BACK TO THE FUTURE
Thursday, 21 September 2006 19:25 | 
Written by Philip Blumel | 
At 2006 RLC convention, GOP libertarians call for renewed emphasis on limited government, individual liberty
From U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris to the Wall Street Journal's Stephen Moore, diverse elements of the GOP's big tent gathered at the 2006 national meeting of the libertarian-oriented Republican Liberty Caucus Sept. 15-17 in Orlando. But their message was unified: the GOP must rediscover its winning commitment to individual rights, limited government and free enterprise.
Since the RLC was founded in 1990, the Orlando meeting was the first RLC national meeting ever held in the state. The meeting attracted approximately 125 participants over the course of the weekend.
It was a full house at the Orlando Renaissance Saturday night for Stephen Moore. At right, Moore chats with an unexpected dinner guest, U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris.
One of these was U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris who dropped by to speak at the meeting's pre-banquet reception. Harris elicited cheers with her call for cuts in taxes and government spending and a call for a radical flattening of the U.S. tax code. She was introduced by State Sen. Mike Haridopolos, once identified by that day's luncheon speaker Florida State University economist Randy Holcombe as perhaps the most libertarian member of the Florida legislature.
At the banquet event, Stephen Moore -- economics writer for the Wall Street Journal editorial page, a co-founder of the Club for Growth and a senior fellow at the Cato Institute -- pointed to the presidency of Ronald Reagan as evidence that committed advocates for limited government can achieve real change through the Republican Party. In this, he cited the drop of the highest federal tax bracket from over 70% to 28% during the 1980s as a fundamental GOP-led change that reversed America's 1970s economic malaise.
As well as lower taxes, Moore called for a return to the Reaganesque combination of lower taxes, less government spending and expanded free trade and immigration.
Billed by the RLC in its marketing material as the "most influential libertarian Republican in America," Moore embraced the label and announced "Yes, I am a a libertarian" to an appreciative crowd. "We need to have ten thousand, a hundred thousand, members of this organization," said Moore, "because it is the guidepost for where the Republican Party should be headed." 
FSU economics professor Randy Holcombe and delegates Jeff Palmer (NC) and Dan McGuire (NH). At right, Paul Jacob speaks while RLC Chair Bill Westmiller looks on.
Convention participants also heard from elected RLCer Rep. Ken Lindell of Maine, Bob Sanchez of the James Madison Institute, Bob Burg of the Stop the Politicians term limits campaign, economist and author Mark Skousen, Ivan Osorio of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Paul Jacob of Americans for Limited Government, Cheryl Moore representing U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney, former Florida police chief Jerry Cameron of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Orlando-area radio talk show host Doug Guetzloe, national Libertarian Party vice chair Chuck Moulton, RLC Liberty Index editor Dr. Clifford Thies, and James Madison Institute writer Adam Goldman. Former Floridian Eric Dondero Rittberg of Texas -- effectively the founder of the RLC -- also attended the event.
On the business side of the convention, the RLC made the initial steps to re-launch a national RLC newsletter after several years of experimenting with state-based newsletters published by the RLC's state affiliates. While this resulted in some excellent state newsletters, the consensus is it also left some smaller affiliates -- and potential affiliates -- out in the cold.
The delegates also gave its national board discretion to hold its biannual conventions in odd years in order to avoid conflicting with elections. They also considered holding its next national meeting in conjunction with Mark Skousen's Freedom Fest or other national libertarian or Republican gathering.
Florida State Sen. Mike Haridopolos speaks at the pre-banquet reception; At right, national Libertarian Party vice chair Chuck Moulton calls for LP/RLC dialogue.
Jerry Cameron of St. Augustine, among others, was elected to the national board. Chair Bill Westmiller was reelected by general affirmation as was former Floridian Jeff Palmer of North Carolina as treasurer. Aaron Biterman of Wisconsin received the 2006 Liberty Award for his work organizing college campuses and setting up new RLC state affiliates.
After lengthy discussion, the RLC tabled a clarification of its position on immigration. The purpose of the clarifying resolution was to reaffirm and to add detail to the simple embrace of expanded legal immigration enshrined in the RLC's Statement of Principles and Positions. In the end, in part due to differing opinions over details, the group tabled the resolution.
