Latest Kelver Press Release

"For Release

October 16, 2006

Kelver Thanks Dermody and Kora

Calls for next forum to be sponsored by NAACP and NFIB

Responding to recent media comments, Greg Kelver, the Libertarian candidate for State Representative District 20 offered thanks to Republican challenger Tom Dermody and LaPorte County Democratic Chairman Dr. Vidya Kora for their comments. Kelver said, “I would just like to thank both Tom Dermody and Vidya Kora for their comments suggesting that Libertarians should be included in future political forums. It is nice to see that both political parties are starting to understand that Libertarians do have an important place in the public debate. Libertarians want to offer some new ideas and political solutions that we believe can work instead of the negative campaigning and constant bickering that both of the old parties have become so skilled at.”

Kelver, who was not invited to the recent AARP forum in LaPorte, said “ While I was disappointed that AARP did not choose to invite me to their forum, I fully respect their right to invite whatever candidates they choose to speak with their members. It does seem to me that mid-morning is a perfectly good time for the AARP to have a forum designed to focus on issues of importance to retired citizens. However, whether a candidate chooses to attend or not attend does send a message about the importance of the event.”

While Kelver agreed with the need to have another forum, he did not support a repeat of the forum by the AARP. Kelver said “ We should not simply repeat past failures at a new time but instead should look for future success in a different place. There are many issues that are very important to younger families and those who are working hard to pay an excessive property tax burden. The next forum should focus on those issues and it should be about inclusion, not exclusion. We need to have a serious discussion about how we can economically empower individuals, especially blacks, Hispanics and others who have been trapped on the bottom rung or excluded entirely. While big government has been a historic failure, small business offers all of us future hope. We need to get off the Toll Road and move-on to make the American Dream become the American Reality. Therefore I will ask the NAACP and the NFIB to jointly sponsor an early evening forum where these ideas can be addressed by all of the candidates in this race. Perhaps an event can be held in Wanatah, Lacrosse or another location so it is more accessible to residents of Pulaski, Porter, and Jasper Counties in a Statehouse District that should be the poster child for old party gerrymandering.”

For additional information about this press release contact:

Greg Kelver, (219) 324-4229 Home, (219) 767-2990 Work, gregkelver@sensiblealternative.org"