We Need Real Debates (FireDogLake.com)

Recruit Third-Party Supporters to Get Their Candidates
Into the 2012 Debates

Firedoglake Activist,

Americans know the country is not headed in the right direction.

We are in desperate need of an honest debate of critical issues and how best to solve them. Yet the bipartisan devotion to wealthy interests has left little-to-no room for challenging the Washington orthodoxy from various sides of the political spectrum.

Third-party candidates are willing to probe the issues that Obama and Romney refuse to touch. Their inclusion in the Presidential debates would reflect the rich diversity of American political discourse necessary for a healthy democracy.

But we need your help to make their views known, starting with getting their voices and ideas included in the Presidential debates.Can you please donate $20+ to run Facebook ads targeted to supporters of third-party candidates and help them get into the 2012 Presidential debates?

Donate $20+ to help us run Facebook ads targeted to supporters of third-party candidates and help them get into the 2012 Presidential debates.

See some of the ads and donate: https://secure.firedoglake.com/page/contribute/debates

With your help, we'll introduce a broader, more honest debate into our increasingly undemocratic political process.

The 2012 campaign is poised to be the most expensive in US history, and there's just no way these candidates with limited resources can be heard without access to the debates. Without endless Super PAC support and immense media platforms like the Democratic and Republican Conventions, the debates are essentially their only shot at being heard.

A truly open forum would afford these third-party candidates the rare opportunity to challenge the major party candidates' silence on the critical issues facing the American people.

If we want our concerns heard over the tidal wave of money and plutocratic interests flooding this election, we need to force the Commission on Presidential Debates and the Citizens' Debate Commission to provide space for third-party candidates.

Donate $20+ to help us run Facebook ads targeted to supporters of third-party candidates and help them get into the 2012 Presidential debates.

At Firedoglake, writers like Kevin Gosztola are going to great lengths to report on the countervailing viewpoints of third-party candidates. With your support, we'll continue our campaign for a 2012 election more inclusive of the views and concerns of all Americans.

Thanks for all you do,

Jane Hamsher

Founder & Publisher,

Firedoglake.com

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Can you chip in to keep us strong? Click here to contribute.

Help the Libertarian Party Reach Out to 13,000 Ron Paul for President Activists in Tampa, Florida August 24-26

The 3 days before the Republican Presidential Convention begins, over 13,000 Ron Paul Activists Are Showing Up to Celebrate the Mission & Message of Dr. Ron Paul: Liberty!

A weekend of liberty, activism, speakers, music and fun!

As the Ron Paul for President campaign finishes up just two weeks from now, Ron Paul Organizers, Activists and Supporters, working with the Libertarian Party, will sponsor a major celebration in his honor – and for the future of liberty. This will be an amazing event and a great opportunity for the LP.

Libertarian Presidential candidate Gov. Gary Johnson is fast becoming the obvious choice for president in 2012 for those who have so valiantly supported Ron Paul and who now realize that, barring a miracle, Ron Paul’s 2012 bid for the presidency will soon end.

The Republican Party Establishment stubbornly refuses to give Dr. Paul a speaking slot on the main floor of the GOP convention that begins August 27th in Tampa, Florida. Rather, they want all their focus on handing the Republican nomination to Big Government Mitt Romney and his Big Government running mate, Paul Ryan.

Ron Paul supporters will be looking for a presidential candidate – and a political party – that represents them. Good News: Even IF they chose to stay in the GOP, they can still join the LP and support Libertarian candidates.

Over 13,000 of them will be at the Paul Festival, a weekend extravaganza of liberty activism, music and fun happening right before the GOP convention begins.

The Libertarian Party will be there, and because of the generous donations of our members who want us to play a big part in this event, we will also be a proud sponsor of the Paul Festival this year.

Libertarian Presidential candidate Gov. Gary Johnson will speak  Saturday, August 25th (Prime Time!)Libertarian Party National Chair, Geoffrey Neale will speak     Friday August 24th  late afternoon Libertarian Vice Presidential candidate Judge Jim Gray will speak Sunday evening, August 26th  Libertarian Party Executive Director Carla Howell will speak  Sunday evening, August 26th (times are subject to change)

Festivities start Friday 1:00 P.M. August 24th and end after the last band plays on Sunday evening, August 26th in Tampa, Florida. The Republican national convention begins the following day on Monday, August 27th. All events are indoors to protect against heat and bad weather.

The national and Florida Libertarian parties (and any other affiliates or members who want to join us) will have a huge presence at this event. We’ll have a big booth, lots of volunteers and key Libertarian speaker will be on the main stage.

In addition, there’s a full line-up of fascinating liberty speakers speaking on a variety of topics Friday afternoon, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning and evening. Great bands will perform throughout the weekend. 

4 Ways You Can Make This a Huge Success for the Libertarian Party and for the future of liberty:

1. Come. If you can make it to this exciting event – please do! You can get two $70 weekend passes for the price of just one – or $35 apiece for the whole weekend. Or you can get day passes for two people for just $30– or $15 apiece. Buy your tickets here.