At the Florida RLC business meeting, the group expanded its board, adding regional representatives for the Jacksonville (Jerry Cameron), Miami (Alan Turin), Palm Beach (Tom Walls) and Tampa Bay (James Riis) regions. Steve Burden of Tampa was elected vice chair. The existing officers -- chair Lisa Bullion, treasurer Mark Cross, secretary Philip Blumel, and legislative liaison Joe Haynes -- were also reelected. The resignation of former vice chair R.B. Lee was accepted and Lee was thanked for his efforts on behalf of the RLC.
Maine RLCer and State Rep. Ken Lindell, Florida RLCer Philip Blumel, Ivan Osorio of the Competitive Enterprise Institute and Florida RLC Chair Lisa Bullion
Joe Haynes of Seminole unveiled the first draft of a Florida Liberty Index, a state legislative version of the popular Congressional Liberty Index. The group also decided that future state board meetings should coincide when possible with Republican Party quarterly board meetings in order to further closer participation between the RLC and the larger Republican Party. The board also agreed to treat the 2007 national Young Republicans convention -- to be held in Miami -- to be our highest priority outreach event next year. John Hallman received the 'Activist of the Year Award' for his travel around the state holding RLC Updates and speaking on issues under RLC auspices.
At the Saturday night banquet, Bill Westmiller announced a spontaneous straw poll of Republican presidential nominees at the behest of RLCers Eric Dondero of Texas and Don Murphy of Maryland, director of Republicans for Compassionate Access. In the spirit of fun that ruled at the event, participants in the back-of-the napkin poll refused to be bound by likely potential presidential nominees and many added both half-serious and decidedly non-serious write-ins. For instance, Rep. Feeney staffer Cheryl Moore and comedian/magician Penn Jillette both won votes, as did U.S. Rep Ron Paul of Texas, publisher Steve Forbes and New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson -- none of whom are running for president.
RLC chair Bill Westmiller read all the candidates' names to great applause and laughter, but in the final tally only included potential candidates -- plus one. That one was the winner of the straw poll, Florida governor Jeb Bush.
Under the headline "Give Me Liberty, And Not McCain," Stephen Moore reported the scene in the Wall Street Journal's Political Diary on Sept. 21. Beneath the fun and good cheer, Moore accurately detected a more serious theme throughout the convention and even the straw poll:
by Stephen Moore, WSJ Political Diary 9/21/06
ORLANDO -- The Republican Liberty Caucus -- the libertarian wing of the GOP -- held its annual convention in Florida this week amidst anxiety over the outlook in November and the longer term. These weren't happy campers, with resentment (bordering on contempt) over the GOP Washington spending spree and the rise of the nativist close-the-gates crowd within the party. 'We could sue our own party for abandonment,' one participant complained.Rep. Katherine Harris, who is also the Republican Senatorial candidate from Florida, was virtually hoarse from her grueling speaking schedule around the state, but she did zing her opponent, Senator Bill Nelson, for his unfailing opposition to tax cuts. There was also much grumbling about the uninspiring field of candidates for 2008. Most seemed to regard front-runner Senator John McCain with apprehension and disgust.
So whom do the libertarians want to see as the nominee? The straw poll held at the gala dinner allowed a sneak peak into the early favorites of this faction of the party. The top vote getters, in order, were: Governor Jeb Bush, Senator George Allen, Rudy Giuliani, Condoleezza Rice and Newt Gingrich.
Now I should warn that this was hardly a representative sample since the event was packed with Florida delegates. That partly explains Jeb Bush's strong showing. But the very fact that an expressed non- candidate for 2008 won the most support gives a sense of how underwhelmed Republican activists are by their potential choices. 'A Steve Forbes-type renegade candidate running on an anti-big government platform could do really well this time around,' one delegate from Georgia told me. Another chimed in with one of the cheeriest ideas of the weekend: 'Tom Coburn in '08, anyone?'
The Republican Liberty Caucus is a libertarian-oriented caucus of the GOP that has two primary goals: to promote libertarian philosophy and policy ideas to and through the GOP, and to identify and assist liberty-minded Republicans running for public and party offices.
Aaron Biterman (left) of Wisconsin receives the 2006 Liberty Award from RLC Chair Bill Westmiller; At right, Florida RLCer and a convention coordinator Tom Walls
As economist and author Mark Skousen said during his Sunday morning breakfast talk, "The Republican Liberty Caucus is an organization that deserves a huge influence, especially today, as the Republican Party is moving further and further away from its founding principles." To join, click here.
For another view of the convention with additional photos, see RLC chair Bill Westmiller's recap here.