A Step Up or a Step Down From Howard Stern?

Jacob Sullum | April 21, 2006

According to a press release from the Libertarian Party of New York that does not seem be online yet, former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld's campaign has confirmed that he will seek the L.P.'s nomination for governor of the Empire State at its convention this month, where he is expected to speak.

Comments

|4.21.06 @ 7:48AM|#

Well, as Republicans go, he's more liberatarian than most, and anyone that Jesse Helms would mount a filibuster against has to have something going for him...

I'll withhold judgement until I read his platform.

-jcr

|4.21.06 @ 9:30AM|#

He's a libertarian of the pragmatic kind - the kind that does not go over well with the national LP, and I couldn't say for sure what kind of libs populate the NY one.

|4.21.06 @ 10:21AM|#

metalgrid--those are exactly the kind that the LP needs if it ever wants to do anything. Like jcr said above, I would like to see his platform, but he is a big name so I think this is good news.

|4.21.06 @ 1:27PM|#

Although I'm willing to be convinced otherwise, I think these 3rd party nominations in NYS are meaningless. Politicians will take any party they can get, regardless if it fits their platform or not. I've seen candidates get the Liberals and Conservatives at the same time, for example.

|4.21.06 @ 6:17PM|#

As a former resident of Massachusetts, I will say that Weld was a rather effective governor, and the closest thing to a libertarian on the market. He is also a very smart and likeable fellow. If the libertarians ever want to crack the 1% barrier, they should be looking at people like Weld. If he would accept, why not run him nationally in '08?

Gene Berkman|4.21.06 @ 6:22PM|#

According to the New York LP Newsletter, Bill Weld has been meeting with leaders of the LP for some time to work out the details.

New York has party column voting machines, so votes for Weld on the Libertarian line will be counted separately, and if he gets 50,000 votes on the Libertarian line, it will give the LP ballot status up through the next election for Governor.

So far in his campaign, Weld has taken a strong stand against eminent domain, and has called for ending the state income tax for New York residents that make $75,000 a year or less.

As Governor of Massachusetts, he balanced the budget and cut tax rates, and signed a medical marijuana bill in 1991, before it was an issue in most states. And he has a better stand in opposition to gun control than any candidate in recent New York history.

This is a real opportunity for the New York Libertarian Party.

|4.22.06 @ 1:02PM|#

has called for ending the state income tax for New York residents that make $75,000 a year or less.

I think he just got my vote... But considering how huge that tax is, I don't know how he could make it happen.