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Jim Webb still considering independent run
Hot Air.com ^ | December 28, 2015 | TAYLOR MILLARD

Posted on 12/28/2015 6:36:35 PM PST by Kaslin

Jim Webb may be considering trying to become the next Ralph Nader by running as an independent. Webb has been pretty active on social media, going after both President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for their policies. He’s tapping into the populist anger that those who are turned off by both Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and Ted Cruz might have, but Webb is probably counting on their support too. Ben Brody at Bloomberg Politics Webb is going to hop back into the presidential fray.

Since dropping out of the race for the Democratic nomination, Webb has continued to maintain his Webb2016 website, which he has updated with posts about the possibilities of an independent run. On Twitter, he and his fans have been promoting a #WebbNation hashtag.

A run by Webb, who often manages his own social media accounts and has also used them recently to promote a petition in favor of his run and to deliver kudos to Bernie Sanders in his battles with the Democratic National Committee ("nothing more than an arm for the Clinton campaign," Webb tweeted), could further complicate the already unpredictable 2016 election.

It’s a bit of a risk because Webb doesn’t know who the GOP nominee is going to be, although he’s pretty sure the Democrat nominee will be Clinton. If Clinton doesn’t reach out to disaffected Bernie Sanders supporters, then it’s possible they could jump ship on the Webb bandwagon. Check out Webb’s stance on Foreign Policy from his campaign website.

Second, we will honor our treaty commitments. But we are not obligated to join a treaty partner if they elect to use force outside the direct boundaries of our commitment, as in Libya. Neither the United Nations nor NATO has the power to bring the United States into an elective war without the consent of our Congress.

The terrorist armies make no claim to be members of any nation-state. Similarly, it would be militarily and politically dangerous for our military to operate from permanent or semi-permanent bases, or to declare that we are defending specific pieces of terrain in the regions where the terrorist armies live and train. We already have terrain to defend the United States and our outposts overseas and we cannot afford to expand this territory in a manner that would simply give the enemy more targets."

And finally, a warning spurred by the actions of this Administration in places such as Libya. There is no such thing as the right of any President to unilaterally decide to use force in combat operations based on such vague concepts as "humanitarian intervention." If a treaty does not obligate us, if American forces are not under attack or under threat of imminent attack, if no Americans are at risk, the President should come to the congress before he or she sends troops into Harm's Way.

How does Sanders feel about it? His website shows it’s pretty similar.

Senator Sanders will protect America, defend our interests and values, embrace our commitments to defend freedom and support human rights, and be relentless in combating terrorists who would do us harm. However, after nearly fourteen years of ill-conceived and disastrous military engagements in the Middle East, it is time for a new approach. We must move away from policies that favor unilateral military action and preemptive war, and that make the United States the de facto policeman of the world.

Senator Sanders believes that foreign policy is not just deciding how to react to conflict around the world, but also includes redefining America's role in the increasingly global economy. Along with our allies throughout the world, we should be vigorous in attempting to prevent international conflict, not just responding to problems. For example, the international trade agreements we enter into, and our energy and climate change policies not only have enormous consequences for Americans here at home, but greatly affect our relations with countries around the world. Senator Sanders has the experience, the record and the vision not just to lead on these critically important issues, but to take our country in a very different direction.

But here’s where Webb pivots towards the Right (and possibly Trump supporters) a bit, with his stance on "Economic Fairness."

If you make enough money to buy stocks, you're probably doing OK these days. If you're working in a successful company that provides stock options or bonuses in stocks, you're probably doing pretty well. But if you're spending all your income paying rent and putting food on the table and clothes on the backs of your kids, you're probably living on the outer edge of the American Dream.