2. Volunteer. If you want to help set up or work the Libertarian Party booth, click here to let us know your availability. You can even come a day or two early to help organizers set up the entire event.

3. Donate. Your donation can fund Libertarian Party fliers, handouts, World’s Small Political Quiz, bumper stickers, and Libertarian Presidential Campaign Promos. Donate today to help us inform, invite, and involve Ron Paul Activists in the LP and our Libertarian campaigns.

4. Spread the word! Tell your libertarian friends and those who are Ron Paul supporters about it and encourage them to come!

Please help us make this a turning point event that will be remembered for years to come by participating in whatever way suits you best.

   

Wow (From the Gary Johnson For President Campaign)

Gary Johnson Qualifies for Maine Ballot Americans Elect Places Gov. Gary Johnson on Oklahoma Ballot Friends, We're already on the ballot in more than 30 states, and we’re committed to being on all 50.  Unlike any other “third party” candidate, my name is already on the ballot in more than enough states to gain 270 electoral votes – a key requirement for being included in this Fall’s debates to challenge Mitt Romney and Barack Obama on their big government plans.  And my running mate Judge Jim Gray, and I are traveling the country at an amazing pace.  Between the two of us, we have visited 12 states in the past week, with the crowds getting larger and the local media attention increasing every day.  Everywhere we go, our supporters are energized, working hard and proving that people who truly care about liberty and the future of this great nation CAN have an impact.  But the size of that impact depends on you.  It depends on the funding you are providing.  Thanks to more than 2,300 contributors, ourMoney Bomb has reached almost $200,000 over the past several days – but we are still short of our goal.   If you haven’t already, or even if you have, please go to www.garyjohnson2012.com today and help put us over the top.  It is critical that we reach, and surpass, our $250,000 goal by Monday. We have ad buys planned and radio spots ready to go; we just need the funds to write the checks to the stations.  Your contribution will make that happen. With fewer than 90 days left until the election, we are running at full speed. And all over America, voters are learning that they aren’t going to have to settle for a choice between a big-government Democrat and a big-government Republican.  They are seeing that there is another choice: a true small government candidate with proven executive experience.  And I can tell you, that choice is exciting to a great many folks. Our challenge is to make sure they know about the alternative we are offering.  Your contribution today at http://www.garyjohnson2012.com will let us reach those voters! Thank you for your friendship, your support, and most important, your dedication to restoring liberty and economic freedom as the governing principles of this great nation. Governor Gary Johnson P.S. You can track our Money Bomb progress here: Wow  Join us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Make A Contribution

Morning News To Keep You Ranting - August 7th, 2012

Hello & Happy Tuesday Morning to everyone, I hope this newsletter finds you well this morning!

Let's get right down to business, shall we?

Presidential Politics:

Governor Gary Johnson

Just in: Gary Johnson, Libertarian Party candidate for president

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson, who served as New Mexico’s governor between 1995 and 2003, visited The Oregonian Editorial Board this morning.

Read it here.

Libertarian Gary Johnson qualifies for Maine’s presidential ballot

Maine will be the Governor's 32nd state to qualify for ballot access.

You can read the story here and view information about Governor Gary Johnson's ballot access here.

Commission on Presidential Debates: Include Gary Johnson and Jill Stein in the presidential debates

Here is a petition that asks the Commission on Presidential debates to include both viable third party candidates. If you support either of these two candidates, or would like to see an open discussion this fall, please sign this petition and share it with everyone you know:

https://www.change.org/petitions/commission-on-presidential-debates-include-gary-johnson-and-jill-stein-in-the-presidential-debates?utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

Festivals & Tours:

Summer Slaughter

Summer Slaughter 2012: The Faceless, Veil of Maya (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEWS)

The 6th annual Summer Slaughter Tour is currently tearing through America till Aug. 25. This year, the trek features Cannibal Corpse, Between the Buried and Me, The Faceless, Periphery, Veil of Maya, Job for a Cowboy, Goatwhore, Exhumed and Cerebral Bore.

You can watch the interviews here.

Today Summer Slaughter will playing at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey.

All-Stars Tour

Today the All-Stars Tour will be playing at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, California.

Trespass America Festival

The Trespass America Festival is at the Oswego Speedway in Oswego, New York today.

Meat Loaf

Meat Loaf is off until the August 15th, when he’ll play Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida.

Other Music News

"Unearthing The Metal Underground: The Sludge Metal Scene" By Ty Arthur (From MetalUnderground.com)

There’s a whole lotta metal out there, spanning dozens to possibly hundreds of sub-genres, and it can be difficult to find new music to match your tastes if you don’t know where to start looking. Every Monday we unearth three lesser known or unsigned metal bands within specific genres or geographical areas that deserve to be heard by a bigger audience.

You can read the rest of the article and listen to some great bands, here.

