WASHINGTON
Wes Benedict, Executive Director of the Libertarian Party, issued the following statement today:

“Many Libertarians around America are planning to go to Tea Party rallies tomorrow. I also expect lots of Republican activists and politicians to be there. But frankly, I don’t think those Republicans belong there. The people participating in these rallies are saying ‘There’s too much government spending,’ but Republicans, decade after decade, have supported massive increases in government spending. During the George W. Bush administration, Republicans in Congress supported spending trillions of dollars on foreign wars, a massive Medicare expansion, and banker bailouts. Republicans doubled the budget and doubled the federal debt. Why can’t the Republican Party just admit that it loves big government?

“If I thought there would be many Democrats at these rallies, I’d criticize them too. However, I think it’s safe to say that they’ll be few and far between.

“Many Libertarians are enthusiastic about the Tea Parties, but many are not. Many Libertarians are concerned that participating causes us to get lumped in with conservatives and Republicans. In our online poll at LP.org, 28% so far say that ‘The Tea Parties have become too Republican-flavored.’

“Libertarians are often frustrated when the press characterizes us as ‘right-wing’ or ‘conservative.’ Although we certainly support reducing government spending, which most conservatives also claim to support, we differ from right-wingers on many issues: for example, we oppose foreign interventionism, support immigrant-friendly policies, oppose overreaction to terrorism, and oppose the War on Drugs.

“Libertarians are neither left-wing nor right-wing. We’re in a different place on the political map, as illustrated by the popular World’s Smallest Political Quiz.

“Some of the people in the tax day Tea Party crowds will be right-wingers, and some will be Libertarians. For those Tea Partiers who support Libertarian principles of very limited government spending, government tolerance on social issues, and a non-interventionist foreign policy, the Libertarian Party is ready to welcome them with open arms.”

For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LP Executive Director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.

The LP is America’s third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets and civil liberties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.

2010 State Convention
APRIL 24 and 25
Panama City, Florida
Hilton Garden Inn 1101 N Hwy 231 Panama City FL
850-392-1093 – Reservation Code: LIB

Schedule of Events

Saturday April 24th 2010
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM: Business meeting
Keynote Speaker will be Alexander Snitker, Candidate for US Senate.
To be a delegate one must be a registered to vote Libertarian and must sign the non aggression pledge. “I do hereby certify that I do
not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving social, economic, or political goals.”
6:30 PM to 7:30 PM: Cocktail Hour
7:30 PM to 12:00 AM: Banquet
Dr. Randall Holcombe will be the Dinner Speaker at our State Convention, Saturday April 24th.

Sunday April 25th 2010
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM: Workshops available
Building the Libertarian Party and Building Brand Name Recognition.
Mark Hinkle Candidate for LNC Chair
Building the Libertarian Party in Florida through “Strike Force”
Alex Snitker and Jote` Thompson
“The Free State Project” and other items
Adam Carroll, from New Hampshire
“Full Slate – 2012” and how we will fill the ballot
James Coakley

Related posts

• John Wayne Smith: Libertarian Candidate for Florida Governor (0)
• Snitker Not Surprised By Ron Paul CPAC Win (0)
• Register For The Libertarian Party 2010 Convention (0)
• Ocala Tea Party Rally (0)
• Marion County Libertarians Open Meeting: April (0)

WASHINGTON – As the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) holds its annual conference, Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict offered the following statement:

I’m sure we’ll hear an awful lot about “limited government” from the mouths of CPAC politicians over the next few days. If I had a nickel every time a conservative said “limited government” and didn’t mean it, I’d be a very rich man.

Unlike libertarians, most conservatives simply don’t want small government. They want their own version of big government. Of course, they have done a pretty good job of fooling American voters for decades by repeating the phrases “limited government” and “small government” like a hypnotic chant.

It’s interesting that conservatives only notice “big government” when it’s something their political enemies want. When conservatives want it, apparently it doesn’t count.

* If a conservative wants a trillion-dollar foreign war, that doesn’t count.
* If a conservative wants a 700-billion-dollar bank bailout, that doesn’t count.
* If a conservative wants to spend billions fighting a needless and destructive War on Drugs, that doesn’t count.
* If a conservative wants to spend billions building border fences, that doesn’t count.
* If a conservative wants to “protect” the huge, unjust, and terribly inefficient Social Security and Medicare programs, that doesn’t count.
* If a conservative wants billions in farm subsidies, that doesn’t count.

It’s truly amazing how many things “don’t count.”
Conservatives like Rush Limbaugh can’t ever be satisfied with enough military spending and foreign wars.
Conservatives like Mitt Romney want to force everyone to buy health insurance.
Conservatives like George W. Bush — well, his list of supporting big-government programs is almost endless.

Ronald Reagan, often praised as an icon of conservatism, signed massive spending bills that made his the biggest-spending administration (as a percentage of GDP) since World War II.

Some people claim that these big-government supporters aren’t “true conservatives.” Well, if a person opposes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, opposes the War on Drugs, opposes border fences, and opposes mandatory Social Security and Medicare, it’s hard to believe that anyone would describe that person as a conservative at all. Most people would say that person is a libertarian (or maybe even a liberal).

Obviously, most liberals don’t want limited government either. It’s just that their support for big government leans toward massive handout and redistribution programs.

The fact is, liberals and conservatives both want gigantic government. Their visions sometimes look different from each other, but both are huge. The only Americans who truly want small government are libertarians.

