The Libertarian Party was founded December 11th 1971. The growing movement of individuals devoted to liberty hungered for a political vehicle to fight for limited government. The people who created it, including David Nolan and Murray Rothbard, are heroes to millions.
These giants did not always agree. Some of them were constitutionalists. Others were minarchists who wanted government to do little but provide security. Still others called themselves anarchists and wanted no government at all. Each of them found common ground in the idea of self-ownership and non-violence. They believed that government was out of control. Together they put aside their differences and stood in unity to restrain the violent territorial monopoly of force and violence known as the state.
They put together a platform for a party that clearly and concisely promoted freedom. That platform includes planks that oppose drug prohibition, gun control, and war. It also supports free trade, limiting taxation, and civil liberties. The Libertarian Party is the “Party of Principle." It champions mutual respect for the individual and building communities based on voluntary cooperation as opposed to coercion.
Where is the dream of a world set free today? In the hearts and minds of the members of the party, it is alive and well. Just like when the party was founded, the members have differences. They still can come together around the ethics of freedom. You would not know that if you only pay attention to social media or the public postings of the current leadership of the party.
As a party, Libertarians are attacked and silenced from all sides. The Democrats and Republicans have an interest in keeping Libertarian ideas out of the conversation. They know that liberty unites people. The strategy of the old parties is not to introduce ideas but to manipulate the voter using fear. Neither Donald Trump, nor any of the Democrats are focused on how they are going to help society. They know that they are unpopular. Every poll shows this over and over again. There is little difference between the parties and even less difference between the candidates. For years they have ran on being better than the other guy. The duopoly holds its control by a thread. Their lesser of two evil strategies have given us what is promised, evil.
The media and social media are complicit in this. Whether it is CNN, FOX, ABC, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, the censorship and government propaganda is obvious. Both Edward Snowden and Julian Assange released multiple examples of the manipulation of information. Libertarians are the prime targets of this. Anyone who challenges the establishment is censored, to be clear, but Libertarians are especially marginalized.
Our message and policies are popular. Dissatisfaction with government and the establishment are at an all time high. What is the leadership of the party doing to overcome the information control and take advantage of a public that is begging for an alternative? The national Libertarian Party twitter page has been obsessed with the DNC debates. The Chair of the party advises people to vote for Bill Weld who is a Republican challenging Donald Trump. They beg Republicans and Democrats to just put an L beside their name and run for president.
There are several genuine Libertarians running for President of the United States.
Kim Ruff has devoted herself to the Libertarian Party and has worked tirelessly for principle and party.
Dan “Taxation is Theft” Behrman is known for his yellow and black top hat but he is bringing necessary attention to the out of control tax policies in this country.
Arvin Vohra, former Vice Chair of the party, is an educator and always tries to put pure Libertarian values first, even when his own party opposes him.
Vermin Supreme may be new to the Libertarian Party but he certainly is not new to running for president. The attention that he can garner from the public has value we may never truly know.
Max Abramson may have run as a Republican in the past but he has always stayed a member of the LP and is devoted to helping the candidates down the ballot.
Adam Kokesh is a lifetime member of the party. His activism has made him well recognized among Libertarians. His campaign's ability to stimulate discussion and raise money has certainly made him the frontrunner.
The Libertarian National Committee mostly ignores them. How can they expect the Republicans and Democrats to see LP candidates as a political force if the LNC never introduces them? How can they expect CNN, FOX, or the New York Times to interview or do a candidate profile on the candidates, when the Chair, Nicholas Sarwark, cannot even bring himself to name any of them while debating a Libertarian who asked? Sarwark has no problem promoting the duopoly while attacking Libertarian legends like Ron Paul or Murray Rothbard.
There are few of exceptions to this seeming inability of the leadership to promote Libertarians. Recently, the Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party, Alex Merced, began reaching out to the candidates and membership to try and find a way to promote our candidates without favoring one over another. Also, Joshua Smith, who is an at-large candidate and is challenging Sarwark for the chair position for a second time, has also publically spoken out.
In Order for the Libertarian Party to be successful it will need to promote itself. No one else is going to. We can come together. All that leadership needs to do is facilitate the conversation. Each of these candidates and the ideas that they have can be rallied behind. It is time for the Libertarian Party National Committee to do what they were elected to do. Stop promoting the duopoly and start sharing our principles. There are millions of people waiting to vote for freedom. It should be the mission of the Libertarian Party to find them and invite them to vote for our candidates.
