S
E P T E M B E R R E P O R T
We're
putting the
World's
Smallest Political Quiz
into the hands of America's
most
influential people!
Dear
friend of liberty:
I have great news for you!
The Advocates for Self-Government is out of debt!
We've completely paid off the $48,906 we owed!
In a Special Report that I've posted online, you can read how we
overcame the most serious financial crisis in our history -- thanks
to the generosity of people like you. (To read the Special Report,
CLICK HERE.)
Later in this letter, I'll also share with you the remarkable words
of encouragement that supporters sent during our time of crisis.
Their words touched my heart -- and confirmed just how important
the Advocates for Self-Government is to the libertarian movement.
They also gave me the encouragement to move ahead rapidly with our
next big project...
The most influential people
in America
Right now, we're in the process of getting the World's Smallest
Political Quiz into the hands of the most influential people
in America!
This is something libertarians previously only dreamed
about doing!
But thanks to a generous donor, the Advocates can now reach America's
most powerful politicians, educators, and journalists.
How? We're running large, full-color advertisements in two magazines:
School Reform News and Budget & Tax News.
Both are published by the Heartland Institute, the Chicago-based
think tank that has effectively promoted libertarian ideas for 20+
years.
More importantly, both magazines are mailed to the "POWER DEMOGRAPHIC"
-- people who dominate American politics, journalism, and education.
Educational "movers
and shakers"
xxx
For
example, School Reform News is mailed to:
* 13,900 public school board presidents.
* 3,604 charter school principals.
* 22,700 private school principals and teachers.
These are the people who decide what is taught in American schools
-- and what is not.
The magazine also reaches 760 high-level education journalists.
In all, School Reform News is mailed to 75,704 movers and
shakers.
Even as you read this, those 75,704 readers are seeing a series
of bright, colorful ads inviting them to use the World's Smallest
Political Quiz as a teaching tool in their classrooms and
schools.
In fact, we offer to send them as many Quizzes as they want -- for
free.
Every
major state and national politician
Budget & Tax News reaches
an even more potent demographic:
* 8,500 state and national elected officials.
* 8,440 municipal officials.
Who are these officials?
EVERY U.S. Senator. EVERY U.S.
Representative. EVERY governor. EVERY
state legislator. EVERY big-city mayor. And EVERY
big-city council member.
These officials have their hands on the levers of government power.
Their decisions effect your life -- every day.
Plus, Budget & Tax News is delivered to 598 political
reporters. When it comes to politicians and government, these elite
journalists decide what is news -- and what is not.
In all, Budget & Tax News is mailed to 19,128 of America's
most powerful people.
Even as you read this, those 19,128 readers are seeing a series
of eye-catching ads -- enticing them to take the World's Smallest
Political Quiz.
And when they take the Quiz, those 19,128 readers will learn that
there's more to politics than Left and Right.
Will they read the advertisements?
Imagine -- tens of thousands of influential Americans will get these
two magazines!
But will they read them? Will they see our advertisements?
The answer is a definite "YES," according to research.
An amazing 84% of elected state officials said they read at least
one Heartland magazine "sometimes" or "always."
Even better, 47% said a Heartland publication influenced their opinions
or led to a change in public policy!
In other words, these magazines have the power to affect and change
political decisions.
The New Hampshire experiment
So what impact will our advertisements have?
It's too soon to tell, since the first ads are just appearing.
But here's something interesting: Back in the late 1980s, an enterprising
New Hampshire libertarian mailed a copy of the World's Smallest
Political Quiz to all 400 N.H. state legislators. He enclosed a
note inviting them to take the Quiz. He urged them to contact him
if they wanted more information about libertarianism.
Two did contact him. And one of them said he scored a perfect 100/100
on the Quiz!
Even more interesting: Three years later, that
100/100 State Representative ran for office as a Libertarian!
In that New Hampshire experiment, just 400 state politicians were
exposed to the Quiz.
With our ad in Budget & Tax News, every major
state and federal politician in the USA -- including the ones in
your home state! -- will have the opportunity to take the Quiz.
How many will find out that they, too, are LIBERTARIANS?
21,799 copies of the Quiz!
Then there's our ad in School Reform News.
Last year, as an experiment, we ran ads in three different educational
magazines inviting teachers to request the Quiz.
More than 160 teachers in 44 states responded. We shipped out a
staggering 21,799 copies of the Quiz! As a result, thousands
of students took the Quiz in their classrooms.
