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ALLOW SELF-DETERMINTION FOR PUERTO RICO
Boston Tea Party National Committee Endorses HR 2499
The Boston Tea Party National Committee passed a resolution “in support of HR 2499 To provide for a federally sanctioned self-determination process for the people of Puerto Rico” 5-0 (with 1 not voting).
Puerto Rico’s Governor Luis Fortuño says, “The reality is that the island’s current status does not enable the people of Puerto Rico to fulfill their potential for social, economic and political development.”
Darryl W. Perry wrote, “This bill calls for the first ever federally-authorized plebiscite on self-determination which will use a two-tier vote, unlike past plebiscites which were locally-authorized and placed all options on one ballot; thus ensuring no option received a majority. And even if a majority were reached, it would not necessarily have been accepted by the Federal Government.
HR2499 would require two votes, the first vote would determine if a majority of Puerto Ricans favor a change of status (i.e. something other than “commonwealth”/Territory of the USA). If a majority supports the status quo, new plebiscites will be held every 8 years. However, if a majority supports a change of status another plebiscite will be held with three options: Independence, Statehood or Sovereignty in Association with the United States (similar to the status of Micronesia, Marshall Islands & Palau).”
With the passage of this resolution, the Boston Tea Party becomes the 5th Party to support this bill; joining not only the Republican and Democratic Parties but also the Popular Democratic Party and the Puerto Rico Independence Party.
“HR 2499 has over 150 co-sponsors in the Congress. The American people want the Puerto Rican people to have a choice in regards to their sovereignty. It is the right of the Puerto Rican people to choose if they would like to change their status, and if so what that new status may be.” said BTP Chairman Doug Gaking.
In other BTP news, the national committee has endorsed John Wayne Smith for Governor of Florida, 2010. Boston Tea Party of New Mexico has endorsed Adam Kokesh for Congress, New Mexico’s 3rd district, 2010.
Also, Todd Andrew Barnett had a falling out with Kansas BTP chair Jim Davidson. Barnett writes, in part:
As of today, Jim Davidson and I are enemies. I can see why people can’t stand that prick. Therefore, because of his actions, he’s been banned from my show and that ban will never be lifted. I tried to extend an olive branch to him hours ago, but that ungrateful backstabber threw it back at me and spit on it. Honestly, he makes Eric Dondero and Dave Nalle look sane in comparison. And I can’t stand Dondero with a passion, given my complete and entire history with that jackass.
It’s better this way. I’m venting my frustrations, disappointment, and yes, goddamned bitterness over what Davidson said to me in Gmail. But he made his choice.
Now I’m making mine. Effective August 7, I will be resigning my seat as Secretary of the BTP. I only ran on this seat because Davidson asked me to. I didn’t want the damn seat, but because of this crap, I want nothing to do with it as long as it has his name attached to it. I will offer my last and final resolution on the Committee before my term expires.
This gives Doug and the Committee a month to transition my departure and find a suitable replacement for me on the Secretary seat. I got on this board because of Davidson, and I will not carry it further as long as his legacy is attached to my seat and this party.
Doug told me that he’s had people tell him that they won’t join the Party as long as Davidson is a part of it. For a long time, I could not fathom that; now I do. As long as Davidson, who is NOT a libertarian in my opinion but an unstable kook in my honest opinion, has any continued association with the Party, this organization will remain small and irrelevant. It will remain small and irrelevant anyway, but hey, that’s what you get for getting involved in third party politics.
Thank you all for supporting me. This has been an agonizing decision, and I wish everyone the best of luck. I hope my successor will do a better job than I ever could.
Barnett changed his mind in his next blog post, writing:
After having a discussion with BTP National Chairman Doug Gaking, I have, in one way reluctantly and another way with great mixed feelings, decided not to step down from my seat that I have set for August 7. I will serve out the remainder of the term until 2010, but I will not run again after that point.
However, my defunct, nonexistent relationship with Jim Davidson stands.
Yours in Liberty in Perpetuity,
Todd Andrew Barnett
Returning Secretary, Boston Tea Party
Also in BTP-related news, IPR received an anonymous video from “Libertarians Against John Wayne Smith”:
“Related videos” revealed an additional video from the group, featuring a previous IPR article among other things…
18 responses so far ↓
1 Donald Raymond Lake // Jul 8, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Grown up solutions for a grown up culture. Any thing short of nation hood is arrested development!
2 paulie // Jul 8, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Independence for Puerto Rico!
Independence for DC!
End Euro-American colonialism and liberate all the oppressed peoples of Mother Earth!
3 elpincho // Jul 8, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Statehood for Puerto Rico NOW!!!
4 Danny S // Jul 8, 2009 at 9:19 pm
The politics of the BTP seems quite mature at the moment…
5 Donald Raymond Lake // Jul 9, 2009 at 1:52 am
Statehood? Again, nothing more than arrested development!
6 paulie // Jul 9, 2009 at 6:51 am
Statehood for Puerto Rico NOW!!!
Yes – independent statehood outside the US! And DC too!
7 paulie // Jul 9, 2009 at 6:55 am
The politics of the BTP seems quite mature at the moment…
As opposed to when?
8 Thomas L. Knapp // Jul 9, 2009 at 2:58 pm
US OUT OF NORTH AMERICA!
9 paulie // Jul 9, 2009 at 3:00 pm
+10
10 Susan Hogarth // Jul 9, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Knapp @8,
I carried a sign saying that to an anti-Ashcroft rally a few years back. Got a few puzzled looks from the lefties
11 Jim Davidson // Jul 9, 2009 at 9:30 pm
So, wait, being upset with the LP and wanting out means a person isn’t libertarian? Or being a dues paying member of the party who has had differences with the party leadership means you aren’t a Libertarian Party member?
