The Portland Plank Massacre of 2006 - What really happened at the Libertarian Party convention?

Reason Foundation ^ | July 7, 2006 | Brian Doherty

[neverdem]

It appears that Libertarians will be in the wilderness for the foreseeable future. At one time, I had hopes for the Libertarians to replace the dems as the other major party.

[Common Tator]

I Think it was either Al or Leslie Gore that sang "Its my party and I'll cry if I want to." Now a libertarian is singing it.

[alarm rider]

"...former anarcho-Rothbardian turned "holistic politician" Carl Milsted."

Ahh, right. I think that translates to "dead skunk in the left hand lane". Come to think of it, most "libertarians" I know are "dead skunks in the middle of the road".

Wilderness, correct.

[patriciaruth]

I also had thought that the Libertarians would start co-opting the Democrat vote.

Where are the youth of America going?

Are they all polarized now? either radicalized lefties or solid Republicans and conservatives?

What about those who believe in fiscal conservatitism, defending America from enemies and yet have liberal social values? Where do they go?

[decal]

An organized party of libertarians is self-contradictory, like a union of hermits.

This was inevitable (purists will always argue amongst themselves about who is the purest), and it will continue until there are as many "parties" as libertarians.

The CP will be next, to the dismay of its shills around here.

[xzins]

an end to all immigration quotas and laws punishing employees for hiring illegal immigrants, and an insistence that the government require only "appropriate documentation, screening for criminal background and threats to public health and national security" standards for allowing people in; that "marriage and other personal relationships are treated as private contracts, solely defined by the individuals involved, and government discrimination is not allowed

Pro-open immigration and pro-anything-goes marriage.

They'll not be winning any national elections anytime soon.

[dakine]

"What about those who believe in fiscal conservatitism, defending America from enemies and yet have liberal social values? Where do they go?"

Country club Repubs...

[fieldmarshaldj]

That article was so pointy-headed, I'd have thought Jerry Brown wrote it.

[sasportas]

Sounds like the brokebacks would fit right in with this bunch.

[Libloather]

...free minds and free markets...

And open borders? Put a spork in the Liberteens...

[JohnnyZ]

What about those who believe in fiscal conservatitism, defending America from enemies and yet have liberal social values? Where do they go?

Hell?

[rogue yam]

At one time, I had hopes for the Libertarians to replace the dems as the other major party.

There needs to be a party for socialists.

[Edison]

I find myself agreeing with some of the ideas but get lost when all the self gratification with no boundries stuff gets thrown in. I wasn't even aware of the open borders thing. Yes they are destined for the ash heap of misguided ideas and Caligula types.

[jim_trent]

Whatever happened to the Libertarians taking over a small state and showing us how great things will be when they get into power?

As I remember, they split on which state -- with a 50 way tie.

[CWOJackson]

"With only 303 voting delegates, it was also notably uncrowded..."

The spitting druid section had a scant six members, while there were only three blue dyed participants but most notably lacking were the fourteen free our cannabis delegates who had mistaken an airport sniffer dog for a delegates glaucoma guide dog.

[GOP Poet]

What I find lacking in this article is a listing of the 15 planks. It talks around the whole of these decisive realities, but gives us no clarity on what exactly those planks were. Even just one specific plank example in a general way would have been helpful, otherwise this whole article just strikes me as gossip mongering.

[eddie willers]

Come to think of it, most "libertarians" I know are "dead skunks in the middle of the road".

We're all Objectivists now.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

The best thing the Libertarians and Constitutioners can do is to run as Republicans. They're not going to get anywhere running in their respective parties.

There's plenty of room in the GOP for both ideologies, just as there's a RINO wing and a Christian wing.

They need to come to grips and realize that it's the Dims who are their real enemies and not Republicans.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

"The CP will be next, to the dismay of its shills around here."

The Constitution Party doesn't suffer from the same internal inconsistencies as the Libertarian Party.

Libertarians can't even come up with a consistent way of dealing with children because either the child is a free agent and can do anything he wants, or he is a possession of his parents who can do anything they want with him.

Likewise the nonsense about free borders. How can anyone vote for a representative of a political party that will work to erode the very borders of the nation he hopes to represent?

Some of the CP planks might be extreme for the taste of some, but they are internally consistent. About the only thing I have a problem with is their support of the WOD. But then noone's perfect.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

"Whatever happened to the Libertarians taking over a small state"

For some silly reason they chose New Hampshire rather than a relatively unpopulated state such as Wyoming or North Dakota.

No matter how concerned they are about their political leanings, they didn't want to pick a place that didn't have a sufficient quantity of Starbucks!