Libertarian Party’s WAR
Wayne Allyn Root is a politician, entrepreneur, television and radio personality, author and a well known political commentator. He was the 2008 Libertarian Party vice-presidential nominee. Today is Chairman of the Libertarian National Campaign Committee. Root is a frequent guest on FOX News and many nationally syndicated radio shows such as The Bill Cunningham Show, Savage Nation, The Jerry Doyle Show, The Big Biz Show with Russ & Sully, The G. Gordon Liddy Show, and Mancow’s Morning Madhouse. His political commentaries appear frequently in the Washington Times, as well as at conservative web sites such as Newsmax.com, TheBlaze.com, DailyCaller.com, and BigGovernment.com. He is the author of 7 books, including “The Conscience of a Libertarian: Empowering the Citizen Revolution with God, Guns, Gold & Tax Cuts!” He is currently writing his latest book, “Home-school to Harvard.” Root has been married to Debra, a former MissOklahoma, for 20 years. They have 4 children- Dakota, 19 (a sophomore at Harvard), Hudson, 11, Remington Reagan, 7, and Contessa, 3. Root graduated from Columbia Universityin 1983 as a Political Science major and Pre Law studies (in the same class as President Barack Obama).
Interview by Stephen Thompson, Ph.D.
Welcome to OpenBeast. Describe yourself with three adjectives?
Tenacious, Relentless, Enthusiastic.
My entire life and career success have been created by my enthusiasm and passion for the things I care about- family, faith, fitness, football, business, capitalism, and politics. I’m an EVANGELIST. And my #1 attributes – being tenacious and RELENTLESS. I’m like a Canadian Mounty – I set goals and then I go after them relentlessly… and keep fighting until I make them happen. Sometimes that’s 10 or 20 years later, but I always make it happen. Always!
What is your take on 2-party system?
A failure. It isn’t working. Devastating to the American people and taxpayers. Other countries – like Germany, Israel, UK and Canada – have a parliamentary political system that allows… actually encourages… the success of third parties. The major parties cannot rule without forming a partnership (coalition) with other parties to achieve a majority. That ensures that more citizens get a say in the decisions that affect their lives.
In Germany a gentleman named Guido Westerwelle became Vice Chancellor (our version of Vice President) and Defense Secretary of the country. He led a third party that is a carbon copy of my Libertarian Party. They believe in smaller government, lower taxes, free markets, and a pro business attitude. So that’s our Libertarian Party. And he was a bigger-than-life personality with a background as a star of the TV reality show “Big Brother.” That is similar to my talents and my background – except I’m also a CEO, entrepreneur, small businessman, and business speaker and author.
If America had a political system like Germany, there’s a good chance I’d be Vice President of the country in 2012. In which case, my Libertarian-conservative views would be in position to influence and impact the country and U.S. economy.
But in America we all know that isn’t going to happen. The citizens are worse off for it. Our country and economy are in grave danger. The 2-party system led us to this point. We need to change the system, before we can hope to save America. We need to V.E.T.O. them all- Republicans and Democrats. “Vote Everyone of Them OUT.”
Could you briefly describe the Libertarian Party?
I am not just a garden variety Libertarian. I call myself a “Reagan Libertarian.” My fiscal conservative Goldwater/Reagan “roots” are that important to me. I am also a proud Tea Party supporter. And I’m the Founder of A.A.R.P. – Americans Against Rotten Politicians (laughs).
My views are simple. I believe in both economic and personal freedom. I want government out of the bedroom and the boardroom.
I believe in smaller government, dramatically lower spending, lower taxes, fewer entitlements, far fewer government employees. I believe government screws up everything it touches from the public school system, to the housing market, to the war on drugs, to the U.S. economy. I believe if we want to see jobs again, we need to get government out of the way. I believe in the Constitution – which is an instrument for limiting the power of government, and keeping power in the hands of the people. I believe that government should reward, motivate and inspire taxpayers and job creators…not target, punish and demonize them. I believe small businessmen and women are the heroes of our society. They are courageous. They create jobs by taking risks with their hard earned money. We should be doing everything we can to support them. I believe unions are ruining our school system. I believe in School Choice. Education should be based on performance (fire bad teachers) and giving freedom and power to the parents- not the unions. We need competition for public schools. If it’s good enough for Apple and Microsoft, Coke and Pepsi, it should be good enough for education too.
