Recently the founder of the LP has been chastising the party for not being radical enough. He wrote an open letter to the LNC, which can be read here: http://www.nolanchart.com/article6640.html

Here is my response:

In many respects, I agree wholeheartedly with your letter to the Libertarian National Committee. Far too much time is wasted on small, petty issues within this body. The bickering in the meetings, at the convention, and on internet venues does a great disservice to our effort to recruit new volunteers to organize for liberty. As we stand between the chasm of Republic and Empire, our philosophy and the organizations that spring from it, including this political mechanism called the Libertarian Party, are the last credible defense we have in this struggle. Childish bickering should be set aside, and work should be done.

I do not believe that political theorists and political scientists should be at odds within this party. Without the Statement of Principles, what purpose does a County Chair in Indiana really serve? But without that County Chair, the philosophy sits in a notebook, never to be expressed in a meaningful way. Personally, I am fascinated with the way a grassroots organization is built. I spend my days organizing information to help volunteers work at county fairs, evangelize at tea parties, and yes, work on and win campaigns.

We are a political party, not a think tank. Without the proper application of political science, what is the purpose of this organization? The think tanks such as Mises, Cato, and Reason serve to articulate the philosophy’s view on modern day issues at length. They serve local volunteers with the message. Our political party should serve local volunteers with information on how to organize their community. How does one write a press release? How does one start and run a successful petition drive? How is a Freedom of Information Act filed? How can one effectively lobby an elected official? How does a candidate start a campaign? How do organizations fundraise? How do you buy advertisements for events and candidates? What election laws will put you into prison? Libertarian Parties across this nation should be organizing not only to develop the philosophy, but to effectively spread it!

With all due respect, Mr. Nolan, are you interested in the LP moving in the direction of the think tank, and spending less time on organizing our community? If the Libertarian Party cannot begin to organize at the precinct level, and then the county level, and then the state level, and eventually the national level, then should we end this experiment you began? Our entire organization from the Chairs to the volunteers working booths at a 4h Fairs, tea parties, and parades must not only have a basic, and eventually developed, sense of our basic message and principles, but also the proper way to deliver this message.

Our Libertarian Parties should be functional tools to deliver the message of a radical liberty, personal freedom, and that government is an instrument of force designed to limit our rights. Without basic political science being practiced in this party, we are reduced to 3 people on a corner with bull horns, or worse, sitting in a library, talking to no one. In my view, our county, state, and national business meetings should no longer be philosophical discussions. They should be discussions on upcoming opportunities to make an impact on the local political conversation.

With the proper application of political science, we can have 130 candidates in Indiana walking precincts, and their volunteers walking in townships, door to door, spreading our message. Politics isn’t a dishonorable practice. It is the way you practice it.

Ironically, the Campaign for Liberty was used as an example of where we should go as a party. The C4L was started by a high profile Presidential Candidate with the ability to deliver his message on a much wider platform than our party has access to. This is because Ron Paul has worked to win campaigns, and won them repeatedly. But I believe the biggest reason for its success is not it’s cult of personality, or radicalism… It is that the leadership of C4L gives its membership something to do. They hold petition drives, tea parties, membership drives, fundraise, and walk door to door at the request of leadership both local and national. Radicalism is not the lesson. Action and Leadership are.

Chris Spangle
Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of Indiana