Solutions for the Libertarian Party Part 1
Solutions for the Libertarian Party Part 1
Best ideas for a classical liberal party
“Most people who leave the party chose to be politically homeless. That is sad. I wouldn’t want to join those other parties anyway. Too bad we can’t get along. If we did we could set the world free in our lifetime.” Kevin Litten
Recently, I exchanged e-mails with Kevin Litten, the man who got me active in Iowa Libertarian politics. Without Kevin, there is no doubt, I'd never have run for public office, pushed public policy, served on the Iowa Certificate of Need board, or managed political campaigns.
When I moved to Iowa in 2006, the Iowa Libertarian Party had experienced a split. From my recollection, Kevin had stepped up to be interim Chairman of the party and run for Governor, all while working a full-time job, and at the last minute. Without Kevin, the party would have collapsed.
Kevin moved to Wisconsin in 2011 and I'm currently in Arkansas. Kevin is still active in the Wisconsin Libertarian Party and I am no longer active within the party, however, I do take an interest in seeing liberty succeed. We discussed party structure in our most recent correspondence.
My goal is to see a classical liberal party thrive in my lifetime.
Kevin has proposed a few procedural changes to the party's current
methods of conducting business. For the next several weeks, we will be discussing a new proposed change with the last one being the most controversial.
Before reading Kevin’s first suggestion, I highly recommend first reading Andy Craig’s article about the broken structure of the Libertarian Party.
While Andy may be a pragmatist, someone willing to negotiate our ideas into action, there are many things someone more radical like myself can appreciate and agree with.
At its peak in 2016, some four and half million people voted for its presidential ticket, and still nearly two million voted for its much lesser known 2020 ticket. When you factor in down-ballot races where its candidates do a bit better, there is comfortably a Libertarian voter base somewhere in the low millions of people. There are nearly 700,000 registered Libertarian voters nationwide, and that’s only from the 28 states that have partisan voter registration. At the national level, there were until recently a bit over 20,000 dues-paying members and some several thousand more on top of that from the state parties (though that number has since dropped precipitously).
And none of these people as such have any say in the party. Absolute, unchecked control is vested in what can be called the delegate class, a club of somewhere around two to three thousand people.
Click here to read Andy Craig’s full article where he discusses the structural problems within the Libertarian Party.
Kevin Litten’s article in response to Andy Craig is posted below where he discusses the first two proposed procedural changes.
Possible solutions to Libertarian Party Governance
By Kevin Litten
This article is largely based on an article titled “The Broken Structure of the Libertarian Party,” by Andy Craig. You will find it immensely insightful and informative. Many of the problems facing the party today can be placed on what Mr. Craig calls “the delegate class.” I agree with him. The party is run by a select few, who largely select themselves, given this limitation how can the party be run better?
I joined the Libertarian Party in 1996. I’ve been a member in Iowa and am currently a member in Wisconsin. I’ve run for governor once and Congress twice. I’ve served in every state party position except for treasurer and at-large representative. The solutions I’m offering here are for state parties. All state parties are run differently. All state parties do not have the same problems. I hope that many state parties have overcome the problems I talk about. I believe that most have not and could benefit from the solutions outlined in this article.
The people who go to state party conventions select themselves. If they have the time, the money, the inclination, they go. Perhaps only 10 – 20 % of a state party’s members attend. Since they vote on how the party will be run, only a small number of members may move the party greatly in a direction apart from the mainstream membership. There are no consequences upon those members, only the party suffers for their actions.
I have no data to back this up, but I believe the average Libertarian Party member lasts two years. If they can’t change the world in that time they exit the party and leave the remaining members to clean up their mess.
One thing that many organizations do is to have a minimum time members must be active before they can vote. For the National Rifle Association that time is ten years. Some state parties have a 30 day rule so that members can’t join at the door. I believe this rule was put in place so that the state party can’t be taken over by a faction just walking in. It would take at least 30 days to get your veto proof majority together.
At least one state party has a 180 day rule. It is hoped that members will acquaint themselves with how the party has been run during that time; bylaws, platforms, procedures, etc. Yet there is no requirement they do so. In my state, Wisconsin, every year at state convention the Chair greets the members attending then asks how many present are at their first convention. Easily half of the hands going up will be first time attenders. The members least able to run the party are the ones doing so.
Indoctrination is a harsh word. Our party cannot philosophically force its members to believe or behave in a particular way. We can require them to observe the party’s functions before we let them vote.
So here is my first suggestion:
1) Before voting at convention all members must have attended at least one state convention before.
This should familiarize them with how things ought to be done. Some states have more of a shit show at their convention than others. Some states stream their convention live to the world, to show the world what a mess we are. A convention should be as orderly and well run as a state party’s web page. It is the face we show to the world. That is the goal we should strive for at convention. The adults must be seen to be in charge.
The Libertarian Party is notable in not asking for loyalty oaths. A loyalty oath is like the VFW or the Optimists reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before their meetings begin. There should be an oath that we all take together to remind us of what we believe in and why we are there. Loyalty oaths are a good thing. There are reasons all other parties use them, apart from giving the occasion some solemnity.
Should members be asked to recite them together at convention? I think so, but how about this for a start:
2) Before serving all party officials must swear that they have read the party’s bylaws, the party platforms, and any policy and/or procedure documents the party has.
So what to swear these to? How about the Constitution of the United States, the party’s Statement of Principles, “that we do this in opposition of the omnipresent state,” or even our goal of “setting the world free in our lifetime.” It would not be out of line to add that bit about “serving to the best of their abilities.”
Jake’s Thoughts
Certainly requiring previous attendance to a convention would prevent a lot of people who quickly jump to serve in party leadership and then flake a month or two in. In my nearly two decades of following the party, this has been one of the biggest issues the party has had.
That said, might we miss out on great leaders with this proposed change? Would people be less inclined to show up if they couldn’t vote? In a few states, there may also be some legal issues so it probably couldn’t be done in each state.
Many anarchists would not want to swear an oath to the Constitution but perhaps might to the Statement of Principles or a goal of setting the world free in our lifetime. I have been saying the party is a tactic-driven organization instead of a vision-driven organization meaning the party has no cohesive vision to get behind. This was true when the radicals held control of the party, when the pragmatists held control of the party, and is just as much if not more true today with Mises Caucus control.
How do we get that classical liberal party that has a structure that allows maximum involvement among members without putting all the power in the hands of a few? How does the Libertarian Party once again become the party I joined nearly twenty years ago that could inspire young people into political action?
Next week, we discuss more.
Comments will be open to all subscribers for this series. I welcome your thoughts and discussion.