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The Restoration Caucus is an
ad hoc
group of Libertarian Party members who want to see our Party’s 2004
Platform used as the starting point for deliberations on the 2008
Platform, to be adopted at the upcoming national convention in Denver.
In 2006, at the smallest LP convention since 1973, a well-organized group
of individuals was able to "gut" our long-standing platform. One of the
ringleaders of the "destroy the platform" group recently gloated about
their success, but admitted that it was somewhat of a fluke, saying "...
we had very favorable conditions in 2006. The convention site was located
in a remote corner of the U.S. -- too far to drive for most povertarian
radicals east of the Rockies. And povertarian radicals were largely
excluded from the California delegation by having the California LP
convention on an expensive cruise ship. Denver will be different."
The Restoration Caucus believes that the wisest and most effective course
the 2008 Platform Committee can take will be to restore the 2004 Platform,
which evolved over three decades and includes contributions from many of
our Party's greatest thinkers. Any attempt to thoughtfully and carefully
address each of the issues we need to address, starting from scratch, will
be laborious and contentious. And a hastily conceived document is likely
to be rejected in its entirety by the delegates in Denver.
The 2004 Platform offers a time-tested basis for future platforms.
Clearly, there will need to be changes, and the 2008 Platform Committee
must address them on a plank-by-plank basis. But the obvious first step
they should take is to revert to the 2004 Platform as a starting point.
Restore '04!
For additional background on this
issue you might want to read one or more of these
articles, several of which were written by members of the Restoration
Caucus.
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