My comment at Ballot Access News about the Constitution Party

~ Krzysztof Lesiak ~ Leave a comment


Krzysztof Lesiak on August 5, 2020 at 6:24 pm said:

Don Blankenship’s nomination has to be the beginning of the end for the Constitution Party. I’m not surprised they chose him but Charles Kraut would have been a much better candidate, though like Blankenship on foreign policy he’s seems to lean more towards neoconservatism than paleoconservatism.

The CP should just be left to die a slow, peaceful death. However, where will the paleocons go to once the party dissolves? The LP? Or something smaller but more ideologically fit like the Life and Liberty Party.

http://ballot-access.org/2020/08/04/u-s-district-court-denies-injunctive-relief-to-don-blankenship-in-california-ballot-access-case/#comment-791169

American Third Party Report turns 6 years old today!

~ Krzysztof Lesiak ~ Leave a comment
ATPR Record NEW 9 14 2016
All time- ATPR record based on Alexa rank (September 14th, 2016)

One of the premier destinations for third party news and views, American Third Party Report, turns 6 years old today. The website (originally found at amthirdpartyreport.com) was founded on July 16th, 2014 by me along with third party activists and bloggers Cody Quirk and Joshua Fauver. The website gained a significant amount of traffic before the 2016 presidential election until September 19th, 2016, when I single handedly hijacked the site from my co-editors and transferred ownership to an activist and writer Max Dickstein, who used the handle “BasedZionist.” This decision to stab my co-founders in the back was a horrendous one, a move that I deeply regret to this day and I lost the privelage of being part of ATPR, but here is the good news:

In the last year, ATPR has grown significantly, adding new authors and posting a large amount of unique content, and the site layout and design is a marked improvement over what it was a WordPress site (now the site is hosted by Blogspot). ATPR has been consistently cited by the other “bigwigs” of third party news (Independent Political Report and Ballot Access News) as well as other media sources and political candidates and parties as well.

ATPR is succeeding in its stated mission to be “one of the leading websites for news and varying commentaries that relate to minor/alternative political parties and independents since 2014.” The current ATPR website is also 100% correct when stating that “We are multi-partisan and include individual authors and contributors from the left, right, and various odds & ends of the political spectrum.”

As the site’s original co-founder, I wish ATPR another 6 years, and hopefully the site sees unprecendented growth and continues to be an influential news source for those in the sphere of America’s third political parties!

PS: Old ATPR articles from July 16th, 2014 to September 19th, 2016 can be found at the following address: https://thegrandinquirer.wordpress.com/ .

Krzysztof Lesiak

July 16th, 2020

La Grange Park, Illinois

James Taylor responds to Spike Cohen on Jo Jorgensen “actively anti-racism” controversy

~ Krzysztof Lesiak ~ Leave a comment
spikecohen
Spike Cohen (Photo: Heartland Newsfeed article: EDITORIAL: Amateur political blog is a joke for Libertarian ticket criticisms

The following is a comment on Libertarian Party vice-presidential nominee Spike Cohen’s YouTube video, “Mr Bearded Truth 34 – It is simply not enough to be passively in favor of DACA…” posted by a user named James Taylor:

