Greens to Soon Surpass Libertarians?

Libertarian Party ^

[Happy Valley Dude]

Some interesting stats:

* Elected officials: 302 Libertarians, 131 Greens.

* Election victories in 2001: 96 Libertarians, 58 Greens.

* Candidates for office in 2001: 347 Libertarians, 281 Greens.

* Registered voters: 224,713 Libertarians, 194,873 Greens.

* Money raised in 2001: $2.1 million Libertarians, less than $0.1 million Greens.

Source

What is so surprising aout these figures is that despite the fact that the Greens have been around for only about ten years have almost caught up to the Libertarians, despite the fact that the Libertarians have been around for 30 years.

[My2Cents]

Money raised in 2001: $2.1 million Libertarians, less than $0.1 million Greens

Clearly, they're the party of the "Greens," not the party of the "Greenbacks."

[longshadow]

What is so surprising aout these figures is that despite the fact that the Greens have been around for only about ten years have almost caught up to the Libertarians, despite the fact that the Libertarians have been around for 30 years.

Not when you take into account all the free publicity provided the Green Party by the mainstream media, which is enthralled with all things ecological.

[Billthedrill]

Ralph Nader. Harry Browne. 'Nuff said.

[NC_Libertarian]

The Greens are running on celebrity. No celebrity, no party.

[Roscoe]

The Greens are running on celebrity.

Harry Browne.

[Asclepius]

What is so surprising aout these figures is that despite the fact that the Greens have been around for only about ten years have almost caught up to the Libertarians, despite the fact that the Libertarians have been around for 30 years.

Simply persisting in this world is no guarantee of growth or even development. Our libertarian brothers and sisters have been the singularly most inept political formation in American political history. This despite their rich intellectual heritage.

[NC_Libertarian]

The Greens are running on celebrity.

Harry Browne.

I'm sure Harry would be flattered, but he's hardly a celebrity. Harry actually introduced me to libertarianism on CSpan in 2000, but I'd never heard of him before then. Ever heard of Ralph Nader?

[NC_Libertarian]

My advice to the LP is:

Stop focusing on the presidential election. Just do the minimum to stay on the ballot in all 50 states.

Put all other resources into the most viable congressional candidates.

[RussP]

When the Greens get strong, that's fabulous news for Republicans. Come to think of it, George W. Bush wouldn't have been elected without the cooperation of Greens. Let's hope this trend continues.

[dpwiener]

Not when you take into account all the free publicity provided the Green Party by the mainstream media, which is enthralled with all things ecological.

Don't forget the presence of a minor celebrity, Ralph Nader, as their Presidential Candidate. The liberal media adores Ralph and his socialist ideology, although many are now pissed off at him for staying in the 2000 race and costing Gore the election.

That is now going to hurt the Green Party, which gained adherents and credibility in 2000 but also earned the active animus of a substantial portion of the media. Liberals now know that supporting or even tolerating Nader and the Greens is not a cost-free decision. It really did make the difference in 2000, and it really could make the difference in future elections. They will viciously attack and belittle Nader and the Greens, and be much stingier with positive spin and favorable publicity.

[AlGone2001]

The Greens hurt the dems MUCH more than the Libertarians ever thought about hurting the GOP.

Keep up the good work Ralph!

[Asclepius]

Put all other resources into the most viable congressional candidates.

Good advice, surely. I would even go a step further. Develop a leadership pool at the capillary level: forward candidates for school boards and county councils etc. Build a genuine base at the neighborhood level.

[The Iron Duke]

Our libertarian brothers and sisters have been the singularly most inept political formation in American political history. This despite their rich intellectual heritage.

They are inept precisely because of their intellectual pretensions. In over ten campaigns, it has been my experience that when you place a libertarian inside a real political campaign office, he will endlessly debate minutia from the position papers with the staff instead of rolling up his sleeves and getting busy making phone calls, distributing literatuire and otherwise getting out the vote on election day.

[francisandbeans]

I'm with you on that NC. I said long ago, that every dollar sent to a Libertarian Presidential campaign is another day without a Libertarian U.S. representative or Senator.

[longshadow]

Don't forget the presence of a minor celebrity, Ralph Nader, as their Presidential Candidate. The liberal media adores Ralph and his socialist ideology, ....[snip]

Exactly; Nader = more free publicity.

[francisandbeans]

Although I should add, that this country was built by movements and not parties. Parties have always been the window dressing of what the movement of their voting block is. Think about the black vote, it was basically turned on a John F. Kennedy phone call. He gained that movement. Ronald Regan gained on the movement of Christians and those who felt guilty for thier lustful encounters during the 60s and 70s.

The truth be told, there is little movement now. Let's think about the GOP as it stands right now...the next GOP Presidential candidate will not be a Christian Conservative. He (or she) will be a Bushite. It will be a Rice or a Powell. Not necessarily a Christian conservative. The Reagan movement is coming to its end. So those who value the Constitution will need to form a new movement or be eaten up by the "party" movement. Whether you like it or not, the Party is moving leftward.

To be honest with you, I would vote for a Powell or a Rice before I would vote for an LP candidate. I do think thought that as this countries Christian community is moving to the fringe (I don't mean this in a bad way, I am speaking from a political influence way) that loyal Constitutionalists and GOPers should look toward the LP and the Constitution Party for platform ideas. This is the only was to save us from becoming Canada South.

[Huck]

The LP platform is so completely out of step with America, that it strikes me a political party isn't even the proper engine for their agenda. But I could be wrong. I would study past radical movements which were successful, and copy them. But their platform is hopelessly radical. It won't succeed any time soon. Not until many, many, many minds are changed. Is party politics the best way to change minds?

[Huck]

Nader is an effective speaker. I don't agree with his vision for America, but when he speaks of civic duty, the virtues of responsible citizenship, involvement in the process, raising your expectations, these things have some positive resonance, even if for him it means $20 minimum wages, socialized medicine, etc. The principles of citizenship which he espouses are not without their merit.