On April 21st, from the shadows of the New Hampshire state capitol building, as well as the national political scene, Gary Johnson announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for President in 2012. Just four days later, it became known that Ron Paul was forming an exploratory committee, a first step in a process that almost certainly will end in an official presidential run. This back-and-forth is in many ways emblematic of the growing divide between supporters of Johnson and Paul.

Many of us saw this coming. There is this underlying perception that the liberty movement ain’t big enough for the both of ‘em. Each side is concerned that the other candidate will hurt their candidate’s chances to win the GOP nomination. I believe it is from this that all other debates stem. Don’t get me wrong; each side has raised legitimate points, but fear of the harm the “other” candidate will do is what is making the disagreements personal. I want to address the concerns in hopes that I can help quell the personal and divisive nature of Johnson v. Paul 2012.

It is somewhat true that the presence of multiple libertarian candidates will to a certain extent split the vote. The Paul supporters will claim that Johnson is stealing former and potential Paul supporters. While it is true that this has and will occur, Johnson supporters can just as easily make the claim that Paul will be stealing potential Johnson supporters because Johnson was the first to announce his candidacy. Come to think of it, Ron Paul has yet to announce he is running for president. This is nothing more than jejune bickering, and it needs to stop.

Though there is a semblance of truth to it, the vote-splitting concern is a little overblown. Each candidate that enters the race is going to siphon votes from the most ideologically similar candidates. This is the nature of primaries, and as each candidate drops out of the race, most of the votes that had gone to him or her will be divided among the remaining candidates. If at some point Johnson or Paul decides to drop out of the race, I believe it is almost a certainty that one will endorse the other; that will give the remaining candidate an observable boost, which will at least promote the perception of momentum. If neither candidate drops out of the race, the result would be two prominent libertarian voices in the Republican race.

And isn’t that what all of this is about? Ron Paul’s 2008 race has been an immeasurable boon to the liberty movement. If we are to look seriously at that run, though, it was never about winning. Dr. Paul has made it clear he has little if any desire to actually become president. If he does officially run for president in 2012, it will be a reluctant response to public pressure. Ron Paul ran as a message candidate in 2008, and he’s going to be doing the same thing in 2012. The RealClearPolitics aggregate poll has Paul polling at 6% right now. While I would not suggest it is impossible for Ron Paul to win in 2012, starting out with that low of a number does not bode well for victory.

Gary Johnson will be doing the same thing in 2012. This election cycle will be for Gary Johnson what 2008 was for Ron Paul. This effect would be greater if Paul ultimately decided not to run, but in either case Gary Johnson is not going to win in 2012. For Johnson, this is more about 2016 than it is about 2012. Given the political reality that neither is going to win, there should be no reason to attack either one of them for ruining the cause or whatever other ridiculous allegations are being said. When you are a message candidate, you want your message to be as loud as possible, and two voices are louder than one.

Both Johnson and Paul supporters should welcome the other candidate because of this. Paul supporters should think back to the 2008 debates (well, the ones in which Ron Paul was actually allowed to participate). Do you remember the ostracism and general disrespect with which Dr. Paul was treated? He was cast aside as a lone kook rambling on about the Fed and other crazy things. That’s an easy thing to do when only one candidate is speaking the words that are being dismissed as looney. If you add another candidate to the mix saying the same thing, it adds credibility to the message of both. In a sense, Johnson and Paul need each other to be taken seriously.

It is my sincere hope that these reasons will lessen the infighting that so often plagues the liberty movement. In Part II of this article, I will go over the actual policy differences that are often the subject of ridicule from the opposing camp. As I will show, although each side will focus on the differences, even where Johnson and Paul differ, they aren’t that different.

So let us put this behind us. I thought this was a revolution. I’ve been seeing much more hate than love recently.

This is not the Ron Paul movement. It is not the Gary Johnson movement. This is the libertarian movement, and the more soldiers for liberty we have the more successful our fight will be.

Republican Liberty Caucus Advisory Board member and Chairman of the Our America Initiative, former New Mexico Governor Gary E. Johnson, yesterday announced that he is seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

Governor Johnson appeared on Dylan Ratigan’s show on MSNBC, on FOX Business, and on John King USA with Jessica Yellin filling in for John King. View his appearance on John King USA, which was very good.

News articles about Governor Johnson’s campaign were featured in almost every major news outlet, including Politico.com, DailyCaller.com, USA Today, CBS News, ABC News, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, and numerous other publications.

