Mises Caucus Takes Over the Libertarian Party

This looks like an interesting story going into the mid-term elections.

As the Republican party continues to deny the Big Truth (Trump did not win the 2020 election) and pretend the January 6 insurrection was a picnic, many conservative and moderate minded people will look for a third party. While many voted for Joe Biden, there is discontent with Biden and the Dems which may lead people to consider the Libertarians. For their part, there is lots of energy in that camp.

In their party convention held in Reno, NV recently, party offices were swept by members of the Mises Caucus. This group is led by Libertarians influenced by Murray Rothbard, Tom Woods, and of course, Ludwig von Mises, and seems to incorporate a more socially conservative element. For instance, the pro-choice plank was removed from the Libertarian platform as was the following language opposing bigotry:

We condemn bigotry as irrational and repugnant.

It is hard to say if this will make any difference in 2022 voting behavior. It could hurt Republicans by giving socially conservative voters a place to go besides the delusional GOP. It might hurt Democrats by taking away a few socially liberal voters into a party historically known for personal freedom and self-ownership.

In any case, I may be giving this issue more than a passing glance. There are some links with past work I have done. The Mises Caucus considers Ron Paul an elder statesment, if not a living saint. Ron Paul had a run for president a decade ago. At that time, he had some problematic endorsements of the theocratic variety. I noted the endorsement of Philip Kayser, who thought death a good end for gays, divorcees, etc., which didn’t help matters for Dr. Paul.

Will Paul rise again? Will there be a Libertarian strain of Christian Nationalism which will again rise up and influence the Christian right? The strange bedfellows may rise to sleep again.

Articles on the Mises Caucus

The Nation

Salon

Mises Caucus

Here is a great video summary of recent events.

6 thoughts on “Mises Caucus Takes Over the Libertarian Party”

  1. Ron Paul was also pretty heavily into conspiracy theories about shadowy forces conspiring against U.S. sovereignty. Not quite at the Q-Anon fringe, but loony-adjacent. Would fit right in with today’s Republican Party — in fact wasn’t his last run for President as a Republican? 2008?

  2. I am impressed that they removed the plank condemning bigotry. That is really saying the quiet parts out loud. I figured out many years ago that self-identified “libertarians,” whether capitalized or not, are Republicans with intellectual pretensions. I’m not so sure that they are keeping up the pretense anymore.

    1. It certainly shows they’re just as willing to do anything to get votes as they accuse the two major parties of being, but yeah, the pretense that they have anything left to offer progressives has worn thin now the tide is turning against the War of Drugs.

  3. Ron Paul is 86, more than a little long in the tooth to lead much of anything. Not that I follow him, but I haven’t heard a peep from him in many years.

    The Republican Party meanwhile has been overrun by grifters and troglodytes, hopefully to feed on each other, but still unified in a delusional and likely permanent state of grievance and anger. They might not kill us all, but it won’t be for lack of trying.

    And “Libertarian Party” is as oxymoronic a name as “Hermits’ Union”. When your entire philosophy of life is to screw your neighbor early and often, playing well with others isn’t even a remote possibility. Trump Republicans will be right at home.

    1. his boy Rand though is just as much a darling in that camp however and has been very vocal in not knowing what he’s talking about in terms of medical science and the pandemic.

      1. He doesn’t know the Constitution, either. I nearly drove my Jeep off Hoosier Pass because I heard him telling some talk jock that the Constitution forbids Congress from authorizing paper money, that it could only issue gold or silver coin.

        He said it again when I reached the summit and I had to pull over so I wouldn’t literally fall off the Continental Divide.

        He’s an ignoramus.

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