Debate to be Held in Du Quoin October 9th

The Free & Equal Elections Foundation will hold a Gubernatorial Debate for 2010 Candidates in Du Quoin, Il on October 9th, 2009.

ALL 14 candidates who have announced their intentions of running in the race are invited to participate.

Free & Equal Founder and Chair Christina Tobin today updated members of the press on the debate’s latest developments:

“The debate will begin at 6PM and will continue until 8PM. I will serve as the moderator for the debate. At this time, three candidates are confirmed, and we are in discussions with many others. This debate will be unique in that ALL the candidates, including Independent and Third party candidates are invited to participate. We are confident that the debate will be well-attended, both by the candidates themselves, and the voting public.”

The event will be sponsored by Free & Equal, and will take place as part of the Midwest Liberty Fest in Du Quoin. The debate will include members of the Democratic and Republican parties as well as Third-Party candidates and Independents.

The Free & Equal Elections Foundation is committed to ensuring that the ballot choices of the voters of Illinois are not limited to members of only two parties.

“Free & Equal is committed to giving all candidates a forum, regardless of political ideology or partisan affiliation,” said Tobin. “It is imperative that the voters have a chance to hear all the candidates, not just those who may appear in the headlines regularly.”

The Free & Equal Elections Foundation is a non partisan, non-profit  501 (c)4 public policy advocacy organization dedicated to eliminating restrictive ballot access laws that target Independent and Third-Party Candidates.

Free & Equal is committed to reforming restrictive ballot access laws across the nation, so that all candidates have a chance to be heard, regardless of political affiliation.

During the 2008 election, Free & Equal held an independent Presidential Debate in Washington, DC. The Free & Equal debate was the ONLY Presidential debate featuring Independent and Third-Party candidates held during the 2008 election to be broadcast to a national audience. The debate was broadcast Live by C-SPAN.

Petition Challenges Seek to Eliminate Independent

and Third Party Candidates

August 31, 2009 - After filing the necessary petitions required for ballot access in New York state, several independent and third party candidates find themselves squaring off with Democrats and Republicans long before election day, thanks to the archaic and cumbersome regulations governing nominating petitions.

New York state law has stringent requirements for nominating petitions. In the past, candidates have been kicked off the ballot for little more than clerical errors.

“It is essential that every “I” be dotted, every “T” be crossed, and every petition bound according to the exact specifications of New York state law,” said Sean Haugh of the Free & Equal Elections Foundation. “As someone who has collected signatures in New York this election cycle and previously, I have seen first hand how the Democrats and Republicans use these burdensome requirements to limit the voters’ choices in New York.”

Any individual voter can challenge the validity of a nominating petition in New York state. The challenger must submit the specific objections within six days of filing the original challenge.

The Free & Equal Elections Foundation is aware of several nominating petitions being challenged. Specifics of the challenges were due at the end of last week.

The Free & Equal Elections Foundation awaits information on the specific challenges, and will continue preparing to defend the nominating petitions of several independent and third party candidates.

Further complicating the process of defending these challenges, many county Boards of Elections operate in near total secrecy.

In Suffolk County, Libertarian Party officials had to file a request under the federal Freedom of Information Act just to see the documentation of the objections against their candidates.

In Monroe County, which includes Rochester, candidates who are challenged are not even informed of when the hearing of objections will take place.

In Suffolk County, the petition of the Libertarian Party slate for Sheriff, District Attorney and County Treasurer have been challenged.  The individual challenge comes from Rosemary Marchlowska, a Democratic Party State Committee member.

Democrats and Republicans have cross-endorsed the same candidates for these three county offices in Suffolk County.  If the challenge is successful, voters will have no choice on the ballot in these races.

In the race for Rochester Commissioner of Schools, candidate Chris Edes, already on the ballot as a Democrat, had his Libertarian Party signatures challenged.  That challenge comes from Marcos Cruz, son of Commissioner of Schools candidate Jose Cruz.

Outside of Rochester in Sweden, Libertarian Party candidate for Town Board Tim Bateswas also challenged.

Green Party candidate for Mayor of Rochester Alex White also faces a challenge. If the challenge is upheld, the mayor’s race will go uncontested.

“I’m running because no other party would put someone up to run against the Mayor,” White said. “Every politician, no matter what party, should be held accountable, including Mayor [Bob] Duffy. That is why I’m calling for all voters in the city to tell the Democratic machine that enough is enough. We want a choice at the ballot.”

