Opinion from Cara Schulz
It was a good run… while it lasted.
Last night, the Mises Caucus-controlled LNC effectively ended the Libertarian Party as a national force. They’ve dismantled the infrastructure, and it’s clear the goal was to eliminate any perceived obstacle to a Trump/GOP victory.
Here’s the harsh truth:
Strategic Takeover: What seemed like a new direction was a calculated takeover, fueled by outside support, aimed at aligning the LP with the GOP.
Systematic Destruction: From firing staff to alienating donors, losing ballot access, and actively undermining our own candidates, they’ve gutted the party’s ability to function.
Leadership Betrayal: Leaders were pushed out, replaced by those prioritizing GOP agendas over libertarian principles.
Financial Mismanagement: They left us with accusations of embezzlement by former Chair Angela McArdle (who has since resigned to take a job in the Trump administration) and a party in debt with no real donations coming in.
The lies? And yesterday, they voted to sell the Headquarters in the DC area. The building was entirely funded through donations. It was the single most popular thing our members donated to, year in and year out. It was planting a flag, saying “We are here and in your face and we’re serious.”
The lies that are being told is that the building is not necessary. It’s only not necessary if you don’t plan on having a staff and don’t plan on ever engaging in elections again.
The second lie is just as bad. That was the lie that the roof has leaked for 4 years, that it would take $100,000 to fix, and that there is no money. There were staff working in there until 2023. The roof wasn’t leaking. If a leak had happened in the past year, the roof is insured for repairs until 2029. But the LNC is citing a roof leak as the excuse to sell the building at a STEEP discount to an unnamed buyer.
And there it is. The last grift. The last lie. The last piece of party infrastructure gone.
So I looked on the web pages. The LNC has a new mailing address:
Libertarian National Committee, Inc.
1321 Upland Drive, PMB 7311
Houston, TX 77043-9965
They’ve extinguished the flame. It’s a sad day for liberty.
I am disappointed to see the HQ building go. I think the leadership could have done more to make it work for us. However, I wanted to remind people that the greatest asset of the Libertarian Party is the Libertarian philosophy. It is our principles that set us apart from all the other parties. Our principles have continued to attract new recruits to replenish our ranks.
“losing ballot access, ”
I think they did pretty well with ballot access. 47 States if I’m not mistaken. Better than I expected given their divisive convention and nomination.
“Angela McArdle (who has since resigned to take a job in the Trump administration)”
What’s her new job title? Or, did that offer fall through? Still being negotiated?
The LP only got ballot access in 45 states when Bob Barr was its presidential candidate in 2008. That year Barr was not on the ballot in Maine, Connecticut, West Virginia, Washington DC, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
Gary Johnson was not on the ballot in Oklahoma or Michigan in 2012.
My point exactly. 47 states is not outside past norms, even fairly recent ones, so I don’t think including that helps the author’s case.
Pat, and yet in 1980 Ed Clark was on the ballot in 50 states, Washington DC, and the US territory of Guam. That is what is doable and should be the expectation. Ballot access in 50 states, Washington DC, and the US territory of Guam should be a core value. Anything less is failure.
The circumstances were entirely different in many respects. I’d have used a different example if I was you, say 1992, but that’s besides the point. Given that your party has fallen short of that standard more often than not, I’d give them some leeway in that respect. After all, they survived 1984-88 and 2004-12, all years when they fell short of this “core value.”
Wow! This just keeps getting worse and worse!
When I read this article, I thought about the profound sadness I felt having spent decades of my life as a Libertarian, working to build the party, donating money to promote party activities, taking part in party leadership as our team in Pennsylvania accomplished, by electing more 3rd party candidates than any other group since Abraham Lincoln.
We were ridiculed, we were harassed, people lied about us and our intentions behind our backs at first, and in the end, we were lied about in public. The thing that hurt most wasn’t the group of contrarians, because we knew who they were and what they were about. No, the thing that hurt most were the people who lived and struggled through times where the party was wrecked, and rebuilt, only to stand on the side watching it happen again, and while many did nothing, some actively helped the takeover, criticized those of us who were fighting against it until we left, and then, criticized us for leaving them to fight all alone.
