Posted on 10/04/2003 9:12:29 AM PDT by TERMINATTOR
A strange thing is happening in California politics: The GOP is turning its back on a popular, conservative Republican to support a Hollywood actor who opposes nearly every social issue the Republicans claim to stand for.
Meanwhile, Libertarians across the state of California are making an unprecedented exodus from the Libertarian party's candidate and instead supporting California state Sen. Tom McClintock, a conservative Republican. Nothing like this has happened before in the Libertarian Party and it speaks volumes about the character and integrity of Tom McClintock.
Why is McClintock attracting so much attention from the "Party of Principle"? It's because McClintock is the only candidate who is prepared to veto the reckless spending spree that has overtaken Sacramento.
In a recent cover story that appeared in the Orange County Weekly, R. Scott Moxley explains why McClintock is admired and feared for his willingness to veto spending bills. "Ask Sacramento Democrats what they think of McClintock. They'll likely tell you the last man they want holding the veto pen to their spending habits is the relentlessly frugal 47-year-old conservative from Thousand Oaks."
I should tell you that the Orange County Weekly is anti-Bush, and anti-conservative. So a cover story endorsing McClintock is already generating "horror on the left and suspicion in establishment GOP circles," according to Moxley. But the message is too powerful to ignore: The spending spree has to stop and nobody has the guts to stop it, except McClintock.
When Gray Davis first ran for governor in 1998, California's economy was the envy of the world. As Libertarian nominee for governor, I campaigned against Gray Davis and the spending habits of the Democrats. I predicted back then that the California economy was going to collapse because of the rapidly expanding role of government in our lives and in our pocketbooks. (In fact, one popular radio host denounced me for my alarmist economic views.) Back then, nobody wanted to hear that, but now – five years later – California's fiscal problems are painfully apparent to everyone.
Here's how the Orange County Weekly sizes up the problem: "While California's population rose 21 percent during the Davis era, the Democrats raised state spending by a whopping 40 percent. They've added 44,000 new public employees to the state payroll and, in the midst of the current fiscal crisis, strapped taxpayers with an additional $700 million per year in ridiculously generous public-employee pension perks."
A group calling itself, Libertarians for McClintock, has posted a website which has an impressive list of California Libertarians who are endorsing Sen. McClintock. The site lists a number of issues with which the state's leading Libertarians are in strong agreement with McClintock.
Tom on the issues
Medical Marijuana: "The people of California spoke clearly on that subject. The federal government has no right to intervene." Tom says he voted for Proposition 215 in 1996, which legalized medical marijuana in California.
Cut Taxes And Spending: He was the first to call for repealing the car tax, beginning a petition drive to force a vote on the issue. Since then, all the other major candidates for governor have jumped on Tom's bandwagon, echoing his call to repeal the car tax.
Restore Choice In Education: "Two simple but far-reaching changes are needed to turn the system right-side up: first, restore to parents the ultimate choice over their child's teacher, subject only to academic qualifications and space limitations set by the teacher; and second, pay teachers according to the number of students they attract."
Limited Government Liberates People: "Jefferson observed that a government which attempts to do more than it ought will accomplish less. His America today is not experiencing a crisis of confidence in government; but rather a rediscovery of the limitations of government. To the existing establishment, that may be a crisis. But to the people, it is a liberation."
Right To Keep And Bear Arms: "The right is absolute. In a free nation, government has no authority to forbid me from speaking because I might shout "fire" in a crowded theater. Government has no authority to forbid me from using my fist to defend myself because I might also use it to strike your nose. And government has no authority to forbid me from owning a firearm because I might shoot an innocent victim."
Draft Registration: As co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Tom led the fight to kill the bill requiring young people to register for the draft before they could get a driver's license. The bill was defeated in committee.
Free Trade: "Respecting the right of consumers to make their own decisions in the marketplace without having government interpose its judgment for theirs."
Slash Regulation And Bureaucracy: "This is the opportunity of our generation, this historic turning point, to roll back the taxes, the regulations destroying our economy, and to rein in our out-of-control bureaucracies.
Superiority Of Individual Over Collective Decision-Making: "In any human enterprise, individuals making their own decisions according to their own lights produce a far higher level of prosperity and a far wiser and more just allocation of resources than decisions made collectively and administered centrally."
There is an old saying that character is destiny. Certainly the past decisions of the other top contenders in the recall election are still shaping their destiny. Quite frankly, we are being asked to place our trust in those who have repeatedly demonstrated themselves to be unworthy of our trust. Or, we can stop fooling around and vote for a man who has a long track record of walking his talk and standing up for the rights of the individual against the tyranny of "collective decision making."
And so you posted an editorial from Harry Browne. He is NOT the LP. Is everything that Bush or Buchanan does or says official Republican party dogma? Hardly. (Bush because he is an elected Republican candidate; Buchanan because he was NOT an elected.)
Why is being 'fair and balanced' so difficult?
Heck, most people like to rail on the LP open border plank while forgetting that Bush has been implementing a similar policy despite national security concerns.
I suppose the Libertarians would rather see a democRAT in office than Arnie.
They don't realize that most of the current LP 'anti-war' sentiment is rooted in trying to stay faithful to Founding Fathers.
The election isn't about social issues. Most social issues are essentially off the table in California, in the sense that there is little popular support for most of the goals of the social conservatives. I really don't understand some elements of the social conservative right. The left has won much of its gains by doing two simple things.
1) Accepting a half loaf over none.
2) Defending that half loaf with all they got.
Conservatives on the other hand will accept nothing less than a whole loaf and usually get nothing. And if on the off chance they get something, they'll give up that half loaf to the left.
But if you want to say that Bush is the Party, then the Republican Party supports open borders.
LOL! Harry Browne was the LP nominee for President in 96 and 00.
According to your implied logic, W is the Republican party. That, by extention means that every Republican embraces open borders, illegal immigrants, HUGE federal education spending, drug subsidies for the 'elderly', down payment subsidies for the 'poor', etc, etc, etc.
I NEVER want to hear about how 'liberal' the LP is when the Repubicans out liberal the Liberals when they finally get the White House, and both houses of Congress.
Honestly, honesty isn't a strong suit for many, many freeper 'conservatives'.
Yadder, yadder, yadder, same old, same old, from the LP contingent on FR.
One only has to look at the LP platform and see that their social positions are on par with the ACLU's.
Oh that's right, when you post to your people you need pictures, when you post to me you can use words.
If you were really honest in your comparisons, you'd note the current drift toward fascism.
Why do you support fascism?
I understand you knee jerk reaction against pot smoking, but what is it about the FDA that gives you orgasms? Why do you support the government disallowing medications that are successfully used and dispensed in other countries? Is more government control your idea of freedom?
The Spanish American War moved us toward empire before that.
If what they stand for bothers you so much, maybe you could convince your fellow Schwartzekennedy supporters to STOP referring to Arnold as a "libertarian" everytime someone mentions his LIBERAL stance on social issues. I can tell you this, "libertarians" certainly don't want "stiffer gun laws" and "governemnt programs for all the people" like your boy Arinold does.
Its best to leave them alone, and reach out to others who are logical-minded and understand the big picture. The LP is a dead end street; those who waste their time and votes on it are not interested in results, or in keeping the Dems at bay. Lord knows what they are interested in, but who cares? There's not enough of them to worry about. LOL, if there were, they would have their own site, and not have to frequent authentic conservative sites for gullible and irrational souls that are fooled by their bogus arguments.....
Conservative Republicans are libertarians, without the embarrassing baggage.
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