Libertarian Party (United States): Difference between revisions

|[[Libertarianism]] ([[Libertarianism in the United States|LibertarianismAmerican]])<ref name="MJ" />

|[[Paleolibertarianism]]<ref name="MJ">{{cite web |last1=Murphy |first1=Tim |title=The spectacular implosion of the Libertarian Party |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/04/the-spectacular-implosion-of-the-libertarian-party/ |website=[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]] |access-date=June 17, 2024 |date=May 2024}}</ref>}}

The '''Libertarian Party''' ('''LP''') is a [[classical liberal]] [[Political parties in the United States|political party in the United States]] that promotes [[civil liberties]], [[non-interventionism]], [[Laissez-faire capitalism|''laissez-faire'' capitalism]], and [[Limited government|limiting the size and scope of government]]. The party was conceived in August 1971 at meetings in the home of [[David Nolan (libertarian)|David F. Nolan]] in [[Westminster, Colorado]],<ref>Martin, Douglas. [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/us/23nolan.html David Nolan, 66, Is Dead; Started Libertarian Party], ''[[New York Times]]'', November 22, 2010.</ref><ref name="history">{{cite web|url=http://www.freecolorado.com/colib/0111nolan.html|title=David Nolan Reflects on the Libertarian Party on its 30th Anniversary|work=Colorado Freedom Report|access-date=December 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630142121/http://www.freecolorado.com/colib/0111nolan.html|archive-date=June 30, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was officially formed on December 11, 1971, in [[Colorado Springs, Colorado|Colorado Springs]].<ref name="history"/> The organizers of the party drew inspiration from the works and ideas of the prominent [[Austrian school]] economist [[Murray Rothbard]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://mises.org/library/political-importance-murray-rothbard |title=The Political Importance of Murray Rothbard|date=March 1, 2017|newspaper=Mises Institute|access-date=March 23, 2022|author1=Judy }}</ref> The founding of the party was prompted in part due to concerns about the [[Presidency of Richard Nixon|Nixon administration]], the [[Vietnam War]], [[Conscription in the United States#Vietnam War|conscription]], and the introduction of [[fiat money]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Michael Patrick|last=Murphy|title=The Government|page=555|publisher=[[iUniverse]]|year=2004|isbn=978-0-595-30863-7}}</ref>

The party generally promotes a [[Classical liberalism|classical liberal]] platform, in contrast to the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]'s [[Modern liberalism in the United States|modern liberalism]] and [[Progressivism in the United States|progressivism]] and the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]'s [[Conservatism in the United States|conservatism]] and [[right-wing populism]].<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite web|url=https://www.lp.org/platform/|title = Platform|date = July 11, 2018}}</ref>{{Non-primary source needed|date=October 2023}} [[Gary Johnson]], the party's [[presidential nominee]] in [[2012 United States presidential election|2012]] and [[2016 United States presidential election|2016]], claims that the Libertarian Party is more [[Cultural liberalism|culturally liberal]] than Democrats, and more [[Fiscal conservatism|fiscally conservative]] than Republicans.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gary Johnson: I'm More Conservative and More Liberal Than Both Parties|author=Julie Ershadi|url=http://atr.rollcall.com/gary-johnson-im-more-conservative-and-more-liberal-than-both-parties|work=Roll Call|date=April 30, 2013|access-date=May 18, 2013|archive-date=May 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506133229/http://atr.rollcall.com/gary-johnson-im-more-conservative-and-more-liberal-than-both-parties/|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[#Political positions|Its fiscal policy positions]] include [[Tax cut|lowering taxes]], abolishing the [[Internal Revenue Service]] (IRS), decreasing the [[National debt of the United States|national debt]], allowing people to opt out of [[Social Security (United States)|Social Security]] and eliminating the [[welfare state]], in part by utilizing [[Charitable organization|private charities]]. Its cultural policy positions include [[Drug liberalization|ending the prohibition of illegal drugs]], advocating [[criminal justice reform]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lp.org/issues/crime-and-justice/ |title=Crime and Justice|date=July 27, 2016|publisher=Libertarian Party|access-date=September 9, 2018}}</ref> supporting [[same-sex marriage]], ending [[capital punishment]], and supporting [[Right to keep and bear arms in the United States|gun ownership rights]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

