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 ...
Euthanasia. porn, homosexual "rights" ad nauseum...where do you differ from the dem platform on cultural values except that neither of you have any?
The rest of your stuff is drivel.
FU Libs!
They got their egos bruised, and they're looking for someone to blame. They don't want to get it, they want to kick over the table and start a fight. There's not a thing you can do about it because they're in no mood to listen.
I'm sorry I have to leave this pity party; it was fun. Hell, if it makes you feel any better, yea, we stiffed ya.
You can think that we'll get our just deserts too, if it'll help you sleep. But at the end of the day, to think that is to lose the point of all this; libertarians deserted the GOP because it was running the fiscal situation even worse than the Democrats (check the stats), but with the added insult of invading our privacy as well. Strong economy? Oh, it's a dynamite eonomy. It'll be rocking right up to the point that China stops lending us money.
what you say is true and i should just shut up..i can't resist tho
Yeah, but they still showed up to vote. Last night Tony Snow, all perky and cheerful, says "Now that those pesky conservatives are irrelevant, let's hand the US over to Mexico!"
One of those moments that I'll never forget. In the background--"Kersplash!"--the sound of conservatives being thrown overboard. And Bush, today, so uber-gracious it made my teeth ache, so anxious to do whatever Nancy wants, as long as he still gets to turn the US over to Mexico...
If we were honest, the Republicans would split about 60/30...60 going to the Constitution Party, 30 going to the Libertarians.
Our dear libertarian "base" felt that we weren't pulling America over to our side fast enough so they just let go of the rope and walked away, knowing America would lurch left. And they have the nerve to blame those of us who stayed in the fight....
wasn't ethal rosenburg a republican?
The only real silver lining to this whole election disaster is watching Bots piss themselves with rage. "LIBERTARIANS DONE IT TO US!" (incomprehensible slobbering) "GET OFFA MY LAND, POTHEAD!! AND GO VOTE FER MY CANDY-DATE!"
Euthanasia. porn, homosexual "rights" ad nauseum...where do you differ from the dem platform on cultural values except that neither of you have any?
Not as traitors and fools.
The thing of it is, they are so far to the right they've come up on the left. Before this election that was a lesson only the voters of a few states had learned...now it's pretty clear for everyone.
Yes!. #1 and #3 contradict each other. #3 is true (except why say stole, they earned them) The article is about the number of votes for Libertarian candidates far exceeding the difference in close elections. 3rd party candidates can be spoilers. Gore would have won if Nader had not run. Bush Sr. would have won if Perot had not run.
The Libertarians are *NOT* aligned with the Democrats. That is absurd. Do you know anything about Libertarians? Their institute, the Cato institute, is frequently used as a "think tank" by Republicans. They are the strongest advocates for small government and low taxes out there. The are strongly anti-socialist. They are not "progressive". There are many Republicans who are also libertarian leaning. Dick Armey and Ron Paul are two who have got elected that come to mind but there are many others.
some would say the republicans are the traitors for allowing 12+ million mexicans and when catching them lettiong them go and only deporting OTM(other than mexicans)
Nice dodge
You got what you wanted .. hope you can live with it
You folks never do think through the consequences of your actions do you.
I was using sarcasm to illuminate the idiocy of the anti-libertarian arguments often put forth around here. I should've been more explicit...sorry about that.
what's she going to do? open the boarder and just let mexicans cross willy nilly?
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