Michael Munger
Encyclopedia
Michael Curtis Munger is an economist, chair of the political science
department at Duke University
, and was the Libertarian
candidate for Governor of North Carolina
in 2008
.
Munger earned a B.A. in economics at Davidson College
(1980), an M.A. in economics at Washington University in St. Louis
(1982) and a Ph.D. in economics at Washington University (1984). He is a past president of the Public Choice Society and has been published in the American Political Science Review
, the American Journal of Political Science, and the Journal of Politics as well as books with Cambridge University Press
and the University of Michigan Press.
and taught at Dartmouth College
, the University of Texas at Austin
, and UNC-Chapel Hill before becoming a political science professor at Duke University in 1997. In 2000, he became the head of Duke's political science department. His research centers around elections and campaign finance
.
At Duke, Munger says he works "across the aisles- there aren't a lot of other Libertarians there."
Three scholars, Melvin Hinich, Douglass North
, and Barry Weingast, were reported to be heavily influential to Munger.
voters needed an alternative to the two party duopoly, ran as a Libertarian
candidate for Governor of North Carolina
in 2008
.
Early in the year, Munger said that Democratic gubernatorial challenger Bev Perdue
was a "Stepford Wife" and the Republican nominees were "circus clowns." Prior to May 2008, the North Carolina Libertarian Party and Munger gathered 100,000 signatures of voters in order to qualify to appear on North Carolina's ballot. They, along with the Green Party, sued the state unsuccessfully over the ballot access rules. Munger appeared as an expert witness in other cases on behalf of the Green Party and the ACLU.
Munger appeared as one of two keynote speakers at the national Libertarian convention in Denver in May 2008. He later made history as the first third-party candidate to participate in a live, televised gubernatorial debate in North Carolina.
The progressive
Independent Weekly
said of Munger: "Were there no substantive differences between the major-party candidates, we'd be recommending a protest vote for Libertarian Party candidate Michael C. Munger, based on the elements of his platform that make him the self-proclaimed 'liberal in the race.'"
On election day Munger received 121,585 votes for 2.85% of the total vote.
Following the election, Nick Gillespie
of Reason magazine wrote: "I humbly submit that Duke University political science professor Michael Munger, who ran a strong bid as an Libertarian Party candidate for governor in North Carolina, set his eyes toward an even bigger and remote target in 2012
, that stationary Death Star
known as the White House
."
s is the first thing he would do: "Rich people have choices now. I want everyone to have a choice." He would give $1,500 education vouchers to low-income students in the poorest 40 counties of North Carolina; since most would stay in public school, this would have the effect of increasing aid to poor schools.
Munger has taken more socially liberal
positions on many issues than the Democratic candidate for governor, Bev Perdue
. "One reason I haven't been allowed in all the debates is that I'm taking votes from the Democrats. Sixty percent of my supporters are voting for Obama. I'll talk about gay marriage, and Perdue isn't, or doesn't want to." While Democratic candidate Perdue has taken a hard line on illegal immigration
similar to that of Republican Pat McCrory, Munger has a position more aligned with Barack Obama
.
Munger is against the death penalty and believes children of illegal immigrants
should be allowed into University of North Carolina System schools and community colleges. He believes that the government should do what it can to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the country, but once they are here, they should be treated fairly and given access to education or an "apartheid" will result "with fertile pickings for gang recruitment and exploitation by unscrupulous employers." He believes that more rural roads should be built rather than "urban highways."
Munger wants to decrease the size of government and lower taxes. He opposes the North Carolina Education Lottery
and would make income taxes more progressive
while cutting regressive taxes.
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
department at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, and was the Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
candidate for Governor of North Carolina
Governor of North Carolina
The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
in 2008
North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2008
The North Carolina gubernatorial election of 2008 was held on November 4, 2008, coinciding with the presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House elections, Council of State, and statewide judicial elections...
.
Munger earned a B.A. in economics at Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
(1980), an M.A. in economics at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
(1982) and a Ph.D. in economics at Washington University (1984). He is a past president of the Public Choice Society and has been published in the American Political Science Review
American Political Science Review
The American Political Science Review is the flagship publication of the American Political Science Association and is the most prestigious journal in political science according to the ISI 2004 Journal Citation Report...
, the American Journal of Political Science, and the Journal of Politics as well as books with Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
and the University of Michigan Press.
Career
Munger has worked as a staff economist for the Federal Trade CommissionFederal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
and taught at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, and UNC-Chapel Hill before becoming a political science professor at Duke University in 1997. In 2000, he became the head of Duke's political science department. His research centers around elections and campaign finance
Campaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
.
At Duke, Munger says he works "across the aisles- there aren't a lot of other Libertarians there."
Three scholars, Melvin Hinich, Douglass North
Douglass North
Douglass Cecil North is an American economist known for his work in economic history. He is the co-recipient of the 1993 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences...
, and Barry Weingast, were reported to be heavily influential to Munger.