{{As of|2024|5|post=,}} it is the third-largest [[Political parties in the United States|political party in the United States]] by voter registration. In the [[2020 Wyoming House of Representatives election|2020 election]], the Libertarians gained a state legislative seat in the [[Wyoming House of Representatives]], givingthe themfirst theirsuch firstwin statefor legislativethe winparty since 2000.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Aspegren|first=Elinor|title=Not a Republican, not a Democrat: Wyoming's Marshall Burt wins Libertarian Party's first statehouse seat since 2002|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/11/04/election-2020-libertarian-party-wyoming-legislature-marshall-burt/6168203002/|access-date=2020-11-05|website=USA Today|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ballot-access.org/2020/11/06/wyoming-newspaper-story-about-marshall-burt-new-libertarian-legislator/|title=Wyoming Newspaper Story About Marshall Burt, New Libertarian Legislator &#124; Ballot Access News|date=November 6, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="web.archive.org">{{Cite web|url=https://sos.nh.gov/2000RepGen.aspx?id=3187|title=State Representative – NHSOS|date=March 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331190139/https://sos.nh.gov/2000RepGen.aspx?id=3187|archive-date=March 31, 2017}}</ref> {{asThe of|2024|5|post=,}} there are <!--Subtracted 2 fromfirst and added 1 to the source's number of 179: Eric Hagan and Bryan Byers are listed twice and Jarrod Sammis is not listed--&gt; 178-->178 Libertarians holding elected office.<ref name="Elected Officials" /> As of December 2023, there are 741,930 voters registered asonly Libertarian in the 29 states that report Libertarian registration statistics and [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Voter Registration Totals |work=[[Ballot Access News]] |date=December 2023 |url=https://ballot-access.org/2023/12/29/december-2023-ballot-access-news-print-edition |accessdate=May 19, 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref> The first [[Electoral College (United States)|electoral vote]] for a woman was that for [[Tonie Nathan]] of the party for [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]] in the [[1972 United States presidential election]] due to a [[faithless elector]] supporter who eschewed his expected votes for President [[Richard Nixon]] and Vice President [[Spiro Agnew]] in favor of the Libertarian ticket. The first and only Libertarian in Congress was [[Justin Amash]], who joined the Libertarian Party in 2020 and left the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] in 2021 after choosing not to seek [[2020 United States House of Representatives elections|re-election]].

In 2022, the [[paleolibertarian]] [[Mises Caucus]] (LPMC) became the dominant faction on the [[Libertarian National Committee]], leading to internal conflicts and significant policy changes, such as regarding [[Libertarian perspectives on immigration#Libertarian proponents of restricted immigration|immigration]] and [[Libertarian perspectives on abortion#Opposition to legal abortion|abortion]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Heer |first=Jeet |date=2022-06-06 |title=The Libertarian Party Goes Alt-Right|work=[[The Nation]]|language=en-US |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/libertarian-gop-alt-right/ |access-date=2024-05-12 |issn=0027-8378}}</ref><ref name="Reason-1" /> Some [[Classicalclassical liberalism]] -minded dissidents split from the Libertarian party to form the [[Association of Liberty State Parties]].{{efn|Now Liberal Party USA}}<ref name="Reason-1">{{cite web |last1=Doherty |first1=Brian |title=Mises Caucus Takes Control of Libertarian Party |url=https://reason.com/2022/05/29/mises-caucus-takes-control-of-libertarian-party/ |website=[[Reason (magazine)|Reason]] |date=May 29, 2022 |access-date=28 May 2024}}</ref>

At the [[2022 Libertarian National Convention]], members of the [[Mises Caucus]], a [[paleolibertarian]] group affiliated towith the [[Political positions of Ron Paul|beliefs of]] [[Ron Paul]] successfully staged a takeover of the Libertarian Party, seeingwith over two -thirds of delegates bebecoming members of the Caucus, and shiftshifting the party in a right-ward direction.<ref name="Reason-1" /> The caucus successfully got their members elected to sweepswept leadership positions, including; electing [[Angela McArdle]] as chairwomen and [[Joshua Smith (Libertarian politician)|Joshua Smith]] as vice-chairman.<ref name="Reason-1" /> The 2022 convention, an off-election convention, had an unusually high number of delegates, with the last recorded number for an off-election year convention, in 2006, being just 300 delegates,. theThe 2022 convention by contrast saw over 1,000 delegates.<ref name="Reason-1" /> After the takeover the, non-Mises affiliated members [[Walkout (politics)|walked out]], and criticizedcriticizing the group for lacking in libertarian orthodoxy, as well as due tocondemning several racist statements that members of the Caucus had made in the past.<ref name="Reason-1" /> More ardent members of the party started to splinter, with Pennsylvania, that state with the most elected Libertarian officeholders, seeing a hardliner Mises-affiliated member, [[Rob Cowburn]] being named chairman, resulting in dissidents splitting to form the [[Keystone Party of Pennsylvania]].<ref name="Reason-1" />

