This weekend will be one of those moments in time we all look back on saying, "Ah yes, that is when it became clear." In some sense the answer is already in but the final scene must be played out. Angela Keaton is the focus, but the question is far larger, something I am sure she understands.
Despite the posturing of those who cling to it like limpets, hoping for political power or at least a semblance of power and some money, the LP has never been operated like a business. Businesses have plans and either carry them out of find themselves bankrupt far sooner. The LP has lived on the faith of those who hoped when no rational person could have retained hope.
The LP has never kept faith with those who have continued to provide the funding. It has never done the job that needed doing. It was supposed to be a tool for achieving freedom. Instead it became the means for a series of ambitious but mostly unskilled political wanna bes to avoid working for a living.
Today, it is irrelevant to the larger freedom movement and this last year has made that painfully obvious. We still want freedom and we are looking for something that works.
When the Libertarian Party was founded in 1971 that was the mission. David Nolan, incited by the outrageous sight of Richard Nixon emoting the need for Wage and Price Controls on August 15th, 1971 wrote an article. The next December the gestation of various frustrations with the existing political system resulted in the birth of the LP in the Nolan living room on December 11th.
That mission was straight forward and unambivalent. Nothing less than freedom. Most of us came out of the Goldwater Movement, which meant many of us, most of us, had read one or more of several authors. Those were Ayn Rand, Robert Heinlein, Rose Wilder Lane, Mises, or Conscience of a Conservative by Goldwater. Foundation for Economic Education and the early libertarian movement launched through the work of other thinkers were present but no one invented the ideas for freedom. The ideas of freedom, the vision, was present in our minds.
Sprouting small dollar signs, carrying our tomes of truth, and filled with hope, the first flood of action began. We believed we would win, returning America to her vision. Others had also dreamed.
We saw it, each through our own eyes.
Ron Paul supporters would find it very familiar but without the Internet. Innovation, originality, fervor and success marked those early years. It was glorious and all too short. The potential for using the LP as a tool for freedom was gone by 1977.
Centralization kills freedom.
All hierarchies kill the ability of individuals to control their own lives. The people must govern themselves at the most local level. That is where government must begin and end.
America began as a people moving in that direction. The centralization caused by extinguishing the rights of women and blacks to ratify the Constitution killed the possibility of people keeping that control in their hands. If instead of ratifying the Constitution we had remained independent colonies, townships, then what would have begun would have been a competition for people as the ongoing experiment to determine how to keep government small, weak, and directly in their hands was allowed to continue. As it was, a half million Americans left the South when it became obvious that those who controlled the southern states would be using the power of government to enslave not only blacks but everyone who was not a member of the small cadre of privilege who were in control. 350 thousands slaver owners left the Northern states for the South or Southwest. Jeffrey Rogers Hummel wrote a good book on this, "Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men," and the work of David Hackett Fischer is also illuminating.
America won the Revolution and lost the freedom because Americans began to accept the outrageous idea that statute could justifiably modify their rights and that the Constitution was something more than a means of limiting government.
When you accept that you must petition for the rights granted by God or your nature you have already lost. The LP has perpetuated that misconception, helped along by think tanks and those wanna be politicians who propose policy that reinforces that role for government. That is a mistake that the Austrian School never made.
Angela Keaton had the audacity to challenge the power of those who are still clinging to the steadily shrinking, and sinking, ship. Sort of like shuffling deck chairs on a row boat.
So today the question is, "Are you serious about freedom?"
If so, fire the National Committee and the officers. Close the office, you can't afford it anyway. Give the mailing list to all members, they own it.
Volunteers can then start sites that allow peer to peer sharing of insights, innovations, successes. (Remember the early days of the Ron Paul Revolution?) Share resources freely. Become a community for freedom. Freedom begins and ends where you live. Take the ideas and activism home so that the rhetoric of liberty can become the reality we live.
And turn out the lights on your way out.
©2008 Melinda Pillsbury-Foster, all rights reserved. You must have written permission from the author in order to republish this work.
Published: Saturday, December 6, 2008
Last modified: Saturday, December 6, 2008
The views expressed in this article are those of Melinda Pillsbury-Foster only and do not represent the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Melinda Pillsbury-Foster is solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
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Reader Comments:
Posted By: Jake, the champion of the constitution
Date: 2008-12-06 07:01:37
umm Melinda, I might be sorry for asking this, but what is happening with this Ms. Keaton person? Sorry to be out of the loop.
