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Libertarian Party (United States)
Encyclopedia
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party
in the United States
. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism
, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire
markets, strong civil liberties
, minimally regulated migration across borders, and non-interventionism
in foreign policy, i.e., avoiding foreign military or economic entanglements with other nations and respect for freedom of trade
and travel to all foreign countries.
In the 30 states where voters can register by party, there are over 225,000 voters registered with the party. Hundreds of Libertarian candidates have been elected or appointed to public office, and thousands have run for office under the Libertarian banner. The Libertarian Party has many firsts in its credit such as the first party to get an electoral vote for a woman.
, conscription, and the end of the Gold Standard
. The first Libertarian National Convention
was held in June, 1972. In 1978, Dick Randolph
of Alaska
became the first elected Libertarian state legislator. In 1994, over 40 Libertarians were elected or appointed which was a record for the party at that time. The year 1995 saw a soaring membership and voter registration for the party. In 1996, the Libertarian Party became the first third party
to earn ballot status in all 50 states
two presidential elections
in a row. By the end of 2009, 146 Libertarians were holding elected offices.
The Libertarian Party is the first party to earn an electoral vote for a woman. In the 1972 Presidential Election John Hospers ran for president on the Libertarian Ticket, with his running mate, Tonie Nathan (a woman). The team earned one electoral vote in that election, making history.
limitations on government as well as the elimination of most state functions. It includes a "Self-determination" section which quotes from the Declaration of Independence
and reads: "Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of individual liberty, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to agree to such new governance as to them shall seem most likely to protect their liberty." It also includes an "Omissions" section which reads: "Our silence about any other particular government law, regulation, ordinance, directive, edict, control, regulatory agency, activity, or machination should not be construed to imply approval."
(LNC) is responsible for promoting Libertarian campaign activities. While the LNC is responsible for overseeing the process of writing the Libertarian Platform, the LNC is more focused on campaign and organizational strategy than public policy
. In presidential elections, it supervises the Libertarian National Convention
. The 17-member Libertarian National Committee
(currently chaired by Mark Hinkle
) is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations of the Libertarian Party and its headquarters, in representative style.
The Libertarian National Congressional Committee (LNCC) was created by the LNC for the purpose of raising funds to elect Libertarians to the United States Congress
. It is modeled after the Democratic and Republican equivalents, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
and the National Republican Congressional Committee
. Wayne Allyn Root
is chair of the LNCC.
, which states that the signer does not advocate the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals. During the mid 1980s and into the early 1990s, this membership category was called an "instant" membership; currently these are referred to as "signature members".
Also in 1972, the "Libersign"—an arrow angling upward through the abbreviation "TANSTAAFL
" (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch)—was selected as the party's emblem. Some time after, this was replaced with the Lady Liberty
, which has, ever since, served as the party's symbol or mascot.
For many years, there has been a small movement to adopt "LP" the Liberty Penguin as the official mascot, much like the Republican elephant or the Democratic donkey. The Libertarian parties of Tennessee, North Carolina, Utah, Hawaii, Delaware and Iowa have all adopted "LP" as their mascot.
The first official slogan of the Libertarian Party was "There Ain't No Such Thing as a Free Lunch
" (often seen as "TANSTAAFL" for short), a phrase popularized by Robert A Heinlein in his 1966 novel The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
, sometimes dubbed "a manifesto for a libertarian revolution". The current slogan of the party is "The Party of Principle".
, received one electoral vote in 1972 when Roger MacBride
, a Republican faithless elector
pledged to Nixon, cast his ballot for the Libertarian ticket. His vote for Theodora ("Tonie") Nathan as Vice President was the first electoral college vote ever to be cast for a woman in a U.S. Presidential election.
for their presidential candidate three times, in 1980, 1992, and 1996 (in 2000 L. Neil Smith
was on the Arizona ballot instead of the nominee, Harry Browne).
There is another measure the Party uses internally as well. Since its founding, the Party has apportioned delegate seats to its national convention based on the number of members in each state who have paid minimum dues (with additional delegates given to state affiliates for good performance in winning more votes than normal for the Party's presidential candidate). This is the most-used number by Party activists. As of December 31, 2006, the Libertarian Party reported that there were 15,505 donating members. 1,108 of the donors gave the federal minimum ($200) or more for required individually itemized contributions.
Historically, dues were $15 throughout the 1980s; in 1991, they were increased to $25. Between February 1, 2006 and the close of the 2006 Libertarian party convention on May 31, 2006, dues were set to $0. However, the change to $0 dues was controversial and was de facto reversed by the 2006 national convention
in Portland, Oregon
; at which the members re-established a basic $25 dues category (now called Sustaining membership), and further added a requirement that all National Committee officers must henceforth be at least Sustaining members (this was not required prior to the convention).
A survey by David Kirby and David Boaz
found a minimum of 14 percent American voters to have libertarian-leaning views.
in 2000. Vaillancourt, a Democratic member of the House with libertarian leanings, had lost the Democratic primary for a seat in the New Hampshire Senate
that year and accepted the Libertarian nomination so as to keep his House seat.
Nationwide, there are 157 Libertarians holding elected office: 38 of them partisan offices, and 119 of them non-partisan offices.