After the Mises -dominated Libertarian partyParty adopted the [[national divorcesecession]] as part of the party's official core rallyingplatform,{{Citation criesNeeded|date=September more2024}} moderate membersmany of the party began to mutiny with the state-level Libertarianaffiliated affiliatesparties inbegan [[Libertarianto Party of New Mexico|New Mexico]] and [[Libertarian Party of Virginia|Virginia]] disaffiliationdisassociate from the national party,Party andor indissolve thethemselves case of Virginia, dissolving itselfaltogether.<ref name="Reason-2">{{cite web |last1=Doherty |first1=Brian |title=Libertarian Party Faces State Rebellions |url=https://reason.com/2022/09/15/libertarian-party-faces-state-rebellions/ |website=[[Reason (magazine)|Reason]] |date=September 15, 2022 |access-date=28 May 2024}}</ref> The party in New Mexico state party also highlightedargued that according to LP bylaws, that there can never be more than two executive positions overturned in a single convention, making the Mises sweep illegal.<ref name="Reason-2">{{cite web |last1=Doherty |first1=Brian |title=Libertarian Party Faces State Rebellions |url=https://reason.com/2022/09/15/libertarian-party-faces-state-rebellions/ |website=[[Reason (magazine)|Reason]] |date=September 15, 2022 |access-date=28 May 2024}}</ref> The Mises -dominated partyParty quickly changed the bylaws after their sweep to amend this.<ref name="Reason-2" /> After Mises -affiliated libertarians in Virginia reformed their branch of the party, quickly seeingseeking backing from the national party, the dissidents then formed a splinter group, the [[Virginia Classical Liberal Party]].<ref name="Reason-2" /> Additionally, [[Libertarian Association of Massachusetts|Massachusetts' party]], the Libertarian Association of Massachusetts, disaffiliated, buthowever Mises hardliners formed the Libertarian Party of Massachusetts, which the national party recognized as the official libertarian branch party in the state.<ref name="Reason-2" /> The Mises wasCaucus also able to blockblocked the disaffiliation of the [[Libertarian Party of New Hampshire|New Hampshire]] party.<ref name="Reason-2" />

The [[Association of Liberty State Parties]] was officially formed on December 3, 2022 as a national party committee between the Massachusetts and New Mexico parties, and the Virginian splinters.<ref name="formation" /> The party's first goal was to organize a national convention for the nomination of candidates for President and Vice President of the United States, and to expand into more states.<ref name="formation">{{cite web |title=Introducing the Association of Liberty State Parties |url=https://lpnm.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ALSP-Announcement.pdf |websitepublisher=[[Libertarian Party of New Mexico]] |access-date=28 May 2024}}</ref>

The party favors minimally regulated markets, a less powerful [[federal government]], strong [[civil liberties]] (including [[LGBT rights]], with the party supporting [[same-sex marriage]]), the [[drug liberalization|liberalization of drug laws]], [[separation of church and state]], [[open immigration]], [[non-interventionism]] and [[neutrality (international relations)|neutrality]] in diplomatic relations, [[free trade]] and [[freedom of movement|free movement]] to all foreign countries and a more representative republic.<ref name=platform>{{cite web |url = http://www.lp.org/platform |title= Libertarian Party: Platform |publisher = Libertarian Party |access-date = June 6, 2012 }}</ref> In 2018, the Libertarian Party became the first in the United States to call for the [[decriminalization of sex work]].<ref>{{cite web|url = https://reason.com/2018/07/02/libertarians-call-for-sex-work-decrim/ |title = Libertarian Party Adopts New Sex Work Plank |date = July 2, 2018 |access-date = May 5, 2020}}</ref> The party since 2022 has no official stance on abortion.<ref name="LP Platform">{{cite web |work = Platform |url = http://www.lp.org/platform |publisher = Libertarian Party |access-date = June 29, 2022 }}</ref> Before this, the party's stance was ambiguous, supporting the prerogative of individual politicians and voters to vote their conscience.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