Dude, you have an opportunity to discuss this “ACTIVELY anti-racism” controversy honestly, but you blew it. Everybody knows what she means and that her heart is right where it needs to be. Its not a question of whether she meant what she said. She is 100% sincere and genuine. rather its a question of did she REALLY say what she means? There is no need to dig in your heels and pretend that what she said was not extremely vague and subjective. Whether or not it is prudent to be “active” or “passive” is not a matter of logical deduction. It is a matter of judgement on a case by case basis. Sometimes, being passive in a situation actually is the right thing to do and telling me it is NOT is presumptuous at best and creepily Orwellian at worst. Dont tell me 2+2=5 especially in a situation where I have to make the judgement call on how to conduct myself in a group of potentially hostile people. Bottom line, these hot button issues are not appropriate to be just casually blurted out on twitter where there is a character limit. These are complex issues and deserve in depth discussions. These are not bumper sticker enthymemes. These topics deserve MUCH MORE RESPECT THAN THAT. Dont be naive and pretend that “anti-racism” isn’t already an ideology with particular meaning behind it. If you sincerely don’t know, that is fair enough. But the politics of race in the present moment is not simple because there is a very loud and vocal minority that is really making a mess of things. AND YOU ARE NOT HELPING by labeling people racists or in your cowardly way, “anti-anti-racists” who otherwise, by and large, support Jo. Furthermore, Jo is NOT getting flack from the “RIGHT”. She is getting flack from that wing of the libertarian movement/ party that takes the philosophy seriously. I mean, if she was running as a DSA candidate, Jo’s words would take on a completely different meaning with all kinds of dog whistles and unstated premises built into it. Dont pretend you dont know that. You are better than that. But, again, its not that nobody understands what she means. Rather its about how she said it. Its tedious, i know. But it is important to maintain the separation. To craft our OWN rhetoric rather than appropriate the rhetoric of our philosophic antithesis. Not in regards to the merits/demerits of racism (it is 2020 afterall, nobody is on favor of racism) but our antithesis in regard to all of the completwly unrelated and false conclusions that that vocal minority tries to smuggle in with it through the back door. The topic should not be treated with such carelessness in this day and age.

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James Taylor
I wanna add something or rather ask a question. Do you understand WHY a positive right cannot come with a mandate? Its the same reason why in contract law, specific performance is generally not an option. The example i gave earlier of a potential situation where a person might CHOOSE not to be “actively anti-racist” may be considered as a form of “efficient breach”. Anyway, the arguments in support of the criticism of Jo are not well understood by yourself and others whose knee-jerk reaction is to come to her defense. That is noble of you and worthy of respect. But, judging by this video it is clear you dont really understand the nature of the criticism, which is made crystal clear by you pulling the really lazy and tired “racist” card.
Third Party Observer – Krzysztof Lesiak, founder

Green Party of the United States to Hold Presidential Nominating Convention Online, July 11, 2020

~ Krzysztof Lesiak ~ Leave a comment

The Green Party’s 2020 Presidential Nominating Convention (PNC) will take place online due to ongoing public health concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

The gathering will be conducted over Zoom from July 9 to July 11, with the PNC proceedings scheduled for July 11 beginning at 12:00pm Eastern Time.

The Green Party will broadcast the PNC live, for free on social media for all. The convention will feature candidate speeches, guest speakers (see below) and approval of the Green Party’s 2020 platform. The 2020 convention’s theme is “Climate Justice, Social Justice, Economic Democracy.” Credentialed members of the media will be granted access to the Zoom webinar that will host convention delegates, candidates, guest speakers and facilitators.

MEDIA ADVISORY

CONTACTS:

Michael O’Neil, Green Party Communications Manager, meo@gp.org, 202-804-2758
Holly Hart, Green Party Media Committee Coordinator media@gp.org | 202-804-2758
Craig Seeman, Green Party Media Committee Coordinator media@gp.org
Deeanna Taylor, Tamar Yager, Green Party National Meeting Committee Coordinators, anm_info@gp.org
John Andrews, Sanda Everette, Green Party Presidential Campaign Support Committee Coordinators, pcsc@gp.org

What: Green Party of the United States 2020 Presidential Nominating Convention

When: Thursday, July 9 to Saturday, July 11, 2020

Where: Online, broadcast live to GP.org and social media platforms

2020 Green Presidential Nominating Convention Page

Media Credentialing Application

All delegate voting from state Green Parties and identity caucuses will be conducted online via roll call from designated election reporters or through a secure electronic voting application, as determined by convention procedure.

Additional media opportunities will include press conferences with national Green Party leaders, 2020 Green candidates and officeholders, candidates seeking the Green Party presidential nomination, and the Green Party presidential and vice-presidential nominees. Press conferences will be hosted on a dedicated Zoom conference line.

