Libertarian Candidates and the Blog Society.
It is time to take back control of the ‘Libertarian’ label and restore the covenant between those who would seek election on its policies, and those who should choose and fund those candidates.
It is time for those who care for Libertarian policies to re-assert their values and to participate directly in the selection of candidates who stand under that banner.
It is time to assert both control and responsibility for how those candidates are funded, and to take back ownership of the cause.
It is time to sweep away the cumbersome, bureaucratic, expensive and opaque system of choosing candidates who should speak out for the Libertarian cause and replace it with one which is in accord with values of open choice, direct participation, and control over where and how the money you want to contribute is spent.
It is time to demonstrate what Libertarianism should stand for. A radical fresh start.
Let me outline the problem and how it arises….
I once asked why it was necessary for Libertarians to have a cumbersome ‘party apparatus’ – it seems that without the existence of an official ‘Libertarian party’, registered with the electoral commission, you cannot be named as a ‘Libertarian’ on the voting slip – you are merely listed as an ‘Independent’ down with the other Independents at the bottom of the voting slip.
It was a fair enough answer – the state bureaucracy demanded that Libertarians establish their own bureaucracy. It didn’t feel right though. In return for the word ‘Libertarian’ next to the candidate’s name, it was necessary for all the members to dig deep in their pockets and pay subscriptions merely to fund the bureaucracy.
If Libertarians had spare cash available, that should surely be going to help the candidates who were trying to introduce a measure of Libertarianism into our national politics – yet one of the very things you had to give up to partake of this system, was membership of any other party. You couldn’t be a Conservative who believed in smaller government, nor even that rarest of beasts, a Labour candidate who wished to see a decline in state control. We seemed to be heading into that very area of ‘tribal politics’ that so many of us profess to despise!
Having accepted all of that, our potential Libertarian candidate would find that there was no money left in the pot after paying the several thousand pound a year expenses of the party officials and bureaucracy, to fund his candidacy! He needed to be financially self sufficient.
I think the ‘Blog Society’ holds the solution to this problem – a very Libertarian solution.
I am happy to make my blog available to anybody who wants to stand for election, local or national; they can have my blog for a day to publish their biography and manifesto. Devil’s Kitchen, Old Holborn and the Nameless Libertarian will join me. (Other volunteers happily accepted!).
There will be a ‘donate’ button’ at the bottom of ‘your’ page. (Don’t’ get over excited yet, you are not being given the opportunity to get paid several hundred pounds for a blog post! It will be firmly linked to a certified stake holder not you!)
If you are convincing enough, and sufficiently impressive, to our joint readers who are predominantly Libertarian, the donations should adequately cover your deposit.
If you can’t convince our Libertarian readers to raise your deposit, you won’t get a penny – and let’s face it, if you can’t convince a Libertarian audience, you wouldn’t stand a chance out in the real world anyway.
The manner in which Paypal operates means that you have to formally ‘accept’ a donation – so if the donations aren’t sufficient to cover your deposit, they won’t be accepted, and will return to our reader’s bank accounts.
If you are successful and our readers demonstrate their approval of your attempt to stand for office, AND you can get the required number of nominations for your chosen electoral role, then our stakeholder will write an endorsed check to your electoral returning officer.
It would mean Libertarian readers putting their cash directly into the place where it will do most good – funding candidates who have demonstrated Libertarian qualities. No, you won’t be able to stand as an official ‘Libertarian’ candidate; you will be a ‘common or garden’ Independent candidate!
However, there will be nothing stopping you from applying to the Libertarian Party, UKIP or anywhere else to stand as their official candidate – you will have the confidence of knowing that you have already run the gauntlet of a sceptical Libertarian audience and won them over…..
Be warned, step away from the Libertarian qualities you demonstrated on your manifesto, and you will have the blogosphere dogging your footsteps every inch of the electoral trail, never mind if elected…..!
There will be no ‘office expenses’, no officials with fancy titles, it will be an opportunity for Libertarians to make genuinely Libertarian choices of their own free will. To put their money behind living, breathing, candidates if they choose, rather than the bare bones of a bureaucracy.
Many of us supported Old Holborn last year, both financially and in terms of time and effort – who can forget Grumpy Old Twat’s brilliant leaflets? If the blogosphere decide to support you, you can expect a lot of help – but you still have to convince your local voters. We are just offering you a step up over the first hurdle.
All it will cost us is a bit of time and a few days when we won’t have to write posts, and that we gladly give – besides, the Blogosphere ‘candidates’ should make for a good news story!
