Comments on: Stephen Gordon, LP Communications Director

By: Hammer of Truth » New Bill O’Reilly Program Name: “The Fear Factor” or “The Fraud Factor”?

Sat, 03 Jun 2006 19:02:44 +0000

[...] Despite O’Reilly’s very long and consistent track record of chickening out of debate with me and my clients (reference material: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), I’m still up for offering him yet another shot at verbal duel. My new position should offer him many areas of conflict for his program. Bill, pick your weapon, but be careful in your selection. As your brain obviously can’t be considered deadly, I don’t really want the reputation of picking on the unarmed — despite the evidence presented on this video that you don’t understand this subtle distinction. [...]

By: michelleshinghal

michelleshinghal — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 23:06:20 +0000

Congratulations SG!!! I was out of town and only just learned the news- sorry that I am late. I can’t wait to see what you do!

By: Hammer of Truth

Hammer of Truth — Tue, 30 May 2006 16:43:56 +0000

Shameless Self Promotion

By: nsarwark

nsarwark — Tue, 30 May 2006 14:48:15 +0000

Congratulations Steve!

Sorry for the delay in the well wishes, my laptop crashed last week.

By: TerryP

TerryP — Tue, 30 May 2006 03:18:43 +0000

Congratulations Stephen! This is a huge step in the right direction for the Libertarian Party. I hope you keeping helping Ms. Nall as much as you can to get elected. That could be huge and bigger than anything that National could do at this time.

By: George Phillies

George Phillies — Mon, 29 May 2006 13:46:54 +0000

Suggestion (from my book, and I realize you have similar ideas)

Two magazines
“America the Free” general newsmagazine with L editorial slant. This may need an outside publisher, and you to have a second job to run it, so it can take ads.
“LP News” covering campaign tactics, etc. the way Libertarian Strategy Gazette does.

By: Eric Sundwall

Eric Sundwall — Mon, 29 May 2006 04:54:36 +0000

How can we support Mr. Gordon until he gives specifics about his problems with Robert Nozick’s Anarchy, State & Utopia ?

http://hammeroftruth.com/index.php?s=Nozick

Inquiring anarchists wanna know.

Do it right Gordo . . . good luck.

By: Mary Lou

Mary Lou — Mon, 29 May 2006 03:48:02 +0000

Good luck.

By: Richard Newell

Richard Newell — Mon, 29 May 2006 02:42:47 +0000

Congratulations, Steve. I think you will be great in your new position!

By: undercover_anarchist

undercover_anarchist — Mon, 29 May 2006 02:05:54 +0000

… and if the injustices of statism could be quantified in the millions, then the government’s infringement on the “right” of a public business to discriminate on the basis of race has to be ranked dead last.

By: undercover_anarchist

undercover_anarchist — Mon, 29 May 2006 02:05:05 +0000

DD: I’m saying.. The NYSE would have its own requirements in the absence of the SEC. The NASD would have its own requirements… Even the Pink Sheets would (as they do now). Companies could chose to follow the regulations / meet the requirements of the above exchanges or platforms or NEW exchanges or platforms; OR not… And in the case of “not,” there would be added risk that could be factored in by the investor. There would be no state requirement of any of this–it would just occur naturally in the market, as it did (to whatever lesser extent) in the days before the SEC.

But all of that is really off topic.

My point is that “accreddited investor rules” have much more serious consequences on my opportunity as a white male than whatever “reverse racism” I may experience as a white male–so why doesn’t the LP focus more on it in place of the racial issues?

On a list of all the injustices of the state, affirmative action would rank in the bottom decile…

By: Devious David

Devious David — Mon, 29 May 2006 01:14:23 +0000

UA, you make a good point but I think ultimately all regulation and even all State interventions could be arguably boiled down to matters of equality and civil rights. On a more practical basis, though, it’s a matter of unnecessary regulation.

I disagree with your solution of voluntary certification. If I want to get into a managed futures product or hedge fund for instance, it’s a matter of doing my own due dilligence, putting up my own money and accepting the risk. Period. End of story. Such a thing may be less “risky” than trading your own account.

I can tell you that I can’t think of any minors or many adults for that matter that have any business trading options (equities or futures) in their accounts period, unless they are using risk capital. How many minors have that – hell how many adults? With that said, I wouldn’t step on anyone’s toes if they wanted to do it. I just don’t recommend it to anybody. It’s your money.

