Promoting the Rand Brand
ALSO RUNNING
October 10th, 2008
Who is Tom Stevens?
He is the founder of the Objectivist Party, the only political organization based on the philosophy of author Ayn Rand.
That philosophy stresses the necessity for reason, fact and rejection of "mysticism," which puts him at odds with a national Republican Party he argues too often uses religion to decide policy.
"I don't see the Republican Party changing sufficiently that they'd become more libertarian," Stevens said.
Stevens, who started the party on Feb. 2, 2008-Rand's birthday-draws a fine line between his Objectivist Party and the Libertarian Party, though the two share principles of less government intrusion and bureaucracy.
"The Objectivist Party follows the philosophy of objectivism. There's not that political underpinning of the Libertarian Party," Stevens said.
While Stevens is a supporter of the Libertarian Party, he feels, like Rand did, that the Libertarians hijacked her philosophical beliefs for its platform. Objectivists, Stevens said, are in the true party of Rand.
"She constantly criticized the libertarians for stealing her ideas and being anarchists," Stevens said.
He estimated that there are around 100 people enrolled in the Objectivist Party and has already formed 14 state affiliates. Stevens is currently forming international affiliates, including one in the United Kingdom.
"People have read Ayn Rand and know her philosophy around the world," Stevens said. "They're interested in the Objectivist Party."
Though Stevens' party is on the ballot in Colorado and Florida, he recommends that his supporters in other states vote for Bob Barr, the former Republican congressman from Georgia who is this year's Libertarian presidential nominee.
Stevens, 51, started his political career in the local Republican Party. He is still registered with the GOP, but he said that is only because of the work he was doing as a consultant to the presidential campaign of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who sought the Republican nomination touting his own libertarian principles.
Stevens hopes that peeling off some of the Paul supporters is enough for him to reach the goal of receiving 5 percent of the popular vote.
"We can affect change," Stevens said, "and get a hardcore group of people to spread our concerns that the two major parties are for big government and becoming more socialist."
He is the founder of the Objectivist Party, the only political organization based on the philosophy of author Ayn Rand.
That philosophy stresses the necessity for reason, fact and rejection of "mysticism," which puts him at odds with a national Republican Party he argues too often uses religion to decide policy.
"I don't see the Republican Party changing sufficiently that they'd become more libertarian," Stevens said.
Stevens, who started the party on Feb. 2, 2008-Rand's birthday-draws a fine line between his Objectivist Party and the Libertarian Party, though the two share principles of less government intrusion and bureaucracy.
"The Objectivist Party follows the philosophy of objectivism. There's not that political underpinning of the Libertarian Party," Stevens said.
While Stevens is a supporter of the Libertarian Party, he feels, like Rand did, that the Libertarians hijacked her philosophical beliefs for its platform. Objectivists, Stevens said, are in the true party of Rand.
"She constantly criticized the libertarians for stealing her ideas and being anarchists," Stevens said.
He estimated that there are around 100 people enrolled in the Objectivist Party and has already formed 14 state affiliates. Stevens is currently forming international affiliates, including one in the United Kingdom.
"People have read Ayn Rand and know her philosophy around the world," Stevens said. "They're interested in the Objectivist Party."
Though Stevens' party is on the ballot in Colorado and Florida, he recommends that his supporters in other states vote for Bob Barr, the former Republican congressman from Georgia who is this year's Libertarian presidential nominee.
Stevens, 51, started his political career in the local Republican Party. He is still registered with the GOP, but he said that is only because of the work he was doing as a consultant to the presidential campaign of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who sought the Republican nomination touting his own libertarian principles.
Stevens hopes that peeling off some of the Paul supporters is enough for him to reach the goal of receiving 5 percent of the popular vote.
"We can affect change," Stevens said, "and get a hardcore group of people to spread our concerns that the two major parties are for big government and becoming more socialist."
