Posted by Wayne Root at LP blog:
Wayne Allyn Root, former LP Vice Presidential Nominee, LNC member, and Chairman of the Libertarian National Congressional Committee, continues to make remarkable Libertarian inroads to the mainstream media. After making 42 media appearances in the days leading up to Labor Day week, Wayne made another 12 media appearances during this holiday week- including 5 national radio shows.
“The Big Biz Show” National Radio (CBS, Talk Business Network, American Forces Network)
“Captain’s America Radio” National Radio
WLEA AM Radio “The Kevin Doran Show” Hornell, NY
“The Rusty Humphries Show” National Radio (Talk Radio Network)
“The Jerry Doyle Show” National Radio (Talk Radio Network)
“The Jayne Carroll Show” Portland, Oregon
WGKA AM “The Denny Schaffer Show” Atlanta, Georgia
KLFD AM “The Aaron Imholte Show” Litchfield, Minnesota
KTRH AM “Houston’s Morning News” Houston, TX
Las Vegas Review Journal Wayne Root Column
Newsmax.com Wayne Root Column
“Point of View with Kerby Anderson” National Radio (USA Network)
“Funny thing” @40 is either being disingenuous or an idiot.
There’s nothing “funny” about libertarians bashing Root while praising Ron Paul.
Libertarianism is about the principles you hold and vocally defend, and not the letter in front of your name, or the party titles you hold, or the title of your book.
Hey Funny Thing, if Root were to join the GOP, I’ll bet fewer libertarians would trash him.
Anyway, the last time I checked, Root was still a pompous ass.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist using that smug rejoinder slogan “last time I checked” – I wonder which clever conservative talking head coined that phrase. I hope there is a special place in hell for that person.
I see plenty of people on here that are more than willing to trash Root because he is not Libertarian enough for the LP. Then they turn around and with their other mouth praise Ron Paul for being so Libertarian. The last time I checked Dr. Paul still holds his office as an R.
@ 38 It’s from early Sunday morning. There are now about 277 comments.
Oh, I guess Mary is still alive & kicking.
Could’ve fooled me.
on Mike Shanklin page, interesting. I did try looking.
As usual, nothing but complaining and wasting time on this blog.
@29 In his last sentence, Wayne violates his own rule on discussing political issues, but the rest of his response was fairly sensible.
@28 Quote was as included in the last issue of Liberty for America magazine.
@26
The LNC (Libertarian National Committee) and LNCC (Libertarian National Congressional Committee) are completely independent organizations, each with their own members and governing committee, not to mention with their own independent budgets.
You may be thinking of the relationship between LNC, Inc, and the duespaying membership of the National Party and its convention, which is a bit exotic.
dump26, it’s becoming clear that you have grievances with Root. But you are changing the subject. Your first concern was the LNCC building Root’s career.
Now your concern is your opinion that Root is “selling himself on TV as Mr. Libertarian.”
If the latter point is your underlying concern, we can work with that. Others have claimed the “Mr. Libertarian” in the past, so I share your concern. It’s generally dysfunctional for a movement to be “led” by one person. And of course it cannot be done — like herding cats.
Nevertheless, if your even DEEPER complaint is you don’t think Root is a L and that he’s damaging the brand, what makes you think whining about it is going to solve anything?
For ex., when I see LewRockwell.com writers claiming to know the “true” L philosophy, I cringe. This is especially so since I find their take on the Civil War dogmatic, narrow-minded and injurious to the L brand. However, I don’t deny they are L — they obviously are. I have on occasion emailed the most prominent revisionists privately to encourage them to look at the Civil War another way. I did once call Rockwell out publicly during the NewsletterGate fiasco…it seemed indicated.
I’ve to date been unsuccessful opening the minds of leading revisionist Ls, but at minimum I feel better knowing I did my best to offer productive, constructive feedback.
Thane, I think most of us are doing what we can for liberty, and many of us for the Libertarian party. That’s why Root strikes such a bad chord with me–his mischaracterization of what libertarians believe threatens everything we do.
I watched every Ernest Hancock v. Wayne Allyn Root for Chair video. I am a fan of the Ernest Hancock angle on freedom. Even so if you don’t like what Root is saying then please promote some other campaign (electoral or educational) you think is doing a better job and promote it.
If you find that Wayne Allyn Root isn’t supporting freedom, write a blog post and point it out.
