RLCCA December Newsletter

Welcome to the December 2011 newsletter of the Republican Liberty Caucus of California. It has been a while since our last newsletter. Our eventual goal is to send out this newsletter on a monthly basis. If you have ideas for newsletter stories, or would like to get involved with the RLCCA, please email contact@rlcca.org.

Ron Paul Delivers Los Angeles Keynote Speech

Ron Paul spoke to a fired up crowd at an event hosted by the Republican Liberty Caucus of California. The event was on September 17 at the California Republican Party fall convention in Los Angeles. Over 500 activists cheered Dr. Paul's message of free markets, individual responsibility, and a non-interventionist foreign policy.

Click here to watch video of the event...

RLCCA supports "Regulate Marijuana Like Wine" signature gathering

The Republican Liberty Caucus of California announced its support for signature gathering for the "Regulate Marijuana Like Wine" ballot measure. If placed on the ballot and passed by California voters in 2012, the measure will end marijuana prohibition under California law, while legalizing commercial production, as well as small-scale cultivation for personal use, and sales to Californians 21 and older.

The measure, also known as "Measure 1490 (11-0011): Marijuana Legalization", has been cleared to circulate petitions in order to qualify to appear on the ballot in 2012. To qualify, the measure must obtain 504,760 signatures by December 19, 2011. The measure's authors are currently collecting signature pledges and recruiting volunteers for their petition drive, which began on November 1.

Read more...

RLC Attends Liberty Political Action Conference (LPAC) in Reno

RLCCA Secretary Parke Bostrom and RLCUT Chair Darcy Van Orden represented the RLC at the 2011 Liberty Political Action Conference (lpac2011.com) in Reno. Bostrom and Van Orden introduced interested attendees to the role and mission of the RLC: promoting individual rights, limited government and free enterprise inside the Republican Party. RLC endorsees Congressman Ron Paul (TX), Senator Rand Paul (KY) and Senator Mike Lee (UT) were among the speakers at the conference.

Coming in January...

Our January newsletter should contain our 2011 California Legislator Scorecard, details about our plans to attend the Spring 2012 CRP convention in Burlingame, and an update on the activities of our local chapters in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego.

The RLCCA works to advance the ideals of individual rights, limited government, and free enterprise within the State of California and the Republican Party. The RLCCA supports candidates and policies that uphold these principles in order to secure a free and prosperous future for ourselves and our children. Learn more at www.rlcca.org.

RLCCA supports "Regulate Marijuana Like Wine" signature gathering

California, October 4, 2011 - The Republican Liberty Caucus of California announced its support for signature gathering for the "Regulate Marijuana Like Wine" ballot measure. If placed on the ballot and passed by California voters in 2012, the measure will end marijuana prohibition under California law, while legalizing commercial production, as well as small-scale cultivation for personal use, and sales to Californians 21 and older.

The measure, also known as "Measure 1490 (11-0011): Marijuana Legalization", has been cleared to circulate petitions in order to qualify to appear on the ballot in 2012. To qualify, the measure must obtain 504,760 signatures by December 19, 2011. The measure's authors are currently collecting signature pledges and recruiting volunteers for their petition drive, which began on November 1.

Any registered voter in California is eligible to sign or circulate a petition. We urge our members and other concerned Californians to pledge signatures, help spread the word, and consider volunteering or donating to the campaign. Signup to pledge, donate, and volunteer at regulatemarijuanalikewine.com. After Nov 1, petition forms will also be available at that website to print, sign, and mail back.

Passing this measure would be a major step forward for personal liberty.

California law would recognize that marijuana, like wine and beer, is an agricultural product with legitimate uses which adults should be trusted to enjoy responsibly.

Organized crime would lose its monopoly on the marijuana business. Law enforcement resources would be freed from the burden of enforcing prohibition and made available to protect the public from more serious crimes.

Medical marijuana patients would enjoy improved access to their medicine. Californians would be able to enjoy responsible recreational use without violating state laws.

State and local government could collect hundreds of millions of dollars in new sales tax revenue without raising tax rates.

Passing this measure would also serve as a positive example to other states, and would increase pressure on the federal government to recognize the rights of the people of each state to decide matters such as this for themselves.

Please support the ballot measure volunteering today at www.regulatemarijuanalikewine.com.

The RLCCA works to advance the ideals of individual rights, limited government, and free enterprise within the State of California and the Republican Party. The RLCCA supports candidates and policies that uphold these principles in order to secure a free and prosperous future for ourselves and our children. Learn more at www.rlcca.org.

Ron Paul Delivers Los Angeles Keynote Speech

Ron Paul spoke to a fired up crowd at an event hosted by the Republican Liberty Caucus of California. The event was on Saturday September 17 at the California Republican Party fall convention in Los Angeles. Over 500 activists cheered Dr. Paul's message of free markets, individual responsibility, and a non-interventionist foreign policy.

Later on Saturday, Ron Paul won the CRP's straw poll.

Ron Paul Wins CRP Straw Poll!

