The news media summary magazine The Week devotes a page in its current issue to “The Rise of the Libertarians,” saying members of the Libertarian Party “prize individual freedom above all, and believe that government should play the smallest possible role in the economy and in people’s lives.” Libertarians are “all over the map and therefore don’t fit neatly into the conventional Right-Left divide. For instance, they are decidedly on the left in their support of free speech, open borders, legalized drugs, abortion rights, and all forms of adult consensual sex, including prostitution. They also oppose nearly all military interventions. But many other libertarian positions skew far to the right, including opposition to income taxes, gun-control laws, public schools, environmental regulation, and U.S. membership in the United Nations.” LP candidates “received a total of more than 13 million votes nationwide,” and “about 600 Libertarians now serve as mayors, county executives, and municipal council members, and occupy other local positions throughout the nation.” With “about 200,000 members, Libertarians actually constitute the country’s third largest political party.”
The Week says with Bob Barr “as their standard-bearer this year, Libertarians are predicting their strongest showing yet. Indeed, some analysts say Barr could tip the election to Democrat Barack Obama.” While Barr is “not especially” popular, in “addition to drawing the votes of self-described libertarians, Barr may be well positioned to attract the millions of Republicans who supported the libertarian-minded Ron Paul during the primaries.” Some GOP officials “have personally pleaded with Barr not to run for president, fearing that he could further split their already fractured base.” Pollster John Zogby said, “Do I think he’ll get three percent? Probably not. But he doesn’t have to. I think we’re looking at a razor-thin election. If we just look at the states in play, he can, with just 10,000 votes here and there, make a difference.”
8 responses so far ↓
1 G.E. // Jul 12, 2008 at 3:10 am
I like how support for free speech is now seen as a “leftist” thing.
And of course, it goes without saying that Libertarians are divided on the issue of abortion: Is it the initiation of force? Most say no, but some say yes.
2 Peter Orvetti // Jul 12, 2008 at 3:19 am
It is odd wording, but given that they were trying to sum up the history of the LP, the nomination of Barr, and why Barr is important this year all in about 1,500 words, it wasn’t too bad. I also was surprised by some of their right-left divisions. Of course, folks see the ACLU as “left” and gun rights as “right”, both of which are incorrect.
3 Mike Theodore // Jul 12, 2008 at 3:29 am
I really wish a Nolan Chart perspective was acknowledged to the general populace.
Where is ol’ Nolan lately? I haven’t heard a peep since the nomination.
4 tsipos // Jul 12, 2008 at 3:57 am
Article says: “With ‘about 200,000 members, Libertarians actually constitute the country’s third largest political party.’ “
Not technically true. Was this an error, or spin?
(1) They’re talking about registered Libertarians, not actual dues-paying members.
(2) The Constitution Party has more registered members, if one includes California’s AIP, and one ignores the theory that many (rather than a few) of their members don’t know they’ve registered AIP.
I also find it interesting that the article says “they are decidedly on the left in their support of … But many other libertarian positions skew far to the right, including opposition to …”
Interesting that “left” issues are described as “left,” but “right” issues are described as “far right.”
5 Steve LaBianca // Jul 12, 2008 at 9:32 am
A couple of interesting points . . . Zogby says regarding Barr, ““Do I think he’ll get three percent? Probably not.” Barr will likely not even get 1.5%. My prediction is still that he will get 700,000 to 1,300,000 votes.
Secondly, libertarians really need to drastically change the characterization of libertarianism as some sort of fusion of parts of the left and the right. This misconception is very evident, as positions described in the piece are “left” or “right”, as if libertarianism “borrows” from THEIR positions! More correctly, modern liberalism is a ripping out of “civil” liberties from libertarianism, and conservatism is the ripping out of “enterprising” liberties from libertarianism. The rest of the modern liber and conservative programs is simply statist. Can anyone say “Bob Barr, conservative statist”!!!???
Until this backward characterization of libertarianism is diminished substantially, it will be widely viewed as a “secondary”, and somewhat confused and contradictory belief system.
6 Bill Woolsey // Jul 12, 2008 at 10:13 am
I think “free speech” is a position on the “left” for two reasons. One is suppression of free speech of leftists in the name of anti-communism (as in, the McCarthy era.) The other is suppression of erotic literature.
The right sought to suppress free sperch and liberals defended it.
Pretty much a dead issue. And while communists in power provide next to know free speech or expression, it has only been more recently, that suppressing rude speech, generally from the right, in the name of the civil rights of minorities, has gained traction among mainstream liberals. It is still controversial.
I thought the article was, on the whole, good. It is accurate enough, though not as “big tent” as the aspiratons of the currently dominant reformer faction.
7 G.E. // Jul 12, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I’d say the left leads the fight against free speech, i.e. free political speech, right now. The right, of course, does nothing to defend it, though.
8 Peter Orvetti // Jul 12, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Neither major party gives a damn about free speech except as a tool to bash the other parties. That’s one reason why I’m not a member of either of those parties anymore.
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