As of 2017, there were 168 Libertarians holding elected office: 58 of them partisan offices and 110 of them non-partisan offices.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.lp.org/candidates/elected-officials |title = Elected-Officials; Libertarian Party |publisher = Libertarian Party |access-date = August 3, 2010 |archive-date = December 26, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181226033337/https://www.lp.org/2018-candidates/ |url-status = dead }}</ref> In addition, some party members, who were elected to public office on other party lines, explicitly retained their Libertarian Party membership and these include former Representative Ron Paul, who has repeatedly stated that he remains a life member of the Libertarian Party.

|align=right|'''5453.46%'''

|align=right|49.64%

A [[Monmouth University]] opinion poll conducted on March 24, 2016, found Libertarian candidate [[Gary Johnson]] polling in double digits with 11% in a three-way race against [[Donald Trump]] (34%) and [[Hillary Clinton]] (42%) in a three-way race.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/24/libertarian-gary-johnson-double-digits-race-agains/ |title = Poll shows Gary Johnson in double digits in 3-way race against Clinton, Trump |date = March 24, 2016 |last = Sherfinski |first = David |work = The Washington Times |access-date = May 14, 2016 }}</ref> whileLater, a [[CNN]] poll from July 16, 2016, found Johnson with a personal best 13% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2016/images/07/17/rel8a.-.2016.pdf |title=Images |website=i2.cdn.turner.com }}</ref> To be included in any of the three main presidential debates, a candidate must be polling at least 15% in national polls.

Several Republican elected officials publicly stated that were considering voting for the Libertarian Party ticket in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/ben-sasse-might-support-gary-johnson-223924 |title = Ben Sasse might support Gary Johnson |last = East |first = Kristen |date = June 5, 2016 |access-date = June 10, 2016 |work = Politico }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/08/politics/reid-ribble-donald-trump-racist/ |title = GOP congressman: Trump 'likely a racist' |last = Raju |first = Manu |date = June 8, 2016 |access-date = June 10, 2016 |publisher = CNN }}</ref> That included 2012 Republican presidential nominee [[Mitt Romney]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/283118-romney-will-look-into-libertarian-ticket/ |title = Romney will consider voting Libertarian, praises VP candidate |date = June 10, 2016 |access-date = June 12, 2016 |work = The Hill |last = Byrnes |first = Jesse }}</ref> It had been a common question and concern that the Libertarian ticket willwould exclusively draw away votes from [[Donald Trump]] and not the Democratic ticket. In response, Libertarian 2016 nominee [[Gary Johnson]] noted that analysis of national polls shows more votes drawn from [[Hillary Clinton]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRxe-3tb1v0 |title = Will The Libertarian Ticket Benefit From The Colbert Bump? |website = [[YouTube]] |date = June 10, 2016 |access-date = June 10, 2016 }}</ref>

After the conclusion of the Electoral College in 2016, the Libertarian Party received one electoral college vote from a faithless elector in Texas. The party's 2016 nominee [[Gary Johnson]] did not receive the vote. The single faithless vote went instead to former Republican Congressman [[Ron Paul]], who had rejoined the Libertarian Party in 2015. He is the first Libertarian to receive an electoral vote since [[John Hospers]] in 1972.<ref>{{citationCite web |last=X needed|date=February2016-12-08 |title=All the times in U.S. history that members of the electoral college voted their own way |url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-faithless-electors-2016-story.html |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Libertarian Party opposes all government intervention and regulation on wages, [[price]]s, [[Renting|rents]], [[Profit (accounting)|profits]], production and [[interest rate]]s and advocates the repeal of all laws banning or restricting the advertising of [[price]]s, products, or services. The party's recent platform calls for the repeal of the [[income tax]], the abolition of the [[Internal Revenue Service]] and all federal programs and services, such as the [[Federal Reserve System]]. The party supports the passage of a [[Balanced Budget Amendment]] to the Constitution which they believe will significantly lower the [[National debt of the United States|national debt]], provided that the budget is balanced preferably by cutting expenditures and not by raising taxes. Libertarians favor free-market banking, with unrestricted competition among banks and depository institutions of all types. The party also wants a halt to [[inflationary]] monetary policies and legal tender laws. While the party defends the right of individuals to form corporations, cooperatives and other types of companies, it opposes government [[subsidies]] to business, labor, or any other [[wikt:special interest|special interest]].<ref name="Platform" />

==== LGBT rights====