Senate races (2000 and 2002), Libertarian candidates Carla Howell
and Michael Cloud, who did not face serious Republican contenders (in 2002 the candidate failed to make the ballot), received a party record-setting 11.9% and 18.4% respectively. In Indiana's 2006 US Senate race, which lacked a Democratic candidate, Steve Osborn received 12.6% of the vote. In 2002, Ed Thompson
, the brother of former Wisconsin
Governor Tommy Thompson
, received 11% of the vote (best ever Libertarian result for Governor) running for the same office
, resulting in a seat on the state elections board for the Libertarian Party.
, the editor of Ballot Access News
, periodically compiles and analyzes voter registration statistics as reported by state voter agencies, and he reports that as of December 2010, the Libertarians ranked fifth in voter registration nationally (Ballot Access News, December 2010. However, virtually the entire total of the third largest party belongs to the California American Independent Party
, which is not technically a national party.
, Maine
, Oklahoma
, or West Virginia
.
and cultural liberal
approach to cultural and social issues, and laissez-faire
approach to economic issues. Paul H. Rubin, professor of law and economics at Emory University
, noted while liberal Democrats
generally seek to control economic activities and conservative Republicans
generally seek to control consumption activities such as sexual behavior, abortion etc., the Libertarian Party is the largest political party in the United States that advocates little or no regulations in both social and economic issues (both personal freedom and economic freedom).
The Libertarian Party believes government regulations in the form of minimum wage law
s drive up the cost of employing additional workers. This is why Libertarians favor repealing minimum wage laws so that overall unemployment rate can be reduced and low-wage workers, unskilled workers, visa immigrants
, and those with limited education or job experience can find employment.
, pornography, prostitution, gambling
, removal of restrictions on homosexuality, opposes any kind of censorship
and supports freedom of speech
, and supports the right to keep and bear arms. The Libertarian Party's platform states: "Government does not have the authority to define, license or restrict personal relationships. Consenting adults should be free to choose their own sexual practices and personal relationships."
and is opposed to any kind of censorship
. The party describes the issue in its website: "We defend the rights of individuals to unrestricted freedom of speech, freedom of the press
and the right of individuals to dissent
from government itself.... We oppose any abridgment of the freedom of speech through government censorship, regulation or control of communications media." The party claims it is the only political party in the United States "with an explicit stand against censorship of computer communications in its platform."
. According to the Libertarian Party's platform, "Sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity should have no impact on the government's treatment of individuals, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration or military service laws."
In 2009, the Libertarian Party of Washington encouraged voters to approve Washington Referendum 71
that extended LGBT relationship rights. According to the party, withholding domestic partnership rights from same-sex couples is a violation of the Equal Protection Clause
of the Constitution
. In September 2010, in the light of the failure to repeal "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy (which bans openly gay people from the military) during the Obama administration, the Libertarian Party urged gay voters to stop supporting the Democrats. The policy was repealed by the end of 2010.
Outright Libertarians
is an association of gay
, lesbian
, bisexual, transgendered people who are active in the Libertarian Party. Gay Libertarian Richard Sincere has pointed to the long record of support for homosexuality in the party. Several LGBT political candidates have run for office on the Libertarian Party ticket.
or pornography
as "an abridgment of liberty of expression" and opposes any government intervention to regulate it. According to Libertarian National Committee Chairman Mark Hinkle
, "Federal anti-obscenity
laws are unconstitutional in two ways. First, because the Constitution does not grant Congress any power to regulate or criminalize obscenity. And second, because the First Amendment guarantees the right of free speech."
. Many men and women with background in prostitution and activists for sex workers' rights, such as Norma Jean Almodovar and Starchild, have run for office on the Libertarian Party ticket or are active members of the party. Ex-call girl Norma Jean Almodovar ran on Libertarian Party ticket in Los Angeles during the 1980s and was actively supported by the party. Mark Hinkle
described her as being the most able "of any Libertarian" "to generate publicity". The Massachusetts Libertarian Party was one of the few organizations to support a 1980s campaign to repeal prostitution laws.
and minarchists
within the Party agreed to "cease fire" about the specific question of whether governments should exist at all, and focus on promoting voluntary solutions to the problems caused by government instead. Another debate was created by Mike Hihn's claim that the term libertarianism has been used by anarchists longer than by minarchists. A related internal discussion concerns the philosophical divide over whether the Party should aim to be mainstream and pragmatic, or whether it should focus on being consistent and principled.
In the opinion of some, members who emphasize "principle," even at the expense of electoral success, have dominated the party since the early 1980s. The departure of Ed Crane
(of the Cato Institute
, a libertarian think tank
) is often cited as a key turning point. Crane, who in the 1970s had been the party's first Executive Director, and some of his allies resigned from the Party in 1983 when their preferred candidates for national committee seats lost in the elections at the national convention.
The debate quieted for a time, then arose again in the mid-1990s, when a "Committee for a Libertarian Majority" (CLM) was formed and met in Atlanta, Georgia, and worked up several proposals to alter many aspects of the Libertarian Party's operations. Two of their proposals (substantially altering the platform and abolishing the membership pledge) attracted a lot of attention and opposition sprang up in the form of another committee called PLEDGE. In the long run, CLM's proposals attracted some support at the national convention but did not prevail.
Beginning in roughly 2004, the debate arose anew, with the formation of several reform ("pragmatist") groups, such as the Libertarian Reform Caucus
, the Libertarian Party Reform Caucus (now defunct), and the Real World Libertarian Caucus (now defunct). These groups generally advocate(d) revising the party's platform, eliminating or altering the membership statement, and focusing on a politics-oriented approach aimed at presenting libertarianism to voters in what they deemed a "less threatening" manner. LPRadicals
emerged in response and was active at the 2008
and 2010
Libertarian National Convention
s.
