Libertarians want less government

By David Ciaffardini / Times Staff Writer

You might be a Libertarian and not know it. That was a sentiment expressed frequently Friday night during the opening day of the Libertarian Party of California state convention at the Historic Santa Maria Inn.

Many of the dues paying members that turned out -about 130 were registered to attend - had been Republicans or Democrats before frustration, disillusionment or perhaps even wild-optimism persuaded them to cut their ties to mainstream politics and throw their support behind California's fifth largest political party.

The party that accounts for 0.61 percent of registered voters in the state attracts a variety of people who, in most cases, have at least a few things in common: They aren't happy with status quo politics and they want more freedom and less government interference in their lives.

"I've been a Libertarian politically since 1993," explained Richard Venable, one of the five party delegates attending from San Luis Obispo. "But according to my wife, I must have been born a Libertarian," he said. "That's because of the fact that I question authority. I ask, 'why do they have laws like that? Why can't I do something as long as it doesn't bother anyone else?'"

The law says that anyone who registers to vote as a Libertarian becomes an official member of the party. But to become a convention delegate requires $25 per year dues, involvement with a local chapter of the party and signing of the Libertarian Pledge.

Delegate Doug Scibner from Orange County was quick to recite the pledge from heart: "I do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force to achieve social or political goals."

Scibner, who has been a dues-paying member for five years, said the pledge is a statement of nonviolence, affirming that although Libertarian attitudes may go counter to some government policies, the party will not advocate violence to achieve their goals.

"We don't want to change things by force," he explained. "By persuasion, yes. We do that all the time."

Friday night, William Wagener of Santa Maria, who is running for Santa Barbara County 5th District Supervisor, introduced Hoppy Heidelberg, the convention's "mystery speaker." Heidelberg spoke to the Libertarian's belief that government is corrupt.

He explained that he had been a member of the Oklahoma grand jury that indicted Timothy McVeigh for bombing a federal building. Heidelberg told the delegates that the F.B.I. had illegally influenced the ruling of the grand jury. He said he was kicked off the jury and was forbidden by a court order from sharing details of the case. But he did anyway and as of 8 p.m. he had not been arrested for it.

Not all convention attendees were Libertarians. Karen Senffer of Santa Cruz came with a Libertarian date, but is one of the growing number of citizens not affiliated with any political party. She said Libertarians, with their vision of a minimum of government, may be the future of politics.

Her Libertarian date, Charles Olson, aka Ggrrriffin G. Ggrrrinch, from Big Sur, stood beside her on stilts, dressed in green fur and green face paint. He handed out cards for a Libertarian-oriented Web site that will explain "How the Ggrrrinch Stole Congress!"

The convention will continue through Monday.

Staff writer David Ciaffardini can be reached at (805) 739-2218 or by e-mail at dciaffardini @ pulitzer.net.