NEW MEXICO LIBERTY

“Let Freedom Ring”

The Official Newsletter of the Libertarian Party of New Mexico

March 2009 http://lpnm.us v.2.2 N.7

Table of Contents Notes from the Editor

by Mike Blessing [ mikewb1971@gmail.com ]
Page 1 – Notes from the Editor

Page 2
• Field Reports / Calendar
• Proposed revision to LPNM
Constitution and By-Laws
Page 3 – A Lesson in Politics
Page 4
• Calif. IRS Agent Admits Cheating on
His Own Taxes
• La Rubia y La Droga
Page 5 – 2009 State Convention
Page 6
• Government Jobs Are Breaking Us
• government at all levels and on all issues, and opposes increasing the size, scope
Page 7 – Contacts / Internet Resources
Page 8
• Administrivia
• The Unanimous Consent Challenge
Page 9 – Enrollment / Renewal Form
Page 10 – Authorization for Automatic
Transfers
YOUR ADVERTISING HERE?
2009 Annual State Convention
This year's State Convention will be hosted by the Otero County LP in Alamogordo at the
Holiday Inn Express. The schedule will include speakers, the banquet and the Saturday
afternoon business session, including but not limited to election of officers and the Central
Committee. The new Central Committee will have its first meeting immediately following the
Die-Hard Breakfast speaker on Sunday morning.
A Proposal for the Business Session
It's been noted in the past that the LPNM doesn't have an actual platform. My proposal is to
change that. Basically, it would be added to Article I of the LPNM State Constitution and
Bylaws –
1.6 – PLATFORM
a) The LPNM's platform is as follows:
The Libertarian Party of New Mexico supports reducing the size, scope and power of
and power of government at any level, for any purpose.
b) Notwithstanding any other or subsequent provisions for amendment to these bylaws,
the LPNM's platform, and the entirety of this article, shall be perpetual and
unmodifiable.
Tea Time for New Mexico!
Recently, there have been a few Tea Party events that have sprung up from the grassroots
to protest the Obama Administration's profligate spending, and the new taxes that will surely
follow –
Albuquerque – albuquerqueteaparty.com / info@albuquerqueteaprty.com
Santa Fe – santafeteaparty.blogspot.com / santafeteaparty@gmail.com
Farmington – farmington.tea.party@hotmail.com
Hobbs – taxpayersforjustice@gmail.com
Las Cruces – lcnmteaparty@yahoo.com

CONTACT THE EDITOR OR These events are all scheduled for 15 April 2009 – Income Tax Day, which, coincidentally,
is about 180 days away from any general election slated to take place in November.
SEE PAGE 9 FOR DETAILS
or EMAIL Bernalillo and Dona Ana County LP Conventions
mikewb1971@gmail.com The Bernalillo and Dona Ana County Libertarian Parties will have their conventions
concurrent with the State convention in Alamogordo this year. On the agendas will be
election of officers, among other things.

