Year In Review: Personally Politically Yours

The Libertarian Party of Allen County

This year we saw the Party locally come out from relative inconspicuousness to challenge heartily eight of nine City Council seats and throw the mainstream political parties on their rears while crying foul. While we didn't come out victorious in any race we definitely established a presence in County and City politics and have made everyone even the Editorial Board of the Journal Gazette stand up, take account, and eat their own words several times over. On an organizational front, 2007 also saw the restart of the Campus Libertarians @ IPFW under the leadership of Kody Tinnel. And we received front page coverage on two issues of Frost Illustrated right before the general election and in the early summer with an awesome cover and article in the Fort Wayne Reader.

You can review some of the stories in F6's archive and other blogs in the area but when all is said and now done it comes to one quote from outgoing Second District Council Member Donald Schmidt (R) in an exit interview with Jeff Nuemeyer from the Indiana News Center:

"There were several things that were working against us, uh, it was a bad year for Republicans at the national level, obviously. Secondly, the Mayoral situation was working against us. The smoking issue had riled a lot of people up, that was out there,and the Libertarian Party was coming after us."

Donald was a nine term incumbent who was upset not just by twelve votes to Redevelopment Commissioner Karen Goldner (D) but with a newcomer relocated from Ohio, Libertarian Jonathan Bartels (pic-far left), whom took six percent of the vote in that race also. Other races which saw impressive leads by Libertarians were in the First with Byron Peters grabbing ten percent and father of three, Robert Fuller (pic-cntr right), pulling eight percent in the Fifth, and two of our At Large candidates Douglas Horner (pic-cntr left) and William Larsen pulled over four thousand votes each.

Tomorrow starts a new life for the City as a whole since we have a new mayor and had a shift in City Council with five of nine seats being filled by newcomers. I wish them the best and ask them for one favor, fix the problems caused by the previous administrations and overzealous Council members please. The second smoking ban being on the top of the list followed by Combined Sewer Overflows, public safety pensions, and bad policies - like tax abatements for fast food restaurants. 2008 is going to be an awesome year with local school boards and county government, and general assembly positions all coming up for a vote. We also might finally see the demise of Mark "dont keep my promises" Souder from Congress. One only wonders if Dan Turkette @ Fort Wayne News was successful in his propositioning of Matt Kelty to run for Souder's seat also, it will be interesting to watch.

UPDATES FROM F6

F6 got national attention for my review of Buddy G My Two Moms And Me earlier this month. The comments left by one of the two co-creators of this d2v series was heartily appreciated and I wanted to take a moment and say thank you to Donna personally for her comments and cross linking. Back in November, F6 introduced readers to a new web 2.0 community and telecast called QUARTERLIFE. A storyline about mid twenty somethings just trying to figure out their difference in the world as they know it. The show airs new ten minute segments every Sunday and Thursday on their website and myspace pages. I am pleased to announce that NBC has picked up the series and will air the show with six initial hour long episodes from the late winter to early spring of 2008.

FAQs From Fr. Fozy

There has been not much new on the home front I go in for my three month review with my doctors shortly after the New Year and we will see from there as to how my kidneys and heart are doing. On a last note, I received for my birthday and Christmas a really cool crocheted beaded necklace and crocheted prayer beads from my brother Curt, the necklace has been adapted slightly to accept my pectoral cross, as was his intent. It is a little itchy, but it is cool non the less, it almost gives off the appearance of braided hemp.

[04 Jan 07 UPDATE:]
My creatine levels (what is checked for proper kidney function) have dropped from 3.7 to 3.1, which means my kidney function is improving! Now the main thing that I have to focus on for the next four months is to get back down to my correct (pre-heart failures) weight, which is going to be a bitch and a half - but a blessing beyond compare, that it is the only thing I have to worry about for the next four months. Thank you everyone for your prayers and positive thoughts.

Top Photo:
Candidates Jonathan Bartels, Douglas Horner, Robert Fuller, and Robert Enders
at Fort Wayne PRIDE Festival 28th of July 2007 @ Headwaters Park East.
Photo taken by Mrs. Jennifer Jeffrey, Party Chair.