Republican Liberty Caucus
611 Pennsylvania Ave. S.E. #370
Washington, DC 20003
Republican Liberty Caucus
Finance Office
10878 Westheimer, Suite 395
Houston, TX 77042
Republican Liberty Caucus Cyberoffice
http://www.rlc.org
New member info: 1-800-752-9646
Republican Liberty Caucus National Committee Members:
Chairman
Clifford Thies
CThies@su.edu
Executive Director
Thomas D. Walls
afn18566@afn.org
Secretary
Robert R. Booth, Jr.
RobBooth@msn.com
Treasurer
Mike Holmes
Michael_E_Holmes@compuserve.com
General Counsel
Alan Turin
At-large
Laura Crockett
sumlaura@aol.com
At-large
Richard Sincere
rlcva@aol.com
At-large
Tom Walls
afn18566@afn.org
Alternate
Charles Muth
charmuth@aol.com
Alternate
Laura Kotelman
lauramk@worldnet.att.net
Alternate
Alan Cousin
ahcousin@worldnet.att.net
1. What does the RLC do?
2. What is the RLC's platform?
3. What famous politicians are members of the RLC?
4. How can I learn more about the RLC?
5. How can I join the RLC?
6. I'm a student, how can I get involved?
7. Is there an RLC chapter in my state?
8. How can I start a state/local chapter?
9. Why don't you just join the Libertarian Party (LP) and work through
them?
10. Would the RLC support a Libertarian Party candidate?
11. How can a group of libertarians be in the same party as the religious
right?
12. What is the RLC's position on abortion?
13. What is the RLC's position on drugs?
14. Are there any other groups affiliated with the RLC?
15. I'm a candidate for office, how can I apply for assistance from the
RLFCF?
16. Does the RLC ever have national gatherings of its members?
17. I'm really mad at you Republicans, can I complain to you?
18.. I don't have a lot of money, but I want to help. What can I do?
19. I was looking another Republican group called the RLC, do you know
where
I can find them?
1. What does the RLC do?
We are expanding our nationwide base of libertarians active in the Republican Party. We publish a national newsletter and some state chapters publish newsletters as well. The newsletters provide libertarian Republicans with information about campaigns, issues and events of interest. Members are active in these various campaigns, etc. and seek to push libertarian candidates and issues to the forefront. Our members also attend GOP conventions and gatherings, identify libertarians in the GOP, and cultivate relationships with them. We also maintain relationships with various single-issue groups, e.g. gun owners, in order to combine forces when necessary on an issue of mutual interest.
We maintain a website in order to provide information to RLC members and attract new ones. The world wide web has proven to be a great outreach tool, and the RLC has experienced tremendous growth over the past several years.
2. What is the RLC's platform?
The RLC doesn't have an official platform like the major parties, because it is a political club and only affiliated with a major party. It is a group that seeks to support libertarian and like-minded candidates in the Republican Party. A platform is not an accurate reflection of the views of its members; it is a compromise between the people who are interested enough in political theory to argue about it. In the GOP and Democratic Party, candidates consistently run on issues at odds with the official party line. The RLC has no plans to develop a comprehensive document outlining the RLC's views on every issue. There is, however, an official list of RLC positions that emphasizes limited government across the board. The document was adopted at the 1996 RLC convention. Individual RLC members do not necessarily concur with every position, and it is not a requirement of membership to endorse it. It does seem to reflect the general views of the members.
The RLC supports:
-Lower and fewer taxes
-Balanced budgets through spending cuts
-Protection of property rights
-Privatization
-Deregulation
-Private options to Social Security
-Sound money policies
-Free trade
-Ending Federal welfare
-Phase-out of foreign aid
-Term limits
-Market-based health care
-Educational choice
-Freedom of speech
-The right to privacy
-Alternatives to the drug war
-The right to keep and bear arms
-All-volunteer armed forces
The goal of the RLC is to see that policies like these are implemented, not just written down on a platform.