Online workshops and panels will be offered to convention registrants throughout the week. Please register on themedia credentialing page if you are interested in covering program events and news conferences.

Candidates Seeking the Green Party Presidential Nomination

About the Presidential Nomination

Schedule of Press Events – TBA

Details for all events are subject to change. A follow-up advisory with updates and candidate and speaker details will be published before the meeting.

Confirmed 2020 speakers:

  • Ajamu Baraka, Green Party 2016 vice-presidential nominee, political activist and scholar, whose work has appeared in Black Agenda Report,Common Dreams, Dissident Voice.
  • Cam Gordon, elected member of the Minneapolis City Council since 2006, co-founder of the Green Party of Minnesota and has been called “the most prominent Green elected official in the US.”
  • Robin Harris, Green Party National Black Caucus Co-Chair and 2018 Green Party candidate Orange County Commissioner, Florida
  • Jenny Leong, two-term elected Green Party Member of Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, Australia.
  • Lisa Savage, the Maine Green Independent Party’s candidate for U.S. Senate, running in a ranked choice voting election for that office.

Previous Green nominees, convention sites:

2016 Jill Stein (P), Ajamu Baraka (VP), August 4-7, 2016. Houston, TX

2012 Jill Stein (P), Cheri Honkala (VP), July 12-15, 2012, Baltimore, MD

2008 Cynthia McKinney (P), Rosa Clemente (VP), July 10-13, 2008, Chicago, IL

2004 David Cobb (P), Pat LaMarche (VP), June 23-28, 2004. Milwaukee, WI

2000 Ralph Nader (P), Winona LaDuke (VP); June 24-25, 2000. Denver, CO

1996 Ralph Nader (P), Winona LaDuke (VP); August 19, 1996. Los Angeles, CA

Additional Information:

2020 Annual National Meeting and Presidential Nominating Convention
Green New Deal

Green Party of the United States
www.gp.org
202-319-7191

Newsroom | Twitter: @GreenPartyUS
Green Party Platform
Green New Deal
Green candidate database and campaign information
Facebook page
YouTube
Green Pages: The official publication of record of the Green Party of the United States
Green Papers

~ END ~

Source: https://www.gp.org/green_party_of_the_united_states_to_hold_presidential_nominating_convention_online_july_11_2020

George Floyd Response: Green Party US National Black Caucus Demands Accountability, Structural Changes to Save Black and Brown Lives From Police Brutality

~ Krzysztof Lesiak ~ Leave a comment

George Floyd Response: Green Party US National Black Caucus Demands Accountability, Structural Changes to Save Black and Brown Lives From Police Brutality4-key-pillars

IPR: Nevada and Utah to LNC: Remote Participation Option or Disaffiliation

~ Krzysztof Lesiak ~ Leave a comment

Libertarian_Party_of_Utah_logodownload (5)

Independent Political Report, June 8th, 2020:

In similar, separate resolutions submitted earlier today to the Libertarian National Committee, the Libertarian Party affiliates of Utah and Nevada have demanded full participation by their previously elected delegates in the second sitting of the currently paused convention, with a remote option for those who cannot attend in Orlando in person on the currently scheduled dates.

The resolutions urge development and testing of that remote participation technology begin in a timely fashion to ensure its availability prior to the opening of the convention.

Should the in-person delegates not authorize remote participation, or should the technology not be immediately available should the in-person delegates authorize such participation, the language of the Nevada and Utah resolutions indicates disaffiliation would occur.

In a phone interview earlier today, Utah Libertarian Party Chair Barry Short explained, “If the delegates at the second sitting do not allow remote participation by every previously credentialed delegate who participated remotely in the first sitting, and who is unable to be present through no fault of their own, or if the convention organizers do not have the technology to allow for remote participation tested and in place, then you tell me — WHO has disaffiliated WHOM?”

Read the rest of the article here.

