LP
SHOWDOWN
Right wing and left wing Libertarians are holding each other back. It's time for the Libertarian Party to take an unprecedented step to actually achieve liberty: a split into two parties.
••• LP Showdown is not endorsed or supported by the Libertarian Party, the LNC, or any caucus. Just one Libertarian willing to voice their opinion. •••
The Reason
We have a problem in the Libertarian Party. There is a strong divide of ideology within our membership that continues to widen each year. Depending where you stand on the issue, some will address this divide as “Authoritarians vs Libertarians” or “Communists vs Libertarians”, but the most objective way to address it is “Left vs Right Libertarians”.We all share common core beliefs, but while both our political views are based in Libertarian philosophy, our interpretations and viewpoints are often polar opposites. Individual members have felt forced to join one national caucus or another to push the party politics slightly in their favor without any real or sustaining change that moves us forward towards actual liberty.This consolidation into a few major caucuses, has (or will) created a two party system within the Libertarian Party. As with the US two party system that led us to the Libertarian Party in the first place, the one within our own party leaves a majority of members again feeling unrepresented and as we did with the two major parties, we began distancing ourselves, then we eventually left; which we are already seeing in the LP.Our differences in interpreting Libertarian philosophy lead to fighting for control over Party leadership and platform points, hoping that the opposing ideology will simply give up and leave. But it should now be abundantly clear that both sides feel they have a claim to the party name and neither side will leave without a fight. So we will continue to come back every two years to do it all over again.For the first 50 years of the party, we were too small in numbers. The left and the right sides of the LP needed each other to create a solid voting block and to give Americans a 3rd choice. But that time has passed, our numbers have grown and staying as one party is now hurting both our chances of actually achieving our ideology's vision of liberty. While Libertarian philosophy is neither inherently right or left wing, the Libertarian Party itself must be one or the other if it is to have a fighting chance at success.Our constant fighting for “control” of the LP is causing the party to lose membership and donations, we are failing to attract defectors from the major parties, and we are certainly making no major progress towards liberty in our lives on the national stage.These problems in membership, funding, and progress are not because of one caucus or another. These problems are caused by an organization that has failed to pivot and every member is to blame for not taking corrective action when it became necessary.We, as a whole, have outgrown the small organization that was started over 50 years ago. We can either continue the same unsuccessful strategy of keeping two opposing ideologies trapped in one party, or we can do what we should have done a decade ago and amicably split ways while wishing each other the best of luck.While we should not be together under one party, neither should we be enemies. Our viewpoints will align on numerous issues and we should continue to work together as two parties in specific issue coalitions to combine our voting blocks for maximum political pressure.If there was ever a political movement that could split ways on good terms for the pursuit of a greater goal, it would be us. If we want to actually achieve liberty, we must take an unprecedented step, a “winner takes all” fight for the Libertarian Party.
The Proposal
At the 2028 LNC Convention, the first item of business to be voted on, is the following:
“Is the Libertarian Party a left wing or right wing political organization?”
The question is not “is Libertarianism a left or right wing ideology?”, as it can clearly be both, but the Libertarian Party can no longer be.The exact wording of the motion to answer this question will be determined by the LNC before the 2028 convention, but we as party members must make it known to and pressure the LNC to make the motion. If the LNC refuses, the motion can be added to the convention agenda from the floor.For the next two years, both sides of the party have the equal opportunity to consolidate and build their supporter base in preparation for this question. To grow their membership, win at state conventions, and send as many delegates as they can to the 2028 LNC Convention to vote in their favor.Winner takes all. The losing ideology should accept their loss after best efforts and their delegates should get up and leave the convention and the Libertarian Party entirely, leaving the winning ideology to begin their fresh start in 2028. The winning ideology is then able to decide the LNC leadership and presidential candidate that best represents their ideology.The winning ideology keeps the party, the party name, its affiliates, its voting access, its bank accounts and its assets. The losing ideology then starts a separate liberty focused party, puts in the hard work and builds the new party and its affiliates from the ground up. It was done once with no experience and member following, so with the combined experience of their membership, it can be done again by the losing ideology at a faster rate and be ready for the 2030 election season.
The Pledge
"By completing the form below, I support the LP Showdown proposal and I join in the petition for the LNC to make the motion at the 2028 LNC Convention to determine the Libertarian Party's ideological position.If the LNC refuses to make the motion, I support LP Showdown organizers adding the motion to the agenda from the convention floor.I pledge to voluntarily uphold the agreement by leaving the Libertarian Party and the 2028 convention if the majority of delegates vote in opposition to my preferred ideology. In which case, I will support the founding of a new political party with those who share my ideology and wish the winning ideology the best of luck."
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The more members that sign the pledge, the more pressure on the LNC to make the motion at the 2028 convention. Spread the word to your affiliates, friends, and social media following!
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The Outcome
One side loses in the short run, but both sides desiring liberty win in the long run. Both sides will be able to more easily recruit members that don't want to be associated with the opposite ideology, will spend less time fighting the opposite ideology, and spend more time directly advancing their ideology’s vision of what “liberty” means. Both parties will grow at a faster rate separately than the stagnant growth we have found combined, being easier to attract disenfranchised voters from the Democrat and Republican parties respectively.This proposal only works if both sides agree to stay true to their word, we Libertarians should have no issue upholding a “voluntary contract” to leave the party if our ideology loses the vote. But it may be beneficial if representatives of the major caucuses meet to discuss this proposal and possibly sign an agreement to formalize this voluntary contract. If done, they should inform their caucus members of their decision, work their hardest leading up to the 2028 Convention, and respect the work put in by the other ideology by upholding the agreement when the results come in.If we truly believe that the purpose of our party is to advance liberty, then we should all be willing to leave the Libertarian Party, its name, structure, ballot access, and assets behind; if it meant that we could actually achieve liberty in our lifetime. By putting in the hard work of creating a second competing political party to fight for liberty from two ideological fronts, all of our combined focus will be on increasing liberty, not fighting each other.While we should all be willing to do what is necessary to achieve liberty, it is understandable that we don't want to give up the Libertarian Party itself without a fight and the LP Showdown is “the fight”. If the losing ideology gives it their best effort, they can leave the LP with pride to start their new party, knowing that they did not “give up” or “abandon” the Libertarian Party. They simply lost a battle and must regroup as another party before moving onto the next battle for liberty.There is no shame in losing a battle, but we should all feel shame if we are unwilling to fight the battle in the first place. There is no point in fighting for control over the name of a party that is never able to actually achieve our ideology's vision of liberty, so let's split ways and have an actual chance at achieving liberty.Throughout our nation's history, political parties have merged together to increase their political power, but the Libertarian Party will be the first party to split in order to grow their power. If any political party could amicably split ways, it would be Libertarians, let's show the country it can be done.
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