What is the Libertarian Party up to in inviting former President Donald John Trump to address the party’s upcoming national convention ?
The goal of this “third party” may be crystalline in its clarity — a free society as understood by Libertarians — but how this can be achieved by running candidates for office in Partisan Duopoly America is murky at best. The number of self-identified libertarians in the country is small, though polling in the 1990s suggested that about a quarter of the population is of a general libertarian mindset: minimal government; private property; personal freedom as the tolerant community’s ideal; individual responsibility as the chief form of
The difference between a self-identified Libertarian and a libertarian-ish citizen at large can be huge, in some ways: no taxes versus lower taxes, for example. These positions play dramatically differently, of course, in elections where most voters are not libertarian at all.
The 2024 convention will be held May 23 – 26 in Washington, D.C. (of all places). And Donald Trump (of all people) has accepted the invitation to speak (offered to both he and President Biden). The party is shilling registrations for the event by telling prospects that only registered attendees will be able to cast their votes to establish “the topics President Trump will address during his time at the podium.”*
As a newsworthy event, this is one of the party’s best stunts. The very idea of inviting the presumptive Republican nominee to speak is … weird. And, therefore, newsworthy. It might make for an apocalyptic event — encompassing every meaning of “apocalyptic.”
The convention itself is titled, in traditionally flagrant Libertarian fashion, “Become Ungovernable.” While Libertarians mean this slogan in a good (and peaceful) way, its ambiguity and alarming nature is one of many reasons Libertarians get low vote totals.
Trump addressing Libertarians could suggest a more negative interpretation
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
* Good luck with that.
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9 replies on “Among the Ungovernable”
In contrast with the Liberal Party of the United Kingdom, which party acquired power but confused many people about the proper meaning of “liberal”, the Libertarian Party of the United States has managed to confuse people about the proper meaning of “libertarian” without acquiring power.
The party is so much in the way of the libertarian project that at least one friend came to believe that the Libertarian Party National Committee is in the hands of the deep state.
“Offered to both HIM and President Biden”
Not “he”.
Quite right. But why, then, did you fulminate when I noted that your comments with multi-paragraph quotations would be easier to read if you properly punctuated them? And why have you continued to punctuate such entries incorrectly? Grammar for him but not for thee?
He is a learned expert!
Paul doesn’t present himself as a grammarian.
Between you and “I”, I am not!
You’ve already made clear performatively your wide lack of competence. But, above, you decided to make a correction in an area within which you resist any correction by others.
I think that event would be a popcorn worthy happening.
It appears that the “invitations” to Trump and Biden were fake — Trump came asking, a chair who’s either incredibly gullible or actively hostile to the party, depending on who you ask agreed, and THEN both were “invited” to make it look “fair.”
Probably a tempest in a teapot, though — it’s mainly a question of who backs out and starts mocking the other first.