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How High-Profile CEOs Could Revitalize the Libertarian Party
FAST COMPANY ^ | NOVEMBER 2009 | CARLOS WATSON

Posted on 10/17/2009 3:52:14 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist

The time is right for Silicon Valley -- style progressivism to woo independents into a political force under the Libertarian Party banner. Here's how.

If the two-party system is ever going to be seriously challenged, this is the moment. The GOP, the stall-tactic party, is reeling. The Democratic administration is struggling to turn around the economy. And across the country, creative, engaged folks are increasingly feeling politically homeless. More Americans consider themselves independents (39%) than Democrats (33%) or Republicans (22%) -- and the gap is widening.

Who will fill that void? Sarah Palin is rumored to be mulling the idea of starting a third party, pulling together social and fiscal conservatives alienated from the GOP. The Blue Dog Democrats, turned off by President Barack Obama's spending, could reach across the aisle to moderate Republicans and try to attract independents. But the best third-party contender already exists. The Libertarians, like so many independents and disaffected Democrats and Republicans, are fiscal conservatives and social liberals -- and no one has yet built a lasting coalition out of this growing force.

(Excerpt) Read more at fastcompany.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: ca2010; libertarians; siliconvalley; thirdparty

1 posted on 10/17/2009 3:52:14 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
Librarians to me are too socially liberal and often seem quite crazy.
Might be one somewhere that makes sense, but most over OUT-THERE IMO.
2 posted on 10/17/2009 3:54:32 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Sounds too good. They will screw it up somehow.


3 posted on 10/17/2009 3:56:01 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

My driver’s license expires early next year. when I renew it, I’m changing to independent.


4 posted on 10/17/2009 3:57:25 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: A CA Guy

Soon as the LIbertarians change the stance of BLANKET Drug Legalization, and their Stand agains Preemption...

I’ll be there so fast the GOP’s heads will burst.


5 posted on 10/17/2009 3:57:46 PM PDT by gwilhelm56 (I will DIE with Israel BY MY SIDE, rather than LIVE with the CHAINS of ISLAM on my Back!)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

To be “revitalized”, wouldn’t you need to have been “vitalized” at some point to begin with?


6 posted on 10/17/2009 3:59:08 PM PDT by eclecticEel (The Most High rules in the kingdom of men ... and sets over it the basest of men.)
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To: gwilhelm56
Prostitution and maybe some other stuff as well.

Many also want NO government, not limited government.

Basically some are anarchist IMO.

7 posted on 10/17/2009 4:00:33 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: gwilhelm56

If someone could actually do EVERYTHING else right, I could let those two things go. But that will never happen. If ya give them those two things, everything else will continue on down the same sickening path.


8 posted on 10/17/2009 4:03:49 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: A CA Guy
Imagine that, a political party actually willing to return the Federal Government to its Constitutional role.

It's for damned sure we won't get that from the Dems OR the Pubs.

L

9 posted on 10/17/2009 4:05:41 PM PDT by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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To: A CA Guy

HA!

Anarchists that like having unemployment payments, disability payments, social security, medicare, food stamps, and all the other social safety nets.


10 posted on 10/17/2009 4:05:53 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: Lurker

Let them (Libertarians) go first convert the Democrats rather than set up thinning out Democrat opposition.


11 posted on 10/17/2009 4:08:49 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: mamelukesabre
Temporary safety nets are good, permanent welfare is bad IMO.
12 posted on 10/17/2009 4:10:14 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: gwilhelm56
Soon as the LIbertarians change the stance of BLANKET Drug Legalization, and their Stand agains Preemption...

That's the major party's stance, but individual Libertarian candidates have always been neutral or supported the Republican argument on these issues.

13 posted on 10/17/2009 4:10:57 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (90% of the fedgov is unconstitutional. The other 10% besides the military doesnt know what it's doin)
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To: A CA Guy
Let them (Libertarians) go first convert the Democrats

None of this would be necessary if the Republicans actually did their f****** jobs. You people who whine about the Libertarians crack me up.

Before you attend to the mote in the Libertarians eyes you might want to try pulling the beam out of your own.

Just a thought.

14 posted on 10/17/2009 4:11:32 PM PDT by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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To: Lurker
Again, let the friggin Libertarians go push their third party voting in major elections on Democrats. Thin their vote, not the Republicans.

As far as getting rid of weak Republicans, the primaries are great to do that. Raise money to go against the offending incumbent and go on the attack.

That aside, go screw up the Democrats looking for third party voters.

15 posted on 10/17/2009 4:14:52 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: A CA Guy

The anarchist in me would tell you that a temporary safety net is your own personal bank account. If ya don’t got one, too bad for you...dummy.

But the civic minded citizen in me says it’s good to have some kind of extra safety net in case the above one fails.

But then the anarchist in me says FAT CHANCE OF MAKING THAT WORK! as soon as all the losers figure out there’s a free safety net backing up their own personal safety net...GUESS WHAT?? they spend their personal safety net on booze and whores and let you worry about their safety net.


16 posted on 10/17/2009 4:16:32 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: mamelukesabre
Shows how little you probably know.

Mom and family loses the dad. SS gives something for the family till the kids are older.
That is a longer safety net.

Someone is retarded without family, might be in a government payed housing instead of your basement.

Someone loses their job, nothing wring with a FEW months unemployment.

Most problems stem from overpayment of government jobs through Unions which should be a disallowed monopoly by law.
If you had government people payed no more than the average wage in the private sector you'd be cutting about half their pay IMO. Big chunk of change there IMO.