You can donate to Governor Johnson’s campaign and also sign up for his newsletter at http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/. You can also join his supporters on Facebook.

Governor Johnson has made a tremendous effort to meet with RLC members from across the country as Chairman of the Our America Initiative. Most recently, he spoke at the 2011 RLC National Convention. He is known for his pro-liberty positions on the issues confronting our country.

The RLC has not endorsed any Presidential candidates since Steve Forbes in 1996. We let our members decide who they want to support and only formally endorse a candidate if our chartered state affiliates unanimously agree on a candidate to endorse.

Will Reince Priebus exclude Ron Paul and Gary Johnson from the 2012 RNC debates?

Despite the fact that no candidates have formally announced for President, we know that campaign season is upon us because the usual suspects are working to find a way to exclude new ideas from the Presidential debates.

Presidential debates in our country have often been exclusionary, especially since the formation of the Commission on Presidential Debates after Ross Perot’s successful third party campaign in 1992. The Libertarian Party candidate has never been included in a nationally televised debate. Congressman Ron Paul was excluded from at least one debate in Iowa in 2007, but was ultimately included in the important debates. If he had not been included in the debates, both his ideas and his popularity would have suffered as a result. Perhaps the Tea Party never would have formed.

Last week, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus formed a committee comprised of RNC member Jim Bopp, former RNC Chair Mike Duncan, former Florida GOP Chair Al Cardenas, and former Congressman Dick Armey to decide whether the Republican National Committee should sponsor debates to raise money for themselves. According to James Bopp, “The RNC or its designee may at its discretion determine the time, place, co-sponsors, format , subject matter, moderators and participants” for the debates.

“Those candidates invited to participate in RNC-sanctioned debates will be allowed to participate in a list exchange with the RNC,” wrote Bopp.

And therein lies the problem. Certain candidates will be invited and other candidates will be excluded.

This is exactly what I warned of when I asked you to write your RNC member to oppose the nomination of RNC Chairman Reince Priebus just a few months ago.

The RNC is planning to pick favorites. If conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt — who thinks this is a grand plan for the Republican Party — has his way, Congressman Ron Paul and Governor Gary Johnson will be excluded from RNC-sanctioned debates. Writes Hewitt:

“Bar the stage to those candidates who simply cannot win the nomination, even under Iowa-upset circumstances. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania are long-shots, but they have a plausible path to the nomination. Former Rep. Buddy Roemer of Louisiana and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson do not. If Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, asks for another giant chunk of valuable time, the RNC should say no, and put up with the howls from the 1 percent who will scream.“

Fortunately, some debates are already scheduled, including a May 5 South Carolina debate, a June 7 New Hampshire debate, an August Iowa debate, two debates in Florida in September and October, and the Politico/NBC debate on September 14 in California. However, if the RNC continues with its plan, they could simply adopt some of these debates and begin excluding whomever they want — just as the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates excludes third party candidates each Presidential election cycle.

TAKE ACTION

Please contact RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, RNC Chief of Staff Jeff Larson, RNC Committeeman from Indiana Jim Bopp, RNC Committeeman from Kentucky Mike Duncan, FreedomWorks’ Dick Armey, and American Conservative Union’s Al Cardenas. Ask them for inclusive debates that include Congressman Ron Paul, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer, and former Reagan official Fred Karger.

Here is a sample letter:

Dear Committeeman Bopp,

I recently learned that the Republican National Committee is sponsoring its own debates to raise money for the RNC.  I am a Republican party activist and am also involved with my local Tea Party.  I saw conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt comment that certain candidates should be excluded from the RNC-sanctioned debates.

Mr. Bopp, rest assured that I will not donate to the RNC if they exclude candidates like Congressman Ron Paul, Governor Buddy Roemer, or Governor Gary Johnson.  I want to hear as many voices as possible so that the Republican Party can have its best choice to defeat President Obama in 2012.

If your debates are going to be inclusive, then please forge ahead.  However, if you’re going to exclude candidates and ideas from the process, count me out.

Best Regards,

[Your Name]

You may also want to write to Hugh Hewitt to ask him why he believes American voters should be isolated from new ideas and different approaches to solving our problems.

GET INVOLVED

This leads us to the most important point about the discussion: We need more liberty-loving Republicans involved in the Republican Party so our voices can be heard.

Please join the Republican Liberty Caucus today and get involved in your state or local chapter.

