Aaron Blake and Sean Sullivan have this article about the Libertarian Party’s success in this month’s election, although the story ought to simply focus on the Libertarian Party. Instead it tries to focus on a perceived threat to the Republican Party, even though the article acknowledges that voters who vote Libertarian might vote Democratic instead of Republican if the Libertarian Party didn’t exist.
The story misses several key points. One is that Libertarian registration (in states in which voters register into parties on voter registration forms) has increased 20% nationwide in the last eight months. Another is that the Libertarian Party again polled over 1,000,000 votes for its U.S. House candidates, even though it had no nominees in California, which is usually the party’s best source of votes for U.S. House. Of course the party was kept off the ballot in California congressional races this year because of the top-two system. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
If there were no LP or other independent/third party candidates on the ballot, I’d stay home. If I DID vote, I’d be far more likely to vote Democrat.
Imagine how many votes for U.S. House the LP would’ve gotten if the f***ing, idioti<, asinine, f@scist top two wasn't in place.
I’m quite tired of arguments that presuppose how a block of people who vote ideologically might otherwise vote. Especially given the many different issues that might drive a voter to vote for a “third party” candidate. I’m a registered Democrat who increasingly finds myself voting either Libertarian, Green, etc. or staying home. This year I voted for Mr. Johnson, who does not support the war criminal policy of drone strikes against civilians.
Only about 30% of voters know who Gary Johnson is. Who ever our candidate is we need to do a better job of getting their name out. Join the 2016 Victory Club. Start a bank acct (like a Christmas Club) and put 5,10,or 25 dollars in ever month, what ever you can afford. If you put in $25 a month, by the convention in 2016 you will have $1000 to donate to the campaign. If we get 1000 people to put $25 a month in their acct we can start the 2016 campaign with $1,000,000. SALUTIONS NOT ARGUMENTS
Libertarians need to be careful about the argument that they are a threat to the Republican Party. Republicans will use this as an excuse to come after the Libertarians and other third parties by extension.
I’m a Green but I voted for the Libertarian Senate candidate in my state and would gladly vote for any Libertarian over the Democrats or Republicans.
The two major parties need to stop assuming that they own my vote.
Good idea, Donn #4.
nytimes.com Johnson Lib. 1,200,000 1.0% Stein Green 420,000 0.4% Goode Const. 110,000 0.1% Libertarians are hypocrites. They take government $ just like others.
How many seconds until the Donkeys/Elephants de facto wipe out ALL 3rd party folks and independents ???
P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
PR multi party regimes that manage to survive – Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, etc. etc.
@7 it isn’t government money, it is the money that was taken from tax payers. I can tell you right now that I have payed more in taxes then the Libertarians received in matching funds. I view it as my money being used for my benefit when it goes to the Libertarian party candidates campaign.
If you want to help. Get off your arse and help.
Joseph, I was going to respond to your comment, but I think Steve M did it so much better.
I agree with you Steve M, #9. With all the self serving propaganda the Government spends my taxes on, I am thrilled that some of it could be used to empower individual liberty.
@7… I suppose you would refuse the cigarette and blindfold as well when you’re up against the wall.
Isn’t the taxpayer funded support, an OPTION, for the taxpayer?
@13 I pay for so much that isn’t an option (government thugs with guns and prisons)…. that when money is used to offset the evil that is otherwise done with my money in my name…. I am slightly less upset. To those that call this hypocrisy… I would be happy to have my money returned to me and I will pay the matching funds directly.
Yes, I have payed that much.
#9 – #14: Who was Mr. Libertarian? (Not, “Who is John Galt?’) He died around 1995. He lived in NY City – in a rent-controlled apartment for less than $100 a month! Rent-controls started during WW2. When WW2 ended, NY State in Albany started price controls on apartments. Around 1970, Albany started rent-stabilized apartments, when the person dies, for about $800-$1200. (90% of rent-controlled and rent-stabilized apartments are in NY City.) Mr. Free-Market did not want to free-market rent! He then moved to Nevada and got a job teaching at UN-Las Vegas-a state university! When all of your income comes from a government job, that you don’t think should exist, then you are a hypocrite! In the 1950’s, a Libertarian in the NV State Assembly would have voted against government spending for a college in Las Vegas. In 1997, the Libertarian candidate for governor in NJ taught at Ramapo College-a state university! In the 1960’s, a Libertarian in the NJ State Assembly would have voted against government spending for a college in Ramapo. The candidate was another hypocrite! I want an answer: Who was Mr. Libertarian? I won’t sing Jeopardy. He was jealous of Ayn Rand and Nathaniel Branden because they both sold more books. He wrote regularly for Liberty magazine.
@15 Don’t be a wack job.
Government owns and controlls the air. This socialistic commons is the cause of air pollution and global warming. But we still have to breathe this government controlled air.
Likewise, the government controlls education and dominates the university marketplace. To attend school and be a teacher of professor, many individuals have no choice but to be part of that f a s c i s t – s o c i a l i s t marketplace.
NYC does not have a free market in housing. If it did there would be more units available, with better quality at lower prices. There is no free market. We have to live in this evil socialist nation until we either change it, move to another evil socialist nation, or die.
Murray Rothbard was a great and wise man and a great Libertarian.
He understood the issues even if you don’t.
@15 I and my partners started a small high tech engineering company we have zero government contracts. We pay money far more then we see direct benefits out. I believe that if you subtract the benefits I have received from what I pay and then subtract what the Johnson Campaign received in fec matching funds I will have still payed far more in.
Tell you what…. get the government to stop raping the high income levels and then I will speak to Gary about letting me make up for his efforts lost revenue.
GOP campaigns have been largely based on “small government” rhetoric since 1936-that means the Libertarians will always tend to take more votes from GOP than from D’s. Dems have been based on expanding the role of govt. since shortly after FDR took office-despite the fact FDR campaigned as a small govt fiscal conservative in 1932.
People who comment here should stop trying to ignore Duverger’s law.
Joseph, I only met Dr. Rothbard once, so I did not know him well. But he was a quiet man with a good talent for writing. His “For a New Liberty” was probably the final factor in my becoming or identifying myself as a libertarian about 30 years ago. I’m sure he was not perfect since I have yet to meet a person who was, including myself. But the imperfections of any single person do not take detract from what I still believe is the most ethical political philosophy so far produced by man.
Anyone who has long since discontinued any use of public roads or sidewalks (including to have food or other deliveries) may criticize Libertarians for using tax dollars. The rest of you are sidewalk socialists.
#16, it is CORPORATIONS who control the air through their bought-and-paid-for government. The USA and its subsidiary states and municipalities are mere conduits for control by the 1% of the 1%. The government is not ours, it is theirs.
#16: Murray Rothbard was a parasite (Anatomy of a State, p. 3). He did not earn his money; Ayn Rand and Nathaniel Branden did. Murray should have paid free market rent and get laid off in a bank merger, since he wrote about free market banking. He worked for a state univ-UNLV. Everyone wants the free market…for everybody else! Rational people don’t call names.
#20: I don’t have a choice (free will) to use public streets. I pay gas tax, DMV license and plates. I pay my fare on the bus, (Hop on the bus, Gus) which covers 33%-50% of the fare. Rothbard had a choice to move out of his rent-controlled apt. He had a choice to work a private company which was a net-taxpayer. Murray Rothbard was a hypocrite.
#19: Murray Rothbard was a perfect hypocrite. See #22.
Full discosure: I voted for Ron Paul in 1988, and I sent him money. Libertarians lost me with the Gulf War, national defense and hipocracy.