New Orleans Accord

The following was an attempt at #BottomUnity between left- and right-libertarians at the 2018 Libertarian National Convention in New Orleans, LA.

Versions Proposed

First Attempt (1 of 3) introduced from the floor by Adam Kokesh:

"New Orleans Accord

Whereas people are only able to thrive in an environment in which their sole discretion over their own lives is respected, Be it resolved that the Libertarian Party welcomes and accepts members from various economic schools of thought, as long as those members accept the fundamental principle that each individual should be free from involuntary servitude to others."

Second Attempt (2 of 3) introduced from the floor by Dane Posner:

(Note: This version received the biggest support from the body: estimated at 60% but not the 2/3 necessary for adoption.)

"NOLA Accord

Whereas it is necessary for all who passionately oppose injustice to stand together, we the members of the LP hereby resolve that we welcome everyone who asserts the NAP, regardless of their preferences for what a voluntary world might look like."

Third Attempt (3 of 3) introduced from the floor by Richard Fast:

"New Orleans Accord

Whereas people are only able to thrive in an environment in which their sole discretion over their own lives is respected, Be it resolved that the Libertarian Party welcomes and accepts members from various systems of governance, as long as those members accept the Statement of Principles."

Opposition

Opposition was primarily based on three arguments.

• 1. This is stating the obvious and thereby not necessary.

• 2. This is a Trojan Horse attempt to change the fundamental economic position of the Party to be agnostic when it is not. The Libertarian Party is economically "right-wing" and has been since its founding with strong propertarian foundations just as it is socially "left-wing" and has been since its founding. That doesn't mean that common cause cannot be found but there is no need to force everyone to acknowledge that all economic systems are valid Libertarian Party positions.

• 3. Invoking the NAP is meaningless without first defining property rights. If "rent is theft" it is not a violation of the NAP to violently repel a landlord and take the property. One cannot define aggression without concurrently defining property.

Others noted that this concept relied upon a political spectrum chart not used by the Libertarian Party and in fact rejected by David Nolan when formulating the Nolan Chart as a diamond rather than a square. In other words, the side by side placement is arbitrary based upon how the data is arranged.