Libertarian campaign strategy

The Libertarian party appears to be doing all it can to NOT win the votes of Alaskans this fall.

There's the candidate for U.S. House, Alexander Crawford:

"If you are upset with how things are, if you are upset about the war in Iraq, if you don't think the United States is on the right course towards freedom and avoiding the Third World War, which none of us young folks want to fight or want our children to fight, I'm asking you to vote for Diane Benson," Crawford said.

Perhaps it's a sort of reverse psychology sort of thing.

There's also Lieutenant Governor candidate Robert Mirabal. In his official statement in the state of Alaska election information pamphlet, he says:

"I am a newcomer to the political process and the libertarian philosophies. With this campaign I hope to improve myself and increase my understanding of the operation of state and local government."

I imagine the main reason most people vote libertarian is ideological - they agree fundamentally with the ideals embodied by the libertarian philosophy. To say that you're a newcomer to the sole factor that might motivate people to vote for you strikes me as a somewhat less than ideal approach to politics.

Mirabel says as Lieutenant Governor, he will "focus on the duties and responsibilities of Lieutenant Governor" including such important tasks as "commissioning and oversight of Alaska's Notaries Public," "oversight of the use of the State of Alaska Seal," and "chairman of the Alaska Historical Commission."

It strikes me that saying if you're elected you'll do what the constitution mandates - particularly when what the constitution mandates is so mundane - isn't the best approach to running for office.

(Of course, it's what Sarah Palin is doing.)