An Open Tactical Appeal to the Libertarian Party

As you begin your national convention you are faced with a great dilemma as well as more than one grand opportunities to grow your party's influence.You should be a major political party but one of your former candidates has been scaling the wall to political acceptability in a way that may eventually threaten the need for your existence. Ron Paul's effort to change the GOP into the de facto libertarian party has thus far failed. He apparently is unwilling to abandon this effort and is hopeful that with each coming election, actuarial numbers and electoral defeats eventuate this reality.

He may be right but perhaps there is a way to speed up this process or redirect it in your favor. I, for one, do not see any near term triumphalism of any third party, but I can foresee a splitting of the two major parties into five, global corporatist (I'm sure they will call themselves something deceptively different like Democratic Republicans), cultural conservative, libertarian, labor and green peace. But that's a long term project as well. A short term strategy beginning with your convention goes something like this:

1.) Nominate Gary Johnson without a running mate, giving him the option to be either the presidential or vice presidential candidate in the general election.

2.)Schedule a second convention to coincide with the Democratic party's convention in Charlotte for the purpose of nominating a running mate for Johnson.

3.) Since it is probable that Paul will lose the nomination at the GOP convention, offer him either the presidential or vice presidential spot after he gives his prime time speech at the GOP convention.

4.) At your current convention, prepare an alternative coalition platform to serve as a basis for offering a progressive candidate the vice presidential slot on your ticket if Paul refuses the first offer.

5.) In this alternative coalition platform you should put the common ground planks in , of course. However, you should also offer the following pledges:

       A.) Move 3 trillion dollars out of the federal government through reductions in current spending levels and elimination or consolidation of non-essential programs and departments, with most of the cuts coming MIC, corporate welfare, drug wars and other areas progressives agree need deep cuts.

       B.)Raise 1 trillion dollars through the following measures: Reforming and/ or replacing the current income and payroll tax system in a manner that significantly reduces the overall tax burden on at least 90% of the population while raising taxes on not more than 2% of the populations. Reforming our tariff system to base rates on human, civil, labor, consumer and investor rights and on environmental stewardship and justice. Legalizing socially dubious behaviors, products and services while strictly regulating,  tightly zoning and substantially taxing the like in non-prohibitive ways. All reforms should move us toward a simple, clear and transparent tax system with greater real progressivity oriented  toward collections based more on consumption and less on savings and investment

       C.) Take the 4 trillion gained from A and B and apply half of it to debt reduction and the other half to block grants to the states based solely on populations of the states to be used as each state chooses with each state publishing online in open, clear and transparent detail how every penny is allocated.

       D.) Appoint an inclusive and balanced coalition cabinet.

These 4 planks are the basis for progressives and libertarians advancing their economic agendas simultaneously: lower taxes, less federal government  and more states' rights for libertarians, more money  made available to the states to do what progressives have wanted the federal government to do while not destroying the social social security, medicare, medicaid and other economic safety nets, and substantial job growth and debt reduction for both.

6.) If Ron Paul decides not accept your offer or to run as an independent, write-in, or other third party ticket, offer the vice presidential slot along with the above coalition platform to Jill Stein and Rocky Anderson. If both are on come on board, offer a prominent cabinet spot or chief of staff to Rocky Anderson.

This plan is not an ideal one for you or for progressive parties and candidates. It is, however, the basis for a winning strategy which advances your cause and ours. The coalition platform necessary to win the presidential election and to secure the requisite support of congress is not a permanent commitment and may or may not be abandoned or renegotiated after 4 years.

Most of all this a plan which provides a politically realistic path to a peaceful overthrow of the corporate duopoly which holds our nation hostage to a privileged elite who seek to make their sovereignty permanent through increasing the powers of big government, big business, big labor and big military.

Such a plan calls for political guts and heroism. Nothing less will save our nation from permanent tyranny. Please do this difficult task before its too late! You have nothing to loose but your chains.