Montana’s Missoulian reports on Libertarian Stan Jones’s third run for governor of that state. Jones has also run twice for U.S. Senate, and “usually draws 7,500 to 10,500 votes in general elections, good for 2 percent to 3 percent of the total, after raising little or no money.” The newspaper says while Jones “isn’t likely to be Montana’s next governor, but he’s certainly offered the most far-reaching proposals in the three-way race.” He “would issue pardons to release all drug offenders” and “wants to scrap all of Montana’s taxes on income, property and business — and replace them with a sales tax on all goods and services.”
Libertarian Jones running for Montana governor
October 14th, 2008 · 22 Comments
Filed Under: Libertarian Party
22 responses so far ↓
1 Viverrid // Oct 14, 2008 at 2:37 am
I will be voting for Jones but am very concerned with the Montana LP’s apparent state of disarray. The people of Montana seem very receptive to libertarian ideas but the state party seems unable to present themselves as a credible party. Check out http://www.mtlp.org to see what I mean. Most of the links on the site are dead, the last news posted was in 2002 and the last events posted were in 2003. What a wasted opportunity.
2 Spence // Oct 14, 2008 at 2:39 am
Here’s what I would do in your situation then: Do every last thing in your power to kill the state chapter, and start your own local, statewide party.
3 HumbleTravis // Oct 14, 2008 at 2:53 am
Jones is better known for his unusual complexion than his politics. I’m not saying he shouldn’t run but it gives the media another opportunity to showcase the idea that third parties are human circuses.
4 Viverrid // Oct 14, 2008 at 3:34 am
HumbleTravis,
Jones is definitely an odd character. He does, however, manage to get coverage in the local media and appears in debates with the current Governor of Montana and his Republican opponent. He also seems less Smurf-like now as his natural skin tone seems to be coming back. I do not think his tax proposal will resonate here, though. As part of his plan, he advocates introducing a sales tax (as a Libertarian!!!) in a state that currently does not have one. I don’t know what to make of that.
Spence,
I will try to help the situation after this election cycle. I have yet to make contact with the state party and don’t know what their plans are. Hopefully it can be salvaged and I would like to be a part of that if possible. It would be great if the National LP could give some guidance on this. Do you know if they have aided efforts like this in the past?
5 Spence // Oct 14, 2008 at 4:11 am
I’m afraid I’m not that informed on the subject. My guess is that the National LP has ignored requests like this before in the past, seeing as how it would tie in perfectly to their “decentralized” efforts campaign. (Of course, decentralization usually works from the ground up, not top-down.)
Seeing as how the climate in Montana has been very favorable, especially as of late, I’m sure anything you do to capitalize on this potential will help.
Me, personally, I wouldn’t waste time on a failed brand, but then you’re in a smaller state and your actions may have more effect, so more power to you.
6 hogarth // Oct 14, 2008 at 6:54 am
I will try to help the situation after this election cycle. I have yet to make contact with the state party and don’t know what their plans are. Hopefully it can be salvaged and I would like to be a part of that if possible. It would be great if the National LP could give some guidance on this. Do you know if they have aided efforts like this in the past?
Thank you!
Just contact someone in the Michigan LP with your offer to help. Join - or start - a local group. Join the state party structure.
I would not count on the national party for help in local party-building, though they may be able to help you with contact information (may). They’re really not in much shape to help. Your best bet is to see who is still active there and see what they are planning. Parallel to that, I would seek out a mentor from an active state/locality for advice on party building. Feel free to email me (hogarth@gmail.com) any questions - I won’t know the answer to all of them, but I will have some idea of who might
Good luck!
7 Jason_Gatties // Oct 14, 2008 at 8:19 am
Why would you contact someone in the Michigan LP to help out in Montana?
8 hogarth // Oct 14, 2008 at 8:50 am
Why would you contact someone in the Michigan LP to help out in Montana?
Probably because I’m an idiot.
:-/
9 Hugh Jass // Oct 14, 2008 at 8:01 pm
You could start a Montana chapter of the Boston Tea Party.
10 JimDavidson // Oct 15, 2008 at 3:41 am
Yes, Hugh, that would be a great idea. We’d be happy to help organise libertarian activities in Montana.
I’m not really enthusiastic about sales taxes, as the “fair tax” people seem to be. I agree with getting rid of all the other taxes, though. Which ought to reduce government a bit. And then don’t impose the sales tax, and reduce gov’t even more. Yay.
Many public services in Lithuania, such as charity hospitals, used to be funded by donations. Why should we expect that all government functions have to be funded by taxes? Maybe donations would cover many of the costs. Worth a try.
I think a sales tax is very regressive. It hits people when they are buying necessities. Alaska seems to get along well with a severance tax on oil and other natural resources. Montana has a big mining industry, as does Wyoming. That approach might work well in such states.
11 Gene Trosper // Oct 15, 2008 at 9:00 am
This is totally off topic, but I find it personally repugnant to see a YES on proposition 8 banner ad at the top of this page. Not sure if it’s a rotating banner or what, but still…
12 Ross Levin // Oct 15, 2008 at 2:50 pm
We don’t control what shows up there. There are McCain ads (those disgusting “original maverick” ads keep showing up… read this for the real original mavericks: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/weekinreview/05schwartz.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=maverick&st=cse&oref=slogin ), Obama ads, Good Magazine ads, a lot of things.
13 Trent Hill // Oct 15, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Gene,
We dont control what Google Ads pop up–we’re just trying to recoup costs of running the website.
14 Hugh Jass // Oct 16, 2008 at 12:24 am
Jim,
Would we necessarily have to call it the Montana Boston Tea Party? If what Viverrid describes is true, then could a small number of active libertarians could simply take over the existing party, disaffiliate, and join the Boston Tea Party, all the while keeping the name “Libertarian Party of Montana”?
15 paulie cannoli // Oct 16, 2008 at 9:34 am
The LP might have a problem with that.
16 Hugh Jass // Oct 16, 2008 at 11:45 am
paulie,
True, but at least the name wouldn’t be misleading. Could the LP actually file suit against the theoretical LPMT/BTPMT?
17 paulie cannoli // Oct 16, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I think they probably would.
Whether they would win, I don’t know. But I expect they would press a claim.
18 darolew // Oct 16, 2008 at 2:09 pm
“This is totally off topic, but I find it personally repugnant to see a YES on proposition 8 banner ad at the top of this page. Not sure if it’s a rotating banner or what, but still…”
Ad-block FTW.
19 Hugh Jass // Oct 16, 2008 at 10:34 pm
On what basis would they have to file suit against a state party freely choosing to disaffliate and reaffiliate with another party? Is that prohibited in the bylaws or something, because quite a few state Constitution parties got away with it a couple years back.
20 Trent Hill // Oct 16, 2008 at 10:56 pm
They wouldnt win,not even close.
21 Hugh Jass // Oct 16, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Who wouldn’t win, the LNC or the LPMT/BTPMT?
22 Trent Hill // Oct 16, 2008 at 11:13 pm
the LNC.
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