Libertarian Reform Caucus
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The Libertarian Reform Caucus is a coalition of American Libertarians operating as an internal caucus of the Libertarian party. Their aim is to gear the party toward winning elections in the near term, a goal they believe to be incompatible with preserving a rigid doctrinal purity. The caucus asserts that "the biggest factor holding the Libertarian Party back is a platform that is excessively radical and does not set priorities."[1]
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[edit] Statement of Purpose
Members of the Libertarian Reform Caucus are those who agree with the following Statement of Purpose:
"We, the members of the Libertarian Reform Caucus believe that America needs a real libertarian party, a party that promotes liberty while being conscious of political reality, a party designed to win elections and begin rolling back excess government now."
In particular, the party needs, according to the LRC:
- "A platform that proposes a realistic vision for the next few years, as opposed to an idealistic vision of a libertarian future. The public expects a party platform to show what a party's candidates intend to do during the next term of office. If the party wants a long term vision statement, it should be in a separate document labeled as such."
- "A platform that unites libertarians rather than dividing them. Where libertarians disagree, the platform should be silent. The party should be a tool for all libertarians."
- "A platform based on the realization that there are other important values in addition to the non-initiation of force. Freedom is extremely valuable, but it is not the only value."
[edit] Mission
"It is time to reform the Libertarian Party, to make the platform moderate enough so that victory is possible."
[edit] History
The Libertarian Reform Caucus was founded in early 2005 by members of the Libertarian Party of Buncombe County, NC. As of July, 2006, it claimed more than 700 caucus members from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, about half of whom were current Libertarian Party members, with most of the others considering joining (or returning to) the LP based on the caucus's prospective success.[2]
At the Libertarian Party's 2006 national convention in Portland, Oregon, delegates chose (in a "retain or delete" vote process) to eliminate about three quarters of the specific planks in the party's platform.[3] While the LRC did not claim a majority of delegates as caucus members, the consensus in both the LRC and the LP generally seems to be that the LRC's activism and convention presence were largely responsible for that outcome.[4] While claiming "victory," LRC leaders also acknowledged that they had not been able to muster the votes to replace many of the deleted planks with their preferred alternatives, or to accomplish their goal of eliminating the party's membership "pledge".
[edit] Criticism
Some libertarians[who?] feel that the efforts of the Libertarian Reform Caucus "water down" the ideals of the Libertarian Party by removing those "planks" that make the party most distinctive. It could be argued[by whom?] that by abrogating philosophical consistency and adherence to libertarian ideals, the party no longer can truly be considered libertarian, save in name.
[edit] Notes
- ^ "About the LRC" (retrieved 07/17/06)
- ^ "LRC Membership Statistics" (retrieved 07/17/06)
- ^ LP News, 07/12/06
- ^ Hammer of Truth, 07/08/06
