Commentators and pundits praise Libertarian Party

Media Quotes 2000

1. "The Libertarian Party [is] the feistiest, most opinionated, most high-minded party in the political universe." -- Barry Farber, Talk America Radio Network, 1/19/00

2. "When it comes to ideological consistency, the Libertarians certainly can claim bragging rights with their agenda for rolling back government and respecting individual liberty." -- The Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO), 2/16/00

3. "Libertarians truly want to get government off the people's backs. Others, notably Republicans, may claim it, but Libertarians genuinely believe and are dedicated to achieving their belief that the best government is less government." -- Jane Ely, Houston Chronicle, 6/9/00

4. "[Libertarians] are a very interesting group of people who are deeply committed to many of the basic principles enunciated so clearly in our [nation's] founding document, the U.S. Constitution. The Libertarian Party now exists in all 50 states and is growing. The party believes in the right of individuals to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest. The individual should be free to follow his or her dreams without interference from any government, as long as that pursuit remains peaceful and honest." -- Lee Dreyfus, The Freeman (Waukesha, WI), 2/24/00

5. "The Libertarian Party is on the move." -- Westford Eagle (Westford, MA), 4/6/00

6. "It's amazing to me that the American public is so ignorant about the Libertarian Party. People need to understand that no vote is wasted; fight to keep the money you earn, and vote Libertarian. Let's show the people in Washington this November that we want to legalize freedom, keep [the] money we earn, and stimulate the economy by voting for the Libertarian Party." -- Dave Smith, XTRA Sports Radio (Los Angeles, CA), 3/4/00

7. "The Libertarian Party [is] the party that firmly believes government should not meddle in the private lives of individuals." -- John Cannon, Daily Independent (Ashland, KY), 6/25/00

8. "The Libertarians are actually better organized and have a clearer message than the Reform or Green people." -- Journal Inquirer (Manchester, CT), 4/21/00

9. "The Libertarians have demonstrated their growth by fielding more than twice the candidates in races nationwide than four years ago. If all their House candidates won -- a theoretical proposition -- they would hold the majority. [In the 2000 election], third parties could be a bigger story. The conventional wisdom may also have missed something in the mood of the electorate." -- Tom Baxter, Cox News Service, 3/22/00

10. "Libertarians seem to live, look, and sound about like everybody else. But with an attitude. And that attitude is about individual rights, citizen legislators, and, of course, civil liberties." -- David W. Jones, News-Herald (Willoughby, OH), 3/19/00

11. "The Libertarians have some good ideas about individual responsibility and extremely limited government." -- Jay Miller, Current-Argus (Carlsbad, NM), 1/14/00

12. "I no longer believe that the two parties are going to fix our [nation's] problems, because they are both too corrupt. Both parties are caught in the politics of the past, intellectually bankrupt, and morally bankrupt as well." -- Gary Hart, Talk magazine, 2/00

13. "Libertarian thought pivots on [government] leaving the individual alone economically and morally as well. It places more responsibility on the individual than any other political philosophy. And if you mess up, you must take responsibility for your decisions. What could be more honest and straightforward? In my opinion, libertarian thinking is best suited by far for the coming years. Leave people alone as much as possible and you will be amazed at what they produce." -- Allan Saxe, Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas), 1/10/00

14. "[Libertarians are] intelligent, well-informed, articulate, [and] knowledgeable about history and the workings of government. [Their] theme is always the same: Cut down on big government, cut loose most of the laws restraining individual behavior; basically, don't tread on us." -- David Nyhan, Boston Globe (Massachusetts), 4/9/00

15. "Liberal and conservative attitudes have increasingly merged when it comes to the issue of whether the 'original intent' Constitution is the rock upon which the republic stands. Both sides now treat it as a gelatinous abstraction that can be molded to suit the expedients of the day. Old-fashioned Libertarians still embrace the rock, and regard both individual and economic rights as sacred." -- Paul Carpenter, Morning Call (Allentown, PA), 2/13/00