Gubernatorial campaign
Munger, feeling that North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
voters needed an alternative to the two party duopoly, ran as a Libertarian
Libertarian Party of North Carolina
The Libertarian Party of North Carolina is the North Carolina affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The state chair is Matt Drew.In the 2008 elections Michael Munger running as the party's candidate for Governor of North Carolina received 121,585 votes for 2.85% of the total vote.Chris Cole running...
candidate for Governor of North Carolina
Governor of North Carolina
The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
in 2008
North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2008
The North Carolina gubernatorial election of 2008 was held on November 4, 2008, coinciding with the presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House elections, Council of State, and statewide judicial elections...
.
Early in the year, Munger said that Democratic gubernatorial challenger Bev Perdue
Bev Perdue
Beverly Eaves "Bev" Perdue is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party currently serving as the 73rd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina. She is the first female governor of North Carolina....
was a "Stepford Wife" and the Republican nominees were "circus clowns." Prior to May 2008, the North Carolina Libertarian Party and Munger gathered 100,000 signatures of voters in order to qualify to appear on North Carolina's ballot. They, along with the Green Party, sued the state unsuccessfully over the ballot access rules. Munger appeared as an expert witness in other cases on behalf of the Green Party and the ACLU.
Munger appeared as one of two keynote speakers at the national Libertarian convention in Denver in May 2008. He later made history as the first third-party candidate to participate in a live, televised gubernatorial debate in North Carolina.
The progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
Independent Weekly
Independent Weekly
The Independent Weekly is a tabloid-format alternative weekly newspaper published in Durham, North Carolina, United States and distributed throughout the Research Triangle area and counties .The Independent is a member of the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and has a...
said of Munger: "Were there no substantive differences between the major-party candidates, we'd be recommending a protest vote for Libertarian Party candidate Michael C. Munger, based on the elements of his platform that make him the self-proclaimed 'liberal in the race.'"
On election day Munger received 121,585 votes for 2.85% of the total vote.
Following the election, Nick Gillespie
Nick Gillespie
Nick Gillespie is the editor of Reason.com and Reason.tv and was the editor in chief of Reason magazine from 2000 to 2008...
of Reason magazine wrote: "I humbly submit that Duke University political science professor Michael Munger, who ran a strong bid as an Libertarian Party candidate for governor in North Carolina, set his eyes toward an even bigger and remote target in 2012
United States presidential election, 2012
The United States presidential election of 2012 is the next United States presidential election, to be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. It will be the 57th quadrennial presidential election in which presidential electors, who will actually elect the President and the Vice President of the United...
, that stationary Death Star
Death Star
The Death Star is a fictional moon-sized space station and superweapon appearing in the Star Wars movies and expanded universe. It is capable of destroying a planet with a single destructive super charged energy beam.-Origin and design:...
known as the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
."
Political positions
Munger has made education a centerpiece of his gubernatorial campaign, saying that allowing more charter schoolCharter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s is the first thing he would do: "Rich people have choices now. I want everyone to have a choice." He would give $1,500 education vouchers to low-income students in the poorest 40 counties of North Carolina; since most would stay in public school, this would have the effect of increasing aid to poor schools.
Munger has taken more socially liberal
Social liberalism
Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
positions on many issues than the Democratic candidate for governor, Bev Perdue
Bev Perdue
Beverly Eaves "Bev" Perdue is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party currently serving as the 73rd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina. She is the first female governor of North Carolina....
. "One reason I haven't been allowed in all the debates is that I'm taking votes from the Democrats. Sixty percent of my supporters are voting for Obama. I'll talk about gay marriage, and Perdue isn't, or doesn't want to." While Democratic candidate Perdue has taken a hard line on illegal immigration
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
similar to that of Republican Pat McCrory, Munger has a position more aligned with Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
Munger is against the death penalty and believes children of illegal immigrants
Illegal immigration to the United States
An illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
should be allowed into University of North Carolina System schools and community colleges. He believes that the government should do what it can to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the country, but once they are here, they should be treated fairly and given access to education or an "apartheid" will result "with fertile pickings for gang recruitment and exploitation by unscrupulous employers." He believes that more rural roads should be built rather than "urban highways."
Munger wants to decrease the size of government and lower taxes. He opposes the North Carolina Education Lottery
North Carolina Education Lottery
The North Carolina Education Lottery is run by the government of North Carolina. It was established after Gov. Mike Easley signed the North Carolina State Lottery Act and the 2005 Appropriations Act....
and would make income taxes more progressive
Progressive tax
A progressive tax is a tax by which the tax rate increases as the taxable base amount increases. "Progressive" describes a distribution effect on income or expenditure, referring to the way the rate progresses from low to high, where the average tax rate is less than the marginal tax rate...
while cutting regressive taxes.
External links
- Weigel, DavidDavid WeigelDavid "Dave" Weigel , is an American journalist, currently working for Slate magazine and MSNBC. Weigel began appearing on MSNBC in 2009, accepting a position as a paid contributor in June 2010...
(2008-10-27) The Third Man, Reason - News & Observer: Professor seeks ballot spot
- Munger Campaign website
- Munger's Academic Website (Duke University)
- Short Essay by Michael Munger in Imagineer magazine on the 2008 housing collapse.