3. Are any elected officials are members of the RLC?
Members of the Republican Liberty Caucus Board of Advisors - US Congress:
Brian Bilbray (CA) http://www.house.gov/bilbray/
Helen Chenoweth (ID) http://www.house.gov/chenoweth/
Mark Foley (FLA) http://www.house.gov/foley/
J.D. Hayworth (AZ) http://www.house.gov/hayworth/
Sam Johnson (TX) http://www.house.gov/samjohnson/
Jack Metcalf (WA) http://www.house.gov/metcalf/
Ron Paul (TX) [also former RLC Chair]http://www.house.gov/paul
Matt Salmon (AZ) http://www.house.gov/sabo/
John Shadegg (AZ) http://www.house.gov/shadegg/
Nick Smith (MI) http://www.house.gov/nicksmith/
Todd Tiahrt (KS) http://www.house.gov/tiahrt/
All are members of the House of Representatives. There are numerous others who are state representatives and senators, as well as economists, journalists and other libertarian VIPs, including Mark Skousen, Robert Poole, Martin Anderson, State Sens. Dave Jaye - MI, Bob Hedlund - MA, Brad Gorham - RI, John McClaughry-VT, Duncan Scott - NM, State Reps. Suzanna Gratia-Hupp - TX, Penn Pfiffner - CO, Vic Kohring - AK, Tom Feeney, FLA.
4. How can I learn more about the RLC?
If you found this FAQ via the RLC website, you've found the main source for public information. If not, point your web browser to www.rlc.org. We also have our college network web site, which is located at www.afn.org/~afn04641. You should also see a web page called "Libertarian Republicans Speak Out!" at www.afn.org/~afn04641/opinions.html. This is a collection of libertarian Republican opinion articles. Another source of information is our e-mail list, which you can subscribe to by sending a message to rlc-discuss-request@lists.best.com. The message should have the word "subscribe" on the subject line, and in the body of the message. Please feel free to read the messages and participate in the discussion. All we ask is that after you have examined the list for a month or so, please become a dues-paying member.
5. How can I join the RLC?
Send a check or money order to:
Republican Liberty Caucus
Finance Office
10878 Westheimer, Suite 395
Houston, TX 77042
The membership levels are:
Benefactor - $5000
Roundtable - $1000
Associate - $500
Patron - $250
Sustaining - $100
Premium - $50
Regular - $30 (Couple - $45)
Student/Military - $20
Subscription only - $18 (not eligible to participate in official RLC
activities, e.g. hold RLC office or vote at
conventions)
Memberships include dues for both the national and state levels for one calendar year. Members/subscribers receive six bi-monthly issues of Republican Liberty, the RLC's newsletter. Current members are eligible to participate in RLC functions.
6. I'm a student, how can I get involved?
Besides the college network site, State Liaison Ron Lisy serves as campus coordinator and can be reached at RLisy@officemax.com. Our focus is on establishing a network of students active in College Republicans and other groups. Like the RLC this is a way for like-minded people to find each other and work together.
7. Is there an RLC chapter in my state?
If you do not have access to the web, send an e-mail message to our State Liaison Ron Lisy, who can be reached at RLisy@officemax.com or home: (216) 556-2510 or pager: (216) 302-2963. Also helpful are Tom Walls (Executive Director) at afn18566@afn.org, Mike Holmes (Treasurer) at Michael_E_Holmes@compuserve.com, or Rob Booth (Membership Coordinator) at robbooth@msn.com. They can answer your questions.
8. How can I start a state/local chapter?
It is easy. To start a state chapter you need two dues-paying members of the RLC: Yourself, and another person not related to you, not living with you, etc. You also need a bank account. The RLC is not just a grass roots organization in name only, dues are shared liberally with state organizations.
If you don't want to deal with a bank account or the other requirements,
the RLC Chair or Executive Director can recognize state chapters even if
they don't meet the above criteria. The state organization is not
eligible for dues-sharing, however, until those criteria are met.
9. Why don't you just join the Libertarian Party and work through
them?
Many in our group have been LP members, some still are. The RLC
Chairman, Professor Cliff Thies was the Treasurer of the national LP at
one time. Our past chairman, Cong. Ron Paul, was the LP presidential
candidate in 1988. Our Treasurer, Mike Holmes, was a founding member of
the LP. A former chairman, the late Roger MacBride, cast the only
electoral vote the LP ever received. Everyone in the RLC joined for
their own reasons, but it can be presumed that they all would agree that
in many races the GOP is the best way to go in order to actually get a
libertarian elected. It can also be said that the LP runs educational
campaigns, where the goal is not actually electing someone, but educating
the public about the libertarian philosophy. We are interested in
getting someone who holds the libertarian philosophy elected.
10. Would the RLC support a Libertarian Party candidate?
The RLC does not support LP candidates in a race where there is a GOP
candidate. This does not mean that individual RLC members are party line
voters. Our internal surveys show that RLC members often vote for LP
candidates, including in presidential elections. A person's individual
choice with regards to voting is not a litmus test for participation in
the RLC.
11. How can a group of libertarians be in the same party as the
"religious right"?
