Why? Because that's the day this insane War on Drugs officially comes to an end here in Pennsylvania.

Hi, I'm Ken Krawchuk, the Libertarian candidate for Pennsylvania Governor, and I have some exciting, historic news: Come January, we're going to win this War on Drugs in Pennsylvania once and for all, and we're going to win it for the Good Guys.

Mark it down: 1/20/15. V-day.

A bold statement? Yes, but an accurate one, and a realistic one. How do we win an insane, unwinnable war that's dragged on for decades? All we need to do is combine three facts that you probably already know...

FACT #1: The Governor can grant pardons... and more!

A Governor who is committed to ending this insane War on Drugs can stop it immediately through the constitutionally-granted power of the pardon. No new laws need to be passed, no permission begged from the courts. As the Libertarian Governor of Pennsylvania, I promise to pardon all non-violent drug offenders on my first day in office. All of them, Day One, and any new ones, too. A Libertarian Governor means an immediate end to Pennsylvania's War on Drugs. Period.

And it goes beyond pardons. Under our drug laws, you can lose your house, your car, your life's savings, everything you own, yet never be convicted of a crime or even see a judge. They call it "asset forfeiture", but I call it "highway robbery". Fortunately, Article 4 Section 9 of the Pennsylvania Constitution gives the Governor the power to return all forfeited assets, and as the Libertarian Governor of Pennsylvania, I promise to do just that with all unconstitutional seizures on my first day in office. All of them, Day One, and any new unlawful forfeitures, too. A Libertarian Governor means an immediate end to asset forfeiture. Period.

During the transitional period between the election on November 5th and the inauguration on January 21st, I'll be composing the full list of those people to be pardoned, and compiling an accounting of all assets to be returned. Of course if a drug offender committed some real crime or sold drugs to children, they'll stay safely in prison. But as for the rest of them, once I'm sworn in as Governor, there will be no delay in getting the wheels moving to do true justice for these innocents.

Do you find this exciting? I certainly do. But before the War on Drugs can end, we first have to elect a Libertarian as Governor. Which leads to...

FACT #2: Nobody votes.

It's common knowledge that voters don't vote, especially in off-year elections. Pundits are always saying how bad this is for America, but this public apathy can be put to work in our favor. Because when you crunch the numbers, it turns out that in a competitive, 3-way race, a Libertarian can be elected Governor THIS YEAR by attracting the vote of only 1 in 8 voting-age Pennsylvanians.

You read that correctly -- only 1 in 8. Just 12.5%. Perhaps even less.

Work it out for yourself: According to the FEC, there are about 9 million voting-age Pennsylvanians, but less than 7 million registered. A 40% turnout in the last gubernatorial race meant about 3 million votes were cast. Assuming the same turnout again, split that total vote 3 ways, and victory requires less than a million votes -- call it one out of eight to be certain -- or even fewer than that, if the turnout is low. Only 10% to 12% of voting-age Pennsylvanians will elect the next governor; all we need to do is find them.

But who makes up that constituency? Who is that one in eight? You may have already guessed...

FACT #3: An awful lot of people smoke pot.

Government statistics show that 1/3 to 1/2 of the population has tried pot, and that (depending on age group) 5% to 20% have used pot within the last month. THESE are the people with a vested interest in ending the War on Drugs, the people on the front lines who risk arrest, forfeiture, and personal ruin every time they light up.

If these people ALONE voted Libertarian, they could elect a Libertarian Governor all by themselves, only on the power of their votes. Our job is to make them aware of the awesome power they hold.

But it goes beyond just pot smokers. Virtually EVERYONE wants to end this insane War on Drugs, not just the pot smokers. As I travel the state, I always ask the same question: "Who thinks potheads should be in prison?" Out of thousands of students, blacks, seniors, young professionals, and other voters that I've asked, the answer is virtually always the same: NO ONE thinks potheads should be in prison.

As for the emotional power behind that answer, here's a quote from the Harrisburg Patriot News during my 2002 campaign:

=================

[At a] forum which was sponsored by the "Worlds Apart" cable television program, the Greater Harrisburg Branch of the NAACP and Penn State Harrisburg, Krawchuk said, "I promise to end this insane War on Drugs. I promise to pardon every single non-violent drug offender on Day One," of my first term as governor. "We're going to empty out these prisons of these harmless people, these pot-smoking Grateful Dead fans who don't belong in there in the first place."

That comment brought the biggest cheer from the audience of about 80.

