For about the past six months, I haven’t been very active in the Libertarian Party. I’ve decided to continue that trend.

I don’t feel as if I have a political home. I know there was some major upheaval at the LP National Convention – the pledge was kept, but much of the platform was gutted – that was largely a victory for the “moderates” or “reformers” in the party, at the expense of the “purists.” (I used quotes because I don’t know who is using which terms.) I think that larger schism in the party is between anarchists and minarchists, and has been for a while. The convention may have been a victory for the minarchists, but the anarchists seem to be more galvanized for action.

Sigh I’m not an anarchist. I don’t plan on being an anarchist. I don’t want to be involved in any anarchist movement. And right now, despite what happened in Portland, it seems that the LP is infused with anarhists, which pretty much puts me out to the curb.

Maybe it always has been that way. Maybe I’m just suddenly more aware of it.

Whenever I do start getting political again, I’ll probably do it in a way that doesn’t involve organized political parties. I still believe strongly in the libertarian movement and philosophy, but I just can’t keep stomaching the anarchist element of it.

This upsets me quite a bit, believe it or not. Why? Because a few years ago (2002?) I made a pledge that I would always run for political office as a Libertarian if there was an opportunity to do so. I had said that my candidacy would most likely be symbolic, but I would at least provide the opportunity for citizens to vote against the Incumbent Party.

In 2005, I ran for Mayor of Raleigh, even though that was a non-partisan race, so my pledge was not binding.

In 2006, however, there is no recognized Libertarain Party in North Carolina, thanks to the incumbents’ draconian and self-interested ballot access laws. I couldn’t run as a Libertarian this year even if I wanted to.

(Yay for democracy. Don’t believe their “get out the vote” empty double-speak. That’s code for, “Please legitimize our control over you.”)

Anyway, what if the state did deign to recognize the Party as worthy to be voted for? Would I run for office? Honestly, I don’t know. I’m not sure what the Party is right now.

Perhaps the LP should split in two – The Anarchist Party (which seems a big contradiction) and The Minarchist Party. I’d join the Minarchist Party.

In fact, as I Google™ while writing this post, I find that I’m not the only with this idea. Someone else has registered Minarchist.org. Looks like that guy is also an Objectivist. Man, I just can’t win.