What d’you think of the idea? A sort of Blogosphere ‘Crufts’? A return to the early days of working class candidates supported by their local community?
Your suggestions and comments are more than welcome.
May 10, 2011 at 10:33
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Ooooh Anna,
I`m ready to lead the charge, I`ll set up a bank account for your readers
to send their donations too forthwith.
Yeah President Stan…….
- May 7, 2011 at 18:10
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What an excellent idea. Wish I had thought of it!
- May 7, 2011 at 08:26
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This is a very interesting idea, Anna. I really hope it gets some
results.
- May 5,
2011 at 18:47
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Stop this, stop it now! We can’t take any more competition!
- May 5, 2011 at 17:59
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Why can’t Libertarians just change their names to include the word
“Libertarian” in it so it got included on the ballot papers?
Although I like your idea too.
- May 5, 2011 at 18:07
- May 6,
2011 at 09:06
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Go the whole hog – Tarquin Libertarian
Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F’tang-F’tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel?
- May 5, 2011 at 16:31
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Nice idea. One or two practical (legal) points/questions…
Is it a lot of bogther on Paypal to accept individual donations and cancel
them if it’s not met? It sounds like it might be. So you might look at
something like thepoint.com which seems designed for example this situation
(though may be only in US$s).
What is the legality of donations to Independent candidates? Would they
need to be tracked? All of them? Over a certain amount of money? Etc.
Election expenses are not just about deposits – and there is no deposit in
local elections at all (they were even suggesting dropping it in return for
many more nominators for Westminster elections a wee while back). This idea
would presumably be used also to help such a candidate fund their (reasonable)
campaign expenses or literally just deposits when they are needed, paid
straight to a returning officer.
I’m not agin this – not at all, I think it’s a brilliant idea. But the
powers that be do lay all sorts of legal traps for people standing for office
and you need to anticipate as many of those as possible I reckon.
- May 5, 2011 at 16:36
- May 5, 2011 at 12:28
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oops forgot, my blog is up for use, and I have a donation for the one I
like best.
- May 5,
2011 at 12:09
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You can count my humble blog in too. An absolutely brilliant idea Anna.
I’d also like to draw people’s attention to two other things we in the
‘Blog society’ can make use of to potentially achieve a lot:
The Churnalism.com tool (examples of it in action explained there
in my blog). (Please promote and use this tool – it’s a hugely powerful weapon
for us bloggers).
Also, in between election cycles I’d urge as many of you as possible to get
behind the People’s
Pledge campaign. Whilst it is cross-partisan (which is a good thing), I’ve
encountered quite a few libertarian leaning folk involved already.
I have joined them this week in canvassing Nick Clegg’s constituency:
Cleggy Pollard flyer
- May 5, 2011 at 12:00
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I might stand as the honest I am dishonest candidate.
- May 5, 2011 at 11:55
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I am happy to offer my blog for the purpose.
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May 5, 2011 at 11:28
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When in that house MPs divide
if they’ve a brain and cerebellum
too.
They’ve got to leave that brain outside
and vote just as their
leaders tell ‘em to.
W S Gilbert – Iolanthe
- May 5, 2011 at 11:01
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I dislike the whole concept of political parties – I would much prefer a
whole raft of truly independent MPs able to make decisions without the party
machine coercing them. I hope that this idea of Anna’s helps to bring this
about, and I am happy to give it any publicity that I can.
- May 5, 2011 at 10:29
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I like the open nature of it to.
Having met some libertarian socialists I was mightily impressed by them.
While they view capitalism as evil (confusing it with corporatism) they like
small market exchange and want to reduce the size of the state. They suprised
me with their dislike of positive rights, prefering naural rights and while
they want everyone to live in a tent and eat mung beans they wouldn’t force
this on you through a coercive state.
These types of candidates would be excluded from a Libertarian Party but I
would much rather vote for them than a nipple sucking state worshipper in a
main party.
I think there is definate mileage in working and engaging with these types
of libertarians who get a far better hearing in the national press than us
right wing zealots.
- May 5,
2011 at 12:15
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Agreed Rob. I’ve encountered a few myself, one is even a good friend. I
would definitely help a genuine left-libertarian, unfortunately they are
even rarer than us right-libertarians…!
- May 5, 2011 at 12:58
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Very interesting idea, including the need for manifesto openness.
re Left-Libs, I am still concerned that important parts of their ethos as
stated might end up being victim to the ‘ends rather than means’ pragmatism
and a state apparatus wheeled back out.
