According to the Small Gov Times, the Libertarian Party is growing. The article lists the following areas in which the Libertarian Party is doing good:
* Total active membership, which was declining, has reversed the trend and begun growing. We need your help to keep this trend growing upward. If you aren’t a member—or have let your membership lapse—join us today at https://www.lp.org/membership.
* New libertarians are joining the Party. Monthly new membership totals for the have topped themselves three of the last four months, and are bigger than they were for this period last year, a presidential election year.
* Old members are coming back. The number of lapsed donors plunged 28.6% last month and is down to its lowest point in five months. Renewals in the first quarter of 2009 are 16% higher than they were in the first quarter of 2008, a presidential election year.
* While the DNC, RNC and their campaign committees report a 40% plunge in individual contributions compared to the last post-presidential election year, 2005, the LP’s revenues are down only 30% compared to 2005, beating the two older parties. Clearly, Libertarians and libertarian-leaning Americans see something they like in the Libertarian Party.
* Libertarian Party revenues, as is the case for most parties, typically decline sharply the year after a presidential election. While revenues plummeted 35% after the 2004 presidential campaign, they’ve dipped only 19% after our 2008 campaign, despite a significantly weaker economy. Revenues are still, however, very tight. Please click here right now to rush us an urgent gift today so your Libertarian Party can re-elect our Libertarian officials and elect new ones.
* While major political direct mail fundraising agencies here in D.C. report a 15% drop in response rates compared to last year, the Libertarian Party has seen a 17.5% INCREASE in direct mail response.
You can read the whole article here.
35 responses so far ↓
1 George Whitfield // May 9, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Congratulations to the Libertarian Party members for their steady efforts to build their party.
2 George Phillies // May 9, 2009 at 7:28 pm
By the way, if you go to the source, you will find this is a Libertarian Party press release. It is based on the membership report to the staff, which notes:
Membership totals, the past five months
16349 16146 15892 15759 15932
Membership lapses, the past five months
1285 1031 997 1291 946
and the matching months of 2007-2008
718 724 1028 1111 959
Renewals, the past five months
412 627 516 717 653
and the past five months of 2007-2008
1271 486 478 804 438
New Members, the past five months
152 224 307 462 460
and the matching months of 2007-2008
319 228 287 208 291
There is an interesting feature here. For a number of these months, the new + renewed members in that month in 2008 is significantly less that then number of lapses this year for the same month.
3 Denver Delegate // May 9, 2009 at 8:01 pm
The LP’s growth would be occurring regardless of who is running the Libertarian National Committee, so it’s important to deny the Reformer faction controlling the national party any credit.
Hopefully lameduck LNC chairman Redpath and lapsed Republican LNC Director of Communications Ferguson won’t sell out too much of the Libertarian Party remaining integrity on their way out the door.
4 Another Denver Delegate // May 9, 2009 at 8:30 pm
It’s amazing how The Party Malcontents will always put a negative spin on good news. If the malcontents were in control of the LP, they would be trumpeting the good news and posting self congratulatory messages on this site. Of course if the malcontents were in control of the LP, the membership numbers would not be moving in the positive direction. I say good job to the LNC for good results in a poor economy.
5 Third Party Revolution // May 9, 2009 at 8:55 pm
It’s very nice to see that the LP is still growing.
6 tab // May 10, 2009 at 1:08 am
“It’s amazing how The Party Malcontents will always put a negative spin on good news. ”
It does seem that way. Some of a sad, almost pathetic, life they must have. Agendas rather than the overall good are what they are more concerned with. Thankfully, few outside of those who watch these blogs know or even care about their infighting.
Another measurement of success can also be seen from the LP Facebook group. Despite censorship, it now has over 20,000 members. In about June it has less than 4,000. If anything, it is clear far more people are becoming interested in the LP.
7 Thomas L. Knapp // May 10, 2009 at 2:24 am
Glad to hear the good news. Tamara and myself were to of April’s returning lapsed donors.
8 Thomas L. Knapp // May 10, 2009 at 2:24 am
Two, even.
9 Trent Hill // May 10, 2009 at 2:37 am
“LP Facebook group. Despite censorship, it now has over 20,000 members. In about June it has less than 4,000. If anything, it is clear far more people are becoming interested in the LP.”
Id say it has far more to do with the ascendancy of facebook and the nearing of a major election in which the LP fielded a Presidential candidate for the first time since facebook was founded.
10 Tomcat // May 10, 2009 at 7:32 am
Overall, this is great news. I know that the LP of Georgia grew by at least on affiliate…mine here in Southwest Georgia, but that was detailed elsewhere thanks to WFXL’s report that was reposted here
Congrats to all the LP folks who made this possible. I really don’t care a damn thing about factions or any of the other. What I can about is getting the Libertarian Party’s message out and into the public so that minds can start to change, then followed by policy changing the same way.
