Libertarian Party founder condemns Bob Barr

[Elwar]

RESOLUTION SUBMITTED FOR LNC CONSIDERATION
Author: David Nolan

Whereas Congressman Bob Barr obtained the Libertarian Party’s Presidential nomination by holding out the prospects of tens of millions of dollars in campaign funding and as much as five percent of the popular vote for President, and

Whereas the Barr/Root campaign failed totally to deliver on those promises, and

Whereas the failures of that campaign were due substantially to incompetence and lack of understanding of libertarian principles on the part of the campaign’s management, as summarized in the attached Bill of Particulars,

Therefore be it Resolved that the Libertarian National Committee hereby expresses it extreme disappointment at the mismanagement and ineptitude of the Barr/Root campaign, which resulted in the same 0.4% of the vote that previous Presidential candidates have achieved, even as libertarian principles were denied, downplayed and obscured by that campaign. Be it further resolved that we condemn the actions taken by Russ Verney and Shane Cory which resulted in the failures of the Barr/Root campaign, and specifically disavow any LNC responsibility for any debts incurred by the Barr/Root campaign or its agents and employees.



http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2008/12/david-nolans-resolution-condemning-the-barr-campaign/

[Dary]

Hurumph.

[WRellim]

[...]
AVOIDANCE OF THE WORD “LIBERTARIAN”

The Barr /Root campaign went to great lengths to avoid using the word “Libertarian” wherever possible. The Barr ’08 website did not display the word “Libertarian” in a prominent fashion, and campaign material rarely included mention of the Libertarian Party. Our party was not mentioned in the Barr ’08 campaign brochure, on most signs or bumper stickers, and in many press releases. Often, Bob Barr was described only as a “former Congressman,” with no mention of his party affiliation. Campaign Manager Russ Verney has admitted that this was a deliberate strategy, stating that his goal was to build awareness of Bob Barr only, with no concern for building the Libertarian Party brand.
[...]


This was foreordained, Russ Verney was the guy chiefly responsible for the utter destruction of the Reform Party -- that's his chief talent, destroying minor party mechanisms (and he's quite good at it). It was all just a repeat of the Pat Buchanan 2000 Reform Party grab.

To his credit, Nolan saw all of this and spoke out his concern beforehand; sadly no one was really listening.

[Bro.Butch]

If I was one to believe in conspiracy :p I might think C.I.A. Barr hyjacked the Party. The one year when approval rating of the congress and POTUS was hovering from 11% to 28% and the term libertarian (because of RP) was a recognized movement, Barr/Root put up a rather inept libertarian campaign.

Sounds like Nolan is trying to save the LP from going under. I understand that instead of a robust balance sheet fueled by new recruits after a POTUS campaign the coffers are empty and bills keep coming.

Exculsive Footage: Of Bob Barr Talking About Ron Paul In DC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7HJR8jX9Es

[angelatc]

Whatever.

Where is Bob or the Libertarian Party right now? This country is desperately seeking a leader - somebody who can cross party lines and lead a revolution.

This is what the Libertarians produce? Sheesh. No wonder they never make any in roads.

[heavenlyboy34]

Whatever.

Where is Bob or the Libertarian Party right now? This country is desperately seeking a leader - somebody who can cross party lines and lead a revolution.

This is what the Libertarians produce? Sheesh. No wonder they never make any in roads.

It's what the LP produces. There's a big difference between libertarians and the LP.

[acptulsa]

They attempted to infiltrate the LP. We attempted to infiltrate the GOP. They succeeded. We failed.

This time.

[gls]

LOLing at the LP.org Poll of the Day: ‘Should more troops be sent to Afghanistan?’

Future LP.org polls might include:

Are we spending enough money on corporate bailouts?

Should more marijuana users be be tased, pepper sprayed, and put in prison?

Should the government step up its prosecution of pornographers for obscenity?

Is the border wall high enough?

The possibilities here are endless.

[steph3n]

They attempted to infiltrate the LP. We attempted to infiltrate the GOP. They succeeded. We failed.

This time.

We are still going however, and have NOT failed.

[angelatc]

They attempted to infiltrate the LP. We attempted to infiltrate the GOP. They succeeded. We failed.

This time.

I don't know about that. There are some chapters of the GOP that have been acquired by true conservatives.

[acptulsa]

We are still going however, and have NOT failed.

Right.

And now the neocons and the libertarians are all alerted, all on watch, and we just get to see:

Who has greater numbers.

Whose numbers will grow as the economy shrinks.

[emazur]

I don't know about that. There are some chapters of the GOP that have been acquired by true conservatives.

I like Nevada's GOP platform:
http://www.nevadagop.org/About/Default.aspx?SectionId=776
"We support the repeal of the Federal Reserve Act"

[Nyte]

LOLing at the LP.org Poll of the Day: ‘Should more troops be sent to Afghanistan?’

Future LP.org polls might include:

Are we spending enough money on corporate bailouts?

Should more marijuana users be be tased, pepper sprayed, and put in prison?

Should the government step up its prosecution of pornographers for obscenity?

Is the border wall high enough?

The possibilities here are endless.

