Pirate Party Endorses at least Six Candidates Nationwide

Following my recent post on the Pirate Party's criticism of the Senate's efforts to create an internet "blacklist," and get its foot in the door on the censorship of online content, a commenter at IPR inquired whether the Pirate Party is endorsing any candidates for office this year.  From what I've been able to determine, the US Pirate Party has endorsed at least two candidates for US House nationwide, while the Pirate Party of Oklahoma has endorsed two candidates for US House and two candidates for state representative in the Sooner State.  Michael Meo is the Pacific Green Party candidate in Oregon's 3rd Congressional District.  Of his political experience, Meo writes in part:

My work in politics is connected with the Pacific Green Party of Oregon.  I've served since 2008 as elected co-chair of the State Co-ordinating Committee of the Party, and since 2009 as Executive Director of its Portland Metro Chapter.  I was nominated and ran for the US House of Representatives 3rd District seat two years ago, and am running for the second time this year.

The US Pirate Party endorsed Meo over the summer.  In their press release announcing the endorsement, we read:

Michael Meo attended the meeting on July, 13, 2010 of the United States Pirate Party. During the meeting, he was asked if he will support our party's platform, including personal privacy, government transparency, and copyright and patent reform. He said, "All of those things I agree with and will support."

He also explained that "Only with open availability of information, such as is only possible with Net Neutrality, can we obtain and enforce the accountability of both public officials and the Green Party."

During the meeting, Meo vehemently insisted that he would take no donations from any committee. In regards to donations from lobbyists, he stated, "Lobbyists are
only allowed to give me information, but not any emolument."

Michael Meo is a refreshing change from the trite political rhetoric that is far too prevalent these days. The Pirate Party asks that its members and supporters in the 3rd Congressional District of Oregon eagerly support this exemplary candidate.

The Pirate Party also appears to have endorsed Stephen Collings, the Libertarian Party candidate for US House in Tennessee's 5th Congressional District.  Collings describes himself as a 26 year old electrical engineer from Nashville, TN.  On his website, he writes:

Look at the last ten years. We've seen power swing all the way from one side of the aisle to the other. No matter which party won, we didn't get any of those things. The federal budget is still unbalanced, and getting worse every year. The financial sector is still behaving in the exact way that caused the original collapse and recession. Massive trade deficits are sucking manufacturing jobs out of the country at a time we need them the most. Health care costs are completely ignored, in favor of ideological struggles over universal coverage. Illegal immigrants and drugs pour into our country, while our guns and money fuel a Mexican civil war. And yet we re-elect the same people, year after year. 

Introducing visitors to his stances on no less than thirty different issues, Collings writes:

I am a member of the Libertarian Party, and have been endorsed by the Pirate Party. However, my campaign platform differs from that of either party on a number of issues. I am always more interested in finding practical solutions than in any ideology.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any confirmation of this endorsement at the Pirate Party's website.  However, it may have gone missing when the site was completely revamped earlier this year.  Emails sent to Renee Schroeder and Brittany Phelps at the USPP regarding Pirate Party endorsements went unanswered as of this writing. 

The Pirate Party of Oklahoma may be the most active state chapter of the USPP in the entire country, judging from its web presence and activity.  Earlier this month, the PPOK announced that it had endorsed four candidates for elected office in the Sooner State: two candidates for US House and two candidates for State Representative.  From the announcement at the party's blog:

After reviewing all the replies we received to our endorsement survey, the Pirate Party of Oklahoma is very happy to announce our support and endorsement of the following candidates running for office in Oklahoma. We urge you to click on each candidates name and review their responses to our survey:

• Angelia O’Dell, Independent / Libertarian, US Congress – District 1
• Clark Duffe, Independent / Libertarian, US Congress – District 5
• Edward Shadid, Independent / Green, State Representative – District 85
• Zachary Knight, Independent / Libertarian, State Representative – District 46

We feel very strongly that these candidates best represent the values the Pirate Party is fighting for, and that they will do whatever it takes to protect the privacy rights of all Oklahomans, that they will execute their office with full transparency, that they will fight to make Oklahoma a better democracy, and that they will push for copyright and patent reform. We urge all Oklahomans to take a closer look at these candidates and to consider them as your next elected official come November.

The endorsements appear to mirror the national party's affinity for Green and Libertarian candidates, which is not surprising given the Pirate platform.