** Date/Time: The Gun Show is February 5th from 9 Am to 5 PM and on February 6th from 9 AM to 3 PM. We are asking for volunteers for 2 hour shifts.

Saturday times
9-11 AM
11 AM- 1 PM
1-3 PM
3-5 PM

Sunday Times
9-11 AM
11 AM- 1 PM
1-3 PM

As you can see, there are only four time slots on Saturday and three on Sunday. We need at least 2 people for each shift. Please help if you can.

** Contact: If you will volunteer to help, please sign up by contacting Doug Richmond at richmonddp@juno.com or 899-3254: OR Karen Kerin at keringhost@gmail.com

Of even greater concern is the administration of our laws. Our attorney general is supposed to defend the state, but has not sued the federal government for assailing the health care programs our legislature has created. Worse yet, with some 80 attorneys scattered in every department of government, the equal access to justice is unbalanced with some civil offences taking priority over more serious matters. The progressive candidate wants greater enforcement and more regulation of the clean water and clean air acts, further reducing opportunities for jobs in Vermont as her backers in CLF desire. Particularly irksome is the republican candidate alleging I am not qualified for attorney general to LSC republicans. Sadly I was not invited to the publicly funded AG debate on VPR to refute the lie. Yet, he has only been in Vermont for three years and has far fewer legal degrees than I do and much less relevant experience. His is limited to a small corner of his duties as an assistant states attorney.

Vermont needs some fresh air in the attorney general’s office where too often political concerns have determined prosecutorial discretion.

With a BS in engineering, a license in many states as a PE, a masters in environmental law, a doctorate in law, a certificate in dispute resolution, and studies for an LLM in human rights and international law where I was on the law review, the republican candidate for attorney general has the nerve to call me unqualified to the college republicans at LSC. He is also the one who after promising to appear for the only televised debate on CCTV in Burlington, failed to appear so he could lie to students. In addition to all this I have a great deal of practical legal experience, arguing before the 2nd circuit and practicing in the international forum. Moreover, I have executive experience in and out of government, which is why I argue that I would bring the 80 AG’s into one office to better allocate resources. Additionally, I would join the many suits to overturn the federal health care bill which undermines the work of our legislature because it is a duty of the office. I certainly would not opt for greater enforcement and more law as the progressive seeks with her backers, the CLF.

Contact Karen Kerin:
Web: www.karenkerin.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karen-Kerin-for-Vermont/125301700832172
Twitter: http://twitter.com/karenkerin

There are few opportunities for voters to look at what is perceived as the down ticket office of attorney general, resulting in the continuation in office of someone who does not serve as a servant of the people. A great deal of explanation is needed to understand that the only statewide office not in the Vermont Constitution is in reality, perhaps the most powerful elected office in the state because prosecutorial discretion allows political considerations to intervene in the dispensing of justice. But I digress owing to my desire for substantial justice without procedural justice allowing a soft on crime regime to flower.

The video of the debate is below…

But before you spend the time to watch the whole thing, let me set the stage for you. The invitees were Progressive Charlotte Dennette, Liberty Union (now revealed to be socialist) Rosemarie Jackowski, Libertarian Karen Kerin, Democrat William Sorrell, and Republican Aaron Toscano. Jackowski did not attend, but sent a garbled statement that moderator Eli Harrington, program director from the Vermont Council on World Affairs, read for the viewers. Toscano, who had promised to attend, did not show up. I learned the next morning that he instead attended a college republican event. That left me facing the two big statists, Sorrell and Dennette.

Although it was not apparent due to the format, it is easy to dispose of CLF shill Dennette as a serious candidate because she ignores the US Constitution. She rants about the clean water act and the clean air act, neither of which are within the powers the constitution provides in Article I, Clause 8. While we all want clean air and water, it is clearly a matter for the states and the people who may be aggrieved by the actions of a particular property owner; and they have recourse legally in the courts.

Dean appointee and soft on crime Sorrell is equally easy to dispose of. Before delving into our differences legally, I must address his response to getting more bangs for the buck from his office as ridiculous in these economic times because he indicated a need for more staffing, while I made him cringe by proposing bringing all the attorneys general under one roof so allocation of resources could be more efficiently utilized. This demonstrates the difference between someone with real world management experience and a political appointee who has been there too long. At a cited cost of over $50,000.00 per year per prison bed, the question of defining non-violent offenders was sought as a question. Both of the liberals spoke about court diversion and other wishy-washy programs, when the Vermont constitution very clearly calls for “hard labor”. I pointed out that there are many tasks not being performed by the state that these offenders could be providing, and then needing only a dormitory to house them and feed them for their sentences, freeing the prisons for the violent and dangerous criminals.

Asked to explain why we were running under our party affiliation, I was stunned to hear Sorrell launch into his mother’s role in democrat politics, almost as if he does not share that party’s views. It is curious indeed that he has no better understanding. I explained that I am a libertarian because that most clearly represents what our founders of the nation and state embraced, liberty as long as it resulted in no harm to others and the dispensing of justice if harm results. Shockingly, Sorrell launched into his ideations concerning prevention, causing me to cringe in horror at the notion of offending the first amendment by making thoughts, words and actions wrongful in his eyes. God save us from such thinking. Other questions that we never got to would have led these two drones ever deeper into the statist swamp so it was fortunate for them we did not get there.

