Libertarian Reform Caucus

Are you a Libertarian who ernestly desires to get the party into a position to actually make effective change in our country? If you are, then you might want to check out this site Libertarian Reform Caucus. I found it by accident, but what the Caucus is doing makes a lot of sense.

[edit on 30-4-2006 by raggedhole]

No no no no no and no.

I have wasted many a vote by compromising and I'm not going to start that again!

If they water down the platform to get more voters, why would they change it back when it's "working?" Yep I don't even trust Libertarian politicians.

Second I don't think they could keep the new voters if they only liked the watered down platform. Do your really think those that voted for decriminalizing pot because they may take a hit or two, or don't see it as a "problem" drug, will go along with abolishing the war on drugs alltogether?

One more thing, if a Libertarian does get into office one a watered down platform.. they platform with be further watered down by the political process of working with the other parties? I for one would rather have something stronger to start with.

Originally posted by Cug

....I have wasted many a vote by compromising and I'm not going to start that again!

If they water down the platform to get more voters, why would they change it back when it's "working?" Yep I don't even trust Libertarian politicians.

Second I don't think they could keep the new voters if they only liked the watered down platform. Do your really think those that voted for decriminalizing pot because they may take a hit or two, or don't see it as a "problem" drug, will go along with abolishing the war on drugs alltogether?....

Cug,
As you, I don't trust politicians either.

The whole idea of the LRC is to not just change the platform, but to keep it "changed". Further investigation of the LRC will reveal that they want to concentrate more on local elections and not necessarily national ones.

You say that you prefer to align your vote with the strength of (presumably) one of the two larger parties. That's fine, but if you have Libertarian leanings, I have to ask what have the Democrats or Republicans ever done to advance personal freedoms specified in the Bill of Rights? For people who don't care about such things, that question is a non sequitur, but just because you investigated the LRC's site, it's possible that you really do care about such things.

I'm not anywhere near ready to say that a vote on principle is ever wasted.

Sorry for the late reply.. I don't check out politics@ats that often.

Originally posted by raggedhole

The whole idea of the LRC is to not just change the platform, but to keep it "changed". Further investigation of the LRC will reveal that they want to concentrate more on local elections and not necessarily national ones.

Keep it changed? add about 40 more "no's" to my last post.

You say that you prefer to align your vote with the strength of (presumably) one of the two larger parties.

Nope never again. Not sure how you got that idea... voting for gridlock like I used to is wasting my vote.

That's fine, but if you have Libertarian leanings, I have to ask what have the Democrats or Republicans ever done to advance personal freedoms specified in the Bill of Rights?

Libertarian leanings? Well you could say that, I been voting Libertarian for 6 years now.

They both have done things to advance personal freedoms.. for example the the Republicans support the 2nd amendment, while the Democrats support things like legalizing gay marrage etc.. Both of them pick and choose what liberties to support depending on what kind of support they can get at the polls. If the Libertarians water down the platform, and forsake any personal liberty over any other just to get more support at the polls they would be pond scum just like the donkeys and elephants!

Libertarian leanings? Well you could say that, I been voting Libertarian for 6 years now.

They both have done things to advance personal freedoms.. for example the the Republicans support the 2nd amendment, while the Democrats support things like legalizing gay marrage etc.. Both of them pick and choose what liberties to support depending on what kind of support they can get at the polls. If the Libertarians water down the platform, and forsake any personal liberty over any other just to get more support at the polls they would be pond scum just like the donkeys and elephants!

Anyone who believes that the Republicans in office support the real meaning of the 2nd Ammendment is not paying attention to what is really happening with the BATFE running amok with their straw-man-set-ups and bogus prosecutions. What our masters purport to maintain in the 2A is, in reality, a thinly disguised game of pretending to "maintain" with one hand, while taking away with the other. The Republicans, with their slick political Three Card Monte, are becoming very adroit at manipulating the sheep into believing that the Republicans actually care about the Constitution.

The Democrats find convenience in the support of gay marriage. Through their masterful accomplishment of pandering to the resident envy of the less-than-fortunate or to the offended sensibilities of diverse elements of our culture, they have managed to manufacture the grand illusion that they really care. In fact, they do not care at all. The Democrat politicians' distorted and myopic vision focuses no farther than the election returns they read in the Washington Post. The homosexual voting block is too tempting for the Democrats to resist the lip service they give it.

Looking at your response, I believe that, on the Nolan Chart, you print-out at the apex of the chart (while I print-out at the top center). I can see why you are so against the LP modifying the Platform in any way. Glad that you've been voting Libertarian for 6 years; I've been doing the same since the late 1970's .

Well, it looks like the Libertarian Lites have won.

All hail the new republican party!

Source: lewrockwell.com

What will happen to the Libertarian Party if it attempts to fool voters about what Libertarians really believe? Will voters reward our deceptive campaigning with more elected candidates? Will diluting and hiding our message increase membership? Or will it open the floodgates to more conservative, religious right, and pragmatic members who have little understanding of our philosophy? And what will happen if other reformers in later years pressure the LP to dilute our message again to gain an even a greater share of the popular vote? Where does this erosion of principles end?

[edit on 7/8/2006 by Cug]

I tend to think that watering down Libertarian principles to appeal to get a handful more voters wont work. I think what we need to is start selling libertarian values more strongly. This includes getting more press coverage. We cant comprimise principles, otherwise, we become do different from the Democrat or Republicans we wish to oust.