Could a coalition of Libertarians and members of the Green Party unseat one of the big two parties – the Democrats or the Republicans? That is the subject of a post I stumbled across this morning. Here are a few excerpts:
There is significant overlap between the policy goals of the Green party and those of the Libertarian party, despite deep philosophical differences on the role of government. A multi-state coalition among representatives of these two parties could forge a path for viable opposition to the two-party stranglehold on power. The effects would likely see one of the two major parties pushed into third place.
As the numbers stand now, a Green-Lib coalition might be able to shave as much as 10% off Democratic support nationwide, assuming Democrats or liberal independents —still wary of repeating the 2000 election, where a Green candidate effectively denied the Democratic candidate the White House— believed the coalition was big enough to keep the Republicans at bay. Republicans might lose anywhere from 20% to 35% of their support, as they struggle against Green-Lib claims that they are not rights-oriented and not green enough.
Interesting. Here in Orange County there are a good number of Republicans who lean Libertarian, but tend to be more socially conservative than real Libertarians. And there are quite a few Libertarians who still cling to too many of their old GOP viewpoints. However, there are also a lot of Libertarians, throughout this nation, who are fairly liberal on social issues – and who just might partner with the Green Party if it meant unseating, for example, the Republicans.
There are, to be fair, also quite a few Libertarians who came over from the Democratic Party. I think they too might be open to partnering with the Green Party.
We have a member of the Green Party on our blog staff, Duane Roberts. He is in fact a candidate for the U.S. Senate. I intend to vote for him in November. Duane and I agree on a lot of issues, generally as it regards social justice.
Could such a coalition work? We are witnessing an analogous pairing in England right now, where the Tories had to climb in bed with the Liberal Democrats. It is an uneasy coalition, but it is working, for the most part.
It will be interesting to see if something like this develops…
Tell Duane that I’ll be more than happy to seek his endorsement, Art. He and Sandy and I can have lunch and hash out the details. We have more common goals than we do differences!
And we all know I’m more Green than Melissa by a long shot!!!
Breaking the duopoly? I LOVE IT!!!!! A lot of the younger libertarians that I know are agree with the Greens on environmental issues and support ending the corporatist state unlike the other two parties who are in bed with the big corporations. I consider myself an minarchist green libertarian. I believe that the role of government in protecting the rights and liberties of people should extend to the protecting the environment. I think if we end all taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil and Big Agribusiness, we’d be a lot better off and a lot healthier.
The Greens and the Libertarians are good partners in trying to break the two-party duopoly that strangles American politics. Since that’s the case, hopefully an alliance would damage not just the Republican Party, but the Democrats too! The donkeys have behaved very anti-democratically when it comes to Greens getting in the electoral mix.
Gabriel,
I agree. I chose to pick on the GOP because I think they will be hurt worse, but both the red and the blue parties will be in a bind if the Greens and Libertarians join forces.
The focus right now in terms of an alliance must be focused on the farce that was Prop 14!!! There’s another layer of democricide right there…
Since we’re talking third parties, let’s revisit the history on this fourth of July of the first one in the United States – the Liberty Party! Abolitionist and radical for its time. A party whose platform would be validated by history. Let others follow the path of the North Star of justice…
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=920
great conversation! let’s make it happen. set up a meeting and I will show. I would disagree with Greens on trying to protect the environment by taxing, but that is only because it is a scam. I think that if a corporation does damage to the environment, then the restitution is payed directly to those whose property was damaged. Why does the government get to collect the fine from the polluters and then use it for something else instead of fixing the damage? We accept the most nonsensical things from our lawmakers.
Libertarian-Green? I think copying the essence of the Free Democratic Party of Germany would be a better idea.
http://neomugwump.blogspot.com/2010/05/liberaltarian-future.html
This alliance will be the future of American democracy!
In 2020 or 2024, I would like to see a Libertarian presidential nominee and his/her running mate from the Green Party, or a Green presidential nominee with his/her Libertarian running mate. Either way might do.
BTW, the Constitutionists may come join the L-G Alliance as well.