Posted by Don Rasmussen on 05/21/09 02:47 AM Last updated 05/21/09 11:19 AM   [Older: Otto Guevara and Kane Join Ron Paul on Freedom Watch!]

Let's be honest with ourselves. If being right was all there was to politics, we would control the entire US government and Harry Reid would be a car salesman in Nevada. Unfortunately, that's not all there is to this political game. In fact, being right is almost a non-factor as a determinant of political success. As a movement, we have not always wanted to be honest with ourselves about that reality.

In politics, perception trumps reality. We should all enjoy our sense of knowing that our beliefs are intrinsically correct while also understanding that they are not, in and of themselves, going to propel us to victory. Electoral politics, regardless of philosophy or lack thereof, serves only one function...to obtain or retain political power. The ends are as honorable or as despicable as those who win.

As Constitutionalists and libertarians, we often fall into the trap of believing that the strength of our ideas will carry us to victory or, conversely, our position in the political wilderness (where the stakes are low) allows us to entertain idealist, even Utopian, ambitions, utterly inconsistent with the political realities in those circles where actual power lies and substantive decisions are made.

If we are to carry our beliefs into the public policy arena through the electoral process, it will be on the strength of our human capital, our organizational capacity, and our ability to recognize and advocate for practical public policy that advances our agenda. We must continue to develop a bench of campaign professionals in every relevant discipline and we must not miss any opportunity to develop and expand our electoral experience. Moreover, we must never, ever miss an opportunity to expand liberty.

One group that has taken this advice to heart is the Libertarian Movement Party of Costa Rica. In the 15 years since it was founded, the LMP has increased its vote totals and its representation in government in every election cycle. Most recently, in 2006, they picked up 6 congressmen and pulled almost 10% in the presidential race. They have set a course of pragmatic libertarianism that views all positions and policies through the lens of practical politics. They have abandoned Utopianism and have engaged, with great success, in Real Politick. The result of these efforts has been continuing and growing success and a tangible increase in liberty for their constituents.

As the LMP prepares for national elections in February of 2010, all eyes will be on this little country in anticipation of an unprecedented event, the possible election of the first libertarian head of government in human history. Indications are that the other major parties are all tracking to the left in response to a number of factors including the economic meltdown and the ratification of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). As a result, the business community and pro-freedom interests are, for the first time, supporting LMP and their charismatic presidential candidate, Otto Guevara, over the traditional parties.

As a movement, we have expended great energy educating and advocating for the freedom agenda, but when was the last time that we actually had an opportunity to deliver our product, human liberty, to millions of people? That is exactly the opportunity that the LMP now represents.

Imagine the real and symbolic power of having a libertarian country shining as a beacon of hope just two hours from Miami? If you are reading this in Phoenix, Costa Rica is 500 miles closer to you than Washington D.C. More importantly, a libertarian Costa Rica will serve as an inspiration to freedom-lovers around the world as our first example of successful electoral politics rooted in the liberty philosophy.

The messaging and public policies of the LMP will serve as a testing ground to be studied, modified, and adapted by libertarian movements around the world. It is also an opportunity for libertarian activists and campaign professionals to get real world experience in a potentially successful campaign.

As I said before, if we are to become a significant force, we must develop our human capital and our political savvy. Here is a group of libertarians capable of delivering on the promise of our ideals and making a positive difference for their country and the world. I encourage everyone to pay close attention to the LMP in the coming months ahead of national elections in February. They just might be making history.

To learn more, visit LMP on Wikipedia here and visit a Google-translated version of their website here.

Posted 03/16/09 6:18 PM BruceKoerber Cedar Rapids, IA

A seed is a small thing but it can grow into a mighty oak tree. Let's continue to plant the seeds of classical liberalism everywhere!

Posted 03/16/09 6:29 PM jabowery Shenandoah, IA

Quoth: "In fact, being right is almost a non-factor as a determinant of political success." In recent history, but nowadays: Dead wrong. Libertarians need to grow up but not in the way you think. They need to take their ideas seriously enough to see how they REALLY apply to the present crisis. I hate to say it but this is an area where Ron Paul, despite his clear greatness as a leader, has led the libertarian movement astray -- and it is resulting in defeatism such as your. For example, no one has talked about remediation of the theft from the middle class except in terms of tax cuts -- despite the fact that huge numbers of the middle class are now deep in debt -- not because they went out and got a plasma TV and tried to flip houses -- but because they were simply trying to have a family. This kind of insensitivity is going to KILL the Campaign for Liberty!

