Perhaps the most fun one event I've been at in this campaign season was the rally on the Statehouse steps in Indianapolis on Friday, 10-27. I was on a mission to shave the animals, but we'll get back to that.
This rally was in protest against the new-terrain I-69 proposal that's been on the boards for some years now. Kenn Gividen, our Libertarian gubernatorial candidate, has made opposition to this plan to build an extension of the interstate from Indianapolis to Evansville a centerpiece of his campaign.
I freely admit that this is not the top issue on my plate. I haven't studied this issue that close. I was there in large part to support Kenn, who has run perhaps the finest campaign I've ever seen from any Libertarian.
I would tend to be opposed to it though just on general principles. For starters, it's a huge lot of money being spent, a "boondoggle" as Kenn calls it. That's a lot of money being taken away from taking care of all the other roads in the state.
Personally, my biggest beef with this would be the eminent domain issues. I generally think that it is totally wrong for the government to seize people's property by eminent domain. Governments across the country have become FAR too willing to invoke eminent domain.
The most compelling sign I saw invoked Amish farms that would be taken and paved over for this project. There aren't very many real family farms left. At this point, religious communities such as the Amish probably represent a pretty good percentage of them. We definitely shouldn't be forcibly uprooting them from their homes and land unless it is absolutely necessary. It's not.
Anyway, we had a couple of dozen Libertarian Party people there, holding up Gividen for Governor signs. Not too bad.
Also, there's a specific organization behind this anti-interstate activity called CARR, Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads.
However, it turns out our infantry in this scene was a bunch of danged dirty hippies from Bloomington. They came out opposed more on the count of environmental issues, destroying wildlife habitats and such.
Article comments
1 - Claire
It's always the 'hooks' that getcha'!
Al a wonderfully written and informative piece about the I-69 situation, the rally, and I felt as though I was there your description was so well done.
But it was the "story within the story" that made it superb! Tori sounds like quite an astute young lady, and the picture of you standing there helping her cause gave me the warm fuzzies, something one doesn't often get from politicians :) Thank you for the enjoyable read!
Claire
2 - Al Barger
Thank you so much for your kind words, Miss Claire.
There are all kinds of different reasons and motivations for being involved in politics, and we're not always aware of them ourselves. Certainly I'm concerned about government policies and budget deficits and such what.
A lot of it though certainly is social. A significant part of the reason for being involved in Libertarian politics is that I like hanging around with Libertarians.
Also, nothing makes me feel more like I'm part of the community than campaigning. Cracking jokes with constituents at county fairs really does it for me. Helping Miss Tori shave the animals may be the most fun I've had all season.
Indeed, I'll probably be out this weekend doing a little door to door, largely just for the personal gratification of it. We're probably looking at something close to 2 million votes to be cast in this race. No couple of hundred doors I can knock on is going to make a difference in that.
Still, I might well buzz up to Liberty or good ol' Muncie to spend a couple of hours meeting some voters.
Good times.
3 - RJ
Great story.
I'm expecting you to pull 5-7 percent, Al.
Don't disappoint a donor! ;)
4 - Al Barger
That would be in line with polling. We'll see.