Larry Gillis sent this letter to the editor of the New York Times -12/23/2020
Thomas Friedman wonders whether principled Conservatives will now form their own party (“Will Trump Force Principled Conservatives to Start Their Own Party? I Hope So”, December 23). Lemme remind him and them that a quite-viable and user-friendly venue is already at hand. Namely, the Libertarian Party. www.lp.org
Our Presidential candidate was on the ballot in all 50 States in the 2020 election and we have a party apparatus already in place in all 50 States.
More importantly, there is a notable degree of “harmonic convergence” between the Libertarian Party’s principles and those of the historic Republican Party. We stand unabashedly for maximum personal freedom and maximum personal responsibility, for limited government and limited taxation, for fiscal responsibility and for a whole-hearted embrace of the free market.
There are notable differences, of course. For example, we are staunchly non-interventionist in foreign affairs. Also, our domestic social agenda is freedom-based (what you do is with your life and your lifestyle is your opportunity, not ours). Please note that our internal debates have a real tendency to be “all-elbows-no-charm”, but that’s how it is.
We believe that the government actually has some legitimate purposes, like keeping us from killing each other and providing courtrooms for the convenience of the litigants. Other than that, we believe that each of us is the product of our own choices, not our circumstances.
Anyway, give us a call. We promise to be civil, which is better than what you have now.
Larry Gillis, Libertarian (Cape Coral FL)
Professor Gillis is a retired criminal lawyer (NH) and teaches legal studies courses online at the college level. He is active in the Libertarian Party of Florida, and Vice-Chair of the Libertarian Party of Lee County