Harry Browne

Talks about his book, Liberty A-Z


Harry Browne, the Libertarian Party's 1996 and 2000 Presidential candidate, has published a new book, Liberty A-Z: 872 Libertarian Soundbites You Can Use Right Now. As the title indicates, the book consists of soundbites about political issues from a pro-liberty perspective, ranging in length from one sentence to several paragraphs.

The book is both timeless and timely: Browne created the soundbites over a 10-year span, starting shortly after he announced his first Presidential campaign in 1994 and continuing until early 2004. So, the book addresses perennial topics (taxes, gun control, federal spending) -- as well as issues torn from today's headlines (the 9/11 attacks, the war in Iraq). The book, Browne says, is his gift to libertarians, to help them better persuade Americans about the benefits of liberty.

In this interview, Browne discusses his favorite soundbite, the art of crafting pithy answers, and what to do if you don't like one of his soundbites.

Q: What's the secret to creating the perfect soundbite?

A: If there's a secret, I haven't discovered it. But I think the perfect soundbite should (a) be brief; (b) make a point in a self-evident way that the listener isn't likely to have heard before. If there's also humor, so much the better -- but a clear, persuasive point shouldn't be sacrificed just to make a soundbite funny.

Q: You were a political neophyte when you first ran for President. How difficult was it to give 15-second answers to very complicated questions?

A: I had never been involved in politics, but I had been selling my investment books on radio and TV for 25 years. I knew that I couldn't sell anything in a brief interview by giving a course in investing; everything had to get across in a very few words. I didn't have an organized repertoire of soundbites for selling investment books, but it quickly became obvious that I needed them to "sell" political ideas.

Q: When did you decide to start collecting your soundbites?

A: If I'd had to rely on 3x5 cards, I never would have written them down; I would have relied on my imperfect memory, and I'd now have two or three soundbites. But the computer changes everything. With a computer file, you can categorize and sort easily.

I believe I started keeping track within two or three months of the beginning of my first campaign in August 1994. I strongly recommend that others do the same -- whether or not they are candidates for office.

Q: If you had to select one favorite soundbite from this book, which one would it be?

A: Perhaps the perfect soundbite is the one on abortion: "Given the government's record with the War on Poverty and the War on Drugs, we can assume that a War on Abortion would lead within five years to men having abortions." I have used it frequently and it has actually resulted in some instant conversions -- not to libertarianism, but at least to the idea that government is not the way to solve any problem. I've used it on Christian radio stations and been met with agreement.

Q: Is there one particular soundbite that never fails to get a laugh, or to get most people to express agreement?

A: Perhaps the abortion soundbite above. Notice, however, that you shouldn't expect a soundbite to convert someone immediately. The purpose is to change the terms of discussion. The soundbite calls attention to a facet of the subject that's been overlooked (such as that government never solves any problem, so why are we discussing having government solve this one?). If the soundbite is good, it will steer the discussion away from irrelevancies or statistics, and into the heart of the matter.

For example, suppose someone pushes for government to get further into health care or to solve a current scandal through regulation. Statistics will be offered to support the "need" for government to do something. But all this overlooks the point that government doesn't work. So rather than debate the statistics, use a soundbite to remind the person that his plan to cure the problem through government is bound to fail.

Here, for example, is a soundbite to make that point: "Whenever you turn anything over to the government, it is no longer a scientific, medical, commercial, or ethical matter; it is now a political issue -- to be decided by people like Bill Clinton, Teddy Kennedy, George Bush, and Trent Lott -- whoever has the most political influence. Is this what you want -- to transform a serious issue into a political boondoggle?"

Q: Which soundbite did you find most difficult to craft?

A: This calls attention to an important point. When you proselytize or campaign, you can't be expected to know everything about every issue -- let alone the best way to change people's minds in a few words. But if you keep discussing a subject with others, keep studying the subject, and write down every succinct idea that occurs to you, eventually you'll develop a good soundbite.

I have always been for open immigration. For years, I focused on the welfare state as the magnet that attracts undesirable immigrants. It was only a year or two ago that I realized that I could make the point much faster with the "government doesn't work" argument.

That inspired a much more effective soundbite: "Government doesn't work, and government immigration policy won't work any better. The government can't keep drugs out of America, and it won't keep out anyone who really wants to get in. The net result of tighter immigration laws will be higher costs to the taxpayer, more opportunities for corruption in law enforcement, less freedom for Americans, and harassment of American businessmen -- while illegal immigration continues unabated."

Q: What do you say if a Libertarian tells you he doesn't agree with your language or argument in one particular soundbite?

A: Craft your own, using the soundbites in the book as starting points. Don't ever use a soundbite you're not comfortable with or not prepared to back up. Mark the ones in the book that work for you and ignore those that don't.

Q: For whom do you think this book will be most useful?

A: For libertarians first -- because it will save them a great deal of time. But the soundbites are educational as well as sales tools, and so the book as a whole also is a useful tool. Give it to a friend who's on the fence about freedom. It's easy to read, since there's no involved plot or complicated thesis. Let him realize that "closing the borders" won't solve anything, that the FDA kills more people than it saves, that government isn't the answer to anything -- and that the obvious cure for our ills is more liberty.

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