Posted 03/16/09 8:57 PM onesquarelight Mechanicsburg, PA

Working towards an ideal state of affairs (sound money, individual liberty, truly free markets, etc.), starting from any present point in the political landscape and working backwards is nearly impossible; the base from which you work against is ever shifting - most of the time in the opposite direction of the ideal itself. In this situation arguments, meant to persuade others to your point of view will always seem out of date and off the mark. Because of this I believe it is wise to simply start at the point of truth an move towards the ideal from that base. Introducing people to the truth is the best way to bring about the change we all so desire. Playing the game of politics is exactly what everyone here is sick of. The truth is what we grasp onto and what we long for. I don't believe we have to play Washington DC's game to win over masses of people which will sway the tides of political big wigs. Once one is introduced to Austrian economics and the benefits of Liberty they begin to see there is a better way. People are waking up thanks to Ron Paul and the authors over at mises.org. These individuals and countless others are providing perspectives that are resonating amongst the people of this land like never before. I'm one of them. It was the TRUTH that swayed me!

Posted 03/16/09 9:14 PM Son Of Liberty New Brighton, PA

The leaders of this entire Liberty/Freedom Movement need to create a huge coalition of Freedom/Liberty organizations, websites, etc... A huge coalition of Liberty=victory! Seriously...

Posted 03/16/09 10:59 PM stevemcgee99 MENLO PARK, CA

Definitely, better marketing and promotion of the ideas of liberty will make them attractive to more people. We need to combat the comfortable definitions and meaning most people now apply to ideas like reduced taxes, de-regulation, smaller government. We need to combat the image of successful business as a fat cat that oppresses people. Obviously, 'hope' sells. So does positivity. Especially as differentiated from fear-mongering. Yet fear-mongering also sells. To understand economics and liberty, do you have to be able to be objective? Can the message be simplified?

Posted 03/16/09 11:25 PM SilverSeraph Goose Creek, SC

Obviously we want to gain as much momentum as we can, and I think we are starting to see that. We've had almost 10000 people sign up just since last Thursday. That's just 4 days. I think a lot of people are feeling buyer's remorse with Obama and they want a truly different answer. I know that's why I came here. Plus in a time of crisis people have a desire to educate themselves. Just look at how the sales of Atlas Shrugged have spiked recently. Also Revolution: A Manifesto and Meltdown are both on the New York Times best sellers list. People finding out slowly and hopefully telling their friends. They are clamoring for something other than the status quo. I wish we could find a way to run television and radio ads. Be the anti-moveon.org if you will.

Posted 03/16/09 11:49 PM Fritz Elgin, SC

Who'd buy a car from Harry Reid?

Posted 03/17/09 12:26 AM FreedomRob Gainesville, FL

There is one line in the last paragraph I would like to point out: "we must develop our human capital" This is NOT stressed enough. If we want to be taken seriously, we need to educate ourselves, earn status, power, and money. We cannot be a bunch of fringe crazies running telling people that the sky is falling. We need to be CEO's, veterinarians, entrepreneurs, engineers, astronauts, actors, actresses, scientists, business owners, CPA's, pHD's, doctors, and (especially) LAWYERS. I consider myself passively active in politics, but I have been around long enough to see enough of those crazy liberty lunatics running around. They are usually ungroomed, wearing tattered clothes, crooked glasses, etc. I think you know what I'm talking about, and if you don't, then you are the crazy. Don't get me wrong though, these people are smart and they know what they're talking about, but as Dan said, perception trumps reality. We aren't going to get our message out there trying to cram it down people's throats. Let's work on our human capital so we can attain status and respect so our opinions will be considered instead of being trashed.

Posted 03/17/09 12:27 AM FreedomRob Gainesville, FL

There is one line in the last paragraph I would like to point out: "we must develop our human capital" This is NOT stressed enough. If we want to be taken seriously, we need to educate ourselves, earn status, power, and money. We cannot be a bunch of fringe crazies running telling people that the sky is falling. We need to be CEO's, veterinarians, entrepreneurs, engineers, astronauts, actors, actresses, scientists, business owners, CPA's, pHD's, doctors, and (especially) LAWYERS. I consider myself passively active in politics, but I have been around long enough to see enough of those crazy liberty lunatics running around. They are usually ungroomed, wearing tattered clothes, crooked glasses, etc. I think you know what I'm talking about, and if you don't, then you are the crazy. Don't get me wrong though, these people are smart and they know what they're talking about, but as Dan said, perception trumps reality. We aren't going to get our message out there trying to cram it down people's throats. Let's work on our human capital so we can attain status and respect so our opinions will be considered instead of being trashed.

