Proposal for a New Political Party

Vanity | 6-30-04 | Self

[Protagoras]

Exactly, you need an awesome fundraising machine to get anywhere.

This party would need the backing of monied, principled, experienced people. Such people exist. Convincing them would be neither easy nor impossible.

It has to start somewhere. Could be here, could be now. Not likely, but possible.

[Protagoras]

It's not about this election, it's about the future of this country.

It can't go the way it has been going.

The Republicans have done some things right. But they are going generally in the wrong direction.

The country is going in the wrong direction.

[Cultural Jihad]

How bout this? No fraud, theft, or violence. Otherwise, leave people free to pursue their own interests.

Of course, the LP would steal people's right to determine what kind of a society they are to live in, and would violently mandate the toleration of evil. That is why they get a fraction of a percent of the vote every four years.

[Protagoras]

This isn't about the Libertarian party, or any other personal agenda you have. Don't try to hijack this thread.

Make a contribution or disappear. Thanks

[Cultural Jihad]

This party would need the backing of monied, principled, experienced people. Such people exist. Convincing them would be neither easy nor impossible.

Nice organic idea, there. "Hey, there's money out there to fund this thing. We just gotta figure out what it is first!"

[Protagoras]

I'll be back in one hour. Thanks for the honest contributions.

[Sam Cree]

Well, *equality before the law* is about as specific as you can get, even though it's the premise for almost everything else in the way of true freedom.

Without that concept, which has been lost, thanks to the Left, everything else is lost.

I like your planks anyway, though.

[Protagoras]

It's been posted, read it and comment, don't pretend it's something else.

[Cultural Jihad]

This isn't about the Libertarian party, or any other personal agenda you have. Don't try to hijack this thread.

You must have meant to send that to the person who brought up the LP in the first place.

[Cultural Jihad]

It's been posted . . .

Where has it been established which 6 planks the 'Me-ocratic Party' or whatever would have?

[Sloth]

The part about getting out of the U.N. could fall under the "Defend Borders" plank.

I agree. In fact, both of those plus the military could be rolled into 'protect American sovereignty"

[Cultural Jihad]

You are going about it all wrong. The idea of coming up with a small number of issues is an okay one, but you have to lay the groundwork correctly.

What is the mindset which will resonate with people? What is the foundation of this mindset? What is the underlying basis or assumptions which the vast majority of people of goodwill will say 'Right on' to when they hear it? Once you find that formula then all the rest will fall into place naturally.

All 3rd parties fail because their foundations are corrupted or based upon vices or lies.

[lodwick]

Correct on all counts.

[Final Authority]

Re your reply. There is a talk show host in Boston, Jay Severin, who uses the word "masturbatory" to characterize such ideas where there is no realistic thought going on. Ideas are great but you know what is said about ideas and a**holes, everybody's got one and they usually stink.

It is not an idea that will change the political landscape but a movement following a strong individual with ideas that can attract more followers leading to a victorious election. The set of ideas alone will never win without a mechanism and leadership, if you will, to see it through to fruition. I suspect, you like I have had many ideas in our lives but they have passed us by because we were not of mind or means to see them through.

There could be a great party of a thousand folk with great intentions but without any influence until they can attract several thousand times as many believers. Ideas don't lead people, people do.

[af_vet_rr]

The biggest problem to this - you need a very very high profile candidate, to even have a chance.

Think Teddy Roosevelt in 1912. Of course, his deciding his former protege Taft and the Republican party had strayed from what he believed in, turned things into a three-way race. That became a two-way race between Wilson and Roosevelt, and with Taft and the Republican party siphoning off enough votes, Wilson got the win.

Believe me, I would love for a legitimate third or even fourth party to come around and force the GOP back to its roots, but I'm not the only one to say that I'd rather vote Republican than see a democrat win, even if it's for a RINO.

If you can find your Teddy Roosevelt, you've got a shot. Democrats bitched about Nader, but they conventiently forget that a few hundred thousand registered democrats voted for Bush in Florida.

[Capitalism2003]

"Were it necessary to bring a majority into a comprehension of the libertarian philosophy, the cause of liberty would be utterly hopeless. Every significant movement in history has been led by one or just a few individuals with a small minority of energetic supporters." – Leonard E. Read

"Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a more just master." – Sallust

"When the government's boot is on your throat, whether it is a left boot or a right boot is of no consequence." – Gary Lloyd

"No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible." – Stanislaw J. Lec

"The saddest epitaph which can be carved in memory of a vanished liberty is that it was lost because its possessors failed to stretch forth a saving hand while yet there was time." – Justice George Sutherland (1938)

"I shall exert every faculty I possess in aiding to prevent the Constitution from being nullified, destroyed, or impaired; and even though I should see it fail, I will still, with a voice feeble, perhaps, but earnest as ever issued from human lips, and with extinguish, call on the people to come to its rescue." – Daniel Webster

"Given man's nature, freedom will always be in jeopardy, and the only question that need concern each of us is if and how well we took our stand in its defense during the short period of time when we were potentially a part of the struggle." – Benjamin Rogge

"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man and brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot." – Mark Twain

[labard1]

I dearly love Milton Friedman who has probably done more than anyone outside Ronald Reagan to CONVINCE people to move toward more conservative, more libertarian ideas. He has championed many ideas that had NO chance of adoption at the time he first espoused them. He began promoting vouchers for public schools over 40 years ago, and almost no one treated the idea seriously for decades.

But, although Friedman was extraordinarily prolific in developing ideas to promote liberty and a more prosperous republic, he has always understood that the chance to implement ideas lies within the existing parties. He supported Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. To the best of my knowledge, he has NEVER supported the development of a new conservative/libertarian party, even though he knew that neither party would support many of his ideas for decades.

[Protagoras]

You must have meant to send that to the person who brought up the LP in the first place.

No, I told him straight off. Then I told you.

[unixfox]

1. Aboilish the income tax and the IRS and repeal the 16th amendment.
2. Return ALL sovereignty back to the states.
3. Abandon participation in U.N. or other such organizations.
4. Term limits for ALL Federally elected officials to 2 terms.
5. Strong Miltary that will protect OUR borders.
6. Make ALL Federally elected officials take a drug test.

I know, I know, you think number 6 is funny, but...if we made them do this we could eliminate at least half of them in 1 single wack!!

[Protagoras]

The biggest problem to this - you need a very very high profile candidate, to even have a chance.

It's not about a candidate. It's not about any particular election.

It's about a new party with a new focus. It's not about forcing any party back into the fold.