by: Eric Dondero

Yesterday, our conservative friends at Jumping In Pools blog, reprinted my article in full, "RLC vs. LP," from Monday (scroll down a few articles). This is an excerpt from one of their writers, "Mr. K.":
Eric Dondero at the Libertarian Republican posted an interesting article last night, which deserves more attention, and a Conservative response.

The Libertarian Party serves almost no use, except to deprive Republicans of votes, and to serve as a soapbox for supposed Republicans, who just want to see the destruction of National defense from our platform.

In the end, it is best to go with Republicans, because Libertarians will never win, and voting or supporting such a lost cause, is not worth it.My Response:

Firstly, not all Libertarians are Anti-Defense. In fact, a very large segment of us are staunchly Pro-Defense, even within the Libertarian Party. For example, in 2003, at the start of the War in Iraq, then LP News Editor Bill Winter conducted an internal poll of Libertarian membership. He found fully 40% of LP members supported the invasion.

Yes, the LP is a lot less Pro-Defense than it once was, but that's only because the vast majority of Pro-Defense Libertarians have left the Party, and joined the Republican Liberty Caucus.

Secondly, to say that "Libertarians never win elections," is completely inaccurate. By some estimates 400 to 500 Libertarian Party members currently serve in public office nationwide. Just last week we here at LR reported on a Libertarian who won election to the Cedar Falls City Council in Iowa. Two weeks before that, in the off-year elections Nov. 3, 11 Libertarians won office nationwide, including Dan Halloran to the New York City Council. In fact, that's more elected officials than any other third party in the US.

Over the years, 10 Libertarians have been elected to State Legislators in Alaska, New Hampshire, and Vermont. And for the record, Congressman Ron Paul of Texas is a Lifetime Member of the Libertarian Party, a dual Party Republican/Libertarian. (Sort of like Lieberman is both an Independent and a Democrat).

Yes, for practical purposes the RLC is best. But without the Libertarian Party, we Libertarian Republicans would have no "safety valve," nowheres to escape if the GOP were to become too statist like the Democrats. The LP serves as our insurance policy. And I for one, am very glad they're around.