With only two Libertarian contests on Tuesday's ballot, Tamara Millay
of Normandy is hoping that enough party regulars turn out to block the
party's most infamous renegade.
Millay, chairman of the St. Louis County Libertarian Party, is the
party's endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate. Her opponent for the
Libertarian nomination is Martin Lindstedt of Springfield, Mo., who was
kicked out of the party last year after a fracas with party leaders.
Lindstedt, 40, is a self-employed writer. He is known for his Web
sites which use obscene language to blast Libertarian leaders and all
government authorities, from police up to the president. He advocates
the violent overthrow of government and a separate country for black
Muslims.
'My opponent is total medicrity', Lindstedt said, referring to
Millay.
Millay, 31, is a recruiting administrator for a local consulting
firm.
She has sent fliers to about 4,000 potential Libertarian voters and
enlisted the help of party leaders. 'We've done what we could to get the
word out to people who might not know who Martin Lindstedt is', she said.
"He does not reflect Libertarian beliefs."
Millay espouses the key Libertarian principles of less taxes and less
government. Libertarians want to eliminate and privatize most government
functions, from Social Security to education. They also want to do away
with most laws governing private behavior deemed 'victimless'. That
includes the use of illegal drugs.
'The drug war appears to be a war against people rather than a war on
drugs', Millay said. 'It's failed, just as Prohibition did'.
Millay, who does not use drugs, says drugs should be under the same
restrictions as alcohol -- meaning a minimum age for use, and
restrictions on the use of the product while operating vehicles.
The Libertarian Party, which has the most third-party candidates on
Missouri's ballots, advocates peaceful change of government policies by
winning at the ballot box, Millay said.
Assuming she wins Tuesday, Millay says she realizes she's a long shot to
win in November. But if she succeeds in getting the Libertarian philosophy
before the voters, Millay said she has 'a real shot to make a difference'."
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Thu. July 30, 1998 p. B3 (Metro section)