"Please let me in." "First, sign this oath!?" Why not?   What should be done? The Million Dollar Idea!

Libertarians for an Open Party We advocate open growth for the Libertarian Party. We have faith that each person will best decide for themselves whether or not they belong in the party. The Party should be Open-- without official dogma. Come one, Come all-- the More, the Merrier. BYOP-- Bring Your Own Principles. It's fine to agree for different reasons. We are the political wing of the Libertarian Party, and we are frustrated by the results. We fear the party may soon be marginalized forever-- and not even notice. We fear the party is only for inspiration-- expecting that other parties will eventually get the job done. On this page, we have three questions for all Libertarians. Why has the Libertarian Party failed while the ideas have gained? Why does America need a new party? Who should be a Libertarian?   Libertarians for an Open Party was founded in 1999. For more information, please contact: Lloyd Sloan (lloyd@inlink.com), 932 Edgerton Court Ballwin, MO 63011

What is an Open Party?

An Open Party is issue-based, and not dogmatic. It is political, and not utopian.

An Open Party is defined by a short prioritized list of significant and unique issues. The list includes only issues which require a new party. Abortion, for example, would not make the list-- not because it is insignificant, but because the established parties already contain both opposing positions, and thus a new party is not needed.

After 30 years, we demand an answer-- where is the defining short list of the Libertarian Party?

Both established parties are opposed to the Libertarian direction on all these issues, and without any reasonable hope of reforming. We conclude that any of these major issues would require a new party.

1. Fix the "broken" constitution. Restore it and Amend it (with needed improvements).

2. End social security.

3. End the personal income tax.

4. End the welfare state, including and especially corporate welfare.

5. End the drug war. No victim, no crime.

6. Defend America only. Do not police the world.

7. End government schools.

8. End the Federal Reserve system.

 

An Open Party is trustworthy, and consistent inside and out.

The party should define itself the same for those both inside and outside. The party should not tell people outside "this is a Libertarian" and then change the definition for those joining the party!

Therefore, the party is consistently defined only by what it tells voters. Any other definition is untrustworthy and corrupting, because it ultimately lies to voters about who the party really is.

The Open Party has a simple message to everyone--

"If you agree with us on issues, then vote for us. And if you vote Libertarian, then you are Libertarian. Welcome! You are one of us. There is no other test, no purifying dogma, no hidden costs. We are what we are, as openly expressed to the world."

So what prevents an Open Party? Fundamentally, an Open Party does not require all members to sign an (anarchist) Oath. It does not establish a party doctrine and it does not require all members to support the platform for only the approved reasons.

Three Questions for all Libertarians

In a practical sense, these questions define us, because our answers require an Open Party and a broader political vision for the party.

1. Why has the Libertarian party failed while the ideas have gained?

Because the party is dogmatic, not open. It has a widely acknowledged and long-standing "purity" problem. It contains the intersection of only those who believe the same doctrine, rather than the union of all those who pursue the same goals for different reasons. It becomes marginalized and unable to compromise, politically inept and ineffective, trapped within endless arguments over philosophy and doctrine, like the Communist party of the 20's and 30's rather than their counterparts in the open, issue-driven Socialist party. The party requires a "no-tax" oath-- and then wonders why it fails!?

2. Why does America need a new party?

Because the established parties have failed and can't be trusted. They have betrayed the constitution and the founding principles of America. A new party is never justified in itself, but only after the established parties are proven unworkable. America needs a new party because the old parties are corrupted, rigid and wrong-- and not because the new one will be "pure".

(And because institutions matter. The Whigs could not end slavery. Republicans can not end socialism.)

3. Who should be a Libertarian?

or to ask the question another way, Who should vote Libertarian?
1. whoever believes this government is far too big, in many ways
2. and whoever believes the existing parties will never shrink this government

We Libertarians for an Open Party have a simple message for the LP, "If people vote for us, they're one of us."