My email to the Libertarian Party on a possible run for Congress

[Uriel999]

A ask you a simple question essentially what office do you seek and why. this is my response:

My "representative" in Congress Allen Boyd has proven time and time again via his abhorrent voting record he is no friend of liberty and has no understanding of constitutional government and its proper role. Bailout after bailout is wreaking havoc on our economy in the long term.

He voted for the Give Act which as a young individual who in two weeks will be fresh out of university and eventually seeks to continue education possibly up to a PhD I am terrified of "mandatory volunteering." Such doublespeak is straight out an Orwellian hell.

Looking out further in the national scope, we have an entire congress save a few of unprincipled individuals such as Ron Paul who have made careers making a mockery of the constitution, disregarding civil liberties at every turn. The left and right are one and the same in overall philosophy. Both seek a leviathan of government which they have rapidly succeeded in establishing. Our rights are being destroyed, no they have been destroyed. Any illusions of liberty are simply granted by the government and are piecemeal at best. Politicians believe the government grants rights when in reality it only recognizes rights.

Endless wars, endless debt, and the wars on all fronts on the sovereignty of the individual have disgusted me. I am disenfranchised and marginalized in my own party (R) and recognize the platform of the Libertarian party as having taken possession of the Republican party’s platform as they have not been using its planks in decades.

I want to bring real "change" to our nation and my district. That change cannot be accomplished within the status quo duopoly anymore. My ideology represents that of a long line of anti-government groups: Anti-Federalist, Classic Liberal, true republicanism, and libertarian.

I realize the road to victory as a Libertarian in the past has been essentially impossible and while the political tides may be somewhat changing, the future is still uncertain. Victory as a Libertarian candidate in 2010 may still be impossible in a region that is slow to embrace change and clings to tradition. However, in the past the South went from Democrat to Republican during a time of dramatic turmoil. Again in a time of turmoil, it is time not only for new faces in Congress, it is time for a new party to be in Congress. Even if in 2010 a Libertarian victory in Florida’s 2nd district proves impossible, the message of liberty must be spread. I can be that messenger. I do not seek office because I want power, I seek the role because somebody must step up against the status quo, and it must be a person of principle. I cannot think of any party more uncompromising in principle than the Libertarian party. That is why I would love to be the representative of the Libertarian party in Florida’s 2nd, and more importantly to the constituents of the 2nd. They deserve it.

_____________________________
What do you guys think?

[Matt Collins]

Don't run unless you have a chance to win.

[Kludge]

Don't run unless you have a chance to win.

I disagree.

But don't expect to win, and don't give others the impression that you'll win in an effort to bring in donations. It's dishonest and disgraceful to you and the LP.

If your campaign is for the sake of education (of yourself and others), I think the campaign will be beneficial to strengthen third parties (both in terms of members and credibility) and also spread libertarian ideology.

Because of that, I don't like the letter. I think it would be better to emphasize that you intend to spread libertarian ideology with your campaign, bringing libertarianism and the Libertarian Party to your region. Your run is essential in laying the groundwork for others to build on so that the Libertarian Party eventually is able to compete with the Two Parties on the national level. To destroy the Two Party system, it is essential that there is a principled party to take it's place, and, being a principled libertarian, you are in a great position to steer the LP away from the failed "pragmatism" of Barr's "conservatism" and toward the steady and sustainable growth of the LP which Ruwart tried to bring. Recognize that convincing someone to vote for you is unsatisfactory. It is necessary that you make someone question their beliefs and become sympathetic to the LP's cause.

[Uriel999]

Matt, perhaps victory isn't the plan as Ron Paul's run for president in 2008 wasn't about becoming president either. Kludge you hit on exactly what I am feeling. It would be an educational run. I grew up in a family of educators, I plan on being a teacher one day myself. This would be a platform to be a teacher in a nontraditional role. But then again, who knows, perhaps somehow I could defeat Allen Boyd.

[emazur]

Don't run unless you have a chance to win.

Would you have said that to Ron Paul in the '08 presidential race?

