Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.
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 ...
LOL! No, Kerry is a far better match...he claims to be a patriot while selling out his nation as well.
Aw geez, that's it? You need to go back to your mud. You've just plain run out of stuff, here. Your fans are waiting, where's the shock and awe?
This is an LP thread...is all about "stuff".
Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.
This is an lp bashing thread. It's all about you, baby. Show us your "stuff".
Who's bitter? Who is the one here that is whining and moaning about how someone spoiled the election? Who's bitter?
What, and try to compete with you. No thanks...you folks showed us your stuff yesterday.
But even more treacherous: Liebertarians sided with the enemy in this vote. And the enemy is not the dhimmicrats. It is the terrorists.
This... it's unforgivable. Doubly-so with our troops in the mid-east get blown up on a daily basis. IMHO, it was treason to vote in any way that risked handing congress to the enemies.
.
The GOP can either lead, follow, or get out of the way.
Don't really care which.
The same thing I've always wanted from a politician--small government conservatives.
I find it interesting that you think the GOP is entitled to my vote--if it doesn't put up a small government conservative candidate, well, tough.
LOL! I don't know why you folks are trying to hard to down play your achievement suddenly. You taught the GOP a lesson...be proud of it.
Losertarians cost Talent his seat in MO and Burns his in MT
better republicans cost talent his seat by trying to govern as democrats..god alone knows what those few more republican seat would've cost if they thought they had us well and truly caught
Jones: for euthanasia and homosexual rights...sounds like one of those new Democraps.
I smell a conspiracy.
It's a succinct illustration to your circular arguments, windbag.
I'm not trying to teach anyone a lesson.
I'm merely pointing out that you, in particular, are typical of the reason why the GOP are driving away libertarian voters. You tell us we're not wanted, and then ridicule us when we show up at family gatherings and then yell and scream when we stay away.
I'm just saying that if I were trying to win an election, I'd like my tent to be as big as possible. If I were a Republican, I'd sure be wanting to say, "Gee, libertarians may not be perfect, but they are pretty dang good. We both want small, limited government. Let's work together."
Do we get that? Nope--what do we get from you? Get the hell out.
Well, good thing the GOP doesn't need us and can win national elections without us.
Yep, we're the ones who agreed to a ridiculous power-sharing agreement, have candidates who are more liberal than the Democrats themselves, and voted in pork-barrel earmarks and spending bills.
Pro homosexual pro euthanasia libertarians (crypto dems) are not wanted by the republican Party. It's been an OK visit but now it's late and you need to go home...to the House of the Left where you belong.
Shoo...go away.
What "you folks"? You can't beat down one lousy semi-libertarian, and you're going to what, exactly, about "you folks"?
By the way, I started out in life as a Republican. Frankly, I'd RATHER be a Republican. But you told me to get out, so I did.
Why are you so bitter about it now? You told us to leave and we did. You should be happy. Why aren't you?
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