And finally, I believe we need a one year INCOME TAX VACATION. Every taxpayer in the USA would get one year off from paying taxes. We’d all get to keep 100% of our own money to heal our personal economies. That’s how you heal the U.S. economy. That’s how you turn a Great Depression II into an economic boom. This is Reagan on steroids! It costs the same as Obama’s horrible stimulus plan that failed miserably. Then when we return from this one year Income Tax Vacation, we must emulate the Hong Kong model- we go with a 15% flat tax (with only 2 deductions- mortgage interest and charitable) and a zero capital gains tax. Result? You’ll see 20 million jobs created in 5 years. Just like Reagan accomplished by cutting tax rates from 70% to 28%.
What is you typical work day like?
I’m passionate about my careers. I’m a passionate capitalist evangelist. My days never end. I work from 6 AM to 10 PM. I work 7 days a week. I work on weekends, holidays, my birthday, and anniversary. But the key is that I do it all based out of my home. I am around my wonderful family all day long. I take breaks to play with my 3 young kids. My children are Dakota (19 and away at Harvard), Hudson, 11, Remington Reagan, 7, and Contessa, 3. One swim in the pool with my kids…one walk in the park…one hour of playing football with my boys…makes all the work worthwhile. I also get to have breakfast, lunch and dinner with my kids. I’m there most nights to kiss them goodnight and say bedtime prayers. So my 16 hour workdays are broken up by family time.
My work day is writing commentaries, OpEds, speeches, and books… filming videos for my many businesses and political web sites… lots of phone calls and hundreds of emails… lots of meetings (usually at my home)… speeches around the country to business and political groups… and media interviews. I do over 1000 media interviews a year. Here’s the fun part – because I still earn a nice living as a Vegas oddsmaker and professional sports handicapper, I also watch game film, review and analyze football stats, and watch a dozen games a weekend on my banks of TV sets. It’s quite an action-packed life.
And I always squeeze in 2 to 3 hours per day of workouts for my body and mind- meditation, prayer, yoga, a daily walk, aerobic exercise (bike, treadmill, or elliptical) and weight lifting. Fitness is the foundation of my life. It keeps me young, fit, healthy… and gives me the high energy necessary to accomplish everything above.
How did “King of Vegas” come about?
I’ve been the leading sports prognosticator in America for 25 years. I’ve hosted TV and radio shows, and made thousands of media appearances in that role. I created, Executive Produced and co-hosted “King of Vegas” – a TV series on Spike TV. I am the only Vegas oddsmaker or professional sports handicapper honored with my own 180 pound star in the sidewalk of Las Vegas Blvd. The media has given me several titles – “King of Vegas,” “The Face of Vegas Gambling,” “America’s Oddsmaker,” and “The Prince of Prognosticators.” I’m proud to report I’ve had over 3 million callers and clients (and counting) for my sports handicapping investment advice. I’m “the Merrill Lynch of the Weekend” (laughs).
Any upcoming projects or initiatives you would like to share?
I’m meeting with investors over the next 60 days about my new political web site. It will be much like Newsmax, HuffPost, DailyCaller, etc. covering the hottest political news and opinions, but with a new, creative and exciting wrinkle. I believe it will become the most popular political web site in the country in a very short period of time.
And I’m pitching the TV networks on a new TV reality show that is perfect for the economic times we are in. This show will become “American Idol” for capitalism.
Talk to us about your book “The Conscience of a Libertarian”.
It should have been called “The Conscience of a Reagan Libertarian.” What America needs right now is a Reagan. We need someone who uplifts this country… who creates “morning in America.” Someone who is NOT a traditional politician. Someone who is a passionate capitalist evangelist. Someone who is self-made and was born of working class roots.
This book was written 3 years ago, yet it predicts exactly everything Obama would do. It also predicts the results of Obama’s tax and spend plan- I predicted massive unemployment, never-ending debt, mass failures of small businesses, and economic Armageddon. But I’m not just attacking Obama… I’m providing solutions in this book. Since everything Obama has done has failed… just as I predicted… and the economy is in the worst crisis since 1929, just as I predicted… perhaps Americans should be open to my solutions.
What are your favorite leisure time activities?
Family. Faith. Fitness. Football. Finance. That’s my life. Those are my passions. When you love what you do, your vocation becomes a vacation!
So who will be our next President?
Not sure who will win in 2012. Not sure any of them can save this economy. I think the choice is disaster (Obama) or perhaps “just muddling along” near the cliff, but avoiding a complete economic collapse (if a so-called moderate Republican wins). 2 poor choices.