11 tab // May 10, 2009 at 10:52 am
Trent,
Facebook probably hasn’t grown all that much in the last year year as it was already huge. I think even after the election was over there were only 14,000.
So even after the election boom the group has added over 6,000 people.
12 John Famularo // May 10, 2009 at 1:03 pm
LP national membership total is meaningless outside the LP. It jumped from zero in 1972 to about 10,000 in 1979. Since then it has fluctuated from 10,000 to a 32,000 high in 1999 and back down. The number will probably never go lower than 10,000 and probably never go higher than 32,000. It is more a reflection of internal LP policy than anything else.
13 Donald Raymond Lake // May 10, 2009 at 3:01 pm
“It’s amazing how The Party Malcontents will always put a negative spin on good news. ”
You are missing the point! Are they correct? Are they honest? Are they appropriate? Get a grip guys!
It is the message of Liberty which is golden! It is the real world actions of [so called] Libertarian activists which sends potential allies packing.
14 NewFederalist // May 10, 2009 at 4:56 pm
I wish all parties favoring reduced government would continue to grow. It would be very nice to see cooperation (even coalition) among such parties at the local level at least.
15 Jim Davidson // May 10, 2009 at 5:02 pm
The Libertarian Party is corrupt and disreputable. It is a bad thing when people contribute to the national party, or send membership dues to it, because it works evil, its staff misrepresent authoritarian positions as libertarian ones, and it thwarts effective efforts for liberty.
I am glad that George Phillies can still do math. Kinda wonder if anyone else in the LP bothers.
16 TheOldCrocodile // May 10, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Jim Davidson, evil and authoritarian? What are you talking about?
17 mdh // May 10, 2009 at 7:41 pm
@15 – If you feel so strongly about the national LP’s direction being bad, why aren’t you doing anything positive to effect it in a way you would see as better? I have some criticism for the national party, but I don’t think that such abstract criticism from a quitter who contributes nothing of value to the LP has any value whatsoever.
18 Eternaverse // May 10, 2009 at 7:58 pm
@17- The same could go for you and the Dems/ GOP. The same logic applies.
19 mdh // May 10, 2009 at 8:08 pm
@18 – When have I ever sat around griping about the direction of the Dems/GOP? I’ve been known to applaud them for doing the right thing at times (WV ballot access reform legislation, for example) but I hardly sit around complaining about the direction they’re going in. It’s silly to make such a comparison.
To be quite blunt, I’m not a part of either of those parties. I have no emotional or otherwise investment in either of them. I have no desire to see them be the best that they can be, at least not to the level that I’m willing to put in time and effort on their behalf. I do that for the LP, as is evidenced by my being a state chair.
20 tab // May 11, 2009 at 12:04 am
Jim,
Please describe how the LP promotes authoritarianism. I know it’s easier to throw random shit out there than back it up with evidence, but I’d like to see how you back up your claim.
21 libertariangirl // May 11, 2009 at 12:53 am
Thats Jim davidson using his ultra-inflammatory rhetoric , like always . Evil?
you are so off base . I can honestly say Libertarians are some of the best people ive ever met even the ones i disagree with .
and if the so-called opponents are winning then its a failure of the other side to try hard enuf
congratulations to hardworking LP activists everywhere . god knows its a thankless job and the finger pointing , ridicule , senseless rhetoric and little payout with progress makes those who stick with it truly my heroes.in the face of unsurmoutable odds and opposition , we keep going and i say thankyou to all of you .
however i do believe you gotta be a bit of a masochist to be an LP activist .
oh well a masochist for liberty is the best kind.
22 Another Denver Delegate // May 11, 2009 at 9:12 am
I rest my case with comment number 15.
23 Thomas L. Knapp // May 11, 2009 at 9:49 am
ADD,
Commment #15 is irrelevant to your case, since Mr. Davidson is not a “[Libertarian] Party malcontent.” By his own account, he abandoned the LP as a bad job a decade ago.
24 Jay // May 11, 2009 at 11:29 am
In NJ we have seen a tremendous increase in the number of people registered to vote as Libertarian. A year and a half ago it was under 500, now we have over 1,100. The NJLP has not had an organized push to register as a Libertarian, so this jump in the number registered is interesting (and promising).
On the other hand, we have had large gains in the numbers of inquiries, but have only had a small increase in our number of dues paid members.
25 Erik Geib // May 12, 2009 at 11:51 am
As long as the people joining are actually libertarians (and not paleo-cons), this is great news.
