This was sent to the State Chairs list
February 27, 2014
We are not “Republican-light.” We are not “Democratic-light.” We are Libertarians.
It is tiresome to continually be asked why we would want to run a Libertarian candidate against a “good Republican” or “a good libertarian leaning Republican.” Would this same person ask that of the Democratic Party? Would this same person expect the Democratic Party to not run someone against a “good moderate Republican?” Of course not. So why do they ask us?
I believe Republicans and conservatives do this because they have a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be a Libertarian. They believe we share some sort of camaraderie with them but can offer no proof of what makes them think this way. They throw around words like “Republican-libertarian,” and “conservative libertarian,” and “constitutional libertarian” like these word salads have some sort of meaning. They do not.
A libertarian is someone who believes in the non-aggression principle, plain and simple. Simply put, the non-aggression principle states that no man may initiate force or fraud against another person or his property. This is also called “classically liberal” in many circles and fits just as well as the word libertarian. The political party that upholds these libertarian principles is conveniently named The Libertarian Party. Republicans and Democrats have no such moral compass. This is evident in the sort of legislation both parties have brought us. However, since I am talking about the Republicans today, let’s see what they have done to this state and country recently.
· Republicans have brought us, in the last legislative session in Arkansas alone, a bill that steals $125 million from the taxpayer’s pockets to give to a for-profit steel mill.
· The Republicans also passed legislation in the last session making it more difficult for the Libertarian Party to get on the ballot, restricting our freedom of speech and freedom of choice.
· The Republicans also passed legislation increasing an already ridiculous burden for the citizens of Arkansas to bring ballot initiatives to the people to vote on. · The Republicans also brought us a bill to be voted on that will double their term limits.
· The Republicans have also brought us a bill making it much more difficult and expensive for a person to get certain body modifications to their own body. And this was all just in the last session alone!
· Now, in the current fiscal session, the Arkansas Republicans are trying to ram the private option funding through the House any way they can! The private option is the largest expansion of Medicaid in Arkansas history and was passed initially last session in our Republican-controlled legislature! And one of the biggest supporters of getting this passed in this fiscal session? Nate Bell, the supposed “libertarian Republican!” And you wonder why these word salads like “libertarian Republican” have no meaning.
Federally, things are just as bad, if not worse. Republicans brought us the PATRIOT Act, Homeland Security, TSA, Medicaid Part D, multiple stimulus packages to prop up private companies, multiple wars to massively increase the military budget, pork, etc. I could keep going, but you get the point. All of these programs stole money from our pockets and stole freedom from our lives.
These are supposedly the “fiscally conservative” Republicans. And yet you wonder why Libertarians candidates run against “good Republicans.”
As independent reporter Steve Brawner said in the Times Record today, “”Libertarians are the party of less government — really less government…That sounds like Republican rhetoric, but Libertarians are a lot more serious about it, and the party’s less government philosophy lands it to the left of many Arkansas Democrats on social issues.” Mr. Brawner gets it. Why don’t the Republicans get it?
This is the reason the Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing party in Arkansas, because we get it. We get that the people of this great country and great state are fed up with the false choices they are being given at the ballot box. We get that people are finally saying, “ENOUGH!” The Libertarian Party is giving these voters real choice, a real difference from the eerily similar Republican and Democrat parties. People every day are fed up, looking around, and realizing that they too are Libertarians.
R. Lee Wrights, the Vice-Chair of the Libertarian National Committee, said today on his Facebook page, “Libertarians do nothing for America or themselves by joining and supporting our oppressors! WE gain nothing and America loses every time someone falls for this load of elephant droppings. Republicans cannot be trusted. We have learned even the Democrats have more integrity than Republicans. Not by much, mind you, but by a degree. Democrats tell us they are going to take our money and give it to others, then, they get elected and do it. Republicans lie through their teeth and tell us, “Vote for us, we are not like that!” Then, they get elected, take our money, and give it to their friends. Republicans and Democrats are two wings on the same bird of prey.”
I could not have said it better myself. We are no longer content with elephant and donkey droppings. We are no longer content pulling the lever for these people who campaign one way and then legislate another. We are no longer willing to play their games and allow them to run roughshod over us. We are not Republicans. We are not Democrats. WE ARE LIBERTARIANS! And, in Arkansas anyway, we are here to stay and to win.
