Free Republic

Former Georgia Rep. Bob Barr, an outspoken conservative who lost his seat more than a decade ago, thinks the time is right for a new run at political office. He announced a campaign for the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Phil Gingrey, who’s running for Senate. Roll Call reports that Mr. Barr has already established a campaign team and has reached out to Capitol Hill politicians — including House leadership — for support.

David Bahnsen of Newport Beach, California is a Senior Vice President of Morgan Stanley, and also serves on the Board of Advisers of the California Recovery Project with Dr. Arthur Laffer. Bahnsen has abandoned his earlier support of the Ron Paul crusade, and now describes himself as an "economically literate Republican." He is the author of "The Undiscerning and Dangerous Appreciation of Ron Paul." Bahnsen says "It is the ironic that Ron Paul's alleged praiseworthiness comes from his devotion to the Constitution, when in fact, he has emphatically rejected it." Bahnsen has many family and business connections with libertarians. His...

Former Georgia Republican Rep. Bob Barr supports Newt Gingrich’s campaign for president, and told The Daily Caller other libertarians should consider joining him.Barr was elected to Congress in 1994 and worked alongside Gingrich as he became Speaker of the House. Barr left office in 2003 and in 2008 ran as the Libertarian Party’s presidential candidate, receiving more than 500,000 votes nationwide. Explaining his support for Gingrich, a politician not often considered a libertarian darling, Barr told The Daily Caller, “I’m very comfortable and happy supporting Newt,” adding, “it’s not to say that other candidates like Ron Paul don’t have very...

The 2011 NFL season is barely underway, and already handicappers are predicting who will play in next February’s Super Bowl XLVI; some are picking the Philadelphia Eagles to represent the NFC. At the same time, certain football moralists are ragging against the new contract inked by the Eagles’ quarterback, Michael Vick. They should get off Michael Vick’s rear end and let him play football. [ ... ] Liberals and conservatives alike frequently speak in support of rehabilitation and second chances; but such rhetoric often falls victim to prejudices against individual persons who have been convicted of crimes. In this instance,...

Yes — the not-so-bright, would-be terrorist from Nigeria got though international and domestic security mechanisms supposed to have stopped him long before the jerk lit his underwear afire before landing in Detroit. And yes — the incident happened during the administration of President Barack Obama. But the sniping at the president by Republicans, including former Vice President Cheney, and by conservative radio and TV commentators, borders on — if not passing into — asinine. The criticism has included such childishness as blasting Obama for waiting a few days before making a national speech on the incident. For heaven’s sake, the...

Libertarians on Drug Liberalization by: Emily Kanyi, July 30, 2009 President Barack Obama’s new drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske, picked up the mantle on the drug war scene by expressing a desire to shift from the descriptive language often used to refer to the drug problem. During an interview with the Wall Street Journal on May 14, Kerlikowske described the terminology “war on drugs” as unhelpful. “Regardless of how you try to explain to people ‘it’s a war on drugs’ or a ‘war on a product,’ people see a war as war on them. We’re not at war with the people...

The secret government “Terrorist Watch List,” reportedly already swelled to more than 1.1 million names, will have an addendum, if gun control advocates in Congress have their way. This new addendum — also to be cloaked in secrecy — would empower the U.S. Attorney General to deny a person the ability to exercise their Second Amendment rights to purchase a firearm. While it is not surprising that some members of Congress are again using fear of terrorism to implement a gun-control agenda, the openly unconstitutional legislative language proponents are employing is troubling. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) is leading the effort...

Did you hear the one about how the Federal Reserve controls the world? In fact, the Federal Reserve chairman is merely a puppet. They are always controlled by a super secret group of power players. No one, of course, knows exactly who they are because no one knows exactly who actually owns the Federal Reserve. In fact, the president is also merely a puppet. It is this super secret group of power players that ultimately puppeteer the world. It's all part of their goals to create a one world government and ultimately control that government. Furthermore, this is no new...

Former Georgia Rep. Bob Barr said Saturday it’s hard to “overestimate the damage” that’s been inflicted on the Republican Party — not only with this week's defection of Sen. Arlen Specter, but also the “lack of any coherent philosophy, vision or leadership.” “The Republican Party is in very deep trouble right now,” Barr said in an interview with CNN. Barr, who was once a loyal soldier in the GOP, joined the Libertarian Party in 2006 and was the party’s presidential candidate in 2008. The ex-Republican said he doesn’t feel like he relates to Specter's reasons for switching to the Democratic...