If either of these statements were true, there would not be many libertarians, nor many Libertarians. lol
12 Jim Davidson // Jul 9, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Saying that John Wayne Smith has been accused of child molestation is true, but not much truth. He hasn’t been convicted of it.
Saying that the Florida elections commission fined him doesn’t indicate what he was charged with. And I’m not clear why any Libertarian thinks there ought to be a state elections commission, let alone is concerned about the commission fining someone.
Has it become “libertarian” to assert accusation is the same as indictment? Is it libertarian to call someone fined by the government “bad”? These are new approaches to libertarianism. Perhaps Bob Barr would be comfortable in a party that promotes such ideas.
13 Peter Orvetti // Jul 10, 2009 at 3:09 pm
I’m surprised anyone cares enough about Mr. Smith to launch such a campaign.
14 Peter Orvetti // Jul 10, 2009 at 3:47 pm
That clip from Mr. Barnett’s show was certainly an interesting listen.
15 paulie // Jul 11, 2009 at 10:28 am
http://tinyurl.com/ppvem9
16 paulie // Jul 11, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Davidson jumps shark about 90 minutes into show
17 Political Devil's Advocate // Jul 14, 2009 at 3:05 am
It’s common knowledge now that John Wayne Smith of the (Smith/Henegar 2010 FL Governor Campaign) had been “accused” of child molestation in 2008 by his daughter Dagney Kira Barnes.
She reported it first to the Boston Tea Party and then it was reported at this site.
The spin doctors keep saying there is “no proof”
but you have to consider that such evidence would be long gone at this point.
It is possible John Wayne Smith could have destroyed any incriminating evidence and covered his tracks.
Remember he was the adult and Dagney was the child.
But according to John Wayne Smith this issue was brought up BEFORE in his divorce (to Dagney’s mother).
You may think… oh the mother influenced the daughter to say those allegations for some advantage in the divorce but….
In 2008 Dagney Barnes is an adult with her own life. Her mother’s long ago divorce is not an issue in her present life.
So why would she go to all the trouble to come forth and go into spotlight to inform Boston Tea Party leaders about the sensative and personally embarassing allegation of “childhood molestation” ?
If she’s still holding a grudge over her father’s divorce – she could have come out and just said she (the daughter of John Wayne Smith) does not support him as a Candidate.
When a person publically confesses a personally embarrassing act such as rape or molestation it’s usually not something a person wants know about them. With molestation, human nature is to keep it secret.
People who have been violated strongly want justice and are willing to speak out to get it.
That is how I see Dagney Kira Barnes in this situation – wanting personal justice against how her father John Wayne Smith treated her as a child.
What’s the most compelling thing about this situation is that John Wayne Smith’s own family does NOT support him as a person or as a candidate.
That’s the fact the “proof-seekers” are silent on.
18 Bob Johnson // Jul 15, 2009 at 2:23 pm
John Wayne Smith (of Smith/Henegar 2010 for Florida Governor) has a history of arrests and criminal convictions.
Libertarian Party of Florida Executive Officer
Char-Lez Braden found and posted link about John Wayne Smith’s (of Smith/Henegar 2010 for Florida Governor) that PROVES he’s a convicted criminal:
John Wayne Smith 2001 criminal conviction:
http://lakecountyclerk.org/online_court_records_detail.asp?case_id=69748935
But unfortunately Mr. Braden seems to think it’s OK for Libertarians to break [stupid] laws.
It is NOT an official Libertarian Party position
to deliberately break laws just so you can get arrested for “publicity”.
I don’t agree:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LibertarianPOC/message/84
But John Wayne Smith has a habit of getting arrested while he is a candidate for public office.
In 1986 he was jailed twice.
In an interview with the Ocala Star-Banner – Oct 3, 1986 – John Wayne Smith stated he was running as a “Libertarian” Florida State house (Dist. 25) but officially was a “write-in ” candidate.
In Ocala Star-Banner – Oct 3, 1986, He admitted to the reporter “I operate an illegal taxi company” and was jailed twice for it.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZNETAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kgYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4254,730710&dq=john-wayne-smith+for+governor
But Libertarian Party of Florida members did NOT approve of him to run as a “Libertarian Party Candidate” in 2006 at the Palm Beach Annual LPF Convention because of his angry rants and (anti)-campaign speech which he descibed himself as an “A**Hole”. But many Florida Libertarians also knew of his past arrests and criminal convictions and obviously thought he was a wrong representative of the Libertarian Party.
So in 2006 John Wayne Smith ran as an (NPA) Florida Governor candidate… but you guessed it… got in trouble again… this time with the State of Florida, Florida Elections Commission for NOT filing a Campaign Report on 8/25/06.
Though he accepted the certified notice 9/15/09 from the FEC, he did NOT immediately respond, appeal or pay the fine which eventually totaled $1000.
http://www.fec.state.fl.us/Final%20Orders/2006/107.pdf
http://www.fec.state.fl.us/results/August06.pdf
I’d like to think that most Florida Libertarians don’t want to donate good money to a candidate to have to go to pay fines to the Government.
With his checkered past of arrests, criminal convictions, and allegations of child molestation.
http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2008/10/boston-tea-party-chairman-charles-jay-is-lying/
http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2008/10/charles-jay-slams-btp-chairman-jim-davidson-florida-btp-disaffiliates-from-national/#comment-19556
John Wayne Smith should be kicked out the Libertarian Party NOW and for all time.
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