Live from the LP Convention: Poor Richard's Almanack

David Weigel | May 23, 2008

Richard Viguerie is surprised that Libertarian delegates are making such a fuss about his attendance at this convention. "Can you imagine a church that was trying to grow its congregation and told quote-unquote sinners  that they weren't welcome?" Viguerie laughs. "Put on this sackcloth, and walk around on the streets for a while! Ten years should do it."

The Viguerie "issue" is manufactured, at least as far as the "conspiracy" part of it goes. Viguerie will admit anything. Yes, he's looking at becoming a player in Libertarian fundraising. "This is a perfect storm right now. Conservatives feel disconnected, they're not happy with their nominee—this could be a big year." Yes, he's working with Shane Cory, who worked at the top of the LP for years. "I'd been trying to hire Shane since 2005! I'm trying to grow the conservative movement." Viguerie dismisses the theories about him as "too many free spirits trying to find something to fight about. They flatter themselves if they think I'd take over the party."

In other "stop the right-wing coup!" news, one of the platform planks that will be voted on (the committee recommended it 8-0) is "Defense Against Taxpayer Funded Presdiential Campaigns." The gist is that if an LP presidential candidate wins 5 percent of the vote, the party can prevent anyone who wasn't part of the convention for nominating that candidate from nominating the next one. According to the summary being handed out, if the LP scored 5 percent and matching funds it would "lead to many DC organizations weighing the chances of success and cost to takeover our Party." The solution: "Raise the cost and reduce the chances of success of a hostile takeover attempt so that no one even tries."

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Comments

The Wine Commonsewer|5.23.08 @ 12:01PM|#

Can you imagine a church that was trying to grow its congregation and told quote-unquote sinners that they weren't welcome?

Yes, this blond chick that used to live across the street got religion when hubby got off the booze. She tried out a Baptist church where all the women looked like they lived in an FLDS compound and was politely told not to come back wearing jeans and a sweater. Yow!

|5.23.08 @ 12:06PM|#

Yes, this blond chick that used to live across the street got religion when hubby got off the booze. She tried out a Baptist church where all the women looked like they lived in an FLDS compound and was politely told not to come back wearing jeans and a sweater. Yow!

You made the assumption that said church was trying to grow its congregation. Many aren't really that interested in it.

|5.23.08 @ 12:12PM|#

I'm looking for the passages, but i seem to recall some biblical rules about no unsaved folks in the church. The whole unequally yoked thing.
As far as the blond chick goes, the church was, I suppose, trying to keep a stumblingblock from their husbands eyes lest they be tempted.

robc|5.23.08 @ 12:23PM|#

brotherben,

While unsaved folk cant be members of the church, Ive never been to one where they werent allowed. Heck, weve always been encouraged to bring them.

I cant remember the specifics of the passage myself, but I dont think thats what the unequally yoked thing meant.

robc|5.23.08 @ 12:26PM|#

brotherben,

The unequally yoked passage is generally considered to be wrt marriage. Believers shouldnt marry non-believers.

|5.23.08 @ 12:41PM|#

2cor6:14 is the "unequally yoked" passage. It speaks more to th church, in my opinion.

1 cor7:12-16 is about marriage and having unbelieving spouses.

robc|5.23.08 @ 12:49PM|#

brotherben,

From googling, 90% of the mentions of 2Cor6 relate to marriage. I found one good link talking about other things, it related more to the Corinthians not engaging in the pagan practices. I have seen absolutely nothing suggesting it means that unbelievers cant attend the church.

http://www.crivoice.org/yoked.html

robc|5.23.08 @ 12:51PM|#

Quote from above link:

In many evangelical churches, this verse from Corinthians has been used very narrowly as a warning against marrying non-Christians. But in the situation at Corinth, it had much broader implications. Corinth was well known for its wild lifestyle. It was a major seaport (nearby at Lechaion) and a crossroads of the northern Mediterranean. The Middle Eastern practice of sacred prostitution in pagan temples was readily accepted in such a climate, as well as in some of the Greek temples that stood there in the first century.

One of the major problems Paul faced in Corinth was the difficulty new converts there had in living out Christianity ethically in everyday actions. This concept of boundaries and order in terms of everyday living was a good way to illustrate the ethical demands of relationship with God without resorting to legalism.

|5.23.08 @ 1:03PM|#

I like egg yokes just as much as the next guy. Does this mean I can go to church if I want?

BTW, an outsider could come to the ready conclusion that the LP is not ready for prime time. Shocking, I know...

Franklin Harris|5.23.08 @ 1:04PM|#

According to the summary being handed out, if the LP scored 5 percent and matching funds it would "lead to many DC organizations weighing the chances of success and cost to takeover our Party." The solution: "Raise the cost and reduce the chances of success of a hostile takeover attempt so that no one even tries."

Ironically, the LP will never, ever get 5 percent of the vote if the people backing this plank get their way.

|5.23.08 @ 1:29PM|#

She tried out a Baptist church where all the women looked like they lived in an FLDS compound and was politely told not to come back wearing jeans and a sweater.

Maybe she showed up in a demure dress, and they wanted her back in tight jeans and a sweater.

|5.23.08 @ 1:45PM|#

R C Dean,
the 1st cor. referrance deals with the marriage issue.

To me, the obvious thing is this. We are admonished and exhorted repeatedly in the scriptures to avoid interaction with unbelievers. If one assumes that is true outside the church, how could it possibly be acceptable in the church?

|5.23.08 @ 1:46PM|#

OOps. that was meant for robc, not R C Dean.
my apologies to both

robc|5.23.08 @ 1:54PM|#

brotherben,

We are admonished and exhorted repeatedly in the scriptures to avoid interaction with unbelievers.

The Great Commission orders us to interact with unbelievers.

There is a reason Jesus dined with "tax collectors and sinners".

We are ordered to love our neighbor.

We are to avoid the ways of the world, not the people in it.

Shawn Levasseur|5.23.08 @ 4:40PM|#

To clarify:

"Defense Against Taxpayer Funded Presdiential Campaigns" is not a Platform plank.

It is a proposed addition to the Party Bylaws.

B|5.23.08 @ 6:35PM|#

"This is a perfect storm right now. Conservatives feel disconnected, they're not happy with their nominee-this could be a big year"

You mean the Libertarian Party may get 1% of the vote instead of its usual >1% of the vote? Wow, we are in for a big year.

Robert|5.23.08 @ 7:45PM|#

LP should be so lucky that someone would take it over.

This is one major reason LP won't amount to anything. In politics, you always have to accept the risk that your organization will be taken over. That's the only way you grow, by taking that risk continually. You just have to trust the people out there; if you can't trust them, then you have no business in politics to begin with.

Robert|5.23.08 @ 7:46PM|#

It's the same as with a public corporation. A takeover can greatly benefit shareholders. If you can't trust them, why'd you go public to begin with?