A large brew-ha-ha has sparked over at KN@PPSTER over the possibility that Ron Paul is a racist. While I disagree with Tom on the dissection of the document he cites, and thereby its meaning, I've been somewhat shocked that Tom also disagrees with the statement, mine and others, that Ron Paul is the “best current choice to promote libertarianism.”

No one is without warts. And everybody has decisions in their past that they would not make the same if they had the chance to remake them. So, while I'd like to stick with my original thought that Ron Paul is the best choice, probably for ego reasons, I'd rather hear all the pros and cons of the current crop of enablers for the libertarian cause, and thereby come to a rational decision as to who/what to give my finite resources to.

Who has a strong libertarian message: pro-individual, anti-corruption, limited government, free markets, non-aggression principal, ... ? And what is their resource base (money, name recognition, large existing support group), so they can actually archive something? Because at the end of the day, if you can't get your message heard, has it done the rest of us any good?

So who then, is truly the best current choice(s) to promote libertarianism?

Please add your thoughts, facts, new entities in the comments and I'll consolidate them into a cohesive list below.

Best Regards,

M.J. Taylor
Publisher
ReasonToFreedom.com

PS: While this started off as purely a look at current candidates, I'm willing to expand it to include anyone currently expending significant resources to pursue moving the United States of America back to its libertarian roots.

# # #

Ron Paul, Republican
Positive Issues:
Against Victim Disarmament
Against Imperial Expansion
Against Socialized Health Care
Against Statism
For true Capitalism

Negative Issues:
Racist?
Immigration
Anti-Homosexual [?=Jim Davidson]
Seeking nomination of an anti-libertarian party
Against reproductive freedom [Jim Davidson]

Reach:
Money (Net Receipts: $26+ million on 12/17/2007, $8,268,451 on 09/30/2007, $3,009,996 on 06/30/2007)
Name recognition
Large existing support group
Hugh new support group
A Blimp

Steve Kubby, Libertarian Party
Positive Issues:
Against Drug War
Pro immigration freedom
Equal rights for non-heterosexuals
Socially tolerant

Negative Issues:

Reach:
Money ($6,215 on 06/30/2007, $6,633 on 09/30/2007)
Name recognition slim, but greatest of the other LP nomination candidates

George David Joseph Phillies, Libertarian Party
Positive Issues:
UnBan internet gambling
Torture is a crime against civilization
Peace with Iraq
Repeal No Child Left Behind
Repeal the Military Commission Act

Negative Issues:
Tax Credits for Education
Political Party Loyalty

Reach:
Money ($18,082 on 06/30/2007, $41,577 on 09/30/2007)
Could use some better SEO management of website

Daniel J. Imperato, Independent
Positive Issues:
Turn Social Security over to the people
Iraq cease fire
Become more self-sufficient and energy conscious

Negative Issues:
Save Social Security
Increase Government involvement in Healthcare
Increase Government involvement in Education
Expand Labor Unions in foreign countries
Spread throughout North and South America ethanol, biodiesel, wind, and solar, electric powered processes

Reach:
Money ($250,150 on Mar 31 [per FEC $300,150 on 12/31/2007, typo?], 11/8: $33,150 on 12/31/2007, huh?)

Wayne Allyn Root, no FEC declaration as of 10/4/07. [Is he really running? -MJ]
Positive Issues:
Fiscal Conservative
Limited Government
States' Rights
Pledges to not raise tax rates
Drastically reduce and simplify federal taxes
Elimination of death taxes
Reduce government entitlement programs
Reduce corporate welfare
Social Security reform and choice
Lawyer Abuse Reform
End Affirmative action
Free Market economy
Workplace Freedom
Freedom and Parental Choice in the Educational System
Total elimination of the Department of Education on the federal level
Free Market health care system
Overturn McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform
Mandatory term limits for all elected officials (only address symptom)
Voting ballots in English-only
Total Transparency and Accountability in government
Drastically reduce foreign aid
End the Nanny State
End prosecution of victimless crimes (Drug war, et. all)
Opposes a National ID card

Negative Issues:
States' Rights over individual rights
Pledges to not raise tax rates
Wants Flat Tax
Social Security reform (not elimination)
Sign more Vetoes than any President in history
Support the Line Item Veto
Lawyer Abuse Reform (but not reform the legal system that causes the abuse?)
Utilize vouchers, tax cuts, and tax breaks to encourage individuals to buy health insurance
Only supports the rights of citizens to bear arms if they qualify to his “standards”
Increase Government involvement in Online Gaming

Reach:
Money (No filing shown as of Nov. 8)
Catchy name

Christine Smith, Libertarian Party
Positive Issues:
Immediate withdrawal from Iraq
Government Transparency & Accountability (verifiable paper voting, investigation of invasion of Iraq, Read The Bills Act, )
Eliminate the federal special interest lobbying & federal intrusion into environmental matters
Repeal the income tax
Educational choice and freedom
Veto all unconstitutional bills presented by Congress
Repeal previous executive orders which granted unconstitutional power
Opposes Real ID/national ID card
Opposes the discriminatory Don't Ask Don't Tell policy
Uphold the U.S. Constitution which does not authorize the federal government to be involved in the issue of abortion (Abortion decided by each state)
Repeal the federal income tax and abolish the IRS
End government overspending
Abolish the Federal Reserve
Opposes gun control laws
End all government incentives/subsidies to illegal immigrants
Permit illegal immigrants to work
States will have their sovereign right to ... practice democratic control and legislation over immigration matters in their states
For marriage equality
Believes in full equality and opposes all laws that discriminate
Must not use the force of the federal government to try and protect people from themselves (End the 'War on Drugs'
End U.S. government meddling in the affairs and conflicts of foreign nations
Close all U.S. bases in all areas worldwide which pose no direct threat to America

Negative Issues:

Reach:
Money ($7,506 on 06/30/2007, $9,391 on 09/30/2007

Dennis Kucinich
http://www.dennis4president.com/

Reach:
Money ($1,110,318 on 06/30/2007, $2,122,014 on 09/30/2007)

# # #

Issues List (suggestions, feel free to add anything not listed):
Ethics (cheating, fraud, theft, ...)
Privacy
Victim Disarmament
Imperial Expansion (Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, ...)
Health Care
Statism
true Capitalism
Racism
Immigration
Marriage Choice (or general tolerance)
Medical Choice (abortion, euthanasia, ...)
Individual Rights

Reach List (existing and future ability):
Money
Name recognition
Support group(s)