Well, today's a big deal for me. Though a long time Libertarian, I have lacked the funds to gain "official" status by paying membership dues. Since I want to organize the party within the county, however, and run for city council next year, I felt I had to get this in order.

So, I went down to the site and officially sent in my dues to make myself official.

This got me to thinking, though. How many Greens and Libertarians never pay party dues but want the benefits of being associated with the party. Libertarian Michael Badnarik received over 350,000 votes this past year; if everyone that cast a vote for him was a dues paying Libertarian, that would have given them a "war chest" of about 9 million dollars. While just a drop in the bucket compared to the big two, it would be a good start on the road to political viability (I am sure the number of LP "sympathizers" FAR exceeds the number that actually voted for Badnarik).

Yes, the price of paying dues to a third party is a financial stretch for some of us. But it is a great value when you consider these individuals are representing your liberties and your values. The "big two" are government subsidized; there's no need for dues from registered members. But third parties need whatever they can receive from committed members in order to build for the future.

So now I am a "legit" Libertarian. As such, it is my hope to attend state and possibly national conventions, and continue to press for the growth of my party.