If we’re not able to change the Republican Party from within, liberty will lose.

It’s really that simple. We choose to inject libertarian ideas into the party, or we give up. Those are our options.

At the 2011 Republican Liberty Caucus National Convention in Arlington, Virginia, elected officials from across the country made the case for political participation among students and activists in the liberty movement.

Congressman Justin Amash, in his short speech to delegates, spoke positively about the Republican Liberty Caucus, saying …

“In 2005, I wasn’t involved in politics in any substantive way. I had never really thought about running for office. I began looking for organizations that shared the beliefs I had — and that’s when I came across the Republican Liberty Caucus. And, really, it’s what’s started my move toward running for office.”

Listen to more of our elected liberty Republicans below. Please join or get involved (or both) in the Republican Liberty Caucus today.

Congressman Justin Amash – Part 1

Congressman Justin Amash – Part 2

Elected Liberty Republicans – Part 1 (Dan Halloran)

Elected Liberty Republicans – Part 2 (Jamie Callender)

Elected Liberty Republicans – Part 3 (Terri McCormick)

Elected Liberty Republicans – Part 4 (Mix)

Elected Liberty Republicans – Part 5 (Mix)

Governor Gary Johnson – Part 1

Governor Gary Johnson – Part 2

It’s hard to believe, but the RLC celebrated its twenty year anniversary over the weekend with its biennial Republican Liberty Caucus National Convention and outreach effort at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

The activities began on Wednesday evening when RLC’ers Dave Nalle, Aaron Biterman, George Primbs, Shelby McCurnin, and Julian Babbitt set up the CPAC outreach booth. On Thursday, the day began bright and early with Republican Liberty Caucus outreach efforts at CPAC. This marked the first RLC outreach efforts at the conference in almost a decade.

Dave Nalle brought impressive RLC literature, pins, and t-shirts to distribute to attendees. RLC’ers used the World’s Smallest Political Quiz to help attendees identify their political leanings. Throughout the two-day conference, members and supporters of the RLC wore “I am the RLC” stickers and RLC pins to express unity and shared commitment to individual liberty and limited government.

Some RLC members attended speeches by Ron Paul, Rand Paul, Governor Gary Johnson, and events hosted by those three leaders of the libertarian Republican movement. On Thursday evening, both Johnson and the Pauls had their own respective events. On Friday, both Ron Paul and Gary Johnson spoke before CPAC attendees and were well received. On Saturday, the straw poll results from the CPAC conference were announced, with Ron Paul placing first with thirty percent and Gary Johnson placing third (after Mitt Romney) with six percent.

Clearly the momentum at CPAC has shifted over the past two years. The RLC is pleased with the inclusiveness of the CPAC event and is very excited about how popular the liberty message is with CPAC attendees. Congratulations to Dr. Ron Paul for placing first in the CPAC straw poll for the second year in a row!

On Saturday, Republican Liberty Caucus members from across the country — over 125 liberty activists from more than 30 states — gathered to attend the RLC National Convention. The day opened up with a presentation on libertarianism from an expert on the topic, Cato Institute Executive VP David Boaz.

After Mr. Boaz answered questions, a panel about the Tea Party’s relationship to Ron Paul and libertarian ideas ensued. The panel, moderated by Corie Whalen and including former RLC National Board member Dr. Murray Sabrin, columnist Todd Seavey, Ron Paul campaign veteran Joe Seehusen, and Tea Party organizer Chip Tarbutton, was well very timely considering the possibility of both Ron Paul and Gary Johnson running for President in 2012.

Also in the morning session, Christopher Doss of the Leadership Institute gave a presentation about communication skills and a group of RLC members who are active in their local Republican Parties discussed how to form RLC state chapters and influence the party organizations.

One highlight of the day was the panel of current and former elected liberty Republicans. The panel featured three former State Representatives, Ken Lindell of Maine, Terri McCormick of Wisconsin, and Jamie Callender of Ohio, as well as New York City Councilman Dan Halloran (see photo below).

Congressman Justin Amash, the second youngest member of Congress and a fan favorite of RLC members, met with RLC delegates while discussing the current Congress during the lunch session. Representative Amash is cautiously optimistic. World famous Professor Randy Barnett, the most notable intellectual critic of the Obamacare health law, presented his ideas related to “The Libertarian Roots of the Republican Party,” which centered on Salmon P. Chase.