. Their agenda was partially successful in that the current platform was much shortened (going from 61 to 15 planks – 11 new planks and 4 retained from the old platform) over the previous one.
Members differ as to the reasons why the changes were relatively more drastic than any platform actions at previous conventions. Some delegates voted for changes so the Party could appeal to a wider audience, while others simply thought the entire document needed an overhaul. It was also pointed out that the text of the existing platform was not provided to the delegates, making many reluctant to vote to retain the planks when the existing language wasn't provided for review.
Not all party members approved of the changes, some believing them to be a setback to libertarianism and an abandonment of what they see as the most important purpose of the Libertarian Party.
At the 2008 national convention, the changes went even further; with the approval of an entirely revamped platform. Much of the new platform recycles language from platforms going back to 1972. While the planks were renamed, most address ideas found in earlier platforms and run no longer than three to four sentences. Members of the program committee point to its being a version of a proposal approved in 2001.
Political parties in the United States
This article presents the historical development and role of political parties in United States politics, and outlines more extensively the significant modern political parties. Throughout most of its history, American politics have been dominated by a two-party system...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire
Laissez-faire
In economics, laissez-faire describes an environment in which transactions between private parties are free from state intervention, including restrictive regulations, taxes, tariffs and enforced monopolies....
markets, strong civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
, minimally regulated migration across borders, and non-interventionism
Non-interventionism
Nonintervention or non-interventionism is a foreign policy which holds that political rulers should avoid alliances with other nations, but still retain diplomacy, and avoid all wars not related to direct self-defense...
in foreign policy, i.e., avoiding foreign military or economic entanglements with other nations and respect for freedom of trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
and travel to all foreign countries.
In the 30 states where voters can register by party, there are over 225,000 voters registered with the party. Hundreds of Libertarian candidates have been elected or appointed to public office, and thousands have run for office under the Libertarian banner. The Libertarian Party has many firsts in its credit such as the first party to get an electoral vote for a woman.
History
The Libertarian Party was formed in Colorado Springs in the home of David Nolan on December 11, 1971. The formation was prompted in part by the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, conscription, and the end of the Gold Standard
Gold standard
The gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is a fixed mass of gold. There are distinct kinds of gold standard...
. The first Libertarian National Convention
Libertarian National Convention
The Libertarian National Convention is held every two years by the United States Libertarian Party to choose members of the Libertarian National Committee, and to conduct other party business...
was held in June, 1972. In 1978, Dick Randolph
Dick Randolph
Richard L. "Dick" Randolph is a longtime insurance agency owner in Fairbanks, Alaska who is best known as the first person to be elected to partisan office under the banner of the Libertarian Party with his election to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1978. He was re-elected in 1980...
of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
became the first elected Libertarian state legislator. In 1994, over 40 Libertarians were elected or appointed which was a record for the party at that time. The year 1995 saw a soaring membership and voter registration for the party. In 1996, the Libertarian Party became the first third party
Third party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
to earn ballot status in all 50 states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
two presidential elections
Elections in the United States
The United States has a federal government, with elected officials at the federal , state and local levels. On a national level, the head of state, the President, is elected indirectly by the people, through an Electoral College. In modern times, the electors virtually always vote with the popular...
in a row. By the end of 2009, 146 Libertarians were holding elected offices.
The Libertarian Party is the first party to earn an electoral vote for a woman. In the 1972 Presidential Election John Hospers ran for president on the Libertarian Ticket, with his running mate, Tonie Nathan (a woman). The team earned one electoral vote in that election, making history.
Platform
The preamble outlines the party's goal: "As Libertarians, we seek a world of liberty; a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives and no one is forced to sacrifice his or her values for the benefit of others." Its Statement of Principles begins: "We, the members of the Libertarian Party, challenge the cult of the omnipotent state and defend the rights of the individual." The platform emphasizes individual liberty in personal and economic affairs, avoidance of "foreign entanglements" and military and economic intervention in other nations' affairs and free trade and migration. It calls for ConstitutionalUnited States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
limitations on government as well as the elimination of most state functions. It includes a "Self-determination" section which quotes from the Declaration of Independence
United States Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...
and reads: "Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of individual liberty, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to agree to such new governance as to them shall seem most likely to protect their liberty." It also includes an "Omissions" section which reads: "Our silence about any other particular government law, regulation, ordinance, directive, edict, control, regulatory agency, activity, or machination should not be construed to imply approval."
Structure and composition
The Libertarian National CommitteeLibertarian National Committee
The Libertarian National Committee controls and manages the affairs, properties, and funds of the United States Libertarian Party. It is composed of the party officers, five at-large representatives elected every two years at the national convention, and a theoretical maximum of ten regional...
(LNC) is responsible for promoting Libertarian campaign activities. While the LNC is responsible for overseeing the process of writing the Libertarian Platform, the LNC is more focused on campaign and organizational strategy than public policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
. In presidential elections, it supervises the Libertarian National Convention
Libertarian National Convention
The Libertarian National Convention is held every two years by the United States Libertarian Party to choose members of the Libertarian National Committee, and to conduct other party business...
. The 17-member Libertarian National Committee
Libertarian National Committee
The Libertarian National Committee controls and manages the affairs, properties, and funds of the United States Libertarian Party. It is composed of the party officers, five at-large representatives elected every two years at the national convention, and a theoretical maximum of ten regional...
