Bob Costello
Encyclopedia
Bob Costello is a free market political activist.
Costello previously served as the president of the Sam Adams Alliance
. The Sam Adams Alliance sponsors Ballotpedia and the Sunshine Review. In the 1970s he was active in the Libertarian Party
. In the late 1970s Costello was Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of California. In 1979 he helped organize the "Radical Caucus"
of the LP with Justin Raimondo
and Eric Garris
. During the 1990s Costello was active in the term limit movement and volunteered on the Steve Forbes for president campaign. In 1994 Costello founded Americans for Limited Terms which he was president of from 1994 to 1996. On efforts to put term limits on members of the U.S. Congress Costello worked closely with Paul Jacob
and Howard Rich
of U.S. Term Limits
. By early 1995 twenty-three states had limited the terms of their congressional delegations, but five judges on the U.S. Supreme Court in May 1995 ruled in U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton
reversing the decisions of voters. Fifteen states now have term limits on their legislatures.
Costello holds (or has held) director or leadership positions with the following organizations: U.S. Term Limits
, Americans for Limited Terms, Acton Institute, SocialSecurityChoice.org, Evanston Police Pension Fund and Americans for Limited Government
.
Costello previously served as the president of the Sam Adams Alliance
Sam Adams Alliance
Sam Adams Alliance is a non-profit organization based in Richmond, Virginia. Founded in Chicago in 2006, the group describes itself as a "fiercely independent organization dedicated to inspiring and encouraging grass-roots citizen activism."...
. The Sam Adams Alliance sponsors Ballotpedia and the Sunshine Review. In the 1970s he was active in the Libertarian Party
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...
. In the late 1970s Costello was Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of California. In 1979 he helped organize the "Radical Caucus"
LPRadicals
LPRadicals is a caucus formed in 2006 within the United States Libertarian Party by Susan Hogarth and other party members who opposed removal of much of the material in the party platform during the 2006 national party convention...
of the LP with Justin Raimondo
Justin Raimondo
Justin Raimondo is an American author and the editorial director of the website Antiwar.com. He describes himself as a "conservative-paleo-libertarian."-Background:...
and Eric Garris
Eric Garris
Eric Garris is an activist in the libertarian movement in the United States, known as the founding webmaster of two prominent libertarian websites.-Background:...
. During the 1990s Costello was active in the term limit movement and volunteered on the Steve Forbes for president campaign. In 1994 Costello founded Americans for Limited Terms which he was president of from 1994 to 1996. On efforts to put term limits on members of the U.S. Congress Costello worked closely with Paul Jacob
Paul Jacob
Paul Jacob is an activist, organizer, and advocate for legislative term limits, initiative & veto referendum rights, and limited government in the United States. He writes a weekly column for Townhall.com and his short radio commentary feature, "Common Sense," is syndicated by the Citizens In...
and Howard Rich
Howard Rich
Howard S. Rich, also Howie Rich is a Manhattan-based real estate developer who is notable for funding libertarian oriented political initiatives such as term limits, school choice, parental rights regarding education, limited government and property rights. He has published essays advocating these...
of U.S. Term Limits
U.S. Term Limits
U.S. Term Limits is a non-profit organization that lobbies for term limits for elected officials at every level of government in the United States. Among other activities, USTL supports ballot initiatives in numerous states. The organization was established in 1992, and is one of several led by...
. By early 1995 twenty-three states had limited the terms of their congressional delegations, but five judges on the U.S. Supreme Court in May 1995 ruled in U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton
U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton
U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton, 514 U.S. 779 ,was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that states cannot impose qualifications for prospective members of the U.S. Congress stricter than those specified in the Constitution. The decision invalidated the Congressional...
reversing the decisions of voters. Fifteen states now have term limits on their legislatures.
Costello holds (or has held) director or leadership positions with the following organizations: U.S. Term Limits
U.S. Term Limits
U.S. Term Limits is a non-profit organization that lobbies for term limits for elected officials at every level of government in the United States. Among other activities, USTL supports ballot initiatives in numerous states. The organization was established in 1992, and is one of several led by...
, Americans for Limited Terms, Acton Institute, SocialSecurityChoice.org, Evanston Police Pension Fund and Americans for Limited Government
Americans for Limited Government
Americans for Limited Government describes itself as a non-partisan, nationwide network committed to advancing free-market reforms, private property rights and core American liberties...
.
External links
- Bob Costello's Bio
- Washington Post Viewpoint on Social Security Reform with Jim DeMint & Bob Costello
- Statement before White House Council on Aging on Personal Retirement Accounts
- It's Time for Leadership on Social Security, Chicago Daily Observer, May 2008
- Real Term Limits: Now More Than Ever, an article by Doug BandowDoug BandowDouglas Bandow is a former columnist with Copley News Service and a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. He resigned from Cato in 2005 due a scandal involving payments for columns from lobbyist Jack Abramoff and wrote about it in the Los Angeles Times. As of March 2009, Bandow is again working at...
in favor of term limits.