New Mexico Liberty – April 2009 – Page 1

 Field Reports
From County Contacts
Bernalillo – The BCLP is hosting two meetings per month. For
more information, see the BCLP website – lpnm.us/bernalillo. See
xanga.com/kcufmedia for more information concerning The Weekly
Sedition and New Mexico's Consumer Advocate.
Paul Gessing and Rio Grande Foundation have just established a
social-networking site for small-l libertarians called New Mexico
Liberty – newmexicoliberty.com is the URL. This is in addition to
other activities, which can be found at the RGF's site –
riograndefoundation.org. Paul Gessing and Jim Scarantino have
launched a radio show on JOY 1550 AM, along the lines of the
libertarian-oriented show that Bob Finch was seeking sponsors for.
Mark Curtis has taken over manning a table at the NMGCA gun
shows at the Manuel Lujan Building at the State Fairgrounds.
Dona Ana – The LPDAC Central Committee has been having
monthly meetings, as well as an information table at the Las Cruces
Farmer's Market. See the LPDAC website for details –
lpnm.us/dona-ana.
Otero – The Otero County LP recently established its website –
lpnm.us/otero – and will be hosting this year's state convention in
April.
Sandoval – The LPSC is having its monthly meetings on the fourth
Tuesday of each month.
Santa Fe – Ed Nagel is working on organizing an LPNM county
affiliate for Santa Fe County. Contact him at ed123nagel@aol.com
or call him at 505-471-6928. He'd appreciate any help he can get.
Proposed revision to LPNM Constitution and By-Laws
by Alan Woodruff [ erisa1974@comcast.net ]
The LPNM Constitution and By-Laws provide, in Article V, Section
5.2, that, with respect to the annual convention, “The Secretary
shall notify each caucus member, by mail, of the dates, time, and
place of state conventions; and shall cause to be published in
newspapers of general circulation notice of state conventions at
least twenty one days prior to the date of the convention.”
NMSA §1-7-3 (H) requires that the Party Rules and Regulations
contain a provision “that meetings to elect any party officers,
including delegates, shall be held at a public place during the
week specified by the state party chairman.”
NMSA §1-7-3 (I) requires that the Party Rules and Regulations
contain a provision “that notice of such meetings shall be published
by the officers of the county party organization in a newspaper
of general circulation at least fourteen days prior to the meeting and
the notice shall specify the time, date and place for holding the
meeting.”
Our By-Laws appear to be deficient in that (a) they do not require
notice of the convention at a public place and (b) they provide for
publication of notice by the LPNM Secretary, whereas the statute
requires publication by the officers of the county party
organizations.
Proposed Amendment to Article V, Section 5.2:
“The Secretary shall notify each caucus member, by mail,
of the dates, time, and public place of state conventions;
and shall cause to be published in newspapers of general
circulation notice of state conventions at least twenty one
days prior to the date of the convention PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that where a county party organization has
been established, the officers of the county party
organization shall cause such notice to be published
as provided herein.”
Calendar
Special Events
2009 Annual State Convention
The 2009 LPNM State Convention is scheduled for the weekend of
17-19 April 2009 for the Alamogordo area at the Holiday Inn
Express. See page 5 for more.
Bernalillo County LP Convention
Will run concurrent with the State Convention. Contact Mike
Blessing for details. On the agenda – election of officers, etc.
Dona Ana County LP Convention
Will run concurrent with the State Convention. Contact Bert Ickler
for details.
LPNM Central Committee Meeting – 19 April 2009
The LPNM's Central Committee will have its regularly scheduled
meeting on Sunday, 19 April 2009, following the Annual State
Convention. County and Campus Contacts encouraged to
attend!
Regular Events
Wednesday, 1 April – Otero County LP meeting. Contact Dr.
Gilberto Heredia for more information [ thrill@zianet.com / 575-439-
8234 ].
Thursday, 2 April and 16 April – Bernalillo County Liberty Forum
meets in Albuquerque, 6:00 to 7:00 PM at Fiesta's Restaurant &
Lounge (Carlisle & Montogomery NE). Contact Mike Blessing for
details [ mikewb1971@gmail.com / 505-918-6567].
Wednesday, 8 April – The Dona Ana County Libertarians will meet.
Those interested are invited to attend and to contact Siebert Ickler [
lpdacnm@lpnm.us / 575-541-9079 ] for information on location and
time.
Monday, 13 April – The Santa Fe County LP meets at the South
Library at 6:30 PM. Contact Ed Nagel for details [
ed123nagel@aol.com / 505-474-0300 ].
Ed specified these directions for the South Library –
Although the mailing address is on Jaguar St, the best way
to get there is to turn south off Airport Rd onto Country Club
Rd (by the golf course), proceed 6 tenths of a mile to
Valentine Way, and make a left (heading east), and an
immediate right into the parking lot of the South Library.
Tuesday, 28 April – The Sandoval County Libertarian Party will
meet – contact Ron Bjornstad [ rbjornstad@earthlink.net / 505-288-
4228 ] for details.
TV Shows – Channel 27 in Albuquerque
(not necessarily endorsed by LPNM)
Hemp TV – Tuesdays at 7PM
myspace.com/nmhemptv
The One Party State – Wednesdays at 11PM
Contact Lance Klafeta [ lklafeta@yahoo.com ] for details
Reeferhead – Saturdays at 6PM
myspace.com/reeferheadtv
The Fringe Element
thefringeelement.net / postpubco.com

