The reason why Libertarians don't get elected into office is because...

[lew]

of a lack of funds. Year after year, Republicans and Democrats literally have millions and billions of dollars to use to create commercials, ads, etc for their candidates. Libertarians don't access these funds.


Just look what happened between Nelson and Harris here in Fl. Harris was not given money by the Republican Party. She was all on her own. And Nelson kicked her ass. She had no ads. No commercials. No exposure.


The reason Libertarians don't get elected is because no one knows anything about them. Every election cycle, people are bombarded by ad after ad of Republicans and Democrats. Those ads of Libertarians and other third parties never come because they don't have that type of money. Why? Because Republicans and Democrats waste billions of dollars worth of taxpayers' money to push their ads and to push out their competition.

This is THE reason why third parties don't get elected into office.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by lew

a lack of funds

And the reason they have lack of funds is..... For starters, most people find it absurd to abolish the Department of Education or to be against government controlled police, safety services. There's a reason the Green party has done better, people relate to them more.

[Thorgrim]

I would think libertarians would be successful enough that could spare some money, or are you suggesting that libertarians are too poor to make a run at just one house race?

I find it hard that in a nation of 300 million people, you can't get 1-3 million needed to win a house seat, you would just need 1% of the population to agree with you and for them all to give just one dollar.

If you can't achieve that...how can you call yourself a political movement?

[thomez]

I told a friend that I voted for the Libertarian candidate for Gov, he asked who it was. He said he hated both the R and D candidates but didn't know who else was out there. He said had he known an Econ professor from Case with a PhD from Harvard was running he definitely would have voted for him.

Pierce did however get like 65,000 votes statewide in Ohio, with 0 ads or commercials.

Since libertarians don't pander to special interests, they'll never collect money like Dems or Republicans, I see no way around that. The only way people will grow to love them will be a promise of lower taxes....

[Diesel66]

and their views are insane to the majority.

Sorry but no one advocating removing the FDA, FICA, etc... has a chance to win a major office. All the other parties have to do is factual scare tactics "your food will be deadly" "the banks can take your money"

[lew]

Their views have NOTHING to do with it. It has to do with money, only.


We're not just speaking of libertarians here, we're speaking of any third party. They won't win because the system is rigged so that they can't.

[lew]

Originally Posted by JaJae

And the reason they have lack of funds is..... For starters, most people find it absurd to abolish the Department of Education or to be against government controlled police, safety services. There's a reason the Green party has done better, people relate to them more.

That's why the Republicans won Congress in the 90s with a platform that called for abolishing the DoE.

[kinggovernor]

Originally Posted by lew

That's why the Republicans won Congress in the 90s with a platform that called for abolishing the DoE.

and the democrats said they were stealing food out the mouths of kids.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by lew

That's why the Republicans won Congress in the 90s with a platform that called for abolishing the DoE.

Unfortunately that was only 15 years after it was created. Trying to run on that platform now is political suicide and the Libertarians should know that. And the Republicans had more to offer than abolishing the DoE. Much like the Libertarians who want to abolish gov't control of the FDA, DoE, police, firefighters, rescue squads...

The entire platform makes most Americans go

[Diesel66]

Originally Posted by lew

Their views have NOTHING to do with it. It has to do with money, only.

you are dreaming if you think the majority of Americans back the libertarian party and they are only kept out of office because a lack of exposure.

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

Originally Posted by lew

This is THE reason why third parties don't get elected into office.

No, this is the reason Libertarians don't get elected (from lp.org):

Solutions: Borders will be secure, with free entry to those who have demonstrated compliance with certain requirements. The terms and conditions of entry into the United States must be simple and clearly spelled out. Documenting the entry of individuals must be restricted to screening for criminal background and threats to public health and national security. It is the obligation of the prospective immigrant to demonstrate compliance with these requirements. Once effective immigration policies are in place, general amnesties will no longer be necessary.

Solutions: Social involvement by individuals is essential to address the problem of substance misuse and abuse. Popular education and assistance groups are a better approach than prohibition, and we support the activities of private organizations as the best way to move forward on the issue.

Solutions: Libertarian policies will seek to divest government of all functions that can be provided by non-governmental organizations or private individuals.

Solutions: Culture wars, social friction and prejudice will fade when marriage and other personal relationships are treated as private contracts, solely defined by the individuals involved, and government discrimination is not allowed.

Solutions: We oppose all laws at any level of government restricting, regulating or requiring the ownership, manufacture, transfer or sale of firearms or ammunition. We oppose all laws requiring registration of firearms or ammunition. We support repeal of all gun control laws. We demand the immediate abolition of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Is there a group they haven't alienated?

