Libertarians Bring 3rd-Party Message to Handful at CSUN

Two of the country’s top Libertarian candidates brought their message of limited government to Cal State Northridge on Tuesday and ended up speaking to a limited audience--of never more than six.

And that number included Hilda Campos, a senior business major, who sat through the nearly hourlong event only because “it’s rude to walk out on someone who is talking.”

The midday speeches by U.S. Senate candidate Richard Boddie and vice presidential candidate Nancy Lord were organized by the school’s Libertarian club in hopes of getting young voters interested in third-party politics.

But several listeners seemed more interested in finishing lunch than listening to candidate speeches.

Others said they had never heard of the Libertarian Party. And those who had weren’t so sure where to place them on the political spectrum.

“I’d have to say that they are right,” said Chris Richard, a member of Students for America, a conservative group. “But I think there are both, you know. I think there are right Libertarians and liberal Libertarians. But I consider them right, far right.”

Both speakers preached the Libertarian message that government is too big, too expensive and puts too many restrictions on businesses and the public.

“The Libertarian position says that government is involved in the bedroom and boardroom far too much,” said Boddie, a motivational speaker from Huntington Beach who hopes to unseat California Republican Sen. John Seymour.

“If the government continues to take nearly half of everything we earn in taxes and continues to spend even more than that, our economy is going to continue to decline,” said Lord, who operates a medical-legal consulting business in Washington and is teaming up with Libertarian presidential candidate Andre Marrou.

Diana Milligan, a senior history major, seemed unimpressed.

“From an ideological standpoint I can say, yes, I agree with them, but I don’t see what they are going to do about it,” she said. “I mean, it’s just a lot of rhetoric and crap.”

Milligan said the low turnout may have been due to student apathy. Other students said the event may have suffered because of bad timing or lack of advertising.

Boddie said after the speech that he was not upset about the low turnout because he did not organize the event. He said that if he were in charge, he would have bought radio and newspaper advertising and would have included a jazz choir as the opening act.

“It’s basic marketing,” he said.

John Vernon, a member of the Libertarian Party of California, said the event was organized by the 17-member campus Libertarian club. He said turnout was low partly because the public is reluctant to accept a third party. “The problem with Libertarians is we are still not being taken seriously and are not getting attention,” he said.