26 John Famularo // May 12, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Erik Geib wrote,
“As long as the people joining are actually libertarians”
It depends on your definition of “libertarian”.
27 Mik Robertson // May 12, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Anybody who wants to increase individual liberty and minimize the role of the state should be welcome in the Libertarian Party. Whether they meet someone’s definition of “libertarian” should be irrelevant.
28 Michael Seebeck // May 13, 2009 at 12:16 am
Mik @27:
“Anybody who wants to increase individual liberty and minimize the role of the state should be welcome in the Libertarian Party.”
Agreed, with the caveat that they do not want to increase it in some areas but decrease it in others. Plenty of those foolios in the statist parties.
29 Jim Davidson // May 13, 2009 at 1:53 am
@20 For example, the LP promotes the position that the government should spend more money on the border keeping out “swine flu.” This recent press release was highly xenophobic and authoritarian. The libertarian position on every issue is less government, not more.
30 libertariangirl // May 13, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Jim when you say the LP promotes such things you have essentially admitted our defeat by framing the opinions of donny and a few as indicative of the entire LP .
the LP is all of us registered Libertarians . The press release is a poor choice by one person.It does not represent the LP position on the issue in my mind.
31 John Famularo // May 13, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Libertariangirl wrote,
” …. It does not represent the LP position on the issue in my mind.”
That is the problem with the LP. All the members “Know” the correct position on the issues but they just don’t agree. Whoever controls the LNC controls what the LP Party’s position is on the issues.
32 Jim Davidson // May 14, 2009 at 1:35 am
@30 You seem determined to take my complaints against the evil men who run the national Libertarian Party headquarters and make them about you, or about other LP members. My complaints, including calling them evil, are about the actions and words of Donny Ferguson, Robert Kraus, Bill Redpath, Aaron Starr, and Bob Sullentrup.
I’m not attacking Angela Keaton when I say that what the LNC did to her was evil. I am not attacking Lee Wrights when I say what the LP headquarters team tried to do to him was evil. And I’m not attacking you when I say that the LP takes absurd authoritarian positions.
Admitting defeat? Look, youngster, I’ve been unwilling to send money to the national LP for over eleven years. It is stupid of you to continue to do so. They are not using your money for liberty.
I have not admitted defeat, and it is disgusting of you to say so. Rather, I have continued to work with liberty activists like Angela Keaton (who is coming to my thing in KC at the end of May – Boston Tea Party meatspace gathering) and Tom Knapp and many others. I have continued to support LP state groups in many states, essentially every state where I’ve lived for any length of time. I’ve supported LP candidates, including getting the Boston Tea Party to endorse about two dozen of them.
What I have not done is found any people like you taking any action to fix what is so desperately wrong with the national LP. You are therefore complicit in the evil they work. You give them your tacit consent.
Which is your most disgusting behavior.
33 RUN FOR ALL OFFICEESSS // May 14, 2009 at 6:27 pm
YOU GUYS WHO ARE LIBERTARIANS THAT WANT TO run for president. Let me suggest. You need to run for CONGRESS, SENATE. These are just as very important. And we do not have enough libertarians candidate to go around. Innercompetition for the same thing is not going to help. We need to be everywhere we can be. Some of you who want the firsthand limelight of being president when you haven’t even got the foot in the door for Congress, Senate, or even lesser then that need to be realistic. We really need to support WAYNE ALLYN ROOT. It doesn’t matter if we agree on everyone. He has got most of it right and the IMPORTANT THING is. WE NEED TO GET A LIBERTARIAN IN OFFICE PERIOD. Personally libertariansssss in a lot of officesss If we don’t band together, we will have NOTHING AGAIN YET AGAIN BECAUSE OF EGOS TALKING. We are stronger banding together. Things are very serious the way this country is going.
34 Thomas M. Sipos // May 15, 2009 at 10:14 am
We really need to support WAYNE ALLYN ROOT.
Bruce Cohen, is that you?
Some of you who want the firsthand limelight of being president … we will have NOTHING AGAIN YET AGAIN BECAUSE OF EGOS TALKING.
Ironically, Mr. Root supporter, nobody craves the limelight more, nor has a bigger ego, that does Root.
35 Michael Seebeck // May 15, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Sure, I’ll support Root for President right this instant, after I lose the nomination to him at the LP convention in 2012 wherever that may be.
Oh, wait, I’m not running for that nomination…
EDIT: Sure, I’ll support Root for President right this instant, after I complete my own campaign for President of Nothing at my own funeral wherever and whenever that may be.
Root needs to grow more Party spurs and smarts and learn to soft-sell better.
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