Comments on: BTP defector, Alden Link on Colo. ballot as nominees of Objectivist Party

By: Alden Link

Alden Link — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 19:35:09 +0000

I did not realize that I was such a terrible person.
My attempt to solve the economic problems in the USA were not complicated. We send $700 billion a year out of the country to pay for energy. That is more than $2 thousand dollars for every man woman and child in the Country. If we were to build 500 nuclear power plants in this country we would save that money, clean the air,and stop funding the people who hate us.

By: Sean Scallon

Sean Scallon — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:06:38 +0000

And I’m sure Dr. Stevens would agree with all of what you’ve said Tom, or perhaps we should get his side of the story? Hmmm?

That’s okay, you and the BTP and Dr. Stevens just keep on draining the LP swamp. Pretty soon a bumper crop could grow.

By: Mike Theodore

Mike Theodore — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:57:11 +0000

This is a mighty fun little adventure.

By: Peter Orvetti

Peter Orvetti — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:53:37 +0000

Maybe Doc Stevens has built a time machine, complete with a Galt Capacitor.

By: Thomas L. Knapp

Thomas L. Knapp — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:53:20 +0000

Sean,

“Schism” is an inaccurately strong term for what happened. There was no ideological divide involved, nor any significant number of actual individuals on Dr. Stevens’s side of the moral divide.

Rather, there was an attempt by Dr. Stevens to pack the party’s national committee with cronies, create fake “affiliates” which only existed in Stevens’s mind, etc., apparently with a view toward hijacking its presidential nomination … although for the life of me I can’t figure out why he thought such a small (at this point) prize was worth that much trouble.

Even as small as the BTP is, that he and a few friends were sent packing is no more a “schism” than it would be a “schism” in the LP if one of the national committee members was caught with his hand in LPHQ’s petty cash box and encouraged to resign rather than impeached.

Dr. Stevens’s “Objectivist Party” was allegedly founded in February, well in advance of his attempt to subvert the BTP, so it would be rather odd to attribute its creation to the fallout from said attempt.

By: Robert Milnes

Robert Milnes — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:06:56 +0000

Once again the solution is a fusion candidacy.

By: Sean Scallon

Sean Scallon — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:35:05 +0000

My God, the BTP has barely become a party yet and already have their first schism. Congrats!

I’m sure there will be more to come. After all, what the old saying, “Unifying Libertarians is like herding cats?” Well, I’m sure there’s a lot of feline in “pure” Libertarians.

By: Steve LaBianca

Steve LaBianca — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:15:11 +0000

JimDavidson // Jul 13, 2008 at 5:55 pm

“It will be interesting to see how the Objectivists like a political party in their name. Some Objectivists have quite a bit of money.”

Peikoff has been known to throw around the “lawsuit” rhetoric regarding the “Objectivist” name. I would not be surprised if this party isn’t sued over the name.

By: G.E.

G.E. — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:35:57 +0000

“I’m not white enough for their club.”

I’m sure they’d be happy to have you if you weren’t so “uppity”, Chris. It would help further their “cosmopolitan” image.

Truth is: African-Americans would be very susceptible to the message of TRUE libertarianism, as exemplified by people like Chris Bennett, if the cosmotarian statists would get out of the way. As the perennial victims of the state, I don’t think the average black man or woman is interested in the watered down brand of Redpathianism.

By: Mike Theodore

Mike Theodore — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:58:50 +0000

ZING!

By: cbennett

cbennett — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:58:04 +0000

The LP doesn’t need me and it has been already shown by the assholes like Starr, Lieberman, Cohen, Carling, Redpath and their ilk. I guess I’m not white enough for their club.

By: tsipos

tsipos — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:53:43 +0000

Stick around, Chris Bennett. The LP needs you.

If you let the Reformers drive you out, they win.

By: cbennett

cbennett — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:47:44 +0000

Darren,

The LP was fine until the “retard caucus, warmongers and Barr bigots” infiltrated it. If the LP wants to sacrifice principles just short term electoral success..then the LP is not for me. I’m not willing to put my principles behind while supporting a party that has becoming more unprincipled!

By: darren

darren — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:40:53 +0000

And the splintering continues. Those who want to congratulate themselves on their purity have several ways to massage their ego: BTP, Objectivists, Phillies ballot line hijacking, Paul write-ins (as if that’s a vote for purity). Those looking for a political party that is both devoted to liberty and has a record and commitment to actually affecting elections know where to find the LP.

By: inDglass

inDglass — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:36:14 +0000

I think it would have more appropriately been named the Tom Stevens Party. He is, afterall, the founder, chair, and presidential nominee of the party.

I looked around the site. It looks like they have four affiliates (FL, NJ, NY, PA). I wonder if he has learned his lesson from the BTP incidents and if the affiliates are actually run by residents of those states.

By: JimDavidson

JimDavidson — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:55:00 +0000

Victor Hugo’s character Inspector Javert in that play inspired the term “Javertism” for his constant harping on “the law’s the law” as though he were exculpated from ethical considerations about the law now that someone else had created it. It is a fine play with much to think about.

It will be interesting to see how the Objectivists like a political party in their name. Some Objectivists have quite a bit of money.

By: Peter Orvetti

Peter Orvetti — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:59:59 +0000

Odd that they quote “Do You Hear The People Sing?” from “Les Miserables” in great length on the front page. Not really a Randian show. The little picture of six people sitting around a circular table is a little cultish, too.

I’ve been Ayn Randed, nearly branded a conservative ’cause I’m right-handed…

By: Mike Theodore

Mike Theodore — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:27:12 +0000

Ah, I was wondering how Captain Link was doing.

Let’s pull out the old Link campaign video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHFfkxNy7Co