November 8, 2026
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The Libertarian Party Platform had some amendments in Orlando, most notably the very first addition of an anti-death penalty plank. The new platform can be read here: https://independentpoliticalreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/2016-LP-Platform.pdf
A document showing the changes can be found here: https://independentpoliticalreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/2016-LP-Platform-Track-Changes-from-2014.pdf
Caryn Ann Harlos is a paralegal residing in Castle Rock, Colorado and presently serving as the Region 1 Representative on the Libertarian National Committee and is a candidate for LNC Secretary at the 2018 Libertarian Party Convention. Articles posted should NOT be considered the opinions of the LNC nor always those of Caryn Ann Harlos personally. Caryn Ann's goal is to provide information on items of interest and (sometimes) controversy about the Libertarian Party and minor parties in general not to necessarily endorse the contents.
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Platform changes, such as they were, were for the better or to keep status quo. Rads did better than in other recent conventions but less well than we could have hoped. But we did get better organized than ever before and won or held the line on platform, bylaws and LNC. We did not win on the p/vp nom but vp aside it’s again status quo, so not a change for the worse from a rad perspective, other than on VP… and a VP of a ticket that has very, very little chance of winning is usually a low importance nom, even if this one is an exception. In any case, P/VP is a separate issue, and again as far as platform goes we held the line or most things and made it better where any significant changes were made, as far as I know.
The plank that passed was made up on the fly, on the convention floor. It’s much better wording than that which was proposed by the committee (I was a member of that committee, but preferred language with fewer qualifiers). I am very happy with it, considering the circumstances.
lnga: “I’m glad to see that they changed it.”
OK, but,to tell you the truth, I hate it. I mean, look at it in the context of other platform planks.
The LP opposes government administration in health care. That isn’t a statement against health care, but one that health care (separated from government) is the desideratum. The LP opposes government administration of education: again, not a statement against education, but one that education (separated from government) is the desideratum.
So just what does a statement that they oppose government administration of capital punisment mean? To me, it reads exactly the same as the above two.
eduction, that doesn’t mean they oppose education, but the opposite
You’re right, George. I assumed that the plank that got inserted was the much longer one that was proposed and discussed prior to the convention. I’m glad to see that they changed it.
langa: “While I am happy to see the addition of an anti-death penalty plank, the actual wording of the plank leaves a lot to be desired, as it clearly implies that the only problem with having the death penalty is that it might accidentally be applied to some innocent people. ”
No, it doesn’t imply that. All it implies is that capital punishment should not be “administered by the state.”
While I am happy to see the addition of an anti-death penalty plank, the actual wording of the plank leaves a lot to be desired, as it clearly implies that the only problem with having the death penalty is that it might accidentally be applied to some innocent people. But the real reason for libertarians to oppose the death penalty is that, even when applied to guilty people, it violates the NAP.
According to the NAP, the only legitimate use of violence is in self-defense. The death penalty is not self-defense; it is revenge. In cases of murder, a better option is to force the murderer to work for the rest of their life, with anything they produce above a certain amount going to the heirs of their victim(s).
Perhaps Michael Badnarik said it best. “The best time to administer the death penalty is by the potential victim a few tenths of a second before the crime can be committed.”
“We oppose the administration of the death penalty by the state”? Why the qualification at the end? It sounds weird; as if the only reason to oppose execution is the “state’s” involvement.
The people who are hell bent on keeping the LP small are the ones who keep nominating LINO (Libertarian In Name Only) candidates.
Andy… No it should just dissolve since people are hell bent on keeping it small. If you’re just going to have a purist circle jerk every election why even bother being a party? Dissolve, become a 501c4 lobbyist group and call it a day.
Should the Libertarian Party drop the “party of principle” slogan since it nominated William Weld for VP?
How was this consistent with Libertarian principles?
No one at that convention would EVER accuse the radicals of being asleep. We shocked a lot of people with how “not asleep” we were.
== Where were the ‘Radicals’? Asleep as usual or running around in costumes or dancing semi-naked.===
Did you see the platform proposals? The radicals kept the worst out and get the death penalty one in there (we have part of the credit for that). And for the millionth time, the naked dance had nothing to do with the Radicals.
Ugh.
Except for the anti-death penalty, the usual conservatarian anti-libertarian, illogically placed, or clueless- about- activists- in- the- field changes. We’re telling government employees not to join unions and have pension plans just as Libertarians are fixing them? Fascist-lite people MUST accept responsibility? Claiming parents have underived rights over their children? The last platform was at last fairly acceptable, so they changed it when they realized even people like Weld could agree and get more libertarianish.
The 2006 ‘New Platform’ twits promised a shorter platform. It’s now longer than the old candidate summary platform, covers less, and less coherent. They promised they would exceed the old platform goal of 3000 LP members in public office. Where are they? Where were the ‘Radicals’? Asleep as usual or running around in costumes or dancing semi-naked.
The 2002 Convention mandated no more platforms (beyond the proven 2002/4 platform that was getting more people in public office than we ever had), just programs explaining where we’re succeeding. The right-wing running the platform comm don’t care, aided by the IMHO anti-Libertarian LP Secretary and her questionable or missing/unposted minutes. They abolished the program and give us random platforms. They know changing things and turning them upside down every few years confuses the voter and prevents long-term candidate training.
I blame Brain Holtz, Aaron Starr, Carling, Kirkland, and the rest.
The one consolation is the Greens got their platform process hit at the same time, and still haven’t recovered either.