Posted on 11/08/2006 2:27:12 PM PST by quidnunc
New York – Glum Republicans might turn their attention to the Libertarian Party to vent their anger. Libertarians are a generally Republican-leaning constituency, but over the last few years, their discontent has grown plain. It isn't just the war, which some libertarians supported, but the corruption and insider dealing, and particularly the massive expansion of spending. Mr Bush's much-vaunted prescription drug benefit for seniors, they fume, has opened up another gaping hole in America's fiscal situation, while the only issue that really seemed to energise congress was passing special laws to keep a brain-damaged woman on life support.
In two of the seats where control looks likely to switch, Missouri and Montana, the Libertarian party pulled more votes than the Democratic margin of victory. Considerably more, in Montana. If the Libertarian party hadn't been on the ballot, and the three percent of voters who pulled the "Libertarian" lever had broken only moderately Republican, Mr Burns would now be in office.
Does this mean that the libertarians are becoming a force in national elections, much as Ralph Nader managed to cost Al Gore a victory in 2000? Hope springs eternal among third-party afficionadoes, but the nature of the American electoral system, which directly elects representatives in a first-past-the-post system, makes it nearly impossible for third parties to gain traction. The last time it happened was in the 1850's, when the Whig party dissolved over internal disputes about slavery, opening the way for the emerging Republican party to put Abraham Lincoln in office. And acting as a spoiler is dubiously effective at achieving one's goals. In theory, it could pull the Repubicans towards the Libertarians, but in practice, it may just elect Democrats, pushing the nation's economic policy leftwards.
(Excerpt) Read more at economist.com ...
Me inventing Libertarianism? I haven't had a nightmare in years and I never over indulge.
Hit the nail on the head.
Sorry people, the liberalitarians are the anti-war, pro-drug, pro-unrestricted immigration party. It is waaaaaay past time to start considering them as dissidents from the GOP.
What everyone should understand is that this circular firing squad going on here today is meaningless. The simple facts are that voters made the Democrats the majority yesterday, and they (the voters) are sovreign. Politicians, both Left and Right, seem to forget that they have to earn every vote. The Republicans didn't spend their political capital over the last few years, they squandered it in a variety of ways, and lost their majorties because of it. It's back to the drawing board for 2008.
Treachery is very accurate...a little late to worry about the results of the deed now.
Alas, if only the GOP's problems were solely about the quality of its spin doctors.
Nice quote by Reagan. These folks don't understand that what is to be conserved is individual liberty and libertarianism is what defines and justifies it. That's what Reagan meant by it is the heart of conservatism. These folks simply confuse the LP with libertarianism.
These are 1%ers blaming 0.1%ers for their own failures. The LP normally gets votes from folks that would otherwise and do vote D in most areas.
It's all an exercise in indulging your ego, Chief.
Naw, ego not involved...simple realities.
BTW, I'm still not conviced that insulting everyone that disagrees with you is a winning political strategy. Good luck with it though.
"The most commonly cited rogue states -- Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, North Korea, and Cuba spend a combined $15 billion. Nowhere are American vital interests under attack or even seriously threatened."
"We must realize that the Defense Department is just another bureaucratic government agency-the Post Office in fatigues. It is the least efficient place to turn for a missile defense. [A Libertarian president would] post a reward of, say, $25 billion-to go to the first private company that actually produces a missile defense and proves that it works. I think we could have one within 3 or 4 years.
"We call for the abolition of the Selective Service. We oppose any form of national service. We oppose adding women to the pool of those eligible for the draft because we believe that this step enlarges the number of people subjected to government tyranny. We support the immediate exoneration of all who have been accused or convicted of draft evasion or desertion. We call for the end of the Defense Department practice of discharging armed forces personnel for homosexual conduct."
"The potential use of nuclear weapons is the greatest threat to America. We call on the U.S. government to continue negotiations to the end that all such weapons will ultimately be eliminated".
"We call for the withdrawal of American military personnel stationed abroad, including the countries of NATO Europe, Japan, the Philippines, Central America and South Korea."
Don't sweat it...enjoy your victory while you can. It's too late to worry about the cost.
"This libertarian voted straight Republican."
Ironically enough, so did I -- as I have for the past 14 years with the sole exception of 1992, which I have deeply regretted.
Before that I was a registered Republican who voted for Reagan twice and Bush 41 once. I'm also a veteran and proud of it, support the Iraq war and most of the policies the Republican party claims to support.
And now, for the first time since I started voting straight Republican again, I actually feel like I wasted my vote.
These people don't know who their friends are, but at this rate, they won't have to know, because they won't have any left.
I voted Republican and Republicans call me an idiot.
And you know what? They're right.
I must be an idiot to vote for people who are opposed to the values of personal liberty and limited government that are so important to me.
But I fell into the two-party trap of voting against the Democrats -- and consequently find myself surrounded by partisan demagogues who are just as obnoxious as they are.
At long last, I feel like my debt to the Republican Party for not supporting it in 1992 has been paid in full as of yesterday, and can finally leave the GOP behind with a clear conscience.
After all these years, I'm finally getting the message that the GOP truly doesn't want my vote.
Fine. I get it. I'll go my own way. No hard feelings, we just aren't compatible.
Thanks to everyone who has helped make this long-overdue decision easier. It feels... liberating.
See you in 2008!
The reality is, your ego is very much involved. You're going to save us all from the bad old libertarians.
LOL! Hardly...but the bill will be delivered to the table of Libertarian celebrators...so drink some more champagne and don't worry about the cost.
You mean like the RINOs who got their butts spanked by lowly Democrats with no agenda?
LOL! They had some willing assistance...no need for folks to be so shy about it.
Don't worry about feeling left out. You'll get a share of the bill too. There ain't no free lunch. Entertainment can be an expensive proposition.
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