The afternoon sessions focused on civil liberties, privacy, the War on Drugs, foreign policy, how to run a winning campaign, and constitutional reforms. Panelists discussed voting methods like Instant Runoff Voting, ballot access laws, term limits, recall, and initiative & referendum.

Gary Johnson won the 2012 RLC Presidential Straw Poll with 45 percent of the vote to Ron Paul’s 38 percent of the vote. Newt Gingrich received five percent and other candidates totaled ten percent.

The recommended Bylaw, Statement of Principles, and Rule changes were adopted without modification — with one exception: Proposed Amendment to Article III, Section 6 was modified to the following wording: “Any membership may be suspended or revoked by a majority vote of the Board of Directors of the Caucus or the applicable Chartered State executive committee for just cause, which may include malfeasance in office, misappropriation of funds, misrepresenting the positions of the Caucus, or conduct which reflects poorly on the Caucus, or conduct which reflects poorly on the Caucus. Any member suspended or revoked by a State charter organization shall have the right to appeal to the National Board of Directors within 90 days, and the National Board of Directors shall render a decision within 90 days of notification.” Delegates added a statement defending Personal Liberties to the RLC Statement of Principles.

The following individuals were elected to positions on the RLC National Committee: Dave Nalle (TX), Chair; Aaron Biterman (VA), Vice Chair; Jason Hellenberg (FL), Secretary; Matthew Nye (FL), Treasurer; and Ed Lopez-Reyes (NH), Bill Westmiller (CA), and Corie Whalen (TX) were elected At-Large Board members. Regional directors will be selected by state RLC chapters within 30 days after the Convention. Alternate Board members elected included Aleq Boyle (GA), Shelby McCurnin (VA), Jeff Palmer (NC), Erik Setzer (FL), John Underwood (NC), and Eric Wall (FL).

Delegates adjourned until dinner. The dinner portion of the Convention was particularly exciting. The co-keynote speakers were Peter Schiff, who gave booming yet pessimistic predictions about the future, and Governor Gary Johnson, who outlined what he did in New Mexico. Both speeches were very well received and showed the different styles of the two speakers.

Veteran RLC member Cliff Thies presented “Bye, Bye Miss American Pie” as “Bye, Bye Miss Liberty Bye,” which prompted an audience sing-along. And Laura Crockett, a longtime RLC member from California, presented a very special pictorial history of the Republican Liberty Caucus.

Convention award winners included: Aaron Biterman (Virginia RLC), Chairman’s Award for Service; Laura Ebke (Nebraska RLC), Outstanding Activist; Michael S. Murphy (Wisconsin RLC), Activist of the Year; and the New Hampshire RLC, Most Successful State Chapter of 2010.

After dinner, Convention attendees were joined by Campaign for Liberty members and other assorted liberty activists at Baileys Pub in Ballston (Arlington) for a reception hosted by the Virginia RLC. The after-party featured Governor Gary Johnson playing RLC’ers in checkers (and apparently winning!) and was attended by commentator and columnist Jack Hunter.

Twenty years. Fifty states. One goal: Liberty. The Republican Liberty Caucus National Convention was the place to be on Saturday. Some additional Convention photos can be found here. Thank you to Republican Liberty Caucus delegates and officers as well as our generous sponsors — each of whom did their important part to make the Convention a tremendous success.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 8, 2011

REPUBLICAN LIBERTY CAUCUS WILL HOST NATIONAL CONVENTION IN ARLINGTON, VA: Convention Will Mark Twenty Years of Organization and Will Be Largest Gathering of Liberty-Minded Republicans in the Country

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – On Saturday, February 12 at the Hilton Hotel-Ballston in Arlington, the Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) will host its biennial Convention. The Convention will mark 20 years of the Republican Liberty Caucus, which was founded in 1991 to advance libertarian ideas in the Republican Party. The keynote speakers at the Convention will include David Boaz of the Cato Institute, Congressman Justin Amash from Michigan, financial analyst Peter Schiff, former New Mexico Governor Gary E. Johnson, and Georgetown University Professor of Law Randy E. Barnett.

Republican Liberty Caucus Convention Delegates from over 30 states will be in attendance, including many local or state officers from RLC chapters throughout the nation. The over 100 attendees will participate in panel discussions, hear remarks from liberty-minded elected officials, and learn training from experts in communications and campaigns. The Convention will also include a business meeting at which new officers will be elected and organizational bylaws will be revised.