An article posted at CNS News, linked prominently from the Drudge Report, noted that the Obama administration is on track to beat the Franklin Roosevelt administration in terms of average federal spending as a percentage of GDP. However, the article failed to note that the Reagan Administration already beat the Franklin Roosevelt administration easily. Roosevelt’s average was 19.4 percent of GDP, while Reagan’s average was 22.3 percent of GDP. (Source: White House OMB data)

Related posts

• Register For The Libertarian Party 2010 Convention (0)
• John Wayne Smith: Libertarian Candidate for Florida Governor (0)
• Ocala Tea Party Rally (0)
• Marion County Libertarians Open Meeting: April (0)
• On Important Issues, Voters Want Libertarian Solutions (0)

Libertarians in the Media: July 26 to August 2

Here are just a few of the opportunities this week to see, hear and read Libertarians in the mainstream media. Along with these broadcast radio, television and cable news appearances, 2008 presidential candidate Bob Barr contributes to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution here at The Barr Code. Tell your friends to tune in, and if your local Libertarian officials are appearing on broadcast television or radio, forward the information to media@lp.org.

Sunday 7/26/09:
* Wayne Allyn Root: “Live on Sunday Night with Bill Cunningham” Premiere Radio Network (nationally syndicated)

Monday 7/27:
* Wayne Allyn Root: “The G. Gordon Liddy Show,” Radio America Network (nationally-syndicated)
* Wayne Allyn Root: C-SPAN TV (national)
* Wayne Allyn Root: “The Chuck Wilder Show,” CRN- Cable Radio Network (nationally syndicated)
* Wayne Allyn Root: C-TV Business News Network of Canada (national-Canada)
* Wayne Allyn Root: The Jim Bohannon Show,” Westwood One Radio (nationally syndicated) *tentative
* Wayne Allyn Root: “The Mike Pintek Show,” KDKA Radio Pittsburg, PA
* Neal Boortz, “The Neal Boortz Show,” 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET, AM 570 WSN, Atlanta, GA
* Gary Nolan: “The Drive with Gary Nolan,” 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT, 93.9 FM, Columbia MO

Tuesday 7/28:
* Wayne Allyn Root: FOX News Channel- “Your World with Neil Cavuto”
* Wayne Allyn Root: FOXNews.com “The Strategy Room”
* Wayne Allyn Root: FOX Business Network- “Happy Hour Live” from The Bull & Bear
* Wayne Allyn Root: KXYL Radio “Mark Cope & Jesse Jones Show” Brownwood, TX
* Wayne Allyn Root: KCMN Radio “The Tron Simpson Show” Colorado Springs, CO.
* Neal Boortz, “The Neal Boortz Show,” 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET, AM 570 WSN, Atlanta, GA
* Gary Nolan: “The Drive with Gary Nolan,” 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT, 93.9 FM, Columbia MO

Wednesday 7/29:
* Wayne Allyn Root: WTKK Radio “The Jay Severin Show” Boston, MA
* Judge Andrew Napolitano: FoxNews.com, “Freedom Watch,” 2:00 p.m. ET
* Neal Boortz, “The Neal Boortz Show,” 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET, AM 570 WSN, Atlanta, GA
* Gary Nolan: “The Drive with Gary Nolan,” 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT, 93.9 FM, Columbia MO
* Wayne Allyn Root: FOX News Channel- HANNITY with Sean Hannity, 9:00 p.m.

Thursday 7/30:
* Wayne Allyn Root: “Bubba the Love Sponge Show” Sirius Radio- Howard Stern Channel (national)
* Wayne Allyn Root: Air America- Lionel (nationally syndicated)
* Wayne Allyn Root: WBIX Radio “The Stu Taylor Show” Boston, MA
* Wayne Allyn Root: WSBA Radio “York’s Morning News” York, PA
* Wayne Allyn Root: KHHT Radio “The Terry Lowry Show” Houston, TX
* Neal Boortz, “The Neal Boortz Show,” 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET, AM 570 WSN, Atlanta, GA
* Gary Nolan: “The Drive with Gary Nolan,” 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT, 93.9 FM, Columbia MO

Friday 7/31:
* Wayne Allyn Root: FOX News Channel- “FOX & Friends” (FOX News national morning show)

* Wayne Allyn Root: Business Talk Radio Network- Steve Crowley’s American Scene
* Neal Boortz, “The Neal Boortz Show,” 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET, AM 570 WSN, Atlanta, GA
* Gary Nolan: “The Drive with Gary Nolan,” 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT, 93.9 FM, Columbia MO

Saturday 8/1:
* Wayne Allyn Root: WOR Radio “The Joe Bartlett Show” New York, NY

Monday 8/3:
* Wayne Allyn Root: The Mancow Show Talk Radio Network (nationally syndicated)
* Wayne Allyn Root: WGN Radio- The Milton Rosenburg Show (heard in 20+ states)
* Wayne Allyn Root: CNN Radio “The Wall Street Warriors”
* Neal Boortz, “The Neal Boortz Show,” 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET, AM 570 WSN, Atlanta, GA
* Gary Nolan: “The Drive with Gary Nolan,” 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT, 93.9 FM, Columbia MO

Related posts

• Register For The Libertarian Party 2010 Convention (0)
• On Important Issues, Voters Want Libertarian Solutions (0)
• Ocala Tea Party Rally (0)
• Marion County Libertarians Open Meeting: April (0)
• Marion County (Florida) Libertarians: February Meeting (0)