Newspaper History of the Libertarian Party

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Third Partying

By Elisabeth Bumiller

January 22, 1980

While the orthodox politicians wre sweating through Iowa last night, the Libertarians held a big party. In Washington, a good 900 miles from the nearest caucus. With champagne, pickles and a sense of delight that they, a group that seeks to abolish taxes as well most of the government, had picked their presidential candidate ages ago in September.  MORE




The Committee for Small Government is backing the Question 1 ballot that would eliminate state income tax in Massachusetts.

By EDWARD MASON |
PUBLISHED: September 16, 2008 at 12:00 am | UPDATED: November 17, 2018 at 12:00 am

The push to scrap the state income tax – billed as a grassroots movement – is heavily bankrolled by an odd-ball collection of libertarians who don’t even pay taxes in Massachusetts, including a crackpot who’s likened Homeland Security to the “Gestapo” and a “Biblical capitalist” who thinks paper money should be eliminated.

The Committee for Small Government – the self-described “grass roots organization” backing the Question 1 ballot initiative to abolish the state’s income tax – collected almost 60 percent, or $211,000, of its $364,000 total from out-of-state donors, a Herald review shows.

Among those donors:

Jason Hommel, a Penn Valley, Calif., financial manager who advises clients to invest using the principles of “Biblical capitalism” – which basically means avoiding stocks and bonds in favor of gold and silver. Hommel, who has called paper money “a fraud,” predicts that gold will return as currency just “prior to the Rapture . . . and the return of Jesus.” Hommel gave $10,000 to the anti-tax crusade.

John Gilmore, a cofounder of Sun Microsystems, has called for the dissolution of the Department of Homeland Security and its “Gestapo” tactics. Gilmore has also unsuccessfully sued the federal government for requiring people traveling on domestic flights to show identification, and has urged citizens to protect their e-mails from government snooping. Gilmore gave $20,000.

Craig Franklin, a Woodland, Calif., software firm executive and a part-time songwriter, has penned several anti-tax anthems, including “Hey, Mr. Tax Man,” sung to the tune of Bog Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man.” Franklin gave $25,500.

Chris J. Rufer, a California tomato-packing mogul who has funneled more than $50,000 to Libertarian candidates this decade. Rufer gave $13,000 to the anti-tax cause.

Michael Widmer, head of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, which opposes the measure, slammed the Committee for Small Government for raising most of its dough from out-of-staters with no stake in the outcome.  MORE