(currently chaired by Mark Hinkle
Mark Hinkle
Mark Hinkle is an American libertarian activist and businessman. He is the National Chairman of the United States Libertarian Party. He was elected by the delegates of the 2010 Libertarian National Convention in St...
) is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations of the Libertarian Party and its headquarters, in representative style.
The Libertarian National Congressional Committee (LNCC) was created by the LNC for the purpose of raising funds to elect Libertarians to the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
. It is modeled after the Democratic and Republican equivalents, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. They play a critical role in recruiting candidates, raising funds, and organizing races in districts that are expected to yield...
and the National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
. Wayne Allyn Root
Wayne Allyn Root
Wayne Allyn Root is an American politician, entrepreneur, television and radio personality, author and political commentator. He was the 2008 Libertarian Party vice-presidential nominee. In June 2009 Richard Winger wrote he was the front runner for the 2012 Libertarian Presidential nomination...
is chair of the LNCC.
State chapters
Each state also has a state committee, usually consisting of statewide officers and regional representation of one kind or another. Similarly, county, town, city and ward committees, where organized, generally consist of members elected at the local level. State and local committees often coordinate campaign activities within their jurisdiction, oversee local conventions and in some cases primaries or caucuses, and may have a role in nominating candidates for elected office under state law.Membership
Since its inception, individuals have been able to join the Libertarian Party by signing their agreement with the organization's membership pledgeLibertarian pledge
The Libertarian pledge, a statement individuals must sign in order to join the Libertarian Party of the United States, declares, "I hereby certify that I do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals." Libertarian Party founder David Nolan...
, which states that the signer does not advocate the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals. During the mid 1980s and into the early 1990s, this membership category was called an "instant" membership; currently these are referred to as "signature members".
Name and symbols
In 1972, "Libertarian Party" was chosen as the party's name, narrowly beating out "New Liberty Party."Also in 1972, the "Libersign"—an arrow angling upward through the abbreviation "TANSTAAFL
TANSTAAFL
"There ain't no such thing as a free lunch" is a popular adage communicating the idea that it is impossible to get something for nothing. The acronyms TANSTAAFL and TINSTAAFL are also used...
" (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch)—was selected as the party's emblem. Some time after, this was replaced with the Lady Liberty
Lady Liberty
Lady Liberty may refer to:* Lady Liberty , La mortadella, 1972 French-Italian comedy* "Lady Liberty" , written by Al Jardine and Ron Altbach for the Beach Boys...
, which has, ever since, served as the party's symbol or mascot.
For many years, there has been a small movement to adopt "LP" the Liberty Penguin as the official mascot, much like the Republican elephant or the Democratic donkey. The Libertarian parties of Tennessee, North Carolina, Utah, Hawaii, Delaware and Iowa have all adopted "LP" as their mascot.
The first official slogan of the Libertarian Party was "There Ain't No Such Thing as a Free Lunch
TANSTAAFL
"There ain't no such thing as a free lunch" is a popular adage communicating the idea that it is impossible to get something for nothing. The acronyms TANSTAAFL and TINSTAAFL are also used...
" (often seen as "TANSTAAFL" for short), a phrase popularized by Robert A Heinlein in his 1966 novel The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is a 1966 science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, about a lunar colony's revolt against rule from Earth....
, sometimes dubbed "a manifesto for a libertarian revolution". The current slogan of the party is "The Party of Principle".
Presidential candidate performance
The first Libertarian Presidential candidate, John HospersJohn Hospers
John Hospers was an American philosopher. In 1972 he was the first presidential candidate of the Libertarian Party, and the only minor party candidate to receive an electoral vote in the 1972 U.S. Presidential election....
, received one electoral vote in 1972 when Roger MacBride
Roger MacBride
Roger Lea MacBride was an American lawyer, political figure, and television producer. He was the presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party in the 1976 election....
, a Republican faithless elector
Faithless elector
In United States presidential elections, a faithless elector is a member of the Electoral College who does not vote for the candidate they have pledged to vote for...
pledged to Nixon, cast his ballot for the Libertarian ticket. His vote for Theodora ("Tonie") Nathan as Vice President was the first electoral college vote ever to be cast for a woman in a U.S. Presidential election.