16. "Nationwide, the Libertarian Party will make its unprecedented presence known and its resounding voice heard. Unprecedented and resonant in the national sense that never before has the Libertarian Party fielded candidates for almost all state and federal legislative offices, and the White House." -- David W. Jones, News-Herald (Willoughby, OH), 3/19/00

17. "The Libertarians appear to be gaining strength [and] are threatening to make inroads among independent voters." -- John Gregg, MetroWest Daily News (Framingham, MA), 6/4/00

18. "We are glad the Libertarian Party is in the fray. It is important that consistent voices speaking for individual freedom and limited government are heard amid the me-tooism of today's big-government major parties, and [presidential candidate] Harry Browne's voice is one of the most consistent." -- Orange County Register (California), 7/4/00

19. "No other ideologically based organization in our country understands and appreciates better the philosophy on which our nation was founded [than the Libertarian Party]." -- Mike Rosen, Rocky Mountain News (Colorado), 7/7/00

20. "Libertarians believe in small government, reduced taxes, and the U.S. Constitution -- the Constitution as written by the Founding Fathers." -- Danville Register & Bee (North Carolina), 5/19/00

21. "Looking for a refreshing and challenging change of pace from the Republicans and Democrats? Check out Harry Browne, the Libertarian Party's nominee for president. We hope that Browne is included in this fall's presidential debates. He offers a principled alternative that should be heard." -- Orange County Register (California), 8/9/00

22. "Without question, [Harry] Browne isn't everyone's cup of tea. His views will especially rankle that portion of America that has grown dependent on federal programs, the people who view life through a lens of entitlements. But his voice is one that needs to be heard. It would be a loss to the American people not to see and hear him during the presidential debates. Line 'em all up -- Bush, Gore, Nader, Buchanan and Browne -- and let the voters hear what they have to say. [Browne is] running a campaign based on ideas that many Americans are hungry to hear." -- Jill Labbe, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram (Texas), 8/31/00

23. "There's no doubt in our minds that some of the biggest winners in Tuesday's elections were the Libertarians. The party's ranks are swelling, and it's safe to say they'll be growing even more now that the party's views are better known. We would submit that there is much that we heard from [Libertarian] candidates that is worth considering and including in broader debate of state and national issues." -- Bellingham Herald (Washington), 11/8/00

24. "The Libertarian Party [has] been providing the most interesting ideological curveballs for years, and both of the Big Pork parties have stolen ideas from them." -- Robert Kahn, North Country Times (Escondido, CA), 11/5/00

25. "There is hope. The presidential candidate [who] will reduce the government, restore our rights, and get rid of the income tax is none other than the Libertarian Party nominee Harry Browne." -- Pablo Wegesend, Ka Leo O Hawaii (Hawaii), 9/29/00

26. "Harry Browne and the Libertarian Party have some cause for celebration. From humble beginnings in 1971, the party has quietly become the third-largest political party in America. More importantly, his support, in concert with the increasing influence of libertarian think tanks like the Cato Institute, is putting pressure on the Republican rank and file to adopt a libertarian philosophy." -- Joshua S. Burek, Christian Science Monitor, 9/28/00

27. "The Libertarians are gaining members, getting more candidates on the ballot, and starting to get their anti-government message out to the voters." -- Joanne Jacobs, The News-Times (Danbury, CT), 10/28/00

28. "It is clear that Harry Browne and Libertarians offer a feasible alternative to today's feel-good, quick-fix political rhetoric. They present a realistic substitute to the special interest sell-outs. The only way you can let the world know at the ballot box that you care about your life and want it back, is to vote Libertarian." -- Joe Goodson, Daily O'Collegian (University of Oklahoma), 10/23/00

29. "The Libertarians' free-market fundamentalism strikes a responsive chord among some of those attracted to idealistic politics." -- Salim Muwakkil, In These Times, 11/13/00

30. "The Libertarians are winning more these days." -- Bill McCleery, Indianapolis Star, 8/27/00

