Third Party Watch

USA Today story here.

I’m sure TPW publisher Stephen Gordon will offer more details as soon as humanly possible, either in an edit to this story or a full separate piece—this is just the “news flash!” version. Feel free to take it away in comments, though.

Chuck Baldwin’s campaign is, more and more, resembling Ron Paul’s. With the obvious change in rhetoric, the emphasis of non-social issues, and the championing of the non-interventionist foreign policy, Baldwin is quickly becoming a known name amongst Ron Paul supporters. Here in Louisiana, I’m getting calls daily—mostly from my fellow Ron Paul activists—wanting to know [...]

Over at LRC, Less Antman has declared the Dallas Accord dead. Here’s how he describes the informal agreement among Libertarians:

At the LP Convention in Dallas, Texas in 1974, disagreement on whether police, courts, and large-scale defense ought to remain government functions or be provided on the free market threatened to derail hopes for libertarian [...]

From a release distributed by Ruth Bennett:

Several of you have talked to me about running for Governor of Washington State this year. A couple of you actually volunteered to help! I have been thinking about it since I ran in 2004 when I got about 63,000 votes and the difference between the winner D [...]

From the LA Times:

Paul’s presidential candidacy has been correctly dismissed all along in terms of winning the nomination. He was even excluded as irrelevant by Fox News from a nationally-televised GOP debate in New Hampshire.

But what’s been largely overlooked is Paul’s candidacy as a reflection of a powerful lingering dissatisfaction with the Arizona senator among [...]

It looks like Libertarian National Committee member Pat Dixon is holding public office once again. Here’s an e-mail from his campaign:

Marcia Gully 239 votes, 42%
Pat Dixon 336 votes, 58%

Thank you to everyone who supported me. I appreciate the donations you have made to my campaign to get phone surveys, direct mail, newspaper ads, [...]

From Phillies 2008:

Libertarian Presidential candidate George Phillies today condemned ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) export restrictions as “a highly effective American subsidy for foreign manufacturers,” and said they should be repealed.

“ITAR makes sense if you believe that America has a monopoly on high-tech engineering and research,” Phillies said, “and if you believe that foreigners [...]

The AJC’s Political Insider, John Martin at Politico, CNN’s Mark Preston, Reason’s David Weigel and others report that Bob Barr will be holding a press conference on Monday. According to Martin and Preston, inside sources have confirmed that Barr will announcing a presidential race. It’s no big secret that I’m a campaign insider, but [...]

One of the recurring themes of third party politics in America seems to be the phenomenon of the “hostile takeover.” A disgruntled major party politician, an eccentric multi-millionaire, or perhaps a group of major party factional schemers decides that rather than working within the party of their putative loyalty, or perhaps forming a new party, [...]

From Phillies 2008:

Libertarian Presidential candidate George Phillies today condemned the War on Iraq as an overwhelming financial catastrophe. “We will spend three trillion dollars,” he said, “on a war without a reason. Beyond the irreparable loss, the Iraqi and American war dead, an astronomical financial loss is now being visited on the American taxpayer.

“Thanks to [...]

by Steve Kubby

Dear fellow Libertarians,

I’ve got a secret that I want to share with you. Some of you may find it a startling revelation. Some of you may find it disappointing. Still others may read things into it that you shouldn’t. So I’ll have a little bit of explaining to do. But it’s been bothering [...]

From the Root for America campaign:

Libertarian Presidential candidate Wayne Allyn Root will be traveling to New York for a Libertarian Presidential debate on Fox Business Channel on Friday May 16th. Former United States Senator Mike Gravel has agreed to debate Root. Former Congressman Barr has also been invited by Fox. Root will appear on other [...]

Greens introduce a plan for environmental action for a Green President’s first 100 days in office

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

An environmental program for Green presidential candidates—and a challenge to Democrats and Republicans

WASHINGTON, DC—The Green Party’s Eco-Action Committee has announced a set of recommendations for environmental actions for the first 100 days of a Green [...]

The title was lifted to show how a Reason Facebook-promoted event is currently being billed. Here are the details provided:

A debate on the libertarian vote in 2008

Event Host: Reason magazine
Type: Music/Arts – Jam Session
Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Time: 4:30pm – 8:00pm
Location: Reason
Street:1747 Connecticut Ave NW
City/Town: Washington, DC

Description: As the Republicans settled on John McCain [...]

From David Weigel at Reason:

I saw Ron Paul on Wednesday, at a signing event for The Revolution, and he told me he won’t endorse Baldwin or Barr. He’ll kinda-sorta endorse both. He won’t stop them from using photos of him or talking about his campaign.

“Chuck was in my office today to say hello,” Paul said. [...]

From the Libertarian Party:

In a statement issued today by Libertarian Party National Media Coordinator Andrew Davis, the Libertarian Party is urging the President to veto any housing bill sent to his desk that creates bailouts for the housing industry at the taxpayers’ expense:

“Republicans and Democrats have come together to create a bipartisan measure that puts [...]

It appears Chuck Baldwin’s website just went live, although it certainly isn’t fully fleshed out yet.

Chuck Baldwin is obviously relying heavily upon a candidacy which portrays him as a surrogate for Ron Paul. His main page says he is “continueing the Revolution”. Baldwin’s site also features a quote from his acceptance speech at the Constitution [...]

by David Nolan

Here, for everyone’s amusement, are plausible (OK, semi-plausible) scenarios outlining how each of the six leading contenders COULD win the LP nomination for President at the upcoming national convention in Denver. Some, obviously, are more plausible than others. Consider this speculative fiction, nothing more.

BOB BARR – Announces on May 12 that he’s really [...]

by Dr. Mary Ruwart

In just a few weeks, the Libertarian Party’s national convention delegates will choose our party’s 2008 presidential nominee, who will become our de facto leader and public face of the party for the next four years. Will we choose wisely? Will we choose someone who believes in liberty?

When I first ran as [...]

From Barrett for Congress:

Two years ago, the politicians wanted Kevin Barrett fired from his teaching job. Now Barrett is turning the tables. Barrett is calling on the voters to fire the politicians, starting with his own 3rd District Representative, Ron Kind.

“The Democrats were elected in 2006 to end the war,” Barrett explains. “They failed. Ron [...]

Christine Smith discusses child pornography, the FBI, anarchism, rule of law, the future of the LP, and more. She defended Shane Cory, stating that he didn’t overstep his bounds. She also defined her view about the proper role of government and accuses Mary Ruwart of living in a fantasy world. She called [...]

From Phillies 2008:

Libertarian Presidential candidate George Phillies proposed that the Federal government should actually do something to improve the energy price situation. “Sensible Libertarian approaches have two important features,” he said. “First, they are based on reality. Second, they do not ask the Federal government to do things it does poorly.”

“The rapid climb in energy [...]

From the Barr 2008 Presidential Exploratory Committee:

Former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr will hold a press conference on Monday May 12 to discuss his future plans and the 2008 election. Rep. Barr (bio here) launched an exploratory committee last month to determine whether he should file as a candidate for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination.

Who: [...]

For the record, I’m still in love with Liv aka Mona aka Ron Paul Girl. While Gravel is busy chasing after Obama Girl, I’m at least getting some internet play from Ron Paul Girl. Mona still provides some linky-love to one of my websites and hasn’t dropped me as a Facebook friend (yet).

Here’s Ron [...]