Results in US presidential elections
| Year | Candidate | Popular Votes | Percentage | Electoral Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | John Hospers John Hospers John Hospers was an American philosopher. In 1972 he was the first presidential candidate of the Libertarian Party, and the only minor party candidate to receive an electoral vote in the 1972 U.S. Presidential election.... |
3,674 | <0.1% | 1 |
| 1976 | Roger MacBride Roger MacBride Roger Lea MacBride was an American lawyer, political figure, and television producer. He was the presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party in the 1976 election.... |
172,553 | 0.21% | 0 |
| 1980 | Ed Clark Ed Clark Ed Clark is an American politician who ran for Governor of California in 1978, and for President of the United States as the nominee of the Libertarian Party in the 1980 presidential election.... |
921,128 | 1.1% | 0 |
| 1984 | David Bergland David Bergland David Peter Bergland received the United States Libertarian Party's nomination for the 1984 presidential election. Bergland and his running mate Jim Lewis received 228,111 . He received the party's vice-presidential nomination in the 1976 presidential election, sharing the ticket with Roger... |
228,111 | 0.3% | 0 |
| 1988 | Ron Paul Ron Paul Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes... |
431,750 | 0.5% | 0 |
| 1992 | Andre Marrou Andre Marrou Andre Verne Marrou is an American political figure, affiliated with the Libertarian Party.Born in Nixon, Texas, he graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1962... |
290,087 | 0.3% | 0 |
| 1996 | Harry Browne Harry Browne Harry Browne was an American libertarian writer, politician, and free-market investment analyst. He ran for President of the United States as the nominee of the Libertarian Party in 1996 and 2000.... |
485,759 | 0.5% | 0 |
| 2000 | Harry Browne Harry Browne Harry Browne was an American libertarian writer, politician, and free-market investment analyst. He ran for President of the United States as the nominee of the Libertarian Party in 1996 and 2000.... |
384,431 | 0.4% | 0 |
| 2004 | Michael Badnarik Michael Badnarik Michael J. Badnarik is an American software engineer, political figure, and former radio talk show host. He was the Libertarian Party nominee for President of the United States in the 2004 elections, and placed fourth in the race, behind independent candidate Ralph Nader... |
397,265 | 0.32% | 0 |
| 2008 | Bob Barr Bob Barr Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr. is a former federal prosecutorand a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Barr attained national prominence as one of the leaders of the impeachment of... |
523,686 | 0.4% | 0 |
Earning ballot status
Historically, Libertarians have also achieved 50-state ballot accessBallot access
Ballot access rules, called nomination rules outside the United States, regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is either entitled to stand for election or to appear on voters' ballots...
for their presidential candidate three times, in 1980, 1992, and 1996 (in 2000 L. Neil Smith
L. Neil Smith
L. Neil Smith , also known to readers and fans as El Neil, is a libertarian science fiction author and political activist. He was born on May 12, 1946 in Denver...
was on the Arizona ballot instead of the nominee, Harry Browne).
Party supporters
In the Libertarian Party, some donors are not necessarily "members", because the Party since its founding in 1972 has defined a "member" as being someone who agrees with the Party's membership statement. The precise language of this statement is found in the Party Bylaws. There were 115,401 Americans who were on record as having signed the membership statement as of the most recent report.There is another measure the Party uses internally as well. Since its founding, the Party has apportioned delegate seats to its national convention based on the number of members in each state who have paid minimum dues (with additional delegates given to state affiliates for good performance in winning more votes than normal for the Party's presidential candidate). This is the most-used number by Party activists. As of December 31, 2006, the Libertarian Party reported that there were 15,505 donating members. 1,108 of the donors gave the federal minimum ($200) or more for required individually itemized contributions.
Historically, dues were $15 throughout the 1980s; in 1991, they were increased to $25. Between February 1, 2006 and the close of the 2006 Libertarian party convention on May 31, 2006, dues were set to $0. However, the change to $0 dues was controversial and was de facto reversed by the 2006 national convention
Libertarian National Convention
The Libertarian National Convention is held every two years by the United States Libertarian Party to choose members of the Libertarian National Committee, and to conduct other party business...
in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
; at which the members re-established a basic $25 dues category (now called Sustaining membership), and further added a requirement that all National Committee officers must henceforth be at least Sustaining members (this was not required prior to the convention).
A survey by David Kirby and David Boaz
David Boaz
David Boaz is the executive vice president of the Cato Institute, an American libertarian think tank. He played a key role in the Institute's development and the American libertarian movement....
found a minimum of 14 percent American voters to have libertarian-leaning views.
Election victories
Libertarians have had mixed success in electing candidates at the state and local level. Following the 2002 elections, according to its site, 599 Libertarians held elected or appointed local offices and appointed state offices. As of January 2010, 143 Libertarians Nationwide, hold elected office: 31 of them partisan offices, and 112 of them non-partisan offices. Since the party's creation, twelve Libertarians have been elected to state legislatures, though none hold office currently. The most recent Libertarian candidate elected to a state legislatures was Steve Vaillancourt to the New Hampshire House of RepresentativesNew Hampshire House of Representatives
The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members coming from 103 districts across the state, created from divisions of the state's counties. On average, each legislator represents about 3,300...
in 2000. Vaillancourt, a Democratic member of the House with libertarian leanings, had lost the Democratic primary for a seat in the New Hampshire Senate
New Hampshire Senate
The New Hampshire Senate has been meeting since 1784. It is the upper house of the New Hampshire General Court. It consists of 24 members representing Senate districts based on population...
that year and accepted the Libertarian nomination so as to keep his House seat.
Nationwide, there are 157 Libertarians holding elected office: 38 of them partisan offices, and 119 of them non-partisan offices.
Best results in major races
Some Libertarian candidates for state office have performed relatively strongly in statewide races. In two MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Senate races (2000 and 2002), Libertarian candidates Carla Howell
Carla Howell
Carla A. Howell is an American political activist and small government advocate. She is President of the Center For Small Government. She is most known for organizing tax cut initiative petitions, called ballot measures in other states...
and Michael Cloud, who did not face serious Republican contenders (in 2002 the candidate failed to make the ballot), received a party record-setting 11.9% and 18.4% respectively. In Indiana's 2006 US Senate race, which lacked a Democratic candidate, Steve Osborn received 12.6% of the vote. In 2002, Ed Thompson
Ed Thompson
Allan Edward "Ed" Thompson , was an American businessman and politician. He served as Mayor of Tomah, Wisconsin for two non-consecutive terms, and was the Libertarian candidate for Governor of Wisconsin in 2002, receiving 11% of the vote in that race. He was elected to his first term as mayor of...
