A Strategy for the Boston Tea Party

My newest Boston Tea Party Column, published at http://bostontea.us/node/654...

The coming elections in 2010 and 2012 will be very important for the Boston Tea Party if we are to become an effective and lasting organization. If we do not grow and show that we can become a potent force for smaller government in the next few years, it is unlikely that we ever will. This is because we will have the stigma of being not only a small organization but also an old one. If we do not make a good showing in the Presidential and the other races of 2012 our importance level, I believe, is likely to seek to that of the modern Prohibition Party. But if we do well, and it will not be by chance but only hard work, I believe the Boston Tea Party will grow into a leading liberty-based organization.

2010 is the next election for federal offices and for many state and local offices as well. If we make a good showing in 2010 it will make it easier for us in 2012 in terms of ballot access, party size and fundraising. It will also help to make our party’s activists more experienced. For 2010, Candidates for federal office and executive state offices (such as governor, state treasurer, ect.) should run purely educational and party building campaigns. Their campaign’s main goals should be 1) to spread radical, small-government libertarian ideas, 2) attract new activists and donors to the party and 3) if possible, receive enough votes to keep party ballot access for the next election.

Campaign we should focus on winning are local city/ county councils and, to a lesser extent, state legislature campaigns. City/ county wide elections are not only excellent for building local party organizations but also are provide a good opportunity, if a campaign is ran well, for getting party members elected. State legislatures are normally the highest office third parties elect candidates to; some of these elections might be good for the BTP, though I think 2012 will hold more opportunity for actually electing a state legislator. Campaigns for smaller boards (such as city water boards, park commissions, ect.) hold little educational value, because their districts are so small, should be solely focused on electing their candidate.

The next presidential election is in 2012. Our 2008 presidential campaign was a fairly good one, considering all that was set against us at the time and our late nomination process, but I hope our next one will do much better. If 2010 is a good year for us and we continue to grow through 2011, our next presidential candidate will already have a considerable donor base and ballot access in several states. Hopefully, he or she will be able to get ballot access in the majority of states and will receive many votes.

In order for any of this to be successful we have to start working right now. Funds for ballot access must be collected, new members must be recruited and so must candidates. I sincerely think that the Boston Tea Party can become a major force for liberty but it’s something we have to work towards. The first thing you have to do is become active in your state party and if your state doesn’t have one start one. If you help doing this just email me at eternaverse@yahoo.com and I can give you some advice or, at least, point you in the right direction. If you don’t want to be an activist, I know all of you have busy lives, donate funds to your state party to help support ballot access or to one of our candidates. And for those of you already active, thanks for what you’re doing and keep up the good work; you have built this party from nothing and it truly belongs to you.

-Raymond Lady

I’ve also recently made a list of states that have ballot access laws that might make it reasonably possible for the BTP to get on the ballot in 2010. You can see it here.