Scott Boman
Encyclopedia
Scott Avery Boman (born April 14, 1962) has been one of Michigan
’s most visible (and most voted for) Libertarian
politicians since the late 1990s. Boman was the 2006 running mate of gubernatorial candidate Gregory Creswell
in the 2006 Michigan gubernatorial election
, and has been a candidate in every state-wide partisan election since 1994 when he ran for State Representative
in the 7th district. While his birth name is "Scott" he has gone by "Scotty" on his literature and in ballot listings. Also, he became the second Libertarian to be endorsed by The Detroit News
, when he competed in the 1997 Detroit City Council general election.
As of January 2008, Boman has been a member of the Republican Party
, and has been actively promoting Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul
by participating in interviews with local media, writing opinion columns, and being an assistant meetup organizer.
In the 2010 Michigan elections, Boman ran for Secretary of State and received 58,044 votes.
politician, and precinct delegate, Ray Howard Boman. Scott Boman went to grade school at the Detroit Waldorf School, and graduated from Grosse Pointe South High School
in 1980. He earned a bachelors of Science in Physics and Philosophy (with a minor in mathematics
) from Western Michigan University
in 1985. Boman returned to Western Michigan University
where he earned his Master of Arts in Physics
, and participated in scholarly research. In 1999 he earned a MAT in Secondary Education at Wayne State University
.
In 1984 Boman was the founding President of a student social organization at Western Michigan University
called "Fellowship of the Purple Cube". The organization also organized a protest in support of students who wished to hold an outlawed street party. Boman also wrote for the Western Herald on this issue and other topics.
In 1994 Boman ran for 7th District State Representative to the Michigan Legislature
. In the same year Boman (along with Emily Salvette and Barb Vozenilek) headed a successful effort to collect 40,700 signatures to restore the Libertarian Party of Michigan's ballot access.
In 1996 Boman ran for the United States House of Representatives
14th District. He received 1,705 votes for .9% of the vote.
In 1997 Boman became the second Libertarian to be endorsed by The Detroit News
, when he ran for member of the Detroit City Council.
In 1998 he ran for the Wayne State University
Board of Governors. Boman received 2.6% of the vote.
In 1999 Boman was elected to the Wayne State University
Student Council.
He ran again for the Wayne State University Board of Governors in 2000, earning more votes than any other minor party candidate, in that election, for any office. His vote total of 130,176 (1.86%). This is 46,000 votes more than those cast for the well-known Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader
, whose vote total was 84,165 votes (but since less votes were cast for president Nader had a higher percentage of the vote ).
In 2002, Boman ran for the State Board of Education receiving 1.57% of the vote.
In 2004 the perennial candidate made another run for the State Board of Education
In 2005 he was Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Michigan.
In 2006 Boman was elected to be Chair of the Libertarian Party of Michigan
.
; Gubernatorial candidate Gregory Creswell
and Boman's names appeared on the campaigns signage with Boman's name on the right and with the elective offices they were running for listed underneath. Both candidates actively distributed the tickets campaign profiles and other materials whenever possible. They also participated jointly on radio interviews and in radio commercials.
Like Creswell, Boman said his support of the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative
(MCRI) was consistent with his opposition to all forms of state-sponsored racial or sexual discrimination. Like Creswell, he spoke in radio commercials that contrasted Libertarians from Democrats and Republicans, by supporting an end to what they called, "racial preferences".
(ACLU), but choose not to renew his membership in 2006 because of the ACLU opposition to MCRI.
. Both he and Creswell referred to the Mackinac Center when asked for specific ideas on practical economic reforms. In general Boman objected to all taxes, but conceded the need to phase them out carefully.
In January, 2008, Boman became a member of the Republican Party
. He was interviewed by Detroit’s major daily newspaper, the Detroit News about his support of Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul
, and cites the Paul candidacy as a reason for becoming a Republican.
Boman also encouraged voters to choose Ron Paul in his opinion column, and has served as an assistant meetup organizer for the Wayne County Ron Paul Meetup Group.
He was elected precinct delegate in 2010, and is running in the 2012 United States Senate race as a Republican.
seat in the US Senate, in which he received 1.57% of the vote. His attempt was made under the Libertarian Party of Michigan
ticket after winning a contested nomination at their convention over, their 2006 United States Senate nominee, Leonard Schwartz.
