Frontrunners for Libertarian Party - Presidential Candidates

are there any yet?

if you're not familiar:

http://www.lp.org/issues/gun-rights.shtml

If the dozen or so threads in this forum weren't enough, I'd say that Ron Paul is definitely the LP front runner for presidential candidacy.

Ron Paul is running for the Republican nomination.


also...imo any *true* Libertarian would not associate themselves with the Republican party

To the contrary, I've heard that the Libertarian Party will forgo a candidate for the '08 Election if Ron Paul gains the republican ticket. That actually makes sense.


Ron Paul is a capital "L" Libertarian, who just happens to be running under the (R) banner. A rose by any other name...


And for what it's worth, I'm a registered Libertarian, and I'll vote for Ron Paul regardless of the party he's running under.

also...imo any *true* Libertarian would not associate themselves with the Republican party

Sometimes the best way to change something is by getting on the inside and working out.

But if you haven't noticed, the GOP doesn't seem to be a fan of Ron Paul. Parties tend to protect their own with the exception of scandals...but in this case, they just don't like his politics.

also...imo any *true* Libertarian would not associate themselves with the Republican party

Dunno, but a true libertarian would, if the right candidate were running. And he is.

General Geoff, it's a shame you can't help because of your registration. I fear that is what his biggest hurdle will be.

as long as the religious right (and others) have a stranglehold on the GOP, they'll never take someone like Ron Paul seriously.

true, Ron Paul is a Libertarian at heart, but the GOP stands for something much different than the Libertarian Party, IMO.

too bad Ron Paul stands no chance anyway.

http://lp.org

too bad Ron Paul stands no chance anyway.

...and the libertarian party does?:scrutiny:

Dr. Paul stands a much better chance running as a republican than he would running as a libertarian.

...and the libertarian party does?

no, the LP does not...hopefully someday the LP will replace the GOP (fat chance) ;)

Gen. Geoff, I don't know if Pennsylvania has open or closed primaries, but if they're closed, you might consider switching your affiliation this year to Republican so you can help Dr. Paul win the nomination. I've been encouraging a lot of people to do so (mostly registered Democrats, but a few independents or Libertarians--all believers, though). This is the time to be tactical about party registration.

also...imo any *true* Libertarian would not associate themselves with the Republican party

The current Republican party has become the Democratic party of the early 1960s. The Republican party of Eisenhower (minus the social security enlargments) and Coolidge is more in line of what the LP would like. The LP was founded a bunch of Goldwater Republicans, and the last gasp of that kind of Republican was Reagan. (however flawed).

hopefully someday the LP will replace the GOP (fat chance)

Youd have to get a time machine for that. The Republican party of the 1920s and the 1950s is the best we're going to get.

I believe that the LP can be a force for change. With more support, the LP will continue to not only get more people in office, but to influence the leading two parties. (which is arguably more powerful) The LP might not ever replace the leading two parties, but it can surely cause a stir...and who knows what might happen 20, or 50 years from now.

http://lp.org

Ron Paul is a member of the Republican Liberty Caucus, which is the "Libertarian wing" of the Republican Party; much like the Progressives are the Socialist wing of the Democratic Party. And that's how they got their start (running as Ds).

What Ron Paul is doing makes perfect sense and is totally legit, if you ask me.

However, getting back to the 1st paragraph, the Libertarian wing is only trying to get the GOP back to its original conservative values, whereas the Progressives are leading the Democratic party further left, where they have never been before.

One is a traditional move, and the other is, well, a progressive move.