Bill Peirce Interview on Ohio News Network

Thanks to some super-sleuthing by our network of tipsters, we’ve found this great video from a couple weeks back of Bill Peirce being group interviewed on ONN’s Capitol Square, on Ohio’s premier news station (ONN is broadcast on public airwaves here). The momentum on this campaign is starting to finally get underway now that the summer season of politcal coverage is beginning and being on a major Sunday program is sure to help set things in motion.

Bill Peirce ONN

I also spoke with Charles Peirce, who’s been acting as campaign manager given his expertise in marketing and he’s informed me that in addition to the Ohio metro taxi advertising that has been a fixture for several months now, he has contracted a printing company to hand out campaign information cards in urban center bars and pubs (with the opposite side containing the worlds smallest political quiz, something I’ve had exceptional results with), and that bumper stickers and electronic billboards are planned as well.

With a small budget, Peirce’s campaign is showing that even against two powerful fundraisers, he’s not going to stand back and just whisper from the rafters during this political season, as he’s also slated to appear at the Cleveland Improv on July 31st for a major fundraiser to kick off a larger round of advertising as his underdog campaign gets more local media attention in the coming months.

[disclaimer: Stephen VanDyke is an avid supporter and ally of the Peirce for Ohio Governor campaign and has received payment in association with his work for them. This post is not paid for or endorsed by the candidate]

posted Jun 14th, 2006 by vforvandyke
  • Mark

    Good stuff, thanks.

  • http://libertarianyouth.blogspot.com Nigel Watt

    Wow, the interviewers really don’t get it, do they?

  • artusregister

    An intelligent, pragmatic and articulate LP candidate on a political news program being treated fairly and offered the uninterrupted chance to dispense market ideas?

    What the hell is going on in Ohio, Steve?

  • Devious David

    He wants vouchers and didn’t even look good defending it. Probably because it’s indefensible. How about charter schools and firing two thirds of the administration instead of you want a stop-gap measure?

  • IanC

    I’m with Artus on this one. Comparatively speaking that guy *should* be a winner on all levels… makes me wonder just how much play that interview got. Seemed rather like it was in the “soft pieces” airtime.

    DD — If the voucher system reduces overhead and increases personal choice, compared to the system that’s currently in place, what from a libertarian perspective is there to say against it? What else do you think your comment about charter schools would be?

  • vforvandyke

    IanC: That ran at 10am on a Sunday morning, which isn’t exactly a bad time slot (then again, I don’t watch a whole lot of these roundtables shows on the weekend).

    Bill is indeed very well spoken and can think on his feet pretty well during interviews. I think standing in front of classrooms most of his career has really honed that skill.

  • Devious David

    The problems with vouchers are that they don’t solve the root problems and introduce their own risks and problems. For one, people are still being robbed and having their wealth redistributed to others. Secondly, vouchers are a backdoor wy for the government to control private schools. When the government gives organizations money, there are strings attached. All private schools would thus become government schools. Thirdly, there is an issue of seperation of church and state; many private schools are parochial/religious affiliation. It’s just wrong anyway to take money from some to give to religious organizations/churches that they don’t beleive in.

    The only good thing about charter schools is that they perform on par and sometimes better than existing schools, but offer more choice and cost less to administer. There is much less administrative overhead. It doesn’t interfere at all with private schools.

  • Devious David

    An alternative to vouchers would be tax credits. Nall endorses such a plan.

  • IanC

    DD — thus far everything you’ve said about vouchers is far more true about charter schools. Yet you advocate charter schools over vouchers.

    While what you say about voucher programs is more than likely what would result, that is mostly dependant upon the structuring of the system involved, don’t you think? If the check goes to the family who can then have it cashed by the school of their choice so long as the school takes the child in… what further control does the government have? There’s a degree of separation there — one that is far greater than the charter school concept.

    Tax credits would be equally workable… leaves one with the potential problem that it would then cost a childless person more to own property than another person with even a single child, but hey — progress is progress, right?

  • IanC

    (Corrallary to the above)

    DD — don’t forget… vouchers are a program that’s been tried enough that it could be put into place without vast overhaul of the current infrastructure (unlike the charter school concept, which would require the creation of far too many institutions to meet governmental demands) — that also accomplishes two very importantly libertarian effects: increased choice for parents, and decreased operational cost of government.

    Private institutions, needing to meet a profit to remain existant, would inherently operate at a lower cost-per-student than would the current model. They already *DO SO.*

    It’s also the movement with the most “oomph” behind it right now. If you want more done, argue for that too. But don’t bash something that can at least get the ball rolling.

  • artusregister

    I much prefer tax credits and have long thought that was a much more just approach. It is also more difficult for the utopian socialists to oppose the idea that a person with no kids in a school system shouldn’t have to pay for kids in a school system.

    I didn’t particularly like his defense of property taxes, but all-in-all I thought he was the type of freedom-minded candidate who was palatable to the masses–exactly what we need.

    We can wish for bitter purists being elected in one hand…

  • IanC

    Artus — I’m not sure I understood your statement, unless you were trying to say that by tax credit systems costing those who benefit *less* than those whom do not, it would create a visible onus that would be useful in repealing said tax…

  • Graham

    A couple a weeks back there was an article about the LP in the little local Ohio newspaper here ( I dont live in Ohio, but I am here a lot). It was cool to see and pretty positive. It was headlined something like “America’s Third Largest Political Party.” It had a couple small interviews with local libertarians who were apparently on the school board and something else I don’t remember. Sadly, no mention of Peirce, though.

    It does make me feel good as I will be moving here sometime(Columbus area). There at least seems to be a little more support for LP ideas and there are libertarians who seem to be respected in the community and not seen as kooks.

  • Andy

    I wonder if anybody has mistaken him for the late Neo-Nazi William Pierce.

  • http://iliketocomplain.blogspot.com Christopher Monnier

    Is there any way to get famous Ohioan Drew Carey to endorse Peirce?

  • http://www.libertyforsale.com Timothy West

    There one thing I notice about him. He acts more like a candidate and less like a libertarian activist. LP Activists dont always make the best LP candidates. It should be that the activists go and find the best candidate.

    You’ll notice that he was treated with respect by the panel, becuase they know he’s not a unqualified man for the job.

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  • Stoic

    Would love to see this footage, although I am having trouble with it. It shuts down after about 10 seconds and resets. It went on for only a few minutes last night. It sounds like a pleasant appareance. Look forward to seeing it soon.