Coach, William Scott Bowman, who was also known as "Scotty Bowman". A photo of the banner from his website appeared in the Detroit Free Press
with the caption:
candidates on Michigan's ballot who endorsed the Campaign for Liberty four point agenda. Ron Paul
initially introduced these four points of agreement at a press conference that he hosted on September 10, 2008. They represented points of agreement between presidential candidates Cynthia McKinney, Chuck Baldwin, Ralph Nader, and Bob Barr.
The four point agenda entitled "We Agree" calls for a non-interventionist foreign policy, the restoration of privacy rights, paying off the national debt, and an end to the Federal Reserve System
.
The consensus reached by Boman and his counterparts, paralleled the consensus reached by the four corresponding presidential candidates. The other participating United States Senate candidates were Harley Mikkelson of the Green Party
, Mike Nikitin of the Constitution Party
(Taxpayers), and Doug Dern of the Natural Law Party
.
Boman had participated in previous multipartisan efforts including the formation of the Michigan Third Parties Coalition, and reminded reporters of this at an appearance in Jackson Michigan.
's nomination for Michigan Secretary of State
. One of his stated objectives was to use his candidacy to draw attention to state ID modifications and the effect he believed they had on privacy. He lost the election and placed third with 58,044 votes. In Michigan, partisan placement on the ballot is based upon votes received by a party's Secretary of State candidate.
Boman and his Green Party opponent, John Anthony La Pietra issued a joint statement expressing their concern about what they called "Dangerouse ID". Boman said he would "would reject the Real ID Act
, Pass Act, or any other attempt to make state documents into de facto national ID cards."
Boman also opposed the driver responsibility fee, taxpayer-funded primaries, and a state Constitutional Convention. He supported no-reason absentee voting, with added security measures.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
’s most visible (and most voted for) Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
politicians since the late 1990s. Boman was the 2006 running mate of gubernatorial candidate Gregory Creswell
Gregory Creswell
Gregory “Greg” Creswell is a Libertarian politician from Michigan. He made the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative the centerpiece of his 2006 campaign for governor. The measure passed, by a 16% margin, even though it was opposed by Creswell's gubernatorial rivals and a conglomerate of groups called...
in the 2006 Michigan gubernatorial election
Michigan gubernatorial election, 2006
The Michigan gubernatorial election of 2006 was one of the 36 U.S. gubernatorial elections held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm was re-elected over Republican businessman Dick DeVos, Libertarian Gregory Creswell, Green Douglas Campbell, and U.S. Taxpayer Candidate...
, and has been a candidate in every state-wide partisan election since 1994 when he ran for State Representative
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
in the 7th district. While his birth name is "Scott" he has gone by "Scotty" on his literature and in ballot listings. Also, he became the second Libertarian to be endorsed by The Detroit News
The Detroit News
The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
, when he competed in the 1997 Detroit City Council general election.
As of January 2008, Boman has been a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and has been actively promoting Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
by participating in interviews with local media, writing opinion columns, and being an assistant meetup organizer.
In the 2010 Michigan elections, Boman ran for Secretary of State and received 58,044 votes.
Early life
Boman was son of DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician, and precinct delegate, Ray Howard Boman. Scott Boman went to grade school at the Detroit Waldorf School, and graduated from Grosse Pointe South High School
Grosse Pointe South High School
Grosse Pointe South High School , commonly called South, is one of two public high schools located in the Grosse Pointes, suburban cities adjacent to Detroit, Michigan. At the corner of Fisher Road and Grosse Pointe Blvd in Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe High School, the first public high...
in 1980. He earned a bachelors of Science in Physics and Philosophy (with a minor in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
) from Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
in 1985. Boman returned to Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
where he earned his Master of Arts in Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, and participated in scholarly research. In 1999 he earned a MAT in Secondary Education at Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
.
Political activities prior to 2006
Scott Boman has run for several public offices, and has been elected to leadership positions in a few organizations.In 1984 Boman was the founding President of a student social organization at Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
called "Fellowship of the Purple Cube". The organization also organized a protest in support of students who wished to hold an outlawed street party. Boman also wrote for the Western Herald on this issue and other topics.
In 1994 Boman ran for 7th District State Representative to the Michigan Legislature
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
. In the same year Boman (along with Emily Salvette and Barb Vozenilek) headed a successful effort to collect 40,700 signatures to restore the Libertarian Party of Michigan's ballot access.
In 1996 Boman ran for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
14th District. He received 1,705 votes for .9% of the vote.
In 1997 Boman became the second Libertarian to be endorsed by The Detroit News
The Detroit News
The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
, when he ran for member of the Detroit City Council.