In North Castle in Westchester County, Libertarian candidates also are being challenged.  Again, if these challenges are upheld, only one candidate would be on the general election ballot in these races.

“Once again, the Democrats and Republicans are paralyzed with the fear of how the citizens of New York will vote given a real choice on their ballot,” said Christina Tobin, Founder and Chair of The Free & Equal Elections Foundation.

America’s Independence Day Tea Parties

Founding Bloggers 

July 2, 2009

Recently, we received a comment asking us to post some information about the upcoming Chicago Independence Day Tea Party.

We did some digging to see what was shaping up, and we discovered some interesting and confusing facts surrounding the Chicago 4th of July Tea Party.

The first information we came across was from a website calledTeaPartyDay.com. Their motto is Taxed Enough Already.

They listed Maurice Bonamigo as the organizer of the Chicago Tea Party. We had never heard of Maurice, but according to his website, he is a very successful conservative political consultant.

We phoned Mr. Bonamigo and he informed us that Chicago’s Independence Day Tea Party had been canceled. Wha Wha What? That’s right….canceled.

Mr. Bonamigo mentioned something to us about $16,000-$20,000 needed to stage the event in a city park. On the 4th of July, it is not surprising there would be a steep fee involved for a spot in the park.

Mr. Bonamigo said that the city would have allowed the Tea Party to take place in Federal Plaza (the location of the previous Chicago Tea Party), but there was a costly insurance requirement attached to the offer. He says the city wanted the Tea Party to carry $5,000,000 in insurance which he estimated would cost about $1500.00.

These requirements proved too cumbersome for the Chicago Tea Party efforts, and therefore according to Mr. Bonamigo, the Chicago Tea Party was canceled.

Mr. Bonamigo was unable to provide any information as to whom he spoke with from the city.

We continued digging, and came across another tea party website,teapartypatriots.org. This appears to be the group largely, though not solely,  responsible for organizing the previous round of Tax Day Tea Parties.

This is what their site says about Chicago’s Independence Day Tea Party:

9/12 Project July 4th Tea Party & Veterans Tribute
Chicago Hub, Illinois
Saturday, July 4, 2009
ALL DAY and early evening.
NOT A LOCAL PHYSICAL EVENT
Coordinated in Sacramento
Dave Jenest (organizer)

Huh? Not a local physical event? We contacted Dave Jenest, and he confirmed that there is no Chicago event. He actually sounded a little surprised that he was listed as the Chicago organizer, because he is all the way out in Sacramento, where their Tea Party has been canceled.

Mr. Jenest is planning a virtual event that you can learn more about here.

We continued digging, and finally came up with a Chicago Tea Party that IS happening. We found this info on the Re-Tea Party website,chicago.reteaparty.com

Chicago, Il –FreeAndEqual.org and ReTeaParty.com have recently coordinated to host Tea Parties around the country on Saturday July 4th

The America’s Independence Day Tea Party Movement is a nationwide demonstration forum for any and all groups and individuals dissatisfied with the current governance of the United States, regardless of ideology, partisan identity, or political affiliation. On July 4th, 2009, we are asking Americans everywhere to re-declare our inalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Chicago’s Tea Party will take place this Saturday, July 4th, 2009. The event will take place from12 Noon until 4pm Gateway Park at Navy Pier.

The Independence Day Tea Parties are very different in nature from other tea parties taking place around the nation. The Free & Equal/ ReTea Parties are non-partisan in nature, and will feature speakers and guests from across the political spectrum.

Confirmed speakers include:

* Jim Tobin, President of National Taxpayers United, Illinois
* Paul Jacob, President of the Citizens in Charge Foundation
* Theresa Amato, Campaign Manager for Ralph Nader for President 2004, and author of Grand Illusion: The Myth of Voter Choice in a Two-Party Tyranny.
*Isaac Hayes, Republican Congressional Candidate*Rosanna Pulido, former Congressional Candidate
*Charlie Howe, Green Party Activist & Candidate

Contact: Christina Tobin
Chicago Free and Equal / ReTea Party Coordinator
(312) 320 4101
christina@freeandequal.org

We spoke with Christina Tobin late last night, and she confirmed this Tea Party is in fact taking place.

