Orlando hosted the Florida Libertarian Convention this past weekend. Although attendees spent much of the time discussing party business related to the upcoming 2012 election cycle, the highlight of the convention was Saturday afternoon’s Libertarian Presidential Debate. All six candidates competing for the nomination fielded the questions Libertarians best represent this political ideology for two hours in a free event open to Libertarians from across the State of Florida.
The candidates
The six candidates participating in the Libertarian Presidential debate included R. J. Harris, Gary Johnson, R. Lee Wright, Leroy Saunders, Bill Still, and Carl Person. Each contender for the nomination delivered a message that confirmed his commitment to limited government, personal liberty, free trade, free markets, and the cessation of military intervention abroad. All of the office-seekers agreed that government intervention hinders progress in times of crises.
Important issues
Though each candidate discussed individual issues he felt should be a top priority for the Libertarian Party to present to America, there was consistency among all of them on key controversial topics that neither the establishment Republicans nor Democrats will challenge or fully address. The gentlemen widely criticized the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for its invasiveness and assaults at airports across the country. Each candidate condemned the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2012, and its provisions that allow the indefinite detention of Americans without charge. The repeal of the Patriot Act, which many legal scholars consider unconstitutional was discussed during the debate.
In addition to the previously listed topics, all of the candidates endorsed ending the failed War on Drugs, which costs taxpayers billions of dollars each year. Everyone competing for the nomination insisted on dismantling the deeply flawed Federal Reserve Banking system, which has weakened the value of the US Dollar through the unlimited printing and borrowing of money from abroad. Finally, all of the contenders embraced the Libertarian commitment to bringing the troops home from around the world, and ending America’s role as “policemen of the world”. To view the debate in its entirety, visit the link on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRsr0VCb8wU&fb_source=message.
Orlando straw poll results
At the end of the debate, Libertarian Party officers from across the state conducted a straw poll to gauge which candidate claimed the greatest support among the participants in Orlando. Out of the six contenders vying for the nomination, Governor Gary Johnson triumphed over the others, as he captured 70% of the vote. Johnson’s notoriety as a former Governor of New Mexico, and his recent campaign to attain the GOP Presidential nomination, secured his position as the most well-known Libertarian Presidential candidate through the early stages of the nomination process.
Libertarian Party Convention
The national Libertarian Party Convention is scheduled for 02 through 06 of May. Libertarian Party officials from across the US have chosen the Red Rocks Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada to serve as the venue for this event. For more information on the Libertarian Party Convention, visit the webpage at: http://www.lp.org/event/2012-libertarian-party-convention-at-red-rock-resort-in-las-vegas.
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