I would agree that we cannot tax ourselves into prosperity. But we do need to reconfigure the tax code so that our taxes fall in a fair way. It is possible to simplify the tax code, including reducing the corporate tax rate in exchange for eliminating numerous loopholes, and to examine shifting our tax policies away from income and more toward consumption. We did not even have a federal income tax in this country until 1913. The loopholes and exceptions that have evolved have made a mockery out of true economic fairness. I would never support raising taxes on ordinary earned income, whether it goes to a school teacher or a nurse or a doctor or a film star. But we need to find a better way.

Trump’s stance is almost a carbon copy, going back into the populist roots of the issue.

1. Tax relief for middle class Americans: In order to achieve the American dream, let people keep more money in their pockets and increase after-tax wages.
2. Simplify the tax code to reduce the headaches Americans face in preparing their taxes and let everyone keep more of their money.
3. Grow the American economy by discouraging corporate inversions, adding a huge number of new jobs, and making America globally competitive again.
4. Doesn't add to our debt and deficit, which are already too large.

Webb’s notion to meld both Trump and Sanders populism into his own actually isn’t a bad idea. It’s doubtful Sanders would go after an independent run when/if he loses to Clinton. Trump probably won’t be on any ballots, unless he’s the GOP nominee, unless he decides to challenge some of the sore loser laws in states. But Politico notes it’s not impossible.

Though any Trump bid could face obstacles erected by state elections officials, they are surmountable, according to experts.

Trump could compete in Republican primaries through late March when two-thirds of states will have voted and two-thirds of delegates will have been awarded before deciding to mount an independent run and still make the ballot in every or nearly every state if he is willing to pay the seven-figure price, according to Richard Winger, the editor of Ballot Access News. Ralph Nader's ballot access attorney, Oliver Hall, and Bill Redpath of the Libertarian National Committee concurred with that assessment.

The cost of getting a candidate's name on ballots in all 50 states and the District of Columbia without the backing of a major party would likely reach into the low seven-digits, according to Hall. Winger estimated a cost of $3 million for the process using paid consultants and signature-gatherers. Trump's campaign has already experimented with the use of volunteers to gather ballot petition signatures in the Republican primary, an approach that could lower the cost of an independent bid.

So a possible Trump independent run could be the biggest obstacle into a Webb independent run. It still doesn’t mean the latter might not happen, and it’s possible that could draw votes away from potential Clinton supporters. But it doesn’t mean it will. Ralph Nader ran to the left of Al Gore in 2000, while Ross Perot split the vote with George H.W. Bush in 1992. A Trump independent run will more than likely take away votes from both the GOP and the Democrats, but nothing is certain. Webb’s consideration of a 2016 independent run is interesting to say the least. It may not go anywhere, but at least it might give people more options next November.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2016presidentialrace; berniesanders; contender; demparty2016; donaldtrump; hillaryclinton; jimwebb
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To: Blue Jays

Absolutely.

Webb knows this. I don’t know of him except the debate.

Is he a weasel who would make a deal for a position?

he seemed to HATE the other people on the debate stage.

seemed very out of place.


21 posted on 12/28/2015 7:34:16 PM PST by dp0622 (i)
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To: Blue Jays

I agree. Webb would especially pull votes from Trump and Cruz.


22 posted on 12/28/2015 7:36:44 PM PST by Dante3
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To: dp0622

Webb will hurt Hillary most and I hope he runs. There are Dems who don’t like Hillary but won’t vote Rep. Webb gives them somewhere to go.

Also, there are a lot of independents who are swing voters, and Webb will attract a few of them.


23 posted on 12/28/2015 7:38:06 PM PST by SaxxonWoods (Trump and/or Cruz, it's all good.)
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To: Kaslin

He’ll probably have a lot of trouble getting on the VA ballot, as did Santorum and Gingrich in 2012.


24 posted on 12/28/2015 7:40:06 PM PST by Theodore R. (Liberals keep winning; so the American people must now be all-liberal all the time.)
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To: Kaslin

Webb could make things rather interesting here in VA, since he was our Senator until 2012. There may be an undercurrent of support for a candidate who actually has a hands-on military background. He stood out like a sore thumb in that democrat debate in November, compared to those nutjob lefties on the stage.