The summary statements were of the same ilk by the other two, but mine was laser like pointing out that Sorrell had been there too long and pointedly stating that his ideation of prevention is not law. I also chastised Dennette regarding VY, as I was fortunate enough to be one of the engineers on the project and fully understand that the reactor and its turbines are good for 100 years, despite the cooling towers leaking river water that is used to cool the process water that is in stainless steel piping to maintain the de-ionized water that is a must for the reactor system to not carry radioactivity. So VY is really very safe. The nonsense about having more hydro dams completely ignores both conservation and environmental concerns as it prevents migratory fish from making it back to their spawning grounds. I cited the loss of Atlantic salmon, shad, and at least one other species of fish that used to be found in abundance, but in declining numbers in the White River in my lifetime. Finally, I hammered Sorrell for claiming to protect families, when he has done nothing to protect children and the elderly. Apparently, they do not count as a part of the family, but not surprising since he had no response to the cyber crime problem that is defrauding the elderly without even the FBI caring because it emanates from outside the US. Please do watch the video.

Contact Karen Kerin:
Web: www.karenkerin.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karen-Kerin-for-Vermont/125301700832172
Twitter: http://twitter.com/karenkerin

Topics discussed include the office of Vermont attorney general, property rights, gun rights, healthcare, commerce clause, stare decisis, permits, government employee pay and more…

Contact Karen Kerin:
Web: www.karenkerin.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karen-Kerin-for-Vermont/125301700832172
Twitter: http://twitter.com/karenkerin

For sixty-six years I have been a staunch republican, but over the last few years I have been astonished at how many office holders elected as republicans embraced a different philosophy. The ideal of less government, lower taxes and less regulation of our lives, appeared to fall by the wayside, when it seemed advantageous for a republican to sacrifice principles to stay in office. I did not come to this easily. It was the product of examining the votes of legislators in view of the enormous growth of the body of laws. The evidence is beyond dispute.

Click link below for full article:
http://www.karenkerin.com/174/why-am-i-running-as-a-libertarian/

My family and I spent the Memorial Day Weekend watching C-Span?s coverage of the Libertarian Convention, live from Denver, Co. This marathon viewing experience created quite an impression on my family and I would like to share some of my thoughts.

Let me first say that the convention was televised warts and all. The good, bad, beautiful, and ugly were there for all to see. It sometimes came off clunky and poorly choreographed and at other times it was emotional and exciting. Overall, it was exactly what a convention should be. After years of watching the boring, over planned, and completely scripted comic operas that are the Democratic and Republican Conventions, it was a heart-warming and encouraging sign that there still are meaningful political conventions populated by truly committed individuals working toward a common goal. And that goal was liberty.

Speaking of the people attending the convention, it was nice and a little inspiring to see people who were not from cookie-cutter Hollywood Casting. Speakers and delegates alike were average people who came from a variety of backgrounds, and experiences. Some were excellent public speakers. Others? not so much. Many came in suits and ties while others appeared in outlandish costumes which speak of their personal beliefs. But all were equally committed to the work at hand and understood the importance of their participation.

As for the candidates, I was amazed by the choices available. On Saturday night, I saw the Presidential debate in which seven candidates were given an opportunity to discuss the issues of the day. They were intelligent and respectful. They demonstrated their knowledge of the issues and their visions of the future. Each had their own strengths and weakness. They each brought something to the table besides the ?me-too?-ism common among Democratic and Republican Candidates. It was an even-handed debate in which all were given their say. To compare this debate to the Major Media?s debate formats is no comparison.

The really exciting time came during the nominee selection process. Unlike the Democrats and the Republican, no one knew who was going to win until the final ballot. For those who don?t know, Libertarians vote for their candidate at the convention in a series of run-offs. Coming into the convention, there are no pledged delegates. A convention delegate can vote for whomever they want. On the first ballot all candidates are on the ballot. Once the votes are tallied, the candidates with less than 5% of the vote total and/or the lowest vote total is eliminated and a new vote is take. With each round, the lowest vote getter in the field is eliminated until only one is standing. That candidate is then the nominee.

This year, it took six ballots before the Convention chose the nominee. Watching the delegates work the floor and campaign for the candidate was exhilarating. This first-person, face to face politicking is a hallmark of Vermont?s Town meetings but is rarely seen outside of New England. And yet, here it was on national television for all to see. Ultimately, the winner was Bob Barr, a former congressman from Georgia.

Mr. Barr, along with Wayne Allyn Root of Nevada, will be carrying the Libertarian Torch into this years national election. To learn more about Bob Barr and his run for the White House, check out his website at www.bobbarr2008.com.

In summary, this Memorial Day weekend saw cook outs, parades, and memorial services. But in Denver, a group of dedicated patriots honored those who gave their all for our country, by using the liberties they defended to provide for a better future for this nation. And my family and I were honored to be allowed to see them at work.

Steven J. Howard,
Mount Holly, VT