Fortieth Anniversary of the Nixon Speech that "led to the Libertarian Party!"

[Selene]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 12, 2011

Contact: Wes Benedict, Executive Director

E-mail: wes.benedict@lp.org

Phone: 202-333-0008 ext. 222

40th anniversary of Nixon speech that led to Libertarian Party

WASHINGTON - On August 15, 1971, President Richard Nixon gave a speech announcing what would be known as his "New Economic Policy." The speech led directly to the formation of the Libertarian Party.

In the speech, Nixon announced two measures that were of particular concern to libertarians. First, a government-imposed freeze on wages and prices. Second, and end to the convertibility of dollars to gold.

Nixon said, "I am today ordering a freeze on all prices and wages throughout the United States for a period of 90 days."

Libertarians saw both of these actions as betrayals of the principles on which the United States was founded.

This speech has often been cited as the critical moment that ignited the formation of the Libertarian Party.

In his history of the libertarian movement, Radicals for Capitalism, Brian Doherty writes that the late David F. Nolan "was working for an ad agency in Denver and happened to have a handful of libertarian-minded friends over that day when Nixon hit the airwaves with his wage and price controls announcement. They all agreed: It was time for a third party...a Libertarian Party."

Nolan and several others formally created the Libertarian Party in Colorado Springs on December 11, 1971.

Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle commented, "Taking the dollar off the gold standard has allowed the Federal Reserve to manipulate and devalue the dollar, and that's one reason our economy is in such trouble today. That, coupled with foolish wars and an unsustainable entitlement system supported by both the Democrats and Republicans, is why the Libertarian Party is more important today than ever before."****

****Now there is some news!

[9thdoctor]

the Libertarian Party is more important today than ever before."****

****Now there is some news!

I read a subtext of disagreement with this assessment. But the LP has done a lot for ballot access, and has gotten attention for better ideas over the years. I’ve been a registered Libertarian for many years, though I’m seriously planning to switch to Republican in order to vote in the next round of primaries.

[Selene]

the Libertarian Party is more important today than ever before."****

****Now there is some news!

I read a subtext of disagreement with this assessment. But the LP has done a lot for ballot access, and has gotten attention for better ideas over the years. I've been a registered Libertarian for many years, though I'm seriously planning to switch to Republican in order to vote in the next round of primaries.

ND:

It is more pure frustration.

Since I was an original organizer of the party in NY State, a county chairman and we secured a permanent ballot line in NY State. I also gave a nominating speech for McBride and I had to follow Julian Bond, who was a decent speaker, but I blew him away. I laid out an organizing model by election district and promoted running in every district in the State, starting with the local school boards because we could take advantage of the proportional representation voting model to elect at least two (2) but possibly five (5) in each district for a nine (9) member board. This would have given us a cost effective base to launch out from into councilmanic, assembly, state senate and congressional races.

Of course, this required hard nosed work and very little reward for the first two or three cycles. This, as you know, fell by the wayside for the "national campaign model" and achieved, as you correctly point out, attention for better ideas over the years.

I never thought it had to be an either or choice of models because the local model would provide the national power base organization that works.

Adam