Tim Neal of Miller County was shocked recently when he heard a radio program about a strategic report compiled by state and federal law enforcement agencies to combat terrorism. Titled “The Modern Militia Movement,” the report is dated Feb. 20 and designed to help police identify militia members or domestic terrorists. Red flags outlined in the document include political bumper stickers such as those for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, talk of conspiracy theories such as the plan for a mega-highway from Canada to Mexico and possession of subversive literature. But when Neal read the report, he couldn’t help but think...

The case of the 33-year-old California woman still living with her parents, and who just gave birth to eight —- count ‘em, eight —- babies, has captured the attention of the country, if not the world. As the details of this unusual medical event become known, more and more Americans are expressing surprise if not shock at the manner in which the woman became soooo pregnant, and of her background. They shouldn’t be. The strange case of Nadya Suleman is but the latest example of a society in which the unusual is glorified; the most extreme behavior rewarded; and the...

Press Release For Immediate Release Friday, January 23, 2009 Barr hails Obama orders on Guantanamo, torture, tribunals Says steps start process to restore rule of law in America Former Republican Congressman and Libertarian Presidential Candidate, Bob Barr, today issued a statement praising executive orders signed yesterday by President Obama ordering the closure of the military detention center at Guantanamo, restoring the practice of treating detainees according to legal norms, firmly stopping the practice of waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques," and doing away with the military tribunals that denied fundamental due process to detainees since their creation shortly after...

Press Release For Immediate Release Friday, January 14, 2009 Barr Supports Closure of Guantanamo Prison Endorses Obama Proposal Former Congressman Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party's 2008 nominee for president, issued a statement Wednesday morning applauding President-elect Obama’s reported plan to close the controversial military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where many suspected terrorists have been held, often without hearings, since shortly after 9/11. “If there are detainees there as to whom the government has evidence they pose a serious danger to the United States, then house them at the Super Max federal prison in Florence, Colorado and prosecute them....

The author of the federal Defense of Marriage Act now thinks it’s time for his law to get the boot – but for political reasons, not in support of gays. In 1996, as a freshman member of the House of Representatives, I wrote the Defense of Marriage Act, better known by its shorthand acronym, DOMA, than its legal title. The law has been a flash-point for those arguing for or against same-sex marriage ever since President Clinton signed it into law. Even President-elect Barack Obama has grappled with its language, meaning and impact. I can sympathize with the incoming commander...

If Barr's votes had gone to Palin and her running mate they would have won North Carolina and Indiana. North Carolina: Obama 49.9%, Palin 49.5%, Barr 0.6$ Indiana Obama 49.9%, Palin 49%, Barr 1.1% This would have been more important in a closer election, but it caught my interest when I looked the figures up.

Barr brags over Tuesday showing Email|Link|Comments (19) Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor November 5, 2008 07:05 PM Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr is crowing after his showing in Tuesday's election, where he won enough votes -- not in his home state of Georgia, but in North Carolina -- to hold the balance of power. In North Carolina, which remains too close to call, Democrat Barack Obama has a 12,000-vote lead over Republican John McCain, and Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia, has 25,181 votes, or 1 percent. In Georgia, McCain won with 52 percent of the...

Looking at the tallies, all those Bob Barr supporters, knowing full well he didn't have a chance in hell of winning anything, cost McCain IN and VA. Thanks a lot!

“I will not allow my economic and social future to be dictated by the votes of the stupid and the foolish!”-NewJerseyJoe, 11/4/08 Ron Paul and Bob Barr supporters -- trust me, I understand your frustration. The candidate is not perfect. But consider 4 years of having to fight a flawed president -- compared with 4 years of a communist president who has stated on various occasions that he wants to take away your ambition/initiative, rule your personal economy and budgets, make you "be fair," stifle your right to publicly state your ideas, and take away your right to protect yourself.......

I have been a lifetime Libertarian Party activist, for over 25 years. I've served in numerous capacities, including on the Libertarian National Committee, as a Libertarian State Rep. candidate, and as Ron Paul's Personal Travel Aide in his 1988 Libertarian Presidential campaign. I've also served as Ron Paul's Congressional Campaign Coordinator and as his Senior Congressional Aide for 7 years, 1997-2004. This election year, I've been supporting Libertarian Presidential candidate Bob Barr. As a matter of fact, I'm the very guy who recruited his running mate Wayne Root into the race. Since the Spring, I've been the Party's lead petitioner...

In Tuesday's presidential election, I know who I "should" vote for. I disagree with the Libertarian Party platform's endorsement of the current congressional abdication of responsibility to control immigration. (Don't we have the same right to control access to our welfare programs as we have to block some stranger from breaking down our door and sleeping on our couch?) I further disagree with this year's choice of standard-bearer Bob Barr -- who has violated the Libertarian platform (both the real one and the current, "airbrushed" version) by putting people in prison for exercising their constitutional right to traffic in "controlled"...