"The power to destroy a thing is the absolute control over it."
-Dune

Presumably a Libertarian would take the most votes away from the GOP candidate, and if this happened often enough the GOP would be forced to adjust its stances on issues.

On the other hand, there may be some liberals who might vote for a REAL antiwar candidate - Ron Paul at the least was able to generate some interest, though not necessarily the votes, from the left on that.

And finally, an LP candidate, even if he didn't win, will have the satisfaction that his valuable campaign experience might have woken up a few people to the issues, and at the very least gave citizens an option apart from the 2-party duopoly.

Go for it, dude.:)

[nate895]

Don't run unless you have a chance to win.

You can't win if you don't run.

Go for it. Run for office and try to win if at all possible, at least spread the message.

However, given the seat's history, you should run as a Republican. The seat had no Republican opposition last go around, which means the primary should be easy. It also looks like the perfect spot to pick off a Democrat for us Paulites. A GOP-leaning district represented by an inconsistent Blue Dog is about as close as we are going to get without having to put up a huge primary fight.

[Uriel999]

You can't win if you don't run.

Go for it. Run for office and try to win if at all possible, at least spread the message.

However, given the seat's history, you should run as a Republican. The seat had no Republican opposition last go around, which means the primary should be easy. It also looks like the perfect spot to pick off a Democrat for us Paulites. A GOP-leaning district represented by an inconsistent Blue Dog is about as close as we are going to get without having to put up a huge primary fight.

I have not ruled the Republican party out. I am still a member of the Republican party. I am just weighing my choices. Also, considering my inexperience, I'm kind of hoping a more experienced liberty friendly Republican steps up. Mark Mulligan (I hope I am spelling his last name correctly) while not completely in line with our views was overall a good candidate. If he runs again, I would not run. I am trying to contact him now actually.

[Kludge]

If you're interested in running "serious" campaigns in the future, keep in mind that running under the LP banner may give you the same difficulties Ron Paul faced last year.

[heavenlyboy34]

Good luck, Uriel! May bunchies' force be with you! :cool::D:)

[nate895]

I have not ruled the Republican party out. I am still a member of the Republican party. I am just weighing my choices. Also, considering my inexperience, I'm kind of hoping a more experienced liberty friendly Republican steps up. Mark Mulligan (I hope I am spelling his last name correctly) while not completely in line with our views was overall a good candidate. If he runs again, I would not run. I am trying to contact him now actually.

I went to his website, and I don't see something that fundamentally disagrees with us.

[Uriel999]

If you're interested in running "serious" campaigns in the future, keep in mind that running under the LP banner may give you the same difficulties Ron Paul faced last year.

That is not lost to me. However, I also seek a broader picture. The duopoly needs to be broken for democratic purposes. At the end of the 19th century this almost happened with the Populist party. In fact, I would argue at that point in time the populist party was probably stronger than the Republican party. This could our time to see a resurgence in a third party. Their are several parallels between then and now. The only difference is the level of what we call poverty today, and what was poverty then.

However, I am looking into the GOP party actively. Right now I have 2 weeks until I graduate college until then I am just going to research everything using my computer. Come May, I will become physically active in seeing what I can do.

[nate895]

That is not lost to me. However, I also seek a broader picture. The duopoly needs to be broken for democratic purposes. At the end of the 19th century this almost happened with the Populist party. In fact, I would argue at that point in time the populist party was probably stronger than the Republican party. This could our time to see a resurgence in a third party. Their are several parallels between then and now. The only difference is the level of what we call poverty today, and what was poverty then.

However, I am looking into the GOP party actively. Right now I have 2 weeks until I graduate college until then I am just going to research everything using my computer. Come May, I will become physically active in seeing what I can do.

And populists are statists, and we'd be on the opposite end of the political spectrum.

[Uriel999]

And populists are statists, and we'd be on the opposite end of the political spectrum.