This was not the first time, and it is most likely not a symptom of Libertarians. In fact, it may just be a human thing, and yet the political party that was supposed to be about principles allowed itself to be taken over by people who demonstrated that they cared nothing about the principles the party was supposed to hold as its bedrock foundation.
It wasn’t the first time, this had happened, nor the second… However, as many times the party has had to be rebuilt, after each time, it seems to have lost the people who suffered through, ignored their warnings, and the party went on allowing outside forces to exploit party rules / mechanics, to bring the party down, and with these problems, with all of the hardship, the destruction of assets, etc, the membership has demonstrated that it lacks the political will to solve the problems that enabled bad actors within the GOP to destroy the LP.
I left because after what I witnessed in PA, I knew that there was never going to be anything worth fighting for once the MAGA Cultist infiltrators were finished. Even this past weekend, MAGA was selling its merch at the LPPA convention. It was stated already, but if we continue to have a country / homeland, we will have a governing body that needs to be populated with those willing to work on change within the system. We have stories about what liberty minded people can do while working with others to make our homeland a better place for their taking part in its shaping. There is also quite a bit of volunteer work that can be done by we the people should we choose to make out homeland better. I donate my time, money, and effort to projects designed to build coalitions while freeing hearts and minds.
We can all do great things, but our success is completely dependent on how much effort people want to put into a project
Sincerely,
Steve Scheetz
Thank you Cara for your insight! I should have seen the writing on the wall with the initial takeover, but after the convention in June I saw the reality. While I campaigned and voted for Chase Oliver, I knew the MC/MAGA damage was already too deep. The LP fell much the same way that the Reform Party fell and also how I think the GOP is headed. Pat Buchannon and Rectenwald are ick vibes. I’m very proud to work with Liberal Party USA now to elect candidates who will focus on more freedom policies in a broader coalition (just in the reasonable direction, not the MAGA folks). And yes that means moderating a bit and civilly working with people you may disagree with on both the center left and center right from the liberty position. But that’s what it takes to get 33% +1 to win serious elections. I don’t have much faith that the Dems will liberalize in 4 years based on their party leadership and other political stats. That leaves a wide opportunity gap for us to fill for voters to have new political representation.
If you believe in liberalism, the Constitution, and prioritize freedom and choices but are chill about collaborating and compromise with a coalition of varying policy thought, Liberal Party USA is growing fast and needs your help!
In 2019 we let it be known that we suspected Michael Heise was sowing discord in the party for his own financial gain. By 2021 we were raising the alarm that the Mises PAC was likely a GOP fifth column. Many of us laid out the professional, legal, and ethical liabilities that made continued involvement in the LP organization unsustainable as a volunteer. Everything ended up exactly where the prior leadership said it would, culminating in huge losses to revenue and membership, and the sale of the building/liquidation of assets amidst allegations of fraud and corruption. Every accusation truly was a confession. Personally, stepping away from the LP was the best decision I’ve ever made. Shortly after stepping down as LPPA chair I accepted a new career path that included significant professional growth and increased compensation. I am now also more than half way finished with a doctorate. I’ve had more time with my family and more resources to do things I love like travel. I’ve been involved with some great political projects that represent my values and bring me joy. To the fence sitters, you were complacent in what happened today. To those of you who fought this, I’m sorry. I know how hard it is to be in your shoes. I held on to a sunk cost far longer than I should have. To the Mises PAC membership, I hope I never see any of you ever again. I don’t have time for your nonsense. We are in a political realignment in this country and sometimes it’s hard to be hopeful. I guarantee that there are places those of you who are builders rather than vandals can do good and where your skills can be put to good use, probably with significantly less frustration and weaponizing of RONR too. Cara is right. It was indeed a good run while it lasted. There is still plenty of work to be done in this world though, and many vehicles to get there.
Well, it was a good run. But, it’s just a AAA affiliate of the GOP, right now.
Unfortunately the media has perceived the LP that way for several years. The number of former Democrats who came to the LP is dwarfed by the number of former Republicans. I guess the fact that anyone even keeps score is the telling factor of the two dominant party system.
AAA? More like Pecos League.