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We Need to Fix the Libertarian National Convention

John Engle
movement, libertarians, definition of libertarianism,

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If you want to be taken seriously, you have to act seriously.

That’s a fairly simple maxim, yet it is one the Libertarian Party has frequently ignored, to its detriment. In 2016, when many Americans began flailing about, searching for an alternative to the least popular mainstream candidates in history, the Libertarian Party was supposed to provide a viable solution. Yet, despite an unprecedented degree of attention from the media and public, the party failed to deliver. This was not just a product of the repeated stumblings of the party’s eventual presidential candidate, Gary Johnson; it was the product of a failure of organization at all levels. No one watching clips from the National Convention could be faulted for thinking the Party was a shower of amateurs with no real interest in seriously contending.

It is a challenge to run a political party at the best of times, so the Libertarian National Committee (LNC), and the party faithful, more broadly, can hardly be faulted for doing its best in the face of unexpected scrutiny and limited resources. With a largely volunteer structure, the party was always going to have trouble presenting an organization that could credibly stand alongside the wealthy GOP and Democrats. Yet there were several steps that could have been taken (and that should be taken in the future) that could turn the Libertarian Party towards success. One such move is to reform how the convention itself is structured, and concurrently reform how the national ticket is selected.

Here is what we have to do to turn the party convention into an asset rather than a liability.

Portray a Coherent Brand Platform

With media attention extremely limited, it is vital to leverage every second that is given to full advantage. The National Convention is one of these vital occasions. 2016 may have been special because of the extreme levels of disaffection with the major party nominees, yet it will always be a time of particular interest to the outside world. The Party should thus endeavor to use the opportunity not to air grievances or fight petty battles, but as a method of projecting a unified message around the Party’s core principles.

This is a big step away from conventions of the past, which have been raucous affairs. At the 2016 convention, delegates (and anyone tuning in online or on television) were treated to the shenanigans of Vermin Supreme and a striptease by an erstwhile candidate for LNC chair. While these may be amusing in the moment, they do not bespeak a party interested in seriously competing in elections. I have written before about the need for professionalization of the party apparatus, and I would argue that the professionalization of the convention, which is the launch-pad for national and local campaigns alike, should be made a top priority.

This does not mean the convention has to be a boring affair. After all, it is an opportunity for delegates and party leaders from around the country to both organize and celebrate. But at its core, it has to be a professional event aimed at conveying a message beyond the convention hall. We have to look outward in our messaging, not just inward. It is that fundamental shift of focus that is crucial to the success of future conventions, and to the success of future candidates.

Organize for Success

A core component of reforming the convention structure is by professionalizing its organization. The party has always had to do things on a shoe-string, but 2018 and 2020 should be different from past cycles. Despite his polarizing effect within the party, Gary Johnson did succeed in garnering by far the highest vote total of any Libertarian candidate in history. It is true that his final vote total was lower than many had hoped, but it was still a valuable achievement in terms of laying the groundwork for successive races.

Johnson’s numbers were enough to grant automatic access in many states, which will free up millions of dollars the party previously had to spend just to get on the ballot of all fifty states. This leaves a windfall in real terms, especially if fundraising can be improved due to the progress made from the 2016 cycle. This money should be guarded fiercely by the LNC, and deployed to maximum electoral advantage.

The convention is an event worthy of some of that windfall. We will never be able to match the spectacle of the Democrats or Republicans; both parties spend tens of millions of sponsorship dollars to produce political theater seen nowhere else in the world. But with some additional planning and a bit more funding, a Libertarian National Convention could be a far more impressive affair.

The Party should establish a permanent sub-committee to organize the event, one with the remit to study and emulate the successes of parties in other countries that have far stricter rules on funding conventions and annual meetings; even the comparatively cheap party conferences of European parties are able to capture a sense of grandeur and elicit a sense of party identity and mission.

Take the Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems), a small party in the United Kingdom. I have argued in the past that there is much to be learned about how the Lib Dems organize campaigns and prioritize winnable races, and I would again draw on them as a great example for convention organizers. Despite being in the perpetual minority, and after suffering brutal losses in the most recent general election, the party conference is still a highly professional affair with the trappings of elegance and slick style that are vital to showing its seriousness as a political force. The Libertarian Party should do likewise.

Choose Harmony Rather Than Dissonance

National conventions were once a place for hashing out party platforms and selecting candidates; the days of floor fights are largely things of the past, for the two major parties anyway.

The Libertarian National Convention is still a contentious affair. In 2016, the presidential balloting had to go to a second round when Gary Johnson failed to get a majority on the first attempt. Likewise, the contest for the vice presidential spot was up in the air, with many believing Bill Weld, Johnson’s chosen running mate, would fail to make the ticket. Because it was not a done deal until the convention, there was no candidate for the party to rally around beforehand, losing precious time to campaign against the real opposition, the Democrats and Republicans. Instead of building a convention around the party standard-bearer, it was a study in political in-fighting.

A far better strategy would be to have the presidential ticket decided before the convention commences. One way to do this would be to make the votes at state party conventions binding on delegates. While this is hardly a perfect solution, it would remove much of the uncertainty pre-convention and allow the party to prepare for the general election.

No doubt there are many within the party who would take issue with the idea that the convention should be a rubber-stamp of candidates and their message. We are, after all, individualists who chafe at conformity. But, if we are going to make the best use of our resources, we need to leverage them to maximum effect. This reform would be one powerful method of doing so.

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John Engle

John Engle is a merchant banker and author living in the Chicago area. His company, Almington Capital, invests in both early-stage venture capital and in public equities. His writing has been featured in a number of academic journals, as well as the blogs of the Heartland Institute, Grassroot Institute, and Tenth Amendment Center. A graduate of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland and the University of Oxford, John’s first book, Trinity Student Pranks: A History of Mischief and Mayhem, was published in September 2013.
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