There has been another case of government corruption exposed in Indiana, the Build Indiana Fund issue. Our own state legislators have been caught stealing state money, allocated for the many government bills that they have created for us, and using it to buy votes - or worse, by sending large sums of money to private organizations.
It could force religious nonprofits to face unattractive choices: stay religious and be ineligible for money that similar groups get or become secular and lose what makes their programs different from government programs.
And because money is distributed so politically, grant-seekers will only feed into the good old boy network.
According to reports in The Indianapolis Star, one legislator had $450,000 sent to a women's shelter that doesn't exist. Another had about $100,000 sent to his own Post Office box for a nonprofit where he was in charge.
At least 1 in 6 dollars of the $240 million spent in two budget years was spent unlawfully, according to The Star's report.
Libertarian Party of Indiana Chairman, Mark Rutherford, said Gov. O'Bannon put a moratorium on all checks for the 2001 Build Indiana Fund in a belated effort to save face.
He has sent a polite, but formal, letter to Gov. O'Bannon stating that The Party of Principle is calling on Gov. O'Bannon to appoint at least one Libertarian to the commission to oversee the embattled Build Indiana Fund.
That Libertarian to appoint should be Andrew Horning, one of Gov. O'Bannons former fellow contestants for the Governors seat in the 2000 race. During the Gubernatorial race, Andrew Horning made comments regarding what a fine person Frank O'Bannon was, but also indicated that the direction that Mr. O'Bannon wanted to take Indiana was not one of American freedom and limited government.
I hope that Gov. O'Bannon will decide to take a direction towards stifling government corruption in Indiana and appoint a well qualified Indiana Citizen to the oversight commission, Libertarian Andrew Horning.
Libertarians, and all Hoosiers, want a fair outcome, so we are calling for a tripartisan oversight committee.
Legislators need to follow the limits they set under the law that created the Build Indiana Fund. And voters need to remember who violated their trust.

Christopher Nelson
Nelson@NelsonNow.com
Chairman of the
Libertarian Party of Miami County, Indiana

Republicans didn't lose the Senate because they were too conservative. They lost it because they weren't libertarian enough. That's what prompted voters in 1998 and 2000 to desert Republican candidates and vote for Libertarians -- which cost the GOP at least two U.S. Senate seats.
In each case, the Libertarian Party candidate won considerably more votes than the losing GOP candidate's margin: Gorton (Washington) lost by 2,229 votes, while Libertarian Jeff Jared won 64,734 votes; and Ensign (Nevada) lost by 428 votes, while Libertarian Michael Cloud won 8,044 votes.
Republican strategist Grover Norquist said that if Republicans had sought to win over even a tiny percentage of the Libertarian Party vote in Nevada and Washington state, it would have a 52-48 Senate majority instead of a 50-50 split.
Those two races set the dramatic stage for Jim Jeffords' switch and the creation of what is effectively a Democratic majority.
LP National Director Steve Dasbach said "Over the last six months, the Republican Party has seemed determined to out-Democrat the Democrats". Since George W. Bush was elected president and Republicans claimed control of the U.S. House and Senate, the GOP has supported a $282 million spending increase for Bill Clinton's AmeriCorps program.
They have also continued support for the Clinton administration's lawsuit against tobacco companies; for Al Gore's $2.3 billion-a-year tax on telephone bills; and for the Clinton administration's medical "privacy" rules, which give control of Americans' medical records to the government.
Unless they start voting more like Libertarians, instead of for bigger, more expensive, and more intrusive government, Republicans better start getting used to their minority status.

Christopher Nelson
Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Miami County
Nelson@NelsonNow.com

We see that the gas supply is low while the demand for gas has remained constant. In the self regulating free market, the gas prices will go up in this scenario.
At this point, some may demand that their elected government officials make the problem go away. This is a mistake. Some may actually believe that government can solve this issue. This is a misconception.
As low supply and high demand continue to keep the cost of gas high, we will see the self regulating free market provide fair and moral solutions.
Alternative fuel vehicles, with up to 68 mpg, are becoming more popular and inexpensive. You can find jobs listed all over the Internet for people with the skills to design and manage these product lines.
This is forcing the American auto makers to invest in alternative fuel vehicles because of competition from Honda and Toyota, who already have gas/electric hybrid vehicles on the market for under $20k. This helps consumers and the environment.
If the "Big 2" auto makers fail to participate in the free market, many Americans will lose their jobs due to lost sales.
Instead of working to keep current levels of employment from dropping, or helping the American economy and consumers with fair trade practices, the auto makers will probably call on the government to stifle competition and force American consumers to pay inflated prices for the more economical and environmentally friendly alternative fuel vehicles.
The federal government can't stop this alternative fuel vehicle revolution that is on our door step, but I am curious to see what they do in the next few years to try.
The self regulating free market is almost as powerful as nature, since it is natural, and it will continue to help the American consumer despite government interference.

