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."
If you believe that you are the sole owner of your body and not "society."
Legalization of prostitution. Is that principled?
See above.
Legalization of sex with minors. Is that principled?
Where did you pull that one from? No real libertarian has claimed that a grown man should be allowed to have sex with say... a 10 year old girl. If you're talking about having sex with teens, guess what? The republicratic oligarchy has already made it legal in a large number of states. Here in VA, the age of consent is 16. I saw on the news once that in some states it can go lower than that.
Legalization of sex with minors. Is that principled?
Your head is quite far up your...
If you are so principled that you are no earthly good, then vote for the Conservative Party. Although I cannot agree with that decision, I respect it far more than anyone who votes for the pro-Gay LP. And if you're a Christian, voting for the LP is a counter-productive mistake. Don't be ignorant; research the LP before you even think about voting for it.
With the tools at hand, the absolute best vote a Christian or conservative can make is the Republican Party. It is not perfect, but they are electable and they are more receptive to conservative ideals and Christian goals that the worthless Dems, the anti-Christian LP, or the unelectable Conservative Party. Its a free country, lets keep it that way be keeping the Dems out of power and corralling all the conservative votes in the electable GOP. It really is the only viable choice for results and impact.....
The only way to win now is to throw out our current party and electoral system and start over clean. Anyone qualified to run for office should be allowed to be on each state's ballots for a federal election. While we're at it, it's time to throw out the district system and go back to proportional representation. If you did that, then CA might have 3x the number of conservatives in power because conservatives all over the state could pool their votes to elect conservatives to office.
If you keep voting for the lesser of the two evils, you get evil. There is nothing logical about supporting a party that barely ever gives you what you want. I'm sure you could find elements in a socialist or fascist party that would do some things you'd like if elected. That's what we are currently stuck with now at the national level. A predominantly fascist party, the Republicans, and a predominantly socialist or if you prefer, communist, party, the Democrats.
Do you own your body, or is it government property?
Legalization of prostitution. Is that principled?
Do you own your body, or is it government property?
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