Local Matters

Recent comments

Community Sponsors

January 8, 2013 - 1:51pm

Phil Ricci pushing effort to organize Libertarian Party in Genesee County

posted by Howard B. Owens in politics, Phil Ricci, Libertarian Party.

The time might be right for a third party to try to make a difference in Genesee County politics, the way Phil Ricci sees it, so he along with a small group of like-minded residents are working getting the Libertarian Party established locally.

The process involves signing up members for the committee, holding a convention and finding a candidate or two to run for local offices.

"I think this has been coming for a long time," Ricci said. "There's a growing interest in the breakdown of the two-party system. People see either Republican or Democrat and they just don't fit in. I think what the ideology of Libertarian stands for is vastly misunderstood. More people have what I believe are libertarian beliefs and are looking for viable options to the two-party system. They want less intrusive government and people in government who are responsible financial stewards."

Rather than trying get candidates elected to national and state offices, Ricci thinks any viable third-party effort needs to start at the local level where it's easier to build an organization.

And localism fits well with the basic Libertarian tenant of less intrusive government.

"Here's the big thing -- I'm tired of people far away telling people here, where we live, what's best for us," said Ricci, who ran for Batavia City Council in 2009 and is currently a member of the Batavia City School District Board of Education.

"We control were we live, and we do that as an individual, so why does our government, which has no real local connection, even think about telling us what we should do for our local community? We need local ideas, local vision, to fix local issues."

At a minimum, Ricci would like to have Genesee County Libertarians well enough organized by late summer to run at least one candidate for city council, perhaps a candidate or two in village or town elections and maybe the county legislature.

"Our first goal is to allow people who support individual liberty to have a viable choice at the local level," Ricci said.

On Facebook: The Genesee County Libertarian Committee.

Robert Brown
Robert Brown's picture
Offline
Last seen: 5 months 3 hours ago
Joined: Nov 20 2012 - 11:52am

YES!

Ron C Welker
Ron C Welker's picture
Offline
Last seen: 7 years 9 months ago
Joined: May 30 2008 - 7:10am

Yes! Please do Mr Ricci.

Jason Crater
Jason Crater's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 months 3 weeks ago
Joined: Aug 25 2009 - 10:01am

AWESOME!

Michelle WIlliams
Michelle WIlliams's picture
Offline
Last seen: 9 years 2 months ago
Joined: Jun 11 2012 - 2:45pm

excellent idea!! hopefully these candidates have common sense and the ability to recognize the consequences of their potential actions

Dave Olsen
Dave Olsen's picture
Offline
Last seen: 4 months 1 week ago
Joined: Oct 12 2008 - 11:48am

Good Job Phil!!

Jim Rosenbeck
Jim Rosenbeck's picture
Offline
Last seen: 2 years 11 months ago
Joined: Feb 20 2009 - 8:22am

Want to find out more about the Libertarian party? Visit www.lp.org . Or try the worlds smallest political quiz

http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz

Mark Potwora
Mark Potwora's picture
Offline
Last seen: 2 weeks 4 days ago
Joined: May 14 2008 - 6:42pm

I took the quiz.... i am 100% . Libertarian.......

End "corporate welfare." No government handouts to business.
End government barriers to international free trade.
Let people control their own retirement; privatize Social Security.
Replace government welfare with private charity.
Cut taxes and government spending by 50% or more.

All those ideas sound like what the republicans ran on this year....

Phil if these are all ideas supported by the Libertarian Party then i guess im on board...When and were are we meeting....

Mark Brudz
Mark Brudz's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 9 months ago
Joined: Feb 9 2012 - 9:33pm

Bravo!

Don Lovelace
Don  Lovelace's picture
Offline
Last seen: 8 years 5 months ago
Joined: Dec 23 2008 - 8:11am

I stopped going to Libertarian meetings in Rochester a few years ago. To far to drive and I wasn't really interested in Roc. politics. I'm really looking forward to this.

John Woodworth JR
John Woodworth JR's picture
Offline
Last seen: 8 years 9 months ago
Joined: May 28 2009 - 11:13am

It would be nice to have another choice.

Copyright © 2008-2022 The Batavian. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
 

blue button

News Break