give money beyond the dues because they think if the party needed more, surely it would raise the dues. They don't know the party's national, state and local news publications absorb nearly all the dues, and that the party officers - a mere 2% of the members, can't by themselves make much of an impact on party growth no matter how active or generous they may be. Operation Everyone recognizes that the officers can't do it and that you won't help if it requires a significant amount of your time or money. That's the beauty of it. It uses the fact that "many hands make light work", and that with these persuasive cards, we can grow the party fast if all of us do a little. It's easy. It's inexpensive. And it's uplifting - you know you're advancing the cause of liberty and your small expenditure of time and money (if you donate for OE) is well spent. You can do it without going out of your way. You can spread the word without a word, or hardly a word. The cards will do your talking for hours or days later when your prospect is home or unoccupied. If all of you in the silent majority will pass out your 10 cards for this test of OE, more than 6000 cards will be in the hands of prospective Libertarians within 5 weeks. If just 1 in 100 of them registers LP - 60 prospects, Operation Everyone will be a qualified success. If 2 or more in 100 - 120 prospects - it will be a big success. But if you and half of the other members should put them aside and not pass them in the first 5 weeks, it would take twice as many registrations of card recipients to make OE a big success, and that may cause OE to fail. So participation by you and all other members is crucial. That's why it's called "Operation Everyone". It can only work if everyone, including YOU does his or her share. Will you? If you have a computer, please email your progress as you pass your cards to rudin@lpty.org. Don't let freedom down. Carry the cards at all times. When the opportunity comes up, at your work, dentist, doctor, talking to a salesman... whatever, don't put it off. Why Not Just Run Ads? You might ask - why not just donate money and use it to advertise? When an apparently respectable person such as you hands an OE card to a friendly stranger and smiles confidently as if you know something they don't, they become curious to find out your "secret". When they see it's an alternative political party, they realize you're willing to devote your time to it as well as your vote. The stress and energy of passing cards to strangers silently impresses them with the importance of the message and encourages them to consider joining in your struggle for freedom. A TV, radio, newspaper, or magazine ad can't do that. That's why we believe in OE and are asking you to test it. -------------------------------------------------- Chair's Column Let's Get Growing! Marv Rudin LPSCC Chairman Do You Know LP Positions? Are you unable to explain LP positions to people when it comes to some issues? If you have web access there is a simple way to change that. Just go to the LIFE web site at www.lpty.org/h. It has the basics and also will send you to the LP's U.S. and CA sites, from where you can find just about anything related to Libertarianism. If you don't have web access, LIFE Books with what's on the web site are available for $10 or loan at our monthly meetings. Willing To Wear LP Ads? The least costly way to advertise the party is to wear an LP logo and message on you and your car to let people see it as you move around town. This is especially so if our local party buys ad items in bulk and sells them to you at cost or gives them out to donors. We now have attractive Libertarian golf caps at meetings for just $5, bumper stickers for just $1. We have designs and are considering buying and making available, each for under $10, some T shirts, and also some very nice car windshield sun blocker signs that also double as a yard sign during election season. If you are willing to help our party's message get needed public exposure this way, please call or email me as I need advance orders and indications of interest to take a chance and order a supply. You can see the sign design either by attending a meeting, or asking me for the graphic file by email. Letters to Editor Authors Needed Our publicity Chair, Frank Groffie, is temporarily assigned to the East Coast by his employer. But he can receive your drafts by email and help you with polishing it and getting it published with the long L-word in it. There are a wealth of possible topics for letters, but some current ones might be: * U.S./NATO war with Serbia against Founders advice and Libertarian principles * Kevorkian and right to control our deaths as well as our lives * Elective Public Defender initiative is good for local equal justice under the law * More and more gun control laws pushed by arrogant politicians and media people despite the 2nd Amendment prohibiting infringement of the Right to Bear Arms. * Law enforcement people bribed into highly unjust acts by asset forfeiture laws that violate the 4th Amendment * Three strike laws ignore the right to not be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. I'm sure you can think of more. If you're willing to write it let me know. We have great writers in this party. Boothing Season Starts May 1 In Spring and Summer, boothing is a traditional and fun way to reach the public with the LP message. Would you be willing to help out by taking a two or four hour shift at one of our booths? Your first chance is coming up on Saturday, May 1, when we will have a booth at the De Anza flea market, which Ron Berti and Bill Carr are arranging. Please let me know of your interest, whether for this event or another one such as the up and coming county fair, and I'll have an appropriate booth manager contact you. Speakers - Speak Up! Ron Berti, our Speakers Bureau Manager, tells me he has the local Lions International speakers coordinator in his sights and will be making arrangements to send out Libertarian speakers out to speak at their numerous clubs across Silicon Valley. This is a chance to impress and educate business and professional people with the wisdom of the Libertarian point of view, and hopefully attract