Movin’ on up

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- A city resident and a common figure at City Council

meetings has been elected to represent Libertarians statewide.

Doug Scribner, who has been the vice chairman of the Libertarian Party

of Orange County for two years, attends most City Council meetings, often

speaking in favor of reducing economic and personal restrictions.

Now when he speaks, he will also be representing the 6,500-member

Libertarian Party of California, which elected him as a member of its

executive committee last month.

“I had no campaign material or platform,” Scribner said. “I won

entirely on the strength of my activism.”

Scribner was vying for one of five at-large positions, along with 14

other candidates. The executive committee, which consists of 10 people,

also includes five regional representatives.

His new duties will include making decisions on fund-raising, dues

spending and marketing the party.

Scribner said he hopes to help convince people that his party is “a

viable option in politics,” he said.

“I’m hoping to train activists not to be angry advocates but to lean

on the compassionate side of the philosophy,” he said. “I want to give

people tools to bring in younger people from their regions, and I want to

change the direction of the party. I’d like us to move away from being a

debating society, arguing among ourselves, and look outside the party to

convince people to join us or at least vote for us.”

Scribner said he is looking for new ways to increase registration and

is hoping to duplicate the success of the Green Party in attracting

college students.

One of his ideas is to put a Libertarian band on tour.

The push to use new media comes naturally to Scribner, a keyboard

player and a video producer who is never without his Palm Pilot. Scribner

even attributes a radio show for sparking his interest in the Libertarian

Party in 1992.

And Scribner won the party its first American Assn. of Political

Consultants award -- for best 60-second advertisement nationwide -- when

he created an animated “South Park” parody advertisement for Steve

Kubby’s campaign for California governor in 1998.

A substitute teacher at Orange County Juvenile Hall in Orange,

Scribner said he became an advocate because of his love for teaching.

“I love watching people learn,” he said. “The ‘Aha!’ moment -- when

someone gets a concept -- thrills me to no end. I think I’m a natural

teacher. I get a very selfish joy out of delivering an argument that

makes that ‘Aha!’ moment. I feel good about myself when that happens and

. . . it benefits others as well. I think that opening people’s minds to

better ways of dealing with [their problems] will save lives and keep

people out of jail.”

Although he is a member of the city’s Child Care and Services

Committee, as well as a Libertarian Party representative, Scribner said

he does not consider himself a politician.

The Libertarian Party favors a reduced government role, but Scribner

said he has fewer problems with city government than with county, state

and federal governments.

“It’s easier to move out of the city than it is to leave the county,

state or country,” he said, smiling. “Plus, the city is an easier place

to make changes that really make a difference. That’s why I wanted to be

on the child-care committee. Because it’s a place where a single voice

can be heard.”

DOUG SCRIBNER

* Age: 34

* Family: His mom, Mimi; his dad, Paul; his sisters, Nancy and Linda;

and his nephews, Cole and Mason

* Occupation: Substitute teacher at Otto A. Fischer High School at

Orange County Juvenile Hall and William Lyon School at Orangewood

Children’s Home, both in Orange

* Education: Bachelor’s degree in psychology and an associate’s degree

in avionic electronics

* Community Activities: Child Care and Youth Services Committee

member, charter member of the Orange County Hemp Council, Orange County

director of the American Medical Marijuana Assn., elected member of the

Orange County Central Committee, vice chairman of the Libertarian Party

of Orange County, at-large representative of the Libertarian Party of

California Executive Committee