Joshua Spivak has “Why Joe Biden Needs Libertarians” in the Houston Chronicle. The article sets forth the history of the third party and independent presidential candidates who polled significant shares of the vote. It says that both Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns in 2020 need to woo the type of voters who vote Libertarian.
The piece has some errors. It says that Eugene Debs got 6% of the vote for president as the Socialist Party nominee in 1920. Actually he got 6% in 1912. In 1920 he got slightly less than 3%.
It says the Libertarian Party has run a presidential candidate in every election starting in 1980. Actually the party has run in every presidential election starting in 1972. Thanks to Political Wire for the link.
The LP demands *free markets* — supply / demand.
Biden is an establishment RED communist Donkey statist control freak — for decades.
He AIN’T gonna get any LP support.
In 2016, Hillary Clinton also needed Libertarians … to vote for Gary Johnson, rather than defect to Trump (as many ended up doing). The Krugman piece in the New York Times that shamed Libertarians for supporting Johnson was both dumb and counterproductive (of course, most anything Krugman writes is dumb, but that’s a discussion for a different day).
Hmmm… perhaps the largest error in the piece is to say the Libertarians are right-wing. It’s true the Greens are left-wing but I don’t see how the Libertarian positions regarding social issues or foreign policy are right-wing. Constitution Party perhaps but Libertarian Party… I don’t think so!
As someone who voted for Johnson, I have given consideration as to how I might have voted with an alternative voting system:
If we had Ranked Choice Voting: Johnson 1, McMullen 2, Stein 3, Trump 4, Clinton 5
If we had Approval/Disapproval voting: Johnson A, McMullen A, Stein blank, Trump D, Clinton D
If we had range voting (5 high): Johnson 5, McMullen 4, Stein 3, Trump 2, Clinton 1
Walter- you didn’t mention Castle. With alternative voting systems he would have factored in somewhere.
Will the libertarians actually get a libertarian nominated this time? My gut says no.
Who would you suggest as a real libertarian?
Me: Any person who is registered to vote Libertarian (in States that register by party) and/or a dues paying member of the Libertarian party is a real Libertarian.
@ Casual Observer: Castle? Hmm. I would probably have ranked him below McMullen, and above Stein.
@ Robert: As a libertarian, I always remind myself: the Libertarian Party is a MEANS to and end NOT an end in itself. IMO, a person doesn’t have to be a party member, or a registered libertarian to actually BE a libertarian.
“(as many ended up doing)”
Sorry, but (l)ibertarians and alt right entryists don’t count.
Walter Ziobro I understand that there are people who adhere to the libertarian philosophy who are not members of the Libertarian party. My comment was directed to the person hiding his identity with the pseudonym “me”. He claims to know who is or is not a real Libertarian. I am saying that anyone who is registered to vote Libertarian and/or a dues paying member of the Libertarian party is a real Libertarian and nothing else is required.
A member of the party does not make them a libertarian. Bill Weld is a member, but has never been an actual libertarian.
Being registered to vote Libertarian and or being a dues paying member of the Libertarian party is all that one needs to be a Libertarian. Bill Weld used to be a Libertarian, but he ceased to be a Libertarian when he changed his voter registration to Republican. It makes no difference what a person believes. If someone votes Libertarian, gives money to Libertarian candidates, and supports the Libertarian party then nothing else is needed to be a real Libertarian.
While there are many individuals who are not members of the Libertarian party who do adhere to a libertarian philosophical viewpoint that in itself is not a requirement to be a Libertarian. There is difference between a small L libertarian and a large L Libertarian, but both groups of people are real Libertarians.