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Third Party Watch

Fundraising

Fundraising and Outreach Without money and people, the Libertarian Party will die, no matter how appealing or persuasive its political ideology. The good news is that people tend to give of themselves, both in terms of money and time, if they find something worth supporting. Given the number of Libertarian candidates and issues finding their ways onto more and more…

Step Three–Raise and Spend Money Well

The LNC should ask people to give the Party money. How should the money be handled? First, spend more and more of the LNC’s money on doing real politics. The quick fixes mentioned above are going to free up very substantial chunks of change, though less than they would have, a few years ago. That money will be going into…

Build the Voter Base

You can’t buy a voter base. You have to earn one. We can earn a voter base if we: ● consistently put our name and stands before the public, ● run good candidates, ● give candidates solid support, ● sell the electorate on our answers to their problems, and ● deliver excellent performance when elected. ● Above all, we gain…

Advertising

Step Two–Do Real Politics The Libertarian National Committee is tasked with a short series of Mission Critical Activities. We need to raise and spend money well. We need to recruit and retain members. We need to run a first-rate back office. But above all, we need to Do Real Politics. A political party that is not doing real politics is…

Buildings

Where we were, a decade ago: The second quick fix: The overpriced D.C. location (then in the Watergate Building) must go. Immediately, or as soon as practicable. A Washington location is needed if you are lobbying, holding press events, or investing in America by buying Congressmen. We aren’t. Lobbying is at most a Worthwhile Activity, something that gives way for…

Where We Were a Decade Ago

Part Three How Do We Do It? Part Two gave a list of activities we need to perform. Some activities are mission-critical, others are important, and bringing up the rear we have a few worthwhile activities. Put together, those merely important activities are mission-critical. We could miss one or another now and then, but if we did none of them…

Activities for the LNC — Part 3

7) Cooperation with Other Libertarian Groups. Cooperation is an Important Activity. Independent libertarian groups such as AntiWar.Com should be friends with whom we actively collaborate, recognizing that tax and election laws limit these collaborations. Outreach to the greater Libertarian movement is a key task for our National Party 8) Washington Lobbying. Lobbying is a Worthwhile Activity. Why lobbying? Lobbying introduces…

Choices for NH Libertarians

New Hampshire Libertarians now face several alternatives. None of them are exactly ideal. The starting point is the current libertarian political situation in New Hampshire. Once again, the Libertarian Party failed to gain major party status in New Hampshire. There is a group “Libertarian Party of New Hampshire”, which the Libertarian National Committee recognizes as its affiliate. From the standpoint…

Putting the Elephant to Sleep

Putting the Elephant to Sleep — a 1998 Column That is Still Relevant With slightly different numbers and a need to put the donkey to sleep, the column refers equally to Alabama, Mississippi, Wyoming, Idaho, and other states. Other third parties can usefully apply the same approach. [For reactions to this proposal, see the end of the column.] I propose…

Activities for the LNC — Part 2

3) Support our candidates. 50-state ballot access for the Presidential candidate. Fifty-state ballot access is an Important Activity. The Presidential candidate is the nominee of the national party. It’s expensive. Only by focusing the resources of the entire National Party can our Presidential nominee be on the ballot everywhere. The LNC should set aside in each year’s budgets the funds…