Rodger Paxton is currently the secretary of the Libertarian Party of Arkansas. He ran for Congress in 2012, receiving more than 20 % of the vote in a two-way race. It appears he’ll be running for that same office again this year (District 51).
On the other hand not all of that is our fault. Some of it is the media labeling people as libertarians who aren’t, confusion of big and small L candidates, candidates being labeled by others rather tha by themselves, and so on.
A lot of the impetus comes from outside the LP: tea parties, campaign for liberty, Ron Paul, Glenn Beck, and many other examples of fusionism.
Excellent points, Tom.
“The best way to promote libertarianism is to actually be a libertarian” I believe this very strongly, and do my best to live my life this way. Oddly,then other libertarians (?) say this weird stuff about Purity, which I never do get. Since when is it a “purity test” to walk and talk like a Libertarian when I plege to be one? Now “litmus test” I get…
TB, good point.
It seems to me that many are missing the fact that much of the confusion about libertarians, conservatives and Republicans may be directly attributable to the LP itself and a good number of LP candidates. Running former Republican officeholders and candidates that hold themselves out as “true conservatives” doesn’t help. Elevating someone who says they are “Reagan libertarians” to star spokesman for the LP might tend to blur some lines.
Harping on tax cuts (and not budget cuts), inanimate object rights (“gun rights”), and minimum wage issues (as if this is the only economic intervention by government) using shopworn Republican talking points routinely heard on talk radio everyday might be confusing to people. Of course, having LP reformers that argue that many of these right-wing talk show hosts are actually libertarians could confuse people also.
I could go on and on, but those who blame the confusion on Republicans, who are merely trying to win votes from libertarians they believe are “true conservatives” or “Reagan libertarians”, should realize that this is exactly the same thing many libertarians do in reverse to convince Republicans to vote for the LP candidates. The thing is that these clever libertarian strategists have been warned about the dangers to the libertarian brand by using this deceptive tactic, yet they persist in doing it despite the fact that it hasn’t worked anyway.
The best way to promote libertarianism is to actually be a libertarian. Unfortunately, many “libertarians” are merely uptight and fearful middle-aged & middle-class honkies in suits that can’t comprehend what freedom is and believe total conformity to mainstream politics and compliance with every government mandate is their ticket to nirvana – while they shun anyone who shows any outward appearance of individual freedom or who may engage in any behavior that would be frowned on by their authoritarian masters.
Just for fun try Googling this phrase with quotation marks:
“true conservative” and “libertarian candidate”
You should get back over 15,000 hits
Feel free to do so.
“Oh, as far as the silly argument that we should get out of the way for “good” republicans, they should get out of the way of the good Libertarians.”
Excellent, Mark! I just might quote you sometime!
Last night I had dinner at the Lenox Hill (Manhattan) Democratic Club annual dinner.
The members describe themselves as progressives and are proud of the Obama/DeBlasio mandate (approx. 85%) in my small island of 2,500,000 sheep.
The keynote speaker was Howard Dean.
Before the dinner and his speech, a mutual friend introduced me to Gov. Dean. We spoke for ten minutes about nullifying drug prohibition laws and other similar restrictions. He obviously changed his speech to add the word “libertarian” a few times (with a nod in my direction). Dean noted that approx. 11% of young people identify as Republican and 30% as Democrat, leaving almost 60% unaffiliated.
So what’s my point? It’s Rodger’s point. There is a huge number of unaffiliated voters under 30 and we are their best hope for the future.
Clearly the Lenox Hill Democrats recognize that they aren’t getting these kids to join them, and I imagine if I went to a Republican club meeting, it would be the same thing.
Hats off to the LPAR for capitalizing on this.
Oh, as far as the silly argument that we should get out of the way for “good” republicans, they should get out of the way of the good Libertarians.
“Jill Pyeatt Post authorFebruary 28, 2014 at 5:46 pm
Andy, there’s very serious undercurrent of Republican beliefs. (I say that we’re still ‘Rootified’.)
There are genuine concerns that the individuals doing this are planning to all be elected at the March convention. The LP CA is weak enough that I can see this happening.”
It is a shame how the LP of California has gone down hill. Part of this is because of the awful Top Two Primary law, but really, there had already been an overall decline in the Libertarian Party of California well before Top Two Primary was passed.
I will say this on the positive front, Libertarian Party voter registrations have gone up in California (after several years on decline), but I think that a lot of this has more to do with the word “libertarian” becoming more popular thanks to the likes of Ron Paul, Andrew Napolitano, and some others, than anything else.
