Michael Denny: An Open Letter to Adriel Hampton

Adriel Hampton, SF Examiner / Independent

Dear Adriel,

Thanks for mentioning me in your story about the Veterans’ mayoral event in the Independent. However, you neglected to mention the issues I represent. This letter is to make them clear so you can write about them with confidence next time.

I represent the position that City Hall is the main cause of our problems and not the solution. There are three candidates in the race who share this position, Jim Reid, Kent Clark, and I. While Jim and Kent focus on specific issues, I bring this approach to all aspects of city governance.

Look at the things we like most about San Francisco…our diversity, tolerance, friendliness, our “heart,” and more. These are the results of an environment with a high level of personal freedom. While all Libertarians campaign aggressively for personal freedom, San Francisco has more than most places so I’m not as worried about this as I am about other issues in the campaign.

Now look at the things we don’t like about San Francisco….expensive housing, the cost of doing business, loss of jobs, and more. These are the results of an environment with a low level of economic freedom. This is the most important issue in the campaign despite the fact that no one is talking about it. All the leading candidates want the power of City Hall to advance special interests that own their campaigns and expect to improve their position at the public trough. Only Jim Reid, Kent Clark, and I are campaigning for the economic freedom and property rights of San Franciscans. We want City Hall to do us all a favor and get out of the way. The other candidates want to ruin San Francisco by either maintaining or expanding the role of City Hall in these choices. See the difference?

If San Franciscans could only realize how much they would benefit by applying the same freedom to economic choices that they do with personal choices. If they did, we would flourish economically the same way we do personally. And San Francisco would be a much better place to live. Who better than a regular person who built his business with his own hands to represent this much-needed perspective in the campaign?

Articulating the issues I’m campaigning for would also help San Franciscans understand the dynamics of this mayoral race and make better choices in November.  Presenting the race as the ideological battle it really is would make it more interesting for the voters to read too. Let’s face it; watching four career Democrats pander to the establishment is pretty dull. Put Jim, Kent, and me --  the “Davids” -- into an ideological struggle with the four “Goliaths.” Now that would be fun and expand public interest in the race at the same time. And it might actually do some good for the people of San Francisco along the way.

Best personal regards…please feel free to contact me at any time.

Sincerely,