Libertarian Barry Hess endorses Terry Goddard for Secretary of State
By: Goddard for Secretary of State
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Libertarian Barry Hess endorses Terry Goddard for Secretary of State - Video
Dan Feliciano - Libertarian for Governor - Healthcare
By: Vermont PBS
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Dan Feliciano - Libertarian for Governor - Healthcare - Video
The libertarian sentiment reflects the pitchfork politics that gave rise to the Tea Party on the right and the Occupy movements on the left that were both fuelled by public disillusion with the power of conventional politics to deliver anything other than the stagnant status quo.
Measuring the potential electoral impact of libertarianism is difficult precisely because it cuts across traditional party lines, which is both its protean strength and political weakness in an era of big money politics.
Put a capital 'L' on libertarianism and it largely evaporates Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party candidate in 2012, won only 1 per cent of the popular vote (1.2m people), but research by the Cato Institute, the libertarian think-thank, points a much deeper pool of Americans with libertarian leanings.
When they asked voters if they considered themselves "fiscally conservative and socially liberal also known as libertarian", some 44 per cent of Americans were happy to be placed in that category.
The politician most obviously trying to capitalise on the idea that Americans aren't quite so easily pigeonholed into red and blue boxes is Rand Paul, a Republican senator from Kentucky who the bookies rate as a leading contender for 2016.
As the son of veteran libertarian Ron Paul, his formula will be to bring libertarian ideas off the fringe where his cranky dad always languished and into the mainstream, tapping that well of disaffection that resonates across party lines.
The younger Paul has demonstrated a knack for cutting through when it comes to popular issues.
When riot police overstepped the mark in Ferguson, Missouri following the shooting of a black teenager this summer, it was Mr Paul who spoke out about the obscene militarisation of American police forces, hitting a sweet spot with both young liberals and conservative anti-big government types.
In the same vein and in a rare moment of bipartisanship, Mr Paul is working with a Democrat colleague to end the mandatory sentencing laws that are clogging up America's bloated and broken jail system with non-violent offenders, at vast cost and to little good effect.
It is a bold gambit that could resonate both with minorities particularly African-Americans who are disproportionately sentenced and the young drug decriminalisation lobby which has gathered strength since Colorado and Washington state legalised marijuana in 2012.
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American Way: between Democrats and Republicans, a libertarian "third force" is emerging
SMYRNA, Ga.
A former Republican candidate for governor announced his support for the Libertarian candidate on Friday, arguing that neither major party candidate represents conservative values.
David Pennington lost a long-shot bid to replace Gov. Nathan Deal as the Republican nominee in May. Pennington said he wouldn't tell anyone else how to vote but decided to back Libertarian candidate Andrew Hunt based on his approach to taxes and fiscal policy.
Hunt, the former CEO of an Atlanta nanotechnology firm, is challenging Deal and Democrat Jason Carter.
"People say you waste your vote when you vote for a third-party candidate," Pennington said. "I believe you waste your vote when you vote for someone who does not share your ideals or beliefs."
Libertarian candidates in Georgia could play a major role in the races for governor and the open U.S. Senate seat. A candidate must receive more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff. Libertarian candidates have earned around 3 or 4 percent of the vote in recent statewide elections.
On Friday, Hunt said making a runoff election himself would be the ultimate victory. He said earning even 5 percent will demonstrate voters' interest outside the two major parties and could force a historic runoff.
"No one needs to be fearful that if you vote for Andrew Hunt, you're going to put either Deal or Carter into office," he said.
Pennington courted conservative voters during the GOP primary, attacking Deal's fiscal policies and during his campaign announcement accused the incumbent of hiding "behind a party label to raise taxes." He earned about 17 percent of the May primary vote.
Carter's campaign suggested the endorsement is a sign Deal can't consolidate support within his party while Deal supporters shrugged Pennington off as a non-factor.
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Former GOP candidate backs Libertarian for Ga. gov
FEE: A Key Slice of Libertarian History
Larry Reed, president of the Foundation for Economic Education, talks libertarian history as he recalls FEE #39;s early days. Subscribe to the Tom Woods Show: ht...
By: TomWoodsTV
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FEE: A Key Slice of Libertarian History - Video