A Lesson in Politics
by Butler Shaffer [ bshaffer@swlaw.edu ]
11 March 2009
lewrockwell.com/shaffer/shaffer189.html
The masses have never thirsted after truth. Whoever can supply
them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to
destroy their illusions is always their victim.
~ Gustave Le Bon
To those paying close attention, the present U.S. attorney general
and secretary of state provided as good an overview of the nature
of political systems as you will find. Eric Holder, Jr., declared that
America is "a nation of cowards" when it came to racial matters;
that we "simply do not talk enough with each other about race."
That he should make such a statement just a few weeks after a
black man had been sworn in as president, was all the more
remarkable, albeit not surprising.
About fifty years ago, I began to give serious consideration to the
question of how social conflicts are caused by the practice of
dividing ourselves into mutually-exclusive groups with which we
identify our sense of being. My initial introduction to this
phenomenon came from reading one of James Baldwin’s books, in
which he expressed the hope that he might one day walk into a
room and see neither "white" nor "black" people. While I was
somewhat puzzled by his comment, further inquiries led me to the
writings of such men as Fritz Perls and Ludwig von Bertalanffy. It
was in Perls’ work that I discovered the concept of "ego
boundaries," that lie at the core of our conflicts with others. In my
book, Calculated Chaos, I applied this idea in analyzing how
institutions – particularly the state – depend upon such divisiveness
for their well-being.
How does all of this apply to Mr. Holder’s remarks? Political
systems could not exist if they were to serve all persons and groups
in an undifferentiated manner. To give an isolated example: if each
of us was to pay our taxes and receive, in return, precisely the
governmental services we wanted, the state would have no raison
d’être. Such a result is what one obtains in the marketplace – and
with lower costs – against which the state is constantly at war.
Accordingly, political systems prosper by offering various groups of
people the illusory advantage that they can secure goods and/or
services at a cost lower than what they would pay in taxes; that
others will make up the difference – all in the guise of promoting
some benefit to which the recipient is "entitled," or which serves
some alleged "greater social good." This reasoning is what is
presently pouring trillions of dollars into the coffers of the corporate
favorites of those running the state system.
People with varied interests quickly discover the advantages of
organizing themselves into groups to lobby the state for these
apparent benefits. Ego-boundary identities have proven themselves
an effective means of promoting collective ends. Race, religion,
ideology, economic interests, ethnicity, lifestyle, age, nationality,
provide just a handful of grounds upon which to organize mass
movements. Those to be organized into such groupings, as well as
those who control the machinery of the state, develop a symbiotic
relationship in the perpetuation of the political process.
Of course, in order to maintain the seeming effectiveness of such
practices, it is essential that group identities be reinforced. The
boundary lines that separate one group from another (e.g.,
"employees" and "employers," "straights" and "gays," "Hindus" and
"Muslims," and other "us" versus "them" categories), must be
clearly delineated and rigorously defended. This is what underlay
Clarence Thomas’s difficulties in getting appointed to the Supreme
Court: he was a black man who reflected a different mindset from
the more established black politically-active groups. If blacks are to
continue to have political influence, qua blacks, there must be no
blurring of the lines separating their group from those with whom
they must appear to be in conflict if cohesiveness among blacks is
to be maintained. The same logic applies to all other groups,
whatever their constituency.
This is why I believe that the election of Barack Obama to the
presidency will end up weakening, not strengthening, African-
American political groups. To the degree such organized activism is
premised upon irreconcilable differences among blacks and whites,
Obama’s election nullifies such a premise. What was significant
about his victory was not that an African-American was elected to
the presidency, but that his being black was not considered, by
most voters, to be a disqualification for the office. It is that fact that
may help to bring about the state of mind to which Baldwin referred.
I suspect that Attorney General Holder’s remarks may have been
motivated by a felt need to reinforce the old boundary lines of racial
separation. The man is, after all, a product of political activism, and
if the divisiveness to which he has been accustomed was to
dissolve, such groups might come to wield no more influence than
did the once-powerful Anti-Saloon League.
On the other hand, Holder went on to note that race "is an issue we
have never been at ease with." If he is sincere in what he is saying,
he might consider that the intervention of the state – whether it be
the federal government’s enforcement of the Fugitive Slave laws,
Lincoln’s exploitation of the slavery question to enforce his
appetites for federal hegemony, or the more recent enforcement of
"politically-correct" speech and conduct – has made it quite difficult
for men and women to "talk . . .with each other about race" without
fear of retaliation in colleges, the workplace, or by state prosecution
of so-called "hate crimes."
Confirmation of the role played by political institutions in generating
the social conflict that is rapidly destroying Western civilization, has
been offered by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Speaking at the
European Parliament in Brussels, and using climate change and
energy security as her topics, she advised listeners to "never waste
a good crisis."
Political systems thrive on "crises," for they are used to generate
the fear that causes men and women to huddle at the feet of state
authorities who – like the "big daddies" of our childhood – promise
to protect us from perceived threats. Any crisis will do, particularly
those that can be seen by some groups as threats arising from
others. Nor has Boobus shown much reluctance to discriminate
between the genuine and the illusory in his willingness to respond
to alleged crises. Even fabricated causes – be they make-believe
threats from Iraq, or the belief that there is a consensus within the
scientific community that humans are the cause of global warming,
or the proposition that cowardice about race inheres in a nation that
has just elected a black president – can be used to keep people in
manageable herds.
Butler Shaffer teaches at the Southwestern University School of
Law. He is the author of the newly-released In Restraint of Trade:
The Business Campaign Against Competition, 1918–1938 and of
Calculated Chaos: Institutional Threats to Peace and Human
Survival.
New Mexico Liberty – April 2009 – Page 3
 And that was before we embarked on the stimulus spending spree
of the last six months!
Even if the efforts of Roch and similar efforts nationwide fail, their
work is useful because we need to have a serious debate about the
Liberty, Opportunity, Prosperity
role of states relative to the federal government.
Local rep leading fight for states For example: Do the words of the Constitution have meaning or are
by Paul Gessing [ riograndefoundation.org ] they simply suggestions? If so, what of this supposed system of
12 March 2009 checks and balances upon which America was founded and what
tinyurl.com/ccx4od does it mean not only for President Obama, but Congress and
future elected officials? Lastly, if the Constitution does need to be
There is a movement sweeping the nation – bills have been updated to reflect modern society, should we amend it or simply
introduced in 23 states including New Mexico – to restore the 10th continue to ignore it?
Amendment to the United States Constitution. Hopefully, the rest of New Mexico’s elected officials (and concerned
What, you might say is the 10th Amendment and why is it citizens) will join Roch in this pushing this discussion forward.
important? Well, that is part of the problem right there. Paul J. Gessing is president of New Mexico’s Rio Grande
Most Americans have a general understanding of the first and Foundation, which promotes prosperity for New Mexico based on
second amendments which address freedom of speech, religion, principles of limited government, economic freedom and individual
assembly, and the right to bear arms, but unfortunately, because it responsibility. Contact him at: pgessing@riograndefoundation.org
has been ignored so long, the 10th Amendment has been largely
ignored to the point that few even know what it says.
The text of the Amendment is as follows: “The powers not
delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited
by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the
people.”
In other words, if it isn’t specifically outlined in our nation’s founding
document, the individual states and citizens should retain those
rights. Given the limited scope of the federal government as laid out
in the Constitution, a reassertion of their 10th Amendment rights by
the States would create a sea-change in American politics.
The effort here is being led by freshman representative Dennis
Roch, R-Tucumcari. And, while the road to pass HJR 27 through
New Mexico’s Democratically-dominated Legislature is indeed long
and difficult, it is very relevant given the current economic and
political issues we face.
The Constitution has been under sustained attack since at least the
Administration of Woodrow Wilson, but as written, the Founders
proscribed a federal government that is involved in little more than
coordinating foreign policy and running a postal service. If states
were to seriously re-assert their interests under the 10th Calif. IRS Agent Admits Cheating on His Own Taxes
Amendment, America would be a far different (and better) place. Tuesday, March 31, 2009
That is because the federal government is a monopolistic cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=45905
government. That’s because if you as a citizen don’t like or are By Staff, Associated Press
negatively impacted by federal policies, it is difficult to escape those Santa Ana, Calif. (AP) – An Internal Revenue Service agent who
policies. Governments are of course notoriously inefficient as are audits taxpayers in California has agreed to plead guilty to cheating
monopolies, but the combination of the two has resulted in the on his own taxes.
current bloated, unresponsive, and incredibly wasteful federal
government we are burdened with today. In a plea agreement filed Monday in Orange County, 43-year-old
Jim H. Liu of Diamond Bar admitted that he filed a tax return
Indeed, while the individual states still suffer from the inefficiencies claiming a loss on a real estate transaction when he in fact saw a
associated with government, they are not monopolies. They are large profit.
forced to compete with each other to create jobs and attract
residents and it is relatively easy for businesses and individuals to He pleaded guilty to one federal count of subscribing to a false tax
re-locate to another state with friendlier policies. The genius of the return, a charge that carries a penalty of up to three years in prison.
Founding Fathers is this concept of “federalism” which set up the According to the plea agreement, Liu sold a property in Pomona in
laboratory of the states in which policies are tried and shared. 2002 for a profit of more than $48,000, but reported a loss of
The federal government, on the other hand, through programs as $4,200 on his taxes.
diverse as the highway program with its rampant earmarks and The tax loss to the government was more than $14,000
Medicaid under which New Mexico receives a perverse-incentive-
creating $3-to-$1 match from the federal government, promotes
waste while removing the responsibility for creating economic
growth from the individual states and centralizes it in Washington.