I was active in the Libertarian Party of California for several years, but due to me doing lots of work outside of California, and then basically leaving California and moving my LP membership to a different state, I am no longer a member there.
I wish that you could get enough Libertarians to the state convention that are more along your lines of thinking to put an end to the problems which concern you but regardless, keep on fighting the good fight.
Andy, there’s very serious undercurrent of Republican beliefs. (I say that we’re still “Rootified”.)
There are genuine concerns that the individuals doing this are planning to all be elected at the March convention. The LP CA is weak enough that I can see this happening.
“Jill Pyeatt Post authorFebruary 28, 2014 at 5:22 pm
I think Mr. Spooner is a new person to IPR because I went to the site he mentioned and it has been active for a while. There is much in his comment that I disagree with, and I’ll address it later in the weekend.”
That is possible, but I’ve got to wonder if that site is really a front group that is meant to shuffle Republicans who have started questioning things back on to the Republican Party plantation.
“My concerns about the LP of California was added to today when I noticed this article, which I’m 100 % certain I posted to the LP of CA’s FB page, had been deleted.”
Which concerns specifically are you referring to here?
I think Mr. Spooner is a new person to IPR because I went to the site he mentioned and it has been active for a while. There is much in his comment that I disagree with, and I’ll address it later in the weekend.
My concerns about the LP of California was added to today when I noticed this article, which I’m 100 % certain I posted to the LP of CA’s FB page, had been deleted.
” and neither or most”
Should read, “and neither are most…”
Could the following article explain the presence of “Rodney Spooner” as well as “Spence/Vernon/Ancient Aryan Astronaut/etc…” on this site?
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-02-24/conspiracy-theory-true-agents-infiltrate-websites-intending-manipulate-deceive-and-d
Exert: “In the annals of internet conspiracy theories, none is more pervasive than the one speculating paid government plants infiltrate websites, social network sites, and comment sections with an intent to sow discord, troll, and generally manipulate, deceive and destroy reputations. Guess what: it was all true.”
Rodney Spooner February 28, 2014 at 3:47 pm “While I believe that BOTH Democrat and Republican parties are corrupt, Mr. Paxton’s obvioulsy biased remarks makes me suspicious of his true political leanings.”
OK, I was reading through this and it sounded decent at first, but then I started to see red flags, especially with the sentence that I quoted here.
I’m thinking that “Rodney Spooner” is actually “Spence/Vernon/Ancient Aryan Astronaut”/whatever other fake names.
His post here is like mixing sugar with rat poison. It starts off sounding sympathetic to suck people in, but then leads them back to the same bullshit which says to go back to the Republican plantation because the Demcrats are supposedly worse.
I’ve got news you, I’m not falling for your bullshit, and neither or most of the rest of the people here. We know that the Republican Party is just as bad as the Democratic Party. If anyone that actually adheres to libertarian principles wants to work within one or both of those parties to try to influence them and enact change, then that’s great, but I’m not naïve enough to believe that the Republican Party as a whole is somehow better than the Demcratic Party, and for you to question Rodger Paxton or any other Libertarian Party member over this shows that you are full of shit.
I posted Mr. Paxton’s letter on http://www.VoteForTheConstitution.com
I encourage the Libertarian party to run a Libertarian candidate at every election. May the best man (or woman) win.
Ron Paul’s first campaign for president was as a Liberartian candidate. As a Libertarian candidate, he didn’t poll very well and despite the party’s best efforts, RP lost miserably.
Ron then ran his next 2 presidential campaigns as a Republican candidate (eventhough he retained and continued expousing his Libertarian philosophy). As a reult, it is important to note that Ron achieved increasing polling success with each campaign despite being cheated, robbed, and stabbed in the back by his own, corrupt, Republican party.
Thanks to Mr. Obama’s “fundamental transformation of America” he shocked and alerted the Citizens with his Marxist policies and millions united under the the Tea Party banner which, to Mr. Obama’s chagrin, fundamentally transformed the political landscape in 2010 and remains a growing political force.
I believe that the Tea Party exists because the Citizens have come to realize and accept that BOTH the Democrat and Republican parties are corrupt. The Republicans used to stand for the Republic but they have become a shadow of themselves. And rather than try to start another political party, the Tea Party is intent on getting their candidates elected to return the party back to its’ original, conservative roots.