…and he says “anarchy” like it’s a bad thing…
There were a few priceless gems in that thread, that’s for sure!
http://tinyurl.com/23de8kq
Michael Shanklin asks Wayne Root: “Wayne, do you accept the fact that government is nothing but the ‘legal’ ‘right’ to force and coercion? Do you accept that fact that taxation is theft? What reasons would you use government?”
Wayne Root responds: “Your question is emblematic of why the LP doesn’t win elections. No one in the mainstream has a clue what you’re even talking about. LP asks the wrong questions. Too intellectual, far too esoteric. And worst of all, hints of anarchy.”
Michael posting Mary’s quote made me all kinds of happy.
“There would be nothing wrong with Wayne Allyn Root fund-raising for Peter Schiff if he were not 1)raising money for a competing party’s candidates while Chair of the committee that is supposed to be raising money for Libertarian Party candidates; 2) an LNC member, with a fiduciary responsibility to the Libertarian Part…y, helping candidates from a competing party get elected; 3) calling himself the spokesperson for the Libertarian Party, yet endorsing Republicans, doing for a competing political party what you’ve PLEDGED to do for the LP is a HUGE conflict of interest, not a “tactical disagreement”. – Mary J. Ruwart
There’s a very active thread on Facebook re: WAR, Michael Shanklin’s page, that’s been going on all day. Some of you might be interested in checking it out and adding your comments.
LP/LNCC is a trivial distinction, one which even Root doesn’t worry over.
Root is selling himself on TV as Mr. Libertarian. as THE face of Libertarianism — LP, LNCC, and small l.
@24
Dr. Lieberman meant what he typed, the issue is a matter of public record, and the $2000 Mr. Root raised was for the LNCC — Libertarian National Congressional Committee.
dr, you yourself typed LNCC, not LP. I quoted your typing. Did you mean LP, not LNCC?
Consider gathering yourself.
“Are you seeing how it works now?”
No. But the thought of the LP building of Root to be its face and front man is SCARY.
Rhe LP doesn’t have a “leader” or “front man,” but if it did, doesn’t Hinkley have a greater claim to the title than Root?
Root lost first spot in 2008.
Root lost first spot in 2010.
Both times delegates rejected Root for the top spot. Yet now he’s supposed to be the LP’s “front man.”
dr: So the LNCC’s big plan is to build up Root’s personal career?
me: Hmm, interesting conclusion. No, though, that’s not what I meant. I assumed — apparently wrongly — that people recognize that institutions build up their leadership as a way to build up the institution.
The Mises Institute builds up Lew Rockwell as its front man; the Future of Freedom Foundation builds up Bumper Hornberger; etc. Such a building up of a leader enables the leader to raise funds to fund the institution.
Sorry that I assumed this is common knowledge…my bad! Are you seeing how it works now?
@12 “Mr. Root has helped LP affiliates and LP candidates raise thousands of dollars by appearing at their events, …”
Really? What’s he done in his own state of NV?
New members? None that I know of.
More donors? None that I know of.
Help for candidates? None that I know of.
If you know of any gains in Clark County, NV State LP or even the National LP from W.A.R. please share this knowledge.
Re 12. Ya know Scott last time I looked doctors don’t just tell you that there is a problem they usually offer some sort of solution. That is not something I have heard much of from Root. He usually just goes into some sort of tirade bashing Obama.
There’s an old saying that goes something like; my candle doesn’t shine any brighter when I blow the other fellow’s out, or words to that effect.
Fair point, George… thanks!
Some of the other radio interviews are international, because internet podcasts reach much of the world. That’s not quite the same as main stream media.
It will be interesting to see what kind of libertarianism is promoted when the LP membership consists of nothing but disgruntled Republicans, Tea Party nationalists, and Wayne Root followers.
As George points out, this is an awfully loose definition of “mainstream media.” Maybe 2-3 of these count as MSM, but really, Newsmax? Are you kidding? Not that reaching out via other outlets isn’t important, and not to denigrate local radio or any of the outlets listed, but come on.
“If you don’t like the way Wayne Root presents libertarianism …”
Let me know when Wayne starts presenting libertarianism, and I’ll let you know whether or not I like the way he does so.
“Root’s media work is likely part of the strategy he and the LNCC are employing. Building up Wayne as a pundit makes him a strong potential fundraiser.”
So the LNCC’s big plan is to build up Root’s personal career?
Of course, this is for the LP’s benefit, not for Root’s. Root is only going along with it for the good of the LP.
The assertion that blog newsmax.com is main stream media is … amazing.