New Mexico Liberty – April 2009 – Page 4

 Libertarian Party of New Mexico
2009 Annual State Convention
Alamogordo, New Mexico
Friday, 17 April – Sunday, 19 April
Please begin planning now to attend our LPNM 2009 State Convention, to be held at the Holiday Inn Express in
sunny Alamogordo, located at 100 Kerry Ave [ Mapquest link – tinyurl.com/lpnm2009stcon ]. 575–434–9773 is their
phone number.

FRIDAY EVENING – 17 April 2009

5:00 PM – 7:15 PM No-Host Cocktails and Networking
7:15 PM – 7:30 PM Welcome Program – Opening Address: State Chariman Jay Vandersloot
7:30 PM – 8:30 PM Bert Ickler, Chair of the LP of Dona Ana County
Topic – Why You Should Support and Vote for the Libertarian Party
8:30 PM – 9:30 PM No-Host Cocktails and Networking

SATURDAY – 18 April 2009

8:00 AM – 8:45 AM Registration, Coffee & Rolls, Networking
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM State Chair's Welcoming Comments
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM Panel Discussion by Past LPNM State Chairs – to include questions from the floor
Topic – Monday Morning Quarterbacking – What Have We Done Wrong, What Have We Done
Right, and How Could We Have Done Better
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM Break
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM Speaker – Alan Woodruff
Topic – LPNM Ballot Access and Petition Drive
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Lunch Break
1:00 PM – 2:45 PM LPNM Annual Business Meeting –
Open to the public but only LPNM Caucus members may make or vote on motions or vote for party officers
Anyone registered to vote in New Mexico as a Libertarian may vote for candidates for public office
Visitors do not vote, make motions or amendments to motions
1. State of the State Party Address by Jay Vandersloot
2. Election of LPNM Officers
3. Business of the LPNM
a. Motion to amend the Bylaws to bring them in compliance with NM State Statutes
b. Motion to adopt an LPNM Platform
c. Other items from the floor
d. Set date for the LPNM 2010 State Convention (so attendees will know when to plan for)
2:45 PM – 3:00 AM Break
3:00 PM – 4:15 PM Speaker – Ken Cavanaugh, former US House Candidate in Pennsylvania,
Topic – The Way Forward
4:15 PM – 5:30 AM Break
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM Speaker – Paul Gessing, President of the Rio Grande Foundation
Topic – Building a Liberty Movement in NM
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM Banquet
Keynote Address – Jim Libertarian Burns, former candidate for the LP Presidential nomination
Topic – The Second Revolution
Fund Raiser Auction