some more leadership type people to our party. Do you have the gift? Or would you like to develop it? If so, talk to Ron Berti at one of our monthly meetings (see back page for time and directions) to hear and critique our speakers and see what it's like. It can be fun and satisfying to get out there and inform the public. I think of it as controlled venting about the increasingly deplorable state of American society due to excessive government. Freedom's Future Depends on You The media loves big government, and the LP is too small to beat the old parties with just money. Our only chance is for all of us to spread the spirit of Libertarianism ourselves using the easiest, most time and cost effective ways we can devise. The Operation Everyone card is the best way I could conceive of to do it. It can't work without YOUR participation. Some say you won't do it. Let's get our OE cards in these voter's hands so they can learn about and easily register LP. And as they do, our registrations grow rapidly, it'll let the media know that the LP is going to be California's version of the Jesse Ventura phenomenon. -------------------------------------------------- Tax Day Protest Want to Protest Taxes on April 15th? Marv Rudin LPSCC Chairman Traditional Libertarian Tax Day protests are occurring at U.S. Post Offices across Santa Clara County. As we go to press, member Stephen Holly has announced his intention to display his outstanding Libertarian signs and to pass out $1 Million dollar bill flyers at the Palo Alto post office on Bayshore Road. Member Roger Ver has announced that he will be passing out $1 Million dollar bill flyers at the Meridian post office in San Jose. This newsletter edition has been delayed, so it is not certain if you will be getting it in time for Tax Day. But if you do, and are willing to help pass the flyers and maybe other LP literature at your post office or another post office, please contact me at 408-736-5626 and I'll arrange to give you the flyers - typically 400 per participant - and to connect you with other members who are participating. Let LPSCC Tax Freedom Ring! -------------------------------------------------- Newsletter Reporters and Writers Wanted Is there a budding writer hidden within the everyday you? Come join the newsletter team! We are looking for reporters and writers. If interested call Jascha Lee (pronounced Yasha) at (408) 267-6740 or email at jascha@sebastian.com. -------------------------------------------------- Schedule Speakers Meeting The next Speakers Meeting will be Wednesday May 12th, at 7 o'clock at Coco's Restaurant. Come and critique a libertarian speech. Business Meeting Business meetings are held every third month at 8 o'clock at Coco's Restaurant. The next will be Wednesday, April 14th. These are meetings in which, with a quorum, we are able to conduct official party business. Executive Committee Meetings These meetings have gone virtual. They are being conducted via email now. Directions To Coco's Coco's restaurant is located on the corner of Oakmead Pkwy and Lawrence Expressway. From 101, take the Lawrence Expressway exit south to Oakmead Pkwy. -------------------------------------------------- Officers Chairman, Marv Rudin, (408) 736-5626, rudin@lpty.org Vice Chairman, Victor Vurpillat, (408) 923-1600, vvurpillat@hotmail.com Secretary, John Inks, (650) 941-4167, john.inks@lmco.com Treasurer, Leyla Hanson, (408) 732-9205, riekershoe@aol.com Membership, Tim Trammell, (408) 281-0476, janis_trammell@imicorp.com Campaign, Ray Strong, (408) 268-8466, tmkx01a@prodigy.com Publicity, Frank Groffie, (408) 935-9652, fgroffie@aol.com Fundraising, Markus Krummenacker, (650) 493-2531, kr@n-a-n-o.com Activities, Bill Carr, (408) 973-8571, billcarr@ricochet.net Newsletter, Jascha Lee, (650) 933-7324, jascha@sebastian.com State ExCom Rep, Thomas Spielbauer, (408) 279-3336, thomas@spielbauer.com Alt ExCom Rep, Joe Dehn, (650) 858-1842, jwd3@dehnbase.fidonet.org Judicial Committee: Don Cormier, (408) 296-726 Jon Hugdahl, jon@NoMoreTax.com Chris Evensen, (408) 356-5816 This newsletter is the publication of the Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County, a non-profit political organization. For further information, call (408) 243-2711. Or see our web page at http://www.sc.ca.lp.org. Do you have something to say, and want it to reach all the Santa Clara county Libertarian members? Submit a newsletter article! lpnews@sebastian.com or 2301 Shibley Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125-4068. We especially appreciate articles related to local Libertarian news or activities. -------------------------------------------------- The Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County Membership Application Please print out and mail with payment to: Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County 3249 Stevens Creek Boulevard Suite 207 San Jose, CA 95117 Please Print Name: ______________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________ City/State/Zip: ______________________________________________________ Phone: ______________________________________________________ E-mail: ______________________________________________________ I choose to set my dues at: $25 Basic ________________ $100 Sustaining ________________ $250 Sponsor ________________ $500 Patron ________________ $1000 Life ________________ Plus an additional contribution to the LPSCC: $___________ Monthly pledge ________________ $___________ One-time donation ________________ Total: ________________ Payment Method ___________ Check payable to "Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County" ___________ VISA ___________ MasterCard Credit Card #: ____________________________________ Expiration Date: ____________________________________ Cardholder Name: ____________________________________ Signature: ____________________________________ The Libertarian Party is the party of principle. To assure and affirm that our party never strays from its principles, we request our members to sign the pledge below. (Non-signers cannot vote on party business). I hereby certify that I do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals. Signature: ______________________________________________