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Although there are only about 20 party members in the county presently, Siering hopes the ranks will swell once people realize they have an option other than the two major parties. She joined the party prior to the 2000 elections "looking for an alternative" to "what's presented in the media." She described the party as being about "personal responsibility and basically less government."
Many still view any third party as being akin to a third leg - something that's unusual but not useful. But Siering said the Libertarian Party makes the political process more accessible. "It brings government closer to the people instead of having it further away where we don't feel we make a difference." Nor does Siering think of the Libertarians as a splinter sector of the Democratic Party. "The Democrats and Republicans are more similar to each other than we are to either of them," she said.
According to its Web site, the Libertarian Party is America's largest, most successful and fastest growing third party. It was created in December of 1971 by a handful of people meeting in David Nolan's living room in Colorado. Today, the party is organized in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The party's platform hearkens back to America's libertarian foundation, from which the country deviated with disastrous results according to its members.
Currently, more than 590 Libertarians hold public office; 46 of them were elected in the 2003 elections, the first time in 80 years that any third party contested a majority of the seats in Congress.
The platform of the Libertarian Party is based "on individual liberty and personal responsibility; a free-market economy of abundance and prosperity; and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace, and free trade." It's mission is "to substantially reduce the size and intrusiveness of government and cut all taxes; to let peaceful, honest people offer their goods and services to willing consumers without a hassle from government; and to let peaceful, honest people decide for themselves what to eat, drink, read, or smoke and how to dress, medicate themselves, or make love, without fear of criminal penalties." It also believes "the U.S. government should defend Americans and their property in America and let the U.S. taxpayer off the hook for the defense bill of wealthy countries like Germany and Japan."
For local Libertarians, April promises to be the coolest month. There's a state convention in Syracuse where members will elect officers and meet potential candidates for office. Michael Badnarik, the Libertarian Party candidate for President in 2004, will also visit Ithaca mid month toparticipate in the Cornell Political Coalition's Sixth Semester Debate Series. A debate on whether the constitution should be changed is scheduled for April 14 at Cornell University's McGraw Hall. Baradnick will also teach his Introduction to the U.S. Constitution class. For more information or to register for the class go to Baradnick's Web site.
The Ithaca Libertarian Party meets the third Friday of every month. For more information, call Siering at 387-9683 or Brian Sullivan at 277-5085.
Mary Bulkot