According to the CRP, Texas Congressman Ron Paul won the CRP's straw poll on Saturday. Disclaimer: As of September 17, the RLC has not endorsed a presidential candidate. Ron Paul is a member of the RLC's Board of Advisors.

Presidential Candidate Ron Paul to Speak at Republican Convention in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, September 12, 2011 - Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul will speak in Los Angeles on Saturday at the fall convention of the California Republican Party at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, 900 West Olympic Boulevard. Paul will deliver the keynote speech at the Freedom Speaks! event hosted by the Republican Liberty Caucus of California. The event begins at 10:00am. There is no charge for the event, however the RLCCA suggests a donation of $5 to $10. “The RLCCA’s Freedom Speaks! event, with a keynote speech by candidate Ron Paul, is a wonderful opportunity for Republicans and liberty activists in the greater Los Angeles area to hear Dr. Paul first hand, and to learn about opportunities to promote liberty inside the Republican Party with the RLCCA,” said RLCCA Chairman John Dennis. Also on Saturday at the Marriott, the CRP is conducting a presidential straw poll. Any registered Republican who has paid the 2011 Fall Convention registration fee is eligible to vote ($90 online, $100 on-site). Convention attendees must show their registration badge and photo identification in order to participate. The Ron Paul campaign may be able to provide financial assistance to Ron Paul supporters, see www.rlcca.org/notices for details. “Saturday’s straw poll is a huge opportunity for California Republicans to impact the presidential race, especially because the California primary has been pushed back to June,” said RLCCA Secretary Parke Bostrom. The RLCCA works to advance the ideals of individual rights, limited government, and free enterprise within the State of California and the Republican Party. The RLCCA supports candidates and policies that uphold these principles in order to secure a free and prosperous future for ourselves and our children. Learn more at www.rlcca.org.

RLCCA Summer 2011 Newsletter

Welcome to the Summer newsletter of the Republican Liberty Caucus of California. In the first half of 2011, the RLCCA has been busy working to promote the ideals of individual rights, limited government and free enterprise within the California Republican Party. In March the RLCCA met in Sacramento and held our annual convention. 2010 Congressional Candidate John Dennis was elected Chairman of the RLCCA. Ward Connerly, founder and Chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute, was the keynote speaker. The RLCCA continues to grow in 2011. In June, the San Bernardino chapter of the RLCCA was created. The Los Angeles chapter will be created in the near future. Local chapters allow for local activism and create networking opportunities inside the Republican party at the local level. The biggest part of creating a local chapter is finding and/or recruiting 10 local members who want to start a chapter. If you would like to start a local RLC chapter in your area, please send an email to contact@rlcca.org. September Los Angeles Presidential Straw Poll The Politics Blog of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the CRP is going to hold a presidential straw poll at the upcoming CRP convention in Los Angeles on September 16-18. The Chronicle writes: “The straw poll will be a marquee event at the convention expected to attract more than 1,000 delegates and party activists when it convenes Sept. 16-18 at the JW Marriott at LA Live, state party chair Tom Del Beccaro told us today.” However, there is no mention of the “marquee” straw poll event on the agenda for the CRP convention. (Read more...) Presidential Candidate Ron Paul to speak at September Event in Los Angeles The 2012 election cycle is getting started, and the race for the Republican nomination for President is heating up. It is exciting to see that two members of the RLC's Board of Advisors are seeking the Republican nomination. They are Texas Congressman and 2008 Presidential Candidate Ron Paul, and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. Candidate Ron Paul will speak at an RLCCA event at the fall CRP convention in Los Angeles on Saturday September 17. (Read more...) RLCCA Proposes CRP Open Primary Endorsement System In June of 2010, the voters of California passed Proposition 14, thereby changing the manner in which (non-Presidential) primary elections are conducted in California. The RLCCA is helping the CRP respond to arrival of open primaries by proposing a system of rules that would maximize the opportunity for grassroots Republicans to participate in the process of choosing the Republican nominees prior to the open primary election. (Read more...) Thank you for reading the RLCCA Summer 2011 Newsletter! Please remember to support the RLCCA so we can continue to promote liberty within the Republican Party of California!

September Los Angeles Presidential Straw Poll

The Politics Blog of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the CRP is going to hold a presidential straw poll at the upcoming CRP convention in Los Angeles on September 16-18. The Chronicle writes: “The straw poll will be a marquee event at the convention expected to attract more than 1,000 delegates and party activists when it convenes Sept. 16-18 at the JW Marriott at LA Live, state party chair Tom Del Beccaro told us today.” However, there is no mention of the “marquee” straw poll event on the agenda for the CRP convention. At the March convention in Sacramento, the RLCCA conducted a presidential straw poll. The results of that poll were later reported by Fox News, among other news outlets and blogs. The RLCCA plans on conducting another straw poll at the convention in Los Angeles. Our straw poll will be held on Saturday, September 17, and will be open to convention delegates and registered Republican voters. The exact hours of the poll are TBD. The Sacramento straw poll was open from something like 10am to 6pm. It is possible that if the CRP really is conducting a high profile straw poll at the convention, we will cancel the RLCCA straw poll and direct liberty Republicans to vote in the CRP straw poll instead.