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 ...
You poor angry man. Do you want me to get you a tissue for those tears? Maybe get your little comfort blanket?
Figure it out, dude. What are you offering us? Market protectionism? Soaring entitlements? A spectacular national debt owed to, of all places, Beijing?! Yeah, China, America's historical ally, and all round pal! Why don't we borrow a few bucks off Castro while we're at it? We're all friends now right! And Iraq; yea, that went well. We've saved the jihadists a $600 ticket to fly to America and blow Americans up. They can do it in the comfort of their own back yard, now! War in Iraq, my ass. It was a police action. We should have been in there, trashed the place, taken Sadaam out and said 'Adios, Good luck with the democracy!'. As it is, a few hundred billion greenback later, and that's what's going to happen anyway. Money well spent, right?
'Traitors'. What planet are you on, man. Libertarian votes don't 'belong' to the GOP, anymore than Democrat, Green or independent votes do. You're seriously bitching because people turned away from a gang of pedophiles and queers so crooked they need a 'page' to help them screw their pants in the morning?
If that's treachery, then get used to it buddy. You're gonna feel it every election.
LOL! Yes, I'm sure conservative America will allow itself to be held hostage by a small fringe element.
This is still your party, Chief. You've got a target and an audience. Take your best shot, I'm still here.
Naw, it's your party...enjoy it.
Well gee, Chief, whatcha gonna do? Throw your pacifier out of the pram and demand obedience?
No. My bet is, the GOP is going to do little soul searching, and then come grovelling for our votes just like they go grovelling to lobbyists for golf trips to Scotland and grovelling to 17yr old interns for... well, you know what I mean.
Libertarians are sure getting a lot of attention these days given how 'irrelevant' we are.
This is a libertarian bashing thread, that's your turf. Tell us what you're going to do about this "Libertarian treachery", other than "remember it". C'mon, make me afraid.
Whooops, while the above is partially true, who should receive the credit is a the communist infiltration in academia which led to the subsequent corruption of every government branch or agency, but even more, the media. Scumbag propagandists!
Only two problems with that:
1) Conservative voters aren't going to forget yesterday, and
2) why would the GOP risk alienating it's base to attract the support of a handful of bitter fringers?
I know that threatening to crap in the pool and spoil the party for everyone seems a workable philosophy for you folks...which is probably why you've never elected a single national figure.
Stop being so humble...relish your accomplishments...we won't forget it.
Whatever. If it was so important for the Republicans to keep the majority, why did they fumble the ball, so to speak, on so many no-brainer issues? As I said in another post, the Republicans didn't spend their political capital, they squandered it, and they lost.
That's the best you can do? "Oh, yeah. I remember some Libertarians back in ought-six........." At this rate I'll still be voting for Republicans in two years.
Not at all...I hope you enjoy Speaker Pelosi. No whining, hear?
No worries.
With your help, we can't lose. ;^)
- ...we won't forget it. -
You will when the Kool-Aid kick in... ; )
Oh, Lord.
Bush's free pills program alone added over a trillion to our unfunded liabilities.
What does that have to do with...oh never mind. Several researchers I work with are currently deliberately increasing their background radiation levels for the purpose of stimulating DNA repair.
Ah, monkeys at keyboards. Well, let us know if they reproduce Shakespeare. And get out of the way while people with 3 digit IQs engage in ... what is it? ... thought.
Bush has allowed nation building to become more important than fighting radical Islam.
Well, we can count on Majority Leader Murtha to help us with that.
There you go with the false modesty again.
And before anyone knocks the concept, wait until you see what the Greens and Progressives do to the Democrats in 2008 when they find out Pelosi can do the political math and isn't going to give them anything they have been demanding. ;)
Naw, I never drink anything from an LP source. You should stop trying to act so modest...enjoy your victory.
LOL! Interestingly enough...those two drug legalization efforts failed.
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