April 2010 Edition

Welcome to the first edition of the quarterly of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Wisconsin!

The RLC was formed last December to promote candidates who favor limited government, individual liberty, and free markets. These traditional Republicans have long fallen out of favor with those who run the Republican Party of Wisconsin, but with the Tea Party movement we are gaining ground.

The Republican Liberty Caucus of Wisconsin has meetings, phone conference calls, and participates in other events to propel our candidates and issues forward. We welcome your involvement, so please contact us to volunteer or visit our website at http://wi.rlc.org/.

Below is an update from our small but growing Republican Liberty Caucus in Wisconsin.

As always, keep up your work to promote liberty in the Republican Party!

Legislative Update

Neither the Senate nor the Assembly took action on the Voter ID bill or the Global Warming bill.

Meanwhile, the debate on medical marijuana continues to be controversial. The medical marijuana legislation has been stuck in the legislature after a December hearing.

But the winds of change are upon us. A poll released by the Pew Research Center this month found 73 percent of Americans favored having their states allow use and sale of marijuana for medical purposes. A majority of Americans, however, still believe recreational use should remain illegal, according to an October Gallup Poll. The poll shifts are dramatic.

So dramatic that medical marijuana is going to pass the Wisconsin legislature. It’s just a matter of time.

Finally, a bill to legalize the sale of unpasteurized (raw) milk passed both chambers of the legislature, and Governor Doyle says he “assumes he will sign the legislation”. Under the bill, the sales would be limited to on farms only. The legalization would be good only through the end of 2011 while a more permanent plan is developed.

Contact Governor Doyle and ask him to support the bill, SB 434.
Taking a Stand for Liberty!

Wisconsin RLC Endorses Three Candidates (So Far)!

The Wisconsin chapter of the Republican Liberty Caucus, which formed in December 2009, has endorsed three candidates for public office thus far in 2010.

Our candidates are dedicated to upholding the principles our country was founded upon: individual liberty, less intrusive government, and free-market economics. We look forward to helping these candidates succeed this fall.

In the meantime, the RLC is also considering endorsing other candidates. Please contact us if you need additional information on receiving our endorsement.

The candidates we have endorsed thus far include:

* Terri McCormick for Congress in Wisconsin’s Eighth District, against far-left Democrat Steve Kagen. A former three-term State Representative, Terri McCormick is running a grassroots campaign to defeat Steve Kagen in northeast Wisconsin. She is an accomplished author, spokeswoman for liberty, and legislator. Her record of achievement is impressive. Recently, she was endorsed by former Republican National Committeeman and Wisconsin businessman Terry Kohler. Her website is here and her Facebook page is here.

* Rick Richard for State Senate in District 15, a seat being vacated by far-left Democrat Judy Robson. Richard was formerly involved with Ron Paul’s Campaign for Liberty. He is running as a Constitutional Republican. Rick’s district is Rock County (Janesville). His website is here and his Facebook page is here.

* Ed Thompson for State Senate in District 31 against Kathleen Vinehout. Mr. Thompson recently stepped down as the Mayor of Tomah to run for this seat. He is a former Libertarian Party candidate for Governor, but decided to run as a Republican because no other Republican could possibly win in the vast, rural, Democrat stronghold. Mayor Thompson offers a common sense vision for residents of western Wisconsin that includes sharply limited government and robust freedoms. His website is here and his Facebook page is here.

These three candidates are from very different parts of the state, but they are united in their belief in the rights of individuals and their vision for smaller, more efficient government. These candidates are the taxpayer’s best friends!

Stay tuned for future candidate endorsements. In the meantime, please help these candidates. We recommend contacting them directly and asking them how you can join their campaign, or signing up to join their effort via their websites.

Join the Wisconsin Republican Liberty Caucus

The RLC is a grassroots, member-based organization. We had our first meetings last December (see picture above) because it became clear that the Republican Party did not want to support candidates who offered a traditional vision of the purpose of government.

