Monday, July 24, 2006

The Top 10 Reasons I should be in any debate with Sodrel & Hill

10.) All three of us are on the ballot.
9.) Sodrel and Hill were willing to debate the former Libertarian candidate (a retired farmer)...why not the current Libertarian candidate (an economics professor)?
8.) I have spent more time thinking, writing, speaking, and teaching (20-plus years) on national public policy than my two opponents combined.
7.) How many people do you know who are really excited about either of my two opponents? How many people would welcome a credible alternative?
6.) The only polling data of which I'm aware: In the Dale Moss/Courier-Journal survey of 624 people, I received 12% of the vote as a write-in candidate (and that, before I was actively campaigning).
5.) I have written more books on public policy-- and more articles (academic and popular press)-- than my two opponents combined.
4.) I will have gone to at least as many county fairs (all 20) as my two opponents.
3.) I would talk about important issues that they don't understand or don't have the political courage to enunciate (e.g., Social Security reform, payroll taxes).
2.) I have a Ph.D. in economics and I wrote my dissertation about the congressional labor market.
1.) It'll be a lot more fun and exciting for the audience!

Sunday, July 23, 2006

12% of the vote!

Dale Moss (with the Louisville Courier-Journal) conducted a survey of 9th District voters. Of the 624 people who answered, 72 people (12%) said they would vote for me. Sodrel won the survey with 49%, while 39% selected Hill.

The survey is not scientific and is not equivalent to the random sampling of a poll. That said, I'd rather get 12% than 2%! The best part is that I was not included as a choice in the newspaper article or on the website. So, survey participants had to work a lot harder to choose me-- to write-in my name in an email or a letter.

The survey was finished in mid-June. Since then, we've opened our website and have campaigned actively. As we get the word out, we are confident that people will increasingly see me as a positive alternative to the other two candidates.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Mellencamp on the 6th and 8th Commandments

The Indy Star reports that John Mellencamp turned down Baron's request to appear at his recent fund-raiser with President Clinton. Mellencamp's reason: "I told his people to tell Baron that he voted for the war, so I can't do it," said Mellencamp, who nevertheless has given Hill the maximum $4,000 contribution. "I sat next to him there in Sunday school, and I never heard anybody tell us that it was OK to kill people as long as there were a certain set of circumstances."

John apparently remembers the 6th Commandment (although we could debate his application of it). With respect to farm policy, one could hope he'd also remember the 8th. John, I didn't sit next to you in Sunday School. But why is it "OK to take money from consumers, taxpayers, and 3rd world farmers-- and give it to farmers as long as there were a certain set of circumstances"?

I'm fighting authority, but authority (almost) always wins...
Against (free) little pink houses for John and his subsidized friends...
So that the major party's candidates come tumblin' tumblin' down...
Rock on, John!

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060709/NEWS02/607090409/1008/NEWS02

tilled vs. fallow ground

What an encouraging time of campaigning last night at the Washington County Fair! In contrast to some other fairs recently, it was obvious that the soil for Libertarianism and (true) Progressive Politics in Salem had been tilled and many seeds had been planted. After a decade of local Libertarian elected officials, media interaction, and otherwise spreading the word in Salem, it was far easier to speak with the average fair-goer. More broadly, this speaks to the need for and the importance of perseverance in planting seeds, plodding along as necessary to reach our long-term goals of greater Freedom for the American people.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Bayh for President?

I agree with Senator Bayh that the Democrats have forgotten about the middle class (aside from its most prominent interest groups). In fact, a large part of my campaign is an attempt to lay out some of the largest issues: elementary and secondary education, payroll taxes, and Social Security. Instead, most Democratic politicians are content to ignore those issues to focus on secondary issues (e.g., the minimum wage) or just bashing Republicans.

An article in the C-J talks about Bayh's presidential aspirations and his call to address middle class issues. Evidence that he's serious: he said "middle class" 45 times in a recent speech. (If he said it 50 times, that would be proof, right?!) I like the basic rhetoric but am worried about the details. Additional subsidies for college education but nothing about expanding choice in elementary and secondary education. "Reward hard work"-- however he's going to do that-- but nothing about payroll taxes. "Retirement security", but we're left wondering this is a call to fundamental reform in Social Security.

It's too early to tell yet, but perhaps Bayh will join me in moving his fellow Democrats to pursue justice for all of those in the working poor and the middle-- not just those who belong to interest groups.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

one of these days...

...I'll run into Baron on the campaign trail. He came to the Floyd County Fair tonight. But by the time I heard he was here and went to look for him, he was gone. Maybe he's trying to avoid me?! Of course, we should have met at that "gas price debate" he seemed to want so badly, but somehow that didn't quite work out! ;-)

A nice time tonight; fortunately, the rain held off. I brought the family-- all decked out in those lovely Schansberg for Congress t-shirts. The kids enjoyed the rides and I split my time between "campaigning" and hanging out with them and my in-laws.

I think we'll have some campaign pictures for the website soon. Someone finally remembered to bring along a camera!

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

A beautiful evening at a small-town/county fair

On the way to the Switzerland County Fair, it was a smile to drive through Madison again. It brought back memories of my trip with Tonia there last Fall (without the kids!). Going to Vevay for the first time was also delightful. Gorgeous weather, a quaint little town, and some cool looking roosters and rabbits! One other little tidbit: this was the second of three where the Republicans were absent-- they had a booth but nobody was home.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Sodrel's "commitment to young people"

I just read yesterday's front page article in the Jeffersonville Evening News on Laura Bush's fund-raising visit for Mike Sodrel. In the article, she is quoted as saying that Mike "supports tax cuts and has a commitment to young people". To be more accurate, she should have said that Mike "supports income tax cuts for the wealthy while ignoring payroll tax cuts for the working poor and those in the middle class-- and he is committed to increasing government debt and thus future taxes for today's young people."

no corn dogs yet, but a root beer float

Mike and I enjoyed the Jennings County Fair last evening. It was quite a bit different from Dearborn County. There were few families enjoying the rides but a far greater emphasis on small business. We enjoyed this angle since Libertarians are, by far, the friendliest of the political parties for small business. We heard a number of stories about bureaucracy and fees. Soup Campbell's anecdotes were especially chilling-- both for the individual and in imagining their effect on the economy, job creation, and wages.