A free marketplace of ideas has never seemed more relevant given the current political climate. For the first time in many years, growing numbers of Americans are starting to focus more on specific policies and ideas, over purely partisan political debate, during the current primary elections and caucuses.
There is an emerging interest in exploring other ideas and alternatives to the often unproductive and toxic nature of polarized partisan discourse. Such changes can be observed even within the mainstream political parties, as they become increasingly divided into different ideological factions, which may look for opportunities to reach across party lines and change the political landscape by rallying people around specific ideas.
On March 3, Super Tuesday, both the Democratic and Republican parties will hold their presidential primaries in a total of 14 states, namely Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia.
In addition, this is also the day of the Alaska Republican Convention and American Samoa Democratic Caucus.
The significance of this occasion cannot be downplayed, as the outcomes of the primaries held on Super Tuesday often prove to be crucial in determining which candidates remain in the race to lead their party into the general election.
Unfavorable results on Super Tuesday often have the potential to completely derail a candidate’s campaign, and may even compel them to drop out of the race.
Conversely, a candidate who may previously have been considered as only having an outside chance of gaining the nomination, can see their campaign gain new momentum by performing well in the states voting on this day.
In the event of there still being no clear frontrunner after Super Tuesday, the primaries held over the following two weeks would very likely see one emerge.
More states will hold their primaries on March 3, than will have done so beforehand, with Iowa and New Hampshire being the only states electing delegates in February for both the Democratic and Republican parties, and with Nevada and South Carolina Democrats also holding their primaries before Super Tuesday.
On the Republican side, several states have cancelled their primaries or will see the President run unopposed.
States which hold their primaries later in the year, when the nomination has potentially already been decided, are unable to have the same influence over the outcome. Certain states can opt to move their primaries to an earlier date. For instance, this year, California has moved its primaries up to Super Tuesday, when these have previously been held in May or June.
However, within the current context, Super Tuesday 2020 could prove to be particularly fascinating, given the increasing interest in bipartisan issues and ideas, as well as the strength of the various factions within parties. It will likely also be an opportunity to evaluate the level of open dialogue around different ideas, especially concerning the role of government and individual liberty.
It is important that the discussions generated by the current primary season take the form of respectful debate. Those who value the ideas of liberty can use this opportunity to reach out to anyone who may not be sure where they stand on certain issues, by encouraging the consideration of how policies may affect individual liberty and ensuring that respect for the rights and freedoms of all people is at the forefront of this discourse. Promoting constructive dialogue around solutions to a range of problems is one of the main aims of LibertyCon.
LibertyCon is hosted by Students For Liberty, the world’s largest pro-liberty student organization. The event will be held at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C., on April 3-5, 2020.
LibertyCon is a non-partisan event, where open dialogue around a wide range of issues is strongly encouraged. Over 1,500 attendees are expected to attend, which include students, speakers, and influencers across the fields of business, economics, public policy, technology, journalism, and economics.
This year’s event has a fantastic lineup of guest speakers already confirmed. Our list includes such prominent figures as Steve Forbes, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media; David D. Friedman, renowned economist and libertarian theorist; John Mackey, CEO and co-founder of Whole Foods Market; Vernon Smith, Nobel prize winning economist; and Nicholas Nassim Taleb, an award-winning economist and risk analyst.
Without endorsing any party or candidate, the conference will also host a debate between Libertarian Party presidential candidates, providing attendees with various perspectives on pro-liberty ideas to consider.
“Students For Liberty is an extraordinarily effective international network of students who are achieving remarkable success in advocating free speech and promoting the principles of free markets.“ – Steve Forbes
Students For Liberty would be delighted to welcome you to our annual LibertyCon, in Washington, D.C., on April 3-5, 2020.
To receive a discounted room rate at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. of $155 per night for a single room or $165 per night for a double room, you can reserve your tickets at LibertyCon.com, or call the hotel at (202) 824-9200 and mention LibertyCon. All hotel reservations must be made by March 26, 2020. To make a reservation, visit LibertyCon.com .
Please, enter the code SUPERTUESDAY at checkout to save 30% on LibertyCon tickets.