I am open to being convinced otherwise, tho.
- May 5,
2011 at 10:12
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Splendid idea. Count me in.
- May 5, 2011 at 10:02
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Excellent idea, Anna. I’ll be happy to publicise at mine, too.
- May 5, 2011
at 09:54
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Awesome idea, tis a pity I’m not viewed as a Libertarian though, even
though I have Libertarian views mostly.
I do need help, and lots of it.
I’m willing to help any independent in their quest regardless though.
I’d link to my manifesto but that’s a cheap shot. Instead if you live in
London remember to vote for me next year
)
Cheers
Olly
- May 5, 2011 at 10:05
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There is an interesting debate opening up along these lines – is it
necessary to have ‘pure-blood’ Libertarian ideals to gain the support of the
Libertarian audience?
I’m not sure that it is – and the surest way to find out is to give it a
go. If the audience like the idea of someone with ‘mostly Libertarian views’
as opposed to ‘pure Libertarian views’ they will soon let you know – or boo
you off the stage!
That is what appealed to me about this notion – that it was the audience
that decided, and voted with their pocket, rather than those who have the
time and patience to debate ‘pure ideology’ within a party machine. I wonder
who would be the candidates for the big three parties if a similar scheme
was operated nationally? Would the ‘policy wonks’ get safely parachuted into
place? I think not.
- May 5,
2011 at 10:07
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I’ll fine tune my manifesto and biography then Anna and see what
happens. Thanks!
- May 5,
2011 at 09:43
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Anything that shakes up the present party system and introduces more
libertarian ideals has to be good!
- May 5, 2011 at 09:42
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I can’t imagine a Libertarian society. People don’t want freedom.
- May 5, 2011 at 14:02
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Erm, then what are all those demonstrations and unrest in Arab countries
at the moment all about?
- May 5, 2011 at 14:58
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I mean real freedom. Not the freedom to choose another slave
master.
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May 5, 2011 at 18:23
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“This isn’t just freedom, it’s Marks and Spencer freedom.”
Freedom is what you make it. Freedom is being able to engage in the
affairs of the State should you wish, freedom is being able to express
your opinions, freedom is being able to live your life as you see fit.
In the UK, we have freedom. In some of those Arab states, those freedoms
have not been available to most.
May I respectfully suggest that you don’t know when you’re well
off?
- May 5, 2011 at
19:30
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“In the UK, we have freedom”
and control orders (house arrest), curfews through Asbos (house
arrest), internal exile (through Asbos), CCTV, DNA, our Emails are
read, our mobile phone calls are recorded, our movements are tracked,
our internet sites logged…
do you want me to continue?
- May 6, 2011 at 16:53
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“Freedom is being able to engage in the affairs of the State should
you wish”
If that means anything at all (depends on what you mean by the
rather vague ‘engage’), it is democracy, not freedom. The two concepts
are entirely distinct.
“freedom is being able to express your opinions”
Which you are not free to do in the UK, particularly if your
opinions are outside limits established by the ruling class.
“freedom is being able to live your life as you see fit”
Which no Brits outside the ruling class are permitted to do.
“In the UK, we have freedom”
ROFL.
- May 5, 2011 at 09:17
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Excellent Idea. I shall look forward to the posting wars.
- May 5,
2011 at 09:16
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Yup, fully support this. If there’s anything I can do to help, shout.
- May 5,
2011 at 08:57
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This is a great idea. I’m unlikely to vote for any Libertarian candidate,
but I’m almost ecstatic at the thought of at least a little more politics that
isn’t based on party maneouvering (?sp?).
-
May 5, 2011 at 08:48
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Well done, excellent idea, hope something comes of this. Frankly I am
deeply sceptical about seeing a Libertarian MP, ever, but one has to have a
go. I think Murray Rothbard is deeply mistaken: apart from anything else,
success at the polls for a Libertarian candidate would be an enormous PR
boost. We can all continue to gather in little groups and mutter about the
Judean People’s Liberation Front being a bunch of w*nkers ’til the cows come
home but electoral success is where it’s at. I mean, what else is Murray R
going to do – seek the popular overthrow of the government by direct action,
blow up motorway bridges, or what? In the meantime, today I’m voting for AV –
probably a doomed vote but it could conceivably make a tiny difference to
UKIP, a real political party that most closely represents my views in the
absence of any Libertarians going anywhere at all near political power anytime
soon.
- May 5, 2011 at 09:09
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To make meaningful change to the country through the electoral system you
have convince a majority of people that Libertarian views are correct.
