On Tuesday, the Libertarian Party of Kentucky criticized the Tea Party
organizations in Lexington and Louisville for abandoning their core
principles and blindly promoting Republicans, despite the Tea Party
movement having its roots in libertarianism.
These two Tea Party organizations hosted an event together in
Frankfort, Kentucky, at which only Republican candidates were invited
to speak. All other candidates in those races – including a
Libertarian candidate who had spoken at previous Louisville Tea Party
events – were denied the opportunity to address the crowd.
While some Libertarian candidates did attend the event to promote
their particular campaigns, the Libertarian Party of Kentucky
boycotted the event because of the outright partisanship.
“These groups, and other groups like them, need to take a long look in
the mirror, and decide if they are a non-partisan,
fiscally-conservative group, or simply an extension of the Republican
Party,” said Libertarian Party of Kentucky chairman Ken Moellman.
“As long as they’re focusing on social issues and specifically
promoting Republican candidates, it will be very difficult to work
with them to the extent that we have in the past. If they again become
a non-partisan organization focusing on fiscal issues, we will
enthusiastically participate in the future.”
The Libertarian Party of Kentucky serves as the official state
affiliate of the Libertarian Party. Founded in 1971, the Libertarian
Party promotes liberty through economic freedom and social tolerance,
and is the nation’s third-largest political party. More information is
available at their respective websites: http://www.lpky.org/ and
http://www.lp.org/
###
—
Ken Moellman
State Executive Committee Chairman
Libertarian Party of Kentucky
[email protected]
http://www.lpky.org/
(502) 526 – KYLP (Frankfort office)
(859) OK-BE-LPK (Northern KY office)
it was an event designed to promote GOP candidates…………..
told ya so, told ya go!
Around the Block,
Yes I personally spoke with one TEA party organizer and was told that only candidates who were on the ballot would be considered to be speakers. At that time, Independent candidate for the 3rd Congressional district, Michael Hansen, had been on the ballot according to the SOS site since March 23rd. Libertarian candidate, Ed Martin, in the same race got on the ballot on June 23rd. Neither candidate was invited to speak at the event. Due to KY ballot access laws, 3rd party and Independent candidates are required to gather 400 signatures to be on the ballot, and are given an extended deadline of Aug. 10th. Unfortunately, it was an event designed to promote GOP candidates.
90% of the time the Republican Party IS the Libertarian Party.
Google “Libertarian Republican,” and see how many names of Republican elected officials come up, like Dana Rohrabacher (in the news today for wanting to legalize marijuana), Jeff Flake, Tom McClintock, et.al.
Let’s not forget, and my good friend Ken Moellman needs to be reminded of this…
ALL PAST LIBERTARIAN PARTY CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT SINCE 1972 SAVE ONE WERE/ARE REPUBLICANS.
ALL ELECTED LIBERTARIANS TO STATE LEGISLATURES LIKE ALASKA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE CAUC– USED WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THEIR RESPECTIVE LEGISLATURES.
“Tea Parties ….. being pro-Republican, unprincipled,” could not agree more!
See bull shit issues of ‘independent’ ‘american’ GOP stealth monthly rag per http://www.MaxNews.com
Were Constitutionalists excluded as well?
Was there any attempt to discuss this with the Tea Party leaders before hand? What reason did they give for excluding Democrat and Libertarian candidates?
I can sympathize with the LP in this case; to often on the Left it is the bolsheviks/authoritarian socialists that get people involved in what is alleged to be socialist politics, when in fact it’s just authoritarianism of a different stripe.