Boston Tea Party wraps up convention, readies for election

Oct. 28, 2008 - PRLog -- The Boston Tea Party, America's new libertarian political alternative, closed its second biennial national convention on Monday with a nailbiter -- a virtual "coin flip" to break a tie in national committee elections.

In early voting, the party elected a new chair (Jason Gatties of Michigan) and vice chair (Douglass Gaking of Indiana), and re-elected its secretary, Michelle Luetge of Texas, to another term in office.

Elected to fill the four at-large seats on its national committee were Thomas L. Knapp of Missouri, Darryl W. Perry of Alabama, Neil Kiernan Stephenson of Michigan, and Steve Trinward of Tennessee.  Trinward was chosen by random coin flip after he and Steve Newton  of Delaware tied for fourth place in member voting.

The party also adopted a two-year, four-point political program, which included "smaller government" policy points on foreign policy, privacy, the national debt and the Federal Reserve. That program was adopted verbatim from the Campaign For Liberty's joint candidate statement, endorsed by presidential candidates Chuck Baldwin (Constitution Party), Cynthia McKinney (Green Party), Ralph Nader (independent), Bob Barr (Libertarian Party) and the Boston Tea Party's own presidential nominee, Charles Jay of Florida. The Campaign For Liberty was established this year by US Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) in the wake of his defeat for the GOP's presidential nomination.

Aside from the program, the party adopted two resolutions -- one denouncing police brutality against political dissenters, the other calling for a return home of America's military personnel abroad.

Finally, the party adopted several bylaws amendments pertaining to the operations of its national committee, nominations of its candidates, and conduct of its conventions.

The Boston Tea Party's platform (the one-sentence "The Boston Tea Party supports reducing the size, scope and power of government at all levels and on all issues, and opposes increasing the size, scope and power of government at any level, for any purpose") was not modified, as its bylaws forbid changing it.

The party's convention, as required by its bylaws, was held entirely online with all 550-plus members eligible to participate.

Jay, the Boston Tea Party's 2008 presidential nominee, will appear on ballots in Colorado, Florida and Tennessee on November 4th. He's also available as a write-in option in several states.

Boston Tea Party web site: http://www.bostontea.us

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Platform of the Boston Tea Party: "The Boston Tea Party supports reducing the size, scope and power of government at all levels and on all issues, and opposes increasing the size, scope and power of government at any level, for any purpose."