SUNDAY MORNING – 19 April 2009

8:00 AM – 10:00 AM Diehard Breakfast Buffet (scrambled eggs, meats, fruit, rolls, coffee, juice)
Closing Address – Gil Heredia, Chair of Otero County LP
Adjourn the Convention
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM State Central Committee Meeting

New Mexico Liberty – April 2009 – Page 5

 La Rubia y La Droga Don’t I remember that County
Hillary’s Contacts
husband used to smoke chunky
by Fred Reed [ fredoneverything.net ] interns – marijuana, I meant to say, marijuana – but didn’t inhale?
2 April 2009 Bernalillo
Which is to–say,
lpnm.us/bernalillo
as Mexicans know, drugs are about as illegal in the
lewrockwell.com/reed/reed156.html Mike
US as Blessing
is the –downloading
505-918-6567of /music.
mikewb1971@gmail.com
It is punished by very light
sentences for first-time users (which of course means first-time
Colfax
caughters). High-school kids get a week of “community service,”
I read with horror that Hillary Clinton, posing as the
Richard Moore
perhaps, which –they
575-377-6849
regard as both
/ myliberty@mail.com
amusing and a badge of honor.
Secretary of State, has been in Mexico talking with
In general, little real effort is made to apprehend respectable white
Felipe Calderon, Mexico’s president, about “the
Dona Ana – lpnm.us/dona-ana
transgressors.
problem of drugs.” Horror is the reasonable
Siebert Ickler – 575-541-9079 / lpdacnm@lpnm.us
response whenever an American official is allowed In short, the WOD is a fraud. In America the drug racket is a mildly
to pass beyond the beltway. Or stay within it. They never know disreputable business, tightly integrated into the economy, running
Lea
what they are doing. Oh god. smoothly, employing countless federal cops, prison guards,
Christina Groth – 575-397-9366
ineffectual rehab centers and equally ineffectual psychotherapists,
In fairness, I have to concede that Ms. Clinton is well qualified to
and providing bribes to officials and huge deposits of laundered
talk to Calderon, since he speaks . . . English. Further, I concede Lincoln
money to banks. Narcos in the US do not engage in pitched battles
that she does have a grasp of things Latin American, engendered Richard Obergfell – 575-378-8025 / lplcnm@valornet.com
with the army because they have no reason to. The government
by many years in . . . Arkansas. Aaagh.
barely inconveniences them.
Los Alamos
May I suggest that the former First Basilisk had no idea where she Allen Cogbill – 505-662-7833 / acogbill@geopotential.com
So why should Mexico fight this war for Washington?
was or what she was doing? Oh god, oh god. Oh god.
To show that utter futility can, if not be fun, at least serve to pass an In a column, Pat Buchanan addresses the violence in Mexico, and
Luna
idle hour, let me express the common Mexican and indeed South asks:
Marilyn Steffen – 575-531-2556 / b_lamont5@hotmail.com
American view of the, oh god, War on Drugs. It goes thusly: “Which is the greater evil? Legalized narcotics for America's young
or a failed
Otero state of 110,000 million on our southern border? Some
– lpnm.us/otero
Latin America does not have a drug problem. It has a United States choice. Some country we've become.”
Gilberto Heredia – 575-439-8234 / thrill@zianet.com
problem. The problem is that Americans want drugs. The US is a
huge, voracious, insatiable market for drugs. Americans very much Some country indeed, on many grounds. And the WOD might be a
Roosevelt
good idea if it did anything beyond keeping the price of drugs up.
want their brain candy. They will pay whatever they need to pay to
Ken
But itSanders
doesn’t.–I suggest
505-749-2085
two things to Pat:
get it. All the world knows this.
Why, Mexicans wonder, is America’s drug habit Mexico’s problem? First,
San JuanMexico suffers narco-violence only because Washington
– sjclp.org
If Americans don’t want drugs, they can stop buying them. Nobody expects
Gary WoodMexico to do what Washington won’t. Failed state? Take
– zang5775@msn.com
forces anyone to use the stuff. away the narco wars and Mexico is a reasonably successful upper-
third-world
Sandoval nation. If it fails, it will be because we pushed it into
Ah, the rub is that Washington doesn’t want Americans to have failure.
Ron Bjornstad – 505-288-4228 / rbjornstad@earthlink.net
drugs. All right, say Mexicans, that is a problem between the
American government and the American people. Let America solve Second, America’s young already have almost unlimited access to
Santa Fe
it. drugs. Many students experiment with them. Few become addicts.
Ed Nagel – 505-471-6928 / ed123nagel@aol.com
Why? Because they don’t want to. How is that for simple?
Why, Mexicans ask – read this sentence carefully – should Mexico
tear itself in pieces, lose thousands of dead annually, and turn into It is common sense (the young actually do have some of it) and not
Valencia
a war zone to solve a problem that America refuses to solve? the
AbranDEA that prevents
Gabaldon addiction. Do
– 505-864-6870 you think that few kids become
/ abran_d@yahoo.com
alcoholics because they need an ID to buy booze?
Think. Why doesn’t the American government run sting operations
at, say, Berkeley and Stanford, and Rice and George Washington (Wild thought: Maybe we LPNM
oughtVacancies
to give America’s young credit for
