FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
08/21/06
P.O.C. Thomas L. Knapp
info@bostontea.us
NOTHING BUT NET: NEW PARTY HOLDS ONLINE CONVENTION
Cyberia — At what may have been the world's first online political convention, members of America's new libertarian political party organized over the weekend for the long haul.
The event, which commenced immediately after midnight on Saturday and adjourned early Monday morning, featured the election of a permanent national committee for the Boston Tea Party, adoption of a political program, and overwhelming rejection of a proposal that the fledgling organization — founded by disenchanted Libertarian Party members after that party's national convention last month — re-enter the LP as an internal caucus.
"Lots of decisions remain to be made," says chair-elect Tom Blanton of Virginia. "But we've established the framework for making them, and we've decided to declare our independence and forge ahead on our own rather than as part of a party that we feel has failed to provide America with a real libertarian political alternative."
First priorities, says Blanton, include chartering affiliate parties and seeking ballot access to run candidates for political office. Since the party organized late in the 2006 election cycle, it seems likely that its first candidates will be for local, non-partisan office next spring — but the party's newly adopted bylaws call for the nomination of a 2008 presidential presidential slate.
The new party's five-point program calls for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, repeal of the USA PATRIOT Act, an end to the federal government's war on marijuana, repeal of the "REAL ID" national identification program, and "bottom up" cuts to the federal income tax and Social Security taxes. Its one-sentence platform calls for reducing, and never increasing, the size, power and scope of government.
Related Information:
Boston Tea Party web site
http://www.bostontea.us
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