Libertarians Reject Shaming Argument

***** For Immediate Release *****
November 14, 2016

And now the hue and cry of Democrats, launching that age-old argument that it was the Libertarians that cost them the election which will give us a President Trump. You “wasted” your vote, goes the whining.

This is so ridiculous a line of logic as to be laughable. The vote for the Libertarian ticket in Michigan was over 172 thousand for Johnson/Weld on November 8th. And the margin between Mr. Trump and Secretary Clinton was just over 13 thousand. Clearly, Libertarians were the margin of difference.

There is no logic to the argument, however, that those votes would have gone to Clinton. I don’t know many Democrats advocating an elimination of the IRS. Nor many Republicans for legalization of marijuana.

The freedom agenda advocated by Libertarians, as represented by Gary Johnson, does not find a home in either of the older political parties. Libertarians take heart in the reality that we set a new record for our political party and that the total vote given us is almost 3 times that of the other “so-called” minor parties combined. Given the complicit agreement shown by the two old parties, many Libertarians would have just stayed home.

Democrats should be embarrassed that they think so little of Michigan voters as to claim their vote without some introspection. Secretary Clinton did not respect Michigan voters either with her time NOR with consideration of the policy positions she held. No doubt, the angry and dismissive back-and-forth between she and Mr. Trump made policy a back-burner. Gary Johnson stood on solid principles popular in Michigan – free enterprise along with respect for individual rights.

“Of course we affected the election, and are proud of it. If the other parties want liberty votes, they should change their positions to earn them”, said Scotty Boman, Director of the Johnson/Weld campaign in Michigan.

Libertarians have other ideas. Their new status as a major party will require an even greater level of effort. Kim McCurry, Vice-Chair of the LPM and chief organizer of county affiliates, said “we’re up to the challenge. Voters in Michigan have given us an opportunity to compete in the marketplace of ideas.”

The landscape of political possibility is changing. New social media tools and growing disaffection in the status quo is giving the Libertarians an opportunity to make Michigan a state that nobody should take for granted. The only wasted vote is one cast in fear.

Libertarians are thankful for the opportunity to speak to the hopes of Michigan voters in 2018.

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CONTACT: Bill Gelineau, Chairman
Libertarian Party of Michigan
888-Free-Now (888-373-3669)
chair@michiganlp.org

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