Posted By: themelinda
Date: 2008-12-06 09:52:55
Well, the charges are stupid. Insisting on 'loyalty' to a political party is exactly like insisting on allegiance to your plumber's helper. We dedicate ourselves to principles, not to political entitites. The whole thing reminds me of the silliness I went through with my kids over their Honey Bear Club, but they were not yet in school so there was some excuse there. Maybe.
I interlard the charges with my comments.
"· An apology for being in breach of a board member’s fiduciary duty of loyalty to the Libertarian Party, publicly declaring her disinterest in the party, providing material support to another political party and seeking to undermine the success of and attempting to injure the Libertarian Party and its public image. The contents of the apology to include the following:"
She supported Ron Paul, like most of us, over Barr. See, she is clever.
"o An apology to the members of the Libertarian Party for seeking to undermine the success of and attempting to injure the Libertarian Party and its public image by posting on her blog in July 2008, “Friends don’t let friends join the LP” and on September 5, 2008, “The LP is hopeless”"
More insightful political commentary on Angela's part.
"o An apology to the members of the Libertarian Party for violating the fiduciary duty of a board member by joining and providing material support to a competing political party while serving on the board of the Libertarian Party"
She actually did something constructive for freedom. Way to go, Angela!
"o An apology to the members of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire for attempting on August 21, 2008 to sabotage the party’s attempt to win the right to candidate substitution for future elections"
She probably preferred George Phillies over Barr - Root. Good taste both ethically and politically, another score for Angela.
"o An apology to Wayne Allyn Root and the Libertarian Party for attempting to injure their public images by knowingly publishing on June 13, 2008 false assertions that an indictment on charges of fraud was pending against Mr. Root"
As far as I know the charges were true. I found some interesting things on that when I researched him myself. The truth needs no defense and makes no apology. You should have had an investigation - of Root.
"o An apology to the members of the Libertarian Party for publicly offering on her blog on June 28, 2008, sexual services in exchange for donations to the Party, and suggesting in Internet interviews on June 20, 2008 and June 26, 2008 that the Libertarian Party asks her to offer sexual services in exchange for donations to the Party"
So Angela gives her all for freedom. I don't think she did this seriously. It was most likely a joke since her husband, Brian Doughty would object and has something to say in the matter. Angela has a wicked sense of humor which she uses freely on the pompous.
"o An apology to the members of the Libertarian National Committee and to the members of the Libertarian Party for numerous blog posts and Internet interviews with officers of a competing political party in which the Libertarian Party’s image was harmed with broad-sweeping general hostility towards the LP, numerous broad insults of her fellow LNC members as being inept, unqualified and not “real” libertarians, and impugning the motives of fellow LNC members for serving on the LNC"
The LP actually has a far better reputation that deserved. If you have any questions, ask. I have the proof though I had never discussed the matter with Angela. Ask me about what Ed Crane was doing when HE was an officer - and still while he is head of Cato. Ask about all of them. They are nothing if not consistently sleazy.
"o An apology to Bill Redpath for repeatedly asserting in an Internet interview and on blog postings that he has undergone a “lobotomy”"
I love that one. It is so true. But I think he started out just as he is today.
"o An apology to Admiral Colley for asserting in an Internet interview on June 20, 2008 that due to his age he is incapable of handling special LNC projects involving staff management"
Candor is a virtue. What was Calley doing?
"o An apology to Bob Sullentrup for calling him an “ass” and a “goofball whose activism days were long behind him” in an Internet interview on June 20, 2008"
Was he ever an activist, of just an LP politician?
"o An apology to Dan Karlan for saying in an Internet interview on June 26, 2008 that he isn’t qualified to be on the LNC"
You see, they hate having a spade called a spade.
"o An apology to the members of the Libertarian Party for asserting in an Internet interview on June 26, 2008, that most LP members who are concerned about border security are racists"
Are they? This is opinion and she has a right to her opinion.
"o An apology to the members of the Libertarian Party for misusing donor data to contact major LP donors and falsely telling them that the Libertarian Party had defrauded them"
Let's get specific. Who did she call and what truths did she share? You see, the concern here is their ability to continue getting the gulible to keep forking over the funds that make their hobby possible.