31. "Liberals incorrectly label [libertarianism] anti-government extremism -- implying that it is somehow subversive and therefore treasonous. Conservatives think it essentially amoral because it would leave cultural issues to the people and cease attempting to modify behavior. They are all wrong. The libertarian (or classic liberal) believes first and foremost in the freedom of the individual to determine a course in life, and then reap or suffer the consequences of the choices made along the way. Neither the Republican nor Democratic party adequately represents limited government belief since both are part and parcel of a powerful government each would put to its own use." -- Ardath Blauvelt, InterTown Record (North Sutton, NH), 1/11/00

32. "I voted for the Libertarian Party candidate, Harry Browne. Why? Because he's the only candidate who said he's for less government, reduced taxation, and fewer intrusions on our personal liberties and privacy. I voted for Harry Browne because he has the guts to look us in the eye and tell us what we should already know: The federal government cannot fix everything that is broken; it cannot right every wrong; it cannot be responsible for granting our every wish." -- Larry Hicks, The York Dispatch (Pennsylvania), 11/8/00

33. "[If you believe that] less government and more personal responsibility are desirable, the Libertarians are the natural choice. Last I checked, Libertarians now hold more than 300 elected offices in the United States, making it the nation's third-largest political party." -- Dennis Hoerig, The Business News (Dayton, OH), 10/27/00

34. "In a campaign season where candidates up and down the ballot are arguing about how the federal government can best serve the interests of the people, the Libertarians offer something completely different. The bracing thing about the Libertarian message is that it is rigorously consistent. They are not just telling people what they want to hear." -- Joey Chin, Sacramento Valley Mirror, 11/7/00

35. "[The Libertarians] do have history and current economic reality on their side, including day-to-day economic developments around the globe. Freedom works better -- even when people fail to appreciate it." -- Tibor Machan, Northwest Florida Daily News, 7/2/00

36. "In recent years, polls have shown increasing public interest in the libertarians' arguments against government intrusion." -- Salim Muwakkil, Chicago Tribune, 8/21/00

37. "The [Libertarian] party's appeal has grown over the past decade." -- Sara Terry, Christian Science Monitor, 7/3/00

38. "As a party, the Libertarians are moving toward mainstream politics... Or, perhaps, mainstream politics is moving toward them. Several issues dear to the Libertarians are receiving serious discussion. A decade and a half ago, when the party proposed privatizing Social Security, the political establishment was up in arms. This year, both major parties' nominees have suggested versions of the same idea." -- Matthew Ebnet, Los Angeles Times, 7/2/00

39. "By any reasonably objective criterion, the Libertarian Party is the most successful and best organized of the minor parties." -- Alan W. Bock, WorldNetDaily.com, 10/6/00

40. "Ralph Nader might make the most noise, and the battle over the Reform Party may hog the headlines, but the Libertarian Party and presidential candidate Harry Browne have quietly emerged as America's best organized third party." -- George magazine, 9/19/00

41. "The Libertarian Party may not be making as much noise as some of the other third parties during this election year, but the party is quietly making more progress than ever in its efforts to attract voters disenchanted by the two major parties. The Libertarian Party [is] attracting disenchanted voters from other parties as well as people who had previously just tuned out completely." -- Andy Patrizo, Wired News, 9/14/00

42. "Today, [the Libertarian Party] is the most dominant third party. With a philosophy of restoring the United States to its original freedom, the Libertarians stand for a free market economy, individual liberty with personal responsibility, and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace and free trade." -- Vanessa Morsse, The Sunflower (Wichita State University, KS), 9/11/00

43. "[The Libertarian Party is] the third-largest political party in America. [It] has more members in office in this country than the Reform and Green parties combined. Their message of returning the federal government to its limited constitutional duties, and increasing the amount of freedom and responsibility enjoyed by its citizens has caused this small organization to grow significantly in recent years." -- Jamie Beckett, The News Chief (Winter Haven, FL), 10/8/00

44. "Libertarianism is on the rise." -- Hillary Johnson, Worth Magazine, 11/00