Constitution Party Nominates Don Blankenship for President on Second Ballot

~ Krzysztof Lesiak ~ Leave a comment

Don-Blankenship-
By William Saturn, Independent Political Report, May 2nd, 2020:

At its National Convention online today, the Constitution Party nominated former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship for President on the second ballot. William Mohr was nominated unanimously for vice president.

As posted at Ballot Access News, the vote went as follows:

First ballot:

  1. Blankenship 139.5 (46.19%)
  2. Charles Kraut 77.8 (25.76%)
  3. Samm Tittle 46.35 (15.35%)
  4. Don Grundmann 25.25 (8.36%)
  5. Daniel Clyde Cummings 13.1 (4.24%)

Second ballot:

  1. Blankenship 177 (57.28%)
  2. Kraut 86.75 (28.07%)
  3. Grundmann 24 (7.77%)
  4. Tittle 21.25 (6.88%)

Blankenship, 70, was the CEO of Massey, a coal mining company, from 2000 until 2010.  During his tenure the 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine disaster killed 29 people in West Virginia. Blankenship blames the disaster on the negligence of officials from the Mine Safety and Health Administration.  The federal investigation that followed the disaster led to the prosecution of Blankenship.  At the criminal trial, the jury rejected three felony charges but found him guilty of conspiring to violate federal mine safety laws, a misdemeanor with a prison sentence of one year.  The prosecutors were later found to have committed reckless misconduct due to their failure to disclose witness memoranda. Blankenship continues to maintain his innocence and decided to run for West Virginia’s U.S. Senate seat after leaving prison in 2017.

Read the rest here: https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2020/05/constitution-party-nominees-don-blankenship-for-president-on-second-ballot/

Adam Kokesh reacts to Justin Amash’s entry into the race for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination

~ Krzysztof Lesiak ~ Leave a comment

Kokesh1
Libertarian Presidential Candidate Welcomes Independent Congressman Justin Amash to the Race, Asks him to Change Affiliation to Libertarian

It was great to see that Congressman Justin Amash has finally taken my advice to seek the Libertarian Party nomination for President. Unfortunately for him, he only took half my advice and, like walking on stage with his fly down, this is about to turn into an embarrassing loss for Justin: he forgot to change his affiliation to Libertarian first.

It’s great to see Justin bringing so much mainstream media attention to the Libertarian Party. Why is the mainstream media suddenly supporting a Libertarian Party candidate? I hope it’s because they have suddenly become interested in libertarian ideas and principles, but I’m much more inclined to believe that the liberal media wants Justin to be the nominee because he’ll “take” more votes from Trump than Biden, he’ll get way less votes than a Libertarian without the old party baggage, and he will condemn the Libertarian Party to irrelevance for decades as the party of “washed up Republicans.” Mark my words, if the mainstream media successfully manipulates the Libertarian Party into nominating a “washed up Republican” for the fourth cycle in a row, they will turn on him and us and call him much worse things as soon as we walk into their trap.

Keep doing what you’re doing if you want the same results. This applies to the Libertarian Party nominating “not-quite-libertarians” as well as the American people electing duopoly candidates. In 2016 we had the most politically experienced ticket on the ballot and couldn’t even crack 5%. That will never get America to the “Libertarian Moment” that we know is long overdue.

What I’m offering my Libertarian Party is a proven record of success spreading our message and an ethical platform consistent with our values. This new focus will not only help us succed as a party but also offers us the opportunity to make history. This platform literally puts consent of the governed on the ballot this November.

Instead of giving the American voters a chance to have their chains repositioned, we offer a world set free in our lifetime.

Localization is the future for the Libertarian Party. Throughout the last two years since we planted the flag of this idea, we have seen not only people from across the country flock to it but have witnessed other candidates adopting it as part of their message.

It is not time to pick up the scraps left behind by the larger parties. It is time to be bold and unafraid to stand on principle and declare our freedom. We have the opportunity to rise as a party and give the American people another choice.