U., and put those students caught using drugs in the slam for two not being complete morons. Nah, never fly.)
years per? How about a sting at your daughter’s high school, with a Central Committee (1)
year in some nasty reformatory, which is to say any reformatory, for Mexicans know all of the foregoing. Remember that there is a
District 3 Representative, Seat A
those caught? It could be a family sort of thing. You could visit her steady flow of Mexican nationals in both directions across the
and hear what fascinating things she had learned about compulsory border. Americans are out of touch with Mexico, but Mexicans are
County Contacts (20)
lesbian sex. not out of touch with America. They also know, as Americans seem
not to, that corruption runs wide and deep north of the Rio Bravo.
The reason of course is that any effort to punish large classes of Catron / story:
(A common Chaves / Cibola
when you / cross
Curry /theDe Baca
border/ Eddy / Grant
illegally with the
politically influential people would result in a revolution. You can’t Guadalupe
coyote, / Harding
you wait behind / Hidalgo
a bush / McKinley
until the Border /Patrol
Mora guy
/ Quay
who has
jail Harvard. So Washington doesn’t. Instead it expects Mexico to Rio Arriba
been bribed/ San
comesMiguel / Sierra
on duty.) They/ Socorro
know that / Taos / Torrance
when / Union
narcos can offer
do something about drugs. bribes running into the millions, American officials will accept them
Now, on the off-chance that you live in an impermeable bubble, and as readily as anyone College Contacts
else. Would you (3)
refuse a million inflating
don’t know who uses drugs, I will tell you. I note that I am not green ones to unobserve a truck crossing the border? I would.
Eastern New Mexico University (Portales)
speculating about this. I spent eight years working as a police
A business Newwith Mexico
that muchStatemoney isn’t (Las
University going to be shut down,
Cruces)
reporter from Anacostia to South Central, and know whereof I
obviously, which is why
New fifty years
Mexico on, (Socorro)
Tech the WOD has accomplished
speak.
exactly nothing. And South
University of NewAmerica
Mexico knows
(Various it. Campuses)
Blue-collar people use drugs – crack, for example. I’ve spent whole Western New Mexico University (Silver City)
The Latin American attitude toward the largely imaginary War on
days arresting down-scale beauticians in rattletrap Chevys as they
Drugs could be summed up thusly: “Solve your own problems,
bought the stuff from black dealers in the grubby satellite towns Contact the state chair if you're interested in filling a slot.
gringo. We aren’t your mother. Leave us alone.” Fat chance.
outside Chicago. High rollers in Houston use as much powder as If you don't, who will?
they ski in (and it happens to my certain knowledge on Capitol Hill).
White professionals have bags of grass in the garage. So, most Fred Reed is author of Nekkid in Austin: Drop Your Inner Child
likely, do their children: In the suburban high schools of metro Down a Well and the just-published A Brass Pole in Bangkok: A
Washington, e.g., Yorktown and Washington and Lee, kids have Thing I Aspire to Be.
easy access to Mary Jane, acid, shrooms, nitrous, Ecstasy,
New Mexico Liberty – April 2009 – Page 7
crystal.Good ol’ boys in Texas make, grow, and use drugs. Country
kids in Virginia have a few plants out in the woods. And so on. New Mexico Liberty – April 2009 – Page 6
 LPNM Central Committee County Contacts
Chair Bernalillo – lpnm.us/bernalillo
Jay Vandersloot Mike Blessing – 505-918-6567 / mikewb1971@gmail.com
505-362-1733 / yprocrastinate-emailme@yahoo.com
Colfax
Vice Chair Richard Moore – 575-377-6849 / myliberty@mail.com
Ron Bjornstad – 505-891-4541 / rbjornstad@earthlink.net
Dona Ana – lpnm.us/dona-ana
Secretary Siebert Ickler – 575-541-9079 / lpdacnm@lpnm.us
Mike Blessing – 505-918-6567 / mikewb1971@gmail.com
Lea
Treasurer Christina Groth – 575-397-9366
Richard Obergfell – 505-378-8025 / lplcnm@valornet.com
Lincoln
At-Large Representative, Seat A Richard Obergfell – 575-378-8025 / lplcnm@valornet.com
Bob Finch – 765-412-2374 / nmlibertarian@gmail.com
Los Alamos
At-Large Representative, Seat B Allen Cogbill – 505-662-7833 / acogbill@geopotential.com
Allen Cogbill – 505-662-7833 / acogbill@geopotential.com
Luna
District 1 Representative, Seat A Marilyn Steffen – 575-531-2556 / b_lamont5@hotmail.com
John Pfersich – 505-301-2601 / jpfersich@gmail.com
Otero – lpnm.us/otero
District 1 Representative, Seat B Gilberto Heredia – 575-439-8234 / thrill@zianet.com
Mark Curtis – 505-256-1993 / macurtis@webtv.net
Roosevelt
District 2 Representative, Seat A Ken Sanders – 505-749-2085
Siebert Ickler – 575-541-9079 / lpdacnm@lpnm.us
San Juan – sjclp.org
District 2 Representative, Seat B Gary Wood – zang5775@msn.com
Gilberto Heredia – 575-439-8234 / thrill@zianet.com
Sandoval
District 3 Representative, Seat A Ron Bjornstad – 505-288-4228 / rbjornstad@earthlink.net
VACANT
Santa Fe
District 3 Representative, Seat B Ed Nagel – 505-471-6928 / ed123nagel@aol.com
Mike Moss – 505-564-4905 / mmoss@plumbersoft.com
Valencia
Membership Coordinator Abran Gabaldon – 505-864-6870 / abran_d@yahoo.com
Ron Bjornstad – 505-288-4228 / rbjornstad@earthlink.net
LPNM Vacancies
Press Secretary
Bill Koehler – 505-264-0835 / bkoehler8@comcast.net Central Committee (1)