The banquet luncheon will feature a presentation from Professor Randy Barnett entitled “Rediscovering the Libertarian Roots of the Republican Party” and the banquet dinner will explore how former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson implemented libertarian principles while serving as the Republican Governor from 1994 to 2003.

Every two years since 1991, the Republican Liberty Caucus has hosted its National Convention. This year marks the first time the Convention has returned to the DC area since 1996. Interested parties may learn more about the Convention at http://www.rlc.org/2011-national-convention/. A full agenda is below.

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The Republican Liberty Caucus is a nationwide grassroots organization which promotes individual liberty and limited government within the Republican Party. You can find more information about the Republican Liberty Caucus at www.rlc.org.

Convention Agenda
Saturday, February 12

8:30 to 9am: Convention Registration and Booth Setup (2nd floor of the hotel)

9am: Welcome to the Convention!
….Introduction and Welcome – Dave Nalle and Aaron Biterman
….Recognition of Convention Sponsors (Become a sponsor!)
….Update on Virginia Health Care Lawsuit from Rich Nilsen

9:10 to 9:45am: “Introduction to Libertarian Ideas” with David Boaz of The Cato Institute

9:45 to 10:25am: “Tea Parties and the Ron Paul Revolution”
….Panel with Ron Paul 2008’s Joe Seehusen, former candidate Dr. Murray Sabrin, columnist Todd Seavey, and Roanoke Tea Party President Chip Tarbutton

10:25 to 10:30am: Break

10:30 to 11:25am: Breakout Sessions** on Changing the Direction of the Republican Party
….Session 1: “Building Your RLC Chapter and How To Change the Republican Party”
……….Panel with Laura Ebke of the Nebraska RLC, Cindy Jones, and Lois Kaneshiki of the Pennsylvania Precinct Project
….Session 2: “Thoughts from Elected Liberty Republicans”
……….Panel with former OH State Rep. Jamie Callender, NYC Councilman Dan Halloran, and former WI Rep. Terri McCormick

11:30am to 12noon: “Effectively Communicating Our Liberty Message”
….Presentation by Christopher Doss, The Leadership Institute

12noon to 12:20pm: Congressman Justin Amash

12:20 to 1pm: Presentation by Professor Randy Barnett: “Rediscovering the Libertarian Roots of the Republican Party”

1:05 to 2:00pm: Breakout Sessions** on War and the Health of the State
….Session 1: “War, the State, and You: Debating Foreign Policy and Civil Liberties”
……….Panel with Dr. Cliff Thies, John Dennis, and Will Haun of the Young Conservatives Coalition
….Session 2: “Topics in Liberty: Privacy and the War on Drugs”
……….Panel with the Marijuana Policy Project’s Rob Kampia, former Md. Delegate Don Murphy, and former NC Congressional candidates Dr. Dan Eichenbaum and Nathan Tabor

2:05 to 3pm: Breakout Sessions** on Campaigns and Political Reforms
….Session 1: “Electoral & Constitutional Reforms: What Should We Support?”
……….Panel with Paul Jacob, Citizens in Charge; Philip Blumel, U.S. Term Limits; and Bill Redpath, Libertarian Party
….Session 2: “How to Run a Winning Campaign”
……….Presentation/Seminar with Vic Berardelli, “The Politics Guy”

3 to 3:15pm: Break

3:15 to 5pm: Convention Business
….“Parliamentary Procedure” – Presentation by Louis William Rose
….Officer, Bylaws Committee, Credentials Committee Reports
….Nominations for National Committee
….Bylaws and Statement of Principles Revisions
….RLC Elections
….State Chapter Reports

5:00 to 5:20pm: Candidate Lightning Round (or Convention Business extended)
….Elected officials and current/past candidates may introduce themselves.

6:30pm: Dinner Check-in

7 to 9pm: Dinner Program

….7pm to 7:30pm: Welcoming Remarks / Dinner

….7:30pm-7:45pm: “Celebrating 20 Years” Video Montage with Laura Crockett

….7:45pm-7:55pm: Clifford Thies, Ph.D.

….7:55-8:15pm: Peter Schiff

….8:15pm-8:45pm: Special Address from Governor Gary E. Johnson

….8:45pm-8:55pm: RLC Awards Presentation

….8:55-9pm: Departing Remarks

In a story at Time.com authored by Time Magazine editor-at-large and senior political analyst Mark Halperin, he discusses how Gary Johnson was initially excluded from the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) — which is taking place from Thursday to Saturday — but was included in the agenda as of yesterday.