What does this all mean? Is there more than one Tea Party movement? Is the Tea Party movement fracturing? Stay tuned…..

Link to story: http://www.foundingbloggers.com/wordpress/2009/07/a-tale-of-two-tea-parties-one-is-canceled-and-one-is-not/

As anyone active in politics would know, infighting is the quickest way to derail attempts to make progress. When faced with a problem, it becomes very easy to shift focus away from the problem itself, and instead focus on those who have a different analysis of that problem. In the end, those who otherwise could have made a difference expend their energy fighting each other, leaving the problem free to grow. I believe that this is what America is facing today in regard to the current political climate.

Our problem is a government that has spiraled out of control. In my estimation, Americans are now losing their freedom faster than at any other point in our history. Our elected officials knowingly and blatantly disregard the Constitution, violate individual liberty, and steal from the taxpayers to enrich themselves and their wealthiest supporters. For once, Americans of all political persuasions are recognizing, despite their differences of opinion, that there is a problem with our current political system. Conservatives, libertarians, greens, and many others are increasingly concerned that their government is now free to do anything it wants without regard to the rule of law. Now, more than ever, we need to follow the example of those who would become federalists and antifederalists, who fought together for freedom from Great Britain, and work together with those who recognize the corruption in our current system.

While conservatives, libertarians, greens, etc. have widely varying ideas on how to make the system right, we all recognize that the current system is wrong. While some of us favor smaller government, and some of us favor more active government, we all believe that government should be restrained by the rule of law. I argue that our greatest problem at the moment is not liberalism or conservatism, but despotism. I call on all Tea Party supporters to focus on the problem at hand, and at least temporarily work with others who wish to help make things right.

Josh Hanson
Chair, DuPage Libertarians

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

America’s Independence Day Tea Party to Take Place in 

Chicago July 4^th

Chicago, Il –FreeAndEqual.org and ReTeaParty.com have recently coordinated to host Tea Parties around the country on Saturday July 4^th.

The America’s Independence Day Tea Party Movement is a nationwide demonstration forum for any and all groups and individuals dissatisfied with the current governance of the United States, regardless of ideology, partisan identity, or political affiliation. On July 4^th, 2009, we are asking Americans everywhere to re-declare our inalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Chicago’s Tea Party will take place next Saturday, July 4^th, 2009. The event will take place from 12 Noon until 4pm in Gateway Park at Navy Pier.

The Independence Day Tea Parties are very different in nature from other tea parties taking place around the nation. The Free & Equal/ ReTea Parties are non-partisan in nature, and will feature speakers and guests from across the political spectrum.

“The Chicago Independence Day Tea Party is a fully nonpartisan event, with guests from all across the political spectrum,” said Free and Equal CEO and event organizer Christina Tobin.

Tobin added, “This will be a forum for any and all groups and individuals dissatisfied with the current governance of the United States, regardless of ideology, partisan identity, or political affiliation.  While we may disagree on the solutions, on July 4th, 2009 we will come together as Americans to peacefully express our dissent from the current political status quo.”

Confirmed speakers include:

* Jim Tobin, President of National Taxpayers United, Illinois

* Paul Jacob, President of the Citizens in Charge Foundation

* Theresa Amato, Campaign Manager for Ralph Nader for President 2004, and author of The Grand Illusion: The Myth of Voter Choice in a Two-Party Tyranny.

The full speakers list for the Chicago Tea Party will be announced early next week. For more information on this, and other Free & Equal/ ReTea Parties, contact Christina Tobin, or log on to www.ReTeaParty.com

####

For media inquiries, please contact Christina Tobin at 312-320-4101, or by e-mail at Christina@freeandequal.org

Gotta gripe? I bet you do! And now it can be made into a song!

In the spirit of http://complaintschoir.org/choirs.html but within the scope of ReTea and Free & Equal — send/post your political complaints, be succinct, as they wil be set to music, perhaps a Sousa melody. Complain now, complain often, complain for 7/4! It’s cathartic AND creative! Make it global, make it national, local or very personal, but make it non-partisan. Thank you!

Title: Chicago ReTea Party June Meetup #4
Location: Oak Park Library - Maze Branch
Link out: Click here
Description: For those who have never been to this location, the library is a small building on the northwest corner of Gunderson Ave. and Harrison St.
Start Time: 19:30
Date: 2009-06-30
End Time: 21:00