In 1998 he ran for the Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
Board of Governors. Boman received 2.6% of the vote.
In 1999 Boman was elected to the Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
Student Council.
He ran again for the Wayne State University Board of Governors in 2000, earning more votes than any other minor party candidate, in that election, for any office. His vote total of 130,176 (1.86%). This is 46,000 votes more than those cast for the well-known Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
, whose vote total was 84,165 votes (but since less votes were cast for president Nader had a higher percentage of the vote ).
In 2002, Boman ran for the State Board of Education receiving 1.57% of the vote.
In 2004 the perennial candidate made another run for the State Board of Education
In 2005 he was Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Michigan.
In 2006 Boman was elected to be Chair of the Libertarian Party of Michigan
Libertarian Party of Michigan
The Libertarian Party of Michigan was founded in Taylor, Michigan in 1972 and remains on the ballot; as Michigan’s third oldest active political party...
.
Gubernatorial ticket
Boman's presence on the gubernatorial ticket was the topic of an article in the Detroit Free Press. Gregory CreswellGregory Creswell
Gregory “Greg” Creswell is a Libertarian politician from Michigan. He made the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative the centerpiece of his 2006 campaign for governor. The measure passed, by a 16% margin, even though it was opposed by Creswell's gubernatorial rivals and a conglomerate of groups called...
; Gubernatorial candidate Gregory Creswell
Gregory Creswell
Gregory “Greg” Creswell is a Libertarian politician from Michigan. He made the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative the centerpiece of his 2006 campaign for governor. The measure passed, by a 16% margin, even though it was opposed by Creswell's gubernatorial rivals and a conglomerate of groups called...
and Boman's names appeared on the campaigns signage with Boman's name on the right and with the elective offices they were running for listed underneath. Both candidates actively distributed the tickets campaign profiles and other materials whenever possible. They also participated jointly on radio interviews and in radio commercials.
Racial preferences
Michigan Civil Rights Initiative
The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative , or Proposal 2 , was a ballot initiative in the U.S. state of Michigan that passed into Michigan Constitutional law by a 58% to 42% margin on November 7, 2006, according to results officially certified by the Michigan Secretary of State. By Michigan law, the...
(MCRI) was consistent with his opposition to all forms of state-sponsored racial or sexual discrimination. Like Creswell, he spoke in radio commercials that contrasted Libertarians from Democrats and Republicans, by supporting an end to what they called, "racial preferences".
Civil liberties, prisons and non-violent crime
Boman, like Creswell, held to the notion that people should be free to act as they wish so long as they don’t initiate force against others. He was endorsed by the "Stonewall Libertarians" for openly supporting equal rights for gays. Boman also argued that a respect for civil liberties would eliminate the need for replacing Michigan's single-business tax. Boman’s alternative was to save money by pardoning people in prison for what he called "victimless crimes", and an end to state enforcement of drug prohibitions. He focused on medical marijuana as one example of civil liberties worthy of being respected. He was also a member of the American Civil Liberties UnionAmerican Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
(ACLU), but choose not to renew his membership in 2006 because of the ACLU opposition to MCRI.
Economy
Boman also supported a market economyMarket economy
A market economy is an economy in which the prices of goods and services are determined in a free price system. This is often contrasted with a state-directed or planned economy. Market economies can range from hypothetically pure laissez-faire variants to an assortment of real-world mixed...
. Both he and Creswell referred to the Mackinac Center when asked for specific ideas on practical economic reforms. In general Boman objected to all taxes, but conceded the need to phase them out carefully.
Republican Party involvement
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He was interviewed by Detroit’s major daily newspaper, the Detroit News about his support of Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
, and cites the Paul candidacy as a reason for becoming a Republican.
Boman also encouraged voters to choose Ron Paul in his opinion column, and has served as an assistant meetup organizer for the Wayne County Ron Paul Meetup Group.
He was elected precinct delegate in 2010, and is running in the 2012 United States Senate race as a Republican.
2008 US Senate candidacy
Boman finished third in an unsuccessful attempt to be elected to Carl Levin'sCarl Levin
Carl Milton Levin is a Jewish-American United States Senator from Michigan, serving since 1979. He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
seat in the US Senate, in which he received 1.57% of the vote. His attempt was made under the Libertarian Party of Michigan
Libertarian Party of Michigan
The Libertarian Party of Michigan was founded in Taylor, Michigan in 1972 and remains on the ballot; as Michigan’s third oldest active political party...
ticket after winning a contested nomination at their convention over, their 2006 United States Senate nominee, Leonard Schwartz.