If you can convince the majority of people that Libertarian views are
correct then peaceful non-cooperation would be enough. If 50% of people
refuse to pay taxes and obey anti-libertarian laws then the game is up for
the statists.
http://mises.org/store/Politics-of-Obedience-The-Discourse-of-Voluntary-Servitude-The-P529C1.aspx
The only way to change society is to change minds by educating
people:
If you can’t do that you can’t win elections.
If you can do that, you
don’t need elections.
- May 5, 2011 at 09:27
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Do I take it then Murray, that in the meantime, if you can’t find a way
to have a totally Libertarian society, you don’t wish to encourage even a
smidgen of Libertarianism into the market place?
- May 5, 2011 at 10:15
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I am all for encouraging Libertarianism, I was almost seduced by
Anthony’s argument that it would be great PR to spread Libertarian ideas
to a wider audience.
But, it’s a bit like a pacifist trying to get PR for non-violence by
winning the world boxing championship!
If you succeed you undermine
everything you stand for.
Do I want to see Libertarianism in the marketplace ?
I am all for free markets, but only those that don’t violate the
principles of individual freedom.
I would not support a free market for slaves and I would not want to
see Libertarianism on offer in the marketplace of potential political
rulers.
(I hate this, its much more fun arguing with socialists than people
you mainly agree with!)
- May 5, 2011 at
10:32
- May 7, 2011 at 19:55
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“If 50% of people refuse to pay taxes and obey anti-libertarian laws
then the game is up for the statists.”
Ever heard of Game Theory…?
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May 5, 2011 at 10:08
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Anthony, I think both you and Murray make valid points, but essentially
highlight the problem libertarians face , being a minority with a snowball
in hells chance of ever getting an individual elected. ( See ukip, which has
a sizeable natural vote bank of disafected tories, but whose only electoral
achievement has been to enable two or three lib dems to become MPs, hardly
the result their supporters hoped to achieve !)
That being the case, is
it worth considering directing libertarians’ efforts more towards being a
pressure group influencing other parties , either from outside or from
within ?
As an example of how effective this can be, look at The
Taxpayers Alliance. ( Or indeed Migration Watch). Their well researched and
presented arguments are now regularly accepted as the default position by
large sections of the lazy msm. Even the bbc, which hates the content they
produce, are forced to give them air time.
I suspect you can provide a
great deal of infrastructure to campaign and influence existing parties ,
for the same cost of making token entries in unwinable elections.
- May 5, 2011 at 10:16
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I totally agree. The taxpayers alliance would be a good model for
libertarians to follow.
- May
5, 2011 at 12:12
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I see no reason we couldn’t do both?
The Orphans of
Liberty group blog could be a good building block for an active
research/pressure group….
- May 5, 2011 at 12:32
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Fine by me.
- May 15, 2011 at 15:21
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Supporting something like this and giving it out for free to schools in
the UK would be good
http://www.isil.org/tools/jonathan-gullible.html
- May 5, 2011 at 08:40
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I hate to disagree with fellow libertarians, but…
Isn’t the term Libertarian MP an oxymoron ?
Standing for parliament means accepting the right of the majority to elect
someone to impose their views on the minority. The whole idea of democracy
violates the principle of individual freedom, which is what libertarianism is
all about.
http://www.libertarianview.co.uk/individual-freedom-v-democratic-freedom/
- May 5, 2011 at 11:55
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I didn’t stand in Cambridge to win. I stood to make sure that a certain
Labour candidate in two horse race came third. Mission accomplished.
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May 5, 2011 at 13:34
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Never heard you state that ambition during the campaign, must have
missed it. I wonder how important your 145 votes were in accomplishing
that mission.
-
May 6, 2011 at 12:33
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OH,
“I will not use any taxpayer funded equipment or office for any other
reason that to carry out my duties of MP. If I do not keep this pledge, I
will resign.”
So when you were making your list of pledges for when you won, you were
in fact doing so under false pretences. You had no desire to win.
Why
did you keep your ambitions secret? Why was there a gap between what you
said now and what you said then?
Are you simply rewriting history
because you failed so miserably? Or were you lying at the time?
Either way, sounds like all the others to me.
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May 5, 2011 at 08:26
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Great idea about time someone came with an original idea on how to get
libertarians elected.
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May 5, 2011 at 07:34
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High praise indeed. And very well written…
- May 5, 2011 at 07:09
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And off we go. Well done
- May 5, 2011
at 07:07
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It sounds like an absolutely splendid idea!
{ 52 comments }