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by lew

Their views have NOTHING to do with it. It has to do with money, only.


We're not just speaking of libertarians here, we're speaking of any third party. They won't win because the system is rigged so that they can't.

Anyone can set up a website to handle donations

Look at DailyKos, they have only 100,000 members and raised 1.5 million easily, all through small donations by its members

No corporations, special interests, etc

They didn't even do it directly their website, they set up an ActBlue website that got even more money, all it had was a brief bio of the candidate and an ask to pledge...no big congressman or celebrities...just a bunch of nerds on the internet saying "hey give 10 bucks to this buy!"

They did it

Now why can't libertarians do that?

Not one libertarian could set up and ActLibertarian website, collect donations from the internet, and set themselves to have won TX-22?

[Donkey®]

This is the main reason why political parties need to be abolished.

[lew]

Originally Posted by JaJae

Unfortunately that was only 15 years after it was created. Trying to run on that platform now is political suicide and the Libertarians should know that. And the Republicans had more to offer than abolishing the DoE. Much like the Libertarians who want to abolish gov't control of the FDA, DoE, police, firefighters, rescue squads...

The entire platform makes most Americans go

The LP isn't for abolishing police, firefighters, etc. Anarcho-capitalists are NOT the LP.

[lew]

Originally Posted by Diesel66

you are dreaming if you think the majority of Americans back the libertarian party and they are only kept out of office because a lack of exposure.

Well the majority of Americans don't back the Democratic or Republican parties.

Tune into almost any political program and you will hear of people tired of Republicans and Democrats. Most of the populace wants a third option. They just don't know what that third option is, because of a lack of funds on the part of third parties.

[lew]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

Anyone can set up a website to handle donations

Look at DailyKos, they have only 100,000 members and raised 1.5 million easily, all through small donations by its members

No corporations, special interests, etc

They didn't even do it directly their website, they set up an ActBlue website that got even more money, all it had was a brief bio of the candidate and an ask to pledge...no big congressman or celebrities...just a bunch of nerds on the internet saying "hey give 10 bucks to this buy!"

They did it

Now why can't libertarians do that?

Not one libertarian could set up and ActLibertarian website, collect donations from the internet, and set themselves to have won TX-22?

What did kos do? Their main man, Lamont, LOST.

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by lew

What did kos do? Their main man, Lamont, LOST.

if he was our "main man" why did the vast majority of our funds go to other candidates?

The real nail in the coffin: DailyKos gave more to James Webb than to Ned Lamont

Markos is like a moderator, he's not a tyrant who runs the site with an iron fist

A lot of people had doubts about giving to Lamont, and a lot of people didn't

All in all, out of 1.5 million Kossack money, only 180,000 went to Lamont, that's like 10%

A bunch of liberal hippies with a modem connection got 1.5 million, and in total actblue got $5 million...ALL SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS

Look at one example, all of ActBlue gave Carol Shea-Porter $87,000, and she won against an entrenched Republican that was rated "Safe Republican"

No one gave her a chance, not even the DNC

The entire libertarian spectrum can't cough up $80,000?

[lew]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

if he was our "main man" why did the vast majority of our funds go to other candidates?

The real nail in the coffin: DailyKos gave more to James Webb than to Ned Lamont

Markos is like a moderator, he's not a tyrant who runs the site with an iron fist

A lot of people had doubts about giving to Lamont, and a lot of people didn't

All in all, out of 1.5 million Kossack money, only 180,000 went to Lamont, that's like 10%

A bunch of liberal hippies with a modem connection got 1.5 million, and in total actblue got $5 million...ALL SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS

Look at one example, all of ActBlue gave Carol Shea-Porter $87,000, and she won against an entrenched Republican that was rated "Safe Republican"

No one gave her a chance, not even the DNC

The entire libertarian spectrum can't cough up $80,000?

All of that is irrelavant. Let Kos do the same with the Green party or some other liberal third party. The problem is not with the LP. It is with the whole two party system and how they exclude third parties. That is the problem.

[Thorgrim]

No one is talking about the LP

DailyKos is not the Democratic Party, neither is ActBlue

All I hear...debunked excuses
A third party can't win? Ventura...
They exclude third parties!!
How? A signature drive is easy and there are cheap air waves across the coutnry

The clear problem is that everyone is willing to donate to their cause...except libertarians

They are fine writing posts in their spare time when their bored...ask them to actually get off their butts and DO SOMETHING or open up their wallet, and they run away screaming