Regarding all the Root haters above:
If you don’t like the way Wayne Root presents libertarianism, then go out and find someone who can present left-libertarian ideas in the exact way that your little heart desires, and then make sure that their media appearances really are getting the Libertarian Party new, dues paying members. Just because an LP member appears on a TV show and mentions the LP web site – that means nothing. What matters is how many people actually saw that segment, and became a dues-paying LP member as a result.
Mr. Root has helped LP affiliates and LP candidates raise thousands of dollars by appearing at their events, and Mr. Root has recruited a couple of new LNCC Board members who (I think) gave $1000 to the National Libertarian Party.
Instead of wasting your time posting negative comments about Wayne Root on this web site, how about finding a few Libertarian candidates who have a chance of winning their elections, and sending them a financial contribution?
would be expected when it comes from leftist who really don’t believe in freedom. Leftist is the close to communism and true people of freedom can see this. I am sorry that your brain is fix in such a way that you don’t see that.
@6 ” More likely, Root said (in essence), “I’m so great! Obama is a Marxist! Buy my great book! Obama is a Muslim! I’m so great! Obama didn’t attend Columbia! Buy my great book! Obama wasn’t born in the US! I’m so great…”
One way to find out for sure would be to look at what he actually said.
o: Maybe if Root weren’t so busy on his media appearances, he could start bringing in the big money he promised when he became chair of the LNCC.
me: It appears likely that Root has started to do so, although we don’t know how much, as it’s still early in his LNCC tenure. Presumably the new Board members have made donations, and I’d not be surprised if they were proportionally sizeable.
Root’s media work is likely part of the strategy he and the LNCC are employing. Building up Wayne as a pundit makes him a strong potential fundraiser.
I often don’t agree with Root’s takes on issues, but he certainly is giving it all he has, effort-wise. Doing what he’s doing in a political — versus a policy — context is more challenging. He seems to have taken things further than the few L entrepreneurs I can think of.
Maybe if Root weren’t so busy on his media appearances, he could start bringing in the big money he promised when he became chair of the LNCC. I’m also still waiting for the huge numbers of people joining the Libertarian party because of Wayne’s appearances.
The big question is that if PLAS finally takes off, will Root jump on board with it, or will he overcome his fear of Obama and become a leading spokesman for the RAAS (Regressive Antilibertarian Alliance Strategy), uniting Democrats and Republicans.
Other than nonexistence, the biggest threat to PLAS is RAAS.
As “Chairman of the Libertarian National Congressional Committee” what exactly has Root said in these media appearances?
Has he urged listeners to not vote Republican but to instead punish the fake low tax GOP by voting for the real low tax LP?
One metric for LP success has been costing the GOP victories.
Has Root said, “Let’s send a signal to the GOP this year, and prevent a GOP takoever of Congress by voting LP instead”?
No, I don’t suppose Root has said anything to upset his Fox Neocon Masters.
More likely, Root said (in essence), “I’m so great! Obama is a Marxist! Buy my great book! Obama is a Muslim! I’m so great! Obama didn’t attend Columbia! Buy my great book! Obama wasn’t born in the US! I’m so great…”
psst! I got my name in the local paper twice in the last week because I was suggesting alternatives to the usual government program. Don’t tell anyone.
Was he part of the progressive libertarian alliance?
Right, Murcowski – another great “libertarian”.
I also forgot piece that ABC did on paranoid “libertarian” Alex Jones.
I think the media may have forgotten to mention that the Discovery Channel hostage taker was “libertarian”. Maybe he was a “Green” though.
You forgot Lisa Murcowski.
I’m sure a lot of those “libertarians” who become orgasmic whenever they hear the word “libertarian” on radio or TV have reached new heights of ecstasy this week.
The “L” word has been buzzing around the rent-seeking Kochtopus machine after the article in the New Yorker about them and now their million dollar investment in prop. 23 is winning over everyone that loves corporate externalization of costs.
The “L” word has also been associated many times with Glenn “Elmer Gantry” Beck after his “I Have A Scheme” speech at the feet of that God-like being, Lincoln.
To top it all off, Root is all over the place informing Americans about Marxism in DC and Muslims in NYC.
Unfortunately, the Boortz/Barr gang in Georgia isn’t making too much noise. It would seem the menace of gay Mexican Muslims would be of paramount importance to those southern gentlemen.
What a wonderful time to be alive for those who enjoy hearing the word “libertarian” repeated in the media.