I’m running for President with the Libertarian Party to dissolve the federal government in a peaceful, orderly, responsible bankruptcy giving us 50 independent states and up to 562 sovereign native nations … because I’m tired of this crap! I’m tired of poor men dying to line rich men’s pockets. I’m tired of veteran suicides. I’m tired of the drug war destroying lives. I’m tired of countless Americans dying from pharmaceuticals. I’m tired of people who care about freedom being fooled by people who don’t! I’m tired of Americans struggling to take care of our kids, living paycheck to paycheck, because our work, our inheritance, our potential is being stolen from us! If you’re as tired as I am, let’s take it back!

America, we are too good for this government! We don’t have to be forced into one system to be united in American values. Localization is the cure for polarization. With community level government, you can live in harmony with systems that represent your values and meet your needs. With localization, we unite every single American around that which makes us America!

I choose Freedom. I choose peace. I choose Localization. I choose to Live and Let Live.

Justin, welcome to the race, and hopefully the party. NOW ZIP UP YOUR FLY!

Source: Adam Kokesh’s Facebook profile, April 29th, 2020

Ken Armstrong ends Libertarian presidential campaign, will run for vice president instead

~ Krzysztof Lesiak ~ Leave a comment

KALP

KEN ARMSTRONG’S ANNOUNCEMENT

When I started out on my journey to be the Libertarian Party’s nominee for President, over a year ago now, I did so because I had a calling to serve. I had a calling to serve the Party, its dedicated supporters, and, most of all, the American people, who are touched every day by pernicious government.

The pandemic highlights the inability of the Federal government to address emergencies and widespread economic pain, quickly, efficiently, and free from cronyism. At no point since the Libertarian Party’s birth almost 50 years ago, has the pain of the individual been more apparent, or more poorly addressed, by the Federal government.

The Libertarian Party must be in front of the pandemic crisis and provide leadership to the American people. Americans can address COVID-19 with humanity and grace without forfeiting our God-given civil rights.

I have more than forty years of leadership experience: Leadership as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard who led the charge for accountability in that service’s hospitals and clinics. I was nominated as Federal Executive of the Year for coordinating response plans for natural disasters; Leadership as a NATO commander overseas during international crises; Leadership as the CEO of Habitat for Humanity in Hawaii; and Leadership in local politics, as a small business owner, and as a Minister.

One of my enduring lessons as a leader is putting service to others over my own ego. I believe in Servant Leadership as a radical departure from our current politics-as-usual.

Yesterday, we learned that Congressman Justin Amash has formed an Exploratory Committee to seek the Party’s nomination at the top of the ticket. Last week, we learned that Judge Jim Gray was also seeking the nomination. This is in an already crowded field. I welcome both candidates and their dedication to serving liberty and the American people.

Sometimes leadership means aggressive competition with others. But not in all circumstances.

Leadership also means not doing anything that causes harm to the party, such as splitting the delegation during a convention that will have its share of challenges related to lockdowns. Leadership means recognizing where my voice and experience can bring the greatest benefit to the Libertarian Party. Leadership means making decisions that serve our ultimate goals (freedom in our lifetime) over the ego boost that one gets being top of the ticket.

When thinking about what is best for the party during an uncertain time, when I have much to offer in response to the complex social, economic, and human issues related to international disasters, I had to make a choice.

Can I be heard in my campaign for President at the same time that we have a crowded field that includes Congressman Amash? And will my voice competing against Mr. Amash generate the greatest benefit for the Party.

After prayer and reflection with my family and my campaign team, we have concluded that I can make the biggest difference running for the Party’s nomination for Vice President instead.

As the Party’s Vice Presidential nominee, I offer you two decades of experience as a dedicated libertarian. I offer balance to the ticket because I came out of the Democratic Party, not Republican. I remain one of the most experienced candidates in the field. And that experience can be combined with the right Presidential candidate to make a passionate, eloquent, and powerful team, without giving up on our home-grown aspirations.

The time has come for the Libertarian Party to loudly make its case to the American people. Our rights are worth fighting for. Strong leadership does not mean authoritarianism.

Please join me, as I seek the Libertarian nomination for Vice President of the United States.