Then, turning to the mostly black audience, Krawchuk said, "They're putting your people in jail! You have one choice! Vote Libertarian!"

..........Rendell said he would "look at" reducing minimum sentences for "drug things," such as small personal use purchases. ..........Casey said he would also "look at" the idea, but later added, "We've got to very careful, I think, about changing any kind of sentencing guidelines."

===================

Can you believe it? The War on Drugs wasn't even on the radar of the two old parties, but suddenly they're saying they'll "look at it". That's because we Libertarians are now beginning to drive the debate, and the War on Drugs can be our winning issue.

Make no mistake: Drugs are bad. But the War on Drugs takes that bad situation and makes it much, much worse. It leads to more crime and corruption, ruined inner cities and ruined lives. It takes a social problem and makes it a criminal problem, discouraging addicts from seeking help and preventing sick people from getting the medicine they need. But by ending this insane war, we're guaranteed to end all these social ills that result from our modern-day Prohibition.

FACT #1 + FACT #2 + FACT #3 = VICTORY!

Add it up. A Libertarian Governor. One-in-Eight. Pot smokers in prison. Just add these three facts together, and that means that on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2015, we have the very real opportunity to end the War on Drugs here in Pennsylvania.

But it won't come automatically. We must start working toward making history TODAY. And what can you, personally, do to make this historic sea change come to pass? (I'm glad you asked!) There are five action items everyone can start on immediately:

ACTION ITEM #1...

First, SEND THIS E-MAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

Whether or not they happen to personally use drugs, most Pennsylvanians agree that it's not worth the $35,000 per year to keep a pot-smoking Grateful Dead fan in prison. Most believe the War on Drugs is a failure, and that we should have ended it long ago. And most would welcome a viable, realistic plan to make that happen.

This e-mail embodies that plan. By circulating it to everyone you know, you can help to get the anti-Drug War message out BELOW THE RADAR of the two old parties. Then come election day, just as with Jesse Ventura's campaign for Minnesota Governor, the two old parties won't know what hit them -- and the Drug War is over.

By the way, be sure to be courteous and remove previous header information and indents when you re-forward.

ACTION ITEM #2...

Second, please make a generous contribution to my campaign for Governor. You can contribute using a credit card through my campaign website at http://www.KenK.org, or you can send either your credit card information or a check via snail mail to Krawchuk '14, c/o PO Box 260, Cheltenham Pa., 19012 using the form at the end of this e-mail.

Contributions mean we can run TV commercials, radio spots, newspaper ads. Contributions can buy yard signs, literature, buttons, and bumper stickers. Contributions are absolutely essential to getting the Libertarian message out, so please make your generous contribution today.

ACTION ITEM #3...

Third, if you're not registered to vote, REGISTER TODAY!

It's vitally important that you register to vote. Register for any party you choose, but REGISTER! You can download a Pennsylvania voter registration form at http://www.dosimages.pa.gov/pdf/OnlineVoterRegFormBlank.pdf to download the form yourself.

Ask all your friends and acquaintances if THEY are registered to vote. If they're not, urge them to register now. Urge them to urge their friends to register, too.

I can't say it enough: If you're not registered to vote, then you can't vote for me to end the War on Drugs. It's that simple. So REGISTER TODAY!

ACTION ITEM #4...

Fourth, please volunteer to help the campaign reach our goals, to reach that one voter in eight.

The biggest need for volunteers right now is for help in collecting enough signatures to get on the November ballot. We need no fewer than 21,000 signatures from registered voters to qualify, and we're aiming for 30,000 to be on the safe side. To hit that lofty goal, we're organizing a massive, one-day petition drive to be held at the polls on May 20th, Primary Day.

Petitioning at the polls is the easiest way to collect signatures. You already know that every person there is a registered voter in your district, and I've found that the voters are usually more than willing to support democracy in their neighborhood. Typically, a single individual asking for signatures from voters as they emerge from the polls can collect between 100 and 300 signatures on that one day, especially if you pick a busy poll.

So if you're willing to help get us Libertarians on the ballot (or to help with any other aspect of the campaign), drop me a line at KenK@KenK.org to let me know. It'll take the willing help and assistance from as many supporters as possible, because if we don't get on the ballot, everything else falls apart.

ACTION ITEM #5...