By: Misfit

Misfit — Sun, 28 May 2006 23:34:23 +0000

This post has produced some fine commentary. Cheers! Stephen, keep us updated on the ERA ammend. u_a, you are welcome. I enjoy your musings.

By: Angela Keaton

Angela Keaton — Sun, 28 May 2006 23:20:14 +0000

Very, very cool. Much love from the last anarchist in West Hollywood.

By: Sean Haugh

Sean Haugh — Sun, 28 May 2006 21:10:50 +0000

Haha well this is what I get for agreeing to sit on a scoop. ;-) I’ve been waiting for the national LP to make a bold move since Joe Seehusen left. This definitely qualifies. We have to be bold in our communications and Steve is definitely the man to do just that. It also speaks well of Michael Dixon and Shane Cory that this is what they are looking for. (I’m guessing Michael Colley also had decision making influence here.) Now we just need a political director (or at least direction) with a similar vision and willingness to take risks. Let’s Do Something big and get credit for it.

By: Stephen Gordon

Stephen Gordon — Sun, 28 May 2006 19:46:37 +0000

Bill, We just held a successful cigar-related LP event in Birmingham. Perhaps it's time to hold one in NOVA. This also reminds me of another thing for my "to do" list. I'm wondering if I need to find a replacement for my responsibilities with this organization.

By: Bill Wood

Bill Wood — Sun, 28 May 2006 19:39:38 +0000

Congratulations Stephen!

I know you will do an outstanding job at LPHQ.

It’ll be great having another cigar smoker in the DC Northern Virginia area.

Bill Wood

By: undercover_anarchist

undercover_anarchist — Sun, 28 May 2006 19:27:44 +0000

Wow, thanks for standing up for me, Misfit. I have thick skin, though, and the “ripping” I’ve received has caused me no serious harm. I like to think I can dish it out at least as well as I have to take it.

By: undercover_anarchist

undercover_anarchist — Sun, 28 May 2006 19:15:37 +0000

Devious David: I agree that accredited investor requirements should be abolished, and would say that it borders (if not crossing the line) on being a civil rights issue. In the absence of much regulation, private entities (or even the government) could do voluntary certification, etc. that would make their investments more appealing, and those companies who chose not to become registered or certified (probably due to the expense, but possibly due to their riskiness or even outright fraudulent nature) would be less attractive, and anyone who chose to participate in them would do so with the full knowledge of added risk.

I would go as far as to say that the above is a very serious infringement on equality and economic opportunity. Certainly, the above has had far more ill effects than whatever white males have suffered due to affirmative action or the Civil Rights Act. But to make an issue of the above is politcally stupid… And to make such a major issue of affirmative action is worse

By: Stephen Gordon

Stephen Gordon — Sun, 28 May 2006 18:49:42 +0000

Richard, TDS will be a tough nut to crack but I’ll certainly be looking for opportunities there. When I’ve worked for individual candidates in the past, I’ve had to line up their particular personalities and issues with the programs that are available. As an example, Russo was a natural for Howard Stern, but Nolan couldn’t get on the program and I never even tried with Badnarik. However, Badnarik and Nolan hit programs that I probably wouldn’t try to place Russo on.

With the larger pool of resources (contacts, people and issues) available from the national perspective, I’ll have more tools to be able to use not only for TDS, but a wide variety of other programs, too.

Since I accepted the job, I’ve already started a database of people (broken out by issue and region) who would be suitable spokespersons for the LP.

By: Devious David

Devious David — Sun, 28 May 2006 18:42:30 +0000

UA, the issue of minors trading options is a matter of regulation, not civil rights. That should be abolished. What about accredited/qualified investor regulations? Of course those should all be abolished!

By: Richard Gibson

Richard Gibson — Sun, 28 May 2006 18:36:04 +0000

Three words: The Daily Show. It is absolutely shameful that there are politically active people who know nothing about the LP, and (this being a culture of entertainment) Comedy Central’s fake news is much more likely to get their attention than the real news.

By: undercover_anarchist

undercover_anarchist — Sun, 28 May 2006 17:15:09 +0000

And by the way; I’m the same undercover_anarchist who would be a big George Phillies fan if only he would do a complete 180 on immigration and possibly soften his views on restricting trade a wee bit.