Can Libertarians function in the Republican Party?

Fox News | 11/26/02 | me

[Sparta]

I just heard on John Gibson's show a guest say that libertarians can influence policy in the Republican Party. He pointed to Ron Paul and Dick Armey as examples. Your comments please.

[seanc623]

There's a bit of snobbery on boths sides. Personally, I think both the Republicans and Libertarians need to eat a bit of humble pie, and start working together. That means we're going to have to get past these statist/traitor arguments on to something more productive.

Well said! As a recent convert from the LP back to the GOP may I have the first slice of that humble pie?

[weikel]

By the way, Dick Armey is retiring along with a bunch of other hard core conservatives.

I wish Dick Armey was President... loved Gingrich too till he was forced out also like Phil Gramm whos retiring.

[bigfootbob]

Wanna bet?

[Cobra64]

You don't need a flame suit, just an increase in intelligence. Insulting those who'd agree with you on many points is not bright.

Seems it was a good idea he was wearing his Nomex, because you just insulted him, by saying, "Insulting those who'd agree with you on many points is not bright."

[yoswif]

I've tried to influence leaders of the local Republican party but they're just as obsessed with passing massive annual spending increases as the Democrats. I asked how they felt about the federal government's plan to impose an 82% lifetime federal tax rate on America's children. They just laughed and said that was the children's problem. Republicans are so concerned about abortion and then condemn America's children to a lifetime of slavery to the federal government as soon as they're born. So much for Republican "compassion". The only way to reduce that 82% to a compassionate, morally responsible, and sustainable level is to reduce government spending to a compassionate, morally responsible, and sustainable level. Only Libertarians support reducing government spending to a compassionate, morally responsible, and sustainable level.

[Ben Ficklin]

Libertarians have been hired by Republican.

Gale Norton is Sec of Interior. She also worked for Reagan.
Alan Fitzsimmons presently works at Interior. He also served Reagan and the elder Bush.
Lynne Scarlett is in #2 position at Interior. Karl Hess serves as her consultant.
James Ziglar was head of INS.
Stuart Anderson is Director of Policy at INS. He also served then Senator Spencer Abraham.

Andrew Biggs served on Bush's SS Commission and as Bush's rep at a UN meeting on aging and retirement. He also serves on the House Banking Committee.

I am confident that many other libertarians work and/or worked for Repubs. Only the names of people in key positions make it into the media.

[jwalsh07]

The Libertarian Party doesn't speak for all libertarians. This libertarian believes in closed borders until we can fix the mess with our visa and immigration policies, opposes bilingual education, and opposes having foreign cultures being forced upon him.

I am not a libertarian but it is my understanding that the guiding principle of same is non-aggression. How do you propose to coerce immigrants to speak English and adopt another culture? In fact, absent any aggression on your private property how do you coerce them to stay outside America's borders? How do you do these things and remain true to the libertarian principle of non-aggression?

[supercat]

Porn does not have full 1st Amd. protection.

While I have no trouble agreeing that porn does not have full FOURTEENTH Amendment protection, if the Court actually read the real Constitution the Founding Fathers wrote, they would notice the First Amendment reads "CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW". What basis, if any, is there for believing that this was not written as an absolute bar against federal laws regulating speech or writings of any type on any subject? To be sure, Congress didn't take very long before passing a statute which clearly violated the First Amendment (the Alien and Sedition Act) but the First Amendment serves to protect the people from such legislation.

To be sure, the Founding Fathers would have certainly seen a need for certain laws restricting the spoken and written word, but such necessary laws could have been provided at the state and local levels. Congress may have a legitimate role in aiding in the enforcement of certain local laws (nb: it's explicitly given such power to aid in the enforcement of individual states' liquor laws) but that's a bit different from imposing such laws on its own.

BTW, for those who complain that a literal reading of the Constitution would leave the U.S. defenseless without an Air Force, and would lead to airwave anarchy without an FCC, I would posit that inventions like the airplane and radio come along sufficiently seldom that passing and ratifying explicit constitutional amendments to deal with them would muddle things far less than the current practice of pretending the Constitution says whatever seems necessary at the time.

[EBUCK]

C'Mon RA....the bible says that "you" personally shouldn't partake the porn....no where does it say that you should force others into the same decision...

EBUCK

[weikel]

You sound like a jihadist.

[weikel]

The INS is one of the few places I want libertarians out of and Pat Buchanan in.

[EBUCK]

There are some libertarians who use the name because all they want is sex, drugs, and porn, but are really socialists(Bill Maher comes to mind).

The two terms, libertarian and socialist, are incompatible.....and stated party membership does not automatically imply party line loyalty...look at McCain..

EBUCK

[MacArthur]

Good point.

[EBUCK]

There are quite a few of us that are trying to get that stance changed...open borders without ending welfare is folly.

EBUCK

[WaveThatFlag]

That's not the point. In an overwhelming two party system, if you don't align yourself with the candidate who is least unfavorable to your beliefs, you are in essence voting for the candidate who is most unfavorable to your beliefs. Voting Libertarian for the rest of your life is not going to get medicinal marijuana legalized (or whatever axe led you to Libertarianism in the first place). Getting Republicans elected can and will lead to the repeal of Roe V. Wade.

[EBUCK]

....muddle things far less than the current practice of pretending the Constitution says whatever seems necessary at the time.

Good dawdamm post s.cat!

EBUCK

[EBUCK]

You and me both....Pat would do wonders in the big chair over at the INS headquarters.

EBUCK

[weikel]

I don't like Pat Buchanan I don't really agree with him on anything except immigration. The INS is something he'd be good at and would keep him out of trouble.

[EBUCK]

But when a vote for either is a vote for the other a feller must take his support from both.

The difference between the two parties is shrinking right in front of your eyes! Neither party, at any level, wants to actually reduce government or its influence in our lives. Neither party cares about freedom anymore. Neither party is answerable to us anymore.

EBUCK