And while I agree with Mr. Paxton’s rant against the Republican party, he ignores the greater damage wrought by the Democrat party:
1. The Democrat party endorsed a constitutionally unqualified candidate. (And what’s scary worse is that despite the overwhelming evidence against Obama, “We the People” were fooled not only once but twice). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3aCfR8rmrw;
2. ONLY the Democrats (unanimously) passed the single biggest, costliest, most intrusive social welfare program: Obamacare;
3. Has added more unsustainable debt than all previous presidents combined;
4. Has pushed not only to infringe more on our Second Amendment Rights but openly pushing to ban all weapons;
5. Pushing for amnesty for illegal immigrants;
6. Gave us Detroit and virtually everywhere else where Democrats dominate, the economies are suffering and going bankrupt because of their liberal spending policies and unfunded pension liabilities;
7. More than the Republicans, the Democrat party prostitutes itself by voting for increasing “free” social welfare programs from our treasury in order to keep buying more votes to stay in power. This policy does nothing more than to enslave and make “We the People” increasingly more dependent in government, dulling an individual’s independence and initiative. Is it any wonder that there is an increasing class divide.
8. The voters of Seattle, Washington just elected an openly solcialist Mayor.
The Democrats are controlled by the Socialist/Marxist unions and, as a result, have become Socialist/Marxist themselves. The Democrat party continues lurching further and further left until the Republicans dig their heels in and “nothing gets done in Washington, D.C.” Then the Democrats scream like stuck pigs about “compromise” until the Republicans relent which only serves to drag the Republican party further left. The only difference between the Democrat and Republcan party is that the Democrats are on the High Speed Rail to Socialism while the Republicans are on AMTRAK.
While I believe that BOTH Democrat and Republican parties are corrupt, Mr. Paxton’s obvioulsy biased remarks makes me suspicious of his true political leanings.
The Tea Party has had a greater impact on the political processd in the 5 years it has existed compared to all the decades that the Libertarian Party has existed. Why? Trying to get the Libertarians to march in the same directon is like herding cats. At least the Tea Party is cohesive because they are united by one thing: The Constitution of the United States (1791). They want to bring fiscal sanity and protect free markets and have succeeded in getting people like Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and many others elected into Congress. Just the thought of a Federal Reserve Bank audit scares the crap out of the Wall Street banking elites.
Finally, R. Lee Wrights is quoted as saying “We have learned even the Democrats have more integrity than Republicans…Democrats tell us they are going to take our money and give it to others, then, they get elected and do it.” No truer words were ever spoken but while they may have more “integrity” in that respect, it certainly doesn’t mean that they aren’t more evil in their intentions.
The take away here is that “We the People” must stop voting blindly for party which divides us, and VOTE FOR THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, which unites us. But in order to do that, “We the People” must know and understand it. We have to read it, study it, and understand the Republic that our Founding Fathers intended. Then we need to teach it to our children because the COTUS isn’t held in high esteem or being taught in our schools like it needs to be.
I’m with you if you are interested in reclaiming the Republic and restoring the Constitution of the United States (1791).
Thank you for your time and consideration.
This must be in the air. Even before Lee Wrights’ rants from last weekend, I had my fill and posted this on my Facebook page:
I’ve noticed a clear effort on the part of many Republicans to convince Libertarian Party members to vote Republican. In the first place, I think many of you erroneously think the LP platform is close to yours. IT ISN’T! I believe our philosophy is as close to (or far from) the Democratic platform as it is yours. For the record, here are a few things the Republican Party would have to do to ever get this registered Libertarian (and recovering Republican) to vote for a Republican again:
1 Stop trying to legislate morality. What I chose to do, or not to do, in my bedroom isn’t your business;
2 Denounce fighting imperialistic wars. Stop going into other countries and murdering their citizens just because they run their government differently than we do;
3. Admit that the practices of the George W. Bush administration started the ball rolling that Obama has kicked down the hill;
4. Admit that the people in charge of your party cheated and lied to squeeze Ron Paul out of your Presidential candidacy. It’s your own darn fault Obama won again.
So, that’s my two cents’ worth.
This. So much this.
It’s fine to ally with Republicans or Democrats on particular issues or bills. It’s even fine to praise particular Republicans or Democrats for taking particular positions, such as the Obama administration’s proposed reduction in military spending.
However, we are separate and distinct. We may agree at times, but we are not on the same team.