Finally, on November 4th you need to vote for me, Ken Krawchuk, for Pennsylvania Governor, and urge everyone you know to do the same. Everyone. Family, friends, co-workers, everyone. Tell them how we're going to end the War on Drugs on January 20th, 2015. Tell them the details of pardon and forfeiture. Show how achievable a win it is -- only one in eight, remember. This is a historical moment, and everyone has their part to play in it. Tell them to tell their friends to tell their friends that on November 5th they have a chance to make history.

Think of it: Within the year, we can declare a victory in the War on Drugs here in Pennsylvania. No more prison terms, no more asset forfeiture.

Once word spreads among police and prosecutors, simple possession and personal use will no longer trigger an arrest or mandatory minimum sentence. Why would our fine law enforcement people continue to waste their time, money, and effort in hassling those who have a gubernatorial "get out of jail free" card? Instead, they can concentrate their efforts on catching and jailing REAL criminals.

As other states follow our lead, within the year drug prices will plummet, taking all the profits away from organized crime and international smugglers like Osama Bin Laden. In our inner cities, it won't be glamorous any more to be a drug dealer. Turf battles and drive-by shootings will cease. Cancer patients will have their medicinal marijuana to stave off the debilitating effects of chemotherapy. In short, the quality of life in Pennsylvania will take one giant leap forward.

All coming to you on January 20, 2015. V-day.

But it doesn't end only with victory in the War on Drugs. There are many, many other things that I'll be able to do as Governor of Pennsylvania for Liberty, including numerous constitutionally-granted powers that I can use without the assistance of either the Legislature or the courts.

What can you expect from a Libertarian Governor? Plenty!

1) I'll veto all tax increases. Once I'm in office, it'll take a 2/3 vote to override my veto to pass any tax increase. A tax will have to be pretty important before the Legislature could muster that sort of supermajority.

2) I'll end parole for violent criminals. Statistics show that 95% of all crimes are committed by only 5% of the criminals. So it's INSANE to let these hoodlums out of prison before their time. As Governor, I'll make certain that they serve every minute of their sentences.

3) I'll veto all unwarranted expansion of government. Government spending has been rising at 3.5 times the rate of inflation since 1964. Where our state government took $100 per citizen in 1964, it's a whopping $2,300 today. Once I'm in office, this trend will end.

4) I'll use the Line Item Veto to eliminate unconstitutional measures, such as the recent shameful rider increasing lawmakers' pensions by 50%.

5) Over the next 4 years, I'll introduce a series of budgets that completely eliminates the need for the personal Income Tax, eliminating a fourth of it each year. We only need to roll back the size of government to what it was in 1998 to pay for the reduction.

6) I'll work to end the government education monopoly. We can educate our children better for less, but not by using the one-size-fits-none approach we have today. Parents, not bureaucrats, should control their children's education.

7) I'll work to defuse the abortion issue. With only one small change to the law, we can increase the options available to pregnant women and retain their right to choose while saving many more babies than we do today.

8) I'll firmly remind the federal government that 10th Amendment means just what it says. The Governor's primary responsibility is to protect and defend the citizens of Pennsylvania from all enemies, foreign AND domestic.

9) There's much, much more! Learn all about it on my campaign website at http://www.KenK.org.

So mark your calendar: January 20, 2015, the day the War on Drugs comes to an end in Pennsylvania. Can you picture in your mind how that day will unfold? I already have it in my Daytimer...

After I'm inaugurated and take my seat in the Governor's office, my first official act will be to start the constitutional process to pardon all non-violent drug offenders, and anyone else convicted of a "victimless crime".

Next, I'll sign an order to immediately return all forfeited assets.

Before I put down my pen, I'll end all parole for violent criminals.

And then I'll break for lunch.

Over the following four years, I promise to be a tireless champion of the Pennsylvania taxpayer, constantly holding the feet of our lawmakers, judges, and sheriffs to the fires of the Constitution.

Mark your calendars: 1/20/15. Can you imagine it? I, for one, can't wait. But remember, it won't happen unless you act now to...

1. Forward this e-mail to everyone you know. 2. Make a generous contribution today. 3. Register to vote. 4. Volunteer to help. 5. Vote for Ken Krawchuk for Governor on November 4th.

We Libertarians are poised to make history here in Pennsylvania, and just one in eight voting-age Pennsylvanians is all it takes. Just one in eight. Please help. History is waiting.

Thanks,

- Ken

---------------------------------------------
Ken Krawchuk
Libertarian for Pennsylvania Governor

Krawchuk '14
c/o PO Box 260
Cheltenham, Penna. 19012

(215) 881-9696 (voice)
info@KenK.Org
www.KenK.Org

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