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LP ADVISORY: Media comments on
the LP Wednesday, January 2, 2002 ============================================= ADVISORY FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY News from the National LP headquarters for members & supporters of the Libertarian Party ============================================== Watergate Office Building 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100 Washington DC 20037 Website: www.LP.org Email: pressreleases@hq.LP.org For information about the party: (800) ELECT-US =============================================== Media comments about the Libertarian Party in 2001 the ancient Greek philosopher Xenophon. sounds" from journalists, columnists, political
pundits, and commentators -- who praised the party for its impact on
national politics, for its growing success, and for the quality of
its ideas. Party and libertarianism, collected from newspapers,
magazines, talk show hosts, and Internet sites during 2001: imaginative strand of political [philosophy] extant
today." election cycles [is that] in both 1998 and 2000, a Republican
candidate for the Senate lost to a Democrat by a margin far less
than a Libertarian's vote total. To some extent, Senate
Republicans have only their spendaholic ways to blame for this predicament. They
blanched at President Bush's proposal that the federal budget grow 4%,
and have forced the White House to accept a 5% increase that will
almost certainly increase later this year when 'emergency'
spending bills come up. When the GOP is a full participant in this predictable
process, it isn't hard to see why Libertarians believe there isn't
just a single party of big government in Washington." bit revolutionary. They don't like government, or at least
don't like its tentacles creeping into every part of their lives.
Their lean and mean government philosophy makes some sense. They seem to
know a lot about government for people who don't like government." year's elections." Party] continues to advocate big government policies, it
will continue to see its members turn to the Libertarian Party." disciplined. They should not be underestimated." Massachusetts), March 6, 2001 closer to the ideals of Thomas Jefferson than are any
Democrats, who claim Jefferson as their spiritual forefather. The
Libertarian Party is unwavering in the belief first espoused by Jefferson that
the government that governs least, governs best. It is a
different world than it was 200 years ago, but the political game has not
changed all that much. It may take 10 or 20 years for Libertarians to
become a true force -- and it may never happen -- but there is something
heartening about a political movement that puts people first and
seems to actually believe what it says it stands for." election cycles: Libertarian Party candidates are
seriously hurting Republicans. While much has been said about Ralph Nader
arguably keeping Al Gore out of the White House, hardly anybody has
noticed how Libertarians have put Republicans on the brink of losing
the Senate. In this age of Senate power sharing and a razor-thin GOP
House majority, Republicans can't ignore the Libertarians. If they do, it
may cost them dearly." Party? Or are you ready to take a stand for limited
taxation, Constitutionally correct limited government, personal
responsibility, and freedom? One absolutely great way to show the Republican
Party that you are completely fed up would be for you to make the
plunge and join the Libertarian Party. Send a copy of your check to the
Republicans. Tell them that you might be willing to revisit them if
they ever adopt the cause of liberty and freedom." favor tax cuts, less onerous regulation, and limited
government activism. But unlike conservatives, they are consistent in
their principles, and don't think the government should be
telling people how to conduct their private lives." through man's ingenuity, a free market and a free society
can make the world a better place, and that the government mostly gets
in the way." California), April 6, 2001 Libertarians may also be able to claim the moral high
ground on one of their signature issues: Criticism of the nation's costly,
long-running war on drugs." Libertarian U.S. Senate nominee last year, is going for
governor in 2002. It's Round Two in the Libertarian's drive -- not as wildly
unlikely as it once seemed -- to become the state's second
leading party and kick the Republicans back to dinosaur
status." 2001 creeping into government works. The [Libertarian] party
believes that individual freedom coupled with individual responsibility
form the basis of a benevolent community, country, and world." 5, 2001 government, that is. Imagine, for example, less government
bureaucracy and red tape...lower taxes...more freedom. [Libertarians]
want government to butt out, for the most part, except where it
is needed to protect us from physical danger of some sort." February 11, 2001 November's election. The Libertarians' showing has
prompted Republican strategists to key much of their 2002 congressional
campaign to limited government themes that appeal to Libertarians." remarkable historical achievements of the [Libertarian
Party]. The LP has established itself as America's most successful third
party. Many others have tried since the LP was founded -- and failed,
despite better name recognition, celebrity candidates, easier
issues, more money. The LP more than any other single organization
pulled the word 'libertarian' into the public vocabulary -- and in doing
so has changed the face of American politics, by letting Americans know
there is an alternative to liberal and conservative ideology. LP
candidates and spokespersons have taken libertarian ideas to many
millions. The LP has elected hundreds of candidates to office. The LP more than
any other organization has smashed the Iron Curtain of
discriminatory ballot access laws that have choked alternative politics in
America for half a century. The LP has served as the training ground for
legions of activists who have gone on to become leaders in think
tanks, publications, organizations, etc. In these and many other
ways, the LP has had, and continues to have, a profound effect on both
the libertarian movement and American politics." government and opposition to taxation. The Libertarian
presence [on] local boards will help to restrain the irresponsible
spending that leads to local tax hikes." was old enough to realize that we were given free will and
the challenge to learn how to use it. I had what I considered
an incredible epiphany when I realized that this came from God, who
seemed to regard free will so highly he allowed his son to be killed rather
than force people to do the right thing. To me, this meant that
everyone had free will, and it was not my job to force them to do things my
way. As I became interested in politics, this also meant that it was
not my job to use government power to force people to do things my
way." 22, 2001 is the same commitment to freedom that has earned America
its greatness: a free-market economy and the abundance and
prosperity it brings; a dedication to civil liberties and personal
freedom that marks this country above all others; and a foreign policy of
non- intervention, peace and free trade as prescribed by America's
founders." 2001 offering opinions a sizable portion of the electorate
agrees with. They certainly deserve a place on the ballot." pretty much anybody else these days, young conservatives
included." supposed to -- by the Constitution. Currently, there are
415 Libertarians in public office, elective and appointive.
The party has candidates in every office imaginable. The numbers are
staggering, but why then has the media focused more on Ralph Nader and Pat
Buchanan and not on the Libertarian Party?" 2001 antibodies in its system." do not believe the Founding Fathers intended the
government to be some vast beneficent safety net that would take care of
citizens from cradle to grave. The truth is that America's most important
instrument of social justice stares back at each of us in the mirror
every morning. We have grown accustomed to thinking it's government's job
to take care of our neighbors and brothers and sisters and parents. But
it's not. It's my job, and it's your job. And the sooner we realize
that and get to work, the better our society will become and the faster
everyone will realize we've been looking for justice in the wrong
places." 2, 2001 October 13, 2001 most significant third party. Unlike flash-in-the-pan
parties organized around cults of personality like Ross Perot's and Ralph
Nader's, Libertarians have organized at the grass roots for the
long haul. They are fast approaching the point where they may force the
major parties to reckon with Libertarian ideas. The growing Libertarian presence
may spell problems for the Republican Party if it can't wean
itself away from the religious right's insistence on sticking its nose
into our private lives the way Democrats intrude in our economic
affairs." largest political organization." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The Libertarian
Party
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voice: 202-333-0008 Washington DC 20037
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