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Friday, September 04, 2009

Conscience of a Libertarian: Wayne Allan Root

200px-Wayne_root_1_final 2008 U.S. Libertarian Party vice-presidential candidate and a frontrunner for the 2012 Libertarian presidential nomination, Wayne Allan Root has just released The Conscience of a Libertarian. The title of the new campaign book was inspired by The Conscience of a Conservative, a book published in 1960 by Republican Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater that energized the conservative base of that party.

Long time Republican donor and self-described libertarian Republican, Root, like 2008 Libertarian presidential candidate and former Republican Congressman Bob Barr, migrated to the libertarian movement from the conservative side of the political spectrum. If one reads Goldwater’s manifesto, it is easy to understand why many libertarians once found a home in the Republican Party. Here’s an excerpt from The Conscience of a Conservative:

Thus, for the American Conservative, there is no difficulty in identifying the day’s overriding political challenge: it is to preserve and extend freedom. As he surveys the various attitudes and institutions and laws that currently prevail in America, many questions will occur to him, but the Conservative’s first concern will always be: Are we maximizing freedom? I suggest we examine some of the critical issues facing us today with this question in mind.

It is fair to write that today the first concern of conservatives, or at least partisan Republicans, is: Are we maximizing security? Gone from the Republican Party, and maybe the political culture in America, is any serious concern for freedom, which is why Goldwater-Reagan conservatives like Root and Barr are working within the Libertarian Party. Only Texas Republican congressman Ron Paul continues to fight to preserve the Goldwater-Reagan tradition within the party, excluding the militarist agendas of both conservative leaders.

The Independent Political Report is reporting today that the Libertarian Party’s first presidential candidate John Hospers has reviewed Root’s book and given the candidate an endorsement for his bid for President. Here’s an excerpt from that story:

John Hospers was Chair of the philosophy department at USC [University of Southern California] when in 1972 the Libertarian Party chose him to be its first presidential nominee.  He has added to his site’s collection of articles a review of The Conscience of a Libertarian, the new book by 2008 LP vice-presidential nominee Wayne Root. 

Hospers is calling the book a “must-read” and writes of Root that “he’s the only candidate who’s articulate, powerful in presentation, and right.”

While libertarians draw support from cultural conservatives and cultural liberals – from the so-called right and left – the American libertarian movement, and I would argue the entire libertarian movement, will likely see its best growth among disenchanted limited-government conservatives whose values are no longer represented by parties like the Republican Party in the U.S. or our own Conservative Party.

(Picture: Wayne Allan Root)

Posted by Matthew Johnston

Posted by westernstandard on September 4, 2009 | Permalink

Comments

Root comes across well with a sense of humor. His interviews are enjoyable. With the Republicans mired with Rinos and Frumistas, he may just pull in some support.

Posted by: John Chittick | 2009-09-04 11:04:39 PM


To be clear, there is no indication at this time that this Conservative in libertarian drag is the "frontrunner" in LP race. The only person who says this, over and over and obnoxiously loud, is Root himself. The type of conservatives Root wants to attract to the LP are the very ones who destroyed the Republican Party.

Posted by: cls | 2009-09-05 4:22:52 AM



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