Now, 75,704 School Reform News readers will have the same
opportunity. Only, this time, we're reaching principals
and school board members, too.
The Quiz's paradigm-shifting
magic
For years, libertarians dreamed about being able to reach America's
most influential people.
Thanks to the Advocates (and a generous friend), we're doing it.
The World's Smallest Political Quiz will have an opportunity to
work its wondrous, eye-opening, paradigmshifting magic on tens
of thousands of governors, Senators, principals, school board
members, teachers, and influential journalists!
But we're not stopping there.
The Advocates is also moving forward with all our regular, successful
projects to promote liberty...
The online Quiz taken 7.8
million times!
Back in 2005, something surprising happened: we passed the 5-million
mark in Quiz-takers on our Web site.
It was surprising because 1 million people took the Quiz in 2005
-- far more than we expected.
Well, a mind-blowing 2.8 million more people have taken
the online Quiz this year! As I write this, the Quiz has now been
taken more than 7.8 million times.
And the numbers continue to gush upwards. In fact, on some good
days, the Quiz has been taken 30,000 times!
This
means, so far this year, 2.8 million more people have discovered
that politics isn't a simplistic line running from Left to Right.
Even better, those 2.8 million Quiz-takers discovered exactly where
they stand on the political map.
Best of all, about one-third of them scored LIBERTARIAN!
Newcomers swarm to our Web
sites!
When people score libertarian on the Quiz, where do they turn for
more information?
The answer: Our web sites -- TheAdvocates.org and
Libertarianism.com -- which offer a fast, friendly
way for newcomers to grasp the basics of libertarianism.
Plus, both Web sites are DOORWAYS to the broader libertarian movement!
When new libertarians want to get involved, we take their hand and
show them all the options they have.
Liberator Online
reaches almost 70,000 readers!
More new libertarians are also signing up for our email newsletter,
the Liberator Online.
It's already the largest-circulation libertarian publication in
the world. And that circulation keeps growing every month. It's
currently reaching almost 70,000 readers.
Every issue offers articles about libertarianism, the libertarian
movement, current events, and better ways to communicate the ideas
of liberty.
For new libertarians, the Liberator Online is like a smart
friend who comes by and gives them regular updates about the progress
of liberty!
Activists inspired by our
Lights of Liberty!
We're also encouraging libertarian activists to do more.
Our Lights of Liberty program rewards effective grassroots outreach.
Every
year, we give activists praise and awards for writing proliberty
letters to the editor, giving speeches about libertarianism, and
working in Operation Politically Homeless (OPH) booths.
In 2006, those volunteer efforts will reach hundreds of thousands
of Americans with the libertarian message!
Three steps to freedom
Looking at the Advocates' projects I just listed, do you get the
sense there's more to them than meets the eye?
That somehow, each project is part of a bigger strategy
to build a successful mass movement for liberty?
You're right! We have a 3-step strategy to promote liberty. It is:
STEP 1: We DISCOVER
libertarian-leaning folks. How? With the online Quiz, OPH booths,
and other libertarian outreach efforts inspired by our Lights of
Liberty project.
STEP 2: We offer these
newly discovered libertarians the INFORMATION they need to understand
and embrace the ideas of liberty. How? With our Web sites and the
Liberator Online.
STEP 3: We offer these
new, enthusiastic libertarians the TRAINING and TOOLS they need
to become effective advocates of the ideas of liberty. How? With
seminars, magazines, books, and DVDs.
We help these folks become the next generation of libertarian
activists, speakers, and candidates. Then, they go out and find
more new libertarians.
And the whole process starts over again.
Every time the cycle turns, the numbers grow. The numbers
in this letter prove this 3-step plan is working.
And this 3-step plan is especially vital right now, in 2006.
Unprecedented opportunities
It's an election year. People are focused on politics.
With all the bad news people hear every day -- political corruption,
foreign wars, ballooning deficits, assaults on civil liberties --
Americans are more receptive than ever to political alternatives.
Will we be READY to offer that alternative?
Will we be READY to explain to millions of Americans how libertarianism
can improve their lives, their neighborhoods, and their nation?
The answer is up to you. Your donation makes our work possible.
We need to be ready
In 2006, the Advocates must keep moving forward aggressively.