Consistent with the RLC's goals, we try to build bridges to as many
groups as possible. Sometimes we are successful, sometimes not.
However, in many areas, the religious right do have some views in common
with libertarians, e.g. school choice. The GOP is a big tent, and we try
to persuade as many Republicans as possible that we have the best ideas.
The fact that libertarianism is a unifying vision is proven by the fact
that the RLC shares members with both the Christian Coalition and Log
Cabin Republicans.
12. What is the RLC's position on abortion?
Neutral. We have both pro-lifers to pro-choicers, and in between. As far
as libertarian groups go, you'll find that we are probably the most
"tolerant" of the pro-life viewpoint. Our immediate past chairman, Cong.
Ron Paul (R-TX, 14th Dist.) is very pro-life. Many other members are
pro-choice. As libertarians, we oppose Federal funding of abortion
under any circumstances. It is not a litmus test, and it is not an issue
that is often debated internally.
13. What is the RLC's position on drugs?
Officially we support "alternatives to the war on drugs." Specifically
we have supported medical marijuana and opposed mandatory minimum
sentences. Viewpoints of various people are, obviously, various. Many
support complete decriminalization, others are skeptical of that. The
group would probably agree with the statement that the war on drugs is a
failure.
14. Are there any other groups affiliated with the RLC?
We have an affiliated Political Action Committee (PAC), the Republican
Liberty Federal Campaign Fund (RLFCF). The president is Dr. Matt Monroe.
The PAC's goals are the same as the RLC's, except that the PAC
concentrates on getting money to electoral candidates.
15. I'm a candidate for office, how can I apply for assistance from
the
RLFCF?
The PAC assists libertarians running for office as Republicans. If you
meet those criteria, send your campaign information to the RLC's finance
office (see beginning of file). The material will be reviewed by the PAC
board. They are looking for candidates who have a track record of
supporting libertarian causes, and are in a race that can be won.
16. Does the RLC ever have national gatherings of its members?
The RLC has a convention every two years, shortly after election day.
Speakers include members of Congress and state legislators, leaders of
public policy organizations, and political consultants geared to help the
RLC achieve electoral success. At the business meeting, RLC officers for
the
following two years are elected. It also provides an opportunity for RLC
members to meet their comrades from around the country, compare notes on
political and policy issues, and socialize with new and old friends. In
1996, the RLC met in Washington, D.C. In 1998, the convention was held
in Las Vegas, Nevada, over the weekend of December 11-13, at the Harrah's
Las Vegas. If you would like to attend a future convention, please
write to the RLC DC office for more information. You can also e-mail Tom
Walls at afn18566@afn.org or Rob Booth at RobBooth@msn.com.
17. I'm really mad at you Republicans, can I complain to you?
If you really want to, go ahead. We may share some of your concerns. It
must be pointed out that we are not the Republican National Committee,
who can be reached at www.rnc.org. If you have a complaint for
Republicans in general, it will be better directed there.
18. I don't have a lot of money, but I want to help. What can I
do?
Money is the lifeblood of politics, but volunteers provide the sweat.
There's a great deal you can do. Get in touch with the state RLC chair and
ask him or her how you can help. If there isn't a state chapter, start
one!
Write an opinion piece and e-mail it to Tom Walls at afn18566@afn.org. If
he
likes it, he'll post it to Libertarian Republicans Speak Out! Pieces
written
by libertarian Republicans have been picked up by local papers as op-ed
pieces. If you know something about a piece of legislation that no one
seems to be talking about, e-mail anyone listed on this FAQ. Rep. Ron Paul
tells the story of how one vote ended up in Congress being 432-3. He knew
on
principle the bill was bad, and talked the two people sitting next to him
into voting against it. You could be telling an even better story. If
enough
people take action like this, you can tell how YOU helped stop a bad bill
from becoming law. You just need to get involved with a group that takes
its
politics seriously.
19. I was looking another Republican group called the RLC, do you know
where
I can find them?
There is another Republican group that goes by the initials RLC, but they
are the Republican Leadership Council. Our two groups are not affiliated.
The Republican Leadership Council advertises itself as being "fiscally
conservative and socially inclusive." If you were looking for them, their
web address is http://www.rlcnet.org.
This FAQ was prepared by RLC National Secretary Rob Booth, 1998 and is
frequently updated. Comments, questions? E-mail Rob Booth.
The Republican Liberty Caucus is a nationwide organization for
libertarians within the Republican Party.
Back to LIBERTARIAN REPUBLICANS SPEAK OUT.