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2012-03-24 Administrator The Issues [Indianapolis, Indiana] Indiana Libertarains tday nominated Rupert Boneham as their gubernatorial candidate and Brad Klopfenstein as his running mate. The Libertarian Party of Indiana met today in their state convention and gave an overwhelming "yes" vote to Boneham. “I’m honored,” says Boneham. “We’ve travelled across the state, meeting with Libertarians, and today they gave their approval to my message of shrinking the government, creating empowerment programs out of entitlements, and leveling the playing field for small businesses.” Boneham, who was raised in Kokomo and now lives in Indianapolis, is best known for competing on the CBS television show Survivor. During his second season competing, he was awarded the “Fan Favorite” prize by receiving almost 80 percent of the 38 million votes cast by fans of the show. Boneham is also known in Indianapolis for his charity, Rupert's Kids, and his 20-plus years of work with at-risk youth. Although Boneham was the only declared candidate for governor on the Libertarian list, approval of his candidacy was not certain until delegates to the state convention cast their votes today. The Libertarian party always makes “none of the above” an option. The party uses the convention system, instead of taxpayer funded primary system to select their candidates for office. Boneham spent the past several months traveling the state, meeting with Libertarians, and explaining his plans for bringing the state government of Indiana into a Libertarian example of limited government, and maximum rights for Hoosiers. “Rupert was well received everywhere we visited,” says Evan McMahon, Boneham’s campaign manager. “Everyone knows Rupert the celebrity, and our party members have gotten to know Rupert the candidate.” Also selected at the convention, to serve as the Lieutenant Governor candidate was Brad Klopfenstein, who is a past executive director for the Libertarian Party of Indiana, small business owner, and founder of the Tavern League of Indiana. “Brad and Rupert balance each other well,” says Sam Goldstein, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Indiana. “Brad brings strong respect from his years lobbying in the statehouse on behalf of the Tavern League Indiana. He has been at the forefront of protecting business owners rights from our state government, such as the new smoking ban just enacted,” Goldstein explained. “Rupert and I make a strong team,” Klopfenstein explains. “We’re taking the message of smaller government and protecting the rights of Hoosiers to the people of our state this year. We’ve got the message that resonates with Hoosiers, and we’ll be driving the conversation in the political arena.” Boneham and Klopfenstein will face off against nominees from the other two parties in this fall’s election. Those nominees will be selected in the May primaries. “We will be traveling the state with Rupert and Brad over the next eight months,” McMahon adds. “Hoosiers are telling us now that they are tired of the same old political rhetoric and choices. We’re hearing that in 2012, it’s our time to take the message of liberty and small government to the voters of this state.”

Rupert Receives Libertarian Nomination

Rupert Receives Libertarian Nomination    ...

2012-02-28 Administrator The Issues Rupert Boneham, Libertarian candidate for Governor, announced that he stands with the 22 non-profit organizations that stand to lose their specialty license plates, and the fundraising dollars generated by the sale of those plates under the amended version of SB 327 currently making it ways through the Indiana General Assembly. "I've run my mentoring program, Rupert's Kids, for many years and understand how difficult fundraising can be," says Boneham. "This bill's amendment appears to wipe out the ability of the groups approved for plates in 2011." Groups, such as the Tony Stewart Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Indiana Youth Group, and the Patriot Guard, among others, who received approval for their specialty license plates in 2011 will lose their specialty plates, and have to re-apply. "This is an issue where politics doesn't need to meddle. The state already has a process in place for non-profit groups to apply for the ability to raise funds through sales of these specialty plates," adds Boneham. "We don't need to have the politicians in the legislature deciding which non-profit organizations are worthy of this consideration. We need to keep politics out of cases like these, and let the organizations who meet the criteria have the access. In addition to retroactively eliminating plates for groups who were approved in 2011, and forcing them to re-apply, the bill as amended would place in jeopardy the status of plates for groups such at the NRA, Special Olympics, the Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and the American Diabetes Association. These groups and others like them, have surpassed the 500 plate benchmark currently in place, but may be in jeopardy if the bill goes through as amended and raises the benchmark to 1000 plates. "These groups have put in many hours proving their eligibility for these specialty plates. We don't need the legislature to retroactively change the five year contracts these groups have agreed to with the state," Boneham adds. Of concern to Boneham is the idea that this amendment is targeted at one specific group – The Indiana Youth Group. "Their organization does excellent work in advocating throughout the state for safe and secure learning environments for self-identified LGBTQ youth," says Boneham. There have been multiple failed attempts in the Indiana Legislature to attach amendments to bills aimed at taking away the specialty plate issued for the Indiana Youth Group. Boneham adds, "It's sad, that these groups, and the communities they serve are caught up in what appears to be an attack based on fear and hate. This is a good example of why the process for awarding these plates was placed in the hands of the BMV, and not given to the whims of politicians." Updated: on March 1, 2012 Boneham's campaign was pleased to hear that Rep. Ed Soliday, R- Valparaiso, had pulled SB 327, but remained cautious of the bill's intent. Evan McMahon, Boneham's campaign manager, said, "The entire process reeked of partisan politics and 'moral' superiority." Referring to the multiple failed amendments targeting the recently approved specialty plates for Indiana Youth Group (IYG). McMahon continued, "Had there been a real desire to reign in all the current specialty plates and limit future ones... there would have been a larger hearing, a study session or at least a public discussion with the BMV and currently approved non-profits groups." Boneham noted that he was encouraged to see the public response to the bill, "I am proud to see Hoosiers standing up and taking an active role in support of all 22 of these outstanding organizations."

