Third Party Blues

A viable Libertarian Party is going to have to change its ways: 1) its platform, i.e. to moderate its views; 2) its image, i.e. of geeks and pot-smokers; and 3) maybe even its name and brand, i.e. a name and brand sullied by 1 and 2.

1) Platform – For example: “support the repeal of all taxation.” JC, fellas. This sounds like something out of the Rothbard Bible. How about: ‘support for a national sales tax.’ Incremental is better.

2) Image – Find the smartest, slickest, best-looking people and recruit them. Get them away from beards, the hair, and Ayn Rand or Murray Rothbard ways of speaking. Avoid the term “principle,” for example.

3) Brand – If you’re going to keep the name, brand yourselves as the Purple Party (the best of Red and Blue). There are a lot of voters who feel disenfranchised by the two-party system. Show that the LP represents a merger of half the talking points from each party’s list. For example: (Low taxes, security, and fiscal responsibility) + (Choice, civil liberties, and legalizing fun) = Libertarians with a more moderate brand.

It’s time for Libertarians to moderate their message and sell themselves as the ‘other center,’ i.e. as opposed to the Clinton/McCain center. Then, people like me won't go out and vote for Bush.

Comments

[Corbett]

The LP is terrified that it may actually win an election and have to put their money were their mouths are. That's why they say things like, "The first thing I wilol do when elected president is sign a pardon for all non-violent drug offenders."

When Browne said that, he made sure he would NEVER be elected. When they nominated Badinark, they made sure that they picked a candidate with zero name recognition and no money -- when they could have chosen a famous person with millions to spend getting the message out.

You are absolutely right. The Libertarian Party must make major changes if they want to have any effect on national policy. They should start, as you suggest, by rebranding.

But they will not do this because the vast majority of LP members had rather yammer about what ought to be done than actually do anything.

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