I lol'd.

Post of the day.

[Peace&Freedom]

This was foreordained, Russ Verney was the guy chiefly responsible for the utter destruction of the Reform Party -- that's his chief talent, destroying minor party mechanisms (and he's quite good at it). It was all just a repeat of the Pat Buchanan 2000 Reform Party grab.

To his credit, Nolan saw all of this and spoke out his concern beforehand; sadly no one was really listening.

This is overrreaching. Buchanan's problems in 2000 had more to do with opposing forces inside and outside of the Reform party trying to sabotoge his effort to get their nomination. Barr HQ explained it to us foot soldiers that the idea behind de-emphasizing the L word was to parallel the Democrat and GOP candidate's tendency to avoid a party label during the fall campaign. Paul himself de-emphasized his Libertarian roots, does that mean he was trying to destroy the party too?

The fact that the CP candidate also got the normal range of votes that liberty party also usually gets, despite a lack of internal controversy and despite Paul's endorsement, indicates the Barr candidacy's results was not the result of 'destruction' but the general structural suppression of alternative parties in general. The internal problems of the LP these days has more to do with the gutting of the platform and the neocons in the LNC---developments that preceeded Barr's candidacy.

[acptulsa]

The internal problems of the LP these days has more to do with the gutting of the platform and the neocons in the LNC---developments that preceeded Barr's candidacy.

Thanks for the info on Buchanan's run. In the above sentence, though, I'd characterize those developments as enabling Barr's run...

[dr. hfn]

stupid gop lite

[speciallyblend]

LP dissapointed me this year but not as bad as the corrupt gop, both in my eyes blew it!!!

[Barney]

LOLing at the LP.org Poll of the Day: ‘Should more troops be sent to Afghanistan?’

Future LP.org polls might include:

Are we spending enough money on corporate bailouts?

Should more marijuana users be be tased, pepper sprayed, and put in prison?

Should the government step up its prosecution of pornographers for obscenity?

Is the border wall high enough?

The possibilities here are endless.

Very well said. If the party can't see the absurdity of that poll, there is no point. The party is lost. It is libertarian in name only.

And David Nolan laments only the mismanagement and lack of success. Not a word about betraying the principles and ideas of liberty.

[mport1]

RESOLUTION SUBMITTED FOR LNC CONSIDERATION
Author: David Nolan

Whereas Congressman Bob Barr obtained the Libertarian Party’s Presidential nomination by holding out the prospects of tens of millions of dollars in campaign funding and as much as five percent of the popular vote for President, and

Whereas the Barr/Root campaign failed totally to deliver on those promises, and

Whereas the failures of that campaign were due substantially to incompetence and lack of understanding of libertarian principles on the part of the campaign’s management, as summarized in the attached Bill of Particulars,

Therefore be it Resolved that the Libertarian National Committee hereby expresses it extreme disappointment at the mismanagement and ineptitude of the Barr/Root campaign, which resulted in the same 0.4% of the vote that previous Presidential candidates have achieved, even as libertarian principles were denied, downplayed and obscured by that campaign. Be it further resolved that we condemn the actions taken by Russ Verney and Shane Cory which resulted in the failures of the Barr/Root campaign, and specifically disavow any LNC responsibility for any debts incurred by the Barr/Root campaign or its agents and employees.



http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2008/12/david-nolans-resolution-condemning-the-barr-campaign/

Haha, excellent!

[heavenlyboy34]

We are still going however, and have NOT failed.

~snicker snicker~ ;)

[Bro.Butch]

Very well said. If the party can't see the absurdity of that poll, there is no point. The party is lost. It is libertarian in name only.

And David Nolan laments only the mismanagement and lack of success. Not a word about betraying the principles and ideas of liberty.


You have to remember he was addressing the LNC asking for a resolution. They were taken over years back by people not worried about "principle". :(

[DirtMcGirt]

funny thing, i heard the Libertarian Party mentioned 3 times today on my drive to school on talk radio.

[heavenlyboy34]

Very well said. If the party can't see the absurdity of that poll, there is no point. The party is lost. It is libertarian in name only.

And David Nolan laments only the mismanagement and lack of success. Not a word about betraying the principles and ideas of liberty.

If you'll notice, 90% of votes cast in that poll are "no" votes. ;):)

[Xenophage]

Very well said. If the party can't see the absurdity of that poll, there is no point. The party is lost. It is libertarian in name only.

And David Nolan laments only the mismanagement and lack of success. Not a word about betraying the principles and ideas of liberty.

"... resulted in the same 0.4% of the vote that previous Presidential candidates have achieved, even as libertarian principles were denied, downplayed and obscured by that campaign" - Nolan.

David Nolan is a rare breed of pure, ideological libertarian.

[austin944]

What a cry baby. So the Libertarians lost, so what? Get over it, and start working towards a victory in the next election. You're never going to win with that kind of attitude of looking back to failure, instead of looking forward to success.

[Kludge]

the Libertarian National Committee hereby expresses it extreme disappointment at the mismanagement and ineptitude of the Barr/Root campaign


Oh shit! There goes Barr's credibility in the press!