Posted 03/17/09 05:17 AM Lawful Money Woodstock, GA

These are all great posts, and there is no doubt that "human capital" and political savvy will have to be our foundation. However, let's not dismiss the things that ignited a relatively unspecific uneasiness into the prairie fires of liberty 2 years ago: THE TRUTH, DELIVERED FEARLESSLY BY THE CHAMPION OF THE CONSTITUTION In order to turn this historic opportunity into a real historic event - we will need that foundation of human capital and political savvy delivering a marketable message without compromise and without delay. We don't need to turn this human capital and political savvy into just another study group. We need the general and a relentless team of media savvy bulldogs. We know who that general is.... My President Is Ron Paul

Posted 03/17/09 12:41 PM WTLCrimson Fairhope, AL

This post goes to the heart of a problem that we are going to have to reckon with, one way or another. I admit I am attracted to pure idealism, but regarding whether or not we have to pick idealism or libertarian pragmatism, I think the answer can be both. Not on an individual level, of course. One guy in our movement may be a devoted austrian, an ideologue, and the next may just want to audit the fed and eliminate the income taxes and about 10 other "possible" things - a normal guy who likes freedom. And when you create a coalition between the idealist and the pragmatist the best you can, you get some of the benifits of both. We can't forget what we believe. Our idealism is always going to have to be there, if we forget that we would be merely mainstream republicans (afterall that is what they are). But we can still create a pragmatic agenda based on 2 or 4 year cycles and seek to move in the right direction. Get a list together of what things can be done to stop the leviathan, and keep moving. Just cause we wont ever get %100 of what we want accomplished doesnt mean we have to forget what that %100 is, and just because we know what is perfect does not mean we have to turn down what is good. I think we need to have more discussions on these type matters.

Posted 03/17/09 4:46 PM jabowery Shenandoah, IA

Here's a real simple one: Middle class tax reparations. Basically, since there is a single legitimate service provided by government -- defense of property rights that we cannot self-defend (such as national territory or large capital concentrations) -- all taxes collected on the middle class must be returned. The only legitimate service the middle class really gets from the government is defense of US territory, the the US government has, by failing to enforce immigration law, essentially abrogated its responsibility to defend US territory.

Posted 03/17/09 11:35 PM wrdiii lebanon, NJ

If we all are serios in the Task of "fixing" the country, then lets do it. The human capital thing is real, lets go get it. The Constituion was written at a time when abrtion and gambling and prostituion and human expeariments and drugs were known. Since they aren't listed as federal rights to regulate they fall to the states. Why get caught up in a side show of non- constituional arguments that we can't change right now? A preacher isn't going to gain support for anything, except for like minded people, who won't support something else. Some one who supports drug use will isolate everyone who doesn't. the common thread is it is all constituional, but we are fare from the constituion, and fragmented. Lets get a constituional message and stick to it, everything else is imaterial. I think thats what will gain "human capital".

Posted 03/17/09 11:39 PM Son Of Liberty New Brighton, PA

Coalition=Victory Organize, Organize, Organize=Victory Action, Action, Action=Victory

Posted 05/21/09 09:53 AM possumsfreedom hb, CA

The media keeps saying the Republican party has no agenda nor a leader. We are searching for a leader, but our agenda needs to be the law of the land, provided for and currently ignored by those in all offices: The US Constitution and Bill of Rights. If we first stand for these principles, the rest will follow. It is amazing the number of people who do not know that democracy isn't mentioned in the US Constitution and that this country is a Republic. Do your friends and family a favor and send them the youtube videos of Constitutional lectures: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C_YBhY11yA (Republic or democracy) Michael Badnarik has a complete series about the US Constitution on you tube videos. Before people will understand the importance of liberty, they must understand why/how it was guaranteed to them in the first place and that there is an actual legal document that spells it out. Then you will have the people's attention. The public has spent the last 50 years listening to the radio and watching tv...not reading nor thinking for themselves. We will have to work diligently and daily to awaken them.