December 2, 2012
Lately many in the liberty movement have been asking “what to do next?” To start, let’s remember that WE THE PEOPLE are the leaders, not the politicians! The actions we take will influence what happens next. It’s up to us to choose what form of action will create the best results from our efforts. That said, here are 10 compelling reasons why Ron Paul Republicans should strongly consider joining the Libertarian Party to promote the message of liberty!
1. You can’t fix a damaged party
We all know of the blatant corruption of the GOP and RNC; we saw it for ourselves in person or on TV. Because presidential politics is the main driver of how people vote, there is now a ceiling on any inroads liberty supporters can make after the recent RNC rules changes. At this point, the Republican Party cannot effectively be re-branded. Is this really a party you want to inherit? Republicans are well-known for promoting social conservatism, and they’ve continued to hold it in higher esteem than economic principles. But even their talk of limited government has been lip service — for nearly four decades. The big-spending Bush years were typical, and Republicans have failed on fiscal issues for longer than most people know. There was the failure to follow through on their “Contract with America” promises of the 1990s, abandonment of their Balanced Budget efforts in the 1980s, and President Nixon’s enactment of wage and price controls in 1970, the acts which spurred the initial creation of the Libertarian Party by fed-up former Republicans in 1971. The GOP’s credibility has been poor, and it continues to decline. It’s time for serious change!
2. Power-grabbing GOP elites
The intent of the rule changes in at the 2012 RNC convention in Tampa was clear: a direct assault on the grassroots of the party. The elites consider the grassroots to be a problem, not an asset. How can a party win elections with so much infighting and outright disdain for its own grassroots support? They can’t. While we can’t say for sure, 2012 could be the high water mark for the Ron Paul insurgency. With the RNC rule changes, it will be much more difficult for Ron Paul supporters to “take over” a caucus in the future. That is, if there’s a caucus process at all, as party leaders are likely to change the endorsement process and opt for a primary system in the coming elections. This would take away an advantage that Ron Paul had previously, as caucus results reflect the activists who turn out, not the public as a whole. Big money will now decide the primary elections and “establishment Republicans” will outnumber “liberty Republicans” at the polls in a primary, stifling any future possibility of making inroads.
3. You ARE libertarian (fiscally responsible, socially accepting)
In fact, many people are! It’s no wonder why the political duopoly is afraid of letting Libertarians have a voice in the debates and a presence on the ballot. Libertarians are better at the issues Democrats are supposed to excel at: personal freedom, civil liberties, and foreign policy, while libertarians are stronger than Republicans where the GOP claims to excel: fiscal responsibility and support for free markets. People have faced year after year of choosing between the “lesser of two evils.” Isn’t that how we got into the mess we’re in right now, by doing the same thing year after year? Many people, especially the youth, are practically begging for fiscally responsible, socially accepting candidates. It’s the future!
4. If you are libertarian, be Libertarian!
The liberty movement has exploded thanks to Ron Paul’s two presidential bids under the Republican banner. Until this year, that was the best way to reach millions of people and not be “blacked out” as a third party candidate due to the media bias and two-party system’s control. However, according to Ron Paul at his final rally in Tampa, he estimated that there are likely two to three times more supporters than the approximately 2 million which voted for him in the primaries, but they were not interested in participating in the Republican Party. By contrast, the LP provides a viable path for disaffected Democrats and Independents to join the liberty movement in an organized way. Now is the time to be who we really are: Libertarians! As large numbers of people are fiscally responsible and socially accepting, the demographics are in our favor, so let’s be proud of it!
5. Neo-conservatives, social conservatives, and the religious right
These groups have been the foundation of the GOP for years. They are not going away, even if the “Ron Paul takeover” was partially successful. These groups may weaken, but there is still strong sentiment in favor of a party which promotes social conservatism. Voters who want a foreign policy of intervention, war, and nation-building, who oppose immigration, and who support a platform of social intolerance will not sit idly by or bow out of politics. Involvement of these groups in the GOP will continue to weigh the liberty message down, so it will not have the same “punch” that it could if championed by a standalone movement.
6. The two-party mindset limits “liberty candidate” success in the GOP
The tarnished GOP label limits the success of legitimate “liberty Republicans.” Many in the public will not differentiate between “liberty Republicans” and “establishment Republicans.” The GOP is stigmatized by the predominance of social issues, as was recently seen with the insistence on putting forth the Minnesota Marriage Amendment in 2012. With candidates like Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, John McCain, and George Bush, down-ballot liberty candidates bear the brunt of a national party that is not in line with a libertarian philosophy.
7. In the urban centers, you’re either a democrat or a libertarian
The GOP will never be able to contest races and win back densely-populated cities around the nation. They are completely stigmatized, so all attempts by liberty-minded people to run as Republicans have been futile. On the other hand, Libertarians have already gained favor with certain subsets of the traditionally Democratic vote, such as the antiwar and GLBT communities. By showing common ground on many “personal freedom” issues, Libertarians can bridge the gap and reach out to the Left about “economic freedom” issues as well. When a candidate identifies as a Republican, that’s the end of the conversation as far as the Left is concerned. However, when a candidate identifies as a Libertarian, we are seen as the “good guys” on some issues, so the Left is at least willing to listen on other issues. Thus, Libertarians can effectively challenge the one-party rule in urban areas. Competition in the marketplace of ideas is always a good thing, and it’s something that’s sorely needed in the cities.
8. Libertarian coalitions
Liberty brings people together to solve problems. We don’t have to compromise our principles to broaden our base, we need to find areas of agreement. Some examples of groups which align with the LP on certain stances are anti-war groups, anti-tax groups, Tea Party activists, OccupyMN activists, those who support marijuana legalization, and those who are tolerant towards gay marriage. Freedom is popular! It has the power to tear down hard-line partisanship. In times of political gridlock, finding common ground is essential. These independent-minded swing votes could break the political gridlock in a pro-liberty direction.
9. It’s a movement, not a party
The success of any movement comes from building a strong organizational structure. Therefore, joining the LP is not about party politics, but about providing a vehicle to promote liberty in a cohesive way, which people can coalesce around. Moreover, Ron Paul supporters will find that in the LP, there is much more freedom to take personal action and to use our own creativity. We won’t be controlled by the GOP autocrats, or smothered with top-down planning and layers of bureaucracy.
10. The momentum is building for a legitimate third party: Tea Party, Occupy, and Americans Elect
The rise of the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street movements are significant. While both were co-opted by their respective parties, both point to the huge dissatisfaction with BOTH political parties. While it wasn’t successful, Americans Elect was a revolutionary idea which showed that many Americans want to challenge the system and end the partisan blame-game. Over 80 percent would consider voting for a third choice for President in 2012. By working now to build the Libertarian Party, we can make sure that of all the choices, the best alternative in the years ahead will be strongly pro-liberty!
So, what to do next? First, don’t cling to a sinking ship. Second, take action to investigate a viable alternative which can be the next phase of the liberty movement. Come to the next Libertarian event! Join the Minnesota LP! Become a local leader! Be the change you want to see. Be bold, and dare to blaze a new path for others to follow. Be true to what you believe in, and to who you are. Be Libertarian!
Andy Burns
LPMN Executive
Concerned about the expansion of government control and the erosion of individual liberty? Please consider joining and becoming active with the Libertarian Party of Minnesota. Libertarians support liberty on all issues, all the time! Libertarianism is a philosophical and political movement to promote personal freedom, strong civil liberties, a genuinely free marketplace, and peace.