By John Jay Myers
It seems that Libertarians are staring up at National as if they are the Federal Government and saying, “please save us”. But National is not going to save the Libertarian Party, you are, and it is with you in mind that I am running for LNC chair.
This is the only Party that can actually get people elected to restore America, and it needs to start acting like it. The chair we need will provide all of the necessary support to empower you to make a difference right in your own communities, where the rubber meets road. I plan to focus on finding leaders all over America and giving them the tools they need to succeed. We just watched the Ron Paul and Tea Party movements explode by using a similar method, and it is time for us to do the same.
The LNC and its chair must facilitate a grass roots movement by putting new infrastructure in place across the country, just as we are doing now in Texas. For example, we have already begun creating online guidance for new county chairs on what they are required to do by law and what they can do to grow their group locally through outreach. We have also been working with reproducible website templates that can give any county or candidate a professional web presence immediately. We need a national website that connects county, state and national party affiliates. The LNC’s job should be to develop these types of initiatives. The key to starting the fires of this new movement will be local organizations. That is where we will find and promote principled, charismatic leaders who can spread the message – leaders just like you!
The LNC chair must also serve as the face of the party, the one who speaks to our principles and inspires people to get involved. The chair cannot afford to compromise our principles in order to appeal only to the right. The ideas of non-aggression and non-intervention resonate with all Americans, and with an economics lesson or two, dissatisfied voters from both left and right will become our strongest supporters. Playing only one side will surely end in failure by feeding the divisive two-party system that is already ruining us.
All Libertarians share a desire for less government and more freedom, but we need a chair who can unite the “Activist wing” of our group with the “Party wing”. We need to frame our message more clearly in a way that makes sense to all Americans. We want to bring our troops home now, get the government out of business, reform ballot access laws, and stress that see-sawing between the two other parties is destroying America. These are values that we all share, and it’s time to give you the tools to spread them.
John Jay Myers
Anti-War Activist, Anti-Fed Activist
Precinct Chair 3300
Vice-Chair Dallas County
Texas Executive Committee
Candidate for United States Congress Texas 32nd District
Myers’ argument is that while he’s similar in some ways to both Hancock and Phillies, Phillies is unelectable and Hancock is a loose cannon who will destroy the party.
It’s a good argument. It’s not an argument that would make a Phillies supporter like me drop him for Myers, since I could always switch to Myers if he lasts longer than Phillies (thank goodness for the great runoff voting system). But it’s an argument that makes Myers a very solid compromise candidate in the long run.
Sorry – “the Myers” is a typo. the should be removed.
Sounds like the Myers shares the same vision that Ernie has for the LP. Myers would be a good Vice Chair for Ernie.
On this video from the CA convention Ernie says almost the same thing that Myer’s put into print. If you are short on time start at 2 min. to 3.5 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbUL4LQI6TI&feature=related
I, too, am favorably impressed with Mr. Myers. I hope that if he does not become LNC Chair, he will run for an at-large seat on the LNC.
Let Mr. Myers help Texas get to 5,000 members before he takes his talent to the national party and finds himself herding cats. Our “best and brightest” need to be building state and local organizations. If their talent is proved over ten or so years, then they might be ready to move up.
This is a good piece from Myers, who continues to impress.