25 posted on 12/28/2015 7:40:48 PM PST by ScottinVA (If you're not enraged...why?)
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To: Kaslin

Hot Air is aptly named.


26 posted on 12/28/2015 7:48:38 PM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Kaslin

We need to convince Bernie! to run.


27 posted on 12/28/2015 8:00:51 PM PST by crusty old prospector
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To: dp0622

I see Trump picking this guy for VP.


28 posted on 12/28/2015 8:03:44 PM PST by sunrise_sunset
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To: sunrise_sunset

I heard he’s hardcore pro abortion.

otherwise, might not be a bad idea.


29 posted on 12/28/2015 8:06:09 PM PST by dp0622 (i)
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To: dp0622

How do you figure that?


30 posted on 12/28/2015 8:57:21 PM PST by TBP (Obama lies, Granny dies.)
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To: TBP

didn’t you read what I wrote?

he’s not liberal. Not even close, compared to the others.

I watched the debate. his polling was horrific because he’s nowhere near to the left of the others and I liked some of what he said.

Not all republicans are us. MANY are moderate, and if they think Trump is too far right, they will vote for this guy.

Do you know that he wasn’t always a democrat, even? read about him before asking why.


31 posted on 12/28/2015 9:03:21 PM PST by dp0622 (i)
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To: WENDLE

We could have a multi-candidate race, with a GOPe RINO, Hitlery, The Donald, The Bern, and Webb. What fun!


32 posted on 12/28/2015 9:22:52 PM PST by TBP (Obama lies, Granny dies.)
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To: TBP

thing is, though he said “jane fonda can kiss my A##’, and wouldn’t shake Kerry’s hand, called Clinton scum, defended confederacy, he did ALSO while a dem vote the party line besides a few times.

I don’t know that the HECK that makes him.


33 posted on 12/28/2015 9:25:36 PM PST by dp0622 (i)
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To: dp0622

He’s pretty liberal on a lot of issues. There is a reason Mark Levin calls him “Melon Head”.

https://www.webb2016.com/economic-fairness/
https://www.webb2016.com/foreign-policy/
https://www.webb2016.com/national-infrastructure/
https://www.webb2016.com/criminal-justice-reform/
https://www.webb2016.com/good-governance/


34 posted on 12/28/2015 9:30:37 PM PST by TBP (Obama lies, Granny dies.)
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To: dp0622

Independent?


35 posted on 12/28/2015 9:31:14 PM PST by TBP (Obama lies, Granny dies.)
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To: TBP

wow. thanks. i’ll open those up.

that should kill him with repubs.

can’t see who he’d appeal to then.

Could steal some southern dem votes, I guess. Not liberal enough for northeast or the west coast.

wonder what he’s thinking?

dem/repub/dem/independent? can’t he make up his mind what he wants to be?


36 posted on 12/28/2015 9:34:33 PM PST by dp0622 (i)
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To: PGalt

Webb’s purpose has always been to turn the Democrat Party away from the radical left and back towards the moderate middle. To date he hasn’t been very successful. To that same end Jim’s aim is to split voters away from Hillary, who he knows to be seriously flawed and destructive to the US.


37 posted on 12/29/2015 12:00:15 AM PST by Forty-Niner
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To: Kaslin

The dems will need him and ‘Pocahontas’ as backup when cankles gets jail time.


38 posted on 12/29/2015 3:28:05 AM PST by duckman
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To: Kaslin

It would be nice to have the other side field a spoiler...


39 posted on 12/29/2015 3:47:03 AM PST by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: Dante3

It’s hard to imagine Trump or Cruz supporters going to Webb, the ObamaCare voter, but it is an odd political climate.


40 posted on 12/29/2015 3:50:31 AM PST by Nickname
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