Halperin says,

“Governor Johnson will also be the keynote speaker at the Republican Liberty Caucus on Saturday, February 12th. His name will be included on the straw poll at both events.”

He adds that Johnson’s “stance on marijuana legalization, gay rights, ending war in Afghanistan and immigration make him unique among conservatives.”

(Picture at right: Governor Johnson is posing with Jon Tucker, Nebraska RLC Vice Chairman.)

Halperin says that Republican Liberty Caucus, Citizens Opposing Prohibition, Americans for Tax Reform, Log Cabin Republicans, Students for Liberty, Free and Equal Election Foundation and Young Americans for Liberty are all supporting Johnson’s bid to partake in CPAC events.

Read the full article. The RLC also picked up media hits in Yahoo! News and The DailyCaller on this same topic.

The RLC is co-sponsoring a Young Americans for Liberty gathering with Governor Johnson on Thursday night from 10pm to 1am and will also host the former Governor as a co-keynote speaker with financial analyst Peter Schiff at our banquet dinner on Saturday, February 12.

The RLC Convention lineup continues to attract prominent pro-liberty voices. We hope you’ll join us for all or part of the day on Saturday, February 12 at the Hilton Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. Please register before the prices rise on February 1.

Congressman Justin Amash is the U.S. Representative-elect in Michigan’s 3rd congressional district, which encompasses the Grand Rapids area. After earning his law degree in 2006, Mr. Amash joined the Republican Liberty Caucus and developed a local chapter of the RLC in Kent County. He ran for State Representative in 2008 and won. After announcing his bid Congress in 2010, he was endorsed by FreedomWorks, the RLC, and local Tea Party groups. He won the primary and then the general election. He resides with his wife and family in Kentwood, Michigan.

Governor Gary E. Johnson is an outspoken advocate for efficient government, lower taxes, winning the war on drug abuse, protection of civil liberties, revitalization of the economy and promoting entrepreneurship and privatization. In 1976, he started his own company, Big J Enterprises, which grew into a multi-million dollar corporation that employed over 1000 people in New Mexico. He sold the company in 1999.

In 1994, Johnson was elected Governor of New Mexico despite having little experience in politics. He was reelected in 1998. As Governor, he eliminated New Mexico’s budget deficit, cut the rate of growth in state government in half, privatized half of the state prisons, and shifted state Medicaid to managed care. While in office, Governor Johnson vetoed 750 bills and struck thousands of line items from legislation. During his term, New Mexico experienced the longest period without a tax increase in the state’s history. Johnson is an avid skier, adventurer, and bicyclist who climbed Mount Everest in 2003. He has two grown children.

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the repeal of the military ban on gays in the military, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” My previous post explains today’s events in which the Senate passed the measure.

What has not been widely reported is that Republican Liberty Caucus Advisory Board members Jeff Flake of Arizona and Dr. Ron Paul of Texas both voted to repeal the discriminatory policy: see the House Roll Call on the bill.

The only other libertarian-leaning Republicans who voted to repeal “Don’t Ask” were U.S. Rep. John Campbell of California and U.S. Senator John Ensign of Nevada. All of the other Republican votes were from the moderate wing of the party.

Earlier this year, Dr. Cliff Thies released the RLC’s 2009 Liberty Index, in which Jeff Flake and Ron Paul topped the chart with the #1 and #2 scores, respectively.

An excellent vote from some great pro-liberty leaders!

Congressman Ron Paul, an advisory board member of the Republican Liberty Caucus, announced last night that he will be named Chairman of the Monetary Policy Subcommittee in Congress.

According to Paul, “The chairman of the financial services subcommittee, Spencer Bachus (R-AL), has told me today verbally that I will be the chairman of that subcommittee. He was the one who appointed me as the ranking member and he is sticking to his guns and that I will have responsibility of that committee.”

When asked about subpoenas and an audit of the Fed, Paul went on to say that he can issue subpoenas but would need agreement from the chairman as well as speaker.

Watch the clip from Judge Napolitano’s program at the FoxBusiness website.

The Republican Liberty Caucus gathered a coalition of supporters in a letter that was sent out earlier this week in support of Dr. Paul leading the subcommittee. The letter included former New Mexico Governor and Our America Initiative Chairman Gary Johnson.

With 2009 Liberty Index top scorer U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) being added to the Appropriations Committee earlier in the week, it has been a very good week for constitutionalists in Congress — even with some other very disappointing choices to lead other committees.