, the brother of former Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
Governor Tommy Thompson
Tommy Thompson
Thomas George "Tommy" Thompson , a United States Republican politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, after which he served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls...
, received 11% of the vote (best ever Libertarian result for Governor) running for the same office
Wisconsin gubernatorial election, 2002
The Wisconsin gubernatorial election of 2002 was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican Governor Scott McCallum was defeated by Wisconsin Attorney General Jim Doyle. Doyle served one term 2003 to 2007 and was then reelected in 2006.-Independents:...
, resulting in a seat on the state elections board for the Libertarian Party.
Registration by party
Ballot access expert Richard WingerRichard Winger
Richard Lee Winger is the publisher and editor of Ballot Access News. He sits on the editorial board of the Election Law Journal and has been accepted as an expert on election law in federal courts in nine states, including California...
, the editor of Ballot Access News
Ballot Access News
Ballot Access News is a U.S.-based monthly online newsletter edited and published by Richard Winger of California, an expert on ballot access law in the United States...
, periodically compiles and analyzes voter registration statistics as reported by state voter agencies, and he reports that as of December 2010, the Libertarians ranked fifth in voter registration nationally (Ballot Access News, December 2010. However, virtually the entire total of the third largest party belongs to the California American Independent Party
American Independent Party
The American Independent Party is a right-wing political party of the United States that was established in 1967 by Bill and Eileen Shearer. In 1968, the American Independent Party nominated George C. Wallace as its presidential candidate and retired Air Force General Curtis E. LeMay as the vice...
, which is not technically a national party.
Ballot access
During the 2008 United States Presidential election, the Libertarian Party gained ballot access in 46 states plus the District of Columbia; it did not gain ballot access in ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, or West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
Recent issue stances
The Libertarian Party adopts civil libertarianCivil libertarianism
Civil libertarianism is a strain of political thought that supports civil liberties, or who emphasizes the supremacy of individual rights and personal freedoms over and against any kind of authority...
and cultural liberal
Cultural liberalism
Cultural liberalism is a liberal view of society that stresses the freedom of individuals from cultural norms. It is often expressed, in the words of Thoreau as the right to "march to the beat of a different drummer"...
approach to cultural and social issues, and laissez-faire
Laissez-faire
In economics, laissez-faire describes an environment in which transactions between private parties are free from state intervention, including restrictive regulations, taxes, tariffs and enforced monopolies....
approach to economic issues. Paul H. Rubin, professor of law and economics at Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
, noted while liberal Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
generally seek to control economic activities and conservative Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
generally seek to control consumption activities such as sexual behavior, abortion etc., the Libertarian Party is the largest political party in the United States that advocates little or no regulations in both social and economic issues (both personal freedom and economic freedom).
Economic issues
The Libertarian Party's platform opposes intervention in the economy. According to the party platform "The only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected." - Libertarian Party Platform, Section 2.0 (adopted: May 2008)The Libertarian Party believes government regulations in the form of minimum wage law
Minimum wage law
Minimum wage law is the body of law which prohibits employers from hiring employees or workers for less than a given hourly, daily or monthly minimum wage. More than 90% of all countries have some kind of minimum wage legislation....
s drive up the cost of employing additional workers. This is why Libertarians favor repealing minimum wage laws so that overall unemployment rate can be reduced and low-wage workers, unskilled workers, visa immigrants
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
, and those with limited education or job experience can find employment.
Social issues
The Libertarian Party supports legalization of drugsRecreational drug use
Recreational drug use is the use of a drug, usually psychoactive, with the intention of creating or enhancing recreational experience. Such use is controversial, however, often being considered to be also drug abuse, and it is often illegal...
, pornography, prostitution, gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
, removal of restrictions on homosexuality, opposes any kind of censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
and supports freedom of speech
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
, and supports the right to keep and bear arms. The Libertarian Party's platform states: "Government does not have the authority to define, license or restrict personal relationships. Consenting adults should be free to choose their own sexual practices and personal relationships."
Freedom of speech and censorship
The Libertarian Party supports unrestricted freedom of speechFreedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
and is opposed to any kind of censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
. The party describes the issue in its website: "We defend the rights of individuals to unrestricted freedom of speech, freedom of the press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
and the right of individuals to dissent
Dissent
Dissent is a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or an entity...
from government itself.... We oppose any abridgment of the freedom of speech through government censorship, regulation or control of communications media." The party claims it is the only political party in the United States "with an explicit stand against censorship of computer communications in its platform."
LGBT issues
The Libertarian Party advocates repealing all laws that control or prohibit homosexualityHomosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. According to the Libertarian Party's platform, "Sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity should have no impact on the government's treatment of individuals, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration or military service laws."
In 2009, the Libertarian Party of Washington encouraged voters to approve Washington Referendum 71
Washington Referendum 71 (2009)
Referendum 71 was a vote held in 2009 in which the people of Washington state confirmed Senate Bill 5688, a law extending the rights and obligations of domestic partnership in Washington...
that extended LGBT relationship rights. According to the party, withholding domestic partnership rights from same-sex couples is a violation of the Equal Protection Clause
Equal Protection Clause
The Equal Protection Clause, part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, provides that "no state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws"...
of the Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. In September 2010, in the light of the failure to repeal "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy (which bans openly gay people from the military) during the Obama administration, the Libertarian Party urged gay voters to stop supporting the Democrats. The policy was repealed by the end of 2010.