Media Director District 3 Representative, Seat A

Bob Finch – 765-712-2374 / nmlibertarian@gmail.com County Contacts (20)

Campus Contacts Catron / Chaves / Cibola / Curry / De Baca / Eddy / Grant

Guadalupe / Harding / Hidalgo / McKinley / Mora / Quay
Central New Mexico Community College [CNM] Rio Arriba / San Miguel / Sierra / Socorro / Taos / Torrance / Union
groups.myspace.com/cnmlibertarians
Mike Blessing – 505-918-6567 / mikewb1971@gmail.com College Contacts (3)

College of Santa Fe Eastern New Mexico University (Portales)

Morgan Wells – mwells109@gmail.com New Mexico State University (Las Cruces)
New Mexico Tech (Socorro)
University of New Mexico (Various Campuses)
Internet Resources
Western New Mexico University (Silver City)
Official Website – lpnm.us
Contact the state chair if you're interested in filling a slot.
LPNM Forum – groups.yahoo.com/group/lpnm-forum If you don't, who will?
Caucus membership required, per the Central Committee
LPNM Discussion – groups.yahoo.com/lpnm-discuss
Open forum (unmoderated for the most part)
Blog – lpofnm.blogspot.com
Facebook group
new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20233114967
Ning.com social utility – lpofnm.ning.com
Myspace group – groups.myspace.com/lpnm

