The Libertarian presidential candidate for both 1996 and 2000, Harry Browne passed away on Wednesday (3/1). He had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease last year. He was 72.
great baseball player...Lou Gehrig that is. Harry Brown brought no leadership to the libertarian party, and refused to accept a realistic perspective...one that would draw others to the party. Its sad he died, but I wont miss him.
I'll agree that Harry Browne was not the greatest orator that the Libertarian party has had. I will give him some credit for creating interest in the Libertarian party, particularly during the 1996 election year. Too often, however, he spoke in rhetorical terms and didn't come up with solid examples as to how private sector solutions were better than political ones. He would use expressions such as "government doesn't work" or "we can replace these taxes/programs, etc. with 'nothing'". Well, that's all well and good but you must illustrate how the private sector will provide the necessary services that people might need. You have to show how government programs are inefficient and how the private sector is so much better. And the list goes on.
He wasn't the greatest guy the party could have picked, but at least he was outspoken enough to give the party a voice and put it on the political map. There are alot of people who had never heard of the Libertarian party prior to Mr. Brown's campaigns.