Outright Libertarians
Outright Libertarians
Outright Libertarians is an association in the United States of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and other self-identified "queer" people who are active in the Libertarian Party...
is an association of gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, bisexual, transgendered people who are active in the Libertarian Party. Gay Libertarian Richard Sincere has pointed to the long record of support for homosexuality in the party. Several LGBT political candidates have run for office on the Libertarian Party ticket.
Pornography
The Libertarian Party views attempts by government to control obscenityObscenity
An obscenity is any statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is especially inauspicious...
or pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
as "an abridgment of liberty of expression" and opposes any government intervention to regulate it. According to Libertarian National Committee Chairman Mark Hinkle
Mark Hinkle
Mark Hinkle is an American libertarian activist and businessman. He is the National Chairman of the United States Libertarian Party. He was elected by the delegates of the 2010 Libertarian National Convention in St...
, "Federal anti-obscenity
Obscenity
An obscenity is any statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is especially inauspicious...
laws are unconstitutional in two ways. First, because the Constitution does not grant Congress any power to regulate or criminalize obscenity. And second, because the First Amendment guarantees the right of free speech."
Prostitution
The Libertarian Party supports the legalization of prostitutionProstitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
. Many men and women with background in prostitution and activists for sex workers' rights, such as Norma Jean Almodovar and Starchild, have run for office on the Libertarian Party ticket or are active members of the party. Ex-call girl Norma Jean Almodovar ran on Libertarian Party ticket in Los Angeles during the 1980s and was actively supported by the party. Mark Hinkle
Mark Hinkle
Mark Hinkle is an American libertarian activist and businessman. He is the National Chairman of the United States Libertarian Party. He was elected by the delegates of the 2010 Libertarian National Convention in St...
described her as being the most able "of any Libertarian" "to generate publicity". The Massachusetts Libertarian Party was one of the few organizations to support a 1980s campaign to repeal prostitution laws.
"Principle" vs. "Pragmatism" debate
The debate that has survived the longest is referred to by libertarians as the anarchist-minarchist debate. In 1974, anarchistsAnarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
and minarchists
Minarchism
Minarchism has been variously defined by sources. It is a libertarian capitalist political philosophy. In the strictest sense, it maintains that the state is necessary and that its only legitimate function is the protection of individuals from aggression, theft, breach of contract, and fraud, and...
within the Party agreed to "cease fire" about the specific question of whether governments should exist at all, and focus on promoting voluntary solutions to the problems caused by government instead. Another debate was created by Mike Hihn's claim that the term libertarianism has been used by anarchists longer than by minarchists. A related internal discussion concerns the philosophical divide over whether the Party should aim to be mainstream and pragmatic, or whether it should focus on being consistent and principled.
In the opinion of some, members who emphasize "principle," even at the expense of electoral success, have dominated the party since the early 1980s. The departure of Ed Crane
Ed Crane
Edward H. Crane is the founder and president of the Cato Institute.In the 1970s, he was one of the most active leaders of the Libertarian Party...
(of the Cato Institute
Cato Institute
The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
, a libertarian think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
) is often cited as a key turning point. Crane, who in the 1970s had been the party's first Executive Director, and some of his allies resigned from the Party in 1983 when their preferred candidates for national committee seats lost in the elections at the national convention.
The debate quieted for a time, then arose again in the mid-1990s, when a "Committee for a Libertarian Majority" (CLM) was formed and met in Atlanta, Georgia, and worked up several proposals to alter many aspects of the Libertarian Party's operations. Two of their proposals (substantially altering the platform and abolishing the membership pledge) attracted a lot of attention and opposition sprang up in the form of another committee called PLEDGE. In the long run, CLM's proposals attracted some support at the national convention but did not prevail.
Beginning in roughly 2004, the debate arose anew, with the formation of several reform ("pragmatist") groups, such as the Libertarian Reform Caucus
Libertarian Reform Caucus
The Libertarian Reform Caucus is a coalition of American Libertarians operating as an internal caucus of the Libertarian party. Their aim is to gear the party toward winning elections in the near term, a goal they believe to be incompatible with preserving a rigid doctrinal purity...
, the Libertarian Party Reform Caucus (now defunct), and the Real World Libertarian Caucus (now defunct). These groups generally advocate(d) revising the party's platform, eliminating or altering the membership statement, and focusing on a politics-oriented approach aimed at presenting libertarianism to voters in what they deemed a "less threatening" manner. LPRadicals
LPRadicals
LPRadicals is a caucus formed in 2006 within the United States Libertarian Party by Susan Hogarth and other party members who opposed removal of much of the material in the party platform during the 2006 national party convention...
emerged in response and was active at the 2008
2008 Libertarian National Convention
The 2008 Libertarian National Convention was held from May 22 to May 26, 2008 at the Sheraton Hotel in Denver, Colorado...
and 2010
2010 Libertarian National Convention
The 2010 Libertarian National Convention was a biennial convention of the Libertarian Party that was held in St. Louis, Missouri from Friday May 28 to Monday May 31, 2010....
Libertarian National Convention
Libertarian National Convention
The Libertarian National Convention is held every two years by the United States Libertarian Party to choose members of the Libertarian National Committee, and to conduct other party business...
s.