** The Candidate of the Day and the Band of the Day will be published later. **

As always, if you have any comments or questions, you can visit my new website, longhairedpoet.com, email me at longhairedpoet@gmail.com or tweet me @JAFThrasher. I hope you have a wonderful day, and keep on ranting!

s: America Needs Gov. Gary Johnson in the Presidential Debates

Gov. Johnson: I want to abolish the IRS July 24, 2012 'Your World with Neil Cavuto' Gov. Gary Johnson was interviewed about his presidential campaign and abolishing the IRS on 'Your World with Neil Cavuto.' Watch the Interview Here Why America Needs Gov. Gary Johnson in the Presidential Debates July 24, 2012 Reason.com Last fall, GQ ran a profile of former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, then a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, under the headline "Is This the Sanest Man Running for President?" The piece noted that in 2003, Johnson scaled Mount Everest with a broken leg, and in 2005, broke his back paragliding off the highest mountain in Maui. "Sanest"? Well, maybe not. Read More Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson fighting to be in the presidential debates July 24, 2012 Examiner.com Is it 1992 all over again? In that year, American voters heard that “giant sucking sound” being uttered by Independent candidate Ross Perot. He made history that election cycle by facing off against Republican President George H.W. Bush and Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton and even carried 20 percent of the vote. Read More Libertarian Johnson: I Want the Chance to Debate Obama, Romney July 25, 2012 NewsMax By Greg McDonald Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson says he doesn’t have a chance of being elected over President Barack Obama or Mitt Romney unless he’s allowed to join them in debates this fall — but those encounters could also give him the opportunity to “crash and burn.” Read More Does Gary Johnson deserve a spot in the presidential debates? July 25, 2012 TheWeek.com Former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson, who abandoned a failed campaign for the GOP presidential nomination to run as the Libertarian party's candidate, said this week that the key to his longshot bid will be getting into the fall's debates with President Obama and Mitt Romney.  Read More Libertarian Johnson plans first Media Buy July 26, 2012 Examiner.com By Mark Wachtler July 26, 2012. Santa Fe. The campaign for Libertarian Party Presidential candidate Gary Johnson announced it was planning to make its first major media buy of the 2012 election. The former 2-term New Mexico Governor has been frantically raising money this past week to pay for it. So far, contributions have been flooding in. But a spokesman for the campaign says they’re still $35,000 short and need to raise it by Monday. Read More Why Gary Johnson could cost Obama or Romney a win in 2012 July 24, 2012 Fox News By Joe Trippi Back in May, when Americans Elect, the group formed to put a bipartisan third party ticket on the 2012 presidential ballot, closed shop, everyone stopped talking about whether a third party candidate would enter the race in 2012 -- and the focus since then has been on Obama and Romney in a two person race. This two person race has been a dead heat for months, and most people expect this to be one of the closest presidential races ever. (The latest Real Clear Politics poll average has Obama at 45.9% compared to Romney at 44.8%.) Read More Gary Johnson: Live Free July 27, 2012 YouTube Gary Johnson, two-term governor and Libertarian Presidential candidate, knows that a President Obama or a President Romney will only bring four more years of the same. Only Governor Johnson will do what presidents SHOULD do: promote the peace, increase the freedom, and put America first once more. Watch the Video Here Gary Johnson out with new campaign ad challenging Obama and Romney July 27, 2012 Examiner.com By Karl Dickey In a new video released today, "Live Free," Gov. Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party nominee for President, declares that a second Obama administration or a first Romney administration will only lead to four more years of the same. Johnson is one of only three presidential candidates expected to be on the ballot in all 50 states. Read More Ron Paul Supporters Can Help Gary Johnson Become the Wild Card in 2012 Election July 29, 2012 PolicyMic.com By Douglas Goodman In six weeks, President Obama and most likely Mitt Romney will be the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees for president -- respectively. Whether Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson can poll 15%, in order to participate in the presidential debates and potentially become a wild card or spoiler, will depend on the millions of Ron Paul supporters -- if they decide to throw their support behind Johnson. Read More Jesse Ventura: “If They Allow Johnson To Debate, You Could See Him Win” July 29, 2012 Independent Political Report Former Independent Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura was interviewed on Coast to Coast AM by host George Noory for two hours this past Wednesday. In comments transcribed below, Governor Ventura repeated his endorsement of Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson.  He also discussed the ballot access and presidential debate challenges faced by Third Party candidates generally, his offer to run with Ron Paul should Dr. Paul drop out of the Republican Primaries, and the possibility of his own run for President in 2016. Read More Gary Johnson Hits 1 Million on Google+ July 30, 2012 IVN.us By Jane Susskind Late last week, former two-term governor and Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson passed the one million mark on the social media platform Google+, passing Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s 853,378 followers. Since Friday, his following has grown another 11,554, making his total number of Google+ followers 1,011,554. Read More  Join us on Facebook      Follow us on Twitter      Make A Contribution