Since we are a new organization and rely entirely on the support of our members, we ask you to become involved. The best ways to become involved are to contact us to volunteer or to join us (standard dues are just $30/year). All dues paid to the organization are re-directed to our activities to change Wisconsin politics in the direction of less government.

Help the RLC Reach at the Wisconsin GOP Convention

As a new organization, we are looking for donors who are able to make a small contribution for a special RLC outreach effort at the Wisconsin GOP Convention from May 21-23 in Milwaukee.

If you are able to help, contact Wisconsin RLC Chair Michael S. Murphy. Any donation will really make a difference.

Aaron Biterman on Judge Napolitano’s “Freedom Watch”

In January, Aaron Biterman, one of the founders of the Wisconsin chapter of the RLC, appeared on “Freedom Watch” on FOX News Online to discuss national political campaigns from a constitutional perspective.

Aaron criticized both Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio in the Florida race and expressed optimism about Tea Party candidate Dr. Rand Paul’s bid for U.S. Senate in Kentucky.

He also sharply criticized the Republican Party’s continued willingness to support particular candidates in Republican primaries rather than entrusting Republican primary voters to pick the Republican nominee. Listen to Aaron via YouTube.

19 Year Old Ron Paul Supporter Elected Mayor of Rice Lake

While most 19 year olds are focused on parties and friends, Romaine Quinn was waging his campaign for Mayor of Rice Lake. Quinn had already successfully served on the City Council for a year and decided to offer a sound alternative to a Mayor that was out of touch with town residents.

Romaine ran for Mayor and won the Spring election. Rice Lake has a population of 8,300 and is in Barron County, north of Eau Claire. When asked who his political hero was, young-but-wise Quinn replied: “Congressman Ron Paul!”

Rice Lake resident George Erickson says he was upset when the city wanted to cut down trees that were 40 and 50 years old and put in a sidewalk no one wanted. He says he and neighbors filled the council chambers to protest the plan, and Quinn was the only one who listened to them.

Quinn received national attention when he won and appeared on The Today Show. Become a Facebook fan of Romaine here.

Wisconsin’s Libertarian Republican Mayor Steps Down to Run for State Senate

Libertarian Republican Mayor Ed Thompson stepped down last week to run for State Senate in District 31 against Kathleen Vinehout. The 31st district includes all of Trempealeau, Buffalo, Jackson and Pepin counties, and parts of Monroe, Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire and Clark counties. Please visit his campaign website.

Ed, the brother of former Governor Tommy Thompson, has served as Tomah Mayor several times now and has continued to earn the trust of the citizens of Tomah.

As Mayor, Thompson downsized local government, consolidated committees, and stamped out bureaucracy and waste. Trust he’ll do the same in the Wisconsin State Senate. Become a Facebook fan of Ed here.

In Memoriam: Wisconsin RLC Member Robert G. Collison

While the Wisconsin RLC has not had a formal chapter for very long, there are several current members who were ahead of the game and paved the way for its existence.

Bob Collison was always ahead of the game. He was a father, a tireless worker, a true patriot. Bob was a lifelong Milwaukee area resident. He became involved in politics during Barry Goldwater’s presidential campaign in 1964.

Bob believed in a sharply limited government and in robust personal freedoms. Eventually, Bob switched to the Libertarian Party and served as its state Chairman from the late ’90s to the mid-2000s. He was over-active in Ed Thompson’s 2002 bid for Governor.

In 2006, Bob switched back to his original Republican Party to run for State Assembly. His campaign was endorsed by the Republican Liberty Caucus National Board of Directors.

In 2008, Bob discovered some medical problems. Last December, he was profiled in The New York Times after having to undergo a rare 43 hour surgery. While the surgery was a success, he experienced numerous other complications after the fact. He was in the hospital for the last several weeks, in which the doctors told him he did not have much time to live.

Bob passed away on Friday, April 23. He was just 59 and is survived by his wife Mary and numerous children and grandchildren who will miss him dearly. His obituary is online.

We at the Republican Liberty Caucus will also miss Bob. He always told the truth and had a firm commitment to our ideals.

Bob Collison was one of the good guys. We miss him.