17 posted on 10/17/2009 4:20:35 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
The Libertarians, like so many independents and disaffected Democrats and Republicans, are fiscal conservatives and social liberals — “

Social liberals huh?
Like legalizing drugs and stuff like that?
Thanks, but no thanks.
We all know what happened the last time a third party took away votes huge numbers of votes from the Republivan Party don&;t we? That was when Ross Perot managed to grab a massive 18% of the popular vote and ended up givibg us 8 years of the BJ Clinton nightmare.
Anyone who is thinking of joining this third party only has to take a look at the polls in New Jersey, where the Indepenednt candidate is taking away so many votes from the Republican candidate, that the Republican candidate is in danger of losing to the super corrupt Democrat Corzine, in an election in which the Republican candidate has been leading in the polls for months.

18 posted on 10/17/2009 4:20:56 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
A third party maybe the way to go at some future date. Right now there is no viable alternative for conservatives. Those hoping for the Libertarian Party to replace the GOP, are living in a fantasy world. If conservatives can reclaim the party of Reagan, we may have a chance to once again control the political landscape. Otherwise, another 40 years in the wilderness is what the GOP and conservatives can look forward to.
19 posted on 10/17/2009 4:25:04 PM PDT by Reagan Man ("In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.")
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To: A CA Guy

And just how the hell do you think anyone survived in the days before SS? Do ya think they just took retards and cripples out and shot them? Gimme a break.

Shows how little YOU know.

BTW, I’m not advocating the end of all safety nets nor am I advocating total anarchy. I struggle in my own mind with this issue. I can’t decide.

But I know government is almost never the best answer. Someone earlier this year told me about the concept of people buying their own health insurance policies like they do car insurance. outlaw all the package deals and force everyone to buy single person health insurance.

I think there is some merit to that idea. I don’t know about the “force” part. But doing it like car insurance sounds like a good idea to me.

disability and unemployment insurance could be done similarly.

This would make both the anarchist and the citizen in me happy.


20 posted on 10/17/2009 4:30:54 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: mamelukesabre
In the days before SS 2/3rds of people didn't own a home, rented two families to a rental a lot of times and the homes were the size of a two car garage.

If starving the charities of others and churches fed them.

They often had bad teeth, short lives, worked hard but at least respected others.

We live in selfish times. How many would vote for your neighbor to pay their bills if it wasn't on them?
Many people are entitlement minded IMO.

21 posted on 10/17/2009 4:35:19 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: A CA Guy
the primaries are great to do that.

You mean like Gingrich endorsing the pro-abortion, anti-2nd amendment RINO in NY State? You mean those primaries?

22 posted on 10/17/2009 4:46:52 PM PDT by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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To: A CA Guy

K?

Now do a similar list for america in the days of fanny mae and freddy mac and welfare moms and section 8 housing and wic and after school programs and all the other freebies. Sure, we have better lives nowdays, but do you REALLY want to credit uncle sam and social programs for that improvement?

If so you just might be spending your free time on the wrong internet forum. Of course, algore invented the internet so maybe I’m completely off track here.


23 posted on 10/17/2009 4:51:50 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: SmokingJoe

That wouldn’t happen if the Republicans would do their job.


24 posted on 10/17/2009 5:16:20 PM PDT by Lorianne
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Independent does not necessarily equate to Liberatarian.

Both Republicans and Liberatarians ought to keep that in mind.


25 posted on 10/17/2009 5:19:13 PM PDT by Lorianne
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To: mamelukesabre

Socially, they are as progressive as Dear Leaders’ Czars.


26 posted on 10/17/2009 5:22:49 PM PDT by SaraJohnson
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To: Lorianne
Yes.
But then its up to us the GOP primary voters, to make sure we nominate conservatives to run for public office.
If Republicans just keep voting for RINO’s like John McCain and Lindsay Graham to represent us, we can't very well complain, if they turn round and screw us can we?
27 posted on 10/17/2009 5:44:42 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Let me see if I have this straight - he wants us to exchange the Stupid Party for the Daiper Party?


28 posted on 10/17/2009 6:00:48 PM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus (There are only two REAL conservatives in America - myself, and my chosen Presidential candidate)
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To: Reagan Man

I just think the LP should do nationally what the Conservative Party in New York does. They endorse conservative Republicans, and run their own candidates against RINOs. If the Libertarian Party did this, they would be more credible.


29 posted on 10/17/2009 8:20:29 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (90% of the fedgov is unconstitutional. The other 10% besides the military doesnt know what it's doin)
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To: mamelukesabre

Your post was a little bit of awesome out there on the net. Especially the booze and whores line.

It all comes down to incentive system. My personal struggle is between concern for my fellow man and the “it’s too damn bad” because it took a lot of work for me to get where I am.

The thing that is sending me over the edge lately is the proposed $250 payment to seniors because the CPI fell and yet they demand an increase in their social security benefits even though their purchasing power has already improved due to lower input costs. If I start talking about it, it infuriates me. Total cost to the tax payers if it passes: $13 billion.


30 posted on 10/18/2009 4:41:24 AM PDT by WallStreetCapitalist
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To: WallStreetCapitalist

I can’t believe I’m actually going to utter these words...

but...

it’s bush’s fault

He bailed out the car companies. Now everyone wants their “cut” of the free money...and obama is more than happy to give it.


31 posted on 10/18/2009 9:59:27 AM PDT by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: mamelukesabre

No we have better lives because non govnernment people went out and created it IMO.


32 posted on 10/18/2009 3:01:56 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: A CA Guy

It’s called PROGRESS.

Government doesn’t create progress. Government can get out of the way and let progress run it’s natural course, or it can get bloated on it’s own importance and feel powerful by limiting individuals that do create progress.

Government is a necessary evil like cops, military and lawyers.


33 posted on 10/18/2009 3:30:51 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: mamelukesabre
Government went wrong when it allowed unions in and grew government employment and benefits IMO.
34 posted on 10/18/2009 3:33:17 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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