With our new magazine advertisements landing in readers' mailboxes
right now, we must be ready to send information to politicians and
journalists who request it.
We must be ready to send tens of thousands of Quizzes to teachers
and principals who ask for them.
We must beef up our Web site server -- well before the
November election -- to handle the crush of people who want to take
the Quiz.
We must continue all our programs that do so much good.
Remember, no other libertarian group does what the Advocates
does.
What the Advocates means
to people
I told you earlier that we received letters of encouragement during
our financial crisis.
In those letters, people explained why they were sending their last
few dollars to make sure the Advocates survived.
Few things in life have touched me as deeply as the heartfelt messages
from those libertarian activists.
"The Advocates give
me hope"
What does the Advocates mean to them? I'll let them tell you...
• "The Advocates
is the one libertarian organization actively out there selling freedom,
and not just to the choir. The Advocates give me hope (and) strength
and courage to continue the fight. YOU are our guiding light."
-- R.K., Oregon
• "I had
to give something. It hurts to put 50 dollars anywhere except into
rent or food, but the Advocates are very important. I'll try to
convince my friends to donate as well." -- B.G., Georgia
• "Your
organization is doing the work of the ANGELS. Please continue in
the knowledge that every setback is temporary." --
J.K., California
• "I sent
you only $5 because I was out of work and had been for almost four
years. I have plenty of bills to pay off, but this organization
is important to me." -- M.R., New Hampshire
• "Thanks
for all you do in promoting the libertarian principles in our society!
You are sorely needed!" -- G.D.C., Michigan
• "I enjoy
your organization's bright, positive outlook and your IMAGINATIVE
IDEAS for getting the concepts of liberty out there. I am sorry
I cannot donate more right now." -- I.R., New York
To everyone who took the time to write -- thank you!
Your words recharged my spirit, and made me determined to work harder
then ever to spread our message of liberty.
Why the Advocates is so important
Remember, no other organization discovers, welcomes, educates, and
inspires so many new libertarian activists.
No other organization works so hard to accelerate the success of
the entire libertarian movement.
Now, we need your financial help to keep moving forward.
In fact, your contribution is so important that I'd like to send
you a very special thank-you gift...
When you send $50 or more, I'll send you your choice of:
1) A DVD of Harry
Browne's last public speech -- "The Future Is NOT Hopeless!"
-- delivered at our 20th Anniversary Celebration. It's an inspiring
message of hope and courage, filmed just months before Harry's untimely
death.
2) The brand-new ninth
edition of David Bergland's book, Libertarianism In One Lesson.
Many say it's the best, most informative brief introduction to libertarianism
even written. (I agree!)
3) A DVD of Mary Ruwart's
speech, "Healing Our World." I've seen Mary speak on this
topic before, but this is Mary at her very best! This warm and persuasive
speech was filmed at our 20th Anniversary Celebration.
If you send $100 or more, you can select any TWO of those gifts.
If you send $150 or more, I'll send you all THREE.
CLICK HERE for more details
about these special gifts. When you're ready to make a donation,
simply write the gift(s) you'd like in the "Comments"
field of the donation page.
Every donation allows us to do more and reach more people
in this crucial election year.
Whatever you can give is greatly appreciated. In return, I promise
that we'll put every dollar to work for liberty.
CLICK
HERE to go to our easy online donation form. (The site
is secure and encrypted, so you can donate with confidence.)
Or if you prefer, you can make your donation by phone. Just call
toll-free: 800-932-1776. Or mail your donation to: Advocates for
Self-Government, The Liberty Building, 213 S Erwin St, Cartersville,
GA 30120.
In Liberty,
Sharon Harris, President
PS: The Advocates is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational
organization. As always, your contribution is tax-deductible.
PPS: Election years are especially difficult for
us because so many libertarian contributions are re-directed to
campaigns.
That's great -- but it means that when we need it most, our contributions
decline. At a time when we can do the most good, we face
the toughest struggle to fund our operations.
That's why your help is so important now. With your donation --
CLICK
HERE-- we'll keep bringing the message of liberty to
the world!
PPPS: I hope you're as excited as I am about the
opportunity we have to put the World's Smallest Political Quiz in
the hands of the "power demographic" -- America's most
influential people!
Remember, your contribution makes possible everything we
do.
To go to our easy, secure online donation form, just CLICK
HERE. Simply tell us in the
"Comments" field which gift(s) you want.
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