My plan is to spend the next 4 years getting very well known to American voters through my books, speeches, thousands of media appearances, and I’m working on a nationally syndicated radio show.
Then in 2016 or 2020 after we’ve all seen the results of both Democrats and Republicans running the country into the ground for a few more years… I think it will be my turn. Remember, I’m like a Canadian Mounty. I always achieve my goal. Always!
WAR
Wayne Allyn Root
Thank you.
To learn more about Wayne Allyn Root initiatives visit his web sites www.ROOTforAmerica.com and www.RootofSuccess.com.
I find it interesting how little foreign policy was mentioned in this interview. Some make claims that we share economics with one party and civil liberty with another party, although we don’t.
Our anti-war pro-peace policy truly sets us apart in every way. Unlike Bush and Obama we don’t believe in dropping bombs on poor brown people.
Re #14, why isn’t the LNC promoting the LP through reasoned responses to government actions? I guess nothing came of it, but there was some past effort to have the LNC create a “shadow cabinet” of experts who could respond to whatever Holder, Clinton, Geithner, etc. etc. were proposing. To the extent they are paying attention, the American people want our views on what the current issues are and how we would do something different. Heck, if Lee Wrights or WAR or whomever won the presidency (yes, I’m delusional) they would appoint some libertarian experts in economics, foreign policy, finance, labor, etc. to fill out the cabinet and be advisors would they not? So let’s have the LNC identify and ask these experts to
be spokesmen for the LP as the need arises?
So if these experts exist,
JT & Jill, you’re such a pair of silly heads, 🙂
It’s not Root’s job to promote the LP.
It’s the LP’s job to promote Root.
And it’s the LNCC’s job to give Root a cool title, to help Root promote himself.
JT @ 12: Very well said! I agree with you. Although lately, since he often isn’t spouting Libertarian views, I’m glad that he doesn’t muddy the Libertarian brand with his conservative views.
Those of us who do damage control because of him have had it much easier the past few months.
Knapp: Interviewer: Could you briefly describe the Libertarian Party?
Wayne: 400-word response that doesn’t mention the Libertarian Party.
What’s up with that?”
That’s exactly what I’ve been saying about Root in a microcosm. Not only doesn’t he talk about the LP in any of his interviews, but when he’s EXPLICITLY asked about the LP, what does he do? He responds by talking about HIMSELF.
My other problem with him is that he says the LP should be exclusively focusing on attracting disaffected conservatives, who are our natural friends, and not liberals, who are our natural enemies.
If he had a more balanced approach (even if it wasn’t totally balanced) and cared more about promoting the party (especially as the head of the LNCC) then I’d be a fan.
10 nf, there may be instances where RP and GJ describe themselves as liberal, although I can’t think of one off hand.
I personally will say I’m conservative on some things, liberal on others. I’m not a C/L fusionist, but some people are. I wish all Ls were moderate, centrist, TAAAList, Taoist, Hayekians, but, sadly ;-), that’s not the case. I’m dealing with the other schools of L thought.
AND… both also answer to the term liberal. It all depends on the issue. That’s my point.
8 nf, so, do you have a problem with the views Ron Paul and Gary Johnson? Both sometimes answer to the term “conservative.”
#7… I think the same thing that is wrong with socialist libertarians or fascist libertarians.
What’s wrong with Conservative (or Liberal) Libertarians?
Do we automatically excommunicate all ‘Jack Libertarians’?
With his clairvoyant ability to predict the future, how did Root fail to predict the outcome of the war on terror he supported?
the LPNevada now has a meet-up for “conservative-libertarians”….ugh:(
They believe in smaller government, lower taxes, free markets, and a pro business attitude. So that’s our Libertarian Party.
Sounds familiar. Oh yeah, that’s what Republicans always say. Hmmm.
1 tk, yes, that reads as if he’s being defensive, unnecessarily so. I’d suggest he say, “the LP is the third largest political party in the US. Liberty is the root word of Libertarian; we believe in liberty across the board.
By launching into HIS views, Root seems to distance himself from something that is not in question, much less under attack.
To be fair, he does cite “my Libertarian Party” and “our Libertarian Party” in answering the prior question.
My quibble is with “and the boardroom.” Sounds like monocles and top hats to me. Tactically, I like to refer to “employers” rather than businessmen or executives or owners.
Interviewer: Could you briefly describe the Libertarian Party?
Wayne: 400-word response that doesn’t mention the Libertarian Party.
What’s up with that?