True, but they were a strong 3rd party nonetheless and that was my point. At any rate, I am looking at both the GOP and Libertarian party as platforms to spread the message. The GOP is probably the best place to attempt to win, but the Libertarian party may be the best place to try to spread the message and break the duopoly long term.

I hope my statements are not seen as arguing, I'm actually very much listening to what everybody has to say here, I'm just weighing my options. CaseyJones made the point of running for the GOP and if that fails run Libertarian. That is not a bad idea. My number 1 goal is spread the idea of liberty.

[heavenlyboy34]

True, but they were a strong 3rd party nonetheless and that was my point. At any rate, I am looking at both the GOP and Libertarian party as platforms to spread the message. The GOP is probably the best place to attempt to win, but the Libertarian party may be the best place to try to spread the message and break the duopoly long term.

I hope my statements are not seen as arguing, I'm actually very much listening to what everybody has to say here, I'm just weighing my options. CaseyJones made the point of running for the GOP and if that fails run Libertarian. That is not a bad idea. My number 1 goal is spread the idea of liberty.

IMHO, the GOP is too corrupt for you. 3rd party will be a better conduit for the freedom message (especially since you're new to the scene, unlike RP). I suspect voters will be more open to alternative parties in the next cycle-and you can capitalize on this! :D;):cool:

[nate895]

True, but they were a strong 3rd party nonetheless and that was my point. At any rate, I am looking at both the GOP and Libertarian party as platforms to spread the message. The GOP is probably the best place to attempt to win, but the Libertarian party may be the best place to try to spread the message and break the duopoly long term.

I hope my statements are not seen as arguing, I'm actually very much listening to what everybody has to say here, I'm just weighing my options. CaseyJones made the point of running for the GOP and if that fails run Libertarian. That is not a bad idea. My number 1 goal is spread the idea of liberty.

Your state might have sore loser laws, so you'd have to check it out if you could run as a Republican and then turn Libertarian. I have no problem with running as a third party, but it just seems so easy to be the Republican in this case.

[Matt Collins]

Would you have said that to Ron Paul in the '08 presidential race?Yep. But Ron did indeed have a chance to win. However even if he didn't, he had the ability to change the course of the debates and affect the dialog of the election cycle. Ron running as an educator or an issues candidate was acceptable because of the amount of people paying attention.


Running on a local level will accomplish nothing in terms of that, unless one is independently wealthy or has enough money to buy supportive media. And as a member of the LP, they do not have a chance of winning currently. Except for very small and isolated local races (specifically those that are non partisan) running under the LP banner essentially disqualifies you due to the ballot access laws. This combined with the fact the media won't give you the time of day nor will you be allowed into any debates etc.

The best way to bring about a liberty agenda is to do it from within the GOP; Ron Paul is proof of that. It will still be a decade or more before there is any possibility of a LP congressman.

[nate895]

Yep. But Ron did indeed have a chance to win. However even if he didn't, he had the ability to change the course of the debates and affect the dialog of the election cycle. Ron running as an educator or an issues candidate was acceptable because of the amount of people paying attention.


Running on a local level will accomplish nothing in terms of that, unless one is independently wealthy or has enough money to buy supportive media. And as a member of the LP, they do not have a chance of winning currently. Except for very small and isolated local races (specifically those that are non partisan) running under the LP banner essentially disqualifies you due to the ballot access laws. This combined with the fact the media won't give you the time of day nor will you be allowed into any debates etc.

The best way to bring about a liberty agenda is to do it from within the GOP; Ron Paul is proof of that. It will still be a decade or more before there is any possibility of a LP congressman.

Florida is easy to get on the ballot. Pay the fee, and you are on.

[Matt Collins]

Florida is easy to get on the ballot. Pay the fee, and you are on.Yes but as a non Rep or Dem will the media cover you? Will you be able to get viable fundraising levels?

[nate895]

Yes but as a non Rep or Dem will the media cover you? Will you be able to get viable fundraising levels?

You don't know if you don't try. If we give him support, maybe he will. You never know. The one rule in politics is that nothing is consistent.

[Libertarian Party Intern]

Good luck!