Tuesday, January 08, 2008
New LP press release: Fear-mongering - oh, the irony!
Re: the latest LP press release - available here:
http://www.lp.org/media/article_555.shtml
I think the LP really needs to concentrate on spreading the positive word about the LP and the LP's candidates, not on ankle-biting or heel-snapping at various members of other political parties who are engaging in their own primaries. Yes, the Republican race is full of bozos. So is the Democratic primary. We know that. If we're going to start running an ad-critiquing service, we should just give up the political party facade and call ourselves the Libertarian Institute. What next – will the LP will critique the fear-mongering anti-immigration ad of another Republican candidate? Somehow I think that is not likely to happen.
I'd like to see the LP stop acting like the dissident wing of the Republican Party and instead focus on powerful positive messages of our own. This release says … well, I guess I was going to say it said nothing positive about the Libertarian Party, but on a second read – it says nothing about the LP at all.
Really! Observe these lines from the release and tell me you don't see the irony:
"It's morally repugnant," says Libertarian Party National Media Coordinator Andrew Davis, "That's all there is to it. Scare tactics are what Americans are trying to leave behind with the Bush administration—not continue for another four years."
"... This should be a good indication of the society we'll live in should Giuliani be elected as President. It will be a society where war is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength."
What exactly is that second paragraph if not 'scare tactics'? If you find it 'morally repugnant', don't engage in it - though I really don't think it rises to anything more than simple political hackery, and that 'morally repugnant' should be a term reserved for actual policy proposals - like restricting the free and peaceful movement of people across borders or saying that bombing a city is an option that should be 'on the table'.
And, of course, the LP evidences its impeccably poor sense of timing. Attacking Giuliani is rather pointless right now, it seems.
Mostly, I just want to see the national staff talking about the Libertarian Party and its messages. A release - or, better, a statement from the Chair - describing the LP's positive message of peace and freedom would be miles above an attack that can only be described as irrelevantly hypocritical. We missed a golden opportunity to call for an end to interventionism and empire on the heels of Bhutto's death. This frustrating lack of leadership regarding staying on message and focused on libertarianism rather than pretending to be Republican Lite or Republican Classic is one reason I am running for a seat on the LNC.
¶ 1:08 PM
http://www.lp.org/media/article_555.shtml
I think the LP really needs to concentrate on spreading the positive word about the LP and the LP's candidates, not on ankle-biting or heel-snapping at various members of other political parties who are engaging in their own primaries. Yes, the Republican race is full of bozos. So is the Democratic primary. We know that. If we're going to start running an ad-critiquing service, we should just give up the political party facade and call ourselves the Libertarian Institute. What next – will the LP will critique the fear-mongering anti-immigration ad of another Republican candidate? Somehow I think that is not likely to happen.
I'd like to see the LP stop acting like the dissident wing of the Republican Party and instead focus on powerful positive messages of our own. This release says … well, I guess I was going to say it said nothing positive about the Libertarian Party, but on a second read – it says nothing about the LP at all.
Really! Observe these lines from the release and tell me you don't see the irony:
"It's morally repugnant," says Libertarian Party National Media Coordinator Andrew Davis, "That's all there is to it. Scare tactics are what Americans are trying to leave behind with the Bush administration—not continue for another four years."
"... This should be a good indication of the society we'll live in should Giuliani be elected as President. It will be a society where war is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength."
What exactly is that second paragraph if not 'scare tactics'? If you find it 'morally repugnant', don't engage in it - though I really don't think it rises to anything more than simple political hackery, and that 'morally repugnant' should be a term reserved for actual policy proposals - like restricting the free and peaceful movement of people across borders or saying that bombing a city is an option that should be 'on the table'.
And, of course, the LP evidences its impeccably poor sense of timing. Attacking Giuliani is rather pointless right now, it seems.
Mostly, I just want to see the national staff talking about the Libertarian Party and its messages. A release - or, better, a statement from the Chair - describing the LP's positive message of peace and freedom would be miles above an attack that can only be described as irrelevantly hypocritical. We missed a golden opportunity to call for an end to interventionism and empire on the heels of Bhutto's death. This frustrating lack of leadership regarding staying on message and focused on libertarianism rather than pretending to be Republican Lite or Republican Classic is one reason I am running for a seat on the LNC.
¶ 1:08 PM
