“First you win the argument, then you win the vote.” -Margaret Thatcher

Fox Business anchor John Stossel invited former Libertarian Presidential candidate Gary Johnson along with David Boaz to discuss the aftermath of the 2012 elections. Why didn’t libertarians win in 2012? Johnson discussed the gap between people who self identify as small “l” libertarians and those who vote for the Libertarian Party candidates, big “L” Libertarians. In this seven minute segment, Stossel, Boaz and Johnson break down the state of the liberty movement in 2013. Are politics or ideas more important to advance the cause?

Issues discussed: Whether voting for the Libertarian Party is a better idea than infiltrating the Republican Party, why the Republicans are so hostile to gays joining the party and the best ways to affect change going forward. Boaz posits that Republicans used to be very much against female empowerment and women in the workplace and then they wondered why women would not vote for their party. They now face a similar struggle in regards to minorities like blacks and latino’s. The Democratic Party crushed the GOP in the minority vote count despite the racist history of the party and their association with the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups. Their reputation amongst minorities shifted after Lyndon Johnson signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Other than the unwelcome attitude that Republicans generally exhibit towards these minority groups, it is strange that blacks would vote so overwhelmingly in favor of the Democrats for such an extended period. Black Americans are hurting the most economically when compared to the rest of the country. In 2009 the average net worth for a white household was $113,149 and it was $5,700 for black households. Clearly Republicans are not doing enough to convince the black voters that the Democrats do not have their best economic interests at heart.

Is it possible for libertarians to capitalize on the bad reputation of the GOP and to infuse it with a new, softer, more tolerant and welcoming attitude to gays, blacks, latinos and women? What do you think?

The video is 7 minutes long.

