TOOL -- When Tyler and Desarae Lindsey realized 89 Henderson County residents in addition to them voted a straight Libertarian Party ticket in the general election, they decided it was high time for a local chapter to be formed.
That number of votes in addition to the people who voted for either the Republican or Democratic Party candidate for president and chose Libertarian candidates for other offices convinced them there are a lot more like-minded people in the Cedar Creek Lake area.
The Lindseys have lived in the Cedar Creek Lake area for more than two years and owned weekend property for two years prior to that before moving here from Dallas. They work in the mortgage industry.
"I think we have a pretty good starting point," said Desarae, who will officially be appointed the chair of the Henderson County Libertarian Party by the state and national group in January. "I'd like to have a strategy going so I'm hoping to organize the first meeting as soon as possible."
Even though Republican and Democratic Party presidential voters far outnumbered Libertarian voters opting for candidate Gary Johnson in Henderson County(21,202 for Mitt Romney and 6,094 for President Barack Obama), Tyler said he believes local people will want to explore the Libertarian Party philosophy.
"You have to open the door," Tyler said. "People have to hear the message, and they just haven't heard it."
The Libertarian Party is the third-largest political party in the nation, and some consider it to be the fastest growing as voters grow disenchanted with both Republicans and Democrats in light of the nation's economic problems. Tyler estimates there are about 500,000 Libertarians in the nation today.
The Libertarian platform advocates less government, avoiding interference in other nation's affairs and free trade and immigration. Tyler describes it as a policy of fiscal conservatism and social liberalism.
"It's all about human rights," Tyler said. "That's what the country was built on, not rights the government gives you but rights you already have."
For information e-mail hendersoncountylp@gmail.com or call 214-809-1733.