"· An apology for exhibiting a pattern of reckless behavior and poor judgment, potentially exposing the LP to harassment lawsuits, creating an uncomfortable environment for staff and fellow LNC members, and potentially discouraging groups of people from joining the LP. The contents of the apology to include the following:
o An apology to LP staff member Casey Hansen for violating the LNC Policy Manual Article 1, Section 8.D and risking sexual harassment accusations by blogging on September 6, 2008, “Nice staff piece of ass, Casey. Dark, young and easy prey for a cougar like myself.”
o An apology to Aaron Starr and the Libertarian National Committee for violating LNC Policy Manual, Article 1, Section 8.D (which prohibits harassment of LP staff or fellow LNC members with racial epithets and derogatory posters, pictures, cartoons, or drawings) by posting on her
blog on June 16, 2008 a photo-shopped image of herself and Mr. Starr portraying him in Darth Vader costume and Hitler moustache and identifying him as “Darth Herr Vader”"
I LOVE this one. I want that jpeg. In my Cafe Press Shore
My Cafe Press Store – Stop NeoConning
I have one that was not nearly so much fun. But as I remember it was a response to Aaron's politics over anything remotely resembling principle along with his manipulative use of Robert's Rules of Order.
"o An apology to the Libertarian National Committee for violating LNC Policy Manual, Article 1, Section 8.D and risking sexual harassment accusations by posting on her blog on September 6, 2008 sexual comments regarding Julie Fox, Heather Scott, Executive Director candidate Donny Ferguson, and Admiral Colley"
I want the comments, probably funny. I think the LNC is missing a major source of income by withholding the specifics on their antics.
"o An apology to Southerners and Christians for violating LNC Policy Manual Article 1 Section 8.A which states, “All collective deprecation, whether alluding to sex, race, color, national origin, disability, age, religion, or any other protected category, must be avoided. Every person is a unique individual, and as the Libertarian Party is the Party of Individual Liberty, this injunction should doubly apply”, for posting on her blog on June 13, 2008 referring to an LP member from the South as a “hillbilly” and further stating, “All those Christian types married to their uncle cousins look the same to me.”"
What happened to free speech? Oh. This is the new Fascist Libertarian Party, where the truth is not tolerated if it interferes with the fundraising.
"o An apology to the Libertarian National Committee for offering sex to the LNC officers conditional on the performance of our Presidential candidate by stating in an Internet interview on June 26, 2008, “If Bob Barr breaks 1%, the officers of the national party can pass me around like a pu-pu platter.”
· An apology to the Libertarian Party for violating the confidentiality of the September 7, 2008 Executive Session with a blog post on the same date and also for violating the confidentiality of a February 2008 Executive Session with a blog post on June 15, 2008"
The 'confidentiality' they clutch is intended only to protect them from the scorn they so vastly deserve. And preserve the illusions that result in the fundage flowing.
"· An apology to Stewart Flood for threatening by phone on November 6, 2008, “I could have things done to you.”"
And Flood is scared of someone Angela's size? Wimp.
"· A promise not to commit similar offenses in the future while serving as a member of the Libertarian National Committee"
Naturally, Angela knew the Pu-Pu plate remark was a sucker's bet. All of this was their attempt as political correctness. However, since she is a very attractive woman and has a mind and mouth of her own.
The National Committee has always been mostly wanna be politicos who could not make it in the Republican Party so had to settle for less power and money. They have adopted the same culture that saw Ron Paul as a threat.
I was a member of the LNC myself in a far off time. My impression was that they were entirely ineffective, unable even to bring to resolution the issues with the computers and Liberty Services. But that is another story.
Posted By: Jake, the champion of the constitution
Date: 2008-12-06 14:49:00
Melinda -
hehe, thanks for the lovely story, the links dont work for the darth vader pic, but thats probably since i am in china. i dont care to research this, and i trust your word based on your diligence in past articles, so just for fun i signed up at her facebook group.
"No, You may NOT Remove Angela Keaton from the LNC!"
take care!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=37869716450
Posted By: Paul K.
Date: 2008-12-09 13:36:11
Melinda:
Ahh. Liberty Services.
Regards. Paul
Posted By: themelinda
Date: 2008-12-11 12:02:59
Paul,
Yes, Liberty Services. The Untold Story that strikes to the heart of the insanity endemic in the LP. Were you around at the time? Melinda