Members of the Libertarian Party from throughout the Midwest are expected in St. Croix Falls Saturday for what’s being called a “mini-congress.” The national party’s executive director Wes Benedict will be among the speakers at a day of meetings to try to define the Libertarian Party agenda for 2012. Libertarian Party of Wisconsin political director Tim Krenz of Centuria hopes this spring’s chaos in Madison will get people thinking beyond Democratic and Republican candidates.
Krenz says it won’t be about endorsing candidates for next year’s elections. The Tea Party movement has tried to claim the “libertarian” tag but Krenz admits that he, personally, is “worried” about the growing influence of a group which shares the Libertarian Party’s wish for smaller government but still wants to use the power of the government against its political enemies.
And Krenz expects delegates to talk about the “war on drugs” — which Krenz prefers to call “a war on people” and says can only be “won” by decriminalizing those drugs and focusing on the violent crimes committed by drug dealers.
Jeff Petersen, WIXK
