Is libertarian party an oxymoron?

I am glad to see that "Party" does not appear in the name of this group. To me "party' implies government (as we see in FL and MI, the party organizations can be at least as incompetent as federal government -- where there is smoke there is fire).

Thus my comment about the Groucho Marx (or was it Mark Twain) problem, in my introduction. I am really looking forward to meeting the kinds of intellects that can even understand libertarianism, but beyond that I am looking forward to some healthy debate. What are the libertarian principles? How can they be implemented in a partisan mode? How can they apply in a governmental setting? If we admit that hardship, what can be our role?

The simplest answer that fits all the facts is most likely to be true. -- Occam's Razor

I am glad to see that "Party" does not appear in the name of this group. To me "party' implies government (as we see in FL and MI, the party organizations can be at least as incompetent as federal government -- where there is smoke there is fire).

Thus my comment about the Groucho Marx (or was it Mark Twain) problem, in my introduction. I am really looking forward to meeting the kinds of intellects that can even understand libertarianism, but beyond that I am looking forward to some healthy debate. What are the libertarian principles? How can they be implemented in a partisan mode? How can they apply in a governmental setting? If we admit that hardship, what can be our role?

The simplest answer that fits all the facts is most likely to be true. -- Occam's Razor

yeah...its one of those things. its hard to abrogate your principles even for necessity. as a quasi-analogy, look at the confederacy, then look how centralized they had to become to protect there ideas of non-centralization...to the point that (besides getting over run militarily) the population that favored decentralization tired of it and eventually quit on their own government. (not that libertarians are confederate sympathizers at all - just an observation)

All too many people confuse Libertarianism and Anarchism. The Libertarian principles are quite clear about the need for a government to handle certain things: an organized military, standardized currency, infrastructure and so on. We just feel that the government should do only those things for which it is absolutely required and leave the rest to the people to handle on their own.

Right now there are almost no governments on Earth that don't fall somewhere between crushing dictatorship and smothering nanny state. We don't propose anarchy or a lack of government, just a minimal government that focuses on defending our freedoms instead of taking them away.

All too many people confuse Libertarianism and Anarchism. The Libertarian principles are quite clear about the need for a government to handle certain things: an organized military, standardized currency, infrastructure and so on. We just feel that the government should do only those things for which it is absolutely required and leave the rest to the people to handle on their own.

Right now there are almost no governments on Earth that don't fall somewhere between crushing dictatorship and smothering nanny state. We don't propose anarchy or a lack of government, just a minimal government that focuses on defending our freedoms instead of taking them away.

I'm with you, strings, regarding national government, but what about party rules, what about the hierachical natures of the major national parties?

I am definitely a minarchist, per A. Lincoln -- "No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent."

Unfortunately, the other parties have been in charge a LONG time and have set up the system to their advantage. Seeing as they love rules, they've made sure that anyone who wants to play the game has to do so under the oppressive and usually prohibitive laws they've enacted. Obviously we're not so big on that kinda stuff so obviously we don't often fare so well... but if we want to get anywhere we need to get it together and play (suffer) through it long enough to get into a position where we can make a change.

In order to even be considered as a party eligible to put forth candidates we need to have a set of party rules, bylaws, controls and guidelines. If you look at what the Party's done in that respect, we've certainly done the absolute minimum necessary... and gone out of our way to write them as unintelligibly as possible so as to make sure they don't really say anything.

I guess the simplest way of putting it is that we're dealing with the necessary evil in hopes that we'll be able to make it unnecessary for whoever follows.

Why a party?

As the Chair of LPKY, I can tell you why I am doing what I'm doing.

There is both safety and strength in numbers. For one person to attempt to take on or to dodge the machine is somewhat risky. You must always be the smallest fish, so that the big machine doesn't have you at the top of their list of targets.

There's no way to positively and significantly affect politics as an individual. The party system is the only vehicle to win at any level above a non-partisan race.

I didn't make the rules. The rules were made for us, and are, in fact, rigged against us. But until we get some control over the game, we have to play by their rules.

The other alternative is to give up -- to let the country go down in flames.

I have 2 children. It is for their future that I choose to fight. I know that real freedom will not be peacefully achieved in my lifetime. But I also choose not to willingly allow things to degenerate to a point where my children will live in a complete totalitarian society. My moral obligation to my children is to give them a better life than the one I have. This is my way to do it.

That is why I work within the LP.

OK, but don't be surprised if I don't volunteer for the rules and bylaws committee.

I would be interested in seeing how many rules were fashioned for Ron Paul 2008.

Btw, I think that liberatrianism has the best chance of flourishing as a natural phenomenon -- the last people standing when the majors have destroyed themselves. Because it is based on reason, and clear principles. I have no problem with a popular education on these

All American parties have been marked by a birth AND a death -- maybe there is another way. Why yes there is another way! By what party's plans did the Boston Tea Party come to take place?

I believe that both of you are extremely well intentioned, but I am trying to sound a note of caution. Authoritarianism is the inimical enemy, and the eventual conqueror of libertarianism.