Intervention in Afghanistan
On September 13, 2001, just two days after the September 11 attacks and in response to what they saw as ambiguous statements about U.S. intervention in Afghanistan by the Libertarian National Committee, party members formed Libertarians for Peace to encourage the party to continue promoting a consistent non-interventionist position.Platform revision
In 1999 a working group of leading LP activists proposed to reformat and retire the platform to serve as a guide for legislative projects (its main purpose to that point) and create a series of custom platforms on current issues for different purposes, including the needs of the growing number of Libertarians in office. The proposal was incorporated in a new party-wide strategic plan and a joint platform-program committee proposed a reformatted project platform that isolated talking points on issues, principles and solutions, and an array of projects for adaptation. This platform, along with a short Summary for talking points, was approved in 2004. Confusion arose when prior to the 2006 convention, there was a push to repeal or substantially rewrite the Platform, at the center of which were groups such as the Libertarian Reform CaucusLibertarian Reform Caucus
The Libertarian Reform Caucus is a coalition of American Libertarians operating as an internal caucus of the Libertarian party. Their aim is to gear the party toward winning elections in the near term, a goal they believe to be incompatible with preserving a rigid doctrinal purity...
. Their agenda was partially successful in that the current platform was much shortened (going from 61 to 15 planks – 11 new planks and 4 retained from the old platform) over the previous one.
Members differ as to the reasons why the changes were relatively more drastic than any platform actions at previous conventions. Some delegates voted for changes so the Party could appeal to a wider audience, while others simply thought the entire document needed an overhaul. It was also pointed out that the text of the existing platform was not provided to the delegates, making many reluctant to vote to retain the planks when the existing language wasn't provided for review.
Not all party members approved of the changes, some believing them to be a setback to libertarianism and an abandonment of what they see as the most important purpose of the Libertarian Party.
At the 2008 national convention, the changes went even further; with the approval of an entirely revamped platform. Much of the new platform recycles language from platforms going back to 1972. While the planks were renamed, most address ideas found in earlier platforms and run no longer than three to four sentences. Members of the program committee point to its being a version of a proposal approved in 2001.
Internal caucuses
- LPRadicalsLPRadicalsLPRadicals is a caucus formed in 2006 within the United States Libertarian Party by Susan Hogarth and other party members who opposed removal of much of the material in the party platform during the 2006 national party convention...
Website - Libertarian Reform CaucusLibertarian Reform CaucusThe Libertarian Reform Caucus is a coalition of American Libertarians operating as an internal caucus of the Libertarian party. Their aim is to gear the party toward winning elections in the near term, a goal they believe to be incompatible with preserving a rigid doctrinal purity...
Website - Grassroots Libertarians Caucus Website
- Libertarian Defense Caucus Website
- Libertarians for Life Website
- Pro-Choice Libertarians Website
- Libertarians for Peace Website
- Libertarian Women's Caucus
- Libertarian Student Caucus
- Libertarian Youth Caucus
- Outright LibertariansOutright LibertariansOutright Libertarians is an association in the United States of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and other self-identified "queer" people who are active in the Libertarian Party...
Website - Rothbard Caucus Website
See also
- Free State ProjectFree State ProjectThe Free State Project is a political movement, founded in 2001, to recruit at least 20,000 libertarian-leaning people to move to New Hampshire in order to make the state a stronghold for libertarian ideas....
- List of libertarian organizations
- List of libertarian political parties
- List of political parties in the United States
- List of state Libertarian Parties in the U.S.
- Murray RothbardMurray RothbardMurray Newton Rothbard was an American author and economist of the Austrian School who helped define capitalist libertarianism and popularized a form of free-market anarchism he termed "anarcho-capitalism." Rothbard wrote over twenty books and is considered a centrally important figure in the...
- Objectivism (Ayn Rand)Objectivism (Ayn Rand)Objectivism is a philosophy created by the Russian-American philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand . Objectivism holds that reality exists independent of consciousness, that human beings have direct contact with reality through sense perception, that one can attain objective knowledge from perception...
- VoluntaryismVoluntaryismVoluntarism, or voluntaryism, is a philosophy according to which all forms of human association should be voluntary. This moral principle is called the non-aggression principle, which prohibits the initiation of aggressive force or coercion...
Further reading
- David BoazDavid BoazDavid Boaz is the executive vice president of the Cato Institute, an American libertarian think tank. He played a key role in the Institute's development and the American libertarian movement....
and David KirbyDavid KirbyDavid Kirby is a journalist based in Brooklyn, New York, and was formerly a regular contributor to the New York Times since 1998. He is author of the 2005 book Evidence of Harm - Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy....
, The Libertarian Vote, Policy Analysis, Cato InstituteCato InstituteThe Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
, October 18, 2006. - David KirbyDavid KirbyDavid Kirby is a journalist based in Brooklyn, New York, and was formerly a regular contributor to the New York Times since 1998. He is author of the 2005 book Evidence of Harm - Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy....
and David BoazDavid BoazDavid Boaz is the executive vice president of the Cato Institute, an American libertarian think tank. He played a key role in the Institute's development and the American libertarian movement....
, The Libertarian Vote in the Age of Obama, Policy Analysis, Cato InstituteCato InstituteThe Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
, January 21, 2010.
External links
- US Libertarian Party official site
- Facebook Fanpage official Fanpage
- Twitter Page official account
- Elected Libertarian officials, a site that keeps an independent tally; also includes candidates who identify themselves as libertarian but outside of the U.S. LP.