Frontlines

• LIBERTARIAN SLEUTHS

Nader's got his Raiders and the libertarian movement has the Libertarian Task Force, a group of college and graduate students who spent the summer of 1973 analyzing appropriations and producing cost estimates on the 2,133 bills proposed in the Senate in the first six months of the 93rd Congress. Their 200 page report, published in September, awarded each Senator a fiscal impact total and ranking based on his record in voting, and has received very good media coverage. Kevin Phillips and John Chamberlain devoted full columns to it, the NEW YORK TIMES, the WASHINGTON POST, the CHICAGO DAILY NEWS, the WASHINGTON STAR-NEWS, the BOSTON GLOBE, and NEWSDAY have run articles or features, and the INDIANAPOLIS NEWS, the RICHMOND NEWS-LEADER and WRAL-TV did editorials.

The initial printings of the report—amounting to 700 copies priced at $5 apiece—have been exhausted but the American Conservative Union has just undertaken another (for a copy send $5 to ACU, 422 First Street SE, Washington, DC 20003).

Thanks to the LTF having taken over the small, blue-chip Sabre Foundation, summer 1974's project looks financially secure (at least they'll be able to pay living expenses) and plans call for expanding into a rating of members of both houses of Congress. The LTF is looking for 20 qualified students to work this summer; applications should be sent to Lawrence Siskind, Lowell House J-52, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.

• GIVE ME LIBERTY…

The Society for Individual Liberty sponsored a sail-in at the recent re-enactment of the Boston Tea Party, which earned SIL a mention in various newsservice and TV accounts of the event. Handbills were distributed noting that if the Colonists under England thought they had grievances then, they should be around to see what the government they founded is doing now! However the demonstration was less effective than it could have been due mainly to competition from the left-wing "Peoples Bicentennial Commission" which up-staged even the "official" program. SIL deserves kudos for having the right idea—it's just that they, and other libertarian activist groups, are competing against people who have a 10 year lead in developing the art of guerrilla theater and street demonstrations. All it shows is that libertarians will have to loosen their inhibitions and put their imaginations and talents to work—the Bicentennial is too significant both in terms of symbolism and publicity to pass up! The next confrontation is scheduled for Lexington and Concord in April 1975—let's make it one for our side!

• NOTES

Joe Vogler, Chairman of Alaskans for Independence, recently sent a lengthy letter to Secretary of the Interior Morton with copies to the President, Congress and members of the United Nations General Assembly. The letter is an eloquent plea for Alaskan secession. Members of the Alaskans for Independence prefer to call their movement one of "independence" rather than "secession" since at this stage they are asking to be allowed to break free from Washington. Grant LaPoint, State Chairman of the Alaska LP, has been organizing LP support for the movement. Indications are that similar projects are under way in Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Roger MacBride, John Hospers, Tony Sutton, and Tonie Nathan will all be in attendance at the LP of California Convention at the Hotel Claremont in Berkeley February 16-18. Richard Kleinow is the new Chairman of the LP of Minnesota which is planning to be a major participant in the Minnesota State Fair. The first issue of the REASONABLE ANSWER, the newsletter of the LPM, contains an excellent explanation of the unique libertarian analysis of the political spectrum. Copies may be obtained by writing to the LPM at P.O. Box 19063, Minneapolis, MN 55411.

Tom Palmer, a freshman at U.S.C. has been appointed the new campus chairman by the Executive Committee of the LP of California. LPCers at California schools should contact Palmer at 16791 St. Cloud Circle, Huntington Beach 92647.

The Libertarian Party of Florida was recently organized and delegates to the convention in Orlando elected Charlie Breenden Chairperson. For further information on the LPF contact Breenden at 10704 N. 14th Street, Tampa, phone [phone].

A new libertarian study group, tentatively called the Libertarian Dialectic, has been formed in the Boston area. Modeled after the Great Books Reading Program, the group plans to discuss works of philosophy, history, and political science from the viewpoint of the individualist. ATLAS SHRUGGED is the book currently under study. For further information contact David E. Long, 95 Center Street, Brookline MA 02146.

Christian Laissez-Faire is a Christian libertarian group which meets in the Los Angeles area on the third Sunday of the month for discussion and fellowship. On February 10 CLF will sponsor an all-day Free Enterprise Forum at Cypress College; speakers will include former Congressman John Schmitz, publisher H. Edward Rowe, Cypress College professors James Phillips and Devon Showley. For further information contact Alice Lillie, 11423 Ohio Street #6, Los Angeles 90025, phone [phone] or Craig Huey, 120 Bennett Avenue #6, Long Beach 90803, phone [phone].

The National Committee to Legalize Gold's 1974 Monetary Conference, held in New Orleans January 18-20 was a rousing success, with about 750 participants—"a financial Woodstock" in the words of attendee Bob Meier, who is special editor of REASON's forthcoming special financial issue.

The Hawaii LP help its Convention in January at which the first order of business for 1974 was determined to be gaining a place on the ballot.

Murray Rothbard spoke to nearly 300 people in Northern California at a meeting organized by the Santa Clara County Region of the LPC. Rothbard received an enthusiastic reception from a basically "conservative" audience that was sympathetic to his explanation of the fallacies of Keynesian economics.

Bob Steiner, Chairman of the New Jersey LP, has announced his candidacy for congressman in 1974. For what it is worth, he has been endorsed by the Alaskans for Independence! Contributions may be mailed to Steiner for Congress, P.O. Box 112, Westfield, NJ 07091.

The Free Libertarian Party in New York will hold a special Convention in February to elect delegates to the 1974 National LP Convention. The FLP continues to garner publicity in the wake of Fran Youngstein's recent mayoralty candidacy.

Utah LP Chairman George Chapman has produced a pamphlet that explains the basic philosophy of the ULP. Efforts are under way in Utah to get the LP on the ballot.

Please send material for inclusion in FRONTLlNES to Lynn Kinsky at REASON, P.O. Box 6151, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. Meeting and activity announcements will be carried as space permits; however we must receive announcements two months before the actual event if we are to publish it as a "coming attraction" rather than as history. Tell us about your group, your activities, your strategies for social change in as much detail as possible, items accompanied by photos are especially welcome.