New Mexico Liberty – April 2009 – Page 7

 Administrivia Subscriptions and Correspondence
by Mike Blessing, Editor
For a print subscription, contact Ron Bjornstad for details. New
If you have news, interesting stories, op-ed pieces, a letter to the Mexico Liberty will be posted to the web, in PDF format, to the Files
editor, or timely information that you think belongs in the newsletter, section of the Google group I’ve set up for it –
please send it along. I can be contacted at 505-918-6567, or just
groups.google.com/group/nmliberty
send it to email address mikewb1971@gmail.com.
If you are moving or change your mailing address, please use keep
When sending your submission as an MS Word (or Open Office
us in the loop so we can keep your New Mexico Liberty coming to
Text) file, send it single-spaced in 9-pt Arial – like this is. Margins
you – contact Ron Bjornstad [ rbjornstad@earthlink.net ] if you're a
should be quarter-inch (0.25”) around, with no headers or footers. If
print version subscriber. Otherwise, contact the editor.
you send it in a text-only format, make it clear to me if you want
anything in bold type, underlined, in italics, struck-through, Advertising in New Mexico Liberty
different colors, etc. I’m not telepathic here, so help me out. And
Current rates for year-long spots
NO Wordperfect files – I can't open those.
Full page Ø60.00
Graphics (pictures, cartoons, etc.) – send the highest quality
Half page Ø30.00
graphics you can – email them to me at the address above, and I’ll
Quarter page Ø15.00
do what I can to get them in the next issue. In particular, what I
Business card Ø 8.00
want are pictures of YOU the LPNM members, either at LPNM-
sponsored events or at other peoples' events. Submission deadline Rates are subject to change at the discretion of the editor. The
for each issue – midnight, third Tuesday of the month. editor will do his best to make any such changes only when
absolutely necessary.
Articles
Inserts – For an insert into the PDF version that goes out over the
As for writing your article, It should be concise (no longer than a full
internet, contact the editor at email address . For an insert into the
page) and topical. A bit of humor helps, especially for op-ed pieces.
print edition, contact Ron Bjornstad at email address
What I'm really looking for in the way of articles is what's going on
rbjornstad@earthlink.net or phone number 505-288-4228.
in the LPNM – what YOU the membership are up to in spreading
the message. For example, an article about the stupidity, insanity Ø – The symbol for Federal Reserve Note(s), as used by Boston T.
and evil of the UN might get put in, depending on available space Party in his books. In plain-text message traffic (such as email), the
and the quality of the article. A group of LPNM members counter- acronym “FRN” will be used by the editor. See javelinpress.com for
protesting the raising of a UN flag by the city council WILL get put more information. Also see the Wikipedia page for “Federal
in, and probably will get first priority. Reserve Note” – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Reserve_Note.
Editorial Viewpoint
THE LPNM OFFICIAL WEBSITE – lpnm.us
The basis for libertarian thought is the Zero Aggression Principle
LPNM OFFICIAL MAILING ADDRESS
[ZAP] –
AND PHONE NUMBER
A libertarian is someone who believes that no human being 918 Ivory Road SE
has the right – under any circumstances – to initiate force Rio Rancho, NM 87124
against another human being, nor to threaten, incite or 505-288-4228
delegate its initiation.
If the date on your mailing label reads before 10/01/08, it's time
New Mexico Liberty holds that Libertarian candidates, officeholders to renew your LPNM membership.
or appointed spokespersons at all levels of government or the Party
should refrain from advocating new or more restrictive laws, new or THE UNANIMOUS CONSENT CHALLENGE
more expensive spending programs, or new or higher taxes. To CASH Ø10,000 PRIZE
paraphrase from the medical profession, “First, do no harm.”
To the first person to write a logical and documented essay
Submissions Policy showing one of the following to be compatible with the Declaration
The editor reserves the right to refuse service to anyone for any of Independence:
reason. The editor will most often be willing to explain any such Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890
reasons. Appeals of the editor's refusal to post an advertisement, Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906
article, letter to editor, or anything else can be made to the LPNM's Federal Communications Act of 1934
State Chair, Central Committee and/or Judicial Council. National Firearms Act of 1934
Copyright Banking Act of 1935
The Internal Revenue Code
Copyright © 2003–2008 Libertarian Party of New Mexico. All rights Controlled Substances Act of 1970
reserved. Permission is explicitly granted for subscribers to recopy RICO Act of 1970
New Mexico Liberty for non-commercial purposes, specifically as Federal Elections Act of 1970
use as an outreach tool, provided that New Mexico Liberty is copied Plumbing Products Efficiency Act of 1992
in its entirety. Use your imagination here. Anti-Money Laundering Act of 1992
USA PATRIOT Act of 2001
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002
This challenge is also on the web at tinyurl.com/hn982
To claim your prize, contact
Mike Blessing at 505-918-6567 or
send an email to mikewb1971@gmail.com

New Mexico Liberty – April 2009 – Page 8

 Libertarian Party of New Mexico
Enrollment / Renewal / Donation Coupon
(Please print in all areas)

Name ___________________________________ Address ____________________________________

City ___________________________ State ________ Zip ______________ Phone _______________

Email _______________________ Employer ____________________ Occupation _________________

[ ] I am registered to vote as “Libertarian” in the State of New Mexico and wish to [ ] join or [ ] renew as a caucus
member. I am paying $25 annual dues. I will receive a one year (12 issues) subscription to the LPNM state
newsletter “New Mexico Liberty” (the national “LP NEWS” IS NOT included) and I will have delegate status at state
conventions. I oppose the initiation of force to achieve social or political goals:

Signed _____________________________________________

[ ] I am not registered to vote as “Libertarian” in the State of New Mexico and/or [ ] I do not wish to sign the
statement opposing the initiation of force to achieve social or political goals. I am paying $25.00 for a one year (12
issues) subscription to the LPNM state newsletter “New Mexico Liberty” (the national “LP NEWS” IS NOT
included). I understand that I will receive no other benefits.

[ ] I am making a DONATION to the LPNM in the amount of $ ________ to be applied as follows:

$_____ General Fund $_____ Chairman's Fund $_____ Major Player Fund $_____ Win One Fund

TOTAL of DUES or SUBSCRIPTION plus DONATION $_________ to be paid as follows:

[ ] by enclosed CHECK payable to “LPNM” (Sorry, we cannot accept corporate checks)

[ ] by CREDIT CARD (circle one): VISA / MASTERCARD

Number: __ __ __ __-__ __ __ __-__ __ __ __-__ __ __ __ Expires: ____/____

Signature: _____________________________________________

Government mandated notices:

● The US Postal Service requires us to notify you that the annual New Mexico Liberty subscription cost is
included in your LPNM membership dues of $25.00.
● The Internal Revenue Service requires us to print “political contributions are not tax deductible” on all
fundraising appeals.
● The Federal Election Commission requires us to ask for the employer and occupation of each individual
whose contributions aggregate in excess of $200 in a calendar year.

The preceding notices alone should be enough reason to join the Libertarian Party, the only political party working
to increase your freedom.

COPY OR PRINT, FILL OUT, AND SEND TO:

LPNM c/o Ron Bjornstad

918 IVORY RD SE
RIO RANCHO NM 87124

New Mexico Liberty – April 2009 – Page 9

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New Mexico Liberty – April 2009 – Page 10