FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
06/16/08
POC Thomas L. Knapp
media@bostontea.us
314-750-6993
BOSTON TEA PARTY NOMINATES 2008 PRESIDENTIAL TICKET
CYBERSPACE -- The first American political party to hold its national convention online has now nominated a presidential ticket online as well. In a 24-hour polling process on June 15-16, the Boston Tea Party's members chose media consultant and content developer Charles Jay as their 2008 standard-bearer.
"I look forward to the challenge of spreading a message that directly relates to increasing freedom and liberty," said Jay, 47, of Hollywood, Florida. "The Boston Tea Party's platform and program represent the true fulfillment of what the Founding Fathers envisioned."
Jay received the support of 76% of voting Boston Tea Party members in a nomination poll conducted using "approval voting," in which voters may support more than one candidate. Second-place finisher Robert Milnes polled 14%, while "None Of The Above," a required polling option in all party selection votes, received 24%.
"As someone who is not a professional politician, I see this as the continuation of an amazing journey," said Jay, who appeared on Utah's ballot as the 2004 nominee of that state's Personal Choice Party. "A tremendous learning experience and a great collaboration between people who are committed to decreasing the size, scope and power of an all-too powerful government."
Thomas L. Knapp of Missouri, the party's founder, received the vice-presidential nomination in a four-cornered race with Todd Andrew Barnett of Michigan, Chris Bennett of Illinois and NOTA.
The Boston Tea Party was founded in 2006. This is its first electoral outing, and its ticket is expected to appear on the ballot in several states.
-30-
about 250 words
Party Web Site: http://www.bostontea.us
Presidential Campaign Web Site: http://www.cj08.com
Vice-Presidential Campaign Blog: http://www.myfrontporchcampaign.com
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
So it's safe for me to assume that the Libertarian Party rules allow its candidates to run under another party's banner?
How about for the same office? (i.e., run for Congress in the same district as both LP and BTP.)
I like the BTP platform, and have even included it on my own website.
But when I think of "the Boston Tea Party" in history, I think of an act of vandalism. And I don't believe it was justifiable for colonists to take up arms against the British government. Not when their taxes were one-tenth what our taxes are today.
Does the BTP take any official stand on the use of muskets or other instruments of violence as a means of "reducing the size, scope and power of government"?
Kevin,
The Boston Tea Party's ticket won't be on the ballot in Missouri, so I'm only running under one party banner here (Libertarian for Congress).
Missouri doesn't allow "fusion," so if the BTP ever achieved ballot access here, a candidate would only be able to run on one party's line.
There are a lot of different interpretations of the historical Boston Tea Party.
It wasn't "vandalism" by any stretch of the imagination (the participants sent around a repairman to fix the lock they broke on the port gate the next day at their own expense).
Interestingly, it wasn't a tax protest in the way that most people think -- it was a protest of the East India Company's special exemption from the British tax on tea. So, basically, it was a protest against corporate cronyism in government.
To the best of my knowledge and recollection, there is no official BTP stand on armed insurrection ... but the proof is in the pudding. We're running candidates for office, not attacking the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry.
Regards,
Tom
Post a Comment