Christopher Nelson
Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Miami County
Nelson@NelsonNow.com

I am very disappointed at the US Supreme Court ruling last Tuesday that said Police can handcuff and arrest American Citizens for driving without a seat belt buckled.
I always use my seat belt when I am in a vehicle and insist that my children also wear theirs. I don't ask other adults to wear their seat belts, but they usually put it on when I do.
The issue is not personal responsibility or personal safety. The issue is how little respect 5 of the US Supreme Court Justices have for Individual Liberty of the American Citizen.
A woman in Texas driving a truck was pulled over for not wearing her seat belt. She was told to provide her license and insurance information. She did not have it because her purse was stolen the day before.
So the officer handcuffed, arrested, and incarcerated her.
This is another example of how an American Citizen is victimized by violent criminals and by the police who should be focusing on reducing violent crime, instead of harassing or violating the Individual Liberties of Americans.
This officer is a disgrace to the Police of America and is a menace to American Individual Liberty. This lack of respect for Individual Liberty is exactly what the Libertarian Party is ending.
The LP has already worked with other organizations to end some attacks on Individual Liberty and continue to stop oppression.
For example, the LP was instrumental in ending random roadblocks that some police used to discriminate against people that they wanted to harass for ambiguous reasons.
The LP is also working to protect Americans from having their homes or other property taken away on simple suspicion.
A woman in Texas made a decision that I would not make, the US Supreme Court made a decision that puts fear in the hearts of all Americans who want to live in a free society.

Christopher Nelson
Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Miami County
Nelson@NelsonNow.com

This is the third and final installment in our series on Miami County’s political parties. This article features Libertarians and their efforts to provide a viable third-party option for local voters.

In a local pizza parlor last week, a group of Miami and Cass County citizens discussed ways to give local voters a third choice on election day.
The group is trying to form an official Libertarian party in Miami County, something that has been attempted in the past, but fell by the wayside, said former county chairman Brad Stephenson.
The basic ideal of the Libertarian party, according to Scott Benson, is that “your body and property are yours to do with as you wish, as long as you don’t harm others.”
Libertarians believe in smaller government with minimal social programs, according to the party’s national website. The party also believes in ending drug prohibition and gun control laws.
"Every American citizen is a sovereign entity," said Chris Nelson, temporary chairman for the Miami County Libertarian Party. "Our rights and freedoms are sacred."
Benson said most people already agree with Libertarian principles, and that the group needs to focus on picking an issue which will help the public understand their point of view.
"We need to work toward something that's important to Miami County," Benson said. "We should pick an issue. Then when we've made some headway we pick another issue, and just do that over and over."
The group also made plans to recruit young people, who may be more open to alternative views than older citizens, said Marry Morrow.
Morrow, who attended the meeting, said she is not a member of the Libertarian party, and is "largely apolitical."
"Most people our age, we have a roof over our head and a job," Morrow said. "We think, 'why would I risk it? Why would I risk my name and reputation?' It's a hard thing, if someone asks you what party you are, to not answer Democrat or Republican."
The group also discussed ways to raise funds for the party. Some suggested charging a small membership fee, an idea others rejected.
"I think when you're facing an uphill battle, you don't put more obstacles in peoples' way," Benson said.
Benson added that if people do donate to the Libertarian party, that donation has a visible impact, whereas "giving to main parties is like donating a bucket of water to the ocean."
"We're a little puddle trying to make a splash," he added.
The group plans to meet again soon, and host an official organizational meeting sometime in May. Nelson encouraged people interested in the Libertarian party to [contact] him or visit his website at nelsonnow.com.
"We want to make an impact on the county," Nelson said. "Otherwise there's not much point in meeting. It's nice to do, but if we're putting in the time and money, we want to be a real political force, and make some change."