Los Angeles County, CA March 7, 2000 Election
Smart Voter

San Fernando Valley Secession

By Charles T. Black, M.D.

Candidate for State Senator; District 23

This information is provided by the candidate
No Government is Legitimate without the consent of the governed. The Right of Self Determination is Fundamental
The most fundamental right that any citizen has is to choose what government he will form and subject himself to. The founding fathers knew that the only legitimate government is that which is freely chosen by the governed. The principle of self determination is the most fundamental principle of this country. A revolution was fought over it. The San Fernando Valley for a number of reasons wishes to form its own government. That is a basic right and the LA City Council has no authority to stand in the way. Mr Jefferson wrote: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That in order to secure these rights governments are established among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends (including the LA City Council) it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness." The key point here is whenever any form of government becomes destructive or does not secure the rights of the governed then those same people have the right to alter or abolish government, the right to determine for themselves what government they will consent to.
The LA City Council has been successful in keeping
those who wish to secede involved in side issues. Things such as tax revenues, status of government properties, poorer districts, schools, sewers and the like. Keeping you busy and distracted by committees, studies, environmental impact reports, more and more costs and tactics to delay and stall is not preserving your rights. Believe me there will be no end to the things that you will have to study, do and pay for in order to even get them to think about valley succession. Those subjects that are mentioned above are things that can be negotiated and settled but are certainly not to be used as bogus reasons for preventing the self determination of the people in the valley; that is The right of the governed to choose and consent to forming their own government. The council is not interested in preserving your rights, but only in maintaining their power base. That is what it is about. Loss of tax revenues means loss of power and control. That means no political influence. This is the major problem with all government in the United States today. They have lost the main reason for their existence: which is to preserve, protect and enhance the liberty and rights of the individual.
Continual pressure will be necessary as people in the
government (republicans and democrats alike, as they are pretty much the same) will not give up their personal power easily. As a Libertarian, I know what your rights are and what the true function of government is. I can only say that if all of you in the valley had had the good sense to vote Libertarian and elected Libertarian senators, assemblymen and council members you would not now be having to crawl on your hands and knees and begging city officials for your right of self determination. You can correct that and change this by voting for and electing Libertarians.

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ca/state Created from information supplied by the candidate: February 11, 2000 20:46
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