Rupert Urges Indiana House to Block Attacks on Specialty License Plates

Rupert Urges Indiana House to Block Attacks on Specialty License Plates.    ...

2012-02-01 Administrator The Issues   Even as an active and proud union member, I believe no one should be forced to join or pay fees to another group as a condition of employment, but the State has NO authority or right to legislate the contracts between a private company and its work force. Private businesses and their workforce could have used “closed shop” as a positive trade during the formation of the union shop or during contract negotiations. They could have traded compulsory union membership for things like merit over seniority, lower healthcare cost matching or better benefits packages. I feel Right To Work efforts and legislation should have focused on public contracts for outside goods and services. The State should have revised its current standards of preference for ALL bids on state contracts for goods and services. Publicly funded contracts should be awarded based on bids from companies and vendors using the following priorities: 1. Costs of contract2. Favorable terms/length3. Labor location4. Company location5. "Open Shop" if Union6. Public comment This process should be 100% transparent, online and open for public comment. There should be NO private bids or contracts awarded behind closed doors. Every bid should be open for public review, with ample time for public examination and comment. When a contract is awarded there should be a public review listing the "rank" of each bid and a summary explaining why a bid was chosen or rejected. The administration was so dogged in their pursuit of “union busting” they actually dusted off the history books and used the same methods and tactics used to pass Right To Work in 1958. With a lightning fast bang of the gavel and the swift flick of a pen, the current administration has taken away a major bargaining position from both private businesses and their workforce. Some in this race to be Indiana's next Governor are shying away from the RTW discussion. While they're saying things like “It's time to move beyond this...”, I am proudly and loudly saying that, as Governor, I will fight to repeal this intrusion into private businesses. I will work to restore the legally contracted rights of private workers and unions. Together, we will repeal this, like we did in 1965. In Liberty, Rupert Boneham

Rupert on RTW

Rupert Boneham on the rushed signing of Indiana's second Right To Work law. ...

2012-01-27 Administrator The Issues   Hear what Rupert has to say about Indiana's efforts to add marriage discrimination to our state constitution.     UPDATE: Here are some of the articles that were posted in response to Rupert's historic, in Indiana, stand against discrimination and hate. TOWLEROAD Indiana Gubernatorial Hopeful and 'Survivor' Contestant Rupert Boneham Speaks Out for Marriage Equality   The BILERICO Project Indiana Guv Candidate Endorses Marriage Equality   Indy Student Gubernatorial Candidate Rupert Boneham: For Marriage Equality   reality blurred Indiana gubernatorial candidate and Survivor Rupert comes out for marriage equality   Purple Unions: Gay Marriage Watch Survivor's Rupert for Marriage Equality, Will Run for Indiana Governor          

Rupert on Marriage Equality

Rupert Boneham stands for 100% Marriage Equality in Indiana.   ...

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