Name recognition
Some pundits found the need to distinguish Boman from the former National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
Coach, William Scott Bowman, who was also known as "Scotty Bowman". A photo of the banner from his website appeared in the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
with the caption:
"Scotty Boman, a Libertarian candidate in Michigan's senatorial race, is not related to THE Scotty Bowman. He wants to make that perfectly clear by putting something that looks like a Red WingsDetroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
jersey on his Web site."
Bailout statement
Boman joined every Michigan Libertarian candidate for the United States House of Representatives, in publicly expressing disapproval of any federal bailout plan. A Libertarian Party of Michigan press release quoted Boman as saying "We must not tax, regulate and penalize them to bail out those on Wall Street and Main Street who have demonstrated they are not responsible, and will likely do the same thing again, and expect yet another bail out"Campaign for Liberty four point agenda
Boman was among the four United States SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
candidates on Michigan's ballot who endorsed the Campaign for Liberty four point agenda. Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
initially introduced these four points of agreement at a press conference that he hosted on September 10, 2008. They represented points of agreement between presidential candidates Cynthia McKinney, Chuck Baldwin, Ralph Nader, and Bob Barr.
The four point agenda entitled "We Agree" calls for a non-interventionist foreign policy, the restoration of privacy rights, paying off the national debt, and an end to the Federal Reserve System
Federal Reserve System
The Federal Reserve System is the central banking system of the United States. It was created on December 23, 1913 with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, largely in response to a series of financial panics, particularly a severe panic in 1907...
.
The consensus reached by Boman and his counterparts, paralleled the consensus reached by the four corresponding presidential candidates. The other participating United States Senate candidates were Harley Mikkelson of the Green Party
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
, Mike Nikitin of the Constitution Party
Constitution Party (United States)
The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
(Taxpayers), and Doug Dern of the Natural Law Party
Natural Law Party
The Natural Law Party was a transnational party based on the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It was active in up to 74 countries, and ran candidates in at least ten. Founded in 1992, it was mostly disbanded in 2004 but continues in India and in some U.S. states.The NLP viewed "natural law" as...
.
Boman had participated in previous multipartisan efforts including the formation of the Michigan Third Parties Coalition, and reminded reporters of this at an appearance in Jackson Michigan.
2010 Secretary of State candidacy
In 2010 Boman received the Libertarian Party of MichiganLibertarian Party of Michigan
The Libertarian Party of Michigan was founded in Taylor, Michigan in 1972 and remains on the ballot; as Michigan’s third oldest active political party...
's nomination for Michigan Secretary of State
Michigan Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is the third-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan and one of four great offices of state. As the name implies, the officeholder was originally responsible for much of state government, but now the duties are similar to those of the other 47 secretaries of states...
. One of his stated objectives was to use his candidacy to draw attention to state ID modifications and the effect he believed they had on privacy. He lost the election and placed third with 58,044 votes. In Michigan, partisan placement on the ballot is based upon votes received by a party's Secretary of State candidate.
Boman and his Green Party opponent, John Anthony La Pietra issued a joint statement expressing their concern about what they called "Dangerouse ID". Boman said he would "would reject the Real ID Act
REAL ID Act
The REAL ID Act of 2005, , was an Act of Congress that modified U.S. federal law pertaining to security, authentication, and issuance procedures standards for the state driver's licenses and identification cards, as well as various immigration issues pertaining to terrorism.The law set forth...
, Pass Act, or any other attempt to make state documents into de facto national ID cards."
Boman also opposed the driver responsibility fee, taxpayer-funded primaries, and a state Constitutional Convention. He supported no-reason absentee voting, with added security measures.
2012 US Senate Candidacy
Boman formally announced his campaign to seek the Republican nomination for United States Senate on Friday September 9th, 2011 in a press release. He joins a Republican Primary contest in which most of the attention has gone to charter school leader Clark Durant and former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra.External links
- United States Senate campaign
- campaign page for Lieutenant Governor campaign
- Scotty Boman's Vote USA Posting
- Greg Creswell's Vote USA Posting.
- Gregory Creswell's early role in placing MCRI on the Ballot
- League of Women Voters Election Guide
- Brass Roots Web page
- Article about early phase of MCRI effort
- Article about Creswell and his running-mate
- Libertarian Party of Michigan Website
- National Libertarian Party website
- University of Michigan Library Reference
- Vote USA Michigan 2006 Election
- International Society for Individual Liberty, Michigan Chapter